FILMS RADIO VIDEO Mrsic STAGE Published "Weekly at 154 West 46th Street, New York 19, N. T., by Variety, Ino, Annual subscription, $10. Single copies, 25 cents. Entered as second cless matter December 22, 1906, at the Pos t . Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. COPYRIGHT/ 1950/ BY VARIETY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED VOL. 180 No. 13 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1950 PRICE 25 CENTS Moola Comes Over the Mountain In Kate Smith’s $6,(100,1)00 TV Take BIGGEST TAKE Powerful Interests Back Ex-Nazis IN iT<; mim Seekiim to Control German Pix Biz NBC television’s expensive gam-- ble on daytime television with the hour-long, cross-therboard ‘‘Kate Smith Show” is paying off in a way that may open up a whole new concept of selling daytime video. Program, which could have cost the web close to $6,500,000 a year for time and talent if sponsors had turned it down, by this week had 11 different bankrollers pacted for 18 of its 20 available 15-minute Segments. With other bankrollers now rapping at its door to get in, NBC hopes to achieve a complete sellout by the week’s end. As of now it represents $6,000,000 in an- nual billings. New concept is that of selling such a show on a participating basis. NBC exec veepee Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver had inaugurated the same idea on the web’s big “Saturday Night Revue” and suc- ceeded in selling out a show that would have been too expensive for one or two advertisers to sponsor. Recognizing that there would be even more sponsor reluctance to pick up the tab on a daytimer, Weaver gave his salesmen the go- ahead on the participating setup. While some of the bankrollers on the Smith program are top-spend- ing advertisers, the fact that many newcomers have, also bought in in- dicates, according to web execs, that the idea will provide a chance for clients who don’t have too heavy budgets to get into video. Sponsors pay $85,000-$90,000 for (Continued on page 54) Touring ‘Pacific’ Biggest Legit Earner in Years; 650G Profit in 26 Weeks Touring company of “South Paci- fic” is believed to be the highest-, profit legit production in many years. It earned an operating net of almost $200,900 during October, including nearly $64,100 for a sin- gle week in Dallas, when the gross reached $112,000. The show had amassed a total profit of over $647,- 900 as of Oct. 28, in a 26-week run. The original Broadway company, wfiich had played 80 weeks by then, had netted the sum of $671,900 as of the same date. For the week ending Oct. 28, split between Dallas and Omaha, the road company grossed over $88,900, on which it made an op- erating profit of more than $44,200. It paid theatre rental of $1,5,100 for the week and included in the company expense of almost $29,600 were $8,200 company payroll, $1,- 500 for musicians, $1,800 for com- pany crew, $8,892 author royalties, and $2,200 director Royalty. Other company expense items in- cluded almost $560 for wardrobe attendants and dressers, $550 for stage managers, $550 for. company and general managers, $250 for pressagent, $100 scenic designer royalty, $150 for rental of electri- (Continued on page 62) Jessel Glorified Jock In Planned New Airers Hollywood, Dec. 5. George Jessel cut a recording over the weekend for the proposed I “George Jessel Time” packaged by jDon Davis in quarter-hour seg- ; ments for airing three times week- ly. Jessel tells nostalgic stories about show biz personalities as I lead-in to records identified with , his subject, making him a glorified platter-pusher in effect. I Audition disk deals with A1 Jol- son. It was cut at ABC, giving the I net first refusal on a package buy. B’way Tryout Last Friday night’s (1) Ford Theatre TV presentation of Zoe i Akins’ “Another Darling” set I something of a precedent for show business, with the hour production ] representing a tryout for a pro- ! jected Broadway legit entry. Singular aspect was that the TV version, adapted by Nancy Moore, ^ went out over the CBS Video lanes , simultaneously with its perform- ance last week by the Cincinnati Civic Theatre at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Aldrich & Myers have an option on the legit play, but not the TV rights. The legit producers and potential backers “screened” the show’s legit possibilities on. the basis of the TV adaptation. . ‘Korean Circuit’ Route Cancelled by War Dept, Hollywood, Dec. 5. In View of, the critical military situation in Korea, the Danny Kaye and Edward G. Robinson troupes slated to entertain troops in Korea have been cancelled. Kaye was to have teamed ^with N. Y. Giants’ manager Leo Durocher and the Dunhills for a jaunt of the fighting fronts starting in January. Robin- son was to have left this month. Order calling Off the trips came from Gen. Douglas MacArthur. It’s not likely that any top enter- tainers will be called upoin by the Pentagon to entertain GIs in the war theatres until the U. S. mili- tary picture gets better. Military officials had been seeking names for trips to Korea for some time. The Kaye and Robinson Korean jaunts were to have been the first big top names sirt(;e those played by Bob Hope and the late A1 Jol- sori. Jack Benny had been slatfed to tour the area, but had to call off the trip on advice of his medico, Kaye and Durocher had previous- ly teamed on an entertainment tour of the Pacifi? nvca under USO- Camp Shows au.spice&. Presaging television’s upbeat to Tin Pan Alley, the American So- ciety of Composers, Authors and Publishers will rack up ■ the big- gest take in its 36 years’ history. When all performance fees are collected, the 1950 music melon should hit $11,000,000. Considering the loss of $1,- 250,000 in picture theatre rev- enues under last year’s adverse decision by Judge Vincent L. Lei- bell, in N. Y. Federal district court, and the downbeat of radio, the $11,000,000 peak gross is the more remarkable. The music men envision $15-$20,000f)00 in a mat- ter of years. Despite the seac-tax loss from the picture houses, current nego- tiations directly with the film pro- ducers should see $750,000-$!,- 000,000 in direct synchronization film licenses on Hollywood produc- tions. Breakdown of ASCAP’s take shows that radio is still, the most important source of revenue by far. Despite the inroads of tele- vision, radio will shell out approxi- mately $8,000,000 , in performance fees this year. This will be about $500,000 more than received from the AM broadcasters in 1949. Television, meantime, is rapidly building up as the second major user of music. While ASCAP r^ ceived virtually nothing from TV last year, the tAke from video in 1950 is expected to hit $1,000,000. (Continued on page 20) lO-HOUR LP SET BY CO.; BIBLE TO BE 1ST Utflizing the development of long-play disks, a new outfit, the Record Book Society, has been formed with the aim of putting literary classics on wax. Initial work in its library, already pro- cessed, is the New Testament, which runs 10 hours on 10 long- play platters. Disks are being pressed by Wag- ■ ner-Nichols Recording Co., which has developed a super micro-groove record which permits a full-hour I of material to run on a 10-inch disk. Radio and legit actor Alex- ander Scourby nan'ated the Bibli- cal text. Record Book Society is I operating on a subscription basis. Asa’s Stand-in for Jolie Three-year-old Asa Jolson will receive the Civihan Or- der of Merit posthumously awarded his foster father, A1 Jolson, tomorrow morning (6) at the Pentagon. Jolson’s widow, Erie, who arrived in Washington this evening with young Asa, will be on hand for the presentation. Presentation will be made by General George C. Mar- .shall, U. S. Secretary of De- fense. The award was taken up with the White House and approved there* Radio Shows Now Serving As Legit Attractions A new source of material for plays targeted at stock companies is being developed by Samuel French, drama publishing outfit. Company is putting out plays based on radio shows. Initialer, published recently, is a dramatization of the airer “Crime Photographer.” Also being released by. French are two works by James Reach, both based on radio programs. These are “My Friend Irma” and “People Are Funn^.” Disk, Sheet Sales Zoom Upward Although starting later than an- ticipated, disk and sheet music sales zoomed sharply upwards this week as the Christmas market be- gan opening up. Normal holiday pickup begins immediately after Thanksgiving, and platter com- panies, in particular, believe that loss of a week will result in a last- minute rush of sales. If such a jam-up takes place, it’s feared that it will be difficult for the distribs to get enough of the right records to the right outlets in time. The gale which swept the east- ern seaboard last week is seen as a contributing factor in delaying the Christmas pickup. Rise in sales is being felt across the board with the current pops as well as the Xmas songs sharing in the gravy. Among the pops, “Ten- nessee Waltz”* is heading the field in both sheet and disk form while “Rudolph,* the' Red Nosed Rein- deer” is maintaining its leadership among the Xrpas . entries. . “Frosty the Snow Man,” a new holiday tune, is also showing up strongly. ^ By GEORGE F. GAAL Frankfurt, Dec. 5. Powerful state, financial and in- dustrial interests have allied them- selves with former top Nazi picture executives in an attempt to start a giant film monopoly^patterned on the Nazi state-owned UFA com- bine — before the end of this year. Reports reaching western officials to this effect indicate that this monopoly group is attempting to regain control of the 50,000,000 marks ($12,000,000) UFA em- pire, decreed to be sold at auc- tion by the Allied High Commis- sion next summer. Available information indicated that by manipulation it will be able to evade High Commission anti- trust laws and thus could become a critical thi’eat to the recouping independent industry. Outfit is planned to be formed in the Ruhr state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Continued on p^ge 62) Par Helps Foot Bill For Ringling Costumes In DeMille Pic Tieup Sarasota, Fla., Dec. 5. Costumes for Ringling Bros,- Barnum & Bailey circus next sea- son will be the most elaborate in the show’s history — thanks to Para- mount. Studio is footing a large part of the bill, si^ice the costumes will be used in Cecil B. DeMille’s pic built around RB-B&B, “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Part of the deal calls for de- livery of the costumes to the oir- cus’ winter quarters in Sarasota, Fla., by Jan. 15, instead of the normal April date. DeMille plans to start shooting in Sarasota at that time with some of the acts and crew of the show plus stars Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour, Lucille Ball and James Stewart. Costumes will run to about $200,- 000. They’re being done by legit designer Miles White, with Brooks Costume, N.Y., making them. LAST FRONTIER HOTEL LAS VEGAS PRESEKTS The Hour of Charm All Girl Orchestra and Choir Under the Direction of PHIL SPITALNY DEC. 1 TO DEC. 28 MISCELLANY Wediieeday^ December 6, 1950 , Washington* Dec. 5. The Supreme Court was asked today (Tucs.) to decide whether tel- evised motion pictures are subject to censorship by states. If the High Court should accept jui isdiction, it would probably go a long way in , its opinion toward deciding the question of whether motion pictures' shown in theatres must continue to be subject to state . and local censorship boards. Today’s appeal was brought by the Pennsylvania Board of Motion picture Gensdrs after the U. S. district court of eastern Pennsyl- vania and the 3rd Circuit court of appeals had both ruled that the State censors had no control Over video programs, even when they are films. Fighting the censorship board are five TV operators in Pennsyl- vania— Allen B. DuMont Labora- tories, Inc., with a station in Pitts- burgh; Philco, WCAU, Inc,, and Triangle Publications, ail with sta- tions in Philadelphia, and WGAL, Inc., iocated in Lancaster. Oddly enough, this is the second (Cpntinued on page 61) 33 ^ Fairbanks’ Tmman Talk Washington, Dec. 5. , Dougias Fairbanks, Jr , in Wash- ington for Several days, called on President Truman last week to make “another peripatetic report on my operations in Europe.” Fairbanks told newsmen that he comes back to Washington and re- ports to the President every few months, “after every trip.” He said he “picks up odd jobs to do from the embassies.” ; Asked on whose behalf he W’ent ; abroad, he said he was making his report as vicepresident of the United Nations Assn., Durante Gets NBC-TV Carte Blanche Deal To Allow Nitery Dates, Etc. NBC prexy Joe McConnell has given, Jimmy Durante carte blanche “to do anything you piease” as regards the number of TV monthly shows the comedian v.ill do on the Wednesday night “Four-Star Revue.” The Schnoz was committed to “eight or nine” but wants .to cut .it down, depend- ing on his urge to * do a picture, take on a nitery chore, aind the like. Diirante’s package calls for $50,000 per. The Copacabana, N. Y., is par- ticularly in need of the Schnoz’s boxoifice succor due to (1) Phil Silvers’ failure to hold up current- ly, and (2> a booking jam which Danny Thomas may be able to re- solve. Durante comes in Jan. 4 (Continued on page 61)- . ‘Search’-rWants More Time for Personal Life Interference With her marital life is causing Maggi McNellis to bow out of the Vim-Motorola “Talent Search” ( NBC ) after Dec. 18 and concentrate on “Leave It to the Girls,” the Sunday: night NBC show oi’ which she is moderator. “Girls” is a comparatively “easy” show be- cause it’s at 7 p.m. and permits her the ma.ior portion of the evening off. For the same reason of an ‘ “easy” hour she will take on “Say It With Acting” Jan. 6, with Bud Collyer captaining the challenging charades team, on Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. That also leaves her the major portion of the evening free. Miss McNellis will continue her thiijd show, the “Somerset Maugham Theatre” (CBS) on Wednesdays. Miss McNellis is married to Clyde Newhouse, who inherited the ..Nevvhouse Art Galleries, New York. He would prefer he to do a day- time TV show instead. She is currently talking a 3-a-weck day- time series which, if it materializes, would displace almost her entire nighttime video commitments, wliich are her personal preference. TV femcee is continuing on “Tal- i (Continued on page 61) WILL MAHONEY THE INIMITABLE Eh ' Route to Cuba . Opening Dec. 8 , Rihgling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus Havana, Cuba Represented by ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP. All in the Family Plans have been set for V cter- ans Hospital Gamp Shows to re- .sume its wartime status: VHCS board passed a resolution cailing for the organization to drop Veterans Hospital tag and operate as Camp Shows, Inc. With the change, it will again be possible to function wherever soldier entertainment is necessary : instead of restricting to patients j in Army, Navy and Veterans Ad- ministration hospitals. CS is still in the process of re- activization. Expansion will de- pend greatly on the Korean situa- tion, but in all events, it is hold- j ing itself in readiness. 12,6 Gilt Subscription Enclosed find check or m.o. for $ . . ..... Send Variety for T^ one year, two years. . . NAME ADDRESS CITY. , . . ... ...... . . ; . ZONE . ... STATE , ... , . . [ Indicate if gift card desired □ NAME • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 • • 0 4 . 0 « ^ * • • • •. 4 • • 4 > • ft * • ft ft ft ft ii ft I ADDREJS ............ .. ...... ;. ......... CITY. . . ., ZONE. . . . STATE. One Yeqr— $10.00. . . .Tw« Years— >$18.00 Canada end Foreign— $1 Additional per Y*ar P^niEfr Inc. 154 West 46fh Street New York 19, N. Y. Plan Revamped USO Washington, Dec. 5. A revitalized, revamped United Service Organizations, to take over recreation and amusement for the armed forces in the current crisis, is in the making. Harvey Firestone, Jr., head of USO since its legal reactivation last January, has appointed a commit- tee of nine to study the situation and make- recommendations. Their I report is due at a meeting sched- . uled for New York 'Dity on Feb, 7. The committee, appointed last week, included one rep of each of the six USO member groups — YMCA, YWCA, Jewish Welfare (Continued on page 62) BERGMAN-ROSSEUINI TO MAKE PIC IN FRANCE Rome, Dec. 5. Marking her first film since RKO’s “Stromboli,” Ingrid Berg- man will star in a picture to be made in Paris next February, ac- cording to a spokesman for her husband, Roberto Rossellini. Dis- closure took local industry circles by surprise inasmuch as the ac- tress at one time declared that she had nci plans to resum'' her pro- fiessional' career, Picture will be called ‘Europe 1951. Rossellini Will both produce and direct. Although the venture is to be Tensed in France, it is to be an Italo-French production. Financ- ing has been arranged privately by French and Italian interests. Rossellini held confabs on the project with French associates dur- ing his recent trip to Paris, but the deal w^^srt’t consummated until last week. T HE SPORADIC TRICKLE of actors discernible in New York as of today is a pitiful remnant of the glory era. When Broadway meant my way of life I knew more performers by their first names than there are altogether now. i wasn’t stage-struck then. T didn’t court the professionals because they were especially glamorous. I, too, was “in the business,” as a playwright, a critic, a tradepaper reporter. ' Anid I reveled in a world of its own, “the stage.” There is a slight swell in employment of “flesh” actors with the rise, of televisiori. But that isn’t" perceptible in the outer reaches of the spiral which spun arid spanned out to create that agglomeration of art, ham, snobbery, temperament; egotism and cgoceritricity which we un- derstood, and which we generically called “us,” W e wci'C distinctive in dress, vie\ypoint and gragarious exclusiveness. During, “the season’’ we hummed. Every infinitesimal item of gossip was magnified into vast importance. We constituted the biggest and iriost sophisticated village on earth, In summer, the members, even the poorer ones, scattered around Long Island, also in communities of their own kind. There they made believe they enjoyed resting^ a dip in the ocean, a drive through rural roads. Blit all that was boresome. What they lived for Was gathering together at night to discuss each other and the others, to plan and mull the forthcoming activities after Labor Day, to show off. before the natives in impromptu“benefit” entertainments where they could indulge all the ^vhimsical ambitions which directors and stage-managers proscribed in paid appearances. j To lay up nuts for the summer, many took so much every working I Week, bought postal money-orders made out to themselves with it, and ; mailed them faithfully to sonic address where they would be inviolate until the lay-off period. D URING THE BROADWAY months they fralernized in their own clubs, restaurants, speakea.sies and side-street hotels, which were myriad. No Waldorf for even the few who could afford such luxury; in that atmosphere they would have been lonesome and homesick. Even the chorus people flocked together, generally with a sprinkling of musicians. Many a cutie who was offered dates shrugged them off; she would rather hang around the drugstores, beaneries and hole-in- the-wall beer-joints where she would be among p’fessionals, where she could be understood when she talked shop-T-told what a mean so-and-so the leading lady was, and what a back-busting rehearsal schedule her “turkey” had. If she went out with a man who wasn’t in show business he was a “John,” a sucker and an alien. The weird things he thought, said and did would make material for the boys and girls next night, when they could gab with those who were in the know and shared their senti- ments. The Broadway sidewalks in the *40s swarmed with actors and their associates— writers, composers, press agents, company managers, score- arrangers, advance-men and bookers. The southeast corner of Seventh avenue and 47th street was the concentration point of the vaudevillianS; the northeast corner for bur- lesquers; Shubert Alley, back of the Hotel Astor, pet huddle-spot of the “legits.” They all streamed in and out of the Variety office, where many got their mail, and which was the heart of the Rialto. Now that sort of mingling together is past. The esprit of a sui generis world within a world has evaporated. T HERE IS NO “ROAD” to speak of, therefore ho other cities where the traveling troupes huddle together and set up little Broadways, and Where members of the sel ect circles come, and go, and are re- placed by others, who are hailed with “Da-a-iTing!” and “You old son of a gunI’V Hollywood has inherited some, but by no means all of the tradition. The colony there is comparatively small, and as the older ones die or retire, the newcomers, who have never been exposed to the inbred Broadway method of life, never adopt it. The veteran stars, most of them from New York, visit one another at their gaudy mansions and talk of Manhattan as “home.” The palms and the swimming pools still seem unreal to them, and transitory. I don’t get on Broadway a dozen times a year how. The old night- club habit 1 have long since abandoned. I ho longer write for the stage and I am determined that I never shall again. There is too much grief with it now; and scr little reward except mohey, which I can earn in more pleasant ways, in view of what the ways of old have become. Columnists still wrap their paragraphs around something they call “Broadway.” But they know there isn’t any such thing any more. (Reprinted from N. Y. Mirror, by permission.) Active Show People Wooed by Army Unit A pitch for a limited number of potential draftees in the N. Y. area, actively engaged in show business, to continue with their professions in an Army reserve unit is being made by the 306th Army Special Service unit. Enlistment in the group is also open to vets. Show business categories include per- forming, writing, lighting and makeup. Information pertaining to the operation is being supplied by Capt. Nicholas Giordano, Recruit- ing Officer- for- the division. Called Her Broadcast Destructive, Sez Hedda Hollywood, Dec. 5. Columnist-radio spieler Hedda Hopper admitted she started a tempest With Bette Davis broad- cast last Week, but claimed “only one studio executive called it de^ structive criticirin.” Her interview with Eric Johnston, prez Of the Motion Picture As.sn. of America, will be aired next week. Commenting on the Davis inci- dent, Miss Hopper said her inten- tion is to show only the belter side of Hollywood, and any studio head is invited to come on her program if he has a gripe to air. Her taped interview with Johnson was post- poned after he reportedly asked her to hold off his “important mes- sage” until the heat cooled from ' previous week’s show, when she blasted the studios for their han- dling of young stars. She avoided further criticism of film industry Sunday by taking off on gambler Mickey Cohen. AVashington, Dec. 5. Four vplunteers who have con- sistently worked to bring enter- tainment to Veterans* ho.spitals throughout the Country will be cited for their efforts by the Vet- erans’ Administration Thursday Those who will trek to Washing- ton to receive Awards of Merit from Omer W Clark, Deputy Ad- ministrator of the Veterans’ Ad- mi nistration;_are : Abe Lastfogel, chairman of the Board of Directors of Veterans’ Hospital Gamp Shows, Inc., and guiding light of USO- Camp Shows since its inception* James Sauter, prexy of Veterans* Hospital Camp Shows; Helen Hayes, head of’ the American Thea- tre Wing; and Caroline Wither- spoon, independent entrepeneur of hundreds of individual hospital stints. Awards will serve to highlight an anticipated step-up of Vet Hospital entertainment necessitated i by the irievitable increase of pa- jlients as current crop of war I casualties are ti ansferred from Tegular service medical centers. Al- I though . the VA recreational pro- i gram has been an outstanding ex- 1 (Continued on- page 63) Wednesday, December 6, 1950 PRICE K PICTURES « DIP Chicago, Dec. 5. . Zenith Radio has discovered that there are considerably greater le- gal problems in putting feature pictures on the air than merely the okay of the studio that produced them. Getting these knots untied Is what’s currently holding up the test of Zenith’s Phonevision sys- tem, Which was slated to get un- derway last Friday (1). Although it has the go-sign from every company but 20th-Fox for use of their product on the air, Zenith Will be delayed anywhere from several days to several weeks in getting the other clearances nec- essary. It is trying tp set up a pro- gram of 90.pix to be used daily in the test of the home boxoffice video gadget in the Chicago terri- tory,.; Explaining 20th’s refusal to par- ticipate in the experiment, prexy Spyros Skouras declared last week; “The only tie between television and films . should be in the thea- tres.’’ Nevertheless, execs of other pic companies opined this week that Skouras' “may soon be going along.” All the other majors and minors were nudged into providing prod- uct for the test by the Dept, of Justice, to which Zenith prexy Eu- gene F, McDonald appealed via his attorney, -Burton K. Wheeler, who as a U.S. senator from Montana, is Credited with fathering the Federail Communioations Act. Zenith was under the impression it had pretty well cleared its hur- dles away when, after getting pro- ducer okays, it succeeded in mak- ing a deal with James C. Petrillo, prexy of the American Federation of Musicians, for using original soundtracks on the air, Actually, however, the , Phonevision outfit (Continued on page 4) Pact Five Years Eric A. Johnston’s contract as president of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, which still had three years to run, yesterday (Tues.) was extended five years by the MPAA board, bringing the new expiration date to 1958. Board action, in effect, was ratifi- cation of the premature renewal. It had been approved last week, with the formal finalization having taken place yesterday. Unlike the first extension of Johnston’s original employment pact in 1946, after he had been with the MPAA for a year, the new extension was not accom- panied by any reports or trade ru- mors of lack Of confidence in John- ston. Latter, said to be a* long- range planner, simply wanted to know where he stood and MPAA board answered with the pact; which runs to 1958. Terms are the same, providing for a salary of $,100,0()0 annually, plus expense$. Johnston joined MPAA in 1945 under a five-year pact. Year later there were strong runmrs in the trade that the org’s board was un- happy with the association. The rumors were met with extension of that brigihal pact to 1953. Skoura^ Lichtman To Coast for Zanuck Gab After a week’s delay, 20th-Fox prez Spyros P. Skouras and veepee A1 Lichtman left for the. Coast over the Weekend. Duo will huddle with production veepee Darryl F. Zan- uck and other studio execs for 10 days to two weeks before return- ing to the homeoffice. Twentieth veepee and eastern studio rep Joseph H. Moskowitz, meanwhile, returned to the h.o. Monday (4), after several weeks' conferences with studio officials. Univtrfal freildtiit N; J. Blumb^rg Ic on ddvecat* of More Work and Less Prophesy ot ho roprlioi Mi credo of Evoryono o 'CooimlttOo of On*' to flog Pix ♦ 0 oh Intorottlng cditorlol footuro in th* upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^RiSfr James A. Mulvey In San Fran- cisco and Jacques Grinieff in New York both flatly denied yesterday (Tuesday) the wi,despread report? in the trade since last Friday (1) associating them with United Art- ists. Mulvey told Variety for quo- tation that he was not going with UA as president or in any other role. Grinieff admitted that he has been negotiating for a number of weeks a deal that would put him into the UA picture, but said it was far from consummation. In the interim, another group has popped up in California with a proposal to take control of the company, and negotiations are now going on in that quarter. At the same time, as affairs of the distrib continued to get more crucial, attorneys for UA produc- ers met on the Coast Monday afternoon (4) to discuss ways and means of protecting their clients’ interests in released an^ un- released pictures. Outcome of the session may result in immediate litigation against UA which could carry the company to the brink of bankruptcy, one producer admitted in Hollywood Monday night. The legal get-together was co- incidental with the flood of rumors concerning the Mulvey-Grinieff deal. Actually, Grinieff, in ma- neuvering to gain “a foothold in UA, has proposed the possibility of Mulvey stepping into the top position. Mulvey, president of Samuel Goldwyn Productions, has been apathetic on the proposal, promising to show real interest (Continued On page 18) 41. S. Anglo-American film agreement, which authorizes American film companies to remit annually $17,- 000,000 of their earnings in Britain, was formally inked in New York yesterday (Tues.) by reps of the British ’government and the U, S. film industry. Rupert G. Somervell, under secretary for the British Board of Trade, signed for Britain, while Ellis G. Arnall, prez of the Society of independent Motion Pic- ture Producers, and Eric Johnston, head of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, were the Yank signa- tories. Negotiated in London, early this summer by Arnall and Johnston, in association with British govern- ment officials, the one-year pact be- came effective as of Oct. L Aside from the $17,000,000, the treaty also establishes special bonus ar- rangements under which American companies may increase their dol- lar remittances through film pro- duction in Britain and distribution of British pictures in the western hemisphere. Can exhibitors safely raise their admission prices to compehsate. for the general ' attendance dip suf- fered , during recent weeks? Or will a hike in ticket tabs result in scaring more potential customers away from the boxoffice and so force still . more theatres to shut- ter? ... ■ Those are the questions confront- ing theatre operators this Week, in the face of generally drab bo. conditions around the country, which have forced a number of marginal houses to close down. Round-robin survey of key cities conducted by Variety reveals sharply-divided opinions on; the subject. While the Fox-West (joast circuit, for one, has found that boosting prices has *i6t_hurt at- tendance but has resulted in big- ger grosses, exhibs in the majority of territories scanned by Variety still fear to hike their prices. F-WC’s increase in admission scales was taken in the face of subr sequent-run shutterings in the Los Angeles territory. In Chicago, on the Other hand, the very fact' that a number of marginal houses were forced to go dark has convinced ex- hibs that it would be unwise to at- tempt boosting prices at this time. In St. Louis, while several the- atres have upped their scales, a number of exhibs are staying open only in hopes of being able to sell (Continued on' page .22) Par Advance Coin Gives Texas Oilmen Their Coin On Greshler's 'At War’ Group of Texas oilmen who backed Abby Greshler ip produc- tion of the new Jerry Martin-Dean Lewis film, “At War With the Army,’’ will probably get the fast- est payoff in Hollywood history. Paramount, which will release the film, is advancing almost twice the film’s production cost, and the angels will get all of their original investment back the day “Army” goes into distribution. The Texans, making their debut in film financing, advanced $340,- 000 of the $420,000 Which gie nega- tive cost. Remainder Was repne- sented by deferments by Martin and Lewis, Fred Finklehoffe, who served as po-producer and authored (Continued on page 18) Darryl F. Zanuck If of th* epiiijloR that iSew Faces Are the Best B.O. Hypo ond. thf 20th-FoK production chief citcf hit own Impretflve rotter on interettlng byline piece in the forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^fHETY Scheduled emergency meeting of major film company; presidents and studio toppers this week on the “state of the industry’’ has been called off. Trade’s business execs and production officials felt the agenda outlined was inade- quate to warrant a three-day stay in Phoenix, where the Conclave originally was slated to open on Friday (8); ^ Business mapped for the meet- ing was discussion and possible action on new steps to be taken to meet the steady decline at the boxoffice, and the challenge of television. Trade matters which also might have come up ihcluded the Council of Motion Picture Or- ganizations and weighing of changes in the Production Code. While these matters have obvious importance, the reasoning behind the meeting’s cancellation was that (Continued on page 18) Indications continued this week that Howard Hughes might part with his controlling interest in the RKO production-distribution setup. J. Arthur Warner, head of J. Ar^ thur Warner, Inc., Wall street in-^ vestment bankers, flew to the Coast over the weekend for negotiations on the sale. Warner is not associated with an- other group of Wall Streeters who have combined in a loose alliance which is said to control jointly more shares than Hughes in bkO. They are highly disturbed by re- ports of the RKO topper’s plan possibly to sell his interest in the ^picture company. Some members of the group re- portedly met Monday, but its plans are still very vague. Most unlikely of the steps discussed is a ganging- up in an effort to Wrest control of RKO from Hughes through a proxy fight. Possible, however, is the formation of. stockholders’ protec- tive committee or merely a request to Hughes for representation on the board. Meanwhile. Harry Brandt’s ef- forts to acquire Hughes’ interest in the RKO theatre chain has report- edly takeii on some new life. Brandt, through hiS Trans-Lux (Continued on page 8) EC in Brandt M.on Twkt’ Controversy centered around the acceptability of “Oliver Twist’’ ex- n'oded bn a new front yesterday. (Tues.), with Eagle Lion Classics, distributor of the film, pitted against N.. Y. Circuit Operator Har- ry Brandt. Opening gun was fired Nov. 30 by ELC, according to the Brandt side. A spokesman for the theatre op said that Brandt had received a letter on that date from Winston Frost, ELC secretary, which as- serted ELC “was informed’’ that - (Continued on page 18) Balaban’s CoAst 0.0. Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, leaves N. Y. today (Wed.) for Coast conferences with Y. Frank Freeman, Samuel Bris- j kin and other studio executives. ' He’ll be gone about a week. National Boxoffice Survey Pre-Xmas, H.O.’s Clip Biz; ^Solomon' Champ for 3d Time; ‘Point/ ‘Dance/ ‘Eve’ Next Strongest is landing in sixth spot while' “Breakthrough” (WB) is seventh. '♦Tripoli” (Par), ‘♦Harriet Craig” (Col) and “American Guerrilla” (20th) round out the Big 10 list in that order. Runner-up pix are far from strong for most part, with “Trio” (Par), “Rio Grande” (Rep), “Woman bn Run” (U) and “State Secret” (Col) finishing in that se- quence. ”Trio,” playing in small- er houses mostly, is being kept out of the top list mainly because not racking up a big coin total. “Joan of Arc” (RKO)' now on pop-scale runs, is a: bit uneven this stanza but gaining in profit- able dates, “Killer That Stalked N. Y.” (CoD is average and okay bn its two playdates this frame. “Milkman” (U) is big in Cincy while “Fuller Brush Girl” ;( Col) looks nice in Frisco. “Two Flags West” (20th >, firm in Chi, shapes up neatly in Toronto. “High Lonesome” (EL), trim in Louisville, is lightweight in L A. “Destination Moon” (EL) looms strong in Pittsburgh. “Macbeth” (Rep), fine in Chi, in solid in Washington. , “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) looks nice in Washington. “Southside 1-1,000” (Mono) is fair in L A, “Edge of Doom” (RKO) shapes up okay in Buffalo. iComplete Boxoffice Reports on Pflflfcs 12'13 ) . f * 1 i A 4 i % r* f f i f 4 * t ^ r # 4 * t 4 * « 4 4 First-run biz continues to lag as many spots strive to get back to normal after record snows and a hurricane. Both Pittsburgh and Cleveland suffered terrifi . losses as a result of snowstorms, but are getting back on regular schedule this session. Atlantic seaboard cities, just getting over the big : wind of Nov. 25, were hurt further by an all-day rain Monday (4). 'These factors, coupled with early pre-ehristmas buying, are proving a body blow to the boxoffice in many keys. “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) is again champ, being the third week in a row that it has finished first nationally. Should wind up with around $400,000, Which is more than double its nearest Cpm^: petitor’s total, according to re- ports from Variety correspond- .ents. ♦'West Point story” (WB) is moving up into second slpt. It was third, last week; with almps the s5hie coin total as“Let’s Dance” (Par), which is third this round. FPurth money is going to “All About Eve” (20th), stout tes- timonial to this picture’s/ con- tinued strength although now on release well into its second month. “Jackpot” (20th) will be fifth, still failing to liye up to much high crix appraisal. i “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) ♦ Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY, Ine Harold Erichs, President 154 West 46th St„ New York 19, N, V Hollywood 24 6311 Yucca Street Washington .4 1292 National Press Building Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Avis. London WC2 8 St, Martin’s PI.. Trafalgar Sq. SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 . Foreign $11 Single Copies 23 Cents ABEL GREEN. Editor VPI. 180 .ii'O No. 13 INDEX Bills Band Reviews chatter / . . ; . . , Film Reviews . . House Reviews . Inside Legit , : Inside Music . . Inside Pictures. . Inside Radio , Inside Televisipn International .. Legitimate . ... Literati ...... Music New Acts .... . . . Night Club Reviews Obituaries ... ... Pictures Radio ...... Radio Reviews Records ... Frank Sculli^ Television . Television Reviews Vaudeville . *ooo.oo*« • •.* * p •• • 0 a • 0 • « • • 0 0 • • .0 • « 54 42 62 15 55 56 44 18 40 4^ .17 56 6 ). 42 55 53 63 o3 26 28 42 61 31 33 50 DAILY VARIETY (Published, in Hollywood hy Daily Variety. Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Foreign PICTURES P^fHETY Wednesday^ December 6 , 1950 ‘Solomon’s Mrnes’ Ist in Nov. B.O., ‘Eve’ 2d, ‘Grande’ 3d, ‘Guerrilla’ 4tli Variety’s boxoftice compilation- lor November shows “King Solo- mon’s Mines’^ (M-Q) an easy win^ ner, according to biz reports from correspondents in 24 key cities. American production, made main- ly on location in South Africa^ is winding up the month with nearly $900,000 total gross. This is all the more phenomenal in view of the fact that' the film was only put om playdates to any extent the last two weeks of the month, It was .first both vyeeks. “All About Eve’’ (20th) just man- aged to nose out “Hip Grande” (Rep) for second honors. However, •‘Grande’’ actually came through with more big and socko sessions than“EvC,” but it did not have the advantage of ina.ior circuit af- filiations. “Eve” was third ha- tioha.lly in October. “Grande” was first one week, fourth another and fifth the initial | stanza out in the keys. The John Wiiyne starrer also was among the top 10. boxolTice vvinners the fourth, week pf Npvember. “American Guerrilla” ,(20th) pushed up to fourth Spot largely because of Tyrone Power’s popu- larity. Fifth place money went to “Breakthrough” (WB) while “.Let’s Dance” (Par) was sixth. Both are new in the past month. “To Please a Lady” (M-G), which wound up 12th in October, its first Val Parnell (Mtinpging Pirector of Moss' Bmpires, Ltd.) ' who^bperate Europe's chain of live fhearres, which includes the London j^allbdium, doesn't think much of that Ole Debbil TV in re- lation to stogc shows as he ob- serves “ Wh&Can (i Television Cahinet ? an editorial feature in the upcoming 45th Anniversary ISUmber of November’s Big 10 1. “Solomon’s Mines” (M-G). 2, “All About Eve” (20th). 3“Rio (jrrande” (Rep). 4. “American Guerrilla” (20th). 5. “Breakthrough” (WB). 6. “Let’s Dance” (Par). 7. “To Please Lady” iM-G). ,8. “The Jackpot” (20th). 9. “West Point Story” (WB). 10. “I’ll Get By” (20th). Theatre B%. Hit Now Exists at 11 Toronto, Dec. 5. A Federal government order ; banning the use of steel for con- : struction use in the Gahadian j amusement field \yas announced ■ over the weekend, The order will become effective Jan; 1, according to Federal Trade Minister C. D. Howe. ' The move follows that of the : U. S. under both cPuntries’ joint j economic and defense planning. ' Banned construction will include theatres, nightclubs, cocktail bars, sports arenas and bowling alleys, In the film field, the three big chains had virtually completed their inijnediate ' building plans after a splurge of unprecedented. Maurice Bergman urgei Let^s Mobilize the Kibitzers 4r * ★ on* of fhe many •ditorldl fnaturai in th« forthcoming : 45th Anniversary ISitniher of P^IETY but, captured seventh posi- and management of UhiversaL ' their 1,500-seater in Edmonton and. ’hile “The Jackpot’^ (20th)\ They are all said to be in coi'n^. R li200-seater in Moncton. With I activity, but Famous Players-Ca- ■ nadian currently has two theares Gomplete harmony is under.slood under construction and, according to exist now among the three ma- -to Jules Wolfe, director, has suf- jor groups who figure in ownership ficient steel to meet the needs of. month tion w was eighth. The James Stcvvart ; plete agreement on the series bf^lhe site acquired Famous also had comedy so far has been uneven and , exec changes, which included nam- plans in; the blueprint stage for a not grabbing the tall coin antici- ; ing of Alfred E,. Daff as director of ; l.GOOrseater in Hamilton, patcd. i world Sales recently, and culminat- j Meanwhile, with only the press “West Point Story”' (WB), just ed in Charles J. Feldman’s appoint- : interpretation of the banning or- ‘ starting out, took in enough on two ment as domestic sales manager ; der, prospective builders of new weeks to grab ninth position, la.st week. | theatres and their legal dopart- Tenth place goes to “I’ll Get By” j The three major interests in^ ' events were in communication with (20th), which was 11th the previ- ; volved in U are headed by J. Ar- Sovernnient heads in Ot- pus month. , thur Rank, Leo Runnerup pix in November ; Goetz and Nate J. Blumberg. Rank largely comprise some productions , is the biggest single stockholder, just going out into tlie keys and a ; with about 15% of the company’s few spotty film.s. “Tripoli” (Par), > shares, while Spitz and Goetz to- (Continued on page 20) j gether have around 13%, which — - — — — ! makes them second biggest. Blum- ' berg actually owns no U stock, ac- cording to the last pibxy state- ment, but holds warrants for 31,900 ' shares at $10 (current market is around $9.50), which would repre- sent about 3%. While the balance of stockhold- ings and management control . is somewhat delicate, giving rise to recumng reports of intramural stress, Uie political situation cur- rently is authoWtatiyely reported to be completely stable. Last man- ifestation of actual strife i.s said to Spitz-William ' for actual copies of the new (Continued on page 20) Realart Deal Included In U’s $1,500,000 Net During the Past Year Part of the estimated $1,500,000 profit with which Universal wound up the year ending last Oct. 31, was represented by income re- ceived under the company’s reissue deal with Realart. Latter arrange- ment is working out exceptionally well for U, giving it an income of better than $100,000 a month for the last few months of the fiscal year. It is expected to increase still farther. U made the deal with Realart in 1947, receiving $3,250,000 against a percentage. There was a recoup- ment arrangement by which the re- issue outfit wasn’t to begin paying the percentage until it had recov- ered its advance payment. The. ad- vance was completely recouped in the middle of this year and the per- centages thereupon began to go to U. Reissues included in the deal in- clude all U product from the 1933- 34 to the 1945-46 seasons. Realart is headed by Budd Rogers, who is a director of U, Tncidentally, U earned* an estimated $2,500,000 gross before taxes, which includes the income from Realart, during the last fiscal year. Flock of Young Actors Eligible If Uncle Sam | Extends Its Draft Calls ! Hollywood, Dec. 5. i Richard Long, Universal-Inlerna- j lional contract player, reports for ; military service Dec. ; 12, but the ! film studios, as a whole, wont be j well supplied with actors if the ! Government extends its draft calls for men between the ages of 18 ' and. 26. | Lineup of thesps in that cate- j have disappeared with departure 1®“^ at. Metro includes Vic of J.'Cheever Cowdin, Charles Carleton Carpenter, Richard Hollywood, Dec. 5. Warners denied charges that it was slowing production over holi- day period, in a special statement issued after AFL Film Council pro- tested layofl: notices given many of lot’s personnel. Sltudio said “it is not shutting down . as Ghristmas holidays approach.” Council said that Warners’ claim that four pictures would roll be- tween Dec. 14 and Jan. 8 was mis- leading. Studio countered that “un- til council can prove that those scheduled pictures have not been started within that period, the stu- dio considers the AFL statement harmful and da.magihg.” Warners said , that two pix now shooting will, be finished by Christ- mas, but two others are expected to start before holiday and another two by Jan. 8. Studio added “it is our hope at all times to employ as many people as production re- quires. It is not our intention to shirk responsibility of operating our studios, nor will we. assign its operation to others. Continued . from page 3 Anderson, Marshall Thompson, Ma- rip Lan^a, Robert Sherwood and Jonathan Colt, U-I, in addition to Long, has Tony Curtis, James Best and Rock Hudson. Twentieth-Fox has Robert Wagoer, Jeffrey Hunt- j er, Craig Hill and Robert F. Pat- ton. Columbia has Scotty Beckett, Jerome Courtland and John Derek. | Paramount has Jerry Lewis, and j Samuel Goldwyn has Farley ! Granger. United Artists Theatres reports net income of $614,383 for the year ended last Aug 31, compared with a profit of $905,414 for the pre- vious year, / Under the company’s bookkeep- ing system, the net profit includes undistributed earnings of. partially- owned, subsidiaries. «When the rev- enue is received, it is applied to the current year’s operation. U AT actually had a net loss of $166,117 for the year ended last Aug. 31. However, its share of income of partially-owned firms amounted to $780,500, bringing the combined total net to $614,383. UAT balance sheet .shows current as, sets at $1,619,517, including cash of $1,154, 749. Current liabilities are listed at $1,284,765. Debt includes •« 4% promissory note for $3,500,- 000, plus a bank Joan of $750,000 3%. Prutzman, Joseph H. Seidelmah, et at, from the board last year. Rank arid Spitz have both been (Continued on page 8) Stands In Way of UA Venture Wi^ Fairbanks-Niyen Group of Egyptian financiers ap- pears standing in the way of the newly projected production-dis- tribution deal linking United Art- ists with partners Douglas Fair- banks, Jr., and David Niveri. The two had entered tentative agree- ments with the Egj'^ptian syndicate to produce a series of five films, with the lattei* to provide part of the financing and to obtain distri-. bution rights in Europe and the Near East. . UA subsequently came up with '^-ep for 's^all since'’, m His what Fairbanks and Niven regard- chores at Columbia are still un- ed as a bettei- offer. T:he distrib defined, but he will serve on the proposed to put up a portion of i^ administrative staff in the home- j blocked^ earnings ^ iiv_ England, j office sales department. Prior to J where the Fairbanks^Niven team I joining Small, Koslner was on the1 staff of the Office of War Informa- 1 tion and before that represented j Walter Wanger in the east. Small distributes through C^olum- ! bia. In addition to watching do- mestic and foreign sales on his product, his New York office, reps KELLY SEEN SALES REP FOR EDWARD SMALL Arthur W. Kelly reportedly will take over sales representation for Ed>vard, Small with the switch by Hairy Kosiner to Columbia at the end of this year. Kelly is former exec v.p. of United Artists and reps J I Charles Chaplin on sales. K6.siner has served as - eastern for would operate. This called world-wide rights to UA, UA still is willirig to go along if the Egyptiari group will bow out Of the picture. Feeling is that the latter might regard as binding a few oral agreements said to have Ijeen made by Fairbanks. Unless ; Monogram on several' nix 'iru'-i-r he can free himself from the en- ^ tanglement, UA may be expected to drop the whole idea. leasing through UA. Swerling-Bartlett Collab Jo Swerling has collaborated With Sy Bartlett on a film original Amigo. Spencer Tracy is reading j tiori, which hr.d been set for last SEG Hearing Delayed Hearing by the National Labor Relations Board on Screen Em- ployees Guild s questioned jurisdicr it now, with the idea of starring in it. Swerling fs also due to write , “The Life of Haris Christian Art- dersert for Samuel Goldwyii. I argument. Wednesday (29), has been post- poned to Dec. 11. i Ppstporiement was permitted to' give SEG time for preparation of ! has found that it is only the be- ginning. All rights to some of the pix it wants are owned by the studios, and they offer no problem, How- ever, it is found that many impor- tant films are snarled up by the fact that actors, producer^, direc- tors or writers have percentages or other continuing rights. Also that contracts with individuals and guilds naturally make no mention of usage of the film on a pay-as- you-see TV system, so that literally hundreds of clearances must be obtained if Zenith is to shunt off potential lawsuits. . Problem is even more compli- cated by the fact that the con- tracts of each studio vary, so Mc- Donald’s men can’t even follow a pattern in greenUghting the tracks. Difficulty would be considerably simplified if Zenith were satisfied with minor product, but both it and the film companies are in agreement that to make a fair test there should be a fair selection of pix. As a result, Zenith has not even given the. pic companies b delivery date bn the product it desires-^or actually even indicated specifically what films It wants. They’re ready to service the product, however, for the test of the t\dllingness of 200 Chi subscribers to ‘brder” mo- tiori pictures which will be sent into their home receivers at the cost of $1 per showing. Meanwhile, Zenith paid out $7(),- 000 to Illinois Bell Telephone to equip the 300 homes for the test and to set up the .separate switch- board^ which will handle the sub- scription calls. Separate phone lines were lun into each home. Zenith personnel will man the central board arid the company Will also handle the necessary book- keeping and billing. The entire Phone vision operation is set up in its own leased building in the North Side Lake View exchange area where the test will be con- ducted* • New excess profits tax goinf through the Congressional hopper is being viewed with considerable favor by the major film coiripanies, since it means that unless there’s a surprise upturn in business they Will not be subject to the new levy. Provision which saves the big producers, distributors and exhibs from having another healthy chunk of coin taken out of their slu’ihking earnings is that the base period for figuring excess profits is any three years from 1946 to 1949 inclusive. That gives the firms the option— which they’ll, of course, take— of using the hig 1946- 47-48 years as their base. Since profits have diminished considerably ifrom those years, it is obvious that an “excess” over what was earned then is urilikely. Should grosses take . a surprise bounce, sending them up above early postwar levels, filmites would be more than glad to pay the ex- tra tax which would go along with such a windfall. ' ^ ' The bill was slated to go through the House yesterday (Tuesday). Seriate finance committee is hold- irig hearings on a companion measure this week. When passed, there will have to be a compro- mise made. House bill is retroactive to July li 1950. It fixes the point at which the excess profits levy takes hold at 85(:o of average earnings for the three years. A 75% tax is charged against the overage. A 45i(’o bite (present is 38%) is put on any- thing below that, with a $25,000 minimum credit allowed. . There is also a ceiling of 67?(f on com- bined normal, surtax and excess profits tax. No provision has been specifical- ly made, as had been requested by Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Assn, of America prez, for frozen foreign funds Which are received by the U. S. companies in years subsequent to the date they were actually earned. In other words, the firms do not want to pay ex- cess profits on any bundle of coin they inay happen to get from abroad after the new levy becomes effective, although the money was actually earned earlier. It is be- lieved in Washington, that a pro- vision for this contingency will be made. Johnston, who was to testify be- fore the Senate committee today, has requested postponement to Friday. If that’s impossible, he’ll file a brief. L. A. to N. V. Marina Berti James Burkett Janis Carter Joan Davis Helen Deutsch Jose Ferrer Frank Fontaine Howard Freeman Jack Haley Van Johnson William Keighley Perry Lieber Norman Lloyd Diana Lynn Joseph H. Moskowitz Gail Patrick Havid E. Rose Andy .Russell Della Russell Robert Vogel N. Y. to L. A. Goodriiah Ace Irving Berlin Eddie Cantor Hume Cronyn Jules Goldstone Mrs. Samuel Goldwyn Al Lichtman Frank Loesser Al Palca Spyros. Skouras J. Arthur Warner N, Y, to Eurbjj^ Frances Derry Alec Finlay Rita Andre Finlay Tamriias, Fisher Robert Helpmann Gilbert Miller Samuel Selsky Robert Wilson Europe to N. Y. Anna N^gle Max Shulman Clifton Webb Herbert Wilcox Michael WUding Wednesday, December 6, 1930 PICTURES SNIPERS ONG ANEW ON FIX Charles P. Skouras* frank statement on the Coast last week concerning the heavy inroads of TV on theatre grosses got wide- spread press play. A number of film execs in New York were disturbed by the National Theatres prexy's candidness in citing figures on poor biz and stating “we know where to put the blame ... television is giving us terrific competition.” Skouras* remarks were made at a luncheon of the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Assn. Thursday. (30). They were picked ,, up. apparently out of the tradepapers, the following day by the press associations. They were mso carried by the Dow^Jones tickers, which provide financial nCws to Wall street and brokerage' houses throughout the country, and were said to have an unset- . tling effect on film shares, Skouras said business w'as very poor in New York, Chicago and Southern California, which had heavy TV coverage. He declared that attendance was down from 10% to 15% in tele areas and off Only 2% to 4% in non-TV territories. (Actually, other execs have repeatedly pointed out, theatre chain and distribution figures don’t any such simple correlation between poor grosses and TV areas — which is a baffling plienomenon, since there’s little doubt that tele hurts.) “Television is here to stay,” NT topper asserted. “It stands to reason if you have a movie at home, you are going to stay at home,” But,. he added, “we are not going to give lip.” He said it took two years for film execs to realize the value of sound bn films, and that radio was feared and shunned until it was discov- ered it could be helpful in selling stars and pix. He remarked that he hoped producers would Wake up to the fact that TV could also be used to publicize films. He predicted widespread use of tele in theatres. To Determine Stepped-Up COMPO Gloving slowly now because of.f. lack of coin and uncertainty con- cerning its future. Council of Mo- tion Picture Organizations is ex- pected to move into a higher gear almost itt once if its problem with Theatre Owners of America pro- gresses t 0 w a r d settlement this week. Prexy Ned E. Depinet and tlie TO.V committee headed by Ted Gamble are slated to meet on the matter within the next few days. Depinet is in New York and Gamble is expected back there from Palm Springs today (Wed,). Since cancellation of the Phoenix meet of company prexies, Depi- net will be available for the Gamble huddle tomorrow and Fri- day., If Depinet and the Gamble group can arrive at a formula for meet- ing TOA’s demands for greater representation on the COMPO , board, immediate steps, will be taken to give effect to the arrange- ment in stepped-up operation of the new public relations, agency Actually, any formal change in COiMPO’s organizational setup W'ill take nironths to achieve. However, it is anticipated that by contacting “points of influence” by telephone, COMPO and TO A toppers can (Continued on page 8 ) Famous Players-Canadian Prexy John J, Fitzgibbons sets Other Things Besides TV Cutting Into Filiri Boxoffice it it ' it an interesfing editorial feature in the forthcoming 45th Anniversary dumber of P^-RIETY While the Gounicil of Motion Pic- ture Organizations moved actively ahead on one public relations front | last week, the industry was taking ; its accustomed beating on a couple : others. In one instance Hollywood ! was inferentially charged on a ra- i dio show with contributing to the i Chinese Communist attack on Korea. The roundabout reasoning was heard on the “Tex alid Jinx” pro- 1 gram on WNBC, N. Y. Being in- | terviewed was Robert Payne, au- ! thor of a biog on Mao Tse-tung, leader of the Chinese Reds. Other incidents in a bad week! for industry public relations in- ' eluded remarks by Francis Car- j dinai Spellman in New York; a • charge, widely played in the press, j by William H. Mooring, reviewer ' for C a t h o 1 i c newspapers, that i “Born Yesterday” is subtle Marxist propaganda; and a talk, also wide- ly publicized, by Charles P. Skour- as indicating film biz was very bad because of inroads of TV. Other incidents in a bad week for industry public relations in- cluded remarks by Francis Car- dinal Spellman in New York; a charge, widely played in the press, by William H. Mooring, reviewer Yfor Catholic newspapers, that “Born Yesterday” is subtle Marx ist propaganda; and a Morris Loewensteiu os Prasldent of tho Oklahoma Theotro Ownors puts oceont on tho Hinterlands^ Greater Concern with the Advancing Candy and Popcorn Prices nt a a onothor oditorlol footuro in tho upcoming 45 th Anniversary IS limber of Vj^iety ■f Fate of an arbitrlitiort svstem for the industry hinged largely on the attitude of Allied States Assn, this week following the initial meeting on the matter between Theatre Owners of America and distribu- tion executives. Participants at the conclave uhanimously agreed that any sys- tem for out-of-ourt handling of distributor - exhibitor differences demands that substantially all ex- hibs become party to it in order to be effective. For this reason, no definite action in the way of developing a proposed system was taken at the meeting, which was called by TOA. Efforts now will be made to bring Allied and other regional theatre groups together at an all- industry conference to devise a mutually acceptable system. Prior to the TO A-hOsted session, Allied board chairman Abram F. Myers said he was in a state of uncer- tainty regarding the amount of ground which arbitration legally is permitted to cover. Myers is not averse to the principle of arbitra- Uon but his comments did suggest that the binding plans advanced by some industryites might not be acceptable by the courts. Which- ever plan is adopted, if one is, will Plans for developing a film in- ! be submitted to the U. S. district .vmrx dustry arbitration system within 1 court in N. Y. for inclusion in the u... .1.; .1.. oc ih. K Within COMPO j widely publicized; by Charles P. , Motion Picture Organizations re- 1 of will be con- : Skouras indicaating film biz was ^ere under consideration . suited before any system Is final- ' in top trade I w broached at last week's N. Y. I , A™°”8 ‘he . strong supporters- ^ been deceived on the fighting qual ityof the American GI by a Holly- wood film he had seen. Inference i appeared to be that IMao might not ; have chanced the attack on U. S. meeting between reps of Theatre Owners of America and numerous , Bennie Berger, board member distribution executives. i V’*, Reasoning behind the move is Central Allied. His ; nave cnancea me aiiacK on u. o. ' xxeaauning uenuiu me inove is fhom “ic n nrynna troops if he hadn’t been led to be^ i that COMPO s purpose of enhanc- , thought is that there .js a^ crying , uoopb II ne ^laan I ueen leu lo ue inrlnch-v niihli'p rplafinn? nnnlH ' ^ced for .the development of an ap- lieve via the picture that they ing inaustiy puDiic relations could , . . ^ intelligent arbitration weren’t much in the wav of fight- he served best only if the intra- P^opuate, iniei igenc aiDiiiation ueieni muen in tne waj ngnt squabbles are cut , handle industry prob- Pic in question was Harry Joe j to a minimum. Means of accom- j Brown’s 1945 20th-Fox release, “A : plishing this would be through the ; ‘Articulate’ Pic Execs Would Tell ; lems.’ Also backing the idea of cre- Walk in tile Sun ” which Mao saw i arbitration system being projected. * a” . sys^m is I when U was shown to Cl’s sta- ! . Since the Industry largely already , Independent tioned in Yenan capital of Red united under the COMPO roof, I ‘ IV ’ TT I it fplt ihat thp all inHiiQtrv nr - 1 Harry Brandt. Outfit formally en- China. during World War II. Payne ' “ leii mat me aii-inau.siry oi - 1 , /.f orKWi-uHnn then jumped to the conclusion that ' ganization figures as the most feas- • Noised the Hollywood should be “controlled ” ihle base for setting up the arbi- . l*' ^ ^®solution last week, aoiiywooa snouiu ue tunuuueu, , . . AUn thP nrnrinqal Meanwhile, the entire subject of presumably by the Government, j tration plan. Also me proposal j tqa conference and “I’m afraid it wasn’t a very good could serve to ease the strain ; weeks lUA conierence ana Catholic Lay Opinion in To Mooring’s ‘Born’ Rap iiiiii j-aviie saiu “It was about placed on COMPO by the current ^he iiext steps to be taken are ’•11 Tf iV ' difference*; with Theatre Owners ’ sprouting peculiarities. Reps of guerilla fighting in Italy and It was amerences wim ineaue ; the theatre organization and done in a very unreal Hollv- ■ of aone in a veiy unieai, «u|Ay i„cf a leading the distnbs are maintaining a woodish way, and Mao commented last \\ eek s meeting, is a leaamg . ^ secreev on details at the end, Ts this how Americans advocate of arbitration. If COMPO , secrecy on details. fight?’ And at that moment we all J® successful in deyismg a rtiutual- ! felt a little bit of panic. i ly acceptable plan, it fo lows that ,ai.i T . .1 Il|-J “He hadn’t seen Americans fight- ; would be moie willing to go |.l\0rill vcDlldl AllicQ ing, actually,” Payne continued. • all-embracing in- Council of Motion Picture Or- i ■.'He’s beard reports of a little band , ^“Sf™“‘’consideration is the means of bringing Allied States ganizations clearly is weighing all ! Yenan who'd done very well, but possible approaches for its upcom- ' (Continued on page 18) - ing, multi-faceted job of public re- ; — — - — - — ^ lations. New plans added, to those : yiai C1IA117C AITADTrD previously disclosed include enlist- • l/vL uflUViu IjUAKlLK ment of “articulate” film execs who, in their travels, would stop j in at local newspaper offices to , . '.^TT ~ \ ' I other charter member groups. 5Villi considerlble Catholic lay discuss the industij in general ) ..f ' opinion apparently piling up in op- Also under consideration is the , the 13 week peuod ended Sept. 30 , position to the views of Williani H.*, einployinent of a group. Of Takes Action to Bring Distribs to ‘Senses’ into the arbitration setup within COMPO. Bylaws direct that trade | Minneapolis, Dec. 5. practices are beyond the jurisdic- ! Accusing di.stributors of being tion of COMPO and any change In ; “blind” and refusing to recognize UrT AC (POAA AAA I respect would require Allied’s the fact that gro.s.ses are declining Wtl Ur IbZyU,UUU approval, as well as that of all ! while film rentals and other pper- T I atlog costs cOntinue to rise, NorMi Central Allied dirCetprs at a meel- ‘ora- 1 amounted to $290,000, the compiany ; Moririnv rohimbia is hoping that tors" to tour the country.'speaklng disclosed in New York yesterday j iMoouno, uoiumDia is noping +hn inHmitrv’c; hf^half hMore civic ' Tuesday). Sum represents a drop ' the 26 diocesan newspapers^ seiw f before citic the $ 337,000 net aced by the Coast critic will skip meetings and the tike ! racked un in the eciiiivalent 1949 ' running his review of “Born Yes- New widening of the p.i. P!'®^ i endin« SeM teiday" this weekend. In any event, ■gram;w'asd_iscusscd last Thursday ; : ing here took action designed to j “bring the companies to their I senses.” Directors appointed a j committee of four headed by i Henry Green of Minneapolis to Council of Motion Picture Of - 1 work out a “plan lo bring about to COMPO EXHIB SAM AS 20TH PHILtY MGR. : Thursday ' semester enaino £>ept, 1. ganizations, which is considering reduction of fUm rentaLs fairly. before the j. ■ ' a survey of exhibiiprs to determine v and equitably.” (Continued on Page 18) 1 o ^ 13-week stretch equaled ; dctivi- i ”NCA members are crying the 1 33c as again^st 40c. Comparative jg j^Qpg earnings on^ the common, aft(?r pi'e- , pointing to a pilot study conducted tributors that film rental reduc- feiTed dividends, are calculated on i Interstate Theatres of Texas tions are essential,” explained .S. the 6o4,311 shai-es outstanding at showing the nature of informa- D. Kane, NCA executive courtvsel. the end ot both periods. . tion which could be obtained on After a special oommittee has de- . Company s operating profit for : vised a plan it will be submitted Tn a miflrleii reshuffle of person- UcSo ono^^ri* ended Sept. fiO was • Survey by Inter.state shows that to the entire board for approval, snth Fox this week ^moved the circuit’s^ ^^t^ managers are Directors look the position that Marxist propaganda. Miss Paison^^^^ ntamOnfr who had been New r- ^ “solid”, citizens, according to Ar- a general admission boost would, remarked that MO()ring was; gairv D ^n^d. who had ^nJNc^.. 1 . 949 ^^ thur .L. Mayer,. COMPO execiitive not help to solve their problem in reaching” and further suppoiCfor 1 Ypik bi c . piiiiofiel nAn : vicepresident. Total of ; 150 thea- view Of present television and oth( r the pic along the same tack is , old ,as^ chief , of OQO. a h ke ot $24,000 ^ oyer the t^emen pTticipated in the Inter- competition and tightening of SbolibTay' souwS® laterin thb who resigned over fhl 13-wecks in 1949. | quiz. Compilation of answers amusement pursestrings Another Col i.s plugging for the editors to (30) by COMPO execs see the fiiin themselves and at iea.st run some of their own. opinion along with that of Mooring. Col got immediate support from the Motion iPiclure Assn, of Amer- ica and Hearst columnist Louella O. Parsons ini answering Mooring’s blast that “Born ” contained subtle Horovvilz. who resigned ove.f the Week/ weekend for undisclosed reasons. Fni'iiiTiJifelv a.*! far as the distrib ' In revealing the moves, 20 th this coming Weekend in the Los . quest, ,so that the^ move does not Angeles Tidings, the Brooklyn represent a demotion tor mm. tn- Tabiet and the other pa^rs. - -- - til a new branch manager hamecl Most trade observers agreed with for the N. Y. area. Marlin Mos- Miss Far,.sons’ view that Mooring’s ko\yitz will assume the chores co- attack was influenced mo’^e by hi.s incident with his job as Linpiie (Continued on page 8 ) | State district cliiet. No Question Now New Castle, Pa., Dec. 5. Before . last week’s blizzard, City Council defeated an ordi- nance calling for a 10% mU- nici pal amusement tax. After the storm the city got a bill for.- $ 20,000 for .snow remoyah Council . met tigajn and passed the anuksemehi tax. sliows' that the average manager committee was appointed to work is in his 30’s, probably a war Vet- with- Kane to defeat a bill that eran, is married and/ has one chiid, would enable Minnesota municipal- it was said. ities to impo.se admission tax, and Majority of managei'vS belong, to to combat other legislation in- their local chamber of commerce, jur ions to theatres when Stale Rotary or other clubs, and engag- legislature convenes Jan. 2. NCA ed in a variety of civic activities, succeeded in knocking put such a Of those an.swering, 134 actively bill at the last legislative session* had parlicipated in local welfare but league of municipalities has campaigns, according to the siir- announced intention to sponsor it vey. [again: Wednesday, December 6, 1950 ai n lO agO; "there was a young Lion named Leo of M-G-M who was the talk of the entire industry. Who’s doing the roaring now ? ” 4^. TiCHNtCOiOR GIANT I •;*X'!vX<‘X*X‘X*X*X*X*t' 'X'X’X *v.X;!*Xx.fxX*X:‘:X;X;X; X^•^^!•X■^^X•X^X•l'^^X•X•^X^•^X•I•X^•X^;I•/^^ tl:X;^.^v^^^Wx•X^•'^^^•^^X^^^^^^•X^^vX•X•^X•X^•t•X X SOLOMON’S ” ■ Breaking records at Rodio City Music Hgll and across the nation! S\r S -VK< ^G-eST T o v% n VvoVv/,'* A C^J X vee Wednesday, December 6, 1950 yoo vwisseA , 'S unvACR 5 X 0 vV ^ ^ *\ (iutd' 'TIVRtS fiocvi of (A- 0 -TAO S V S • rt""" ,‘.V.*.V.*.W aio AOVSHTliai DRAMA FIlMib IN INDIA I ' v ■■ ■• •• Ruaydrcl Kljpling’s mkjm m' " TECHNICOU3R AA'AlUTelkikl nliAlf •i , S V \ / ;1: adt ,tba' t Dill , . •> •f ' s ''■^^5' •• X\ ' ' •• \''N ^ ^ ‘ v'"’ \ F after Coast huddles with principal stockholder Howard Hughes, ex- pressed confidence that the new pix company will be successful de^ . spite the disalTiliation f rom the ex- hib partner. Schedule of 32 films for 1951 represents an increase of six over the past year. However, the pre- vious selling season ran from Sept. 1 to Apg. 31; thus the new listing for a calendar year constitutes a change in releasing skedding. New lineup includes five from the Jerry Wald-Norman Krasna team, first of which is “I Married a Woman,” marital comedy written by Goodman Ace, which is jiow in preparation. This is tentatively set for July 7 release. Walt Disney will contribute “Alice in Wonder- land” as a July 2ff release, Depinet reported. He added that the Dis- ney pic. which w'ill be in Techni- color, will be heralded with a full- page ad in Life six months in advance of its distribution. Goldwyn Has 8 Samuel Goldwyn’s part in the program listing is indefinite, as yet, but likely will be “Story of iflans Christian Andersen.” He dis- clo.sed the producer has eight story properties under consideration but probably will do the Andersen pic if he can cast it satisfactorily. Danny Kaye and James Stewart are being considered for the title role, with Moira Shearer slated for the top femme assignment. The Goldwyn picture is tentatively list- ed for handling by RKO in July. An exploitation special on the (Continued on page 20) Joseph H. Hazen it of the opinion Hiof fht TV Chol- Itngo Moy Stlmuloto Fix ilz to tHo Fvlloit llotiom of Itf Fotontiol in • pioco ontitlod The Will To Survive on intorofting odttoriol foofuro . in tho Hpeoming 45th Anniversary jNumher .of Theatre TV’s Herman levy Cautions. That All Drive-Ins Don’t Get Crack At 1st Run , Herman M. Levy, general coun- sel for Theatre Owners of Amer- ica, yesterday (Tues.) cautioned against drawing the conclusion that the drive-in decision of the Philadelphia district court means that all ozoners automaticany will have - the right to negotiate for first-run product. He points out that the opinion in the Milgram suit was that Milgram’s theatre, the Boulevard, was “suitable’’ for showing pix on first-run. Consequently, Levy observed in a pre.^.s statement, it is important that the .suitability of each drive- in house in each locality mu.st be considered individually. He added it was_ not possible to adopt an overall formula determining, the dealings of distribs with, all out- dobr houses. Levy stressed that the competi- tive factors in any given situation shall decide the iicensing policy for prior runs under the Philadel- ph ia ruling, if it is sustained, F or this reason, the Milgram. action was not . a “local” matter. Skeds TV Shots To Build Rex Allen Hollywood, Dec, 5. cpublic is setting a precedent ining up a series of TV appeaiv es as part of a buildup cam^ ?n for Hex Allen, its giddyap ■. To date only Monogram has cod t lie other. way w'hen its con- tees appeared on television, her prohibiting nor sanction- suc)i acts, officially, lie n has three y ideo .shots on prtrtrani, and "*epublic is nego- irig . ior at least , one more. Test bookings to determine the qualifications of drive-in theatres for prior-run product are being viewed as a likely result of last week’s Philadelphia federal court decision directing that sky’s'-*the- roofers be given the same film- licensing opportunity as conven- tional houses. In view of the ruling, distribs figure that they still would be free to sell prior-run away from the ozoners if booking experiments show that launching the films at the drive-ins means detracting from bookings in subsequent situ- ations. Thus, the interpretation is that the decision does not auto- matically mean that drive-ins are entitled to prior-runs on the basis of their ability to pay. Instead, the companies could license a group of perhaps six pix to the drive-in for the sake of experi- ment. If the results show conclu- sively that the bookings have a de- pressive effect on the value of the films at follow-up theatres, the companies believe they would be justified in selling away from the outdoor house in the future. Philly case involved the Boule- vard drive-in, situated between Bethlehem and Allentown, Pa. Operator of the house, and plain- tiff in the action, is David Mil- gram. Finding for the latter, Fed- eral court judge Kirkpatrick stat- ed; “Without exception the dis- tributors have refused to consider any bids from the plaintiff for first-run films and have statedyvith substantial unanimity they will not license such films, even though he may offer, as he has offered on two occasions, higher prices than could be obtained from exhibitor defendants.” The other exhibs in (Gontinued on page 20) Thehtre television backers, itch- ing to get their new mediupi roll- ing, are running into the same “chicken-or-the-egg” problem that plagued home video Immediately after the war— whether set instal- lations or good programs will come first. Exhibitors are extremely wary of plunking down up to $25,- 000 for the necessary equipments and yet it’s agreed that the profit- making programs won’t become ' available until enough theatres in- stall the equipment to provide the necessary boxoffice, < . If the progress of hortiW TV is ! any indication, however, big-screen j proponents are hoping that their ‘ medium will mature the same way; i In the broadcast TV industry,; while execs were wondering how to get people to buy teceivers to watch the poor programs ' then be- ing aired and also how to lure ad- vertisers to pour money in for such a small audience, the novelty fac- tor took hold, Advertisers and the public rushed into video at the same time, thei-eby solving both problems almost simultaneously. Theatre TV’ites hope the same sit- uation will apply to their medium. News of RCA’s decision to trim prices on big-screen equipment down, to $13,500 if 500 or more ex- hibs order the units, meanwhile, is expected to have wide ramifica- tions. While a number of indie exhibs and top circuits are now considering placing orders, it’s be- lieved too early to tell exactly how much business RCA will attract with its new price scale. But of equal importance is the probability (Continued on page 20) Sidney Sheldon rtbt /ecnierfhtp III Mustn^t Do That ! another editorial feature In the forthcoming 45th Anniversary Nuhiher of Six theatre^ carrying the Army- Navy football game Saturday (1) via big-sci;een television reported business ranging from excellent down to only fair for the afternoon. While the game was carried on the full NBG-TV network, aiid so was not an exclusive for the , theatres, Sam Pinanski’s Pilgrim, Boston, played to SRO biz during the day. Two United Paramount theatres in Chicago and ohe in 'Detroit, which had carried football games through the season, bypassed the contest. Circuit has a theatre TV tie with the Big 10 and, with nego- tiations now in progress for next season, didn’t want to jeopardize its relations with the midwest con- ference by carrying a non -Big 10 game. . Hollywood, Dec. 5. Jefry Wald and Norman Krasna, in addition to propping their own slate of pix, are actively engaged j _ in the editing, previewing and i telecast exclusively in State-Lake TO A Analysis of Theatre TV Chicago, Dec. 5., ' Boxoffice potential of theatre television is just “a . matter of stretching yoiir imagination/' That’s the enthusiastic analysis of David Wallerstein, Balaban & Katz v.p. and co-chairman of the teevee committee of Theatre Owners of America; Opinion Is based large- ly on B&K’s experiences with big- screen telecasting of five Big Ten football games, which wound up With good results last week in two of the circuits’ houses. Final two U. of Illinois games. polishing of 15 pix which were either on the RKO shelf or in pro- and Tivoli theatres, did overflow biz at the Loop house and near- $7,900,000 FOR YEAR Lbew’s had earnings of $1.55 per share in its fiscal year ended last Aug. 31, it wias estimated this week by E. F, Hutton & Co., stock brokers. Ma j or is slated to release official figure.^ next month on its profit. . Figured on the basis of common shares outstanding, the e.stiitialed $1.55 net would represent earnings of approximately $7,900,000 for the year. LoeW’s reported income'^ of $6,744,761 for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1949 This was equivalent to $1.31 per share. , . Wall street investment firm,, com- menting on the industry generally, states in a report on a market and business survey that film stocks are “well deflated at current levels and appear attractive for income and modest appreciation.” Theatre attendance is expected to rise and foreign revenue is likely to show new improvements.. Sheaffer Sells U Stock; Goldenson’s Par Report; Girden’s Translux Sale Washington, Dec. 5. Daniel M. Scheaffer, member of the board of Universal Pictures, sold 1,800 shares of that company’s $1 par common stock in a series of six transactions in the monthly period from Oct. 11 to Nov. 10, the ; Securities & Exchange Commission reports. This left Sheaffer with 907 shares. Leonard H. Golde'nson, president of United Paramount Theatres, filed an amended July report show- ing the SEC that he owned 400 shares of United Par common, that he had bought certificates of inters est for another 300, giving him cer- tificates for 1,750 more shares; and that he and hk wife jointly owned certificates for 250 shares in the exhibition chain. William M. Girden, of Translux, sold 2,000 shares of the chain’s $1 common and retains only 500, he notified SEC. Frederick R, Ryan, member of the board of Republic, Pix, bought 500 shares of the $1 cumulative preferred, upping his holdings to 1,200, plus an additional 800 shares of the 50c common. R, B. Larue, of General Precision Equipment Corp., increased his holding of the corpofation’s nb par common to 300 shares, by the pur- chase of an additional 100. In the broadcasting field, Samuel Paley reported making a gift of 1.000 shares of Columbia Broad- casting $2.50 class B common, leav- ing him with 15,000 shares in which he claims no beneficial in- terest. He also has in .his name 7.000 shares of the class A $2.50 par common in which he says he has no beneficial interest. Ralph F. Colin, of the CBS board, sold 50 of his 1,078 shares of Class A common. Dr. Peter C. Goldmark, recently elected a CBS vicepresi- dent, notified the Commission that he didn’t own any CBS stock. Three officers of RCA made pur- chases of that company’s no par common stock. Charles B. Jolliffi increased his shares to 400 by pur- chasing 100. Harold R. Maag bought 100 shares, which gives him 300: and L. W. Teegarden bought 200 .shares, making a total of 241 for him. auction when they joined the stu- i capacity at the south side Tivoli, dio. They’re getting no screen! B&K exec indicated he is con- credit and no compensation for the ! fident that the public will buy the- chore. ati’e video, especially if exclusive They are doing it, it is said, un- [ fare is offered. Because of the der a gentleman’s agreement with | conference ban on regular live RKO topper Howard Hughes as ; telecasting, the five Big Ten games part of their five-year indie pro- 1 were only showh on the B&K auction deal at the studio. Pix on I screens. Next big step is to get which they have been working in- j more theatres equipped for video, elude “Two Tickets to Broadway,” Wallerstein pointed out. This not “Sons of the Musketeers” and i only will make it possible to ob- “This Kind of Woman.” With the use) and War Dept; anxious for them to go ahead with the film, W&K are planning a switch in their story on the war- time entertainment agency. It was to have starred A1 Jolson. It now will star a femme actress instead. Frederick Hazlett Brennan is do- ing the screenplay. CHADWICK EXPECTS PETRIUO TV DEAL Hollywood, Dec. 5. Citing independent producers’ need to have both theatre and video distribution in order to sur- vive, I. E. Chadwick, prexy of In- dependent Motion Picture Pro- ducers Assn., reported he expects deal with James C. Petrillo short- ly permitting release of indie films for television. Petrillo has been open to a deal for some time. He recently okayed one : with Robert tain exclusive rights to major sports events and other entertain- ment for big screen telecasting but will also work to reduce the price of equipment. RCA has already indicated it would be able to cut its $25,000 tag for its direct transmission the- atre system if it were assured of sufficient orders for large-scale production. B&K uses both the RCA system and the Paramount instantaneous film method. RCA equipment, used in the Tivoli, requires no extra (Continued on page 18) Media, Prockter Into Major Picture Prod. In Switch From Tele In a switch on the lisual films to television procedure, two compa- nies which have concentrated un- til now on producing video shows are entering major film produc- Lippert on basis of payment of 5% of each station's class A rate , Uons, which is teaming with United card for time consumed for each j P.l, iS, showing, Uippert, however wanted . nfvaf anT*Prockte pj-pduc- oi^Mnal ’Sdfrali; ^ ’ > «oS,/vhich has Set plans fo? five oiiginal .sounmrdCK. .„ { feature-length films for theatrical Deal With indies probably will follow pattern of offer to Lippert. I Media Productions was formed Chadwick reported that theatre use [ jQgjt producer T, Edward- Ham- of indie pix no longer is enough, j bleton, Alfred Stem and John and since foreign productions are presently cornering all video coin it’s about time indies Were allowed a chance to collect what revenue is available in the medium. Iinpellitteri to Be Saluted by Exhibs . N. Y.’s Mayor Vincent R. Impel- liUeri will be .saluted by a majority of the city’s top theatre operators at a tesi,timonial dinner at the Hotel Astor on Dec 18 S. H. Fabian is Houseman, with Howard Teich- man and Telenews. Latter two, however, have since bowed out of the company. Organized original- ly to produce films especially for TV, the outfit turned out two 27i/^r minute pix, both of which have shown a profit. They are “The Stronger,” with Geraldine Fitz- gerald, and “Gloria, a Day in the Life of a Chorus Girl.” r . Thurber film will be budgeted at ' $650.000-$700,000. with author James Thurber taking an active part in the production and resell- ing the right to okay all scripts and serving as general chairman. Various committees at work on ^ material, fTliurber is reportedly arrangement S k are headed by Ed still peeved about what he claims Rugoff, Ilan-v Brandt. Robert M. was the poor treatment given his Weitman, Jack Levin and Morton ^’Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by Sunshine. (Continued on page 62) 'Wecinestlay, December 6, THE BIG FACT: Xouella Parsons Reports That Alan Ladd is "One ot the Most Publicized Persons of the Century's First 50 Years." Alan Ladd ‘Mona Freeman Charles Bickford in “BRANDED” with Robert Keith • Joseph Calleia Peter Hanson • Selena Royle • Tom Tully • Color by Technicolor • Produced by Mel Epstein • Directed by Rudolph Mate • Screen- play by Sydney Boehm and Cyril Hume • Based on a novel by Evan Evans AUN LADD Is one of the WORLD FIGURES MOST WRITTEN ABOUT SINCE 1900 —and one of only two film personalities included. List is result of survey by famed Burrelle Clipping Service — radioed as another Parsons scoop over coast to coast network of the American Broadcasting Company! ► 1 ? ... THE BIG GUN Wednesday, December 6, 1950 mm %. •. .;.;.^:.V.V .w.-. ■M xiB ™ N : % Iv I ^^9 Ka?lT^i I iiii(ifwy>(l^^ i'^ 1' %j '^Sb6t> i,f,!S’» r% ■• ^ » \*V .V.‘.S\‘ V SWS LS54* ^ A.Wb^ ->'^1 i-.' '-W ''' • V^A»' you’ve waited for since "Whispering Smith” is H in tf COLOR BT TECHNICOLOR "Top he-man coin-grabber” in "perfect Ladd vehicle” with "glorious scenery for Technicolor” adds up to "large scale western” for "profitable returns!” (quotes: Vnriety, Independent, Showmen's, M. P. Daily, Daily Variety) m IN '51 gives you 3 big ones in January: “Branded" Martin & Lewis in "At War With The Army" • “The Goldbergs" .. :..«T 12 PICTUIIB CROSSES P^IEIT Wednesday 9 December 69 1950 LA Lags Again But ‘Cra^’ Good L05 Angeles, Dec. 5. "f First-run pace, is lagging this ^i cck with only four new bills, and eome of them not much help. A heavy fog was blamed for failure of last week’s biz to measure up, but it still finished ahead of recent sessions. Best of new bills is “Harriet Ciiiig” Which is shaping good S2g,000 or near in two theatres “Tripoli” looms very mild around $20,000. al.so in two liotises. .lust fair $17,000 is shaping for “High Lonesome” in five sites while “Soulhside 1-100’* is fair $15,000 ui two spots, Third frame of “King Solomon’s l\lines” still is nice at $30,000 for third frame in two locations while second round of “All About Eve” is good $36,000 in five houses; “C\ rano’’ looms fine $7,500 in sceond roadshow . frame. Second s( ssion of “West Point Story” is oil' to $22,000 in three .spots. F.slinvates for This Week Los Angeles, Chinese, Uptown, I.oydia, Wilshire IFWG) i2,097; 2.n-^i8: 1.719; 1.248; 2,296; 6.041 About Eve” (20th) (2d \vk|. Good $36,000;. Last week, sock $63,000. ' : Hollywood, Dow’iitow'm Wiltern Estimated Total Gross This Week , . . $422,900 ( Based on 18 theatres. ) Last Year . . . . . ^ . $485,600 ^ Based on '17 theatres i ' Kansas City. Dec. 5. Wickets are doing moderately . ^'^-SOO this , week, after Upbeat last . sCvS- si'on. “West Point Story,” at Missouri, . shapes fine. . Jackpot” is slow in, three houses as is “Tripoli” at the Paramount. Mid- land continues to do well with “King Solomon’s Mines” in a second week. Mild weather .pre- vailed up to weekend when colder temperatures hit. Estimates for This Week Mmit’l; W Bit 14C Montreal, Dec. 5, Three new entries are giving biz generally a boost with two hold- overs shaping neatly. “Tripoli” looks best of newcomers with great session at the Princess. “Pretty Baby” also is hefty at Capitol. Estimates for This Week Palace (C.T.V (2.625; 34-60) — “Sunimer Slock” (M-G) (2d wk). Oke $15,000 following socko first at $18,000. : Capitol (G.TJ (2,412; 34^60)-^ “Pretty Baby” (WB). Hefty $14,- 000. Last week, “Copper Canyon” (ParV (2d wk). Okay $11,000. Princess (C.T.) (2.131; 34^60) — “Tripoli” (Par). Great $15,000. Last Week, “Union Station” (Par), $13,000: , Loew*s (C.T.) (2,855; 40-65^— “Let’s Dance” (Par) (2d wk). Still fine $17,000. after hefty opening week at $21,000. . Imperial (C.T.) (1,839; 34-60) “isle of Samoa” (Col) and “Palo- mino’^ (Col), Big $8,()00. Last week, “Road to Glory” (20th) and “Four Men and Prayer” (20th) (re- ; ‘Solomon’ Fat 29G, 2d Ke; City Grosses Estimated Total Gross This Week . . L . . $2,065,000 (Based on 22 cities, 190 the- atres, chiefly jflrst rims, includ' ing N/Y,) Total Gross Same Week Last Year , . . . . $2,347,000 ( Based o.n 24 cities, on d 202 theatres.) 4 $37,000. Loew’s State, Egyptian (UA) (2.404; 1,538; 60-$!)— “King Solo- mon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk). Nice $30,000. Last week, sock $36,000; Hillstreet, Pantages (RKO) (2,- 800; 2.812; 50-$l)— “Harriet Craig” (Col) and “Blues Bu.sters” (Mono). Neat $28,000. Last week, “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) and “Pgymy IMand” (Col), $16,700. ' , Los Angeles, Hollywood Para- ' mounts (F&M) (3,398; 1,451; 50- $1) — “Tripoli” (Par) and “Indian ! Territory” (Col) (L.A. Par only). l (Indie), at house “Im- Last week, (20th) and (20th) (reissues). nrri, -i rre-r oo.... I Esquire (Fox Midwest) (820; 45- 65)— “Ravaged Earth” (Indie) and West Point Story (WB) (2d wk). “Blood and Timndf^r” (TnUip) lair ,$22,000. Last week, good ■ Solid $3,800, best in many Weeks, mortal Sergeant” and a Prayer” $2,500. Kimo (Dickinson) (550; 50-75) “Henry V” (IJA) (2d wk). Near j pace of first week, pleasing $1,800. Last week, $2,000. Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 45-65) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk). Big $14,000. tast week, great $23,000. Missouri (RKO) (2,650; 45-65) — “West Point Stbry’l (WB) and Mild $20,000. Last w'eek, “Copper , “Avengers” (Rep). Fine $11,000 Canyon” (Par) and “Music in! for Cagney opus. Last week, IMoonhght” (Rep) (reissue) (2d : “Where Danger Lives” iRKO) and u k), $15,300. i “Border Treasure” (RKO), mild Orpheum, Hawaii (Metropolitan) ! $9,000. I Orpheum (Fox Midwe.st) (1,913; 1-1000” (Mono) and “Two Lost Worlds” (EL). Fair $15,000. Last week, “Right Cross” (M-G) and -Dial 1119” (M-G) (2d wk), $13,000. : |8:o6o ‘oTnelu^. United Artists, Ritz, Vogue, ^ Studio City, Culver (UA-FWC) (2.100; 1,370; 885; 880; 1,145; 60- $1)— -“High Lonesome” (EL) and “Good Time Girl” (FC). Light $17,000. Last week, “Milkman” (U ) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip) (9 days), $23,500. Four Star (UA) (900; 60-$l) — “Faust and Devil” (Col) (3d wk). Slow $1,000. Last week, $1,600. Fine Arts (FWO (677; $1.20; $2.40) — “Cyrano” (UA) (3d wk). Opens third frame today (Tues.). Last week, big $7,500. Philadelphia, Dec. The Army-Navy annual • classic last Saturday meant little to first-runs although biggest ' crowd in years was here for game. . Best of newcortiers is “The Jack- pot,” Which shapes fancy at the ! Fox even if it did not measure up , to hopes on initial shows. “Emer- gency Wedding” looks dull at Aldine. Second week of “King ; Solomon’s Mines” still is great at Stanley. “West Point Story” con- : tinues brisk in second MastbaumJ 'week. Estimates for This Week Aldine (WB) (1.303; 50-95)— “Emergency Wedding” (Col). Wan $7,500. Last week, “Edge of Doom” (RKO) (2d wk), nice $10,500. Boyd (WB) (2,360; 50-99)— “Harriet Craig” (Col) (2d wk). Slim $12,000 after fair $18,000 opener. Earle (WB) (2.700; 50-99)— “Killer That Stalked New York” (Col). Fair $14,000. Last week, 55-75) — -“No Way OUf' (20th). Re- [“Where Danger Lives” (RKO), turns house to solo film policy, after intermittent legits Light Last week, legit. Paramount (United Par) (1,900; ' 45-65) — “Tripoli^! (Par) and “Cas- 1 sino to Koreta” ^ar). Light $8,000. i Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) (2d wk), $8,200. Tower - Uptown - Fairway (F o x Midwest) (2,100; 2,043; 700; 45-65) —“Jackpot” (20th). Sluggish $12,- 000. Last week. “I’H Get By” (20th), good $16,000. ‘Kiss’ Tasty $12,500 In Toronto; ‘Tripoli’ lOG Toronto, Dec. 5. Such action films as “Two Flags West,” “Tripoli,” “Wyoming Mail” and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” are keeping the first-runs in a happy I mood. Biz also is holding steady j on such holdovers as “All About , Eve” in two houses and “Trio.” j Estimates for This Week j Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, State (Taylor) (1,059; 955; 698; 694; 35-57)- — “Wyoming Mail” ''U) and “Chain Gmig” ! Col).. Neat $13,000. Last week, “Cairo Road” (Mono) (Continued oh page 24) ‘Eye’ Fancy $18,000 In St. Loo; ‘Guerrilla’ OK 16G; ‘Solomon’ 19G, 2d St. Louis, Dee. 5. Trade in downtown sector is be- ing hypoed by practically all retail st ores remaining open twice week- 1 ly up to 9 b’eipek until Chri.stmas. “All about Eve” is grabbing fancy coin at Ambassador but “American Guerrilla” did .hot finish its first week at the Fox much above ah okay figure.. “King Solomon’s Mines” is holding nicely in second round at Loew’s. /V Estimates for This Week Ambassador (F&M) (3.000; 60- 751— “All About Eve”. (201h). Fancy $18,000. Last , week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Jackpot” (20th), $15,000. Fox (F&M.) (5,000; 60-75)— “West Point Story” (WB), and “Under- cover Girl” (U). . Opened today . , . , .. . , (’rues.). Last week. “American '^Hirdy trend m of record '20111) and “Wyohiing ; early-winter freeze Vast week. '1 'U), okay $16,000. Woman Oh Pier 13” plus support , of Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts ; has biggest coin total currently, “West Point Story” is sturdy at Palace while “Milkman” looks oke in Keith’s. These are the only new bills. “King Solomon’s Mines.” and “Jackpot” are holdover winners. Estimafes for This yVeek Aibce (RKO) (3,100; 55-95)— “Woniau On Pier 13” (RKO) and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts on.stage. Latter the' builder-upper for art okay $20,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par), pleasing $11,- 000 at 39-75C scale. Capitol (Mid-States) )2!000; 39 same. Fox (20th) (2,250; 50-99)— “Jackpot” (20th). Fast $22,000: Last week, “American Guerrilla” (20th) (2d wk), $14,000. Goldman (Goldman) (1,200; 50- 99) — “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) (2d wk). Okay $10,000. Last week, neat $16,000. Mastbaum (WB) (4.360; 50-99)— “West Point Story” (WB) (2d wk). Good $21,000 after solid $28,000 opener. Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 50- 99)— “Let’s Dance” (M-G) (3d wk). Trim $12,0.00 after $17,500 for sec- ond week. Stanley (WB) (2,950; 50-99)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk). Great $26,000. Last week, terrific $37,000. Stanton (WB) (1,475; 50-99)-^ “Hell Town” (Indie) and “Buffalo Stampede” (Indie) (rei.ssues). Fine ' $12,500. La.st week, “Captive Girl” I (Col) and “Counterspy” (Col), i $11,500. Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 50-99)— I “Trio” (Par) (3d wk). Nice $(i, 000. ' Last week, S.7,500. I World (Golclwurm & Scli\yartz) I (460; 50-99) — ‘‘Bitter Ricisi” ilndib) ' ( 2d. w'k). Solid $7,500 after mighty $9,000 opener. . Minneapolis, Dec, 5. Among current newcomers, ‘‘All About Eve” stands oiit best, but even it is not so good. Current downbeat stems partly from prox- imily of Chri.stmins. Aside from “King Solomon’s Mines;” in third week, some moveovers, most pix are turning in dull totals. Estimates for This Week Century (Par) (1,600; 50-70)— “Lets Dance” (Par) (m.O-). Mild $4,000. Last week, “Woman on the Run” (U), .slow $4,500, Gopher (Berger) (1,006; 50-70) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk). Still in hi^h. One of season’s real boxoff ice performers here. Big $7,000 after smash" $9,500 sec- ond canto. Lyric (Par) (l.OOO; 50-70)-^ “American Guerrilla” (20th) (m.o./. here from State. Okay $4,500. Last week, “Southside 1-1,000” (Mono) and “Blues Buster” (Mono), sad $3,000. Radio City (Par) (4,000; 50-70) — “All About Eve” (20th). Widely heralded but only good $12,000 looms. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par), mild $10,000. RKO-Orpheum (RKO) (2,800; 35- 70) — “Harriet Craig” (Col). Fair $7,000. Last week, “Where Danger Lives” (RKO), same. RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 35-70) --“The Torch” (EL) and “I Killed Gcronimo” (ED, Strong twin , bill combo for this spot. Light $5,000. Last week, “Prehistoric Woman” (EL) and “Chain Gang’’ (Col), good $ 6 , 200 . State (Par) (2.300; 50-70)-^ “Right Cro.ss”, (M-G). Film’s merits and . cast names attracting doiigh. Fair $7,000. Last week, “American Guerrilla” (20th), $7, 500. World (Mann) (400; 50-05) — ‘“roast of New Orleans” (M-G). Winning favor and gettinig help, too, from cast names. Good $3,500. Last week, “New Miniver Story” (M-G) (3d wk), okay $2,000: Boston, Dec. 5. Afterniath of last week’s gen* erally solid grosses resulted in holdovers at most houses with “King Solomon’s Mines” at State and Grpheum still holding up nicely. “West Point Story” at Met is fair, while “Let’s Dance” kt Paramount and Fenway is mild, both in, second round. Only new* comer “Joan of Arc” at Memorial is a bit disappointing. Boston eloseci last week for an interior decoration job, and is. skedded to reopen Christmas Day with “Ven- detta” and possibly a stageshow. ' Estimates foi* This Week Astor (B&Q) (.1,200; 50-95)— “Slate Becret” (Col) (2d wk): Okay $7,500. Last week, nice $10,000. Beacon Hill (BeaCoh Hill, Iric.) (780; 40-95)-^“G0lden Salamander” (EL) (2d wk). Down to $5,000. Last week, fair $7,000. Fenway (NET) , (1,373; 40-85) — “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Young Lovers” (Indie) (2d wk). Off to about $4,000 after neat $7,500 for first. Memorial (RKO) (3,500; 40-85)— “Jpan of Arc” (RKO). First time at pop prices but mild $10,000; Last week, “Never Dull Moment” (RKO), good $15,0(60, MetrdpoUtan (NET) (4,367; 40-85) —“West Point Story” (WB) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip) i2d wk). Down to $15,000 after nifty $25,- 000 for first. Orpheum (Loew) (3,000; 40-85)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk). Still solid $19,000 after boff $28,000 in first. Paramount (NET) (1,700; 40-85) — -“Let’s Dance” (Par) and“Young Lovers” (Indie) )2d Wk). Off to $9,000 after good $15,000 for first. State (Loew) (3,500; 40-85)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2(1 wk). Holding nicely in with $10, 000. Last week, hefty $17,000. 5. Cincinnati, Dec. Biz generally has regained a 4. , I Loew I 1 3 . 1 72; 50-75)— King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk). Holding to nice W(»W' after $19,000 $20,000 first .st nnza, .. , *.ssoui‘i ( F&M ) (3 .500; 60-75 )- .Loi s Dance’ ^:jlhckpdt**' laoth) )l5Ul‘:\yk). Good $6,000 trailing . $6,.500 - preeni. Grand ( RKO) (1,400: 39-75)— ; , “King Solomon’s Mines’’ (M-^G) (3d ; I wk); Solid $7;500 on heels of strong $8,500 .second round. KeitlFs (Mid-Stales) (1,542; .39r 75)— “Milkman” 'U), Big $3,000 or near, reflecting lift from creamy advance campaign. Last week’ “Kansas Raiders” (U), , $6,500. Lyric (RKO) (1,500; 39-75)— “Holy Year At Vatican” i Indie) dualed in first half with “Happy Years” (M-G) and in second half with ^‘Let’s Dance” (Par) (m.o.). Fairish $4,500. La.st week, “Hell Town” (Indie) and “Buffalo Stam- pede” (Indie) (reissues), $4,000. Palace (RKO) (2,600; 39-75)— “West Point Story” ( WB). Sturdy $12,000 Or over. Last week, “Where ^^vorable y8|500* ^ '.f » v’ ) I 1 Denver, ‘On Run $11,000 Denver* Dec. 5. “West Point Story” is the big news here this session, being smash in tw’o theatres. “Woman on the . Run” also is -nice in three spots. “Quicksand” shapes okay at Paramount. Mo.st holdover.s are clow’n sharply, “Miniver Story” now show ing enough to stay more than four clays of second round. Estimates for This Week .Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 3.5-74) . — “Woman on Run” (U) and “Bed- side Manner” (Indie), (lav-dnte with Tabor, Webber. Fine .$3. .500. Last week, “Three' Ilu.sbands” ( UA) and “Chain Gang” (Col) $4,000. . Broadw'ay iWolfberg) fj.500; 35- 74 ) : — ‘Two Weeks with Love’’ 'M-G I (2d wki. Good $6.,5()0. Last week, fine $10, ,500. Denham (CockrilD (1,750; 35-74) — “Let’s Dance” (Par) (2d wk). $14^0()()^ at $7,500. Last .week, big Denver Fox) '2.52,5;. 35-74) : -- ‘AVext Point Story” (.WB) and “Big Timber 'Mono), clay-date w'ith Lsciuire. Big $19,000 or near. Last week, “Jackpot” (20th) and “Miljv tary Academy’’ (Col ). $18,000. Esquire -iFox) (742; 35-74) — “West Point Story” (WB) and “Big liinber ■ (Moifio), also Denvei*. Sock L^ast week, “Jackpot” (20th) and 'Military Acaclemv” ‘Col), $3,500. (RKO) (2.600; 35-74) ~ Mimver Story” (M>G) and Cowtown” (Col) (2cl w’k-4 davs) split with /‘China Sky’* inKO)1n^ Bpmbarcher (RKO) (reissues), 3 $9,000. Last week, Miniver” and “Cowtown,” fair $11,500. . “ . Paramount, (Fox) (2,;200; 35-74) (C;o»tin U jd jon • page ?4) . . Pitt Digs Out, Biz Up; ‘Solomon’ Socko $23,000, ‘Eve’ Big 15G, Both 2d Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Golden Triangle has finally dug out of wors^ .snow in histOi'y of city, anci biz is zooming all along line. Combination of shopping crowds and people just eager to get out again after being cooped up for a full week is doing the trick, and sending gro.sses up sharply, Of course, after last stanza, in which amusement indus- try practically came to a standstill, anything would be an improve* ment. “King Solomon’s Mines” is kicking forward at Penn after be- ing stationary for days. “All About Eve”, is Shooting into high at Har- ris after getting worst break of them all, having opened bn day thjR storm was at its peak. “West Point Story” at Stanley and “Des- tination Moon” at Warner both are getting back on Hroir feet. Only “The Jackpot” at Fulton is not re- capturing lost momentum. Estimates for This Week Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 45-80)— “Jackpot” (20th) (2cl wk). Excellent noliees. good word-of-mouth but sHli weake.st of all ihe dow’ntow ii bills. Holclirig for 9 days, but won’t make $6;50.0: Last week, miserable S4. 000, getting in only one good day before .storm broke. . If arris ( H ar ri s ) ( 2 .200 ; 45-80 )— r “-•Ml About Eve” )20tli) (2d wk). l^icking up .‘Strong after deva.— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) '2d w k). Sma.siiing through to $23,000, sliooting into high as . soon as snow got out of w\ay. Holds two extra d.'ii s In second week before mov- ing to Ritz. Last week, “Mines’* had-two and a half big days in be- fore §torm dropped it ti $15,000. Stanley (WB) ( 3,800; 45-80)— “West Point Story” (WB) ( 2d wk). Alsp climbing out from under and will hit elo.se to $12,000 or over. Got in only Thanksgiving Day and part of following day last week be- fort the Big Snow, so U was $7,000. Warner (WB) (2,000; 45-80)— “De.stination Moon” (EL) (2d w k). Another one that*s picked up momentum after storm, strong $8,000. Xii'st .week, same as others, only $4,000, ;..j vA . Weclneeday, December 6, 1950 Chicago, Dec. 5, -f Bad weather and some weak new product, are giving the Loop pne of its minor biz seasons, with little support from holdovers. Best in town is Oriental entry of “Two Weeks With Love’* and Three Stooges, Eileen Barton aiid Sky- larks onstage, With two more weeks to go on the same attraction* it is heading for okay $42,000. Chi- cago entry of “Harriet Craig" plus Gil Lamb and Mary Small topping stagesliow is slow $35,000 in sight. Duo-bill of ‘The Miniver Story" and “Emergency Wedding" is shaping average $15,000 at the State-^Lake. Reissues combo of “Room Service" and "Show Busi- ness" look fairish $10,000 at Pal- 'acc. Sole bright spot this week is "King Solomon’s Mines," with solid $13,000 prospect in second turn at the Grand. "Two Flags West" and "Admiral Was a Lady" is lihishing at okay $11,000 in sec- ond week at Roosevelt. "Petty .Girl" with "Between Midnight and Dawn" is mediocre $10,000 in sec- ond round at United Artists, "American Guerrilla" is shaping very poor $8,000 in fourth stanza at the' Woods. "Macbeth" con- tinues firm at World with $3,200 in sight for fourth week. Estimates for This Week Ghicago (B&K) (3,900; 55-98)— "Harriet Graig" (Colt with Gil Lamb and Mary Small topping stageshovy. . Lean $35,000. Last AVeek, "The . Milkman" (U) and Carmen Miranda in p e r s o n, $38,000. Grand (RKO) (1,200; 55-98)— "King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) f2d wk). Fast $13,000. Last week, $19,000. Qrienial (Indie) (3,400; 55-98)— ‘Two Weeks With Love" (M-G) and 3 Stooges, Eileen Barton, Sky- larks onstage. Okay $42,000. Last week, "West Point Story" (WB) with Yvonne DeCarlo heading - stageshow (2d wk), nice $33,000. Palace (RKO) (2,500; 55-98)— "Room Service" (RKO) and "Show Business" (RKO). (reissues), Good $10,000. Last week, "Where Danger Lives" (RkO) and "Pygmy Island" • (Col), $10,000. Roosevelt (B&K) (1,500; 55-98)— "Two Flags West" (20th) and "Ad- (Continued on page 24) Estimate^ Are Net Film gross estimates as re- ported herewith from the vari- ous key cities, are net, l.e., without the 20% tax. Distribu- tors share on net take, when playing percentage, hence the estimated figures are net ih- come. ; ^ The parenthetic admission prices, however, as indicated, include the, U. S. amusement 'tax.' p^mfr TARADE’^CUGAT FAIR 20G IN SLOW INDPLS. Indianapolis, Dec, 5. Another cold weekend plus ac- celerated Christmas buying has showbiz generally on the i^kids at first-riins.. "Hit Parade of 1951," [ with Xavier Cugat band onstage, will just get by at Circle, Best I straight-filmer is still "King Solo- 'mori’s Mines" in its second week at Loew’s. "Jackpot," at Indiana, is disappointing. Estimates for This Week Circle (Gamble-Dolle) (2,800; 50- 90)— "Hit Parade of 1951" (Rep) with Xavier Cugat orch onstage. Fair $20,000 as against stout $26,- PICTURE GROSSES 13 Rain, Holdovers Nip Broadway; ‘Let’s Dance , ‘Woman’ 15G, ‘Dial’ Broadway first-runs were labor- ing under enough handicaps thi.s week before the heavy rainfall of last Monday (4). But that down- pour, which lasted all day, dropped grosses sharply and in many cases to the lowest point in many weeks! The Street is largely holdover 000 when band played spot last ; and 'extended-run currently, which year. Last week, "Let’s Dance” [ ig a handicap, It also hai been Squared Circle" (Mono), j hurt by an early Christnias buy- i ing rush and intense interest in Pre-Xmas Slump Slaps Prov.; ‘Joan’ Oke $9,000, ‘Story’ Fine lOG in 2d Providence, Dec, 5. Biz is feeling the Christmas slump earlier than usual with'most houses below normal. Fay’s, a 1,400-seat.er which recently in- augurated a split-week policy with vaude, is shuttering Wednesday (6). Strand is offering to pick up one-half of downtown parking tab for theatre patrons. State’s "King Solomon’s Mines” is steadiest in second week, with nice total. "West Point Story" looks fine in hold- over at Majestic. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44-65)— "Joan of Arc" (RKO) and "Call of Klondike" (Mono). Oke $9,000, mostly on pop date of "Joan." Last week, “Where Danger Lives" (RKO) and "Rio Grande Patrol" (RKO), $10,000. ■ Fay’s (Fay) (1,400; 44-65)— "Dark Command’’ (Indie) arid Samniy White heading .stageshow. So-so $4,500. House closing down Wednesday (6). Last • week, “Blondic" (Col) and Arthur Lake onstage for 4-day split-week run, weak $5,000. Majestic (Fay)'^ (2,200; 44-65) — "West Point Story" (WB) (2d wk). Scheduled for better second sesh than first with nice $1Q, 000. First week, scuttled by weekend stonii was so-sO $8,000. Metropolitan (Snider) (3,100; 44- 65)— ‘Tripoli’* (Par) and "Hidden Gity" (Mono). Lively $8,000. Last week, "Breakthrough" v(WB) and “Modern Marriage" (Mono), $9,000. State (Loew) (3,200; 44^65)— "King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) (2d wk). Nice $11,000. Last week, okay $17,000. Strand (Silverman) (2.200,; 44-65) — "Killor That Struck New York' (Col) and • “He’s A Cockeyed Wonder" (Col). Opened Monday (4). Last week, "Emergency Wed- ding" (Col) and "Revehuc .AgGnt" (Col), weak $6,0()0. • G ^ ' ‘ ' Seattle, Dec. 5. First-runs are beginning to feel irripact of Christmas buying, with purse strings tightening a, bit. "Tvvo Weeks with, Love”, shapes sock at Liberty while ‘‘Let’s Dance” looks big at Fifth Avenue. "King Solomon’s Mines" still is terrific in second Music Hall ses- sion after record opening week. Coliseum is dark because of big remodeling program^ which will take until Christmas week. Estimates for This Week B1 lie Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 65- 90) — “Deported" (U). Good $4,000. Last week, "Rio Grande" (Rep) and “Surrender" (Rep) (3d wk), big $4,400. Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,877; 65- 90)— Dark this week. Last week, "Jackpot" (20th) and “Hot Rod” (Mono) (2d wk), Nice $6,300 in 6 days. Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,349; 65-90) — "Let’s Dance" (Par) and "The Torch” (EL). Big $11,000 or close. Last week, “Harriet Craig" (Col) and "Counter Spy Scotland Yard" (Col), $10,600i« 10 days. Liberty (Hamrick) (1,650; 65-90) —"Two Weeks With Love" (M-G) and "Dial 1119" (M-G). Sock $10,000. Last week, "Milkman" (U) and “2 Lost Worlds" (EL) (2d wk-5 days), $4,400. Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 65^ 90) — "Edge of Doom" (RKO). Good $5,500. Last week, "Next Voice" (M-G) (2d wk), $3,800. Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,200; 65- 90) — "King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) and“Happy Years" (M-G) (2d wk). Wham $16,000. Last week, all-time record at $23,000. Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,600; 65- 90)_“West Point Story” (WB) (2d wk). Still good .at $7,000. ' Last week, great $16,000. Palomar (Sterling) (1,350; 50-84) — "Mister 880” (20th). (2d run) plus stage. Okay $5,000. Last week, “No Way Out" (20th) (2d run) plus stageshow, nice $6,500. Paramount (Evergreen) (3,039; 65-90) — “American Guerrilla’’ (20th) (3d wk). Down to $5,000 in 6 days. Last week, good $7,700. ‘Solomon’ Paces Buff. (Par) arid mild $9,000 at 44-65c scale Indiana (G-D) (3,200; 44-65) — “Jackpot" (20th) and “Texan Meets Calamity Jane" (Col). Thin $8,500. Last week, “West Point Story" (WB) and “Modern Marriage” (Mono), $10*500, not bad consider- irig blizzard. Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,427; 44-65)— “King Solomon's Mines” (M-G) (2d wk). Hefty $11,000 on top of sock $16,000 opener. Good enough to hold again but will get only j two days of third week on account of booking jam. Lyric (G-D) (1,600; ' 44-65) “Wyoming Mail" (U) and "Can’t Cheat Honest Man” (U) (reissue). Okay $5,000. Last week, "South- side 1-1000" (Mono), $3,500. Korea war hews. Oddly enough, the slight rain Saturday (2) did not hurt, the day being the best for deluxers since the previous Sunday, and way ahead of any recent days. "Let’s Dance,’’ with Jimmy Dor- sey and Nat "King" Cole Trio topping anniversary stageshow at the Paramount, will get a big $74!000 bn the initial week; it holds for . three rounds. "Woman on Run,” one of the two straight-film- ers, is mild $15,000 at the Criter- ion. "Dial 1119" sounds like thin $1 0,000 in first Glpbe stanza. Monday’s rain is sloughing “King Solomon’s Mines” in final week at the Music Hall, Likely will not go over $100,000 in this fourth round, but making a smash total of $500,- 000 for the four weeks. $7,OOOJ6r fifth week f r. Buffalo, Dec. 5. in: mild ciiiTent Solomon's Buffalo. Mines, “Break- at the Doom" Outstanding V'eek is “King smash at the through" shapes . strong Paramount but “Edge of looks only okaj^ at Century. Estimates for This Week Buffalo (Loew’s) (3,500; 40-70 1— “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G). Smash $17,500 or over. Last week, “American Guerrilla" (20th), $13,200. Paramount (Par) (3,000; 40-75 > — • “Breakthrough’’ (WB) arid“Return Jesse Janies’’ (Lip). Strong $13,000, Last week, “Let’s Dance" (Par', $11,500. Center (Par) (2,100; 40-75)-— “West Point Story" (WB) i2d wk). Down to $7,500. Last week, rous- ing $14,000. Lafayette' (Basil) (3,000; 40-70) — “State Secret" (Col) and“Tougber They ComV’ (Col). Light $8,50() or near. Last week, “Harriet Craig’ (CoD and“He’s Cockeyed Wonder (Col), $10,400. ^ Century (20th Cent.) (3,000; 40- 70)— "Edge of Doom" (RKO) and “Palooka Squared Circle" (Mono). Okay $10,500. Last week, “Never : Dull i'Ibmcnt’;_, (RKO) apd Ibt Paradp I<961” ‘CR!€i^),*$9^,feOO. T Wasbington, Dec. 5. “King Solomon’s Mines" at Loew’s Palace currently is help- ing to brighten a generally mild session. Holdovers or moveovers at all but three of mid-town first- runs are keeping down the aver- age, though “Trio" at the Play- house and “Bitter Rice" at another Lopert arter, the Dupont, are showing fine staying power. “Mac- beth," in second week at Trans- Lux, continues surprisingly steady. “Mad Wednesday” at RKO Keith’s is better than average, but below hopes. Estimates for This Week Capitol (Loew’s) (2,434; 44-85)^ — “Two Weeks With Love" (M-G) plus vaude. Pleasant $19,000. Last week, “I’ll Get By" (20th) plus vaude, . bright $21,000, consid- ering lacing from storm. Dupont (Lopert) (378; 50-85) - — “Bitter Rice" (Indie) (4th wk). Smart $4,500 after big $5,500 last week. Holds again. Keith’s (RKO) (1,939; 44-80) — “Mad Wednesday" (RKO). Nice $10,000, but not up to hopes. Last week, “Where Danger Lies" (RKO), $9,000. Metropolitan (Warner) (1,163; 33_73)_“Rio Grande" (Rep) (2d run). Average $5,000. Last week, “Last Buccaneers" (Col), same. Palace (Loew’s) (2,370; 44-74) ^ — “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G). Boff $24,000, soaring to year’s record breaker. Last week, “Ameri- can Guerrilla" (20th), tepid $15,000, Playhouse (Lopert) (485, 50-85) —“Trio" (Par) (3d wk). Steady $6,000 after $7,000 last week. Warner (WB) (2,164; 44-74) — “West Point Story" (WB) (2d wk). Okay $8,000 after better than hoped $14,000, fancy, last week. Trans-Lux (T-L) (654; 44-80) — “Macbeth" .(Rep) .(2d wk). Sur- prisingly firm $5,000 after 1 $7,000 last week. ‘Eve’ Paces Omaba, Hep $li*0()0;‘ Omaha, Dec. 5. “All About Eve" Shapes stand- out With best gross here this week. Biz is off from previous seven days. “Tripoli" also is guod at larger Orpheum. “King SolO! Mines" at State in its second \v. .k is holding great. Actually. “Breaks through" shapes as the real sock at the Brandeis, with toll takings I at a smaller house. Estimates for This Week Orpheum (Tristafes) (3,000; 16- 65) — “’Tripoli" (Par); Good $11,- 000. Last week, “Let’s Dance" (Par)* $11,500. Paramount (Tristates) (2,800; 16- 65)— “All About Eve’^ (20th). Fine $11,000 or over looms. Last week, “Jackpot" (20th), $10,000. ‘ Brandeis (RKO) (1,500; 16-65)— “Breakthrough" (WB). Sturdy $7,000. Last week, “Where Danger Lives’* (RKO), $6,000. State (Goldberg) 1865; 20-75) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wkl. Still fancy at $7,000, Last week, smash $10,500. Flolds third round. Makes smash $500,000 for four weeks, this one being, first session , to dip below $127,000. “Kim" (M-G) and annual Xmas stageshow and pageant opens to- morrow, Thurs.). Rialto (Mage) (594; 44-98)— “In- ternational Burlesque" (indie) (5th wk). Continues surprisingly well, with current session solid $7,00() after $7,500 for fourth round. Ilolds a sixth. Rivoli (UAT-Par) (2,092; 90- $1.25) — “Never Dull Moment" (RKO) (2d wk). Off to around $9,000 after mild $13,000 opener. Roxy (20th) (5,886; 80-$1.75) — “Jackpot" (20 th) plus Philhar- monic Piano Quartet, Paul Remos and Toy Boys, iceshow topping stage bill (2d wk). Dipping with the others, with sluggish $50,000 likely. Stays a third. Last week, barely good $72,000, and below expectancy. Stale (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-$1.50) —“Harriet Craig’’ (Col) (5th wk). Off to $9,000 or near after oke $12,- 000 last round. “Operation X" (Col) opens next Saturday (9). Strand (WB) (2,756; 55-$2) -^ ‘^Breakthrough’’ (WB) with Mimi Benzell, Herb Shriner topping of “International Burlesque,” is holding this pic for a sixth ses- sion. Sexy ballyhoo has paid off. New bill of “Farewell To Yester- day," with vaude, is suffering with the others, with not more than $17,000 likely at the Palace. .“Cyrano" is holding near capac- ity in second full week with $15,000 at the Bijou, advance sale indicat- ing a longrun. “Red Shoes" looks like good $20,000 in second round of pop-scale run at the Victoria. Second weeks for the Capitol and Roxy are taking a beating as are many other houses. Estimates for This Week Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 55-$1.50) — “American Guerrilla" (20th) (5th wk).- Fourth stanza ended Monday (4) slipped to $10,000 after $15,000 for third week. Continues, with “Harvey" (U) slated to open Dec. 21 following Heart Fund benefit Dec. 20. Bijou (City Inv.) (589; $1.20- $2.40)— “Cyrano" (UA) (2d wk). Initial holdover session ended last night (Tues.) held to about $15(000 after great $18,000, virtual capacity, in initial full week which included extra matinees besides usual Saturday - Sunday extra shows. In for run. Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 55- $1.50)_“Two Weeks With Love" (M-G) with Skitch Henderson orch, the Vagabonds, Kay Armen head- ing stageshow (2d wk). Frame end- ing today (Wed.) is slipping to light $32,000 or near after fair $51,000 opening week. Stays only Jour days of third week, with “Watch Birdie" (M-G) opening Dec. 11. “Pagan Love Song" (M-G) is scheduled for Dec. 25 as house’s Crite?ibn (Moss) (1,700; 50-$1.75) — “Woman on Run" (U) (2d wk). First week ended last night (Tues.) [only reached modest $15,000 or under. In ahead, “Right Cross" (M-G) (2d wk), $6,200. s Glbbe (Brandt) (1,500; 50-$1.20) i— “Dial 1119" (M-G). First week looks to go only to slim $10,000. In ahead, “Tripoli" (Par) (2d wk), $6,0Q0. Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 50- $1.20)— “Rio Grande" (Rep) (3d wk). Off to $11,000 after nice $16,- 000 for second. “Cheer Box"^ ex- ploitation stunt, tieup with Repub- lic and N. Y. Daily Mirror, prov- ing fine plug for pix. Holiday and comfort gifts for troops in Korea being collected, via campaign. Palace (RKO) (1,700; 55-$1.20)— “Fare wel 1 to Yesterday’ ’ ( 20th ) with vaude. Lagging with re.st of Street* and shapes up for mild $17,000. Last week, “Saddle Trar f>” (U) With vaude, $18,000, below hopes. .k!, Paramount (Par) (3,664; 55-$1.50) —“Let’s Dance" (Par) plus Jimmy Dorsey orch, Nat “King" Cole and Trio toi>pirig stageshow (2d wk). slide down to $25,000 this stanza after mild $36,000 last week. “Highway 301” (WB) with Dave Apollon, Peggy Mann, others on stage opens Friday (8). Sutton (R&B) (561; 90-$1.50)— “Trio" (Par) (9th wk). Eighth stanza ended Monday (4) held strong with $10,700 after $12,400 last stanza. Stays indef. Trans-Lux 60th St, (T-L) (453; 74-$1.50) — “Kind Hearts" (EL) (26th wk). Off to $3,200 after okay $3,400 last frame. “Rapture" (EL) supplants oh Dec. 13. Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; 90-$l. 50)— “Prelude To Fame" (U) (4th wk). Continues sturdy at $5,- 000 after fine $7,000 last session. Continues. Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 95- $1.50)— “Red Shoes" (EL) (3d wk). initial holdover round ended yesterday (Tues.) held nicely at $20,000 or near after rousing $26,- 000 in first week. Stays on. “Born Yesterday" (Col) opens Dec. 25. First week of Par flagship's anni bill ended last ..night (Tues.) , hit big $74,000. In fp^ three., weeks. Last week, “Copper Canyon” (Par) and Dick Conti no, Bill Snyder oi-ch, Patti Page heading stage bill (2d wk), $43,000. Radio City Music Hall fellers) (5,945; 8d-$2.40)— “King Solomon’s iMnes" (M-G) . with stageshow (4th-firial wk.). Ofl’ to $100,000 in final session, after fine a third week. /•(: , 1 $128,009, • ‘ bit below i hopes/; for Xmas Buying Hurts Det.; ‘Story’ Mildish $17,000, ‘Solomon’ Rich 21G, 2d Detroit, Dec. 5. The Chri.stmas-buying rush is making its first inroads at the box- office here this round, with all comers suffering. “King Solo- mon’s Mines" still is leading the entries in second Palms stanza with a fine total. “Killer Stalked New York” is being, helped co-okay session by Duke Ellington band onstage at the Broadway-Capitol. “West Point Story" looks mild at the Michigan. Estimates for This Week Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; 70-95) — “American Guerrilla" (20t.h) and “Experiment Alcatraz" (RKO) (2d wk). Dull $17,000. Last week, $26,000, With snow burying -early expectations. Michigan (United Detroit ) (4,000; 70-95)— “West Point Story’’ ( WB) and “Counterspy Scotland Yard’’ (Col), Mildish $17,000. La.st week, “Let’s Dance" (Par) (2d wk), $ 12 , 000 . Palms (UD) (2,900; 7i)-95)— “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) ,(2d wkl. \ Rich $21,000. Last week, $30,000 Madison (UD) (1,800; 70^95) ^ “Midnight and Dawn” (Col) and “Rusty’s Birthday” (Co|). Slow $8,000. Last weekr “Sleeping City" (U) and“Blues Busters" (Mono), same. Broadway-CapiloT (UD) (3 400; 70-95) — ‘‘Killer Stalked New York’' (Cpl) arid Duke Ellington orch on- stage. Oke $16,000. Last' week, “Johnny One-Eye" (UA) plus stage* show with Illinois Jacquet orch, $ 20 , 000 . United Artists (U A) (1,900: 70- 955^“ril Get By” (20th). Slow $10,000. Last week, “Jackpot" (20th) (2d wk), 8,000. Adams (Balaban) 1,700; 7.0-95)— “Joan of Arc" (RKO) (2d wk). , [Holding at $7,000. Last week, nice (Rocke-j $10,000. Downtown (Balaban) (2,900; 70- 951— “Deported’’ (U) and “Wyom- ing Mail" rU). Poor $5,000. - Last week. “Outrage” (RKO) and “Holi- day Rhythm? (Lip)/ $6*500:1 '. y ; >■ a •• I . ■ >■ I S 1 ' . ) :• 4^- f'4 .( ■ . i.- ■( . ■ i ? 1:- t ^ )■ •i’. j* .4 ( ] . 1 < n f .i i. .J 1 V ; V • - ‘V (' '.r • ’t 14- P^^IE^TY Wednesday, December 6, 1950 Wednesday, December 6, 1950 FILM REVIEWS 15 P^JO^TY Kim (COLOR) Hollywood, Dec. 5. Metro release of Leon Gordon produc- tion. Stars Errol Flynn; features Dean Stockwell. with Paul Lukas, Robert Doug- las, Thomas Gomez, Cecil KeUaway, Ai'nold Moss, Laurette Luez. Directed by Victor Savllle. Screenplay. Leon Gordon. Helen Dcutsch. Richard Schayer. from Rudyard Kipllnjf novel: camera (Techni- color), William Skall: editor, George Boemler; music. Andre Previn. Trade- shown Nov. 27. *50. Running time, lU MINS. Mahbub Ali, the Red Beard. . .Errol Flynn Kim Dean Stockwell Lama Paul Lukas Co. Creighton Robert Douglas Emissary Thomas Gomez Hurree Chunder Cecil Kellaway Lurgan Sahib Arnold Moss Father Victor ........... .'Reginald Owen Laluli Laurette Luez llassun Bey Richard Hale The Russians 5 Roman Toporow ( Ivan Triesault Metro has quite n spectacle, but not much else, in this version ol Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim.” The story of youthful adventure in In- dia comes to the screen as rambling, oveiTength, spotty enter- tainment. However, there are suf- ficient exploitation angles to give it importance in fast playdates. Entertainment possibiiiities would be decidedly sharpened by 'drastic trimming of the present 112 min- utes of footage. Cutting would heighten story values to be Jound in the account of a young orphan who plays at being a native and encounters derrin-do adventures while aiding British intelligence ferret out a dastardly Czarist Rus- sian plot to seize India. Miniature Reviews “Kim” (Color) (M-G), Film, spectacle based on Kipling’s tales of youthful adventures in India. “For Heaven^s Sake” (20th). Clifton Webb, others, in com- edy fantasy. Generally okay entertainment for average biz. “Storm Warning” (WB). Tough melodrama built around Klu Klux Klan terrorism. Good names and biz prospects. “The Killer That Stalked New York” (Col). . M e 1 1 e r based on N. Y.’s smallpox scare of several years ago; okay for duallers. “The Great Missouri Raid” (Color) (Par). Good outdoor actioner with familiar Jesse- Frank James plot. “The Sound of Fury” (UA). Gripping melodrama of mob violence, cause and effect. Ex- ploitable. “Revenue Agent” (Col). Good program melodrama built around work of income tax agents. Actionful. “Lightning Guns” (Songs) (Col), Fast-paced Charles Star- rett western. “Short^ Grass” (Mono). Rod Cameron in western feature for general action bookings. erally okay reception, although in- . dications are for just average Chimerical aspects of the yarn gross&s^ An added marquee bol • •i j t* e* n_ A ^ i ^ i. ^ ^ ^ ^ - . are solid stuff for the screen, and had a straight-line format been used to put them on film general public acceptance would have been strong. Footage has been cloaked in lush Technicolor, and the location shots blend expertly with the s^tudio-filmed sequences. Visual dressing helps somewhat to carry the' episodic plot line and story does have its appealing mo- ments, particularly when young Dean Stockw'ell is on screen enact- ing the title role. He captures the charm of the Kipling character in firstrate style, slotting it exactly for accept- ance by the young ticket buyers. , His sly, knowing native ways in urchin street life, his daring in plunging into danger, and rebel- lion against strict school life are all phases that will please the moppets. All of the adults do not come off as fortunately. Errol Flynn Is the star, playing with flamboyant gusto the wily and amorous horse- trader who aids the government and Kim foil the Russians. Role permits Flynn a few side excur- sions into romance, and the only one of these developed is with Laurette Luez, sultry femme spy, in an episode more ludicrous than flaming. For the part, Flynn is bedecked in flowing robes, red beard and crew haircut. The lama sequences, in which Paul Lukas plays the holy man who advises young Kim, are much too long and slow. Robert Douglas is in an out of the footage as the British intelligence head. There are good characters contributed bv Thomas Gomez, Cecil Kellaway, Arnold Moss and Reginald Owen. Leon Gordon produced and did the script with Helen Deutsch and Richard 3chayer. He gave it a fancy, costly-looking production dress, but both supervision and writing fall short of the mark. Victor Saville’s direction hits some high spots of action, but m the main is too measured for siicn an adventure story. The excellent photography was done by v/illiam Skall. and the Andre Previn musi- cal score has a native flavor. Brog. Fin* Ileavoii*’® Sake Hollywood, Dec. 1. Twcnticlh-Fox release of Wmiarn Perl- ber« production. Stars Clifton W ebb, Joan Bennett. Robert Cummings, Edmund Gwenn: fe.Tturcs Joan Elondell, Gigi reau. Jack La Rue. Harry Von my Rcttig. directed and ^^litten by George Seaton, from pla.v by JJ^^ry Se gall: camera, Lloyd Ahern; ^tlitor. Rob- ert Simpson; music. , Alfred .Newman. Tradeshown Nov, 29. '50. Ruhnmg time, Ch iHes^’ Cilfton Webb Jciv Bolton' Arthur EdmUnd Gwenn D.aphne . V.V. Joan Blondell itmn . - • -Giei , Tony • i ster is the teaming of Edmund Gwenn with Webb, also in the same baby-sitting capacity. Aim of the angelic team of Webb and Gwenn is to see that unborn moppets Gigi Perreau and Tommy Rettig get together with the parents they have picked out. j Emphasis is on moppet Perreau’s troubles, since she has been wait- ing for seven years for the marital team of Joan Bennett and Robert Cummings to switch a little of the time they devote to legit produc- tions to becoming parents. To bring it all about, Webb ma- terializes to act out a rich west- erner who wants to angel the next Bennett-Cummings production. He gets in trouble when he finds he likes earthy desires, such as play- I wright Joan Blondell, champagne and the power of money. How he is saved from a complete ^11 from grace and little Miss Perreau's parents finally get together so she can be born is told with engaging and witty moments that help over- come earlier sags in the footage. Young Tommy Rettig also gets his wish when angel Gwenn inspires Robert Kent to write the story that will give him the money to get married. Webb and Gwenn are rather un- orthodox angels, the former a worldly creature willing to test himself against earthly pleasures. George Seaton’s scripting, from a play by Harry Segall, gives them both humordus lines to toss off in the sophisticated setting, and former’s direction pegs the chuckles. Miss Bennett and Cummings neatly realize the footlight char- acters, more wedded to the stage than to each other. Miss Blondell has been absent from the screen too long; she’s that good. The two moppets register strongly in completely natural portrayals. Jack La Rue belts over a carica- ture of screen gangsters who carry film roles into real life. Harry Von Zell, a breiizy westerner; Charles Lane, income tax agent, and the others are good. William Perlherg has furbLshed the production with excellent sight values, and Lloyd Ahern’s camera displays them neatly. There is a minimum of trick photography, merely that of the angels passing through doors. Brog. lineup of names, should rate it at- tention in most playdates. Story points a probing finger at Klan activities and the reign of terror that goes with the sheeted bigots. However, the well-written script by Daniel Fuchs and Rich- ard Brooks never lets itself go overboard on the moral side, pre- ferring to emphasize the lesson by devoting itself to a soundly estab- lished, melbdramatic tale about an innocent bystander who becomes involved in violence. Ginger Rogers, model, stops off in a small town, presumably southern, to visit overnight with her married sister. She finds the streets strangely ‘ deserted and while walking them inadvertently witnesses the brutal slaying of a newspaperman by Klansmen. Ter- rified and sick by the experience, she finds her sister and then dis- covers the husband is one of the killei's. To spare her sister, she lies at the inquest, as do all other possible witnesses. Later, the drunken brother-in-law tries to rape her and then takes her to a Klan meet- ing for trial. A determined county prosecutor braves the meeting, saves the model, but in the ensu- ing melee the sister is accidently killed by her husband, himself shot down by police, and justice finally gets in its licks. The Jerry Wald production is presented in a matter-of-fact man- ner that strengthens J)oth the melo- drama and the moral it poses. Stuart Heisler handles direction and cast in a way that insures a punchy, grim yarn, getting excite- ment and suspense in the telling. Miss Rogers does well as the model, and the county prosecutor is . given a lot of sock by Ronald Reagan, portraying a character who beats his head against the stonewall of » prejudice and fear. Unexpected and very good is the offbeat assignment of the sister, as done by Doris Day, and Steve Cochran scores soundly as the stupid, killer husband. Hugh Sand- ers, Klan leader; Raymond Green- leaf, Ned Glass, Paul E. Burns, Stuart Randall and the others con- tribute capably to the story. Low-key lighting in keeping with the meller mood, tight editing and a good score register among the expert technical credits. Brog. The Blue Angel “The Blue Angel,” German- made film originally reviewed in Variety, April 30, 1930, in the English-dubbed version and currently being rereleased in the U. S. by Classic Films in the original (^rman with Eng- lish subtitles, emerges after 20 years as one of the standout films produced since the ad- vent of sound. Starring Mar- lene Dietrich and Emil Jan- nings, this pic moves to a shattering climax through a progression of brilliantly ex- ecuted sequences. Pic’s story of the stiff-laced professor who falls in love with a music hall hussy is pre- sented with the standard European approach to such questions. From the bluenosc viewpoint, it is not any more objectionable than the current flock of Continental films which, as a whole, are a hit more relaxed in dealing with sex than U. S. films. Even the profusion of cheesecake shots of Miss Dietrich’s legs legitimately used in develop- ing the film’s tragedy. From every angle, pic is a powerful b.o. entry in the art house cir- cuit. the casting lines up nicely to give it some marquee worth, and the chase and gunplay action has been filmed in Technicolor. Script gives a believable ex- planation of the forces that put the James boys outside the law. There’s plenty of sympathy for the outlaws, but it is developed logi- cally and doesn’t go maudlin. Motivation hangs on the death of a Union soldier, killed while bru- tally questioning the James par- ents as to the whereabouts of Frank, a Quantrell Raider. The soldier’s brother, a Union officer, swears himself to a lifetime chase to bring the James boys to justice, setting off a web of circumstances that sees the brothers, the Young- ers and others taking to a life of j banditry after being hounded away ; from a respectable existence. I Wendell Corey and Macdonald : Carey, as Frank and Jesse, play I their roles very well, looking and ; acting the part of farmboys turned i outlaws as they run through the ! fast, often furious action. Ward i Bond is good as Major Trowbridge, ! whose personal vengance sets up ! the development. Ellen Drew and i Lois Chartrand are believable as the girls who marry Jesse and Prank, respectively. Romance flavor comes through excellently. Gordon Douglas’s direction 4 .* 1 1 • - AT I swings the footage through many as the authentic-looking N. y* j exciting moments. The bank hold- background, the part played m ^ ^pg follow the personally- i.. — campaign by the vaccination N. i The Killer That Stalked IVcw York - ~ , inspired raids against the Jameses, Y. s mayor, etc., but they re only j train robberies, the flights the sugarcoating to a trite tale ] through rugged terrain, the more about a coi^le^ of jewel smugglers i intimate family and romance in- trying to cheat each other out ot clients are all told most accept- the loot. I ably. Evelyn Keyes is the “smallpox | Anne Revere and Edgar Buciia- Mary” of the story. She had i nan enact the mother and step- picked up the virus in Cuba, where ! father of the outlaws capably, she went to get the jewels and ■ Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams and unknowingly, of course, brought it , Paul Lees expertly portray the back to the States. While she is i Younger boys. Loui.s Jean Hepdt ill, her lover and confrere, Charles i-and Whit Bissell are the Ford Korvin, swipes the stones, leaving j brothers, the latter the Judas who her to die. Meanwhile, everyone guns Jesse in the back, with whom Miss Keyes has come On the technical side, Holt’s in contact has contracted the | production has firstrate support, disease, and the city authorities ' through Ray Rerinahan’s color are frenziedly trying to find the I lensing, the editing musical score carrier. Rest of the yarn deals with Miss Keyes' chase of Korvin and the city’s chase of her. After finally catching up with her doublecrossing partner, she gives herself up to the cops and. meciicos. and other contributions, Brog. The Soniiil of Fury Hollywood, Dec. 5. :tion. Stars Evelyn Keyes. Charles. Kor- I makeup (she walks arOUnd with a A^'y. Previewed Dec. 1, '50. , W^illiam Bishop; features Dorothy j fpvp'p of thp tirnp) turns in time, 91 MINS, lone. Lola Albright. Barry KoUey. Di- | TorvS ha " little ' F.-b Columbia release of Robert Cohn pro duction vin Malone, Lola Albright rected by Earl McEvoy. Screenplay. Harry Essex, based on magazine article by Mil- ton Lehman; camera, Joseph Biroc; editor, Jerome Thoms; score, Hans Salter; Trade- shown, N. Y., Nov. .29, '50. Running time, 79 MINS. Sheila Bennet Evelyn Keyes Matt Krane Charles Korvin* Dr. Ben Wood William Bishop Alice Lorie Dorothy Malone Francie Bennet Lola Albright Johnson Barry Kelley Commissioner Ellis .... Carl Benton Reid Dr. Cooper ... V. ....... . Ludwig Donath Moss Art Smith Andy Bennet Whit Bis.sell Mayor Roy Roberts Belle ' Connie Gilchrist Skrip Dan Riss United Artists release of Robert Still- man production. Stars Frank Lovejoy, ' Apfincr i-c PYfrpmplv cnnttv no . JCathlcen Ryan, Richard Carlson; features Acung ts exiremeiy S'PVLJ'y. ^ Uoyd Bridges, Katherine Locke. Adele directed by Egrl McEvoy, with the Jergens, Art Smith, Renzo Cesana, Irene tendency to overdramatize being ; Vemon. Directed by Cyi-il Endne>ld. the chief fault. Miss Keyes, sub- Scr^npiay, Jo Pag^^ jecting herself to unflattering music, JHugo Frledhofer: edhor. GCv>x<>*>:sN fe':' ■ mM4 «N>^. 5 B(-j '.Oior'i'iO '*’'♦ I 18 PICTURES P^mfr Wednesday, December 6, 1950 Inside Stnff-Pictiires t Death of James K. McGuinness in N. Y., oddly coincided with an- nouncement by Motion Picture Alliance for Preservation of American Ideals, of which he was one of its outspoken members, that it was leaving Motion Picture Industry Council to pursue on its own a battle against alleged Communist infiltration in the industry. Letter to MPIC said the Alliance was dissatisfied with INIPIC failure thus far to get Alliance-inspired mandatory industry-wide loyalty oath or the joint MPIC-AlIiance committee talks to bear fruit. In answering Alliance letter, MPIC said loyalty oath was not a dead issue in that a commit- tee still is working on it. However, most of components of MPIC have nixed the oath, with sentiment leaning toward Screen Writers Guild oath formula, which calls for voluntary oath together with ma- chinery to enable those falsely accused of "pink” affiliations to clear themselves. Influential industryites reportedly have gone to bat in Washington to assist film executives of various nationalities who may have been enmeshed in the web of red tape that surrounds the jMcCarran Act. This law prevents entry in the U. S. of anyone who is now or ever was a Fascist or Communist. Idea behind the industryites’ intervention is to improve goodwill between Hollywood and rival celluloid interests abroad. It’s understood that a number of foreign film distributors and producers have been stalled In their attempts to come to the U. S. on business junkets through strict interpretation of the act by federal officials. Random House, which has publi.shcd a number of Broadway plays in book form, will enter the motion picture field with publication of the complete screenplay of 20th-Fox’s "All About Eve,” as written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. If the book sells well, it’s expected the pub- lishing firm w'ill turn out other original screenplays. Twentieth’s ■ ‘‘Follow the Sun,” incidentally, which is now in production, is to be j spotted in condensed form in the March issue of Readers’ Digest. Admits TV Edge Film spokesman has admit- ted the industry’s defeat in at least one respect of its battle with television. Admission w'as made by Dick Pitts, editorial director of the Council of Mo- tion Picture Organizations, be- fore members of the Associ- ated Motion Picture Advertis- ers la.st week in N. Y, ’Without mentioning it .spc- cificially, Pitts obviously had in mind the TV set manufac- turers’ warning that depriving children of video will, in ef- fect, make them candidates for a psychiatrist’s couch. He confessed: "While motion pic- tures are better than ^ want to assure you that if chil- dren do not go to the movies they will not feel a deep lone- line.ss. They will not feel ‘left out’ because other chil- dren do go. And your daugh- ter will not feel a deep bruise inside. No, your children will not grow up to be neurotics if they are deprived of the movies.” 'Articulate’ Execs Continued from page S luncheon-meeting oJ the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers in N. Y. Executive vicepresident Arthur L. Mayer, at the meeting, touched Lloyd Shearer’s closeup on the prolific Harry Warren in last week’s Colliers’ as a "great unknown” has touched off Hollywood interest anew in his biopic. George Jessel wanted to do the songsmith’s career but found AVarner Bros, controlled too much of the cream of Warren’s song- writing crop, and the Burbank plant was holding out for too fancy al “T, lee. Jesse] (20th-Fox) still thinks there’s enough later stuff in W'ar- • ^ J?n«cihlv ren’s career to make an okay.medlev. . 1 int" field, and added : significantly, "give us the funds. Payroll savings bond division of the U. S. Treasury Department has j Following the session, entered a unique tie-in with Universal. Unit is distributing a four- j are about P color poster urging the public to "Give an ear to ‘Harvey’ and his good including some formei actor , advice,” Partial head of a rabbit is depicted along with a still of ; available to launca p James Stewart, star of the film. | lic-speaking tours designed to en- ! hance the public’s estimate of the by New York newspaper and mag critics squawk thiit despite ownership ’ business. Mayer also commente „y a number of the majors of music publishing firms, the titles of songs ! fhat "we are experts in .selling in musical productions are, never given on credit sheets. Only excep- ; product; rank amateurs in selling lion is 2()lh-Fox. It generally takes a lot of telephoning, the reviewers j ourselves.” beef, to get the names of the tunes from publicity departments. Snipers Gang Up on Fix — - Continued from page 5 I think the film chilled him and gave an impression that Ameri- cans were not really fighters, and that. I think, was very, very sad. Charles E. McCarthy, C9MPO public relations chief, said he ! hoped industry cxecs would con- i tribute their services in visiting ; the press in the field, as a means : of clearing the distorted view of I the industry held by many editors. ' McCarthy also indicated he will groom in Hollywood,” by Dick ! induce Editor and Publisher, Pitts, its editorial director. Pitts, I newspaper pro- former film editor of The Char- i fession, to send a reporter to Hol- ^ ^ lotte .N C.) Observer left his bride . j that the true picture of And I think generally Holly- ot five days and went to Hollywood ; production centre may come wood has done an enormous for a study of the town followiilg ' focus He deplored the fact amount of damage to America in his acceptance of the COMPO job. i ^ period of vears the in- Asia. and it’s about time Hollywood | The articles, humorously written, ! allowed its" public rela- was controlled and this entirely are slanted to point up Hollywood; flptpriorate and said he is false picture of a tremendously as a "normal” or "average” com- , th^ varietv of remedial energetic and fine and very bril- nnmity They have heer. forward- “h® coMPO has in mind liant America was shown to the ed to COMPO reps in each world. We need tremendous change area with a request that changes in Hollywood. It’s about they try to get the pieces published time it came.” in local newspapers. Francis Cardinal Spellman, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York, picked up the ball on the following day. He declared in a speech carried by the metropolitan dailies that motion pictures, radio Par Advance Coin Continued fr m p;ige 3 will prove effective. ‘Road Company’ Special coun..wl Robert W. Coyne reported a "road company” of the industry’s planned exposition next fall will be sent on tour if it proves successful in N. Y. He said the tour could be coordinated with ap- pearances by stars in the various key cities. Invitation to join the COMPO fold, was issued by Mayer to A MPA, with the latter’s acceptance regarded as a foregone conclusion. Mayer also disclosed that under consideration as COMPO members are the fan mags and theatre equip- and television have had bad effects play on which the pic is based, on the minds and behavior of chil- ‘ and Greshler. Greshler provided dren, completion bonds himself. There Speaking before 500 persons at was no bank involved in the ft- j the annual conference of the New nancing. ork State Assn, of Judges of Chil- Whole deal has been a swiflie. dren .s Courts, the Cardinal de- pic went into production on July ^ . . 18 and is slated for release exactly • nioving picture has moved : six months later— Jan. 17. Shoot- , c,m,.n«rc indeed. It has moved from a lim- ing took 21 davs Greshler brought i manufactiueis and suppliers. ited number of public theatres to ■ 'eLf two weeks ^ fX 'if.n'iw million.s of private homes, where screened it for the Par exec staff i defined but appaiently crime stories and their horrors add i i„ the Paramount theatre Nov. 22 i » semi-official basis, to the infamy of the massacre of the innocents . . . Today a man's home is no longer his castle, for the locked door no longer keeps out the trespasser. Now, any broad- casting radical may enter the home and under cunning disguises sow the seeds of juvenile bewilderment and delinquency.” and had a distribution deal from the company two days later. Deal was facilitated by; Par’s de- sire to hang on to the product of the Martin-Lewis team. It has dis- tributed their first two pix, "My Friend Irma” and "Irma Goes West,” which were made by the without the veto power held by the 10 charter groups. Also slated to address the AMPA conclave last week was COAIPO president Ned E, Depinet. How- ever, his extended stay on the Coast in huddles with Howard Hughes on RKO affairs prevented his appearance. Depinet wired re- ‘Twist’ Tiff Continued from page 3 Brandt attempted to persuade a Texas* exhib to breach a contract to play "Twist.” The ELC letter, according to the Brandt spokes- man, further notified that the dis- trib would hold Brandt and "your colleagues who participate in this kind of action fully liable for any damages which may accrue to us” as a result of contract breaches. Brandt yesterday branded the ELC letter as "nothing more than an insidious attempt at intimida- tion,” Circuit chief denied he at- tempted to induce anyone to breach a booking contract but has- tened to add he wouldn’t hesitate to make known his opinions re- garding "Twist.” The film, he con- tinued, "in my opinion can only fan the flame of inter-racial big- otry.” Exhibition of "Twist,” Brandt went on, could result in "irrepar- able injury to the motion picture industry in general as well as to theatres which show it.” Brandt concluded his blast with the com- ment that he had expressed his opinion and "I shall continue to freely and honestly express it.” ELG had announced late last month that Robert J. O’Donnell, general manager of Interstate Theatres, had booked ‘’Twist” to play a' number of the circuit’s houses in Texas in Januarj'. Board of the Motion Picture Assn, of America will meet in N.Y. on Dec. 19 to consider the Eagle Lion Classics’ appeal from the de- cision by the Production Code Ad- ministration to refuse a PCA seal for "Oliver Twist.” PCA, which is headed by Joseph I. Breen, oper- ates within the framework of MPAA. Eric A. Johnston, MPAA presi- dent, and William C. MacMillen. Jr., ELC prexy, held an informal meeting on the matter in N. Y. yesterday (Tues.) at which John- ston promised the board’s answer to the appeal will be made known immediately following the Dec. 19 huddle. Later yesterday, MacMillen re- ported that the N. Y. Statb Censor Board approved "Twist” without change. Approval was given, by Dr. Hugh M. Flick, representing the Board of Education. Fa gin Key to Protest Breen rejected "Twist” on the grounds that the central character in the story, Fagin, is a strong anti- Semitic caricature. Basis for his ac- tion was the clause in the Produc- tion Code which directs: "No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith.” Breen’s ruling was made known last week, shortly after EEC’s an- nouncement that the film was slated to play numerous houses in the Interstate circuit in Texas be- ginning Jan. 18, MacMillen said ELC is now awaiting the appeals ruling before making any decisions on what to do with the film. This, of course, leaves open the possibility that ELC could defy the MPAA board if it sustains Breen’s denial of the code, by releasing the film anyway. Distrib is not a member of MPAA. JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDEMN TWIST National Jewish organizations, including the B'nai B’rith’s Anti- Defamation League, will condemn "Oliver Twist” via nationwide publicity, if Eagle Lion Classics goes through with its present plan of releasing the J. Arthur Rank film in the U.S. Jewish agencies do not plan any boycott, censorship or picketing in connection with the picture, being themselves averse to such activities, but hope the stand they take against it will dis- suade the public from seeing it. Organizations at this time are waiting for ELC to clarify its stand on the picture, in view of the prob- able withholding from it of the Production Code seal. Most of the agencies viewed it at a private screening two years ago and, at that time, condemned the portrayal of Fagin in the film as being a replica of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels’ caricature of the Jew. Mulvey-Grinieff Continued from page 3 eari'erfif Grihler''’^fermei?y the J grets, commenting that -a man s clave at least in part answered “IT/® ' nSs Cardinal Snollman’s eharve Fn„r i Wallis-Hazen he retained rights for , “ess. eontributing factors inone of them i one-a-year outside. Op- film.s. radio o)' TV) for child dis- i the next five of these out- lurbanccs were named bv Dr T in- ' films is held by York Pictures, ret I a Bender, a corporation jointly owned by AMPA’s next session, set for Jan- uary, will honor the trade press. named by Dr. Lau- senior psychiatrist i •» . at New York University-Bellevue • Lewis and Greshler. York Medical Centre. Her conclusion, ! ^ corporation set up by the she said was drawn from 15 years 1 oilmen, Screen Associates,; of experience, in observing some owners of "War.” \ 10 000 children. \Vhether further pix are pro- Faclors contributing, to delin- r under the York setup is qiu'ncy, Dr. Bender said, were a tl^>whtful, since Greshler has since ^ no home during infantile year.s li-cd a $1,000,000 suit involving ^ ^ P’ent.s who are psychotic or Martin & Lewis against Music 1 ■ ino I ^ poor human beings, belong- Corp. of America. He charges the j ^ rnciiir ** minority with the i h'^tter with inducing the comics to ! Phoenix Meet Continued from page 3 their agenda listmg was too gen- eralized as to promise immediate specific action. Meeting idea has not been- entire- ly dropped, however, Board mem- bers of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, at a session set for Dec. Special Screenings . Dallas, Dec. 5. « A community relations board of Jewish leaders here saw "Oliver Twist” in the Majestic screening room at the invitation of R. J. O’Donnell, veepee and general manager of the Interstate Theatre Circuit, which plans to show the pic throughout the circuit starting ! Jan. 19. The committi^e asked to reserve judgment for a few days and to discuss It further. O’Don- nell, for his part, said he had not finally concluded to play the film and had asked the expressions of opinions. The matter of Texas exhibition is, therefore, still in status quo with. deci.sion pending. The In- 1 terstate circuit in the past has I never played a pic wdthout the Johnston Office seal and, further, has slielved some that have had the approval seal on grounds that they might incite intense racial or religious reactions. only if Grinieff could demonstrate that there was real money avail- able for both production and con- tinued operation of the company. Mulvey repeatedly said he had no interest in a shoestring opera- tion or one that w’ould require continued promotion. Grinieff has apparently not been able to pre- sent him w'ith the UA presidency on such a platter. To fill out the round of denies, attorney in Hollywood for UA co- owner Mary Pickford also asserted lack of knowledge of any imminent Grinieff deal. He is, however, knowm to have been in huddles for the past 10 days with the new Hol- lywood group which has appeared on the scene with a proposition for taking over the limping company. Meetings continued yesterday, with a decision said to be imminent. Grinieff is an importer and fi- nancier of foreign films and has made quite a pile of coin in buy- ing residual rights in U. S. pix for distribution abroad. He and his partner, Robert Haggiag, have been associated with Mulvey in a num- ber of deals. Harry Muller, UA controller, flew^ to the Coast over the weekend, but that is understood to be a somewhat different proposition from negotiation for sale of the company. He is reportedly in Hol- lywood with facts and figures to prove to Miss Pickford’s co-owner, Charles Chaplin, that the company is in imminent danger of running out of coin and that radical action is needed at once. Paul V. McNutt, who took -over as board chairman last July, held a short and not very sweet session with Miss Pickford in New York Nov. 23. He showed her clearly and succinctly that the owners must take steps at once if they didn’t want to see their entire in- vestment go Into a bankruptcy court. It was then decided to send Muller west with the black-and- white to demonstrate similarly the condition of UA to Chaplin. While out there, it is understood Muller’s figures are also being used in the negotiations with the^pnew group that has shown interest. This syndicate is unidentified, but is said not to include Stanley Kram- er-Sam Katz or Harry Popkin, w'ho have figured in UA negotiations before. rcsu!tinf» “"i K , vuniito lu Amcnca, ai a session set tor Dec. reading i -I' ’’'efe PsychosesT^^"^"^^ i ■■■Meantime. Greshler has acquired ! ^o*nsfde?a«om L?helZod ‘iJI h f t wimelf roliing^oS^\Ts^'fi.^f^^ Fisher for his |the "state of the industry” confer- ‘i. /» — A AotAv.* ivrx liewspaner ^ant" H Production. Alex Gottlieb w^ will then be set /with full eeries 12‘’articles"aUeS • At "coeSr* irLtie.* ™ ", Dorf mannas Feature Edmund L. Dorfmann, who’s pro- duced a number of shorts and documentaries in the past, rolls a full-length feature in New York in about six wrecks. Film will be "Echo of Evil,” from a story by Manuel Komroff. Di- rector and cast have not been set «s yet. Army-Navy Biz ContliAUcd from page 9 personnel to operate and is less cumbersome. Paramount device, w^hile more costly to operate, has the advantage that the films may be re-iiscd. WBKB, B&K Chi tele station, re-ran the Illinois games the following day for a clothing company sponsor. Original cost of both systems is pegged at $25,000 with no appreciable difference in picture quality. Because only two Chi houses took part in the football experi- ment, Wallerstein said the costs "were staggering.” However, con- sidering the public’s increased awareness of theatre TV as a re- sult of the venture, the experiment was considered a success. "To continue this education,” public must be offered more big screen video; even though immedi- ate dividends are not apparent, Wallerstein opined. Wednesday^ December 6, 1950 news * U*'’ *' .■ 4 y ^ ''<^t ''/^" " ^ ^ ■•'v -/ '■>'^(''' 4 « ' ' ■'C ^ ' ' / ) . iWs'v' ■a'-:-'':- -Hvi-a V.'.'.'.SV,'>.<*«J , > s>S *J- • 1^' • 'I'.'l'l •<<^ ' > f ' ( A '. A’.S.* <■« S’?--'? & • s** <: ; s«S ■ <;<■/■: ■'«. UNIVERSAL'S TALKING MULE/ HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST NEW OX-OFFICE ATTRACTION, STARTS nis- FINAL I I The shooting has started and the IA06}1S are on their way! 1 ■’-*'•*.' •*- o'‘'’ "'-i .<•* ’o<^ V •y'^- ■■'^ 's ■^., 20 PICTURES P^IETY WecTnesclay, DecemBer 6, 1950 Film Reviews Continued from pare 15 Tlie Sountl of Fury 1 Guns” should have little difficulty justice to the two kidnapper-mur- i western addicts and ac- derers. i fans. Film starts off on an Threaded through the melodra- ! exciting note which is maintained \ matic phases are a number of ' throughout. i! • , n i. ' touching scenes concerning Love- 1 ^ healthy portion of pic s foot- joy’s wife, Kathleen Ryan, and the : devoted to six-shootmg and impact the events have on her. ) with some fisticuffs The handling of these by Miss | ^Iso thrown in. Ya^, in telling Ryan is compelling naturalness. ! tiow Starrett as the Durango Kid Same effect keynotes Carlson’s i helps track down a gang of killers, work and that of Renzo Cesana, ; carries enough suspense to hold humanist who is given the job of interest. Plot deals with a ioud moralizing on cause and effect. : between two ranch-owners jyvil- Lovejoy scores soundly and, in liai^'^ . Norton Bailey and Edgar a different way, Bridges sells his Dearing) oyer the building of a megolomaniac character. Adele dam. Dearing, a friend -of Stai^ Jergens, as Bridges* girlfriend, is rett’s, is opposed to the dam, and the personification of all sexy ' as a result is accused of a number blondes. There’s a pathetic note j of atrocities committed. to prevent door stuff and there’s enough spotted to carry the interest dur- ! ing the stretch. Scott R. Dunlap’s ! production is marked by the very good lense work of Harfy Neu- mann and an okay music score. Brog, See Test Dates Continued from page 9 to the sex-starved girl portrayed by Katherine Locke. No perform- ance is out of key except that of Lovejoy’s young son, played by Donald Smelick. It reveals no tal- ent, just an obnoxious precocious > sales] eased. i lief. In line with his characteriza- Stillman and his associate pro- tion, Burnette gives out with a clucer, Seton I. Miller, have given i tune labeled ‘‘The Bathtub the film topnotch framing for an Other numbers are ‘Rambhng independent production. The pho- i Blood In My Veins” and Our tography by Guy Roe catches the I Whole Family’s Smart.’’ Latter scene and mood of the grim tale, ! song is also handled by Burnette, a.s does the Hugo Friedhofer mu- 1 Starrett turns in a hard-fisted sic score, which never intrudes • portrayal. Both Bailey and Dearing Better Fix as Key To TV Challenge I New Orleans, Dec. 5. , Hollywood can answer the chal- lenge of television .with better pic- tures, three members of the film in- , dustry told the Allied Theatre j Owners of Gulf States today (5) at [ opening of two-day conclave here. )' Alfred W. Sbhwalberg, Para- j mount distribution head, and Max ! Youngstein, veepee in charge of ad- vertising-publicity, said company has made provision in its 1951 its establishment. Starrett, how ever, believes his friend innocent, which he eventually proves. Only noticable lapse in action , comes about when Smiley Bur- j budget for 50% hike in produc- nette, in the role of a bathtub . tion. He said this was proof indus- ness which direction could have salesman, takes over tor comic re- j try teels video will not hurt busi- nr . ness. Budget increase ia a multi- million investment, , Youngstein pointed out, and said good quality | is a must for success in business. • Sam S h a i n, 20th-Fox sales i exec, told the meeting his studio next year will release 36 “A” pic- tures. Also on opening-day’s agenda was | registration, “dutch” lunch, film clinics modeled after recent Pitts- ! while intensifying matics. the melodra- Brog, do well. Raymond Bond is con- vincing as an apparently /harmless store owner who’s really the ring- Rcvcffiiio Hollywood,. Dec. 1. Columbia release of Sam Katzman pro- ^uftion. Features Douglas Kennedy, Jean Willes, Onslow Stevens. Directed by Lew I.anders. Written by 'William Sackheim, Arthur A. Ross; camera, Ira H. Morgan; editor, Edwin Bryant. Previewed Nov. 30, '.■50. Running time, 71 MINS. Sieve Adams Douglas Kennedy -Marge King Jean Willes Sam Bellows Onslow .Stevens Hairy Reardon ...William "Bill" Phillips Lt. Bob Ullman- Ray Walker Cliff Gage David Bruce Ernie Medford .Archie Twitchell Augustus King I.yle-Talbot A1 Chaloopka Rick Vallin i leader. Holding down the only ; burgh Allied conclave and a bud’et ; ! femme role, an inconspicuous one. | dinner. ' is Gloria Henry. Jack Mahoney, i Election of new officers and di- • as Hearing’s son and town sheriff, i rectors to serve three-year terms j • does okay, as docs Chuck Rober- son, one of the chief villains. I Fred F. Sears’ direction keeps ' pic moving in high gear. Colbert ! Clark’s production and Fayte Browne’s lensing are conventional. Gros. Columbia has a- good melodrama in “Revenue Agent.” Pace is fast, action Short Grass Hollywood. Nov, 28. Monogram release of Scott R. Dunlap fAIlied Artists) production. Stars Rod Cameron; features Cathy Downs, Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Walburn, Alan are scheduled for Wednesday’s ; session, along with drlve-in theatre i clinic and closing banquet. | Others here for sessions are ; Trueman Rembusch, -prexy of Na- j tional Allied, and exhibitor rela- : tions reps from other companies. ' the suit are the operators of Allen- town’s six first-run theatres, Viplated Trust Laws This attitude by the distribs rep- resented a violaUon of the anti- trust laws, Judge Kirkpatrick de- cided, and instructed, .that the Boulevard' be given the same op- portunity to license prior-run product as that given the Allen- town situations. Problem now facing the com- panies is whether to .go along with the court’s verdict, with the test bookings in mind, or carry the case to a higher court on appeal. There have been no decisions, as yet, with legalit^s and execs claim- ing they need more time to digest the ruling before mapping a course of action. Regardless of what new strategy is decided upon, fact remains that the action has been catapulted into top industry prominence, with vir- tually every sales official in the trade concerned about its outcome. Seen as the key point in Judge Kirkpatrick’s, decision was his comment that the eight company defendants, in ' effect, arbitrarily decided that j/he outdoor theatres did not qualify for first-run con- sideration. The jurist said the film firms should have experi- mented fully with drive-in licens- ing before they gave the favored runs to the conventional houses. It is on the basis of these re- marks that the distribs believe they could keep the ozoners in j their traditional subsequent-run ' status if the experiments show that first-run bookings would hurt the product at later engagements. MORISON NAMED TO HEAD TRUST DIVISION Washington, Dec. 5. H. Graham Morison is the new head of the antitrust division of the Justice Department, which Is handling the motion picture cases. His appointment was made last Fri- day (1) by President Truman after going over a list of candidates sul:^ mitted by the ^.ttorney General. ' Morison, who succeeds Herbert A, Bergson, has been Assistant At- torney General in charge of the Claims Division* Recently he was on loan to the Economic Stabiliza- tion Administration as acting gen- eral counsel. A native of Bristol, Tenn., he was- formerly a law part- ner of the late Wendell L, Willkie, Appointment of Morison ends a behind-the-scenes tug of war for the post. Morison was not connect- ed with any of the warring factions in the Justice Department, which is probably why the President se- lected him. Nov. B.O. Continued from page 4 strong and performances ! Hale, Jr., Morris Ankrum. Diiected by ship it for lnwprpac:inty in ! Lesley Selander. Screenplay, Tom W. a Die, nuing u tor lowercasing in I adapted from his novel. the top situations or as a cam- panion feature in the more general pi ay date. Plot takes up the work of in- vestigators for the Bureau of In- ternal Revenue, apd centers its 'Short Grass”; camera, Harry Neumann; editor, Otho Lovering; music score, Ed- ward J. Kay. Previewed Nov. 27, ^50. Running time, 82 MINS. Steve Rod Cameron Sharon Cathy Downs Keown Johnny Mack Brown t.- < 1 • ^ McKenna Raymond Walburn melodramatics on a case involving ; chris Alan Hale, .Jr. murder and the secreting of nearly iiai Fenton Morris Ankrum Bissell Jonathan Hale $1,000,000 outside the country as a tax dodge. Douglas Kennedy gives a good account of himself as tlie agent who goes after Onslow Stevens, goldmine operator. The documentary technique is Drcen Harry Woods Jennie Mario Dwyer Ranclee Riley Hill Curley Jeff York Pete Stanley Andrews .Jack Jack Ingram Les Myron Healey Western Pa, Allied To Convene in Pitt Jan. 16-1 7 j Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. j Allied Motion Picture Theatre ' Owners of Western Pennsylvania | will hold its annual convention ■ and election of officers Jan. 16-17 ; at the William Penn hotel here, j Two-day meet will be highlighted ; by several “film clinics.” These | are to "be patterned after similar | clinics which National Allied orig- j inated at its recent Pittsburgh con- clave. Theatre TV Continued from page 9 Diego George J. Lewis Lin Lee Tung Foo Monogram has a fair western in Allied Artists’ “Short Grass.” While it doesn’t always hit the mark, the good oater flavor and familiar action names, such as Rod Cameron and Johnny Mack Brown, will help its chances. Script rambles quite a bit as it brings on the assorted characters involved in a range w^ar, and is not articulate enough to make them well-rounded in the 82 minutes of footage. Helping to balance, how- ever, is a good effect of working range men, rather than formular- ized gun-toters, and there is a nifty running street battle between the good and bad elements to bring about a satisfactory finale. Cameron is a range-drifter who becomes involved in a fight over grass with an ambitious rancher. A man is killed and Cameron leaves his smMl spread and girl and drifts on. Five years later, tale picks up to find the rancher still grabbing grass land, the girl piarried to a drunkard newspaper- man and a town held in jeopardy because of greed. Iheidents develop to bring to- gether Cameron and the lawful elenrent in the town in a fight to the finish with the bad crew head- ed by Morris Ankrum. After the i shooting is over, Johnny Mack ^ Columbia relealTo/colbort Claik.pio- «5ucUon. Stars Charles Starrett; features ^ Oil®. Cathy Downs’ hUS- Emiley Burnette, Gloria Henry, William ■ band, Tris Coffin, IS killed and ^orton Bailey, Edgar Dearing, Raymond i she i®5 bsck with CfliYipr/An f'fiA Bond. Jock O'Mahoney. Ken Hutchins. : '-'ameroiL me Directed by Fred F, Sears. Screenplay, 1 tOWU Settling down tO grow peace- ' ' fully. Cameron is a good outdoor hero used to Sharon suspense elements j S"we%Haii":;;;::;:;;;:Rmy^Maiita^^^^ ot what IS essentially a good, stand- j Manuel ^.Felipe Turich ; ard cops-and-robbei^s yarn. When Lyle Talbot is murdered just as he is ready tq squeal on Stevens, Ken- nedy moves in to solve the case. He finds an unproductive goldmine behind which Stevens operates to smuggle dust into Mexico and build up a bank account. He also finds an attractive widow in the person of Jean Willes who figures in hub- by Talbot’s murder. Kennedy relentlessly works to round up the crooks seemingly join- ing them to better aid his case. Windup, after a number of near escapes that often find the hero badly bruised, takes place in a Mexican-border city where Ken- nedy fights it out with Stevens’ gunman, William Phillips, in a rock quarry. Lew Landers’ direction of the script by William Sackheim and Arthur A. Ross always keeps the action boiling at the right tem- perature for the meller addict, and he also handles the players capa- bly. Miss Willis is a charmer who registers strongly. Stevens is good and the others come across effectively, all helping to make this acceptable .filmfare. Sam Katzman gets firstrate val- ues for the budget production ex- penditure, and Ira -H. Morgan’s camera work is in keeping, Brog. Depinet Plans Continued from page 9 slate ‘The! Liglitniit|$ Gnus Victor Arthur; baaed on story by Bill Milligan; camera, Fayte Browne; editor, Paul Borofaky, Tradeshown in N. Y.. Dec, 1, 50. Running time, 55 MINS S^vc Brandon ^ I and MiSs Downs pleases as the The Duranffn Trirt f i • ^^l^^d-up heroine. Brown’s mar- Smiioy BurLtteV. in nicely, wWle Raymond Gloria Henry i Walbum, Alan Hale, Jr., and Jon- capt Da^“sauAdo?i^^^^®”* athan Hale head up the respectable capably. Ankrum, Harry £05, Saunders,.. Jock o'Mahoncy ! Woods, Riley Hill and Myron i particularly the latter, Crawley ; Ke? FrfedklS 1 among the heavies. George Chesebro Le.sley Selander’s direction is not Musician Ken Houchins | always fast in unfolding the Tom A 'aau; 4 XI W', Blackburn script, ba.sed on lat- t i3st-paced addition to the I ter’s novel of the same title, but Charles StaiTett series, “Lightning his action moments are strong out- is Howard Hawks’ Thing” which, Depinet cautioned, i is not to be confused with the hit j novelty tune of the same title. Cen- tral character is a visitor from an- other planet who descends upon ! an U. S. Army group neaV the I North Pole. “Thing” is made up \ of vegetable matter and, by plant- ing , seeds, threateq;s to grow its own' army to wipe out the world. The 32 features will be in addition to the Tim Holt series of oaters and other action pix. Sales campaign, billed as the “Ned Depinet Drive,” is aimed to | push the distrib org into hig*h-gear I operation upon the departure of | the theatres. Three-day conclave i in N. Y. will be followed by terri-’ ' torial meetings of exchange per- j sonnel throughout the U. S. and ' Canada. Plans are to acquaint all RKO-ites in the field with the new product and the Depinet sales push j within one week from today. The nine ^district managers par- ticipating in the N. Y. conference will serve as “drive captains” and will conduct the branch sessions. Firm’s policy in past has been to offer cash prizes to outstanding performers among the sales force, in the amount of approximately $75,000. That such an added in- centive again will be added is said to be likely. RKO lineup of short subjects for release in 1951 includes 14 re- issues, comprising six Walt Disney cartoons, four comedies featuring Clark and McCullough and four others starring^ Edgar Kennedy. New product listed consists of 74 shorts, bringing the total for the • year to 88. New Disney films on the slate in- cludes 18 cartoons and another in the “True Life Adventure” series. Others skedded by the major are 13 in the “This Is America” series, six Leon Errol slapstick comedies, six other assorted comedies and a variety of sports and dramatic sub- jects, that RCA’s action will force other manufacturers, such as Paramount, to trim their prices accordingly. Through such competitive prac- tices, it’s believed, not only will the price be brought within reach j of most exhibs but other major i manufacturers will also be lured j into the business. That, in turn, will help to depress the costs even ■ further. Now th§t the football season has officially ended [six of the nine theatres which had been transmit- ting football games during the fall wound their activities with the Army-Navy game last Saturday (1)], the exhibs have several more programming ideas pending. Sev- eral of these, however, would re- quire the theatres to bid for them on an exclusive basis, and again there’s the question of too few the- atres to offer enough money for exclusive rights. Also in the fire is a chance to transmit sevei’al pro- grams aired by the TV networks, on a deal similar to that in .which two houses of the Century circuit, N. Y., are running NBC’s “Camel Newsreel Theatre.” Latest word, from Washington, ! meanwhile, is that the Federal • Communications Commission will probably announce before Christ- i mas the scheduling of hearings some time next spring to deter- \ mine whether the theatres are to' be given special, exclusive chan- nels for big-screen video. j “Copper - Canyon” (Par), “The Milkman” (U), “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and “Where Danger Lives” iRKO) are in this runnerup category, finishing in that sequence. Of the new entries, besides “West Point Story” and “Let’s Dance,” both of which shape big, “Milk- man” and “Danger Lives” loom as potentially strong newcomers. The former, with Jimmy Durante- Donald O’Connor starred, seeming- ly attests to the boxoffice popu- larity of Durante. “Cyrano,” thus far in two keys on upped-scale, two-a-day basis, looks a winner, “Joan of Arc” (RKO), now going out on popular-price runs, looks stout the second time around. “Glass Menagerie” (IVB), sec- ond in October, still was doing nice trade in some added dates, winding up sixth one week. “Harriet Craig” (Col) thus far has failed to measure up to what was expected of a Joan Crawford starrer. “Two Flags West” (20thr, doing stand- ard trade in previous month for an outdoorer, finished eighth one week, but did not fare too strong. “Wyoming Mail” (U) Surprised by reaching runnerup class a couple of times. * “Mister 880” (20th), champ in October, showed nearly $100,000 additional revenue in key cities covered by Variety last month, finishing ninth one stanza. “Petty Girl” (Col) was a runnerup pic one week. “Devil’s Doorway” (M-G) was in a like category. “Never a Dull Moment” (RKO), just teeing off last month, did fairly well in some locations first week out. “Southside 1-1000’' (Mona) was in much the same posi- tion with only a few dates under its belt. “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) did not get far last month on some test dates. “Three Husbands” (UA) varied from fine to weak during the month. Theatre Bldg. Continued from page 4 ASCAP’s $11,000,000 Continued from page 1 This total is made up chiefly of fees collected from the chain outlets since the indie stations are still paying only nominal performance fees under their interim agreement Revenue from TV is expected to soar to a much higher level in 1951 if the medium’s present rate of growth continues. ASCAP will get about $2,000,000 from all other sources this year to reach the record-breaking $11, 000,- 000 total. Level of AS(jAP's earn- ings comes in the face of the elimi- nation of income from the nation’s film exhibitors, wh^were exempt from paying the s5at tax under a Federal court decision. Usual deductions from the gross income will bring ASCAP’s fund for distribution around the $8,500,- 000 marker. ASCAP’s annual budget for operating and adminis- tration expenses will be the normal $2,00,000, while somewhat over $500,000 will be distributed to for- eign performing rights societies under reciprocal deals. Federal order. One possibility, if this is not covered in the docu- ment, is that salvaged steel might be used. The postwar building program of the J. Arthur Rank chain in Canada is completed and there were no further plans contem- plated when the ban went through over the weekend, according to David Griesdorf, general manager of Odeon Theatres of Canada, which now has 152 houses. In the years immediately after the war, the Rank interests built 25 new theatres from Montreal to Van- couver, but concentrated most of their top spending in Toronto, where the new Odeon flagship was completed along with four other first-run * neighborhood deluxers. Three others were built in Mont- real, The only remaining imit — and this almost completed — ^is a new theatre in Calgary sufficient- ly advanced that this will not be stymied by the steel ban. N. A. Taylor, president of Twen- tieth Century Theatres, with 65 houses all centered in Ontario, a dozen or so of which were built in the postwar xears, has only one other unit unddr construction, a 1,000-seater at Islington, near To- ronto. However, he has all his steel needs for this venture. Said Tay- lor, “Apart from this, our building program was pretty well over,” Wednesday, December 6, 1950 P^IETY America's most heavily dated V.‘. Wsv'-'Vu? ■ ~ jm •Ivlv,’*'.'.'. ISIl-,-' ' l'S'X-' ■■■• •■ :’• : : /■• ; . ‘ ■:■■■ Si:?!;:-:-: :’x-;i:>-i;-:'-:->:-;:>i:-;i:-;-: xjy-;- -x-;-;-:->J;- ■:-:-:-x-:?:-;-;-.-:-:-. •• : 1100 I '* y / / / engagements in just 6 weeks! {[■ A •y>' fi H / ' ' COIUMBIA PICIURfS piesems JOAN WENDELL CRAWFORD • COREY IN LUCILE WATSON • ALLYN JOSLYN • WILLIAM BISHOP • K.T. STEVENS ’ Scrern Plciv Annf l-imp', CjU'''- Based the Punt/e^ P'l/e win'nnL' p'ri, CMij’ s Wde l)v George Kei'> Produced bv WILLIAM DOZIER • : Ff tH(; by VINCENT SHERMAN ONE OF THE FIVE BEST PICTURES OF THE YEAR! A renowned Pulitzer Prize ploy brings JOAN CRAWFORD her greatest emotional role. Wednesday 9 December 6, 1950 Price Hike vs. Attendance Dip- Continued from pago 3 their theatres. And/ in Seattle, i the southeast section of town. The there have been several price | Sidney Lust chain Iws Us boosts effected, following the fold- » j eroo of 25 theatres. Survey also revealed many ex- hibs again going in for bank nights and other giveaway projects in an attempt to lure back their custom- ers. to insure himself of his $6,000 re- turn. « 3 X JSssaness, contrarlly, risked out* bidding the 3&K neighborhood command houses arid acquired “Mister 880“ (2Qth) for its north- side Sheridan theatre for two weeks. Gross on the 14th day of Ten near completion and Kogod- 1 the run barely made $97. This in- Burka have two houses under con- | stance observers will quote as a struction, the Langley and the On- i reminder that the nabes will not tario, latter a 1,300-seater. do business despite the strength ot In addition, Virginia, Which has the product. 60 drive-ins, has another six being built. $500,000 Lost by L. A, Exchanges by 91 Folds Hollywood, Dec. 5. Estimated $500,000 yearly has been pulled out of distribution cof- fers in the Los Angeles exchange area by the shuttering of 91 thea- tres since the first of the year. Essaness Switches, Set most of necessity rules out any price hikes as an attempt at re-, couping losses. Only example of ^ 1 « TT ■ admission jackups here occurred To Close Only 3 Houses just recently when Loop first-run Chicago, Dec. 5. ' houses unobtrusively changed its * marquees. to 55c, before 1 a.m., ad- mission, a hike of 5c* The silent admissipn hike thereby Teceived in smaller towns, have advanced slightly over the past few months. Advances are generally from 4c to 10c, this including first-runs, sub- sequents and nabes. All the drive-in houses, some 30 of them in this state, are closed, ' but this is seasorial. Late figures show around 388 theatres (regular picture houses) in Washington state. But of these an estimated 25 have shuttered the past two or three months. Naturally the reason prmhcity of nabe shutdowns al- j is unprofitable operation. Some Essaness circuit, in a last-minute switch, cancelled plans last week to shutter nine of its nabe houses, _ comulaints as prexy Edwin Silyernian had in- B^ptcy. dicated earlier. Circuit head re- pnllo*: Bros circuit which owns i early, as folks buy gifts Along with complete closing, film vealed plans are underway to close Bros, 'ti- w*^*^ *^®st of their fi^^^ rental loss is further increased by only the Julian, Byrd and Embassy, «o^ses Firstruns in Seattle went from upwards of 50 houses shifting from that the remaining six houses will g^ns of panKrupicy^ta ^ ! 84c to 90C. a few weeks ago, the houses in Smaller burgs have cut down number of nights they are open. But at that, informed sources indicate that grosses are not far from a year agO; In many cases here^ business is up Trom 1 to 10%; in some, it is down a little* •Defense jobs have greatly Upped, for this is the home of Boeing. The job picture is steady and good. • j Presently the holiday .season is be- full week to weekend operation only. Theatres that ha., shuttered are largely “fringe” operations that never figured in the top coin. Nev- 1 merely a feigning action to receive remain open. Silverman’s initial announce- ment was looked upon slyly by observers, who felt the move was . business. routhsMe” theatres. ‘cirSit "attor. j ney, Norman Nachirian, explained that television had driven them out crthele.ss, the average film rental returned by the group ran better than $100 weekly, so closings have been costly to exchanges, as w-ell as to .‘^uch service outfits as Nation- lowered film rentals. Trade sources also aver that with a threat of a nine-house folderoo and the ultimate necessity of a mass layoff of union help, local operators union al Screen, which supplied exhibi- 1 would be forced to meet terms of tion adjuncts for normal theatre ; the Silverman circuit, operation. Silverman had previously an- Only theatres of importance that nounced that tHe reason for the Nachman requested the court ap- prove a plan to pay 50% of put- standing debts to unsecured cred- itors. Those boarding are the Midway, Woodlawn, Ark, Ray, Victory, and Langley, all of which have been opr a triple-feature policy, showing inferior product almost exclusively. Chi film companies are reportedly I first to do so. Evergreen followed, i Sterling Theatres upped its nabes ; from 59c to 65c. Smaller towns generally went from 65c to 75c, or j l50cto6Gc. I The grapevine has it that about ; 10 sub.sequerit suburbans here are , “Oil the verge” of closing. house began operations. Stiefel’s manager, Frank O. Ackley, said the end of vaude wfis "‘an experi- ment” and not “due to the depres- sion in business.” The Carman has switched to double features. In contrast to the general bear- ish trend, William Goldman this year put up the $1,000,000 Ran- dolph theatre in the first-run sec- tor and is now occupied with a big remodeling job on the Mid- town, formerly the Karlton the- atre. in the nabe field, Goldman has spent heavily in remodeling the Esquire, formerly the Grange, in North PhiUy. A.new trend in luring audiences into the screen houses debuts this week here, with the Weatherguard Co. (storm window manufacturers) buying matinees outright and hav- ing their salesmen distribute tick- ets to potential customers. The theatres being used for the test are the Colonial, Warner nabe in Germantown, and the Nixon, Para- mount’s West Philly house. Free filmgoers are treated to a demon- stration and spiel abdut \Yeather- guard products, aS their only price for viewing films. ha\ e boarded up the past year • boardings stemmed from a failure I ^ot numbered among the circuit’s J t ^ A. 1 • 1_ _1__ _ I A ^ A. ^ A. -A ^ AS. Am "U* i r.. ” . ' were the Carthay Circle, showcase ' to meet operating expenses. He first-run which was unable to ob- ' had claimed each house w'as doling tain top features to maintain a out more for overhead (including steady policy, and two neighbor- the average three-to-four pro- hood houses, the Forum and Man- : jectionists at each house, and other Chester. Others include some sub- ' union help) than W'as coming in creditors, since most transactions on the local exchange are pre- sumed to have been on a cash-and- cai’ry basis. slantial, although not big, nabe op- erations that could formerly be counted on for a healthy bread- and-butter film rentals yearly. Only last week was the first step taken in this territory to bring ad- mission prices into a more realistic line with the times. Forefronting the move will be Fox-West Coast at the boxoffice. Other local circuits are finding survival equally hard in the hiuter- lands. Alliance Theatres has an- nounced that two of its three Chi classes. F-WC diike, the first since the wartime imposition of the 20% ad- mission tax, raises first-run mati- nee scale from 60c to 70c. Evening general admission will jump 5c to 90c from the present 85c. Decision to up prices was reached by F-WC after a number of ex- periments. Some months ago ticket tap was materially lowered in a selected group of nabes to see if business could be increased. Not 10 >[abe Boston Theatres Close ; Soioe Weekendere Boston, Dec, 5. Due to general slump in biz hereaboirts, at least 10 nabe houses j have closed recently, and while a few figure to reopen after Christ- mas, majority aro shuttered per- manently, or until such time as FHqrn Oakland TTnncPc ! industry gets back on its feet. Some 1 ribco, UdKiana Xioubes , nabes are operating on a weekend Shut; PWC Ups Prices basis, with not too solid results, but San Francisco Dec 5 i operators are hesitant to cease op- bam Francisco, Dec. 5. ! ^^ations altogether, figuring indus- ./X .VO i conditions /vere try is bound to come up with some houses are closing. The Roseland > ' sort of an answer, and the Parkw’ay, both southside 1 [ Survey indicates houses in south- houses, kave been found to be too lowjiers Joe Blumenfeld and Irving ) em and Cape Cod areas of state cosily to remain open in the face i originally an ; have been hit hardest, with latest folderoo (Dec. 2) the Provincetown theatre, ordinarily a year-round house. Rhode Island is also hit hard, but Maine, New Hampshire and been* ' only slightly affected by slumping b.o. Admission prices have not risen hereabouts, although there is be- ginning to be heard a rumble among some exhibs for price-tilt- ing. On the other side of the ledger, several houses have low- ered their kid prices, slanted at re- gaining some of the slumping mop- uc ... V..V. A h„iH mouses in the hrst-run and 21.day of way, opening w^eekends. until the death of Harris in 1942. AlliftiicG^s lndisns housps^ wliicli Roxy^ BtiiiTi 0 iif 0 l(l s ,l,15O"S0stGr auA bucking only local video, are ! Oakland, also shuttered. Lack of ; and Vermont, outside TV areas reportedly having smooth sailing, S®®d product w*as given as the rea- 1 at best aloqg the fringe, have 1 w'hile the circuit’s houses in the i , . . . , „ , state of Washington, arc running i ^ The only pncc-raising locally has at a 15% decline over last year. been by Fox-West Coast. ®oly Allied Theatres of Illinois, m house raised Up to^ now is the Fox, pro.spect of the pre-YuIe biz de- ! “ 4,651-seater with low moved up Cline, is boarding six of its Chi ® evenings neighborhood houses, o.stensibly to ' ., , ,,, , . reopen after the first of the year. ' Five United Nations, 1,100- only did money receipts take a big j garner Theatre^ Ukowise^te dos- 1 oxpecjs^to TO next drop but, also, admissions tumbled. , ,,u^‘bly for remodeling. h’& E, ! Prices would be 90c. to $1.20. The j pet trade. After several weeks, price cuts i Balaban chain, with 12 houses here, : 300-seat Cinema, also FWC, expects wei e lestored, resulting in more j , ^ to also jump into same groove as hiicinpcG anH oHtviioe-iAnc* i IS aiso iccung me prcbi oi uie uuuc . - business and admissions than be- fore the slash. Just recently cir- cuit upped scales In San Diego, Imperial Valley and Northern Cali- fornia. When cash take went up, admissions held level and no squaw'ks developed, decision w'as reached to raise prices in this area. decline, announcing that it will : , board two of its houses, the E.A.R. 1 , Other houses on Market street I and the Midway, until business contemplate ! perks. ' mkes. General opinion is that biz j Balaban & Katz circuit as well ' hard enough to corral without ; has not emerged unscathed in the j raising b.o. ' neighborhoods. Alba and Admiral Higher Prices for Mpls., But Closings Scarce Minneapolis, Dec, 5. This territory hasn’t been hit yet by theatre closings, but there has been a trend throughput the area to higher admissions, although this latter development has not been general in scope, and the major circuits, including Parainount The- atres Uhe Minnesota Amus. Co.), have riot participated in it except in a few isolated instances. However, Bennie Berger, presi- dent of North Central Allied, inde- pendent exhibitors’ organization, insists that because of higher oper- ating costs and declining grosses “we are on the eve in this terri- toiT of many smaller theatre shut- terings.” A considerable number of smaller theatres is operating now at a loss. i3ut, at the same time, paradox- ically it would seem, the boosting of scales continues to crop up fre- quently, and NCA is using its. in- fluence to advance admissions. As far as Minneapolis and St. Paul are concerned, the latest de- velopment in admission price- boosting W'as action last week by the two local RKO theatres, the Orpheum and Pan, in eliminating its “junior prices’’— a reduced scale for yourigstere from 12 to 16 — which the Paramount Theatres Originally instituted and is still maintaining. When the loop Gopher, a Bennie Berger house, went bn an “A” pic- ture policy with VKing Solomon’s Mines” tW'o weeks ago it estab- lished a 20 cents children’s ad- ! mission price — 8 cents higher than Trville^ to Hane* On : that generally in vogue. The loop Philadelphia, Dec. 5. j and late runs for the most The slump in film business has ( part, last w'eek upped its top from Most Philly Exhibs Theatres Keep Going In D. C. With Upped Pop. Washington, Dec. 5. While a few film houses in the j “wait and see.” St. Louis exchange territory, East boarded during the summer and are slated to remain closed. Cir- cuit recently closed the Park, Iris and Luna. Finally realizing that neighbor- p* ^ ~ hood business will not flourish any finiiAAni *4 bucking the ! longer under its own w'eight, many jern Missouri anfSouthernTninois miVcTAc toward higher ad- , indie exhibs are no longer sitting have shuttered in recent months, then- ^ back and accepting the decline. Re- many operators not only in St. “ of thelcently enterprising operators have Louis but inthe smaller communi- rnnAiuL^ i commcnccd hooking up promotion jtles are seeking buyers and are tiihGtonH 1 so ideas with neighborhood mer-ionly staying open because of the ♦a ..11 ' chants. Store-owners, for exam- j p.sychological effect a shuttering . hit this city hard, but most of the I exbibs are hanging on trying to w'eather the storm. General feel- ing is that the trouble is due to Open as Sales Gimmick | tv and that there wiU eventually Ax T • n c ”® 50^10 merger betw'cen the tw'O, bt, Louis, Dec. 5. I ijyt until then the attitude is St. L. Area Keeps Houses 25 to 50 cents. Local neighborhood and suburban theatres getting ear- lier availability also have raised their admissions— going from 50 to 60 cents, for example, in the cases of 28-day clearance which is now the earliest. . The only report recently re- " There has been no attempt to j ceivCd by NGA of any theatre clos up prices here, from the first-runs j ing was the house at Elgin, Minn, right down the line. There has ! - - — been price - cutting in several ; K. C. Adttlission PricCS neighborhoods^ ' but it was gener- ally confined to balcony scats, or “early bird” evening show's. There have, been no wholesale closings although about a dozen theatres have shuttered or transferred into trPG tiAi ®’^|sting picture thea- pie, furnish wares (bicycles and ; would have” on a prospective sale, more iwake room for sports equipment, for the most; ’Th ere are at least 11 liabes in HnvvAVA,. *1 1 . ,x theatreovvners as St. Louis that are for i;aie’, but fhA iroffiA Nn K® ^^® 'vhat prizes for kiddie-day contests on many w'ith .scatiiig capacities rang- havA hAA^'V/l -5^^’ exhibs Saturdays, in return for which the ing from 350 to 550, in small towns in tlic iacp*'of*thi‘f **** businessman receives free ! in the territory, may be purchased- i bouses you can 'buy pretty tinich i P®ogn creast ot TV Mf! ‘''emendous in- trailer adverUsing from the the- , In several of th-. smaller communi^j on your 6ivn te"-ms '^'-^^^ - ihcn th„ Now and : atre. _ Rapidly this form of sales ties weekly program changes havel ^ i '’‘■J.l’*’.' Maintain Status Quo Kansas City, Dec. 5. Admission prices have nvajn- tained a fairly static structure here over most of a decade. In prewar IhAn thA j' ' xvc»i,av*Ajr naxo xviaiax wx oexxx-o x,xv.i3 vrvxiXKXJf {.-xx ttlll XlUVtf talk technique is taking hold in the out- ; been switched from four to three, tiiAv Haa ’4 admissions but i lying houses, and observers hasten j three to two, and in one Missouri 1 ACC 4 anything about it. , to warn that without this ancient ' towm a film is helfi for an entire larcTon months ago, the ; art most exhibs wdll find their at ^®arby Baltimore ; tendance waning even more, ased m’lcco from 5c to 9c. j In Milwaukee, as an example, I 1‘xninitors look loncrin al: itc BO VimiGAc am nrtw iicim the film rental uiixiij i wn mnnthc art most cxliibs w'ill find their at- ' week to . reduce charge. , ‘ j Several houses in Illinois bwmed 41,:. , --- longingly at of its 60 houses are now using by the Publix-Great States Circuit, ‘ X , don’t dare giveaways. This is an area whose j the Fox Midwest Amus. Co., and decline is far less than Chicago’s. ; those in Belleyille, III., 14 .miles Paradoxically, some indie houses from St. Louis, owned by the here appear to be functioning in | Bloomer Amus; Circuit, have good stead. Either that or they boosted the admish scale in recent still maintain faith in strong Holly- months but in no instance has the w'ood product. One exhibitor re- j hike been more than 10c. In most If 4 ' days the top was 40 g, but w as hy* fhZ -nv? Vine street that | to 65^ early in the defcn.se there aic about a dozen other program proceedings. With bin a variation, 65c has been the . .un top here since. Oldest House Closed | Recently a 75c top loomed into Largest houses to close w'erc two i the picture ; when Fox Midwest Stanley Warner theatres on low'er i opened its .refurbished Orpheum Mark®t street, th® Capitol and the in the downfow'ri loop. Policy is to to follow suit. The three-w'ook clearance hou.ses maintain a steady level of 50c at night. Baltimore saw the closing of two picture the- atres— the Pic and Nemo— in re- cent months; but none in WashiivT- ton or its suburbs folded, x. several new ones are being probably the last for the aria the federal ban on theatre eon- futurc.“2 Sam R Victoria. The latter w'as the old- est film theatre in the city and closed early this year. Recent indications Of a trend play only outstanding films (or re- main closed), and for these circuit gets 75c evening adinis.Sion. After- rioon price is 55c, against the 45c on first-sub-run. The operator has a 990-seat house on the westside. He faces the prospect of countless house fhA pin, midtown ai-t other indies in the same area grab- centlv n J J i f’ ^*’® first second-run Washington thea- nm two w'ceks later, overlapping • , nas a new neigh bor.inn mid-town house which played dual West- erns, and closed early in the fall, leased to a sporting goods firm. Solid $18,000. Dance” (Par), ■THEATRE help- male FEMALE DOORMEN, CASHIERS, CANDY attendants droarwav movie houses Day -^AHernoon . Night Work FRIEDL AGENCY 709 8th Avenue, corner 44th Street [ OUTDOOR REFRESHMtNT SOlVICE fromCoaif t!» Coast ovor Vo Century GREENSBORO, N. G. _ Theatre Owners of the Ghro- linas ended anniiaL convention at Charlotte after adoptirig a resolu- tipn against exhibiting and ex- I ploiting sex shows. H. D. Heard of I Charlotte was elected head of the 1 association; succeeded Col. J. B. : Harvey of Clover. S. C., who was . named veepee. Roy L. Champion of Wilson also elected a veepee. I North Carolina revenue Commis- sioner, looking to bigger tax col- j lections for 1951^ said that had the old 3% levy on gross receipts of theatres been reinstated, last year the tax would have yielded the state of North Carolina $537,074 for the yeax^ The theatres of the state were subject to a 3% gross re- : ceipts tax before the Wax’. They wexxj si^ecessful in getting • it dropped in June, 1943. ' MINNEAPOLIS Charlie Weiner, United Ailists salesman, iriourning loss of his hunting partner, Jack Byron who died iri Winnipeg. ( Republic, gets its first pictui?e into the Miririesota Amus. Go.'s biggest theatre, Radio City here; “Rio Grande” being spotted there week of Dec, 8 . Edina, independent ’deluxe subux'ban house, played twin bill for fir.st time last Sunday, hook- ing-up “Saddle Tramp” and “Bunco Squad;” ; Refreshment Service for DRIVE - IN THEATRES SPORTSERVICE CORP. P/W 'PORTSrOViCf BlDC • BUFIAIO. N. Y. WA. 2506 ST. LOUIS . The Grand, owned by Joe Katz m Bcnld, 111 ., shuttex'ed for moi’e than a month becau.se of dispute with the projectionisls’ union, has DIETRICH’S ‘ANGE’ HOT }7,500 IN 2D N.Y. WK. “The Blue Angel,” German- made Mai'lene Dietrich-Erilil Jan- nirigs stari'cr, is proving something of ari art house bonanza in its ciix’- x’ent run at the Little, Carnegie, N. Y. Opening Saturday, Nov. 25, day ()f . the big storm in New York, it hit almost $7,000 for its first week. With better wcathei*. it looks like close to $7,500 for' the second stariza. Current release is the second in this country. Paramount originally distributed it In a dubbed version in 1930. Pi-esent one is the oi'ig- inal German, with subtitles added by Classic Films, the distribs. Pic Rangers” (Lip) Last week, “Let’s $17,000. St. Francis (Par) (1.400; 60-85) — “West Point Story” iWB) (2d wk). Good $10,000. Last week, big i $14,000. ! Orpheum (No. Coast) (2,478; 55- 85)— “Fuller Brush Girl” (CoD and : “Pygmy Island” (Col). Nice $14,- 000. Last week, “Kansas Raiders” i(U) and“Hot Rod” (Mono), $14,500. United Artists .(No, Coast) 1,208; 55-85)— “State Secret” (Col) (2d wk). Oke $6,000. Last week, $8,500. Clay (Rosener) (400; 65-85) “Queen of Spades” (Indie) (4th wk). Holding ’ at $2,000. List week, oke $ 2 , 200 . Larkin (Rosener) (400; 65-85) — “The Sinners” (Indie) (2d wk). About $2,500. Last week, good $2,600. DENVER V . (Continued from pag(B 12) — ^“Quieksand” (UA) and “Squared Circle” (Mono). Oke $8,500. Last week, “I’ll Get By” i20th) and “Gallant Thox'Gughbred” < Rep) <2(1 wk), $7,000. Tabor (Fox) (1 ,967 ; 35-74) — “Woman on Run’ (U) and “Bed- .sicie Mariner” (Indie). Also Alad- din, Webber. .Fine $4,500. Last week, “Tlix’ee Husbands” (UA) and “Chain Gang” (Col), $5,000. Vogue (Pike) (600; 60-74)— “Live as I Please” (Indie). Mild $2,000 or less. Last week. “Beauty and Bca.st” (Indie) and “Satin Slippers” (Indie) (2d wk). $2,000. , Webber (Fox) (750; 35-74) — ! “Woman on Run” (U) and “Bed- side Manners” (Indie), also Taboi’, I Aladdin. Nice $3,000. Last week^ J “Thi-ee . ''Hushands” (UA) and ■ “Chain Gang” iGol), $3,500. i CHICAGO (Continued from page 13) miral Was a Lady” (UA) (2d wk). Firm $11,000. Last week, $14,000. Slate^Lake (B&K) (2;7G0; 55-98) — ^“Miniver Story” (M-G) and “Emergency Wedding” (Col). Avex*- age $15,000. La.st week, “Rocky Mountain” (WB) and “Dial 1119” (M-G) (2d wk), $10,000. United Artists (B&K) (1.700; 55- , 98)— “Petty Girl” (Col) and “Be- i tween Midnight and Dawn” (Col) ; <2d wk). Mild $10,000. Last week, .$13,500. ! Woods (Esssariess) (1.073; 98)— .“American GueiTilla” (20th) (4th • wk). . Poor $ 8 , 000 . Last week, $12,000. World (Indie) (587; 80)— “Mac- beth” (Rep) (4th wk). Fine $3,200. Last week, $3,800. 4 ENGINE DOUGLAS DC-4S Direct frtm LI .Gu«rdl« and Newark CHICAGO $24 m 1 Way NON STOP MIAMI $39 lO^b Discount on Return Trip . CURTIS..... $35 CALIFORNIA 1 STOP *72 Return NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES X'rea Ticket Dci'y, Irr. Flighty, plu» tax RRyoht 9-44t2 803 5th Ave. (Ent. 428d 8t.) Suite 100 BROOKLYN UL 5^3888* Hotel 8t. Gearff Clark Street BRONX LU 4-0407 2488 Gr. Concourse (FerdhainRd) Rm 328 TRAVEUAGENTS RECOGNIZED icion av Technfeohr A farvinaunl PIduM Midnight fj8eceinber 6, 1950 >■ .S-^- '^\ fiy.i'r'.Vs ,.y> ’>'❖' ■• N .■^AV' S’*.s^ rNV, .■ ».V .-A-,*, ,• • ’ •• ■ M A ^ 1 fc I JA . '5 'j- ■JIUI EXPLOITABU! •v C^f/K 7. n, Robert HUTTON • Steve BRODIE - James EDWARDS Richard LOO . and introducing a dynamic ^ ^ E%#AlklCf with SID MELTON * RICHARD MONAHAN * WILLIAM CHUN * ntw scrten personality vene EV AIMS A ROBERT L. LIPPERT PRESENTATION Written, Directed and Produced by SAMUEL FULLER sT. ■II./ •: y. > () I . ;■ >x- ^11 rww -Wt^wO j> .y ‘ blel Written end Directed by CHARLES MARQUIS WARREN Produced by CARL K. HITTLEMAN f Produced and Directed by william BERKE Executive Producer MURRAY LERNER I 26 RADIO Wedneeday^ December 6, 1950 BilSEBALL MOGULS DEBATING AM-TV FUTURE ALLIANCES AT FLORIDA MEET St. Petersburg, Dec. 5. An unprecedented proposal for an outright ban on all broadcasts and telecasts of all professional baseball games wiU be debated by. officials representing 441 minor league clubs when the National Association of Professional Base-^ ball Leagues convenes here, tomor- row in the first of -.basebairs an- nual winter meetings. The bpxoffice drain of unlimited radio broadcasts and TV baseball programs is the primary topic be- fore the convention of basebalTs smaller leagues. Major league spokesmen, as well, promise that the “air ache”- of 1950 will attract their most vocal attention when the American and National leagues •follow the minors in joint session here Dec. 9. Nothing as drastic as abolition of all broadcasts and telecasts is contemplated by major league, own- e]'s whose pre-meeting discussions have centered on proposals to cUr- S. Charles Back to N. y. Perry Charles, fornaerly of WHN, the Loew-owned N. Y, Indie (now WMGM), and ex-Metro publicist, is back In New York negotiating for a radio-TV deal. For the .past year Charles has been doing a disk jockey show in South Dakota and built up a two-hour “Saturday Night Dance” stanza into the top-rating puller of the Dakotas. Deficit for ’49-’50 Toronto, Dec. 5. Canadian Broadcasting Corp,, in Engineer in 60-Hr. Stint Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Three announcers and two en- gineers at WKJF, the towii’s only FM station, Were maroOhed there • for five days last week during the big snow. Ralph Weithorn, Dick Jessen, Irving Kravitz, Joe Fabian and Walter Carr had their first full meal in 120 hours when Nornia El- pern, head of publicity, beat a path to the door and brought eggs, fruit, bread and milk. The five men were cooped up when the storm blanked their iso Hubbell Robinson, Jr. Progront Veeptt at CBS dtfails why Show Business Is Sound Business an tdltorlol ftafura tn tha - forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number • of . P^niETY New pact won last week from the transcription companies by the lated hilltop Outpost high up on I American Federation of Radio Ar- Mt. Washington,, and they had nothing until help arrived but cof- fee, canned music arid soup. Miss i tists will substantially boost talent costs in the waxer field. In some categories sccales have been hiked Elpern finally managed to drive ; Jhore than 100%, according , to tail both radio and TV broadcasts ! its annual report, cites an operat- j within a quarter of a mile of ! AFRA national executive secretary that blanketed the nation in the ; ing deficit of $243..747 for the 1949- 1 WKJF and neighbors helped her Fi’ank Reel. past season. As the major leagues ^ 50 fiscal year, this topping the ■ shovel a path the rest of the way, In Class A transcriptions (open- clubs control and operate most of * $43,000 deficit chalked up by the I Oh the sixth day, relief an- ehders and custom built platters) the minors, they will dictate ac- State-operated radio system for the • nouncers and engineers, who were j talent will be paid at the live com- tion of the Nationar Association, j previous fiscal year. Though com- snowbound in their homes in vari- i mercial rate, which represents an The indicated major leanie solu- ■ ^^^cial revenues have increased, ous parts of the city> finally I increase of roughly i()%. For spot tion is to seek relief from the j reached them. Department of Justice ruling that i all radio department cate Ask AssL Sec. Of TV/Tif.'hopT RpHnrp pn^iiieer for virtually ■ord’e?cd"thr big “leagues ' Preliminary expenses ; kQv! Mutual autlet \ere, finally in the past season to give pemis- ■ setting up of Sion for their games to be broad- television stations by the CBG got home last week after a siege of nearly 60 hours marooned by snow, without any food for more than 24 of them. He w'as stuck at in Toronto and Montreal as the first units in the CBC development of television in Canada as an aux- iliary national service. License fees for the year ($2.50 to each Canadian set-owner for every radio set in the home, motor car or launch) totalled $5,481,488; , - . . , j-ecame commercial program revenue, $ 2 ,- ; piioUt Became announcements, scales have been upped by 1009^. Additionally, spots may be re-used for only 13 weeks, contrasted with 26 weeks in the Washington, Pec. 5. An Asst. Secretary for Commu- nications would be established in the State Dept, if a recommenda-^ tion made last week by Sen. Ernest W. McFarland (R., Ariz.l, member of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, is carried out. ' In a letter to Dr. Irvin L. Stewi* art, chairman of the President'a Communications Policy Board, Sen. McFarland said he hoped the board would make such a recommenda- tion in its forthcoming report to the White House. The PCPB was established to formulate an overall communications policy in the Gov- ernment, particularly with regard to the use of radio frequencies by federal agencies. It was requested to give special attention to the pos- sibility Of making more channels available for commercial use. Sen. McFarland told Dr. Stew- art he felt sure the board has be- come convinced that communica- tions are sufficiently important to merit the fulltime attention “of an experienced and thoroughly com- petent individual with authority enough to deal with his field at the very highest levels. “So long as we adopt the precept of State Dept, leadership and con- trol on all matters involving rela- tions with other countries,” the cast to all sectors of the nation. Tbe D. J. big stick was a threat to declare baseball a monopoly be- cause of agreements limiting the broadcasts to favored stations in the major league territory. In Us zeal to assure the fans In the provinces of major league broadcasts, the D. J. destroyed lo- cal interest in the minor league towns upon which the professi^al j^^d press services totalled $8.030,- 1 program thaL six bu Ido s i Vk^coVinll cfr'nofiir'Q . ic ^‘1 .wpTp f^lappn at niR- tn previous code. I For the library services, which j Senator added, “we must strength- ... .... .,JAFRA sought to bring to parity I en the Dept.;s leaders^ the transmitter from Saturday with the other transcription pro- ; trol by making possible for it to morning to late Monday, and had i ducers, scales have been doubled. | give to communications the time, only his dog for company during Ih the category of nine or more i attention and competence tliafcom- the ordeal ■ voices the tilt is even steeper, go- j uiunications deserve, and at the Gama Qoriara’c ! i^g from $18.50 lo $50. In all the ; same time see to it that Avhoever y- j library service categories an hour i heads this division has both the known in a baseball structure, is erected. The spectre of similar unlimited TV emptying the minor league parks has not yet come into focus in the big league vision that is fixed on the immediate financial horror of unlimited radio broadcasts. Saigh’s Note of Caution One major league club — the Bos- ton Braves — has found TV a suf- ficient threat, however, to slash its 1951 telecast program by fourth. Presidents of the two St. Louis clubs warned of the immi- nent dangers of TV in. pre-conven- tion staternents. Said Fred Saigh, president of the Cardinals: “At least 1 hope TV is barred. (Continued on page 40) VJ>. FOR SACKS SEEN END TO CK RETURN RUMORS Elevation of Manie Sacks to a veepeeship by RCA will probably put a quietus to recent reports that he’s been listening to CBS blan- one- ! dishments to woo him back into rehearsal time has been I authority and expert knowledge fo ming, engineering, administration I urogram that six bulldozers Union also made gams on other i*^veicst. were Xed at his disposal terms. On spots no doubling will McFarland reitepted his recom- reach .the engineer. But by the j be permitted. On longer programs. ‘b time they began to pour in, Sedore ' no. more than two performers will , ot State Dean Acheson. ! had been fed by a resident of the | allowed to double for a half- ; district and rescued by a shovel i hour sho\y and no more than three ' squad. His long vigil began when l^i^^^ permitted to double on an ^ he was the only one of four en- i gineers who could reach the trans- mitter at the height of the storm. Knovving it might last awhile, he- armed himself with some Sound effects men ai’e moved up fronv $9 to $14 for the first hour, with $11.70 for additional hours. No more auditions will be per- CBS Auditions One-Hour Musical Audience Show Originating From Camps CBS last week auditioned a big one-hour musical-audience partici- pation show, which will be beamed over the network from a different Army encampment each week. With the exception of NBC’s Sunday evening “Big Show,” it’s one of the rare instances of a network splurging for a 60-minute musical attraction. v CBS show, called ‘‘Top Your Ser- geant,” will have a girl emcee, comedienne J^an Carroll, who will work with the camp GIs as par- ticipants. There will be a different name band each week as the pror gram circuits all the nation’s GI camps as originating points. Tex Berieke orch was used for the au- dition platter, \Vhich was made at Camp pix, N. J. Lou Malemed is producer. Show will be pitched up for sponsorship. Puts Community Chest In Sight of 1. A. Goal Hollywood, Dec, 5. him. With no relief able to get to j "as set for group singers. 11.^ " CAX1jI1V^.V& ax YVACAA kJV/AAAVr 1 . . . f « ' • J. ' ‘i-Y X " A. canned soup and other food, it ! nyWed Lor spots rtvithout payment . _ ran out a day before help reached i 9^- ^ ^ minimum call of , ,■ Hailed by Community Chest of- = CG+ fa,- ficlals BS thc grcatcst sioglc COtt- trihution by show business in the history of local charities, KFWB’s 24 hours of unbroken entertain- ment to spur the workers in the the Columbia fold. Although oflicially designated as , transmitter, he w<*ked around , dire^or of ai tists relatums foi the ; clock for the entire period, ex- [ /.!■■ • i, • nACn IMCiUlADI AI been on top of'rthe” tilent pleturl i whn^the vvafofflhe ' HOSP. MEMORIAL for the subsidiary NBC radio-TV . "ff " ®‘btipn was oil the operation as well. During his ten- ' ure since checking out of CBS- Columbia Records, NBC has reas- serted itself into the top-budgeted talent picture. As a “staff vicepresident,” Sacks will work closely with board chair- man, Brig-Gen- David "Sarnoff and prexy Frank M. Folsom. He worked so well that Kt^V didn’t miss a minute of time. | If it hadn’t been for Sedore, the ; station would have been marooned, ! too. NLRB Orders Elections In Buffalo, Greensboro Washington* Dec. 5. | Elections to determine whether technicians at WFMY-TV and WFMY-FM in Greensboro, N. C,, and WWOL in Buffalo, N. Y., de- sire to be represented for purposes of collective bargaining by the Na- tional Assn, of Broadcast Engi- neers and Technicians (NABET), were ordered last week by the National Labor Relatiohs Board. SFT FOR II fill I IN IR field is being credited with making OLl rVA J.J. U1LL111, attainment of the year’s Omaha, Dec. 5. j quota, which for a time seemed Radio Council of this city has | doomed to failure. It marked the presented a memorial to St. Jo- 1 first all-out venture of Harry Mai- . : ^ - ! scpli’s hospital here to honor the ! zlish to aid charity since he took I late John J. Gillin, Jr., former over ownership of the station. MUTUAL WRAPS UP TWO | IfR AFT ? AI F ) v » Nd Show, Plus Time, Free As National Guard Aid NBC is now cuffo-ing a half “hour weekly series on a full network basis, and throwing in the time as well. tJnusual circurhstances; fol- lowed request of the National Guard, which asked the web for a free show' and 30 minutes of time every week to expedite its bid for recruits. . As result, the network is turn- ing over the “Appointment with Music” show which originates in Nashville. It will be given all the commercial trimmings for the National Guard ride and changed to the “Don Estes Show,” featur- ing the singer and a 21-piece orch. Show will be slotted in the Thurs- day 11:30 to midnight period, start- ing next week: ‘ ♦ i = m • Criticism aimed t NBC for its failure to pick up the talk of Sec. of State Dean Acheson last week occasioned some eyebrow raising, because of the present status of Charles R. Denny as the web’s exec veepee and head - AM operations. Many recall the key role played by Denny when, as chairman of the FCC, he sparked the publica- tion of the noW-^famed Blue Book as a guide in bringing the industry into line on commercial abuses and public service programming. It was such incidents as that which oc- curred last week, w'hen the Plym- outh - DeSotp - sponsored Groucho Marx Show' went undisturbed on NBC during Acheson’s crucial talk, that whipped the FCC into its Blue Book manifesto. Cantelli Cantata NBG, from all accounts, almost found itself without a guest con- ductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra when Guido Cantelli arrived from Italy last Thursday (30) and ■ reportedly w'as all for hopping the nexJ. plane back. Cantelli, pacted for eight weeks pending the scheduled return of Arturo Toscaqinl to the helm late in January, found himself con- fronted with a brand new problem in netw'ork programming — ■ the slotting of commercial spot an- nouncements in a symphonic reper- toire. With the Monday night 10 to 11 symph concerts now incorporated into the web’s “Operation Tandem” sales concept, necessitating three spot announcements during the first half of the concert, Cantelli was broached with the idea of adjusting the music schedule to the commercials, That would have nieant rearranging the schedule to permit three short works in the first 30 minutes. Cantelli, it’s re- ported, blew his top and wanted to fly back. home. From ail indications, however, the Cantelli concept of adapting the commercials to fit the music,' rather than vice versa, won out, as indicated by his preem perform- ance last Monday (4 ) , when only tW'o works were played on the first half, a Mozart piece running 17 minutes and one by Rossini run- ning 10 minutes. As indicative of the fact that NBC has realized the error of its ways, the network command, in fact, is scheduling a Chri.stmas symphonic program eliminating all three commercials (RCA, Anacir and Ford). ' NBC’s gross time sales of 4,939>- 120 for the month of October represent a 12% drop, in compari- son with the billings registered by the web for the same month in 1949. It’s the sharpest single- month nosedive encountered by the network in some years, reflect- ing the number of shows can- celled out by sponsors in the in- tervening period. In October, 1949, for example, NBC was flying the Camel colors on “Screen Directors Guild”; Rexall was bankrolling Phil Har- ris; Wildroot had “Sam Spade”;’ Philip Morris had Ralph Edwards' “This Is Your Life”; Procter & Gamble sponsored “Truth or Con- sequences”; and Blatz was picking up the tab for “Duffy’s Tavern.” Howeyer, the start of the broad- ca.sting season this October foun3 all the clients either cancelled out or moving to CBS, as in the case of Wildroot and Philip Morris (“T or C”). NBG has picked up some billings on its “Operations Tandem,” in- cluding RCA, Anacin and Ford Dealers, but these won’t show up Until later. . The cumulative 10-month picture .shpw^ NBC 2.9% under last year’s billings for the comparable period. CBS, on the other hand, is 16% ahead of last year on October gross times sales, and 10.9% ahead for the 10-month period. October saw Mutual move into tHe plus col- umns, being 8.7% ahead of , Octo- ber, ’49, but 12.7% under last year for the 10-month stretch. While ABC was 7.0% under for October, it is 16.1% below ’49 for the 10- month period. Luckies Forces Wilson Bowout on 'Big Show’ Hollywood, Dec. 5. Eileen Wilson, inked for NBC’s “Big Show,” has been forced to . Cancel at request of Lucky Strikes, since the last 30 minutes of the . program conflicts with Jack Ben- ny’s CBS shot for Luckies. . Miss Wilson appears on the cig- i gie firm’s “Hit Parade.” October Gross Time Sales (Estiviated) CBS NBC ABC , Mutual $6,672,635 4,939,120 3,172,100 1,541,500 $16,325,355 For First 10 Months (Estimated) CBS $57,730,300 NBC ............ ... ... 51,285,200 ABC 29,590,000 Mutual 13,420,000 -f 16.0 — 12.0 — 7.0 -f 8,7 — 0.7 + 10.9 — 2.9 —16.1 .—12.7 Radio Writers Guild and the net- works have reached an agreement On freelance prices, adjusting sev- eral categories upward from 9 %" to 33%. Minimum basic agreement is retroactive for 11 months, which means that the networks and indie packagers who signed letters of'-*' adherance to the agreement will give more than 200 writers an esti- mated $50,000 in back pay. On collateral is.sues in the staff contract, pay scales of which were settled last month, another meet- ing will be held today (Wed.), when webs will present their Coun- ter-proposals, May Bolhauer, former writers' agent and casting director, replaces James Stabile as RWG’s eastern region executive secretary. Stabile, who resigned two months ago but who held on to wind up some biz for the union has joined the legal department of William Morris Agency. Union has appointed new cbm- mittees, including: membership, headed by Tex Weiner; finances, Lou Pellitier; televisiohy Erik Bar- nouw; grieviihce, Lillian Schoen; special services, Carl Janipel; and entertainment, Louis Hayward.^ NBC’S 'TANDEM’ OPEN TO 1 $152,025,500 ) 2 : 1 ’ With NBC’s sales plan for “Gp- eration Tandem” made more flex- ible, permitting fdr brief commer- cial rides of four weeks’ duratioif (as in the case Of Ford Dealers) or even less, Liggett & Myers has latched on to the .five-nights-a- week program spots, for Chester- field plugs. , ' Ciggie commercials started roll- ing on “Big Show” Sunday (3) via a transcribed insert by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Plan is to con- tinue the spot plugs through the Christmas period.; * NBC's decision to invite all com- ers under any arrangement is to heighten client interest in the “TandenV' sognients; J i j ) m <> i f RADIO REVIEWS f ♦ ♦ f t ♦ » > 4 f f t f » ^ Wednesday, December 6, 1950 TV TATTLCT li'itli Charlie Starke; Eloise Mc- Elhone, r«est producer: Dick Winters Writer: W'lnters 15 Mins.; Mon., 6:15 p.m, Sustaininif W INS, N. Y. ONLY HUMAN WITH SIDNEY FIELDS ^ „ , With Dr. Norman Vincent Pealc, Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer, James P. (Foulproof) Taylor, £[ii0sC$ ' Producer-Director: Jack Farren 30 Mins., Sun., 2 p.m. Sustaining: ♦ ♦ » » ♦ • » * * ♦ » Sunday’s ^3) edition of “The Big . Show” won’t go down m history, Here’s a show that could pose i despite the presence i wok Ni-w York years m be expected to fear television s in- daughter (Tallulah Bankhead) as j been writing a daily feature col- roads, would decide to program a I emcee. It wa$ a geuej-ally hum- i the New York Daily Mirror being shown in TV, the station ' comics: in Joan P^vis^ and Fields’ knack for finding P^^'sons l _ t Ifpi^ The Hi can almost certainly count on , an : silvers, Were left with little sme- . .^^j^ unusual personalities or occu- ! , fo«rtpd thpir <; audience, both from among video fire material: there were^ : pations or interests makes for a , IIS mw YORK CITY . • • Ed Gruskin, head of European Cooperation Administration radio activities, flew in from Paris following .death of hi$ father at Duke Univ. Another son is George Gruskin, of William Morris agency. Agencyman Milton BioW into Harkness Pavilian for a checkup* had gallstones operation and due out today (Wed.) . . , .WJZ’s Mary; Margaret McBride named “Outstanding Woman of the Year in Radio” by Asso- ciated press poll of femmeditors. Gloria Swanson, how on WOR and a transcribed show, also took kudos .... Madeleine Lee into “Portia Hillard Edells (he’s WNYG’s produetion, chief) son Lawrence. . N. Y. Stock Exchange account has switched from Gardner to BBD&O, but no radio and teevee is j presence of i ' * hi in i t lal ^eement ’ Fields ' Planned . . Jocko Maxwell, W WRL sportscaster, to guest on Jimmy surpi:i 5 inBly|h 3 d”as"his guests Rex Harris, )n P*were’ WPIX stanza Sunday iIO)... Hollywood Gold CUp to be aired gave the Lilli Palmer, currently st.ar- j exclusively over .CBS^Saturday i9). _ . <4Ti^n \ T? 2 idin \Vritpt*R Oiiild nrPT: Ira Manoii adds duties as adviser on docu-* fans and those who have not yet gaps in Miss Bankhead s lines ana : ^yholly interesting half-hour. embraced the new medium. That, sangfroid, and only. the nl i ^ _ a. cohseouently, should result in a Fred Allen — and sponsor. Which means that WINS enough; Miss Truman _ a. i « ^ ^ 4 - a would be making capital ot its aircr any distinction. ring in “Bell, Book and Candle” | Radio Writers Guild prez Ira Marion adds duties as adviser on docu compctUion. i Allen had gotten himself some P , pbulproof) nientary and dramatic programs for the Voice of America Palestine Judging from the preem show , j^jev Goodman Ace material and xaylor, designer and manufacturer desk to his ABC chores . . Bing Crosby’s four sons appear with their (4.. "TV Tattler” will follow the delivered it with aplomb, like the ^ safety equipment, and ' dad on his CBS airer Dec. 20 , . . WMCA reprising its “Halls of Con- foi mal of the raciio “movie” com- niaster he is When he and his scrip- Vincent Peale, N. Y. gress.” dramatizations Friday 18 ) under Joe Gottlieb’s aegis . ; . . Warren ; mcntalors. including dispensing of just right. Mi.ss _ Truman, . Latter was one of a Jennings, former managerOf Crosley Broadcasting Gotham office, has. : so-c alled behind-the-scenes notes, , playing ccmecly foil to Miss Bjhk" ; series of churchmen who will dc- , a new niche at ABC raciio spot sales . Walter Greaza replaces Edward now.'^ of the medium and mter- . head* Silvers, Allen and Miss ^ sermon each Sunday. pa^»ley as lead ih “Big Town” ( AM) as show enters its eighth year on views will! guest celebs. Davis, . \vas a. refreshing sur- or peale spoke on forgiveness. ^ir. Frah Garlson stet as Lorelei . . . It’s a boy for the Bob (CBS Press) news oi the medium am mtei- pi’ise ih the . way she v^n- Hamson and his. wife, Miss Pal- Fillers. ’ or,r,ifo nf thpiv' ffptini? rnieprs. jock Johiiny Clarke named radio publicity chairman for the Commis.sion for the Blind Xmas sale . . . Paul Harvey will pinch- ABC commentator Baukhage until the latter returns from va- irNBC'sSnsideriog Jerry U ;^«on Dec.^25 . ^1^ ^ lor a spot on Us Simday niglU jn an aUractive coloratura. Miss who was an athlete and an fay 12), when the Cole Porter musical Out ot This_ World, tn whi.ch • Comedy Hour ’ iWhieh the web Truman was handicapped by the opera singer in his younger days. he stars.^is duetto preem . Marilyn 'T. Costello and Henry Giltespie. has denied, incideiitally ' and Ken overdose of miislv Miss Bankhead recalled his entrance into the field both of RCA s l.hesaurus, wed. la.s^ week. . WJ^ 5 Phil Alampi elected " ' * inent and some of prez of National A^^sn. of Radio Ne\ys Directors. . . .Air Force has dec- 'sonally underwent oratecl Scott W. Donaldson, Tele-King Gorp, veepee, with Exeeptional . , u reliability of his Service Medal . . . WOV’s Arnold Hartley becoming a papa for the third will be Old-hat to the trade but it S go^^ors in spite of the : pompous product. time. . . .Grace Valentine new to “David Harum’’. * . Nat Polen and . ... .. session was Richard Yorkc join “The Romance of Helen Trent’’. ,. .Roger Sullivan informative, is “Backstage Wife” addition. to do but Julie Bennett into “Life Can Be Beautiful” . . . .Bill Stern’s “Sports on NBC, which for the past 12 years has been the exclusive medium for Colgate shave cream, will introduce a new Palmolive ‘ -shave lotion Jail. 1. Shbw will be the only media plugging the " product , . . . ABC sportscaster Harry Wismer kudosed by Vets of For- Wars . , Hal Tunis renewed as WMGM disk jock. . . Alvin Bahn- Long island U. prof, now moderating WWRL’s “Let’s Look at the has denied, incidentally' ana iven overdose of mush Miss Bankhead .i-ecalled his entrance l\Iureay'.s jump from 37th to 12th , and the others handed but as pre- . qj j, 3 fe^y equipment place in the latest Hoopers, Most ^o bringing hei* on, and "the tests he personal of this *.*inside” .stuff, bf purse, credit that she won her prove the relia' will be Old-hat to the trade but it S in spite of the : pompous . product. conceivably what the public would .buildup. Only flaw in her guest- . Altogether, the sessi( like lo hear. _ . . , i-r , ing was her repeated use of the highly interesting and infc Starke isn’t afraid to .identify /^^.Qrd“progrum.” ' Fields himself had little tc . the networks in question by name, Allen’s playlet about a discus- jgt his guests talk while he di-r Newsreel” which is a good thing. He does ginn group was superior funning, reeled the course of discussion. • a cap.sule review of a new sliw . silvers’ monolog about his fare m But it’s Fields’ ability to pick such after-shave vjc\N. ulc iini-icxiw. Miss Human, wniie ms uil iioui ; Eloiso McElhone, who m discus_sr picture, “State Secret,” wa-S i in? her wardrobe problems on iV, I Mindy Carson was i ■ ^ got in a number of plugs tor lier ; some bad lines, hut THIS IS THE VOICE OF AMER- varioiis shows. Starke also an- her song, “Touch of i IGA ^\^ cred q u e s t i o n s supposedly , your Lips.’* The Sons of the Pio- Writer: Eugene Kern IN HOLLYWOOD mailed in by listeners. He eX^ neers had a fine rendition in their plained what a kinescope record- q£ “Water.” ing is and that gave him an oppor^ 1 tunity to quote Ed Wynn’s defmi- 1 Marty Glickman has installed a WNYC, N. Y. Director: How ard Hotchner 15 Mins.; Fri. (24), 9:30 p.m. Sustaining source The jinx 13 holds no terrors for Jean Hersholt. To celebrate his I 13th year of “Dr. Ghristian” he’ll host a party of 13 on Dec. 13 . . . , Chet Huntley is now' sponsored cross the board on CBS. Washington Co-op Assn, bought his commentary for Sunday and that makes it seven a week. . . Eve Arden W'cnt to the hosp for a few days of rest and. show was a report to Con- checkup ... Lud Gluskin, CBS music director, flew east for funeral bf made by the public informa- his mother. . . .ABC must have plans for Jay Stewart.. He heads up two . tion division of the U. S. State De- shows and is also 4jeing groomed for TV It’s all in a week’s work i he shares w'ith Ward AVil son every x,.,- rmrtio‘?Gs and ac- Wolfe. -He sold pne show, wrote another, set his wife, Edna I night in the week. . Show broad- , ‘ > »«**• » N. Y. show, directed “HaUs ot Iv.y- and shipped Cary Grant cast from the Cavalier Restaur.ant, i tivities of the Voice oi Ameiica, , peddle another Wolfe package. “The Blandings”. : . .The WACS called up Jean Castles of CBS publicity .staff, who W'as a lobic.in the. last war. . .Frank Stanton made a surprise call on Harry Ackerman I FLY ANYTHING least from the Cavalier Restaurant, i tivities of the “Voice of America, With Dick Haymes, Clmrles Flynu. , n. Y,, retains es.sentially the .same ; such, this airer wa.s r straight Jack Lister, Patti Dunlap, otn- format, but the award is a device ' of the “Voice” opera- ers; Rex Maupin orch; Jay Arlen, I brightens up a dull Monday voice op ^ ........ 1 - -u; f5n.« Qc a tfinnAi nron;i?innna medi- Fischer, Frank announcer Producers: Sy Cooper Director; Clark Andrews Writers: Arnold Perl, Abe Ginnes 30 Mins,; Wed., 8:30 p.m. Sustaining ABC, from Chicago On Monday’s (4) show, the i — , . , - .. award went to N. Y. Giant quarter- i wealth and international commit .. . u ^ , 1 Dem^r to work on Bob Hope to emcee Y’s 75th anni in the back Charlie Gonerly for his work ..nients, has allowed budget coin loi I Colorado capital. . . H. R. Baukhage doing his ABC broadcast from . ... . . in the Giants’ crushing defeat of 9^1y a fourth-rate y^ice ot .Viner- ! here for a week. .. Dana Clark took leave of the Three Johns (Master- Dick Haymes shows m this ; the N, Y. Yanks the day before. In : u- j ^ Reddy & Nelson) to head up guest relations at ABC ... Cedric cle that he can also, like pi^ , addition. Glickman had as his guest 1 ‘Voice ^anks Adams taping his phone conversations from Minneapolis with the Powell; make the switch from 1 for the evening Bill Hertzler, head Hu.ssia and even Bra/^^^ ladies of the elite ...Pat Butiram is back on the Gene Autry .show ^•coning to adventure dramaUcs I of {he N. Y. Public School .yhletic ; of W three months’ hospitalization with injuries received in an ex- H«ymcs IS cast in the role or t^ap^ League Coaches Assn. The pair hmitauons, now evei, voice ispio , plosion on TV location tain Crane, devil-may-care head of discussed the ramifications upon gramming m all the major laU" i a non-scheduled airline with a ■ sports and students of the coaches’ Suages,^with special accent on the A->wwwg^ j penchant for cargo that mvolves I j. 0 fpgjjj fo coach — in fact, the re- Soviet-dominated nations, and^ is v/\ tjti ^ danger and suspense. . fusal of teachers to participate in presenting a variety of news, lea- gfua^t Riordon, formerly with American Airline*? has been named On the preem Wednesday (29), | any extra-curricular activities in tpre, opinion and mupcal shows. ftioraon, loimei ly wiin Ameiican Aiiiines, has been named Haymes’ plane, Fdilunately the , gion that the coaches’ stnke was bomb exploded after the plane ; harmful both to sports and* Ip the landed, and Haymes was alive to ; children, but Hertzler maintained help convict the man of “murder, the position that it was neces.sary As an added fillip, it turned out and W'ould in the long run prove that the wdfe w'asn’t murdered after ; of benefit to both all but' had allowed her hU.sband “The Kirkwood and Goodman With Eugene Conley, Cracic Fields, ! Show,” formerly a half - hour to go to ilie chair to get her re- venge and his insurance coim . ^ ^ Scriptmg V’as adept, ^letting the ^yeekly presentation over WOR. fluclicncG in on the i^ct the poiiiD ^ Y is now a IS-niiniit© cross- wa.s aboard the plane as a^ neat sus- the-board. entry on that sl.ition : producer: Walter King pciiFe-provokcr and pulling Inc Kirkwood and Lee Croociman 15 Miiis. son . . final switch, lor -a. spiprise twist ^ lot of. .effort .into: ! be ,pror . AMERICAN CANCER 30CIETY ;, retarv ■ It was a little heavy, however, in hpf. faB to come off '.V’th This is an excellent class musi- Nation; producer of ABC’s “This Is Your FBI,” in towm last week while en- route from Coast to N. Y. for conferences with, web execs. . . Don Rollison is new member of WBBM trafi'ic department Judith Waller, Chi NBC director of public aflairs and education, attending White House Conference on Children and Y'outh in Washington ...Sentinel Radio Corp. sales during October hit $2,707,757 compared to $761,735 for same month last year , Fran Allison guested on WBBM’s “Five — — to-/ vveck . J. Walter Tliompson radio department stafrer Ellabelle Davis, Ada Alsop, Vera^ Guilbert and bride, former Eleanor Goodrich, honoyjnoo^'it^S in Lynne, Bob Fariion orch, others; New' Orleans, . Paul Fry, general man;vger of KBON. Omaha, Neb;, William Rogers, announcer Mutual Central Division visitor last week . . . Robert Brethauer leaves ^•j^sales depcirtmcnl for time buyer berth at J. Walter thOmp- . - ^Stella Zyeh has joined the Chi NBC press departinent as sec’* to nianagor Jack Ryan NBC's “Quiz Kids” has been cited by MUSIC AMERICA LOVES A m- ■ . Clljld ren and Adults . . . Paul Gibson, airer for Hudsoh-Ross : ABC sales service de^ plant ; , . Peggy Murdock a Gal and a Song.” either the WNEW airei slanted Wednesday evening l^^mp ; w ai i Duo also seems to be short on Pi?nPTr'*ci uncixrirQG material since the best ®^”^NE^S pulled on show caught Mon With Alma Dcttm-cr, Frederic ^vas also the top bit — Fred Davy has a am, “Favorite W J AS e very Tues- day and Friday night at 10 for KXOK, KSD Off St Louis Air Wheii Cable Burns short on Each of the 13 disks features quarter of an hour . , . Karl Krug - ost stunt standard t u n e s and may be Sun - Telegfanh- Si Sleinh*inc;er KXOK lonrlay '4) .skcckled in any order. On a sample .^ " . • KSD NRf registered , program numbers were a ff,ntasy ; Cohen, Po.sl- fn,r St. Louis, Dec. 5. local ABC outlet, and NBC outlet, were put off :n month.s ago mg Home,” “Don’t Fence Me In.” for Duquesne Brewing Co.’s “Wei- i V yeciiic came was constant ■ inter- “Anvthing Goes” and Vera Lviine <, a u j** i ' ^ melted, due tp the heat generatod iiiatra’s record- in an appealing rendition of “La-^^^■^^® Aboard song contest every by a fire that, destroyed a switch- ; wlien. they were reviewed in on“Whcn Johnny Comes March- ) Gazette, again serving as judges nouncer, Bill. Strauss i Variety about seven month.s ago in^ iirkmo “ “nAn'i irnn/.e ati> its 4 .*.^.. i-*.. 4 -, when an electric cable was Ht dealt with the P^'lKTIOPvriNr'^’’'’^"” *■** *’■'” J V“l^ting of Fi-ank Sinatt'a s rccoi-a- in ,in appcaliiiR —• o , , • u. k ; , u?XviJ ling of “How Much Do I Love You” , vender Blue.” All the items are ; .Saturday night on KDKA . . . Bet- man’s shanty hear National City, - txrr^Vto < to answer each of the m ' ’ - - ■ • - • > Fo lovnne nine vcai's on WQXR. tions asked. In addition N Y,. as a morning cross-the- about some bo.M’d “Other Peopl e’s Busi- evf n y trvini? to nr.'=«" .Shifted to the 2r30 to 3 p.m. boVs liso nf-v® ® ftaf is^Te^sf doserihed“bv’’Tt;/or ‘ . cancer research Jind the need for WRICK S^wtnr "as Kirkwood attempt- early detection teal '"e most of the humor, with Good- effect cure _ „ ui. til. ?,ioii.s eiiner oy ceieoii- playing straight mail. Spon- fine service by ACS for all broad Ls Happiness” .show, daily quarter- , nograph records was broadcast SOrsllio on show .is nartiein.ntini?: eiiK?tei*. r, ^ j Pattern Which the Advertising Council set in radio for allocating public service messages is being adopted by the television industry and goes into effect Dec. 17. Already 23 sponsors, their agen- cies and four networks— ‘ABC-TV, CBS-TV, NBC-TV and DuMont— have agreed to share time on a regularly scheduled basis, covering both commercial shows and sus- tainers. Weekly programs agree to carry AC*approved pitches once every six weeks and cross-the-board airers will carry them once every three Weeks. First project will be a concen- trated campaign on safe driving during the Chfisfmas holidays. “Television is a flexible medium,” AV vice-chairman Lee Bristol (prez of Bristol-Myers) declared, “and the cooperating advertisers and networks stand ready to take on any emergency campaign which pur . national leaders deem meces> sary for defense. This new weapon is now ready and we will respond quickly and spiritedly to marching orders.” By the end of January, Bristol said, 75 advertisers are expected to have been inked. Council doesn’t put out canned messages, but pro- vides fact-sheets from which pro- ducers plan their own public serv- ice plugs. Plan originaliy developed in World War II, when it was admin- istered by the Office of War In- formation and the War Advertis- ing Council ( which has since be- come the Advertising Council). Sponsors already accepting the plan are: General Mills, General Foods, P&G, Esso, Standard Oil of Indiana, General Electric, Borden’s, Liggett & Meyers, Gillette, Auto- Lite, Philip Morris, Lipton, Ford, American Tobacco, R. J. Reynolds, Texas Oil, Johnson’s Wax, Fire- stone, . Bristol-Myers, Kraft, Schlitz, Household Finance and Miles Labs. CBS-TV SnCKS WITH SAT. AH. SPORTS With the college football seasoi wrapped up, CBS has scheduled i series of other Saturday afternooi college sports to televise startim this Week (9) and ending March 3 Lineup, which will include 10 homi basketbail games of Army or Navy will be fed to the interconnectec network and Offered either to j single sponsor or sold on a co-oj basis. Included in the package are tw< specially-filmed football shows, t( be aired Dec. 23 and 30. First om is. expected to feature highlighti of the past season, while the sec ond Will concentrate on the team: playing in the Rose ahd Orangi Bowls. Vin Scully has been set ai narrator on the entire series, witl Dr. Mai Stevens assisting him or the football films. Also schedulec is a boxing match between team! of Western Maryland and Army. Pittsburgh, Dec. Peter Barker, veteran of 2 ye experience in motion pictures, atre and teevee, has been nai executive producer of WDTV, P burgh’s only television channel Barker’s, appointment camr multaneously with station’, gc live after nearly two, ; errs of erating exclusively with ca shows and film. < • BALTH EDUC’M GUHKTS 2-WAY TV PKHIP Baltimore, Dec. 5. What’s believed to be the first use of a two-way remote pickup unit In educational teiavision is to be employed at the second Educa- tors TV Clinic here next Wednes- day (13). In cooperation with WBAL-TV, the delegates will view a half-hour sixth grade geography lesson, in which the teacher Will ask questions from the conference in the WBAL-TV studios and her pupils will answer from their classroom : 'in a Balto school* Twenty-one other sixth grade classes in as many schools will be tuned into the session via TV re- ceivers. ’ Telecast will be aired on WBAL- TV from 10:30 to 11 a.m., under the direction of Mrs. Eleanora Kane, radio-TV specialist for the Balto Dept, of Education. Show will also utilize a horizontal wipe to permit viewers to see both the teacher and pupils at the same time. In other highlights of the conference, a musical education program on the ukelele will be aired at 3:15 p.m. and E. Arthur Hungerford of General Precision Laboratories will dembnstarte new TV equipment. Dr. J. Carety Tay- lor, Balto’s assistant superintend- ent of public schools, will preside. C Slowly-growing spirit of cooper- ation between films and television may be further cemented via a deal now being worked out by Columbia Pictures with the Du- Mont network. Col is dickering to film a cliff-hanger based on Du- Mont’s “Captain Video,” moppet ^program which is owned and pack- aged by the web. If the deal goes through, ihdus- tryites look for it to spur several more such pickups by film com- panies of characters created and made popular through video. Film toppers, even those who claim TV is not responsible for their dwin- dling grosses, have consistently maintained that they must attract juve audiences to build filmgoers for the future of the industry. And, if it’s the Captain Videos, Howdy Doodys, etc., that keep the kids at home, then the best way to lure them to the theatres is to put the characters on film. Col, meanwhile, may be the sec- ond major film company to enter production of films grooved, espe- cially for TV. Col veepee Jack Cohn indicated the studio’s will- ingness to get into TV when he recently asked one of the major ad agencies why Col wasn’t asked to bid on a film currently in produc- tion on the Coast for video beam- ing. Universal-International al- ready is in the TV field, but is pro- ducing spot commercials only. Col, which long frowned on radio and allowed few of its prop- erties to be broadcast, has been dipping heavily into TV. It success- fully used video trailers to exploit its “711 Ocean Drive” film, leading prexy Harry Cohn to hail the “Wedding of pictures and tele- vision.” Studio also has made 25 teletrailers to plug its forthcom- ing “Bom Yesterday.” CBS, last week was still trying to resolve the poser precipitated in the Frank Sinatra video show; to wit: Is it sacrilege to cut in on a rendition of the “Lord’s Prayer” When a show is running overtimd and interferes with the opening commercial on the following pro- gram? The Columbia boys, taking the matter in their own hands, decided not to cut off the Sinatra rendi- tion recently, although show was running 20 seconds over. As result, the suceeeding “Sing It Again” was late getting on. This, too, fcued a I problem, fpr the “Sing” giveaway is a simulcast, which meant getting i the AM version off on time but holding back on the start of the TV airer. - ' Vcdneedayy December 6^ 1950 NBC-TV Hollywopd, Dec. 5. - Norman Blackburn, of NBC-TV, Is setting up kine of net’s first Ven- ture into daytime soap operas. Tagged “Miss Susan,” it stars Su- san Peters and follows pattern of tadio matinee cliif hangers. Carl Bixby is scripting with Jim Jordan, Jr., directing. Washington, Dec. 5. The campaign to set aside chan- nels for educational television goes info high gear this week when members of Congress, representa- tives of labor and college presi- dents add their support to the movement at the current video al- location hearings before the FCC. Among those scheduled to testify are Sen. . LeVerett Saltonstall (D-, Mass.); Walter ReUther, prexy of the United Auto Workers; Detter BrOnk, prexy Of Johns Hopkins; John Hanna, prexy Of Michigan State College, and John Wagner, prexy of Rollins College. Others to appear include Charles Russell of the American Museum of Natural History of New York; Arthur Moehlman, professor of philosophy of the U. of Iowa; Miss Christine Gibson, noted linguist, of Harvard; James MacAndrew, di- rector of the New York Board of Education station, WNYE (FM); Robert Hudson, director of radio for the U. of Illinois; and James Marshall, New York educator. In addition to Saltonstall, several more members of the Senate may go to bat for the educators, in- cluding Sen. John W. Bricker (R., Ohio), who introduced a joint resolution in Congress last week directing the commission to study the feasibility of allocating at least One TV channel in each state for non-profit educational program- ming. Bricker ’s measure requires the Commission to report to Con- gress with recommendations for legislation, if necessary, to achieve its objective. Through their witnesses this week, the educators are planning to show how television can capi- talize on the great strides which na\^ been made in applying visual techniques to education. Specifi- cally, they plan to demonstrate po- tentialities in teaching of lan- guages, medicine, philosophy as well as in preserving and further- ing democratic concepts. JACQUELINE SUSANN TO FOUOWFAYEQIERSON Pepsi-Cola-sponsored Faye En son show, starting the first of year, the network has also pic up a client for a companion sh starring Jacqueline SuSann, to out the 7 to .7:30 p.m. period b three-times-a-week basis. Miss Emersoh goes into the ’ 7:15 time, Mondays, Wednesc and Fridays. Oh the same <3 Miss Susann (playwright- wife CBS producer Irving. Mansfi takes over the 7:15 to 7:30 nii 5 >r an interview-type show, \ Quest-Shon Mark Bra picking the tab. (Miss Susann has mad a point that, because of her 1 band’s rival network connect she ‘couldn’t get myself arres WAlJDA HENDRIX TV PIX Hollywood, Dec. 5. Wanda Hendrix made her TV debut this week in “Rewrite For Love,” 30-minute show which went before the cameras at Jerry Fair- banks Productions for the “Bige- low Theatre” series. . Other cast toppers appearing in the Virginia Mullen and William Alland original story are Gig Young and Chick Chandler. Frank Woodruff is directing. ^ ‘ Philadelphia, Dec. 5, Squawks by television set own- ers stuck with worthless service policies haye brought action by the Better Business Bureau, and a move within the industry itself to halt and. weed out incoinpetent and unscrupulous operators. Complaints pyramided with the recent failure of a half, dozen service . and repair firms, and pro- , tests poured into the: Better Busi- * ness Bureau by the hundreds, swamping that agency. Hugh Smith, manager of the bureau, estimated more than 1,000 complaints had been received and that his staff was unable to cope with the situation. Smith stated the trouble is na- tion-wide in scope and that condi- tions here were ho worse, and bet- ter in some cases, than in other cities. The BBB head has already conferred with representatives of the Philadelphia R a di o Service- . men’s Assn, and the Television Contractors Assn., as Well as spokesmen for the manufacturers and distribs. He has also discussed remedies with banks and finance companies through whom most of the TV receivers are, purchased.' *pisgraceful’ Situation Paul V. Forte, executive secre- tary of the Television Contractors Assn., said his organization would welcome“a complete airing of the disgraceful situation.” Forte said that many of the so-called techni- cians Were not qualified and oper- ate with nothing more than a tele- phone number and a tool kit. “Be- cause of these few, the industry haS been given a black eye,” Forte de- clared. Ah inquiry would help the ethi- cal and reputable firms and will also help the public distinguish be- tween the legitimate oi.tfits and the racketeers. Forte said. He charged that some distribs sell sets at cost and depend upon “kickbacks” from the service ^ contraotors .with .^hom they place the policy. Service operators working on the “kickback” principle suddenly find themselves in a spot where they have to lay out considerable sums of money and wind up forced to the wall. Forte said the number of “shaky” operators would have been (Continued on page 38) Out of CBS and General Motors huddling this week may come a deal for sponsorship of a half-hour TV stanza starring Sam Levenson, with Irving Mansfield as producer of the show. GM reportedly is interested on behalf of its Chevro- let car. Levenson, who has appeared fre- quently on CBS’ “This Is Show Business” as a guest. Was given his own 15-minute show a couple months back, when he was slotted back-to-back with Jack Benny. However, the web wants to build it into a full-blown comedy-music production, with likelihood that it will go into the Saturday night 7 to 7:30 time. ASC MAKING CHI TELE BOW TO AID BENEFTT Chicago, Dec. 5. Abbott & Costello will make their .first tele appearance here Dec. 16 -in a Chicago Boys Club benefit at the Studebaker theatre. In addition to the comedians, Jim- my Durante is also scheduled In, and Spike Jones will make a flying visit. Cast of “Kukla, Fran, and Ollle,” and the Dave Garrowa/ show will also appear on the hour- ahd-half-long telecast from 10:3d p.m. to midnight on WNBQ, with sister radio station, WMAQ,^ taking over the post-midnight chores. Idea was originated by orch leader Bill Snyder, who will fly in to back the show. Format will be similar to that of Milton Berie’s marathon for the cancer fund, with celebs and others taking over the phones for dona- tions. House will also ^ be scaled from $5 to $3.50. Chicago Herald- Americaii Js also tying in and will furnish cars to pick up phone dona- I tions, as will the sheriff’s office.^ Wecliiesday, December 6, 1950 TELEVISIOX SI RCA HIRE NARROWS Banki'ollers and their agencies are amused over dramatized com^ mercial rates in the Television Au- thority code. Rule calls for the payment of $60 for each commer- cial insert on.,a 15-ndnute shoNV. if a performer or announcer does two commercials arid two bill- boards on a stanza, his fee would be $240 for the broadcast and on a cross-the-board show it would amount lo $720 weekly, the spon- sors stress.- ^ Clients want the rule amended so that the work in dramatized commercials would be paid on a per-program basis. They are mak- ing strong protests on the rule and may try to negotiate for a change in the code directly with TV A. Asm. of National Advertisers is said to be rallying the sponsors and agencies to bombard NBC, which negotiated the deal solo with TV A during the Nov. 18-19 period when the other chains broke off with the union. According to CBS and other web toppers, the per-insert provision was unilaterally negotiated with i'VA in subsequent talks between NBC and the union in which col- lateral working conditions were hammered out. This, * however, is denied by both NBC and TV A. An NBC spokesman declared that the per-insert clause Was in the pack- age which it made wtth the union, but that through a “typing omis- sion” it was unfortunately left out of the rough copy which was pre- pared for the other nets’ consid- eration. TVA exec secretary George Heller confirmed this yes- terday (Tues.), adding that the sec- ond NBC-TVA talks were only on the chorus categories. TVA chief said that he was an- gered by other chains “trying to put the blame for allegedly onerous provisions of the code on NBC.” He said, “Actually NBC performed (Continued on page 38) NBC’s Pro Grid Deficit on Coast Hollywood, Dec. 5. NBC will take a $60,000 out-of- pocket loss for telecasting pro foot- ball games. Deficit would amount to $150,000 on charges for time, pickups and production crew. On the guaranteed attendance ar- rangement. Admiral (radio and television set maker) took a red- inking of $180,000. KNBH-NBC has first refusal on possible title playoff game in the-Coliseum Dec. 17. but isn’t interested in the $ 150.000 asking price by Los An- geles Rams prexy Daniel Reeves. Reeves said if KNBH bypassed the tilt*, it M'ouldn’t be telecast at all. Playoff game would be made po.ssible if the Chicago Bears de- feat the Detroit Lions next Sunday (10), thus tieingwUh the Rams. Sunday^’s Rams-Packers tilt was the only league game that exceeded the guafanteect attendance. Garsoii after lilt TV debut lamcntt Have*! Got Troubles I ah amuting byline feoture in . the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number SAG Sluffoff In Hollywood, Dec. 5. Coast TVA chairman Ken Car- penter charged that the Screen Actors Guild board refused to dis- cuss with TVA reps his new part- nership plan after studying it be- hind closed doors for a half-hour at an SAG board meeting. New plan differed on two major points from the original partnership plan which SAG also spurned. New scheme does away with a joint membership ruling and suggests mutual agreement before a part- nership is signed, Carpenter pro- posed that each union would, under the new membership setup, take_ its own issues to its own board and theri to membership. If both agreed, they yvould move together, if not each was free to move on its owm, respecting each other’s picket lines. Further, if either should come up with a new pact, the dissenting union would not be allowed to sign another contract which would be less favorable to performers on wages and w'orking conditions. Carpenter said TVA should have a voice in the vidfilm situation, adding that “neither SAG nor TVA should dominate,” but thesps shouldn’t go to sponsors, agencies.! (Continued on page 38* Washington, Dec. 5. RCA demonstrated further im- proVements in Its color television system here today (Tues.) in a spe- cial showing for the press, With ob- servers generally agreeing that the difference between its color qual- ity and that of CBS has been cori- siderably narrowed. In contrast with pi'evibus deriionstrations, pictures showed greater fidelity, stability, bright- ness and texture. The improve- ment in the reds and blues w'as I particularly outstanding. Some j observers felt the colors lacked the ! warmth, sharpness and brilliance ] of CBS tint. The face of Di\ E. W. ; Engstrom, RCA veepee in charge | red as he appeared on; the screen for introductory reinarks. Oc- ' casionally, a greenish tinge ap- peared in the background fabric and at times there was a slight haze. For the first time. RCA showed a converted set in which the black and white tube was replaced by a tri-color tube and circuitry was changed. In addition, a compan- ion, or “slave,” set which would be used to show color alongside a con- : ventional black-and-white receiver ! was demonstrated. Biit Dr. C. B. 1 Jolliffe, executive ve®P®^ Ip' charge of RCA labs, would give no estimates on costs of such appara- tus in view of present unsrttled conditions. The companion set was shown as RCA’s answer to the FCC criticism that the system has no convert- ibility. It is, in effect, a separate set containing the essential com- ponents and circuitry for color which is wired to the black-and- white set. Its color performance was distinctly poorer than that of the converted set but the company contended that no converter can be built which can give 75% of the performance of a color receiver. Brig, Gen. David Sarnoff, RCA board cliairman, in answering questions from the press, called the demonstration “an evolution, a fulfillment of the promises we have made.” He declared that the absence of FCC officials from the demonstra- tion implied no “personal feud” and that an RCA representative had explained to Chairman Wayne Coy that commissioners we^e not in- vited because of litigation pending in a Chicago Federal court. As soon* as the court issues its decision, lie said, the Commission will be asked to observe the improvements. I If the Commission sees the im- provement. regardless of the out- icome of the litigation, and still Red Barber diicumi A Ne^ Facet in TV Sports Coverage one of tke mony InterMting features in f|ie upceming 45th Ahhlversary Number of Because of the “delayed action” attending kinescoping of TV shows, with the kine Versions of programs not showinjl up on many local sta- tion until two or even three weeks after the Hve performance, network producers have, been alerted to do their (jhristnias showings early, or not at all. For example, CBS’ “Studio One” is doing its Christmas presentation, “Mary Lou” on Dec. 11. That’s to .: pernrit the “Kine Circuit” to unveil \ it prior to Christmas. That goes for New Vear’s-slanted programs as well. “Mary Lbu,*’ based bn Mil- dred Cram’s short story, was adapt- ed to video by Catharine Turney, the film scripter. CBS last week issued the folio w- ign directive: “As we approach the holidays, bear in mind that refer- ence to Christmas, New Year’s, etc., I is undesirable on all programs that may be carried via TVR (Televi- sion Recording) in sections of the country, one two or three . weeks Hater.” ' The practice of piping in cafined [rommercials from points outside a studio where a show originates, and without benefit of dress rehearsal, may come in for some vigorous overhauling as result of the recent “nightmare” iriciderit that practi- cally induced ulcers among every^ body connected with CBS’ Saturday night “Sing It Again.” It was ope of those things that networks, agencies, sponsors and producers dread more than any- thing else— not only running in the wrong conimercial, but that of a rival product, tb boot. Incident occurred during the Arrid-sponsored segment of “Sing It,” which emanates from CBS’ Playhouse No. 3, in N.Y. The body deodorant commercial, however, is piped in by the agency— Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles— f rom the CBS Grand Central building studios: To the consternation of all, how- ever, a filmed commerciai extolling the virtues of the competing Stop- ette Spray deodorant (Arrid makes a point of cautioning people not to use the spray method) was flashed on the CBS video screens. There was nothing to be done about it, for it would take more than the 60-second allotted commercial time to make a phone connection to the plug-originating point SSC&B screamed. As a result, it will not : only get a rebate, but probably a free pipe-in on the dress rehearsal. Arrid previously had refused to shell out the $150 in- volved for the dress rehearsal on the commercial. Investigation by CBS and the agency disclosed that someone had put a wrong film in the can during some shifting around at the Grand Central building. Washington, Dec. 5. • Washington has passed the 200,- 0()0 mark in TV set circulation, sales last month reaching a new record of 17,250 rand bringing the Dec. 1 official estiriiate of the W ashington Television Circul ation Comiriittee to 205,835 sets for the metropolitan area. November sales figures turned out to be a big surprise in view of the heavy business duririg Septem- ber and October when buyers flocked to the market to. avoid the 10% manufacturers excise tax which took effect Nov. 1. It is likely that intensive selling cam- paigns during the month, in which major dealers offered sets ip" stock free Of the new tax? arid fear of shortages brought in the custom- Air Time, Not B.O. Problem, Blacking Out Telecasts Af DliClliri thinks RCA color is no better than 1/1 BSSkClDSlll in 1 niliy I it was or is only as good as the philarlelnhia Dec 5 1 CBS system. Gen. Sarnoff said, the Philacl^lpbia. uec. 5. , of compatibility, screen i Lack of available air time | god all-electronic . operation ' again black put telecasts of pi-o- : (Continued on page 38> fessional basketball in this city. I — ' " - — : I Pete . Tyrrell, ‘general manager, of I tbe WalTibrs, Philadelphia .club ; ill the National .Basketball Assn., i said the club wants the games tele- 1 vised but the stations couldn’t give ; ; international Alliance of Tbea- them the time! i trical Stage Employees has won ' Warrinre; nlaV here Tuesday wage hikes for 600 stagehands, car.- nr.d ™s^^ orniit^ and the penters.; property men and electri- t hree loeal ^ staliof s arc heavily ciaps emploj^d by the f : "he" team's gairics were telecast;, was reached . F ■ T^rms^ retroactive . to S^t. 4. ^iKcd .lensihg%f the local court lATSE WINS HIKES to Released for Tele By WOR— But for Royalties* “Juvenile Juiw/' ciirrently aired on MBS, has been released by WOR, Mutual’s Gotham outlet, for a televersion on other netwprks as part of a settlement of a three- ^ year-long wrangle over title own- , : ersliip, ■ Jack Barry and Dan En right, ' who package the' show, take over- the titl e today IWed. * and will shortly start peddling a kinescope audition pf “Jury. V Bar ry-En right will pay roy'alties to WOR. which can amoimt to $25,000 in a two; year span. Dispute stemmed from the fact Columbus, Dec. 5. Edward Lamb, radio and TV station owner, today (Tues.) asked the Justice Dept, to investigate why his Erie, Pa , video station, WICU, was not permitted to tele- cast last Sunday’s Cleveland Browns-Philadeiphia Eagles foot- ball game. He also claimed that his TV station here, WTVN, and WSPD-TV, Toledo, also had been “discriminated” against by the Browns “in an almost identical P'.shion.” Lamb released copies of letter he had written to Attorney Gen- eral J. Howard McGrath register- ing a “formal complaint” with the denartment’s Anti-Tru.st Division. “We are arixious,” Lamb wrote, “that your department investigate the circurh. stances surrounding the refusal of the National Football Federation, the Cleveland Browns football team arid ABC, acting in concert with others, to permit tele- vision station WlCtJ, Erie. Pal the right of telecasting” the game. Lamb .said the station had a con- tract with ABC as a.gent for Sun Oil Co. to sponsor games, He also that Barry and Enright were on . .. : AVOR's pavroll When thc.v came up t.*>**t Bert Bell commissioner ^ ■ y-v AT IVT A * 1 rv 1 • Li^ ^ ^ A I I • I ■ A M squad. Tyrrell left the door open with crease over their previous weekly ' be^topy to * triiiiimum of $104.36. New category *hav^h“Wtlv^ head stagehands will get an :up a deaT'with''anFstaSow^ comes rip with a sponsor and air ' get a 3ya tilt, trine ’’ Effect of television on tlm j Union’s demand for a pens on into the sub- plan is in abeyance temporarily. tT « all Lalfyea? thd War^ H *f3 Agreeable to legalltes on both ' ioll^lxed TV anWan^^^^ sides, a checkoff ^system may be lance low. This year, the local set up to deduct individual dribblers are leading the eastern ers'. contributions to the p an, but d vision and video is figured to the managements will not con- era, 1 J r . f ^ I. help. : J i tribute. 1 y with the idea; While the station didn’t contest their rigbl . to the .shovv. It said it owned trie title. WOR will hold on to other sub-. . sidiary rights -until, the present ra- ' dio contract expires in December, ,1951. after which time the AM ; airer could be shifted to another •web. General Foods, which bankrolls / the am edition. wiU get first crack at the tCleversion. Outfit backed it on a 16-week trial run oh video a couple of years ago; B-E outfit 1 was willing to pay for the title and I TV rights now because similar kid- i panel programs are making the ; rounds. “Jury” producers have ' warned nets that if they screen a : stanza aliegedly infringing on their property, legal action will be Uaken. / < , of National Football League, and Paul Brown, coach of Browns, “orevailed uoon ABC tb refuse telecast rights to WiCU.” Lamb said they gave as their reason that a special train was to carry Erie residents to the ganie arid that telecast might hurt ticket sales for excursion. Pkilco Ckhgea Mind, Phlico has reversed its decislori to drop half of the Don McNeill television show on ARC^TV, and has renewed the full hour. Manufacturer also backs a seg- . ment of the McNeill ^“Breakfast ; , .< ri r^Uiub” on ABC’s r^io. |«eb, ^ sa t^SisHBihr I PecciMhCT 6, 1950 ► ' -J FIRST to report the all-important commercial ” angle IN RADIO ■ V and FIRST to report on TELEVISION ^ in yARIET ¥’ S . 45ttb AmiBiivcif eary NimmliiCr v/ill be iTMatteriallly apd^ desiginied lo paafee^ 3^^ sinMple for tthe- persoiniMel of Ra ainid Televisioii to Ibpy aimd sell ttiiMej ttaleiml, eiqpuiipmeint aiod .alj'^^^^ coinnipoinieiiit parts. a. for the biiyer. It’s a. fair the' seiler. It’s the perfeett Biedium for yoiir adTcritlieii^ Bpent. Buyer or seller* Rates reinmam the same for this issue. Write to awiy of the offliices lusted for further isiifpriiiatioii. * * ' c . • • ^ , HEW yOBir. 19 ; HOUYWGOD. 28 IM W» 46)B St» , 9911 Yucca St* CHIPAGO. 11 LONDOH. W.C2 912 N. MicUgan An. f St Martin*. Plac. !llraidlgar Squor. Wednesday, December 6, 1950 TELEVISION REVIEWS 33 a "Ford Televisipn Theatre” Friday ( 1 ) ventured aomethtag new ^ it® oramatics by Vpre-testing” a new play by Zoe Akins called Another Darling. * a competent newscaster, works against great odds in this commercial - laden news show. Aside from the gen- eral question of how much com- mercial content a program dealing with news— especially war news- can bear, there’s the more imme- diate one of how much the Viewer will tolerate. Client and agency seem to be asking for trouble rrt- ing-wise if they continue the heavy-handed impact evidenced on the segment caught (21). Besides minute opening and closing plugs, quarter-hoiir show was interpersed with three pitches of same length. Gabber managed to squeeze in a lot of news in the remaining time. Emphasis was on local happenings. Using pix supplied by Sun-Times, Commentary portion was devoted to a surprisingly candid discussion of the effects on tele production resulting from the recent cobalt restriction order. Except for use of the few stills, no production was used. Because of the necessity of hitting the sev- eral cues, Turner read most of his stories with only an occasional glance at the camera. General ef- fect was dull and choppy. Dave. Horwin, Liebman Set For RWG Diseassion %ed Jerry Homin, CBS story exec, will speak on CBS-TV script needs, and Max Liebman, producer of NBC-TV’s **Your Show of Shows,” will discuss comedy skits for vid^> at a special meeting of the Badio Writers Guild at Holland House, N. Y., tomorrow (Thurs,), Session Is for RWO members only,. RANGER JOE With JesSe Rogers, Silver Saddle Ranch Boys, guests Producer: Thomas G. Brennan Director: Jack Hirst 15 Mins., Sun., 12 noon ranger JOE WFIL-TV, from Philadelphia {Lamb & Keen) “Ranger Joe,” newest hero for the living-room wranglers, gal- loped in On his horse Topaz Sun- day (3) for. a lively 15 minutes On the ranch. . Ranger Joe (Jesse Rogers, local hillbilly singer) .de- livers Western tunes with the aid of his recording group, the Silver Saddle Boys. Rogers demonstrates how to make a lariat, narrates the story of “Bad Bill” (on film) and feeds Topaz and . his cowpokes “Ranger Joe” breakfast food. Com- mercials are easily tied In with the camera doings, since the hero and the product have the same label. Cereal plugs are certain to impress moppets, which will auto- matically make it a niust on maipa’^ shopping list. Each week brings a guest cow- boy to demonstrate stunts that distinguish the Wild West. Opener had some very fancy rope-twirling by Jimmy Breslin, who not only performed difficult tricks but ex- plained them for the benefit of young viewers. Rogers sang a couple of characteristic lilts, and also, caroled the Commercials. Rogers, who left a hospital bed, where he is being treated for ulcers, seemed noticeably short of breath on the opener.. He plays the guitar, and the Silver Saddle Ranch boys backing Includes vio- lin, bass and accordion. Produc- tion values were elementary, back- ground representing a corral fence. Show is fed from WFIL-TV to the ABC network. Gogh. »GANSETT TIME With Frank Petty Trio Producer: Lawrence Baker 15 Mins.; Fri., 6:45 p.m. NARRAGANSETT BREWING CO. WBZ-TV, Boston Another in WBZ-TV's program- ming of local shows is this 15- minute segment of instrumental music and vocalizing by the Hub’s w.k. Frank Petty Trio. Boys, who are rapidly grabbing themselves a solid national rep via their MGM recordings, have long been a fix- ture at the Showbar, popular Hub bistro, and accordingly have netted a solid following in this area. It was only natural that a TV shot would follow and the Kildee of Ohio State, shared the mike at the Amphitheatre. Everett Mitchell, host Of regular AM ver- sion of the “National Farm and ^ Home Hour,” erriceed proceedings j at the studio. Highlight of the session was the selection of the grand champion steer, with Dean Kilbee explaining how the judge picks the winner. Well-placed cameras effectively captured much of the excitement attending the climax of the World Series of American agriculture. Studio segments included dem- onstration by 4-H club winners, and an informative display of meat selectiori and preparation by Max Cullen arid Helen Shepard of the National Live Stock Meat Board. Latter invested the show with more than . academic Interest for the housewife audience. Also Of interest to the homemaker was a film, narrated by Ken Gapen of the U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, showirig activities of the depart- ment’s meat inspectors. Adroit use of film was evidenced in other parts of the show, with clips of previous Exposition con- tests woven in to give a fairly complete run-down of the week- long everit. Numerous switches from film and live studio to the South Side stock show were expertly done, with only one slight mike miscue. Producer-director Don Meier, Vis- ser and Mitchell did themselves proud with their years biggest as- signment. Dave, LEAVE IT TO LEAFER . With WootVe Leafer Producer-Director: Irwin F. Poepe, Jr. . „ 30 mins.; Mon. thru Fn., 3 p. m. Sustaining 'WDSU-TV, New Orleans New series slotted in an after- noon lull spot in the WDSU-TV schedule, “Leave It To Leafer featuring Woodie Leafer, staff announcer, stacks up as pleasing fare. It’s light and breezy with informal chit chat, interviews with visiting personalities . of show biz, civic leaders, housewives, studio visitors and others, and recorded music. , . Leafer also takes televiewers behind the scenes of vid^, mov- ing about the huge WDSU-TV studio and its sets, showing camer- amen, prop men and others at work, and stopping to chat with them a la Garroway. , Set for the show is section of studio under stairs leading to control room. Here are pasted maps, zany signs, photos of film stars. Props include a battered easy chair, from which he reads news and fan mail, and interviews guests...;" It’s mostly ad lib, but it’s relax- ing. Camera work and lighting are good, with one camera following Leafer all over the set when he’s on the move. Liuz. COCKTAILS IN FASHION With Elaine Drooz, others Producer: Bob Stone . 15 Mins.; Sat., 5:45 p.m. MADY^S • WEGB-TVj Schenectady First program in a new series of fashion shows, sponsored by an Al- bany and Schenectady women’s store, moved with a reasonably sat- isfactory degree of smoothness and imagination. Four models dis- played an attractive line of dresses, in a nicely decorated cocktail room setting. Elaine Drooz, who has done fashion cpmirientarles In Al- bany stores and theatres, handled that assignment on television for initial occasion. Miss Drooz,. director of women's programs' at wROW, did the com- mentary almost flawlessly. Glose- lip$ flattered her. The models Weren’t completely at ease in spots. Commercial copy was in good taste. Feature Is advantageously spot- ted before an hour Godfrey kinO- scoper. Women will like the pro- gram, the second of type to be tele- cast her#. JacQ* YOUR PROBLEM PANEL With Dr. George Crane, Ruth Goldman, Rev. Ken Hildebrand, Tommy Bartlett, Eleanor Engel, Dick Jordan, Sam Siegel, Bill Sarnoff, Tony Parrish, Jean Christians, Patti Wilkiis Director: Ernest Feikas Producer-writer: Jules Pewowar 45 Mins.; Mon., 8 p.m. KOMISS CO. WGN-TV, Chicago Local nighttime shows slotted in Class A time must inevitably stand Comparison with network offer- ings. All too frequently the local segments unsuccessfully attempt to carbon the big-budgeted web formats. Occasionally, however, a local packager comes up with a program idea distinctive enough for strong appeal in the evening audience sweepstakes and close to network calibre in its treatment. Such a package is Herbert S. Lauf- man’s “Your Problem Panel.” Show is built around typical human relation problems which are presented to a panel of experts in the field for discussion and ad- vice. Although cases are tailored to real life situations, roles of the troubled individuals are played by professional thespers, which avoids undue mawkishness arid makes for a smoother presentation. Panel is headed by psychologist Dr. George W, Crane, assisted by guest ex- perts, and a lay panelist. . An idea that might be overly hbkey and even dangerous in less capable harids, is. given an adult, intel- ligent treatment, which results in interesting and constructive fare. Three cases were presented on frame seen (27K Besides Dr. Crane, the panel was rtiade UP oF Mrs. Ruth Goldman, deputy com- missioner of Public Welfare, Rev. Kerineth Hildebrand, pastor of Chi Central Church, and radip-TV em- cee Tommy Bartlett as the lay meiriber. First problem, presented by a man and wife, was based on hubby’s penchant for spending his evenings pub-crawling rather than at home with his family. Second case was a father-and-sori situa- tion, having to do with the son’s decision to drop out of law school to get married. Final problem evolved around a daughter who felt she’d outgrown the simple homelife of her immigrant parents. Problems were believably pre- sented by the pro actors and ac- tresses, with soap opera overtones carefully played down. Device makes for good audience identifi- cation. But it was. the authoriza- tive counseling of the panel that gave the show its plus Values. No pat solutions were offered; lUst sound advice well-grounded m modern psychology. Dave, ( GUESS OR KNOW With Mrs. Harold S. Faust Producer: Dr. Harold S. Faust 30 Mins., Sun., 2 P.m. COUNCIL OF AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY WCAU-TV, Philadelphia _ - “Guess or Know”. .A religious quiz program with.. teenage partic- ipants, said -to ihe one of the first of its kind on video, .,preemed Sun- day (3) on WCAU-TV. Although it is strictly religious in content, the program maintains a nice degree of affability and informa- lity. This is due to Mrs. Harold S. Faust, wife of the producer and a graduate of Temple’s TV Work- shop. Pleasant and never dog- matic, Mrs. Faust kept the young- sters at ease, most of whom seemed very familiar with the questions. Mrs. Faust displayed, exhibits from museums arid churches, about which she queried the contestants. A team of four youngsters", an- swered questions on Old and New Testament lore, various religious symbols and terms. Queries on Biblical geography were; presented with the aid of a map, on which a bulb lighted when the correct spot was located. A “Mystery Hymn” . was played on the piano, with both studio eritrants and the home audience (the latter, by mail) asked to guess the answer for prizes (dolls fashioned from Old Testament characters). Prograiri has broad scope and aims at good relationship among all religions. The exhibits rep- resented an interesting range of historical lore, which had refer- ence not only to the world’s past but to Philadephia’s. Among the items . shown were the world’s smallest Bible, one of the smallest Hebrew scrolls extant, original Indian-treaty papers, the chains used to rope off streets ri century ago when services were being conducted, a painting of Moses and symbols of the Christmas sea- son. Informative and evenly paced, the half-hour session ranks well in the class of educational enter- tainment.- Isabel Redman, who directs the network TV program “Lamp Unto My, Feet,” assisted in the initial planning. ^ Gogh, REMEMBER THIS DATE With Bill Stern, Mary Denny, Jet MacDonald; Murray Ross, orr ganist Producer: Hal Fimberg Director: Don Hillmann Writer: Ray Kimball 30 Mins.; Tues.-Thurs.; 3:30 p.m. Sustaining WNBT, New York “Remember This Date, a modi- fied quiz program. Would be excel- lent for AM, where it belongs. On television, however, it evokes at best mild Interest. Show uses the date it’s pro- grammed on as the basis for ques^ tions asked of studio contestants. For example, on show caught (30) contestants had to identify Win- ston Churchill, whose birthday it was; the water crisis in New York of a year ago; the first transmittal across the Atlantic of a wire photo, and J, Parnell Thomas’ plea of guilty of fraud, which took place - on Nov. 30. To add interest, rtudio con- testants are screened beforehand, then asked which date is mort memorable to them. Contestants, including a refugee, an archaelo- gist, a former vaudevillian and a housewife, related some interest- ing experiences. However, the program held little visual interest. 4 *^ attempt was made to make the clues visual to some extent, Jet MacDonald, for example, sang a couple of sorigs which served as elues to some of the questions. And a couple of silhouettes were fla.shed on a screen. But these were rather ob- vious and lent little interest tp the segment. Bill stern handled the show capably, assisted by Mary Denny, Stern tended to overdramatize his narrative questions, and constantly interrupted contestants to summa- rize what they had said. But on the whole, his emceeing was authorita- tive arid smooth. Miss MacDonald did an okay job on the songs, and Murray Davis’ organ was good In accompaniment and lent a touch of drama to the narrations. Chan, international chef With Maj. George Haig, Madeloiv . Mason, guests Producer-director: Si Merrill 30 Mins., Mon. and Fri., 11:30 a.m. Sustaining WOR-TV, N. Y. Another morning , TV cooking show, “Interriational Chef” plays up economical dishes with a for- eign flavor. Show should find favor with housewives interested in pick- ing up new recipes. Handling the chef assignment is Maj. George Haig, a likeable personality, whose only fault is a tendency to overuse the term “you know” after making a rtatement. Assisting the major as hostess is Madelon Mason, whose chief purpose obviously is to look good before the cameras. Gal also helps point up significant portions of the major’s commen- tary when he’s preparing various dishes. Food purveyors are brought on as guests on each show, with Dick Salisian, manager of N. Y.’s Golden Horn restaurant, holding down that assignment a week ago Mon- day (27). On Friday’s (1) show the guest was Claire Brown, home economist for I. Rokeach & Sons. Both guests provided interesting chitchat sessions. The former noted the preferred dishes of cer- tain celebrities who frequent his eatery, while the latter gave a brief account of how her company acquires recipes that individual families have passed down through centuries. In addition to offering cooking . tips. Major Haig, when preparing a foreign food, also gives the his- tory of its origin. Prizes are also given for correct ari.swers to a question asked on the Friday ; shows. Gros. MEMORY LANE With Ted Beebe, Howard Relg 15 Mins.; Thurs., 7:30 p.m, ROTllBARD UPHOLSTERERS WROB-TV, Schenectady ( Goldman, Walter & Kanna) Sponsor changed format of this presentation from a musical show to a viewer-participation quiz. Ted Beebe, last featured on a family serial, is emcee. Seated in a com- fortable chair at a table,, he jeads , —from a book of reminiscences^ highlights of a specific year arid then asks a telephoned question of a chosen contestant. Super-imposi- tion shows the year, through a floating cloud effect. Viewers are" asked to send names and phone numbers. Program might have stronger appeal If more contestants could participate. How- [. ard Relg adequately handles the advertising on this modest budg- eteiv Joco. ( 34 TELEVIS10:V REVIEWS P^fiiEir ♦ 4 ♦ > ♦♦»♦»♦» ♦♦ ♦ ^4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 ♦ ♦ » ♦ > ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » » > f ♦ 4- Eddie Cantor’s stint Sunday (3) rector James McNaughton didn’t on “Colgate Comedy Hour” stole [ haye to worry about the usual de- a inarch for NBC-TV in getting signs, his stark settings and black the Christmas spirit into TV three i background added to the illusion, weeks ahead of time, with a good j Arnold toned down his stand- pavoff in entertainment values. 'ard bombasity to give an effective Cantor kicked off the Stanza with ' portrayal of the ‘’stage a tune that had special holiday and neat backing by the show and Comedian kept the with a fast pace with his ‘‘Maxie the wasn’t one of his was abetted by and Jack Albert- the lyrics chorus, moving clicked turn, although it best. In it. lie Dick Van Patten son. Connie Sawyer added to whimsiealities, socking over lament of the girl who can’t; get a guy. in which she ^^uotes sup- po.sod Bureau of Statistics figures on the large , surplus of manhunt- ing dames. She also joined Gantor in a fairly amusing sketch in which they played a nearsighted couple. The skit, in which each partner blunders blindly around the room, was nicely handled; although it was overiong. It’s a familiar turn , . , , and. wa.s done (with .variations, of i course > back of the ‘’stage manager and harrator. Elizabeth Patterson and Don McKee, as the Webbs, and Charles Dingle and Dorothy Peterson, as the Gibbs, were ex- cellent. Betty Caulfield, the chief protagonist next to Arnold as the young daughter, scored with one of her best video: jobs to date and Biff McGuii'e showed unsuspected talents as her childhood sweet- ]ier beart. Supporting cast was good, get and the show carried the usual top production mountings usually as- sociated with this series. Announcer got in a short plug for Sol Lesser’s “Tarzan’.’ film series, appai'ently in return for the series getting kine.scope rights to; the property, to which, Lesser owns film rights. Plug was probably a necessity and was tossed in after the first act intermission commer- .xcu .vawavx..*., ... of place, only a couple, of months i \ usual, by Jack Haley and Betty and Jane Kean.: Les Zoris were effective in their ; adagio in which the gah dressed, as i a Jeopard, attacks and fights her i male partner. The Amadis aero j troupe was nicely integrated into • the finale, a Babes in Toy land i number, in Which . they were ' Dodge-sponsored “Show Time, the Snowman, “Let It Snow" and the like. A fine dance sequence was provided to the music of “Sleigh Hide" by Nadine Gae and Marc Breaux. An alternate set in the production was the interior of a cabin, through the windows of wliich could be seen the out- door scene. The “Molly Malone" sequence featured additional lyrics by Bill Goodhart and a special musical arrangement and vocal narration by Stuart Churchill. It was a dramatic expansion bn the theme of the sohgi and Was graced by a fine performance by Gloria Mudell as Molly. The other numbers on the show were either straight vocal Works sung in front of the orchestra, or simple productions around a pop song. In these the Glee Club, pai.sy Bernier, Joe Marine, Jane Wilson. Leonard Kranendonk and Joanne Wheatley , did fine jobs* Some excellent lerising was evi- dent in the televising of the work of the twin piano team of Virginia and Living.ston Gearhaii:. with the camera catching the ..two' siniulta- neou.sly from a number of unusual positions. . “Billy Rose la.st Tuesday suspense tale, ei'ful impact f there wasn’t Show" oh ABG-TV (28) offered a sock It achieved a pow- not from violence a single gory scene), USA^’ stanza ort . ABC-TV Sunday (3) evening was an entertaining layout comprising Variegated ele- ments, highlighted by a brief scene from Clifford Odets’ “Country Girl," with Uta Hagen and Paul gariiod a.s downs. ' That toyland | Kelly appearing in one of the cli- j tions and the excellent timing of routine had appeal and yoiing j Ii^actic scenes of their legit hit. its denouement. June Keegan helped put it over Vinton Freedley, program’s “host," ] wil l! a Yule .song. . did the “sjmopsis" commentary on I Joe Bushkin^ the composer- the Odets story, to give the cap- i pianist, backed Cantor slickly at j sule scene a more meaningful im- ! tire keyboard in “Dust Off That ' Pact. - | Old Piano" and “Ballin’ the Jack.’ I Otherwise the show was paced One commercial cutely used ani- ' ^oi* maximum variety values, With i mated cartoons of Cantor with his i Veronica Lake as guest emcee. Ray j Middleton vOcalled his “Girl That,: I Marry" from his “Annie Get . Your Gun" musical, backgrounded ' by some cowpoke lookers. Buddy : Lester contributed some zahyisms that might have stepped out of brother Jerry’s “Broadway Open i but from elTcctive characteriza- Yarn Concerned a mild-man- nered Belgian (played by Roinney Brent) who was arrested fpr hav- ing murdered six young women. He was trapped by Leo G. Carroll, who neatly portrayed the detec- WecliieBflayf Deceii^iber 6, 1950 show on shocker. SURVIVAL UNDER ATOMIC ATTACK With Gapt, Robert Burden, Guthrie F. Crowe, Neil Dalton, Capt. Ar- thur E. Kimberling; Pete French, narrator; Ray Shelton, announcer Producer: Dorcas Ruthenburg Writer-director: Pete Katz 30 Mins., Saturday, 9 p.m. Sustaining WHAS-TV, Louisville This is a public service TV that could have been a Based on the premise, “What would you do in the event of an atom bomb attack on . Louisville?,’’ producers took care to point up that purpose of the show was to urge viewers to take time right now to consider the atom bomb and survival of the citizens. So an- nouncer Ray ; Shelton emphasized that “This is just a program- — but there could be a bomber carrying equivalent of 20.000 tons of TNT on its way to Louisville right now." Teeoff had sound effects, and superimposed film clib of an atomic explosion, showing roughiy how ah atom bomb explosion over Louisville, considered a key indus- trial center, would have looked—^ if there had been an explosion. Camera then cut to Pete French, narrator, talking from the WHAS transmitter at Eastwood, Ky. .Sim- ulated French's description of the bombing to the outside world, and to those people In Louisville area that had . portable radios. Then followed a recital of the precau- tions to be taken in the area. The narration was intensely realistic, and station reported that some calls came in inquiring if such a thing had really happened. From a map of the greatel* Louis- ville area on the wall, French gave his simulated picture of the situa tion. RCA COLOR REVIEW (‘Color Carousel’) With Jeanne Warner, Inga Run- void, Mary Jane Hayes, Botte Bradley, Ann Anderson, Lillian Taylun, Pat McGowan. Producer: Vance Halleck Narrator: Ray Michael Supervising Engineer:^ Joseph Col- lege WNBW-NBC: Washington, D. C. Latest demonstration of the im- proved RCA tri-color tube shows definitely that the final decision in the color sweepstakes is not yet in. That the big company is still in there punching, and still a power to be reckoned with, was conclusively proven in its Wash- ington studios Tuesday (5). Productibnwise, NBC, profiting from past errors, left nothing to chance. Though carefully labelled as “not in the entertainment field,’’ the show used in the D C, tests was a well-coordinated, skill- fully planned and highly polished presentation. Explanation of .RC A engineer Dr. Engstrom that enter- tainment had been deliberately shunned in order to avoid distract^- ing viewers from, the color issue, was not completely satisfactory. Succe.ssion of everyday objects presented resulted in a deliberate, comparatively static picture, omit- ting demonstration of the system under the more rigid requirements of fast motion, as requiied by such activities as terping. It wais in the show itself that NBC literally tossed the book at the assemblage. Usiiig a carousel with a revolving circus miotif as Describing the extent of the i f if damage and . casualties, he esti- ! mated that about three-quarters of ; and unit format v as a square mile had been virtually five daughters shampooing with and Halo. wife Ida wiped oiit, eight square miles of ti VO Tho cnoooS'lw 1 moderate damage, and another four i Walter S^n p avin^ moderate damage, i waicev nampaen. piaying a ceie French estimated light damage had achieved via a hep continuity handled in straight, almosf docu- mentary style by WNBW staffer Michael. Accent was on power of color per'se, with plugs brated defense attorney, who with | Keer^Dorted'as f^r aw^"as cidit' «ie RCA brand omitted. a slick dramatic tour de force got I i Following the announced “mod the coujetroom and the jurors to Jimmy Durante remains one of i the most refreshing and durable ! enterlainer.s of this day. His sec- 1 ond display in the Motorola Wed- ne.sday night series on N]^ gave . further credence to the Schnoz’s 1 claim that he’s “got a million of i ’em” It will probably take j months of showings before Du- 1 rante's catalog is exhausted. ! Durante’s second show had at^ least one inspirational moment.; The bit with the Wagnerian so- 1 prano Helen Traubel was one of { the major delights of the video season. Contrast between the two personalities was sufficient to cause 1 chuckles, but when Miss Traubel i did a Durante with the original, it was a highpoint of a show that had in itself many sequences of sheer enjoyment. The second program couldn’t have the impact of the initial show inasmuch as Durante’s appear- ance was long anticipated and in- cluded the pick of a distinguished catalog of comedy. But even with- out the contrast of the two stanzas, the second can stand on its own as a prime collection of Duranti- ana. The Beak was on for at least 50 minutes of the hour stanza, without wearing out his welcome. As long as Durante elects to per- form for that length of time, en- tertainment values are assured. Aside from a bit with Miss Trau- bel. the other major highlight was the nitery scene with his peren- nial aides, singer-strutter Eddie Jackson and drummer A1 Roth. This sequence had the madhouse pace that has always been Du- rante’s. forte. Trick-voiced Gandy Gandido did the “Pussy Cat Song’’ with Durante ^ for good results, The ribbing com- 1 mereials and the general produc- 1 tion tenor also had good video ’ values. . . I House’’ late night vidio madcaps : (save for the age-old show biz con- ' troversy as to “which one came ! first?”), and Brenda Forbes re- I prised the Dega “Ballerina" i brought to life in a charming ren- dition of “Born For This." look at the door for one of the defendant’s victims to enter. 'The fact that they looked, he argued, proved that there was a “reason- his client’s guilt therefore vote to ABC-TV’s Pul itz’er .Prize house" reverted to the. original technique of staging TJiprnton Wilder’s “Our Town" on a stage without scenery Friday night (1). With an excellent cast headed by filin actor Edward Arnold and witli exccptionalTy good production and direction by Edgar Peterson oyer and Frank Telford, , the show ; Last emerged as fine, adult entertaih- ment. stilling the playwright’s moral as subtly but also as effec- tively as Frank Craven and the original Broadway- cast did. With only a couple of trellises and'some odd chairs, and tables for props, the cast neatly "worked in pantomime with the dialog to indi- cate the action. Even more im- portant. though, was the imagina- tive camera work provided -by Pelersoii and Telford* Use of over- head shots, split-screen, dis.solves, etc,, eliminated the need for sots and made the show as much aii appreciated experience for viewers as the Broadway producflon was CBS-TV’s “Somerset Maugham Theatre" staged a neatly-cortceivcd version of one of the author’s classic short 'stories, “String of Beads," Wednesday, night (29). Even though both th'e climax and anti-climax were telegraphed in the original yarn, adapter Don Ettlinger managed to work up a script that sustained viewer inter- est for the full half-hour when combined with some good thesping by an accomplished cast. Produc- tion credits, including some attrac- tive sets, were good but the cam- era work at times was slipshod. Gwen Anderson topped the ca.st as the orphaned governess who owned the string of pearls that caused all the trouble, and scored with her thesping. John Van Dreelen made for a good heel, out to marry her only for her money, and Tonio Selwart registered strongly as the suave jewel expert, Anna Lee and Booth Coleman con- tributed fine work as a haughty British Tory couple, although Coleman^ caricatured his role at times. Maugham’s intro and closing re- marks on the series, incidentally, are now being carried on film, which was lensed shortly after his arrival in the U, S, Maggi Mc- Nellis continues to do a standout job as progranv hostess and the Tinta i r commercial s middle plug bn Gloria DeHa ven, in fact, probably on e^ef the most effective able, doubt" of and they must acquit. However, with only two minutes left on the airer, one of the judges -—acted admirably by Ivan Simp- son — at first \vas tantalizingly incoherent but finally pulled out the clincher: the defendant him- self hadn’t looked toward the door, and thereby betrayed his knowl- edge that the victim was dead. It was a neat piece of produc- tion by Jed Harris. Unfortunatelv,' stanza ran a bit too long and full cast credits weren’t screened. I Gilbert and Sullivan’s : eretta, “Trial By Jury,’’ ! sented by. “Nash Airflyte on CBS-TV Thursday made a pleasant offering. first op- was pre- Theatre" (30) and This is not one of the best in the G&S catalog, but it came over with a I feeling of gayety and, because it is I hot as familiar as the “Mikado" i or “H.M.S.: Pinafore," it had a ; frevSh appeal. As produced by Marc Daniels. ! “Triai” was short on plot, being ; merely the vocal antics in a court- ! room where a girl is suing her \ sweetheart for breach-of-promise. f But it made an amusing satire of I the British judicial system as the jurors swooned over Patricia- Mori- miles from center pf the blast— or a total damage area of nearly 200 square miles. Estimates of killed and wounded were given as well over 60,000 in the initial blast, to say nothing of the missing and dead unreported. Then followed instructions on procedure for those in the radioactive areas. Cameras then on a panel hold- ing a meeting which had taken place to prepare against an atomic attack. Meeting might have in- cluded Capt. Robert Burdon, Chief Drillmaster of the Louisville Fire Department, an expert on chemical .warfare; State Police Commis- sioner. Guthrie Crow'e; Neil Dal- ton, Louisville co-ordinator of Civilian Defense in WW 2, and Capt. Arthur E. Kimberling, Di- rector of Civil Defense Unit. Panel discussed first plans which might have been drawn to meet the pos- i sibility of an atom bomb attack. I Summing up, Dalton told the panoJ . its main job was to recommend to ' the city concrete steps to be taken , to prepare for an atomic bomb at- I tack. He used charts and a map to ! point up the discussion. French then came back pn screen to a.ssure viewers that an atom bomb' had not hit Louisville, and he hoped it never would, but summed up that to be forwarned is to be forearmed, and told some of the thipgs to do to help protect the citizen and his family. Technical data was compiled by Charles Johnson, , . , special art w'ork son, w'ho charmingly sang the role ; by . Willia^ White. Assisting in di of the plaintiff. Ralph Rig^s was ' action were Robert PH — l 1 • 1 . A ’J* ^ • t t ■ 4 M • m ^ d ^ _ .. _ delightful as the judge, in a man- ner reminiscent . of Bobbv Clark’s shenanigans on the bench, as: he w’oocd the jilted la.ss and finallv took her as his bride. Donald Clark Was neat as the fickle de- fendant W'ho would gladly “many 5 are good That ■ ' V i wuuju giauiy many film, j in tact, doel ! a. tunefui,.ll Pilkington and Michael London. First of a series, WHAS-TV will cany other .shows on the subject, going into detail on survival . under atomic attack: Peter Katz as scriptcr- director can take a bow- for . this one. Wied. if frothy, farce. As host-emcee 'wil- selling jobs on TV with its excel- ' integrated nicely lent dissolve work smopth prpduction. and genmalSr ; coincdic atmosphere. A!wa 5 's a sur^ bet to deliver taste- ful productions; of popular music favorites, Fred Waring has carried his reputation into television. Sunday’s (3) edition pf his CBS-TV shpw was one of the bet- ter segments In the series, which is to say it was tops for musical entertainment. Standout features of the show were two productions numbers, one of the folk spng, “Molly Malone" and the other a sequence of win- ter songs in one setting. Latter was one of the finest production jobs yet seen ort teevee. Based on an idea from “Pardon 'Our French sequence centered around a snowman set in a country back- ground, with snow falling and cov- ering the ground. Various mem- bers NBG’s “Your Show of Show's" maintains ah even level of enter- tainment. The mature comedy ; and sapient production provides a brand of entertainment, ihere s only one flaw. Discount- ing reprises of some top comedy spots from- previous stanzas, there’s a tendency to stick to the format ' so closely that a viewer frequently gets the idea he’s seen all this before. Teamirig of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca remains one of the bright spots In video* The duo, joint- ly and sejparately, can brighten up’ most any bit of comedy ma- terial. The exposition of cliches remains an amusing bit and their pantomime of an evening at home similarly hits a laugh jackpot. In- dividual comedy bits were reprises. Cae.sar did his by now familiar of the chorus and featured . . , A. '^4 ^ cast came out and sang numbers I the life of an Infant, while Merman, Miss Trunian, Swanson^ McBride Cited Ethel Merman, Gloria Swanson, i Mary Margaret McBride and Mar ! I garet Truman were named as “out- I standing women of the year" in their respective fields of legit, films, radio and music in the an nual Associated Pre. J poll of tJ. S* women newspaper editors. Author- ess Pearl S. Buck, was tabbed out- standing w p m a n iii the field pf literature for her article, “The Child Who Never Grew," dealing with her own daughter* Tennis star Gussie Moran was cited as the out- standing woman sports figure. Perle Mesta, American Minister to Luxembourg, was hamed “Wo- man of thje Year," Incidentally, the part played by Miss Merman in the current Broadway production of “Call Me Madam’’ is fashioned Following the announced ern living" theme, show' delved first into decorative and color pos- sibilities of food. A ham, complete witli fruit and vegetable trim- mings, was show'U, with brown- haired Jeanne Yarner handling the blurbs and adding eye interest. Baskets of fruit and vegetables separately displayed gave evidence of the authenpity of color and tex- ture, while gal’s pale green dress lent additional contrast. A suc^ cession of familiar household pack- ages— breakfa.st food, soaps,’^ and even the model’s package of ciga- rettes, suggested commercial pos- sibilities of tinted TV. A trek into the realm of “M’Lady" next gave opportunitj^ for an array of fabrics and fash- ions, again stressing texture im- proventent in the system, as well as fidelity of color. Mary Jane Hayes not only handled the com- mentary of this portion, but she, too, was part of the color pattern in costume and background. Windup accented the Christmas scene, again capitalizing on variety and effect of color in the displays. Beside the Yuletide wreaths and background motif. Bette Bradley displayed a series of bright toys, which showed up particularly well and appealingly on the screen. Michael appeared in this portion, doubling as model in a bright plaid jacket, and announcer. Musi- cal background throughout was gay and light, in keeping with the merry-go-round motif. Except for the absence of fast motion, show' offered variety in types apd color of objects, well de- signed to anticipate questions and to combat skepticism. Cdlorw'ise. results lived up ; to, narrator Michaersv promise of an “Adventure in Color." There can be no question that RCA has met its bw'rt challenge of improvement on seven basic points. The image seen Tuesday in ; the WNBW studios were brighter, , more . failh- ful in color, truer to life iri.tbxture, brighter and sharper, than in pa.st. Most marked improvement was in the reds and blues, thanks to the hew pho.splvers ih the tube. Reds were not only clearer, but the tinge cast by this strong coloiv has been noticably reduced. Receptiph was consistent with- out additional hahdlihg beyond the initial tuning in.‘ On the debit side, the green fringe which has plagued the RCA system is still apparent, thoffgh to less extent. Turning to the irieviUble com- parison with CBS color, It must be stated that the gap between the two systems has narrowed down to the point where absolutely ac- curate comparison cannot be made from 'memory, RCA color still seems to this reviewer to lack the warmth, and the effect of depth of the rival systeih. It all stacked up however, in production and col- or, as acceptable in any home. i» 3 -t* .K 4 ♦ # Jt * ir *.4 k #*1, 1 * 3,4 4 I « J iff ■mi Wednesday^ December 6* 1950 86 TELElTSlOX Wednesday^ December 1950 Tele Giatter ‘Horace Heidt Show” on (11) . , . Fall issue o£ Journalism Quarterly has piece on television news program by Prof. Harry Heath, Jr. . . . Ralph G. Allrud has ' joined staff of Blair-TV, Inc. as ac^ ; count exec'. I Elaine Ellis appears for the third CBS , time on the 'CBS “Sure as Fate” _ Ka/>ir i , 1 ^ j thi’ough Hext Sept. 24 , while dies- ! series, Dec. 12, Carl Frank direct- Melville Ruick, back m cnciila- [ repacted for its segment ing . . . Ethel Frank now writing tion after playing a chaplain in an ‘ of the same web’s “Godfrey and ; two scripts a month for the weekly Army film, turns killer in “Big Fi'iends^” Story” Dec. 8 . . . WOR-TV's sig N. Ray Kelly has been named , , . , , j 1 , • f business manager of the Wein- nal has_been picked up clearly in | agency’s radio-TV depart- Battle Creek, Mich. . . . ABG-TV has garnered renewals from Ron- son (“Twenty Questions”), Pharma- Craft and American Safety Razor (“Cbllege Bowl”) Ironrite (“Hplly- wood Screen Test”), Dodge (“Show- time, USA”) and Goodyear (“Paul Whiteman’O. Lawrence Tibbett is scheduled to do his first straight dramatic role, sans songs, in a skit On CBS’ “Ken - Murray Show” Dec, 16 . . „ Maurice MacMurray of CBS-TV N. Y. sales staff transferred to the Chicago office . . . Marge Morrow, former CBS casting director and recently partnered with Doris Sharpe in a talent agency, will open her own talent office about Jan. 1 to Cover TV, radio, films and legit . , . Du- Mont’s “Captain Video” now spot- lighted in a bi-monthly comic book, distributed by Fawcett Publications ... Actress Jan Musial added to the cast of the upcoming “Going Places with Betty Betz^V series, being packaged by Anderson, Davis & Platte fox’ one of its clients . , . WPIX has inherited NBC’s hold on the Village Barn, Greenwich Vil- lage nitery, and teed off a new series of pickups from the spot Monday night (4) . . . Buddy Lester packaging his own video show, af- ter seven consecutive guest shots bn NBC’s “Kate Smith ..Show ” It’s to be sold by General Artists Corp.~ , . . Phillip Morris renewed its ment. Kelly was with NBC for 20 years prior to joining Weintraub last May , . . NBC-TV Casting di- rector William I. Kaufman now working on the second edition of “Best TV Play s of the Y ear,” with Ellery Queen” series (DuMont), instead of just editing, as formerly, for producers Norman and Irving Pincus. ■ Hollywood First performer to nix a bid from Snader 'Telescriptions is the first slated fbr publication by [Ginny Simms. MCA decided her Merlin Press within a few weeks! * . . Paramount veepee Paul Raibourn scheduled to make the principal speech at the luncheon session of the Canadian TV conference tomorrow (Thurs) at Toronto’s Royal York hotel. His I subject Is “'TV Progress and Promise.” Indie packager Lester Lewis had options picked up by sponsors on all three of his current video shows, “Holl 5 "wood Screbn Test,” “Penthouse Party” and “Eloise Salutes the Stars.” “Screen Test,’ in addition, picked up seVen more ABC stations . • . Lawson Paynter, formerly Y^ith McCann-Erickson, joined the Erwin, Wasey agency’s video department . . . Music Corp. of America, as part of its heavy expansion Into TV, has named Bill Richman to head its daytime tele activities. Quentin Reynolds will play a newspaper editor on “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse’* Friday (8) . . . Comic Jack Gilford to do a lead role in the “Musical Comedy Time” pro- duction of “Hit the Deck” Monday Icj/iUcl StOH the long hioina ^ PULSE CONFIRMS! WHLI Has More listeners in Long Island’s Major Market Daytime Than 3 New York City Network Stations... More Than All 4 Leading New York City Independent Stations Put To- aether. appearance in the vidfilm brief ies might jeopardize future commit- ments . . . Arnold Mills set as as- sistant director on the A1 Jarvis show beamed over KLAC-TV 1 . . Harry Babbitt signed a five-year contract with KTJLA and will em- cee “Hollywood Opportunity” as first chore ... After 18 months on KLAC-TV, Kay Mulvey shifts to KTTV starting Monday (11) . . . First femme newscaster on coast television is Palma Shard, who bows on KFI-TV. To avoid look- ing at news copy, she will pre-re- cord her newscast. Then, with the aid of a hearing device, she’ll re- peat what she said on tape , . . KTTV has started operating on a hit-or-miss remote schedule Wed- nesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, opening up at 11:30. Statiou feels it will give directors and engineers more remote experi- ence in preparation for the sum- mer season when, it’s expecte'd, CBS will no longer be furnishing kinescopes and the station will be going in more heavily, for remote telecasting . . . James C. Pctrillo waived the usual 5% royalty fee ! to AFM for “The Joyful Hour,” ! Christmas vidfilm being made at I Jerry Fairbanks Productions for ' Yule use under Family Theatre sponsorship ... Telemount Pic- I tures signed Leslie Selander to di- irect 13 videoaters starring Russell “Lucky” Hayden. Series rolls Jan. ' 16, with each 30-minute film to cost between $8,000 and $ 10,000 . . . Harry Owens asked viewers to send In $I for a copy of “Song of the Sunset,” written by a leper, which Owens is publishing. He drew $1,700, all of which will go to the leper colony . . . KTLA pulled all but 600 seats out of its newly-acquired theatre and is in- stalling a camera runway down the center of the house . . . Coast is the greatest single user of film for ! television in the country, a total ; of 40 hours being beamed weekly by the^seven stations ... Roland Reed TV Productions, heretofore interested only in video conimer- cials, religious and commercial hlnis, will start rolling regular viclpix. Local Programming Establishes Domination I Data Source: fUlSE, N«vtmbtr. 1950 Monday through Fridoy 7 AM. to 4:30 P.M/ . Nompitood Town ’’THE VOICEOFION^SLAND^ WHII 1100 WHLI-FM on your dial A 98.3 MC Chicago* Universal Gas ■ Range dealers are dropping WGN-TV's cross-the- board “Stop the Record” day tinier to pick up 60-minute Sunday fea- ture film on WBKB, Dec. 10. I' raiin Weigle,. featured on the Record shoiv, moves over to WBKB to host the pix series . . pnie Simon’s “Simply Simon” half-hour on WENR-TV moves trom Thursday night slot to 7:30- 8 p.m. period on Mondays . , . Norman Ross is handling the chat- ter on WNBQ’s morning teeoff segment built around “Soundie” briefie films . . . A. Gettelman Brewing Co. has renewed WTMJ- TV, Milwaukee, Thursday night wrestling for 26 weeks . . . Over. 2,000,000 votes were cast during : Atlantic Brewing's year-long “Miss contest on WGN-TV with Shirley Saxby win-’ ning top honors among 435 con- testants ... Net assets of Tele- ; Vision-Electronics Fund, tele in- vestment firm, .increased from $2,781,000^ to $5>560,000 during I past year , , . Community Fund ■awards to Chi photogs were ; 2 }^^ yesterday (Tuesday) on I WENR-TV’s “Bob and Kay” tele- cast . . . As result of increased video activities, Entertainment Managers Assn, has organized a TV committee comprised of Jack Russell, Vic Brown and Jack Page . . . . ABC’s “Super Circus” slated for a four-page pix spread in January issue of Pageant . . . E. J. Brach & Soils, through J. Walter Thompson, renewed re-rUn series of Gene Autry vidpix on WENR- TV. Webs Seeking Agreement In Dispute With AT&T On Intercity Allocations Washington, Dec. 5. Following a pre-trial conference yesterday (4) with FCC examiner Hugh B. Hutchison, representatives j Of all four TV networks held a meeting here to explore the possi- bilities of working out an agree- ment in their dispute over inter- city allocations by the American Telephone & Telegrapli Co. Hear- ings are scheduled to begin next Monday (11) before Hutchinson on a complaint by DuMont that the telephone company gave prefer- ence to NBC and CBS in its cur- rent allocations. The nets are planning to hold further meetings in New York but it was considered doubtful that a compromise would be reached in time to ward off the hearings. How- ever, it’s possible they may ask for a postponement if prospects of working out a settlement appear favorable. It was agreed at the conference that AT&T would present its case first, if the hearings go on as planned. Baltimore, Dec, 5. For the first time the Federal Communications Commission has agreed to watch a television program as testimony in a hearing. Commission had asked officials of Johns Hopkins Unly. to testifir at its hearings On allocating TV channels for education. Hopkins toppers said the best testimony they could give on what educators can do, if given tele time and facilities, is the “Johns Hopkins Science Review” beamed on WAAM here, and invited the Com- missioners to view it. Three Commissioners were present at today’s (Tues.) hearing and . accepted the invitation to watch the “Science Review” tonighl. They said they’d ask other members of tho FCC to look in also. * ITS STILL OPEN HOUSE FOR COMICS ON NBC NBC producers Doug Coulter and Hal Friedman are continuing to line up guest comics for the Mon- d?»y and Wednesday night airings of “Broadway Open House.” George DeWitt, together with tlondos and Bratidow, will have their on-the-air audition for the show next Monday night (11), while the Slate Bros, are. to try out the following Wednesday. Jack E, Leonard also may get a crack at the spot. Comics are being tested to fill the role left vacant when Morey Amsterdam ankled the program several weeks ago. Decision is still pending on Mickey Deems and George Conley, who teamed for the show last week, and Wally Cox, Indicating that whichever comic finally draws the assignment will have new supporting talent, Coul- ter and Friedman have signed Bet- ty Ann Nyman, the Honey Dream- ers and Don Russell to back DeWitt and Condos and Brandow. Jerry Lester, of course, con- tinues with his present crew to hold down the Tuesday, Thursday and Friday airings . of “Open House.” Washington, Dec. 5. Television picture tubes are how being produced at the rate of over 10,000,000 a year, according to a report of the Radio-Teievision Manufacturers Assn. October tube sales to set makers, says RTMA, ex- ceeded 848,000 units, which com- pared with 764,913 tubes in Sep- tember.' The report declares that re- ceiver makers bought nearly 6,000,- 000 picture tubes during the first 10 months of 1950 and paid ap- proximately $150,000,000 for them, or an average of $25 each. • The tube purchases would indi- cate that the set makers have very little inventory, since production of sets during the lO-itionth period totaled 5,777,000, In recent months, set output has been greater than tube output, Approximately 92% of current lube production is 16 inches or larger. Detroit — Arthur McPhillips, as- sistant sales manager and traffic manager of WJR, has been pro- moted to sales service director. I He’ll direct the servicing of WJR sales accounts, super\dse station sales service men and continue su- pervision of the traffic depart- ment. Thaak Yaa - WMT Miami Beach, fla. from ^BARRY ‘Kay’s Kitchen’ Gets Pitt HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND, N.Y f.iAS 1. GODOFSKY Pres. Rtprtstnfod by RAMBUU San Antonio— -KEYL will add a sixth day of programming, starting next Monday (11 1 , and will become local exclusive outlet for ABC. Plans are being made to begin televising seven days per week and - to add to its operations by sched- I uling daytime programs. At pres- ent, KEYL presents daytime pro- grams on Thursday. as Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Katherine M. Neuman, former director of home economics depart- ! ment of KlVIBC in Kansas City, has ianded first cooking program on town’s lone vidv^o channel, Du- Mont-owned WDTV. Her show’s called “Kay’s Kitchen,” and it’s a Monday through Friday afternoon feature at 1:15 for half an hour. Since her sponsors are local Natural Gas (IJdmpanies, “Isay’s Kitchen” naturally stresses the ad- vantages of cooking by gas. Bob ' Holt 1 $ directing the program, and agency is Ketchum, MacLeod & Glove. In addition to four gas outfits, associated sponsors are Jo- seplr Horne Co. department store, .Meadowgold Dairies, Inc., Krey ' Paclang- Co. and Lohrey Pack mg Co. KAYE SHOW" Starting Its 2nd Year of Spinning Records 7-9:30 A.M. 11:15 P.M. to 1 A.M.* (Doily) *Sli6w toon to omanoto from Uoding Miomt Btoch club. ON TV DAIIY WTVJ 1 : 45 > 2:30 P.M. Ntw York RoprosontoHvo: PRED STEELE 1775 Broadway, New York Omaha— Tip Saggau, top sports announcer for WOW for the past five years, steps out this week to take a new place as adjutam and director of activities ^ for. the * Omaha Post, American Legion. u ® replaced temporaril; by Bill McBride. ‘ ' do UQu ^tunt BULL or do you tvunt . • * PUBLICtTV? Too many publicity outfits offer tcio many services In Place Of publicity. If you want newspaper and magazine space, dramatic ex- idoltation, and q personal l*uild-iip: If you want what |)ubliclty should be— -one ol Broadway's top press agents can now take on two non- ccunpotili VC accounts. Box V-800, Vorioty 154 W. 46tli Sf., New York 19 More Italianslisten to than aoy other New York Station (Network or Independent) In The Vital Selling Hours of 9 AM to 7 PM The Fall 1950 Pulse Shows... WOV’s average rating is 10.2, a 6% INCREASE over Fall 1949 —while the nearest competing station in the Italian field has on average rating of only 3.8, d DECREASE of 29%. *2,100,000 Italian-Amerkans Live and Buy in the Greater New York area. This dominance is firmly founded on WOV's unequalled Italian language program service— providing network quality entertainment and news coverage from studios both in New York and Rome, Italy... with the showmanship and drive that sell I 730 FIFTH AVL, NEW YORK 19 ROME STUDIOS: VIA di PORTA PINCIANA 4 NQtional Representalive: John E Pearson Co. TEUEVISlOrV P^RlSff DuMont Disclabns Status; Nasts Competitors’ DuMont network, after success- stock producer. DuMont also upped fully defending its hold on ‘;Caval-.: cade of Stars from a raiding at- ppogi-ain ehief of tlie Ambassador theatre, and Ralph Robbins to as- sistant to production facilities chief A1 Hollander. Continued from page 30 the nets because it had and the nets because it naa ex- pired on Oct. 31 and liad not yet been renewed. He pointed out that j works on Nov. 18 there were still points ' mise offer to SAG was designed so that TVA could eontinue to deal with agencies and nets while SAG would continue with studios it has under contract. Proposal, HeRer said, would permit SAG members to work in vidpix produced by net^ TVA has under contract without paying new dues or initia- Wednesday, December 6, 1950 PONTUC EXTENDS RUN OF ‘CAME’ FOUR WEEKS a tempt by ABC, gave notice to the trade this week that it no longer will sit back and be the industry’s “uglv duckling.” In an intcr-office ^ memo distributed this week to his stair. DuiMonl. network manager ; Chris J. Wilting, ' referring to the “Cavalcade” renewal , declared that. ^ •the web win. ‘•no longer tolerate improper competition but will em- bark immediately on energetic and well-planned counter measures that v.ill ensure DuMont its right- j ful piave in the TV network pic- ! tUre.” ■ • j While Witting kVid not identify ; ABC in his memo; ■ It’s no secret , that that’s the web to which he re-'! ferred. He also didn’t elaborate on ' his charge of ‘‘improper competi- tion . ” A B C repo r t e d 1 y o ITe red. th e stations some kind of a deal but couldn't swing it because the sta- tions were already committed tO DuMont for the time slot. With- its “Pu'itzcr Prize Playhouse” now aired Friday nights from 9 to 10, ABC hoped that it could sew up the Friday night video audience by adding ‘■Cayalcade” from 10 to 11. According to Witting, DuMont •‘will fight, and : we have men, money and, materiel to make our success a . certainty;” In line with that, DuMont this week announced the pacting of Ted llammerstein Edward Dimond and Charles Fai- sons to join Dave Schooler .as exec producers, to work with program chief James L, Caddigan. With the four naw staffers. DuMont is in- - c.cpting a Unit system of produc-,^ tion. under" which each is to super- , vise a group of regularly-scheduled ' sliows. ! Hammerstein was stage manager j of Michael Todd’s current Broad- way logiter, ‘‘Peep Show” and; Jiave ^hooler. former midwest ^ and . eastern talent scout for War^ ners and supervisor of USO-Camp ■ Shows’ musicals during the war, was last musical conductor at the ! Broadway Strand. Dimond was also a Broadway, stage manager and ; Parsons was an actor and summer i WDTV’s Stalled by Pitt Of DepL Store Driyers of disagreement betwen the union and some chains. ‘‘Therefore, to indicate to members that there wa.s in existence a code, or any definite agreement between AFHA and the networks, was. I believe, misleading,’’ , Reel wrote. Reel added tj^at although the lion fees. TVA members would have the sanie right in vidpix made by studios covered by SAG. Plan also envisaged joint SAG-TVA ne- gotiations for terms in vidpix, Coinpromise, Heller said, would have speeded up protection of all performers and incorporation of ! Pontiac has extended the run of its ‘‘All-American Game of the Week” for four more weeks on ABC-TV, carrying the stanza through Jan. 2, when a condensa- tion of the Easti- West ganie vyill be beamed. Series, originally skedded to run 1 1 weeks, has’ a time-and-talent nut of $12*000 .weekly, backed by an- other $12,000 weekly for newspa- per ads ballyhooing the airer. Show,, which presents film high- union had considered passing no ^ ; lights of a top grid contest each -ruling bn the TVA situation, and webs,^ \vitlmut dencthy ^ ^ ! 1. .11-- i-u-, : NLRB nrocedures. He also said ■ x . .7 * Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. " WDTV’s biggest time’ sale; to . Giiiibcl Bros., since going . live mid- dle of last month has yet to pay off, because of tbe drivers’ strike at ' three downtown, department stores. | First account to lake an hour-long, across-the-bpard stretch Monday .i through Friday. Gimbels had; planned to launch its teevee audi- ence participation show from the ; studio of Channel 3 last week (27 1. ’ but was forced to put back the; preem until the walkout is over. leaving, the inalter to.the members individual discretion, this course was rejected “precisely because such action vvould not haVo afford- ed protection to pur members wild are under contract; that could onlS^ be given them by a definite rule.” Opinion on the rhle had been divided in New Ypi:k before the Nov. 18 meeting, afid a proposal that only Gotham members be in- structed to respect the picketlines had been mulled. One of the rea- sons why those N. Y, board mem- bers opposed . to respecting the lines changed their minds. Reel said, is that they learned that stagehands, teamsters, technicians NLRB procedures; He also said that the re-Use restrictions oil ki- nescope recordings, part of the TVA code, would have been par- alleled by a similar restriction pro- tecting film in the same way. It \vas argued that the re-use prin- ciple would also help SAG in its upcoming bargaining with studios. TVA Chief declared its members insist on having all their prob- lems with their employers eovered in one contract and added he still hopes an agreement can be work- ed out if “personalities will be cast aside and both parties work i for *^110 good of all performers.” That is-due to the fact that the ! ^including radio as well as ^video) store is going to supply all of its own props, . chiefly items for . sale to be displayed, and can’t get them from Gimbels a block away to the Chamber of Commerce building, where WDTV is located, without the help of the trucking boys, who have been on the picket line now since Nov. 20. y ; . Gimbels- program will be prp- ! duced by Herb Davi.s, of the Enders I agency,- and its unlooked-for delay has scrambled WDTV’s daytime : programming plenty for the time N. Y. cm VIBPIC UNIT and other fcrafts were going to honor the lines. Reel stressed that TV head George Heller and counsel Henry ! Jaffe. appearing before the AFRA I board, specifically stated that TVA j was not requesting its linos be re- : sp.ected. Afraris who supported ; TVA, Reel said, did so “in the in- ; terests of AFRA members and in ■ their future well being ” Board members in the east, who do or expect to do considerable ! TV v'ork, may “feel differently.' about this matter than members in 1 L. A., where live television orig- ! inations are few,” Reel wrote, i “During these years of television j . transition siich differences must be [ ^^Smn recognized and an attempt made to ; ^ resulting in TVA Rates Continued from page Four cameras are used— two in tile stands, one bn the field and one slow-motion. Program involves a complex pro- cessing setup. With the game be- ing played on Saturday, 45 prints ! have to be completed and deliv- ered by Tuesday at 8 p. m., when ABC-TV beams the show to 10 live stations. PfOgram i&'baiTied on a delayed basis Tuesday or Wednes- day by 44 other outlets, Grew shoots 10,000 feet of film, which is rushed to the Atlas Film Corp. in Chi for processing, edit- ing, printing and dubbing in narra- tion. First prints are shipped out Monday morning. Agency is Mc- Manus, Johns & Adams. Coorler.y of M-C-M Now appearing with DONALD O'CONNOR in ‘'YHE MILKMAN" (UniversaUInternational) Managemeht WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY New York City television and film unit has wrapped Up two more vidpix. They are ‘‘A Home for Baby,” . dealing with the Welfare Dept.’s foster parents program, narrated by Jinx Falkenburg; and “Library on Wheels.” covering the public library’s bookmobile, with narration by WLIB’s Murray Jor- ; dan. ' Unit, headed by Clifford Evans, ' has finished shooting “Water,” a five-reeler telling the 8(017 of the 1 city’s water supply. Editing has ' just started. | “For the Living.’’ Fredric March- ! narrated feature, In addition to ' being screened on Gotham tele stations, has been showm by thea- J tres in various parts of the U. S. and in Canada, Italy* Great Brit ain, Sweden and Japan. prevent them from misunderstanding.” a service to the industry by con- tinuing 'negotiations after the other webs broke off. When the others came back at 4 aun., Nov. 19, they were ready to sign anything. What they signed, however, was a docu- ment that was acceptable to NBC and to the Whole industry. It would have been a much stiffer settlement if NBC hadn’t continued bargain- ing.” Some agencies take the position that NBC was at error in agreeing to the per-insert clause in the first arguing that while NBC pay the commercial fees the advertisers will. NBC Lutheran Hour Goes TV From KSD in St. Louis St, Louis, Dec. 5. The Lutheran International Hour, originating from KFUO, Concordia Seminary. St. Louis County, has launched a TV pro- gram from KSD-TV, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch station. The first of six programs for the edrrent sea- son. on Thanksgiving Day, was piped to 20 other TV stations. Other programs will be aired at Christmas arid Easter. The initial program featured an address by Dr. John W. Behnken, continued from pa^e 31 i ot tlic Luthemn Church^ I Mi.ssouri Synod and a chorus from the Concordia Collegiate Institute, (51 that it had originally told TVA, ' and still feels, that unless the per- • insert rule is modified or interpret- ; ed in a looser way it “can be harm- ful to both the union and manage- ’ ment.” Bronxville, N. Y. The regular Lutheran Hour announcer, Rev. Elmer Knoerschild, was in charge of the program. Gene King Continued from p.ige 29 ( Still “ought to be enough to balance ' their judgment.” j “We’re still hoping tliat reason I and justice will triumph,”, he as- serted. Gen. SarnofU said he thought the public should be given , . , „ , a chance to see the RCA system, j BBC, will han- but added that no public demon- ; I strations are now being planned. i _, -Fhanksgiving. Betsy King, He estimated it would lake a year ^*\V*Shter, who has been, to get into quantity production. j spinning kid disks at the staUonfor The company displayed a variety , than_ two years each Sunday of sets, all using IJ^ o-inch tri-'a n^- on her ‘ Let s .Have Fun ’ I color tubes. Larger tubes. SarnofT i sliow, played, an ET vnth greetings : ADVERTISEMENT Schenectady— Gordon Tuell is a new director at WRGB-TV in Schenectady. He comes from Se- attle, Wash. i! im iir&fitaWe itilmg said, would be easier to make. Dr. Jolliffe was unable to say when the tubes can be made avail- able to licensees. Those shown, he said, were all hand-made and con- tain 600,000 color dots on the face, or twice the number on previous tubes shown. f' Philly Squawks Continued from page 30 WDELTV WILMINGTON DELAWARE WeAL*TV LANCASTER STEINMAN STATIONS Clair R, McCollough, General Manager ft0pr»i0nt9J ky ROBERT MEEKER ASSOCIATES 4 Chicago < San Francisco Hew York Ldi Angeles I greatly increased* except for the i heavy buying occasioned by the Korean war, and the rush to get sets before the Government credit regulations went into effect. The Christmas boom has been another factor in putting fresh coin in the hands of these “risky and financial- ly unstable” contractors. These re- sulted in a temporary respite, but the real “showdown” can be ex- pected after the holidays> he warned. 'Principal complaints of . set own- ers are having to wait eight or 10 weeks for replacement parts which they were told they needed; not having ; Service calls answered at all; others were told to vCnd their sets hack to the manufacturer as the instrument were beyond re- pair; service policies , have been shifted from one firm to another without the holders being notified, and there were also many com- plaints over the wording of poli- cies. from the British kids, ^or the American contribution, King took an engineer and production man to Betsy’s school, and her entire class participated in a program of Thanksgiving songs and greetings which were recorded and later played by the BBC. Now Miss King is out to lend another helping hand by repre- senting all American kids at Christmas time on the BBC. For the first time, an American young- ster will read the classic story of Dicker’s, Christmas Carol, and this will be broadcast over the entire network of the BBC. SAG-TVA 5 CANDIDATES FOR Hollywood. Dec. 5. • [ Five candidates have been nomi- ! nated for the presidency of Acad- ' emy of Television Arts and Sci- j ences to succeed Sid Cassyd, whose ; term expires Dec: ‘31. Ballots for ' the election now are in the mail ! and results will be announced at ' the Dec. 19 meeting of the Acad- ' eniy. : ,■■ . "i Nominees for president are Mike • Stokey, Freeman Lusk. James T. ! Vandiveer, Klaus Landsberg ahd Robert Brown. H; L. Hoffman. Frank Wisbar, Hal Roach, Jr., and Don Lauritzen are competing for the vice-presidency; Betty Mears, i Jon Slolt, Dick Lane, and Dori I Balli for secretary; and Fred i Henry, Robert Guggenheim and Mark Finley, for treasurer. . ICoverNewlib MENS CLOTHIER GiMyson .Many visU(u\s to my new shop asli Nvhothor I'm. ilie same Ca'ay- son formerly on J'’il’Lh Avo. around the oornei'. Yes, .Kcntle- nien, the same Grayson. A Jiiile older, porhaps. A little wiser, 1 llOJU‘ . . I offer the same tastefully de- signed clothing, bill at a sub- stantial saving at 20% or more . . . Tha.t’s beoauFK' I pay less rent for my 2nd floor elevator loetUion... ami I'm reeoneilod to making a smaller i)i-olU. (So. i'll be a millionaire a year later!) Tnsi(‘ad of payin.c,- G-l for my (Iriiyson CJi-ad, . yon pa>' me only $49.50, saving almost 15 biK'ks: it's a 3-ljutton suit with natural slmiibh'r, soft-co'nsl r\U'tlon, cen- icr-vent . . . Harris Tsveed. I'Miinnel. or .Worsted. ITajipy to see you, Hoiirs: 9. t o 6 T'morrow (Thurs) to 9 Closed Saturdays CR/iyso n 18 East ^6 St. --2(1 Floor and nets scales. Continued from page 31 with two separate wage Heller States TVA Case . In N: Y. TVA exec secretary XJeorge HeHer $ai Wednesday, December 6, 1950 New TVA Scale Puts kal Fix Set COAST TVA LOCAL RADIO-TELEVleSlOIV Coast Originations For 10 Top Tele Markets OKAYS STRIKE VOTE U A11 I Aral Racic « Chicago, Dec- 5. Hollywood, Dec, 5. Ull liUl/ q ctr'iVa trrtfo I'f CIRCLING THE KILOCYCLES Hollywood, Dec. 5. Increased budgets caused by the new TVA pact has resulted in can- cellation by ABC of three locally- originated network shows. LAy- 1 outs will be beamed for local audi- | ences only. j Net officials pointed out That the i shows* 'Teloz and Yolanda Pre- 1 sents . . “Sandy Dreams’' and i “Soap Box Theatre,” have been laying out approximately $400 weekly. Cost on each would jump to between $1,200 and $2,000 un - 1 der the new pact, a figure deemed too high to attract sponsor inter-' cst. Latter two shows use about 15 juveniles each on each layout and have been paying $15 to $25 to each of the new performers. New pact would boost the pay scale to $125 if the shows re- 1 mained on a netw'ork basis, ' “The Buggies,” packaged by Bob Raisbeck for eastern distribution, ; will continue to be kinescoped, the j budget jumping only a matter of , about $1,200 from approximately $2,000 to $3,200 per frame. READT ‘JOYFUL HOUR’ , FOR ALL TV STATIONS i Hollywood, Dee. 5. i Every telestation in the country : i.s expected to use “The Joyful j Hour,” hour-long video film being ' produced by Rev. Patrick Peyton at Jerry Fairbanks Studios for Christmas lensing. Rev. Peyton made “The Triumphant Hour,” first 60-minute vidshow which all major ; networks beamed last Easter. j Cast for “Hour” hasn’t been set, but Don Ameche, Ann Blyth, Pat O'Brien, Ruth Hussey and Jane Wyatt, who appeared in the first film, are expected to repeat. ‘In “Triumphant Hour” they merely made appearances. This time, they’ll act, with Frank McDonald directing. Color Issue, Credit No Deterrents in Chi Sales Chicago, Dec. 5. Neither confusion over color nor imposition of credit buying restric- tions were reflected in Chi-area tele set sales which continued at record pace during October. Re- ceiver sales during the month totaled 57,990 for the highest figure hit to date. October sales brought the Chi tele set circulation to 731.407, ac- cording to monthly Electric Assn, survey. Layton as Nasht Sales Rep for ‘Paris’ Vidpix Jerry Layton Associates has been Inked by John Nasht Productions as sales rep for “Holiday in Paris,” vidpic series-^lensed on the Conti- nent with Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Las Gompagnons de la Chanson and Dolores Gray. Nasht has finished 13 of the pix and is readying another series of 13. Move marks the initial effort by Layton since his partnership with Wilburk Stark was dissolved. Bar Sets From Busses Washington, Dec. 5. Potential danger of television in highway travel received Federal at- tention last week when the Inter- state Commerce Commission pro- posed to bar sets froni the driver’s view in interstate busses and trucks. Under a recommended re- vision of highway saftety rules, which would take effect early next year, TV sets in such vehicles would have to be located behind the driver and beyond his view. Many states and cities have, al- ready adopted regulations which prohibit installation of sets in automobiles. In most cases the I’e- striction applies to installation on the dashboard but some ordinances ^ay nothing about location. Pittsburgh — - Demetria fJimic) Spanos, who headed publicity de- partment of indie station WWSW couple of years ago, has returned to her home; town to join staff of WDTV, the lone teevee channel here. For the moment .she’s shut- tling between programming and sale.s, with a permanent berth ,i.n.the makiiig. Chicago, Dec. 5. Kaufman & Associates, Chi ad agency, pacted with. Snader 't’ele- scriptions last week for exclusive package rights to the company’s briefie musical films in 10 top tele markets. Agency plans to package the three-and a-half-minute films in flexible formats of varying lengths. Kaufman will pitch them to adver- tisers directly but will also make them available to other agencies and stations. Over 200 of the shortie pix made especially for video are ready for distribution, with another 200 scheduled. Agency’s rights Include N. Y., Chi, Philadelphia and Detroit. WIS Plans TV Station Greensboro, N. G., Dec. 5. WIS at Columbia, S. G,, has an- nounced plans to build a lOO-kilo- watt terevision station, the first in Central South Carolina. WIS is Operated by the Broad- casting Co. of the South, which also owns and operates WSPA iri Spartanburg, and WIST in Char- lotte, N. C. Hollywood, Dec, 5. Authorization for a strike vote if further negotiation difficulties are encountered was given Television Authority at a local membership meeting which also ratified terms of the TVA network pact. Meet - 1 ing expressed the sentiment that ' local stations are stalling unneces- sarily and that negotiations must ; get under way immediately. i Three local stations, KTTV, KFI-TV and KLAC-TV, have re- I fus€|d to negotiate until TVA gets certification from the National La- ; bor Relations Board. Harrison I Dunham, KTTV general manager, ' declared that only 10% of the thesps at. his station are TVA | members and more than 80% aren’t even aware of the organiza- tion. Ciiiciiinati— -6. R. “Jim” Bellamy ! has returned to the radio-TV field I I here a member of the WKRC-TV j I sales staff. He was with a Pitts- j { burgh station after being associ- : 1 ated with Clncy stations several • I years ago and came back to this ! I city for. partnership in a retail! I appliance firm, which interests he 'sold. . ' St. Louis — KXOK last week ex- tended its broadcasting operations but starting at 5:30 a.m. instead of 30 minutes later. The station leads off with Charles Stookey’s “Town and Country” program which has been extended to 2}^ hours with a 15 minute new’s break at 7:30 a m. Harlingen ,Tex. — Harbenito Broadcasting Co. here is changing frequency of KGBS from 1240 to 850 kilocycles and increasing power from 250 watts to 5,000 watts unlimited time/ Outlet is owned and opierated by McHenry Tichenor^ Houston — Gene O’Bannon has been named news editor for KLEE here. -returning to the city after an absence of six months. O’Bannon came here in. 1947 from WMAQ, Chicago. Montreal— The Canadian Broad- casting C 0 r p . ’ s “Opportunity Knocks” returns to Montreal, Dec. 18 and will be aired from the stage of the Imperial Theatre each Monday night at 8:30 over the Dominion network. Director-con- ductor John Adaskin will continue ! to emcee show with Lamont Tilden doing the gabbing. Beaumont, Tex.-r-Mari on (“Tex”) Durham has joined the staff of ; KRIC and will be featured on “Hillbilly Jubilee,” He was for*- I merJy with the Blue Danube Net-^ 'work in Europe while in the arhied services. Atlantic City, N; J. — Nov. 29 is- sue of Variety erratumed that “WFPG, Mutual outlet, was off the air” due to the big storm. WMID is the Mutual affiliate which was off. St. Louis-KMOX, local CBS out- let, is again jointly sponsorin" the Salvation Army’s Tree of Lights campaign at a prominent down- town intersection. A huge Xmas tree is festooned with electric lights one of which is illuminated every time donations reach $100. Cleveland — Way ri e Johnson, formerly Sohio news voice, WTAM, now has a Carling five-minute, Monday-thru-Friday 5:55 p.m. news spot on WERE, v.r.v .’i.C.; "/A i J giVM'y ^ ferity f<»; i % I Mi a^Dio Pk^lETT WeAiestlay, December 6, 1950 Radio Reviews Continued from page 28 ties important in their fields or by ^judged by an applause nveter, with lies luipvit p^,| 2 es given .in accordance nersoTi.s who have an entertaining ; prize.s given , in accoraance with | Sr j the rating garnered. On precm j Fpr the time-change inaugural, ; Saturday l2), contestants included i Miss Dcttinger’s show with an exceedingly and con probe of modern by Nelle Fisher and Jerr>' Ross aiso went over sockp and Mar- guerite Piazza scored solidly with . heiv rendition of “Musetta's Waltz." i A vocal highlight was Jack Russell and choir in a prayer meeting set- ting of “David and Goliath." The Hamilton Trio hit itwell wdth a flapper era dance. ’ The preceding Jack Carter concentrated heavily Inside Stuff President Truman on Monday (4) accepted the first copy of a “Voice of Freedom" record album, Album consists of one 12-inch, long-play* ing i>ecord which highlights voices of great Americans, commencing with a 1901 talk on Philippine freedom by William Jennings Bi’yan. Others on the platter are President William Howard Taft, Thomas A, Edison, Adm. Robert E. Perry, discoverer of the North Pole; Theodore art In one comer was Frederic Taubes, art critic, arti.st and author, while his adversary was George L. K. Morris, al.so an artist who heads an organization . known as the American Ab.stract Artists. Opinions of the guests often were at such sharp variance that Miss Dettinger was hard pressed ; w oman who to get a word in edgewise. To i one with such queries as “do you he did to the tune of “Tea Two." Also heard w’as a five-year- old kid reciting “When My Father Carves a Duck"; an aircraft^ parts came up ^ a vouth who yearned to play musie j ^wJehes with nIuicv’ Andrews as I Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Amelia Earhart, Will Rogers, Franklin D. spirited pro I on his grandfather’s teeth, 'vhich l j, uiaior Outsider on the show\ j Roosevelt and President Truman. Narration bridges are by Robert R. Tw v,« rua tnup of “Tcm io^* i qii this type format lies w-itii ' iMur YiAoia+m* ' the fact that Carter plays Garter, ' no matter whether it’s Napoleon 1 or an underw'oiid character he s ' portrayingi With Miss Andrew's, ’ he did a sketch on the home life : of a burglar. Napoleon and i ' Josephine and they sounded pretty | finH <:omP- ' nuich alike. There w'ere some ; \\ anted to Hnd som e j scenes J to conveise generaily the sketches weren’t , too bright ‘ and the enactments . were on a .iohnny-one-note level. in.spector giving his description of a horse race, a guy married to a former femme Marine telling how he had to rehabilitate his w'ife w'ho had outranked him in sex’vice; a , to find some- Whom: to converse believe j German and another who w:asn’t Oh modem ail reflects pur limes?" speaking terms with her husband, Taubes gave an annoyed brushoff. : an extravagant Scot. “That’s sheer nonsense.’’ he said, ! Film actress Marjorie L;oid ■'^‘an empty phrase tossed around ; guested on the show', paiticipating by dilettantes ; . a reconeiliation sequence be- Eyen Morris, who managed to tw een the Scotsman and his wile retain his composure de, spite: ; which fOUoU'ed an obvious pattern Taubes’ excited verbal barbs, ad- that had her plaj mitted near the close of the pro- , Stewart handles gram that ”it s hard to say w^hat ■ and authority. McCormick, NBC commentator. Presentation was made by Df. John Steelihan, assistant to Mr. Trii* man, and William R. Me Andrew, manager of the NBC radio and TV stations in Washington, “Voices of Freedom" was produced by Sol Panitz and is released for publiG sale by Educational SeiTices of Wash- ingtom 'y modern art is." While the discus- sion Was an interesting one, most listeners couldn’t have been much enlightened on the issues, A re- turn match is in order. . On the basis of Monday’s ses- sion, Miss Dettinger has a format with fascinating possibilities. How- ever. the quality of the program ing up to the guy; stanza with ease Gros; INSIDE PHILADELPHIA With Jerry Warren; announcer, John Franklin 15 Mins.; Fri., 10:45 p.m. LAND TITLE BANK & TRUST ■ ■ CO. ' ■ • ' KYW. Phila. Togged out as a column of the obviously will tend to vary depend- • air/ “Inside Philadelphia" features ing upon the guests available, j locally slanted items, with sports Withal, she has. a friendly de- ; and internatiohal new's added, and meanor and probably could keep “Faith for Today," half-hour re- ligious program bankrolled by the Seventh Day: Adyentists on WJZ- T V joined the ABC net Sunday ^ .(3» via kinescope in five other key . cities in the east atid midwest. On ; the ABC flagship since last May, ! the stanza retains its basic format I of acquainting the public with the , ■ value of the Bible. Sunday’s program was built around a recalcitrant father who thought that religion takes aw^ay " one’s liberty. His attitude brought him into sharp conflict W'ife- w'ho had no such Cleveland Plain Dealer’s 21st annual poll has been copped by CBS* Arthur Godfrey, who won in the favorite program, favorite entertainer and best variety show categories; Other victors were; Lowell Thomas/ best network news; Bill Thompson, WTAM, best local news; “Sus- pense," best mystery; “Firestone Hour," best musical program; “Lux Radio Theatre/' best dramatic program; “The Ohio Stoi'y," WTAM, best Cleveland program; Guy Lonvbardo. bert orch; Bill Randle, WERE, best disk jock; Jimmy Dudley, WERE, best sports announcer; and “Faii*y Tale Theatre," WGAR, best juvenile show'. Review Of “Ford Theatre of Canada" in NoV. 22 issue of Variety stated that the series is carried on “48 stations of the Canadian Broad- casting Corp." Actually; airer is Carried by the Dominion network of the maintains an^opon mind as to Ty, i as do the majority of major league owners. Chicago Cub officials in- ' sist TV will help basebali in: the i long run, but they are alone as yet. . In the face of redrihk splattered ledgers of their “farm’’ elub af- dropped $5 - ■ 000,000_ in operating minor league ’ readying its North Side plant for i clubs in 1950, the big leaguers ; video operations. Being offered for i. ^fiep^d the wait-and-see poi trol tlie distribution of TV and ra- dio, xvitli each major league club confining its broadcasts xvithih its own state." Chicago, Dec. 5. At least a partial solution of the troublesome space and facilities problems facing Chi tele stations is being pitched at station execs and packagers by the American Television Productions, Ihc. New organization, an adjunct of U. A. Sanabria’s American Television en- gineering school and manufactur- ing outfit,' is set up to rent out fully equipped studios for rehears- als, closed circuit auditions or acr tual telecasting. Harold Stokes, ormer Chi ABC program director, is general man- ager and executive director of the service organization, whieh is also developing its own tele packages. ATP has shelled out $500,000 Dec. 14 7:45 P.M. MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER Hotus Focuses on the FAYE EMERSON SHOW Records Personal Appearances for am '<>•■ TV "SUNDAY SERENADE" "SO YOU WANT TO LEAD A BAND" Pers. Mgt. DAVID 407 5th Ave., KRENCEL, N. Y. rental are two studios, one 40x60. feet, and the other 25X57, equipped with cameras and lighting. On the packaging side, Sto.kes has worked out 26 half-hour seg- ments, complete with seats, of a tele series built around the ex- ploits of Josepli (Yelloxv Kid i Weil; ex-pon man. Scheduled to be put ! before the icy, nieanxv bile moving to wring ex'ery cent possible from the TV sponsor. i ” The Paciflc eoa.st league, for ' another example, tlirealcns a ban on teteca.sts unless .TV interests come Up with "an agreeable finan- i cial offer.”, eiark Griffith, the sole ' major league official up froifi the ' ranks of player W'ho operates' pre- camera , next week is , . the first of a projected series of ! as an independent with- 30-minute boxing films tailored wealthy partners, has doubled specifit-ally for teevee. Reels xvill j the TV price-tag for 1951~to be shot in the Rainbo Arena, using ; 3 sum, he says, required amateur boxers. Fix'e briefie elimi- i offset concession losses from nation bouts xvill be fought during declined attendance, the half-hour film, xvitli the four' But, baseball is not unaware of losers taking on the xvinner for a . the $800,000 received for televising “battle royal" windup. jthe world series, of lOSO-^a pipeline Save 50% on Your f^cording Tape MO Ft. Reel. $1 .45; 1 20p Ft.. $L95 postasie prepaid oh checks or M. O, yo.ur charge COD , orders.. ACME ^8 jay SI.. Brooklyn/ N. Y. Top Comedy TV Show tooking for New, Untried Writers to Augrrient Its Staff Box V-7324, Variety. 154 W. 44lh Si., New York 19. N. Y, W euiiCDUwy^ Lrt:u«:iiiucr u, Inside Stuff— Television The Evangelist, official weekly of the Albany Catholic Diocese and for years outspoken in its comments on radio and motion pictures, declared in an editorial Friday (1) that “an inci'easing percentage of television shows tend to vulgarity and immodesty.” It added: “Unless the producers of television shows quickly evidence an awareness of their responsibility to intelligent and decent-minded people, there is reason to believe that some sort Of censorship will be invoked. Many TV programs are of the highest calibre. Much of the slapstick comedy is innocuous. But an increasing percentage of the shows- tend to vul- garity and immodesty.” Pointing out that television “enters the privacy of millions of Amer- ican homes,” The Evangelist urged that “care should be exercised to present a type of entertainment that is suitable and worthwhile for the ever-increasing numbers of children and adults who are video fans. It will be. of small satisfaction to the TV industry if its sustaining audi- ence is limited to those unfortunates who are Confined to mental insti- tutions.” (The editorial referred to the recent observation by a mental hospital superintendent , who praised TV as an aid to the mentally deranged.) UBIETY RADIO 41 DuMont television, as the only network to carry Secretary of State Dean Acheson’s report to the nation last Wednesday night <29), suc- ceeded in snaring 27 stations which had been committed to the three competing webs for commercial shows. DuMont had “Famous Jury Trials” scheduled for the 9 to 9:30 slot that night, sponsored by Ghev- rolet, with the show being carried by only two stations. Web moved it back into the 8:30 to 9 slot, which had previously aired a sustaining film .show, in order to scan the Acheson speech and, in the process, picked up a 29-station hookup for Acheson. Remaining 27 outiets were snared on a fairly even basis from NBC’s “Kraft Theatre,” CBS’ “Somerset Maugham Theatre” and ABC’s “Don McNeill ShOw.” Web also paid the full cable costs to the outlying stations, .with the stations themselves presumably giving their regular sponsors a credit charge for the pre-empted time,. Other three webs offered as an excuse for their not carrying Acheson the fact that they had received an advance text of the speech and believed that it wasn’t of sufficient importance to warrant their pre-empting their bankrollei-s’ time. They covered, it in their regular newscasts later that same ■evening.'. ^ Urged to Use U.S. Video To Hypo Trade Influx Ottawa, Dec. 5. Use Of U. S. television In Can- ada’s national and provincial tour- ist programs was urged at the an- nual federal-proVincial tourist in- dustry sessioiis here, Leo Dolan, director , of the Canadian Govern- ment Travel Bureau, told the con- ference of plans for his bureau to pact for S. video space and urged tile provinciail bureaus to do the same. Dolan g- ve no details of the proposed video role in the Canada tourist promotion layout, but did refer to the providing of free 16m films tO TV south of the border, where they were aired lyithout cort, over the' past several years, not as direct advertisements but as travelogs, backgrounds, etc. Proposals for the next year call for paid TV time. Dolan told the conference of the success reported on a similar ven- ture by N. Y. State last year and pointed out the benefits of placing Canada’s tourist attractions before potential visitors by means of TV; Don Mulhollartd, executive pro- ducer, and W. Arthur Irwin, Cana- dian government film commission- er, both of the National Film ■ Board, spoke oh films for video and the use of Canadian films in the- atres and 16m outlets. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has -accepted HCA prexy Frank M- Folsom’s proposal to award the David Sarnoff Gold Medal annually to the engineer making the most outstanding contribution to TV. Award is named for the RCA board chairman and, according to SMPTE prez Earl I. Sppriable, will be presented at the society’s annual fail meeting for work in some technical phase of video, either in research, development, design^ manufacture or operation, or in theatre TV. ^ ■ Award will be the counterpart to the society’s Samuel L. Warner memoriai award, established by WamerS several years ago for oiit- standing contributions in motion picture sound engineering. In addi- tion to the gold medal, the Sarnoff award will include a bronze replica and a citation. Recipient is to be selected by a special committee, which will be appointed each year. Hollywood, Dec. 5. Production of feature - length films for initial release to theatres and subsequent television use is being mulled by a new'iy-fbrmed syndicate of 12 newspaper-owned television stations. Group expects to go into operation next year, with a definite schedule of five program series solely for tele- visibn, but details of the projected theatre-and-teleyision films still re- main to be worked out. Corporation, represented locally by KTTV, has already had pre- liminary talks with independent film producers Robert Lippert and Joe Justman concernirig the feasi- bility of making films for $40,600 to $50,000. They would be screened in major cities oiiiy, the syndi- cate believing that negative costs could thus be recouped. When the break-even point is reached, the films would be made available to member stations. Producers ; would participate in the profits on a 50-50 basis. Plans for syndicate’s own pro- duction of the television series in- volve an operation patterned after that of the major film studios. Syn- dicate will finance the entire series Itself and also plans to ink thesps to the standard sevemyear con- tracts. Series, which the syndicate is un- able to ' film itself will be farmed out, deals already havirig been set- tled with Roland Reed TV Pro- ductions, Consolidated Television Productions, Jerry Fairbanks Pro- ductions and Hal Roach, Jr. Out- side producers will either work on a cost-plus basis or make the films in return for a percentage of the profits with the syndicate footing all costs. : Williams Leasing 26 Hollywood, Pec, 5. ' U. S. Television rights to 26 new British pictures have been ac-^ quired by Renee Williams, who will distribute them under the. banner of Williams Productlonsv’ Pix will be leased oh a flat, fee basis, depending upon the ske of the individual markets iriyolved. None of the filnis have ever been seen here but some have been shown in British theatres. Walter Klinger, ' formey tele chief of the Paul Kohnbr Agency, is associated with Williams in the new outfit. CBS comic Alan Young, contrary to trade reports, will not switch origination of his television program from L. A. to N.Y. Young; who was in N.Y' over the Weekend for huddles with execs of Esso, Which bankrolls his show in the east, declared that his sponsors are well satisfied with the quality of kinescoping turned out by CBS and have no objections to his staying on the Coast. Show currently is aired live only in L.A. and San Diego and kinescoped ’for all other markets. Young, who now has one of the few bigtime* TV shows originating from the Coast, believes that neither Hollywood or N.Y. will wind up as the video program capital. Unlike other Cbastites who see TV emigrating to Hollywood within the next few years, he believes there is too much talent in the N. Y. area to be brushed off. As ai result, he predicted programming eventually will level off to the point where about half of it will originate from N.Y. and half from Hollywood. Kroger’s, incidentally, which sponsors the Young sho\y in a number of midwestern markets, picked up its option this week, for at least one more cycle. Variety’s Chart of TV Network Program costs incorrectly listed Gobey Ruskin as producer of CBS-TV’s “Star of the Family.” Neivt Stammer has been producing the airer since its inception. “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse” was madvertently omitted from the Chart. The ABC-TV stanza, backed by Schlitz via Young &; Rubicam, is pro- duced by Edgar Peterson. Weekly nut is $25,000. Old Warner Bros, studio on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood is again in the minds of local video stations. CBS, which once had an option on the spot, reportedly is still interested. NBC recently viewed the lot as a possible headquarters for KNBH activities, and in the past week officials of KLAC-TV and KTLA strolled in to look the building over with an eye to its television potentialities. Structure now houses radio station KFWB and a 52-1 ane bowling alley. IiicUided in the 10 acres is a bad- minton court and parking lot. Actress Eva Gabori besides not missing a perfoTniance in a year’s run of “Happy Time” on Broadway, has taken over practically the entire production job on her weekly television show via WJZ-TV, N. Y. She attends auditions to select her own guest talent, does the major share of the Writing and supervises rehearsals,. Besides attracting the top performer names and producers and direc- tors, television is also attraeting some of the top promotion and pub relations men in show business. Indicative is Jack Goldstein, who until now, has handled Eddie Cantor’s personal promotion on aii exclusive basis. Now that Cantor has woiind up his tour of one-nighters, Gold- stein is. expanding bis office to take on other personalities and attrac- tions, and is also going into film prombtion. Baltimore Sunpapefs published a 32-page special television section Sunday (3), including stories on both the national and local video scenes. Paper points out that set circulation in the Maryland metrop- olis lias hit 250,000 and the city’s three tele stations are now beaming about 230 hours of programming weekly. TELEPIC EDITORS aT REGULAR FUH SCALE Hollywood, pec. 5. Pay sccTle for film editors on tele- pix will be increased Dec. 18 to «?qual those Of colleagues working on theatrical films. . . Scale jumps from $166.66 for a 48-hour week to $222.21 for 54 hours. Old scale wa.s once used for film editors working on short subjects fit the major studios and was set up for television two years ago to enable telefilm producers to get parted/ . .. Hollywood, pec. 5v Bob Hussey, of Young & Riibi- eam, plucked three picture names for the ieads in the “Bigelow The- atre” telecast of “Rewrite for Love.” They are Wanda Hendrix, Chick Chandler and Gig Young. Coming up fOr filming at Jerry Fairbanks is Steve Longstreet’s “Man From Scotland Yard.” Frank Woodruff is directing the half-hour [dramas for Bigelow-Stanford, LEADER.«.in of Ainerica Thii is 0 BIG morlcet — ^ 1 3>58,000 poopU (3,61 1 ,800 radio fdmiliosi. It'i fho WIW Merchandise-oblo Areo. (330 coontioi of tbyon sfafes.) In if, is fho omong medio. v.WLW reaches MORE of U$ people MORE oftert/ to sell MORE products for MORE ddvertisers at a LOWER cost per impressiort than any other single medium, ‘ Vork Xp «30 Fifth AvfL CIrcU I . Chltofo V d<60 Hi AAichlfiSn 91«>« S-OSM . Cineftinati 9 140 W. Ninth SI. CH*i?v isaa I Ftallywoe# 2t HottywMO tIvA Hoiyu f^Ot CIOSLIY iRQADCASnNQ CORrORATlON 42 ORCnESTRAS-MVSIC ^siiEfr WedneBda]', December 6, 1950 V A- STAN KENTON ORCH (19) With Jay Johnson . Rustic Cabin, Englewood Cliffs, ■ N, J, Stan Kenton, who gave up his jazz conceiH orch a couple of months ago to form a dance band, is still purveying the kind of music, with 'which he’s been associated for the past decade. In short, he has not compromised with the com- monplace even while gearing;, his crew to dish up tempos that are not only iistehable but danceable as well; ■, The only difference ' between Kenton's new band and his former 37-man organization is the absence of tlie big string section. This has result ed in a loss of versatility and balance but the dislinctiveness Of style has been fully retained; This is a band that doesn’t look back- wards, its sounds being as modern and as eleGtrifying as the new atomic era. Kenton is still playing his. con- cert repertory of special nufnbers, such as “Intermission Riff” . and “Viva Prado ” in the terpery spots. The customers ' can't two-step to ; this type of inusie, unless they go ■ in for jazz choredgraphy, but Ken- ] ton throws in enough standards, with terpable rythms -to hold his ■ f rancli ise as a dance band. ' !. But this is a crew that has ho; imitators, not to speak of equals,! in the dance band bu.sine.ss. Ken- j ton s crew, despite its reduction, j plays with a color, contrast and J range that makes it . the freshest ' sounding outfit - in .the bu.siness. ' Whether on pop numbers or on ; his private material, Kenton's crew i creates a special kind of excite- 1 ment for hepster and square alike, i Kenton, however, still remains a' controversial, figure, and it un- j doubtedly remains true that some j customers won’t like the typef of excitement in his music. But Ken- ton’s growing stature as a maestro lies preciseli’ in the fa.st that he apparently won’t descend to the lowest common denominator. His mu.sic, like a modern longhair work, is often difficult to grasp, but vvhen it is understood, the im- pact is possibly, far deeper than achieved by any other dance band no^v in the field, Kenton’s outfit comprises a su- perlative group of sidemen, many of wliom are holdovers from his concert crew. Standout is May- nard Ferguson, lead in the five- man trumpet section , whose riffs in the horn’s upper register are of an extraordinary technique. Also, | Shelly Manne on drums, Milt Bem- hart on trombone, Art Pepper on sax and Shorty Rogers on trumpet, latter also creating many of the band’s arrangements. Rest of the aggregaton, comprising five on trumpet, trombone and sax with foui; on rhythm, play with remark- able precision despite the intricacy of Kenton’s orchestrations. Jay Johnson, vocalist with the crew since the departure of June Christy, promises to be another standout Kenton discovery. Equip- ped with a fine baritone, Johnson handles ballads such as “You’re Bla.se” and “September” with fine shadings. Like Miss Christy, John- son has developed a vocal style that blends with the Kenton in- strumental framework, although hot as esoteric. Herm. other years. However, what the band lacks in actual talent it makes4 up for with freshness and charm. Theirs is an overremphasis at times bn trick arrangemehts and the injection of too much off-the- 1 cob comedy, which may be neces- sary for the stage shows but dis- tracts from general musibiaiiship. Overall approach and sliowman- ship are solid at all times. Guita- ist Jean Marco has a good pop voice and blends neatly with the husky piping of Giriette Garcin, who has been with the orch for three years as soloist. Helian, a former sax player, mixes in with the choral groups, does the intros with ease and wields the baton ex- pertly. Band is presently doing a week in Quebec City and, follow- ing a layoff for a few days, returns to Paris. Newt. TOMMY REED ORCH (1^) With Eddie Allyn Aragon Ballroom, Chi It’s a feather in the cap of orchester Tommy Reed to bow at this highly demanding spot with but. a two-month old aggregation. Part of the bows, however, must go to Dick Jurgens, who in a sense fathered him. He was formerly a Jurgens sideman* who left with a rich supply of orchestrations; and what new arrangements he has arb Best British Sheet Sellers (Weed ending Nov. 25) London, Nov. 28. Rudolph Reindeer . . Chappell Goodnight Irene . . . . . . Leeds Mona Lisa. ...... .Ne\v World Have 1 Told You. . . Leeds Sam's Song ....... . Sterling Silver Dollar. . , . . . .Pic Music ; Autumn Leaves . ..... Maurice Xmas in KUlarney . .. Connelly Ashes of Roses . . . . . Coniieliy . Only Saw Him Once. .. .Unit Blackbird . . . .^ Box & Cox Orange Colored Sky . / . Morris Second 12 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo . , Disney Tzena Tzena Tzena . . . . . Leeds If 1 Loved Vou , . . . Williamsort Bewitched . . . Sterling I Taw a Puddy Gat . , . Connelly Daddy’s Little Girl . . ^ Vale Christmas Wish .... . . . . Reine Be Faithful, . . . .. .Pickwick Dream Is Wish. . . . . Disney Marshmallow World . . Kassner English Garden. ..... . . . .Sun Sentin.ental Me . Cinephonic .By HERM SCHOENFELD. Board of directors of tI-3 Music Publishers Protective Assn, was re- elected at the annual MPPA gen- all flavored after the early Jurgens - era! membership meeting last M^eek band. " in New York. Board meriibers in- It’s strictly a commercially styled elude Lester Santly, MPPA prexy, unit, with a sharpness and lush ■ and Jack Bregman. Saul Bourne, bit punchy for droopy dancers. The ! Louis Bernstein, Max Dreyfus, Ed- bit punchy for droopy dances. The 'win H. Morris, Ahe Olman,- Jack five-sax, four-brass, three-rhythm I Mills and Bei;iiard Goodwin. Walter setup commands plenty of bounce i Douglci’s continues as MPPA chair* and is a natural for the livelier set. Maestro himself fronts with t^nor and alto, using the; former only on man. Santly’s report to the members disclosed that sales of sheet music ^e slower . tunes. Good portion of j racks has not increased in pro- Reeds output IS the sugary old ► JACQUES HELIAN Orch (16) With Ginette Garcin. Les Hclianes St. Denis theatre, Montreal Since recent refurbishing, this 2,500^seat theatre has been cHck- ing with a policy of bringing in big-hiime French acts to bolster pic offerings. Biggest; draw to date has been the Jacques Helian orch, .with a hefty rep preceding their entry into Montreal through their many recordings. Band formula is a combination of the Fred Waring choral tech- nique, the fancy arrangements of the old Glenn Miller orch plus the drive nnd flash of the Woody Her- man band. Five saxes, fcatufing Georges Claud; five trumpets, led by Woody Herman alumnus Ernie Royal; three trombones, bass, pi- ano and guitar make up the outfit, wulh a femme trio sharpening choral numbers and Ginette Gar^ cin^doing the sihgle chirp shots. riiit present outfit right after the war, and over the ^ Europe via radio, one-nighters, coneeils and here in th’ench Canada through s'Si “ '™S' ‘^olos. show a def- ^niertcan influence, and oc- casional bop chords and jive ses- wolldiandled. have B lamiliar ring of otlier ’ bands in faves, which, command plenty of requests. Balance of the book is arranged to include current pops in the slow two-beat idiom, some of the more solid standards, and a few rhunibas. Latins, though in for only a light going-over, are par- ticularly good but not for the most authentic rhumbaddicts. Group appears understaffed in the vocal department, and a bit shy of novelty appeal for the strictly ballrpom spots. Reed has whipped up some gleeclub work for change of pace, but it’s still shy of ■ demands. Vocal work is handled by Eddie Allyn in okay fashion. And Reed, with some lively fronting antics, is an added selling factor. But a femme piper would be most in order. Mel. i portion to- thev.general sales^ pickup since July, In order to improve the situation, Douglas huddled with the International Circulation Co., which handles distribution to the racks, on the problem of dressing up the racks and putting them in better store locations. Prez report also covered the flock of copyright infringement suits brought by pubs this year and efforts, of the industry-wide public relations committee, which was set up during the summer to promote sheet music sales. Santly also disclosed that MPPA and Lo- cal 802, American Federation of Musicians, had reached a tentative agreement on a union pact cover- ing arrangers, copyists and piano demonstrators, Abbey Signs Mengo, Wilcox Abbey Records, N. Y., has added Vocalist Tony Mengo and the Eddie Wilcox orch to its talent roster. Mengo is former winner of an Arthur Godfrey talent contest. Garber’s Daughter to Wed ^ Kitty Thomas has exited as song- stress with Jan Garber’s orch to get married. She’s got Garber’s blessing, though; she’s his daughter. No replacement set yet. Vic Damone: “My Heart Cries for You”-“Music By the Angels” (Mercury). A sock coupling with Damone delivering in hit style on both decks. “Cries for You” is sold via a neat, lilting rendition that captures the simple folk spirit of this excellent number. Equally standout tune on the reverse switches to a powerful dramatic atmosphere for a big payoff. George Sirabo’s instrumental back- ground is particularly effective bn “Angels ” Doris Day: “You Love Me”-“Ten Thousand Four Hundred Thirty- Two Sheep” (Columbia), Two tunes in contrasting moods from the Warner Bros, pic, “The West Point Story.” “Love Me” is a fine ballad that Miss Day vocals in su- perlative manner. This side will climb. Flipover is a rhythm item with a couple of cute ideas but it doesn't stand up. Frank Corn- stock orch and vocal quartet ac- comp. Bill Snyder Orch:7“The Night Is Young”-“Me and My Shadow” (London). Snyder, who launched the revival of “Bewitched” earlier this year, uses the same excellent keyboard technique on “Night Is Young,” a great standard that’s be- ginning to step out anew. This side rates plenty of jock and juke spins. Standard on the flip gets a similar tasteful treatment by the piano-strings C o m b.o in Snyder’s orch. . Benny Fields: “For Me and My Gal”-“Lullaby ' Of B r o a d w a y” (M-CJ-M). T w 0 standards by the veteran minstrel man, Benny Fields, who sells a song with a feel and flourish that’s part of a great show business era. Fields’ pipes register strongly on these sides and those stylistic similarities to the late A1 Jolson increase the nostal- ' gic impact. Fields- is 'Spcoially ef- fective on “Broadway” with fine support from the Jud Conlon Singers arid LcRoy Holmes* orch. Tony Martin: “Tell Me Tonight”- “The Sea of the Moon” (Victor). “Tonight,” a semi-classical stand- ard, gets one of Martin’s round- toned, near-operatic treatments with a heavy coating of romance. This side, however, is slightly overdone for best results. “Moon,” from the Metro pic, “Pagan Love Song,” is in a more commercial groove with Martin selling with his usual adeptness. I|enri Rene orch backs up. Les Baxter: “Somewhere, Some- how, Someday”-“Tambarina” (Capi- tol). With this richly textured version of “Somewhere,” Les Bax- ter can ta.ke his place among the handful of top arrangers in the business. This is a brilliantly ex- ecuted side with orch and chorus used on this ballad for maximum effect. It stands up under repeated spins. Reverse is handled with verve and color. Bill Farrell: “My Heart Cries for P^KIETY 1. 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 . 9. 10 . on Week of Dec. 2 • • « • TENNESSEE WALTZ (2) THE THING (2) (Hollis) .. .. ALL MY LOVE (13) (Mills) . . HARBOR LIGHTS (7) (Chappell) NEVERTHELESS (5) (Chappell) CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN (14) (Valando) ORANGE COLORED SKY (6) (Frank) . I’LL NEVER BE FREE (10) (Valando) THINKING OF YOU (2) (Remick) . . I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU (3) (Famous) • • ••••• 0 ^ 4 Patti £age. . . . . ...... Mercu'.y Phil Harris^ Victor Patti Page . .Mercury Sammy Kaye Columbia \ Ralph Flanagan Victor i Mills Bros. ... .Dceca Ames Bros. . ....... Coral Ring Cole-Stan Kenton. Capitol Kay Starr Tenn. Ernie . .Capitol Don Cherry . Eddie Fisher. . Dean Martv^ . Second Group . Decca . Victor Capitol THIRSTY FOR YOUR KISSES (Mutual) TO THINK YOU’VE CHOSEN ME (Valando). OH BABE (Alamo) • • f 0 Y t 4 d j Ames Bros. . . / Mills Bros . Eddy Howard [Ames Bros. . . I Louis Prima . . Coral ■ Decca . Mercury . . . . : Coral . Robin Hood • • • .4 • • GOODNIGHT IRENE (17) (Spencer) ( Gordon Jenhins Weavers . . Decca MONA LISA (20) (Paramount) . LA VIE EN ROSE (13) (Harms) . A BUSHEL AND A PECK (Morris) PATRICIA (BVC) :. .. . DREAIVI A LITTLE DREAM (Words & Music) MUSIC MAESTRO PLEASE (0) (Bourne) Columbia . Capitol . Decca . Victor OUR LAD¥ OF FATIMA (Robbins) . . . PETITE WALTZ (Duchess) BONAPARTE'S RETREAT (10) (Acuff-R) MY HEART CRIES FOR YOU (Massey) MARSHMALLOW WORLD (Shapiro-B) . iFrctnk Sinairi. I King Cnie Trio I Victor Ypuny Tony Murtiii. . ( Mag Whiting^ Jim Wakely Capitol ..... . , . , . . I Betty Hutton Perry Como . . Victor Perry Comd .. . :Vicfor Frankie Laint - '. . , . * ... . Mercury Frankie Laine . . . . . . . . .Mercury Tony Martin.., ...Victor \ Kitty Rallen-R. Hayes M.ercury .( Red Foley ...... Decca Guy Lorn batde , . . Decca Kay Starr ... . . . . Capitol Guy Mitchell-M. Miller Columbia Vaughn Monroe .Victor • * • • • • • • 9 • • •A • • 9 9 V • • • « • • {Figures in par enthescs tndteate number oi weeks song has been in the Top 10.J ♦ tttttf f tTttt » 1 1 M t » fils MM ♦ M ♦ r You”-“You Love Me” (M-G-M). This version of “Cries for You” is a mistake. It’s a case of a fine tune and a good singer being mis- matched. Farrell does much bet- ter on “Love Me,” delivering with a good beat, Russ Case orch ac- comps. Connie Haines-Martha Tilton: “Nobody’s Chasing Me”-“That's a Man, Everytime” (Coral). Femme duo sling up a cute cut of the Cole Porter show tune and it might .catch up with the flock of other versions on the market. Flip- over is in a similar mood but the number lacks musical substance^ Gebrge (Cates batons. Anne Shelton: “Some of These Days”-“ After You’ve Gone” (Lon- don). A surprise platter with Brit- ish ballad stylist Anne Shelton giving out oh a couple of blues numbers in lowdown style. Song- stress shows real command Of the jazz idiom and delivers both stand- ards with plenty of kicks. Excellent instrumental background by a fine group of jazzmen. Nature Boy Orch: “End of De- sire”-“California” (Mercury). Two weird numbers by eden abhez, com- poser of “Nature. Boy.” It’s difficult to tell, however, whether the weirduess is inherent in the num- bers Or a result of the strange, strangulated vocals by Bobby Please. This disk may be fantastic enough to catch on. Good orch background with the enigmatic bill- ing adding to the general mystery. Les Brown Orch: “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” (Columbia). This is an excellent instrumental cut of the Rodgers & Hart number. In this two-sided version. Brown dis- plays unusual orchestral color and variation to carry this mood piece for the full six-minutes. Jocks can spin it for a good change-of-pace. Tom Glazer: “Little Bitty Baby”- “The Twelve Days of Christmas’^ (Young People’s Records). Al- though originally slanted as a holi- day juve item, “Baby” has enough strength to rate in the pop market. Tune is a fine old religious tune which folk balladeer Glazer ren- ders effectively against a good choral background. Flipover is in a similar vein and rates spins also. Album Revie’Wf Esther Williams - Howard Keel: “Pagan Love Song” (M-G-M). From the soundtrack of the Metro pic, “Pagan Love Song,” M-G-M Records has packaged a fair film score album. Five out of the six numbers in this set were cleffed by Harry Warren and Arthur Freed, latter having collaborated on the old standard title tune with Nacio Herb Brown. Howard Keel’s strong baritone registers far more effectively in this set than Esther Williams’ thin pipes. None of the new tunes, moreover, can compare with the familiar title song. Other numbers included in this set are “Tahiti” (most striking), “Sea of ^e Moon,” “House of Singing Bamboo,” “Singing in the Sun” and “Why Is Love So Crazy.” Adolph Deutsch batons the studio orch. Platter Pointers Eileen Wilson neatly vocals “Till I Met You” and “Every Day,” with composer M redith Willson baton- ing (Decca) . . . Vic Damone has a cute side ' iff- “Ptfssibilitiea” * (Mercury) Grade Fields’ style at work on ‘When -You- Return.” Okay for fans but not the U. S. market (London) . . . Herb Jeffries, vocalling in front of his own orch, has etched a flock of standards. for Mercury incl ding “Basin Street Blues,” “These Foolish Things Re- mind Me of You” and “The One Rose” . . . Victor. Young has waxed a couple of his original instrumen- tals from the. score of the Para- - mount pic, “Samson and Delilah” (Decca) . . . Frank Sinatra has a couple of moderately good sides ill “Remember Me in Your Dreams’ and “Let It Snow” (Co- lumbia) , , . Joe Vigna Trio and vocal group do nicely oh “You'll Go Wild” (Adam) . . . Tony Ben- nett on a blues and rhythm kick with “One Lie Leads to Another’^ and “Don’t Cry, Baby’’ (Columbia) . . . Teddy Tyle orch delivers nicely on “Keep Your Eyes on the Stars,” Jerry Grace vocalling (POloron) . . V Frankie Carle has a highly Ustenable instrumental in “Powder Blue” (Victor) . . , David Rose orch glistens on “An American ih Paris" and “Liza” for M-G-M . . . Henry Jerome orch has a cute ver- sion of “Auld Lang Syne” for London. Standout folk, western, blues, rhythm, polka, religious, etc.; Ozle Waters, “It Is No Secret” (Coral) . . . Joait Shaw, “If You’ve Got the Time, I’ve Got the Time” (M-G-M) . . . Gene Autry* “Rose- Colored Memories” (Columbia). Weclneeday, December 6, 1950 Peace, It Wonderful?; Local 802 Election Nest Explodes As expected, the unnatural quiet of the current New York Local 802 election battle exploded into a round-robin of name-calling, de- nunciations and manifestos on the eve of the local American Federa- tion of Musicians balloting tomor- row (Thurs.). All factions, inbre- over, are confidently claiming oveUP whelming victories /for their can- didates. Main focal point for the height- ened activity this week is the charge by the opposition Unity ticket, headed by William Fein- berg, that the administration’s rental of certain voting machines represented wasted money. Unity supporters played up this charge in a last-ditch effort to split the ranks of the administratioh’s Blue ticket. Unity specifically charged the lo- cal’s leadei*ship with paying $275 rental per yotirig machine which, allegedly. Was far from being the lowest rental price the union was able to obtain. With the alleged increase rentals spread over 80 machines, Unity charged the ad- ministration with wasting several thousand dollars of the union’s ex- ehequer.. Blue ticket leaders wasted little time in denying the charges and h urling some charges of its own against Felnbcrg, who resigned as the local’s exec secretary in 1946. Be the voting machines, Blue tick- et execs stated that the rental iContinued on page 44) Gamer Boff at Piano But Town Hall B.O. NG In One-Night Concert ■ Frroir Garner, young Negro pianist who has gained a consider- able rep on the cafe circuit as a stylist, hit the concert trail in New York’s Town Hall Saturday night 12) with a jazz recital that was a success artistically, but a flop financially. At a $3/60 top, the .1 500‘seater auditorium was slightly more than half-filled, the disap- pointing boxbffice resulting from a snafu in the arrangements of sev- eral Negro organizations that were slated to attend. Garner, however, was in liis best form, intimidated by neither the empty seats nor the formal atmo- sphere of the* longhair auditorium. Backed by the superlative rhythm team of Shadow Wilson on drums and John Simmons on bass. Gai- ner delivered a 90-minute program of standards and originals with a flawless technique and his natu- rally inventive style. Garner played with - a two-sided attack. On the rhythm numbers, in which he excels, the tunes were hammered out - with -.a powerful beat over which Garner elaborated the melody while playing rhythmic tag in racing ahead and lagging behind the beat. On the ballads, however. Garner played with an atmospheric impressionism thaf stemmed from Debussyi although Ciarner’s conditioning by the clas- sics is limited by his inability to road music. Garner was standout on such numbers as “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again,’’ “Frankie and Johnnie,’’ “This Can’t Be Love” arid “Spring Is Here.” lie played three sets, one of which was (tone witliout accompaniment. After several encores, he still had: to bog off. Her in. KATE SIOTH SIGN0 BY MIX RECORDS Kate Smith, who has been in- active on disks for several years, returns to singing on wax via an exclusive pac^ with National Rec- j ords. Re-entry of Miss Smith in the record fieW follows her com'^ mercial video show on NBC which bowed in last September. Miss Smith’,'! initial releases will be ’‘Little Bitty Baby,” backed, by “The Same Lord,’’ and two hj'mns, “Aye Maria’ and “The Lord’s Prayer.” Package Album Of Dorothy Parker Works Hollywood, Dec. 5. Album of readings of Dorothy Parker short stories and pooins is being packaged by indie publicist Stan Musgrove, who is lining up six stage and screen actresses to share the reading chore with Miss Parker. Deal is being negotiated with RCA Victor for waxing and distribution; Stories selected are “The Waltz,” ’‘A Telephone Call,’’ “You Were Perfectly Fine,’’ “The Last Tea,’’ “Just a Little One,’’ “The Little Hours /’ “From the Diary of a New York Lady.V , “Cousin Lariy’’ and “Sentiments.” MANIE SACKS NAMED . RCA V.P. BY BOARD Philadelphia, Dec. 5. Manic Sacks has been named ' V.p. of Radio Oorp. of America, following a meeting of the board / of directors. Sacks joined RCA Feb, 1, 1950, : as director of artists relations for ! RCA-Victor. Before taking that . post he was assoeiated for 10 years With the recording industry, han- ' dling artists and repertoire for Cp- iuinbia Records. Prior to that lie served for seven years with M^*sic Corp. of America. Local 802, American Federation of Musicians, is hitting video sta^ tiohs with a demand for extra, toot- er pay on remote pickups even where the music is incidental to the program. Demand raises a cru-^ cial economic problem that may affect all future programming out- side the studios. Dispute between the musicians’ local and two video stations, WPIX and WABD in N.Y., arose over the pickup of the horse show in Madi- son Square Garden recently. While the union claimed that music Was broadcast from the Garden, the stations said it was “accidental” and “incidental.” DuMont execs, operators of WABD, also claimed that they had a blanket contract with the Garden to broadcast all Saturday night events irrespective of any musicians who appeared in these events. Local 802, however, has rejected the stations’ explanations and has demanded that WPIX pay $15,000 for musicians’ sendees, with an ad- ditional $3,900 rap against DuMont, Both stations have been instructed to pay these sums by this week or face being put on the “unfair list.” Beneke Quits RCA Over Flanagan Upbeat Hollywood, Dec. 5. After 14 months of trying, Tex , Beneke finally secured his release ! from RCA-Victor. He’s currently ' without a platter commitment. Band manager Don Hiaynes Tias been working on the i*elease ever since RCA started to build up Ralph Flanagan, who, like Meneke, follows the old Glenh Miller style. Miller joined RCA on the Blue- bird label in 1930. Beneke, who was a* member of the band at that time and stayed with the maestro* .until his wartime death, slipped I into the RCA- spot after the war [when Beneke picked up the Miller baton. Associated Booking Corp. snared the Frankie Carle orch from Gen- eral Artists Corp. last week on a three-year booking deal. Joe Glaser, ABC chief, got Carle after outbidding GAC. Music Corp. of America, and Willard Alexander, all of whom had been making over- tures to the bandleader for the past few months. Carle, who had beCn with GAC for seven years prior to this switch, had been inked to an unusual deal by GAC) in '1943 under which he was guaranteed $250,000 annually. It’s estimated, however, that Carle ha$ been consistently grossing about $500,000 per year on one- niter and location dates. Carle’s moveover to Glaser’s fold follows his switch earlier this year from Columbia Records to RCA Victor, where the bandleader re- joined RCA’s artists relations chief Manie Sacks, who originally launched the Carle orch. One of the top piano album sellers. Carle has sold over 50,000,000 disks un- der the Columbia mid Victor la- bels. Carle cashed in on his disk acceptance by launching his band on the road afterwards. Composer-bandleader returns for his eighth annual stand at the Ho- tel Statler’s Cafe Rouge, N, Y„ Dec. 28; he set the house’s standing rec- ord there seven, j^ears ago. KIRBY IN COMEBACK WITH SM AU. ORCH J()hh Kirby Jormer sinall-combp m aest ro, is readying a compback 'uth Original band in New York 'vi lb a concert at Carnegie Hall Dec. 22. Juanita Hall, Who handles the “Bloody Mary” role in the Broadway , legit musical, “South Pacific,” will co-headline. The Oi’iole.s, in their first N, Y. date ;Since the recent car accident which killed a member of the group, will also appeai\ Kirby’s outfit, currently playing a tliree-week date at the Colonial. Lhi, Montrekh includes Charlie Shavers on trumpet/ Buster Bailey, ojarihet; Billy Kyle, piano; Sid t at lott, > drums; Ru.ssell Procope, alto sax, and Kiiby, bass. Storin Cancels Week Of Sanimy Kaye in Pa. Sammy Kaye's orch was cah- celled out of a week-long engage- ment at the Vogue Terrace, Mc- Kce.sport, Pa;, as a result of the Thanksgiving weekend storm. It was originally thought that date, which was scheduled to start the Monday following the storm (Nov. 27) . would begin the following day. But. poor .conditions made . fulfill- ment of the stand impossible. Band was also cancelled out of a date in Johnstown, Pa., Monday (4) as a direct result of the storm. RCA STRIKERS RETURN IN 5% COMPROMISE Philadelphia, Dec. 5. Technical Ayorkers at RCA Vic- tor Division of RCA who have been on strike since Thursday (30) voted Sunday (3) to accept the company’s compromise offer and re- turn to their jobs. Walter L. Holt, president of Lo- cal 241, Federation of Technical Engineers, Architects and Drafts- men, said the 450 striking em- ployees w o ii 1 d receive a 5 % in- crease, retroactive to Noy. 27. The original demand was for 10”o. Holt also said that an additional 3 % woula be added to the maxi- mum of rate ranges; and on Aug. 1, 1951, an- additional 4% would be added to the maximum of all rate ranges. The average increase, Holt said, was more than 10 cents an hour, effective immediately, and more thJn 18 cents an hour when the maximum of rate range has been achieved. In additioh the worker and his family will receive hospitalization and .surgical \expcnscs under the new contract,' which runs *to June, 1953, with a wage reopening clause effective June, 1952. The company also agreed to pay a flat $3 an hour overtime l,o men mak- ing more lhaii $6,000 a year. The Department of Justice has given an ofl'icia) greenlight to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in the so- ciety’s attempt to formulate a modi- fication of the new writer distribu- tion plan. Go-ahead signal came in a letter from William Amory Underhill, acting assistant attorney general, in reply to a telegram by Bene Russell, a writer ,menlber of ASCAP. Underhiil wrote: “The distr'bution of revenues to the writer members of ASCAP has taken place pursuant to a formula adopied by the society it- self, which this department has neither appn yed nor disapproved. Our interest in the operation of the distribution plan is in seeing to it that minimum standards of objectivity and faiirness in the dis- tribution of ASCAP revenues laid down in Section 11 of the Final Judgment agaimst ASCAP are com- plied with- “Therefore, any program adopted by ASCAP for the distribution of revenues which is in conformity with the standards set out in the judgment is not. within our offi- cial jurisdiction. It is our suggest tion that the problem is one which should in (he first instance be re- solved by procedures adopted by the organization itself.” While it had . been more or less understood the D of J would okay some modification of the new plah, this was the first official public word on the ma tter. ASCAP offi- cials had informally broached the matter to the department, and had received off-the-record assurances that they could go ahead with a modified plan. Underhill’s leiier, however, puts the matter on a legal basis. Dc.scribing the impact of the new American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers writer di.s- tribution plan upon older writers as “unfortunate,” Sigmund Rom- berg said last week he favoi’s the imposition of a ceiling on the in- come of the top writers, and dis- tribution of the coin resulting from this Ceiling to the more hard-hit writers in ASCAP, The composer emphasized that he spoke as a “rank-and-file” mehiber of ASCAP, not as an officer of the Songwrit-. ers Protective Assh., of Which he is president. Romberg said some adjustment of the present situation is neces- sary', but frankly admitted be had no exact solution to the problem, He pointed out that . something must be done fOr those whose “great contributions” to ASCAP are not frequently played today. Plan for a celing has been sug- gested by other writers. Romberg, like them, points out that most of the increased income they get will be taken away in taxes, so why not have it put back into ASCAP for those writers who really need it? As to the exact disposition of any monies returned from the top writ- ers to ASCAP,; Romberg feels that a Careful plan should be worked out so that distribution is not strictly on a charity basis. Other plans call for return of the coin to the general distribution fund. Rom-: berg, however,, feels better use might be made of It in direcit dis- tribution to needy writers. Seek to Balk lOegal Dttbbingin Philippines And Label Switches Music publisher agent and trus- tee Harry Fo.x has appealed to the Philippine consulate in New York to secure action in stopping an^' American who is allegedly dubbing American di.sks and shipping them here from the Philippines on his own label. Fox said this week the consulate has offered its com- plete cooperation to stop the prac- tice. According to Fox, War Perkins, an American, operated his dub- bing business on the Coast, then fled to the Philippines after legal authorities started to close in. He allegedly dubs hit records onto his Milstone label, which he -then dis- tributes in thi.s country. Fox says his latest dubhing is that of Patti Page’s etching of “All My Love,** complete to Mercury’s record in-^f dex number. tawfencC Cancels Pittsburgh, Dec, 5. A one-niter scheduled to be played, at Pittsburgh U. Friday d) by Elliot Lawrence’s or(jh was postponed because of difficulties brought on by the storm that hit the easterii .seaboard the weekend before last Engagement has been put back to Monday (11) A date in Gallitzin, Pa., Saturday (2) was also cancelled because of poor com ditions resulting from the storm. Garber Set Solidly Through Sept., l&iii Folly wood, Dec. 5. Jan Garber orch has been bookccl solidly for the first nine months of , 1 951, tebing off his activity with a two-week dale at -the Steak ! House, jackson. Miss.* Jan. 22, at : $3,000 per week. He follows this With four weeks at the Hotel ; Roosevelt, New Orleans, at $4,250 ! per frame. Shortest money of the period comes during an eight-week stay at the Statlci, New York, starting i March 22. with the band snaring $2,500 per w^‘ek. After the Slatlor date, Garber opens the season at 'Virginia Beach for an indefinite i stand at $5 500 per stanza. ' Opera, Disk Bicycle Sked I Set by Dorothy Kirsten 1 Dorothy Kirsten has been on a bicycle since her return from the ' Gbast several weeks ago. The singer had the lead in two “Tra^ Viatas” and two “Manpn Lescauts” at .the Met Opera, for four perr formanoes Within eight days, in aid- ! dition to daily rehearsals. She I sang the lead In “Madame But-; terfly” vith an opera group in Hartford last week, arid will do the first “Faust” with the Met Dec. 12, as well as several Decem- ber perfornianees in the new Mel l“Fledermaus.” , ’ Soprano is skedded for an ap- , pearanee on the Danny Th(6nras TV show tonight *6). She’s also re- cording an album of Jerome Kern .songs with Percy Faith and orch , for Columbia, this month, to . bo followed soon after by an ; album of Puccini arias. She'll also sing opera in .New Orleans and appear in several recitals be- fore reluming to the Coast in February, Singer finished a Stint this fail as eo-star with Mario : Lanza in Metro’s “'The Great Ca- ru.so,” and may do another pic this 1 winter. PAXTON, SHRIBMAN, TROTTA SPLIT FIRM George Paxton, Joe Shribman and Charles Trotta last week broke up their partnership in Pax- ton* Music, N. Y., with Shribman and Trotta deciding to form their own Roger Music company (ASCAP). Copyrights in Paxton. Music, which was formed a couple of years ago, have been split, with Shribman and Trotta taking “There’s No Tomorrow,” “She’s a Lady,” “Mr. Touchdown,” and others, a.nd Paxton ret.'uning “Count Evbry Star,” “Punky Pumpkin,” “I Wanna Go Home” and olher.s. Splilup was described as ami- cable and. due to a policy disagree- ment. Paxtori, who is said to have owned 50*^0 of the firm, will re- tain the present .staff; offices and the firm name. Janssen Pacted By Columbia Records Werner Janssen, maestro of the Los Angeles symphony orch. . lia.s been Inked to an C.xelusive pact by Coluinbia Ib'cprds. With Janssem’s addition to the longhair divi«’on, Columl)ia has three niaior U. S. sympi^s under coni ract. Others are tile Now York Philharmbriic and the Pbiiadelphia Orchestra. Jan.'’S''’n formej'ly wbrkc:d for, RCA Vi»*lor and. more recently. Capitol Telefunken. Joe Iic*aney. London Records sales chier. n’med to Bo.ston over last weekend for huddles with hi.s N e w Eng I a n d d i .si ri bs. • ORCHESTII AS-MUSIC Wednesday, December 6, 1950 Launching of a new public relations policy by the American Society of CoinjDOsers, Authors and Publishers may be signalled by the Robert BEST ON WAX M. Yoder article on “Tin Pan Alley’s Wonderful Monopoly” in the Nov. With Buddy 25 issue of the Saturday Evening Post. Mag piece, apparently written Ueinno with the cooperation and blessing of ASCAP execs, is seen represent- [ Writer: Bennett ing a reversal of the clam-up attitude towards the press wi^ich has j miuSm been prevalent in the Society for the past .several years. Yoder’s r v article traces the history and activities of ASCAP up to the anti-trust j yp,. ’ novpl aspect of this consent decree. The actual operation of the new 60-20-20 djsti'bution ! .^e only^ this system, however, makes several of Yoder’s conclusions obsolete, espe- ! disk *5 a 14- cially his comments that ASCAP payments are a permanent source of I “.ar.aiu lad. Given a Saturday inconie to clefTers. . . . ' . r, ah • , . 1 noon spot, airer is obviously aimed Interest of the national mags m Tin pan Alley is also indicated in dj-avving a large segment of the piece on songwriter Harry Warren in the Dec. 2 issue of Collier s , ijstencrship from juve dialers, by Lloyd, Shearer. Warren, one of Hollywood’s top cleffers, is tagged i for the faict that as the least publicized writer of hit tunes in fhe business. “I’ve had i jg handled by a youngster,, so much publicity,” Warren is quoted, “that not even my best friends j ^med as a “junior disk jockey,” have ever heard of me.” there’s little else offered that might rate as come-on material for the younger element. Tunes played Saul Bourne’s publishing firnis, Bourne, Inc., and ABC Music, have ■ , undergone more personnel chainges in the professional departments in > are of the pop variety arid .are the couple of months, since Larry Spier has been with them as general j similar to those heard on .most dee- profe.ssional manager, than have taken place in the past several years, jay stanzas v i ^ j Late.st change was the dropping of ABC New York contactman^ Charlie -^hddy Bennett, holding^ down MacGregor, la.st week after only two months with the firm. ^ The previous week, Bourne’s Chicago office was shuttered tern- porarily and Hank Markbreit, vet Chi contactman, dropped. Prior to refe.i.fe^^fnner I^^^ that, Mike Gould, longtime Bourne Coast contactman. was dropped | ^^ ’^^^sed mapner,^^^ As it after Eddie. Shaw was installed as ABC rep. Another change was the i saiy oii-tne-cuu quaiuy., as h. resignation a couple of mohths ago of Lee Finburgh as Bourne pro- fessional manager and production chief for both firms, shortly after Spier merged his catalog with ABC’s. The recording release date sweepstakes reached a near-ludicrous point last week when two diskeries jumped the release date in their recordings of a standard. Jack Robbins’ Words & Music has set a cam- paign on “The Night Is Young,” and has received coverage from most of the majors for Jan. 1 release. Last week, though, Capitol and London jumped the gun by releasing their Ray Anthony and Bill Sniyder versions, respectively. Billy Rose, one of the writers of “Night,” has been getting a lot of action in pa.st months on his work. Supreme Music niade a hit out of “I Wanna Be Loved,” which he wrote in 1932 with Edward Heyman and Johnny . Green. And Bregman, Vocco & Cohn have been working on a new song he vvrote with Milton Ager, “Only a Moment Ago.” stands, youth lends nothing per- sonality-wise to the proceedings. Show heard had a Halloween motif and numbers in line with the occa- sion were played. Two numbers, more in the youthful vein, were also offered. Gros. The Frank Loessers rushed back to their Beverly Hills home today (Wed.) now that “Guys and Dolls” has opened and the Decca album waxing with the, original cast has been recorded. Loesser has a new eight-week-oid daughter back home whom he barely saw just before coming east for rehearsals. Lynn (Mrs.) Loesser came east only for the Broadway preem last week. Incidentally, RCA Victor rushed out an unofficial album of “Guys” with Audrey Marsh, Ray Charles and Morey Amsterdam in the Vivian Blaine-Robert Alda-Sani Levene roles. They plattered nine selections with A1 Goodman’s orch. Musical score for the film “Tokyo File 212” was recorded by non- union musicians, with the complete blessing of James C. Petrillo. Composer-conductor A1 Glasser decided the score should be recorded only by Japanese musical instruments, and an intensive search failed to turn up any AFM members who could play such instruments.- He finally located 24 Japanese musicians in Los Angeles, presented his problem directly to Petrillo and was given the green light after the AFM chief satisfied himself that Glasser’s search for union windjam- mers had been as complete aS possible. MORNING SHOW With Bill Gordon Participation . WHK, Cleveland There’s no middle ground when it comes to Bill Gordon. WHK’s | morning disk jockey. You either like him or dislike him, and there’s no room for indifference, Gordon’s i personality dominates almost four hours of chatter, chatter, song and jibe; He sings along . with the voices on.the shellacs, pokes fun- and comments in a breezy manner. Gordon’s selling ability is okay, judging by the , advertisers that j have justifiably latched onto hirn. Frequently, Gordon, in his after- noon 1:15 to 2:30 stanza, will have a guest star. His 7:15 to 10 a.m. “Morning Show” is primarily disc and cqnimsrcials. Gordon moves through neat selection of disks. Mark. Flagstad SRO on Heavy Schedule This Season Kirsten Flagstad is set for one of the heaviest schedules of her Deal for Ted Lewis to topline the current layout at the Cocoanut j career this season, with 38 concert Grove of the Ambassador hotel in Los Angeles fell through, according i dates Inked in addition to her to Music Corp, of America, when Lewis was asked to eliminate his j s.v, Negro shadow, Snpwflake, from the act during the stand. Tony Cabot, currently booking the Grove, declared the, deal fell through because of a price disagreement, but MCA reported all terms and conditions had been agreed to until the hotel balked on including Snowflake in the show. many Opera appearances in San Francisco and N. Y. Diva was with the San Francisco Opera from Sept. 10 through Nov. 5, with con- cert dates penciled in between. She sings at Carnegie Hall, N. Y., Sun- day (10), and will be with the Met Opera from Jan. 22 through March 25., V Singer has done 16 recitals or Ezio Pinza’s RCA Victor recording contract covers 10 years at, only $10,000 annual guarantee. A plus to the company is (i) his more recent “popular” renown, due to “South Pacific” and his forthcoming Metro pictures, and (2) the fact he will also record operas and albums, as against the former highbrow excerpts he did under his old Columbia appearances with orchestra thus contract. Pinza draws the standard lOCb royalty on platters which, far this fall, to filled houses. Her being “red seal,” start at. $1.25 per. fee is $3,000 for a recital; $1,500 with orchestra. On the Coast last month she grossed approximately $6,000 each in Portland and Seat- tle; $5,500 in Bakersfield, Cal., and $5,000 in San Diego. Diva also has some radio dates,, first one for Standard Oil on the Coast. Anthologist Seeks Some Yesteryear Greats Among Pioneer Record Artists Editor, Variety: He was also well known in vaude and musical comedy, and sang on radio in the early days. Elida Morris, a comedienne who made records for several years, starting in 1910, and packed more I sex appeal into her voice than any ^ , I dozen of the gals Avho are, gurgling As some readers know, I bave j£ versions been wi-iting “Favorite Pioneer Re- 1 of “Stop, Stop, Stop, Love Me cording Artists” in Hobbies maga- j Some More!” and. “Kiss Me, My zine for several years. Gathering. Honey, Kiss Me!” aren’t rated as biographical information about ’ Piassics, it just goes to show that some of the old-timers who are ■ genius is not alvyays recognized at no longer active is frequently a , Us true worth! tough job. I’m wondering if any- i And does anybody know the full body can give ihe some info on name of Tascott, a blackface come- those whom^ I shall list below: | dian who was noted for two songs, Eddie Morton; who was a native ’You Must Think I’m Santa Claus”^^ of Philadeflphia and was known in and »‘Siiame On You,’^ circa 1905? vatide as “The Singing Policeman.” : I consider Morton one of the best ! singing comedians in the history of the phonograph, but have been un- able to learn whether he is still; alive. I’d appreciate any inlorma- i tion Goncerning him. and if Eddie ; « reads this Id like to invite him RFrORDFn RV nFffA attend the next party for pioqecr liliWUl/liU ill recording artists to be held on j Decca Records completed its. Long Island next September. The nl Ihe original-cast album same invitaiiou goes to all those I of Frank Loesser’s Broadway legit shall, rneiition and vto anyone else hnisical bit, “Guys and Dolls,” in who made records before the elec- a 14-hour session on Sunday (3). trie process was inlrodiTced ih 1925. ■ Simon Rady, chief of Decca’s Harry^ Tally,, v.'ho sang the lead longhair repertory division, super- In the Empire City Four and was. vised the cutting with Dave Kapp, a popular record maker for a good company vice-prexy who returned many years. 1 have been told he is from the Coast late last week, in dead, but haven’t been able to find ' attendance, an obit or to get any information ■ : — • bS^eu"^ Gyorgy Sandor. just back ^ 1 ’ Iroin a three-month concert tour Of Aithiu C. Clough, a popular re- Auslialiu, give.s a concert at Car- cording tenor, beginning in 1909. negie Hall, N. Y., Dec. 11. Jiin Walsh, W alsh’s W ax W orks, Box 131, Vinton, Va. Diie to success of the recent N, y. debut concert of the Vir- tuosi. di Roma symph ensemble, Cetra-Soria Records is bringing out an album of four Vivaldi works by the Italian group in January. Song Cavalcade in ^51 Prentice-Hairs publication of the “Variety Song Caval- cade” has been defeiTed to the spring of 1951 because of the considerable additional mate- rial which Dr. .Julius Mattfeldj CBS musicologist, who com- piled it, has added. The vol- ume will round put the mid- century by irtGluding the 1950 Calvacade of Hits, plus an his- torical-biographical appendix. This portion, too, is being ex- tensively revised and reedited by Abel Green, editor of Variety, wh o has written a special in trod liction. The proposed $4 pubUGation price will more likely be nearer $7, because of the added material. Those ad- vance-orderers who have re- mitted $4 to Variety are hav- ing their checks held, for final billing, or they can have the remittances returned. Other- \yise their orders are being kept, along with others which’ are to be billed upon publica- tion. Survey Week of Nov. 24-30, 1950 The top 30 songs of the Week (more in case of ties), based on the copyrighted Audience Coverage Index Survey of Popular Music Broadcast over Radio Networks. Published by the Office of Research, Inc., Dr.' John G, Peatman, Director, Alphabetically listed. A Bushel and a Peck— ^'“Guys and Dolls’^ Morris A Marshmallow World . . .. ... .... . . , , . Shapirp*B A.11 IVIy Lpve. . Alills ^ Autumn Leaves . . . . ...... . , , . . . . . . . . . .... • . .... Criteripfi Best Thing For You:— ‘•'“Call M% Madam” ......... Berlin, Can Anyone Explain ... . . , . . . « . 4 . . Valando Christmas In Killarhey , . . ... . ..Bemick Dream A Little Dream Gf Me. ...... ... . ^ , . . . Wbrds-Music Frosty the Snow Man , . . . .... . . ... . ; , , . . . Hill & Range Goofiis Feist Harbor Lights ^ v . , . ..... .Chappell I Don’t Mifld Being AU Alone . . . . . . . .... . . , ; , . . .Mills I Love the Guy (I Love the Girl) ..... ... . , . . . , , ShapiroB If I Were a Bell— +“Guys and Dolls” . . , . . . . , . . . . .Morris I’m Ih the Middle of a Riddle . . . . , ; , ....... . . Robbins . ; T’Ve Never Been In Love Before-^’i‘“Guys and Dolls” Morris La Vie En Rose . ^ ... . . . . ; Harms Life Is So Peculiar^ i “Mr/ Music” .... . . ...... . Burkc-VH Longing . . . . . , . . . . . ....... . .Knick’b’ck’r It Looks Like a Cold Cold Winter ^ . j... Lombardo Nevertheless— •! “Three Little Words” .......... . . .Ghappell Orange Colored Sky j . . ...... Frank Patricia . . . . . ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Recipe for Romance . . . ..... ..... ... * , , , , .Fred Fisher Rudolph the RedrNosed Reindeer . ... ... ... ....... St. Nicholas Silver Bells-^r“Lemon Drop Kid” , .... , , . . , . , . * . Paramount Sleigh Ride . . . . ... . . . , . . . .... , . , . , . . Mills The Thing , . . . ..... . . . : . , Hollis Thinking Of You— '"Three Little Words” . . . ..... Remick LTse Your Imaginatiori .... . . Chappell You’re Just In Love— “Call Me Madam” ..... ..; Berlin The remaining 20 songs of the week (more in case 0/ ties), based on the copyright Audience Coverage Index Survey of Popu* lar Music Broadcast over Radio Neticorks. Published by the Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John. G. Peatman, Director. Alphabetically listed. .A Rainy Day Refrain . . . . . . Leeds Accidents Will Happen Burke-VH Beloved Be Faithful .... . . . Pickwick Button Up Your Clyercoat ...................... Craw^ford Could Be . . .BMI Dream Awhile . . Miller Here Comes the Fattest Man In Town ......... . . . . Life I’U Get By— ■: “I’ll Get By” Bouime I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles Remick Jing-A-Llng Jing-A-Ling . . . ... . . . . . ............ Disney Keep Your Eyes On the Stars Campbell Let’s Do It Again ..... .> .Robbins Mambo Jambp , . Peer Molasses Molasses Essex Music Maestro Please Bourne My Dream Christmas .... ..... .... . ..... ... ... , . .Life Ocarina — ^;‘'CaU Me Madam” .Berlin Oh Babe • Alamo Tenne.ssee Waltz , , . . , Acuff-Rose Tonight Be Tender To Me Life. You. Love Me Witmark t Filmusical. * Legit musical. Ethel Shutta’s Protegee Houston, Dec. 5, Jayne Swayze, songstress cur- rently appearing at the Plantation Club here along with Benny Bells orch, is a protegee of Ethel Shutta (Mrs. George IQrksey), now resid- ing here in semi-retirement. Miss Shutta, incidentally, is head of the drama dept, at the Southern College of Fine Arts. Local 802 Peace Continued, from page 43 charge was actually less than other unions have been paying, and pro- duced photostats of other unipns' contracts to substantiate its claim. In addition. Blue ticket leaders de- clared that the rented voting ma- chines were the only ones with an AFL stamp under which the AFM also operate. The charges and coun- ter-charges were couched in such terms as “filthy libel,” “degraded opjpositioh” and similar invective from the political lexicon. , . Countering the Unity’s tickets’ charges of .incompetence and inef- ficiency, the ad min istr ation direct- ed a blast against Feinberg. Lat- ter’s alleged sins boiled down to the fact that he left Local 802 to become a labor relations consultant which, according to the Blue, propa- ganda, moans “working for bosses.” The other opposition candidate, A1 Manuti, running as an independent, was tagged as “a rule-or-ruin- careerist.” Manuti and Feinberg re- turned similar bouquets to the ad- ministration. Meantime, some 11,000 imembers of the local are expected to ballot for officers tomorrow at the union's headquarters, where the machines have been installed. The union has some 30,000 members, but several thousand of these are either dual card holders, living in other cities, or are on the road. No absentee ballots are permitted. Results of the election will be disclosed early I Friday morning (8 l Israel Tastes Lean Toward Longhair, Miron Reveals in N Y. YVartime paper shortages and a ! dearth of dollar exchange pre- vented the Israeli music publish- ing industry from establishing it- j self until only two years ago, ac^ ! cording to composer Issachar 1 Miron, who recently arrived in the : U, S. from Israel, pven now, he ; said in New York, there are but i a half-dozen publishers who handle 1 both serious and pop music. Majority of the pubs' catalogs lean toward the classics and light music, Miron declared, since the public’s taste is more .inciined to- \yard longhair than pop Composi- tions. He listed ..the works of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bern- stein and George Gershwin as art example of the type of American music in which the average Israeli citizen is interested. Miron pointed out that a dollar shortage still sharply restricts im- ports of Ameiuean sheet music ; and recordings. However, local radio stations have helped popu- larize U. S. music via platter pro- jgrams. And in the near future there likely will be an even greater supply of American tunes available due to a reciprocal licensing agreement ilow being considered ^by the American Society of Composers, Authors Si Publishers and the equivalent Israeli organization. Miron, who plans to be in the /U. S. for about two or three ! months, primarily madS his junket for two reasons. One Is, to testify in connection with a legal battle over the origin of the tune, “Tzena» Tzena, Tzena.” He claims to have ! composed the song’s melody in ^ [1941. Other is to place some of I his ditties with American Pub- lishers. brought 100 with him. Wednesday, December 6, 1950 ORCHESTRAS-3I1JSIC CRONWEU IN P. D. aAlM ON TZENA’ Dispute, between Mills Music and Howard Richmond’s Cromwell Mu- sic, over* the origin of “Tzena, Tzena, Tzena,” moved into high gear last week in N. Y. Federal Court when Cromwell filed answers and counterclaims against the Mills infringement suit. Denying that it had violated the tJ. S. copy- rights law, Cromwell asked dismis- sal of the complaint. Richmond firm, according to its answers, contended that Issacher Miron and Julius Grossman were not the original writers of the songs, that the music has been in the public domain for many years. Moreover, it asserts, the same jnelody has been used in a number of other compositions, and . both i^liron and Grossman ‘‘Copied and appropriated” the note structure from these prior works. In its counterclaim, Cromwell tccuses Mills of unfair competition and asks an injunction, an account- ing and damages. Basis of Crom- well’s complaint Is that after it spent a bundle of coin to promote the Gordon Jenkins-Spencer Ross version of “Tzenaj’’ Mills rushed out the Miron-Grossman tune of the same title, which caused “con- fusion’* in the trade. 'The Mills “Tzena,** Cromwell charged, had the effect of mislead- ing others into believing the Mills number was CromwelTs. Not only were the Richmond firm’’s property rights destroyed, the counterclaim avers, but considerable embarrass- ment and damages resulted when Mills allegedly notlfled recording companies of its ciaim to “Tzena.’’ Meanwhile, Miron is scheduled to appear in Federal court tomor- row (Thursday) for a pre-trial ex- amination by Cromwell. He recent- ly arrived from Israel to testify in connection with the suit. Pate, however, is a tentative one and It may be postponed. Goldsen’s New Co. Hollywood, Dec. 5. Mickey Goldsen, head of Capi- tol Criterion Music, is setting up a new publishing firm in partnership with songwriter Sammy Cahni New Arm will be independent of Cri- terion, which is affiliated with Cap- itol Records. Goldsen heads for New York this week on business. The William Morris Agency is again looking into the possibilities •f accumulating a roster of band- leaders. This time the percentery is eyeing the maestri as personalities rather than batoneers. Agency is currently interested in lining up Tommy Dorsey and Sammy Kaye, among others, fgr representation on television shows and other “spe- cialized situations.’* It's been stressed that the Mor- ris office isn’t interested in reviving a band department as such. No provision is being made for book- ing one-nighters, generally re- garded as the backbone of the band business. Newest step is in line with the agency’s policy of the past two years of orienting the Cntii’e office toward video. Most salesmen in the outfit are now doubling between the various departments and video. Some time ago, the percentery started a policy of lining up as many acts and personalities as pos- sible in order to be able to take care ef the needs of most television shows. Policy has paid off inasmuch as the Morris office shares top agency honors with Music Corp, of America in the handlihg of top tee- vee displays. The Morris office gave up its j band department several years ago after Willard Alexander pulled out of the organization and took the Vaughn Monroe band, top money- maker, with him. Most of the ©rchs on its roster were switched to General Artists Corp; ’slnitialer Lee Finburgh, who resigned re- cently as professional manager of Bourne, Inc., and production chief for Bourne and ABiC Music, has gone into business for himself. Finburgh has effected a tie-in with Arthur Murray on. his first song, “Boomp! Pa-Deedle Doddle.” Murray is originating a dance based on the tune, a rhythm item written by Dorothy and Arthur Todd, Ruth and Rex Phalen, and Glenn Hughes. The dance instruc- Holland Takes Charge Of Coral’s Eastern Unit Frank Holland, formerly south- ern division manager for Coral i Records, has been moved up to the ' New York headquarters to take charge Of the eastern division. This area was formerly taken care of by homeoffice execs, but has now been set up as a separate job under Coral’s expansion program. Replacement for Holland’s south- ern post has not been set. SOUTHARD REPLACES HEIN IN COL SHIFT Jack Hein resigned last week as !New York and Newark district tor will introduce the song on his {sales manager for Columbia Rec- DuMont television show in Janu- 1 ords, after 12 years with the com- ary. . Records of the song have | pany He’s been replaced by Terry Southard, former New England disr LP Price Structure Shaken As been set for Jan. 15 release. trict manager and son of merchan- dising veepee Paul Southard. Hein was national sales manager’ for Columbia for two years and eastern regional sales manager for one before stepping into the N, Y. X)ost. Moveover of Southard from New .England puts John Trifero, who Now that the American Society had recently joined Columbia after of Composers, Authors and Pub- : acting as Capitors eastern promo- lishers has been stamped by the director, in charge of all of o I New England. When Trifero joined Government, as solely a collection | England terri- agency, the Songwriters Protec- j tory was split in half, with South- tive Assn, is rapidly assuming the | ard handling the western half and role of bfficial spokesman for clef- fers. Fact that ASCAP can no longer speak for the writers leaves SPA the only official organization repping the cleffers. Tracing the 20-year-old history of the writer group, president Sig- mund Romberg pointed out other gains in the past few years. On the question of writer representa- tion, he pointed out that ASCAP attoi’neys, representing both writ- ers and publishers, could only go so far, as there was no conflict be- tween publishers and writers in repping the latter. Now that ASCAP’s role ^has been limited to that of a collection agency, SPA’s lawyers have even a greater stake in repping the cleffers, Romberg ! said. Other responsibilities SPA has assumed in the past few years are these, according to Romberg: 1. It stands ready to protect, in any event, the writer’s right to collect money for the performance of his music. ASCAP and BMI have up to now cared for this right, but Should anything happen to these groups, SPA will fight for it. * 2. SPA is the “best Insurance” a writer can have at present, since j over 700,000 shares of outstanding It ties down the publisher to a I stock. It^s the Performer The performer is the thing, according to N. Y. supreme court referee Isidor Wasser- vogel, arbiter in Columbia’s unsuccessful action to invoke the fair trade act against dis-, counting retailers!. He ruled last week that Columbia was not in “fam and open competif tion’’ with other diskeries be- cause it controls exclusively the performances of certain artists. Wasservogel hold that “pho- nograph records are princi- pally purchased because of the performer who recorded the selection rather than for any other reason.” He concluded that a recording company hold- ing exclusive rights to per- formances by an artist is not . in fair and open competition because a competitor cannot supply 'the same selection by the same artist. Trifero the eastern portion. Dynamic, Aristocrat Nixed by AFM on Payoff Local 802, American Federation , of Musicians, placed two small disk ^ , „ . , . j companies on the unfair list l^st j to TV film production is -X- i ^ ^ _ Use of 'music in television pic- tures is due for a tremendous ex- pansion next year with the entry of a large number of producers into the vidpix field, according to Harry Fox, music publishers* agent and trustee just returned to New York from a three-week visit to week for allegedly failing to pay musicians the full amount on wax- ing dates. Dynamic Records, a N. Y. indie, was tagged with failing to pay the Emmett Hobson orch while Aristocrat Records was slapped for not shell i n g out to Leonard Feather. Total involved in both cases was about $800. AFM, meantime, put Jack Small, general manager of the legit musi- cal, “High Button Shoes,” on the “national defaulters list’’ for fail- ing to pay a little over $100 to a musician. Decca’s 12|c Divvy gaining momentuni, with several banks showing interest in the back- ing of such pix. Fox went to the Coast to inform the flock of vidpix producers on the procedure for clearing per- formance rights for music. He did not make any deals but Fox previ- ously indicated that all such pacts would be patterned alfter the agree- ment with Snader Productions. Un- der this deal, music publishers get 2% of the film’s gross revenue. BUSHKIN’S N.Y. DATE Joe Bushkin has been signed as the first headliner in the Ralph Watkins Club, N. Y., Dec. 15’ Spot, formerly known as Bradley’s, Will have a piano and disk jockey Columbia Records last week lost its attempt to enjoin, legally, price- cutting on long-play records by * eight New York retailers. N. Y. Supreme Court referee Isidor Was* servogel ruled that the state Feld- Crawiord fair trades act could not be used by Columbia to prevent discounting of LP’s by Sam Goody, one of the city’s largest discount dealers, and seven others. Columbia president Ted Waller- stein announced immediately fol- lowing the decision that it would be appealed to the N. Y, Appelate division. Decision is almost certain to cause sweeping changes in LP price structures. Already, Macy’s has announced LP price reductions of up to 30%, and a chain of re- „ tailers whose business is one of the city’s largest, has announced cuts of up to 30% in a number of its stores. Other key retailers are considered sure to follow. Besis of the decision was a U. S. Supreme Court ruling to the effect that fair trade statutes were intend- ed not as a means of price-fixing* but as a “method of protecting the trademark, name and goodwill of the producer.” Pointing to the fact that up to Sept* 8 of this year, Goody had sold. Columbia LPs arid other Columbia product at a dis- count, and that the diskery had set no price-fixing agreement on 45s or 78s, Wassei’vogel ruled that Goody’s refusal to maintain Colum- bia’s LP price had no effect on their goodwill or traderiiark, “To permit Colombia to utilize the Feld-Crawford Act after a pe- riod of many years, when its own activities show that its trademark and the property right therein have not been affected by the sale of its product at discounts, would allow Columbia to utilize the stat- ute merely as a device to fix prices, a purpose not within the intend- ment of the legislative edict,” Was- servogel ruled. Distrib Dealings Court referred to Columbia’s ar- gument that all previous .dealings with Goody had been through Its distributor, Times-Columbia, and that the diskery itself had no knowledge of these dealings as “specious.” It pointed out that at least one member of Columbia’s board, Paul Southard, merchandis- ing veepee, is on the board of Times-Columbia and holds a stock interest in that company. It also revealed that Tlmes-Columbia’s business relation to Columbia is subject to termination upon 30 standard contract In which his roy- (Continued on page 48) Decca Records* board of direc- j policy. Bill Williams will do 90 tors last week declared its regular j minute broadcast nightly over i days’ notice by the diskery. dividend of 12i/2C per share on j WMCA. | Another basis of the decision lay It’s planned to get other top in the fact Columbia in the past 88ers including ErroU Garner, Art | allegedly discriminated against Tatum, George Shearing and Goody, contrai-y to the Feld-Craw- Melon will be paid Dec. 28 to stockholders of record Dec. 14. others. London Sets Thomas Dick Thomas, vocalist and clef- Jer of “Sioux City Sue,” has been inked by London Records as paxi of the current expansion of the company’s artists’ roster. Thomas formerly etched for Coral Records, s' hvhhhw f^nvi in BETAIL SHE lE T 1 IE s. r SI “ El iL El SI s 1 ■■■ i. Survey of retail sheet music sales,, based on reports obtained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing comparative sales rating for this and last week. u O' ■JH se M. Preeman M ■■ O >> o c >» •-H P* P* P W o ..H P Detroit, Grinnell Bros. ■ P 0 B p P w • 4) . OT ... 0 Sh- PQ ft 0 u ; 0 VI. P . Ui -P >> CO U ■g U ft 0 u 0 CO p ■ •S ns . 6 r ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 T 0 T 1 • . ... ^ National Weok Endizig Ratinr ijec* ^ This Last wk, wk. Title and Publisher r cn a s ' IS o- >4 k o sc w- . CO .M . • to 9 e fti) to o 2 u • S ' M . O •■a ' O ' bn. . ^ (0 o.. ' . J .. Boston, H. N. Hoi .P . •O tfi ■ «p4 ' P:-- ■ 0 .• ' c« M cd in .0 •P 4 'X' A Cl • . ^4 £ M 0 c. . tn 0 ■ ^ ■ . h 0 . VI' .0 X ' 0 0 ' M C 0 0 M..- to CA • B CO X 0 X cc •a c . 8 0 B. to . Eb B . to CO . a . X V w ft* ■ :t: (0 B ' s , Omaha, A. Hospe C A ■ L ■ 1 . P j- 0 ! .'.I’ - ; N ! T ; s- • 1 1 1 “Harbor Lights” (Chappell) . . . . $ 3 2 5 1 1 4 4 1 1 • ft 1 93 1 “2 > 4 “Rudolph, Reindeer” (St. Nicholas) 2 2 1 1 9 9 T 3 9 ft ft. '• , «' ft 62 3 3 “Nevertheless” (Crawford) . . . . . 8 9 6 ft .ft 3 4 6 6 3 5 1 4 • 59 4 “All My Love” (Mills^* . ....... « • . 5 ft • "T" IT 2 ft ■ ft 7 2 4 5 7 58 ! 5A 4 “Frosty the Snowman” (Hill-R) • • 3 I 4 ft ft « • 4 ft 1 8 ft ' 8 ft ft 49 ' 5B 5 “La Vie En Rose” (Harms) . . . . . • ■ • f ■ • '• 9 2 4 • ft ft’ ft ft « 4 3 4 2 49 1 i • 6 8 “Goodnight Irene” (Spencer) . . 6 8 10 • '• 2 *■ ♦ ft ft . • ft 6 6 4 ft 3 36 ' 1 7 9 “Tennessee Waltz” (Acuff-R) . . . ft • - 1 6 ft* ft 8 10 5 10 2 •' ft ft ft ft ft r 35 ! . 8 ■ 7 “Bushel a Peck” (Morris) .... . 9 4 ft. .ft ft » 8 8 7- 3 5 33 9 6 “Thinking Of You” (Remick) . . • .• ' • » 10 • ft ft ft 8 6 5 •' ft 5 2 4 ft ft ft 30 1 lOA 15 “The Think** (Hollis) . , . . . . ... . t • 4 7 5 ..7 • ft • ' 10 ft ft. ' ft ♦ » ft ft » • '.ft , ft ft 22 1 lOB- 10 “Lady of Fatima” (Robbins). . * . .. 10 '• • • • ft ft ft • ft, • 2 5 ft ft 10 6 22 n ir “White Xmas” (Berlin) ........ p • 7 • • 3 , ft ft ft ft * • 3 ft ft ' i • » ft ft k ... i.,’ ft ft r 20 12 12 “Mona Lisa** (Paramount) • • • • • ft • ft 6 ft ft ' ♦ ‘ ft ft t ft- ft » • 7 • . ; ft • : •4. 16 1-2 19 “Petite Waltz” (Duchess) ..... < • • • • ft « ft ft 6 8 ft ft • ft D ft 9 ft ft 9 12 !. 4 ford Act. Wasservogel declared that Goody Was denied allocations from a co-op advertising fund made up of 1% of Columbia sales from each, sales area, while allocations were given Goody’s competitors. Goody was also refused a special offer to • dealers this September giving them a 10% return privilege and special credit arrangements instead of the usual 5%. Plaintiff, by its own acts In dero- gation of its alleged rights under the trademark “Columbia” and by its discriminatory conduct against the defendant Goody, is estopped and precluded from obtaining the injunctive i*ellef it seeks herein,” Wasservogel concluded. The eight separate actions were tried together, with Goody the only defendant introducing evidence. The other defendants either de- faulted or consent to be bound by the court’s ruling in the Goody suit. Consequently, the court found for six defendants* In accordance with its decision in the Goody case, and discontinued Columbia’s action against a seventh. Dancers Rey, Gomoe Prep Four-Month U.S. Tour Spanish dancers Federico Rey and Pilar Gomez are back from Jail. 3. Columbia Artists Mgt is handling. Duo will do 60 dates through April 30, in the U* S. and Canada. They return to Europe next sum- mer. Gass Harrison orch signed by eneral Artists Corp. Band opens 18 . eeord Talent and Tnnes ORClIESTRAS'AfUSIC W«diieBdaf» December 6 , 1950 100 i 9 > lr« IrH iia 00 ir- iin «j 19 I ■i*! ■!*?:■£•> bI* iJ N IH CO Iri* IVOAl— »na3n|4 pna IttVbAl — PIB uoq ^uox NOSAi— M Ilia iOAl—su^Aa^S TijAV— «joH qoa waOAV— ncniaioo ii 3 |a ODAAi— bii»ad|S 5 ■ iH .s 23 O ^ S JS o S I t» 5 ^3 c 9> M Ml XJ D S rt £ ^ P H H < HJ P I? M O ■♦J CO p K o _ O P •S'Sgcao ^$6 I p'® 2 'Sf g o o 8 vs 5 “ ^ 9 9 ) G 52 p 9 J ^ t, r- 2 o p r JP* •r* P ■e ttl »E' S8“e|! •3 : & & S : S ■ SPipIPCPiGf-. cSoooSopo ^ 4 -* IUL 4 p 4 -> ? 4 -> -S »J " -3 S o .a > § B u t> o > tn PQ '3 & •5 ► t a 0 . Z > « « 23 f- 5 B S N-^ Cg > u ?n H-* P S O Jl 0) P ! ^ 0 ) 0 ) bn bJ) c« cs & PS Si Q W »P -cS k/( (» cn pc 0 ) « .5 9 ) --9, fe£9 6 -s£ Ji ^ 9 ^ c 1 SI 2 ^ 9 ) ‘ ^• <0 P P G G z £- . ^ ® ca ^ • O w a, « ^ .eg wg eg • ■ fv •s w a a ^ ^.1 .« « 0 « jj g e § rP Ctf C« n 'p .a a w M t- iH N .s •rH re ^ w; ^ *C "cS ^ J3 ^ J? re re ^ j? til a a Ss ^ « b'* C P a o w rtv c S3 E O tE X • 4 > • > : j ? • w O 3 SS'J W P ti r; 91 re p ,_■ re re re o o »H o o i « £ n 05 I i 11 ^ .p M-i Q> o a» >^>>pupo>«oooSppg ^ UK p w 35 “ g ® iT^Bl ft iTd K* >M i*y [ \i»i •■ 'g • OJ a p re ;r £ ^ S s g « 5 0) I . ±i « re c •I o el's It .(XJ si^sil jle e£| 1« II fe'*^ Q 50 O ,a rP a fe! p' IIP ^ ►. S h s? p P = (K f P W a c 4) C|»-J 4) . E CJ N 4 ) P “ I f I M •M « E « S E 5 g gs O P g U M P re tJ 4 < o a a « *1 i 5 03 |> «-i c^ Vi W • ^ M Cvj * *IC*IH**IC*iII*m CD o »H £0 N • w ^ • < « < o c o: : CO CO eo se CO CO (N 00 rH W O P CO CO ORCHESTRAS-MIJSIC American musicians, performers and musical directors who at times are piqued b:/ performance clear- ance routines should be thankful they don’t have to go through what Brazilian musicians must do. Each night a JBrazilian bandleader or conductor must fill out a list in triplicate of each song he has played and the tinie at which it was played. . Performance fees in Brazil are divided among three performance rights - societies, but all collections are made by the police. So if a bandleader should be a bit careless about the time a song was played, he'd better beware. The police have roving inspectors jotting down the time they heard a song played in thi.s cafe or on that radio station/ Their notes are checked against one of the triplicate forms filled out eac: night by the per^ former. This is not the only compUcation inherent in the Brazilian perform^ PROGRAM THE NEW WEDDiNG STANDARD DOROTHY STEWARTS LAUREL MUSIC CORP. 1619 Broadway. N. Y. 19 ahce rights setup, but fortunately for the performer, it’s the only one he’s got to worry about. There are three performance rights so- cieties in Brazil SBAT, the Brazil- ian Society of Authors of the The- atrev is the oldest, dating back some 30 years. This group controls books, plays and music, the latter mostly in the grand rights field. A second group is UBC, the Union of Brazilian Composers, about 10 years oid and affiliated With CISAC the International Gon- tederatibn controlling mostly for- eign music. This, mcide.ntaily, com- prises only writers, as does SEAT. The third group, affiliated with Broadcast^Music, Inc., is SBACEM, the Brazilian Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers Of Mu- .sic, formed in 1946, • This, is the only group which has publisher members. One of .the founders, of. SBACEM is Vicente Vitale of Irmaos Vitale (Vitale Bros.) who is in New, York now huddling with BMI execs on performance prob- lems. Vitale go' the four major Brazilian, publishers (there are some 10 publishers in the country ) ' together after years of non-coop- •eration and drew them into the . Society, together with the major- ity Of the domestic pop writers. According to Vitale, the Society, : although only four years .old, con- trols about 90% of the Brazilian pop repertory. It also controls ; Mexican and Cuban catalogs per- formed in Brazil. [ The police are the collection : agency for all three societies and have been in that capacity since SBAT w^as founded. Each police precinct makes the collections for I all performances in its area, and turns them over to a central agen- cy which then divides the collec- tions among the three societies. Every type of public performance must pay for use of music. Since fees and payoff are on ^ per-per^ formance basis, the lists of songs and times played must be main- tained for collection and distribu- tion purposes. Police get no' cut of the per- formance monies, but each time a location or radio station is li- ^ censed, the police charge a li- censing fee. Top Songs TV, (Alphabetically Liated) Week of Nov. 34-30 (Based on copyrighted Au- dience Coverage Index and Audience Trend Index, pub- lished by. Of fire of Research, Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman^ A%u^lml and a Peck. Morris Lucky Me Santly- Joy Nevertheless . . ..... .Chappell Orange Colored Sky . . Frank Thinking of You . . . ; Remick 5 Top Standards Charleston . . Harms I Got Rhythm. . . .New World Just Those Things . . . . Harms Tea for Two. . - . . . . . . .Harms Who Cares . . . . .' . . ... . Harms Wednesday, December 6, 1950 ALBUM SEILERS TO 45 Despite the absence of apy of- ficial word that it has converted to 45 rpm, Columbia Records is converting 30 of its bestselling al- bums to 45 rpm. The company has In the past few weeks been re- leasing pops on all three speeds simultaneously, and , has already released three of its current top albums to 45 rpm. Columbia would not divulge which albums are being converted, but it’s understood they will be in the pop, semi-classic and legit musical field. 'Three albums already out on 45 are priginal-cast albums of “South. Pacific,’’ “Kiss Me, Kate,’’ and “Tea for Two,” with Doris Day. Bibletone Sets Disk Deal To Test Choir Works Bibletone Records, N. Y., has made a deal with the Sam Fox, Lewis Music and Will Rossiter pub- lishing companies to record a series of choral works for the firms under an arrangement which has as its objective the hypoing of SPA Assuming Continued from page 45 BLASCO MUSIC, INC, 1221 BSLtllVIORt KANSAS CITY. MO. THE WINTER SENSATION! SLEIGH RIDE PROGRAM NOW/ 'I DONT MIND BEING ALL ALONE^^ (When rm All Alone With You) MILLS MUSIC, INC. U19 Broadway .New York 19 sheet music srles on the numbers waxed. Agreement calls for at least two numbers !rom each publisher to be disked by Bibletone. A mini- mum of 500 records will be pressed by the diskery for cuffo distribu- tion to Chora' directors and disk jockeys throughout the country. This figure, on which the tab will be picked up at cost by the in- dividual publishers, is expected to cover the recording expenses. Idea behind the move is to give the choral directors an opportunity to hear what the various choral works sound like when done by professional choral groups. This idea was presented by Bibletone’s prexy, Arthur L. Becker, at a meet in N. Y. earlier this month called by Roy Anderson, editor and publisher of Choir mag The thought advanced at the confab was that the choral directors would be able to decide after list'*ning to a number whether they thought enough of it to go out and buy the 100 or more copies heeded for choral presentation. Initial platter to be sent out by Bibletone will be Lewis’ “I Walked Into the Garden.” which has al- ready been recorded by the diskery. New York Bernie Mann’s orch cut 10 sides for Tower Records in New York last week . . .Irving Fields acted as musical director at the annual Pepsi-Cola affair at the Waldorf-As- toria, N.Y.. last week . ; Bijlie Burke recorded the first chapter of her autobiog, *‘With A Feather On My Nose,” as. a talking book for the American Foundation for the Blind . . . Richard Dyer-Benhett, folk- singer, etched 16 songs for Reming- tomContinental Records last week i . . Dorothy Ann, Abbey Records vocalist, booked into the L’Aiglon restaurant, N. Y;, Jan. 1 ... Clark Dennis, Capitol Records’ tenor, currently held over for a second Week at the Mayflower hotel, Washington , . . Ethel LeVane, librettist for the new Ferde Grofe comDQSition, “Atlantic Crossing,” heads for Hollywood Dec. 9 to con- fab with Grofe. Don Cornell, RCA Victor Records’ vocalist, into the N. Y. Strand Dec. 21 for the Christ- mas show . ... Ruth Brown and Willis Jackson’s orch into the Apollo theatre, N. Y. tomorrow (Thurs.) for a week . . Whipoor- wills, vocal group featured on the Frank Sinatra TV show, were formerly known as the Moonmists. Tommy Dorsey orch set for a one-nighter private party at the Waldorf-Astoria Friday (8) . . . J. M. Collins, sales manager of ASCAP, addressed the Advertising Club of Washington last week on tlie society’s public relations pro- gram ... Brace of .M-G^M record- ing artists, including Billy Eck- stine, George Shearing, Johnny Desmond, Art Liind and Hank Williams, cutting transcriptions for the March of Dimes campaign . . . Jane Cans left Famous Music to become secretary to Ivan Mo- gull, general manager 9 f Moe Gale’s new Sheldon Music . , . Winning; record retailers in M-G-M’s window display contest tying in “Annie Get Your Gun” albums with local showings of film are Oscar Mecuih, Hudson-Ross, Chicago; Irving Randolph, Band Wagon Record Shop, East Orange, N. J., and H. Brockman, Uptown Music Shop, St. Louis . . . Deejay Johnny Clarke appointed chairman of the radio-publicity committee of the N. Y. State Committee for the Blind. week, following one-week perch at Lake Club, Springfield, Dec. 8 . . . Jan Garber waxed two sides for Capitol last week . . . Patti Page to Chicago theatre Jan. 12 for two v/eeks. Irik Spots follow for a week, Jan. 26 . . . Johnny Long set for Roosevelt hotel. New Orleans, Jan. Tl for a month . . , A1 Mor- gan cut 19 sides last week for London . . . Anita O’Day to Flame, Detroit, Dec. 29 for two weeks , , . Lawjence Welk to Trianon, Dec. 25 for two months. " Hollywood allies and other income is stated and protected. 3. Publishers have welcomed SPA as a means to elimiriate “un- fair competition” among publish- ers and writers. SPA’s contracts have prevented both publisher and writer members from making dis- honest or unethical deals. 4. SPA in the past few years has cut in large measure the in- fringement suits brought to court by gathering the parties around a conference table and negotiating settlements. The organization’s files have been an official refer- ence library in this respect. 6. SPA has joined in efforts to promote sales ot sheet music and Third annual benefit concert for better the industry generally, the American Guild of Musical Charles Tobias, veepee of the Artists’ maintenance arid welfare ; group, initiated the present copy j fund will be held Jan. 7, at the ' sales drive of the industry, and | Met Opera House, N. Y. was backed in this action by the , SPA council. j Much of the gains SPA has ex- ' perienced, Romberg declared, have cohie in the past three years, since the formulation of the present ! writer contract. Since then, SPA lawyers have been actiye in repre- senting the writers in Washington j and other legal fronts; SPA has /acted as a negotiator, and it has been able to extend its activities in other directions. Tops of the Tops Retail Disk Best Seller “The Thing” Retail Sheet Besi Seller “Harbor Lights” /*Most Requested” Disk “The Thing” Seller on Coin Machines “Tennessee Waltz” Best British Seller “Rudolph The Reindeer" Louis Armstrong, current at the Flamingo hotel, Las Vegas, set for a three- weeker at Dave Rafel’s 150 Club, San Francisco, starting Jan. 2 . . . Bob Keene orch inked to play the Rose Bowl Queen’s coro-| nation ball Jan. 8 . . . Geri Galian Latune combo inked to make five Shader Telescriptions . . . Eddie! Bergman, batoning the houseband at the CocOanut Grove, has assem- j bled 14 sidemen including a harp- : ist. Pittsburgh Lee Keiton orch started seventh year as staff band at WJAS. Bob Rhodes, who took over Baron El- liott’s crew during war and then later had his own for awhile after Elliott got back from the service, has joined Keltbn as saxman-solo- ist and so has John Grurney, part- time engineer at radio station, on trumpet Dolores Delmar is back as soloist and Herb Stevens has re- turned to outfit after completing tour of armed service bases in Alaska, Greenland and Labrador . . . Luis Morales band into Carni- val Lounge for indefinite stay . . . Joe Sudy’s band winds up six-week stay at William Penh hotel’s Ter- race Room Wednesday (6) and goes into Hotel Statler, Detroit, Dec. 18 . , . Art 'Tatum opens nine- day stand at Johnny Brown’s Club on Friday (8) . . . Don Trimarkie’s Trio had its option picked up at Hotel Roosevelt’^ new Sylvan Room . , . Four Notes have gone into Club Riviera^ just taken over by Harry Pitler> onetime prizefight manager. I’M IN THE Middle of a riddle recorded and feqfured by DOROTHY CLAIRI M-G-M PERCY FAITH ORCH. A CHORUS Columbio LARRY CRIEN A HIS ORCHESTRA RCA Victor AHTON KARAS— KAY ARMCN London EVELYN KNIGHT— GUY LOMBARDO | Oocco SNOOKY lANSON London JO STAFFORD— GORDON MacRAC . Capitol T€D STEELE RainboW ! LAWRENCE WELK A HIS ORCHESTRA Mercury ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION Chicago Myron Barg, former FM disk jock, has joined AM fold with a 5-5:30 p.m. across-the-board plat- ter show on WCFL. Jock plucks an additional airing on weekends over WIND when grid beamings stop , . . Ray Anthony band set for six day's at Casa Loma, St. Louis, Jan. 16 . , , Navy is asking orchs touring through Chi to stop off and add to series* of 15-minute record- ed shows for recruiting . . . Bernie Cummins band to Muehlebach ho- tel, Kansas City, Dec. 14 for a month . . . Eddy Howard cut five sides for Mercury last week . . . Buddy Moreno orch set for Mar- tinique, Dec. 19 . . . Lind Bros, cutting “Heavenly Ranch” this week for Majestic. A1 Trace pen- ned ,, . Clyde McCoy set for two weeks at Trocadero, Hender- son, Ky., Dec. 15 . . . Mercury’s prexy, Ilwing Green, and promo- tion veepee Art Taimadge planed to the CoasLlast week 4 . . Mills Bros, slated for Radio City thea- tre, Minneapolis, Dec. 15 for one “MOMMY, Won’t You Buti A Baby Brother” R*corded by SPIKE JONES on RCA-VICTOR RECORDS Published by ARENA STARS, INC. 366 N. Camden Dr. Beverly Hills, Calif. ALL MATERIAL READY “NORTH POLE TOWN" A Real Xmas Jingle Records by- RCA Victor Avoi/obfe tn 45 ond 78 RPM Prof. Copies and Orks WIRE t>R WRITE TO: BURNETT, LTD^ Saranac Loko. New York (SOU SELUNG AGENTS) SPENCER MUSIC CORPORATION, 1-29 W. 52nd St., N. Y. C. 19, N. Y Wednesday* December 6, 1950 ORC»BSTBAS-M1JSIC betah disk best sellebs Survey of retail disk best sellers, based on reports ob* tained from leading stores in 12 cities . and showing cojor parative sales rating for this and last week. Ul I m CO d s o « National Rating This Last wk, wk/ Dec. 2 bo •pH I I I 5 A I ^ Artist, Label. Title •M on .a e o iJ PHIL HARRIS (Victor) 1 1 **The Thing*^— 20-3968B . . . . . . . . . . PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 2 2 “Tennessee Waltz“— 5534 ■ . .... . . PERRY COMO-B. HUTTON (Vic.) 3 3 “Bushel a Peck“^20-3930 . , . . , . . SAMMY KAYE (Columbia) 4 3 “Harbor Lights”— -38963 . . . . . ... DON CHERRY (Decca) 5 6 “Thinking Of You”— 27128 : . DEAN MARTIN (Capitol) 6 5 “I’ll Always Love You”— 1028. . . , PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 7A 4 “All My Love”— 5455 . . .... . . . . / PERRY COMO (Victor) 7B 5 “Patricia”— 20-3905 ..... ... STAN KENTON-N. COLE (Cap.) 7C 10 “Orange Colored Sky”— 1184 :. ... KAY STARR-T. ERNIE (Capitol) 8 8 “I’ll Never Be Free”- 1124 . . . . . . PAUL WESTON (Columbia) 9 12 “Nevertheless”— 38982 PERCY FAITH (Columbia) lOA 13 “Xmas in Killarney”— 39044 . . . . . GORDON JENKINS (Decca) lOB 9 “Goodnight Irene“-^27077 . ..... TONY MARTIN (Victor) IOC 4 “La Vie En Rose”— 20-3879 MILLS BROS. (Decca) ^ llA 10 “Nevertheless”— 27253 .......... GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) IIB 7 “Harbor Lights”— 27208 GENE AUTRY (Columbia) 12A . . “Rudolph, Reindeer” — 38610. ♦ . . . BING-GARY CROSBY (Decca) 12B 11 “Simple Melody”— 27112. ... . . FITZGERALD-A’STRONG (Decca) 13 . . “Can Anyone Explain”— 27209 DENNIS DAY (Victor) 14 8 “All My Love”— 20-3870 MARIO LANZA (Victor) 15 . . “Be My Love”— 10-1561 A. BING CROSBY (Decca) 16A .. “Harbor Lights”— 27219 . . . . . . . . . . KEN GRIFFEN (Columbia) 16B ,. “Petite Waltz”— 39047 : /... DENNIS DAY (Victor) 16C . . “Xmas in Killarney” — 20-3970. ... ■ JO STAFFORD (Columbia) 17A . . “Tennessee Waltz” — 39065 . . . . ... RAY ANTHONY (Capitol) 17B 11 “Nevertheless”— 1190 4 1 1 1 4 .. 4 14 .. 2 1 .. 2 2 . .. 2 11 1 . 3 7 .. . . 7 3 3 . . .. 4 2 .. 5 .. 9 . . . • 3 • ••• •• •• . ^. . > . ' . 1 • . . ■ 2 8 . . 2 .. 7 7 7 .. . 4 7 . ■. ... 2 . « 98 .. .. .. 3 .. 5 .. 6 3 .. 5 -.5 .. '6 .. .. .. .. .. 6 3 9 9 .. .. .. 10 7 .. 2 . . • . . . 8 3 .. .. 10 .. 1 9 a X .. V ... .. • • . a . 6' . . . , .. . . 5 . 2 .. .. 3 .. .. .. 4 a a- . . • • •• •• •• 4 • • ^ •« •• 5 • a 6 a , a • No. of Label Records Victor ...a.., 7 Mercury — • 2 Columbia • • • ® _ ^ ^ ^ THREE timi FIVE TOP WORDS Hollywood Cost ALBUMS ■ M-G-M53 E516 Disk Best Sellers by Companies (Based on Points Earned) j No of Records Points Label Records Points ... . 7 184 Decca 7 87 2 95 Capitol 4 61 . . . . 6 89 . 2 8 4 5 SOUTH PACIFIC VOICE OF XTABY CALI ME MADAM KENTON PRESENTS Broadway Cast Ymii lumae Ethol Merman Stan Kenton Columbia MM850 ML4180 Yma Sumac Capitol CC244 Ethel Merman Decca DL-5304 Stan Kenton Capitol ECD 248 Charlie Parker, jazz saxophonist, was bedded Monday (4) at Medical Arts hospital, N. Y., for ulcers. His condition is not serious, Parker was hospitalized inimedi- etely upon his return to the U. S. folio ving a concert tour in Sweden. DREAMER, IDEA MAN AND SONG WRITER WIshot to moKo contact with somoono in this world In order that ho may spend most of his tlmo out of this world, Howard daveb brooks^ 140 Best 46th street/ New York/ N. Y. Murray Hill 3-0356 Phil Coscia on His OWn Phil Coscia is agenting on after I resigning last week from the Ed- ! die Sherman office, N. Y. He had been set to join the A1 & Belle Dow agency^ but walked out of deal. Coscia had been with Sherman for several years. Sherman, recent- ly turned over the business to Joe Goopersmith in order to devote en- tire time to his. Coast agency. NAD^L JOINS GALE Murray Nadell, former road I manager for the Ink Spots, has. joined the Gale Agency as head of the cafe and cocktail booking dept, i He replaces Walter Hyde, who resigned. ; HOW'S YOUR MUSIC T? MISSING PARTS RIPLACfD ^ or oxtra parti added to any arrahgomint. OrlfUial arr^iemonti « lU aindi, r rices reasonable. For complete Information write tot STANDARD ARRANSINO SERVICe „ Itw 0.r4«lt AV.MOT Gleve. Orch Cancels Week Of Concerts Due to Stonn After-effects of the recent east- ern storm are still being felt in the concert world. With Cleveland still . snowbound, the Cleveland Orches- tra canceled a whole week of con- certs last week, and has skedded an extra week at the end of its regu- lar season instead. The Pittsburgh Symphony also cancelled two con- certS/ and Pittiburgh Opera Co. two performanceB. The Mt. Ver- non, N. Y., Symphony postponed its fall concert three days. Columbia Artists Mgt. had to postpone over a dozen concerts of its various talent due to the snow and rain. A whole week of Cana-, dian dates of the Columbia Boy- choir has been set back until April. James Melton’s Youngstown, O., rd-’ cltal was postponed :A:om Nov. 28 to Dec. 7. Rise Stevens, Edwin Steffe, Menahem ;pressler, Donald Dame and othiuri had trlpf interrupted and dates set back. ; Presenting he Coa st-to-Goast Band Sensation I JERRY GRAY and His Orchestra \ • • Jerry Gray is delivering a brand of dance music that firmly establishes him among the handful of class maestros cur- rently in the pop field . • /' —Variety. CURRENT RECORDS BY JERRY CRAY DECCA 27311 •9-27311 DECCA 27246 •9-27246 DECCA 27177 ♦9-27177 WHERE DO I GO FROM YOU THE SPIRIT IS WILLING ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN AND YOU'LL RE HOME IN THE MOOD A STRING OF PEARLS DECCA 27122 YOU WONDERFUL YOU *9-27122 DIG-DIG-DIG DIG FOR YOUR DINNER - Indict. • 4S .PM V.ralon Single Reerds 75c Mch (plus tax) A GREAT AUlOM OF DANCE MUSICI DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF JERIir OKAY IriitrHfnentol Fox Trots SELECTIONS INCLUDE: BLUE SKIES -^ THI^ CAN'T BE LOVE — STAR DUST -r- ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE ^ CARIOCA — STORMY WEATHER MARCH ^ BY THE WATERS OF MINNETONKA ^ CREW CUT DECCA ALBUM A-777 • Four IO-Ir. 78 RFM Records • Price $3.75 DL S26A • 10-tn. Long Floy Microgroove URbreokoble Record® Price $2.8$ ALL ALBUM RECORDS AVAIUBLI AS SINGLES tenf PIsy Prices Include Pederel axclse tax But ne ttste er Local Taxaa FI RPM Prices de net Include Pedcrcl, ffefe er Leiil taxes America's Fastest Selling Records! 50 VAIJDEVILIJB P^niEff WedncBday, December 6, 1950 Beaucoup Events Xmas, New Yrs. Wk. Atlantic City, Dec. 5, Christmas lights went on here yesterday afternoon following the arrival of Santa, who was greeted by Mayor Joseph Altman. The expanding Atlantic City Christmas Festival has become an unusual combinatioh Of sports, music, illuminations and decora- tions, a program designed to appeal to he varied tastes of thousands of visitors who come here annually for the holiday season. This year the Boardwalk will be a blaze of lights, with hotels, busi- ness houses, shops, municipal buikljn's and private residences competing to out-do each; other in brilliance and originality of dis^ Georgia’s London Date Georgia Gibbs has been signed for the Astor and Colony Clubs, London, starting June 18. Possibih ity is that she’ll remain in; Britain for sometime after her cafe stands to play vaude dates in the provT inces and possibly in London. William Morris Agency set the deal with the Foster Agency of London. plays. These lights wall go on a few days before Xmas. For the entertainment of the vis- itor thetre will be professional bas- ketball in the Convention hall on Dec. 26, The Atlantic City Festival or- chestra, 30 pieces directed by Wil- liam Madden, will give a children’s concert in the Senior High school on Dec. 27. That evening it vdll move to Conveiilibn hall for an- other concert, which will be a prel- ude to the Eastern Square Dance ! championships. Twelve of the east’s best teams are due here to compete for trophies and cash prizes. As an added attraction a year’s end golf tournament has been ar- ranged at the Atlantic City Coun- try club.- . Concluding the Christmas week with a fittirig climax, all hotels and nightclubs are preparing to make this New Year’s Eve one of the most attractive for visitors ever. Private Car^^ by Joe Laurie, Jr. is another interesting editoriol fcotnre in the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^SmETY Eileen BARTON Currantly ORIENTAL, Chicago 2nd Week Dir.; Music Corp. of America Call Off Strike When Given Compromise Hike A kitchen strike in the major N. Y. niteries was averted last week at a conference between Billy Rose, Diamond Horseshoe operator, and president of the Allied Restau-i rant arid Entertainment Industries of Greater New York, organization of nitery operators, and workers’ union execs. Rose, convaleseing from recent J operation, pacted agreement with Local 89 of the Cooks, Chefs, Pas- try Chefs and Assistants Union, ! calling for a $4 increase retroactive i to the expiration of the previous j contract on Nov. 15, and an addi- i tional $2 weekly increase in a year { when a new two-j^ear pact would be signed. Union originally demanded a 15c hourly hike which would have amounted to $6 weekly. Pattern for union was set when union acceded to $4 weekly increases. jmsAC/Mir/vr; HlllfSIllOftLlS N O W Appuaring "GOOb-EVANS" . Show CNGLAND OTEBVfNCY L 9 tf $ f n N O. HARDI GRAS FLOATS DESTROYED IN lOOC HRR New Orleans, Dec. 5. All floats of Krew of Rex, city’s principal Mardi Gras organization, and its costumes and other proper- ties were destroyed by fire Monday (4). Damage was estimated at $ 100 , 000 . Whether Rex, the king of the city’s fabulous carnival, would pa- rade in the Mardi Gras Feb. 6 is to be decided at a meeting of officials i Wednesday (6). Question facing organization is whether new floats, costumes and other destroyed properties could be rebuilt in time for the celebra- tion. m The Theatres tpf the Stars m MARCUS LOEWf, BIIOHK MBKT ^ CCNOIM M M IX 1(0 w«»t Kinseyesque Audience Turns Out £n Masse For Renault’s N.Y. Recital For the seventh year in a row, the faithful turned out for Francis Renault’s recitals at Carnegie Hall Chambers, N, Y. It’s the only mid- town exhibit of Bohemianism around, and it does seem a long time between shows as evidenced by the manner in which the cult- ists were enraptured by Renault’s offerings. The Stork Club and other gath- ering places of the Chi-chi have nothing On the audience that con- gregates annually for these shin- digs. Most come not only to see, but to be seen. Thei'e’s more ya- hooing and handkerchief waving among the male customers here than any where else. The , "boys” meet their old flames, and eye their successors. It’s just as gay in the audience as it is on stage. Renault hasn’t changed much since he started these affairs. The elegance of costuming and flair for showmanship makes the showing of this femme satirist an annual event that's eagerly, awaited in Kinseyesque circles. He put on a show that had the quality of his previous displays, but unfortunate- ly little of its former vigor. It’s been a bad year for Renault as he’s been hospitalized and his re- covery seemed far from complete. On night caught (3), he seemed a bit fagged out. He didn’t have his usual animation songwise, but his chatter had audience appeal. Nev- ertheless, Renault put everything into this display. He worked as though he had the feeling that if he made good — ^^it might mean the 181 club for him. The old standbys such as "Car- men,” "Catherine of Russia,” "Lil- lian Russell” and “Mme. Satan” showed up well and new items, “La Tosca” and "The Goddess^ of Incense” also found audience favor. The emceeing was by Fred Keat- ing, a basically good performer. He rattled a good line of chatter throughout the show, mostly bright and amusing. Surrounding talent comprised three singers. Anna Sanders, a full- throated chirper, attained nice re- turns for operatic offerings. An- other, introduced as Mr. Corday, had a fine lyric tenor that also showed up excellently in classical numbers. The third. John Durye. a handsome chap, made several false starts as his music was misplaced, but audience v'as loyal. Renault always manages to at- tract ciiffo guests. The former Met- opera mezzo, Carniella Ponsolle, i,s still an excellent singer and pur- veyed a couple of middlebrow num- bers that hit the applause jackpot. The ageless Fanny Ward told a story and delivered a tune. House sealed at $3.60 top had a good attendance on second show. The Hall was virtually sold out at his first display Saturday (2) , Jose. Modest-Bui^eted Units Planned As B.O. Lure by D.C. Nabe Houses Washington, Dec. 9. What the neighborhood theatre needs is a good, smart, inexpensive unit show of 30 to 45 minutes to bring people back into the flicker houses. This is the opinion of some D. C* exhibitors who feel that a producer or agent who can turn up a smart line of such entertainment will find the nations’ nabe houses /waiting for his talent with open arms, Latest to consider units, espe- cially musical units, is the smart Kogod-Burka chain in and about Washington which is going to ex- periment with the advantages of the biz hypo giyen by an occasional run of live entertainment. Frank Bucher, K-B general manager, is currently dickerihg with New York agents and plans to start occasional live shows shqrtly after the first of the year in the Naylor, Atlas and Flower, three of the circuit’s thea- tres. In this move K-B will be follow- ing the lead of the Sidney Lust; Theatres. Lust has been using oc- casional live entertainment in a:il but his drive-ins. The acts range from a single, or a single and an j animal act, to as many as eight or , i nine persons in a unit. Lust houses i aU have enough stage to handle I capsule unit shows. Past week, ; Cheetah the Chimpanzee and ; trainer were booked for a full | week, spending one day in each i theatre and playing a split-day on Saturday, doing the matinee in one house and the evening show in an* other. The regular 50c admission for adults was up to 60c, but the 25c children’s tap remained un- changed. J. H. SlDNEir M. •**•**•** ... ... . .. . .. I Harris Planes Abroad To Aitangc ‘Cycles’ Tour Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. John H, Harris, head of Arena Managers Assn, and producer of “Ice Capades” and “Iw Cycles,” flew to London over the weekend, to make arrangements there for annual summer engagement In British capital of latter show. This will make the third straight year for V*Cycles” in London. A Paris booking has been in the making for some time now and may take place in 195L * accompanied by musical direc- tor for his twin revues. They’re due back before Xntas. ] . v i • j Memorial Salute To Bill Robinsou Sparks Negro Guild Beuefit A tribute to the late Bill (Bo- ' jangles) Robinson sparked the 13th ; annual benefit of the Negro Actors Guild at the Imperial theatre, N. Y., Sunday night (3). It came midway in the proceedings, when Noble Sissle, prex\^ of NAG, asked for a moment of silence as a me- morial to the departed hoofer and honorary prez of the Guild. . To muted strains of "Auld Lang Synne,” a baby spot followed a re- , cording of Bojangles' hoofing and ad libs, while the large audience ■ remained silent. General Sessions Judge Jonah J. Goldstein then re- prised a few of Robin.son’s favorite gags and pi'csented scroll citations in absentia to Ed Sullivan, N. Y, Daily News columnist, and Ethel . WaterS; for their efforts in making j this and previous NAG benefits fi- nancially successful. The affair grossed $13,000. making a possible net of nearly $10,000 for the wel- fare fund of the Guild, In contrast to the solemnity of the Robinson tribute, the show was one of the best lineups of talent in their benefit series. There were a few disappointments, but para- doxically appearance of several topliners not carded more than compensated for the absentees. There was plenty comedy, too, in , the routines of Danny Thomas, Lenny Kent, Joey Adams and' Martha Raye, and Morey Amster- ' dam in a clowning bit with Johnny Johnston. It was a comedian’s field day, with each seemingly topping the other and keeping, the crowd ' in high hilarity. Same goes for Jackie Gleason in * his reprise of the "Poreign Legipn” skit from his former musical, "Along Fifth Avenue,” which grabbed solid applause. Wilton : Clary, W. G. Handy, Fannie Hurst, Lionel Stander, Vlaida Snow, Sarah Vaughan, King Cole & Trio, Archie Savage and dancers, Herbert Cple- man and a host of others rounded out the bill. Leseter and Harry Rose handled ticket sales promo- tion and souvenir journal ads. as out the bill. Edba. ‘Ice Follies’ Okay 90G In 12 at New Haven New Haven, Dec. 5. XU a profitable,' though not record-bi’eaklog, stand at Arena here last week. Gottijig off to a bad break on its gale- swept opening Nov. 25, an advance sellout had to b« 75% made good on subsequent performances. ' "Follies” and "Ice Capades” f have a rotating policy that means they alternate on first crack at the * consumer’s dollar each new sea- son. Thus, current stand Is second months for , the A 1 V . } ). t c J -( 1 J > > v:> I s Horror Show Set to Hypo Nabe Biz In an effort to bolster dwindling biz pre-Christmas, several major film theatre circuits along the At- lantic seaboard are booking Bela Lugosi's Horror Show as a special stage attraction. Film menace has patterned his show somewhat along lines of Dr. Neff's spook display and Asylum of Horrors. However, a new departure is that , the Lugosi show has been booked to play starting at 8:30 p.ni. whereas previously such units have been staged at midnight. Both RKO and Warner circuits have ^already set dates for the Lugosi Show, with initial playdate scheduled soon for the Capitol in Trenton, N.. J. It is going into a nhmber of Westchester and Brook- lyn RKO houses. The show, which claims to have the backing of Mike. Todd, legit pro- ducer, is playing on a percentage basis. Other so-called Horror Shows have done well in the past. ROY DOUGLAS and VICKIE "DOUBLE-TALK” Ftaturing EDDIE-ECHO CASINO Theatre Toronto, Canada Moiiagar: Matty Rosen SECOND WEEK OVAL * ROOM COPLEY PLAZA HOTEL BOSTON EILEEN CARVER Grant’s Riviera RESTAURANT AND BAR 158 W. 44 St., New York LU 2-4488 WHERE SHOWBUSINESS MEETS * TALENT CONTEST* MONDAY NIGHTS J . , Prize: Frofessiortdt Engagement (Oupileata Prize^warded in the Case of Tie) Overman GAYETY THEATRE MONTREAL, CANADA WEEK NOV. 27 Mgt.: MATTY ROSEN, N. Y; CREATIVE COMEDY CoMady Routines and Burlesque a laff-riot Vol./ $5.40 Bxclustv# Comedy Acts Written $2.00 per minute A. GUY VISK Writing Enterprises 12 Liberty .Street, Troy/ N. Y. BURLESK ACTS STRIP DANCERS fpf Florida, Cuba, So. America Db Caiirp ThRafrical Agency 1370 Wililingtoh Ave. Wednesday, December 6, 1950 L^on White Blue’ Hopes to Get Into the Black in Chi; Major Revamp VAIJDEVILLB The American Legion hopes to ^ hring a virtually “new” shdw into the Civic Auditorium, Chicago, for the 6-week run starting Jan. 1 when Virginia Mayo and Michad O’Shea join “Red, White and Blue^ as supplementary headliners at $7,500 a week. Since the original LeRoy Prinz-Owen Crump staging- authoring in Los Angeles, two months ago, the patriotic revusical has b e e n constantly refurbished with name guesters added en route, and with business reflecting itself upward accordingly. However, the Legion adventure into show, busi- ness represents a $600,000 invest- ment to date. Admittedly there were many un- professional shortcomings, such as tough fpur-wall deals in certain key cities,« as against the more ad- vantageous Chi Aud deal at $7,000 a week, including ushers? treasur- ers and house crew. At $4.80 it is figured “Red, White and Blue” can gross over $85,000 in Chi. The Legion show is hooked up to break at $31,000 exclusive of added guests like the O’Sheas (Miss Mayo), Eddie Anderson (Rochester) may be added for the Cincinnati-Detroit weeks, before the pre-Xmas week’s layoff. James F. O’Neil, past national commander of the Legion, member of the show committee and director of publications, also details a more hep manner of ticket selling on block consignments to vet organiza- tions, industries, etc. Profits go to service men, whether Legionnaires or not, and dominantly they are not. Also presaging better business for “Red, White and Blue” are the increasingly better notices that the offering has been getting. The Indianapolis Star in reviewing the show from Topeka called it a “dazzling spectacle” and “the most lavish show of the revue type sent on the road since the golden age of Ziegfeld.” Paul Jaulus, formerly with RKO Theatres publicity staff, now work- ing with Jack Magner in General Artists Corp. flackery. Casino, Toronto, Drops Line for Regular Vaude Toronto, Dec. 5. On a new policy which will per- mit an increased budget for straight vaude bills, Murray Lit- tle, manager of the Casino here, has let his 18-girl line go and will now place the pit-band on stage. Charles (Chuck) Gregory, stage producer, will return to his home in Dallas, Texas, for a couple of months’ holiday; several of the girls have already obtained line jobs in Montreal and Buffalo. Bob Good- man stays on as m.c. Martin-Lewis Set For Miami Beach Chez Dean Martin &; Jerry Lewis may play the Chez Paree, Miami Beach, sometime in March; Deal was made last winter when the team was managed by Abner J. Gresh- ler. Since then, comics switched to Music Corp. of America. sSe sisl JIMMIE HUSSON "'Mr. Everybody" Curr«ntly-BEN All THEATRE Lexington, Kentucky DICK Rsurivm GENIK SAUNDERS "Courtship in Song" Palomar Theatre Seattle .. Thank, to JOE OANIELI Placed by EDPIE SMITH OFFICES PATRICE HELENE and HOWARD HELD OVER CHEZ PAREE CHICAGO; ILL Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Top niteries here will be find- ing plenty competition this season from an expected source— the mov- ing of the chance casinos south- ward to Havana, Cuba, and environs. First to be announced was a deal by Pittsburgh opera- tors to take over the Sans Souci in the Cuban capital within the next few weeks. Involved in the takeover are Normie Rothman, operator of the all-nite intimery Albion Lounge in Miami Beach, Chuck Teemer and Rocco Buffone, who formerly ran the Bachelors and City Clubs in Pittsburgh. They’ve signed Carlyle, local line producer, to stage the shows, and plan special flights ( Havana is 90 minutes by air from Miami) for the casino minded who will be missing the old chance spots here. Sans* Souci is expected to open around Christmas. There’ll be other spots in Havana, as well as Veradero Beach ( 130 miles from there ) , with a big new hotel soon ready for opening, featuring weekend shows to attract the gambling gentry. Bill Liebow, Panama club, hotel owner is build- ing the luxury hotel. PHE REGAN SUES TO COLLECT ON OH. DEAL I Chicago, Dec. 5. , Phil Regan filed suit in Chi fedr eral court last week against Ralph Stolkin charging that film partner- investor failed to pay him 1/16 of profits in oil wells, which singer says is due him. Complaint states that he introduced Stolkin to in- vestors in Hollywood, with under- standing that he was to be entitled to half of profits in oil venture. Later this was cut to 25% and to now stipulated amount in suit. Singer claims that Stolkin made $100,000 out of two wells, with Re- gan only getting $6,000. He asks for an accounting and payment of monies allegedly due him. Brisson Vice Jane Russell For Shamrock, Houston Houston, Dec. 5. The Shamrock Hotel’s Emerald Room had its second talent cancel- lation in a fortnight today, when Jane Russell, booked for two weeks beginning Dec. 5, wired regrets. Explanation was “studio wouldn’t let her go,” Miss Russell had a secondary contract to perform for the ■ Interstate Oil Compact meet here Dec. 11-13. Carl Brisson has been pacted for the Shamrock. Previous cancella- tion was Toni Arden, who can- celled because of illness. She was replaced by the Modernaires, sing- ing group. Void of B.O. Draw Talent Shutters Fay’s, Providence I Providence, Dec. 5. • Fay’s theatre, whjch has kept ./Vaude alive in Rhode Island for ' many years and. which has hereto.- fore found it necessary to close down only in the summer months, will close its doors tomorrow, (6). I Edward M. Fay, chairman of Fay’s Theatre board, in announcing 'the shutdown, left the door partial- ' ly open with plans which call for a reopening if proper name ' tions can be booked for early' 19OT.. Hoopla in Monti Montreal, Dec. 5. Boite operators in Montreal suf^ fered a sharp setback last Wednes- day (29) when Premier DuplessiS announced at a press conference that “in accordance with Holy Year” and because both the big holiday eves of the year fall on a Sunday all cafes, hotels and res- taurants will have to stop selling liguor at '9 p.m. In other, words, the Premier’s announcement has vir- tually killed both Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Last year a similar announce- ment came from the Quebec Liquor Commission and. the loopholes found by club owners were many and varied but this year the order is direct from Duplessis who warned that' violations of his order would be “susceptible to the sev- erest pehalties . . even to the concellation of liquor permits.” With several new clubs having opened and with Montreal now showing lavish revues in its cafes, operators who figured on getting off the hook with the holiday take, are looking forward to a gloomy session. Several private clubs have already cancelled band con- tracts in yiew of the announce- ment as the threat of losing your liquor license is too important to take a chance with in this province. A move is on foot by one of the flashy saloons to get other operat- ors to move their New Year’s fete a day ahead, to Saturday night, when the law permits sales of booze until 2 a.m. To date this has roused little interest as some owners hope for a last minute re- prieve which is doubtful. The Premier also announced that all liquor stores ( Government con- trolled) will be shuttered Dec. 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and Jan. 1. One of the biggest show towns in Canada and the top tourist resort looks forward to bleak holiday season. ’Hopalong’ to Spark Rodeo at Houston’s 19th Fat Stock Show \ Houston, Dec. 5. Set to open Jan. 31 for a 12-day run with Bill (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd, Tennessee Plowboy Eddie Arnold and his Oklahoma Wrang- lers as star rodeo attractions, the Houston Fat Stock Show is having the best advance sale of season boxes in its 19-year history. President W. Albert Lee, hotel and cattle tycoon, today reported 188 of the 20 boxes sold for $67,- 500, compared with $41,640 at the same time last year, when a record for the 1950 show was hung up. Boxes are sold for 16 of the show’s 19 performances of the World Championship Rodeo, at $311.04 for a six-seat box, $362.88 .for a seven-seat box, with 10% discount during advance sale. Everett- E. Colbum, of Dublin, TeXi, who produces the Madison Square Garden Rodeo, will produce the Houstoii event. Othei* acts will include the Hendricks family and a numbers of trick riders. The Show combines livestock exhibitions in the Sam Houston Coliseum annex and judging in the arena, with nightly and weekend matinee rodeo performances. Durr ing its 1950 run, 493,000 persons bought front gate tickets, 180,000 attended the rodeo. Romm Repping Contino Dick Contino signed a three- year personal management con- tract with Leonard Romm, eastern rep for Spike Jones’ Arena Stars, Inc. Joe Glaser’s Associated Booking Corp. will continue to book ac- cordionist. r cDn '/'■( Set Yank Acts For Medrano Circus, Paris Hollywood, Dec. 5. Peg-Leg* Bates heads the Ameri- can contingent to this season’s Medrano Circus in Paris. Troupe, booked by Carolina and Jo Brun- son, leaves for Paris Dec. 15. Others inked are Johnny Romero, Dolores and Don, Dianne Robinson, Jimmy Risk and Tee Gould. Mattie King goes along as dance director. yaudeville took another lacing this week with the Schine circuit dropping its stageshows, Possibili- ty is that this circuit will resume in time for New Year’s Eve, but noth- ing is definite so far. Last season the chain dropped its stage dis- plays during Christmas • week and picked up the shows in time for the New Year’s Eve business. Temporary closing of the 15 Schirie houses, comprising 40 days of playing time, are the latest signs of an increasingly dwindling num- ber of vaudeville stands. The Car- man theatre, Philadelphia, dropped vaude two weeks ago. Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Long brewing resentment by lo- cal nitery operators against book- ing of legit musicals, and one shot star (Eddie Cantor, et al.) attrac- tions into the newly built $1,500,- 000 Miami Beach Auditorium came to a head Monday (4) withjfiiling of a suit in circuit court by owners of Copa City theatre-restaurant asking for injunction to keep such attractions out of the municipal project Starlight Corp., which holds the lease on Copa City (Murray Weinger and Ned Schuyler), filed suit against the city of Miami Beach, the City Council; Auditori- um manager Claude D. Ritter, Jr., and indie booking outfit, Audi- tftrium- Attractions, Inc., contend- ing the city has no right to use the taxpayers money to maintain a theatre or nightclub in direct com- petition with priyate enterprise. The Municipal Auditorium, orig- inally voted $750,000 by the free- holders here, is now estimated to cost oyer the original figure. Ad- ditional costs came when it was found a full stage, flyers and dress- ing room adjuncts were necessary. The petition filed in the suit claims that employment of Rittef at $7,200 a year to act as manager and to promote and book attrac- tions puts the city in the entertain- ment business. Complaint con- tends that the city leased the place to private concern. Auditorium At- (Continued on page 52) "MOST ORIGINAL IDEA IN DANCE IN 20 YEARS!” Chgo. Herald-Aiiierican. KUP says: «AAI CONSOLO Ml MELBA get raves over their new bubble dance!” ANN MARSTERS: ^Bubbles— thousands of shimmering Iridescent bubbles— drifting from all corners of the ceiling . . , floating and bursting about Co.nsolo and Melba. A blue spotlight follows this, boy and girl as they glide swiftly across the floor, adding greater luster to the bubbles and a bright shimmer to the swirling, shock- ing-pink chiffon of Melba's gown. This enchanting effect Is the ‘‘Dance of the Bubbles” Introduced by Its creators during their cur- rent Chez Paree engagement. Here is an extraordinary team!’' ZABE, Variety: **0008010 and Melba refrain, from the affected posturing terping of their contemporaries, instead offer sprightly routihes; a beguine, an Italian Polk Dance and a polka. Ffemme has unusually expressive hands which she uses to good advantage. Sock piece Is waltz to “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” with soap bubbles floating down from the ceiling as gal dips and sways, seemingly chasing the elusive bubbles!” ' BENTLEY STEGNBR, Sun-Times: “Standout!” GENE Morgan; Daily nows: “AbsoUjtely charming agility!” , CHARLIE DAWN, Herald- American: “One qt few dance teams truly favored by Chicagoans . . . tremendous applause!” ATTENTION: Solt •xecutlort und performing rights to the “Dance of Yhe Bubbles” ere retained by the creators. Rog. A Copyrighted Nov., 1950. Menepoment: WILLIAM MORRIS ACEKCY . r • - , •(Kv' -T , . I t.t i' . . .j. »./ ^ ‘ < jS i Sr 52 VAUDEVILLE P^^IETT • • . . •» ' Wediteftday/ December 6, 1950 Occupation GFs Hollywood, Dec. 5. Despite recurrent rumors that ! Music Corp. is negotiating to buy The occupatwn troops now in . aways also found favor. A 1 acts Wasserman. ItnroDft have entirelv different en- ! were received enthusiastically. MCA president, deiiies any Such Dave Bines, producer of the RKO ' allowed to take all the bows neces* Century vaudeville unit which, played U. S. ^ sary and routines were generally hnvAn’f Vai’ militiuT >stalIations in^occupie|;^^^^l^^^^^ Iwasserraart safd n Germanv and Vienna. Bines and 1 Bines left 10.000 oasses to the ........ 4.. .. tertainment tastes of their ^ o^herwke^'the Wasserman, however, War II colleagues according to somewhat, othei vise tbe Wai n coueagues, accoimng_ to .tvoops would feel gyped.^^ acquiring some contracts now but these pow- reached fruition. \ ^ • 1 ' T**' • -1 t*A. A. At * *tMs^»J^*JA***»* k7M4Vk. no complete take- Germkny and Vienna. Bines and I Bines left 10,000 passes to tbe over of Century was contemplated the troupe returned last week from ; Palace theatre, N. Y., with the Dorso or Melcher would the jaunt; i troops. Most plan to use the ducats According to Bines, dames are no i vvhen home on furlough. Others are included on Century’s roster are longer the major factor in shows. ; sending them to relatives. _ ' Jack Sriiith^ Doris Day, Polly Ber- Greater interest is in acts, and a i H^it was regarded^ as good ex- Gordon MacBae and the feitinie entertainer needn't feel Plomtion for the RKO circuit. Sportsmen, slighted if there are no whistles ' . The Air Force provided transpor- ■ when she comes on. Bines added i t'itlon and the 12-piece band which i many of the personnel stationed in ; backed them. The GI tootlers, ac- Germany and Austria have their ' cording to Bines, played the show families with them and unmarried . as well as any pro band, and the lads fraternize with native femmes. ; soldier-stagehands set iip equip- Gals are no longer the novelty that ment with the gusto of professional they were when combat was the ma - 1 deckhands. jor occupation and tlie foxhole was Pitt Cafes Back in Stride After Acts, Ban^ Snafued in Blizzard the fashionable quarters of the day. 1 RROOITi VN P A-HAV The RKO unit was booked by j ^ ^ U/Vl Danny Friendly as t: circuit’s j NCW VRAR^S RVF V AIinF contribution to soldier entertain- ' 1 Li/llt u Li f L 1 tWJUU ment. Unit comprised Bud & Cece The charges by the Philadelphia branch of American Guild of Variety Artists that the parCnt na- tional union flouted the will of the cohyention by replacing the 3% tax on talent budgets in favor of a 1% salary tax has been with- drawn. Charges were withdrawn at a A four-day vaude show playing Robinson, Edwards Bros. Bros, trio, ; through New Year’s day will be meetTng'^in New York fast week Tommy Hanlon Jr., Ruth . Da\ns, ; presented' at tlie Paramount the- between the AGVA national execu- The Appletons, Jackie Bright Billy atre, Brooklyn, beginning DCc. 29. tive committee and the Pbilly Wells, & the Four Fays^and^Harvey Last live program at the house was - branch board. Tlie 5^0 impost was Stone. The^ putfit played Weis- the one-niter played by Bob Hope adopted at the recent AGVA con- baden, Frankfort, R h i n e Mam, and his troupe Nov. 25. vention in Philadelnhia and wac Heidelberg, Bermerhaven. Beilin, i Bill will consist of songstress introduced to delegates from that pding, Vienna, Neubiberg, Lands- ; Toni Harper, Lucky Millinder’s j city. It was la?ci t^voked at m berg, ^Furstenfeldbruck, Nurem-i^ Lee Richards. Tip, Tap . Cleveland meeting of the AGVA berg, Birkenfeld, and Lagens, lat- ' and Toe and Howell and Bowser., national board and the salary tax ter is in the Azores which was|pic will be Paramount’s ‘‘Let’s substituted. It was explained that played on their return trip to the ; Dance,” which will open at the the- unless a convention resoluHon States- I atre Dec. 21 , with Monogram's i passes by a two-thirds majority. Bines opened that comedy and “Bomba and the Hidden City.” Lat- which this resolution didn’t get, audience participation gimmicks | ter pic will cancel out when tlie the board has a right to nullify it were most popular. Harvey Stone I stage show goes in. ! Henry l3unn, AGVA’s national got top reception with his GI rou- tiiie. Ilis ribbing of ofTi'cCrs went over extremely well with enlisted men, Jaickie Bright’s audience par- ticipationer also scored. His give- Perforirter Guild Increases ‘Gelebrity Night’ Salaries Americaii Griiild of Variety Art- ists ban on cuffo appearances at N. Y. cafe celebrity nights hasn’t stymied the Sunday night shindigs at Leon & Eddie’s and Dario’s La Martinique. Only burden has been the increased cost of talent to the operators. Bonifaces pay bne-seventli of regular weekly salary instead of the cheaper one-night fee, and all acts, if any, •‘guesting”, must now be paid, Union collects sucli Salary for later payment to abrogate sub- terfuge. Revamping of scale was because union didn’t want to grant the one- night scale which had been in ef^ feet at Leon & Eddie’s to any qth operator. Dario made application for the same deal and was turned down. Consequently, in order to avert suspicion Of discrimination, it had to up the; L&E scale. As a result, Eddie Davis’ Sunday guest nights have been costing a little more than $200. Dario’s bill has been running around $ 100 . HAROLD BARNES Currently ROXY NEW YORK Just Returned 7 Months Europe^Palais De Sports, Paris; Ptilladium, London Ed Sullivaii’s TV Show December 17 Direction: SAM RAUCH TA Names Hoffman Shuttle; Flu Attack I administrative secretary, also re- I ported that Dick Jones, head of iPhilly branch, agreed to take a T V Q ^ v.'ithdrawal card from the unioli. Temporary txec Sec TM^ in line. with AGVA rule that Harold Hoffman, of the American , AGVA ! Federation of Radio Artists, has ■ circumvent i been named executive secretary for candidates pro-tern of Theatre Authority, Posts, pending reorganization. Appoint- i . “ ment was made to fill the post made vacant by the resignation of 1 ^ vUIlUcl l llUlClo Alan Corelli, formet longtime secretary, who has aligned with set ' Tbulf ‘71 Inc, Davis subsidiary will handle ' with a two-week stand at acts and clubdate bookings. I the William Penn hotel, Pittsbuf^h, The TA is still In a state of flux. ; following an attack of influenza pat form it will ultimately take ; which necessitated postponement depends upon the re-entiy of the ! of three concert stands. Chantoosey American, Guil£, of Variety Artists i and her manager, Anna Sosenko, into ^e benefit control organiza- , been staying in New York dur- tion. Performer union is currently • Hildy’s recuperation. demanding major voice in the, • rpi'p. Ti organization and a cut of $6,000 in TA funds collected on benefits ’ Which while AGVA was still with TA. ' iV ; Ma.ss., which will also be played m January, and Norwood, Mass., date of which hasn’t been set as yet. Hildegarde is slated to open at the Oval Room of the Hotel Copley Plaza, Boston, Christmas night, after which she’ll do three more concert dates following a Florida rest. for '13 La the COMEDY MATERIAL For All Branched of Theattitali GlfASol^’S FUN-MASTER •THl ORIGIN At SHOW, all GAG HU' • Nos 1 thru 3$ @ $1.00 oach • (Sold In SoquonDo Only) SPECIAL- FIRST 13 FILES FOR $10 . ALL 35 FILES FOR ONLY $25 • 3 Bks. parodies; per book SlTli • MINStREL BUDGET $25 • • « Glackout BKS., ea. bk $25 • HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES . 'reissue), $2.00 giant CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF. GAGS, $250; Worth over a thousand. NO C.O.D.'5 PAULA SMITH 200 W. 54 St.. New York 1 9 Dept. V Circle 7-1 no New York Richard HayCs pacted Martinique, N. Y., Dec George De Witt signed for Havana Madrid, N. Y., Dec. 28 . . . I Condos & Brandbw succeeded Jean ' Carroll and Galli Galli at the La- tin Quarter, N. Y., Sunday (3) ... Three Suns into Town Casino, Buf- falo, Christmas week . . . Joe E, Lewis bows at the Beverly Coun- try Club, New Orleans, Dec. 28 for four weeks. Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. With business ’way off anyway so far this season, city’s burlesque theatre, the Casino, decided to stay 0ut for awhile when big snow put it out of action last week. Shows for next few weeks have been can- celed, house line and orch have been put on layoff and management doesn’t expect to reopen before Xmas week. Originally Casino had intended to close Saturday (2) for three stanzas ahead of holiday, but the storm hastened the shuttering by nine days. Understood that if trade doesn’t show an uptake after Yule and New Year’s stanzas. George Jaffe, who owns and operates spot, may fold permanently. Par, New Haven, Tuneup Spot for N.Y, Flagship New Haven, Dec. 5. Paramount, former cradle of Publix units in the old days, took ,a one-day fling at flesh last Tiies^ day (28) in what may be the fore- runner , of an intermittent stage- show policy. As a final tuneup for a Wednes- day opening at the New York Paramount, show was brought In for a three-performance, single- day stand. Results were highly satisfactory, with some 4,300 pay- ees feeding the kitty at a scale ad- vanced from a 65c. top to a $1 top. Pittsburgh, Deo. I. City^S night clubi finally got back into stride over weekend after taking worst licking in thelv history from the big snoWt All of them were shut down tight for five days, a few finally unshuttered last Thursday (30), a couple of more followed on Friday and the rest on Saturday. Some of the more in- accessible highway rooms didn’t get going until last night (Mon ). In many cases, -acts were stuck here, both from preceding week’s show and those which were to have opened last Monday. Some opera- tors shelled out for transportation and lodgings for refugees although they \yeren't compelled to do that since the eniergency came under the “act of God” clause. Acts, Bands Snafued Sammy Kaye was to have played last week at Vogue Terrace but management got him in Cincinnati day ahead of his opening and he went straight bn to New York and will come back later. That room as a result remained shut whole week and got going again last night (Mon.) with a local band and show. Bill Farrell was also detoured out of the Copa, but Slam Stewart got here in the storm and played half a week instead of a full one at Jdhnny Brown’s Club. Alexander Bros, also were several days late in getting started at BiU Green’s While . Ankara show was stranded since it was a holdover but got in a last half anyway. Woody Her- man, who was at Vogue Terrace when storm struck, finally got out couple of days late by train, leav- ing their cars behind, but never- theless _ had to cancel couple of bne-nighters. Negotiations are underway fof “The Jazz Train,” a Negro unit which recently closed at the Para- dise, N. Y.> By Happy Benway Saranac, Lake, N. Y . Dec. 5. Study & Craft Guild held its 10th annual Harvest Hop to a packed house la.st week. It featured “Adirondacks Sports On Parade,’’ Schaller Bros;, leave for London with awarding of prizes my Eddie this week to fill a circus date . . Vogt, who emceed affair. Prizes Mons. Choppy pacted for the Des- included an 8m camera, a $200 ert Inn, Las Vegas, Dec. 12 and the ; U. S. Bond and many others. Ernie Riverside hotel, Reno, Dec. 28 . . . ' La Roiiche and Huntsman fur- Three Romanos into the Lookout ' ni.shcd the music; Alfredo Gpiiza- House, Covington, Ky., Jan. 29 . . . : lez and Ed Worthington, Jr., ( headed the committee in charge of Ollic&fiTO I. event. Che? Paree has set Herb Shrinef,lclta,7r'eport\7rt: Francis Faye, and Helene and How- , ginia strum, Tillie Astrum, .lack , ard on current show . . . Nan Blak- ; (rkq) Wasserman. Walter (CBS) ; stone;ii)to the Trocadero, ,Oma}ia, ; Rpmanik and Yours Truly. .Dec, 11 . Riverside Uieatre, Mil- : Rob Pasquale, who made the ^waukee, ha. Three Suns, Jer^ ■ grade here, hack to marry^Helcn I Colonna, and Janis Paige on its Grunn VtHpI v : Jan. 25 show . . . Dorothy Dorben ThevTi reside m rin.Jntn7 j line into the Beverly Hills CounU y I rolonv " out downtown ! Club, Newport, Ky. . . i Will Harris, I A17 Fo<;fpr pV +1 i Oriental producer, has snagged the defunct Alnin/T^iv'oW^ 'annual auto show, Feb. 7 . , * Fisher co"- and Marks caper at the Bellerive, o-irtmeru Of f ^ i K r .Tan 12 W two weeks. ^ \^^ht of the Variety Clubs hos- pital. Copa City Ops Continued from page 51 I I ^ Just Concluded: ^ “WHAT’S ON ^ YOUR MIND?" ^ A TV Production if THE "AMOSINO MENTALISTS uci//c W (f^v /^ooc*ii$ j^- RDturhluB to: ^ Ootning Doc. 27 ^ Radir ClOb/ Fort L’aU^rdalt, Fi«.; to Fabi; tiSAItSI Kv MayRower Hotel, Palm Beach, Fla. ^ Dorothy Grenville, planed in S . Brooklyn to visit Forrest I “Slim” Glenn. I , Glenn (& Phelps) Phillips, vet s vauder and newcomer here drew § ; good clinic report that ups him fpr I pictures. ^ j .Harry Na.son, showing S . J^JLVgreiSs, nice ^mW io iihWeMh(>”ai^e^li." >'03) tractions, Inc., for dates in Febru- ary at a rental of $1,800 or 7% of the gross. First show booked un- der this arrangement is “Briga- doon” from Feb. 5 to 9. Another instance cited is the booking of Eddie Cantor for Feb. 27 by Amer- ican Legion Post here “while Copa City M'as negotiating for him to ap- pear there.” Calls Such Use Illegal Continuing, the complaint insists that the Freeholders who approved the , bond issue which made funds available fOr the construction of the Auditorium, “intended it for municipal and public purposes only.” No mention is made of the series of concerts, ‘symphony pres- entations (University of Miami) or lectures already booked. Accord- ing to Copa City reps, they are only seeking to prevent direct competition for nightclubs and theatres through booking in of mu- sical and other attractions of the type. They point out that between the lessee and owners taxes, they are paying some $13,000 a year to the city and feel that they should be protected by the council. Others in the cafe industry hereabouts point out that the original sum of $750,000 voted has doubled’ and may go even higher, due to “bad planning, nt> invitation to any eje- pcricnced thcatncal person to join tlib^ t)lanning committees.”' ^ 5 ' iULIET MASTRY Singing Sensafipn Currently Appeoring In Htr Sth ConitcuHv* Wetk of PALUMBO’S AND C. R. Philad#lphid, Po. N«w York RtprotonfoflvB MICKEY SHAW 1674 Broadway, Now York PLoiia 7-A33t PLoia 7-4389 JUST PAUCE, New York TRIO CAmOl RECORDS CURRENTLY f IVE O'CLOCK CLUB Miami Beach Mgt.: Bill Burtan M.C.A. Vb f i . pj^m'fr Wednesday, Deceni|>^r 6, 1950 VARIETY BILLS WEEK OF DECEMBEK 6 Numeraii In connection with bills below Indicate opening day of show whether full or split week Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit (FM) Fanchon Marco; (1) Independent# (L) Loew; (M) Moss; Astoria Lisa Kirk De Mattiar.zis Emil Coleman Mischa Borr Oro CHICAGO NEW YORK city C apitol (L) e-10. S Henderson Ore Vagabonds Kay Armen DUnbllls n-13 . Enric Madriguera O Renald & Rudy Charles Fredericks Trini Reyes Paul Regan ,, ,, Music Hall (I) y Martha King Bettina Rosay Roy Raymond Leonard Sues Kinko Sharkey Rockettes • ' Corps de Ballet Sym Ore Palace (R) 7 Prof Kellar Sen Murphy 2 Valors ; Louise Hoff 4 Buddies (2 to fill) Paramount (P) 4 Nat King Cole 3 Jimmy Dorsey Ore Mickey Deems Tong Bros Roxy (1) 4 Philharmonic Piano 4 P Remos Toy Boys Harold Barnes Romayne & Brent Joan Hyldoft; Strand (W) • Lee Marx Peggy Mann Tommy Wonder Dave Apollon Co Danny Capri BUFFALO Paramount (P) 9 Arthur Godfreys Talent Scouts CHICAGO ' Chicago .(P) 8 Duke Ellington Ore Sarah Vaughan Joe Chisholm Howell & Bowser Oriental (I) 7 5 Skylarks . . 3 Stooges Eileen Barton Perry Franks &. J Sherman Hayes Ore ELMIRA Strand (W) 7 Only Grand Ole Opry Ernest Tubb Max Raney Bd 9-10 Original Amateur Hour Unit PHILADELPHIA Earle (W) 8 Bon Bon Holmes & Jean Ella Fitzgerald Jackie "Moms'* Mabley Ink Spots ROCKFORD Palace (I) 8-10 Coley Bay, Wonder Horse Victoria Tp W Whitehouse Co Joe Altee Jackie Burtell WASHINGTON Capitol (L) 7- Bobby Whaling Don Cornell Pitchmen Mary Raye & Naldi AUSTEAIIA MELBOURNE His Majesty's (I) 4 Armand Perren Marion Davies Elimar . Devine & King Gerda Bornstad Chribi Marika Saary Phillip Tappin Wim de Jong Jacques Cartaux Jimmy Elder Joe Whitehouse Alice Brommann Cissy Trenholm tivoll (I) 4 Guus Brox & Myrna M & H Nesbitt Wally Boag Babs MacKinnon Marquis & Family Detroy Ileank Sazova Rob Murray Eugene's Flying' Ballet Celebrity 8 SYDNEY Tivoli (I) 4 John Calvert Ann Cornell • M Colleano Co Hotrie Dargie 4 Ralph Barry ' ' Romanoff 3 Dorothy Joe Black Dancettes Palace (M) 4 Bebe & Belle Ronnie Runalde Robb Wilton Max Bacon V & J Crastonian Great Alexander Tp Jay Palmer & Doreen .. Gloria & Splendid Harry Worth NEWCASTLE Empire (M) 4 Woods & Jariett Eddie Williams Pep Graham NORTHAMPTON New (I) 4 Radio Rcvelleis Robert Morelon . Janet. Brown 4 Salvadors 3 McMurrays Georges & Lcnnette North & Stoyle Ethel Barton. 4 NORWICH Hippodrome (I) 4 Speedy Smith Gwendlyn Grey Cy Grant Ida Sh«fpley David Dirks Dan Jackson Gwyii Miller Hex Dutton McKay Bros & Vera NOTTINGHAM Empire (M) 4 Phyllis Dixey Randolph Sutton Irving & Girdwood Billy O’Sullivan Jack Tracy 2 Pirates Howard De (lourcey SUNDERLAND Empire (M) . 4 Joe Stein ' Max Carole 7 Ashtons Fred Sloan Jack Farr BRITAIH Ronnie Stewart SWANSEA Emplire (M) 4 Laurie Watson . Derek Roy Rey Overbury Lee Lawrence Jackie Co . . Charlie Clapham Rlchinan & Jackson Marie De Vere 3 WALTHAMSTOW Palace (I) .4 . Kiltie Jrs Winters & Fielding Lockey & Henry Joe Church Gaye & Van Gabrielle Royalettes WOLVER- HAMPTON Hippodrome (I) 4 Max Miller Vic Ray & L'uciiie Leslie Lester 3 Karloffs Alfred, Thripp Nixon,* Dixon Frank Wilsson Joe . Alter & Renee Wood GREEN Empire (S) 4 4 Eskimos Rene Strange Anne. Rogers , Eddie Ward Somers * Jean V & V Mlleham Alma Cookson Carr & Ives Cycle Bros , Topper 'Martyn YORK Empire (I) 4 Ken Bailey D * R Montreal .Marians & Bessell Roy Rivers Turner * Davies Pete Dulay Jean Sweetman Ives * French Betty English Joyce Marsh Biackhawk i “Roaring Twenties" ! Susan Scott JoeJ Friend Connie Baxter Heni'.v Brandon Ore Cher waree Stan Grover Herb Shriner Francis Faye Helene * Howard D Dorben Ders Manuelitto Ore. Cee Dayidsnn Ore Palmer House J & S Bteele DeLeon &• .Graciella Rudells (3) M Abbott Dcr s Eddie O’Neal Ore Helsthgs Georgio Gobel Jayne Walton . Billy Chandler Ore Hotel Bismarck Franklin & Moore Lee Morgan Jerry Glidden Ore Night Club Reviews Continued from page 53 llotol Tliiinilorliird j triumph. Her o wn conductor, ar- action. Slick arrangement of “Blues ; and pianist, Dick Matthews, the Night’ gets hefty applause. ! iss Bruce then reprised a succcs- i oifenng s effective in IMiss H Edgewatcr Beach i ’ sliao and SDeed Honey Bros ! sion of ycsicryear hit paraders ; vi D llild Ders O/riif Tucker Ore Hotel Stevens Skating Ryles Arnold Shoda Jerry Mapes Jack RaiTlo.cr Mac MacGraw Reed Williams Harper Flaherty Bob Fitzgerald Skating Blvdeari Jo Barnum .lack Spoons Chordmen. (4) . Buddy Rust ' Bill Perry Leighton Noble Ore Vine Gardenv Lind Bros (3) : B Joyce & Ginger Mel Cole Ore CANADA EAST HAMPTON Granada (1) 4 Flack * Lucas • . Morris French Co Sydney Shaw Freddie Costello Revel * Fields 2 Hynes MONTREAL Gayety (I) 4 Monita Diaz Hal Perry Jr Harris * RadcUffe Hill & Delmar Michelle Laurence Billy Romapo Devan Bros R & B CarToU •Paddy Wing Will Skinner Orch Ambassador Peggy I./ee Dave Barbour 4 Barbara Perry Eddie Bergman Qrc Geri Galiah. Ore Biltmore Hotel Sonny Howard Hoctor & Byrd Vic . and Adio Anita Aros • Russ Morgan . Ore LOS ANGELES Hotel . Giro's Desi . Arnaz Ore Joe Carioca Maryce. Marco Rizo • Jesse, James & . .Cornell Mocembo -Billy Daniels Latin-Aires Eddie Oliver Ore such as *'My Man,” “Ten Gents a ' through a Dance,’’ “Stormy. Weather,’’ “My Bill,’’ winning plenty reaction from patrons. Highlight and clos - 1 ing was sock version of ‘‘Jenny,’’ j ♦ pdt he s one of the with roving mike and intimate j tells ringside chatter. She includes i that they re still good bumps, swivehhips to bring her . t^^^^Vftis. An^d apparently even stanza to a boffc finish. the Jacqueline Huriey, aero contor- ; ex- ti(>nist first on bill, sells her amaz- ! so as not to offend, ihg body pretzelihgs on a special i table equipped with cbloreci lights. ; ^i^f.t'^®teriza* i Patrons are fascinated by her l^®”^ ^ number ot nationalities, I clever twists and double bends, ^ we, come. Rccs. , Gets solid appreciation. With the [ first appearance away from the j l..altiitS N. Y. Coast B'here ^they broke in ’ their i Ted Straeter’s Orch ( 8 ), Sam act The Redheads, ( pianci giutar i ^ 5 Ensemble (7>; $3.50 and banjo, bass) click solidly. Trio . 7 , 11 , • shows freshness, vitality plus good I ' ■ / • ' material In vocal and Instrumental This is what might be called a numbers. Opening with ^a clever | ..personality” roomf Not a person- special called ‘ Uranium 235,” lads l ality in the form of a perfornieri las VEGAS prove line in song^ — “there’s a little bit of corn born in all of us*’ by for there is ho show. It is a room whose lure is based on the person- Dcsert Ini) ‘TUinsky's Follies** Dardy Orlaftdo Trudine . George Moore Leo Diamond Bobby Morris Joe De Rita Murray Briscoe Allan Cole Carrie Finnell. Carlton Hayes Ore El Rancho Vegas Gordon. Ma'cRae Anthony, AUyn . selling top grade variety. Act wins aiity ohetime ^ “lf^B^^Mav^’s^Pa?tv*’^^wit^^ | Gogi Tchitchitnadze, who has es- 1 | tabUshcd himsclf Rs restauraht host ^ . mimcry, earn a begoft on cornball : Hollvwood Mexico Gitv Npw L ouK.Armstrong o j finish with “Somebody Stole My j y^rk and Git>, New Import from Europe. Gil John- son emerges from Duffy Dansa- 1 Kat 'alt a hf/ f UJ ^ o at# tions opening line liiimbffr to sing, ' ^ hoof aiid sock home a drum bit. ' ^ He is head Earl Hines Jack Teagarden Barney Bigard Arvell Shaw Velma Middleton . Cozy Cole Pinky Lee Bill White Chuy Reyes OTc Gajrwood Van Ore ' Last Frontier Hotel Phil Spitalny Ore Nick Stuart Ore Thunderbird Hotel He returns bn finale production in , “Serenade for Jazz*' based on ‘Serenade for Jazz” based on ‘Student Prince*' score; * Hodges . _ . „ Sterling Youing Ore i Carol Bruce ^ Flamingo Hotel ] Jacquelme_Hurley The Redheads A1 Jahns Ore I ASTON Hippodrome (I) 4 Amazing Chevalier Co Johnnie Kayes Flying Demos Ranleighs Liberty Horses Oscar Spuds Co BIRMINGHAM ^ Hippodrome (M) 4 Roger Smith Reid & Squires O’Doyle Bros Collinson & Breen Dolinofis & Rays Sis Krl.sta & Krlstel Billv Danvers Tipsv & Brow BLACKPOOL Palace (I) 4 Hal Monty 5 Skyliners , Jimmy Elliott Moray Bros & Dave Bob Wyne & Barbara , Betty Hobbs Oirls Eddie Gordon & N BRIGHTON Hippodrome (M) 4 Paula Coutts Anton Karas D * J O’Gorman Song Pedlars Freddie Bamberger * Pam Tommy Fields Paul St Pauline Olga Varona Barclay Sis BOURNEMOUTH Hippodrome (D 4 Jimmy Gay Johnnie Carlton Margi Morris Eddie Stacey Johnnie Marsh Ann Gaynor Bertie Sellers 2 Aret ' brixto^‘ Empress (L Tex McLeod y;era Cody * Animals- Harold Walden Ottawa Henry Bunkliouse Bf" Texa.s Coweir) BRISTOI Empire (i) Dick Tubb Jr .Tune Scott Les Cooper • Mine Du-Rov . Anton Petrov Mildred Ham John Gerrerd Noon ■Rro.s Gridncff. Co George & Lvd Garden of Edo Lovlies CHELSEA .palace (I) ./ ■ Don Saunders George (’amev ’ Norm-in 11arpc>- G * E Grande Phyllis Terrel' Roy & Ray. • Mary Hnrkrtc.'.s- Ted Gilbert ’ •Miriam .Pearse Leslie Noyes . Buddy Crawi'orf' Glanifirous LovTu' EAST HAMPT' Metropolitan <1. Bunny Baron Billy Nel.son Chuck O’Neill Eddie Gordon * . Nancy Ivy Luck Harry Arnold Sloahc Sis Les Raynor * Betty Palap# .4 ( I Jack Lewis Dawkes & Rose Melody 6 Arthur Knotto Pete Taylor Ralph Humber James Regan Eric Marr Bert Yates EDINBURGH Empire (M) .4 Carroll Levis Co Orfertis 3 • Stan Jay * Joan Mooney & King Gaston Palmer Correll 3 FINSBURY PARK Empire (M) 4 Billy Cotton Bd More.cambe * Wise (ianjbu Bros * J Donald B Stuart Joyce Golding Carsony Bros Johnny Lawson .3 GLASGOW Empire (M) 4 Rex Remer 4, Alan Dean Patterson & Jackson Winifred Atwell Roy Lester Botonds Veronica Martell Eve Eacott GRIMSBY Palace (I) 4 Jackson Earle Valerie & Davis Wallace Deliss & Janet P * F Naylor Annette Duvals (i's Billy Eves HACKNEY Empire (S) 4 5 Smith Bros Jon Pertwee Bernai'd Miles Evy & Everto- Chah Canasta Muldoon 4 ,D 8c D LUpino Bel-Louis Bros LEEDS Empire (M> 4 Jack RadcUffe Merry Macs : ■ Agnettes & $ylvi|i Jackley * Jee LEICESTER Palace (S) 4 M & A Dey Desmond & Mark.*. Wills & Ritchie Haynes & Gardner Parisienne Lovlies . David Sayer Doreen Lavender ' Raymbhi Bros LIVERPOOL Empire (M) 4. Skating Meteors Sam Costa . Hope * Ray ' Wilson.Keppei & Betty Jimmy James Co Nitwits Bobby Breen De- Vere Empire CVls LONDON Palladium (M) 6 . Frankie Howerd Bihnie Hale . Nat .Tackley Ben Yost Royal Guards Warren Latdna * S i Gipsy 3 Jerry Desmonde MANCHESTER Hippodrome (S) 4 Allan Jones Cookes Pony ReV AnnelJ & Brask Hall * Flynn D 8c E Wolcox MaqK|e|uii8 >Reid 6c Cabaret Bills Moola Over Mountain Continued from page 1 of a corporation whose investors 000 -to $ 20,000 with the backers coiii^ breaks into jazz after Johnson per- j ^ forrns a pas de deux with ballerina ' The $2,000 mini- Christina Carson. Rest is bleating routine w’ith Johnson’s spins win- ning applause. Barney Rawlings sings • produc- tion numbers, and is an engaging mum, incidentally, enables the in- vestor to own 10 shares, with the money people including Tony Martin, Hedy Lamarr, Herbert Klotz, Conrad Hilton, Horace NEW YORK CITY Birdiano Bill Farrell Bud Johnson Bud Powell 3 Billy Taylor 4 . Blue Angel Connie Sawyer Bill Hayes Wally Cox Stuart Ross Harold Ceoke . Barbara Cook Eadle & Rack Chittison 3 Bon Spir Jimmie Daniels Mae Barnes Ghostley & Wood Norene Tate Garland Wilson Ellis Larkin 3 cafe Sociatv Josh White Beatrice Howell Leonard Conner Cliff Jackson J Windhiu’st Ore Copacananfi Phil Silvers June Hutton M Durso Ore Stump & Stumpy Jean Caplcs Chuck Brunner Betty Harris Mickey Devine Austin Mack F Alvares Ore • Diamond Horseshoe Ross 8c LaPierre Rudy Cardenas W. C . Handy Billy Banks Gloria LeRoy Noble Sissle Ore Chic Morrison Ore Rigoletto Bros. Jack Spoons Frank Evans I'omm.v King Harry Meehan, Billy Banks Harry Armstrong HayanarMadrid Baer * Bosenbloom I Lily Ann Carol Roy Kirk I Pupi Campo Qrc Jerry Copper Vierra Monkeys Iceland Alfred & Lenore Jack Palmer On Habibi Lota^ Bracha Hillel * Aviva El Chico Rusita Rios Los Gitanos : Pilarin Tavira Sarita Herrera D‘/\lonso Ore L'Alglon Harvey Grant Lynne Bretton Dolph Traymgn :■> Leon * Eddip'f Eddie Davis Lyda & Yanni Kenny ' Davis La Commedta Jo Hurt La Martinique Noonan * Marshall Peggy Fears Johnny Conrad I James Hawthorne I Ralph Font Ore ; VaJ Olman Ore I Latin Quarteiii Weuc(ei , ,Galli Galli Sarah Ann McCabe (jhristiani Troupe Mila Raymon Vikings Nirska Les Zoris Genia Mel Wilson Morrelll Calvin Holt Ralph Young An Wane; Ore Le Ruwah Bleu Bibi Osterwaid Ronnie Graham George Hall Betty Oakes Norman Paris 3 Julius Monk Little Club Ernie Warren urc No I Fifth Aye Louise Howard Erik Rhodes Downey * Fonvillii Hazel Webster Old Knifk Jerry Bergen Arthur Barnett Harry Fleer Denise Griffin Fred Ardath Old Roumanian Sadie Banks Jackie Winston Buster Burnell Alverda Mary Mon Toy Joe LaPorte Or» . b’Aquila Ore • Park Ave Gloria Elwood Scotty Graham Charlie Stewart .Penthouse Paul Taubman • Hotel Ambassadbt Jules Lande Ore. Hotel Biltmore Harold Nnge) Ore Hotel Edison Henry Jerome Grr . . Hotel New York** Ray Robbins; Ore Rookies Carol Ly.rine Farrar * Carter Ozzie ' Wells B Pennington Arthur Johnson . Hotel Pierre . DeMarcos Robert Maxwell Stanley Melba Ore Manuel Jiihinez Ore Hotel Park Sheraton Irving Fields 3 Hotel Plata Victor Borge . Artinr * Con'sublb Nicholas . Matthey Mark Monte Dick La Salle . Ore . Hotel Rooseven Guy Lombardo Ore Hotel St. Regis Jane Morgan Milt Shaw Ore Horkce Diaz Ore Hotel Shelbourne Aaron Payne Joan Kibiig Ray Ramirez Spotiighters Hotel Statier Ray Anthony Ore Motel Taft Vincenl T.opez Ore Versalliti Edith Plaf Emile PeUl Dvo ; : emcee. A1 Jahns musicrew takes ' Schmrdlapp, Kay Thompson, Emmy [ rapid cues and all chores in good * ®®“i*^:Shame, etc.r among a group 'stride, segueing into easy tempos stockhoilders. ! for dancing. ! Loper has redecorated the i Although not employing pinnacle I spot, wir.i its background of mir- a 13-Week cycle for each 1,5-minute , names to beckon customers indoors ; ^9utral colors. The bar is segment per week on NBC’s inter- ! from desert breezes, this show in ' decorated with expensive paintings connected net. According to the [ all probability will do good bizpo^ 9 ®d to it by the Newhouse gal- web when the cost ii collated with ‘ because of its razzle dazzle produc- [ the latest Nielsen 32-city rating of jtion. There’s not a lull in the entire i Friday is black-tie night, and you 18 5 the sponsor’s cost-per-thou- 60 minutes. Will. 9^^'} get in unless attired accord- sand would L $2.19, 01 - $4.38 when ' — rin th,s n.t.hi ,.•» women alone are taken into con- sideration. Sponsor is allowed two minute-long spots on each segment, plus a five-second product identifi- cation. In addition, NBC promises ; $ 1 ^ $1.50 coi’cp. to protect each product category, j — First bankrollers to buy into the I Liberace is making his third, _ show were American Home Prod- stand of the year in the deluxe ‘ String Ensemble, With Ray accomp ucts fo.i the 4:15 to 4:30 slot. Thurs- ' dinner room of the Bellerive with ing at the piano. Both groups are days; Minute Maid, for 4:30 to 4:45 this two-week stand. Each date this extremely effective, Straeter for Thursdays, and Durkee. for 4:30 to year was a welcome one for the t'-e /’ance music, which is of the 4:45 Wednesdays. Since then, NBC i fiotel, and this one hews riglit to has sold two segments to Jffrgen’s the line of better biz fiddlers lending a neat touch El C'asliali. K. (HOTEL BELLERIVE) Kansas City, Dec. 1. Liberace, Joe Vera Orch (5); ingly. On this night are varied contests, such as a balloon dance, etc., with door prizes as part of the setup. Biz has been socko from the opening two weeks ago. The only other entertainment is Ted Straeter *s “society’’ orch, with the, maestro at the piano, and six .strolling violinists called Sam Ray’s Lotion, 4:15 to 4:30 Wednesday and : The fancy pianology and chatter Jl'nentalmiel^^^^^^ Kahn^”’ Friday; the 4:30 to 4:45 segment , jg Liberace’s forte are now Monday to Chesebrough; the same , enhanced by some equally fancy,' slot Tuesdays to Simmons Mattress; j effectively managed even ! the 4:30 to 4:45 slot Fridays to ^ room. What with La fin <{iiartcr9 nosf on Boston, Dec. Hazel Bishop Lipstick, and the 4 to ' bl-niher George Liberace to diwee^ Warren <2), WilUc Shore, 4:15 period Mondays. Wednesdays Gaudsinith Bros. (2), Martin York, and Fridays to Procter & Gamble: i the orch and the , ighting eftects, : Arden-Fletcher Line ( 8 ), Dave Les- , Hunt Foods yesterday 'Tues.i • "'•^.t Jtiamht piano^^act^is^ Quartet; A-zif; fr, cfrii', 7*®:^ « SUCK nigntciui) um-btiudLiuii, coi'cr, $3 minimum. bought the complete 4:45 to 5 strip , cross-the-board. i In addition. Corn Products, for , Mazola Oil and a laundry starch. ! get.s To begin with Liberace goes straight longhair, with a condensed version of a rhapsody, but quickly . A/, ^ 99 ?/ this la> out stacks as gets into more popular retinue with ' entertainment, lack of iraT'or-dered' two'' seVments -wliicli medley fcom “South Pacific" and ' marquee names plus usual have iot 4t b^n a^focated NBC ' fanciful “Twelfth Sirect Rag.” i Pi-c-holiday slump arc combining to nave not yei oeen aimcaiea. for a softer number huit biz this stanza. also hopes P&G will take the 4 to ® ^ vocal to “September • Spngslress Fran Warren and 4:15 segment luesdays and Ihurs- and “There Must Be Some- comic Willie Shore split the billing days, which would achieve the sell-: filing Belter Than Love.’’ Returns I when caught, comic grabbed out. It’s noted, incidentally, that to the embellished instrumenlal ' top honors. Guy uncooks a sesh of such bankrollers as Jergen’s, Sim- ,vdrk with a Gershvvin tribute, i iiimble terpirig lied with mons and the lipstick firm have ' never before been represented on • TV and that Durkee, for One, has I Cancelled several magazine ads to ' provide a budget for the prograrri. [ In first attempting to sell the Qaiji, ' art , okay line of chatter with over- all satisfactory results. His kidding >f inn. MpISk (HOTEL NICOLLET) Minheapolis, Dec. 1, Alan. Carneif,:' ^ ' ro I ...ui, Tris [about the hefty sums his mbtlicr dished out for dancing lessons is quickly dissipated with examples of hifty softshoe, ballet, clog and show: NBC ' ran into ^'nume^■ous :Ce«^ G^Uy Orel, ' rm " agency obstacles. Agencies claimed ' $L$1.50 coi'cr, $2.50- j 'j pbreeiattoh”Hfs*comiJ efforts housewives^ Were Aoo-busy to. watch i $3.50 mr,mnu 1 net^nhmdretZs wou“sit^abWW before U?lir se‘ts ! With good supporting help from 1 » pantomime bit of a pinball ma- wouici Sit down, Deioie , 7 heii sets ; Alar Carnev son«»stress ®bine addict scores nicely. would, for psychological reasons, jg extremelV enioVable ! Miss Warren, currently receiving view only programs, with a home J^.g figp local debut and she‘ com- i buildupv is a slick lobk- economics theme. Nielsen rating, J pietely meet;^ the high exp(>ctations i ihgi capable thrush, but injection of however, proved that the show aroused by her best-.sciling disks, ' special material is indicated; in oi’- eould attract a hefty audience, ac- her buoyant persiinaiitv lendine ^er* to wham across to nightclub- 21,5 sets-ih-use. figure Burke Ankles GrAC George Burke has exited .Gen- \ ly paced. The vibrant and animated “Dancing in the Dark” and “Some- Miss Starr spreads plenty of joy body Loves Me” in sexy, solid fash- as she Warbles her way through ion. “Look to the Rainbow” sans sUck arrangements of “Them j mike Was slightly weak for this spa- There Eyes,” “He’s a Good Man to i cions room. eral Artists Corp.’s Ta(ii 6 -TV de- Have Around,’ “Tell Me How llong‘1 Balance of layout includes old- partmeht to join personal manager the Train’s Been Gone,” “Maybe [timers, The (Jaudsmith Bros. With Charies Wick. He’ll concentrate You’ll Be There,” “You Don’t Go i their standard stint of tomfooleiw mainly on radio-TV packaging. Out Tonight Papa” and, for good , with two French poodles, and neat Talent handled by Wick includes ! Tueasure, such audiehce requests ' vocalizing of “Marta” and “Lucky Jimmy Wakely. Marion Hutton and I f.f„ »'lf! i 9^ Martm _York The Art Lund r Wabash Cannon Ball,” Most df r. 1 • j i. 1 , t J ^'her numbers have comedy over- pJ 77 :ke, incidentally, was head of tones and her original material and GAC s legit department before [ choice of solngs Inh’equeritly heard going into th^ .s/etup,.. / lajl. are /faptprs Tii pwmnlng ker a Arden-Fletcher g i r 1 s c a r e ff n through a couple of okay produc- tion numbers with Dave Lester orch handling the backgroundings icapabiy^ > Bl? jso-ao*( t *, Wednesday, December 6, 1950 House Reviews Hall, that staid citadel of concert culture, at H top; now he’s doing a four-day 30-mins. stanza whose only unsatisfactory aspect is that he has to hegoff on time limit. Paranioiiiit^ N. Y« Jimmy Dorsey Orch (16), with Kenny Martin & Pat O’Connor, Tong Bros. (3), Mickey Deems, Nat . King Cole & Trio; **Lefs Dance” (Par ) , reviewed in Variety Aug. 9, ’50. • - ■ Paramount’s 24th Anniversary show is a fairly low-budgeted affair, with only three acts plus the Jimmy Dorsey organization. None- theless, it’s a nicely paced and pleasant bill. Good deal of the load falls in the Dorsey Unit. Band opens the _ show with a rhythm version of j Barkleys (grandfather, daughter, “Sweet Georgia Brown,” and then j firandspn and granddaughter) get over neatly on nostalgic response UBIETY ’‘Yuck-a-Puc,” all winning neat hand. Three Stooges have a neat walk- on. Comics appear, almost unrec- ognizable, in tails and top hats. They vocal about the old-way’s-the- , best-way, then discard the classy COMPAGNONS raiment for the old garb and antics. _ SIQUE (8) ! Stooges still get the bellv-vocks . Songs 55 DE LA MU- THE BROWNLEE SISTERS Songs 7 Mills.; One Sisters are a quartet who won a Horace Leave Me,” “Thinking of You” and ! iP . ^^e “Cakewalk” with Franks, other disclicks, plus his spckj Ed- i show pacp and rate die Cantor imitation of “Makin' ®°^^ ^h^^man Hayes band Whoopee.” [backs in ok^ fashmn. Orch opens ’ vocalist Kenny Martin comes on to sing “Just Say I Love Her.” Martin has a good voice and a personable delivery, but the song is a bit too heavy for him. Trumpet- er. Shorty Sherock combines with chirp Pat O’Connor for an amusing version of “Kiss Me,” in which the trumpet echoes the chirp’s with Les Compagnons de la Chan son, entire group remains anony- - - ^ j one taking : too many featured I spots. This is the original singing combo formed in France before the war and from which stemmed last week doing upwards of . 30 l a novelty tune. They are for the songs at every 2-hoUr showing. As i most part a standard femme vocal ^ ■ • . 11 _ ■ 1 ' ; _ij • _ • 1 • in their three-generation dance con- trasts and energetic challenge. Ar- MeX. PalsicK IV* Y. , , _ j , , „ - ... George & Ann OHucr, Koss i the piaf group, Les Compagnons nold Dover had to begoff on his Haruei/, Brownlee Sisters (4),,!de la Chanson, Split occurred in authentic , .imimtions 0 . Jimmie I Fo.rx ^ White Frederica - Rey Sc \ May, ’46, and although similar in Stewart, the Fred Allen’s Alley i piiar Gromez, Fritzi, Scheff, Bcnng appearance and Style, the, original characters, Arthur Godfrey, Billy iMefoff (2), The Sandys (4); Don i outfit have remained ' entirely Eckstine and a rev rent tribute to the late A1 Jolsoh. The SherwbOds pleas. Gal shows lots of poise in ' (two men and a girl) do their acro- her turn. Dorsey’s Dixieland unit 1 bgtics in the modern manner with does a number, but it could have used some microphone rehearsals, since a couple of instruments were drowned oUt and the acoustics gen- erally were bad. Nat King Cole and the Trio, who currently are riding high with a couple of their Capitol recordings, score solidly ii' their stint. Adroitly mixing rhythm numbers and ballads. Cole commands complete Albert House Orch; “FdrctaeU to French, featuring the old folk Yesterday” (20th ) , reviewed in ; songs of France, up-to-dating oc- Variety Oct. 13, ’50. casionally with such items as — Treriet’s “Lai Berceuse,” et al. Palace’s current bill is a mixture Staging throughout is solid and of old ahd new faces. There’s i clever use of lighting heightens ef- graceful tiniing marked by non- chalance that glosses over the ap- parent ease of their triple mounts i Fritzi Scheff and Benny Meroff i fect of offerings. Team hasn’t the and smooth throw-aboiit catches MeStay from the old Palace days, and a ’ slickne$s and flash of the la Chanr ! flock of newcomers. Bill conse- son group but they redeem by ' quehtly is a varied and pleasing ! keeping the hoked-Up comedy ar- !one. , rangements to a minimum. Voices I Reviewed in New. Acts are i blend superbly and only musical ’ George & Ann Oliver, Ross Harvev ' ^ccomp is the odd drum beat and Chicago* Ciit . GhicagOj Dec. 1 /c \ ^ ^ T • ^ the Brownlee Sisters, in the i flute solo.. Injection of. femme uui.iuuo* v.v./iiiiiJLaiiu9 lc 1 . f-'amO, first three slots; Froderico Rey & ohirper does little to act even attention all the way, registering. Basil Orch; Harriet Craig ^ ( Col ) .. i pHar Gomez; and the Sandys in ; though gal has small but true set I 3 O St OTJ l^i S ^]V[ 02 ^ 3 Ij i Scl d n d ” ^ a l*. _ J. . • _ 1 . P 1 n AO . • a IA'IA a ^ ' t ■‘Orange Colored Sky.” He’s amus- /^Present onO-weeker reflects need ing on " a calypso tune called ;Ofinarfluee u^^^ , — , — “Calypso Blues.” and bows off- with acts _ are well received, with Gil j in the bill. They have tired ma- ti'equent spots and is overshadowed his seasonal discJick of a couple Lamb doing a nifty job as emcee j terial, basing most of their gags on ! by showmanship of other Compag- of years ago, “The Christmas' .fbd breaking up his routine i plays on words, and their pacing is uens. " ^ong.” I throughout the revue, sparse^ audi- [ slow. Perhaps their best bit is one ; Current layout has group, with harmony and arrange- ments nothing out of the ordinary. One ' gal who carries the solos, though, shows a good deal of promise.- Girls seemed a bit stiff and self- conscious while singing the pops. On the novelty, however, they showed a good deal of personality and verve. They might try more of this type of number, both to pull themselves out. of the ordinary run of Vocal Units aihd to puTa bit more life into the turn. With some re- vamping, ' they’ll be okay for vaude dates. Chan. ANN LEWIS Songs 12 Mins. Blue Angeli, N. y. Recehtly in the “Jazz Train” re- vue at the :.ow defunct Paradise nitery on' Broadway, Ann Lewis is doing the same yocal routine in this class rtitery spot, but, as a single she hasn’t the same effec- tiveness. Netro songstress has a lowdown attack and sings with Miss , Lewis’ repertory com- prises standards that are asso- ciated with such great blues sing- video and j ers as Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters click ; and Mildred Bailey. Unfortu- aUdiences : nately, such a selection forces her an An- i to suffer by comparison. Her ren- dition of “Empty Bed Blues’’ is « » ** * _ _ _ ^ , ^ ^ ^ ^ _ ... - more . . of the couple before and after ception for solo efforts. Tandem Kathleen McLoughlin, scores solid- French tunes. . Newt i.not an adequate “carbon of Bessie marriage. He’s got good delivery, Uyork with half twists and catches ly with his comedy stint. While it’s ■ — - I Smith’s classic version, and she also a personable appearance and hep makes for stiong closer. Alphonse simply a man-and-wife team now, JOAN DEXTER with his three eye-filling, ' Meroff hasn’t given up using some ; Songs. material. However, as he gets Berge around more and more, his ma- ' scantily, draped models, is still a of his fanta‘?tij musical. in.stru- 17 .Mins. teriaT is beginning to wear, and good flash actor. Working nimbly, ment.s. including one saxophone Empire Room, Albany . he’ll need some new routines be- he flings bolts of cloth around as he . that he has to stand on a stool to [ Joan Dexter voune coloratura Dorsey’s Orch does a fine job backing the show, especially Cole’s arrangements for accompaniment. fails to hold up on Mildred Bailey’s “Down-Hearted Blues” and a show tune of Ethel Waters. Her in. PREDERICO REY & PILAR Here’s a dance act that’s a sure better vaude situations upper level of*niteries. Rey and Pilar Gomez ... ... .. . W . rhVn canf- And in spite of her a'sTher'voke ' operate aria at 0^^ Birds; "Killei Stalked Ncu> York” j f^XfLTord” ter neat returns introduced are still tops for • runs and repeated high notes, ■ dances with flair and vividness. \Coiy. brishlneSs and charm, she had to yj’emngly , projected, a Jcronie ■ Rey Obyiously has had a ballet Dramatic lighting gets this show Lainb gets yock with Ws du ck: brighIneSs and charm. She had to f<=rringly, projected, A , Jerorne ■ Rey obylously. Lamp gets y OCXS yiin ni^s quici^ . Kern medley. Bewitched, My ; background, si les, and works with the gets and . Albert and the house orch Hero” and “Indian Love Call” since much of his terping has ballet overtones. Miss off o a fast s^ md it seldom panflieader, i.ouis ^^sii to iiven ; ba7kin- the o^Aers offered to vociferous ! Gomez is goodlooking and smooth slack°ens Opening' coiiS i “ show" Chan' * appreciation Her pianist-arranger- j on; the, floor._ Rach do joiO^ stints, „ , .scores. In place of his traditional Of a medley af Duke Ellington num- ! jm,e pfe house seatholder. he has bors_ on a blacked-out stage, 'vith ; aj,d almost as hilarious bit soloists being spotlighted. husband, Lou Kosloff, and Van but their duets ate best. With lit- Smilh’s orchestra, furnished ca- ! tie pantomimes forming the basis pable accompaniment. Jaco. of the dances. Routining Is intelli- — — — gent, costuming good and perform- progiani on an.original, •:Happy Go ^jetraddUioA'a! irughs Av'ith paAto 1 cifA"* -007010700 Ai^eTop^,- 'Tato^ l^^ . ANN CAROL : ‘h^li^d’f.^Ai them in' the^tutu^e.”* Lucky, IS the high point of the orioain sans uartnerl and for finale ' & Julia, El Grinao. Janies Cnrrv. . of nonsense, a take-off of a tele Ellingtons pianistics midway in^ ^ j seeing the average fare. nrrtPi’am nn nn nricnnnl * Hiinnv fin ^ . a -a a. .i. . rirelle^ lind|!»ls. Indianapolis, Dec. 2. .Xavier Cugat Orch, with Car vieur 1 rnu ^ T^ii- 4 4 .adagio, sans partner, and for finale '& Jiflia, El Gringo, James Curry, show. Then five Ellington trumpet- ^^Qes variations on nursery rhyme, i Abbe Lane, Eddie Kozak; ”Hit Pd- „ ei\s give out in “Blue Skies,” and ..t hho .TppV Hnmpr ” with his be- Ynrln nf f Rpr> ) give out in "iiiue ,bKies, ' ana “Little Jack Horner,” with his be- radc of 1951” . (Rep); saxophonist Johnny Hodges does j|jQp character copping the majority some ultra-fancy improvisiiig on applause. Sunny Side of Street for pienty - - ■ of cheers from the hep cats. Featured act is The Orioles three singers, a piano, a guitar and a bass, fiddle. ’They boast a tenor Mins. vana-Madrid, N. Y, nwAowVk * AnDTAxi Lily Ann Carol former vocalist ; Aero-Dance rllA T Dv *1 *V 1 n VirhMrl Vhr\r«'^. Chan. Xavier Cugat is back here after Hie Louis Prima band, has | ly iviins.* pull - _ 1 ' _ .. 4 ;. ■ hp 4 >n 9 C ii cincflp ertririA • _ . ... who specializes in abrupt phrasing Most of their ballads are well re- ceived, not so their rendition of Oriental, riii Chicago, Nov. 30. mixed team, who re- made most of their ices in the west, skillfully (rhythms. While he spots a dance or the band-Vocalist mores and ; execute a .series of lifts, spins and ; novelty here and there, its the ^ i balances, with a few dance steps 'splashy playing of the orch, sur- be her , v^^ears sexy green rounded by dazzling color, that sells floors. , ' costume, with lad in tight-fitting •-■'“ts . tan irou,sers, green halter and _on her volume ^and leather boots. these moments that . .. 4 . M. 1 . 4 - 1 Stunts are permormed with indicates bei’ possibilities. ! gi-ace and ease, the male one or . - ^ p®fl®^Hvity ! unusual feats of strength with ennement during these his left arm and hand; Spectaeular CoiiABaSfte^'Sr ” ^d h^d"te“eSl’^ : 01717 bAst. -OtiS^e' h^'mtos I | spiAAiAg “of al^Afl-AeAk Boy!” *" S^"- n"X«s‘’'rJ?s,:me'deo?^7hm «P. varying his LatiA specif Nuthin’ Till You Hear From Me,” 'along Avithout its headliner, Dick! Jalousie il j(p^ 2 »P 0 • i’.JIA 11 |.^* JllO . J.JClieA 14 . I 4-4 4 * V«xii . lAt^Al MC 4 i.~ Mok^ &>oke, ;a comic danee i R -sixers witlv, the ppiacei^r^os^,^^ u:n ' rfDitinn Pli'antjnHv Hp riinc flip ■ fpr A 31 ICty. and Contl ast,. but , /.aiif/J-if With added tiOll.sh art team, get plenty of laughs and aP“ • the . Skylarks. Vocal team (thr__ , . rn i u n plause for their routine. - Ham- males and two feihmesV fill bill garian Rhapsody.^ He runj the ^ lumn]^ uuwn cou inond’s' Birds, a troupe of perform- in neat fashior., with a wise fboice show achieve optimum effectiveness, cockatoos, were well received, of material, but they re handi- toiitli suave good humor, Abbe Jose Tew. [capped for lack, of stage acunicn, ; Lane liis girt singer, impresses,. es- • - - ■ ■ ' ■ iG^D. obviouslv got its tutelage pecially m Bolero, .which she han- , , 1 4 .. J ! caught. With added polish; act a general toning down eould ' siiould click anywhere. nig rasinii, Toronto Toronto, Dec. 1. Group, obviously got us cuieiage ; jjcviaji.) m uvii=* v, .wjuviii uai.- HU I haves before the zoomars and is show- dies nicely. cPMP-e casing videow^se by tightly hugging : Audience giy^ a warm response ^ liie'-banastand Group'opens'with to Eddie Kozak’s magic on the JS Mips. GEORGE & ANN OLIVER Roller skating : 6 Mins.; Full / . Palace^' N. .;Y.^ . • George & Ann Oliver are a talv j ented roller .skating pair. Most the Stint conipriscs male’s Dunningen Eddie Fisiier, The clever treatment Of: “When ; You marimba arid George Lopez s ex- . Barkleys (4). Arnold Doiicr, The and 1 Were Young,” tlien a _slow perf truniocting^pf The Peaniil Bi|l, Hayes, .perisonable smger of „,i*h ,rm Sherwoods (3) Bob Goodman belabored version, of “Danny Boy.” Vendor.” James Curry’s imper.sona- who has been a regular on the whjrnng around with , aim Archie Sme ^isfo^Cliy^Johrinv ThPy pick up solidly with “Vaude- tipns, the flashy dancin,, of Tato NBC-TV “Saturday Night Revue” and i eg holds. Also docs a solo One-eye” ( UA). ’ ville Isv Back,” in which each 2 h per- arid Julia and the tricky rhythms of makes a nice impression in his stint that points up the grrice that 'form standard vaude turns between Caimencita and Garcia also get New York nitefy debut A good- > can be achieved on roller.skates; For the hGavicst business in sev- the vocalizing good hands. Attendance opening looking lad with fine tenor pipes; -- have one trick, however, ei4l weeks Dnnninffei^ is slotted in closing flay wasn’t up to pace of Gugat’s Hayes .shows promise. At pre.sent that is solid;; Man, with girl m a .c ai weeks, Dunninger is luiing Skylarks are slotted in j _ j i^ut was better than however, his style lacks distinc- lcghold, .spins around a cocktail ‘ . while she drinks contents Turn has good visual the customers into the Casino on ^pot, which seems to be poor bal- , nnw hie rmnnpri«mc avp eiass wbiie general entertainment appeal, with aAce here. De.Mre to .split the group ;.ivorage for band shows heie thiv mn an^ aie wmic. Mdic Fisher in for th-i bobbysox from. ' Havis' tetectiomdf tunes. more7 appeal, and a SAT.T.Y-R charity STINT over, is not the wise.st, ' His work- Fisher in for tlu _ J But it’s Dunningcr’s showas .menc’able. -- ihis master showman calls up vol- be achieved if Miss Barton unteers frorn th'e audience, (and. an- pushed back to the Closer. .Gal nounces his long-.staiiding offer of registers Strongly with a slraighl a good .bet for vauders, Chan. SALLY’S CHARITY STINT . . _ , „ ^ . 4 A ii rwi r. t over of Lady Be Good and a cur- ■ z — . Port Arthur. Tex., Dec. 5.,^^ number, “I Don’t THE SANDYS (4) Sally Rand will appear at the U the Sun Don’t vShine,” Trampoline “ 9 in a show up his stylistic deficiencies 7 Mins*; Full ' ?mng He registers far better. Palace, N.'Y. School on such numbers as “Wanderin’” The Sandys combine some fine end “Gone With the Wind” Where aerp work on the trampoline with Arison the quality of voice gets more of good coniedy for a workmanlike j a clvance.' ' * v Hermt 1 - (Continued on page -61-) ' LEGlTlM^Tfi Wednesday, December 6, 1950 As usual, the supposedly hard-> ^ ' boiled N, Y. drama critics are prov- j pjQp ^garaK' Backcrs ins: softer touches than ^play- ^ Return of 10% going pubhe. In J>t. Backers of "Legend of Sarah,” dicated record percentage of hits gl^oj^garden’s recent pro- for the season thus far, reflecting | of the James Gow-Arnaud more than normal public response j d^Usseau comedy, have received an at the boxoffice, the reviews have | initial /return of 10'; t? on the $60,- favored more shows than have j 000 presentation.^ . _ found audience support, 1^ _ on the hasis Of fhe fir^h^of ! ^^esUn tHe.^^to Ug ended “no": w'lhe c^^^ from the stock rights. ■ Kansas City AI Fresco To Preem in '51 With 10 Shows; Berger to Head Kansas Gitj% Dec. 5.- Four-year . plan to have summer eight New York dailies wrote 42 % \ favorable reviews, while only • 34.8% of the shows Were indicated hits. For the entire previous season [ of 1949-.^0, the favorable reviews ] comprised 39.37 of the total, wliile only.' 1 .'5.91 % of the sfiows ultimately paid off. Included in the figuring - for the ! first half of the current season are , outdoor operetta here has now 26 regular Broadway productions^ ' jelled, with appointment of but excluded are the stock presen- ■ Richard JI. Berger as production tations of the Arena Theatre, Fes- manager of the Starlight Theatre, tival theatre and Theatre Venture ' Berger was given a two-year con- (Bleecker Street Playhouse>.: Of , tract at a salary of $20,000 per the 200 reviews of those shows, 84 I were favorable, 98 were unfavor- j Recently program^ for i able and 18 inconclusive. That fig- NBC television in N, Y. and earlier ; ured a.s 42% favorable and 9'' b , a film producer for RKO, Berger i undecided. ! was production director o.f the St. J “Toughest" of the critics thus . Louis Mirny Opera at one time, far has been Brooks Atkinson of ' While at St. Louis in the late -SOs, the Times, with seven favorable he brought an opera to Kansas notices, (26,9%) and four “no opin- ; City, and made connections here ions" (15.4%) out of /26 shows , which helped in establishing the John Cha|>man Opines In the N. y. Daily News, Dec. 4, drama critic John Chapman observed: “It grieves me that the edi- tor ^ Variety has become a softy . . . has dropped from his weekly the drama critics’ box score, which was such a fiend- ish irritant for 26 seasons. Variety graded daily paper play reviewers on their ability to sense the financial success or failure of a production. It maintained that it wai^ doing so to eliminate a great amount of ddubie-talk, or yes-and-no- but-ron-the-other-hahd confu- sion : in the notice-writing trade. It achieved this pur- pose— -and it seems to hie there has been a noticeable increase of double-talk in play reviews, since the box score was offi- cially dropped on Nov. 22. “Oh, how we reviewers used to yell twice a .season, when the box scores came put! Soiitie yelled in print, others in pri- vate. 'We are not interested in money, W'e are interested in art,’ we wpuld chorus, and the nearer I got to the bottom of . the bbx score the more indig- nant I w'ould become. But I never once said the crazy thing should be ahandoned. I loathed it, but on the other hand, was fond of it— and I shall miss it” In^e Stolf-L^ Although Abe Burrows gets second billing as co-author of the book of ‘‘Guys and Dolls," he actually wrote every word of dialog in the show as now presented. Jo Swerling, who gets first billing, worked eight months on a treatment of the Damon Runyon story, “Tlie Idyll of Sarah Brown," and certain of the basic plot situations he supplied are used, for which he splits the 3% author royalty with Burrows. He has remained on the Coast on a film Writing contract. Swerling was the third writer whom producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin worked with on the show idea, and there were seven others who followed him before Burrows took over the assignment, hut all were paid off and do not share in the royalties. Burrows brought in radio-TV scripter Peter Lyon for assistance on the story structure, but the latter received a fiat fee and does not get billing. Burrows, with director George S, Kaufman helping with suggestions and encouragement, was the only writer present at rehearsals artd during the : five-week Philadelphia tryout. Frank Loesser wrote the songs for the show. Joseph Kesselring, who Authored “Arsenic and Old Lace," has re- poitedly conie up with another bizzare plot situation in his new comedy, “Four Times Twelve Are 48," which Aldrich 8c Myers, Julius Fleisch- mann and Otto Preminger have in rehearsal, under the latter’s direc- tion. Premise of the play is said to be that three generations of Amer- ican Indian; women, each having home a daughter at the age of 12, are agog over whether the_ fourth generation daughter is about to have a baby before her 13th birthday, thus making the eldest a great-grand- mother at 48. Ernest Triiex w’ ill have a leading part in the show. In her announcements to sub.sCribers, Sylvia Siegler, president of Show-of-the-Mohth Club, stressed that since the organization is co- producing “Let’s Make an Opera," she could guarantee them all the seats they wanted in the center section of the orchestra; Last week, however, she discovered that in the Golden theatre, N. Y., where the audience-participation musical opens next Wednesday night (l3), there is a center aisle and thus no center section at all. So she has had to mail an explanation with each allotment of tickets to the organization’s ihembers,'. N.Y. Ballet Planned U.S. Tour Is Off ; ■ • ■ . I . Recent four-week engagement of caught, Bracketed as next-hardesl- : present contract. . ^ , i to-pleasc were Howard Barnes, of i Starlight Theatre will have its ; the Marquis de Cuevas Grand Bal- the Herald Tribune, and Robert 'first outdoor season next summe% i let at the Century, N. Y., cost the ! Although no ‘ announcemeht has been issued, the cast of “Golden State," at the Fulton, N. Y., has been informed that the comedy will ! probably close after a three-week run. In a speech to the company just j before the opening curtain of the second performance, author-director Samuel Spewack called the compahy onrfage to take the blame for the play’s failure, think them for their cooperative spirit and excellent performances and advise them to start looking for other jobs. Bella AMrs.) Spewack presented the; show. John Rumsey, president of the Society of Authors’ Representatives, . • • A • « A. A ... A: ‘ V. 1 ^ ^ i - 1.1. il__' i ■« .ir •• land, all much of the time, caught only six shows, of which he liked two, and had no “no opinions." Descending Toughness In descending order of tough- ness after them were Robert Cole- musicals will comprise the first four years ago at Morte Carlo, was summer’s production. : making its first American visit. The summer s pi- . , , ^ ^ W M Symon, biz manager for , Marquis . had hoped to tour the the group, said production costs I U. S. after the N. Y. stay, but nego oh each show is expected to run about $40,000, the first one being inent of the Dramatists Guild specifically forbids a producer from collecting a commission on the film sale of one of his shows, June 23, Sadler’s Wells “Sleeping Beauty” ballet, piece de resistance of the tiations between him and’ Sol i company, will only be played five times (Once in five cities) Iliirok and the Shuberts, who were ■ before the troupe goes back to England in February. Scenery for the jointly to handle the tour, fell ballet takes 14 to 19 hours to hand, and outside of the first night, or through. The Shuberts reportedly the ballet can’t be scheduled, as one day’s performance would be offered the Marquis $5,000 a week lost. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston, are man. Mirror, and Richard Walts, or nine Jr., Post, each having caught 26 j fo? season tickets * shows, liking 10 and having none : $6 to $30, plus tax: [for his company, the Marquis hold- five cities that have seen or will see the ballet. Berger plans to begin I Grosses for tlie recent engagements of “Kiss Me, Kate" in St, Paul musical got al- Auditorium. St. and three “no opinions," re- spectively; John Chapman, News, , . on 25: shows caught, 11 fa- : names and othci vorable notices (44%) and five the opinions John McClain, subbing for Garland, on 17 shows, caught, wllf vptn.rn'^to Kansas Citv 1 son) on services of his four leads— i Minneapolis, both approximately capacity, nine favorable reviews (52.9^ r,) i merger wm letuin lu ^ ^ Rnopiin Hiahfnwpr Marinrip tpU- i — — - ~ at the Lyceum, and one “no opinion"; Arthur PoL ! lock. Compass, on 26 shows caught, 14 favorable hods (53.8%) and two “no bpinions," and William Haw- kins, World-Telegram & Sun, on 24 shows caught, 13 favorable notices (54.2% ) and two “no opinions." For the complete season of 1949- 50, the first-stringers were in the following tough-to-please order; Atkinson. 27.66%; Banies, 30.43%; Watts, 37.5%; Garland, 38.77%; Coleman, 40.81%; Pollock, 44.68%.; Chapman, 45.83%, and Hawkins, 48.94%.. Comparison with the list for the first half of the current season indicates lhat the aisle-sit- ters are pretty consistent in their individual standards, but are writ- ing a much higher average of en- thusiastic reviews in line with the increased proporfion of hit shows. ' The above figures do not. of course, have any direct relation to Mfliether the various reviews haye been “right’V or “wrong" by box- office standards, That was the basis Of VARipY’s annual ;boxsGpre of (Continued on page 60> about May 1 to begin details of production and lining up rehearsal .schedules. LONGRANGE EFFECT TOO Rpsella Hightower, Marjorie Tali chief, AndVe Eglevsky, George Ski- bine — and ballet-master John I Taras. Corps de ballet is being I sent home to Paris for dispersal. ; The Marquis, however, will resume ■at Cannes Feb. 1 for a six-week ; engagement, utilizing a smaller 1- . Y. ' Met Opera Huddling On Public Drive for Funds Ballet Theatre, returning toi America next week after a success- Pittsburgh, Dec, 5. U. S., and probably engaging a new Recent record-breaking snow- corps de ballet, storm in Pittsburgh is having a | Several reasons have been given company than he brought to the ful five-month tour of Europe, plans j TY o ....J — u„ui.. — .. ! a special one-night gala pex’form- ‘ long-range as well as an immediate j effect on the legit situation here. Not only did it cost the Nixon aroimd $9,000 in refunds for the Lunts’ show, “I Know My Love" for the sparse biz the Grand Ballet did at the Century. Belief Is that there’s been too much ballet in N, Y. this fall, with Sadler’s Wells, Ballets de Paris, Grand Ballet and ywv dS The Met Opera, which had a ance at the^N? Y7MetTan. record deficit of $430,502 last sea- it starts its season’s tour the next ' son (1949-50) and apparently faces night (10) in Philadelphia. Troupe as large a one tliL year, has been (although they gave the final Sat- i N. Y, City Ballet Co. The Marquis’ urday (25) performances there, . only around 200 of the previou.sly- sold 3, .500 tickets came in on ac- troupe came in soon after the Sad- ler’s run and during the Ballet.s de Paris engagement. The N. Y. City' count of the weather) and forced j Ballet opened against the Marquis the theatre to cancel its next show, j in his fourth week. The Marquis “Blossom Time," but there have | had a $4.80 top, as against the N.Y. been other swaps, too. j City Ballet’s $3. For one, “A Streetcar KanVed There were few important new 3 Desire," which opened Monday (4), ! productions in the Grand Ballet’s had originally been booked for a | repertoire. There were cohstant fortiiight, but in view of conditions | cbanges of bill, due to illness, etc., it cut the engagement in half. “The . which ; confused audiences. . The Innocents," which was to have re- [ Marquis refused to schedule Sun- plaeed “Lost in the Stars" week of , day performance.s^and Sund'ay is Dec, 18. decided to wait for the j regarded the best h.o. ballet day . J -J ■ r' '4.U _i_ T L-J. .. _ ^ _ Is due at the Met next April 9 for a spring season, and originally wasn’t due to show in N. Y. till then. N. Y, one-nighier will be an ex- pensive booking, Even with the house .sold out. troupe is likely to Ipse $5,000 on the date. There are mulling a public drive for funds, with a $500,000 mark as its prob- able goal. President George A. Sloan has been huddling with Da- vid Church, veepee of John Price Jones Co., top fund-raising org. e.xtra transfers involved, from .ship j Church having counseled the Met to warehouse to theatre to train; ' ^ i orchestra rehearsal and perform- j ^ As financial ance that day; adverti.sing, print- j ing, etc. House will be available ! The Met has had two big furid that night, as the Met vv ill be per- drives in recent years, in 1940, forming, ill Philly. Three U.. S. actors have : been signed I'or the Australian produce tioh of “Brigadoon," which opens under J . C. William.son Thea- city to dig out and postponed its of the week; Instead, there; were visit uh til late January. -That means j Wednesday riiatinees^lopked on in that the Nixon, which has already . the trade as a Gomplcte wa.ste. had mofC than its share of dark | — — ' : ■ — stanzas, will shutter again for two weeks before Christmas, reopening Dee. 25 * with the D’pyly Carte r r' Opek Co. After that, things look ire aet,is af i^s Majesty 55, Melr a Rttle rosier for awhile, with Jan- bourne, next Morrh .Tome. .Jnm,- : at any rate, bookcd iiary, bourne, next lyiarch. Janids Jami son, who did the Harry Beaton i ^1-4 acting-dancing role at the City : •. - ' . ■ ..' Center, N. Y., as well as in Lon- ; \ . don will repeat the part Down ; RKO Buys Fllltl Rights Under, as well as produce: thp i show, . Peter Turgeon. who, had ! Uie Ici^d comecly role oi’ Jell' at the ! .Screen rights tb/'T, he Man,’’. Mel Private Eye Clerk Scores In Cincy Akins Tryout Cincinnati, Dee. 5 Although the play itself is fig- ured a questionable prospect for Broadway, the femme lead in the Cincinnati Civic Theatre produc- tion of “Another Darling," new European tour of Ballet Theatre has been a steady artistic triumph. Trip has been co.stly, however, its estimated loss being ,$200,000. which Blevins Davis is angeling. Troupe finished' a three-week run in Paris yesterday (5 > , and is due in Berlin for three days (8-9-10 ) . when it raised over $1,000,000 to ' buy the opera house, knd in 1942, j when it raised $350,000. Church’s Outfit \yas retained each time With j a nominal fee for advice. New . drive would be run by a national committee and several local N, Y. 1 groups, with the Church ciutfit again aiding bn nodest retainer [ but not running the campaign. Contemplated fund drive is nee- : m irwit Tilt, y'r aaA ! Akins drama, here last week, To. TnG M-Un for ipZUiUUU t- scored a solid personal click. The - - ... .V/ ; young actre.ss. Nancy Todd, ein- Center. . will , do it again, and Viiv^ Dinelli melodrama presented on ployed in a local private detbetive r,.. agency, may go to New York next Slimmer to work in 'strawliats. Among tho.se present for the Haring Giving Up on His Long Island Strawhatter ! essary. saM sToah yesterday * iTv, Forrest C. Haring, who operated ' ^ Congress the John Di*e w theatre at East I’cinoval of the federal admis- i Hampton, L. L, the last tWo sum- seembd likely ' mers, won’t return to the spot in I’emoval last spring, before the 1951. Although last summer’s op- ' war broke out. Sloan claims ration returned a small profit, in ' t '®, A® budget regu- mtrast to his initial season in : tju’t'e ginia Richard.son (Mrs. . Turgeon ) lyill dance . ..and act Maggie. Doi^o- thy StewaH, AVilliamson’s N. Y. rep has signed the trio for six months, with another six months’ option. Rest of cast will be recruited from British and Aussie talent. Co.s-: tiimes will come from Scotland and England. I sets Broadway last season by Kcrmii Bloomgarden, have been acquired bv RKO at a reported price of $20:000. That will meaii a return of $8,' amateur .presentation here were er contrast 10 ms iniiiai season m 1949, he . figures that the limited capacity of the spot is Jbo small for the risks .involved. : He’s now looking around for an- , r • other location, where he can op- 1 'Yashmgto.n. now thiit vanous sym- erate a strawhat next ‘Ummer. pref- ’ Pu^Mes and other cultural groups erably in the east. Meanwhile Pp^^ ^aue their desperate financial position of the tax, and said the Met could take care of its heeds if the tax w«?re removed. He still sees some hone of- faYorable action in producers Richard Aldrich 8: Rich- he’s continuing as gcmeralinanager federal authorities. 000 to the backers of the .$,50, OOO 1 ard Mye.r.s and their a.s.sociate, lo- ' for Dwight Deere Wiman, produce^' • f ^ insure its fu- production. There will probably be i cal resident Julius F*lcischmann. i of “Country Ct|rl,’’ at the Lyceum. light of its precarious an. additional payment of 10-15%; ; Bc.sides his Broadway production j N. Y., and the forthcoming “Romeo • . state and tax uncertainty ’ - J i - I Several and Juliet" revival, to- star Glivia i ■ ‘I® fl^^^ussing a pub- from the stock rights and other as- 1 actiyities. Aldrich ope summer theatres in J^ew England. i De llavilland. I --- * * vwaiy .10 AOVilOOIM lie drive for funds again. Wednesday, December 6, 1950 4i Guys andf* Loesser-Jo Touring edition of. Dolls/* new Frank Swerling-Abe Burrows musical smash, probably won’t be put on by CO pi’oducers Cy Feuer and Ernest Hi Martin until next summer or fall. With the show off to a standee-liniit business at the 46th Street, N. Y., the p r 0 d u c e r s are readying '‘Where’s ChaMey?” to open a tour Christinas night in Boston, with Ray Bolger resuming his starring role. The Comedian-dancer is due in New York tomorrow (Thurs.) from an extended vacation on the Coast. “Guys and Dolls/’ financed at $200,000, plus a $50,000 overcall, cost about $180,000 to bring to Broadway, excluding about $20,- 000 in bonds. It’s figured that when the show shakes down it will earn a profit of around $11,000 a week. However, its gross and operating profit will vary considerably for the next few weeks, partly as a re- sult of the almost solid theatre party bookings and partly because of the differing price-scale (the top Was originally set at $6 and some tickets were sold at that price, but the tab was later raised to $6.60 ) . So for the next couple of months the capacity Will range from about $40,000 to $44,000. It’s tentatively figured that the break-even figure for the show will shake down to around $26,000. The theatre’s share of the gross is said to be 30% of the first $20,000 and 25% of everything above that fig- ure. Composer Frank Loesser gets 5% of the gross, co-librettists Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows get 1 Vis % each, stager George S. Kauf- man gets 3% and choreographer Michael Kidd gets 1%. None of the cast is on . percentage. Robert Griffith, who was the original stage manager for “Charley, ” will probably attend to the direction of the revived pro- duction, with occasional supervi- sion from George Abbott, who adapted the book and staged the show. Abbott cannot devote full time to the task, as he’s occupied with the new Cole Porter show, “Out of This World,’’ on which he recently took over direction during its tryout. Bolger is committed to tour with “Charley” for six months, after which he will go to England to star in the film version, to be pro- duced there by Warners.- Latter Is paying $200,000 for the rights. ‘Madam’ Now Operating At LECITIlltATB “Call Me Madam,” the Irving Berlin ^ Howard Lindsay - Russel Crouse musical at the Imperial; N. Y., is earning an operating profit Of about $11,500 a week and will soon increase that pace to about $12,000 when certain rental items , and other expienises are paid off. Meanwhile, the Leland Hay-^ ward production has recouped about $75,000 of its approximately $275,000 production cost. RCA-Victor, sole backer, sup- plied the initial investment of $200,000, plus $25,000 overcall, and Hayward, as general partner, per- sonally put up the extra $50,000 required in th^ process of the show’s drastic overhauling during j its road tryout. Calling All Backers Leonard Sillman, planning a new “New Faces” for the spring of ’51, was talking to a potential backer. “How much do you want from me?” the prospective angel asked. “Oh, $1,000/’ said Sillman. “How can you do a new show for $1,000?” the backm’ asked. “Oh, easy,” replied Sillman. “I’ll have a 1000% overcall.” Touring ‘Roberts’ Cast mfonity Beef Gilbert MiDer Takes Over French Ballet As Eastern Tour Is Nixed Les Ballets de Paris, which wound up an eight-week engagement Sat- urday (2) in N. Y. (first at the Na- tional, then at the Broadhurst) has cancelled its prospective eastern tour and taken on a new manage- ment, in a surprising turn of events. French dance troupe, un- der management here of the Shu- berts in association with Arthur Lesser and Sol Hurok, was to open a road tour in Boston Monday (4), to he followed by stops in Phila- delpia, St. Loqis, Kansas City and other cities, on the way to the Coast. Eastern tour has suddenly been cancelled, with troupe due to rest in N. Y. a couple of weeks, then open in Los Angeles Christ- mas Day. Most surprising, Gilbert Miller has taken over as producer of the troupe, in association with the Shuberts and Lesser, with Hu- rok dropping out of the picture. Troupe, headed by Roland Petit as director - choreogfapher - chief dancer, made it first U. S. appear- ance last year, when it played three fall months at the mhter Garden in N. Y. for a bolt $401,000 gross, and then toured the U. S. until April. This fall, however, the troupe doesn't seem to have re- peated its b.Q. success in N. Y., de- spite the fact that artistically it ‘ added a stunning new ballet, “La Croqueuse de Diamants,” to last year’s sock “C^men.” Lack of biz in N. Y., plus lack of . advance sales in Boston and Philly/ are reported cause of the decision to cancel the eastern tour, and head d&ectly for L. A., where the troupe has not ap- peai-cd. Because of the disappointing response to the Red Cross appeal for blood donations from the com- panies of Broadway shows, yester-. day’s (5) scheduled donor session on the stage of the Majestic, N. Y. w^as cancelled. Of 179 volunteers, only 60 appeared for the Monday (4) session, with 18 being rejected for various physical reasons. A staff of. 17 doctors, nurses and attendants was on hand, equipped to take care of 125 donors. Turnouts from the various shows and organizations were as follows: “Pardon Our French,’* 17 donations, six rejects out of 55 promised; “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” three donations out of 14 promises; “Call Me Madam,” three out of six promised; “Hilda Crane,” three donations, one reject, out of eight promised; “Peep Show/* none, of 39 prom- ised; “South Pacific,” none of 24 promised; “Member of the Wed- ding,” none, of nine promised; “Peter Pan,” none, of eight promised; “Cocktail Party,” two rejects, of six promised; “Black Chiffon,*! hone, of six promised; “Bell, Book and Candle/* none, of four promised. Organizations were represented as follows: the Equity council, five donors and three rejects; Chorus Equity executive committee, two donors; Interplayers, one donor; producers, one donor; stage man- agers, one donor;, theatre em- ployees, one donor; stagehands, three donors and two rejects; scenic artists, one donor; nitery operators, one donor; pressagents and managers* union, one reject; playwrights, one reject; miscella- neous, one reject. Donors included Solly Pernick, of the stagehands’ union, and Rudy Karnolt, of the‘| scenic artists. Rejectees included Helen Hayes, Katherine Cornell, Jessica Tandy, Louis M. Simon, of Equity, and Milton Weintraub, of the pressagents and managers. Additional donor sessions for legit personnel are scheduled for next Monday-’Tuesday (1 1-12) , also Boston, Dec. 5. Cole Porter’s “Out of This World’’ ran into censorship difficulUes wrheh it opened here at the Shubert Tuesday (29) of last week. Beatrice J., Whelton, second.- string censor, issued a nine-pe^nt “de-sexing” order, or else. OU c- tions were raised by Miss WhclLon regarding scanty costumes worn by Gisella Svetlik, in the role of Venus,, and Janet Collihs, cast as Night, with particular emphasis on Miss Svetlik’s^dove costume, which has been decreed h.g. for Hub au- diences. Lyrics of several songs had to be Substituted by less sug- gestive lines, censor claiming some of the words used “are not heard even in better class gin inilis;” Other modifications ordered were- the elimination of the irreverent use of the word “God,” and that “Niki” cease to bless himself after he shoots “Juno.” Ballet sequence at end of Act 1 also had to be modi-, fied, to leave something to the* imagination. 'Naturally, the musical is playing to capacity. Producers say all changes will be dropped, with orig- inal setup retained, for the Broad- way opening. To ‘Greenwich Follies’ Rights to the title and use on stage, radio, television and films of “Greenwich Village Follies,” were turned over last week to a partnership consisting of producer Morris Green, personal manager Cork O’Keefe and music pub- lisher J.J. Robbinsi “Follies” ran for several years as a Broadway revue in the 1920s. Rights were held by Green, who produced the revues, and the estate of A. L. Jones. Partnership is hoping to have a new edition of the revue ready for Broadway presentation by next spring. At- torney A. L, Berman handled the deal. London’s ‘Pacific’ After Leicester Sq. Proves N.G. Before closing a deal for the London edition of “South Pacific’’ to play the Drury Lane, starting next fall, co-producers Richard Rodger'S & Oscar Hammerstein. 2d, in association with Leland Hay- ward Ac Joshua Logan, considered putting the show into the Leicester Square, currently a film house, which was offered on a four-walls baAis. However, the Leicester Square turned out to have inade- quate backstage facilities for such a large production as “South Pa- cific,” siricO one of its side walls is practically parallel with that side of the proscenium and thus af- fords no space for wings at that side of the stage. Contrary to word from London, Rodgers & Hammer- stein were not interested in buying the Leicester Square. They are not and haven’t been in the market for Ownership or operation of any theatre. Mary Martin, who created the -role of Nellie Forbush, will leave the original Broadway edition of the show when her contract ex- pires next May 31, take a vacation ! next summer and then go to Lon- at the Majestic. Indications are ' don to repeat the part there in the that New York City as a whole fall. No one else is set for the will not reacih its 6,000-pint quota London company and Miss ■ Mar- of blood for the armed services tin’s successor in New York has for December. !l”* Her reports that Miss Martin would have an ihtetest in the West End presentation, it will be made TTAiicfAn TT ’c PrA • only by Rodgers & Hammerstein, MOUStOn U* S octup j jn association yuth Hayward & Lo- gan. No British managements will be involved^ Laughton, Boyer to Preen* Houston, Dec. 5. Charles Laughton, Cedric Hard- wicke, Agnes Moorehead .and Charles Boyer, billed as the “Drama Quartet,” will give the U. of Houston’s new $250,000 campus theatre its baptism of professional talent in February. The school— which is -multi-mil- lionaire Hugh Roy Cullen’s pet project— has booked the quartet for a $4,200 price tag fof two per- formanees, Feb. 15-16. Seats will be $2 foil: students and public alike in the 1,750-capacity house. The Bill (Indiaqs) Veeck’s Clevdand Legit Bovr Cleveland, Dec. 5. Bill Veeck, former prexy of the Cleveland Indians , haseball club, Aas signed to play the title role In k stock version of “The Man Who Caihe to Dinner” here. Produc- tion, to be the first of the newly- i school Ring Jheatre. will, open • ” - I Christmas night under Ray Boyle’s direction. A professional cast will back ;Veeck, who will be making his (stage debut. San Francisco; Dec. 5. Frank Fay blasted San Francisco drama critics during performance of his revue, “If You Please,” at j the Curran, on its second night (29), following unanimously bad reviews. Referring; to the critics as two-bit dr just plain bums. Fay went on to state that unless a show came from New- York with reviews already written for local scribes to copy, the Frisco critics didn’t know what to say, so they panned his show. (Show closed down Satur- day (2) after six performances.) Fay also said that proof of his statements Were the bad reviews local newsmen gave “Song of Nor- way,” Fay was misinformed, as lo- cal newsmen gave “Song” only raves, with the entire original pro- duction being acclaimed here. Fay broke up the second act three times to comment on the same subject, and at one point en- gaged in an argument with a cus- tomer, with the man subsequently getting up and walking out of the theatre, and Fay stating “You’ll never be missed.” During the harangue, Fay indi- , cated that he intends taking the j show on to New York, where critics know what is good. Fay played on audience sympathy, using the local- boy pitch and telling them at length of the large investment in- volved in bringing the show to the public and the fact that the large cast depended on the show staying open. Audience embarrassment was evident during Fay’s speechmaking. ‘Detective’ Profits Now $132,400; ‘Heart’ Pays Backers of the Howard Lindsay- Russel Crouse production of John Patrick’s “Hasty Heart” recently received a dividend of $9,600, rep- resenting additional profits accumu- lated during the last year. L. & C. also recently shelled out an additional $24,000 to nackers of Sidney Kingsley’s “Detective Story,” bringing the distributed profits on the $^75,000 Venture to $132,400, with additional revenue still due from the screen rights. Backers of “Browning Version,” the Maurice Evans production Of two Terence Rattigan plays (in- cluding also “Harlequinade”) of last .season; have just received an addition^ payment of $5,565 oh the $50,000 investment. That brings the total return thus far tb $16,- 565.,' Latest payment includes $4,881, representing 20% of ‘the film rights, which were sold to Gains- bbrough Productions, an English studio. Balance was $(584 as the show’s share from the “Theatre Guild on the Air” broadcast. Entire company of the touring “Mister Roberts” protested to the Actors Equity council recently at being required to play Ford’s thea- tre, Baltimore, and the WRVA theatre, Richmond, both of which have racial segregation policies. Actors particularly objected to hav- ing to pass through picket lines maintained by the National Assn, for the Advancement of, Colored People. Incident points to possible action by Equity to extend its anti- segregation baii to Baltimore shd possibly other cities, when its basic contract with the League of N. Y. Theatres comes up for re- newal next year, In replying to the “Roberts” troupe, the Equity council express- ed its “compliments” for its “una- nimity and forthright expression of sentiment,” but noted that the union is powerless to deal with the situation under its existing contract with the League. It recalled, that the anti-segregation fight in Wash- ington “was won at the cost of many weeks of unemployment on the part of hundreds of bur mem- bers, because management of the National theatre chose to close rather than comply with the terms of the Equity contract.” It also pointed put that since Ford’s^ Bal- timore, is under the same man- agement, that house would prob- ably also clo$e rather than end segregation. It’s privately remarked by coun- cil members, however, that if and when the basic contract might be changed to ban segregation in Bal- timore, an alternate theatre, the indie Maryland, would probably be available for legit. Latter house has tried to operate as a road show stand in the last couple of years, but "was stymied by Inability to get bookings. Although Equity leaders are re- luctant to predict what action the union may take as far ahead as next summer, it’s figured unlikely that an attempt would be made to extend the anti-segregation rale to more than one additional city. There have been similar actor com- plaints against other towns, not- ably St. Louis, but union heads generally fayor dealing with the situation in one city . at a time^ Regarding the NAACP picket (Continued on page 60) ing the appearance Theatre opened in October with stuident talent. Three more pro shows, .as yet unselected, will be.j presented in the spiing o£ ’5L Picon’$ /Take It Easy- Molly ' Picon' stars in “Take It Easy,” Yiddish musical by Jacob Kalich and Joseph Runishinsky , which premieres Dec. 23 at the Second Ave. theatre, N. Y. S. R. Simeoff did the book, show serving as Miss Picon’s second pro- duction this season. “Take It Easy” succeeds “Mozel Tov Molly” at the Second Ave, Plays Released For Production in Stoch About a half-dozen Broadway flops from this season and last have been released for stock and ama- teur productions. New releases also include one recent Broadway hit and a couple of British plays. Heading the list of new availa- bilities for stock presentation Is “Detective Story,” which Samuel French, play publishing house, may relea.se everywhere except on the Coast. A possible Coast production is believed reason for the excep- tion . Other new French releases for stock presentation include last season’s “The Wisteria ‘Trees’* and “The Liv^ Wire.” Also “The Curi- ous Savage,” put on Broadway this season, and two plays of British origin, “On Monday Next” and “The Perfect Woman.” Of the American plays oiily “Detective Stoi'y” rated as a hit. New plays being released for amateur productions by the Drama- tists Play Service also include “The Curious Savage” and “The Live Wire,” Others set are “The Legend of Sarah,” “Burning Bright” and “Southern Exposure.” All three were quick flops this season. Amateur rights to the Christopher Fry plays have also been obtained by DPS, These are “A Phoenix Too Frequent” and “Thor * With Angels.” The first-nanied was part: of a double bill which folded last season after a short ruh. Amateur rights to “Bell, Book and Candle” and “Hilda Crane,” both curtently oh Broadway, have also been obtained by DPS. These plays will be released after comple- tiph of their Broadway and road presentations. Of the plays being released by DPS, all are being pub- lished by the outfit except “Bell, Book and Candle” and “Hilda Crane” (both being issued by Ran- dom House) and “A Phoenix Top Frequent” and “Thor, With An- gels” (both published by Oxford)* i.EGI’miATB P^^IEff Wednesday) December 6,<^ 1950 Plays Out of Town If You Pleas© San Fancisco, Nov. 29. Frank Fay production of revue in two acts (18 scenes). Stars Fay. music, lyrics, scenes and dialog by Fay. Dances, Marilyn Christine; settings and lighting. Richard Jackson; costumes, Thomas Charles Pratt; musical direction. Edward Ward. At Curran, San Francisco, Nov. 28, ^50; $4,20 top. , . Cast: Maurice Kelly, Fred Irving Lew'is, Esther Howard, John Ath^, Ceorge Haggerty, Barbara Torrance, Pat Button, Sharon Hennagini Pat Moran, Jen SiR' livan, Edward De Mattia, Ora Dale Puck- ett, Drusilla Davis, Lysa Baugher, Dottie Warr, Steve Kirchher, Irene Janis, inch- ard Beavers, Jon Shepodd. Johnny Kes- sler, George Foster. Bill Foster, Dwayne Ratliff, .ieanette LcVere, Barbara Calder, Monte Fraser, Suzanne Lovell, “round” magic with simplicity and authenticity and one is relaxed and “at home" with the actors. Spencer James, a new Theatre playing roles.. Coupled with this : ;50 jWt. has^doue a fine Harold Clurman and IValter Fried will present the new S. N, piaymg ^uupicu wini viixo , dirktion. under Miss Jones’ i is the fact that they are somewhat Edwin bowled over by the importance of a'c the ptoducer, falls Behrman play, “Let Me Hear the the theme and feel they ap- . . ^ character and handles i Melody,” on Broadway next spring, i timing. Karolyn Ma.rtm, m her country second Theatre ’50 performance, | Britain’s'^® Canterbury “ Cathedral ’ dfsplay^lier* talent'' as^’Mar^' ® j “The Kidders.” by Donald Ogden letti^l of"-Itrstory%ls : with the JUtes and Danes who took ; P®“?Lp‘‘.‘tr’'rw?ro turns house- 1 P'^y ‘he Fool in the Robert L. over the country from the earlier for^ Jhe produceri " .Tohn Joseph-Alexander H. Cohen re- Celtic Britoiis and whose gods^aie ic im/^sron no thA voiincitritrai nf- ‘.‘TCincr T.pnr stjarring those of Norse mythology. A fam- ■ ‘‘^‘"8 J.ear, ily comes S fSm a battle with i playwright. . Richard Venture, aJso j ealhern. He Succeeds TWf jKa“ new^ With th^ ^ i iEverett Sloane, who withdrew . . . A ‘Pf aS wi I With Carol , Channtag hospitalized Frank .Fay had an unfortunate accident with “If You Please." He , ^ stumbled over his own - ego, and • sp^re a Hfe take a prisoner. a Briton as a captive. The father of the household is in disgrace be- cause he was swept with a . strange weakness . which , caused him to run through Dec. 16, is doing well at the boxofficc; Berg. landed flat on his face in all the departments-^composcr and lyri- cist, M'riter of the sketches, scenes and dialog, director, producer and star— r-in Which he functioned. This revue is an unfortunate, un- salvagable bust— a $70,000 bust. Since Fay is the majority investor, in coin as This family head, Cymeh, goes from bad to worse. He breaks the last week for a tonsilectomy, Bibi Osierwald played the Lorelei Lee role in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" . . . Kent Smith will play Bolenbroke. in the City Center re^- Hen veil Ileln* tbe Ani^els Pasadena, Nov. 23. altar of Thor and listens with jh- ■ ?eovi,?*'sce'{2^^ ! wal of “Richard II," with Maurice terest to his captive, who had been Root.%ire?ted bv rjooh title part brought up a Christian but who Le.in. At Pasadena Playhouse, Nov. 23, : . Oscar Hammerstein, 2d, went forgot the details of It. . : .t yesterday (Tues.) for When Cymen is summoned to his Liz/ie Coiby ...... . ... . Peggy Converse ; the opening of the George Gersh- ic'Tpga mainrirv invesuir i ruler hccaUse the monarch’s wife | jane Coiby ... ......... Francis Meehan ; Memorial Theatre workshop at w^lfa^eiTTt'^ahd title: i? .a ChrisUan and the new re- ' ' ... .. jack Lynn ; of tho forthcoming musical edition lip ^-lioiildcrs th0 entire responsi* • iiSion is to be suDStituted for woi^- jiomer Wciis • 1 1 • • . hfiitv. ship of the older gods, his brothers Mike o’Tooie . .......... Hal shaekiey , of “^nna and the King of Siam," but Fay’s creative contributions are °i Rera end d" vif I i ; ' iwMson Downs ' is, Still forking .on the lyrics, for all undistinguished, to put it mild- their gods— rebuild the altar and Emma Moody ... . . . . . . . ^ Seia Landon ; which Richard Rodgers will cora- ly. His music is a cacophony of unmelodic sound; his lyrics a jiim- . hie of meaningless rhyme. His sketches, scenes and . dialog are. witless; his dh’^ction is static, and his \ production epntribu- tion.s are as. poor as the pror crucify the British captive with • George . . ..'r. . . . . .. . . . Gorffob Meagher ( pose the music. The show, which "u/hrim rivnoPTi'iB rlaiicfhfpr hart . • ' • • • • • • • * • • ^ whom Cymen’s daughter had fall- , • en in love. ' Adding a certain ■mysticism to ' ’ . Ralph Whiting i will go into rehearsals in February Stuart ciroup I with John van Dnitcn staging and Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Bryn- . . , Henry Senber is pressagenting the tour of “Death of a Salesman.” An additional dividend of about $15,000 will be distributed next week on the Kermit Bloomgarden- Walter Fried production, bringing, the profits to more than $200,000, split between the investors and producers. That means that the backers will' have received a 100% profit on the $100,000 ven- ture . . . On one recent week, the Rodgers-Hammerstein produc- tion of “Happy Time” earned aii operating profit of $6,742 on a gross of $26,236. Gertrude Lawrence returned yesterday (Tues.) from a two-week , vacation in Naples, Fla., with a stopoff on the way back to look over St. Petersburg, site of the musical teiit to be operated by her husband, Richard Aldrich, in asso- ciation with St. John Terrell and Laurence Schwab. She was ac- companied by novelist-playwright Daphne du Maiirier, who will shortly plane back to England after a brief visit . . , Arthur Mar- getson, ill with pleurisy, is still turning down all stage offers, ac- cording to word from London . . . Jose Ferrer and Gloria Swanson . will co-star in a revival of the Ben Hecht-Charles Mac Arthur hit, “20th Century,” for a limited run at the ANTA Playhouse, N, Y., opening Dec. 24, with Ferrer stag- the story is the reappearance of j The; familiar .siory of the ntil- ner in the leads, will reacti Broad- I ing . . . The musicians’ union has an aged nian. Merlin, who was the 1 lionaire who is thoroughly hated ; way during April. With the Lon- classified “Ring Round the Moon" wizard of King Arthur’s eourt [ by his fellow-townsmen gets an- i don edition of “South Pacific” due and “Relapse" as plays-with-music, Ceen in mnnv 1 V'hen^^ Still .controlle(i other going ovcr m J:his new Lynn I foi' the following fall, the author- I requiring them to employ six men speaks with great Root script. Tlic results are only j producers won’t be able to attend I at increased scale B5»Tbara Bel VQar.s. For a bigtime performer, 1 ,, ... he showed incredibly small-time poetic wisdom and with the, wit taste in the selection of. cast, cos- ! notable in Fi’y s \york. This IS no play for a commercial tumes and scenery. mildly amusing at best, giving Root 1 to the contemplated . s e c 0 n d ' Geddes and Donald Gook will co- a possible strawb at or community I “Pacific" touring company until a > star in F, Hugh Herbert’s “The ■ theatre vehicle, but one with no. 1 year hence . . . Playwright Garson i Moon Is Blue," to be presented , by Prior"*to the sfand here “if You [ P^'O^^ction, hor vvas it written for '. Broadway possibilities. | Kanin says he's literally working | Richard Aldrich, Richard Myers, Please" had a two-(iav ’ break-in I ^uch a purpose. However, it has 1 Root has chosen to give the plot | a i6-hour-a-day chore at the Met i Julius Fleischmann and Otto date in Santa Barbara; Since this | stiikmgly beautiful 1 is Fay’s home town, the opening • it could be a worthwhile evening of theatre if played in a lighter, | ment, dishing his hui^r S • Naomi Riordan has taken over drier fashion than developed by . heavy hand. As a result, Angels j.Qjg of the ingenue in “Cbun- Leo Brady, who directed the com- 1 is just too slapstick for wide ap- | ^j.y Girl," succeeding Nancy Stod- ^ , .J - , 1 dard, who withdrew to take a part Plot revolves around the fipal 10 - ^ Tattoo," Cheryl Craw^ days in the life.oi Cyrus^ P; [ ford’s production of the new night was obviously sympathetic at the start and prepared for “l.ocal- boy-makes-good" kudos.- Ardor, however, cooled quickly and con- siderably. When the curtain went up, the house was about 75% filled; at the first Curtain a good number of the audience was lost; at the finaP cur- tain a small audience remained. As producer, it was not only Fay’s decision to pick his own ma- terial, but also the cast and man- ner of the billing. He evidently first decided not to cast anybody who might dim his own lustre, and then decided to bill only himself— even on the stage. Where he wasn’t billed, he made sure to write scenes that would call for portraits or statuary of himself. He made it Impossible for anybody to lose track of the fact that this was Frank Fay starring in a Frank Fay show. . . That nobody else is billed is okay, too, since nobody has any- thing to do deserving of mention. George Haggerty, a deadpan come- dian who stooges for Fay, gets nowhere A with the material writ- ten by Fay; Jeri Sullivan is a fair singer made to look and sound very badly with Fay’s songs and lyrics; Maurice Kelly is a young hoofer who finds it impossible to make much of an impression with his rhythm dancing against Fay’s music. There is an assort- ment of mediocre actors and ac-- tresses who look and sound even more mediocre playing Fay’s sketches and to his direction. As for the star himself, he does not resemble in this show the once bigtime Frank Fay. He’s in sev- eral sGCnes and doesn’t improve his own writing. He. does a ballet routine, which is sophomoric and in bad ta.ste, since he strips down to a display of a lot of imgl amor- ous flabbihes.s. He works in one early in the show, and in white tie and tails at the end. By that time nothing he ooiild do would count. No reason to comment bn any of the songs, since there isn’t brie that's going anywhere beyond the final performance iri this show. ' Pay plans taking this show to St. Louis, after a possible four-week ruri here, and then to New York, pany. The outstanding performance is turned in by Bill Callahan as Mer- lin. He handles the difficult chore of portraying this aged, witty man in a fashion that makes it one of the best performances turned in on the Catholic U. stage in the past few years. The lead part of Cy- men Is handled competently by William Flaherty. Generally the male parts are considerably better presented than those by the women. The setting, a Jutish farmstead, and the lighting have been done with great thought and are strongly effective. Lowe, Another Darling Cincinnati, Dec. 1 . stage, Inc., presentation of comedy in three acts (six scenes) by Zoe Akins. Directed by Paul Fielding. • At Art ' Mu- seum theatre, Cincinnati. Nov. 20, *50; $2.30 top. Fashioned by Zoe Akins, "’An- other Darling" was given a sin- cere try by the Cincinnati Civic Theatre group. Tryout was for production consideration of Rich- ard Aldrich & Richard Myers, in association with Julius Fleisch- mann, who were in the first-night audience. Story, about a girl of 17 whose ga-ga for men gushes anew to match the characteristics of each whose one ambition in life is to. hit the $1,000,000 mark before he dies. Main character is far too brciad- ly drawn to be at all credible ah(i the play's other people vary between the stereotype and the sappy. Root’s decision to direct the play himself doesn’t help the situation, the seven scenes being devested more to posturing than pacing. About the only cast member who manages to give some life to the role despite the direction is Peggy Converse, who is generally credi- ble as the sister. Thomas Browne Henry, in the lead, apparently was responding to instructions to give it a “Lionel Barrymore-Uke’' read- ing. As usual at Pasadena Playhouse, Scott McLean has contributed an okay single set, complete with pay telephone— old Cyrus having been too much of a skinflint to pay for a regular phone. Kap. Off-B’way Show Tiiriisdile . . • 1 /> lM(ax Coltlert production of drama in. j one she meets, is remindful of a ; two acts (three sccno.s) by James A; Chekhov short piece, “The Dar- ; C«?van. Star^ s.ylvia Markcy, Michael Barr. ling. It goes round and round , jac^ Coyne, Fred Seoiiay. Directed by i one for Julcs Munshin and Mary and winds up at the starting point 1 Cavan, sets and liChLing, James Clark Tennessee Winiams drama cur-? rerttly in rehearsal under the di- rection of Daniel Mann, with Maureen Stapleton and Eli Wal- lach as leads . . . “Let’s Make An Opera,” the Benjamin Britten- Eric Crozier audience-participation musical which opens next Wednes- day (13), will have a weekly sched- ule of five nights and three mati- nees, in deference to its expected moppet appeal ... Rita Cahill, of- fice assistant of producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin, back at her desk after an attack of flu . . . Robert Garland, on sick leave as N. Y. Journal- American drama critic, is expected back on the job early in January. Meanwhile, John McClain is subbing and Jim O’Connor continues as ahfiUsement editor . . . After making an ap- pearance Friday night (8) on . the “Pulitzer Prize" tele show, legit and film actor - director - writer Hume Cronyri goes to the Coast to huddle on several picture deals and lease his house. He’ll return ;in time for. Christmas, bringing his (and his actress-wife Jessica Tandy’s) children. In the mean- while, Mrs. Cronyn will have taken a house in Greenwich, Conn., from which she’ll commute for her star- ring part in. “Hilda Crane.” Two more new comedy songs, Kesselring’s Are 48.” with nobody catching the brass ' ^ Lane tiieatre. n, y., Nov. ring. Action unfolds in the liv- Johnny Wade .... . , . , . . . Richard Garth ing room of a San Francistio apart- -Raud OConnOr Michael Barr ment belonging to the central fig- | ...... ... ... .... ure’s cousin and her husband. Set- liiner Ralph Conner ting is bigtime. Paul Fielcling comes through • • • • • / • • • • * ••••*••,• • with splendid direction of a fine ; joh^ Bandioi .......... Boiiy Haneii cast which shows nary a sign of ; Maid Dorothy Lowe being non-pro. Nancy Todd in the ^ leading role, is particularly im- pressive. Koll. A Play for Mary Dallas, Nov. 27. Theatre *50 presentation of comedy in three acts by William McCleery. Directed Which, in oomparison, had it during the hurricane. Scho. iCiosed Saturday (2) after six perfnrmavccs).\ ThiM*. AiijijHs _ . WaRhington, Dec, 1. Catholic U. Rpeoeh & prama Dept, pres- of draijia in two acts by Chris- Marshall Yokleson; costumes, Kenn Barr. At Theatre *5(i Fair Park, Dallas, Nov. 27, *50; $2.50 top. ' Mrs. Vail . . , , . . ... .Betty Greene Little Sewell . . ... , . . . Richard Venture Milo Brooks ■ Edwin Whither Mary Gregory . . . .Karolyn Martin Neal Price John Denney Author William McCleery has I ' by Leo Brady. Set and . spiked a rather shallow plot with uKhtinR, .James Waiincr; co,stumc.s, Joseph cKarn Hiainn^ anrt wiftv nuinR Plav Lewis; coach. Josephine McGarrv Cnllan. ■ snarp QiaiOg.anq Willy quips. At Univctsiiy ibeatie, D. €„ Dec. 1, *50. ccntcrs around a ptoducer Wno 15 . ^ ^ ^ V to wrap up a deal for his Chnstopher Fry, who made it to ’ young leading lady to make a has now made it to i Hollywood picture. The big ob- Catholic U.’s wcllkriown speech stacle is a young playwright and anq drama deparlmcntv with an his devotion toward the star, plus appropriately religioMs play oh the a scheming housekeeper who is pegmnmgs of Christianity in Eng- also on the side of young thespian Jand.^ Unfortunately, Father Hart- ; love. ke s talented kids can’t quite make I While the plot and situations the transition to Fry’s verse drama. ' are rather light and fll p pant ^ they Every so often they seem to say make for good- stage quipping, to themselves, “Gpsh, this is Play is fast moving. Producer poetry”; so they recite instead of ' Margo Jones has again applied her I “Turnstile" hews too closely to the psychological pattern of recent Hollywood gangster ;^lms. Dealing mainly with a psycliotic mobster, play also touches on war’s effects on combatants. Though some good bits are ofTered, yarn Wears thin as it goes along: Story center<5 around a two-bit gangster, who’s about to pull off a big caper, but whose attitude towards his associates indicated an unbalanced mind.; Michael Barr handles the lead role of the gang- ster competently, Weldon Ballagh is good as a medico lush, who after successfully operating on the mobster’s kid brother, decides he’s ready to start out anew. Sylvia Markey, as a moll, turns in an adequate portrayal. Fred Scollay is good as one of the gang mem- bers, as are William Jackel and Richard Garth. Jack Coyne puts over some comedy lines. James A. Cavan, directing his McCarty and the other for Mun- shin, were inserted Monday night (4) in “Bless You All," which is trying out in Philly. Another new sketch was also put in. the Herman Levin-OIiver Smith revue produc- tion last week. And Jane Harvey has replaced Joan Merrill in the east ^ . . Jack Shanley, N. Y. Times (irama reporter who became fathei of twins last week, is taking a two- week vacation . . . John Krimsky has optioned tlie American rights to “Dr. Krock,” niedical satire by Jules Roniains, which he plans to present on Broadway in the spring ; . Another payment to the back- ers of “Silver Whistle" is duo in January,, from proceeds of the film sale, which brought $100,000 for the rights and .$50,000 adaptation, fee for author Robert McEnroe . . . With Willard Swire, assistant executive - secretary of Actors Equity, serving as temporary executive - secretary of Chorus Equity, meetings of the latter union’s executive committee are being held every Wedn^esday morning, instead of once a months as formerly . . . Final accounting of ‘’Now 1 Lay Me Down to Sleep" reveals that the Elaine Ryanr Ludwig Bemclmans flop of last season lost $141,000. Next membership meeting, of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers will he held Dec. 21 ... Carlson Spear, house own play, keeps it going at an ^ . even keel. James Clark’s . one- • manager of the Shuberi' NW room hotel set is convincing. Haven, has been called back for Gros. I Navy service as a Lieutenant j. G. Helen Hayes has cast Bethel Leslie in the title part in her re- vival of Sir James M. Barrie’s “Mary Rose," which she will present as part of the ANTA Play Series, The star has not yet decided whether to play a siriall role In the produc- tion ... Warren Munscll, in charge of the N. Y. Convention Ticket of 7 flee, will be general ritianager for the Playwrights’ Co. production of Sidney Kingsley’s “Darkness at Noon.” Warren, Jr., currently company manager of “Golden State," will have a similar assign- ment W'ith the new show. Mean- while, Munsell, Sr., is still plan- nirig a production this season of his son’s play with music, “Cornin’ Through the Rye,” based on the life of Robert Burns . . .. Producer Chkndler Cowles has sub-leased the East Side (N. Y.) penthouse of An- thony Brady Farrell, who is finally moving into the home he bought last spring in the east 60's ... Czech actor-author George Vosko- vec, noted for his anti-totalitarian plays in Prague until he was ex- jielled by the Nazis and for a short time after the war, until he gluded the Soviet secret police, has been detained at Ellis Island, N. Y.rfor the last six months, by Order of the Dept, of Justice, Borah Burman, son of Variety’s B a 1 1 i m ore correspondent, has joined the legit department of the William Morris agency ... A George Bernard Shaw memorial theatre will be built in Welwyn Gardens City, a suburb of London . . . Robert Downing is returning to New York after directing 12 weeks of the win- ter stock season at the Pent- house theatre, Atlanta, which closes Saturday night (9) . . . Now that his production of Sam- son Raphaelson’s drama, “Hilda Crane," is set for/ a run at the Coronet, N. Y., with Jessica Tandy starred, Arthur Schwartz has gone tb an undisclosed resort in the south to finish composing the songs for “The Brooklyn Story,” the George Abbott-Betty Smith musical version of the latter’s best seller. Dorothy Fields is supply- ing the lyrics for the show, in which Shirley Boothris tentatively set for a leading part, following the windup of her current toqr as co-star of “Gome Back, Little Sheba” ; , . David Pardoll, - Casting director of the ANTA Play Series, has a Small part in Columbia’s film version of “Born Yesterday,” due for release shortly. Gloria H jye, ingenue lead with Malcolm Attrirbury’s Playhouse company in Albany two seasons ago, rejoined it for the current “See Hoy They Run.” Roberta Jonay, who appeared for three weeks in “Haryey” and had the feminine lead in “For Love or Money" for two weeks, returned to New York to rrijbin her hus- band, Judson Pratt. Pratt played opposite Judy Holiday in “Born Yesterday” for three weeks in Washington. Wednesday, December 6, 1950 The following are the comparative Hgufee based on Variety's boxoffice estiviates for last weeh (the 27th week of the season) and the corresponding week of last season: This Last BROADWAY Season Season Number of shows current . . . — . . . . , . . . 25 27 Total weeks played so far by all shows .... 520 482 Total gross for all current shows last week $595,500 $590,500 Total season’s gross so far by all shows, . . $12,154,600 $12,453,000 Number of new productions so far. 30 17 ROAD ( Eoicluding Stock, Ice Shows and Outdoor) Number of current touring shows reported 23 24 total weeks played so far by all shows. . . . . 456 409 Total road gross reported last week ....... $468,500 $467,000 Season’s total road gross so far . , ... . . . . $10,375,200 $8,800,100 Tacilic’ SRa 11 18G, ‘Angd’ Chicago, Dec. 5. Usual pre-holiday lull for legit hou.ses here hasn’t taken hold, with most theatres reporting an up- swing. Leadeiv of course, is '‘South Pacific,” with sellout and turnaways. New York City Opera Go. in last seven perf brniances did well,'-. Mail advance of “I Know My Love,” which opens at the Harris, Deo. 11. is very heavy. Sadler’s Wells Ballet just has some singles for engagement starting Dec. 18. Premiere Of “Rose Tattoo” is due Dec. 29. “ Estimates for Last Week ‘♦Angel in the Pawnshop,” Sel- wyn (4th week) ($3.80; 1,000). Show catching on with over $13,500. “Diamond Lil,’* Blackstone (11th week) ($4; 1,358). Slipped some to $18,000. New York City Opera Co., Opera House'' (2nd week) ($4.94; 3,600). Closed Sunday (3) with neat $42,- 000 . “South Pacific,” Shubert (3d w'k) ($.5; 2,100). With the matinee seats gone, musical topped $51,200. ‘Streetcar’ 1 OG, Mont’l; ‘Rooster’ Sto $10,500 Mo^n^^^ Dec. 5. Repeat of “Streetcar Named De- sire” within the year at His Ma- jesty’s, wdth unknown cast and fair reviews, accounted for only $10,000, House, which seats 1,579, was scaled to $3.94. Gratien Gelinas’ ‘‘Ti-Coq” (“Lit- tle Rooster”), currently in its fifth stanza at the Gesu theatre, con- tinues to play to capacity and is grossing a near $10,500 a week, with the 932rseaier scaled to $2.60. “Rooster” closes hefe in mid-De- cember; opens in Toronto at the Royal Alexandra Jan. 8 for one week, and then moves on to the Harris in Chicago for a limited run starting Jan. 15. ItOBERTS’ FAIR M6, 000 Philadelphia, Dec. 5. With previously skedded book- ings being cancelled right and left and no new ones announced to take their place, there is every indica- tion that this will be Philly’s sparcest holiday season, as far as the legit is concerned, in many yoar.s. After “Bless You All” de- parts Saturday night (9) after three big weeks at the Forrest, the city’s only legit offering will be the D Oyly Carte Opera Co., w'hiclv.has two weeks to go at the, Shubert alter this, giving the English group a full month in all. Esiimaies for Last Week “Bless You All,” Forre.st (2d wk) (1.670; $4.55). This revue con- tinues to get hot business, despite management’s w'orry that it still needs plenty of fixing. $37,500 last week and should equal/or beat that mark in this, its final stanza. Theatre’s next is “Darkne.ss at Noon” Dec. 26. D’Oyly Carle Co., Shubert (1st wk) (1.870; $4.55). Di.sappoinling Si 8.000 in fu’st of four weeks, but showed steady if slow' improvement during week. Will be all by it- sel f after this week and should profit thereby. “The Consul” re- turns Dec. 25. “Death of a Salesman,” Locust (2d Avk) (1 540; $3.90). Went up con^dderably to, get an okay $22,- 800 in eetaw’ay w’eek of return A'isit w'ith Thomas Mitchell as niain magnet.. House dark until Ncva’ Year’s, w'hcn it get: •“4 Times 12 Is 48.” New Haven, Dec. 5. Business at the full week stand of “Mister Roberts” at the Shubert last week (27-2) was below expecta- tions. Show' originally opened here to packed houses two seasons ago, but this time, despite a fine company and good word-of-mouth, the take w'as only an estimated $16,000 on eight shows at $4.20 top. “lee Follies” competition at the Arena may have been a factor. The previous w'eek, in a split between Allentown and Reading, Pa., “Roberts” grossed $16,800, Current is full week of “The ConsurV(4-9) and next W'eek gets preem of “Second Threshold” (13-16). • Current Road Shows (Dec. 4-16) ♦‘Angel In the Pawnshop” (try- out)— Selwyn, Chi. (4-9);' Harris, Chi, (11-16) (Reviewed in Variety, Nov. 8, ’50). “As You Like It’* — Biltmore, Li A. (4-16). ^‘Bless You All” (tryout) --— For- rest, Phila. (4-9) (Review'ed in Variety, Nov. 15, ’50). “Blossom Time’* — Royal Alex- andra, Toronto (4-9); Erlanger, Buffalo (10-13); Strand, Ithaca (14); Strand, Utica (15); Academy of Music, Northampton, Mass. ( 16). “Born Yesterday” — El Capitan, Hollywood (4-9). “Brigadoon” American, St. Louis (4-9); Shubert, Detroit (11- 16). . : ■ “Captain Carvallo** (tryout) — - Erlanger, Buffalo (6-9); Gass, De- troit (11-16) (Reviewed in Variety from London, Aug. 15, ’50). “Come Back, Little Sheba” ^ Geary, San Francisco (4-16). “Consul”— Shubert, New Haven (4-9); Gayety, Wash. (11-16). “Death of a Salesman”— Colo- nial, Bost. (4-16). “Diamond Lil”— Blackstone, Chi. (4-16>.;' D’Oyly Carte— Shubert, Rhila. (4-16). “I Know My Love” — Cass, De^ troit (4-9); Selwyn, Chi. ( 11-16) “Innocents” — Cox. Cincinnati (4-9); Hanna, GleVe. (11-16). “Kiss Me, Kate’* — Music Hall, Kansas City (4-9); Com'ention Hall, Tulsa (11-13); Home, Okla- homa City (14-16). “Mister Roberts’* — Victory. Providence (4-9); Court Square, Springfield, Mass. (11-16). “Oklahoma” — Shrine Mosque, Peoria (3-5); Orpheum, Spring- field, 111. (6-7); Memoriai Aud., Burlington. IdW'a (9); KRNT Radio theatre, Des Mpines (ll); Omaha, Omaha (12-13); Chief, Colorado Springs (15); City Aud., Pueblo “Out of This Vyorld” (tryout) — Shubert, Bo.st, (4-16) (Reviewed in Variety, Nov. 8, '50). “Red, White and Blue’* (tryout) — Murat. Indianapolis (5-7); Me- morial Aud., Dayton (9-10); Taft Aud., Ciincinnati (11-16) (Reviewed in Variety, Oct. 11, ’50). “Second Threshold” (tryout) — Shubert, New Haven (13-16). “South Pacific”- — Shubert, Chi. (4-16). “Streetcar Named Desire”—-^ Nixon, Pitt. (4-9); Weller, Zanes- ville, Ohio (11); Aud., Akron (12); Shea’s, Ashtabula, Ohio (13); Shea’s, Erie, Pa. (14); Shea’.s, Jamestown (15); Shea's, Bradford, Pa. (16). M $27M ^Brigadoon’ So-So $17,500 In Three Southern Stands Louisville, Dec. 5. John Yorke’s touring prodiictipn of “Brigadoon” had only so-so go- ing last week, w'inding up here Saturday night (2) with a total of under $17,500 for three stands. Musical played Monday and Tues- day ' 27-28) at the Auditorium, Charleston, W. Va.; Wednesday (29) at the Auditorium, Hunting- ton, W. Va., and Thursday-SAtur- day .(30-2) at the Auditorium here. Show is playing the American, St Louis, all this w'eek. Prop-Less ‘Love* Good in Detroit, Dec. 5. “I Know My Love,” w'hich Al- fred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne opened Monday (27) ott a barren stage— the props were aU in snow'- bound Pitlsburgh— ^id a good 526,800. in its first week at the Cass, Thefitre Guild subscription held gross down, but second week )s complete sellout. Front-page publicity received by the Lunts ior their impn'-ssive opening per- lormanee assured capacity audience • or .rest of .stay here. ' The ShidM'rt will reopen next •'londay 111? with “BrigadooHy” in • or two weeks. in Keffs: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama ) , R ( Revue), M (Musical), O (Operetta). “Gcllcr and The Well” (D) — George Preedley & Roger Stearns prod.; Henry Fprsj'thC; dir, “Darkness At Noon” (D).— Play- wright’s Co., prod,; Sidney Kings- ley, dir, ^ “Enemy of the People” (p) — Lar.s Nordenson, prod.; Robert Lewis; dir. “Four Twelves Are " 48” (O — Aldrich & Myers, Otto Preminger, ! Julius Fleisehmann; Prods,; Pre- I minger, dir, I “King Lear” (D) — Robert L. ! Joseph and Alexander H. Cohen ; prod.; John Tfou.seman, dir. “Rose Tattoo” (D) — Cheryl Crawford, prod.; Danier Mann, dir. “Second Threshold” (D) — ^Alfred de Liagre, Jr., prod.-dir. “Twentieth Century” ( D) — ANTA, prod., Jose Ferrer, dir. Paul GrimviSi Dutch dancer in N. Y. recently with the Grand ' Ballet, has been signed by Doro- thy Stewart as premier dancer tor the Borovansky Ballet of Australia, and sails from N. Y. Dec. 21, on a year’s pact. He was a member 01 I the Original Ballet Russe, ‘World’ 37G in 6, ‘Opera’ $7,700, Hub Bo.ston, Dec. 5. Only newcomer this week is “Death of a Salesman” w'hich bow'ed la.st night (Mon.) at the Colonial. “Lily Henry” and Ballets de Paris, also .skedded for this week, cancelled out, leaving the Hub Willi but two legits alight “Out of This World,” hounded by (he censor and not too well re- ceived by the critic.s, added an ex- tra w'eek. Engagement is a sellout. Estimates For Last Week “Let’s Make on Opera” Wilbur ($3.60), Not much action on this one, although cveiybody agreed it’s cute gag; $7,700. “Out of This World” Shubert (1st wk) (i;750; $6). Heavy ad- vance sale liuHing this one through, almo.st $37,000^ capacity for six peiTormances. ‘Okia.’ 20G in Six, Indpls. in Indianapolis, Dec. 5. < “Oklalioma'’’ playing a ; return visit after tw'O years, took a .sati.s- ' factoiy .$20,000 in six, perform- , ances last Wed nc.sday -Saturday 1 29-2) at the Murat here. The Thea tre Guild pj'esentation had already gro.ssed $9,000 in a single showing Monday night (27) at the Para*, mount, Toledo. ; “Red, White and Blue.” the, Aihencan Legion revue, is due at the Murat tonight (Tues.) and plays through TbUr.sday night (7). Also current this week is the Sonja , Hcnie ice .show’, ait the Coliseum, . ‘Innocent* $12,800, M w Milwaukee, D.'c. 5. “The Innocents” had a profit- able stand at the Davidson lieyc la.st week, w inding up with a gro.s.s of .$f2,800 in eight performances. William Archibald-IIenry James thriller is at the Cox, Cinelnnati this week. As expected, legit attendance began -last week its annual pre- Christmas decline, Extra adverse factors may have been the hot-so- cbld war situation, plus numerous refunds to the previous Saturday’s (25) storm-bound patrons. As usual in such circumstances, most shows were hit, with only the ad- vance sellouts getting their regular capacity gross figures. Business is expected to continue to slump until Christmas. The total gross for all 25 shows last week was $595,500, or 75.5% of capacity. The previous week's total for 27 shows was $€00,600,° or 75.26% of capacity. Last w'eek’s only, closing was “Ed wina Black.” There are no scheduled foldings this w'eek, but at least one Is a probability for next W'eek. Estimates for Last' Week Keys: C (Comedy), b ( Drama), Dp ( Comedy ■Dramd), R (Revue), M ( Musical) , O I Opera) . Other- parenthetic figures refer, respectively, to top price, number of seats and capacity gross. Price includes 20% amusement tax, ■■ but grosses are net: i.e., exclusive of tax. “Affairs of State,” Music Box (llth wk) (C-$4.80; 1,012; $26,484). Had very few refunds from the preceding Saturday (2fi); almost $26,500 again. ‘♦Bell, Book and Candle,*' Barry- more (3d wk) (C-$4.80; 1,066; $28,- 060). Had staridees lit all per- formances, but parly commissions and about $500 in refunds from the storm held the gross to $27,200 (previous W'eek, $27,600). “Black Chiffon,” 48th Street (7th wk) (D-$4.80; 925; $22,165). Topped $16,500 (previous week, $14,900). “Call Me Madam,” Imperial (8th W'k) (M -.$7,20; 1,400; $51,847). Almost $52,500 (previous w'eek, $52 500). “Cocktail Party,” Miller (46th W'k) (G-$4.80; 940; $21,600). About $10,300 (previous w'eek, $12,300). “Country Girl,” Lyceum (4th wk) (D-4.80; 995; $22,845).. Has been oVerquoted; about .$21,206 (previous week, under $21,500). “Edwina Black,” Booth (2d wk) (D-$4.80; 712; ,$19,195). First full W'eek under $5,000 (previous w'cek, $6,500 for first ‘ seven perform- ances), folded Saturday night after 15 performances, at loss Of about $45,000. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes/* Ziegfeld (52d wk) (M-$6;. .1,628; ,$48,244). Also failed to go cleain at the midweek matinee, besides having considerable refund.s; al- most $44 000 (previous w'eek, $46 - 600). “Golden State,” Fulton (2d wk) (C-$4.80; 995; $24,660). Nearly $10,500, mostly on parties (pluvi- ous week, first four performances got $10,800, including about $7.- 700 in three previews). “Guys and Dolls,” 4Cth Street (2d wk? 1,319; $40,000). Getting t^'® <^ndee, limit at all perforinar b(f/ee.9, ,_,party commi.s- sions Horn lo over $40,700 hir ^^^rt'vioiic fir.st five perform^ Y^^ces $26,100. includir^4^^ $9, Sob view's). • .yr .U9.019). Almo.s4j ^^vious w'Cek. $25,40fi\ • . . / A>ronet (5th wk) (D-$4./;?'7 i .027; /26.800). About $15.5(ilfJ; .S14,400l “Ki?® Jlfe, Kaic,” Sh u bert < 991 h W'k) (Wo; L361; $40,857). GyCr $31,400 prevou.s week, $35,000.) “Lady’s Not for Burning,” Royalc (4th Avk) (C-$4.80; 1,035; $27,100). Getting all the .standees permitted, but Theatre Guild sub- scription limited t he gross to over $25,600 I previous w'eck, $25,900 ). “Member of the Wedding,” Em- pire (47ih wk) (D-.$4.80; ,1.082; $24,000]. Almost $15,000 (previous week. $16,500). “Mister ‘‘Roberts,” Alvip (141.st wk) h a veiled \ ..11, and thciv showing only one arm. Her agitated husbafid spends his time trying to com nosci music for a: documentar.y film, dashing in and out for her room in att mdanco on her. A bombshell arrives in the per- son 61' hubby's former wife from America, claiming their divorce V as irregi'ilar and they are still married. It develops that if . he possesses a son within a stipulated time, he will inherit a $1,000,000, if not. it goes to his first wife. The gay interloper is exultant and - aboul to depart to collect' her in- j heritance Mdieh it is pointed out 1 to; her the time differential be- tween the two countries. Imme- diately prior to the blessed event the father is notified by his lawyer that because of the lack of one day's residential qualification his first marriage vvas invalid so his current wife blithely gives to a daughter. Before the blonde can again depart in tiiumph, the doctor . produces a second child, a son, whose arrival coincides with the deadline hour. The first “wife” quite blandly dis- closes she, too, has married again and lias a family. Yolande Donlan’s performance a.s the feather-brained American wife is a real joy. Much credit for the play’s success must go to her. Richard Attenborough has the brunt of the acting on his shoul- ders being continually on stage and coping alternately with crisis ' and nerve strain, plus jubilation i and paternal pride. Sheila Sim makes a wonderfully impressive character of the unseen mother, getting all that is possible from her meagre opportunities. Peter Ashmore directs the show with great discretion. Clem, latcd, are likely to surprise pres- ent-day ears. This is affine produc-* lion. In some cases players get on stage from the auditorium via the sido^ Full staRc is never used, and | there nearly always is some space left behind the last drop. The cciStumcs are beautiful while tlie whole color scheme is exceL lent . ■ Lighting has been well han- cllcd. . Julicn Berthacu’s direction has given all the scenes full value. In a difficiiU role. Jeaii Davy manages tt> .^wllcli easily from the lover to the tyro, Jean Debucourt, as the perfect courtier and cbunsellor, is topflight. Annie Ducaux is moving as tlTc wrongly accused woman v.hiio Li.se . Delamare is fine as A fantastic comedy which, de- spite its novel theme, remains mild entertainment. Subject matter could have been r.rtist'cally treated Paulina Who dare.s speak her mind, as a. very brief short story, 'but it Joanne Moreau, a.s the fouhtlling, . lias all the required sex appeal in, the fine.st ingenue style, well supported by Andre Falcon. The palls throughout three acts and re- flects little, credit on the actor- novclist authors from a stage angle. Locale is a country house where an elcierly couple bemoan the in- ! clemency of an English summer., An impatient visitor, clad in white j toga/ festooned at head and heel : With wings, who announces he is Mercury, claims admittance. He tells them his masters are angered at their constant abuse of the weather. :As a punishment the ' ’ mortals are then endowed Witlr the ^ power to order their own climatic I conditions. . I Story is manfully held together through the' charm and always . gracious acting of Marjorie Field- ing as the lady of the manor and ; Eugene Deckers . ais the malicious Mercury. Others in the cast cope commchdably with their allotted roles. Clevi. to -in- balanco of the principals with cast support.s the gusto. Maxi. Iloiiirii lo Tvasisi London’*, Nov. 30. Slior^k Players production of a drama in three act.s. Written and directed by Benn W; /Levy, At Diike of York’s Thea- fe,' London. . , Susan Hubbard, . , . . . . . . ... . ; . Tilsa Pige ) Granting of a lOe per hour wage raise by the theatrical costume companies has apparently averted the threatehed strike by the The- Gilbert Cotton ......... Alexander Kno.x ' J^^lCai _^COSlume WOIKCIS Ullion, ...... Helen Haye j Local 124, ILGWU. Latter Outfit • Constance Cummings ; had been demanding that all cos- Hilda Bruce-Potter i tunies, including ordinary street clothes, overall . and incidental gar- ments, be bought from costiimc firms and made by its. rhenibers, instead of being purchased at de- Mrs, Grenfeli . . . . . Martha Cotton. . Christopher Green Ein$ .. Francis Hubbard:;. . John Justin ‘Return to Tyassi.” Benil contributes his first new years. ' was inactive in the In roiito iriiivor (Winter TaleV With W. Levy play for five in which he theatre, he was a member Parliament, and.it would seem he had become infected with the Parliamentary tradition that words mean more- than action. For two acts almost nothing happens. It isn’t until final act that the play SHUBERT DEAL TO BUY INTO SOHC CHILLED Proposed deal for Lee Shubert to buy^an interest in Show-of-the- Month Club has reportedly chilled. Terms offered by Shubert are un- derstood unacceptable to Sylvia Siegler, SOMG president, and ne- gotiations are at a standstill. Besides insisting on acquiring of the stock of the ticket sub- scription organization, Shubert is said to be stipulating that SOMC limit its selections or deals for previews to shows playing Shubert. theatres. P^Yond asserting ^Rf^hO ’ MaiuL as secretary-treasurer. Quin- agreement had beem reached, Miss i tero> besides being prexy, will also Siegler yesterday (Tucs.) declined ; serve as director and company man- ager. Edward Mann and Emily Stevens will bead the technical de- partment, while Aileen Cramer will handle subscriptions and Seymor Kravvitz the drum-beating, A permanent company of 20 pei’- formers, staffers and technicians, will be employed. Negotiations are currently on for the li-asing of the j location’s restaurant, to be oper- ! ated in conjuiiction with the the- I atre, in addition to drafnatic offer- 1 ings, dance x-ecitals, lectures and concerts will also be given at the theatre. House wtll be a 275-seater. Production in the round of “Dark of the Moon” at the Sheri- dan Square Arena theatre, N. Y., starting Dec, 24, will mark the in- auguration of a legit policy at what was formerly the Greenwich Vil- lage Inn. Spot was leased recently by Sheridan Square Arena Tim- ati’e and Restaurant, Inc, for a 10- year period. Outfit is beaded by Jose\ Quintero, with Theodoi'e to discuss the matter. Gostume Wage Tilt of 10c Seen Averting Strike I stores as at present, of [ Although a final agreement re- portedly hasn’t been reaGhed, the union is reported ready to call off the TOO^b costume setup in re- turn for the wage tilt. Paris. Nov. 28. ...... Gomodie FianMisc f i shows any sign of life. Hencc, it speiu-e’s play. Directed tn Hpvp cmnll birth- Paulina dumb Mopsa thcau. Adapted in. French by Claude Andre Puiet. Music by Darius Milhaud. Sets bv Bene Moulaert. Costumes / by Francine G. Risler. At Comedie Fran- caise. Paris. Ilcrmione . , Dticaux • ^ ' Emilia Peridta ....... Dorcas ; . . . Old Shepherd.. Camillo Youn.'J Peasant T'Torizel Loonies ...... Time . . . . . . Cleomc.nes . , . . ArchidamiLS . . Poli-vencs . . . , A Courtier . . . Jail Keeper . . Antigohus Autblycus Servant . . Sailor .... Dion .... • • ^ • • » » • • • . AiThle , Lise Delamare . . , . Denise Noel Suzanne. Nivette .leanne Moreau Francolse Engel Denis dTnes . Jean Debucourt.' ...Jacques Charon 1 Andre Falcon , Jean Davy I .PauLEmile Deiber i .... Pierre Gallon! . . . Georges Vitray , Louis Eymond I .Paul EcolTai^d . . .Marco Debar ! . Henri Rollan ■ Robert Hirsch ; Teddy Bills ■ Michel Galabru . . . M. Drancourt i Gladys George and John Dali This exemplary production at the Comedy Francaise of the Shakespeare play is the best an- swer that the current management could give to those who claim that the subsidy, about $300,000 yearly, is a waste of money. It shows con- siderable enterprise on the part of M. A, Touchard, who was aired in the reorganization of the Comedy seems to have small chance. As an example of fine writing, “Tyassi” is well above, current standards: hence, the theme might be adapted with outstanding suc- cess as a novel. Biit as conven- tional theatre, it is lacking in forthrightness and story values, relying entirely on the characteri- zations of a firstfate cast. With the flimsiest of plots, the author develops a symbolic con- trast between trivial and worthy existence. The focal character is a wife who divorces her first hus- band because he put his job as an archaelogist in mystical Tyassi first and settled down, to a coii- vential routine with a ponderous, but prosperous, civil servant. The legend was created that husband No. 1- was a rotter, but when his N.Y. Drama Crix Continued from page 56 the critics, which has been discon- tinued as of this season. Morehouse’s Observatibhs Beferring to Variety’s decision to discontinue its annual boxscore of the New York drama critics. Ward Morehouse wrote in part yesterday (Tues.) in the N, Y. World-Telegram & Sun, “To mem- ggej. Rebuild Florida From Nitery to Fix House Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Sandy Scott and Irving Barrett, producers of the current legit series at the Copa City nitery, are planning to bring their w'eekly le- git presentations into Brandt’s Roosevelt theatre here, after their run at the nitery is completed Dec. 17. Tw'o associates of Scott are now discussing a deal in New York with the Brandt interests, working on a guarantee against percentage. The Brandt (N. Y.) subway circuit, it’s understood, w'dn’t be involved in the venture. Scott-BaiTett ex- pect to stage their own shows, wdth Guy Thbmajon directing. bers of the aisle-seat fraternity it w’as' something of a nuisance, but i I always felt, along w'ith "Mr. C. i (Chapman), that it had its influ- I ence over the years in reducing the number of yes-and-no reviews,; “It’s my notion, as I’ve set forth upon occasion, that it’s a critic’s death is annouriced. and liis brother j job to report upon the proceedings (also from Tyassi) appears on the j beneath the proscenium arch — to are starred ini the Coast produc- ; by his new Secretaire Generale tion of Mel DinellFs “The Man,” i Marc Bauer. The production is which premiered last night (5) at both fine entertainmeht, as evi- Las Palmas theatre in Hollywood denced by. the advance sale, and with Harold J. Kennedy directing good public relations job, since . . . Paura Mjrgan, under contract [ showing that France’s finest play- to the Actors* Co, on the Coast. • ers do not consider themselves so ,was spotted in the group’s touring j narrowly bound that they must do production of “Summer and ■ only Fiench rep. Smoke” and inked for a film role ! The C. A, Pujet adaptation aptly in “David ana Bathsheba” at 20th ' renders the classic lines even if Fox. I some of the words, literally trans- TP*- f ^he■ tb P ^ trA ■\d. rt Road Shows, If c. Two Theatres — Ihvestigate for booking fimo gvaiiable. Saloon with stage, 250 seating capacity, for Melodt*amas. Large fheatre, 1,000 sedfing capacify, siiifablo for logitimate dramos or musicals* Write or wire Cudig City, P. O. Box Phoenix, ^Arizona. 1944, scene, she confesses with amazing candor her own weaknesses. The ch<\racter of the wdfe is ex- ceptionally well depicted and a picture is drawn of a frustrated woman who realizes 'she surren- dered happiness for comfort and security. When the brother comes into her life she firmly believes she has been given a second chance. But after spending a night with her, he turns her down and leaves her to her husband, whose religious emo- tions have turned to hatred. As a study of a small segment I of society, this play is quite effec- tive. The principal roles are per- formed with a rare sensitivity and the author’s direction brings out the best from an excellent team. Constance Cummings gives a deep- ly moving interpretation of the unhappy wife, capturing the Vary- ■ ing moods of a woman whose fortunes change hour by hour. Alexander Knox contributes au outstanding performance as the husband, which scores stronglj' by its restrained dignity. Helen Haye as the' mother turns in a flawless . Study of a* w^ell-meaning but de- ■ termined selfish woman w'ho is' ^ laTgely responsible for hej* daugh- ter’^ unhappiness. Tilsa Page, playing Miss Com- mings* daughter by^ her first mar- riage, and John Justin, as the first husband’s brother, maintain the high .tliesping standard. There also is a perfect, cameo from Geoffrey t)unn as an effeminate interior decorator. Hilda BrUce- ■ Potter as the maid has little more than a w'alk-on. The entire, production is staged in the dining room of a Regent’s Park house, w'ith . Anthony Hol- land’s decor /most impTessive. Myro. examine, to analyze, and to tell his readers if he likes a play or if he : doesn’t— and to say why. An in- 1 decisive review' is seldom of any : help to a play, to a playgoer, or I to the critic himself: | “I’ve always believed that most of the boys were secretly elated j w'hen they found themselves at the ' top of the Variety rating, and that 1 also goes for the distinguished John Mason Brown, who demand- ed, and fairly shrilly, that tlie trade weekly computations be discon- tinued. During his days as a daily review’d* Mr. Brown was Variety’s top man Several times.” Legiter-Longhair Circuit Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Lcgil, ballet, opera and concert bookings for. more . iiian a dozen Florida cities are being sought by a local outfit, ‘Auditorium Attrac- i tions, Inc, Intention is to rebuild i the territory to something like its ; former thriving condition for tour- i ing show's. Modern auditoriums, :■ with adequate stage facilities, dressing rooms and air-condition- ers, are available in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Orlando, Miami Beach, Miami. Gainesville, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, West, Palm Beach, Ocala. Sarasota and other towns. ^ Bernard E. Selevan is managing director of Auditorium Attractions and .Ben Segal, manager of the ' i Hellinger theatre, N. Y., is the Broadw'ay representative. Touring 'Roberts’ Continued from pug:e 57 lines, the Equity council’s letter to the “Roberts” cast noted that the union has worked closely with the racial equality organization oil the Segregation issue, with the latter specifically approving its strategy in the Wa.shington situation. . “It sbquld be iinclerstood that we de- sire to work hand in hand with the NAACP,’’ the message said. “We do not regard their picket lines as being picket lines in the Ordinary union sense of the word, but ratiier as exc(3llent informa- tional propaganda directed, not against Equity members, but rather against the indifference, thought- lesvsness and ignorance of local audiences, who have the . uitimate _p0wei^ of determination within rtheir own hands as to Whethef or not they desire the elimination of discriminatioh in their own com- munities.” ^Consur 17G, Balto Baltmore, Dec. 5. Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “The Con- sul” pulled dow'n a disappointing $17,000 at Ford’s here la.st w^eek. The musical tragedy got rave re- views. but failed to draw much trade until the w'eekend. Chandler Cowles-Efrem Zinv balist, Jr., production is in New Haven this w'eek. GUILD’S CRITIC’S PLAY The Theatre Guild has optioned “The International Set/- by Louis Kronenberger, drama critic of Time mag. Production is schedul- ed for this season, if a, suitable femme star can, be obtained. Until recently, the play was under option to Kermit Bloom- garden. ‘Please’ $7,300 in 6, S.F. San Francisco, Dec. 5. “If You PIea.se,” starring Frank Fay, opened Tuesday (28) to unani- mously bad reviews and wound up its first week at the 1,775-seat Cur- ran, at a $4.20 scale, with a meagre $7,300 for six perfOrmamces. Show had been set for a four-week run, but closed down Saturday (2). “Come Back, Little Sheba,” with 1 ger Shirley Boo tlr land Sidney Harry Zelzer in New York from _ to make arrangements for the ■ Metropolitan Opera's Chicago i visit . . . Eddie Dowliiig nipy take i over the Chevy Chase summer i theatre. Wheeling, HI., with former ' producer, Marsh.dl Migaiz, looking for another North Side spot to put on his third season of name stock Hugo Schaff, company mana- of “Angel in the Pawnshop,” ’•ACT RIGHT’* BUY A HOME LOCATED AT ROCKVILLE CENTER (vie.) — 80 X lOt), $22,30(1. Beautiful modernistic rosldence, outstaiidino heighberhood. Gorgeous grounds, secluded garden. Center foyer, large living room, two'-' p let lire windows, Ida^burnlng flrf' plnee. opening , on to spacious rear awninoed terrace, over^.lookiiig gardens. Ultra modern dining room and kitcllen. Monel, metal sink unit, Tappan Range. Refrigerator, pfiwder room, . large master bedroom with private bath and shower, 2 other bedrooms and tiled bath, Largo closets. Laundry, and shower in basement. . Steam boat, oil. . Many extras, Out.standing bargain. . J. ^.D.. O’CONNELL. 2.35 . Morrick. Rd„ corner- Vincent Aye.. Lynhrook, Long Inland, N. Y. , . . , . . - Black- [was run down by an auto in Chi- I night (4) at the | Cag() la.st weeic/biit CcWe back to I i,opu-scdi Giiuy. 1 work with just some bad bruiacs. SAMUEL FRENCN SINCE 183(i Play, Brokors and Authors' Representatives 25 West 45th Street, New York 7623 Sunset Btvd.. Hollywood 46. Cal Wednesday, December. 6, 1950 Billy Rose Blows lOOG a Year Showman^columnist Billy Rose* whose “Pitchihg Horseshoes" fad- ed from the journalistic scene as of Monday (4), sacrificed an annual estimated income of $100,000 by Jus decision to drop the pillar due to poor health and press of other business. Column would have reached its fifth birthday next April. After its inception as a paid ad in the N. Y, Daily News, the feature snow-balled through syndication by Bell Syndicate, Western Newspaper Union, Do- minion News Bureau and kindred distributing - organizations. His stuff was also widely reprinted, in Reader’s Dige;st, etc. In his final fling at the type- writer— subheaded "Bye Bye By- Line," Rose wrote: "The decision to say gopdby to my byline has been a tough one to make. For almost five years now this column has provided most of the fun and focus of my life, and emotionally it has meant more to me than anything I ever tackled. I've watched it grow from a paid ad ill The News to a feature syn- clicated in more than 2,000 papers (counting weeklies), and naturally an old showoff like me doesn’t like to leave the stage with that big an audience in the house. But; if it has to be a choice between hoopla and hypertensionj I gUCss 1 know which Side my bed is butlcred on.” Although discontinuing his brainchild. Rose is understood to be. free to resume the column any lime he feels inclined to do so, for Bell is said to have left a spot open for him. Meanwhile, the .showman is readying a trip to South America and expects to get away around Jan. 5. Soutli-oi’-the- border tour will be in the nature of a convalesceht junket, for. the 51-year-old showman - writer re- cently underwent an operation. In addition to his column, Rose has been busy producing a tele- vision show, and operating the Ziegfeld theatre, N. Y., which he owns, and the Diamond Horseshoe nitery, N, Y. . Cosmo’s Judy, Jplie Yarns Judy Garland has written her "My Story” for January Cosmopoli- tan, aided by Michael Drury on the ghosting. “The Real A1 Jolson" is Harry Akst’s story ini the Februai’y issue, “as told to Ernest Lehman." Songwriter Akst; was long-time accompanist and pal to Jolson. Iricidentally, Cosmo’s supervising editor Herbert T. Mayes, who also edits Hearst’s craCk companion monthly. Good Housekeeping, has been grooming John J. O’Connell for the executive editor post on Cosmopolitan, to which he has been promoted. Prolific Thyra Winslow Thyra Samter Winslow, in be- tween her Go mag columnizing, American mag short stories, etc., is priming a new novel of “New York life" for Putnam, for the fall A quicker commission is for Abelard Press, to be titled “Think Yourself Thin," It’$ the type of work that the tag implies. FDR Pictorial Biog “FDR: A Pictorial Biography," by ^Stefan Lorant, was published by Simon & Schuster last week in two editions, $3.95 hardcover and $1.50 paperboundi ^'t’he 160-page book consists of ; 300 photographs as Well as 40,000 , words : of text. Fleur’s Flair Folding ^ Flair magazine, one of the most pretentious publishing ventures Whose gatefold pages, special pa- pers and trick inserts made it one J*? ,^he most talked about (and kidded) journals of the. past year, lolds after the January, 1951, is- sue hits the stands Jari. 2. As edi* tciriaL wags put it. Flair saw a Jot of coin poured into the hole in Its cover— and finally disappeared down the hole itself. ^^Announcing its demise, CpWles Magazines prez Gardner Cowles said that production costs had ^isen over 35% Since Flair was first planned in 1949. “The very critical foreign situation, the cer- tainty of further increases in costs and the likelihood of limitations on paper availability in 1951 make unwise at this time continued pub- lication of Flair,” Cowles said. Mag had an average paid circu- lation of over 200,000. Its 90,000 subscribers will be offered a choice of a cash refund or of transferring subscriptions to Loolc or Quick, o^t her Cowles publications. Several staffers will be added Xo, Look and Quick mastheads, Cowles said, and 30 others ai-e getting severance pay. Flair was edited by Cowles’ wife.Fleur Fenton Cowles, Who continues as associate ed of the other two mags. Flair, in its eleventh and 'final issue, kids it- self with 13 satiric cartoons. CHATTER Tess Williams, formerly associ- ate editor of Seventeen, dnd before that with WOR, N. Y appointed mag’s press editor. Marguerite Higgi^^ N, Y. He- rald Tribune’s correspondent in Korea, has been signed for a series of lectures by the W. Colston Leigh agency. y David B. Whalen, former film and theatrical publicist, now flack- ing for the Catholic Digest, a monthly pocket mag published in St. Paul. ^ Louella Parsons, currently in her 29th year with the Hearst or- ganization, signed a new five-year contract to replace the old drie which had one. year to run, ; Peter Kavanagh, who wrote ‘ The story of the Abbey Theatre, *’ published recently by Devin-Adaif CO,v planning to leave the U. S. shorUy and return to Ireland. Life staffers (Miss) Murray Mea- land and Russell Scot Leavitt mar- ried in Fairfield, Conrk She’s the daughter of Dick Mealand, novel- ist and former story editor for Paramount Pictures. »: Crown Publishers have issued a “Treasury of Slovak Folk Songs," compiled by Leonhard Deutsch un- der the editorship of Rev. John J. Lach. Original words and English translations, are printed along with the piano music. Random House will publish Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s script of the 20th-Fox picture, “All About Eve," for the Christmas trade, with stills of Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders and Gary Merrill. Authoress Mary K; Harris filed a $5,000 damage suit in N. Y. fed- eral court last Week against Gen- eral Artists Corp. She charges she sent a script of “Sabirina and the Porter" to GAC in April, 1948, but the agency allegedly never re- turned it. James W. Eagan, Jr., former ad- vertising exec with the N. Y. Times and the Hearst organiza- tion, named board chairman pf Chicago Stagebill, Inc. Latter or- ganization recently took over as- sets of Chicago Stagebill, a thea- trical publication, and Fieberg Press. . I obscenity of programs before the date of expiration of the license . . . in holding that the Com- munications Act precluded Penn- sylvania from censoring motion picture films used in television, the court below decided a Federal question probably in conflict with the line of decisions of this court, which held that police laws of a state are superseded only where the conflict is so direct and posi- tive that the two acts cannot be reconciled or consistently stand together." The bixef argued further that the High Court should consider whether the programs originate at Pennsylvania stations for Pennsyl- vania receivers. Brief said: “A television station in Pennsyl- vania broadcasts to many receiv- ing . stations located in Pennsyl- vania. This commerce Is intra- state. Interstate commerce is only involved if, and to the extent that, such programs are received out- side of Pennsylvania. “The fact that the film is made outside of 'Pennsylvania and sent to a broadcasting station in Penn- sylvania does not make the activity any less subject to the police pow- er, of Pennsylvania. “The sending of a film from New York City to a broadcasting station in Pennsylvania merely provides a possible . material for the use of the Pennsylvania sta- tion, The station may decide not to use it at all. The broadcasting or transmission begins at the Pennsylvania station and not be- fore." Masgi McNellis Continued from page 2 SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK I By Franl$ Scully , Hollywood, Dec. 1. ; Multifariously prize-winning as Jose Ferrer's portrayal of “Cyrano de Bergerac" undoubtedly will become, thanks to the three-dimensional screen version of the Rostand classic as expertly manufactured by Messieurs Kramer, Gordon, Foreman, Glass, Tiomldn and Garutso, I feel an irritating sensation betweeri my eyes, and mouth (which could easily grow into a dissenting opinion), in this matter of their choice of a nose for the Gasconian gadfly. If interviewed I have no doubt that these gents Would pass the buck and blame on to Joe and Gus Nprin. pere et. fils, and theatrical tradi- tion for their choice of a schttoz for Jose. They in turn would probably testify that they consulted Dr. Harold M. Holden, author of a volume briefly entitled , ‘-Noses, " a very learned fellow, a D.D.S, and a Ph D., as well as a top man ip plastic surgery. But I doubt that they were In- terested in beautifying the Beak, since the whole poetic plot revolves around his resolving his inferiority complex by. dirking, everybody whp so much as mentions a nosegay in his bristling presence. That such a complex is strictly literary and has nothing to do with everyday life can be proved by merely pointftig out that Ferrer and I both have big noses, and as everybody knows we are as peace-loving as eagle-beaked doves. Brilliant, yes. But not bellicose. I have never been one to fight at tlic drop of a hat. When the owner bent down to pick it up I have been known, of course, to kick him in the head, but this Was more ill. the realm of grand strategy than childish anger. Nice, Quiet ; I have fbund Jose much the same sort of fellow. Never one to be led around by his ample nose, lie has not sabered a critic in two merely because the poor Wight said the actor talked through his nose. Of course he talked through it, It’s a sounding board. He would never sound as inagnifiGent as he does if he didn’t talk through his nose. Neither has he frothed, with frenzy on being told he couldn’t see beyond his nose. His nose being what it is, that would make him a very long- sighted fellow. In fact to make the Philip Morris nose-test costs the tobacco people twice as much when they use Ferrer, for the simple reason that it takes: twice as long for him to inhale. I have never been used at all, because the overhead quadruples when the agency asks for me. ■ ent Search" and may even have; to extend her \yOrk dn it a week until after the Skitch Hendersons (Faye Emerson) get back from their honeymoon. According to present plans, however, Dec. 18 will be her last show for Vim’s, which is only local, whereas the Other two — r “Girls" and Maugham-^are full network shows. Henderson will continue on the Vim’s-Motorola show with another femme vis-a-vis. He and Miss Emerson, who also has a flock of video commitments, are trying to work out substitutions for more than a week in order to* make possible their Mexican marriage and a possibly extended honeymoon for over seven days. Durante-NBC-TV Continued from p.age 2 at the Copa for two weeks only, until Thomas’ advent (latter, how- ever, may be able to advance his pre-booked February commitment). The Schnoz is slated for a more extended run in March, for a min- imum of four or five weeks. In between he has a couple of one-nigh ters for Hadacol and a Gopa City, Miami, long four-day weekend over New Year’s, opening Dec, 29. This was a date his late personal manager, Lou Clayton, had made. It calls for $2,500- $3,000 a day for the four days, plus fares, expenses, etc. JSilvers, currently at the Gopa, while concededly doing a good act has been unable to stem the sea- sonal pf e-holiday slump. Durante is framing a- Jan. 24 show with Jose Ferrer— two “Cyra- nos"— and may defer Ferruccio Tagliavini, Met, opera tenor, until later, rather than follow one chirp- er on top of his last week’s click with Helen Traubel, Wagnerian so- prano. New Acts Continued from page 55 turn. Three men and a girl com- prise the act, with one of the men j working atop a high bar and the ’others off the trampoline. Comedy is supplied by one of the men, a midget, who misses tricks, does falls and loses his pants on the trampoline. The other man does some topnotch aero work, including a double somersault.. Girl does usual aero work with the high-^bar man. Turn is excellent for vauders. Chan. Continued from page 2 ROSS HARVEY Dancing, birds 10 Mins.; One Pfll3C0 IT* Ross’ Harvey has a turn that’s sure-fire in any house. Dancer works with five tiny lovebirds, terping while they hop from hand to hand. He opens With & pro- longed solo tap routine, then comes out with the birds. After transfer- ring them from one hand to the other, he goes into the audience and leaves them perched on the fingers of patrons. After going into another routine; he comes back for them and has one of them climb up his arm and leg, and follow him off. Appeal of the birds to the ajwdiftpce is I great, but Harvey could trim first : solo dance. Otherwise, he’s a fine novelty for vauders and nitefies. Chan, television case to be brought up to the Supreme Court recently from Pennsylvania, On Oct. 9, the Tri- bunal refused to take an appeal from a group of taproom operators. Latter were contesting the right of the state liquor control board to. hiake them take licenses if they showed television in their estab- lishments. In that case the U. S. third circuit ruled that such li- censes did not constitute censor- ship of TV programs. In today’s appeal, the Pennsyl^ vania film censors declared: “There is no evidence that the Federal Communications Commis- sion suspended licenses because of TONG BROS. (3) Aero t Mins. Paramount, N. Y. Previously caught as a twosome, the Tong Bros, have added another guy to their act, and have emerged with si smooth-working aero tirio, ‘Working on a table, the three do the better fun of aero turns. There is the bit in which the bottom' man, supporting one on his hands and the other., on his legs, goes 'through a full turn and back agamv ; Best stunt, though, is one in which one gets on and off a table While balancing in partner on head. They work quickly and smoothly, abstaining from hokum buildups. Chan, So far you will observe I have not indulged in nosism, which is the practice of using “we" to project a strictly personal opinion, and I don’t intend to. It’s exclusively an editorial writer's occupational, dis- ease. But Ferrer and i know, even if nobody else does, that long before Cyrano became a 19th century stage character and now a 20th century picture star, he was a much more prosaic person in an even duller 17th century. Oh I know all about the era. Ffance as a country was hot even as old as Soviet Russia is today. Henri of Navarre had grabbed the throne and then tossed the crown to Louis' XIII, a niiie- year-old moppet who probably was more of a pest than a child star of Hollywood today. \ I leave all that to name-droppers. I’m sticking to the kid from the sticks. Sure, he had a nose. But it wasn’t a ski run. Just a nose. In fact; if anything, it went the other way. It shed rain instead of catch- ing it. So his nose did not go up as does the beautifully simulated prop employed by Jose Ferrer. This one, so beautifully photographed In three dimensions by the brand new lens of Steven .Garutso, seems to^ be modeled more after the lines of BOb Hope— With extended op- tihns. It follows Walter Hampden’s and Pasquale Amato’s models, but judging from photographs, it doesn't follow too closely Constant Cbque- lin’s model. They Cost Five Grand Anyway Ferrer supposedly wore out 52 of these remarkably made noses, though according to a checkup of my“fi6ses" (a bit of British slang meaning police informers), the count actually was far short of this. In fact there is photographic proof of Ferrer surrounded by his rubber- tired nosepieces and some statisticians have checked the number as 28. ITie highest count was 30. This is known as having a nose for news, or sticking your Hose into other people’s business, depending on whether you’re a peaceful fellow like me or a warmonger like my undistinguished opponents. The producers, being above all realists with an eye of money-saving short cuts, could have saved plenty ^by using Ferrer’s own nose. This would have been a fair compromise between the obvious fallacy of the contemporary conception of Cyrano’s nose and his actual pilot light. , Not Like the Pascal Celery? Among Frenchmen I’d say Cyrano’s nose looked like Pascal’s. 1 mean Blaise Pascal, the eminent mathematician, not .the modern dia- lectician currently warming himself in Bernard ShaW’s wornout tweeds. Blaise was a. contemporary of Cyrano’s. To those who can’t be bothered to go sO far afield for accuracy; Cyrano’s nose w^ more like George Washington’s. Or Jimmy Durante’s. Or even mine. In brief, a gripper, not a snow plow, I’m not being brushed aside either by Dr. Holden’s quotation from William Blake’s “Everlasting Gospel": Thine has a great hook-nose like thine ^ Mme has a snub-hose like to mine. : Rostand being from Marseilles couldn’t help exaggerate. All char- acters from down that way are notorious liars. Naturalism and realism, or even historical accuracy^ . are simply not in them. Thus they are mistaken for poets and dramatists. They have a zest that passes for action and can make a Thirty Years War pass in a matter of hours, In fact in “Cyrano de Bergerac" that's just about what Rostand did. His iiero was a wit, a duelist, a poet and a musician of sorts. He seems to have antedated the contemporary critics of my Sauceriari researches with “A Comic History of Travels to the Moon and the Sun,’ • Which I have not read but must try my hand at some time. That doubletalk Ferrer uses while trying to -keep de Gulche but of Roxane’s garden was supposedly lifted from Cyrano's lunar migrations. Cyrano did write letters for another from the battlefield. But they were simple commuiiiques to help out a poor character who could not v»rite. Cyrano didn’t even know the guy’s wife, let alone love her. ’ 'r The Inside story. Eh? As for those duels 1 trail along with the answer of one who When asked by Cyrano, ‘‘Do you' know, how mafiy giiys I killed last night?’* replied, “Yes, half." . , Further private researches in files still marked confidential have revealed that Cyrano ran into a braggart frpni the Midi (Due; du Jerque) who said he killed a hundred men. Cyrano said, “Did you $ay you killed five (cinq)?" ‘i said I killed cent (100," the braggart replied Cyrano flipped the braggart for a pratfall. “This will take down your figure to within feason," Kc said. The Due du Jerque scrambled to hi$ feet and drew his sword. Cyrano ran him through without any more ado. “You may now in- scribe it in the Journal that I liquidated 101 men with one blow," said Cyrano. “And by the way, drop the Savinien from my name. It’s too Tonig for the marquees;" ^ ; Thus a duel that started because cinq and cent are easily confused in French dialects, which ended with one dead cavalier, ends today With 100 men attacking Jose Ferrer and being dropped one after an- other in as merancholy a substitution for excitement as I have seen in years.' ' • ■ . . ' ^ • Still, I would not have the scene eliminated. After all, it did give bit-parts to 100 actors instead of five, and Jmder the 'circumstances 1 favor the , more generous choice. They’re nice fellows in the Kramer dynasty, make a' fine commercial picture, but they still have to cater to actors who look on duelling as entertainment/ e' 62 CHATTER f^SSRiEfr Wednesday, December 6, 1950 Broadway New York Times film critic Bos- ley Crowther broke his big toe last week chopping wood. The Hal Hornes* daughter, Bar- bara Sachs, marrying David Maf- gulies Dec. 20 at the Waldorf. Irving Berlin due back in two weeks from Honolulu where he flew to join the ailing Joe Schenck. Janet Cban resigned from pub- licity department at United Artists to join David Green’s publicity firm. Maurice Maurer, managing di- rector for Bijou, Victoria and Astor theatres, returned from 10- day trip to London and Paris. A1 B, White, ex-emcee, opening a new eatery in Freeport, L/ I., tomorrow (7) night— “on the wrong side of the tracks-** as he bills it. Harry Sobol, now handling all of Billy Rose's publicity (nitery, the- arte, TV, etc.), to split up his p.r. partnership with John McClain on Jan. 1. Hy Gardner, Herald Tribune*s “Early Bird” columnist, addressed the Woman Pays Club luncheon meeting at the Warwick yesterday (Tues.). ^v. Mitchell May, Jr., who special- izes m show biz Insurance, may be associated with the Harry Brandt syndicate seeking to acquire the RKO theatre circuit. Ann Mulvey, daughter of Gold- Wyn prez James A. Mulvey, en- gaged to Ralph Branca, pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers. Mulvey family owns 25% interest in the club. E. K. (Ted) O’Shea, Paramount’s assistant sales chief, and Mrs. O’Shea announced engagement of daughter Patricia Ann to Thomas John Worthington, of Sayre, Pa. , Airlines appear to be going for ad agencies that have been spe- cializing in film biz. All-American has given its account to Buchanan & Co.; while Colonial goes to Mon- roe Greenthal. Songsmith Irving Berlin’s daugh- ter, Mary Ellin, a Time mag re- searcher, called on contemporary songwriter Billy Rose for his story on bowing-out as syndicated col- umnist because the latter “wanted more time to relax.** Radio-TV producer Mildred Fen-- ton, sister of Mrs. Gardner (Mike) CoWles (former Fleur Fenton) mar- rying Frisco adman William Goetze in the Swedenborgian Church, S. F., next Sunday. He’s of the Elliott Goetze & Boone agency. Herbert Wilcox, British film producer-director; his actress-wife, Anna Neagle; actor Michael Wilding, thesper Clifton Webb, de- signer Cecil Beaton and music publisher Reg Connelly due in from Britain today (Wed.) on the Queen Elizabeth. Earl Blackwell, who co-founded Celebrity Service in 1938 with Ted Strong, has ^become corp’s sole owner, having bought out latter’s stock. Frances Van, with the or- ganization since its inception, re- turns in January as Blackwell’s of- fice manager, following a year’s leave. » A1 Palca, former 20th-Fox home- office radio publicity manager, getting associate producer and original screenplay credit on Co- lumbia’s upcoming “Globetrotter Storj^J.’ fihii based on the Harlem Olohetrotters’ basketball team. Sjfdney Buchmar is producer, with • Tmmas Gomez featured. John Malcolm Goldsmith (not John Schulman, who is a w.k. copy- right attorney) is marrying Betti Scliinasi, daughter of Mrs. Iluby Schinasi of the Waldorf Towers. Bridv ; o-be’S . sister Leonora (Bub- bles/ Mrs. Arthur Horriblow, Jr., wife /f the Metro producer. Gold- s’ . is with WB press dept, in turning ’em away at both shows nightly. Louis Armstrong pecking away at his typewriter between V shows at Flamingo on life story as yet untitled. Las Vegas Little Theatre switched from “Front Page’’ to “Separate Rooms” because of cast- ing snarl. Last Frontier New Year’s eve show has Jack Carson, Yvette, Hqpey Bros. Tommy Wells, A1 Doiiahue Orch, Hotel Shamrock reopened under new management with Chirp Kay Roanayne at piano alternating with Shamrock Trio. Betty Jane Watson, Jerry Austin song duo signed for Xmas. Thun- derbird show Dec. 21-28 with puppeteer Sid Kroft. Moppet Karen Emery, 5 years daughter of Spitalny’s bassist, Mary Emery, killing Frontier cus- tomers with her “Night Before Xmas” recital at every show. Hollywood Paris By Maxime de Beix (33 Blvd. Montparnasse) Iliya Lopert here from London on biz. Jacques Helian orch off on a tour of Canada. Delta Rythm Boys at Club des Champs Elysees. Bill Roach back at his desk at UNESCO after U. S. visit. Ludmilla Tcherina signed With Powell and Pressburger for a three-picture deal. Borris Morros setting production of “Last Train From Berlin” with a Henry Altimus script. Director Henri Clouzot back from South America and skedding a picture titled, “The Gods Horse,” with Brazilian locale. Songsmith Jean Rieux handed a Legion of Honor by President of France Vincent Auriol at a luncheon given at the Ely see. Odette. Joyeux is a busy film star having authored the play, “Le Chateau de Carrefour,” soon to be produced. The book, “(jote Jar- dan,” will shortly appear in a pic which Philipe Agostini will direct. Mianri Beach By Lary Solloway Art Mooney due in town to set up plans for his new property, the former La Boheme. Phil Foster, Carlos Ramirez and Mary Kaye Trio opened at Five O’clock Club Sunday (3). Casablanca hotel negotiating for a network wire to air Xavier Cugat’s music. He opens there Dec. 20 for two weeks. Lou Irwin at Roney Plaza for rest. Has plenty of offers from local niteries for Ritz Bros., Peter Lind Hayes and others of his list<- ings. Sherry Frontenac hotel signed AGVA minimum wage agreement and now has Hex Dale and Marty Allen, plus Laurette Foster head- ing show. Manor and Mignon took over dance studio at Sans Souci and are currently featured in Blue Sails room there with Jose Cur- belo’s orch. Joseph Cotten due in Dec. 11 for first offering of revived Miami Civic theatre (nee Mayfair) pro- duction of “Susan aflttf^God.” Pro- ceeds of preem hight go to Variety Tent’s Children’s Hospital. Greer Garson to Dallas. Dennis Day planed to Chicago. Milton Grossman laid up with flu. . « Marilyn Maxwell planed in from N. Y. Pat Neal, and Warners called it quits. ... Jayhe Meadows ill with virus pneumonia. ... , . Trixie Friganza celebrated her 79th birthday. Gordon Youngman hospitalized for an operation. Rufus LeMaire rushed to the hospital following a stroke. Suzanne Dalbert* returned from a three-week tour df personals. Dinah Shore and George Mont- gomery in from Palm Springs. Chill and Betty Wills celebrated their 23d wedding anniversary. Bob Hope in again for added scenes in “The Lemon Drop Kid.’* Billy Eckstine hospitalized in San iYancisco with a, gall bladder ailmentw ^ Jean Castles leaving the CBS flackery to rejoin the WACS as a second lieutenant. \ Jack Bennys moved into the Palm Springs mansion they bought from Bill Perlberg. Gene Autry starts Jan. 13 on a tour of 36 midwestern cities, open- ing in Topeka, Kans. Red Skelton takes off in two weeks for a cross-country stage tour, opening in St. Louis. Paul Douglas broke two ribs during football practice for “The Guy Who Sank the Navy.” Stewart Granger drew a vaca- tion at Metro until mid- January when “Scaramouche” starts. Everett Sloahe in from. N. Y. where he obtained his release from the cast of “King Lear.” Sam Fuller returned from Wash- ington where he huddled^ with Army brass about a war picture. Joseph Dubin appointed chief of the legal department at Universal- International, a new post on that lot. ■ Kroger Babb to Toronto fOr board meetings of his Canadian theatre and distribution corpora- tions. j . Arthur Walge, after months in Rome with the “Quo Vadis” troupe, checked out for a vacation in Honolulu. Pat Buttram returned to Gene Autry’s air show after 10 weeks in the hospital from injuries suffered in an explosion. Fire damaged the. Key theatre. North Hollywood, causing a post- ponement of the legiter, “While the Sun Shines.” < Joe MacDonald won the Septem- ber award of the American Society of Cinematograirtiers for his tens- ing of “Panic in the Streets,” Ernest Turnbull leaves for Aus- tralia this week to resump his chores as managing director of Hoyt’s, Ltd., a 20th-Fox subsid- ary. Las Vegas, Nev. By Bill Willard Dusty Brooks’ Sepia Tones at Club Bingo. Lewis R. Foster in to gather data for pic “Las Vegas Story.” Hollywood group eyeing LaS Vegas for teevee pic locations. La Rue eatery in final construc- tion, propping for Xmas opening. Gene Nelson, “West Point” hoof- ing sensash, in for rest between plX.;: . ciil Johnson, versatile hoofer- singer held over at Thunderbird indefinitely.. Mel Torme tops Thunderbirds .bill Dec. 7 with Richard airid Flora Stuart and the Romanos. headlining show at El. Rancho Vegas, with thrush Dorothy Dandridge supporting. Carmen Cavallaro inked for wMi* Last Frontier, with Willy Shore following on the 26th. ^ Phil Spitalny in k Last Frontier lor A month at $15,000 per week Palm Springs By Dorothy Gray Eddie and Ida Cantor resting here for two weeks. Linda Darnell resting at Hotel La Quinta With daughter Lola. . ‘Tee Classics of 1951” opens at the Del Tahquitz hotel Friday (8). Robert Taylor and Barbara Stan- wyck have leased a house for a month beginning Dec. 15. Jack and Mary Benny back/ in their desert home; he’ll air. h^is ra- dio show from here. While Richard Whorf appears on Broadway in “Season in the Sun ,” Bill Seiter and wife Marian Nixon have leased his home here. Gloria de Haven at the Racquet Club for a few days’ rest with daughter Kathy before starting “Two Tickets to Broadway/’ * Kirk Douglas resting before fi- nal retakes oh “The Travelers.” HeJeaves for New York next week to spend, Christmas With his young- sters. The Rudy Vallees back in their home Until Jan. 6. Vallee opens at the chi chi Starlite Room Xmas Eve. Nick Lucas currently packing ’em in there. Another Firehouse Five plus Two party for this Saturday (9) at the Racquet Club. The Van John- sons, Max Gilfords, Al Halls, Bill Powells among those expected to attend. toBdon Harry Alan Towers off on an- other quickie trip to New York. Yvonne de Carlo due here to star in “Hotel Sahara” to be lensed at Pinewood. Margaret Johnston and Maria Schell inked for femme leads in the “Life of Friese-Greene.” Hall, Norman & Ladd booked for pantomime dates in the Gran- ada production of “Cinderella” which opens Dec. 26 Bill Johnson doing a series of vaude dates before he opens in '•Kiss Me, Kate” next year, starting at Birmingham Christmas week. Chelsea Arts Ball is being held two days early, on Dec. 29, so that Britain’s Sunday Observance laws will not interrupt the New Year revels Lloyd Lind, of Monogram In- ternational, sailed for America, after two Weeks here huddling with C. J. Latta and looking at new As- sociated British product, “The Four Poster,” Jan Hartoes’ two character play, folds Dec. 9 Ambassador after an eight- week ruiu “Lace on Her Petticoat’^ moves in the following week. Sir Alexander Korda and Sidney Bernstein heading committee > or- ganizing a memorial to Huihphrey J ennings, documentary director who was killed in (Greece last September. Elizabeth Allan,' Margaret Leigh- ton and Merie? Forbes head, organi- zation to sell Christmas ckds for a theatrical charity designed by Lilli Palmer, Rex Harrison and Ralph Richardson. Dinah Sheridan planed out for Kenya to take up the only femme role in “No Vultures Fly,” and will spend four months in the jungle. Harry Watt is directing this for Michael Balcon. . : John Tore dickering with Holly- wobd for sale of the film rights to Golden City,” his musical which ran at the Adeiphi during the summer and is to tour next year. May come back to the West End next summer. ) Ex-Nazis In German Pix Continued . front . page 1 with initial funds of 15,000,000 marks ($3,600,000). Financial backers are the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with 12,- 000,000 marks ($2,900,000), while the additional 3,000,000 marks ($700,000) are divided by the giant Qetker baking powder manuf actur- ing firm in Bielefeld, Dr. Grenier, a Ruhr sugar tycoon and a promi- nent banker Latter is among the top financial supporters of chancel- lor Konrad Adenauer’s Christian Democratic party. It is envisaged that these financers will first supply 1,500,000 marks ($360,000) through a Hamburg trade bank and the North Rhine-Westphalia Coopera- tive Bank, latter representing trade union influence. On the other hand, the North Rhine-Westphalia state will supply a 5,000,000-6,000,000 marks ( $1,200,000-$1, 450, 000 ) long- tenn. credit to a bank closely af- filiated with the state. The state will accept the risks and its long- term credit is expected to be the basis of short-term credits ranging between 11,000,000 -to 14,000,000 marks ($2,450,000 to $3,350,000 ). Outfit plans to distribute its pix, while a special side deal would pro^ vide for a purported “independent” exhibition, providing, of course, top priority and, possibly, exclu- sive bookings. (Allied decarteliza- tion laws prohibit the establish- ment of handling production, dis- tribution and exhibition in one company. However, two-way, pro- duction-distribution link is per- mitted). . The other phase of this opera- tion is the plan to grab, former UFA property within the state Of North Rhine-Westphalia. This in- volves 18 of the 40 first-run thea- tres, which UFA owned and which are supposed to be auctioned under the Allied High Commission’s UFA decartelization law. These theatres include the Apollo, in Duesseldorf, a 3,000-seater and biggest in Germany, into which some 1,000,- 000 marks ($240,000) have already been poured from UFA funds in that state. Additionally, they plan to acquire a studio somewhere in Western Germany. Most of West- ern Germany’s modern studios are UFA-owned and are presently only leased to the producers. Masterminding the gigantic scheme are Nazidom’s most prom- inent film personalities. Besides the aging Alfred Hugenberg, a Krupp- ty coon and former founder of UFA, generally regarded as the “grey eminence” behind both the new Combine and the UFA liquidation sabotage plan, the group includes the cream of executives who helped Hitler tick by the way of creating and running the Nazi film monop- oly. Top execs in the new combine will include such names as Dr. Ludwig Klitzsch, former general manager of UFA, who took over when Hugenberg handed the com- pany to the Nazis, and Dr. Max Winkler, former deputy of propa- ganda minister Josef Goebbels and Reich commissioner for films. Winkler wasLmprisoned in Nuren- berg for one year and another year in the Bad Nenndorf internment camp for Nazis, but he was later cleared by a British Zone denazi- “fication court in Hamburg. Also important in the group is Dr. Walter Haupt, presently Brit- ish Zone custodian for UFA prop- erty and member of the five-man German UFA liquidation commit- tee. A Nazi party member since 1933, Haupt cooperated with Wink- ler during the Hitler times. Importance of the necessity of the UFA breakup (and the terrific significance of the case if this should not materialize) is the fact that it is the biggest single pic industry asset in Western Ger- many. Beside holding the 40 first- runs and the largest studios, the 50,000,000 mark ($12,000,000) com- bine also has hundreds of pix and valuaWe assets, Stalling tactics against the break- up, which under the High Gbm- mission law must be completed by Jan. 1, 1952, were best , demon- strated at the first auction of UFA property, held at Wiesbadeh on Nov. 15. Nine “B” pix went under the hammer, but only three pros- pective buyers turned up. Two pix were sold after one bid of the minimum 5,000 marks ($1,200) for eaqh. Pix, one made in 1935 and the other in 1936, were bought by Stemverleih distribs of Hamburg. The auction itself cost 45,000 marks ($10,700). This was explained as pressure from both the new group and pro- ducers, who fear the influx of all the old pix, which, qualitatively, many times outrank the new prod- ucts. Biz side of the North Rhine- Westphalia combine seems further assured by other ex-UFA toppers, like Alfred Greven, director of German film interests (Continen- tale Filmgesellschaft) in Prance during the war. Dr. Guenther Dahlgruen, former head of the Cautio holding company (an UFA branch), which handled all propa- ganda material; Josef Hein, chief of German pic ' subsidiaries during the war in .Czechoslovakia, and Bruno Pfennig, ex-essistant of Winkler. Continued from page 2 Board, Salvation Army» National Catholic Committee and Traveller’s Aid. In addition, two persons have been named to represent the public at I a r g e, and one from Camp Shows,. Inc. In the past, though it was affiliated financially with USO, Camp Shows operated independ- ently. Present aim—- which is backed by official Washington— is to com solidate all entertainment efforts under one aegis. Associated Serv- ices for the Armed Forces, group recently created to build up serv- ice entertainment, is expected to merge into the new larger organiza- tion. Camp Shows is also expected tq join forces. Idea is to cash in on, the widely publicized USO name which was built up so well in World War II. Although the USO is completely voluntary and private. Government sources have been maneuvering behind scenes to get it under way and operating.. This drive has been spearheaded by the President’s Committe- for Religion and Wel- fare for the Armed Forces, a com- mittee named by President Tru- man. Touring ‘Pacific’ Continued from page 1 cal equipment, $125 rental of sound equipment, $464 local equipment and operation, $990 railroad fares, $803 hauling, $380 publicity costs, $410 . departmental expense, $900 rehearsal costs, and $840 other ex- pense, including $350 office ex- pense. . As of Oct. 28, the income from South Pacific Enterprises, which leases the use of the title and cov- ers other incidental projects, amounted to nearly $133,400. The $300,000 distribution made at that time brought the total profits to $1,295,000 up to then. There were additional undistributed profits of $143,600, a sinking fund, advertis- ing fund and oth^r assets of $61,- 200 . - The Broadway company, hitting an invariable gross of $50,800, is making an operating profit of over $11,000 a week. Media-Prockter Continued from page 9 Samuel Goldwyn.) Film is to be a eombination of live action, line drawings and animation in both^ black and white and color. House- man will produce, with John Hub- ley, United Productions veepee, as director. Filmi will integrate four Thurber stories into one Unit, in- cluding “You Could Look It Up,” “The Greatest Man in the World,” “The Battle of the Sexes”' and “The White Deer.” ; Prockter this week named Paul White, former European manager for David O. Selznick, as motion pictures veepee. First film sched- uled for productloh is “Big Story,” based on his radio and TV pro- grams of the Same titles It’S to be budgeted, according to White, at $500,000, and a 'distribution deal is currently being worked out.: Jerry Wald-Notman Krasna unit at RKO had talked with Prockter about do- ing “Big Story,” but the deal was never consummated. Prockter’s schedule of five films for 1951 in- cludes two A’s, on budgets of $500,000 or more, and three B’s, lYhite^;Said, ' I Wedhesday, December 6, 1950 P^IEff 63 HOWARD KYLE Howard Kyle, 89, veteran actor who had appeared with Helene Modjeska, Julia Marlowe and Mrs. Minnie Maddern Fiske, died in New York, Dec. 1. He had been an actor for more than 50 years, retiring about 10 years ago. He made his professional debut in 1884 in “Hamlet.V His first N. Y. George LeMaire (Conroy &), gen- enerally regarded as one of the top straightmen of his era. Survived by his wife, Sari; two daughters, Gloria, wife of, producer John Rogers, and Dione. A son, George and a brother, Sam, also survive. ] “Madame X' and “Rio Grande,” currently running on Broadway. McGuinness first went to Holly- I wood as a Fox script writer. He later became an executive with Metro^Goldwyn-Mayer. Surviving are his» wife, two sis- ters and a brother. SAMUEL GOLDSTEIN Samuel Goldstein, 56, president of Commonwealth Pictures and treasurer of Guaranteed Pictures, died in New York, Nov. 28, as a result of injuries sustained in the Long Island Railroad disaster. , LEW ROSENTHAL appearance was in 1887 as- Lucius [ Lew Rosenthal, 74, co-owner of ; 30 years with M. D. Sackett iiv “Virginius” at the Windsor the- : the Iowa theatre, Waterloo, la., l Cruaranteed and Commonwealth atre on the Bowery. ! died in that city Dec. 4, of a heart ’ He originated the role of David ailnaent. He began in show busi- Barrett in “Way Down East” and ' ness as a vaudeville performer .starred on tour in “Nathan Hale,” and was partnered with his wife “Rosemary” and “John Ermine of Mabel Riehm in the Rose and Yellowstone.” At the turn of . the j Severens comedy act which toured century he played in a revival of i vaude in the 1900’s. He later op- Sardou’s “Diplomacy,” with Rose ’ crated a hooking agency, anel Charles Coghlan. I During the past four years, Kyle appeared in “Anthony and Rosenthal had been operating the Cleopatra” arid “The Servant in I Iowa theatre in partnership with his nephew, Nathan Rosenthal. Wife and daughter survive. businessman and civic leader, had been one of the most infiuential figures in raising the stature of the Pittsburgh Symphony from an ob- scure place to one of the leading organizations of its kind in the country. WILLIAM PLATT William Platt, 66, a magician and escape artist known professionally as the Great EVerett, died in New York, Dec. 1 Merit Awards Continued from pace Z ample of consecutive, uninter- rupted effort since its World War II streamlining, the roster of top show biz names dwindled to scattered individual efforts when Camp Shows became dormant in 1946. VA spokesmen, are openly eager for the industry to carry Platt retired from active show business 10 years ago but donated [the entertainment ball for ho.spi- his services as a magician to en- Goldstein was. associated for i tertain service men during Worid War 11. IN MEMQRIAM Charles and Ann Stern MARK the House;” in “Joseph and His Biethren/’ under the direction of George C. Tyler, and with Chrystal Herne in “Polygamy.” He portrayed Castor with the Coburn Players in “Electra/’ Mo- WALTER R. IMMERMAN Walter R. Iinmerman, 59, vice- president and general manager of zart m “The Greater Love” in ! Balaban & Katz circuit, died of 1906, and the title role in Eyangelist” in 1907. a heart attack in Chicago, Dec. 3. Born in Chicago, Immerman was In 1910 he was The Voice in the an employee of the old LUbliner*^ production of “Mary Magdalene.” He impersonated Rrospero in “Cal- iban,” a masque founded on “The Trihz circuit when it was acquired by B&K over two decades ago. In 1928 he was manager of the Chi- IN MEMORY OF DAMON RUNYON PAUL SMALL Pictures, having begun his indus- try career in 1914 as clerk for Re- liance Films. He formed Guaran- teed Pictures with Sackett in 1918 and was associated with him until his death. talized vets Once more, now that VHCS is back i;, business. . There has been no recent ex- Surviving are hi$ wife, a sister vani pie of show biz cooperation as and a brother. impressive, for example, as the all- i oiit hospital productions, complete JOHN H. NIBLOCK ; I With entire casts, of“Ki.ss Me, John Horace (Nibs) Niblock, 53, 1 Kate,” “South Pacific” and “De- assistant treasurer for the past 10 tective Story.” However, VA offi- years at the Royal Alexandra fhC" cials point ou*^ that smaller scale entertainment is constantly going Nov. 28, . while being operated, on oh where it counts most, in hospi- tor cancer ot the lung. ! tals off the beaten track. VHG- ° i Sliows has continucd tlic policy of iniee aaugnters. ' its predecessor, USO-Camp Shows, by concentrating its efforts lar.gely in the hinterlands. Hospitals near the centers of entertainment, such tfew York, Los Angelos, and t • . ■ *i j : 11 __ A ■ V ^ ^ C ■ NOTIS KOMNENOS Notis Komnenos, 52, former dis- trict manager of Skoiiras theatres .. ^ , _ . i il' New Jersey, died in Jersey City, i chiw^o, virtually take care of Surviving are his wife, three ! N. J., Dec. 3, after a heart attack. J themselve$. ^ children; mother, two sisters and | He had been with the chain ffii’ Most effective stints are fre- two .brothers, ^onc of them Louis ;22:yeare^^ prior tp leaving recently Iqucntlv the least pretentious, one Goldstein, Columbia Pictures , to form own trucking business. ' ^ •- . _ manager in Germany. CHARLES S. MORGAN, JR. “ Charles S. Morgan, Jr., 75, one- time Broadway producer, died Nov. 28 in Philadelphia. Morgan was closely identified for many years with Mask & Wig Club pro- i ductions of the Univ. of Penn, and j directed and participated in more ■ than 30 of the Wigger’s musicals. [ On Broadway, he was one of the producers of Victor Herbert’s ! “Sweethearts.” At times he had been director for the Princeton ; Triangle Club, the Mimes of the U. of Michigan and the Masquerad- lers of the U S. Naval Academy. A sister and two brothers sur- vive; Tempest” by Percy Mackaye, in celebrations of Shakespeare’s 300th anniversary in New York and Cam- bridge, Mass. Others of his outstanding roles were as Julius Caesar, Malvolio in “Twelfth Night;” the Rector in “Magda;” Jacques in “As You Like It,” and Sir Edward Mortimer in “Marie Stuart.?’ Kyle was a founder and an early recording secretary of , Actors Equity, from which he later with- drew to become secretary of the Actors Fidelity League. A member of The Players for 60 years, he was a life member of the Actors Fund of America and an Jionorary member of the Century Theatre Club. His wife, Amy Ureilla Hodges Kyle, survives. RUFUS LEMAIRE Rufus Lemaire, 55, Universal- International production executive, died in Cedars of Lebanon hospi- tal, Los Angeles, Dec. 2, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on Wednesday night (28). He had viewed a picture at Leo Spitz’s i .m »' • a cago theatre there. From 1928 to 1930 he was . general manager of the circuit’s theatres in Detroit. For the past 20 years he handled the top post for the firm in Chica- go, and last year had been named a vice-president after the Para- mount divorcement decree. Immerman was on the board of directors of the LaRabida Sani- tarium, and was a member of the Variety Club of Illinois, of which he was Chief Barker in 1948. He was stricken in his auto while re- turning from his home in Mc- Henry, 111. to his apartment in j Chicago;. . j He leaves wife and two sons. A j brother, Elmer, chief of the per- 1 sonnel division of the circuit, also ! survives. MICHAEL FITZPATRICK Michael Fitzpatrick 87, former vauder and composer, died in Brooklyn, Dec. 3. He played the vaude circuits in an act with his brother, William, who died in 1941. Together they sang tunes composed by the former. Among the numbers composed by Fitzpatrick were “Daddy’s Mill,” “Who Tied the Can to the Old Dog’s Tail,” “You Give Me Your Love,” “Ham and Eggs,” lu luiiu own u ucKine ousines^. j vA spokesman pointed out. Recent “ ® ; series of dramatic readings by ^ ^ • ' Basil Rathbone and John Carfa- itADXr vnn , dine in a Vets’ Neuropsychiatric T T sof l^mspital built up such great in- J-. L. (Barney) Bainaid, 66, vet- fiiof rtafionfc tViomcaalx/nc terest that the patients them.selves vere soon making their own re- quests, Although VA was bogged down in its efforts to stimulate a .1950 eran newspaperman and former D. W. Griffith aissistarit director, died Dec. 4 in Pasadena, Cal. of a stroke. He left newspaper work to assist Griffith On “Birth of a Na-, tt ,, j . r, tion.” Later he was publicity di- 1 edition of Take Hollywood to the rector for Thomas Ince Production. ' Hospitals, the VHCS tour of top _______ 'flight ' filmites inaugurated as a wfimm R rRAMT i yearly feature in ’48, the celeb « r ' tours of music greats have fared Wilbur B. Grant, 50, manager of , Carried on bv Artists ‘Vet- the Manor theatre. Prospect Park, Pa., died at his home in Manoa, erans’ Hospital Programs, group pa Nov. 28. .angelled by Jean Tennyson, a re- He was associated with the : cent recipient of a VA Merit Warner Bros, circuit for 25 years. 300 top longhair: and Wife and two children survive, some pop-artists-: — are actively par- ticipating in the program. piTd-irvir w Hospital bookings for the music 'Corps are arranged along with their Eugene W. Kmc, 6Q, stage an ! professional tours and are one of fv«3 ’ “‘’’'I the most active aspects of the His last role v.-aS in '•The Groat recieational agenda. The Met, for example, sets up hospital Caruso” at Metro. SAM STOLL p.a.’s as a regular part of its tours. Recent troupers on the VA mu- sical circuit include Margaret Tru- WALTER L. MAIN Walter L. Main, 88, who at one time owned one of the top cir- Tuses, died in Geneva, O., Nov. 29. He began his career in 18'76 as a program boy with a one-wagon circus his father, William L., had joined. When his father lateY took over management of the show, MAUREEN RIO In sad. and loving memory my darling DEC. 11th, 1945 God has you in his keeping, I have you in my heart., MOTHER of Sam Stoll, 55, sales maimger oi nian, Andre Kostelanetz, Nelson i Paramount’s branch in Chicago, i Benny Goodman, Vivian ^ heart attack in that city i Chiesa, Leonard Warren and : last Nov, 29. His wife, Irene, survives. ‘■Mother’s Piayer.”,, f “The , newscaster at WFRP. : man, son. New York, Chimes of Trinity, which had gavannah Ga died Nov. 26 in Sa- ' Father is owner of the I .■:* ‘ ® vannah. Survived by parents. I stein . theatre, _N.^ Y.- CSuh Robert H. Winston, 35, former assistant manager of R.K.O. thea- tres in N. Y., died Dec. 2 in N. Y. SUrvivied by sister Elizabeth, agent for longhair artists. Richard W. McLaughlin, 23, Yehudi Menuhin. Exciting aspect of the work is the accent on per- sonal contact with the hoys. Pianist Rudolph Serkin, for example, will gladly play for three or four pa- tients. ' home and complained of illness. I which had grown to 40 wagon out- Returning home, he was suddenly ; fit, he became an advance agent, stricken and rushed to the hospi- • He later had his own show, tal. I Main survived three failures. Born in Fort Worth, he went to one financial, another caused by a InTiemoriam DAMON RUNYON m WHNU Kc, V "sKr IV youth where he j train wreck near Tyrone, started as an office-boy for Frank 1893, in which Bohn in 1913. was witlr the . killed, and Fhe third * tire whicn Shub^rt olfice for a while and destroyed his show. The later was associated v/nr Ed gradually became smaHer, becom- ing i truck oircus and wild west shdw in its declining years. He re- tired in 1937. He was a meniber of the Circus Saints and Sinners and the Circus Friends of America. His wire, Louise, died last year. JAMES ■ K. McGUINNlisS' James Kevin McGuinness, 57, producer of films, former m^a- zine and newspaper writer and a leader in the a nti-Communist fac- tion in Hollywood, died after a heart attack in New York, Dec> 4. Before going to Hollywood In 1927, McGuinness was sports writer for the old New York Teje- gram* did the Sun Dial column for the New York Sun and wrote Jthe Talk of the Town column for The rose & West’s Mmstrels. He was a member of ASCAP since 1941. .was Davidow, who bookotl the S;inday night concerts , at the Winter Garden, N. Y. His major legit production was “EeMaire’s Affairs” which co-starred Sophie Tucker and Ted Lewis and had long runs on Broadway and Chicago. For a brief time, , LeMalre Worked in the William Morris Agency at a time when the office had a myriad of beginners in shb\y biz who later hit their stride on the Coast. Included Were produc- ers Bill Perlberg, Fred Kohimar and Lew Schreiber, latter now a.ssistant to 20th-Fox production chief Darryl F. Zanuck. LeMaire went to Hollywood in 1929 where he started with Co- lumbia Pietpres as a casting di- rector. He later held similar posi- FRANK F. CROOK Frank F. Crook, 48, Pawtucket, •R. I., industrialist, whose interests included part ownership of radio station WFCI, Providence-Paw- tucket, was killed in an automobile crash in North Attleboro, Mass., Dec. 1. ^ , Crook, confidante of U. S. Atty. Gen. J. Howard McGrath, was re- general manager, G. Leo Cronin, when the car crashed with a trail- er trucki killing both. men. Besides his wife, Crook leaves a daughter and two sisters. MAURICE SWERDLpW^ Maurice Swerdlow, 56, pianist and bandleader who was formerly with the bands of Paul Whiteman and Meyer DaviSi died DeC; 2 in Mt. Sinai hospital, Philadelphia. As a composer, Swerdlow au- thored “Fight, Temple* Fight” !•}] Temple University, and nuh.crous Jewish songs for Jewish sliow.s. He parents. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Howard S. Cull- Nev/ York, Nov. 29. Hammer- (.Sublet to Co- lumbia Broadcasting), lessee of the , 'Alvin theatre, and a prominent George HamilL 60, studio tech- jggjj investor, nician, died on the Universai-In- ‘ jyjj. an(j Mrs. Bill Burch, son, ternational lot Dec. li following a ' s^Q-bank. Cal., Nov. 27. Father - heart attack. ja radio producer. ! -Mr. riK'- Mrs. J. C. Rich' ; k -vm* tions with Metro. Warner Bros. [New Yorker. Paramount, 20th-Fox and Univer sal. An independent producer in re- cent years, he turned out such Mother of F vi: .- V HawlA', biau ager of Rc . : y < i ■.'Kl’ia ihi' 'L Toronto, du '1 a ‘ ■ •' llCtO l Jv Nov. 28 in N 1 Everett H.. pj, <, . 1 , brother of ^ . am. ar. and Mr.s. Sidney Biokaw, . son. S inta Monica, Nov. 29. Father iis a .studio orchestra manager. ^ Mr and Mrs. Frederick Steiner, ' daugh(«n'. Hollywood, Nov. 30. H. Wavheji^:;. died yived )' Edw < • jcoi ior:. V Wife a- d Moll scveer -ji-iie ar'P-' son.' ■A, daughter, Hollywood, Nov. . Mother is the former Margaret Tal- i Rchet; father is a producer-dir- ^ v.cKcr, 60, pro- : Paramount. iji ChiSiiigov Nov. 22. j survive. was pianist and arranger for, \\ lute- ^ UAjiyw, man In 1922-’23, and \%as a Meyer _ . Davis leader for 15 years. A .sis- " . - . • octor, died Nov. 29 in Davis ter survives. H. GARFIELD CORVv IN H. Garfield Corwin. 72, piam.st and bandleader, died in Riverhead, L. L, Pec. 4 . . Corwiu, R one-time pianist at N. Y. Strand theatre, had also com ducted own orch at the old Hotel Navarre, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Marcus, son. New York, Nov.' 25. Father is art rif John Hoffman ^ director for Loew’s Theatres. ^ _ of John Hotiman, , jyjj.. and Mrs. J. P. Shanley. twin sons, New York, Nov. 27. Father is a drama reporter for the N. Y. Times. MARRIAGES • Mr * and Mrs. Patrick^ Wilmot, T iliiai r PC Brown tu Tomes ^^on, NeW York, Dec. I. FaUier is Lilhai. Lee -Brown to r mother is Brokaw., Boston, per 2 lU,- stall ‘y- announcer at WC , . t hen : ■ . Barbara Heilman to Alan V. *7 Iselln, Al'.any, Dec. 2. Bride daughter or Neil Hellm.aM. ih.'rid oi t Heilman Theatres; he’s employed i by the cil’cuit. ] ' PlayW El'eahor Goodrich to Robert Guil- - Mr. bert, Chicago, Nov, 30. He’s with | j^jangj ; . s He was a brother of the late ' films as’ “They Were Expendable, ThrSWt^^’JSrident irfaUer Thompson radio dept, °pUn*y lied ' , 2*3® '^g'Ad^wJs * da^S &ov. .^6 ia Toledo, 0„ after a heart ; P‘t^t?“otnerty mlire.sf it Piulh attack. Wright, a prominent Pittsburgh i burgh Playhouse. I PoW Wediienday, December 6, 19S0 f >: !%•••••••••, A%V.%V> V*!i / V i « i I J 'Z'' %v ‘.V.V •.%*.v » > « • 4 V.V.' V.'.V '.V.V ••V.V V.'*. • • • « « « • « :•:•>:• V :.!»Vi!Av.v.VA: iV.%* '// 7 ' V •v«*.v.v.%%v.*.v.%v.v.%v.v.v.v.v /A %y*SSSSS!*!*»!« W V m VAV V.V. V.V. iV.V .vv^; A?#V J.v* .-•••.•••.■••»•'•.%•••••'* .« * . •■ ' mm wtmr J S iVAVAW.V ’ CHARLES WICK 41 West 58th Street, New York ^^POTorooia BUSHEL AND A PECK:;^® =“*: BEYOND THE RlEf^ J^^ . With Margaret Whiting SHYER BELLS CHRISTMAS candy ..>>••; With Marsarrt Whiting SILVER • ” V.V’.'. • vx*:*:*;?:::::; r -•X'Xv^ ••>>:•> Whiting .';'»X*X%: ^.v:*:*:*»>x-Xv ^ . RADIO VIDEO MUSIC STAOE Published Weekly M 164 Wrat 46th. street, New York 19, N. r„ by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. $10, Single copies, 26 centA . Entered as second class matter December 22, 1906, at the Post Dfllce at New York, N T., under the act of March 8, 1879. COPYRIGHT/ 1950, BY VARIETY, iNC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED VOL. 181 No. 1 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DEGEMRER 13, 1950 PRIGE 25 GENTS VIDEO COMEDY 15 Years on Toe Art By ARTHUR BRONSON * A fantastic total of over $5,355,- 000 has been poured into the dance field in America in the past 15 years. Practically all of this coin has gone for the classic ballet (with a little for the modem dance), and most of it has been contributed by Individuals (as against organiza- tions). And most of the money has been donated without any expecta- tion of return.. In no other art field in modern times has so much coin been laid out by beneficent angels. It’s an e.xhibition unmatched since the days of Otto Kahn in the Met Op- era, and unequaled in other show biz fields except in such rare in- stances as an Edgar B. Davis in legit with his $2,000,000 contribu- tion in 1926^27 to keep “The Lad- der” afloat on Broadway. In Broadway productions, unlike ballet, individual contributions gen- erally are not big (although there are e.xceptions, as with Gilbert Miller’s, investment of all of the $ 91,000 required for “Ring ROund the Moon” or Dwight Deere Wi- man putting up $57,500 of the (Continued on page 79) Entertainment Buys Seen Spurred by Biz Controls; No General Slrfesck Seen Mary Martin, Son Team On Columbia Recording Latching on to the public en- thusiasm for family talent records generated by Bing and Gary Crosby, Columbia has cut two sides by Mary Martin and her 17- year-old son, Larry. Songs are “Get Out Those Old Records” and “You're Just in Love.” Pair will record together in the future if response to the initialers is favorable. Pro.spect of a general business recession early next spring, which mi.alit be reflected in .a boxoffice downbeat, .is now figured to be unlikdly. Clovernment experts have boon predicting that there would be a temporary “transitional” pe- riod of curtailed output, lower em- ployment and reduced payrolls durin.g the switchover of industry from consumer to military produc- tion. But the armament program IS .now reportedly in high enough gear to take up any production or employment slack. , . it's conceded that there inay be a prpduetion lull, with resultdnt unemployment in some manufac- turing lines, but the boom. iii heavy industry, sparked by the armament speedup, will more than offset it. bo no general employment decline is anticipated. Moreover, in view 01 the Various industry-wide wage Doost.s based ojr the cost-of-liying rise, payrolls aiid mbney-ih-bircu- are .expected, to increase. Lhats hMieved xiertain to be re- jected in hypoed spending for en- teFtainment, which means more b.o. _ J. fills far, despite the latest cost- oi-llving jump from 173.8% in jjeptember to 174.8% in Getober, had apparently as much ^Jhationary effect as anticipated, possibly as a result of credit con- ieV' ®ut some further inflation ‘ hgurod inevitable and a return ■ controls is probably only _ matter of time. As in the last fU', restrictions on the production . consumer goods, coupled with pi j<^rols, is a cinch to spur htertainment-buying. - • Pressure is being exerted on 20th-Fox to shelve its projected feature, “Take Care of My Little Girl;” which will expose certain evils of the college fraternity and sorority system. Inferential threats have been made of the displeasure of the sev- eral million graduate members of the Greek letter societies unless the story is scrapped. Spyros Skouras, who has even been told that anything anti-fraternity is “Communist-inspired,” is appar- ently going to ignore the pressure and produce the film, which is tentatively scheduled for July, 1951 release. According to the 20th production Ciiarts, pic will feature Jeanne Crain, Jean Peters, Mit; 5 i Gaynor and Helen Wescott. Jean Negulesco is slated to direct, with Julian Blaustein as producer. Some of the fraternity people first got Word of “My Little Girl” last September and decided to take action. L G Balfour, chairman of the Interfraternity Resoarch and Advisory Gouncil and head of a fraternity jewelry firm, wrote to Skouras that the stOry was “Com- munistic inspired propagainda” and would “give comfort to the ene- (Continued On page 79) Find Religibso Tunes In Bar Jukes NG for Biz Chicago,' Dec. 12. Juke operators, with a large cir- culation 'in taverns, are turnipg sour on the flock of religioso tunes now being issued on wax by all the companies. Some of the ops have apparently made the mistake of placing these disks in tavern coinmachines, with a resulting fall-off in liquor sales. Juke ops, under prodding from the barkeeps, are now asking the platter compunies to make com- munity singing sOngs, which not only spreads good will, hut in- ereases bat* business. By GEORGE ROSEN TV’s “primer boys” — the A-B-C- D’s of video’s comedic pattern-— are as baffled today oyer how they’ll eventually fit into the coast-to- Goast program schedule as in their pre-telecast days. Pour of the alltime greats of radio arid show business— Fred. Allen, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durahte-^are agreed on one basic premise: there’s more impact coming out of the TV screen than any other previous facet of show business. But beyond establishing that point, they’re all confused; the con- flicting viewpoints of the Four Horsemen of the Kinescopes would suggest that TV program- ming is still in an embryonic era which must eventually give way to solidify the medium’s economic pattern and meet the requirements of the stars. Allen, convinced that the, once- a-month “Comedy Hour” showcase is not the ultimate answer to fit- ting him into the medium for max- imum results, is checking Out after Sunday’s (17) videocast On doctor’s orders. When his health permits he’ll return with a half-hour, week- ly format patterned to the Allen pace and tempo through which he carved his niche in radio and on the stage. Durante, too, is anxious to beat a retreat back to the Coast and is searching for a TV formula that will be less demanding. Benny, beyond being convinced (Continued on page 43) Fix on Tele And ■ V f 0 i), Hollywood, Dec. 12. Group of nine pix recently ac- quired by KTTV will start heaminjg iocally arpuhd Christmas— in vixr tual day-and-date competitibn with nabe thea^es which will screen the same films. It is the first time in local television history that films hAve been made available* for tele use simultaneous with their release to the neighborhood houses. Closest competition in the pa.^/, came when KECA-T.V telecast the indie “Be- ware of Pity” two weeks after it had cohcluded a rv i at the Guild Theatre. Astor pictures closed the deal for theatre use Of the films shortly after Atlantic Television leased the video rights to K'lTV, Pix, all made before the AFM 1946 con- tract with film produters, are “The ! Bridge of San Luis. Rey,” “Dark Waters/’ “Christma.': Eve,” “Bed- side Manner,” “Bachelor’s Daugh- ters,” “Mr. Ace,” ‘.Sensatiens of 1945,” “Hi Diddle sDiddle,” and “Midshipman- Easy,” 175^ Profit on 200G ’Blondes’ Investment “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” which has just passed the one- year mark at the Ziegfeld, N. Y„ has earned a profit of $350,000 on its $200,000 investment. The Herman Levin-Oliver Smith pro- duction has already distributed $280,000 profits, and has accumur lated an additional net of about $70,000, including cash, bonds, etc. The musical has been earning a weekly operating profit of around $11,000, and is still receiv- ing a share of the net from the Coast company. WB, M, Metro Heir Stars on TV While several of the major film studios have considerably eased the “no television appearance” bans on their contract players, those which still are opposed to tbe practice are expected to con- tinue their adamant policy indefi- nitely. Reason is their staunch be- lief that the so-called glamor asso- ciated with their star talent re- mains one of their chief selling points. Once potential customers can sit at home and watch this glafhor on their video sets for free, then there would no longer be any reason for them to pay to see the stars at their local filmeries. Because of this reasoning, War- ners, 20th-Fo3c and Metro, which have probably the biggest star stables among the major studios, (Continued on page 71) Labor Trades’ Pitch For Burley’s N.Y. Return The Fact Finding Committee of the Central Labor Trades Council is set to petition municipal author- ities to sanction burlesque shows in New York. FFC, comprising representatives of theatrical unions, is seeking to increase employment opportunities for its component uiiiohs and is preparing petitions to city officials for lifting of the longtime ban Dn these shows. , Burlesque has been, taboo in New York since 1941 when the late Mayor Fiorello Ht LaGuardia ban- ished it. Previous attempts have been made to bring it back. One of the more potent argu- ments to be used for hurley’s re- turn will be the necessity of re- taining theatre realty values. Film business has declined considerably and some hous(;s may have to] change policy v. ta » r^jpain Apen. . St. Petersburg, Dec. 12. A stepped-up struggle by the national pastime against radio and ^ i television is being forecast as a result of the meeting of the 16 club owners of the major league base- ball teams here this week. The surprise move not to renew the contract of baseball commis- sioner A. B. (Happy) Chandler, who holds the post through April, 1952, is viewed as a blow to AM and TV because of his strong pro- broadcasting stand. It was Chand- ler who inked MutuaTs five-year contract for the World Series and gave the web rights for “Game of the Day” co-op broadcasts. Ghand-. ler had said recently video rights to the series would soar in ’51 to $ 1 , 000 , 000 . Florida State League is first of baseball’s lower minors to ban broadcasts of home games, al- though in three larger cities FM ballcasts will be permitted on ttial. BrooWyn Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals also voted network broadcasting curbs. At the same time the club own- ers are pressing for stiff er charged to stations. Brooklyn Dodgers are reliably reported asking for more coin to their diamondcasts on WMGM, N. Y. The upped ante may backfire, a£; General Foods, which shares sponsorship of the (Continued on page 42) L.A. Niteries Find Take-It-Off Trend Has Profitable A-peel By MICKEY FREEMAN Hollywood, Dec. 12. Burlesque, almost a forgotten word here 18 months ago. is mak- ing a strong coineback. The town’s gone striptea^se happy and judging from the" way customers are pouring through the turnstiles, it’s here to stay. At this point, there’s no applauding the Los Aii- geles weather but local niteries are keeping the population warm. Admittedly this is an unusual heat Vvave, being confined mostly to LA’s niteries. Eighteen months ago there was only on^ hurley theatre in operation. Now three theatres are going full blast and the gals are peelin' in , 23 clubs through Los Angeles County. Each (Continued ph page 77) TV’s Newest Neck tine Cleveland, Dec. 12. Doctors at the American Medical Association convention in Cleve- land were told that television may cause a new type of headache. Dr. C. i-i. Hartsock of the Cleve- land Clinic said that the new type headache comes from straining the neck muscles by fixed gaze. He add- ed TV viewers should try looking around, flexing the neck, and not to look with a constant head tilt. The doctor said nothing about programming, . C. A. Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Wasliington, Dec. 12. Television has 0 pen e d a new market lor the treasure house of music, motion pictures, plays, oocras, and other works adminis- Icu'cd by the Office of Alien Prop- erty. of the Justice Dept., which vested copyrights of enemy and or'cupi ed nations during World II. Although licensing for the neW niedium has hardly begun, indica- lions arc that it will bring thou- F- nds of dollars to O AP. George ]\iiddleton, former president of the L‘ S; Dramatists Guild, and tiow t chhical expert and adviser on the handling of vested , copyrights, points out that radio and films have already been Targe users of the Government-seized material. He believes television will find it er-’iaily useful. :^or example, old motion pic- torcs are proving to he one of. the Ir sic sources of TV programming. Middleton .says GAP has in its P' ssession o v e r 10,000,000 f e e t 0“ films which have been in- s •eeted, recorded, and are aivail- a'-’e for licohsing with some re- s 'Tetidns:. They r e p r e s e n t the p oduct of 764 German^ Italian, J.i innrso and Austrian producers. CuiTcntly GAP is analyzing an- other 17,500,000 feet in the vaults o the Libtary of Gongre.ss! This IViotage was seized, during and a '.'ter the war by the ' Army, State Dept., Gustom.s service and other G overnment a gencies.- Most of it vill also be available for licensing, once it is properly sorted and cata- loged. Films As Source File Thus" far, GAP has granted only one film license exclusively for television. This is for a group of 50 scientific shorts. License was issued to Paul Moss for his Inter- national Telefilm. Deal called for a substantial deposit and, basically, .for a percentage of gross receipts. These pictures have already been shown extensively by video sta- tions. Some of the licenses for the theatrical exploitation of films in- clude television rights. Royalty terms under the TV section of the (Gontinued on page 77) Gypola's Cafe Date Gypsy Rose Lee has been signed for the Desert Inn, Las Vegas, for two weeks, starting Dec. 26. It will, be her only nitery date, inasmuch as sheTl have to return to New York to tape her ABC airer, ‘‘What Makes You Tick.” Deal .was made in New York by Frank Sennes, who books the cafe. Durante, Martin & Lewis s Ability of .Abe Lastfogel and George Wood (William Morris agency) to switch Danny Thomas and Jimmy Durante around has re- solved the Copacabana (N. Y.) booking problem. Thomas is now able to open Jan. .4, thus eliminat- ing an SGS to Durante, as ap- peared almost inevitable. The latter comes in on March 26 for an um interrupted run, insteiud of doing it twice within the wTnter-spring ( 1951 ) season. There is still an interval problem, after Tliomas: whether 'Tony Mair- tin or Frankie Laine, or both, will follow, since the latter can be moved forward if Martin can’t get out of other committments. Other- wise Martin, Laine and Durante com plete the roster. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis follow the Schnoz in April to wiud up the season. Meantime a new show, that em- braces the Xmas-New Year’s pe- riod, opens tomorrow (Thurs.) comprising Henny Youngman, Luba Malina, Dr. Giovanni and The Sky- larks. WILL MAHONEY THE rNliyilTABLE ^ . Cigarroa, Ruin and Coca Cola, Rluimbii, i^^amba, Mainba, Sonbritaa, Hotel J^rc'aUlonte, Sloppy Joe’a, Alli- gator Bolts, Siesta and rastraini yianana. Currently' Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, Havana, Cuba ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP. Auction Grauman Effects Hollywood, Dec. 12. Souvenirs and personal belong- ings of the late Sid Grauman are I to be auctioned by Roy Goldenberg in four sessions starting Monday (18). , Among effects to be auctioned Ts ‘‘Gsear” presented Grauman tvvo years ago. Catholic War Vets Fight Showings Of Charles Chaplin Fix Entire national organization of Gatholic War Veterans is being prodded into the fight against tele- vision and theatre showings of Gharles Ghaplin films. Moye to enlist the full group’s supiport is being made by Joseph Fehrenback, head of the GWV unit in New Jer- sey,, who already has influenced the i cancellation of a Ghaplin series of i ancient shorts on N. .Y, teevee sta- , tibn WPIX . He also claims to have ' caused discontinuance of ‘‘City; Lights” runs in two N. J, theatres i aind the cancellatidn of the film in . two other spots. Fehrenback, who is advertising , production manager for the Ameri- 1 can Bankers Assn., told Variety : he plans to bring. the matter before Donald McQUade, CWV national ! commander, with the aim of bring- j ing the national body behind a full- scale Chaplin boycott, implication , is that this could lead to picketing I of theatres showing any of the comedian’s pix, including “Mon- ! sieiir Verdoux,” which neyer was : generally released, and “Lights,” I which is going over succes.sfully in the few theatres playing it oh re- ‘ issue. Four Spots which dropped ; “Lights” because of the protests are said to bb the Rialto and May- \ fair, Newark; Temple, Union Gity^ i I and the Park, Cliffside. I Fehrenback’s charge is that, Chaplin ‘‘appears^ g of Com- I munist leanings and that, the comic ; never did anything in the way of j i officially denying these apparent ! sympathies. If his fight is carried j i through, obviously it would, threat- , ■ en plans to reissue numerous other ' i comedies starring Chaplin, follow- 1 I A ,*250.000 plaRiarism suit by • ‘ng the^ ‘'Lights” distribution pat- j : author Frederick Lundberg against ; ' i RKG. Orson Welles and Hei*nian ' against Chaphn, cited the ; Mankicwicz ended in a hung jury : California Un-American .activities i last Friday (81 after setting a cou- j rePOrt ot 1949 wherein the panto- ; : pie of records in, U. S. district; Pi'mc “rtistwas I'Stgd with others ; court in New York. Lundberg ' as having^ “followed or appeased . charged that portions of his book, i sdP't Communist party line, “imperial Hearst: A Social Biog- ! program over a period of time.” raphy,” were used in the scenario ' ^ ^ I of “Citizen Kane ” , UNFRIENDLY 11 Trial ran 30 days, the longest for .] a plagiarism suit in the history of ' the court. The. jury was out for 26 ho.urs, the longest in the mem- ory of court attendants in any civil BY SUPREME CT. RULE Washington, Dec. 12. The Hollywood“Unfriendly IQ” 12/13 Gilt Subscfiption Enclosed find check or m.p. for $ 1 . . . . . Send Variety for one year, two yeari. ........ i . . . NAME AD'DRESS CITY . . . . . . . . . ZONE . . STATE from] NAME Indicate if gift card desired □ ADDREfS ^ 9m ■ • • t • • • • • • • •'»'«, i • • • * « • f 44 4-4%4s4 ' I . • *. '*'» • 1 . '4 E « . ' . VTE . . ' • . 4 • One Year— $10.00. . , .Two Years-*-^$ 18.00 Canada and foreign-^$1 Additional per Year P^iETY Inc, 154 West 46th Street New York 19, N. V. Taction. Final vote was seven in ■ is expected to derive benefit from ! favor of Lundberg and five for the 1 yesterday’s (11) Supreme Gourt defendants. ' decision that a person cannot be Taking advantage of civil suit found guilty of contempt for re- provi.sions in Federal courts, law- i fusing to tell whether he was Tyers had agreed in advance that ; ever a communist, providing he ! they’d accept the decision of any j claims the refusal is to prevent ‘ nine jurors. As things stand now, j “self-incrimination.” High court ruling was unanimous. However, it was pointed out here, the Hollywood group found in contempt of the . House Un- American Activities Committee did not claim self-incrimination. The 10 relied on uhe “freedom of speech” amendment to the Con- .stitution. Two of tlie 10 — Edward Dmytryk Hollywood, Dec. 12. , and Herbert Biberman— have been Danny Kaye has okayed London i released with time off for good Palladium bid for an eight-week .behavior from their six-month , date starting May 7 to coincide , The other eight are i with centennial festival of Britain. ' still in Federal prison. Palladium had originally pitched On Soviet ‘Hinl’ Vienna, Dec. 5/ “Ninotclika” vanished a g aln from its hard-won spot on the Vienna screen when Soviet “sug- gestions” to exhibitors led them to hurriedly yank that ancient Kremlin needier starring Greta Garbo. This came after the Lubitsch film had played some five weeks in two good mid-Vienna houses to bet- ter than 90% capacity despite al- most total lack of newspaper notice. Native dailies thought it best to ignore the pic while; the U.S. -sponsored Wiener Kurier ac- cepted ads and ran only a brief no- tice despite the issue of American cultural prestige involved in show- ing “Nihotschka” against frequent* anti-American releases like “Meet- ing on the Elbe” and “Secret Mis- sion,” Latest move occurred Dec. 1 when Reds assumed chairmanship of the four power City Commanda- tura in their turn. This job, along with policing of the internationally controlled Inner City, rotates monthly among the four powers. Managers of the Elite and Sclidtr ten Kinos, hot h of which were do- ing close to SRO with the Garbo pie, phoned Wolfgang Wolf, local Motion Picture Export Assn, chief to say the Russkis had “suggested’V 4 was time they changed bills. MPEA, reluctant to push the issue, agreed to dropping the film, at least for a month when U.S. steps into city control. This follows original booking difficulties w'hich occurred when “Ninotchka” was first advertised and then withdrawn by a group of exhibs after each of them had re- ceived Gommie threats of riots or bombings if the pic was shown. Actually run of the film produced no incidents whatever. When the Elite booking finally materialized, the U.S. Info Service of the State Department had just about decided to show the picture in the U. S.-operated Kosmos thea- tre either cuff o or with the take for Charity. Possibly the local e.x- hib organization, which is owni d by Socialist Party and the CM \ of Vienna but has close Soviet 1 didn’t want such a precedent Bib- lished on a. potential big money .film. marathon trial will liave to be re- peated. Attorneys for Lundberg, Gustave B. Garfield and Charles (Continued on page 78) DANNY KAYE PACTED FOR PALLADIUM AT 160G for 12-week date. Sylvia Fine (Mrs. Kaye) Will provide comic with some new numbers. Kaye is dickering to take the Jack Cole Dancers with him for I group’s English debut. Cole is Walsh Hops to London For NATKE Jubilee London, Dec. 12. Richard F. Walsh, head of the International Alliance of Thealn i currently choreogi'aphing Kaye’s ; E^PP^y^eSj is flying I 20th starrer, “On the Riviera.” especiallydo participate ; . M, ; : in the Diamond Jubilee Banquet [ At $20,()00 weekly Kaye^will get Qf National Assn, of Theatrical ; l^argest salary ever handed a per- [and Kirie Employees at Grosvenor former in a theatre engagement ot j House next Friday (15). the length of time involved. I Apart from the big array of Acceptance of the Palladium bid i political figures headed by the : puts Sol Hurok’s proposed con- j Prime Minister, Clement J. Atllec, cert tour for Kaye in abeyance, I the Foreign Secretary Ernest Bev- i although there’s a possibility he ; in, and the Chancellor of the Ex- hiay pity these dates next fall. puh'llc iYcturci Frtxy Smartah^eJiy Criticism and Its Effpct fJven on Those Wifhin the Trade ♦ .. ★ it an iiifcreififlg •ditorial feature in thM forthcoming 45ih / i nhwe7'S(iry ISu mher P'MilETT chequer Hugh Gaitskell, all the leading figures in the British film and theatrical world have been in- vited. A major cabaret attraction is being produced by Nat Karson, who delayed his return to America in order to handle the show. S ets O^seas T rpupes Washington, Dec. 12. . Lt. Col. Joseph Bangham, of Air Forces Special Services, flew to Holly w’ood - today (12) to bring back a score of entertainers who leave fdV Europe on the 19th to bring Christmas entertainment to the troops in Europe. While on the Coast, Bangham will also seek volunteers for junkets to other parts of the world. With indicatiohs that our troops j may remain in Korea, he will even seek entertainers for that sectonf V Sam Marx Rack From Paris, Reports Yanks Scurrying Back Homo Sam Marx, ex-Metro producer who starts on his he.w Columbia Pictures pact Jan. I, flew in from a London and Paris vacation yes- i terday (Tues.) and heads for the Coast pronto at prexy Harry Cohn’s request for a “conference.” Marx ' was to have produced Alice Waugh’s “A Handful Of Du.st” independent- ly, when he left Metro, but it’s a question W'hether this will be his first Col as.signment. On Marx’s first-time abroad he discovered much nervousness [ among showfolk, many Of Whom ' are scurrying back this week be- • cause of war jitters. The Leland ! Haywards (Slini Hawks) cut their ' trip short. Norma Shearer and her /husband, Marty Arrouge, after I (Coritinued oh page 77) I Revived OWI Included In Emergency Planning Washington, Dec.. 12, Government’s emergency plan- ning includes a revived Of Ace of War Information, complete with foreign and domestic film and radio units. There has been talk for som® time about a new OWI, but it is understood that secret meetings were held last week at which a green light was given to draw a complete paper plan for such an organization. Question of who will direct and be his top assistants is being given serious thought, but there are no selections yet. Idea is to have everything ready for the time when the President decides to go ahead. One reason price ceilings have not been instituted o far is the hack of machinery for enforcement. The administration does not want to be caught similarly short when it or- ders an information program. > Wednesday, December 13, 1950 PICTURES m PROFTT HYPO IN Reports of severe difficulties^ faced by United Artists if the cur- rent “mystery deal” on the Coast falls through were proving highly d i sturbing to top-echelon industry- ites this week. They feared that the UA hurdle would be immedi- ately hoped on by industry detract- ors as evidence of the inroads of television on films. ; Actually, of course, there Would he no such implication. UA has been in hot water of one kind or another • for much : of its 31 years, and present difficulties are merely a culmination of long- standing ownership and manage- ment travail: • ^ I Execs of other companies figure,- ! however, that that will be hard to, i explain to lay writers and com- mentators. Particularly so since a gooci many of them have no desire to under, stand and will undoubted- ly find a good “angle” in UA’s troubles in light of the recent b.o. decline and TV competition. Result, it is feared, will be a public relations black eye. It may have serious effect on the boxof- fice and on the stock and securities of other companies, majority of which have never, in their history been more substantially solvent. There’s been some vague discus- sion in top industry circles of pos- sible steps to help UA in the pres- ent crisis. Feeling is, however, that there’s little can be done while ownership is in the hands of.! (Continued on page 29) Cutrate 2d-Runs For CIO Assn. Backfires, Creates Detroit Stew Detroit, Dec. 12, A plan to show second-run films to members of the CIO Motor City Cooperative Assn, at cut rates has backfired and stalled. Besides that it has raised temperatures in ex- hib circles, who feared that their uniform price structure might col- lapse, and has brought vehement denials of the whole deal from management of the theatre in- volved, The whole scheme was brought to light when a CIO publicity re- lease to labor papers had this to say: “The best motion pictures showing in Detroit can now be seen by Co-op and union members for 44c. This is the result of the latest co-op collective buying agree- m.ent." (The huge co-op operates grocery stores and has cutrate agreements with national appliance dealers.) The release continued: “The special price agreement is with the Regent theatre. This theatre pre- sents up-to-the-moment current pictures immediately after their first showing. By seeing these lat- est pictures at the Regent you will (Continued on page 29) BEN HENRY LEAVING U AS ENGLAND REP ^ Ben Henry, Universal’s represen- tative in England, is leaving the company at the end of this year. AiTangement, entirely friendly in nature, is a money-saving operation ^br U.; ■■ Unlike other majprs, which have iheir own distribution setups, U's product is handled in England by J , Arthur Rank’s General Film Dis- Jibutors. Feeling of U toppers is inat, as a result, services of a high- priced exec such iis Henry are not Bookings of. product, circuits have been andled satisfactorily from the ’ b., leaving only accounting laud^^ bs actually necessary in Eng- ^S^bry, who has had long ex- R/^bbce in exhibition and distribu- ^on, has been With U Since World hilt- ^ number of other sine.ss interests and will occupy bi. time. with them. ... » •. • ; Howard Dietz (in fruifrated Iambic ptniomcter) Inditci an ode to The Crystal Ball an omusing featiire in the upcoming 45th Anniversaiy Number of 4- Dallas, Dec. 12. Interstate circuit disclosed today (Tuesday) that it has abandoned all plans for exhibition of “Oliver Twist.” Robert J. O’Donnell, gen- eral manager of the big southwest chain, declared: “We will uphold Interstate’s policy of not running any film without a Productipn Code Administration seal.” The J. Arthur Rank pic was slated to open in a group of In- terstate houses in various parts of Texas Jan. 19. The booking was made prior to refusal of Joseph X. Breen, Production Code adminis- trator for the Motion Picture Assn, of America, to give the pic a seal. Film has been subject to great controversy on the charge that it is anti-Semitic in its treatment of the Fagin character. Breen nix was on that basis. Paradoxically, Rank as the pic’s producer has himself been against showing the film in the U. S. However, Robert R. Young, controlling stockholder in Eagle Lion Classics, the distribs, (Continued on page 78) Despite the continued hoxoff ice slide during ^950, indications are that filirt companies as a whole will show an increase in net profits of about 10% over 1949. With some firms having already Rled their full-year reports for fiscal 1950 and all having filed at least nine-month indices, available offi- cial figures and estimates to date show net earnings for nine conir panics of $34,722,422 as against $31,328,117 for the parallel periods of the previous year. Companies included in the com- pilation are the seven majors, plus Republic and Monogram. United Artists, being privately owned, I files no fiscal statements. Six of the nine firms are shovv.- ing a considerable improvement in net profits as they near the tape for 1950, while three have lost ground against the 1949 fiscal pe- riods. Ahead are Columbia, Metro^ Monogram, Paramount, Republic ^nd Universal. Behind are RRO, 20th-FOx and Warner Bros. Accounting for the improved profits picture is the slash in costs the 'companies were able to make j during 1948 and 1949, primarily in budgets. Many of the releases which showed up in the 1949 fig- ures were made at peak costs, some of them having been ad- mitted weakies which were held on the shelf until they could bd hid- den no longer. By the 1950 fiscal (Continued bn page 29) on RKO Control: . ' Far Fub-Ad Voepea . Max YoungBtein favors New Pix Selling Techniques an internsting editorial feature in the forthobming 45th Anniversary Number of Warning On TV Damage At B.O. Bops Pix Shares Apparently touched off by Charles Skouras* statement re- garding the heavy inroads TV has made on film theatres, motion pic- ture shares responded adversely during the past week. Forecast for further’' declines in biz made by Warner Bros, in its annual state- ment last week also added to the gloom. WB shares currently are only one-quarter bf a point from the year’s low of 1 1. While numerous film issues ral- lied in yesterday’s (Tues.) market, the gains were only fractional. With 37H by Loew’s aiid United Paramount Theatres the greatest advances. UPT up at 17^8 ,as against the year’s low of l^Vs. Loew’s quotation oi 15^8 contrasted with the ’50 low of 141-'^, Columbia is selling for. 11 ; year’s low is SEE H’WOOD FOR MEET Race has developed between two sets of U. S. backers to get before film and video pFodUcers new sys- tems of optics that will provide elaborate backgrounds and sets at g\ji TMivf TCi*m V I ^ fraction of the cost of the real Or INDUjIKY tAbLSjthing. One group is headed by ! Hollywood producer Sol Lesser, j the other by former Universal exec Matty Fox. Both systems were developed in France, They bear some general resemblance to the “independent i frame” system With which J. (Continqed on page 27) Meeting of company proxies and studio heads for a toi>^echelon onceover of the state of the busi- ness now appears likely to take place in Hollywood-— if at all, Time would probably be mid-January or later. Original intention was to hold the session in Phoenix last Week- end. It was decided, however, that the travel involved was too great for results that might be ac- complished. Discussions, as a re- sult, arose for conclaving in New York, or Washington, but they’ve also been shelved in favor of the Coast. Television inroads, sagging b.o., labor contracts, censorship and other problems have been suggest- ed for the agenda. HUSTON ON ‘EARTH' Hollywood, Dec. 12. John Huston will direct retakes for “Gone to Earth,” joint Selz- nick-Korda production lensed in England last year, David Farrar is sailing froni England Saturday (16) for retakes with Jennifer Jones, and then re- ports to UI to start pact with co- star stint in “Golden Horde,” op- posite Ann Blyth. Possibility loomed this week that Howard Hughes next year will face a proxy fight with a powerful group of Wall Streeters for control of the RKO productibn-distribution organization. Result might well be dissolution of the company and sale jof its more-thah-40-year stockpile of films to television. Leader in this movement is Les- ter GreenWald, partner in the in- vestment firm of B. Li. Taylor & Co., and a large holder of RKO Shares. He is in the loose con- federation of big RKO stockholders recently organized on Wall street, but is openly in favor of more radical action than | that to which '.the others are yet ready to commit .themselves, ; I Whole Wall street grolip, which , claims to represent more shares than Hughes’ 929,000 (24% ) , is bitter about the RKO topper’s man-; agement policies, but is withhold- ing action pending further study and advieer Most potent stock- holder in the group Is David J. Greene, with something over 300,- 000 shares, ranking him second only to Hughes. Much less reticent than the ' others, Greenwald declared this I (Continued i>n page 31) Controversial Danisii Picture Gets Final Nix By American Customs Customs bureau nix has appar- ently finally voided chances of importation into the U. S. of the Danish-made “We Want a Child” despite protestations of a group of leading American citizens. Pic is currently cleaning up throughout Europe, ranking as the second largest grosser of the year there. Walter Gould, who was attempt- ing to bring the film into this country, has given up his efforts in face of the adamant attitude (Continued on page 78) Trade Still Sluggish; ^Solomon’ No. 1 for Fourth Successive Week; ^Dance/ ‘Eve' Next Biggest U niversal is 9ViB ; low is IVa . Re- public common is 3%; low is 3, While 20th-Fox common is 19.^8, the low 18. RKO wound up 7V4 yes- terday; ’50 low is GVs. S. P^ JSkduras Back at D O- ’Twentieth-Fox prez Spyros P. Skouras returned to the -home- office Monday (IT) following f* week’s huddles on the Coast with studio execs. * Veepee A1 Lichtman, who ac- companied Skouras to Hollywood, will remain there at least anotheF week for further conference with production veepee Darryl F. Zanuck.'- ' ’ ^ Film theatre biz in first-run situ- ations is very sluggish for the j most part this stanza, with Christ- 1 mas shopping and usual pre- I holiday influences taking a , heavy I toll. Several key cities also were hurt by continued snowstorms; bit- ter cold and heavy rains. For ex- ample, New York, which was slow enough last Thursday (7), was stag- gered at the boxoffice by warnings i of a storm that did not material- ize. City’s biz Was further dam- ! aged by heavy rain the following I Sunday night. “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) ’ continued to dominate the field al- i though on holdover and extended- ' run in many keys. Its total is about half what it was, in the pre- ceding week but enough to win first place for fourth successive stanza. “Let’s Dance” (Par) is fin- ishing second after winding up third for two weeks, running and well ahead of “All About Eve” (20th), which moves up to third Slot fif ter being fourth last round, i,, 'Fpurth ,beit is “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G), which was sixth a week ago. “Joan of Arc” (RKO), out on pop-scale basis now, is tak- ing fifth money while “West Point I Story” ( WB ) is sixth.. ‘Harriet Craig” (Clol), with a batch of new bookiRgs, and “Jackpot” (20th) round out the top-eight list in that order. ' Runnerup films are “Kansas i iUl, ^ VBceakthraugb” (WB), “I'll Get By” (Par) and “Mad ; Wednesday’* (RKO) in that se- quence. “Kim” (M-G), which opened with a big session at N. Y. Music Hall, looms as one of tOp new- comers. “Odette” (EL), also new, was sock in Montreal and strong in Toronto. “Highway 301” (WB), while dull and mild in some spots, came through with nice sessions j in Philly and Washington. An- j other newcomer, “Sun Sets At Dawn” (EL), shapes robust in Bos- [ ton. “Mystery Submarine” (U), : looms strong in Balto, good in Frisco. “Rio Grande” okay in Denver, Orleans” (M-G) . (Rep) is doing ; “Toast of New looks smash in Montreal. “Red Shoes” (EL) con- tinues nice on pop-price Tun in ■N. Y. ... . .. i “Milkman”, (U), dOing fairly well . in Toronto, looms satisfactory in Denver. “State Secret” (Col), good in Boston, shapes okay in Frisco and Cincy. “Macbeth” (Rep), neat’ in Washington, looks , stout in Chi. , “Miniver StoFy” (M-G) is so-so in Providence. “Killer That Stalked N. Y.” (Col), slow in Chi, is weak in PrOv. “Dark City” (Par) looms fine in Montreal. “Two Flags West” (20th) shapes okay in Frisco. “Glass Menagerie” ■ (WB), okay, in Omaha, is fair in Denver. {Complete Boxoffice Reports k .4 '***-» Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY, Inc Harold Erichs. President 154 West 46th St., New York 19. N. V Hollywood 26 6311 Yucca Street . Washington 4 1292 National. Press Building Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ave. London WC2 6 St. Martin’s^Pl.. Trafalgar Sq. Subscription Annual $10 Foreign $11 Single Copies 25 CenU ABEL GREEN. Editor Vol. 181 No. 1 INDEX Bills ........... Chatter : . . . : Film Reviews . . . .... . . . House Reviews . . .... ... . Inside Legit .......... . Inside Music . . . . . . . . . . . , Inside Pictures .... . . . . . Inside Radio . : . . . ... . . . Inside Television . , . ^ . . . International Legitimate Literati . . . . Music .... New Acts . . . ....... Night Club Reviews . . . Obituaries . . Picture, s; . . . . , Radio / . . . . . : Radio Reviews Records Frank Scully • • • • Television .... Television Reviews Vaudeville ... « • • 4 . I • » • « • • * 4 . • ■ « » 4 e • » * * ' ^ • ' » 70 78 8 71 72 58 27 50 48 22 72 11- 54 70 . 66 70 3 32- , 42 54 77 36 38 65 DAILY VARIETY (Published in Hollywood by Pally Variety. Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Foreign PICTURES p^sseff Wed'n«i3«y, A«ceihlier 1^, l$3(||r N. Y. Circuits; 4 Omaha Nabes Close • ■ [j Nathan D. Golden Chimf of th« MoHoii Picturo DivUlon of rhe Dcportmehr of Commerce efoborotei on why Trade Agreements Help IJ,S». Companies to Overedrn e M any F oreign Pic Curbs on intereftting editorial feature in the forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number ■ of • PSniEfr ThedtreiHen’-fi fears over the reads of television on the dwin- dling boxoffice haven’t reached the point where the exhihs are ready to toss in the tb\vel, a survey of the. situation in the New York metropolitan areas shows. Larger circuits, i n c l u ding Loew’s and RKO. have ho intentions of folding any houses, nor are .they contem- plating any changes in admission scales.- Only a, few theatres have closed in the past couple Avecks and these houses were mainiy last-run situ- ations operated by independents in marginal neighborhood sections. Ritz, 842-seater in the Bronx, shutr te red last Week. Late last month the Nassau, Brooklyn, and the Crown, same borough, also folded. Other recent ciosures are the Aydn, in inidtown Manhattan, and Rayborid's lBroad, Newark. Sma 11 indies were loath to pin the shutdowns on any specific cause. They held that the situa- tion arose from a variety of cir- ciimstances. Chief of these is the •‘pre-Christmas’’ slump. The 1 .400- seat Broad, according to Raybbnd prCz David Weinstock, was closed when bad .business set in but it will be reopened around the first of the year with a “new policy.” Previously it was a last-run house. I Between 20 and 25 leading ex- : Weinstock a 1 s o disclosed that hibs, repping virtually every the- his loop has increased admis-sion j atre in the New York area, will prices slightly but only in a few meet, tomorrow (Thursday) in isolated situations. Other' circuit ' search of a cure for current b.o. ehieftains, however, emphasized ; ills. They hope to come up with that they have made ho adjust- ; some specific plans for hypoing ments whatever in their price biz. structures and don't expect to I ^ Y., has make .my. Some the.ttres along ‘been called by Fred Schwartz, Cen- the Jer.sey shore laised the I o. t^p „ parallels on bite slightl.vvvhen they assumed a g local level the series of confabs giveaway dish policy ® of top circuit owners from various coui-se, w as done to offset the cost parts of the country that Si Fabian 5 Ui). Cos. $^100,000 From France James j. Geller hot dutherf d in 'Inftrditing *Hollytvoocl Story^ *■*■’.* u byline fcofurt in thd forfheoming 45th Anniversary ISnmber of . . Y. That 0.0. Dip DANNY O’DAY “The Mahogany Kid’* ' Dynamioally . .as.^isled by Jimmy • Nelson with, his new pal, Humphrey I llif;sby. j Opening j Poo. 20, .ITotel El Rancho Vegas, ' Lii.s X'ega.s, Xoy. i Jan. ilv. JUyor.sicle Casino, Reno, '. Nev.- r-'.(‘h. 1 , Ciro’s Holly woodi! Ivpxy; New York, in ^laroH. . Mgt. LOUIS W. COHAIsi 203 N. Wabash, Chicago PSniETY Seen No Bar To of the dinncrware. Genera] consensus was that (Continued on page 30) On Goldwp Grill San Francisco, Dec. 12, The Sam Goldwyn-Fox West Coast $6,750,000 legal tangl-e com- pleted the first three days of its deposition marathon last week at- has been sponsoring recently. with Goldwyn attorney Joseph L. Walter Reade, Jr., Maps 5c Matinees However, the Schwartz stanza .will be considerably more specific in that a number of cooperative plans for exploitation and selling I of the industry within the 'New lYork area will be presented— and, :it is hoped, adopted. • I f f ‘ “Some of us just got tired of As Lure tor tVlOS novv we’re planning ac- Convinced that kid biz is the kev ‘ declared this week. to adult trade Walter Reade j7 i • important circuits in the to adult traae, uaiLei Keacie,^ji„ j,j^ affiliated and uh- Is planning a pitch to other New , affiliated, are expected to be prel Jersey exhibs to institute 5c^ Sum,- e„t Most of them are members of 1 He^has Ithe Metropolitan Motion Future already been promised cooperation-xheatres Assn. Other exhibs will by several important ^chains and ; be repped by their trade organiza- '”'®' primarily the Indepfndent liminaij talks. . Theatre Owners Assn, of New The young circuit chief, prior to I York. making a . full bid' to other chains ' to institute the plan, is having a study rnade of his own theatres’ ex- periences with the undeT-12 trade. Indications so far are that the jiin-: ior biz has held ulp well in com- parison with full-price admissions. Reade. is convinced, however, that it is important to bui^,d it far- ther. He reflects the ideas of Mai- SEARS SUIT FOR PAY VS. UA GOING TO TRIAI Breach-of-con tract suit brought by United Artists general sales manager Grad Sears will go to colm Kingsberg, former RKO The- ' p*®*; i”?®* Sylvester J. atres chief, in Variety recently, ! piee k’seeWnJ'tV 1''®*^' that childrcn-in addition to being j fn*® "®, back pay the adult customers of the future I ^I'ek nirinrJh™ ® -direct much adult trade into a i summer. The complnrclalm^it theatre; Likewise it is felt that children are the prime devotees of video, and special efforts must be rhade to continue their interest in films. isn’t liable. Court’s .decision came after Sears moved for summary judgment against UA, Judge Ryan held that aVr. Planned by Lesser Thus Roade is ihitent on putting ■ issues presentcjd by the case his new plan, into effect. The nickel ' points raised by the admission price would apply from I Judgment the opening on Sundays at about f be. settled by a trial. 1 p.m, to .4 p.ra. H[e feels, that hyT ^ stopping the special at 4 he can i 9 avoid parental criticism for keep- 1 ^ ing kids out through the dinner hour. The nickel offers no tax prOb- , o 1 t lem, since Federal; levies do not ' LesSer.: who closed a deal ^Pply oh admissions under 9c ; "uth RKO recently for distributiori — ^ . - ' ! Of Kon Tiki” and “Jungle Head A,,. , . Hunters,” is planning to make or AJhed States Meet To acquire two such adventure pix A naltr^/k -D n n 1 1 . each year. These would be in ad- Analyze B.O. Doldrums diti^^^^^ regular “Tarzan ” Washington, Dec. 12. . series, the .’‘Jungle Girl” series With the annual board meeting '^'hich he is planning and various oLthe Allied States Assn; of Motion I projects; Picture Exhibitors coming up next Feb; 1 5-16 at the Statler, hotel hevc, ..its expected that the session will fw u® a number of plans to cure j uow being made for an expedition the b;0. doldrums in addition to f topped by Lewis Cotlow to go to Alioto. conducting the querying. There’s at least a week niore of grilling in the offing. . Five interests in Northern Cali- fornia theatres were sifted in the three-day examination of John Bertaro, key circuit figure, in which detailed questioning of Ber- taro included the checking of how each of over 100 houses was oper- ated and the interest of the chain in each house. The Goldwyn at- torney pressed his efforts to estab- lish that the interests of Charles P. Skouras, FWC prexy, were inter- woven with all phases of the film industry, and constituted a gen- eral Conspiracy to deny indepen- dent producers a fair market for their product. The grilling of Bertaro is sched- uled to continue for another day^ to be followed by that of chief film buyer Ed Zabel, who in turn is be- ing followed by Skouras, who' is j expected to be queried for ^pprox- ! imately a week of Sessions. 1 The que.stioning of Bertaro hit I one hot point when, on advice of j FWC counsel Arthur B. Dunne, he refused to answer a question re- garding possible Skouras interest in a candy and confectionery busi- ness supplying the chain. In a later session Dunne withdrew his ob- jections and Bertaro answered the question negatively. Bertaro on close questioning by Alioto vigorously denied that there was. any arrangement to .split product in the acquisition of the- atres by the chain. The current drawn-out legal I Ji^ssle, consisting of depositions by FWC executives and setting the stage for thb case now on the Fed- eral Court : calendar, was recently ordered by Federal Judge Michael J. Roche. . While distribs are engaging in some behind-the-scenes activity in their efforts to lui'e Allied States Assn, into an industry arbitration setup, many film company and the- atre execs are sharing the thought ; that a system could be developed regardless of whether Allied de- cides to remain aloof. Obviously, the hope is that the outfit will Join in a plan to establish arbitration panels but Allied’s remaining on the outside is now not likely to kill the whole idea, I • . Abram F. Myers, Allied board chairman, is on record as saying . that his group will not consider • arbitration until its board meeting, Feb. 15, in Washington. ‘i .• . i Political aspects of the entire ' situation are being cited in trade ' circles as cutting down the possi- ; bilities of making arbitration an ' all-industry operation. Fact that Theatre Owners of America got the ball rolling with the first formal meeting with distribs on arbitra- tion appears a primary reason why Allied officials are not too enthusi- astic about coming into the fold. However, non-members of Allied, despite" this initial reluctance, be- (Continiied on page 29) ^ Paris, Dec. 12. Five American film companies will received a $2,100,000 wind- fall from France as the result of an unexpectedly quick settlement of a frozen coin account dating back to June, 1947. The sum was accepted in a lump in lieu of ap- proximately $2,600,000 divided over the next two years by Colum- bia, Metro, 20thrFox, United Art- ists and Paramount. Arrahgemerit was made by John G. McCarthy, director of the inter- national division of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, during his recent visit to Paris. It fol- lowed complete stoppage of pay- ment on the debt to five com- panies by unilateral action of the French government. McCarthy restricted his nbgo- tiatidhs mostly to this problem, but will return to Paris early next year with MPAA prez Eric John- ston for broader talks, "rtiey hope to open the entire' Franco -U. S. films agreement, seeking to elimi- nate all restrictions of quotas, licensing and cuiTency conversion. Coin, which McCarthy succeeded in clearing was due under the old Blum-Byrnes agreement of 1947. as consolidated in a later 1948 ac- cord. That provided for remittance of $3,600,000 yearly from France, of which $1,200,000 was to come out of Current earnings and $2,400,000 was to represent payment of funds earned and ffozen prior to June, 1947. A total of $11,700,000 was (Contiriued on page 6) Julian Lesser, producer’s son, heads the Thalia Production unit I which handles the films. Plans are .M 'a. mapping, policies for the coming year. ® Agenda calls for reports on the outcome of negotiations relating to competitive bidding as well dis- cussions on incentive selling as op- posed to penalty selling. OfliCeTs will also be elected and th^ annual rcpoit read. the South Seas, Cotlow made the “Head Hunters” pic in Africa. Kon Tiki ’ is a b 1 0 w u p from 16m of the film which Thor Heyer- dahl shot during his 101-day trip by raft across the Pacific. Book based oh his adventure.s this week topped the bestseller list for the fifth straight stanza. ' ^ w m if- w ^ r Sheaffer oh U Sales Bender Daniel M. Sheaffer, Universal ard mernber, in the past month has sold 800 shares of the firm’s stock, leaving him with a balance of 107. In the previous month, from Oct, 11 to Noy. 10, Sheaffer sold 1,800 common , in a series of six transac- tions, N« Y* to L, A. Jack Li Gertz Virginia Kellogg A1 Lewin Dave Liptoh Ray Morgan Thelma Ritter Bet.ta St. John Jules C. Stein Richard Thorpe Fran Warren SISK QUITS METRO FOR WB PROD. POST Hollywood, Dec, 12. Robert Sisk moves over to War- ners as a contract producers in February, on completion of his current Metro pact, which has been extended to cover the com- pletion of his last two productions on the Culver City lot. They are “Across the Wide Missouri” and “It’s a Big Country.” Understood Sisk is shifting be- cause of a shortage of properties on his Metro program. His depar- ture is the third in recent months, following those of Sam Marx and Voldemar Vetluguin. Johnston in Pic Pitch As Senate Committee Polishes Excess Tax Bill Washington, Dec. 12. Senate Finance Contmittee is ex- pected to spend all this week pol- ishing up its version of the cor- porate excess profits tax which will be unveiled early next week. Mean- time, Eric Johnston, prez of Motion Picture Assn, of America, hoped that the measure will include two points he made in testimony before the committee on Friday (8). Johnston urged the Senate Comr mittee to rectify situations in the House-approved measure to take care of the industry’s frozen coin and theatre interests, which must be divorced. He said the House Ways and Means Committee agreed that the film industry position was just, and want^ to help, but that the bill as written fails to cover the two situations. “In the motion picture industry,’* explained the MPA president, “many companies have been, or are being compelled, to separate their exhibition business from produc- tion ahd. distribution. This condi- tion was brought to the attention of the House Ways and Means Committee. The report of that com- mittee, in dealing with, the recom- putations of the earnings credit in the case of corporate reorganiza- tions, clearly intended to provide that in all such reorganizations, in- cluding those in which the acquir- (Gontinued on page 6) L; A. to N. Y. Steve Allen Lloyd Bacbri . Ray BqJger . Jack Garsoii ■ Ludwig Dbriath Dick Dorso Kirk Douglas Sally FoH^est Jack Gage Jules Green John Guedel Irene Hervey Miriam Hopkins Arthur. Kennedy Andrea King ‘ Wally Kline . Kenneth Later : .Art Linkletter Arthur M. .Loew James Mason Joel Preston Gwen Rickard Jerry Rosenthal Olga San Juan Spyros Skouras Walter Slezak ^ Harry Tyler Ned Washington Lew Wassermah W. B. Zoellner N, Y. to Europe Eric Goodhead Anna Neagle Rupert G. Someryell Herbert Wilcox Europe to N, Yi Alicia Alonso Marfy '^^Arrouge Bob Bromley Roy Bpultihg Martine Carol Edward Caton Lucia Chase Noel Coward Steve Crane Paul Godkin Leland Hayward Nora Kaye Jan Kiepura John Kriza Harry Lartigue Yvette Lebon Joseph Levihe Sana Marx Allyn McLerie James Mitchell Edward Molyneux Mary Ellen Moylan Dimitri Romanoff Norma Shearer Mrs. Sol C. Siegel Alexaiider Smallens Norma Vance Igor Youskfevitch W^dncsdoy, December 13, 195<^ PICTlinBS BM LOANS Warnei* BrosV has placed price lags on 32 theatres In the eastern area which the major plans to part witli in observing its antitrust suit Rowling Head Gohfidence : w h i c h a trio of i banks and an insurance company exhibited via . their giant money deal with. United Paramount Thea- tres this Week proved the biggest , uplift the industry has received j from outside finahcwl sources in ; the past several years. The j $45,000,000 credit established by i tjPT riot Only bolstered the morale of the entire industry but also had the effect of servirig notice on the trade’s detractors that the business hardly could be headed for any early demise. That the traditionally cautious 1 bariking institutions regarded a major circuit as a good investment also meant a greater sense of con- fidence for skeptics within the trade itself who suspected they j Were traveling On uncertain ground. Healthy finaricial state- merits from an industry concern al- ways are a helpful factor for the entire business. But the fact that . outsiders entrusted such a mam- 1 moth sum to a single operation was as heartenirig a development as could be hoped for, it was said. Narrowed down to the im- mediate deal, it obviously reflects UPT’s robust fiscal condition. ^^Theatre TV Is Bom^^ ■ Nathan L. HalpeFii ; n " a ■ an intarettlng tdiforiol foatiira In tha forthcbmlng iSth Ahniversary ISumher of J'^SaRlEfr Artists Alliance. Indie unit formed by Mary Pickford and Les- ter Cowan five years ago, w^as dis- solved on Monday dl) after seven months of negotiation. Cowan re- ceived all rights to 12 properties owned by AA in return for a cash payment to Miss Pickford and as- sumption of all the unit’s liabilities. Cowan also acquired Miss Pick- ford’s residual interest in the two films made by AA. They are “One Touch of Venus” and “Love Hap^ py.” Former may possibly show a profit eventually through reissues and foreign playoff, while the lat- ter appears fairly certain of wind- ing up in the biack, worldwide. Bank of America advanced the coin to Cowan for the payoff to Miss Pickford. The deal also re- leases him from a commitment for production of two pix to be deliv- ered by AA to United Artists. This provided a $50,000 producer’s fee to Cowan for each pic, plus 50% of the profits. The partners each threw six properties into AA whep it was or- ganized. Those which Miss Pick- ford contributed and to which (Continued on page 29' I Ben Goetz Due From England for M'G Talks Ben Goetz, Metro’s British pro- ; duction chief, is scheduled to ar- I rive from England Dec. 28 and ; leaves the following day for the j Coast. I Goetz will spend several weeks I huddling with M-G studio officials and also visiting with his son, Hayes Goetz, Metro producer. Mrs. Goetz accompanies him. Part of the credit; will be used to retire the circuit’s nreserit indebt^ edriess of $24;286,000. Huge money program means an availability of an additional $20,- 000,000 in cash with which to buy out theatre partners and, as has been strongly reported in unoffi- cial quarters, acquire the Amer- ican Broaclcasting tele network, or to otherwise expand in TV. Regardless of how the money is used (UPT states it is earmarked for “general corporate purposes”), the immediate effect of the new borrowings will be a hefty saving in interest rates. Present indebt- edness of $24,286,000, which is slated for retirement, carries an intere.st rate of 3\2%. This is in the form of a $17,500,000 loan (Continued on page 31) Wald-Krasiia Buy ^‘Rain^’ Screen rights to Somerset Maugham’s “Rain” were ac- quired this week by Jerry Wald and Nornian Krasna. Lester Cowan, who obtained the rights from Mary Pickford in dissolution of their Allied Artists indie unit, received $100,000 from W-K, part in cash and part in deferments. Pro- ducers received all rights to the original Joseph Schenck- United Artists film (1932) and the stage play, Cowan has also made a deal for Elmer Rice to re-do his 1929 play (subsequently a Sam- uel Goldv^’^n picture), “Street Scene.” Producer, who also obtained the property in the A A dissolution, hopes to refilm it as “Street Scene 1951.” Chicago, Dec. 12, Balaban & Katz circuit, in a move [ apparently designed to escape the ' two-week playing time proviso of the Jackson Park decree^ is ex- pected "to turn over management and booking of its United Artists theatre here to the house’s co- owner, the UA Theatre Circuit. B&K will retain its interest in the theatre, however. Circuit, which was once the king- i pin of the Chi exhibition system, [ has been gradually reducing the . number of its downtown theatres; I Switch in management of the UA will leave the circuit with only three Loop operations, the Chicago, Roosevelt and State-Lake. B&K also Owns the Garrick, W’hich has been shuttered since' last summer because of a lack of product. According to Tom McConnell, at- torney for the Jackson Park the- (Continued on page 25) « Formation of a new U. S. dis- tributing company patterned along the line of the Selzhick Releasing Organization was disclosed simul- tanepusly in New Xork and Lon- don yesterday (Tuesday). Part- ners in it are Ilya Lopert, Sir Alex- ander Korda and, a groiip headed by Robert W* Dowling, president of the City Investirig Co., big New York real estate, firm. To be knowri as Lopert Films Distributing Co„ new setup Will send its initial plc; Herbert Wil^ c o X ’ s Anna. Neagle-starrer, “Odette,” into release in Feb- ruary; It will handle the Korda product In the U. S., starting with a group of seven films, and will also take on other British, Eu- ropean and offbeat Hollywood pix. New setup, which already has some art theatre holdings, Wdll en- large its circuit, Dowling said yes- terday. He refused to name towns, except to point out it will operate a house now building in Syracuse, Rather than set up an exchange system. Lopert, who will serve as prexy, 'plans to follow the SRO lead in riaming reps in a number of key cities. They will handle all important bookings, wdth lesser tail-end accounts possibly being sold by one of the established dis- tribs. SRO’s residual selling is han- dled by Eagle Lion Classics. Lopert said he had made no approaches to any company on this problem yet and was , not entirely certain how it would be handled pending further study: Likewise, he said he had not determined how many regional sales reps he’ll have: SRO (Continued on page 31) See Continued Delay In Reachine Accord RKO Gets Rome Court OK to Seize ’ RKO homeoffice foreign depart ment has been advised that the i major’s Italian subsidiary has been ' given court approval in Ronte to seize the original version of “Stromboll,” subject of dispute be- tween the company and producer 1 Roberto Rossellini. | Film was being distributed in ! Italy by Union Films of Rome, i which claimed to have obtained I the rights from Rossellini. Latter has charged that RKO, when it re- ceived the film in Hollywood, I edited it to the extent of impair- ing its entertainment value, The RKO version Is now tied up in cus- toms.:':- ;■ Both the Council of Motion Pic- ture Organizations and Theatre Owners of America are deter- mined to bring their differences to a head with minimum additional delay, fearing that a continued state of indecision could prove al- most as detrimental as the ulti- mate possibility of their abandon- ing peace efforts. Meeting between the Ned E. Dcpinet committee , representing COMPO and the TOA group head- ed by Ted R. Gamble, held in N. Y, last Thursday (7), was represent- ed as an “informal preliminary session” at which not too much was accomplished. The lack of defi- nite actiori apparently Was caused by the absericc of two members of the pepinet group. Harry Brandt, president of N. Y.’s Independent Theatre Owners Assn., and an offi- cial representative of Allied States Assn, both failed to show. It ap- pears that Depinet wanted the lat- (Continued on page 6) PRODUCERS BRANCH TO BE SPirr BY ACAD Hollywood, Dec. 12. ^ Reparation of preseiit producers hranclv into executive arid produ- branches was approved by Academy board of directors, to lake effect after the next Oscar <1orl)y. Reparation was proposed by ncpvly-formed Producers Guild, '' Inch persuaded the Academy that ''oiking producers should have tiK‘ir oAvn section, not to be ihclud- executives and» other Of- n('ials. However, procedure for pi eseiitation of the Oscar for best PK'liire will be changed In upcom- jng awards affair as suggested by I'od ucers G u i Id le .i. ders. Actuall v, Piaiducer of the winning film will Jlei the^ Oscar under the new s.vs> L'ln. with studio getting a dupli- caie. The Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rotes prevail Copy and space teserYations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 19 154 W. 46th St. HOUYWOOt) 28 6311 Yucco St, CHICAGO 11 612 N, Michigan Ave. LONDON, W. C. 2 8 St. Martin's f loea Trofalgor Squora 'SUBSCRIPTION' TELE GETS BAIBOURN NIX Tororito, Dec. 12. “Subscription” television stands little chance of success, in the opiriion of Paul Raibourn, Para- mount Pictures veepee. While riot merttiohing Phoneyision by name, he said he doubted that any scram- bling device could defy the “ih- yeritive genius” of the average 18- year-rbld. Raibourn’s thought clear- ly was that home viewers would soon latch onto the knowledge of how to make set adjustments lo unscramble the signals vvithoiit fear Of beirig billed by the spon- sors. I Speaking before the Canadian i Television Glonference, Railboijrn declared the average family is pay- ing $100 annually for a TV set purchase, installation and service. Seen as further explaining the drop in theatre attendance Was his comment that home audiences are giving 10 of their 30 leisure hours weekly to TV viewing. When ra- dio first became popular, he added^ it took six to seven hours of leis- ure time at home. WecliieBday, December 13^ 1950 Incroased flexibility periods of neighborhood outlets • ciricr oc a nifl" booking of major circuits is shaping as a neuver to . bolster the bbxoffice. Instead of the automatic threerday- fpur-day week, or five and two, viiicfiever happens to be custo* ma)ry^ chains are. awaiting the tial returns oh a film before de- ciding the extent , of its playing tinie,'. While runs at the showcases al- most invariably are determined by the film’s income from day to day, nabe spots in past have been dis- in ciinecl to change their sched- iiles regardless of business. If they operated on a split week, they ad- k ered to t he timetable and . rarely extended a riin or cut it short. General feeling has been that the public had,grown to a pew show on a given day,- and any change in the .sked would be confusing and commercially detrimental. . New thinking, however, is in- clined to change in opening dates as dictated by business conditions. Specificallv. when the pic stands up at the b.o., it stays. Three or four-day booking is not likely to be .'Shortened if revenue is slight, but extensions of the , run are. on the increase where business is strong. . • Most recent evidence of the new exhibitor attitude came to the fore in N. Y.’s metropolitan area, where the RKO nabe spots held 20th- Fox’s “All About Eve” an extra day. This nieant opening the new show a day later, in violation of cu.stom. Additionally, the same circuit is considering full-week runs in some situations which are now operating on a five-day-two- day basis as an experiment. RKO has played pix for a full-week, but only .sporadically, such as with "Joan of Arc.” Independents in the area also are testing the. idea. If it works well, obviously it will become permanent policy. SoHfhern Callfornto Ixhibifor Sherrill Cl Corwin •numerotes Mvtral propoialt on how to Recapture Some of Those Former Film Dollars on oditorial footuro in tho fortheoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^fHETY ing company received or will re- ceive less than substantially all of the properties of its predecessor* the acquiring company would have the right to use the base period l earnings of its predecessor or an [ equitable allocation of apportidn- I rhent thereof.:. • • i I "Unfortunately the language is i ' not broad enough to include the i tvpefe of reorganization which have been or w'ill be affected by mem- bers of this industry, ... It is there- : fore respectfully urged that the : sub-paragraph be enlarged ' and , clarified in order to give effect to the intended and desired result.” Johnston then explained that ' many of the, film companies have their earnings blocked in foreign countries, and added: 1 *Tn, accordance .with . the lawv these eompahies have deferred the ! inclusion Of such foreign currency in their gross income until it be^ comes available in dollars. It would obviously be unfair to ex- clude this foreign blocked currency in computing the taxpayers’ base period earnings credit and at the same time include it in excess prof- its net income in aiiy excess profits I year when it may fortuitously be- : come available in dollars. I “The Ways and Means Coinmit- I tee, arid the House itself, recog- ' ^ nized the equity of our position. In : ! the bill, as it comes over to the . Senate, is a provision to deal ! specifically with this vital problem * ; . How- I ever, additional language W'as add- ed which w'e feel might W'ell negate the primary purpose of the amend- ment.” Johnston asked clarification of this. At Least 6 Months Added life Tktpiiblic’f Sg1*f Y««pc« James R. Grainger . deplorcf Exhibs^ Slowdown on . Shoivmdnship on* of fho many editonor features In the forthcoming 45th Anniversary Nnmber of TOA' JERSEY AU, ID BACKS NSS IN TRUST SIHT Allied Theatre Owners of N. J. has come to the defense of Na- tional Screen Service in the lat- tcr’s antitrust battle with a group of Philaclelphia exhibs. Organiza- tional bulletin, signed by Wilbur Snaper, president, of the N. J. unit, declared the group’s general re- lation.ship with NSS has been “good.” Exhibs having difficulty with NSS were urged to visit the Allied unit’s ofl’ice whore adjustments would be sought. CoLBd.UptoI3 Proposal that Gplumbia Pictures’ board be increased to a maximum of 13 instead of the present top of , 11 was approved by stockholders i who attended the company’s annual meeting held at the New York ' homeoffice Monday (11). Resolu- tion w’as okayed by proxyholders | of''biQ^]^ed ciut^ representing 550.971 shares. Those ; ■ holding only 21,390 shares dis- I : sented. Move to hike the board’s ; numerical size reportedly stems : from the management’s desire to ; broaden the panel’s scope by add- [ [ ing top businessmen from other ' industries. I AVhen steps to amend the firm’s certificate of incorporation are, • completed to enable the board in- , rrea.‘;e. it’s expected that Lewis S. j Rosenstie.1, board chairman and prez of Schenley Industries, Ino., , : will be named to the group. Other I new dmector has not as yet been : designated, but he’ll be "some out- i .standing personality, who will add strength and prestige” to the conv Existing nine-man Coluriibia board was unanimously re-elected. Of some 583.579 shares represented by proxy, at the session, 580,615 were voted in favor of another one-year term for the nominees, ' Shares outstanding amount to 655,- ! 788. There were no ballots cast ! {igainst, the candidates. Renamed; were prexy Harry Cohn, exec vee- ^ pee Jack Cohri, A. Schueicler, yee- • pee-lreasurer; Leo M. Blancke, ! Nate B. Spingold. ad-pub veepee; ; Continued firom page S ter on hand especially so that Al- lied's views on a compromise ar- rangement would be obtainable on the spot. TOA’s proposal for extended COMPO board representation was given to Depinet a few weeks ago, it was said. The hope now is that Bogs Ai^. Deal v» Buenos Aires, , Dec. 5. Aft er almost two years of hard negotiating, any pact to permit the entry of new American pictures into Ai’gentiria now appears to be i definitely, bogged down by the in- sistence of the government’s En- tertainment Board that the U. S. must accept a specific number of ’ Argentine films for distribution by American companies. Twenty ' : pictures is the number most often , mentioned, this native product preferably to be at a fixed amount in dollars per picture. Actually, all the two years spent in confabs ; appears to have brought only an ' ■ agreement oh the economic basis ; "on which Yank pi.x were to enter ‘ Ar.gentina. i While the Argentine govern- ment months ago ; apparently okayed a pact to renew U, S. ini- ■ ports and a transfer of a substan- . tial part of film company earnings, it now appears that nobody repre-- senting the U. S. in the. huddles took into consideration objections orbit the two sides will be able to get . by the Entertainment Board or the Presidential press secretarist. Back ■f Uncertain war situation gave at least six months of additional .life to the Motion Picture Export Assn, yesterday (Tuesday). Metro, set to pull out of the co-op distribution agency in Japan, agreed to go along with the nine other member com- panies in extending MPEA opera- tions there until the end of 1951, thus assuring the organization’s continued exi.stence. Had Metro pulled put in Japarf at the conclusion of the present licensing period next June 30, other companies, would have been forced for competitive reasons to follow, as they did in Germany. Result would have left MPEA with so little territory remaining to it, ^ its demise would have been yir- tually certain. Metro’s plan to strike out on its o\vn was given to the MPEA board, meeting under the chairmanship of Eric Johnston, in New York yester- day. Session was for the purpose of coming to a deci- sion as soon as possible on whether or not the companies would con- tinue under MPEA in Japan. They feel they need all the time possiblo to start setting Up their own or- ganizations in order to be prepared to operate on their own by next summer. MPEA was organized by the mii- jors immediately after the War to handle problem territories. That included seven- Iron Curtain coun- tries, four occupied countries and Holland, and the Netherland East Indies. Irving Maas was switched from aSvSistant foreign chief of 20th-Fox to general managership of ]MPEA, and has continued in that post ever since. Currency and political restric- tions have cleared lip more speedily than was originally ex- pected, except in the Iron Curtain lands, where, of course, they’re praclic.ally hopeless. Holland was the first to move out from under the MPEA' umbrella, follow'ed by Germany and Indonesia. .Since virtually nothing is coming or can be expected from the Soyiet lands, all that will be left few days the TOA togetfier within the next for a final showdown on plan. Reps of the alKbut TOA)-indus- try organization and tlie theatre outfit are said to be wary of dam- aging effects if the controversy is considerably prolonged beyond this point. TOA leaders want an early decision because any series of indecisive meetings might cause unrest among members in the field who’d be wondering "what’s going Abe Montague, sales veepee; Don- i on in N. Y.” ITOO Warns on NSS Suit Columbus, O., Dec. 12. Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio last week joined, several other exhibitor organizations in warning its membership of possi- ble pitfalls which would confront them if they intervene in a Phila- delpliia antitrust suit against Na- tional Screen Service. Action was bi'ought in Federal court last month by three exhibs who later formed the National Independent Motion Picture Exhibitors Pro- tective Committee. . .Secretary P. J. Wood cautions in the current ITOO bulletin that "it is riot generally regarded as sound po’icy to cpriirnit one’s affairs to the uncontrolied discretion of strangers’” Bulletin, also points out that until the suit is found to be legally and ethically sound "our members can afford to wait and observe.” Hundreds of independ- ent theatremen have been invited by the Protective Committee to Join in the litigation. aid S. Stralem. Henry Crown and Arnold M, Grant. Meet’s business was disposed of in a brisk 25 minutes after the con- clave was called to order at 10 a.m. by secretary Charles Schw'artz. Un- like some previous stockholder gatherings, there were no vitriolic, discussions from the floor although Schwartz repeatedly urged the shareholders on hand to speak up. Sole query came from a Mr. Roscnfeld, who wanted to know why prexy Harry Cohn never at- tened the company’s annual meet- ings. Schwartz explained that "Mr. ■ Cohn was very busy with produc- tion" and frequently was : Unable to spare the time. He added, how- ever, that it was untrue that Cohn "never attended”, for he has ap- peared at some in the past. Mr. Roserif eld seemed to be satisfied and had no further question. Before adjourning, firm of Price, : Waterhouse & Co. Was approved as Columbia’s auditors and outside ac- counlant.s. Vote was 577,908 with On the other hand, Depinet and his associates in COMPO will be handicapped in other organiza- tional matters until the TOA issue is decided and COMPO is free t6 set its course. Unrest among COMPO’s other members also is a possibility so long as the board representation persists as an is- sue. Sitting in with Depinet last Thursday Nvere William F. Rodg- . ers, Metro sales ycepee, who rep- resented the distributors; Robert of all this is an influential faction which owns a 'heavy stake in the principal local film sUiidos. MPAA’s Slant This 20-picture guarantee situa- tion has been nixed from the out- set by the Motion Picture Assn, of America. The association’s at- titude has been that nobody should be foi'ced to buy what is not needed or can't be used. How- ever, the Entertainment Board in- sists this condition be made an underlying proviso. This insistence on 20-tilm arrangement can easily bog down the whole deal, Joaquin Rickard, MPPA rep for Latin- America, has had some sharp ses- sions with Ernesto cle Olivera. En- tertainment Board assistant direc- tor, with this guarantee the core of all debates. Another development may break up the whole settlement. Reports that Ministers of Finance, Treas- I ury and Economy were offering their re.signa,tions over a dispute W, Coyne, COMPO's general conn- , railway workers’ strike sel, and, Leo Brecher, repping Metropolitan Motion Picture The- atres Assn. Gamble was accom- panied by S. H. Fabian and Gael Sullivan. : French Settlement Continued from piigc 4 might moan starting all over again, if new men take over at the top level.' Rickard ri^^hlcd a report that Paramount vvas. .seeking a deal ' similar to the one , made recently Art i st s . alio w in g t h c m a limited number of . by United to import their pix; to MPEA after Japan will be Korea and Airstria. Decisions regarding Korea must obviously await war developments, but the country has always been included by the film companies in the Japanese opera- tion. Austria is also likely to leave the IMPEA stand ne.xt year. Member companies have granted licenses to the co-op to handle their product in Austria only until next Aug. 31, and there’s a good chance that ,will be the end'. MPEA operates physical service organizations for the jnember com- panies in Germany. Holland and Indonesia. It is possible that it will continue on some such abbreviat d basis, although it wouldn’t in that case need the highly competent exec staff that Maas has developed. . Metro’s desire , to got on its own results from the feeling that the iMPEA wa.s only a temporary post- war expedient and that the com- panies should enter- into regular commcreiel competition as quickly as possible. For the moment, at least, the change away from MPEA will not mean any added coin. All t hat is now being obtained from Germany and Japan are grants troip the Economic Cooperation Administration and the Dept, of Defense, respectively. It . is not ex- pect ed that conversion m a rks and yen w i 11 be years. was organized of 'earned permitted Aides Set due on the back payments, ol onw'qOT^har^a^l^srj^C^hm^^^^^^ ; cleat otinis iana n, i ^eeu paid at the time of the agree- ; out by Eagle Lion covering presided kt the conclave although ber of British; films. iSchwaidz to all practical purpp^s I xvoc fo U ■ i20th-Fox de^l with , conducted the affair. Those on the ! ?-oe pie-1947 com Mas to be , ^ . nrnrinpiinTi ! dais, were Schneider, Montague -Pa id in 16 quarterl^^ installments as. capital investment, for s,6me • This means that earnings from MPEA was organized under the , such films would stay in Argentina W.cbb-Pomercne act, which permits for re-invcstmcht as capital. A y. S. firms to join tocether for deal of this kind has been worked I Local publicity chairmen for Brotherhood Week, Feb. 18-25, covering seven additional areas, have been named by Max E. Yoiingstcin, in charge of promot- ing the observance. A ppointed were Frank La Falce, W )rner Bros., Washington; Charles M. Pincus, Intermountain Thea- tre.«. Salt Lake City; John Hesse, "WB, New Haven; 'rhornton Sar- gent. National Theatres, Los An- gele.s; Bob Moscow, Rialto Thea- tres, Atlanta; Jack Matlack, J. J. Parker Theatres,- Portland, Ore., and William T. Hastings, RKO Qrpheum Thentre.s, Denver. and Spingold. About 40,‘:Odd indivi- duals attended. Following the stockholders’ meet, the directors convened and re-elected the entile present slate of officers. They are: Harry Cohn, prez.: Jack Cohn, exec veepee; Schneider, ' veepee - treasurer; Scinvartz. secretary, and Montague, B. B Kahane, Spingold. J. A. McConville, Louis J. Barbano and Lester Roth, veepees. ! Following a meeting held in I New York last w-eek. Technicolor’s , board declared a 50c per share j dividend payable Dec. 27 to stock- I holder.s on record Dec. 15, at the rate of 119 francs to the dollar. French government per- mitted seven of these payments to be made and then blocked any further remittances to all com* panics except Universal, RKO and Warner Bros. It maintained that the others I had already exceeded their per- mitted . remittances by various means, pistribs imiiiediiTtely pro- j tested this interpretation. Mc- i Carthy’s trip resulted. The $500,000 differential left iii . France under the new McCarthy deal will be Iran.smittable later at _ the less favorable present rate of [350 francs to the dollar. local studios of films in still bogged down. However, the company lias at la.st got the greenlight, for release Cf "Iron Curtain,” Argentina: being the last country Outside the “cur- tain” to lift a ban on the pic. U'nited-.Arti.'jt.s also has had the ban lifted on "Monsieur Verdoux.” join together for i Operations outside of the country, a num- , U e.\empts these activities from the anti-trust laws. Par Joihs Ballyhoo In Crosby ‘20th Year’ Fete Paramount is joining Columbia Broadcasting, Decca R e c o r d s , Famous , Music and Chesterfield cigarets in plugging January as "Bing Crosby Moi.th,” in obsery- ance of thje singer’s 20th year in shoiv businc.s.s. CBS plans include a special one- hOur program in tribute to Crosby* with performer.^- vvlio have made recordings With him to participate. These include the Andrews Sistcr.s, Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald. Bang-Up Trend Hollywood, Dec. 12, Universal-International started a fu.sillade when it shot "Winchester ’73.” the tale of a repeating rifle. Noy^Warners is coming out with "Springfield Rifle” and Columbia Special campaign is being set by has registered "Remington Rifle” .Chesterfield, the perfonner’s radio and "Remington Gun.” sponsor. Hollywood, Dec. 12. Largest membership turnout in recent years overwhelmingly gave the Screen Writers Guild's execu- tive board the authority to call a strike against any or all producers if producers refuse to negotiate a liew basic agreemeht in line with Guild demands. Vote was 493-3. Resolution authorizing a strike, if necessary, rejected proposals of producers in recently broken-off negotiations, particularly clauses relating to separation of rights, niinimum wage scales and tele- vision rights. Leonard Spigelgass culled for pledges for strike fund to be used only if and when strike is called. Total of $96,500 was pledged, in sums ranging from $2,000 down. tin New York yesterday (Tues.), the Authors League of America, parent body of the SWG, voted unanimously to support the guild’s strike action. League resolution declared; The Authors League has long been committed to the principle of a separation of rights. It there- fore firmly commends the SWG for standing firm in its demands for such separation and pledges whole- hearted support by the League of any action that may be necessary to achieve these demands.”) Meeting got underway a half- hour later, with prexy Karl Tun-r berg tracing history of negotiations for a, new pact to replace the 1942 agreement. Basic issues of dis- agreement were separation of lights, television, minimum sala- ries, advertising and billing, al- though latter wasn’t brought up in producer confabs. Tunberg said the producers first okayed separation (Continued on page 29) Order Requiriog Pic Cos. to Show Records Salt Lake City, Dec. 12. Seven distributor plaintiffs in the percentage action against S. L. Gillette and Associated Amus. Co. succeeded in upsetting the U. S. district court order of Nov. 1, which required the companies to produce all film rental records in the entire Salt Lake area for the past nine years. Following argument by dis- tribs’ attorney, Edward A. Sargoy (& Stein), of N. Y., Judge Willis W. Ritter decided that hundreds of theatres other than those operated by the defendant in the area were strangers to the fraud claim and Irrelevant to the litigation. The ruling, if sustained, would be an important precedent for all distribs in all other percentage case.s throughout the country, ac- cording to film attorneys. Exhib de- fendants in such actions often seek rental records covering a whole ter- ritory and covering a lengthy pe- riod. LOEWS. INC., PREXY Nicholas Sehenck tf reqlisHe that T he National Economy Most Directly Affects the Filmgoing Habits on Infertsting tditoriol feoturt In the forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^fHETY Coplan in U.S. to Set . .^iih his Intemational Film Dis- tributors committed to a larger program in 1951, David H.. Coplan has arrived in New York to scout lor independent U. pix for re- in Britain. IFD, which takes piany indie American films wheth- er niacie in U. S. or Europe, is handling “Black Jack,” Julien ^uvivier production; “Rapture,” jnadc in Italy, and N. Peter Rath- af T Torch.” “Rapture” opens ai N Y. Trans-Lux 60th Street the- today (13). here, Coplan will confer in. indie producers on possible P^P^hction in Britain. Orig- .C^*3^sics was to have ^ project, rp I who .also heads Times vision, Inc., recently arranged ; 'thereby some «6 British- Ir'itJli ^ysCery films will be re- Smrif the U. S, by; i^teiiing Television Co. i Allied Squawk St. Louis, Dec. 12. Allied States president Trueman T. Rembusch and treasurer Charles Niles yesterday (11) met in the Melbourne hotel with the officers and board of directors of Mid-Cen-r tral Allied to discuss “flagrant vio- lations” by distributors of rights of independent exhibitors in the mid-rcentral area. It was brought to the attention of Rembusch and Niles that pic- tures are being “illegally forced,” that the distributors are perpetuat- ing clearances that are unlawful, and, furthermore, the independent exhibitor is being discriminated against as to the availability of, prints and playdates. It was also brought out that promises of the general sales man- agers made to the national Allied’s committee, of which Niles is a nnember, as to flat rental selling, are not being adhered to in mid- central. The abuses revealed were “so rampant” that Rembuseh im- mediately appointed Niles to col- lect personally the information on any and all abuses of the recent court decision in the Paramount case. Rembusch further advised every Allied member to register his complaint to Niles. Specific com- plaints to be Investigated by Niles are: 1. Exhibitors cannot buy picture by picture or buy selectivity;. 2. (Continued on page 31) OLD CRQUCHO-KKASNA LEGIT AS BENNY PIC Hollywood, Dec. 12. Film version of the Groucho Max’x-Norman Krasna legiter, origi- nally known as “Time for Eliza- beth” and later as “April Fool,” will he made by the Wald-Krasna unit at RKO as “Story for Grown- Ups” with Jack Benny starring; Addition of “Grown-Ups” makes a total of 10 completed scripts in W-K story bank. Others are “Cow- poke,” “Clash by Night,” “The Harder They Fall,” “USO Story,” “Blue Veil,” “Girl Wanted,” “Ex- clusive Model,” “Size Twelve” and “the Middle of the Night.” Eye Latin Market For Yma Sumac Fix Hollywood, Dec. 12. New indie unit was formed here by Mrs. H6len Rathvon' and Leith Stevens to produce a series of pic- tures starring Yma Sumac, Peru- vian songbird. First filin will be shot in Spain, in Spanish, aimed chiefly at the Latin-American market. Second will be made in Peru, in English. Series wilLbe financed by N. Peter Rathvon. New Orleans, Dec, 12. Possibility of a national exhib- itor-owned television system which would reach pix houses in all parts of the nation was described' by Trueman T. Rembusch, president of national Allied States ASs’n, before members of the Gulf States divi- sion, meeting at the Hotel Roose- velt here Wednesday (6). The proposed system, now under study/ would make TV available to hundreds of small towns which Would never have it otherwise, Rembusch said. The plan’s possi- bility depends upon getting for the- ! atre use the TV channels 2,. 3, 4, 6 and 6 VHF (very high frequency) how used by broadcasters. “We are not trying to steal broadcasters’ frequencies,” he asserted. “They are going to be forced to quit those channels anyway.’’ He said that means the some 8,000,000 TV sets now in use across the nation will be useless within a few years. ; “Radio and TV broadcasters have tried to conceal this,” he told dele- gates. “But opinion of those whb know, including engineers of the FCC, is that TV must move up to the UHF (ultra high frequency). Receiving sets now in use cannot be converted to receive UHF With any measure of Success, he stated. That TV must move up to the UHF portion of the radio spectrum was reiterated last April by Wayne Coy, FCC chairman, Rembusch declared. Stating that these developments mean that VHF must eventually be vacated by television broadcasters, Rembusch added that theatres must (Continued on page 17) Del Giudice Arrives In N.Y. to Negotiate Distrib on 8 Italo Pix U-l y««p in Chorgt of Production WilUam Goetz it onothor who's strong for New Fades ond detoils whot U-l it doing obout it * * ... on interesting editorlol feoture In the forthcoining 45th Anniversary Number of P^niETY Uives Pk to Tell Filippo del Giudice, former head of J. Arthur Rank’s Two Cities Films, planed into New York Mon- day (11) from Italy for a two or three-month U. S. stay. While here he plans to negotiate Ameri- can distribution deals for eight Italian pictures and also to lecture on the “film crisis” confronting the world. Del Giudice’s U. S. arrival was delayed for a number of weeks due to the redtape surrounding the McCarran Act. Reportedly, the producer is one of the first private Italian citizens to be permitted entry since passage of the law. Onetime Rank filmmaker has no production plans at the moment. But when he re-enters the -field, Del Giudice said, he will concen- trate upon artistic subjects. Pro- ducer, >vho left Britain at the end of 1949 because “certain circum- stances made it impossible” for him to film pictures of the kind he likes, charged that the current in- dustry crisis stems from turning out stereotyped pix and ignoring the mature audience. . In the future, Del Giudice main- tains, the production branch of the industry would do well to film more “persuasiye. themes.” By get- ting away from “stereotyped” stories, he feels, we will be adapt- ing ourselves to ncAv modes of the population. In the producer’s be- lief,' TV is unimportant if we stress an intelligent approach. His ' aim, he declared, is to prove that [ there is “very great business for ; artistic pictures as long as they i are shown to the right people,” Hollywood, Dec, 12. Douglas H. Schneider, chief of- the Mass Communications Depart- ment of . UNESCO, is making a pitch for the cooperation of film studios, producers and writers in the work of acquainting foreign peoples with the advantages of American democracy. Schneider, who recently returned from Paris, declared that films are more pow- erful than books or sermons in solving racial, religious and other problems in all parts of the world. To date, he has held conferences with Dore Schary, Frank Capra, Stanley Kramer, Robert Stillman, Collier Young, Ida Lupino and Valentine Davies. PAR HITS 2-YEAR PEAK WITH 7 HLMS SHOOTING Hollywood,* Dec. 12. Production on the Paramount lot during the next two months will be the heaviest in two years, with seven features slated to start and four holdovers in various stages of filming. Two December starters will be “When Worlds Collide” and “The Submarine Story.” Teeing Off in January will be “My Favorite Spy,” “The Rage of the 'Vulture,” “Cross- winds” and “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Early in February, William Wyler starts “Detective Story.” Four currently shooting are “Here Comes the Groom,” “Fort Savage,” “Rendezvous” and “That’s My Boy. . Despite the current war scare, the major film studios presently planning production of pictures overseas are going full speed ahead with their plans. While not overly-optimistic about the world political situation, they figure that so long as the Goverpment doesn’t clamp ah embargo on their activi- ties, it’s safe to continue shooting abroad. At least one indie producer, on the other hand, who had intended lensing a pic on location in Italy, has apparently decided that dis- cretion is the better part of aur thenticity and has transferred his shooting activities back to Holly- wood. Indie is Ernest Pagano, who is turning out “The Hypo- crite” for Casa Productions. Not even the majors, of course, are contemplating any production in the Far East because of the Korean fighting. Metro com- pleted its “Kim” in India last sum- mer, with the film now going into release. Twentieth-Fox is cur- rently lensing “Kangaroo” in Aus- tralia, which is considered outside the war zone. For the time being, those will be the only pictures to be iCnsed in that part of the world. Good Risks Otherwise, both M-G and 20th, which at the moment are the only two companies with product either planned or now before the cameras in foreign countries, figure their investment in those pictures is worth the risk. Besides getting an opportunity to put their frozen currency to use, both studios also have studios in England which carry a hefty overhead whether they are in operation or not. Metro (Continued on page 78) ft. Stay on the Lot As Overhead-Saver, Par Tells Its Indie Prods. Hollywood, Dec. 12. In a concrete step to keep studio overhead down, Paramount is re- quiring aP ndies releasing through it to shoot all future pictures on its lot. Only exceptions, Y. Frank Freeman reported in admitting new policy, will be where firm buys an already completed independent, as in case Of “At War With the Army.” Pine-Thomas current contract permits headquarters off the lot and unit will remain at General Service Studios through 1951, when it’s expected neW policy will be en- forced with expiration of pact. Indies currently affiliated with Paramount are Wallis-Hazen, Perl* berg-Seaton and Cecil B. DcMille. As Long As They Gry Minneapolis, Dec. 12. Shying away from the word “damiied,” the Plaza theatre in,, nearby Burlington, Wis., gsve the picture ^-The Damned Don’t Cry” a changed title “so as not to offend any of the citi- zenry.” On its canopy arid -ih'^tbei'"*^ advertising it billed the film as “The Darned Don’t Cry.” Somervell Back to Eng. After Signing U S. Pact Rupert G. Somervdll, undersec- retary ; of thei British Board of Trade, returns to England today (Wednesday) on the America after a 12-day visit to the U. S, He was guest in this country of the Mo- tion Picture Assn, of America. Somervell last Wek signed oq ■ behalf of the British governrnent j the new Anglo-U. S, agreement, which will be administered by his department, His time was spent in j Washington and New York meeting with various industry execs for a better understanding of their prob- lems. Team Caulfield, Niven In Indie’s ‘Lady’ Hollywood, Dec. 12. Joan Caulfield and David Niven will co-star in “This Lady Says No,” the first of three pictures to be made in 1951 by the new indie outfit, Ross-Stillmah Productions. Filming starts Jan. 16 at Car/ mel, Cal., with Ross as producer. WB Theatre Staffers In N Y. H.0; Meet More than 30 Warner theatre staffers are slated to attend a zone managers meeting to be held at the circuit’s New York homebffice tomorrow (Thurs.). Harry M. Kal- mine, prez and general manager of the chain, will preside. Film buyers and h. o. execs will also be on hand. Zone managers attending will be James Qoston, Chicago: Nat Wolf, Cleveland; I. J. Hoffrnan, New Haven; Frank Damis, Newark; Charles A. Smakwitz, Albany; Ted Schlanger, Philadelphia ; M. A. Silver, Pittsburgh; George A. Crouch, Washington, ; and Ben H. Wallersteirt, Hollywood. Balaban, Freeman In . ^ Briskin Policy Hudclle Hollywood, Dec. 12. Barney Balaban, Freeman and Paul RaibouTn visited Sam Briskin at latter’s Palm Springs home over the weekend, discussing Para- mount’s production and policies for coming year. Briskin, recovering from a virus attack, will remain at the Springs for another week. Both Balaban and Raibourn returned to N. Y. , , < • . 'v • * 1 i t • V Y ‘ I t I i FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Halls of Montezuma (COLOR) Hollywood, Dec. 11. Twentieth.Fox ■ler production. Stars Richard Widmark; features Walter aacK) Palancc, ReS najd Gardiner, Robert Wagner, Karl Maldem Richard IWton, ^ Richard Roo^e. SWp Honfieier, Don Hicks, Jack Webb, Bert Freed, Neville Brand. Directed by Lewis Milestone. W'rltten by Michael l^ankfort; camera (Technicolor), Wimon C. Hoch, Harry Jackson; music, Sol Kaplan; editor, William Reynolds. Tradeshown Dec. o, 50. Running time, 113 MINS. , w<.i.«o..ir Lt. Anderson . Richard ^Wdmark Pigeon Lane ..... . . Walter Sgt. Johnson .......... Regmald CoRman Gorpox'al Gonroy Richard Hylton Lt. Col. Gilfillan . ........ .Richard Boone Pretty Boy. ... .......... Skip Homeier Lt. Butlerfield. . , Don Hicks Correspondent Dickerman ; . . . .Jack .Webb Slattery Bert breed Sgt. Zelenko Neville Brand - Nurse . Marion Marshall Private Whitney Nomura . .............. . v ^ - Phlhp.Ahn Capt. Makiho. . . . . . . , .Howard Chuman Romeo . Frank. Kumagai Capt. McCreavy Fred Coby Capt. Seaman ; • • .Paul Courier Marion Marshall li seen briefly as a nurse. Philip Ahn, Howard Chuman and Frank Kumagai cx^ pertly limn the Jap prisoners. Robert Basslers production framing rings with realism and in the technical phases: he has given the film experts to assure the values. Theres only one minor flaw' — a number of abrupt scene cuts. Winton C. Hoch and Harry Jackson did the ace lensing job, and Fred Sersen contributed the smart special photographic effects. Bol Kaplah's music score makes telling use of the stirring Marine Hymn and other martial cleffing. Brog. Pharmacist’s . Mate . Frank . Corpsman .... Radioman ... Marine Guard Paskowicr . . .. . '.Davis ........ Recruit .... Aunt Emma,. Ship’s Captain. Lees Jack Lee . Fred Dale . . Chris Drake George Conrad Harry McKim . Bob McLean William Hawes . Roger -McGee Clarke Stevens , . Helen Hatch . .Michael Road Twfentieth-Fox has a rugged war film in “Halls of Montezuma.” There’s a fine patriotic note struck in the account of Marine heroism during the fierce South Pacific fighting of World War II, plus a generally smart commer- cial handling that gives it a favor- able boxoffice outlook. . Principal marquee assets are Richard Wid- mark and Technicolor. Rather than a presentation of mass battle, film deals intimately spark to At with a small group of Marines ! that should under the command of Widmark and how it fulfills a mis.sion to take Jap prisoners for ques- tioning. Footage is long, 113 min- utes, but after the slow, 22^minute character establishment, the pace and tension are such that Is no feeling of great length. At War With the Arniy (SONGS) Hollywood, Dec. 12. Paramount release of Abner J, Gresh- ; ler-Fred F. ' Finklehoffe production,. S^ars Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis; feature.s Polly Bergen^ Directed by Hal Walker. Written by Finklehoffe; based on a play by James • B, Allardice; camera. Stuart Thompson; songs, Mack David and Jerry Livingston. ^ Tradeshown Dec. 7, ’50. Running time, 92 MINS. Sgt. PuccinclU . ........... .,.De.an Martin Pfc. Korwin, . , . . ..... , , .... . . Jerry Lewis Sgt , MeVey ^ , .. Mike Kellin Eddie . . .. ^ « Jimmie Dundee Pokey . . , . . ... . , . , i ... . .... Dick Stabile Cpl. Clark ; 'Tommy* Farrell GpL Shaughnessy. Frank Hyers Sgt. Miller. . : . Dan Dayton Capt, Caldwell. .William Mendrek I Lt. Davenport, ........... Kenneth Forbes Pvt. . Edwards i .Paul Livermore : Lt, Terray Ty Perry I Millie . Jean Ruth Mrs, Caldwell. . ...... . . . . .Angela Greene . Helen : -Polly Bergen ! Colonel Douglas Evans I Doctor Steve Roberts } Orderly . ............ . A1 Neglo ; Bartender .Dewey Robinson Showcasing of the vocal talents of Dean Martin and the hilarious comedy of Jerry Lewis gives a War with the Army” return a handsome i profit at the boxoffice. It’s a corn- ball affair that cuts the cob down ; to the quick for the gags and situa- I lions 'that continually belt the risi- jbilities. ! Film was turned out inde- there ' pendently . by Abner J. Greshler 'and Fred F. Finklehoffe and then Michael Blankfort’s script and i taken by Paramount for release. Lewis Milestone’s direction carry Production quality reflects the a lot of authenticity. There are no i comparatively small budget, but bravado heroes, only men who have the courage to face their grim job and come through suc- cessfully. Aiding the stamp of realism are integrated actual war clips, plus the fullscale, simulated battle exercises lensed at Camp Pendleton. This footage gives a great specta- cle to back up the intimate account of Widmark’s fighters, shots feature flashbacks to ac- quaint the audience with the Ma- rines as civilians and show their Strengths and weaknesses. After entertainment merit more than j makes up for what may be lacking jin the physical trappings, particu- I larly when Lewis is carrying the ball. Finklehoffe also scripted, bas- ing film on a play by James B. Allardice. Legit origin is appar-^ ent, as pratically all of the Scenes are played off in single settings. Opening | Locale of the plot is an Army base. With Lewis in the tailored role of a sad sack who can do nothing right. Martin plays a , conniving first sergeant as foil for the Lewis a straight-line plot of , combat as the group is assigned to capture prisoners, so a Jap rocket base can be located and destroyed before they hit the beach, however, it’s ! shenanigans as the loose writing ' rambles along setting up situations !for songs, a dance and comedy. Opening montage seqeunce needs trimming, and the first tune, it wipes out the Marines’ amphibi- “Beans,” is stretched too long, but ous assault. after this is out of the way, pace Individual performances brought i set by Hal Walker’s direction out by Milestone’s direction all '. doesn’t lag. There’s actually not click. Widmark is exceptionally \ much story to tell, so he does well to give a seemingly good pace to good as an officer who masks his fear and encourages his men to face death. Reginald Gardiner adds some lightness as a Marine sergeant who scoffs at regulations; Karl Malden stands out as the pharmacist’s mate who, in his own inarticulate way, chronicles a message that explains the reason for the war. Bert Freed is an- other registering as a tough fighter who sets up his private still in each foxhole. Among the many others giving most able accounts are Walter (Jack) Balance, Robert Wagner, Richard Hylton, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier, Doii Hicks, Jack Webb, Neville Brand. There are two femmes in the cast. episodes. Lewis* with the tinue as Miniature Reviews <*Hal]s of Montezuma” (Col- or) (20th). Solid World War II melodrama of Marine action in the South Pacific. ‘'At War with the Army” (Songs) (Par). Martin & Lewis in screwball comedy. Good biz outlook. “Grounds for Marriage” (Songs) (M-G). Pleasant com- edy sparked by Van Johnson and Kathryn Grayson. “The Redhead and the Cow- boy” (Par). Western-localed spy melodrama. Good names but only fair entertainment. “The Second Face’* (ELC). Weak drama of a girl who re- juvenates her features through plastic surgery; for duals. “Sierra Passage” (Songs) (Mono). Fair combination of minstrel show flavor with western chase action. “Frontier Outpost” (One Son g) (C o 1). Satisfactory Charles Starrett entry for oat- er followers. “The Naked Heart” (British) (B-L), Michele Morgan, Fran- coise Rosay drama limited for U. S. dates. “king of the Bullwhip’^ (Realart). Just fair program western with Lash LaRue, Al St. John. “Highly Dangerous” (Brit- ish) (GFD). Despite Margaret Lockwood, Dane Clark in starring roles, meller rates only mild boxoffice outlook. “You Can't Fool An Irish- man” (Bell). Poor Irish come-r dy strictly for Hibernian audi- ences. Oroiiiifls for Marriage (SONGS) Hollywood, Dec. 12. Metro release of Samuel Marx produc* tion. Stars Van Johnson, Kathryn Grajr* son; features Paula Raymond, Barry Sul- livan. Lewis Stone, Reginald Owen. Di- rected by Robert Z. Leonard. Screenplay, Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr; story, Samuel Marx; camera, John Alton: music score, Bronislau Kaper; editor, Frederick Y. Smith. Tradeshown Dec; 6, '50. Running time, 89 MINS. Dr. Lincoln I. Bartlett ..... Van Johnson Ina Ma.ssine. ..Kathryn Grayson Agnes Oglethorpe Young. .Paula Raymond Chris Bartlett Barry Sullivan Dr. Carleton Radwin Young. Lewis Stone Mr. Dolacorte .Reginald Owen Dr. Engelstaat Richard Ha&cman Stella Theresa Harris Cab Driver. Guy Rennie ''Rodolpho” Richard Atekisoh Narrator ....Milton Cross “Firehouse Five Plus TW'o’' . . . 'rhemselves Rapture “Rapture,’* Italian-made with English dialog, which opens at the 60th St. Trans-Lux, N. Y., today (Wed.), was reviewed in Variety from Rome, May 9, 1949. Reviewer Tubb rioted, “the first film of Goldridge, Inc. (David M. Pelham, Jojjin Shepridge, Robert Goelet, Ji\), it has a decidedly Italian flavor with an eye to American audi- ences.” Review also stated: “lacking in top stars and pro- duced on a modest budget, it should be an interesting, un- usual film in lesser first-run and nabe houses.” Review continued; “it should earn word-of-mouth comments in the states as well as Italy and Latin countries.” * Yarn deals with an American artist w!ho runs out of inspira- tion in Italy until he finally comes , across a beautiful, but mentally ill gal, with whom he falls in love and uses as a model for a .statue. Cast is headed by American actor Glerin Langan and Swedish actress, Elsy Albion: Film is being released in the U. S. by Eagle Lion Classics. comedy licks come first “Beans” sorig and con- he frustrates sergeants and commissioned officers with general ineptness. Martin is in for a song, “Tonda Wanda Hoy,” later reprised by Lewis when he skips the base disguised as a blonde siren. Third Mack David- Jerry Livingston number is vocaled by Martin and Polly Bergen in a re- cording booth scene. There’s real fun and a telling mastery of pantomime in Lewis’ reaction to the script situations. As a. team, Martin & Lewis score [solidly with a ^takeoff on Bing ‘ Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald, and Lewis’ solo dance is a wow. While it is Lewis’ show, MartiL ^ets over strongly and there are several stout assists from other cast num- bers; Among these are Jean Ruth, a dumh-dora Who sets off ohe stririg of events when she seeks Out Mar- tin to break a date because she is now married. She has much more footage than the featured Polly Bergen, as does Angela Greene, as the wife of William Mendrek, post captain. Mike Kellin, Jimmie Dundee, Tommy Farrell, Frank Hyers, Kenrteth Forbes, Paul Livermore arid Douglas Evans do their share in setting up the chuckles. Okay lensing by Stuart Thomp- son and musical direction by Joseph Lilley are anong the tech- nical credits. Brog. Tlie Redhead and the Cowhoy Hollywood, Dec. 7. Paramount releose of Irving Asher pro- duction. Stars Glenn Ford, Edmond O’Brien, Rhonda Fleming; features Alan Reed, Morris Ankrum, Edith Evanson, Perry Ivins, Janlne Perreau, Douglas Spencer, Ray Teal. Directed by Leslie Fenton. Screenplay, Jonathan Latimer, Liam O’Brien; based on story by Charles Marquis Warren; camera, Daniel L. Fapp; editor, Arthur Schmidt; music score, Da- vid Buttolph. Tradeshown Dec. 5, ’50. Run- ning time, 12 MINS. GU Kyle ...Glenn Ford Dunn Jeffers, . . . . . . , , .Edmond O'Brien Candace Bronson. .......Rhonda Fleming Lamartine Alan Reed Sheriff Morris Ankrum Mrs, Barrett Edith' Evanson Mr. Barrett Perry Ivins Mary Barrett . Janine Pcri'eau Perry ................. Douglas Spencer Brock Ray Teal Captain Andrews . . . . ; . . , . . . , Ralph Byrd Munroe . King Donovan Gus ........................ Tom Moore preem “The Micltown the- pec. 23, with others of the ‘Goldbergs’ Preem Paramount will Goldbergs” at the atre, Philadelphia, Gertrude Berg and cast * joining in the celebration, 'Miss Berg and the other per- formers will be in the town three days prior to the opening for, local radio arid television appearances, and ballyhoo. Pleasant comedy and good music shape “Grounds For Marriage” as an entertaining film for general release. Situations in which the principals are involved in the farc- ing are not particularly new, but writing, direction arid playing give them a slick presentation that Will find favor. And there are several highlight sequences that will rate strong guffaws. Van Johnson is a young nose and throat specialist, engaged to the daughter of his associate, but still pursued by his ex-wife, opera singer Kathryn Grayson. Latter is a determined young lady who in- tends to get her man back from Paula Raymond and goes about the task with a pleasing pertness that is spiced by her vocalling of three numbers. Johnson registers ably as the pursued male. “Hymn to the Sun,*’ an excerpt from “La Boheme” and a funny dream sequence using “Carmen” scenes take care of the more clas- sical musical portions. For a pop note, the Firehouse Five Plus "Two bats out. some razz-ma-tazz and “Charleston,” with Johnson doing the ^rations On the latter. Johnson doing both tenor and baritone, \yith dubbed-iri voices, to Miss Grayson's Carmen, while Mil- ton Cross narrates, sharpens the dream sequence. Miss Grayson’s Mimi, aided by Richard Atekison as Rodolpho in “La Boheme,” is beautifully . done. Another high spot, for comedic effect, is John- son^s lecture DU the common cold, delivered while he fancies, himself catching one from a draft. Direction nevrir lags under Robert Z. Leoniird’s handling, and he points up the bits of business to be found in the Allen Rivkin- Laura Kerr script. Dialog coiries off neatly, and several gimmicks, such as Miss Grayson's loss of voice, add to the , general pleasant affect. Helping sell the comedy are Miss Raymond. Barry Sullivan, the toy-manufacturing brother to John- son; Lewis Stone, Miss Raymond’s father; Reginald Owen, opera im- presario; Richard Hageman, Theresa Harris and Guy Rennie. Samuel; Marx did the story on AvWch script was ba.sed as well as giving the production presentation a pleasing gloss for John Alton’s cameras, Johnny Green swung the baton over the Bronislau Kaperi score, and the excellently staged opera excerpts ' were handled by Vladimir Rosing. Brog. A spy hunt, laid in the West during the closing days of the* war between the States, sets up the ac- tion melodrama to be found in “The Redhead arid the Cowboy.” The outdoor flavor is good, as are the marquee names, providing some help to head it for average returns in most situations, al- though entertainment value is not always satisfactory. Story has a tight-lipped unfold- ment, the terseness being carried to the point of obscurity as both characters and audience are kept in the dark by the step-by-step de- velopment, However, method of telling generates suspense and had not plot fallen apart near its cli- mactic stage, overall effect would have been good. Rhonda Fleming is the redhead of the title. A southern sympa- thizer, she is .detailed' to carry a message through to the leader of Confederate forces waiting to at- tack a gold train. Glenn Ford is the cowboy, intrigued by the red- head and also needing her as a witness to clear him of a murder rap. When she starts her tour of spy stations, he . chases. They Oc- casionally catch up with each other long enough for some adult ama- tory didoes. (joing along with the cowboy on the chase is Edmond; O’Brien, undercover Union officer who helps Ford and Miss Fleming so he can get to the Confederate leader. This buildup holds inter- est over the course until Alan Reed comes on as the rebel chief. The ten-twent-thirt Style of de- livery is entirely out of keeping with the good flavor maintained J up to that point by Leslie Fenton’s^ direction, and story weakens by having Reed a discredited officer who aims to keep the gold and tll6 @£^1 The three stars rate themselves well in the top roles, and there are a number of other good per- formances, including M o r r i s Ankrum, Edith Evanson, Perry Ivins, Janine Perreau, Douglas Spencer and Ray Teal, the latter pair as Union mercenaries follow- ing the three principals on the long chase through rugged west- ern country. Fenton spots several strong, suspenseful action sequences in directing the Jonathan Latimerr Liam O’Brieh script, based on a Charles Marquis Warren story. Irving Asher’s production achieves an excellent outdoor flavor, shown to advantage by Daniel L. Fapp’s lensing. Brog. The Second Face Eagle Lion Classics release of Ed\yard J, Leven production. Stars Ella Raines, Bruce Bennett, Rita Johnson. John Sutton; Patricia Knight. Directed by Jack Berri- hard. Screenplay and story, Eugene Vale; camera, Paul Ivano; editor, Chris Nyby; music, Raoul Kraushaar. Tradeshown, N. Y., Dec, 7, ’30. Running time, 77 MINS. Phyllis Holmes......!......... Ella Raines Paul (Curtis . . . . . . . , . . . . . Bruce Bennett Claire Elwood. . Rita Johnson Jerry Allison... John Sutton Lynn Hamilton ... .... . . ... .Patricia Knight Allan Wesson Roy Roberts Mrs, Lockridge . . . . ...... . . , . Jane Darwcll Mr., Hamilton. .. . , . . . . ... . .Pierre Watkin “The Second Face” is a modern- ized version of the Ugly Duckling which shapes up mainly as support- ing material for the duals. Film recounts the troubles of an un- attractive businessgirl who unsuc- cessfully; tries to advance herself both romantically and economi- cally. Unfortunately, the story seldom becomes believable despite Valiant efforts of the cast. Gbod exploitation,, howeveiv n^ay help the b.o. : Secretary Ella Raines, who also is a talented dress designer, is blighted by an unsymmetrical nose and other unbecoming facial fea- tures. Although .intelligent, she heightens her, physical disadvan- tages* by dowdy' attire and a bristly hair-do. She has an unpleasant life, indeed, filmgoers are told through flashback. Miss Raines is aware that she’s the “plain” type and studiously rebuffs any or all males whom she suspects of pitying her. She wants a genuine love, not a love of con- descension. When an auto acci- dent mars her face -still further, some mysterious outsider hires a plastic surgeon to improve unon nature. ■ With her newly acquired beaute- ous profile. Miss Raines starts a quest* to find the annonymous ‘Trince Charming,” for she's con- vinced that his motive in shoulder- ing the bill was entirely due to his love for her alone. Benefactor turns out to be novelist Bruce Bennett, her onetime employer, and both agree to share e^ch other’s destinies without further qualms. While it's true that a pretty face is a decided asset to a girl, still a homely girl in real life couldn’t possibly have suffered the amount of brushoffs and insults that scrip- ter Eugene Vale conjured up. Af- ter all, there’s such a thing as iact, which appears to have been over- looked by, most of this picture’s characters. . Cast in a role that most actresses certainly wouldn’t go out of their way for, Miss Raines does the best she Can under the circumstances* Bennett gives a dignified inter- pretation as the writer. Rita Johnson is rather artificial as a designer with whom, , the Ugly Duckling shares ah apartment. John Sutton scores as a cad while Patricia Knight impresses in a brief bit as a “love thief.” Sup- porting players include Roy Roberts Jane Darwcll and Pierre Watkin. Direction of Jack Bernhard is fairly good in view of the difficulty of making such a plot plausible. Paul Ivano’s camerawork stands up favorably as does the musical score of Raoul Kraushaar. Producer Ed- ward : Leven wrung maximum physical values out. of a modest budget. Gilb. $»ierra Passage (SONGS) Hollywood, pec. 11. Monogram release of Lindsley Parsons productioi^. Stars Wayne Morris; features Lola Albright, Alan Hale, Jr., Roland Win- ters. Lloyd Corrigan. Directed by Frank McDonald. Screenplay, Warren D. Wand- berg, Sam Roeca, 'Tom W. Blackburn: camera. William Sickner; editor, Leonard W. Herman; music score* Edward J. Kayj songs. Bobby Bums, George Howe, Charles Dixon; Max Goodwin, Hugo Peret- ti, Herb Pine. Previewed Dec. 8, ’50. Run- ning time, 80 MINS. Johnny Yorke .Wayne Morris Ann ................ .. a . Lola Albx*ighl; ■Yance Alan Hale. Jr. Sam Roland Winters Thad King .Lloyd Corrigan Jud Yorke. Jim Bahnon Andy . . Paul McGuire Young Johnny Yorke .Billy Grey Bart Richard Karlan Sheriff George Eldridge This is a folksy combination of western action and minstrel show life that will find Its best playoff in the smaller family situations. Pace is leisurely and script is in- clined to gab over the 80 minutes of runnirig time, but overall pre- sentation is pleasant enough to get by in the intended market. Roland Winters arid Lloyd Corri- gan, minstrel show operators, adopt a small boy when his father is killed by robbers. The boy grows up into Wayhe Morris, nor- mal except for his plan of ven- geance. Winters, show, sharp- shooter, has taught Morris all the tricks of the trade and made him a star of the traveling troupe. As the show roams through the west, Morris continually searches for his man, Alan Hale, Jr., and is certain he. will find him. Script skips through the chase motivation, with Morris just missing his prey on too many occasions before fi- nale finds him — ^not gunning the man down, but only crippling him so he can no longer ply his side- line gambling. Score is scattered through with typical period minstrel tunes as well as three newer numbers, two of which haye been published. Trio falls to Lola Albright, member of the minstrel troiipe who ends up. (Continued on page 25) Operation X “Operation B r i t i s h - made, which opened at Loew’s State, N. Y., Saturday (9), was r e V i e wed in Variety from London, June 28, 1950, under its original title, “My Daugh- ter Joy.” Produced and di- rected by Gregory Ratoff; film, starring Edward G. Robinson, Peggy Cummins and Richard Greene, was tabbed by review- er Myro as being “a vague and insincere piece of entertain- ment wbich cannot expect, more than moderate returns from the borne market and barely merits a place on the American screens.” Pic revolves around a finan- cial genius (Robinson) and his affection for his only daugh-., ter (Miss Cummins), whom he eventually learns was not fathered by him. Greene por- trays a y o u n g Ainerican re- porter who exposes Robinsori’s financial career and falls in love with the daughter. Film is being released here by Columbia. P^IETY Wednesday, December 13, 1950 The perfect action-romance story for ROBERT MITCH- UM and JANE RUSSELL* A John Farrow Production, with VINCENT PRICE, TIM HOLT and CHARLES Mc- GRAW* Produced by Robert Sparks. Directed by John Farrow. Jack H. Skirball and Bruce Manning present BETTE DAVIS and BARRY SULLIVAN in a powerhouse fam- ily drama, with JANE COWL, KENT TAYLOR, BEHY LYNN. Produced by jack H. Skirball. Directed by Curtis Bernhardt. # THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS ; %. W'A • # Striking drama of a girl prisoner and of life '^outside^', starring LIZABETH SCOTT, JANE GREER and DENNIS O^KEEFE. Produced by John Houseman. Directed by John Cromwell. VICTOR MATURE, TERRY MOORE, WILLIAM BENDIX in high-tension action melodrama. Produced by War- ren Duff. Directed by Ted Tetzlaff. Wednesday, December 13, 1950 IS IT HUMAN OR INHUMAN? I WILL IT DESTROY US ALL? BliPip I®*'- Showmanship at its exciting peak! A fearsome, thrill- ing, out-of-this-world exploitation special! Players to fit hitherto unheard-of roles! Produced by star-maker Howard Hawks. Directed by Christian Nyby, A Win- chester Production. DANA ANDREWS, CARLA BALENDA,. CLAUDE RAINS in the exciting sea-spy and romance melo- drama made from the best-selling novel and Saturday Evening Post serial by Edmund Gilligan. Produced by Warren Duff. Directed by Alfred Werker. : •• ; • • IjJ'IvX’I'X'X'l’t'M'.'W''’" m "''Kfi' ■ rfti in., , '‘TiiHi ®i|l« Down-to-earth comedy with up-in-the-sky songs. Star- ring FRANK SINATRA, JANE RUSSELL, GROUCHO MARX. Produced by Irving Cummings, Jr. Directed by Irving Cummings. ■■■■' ■ ■■■■ - .■ V" ^ ■ ,S . %, /_ S*<* sv. y, /.'.'X'.'.'.v '.v.'.s-. y. ' .1-'4V " ;■> ■ I >:s ^S P^^S Ifeclnesclay, December 13, 1950 '.s>V ■^- ^ . w ? MY FORBIDDEN PAST Dark deeds and sultry romance in old New Orleans. Starring ROBERT MITCHUM, AVA GARDNER, MEL- VYN DOUGLAS, with LUCILE WATSON, JANIS CAR- TER. A Robert Sparks-Polan Banks Production, Di- rected by Robert Stevenson. S-''- i?' r % lij ."■\'V.: •A; '•>#?.- # BEST OF THE BADMEH •’^''s^V*-*»'»*-'IS *-'»?-'0 *' V A highest-bracket Western in color by Technicolor. Starring ROBERT RYAN, CLAIRE TREVOR, JACK BEU- TEL, ROBERT PRESTON, WALTER BRENNAN. Directed by William D. Russell. Produced by Herman Schlom. it. >0 s' ■.S'.'.V.'.'.S'.' /X, 1 . w gfts ««ss STtMNhIMAPP^^ OPERATION "0” A rousing, big-scale, up-to-the-minute drama of air and ground-force war in Korea, much of it filmed in actual locations in Japan and Korea. Directed by Ted Tetzlaff. Big cast to be announced. iPSaftg^ BjgfflUttl CRY DANCER Olympic Productions, Inc./ presents q crackling mys- tery melodrama starring DICK POWELL and RHONDA FLEMING, with RICHARD ERDMAN, WILLIAM CON- RAD, REGIS XOOMEY, JEAN PORTER. Produced by Sam Wiesentfial and W. R. Frank. Directed by Robert Parrish. t ^eJnesday^ Decemli^r IS, 1950 ^SJC &^SSm Sm •» ' w^k-^\. ^ !i ■ '4 •V ■§r^>xv/ /;;,*.‘ 5 t*.*.s».%; ■:; ''W' ? ■ ••••'^# ' ; > / - - * . ' ■ , ' ' s ; : - CA' •• 1 SONS OF THE MUSKETEERS Fiery romantic adventure at its Technicolor best. Star- ring CORNEL WILDE, MAUREEN OmRA, with ROBERT DOUGLAS, GLADYS COOPER, BLANCHE YURKA. Produced by Jerrold T. Brandt. Directed by Lewis Allen. \ 2 I MARRIED A WOMAN v* .. %vX*.'.v ^ » V. •w ^ The man who thought he was marrying an ''angel" married just a woman! Bright, modern romantic com- edy from the brilliant pen of Goodman Ace, famed wit and master of smart husband-wife repartee. 7 m ipSK i Bjg m 3& COWPOKE \ ^<7 h mm The screen's first big drama of the cowboy of today! Rodeo realism plus the life-drama of a man fighling for his place in a changing world. A Wald-Krasna Pro- duction, Directed by Robert Parrish. m ¥ - 4 •AT.VA • -'M MOTHER OF A CHAMPION if# WT V ... The Filmakers uncover the inside drama of big-time tennis. CLAIRE TREVOR and SALLY FORREST starring in an Ida Lupino Production. Produced by Collier Young. Directed by Ida Lupino. BSP •/. •■<.. , •< f <. Wednesday, December 13, 1950 -A y '.'iis ’‘iW ijsHfisvy It# (r4#wl ' ©W.D.P, - ALICE IN WONDERLAND WALT DISNEY'S triumph! All-cartoon musical comedy, with the voices of ED WYNN, JERRY COLONNA, STERLING HOLLOWAY, RICHARD HAYDN, KATH- RYN BEAUMONT. Color by Technicolor. rr=■■ MACAO <■ ■■ Adventure in the wickedest corner of the Orient. ROB* ERT MITCHUMy JANE RUSSELL, WILLIAM BENDIX, THOMAS GOMEZ, GLORIA GRAHAME in a biqst of action produced by Alex Gottlieb. Directed by Josef Von Sternberg. Wm'^ A,; .'liiSiiW.* * ■ » MWi ttii ’iiii »> -y c ' • Lirs SEE THE CIRLS '•■ \ >1. ■ ■'' * jS > y York last week on the America, he declared that Britain’s dollar position has mate- riallv improved and if general eco- nomic conditions hold up. Holly- wood should be able to secure remit lances in excess of the $17,- 000 000 as specified in the current onc-year Anglo - American film Hirremnent. However, the exec cautioned that the outlook is only brigid “provided something dras- tic” doesn't happen. Tlicalre business, Kent observed, is ahead of last year’s, principally due to the improved quality of both lU'itish and American prod- ncl, Favorable weather has also been a factor in upped grosses. He pointed out that television is no problem for British exhibitors for the country has but two stations and llie sets in the hands of the public are relatively few. Kent discounted recent trade re- ports that the British film industry is facing nationalization. He re- flected that these rumors occur from time to time but nothing ever actually develops. In Britain since the first postwar years, the film topper is recovering from a back Injury. He goes to the Coast Dec. IB and plans to stay in the U. S. about 10 weeks. . Theatre TV Preem In Canada on Fuzzy Side Toronto, Dec. 12. First theatrical production of tel- evision in Canada teed off at the Imperial, 3,373-seater flagship of Famous Players (Canadian), with Norllt American premiere here of “Odette,” plus personal appearance of Anna Neagle, star of film, and Herbert Wilcox, its producer. On a 21-by-17-foot screen, this depicted the lobby reception of Mi.ss Neagle and Wilcox, together with interviews conducted by Bert Brown, FPC flack, and film crix of Toronto dailies. Screen reception was a bit fuzzy but, according to Wilcox, better than TV theatrical reception in Britain. Marked an- other distinction for Tom Daley, manager of the FPC flagship. Over 20 years ago he inked - the first sound film to be shown in Canada. Civil Service Tests An information specialist exami- nalion to fill positions in the inter- national information program (Voice of America, films, press, etc.) will be held in New York and Washington, it was disclosed yes- terday iTucs.) by the Board* of U.S. (Tivil Service Examiners of the Slate Dept. ^Salaries range, from $3,823 through $6,400 per year. Posts to be filled include those of radio dramatic writers, motion picture recording directors, radio and television program producers, film editors and kindred jdbs. These berths, according to the board, call for a “sound knowledge of current International affairs." Applicants should write or visit the board at 250 West 57th street, N.Y. Theatre TV » Continued from page 7 r ' ask for the current frequencias now. “If not, they will be gobbled by other industries," he pointed out. Rembusch said Allied has em- f) legal counsel to apply to iiie FCC for permission to appear H theatre hearing in the spring of 1951. 7 he Gulf States convention Closed Wednesday (6) with a ban- quet. Officers were elected in the oay s afternoon session. They are: . ^^eorge of Shreveport, La., me.sident; Abe Berenson of Gretna, vice-president; Harold Bailey, ew Orleans, secretary, and F. G. Vacherie, La., treasurer. Oil City, La., was ected chairman of the board of Five directors elected to toe-year terms were Berenson, 1 * C. Montgomery, New' Or- ' os; Claude Darcie, Morgan City, . and Kenneth Glddens, Mobile, CAL. EX-EXHIB HAS SOME IDEAS ON SHOWMANSHIP Santa Mateo, Cal, Editor, Variety: You must receive hundreds of letters each week on the subject, “What is wrong with show busi- ness?" So get prepared for another. Being what E. V. Durling would call a “young oldtimer," remem- bering a Mary Pickford pic I saw at the “Hik" in Fresno in the early 20s, I still have an ' autographed photo of “Horse” Heidt from the Grand Lake (Oakland) days, Fred Thomson westerns playing first-run at the American (Oakland) and a headful of memories that TV will never erase. I have come to the conclusion that the one thing miss- ing is real showmanship. For years the people have been presented with nice youiig men standing in the lobby who write a good hand, get the reports in on time, practice bowing three times each morning toward the main office, but never learning to say “no!" or saying “my customers w'ould like to see something differ- ent!". There must be something wrong. “The fish stinks first' from the head” is a saying A1 Finke of Portland, Ore., repeated to me many times when something went wrong in one of the houses I man- aged for him. Let the leaders of the industry get out of their corrals of “yes" men and take one square block in any townTn the good old U. S. A. house-to-house, door-to- door, that is where the bucks are, that is where the hibernating audi- ences are. There isn't much sense in asking $100,000-a-year men what is wrong with the business; they are putting lots of hours at their own trade, but the stock clerks, salesgirls and housewives are the ones who live in the big never- never land that wants, needs and craves entertainment. Let’s face it: show business must change to come up with the times or join the passing parade. The audiences haven’t stood still; should the theatreowners and operators? At the moment I am not active in the business, but have kept track through Variety. When the owners feel they wish to become associated with men who love, enjoy and want to help the business I will ask for a job (and so will hundreds of others). Until then they will just have to fight it out with the bankers, and those fellows are not kidding! Usko Eisenman P. S. This “old mossback" is 31 years old. Polio Drive May Revive Hat-Passing in Theatres Indicating a possible resurgence of audience collections in theatres, the National Foundation for Infan- tile Paralysis this month will ship 18,000 four-minute trailers to thea- tres throughout the U. S. for its March of Dimes campaign. Founda- tion hopes to achieve 100% cover- age in theatre collections, which dipped to $1,000,000 last year from the $6,000,000 obtained in 1945. Trailer, produced this year by Metro and featuring Robert Young, his four daughters and an 8-week- old polio baby, Is titled “An Im- portant Day.’’ It’s to be distributed by National Screen Service. Pre- ceding shipment of the trailers, Gene Custer, Charleston, W. Va., exhibitor, will write individual letters to all exhibs pointing out how theatre collections can be box- office insurance, since polio epi- demics have invariably forced the- atres to shutter. According to the Foundation, the biggest defection in audience col- lections has come from the major circuits. Small town and rural ex- hibs, it said, -have continued their plate-passing as part of their “com- munity service" functions. Legion Nixes ‘Sinners^ “The Sinners," French-made film which opened at the 55th St. Play- house, N. Y., last week, has been placed in the “condemned" cate- gory by the National Legion of Decency. The Julien Duyivier- written and directed picture, ac- edrding to the Legion, “glorifies illicit actions and contains material morally unsuitable for entertain- ment motion picture audiences." Lopert Films is releasing in the U. S. Three other pictures were handed a Class “B" rating. They in- clude “Kansas Raiders" (U-I), “Platinum Blonde" (Col reissue) and “Taming of Dorothy"- (ELC). PICTURES 17 Author-Comedian Tokyo’s New Variety Club B^iins Functioning; Other Tents Name Execs Sam Levenson reflects on Humor and Prejudice (The Wholesome Influence of the Quip on Bigots) * ♦ e one of the many byline features in the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^SSRIETY 4 TV COMMERCIALS SET BY PARAMOUNT Following through on its re- cently adopted policy of providing television trailers for its product, Paramount has packaged four TV commercials for each of five new pix. Two 20-Second spots and two one-minute clips are being made available for “Union Station,” “Tripoli," “Let’s Dance" “The Goldbergs” and “Mr, Music." Singing announcements by a girl trio are used in the “Dance" video copy. Gertrude Berg ap- pears in the commercials for “The Goldbergs," while the others are said to be likewise different from regular theatre trailers. Kbgs Dicker on 'Drums’ As AA Deal Falls Thru Hollywood, Dec. 12. King Bros, are dickering with several majors for release of re- cently completed Cinecolor indie, “Drums of Deep South." Maury King reported Allied Artists, which had been expected to handle, won’t get film because it didn’t come up to expected figure. \Film was an- nounced by Steve Broidy, Mono- gram prez. Sept. 5 as included on AA’s releasing slate of six. New releasing deal is expected to be finalized this week. Pic is initialer for newly formed King Bros, production of which Frank and Maury King, plus Herb Nussbaum were elected to board at first annual stockholders meet- ing over weekend. Officers are Frank King, prexy; Maury King, exec" veepee; Herman King, sales veepee; Arthur J. Steele of N. Y., Lionel Sternberger of Los Angeles, Joseph Cohen of Frisco, vepees; N u s b a u m , secretary-treasurer; Clarice P. Weeks, assistant secre- tary. Wallerstein Named B&K V.P.-Genl Mgr. Chicago, Dec. 12. David B, Wallerstein has been named v.p. and general manager of Balaban & Katz, succeeding the late Walter R. Immerman. Wallerstein joined the theatre chain in 1926. Since 1947 he has been v.p. of B&K’s subsid Great States chain, and has been divi- sion manager of central and south- ern Illinois and Indiana. He will retain supervision of Great States. *Snow Wine^ Due Soon With his Ray Milland starrer, “White Heather," recently complet- ed in Britain, producer David Rose also has another British-made film coming up for release soon. Picture is “Snow Wine," which he financed. Charles Vidor produced and direct- ed; Edward G. Robinson stars. Based upon an original by Hugo Butler and Ian McLellan Hunter, “Wine" was made in England last spring. Harry Kurnitz screen- played. ^"^Start Singing^ Mugg^^ By Allen Rivkin % if ft if an amufitng byline piece In the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^HIETY » t ^ « * k Tokyo. Tokyo .Variety Club, recontly or- ganized here with three former Variety Clubbers from U. S. as charter members, got off to a good start with its first charity benefit. Initial show was staged in the Tokyo Industrial Club and netted more than 300,000 yen ($800) for Japanese Red Cross Babies’ Home. Club is not yet focmally or- ganized but is negotiating with Variety International for recogni- tion. Group expects to make of- ficial application soon for affilia- tion. Acting Chief Barker is Leuwis $ush, Tokyo rep of British Commonwealth Film Corp., Ltd. Former Variety members from America are Lynn Cowan, Los An- geles; Norman Thomson, Philadel- phia, and Lawrence Ade, Washing- ton. Tokyo club includes both Japanese and Allied members. Latter are in the majority now but plan is to make organization pri- marily Japanese eventually. Bene- fit performance featured both U. S. and Nipponese talent. London Variety Picks Canvasmen London. The Variety Club of Great Brit- ain (Tent 36) has elected 11 new canvasmen to serve next year. The crew will be meeting within a fortnight to elect officers. At the request of C. J. Latta, the com- mittee has been widened to give it a greater Anglo-American flavor. Of the 22 nominated, the following were elected: C. J. Latta, Tom O’Brien, M.P.; Lou Wilson, Harry Green, Jack Hylton, W. J. Kupper, Jack Goodlatte, Charles L. Tuck- er, Max Thorpe, Sid Hyams and James E. Perkins. Herman Levy New Conn. Barker New Haven. Herman M. Levy, general coun- sel for Theatre Owners of Amer- ica, named Chief Barker for Vari- ety Club of Connecticut, Tent No. 31; replaces Ray Wylie. Other of- ficers elected are Ben Simons, first assistant barker; George H. Wil- kinson, Jr., second assistant bark- er; Henry Germaine, property mas- ter, and Sam Germaine, dough guy. Leo Rosen Albany Barker Albany. Leo Rosen, managing director of the Fabian Mohawk and Saratoga drive-ins, elected chief barker of the Albany Variety Club at a meet- ing of the new cre^. Rosen, ;one- time vaudeville pianist and night- club band leader, managed Warner theatres in Troy ‘ and Albany for years before entering the ozoner field. Other ’ officers for 1951 named are: first assistant chief barker, Charles Dortic; second as- sistant chief barker, Harold Gabri- love; property master, Nate Dick- man, and dough guy, Nate Winig. Meinhardi Heads St. Loo Tent St. Louis. John Meinhardi, district manager here for Fox Midwest circuit, elected barker of St. Louis Variety Club, Tent No. 4. Succeeds Joe Ansell. Other new officers are: first assistant barker. Herb - Ben- nin; second assistant barker, How- ard Zulauf; dough guy, Louis K. Ansell, and property master, Rich- ard Fitzmaurice. Hall Baetz Tops Denver Tent Denver. , Hall Baetz, Denver city district manager for Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres, was elected chief barker of Variety Tent 37. Others named were Wm. Hastings, first assistant barker; Duke Dunbar, second as- sistant barker; Ralph Batschelet, property master; Harry Green, dough guy. Murray Whiteman Buff. Barker Buffalo. Murray Whiteman elected Chief Barker of the Variety Tent 7 at the annual election. ()ther officers named are John G. Chinell, first assistant chief barker; James H. Eshelman, second assistant; Rich- ard D. Walsh, secretary; Robert C. Hayman, treasurer. Schwartz Picked by Cincy Again Cincinnati. Vance Schwartz remains as chief barker of Tent 3, Variety Club, for a second term. Elected to serve with him are Jack Finberg and Mel Martin, assistant chief bark- ers: Gaul Greenberg, secretary; and William Onie, treasurer. Anderson Again Heads NW Tent i Minneapolis. I nearly $500,000 for the University of Minnesota Heart Hospital proj- ect. Other officers named were Ben Blotcky and Bennie Berger as first and second assistant Chief Barkers; Tom Burke, secretary; and John Branton, treasurer. Frisco ‘Trio’ Sponsorship San Francisco, Dec. 12. Variety Club in this city will sponsor the local premiere of Paramount’s “Trio" at the Vogue theatre on Jan. 10, with proceeds going to the National Foundation for the Blind. Film, which has entered its ninth week at the Sutton, N. Y., has been booked to play the Vogue for a minimum of 12 weeks. Pinanski Hub’s Chief Barker Boston^ New England Variety Club, Tent No. 23, elected the following officers for next term: Samuel Pinanski, chief barker; Max Levenson, first assistant; Arthur Lockwood, second assistant; James Marshall, property master; Louis Richmond, dough guy. Oboler’s ‘Five’ Isl Post-Atom-Age Pic Hollywood, Dec. 12. , Arch Oboler has completed his indie picture, “Five," a tale of the post-atomic era, and is taking it to New York for a releasing deal. Film depicts a new world after civilization has been wiped out with- the exception of four males and one femme, a situation fraught with all sorts of dramatic possibili- ties. Entire picture was ma^e for $72,- 000 subscribed by Oboler and 30 of his friends. It was shot on Obo- ler’s ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, with Oboler function- ing as writer, director and pro- ducer. Cast consists of Susan Douglas, Charles Lampkin, Earl Lee, James Anderson and William Phipps, all newcomers. Mono’s Lind Back From European TV Study Lloyd Lind, Monogram Pictures’ exchange supervisor, returned to New York last week on the America after three weeks in Britain to study new developments in tele- vision there. He said the check was made merely to keep the company informed as to new technical ad- vances in video. Exec will report .his findings the end of the month to prexy Steve Broidy. Among others who arrived on the same ship were Mrs. Clive* Brook, wife of the actor, and Buster Crabbe. Latter had been abroad for seven months with his “Aqua Parade" unit. After a short stay in N. Y., he launches a South Amer- ican tour in January. Initial stop will be in Rio de Janeiro Jan. 15. Crabbe said he has no plans for re- entering films, preferring to con- centrate upon his water spectacle. Hallmark’s Meet Chicago, Dec. 12. More than 500 Hallmark em- ployees from all parts of the U. S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America and. Europe are scheduled to attend the company’s 1950 worldwide convention to be held here at the Stevens hotel, Dec. 16-21. Conclave will bfe the sixth gathering since the firm was founded in 1944 in Wilmington, O. Prexy Kroger Babb has named Murphy McHenry, public relations director in Hollywood, as general chairman of the convention. Jack Thomas, Hallmark veepee-general manager, will preside at business I sessions, while national sales man- ager Hank Adams will head up meetings of zone managers. RKO^s Toronto Meet Toronto, Dec. 12. RKO lineup of 32 features for release in 1951 was detailed by sales chief Robert Mochrie at a meeting of the major’s Canadian distribution managers yesterday (11) at the King Edward hotel, Toronto. Session, in effect, was a re- enactment of the N. Y. meeting of last week, when announcement of Northwest Variety Club direc- rs here reelected A. W. Ander- fho. hnc rflispd I RKO prexy Ned E. Depinet. W^ilnegday, December 13, 1950 P^^IEff PICTURE GROSSES 1$ ‘IQiler’-Elliiigtoii Slow at ‘Raiders’ 16G; ‘Solomon Chicago; Dec. 12. Gontinued bad weather and .iiu- merous bread-and-butter entries keeping Boop pinned down this fnme Chicago entry of Killer ©’' stalked^ New York" ^ plus nuke Ellington band and Sarah Vaughan onstage is heading for filovvT $40,000. “Mad Wednesday Ind “Texan Meets Calamity Jane fc Pointing for slim $11,000 at Pal- ace mo^bill of “Southside 1-1000" and “Surrender” has mild $10,000 foroGast at Roosevelt. Woods, bringing in lesser fare for ore- Yule, has its slowest open- ing session gross in many weeks, With mere $16,000 in sight for “Kansas Raiders.” Rel^ue ^ of ♦'Gilda'’ and Platinum Blonde should snare okay $11,000 or close at United Artists. “King Solomon’s Mines” contin- ues slandbut in third week at Grand, with rousing $13,000 in sight Oriental second-weeker, “Two Weeks With Love” plus 3 Stooges and Eileen Barton onstage, is aiming for minor $28,000. State- Lake holdover of “Miniver Story” and “Emergency Wedding” is down to $11,500 in second round. World’s “Macbeth” con- tinues steady $3,000 in fifth week. Estimates for This Week Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 55-98)— “Killer That Stalked New York” (Col) and Duke Ellington orch, Sarah Vaughan onstage. Slow $40,- 000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col) and Gil Lamb and Mary Small topping stageshow, $35,000. Grand (RKO) (1,200; 55-98)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk). Solid $13,000. Last week $ 15 , 000 . Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 55-98) — “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and 3 Stooges, Eileen Barton, Skyr larks onstage (2d wk). Minor $28,- 000 . Last week, $42,000. . Palace (RKO) (2,500; 55-98)— “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) and “Texan Meets Jane” (Col). Slow $11,000. Last week, “Room Serv- ice" (RKO) and “Show Business” (RKO) (reissues), $10,000. Roosevelt (B&K) (1,500; 55-98)— “Southside 1-1000” (Mono) and “Surrender” (Rep). Dull $10,000. Last week, “Two Flags West” (20lh) and “Admiral Was Lady” (UA) (2d wk), $11,000. State-Lake (B&K) (2.’700; 55-98) —“Miniver Story” (M-G) and “Emergency Wedding” (Col) (2d wk). Mild $11,500. Last week, $15,000. United Artists (B&K) (l.'/0(); 65- 98)— “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Co)) (reissues). Okay $11,- OOO. Last week, “Petty Girl” (Col) and “Midnight and Dawn’- (Col) (2d wk), $10,000. Woods (Essaness) (1,073; 98)— “Kansas Raiders” (U), Nsh $16,000. Last week, “American Guerrilla” (20th) (4th wk), $8,000. ' ^ World (Indie) (587; 80)— “Mac- beth" (Rep) (5th wk). Solid $3,000, Last week, $3,200. ‘Dance’ Lively $1 3,000, I., ‘Joan’ NSG 9G, r Okay $11,500 , Cleveland, Dec. 12. Let’s Dance” is cutting Up some f^ancy figures for Lbew’s State despite inroads made Yule Shop- crowding department stores. ^Between Midnight and Dawn” is dQihg middling trade at Hipp but “Deported” looms okay. Dial 111 9” looks thin at Stillma^. Estimates for This Week „^Allen (Warners) (3,000; 55-75)— Deported’? (U). Okay $11,500. Last week, “State Secret” (Col), good $13,000. . (Community) (704; 55- V5)— Outrage” (RKO) (2d wk). Average $3,500 after getting $4,200 stanza. iWarners) (3,700; 55-75)— ^Midnight and Dawn” (Col). Barely passable ^14 000. Last week, “West Pom. (WB) (2a wk), fine $14,000. (RICO) '(3^300; 55-7^)— (RKO). Rather/mild ImoQ “Jackpot” (Fox), “I (Doew’s) (3,450; 55-75)— 1 • ^3»ce” (Par). Nice $13,000. Solomon’s $17b00 excellent “TS,V'???^!,Doew’s) (2,700; 55-75)— Dill 1119” (M-G). thin $6,000. (Vr .‘‘Toast New Orleans” (3d wk>, $5,000. ' '• Estiinatef Are Net Film gross Estimates as re- ported herewith from the vari- ous key cities, are net, i.e., without the 20% tax. Distribu- tors share bn net take, when playing percentage, hence the estimated figures are net in- come. The parenthetic admission prices, however, as Indicated, include the S. amusement •tax." , ■ , , St. Loo St. Louis, Dec. 12. Pre-Xmas' shopping spree and stretch of bad weather are com- bining to slow down trade at first- runs here this week to a walk. “Harriet Craig,” one of new en- tries, is doing only so-so. How- ever, “West Point Story” wound up its week with a fairly good session at the huge Fox. “King Solomon’s Mines” still Is good in third week at Loew’s. Estimates for This Week Ambassador (F&M) (3,000; 60- 75)— 'Harriet^ Craig” (Col) and “Midnight and Dawn” (Col). Fair $12,000. Last week, “All About Eve” (20th). solid $16,000. Fox (F&M) (5,1600; 60-75)— “Two Flags West” (20th) and “Where Danger Lives” . (RKO). Opened yesterday (Tues.). Last, week, “West Point Story” (WB) and “Undercover Girl” (Ul, sturdy $15,500. Loewis (Loew) (3,172; 50-75) “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) , (3d wk). Down to $11,000 follow- ing sock $17,000 second stanza. Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 60-75)^ “All About Eve” (20th) (m.o.). Nice $9,500. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Jackpot’' (20th), $9,000. Shubert (Ind) (1,500; 60-75) — “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Jackpot” (20th) (m.o.). Okay $4,500. Last week. “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Blues Busters’' (Mono), $4,000. Btz Hurts XC; ‘Cniiir Slin ;il,l)0«, V 106 Kansas City, Dec. 12. Christmas shopping and mod- erate fare will combine to make current stanza a lesser one. “Har- riet Craig’' at Midland doing as well as any film, but j^ery mild. “Wyoming Mail” in three Fox Mid- west theatres also is light. RKO Missouri moves to a split week, first time house has had such a policy during year it has been re- opened. Weather was blizzai-dly in mid-week, but more pleasant for weekend. Estimates for' This Week Esquire (Fox Midwest) (820; 45- 65)— “Return Jesse James” (Lip) and “Shot Billy Kid” (Lip). Fair $2,700. Last week, ‘‘Ravaged Earth” (Indie) and “Blood and Thunder (Indie), $3,000. Missouri (RKO) (2,650; A5-65)— “Outrage” (RKO) and “Rio Grande Patrol’-’ (RKO), first four days with “Gilda’? (Col) and “Platihum Blonde” (Col) (reissues) in isecond • half. Sluggish $7,50(). Last week, “West Point Story' (WB) and “Avengers” *(Rep) $IQ,- 000, good at present time. Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 45-65)-^ “Harriet Ctaig” (Col) and “Mid- night and Dawn’? (Col). Light $n,- 000 or under. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk), big $14,000 in 9 days. OrpheUhi (Fox Midwest) ( 1,913; 55-75 )_-mNo Way Out” (20th). Slow $10,000 in 10 days. House now goes dark temporarily, but likely will reopen holiday week. . V Paramount (United Par) (1.900; 45-65)— “Highway 301” (WB). Slow $7,500. Last week, “’Tripoli” (Par) and “Cassino to Korea” (Par) same.; ' Tower - Uptowil - Fairway (Fox Midwest) (2,100; 2,043; 700; 45-65) -^“Wyoming Mail” (U) and “Sake- down” (U). Change of policy to duals for Xmas shopping season, . but only slow $10,000 looms. Last I week, “Jackpot' (20th), $12,000.- - PROV. SIDES ALBEIT ‘DEPORTED- ORE D, 000 Providence, pec. 12. Pre-holiday lull is on in earnest, with all stands feeling the pinch. State has highest gross with “Mini- ver Story” but this, too, is way be- low normal. “Deported’' at Albee shapes as comparatively strongest. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44^65)— “De- ported” (U) arid “Appointment With Crime’' (Lip). Okay $9,000. Last week, “Joan of Arc” (RKO) and “Call Klondike” (Mono), $9,000; Majestic (Fay) :(2,200; 44-65)— “Undercover Girt” (U) and “Cali- fornia Passage” (Rep). Fair $8,000. Last week, “West Point Story” (WB) (2d wk), solid $10,000. Metropolitaii (Snider) (3,100; 44^ 65) — “Woman on Run” (U) and “Palooka Squared Circle*' (Mono). Weak $7,000 or near. Last week, “Tripoli” (Par) and “Hidden City” (Mono), nice $7,500. • State (Loew) (3,200; 44-65)-^ ‘Miniver Story” (M-G) and ‘‘Next Voice” (M-G). . So-so $9,500. Last week. “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G; (2d wk), neat $11,000. Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 44-65) — “Sun Sets at Dawn” (EL) and ‘?Two Lost Worlds” (EL). Opened Monday (II). Last week, “Killer That Stalked New York” (Col) and “Cockeyed Wonder” (Col), weak $7,009. Louisville, Pec. 14. Current week^got off to a rough start, with recurrence of stormy, wintry weather. Bad spell, second of the season, started with several hours rainfall, turning to snow, which sloughed downtown biz. “All About Eve” off to slow start, looks fair at Rialto. “Two Weeks With Love” at State Is mild while “The Capture” at Strand is light. Estimates for This Week Mary Anderson (People’s) (1,200; 45-65)— “West Point Story” (WB) (3d wk). . Neat $6,000 after last week’s all right $6,500. Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 45-65) — “All About Eve*' (20th). Modest $11,00Q. Last week, “Let’s Dance*' (Par), $13,000, and m.o. State (Loew’s) (3,000; 45-65) — “Two Weeks ' With Love” (M-G) and “Pial 1119” (M-G). Fairish $10,000. Last week, “King Solo- mon’s Miries” (M-G) (2d wk), solid $13,000. Strand (FA) (1,200; 45-65) — “The Capture” (RKO) and “Border Treasure”* (RKO), Modest $4,000. Last week, “High Lonesome” (EL) and “I Killed Geronlmo” (EL), $5,000. ‘Story’ Robust $16,500, Portland, Ore., Pec. 12. Powntown houses should have another big week after coining dough for the last two sessions. “West Point Story*' and “Saddle Tramp” should be tops for new pictures. “King Solomon’s Mines” is also shaping big for third week. Estimates for This Week Broadway (Parker) (1,850; 50-85) — .“Saddle Tramp” (U) and “Shak‘J- down” (U). Big $11,000. Last week, “To Please Lady” (M-G) and “Dial 1119” (M-G) (2d wk), $9,500. Mayfair (Parker) (1,500; 50-85):^ “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Blues Busters” (Mono) (m.o.). Oke $4;00p. Last week, “Rogue River” (EL) and “Kill or Be Killed” (EL), $7,000. Oriental (Evergreen) (2,000; SO- BS)^ — “West Point Story*' (WB) and “Hot Rod” (Mono), day-date with Orpheum. Giant $6,500. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Blues Busters*' (Mono), okay $5,000. drpheiira (Evergreen) (1,750; 50- 85)— “West Poirit Story” arid “Hot Rod” (Mono), also Oriental. Ter- rific $10,000, Last week, “Walk Softly Stranger” (RKO) and I “Masked -Raiders*' (RKO), ,$6,400. Paramount (Evergreenl (3,400; 50-85)— “Hell Town” (Indie) and “Buffalo Stampede*', (Indie) (reis- sues). Good $8,500. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Blues Busters” (Mono), $8,700. United Artists (Parker) (890; 50r 85) ' — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk).. Solid $10,500. Last week, torrid $13,400, with first two weeks breaking 3-year record for house. . V . Rway * 1 ( 1111 ’ $145,000, ‘OperatjiNi X’ Weak IIG^ ‘%hway’ has Vaude L^ht 27G, ‘Lonesome’ 17G Although there are five new bills this week pri Broadway, first- runs are limping along at about the lowest point of the year. Film theatre business is being cut into as usual by the pre-Yuletide in- fluence. There are a few excep- tions, notably the Music Hall, Which is scoring as cpstomarily with its annual Christmas show. With “Kim” arid the annual pag- eant and Xmas stage layout, the Hall is'^oing7to a big $145,000 de- spite being hurt by a storm open^» ing day and rain last Sunday (10) night. Three other newcomers are very sluggish. In the case of the State and Strand, the pictures, which are not especially strong, werri ob- viously put in to tide over until the Xmas bills open. “Operation X’? at the former looks lo reach only $11,000, possibly the slowest opening week ever at the State under current policy. “Highway 301,’? with Dave Apollon, Peggy Mann headirig stage bill, likewi.se is very lightweight at around $27,- 000 for Strand. “High Lonesome,” with vaude, new show at the Palace, is fair $17,000, an improvement over last stanza, but still keeping this opera- tion on the ragged edge. “Watch Birdie,” new Red Skelton comedy, with Enric Madriguera band, Paul Regan, others, onstage, opened Monday (11) at the Capitol. Is in for only two weeks, with “Pagan Love Song” opening Dec. 25. Second week of Paramount's “Let’s Dance,” with Jimmy Dorsey band and Nat “King” Cole Trio topping stagesho^^, is holding com- paratively well at $60,000, and re- mains a third round. Third stanza of “Red Shoes,” playing pop-scale at the Victoria, is continuing staunch with $14,000. Third ses- sion of “Cyrano” is staying near initial week’s gait with smash $13,000 at the Bijou. “Jackpot,” with Paul Remos and Toy Boys, Philharmonic Quartet, iceshow, is sliding to $55,000 in third round of nine days at the Roxy. Elsewhere, most houses are only marking time awaiting the arrival of new, stronger fare for the year- end holidays. ’ Estimates for This Week Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 55-$1.50) — • “American Guerrilla” (20th) (6th wk). Fifth round ended Mon- day (11) dipped to $9,000 after $11,000 in previous week. Stays only a couple of days past the sixth round, with special benefit ,prcem of “Harvey” (U) slated for Dec. 20, with regular run starting Dec. 21 . Bijou (City Inv.) (589; $1.20; $2.40) — “Cyrano« (UA) (3d wk). Third stanza ended last night (Tues.) continued near second week’s near-capacity gait, with smash $13,000; second round was $15,000. . • » Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 55-$1.50) — “Watch Birdie” (M-G) with Enric Madriguera orch, Charles Fredericks, Paul Regan onstage; opening Monday (II). In ahead, “2 Weeks with Love” (M-G) plus Skitch Henderson orch, Kay Armen, Vagabonds topping stage- show (3d wk-4 days), only $18,000 after $31,000 for second round. Criterion (Moss) (1,700; 50- $1.75)--“Woman on Run” (U) (3d wk). Secorid week ended last night (Tues.) continued mildly with $10,- 000 after $15,000 opener. Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 50-$1.20) --“Dial 1119” (M-G) (2d wk). First holdover session ending next Friday <15) looks like lean $6,500 after $10,000 initial week. Mayfair (Brandt) (1,'736; 50- $1.20)^“Rio Grande’* (Rep) (4th wk). Current round ending next Friday (15) will be dowri to around $9,000 after $12,000 last week. Palace (RKO) (1,700; 65-$1.20)— “High Lonesome’* , (EL) with vaude. Only getting fair $17,000 or Jess. Last week, “Farewell Yesterday” (20th) and vaude, ill red with dull $15,000. Paramount (Par) (3,664; 55-$1.50) —“Let’s Dance” (Par) with Jimmy Dorsey orch, Nat “King” Cole Trio heading stage bill (3d-final wk). Initial holdover frame , ended last nighC (Tuesi) held fairly well at $60,000 after big $72,000 for first week. “Mr; Music” (Par) comes in Dec. 20. • Radio City Music Hall (Rocke-, fellers) (5,945; 80-$2.40)— “Kim” (M-G) with annual Christmas show and pageant onstage. Despite Xmas shopping and storms, this combination is . soaring to big 1 $145,000, aided by nice crlx ap^ praisal for film and stage bill. Holding through New Year’s, of course. Last week, “King ' Solo- mon’s Mines” (M-G) and stage- show (4th wk), $100,000, making highly profitable 4-week gross cif $500,000. Rialto (Mage) (594; 44-98)-^ “International Burlesque” (Indiel (6th wk). Holding remarkable well at $5,500 after $7,000 last session. Stays a seventh. Rivoll (UAT-Par) (2,092; 90- $1.25) — “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) (3d wk). Suffering with others, and down to around $7,000 after $9,000 last week. “Mudlark” (20th) is due in on Dec. 23. Roxy (20th) (5,886; 80-$1.73)-^ “Jackpot” (20th) with Philhar- monic Piario Quartet, Paul Remos and Toy Boys, iceshow heading stageshow (3d-final wk). Off to light $55,000 in final 9 days after $50,000 last week in . seven days. “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th), plus Yuletide stageshow. featuring Elsa & Waldo, Gertrude Ribla, Gautier’s Steeplechase and iceshow, operis Friday (15). . State (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-$1.50)— “Operation X” (Col). First week ending, next Friday (15) looks light $11,000. Brought in to fill out until Xmas picture^ “Flying Missile” (Col) opens on Dec. 23. . Strand ( WB) (2,756; 55-$2)-- “Highway 301” (WB) with Dave Apollon, Peggy Mann, others, on- stage. Initial week looks only slight $27,000, low in recent weeks. Holds. In ahead, “Breakthrough” (WB) plus Mimi Benzell, Herb Shriner heading ‘stagieshow (3d wk). $24,000. Sutton (R & B) (561; 90-$1.50)— ^“Trio” (Par) (10th wk). Ninth frairie ended Monday (11) held to $9,000 after $10,700 for eighth week. Continues. ‘ Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; 90-$1.50)— “Prelude To Fame” (U) (5th wk). Still showing profit at $4,500 after $5,000 last stanza. Trans-Lux 60th St. (T-L) 453; 74-$1.50)— “Rapture” (EL). Opens today (Wed.). Last week, “Kind Hear^” (EL) (27th wk), finished at $2,500 after $3,200 for 26th round. Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 95- $1.50)— ‘‘Red Shoes” (EL) (4th wk). Third round ended last night (Tues.) continued very . well at $14,000 after $18,000 for second week. “Borii Yesterday” (Col) opens Dec. 26^ opening having been moved up one day. ‘llhd Wed.’ Neat $20,000 Aces in Hub; ‘Sun Sets’ Hot 22G/Jadipot’ 16G Boston, Dec. 12. Just average biz here, but aided by visitors Sunday here to view Xmas decorations. “Mad Wednes- day,” helped by strong bally, is do- ing best. “Jackpot*' at Met shapes okay. “King Solomon’s Mines” in third week at State and Orpheum still is in chips. “Sun Sets at : Dawn” at Paramount and Fenway is robust. Estimates for This Week Astor (B&Q) (1,200; 50-95)— “State Secret” (Opl) (3d wk). Down to about $4,800 after good $6,800 for second. Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill, Inc.) (780; 40-95)— “Golden Salamander” ; (EL) (3d wk). Off to $2,500 after nice 3,200 for second. Fenway (NET) (1,373; 40-85)-^ “Sun Sets at Dawn” (EL) and “Two Lost Worlds’V (EL). Robust at $6,500. “Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and“Young Lovers” (Iridic) (2d wk), $3,800. Memorial (RKO) (3,500; 40-85)-— “Mad Wednesday” (RKO). Plenty Of publicity on this one, with neat $20,000 in View. Last week, “Joan of Arc” (RKO), first time at pop prices, slow $10;000. Metropolitan (NET) (4,367; 40-85) — •“Jackpot” (20th) and “Look Be- fore You Love” (Indie). Only fair $16,000. Last week, “West Point . Story” (WB) and “Bandit Qlieen” i (Indie) (2d wk), nice $15,000. " Orpheum (Loew) (3,009; 40-85)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk). Not bad $11,500 after oke $16,000 for Second. Paramount (NET) (1,700; 40-85) —“Sun Sets at Dawn” (EL) and “Two Lo,st Worlds” (EL). Nifty $15,500. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Young Lovers” (Indie) (2d wk), good $11,000. State (Loew) (3,500; 40-85)— ‘*King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk). Oke $7,000 after neat $10,000 for second. • r « ■ ^ H Wedn^s^ay, December 13) 1950 Weclnesdayt December 13, 1950 ' % ®ANIEI R. HOULIHAN^ Albany; FRED R. DODSON, Atlanta; JAMES M. CONNOLLY, Boston; CHARLES B. KOSCO, fiu#a;0; VERNON M, SKOREY,Coli7arj/;JOHN E. HOL* S'GN, CfcaWoMe; TOM R. GILLIAM, CWcayo; JOSEPH B; ROSEN, Cinrfnwott; IZZY J. SCHMERTZ, Clevelaml,- MARK SHERIDAN, DaUa»,' VINCENT J. DUGAN, Denver; PIElOVy* Des MoineB; J. lEE, Detroit; TOM O. McClEASTER, /ndionapotie; JOE R. NEGER, Kaman City; CLYDE W. ECKHARDT/ Loe <4 n^reiee; TOM w. YOUNG, Memphis; JACK H. LORENTZ, Miltoaukee; MOE A* LEVY, Minneapolis; GERRY CHERNOf F, Montreal; BENJAMIN A. SIMON, l^ew Haven; WILLIAM ^KlANT, TVew Orleans; MARION W. OSBORNE, Oklahoma City; JOE E. SCOTT, Omaha; SAM E. DIAMOND, Philadelphia; Altiy/Y, Pittsburgh; CHARLES r POWERS, Portland; CHARLES L. WALKER, Salt Lake City; ALEX W. HARRISON, Son Francisco,- REGINALD G. MARCH, St. Joiin,- GORDON F. HAILORAN, ^o’ns, • CHILTON 1 . ROBINETT, SOottlc; PETER MYERS, Toronto; JAMES E. PATTERSON, Vancouver; C. GLENN NORRIS, Washington; JOSEPH H. HUBER, Winnipeg IXTERBrATlONAI. PSntlt^ iVARIiTY'r LONDON OFFICI i tn Martinet Fl«c«« Trafaliar Square London, Dec. 12. Biggest bid for patronage in re- 1 n I cent years will be made during the l,0l yrCStCr UOlOIl Yuletide vacation when a dozen top ' Christmas stage shows Vvill con> pete with six of the year’s biggest films, Investment in theatrical pro- ductions is on a more ambitious scale than previous year. In the West End alone there \yill be three new piahtomimes. Two pantos on , ice will play in the massive arenas term is undisclosed, at Earle Court and Wembley- Com. i that the life peting circuses will , be Bertram IMills’ at Olympia and Tom Arnold’s at Harringay. In addition, at least six perennial favorites will be re- turning to the West End for the holiday season. Sydney, Dec. 12. Columbia Pictures and Greater Union theatres have sighed the longest term product franchise in Aussie film history. Although the it is believed of the pact covers a period of 15 to 20 years. Deal was negotiated by GU head Norman B. Rydge and Nick Pery, Australasia managing director for Columbia, with an okay from Col cin lnter*»tiiig : •ditbriol feature In the upcoming 45 th Amiiversaty IS umber of Berlin, Dec. 5. The Communist-run E a s t Ger- man Republic is planning to est.ab- lish a State Film Office patterned ! proportions Vienna, Dec. 5. The American Information Serv- ices branch here began a play- producing program of its: own this month “to acquaint the Viennese with American . dramatists.” The ifirst production, Eugene O’Neiil’s “Beyond the Horizon,” was rated by one of crix as “a flop of such that not even the dle- fOreigri chief JOseph McConville. The thrce new West End pantos GU and Col formerly had a 10-year are “Babes in the Wood,” at tlic Palladium, with Adele Dixon in the lead; “Mother GOose” at the Princes and Emile Littler’s “Goody Two Shoes,’" starring Arhur Askey, at the Casino. The ice pantos are “Babes in the Wood on Ice,” star* ring Belita, at the Empress Hall, and “Dick Whittington On Ice” at the Empire Pool. Advance book* ings for the last two hamed. prov ductibns already exceed $500,000. Apart from the circuses, the other •Christmas bills include “Charlcv’.s Aunt,” presented by Emile Littler at the Saville, with Leslie Phillips in the lead; “Peter Pan ’ at the Scala, again starring Margaret Lockwood; “Beauty and Beast” at the Westminster, “Where the Rainbow Ends” at the Stoll, and “Black Arrow” and “Treasure Island” as matinee shows for the Old Vic and the St. James’s. The new major fiilms will be pact. ! after Nazi’s defunct Reich Chamber ‘of Film, according to reports reach- ing Allied sources here. This of- fice would probably be headed by ' Soviet directof Slatan Dudow; It i will closely collaborate with Spvex- . port, Soviet distribution agency, I and DEFA, the East Zone film i monopoly. 1 Starting next Jan. ■import 79 ' 5 ^early from Paris^Dec. 12. Robert Cravenne, director of the I semi-official Uni-France Film or- ganized to push exploitation and I exportation of Gallic pix abroad, has revealed progress on recent i negotiations. Italy and France have set up complete reciprocity policies in the exchange of films ■ and established several outfits for coprOduction. Among the recent coproduction pictures made with mixed Franco-Italian . artists are . ‘‘Fabiola,” “Sa Majeste Monsieur Disney’s “Cinderella,” which opens Dupont,” “Walls of Malapaga,” “Le at the Prince of Wales Monday (18V; “King Solomon’s Mines.” which started an extended run at the Empire yesterday (II);. “Samv son & Delilah,” which opens day- date at Carlton and Plaza next Tuesday <191; All About Eve,” which opened at the GaumOnt last Thursday (7) and “Harvey,” which bows in at the Leicester Square Odeon Dec. 20. The only major British, entry: for the Christmas derby is J. Arthur Rank'.s only directly sponsored, pro- duction. “Highly Dangerous,” staiv ring Margaret Lockwood and Dane Clark, Actor Krauss Play After Rifts; Court Backs Producer Harlan Berlin, Dec. 12. Werner Krauss, who did two characters in the film, “Jew Suess,” made during the Hitler regime, was the target of anti-Nazi demon- stration here at the preem of Hen- rik Ibsen’s “John Gabriel Bork- man.” because of his record. It was his first postwar appearance. Re.sentment of the mob was con- centrated on Krauss despite the popularity of his co-players, Kaelhe Dorsch and Helen Thimig, widow of Max Reinhardt. Krauss was re- moved froni the cast after days of disturbances, following meetings between city officials and Jewish civic leaders. An attempt to boycott all pix directed by Veit Harlan ran Cluiteaii de Verre” and “La Por- teuse de Pain.” ' Russia negotiation$ are proceed- ing with Sovexporftfilm, backed by the .syndicate of French di.stribs and producers. An exchange agree- looks hopeful also, being based on reciprocity. The Russos are inter- ested in taking eight films, but the French are holding out for 12 pix. England and France have a mixed Franco-British commission which examines the pic exchange each year, and makes suggestions. There are two distribs set up for French pix in England, one under : Alexander Korda and the other ( under J. Arthur Rank. There are I seven art houses in London, and others opening in Manchester and Birmingham. The recent Tokyo, I>ec, 1; Metro has opened an office here afncl is laying the groundwork for its reentry next summer as an in- I dependent 'film dLstributor in ■ Japan. Ed^va^d F. O’Connor, , Metro’s Far Eastern rep, heads the j new setup and will u.se Tokyo ' henceforth as headquarters for Far. Eastern sales. ’ Metro product currently is being released here through the Motion , Picture Export Assn, .under an agreement which ends next June 30. As far as Metro is concerned, • pact will not be renewed. Studio ' alreadj’’ has a SCAP import licen.se I Metro move, not altogetber un- expected, likely will be followed by other majoi* cli.sh'ibs in the . MPEA pool which has been the sole distributing agency in Japan for U.S. piX since 1946. United Arti.sts ; also obtained an* import license ; from Occupation headejuarters sev- eral months ago. . 1, DEFA will to 80 feature fi Ims Russia and her satel- lites, and that prewar German pix Will be withdrawn from distribu- tion. experiments in dubbing carefully cho.son French pix is catching on. In the Near East, French pix are entering the EgypHan market, and there will be a ca'mpaign to push the films further. On the Ameri- can front, Uni-France feels it will take time before French films, can get out of the special house cate- gory. Paris, Dec: 5. Two important cases are in the French Courts, here, one about the musical rights in a picture and the other a libel action over a publica- tion. David Rousset, author of a translation of the Soviet Punishing Labor Code, sued for libel when the red weekly Lettres Francaises printed that he had not given the right transiation and had th’eated part of what he wrote. In the other case, Victor Sardou heirs are suing Mosco Exclsa Pro- ductions of Italy. The producer made a picture with the Italian underground as a theme, and un- derground members sing some pi • • i . tunes from “Tosca’’ in one scene. l/llHnS[6S in yUOtn Act i producer bought the musical ^ rights for these from publishers London, Dec. 12. 1 picordi. The Sardou heirs claim the musical was based on the Sar- dou legit drama, and that they should have been asked for u.se of the material besides Ricordi. They want $2,000 for infringement of rights.. A similar Sardou claim, was lost by heirs when they claimed that “Butterfly” was also an infringe- ment when partly used. Brit. Board of Trade Asks Soggestions For hards dared to give it the cus- tomary operiingmight applau.se.’* The cri|ics wrote appreciatively of . O’Neill, but warned thd public it could get no idea of his works from ; iSB’s inept staging. . One critic said: “The tragic atmosphere of this play cannot be created by shrieks and hectic movements re- sembling convulsive palpitations.” \y.eekend performances are given by Viennese actors under the di- rection of an Austrian-born Ameri- can employee of ISB whose only theatrical experience has been in a dramatic workshop of a small N. Y. school and with United Na- tions festivals. Production expenses are paid out of Congfessional-ap- • propriated funds for the American I information prograni abroad. I It is hot very clear why I SB ha s i begun such a costly prograni at American taxpayer’s expense, The i Viennese apparently do not feel they heed any closer acquaintance with American dramatists than they have had in Vienna’s profes^ ■ Sional thec'itres since the war. lie- . cause of the dearth pf native post- war playwrights, the Viennese pro-, ducers have . been staging every- 1 thing they can get their hands on from London, Paris and New Yoi k. I More than 60 of the better mod- : ern Ameiican plays have been pro- iduced, and one can see almost all , of the latest Broadway hits such as “Member of the Wedding,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Cocktail Party” and “Streetcar Named Desire” without leaving O’Neill has been both before and his major works, “Mourning conies Electra” and “Strange tcrlucie.” Vienna. Eugene represented here after the war by Be- In- The Board of Trade has taken an unprecedented step and invited ; the industry to make suggestions : for amendments to the existing ' Quota Act, . which went into fdree \ in 1948 and is due to run for 10 j years. Although the BOX . re-* , frained from suggesting, that * English ■ amending legislation may follow, Denmark Pix Theatres; State MEXICO CENSORS IN CLEAN FILMS DRIVE Mexico City, Dec. 12. Pic censoring again has been several tightened up again here. Jesus Castillo Lopez, chief of the na- tional cinematographic board, an- nounced the driye. The board cited the Mexican film, “The Softie,” pro- duced by the Cinematografica In- into a .stone wall when, the Ham- ternational, and ordered sharp cuts, burg county court warned. the Ham- It was given a “C” rating, suitable burg Press Board chief, Ernst ' for adults pnly, and banned, front Lueth, that any possible campaign export. . Many squawks from the by Hamburg newspapers to call or public about the lack of elemental incite a public boycott against the , decency And good taste in many it is regarded as significant in the in'du.stry. that this is the first time a request of this nalure has been made before the expiration- of the act. A formal reque.st for observations was. sent out a few days ago to every trade organization. The BOT letter a.sks various In- du.stry. groups for its views on the working of the 1948 Quota Act and invites propo.sed amendments which would be considered if an opportunity arises to introduce an amending bill: It is understood that the procedure to be followed will be that in the first instance the observations of the industry as.sociations will be considered by the Films Council, which is slated to meet in January. A report will .subsequently be made to BOT prexy Harold Wilson, . Copenhagen, Nov. 28. * Native product dominates the Danish cinemas this season more than ever before. The slate aid to the producers, giving them 2c. on each ticket sold plus the u.sual 30^r in film rent, of course, has stimulated the Danish film produc- tion. Most of the new Danish pix are of the semi-documentary variety. “Smedestrade 4” depicts police methods m solving a murder. “Cafe Paradis” (Asa) rated an art- istic success, tells about alcoholics of filming possibilities on in the upper and lower classes, the embattled peninsula. They with Ib Schonberg, the rotund act- are Theodore Tetzlaf, director, and ' or, as star. “I Gabestokken” reveals DIRECTOR IN TOKYO ON RKO KOREA PIC ' Tbkj'o, Dec. 5. Director and production man- ager for a forthcoming RKO pic- ture on Korean war arrived in Tokyo this week and were skedded to fly to Korea for a firsthand ap- praisal of filming possibilities Harlan pic, “The ImmortaT Mistress,” would constitute a. vio^ latiort of Article 2 of the German Fundamental Law (The German Bill of Rights). Harlan had been cited for Nazi tieups. Domnick Films, which is releas- ing the film received full support from the court, which .stated that any such boycott was a violation of the law guaranteeing every citi- zen work and would be subject to fine. Producers in Hassle Over Eady Fund Coin Lowell Farrell. Idea for the film ■ ' was first suggested by the Army brass in Washington and was ac- cepted immediately by Howard i Hughes. ! . Army’s interest is lo sliow, Amcr- I lean public through a dramatic 1 film story the terrific odds Which : i U' S. forces faced in Roroa and the London, Dec: 12. pjx brought the crackdown. : Lopez said “Softie” also was ah affront to the country’s illiteracy. Also ruled that the film depicts Mexico as a land, where looting j ment on the division and exploiting of foreign tourists ; coming to the British is a matter of course; Pic was barred from export because the board considers it a Very bad ad- vertisement for Mexico the many problems facing tubercu- losis . pal ients, and their return lo normal life. Biggest hit at the wickets is “The story of Hjiortholni,” film version of a Danish bestseller of half a century ago. Preben Philipsen’s first Dani.sh film, “The Needle,” about Danish dope addicts, i.s set reasons for the stategic witlidrawal . Tor February preem. to the Pusan bridgehead until an ' Danish pix arc crowding the cin- adequate United Nations army eina playing time, especially in the could be assembled for an pffen- . provihees— so hard that American sive. Scenario has been written pictures find .. it tougher getting A conflict of opinion between the i by Milton Krinis and pic is tenta- ay Pic F rom Airer Montevideo, Dec. 5. A.socine plans to produce a new pie to be called '"Mystery of the Burnt Mill,” being broadca-st by G. X. 44 Emisoras Norton, as “Crime Arrives at Night.” Thi.s film W'ill be done- as a cooperative effort, receiving pay according to the success the pic may have. Since the Burnt Mill is of na- tional historic interest, it is pos- sible that the National Tourist Comniittce will offer its support. Lack of Top Brit. Pix May Ciie Fewer Pestival Entries London, Dec. 12. Because there is likely to be a shortage of suitable top ranking product, British producers will only participate in two Continental film festivals next year. The two to be • Short Film Producers, who claim supported are those at Cannes in ’ would yield only a fraction of What they’* think they are entitled to: ■ . ■ ' producers of first and second fea- ture films and makers of docu-. mentaries has delayed an agree- of the spoils ; fil' industry : from the Eady fund.' set up in the 1 recent admission tax read justmentv ! The ineasure of agreement al- j ready obtained applies to the I method of calculating the share to; i be paid for first and second fea- ! tiires. This will be based on the di.stributprs* gross receipts each British - made pic over year. A proposal by British ducers that documentaries shorts should work on a similar basis was flatly^ nixed by the A.s.sn. for the prp- and are those at and Venice in August-Sep- tember. The mea.sure of participation in ilicse two festivals will also be oil a limited .scale and with only first- , class pix which will reflect credit on the entire industry. I lively budgeted at .$2,00()T)00. Tetzlaf and Farrell are here to determine if facilities are avail- able for making the production in Korea. They also conferred short- ly after their arrival \vith Army officers in Geii. Douglas Mac- Arthur’s headquarters to fiscertaiii whether Chinese intervention in. North. Korea will force abandon- ment of the whole project. Tetzlaf said no decision Aya.s reached, and the studio will have to wait fur- ther developments. play-dates. Among the U. S. hits have been “State Secret,” “A Walk in the Sun” and "No Sad Songs.” The Xmas season wiU probably be dominated by svich Hollywood product as “Cinderella” at the Met- ropol, “IHll and Cbo’* at Scala-Bio and “Annie Get Your Gun” at the Palad.steatret. " . Monterde Heads Mcx. Academy Me . FranGi.sco Monterde is the hew prexy of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences which does the annual O.scaring down here. London, Dec. 5/ Tom Arnold’s annual Harringay circus, staged and directed by ; Clem But.son, opening Dec. 21, has I a cast of 300 In addition to 150 I animals. Acts signed for the sliovy ■include Leon de Rousseau, who i does a back soihersault from a 50- foot tower; Bert Holt, juggling aeriali.st. Poly Orea’s Dog ReVue, , George Wong Troupe Family and of the Ar- comedy Other Foreig’n News On Page 24 ’ Other new officers arc Miguel -thur Klein Angel Fefriz; veepce; Hector Fer- • cyclists, nandez, (reasurer; Enrique Rosado, ' The pj'oduction it is claimed, secretary and Marco Aurelio Gal- represents an investment of uh* 1 indo, corro.sponding secretary, ( wards of $500,000. i 4 .* ■ ' k ^ i t ^^Vdnesday, December 13, 1950 ml 4 man MR. JOE EXHIBITOR I « f-W« -nwC 0 evi gima me bt c»--Wa; Wew Year chjer f' lVI 1^. FOR CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR VOTE M-G-M! >XD « rs f G.Ai: INTERNATIOIVAL yAniETY 'VARIETY^r LONDON OFFICI • SL Martin's Placfj Trafalflar Square Japan Exhibs, Theatre Owners Open Washington, Dec. 12. Soulli America's two largest countries are continuing to provide substantial government support for the build-up of their film indus- tries, according to Nathan D. Golden, head of the film division of the U. S .Commerce Department. In Brazil, he reports, foreign dis- tributors are having little suc- cess in trying to get import quotas increased. Quotas for the second quafter. of 1951 “have been allo- cated on the basis of average im- ports for the preceding four years, 1946 through 1949; and in most cases will remain imchanged from previous quarterly quotas.” Government there piit through a regulation requiring film houses to show at least six Brazilian features annually, and freezing admission prices. One Rio- de Janeiro circuit, which refused to abide by the com- pulsory exhibition requirement, has taken the decree to court. New Brazilian studio. Companhia Cine- matografica V era Cruz, has had such success with its first quality feature, released late in October, that it is expected other producers also will strive for: higher qual- ; ity pictures. I In Argentina, a recent decree , provides for tlie tlioalres to give . domestic features “all the advan- ! tages and privileges that are. j .granted to foreign films.” Under j this regulation, Argentine pix must receive a minimum percentage of “5.0% of gross in first-run houses, 45% in intermediate theatres, arid 40% in other houses during first week of exhibition. If cret of ore, first-run situations paid only 40^0 and others 35% in the initial week, with 25% thereafter. In addition, first-runs must play Argentine films a minimum of one week. If receipts are of what is required to holdover a foreign film, then the Argentine picture must be kept for a .second week. First-run and intermediate thea- tres must show Argentine product for one week in each month and other theatres must screen them three weeks out of six. Last Sep- tember, the Under Secretariat of information c 1 o s e d a leading Buenos Aires theatre over the weekend because it failed to dis- lodge an American film after three weeks and to put in an Argentine pic. LastDitch Drive Vl F orei^ Players Fails Despite Union Efforts London, Dec. 5. I A new last-ditch offensive by i trade union leaders to curb the I entry of foreign artists and techni- ci-ns into Britain is meeting with failure. Every individual applica- tion has been the subject of opposi- tion, but on each occasion there ultimately has been a climb-down, and the permit granted. The re- sistance by the Ministry of Labor to the union pressure is giving rise to hopes of a freer exchange of tal- ent across the Atlaritic. It is felt here that during the Festival of Britain period next year, there will be an unprecedent- ed demand for some of the biggest show biz names for legit and yaude, and particularly for cabaret. West End cafe operators are all set for the biggest buying spree of inter- national talent for the summer sea- son, ■■ , Although the government cori- tinuGS to be accommodating, the unions involved show no sign of relaxing their attitude. With Eyes Glosed, Yet Paris, Dec. 5. The newspaper Paris^Soir ran this ad recently: “Parisiari ballet troupe is looking for a Maecenas, Age . and position immaterial, Sole requirement : to have 15,000,- 000 francs Imirtimurti ) to put into the business i with eyes closed ) . Apply to ; Michel de Bry, Ballets Jean Babiiee.” Companies in Arg. BuenOs Aires, Dec. 5. As the year draws to a close, a whole flock of new production com- panies are being set up, all hoping to cash in during 1951 if ho deal is made to renew U. S. imports. Among the new outfits is Hori- zonte, formed by Argentine scenar- ist UlyseS Petit de Murat, along with Tulio Demichellii Leon Kli- movsky and Enrique Faustin. Cbm- paiiy’s initial production will be a filmizatiort of William Hudson’s “The Purple Land,” to which Nar- eiso Maschinandiarena, formerly wilh San Migiiel Studios, has the filrii rights. The second production will be a mystery, ‘‘Calibre 45,” to be directed by Klimovsky. J ulio Villareeal will distribute for the outfit. Another new producing ui^it is Kine-Rector, which has its studios in the northern city of Tucuman, This company is due to start roll- ing “Meekness” by . Gui Ilernio Trojas. Plans for next year also indicate a concentration on bringing in more imported talent and in turn- ing out foreign-language as well as Spanish-speaking product. I SHAWCROSS WARNS BRIT I « Washington, Dec. 12. Finnish film studios, staggering | under a burden of mounting costs j and . continued labor trouble, are j hoping to complete about 15 fea- tures by the end of this year, ac- cording to Nathan D. Golden, film expert for the JD. S. Commerce De- partment. Due to inflation, a pic- ture which cost about 6,000,000 Finnriiarks back in. 1946, costs 10,- 000,000 to get into the can these days. (231 Finrimarks equal $l in American money;) . . . , Finland has run into additional trouble because of the scarcity of rawstock. Due to exchange restric- tions, .neither dollars .nor enough pounds sterling have been avail- able for the purchase of American or British raw film. Thus, the bulk of the imports is coming from Rus- sia, with most of the remainder frorii Britain. Theatre ticket prices were hiked in February and again in June. Attendance has been Off, and about 30 picture theatres fold-, ed. However, 19; hew ones opened arid another one or two are sked- ded to start runs in the outskirts of Helsinki. His Master's Voice Berlin, Dec. 5. Latest Communist propagan- da poster to be plastered all over East Berlin Is a cartoon of an old-fashioned phono- graph with Secretary of State Dean Acheson’s face inside the speaker. Sitting in front of the speaker is a dog \yith the face of Bonn Chancellor Kon- rad Adenauer. The caption is “His Master’s Voice.’’ London, Dec. 12. Unlimited dollars won’t be avail- able for film imports in the near future, and therefore it’s necessary to develop the domestic industry, Attorney General Sir Hartley ShaWefoss told the Cinematograph Exhibitors Assn, banquet tonight (Tues.). Buildup of the British industry, Sir Hartley emphasized, wouldn’t be settled by government decrees and quotas, However, he suggested that improvement in the situation might be accomplished by a pool- ing of ideas and finance. Admitted- ly exhibs have a wider choice of films from Hollywood, but the official considers this as a short- term view when the national in- terest is weighed. Paris, Dec. 5. Even if shortage 6f available funds prevents the French from getting good TV pi‘ograms, tech- nically they are making every ef- fort to keep up-to-date. Airings now are both on the old 455 defini- tion arid the new 8i9. This permits the set makers to plug the new equipment without getting opposi- tiori from holders of the old sets. One way the French Want to solve the TV opposition in theatres is by equipping houses with video equipment which will permit the audience to got the normal pro- gram and also TV newsreels. To this end, the Gaumont circuit has equipped the- 7()0-seat Made- leine Cinema with 819-definition equipment devised by Etablisse- ments Debrie and Radio-CM In- dustrie. The Madeleine screen will get the images picked up by trucks with antennae in town, the video camera being joined to the truck by a cable. At the theatre ariother antenna is figged so as to pick up the trucks’ transriiission, with the developing and projection on 16m taking less than 90 seconds. If a patron is caught by the camera on entering the theatre, by the time he gets seated he sees his own iiriage on the screen. Sydney, Dec. 5. End of year should see the der velopment of a hot battle be- tween distributors and exhibitors here on the current quota setup i covering both U.S. and* British pix, according to latest industry re- ports. The quota law says exhibs must screen a certain numbe;r of Aussie-made pix per annum and also 15% of British films. Exhibs also have the right to reject 25% of U, S. pictures contracted for in order to play the local product. But since insufficient number of home pix have been made to cover the quota decree, exhibs now are claiming that the screening of 52 Aussie-made newsreels per year gives them the right to reject a U. S. feature film. Now the eight major tJ. S. dis- tribs here contend that legally no exhib has the right to reject a U. S. production simply by screen- ing Aussie newsreels. Also that pix contracted for must be played or paid for under contract terms. The Aussie Exhibs Assn.- will fight this edict. Tokyo, Dec. 5. Japanese film and theatrical in- dustry, by its bwri admission “fast approaching financial bankruptcy and ruin,” has launched n concerU ed drive for reduction of the na- tion’s 100% admissipn tax. Japan Theatre Owners Assn, and Japan Motion Picture Assn, issued a joint White paper on the tax problem, setting forth scores of reasons why the tax ori cinema houses shriuld be slashed to 50% . and wiped out eritirely for legit, opera, ballet and concert performances. Admission tax in ;japan is a mu- nicipal levy and acepunts for nearly 10% of local fiscal revenue. The White paper charges that the tax has resulted In (1) a drastic cut in production costs of native films resulting in a deplorable deteriora- tion in quality, (2) detefioratiori of theatre facilities, (3) deterioration of services catering to customer comfort arid cpnvenierice, and i4) decrease in salaries and \vages. The paper says the industry has been virtually taxed to death by the con- fiscatory and short-sighted policy > of the government. Japan’s admission tax, at one time 200%, was slashed to 100% last March. At that time the trade argued the reduction would enable owriers to cut the admission scale, resulting in an atteridance ifpswing and a generally more healthy situ- ation. But Japan’s deflationary trend and general money shortage which began late in 1949 has re- sulted in a 10% drop in admissions/ w iping out the favorable effects of the tax reduction. Granada British Chain Panto for Filins Loridoni Dec . 5^ Operating at the Usual admission charges with a top of 64c ancl a minimum of 28 c, the Granada group is presenting pantomime as a Christmas attraction at some of their theatres in lieu of films. Pro- duction Of “Cinderella,” with Hal Monty starred, opens at their Tooting house Dec. 26, arid will then play other theatres in the cir- cuit including Sutton, Woolwich and Clapham Junction, A second production of “Jack and the Beanstalk” .\viU open at Shrewsbuvy on the same date for three: weeks before transferring to Eugby. Paris Commies Strive To Belittle Yanks Paris, Dec. 5. Via newspapers iand all other available media, communist propa- ganda is. reaching unprecedented intensity here though it is not al- ways accurate. Much of the propa- ganda is meant to destroy French confidence in the U. S. and make American characters despicable. capitalizing on Errol Flynn’s re- I cent difficulties, the publicalion I “Combat” printed B picture of him behind bars, taken from a picture. This big type said: “Has Errol Flynn been arrested?” with small type at the end saying “above pic- ture was taken from a film, many of which, show Flynn behind bars.” Lury Quits U in Far East Tokyo, Dec. 5. Robert M. Lury, un'^til recently Far Eastern supervisor for Univer- sal, wuth headquarters^ in Singa- pore, has left U to set' up his own distribution operation ‘ here under the nariae of Select International Films. Lury has concluded a pact w’ith Eagle Lion Clas.sics to handle the firm’s product in Japan. Lury will release the films through Shochiku Theatrical Co., major Japanese distrib. Mr. Lury was borri’ in Japan and before the: war w'as managing di- ' rector for Universal here*. Biggest Color Puppet Cartoon Washington, Dec. 12. Largest color puppet cartoon ever produced in Europe is in the works at Cinetone Studios in Am- sterdam, the Netherlands, accord- ing to the U. S. Commerce De- partment. Film, which will run 10 min- utes, has been ordered by Philips of Eindhoven, one of the world’s largest electrical products firms, I as a promotion stunt to advertise jits new line of television sets. It will :be given worldwide distribu- tion. . 5 UNIONS HUDDLE ON BRITISH FILM CRISIS London, Dec. 12. A public conference on the Brit- ish film crisis is to be opened by Sir Laurence Olivier, it being con- vened under the auspices of the Film Industry’s Employees Council, a federation of five of the six in- dustry unions. The National Assn, of Theatrical and Kine Employees withdrew from the organization some time back. The conference will open Jan. 21 at Wyndham’s theatre. Organizing committee in- cludes, besides Olivier, Sir Ralph Richardson, Dame Sybil Thorn- dyke, David Lean^ John Mills arid Anthony Asquith. There will not only be a general discussion on crisis problems, but a concrete program for submis- sion to the government will be pre- sented, In addition to members of sponsoring organizations, invita- tions are being extended to em- ployers’ groups, political parties and trade union executives. Berlin Film Festival Skedded for June, ’51; Russo Nations Ignored Berlin, Dec. 5. Berlin w ill hold an International Film Festival June 7-16 next year. The Berlin Magistrat, Berlin film associations and other groups have been working hard on the project for some time now, arid have made extensive arrangements already. Nations invited to contribute from one to three pix in the com- petition include U. S., England, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Hol- land, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Israel, Egypt, Mexico, Australia, India and Greece. The public will also be asked to participate in the voting. Details are now being w-orked out to hold the International Cul- i tural Film Festival in Berlin at the same time. It is scheduled to be staged in Salzburg, but Berlin film people believe the cultural group would be happy to participate in the Berlin affair. Another factor w'hich w'ould influence a move from ! Salzburg is the very favorable ! financial setup which is backing ' the festival. < Figures sJiov; weeks of run) Loridon, Dec. 12. “Accolade,’* Aldwych (14). “Ace of Clubs,” Cambridge (27). “Blue For Bay/’ His Majesty’s (2). “Capt. Carvallo,” Garrick (18). “Carousel,” Druiy Lane (27). “Cocklail Party,” New (32). “Dear Miss Phoebe,’* Phoenix (9). “Dish Ean Away,” Vaude (24). “Follies Bergere,” Hippl (62). “His Excellency,’* Piccadilly (29). “Holly and Ivy,” Duchess (31). “Home & Beairiy,” St. Mart (11). “Home at Seven/* Wynrh’m (401 “King Rhapsody/* Palace (64). “Knight’s iVIadn’ss,” Vic. Pal. (39). “Latin Quarter,” Casino (39). “Little Hut,” Lyric (16). “Mister Roberts,” Coliseum (21). “Reluctant Heroes,” W’teh’ll ( 13). “Return to Tyassi/' York’s (2). ^‘Ring Round Mo, oh,” Gl’be (37). “Seagulls Bbiprentri/* Apollo (26). “2d TariquerB;^/’ Haymark’t (15). “Take It From Us/’ Adelphi (6). “To Dorothy/’ Savoy (3). “Top of Ladder,” St. jas. (9). “Touch & Go,” Wales (29). “Who Is Sylvia,” Criterion (7). “Will Any Gent,” Strand (14). “Worm’s View,” Comedy (190), CBOSED LAST WEEK “Fourpostet,” Ambassador’s (8). “Party Manners/* Princess (5)). Lortghairs Already Set For Aussie ’51 Jubilee Sydney, Dec; 5. Shows in Australia ' ( Wee/c ending Dec. 2) SYDNEY “Bonaventure’* (Williamson), Royal. Gilbert & Suillvan (Williamson), Empire.. “Message for Margaret” (Fuller), Palace ; (opening Dec. 8). Aussie government, in assoeia- I MELBOURNE “Highwayman” (Samuels), King’s. “Worm’s Eye View” (Williamson), tion with the Australian Broadcast- i ng Commission, is im porting soeko talent lineup for concert runaround during the Australian jubilee cele- ■ brations early next yejir, Talent j will also go oyer the ABC hort- commercial radio netw’ork. Those booked so far include Mar- jorie La wTence, Harold Blair, Fa- ther Sydney MacEwan, Dr. George rourist Trade’* (David Martin revue), Tivoli. . ”‘Ice Follies’* (David Martin), HiS Majesty’s. / ADELAIDE Ball, Kichard Farrell, Ricardo Od- 1 Noway-’ (Williamson). ! Beryl Klmber. '-s ->aJi^*‘VeiiusCoinestoTown’*(Wal- Turkish-German Pix Trade Up^^ace revue), Royal. Washington, Dec. 12. Lack Of American and British exchange in Turkey is causing a resurgence ,o£ German trade in. motion picture equipment, reports Nathan D. Golden, Mm expert for U. S. Commerce Department. “With the resurgence of Turk- ish-German trade the bast year,” says Golden, “a, sub, stanjiat qiianti- , ty of replacement parts have been^i “Oklahoma’* Majesty's. (Williamson), His ‘Salesman* Scores in Uruguay Montevideo, Dec. 5. . Narciso Ibanez Menta is rated a hit here for his direction and portrayal of the lead in the Span- ish translation, of “Death of a Salesman,” now at the Sodre thea- imported, as a result of which it i ire. I has been possible to keep prewar 1 Here, after a successful run in I pvo.tectors of German manufacture Buenos ' Aires, its playing here to 1 in .satisfactory condition/* ' packed houses. 26 Wednesday^ December 13, 1950 • # pt, (%jiiMhnaA> # • NO MATTER WHICH WARNER ATTRACTION YOU PLAY YOU’Li BE PLAYINO THE BICGEST ATTRACTION ON THE HOLIDAY boards/ The grosses now being piled up in every advance booking on these pictures prove it! JAMES VIROINIA DOtIt GORDON OINI ‘BREAKTHROUGH' iiilttBRIAN-JOHN AGAR NELSON ■nd biautUul FRANK lOVEJOY^ SUZANNE iewIs'seIler • bryaSVoy tcNiK fliy by BERNARD GIRARD ind TED SHERDEMAN • From a Story by Joseph I. Brian, Jr. with ALAN HALE, jR. Produced by Directed by IRY DEI RUTH LOUIS F.EDEIM AN Screen Pliy by JOHN MONKS, JR.. CHARLES. HOFFMAN t IRVING' WALLACE From a Story by IrVinj Wallace • Oriairial Songs by Jule Slyne and Sammy Cihn • Musical Direction by Ray Heindort • ^nca Numbers Directed by LeRoy Priiii RUTH ROMAN STEVE GOCHRAN ** RAYMOND MASSEY • BARBARA PAYTON Dimcted by STUART HEISLER Produced by ANTHONY VEILLER Music by MiaSlilnit Wrlttin by JOHN TWISf Wediiesdayt December 13, 1930 DENVER (Continued from page 18) ‘'Let’s Dance’* (Par) (2d wk), S7 800. Denver (Fox) (2,525;, 35-74) — “Glass Menagerie” (WB) and ‘Father’s Wild Game” (Mono), dav-date with Esquire. Fair $11,- 000 Last week, “West Point Story” (WBV and “Big ’Timber” (Mono), big $18,500. Esquire (Fox) (742; 35-74).-- ‘ Gla’ss Menagerie” . (WB) and ^‘Father’s Wild Game”, (Mono),, also Denver. Fair $2,000. Last week. “West Point Story” (WB) and , ‘ Big Timber” (Mono), big S3. 7.50. • Orplieum (RKO) (2,66(); 35-74)— ‘ Joan oi Arc” (RKO) and “Rio Grande Patroi” (RKO). Thin. $9,000. Last .week “Miniver Story” (M-Gi and “Gowtowh” (Col), 4-day holdover, $5,000, and “China Sky” aiul ^Bombardier” (RKO) Kre- issucs). $4,000 in 3 days. Purampunt (Fox) (2,200; 35-74) —‘‘Fuller Brush Girl” (Col) and “Pii.soners in Petticoats” (Rep). Nice $9,000. Last week, “Quick- sand’’ (UA) and “Squared Circle” Olono), good . $8,500. Tabor (Fox) (1,967; 35-74)— ♦'Kahsas Raiders’* (U) and ‘‘Jungle Stampede” (Rep), also Aladdin, Webber. Fine $5,000. Last week, ‘ Woman on Run” lU) and “Bed- side IMariner” Indie, fine $4,500. Webber (Fox) (750; 35-74) — ‘ Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Jungle Stampede” (Rep), also Taborv Aladdin, Big $3,500. Last week, ‘ Woman on Run” (U) and “Bed- side Mariner’* (Indie), $3,500. Snow Pols Skids Uoder Hpis., ‘Grande’ OK IIG ‘Lady’ Fine 17G, Indpis, Indianapolis, Dec. 12. Bi/.. could be a lot worse at firsL riui.s here in view of Christmas buying and bad weather. “Ad- miral Was a Lady,” with Ralph Flanagan band and Patti Page on- stage. is leader with neat session, at the Circle. “Breakthrough,” at Indiana, and “Harriet Craig,” at L()c\v’.s are top straight filmers, both doing okay. Estimates for This Week Circle (Gamble - Dolle) (2,800; 5()-90>— ‘’AdmiraL Was Lady” (UA) w ifh Ralph Flanagan orch, Patti Page, others, onstage. Neat $17,- (){)(). Last week, “Hit Parade 1951” (Hep) with Xavier Cugat orch on- stage. $16,000. Indiana (G-D) (3*300; 44-65) — “Breakthrough” (WB) and ‘‘Sur- render” (Rep), Nice $11,000. Last week. “Jaickpot” (20th) and “Texan Meets Jane” (20th),. $8, 500. Loe\v*s (Loew’s) (2,427; 44-65) — ‘ Harriet Craig” (Col) and ^‘Be- tween Midnight and Dawn” (Col). Okay $10,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d Wk), dandy $11,500. Lyric (G-D) (1,600; 44-65) — ‘‘Beast of East” (Indie) and “Atrocities Ft. Santiago” (Indie). Stout $6,000. Last week,“Wyom- ing Mail” (U) and “Can’t Cheat Honest Man” (U) (reissue)* $4,500. Holdovers Hit Seattle; ‘Breakthrough’ Nice 12G Seattle, Dec, 12. With pre-Xmas shopping in full swing and town loaded with hold- overs, biz is way off here, . “Break- through” is “only new entry show- ing much, with nice session at Or- plieiim. “Solomon’s Mines’^ is still sock in third Music Hall round. Estimates for This Week Fifiii Aveinie (Evergreen) (2,349; 65-90 (---‘‘Let’s Dance” (Par) and . Torch” (EL) (2d wk); Good $7,500. Last week, fancy $10,700. . Liberty (Hararick) (1,650; 65-90) Weeks With Love” (M-G) (2d ^vk). Moderate $6,500 after $9,800 last week. Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 65-90) ^“Bdge of Doom” (RKO) (2d wk). Slow $3,000 after mild $4,500 la.st week. , \ _ Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,200; 65- 90)-— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M- G; and “Happy Years” (M-G) (3d vkh Great $14,000 after $16,300 .last week. ^ Orpheum (Hamrick) (2.6(i0; 65- ”^;‘;--:;,BTeakthrough” (WB), Nice gl2.0()p. Last week, “West Point Story (WB) (2d wk), good $6,800. ialomar (Sterling) (1,350; 50-84) Bight Cross” (M-G) (2d run), I . Fair $5,000. Last v^ek. “Mister 880” (20th) (2d run) vith vaude, fairish $5,100. A.-'l^ramount (Evergreen) (3,039; Walk Softly, Stranger” “^^0 Grande Patrol” JBlvO). Sad $7,500. Last week. Guerrilla” (20th) (3d. Vk-G daysi, $4,800. Minneapolis, Dec. 12. Brutal weather continues to slough the boxoffice here, aggra- vating the pre-Christmas seasonal adverse influence. Unending Heavy , snowfalls make for traffic hazards I and parking problems. Three of the newcomers, “Panic in Streets,” I “Rio Grande” and “Breakthrough, ■ ; qualify among the elite - as far as quality is concerned, but the going is none too smooth even for any ' of them. Holdovers are topped by , ‘‘King Solomon’s Mines,” in its ' fourth week. Estimates for This Week Century (Par) (1,600; 50-70)— “All About Eve” (20th) (m.o.). Fine $7,000. LBst week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) (2d wk), $3,500. Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 50-70)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk). All things considered, this has given excellent boxoffice account of itself. Okay $5,000 after good $6,000 last stanza. Lyric (Par) (1,000; 50-70)— “If This Be Sin” (UA) and “Once a J’hief” (UAi. Light $3,000. Last week, “American Guerrilla” (20th) (2d wk), $3,500. Radio City (Par) (4,000; 50-70)— “Rip Grande” (Rep). Many nice words for this John Wayne starrer but only okay $11,000 looms. Last week, “All Ab’out Eve” (2()th), hurt by weather also, disaipponting $ii,ooo: RKO-Orpheum (RKO) (2,890; 35- 70)— “Breakthrough” (WB). Well- regarded picture struggling hard. Mild $9,500. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col), slow $6,000. RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 35-75)-. “Girls Under 21” (Indie) and “Girls of the Road” (Indie) (reissues). O’Kay $5,500. Last week, “The Torch” (EL) and “I Killed Geronimo” (EL), $4,000. State (Par) (2,300; 50-70)^ “Panic in Streets” (20tli). Moderate $7,000. Last week, “Right Cross” (M-G), $7,500. World (Mann) (400; 50-85)— “Toast New Orleans” (M-G) (2d wk). Well-enough liked, but off! sharply this week. Draggy $2,000. Last week, okay $3,000. ‘Craig’ Sets Pace: In Toronto, Lusty $12,500 Toronto, Dec. 12. Xmas shopping is beginning to make deep inroads at the box- office but “Odette” and “Harriet Craig” are dragging in the femme trade. “Born to be Bad” also is very healthy. Estimates for : ■' . - • ' ' ■ RKO is huriting a new title for “The Thing” because of the wide+ spread attention attracted by Phil Harris’ disk song bearing the same name, Studio toppers feel that the public may get an erroneous idea of the picture, which is strictly serious while the tune is on the comic side. \ Wednesday, December 13, 1950 THE BIG GUN OF 'SI ROARS OUT THE NEWS OF January's Roaring Laugh Attraction 4 The Great Comedy Team \ ' That's The Sensation of All Show Business! ARMY’l^starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis • with Polly Bergen • Executive Producer Abner J. Greshler • Directed by Hal Walker W itten for the Screen and Produced by Fred F. Finklehoffe • Based on a Play by James B. Allardice • Songs by Mack David and Jerry Livingston Wedit esdayt December 13, 1950 9-Company Comparison Following is a comparison of net, earnings of nine film companies for parallel periods of 1949 and 1950. They are based on latest available financial reports or reliable estimates. Figures for Co- lumbia, Metro, Monogram, Universal and Warner Bros, cover a year, while Paramount, Republic, RKO and 20th-Fox are for nine months: 1949 1950 Columbia .$1,007,514 $1,981,487 Metro 6,744,761 7,500,000* Mono (1,108,433) loss (263,342) loss Paramount 4,494,769t 5,698,000 Republic 730,116 830,922 RKO 1,919,228 608,632 20th-Fox 8,200,013 6,595,723 Universal (1.125,851) loss 1,500,000* Warner Bros. 10,466,000 10,271,000 $31,328,117 $34,722,422 Kstimate. Report not yet filed. V Pro forma for production-distribution company. PICTURES 29 10% Profit Hypo Continued from page 3 Pioneers' Directorate periods most of this top-budgeted and in some cases poor product had been cleared away. Thus film amortizations, which heavily weigh the year-end financial sta- tistics, were much reduced. Other Economies j Foundation of Motion Picture Economies were also effected in pjoneers will hold a meeting to tions. Whether these and picture j directors, Jan. 6 at 7 9 budget cuts can be maintained ''in ’ Seventh avenue, N. Y. This confab the face of generally spiralling in- 1 will replace the annual meet, Nom- j flation in the U. S, is, of course, a ; [nations for directors include Jack W6 Per-Share Earning in First Upbeat Since ’46-’47 Despite Lower Profits ; prime worry for pic execs. : Alicoate, Barney Balaban, Harry Must Not Forget Published Material For Films— Goldstone' Hollywood’s policy of looking for | original stories and offbeat stuff in recent months should not be pursued to such an extent that pub- lished material is to be forgotten. That’s the opinion of agent Jules Goldstone, recently in New York for confabs with publishers and literary agencies. Published material, said Gold- stone, who heads the Goldstone agency, has long been a substan- tial basis of motion pictures. But, he added, there’s been a leaning away from this soui’ce In the past few years. Exec cautioned that if the trend persists we could go “too far and make a mistake.” Goldstone, who recently sold a short story of Frederick Hazlitt Brennan’s to RKO, disclosed that the studio paid $20,000 for the property. Yarn is “They Sell Sail- ors Elephants,” which is said to be intended as a vehicle for Groucho Marx and William Bendix. Agent planned to make a short stopover in Chicago enroute to Hol- l\wood. Gardner Undecided Some of the profits shown in : , both 1949 and 1950 represent sale 1 Brandt, Steve Broidy, Jack Cohn, : of capital assets— primarily the- i Sam Dembow, Jr., Ned Depinet, I atres with which the affiliated | Qyg Eyssell, Si Fabian, James R. companies were forced to part t der the antitrust consent decree, j Grainger, Abel Green, William . However, these roughly balance j.Beineman, John J. O’Connor, Bob. Aanli rvff ■ In fViA #>r»nrtnQT«5cr»n''i i1 Com each other off in the comparison' of the 1949 and 1950 earnings. O’Donnell, Martin Quigley, Sam Rinzler, Herman Robbins, Gradwell On PJt. Pic Distrib : S" .'“rs show up in WB, Metro and dOth ' Initial feature made by Rd Gardner in Puerto Rico is currently being shown major distribs in New York. Film, a mystery and chase thriller with a P.R. back- ground, is titled, “The Man With My Face.” Gardner hasn’t decided yet whether he’ll give the pic to a distrib for releaTse for the usual fee by his counsel, Milton Kramer. Barry Nelson plays the lead in the film. Gardner is considering further production in Puerto Rico, where he lives and tapes his radio show, “Duffy’s Tavern.” Puerto Rican production gives him a con- siderable tax advantage on both films and radio. Group is a fraternal organization comprising filmites who have been ; mained in the loss column during i i>^ th.e industry for 25 years or statements for several years. 1 Only one company — ^Mono — re- r the past year. It considerably re- more and participates In distribu- SWG Strike Continued from page T Gunn^s *Judy^ Preem ‘ Fantasy for Judy,” musical short representing Texan Dan Gunn's initial venture in pix making, and which stars his nine-year-old daughter Judy, will be preemed in Dallas. Houston and San Antonio on Dec. 26-27-28, respectively. Ar-i rangements for the tri-city bow are being directed by fellow Lone Starrer Robert J. O’Donnell, gen- eral manager of the Interstate cir- cuit. Gunn plans to do other shorts under the aegis of Dan Gunn Pro- ductions. Allied Aloofness Continued from page 4 licve the latter org will eventually come in en masse. They anticipate Allied members in the field will be taking a crack at arbitration if an attractive system is devised, and tliis would have to be followed by the Allied board’s formal entry. So far as the distribs are con- cerned, there’s almost, but not en- ti rely, an unanimous vote in favor td arbitration. At least one dissent- ei* is Eagle Lion Classics, which has irowned on the idea of identifying iiself with the other companies in uHhm' matters and is not in the to go along w'ith them now, EEC is said to feel that aligning itself with other distribs might tionu'how threaten its freedom of aclion. For this reason it never Joined the Motion Picture Assn, of America. Cowan-Pickford Continued from page 5 ‘Rain,” C owan now gets rights are “J ^Mrect Scene,” “Sorreli and Son,” Greeks Had a Word for It,” “To- uighl or Never” and “Dorothy Ver- sion of Haddon Hall.” Cowan’s Contribution , to the A A pot, to "Inch he now retrieves rights, com- prises “Babylon Revisited,” “Presi^ U'’nr’s Husband,” “Personal Story u Ernie Pyle,” “Beckoning Fair t ne.” “Free Press” and “Sun Yat ocn. ' ^ owan hopes to produce “Pyle” “Babylon” himself and to ' '-e denis with other indies for onsing of the remainder. j of rights, then waned to allow only ; dramatic and publication rights I while the Guild held out for film, I television, remake and sequel rights as well. Guild agreed to forego television temporarily until contract for latter could be nego- tiated. Producers also demanded lengthy delays for opening tele- vision question, Tuneberg said, , wliile no common ground could be ! found on Matter of minimum sal- : aries. Sought $350 Minimum Guild wanted to increase present , $187.50 minimum to $350, but ten- tative agreement was reached at $250 for. writers .with 52 weeks’ experience or a screenplay credit. Tunberg compared the $250 figure to that Of other crafts, citing such figures as first assistant director, $261.25, or $260.56 for art director in his first year in industry. He also pointed out other talent groups are sympathetic, and that the Screen Actors Guild, whose con- ■ tract expires Dec. 31, will include : in its negotiations for new pact a I demand for additional payment for j use of film in video. I At press conference prior to ' meeting, Tunberg said a favorable I strike vote would result in imme- ! diate notification to producers that 1 the Guild was cancelling present I agreement on required 60-day no- I tice. Under Taft-Hartley law, pro- , ducers’ representatives can then be i forced to hold daily conferences in I an attempt to reach solution. If I unsuccessful. Guild cap move for I strike at the end of 60 days. Strike Alternatives I First, there’s possibility of one- , day strike by writers at all studios,* then there’s concentration on one lot for total strike there, then there could be an industry-wide strike i call.- Tunberg added that abuses I generally occurred at only few stu- dios, and these are likely to be the fir.st . targets. Of 665 active writers, 515 are associate membei's, , only about 50 hold term contracts. Their status in event of a strike is still undetermined as there’s no clear- cut precedent on status of those pacts with companies. Tunberg also pointed out that 509o of members average $7,500 anually. while one-third average less than $5,000 yearly. He re- vealed that a few major studios are currently granting separation of rights to top writers on individu- al or contract deals, but Guild feels all writers should have such pro- tection. Meeting heard wire from Oscar Hammersteiri 2d, Authors League prexy; Moss Hart, Dramatists Guild prexy, and Helen Hull, Authors Guild leader, stating trio felt sepa- ration of rights of utmost, impor- tance. UA Difficulties Continued from page. 3 duced the red ink, however, from oF relief to members in the I 1949, cutting the deficit from $ 1 ,- I industry. 108,433 to $263,342. Company is j expected to show still further im- ! provement, since it now has out of ' the way a number of high-budg- i I eted and generally unsuccessful pix. Universal moved from the loss to the profits ledger during the year, Estimates are that its earn- ings for the fiscal 12 months end- ing Oct. 31 will be about $1,500,- 000. That compares with bad news to the tune of $1,125,851 in 1949. RKO’s ‘Gloom* Not So Bad While RKO shows the greatest decline in the figures tabulated herewith, the gloom is not quite as great as it appears on the sur- face. Profits of $1,919,228 for the first nine months of 1949 included $1,505,472 from sale of theatres, so the operating net was actually only around $400,000. First 39 weeks of the current year showed earn- ings of $608,63^, of which $216,- 000 was income from sale of capi- tal assets, making for operating profits of approximately the same $400,000 as 1949. Col’s year ends June 30 and it has filed its complete report for fiscal 1950. Metro winds up Aug. 31 and it has not yet issued its statement, so its fiscal "year-end total in the accomp|inying tabula- tion is based on an estimate. Same is true for U, which ends its fiscal period Oct. 31. WB completes its fiscal stanza Aug. 31 and filed its 1950 report last week. Mono winds up June 30 and has filed. Rep ends Oct. 31 and has not filed, so its figure in the tabulation herewith is for nine months. Paramount, RKO and 20th base their reports on the calendar year. ! Their nine-month figures, as re- ported, are used in the tabulation. Cut-Rate 2d-Runs Continued from page 3 Mary Pickford and Charles Chap- lin and it i.s believed that no ap- proaches have been made. Identity of the group on the Coast with which negotiations are now in progress continues to be veiled. Talks are known to be go- ing on, however, with the poten- tial buyers by Loyd Wright, at- torney for Chaplin, and Clinton La Tourette, counsel for Miss Pickford. There were no indications of how the negotiations were prog- ressing, but trade observers were not optimistic that this would come any closer to consummation than the myriad of pther such deals in recent years. Harry Mul- ler, UA’s controller, returned to New York over the weekend from a week on the Coast during which he gave a complete rundown on company financial affairs to the negotiating group. Jacques Grinieff, who in the past several months has made a number of offers to acquire control, went to the Coast from New York at the end of last week. His plan was to stand by for a final effort if other talks fail. McNutt and McNamce Paul V. McNutt and Frank L. McNamee, who became board chairman and prexy, respectively, in a switch of management control last July, are known to have no knowledge of what negotiations are taking place on the Coast or the identity of the potential buyers. McNamee has indicated his ex- ! pectation of departing the company j in a relatively short time. Mc- ! Nutt’s intentions are unknown. UA’s worsening financial situa- tion was made clear by the latest f While consolidated net profit continued on the downbeat, finan- cial statement issued by Warner Bros, showed the first increase in per-share earnings since the peak 1946-’47 fi.scal year, when the major’s net of $22,094,979 repre- sented $3.02 per share. Latest WB report, which covers the year ended Aug. 31, 1950, shows a profit of $10,271,000, equivalent to $1.46 per share on the 6,997,300 common shares out- standing. Earnings for the pre- vious year amounted to $10,466,- 000, representing $1,43 per share on the 7,295,000 shares then out- standing. Firm has been buying its own issue on the open market dur- ing the past year, explaining the decrease in the number of shares outstanding as of the end of last August. However, another factor is the net profit sales of capital assets which, in the year covered by the new report, was listed at $1,461,000. This compares with $877,000 in the previous year. WB disclosed gross business, in- cluding film rentals and theatre admissions, ahiounting to $126,944,- 000. This represents a drop of $8,015,000 as compared with the previous year when the gross reached $134,959,000. I save 509r and more” (from first- 1 report on its incc^e. Gross for .run downtown prices, they meant). : week ending Dec. 2 was $211,0()0, : Elmer M. Graham, in charge of , lowest in years. Since UA s dis- , the co-op buying agreement pro- 1 tribution fee averages just over : gram, said the release was sent to i 25;^ of that figure, its take would I papers prematurely. He said that | be around $55,000. With after it had got out, the Regent ! erating nut of better than ^5,000, management “got so many squawks : this represents a loss of $20,000 a from other exhibitors that they had ' week at this point. It is understood to call the deal off.” Graham referred other ques- tions to J. A. Rightly, of the co-op ; that UA suffered a net operating deficit of $500,000 for the first 10 months of 1950, division of the CIO’s education de- ' With no new pix going into re- partment. Rightly also confirmed . lease, the income will decline rap- j the scheme, saying that Jack Gold- i idly. Most of last week’s income ' har, president of Goldhar-Zimner | was from “The Men” and “City : Theatres, Inc., operators of the j Lights.” Former has played off vir- I Regent, finally called it off when ! tually all its key bookings and ren- ! “it looked like he was going to 1 tals will diminish. “Lights” may have trouble with other exhibitors also do a fast fade, since the Cath- who were against cutting prices.” olic War Veterans are pushing a campaign to keep theatres from booking it because of Chaplin’s al- Distribs Atom Pic , , ^ „ i Sam Lake has acquired for U. S. i leges'!. leanings ; distribution “Pattern for Survival, Total Assets $60,336,554 Total current and working assets amount to $60,336,554, which in- cludes cash of $20,443,925. Current liabilities are listed at a total of $15,528,079. WB’s advances to out- side produc'^rs took a big jump in the most recent year, being listed at $7,367,333. Same item in the 1948-’49 fiscal year was down at $1,311,662. WB disclosed its inventories as follows: released productions, at cost less amortization, $6,903,880; films completed but not released, at cost, $5,631,009; productions in progress and charges to future pro- ductions, at cost, $9,352,687; rights and scenarios unproduced, at cost less reserves, $1,346,874. In the past year, WB sold the fee's of five theatre properties, the lease of a sixth, and a warehouse for a total of $1,366,000, of which $1,105,000 was in cash with the balance to be paid in 10 years. Additionally, as part of its partner- ship dissolution program, the com- pany relinquished its 50% owner- ship of four houses, bringing a total of $946,000 in cash. Firm also has entered into a pact to sell two other theatres owned in fee for $300,000. Of this, $125,000 is to be paid in cash and the bal- ance over a period of two and one-half years. Other divested properties in- cluded a majoi'ity stock ownership of Continental Lithograph Co. and Los Angeles radio station KFWB, proceeds of which brought a total of $710,000. Of this amount, $530,- 000 was received in cash, the bal- ance receivable within one year. WB’s funded and other long-term debt amounted to $11,548,000 as of last Aug. 31, which was $3,259,000 less than the previous year. Firm’s principal item of funded debt is a 2% bank loan in the amount of $9,546,000, payable in semi-annual installments of $1,591,000 com- mencing on Nov. 1, 1951. Only new pic on hand is the I. G. Goldsmith-Joseph Ju^tman-CaiT Leserman-David Loew “Three Hus- bands.” It is doing very tepid biz. RobcM't Stillman’s “Sound of Fury” a two-reeler produced by Milton ! Salzburg, pf Cornel Films. It deals •with steps to be taken for protec- ; tipn from atom bomb attack. , ^ j i. j Lake was recently named pro- ' has played five test dates and the ! ducer’s representative for Inter- 1 producer is playing it very close to .American Productions, outfit the vest from here on in until he headed by Philip N. Krasne, which ' sees which way the UA Wind blows. : makes the “Cisco Kid” series for ' Harry Popkin turned over “Sec- I United Artists release. Lake was ' ond Woman” some weeks ago, but i until recently sales exec with Ed- * will approve no bookings. This t *.v. » i ward Small in New York and be- : lea.ves UA without even a release [ other date. Instead, the siuaio 1 fore that was with Paramount and ! for Christmas, best b.o. week of the went to the Justice Department Sclznick Releasing Organization. I year. * ahd made the stipulation. WB Sets Price Continued from page 5 which expires in eight* years, on the U. S. theatre, Hoboken, N. J. 20th Talks Due . Washington, Dec. 12. Justice Department expects fur- ther conferences this week with attorneys for 20th-Fox on the mo- tion picture anti-trust decree, but negotiations with Warner Bros, are temporarily marking time. Government lawyers are wonder- ing whether the Loew action of the other day means they intend to file a divorcement plan by Dec. 30. Loew’s claimed that the six months’ deadline for filing the plan did not expire Dec. 6, as the Anti- trust Division contended. The firm signed a stipulation that the ex- piration date was Dec. 30. What is interesting is that Loew’s did not go into the trial court in New York and asked to be relieved from filing on Dec. 6. or Dec. 30, or any Instead, the studio 80 PICTURES Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Clips from Film Row * NEW YORK James R. Grainger, Republic’s sales chief, leh N. Y. Dec. 9 for a one-month tour of company branches. He is slated to arrive on the Coast Dec, 22 where he will spend Chirstmas and New Year’s. Initial stop on junket is Atlanta. Before returning to N. Y. in early January, the exec will visit New Orleans, Dallas, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Denver and Chi- cago, New all-plastic screen hung in Radio City Music Hall. CHICAGO William Lundigan, Vera Ellen, and Rex Allen lined up by Allied for its banquet, Dec. 15, Balaban and Katz will pay a year-end dividend of $2.50 on its common stock, it was announced last week. Variety Club of Illinois post- poned its annual elections one week because of the death of B&K general manager Walter Im- merman. Federal Grand Jury indicted three men last week for possession of film valued at $12,000, stolen from a truck in interstate ship- ment. Local operator James Booth has closed the Bertha theatre here. He now runs one house in South Bend, Ind. Valias Theatre Circuit here took over operation of the Hins- dale theatre, Hinsdale, 111. Allied Theatres of Illinois will map plans for drum-beating cam- paign during 1951 at Palmer House here, Dec. 14, when conclave meets. It precedes an Allied 20- year celebration banquet, being called to circumvent current biz drop. Meeting, one of first moves of indie theatre ops to remedy mass nabe shutdowns, will include leading distrib sales toppers and major exhibs. DALLAS The Dixie and Liberty at Athens sold by Dorbandt family to Roy Parnell and Owen Killingsworth. Parnell owns the Texan there. Art Leazenby named publicity manager for south central division of Paramount; replaces George Henger. E. L. Jackson named manager of the Leonard theatre at Leonard. It is owned by L. B. Crow of Dallas* Bill Rau, formerly of Paramount exchange here, opened the Alamo Booking Co. at San Antonio. Charley Wise of Isley Circuit is in charge of program. Gilbert Kurland and a unit from the Universal-International Studios here at Randolph Air Force Base to complete shooting scenes for film, “Air Cadet." Lancie Arnold named new man- ager of Josephine theatre owned by Tom Sumners, in San Antonio. Arnold for several years operated theatres at Bishop and Odom, Tex. Metro will send a camera crew here to San Antonio to shoot ! scenes at Randolph Air Force Base j for forthcoming picture, “It Is a I Big Country.’’ MINNEAPOLIS Reopening after extensive im- provements, Homewood, independ- ent neighborhood house, is first Twin City neighborhood stand to relinquish 28-day clearance. House returns to former 56-day availabil- ; ity, enabling it to cut admission from 60c to 40c and buy films flat. Six 28-day stands remain. Stench bombing has ceased at Bennie Berger’s loop first-run Gopher theatre although he still refuses to comply with union de- mands to employ a second stage- hand. Ted Mann finally landed “Kind Hearts and Coronets’’ for his sure- seater World where it opens Dec. 27. Pic also set for St. Paul World. Icy roads and heavy snowfall hampering film salesmen in mak- ing rounds. Radio, St. Paul independent neighborhood house, launching Tuesday bargain nights, with adult admissions reduced from 40c to 25c and children’s from 12c to 9c. North Central Allied appointed special committee to fight threat- ened local admission tax measure in state legislature which convenes Jan. 2. Postal authorities compelled local neighborhood houses to dis- continue newspaper and mail ads Of their bank nights because con- strued stunt to have lottery fea- tures which can’t be publicized I through the mails. ST. LOUIS The Bond, Greenville, 111., owned by the Frisina Amus. Co., and Grand, Mt. Olive, 111., op- erated by Mrs. J. Lawson, escaped damage in a tornado that struck both towns, caused four deaths and great damage. Three houses in West Plaines, Mo., were shut- tered 12 hours when the high wind blew down power lines and poles. The three St. Louis dailies have hiked their amusement ad rates. Arlie M. Chamness, Carrier Hill, 111., sold his Hox, New Haven, 111. house, to Henry Abshen, auto dealer. St. Louis Variety Club donated $70 to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital fund. PHILADELPHIA Felt Bros., indie chain operators, weighing offer to convert their Adelphi, West Philly nabe, into Negro cafe. New board of directors for the Variety Club will formulate plans for the 1951 Variety convention. Suit started here Dec. 5 by Harry Vogelstein, of Baltimore Poster Co., against National Screen Service and various film companies. ADVUKTISING well DIRECTED What’s love got to do with Advertising? Plenty ! Our business is promoting Ever stop to think how many things are bought and sold because somebody loves somebody else? Well, it’s astronomical. Take all those nourishing foods and warm clothes Mom and Pop buy for a couple of kids they love so much. And, of course, there’s young love . . . romantic love! Now, you’re really getting into big business. Wedding rings, trousseaus, honeymoons, furnished flats, pop-up toasters! Yes, things really start perking when Love comes along. Maybe it’s because Campbell-Ewald Company has long recognized the importance of the heart department that we have always tried to make our clients’ advertising messages a little warmer and friendlier and closer to the target of Dan Cupid’s arrow. We found out a long time ago that Dan is a very handy little fellow to have around in any kind of media. And in television (one of our specialties), he’s terrific! You can’t beat a good love story on the video. That’s why Campbell-Ewald TV programs, such as TRIPLE FEATURE THEATRE, sponsored by Chev- rolet, Dealers on Los Angeles Station KEGA-TV, have always been so popular. People love them, and we love {Producing them. Love may laugh at locksmiths . ^ . but don’t you laugh at love, your best salesman. Eliminate Red Tape On Booking, Aim Of Schwalberg at Par Paramount is out to overhaul its booking procedure with the aim of eliminating all unnecessary red tape. This is the- purpose of its current series of meetings among sales chief A. W! Schwalberg, branch operations head Joseph Walsh and the bookers themselves. Schwalberg and Walsh are mak- ing the rounds of branches to ex- change views with the field per- sonnel an(f hope to come up with new conclusions in the way of simplifying the paper work in skedding pictures for exhibitors. Feeling is that a substantial por- tion of booking charts and listings could be dropped without impair- ing the records. Schwalberg-Walsh meetings already have taken place in Pitts- burgh and New Orleans, with oth- ers on schedule, including one in Chicago Dec. 16-17. No Foldings 1 ^— J Continued from page 4 tendance was off sharply. In light of the b.o. slump, observers point out, it’s only natural for the little fellows in the fringe spots to be caught in the economic scfueeze. Obviously, they can’t withstand a period of sparse attendance as well as the bigger circuits, which have sufficient financial reserves to carry on until an upswing asserts itself. 4 Omaha Nabes Darken Omaha, Dec. 12. Four neighborhood theatres are dark. The Roseland, one of the first nabes in town and located in South Omaha; has been given up by the Epstein Bros, after many years of operation. Only recently the Epsteins shuttered the Tivoli in the same block. Now Ralph D. Goldberg announces he is closing two of his suburbans, the Arbor and the Fortieth Street. He says it is only over the holidays and for repairs, but neither has been do- ing particularly well. First new nabe theatre built in 10 years is being completed in the West Center district by Walter Creal, who also runs the Beacon. The Center is a large house in a thickly populated district and rep- resents a bold and positive move in the face of all the TV chatter. Cincy Depends on Product Cincinnati, Dec. 12. Bucking admittedly “rough set- backs’’ from television. Greater Cincy exhibitors are depending upon economic adjustments and “good product’’ to get their 90 the- atres out of the red. At present 18 houses in the met- ropolitan area are shuttered and 12 are in weekend and holiday op- eration. TV opposition has been severe here since a year ago, when three local stations were linked with net- work cables. For the past eight months all houses have been offer- ing double features. There has been no price slatshing or raising, and giveaways are taboo under Cincy ordinances. According to distributors, the pic biz slump is milder in other areas of the Cincy exchange territory. “That’s because many of them are beyond TV zones and operating ex- penses are less,’’ one distributor said. He pointed out that TV has hurt theatre attendance more in Cincy than in Dayton and Colum- O., Indianapolis and Louisville, all with video stations. From a spokesman for one large group of Greater Cincy exhibitors came this statement: “Our mem- bers were prepared to ride out a drop of 20% in receipts, but not the one of 40 or 45% at hand now. Instead of giving up, we are mak- ing the fight with pictures and are expecting the distributors, union projectionists and others to give their help through adjustments so We can keep our theatres open." It also was pointed out that sev- eral neighborhood deluxers, built shortly before anpl after World War II at high costs, took trade Campbell-Ewald Company H. T. JEW AID, President away from other nabes and are now finding themselves as losers because of heavy investments and operating expense. Added to this category are some comparatively new drive-ins, one of which, Rube Shor’s super Twin Drive-In thea- tre, is testing with winter operation by use of car heaters. Shor’s open- airer is on the Norwood-Bond Hill DETROIT • NEW YORK • CHICAGO • EOS ANGELES • SAN FRANCISCO • ATLANTA border, within city limits and sev- eral miles from downtown Cincy. December 13, 1950 PICTURES 31 Hew American Distrib Formed Continued from page 5 about self- as 1\: started with six and later reduced to lour. Lopcrt indicated tliat an early release will be on a roadshow h'lsis and he expects to handle 100 key-city bookings iiim- pic will be “Tales of Hoff- inaii in Technicolor. Star, Moira Sliearer, and producers, Michael jn)\voll and Emeric Pressbiirger, are Ibe same as in the case of “Red Shoes.” with the pic being billed a successor to that. Fall Release Following pix won't start into >lease until fall, Lopert said. J\hi(le, as was “Tales of Hoffman,” under the Korda banner, they in- clude Carol Reed’s production of “Outcast of the Islands”; “Cry the ; Beloved Country/’ Zoltan Korda’s i ft Imitation of the Alan Paton ; novel; Herbert Wilcox’s “Odette,” j “The Sound Barrier,” produced by | David Lean; “The Sleeping: Beauty,” in Technicolor, with bal- | let star Margot Fonteyn, and j David Lean’s production of “The > Sound Barrier.” 1 Korda distribution agreement is , for five years. It is for U. S. and ' the Philippines. It does not in- j elude Canada. i New organization is an outgrowth eral art theatres and financed and imported a few foreign pix. Dowl- ing will be board chairman of the new company. His City Investing owns the Astor, Victoria and Bijou on Broadway. It is partnered with Lopert in the Bijou operation. ■The old Lopert Films will be a stockholder in the new corporation and will continue to finance pro- duction abroad. All its current rcr leases and residuals will be taken over by the new company. Korda’s American company, London Films, will continue as is, with its prexy, Morris Helprin, continuing to func- tion as the producer’s factotum here. Korda’s Distrib Difficulty Korda, at one time a partner in United Artists, has had consider- able trouble since the war in find- ing satisfactory distribution in the U. S. He was releasing through 20th-Fox for a while, but that fiz- zled. Since that time, SRO, ELC and other indie distribs have han- dled various of his pix. Figured of prime importance in the trade concerning the new setup is the increasing activity of Dowl- ing in the film biz. City Investing, which owns many major buildings in the Wall street district, and has vast other holdings in a number of of a partnership of Lopert and ^ Dowling group for the past sev- cities, has tremendous resouices. the eral vears. They have acquired sev- Z here's only one Cord Xarlelon The «ntir« Mockfront of ocean -prlpacy 40th to 4 1 at Sta. COMPIETELV AIR-CONOmONBD Re»ervation», Walter Jacob* Also on the board of the new com- pany is Robert Goelet, associated with Dowling in many enterprises and reputed to be second only to the Astor estate in the quantity of New York real estate he holds. Other board members are Korda, who’ll be chairman of the executive committee, and Helprin, Wilfred Moeller, Harold C. Drayton and Sir Arthur Jarratt, repping the Korda group; Lopert and his attorney, Arthur Krim; and Samuel R. Walk- er and James Hutchinson, City In- vesting financial men. Lopert still has some places on the board to fill. 'Flagrant’ Abuses Continued from page 7 Person Wos Midnight Ffotur# Nighily' COIOR BV Tcchnicofor A Pnroni*unl Picture JOHN FORD'S “RIO GRANDE" starring John WAYNE • Maureen O'HARA A Republic Picture Brandt's MAYFAIR 7th Avenue A 47th Street Illegal clearances; 3. Discrimina- tion as to playdates and prints. This information will be corre- lated by Niles, and that dealing with violations of the Government decree will be forwarded to Abram F. Myers, general counsel of Allied. As to the complaints that' promises of the- general sales managers of the film companies are not being lived up to by the local exchange sales force, these, too, will be foi^ warded to Niles, who will present them to the Allied percentage com- mittee. Members of the committee are, chairman, Col. H. A. Cole, Sid- ney Samuelson, Wilbur Snaper, Irving Dollinger and Charles Niles. Also in attendance at the meet- ing were Jeff Jeffries, president of Mid-Central Allied; Hugh M. Gra- ham, secretary and treasurer; Earl Vandiver, director, Kennett, Mo.; Ted Keelan, Sheffield, 111.; Marion Bodwell, Wyoming, 111.; Paul Steel- man, Zichester, 111. Partial DPT Div¥y Curbs'Due to Finale Soon, Ending Snarl Partial restrictions on United s Paramount Theatres dividend pay- ments, as demanded under the Par antitrust suit consent decree, figure to come to an end shortly after Jan. 1. Divvy curbs and voting trust ar- rangement represented the most confusing portion of the trust pact with the Government so far as the stockholders were concerned. Head- aches aplenty for Par management also were inherent In the plan be- cause it meant added complexitie;? and problems in the stock trans- fers, plus difficulties in clearing the confusion among the security owners. Its elimination, as it is now in view, will mean immediate pay- ment of that portion of dividends which, necessarily, was withheld by the trustee (Bank of N, Y. and Fifth Avenue Bank), and there will be no more such curbs in the fu- ture. Department of Justice felt the measure was necessary to insure •that the two naw Par companies would not be subject to the control of the same group of security own- ers. Agreement provided that the old Par parent stockholders would be given regular stock certificates in the new pix outfit and certificates of interest in the theatre company. Half of the theatre^ company divi- dends were to be held by the trus- tee in all cases where the stock- holder continued ownership of pix company stock. Disposition of the pix stock meant that the holder could convert his theatre certifi- cates of interest into regular stock certificates, and collect back divvy payments. Plan further provided for termination of the arrangement when two-thirds of the interest cou- pons were converted. UPT is now well beyond the re- quired two-thirds minimum, with 2,445,664 of its shares outstanding with no restrictions. The balance of 817,612 remain represented by the interest certificates. While UPT thus has surpassed the required minimum, reason the circuit hasn’t already sought to ter- minate the trust is tliat the Justice Department some time ago agreed to lift all restrictions where in- dividuals owned 500 shares or less. In view of this concession, UPT has been awaiting the conversion of an even greater amount of interest certificates. Outfit figures that by shortly after Jan. 1 it will be ready to ask the Depai’tmen': for approval of the trust elimination and latter’s con- sent will be more of a certainty. The schedule then would call for final ratification by the U. S. dis- trict court in N. Y., which entered the Par decree. Wall Streeters Point for RKO Continued from pae;e 3 — RADIO CITY MUSIC HAH— Rockefeller Center RUDYARD KIPLING'S r\llvl ERROL FLYNN - DEAN STOCKELL Color by TECHNICOLOR A IVIetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture and THE MUSIC HALL'S GREAT CHRISTMAS STAGE SHOW Par Blocks Upped To 17 With ‘War,’ ‘Mating’ Number of Paramount pictures available to exhibitors in blocks has been upped to 17, with the addition of “At War with the Army” and “The Mating Season.” Under the Par System, exhibs are invited to license the entire group of 17 films and are given a 20^’c cancellation privilege. Major claims about 3,700 accounts taking prod- uct in blocks. FOR ANY EUROPEAN OPERATIONS Film, TV. Theatre. Etc. AMERICAN PRODUCER ♦ with Important Broadway, Feature Filni, Film Shorts, and Documentary Producing Credits Now resident in Paris, representing American film company, but seeking wider opp^-tunity, Good, correct French and Spanish. Several years foreign produCing^managerlal experience. Cultured, substantial literary, artistic back- ground, including association top writers, actors. Finest references, U.S.A., Abroad. Resume on Request Write Box V-762, Variety, 154 W. 46th St., New York 19,,N.Y. Bank Loans Continued from page 5 from the First National Bank of Chicago, and Manufacturers Trust Co. and Bankers Trust, both of N. Y., due on Feb. 1, 1958. Notes to the three banks made up the balance of the credit. New financing which was set with the same banks plus the insurance company, consists of $8,750,000 of 2^ 2^0 notes due serially 195V5<> and $26,250,000 of 3^2% notes due in 1971. Remaining $10,000,000 is in the form of a revolving credit which, when borrowed, will be in 31. 2 notes due in 1971. New deal will mean an immedi- ate consolidated funded debt of $35,000,000 and approximately $315,000 of underlying non-call- able obligations. UPT’s use of the additional $10,000,000 obviously will increase its debt in the same amount. UPT disclosed that Lehman Bros., N. Y. banking firm, served as technical and financial advisor in the transactions. week: “Hughes (who acquired] RKO control 2^'!> years ago ) has not contributed one thing to the ■ company up to now'. It has not I been as efficiently managed as it j could be. W^e’re waiting unti'. after the first of the year, and if there’s no improvement, we’ll fight. We' can present a plenty good case to ' the other stockholders. And if | Hughes can^t make money with the I picture company, then he should liquidate it.” Others Fear Fight Most of the Wall street crowd is not as intrepid as Greenwald, fearing to get into a proxy fight with Hughes because of his vir- tually unlimited resources. It is thought that the wealthy plane and tool manufacturer might throw millions into buying up RKO shares in order to defeat any alliance against him. Should »a proxy fight develop, however, and the Wall Streeters gain control, Greenwald said, their I first effort w'ould be to operate ! the RKO production-distribution company and test out its potential. I If it appeared imliossible to make itv^show a profit, there’d be no hesitation, the broker declared, in liquidating it. He revealed that he and some of his colleagues have already sounded out a major television net- work on the potential, worth of RKO's vast film library. Estimate given them was about $10,000,000 — equal to approximately $2.50 per share on the 3,900.000 shares out- standing. With the picture company slated to get about $4 per share in cash from the theatre company when divorcement takes plade at the end of this year, the Wall Streeters have- the production-dis- tribution setup figured as much more valuable than the exhibition arm. Dissolution could be highly profitable to the stockholders, they claim, since book value of the pic- ture company is about $11 per share. The combined picture-the- atre stock is currently selling on tlie New York exchange at under $7.50, while the picture company shares are selling on a When-issued basis at about $4.50. In addition to the cash coming from the theatre circuit and the sale of the film library. Wall Streeters’ feel there is heavy coin in frozen m o n e y al/oad, foreign rights to pix, real estate, star con- tracts, overseas subsids, etc. Meantime, another downtown New York financial operator, J. Arthur Warner, who has been w^orking separately from, the other group, is currently on the Coast with the idea of buying up Hughes’ picture company interest. Deal on which he went to Holly- w'ood fell through last wefek, but he has determined to remain on the Coast until Jan. 1 in the hope that Hughes might still change his mind before the end-of-the-year divorcement date. Ill addition to separating the ac- tivities of the production-distribu- tion and theatre companies at that time. Hughes must give up his interest in one or the other. He has signified he’ll sell his the- atre holdings. It has also become apparent in recent w e e k s, how- ! ever, that he might likewise part ' W'ith his interest in the picture ; company. Nothing w'ould please the ■ bi.g shareholders better, since they ■ see in that the best chance of , avoiding a proxy battfe with him. ■ Harry Brandt, at the Same time, ' is continuing his efforts to make a ' deal for Hughes’ theatre stock after divorcement. Noah Dietrich, Hughes’ principal adjutant, last W’eek sent Sam Dembow, Jr., Brandt’s negotiator, the umpteenth counter proposal they have ex- changed in eight months of talk- ing a deal. Exec committee of Trans-Lux Corp., which . Brandt controls and w’hich actually w'ould be the buyer of the Hughes stock, w’as slated to meet this week to consider the new' proposal. Brandt is known to have avail- able $1,000,000 in cash against the $6,500,000 purchase price ($7 a share) for Hughes’ stock. Hughes’ demand for a larger chunk of cash is believed a tumbling block to the deal. If there’s no sale by the end of the year Hughes wall be forced ' under his antitrust decree to turn his theatre shares over to a trustee. Brandt is counting heavily on the fact that Hughes probably doesn’t want thus to give up control of the shares and, as far as is known, there are no other bidders for the theatre chain. With Sound Hollywood, Dec. 12. Five marquee names in the voice-^ less film era — William Farnum, Francis X. Bushman, Herbert Raw- linson, Betty Blythe and Helen Gibson — have been added to the cast for “The Hollywood Story” at Universal-International. They will play themselveir. 4 ENGINE DOUGLAS DC-4S OIrMt frtm La Guardia and Newark NON STOP MIAMI $39 10% Discount on Return Trip CURTIS..... $35 $I^CALIF0RNIA$72 STOP Return NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES Free Tlcliot Del'y, Irr. Fliglits, plus tax BRyont 9-6492 603 5th Ave. (Ent. 42nd 8t.) Suite 100 BROOKLYN UL 5.3B88 HoteUSt. G eerie Clark Street BRONX LU 4-0607 2480 Gr. Conceurse (FerdhamRd) Rm 328 TRAVEL AGENTS RECOGNIZED CARE PACKAGES ARE STILL NEEDED (TAX EXEMPT) (Contributed by a friend) OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT, SERVICE from Coast to Coast •vor % Contury Refreshment Service for DRIVE - IN THEATRES PORTSERVICE CORP. poarstavicr bldg • aurrAic n » vja 2S06 Attention Film Producers A Complete Film Act Available to You by Cl 6-2426 Animation, Story Boards, Special efx. Service 1$ Calling Slldefilms, Drama on Film Growth Hig^hlij^hts Impy Dinner Dramatic presentation depicting the growth of the film industry over past .50 yeav.s, tied in w'ith developments in N. will high- light the Dec. 18 testimonial w'hich theatremen in the area are spon- soring for Mayor V’'incent R. im- pelliterri at the Hotel Astor, N. Y. Justin Herman. Paramount pro- ducer-writer, is doing the script. Thanhs i0 E,reryoue iar a €ireai DANNY O'DAY “The iMohogany Xid“ Assisted by JIMMY NELSON and his new pal HUMPHREY HIOSBY OPENING Dec. 70 — Hotel El Rancho Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada. Jan. 1i— Riverside Casino Reno, Nevada. Feb. 1—Ciro's— Hollywood and ROXY THEATRE, New York Mgt. LOUIS W. COHAN 203 N. Wabash, Chicago 32 RADIO Bhe-Chip By FARRELL DAVISSON ^ Chicago, Dec, 12. Chicago may play second fiddle to N. Y. as a radio-TV production centre but as a source of network coin it looms as a strong contender for top honors, Presence in the Chi area of several front-rank adver-^ tisers who do their time and talent buying .through Windy City sales offices, and agencies, has kept Chi- cago a potent radio market-place down through the years. And the pattern is. continuing in the shift to video. Such blue chip spenders as Miles Laboratories with its radiOrTV budget of close to $7,000,000; Mars, Inc., with $2,500,000; Quaker Oats, $2,500,000; Swift; $3,500,000; Pills- bury, $2,750,000; Wrigley, $2,500,- OOO, and Kraft, $3,000,000, funnel all or most of their coin through Chi web offices. The biggest radio sale of the besitant year was wrapped up in a Central Division office when James Stirton’s Chi ABC office snagged the Mars’ $1,500,000 pick- up Of four shows. Including the $400,000 summer saturation buy by Toni on ABC, the web’s new 1950- 51 AM biliings out of the Chi office will add to slightly ill excess of $4,000,000. This doesn’t include re- newals Of long-standing airers. ABC Sales New ABC AM accounts are com- ! prised of the half-hoUr weekly Lawrence Welk_orch show spon- sored by Miller Brewing Co.; Billy Graham Sunday half-hour; Paul Harvey quarter-hour Sunday news- cast for Burton-Dixie, and the five- minute, cross-the-board “Falstaff Fables” bankrolled by; Mars. New ABC video billings sold out of the Chi office total $4,000,000 for the current season. ABC Chi sales were: “Chance of a Lifetime/’ Bendix; “Paul Whiteman TV Teen Club,” American Dairy Assn.; “Penthouse Party,” Best Foods; “Acrobat Ranch,” General Shoe; “Life With Linkletter.” Green (Continued on page. 52) WNBC, WNBT in Exclusive Tieups With Rockaway’s Playland on Promotions WNBC and WNBT, NBC’s Goth- am key spots, have made a deal with Rockaway’s Playland, giving the stations the amusement park’s complete AM . and TV budget and including a series of merchandis- ing and promotion tieups. Move is keyed to capitalize on the mass summertime audiences, giving WNBG and WNBT plugs with the 50,000,000 visitors to Rock- a way Beach via the stations* call- letters on the park’s 1 35-foot tow- er. As part of general manager Ted Cott’s pitch to integrate his outlets into the community, among the promotions will be a series of out- ings for underprivileged kids, con- ducted by Tex and Jiiix McCrary, Skitch Henderson, Kathi Norris and other station personalities. The outlets will also pick up some of the park’s special events, rhahy of which will be used to plug WNBC talent. WNBC Will also pro- gram the park’s public address sys- tem. Wedneflday, December 13, 1950 HARRY SALTER MUSICAL DIRECTOR Stop the Musio-^ABC Washington, Dec. 12. NAB estimates that approximate- ly 52,000 fulltime employes are on the payrolls of U. S. radio and TV broadcasting stations. Association survey found that engineers constitute the largest professional group in the industry, accounting for about one-fifth of all employes.'' Announcers are next in number. Study revealed that approxi- mately 80% of industry employes work for stations with^^staffs of 15 or more persons, with the remain- ing 20% employed in 1,045 small- er outlets. A recent NAB survey reported that 8,500 persons are emiployed in TV stations and networks. New short-term buying deals by the automotive Industry, a hew trend in network program spohsor- ship incepted last year by Ford, swells the CBS coffers by upwards of $200,000, as result of deals ne- gotiated with Chrysler and Plym- outh. Plymouth is buying four Colum- bia half-hour weekly shows for a four-week ride during January to pre-herald its 1951 models, while Chrysler is buying the four shows for two weeks of bankrolling in Febi’uary. Stanzas haven’t been officially designated as yet, but will prob- ably be Hal Peary, a half-hour of “Songs For Sale,” “Rate Your Mate” and possibly “Crime Photog- rapher.” Plymouth has also bought the Monty Woolley “Fabulous Mon- tague” on NBC, but it’s on a one- shot basis. ABC has juSt wrapped up one of the major AM-TV sales of the year, with the pacting of the “Ted Mack Family Hour’’ as a Sunday after- noon showcase on both mediums, it will be a simulcast for 30 min- utes and carrying over on TV for a full hour in the 5 to 6 p.m. period. “Family Hour,” creation of Ree- mack Enterprises, which also prch- diices the radio-tele versions of “Original Amateur Hour” for Old Gold on ABC and NBC-TV, thus carries on a 25-year-old tradition incepted originally by S, L, (Roxy) Rothafel as “Roxy’s Gang” and later by Major Bowes. New pro- gram also puts Mack in the multi- ple airing bracket, with a four-way AM-TV spread. New program will be a two-way sponsorship deal, with General Mills already signed and a second undisclosed client grabbing an op- tion. Show debuts Jan. 7. WBET Join* PBS WBET, Brockton,. Mass., has joined the Progressive Broadcast- ing System. Established in 1946, WBET is owned by the Enterprise Publish- ing Co. It operates On a frequency of 990kc, 1000 Watts, daytime only. litde NA6UG Formula’ Evolved For RIBG to Cross Craft fines CBS Pacts Statco Beal Nix Although CBS has been frown- ing on mail order business, the web has agreed to a short-term sponsor- ship deal for Statco, the Christinas tree decorating outfit, because of the fact that it involves a world news pickup. Company last week bought a four-week Sunday morn- ing strip for the news^slanted show. Web has nixed mail-order biz in view of the nuisance elemients, such as getting station acceptance for cut-ins, etc. WBOK Bows in N.O. New Orleans, Dec. 12. , _ WBOK, the city’s 10th radio sta- tion, will bow here on Jah. 1. Jules Paglin is president. Stanley Bay. formerly associated with WJMR and WRCM-FM, has been iiamed general manager and vice- president. The i.ew i, 000-watt station will broadcast on 800 kilocycles. New downtown studios are now being completed at a cost of over | 50 , 00 (|’/, In what may set a precedent for unionization in the broadcast field, Radio-Television Directors Guild has incepted organization of not only meggers in Detroit but also writers and scenic artists. The new plan, called the “Little NABUG Formula” after its birth in the National Assn, of Broadcast Unions and Guilds, calls for several unions to pool their resources, avoiding jurisdictional disputes and result- ing' in organizational economies. Two years ago the RTDG con^ ventipn decided to push organizing in Detroit, Philadelphia, Washing- ton, San Francisco and Boston. However, the cost of sending out organizers postponed the drive. But with the growth of video, which has increased the number of personnel eligible for and wanting unions outside the three major production centers, RTDG felt impelled to press its expansion. At the same time, other guilds similarly desired expansion, but were held back by small treasu- ries. For this reason, NABUG de- cided on a trusteeship approach, under Which RTDG will organize the Detroit personnel of several crafts with proxies from the other unions. When the latter are in a position to take their proxy mem- bers back, RTDG will surrender them. , 1 Participating in the plan are the Radio Writers Guild, which okayed RTDG’s signing up of Detroit AM scripters; National Television Com- mittee of the Authors League of America, ^ which approved inking of tele Writers in the Auto City; and Local 830 (Chicago) of the United Scenic Artist$. Local 829 (New York) of the USA also backed RTDG’s bargaining for Philly and Washington scenic per- sonnel. American Federation of Radio Artists is supporting the idea. Act- ing exec secretary of the Detroit RTDG local is Boaz Siegel, AFRA’s D etroit counsel. Temporary offi- cers of the new local are: Shields Dierkes, prez; Rubin Weiss, ‘’v.p.; Joseph Schneiders, secretary, and Robert Simons, treasurer. RTDG has also chartered a local in philly. Officers are Edmund Rogers, prez; John Hirst; v.p.; and Hal Mathews, secretary-treasurer. RTDG exec director Newman Bur- nett and board member Ernest Rieca kave been sparking the new organizational drives, which will move into other cities. CBS MuHs ‘R egort’ TV KbUes Alnady Seei Although CBS’ ambitious hour- long “A Report to the Nation” pro- gram, which premieres this Friday (15) In the 9 to 10 p.m. period With Ed MurTow as the narrator, has beeii designed primarily as a radio venture in public service program- ming, the web is already thinking in terms of a comparable show for TV. Meanwhile, the web has spon- sorship nibbles for the weekly pro- duction, which will aim at in- 1 terpreting every phase of the world, including politics, art, sports, theatre, Man of the Week, etc.' Initially pitched up about a year ago by program veepee Hubbell Robinson, Jr., as a half-hour Week- ly showcase, “Report” has caught the fancy of board chairman Wil- liam S. Paley, who okayed its ex- pansion to a full hour under the Murrow-Fred Friendly production aegi§, with a hefty, budget to boot. About 80% of the affiliates have I already cleared the time, despite the short notice. Ted Mack o# 'Oriqinal Amoteur Hour* dlsciissot Old Bowesies Tho Now Atsoiiibly Lino of Supply for Video Talent on interesting byline feoturc In the upcoming 4oth Amniversar'y Number of Among the radioites attending the Westinghouse “Operation Shangri-La” in Bermuda over the weekend were many who recalled the early KDKA pioneering days, when Westinghouse was* setting the standards and industry pat- terns. They recalled, for example, the time when KDKA broadcast the first election returns during the Hardin g-Cox balloting of 1920 Only one month after construction work on the station was started. The broadcast delivered from the main ballroom of the Edgewood club, a suburban Pittsburgh community center, came at a. time when the first KDKA studio hadn’t been completed and a receiver and loudspeaker system had to he bor- rowed from the Navy. The Pitts- burgh Post provided the returns. It was recalled that the late Dr. Frank Conrad, who started con- struction of KDKA, became inter- ested in radio when he made a $5 bet on the accuracy of a $12 watch. Dr. Conrad then built an experi- biental station to receive the time signals from the Naval Observa- tory at Arlington, Va. Fascinated by this hobby, Conrad next turned to the construction of a transmit- ter in the garage of his home at Wilkinsburg, Pa., which became licensed as 8XK and soon started broadcasts comprising chiefly of discussions with other hams on the type of equipment used. Tired Of using his voice for long periods, Conrad then turned to phonograph records to give his voice a rest/ These broadcasts interested West-' inghouse officials and when they decided to enter radio, enti'usted the station construction to Conrad. . First Program Code Station was the first to impose a. program code which called for co- opefatipn with the press, to pro- vide programs of, interest and benefit to the greatest number, avoid monotony, assign regular distinctive features for the con- (Continued oii page 48) onN.Y.’sWNBC Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodg- er infielder, incepts a half-hour stanza on WNBC, N. Y., Saturday (16) at 9 a.mt Airer will be beamed at kids, and will feature juve disks which will be rated by a panel of youngsters and a q.&a. session on sports topics. Show is part of the NBC outlet’s Saturday morning ir oppet block, which kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with Frank Luther and includes the H. V, Kaltenborn kid commentator briefie. Leopold Stokowski’s music appreciatipn program for kids will also be included. As the climax to its 30th anniver- sary hoopla, the Westiii^house sta- tions over the weekend staged one of the top junkets in radio annals —flying 100 persons on an “Opera- tions Shangri-La” mission for the Friday - Saturday - Sunday (3 - 10) period. Destination was Bermuda and the swank Elbow Beach Surf Club, but no one (except Westing- house prexy Walter Evans, and a handful of those responsible for the three-day “package deal”) knew where they were going until the two chartered Pan American planes approached the Bermuda airport It was strictly on a social “live a little” level, with Westinghouse (picking up an approximate $25,000 tab) effectively translating into re- laxation and fun the same stand- ards in broadcasting-merchandis- ing-promotion it established over the past three decades in pioneer- ing operational . patterns for the industry. The 100 Shangri-La excursion- ists included about 30 key men identified with the Westinghouse stations, with the remainder com- prised chiefly of advertising execs (agency time buyers and account execs, sponsor reps, etc.), repre- senting 95% of the Westinghouse business. In addition, FCC Chair- man Wayne Coy and Ed Kobak, latter a consultant for Westing- house, wei'e in the party. It was three days of “haii-fellow- well-met** except for a 30-minute session on the Surf Club lawn Sat- urday afternoon, when prexy Evans expressed a' reaffirmation of the Westinghouse standards and joined with Kobak in reminiscing on the role of Westinghouse (and specifically its KDKA, Pittsburgh, operation) in radio pioneering and maintaining those same principles over three decades. FCC Chairman Coy also con- tributed some off-the-cuff re- marks. The group was cocktailed by the Governor of Bermuda at his Hamil- (Continued on page 52) CBS has just been hit by a sud- den cancellation jag by three spon- sors. B. T. Babbitt in a re-alloca- tion of its advertising budget (see sepai»ate story) drops the “Nona From Nowhere’* daytime serial af- ter Jan. 5. Lever Bros, is cancelling out on the Saturday morning “Junior Miss” program after the Dec. 30 show. ' Procter & Gamble drops its re- gional sponsorship of the fed Mur- row cross-the-board evening hews- cast on 29 midwest stations effec- tive Dec. 29. Latter move, how- ever, doesn’t disturb the network sales boys, in view of sponsorship interest in topflight news-commen- tary programs. On the affirmative side, CBS has been given an order from Colgate (via William . Esty agency) to ex- pand its “Strike It Rich” cross-the- board daytime quiz from 38 sta- tions to 180. Architect in 17 G Soil Minneapolis, Dec. 12. KSTP lost but in its court fight to avoid the payment of a $17,000 balance due for architects’ fees on the grounds that the architects failed to provide for a studio floor in the new station building capable of supporting six elephants, as specified, so that such events as the Shriners’ circus could be televised from within the structure. Judge A* S. Pearson in district court awarded Liebenberg ;& Kap- lan, the architects, the full $17,000 plus $80() interest and $3,075 at- torney fees, The architects contended the floor was strong enough, but that, because of the ‘way Stanley Hub- bard, KSTP president, wanted the building designed it would be im- possible to get one elephant, let alone six, inside. Wednesday, December 13, 1950 P^^IETY NBC PLANS AM RATE CUT JAN. Big The bargain-hgisement philosophy that’s abounded In radio over the past few months is beginning to boomerang, on the medium. Radio executives are now beginning to question their wisdom in selling AM short, by inviting advertisers through mul- tiplicity of deals which finds all the networks, in varying degrees, plus many stations, guilty on numberless counts. It was the stability of radio through the years; the ‘‘think big” motif that characterized the NBC, CBS, ABC and Mutual opera- tions, that nurtured the medium and brought the blue chips advertisers into their folds' with millions to spend. Jhe Young & Rubicams, J. Walter Thompsons, Foote, Cone & Beldings, and other major advertising agencies banked on this stability and ehcouraged their clients to “buy radio” in appraising broad- casting over the printed medium. . with the advent of television came the first signs of a self- induced panic.. Networks and stations all of a sudden were will- ing to forget the legalities and true values. A wink here, a nod there, and clients were invited in on cutrate deals. Nighttiihe segments were sold in many cases at daytime rates. Webs were willing to pick up or help defray the tab for ^^^a show in return for a time sale, The bargain-basement philosophy asserted it- self, and still does, in other advertiser-network dealings, The situation is somewhat analogous to a major advertiser buying a Id-page spread in a top national magazine, if the pub- lisher is willing to defray the cost of the color engraving. Pub- lishers, however, don’t countenance such deals. The integrity of magazines still stands. But to the well-heeled client a^id the leading agency men, radio has become suspect. Because AM has been willing to sell Itself cheap, it has stripped itself of its onetime stature. At a time when all signs point to a radio resurgence in the wake of threatened TV production bottlenecks, and the likeli- hood of big business ready to dispose of excess profits through advertising, AM now realizes it haa been inviting its own down- fall. But it isn’t too late for radio to mend its fences. The sponsor takes broadcasting at its own evaluation. And if the networks and stations will once more think big and realize the still un- fulfilled potential of the medium, radio’s integrity can ©nce more be established.' Joe Katz: Man of Year Baltimore, Dec. 12. The Advertising Club of Balti- more is honoring Joe Katz, local ad agency biggie, at a special luncheon tomorrow (Wed.), during which he will be presented with a plaque as “The Man of the Year.” U. S. attorney general Philip Pearlman, another local newspaper guy who made good, will preside. AFIlfClC • • On ‘Ivy’ Mimans Hollywood, Dec. 12. American Federation of Musi- cians has warneu NBC that tooters will be pulled from all locally-origi- nating programs if the network goes through with its present plan to replace live musicians on “Halls of Ivy’’ with canned music. “Ivy” has used sidemen for two years, and union feels any attempt to change the setup constitutes a “lockout.” Schlitz, which sponsors the pro- gram, had refused to renew at the old $9,000 price tag. NBC then at- tempted to lower the budget by $1,500 by eliminating the wiridjam- mers and Schlitz inked for a firm 26 weeks. I Soapers; Nets In one of the major advertising re-allocations by a daytime radio spender, Babbitt has just ordered cancellation of its two daytime .soap operas, “David Harum” on NBC and “Nona From Nowhere” on CBS. It represents a two-net work loss in daytime billings of $2,000,000, the major amount coming out of the CBS till. Both cancellations are effective Jan. 5. “Harum” has been one of the standards among the longtime soap- ers in radio. “Nona” went on the air about a year ago* Move follows by a couple of months the switch of the Babbitt account from Duane Jones to Wein- traub. Latter agency is moving in a new direction, partially embrac- ing television, and principally to latch on to the stepped-up War news tempo. New advertising allocations will probably embrace buyi.ig Mutual in non-TV markets for a five-to- six-^times-a^day news coverage, with I daytime TV also on the upcoming j Bab^bitt agenda. However, final! decision will be forthcoming at a ' meeting later this week. i NBC is preparing-to cut' its rqj dio rate structure Jan. I. On the same day that the web’s television rates increase by jah approximate 35%, the AM structure moves into a new era cued to a“realistic re- appraisai” of changing conditions, which finds video occupying a more dominant role in the advertiser scheme of things. Thus NBC becomes the first among the major networks to ac- cede to advertiser demands for lower rates. It’s considereo just a question of time before CBS, ABC and Mutual will follow suit. One Columbia executive, however, as- serted that CBS, in the face Of near-record billings for 1950, con- templates no such action as of now. For months the Assn, of National Advertisers ,had been pressuring the webs to reduce its AM rate structure. Refusal of the webs up till now to yield to the demands, resulted in what some net officials maintained was an advertiser boy- cott, as reflected in the amount of open time segments now available and few sales involving consider- able coin. Some Resistance NB(^ has already made overtures to the affiliates in all the TV mar- kets, asking them to agree to rate cuts up to 25%. That will be the maximum cui imposed on the sta- tions, There’s reported to be some resistance to the move, al- though one web official asserted on Monday (11) that thus far but lit- tle difficulty has been encountered. NBC has been reapprai..ing the AM rate structure for some time. The Broadcast Measurement Bu- reau survey findings on station coverage will form the basis for the reduced rates, and it is said to approximate the amounts asked for by the ANA. NBC’s attitude is: instead of the networks indulging in bargain- basement deals, which cheapen the medium (see editorial), a recogni- tion that the rate structure re- quires reappraising will help sta- bilize radio. Carr dll Carroll reflects on The TV Winter of Our Discontent ♦ e. • one of the mony editorial features in the upcoming 45th Anniversary dumber ■of ' P^niETY LONCaNES ENDING ABC SATURATION ANGELING Longines is bringing its satura- tion sponsorship programming on ABC to an end. Intended primarily to spur Christmas buying, Longines’ bankrolling of the Symphonette on the network, on a fpur-nights-a- week basis, is winding up an eight- week run. Web had hoped that the w^ch company would stick with it beyond the holiday period. Sym^onette program has been heard in rtheT0:35 to 11 p.m. pe- riod. With Webster Now 'that the Sunday evening “Big Show” is off to a flying start in the Nielsen sweepstakes, NBC is shooting for an equally ambitious radio parlay in the dramatic field. Network is negotiating a deal with Margaret Webster, the legit actress- dirpctor, to take over the produc- tion reins on “NBC Theatre,” which will be revitalized by the network as its major dramatic attraction. Show, previously known as “Uni- versity Theatre of the Air,” having a tie-in with colleges and univer- sities for on-the-air credits, has been a sustainer over a long pe- riod, emanating from the Coast. However, the payoff has been most- ly in prestige, rather than ratings; NBC program department now has the top echelon “go ahead” to splurge coin on the show in whip- ping it into a “Second Big Show.” Accent will be on adaptation of contemporary classics, such as Hemingway, Faulkner, etc., with top legit talent such as ReX Har- rison, Jose Ferrer, etc., to be used. In addition to producing, Miss Webster will also emcee and pos- sibly act in a few. Series under her aegis is scheduled for a Janu- ary teeoff, in the Wednesday night 10:^0 to 11:30 period. ^ It looks like Arturo Toscaniril ha? won-out on all points as result of his so-called “sit-out” during the first six weeks of the ’50 sym- phonic season. The famed maestro will return to the NBCli Symphony podium Jan. 27. Toscanini told the NBC network of his decision last week and immediately regis- tered an enthusiasm over the initial concert, which will be done fronti Carnegie HalL N. Y., as a special benefit. The perforinance Will be Verdi’s “Requiem.” In sharp contrast to the uncer- tainties that prevailed a coUple of months back as to the NBC Sym- phony time slot, point Of origina- tion, its incorporation in “Opera- tion Tandem,” etc. (factors which reportedly resulted in Toscy’s de- cision not to go on, although a knee condition was another fac- tor), it appears he can now call all the turns. When the maestro re- turns, he’ll presumably go into Carnegie Hall Saturday evenings^ which will take the symph broad- casts out of . the spot-selling “Tan- dem” operation as currently pre- vails in its Monday night 10 to 11 slot. Program is now broadcast from Manhattan Center, N. Y., which Toscy objected to because of the acoustics. If, again, Toscy is willing to re- cord the program on Saturdays and permit for a rebroadcast Mon-' days in “Tandem’J time, that’s all right with the wen, too. The final word will rest with Toscy. It's expected, too, that he’ll re- peat his cross-country junket with the symph next spring under aus- pices of RCA Victor, visiting cities not included in last spring’s itiner- ary. Hub Strike Averted Boston, Dec. 12. A strike skedded by disk jockeys and other AFRA personnel at Hub indie, WBMS, was narrowly averted when management’s offer was ac- cepted several miautes before the deadline last week. Readjustment in wages and working conditions resulted in can- celling the walkout. FM Pact Washington, Dec. 12. ; contract was filed with the I'GC last week for the first exclu- ^verpM station affiliation with the i iietwork. The affiliate is WLMA in Rocky Mount, N. C., i Owned by Josh Horn, who also has an AM daytlmer (WCEC) in. Rocky Mount. However, the CBS shows U'lJi be carried Only on the FM Station which Horn, one of FM’s ,,15,^nst boosters, advertises as WFMA; went on the air Sunday '10) as a CBS outlet following neavy promotion in Horn’s Rockj^ (Continued on page 52) The Of Forms closing shortly 9 Usual Advertising rates prevail Copy one/ space reservations may be sent to any Variety NEW YORK 19 154 W. 46rh St. HOLLYWOOD 28 4311 1 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 612 N. Michigan Ave. LONDON. W. C. 2 8 St. Martin's Placa Trafalgar Square Share of WDSU - New Orleans, Dec. 12. Edgar B. Stem on Monday (11) asked-the FCC for permission to dispose of his 90% interest in the WDSU broadcasting properties here. Stern and his son, Edgar B. Stern, Jr., own and operate WDSU, WDSU-FM and WDSU-TV. Stern told the FCC his son is now on active duty with the Army and he desires to turn the operations over to a new corporation in which the younger Stern will hold the major- ity stock. The transfer is proposed to be made to WDSU Broadcasting Corp., at a price of $1,185,000. The new company will be owned 67% by Edgar B. Stern, Jr.; 20% by Robert D. Swezey , WDSU general man- ager; 10% by Louis Read, com- mercial manager; and 3% by Les- ter Kabacoff, executive assistant to the present Stern partnership. NBC Is Cuttiug Its New Mysterioso Show To Add More News Airers Although NBC has another mys- terioso program going into the Sun- . day 5:30 period when Wildroot switches “Charlie Wild” over to CBS, the new one will be cut to 25 minutes. This will permit a. week- ly five-minute news program for the 5:55 to 6 p. m! segment, point ing up anew the upbeat in new; coverage ih/the wake of the Korean^ crisis. Leon Pearson will be given the slot. That means he precedes his brother,, brew Pearson, on ABC, by five minutes. CBS' has also turned over the 5:45 to 6 Sunday time for an Eric Sevaried news show, sponsored by Chamberlain Lotion, shaving the Frank Sinatra program to 45 min- utes* Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Washington, Dec. 12. a Eighteenth series of the Veterans Admihistratiori Information airers, ‘'Here’s To Veterans,” preems this week over almost 2,500 AM and FM stations throughout the coun- ti*y. Feature, issued free to radio stations in packages of 13 weekly series, lias plugged the cause of the vets continuously and success- fully for over four yeairs. New series continues the stand- ard format of past ones, featuring the music of name bands, with the maestro emceeing and carrying the ball for the vets via two message segments highlighting a current phase of the organization’s activi- ties. Through the sustained co- : operation of the American Federa- tion of . Musicians, and the personal ' blessings of prexy Jaines CaCsar Petrillo, VA has had little trouble 4h inking the country’s top musical troupes, who do the recordings gratis Only cost to the Government is that of the waxings. VA agreenients provide that pro- grams must be regularly scheduled and must be sustaining. According to Hernandez Silva, radio-TV head for the, agency, 60% of the time donated by the stations falls into the class A category. 'Recordings for the current series have been made by the following bands*. Victor Young, Les Paul, Leighton Noble, Goiint Basie, Frankie Carle, Spike Joiies, Paul Neighbors, Cliff ie Stone, Tex Will- iams, Ray Arthony, Freddie Mar- BUI Stem hoi Ms own viewi on What Not to Do in TV one of the many byline features in the forthceiiiing 45 th Anniversary IS umber ■ of s 1 Chicago, pec. 12. Admiral Corp. is giving a two-’ way spread on ABC to the Na- tional- Professional football* cham- pionship game Dec. 24. Radio-TV manufacturer is laying out $100,- 000 for AM and TV coverage of the game, Which will be played in N. Y. or Cleveland, depending on tin, Stan Kenton and Henry Renee; j the outcome of Sunday’s tl7) play- Already recorded for the next! off to determine the two learns. DANNY p’BAY “The Mahogany Kid” Dynamically by .Timihy Nelson with liis ne^y pal, liumphrey llig-sby. Opening Dec. 20,. JTotel El Rancho Vegas,. ly-Hs Vega.s,. Nev. Jan, 11, Riverside Casino, Reno, Nov. I’eb. 1, Ciro’s Holly wood. Roxy, New , Y ork, in ^[arch. Mgt. LOUIS W. COHAN 203. N, Wabash, Chicago Transit Radio Head Put Under Armed Guard In Mpls. Post-Kidnapping group of airers are Perry Gilkin- son and Paul Weston. In addition to the weekly series, VA issues a gioup of scripts, to be used as three 15-minute-per-vveek broadcasts, with timing a matter of local option. About 300 local sta- tions use these, while the spot packages issuedf for across-thcr boardweekday use are "almost un- animously” used, according to Silva. Television activities for VA are being gi-adually expanded, with 20 film inserts used irregularly as TV fcpots currently in circulation. In addition, one' half-hour training film, "The Journey Back,” has been in distribution, with another, "You Can Hear Again,” the story of the rehabilitation .of the hard-of-hear- ing, just launched. A third filnt, based on the problem of schizo- phrenia, is in the works for video. Every TV station in the country is supplied with a print of the film by VA and may use it at will. which will nrieet for league honors. Admiral, Which bankrolled the telecast of the Los Angeles Rams games the past season, has ordered 47 tele stations , and 200 AM out- lets on the ABC' web. Harry Wis- mer arid Harold (Red) Grange will do the play by play and color. According to pi'esent plans, the game will not be televised in the city where it’s played. Agency is Erwin, Wasey. m i^EW YORK Hubbell Robinson, Jr., CBS program veepee, marrying Vivienne Segal, the musicomedy star, Saturday (17) at Bedford Village, N. Y. Robinson was previously married to Terry Lewis and Margaret Whiting. . . Jack Barry's "Juvenile Jury” flies to D. C. today (Wed.) to guest at the National Press Club's annual Father arid Daughter pinner where Presi- dent Truman and daughter Margaret will be kudosed . . . . ABC’s Louise Lentz spoke at Yonkers Parent-Teachers meet last night (Tues.) ... . William T, Stubblefield, ex-Capitol Records; to join Associated Pro- gram Service as account exec . . . Richard Striinsky new publicity top- per for WLIB. . . . ABC’s Murray Grabhom and Charles Holden spoke at the first Canadian TV cliiiic in Toronto last week. . . .Betty Furness ■ and Gregory Norton new to "David Harum” , . : . Ed Jerome added to "The Romance of Helen Trent’'.^ added to "Nona From Nowhere.” WOR’s Buddy Rbgers to entertain underprivileged kids at the Bush- wick Boys Club Dee. 20 . ... "The Jewish Philosopher” On WEVD re- newed for l4th straight year by Carnation Milk, . . .Associated Program Service has released a disk with Christmas and general holiday greet- ings from its personalities, including Evelyn Knight, Mindy Carson. Dick Jurgens, etc. V . . .Brian Aherne stars in "M-G-M Theatre of the Air” production of "Man in the Iron Mask” ., . . Nancy. Ward replaces Louise Condak on WHLI’s "News and Views’’ A girl (their second child) borri to the Ivan Blacks Monday (1 1 ) at Lenox HiU hosp. Named Paula.-. Reggie Schuebel may ankle Duane Jones for ariother spot . . Bob Williams making the L.A,-to-N.Y. trek for fresher AM-TV pastures, already has flock Of announcer credits, including "Can You Top This?”, "College Bowl,” "Crime Does Not Pay” (M-G-M). and "Nona From Nowhere” serial. . ... A daughter^ their second child, born to the Izzy (CBS) Siegels Friday (8) . ..H V. Kaltenborii to guest on "20 Ques- tions” TV Dec. 29 and on AM the following day . ABC’k Walter • Kiernaii to play St. Nick at the (ZJhristmas party for ABC-NBC kids ^ I Dee. 22 and for the Seraphic Secretaries of N. Y. Dec. 14 . . Harry i Tyler, Hollywood character actor, in from the Coast to spend Christ-? '. mas with his son, Jack Tyler, BBD&O staff .'director of "Armstrong Theatce of Today.” John D’Aiutolo, ex-ABC, has joined WCBS sales staff a$ account exec . . . Berry Kroger into "Road of Life”: . , . Michaeil Sweeney has bowed but of ABC’s spot sales department after seven years . . . . Joel I Tall, CBS engineer, to instruct New York U. class in tape recording .... Ronnie LIss and Jeanne Elkins now playing the problem children in "Hilltop House” . . . Joyce Gordon is being written out of the MBS “Mark Trail” series for first fortnight in January, so she can wed actor CBS sportsman John Derr back Saturday (9) after CBS is dra.stically reshuffling its nighttime roster of sustaining shows, with two programs in the Friday night 9 to 10 period get- ting the a:^e to pave way for the ambitious "A Report to the Na- tion” hour-long stanza preemirig this Friday (15). Shows getting the heave are ‘‘Broadway Is My Beat” and "Up for Parole,” The Hal Peary show, which has been heard Wednesday night at 9, goes into Thursday at 10, with "Crime Photographer getting the Wednesday -at 9 period, ("Crime” had been dropped from the web follpwing the Philip Mor- ris, cancellation). The Joey Adams , “Rate Your Mate,” forced to relinquish the Sunday at 6 period to make way for the Wildroot-sponsored "Char- lie Wild,” which is .switchirig over from NBC, goes into Tuesday bight at lOV Latter slot has been occu-; pied by "Dpllal’ a Minute,” which gets transferred into the Sunday 4 p.m. time. WHAL NEW BRITAIN, SWITCHING OWNER Hartford, Dec. 12. Aldo Di Dominicis of New Haven has confirmed reports that he is purchasing WHAY of neighboring New Britain. Dominicis said that his purchase is contingent upon FCC approval and that it has been approved by the stockholders of the station. Tempbrai’ily, Dominicis, treas- urer and secretary of the Elm City Broadcasting Co., which op erates WNHC and WNHC-TV in New Haven, is acting as station manager. There was no station manager at the time he bid for the station. Dominicis is purchasing 100% control of the station. WHAY is one of the most powerful inde- pendent stations in Connecticut and was organized early in 1949. Its FCC permit doesn’t expire until May 1, 1953. Station is a 5,Q00-wat ter day and night. No radical chariges are planned at the station until after FCC ap- proval. The station has been in the red praeticaily since its start and lias been losing on an average of $1,000 a week. Minneapolis, Dec. 12. After being kidnapped and shot at prior to appearing as a witness before the grand jury investigating ■ Bernard GranL Twin City streetcar company af- ; attending Big 10 football powwows ... . Howard Phillips, back from fairs, Myles Johns, president of thi’ee months in Europe, will direct a new documeritairy series for Broadcasting Services, which op - 1 erates radios on streetcars and ; iJV HOLLYWOOD . . . buses, was placed under armed, . g j . After auditioning a dozen loose-lipped emcees for the midnight shift ^ at KNX to replace Steve Allen, nod finally went to Bob Hopkins, comic Previously, Johns had testified on NBC’s daytime TV strip, who’ll continue that function. Allen has before the state railroad and ware- , been moved east by CBS for both a radio and video buildup. Al Span, house Commission in a similar in- j with CBS here fOr the past 18 years, will be Allen's associate producer quiry, that he had been told by ■ on the teevee series . . . . ABC’S Frank Samuels promoted Ned llullinger Fred A. Ossanna, former street as division station relations manager to succeed Frank Conrad, recently railway company counsel, not to ; named manager of KEGA and the net’s western division radio activity, worry about any city council ac- Moved iip into Hullinger’s top publicity post is Jerry Ross, staffmari tion against traiisit radios. ... .In his 15 years on the air Gene Autry has had only two guestars. Council has passed an ordinance Last week it was Jo Stafford and previously Jack Benny . . Jack prohibiting further transit radios, i Runyon’s campaign for Maier 102 Boew has sparked such widespread interest among other beer accounts that Milton Biow is being besieged for the "work sheet”. . . Cy Howard is at work on his third radio series, "The-Three of Us,” which will comprise Sandra Gould, Marvin Kaplan arid Ed Max. . . .It’s a comedy just like Howard’s "Irma” and "Luigi” . . . Gunzendbrfer, former manager of KROW, Oakland, and KSFO, Frisco, now heading up TV production at General Service studios . . . Ward Wheelock bought five Don Lee stations along the seized him flftpr he hart kenf an ^^^^t to supplement NBC’s coverage for Campbell soup’j "Double or aoDointment with a nartv ^ who ! Nothing” . . , Lewis Allen Weiss, former board chairman of Mutual and teleohoned him and +niR him Vie i Lee, is ilOw with Hughes Tool Co. as consultant in the aircraft enniH relea? division .... After 13 years Jean Hersholt is still the star of "Dr. Chris- biit the measure’s enforcement has been blocked thus far by a court action still' pending. Johns’ com- pany pays the railways $6 a month for each radio his firm has in- stalled in streetcars and buses. Johns told police two men ifte] appointment with a party, who could reveal who was tampering with and jamming up the transit radio equipment At the point of guns, he says, he was forced into an auto and driven around for a half-hour until they reached a lonely spot, When one of the men got out of the car and told Johns to follow, the latter, instead, start- ed to give battle. The fight con- tinued outside the car and Johns was knocked down a steep em- bankment, he says. The men fled. The street railway hearings arise tion,” Rosemary DeCamp, the femme lead, Art Gilmore, the announcer, Mrs. Dorothy McCann, the producer, Chesebrough, the sporisor, Mc- Gann-Erickson, the agency, and CBS, the network. .. .Clydle Beatty show on Mutual goes three times a week under Kellogg sponsorship first of the year. . . .Bing Crosby improvised an Italian record for Voice, of America. m CHICAGO . . . TV Success of life at 80’ Potency of television in revital- ising radio properties is seen again in the case of "Life Begins at 80.” The Jack Barry-Dan Enright pack- age, originally beamed on Mutual, 1$ now being backed by Arnold Bread via ABC-TV. Success of the televersion has lirpmpted ABC to dicker for bring- g back a radio edition. KSD in 1st Simulcast With ‘Protestant Hour’ St. Louis, Dec. 12. KSD and KSD-TV, . owned and operated by the St Louis Post- Dispatch, hung up a “first” Sun- day (10) when it simulcast the “Protestant Hour,” televising and broadcasting the program at the same time, The program is spon- sored by the Metropolitan Church Federation of St Louis and has been a regular Sunday a, m. feature on this station for 14 years. The simulcast originated from the station’s studios, and the Rev. Dr. James W. Clarke, pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, who has been preaching on the "Protes- tant Hour” for several years, was the principal speaker. A quartet directed by Dr. G. Calvin Riggen- bei’g also was featured. WBBM’s "The Quiet Answer,” documentary series on human rela- tions written and produced by Skee Wolff, won the radio award from the Chi Commission On Human Relations .... Greater Illinois Broad-;- casting Co., of St. Charles, HI., filed for a permit to set up'' a 500-watt daytimer in that city . . . . NBC Quiz Kid Loimy Lunde to make his debut from charges that gangster ele- ■ as piano soloist with the Chi Symphony Orch mext week . . . Herb Kraus ments have bought into it arid are i has produced a series of four quarter-hour educational shows for B’nai attempting to obtain control fol- j B’rith being carried on 50 midwest stations. . Joe Klihker, NBC Chi lowing an increase in fare to 15c. duplicating department supervisor, has entered the Army ... . Ed Scott — - — r — — ■ ' ■ emceeing WBBM’s "Double Quiz” next week during absence of vaca- tioriing Jim Lowe . , ABC’s Don McNeill, Patsy Lee, Sam Cowling, Johririy Desmond, Cliff Petersen and Beiiny Rubin are featured guests r Qfvoihnvf wnn Offrthe-Street Club’s annual Christmas party Thursday (14). C. Stieibeit, WOR Virginia Haskins, Ruth Slater and Bruce Foote will haridle the sirig- prexy, was elected ye.sterday ing leads in WGN-Mutuars annual Christmas presentation of "Hansel UTues.) to the board of the Better and Gretel” on “The Chicago Theatre of the Air” Saturday (16) ... . Business Bureau of N. Y. He’s BBS’s first AM-TV rep. ; BBB Gets Radio Rep Theodore TV hither Radio? oski Theodore C. Streibei-t (Presidmi af WOR) ★ ★ * o provocative tditoriol feotutt iii the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of Home Federal Savings & Loan Assn, has renewed its participation on. WMAQ’s Phillip Hayes strip : . . WGN sports director Jack Brickhouse guest speaker at the Ottawa, III, Elks club this w m wASHimTois ... Moppets of Embassy Row will broadcast in their riative tongues their annual Christmas greetings to the ehildren of the world on Dec. 22 over ABC, with program origiriating from web’s local outlet, WMAL * ; WEWO, Laurinberg, N. G., has joined staff of WrOP-GBS as national sales rep; . ; . Bill Malone, recently of WAVE. Louisville, has been added to WMAL-AbC staff as announcer. , . AAA has chosen the Ruth Crane “Modgrn Womari” Ahow (WMAL-TV) as show'case for its weekly '-Coqrte^^ a^'ard, . . . WWQC disk l^key Willis Conover and jazz pianist Art Tatum waxed a Treasury Guest Star platter past Week Sig Mickelson, CBS director of public affairs, , was guest speaker past week at Washington Ad Club IPv® . ■ * • ' Traris-Lux manager Vincent lorio contributed an ayem per* fofmance of "MaCbeth” to Jim Gibbons’ (WMAL) Country Store Christ- mas collection. ...Billie Holliday, currently doing a local nitery Stint, Inked Iri guest on th^"Big Show” airer on the 24th. . , I RcA board chairman General Sarnoff, in town for the color tests, attended the Arnerican Newspaper Women's fete iri honor of Margaret Truman at the special request of the guest of honor herself. . . .And RCA veepee Manic Sacks a guest the same evening at the Loew screening of "Magnificent Yankee’Ut WPAA’s "Aeadema” Wednesday, December 13, 1950 RADIO 35 (KTIUS FOR RADIO TOshlngton, Dec. 12. Analyzing FM’s ups and downs during the past two years, NAB yesterday (Mon.) came to the conclusion that the medium is strong- er today than at any other period in Its hlstoiyi The association found that “the dark side of the FM picture” has been magnified *'out of proportion to the overall perspective of FM's steady growth/' The analysis, made by Edward L. Sellers, director of NAB’s FM department* revealed that the great majority of the So-Called sta- tions which threw in the sponge in the last 23 months were merely “paper” stations which had not yet reached the stage of construc- tion. In 1949, Sellers found, 172 of the 217 FM authorizations cancelled were not on the air. In appraising FM's strength, the study declares, judgement should be made on the basis of the number of licensed stations operating ait fuir authorized power and providing a primary service under FCC standards. The number of such FM stations, it was shown, reached on all- time high on Dec. 1 of 519 out of a total of 677 stations on the air. Most of the remaining stations are operating with less than their authorized power and Offer only limited coverage. Sellers found that of the 319 FM deletions during the last 23 months only 66 were licensed stations. Day after the tragic wreck on -f tile Long Island R. R. in Richmond Hill, N. Y., which took 77 lives, WHLI, in nearby Hempstead, launched an editorial drive, titled “Operation Morgue,” calling for complete reorganization of the line. Four separate editorials were taped and beamed at hourly inter- vals. The first, aired Nov. 23, the day after the crash, gave details of the two crackups which occurred on the road in a nine-nionth span, and demanded to know why auto- matic safety devices hadn’t been installed. Second editorial, broadcast the following two days, called for re- moval of the two trustees (they have since resigned and been re- placed) and also hit (jrov. Thomas E. Dewey for vetoing, last April, the Horton-Barrett bill giving the Public Service Commission power to remove railroad employees it felt unsafe. In a traditionally Re- publican area, the slap at Dewey showed courage. The indie also campaign for in- vestigation by the Interstate Com- merce Commission of the road’s safety practices; urged its Con- gressmen to compel the line to in- stall automatic safety devices, and appealed for creation of a Long Island Railroad Authority. Most of these demands have since been achieved as a result of public pres- sure. Productionwise, the editorial pieces Were simple. They had two announcers alternately making the station’s points. However, because of its immediacy and importance of the issues involved, this straight talk format registered strongly as a compilation of the main facts involved, presented in hard-hitting fashion. Yet some key questions, such as the LIRR-s relations to the Pennsylvania R. R., were not cov- ered and might have been dealt with in a pro-and-cOn forum. Station had lashed out at the LIRR three years ago, when the 1947 blizzard crippled Commuter service and it’s “Operation Snafu*’ crusade Won a Variety award. (Continued on page 52) Hollywood, Dec. 12. ABC has signed a lease on 1539 Vine street and .will spend $350,- 000 on the new site where radio a c t i V i ty will be concentrated, ■ Chain currently is leasing space at Sunset and Highland and in NBC building across the street. ^ Work will start immediately on Improvements • and Installation of new equipment at property which covers 58,000 square feet. Project should be completed next fall with all radio personnel. Production consolidated on site. Tele opera- tions will continue from television center. Peace of Mind ABC followed its “Peace of Mind” stainza one day last week with a courtesy an- nouncement for the “On Trial” forum. ' Right after “Peace of Mind” came the query: “Should we drop the Atomic Bomb?” Buick division Of General Motors has bought a saturation plan on ABC for the week Of Jan. 14-20, involving an outlay of $100,000 in time and talent on six shows. Auto company, to launch its ’51 models, has also bought participations on NBC’s “Tandem Plan,” for around $30,000. Buy marks the biggest sale on ABC since the Mars purchase of four shows for $2,000,000 last month, and points up the trend to in-and-out saturation drives. On ABC, Buick will take oyer the 8 p.m. half-hour of “Stop the Music” Sunday, Jan. 14; the 9:30 p.m. slot, Jan. 15; “Metropolitan Opera Audi- tions,” Jan. 16; the 8:30 p.m. period, Jan. 17; trie “Screen Guild Players” hour, Jan. 18, and the 8 p.m. period, Jan. 20. Agency Is Kudner. For Funds to Combat Mediterranean Anemia WGV, N. y. bilingual Indie, last night (Tues.) broadcast the first program in an all-out educational and fund-raising Can.paign against Mediterranean anemia, a disease which strikes persons whose back- ground stems from the vicinity of the Mediterranean . While it Is not an “Italian” disease, the Italian- specializing indie is backing the educational drive because Italians are the most numerous group of Americans of Mediterranean origin. Campaigh, run In cooperation with the New York Hospital and Cornell Urilv., aims at alerting the 2,100,000 Italo-Americans In the Metropolitan area to the need for early recognition of the disease and for funds for research and care of the afflicted. The series, which will run for several months, and will include programs with medical authorities, parents of stricken children and patients at the hospi- tal, kicked off last night with a talk by Dr, Luigi Luzzattl of the hospital. John J. Karol, CBS radio sales manager, is offering to agencies and spohsors something In the na- ture of a Christmas bonus — evi- dence that radio’s circulation is not only holding its own within television homes, but that it is actually growing. To clinch its argument to ad- vertisers that AM remains a vital, potent medium, Karol and CBS have unearthed evidence to estab- lish that the longer a family has television, the more apt it is to buy a television set. According to a recent Adver- test Study made for Colum- bia among more than 700 tele- vision families in the New York area, 8% of these families pur- chased a radio set subsequent to their acquisition of a TV set. Be- fore owning the set six months, 2% had made subsequent pur- chases of radio sets. Between the first year and year-and-a-half, 5% had purchased radio sets and by the time two years had elapsed, this percentage had gone up to 25%.;-; Karol has collated some reveal- ing data Which the web is pres- ently pitching up to advertisers and agencies. It points to the fol- lowing: Rating point differences for any given program or for any given suiwey report do not; in them- selves, tell a whole story. Snap judgment as to the switching or discontinuing of program fran^ chises should be restrained. Two years ago there were 37,- 600,000 radio homes in the U. S. By Jan. 1, ’50, this figure in- creased to 40,7()0,000. Best avail- able evidence as of July 1 pegged the new total at 41,500,000. By now, the three-year increase of new radio homes should exceed 4,000,000. The fact that over 95% of the homes are now radio-equipped is only a part story. While new homes constantly are being added to radio’s circulation, to weigh this factor only is overlooking what is becoming even of greater sig- nificance today— the secondary and the “out-of-home” set-^much of which circulation is beyond the measurement of conventional re- search methods. As of last Jan. 1, there were over 85,000,000 radio sets in this country. Since then (the first 10 months of 1950), 11,500,000 new sets have been added, and almost half of them are automobile sets and portables. Auto sets alone total twice as many as all tele- vision sets sold to date, and over three times that of the largest magazine’s circulation. “That is why rating point In- dices of homes only (and not of all sets within the home at that) give a distorted picture of radio advertis- ing values today,” says Karol. “If there are over twice as many sets as homes, a decline of a rating point could be only one-half as I serious from a circulation stand- 1 point as superficial consideration ! would first indicate. Several ex- ! tensive surveys have shown that one person in four listens to the radio outside the home on an aver- age day. Almost all of this cir^ (Continued on page 48) CBS’ 8 Out of 10 (Nielsens For NoV, A) ;•■■■ Jack Benny (CBS). . . . , ..20^1 Lux Radio Thea. (CBS) . . 19.4 Edgar Bergen (CBS). . 16.0 Amos ’n’ Andy (CBS) , . ..15.6 Mr. Chameleon (CBS) . .. 14.4 Groucho Marx (NBC) . . .. 14.3 Mr. Keen (CBS)...... . . 14.2 - Red Skelton (CBS).... ..13.5 Horace Heidt (CBS).. . ..13.1 Walter Winchell (ABC) .13.0 Detroit, Dec. 12. Attorneys for George A. Rich ards began today to call “about ' 150” character witnesses for Rich- ards in defense of his operation of WJR as the FCC license-renewal hearings entered its 106th day. . Last week Richards got a real buffeting. One day he would be painted as a patriot and the next as a psychotic or a vindictive man who ordered news slanted to put the New Deal, Jews and others in a bad light. On Saturday (9) Leo J. Fitzpat- rick, former general manager of WJR and now owner of WGR, Buf- falo, testified "that Richards “ac- cused me of giving preference to a political candidate not of his choice.” Fitzpatrick, who did not identify the candidate, added: “I believe that Richards thought that, because | I come from Kansas City, Mo., I was still inoculated with New Deal philosophy and was never quite converted to the Republican Party.” Fitzpatrick, who was on the wit- ness stand for six hours and 50 minutes Saturday, was questioned by FCC attorneys concerning con- tents of 60 letters and telegrams he received from Richards over a pe- riod of tirn'e. The FCC is attempting to prove that Richards gave slanting in- (Continued on page 52) Ben Grauer ipQni a gantroflbii of nows ovonti eovoroqo In Too, It on Infortstlng bylInt footiito In the fertheomlnq 45th Anniversary Number of P^iSfr Roberta Quinlan Shows To Hypo Future TV’ing Anticipating the spread of tele- vision to new market areas in the near future, Mohawk Carpets this week began transcribing 15-minute radio shows starring Roberta Quin- lan, who now stars on the carpet firm’s NBC video show, “Mohawk Showroom.” Through its agency, George R. Nelson, Inc., Mohawk wants to buiid Miss Quinlan as a personality in the non-TV areas via radio, so that she’ll' be w.k. when those areas finally get video stations. Vocalist’s radio format Will be patterned closely after the TV show, with Miss Quinlan, backed by a small musical cqmbo, singing solo and presenting various guest singers. Show is tentatively sched- uled for launching in March, with the patters to be spot-booked on various radio .Stations around the country. Series will probably com- prise three quarter-hours per Week, same as the TV version, Mohawk, meanwhile, is seeking to capitalize on Miss Quinlan’s video success by establishing as close a sponsor identification with her as possible. Singer dumig the last several weeks has appeared at various Mohawk dealer conventions around the country to give local distributors a chance to work out publicity and exploitation tielns. In addition, the carpet firm Is also plugging Miss Quinlan’s Mercury recordings to further its liaison with her« V ^ ■ WJZ, Gotham ouLet of ABC, Is prepping a complete revamp to give it a personality of its own, apart from Its status as an append- . age of the web. Part of the new format will be an emphasis on re- ; tail business, which will entail a 30% rate cut for local merchants. As outlined by the outlet’s new general manager, Ted Oberfelder, the emphasis on retailers is based on the Concept that retail accounts ar0 the backbone o^ local ad media. “Retailers, unlike national . bank- rollers, need and get cash proof of the success of their advertising,” Oberf elder said this week. “For that reason, national advertising follows retail advertising into a medium, knowing that the local boys will only use a medium that produces results/’ As a come-on for retailers, WJZ is giving them a 30% discount from the national spot rate. A lower re- tMl rate is a Common practice | among newspapers, on the reason- ; ing that spillover “waste” circula- tion into outlying areas doesn’t benefit the small store, but does help the national brand names. Since WJZ, with its 50kws, covers a much bigger area than the local merchant is interested in, the retail rate Will be 70% of the national figure. To spark his new approach, Oberfelder has hired Philip Cohens formerly with WHOM, as the nu- . cleus of a specialized retail sales department. Gohen, during his first week, brought in two hour-long stanzas backed by Dynamic Stores. Shows are hard-selling disk jockey i programs on which home demon- ? Strations of tele sets are plugged. Program Revamp Concept of a lower retail rate, while established in the newspaper field, isn’t generally accepted in radio. Question is raised whether some chain bankrollers, whose stores are in Several cities, will be charged the national or retail rate. Oberfelder, together with web program chief Leonard Reeg, is (Continued bn page 52) With Simulcasts NBC, which wrote off simulcasts about a year ago as being imprac-/ tical and resulting in production confusions and snafus, has decided to give it a “second look,” and is- reviving a flock of shows for the “sight and sound” treatment. Decision stems from the fact that ‘ sponsors, while anxious to retain their TV franchises, have expressed renewed interest in branching out to the non-TV markets with their , video attractions. Also, the web feels Ihat^ with the upbeat in, the production techniques, simulcasts may come off much better than previously, if the shows are care- fully selected. At any rate, NBC, effective Jan. 14, will start simulcasting of four variegated shows on an experi- mental basis. These Include the Giiy Lombardo “Pick A Hit,” with its song writing contest format; the new Phil Baker quiz show; the Monty Wpolley situatlori comedy “The Magnificent Montague,” which is currently Cn AM, and the “Three : On a Honeynipon” audience par^ ticipatibn show. The annual ’Gator Bowl grU ^ game from Jacksonville, Fla., oi New YeaFs Day, is being offeree « for co-op sponsorships on Mutual outlets. ^ MBS co-op director Bert Hause; .said it’s the first time a big bow: game has been made available t< local bankrollers. Game wiR he between Wyoming and Washingtoi * & Lee. I Wednesday, I>eceml}er 13, 1950 Wajshington, Dee. 12. - RCA’s press demonstration here last week of its color television Improvements was bound lb have its repercussions-^and it did. They showed FCC Chairman Wayne Coy striking hard at critics of the Com- mission’s color decision, including RCA board chairman David Sar- noff, Coy’s chief weapon was to throw the book (the record of the proceedings) at them. . Coy’s first blast came op Wednes- day (6) after the Washington Daily News, obviously impressed by the demonstration, carried an editorial asserting that the Commission had refused to look at the RCA im- provements. Coy issued a state- ! ment* to set the record “straight,” | charging that RCA “in one breath” j asked for ho delay in the color decision and later, after the deci- sion was issue, “suddenly reversed themselves and set up a public clamor that the Commission had re- fused to look at the improvements in their system.” In support of his charge. Coy pointed to a progress report filed July 31 by RCA, after the record in the color proceediings was closed, which did not ask that the record be reopened to consider the im- provements, Several days later came a letter from Sarnoff saying RCA *‘does hot favor any delay” in color standards. Then, after the Commission is- sued its initial decision on Sept; 1 ! favoring the CBS system, he said, aCA had “a sudden change of heart and wanted the record kept open i to demonstrate improvements.” ! Coy also pointed to a brief filed j (Continued on page 50) I Yet Myitery Writer John Roeburl . wonders whether 'Hds Crime. Pald->Enough?’ In 0 sedrehtng piece entitled /t’s a Terrr/ic Crime on omuslng byline feature In the foithceming 45lh Anniversary IS umber of PSsuEfr The Video Cure Des Moines, Dec. 12^, This town's heavy tipplers are apparently taking the video cure, Municipal Judge Harry B. Grund, wondering what had become of many of the regulars hailed into his court on drunkenness charges, decided to investigate. He made inquiries and* found that several of them had tee- vee sets and were staying home watching the shovvs from near- by Ames, the only video sta- tion in the area. Spread Into . Nite, On ‘Off Line’ Tint CBS, in a move apparently de- j signed to offset the generally favor- ! able publicity handed last week to [ RCA’s color improvements, will I start networking its color to Phila- delphia Friday (15). CBS color sig- nals will be transmitted over the regular coaxial cable with its 2.7- ■ng. bandwidth. RCA system, on the other hand, reportedly requires a 44ng. transmission band So can- not be piped over the standard cables. CBS originally had planned to begin networking its colorcasts Nov. 20, vvhich was the date set by the FCC for commercialization, of the system. When the Chicago dis^ trict court handed down an injunc- tion against the FCC decision, how- ever, the web decided to wait awhile. Now that it’s scheduled the link from N. Y. to WCAU-TV in Philly, it’s expected that other CBS affiliates on the cable, including Washington, Boston and Chicago, will also tie in for the color dem- onstrations in the near future. CBS color signals, after being received in Phillyj will be aired by WCAU-TV on a closed-circuit op- eration so as not to interfere with the station’s regular black-andr white programming. Philly Outlet plans to carry the CBS demonstra- tibns at 11 a.m., 11:30 and noon, daily, plus the 12:30 to 1 :25 p.m. “walkrthrough” sessions, at wmich appear most of the guest talent lined up for the shows. CBS, mcan- vhile, counted the 100,000th person yesterday (Tues.) to have seen the denionstrations since they first started last month. Web this week also launched a lew cross-the-board demonstration series from 11:30 p.m. to midnight, vhich is being used exclusively to nir color film. Most of this film will comprise travelogs and other short iubjects. What’s believed to be the first “farm system” worked but to test material on a television show, has been inaugurated by Hal Fried- man, associate producer on NBC- TV’s “Broadway Open House,” As a carryover from his Army experi- ence during the last war, Fried- man received an assignment from the Air Force to provide shows for the enlisted personnel at Mitchell Field; L. 1. 'Tying in the two jobs, he has frequently taken the cast of “Open House” to the air base, where the talent tries out their routines On the GIs. Now that he’s searching for a comedian to take over the Monday and Wednesday night slots on the show, which were vacated recently by Morey Amsterdam, Friedman is also experimenting with audition- ing comics at Mitchell Field. For example, he has lined up Joshua Shelley, Buddy Hackett and Louis Nye to appear as a unit on “Open House” Dec. 27. To give them a chance to get their routines and material set before they go on the air, Friedman has booked them to do a show at the air base Dec. 18. If the soldiers like the skits and gags, they’ll stay in the show. If the material draws a blank, it will be rewritten. Plans for fullscale expansion into the late Saturday night and, early ] Sunday morning hours were set this week by WGBS-TV, CBS’ video flagship in N. Y. Starting Dec. 24, the station will program a block of kid shows from 10 a.ni. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays, and soon afterwards will tee off a new show starring orch leader Bobby Sherwood in the 11 to 11:30 Slot Saturday nights. Sunday morning schedule will be anchored by a full-hour Show, titled “Ship Ahoy,” to be emceed by Mac Perrin. Station will attempt to sell the show in two half-hour segments and has one of the sponsors vir- tuarly wrapped up this week. “Ship” is to be preceded by a se- ries of western films from 10 to 11, titled “Hoofbeats,” and be followed by “Chuck Wagon” from 11 to 11:30. Latter show was recently ousted from its early evening week- day time when the CBS Web took the slot for the new Bigeiow-San- ford show. Sherwood’s late Saturday eve- ning series is to be titled “Mid- ! night Snack.” Station, however, ' may cut his show down from a half- hour to 15 minutes to air a program i with some femme personality from 11 to 11:15. Thoro'i Dollars und Sense In Hollywood TV toyt Mai Boyd ■* * • * OHO of fh« mony byllno footurot la tho opcomlag 4$th Anniversary Nuntber of SETTLEMENT LKEUER ON ATiT, WEBS HASSLE Washington, Dec. 12. Prospects of working out a com- promise between the four major TV nets and American Telephone & Telegraph on allocation of vic^eo transmission facilities looked brighter last week, when the FCC postponed hearings on the dispute until Dec. 18. Delay was granted to give the parties more time to reach a settlement and eliminate the need for an FCC inquiry. Hear- ings had been scheduled to begin yesterday (11). 20th-Fox, National Theatres Corp., and Theatre Owners of America are participating in talks among the liets to protect theatre televislbh requirements in future allocations by the telephone com- pany.. V /rhe investigation was ordered following a eomplaint by DuMont charging AT&T with discrimina- tion in intercity TV allocations in favor of NBC and CBS. Seen Hypoed by Years’ Start of “First Hundred Years*' on CBS-TV last w’eek is expected to cue in further network and sponsor interest in video daytime serials. Cai-ol Irwin has prepped a strip titled “Candy and Bill,” which is based on the women’s magazine stories of Elizabeth Dunn which have been running since the early ’40’s. Five kinnies were cut for NBC- TV. The comedy drama was writ- ten by Philip Wells, Miss Irwiri also has another video soaper, now being consid- ered by the Bates agency for one of its clients. Series, as yet un- titled, deals with a junior profes- sor at a small university who has brought a foreign bride to the U. S. Agents Television Corp., new | combine of 50 Coast talent agen- cies and personal managers, is pact- ing several Holly^vood names for j N. Y. video dates. Outfit, In which the smaller agents - are pooling their resources, has already lined up video dates for Charles Cobuirn, Walter Slezak, Dennis O’Keefe and Lee Cobb. Coburn, who Is repped by Stan- ley Bergerman, arrives in Gotham Friday (15). He has been inked by ATC for the Jack Carter shoAv (NBG-TV) and the Arthur Murray show (DuMont) on tele and, on radio, for “MGM Theatre of the j Air” (a transcriber) and NBC’s “Duffy’s Tavern” (which he’ll do in Puerto Rico). Slezak, who arrived in N. Y. Friday (8), will do “Suspense,” “Studio One” and the Frank Sin- atra airer, all on CBS-TV as part of the web’s “block booking” pitch. He’s repped by Vic Orsatti. . Dennis O’Keefe, handled by Art- ists, Ltd., arrives in N. Y. Jan. 2;3 to do the Milton Berle-Texaco show on NBC-TV and other TV guest- I ers. Lee Cobb, agehted by Wil- liam White, hits Getham Jan. 4 to do “Danger” on CBS-'TV and two other stints. ATC opened its Gotham offices two weeks ago. Washington, Dec. 12, Despite the station freeze, an- ticipated parts shortages, hew ex- cise taxes, ‘‘imminence” of color, and bearish prognosticators, tele- vision set output for 1950 will easily pass the 7,000,000 mark. This turnout, which is nearly dou- ble what industry leaders forecast at the beginning of the year and substantially higher than their es- timates of only a month ago, is as- sured in a report issued here over the weekend by the Radio-Tele- vision Manufacturers Assn. : The 1950 turnout will bring postwar TV . production to well over 11,000,000 sets, having a val- ue at the manufacturers' sales price of approximately $2,000,- 000,000. V O - RTMA’s report, showing produc- tion for the first 11 months of 1950 at 6,529,000 sets and the industry currently turning out nearly 200,- 000 a week, indicates that the tele- vision market had been greatly underestimated. Last January, when the industry was operating at a 100,000 per week clip, RTMA’a then prexy; Raymond C. Cosgrove, expected that 195fl output would reach between 3,500,000 and 4,000,- 000 sets. As industry output increased to an average of about 500,000 sets per month, estimates of the year’s production were upped to around 5,000,000 sets. But even as recent- ly as three weeks ago, RTMA prexy Robert C. Sprague gave the House Ways and Means Commit- tee an estimate of 6,500,000. This figure has already been passed in the first 11 months of 1950. High Level Production W’hile the industry could not have foreseen the big demand for receivers resulting from fear of shortages because of the milita^ situation, it is apparent that it did not anticipate that the pre-Korea production would be maintained. During the summer, when price competition was at its height, there had been talk of the market ( Continued on page 50) Cleve. Bank's TV Foray Cleveland, Dec. 12. Central National Bank, wbose cross-the-board television stanzas chalked up several “firsts” in TV bank promotion, is going all out this week to highlight its “dpwm- town drive-in” unit. Through Fuller & Smith & Ross, over 110 radio and TV spots were purchased, at an estimated cost of f$9;000, on six radio and two TV [ stations; this besides its lO-hiinute Monday-through-Friday daily pitch ■ on WNBK. Spots featured re- I corded TV“street interyieWs” as i well as two-prominent radio pei*- sonalities on each of the six sta- tions cutting one- and 20-second spots plugging the new bank. Fre- qiientb^ personality was disker. HAVANA n TAKES OVER PRADO THEATRE Havana, Dec. 5. Acquisition of theatre properties by television interests is hitting Havana for the first time. Union Radio Television, Havana’s first video station, is currently negotiat- ing for the Plaza theatre bn the Prado for use as teevee studios. When deal is complete^, it will be the first ever acquired by a radio or tele station. Acquisition of outside properties has become necessary because of interest in live broadcasts. Present studios have no facilities for public viewing of telecasts. Union Radio Television is also readying plaris for the erection of ja studio-theatre adjacent to . its [ present property. It wall be a one- ; story structure that will seat more I than 500. Firm’s building plans also include a new six-.story structure that WiP house most of its teevee facilities. General Motors’ purchase of the >am Levenson televi.sioh show, itarting Jan. 27, is on behalf of its lldsmobile car. Program goes into the Saturday •vening 7 to 7:30 time. Format las been designed to invite moth- rs, fathers and their kids on the , how, with Levenson dissecting heir problems. Irving Mansfieid Will produce. HOMES REACHED IN TOTAL U. S. Program Texaco Star Theatre .... . , , . . . . , , Colgate Comedy Hour . . . . . .... . . . , Philco TV Playhouse . . . . . , . ... . . . , . Martin Kaqe . . . . .... .... , . , . . .. . Stop the Music < Lori Hard) Arthur Godfrey (L & M) . . ... Toast of the Town . . . . , ...... , . . , . Fireside Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . Your Show of Shows ( Partieip.) ,. . . . . Your Show of Shows ( Snowerop) , . . . • t • • • • • t • t • • • « • Homes (000) .4,971 . 3,201 . 3,192 . 3,031 .2,952 . 2,930 . 2,832 .2.772 .2,732 . 2.706 PERCENT OF TV HOMES REACHED IN program STATION AREAS Homes Program Texaco Star Theatre ........ . . ..... . . . , . Fireside Theatre , . . . . , . , , . Colgate Comedy Four . . ... ... . . . . . . . , Lights Out . , . . . , 1 4 4 ... . » Philco TV Playhouse . ...... . . Lucky Strike Theatre . . ^ , . . Your Show of Shows Y., is sehed^- I® time, although the station ; uled to launch her own television i!>n t set yet. series Jan. 4 Via WCBS-TV, key CBS outlet in N. Y. Show will be aired in the .Thursday night 6:45 to 7 p m. slot iinder sponsorship of . stev^ Allen, Coast comic being I ® Imported by CBS to N. Y, for his i Thompson, own television series, Is scheduled i Show> which will be aired only to launch the show Christmas Day | locally at the start, wiU have Miss jn the 7 to 7:30 p.m. slot* It’s to ] Palmer discoursing on various - ® -a coinedy participationer and topics both in and out of show biz be aired cross-the-board. l and interviewing guest personali- CBS \yiii start , the series as a I ties. Charles Kehbe is to produce, sustaincr. ^len was the conie- l with Alfred Scott directing. Pond’s oian wlio subbed for “Our Miss ! picked up the tab on the program "rooks” on the CBS radio web last after viewing a test kinescope corn- summer. ] plcted several weeks ago. ABC-TV's 30% Hike ABC-TV’s netwwk rates go up on Jan. 1. with an increase that will up time costs about 30%. Bankrollers who sign be- fore the deadline will be given six months’ rate protection, factor which is bringing in a flurry of biz Gross hourly charges- on the chain’s five owned-androper- ated outlets go up as follows: New Yprk, from $2,200 to $3,- 100; Detroit, from $800 to $1,- 100; Chicago, from $1,200 to $1,650; Los ' Angeles, a big boost from $900 to $1,650; and San Francisco, from $450 to $600. Hates for the five o.-and- o. stations thus will be tilted from $5,55C to $8,100. Most of the other affiliates are similar- ly soaring. Price for a half-hour on the five o.-and-o. stations moves up from $3,370 to $4,790. WCBS-TV, N. Y., is hiking its evening station break rate to $650. levels off to an established rate structure, it will inevitably invite a wholesale checkout of advertisers who can’t afford to play around with that kind of money. Some sponsors see themselves as the “patsy” of an Inflationary TV era, where the networks are splurg- ing coin needlessly, with an ex- panded stable of produiction-super- vispry execs in the $25,000-$35,000 I salary bracket. “And w'e’re the i ones who are being asked to pick I lip the tab via the hiked rates,” the agency exec complained. “To command $25,000 a year in radio,” he pointed put, “you had to be one of the major yeepees.” Meanwhile, the Korean crisis and impending ' w^ar threat were seen by many as cuing a readjustment of AM-T V thinking. Color video and any other major strides in TV are seen as purely academic in the face of drastic production curbs , that hang in the balance. NBC is seriously considering ad- justing its AM network rates down- ward in a ‘‘come on in” bid to spon- sors and is already making over- tures to affiliates to agree to a re^ duction in the rate structure. Possibility of the Television Broadcasters Assn, merging with the National Assn, of Broadcasters loomed this week, following a pro- posal adopted by the TB A board in N. Y. last week to scout such a move; It’s believed definite, how- : ever, that TBA, if it finds the NAB amenable to the idea, will vote it through only if it can retain com- plete autonomy inside the overall broadcasters setup. It's pointed out that both CBS and ABC have bowed out of NAB. Two networks are leading in the video group and thus it’s consid- ered unlikely that they would vote to have TBA cpnsolidated with the radio broadcasters unless TBA re- mained as a separate entity. In addition, TBA prez J. R. Poppele, who Was reelected for the seventh consecutive term at the TBA clinic last Friday (8), stated in his year- end report to members that the organizations’s “greatest asset has been its ability to speak without qualification for TV broadcasters only.” It’s considered unlikely that TBA would choose to jeopardize that situation through a merger with another trade group. Merger was reportedly proposed on the assumption that NAB, to- gether with certain other industry organizations, can provide certain services that would be of value to the video broadcasters and which TBA does not now provide. NAB^ for example, has a labor relations service, which could prove valuable to the TV industry in its present era of labor union negotiations. TBA also could utilize NAB’s large research organization and, in addi- (Continued on page 50) Washington, pec. 12. Reports of “bootleg” television station operations have caused the FCC to instruct Its field offices to be on the alert, bdt an agency of- ficial admitted that illegal trans- mitters may be undetected be- cause of staff limitations. Although TV bootleggers are given away by their high towers, it was conceded that In sparsely settled areas, far from Commission field statioi^, they may be operating unmolested. But it Was considered doubtful that many are getting away with it. Operations of TV bootleggets recently came to light when Com- mission investigators closed down an illegal station operated by Syl- vania Electric Products, Inc., at Emporium, Pa. The booster at Emporium, using an unauthorized channel, was rebroadcastiiig regu- lar commercial programs from an established station at Johnstown, Pa. . At least two other illegal opera- tions have been tracked down, one of which is under continuous sur- veillance, it was learned. Usually they are built by experimenters who apparently can’t wait until authorized stations are established in their areas. Whether the con- tinuing freeze on video may en- courage such operators is always, a possibility. Deep In the Heart of Although it’s possible that deal- ers interested in selling sets might be tempted to install boosters (which could be built for a few' thousand dollars), it’s doubted that the risk of severe penalties which can be inflicted under the law' would be taken. Nevertheless, stories have come in that in the big open spaces in Texas, far from authorized stations, quite a few homes have TV receivers. With not more than two investi- gators working out of the FGC’s Dallas office, which serves a vast area in the southwest, it may well (Continued on page 52) Abbott, Costello WEINTRAIIB PICKS UP Hollyw'ood, Dec. 12. “Club Roma” on NBC-TV is get- ting pinkslipped. Show is being withdrawn because NBC has been unable to deliver markets promised to client. After brief origination in Frisco, show moved here for filming and j a netw'ork ride on the eastern cable. 1 William Weintraub agency has picked up an hour oin the ABC-’EV web for twro of its clients, in a par- lay which may involve the switch- ing of ‘‘Ellery Queen” from Du- Mont to ABC-TV. Agency has taken the 12 noon to 1 pjm. hour bn Saturdays for Sea- man Bros, and H. T. Babbitt. One half-hour will be taken by Seamah for Air-Wick, which will move its “I Cover Times Square” whodunit from Thursday evenings at 10 p.m. to the Saturday period. Other slot will be occupied by Babbitt, which is mulling skedding of “Ruth and Eileen.” Latter is a Bernard L. Schubert package based on Ruth McKenney's “My Sister Eileen” property. Shift of “Times Square” from the Thursday period leaves a va- cancy which Weintraub may try to fill with “Elleiy Queen,” how backed by Kaiser-Frazer (another of its clients) on DuMont, Thurs- days at 9 p.m, NBC and Abbott & Costello have negotiated a deal for the duo to join in the found-robin of Sunday night TV comics On “Colgate Com- ery. Hour.” Their first time up will be in.. January, as one of the replacements for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, while the latter are finishing up their film commitment oh the Coast. For their second display, they’ll go into the segment being vacated by Fred Allen. They’ve been pacted for two shots, with future negotiations be- ing held jn abeyance pending re- action to the initial pair of attrac- tions.- Meanwhile, A & C are set to make their tele preem Dec, 16 in a Chicago Boys Club benefit, along with Jimmy Durante, Spike Jones and others. Nin etyrminute program will be cairied by WNBQ in Chi. IN MANACEMENT SUIT A deci-sion won by producer Max Liehman last June before New York supreme court Justice Joseph A. Gavagan, in which he sought to break a management contract with Lou Mandel, was affirmed by the appellate division yestercay (Tues) in a 3*2 verdict. The court upheld Liebman’s attorney, Milton Mound, tliat the agreement “relied On was void, unconscionable and against public policy.” Licbman signed with Mandel In May, 1946, but sought to negate the contract >vhen he claimed Mandel contributed no services towards his earnings. Milton Paulson was at torney for Mandel. . I ) • S8 TEL EVISION REVIEWS k^ASHETY JVe«liie8day, December 13, 1950 Zmallclntrnjution^l'thlreiuHnglH^ry^Sosnik’s musical back^^^ There are certain perforniers that Ed Sullivan calls upon pen- cdically to insure a successful show. One of these is Jack E. Leonard, the rotund comic, who carries with him a yirtuar guaran- tee to fracture the house. Leonard, who’s previously appeared five times on “Toast of the Town.” tied lip the display to provide an early punch, Leonard’s lines, which leave the impression of ad-libbing, are extremely funny. Iri addition, he’s quite a physical clown despite his bulk. He’s a f%ly graceful dancer who reaps big applause dividends through these antics. . For the occasion, Sullivan col- lected an amiable batch of talent and showed some ingenuity: in stringing together several se- quences unusual for variety shpws. One of the more serious mo- ments came with the presentation of songwriter Harry Akst, who ac- companied the late ,A1 JolsOn on his recent trip to Korea and -Who has been friendly enough with Jolie as his accompanist to put genuine reverence into “GbodbyC GI Ai;’’ a tune dedcated to him.. Song, delivered with a great deal of feeling by Eddie . Fisher, doesn’t seem to have, been written for ex- ploitation purposes inashiuch as all proceeds will go to various charities. Fisher also scored with a rendition of “Thinking of You.” Another highspot on the show was Buster Keaton’s pantomime of ah unemployed Santa Claus, Kea- ton, like Charlie Chaplin, is an artist at portraying pathos through the . medium of silent comedy. Keaton successfully enacted many comedic moments with an under- lying theme of sadness. Princeton University’s Triangle Club previewed a production . xiimber from its annual show, “Too Hot for Toddj',’’ which opens to- morrow (Thurs.V at the Hunter College auditorium. Number, •‘Steamroller Operators Ball,” a broad satire of the charlestoning '20’s, came off fairly well except for the lengthy introduction. The singles, on the display were Jane Morgan, an American who made good in Paris, and who has been eligible for the plush spots, as result of her French rep. She made impact with “La Vie en Rose’’ following Gallic-English ver- sions of Yank pops. Kathryn Lee, in the opening slot, again showed up as an excellent dancer. Her ballet extract from “As the Girls Go” was a prime bit of toe work. trouble getting new material. A number of the Sid Caesar-Imogene Coca routines now aired are re- peats from previous telecasts and occasionally a ballet , tUm is also reprised. While the items repeat- ed are generally sock--arid in some cases the second serving is as ap- petizing as the first— -there’s the danger of dulling the airer’s im- Nevertheless, P r o d u c e r Max Liebman provided a highly enter- taining stanza Saturday (9). High- spot was a takeoff On a 1920 mu- sical comedy production number With Miss Coca as the showgirl. Ballet company did some amusing caricatures of the Twenties terp- ing styles. Group also clicked iri a Cute ocarina number for which Bill Hayes and Judy Johnson did the vocals. Also in the dance department, the Hamilton Trio— which has been registering solidly with regularity —offered an effective original turm “Hallucination,” based on a tippler’s imagining the antics of the two femme partners. Nelle Fish-' er and Jerry Ross dapeed “Sweet Betsy from Pike” to the balladeer- ing of Earl Redding, making a ro- bust presentation of the folksong. Caesar and Miss Coca joined nicely in a sketch on a husband and wife buying a new suit; in a repeat of their slick cliche experts at a wedding reception; and in a fairly fimny satire on a French film, Caesar wound the show with his sock portrayal of a man ( who has just walked out on his spouse, sequel to a bit done earlier this year. Billy Williams quartet pleased with zingy versions of “Forever Blowing Bubbles” and “Oh Babe, main contribution of a modernized Christmas, story to a group of kids gathered around his chair. Scene was pleasant but a bit overlong. Sessioh wound up with the en-^ tire gang finaling with“Chri$tmas in Killarney.” Brief bit of Irish jigging by Fitzgerald sparked the finale; Eddie Ballantine and orch supported nicely, Direction by Grover J. Allen was firm throughout, without a . single apparent miscue in either the aduio or video department. Straight plug for PhilcO delivered by Bob Murphy was strictly professional, something that can’t be said for the gagged middle plug which smacked more of corn than sales- manship. Paul & Grace Hartman brought their Broadway r e v u e, “Tickets, Please,” tO the, “Colgate Comedy Hour” on NBC-TV last Sunday (10), filling in one of the shOws vacated by the absent Dean Marlin & Jerry Lewis. This was reputedly the first was tops, Danny Thomas abandoned his flag-^ waving preachments and re- prised several of his better nitery routines on NBC-TV’s “Four Star Revue” Wednesday night (6), to crime up with the best show he’s done yet on the series. With some standout guest talent, topped by Metopera sporaho Bidu Say ao and a surprise walk-on by Jimmy pur rante, one of the other rotating comics on the Wednesday night prograrii, the Thomas sho^ made for a pleasant hour’s viewirig. Thomas returned to his Italian dialect character for the best skit, about a guy going through wads of industrial red tape to recoup a penny lost in a subway gum ma- chine. After weaving from one of- ficer to another, he finally Wound up at the office of the treasur’er, who was Durante. Miss Sayao pleased with a Spanish number, for which the stage had been neatly set via a terp routine by Danny Daniels, and then socked ! across the “Un Bel Di” from “Ma- that well aX to permit those new nifties week after week, Prudential offered ain engross- ing drama Tuesday night (5) in its presentation of “The Barretts of Wimpole Street/* starring Helen Hayes. Elizabeth Haft’s adaption of the Rudolf Besief legiter changed some details in tailoring it for tele’s needs, but didn’t im- pinge On the integrity or theme of the story, retaining its full fla- vor,; pathris and drama. But it was Miss Hayes* brilliant portrayal, in the role Katharine Cornell so sig- nalized on the stage, that made this tele version so compelling, Miss HayeSj as the semi-invalid poetess, Elizabeth, gave an elo- quent performance. Physically, she made a surprisingly youthful- looking heroine, while the direc- tion cleverly avoided closeups^ Robert Pastene was a rather brash but altogether winning Browning; . Gene Lockhart was striking as the unnaturally cruel father, and Bethel Leslie had a poignant role Broadway revue", shown on televi- 1 dame'Buttertly /^That’s come ' sion. While “Tickets, please” is not the best of Broadway's offer- ings, the sketches were intellir gently furiny, the music refreshing even if unirispiring and the entire production a work of thought and preparation, The e 1 e m e n t of grinding out the humor and forc- ing it upon the audience, so con- spicuous in most video shovvs, was ! conspicuously and pleasantly ab- sent from the revue. a standard for all sopranos on TV but it still sounded terrif as piped by the Met star. She also displayed okay comedic talents in kidding around with Thomas. Magician Gali-Gali was brought- in for the middle plug, which again emerged as one of the better corii- iriercials on TV, With Thrim'^s ask- ing him to do his act and an- riouncer Andre Baruch demariding , . that the Motorola plug be spieled, Gf course, only excerpts were ; it wound up as good entertainment, presented, since running time of : Gali-Gali socked across his familiar the video presentation was an but still-baffling routine with the rark Rii«Pll and Mareuerite Piazza ' And. script was so contrived disappearing chicks, while Bariich teaLd toiranSlnl bring the Hartmans out as also got in some potent pitches for teamea lor an appealing ana iiom emcees, But the entire proceed- | the snonsor. Julie Oshins and Mil- Mozarts Don Giovanni. Melvyn . jagg paced smoothly and ran ton Frohm added to the fun ini '*®®'? .™obd anti .em Douglas emceed the proceedings off without a hitch. The Hartmans I. several of the rtcit^ while Xou discourage the smoothly and .warmly. Productmn themselves, who are telcvisidn i Brinc“r orch backed^ Supporting cast was well chosen. What also stood out, unfortu- rialely; Was the sharp cla^ in i mood and effect of ; Prudehtial’s commercials, commendable and restrained though they were. It was quite a shock to be transferred from a taut dramatic moment, a highspot in the i9th century dra- ma, to a discussion of life insur- ance in a 20th-century living room, and the shock w'as repeated not once but twice. Commercials cer- tainly are necessary, but it would appear that sponsors on these se- rious, adult shows will have to find a better means of selling their: wares. The thudding drop and clash in mood and emotion will longhair was good, withi camerawork dis- naturals, stole the show, Grace | ^apablw tinguished by effective low angles. Hartman’s bland and rambling Ken Murray furni^ihed plenty of reasons Saturdav night <9) Why his Nielsen rating has. jumped from 37th to 12th place in the last .month. CBS comic wrapped up a finely-paced and neatly-varied show, spotlighting his cast of reg- ulars and his guest talent in a pleasant 60 minutes. Program has recently taken on top-equality production and direc- tion, which was evident in the fine treatment Murray provided for his big production number last week, “Pocahontas.” ^ Andy Russell’ (his wife^ Della, came on to lead the “Anheuser Busch” number in the middle com- mercial) teed off the . guest lineup with a medley^ of the tunes he’s helped popularize and also got in ^ some nifty impressions of other . singers. Diana Lynn evidenced , good lhespihg talent, s in an effective dramatic sketch about the work of I Army nurses in Korea. An origi- ’ nal penned by Mari Yartof sky and [ titled “Angel from Ohio,” the sketch indulged in a minimum of 1 flagwaving in its plea for more vol- I unteef nurses, and Miss Lynn was given a neat assist by Lee Phillips. ( Hollywood actress then displayed ; her fine :pianistics in a legit rendi- tion of “Warsaw Concerto,” in Which she was backgrounded solid- ly by David Broekhian and the ©rch. reprised - the. showgirl ■ !.i"oian ’ routirie from his recent Blackouts” production for one of the show’s highlights, Which formed ! a good segue into the final produc- tion number. Darla Hood and the Enchanters teed off in “Pocahon- tas, ’ with Murray coming in as John Smith, Number spotlighted, all f 9 r top results, da ncei" Danny Kegnn, Chief Churchill and his sand sculpture and Truzzi^s flame- ■ juggling. Tony Labriola dorined a ‘ costume for his stand- ard Oswald” kidding with Murray and^ announcer Nelson Case turned In his usual competent job on the 1 plugs. Jack Carter Show ^ was sparked j bumor, and Paul’s vague facial mariner of expression were hilari- ous, and where they did slow up, as in the sketch about the crioking artist demonstrating his ability be- fore a literary club, It was because of overextended material rather than their own ability. Standout turns in the show were Grace Hartinan’s impression of the femme roller derby fan, Patricia Bright’s plaint against television’s stealing of her hus- band’s affections and Dorothy Jarnac’s choreographical accom- paniment to an interpretation of an abstractionist painting. Production by Hank Ladd and Ernie Glucksman captured the spirit of the re Vue effectively, while directors Ladd and Klings- man T. Moore paced the show rapidly and smoothly. Lensing, by the guesters of Edward Arnold and Martha Wright. Gal, who’s highly videogenic and chirps well, pleased with her warbling, al- j though in spots her movements were too big for the closeup cam- erawork. She lent flair to a Gay Nineties skit in which Arnold and Carter played rival millionaires competing for her hand. Baritone Donald Richards duet- ted nicely with Miss Wright and Bill Callahan put over some dance routines. One well-staged produc- tion turn used superimposition to get the effect of the ballet ensem- ble terping atop a piano, with Cal- lahan then taking over to chase them away. NBC-TV*s “Philco Playhouse’* TiiiMnni'a “TnV.«c c„; • Sunday night (10) had little to of- ene*e Review" last Tuesdav f«re*cepta eouple ofstandoutper- its production of fered a unique telecast, a medical corisultation in' which doctors in three cities were able to diagnose ‘a case of chest injury via an x-ray “Bonanza.” Mildly allegorical yarn about the Residents of a small gliost-town who refused to face the machine linked to video. The new ! Ir • j • ^ • '-i ■ ^ • . j • . 1 f inn V»v Sfpnhion flpRann nf npn kins radiologist, who first related why the machine was invented. He explaiiied, with demonstra- tion by Stephen deBaun of Ben Martin’s original story was much too wordy for the requirements of [ video; Producer Fred Coe and de- ABC’s “Don MtNeill’s TV Club, ’ which showed signs of coming apart at the seams after an auspi- I sets and musical accompaniriient clous preem in September, is back on the tracks again. Plagued with production errors, the hour-long show too frequently failed to do justice to McNeill and his AM “Breakfast Club” gang in their switch to video. But With Jerry Morrison assuming producer duties from Ivor McLaren, last Wednes- day’s (6) show fulfilled the promise of the^ initialer, one of the most extensively rehearsed stanzas ever to hit the ether. Production values on this seg were good. tions, that the present fluoroscope ; show the oreans hT' aetron"” ' Hi.s : *"*?? inside the confines of their Lw invention use" video pri ”i- I *>nt th® setting lacking the pies to amplify thi ^Ms of ! Sf cTaus^^^^^^^^^ x-ray images from 300 -i:o -3,000 ot ciausiro^oriia. times The two fine performances were Highspot was the actual diag- town-fweMifuc"*^^^^^^^^ no.sis, in which a worker who had | jJorgan as the"grizzlS’ old"D?os" particles from a shattered fly- ! ■ - grizziea om pios- vvheel in his chest cavity Was Procter & Gamble’s “Musical | Comedy Time” turned to a Navy theme Monday night (11) with its presentation of the Herbert Fields- Vincent Youmans “Hit the Deck,” but it missed the boat. As in .some previous shows in the series, it was the weakness of the book, as compressed into an hour format, and generally inadequate produc- tion and direction which were re- I sponsible. Cast, topped by Iva ment were topnotch, effectively Withers, John Beal and Jack Gil- showcasing the McNeill crew for ■ - ’ ’ « — /‘Jour $I»ow of Shows” portion ©f NBC-TV’s “Saturday Night Re- Vue” apparently i$ running into well-rounded and highly pleasing family fare. Another improvement Which might be carried still fur- ther was the Curtailment of audi- ence interviews which had slowed previous shows. McNeill himself was considerably more relaxed and his emceeing projected the friendly , personality that's riiade him an AM staridout. With the reduction of the num- ber of interviews, the regulars were given more time to display their wares. Fran Allison, who brings her Aunt Fanny character to the show every couple of weeks, was on hand for two fine comedy sequences tailor-made for the McNeill audierice.. Especially funny was her speech, assisted by Sam Cowling, to members of the Bird Watching Society. Singers Johnny Desmond and Patsy Lee also scored strongly, aided by tasteful staging. Miss Lee, limned simply against ' a black background, registered visually and aurally. Desmond provided one of the sock spots of the frame with his version of “The Christmas Song.” which he sang to a cute blonde moppet as a lullaby. An- other good bit was Bill Krentz’s toy piano keyboarding. ^ Guest Barry Fitzgerald wandered in and out of the show, providing pleasing touches of humor. His ford, Was good and the Youmans tunes, of course, were top-rate but. pector who suffered from the illu- sion that he was the emporer of the community. Alfreda Wallace seemed a little too cold to elicit much appeal in her role of the placed under the new device. By two-way telephonic hookup the comments and suggestions of spe- tie ‘aired ^makin“/L'"a%ra^X da-ughter who had returned " ^ cuamaiic i ii-om schooling in- the ea.st tp write ^ ^ ^ realistic book abPut the town, This broadcast was viewed by and William Kemp had little to do members of the Federal Communi- as her vis-a-vis. Director Delbert cations Commissiori as part of the ; Mann took whatever advantages he university’s testimony in the | could in tracking his cameras FCC’s hearings on the assignment through the confining set. of tele channels to educators. It proved the point that video, deal- ing with educational subject mat CBS-TV's“Nash Airflyte The- ter, can rievertheless be interest- i Wilfc, ot an Agatha Christie story, Tj >i. V •. 1 Pi'esented in play foriri a satire on Yet, the show, didn’t rcal.ize its .all great detectives and detective they couldn’t overcome the antiq^ potentialities as it might have. It [ stories Thursday (7) While mildly uffy of the Jbook ^(w h i c h was j was too full of technical words and j amusing “The Case' of the Bless- phrases. adapted by Davis Shaw), or the camera-confined projection. . Bill. Corrigan, new director for this series, established something of a paradox with his cairieras on the show.; He succeeded in creat- ing the illusion of another dirrien- ^on on the screen by mariipulating his leiises to shoot from both the front and back of the set. But, in achieving that, he sacrificed the professional competence that view- ers should expect by - this time. Working with a chorus of 12, he too often moved in too close to the set arid thus trimmed off the dancers’ heads or legs. And, in the “Hallelujah” number at the second act curtain, in order to bring in the chorus he cut off the. head of Helen Dowdy, doing the song in the role of Lavinia. Such Camera fluffs can rio longer be con- sidered trifling. Miss Withers and Beal turned in fine jobs both in their thesping and vocalizing, hitting especially on the now-standard “Sometimes I’m Happy.” Gilford scored with his comedies as “Battling Smith.” Miss Dowdy was a little too obvi- ous in her dramatics but registered with her singing and Bill McCutch- eon was okay as the dopey sailor. u -1 It concentrated too j ing Lady” didn’t capture the sharp heavily on the mechanms of x-rays humor that the idea suggests, and not enough on their human a f aspects, their revolutionary possi- | team, the biUties;_ Certainly the offering : was : effective, but the more com- | petent scripting and greater show- | c-n-icatiire ^of nri Q n c Vi i r» 0 A 70 .i 1 qV, 1 a • I r«llCaiUie Ot all ■ th^ . gtCat d manship available to Comriiercial Ronald is a great detec- tives of fictipn, including Sherlock airers could have really socked ! over the presentation. 1 Holmes, Sam Spade, Mr. . & Mrs, Ed (& Pegeeii) Fitzgerald made the beauts on “Leave It to the Girls” listen, but good; Sunday night When he wafe the prime re- buttaler. A past master of the mike and authoritative on his viewpoints, he laid it on the line in what Was an apparently kUlding- on-the-square set-to; although he gallantly telegraphed the touche rebuttals when Dorothy Kilgallen, Eloi.se McElhone and Florence Pritchett scored, Arid they did as energetically as he dished it oiit. it speeded the show into One of the fastest half hours yet. Maggi McNellis was equally authoritative as the glam f emcee. Incidentally , to paraphrase Joe E. Lewis’ crack North (together with his wife, played by CloriX Leach man) and Stephen Leacock’s conception of the Great Detective, Who plays a saxophone (Reagan played a ka- zoo) to concentrate. The case involved had them tracking down the fiancee of an Arctic explorer Who had retumed from his travels a month earlier than ^ expected and couldn’t find his girl. The Bluntfe finally located her, apparently the subject of cruel treatments by a mysterious- looking doctor and a burly helper. The denouement canie when, try- ing to remove, the" fiancee from the doctor’s sanitorium, they found that in apite of her sufferings, she didn’t want to leave. The cruel treatments- w e r e reducirig treat- ments; she wanted to get slim for about the gypsies (“and where do . ^ you get your earrings?”), the gals ; explorer, who hated fat women, must have a pipeline to the cou- 1 (Continued ori page 48) WMlnegJayr December 13, 1950 UBIETY TELEVISIOX REVIEWS 39 c;Dot announcement techniques to sell Americanism via video hmv UP vividly in a new series being launched Sunday (17) via vvNBf N Y. Series comprises filmed spot announcements which rlnroduce documents from the Library of Congress that formed art of the Freedom Train collection. Taking as its motto the AmeiHcan Ilerita^e Fqundati^^^ slogan of “Freedom Is Fvery- h()clv’s Business,” the series will show, via one-minute spots in the fliithoi’s original handwriting sections of Lincoln’s Getty.sburg ad- dress and his emancipation proclamation; George Washington’s letter to tlie Hebrew congregation' at Newport, R. I.; Francis Scott kev’s script of the “Star Spangled Banner,” and a reproduction of Toil! Paine's “The Ame^^^^ I’l'oject was conceived and produced by Ted Cott, general man- nnov of WNBT. Cott produced a similar series for radio, titled. * I itilc Songs About Big Subjects,” when he was program chief of AVNIvW N. Y. Since the documents. Were barely .legible when hlbNMi UP to fit the video screen, WNBT was forced to reproduce them. Result is excellent, With stirring music to back them up ^nnd with aii unemotional narration by newscaster Kenneth Bang- bail they achieve a sut'prising dramatic impact. Such phrases as T 'liu otn s“governnieht ^ . shall not perish, from the earth” .should (U) tin especially valuable pub relations job in these times. ^ WNBT spent approximately $3,p0() in producing the series. Star tioii plans to run them as other spots^they’re to be inserted in pa r lie i pa lion shows and at station breaks daily, starting with Mrs. lUoanor Robsevelt’s program Sunday afternoon. Other NBC owned- and operated outlets will pick them up immediately afterwards; WnbT. in {iddition, will make them available for only the cost of prints - to all stations throughout the country desirihg to screen 1 lienV. Leonard Saftr scripted the harration, with the .music scored / Ivdin sound tracks compiled from NBC’s news department. Staid GABBY HAYES SHOW With Hayes as narrator Writer: Hayes Producer-director: Martin Stone 15 Mins.; Mon.-Wed.-Fri., 5:15 p.m. QUAKER OATS NBC-TV, from New York {Sherman,. Marquette) BIGELOW THEATRE (‘The Sum of Seven’) With Victor Jory, RoHand Morris, Robin Hughes^ Annabelle Shaw, ! Bill Murphy, others ! Writers; Robert Meade, Sheldon Osborne Director: Frank Woodruff , ^ , , „ , . 30 Mins.; Sun., 6 p.m. Gabby Hayes new three-time j bjqhjloW-SANF.ORD CARPETS weekly. 15-minute show Quaker ngjc.Ty from n Y Oats on NBC-TV* is simplicity (Young & Ritbicam) Itself. The ex-Hollywood hoss ' opera star merely dons some “Bigelow Theatre,” new half- THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS/ With Olive Stacey, Jimmy Lydon, Nana' Bryant, Robert Armistrong, Nancy Malone, Valerie Cossart# Dan Tobin; Cy Harrice, aHg- noiincer; Clark Morgan, organist Producer: Hoyt Allen Director: Everett Gammon . Writer: Jean Holloway 15 Mins.; Mon.-Fri., 2:30 p.m. PROCTER & GAMBLE CBS-TV, from New York (Benton & Bowles^ som-dou«irat«re‘%tandrTn front hour 'dramatic series via CBS, TV, ! Whether the AM daytime stand- of sS studio cact" and spin! Sot away to a promising start Sun- : by. the. soaper, will ever be able tales of the great outdoors in his j its niche in video has. long liiniilflr twanc? . i pLObl 0 lTl in. COII0S6 clclSSlOOni dO“ icuuuai Plains twang. , icorum, “The Sum For Monday s (XI) pre^em, Hayes j Qf geyejp| » ^yj^g l3yiH aj;.ound seven recounted 1 students who were suspected of iip the time, and attention to ^ ranger and some mighty tough I pm^ipining the questions to an all- ! visual strip? Will production costs hombres” who wanted ^ to -steal important examination out of the be prohibitive? How will the cast-^ . some land. His tale-spinnmg is I 1 ers learn their lines? Will , TV been a poser plaguing the indus- tiy. It entails many sub-questions: Will the hausfrau be able to give a limited to a couple of sentences to lead up to a filmed sequence. Clip on the inaugural was replete Fact that the t^st paper was ; washboard Weepers replace per- stolen had little significance in it- ] formers w ho drop out . as easily as self, but the reactions among the I in radio? with hard ridin , fisticuffs and seven when their chances of grad- While all these ci u e s t i o n s general rough n tumble. uatiou began to fade made for in- haven’t been answered yet, “The Program makes the most of a I tercsting viewing. ' Kiugpin of the | Hundred Years” proves that slim budget, for Hayes has £( fol- i story was Victor Jory, a teacher of j the davtimC serial can make the H NIOR TALENT TIME With Danny Webb; announcer. Bud Palmer; guests PrOdikers; Les Perry and Nat I.orinan Dircotor: Pete Molhar Writer: Ed Raitncr SO Alins.; Sat., 2 p.mi BlvPllBLIC TV-RGA VICTOR WPIX, N. Y. / {Product Sermccs Group) Another show spotlighting ybuth- I nl t a l ent, this new WPIX entry' ivii . a neat pace on its initialer SaliH'tlay (91 with . an entertaining a.'^sortinent of acts.. Kids, show- cased on the preem show, varied from being just cute, to showing pro potentialties. Chosen from i\. V. public and private schopls via teacher reebmmendatiohs, juvi's range from elementary to iii.i^h sell Gol age. Format plays up the fael that youths spotted on the show also rate high scholastically. Each of the kids spotted on the DINNER AT THE SHERATON BELVEDERE With Lynn Swann, Donald Kirk- ley, Colleen Swarts, JVIary Spots- wood Wairren producer - Writers: Bill, Howell, Lynn Swann 30 Mins.; Wed., 7 p.tti. Participating WMAR-TV, Baltimore (Hanrahan Co.) A potent remote from the lowing among the juyehilb set and the ^how is beamed at an ex- I cellent time to bag the aetion devotees. Commercials for Quaker i Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice are • e nt i rely handled by Hayes. But ' it seemed rather incbnguoius for I the bewhiskered actor to be regal- j ing the kids on a breakfast food. His frontier persoftality is more '. suited for a chewing tobacco; Gilb. CHEF’S CLUB With Dean Jennings, guest« Producer : Carol Levene Director: Forrester Mashbir 15 Mins., Thurs., 9 p.rii. CRESTA BLANCA WINE English literature. He interpreted his role with sympathy and under- standing. Balance of the cast was composed of youthful players who typified the average college stu- dent.;.\,, ■ Bigelow initialer was filmed by the Jerry Fairbanks Multi-Cam process which picks up tjie studio action on several cameras. Direc- transition to tele. The produetjon given it oh its initial v\’;eek (4-8) was ambitious and itechnically ex- cellent. Thespers . revealed no hesitation with their lines, due to their having gone through the .five shows on closed .circuit the previ- ous week and to the aid of the Tele- prompter. If they occasionally glanced at this meihory-jogging tor can edit the picture as he goes performers never, be- along merely by cutting from one ; tj.aycd the fact. t 0 iTi shows up clcsror (hdn & kin0 ^houiri latGli oii to si siz-* scope, but falls somewhat short of ' siioiuu latcn on to a siz measuring up to the fidelity and sharpness of a live studio program. Gilb. KPIX, San Francisco All of the basic essentials of a swanky John Eager Howard Din- [ solid TV show are present in this ing Room bf the Sheraton Bet- a genja*. plus a guest formula designed to ,provide the viewer with a residue of data as well as a passing ac- vedere during dinner hour this half-hour show is smartly handled from its technical pickup to an actual showing of products by four participating sponsors. A novel twist and atmospheric plus is the dressing bf the floor director and two camera men in white tie and tails. Lynn Swann handled the gen- eral commentary, introducing Col- leen Swarts for fashidn chatter quaintance with celebrities, quon- dam and otherwise. Much pf the effectiveness of the verbal arhbrosia dispensed, hinges on the impact of the personalities and information highlighted. The show caught indicated mixed values in this respect, ranging from the sprightly to the dull, with a marked over-emphasis on pi-ogrnni is introed Via a short dis- 1 backing up models parading gowns commercial content in particular a between emcee Haimy | for two of the tab payers 1 * 4 -Iya Cl rll O T ai _ _ _y 1 i* - cussion Webb and the teacher responsible for his or her appearance. Talent lineup on opener includ- ed an aero turn, an accordionist, a couple of moppets doing a tap rnutine, and a few song bits. Gin- ger Pogos’ aero stand was of a high calibre, while Patti Parks and her brother Stanley did .an amus-. ing tap-vocal duet on “Dearie.” Boy was decked out in a Gay 90's oiilfit. while gal wore a ballerina en.semble. Two girls, Eileen Lex and Dianne Blum, both of kinder- garten age, teamed for a tap rou^ tine that was highlighted by their minute stature. Tony Grasso did an okay selling job on “Chatta- noogie Shoe Shine Boy,” while Carol Marsh vocalled “Stay With the Happy People” and Delcenia Boyd did a ballet number. An ac- eoi'dion bit Was also . oflered by Ralph Sazano. Simultaneous hlugs for Republic TV stores and RCA Victor video sets were competently handled by Bud Palmer. Show is packaged by Product Services Group. Gros. and Mary Spottswood Warren for room and hotel backgrounding. Donald Kirkley, drama * and film critic for the Baltimore Sun, wrings in more patter with a visit- ing celeb and a brief moment of table hopping concludes the setup. Two other sponsors are a silver- ware firm and an interior director. Nature of participating mer- chandising ties in to tone of room with emphasis on class predomi- nating and held up throughout. Blurbing is held in bounds and it all adds up to pleasing entertain- ment. Bunn. CAPT. GLENN’S CHRISTMAS bandwagon With Glenn Rowell, Jack Felice, guests 3 hrs,, SaL (9); 2:30 p.m/ Producer: Felice Director: Albert G. Hariigan Su.stiiiniuff . WPIX N. Y. U.sually spotted over WPlX, ■N. NORMAN ROSS VARIETIES Producer: George Heinemann Director: Bill Falls 30 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 11:30 a m. Sustaining WNBQ, Chicago Problem of how to fill the so- called fringe hours with low-budg- et tele offerings, has lead to a variety of attempted solutions. Latest is WNBQ’s opening morning show, which is made up of SoOndies, brief musical films made originally for coin machine dis- tribution and now being resur- rected for video. Sitting in as a; ^it of. a fjhn | pwpnn|Tp|j, -pj jockey is Norman Ross, ■ who has ^ PICTURE PLAJJ^*^^ been a housewife favorite for many iIV*ih Steve Dunne _ _ as a record sninner and i Froducer-director: Bob Quinlan glaring handicap. The 15-minute stanza teed off in a kitchen setting with Hearst columnist Herb Caen (S. F. Ex- aminer), rigged up in chef’s trap- pings, whipping up a Zabaglione while chattering with emcee Dean Jennings. This item, which has major recipe appeal to viewers, suffered regrettable eclipse due to prevailing banter and was too- quickly succeeded by a moveover to a table-for-four set for Jennings, Caen and Norma and Jeriy Bund- sen, the latter Caen’s news majqr- domo and handyman. Conver.sa- tion in this seSh gravitated be- tween eager-beaverness of Jen- nings to give sponsors more than their dollar’s worth of wine- plugging and once-over-lightly interview of Caen’s technique in column writing, which latter was of interest, though abbreviated. Jennings conducts his part of the seance with deftness, though ob- viously hard-pressed to evolve a show of inipact in the limited time alloted and with commitments necessary. Caen and Bundsen are more effective in their natural ele- ment as newshawks than as en- tertainers. Significance of guest Norma Bundsen in stance is essen- tially that of femme window trimming. Ted. ROLL-IN With Rob Stone, Jerry Coyle, ' others- . ' '.J 60 Mins.; Mon.4hru-Fri.; 1:45 p.m. Participating WRGB-TV, Schenectady New catch-all program is appar- ently part of an unfolding plan by this GeneralrElectric-owned station to : roll back the starting hour of daytime television. Long, slo”' and loose-knit, on the basis of the two blocks viewed it would be im- measurably improved if cut to 30 minutes. Bob Stone, veteran WRGB pro- ducer and former WGY staffer, acts as emcee,- Jerry Coyle, another WGY alumnus and commercial man on several WRGB features, is a conferee, vocalist and news- caster. Two WRGB artists, Jim Fisk and Charles McGarrahan, illustrated popular songs and operatic arias cui shows caught, appearing separately. Interviews completed the program, plus a live commercial (for tvomen’s slips) and a cartopried one (for an auto- mobile). Individual segments of both shows held interest, but the com- bination on neither jelled. Stone worked most of the time on a settee, in front of a curtain. Coyle sat with him for the chitchat, but stood for the vocals. Artists sketched on easels to the left. Interviewees joined Stone in the center. He is a mature-appear- ing chap, with a clear but slightly high and definitely metallic voice —not too ear-easy for ah hour period. Manner is friendly; at times, mildly kidding. Best interview — because the timeliest and most vivid— was with J. H. (Jake) Van Aernani, director of advertising-publicity for the eastern division of Iviohawk-Niag- ara Hudson Power Corp. and a frequent WGY broadcaster. He discussed the rCcent gale (which gabber on WNH^sNBC sister AM p.m. station, WMAQ. It’s Ross’ casual, i Participating able audience. Behtort & Bowles agency is experienced in the AM soaper field (one of the most com- pletely researched faicets of pro- gramming) and Jean Holloway, who’s scripting, is a top writer. . They’ve teamed on a stanza that apparently will eschew the tor- tured travails of the masochistic weeper in favor of a light comedic vehicle which also i n c l u d e s a healthy helping of young love and sentiment. First week’s story line reprised what was done two summers back in one half-hour as an ABC radio sustainer. It told the preparations for the wedding of a young couple, their fears, their inner desire to call the whole thing off, the varied reactions of their parents and their finally saying “I do.” Like the earlier AM edition, it followed the old standbys of similar situation comedies, the riding of the groom by his single pals, the garrulous fathers, the solicitous mothers, bratty kid sister, etc. It’s these tried-and-tested for- mulas that may limit the airer's scope. The newlyweds are ideal- ized rather than typical. Their families are slickly youthful and attractive. Their home, a lush marise given by their folks, is not what the average young couple has, but what it dreams of. (Inciden- tally, the set has been built per- manently into CBS' Liederkrantz Hall studios, to reduce the produc- tion nick.) In short, the series shotild provide a dose of escapism into a pleasant storybook world. Players, all of whom did a neat job, are headed by Olive Stacey and Jimmy Lydon as the young couple, with Nana Biyant arid Robert Armstrong play irig the gal’s parents and Nancy Malone her sister. Valerie Cossart and Dan Tobin are cast as the boy’s folks. During the first week, heavy and effective use was made of flash- backs, which were smoothly lensed and provided a sense of movement. Taped soliloquys (as the yourig- sters reminisced of their courting) and split screen (as the mothers for Varying periods) and his com pany’s procedure in reestablishing power for 70R00 homes. Coyle, who screens well, tenors nicely, newscasts competently arid sells coriyiricirigly. Jaco. knocked off Albany radio stations I phoned each otKer) were nice pro- FUN FAIR Stewart Stewart ^ • , . • r Viiilrari Qc n flisk ' iockCv .oro- ' Phil Booth . ilu’cc-hour show tb raise funds and 1 gives it a niildly humorous wist. weekly layout has plattef 1 P**”' slot, Capt, Glenn’s Bandwagon . the pix, that l|fts the venture oiit I . ingredients was expanded Saturday (9), into a , of the strictly .mediocre; class and i ;|r*cturc . visual disk iockev nro- ' Director: Phi diiction aids. Occasionally some of , the humor seemed immature and some of the philosophizing on marriage trite. However, “Hundred Years” should be around for some time. Commer- cials, delivered by Cy HaiTice. were good, strongly touting Tide's virtues over brands A through G. . Bril. ^ put ori in cooper Hon vith sblly Joy Brown’s N. Y. Daily News Christmas Fund. Miss Brown, aecompanied by a few as- sistanls, was also on hand to issue si)ecial Certificates to Hie cbnirib- uting moppets. Show’s regular c a s t, including Capt. Glenn Rowell; Qkey Dokey, an oversized ppp playqd by Jack {"elioe, and puppets, E. Gar BCavef, Biittereup ahd Horieywell Bear ac- Hvciy participated in the proceed- ings. Among guests who showed up for the occasion were Ronald Freddie Bartholomew, Cliff A'kulele Ike” Edwards, Danny large daytime audience Which is using the tele . set for background music and chatter, iri similar fash- ion to much of daytime radio listenirig. , “Uncle Normie” could probably I draw a sizable hausfrau tele audi- ence if he merely talked through , I ducer-director Bob Quirilan. Setting himself up as a slightly confused, faltering jockey, Dunne hits the mark. His humor is dry, and the ease with which he handles his chores is Compelling. Show is built around platters co- ordinated with tailored three-min- a test Wtcirso it’s not too im- iyte pix. which tell thfe_story of each V.. \ J. a .1 ■ A...... Ai of I n'lt’fi/iiiia'T ‘T’ppfirH . Brlcf, sOundlcss their age rather badly.. Ihe^Twp" artd-a-half minute films ^ selves were of okay quality but . the sound tracks were scratchy. Tunes . were of pre-war vintage, as were ancflong^^iterr*^ of the talent. Hid Cools and Johnny Marks. Show i gabber managed to turn ^t iesc i;an smoolhly, ak did Sylvia Mere- 1 flaws to an a.dvaritage by comical s hanclling of the puppets, off-screen asides while fuo pix Gros. were being unreeled. pm'e. Dortant that the Soundies, at least particular record. Brief, soundh m? Urn she produced by Bracken are on me s .. _ ' complete arid well moulded stones, giving the platte^ show presence eritire.s gimtly, yet manages to get a good many chuckles from them. Program, howevef, would hold much • more impact . if Stewart mixed his participants, bringing on the adults as well. . Opener employed a couple of Ob- viously planted lines, which in- stantly detracted frorri interest in . a ' ’ ' • V . • _Y $ 1. ^ ‘A ^ A Z . '■ MUSIC, RFD With Les Anderson, Cass'*Gounty Boys, Mary Morgan, Jaiie .. Davids ■. . Prodiicev-difector: Joe Landis 3') Mins,; Mon., 8 p.m. Sustaining KLAC^TV, Hoilywpod: This 30-minute segment is a pay- off stanza for KLAG-TV. Pro- duced and directed by Joe Landis, “Music, RFD,” stacks up as strong entertainment. Landis brought to- gether a good cast, tied it up with and hefty entertainrnent value Top cixidit goes to Quinlan, \vho tied the package together. Camera work is effective, being acutely' timed to coincide with the switch from live to film segments. Produc- tion values given brief layout are topgrade; Free. stant y detracted from ^interest in format and the show. In addition to bemg in - 1 temewed, ,pves competed- for , Les Ahdersori emcees th 3 show prizes and throe were^broughyn i^jj^ ^P^^^^ the top vocal are . the Cass County BgVS, Marj' Morgan and Jane Davids. Cass County Boys moved in tor three rium be rs on preem, each of which . registered strongly. Trio vocals as well as accompanying itself with bass* iCoritinued on page 48) moulded by scripter Harfield Wee- din. - , . Stewart Works easily bringing the youngsters into the open and projects in pleasing manner him- self. Phil Booth did a nice job master-minding the camera move- 1 ment. ' , • • I . • ( ’ W liiesday, December 13, 1950 P'^iEfr 41 .I .■’1 :i -) i '3 i .< ( J i) « \ \ I ■« 1 42 RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, December 13, 1950 THE PEOPLE ACT . With Ben Grauer^ Elmore McKee Producer; Wade Arnold pirector; Edwin Dunham Writer: Loii Hazam 80 Mins., Sat., 7 p.m* Sustainiui: NBC. from New York JAZZ GOES TO COLLEGE With Marshall Stearns Writer; Steams 25 Mins.; Sun., 4;35 p.m. Sustaining JOHNNY DESMOND GOES TO COLLEGE ^ ^ With Doris Drew, Four Vagabonds, George Barnes Octet, Rex Maupih and orch, Don Ward Producer: Louis Perkins or startling WNEW.N.Y. Marshall Stearns, who is profes- ' Writer; Bill Daley_ ^ soring a course on jazz at New 30 Mins.; Mon., 8:30. P.m rru^ A At’' 1 C new 13- York University, is presenting the , Sustaining A^nSnAA the substance Of his classroom; Studies ABC, from Chicago scries"' P?Sentcd U' nW '" this weekly s h o w.. As s Nothing unusual _ with the Twentieth stanza comes under the heading occurs on this half-hour sustainer, CeSv Fund 'dt is deltoid to oI adult education : In . the most to the well-worn Centui^y ^r una,^u coot renorts important area of America s popu- ^nd chatter format. How- Show through lar culture-jazz music. A savant eier itTwell-turned production- banded together and without being a pedant, ^Stearns ap- wise and benefits from some sturdy economic show proached his subject .with a stmiu- add up to easy-to-take ' Caye^ N. c., provided itself v , [[“s in Coiiege motif is the sketchy a hospital. ^ ^ ^ ■ giv'eness. He illustrated his points Program drew the picture of disks With a series of con- ditties. On shov cat^ it (4| t e how t h e community suhered trasts between Jose Iturbi and a . salute was^direc^ed at West Po nt^ through lack of medical care until pianist such as Pine Top Dr, George Bond came to practice playirig a boogie woogie teyy Academy and tbe PJ,^ I in it. Frorn there on, it pointed It >vas a striking con- same name. Desmond, , up the need for the hospital, and firmatibn Of his thesis that jazz iibsides pleasantly emceeintj _^he , then told how the community has an intricate beat that cannot ^ ^Ssust . iiom DPd • banded together to build it and the he imitated by polished longhair W^u’d, did a stanemut jim singing benefits derived. ihstrumentalists. This point was tu . Backyard j Show ended by tracing, through driven home in a comparison be- and Old Black JXiagic^ ^ ^ statistics the trend of doctors over tween the rendition of a religious Distaff ehirping by Pons Drew the past’ 50 years towards urban tune by John Charles Thomas and was also first-rate. Thrush, expert- , and away from rural areas. It gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. ly sold . “Lovelight In Your Eyes'’ | pointed up the need for more Stearns also traced origin of and “Pennies From. Heaven.” Nice j medical care in the sections' that jazz back to the African tribal change of pace was offered by the ; heed it most ' rhythms and, once again, utilized Vagabonds, vocal quartet, who ,w.vo AvfAAmAiv AffAAtivp his disk collection to buttress his ; supplied a good bounce to ‘’Bugle M^ec ane^ speculations. At one point, he . CaltRag.”: George Barnes and his nf^whaf^h^nnpned to the lil listeners to di.s- octet provided a solid treatment. KAfovA of tinguish between H primitive chaiit of “If I Had You:” Backing by | thi'hospui The very people iho ""O band was , built the building and raised the 1.’*,.^ In a'fascinatihe series of , • , • il ,1 money to buy and equip it de- Chatter material, especially scribed their own effort. Every Se this kessfoT^h^ at comedy, tailed to Itve j bit of the show smacked of au- ^ UP to the musical portions_of the tliGnticitv In h couDlci of coiSGSt * i * au c * stiinz3. • Detue* lueiiLiLity. lu. foj.^y below the surface of lazz however, the interviews repeated WaviiV ^ — .. • themselves and could have been ■ !■ ' ... . judiciously cut. i McKee’s field reporting was ex- LEONARD FEATHER SHOW cellent, and Lou Hazam’s scripting Writer: Feather ' job was smooth and coherent. y?**'?*» Sat., 4 p.m. Grauer was effective as narrator. And it’s to NBC’s credit that the WOR/ N., T^ people interviewed sounded nat- . Leonard Feather, jazz critic and Ural and real and the whole show who ^formerly had a seemed authoritative, show over WMGM, N. Y., betore an auto accident bedded him for an?«roc^^AA^AAf ac^o°Ai,hrfA^cAm? almost a year, has returned to the DeWitt Clinton hotel in Albany. via ; fAA^ alrlancs with .a solid 60-minute WTRY. Characteristic of the inter- 1 thA kaa..‘ Joe u <^isk session. Feather is not only views is the emphasis placed on of the more knowledgeable ,, the public service phase of radio. the AiMp DUblicThUv^ but he parliiys ' On the last shot heard (8), he ' hear about prVms. It AvLld fZ . shorthat®sh^^^^^^^ talked about Christmas Seals with, Cain a wider and more aonrepiate into a show that Should have ap- a man whose wife and 18-year-pld = fme" audienc 01 ^?^ tim^ ,be/ond ^ e been in a local | •segment " rhnn i? eatiier s cool manner, moreovei. ■ sanatorium for tuberculosis three ^ L,na?i. 1 contrasts favorably With the usual years and whose 17 -year- old i run of pop disk commentators. | daughter has been discharged i , Opening stanza (9) was neatly after treatment for the disease. No ' framed around the central theme script was used and impact of his of the use of strings in jazz ' remarks went deeper because of it. comlj^bs. Tracing the fiddle fad j wiliis’ interviews cover a wide CLYDE BEATTY SHOW With: Eric Snowden, Tim Graham, Byron Kane, Eve MeVeagh, Vic Perrin; Larry Thor, announcer Producer: Shirley Thomaa Writer: Don Thompson 30 MinsA Mon.-Wed.-Fri.; 5:30 p.m. Sustaining Mutual, from Hollywood Another in Mutuars late after- noon adventure series “The Clyde Beatty S h o vv’' generates enough excitement to please the :founger element. Program follows a ^pat formula, developing tight situations and then twisting out of them. Dramatizations are based on iucl- dents in the life of animal trainer Clyde Beatty, with title character narrating and participating in the yarns.' ' ' ■ Initial broadcast Monday (11) was localied in Africa and dealt with art elephant hunt. The jungle terrain and the difficulties of mov- ing about in a territory dominated by wild natives and animals gave story added punch. A lesson to tlie Jkiddies in the value of be- friending people, was interjected into the script effeetively. In ad- ditipn there were some good dra- matic moments, such as Beatty and his wife a Imp s t getting trampled to death by a stampede of w'ild elephants. Cast performed convincingly, with Shirley Thomas providing a solid production background. . Gros. MATINEE ENTERTAINMENT With Forresi Willis, Others 30 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 5 P.M. CHEVROLET DEALERS WTRY, troy Transcribed music, news and in- terviews comprise : a moderately I listenable program by Forrest | Willis; featured for years on ; WOKO and now airing from the 1 BOWLING TIME VARIETIES With Walt Sheahan, others 30 Mills.; Sun.-thru-Sat., 11 p.m. TEN PIN LOUNGE WROW, Albany back to the mid 1930’s, Feather I ran throiifTh an PYOpllPTif ^prip<; nf activities, causes and Program, originating in the Co-t^j-j^g which onenedwilh Artie ' hoes Bowling Center cocktail ' .g ' dividual dialers naturally is not lounge, is a mildly palatable : femoorarv Charlie^^pLker Outfit ’ high. He knows the section melange of interviews, entertain- whUe iiis commOnta were inter^ people as few mikers here- ment and commercials. Walt : ^f de his commenJ« Live part of adverti.s- Sheehan calls up women from the we n to the ^ handled by Willis-there is bU o7 Trish%‘nging^^^^^^ Feather pla^d several; » the SDot’s featured\rtist *as weir items, including disks ' ak OMLional guests ’D^^hv by Benny Goodman, Stuff Smith, Feurl^te ^ Pettiford, Billy Holiday, over) tooks spots on Lveral broa'l Charlie Parker and Harry Carney, casts heard. The Ever Sharps.' nerm. Cohoes barbershop quartet, worked on a Monday block. Show unfolds leisurely. Its gen- eral li.stening appeal is not great — especially when interviewees are on the mike-:- but prornption payoff presumably is sufficient. Sheehan, CARErHANUKKAII SHOW With Jack Benny, Gertrude Berg, Quentin RjBynOlds, others Writer-Producer: Peggy Holt 15 Mins., Dec. 5; 9:45 p.m. Sustaiiiiiig ABC, from N; Y. Tying in with the Jewish Haniik- kah celebration, which teed off ] Dec. 5, the CARE-Israel Commit- tee in Cooperation with ABC pre- sented a special i5-mihute tran- scribed, show on that day designed essentially to draw contributions for food packages to be sent to the needy in Israel. In asking for coin donations program offered art ab- breviated, but significant, account of the holiday’s derivation. The somberness, and, at the sanie time, gaiety of the occasion were effec- tively highlighted. Quentin Reynolds, chairman of the CARE committee,, conducted, the show with valuable assists from jack Benny ahd Gertrude Berg. Latter appeared in a sketch depicting a Hanukkah celebration by “The Goldbergs” and friends. Skit, also written by the actress, pointed up the joyousness of the holiday. 'Benny, switching from his usual comic charactef , acted as his- torian, citing the background of Hanukkah, with Reynolds inter- jecting question^ and remarks to strengthen the commentary. Contributions, Tesulting from the program, as of yesterday (Tues.), totalled about $2,000, with a grand total of near $5,000 expected. Gros. VISITIN' TIME NBC’s “Big Show’’ Sunday, (10) makers, Pa and Ma Dibly, Slim Willis flashing a genial personality and 30 Mins.,. Sat., 7:30 p.m engaging chuckle, clicks in the ex- MORTON-SALT CO., changes. Occasionally, he be- WO aI, San Antonio Charley Ackerson, Harmon Bros., ] wrapped up an enertaining pack- Peggy Bowers, Owen Bradley, I age, although one of its touted fea- The Farmhands, Morton Merry- „ q„||„ .pii That m!,irAk.6 Pa anil Ufa nihiv sunv oion t quiie jell, irtai was the dramatization of an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story starring f em- cee Tallulah Bankhead and Charles ciiajiKus. i^ecasioaaiiy, iie oe- PATTAr* Tf iA.»nAVi^ iu+Ia comes a shade too ingratiating. ' This 1 $ another rural opus which er. R leaned a . little too heav- Hatt-hour runs overboard oh ad- Premises, to become a SaUuda.v:: dy on the histrionics.. However, vertising. Plugs for Center are hstening habit. The ahring, it was, followed by a parody ably supplemehted by tabs for a tele- ^ greatest rural net- and amusingly done by Imogene vision shop and a florist. Jtied, j v hrk each week, ^contains plenty 01 ; Coca; and Jimmy Durante satirizing ' varied music, fun and down-to- : the Boyer-Bankhead trademarks. SANTA CLAUS & BONDIE earth humor, ttcadlihing the program is ' Miss Coca, Sid Caesar’s partner With Glen Walrath, Gary Barrett [ Charley Ackerson, a ‘ genial m.c. ' hnVhW TV^ 15 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri,; 5:15 p.m. j whose voice and personality re- BOND BKEAlJ^^ r ^ : I minds one of 'Win Sara.’' WPTB, Albany j Ackerson keeps the show moving miraieH* Santa Claus program has a dif- along at a smart pace and is heard ferent angle, in the appearanee of . in §everal solo spots with the or- Hnnmp- Gary Barrett, lO-year-old son of chestra and in a duet with Reggy Ellis Barrett, WPTR announcer, Bowers. , He also acts as straight fert‘fiii£ff^ruhnfn 0 ^^^ and Edith Barrett, conductor of man for the. comedy of Slim Willi.s. combdics^ ^ncludin^e^^' hk “The Story Lady,” religious pro- ., The Harmon Brok are singers Di^^lsed ’MaS” were iJIl grand on station. Moppet teams of spirituals who have been re- somd*^VeDSeV vfith with Glen Walrath, supervisor of . cording for 1 e.cca as the Jordan- " program operation$. It is the sec- : aires. Miss Bowers, the female j m n i j j ond year they have paired under [ vocalist, has a pleasing Voice arid Webb and Tallu . traded some baking company sponsorship. ' can sell a song well, especially the Y^^bal punches, . with the former Format is the converitional read- old favorites. ing of present-request letters, Avith Comedy is supplied by Willis ^uu the latter delendmg Tadio and comments and admonitions by and Ra and Ma Dibly. Willis is Webb ^ Hollywood Saint Nick, aided by “Bohdio-” also heard playing the guitar Svith woik; with good laugh payoffs all Broadcasts are pictured as coming the orchestra. Pa and Ma Dibly from the North Pole. Walrath ' discuss their everyday problenis in In the musical sphere, Meredith makes a convincing Santa. Both a h Umorous irianner. . Both are on Willson orch provided good back- he and the youngster fluffed on brief enough for their bits to add ing and Mindy Carson clicked with one show caught; on the next they brightness to the show, I “Bushel and a Peck” and folk- were considerably surer. Master Art Devine handles the commer- Ringer Eddy Arnold did his “Love i^brough as an in- cials'well. Brief and to the point. Bug Itch” vocal which has; sold bhoable boy. He should . they are primarily aimed at rural 3Q0.00p disks. Joe Bushkin offer- nor permitted to listeners. Show is well produced. . ed some neat jazz pianistics in his ftduH’V bOint; that is an is aimed at the right audience. COFFEE CLUB With Ned Trudeau, Toni Brady » 30 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 8:30 a.m. Participating WABY, Albany Program is leisurely paced for the hour of day. It features tran- scribed music, interspersed with human interest - humorous news items, and chatter. Ned Trudeau did the block solo for sometime. Tempo and type of platters would indicate that show is aimed at older listeners, or that the con- ductors believe dialers do not like a fast clip while preparing to leave for work. Trudeau is a friendly, down-to- earth chap, with a voice and a style that are unorthodox. He in- clines; to flatness and pver-punch- ing, but comes through fairly well nevertheless. Toni Brady wisely modulates, and her voice is basiccil- ly pleasing. r ^ ^ 'Time checks, weather reports and spot announcements round out the half-liour. Jdco. m ove-iner?hl5fdfc?na and with the right sfcntly presch?irt^ tmup are in-.^erttertainnient “Portrait of Tallulah.” “Big Show,” kind of music and on the basis of a five-week ap- for best results, praisal; is still bigleague on arty- Andy. body’s kilocycles. RCA ExUHion Hall, N.Y. Because of the intensified pub- lic interest in news broadcasts oc- ca.sioned by the current world crisis,, the RCA Exhibition JIall in Radio City, N, Y., this week began airing regular NBC newscasts via its loudspeaker • system. Hall’s execs hope to get workers in the ■area, as well as Christmas shop- pers, to ni ake a habit of stopping in daily for the news reports. Hail will carry George Hicks’ “World Report” at 1:30 p,m., NBC’s 6 p.m. r o u / d u p and Morgan Beatty’s “Ne\)'s of the World” at 1 7:30 p.m , as well as a 6 p,m. net- j work news show Saturdays. Speak- ers lintir now have been used to pipe in NBC Symphony broadcasts and the weh’s Sunday night “Big "Show” for the benefit of the visit- lingpubllci AM-TV Baseball Continue^ from paf« 1 WMGM broadcasts with Schaefer beer, may cancel out. Backer feels with tele cutting Into AM audi*. ences a hike isn’t warranted. With several millibn dollars in television and radio contracts al- ready signed for 1951, officials of baseball’s major leagues are un- able to offer any immediate agree- ment to mounting deniands before their annual w’inter meeting here to curb telecastis and unlimited broadcasts that are held responsi- ble for an attendance drop in 1950 of more than 8,000,000. ;The demands for hoxoffice re- lief are being pleaded by spokesmen for the minor leagues whose 1950 losses approached the 8, 000', 000 total. The imnor leagues at the con vention of the National Assbei- . ation of Prpfessibnal Baseball Leagues here lavSt Week, came to the unhappy conclusion that only through ihd i vi du al ac lion of Am er- ican and National League clubs could TV and radio network broad- ca.^ts be limited. The association tabled a demarid for an outright Ty-radib ban. George Trautman, National As- sbeiation president, appeared be- fore the major leagues’ joint meet- ing yesterday (Mon.) to urge a three-pbint prograrii of relief: 1 . That major league clubs in- dividually curtail their own major league networks; 2. That the majors give belter supervision to the cbhduct of their broadcasting outlets, with a view to halting broadcasts iiito minor leagiie towns when minor league games are being staged. 3. That the majors limit their TV butlets to their home territory. TV Limits Seen Answer The request to limit TV seems most likely to be put into effect, but again, on an individual club basis. Trautman told his association’s convention “there is evidence of a sympathetic attitude to our prob- lem by the big league represenla- tives.” He made this statement following a conference with Base- ball Commi.Rsion A- B. “Happy'* Chandler; William Harridge, presi- dent of the American League, and a representative of Ford Frick, Na- tional League president. Traut- man’s appearance before the ma- jors’ joint meeting was assured at this conference, The National Association presi- dent, however, approached the major league meeting with Jlhe knowledge that any curb tele- casts and broadcasts that blanket- ed the nation in 1950 mu.st be con- Ridered with the attitude of the Department of Justice in mind. Prior to the 1950 season, the D. Of J. virtually ordered the big leagues, to. give permission for their games to be broadcast all over the nation, I backing the order with the threat ' of declaring baseball a monopoly, i Prior to the minors’ meeting, Trautman went personally to Washington to seek the depart- ment’s counsel. He was told, he said, that “the Department of Jus- tice will not interfere as long as their is no collusion. This must be a matter settled by the P'^ajor league clubs individually and not by the league.” On the eve of the major league meetings, the St.. Louis Cardirial and Bi^boklyn Dodger organiza- tions aiinoiinced: they Would aban- don ncU(^ork broadcasts of . their tnajor league club games in 1951. Fred Saigh , Cardi iial president, is a n outspoken foe of imcontroll eh TV and rietwork broadcasts, as is William DeWitt. St. Louis Browns^ head. ^ Also critical Is Billy Ryans; Detroit general mariager. Earlier, the Boston: Braves slashed theif 1951 TV program by one-fourth. No Affect on ‘Came of Day* Unaffected in Trautmart’s criti- cism of major league broadcasts; is the “game of the day’’ airings that, he said, do not blanket the minors as do the clubs’ own networks, , These unlimited broadcasts, the National Association convention brought out, \vent so far as to pipe four major league ganies in one day into a Glass C Sunset League, city in the Greater Los Angeles area already suffering from Pacific Coa.st League TV. In his annual report that pinned the blame for decreased minor jcagiie attendance on urirestricted broadcasts and telecasts, Trautman pointed out that more than 2.000 stations lo- cated from coast to coast partici- pated in radio or TV airings of 1 major league games. We4ne8 since he and other top personalities hav® such a vital stake in it, Of one thing he’s convinced: “That box” (his refesrence to a tele set)“is the most amazing thing to hit show business; nobody call afford to stay but of it; its impact tops anything that has gone before it; it has an intimacy far beyond anything realized in pictures.” (When a porter the day after his prCepi walks Up to him and says how terrific he was, that, to Durante, is the ultimate in payoff.) But eVen in the face of the unprece- dented raves that accompanied his TV premiere, the Schnoz has a lot of doubts. “Where does everj^body go front here,’’ he asks. To cite his own case: he would like to do three shows, four at the most, and scram back to the Coast. Gne-a-month bn a continuing basis would be murder, he contends. Not only from the standpoint of TV’s drain on material (and the Schnoz concedes that if he had to start fresh each month his tj'pe of show would absorb his routines at too fast a clip), but the nerv- ous energies expended, the physical wear and tear, all attest to the fact that sOoner or later TV wiU have to formulate some programming pattern or modus operandi that will pei'mit the top comics to stay with it on a less-exhaustive basis. The Durafhte “dilem-mia” also encom- passes some financial angles. The neces- sity of hanging around New York, he es- timates, M ill cost him about $10,000 be- tween shows. He’d like to go into the CopaGabana nitery, N. Y., in December, but even that’s ruled put because of the time-consuming factors attending a major TV production, particularly during the concentrated week-before-show period. He blames this partially on the lack of a proper working arrangement within the network, among technicians and auxiliary crews in carrjdng through on a shbw*s blueprint. No set patterns in whipping together a show (as exist, for example, in films) have yet been forhiulated, he feels. Durante champions filmed shows from the Coast; from his standpoint he sees it as the niort practical approach. He’d like to do about two or three TV films a j'ear, which could circuit stations around the country on a distribution setup paral- leling pix. But he recognizes that it doesn’t solve the problem of the netw’orks; the need to program every night, seven nights a week. He admits he doesn’t have any of the answers. All he knows right now is that he can’t do a TV show every month of the year. The Schnoz is practically dazed over the economics attending TV. How many spon- sors, he reasons, will bb able to afford the rates, the production costs and the salaries performers will command in the days of coast-to-coast video now that the Television Authority has gotten around to establishing scales? WPIX Alerts Self To _ Y* Daily News’ WPIX will start its liaison work with the N! Y‘. City Board of Education as soon as the city’s educators decide how they , want to use the station, ac- oorcimg to station hiariager G. Bar- nett Larson. He revealed his offer to make a part of WBlX’s time and facilities available to the city gov- ernment daily for the first time last Friday (8) at the Television Broadcasters Assn.’s clinic in N. Y, Larson told Variety this Week tliat the station naturally does not plaii to charge the city for the time and also that it would be im- possible to sell to sponsors any educational show tied in with class- I'oorh work. But, he said, “we con- sider such a public service move an. obligation we must perform in the way of balanced programming.” fie noted, moreover, that the tie- ih “won’t keep us from making money” since the shows can build of an audience for the Sta- ton. WPIX benefited in that way, he said, from the mayor’s series, titled “At the Mayor's Desk.” Larson said he is now waiting (Continued on page 50) Gat’ Lucky TV Omen for Ford Dealers “Tales of the Black Cat,” series backed as a four-week special cam- paign for the Ford Dealers of met- ropolitari New York, has been ex- tended by the automotive bankroll- ers for a full i3-Week cycle on WCBS-TV, N.: Y.. Move points up the value of the in-and-out campaigns, which fre- quently turn up properties that prove worthy of longer-term spon- jsqrship. “Black Cat” features Jim- my Monks in supetnatural stories. Brown to Sponsor ‘Acting' As McConnell Alternate Chieago,>Dec. 12, Brown Shoe Go., which sponsors the “Smilin’ Ed McConnell” show on alternate Saturdays from 5:30 to 6 p.m. (GT)^ wll bankroll “Say It With Acting” in the same period every other week. Brown picks up the Maggi McNellis artd Bud Col- lier show Jan. 6. Deal, through Leo Burnett agen- cy, calls for 18 iriterconnected and fthree non-interconnected stations. Sunder 8 TV Wings Max Liebman, who spark- plugged NBC-TV’s recent ac- quisition of four new crane cameras, used one himself for the first time Saturday night (9) for his “Show of Shows.” Cameraman riding the crane can be w'af ted through the air more than nine feet above the stage, and can travei in a com- plete. circle. ' After watching cameraman Jim Sunder, who Was riding the crane, during rehearsal Saturday afternoon, Liebman called a fiverminute break to m ake a f or irial presentatiGn speech. Lining up the cast and crew, he declared: “On behalf of NBC and Your Show of Shows,’ Jim Sunder please step up and receive your wings.” He then pinned a pair of Army flyer’s, wings on the camera- man’s chest. El PasO“Roderick Broadcasting Co. has applied to the FGC for a new television outlet to be built here. Outlet would operate on channel 4. Estimated construc- lion cost is set at $278,561, and estimated yearly revenue said to be $96,000. SEALTEST BUYS CBS 3IGT(r^T^ National Dairy Products Corp; this week bought CBS-TV’s “Big Top” to plug its Sealtest products, with sponsorship scheduled to start Jan. 27. Show has been aired on a sustaining basis early Saturday eve ni ngs but will move Into the • noon to 1 p.m. Saturday spot when the barikrdller takes Over. N. W. Ayer is the agency. Program originates in a Camden, N. J. auditorium and is fed to the CBS video web by WCAU-TV, Philadelphia. Title is to be changed ' to the “Sealtest Big Top,’’ with j the sponsor setting it on 46 inter- ’ connected outlets. Sealtest will con- tinue its tWice-wepkly sponsorship of NBC-TV’s “Kukla, Fran and 011ie“ * NBC is checking out of the Nielsen television service and is staking its future TV claim in the American iResearch Bureau. This is the outfit mn by an ex-NBC man, James Seiler* Nielsen is currently in Europe, but prior to going overseas he ini- tiated overtures with the webs toward hiking his rates. NBC for one, couldn’t see the move as jus- tified and decided to call it quits, Chuck LeWin, producer for the Weintraub agency on NBC-TV’s “Broadway Open House,” ankled the agency last Friday (8) over policy differences with Weintraub execs. “Open House” is sponsored by Anchor-Hocking Glass, a Wein- Itraub account. Schenley has picked tip the tab for a five-minute Cross-the-board strip, 7-7:05 p.m., on the ABC-Ty Web, starting Monday (181 Show will be a Music Corp. of America package and has not yet been set, although Celeste Holm has been among the talent discussed. Two wine products. Cook’s cham- pagne and Dubonnet, will be I plugged. Agency is Blow. Wedneadayt December' 13 , 19 S 0 years m m 1 ,^-; iiiill ii Iliiliiiiiiilil •S.« ■.•/•%%%*•*•*•*•’■*•*•*#*,*■*•*,* i*,*!*#*,* •*•*•*»’ ’ V. V.*.V,y.*,',*.V.V.S'.‘.*.'.%*. VA’.V.V.T.* H C WESTINGHOUSE ll ADIO STATIONS In c • WKJI *KTW ♦ WMO •KEX * WU-YV 4 KEX I, Ore* il are headed for a gold mine etate. > and KEX is Oregon’s only SOjOOO^watt station. KMC A voice now I KYW ||||||pi|||||0||||j^p| test market fdcli half urban, half rural,: and highly: lll^^lfl^lll^^ry and agricuUurei Many mor^ ' because, as reached by WOWO, ifk a proved sales-producerf BMB : he’d [•I'X'Xy.v.v.v * • • Within the.,biMIM^ since WBZ-TV introduced television top five TV markets. More than 120;.spon8ors lH^lll^puivantage: of WB2^TV’8 pre-eminence in this fields to l^lp« 3 ^tU-Pi^duct 8 :c^^ sell on tight! ; ..IIIBI \ tWiW'.yxv:*;'; • ■ »:SS'-=» It’s no accident that Uncle Sam located a Government mini Just a few blocks from the KYW tstudios. The 6 million people In KYW’s BMB area have an effective buying income that is the sure .V.VJ Wednesday^ December 13, 1950 II ii E HSBM I il E Hi Having Had our business birth in the now dim and distant year 1932, we of jFree & Peters rightly feel a certain satisfaction known only to veterans • ( and pioneers . * * to those who have helped build the machinerj' and formu- late the traditions by which a whole industry now lives. But now, on KDKA’s thirtieth birthday, we of F&P and all the stations we represent doff Our hats to the pioneer pioneer- — to a station and an organi- zation of many stations that have guided the progress not only of the radio and television industry, but of a whole new phase of American merchandising and hence of the modern American way of life. . . . To KDKA, to- WestinghouSe, and to all the men and women who have made this thirtieth birthday possible, we send our heartiest congratulations, and Our warmest good wishes for the next thirty years. . . . INC. Pioneer Radio and Television Station Representafives Atlanta New York Ft. Worth Detroit RADIO Boston-Springfield WBZ-WBZA Buffalo WGR New York WMCA Philadelphia KYW Pittsburgh KDKA Syracuse WFBL Charleston, S. G. WCSG Columbia, S. C. WIS Norfolk WGH Rnleigh WPTF Roanoke 'WOBJ Des Moines WHO Davenport woe Decatur WDZ Duluth-Superior WDSM Fargo WDAY Fort Wayne WOWO Indianapolis WISH Kansas City KMBC-KFRM Louisville WAVE Minneapolis-St. Paul WTCN Omaha KFAB Peoria WMBD St* Louis KSD Beaumont KFDM Brownsville KVAL Corpus Christ! KRIS Ft, Worth-Dallas Wbap Houston KXYZ San Antonio KTSA Albuquerque KOB Boise KDSH Denver KVOD Honolulu-Hilo KGMB-KHBC Portland, Ore, KEX Seattle KIRO TELEVISION Paveriport WOC-TV Fort Worth-Dallas Wbap-tv Louisville WAVE-TV Miami WTVJ Minneapolis-St. Paul WTCN^TV New York WPIX St. Louis KSD-TV San Francisco KRON-TV Hollywood San Francisco 4 Wftilnesday, December 13 , 1950 47 In radio, no less than in any other business, there niust be profit, . but also there are other considerations. There must be the satisfaction, not measurable in dollars, that derives from pioneering, as we did, in a business vital to the nation’s prosperity. There must be the reward that comes from rftamtommg a leadership obtained originally, as ours was, by the fact of chronology. There must be the joy that stems from contributing, as we have, to the growth of an industry through constantly raising the standards by which its service is measured. There must, m short, be a place for idealism in business. We believe there is. We believe that the thirty-year history of radio broadcasting presents convincing proof of this judgment. We know from our own experience, which spans that period, that the rewards of idealism transcend monetary considerations. And it is this,^ more than any other single factor, that enables us td look towsrd the future with the firm conviction that another thirty years will see radio’s leadership enhanced, its ideals refined, and its value to the nation augmented. WESTINGHOUSE RADIO STATIONS Inc If Blf A e WBZ • WBZA * KYW • WOW® • KiX • WBZ-TV National Representatives, Free & Peters, except for WBZ-TV; for WBZ-TV, NBC Spot Sales RADIO-TELEVISION Tele Reviews Continued from page 39 guitar and fiddle. . Group also backstops Anderson, Miss Morgan and Miss Davids. Miss Morgan, though nervous, chirped ‘two pop numbers indicating that the talent is there. A boogie- woogie guitar, in addition to vocal talent, put Miss Davids in the spot- light. Guitar sOlo paid off hand- somely and vocal duet with Ander- son brought good response. Landis gave the layout fine pro- duction mounting . and followed through with top. camera direction. Show does need a little unruffling but this should come with subse- quent shots, if opener is any indi- cation. Flats nicely rounded but the presentation. Free. THE QUESTION MARK With Bud Vinson, Bill Yancy producer; Hull Youngblood Director: J. R. Duncan 30 Mins., Wed., 9:3Q p.m. CST Participating WO AI-T V, San Antonio This is an audience participation show which just hits the spot; It’s an economical package show and should find a sponsor or additional participants. Bud Vinson serves as m.c. and talks to the viewers at home, se- lecting names sent in for that pur- pose,; This is one good way of getting ain audience check. Virtson has ah easy style and shows that he can be on his Own without his wooden - head partner, Johnny Dugan. Bill Yancy, WOAI-TV studio artist, is seen at the drawing board drawing the various types of puz- zles which the viewers must iden- tify. These range from a rebus to a picture with several mistakes purposely drawn. These are fairly simple to answer, with the viewer given a time limit. Shows nioVes along fairly fast with very lew waits between phone calls, which shows good coordina- tion With the main switchboard. There is at present one film com- mercial for the Lewyt Vacuum Cleaner which is skillfully woven into the script. , Andy, WOMAN TALK With Martha Brooks, Phyllis Car- ver 15 Mins.; Thufs., 2:45 p.m. Sustaining WRGB-TV, Schenectady Martha Brooks, veteran conduc- tor of women’s programs for WGY, presents an “I-will-show-you-how- to-do-it” household airer with this one. She’s assisted by Phyllis Carver, also heard on WGY blocks. Miss Brooks (Mrs. David Kroman) talks and demonstrates on camera. She continues to chat while Miss Carver’s hands are shown, via an- other camera, in short cuts and helpful techniques for femme viewers. Miss Carver has three or four lens shifts to her. Format is odd but effective. • First telecast spotlighted Miss Brooks ironing a man’s shirt. Sec- ond video segment featured her demonstrating the making of a wastepaper basket, with the aid of an empty five-gallon ice cream carton “from your druggist.^’ Miss Brooks proved adept in both as- signments, seasoning the technical phrases with a down-to-earth, mild- ly humorous commentary. . Miss Carver’s part — ^her last stint showed how to sharpen scis- sors with sandpaper, to attach a shopping list to handbag — is well handled. Program, set in a kitch- en, will go to twice-weekly. Jaco, JUVENILE JAMBOREE With Gordon Tuell, Guests 60 Mins/, Sat., 2 p,m. Sustaining WRGB-TV, Schenectady First WRGB - originated chil- dren's opportunity program open- ed With a variety of talent. Only show at all similar here is Tommy Sternfeld’s “Teen Age Barn,” which has presented older enter- tainers during a successful two- year, run. New feature is open to juveniles in the station’s area, a post card of inquiry bringing an audition-date reply. Gordon Tuell, who recently joined WRGB as a director, emcees “Jamborees” Tuell generally acquitted him- self well on premiere, despite mo- ments of unevenness. Manner was friendly and understanding, to put the kids at ease/ They generally reacted according to age and back- ground. One of the more articu- late was 1 3 -ye ar-old J aek B aker, of Glens... Falls, Who said he had, appeared on “Teen Age Barn” arid who sang “Irish Eyes” rather well. Show runs long, but youthful viewers and their relatives may not mind this. It’s part of a sub- stantial Saturday entertainment fare for small fry. It probably wUl build station goodwill. Jaco. P^IETY eral solos but scored best with a sock rendition of “Embraceable You” and teamed with Wrightson for a “Porgy and Bess” medley. Eadie and Rack, piano team, sold a couple of the late composer’s hits neatly and the Harrison^ dance team, did a fjh® 1°!^ with “Fascinating Rhythm/ Whitemp himself punched up the show by leading a group of his sidemen in a number played in the two-beat style' he conducted when Gershwin was at his primle. , Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Vets Recall When Continued from page 32 Inside Stuff Tele Followup Continued from page 38 and her treatments had two. weeks to go. It was all very simple and amus- ing, but the possibilities offered by the story . weren’t Captured as sharply as they might have been^ Reagan was good in his bungling efforts to wrap up all the charac- teristics of all great detectives into his own personality. Miss Leach- man was excellent as his patient, pretty wife. Ian Keith’s character- ization of the evil-looking doctor Tvas one of the best bits on the show. Others in excellent support- ing jobs were Peggy Cass, Nancy Pollack, Barbara Robbins, Robert Strauss and David White. Sam Leve’s sets of the detective agency office and the outside of the sana- torium were good. Marc Daniels’ direction could have been a bit tighter. Lensing was excellent. venience of listeners and to op- erate a daily scheduled program. The first program innovation in keeping with the code was the presentation of services from Pitts-^ burgh’s Calvary Episcopal Church, Jari. 2, 1921. Station was the first to hire a fulltime anriouncer, Har- old W. Arlin. Herbert Hoover, in 1921, made his first address from KDKA— a plea for European re- lief. The first remote pickup from a hotel came Feb. 18, 1921, when Col. Theodore Roosevelt arid Okla- homa Congresswoman-elect Alice M. Robertson were picked up at a banquet at the Pittsburgh Press Club. The inaugural address of Warren G. Harding was first presi- dential debut covered by KDKA. Speech Was read from an advance copy while the President was speaking in Washington. On March 10 of that year, the first broadcast from, a theatre was held when Ruth Roye sang from a downtown Pitt theatre. The first radio appearance of a Cabinet member cahie over KDKA on March 19. Secretary of War John W. Weeks made his radio bow at i a Chamber of Commerce gather- ing. Also the first collegiate broad- cast came in April with a meeting of the Penn State College Alumni Pittsburgh. The first sports- Ciergymen of the archdiocese of New Orleans, at the request of Archbishop Joseph F. Rummell, Included television in the pledge of the Legion of Decency administered in all Catholic churches of the city Sunday (10). The costuming and off-color jokes of video shows have aroused much protest from Catholic lay organizations, including the Catholic Com- mittee of the south and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women. In his letter to priests, read at all masses, the archbishop called attention to “the grave danger to the morals of pur American people that lurks in ... very many motion pictures and television programs these days.” It was the first time that television was ever mentioned in the pledge in New Orleans: The prelate asked the laity to “encourage relatives, friends and neighbors to send protests to the television and film pro- ducers against blue material and indecent costuming/’ Jerry Lester and Ed Sullivan topped the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s television poll for 1950 with Lester being named “Favorite Entertainer” and Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” getting its second ’‘Favorite Variety Show” award. According to George E. Cbndon, P-D radio-television editor, sharp- est upset in the balloting w'as the dumping of Milton Berle and Arthur Godfrey from their previous topv posts. They failed to capture one single first, although, last year they nabbed four. Among the other repeat winners were John Cameron Swayze as best network news program, Fred Waring as best musical, and “Studio One” as the dramatic entry. Included in the new winners were “Suspense,” best mystery, arid “Kukla, Fran and Ollie,” best juvenile. Baseball Surpassed wrestling as best liked sport and, on local programming, WEWS took two “firsts” to lead the field of three statioris. When a Viewer sent him a bottle of vitamin pills, Chi NBC newsman Clifton ililey decided it was time to revise his schedule on WMAQ (AM) and WNBQ (TV). Working a 5:30 a m. to 12 midnight stint with his seyeri AM and 11 tele shows each week, newscaster’s fatigue was, showing through the screen. So Utley bows out Monday (18) from his 7:55-8 a.m. cross-the-board radio show which he’d handled fpr the past 10 years on WMAQ. Cutback results in no reduction of the com- mentator’s total airtime, however. He’s starting a new five-minute strip at 5 pm. for Talman Federal Savings & Loan which will continue to bankroll the am. airer to be handled by Bill Ray. Besides the daily show, Utley gabs a quarter-hour local show Sunday evenings which has been sponsored by the Charles A. Stevens Co. since 1935. He also does a 15-minute network commentary Sunday nights. His tele activities include a 10-minute daily show at 5:35 p.m. and a 15-minute strip at 10: 15 p.m. Gabber also narrates the half-hour “Frontline Cariiera” news roundup now being seen at 6 p.m. Saturdays. Utley’s outside work includes a monthly commentary for BBC. ABC-TV’s “Paul Whiteman Re- vue” paid a neatly-staged tribute to the late George Gershwin arid his music Sunday night (10). With Jane Froman and Earl Wrightson handling all the vocal chores, the sets and production mountings on the show for once were sublimated to the talent and music. Sets were as good as usual but, probably because of the general excellence of Gershwin’s music and the nice treatment handed it by Whiteman, the music came off tops. Miss Froman registered on sev- # . • appreciation to for our pleasant association over 25 years SMITH, TAYLOR & JENKINS, INC. Advertising .Agency 223 Fourth Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa* in event, a lO-rourid fight between Johnny Dundee and Johnny Ray, was also conducted by KDKA. Fight was at Madison Square Gar- den, N. Y., and Florent Gibson de- livered the blow-by-blow descrip- tion. First, regular baseball scores were introduced on April 13 and in May, 1921, KDKA launched the first farm reports. KDKA also contributed to radio history with its broadcasts of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight iri Jer- sey City,' and the»details of the Davis Cup Matche^ in 1921. Also the first radio World Series came that year with the descriptions of the N. Y. Giants and N. Y. Yankees games. That year KDKA did the first . play-by-play of a football game with the . broadcast of the, Pitt-West Virginia game. Station also pioneered political talks by various local candidates in 1921. They established the first news- room Sept. 20, 1921, and provided the means of airing the initial ra- dio address by William Jennings Bryan, March 12, 1922. Station was also the first to es- tablish its own symphony orches- tra with Victor Saudek conducting. Era of KDKA’s growing pains, it’s reb^led, provided one of the more picturesque and nostalgic pe- riods in the industry. The largest, mail count experienced in WBZ-TV’s (Boston) existence was reported last week when, in answer to a request from Norman Harris on his “Living Wonders” show for suggestions regarding future telecasts, the station was deluged with 17,000 letters. Show, a weekly 20-minUte segment with Harris, a staffer on Hub’s Museum of Science, brings animals, birds and reptiles before the cameras while he supplies information regarding characteristics and habitat of the creatures. Letters were from moppets, parents and educators. WBAL-TV, Baltimore, has installed a Trans-Lux rear-screen pro- jector in its studios. Device utilizes a 9xl2-foot screen, before which actors appear.. Screen permits an unlimited range of backgrounds. Station is now. offering advertisers with live spots use of the screen to feature actual scenes from within their stores or showrooms. Xmas Karol Continued from page 35 ■ culation is beyond the effect of television. Relative Costs “Even those who confine them- selves within the little world of rating yardsticks should be wary of yesterday’s research standards and .whether or not they properly reflect revised radio listening I habits today in television homes. Third or fourth radio sets have ; taken on added importance. The table model set which iS moved . from room to room may well have become the primary set. I “The matter of media costs is relative. Our inflationary econo- my has had an effect ori all values, ! whether hard goods, services, or what the advertiser is getting for his media dollar. . The fact that rating services may/ ort the sur- face, indicate less value for radio in toto should not sirioke - screen the corollary of printed media de- cliriing in value even to a greater 'degree. j “The four leading weekly maga- ; zines have seen average ‘noting’ of black-and-white advertising fall ! from 32% in 1944 to 25% in 1950. Likewise, the four leading women service magazines have experi- enced similar declines from 41% to Horace Heidt got off the hook with American Federation of Musi- cians prexy James C. PetriUo by agreeing to pay sidemen full scale for the Sound-tracking of an audition film for his Philip Morris show. Heidt was hauled up on the carpet after the AFM discovered that the audition reel, for which sidemen were paid $9.20) each, was subse- quently televised. Heidt agreed to pay motion picture rates, $39.90 per man for each three hours, for the recording job. A comprehensive booklet listing films on human relations topics has been prepared by the American Jewish Committee for use by tele- vision stations. Subjects covered range from juvenile delinquency to the United Nations, and from mental health to thev world trade. Tome indicates which pix are clear for TV. Bulletin can be obtained from the AJC, 386 Fourth ave.. New York city. ’/>> - - - New cartoon animation technique that will cut 10% from the cost of animated cartoons has been patented by Eddie Nassour. Device in- volved is called a Regiscope. It controls the movement of figures used through an electrical impulse, thus permitting same flexibility in fig- ures as in animated cartooris. Third dimension effect is claimed for the device. 28%. In contrast, however, cir- culation cost-per-thousands for all eight magazines have, increased 18% on the average. Space rate increases have been justified pri- marily on the basis of rising costs. “Generally accepted in the past is the .fact that radio is by far the. lowest cost arid most practical means to reach the great masses of the buying public. There is no lessening of radio’s importance in that regard; in fact, evidence points to even a more favorable re- lationship for radio with other media today. “Future • decisions , in the media field in ust be made with all these factors clearly understood if the advertiser is to protect himself against making costly media mis- takes in 1951 which will be re- flected from a marketing stand- point years afterwards. That is why a balanced and sane point of . view is more important today than ever before' in the purchase of radio advei-tising.” Boston— Johnny Pesky, Bosi.ton Red Sox thirdsacker, has signed with indie WBMS for a daily chatter and d:j. show. Pesky will wdrk in conjunction with Bill Stewart j on whose show he will appear, concentrating on inter- views arid baseball anecdotes leav- i ing the disk spinning to Stewart. 1 Des Moines Betty Wells, for nine years women’s director for station KRNT, Des Moines, has left. No one is scheduled for re- placement at this time. 7 after the first sched- uled radio broadcast, this agency opened its doors. We believed in thepower of radio then, and believe in it even more fi GRAY & ROGERS Advertising philapexpiiia 7 12 S. 12th St. • WAInvt 2-3636 Wednciflday V 13, 1950 Tele Chatter New York Hope Miller is this week’s (14) romantic lead opposite ^Richard Hart in ‘‘Adventures of Ellery Queen” (DuMont); next week (22) she’s a murderess in “Man Against Crime” (CBS), starring Ralph Bel- lamy ... .Roger De Koven, back front stint in “Up Front” for Uni- versal on the Coast, has a lead on DuMonts “Ellery Queen” tomor- row (Thurs.) . . . Irbnrite has in- creased its station lineup on ABG- TV for “Hollywood Screen Test” by IV stations . . . Ziv Television’s ''Cisco Kid” now syndicated oil 33 outlets. Camel eigarets renewed the "Vaughn MonrOe Show” on CBS for another* 52 weeks, through the ’William Esty agency . , . Arnold Miehaelis, formerly with the Music Corp. of America’s video depart- jiient, joined World Video, indie package outfit, as exec producer . Ford and the Kenyon & Eck- ha rdt agency are pitching a public- ity campaign to parents, to per- suade them to let their kids stay up until 10 o’clock next Friday (15) to see “Alice In Wonderland” on CBS’ “Ford Theatre” . . . Maggi JVlcNellis, Johnny Andrews, Peggy Ann Garner, Eloise McElhone, Ken Bahghart, Jack Berch and Bob Smith pacted to sub for Skitch llendersoh on his WNBT and WNBG shows while he honey- moons With Faye Emerson in Mexico this week , . . Donald Biika appearing in a dramatic sketch on IMBC’s “Kate Smith Show’’ tomor- row (Thurs.) . . . Mel London as- .Mgned as director for. WOR-TV’s “Bowery Music Hall , . . Burl Ives signed With Marion Gcring, for- mer Paramount director, to film a series of fairy tales for TV . . . Kevin O’Morrison signed for the title role in both the AM and TV versions of “Charlie Wild, Private Eve” when the show switches to CBS from NBC. Francis, the “talking” mule in the recent Universal film, Is sched- uled to make his video how early next year in the preem perform- ance in the U. S. of England’s TV puppet, “Muffin, the Mule” . . . Ben Grauer spoke to the students of Boston U. last night (Tues.) on “Your -Future in Radio-TV” . . . Group of network spot salesmen and station reps- to discuss “We Represent Television” at the Amer- ican Television Society forum to- morrow night (Thurs.) at the N. Y. Advertising Club. Film actor Walter Slezak latest to get the CBS block-booking treat- ment for guest talent. He starred in “Suspense” last night (Tues.) and will appear on Frank Sinatra’s viedo show Dec. 23 and “Studio One” Jan. 1 . . , Howard Ross, pre- viously with the Abmer J. Greshler agency, starts^ Jan. 8 as buyer of sustaining talent for NBC . . . James V. Boyle, sales rep for Jerry Fairbanks, on a trip to. Boston to cover ad agencies there . . . Booth* Colman erroneously referred to as having played opposite Anna Lee In the “Somerset Maugham Thea- tre” production (CBS) of “String of Beads.” Mark Stone played that role, with Colman having been east as the young man who related the story . . . Phil Silvers guesting on Frank Sinatra’s show Saturday (16) ... Paul Stewart pacted to co-star with Ruth Gordon next Tuesday (18) in the production of “Over 21” on CBS’ “Prudential 11 our” , . . Dennis Jambs’ “Okay Mother” marked its third anni ye.sterclay (Tues.) on the DuMont web, With Dr. Allen B. DuMont guesting on the show . ^ , Fay Bain- ter set to star on CBS’ “Lux Video Theatre” Christmas Day in an adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benet’s “A Child Is Born” , . . Charles Chaplin, Jr., inked to an cxclu.sive TV pact by indie pack- ager Allan Black. Kathi Norris will be guest speak- er at the Advertising Club of New ^ork today (Wed.). . . . . Charles paiiford resumes as musical direc- tor of the Bob Hope TV shows with the Dec. 24 presentation. He’ll continue batoning the Sid Caesar stanzas. . ... Conrad Janis, trom- bonist-leader of the Tailgate Jazz Band at Central Plaza, N. Y., is continuing his TV career as an ■actor. Hpllywopd . Tele rights to'^ Norman Reilly Raine’s “Tugboat Annie” stories are being peddled H. N, Swan- jon agency ... Richard Arlen will head for N. Y. for the Yhle sea-. «on for a series of vidshow ap-^ pearances arranged by Mai Boyd • . Corny “sublime to ridiculous’v gap was on everyone’s lips at Gen- eral Service Studios Friday when hou Snader Telescrlptions lensed hve pix with concert pianist Jakob Gimpel and five with zany batoneer Red Ingle and his Natural Seven . , . John Sutherland making a se- ries of live-action tele commercials for Lincoln-Mercury use on the Ed Sullivan show . . . Jon Slott- T. F. Hamilton package “What Shall I Wear,” fashion show pre- sented in dramatic format, bows on KLAC-TV Sunday (17) . . . Ad- miral Television already dickering with the L. A. Rams for the right to televise next season’s grid games . . . Series of 30-minute tele- films tagged “The Greatest Story Ever Told” will be made for Good-, year Tire & Rubber at Sutherland Studios . . i Glenn Miller, produc- tion manager for Horace Heidi’s Motion Picture Television Produc- tions, bedded following a heart attack . . . Still fotog George Hur- rell , formed Hurrell Productions Inc., with Roy O. Disney, Gunther Lessing, and Paul Pease. Outfit will make both animated and live- action television . and commercial films . Addition' of a 30-minute femme wrestling program gives KTLA a solid evening of grunt- and-groaning every Thursday . . . KPIX, San Francisco, will pick up KTTV’s entire daytime schedule on New Year’s Day, beginning with the Tournament of Roses Parade and continuing through the Rose Bowl fotball game. Programs will be microwaved northward . . . Max Terhune, Bill Hale, Virginia Her- rick, Bobby O’Dwyer, Ted Mapes, Kerihit Maynard, Richard Powers, Lane Bradford, Buff Brody, Dusty Walker and Joe Hooker set for first of the “Buckskin Ranger” telefilm series which Jerry Fairbanks is producing with Ray “Crash” Corri- gan starring. Frank McDonald di- rects . . . Dave Siegel packaging Jack Oakie for a tele comedy se- ries which Horace Jackson is scrib- bling .. . . Gov. Earl Warren starts a . once-a-month telecast over KECA-TV starting tomorrow (Wed,) discussing topics of inter- est to Californians under the title “Report to the People.” Chicago WGN-TV is doing a series of five half-hour remotes this week from the National Individual Bowl- ing tourney. Remotes, directed by Don Cook, are .sponsored by Bowl- ing Proprietors Assn, of Chicago. Fred Wolf Is handling the com- mentary , . . Harry Gelse bowed with a Friday night weather show on WBKB . . . Dorsey Connors cel- ebrated the first anniversary yes- terday (Tues.) of her five-minute, cross-the-board strip on WNBQ ... Fox Head Brewing has renewed Al Morgan’s DuMont show for 39 weeks on WGN-TV . . . Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, NBC tele chief, in town to address the School Broad- cast Conference, making rounds this week at Chi NBC . . . ABC’s “Super Circus” cast did their turns at Chi Athletic Club’s Fathers and ' Sons Day program Saturday (9) . . . Rock Island R.R. has renewed Clifton Utley’s WNBQ newscast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays . . . WBKB will televise the mid- night mass from Holy Name Ca- thedral Christmas "’Eve for third consecutive year . . . Rose Dunne's “Stop the Record” moves into Its second year on WGN-TV. Paul Galvin, Motorola prexy, went on record last week as fav- oring allocation of TV channels' for educational use . . , Burr Tlll- strom’s “Kukla, Fran and Ollie” troupe cut a 60-second plug for Victor records . . . Sid Breese is a hew WGN-TV director , . . Bill Fay propping an article for Colliers’ on ABC’s “Studs Place” . . . Oliver Unger and Harold Goldman placed in charge of the N. Y. office open- ed by Kaufman & Associates to distribute agency’s new packages built around thesSnader telepix , . ; WNBQ’s “Front Line Camera,” half-hour hews roundup narrated by Clifton tltley, moved from its Sunday slot to Saturday 6 to 6:30 p.iti. . . . Gene Fields is new emcee on WBKB’s Friday night “Hit Spot” show for Drewrys’ Ale. lAfUETY Christmas fare for the children started last Sunday • (10) with “Snow Baby,” adapted by Rosalind Vallance. Other programs include “Crackers for Christmas” on the 20th and “Sleeping Princess” bal- let next day, On Christmas Day there will be the children’s party from the Hammersmith Palais and on the next afternoon “The Cruise of the Toytown Belle” .. . . A 60- minute film, “Retrospect 1950,” will be aired New Year’s Eve . . . Next Monday (18), Christian Simp- son is producing “Giselle,” with leading role danced by Tatiana Riabouchinska ... Following night R. C. Sheriff’s “Journey’s End” will be telecast, with Peter Rendall as Stanhope . . . Pouishnoff returns to TV with three dates during the month . . . Ralph Reader’s “Gang Show,” which recently opened in London, was teeveed Monday (11). RADIO-TELEVISION London Five vaudeville shows are planned over the Christmas season. First, to be produced by Michael. Mills, is “Gala Variety,” which will come from the newly-opened Lime Grove studios DeCf, 23 . , . TV pantomime on Dec. 26 KviJl be “Cinderella,” from a script by Gordon Crier . / i The next night, Richard Afton is producing “Those Were the Days,” an old-time music hall show, and “Kalaideseope” is beihg done Dec. 29. The new Vic Oliver series will make its bow Dec. 30 » . . On Christmas Eve, Douglas Alien is producing Regi- nald Beckwith’s “A Soldier for Christmas,” with Robert Beatty , . , Hollywood, Dec. 12. Snader Telescriptions Sales Corp. has been formed by Louis Snader and Reuben Kaufman to handle nation-wide distribution of Shader’s 960 three-minute telepix. Kaufman is Chi ad agency topper who three weeks ago inked a deal guaranteeing Snader $1,000,000 for rights to Shader pix in 10 eastern markets for one year. This contract is now absorbed into hew firm. Kaufman becomes prexy of sales outfit which has a paid capi- talization of $600,000, with Snader a member of the board, of which Maxwell Abbe! is chairman. Sales outfit will absorb personnel, facili- ties of Kaufman’s Chi agency which vvill continue as separate organization. Kaufman is a veepee. E. Johnny Graff becomes Chicago office head of Snader Telescription Sales, with Oliver Unger opening N. Y. office. Snader has made 190 tele- scriptions to date, each budgeted at $1,500. Under terms of the new organization, Snader will increase his budget on pix, inserting added sidemen in orchs and bringing in dance teams plus top name talent. Odd ‘Name’ Teaser Ads Feature WCAU’s Fall Promotion Campaign Philadelphia, Dec. 12. WCAU has come up with a series of unusual teaser ads in its fall promotion campaign, the theme of which is “Staying Home To- night?,” with the readers coun- selled to listen to the station both on AM and TV for “the best” in virtually everythiiig. Ads carrying half-column square cut of a citizen have been appear- ing regularly in the Evening Bulletin, which owns the stations. “Caruso” for example, listens to WCAU for the best in music. “Shakespeare’" watches WCAU-TV for “the best in drama.” They are respectively two Philadelphians named Ernest Caruso and Philip C. Shakespeare, and their photos appear along with their endorse- ment of the programs. Among other famous - named locals who have loaned similar en- dorsements are Robert E. Lee, who listens for the war news; Rudolph Valentino, fo''“the best in films”; Joe Miller, who likes WCAU’s comedy; Stive- Brody, “takes no chances,” and Marconi (Alex- ander) who likes “the best in radio.” In addition to the newspaper ads running twice weekly in the Bulletin, stations also run car cards on the same theme, planted in the commuters locals of the Pennsylvania and Reading R. R. lines. Mail response has been heavy, with readers sending in flock of other names for considera- tion. Philadelphia — Bert Cole, who was a member of the Philco sales organization in New York from 1934 to " 1938, has rejoined the company as district sales repre- sentative for the New York-New- ark area. Cole succeeds Clare Courtney, who was recently named sales manager of the Philco Acces- sory Division, with headquarters in Philadelphia. . : — — — — — Chicago, Dec. 12. Tl? ST I liNSTNr If ^ I against live telecasting of I jLi31'*Lljllij|inU J/UUIjL") j eoliege football will be led by the <1 CJ* CAD fAMPDCIf A n Ten at the National Collegiate xO rvlt viililrDLtLL U«U« Athletic Assn., confab next month, Hollywood, Dec. 12, it was indicated, as the four-day El Capitan theatre, long eyed by Parley of Western _Conference ath- v^apitaii hcumc, i letic diroctors and faculty chiefs television because of its central wound up here Sunday (10). Tele location in Hollywood and only ban by NCAA, governing body of middlin’ success as a legit stand cpHege athletics, could result in a since Ken Murray departed with hatiOhmde grid^^ blackout _ next 1 4 »ru a n -ycor. The Big Ten, key midwest college sports league, nixed live prd^ Wheeloek agency, through video of its football games the Russ Johnston, radiOrTV exec, rent- p3g|. ggggQjj ® No formaV stand on teevee came 18-22); to do some test filming on Yint nf "Ric/ T’ori moAfiniy “riiih I*!” and "Dniihlpor Nothin^” ^ Big Ten meeting, WhlG/l CiuD 15 and DpuDie or iNotning. devoted several lengthy sessions to Deal is being negotiated with a the question. But athletic direc- producing outfit best suited to the tors disclosed they plan to “sup- type of shows being test-tubed, and port” a tele ban should one be pro- equipment will be moved in for day posed at the NCAA huddle Jan. and night shooting. “Club 15” will 8-13 in Dallas. Fact that the Big be shot both as a quarter-hour and Ten, a major element in NCAA half-hour program, as a revue pres- and frequently a bellwether of entation. Walter O’Keefe’s quizzer ncAA policy, continues to view will be filmed in its present form, with alarm video’s effect upon at- Johnston will also experiment with tendance, points to the likelihood the magnetic track as a radio sub^ that the conference will not only stitute for the live broadcast; Com- support but will initiate the tele bined footage of both shows iii its prohibition proposals various forms will be taken back A voluminous report on video’s east by Johnston for inspection by impact on the gate was presented Campbell Soup; Cincinnati, Dec. 12. to the league execs by the group’s TV committee, which had surveyed 5II f abets of the sports scene dur- ing the past year. After hearing the report, Big Ten toppers con- cluded: “From information at hand, live television has an ad- verse effect on attendance in vary- ing degrees.” The survey is expected to be used tp buttress the conference’s Ownership transfer of WSAI position in opposition to unlimited standard and FM stations, ABC NCAA meet. affiliate, from Marshall ^ sively bfLed1eevee"forkt’‘3% terprises, Chicago, to Fort Indus- drop in conference football attend- tries Co., Detroit, was announced ance the past year, underscored by Robert M. Sampson, general the league’s wariness of the new manager, at a staff meeting Satur- niedium. Although the Big day (9). He said deal was inked did not permit live telecasting of the previous day in Chicago and its home games the past sea- ‘*n o personnel changes a r e son, several of its rogd contests planned.” New owner operates sta- with non-conference schools were tions in Detroit, Toledo and Lima, beamed. O., Fairmount and Wheeling, W. Gate loss in those games, par- Va.; Atlanta, Ga., and Miami, Fla. ticularly with Coast teams, which Sale price was unofficially re- permitted telecasting, and compe- . ported as $350,000. Figure is $200,- tion to home games from the 000 under tag reportedly paid by Notre Dame and eastern league Field combo in 1945 to Crosley contests which were televised into Radio Corp., which was forced to the Big Ten area, were charged sell under the FCC ruling against with the slice. The 3% drop in- multi-station ownership. ci dentally, was from the all-time ' One of Cincy’s first stations, record high set by conference at- WSAI was opened in 1923 by a tendance in 1949. radio operator, Robert E. Cooper, Since all of the Big Ten schools who sold it to the U. S. Playing with the exception of Northwest- Card Co., which in turn unloaded ern, are state institutions, the con- to Crosley. ference is faced with a touchy pub- Offices and studios of WSAI are lie relations problem in its han- downtown, at 115 E. Fourth Street, dling of the teevee issue This is and transmitteVs are on hilltop lo- especially true in thoSe states cations. which now have a heavy concen- • — tration of tele sets. VET pm RADIO EDITOR ...““Tit SET FOR VIDEO PEBIIT revenue, the ^athle^ic°*' hierarchy Pittsburgh, Dec. 12. views with alarm any and all fac- Hamburg Bros., RCA dis^i^^^^^ h^^ ^o here, are extending their Si Stem- scious of the possibility of increas- hauser radio program to include ing beefs from taxpayers deprived TV, too, and the veteran radio ed- opportunity Of watching itor of the Press will soon be doing ■ favorite elevens on video, his quarter-hour “Radio and Tele- /rhe recently concluded experi- vision Column” on WDTV every uiental tie-in With United Para- Sunday afternoon at 2:45 as well hjount for limited theatre tele- as on WPIT an hour and a half Vising of Big Ten games en- earlier. countered some public reaction, Time hasn’t been cleared yet, but a few critics charging the ar- wili be in a week Or so, and Stein- rangement as being too obviously hauser is expected to make his TV commercial.^ The conference top- debut before the first of the year, pers gave ho indication of their . He’s been writing the radio column future plans for theatre TV, other oh the Press, local Scripps-Howard ; to disclose their satisfaction daily, for more than 20‘ years. with the manner in which the pa.st ■ ■ — season’s experiment was handled 1 ....... the theatre circuit. Arnold Dropping Lewis, . ^ “ Staying With Barry’s ‘80’ GraDpIer Champ ^ Arnold Bakers has decided to To Be Chosen in Studio drop its “Rbbert Q, Lewis” show, eincinnati Dec. ll aired Sunday night5 at 11 via CBS- crosley’s tri-city TV netwol*k v TV, after the Jan. 7 broadcast, j jcicked off Saturday '9) with a Benton & Bowlins, agency for' Ar- worn en’s wre.slling tqu^ament, nold, will retain the tirhe slot for another client, as yet undisclosed. ! pinner pf weekly _elimma- Amold, meanwhile, will con- 1 Untie to bankroll Jack Barry’s “Life Begins at 80” show via ABC- 1 V TV; Lewis continues with his ; National Wre^ling Alliance, for a “Show Goes On,” bankrolled by 1 $2,000 purse. Gal grapplers over 18 ASR Ascot Lighters Thursday | are eligible. . . nights via CBS, and his daytime,. Competition marks ^ first Ume^ a cross-the-board series on the same sports championship is to be de- video web. cided in a TV studio. 50 radio-televisioiv Pi^IETY Weclnesdayy December 13, 1950 Coy vs. Sarnoff Continued from page 36 1 trade groups under a. plan that j would ensure autonomy with re- ' spect to TV and would best serve the TV industry.^’ According to TBA spokesmen, the wording leaves open the possibility of also with the court in which RCA said , “disturbed'V by a newspaper story j brmging in a group its confidence in its system -‘Is that the Commission had requested | Televesion Manufacturers Assn. based on the improvements which RCA to make its tube available > All-day TBA clinic, held at the have beL made in the fiCA color Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, featured j system at which the Commission Coy wrote Kennedy that on sev- | has refused even to look." ' era! Occasions officials of RCA, in- j Coy said, "this lie about the eluding Gen. Saimoff, testified be-. i f hd station execs, plii^sothei Commission refusing to look at im- the Commission that if the ; ^ i provement.s in the RCA system is .system were adopted, RGA ; ^buptry. Eugene S. hon as, r n- 1 about to become big enough to. be would sell its tubes to anyone. He I rU’^tided^ In addition ' ^ S^Pobpele: rLteJed ' !m.e thelSlSuVln ^faU dr;elopmonl"S-' bourn, . assistant aecretary-treas- : "In light of these^representations proferred by RCA’s top officials," said Coy, "1. think you will agree that the Commission had a sound basis for its desire to view a dem- onstration of the tri-color tube On New board of New York local of the American Federation of Radio Artists, elected last week, marks a slight shift away from the conserva- tive forces previously identified with the Artists Committee. Elected are: representing actors, Jackson Beck, Alan Bunce, Clayton Collyer, Staats Cotsworth, Vinton Hayworth, Leon Janney, Claudia Morgan, Virginia Payne and Vicki Vola; representing announcers, Frank Gallop, Glenn Riggs, Ken Roberts, Richard Stark and Dwight Weist; representing singers, Irene Beasley, Julie Conway, Chuck Gold- stein, Travis Johnson, Lanny Ross, Leonard Stokes ahd Jean Tighe; and, representing the indie station announcers, Bill Edmonds. Slate of officers will be elected from the list in two Weeks. believed/’: -No-Delay Letter No Fair Gon. Sarnoff. immediately came back: , "Mr. Coy cannot fairly u.se my (no-dclay) , letter as' an excuse for the Gommission’s failure to comply with the request contained in our letter of July 31 to the Com- ^mission enclosing copies of our progress report, in which we stated: Tf members of the Commission or its staff are interested in obtaining urer. WPIX Continued from page 43 George Sawlelle, who replaces Don Cherry on NBC as alternate on the 11:15-11:30 slot nightly with Mindy Carson, is a Memphis product' Agent Jack Bertell heard him on fils shortwave set one night 'while ‘‘scouting" the country, as is his wont, and was so impre.ssed he went to Memphis, wes reimpfessed after seeing him on local TV, and signed him, Sawtelle has the Tuesday and Thursday spot; Miss Carson sings on the. alternate Monday-Wednesday-Friday. BeiTelle ■ may also slot him on the NBC "Open House" spot, vice Morey Amsterdam. Singer is set for RCA Victor diskings also. further information on the worlv CbS, system, and toi its educators to deter- rplprrf'fl to in thi«; urom'ess reoort pectati.on that RCA was prepared bn y loi me eaucaiois lo i e,teii€.a^io in mis prpgiess lepoii, poonprate in effpctine such a mine whether they want to use the I will be flad tp^ furnish it ^or to coopeiate in effecting sucii a . for classroom work or for arrange visits for- them to see the work and disCuss the results with RCA engineers.' No reply to our letter was, ever received from the : Commission/’ This ought to show', said Gen. Sarrioff, that the Commission was asked in advance of . the color deci- sion to see RCA’s improvements. The next day, Thursday (7', the Washington Daily News carried a second editorial, saying that RCA did ask that Commissioners or staf- fers view its improvements. Coy then came back with two shots. One, in a letter to John T. O’Rourke, editor of the News, emphasized that the Commission could not have looked at the RC/. improvements after the record was closed. To In requesting RCA. to make its extra-curricular activities in the 1 tube available for testing on the '’bbools. He emphasized that it j CBS system, Coy added, tlie Com- ! J^buld^not be a^rkshop mission was trying to arrange a ^^bn but that WPIX would tiy to demonstration "to bring the best ' ^ ’f progi animing as prof es- i possible . color television to the . sional as pqssible to attiact adults j American people," • ' I So far Coy has had the last word, i facets of the pioject as , ting cooperation of the city gov-! cfnmeiit to haye the cameras move.; in and explain the workings of the . fire and police departments, de- 1 partment of sanitation, etc. j At the TBA meet, Larson de- clared that WPIX has been "Very • interested in the recent FCC hear- Paul Long, KDKA newsman and also aviation editor of the Pittsburgh Wpstinghouse station, is a licensed pilot and has just lined up quite a two-week vacation for himself late this month. He’s been hired by the Cesha distributor in that city to fly a brand hew 170 to a purchaser in Buenos Aires. Long takes off for South America day after Christ- mas and will return by Pan-American Airways. Annually on his sum- mer vacation he rents a plane and flies his entire family down and back from his home near Waco; Tex. Teachers- ContiiiUQ^ from page 37 "A Day With the Joneses," a daily devotional program originating in the Pittsburgh living room of Rev. and Mrs. Bert Jones and featur- ing the whole Jones family of seven, has just chalked up its 500tU broadcast. Two years ago the Joneses began microphoning a weekly devotional program over WPIT. Since that time it has growm so that today the feature is heard 12 times a w'eek over various programs in the Pittsburgh area. It’s now carried there by WPGH every afternoon at-4;:l5.. the court had the ‘look’ been tied Up with any decision favoring the RCA color system;" Coy’s Second Shot Coy’s second shot, in a letter to manufacturer, took RCA to task for going back on promises that it would make its tri-color tube avail- able to anybody. Kennedy had WTit- ten Coy a month ago that he was weeks ago to determine the truth of representations in the ad, after . , receiving Complaints from parents i ^bgs on education. He added: But i and educators. The agency is look - 1 also know the problem of taxa- ; ing into the overall campaign to ^‘bn and the many expenses a ^ sellTVsets. andhastakenuptheinwmcipaUovernmenthastoday.lt; have done so, he said, would have matter wdlh 22 manufacturers and i is impossible for them to provide: been error which probably would . the ad agency involved. | enough money to run expensive TV | have been grounds for appeal to nEA’s complaint said regarding ; stations. There is no visible source TV’s effect oh children: "There are j bf income and I m sure the city some television shows at present j fi^^ners will find over a period of i that are harmless entertainment for ^ ! ® going to be children. There are also some tele- ! \b get their money out of it. : casts that are educative in nature. ; because of our concern, we ; V. Kennedy, a West Virginia ■ Television can be and should . be ’ ^bing to take this oppoHunity ^ made a remarkable instrument of 1 ^b publicly announce the WPIX is | education. It employs the; long- 1 ^bxious to further this educational j proved techniques of visual educa- ! W'bgram and as of now makes its j tion now Used in many thousands j ^^bihiies and time available to the of the nation’s classrooms. But edu- Board of Education for cators as a whole are far, from approving many of today’s tele- vision shows. Many fear permanent harmful effects of these programs on the sensitive nature of chil- dren." NEA membership includes ap- proximately 500,000 teachers. Northwestern U. i.s prepping: a directory of alumni in radio, television aiid allied fields. Alumni are requested to report their present posi- tions and addresses to Donley F. Feddersen, Northwestern U., Evans- ton, 111.. . 4-—^ — — — Video Set Output Tomorrow Thursday Dec. 14 MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER Hocus Focuses on the FAYE EMERSON SHOW CBS-TV - - 7:45 p.m. IS W. 84th St. TRafalgar 3-7360 the development of a regular edu- cational program schedule,”- Teleprompter Continued from page 36 TBA-MAB Continued irom page 37 Walter Craig ladio-TV veepee of Benton & Bowles, ivhich producers "Years," declared it would be im- possible to do the show without .some type ol prompter such as this. He said he started to use it .with great reservations as to its ica.st would come to rely on it as a crutch and also that the home UN I PAIMOIIVE SOAP FEENAMINT iPANA Toothpaste DR. CAtDWEU PURITY'S TASTEE BREAD ST ANBACK HEADACHE REMEDY tion. il s presumed IbfjJ t that his groups, through merging, would' . . establish a common treasury. In revealing the meiger able to detect po.sal, Poppele declared that a mittee compn.smg TBA^directors is , p,ompfer to nick up a line, tb be appomted to explore the | said B&B licked the first possibility of effecting some am - 1 ^ permitting the gamation or confederation with TV ' ^ ^ ^ prompters on the set until the dress rehearsal. Cast, consequent- ly, was forced to memorize its lines in advance, Thus, he de- seribed the idea as being similar to a person’s being broke or hav- ing $50 in his pocket. "Even though he might not spend that $50," he said, "he knows it’s there. In the same way, an actor doesn't have to u.se the prornpter but, if he knows it’s there, he can turn to it if be forgets a iiiie." As for the second problem, Craig said the prompters were set at spots' on the stage to Which the cast would riormally be playing. Tests have |. shown that even viewers looking for the actor to read a Tine from' the prompter cannot detect the move. • V; Outfit which manufactures and operates the prompters plans to base the cost on each oh the type of show and its time slot; "Years" is using four of the machines with the master control unit, but as many can be used as the producer desires. Outfit claims it can handle up to 50 programs in N. Y, and is now dickering with a Coast agenej^ to represeht it in Holly- wood. Spokesmen for the company visualize the prompters, as 'being valuable n-pt only. to. dramatic aetpr.s but to newscasters, singers and virtually aryone on TV Mho must memorize lines or lyrics. that register IN DETROIT We're proud of the successful company we keep on WJBK SULRHA • PACKARD MOTORS BIRD'S EYE FOODS bon ami BROMO SELTZER CARTER'S LIVER PILLS foUow these leadets and boost your ^ales! Continued from page 36 being ‘‘saturated,’' of the "novelty’’ of TV wearing off, and fear of a big summer slump in buying. Actually, except for the month of July, when many factories cur- tailed output for vacations, pro- duction continued at a high level, M’ith August output at over 700,- 000 sets. Since then, factories have been turning out an average Of nearly 800,000 sets a month. On the basis of output during the first six months, there was every indication that production Mould have reached at least 6,000,- 000 sets. Apparently, however, the rate of turnout, M'hich u'as double that of 1949, seemed too good to last, it was feared also that un- certainty over color might hurt the market. How long the industry can con- tinue at its present high rate of operation is now the big question. Recently, following cutbacks on critical metals by the National Production Authority, an RTMA spokesman estimated that TV set output may be affected by as much as 50^(5 within the next six months. Whether this happens will depend on efforts to develop substitutes for certain essential materials and utilization of components lor radio or video. One thing is certain: M'ith TV cities making ncM' sales records as buyers flock to the market to get sets while there’s still plenty, the manufacturers will have every in^. centive to turn .out every receiver that military priorities ..M'ill per- mit. NBC Pages Get Showcase For Talent Via Herlihy . Pages at NBC’s Gotham head-i quarters Mill get a showcase for their perfonning, writing and di- recting talents via Ed Herlihy’a “Date in Manhattan" strip on WNBT, N. Y. They'll take over a segment of the airer one day a week. Names mIio were once NBC pages, such as Dave GarroM'ay and Earl Wrightson, will guest on the segment. ADVERTISEMENT WJBK-TV, a CBS and Dumont alfiliale. WJBK-AM>TV-DETROIT NATIONAL SALES HEADQUARTERS: 488 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK 22, ELDORADO 5-2455 Rapresented Nationally by THE KATZ AGENCY. INC, NEW VIDEO DISIRIB STARTS WlraiOO FIX Hollywood, Dec. 12. Distribution of films in the video ' field Mill be handled by Hollywood Television Service; Inc., newly- Organized outfit which already has acquired rights to some 100 pix. Firm currently is • diekering for video rights to other feature films Mirich have made the 'rounds of theatres but haven’t yet hit tele. TITS is. headed by Earl Collins, M*hp resigned last M'eek as Los An- geles branch manager for Republic. Associated with him are Mort Scott and Lester Nelson. They plan to maintain offices in New York, j Chicago and HollyMood, I€overNewl&; men's clothier GRAyson AVot’ll critics say 'bout "Let's .Make an Opera" opening- tonite at Golden? Big tip-otT! will be audience reaction to its own finger in pie • . . Every man to his trade . , . "Let’s Make a Tuxedo" is mine and my .‘itar performer is silky- smooth Barathea . . . a luxury fabric tliat drapes beautifully . . . gives dinner jackets that ca.sual man-about-lown-look m>- toney friends call, savoir faire . . . Tlie saving’s fair, too . . . You save practically 20% off the regular -K) 5 mice (] 2.50, in r. S. m(»ney) i>aylng me., only 52.50 . . . ]\ry low-rent 2nd floor ele- vator locale meams a saving in rent for me, a saving in cost for you! Hours: 9 to 6; Thursdays to 9 Closed Saturdays G R AYS o n 18 East 46 St.— 2cl bloor St, Louis— -Union Electric Co. of Missouri reports 221,500 television receiver.s installed in the St. Louis area a.s of Dec, 1. Kansas City— L. II. "Tex" With- erspoon, formerly general man- ager and president of KRRS, , Olathe. Kans., has returned to ac- j live duty in the Navy. A lieutenant .commander, he has been a.ssigned ' to the Olathe Naval Air Statibn.'; .Witherspoon had headed up KPRS • I for a year and a half, being a ! i founder of the station. I Attention T.V. Producers A Complete Film Acf Service It Available to You by Calling Cl 6-2426 Animation/ Story Boards/ Special efx. Slidefilms. stai&ui tti &wvaM audituct, vUiMski^ tualSMid accmdi— omA. ^ffniu^t-iutd -m vBusk ,uti vmAJL ^oiki/i o^Mcl Hn ■r- RADIO Wednesdaft I^ember IS, 1950 Chicago Radio Biz C(>ntlnuQd from page 32 Gi^nt; “Can You Top This/' Maid- en Wine; “Red Grange Predicts/' Florsheim; “First -Nighter/’ Cam- pana, and “Sandy Strong/’ Wander Co,: Probably the busiest time ped^ dlers in town have been the NBC- j TV salesmen, working under sales j chief Gene Hoge. They’ve lined up $4,060,000 in new web billings this season. Leading the parade of new accounts is Quaker Oats, ^vhlch has jumped onto the NBC tele band- wagon to the tiine of $lil30,000. Cereal company has bought the Chi-originated “Zoo Parade’’ and Gabby Hayes show, both Sunday afternoon half-hburs, and the new Hxayes Monday, Wednesday and Fri- day quarter-hour day timer. New season tele programs sold out of the Chi NBC office, include: “Stars Over Hollywood.’’ Armour; “Smilin’ Ed McConnelt.” Brown Shoe; “Comedy Hour,“ Frigidaire; *^FOur Star Reyue,’’ Norge. Major renewal handled was the “Kraft Television Theatre.” NBC’s New $2,000,000 Biz Chi NBC AM sales crew under Paul McCluer scored with $2,000.- 000 worth of new biz tliis fall. Big- gest single package was the Armour purchase of the quarter-hour, cross- the-board morning Dave Garroway strip. Also sold here were the Swift buy of the Red Foley cross-the- boarder on 48 southern stations and the General Mills' pickup of the Cal Tinney strip on a 12-sta- tion regional web. Credited to the Chi office, too; was the switchover to NBC from ABC of the Sunday afternoon “Hormel Girls.** Trend toward daytime use of ra- Eileen BARTON Curfntly ORIENTAL, Chicago 3rd W«tk Dir.: Music Corp. of America i Courtesy of M-C-M Now appearing' with DONALD QXONNOR in “THC MILKMAN <1 (Univerial-Internetional) ManMement: .WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY dio is carried through at CBS, whose biggest sales were the Toni and Pillsbury cross-the-board ex- panded spread on the Arthur God- frey show, totaling $1,800,000. Also new this fall is the 25-Staition mid- west hookup for Hamms’ sponsor- ship of Ed Murrow’s nightly news- cast and the full net Sunday night Eric Sevareid newscast sold to Campana; On the CBS tele side, major ac- counts handled bv George Arkae- das are the alterhatihg half-hours on the “Godfrey and Friends’’ show; “Betty Crocker” daytiitier for General Mills and the Johnson Wax “Starlight Theatre.” Also lined up are two undisclosed bank- rollers slated to move into the 9:30 to lO 'p.m. Friday night period on an alternating basis and the Satur- day night 7:30 to 7:45 spot. Mutual CBS yeepee Carroll; Marts last week came up with a ■ nice sale to Kraft, witlv the food : company picking up “Queen For a ] Day” for a quarter-hour twice weekly and the five-minUte “Bobby Benson” shoW, Mso twice weekly. MBS Central Division swung the Derby Foods shift of “Sky King” from ABC and the Kellogg pur- chase of the two weekly quarter- hours dropped by Quaker when it cancelled out “Challenge of the Yu- kon.’! Beltone, Amurol and Im- drine buys of varioAs segments of the Gabriel Heatter newscasts were also credited to the Chi office. Indications are that there ai;^ several more potential or former Chi advertisers Who withdrew from the radio picture pending cla ri fica- tion of the international situation, now waiting in the wings for a ra- dio and/or teevee entrance. For example, International Harvester, which dropped its “Harvest of Stars” on AM, is eying both medias again. Likewise, Muntz Television is giving thought to network radio. equalize the balance so both sides would Se heard?" Fitzpatrick re- plied; “No, 1 recall I was never urged to do that." On Friday (8), Fitzpatrick testi- fied that he believed Richards “had a definite psychosis.” Fitzpatrick said; “The man tRichards) had a definite psychosis built up because of his illness. He retailiatpd again.st me. He had built Up an antipathy toward me which,. I un- derstand, is one of the reactions in a heart condition of that kind, I think his illness made a changed man out of him.” The two parted “amicably,” in 1946, Fitzpatrick said, after Rich- ards bought his stock in WJF. 'Shangri-la* Continued from page SS and the local radio" also played host to Dale Qaits DaMint Sbtw CBS FM Pact Continued from page $3 Mount Sunday Telegram. Event was hailed in a full-page ad which plugged 16 tpp Columbia shows to be aired by the station. Recogni- tion of WFMA by the network, said the ad copy, “marks the trend over the nation to turn to the su- perior radio.” Readers Were also urged to purchase FM sets. Horn cited a survey showing that 40% of the homes in the area have FM sets. He claimed that his . 33 kw transmitter, “without interfer- ence and non-directionai," vvill provide the best signal for CBS shows in eastern North Carolina, WFMA is the second exclusive FM station to affiliate \vith a ma- jor network. Recently, WASH in Washington, owned by Everett Dillard, sighed up with Mutual- However, the web’s programs are also, carried by the 5 kw AM sta- tion, WE AM, in Arlington, Va. Richards Continued from page 35 L I Airer Continued from page 33 structions to Fitzpatrick by means of the letters. FCC Counsel Fred- erick W. Ford said the government is considering the letters as in- structions, no matter what the wit- nesses say. That remark brought Defense Counsel Joseph Bums to his feet with this objection: “You can’t con- clude they wbre instructions if the persons to whom they were ad- dressed did not so consider them. “This man (Burns indicated Fitz- patrick) did not consider them as instructions, and neither did other station managers at KMPC, Los Angeles, and WGAR, Cleveland.” Earlier, Burns had objected to entering the letters as evidence, maintaining that “Certainly, Rich- ards has the right, as does any citi- zen, to discuss his political beliefs” Under questioning regarding “Victory F.O.B,,” a wartime pro- gram WJR fed to the entire CJBS network, Fitzpatrick admitted that he told Riehards he “was becom- ing anxious about the ' anti-New Deal trend the program was taking and wanted a better balance.’’ FCC Examiner James Cunning- ham asked Fitzpatrick: “Do you recall if Richards ever told you to That it is again in an editorial tilt with : the' LIRR is commendable j particularly since ^ other Outlets haven’t taken up the cudgels for a revamp of the road. However, it’s an unhappy note that such a campaign was not launched before a disaster of major proportions shocked the community. A companion editorial offensive was launched by the station after the “Big Blow”, of Noy. 26, when the storm knocked out electric and telephone service for thousands of Long Island residents. These pieces were directed at the Long Island Lighting Co. and called for installation of underground cables. That recommendation was urged in a documentary series WHLI beamed two years ago. Broadcaster deserves solid kffdos for its public service- orien- tation and Its frequent repetition of its editorial message. That it pays off in respect from listeners is indicated by the heavy mail it received commending its job and in the hundreds of requests for copies of the pieces. Bril. ton residence station, ZBM, the group. It’s a safe conjecture that the time buyers and account execs from the major agencies will find a warm— and lucrative— spot tor the Westinghouse chain in future client deals. “Operation Shangri - La” was made up of the following: Francis C. Barton, Federal . Agency; Joseph-. E. Baudino. KPKA; Walter E. Benoit, Westinghouse Radio Stations; Lewis F. Bonham, .Menncn; Edwin R,. Bor roft, . ..Westinghouse . Radio Stations;. Philip .G. Bowman, Young & Rubicam; Francis X. Brady, AIcCanh-Erickson;. YeVa Brennen, Duane Jones Co.; William W. Bryan. Free dc Peters; Frank Burke. Ra- dio Daily: Hale N. Byers, Batten, Barton, Durstine A Osborn. Eldon .Campbell, W'estihglibuse Radio Station.s; Howard M. Chapin, General Foods; J.' B. Conley, HEX; John A. Cory, Free & Peters; Frank Coulter, Jr., Young & Rubicam; Wayne Coj’, FCC; John Crandall. Sherman & IMar.quette; Lbwrey, H.. Crites, General INUlls. .Jane Daly, Earle Ludgin & Go.: William C. Dekker, McCanii-Erickson;. Robert G. i Dullield; \VOWO; Mary Dunlavey, Harry B. Cohen. . E. G. Eisenmenger, Leo . • Burnett; Walter Evans,. Westinghouse Radio Sta- tions. • , • Mildred Fulton, Biow: Carl Georgi, Jr., D. P, Brother & Co.; R. E. Gifford, General Motors; Patrick H. Gorman, Philip Morris; Richard C. GrahL Wm. Esty; Robert M. Gray, Esso: Lloyd GriiTin, Fi'ee & Peters. Horace .H^sodorn, Kiesewetter. Asso- ciates; Ka.thryn M. Hardig, Ralph' H. Jones Co.; Paul Holder, McCawn-Erickson. . Ruth Jones, Benton & Bowles. J. S. Keck, Henri,. Hurst & McDonald; ; Nicholas Keescly. Lcnnen fie Mitchell;- Kay .Kennelly, Ollah Advertising Co.; Lucy Kerwin, Kenyon & Eckliardt; Wilfred S. King, ,1. M. Mathes; John Klatt, McCann- Erick.son; Edgar Kobak, Business Coh-* sultant; John E. Kucera, Blow. Genevieve Lemper, Foote, Cone Sc BeVding. Herbert C. Masse. WBZ-TV; James V. McConnell, NBC; John McCorkie, Ma.'con; Thomas J. McDermott. N. W. Ayer; Newman F. McEvoy. Cunningham Sc Walsh; George McGlvern, Fraijt; Jane McKendry, Needham, Louis and Brorby; C. M. IMeehan, WBZ: Paul E. Mills, WOWO; Martin J. Murphy, Young Sc Rubicam. John C. Naylor, Jr., Gardner Advertis- ing Co.; James J. Neale, Dancer-Fltzger- ald-Sample; Linnea Nelson, J. Welter Thompson: LquIs J. Nelson. Wade; J. H. North, Aubrey, Moore & W'allace. Arthur Pardon, Sullivan. Stauffer, Col- well &r Bayles; Preston H. Peters, Free & Peters: Curt Peterson, Marschatk and Pratt: Charles H. Philips, NBC: Elizabeth Powell. Ge.ver, Newell Sc Ganger: Robert H. Prlgmore, KE.K. L. R. Rawlins, KYW; Sherwood .T, Reekie, MacMauus, John & Adams; R. G. Rettig, Whitehall Pharmacal; .'Robert M. Reuschle, McCann-ErIckson; Marion- Reu- ter, Young Sc Rubicam; Ray H. Reynolds, Rogers .* Smith: Harold R, Rorke, J. Wal- ter Thompson; George B. Rosen. V.^riety. Elenore Scanlon, Batten, Barton. Dur- Stine * Osborn: Stanley Schloeder, R.uth- raufl' Sc . Ryan; Regina Schuebel, Duaiie Jones; Tucker Scott, Bdttcn, Barton, Durstine * Osborn; Jones Scovern, Free' & Peters; Lillian Selb, . Footo, Cone Sc Beldlng; Jayne Shannon, J. Wal- ter Thompson; Holly Shivel.v, Ruthrauflf R.van; Frank Sllvernail, Batten, Barton. Singer Alan Dale is* scheduled to bow out of his current DuMont show to launch a hew cross-the- board series on WCBS-TV, CBS^ outlet in N.. Y. Series is to be slotted at 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays aiid wdll be either 15 minutes or a half-hour iu length, depending on other pro- grams during the week. Dale will be backed by a girl singer and an jnstrumental trio, yet to be select- ed, and will also have guest celebs from time to time. Si nger wfiU fill the spot being vacated by Bob Howard, who's exiting WGBS-TV. after almost three years. Both Dale and How- ard, incidentally, are regular cast, meinbers on GBS* “Sing It Again’* simulcast. WJZ 35 Coiitimied from page giving the outlet a program re- vamp, starting with the new Bob Sweeney arid Hal March 6:30-8:15 a.ni. disk jock show; Which is a big coin outlay. Joe Franklin this week started an 11:15 p.m, to 12 mld-^ night platter-chutter stint from Jack Stark’s restaurant, placed via William Warren, Jackson &; Dela- ney.; Besides having a local angling, new shows are being geared for music and easy listening. Reason is that ABG research reveals that tele set owners, when they listen AM, prefer musical offerings. Ober- felder feels that with tuners the station will be better , able to Weather tele inroads. Publicity, ex- ploitation, advertising and special events are also to be used to stress the new local format. Greensboro — NLRB election fOr announcers was ordered for WIBG, Philadelphia, not WHIG, Greens- boro, as erratumed in Variety, Nov. 29. WBIG is not involved in a bargaining dispute. Durstine * Osborn: Cltesler Slaybaugh. Morse International: F. M. Sloan. West- inghouse; W. C. Swartley, WBZ-A, WBZ- TV. „■ Sol Taishbff, Broadcasting: Robert H. Teter. KYW; Helen A. Thomas, Street * Finney; Williaih T. TlemaU. Atherton * Currier; George D. Tons. KDKA: Ken- neth Torgerson, Knox Reeves Advertis- ing. Evelyn Vandeirploeff. Schwimmer Sc Scott: Frances Velthuys, Price, Rob'msoh Sc Frank. • Edward Whitley, Badger Sc Browning Sc Ilei •sc.v; Charles M. 'W'ilds, N. W. .\yer; ■Richard Wilson, Westinghouse Radio Sta- tions; Russel Woodw'ard, Free * Peters. TV Bootleggers ts ft w service Continued front page 37 be that illegal boosters could op- erate without being observed. But probably not for long; Technically, it was explained, it’s possible that a tower, built by an ! individual to serve merely as ati I antenna to bring in television from j a great distance, might throw suf- ! iicient radiation to Serve other I people in an area. It’s also pos- sible that welldieeled Texans, par- . ticularly in the oil regions, may • have . cpristructed such towers and that they have been mistaken for I boosters. ' } Pespite the desire for TV in noh- I TV areas, the public resents illegal ' I operations, according to the FCC, j and advises its field offices of them, j Also, the bootleg transmitter uses a eharihel that may have been as- signed to somebody pise, and while it may be too far away to be steal- ing an audience, the authorized station won’t like it. Besides, the lattei’’s operation may not have been built up to full power and might increase its coverage. The bootleg TV booster ii a rep- etition of the early days of broad- casting when Uncle Sam was em- powered by legislation to regulate radio and to act as the "traffic cop of the ether." But the big dif- ference is that the TV bootlegger IsijlMsier to track down. You can see him. Pitt Ex-Model in AM-TV Switch for ‘Mail Box’ Airer Pittsburgh, Dec. 12. Margaret Petyo, former model who did “The Charm School” pro- gram on WWSW for some time a couple of years ago, has switched to teevee and is now running the daily “Mail Box Magic” program on WDTV every weekday after- noon at 3:15. It’s sponsored by the j Gaylord mail order outfit , and was : placed by Richard Lando agency. ! As a matter of fact, it was the ' first across-the-board live show on ' WDTV after the station Opened up its own studios, Miss Petyo is as- j sisted by anhbuneer Nick Perry ■ and a model, Ida Wakefield. f For Spontorship ! I SHIRLEY TEMPLE in "THE LITTLE WOMAN" If Min. Situation. .Comody Sorias, AM and TV "dEORGIE JESSEL TIME" New IS-mln, S.fl., — AM "KEEP UP WITH THE KIDS" Parant-KId Quit, AM and TV (Fermorly on Mutual) PRBSENTLY ON TVt "STAR OF THE FAMaY" .With Morton bownoy, C$S-TV (Croatod Format) C6nl*et: DON A. DAVIS PEGALCSS FILM A RADIO PAOO. In N. Y. In Hollywood CO S-2S2S GL. SfiS STARTING SATURDAY— DEC/ U “SEVEN COME 11:30" For o fleasanf Sdturdoy Ni^hfeop! WWRL NEW YORK Ed C^opar PEABODY AWARD WINNER ♦ • .D 19SJ Ao* Seeks Job as Writer-Production sistant In Radlo TV. Top Publicity’, Magazine, Newspaper, Film and Radio-TV experionce.; Write Box V-9277, Variety, 154 West 46th Street, New York. If, N. V. DAKNYO’DAY •’The Mahogany Kid** Assisted by JIMMY NELSON and his new pal. HUMPHREY HIOSaY VNeatest yet seen." veht,riloquisrn Variety "Nelson is perfection." Tho technique Billboard OPENING Dec«> 20— Hbtol El Rancho Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada. Jan, 11— RIvarsIda Casino Rono, Novada. Feb. . 1 — Ciro'e— Hollywood.' and ROXY THEATRE, New York Mgf. LOUIS W. COHAN 20) N. Wabash. CMcaga' \fe»lne»day» Pccember 13, 1950 Strong Support for Ednc’l TV Continued from page 37 H fl statement urging reserva- .limitation — can hold their heads f n of “a substantial number” of high professionally, educationally ♦ ir>n of a SUDSianudi imiiiuc* V* & channels and ■ ''an adequate „,„'ber'’ of UHP. “I am aware,” he said, “that once facilities have wn made available, a , great deal of woric will have to be done be- high professionally, educationally and certainly public service-wise.” Robert Engler, of the Natipnal Farmers Union, told the Commis- sion it would be a major step for- ward if it would take action “to fore fu’strate educational and cui- insure that the programs offered lural programs are presented to tne to the public would more accurate- public. ly, than is true at present, "reflect •The problem of financing wiH the diverse interest and tastes of have to be solved. Our educational our nation.” institutions and community organi- With their own stations, he s^ld, yatiohs will have to exercise great producers ;of educational programs Dallas-^Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys will present a full-hour telecast Saturday nights direct from The Ranclh House, which is owned and operated by Wills, In addition, Wills is heard in a tw^o- hour jamboree on WFAA each Saturday night. X-s< ' w imagination and initiative to meet “would no . longer find themselves the exacting needs of this new being squeezed out in face of the mecliuiin These problems ' can .be bids of high-povyered and well- wbrked out in time. But any d is- financed soap companies for de- ciission of them now would seem gij-able and expensive radio time.” to be quite irrelevant, unless some • -■ - ’■ coiKTcte plan can be drawn to allocate television channels and sta- Dallas-^Bob Wills and 1 lions for the use of these groups, piayjrjoys will present a : Others from Congress v^o sup- fgjggagf. Saturday nightj p()i te(l the pimposahwer^ Senator- ^ Ranclh House, imI Hvp. John M. Verys (R.. Ohio), owned and operated by V Giowiinps Need Aid- , addition, Will-s is heard i George Meany, secretary-treas- hour jamboree on WF/ iiifi- of the American Federation Saturday night. Pi' Labor, urged in the event chan- — . - - ■■■ ■ ■ ■■ iicl.s are reserved for education^ ^ ^ . lliat sponsorship of facilities be ;en- V ' .< couraged “on the widest possible ' ' basis ... by broadly representative ;c coininittees, or under the joint au?- '' pices of several educational insti- Ty ' ^ tutions. ’ • , s . .Meany testified that the use of . ' \ , / ; '' television, so far, for general edu- calional and community programs ^ " Ls-v ‘•has been, to say the least, rather 'X. \ limited.” He asked the FCC, in exercising its responsibility in, al- , locating TV Channels, to “protect ^ <- '' the natioiLs children and its grown- X -x', \\- s" ^ s''"- ups from the over-commercializa- '•'V'---' ' ^ ^ 5 ;^ w lion to which they are now sub- v, x' jeeted. We want our children to L/x'X,- \ ' fs ' \< j(>arn something more from tele- ss^' , \isiyn than singing commercials.” ' \ ' Kormit Eby, associate professor s - ■'* of social sciences at the U. of s , , ( hicago, told the Commission that once channels are allocated, “spe- " r cilic grants” can be obtained for s ^ V sv the stations. “It might even be o' possible,” he said, “for other sister - iiniversities . to do as Chancellor . ^ '^v-sx-' v. I Uobert ) Hutchins , did— de-empha- si ze foot ball in favor of adult educa- lii.li threugh television." 1 ' ■>' v Kby thought "the piibiic would 1)0 the gainer if commercial tele- A' is ion received the stimulus of the competition oL educational institu- ' (Miarles Bussell, chairman of the Dept, of Education of the Ameri- canMuseum of Natural History, in^ ^ Now . York, said the’ museums of ^ Now York could cooperatively sup- port a non-commerical cultural sta- lion if a .band were allocated. Union Pitch, To. Speaking ill behalf of a group of museums with a combined annual attendance of 13,600,000 persons, ho testified: “We are unanimously agreed tliat we appreciate the values and needs for continued par- ticipation in commercial broadcast- in,g on TV, but feel with equal strength that there are further re- >:p()ii.si bilities for cultural education > J, ' t liat Can only be developed through ^ -X stations that are not devoted pri- X- mai'ily to commercial purposes, tlfat are free from . censorship, ^'lviclv provide equal opportunity - -X V ' W-" ior different points of view, and r'’-". are ca pable of presenting an un- Js - . . / < < s. , horlimr X..: ^ . xMonis Novik, radio consultant to \arious union-owned stations, s- <' sjiggested that the allocation of ^ cbannels for non-commercial sta- X- 1 10 ns not be restricted to educa- t'onal institutions. .“The best in- a & surance of better programming wdll ('()me,’M^e said, “wdien the diversi- tical'ioh of licensees includes not only commercial TV br-okdeasters, nojv-. commercial educational TV Minn. Household Sets Revealed in News Poll Minneapolis, Dec. 12 . Minneapolis Sunday Tribune poll, just completed, shows that within J 2 nionths’ time, the number of TV sets in Minnesota households increased from 19,500 to 125,900, again of more than 600%. Poll also reveals that five out of every six TV sets in home use are concen- trated in the Minneapohs-St. Paul metropolitan area:— the Twin Cities and their suburbs— the , indicated total in this area being 105,100 sets today, as cqmpared with 18,000 a year agO; ' Poll points out that in the , fall of 1949 approximately six families in eyery 100 in the Twin Cities area had TV sets, and another 17 fami- lies in every hundred reported they expected to buy sets in the year ahead. “That would have meant that 23% Of the households in ^he area would have had TV sets this fall, but actually.latest survey find- ings are that 36% of the house- holds in the area now have TV sets,” the poll declares. CIRCLING THE KILOCYCLES Detroit — Difeciors of WJR, the Goodwill Station^ Inc., have voted a dividend of 40c a share to be paid Dec. 27 to shareholders of record at the Close of biz Dec. 18, it was announced by president John F. Patt. Albany-^MichaelDanyla, Jr., one- time Troy newspaperman, has been appointed continuity director for WPTR. , He had recently been a salesman at WPTR. Danyla suc- ceeded Beth Lee, who resigned to freelance. Gus, Dahns is a new ac- count man on WPTR; Bob Dare, Jr., a new studio engineer. Pittsburgh r — Gwen Haaz has joined the KQV staff as assistant to comptroller Walter Jones, and Gloria Sokol is a new secretary in the sales department . . . Bill Bab- cock has landed a new five-minute news show every morning on WJAS at 9:55 for a local brewery. . . . Ed Bartell, former WPGH an- nouncer, has been hired by KQV to replace Al Nobel. He’s fallen heir to Nobel’s old hour-long afternoon “Juke Box” program, only now it's known as the “Ed Bartell Show.” Nobel recently resigned when he was placed under exclusive contract by Wilkens Jewelry Go. for its TV and AM “Amateur Show” . . . B. J. Smart, of the WCAE staff, is daughter of Judge Walter Smart of common pleas court . . . William Nesbit, formerly with WERE in Cleveland, has become a KDKA announcer. He replaces Phil Cross, who has gone with WWJ in Detroit. Pangbom Vice Halff As San Anton’ WOAI GM Sah Antonio, Dec. 12; Hu'gh A. L. Halff, prez and geri^ era! manager of WOAI and WO^T- TV here, will be succeeded by Arden X. Pangborn as general man- I ager of the outlets, effective Jan, 15. Halff retains presidency of Southland Industries, Inc., owners j and operators of the AM and TV '•outlets. Pangborn comes here from ’Portland, Ore. V SJ. ^ 'j* V 1 ^ vX - ' '' -XV ' 4 ❖?' ' < ' - "X A>, % s s V \ \ •» S '•• 'Xn ^ V +4 4 ' s ■> br»adch.sters.Tut equally Jmpb;- *|S1*^»* (iiiU, xnoniprofit; pubUc-lnterested. t(^levision broadcasters. The Com- , niisHion should also consider the \ mo. - wv4t>iv«<«tavimx '^roaclcasfrrs.” ' ' • “ . Novik urged that , the - .Gommis- upt judge . the. educational ra- mo .Stations of 1950 with' those of ,y^ars ago. “They have grown wp. , he said. “They have seen the ^ > . .1 dare say that budget- Vise, dollar . for dollar, the 1950 J-oucationai and hon-profit stations on any level, with, all of the ob- jjicies >r- parttime operation, day- ^hne operation, clear channel i ■ mmmi? ORCHESTRAS-MIJSiC By JOHN QUINN Kansas City, Pec. 12, There’s no business like . the music business, and it neofls noth- j ing so much as to be treated like j a business. Such is the theme on I Avhich bandleaders like Clyde Me- | Coy; and Ralph Flanagan sounded ; off here recently.. ' . i Within recent months there has , arisen a cry from various sources ! as to what’s wrong With tlie music business, things . are not as good as they were a couple of years ago, : . and all that, according to McCoy, veteran leader and “Sugar Blues ' king, who just played his annual . month-long stand in the Terrace ; Grill of Hotel Muehlebach. If thez'e is something \yrong ' with club and ballrooni business, one place the experts can look for the source of trouble is the orchs themselves. In : the pei'iod around the end of the late war, there was a good deal of veering off from the , established beats, experimenting with stylized music, hot^ licks and improvising, in the belief it was what the public wanted. It didn’t • take long to find out that a little of that stuff goes a long way with ' the paying public, as McCoy sees it. Concert Styles . There is a place for the concert styles . and unusual music, but it j is hot for the general public. The [ Kentons, Coles, Hermans, Shaws j and the like have their place to be | sure, but a comparative few of | those are enough to meet public j demand for music out of this world. ^ The stylized music is all right, but too often the musicians go for it more than the public. The earli- er trend gave a lot of young niusi- . cians the wrong idea, led them to believe modernized cleffings were ; for the public at large. As a result ] ^ lot of sidemen today are off on ' a tangent from what is good sale- 1 able music, McCoy points out. Aside from a segment which are concert followers, the paying pub- lic pretty much wants its music straight. The old one-two beat, the sweet melodies, the standard tunes and the current pops are good ' enough for John Q. Public. He wants the kind of music he can dance to, hum a little, reminisce about, especially the public which ; pays at the ballroom, club, and box- offices. This is the guy who should get major attention from musicians, , leaders and sidemen alike,, for he foots the total bill, the Tennessee ■ trumpeter avers. | ‘Play to the Public’ “An awful lot of people in the band business can’t seem to get back- to that idea,” McCoy said. “They want to play like Kenton and get Lombardo money. Except for a few, it doesn’t work that way. It’s time to stop playing to the musicians and play to the public that pays.” Likewise, there’s plenty of room for a return to some of the good old virtues of show business— to • smile at the customers, dress in ac- ceptable fashions, and play the notes like they are written. Some major attention to plain, simple facts such as these would go a long way towards re-attracting the mu- sic-folio wing public. The orchestra business could do a lot to pull it- self up by its. own bootstraps by simply tending more to birsiness, according to MeCby. Always known as a good head in the music business, McCoy is par- ticularly hepped on the theme late- ly since he has had to make a num^ ber of personnel changes because the boys b^st wouldn’t measure up. It’s a measure of more than j ust the current instance, however, he is quick to point out. As a vet of more than 20 years among topflight orchestra ranks, McCoy claims in his experience there never was a time when such practices weren’t good for the music busine,ss and the men in it. Flanagan is at the other end of the scale, experience-wise, although among the top name bands today after a sensational rise in less than a year. Like McCoy, he too, has been forced to some personnel change, s, and sounded off in a sim- ilar vein when he played a one- nighter at the Pla-Mor ballroom here, A date which earned sock money, incidentally. B Flanagan thinks a dance band W ikould play mii.sic for dancing and QPt try to put on a vaudeville show with couples standing 10 deep around the bandstand. . He also believes in plajung the notes as they are written and in featuring the melody. The arrange- ments may be intricate and diffei- ent, but his band always plays the melody. People like to sing and huni to themselves as well as pick up the beat with their feet, he ex- plained to a Kansas City Star re- porter,. There you: have it; no duet, but a duo On the same theme. A. vet- eran of over 20 years, a bland new neW’Comer, both drawing big money in the band business. Both seem to think that playing for the public is the keynote, Hamblen Finding Out Religiosos Pay Off Stuart Hamblen, Columbia Rec- ords’ folk sihger and coiuposer, who cleffed the current religioso click, “It Is No Secret,” is finding his works in great demand cur- rently by various publishers. Howi e Richmond’s Cromwell MuSic re- cently picked up“The King of All Best British Sheet Sellers {Week ending Dec. 2) London> Dec. 5. Rudolph Reindeer . . Chappell Goodnight Irene . .....Leeds Mona Lisa ........ New World I Taw a Piiddy Tat . . Connelly Sam’s Song . . . . . . . . . . Sterling Have I Told You Leeds Beloved Be Faithful. .Pickwick Autumn Leaves ...... Maurice Silver Dollar. . .... .Pic Music Xmas in Killarney . . . Connelly Ashes of Roses . ^. : Connclly Only Saw Him Once . . . , . Unit Second 12 . My Christmas Wish .... Reine ., Orange Colored Sky ... Morris If I Were Blackbird Box & Cox If I Loved You . . . Williamson Bewitched ... . . . . Sterling Daddy’s Little Girl.. Yale Tzena Tzena Tzena . . . . Leeds We’ll Keep a Welcome. , v .Cox In Englisli Garden . . . . ; . Sun Bibbidi Bobbidi Bob. . .Disney Once in a While .... . . Magna Dream is a Wish. . . . . Disney Novelty Tuddy Tat' Tune Wednesday, December 13, 1930 Jocks, Jukes and Disks ,By HEKM SCHOENFELD. ms works in great demand cur- with Bill Hamilton and the Dream rently by various publishers. Howie RAnnrtC Makers handling the vocal in good Richmond’s Cromwell Music re- MCg \;UIinvUy lYCpOllo fashion. centfy picked up “The King of All British music publisher Reg Bobby Wayne: “The Vision of sot ^ Connelly (Campbell-Connelly and Bernadette”-“AVe Maria” ^ (Lon- the rights to My Life With You. don). Wayne’s delivery and back- Duchess, which handles “Secret,” ' ground production on “Bernadette” day.” On the ballads, however, has also picked up four other Ham- weeks, before meeting his makes this deck one of standout such as “The Best Thing for You,” blen numbers for future release wife in Nassau, B.W.I., for the entries in the current cycle of re- Miss Shore shows the< superiority . . - ‘ Yrnflc hnim-iv*: Thpv rptiim fn ‘ ^i^ioso. numbers. Waynes pop df her pipes. Rest of the original s no ‘V • y u Ti to flavor against a church choir back- cast registers well in this set with GroVP Vs Olaspr Tri Nevv York thereafter for another grohnd make for a highly com- Paul Lukas’ pipes having compen- K. aoci 111 business sojourn before* returning mercial item. On the reverse, |sating personalityinhis solo, “Wel-. N.Y. Court Jari 10 tn rnnHnn Waync shows excellent pipes in come to Li(ihtenburg,” and hisdu- f r l . * .*. his handling of the Bach-Gounod els vvith Miss Shore. Russell Nype’s long sliding suit of Izzy , Connelly reports a surprise hit “Ave Maria.” fine baritone shows up strongly on to ti4l .***’!" ‘".“I Tavv a KUty Kallen-Richard Hayes: '‘It ‘‘1:^8 Day Today.’’ a duet • lUai Jan. ,10 in N. Y. supreme . Puddy Tat, a lisping throwaway I t<; tvto Secret’’-“Get Out Those Old i with Galina Talva, who also sings court. Suit involves fees which novelty from a Merrie Melodies Records” (Mercury) Another re- 1 “The Ocarina.” . “They Like Ike” Grove alleges Glaser did not pay cartoon (Warner Bros.) which, be-l Ugioso item on which there’s been 'T s handled in rousing style by Pat him om bookings of Lionel Hamp- cause of the Mel Blanc interpreta- a stack of wax. “Secret” gets its ] Barrington. Ralph ^Chambers and ton and Billy Holiday. 1 tion on a Ciapitol recording, has ! freshest treatment in this duet. ' Most of the 13 numbm’s Georgia Gibbs: “I Still Feel the “Guys and Dolls,” has some Same About You”-“Gct Out Those chances. .Excellent number is de- 1 Ti »» A livered with a good feel for the Old Records (Coial . A strong of the lyrics, Hugo Winter- coupling by a solid songstress, halter’s prch backing up with usual Using the current Patti Page vogue competence. Bottom deck has a of dtietting with herself, Miss stronger potential. It's a li^itly Gibbs sells Same About You ’ on i^lea. a slow, sinewy beat. Tune has a • Jane Russell: “Can’t Get big potential. “Records” is also ' Started’’-“Dear, Dear, Dear” (Lon- handled okay but the Guy Lorn-! Film bardo cut for Decca and Al Mor- i .''^ho. has been kidded^ about her gan’s version . for London will be I physical assets, shows a sur- tough to beat. Owen Bradley ! vocal .attack on this combo backs Miss Gibbs in acei“^^sk* j ard, ‘ Started, m a solid torch ** ’ 1 niood. In a change-of-pace, she ^*‘**'*^ BeVol Orch. Tearcli ops j bounces across a rhythm number From My Eyes - It s_ a^ Lonesome i reverse with lots of snap. Old Town iCamtoD. “^J^^en background.s help. O’Connell, former Tommy Dorsey Air n . ^ vocalist who recently came out of , Album KevieWS retirement, co^ to impr^s Dinah Shore-Panl Lukas-Russell Talva: “Gall Me Again wpilqng with Fr Madam” (Victor). In pinchhitting 01 ch, she socks . mav star in this otherwise origi- with a bounce ^and feel t^ Me Mad- once again lift hei to the 1 01^0 L „ Dinah Shore may lack Ethel femme vocalists ^^ay^^s .She^ rates brass but she top bUling 9^?^ riivnl to this set’s musical quality. rirp^m Miss Shore’s style is better keyed with Bill Hamiltoii and to wax, although show-goers will Makers handling the vocal m good 2 * associate the Irving Berlin fashion. tunes with Miss Merman’s stage de- Bobby Wayne: “The Vision of livery. That’s particularly true of Bernadette”-“AVe Maria” (Lom “The Hostess With the Mostest” don). Wayne’s delivery and back- , and “Can You Use Any Money To- ground production on “Bernadette” day.” On the ballads, however, makes this deck one of standout such as “The Best Thing for You,” entries in the current cycle of re- Miss Shore shows the, superiority ligioso. numbers. Wayne’s pop of her pipes. Rest of the original GrOve alleges Glaser did not pay cartoon hiin on bookings of Lionel Hamp- cause oi ton and Billy Holiday. ; tion on Louis Nizer is legal rep in ' swept E Grove’s corner with Emil K. Ellis ! larney” to act as trial attorney for Glaser, ! for the head of the Assoelated Booking j Herman Corp. ; interest Hub Elects N ickerson Boston, Dec. 12. Bert Nickerson, acting head of Hub’s. Local No. 9, American Fed- eration of Musicians, since acci- swept England. “Christmas in Kil- larney” is another c.urrertt click ! for the new firm which he and ' Herman Starr, head of WB music i interests, had set up only . a few I months ago. Reed-Manning Double As London Vocal Duet Songwriting team of Don Reed freshest treatment in this duet. ' numbm’s Hayes and Miss Kallen work nice-i^*l open briefly ly together but it’s that Salvation ' chalog for continuity purpose?. Army-type backgroimid that should : the back- sell this side. “Records” gets an- j chorus. other solid slice on the reverse ! Bing Crosby-Aiidrovs Sisters- with a warm ragtime flavor in the Dorothy Kirsten: “Mr. Music” background. Number has big juke ' < Decca). Seven numbers from the potential. Jimmy Carroll orch Paramount pic, “Mr. Music.” scored accomps. : by Johnny Burke and Van Heiisen, Victor Youne- Orrh- “Bo Mv included in this strong Decca Love’v^Voo Youim’’ ‘ (Dec^) ; set. Crosby delivers them all, team- “Love” from the Metro Die ‘The Andrews Sisters on ijove, irom me ivieiio pic, : “High t »' “t la 4 ? 1 1 o i..L , i and Dick Manning are now dou- p‘'L'‘S'5,.x.£ i £.v; df "d",a th. T,o Ad.ini, with Andrews Sisters on on the List,” and “Life Is Toast of New Orleans,”, gets an- i 1^0 Pe,.uliar and witli Dorothy Kir- nom Pat LaSelva won the veepee post Cleffers of the new non “I Still over a field of seven candidates, ■ pee the Sam® offtce of seSetory-toea^er” ^ worked together with Teresa BreW- o lice OI secreiaiy ireasuier. 1 er on the London version of the members elected were Vic ' number. Reed, incidentally, was Mondello, Sam Tully, Hugh Mur- ; pacted as a solo vocalist by Joe phy, Harry Zigman and Louis Wein- j Delaney, Londo.i artists and reper- tory chief, several months ago. other one of Victor Young’s smooth arrangements, with Louanne Ho*- gan and Joe Graydon teaming on the vocal against a string and i choral background. Side may | even be a bit too flawlessly smooth fop maximum impact. Flip is an- other pretty ballad nicely vocalled by Miss Ho^an.. Don Cornell: “Sue Me”-“Velvet Lips” (Victor). CorneU’s cut of, “Sue Me,” fvom Frank Loesser’s • I sten on “Accidents Will Happen” I and “Milady.” “Peculiar” and the ' duet with Miss Kirsten on “Acci- I dents” are the standout sides. Vic- itor Young orch and the Ken Lane Singers furnish the backgrounds. Platter Pointers '^niETY THE THING on Week of Dec .9 (Hollis) . . Phil Harris . TENNESSEE WALTZ (3) (Acuff-R) HARBOR LIGHTS (8) (Chappell) ALL MY LOVE (14) (Mills) ..... NEVERTHELESS (6) (Chappell) | ORANGE COLORED SKY (7) (Frank) I’LL NEVER BE FREE (11) (Valando) , CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN (15) (V,ilando) . ...... . ... .... ... THINKING OF YOU (3) (Rcmick) ; . ^ , | I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU (4) (Famous) . . . . ^ . ... . . . Patti Page . . . .Victor . . Mercury Sanimy Kaye. .Columbia Patti . Page ........... M ercury Ralph Flanagan . ........ Victor Mills Bros, ... Decca, King Cole-Stan Kenton . Capitol Kay Starr Tehn, Ernie .: . Capitol Ames Bros. Coral Don Cherry .: . . . . , . ...... Decca Eddie Fisher . Dean Marti'i Second Group . . ... . . .... .Victor . . . . . . . . . Capitol London Records has come up ■ with a potential novelty click in j “Hullabaloo,” delivered in boister- ous backroom style by The Buck- eye Boys . . . Capitol’s version of the same number by Paul Neigh- bor’s orch which is also good but falls shprt of the rousing quality on jtlie London side . . Columbia has added to its “Piano Moods” series vvith long-play disks by Teddy Wil- son and Jess Stacey, two standout I jazz keyboard artists. Lots of num- i bers are available for jock play in 1 these disks . . . Guy Lombardo has : a pleasing version of “Use Your : Imagination,” for Decca . . . Some more brilliant chile rhythms by the , Perez Prado orch in “Mambo Del I Papelero” and “Cuban Mambo” : (Victor) . * . Abbey Records has issued a flock of sides by Lawrence I Cook featuring his piano rolls on ; such numbers Forever OH. BABE (Alamo) . ■ ] Ames Bro^. .. •" ‘ " ' { Louis Prime TO THINK YOU’VE :CHOSEN ,ME (Valahdp),: . . . ... v . . . . Eddy Howard THIRSTY FOR YOUR KISSES (Mptual) . : . . | • THIRSTY for your KISSES (Mutual) MY heart cries FOR YOU (Massey) A BUSHEL AND A PECK (Morris) . . . LA VIE EN ROSE (13) (Harms) ....... GOODNIGHT IRENE (H) (Spencer) . . . .Mills Bros . . , . . . . ... . rCoral . i , . . Robin Hood ...... . . . . Mercury • ... . . . . , . . Coral ....... . - . JBecca • t • • > • • MONA LISA (20) (Paramount) \ King Cnie Trio ..... . PATRICIA (BVC) . . . , . ... ... ... .... . Perry Como . ... , , , , , DREAM A LITTLE DREAM (Words & Music) ......... ....... .. frahtoe Lain. .....„ MARSHMALLOW WORLD (Shapiro-R) Vanghn Mmroe . .... MUSIC MAESTRO PLEASE (6) (Bourne) \ Frankie Ldine ....... . PETI’TE WALTZ (Duchess) . . . . . . . . , , . , , ^ . Guy Lombardo OUR LADY OF FATIMA (Robbins) . a .. .......... j : . ■ ( Red Foley ...... BONAPARTE’S RETREAT (10) (Acuff-R) ..................... Kap Sldrr fFigurea in parentheses indicate number oi wepk.s sovo has been in the Top 10 J tt 1 1 1 f f ♦♦ f • 44 • 4 « (I • # f f f ^ ^ A A |. ^ A. II I ^ V ^ ^ I « . * . Guy Mitchell-M. Miller' Columbia \ Mag Whiting Jim Wakely Capitol • ■ * ■ i Betty .Hutton Perry Como . .Victor . , , . Tony Murtin . . . . ,* . . VictO'T j Gordon Jenkiri.s Weavers Decca • * ‘ / Frank Sinatr i . ... .... Colimhia j King Cole Trio ......... Capitol ‘ ) Victor Youny . .......... Decca . ... Perry Como . .> , . , . . , i . Victor .. . . Frafikie Lainur . , . * , , . Mercury . a . . Vaughn Mmfoe . ... . . .. . Victor ( Frankie Ldine. . . ..... .Mercury • • * * I Tony Martin. . . . ; , . . . . , . Victor .. a. Guy Lombardo .Decca J Kitty KallemR. Hayes Mercury ************.. /Red Foley ......... Decca Decca Capitol p i Blowing Bubbles;” “That Old Gang ► ; of Mine” and other standards . , . ^ ! Lisa Kirk has a good side in “Gotta ] See You Once More”. (Victor) ; . Benny Lee and Mary vocal a npyelty, “I Taut I Taw a Pud(ip jTat,” which could be childish : enough to become a standout hit. ! (London) , . . Oscar Brand’s cut of i “The Roving Kind” for a new la- ! bel, Crest, is not commercial from either a talent or : technical point yof view . . v Albert Ammons deliv- ers, some of superlative keyboard artistry on “Red Sails ih the Sun- set’’ and “Margie” for Mercury. . . ! Irving Fields Trio have a ciite side in. “Come Away to Comaguey’V (Victor) . . . Alan Dale delivers “Timeless” strongly for Columbia . ; . Tiny Hill orch has two fine sides in “Country Wedding Day” and “Melange in F” (Mercury) Vic Schoeii ofeh’s slice of “Walking With the Blues” rates spins , . * BUI Kenny, of the Ink Spots, comes up with two religious songs, “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Ave Maria'^ in his usual tenor style (Decca) . . . Eve , Young delivers nicely bn “Somewhere, Somehow, Someday,” backed by the Tw’o Adams, for London, I Wednesday, December 13, 1950 PSrie^ty ORCHESTRAS-MIJSIC 55 SEE GENERAL DISK PRICE BOOST Recording executives in tile past^ few weeks have begun to show a preference for the “plug” song in- stead of that all-coveted “exclu- sive,” Thinking by artists and rep- ertoire staffers has undergone a change' to the point where they are now insisting that a publisher throw his weight behind a song, rather than give it to the diskery on an exclusive basis and “see what happens.” The change, while a welcome one to major publishers, has brought to consciousness a problem that has been troubling itiOst major pub- lishers in the past year or so. Question is: What constitutes a , plug campaign? The problem has I been intensified by the success of j new exploitation methods that many of the majors aren’t equipped or ready to use. f Change of thought by the a&r ■ nien about exclusives lias come j about mainly through the fact that as a whole the system hasn’t worked. The record men, in order to get out an exclusive, took songs that were of poorer quality, just so long as they alone had them. A loss of face by top artists and a lo.ss of sales by the diskeries led them to the conclusion that they would be better off recording a song that the other firrns had, and i competing on the basis of ability ' rather than exclusivity. Another [ consideration,, of course — and a i major one— was that if the weight , (Continued on page 62) Brifith music piiblishur Reg Goniielly rtuvoluotes The Disk as a Means to Promote Hit Songs ♦ ♦ *■ one of the moiiy oditoriol footuros In the forthcoming 45th Anniversary y umber of '^lETY Hiil-Range Using Hill & Range is going into ani- mated vidpix as a song exploitation method on a big scale. Following a successful experiment with tele- vision cartoons of their "Frosty the Snowman,” they have just complet- ed a cartoon vidfilm of “Peter Cot- tontail,” their spring plug, song, which they will distribute free to video stations all over the country. “Fro.sty” cartoon, which was dis- tributed free to every video sta- tion, was a three-minute. 16m film in Walt Disney aniihated style. Soundtrack w’as done in the capella method, in which voices arc used to sound like musical instruments, thus keeping the American Feder- ation of Musicians out of the pic- ture. According to Hill & Range offi- cials, response of the stations tind the public “Was terrific.” Cartoon was used as a spot, on adult shows, as a film feature filler and espe- cially on kiddie shows. On some shows, soundtrack wasn’t used and live talent sang the song in acconi- pamment to the film. Frosty,” incidentally, is the only now Christmas Song this year that Ms developed into a full-scale hit. Ciene Autry’s Columbia record has ?^old' about .600,000 ^copies, and other di.skeiries report strong sales on their versions. Song is among sheet sales. In ad- ditjon, an entire line of Frosty the pno Wman toys are being marketed m major department stores. Tex Beneke has split with his manager, Don Haynes, following termination of the bandleader’s exclusive contract with Master Music Corp., jointly owned by both men and their wives. As a result of his pulling out of Master Music, Beneke lost rights to the Glenn Miller arrangements in band’s library. These w^ere with- drawn by Helen Miller, leader’s widow, who though not a member of the corporation, received 25% of the band’s profits through an arrangement whereby she leased the late batoneer’s original library to the orch. When Beneke took over the Miller band in 1946, following the bandleader’s death, it W'as owned by Mrs. Miller and Haynes, with Beneke working on a salary deal. It was agreed when Beneke’s name superseded Miller’s in band’s bill- ing that it would become his preh, with Mrs. Miller and Haynes shar- ing in the profits. Beneke and Haynes w-ent on a 50-50 split of corp.’s remaining coin after Mrs. /Continued on page 60) A general idc boost in the cort- I sumer cost of pop disks became a i virtual certainty this week as [major arid iridie companies indi- I Cated they would follow Decca’s I lead in hiking prices. Decca took I the initiative late last week under i pressure of mounting material and • production costs, and in anticipa- tion of a sweeping price freeze j ' once the U. S. preparedness econ- I pmy starts rolling. | I Decca’s new price schedule is ' ! expected to set the pattern for the j rest of the industry. Disk com- I pany has raised its pop line from I 75c to 85c, plus 4c tax, for both 78 ' and 45 rpm platters. In the 33 rpm long-play field, Decca has ' boosted the price of its 10-inch disks from $2.85 to $3, without, as yet, revising prices of its longhair long-play line which currently sells at $3.85 and ^4.85. New schedule goes into effect Friday (15). It’s understood that Columbia -will be ;among the first of the major companies to follow suit. Columbia reportedly will extend ; the price boost to include its long- ; hair LP line, although Col refuses • to comment On any aspect of its price policy. I RCA Victor; announced that it ' was “studying” the price question, I but indicated it was favorably dis- ! posed to a price boost. Victor, like [Columbia, is also reportedly con- sidering a general hike that w'ill SONGSMITH Charles Tobias couHont hit fellow ASCAPitet Listen^ Y ou Dope^ Ya ! Do You Expect Utopia? ♦ e * onother byline piece In the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^niETY . Following his election to the ^presidency of American Federation of Musicians* Local 802 last week, Sam A. Suber declared that he planned to follow through to the hilt oh the fank-ahd-file demands for a wholesale ban on use of disks on radio and television. Suber told Variety that he also planned to extend the ban to all restaurants and cafes now Using jukeboxes for dance iriusic and would appeal to New York City authorities to il- legalize installation of jukeboxes in spots now holding cabaret licenses. Suber was elected to the New York Local’s top post in a ne^r- complete victory for the adminis- tration’s Blue Ticket. Running in the place of Richard McCann, who resigned as prexy, Suber piled up 3, '150 votes against 3,200 votes for William Feinberg, Unity group’s Candidate, and 2,150 for A1 Ma- nuti, independent. . 'Two other candidates in the field,. Christos Vrionides and Murray Stark, re- ceived about 750 votes between them. Charles .R. luucl, reelected sec- retary, led the Blue Ticket by I amassing over 4,900 votes as I include its Red Seal as well as Pod disks. The price war is a direct ■£ - 1. XI line. Among the specific prob lems under Victor’s consideration i was the alignment of prices for its (Continued on page 58) I against 3,000 for his nearest rival, j Henry Maccarp on the Unity slate, . . ■ land David Freed, indie candidate. While major record companies i Other top posts were won by Blue are planning price increases on all j Ticket candidates Jack Downey, record lines, with minor firm's set ' 3*^d Jack Stein, treas- to follow Suit, New York record retailers are in the midst of on long-playing ; two members of his faction to es- cape defeat. Arons, A popular fig- (Continued on page 62) urer. Max L. Arons, one of the leaders a I of the Unity group, was one of the Marek Named To result of a court action two weeks ago nixing Columbia’s attempt to enjoin several discount houses from retailing records below the price set by a September fair trades agreement. Retailing picture has major de- partment stores, chain stores and discount houses reducing their LP pricetag by as much as 30%, with smaller but well-located shops trying to hold the price line. A number of larger and staider re- Meyer Proposal Seen Having Inside Track With Writers on Payoff Fran Warren Teamed With Pinza on Pic Score Fran Warren headed for the Coast this week to do an RCA Vic- tor album with Ezio Pinza around numbers from the Metro pic, “Mr. Imperium,^’ in which Pinza stars. Since the film score has only three tunes, the three disks in the Victor set will be backed by stand- ards. In a move to strengthen the pro- ; motional and organizational phases j of RCA Victor’s pop operations, George R. Marek has been named as overall artists and repertory chief of the company’s longhair and pop divisions. Marek, who has been acting as head of the longhair de- ; partment and assistant to general j manager Paul Barkmeier since • joining Victor last March, moves I into his new pOst Jan. 1. Wx’iters Classification committee of the American Society of Com- . - XI. X,. r -t. . posers. Authors and Publishers is tailers, chief among them the Lib- . continuing its intensive powwows ■■ A « » ^ ^ a s a A 1 a .aa aa ^ T .a. aA .a a. 1 a. a. a ^ ^ ^ a A- ' I « a _ . . . erty Music Shops, are also attempt (Continued on page 64) Lombardo Breaks Up N. Y. Date With Concerts For the first time in recent years, Guy Lombardo will leave the ! Roosevelt Grill, Ni Y., in the mid- dle of the winter season. Lombar- , Creation of the new a&r post for ! do is set for a concert tour that ' for Ned Washington, Coast defier. A t_ X- 1 A 9 J X.. . .. AX 'a. A A- A X -_A_* “ on finding a substitute plan to the I hew and controversial 60-20-20 sys- I tern now in operation. It’s under-^ I stood that the George Meyer plan, I which gives increased weight to the , factors of availability and seniority, has the inside track in the writers* j consideration, but the ASCAP com- ; mittee is leaving no stone unturned ; befope submitting a new distribu- tion system to the Government. ASCAP’s committee has arranged i Marek was accompanied by the ; wholesale shift of top Victor execs ■from Camden to the N. Y. head- quarters. Move was made to bring ; together the company’s widely I will take him away Feb. 17 for 10 i to come to New York in order to weeks. He returns for two nibnths, however, beginning May 1. No replacement has yet been set for Lombardo. Hotel had talked to spread echelons with the aim of Sammy Kaye, but they couldn’t get to attend the committee discus- effecting a closer alliance between | together on terms. Meanwhile, the ; sions. Meeting today will also hear the creative and commercial ends j Three Suns are set to go into the | plans to be submitted by Jacques of the Victor operation. Among ' room for late winter and spring, Wolfe and Robert MacGimsey, in present his plan to a committee meeting today (Wed.). L. Wolfe Gil- bert, ASCAP’s Coast rep, has al- ready been in N. Y. for two months the execs slated to headquarter in N. ‘Y. shortly are Lawrence Ka^ . , naga, general sales mariager; David [Lombardo after his June 30 clos- ' for the popi writers. Otto Harbach! but hotel will book a band in with behalf of the standard writers, and them. None has been set to follow by Mack David and Stanley Adams. ■V l-i_ t.. I i?— _ XI. _ A X jx A... -- . .. (Continued on page 58) ling of rave notices for the legit musical,“Guys and Dollsi” on the record, Decca execs are rushing their original cast album of the hiusical with the hope that the "ax set will repeat the click scored by the cast album of “Okla- homa.” Both musicals are held to 00 similar from the point of view of wax sales because of their lack 01 top names. Decca, which cut the show 10 (lays ago, is aiming to hit the ( punters next week in time to cash jh on the Christmas trade. Set is Packaged in three speeds. " ilh the long-play version on a /‘-■inch platter. • The Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rotes prevail ^CopY ond space reservations may be sent to any. Variety office NEW YORK If 154 W. 46fli St. HOLLYWOOD 28 4311 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 412 N. Michigon Avc. LONDON. W. C. 1 8 St. Mortln's^Ploca Trofalgor Square ASCAP prexy, is closely following ; the discussions. I For the past few weeks, the clas- sifications committee has been working continuously pn the appor- tionment of the 12t^% fund, which was not distributed, at the time of the last October dividend. Much . of this coin has been apportioned to standard writers, many of whom have been badly hit by the new ac- cent on performances. T. Dorsey’s Reactivated i Following expiration of his Music eprp. of America contract last ■: Thursday (7), Tommy Dorsey’s of- fice announced the band will be booked through Dorsey’s reactivat- ed Tom-Dor Enterprises, with Lee Carroll, ex-MCA Coast one-night booker, handling the dates. Carroll is currently lining up dates, with the first location jobs beginning in January. , Meanwhile, Dorsey will play a one-nighter Fri- day (15) at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, N. Y., for a private party of I i insurance undenvriters. ORCnHESTRAS-MUSIC % A M H u 0 0 HOHioa >i3!a : MlWAi— qi!“*S Maia ^ itifH i§ O ' aax\i-^«ospnii <3 ajuh ^ M ^.^\: ■■■' :. ■ - ■ ■ ■•■ . :.- ■ ■ e] aaiAV— ^qsiia «iqoa ^ !JI to * I Kos.u—iqnJAV ii!al^ xoaAi— iii>)iBa iwBj %\ AlAaAii-^i«q5i3oi ^ : 5|. Maf/iA--ai*H»HOH paj.:^ : ; 1 KOOH—^awPIS W ^ ; VAX— ‘^orr^K saa dOXAl— J3M«II«9 »IPPa 2 ^ aHaAi— aipuua ina oaHAV~a««»a 90 £ El! O xvhaV“®««h ^ 4Ji!a : aiaAv~«JOH qoa HAiOa— ^jaAV pJoi^t^O * NH3a— ?psgi!i| quvjj 5 laOiVi— 1IOOS8.IJ nijox a AiaH— wiio j ja? » a aa3Ai-“*ii!a uo^iCi^ XWAi — jauuaja in«a t e o *5 ^ M ••! fH V o « • '-M 2 t .5 vi ^ «r H-H S ® 'S ft W t ft) ^ Jli . o ft).S a ot: e <>» ft) o P • ^ C .ft) 5 o A b X ** b « 8 'b n* b «0 S ft) S ft 5 90 S g. « ft-o 8 a S I b *3 o o ft"® « ■• P b . 0 b . •ft, •? ti ‘^ ,ft) • S) b |^8.§ft "b § bJ o ^ a,S.o .. 48 .^8 a'feSS. o|““~‘ . S S b ' ft) 8 a 55 S b ^ bftS^ c 5 S M b ^'b p d b s c &£So' 1 ”S € s ’* S a. 8 °«S° b S K 4-«€r 13, 1950 P^Sriety A strong Christmas recording and sheet music trade has all but drowned out the regular pop mar- Itet, with one notable exception. “Tennessee Waltz," especially the Patti Page recording bn Mercury, Ji as withstood the Christmas rush and is registering heavy sales and performances. Most pop tunes have been shoved out of the picture until after the New Year, how'eyer. And strangely enough, most new Christmas and seasonal pops haven’t beert' selling too strongly either. Most of the business is being rached up by songs that have become identified as Christmas standards, and, in the disk field, by Christmas pack- age items, likes Decca’s "A Crosby Christmas." : Standout among the new Christ-^ mas tunes from the point of view of sheet and record sales and per- formances is Hill & Range’s “frosty the Snowman," which has gotten major recording coverage and is among the top five sheet sellers. "Frosty" has established itself as a near-standard Item, much as f’Rudblph the Hednbscd Reindeer" did last year. Other new Christmas tunes which have been making some dent bn the fmarket are Remick’s “Ghristmas in Killarney," mainly via Percy Faith’s Columbia version and Dennis Day’s slicing on Victor; Billy Eckstine’s M-G-M record of "Blue Christmas," and Mills Music’s "Sleigh Ride," which Le- roy Anderson wrote last year but which had lyrics by Mitchell Parish added this year. Strongest business, apart from the album packages, is being racked up by the standards. Most astonishing is St, Nicholas Music’s "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer," which this year is expected to double both Its sheet and record sales of last year, when it was in- troduced. Already, Gene Autry’s Columbia version has hit the mil- lion mark in sales. Sheet sales this year will probably reach 400,- 00.0, also tw'ice that of last year. Irving Berlin’s "White Christ- mas," is, of course, among the top Christmas sellers and performance- garnerers. Others in strong con- tention are "Winter Wonderland’* and "Let It Snow." In the straight pop field, "Ten- nessee" is dominant, with Miss Page’s disk having hit the 900,000 mark. It’s expected that it will gam even more momentum after the end of the year. Other pops which started to move a couple of weeks ago have been pushed into *1 anticipated that these, too, will regain momen- iiim. Aside from that, diskeries nave been saving mounds of pop material for the end of the year. Gds Longhair Preem Paris, Dec. 5. A conclave devoted to jazz music opened Dec. 3 at the Centre Mar- eelin-fiertholot here. Jazz is to be treated with longhair solemnity. Session was inaugurated by Pierre- Qlivier Lapie, the Minister of Na- tional Education- It will mark the 50th anni pf jazii which is coinci- dental with the birth of Louis Satchmo Armstrong in New Or- leans. Also affiliated with the fes- tival is the World Congress of Hot Club Federations. There are daily showings of jam session films featuring Louis Arm- strong, Duke Ellingtom Count Basle and other name bands. Jazz disks will be available to visitors. Top Songft on TVJ (Alphabetically Listed) Week of Dec. 1-7 ^ (Based on copyrighted Au- dience Coverage Index and Audience Tre?id Index, pub- Ushed by Office of Research^ Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman, director ) Button tjp Overcoat . Crawford Lovely Day Today .... Berlin Nevertheless . ..... . Chappell Rudolph Reindeer . St. Nicholas She’s A Lady . . , . . ... . Paxton .5 Top Standards All Things You Are. Chappell Baby Face ... ...... . .Rernick Give My Regards . . . ... Vogel Lover . . . . . . Famous Santa Glaus Is Cornin’ . . Feist ORCHESTBAS-MPSIC RCA, Reconciled to Two Speeds, Abandons ‘Long-Haying 45’ Plans Lyricist-publisher Irving Caesar las contacted his lawyers, Schvvartz « Frohlich, concerning possible cgal action against Hearst col- Liinnist Frank Conniff over the fitter’s column In Monday’s New f prk Journal-Amerlcan. Column lUacked Caesar personally and al- eged he was a pro-Communist in egard to the songwriter’s discus- lon of the world crisis last Wednesday (6) night bn the Barry > lay program oyer WMCA. Caesar said no action would, be aken until he secures a tape re- oi'ding or transcription of the how, in which he discussed the ‘^orcan situation. He asserted that ■c was misquoted by Conhiff, and hat he stood: by what he actually lid say on tim program. Dap Denied Judginent Vs. Merc on Masters Judge Gregory F. Noonan in V Federal court last week de4 lied a motion made by Capitol lecords for summary judgment gainst Mercury Records. Disk bmpahies are Vying for rights to number of classical masters origi- ally pressed by Telefunken, Ger- man wax firm, ^ Both Capitol and Mercury claim ole ownership for use of the mas- S. Capitol’s suit i net ^Mercury’s counter action will ikely go to trial, inasmuch as ucige Noonan has ruled that there le several issues of fact to be otermined. AFM Officials .✓ Proposal by Los Angeles Phil- harmonic Orchestra maestro Al- fred Wallenstein, that U. S. musi- cians record at lower fees in re- turn for royalty payments on disks met a completely negative reac- tion from American Federation of Musicians circles this week. Wal- lenstein made his suggestion at a Coluinbia UniVi forum Saturday (9) as a way of beating competi- tion from Europe in the longhair field. Union officials declared that they would never give up their current high standards on a gam- ble that the royalties would make up the difference. They pointed out that U. S, musicians would have to accept drastic cuts, rang- ing from 500% to 1,000%, in or- der to bring the level of U. S. rates down to the prevailing Eu- ropean -scales. Such a retreat, they said. Would not only be a blow against the musicians, but the whole U. S. trade union move- ment as well, Sidney M. Kaye, general coun- sel of Broadcast Music, Inc., ad- dressed the forum on the growth of the property right in intellec- tual creations and analyzed the functioning of the Copyright law. At one point, Kaye was forced to defend the rival American Society of Composers, Authors and Pub- lishers, when both BMI and ASCAP were attacked for neglect- ing’ the serious composers. London Records, which up to now has been only handling the classical music catalog of its par- ent company, British Decea, is map- ping a major expansion into the longhair field on Its oWn hook with American symphony and concert, groups. Initial step in the new de- parture was the inking of 'the San Antonio symph orch, under Max Reiter’s direction, and the Cincin- nati S3miphpny orch under the bat- on of Thor Johnson and guest con- ductors. London is bringing over British engineers ^nd equipment in March to cut works by these longhair groups under British Decca’s full frequency range recording * .6 Z' bi. . n S (A O- fiO S’ 3 CO a 3 tfl 3 3 CO u 3 ' 3 to I 10 2 pq (U 3 C- O I & § E ■ 3 ' Q to ft) •E 10 Si' 0 . ^ n 1 O TJ • A £ Pit to O ' Op u 6 ■ C cr '■’a . . a; to 0) Si u © DS o- O 6- to 9 s to -C a 3 ' 0) c 3 . flt kP e O u to 3: ■ 3 ct £ 2 o. •13. : 3 A ■mo © >' © ■0 U © 3 s fo £ 'o CO mm . 'me ■ & © B-. S' 0 01 CO O K It •s s o T O T A L P 0 1 N T S . 1 . 2 "Rudolph Reindeer’* (St. Nicholas) 2 2 1 . i 2 ft ft. 1 3 2 :'4-' 9 m 2 ■ 1 "Harbor Lights" (Chappell) . . . . . 6 4 ■4". 8 T 1 3 '.5- 1 1 ft ft ■I ■ 86 3 a "Frosty the Snowman" (Hill-R) . . 3 I . 2 2 . 3 . ’ ft ft; 2 2 3 ■; 7-.' 5 6 85 4'. - ' 7 "Tennessee Waltz’* (AcUff-R) . . . . :1’ 3 .' • f . ■ 3 7 4 9 1 ft ' 3 ft ft 5 63 5 3 "Nevertheless" (Crawford) * . . ... . « k 6 'ft ft . ' 10 4 5 ft ft ft 6 2 1 2 52 6”" 4 "All My Love'* (Mills) . ...... . . . • ■ m 5 ft ft • 4 5 6 . ft ft- ft . ft 4 8 4 10 42 7 10 "The Thing" (Hollis). . . ... ..... 4 8 6 6 * * 7 ■ft ft 4 ' ft ;• * 9 ft ft - ' ' ft ft . 33 8 9 "Thinking Of You" (Remick) . , .; . * . • • « • . ft ft . ft ft 8 2 6 s • ft 5 ' ft • , ' ft ft 3 31 9 8 "Bushel and a Peck" (Morris) . ... 9 7 ft ft ‘ ft ft. ft “ s' 7 10 8 ' 6 3 ft ft 30 10 11 "White Xmas" (Berlin)......... 5 9 3 ft ft 6 ft ft 5 ft ft. ft ft ■ .• •• ' ' ft 'ft 27 11 5 . • * ft '» 9 5 ,ft ft . . ft- ft ' Dl ft ft 7 ft ft ■ 8 ft’ . ft 16 12 • • • . "Winter Wonderland" (BVG) ... . 7 . ft ft- ' 0 , ft ft ft ft • • ■ ft ■ ft . ft ft ' ft ft • • • • 7 ■* ft 14 13 "Xmas in Killarney” (Remick) .'. . • • 7 7 ft ft ft ft « » 6. ' .ft • ft '• ft ft 13 14A • • "Marshmallow World** (Shapiro-B) 10 *■ ft 8 * ft *• ra ft ft ", 7. ’ ft - ft ft ft ft - . ft • 10 14B « p "Orange Colored Sky** (Frank) . . . ‘ • . • 10 . ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft 10 5 ■ ft ft M M Prez of AFM, Dies on Coast Joseph N. Weber, Hungarian- born musician who helped to or- ganize the American Federation of Musicians in 1896 'before rising to the presidency in 1900 for a 40- year term in that office, died in retirement in Beverly Hills yester- day (Tues. ) at the age of 86. Weber, who led the AFM through four decades of struggles against various threats to "live" music, re- tired in 1940 in favor of the union’s present chief, James C. Petrillo. Then 76 years old, the AFM gave'!* him the post of honorary president and -general advisor at ah annual stipend of $20,000, the same as Petrillo’s salary. *4^^% I Weber was the second AFM I prexy, succeeding Owen Miller ! who, together . with Weber, was ' chiefly instrumental In organizing j the musicians Union. When Weber assumed office in 1900, the AFM had a membership of 9,600 in 96 locals. When he retired, the. AFM ’s membership had grown to 134,000 in 723 locals. Before the first IVorld War* Weber led, a successful struggle against the use of foreign contract labor by winning a tightening of the Jmmigratibn laws. His Struggle against "canned music," however, was not marked with success des- pite the AFM’s pouring of an esti- mated $1,000,000 into a campaign during the 1930s against sound ^ films..’.' Weber served continuously in office except for a pne-year leave of absence due to a nervous break- down. His ^method pf organizing^ musician.^, via riding from town"^ to town on boxcars to save money, has become, a legend kmong AFM veterans. His thick Hungarian ac- cent was another standout hallmark and; it’s been said that when the AFM exec board wanted to jam through a resolution on a conven- tion floor, they had Weber present it so that the delegates couldn’t be too clear about the resolution’s meaning. Weber is survived by his wife. i 58 onrnESTnAS-MiJSic yAniETY WecTiiesday, December 13, 1950 ^BIG SHOW' SIGNOFF COPPED BY LEEDS “May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You," a signoff number com- posed by Meredith Willson for the NBC “The Big Show/’ has beeii copped by Leeds Music following some hot bidding by leading pubs. It’s understood that Willson re- ceived a substantial advance, in the neighborhood of $3,000, for the tune. Number rated big because of the unusual plug it gets each week on the NBC show, when all of the guestars sing it cooperatively, with each taking one bar. Number is skedded for release on disks in mid-^ January. Don Cherry Gets New 3-Year Decca Contract Singer Don Cherry last week was awarded a new three-year contract by Decca Records, replacing his old one, which had about 10 months to run. Terms of the new pact grant Cherry a “substantial increase.’’ Chief reason for the new setup is , the successful sales of Cherry’s ver- I sion of “Thinking of You.’’ I In addition, the vocalist has been ' signed for an additional 13 weeks on ABC-TV’s “Penthouse Party.’’ ! Cherry, booked by Associated Booking Corp., is currently doing a round of theatre dates, and is prepping a tour of appearances through Decca to tie in w'ith the company’s distribs in 25 cities. McAllister Leaves Col. for B&B Agcy. Ken McAllister last week re i signed as director of advertising and promotion for Columbia Rec- ords to take an executive post with Benton & Bowles advertising agen- cy. No replacement has yet been decided upon, Resignation is effec- tive Friday (15). McAllister has been with Colum- bia since 1941, and has been ad- vertising and promotion director since January, 1949. Gardner to Apollo Apollo Records, N. Y., has signed coloratura June Gardner to a three-year contract. — sssss* me. close your eyes rw and well u I u 3_-.4 3 ---■■•■ i be. D7 G f -r f r -LSr f . SEA OF THE MOON. Come with MOON. Copyright 1950 HAWY WAIIWN MUSIC, INC., Now York, N. Y. Soto Selling and licensing Righit for the United Stotei & Canada controlled by Robbins Music Corporation, GUY LOMBARDO MACKLIN, MARROW and Orchestra with vocal by LAWRENCE BROOKS TONY MARTIN MITCH MILLER Orchestra and Chorus BUDDY WILLIAMS aCnerd (XK UAeiu. ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION • 799 Seventh Avenue, N. Y. 19 MURRAY BAKER. Gen Prof . Mat Inside Orchestras-Music Songwriter-publisher Irving Caesar and head of Tommy Dorsey’s office, Irving Chezar, have been getting each other’s mall for years, especially since they’re both located in the Brill building, N. Y. But last week they experienced an incident that topped all the others. Since reactivating his publishing outfit, Caesar has secured a reissue on Coral of an old Jimmy Dorsey Decca recording of “If I Forget You.’* Caesar ordered 100 disks of the song, and the package arrived at the Dorsey office addressed to Chezar. Caesar’s professional manager, Jack Fine, wondering what had hap- pened to the disks, checked with the Dorsey office and found the records there. But the office staff refused to give them up, pointing out that they had been addressed to Chezar. Finally, Fine convinced them the disks were his, and carried them off. Then, to cap It off, Fine dis- covered that the song on the other side was “I Should Care," which is published by Dorsey Bros. Music Co., which works out of Chezar’s office. I Some of those classic swing' arrangements from the band business* heyday are beginning to find new uses and large new audiences. Tele- vision dancers are using the jump arrangements as background music for their terping, borrowing the original arrangements almost intact. Two of the chief users of swing for their terping are the Hamilton Trio of NBC-TV’s “Your Show of Shows’’ and the team of Jimmy Russell and Aura Vainio of “Garroway at Large,’’ also NBC. In the past couple of weeks, the Hamilton unit has used the original recorded arrangements of Woody Herman’s “Golden Wedding’’ and .Artie Shaw’s “Concerto for Clarinet,’’ while Russell & Vainio have used Tex Beneke’s “St. Louis Blues March’’ and Herman’s “Bijou.’’ Hamilton arrange- ments, in fact, are complete even to the long clarinet solos featured in the originals. Upbeat in the nationwide acceptance of western and folk disks was highlighted, over last weekend when country artists were given guest spots on several bigtime radio and video shows originating in New York. Eddy Arnold, one of Victor’s biggest sellers in the folk field, appeared on the NBC “The Big Show’’ while the Sons of the Pioneers, a western group, were spotted on the Arthur Murray TV show. Pioneers, incidentally, are slated to cut numbers together with Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters for Victor next week, further accenting the falling barriers between the pop and western disk formats. The click of Mercurj^’s cut of “Tennessee Waltz,’’ on which Patti Page sings the two-part harmony, is launching a new cycle of duets, or more, by single artists. Latest to come up is Georgia Gibbs, who dLiets with herself on “I Still Think the Same About You’’ for Coral. Technique of dubbing different takes onto one master isn’t new but promises to blossom out in force during^ the next few months, with a flock of other diskeries planning to use' their top femme vocalists in similar form. Recently, Lcs Paul, on the Capitol label, played eight parts for a guitar ensemble effect. Originally written as a theme song for a Metfo film, “Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone’’ will get an all-out treatment in an effort, to make it one of ttie top novelty tunes of the year. M-G-M Records currently is working overtime to get platters on the market in time for Yule buying. Ditty, by Adolph Deutsch and Paul Webster, originally was used in the film of the same name, as a gag theme behind the main title credits. For popular consumption it has been expanded to full length. Col Building Jazz, Sets Rushing Orch In a buildup of its swing and jazz repertory. Columbia Records has wrapped up the Jimmy Rush- ing orch for a couple of sides to be etched next week. Formerly vocalist with the Count Basie orch, Rushirg includes several sidemen from the old Basie band, namely Buck Clayton, horn, and Walter Page, bass. Columbia has also inked the Slam Stewaii; trio for several sides. Stewart has been freelancing on disks recently. Marek Continued from page. 53 J. Finn, ad-promotion chief; Rob- ert M. MacRae, merchandising manager; Edward O. Welker, sales planning manager, and Edward Dodelin, field sales supervisor. Under the new setup, Victor will be concentrated in the Interna- tional Building of Radio City, with suites to occupy the 32d fioor. Company execs originally planned to move the platter execs into the 24th street building, where the stu- dios are located, but space was not available. Marek’s appointmenti it was an- nounced, will not affect the status of Charles Grean, who remains as repertory chief of the pop depart- ment. Grean, who returns to the N. Y. homeoffice Thursday follow- ing a trip to the Coast, will per- form the same functions as before, with Marek supervising the busi- ness end. Marek, who was vice-prexy of the J. D.- Tarcher ad agency before joining Victor, will specialize in promoting the pop division via the mapping of sales and advertising campaigns in conjunction with the new releases. In the longhair de- partment, Markew initiated the pol- icy of promotional tie-ins with the personal appearance tours of the top Red Seal artists! Payoff of the technique in the longhair field may cue its extension into the pop field, also under Marek’s guidance. BRITISH DECA SETS UP NEW CO. IN GERMANY British Decca has set up a new company in Germany to manufac- ture and distribute its own and Telef unken Records In Germany. New outfit, Teldec Records, is con- trolled jointly by British Decca and Swiss interests, with E. R. Lewis, British Decca serving as chairman ! of the board. Martin Schwab, Tele- funken vice-prexy, is vice-chairman of the new company. Disks released in Germany un- der the Decca label will be handled in the U. S. and Canada by British Decca’s U. S. subsid, London Rec- , ords. Capitol Records, however, , will continue to release the Tele- funken company product in the U. S. under its deal with the latter company. Disk Price Rise Continued from page 55 Joseph D’Andrea, “society” bandleader, left Monday (11) for an engagement at the Virgin Islands hotel, in the Virgin Is- lands* ’i -J 45 and 78 rpm albums once the singles are boosted. Currently, the price differential on the same selection favors the 45 rpm sets. General rise in the price of disks is the first in the wax industry since 1943, when Decc^ once again took the lead in boosting prices from 50c to 75c. Decca’s policy seven years ago paid off in a war- time spending era, when essential consumers goods were in short supply and customers bought prac- tically any disk in sight. Currently, however, retailers are not expressing, any enthusiasm over the projected general price boost. Several retailers voiced the fear that their sales volume would fall off at the present time because the general inflationary pressure on the consumers now tends to squeeze out the so-called luxury items. Disk industry, however, is banking on the public’s adjust- ment to the higher prices over the next couple of months. Execs of the other platter com- panies, such as Capitol, M-G-M, Mercury and smaller indies, are studying Decca’s move with the likelihood they will hike their prices shortly. In 1943 it took about six months for the whole in- dustry to fall in line on the higher price level. @ RCA VICTOR Records presenting ETHEL MERMAN IN 2 GREAT DECCA ALBUMS . • • Songs from “CAU ME MADAM” JSotv • . . By Popular Demand! “12 SONGS FROM GALL ME MADAM” WORDS AND MUSIC BY IRVING BERLIN with DICK HAYMES • EILEEN WILSON and GORDON JENKINS and His Orchestra and Chorus Selections Include: > Th« Hostess With tho Mostes' Oh th« Boll Con You Uso Any Money Today? ETHEL MERMAN and GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27353 and *9-27353 The Best Thing for You Morrying for |.ove ETHEL MERMAN and GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27354 and *9-27354 You’re Just in Love ETHEL MERMAN and DICK HAYMES Something to Donee About ETHEL MERMAN Both with GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27355 and *9-27355 Washington Sqdbre Donee ETHEL MERMAN with GORDON JENKINS (Donee to the Musie of) The OeOrino GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27354 and *9*27356 It's o Lovely Day Today Onee Upon o time Today Liehtenburg They Like Ike DICK HAYMES and EILEEN WILSON DICK HAYMES Dacca 27357 and *9-27357 GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27358 and *9-27351 *lndicate$ 45 RPM Varsion Album A-818 • Six 78 RPM Reeords • Priee $5.25 Album 9*166 n Six 45 RPM Unbreakable Reeords • . Priee $4.85 DL 8035 n 1 2*in. Long Play Mierogroove Unbreakable Reeord* Priee $4.85 Already a Smash Hit! Selected WS FROM CALL ME MADAM” Words and Music by IRVING BERLIN with DICK HAYMES • EILEEN WILSON • GORDON JENKINS and His Orehestro and Chorus Selections Include; The Best Thing for You ETHEL MERMAN and Marrying for Love GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27316 and *9-27314 You're Just In Love Something to Donee About It's a Lovely Day Today Onee Upon q Time today ETHEL MERMAN and DICK HAYMES with GORDON JENKINS ETHEL MERMAN with GORDON JENKINS Dacca 27317 and *9-27317 DICK HAYMES and EILEEN WILSON DICK HAYMES Dacca 27318 and *9-27318 (Donee to the Musie of) The Oearlno ( 1 ) It's a Lovely Day Today Dacca 27319 and *9-27319 *indlcatas 45 RPM Varsion peeea Album A^813 • Four VO-inch 78 RPM Records • Priee $3.75 Decca Album 9*1 53 • Four 45 RPM Unbreokoble Records • Price $3.35 DL 5304 • 1 0-in. Long Play Mierogroove Unbreakable Record • Price $2.85 a;p!!lA ^'1?'“***:* ^ but ho State or locaf tax. 45 and 78 RPM prices do not Include Federal/ state/ or local taxes. All album records available as singles. America's: Fastens t ^Sdling'^Records! ..Vednegdayy December 13^ 1{^50 RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS National Rating This Last wk. wk. Survey of re^tail disje best sellers, based on reports ob- tained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing com- parative sales ra.ting for this and last week. Week Ending Dec. 9 Artist, Label, Title ■M CO CO g C8 OS bo t § > o « *2 I: I I o ^ o & W F? o ^ ^ 3 5 s .9 ^ Is 6 i T 5S ^ 8 I S 1 -i ^ s.' ' ^ »i-i M a s I is I 5 £ U I 09 I tid bo a i 1 3 3 I i -5 1 i) s Q S CO PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 1 2 “Tennessee Waltz"-— 5534 . ....... 1 1 PHIL HARRIS (Victor) 2 1 “The Thing"— 20-3968B . . . . . . ... 3 2 GENE AUTRY (Columbia) 3 12 “Rudolph Reindeer"— 38610 . . .. 2 6 G. MITeHELL-M. MILLER (Col.) 4 “My Heart Cries For You"— 39067 4 SAMMY KAYE (Columbia) 5 4 “Harbor Lights"— 38963 ......... 10 5 BING CROSBY (Decca) 6 16 “Harbor Lights"--27219 ........ . . . . PERRY COMO-B. HUTTON (Vic.) 7 3 “Bushel and a Peck"— 20-3930 . . 7 . . PERRY COMO (Victor) 8A 7 “Patricia"— 20-3905 ... 8 . . JO STAFFORD (Columbia) SB 17 “Tennessee Waltz*'— 39065 . ...... . . DON CHERRY (Decca) 9A 5 “Thinking Of You"— 27128 . . . . . 4 . . MARIO LANZA (Victor) 9B 15 “Be My Love"-T-10-1561A. ....... . . 3 GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) 9C . . “Petite Waltz"— 27208: MARINERS (Columbia) 10 “Lady of Fatima" — 39042,..,... .. PATTI PAGE (MercuiT) llA 7 “All My Love"— 5455... 6 7 DEAN MARTIN (Capitol) IIB 6 “Pll Always Love You"— 1028 . . .. 8 KAY STARR-T. ERNIE (Capitol) lie 8 “I'll Never Be Free"-^1124 . . . .... . . MILLS. BROS. (Decca) llD 11 “Nevertheless" — 27253 PERCY FAITH (Columbia) 12 10 “Xmas in Killarney" — 39044 9 .. GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) 13 . . “All My Love"- 27118. ... . . , . KAY STARR (Capitol) 14A .. “Oh Babe"— 1278 .. . . STAN KENTON-N. COLE (Cap.) 14B 7 “Orange Colored Sky"— 1184 . ... . G. MITCHELL-M. MILLER (Col.) 15 .. “Roving Kind"— 39067; .... .. .. BING CROSBY (Decca) 16 . . “Silent Night"— 23777 .... ....... 5 .. DORIS DAY (Columbia) 17 . . “If I Were A Bell"— 39031 .. . . DENNIS DAY (Victor) 18A . . “All My Love"— 20-3870 . . . . EDDY HOWARD (Mercury) 18B “Think You’ve Chosen Me"— 5517 ., . . 3 10 6 8 21 ' • « • • ^ 8 6 8 10 • • • f • « • 4 10 Disk Best Sellers by Companies {Based on Points Earned) No. of Label Records Columbia 8 Victor 5 Mercury . . ^ 3 No. of Records Points Label Recoi 182 Decca 6 145 Capitol : 4 104 Points 82 38 p T TT XT r rs D iOUTH PACIFIC X* 1 V X kJ Jr Broadway Cast Ymd Sumac ^ , ALBU M S Capitol GC244 Columbia MM850 ML4180 MERRY XMAS Ding Crosby Decca A-550, 9-65 DLP-5019 THREE Limi CALL ME MADAM WORDS allvwaad Ethol Mormon Hollywood Cost M-G-M M-G-M53 E516 Decca DL-5304 Decca shifted distribs in Toledo Polymusic Records^ N. Y. clas.si- from Kane Co. to the Beharr. Dis- Cal LP diskery, has signed the tributiqn outfit ^ WQXR, N. Y., ‘String Quartet. Continued from page 55 Miller had received her cut. In addition, both received $50() week- ly salaries, with Beneke getting $100 weekly for expenses and Haynes also drawing extra coin for business necessities. Another result of exiting the corp: is that Beneke can no longer associate his ,band with Miller, which Includes the dropping of “Music in the Miller Mood" from his billing. It’s understood that Beneke has notified David Mackay, attorney for Mrs. Miller, that he Wishes, to continue a profit-sharing setup with her. However, no deal has been worked out as yet. Beneke crew is currentiy play- ing one-*niters enroute to the' Coast for a five-week Palladium ballroom engagement beginning Dec. 19. Band is being booked by Music Corp. of America, with Beneke currently holding down the mana- gerial chores. NOW^FLAMINGO HOTEL. Las Vegas (Concluding Dec. 13) Levis ARMSTRONG World Famous Trumpet King and His ALL STARS EARL HINES JACK TEAGARDEN BARNEY BIGARD COZEY COLE ARVELLSHAW^ VELMA MIDDLETON OASIS, LOS ANGELES, b«e, 15 thm Jan. V DECCA RECORDS EXCLUSIVELY Exclusive Management ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION JOE Gl/SER, Pres. New York I Chicago I Hollywood 74S Sih Ave. PI. f-4600 I 203 No. Waboih I f 1 51 Suni.l Blvd. After 15 Years I am finally out of the clutches of mm/m/i I am hehig Booked exclusively hy . r 12 TOMDOR ENTERPRISES, Inc 161 9 Broadway Circle 6-4865 New York 19, N. Y. for all availahle dates please contact the ahove. Personal Management PERSONAL MANAGEMENT, Inc. ■ » 1619 Broadway • 41X6-4495 • New York 19, N. Y. 62 OnCnESTRAS-AflJSlC Loift Reportedly Gets 'Substantial' Payoff In Campbell Settlement Partnership dispute between Solly Loft and Nick Campbell, which has been threshing about in N. Y. supreme court for more than A year, has been settled and dis- continued, according to papers filed with the court by the liti- gants’ attorneys. Loft brought suit against Campbell after the latter allegedly refused to permit him to participate in the operation of Campbell Music and Cornell Mu- sic* While terms of the settlement were undisclosed, it's understood that Campbell turned over a “sub- stantial" sum to Loft. In Loft’s diAginal complaint, he sought to be declared a full partner in Camp- bell and Cornell. In addition, an accounting of the two firms’ finan- lial operations was also asked. Impasse between the individuals came to a boil on Oct, 7, 1949, when Campbell assertedly “fired" Loft. Loft’s version of the discord is that he and Campbell had been in business together prior to July 1* 1948, under the name of Campbell Music. On that date, the partner- ship was dissolved. Campbell is said to have agreed to pay Loft $3,500 in installments. When Campbell later brought Loft back into his organization, the $3,500 represented Loft’s new interest in a fresh partnership. However, this association was broken by the Oct. 7, 1949, “firing." ASCAP Wins 2G Verdict Vs. Defunct Paradise Cafe American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers won a sum- mary judgment of $2,000 yesterday (Tues.) in N.Y. supreme court against the defunct Broadway nit- ery, the Paradise, operated by Paul Schlosser and Beckman & Pransky. ASCAP charged the nitery ops with failure to pay music perform- ance license fees. IN HEAVY DEMAND ^ IT IS NO SECRET (Duchess)— 'In the wake of ^ Stuart Hamblen *3 (Columbia) smash, others are hitting the wave* The three Suns (Vic- tor) have a great disc ; Bob Houston (Lon- don) rates "Sleeper of the Week" from Cash Box ; Bill Kenny (Decca) lands a B illboard "pick" ; Elton Britt and Rosalie Allen (Victor) are in demand; and Ozie Waters (Coral) is up with the winners* * * * A Ar Ar •lLLIOARD*S hot ROD RACE (Four Star) — Bill b oard CHOICE ^ lists this among "Tomorrow's Hits." Tiny . Hill (Merucury) and Arkie Shllley (Gilt Edge) were first out with this "hot" novelty. •k it It it ir SPIKE MOMMY WON'T YOU BUY A BABY BROTHER JONES ^ (Arena Stars) — Spike Jones (Victor) is riding high and alone with this ditty which is giving "THE THING" a close race in sales. k k k k k k CLICK BREAKING ^ IF YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY, I'VE GOT THE TIME 11 ^ ^ (Peer) — Breaking big and comes out of the folk category with Jo Stafford's (Colum- bia) release in the van. Among 14 labels are top-ranking versions by Texas Jim Rob- ertson (Victor), Ernie Lee (Mercury). June Hutton (Decca) , Joan Shaw (MGM) and Kenny Roberts (Coral) . • ****** DRAWS ^ A MAN AIN'T NOTHIN'^BUT A WOLF (Duchess) FAVOR ^ Margaret Whiting (Capitol) introduces a tune that has been drawing favor every- where. ****** POWtEAT AINT «T awful (Beeohwood)— For novelty SAYS freshness try spinning Art Van Damme 's "TOPS’* (Capitol) platter. Downbeat rates it four * checks, "tops," and says ... a jazz calypso played with great distinction . . . lots of humor and displays Art's flashy accordion technique." ****** "EEST ^ WHO KICKED THE LIGHT PLUG (Ovt of the Socket) BET” (Tri-Boro) — -Dolores Dell (Jubilee) and her Two Sparks introduce a clever and amus- ing novelty with bounce. A Cash Box "Best Bet*" Tune also provides Betty Hutton (Victor) with a strong vehicle. ****** POTENTIAL ^ LOUISA (Wemar)— "A new ballad with a lot of potential is dished up here by George Nolan," (National) is how Cash Box calls attention to this likely item. Try it out. * * * * ^ * hot ^ YOU DYED YOU HAIR CHARTREUSE (Goday) — NOVELTY Another of those hot jump ditties by the JUMP only Louis Jordan (Decca) in his 1 host groove. Gordon MaoRae (Capitol) and the Ewing Sisters with Frank DeVol ' s Oroh. give the tune their own special treatment on another platter that will go • Wednesday^ December 13^ 1950 AUTRY^AFFDKD IN COl. POP TEAMING Columbia Records has teamed Gene Autry and Jo Stafford on a couple of pops, “My Heart Cries for You" and “Teardrops from My Eyes." Pair will probably combine on pops in future. Waxing of “Heart," incidentally, is unusual for Columbia since the diskery has already released one pop version of the song, by Guy Mitchell and Mitch Miller’s orch. It’s not often that Columbia cuts a pop more than one way, espe- cially where the artists concerned are pop artists. Seattle Symph Cancels Concert in Season Crisis Seattle, Dec. 12. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra cancelled its Monday (11) subscrip- tion concert here because the or- chestra’s sustaining fund reserve has been depleted, and there is some chance that the entire season may be nixed. Concerts so far this season have had the largest audiences ever, but admission charges as low as 50c. per concert are blamed for the financial crisis. John H. Hauberg, Jr., executive vice-president of the orchestra, says that all funds left are season ticket receipts and he said that that fund would not be tapped further. He also said: “We raise the money to complete the season or we have none at all. The whole symphony is off until money is raised." Walker Catches Vauders, Signs ^Em for M-G-M A vaudeville vocal duo was signed to an M-G-M recording con- tract after the company’s general manager, Frank Walker, caught the pair’s routine at the Palace theatre on Broadway. Paul Sears and Johnny Heymer, the singers, will cut their first sides for the plattery at the beginning of the year. M-G-M also announced the pact- ing of vocalist Tommy Edwards, who has already recorded his first sides for January release. Blind Fmme Composer’s Tune Bought by Marks Cleveland, Dec. 12.' Mrs. Irene Kitchings, blind re- tired musician who once toured in her own orchestra under name of Irene Wilson, is shortly having one of her own old ballads published by Edward B. Marks Co. Tune, “Some Other Spring," ^as written by her back in 1940 and reporded by Billie Holiday and Teddy Wil- son for Columbia, but was never released. Arthur Herzog, Jr., composer’s friend, who wrote lyrics for the number, was chiefly responsible for taking it off shelf and selling it to Marks. Herzog also got Columbia re-interested in the ballad, which wasn’t considered to have enough sales appeal in the early 1940s. Holiday and Wilson platters are to be released shortly. A number of other old friends of Mrs. Kitchings. former wife of Teddy King, jazz pianist, are com- ing to her rescue upon hearing she has been blind for several years. Doctors who examined her say hope for a cure lies in cortisone and special treatment at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimoref*^Her second husband, Elden Kitchings, an Ohio state probation officer, has spent all his money trying to have her cured here. With some advance royalty checks beginning to roll in, the composer is now beginning to bank more strongly on that long-post- poned trip to the Baltimore hos- pital. It may come sooner than she expects, since Benny Goodman is reported to be planning a wax ver- sion on “Some Other Spring." After looking it over on a recent trip here, Austin Powell and his Cats and Fiddle unit made a Decca recording of it last week. Billy Eckstine is said to be interested, too, in the ballad, which local pro- fessionals are dubbing the “S.O.S. Song." Kalmanolf-Baer Tunes In N.Y. Town Hall Concert Program of the songs of Martin Sacks^ Durante Huddle Manle Sacks, RCA artists rela- tions vice-prexy, planes to Chicago tomorrow (Thurs. ) for talks with Jimmy Durante and a general o.o. of the Chi talent picture. Sacks will return to New York next week. Charles H. Hansen Music Co. bringing out “Norman Broken- shire’s Barber Shop Songs" this week. Tome contains some 20 standards selected by the radio announcer. _ -a. Plug Song Continued from pag:e 55 of a publisher campaign were thrown behind a good song, all the record companies would, in the long run, come out ahead. What Is the Plug Song Major publishers, while willing to back their songs, have run head- on into the problem of what con- stitutes a plug campaign. It's al- ready accepted by publishers that radio remotes have lost their im- pact and that radio commercial shows are more important for the performance coin they provide than for actual exploitation methods. As for television, it’s still, in the main, ari unproven exploitation field. Most publishers today have been convinced by the methods exempli- fied by Howie Richmond that the key to exploitation is disk jockey contacting. Richmond, who former- ly was disk promoter, applied this method almost exclusively to his publishing activities, with great success. He went after disk jockeys alone, disregarding radio and video plugs. In the end, he got more than his share of radio and teevee per- formances. The publishers, almost wearily, admit that with the proper record interpretation, a good song can be made a hit via the disk jockey. Most of the older, outfits, however, aren't geared to this type of ex- ploitation' and won't be ‘for some time. Practically all of them de- plore the method, since it leaves judgment over the quality, of a song jto the deejay, in most cases a lay- man. But all the publishers admit that eventually they'll have to use that type of operation, unless tele- vision becomes a proven hltmaker* Kalmanoff will be featured tonight (Wed.) at Times Hall, N. Y. About half the tunes in the program are music set to the poems of Atra Baer, daughter of Arthur “Bugs" Baer, Hearst columnist. Miss Baer is Kalmanoff’s wife and is herself a reporter on the N. Y. Journal- Amerlcan. Also on the program are the song - cycle, “Metropolitan Folk- Songs," written by Miss Baer at her father’s suggestion and dedi- cated to him, and excerpts from the winner of the Robert Merrill opera contest, ““Fit for a King," music of i which is by Kalmanoff and lyrics by Miss Baer. Featured artists are soprano Nancy Kenyon and bari- tone James Beni, with Kalmanoff accompanying on piano. SPA Elects Alter Lou Alter last week was elected to the 21-man council of Songwrit- ers Protective Assn., replacing Ray Henderson, who resigned because of other activities. Henderson was reelected to a three-year term at the beginning of November, Suber Elected tsss Continued from page 55 jsaaiJ ure in the union’s ranks, was named one of the local's nine-man exec board. In getting elected, Arons received the second highest total, 4,700 votes. Cal Flelslg also blocked the incumbent sweep by being elected to the nine-man trial board. The administration also won the key posts of delegates to the next AFM international convention, with lucci and Stein getting the nod. luccl and Jerry Alexander were named delegates to the Cen- tral Trades and Labor Council, and Jack Fidelman was elected dele- gate to the United Hebrew Trades. • Less thdn 10,000 of the union’s regular membership of 30,000 cast votes last Thursday (7) but, the dis- appointing turnout was. ascribed to the bad weather. Although one of the BO voting machines broke down during the balloting, no other in- cidents were, reported in one of the most peaceful elections in the local’s history. Disk Execs, Maestri Named Judges In Nat’l Music Contest A number of top recording exec- utives and conductors have agreed to act as judges in the projected nationwide music contests being planned by Jack Robbins and Paul Whiteman. Under the plan, students in American high schools, colleges and universities would submit musical compositions, best of which would be published by a firm, as yet unnamed, owned by Robbins and Whiteman. Already set to act as judges are Whiteman, conductors Andre Kos- telanetz and Russ Case, and artists and repertoire men Mitch Miller of Coluhibia Records and Tootie Camarata, formerly with London. Currently being contacted on the project are Gordon Jenkins, Hugo Winterhalter and Mercury’s Coast a&r man,*Harry Geller. Project, according to Robbins, is to stimulate the development of authentic American composers. “With exceptions like George Gershwin and Rodgers and Ham- merstein we have no composers who have captured the basic folk melodies of the American spirit and culture. We’ve got men like Ferdl Grofe, Morton Gould and Leroy Anderson who have caught some of the American spirit, but their works aren’t basically drawn from folk lore and folk melody,” Robbins declares. “As fbr the more serious con- temporaries," he goes on, “they haven’t been able to cut their ties to European culture. Their music is still fashioned after that of Eu- rope. We’ve got to develop com- posers to write American music." Under the project, a prize would be given for three compositions each year, one for solo instrument, one for band ind one for orches- tra. More important, the works would be recorded and played, since recording execs and con- ductors would be sitting as judges. SHAKISFIARE ' "THE PLAY'S THE THING * PLAY Hear PHIL HARRIS on RCA Vidor recorded and featured b/ fRANK OE VOl A HIS ORCH. Copllol RICHARD HAYES— Kim KAtlEN Morcury THE INK SPOTS Oftcco HERB LANCE Columbia VAUGHN MONROE RCA Viclar MEL TORME MIllER MUSIC CORPORATION WediieeJay, December 13, 1950 '^lETT THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE FOR ml the DAVE B ARBOU R Qmiiel at the '< ■ World Famous in the AMBASSADOR HOTEL, LOS ANGELES \\ ^§1 % \ A V\ f / m •(■/M % y' ' lVav.* :>w^ k'S*-' '‘JV •'y I>A>X +<« V V/.SV.SV.%%N*.- \ ' JvrAV/.% •CSV'-' '4, 1\-- cn- ^•vya v.v. AON ;<.x;0 o> 4 U / r. ♦. , f ‘*A**'*N < y ** N .^y^.^^v?.v.'.>•.C^•;^v^X•{•.^v;•.v/;•. 4 «;^^^ s'-tv- N<' K!y»^^ Vv vS^- •'’■■ '■' •••y'-i-.-yx-- •••/.■,. s N ' , ^ ;a' < '' -f ''•■•••■ % ■ 'A +V . s * ,.s y ^ <.<.A ,\V ' .50 A, •(s s 5.5 y •.v.*.*.v.5'.vIi’Xvj!'X..svov ....... y V., \ ySy C V.'' ; • / - w „ r » . • t feel that Peggy Lee and the Dave Barbour Quartet have scored a great personal triumph in our Cbcoanut Grove." fv Ashton A* Stanley, Manager Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel Personol MonagSment CARLOS GASTEL D ■' e r 0 n m GENERAL ARTISTS CORPORATION 'mCma, G f'JGKAfi; i’'?si5en! fi' r 0 A i\ . H I r A K , l. ', T A ' ) , ’) • ". ' N ( INNA'' ■ I N 0 0 *i Press Relations FRAN JACKSON GENE HOWARD MILTON KARLE • 1 ♦ h ' t i C » * I • I 4 t. > 0'>' . ',r '*.< i’ ' / ORrnESTRAS-IMIJSlC Wednesday, December 13, 1950 On the New Yoi’k Number of publishing execs heading for Florida vacations around Christmas time. They in-' elude Jack Bregman, of Bregman, Vpeco & Gonn; Murray Luth ^of Paramount; Bernie Pollock of Mills, and Mark Schreck of South- ern. Songwriter Bernie Wayne off on South American cruise Dec. 21 . ; . Contactman Bob Baumgart switched from . Mutual Music to Chappell . Jack Osfeld, vet contactman, in Roosevelt hospftal with . heart attack, second in the oast couple pf years . . . Sam Donahue, with new band, goes into Glen Island nicago J See a Million People . , . . . . ; , . . . ; . , . .... . Mellin NBC will one shot Frank York ' It’s a Lovely Day Today— ’♦'“Call Me Madam” ...... . ... . .Berlin band from Porterhouse of Hotel • Looks Like a Cold Cold Winter ... . . . . ... . . ... . . . . . . . . .Lombardo Sherman on NeW Year’s Eve . . . ' Lucky, Lucky. Lucky Me . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . I ^Sahtly Bob Berkey band set for Casa ; Nevertheless— t“Three Little Words” . . , /. Crawford Loma ballroom; St. Louis, Dec. 10 Orange Colored Sky ... ... . . . . . . . . . . ... , . . ; , .... ... . .Frank for two weeks I . . Charles Grean^ Patricia . . . . .... . . . . . . v . .... ... .... ....... ................. . BVC Victor topper, in town on Idokover Petite Waltz . . ....... . . : . . . . . ..... . . . . .... .Duchess . . . Lawrence Welk band set to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer . . v . ................. St. Nicholas play Home Show. Daven^rt, Ta., silver Bells — t“The Lemon Drop Kid” . . . ... . ... ... ...... Paramount Feb. 13 for five days . . . Bob MU- otpi-hridP X ^ ^ Mills ler, head of contactmen s union, Waltv Aoiiff-Rose in for huddles . . . Eddy Howard rpt,,-- Z’ r’haeo hrtfol T.nilic: A OC 1 Hmg ............. ............................ 1101115 ‘RH’ Logging System Louis Armstrong set for a one- a r ® recK-. nighter at Stanford, Feb. 2 . . • ! ° n ' I, Red Ingle orch started indefinite A Marshmallow World stand at Charley Foy’s San ' Fer- Autumn Leaves . . . hando Valley supper Club . . . Best Thing For You— band to Chase hotel, St. Louis, Hollis is the instrument I’ve been waiting for,^^ Lawrence Welk the “Champdgne Maettfo” Dersi fo7 thre; we^^^ Thinking of Jou-r‘Three Little W ^ro\v0i* I^0Oords toppGTf \V^ri0r0'U,o X Cjo j loxn jToli . t « • * •.* • • # # X0t0(X orchst0r • • IVIjHim- sit , Christmas • t,* .# • • ♦ • • • • * • .. ^X0rliii[ cocktail party . . . Don Reed band You Love Me--1“West Point Stpiy” . . Witmark to Peabody hotel. Memphis, Dec. You’re ; Just In Love— ’♦'“Call Me Madam” . . ... . . . , ... . . , . ... . Berlin 10 for three weeks. He follows at ■■ — ■ Music Box, Omaha, Jan. 17 for Second Group one week, then to Rice hotel, Accidents Will Happen .......... ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... Burke-VH Houston, J an. 26 for one month . . . Be My Love — t“Toast of New Orleans” ........... . . ........ Miller Harmbnicats set for Club Lido, Dream Awhile ........................ Miller South Bend, Ind., Dec. 11 . . , Leo j Am Loved— ■♦'“Out of This World” Pieper currently ,u} i'r Always Love You— ^1“My Friend Irma Goes West” ...... . . Famous Get By-1“I’ll Get By” . . . . Bourne of Denver named veepee ot Amei- i « r lean Music Conference. Outfit, to ^ • * • • ’ ‘ ' * • * * * * ’ * •••*•• • • • • • • | • • • • Disney stimulate music consciousness, is Jr*?, ‘ ‘ VuV/r‘ ' VV ' ‘ 4 headed by Louis LaMair , , . Max Life Is So Peculiar 1 Mr. Music ..... . . .... . . . . . Burke-VH Miller held over for four more Mona Lisa— t“Capt. Carey, USA” . . , . . . , . Paramount weeks at Vic’s, Aurora, III. Nobody’s Chasing Me — ■♦'“Out Of This World” ............ . .Chappell — Oh Babe Alamo , rfc* 1 V Rainbow Gal .Jefferson xlttsburgn Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Feist George Shearing Quintet booked f .■.■.■.•.■.•.V.V.'.' V.' • •.•.• • • ' ' WUma^k resuuWheir"“?Srding sessiLl To Jhink y^“'ve C^,Me^ , . ^Valando with A1 Morgan during his en- I*^^Sm3Lon Out Of This Woild .....Chappell pfaGfpmpnt two months aco at Winter Wonderland . . .■ ,BVC Pittsburgh Liberty week of Jan. 15 . . . As a result of their recording sessions with A1 Morgan during his en- gagement two months ago at Copa,. Bill Bickers 'Starliters, fea- tured at Shamrock Room flew to New York last week to cut 20 more to be used in fhe forthcoming A1 RCA Fetes *25-Year Club’ I t Filmusical. * Legit Musical. "Vn RGA ' Victor held , its annual also scheduled to do some addi- , . ^ ^ tional waxings with teevee and shindig In Camden, N. J., last Sat- existed. Consumer reaction, he RCA Victor held, its annual said, will be highly unfavorable, indig in Camden, N. J., last Sat- An added factor, of course, is the recording name after the holidays urday for members of the “25 year increase being planned by . . . Robert Norris band opened in- pi,,u m r-_ pmninvppt: whn *iuw, wmeu definite engagement at William Giup, tor which employees who may bring LP prices back to their Penn hotel’s Terrace Room Thurs- have been with the company for previous level at least. day (7), replacing Joe Sudy outfit. 25 years or more are eligible. Some ■ , - . ^ the platteries right now, which Latter goes into Statler, Detroit, new after some one-nighters . . . Pat tijig year. McCauley threesome into Bill ^ Green's Cocktail Lounge for two weeks ... Luke Riley, pianist and conductor of Casino house orch, is jobbing around until burlesque Mary IV 100 new members were inducted Mary Mayo’s Longhair Jhis Yesr A NEW AND jobbing around until burlesque Mary Mayo, new Capitol Records resumes t h e r e at Christmas time pop vocalist, will pull a switch . . , West View Park picked up Sunday (17) when she appears as Xavier Cugat for a one-nighter last soloist in a longhair concert at Friday (8) at the last minute oh his Carl Fischer Hall, N. Y. way back to New York, BEAUTIFUL VULETIDE SONG Cleveland III LP Price War || Russ Carlyle’s Capitol-recording ^ ^ I orch moves into Hotel Cleveland’s ■■■■■■ Continued from page 55 u ... p Bronze Room Dec. 26 for first j^g to hold the price line, at least for the moment. although he has played all the ball- __ , j , rooms here. Replaces Billy Macy s and Gimbel s, plus a Bishop’s band, which heads for number Macy’s and Gimbers, plus a other department Lawrence W dk, shown here at the console of the newWurlitzer Organ recently purchased Jor his homey is cunently featured on the Miller High Life program y ABC network, “It^s a wonderful instrument, skid Lawrence Welkj “the first organ Lve ever played that permits s6 many of the Vhamp^g^^c' effects I like to put into music. * “Its lively action, range of tone and great variety of orchestral voices make it a kplendid instrument for the professional, an ideal choice for places of public entertain- ment. Ireally enjoy playing it at home.” See and hear this new Wurlitzer Organ. Two full 61-note keyboards, 25-hote pedal clavier, more than KKX) differeht tonal colors. And it’s the lowest-priced standard two-manual organ you can buy. The Series 30 illustrated is only one of the complete line of Wurlitzer Organs. When are you going to hear them ?_ : r— — — — : ^ j The Rudolph Wurlitzer Conipany | WuRLrlzER c'ri"”'’""''””-"''- . 1 World's Largest Mokers of Organs arid Piarios Send me free illustrdted and descriptive I ' Under One Name j booklet on the Wurlitzcr Organ. ' j • I Natn«_^ - ■ , 1 Forcompleteinformationy ! • ct; » | ^ mail the coupon, ' j ^ — "i!); • : " ■ — — j j City Zorio-. ^ Statu | *■ ' ' - A. Galveston . . . Bob Manners’ four- stores; Davega and Vim’s and piece combo into Eddie Sindelar’s other chain stores are among those Skyway Club, for winter, with selling at discounts. Stores, while Charlie Barrett’s unit doing week- not advertising the price cuts in end dances , . . Glovers-Shore Trio newspapers, have posted signs in plus Gloria Gale, doing a vocal single, brought in by Theatrical their stores. Some stores, in ah effort to compromise the situation, Grill . , . Abbey Albert’s orch tak- are offering discounts to quantity ing Jeanne Harvey, formerly singer purchasers. in Horace Heidt’s road show/ to a Hotel Syracuse, Syracuse, Dec. 16 % after closing at local Statler Ter- organization would not cut its race Room, prices. Asked if Liberty would • ’ - • . • lower prices If the pressure be- came too great, he replied, “We’re Kansas City not anticipating anything. Weil eu ; 1 . ' see what: happens.” Willic Shore plays a xreturn en- ^ i gagement at El Casbah, Hotel Bel- Department and^Chain store com- lerive, following Liberace; he opens petition should the cuts last, is Dec. 15 . ; . Liberace takes off for virtually certain to force the small- the Coast and a holiday vacation er shops, most of whose income Is before returning to TV dates in .derived from record sales, to lower New York and a stand at the Hotel their prices. In fhis respect, how^ Waldorf-Astoria beginning late in ever, one diskery chief pointed out January . . . Clyde McCoy closes that the cuts may backfire Ih view at Hotel Muehlebach here Dec. 13 of the fact that the vinylitd situa- and moves to the Trocadero, Evans- tion is approaching a critical point. He declared that in a couple of months, supply (tf vinylite, basic atre dates in the midwest before ineredient of the TP mav heading for Florida and a six-week stand at Club 86, Miami . . . Ter- race Grill of the Muehlebach has ^o meet consumer, demand- for lined Up . Bernie Cummins, Griff Williams and Joe Reichman bands Then, he asserted, the retailers in succession for its bandstand, dur- will not only ha Ye to push up their ing next couple of months > ; .^prices, but may have to push them Kansas City Willie Shore plays a ^return en- gagement at El Casbah, Hotel Bel- Wednesday, December 13, 1950 P^lETt VAUDEVILLE 65 New York bonlfaces expect New + Yrar’s eve business thtejear to be! „ar with lost Sut or near sellout crowds de- snite some drawbaclcs>^ fSording to cafetoen that the eve f, on a Sunday night wiU.npt af- the celebrations. “Peopie won’t be working on the holiday. so why Should that make any dif- ference?” they ask. They admit dtturday night (30) business may drop some, as many won’t go in for two nights of expensive enter- lainiivent in a row. Another obstacle is possibility that the New Year’s eve television shows may keep many at^bome,_ They feel, however, that New Year’s eve is traditionally an eve- ning for outside festivities and tra- dit ion will carry on as usual. . Keservations are coming in slowly, hut most generally come at the last minute. Prices will be on the same level as last vear. The Gopacabana’s tar- if! will be $15, -$20, $25. .Same scale will prevail at the Latm Qu a rter. Versailles’ rates Start at $20 per; Leon & Eddie’s, $8, $10, $12; Diamorid Horseshoe, $12, $15, $20. The Waldorf-Astoria hbters tVedgstood Room will start at $20. In addition, hotel will open its Sert Room and will hold celebra- fions in various cafes throughout the hotel The Blue Angel’s mini- iniim will be $20. , Deposit Insurance Tri all cases, , the price in- cludes supper , and a drink. The majority of niteries are asking either advance payments or sub- stantial deposits before okaying a reservation. The Riviera. Ft Lee, N. J., will relight for the eve only. Place had been damaged con- siderably during the recent gale, I\Iost of the windows were shat- tered and it will take consid- erable coin to put it in shape again. Loss w'as covered by insur- ance. Last year, the spot didn’t do too well on its holiday take. This year a more concerted effort w ill be made to fill the room. Canzoneri, Plant Split With Adams, Form New Trio With Lou Nelson Vaude team of Joey Adams, l\Iark Plant, Tony CanzOneri was dissolved last week. Adams ..will hereafter w’ork solo, while Canzo- neri and Plant will team with Lou Nelson. Music Gorp. of America w ill continue to handle Adams, but new’ trio will be booked by the Ken- neth Later Agency. It’s been known for some time that the Plant ahd Canzoneri haven’t been hitting it off with Adams, primarily because comic’s radio activities don’t permit , him to take on too many other engage- ments, He’s Currently on the CBS Hirer, “Rate Your Mate.” Nelson, Plant & Canzoneri are rehearsing a new act, some of which has been written by Eli Baase. . Canzoneri & Adams had been teamed for about 10 years. Plant joined the act several years later, when they Were booked as tvyo sep^ arate turns into Leon & Eddie’s, N, Y. Trip w'orked put. various bits during that run and contipued to play jointly afterwards. Canzoneri is the fornaer featherweight chiamp. Theatre Wing Reviving Niteiy Talent Auditions; American Theatre Wing will re- vive its talent auditions for agents, bookers and cafe operators. ATW, which held its first audition some years ago, started preUmihary au- ditions yesterday (12), Judges of acts to take part In the fihal showcasing will be comic Mervln Nelson, who directed “Tick- ets Please;” comedienne Nancy Anr drews and dancer Zachary Solov, Takeover of Paradise, N.Y., For Theatre - Restaurant Monte Prpser is mulling takeover of the Paradise, N. Y., as a theatre- in-the-round for the presentation of operettas arid musicaT comedies. Proser, who retains an interest in the Gopaeabana, N. Y., has been seeking a site in which to stage full-length musicals in a nitery op- eration. At one time he planned leasing the Rainbow Boom, atop RCA building, N. Y. but deal was negated by longterm lease to tHe Union News Co. Should Proser acquire the Paradise, he plans to incorpo- rate both cafe and theatre fea- tures into the venture. Proser would charge an admission of $3 and would run two shows nightly. He’s long been interested in openiiig a cafe with a music comedy and ballet entertainment format. If Paradise dpal goes through, it would be Proser ’s second Broad- way cafe venture, other being the Beachcomber. Paul Schlosser, A1 Beckman and Johnny Pransky, who operated the spot at time of its foldo, had planned to reopen cafe in time to cash in on New Year’s Eve business, but it’s now unlikely theyTl go through with it. B&P are currently oc- cupied with the handling of the Liquor Industries 13-day cruise to start out Jan. 18. They're book- ing the cruise and talent for the N. Y. Metropolitan Liquor Dealers Assn. Walters Sets Tour For Latin Quarter Unit Lou Walters' “Latin Quarter Re- vue,” a touring cafe unit, opens at the Lookout House, Covington, Ky., Jan. 15 for four weeks* It follows with the Desert Inn, Las Vegas, Feb. 21 and the Riverside hotel, Reno, March 20. Other dates are being set to follow. Unit will include Frank Libuse, Margot Brander; Kanazawa Trio, Hurricanes (4), Ralph Young, Toni Carroll, Piroska, and a gal line of: 15.. ■■ i$h From Hotels Trouble over the clubdate code is brewing b'etween the American Guild of Variety Artists and Artists Representatives Assn, and Associated Agents of America. Union is currently refusing to give the agents of both these organiza- tions the same deal recently given to the Entertainment Managers Assn, because of the contention that the members of former groups are agents and not producers of clubdate shows. Union is demand- ing individual contracts plus a $1,000 bond from each agent. ARA and. AAA have been hold- ing a series of meetings in an ef- fort to resolve the situation. Prior to the confabs, ARA sent out a directive to its membership urging individual agents not to pact for the deal. So far, all agents with one exception have been adhering to 1 ' the ARA dictum. Single exception is Benn Paust, a percenter who was said to be forced into signing in order to go through with a show booked for a shindig by a retail clerks' union. AGVA threatened to stop the show and had the backing of the auspices. Consequently, agent had to accept AG VA’s terms in order to play the date. . Golden Gate, S.F., Trying Spot Vaude San Francisco, Dec. 12. ‘ The Golden (Sate theatre, here has set two spot shows. First will be headed by Freddy Martin Orch, starting Jan. 18, aiid ; other will be built around singer Billy Eckstine, Feb*; l4. - • Both displays have been booked by Dan Friendly, BKO talent pac- ter in New York. .Others are to be set depending upon availabilities. New Horseshoe $^w May Decide Future Of New York Mimi RenzeU’s Heavy Disk, Nitery, TV Sked Mimi Benzell will cut her first two albums for Decca prior to hef engagement at the Palmer House, Chicago, starting Jan. 25. Former Mietopera singer Is also slated to do a repeat at the Radisson hotel, Minneapolis and has been pacted for a two-.week stint at the Thun- derbird hotel. Las Vegas, as Well as an additional appearance on Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” and the Paul Whiteman Goodyear show. Miss Benzell has also been set for a series of concerts for Na- tional Concerts and Artists Corp., N. Y. CM’s EHA Niies A(^A lax, BomI on Chibdates Chicago, DCc. 12. Entertainment Managers Ass’n in a move to grant wider local auton- omy to members in smaller towns asked that local bookers in midwest centers appoint a candidate who will be bn the board of Chicago directors. In addition, designee will also be empowered to make deci- } sions on local matters between EMA members and unions. Some of the towns represented are New Orleans, Kansas City, Des Moines. EMA came out strongly against AGVA’S proposal of 10% tax on all dates, urging the national group to nix any such deal. It was also point- ed out that in Cleveland bnd Den- ver that bookers on clubdates were asked to furnish bonds by AGVA. Chicago agents, who book the ma- jority of clubdates in the country, said it would be Impossible finan- cially to guarantee salaries for these affairs. Paui Steffen Dancers, recently returned from an extended tour of Europe, will pl^ the Desert Inn, Las VegaSi Jan. 12. ACTS SET FOR PUERTO RICO The Caribe-Hilton hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico, opens its sea- son Dec. 26 with the Anita Velez dancers. Group will be followed by Miguelito Valdes and later by the Lunds. Bookings were set by Merriel Abbott, talent booker for the Hil- ton chain. The neW show preeming at the Diamorid Horseshoe^ N. Y., on Christmas night may decide whether the spot will renew lease which expires next September. The cafe, like many others, has been hard-hit during the current slump. Operator Billy Rose is expected to invest more heavily in talent in Order to make the new show a fair test of the spot’s potentialities for the next year. It’s likely that he’ll draw on name acts. Joe E* How- ard has already been signed and others are still to be pacted. A headliner is currently being sought. Rose, during previous slumps, has been content to let the Horse- shoe ride along. Because of the generally low cost of the show, losses haven’t been too heavy and prosperous periods counterbal- anced off weeks. For the greater part of its existence since 1938, the cafe has been a moneymaker. Whether Rose’s health will be A factor deciding the cafe’s future isn’t known yet. Boniface last week suspended . his syndicated “Pitching Horseshoes'*w> colqmn. which brought him $100,000 an- nually. Whether his retirement from writing activities indicates Rose will relax in other fields is a moot question. He still, operates the Ziegfeld theatre, N. Y., which Is currently bousing the legit hit “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” By LARY SOLLOWAY Miami Beach, Dec. 12, Annual cafe sweepstakes get* underway here this week (15) with as heavy a lineup of lures for the tourists’ buck as in previous years, despite fact that all gaming ca- sinos are shuttered. As U.sual, Copa City leads in< name buys (now that Beachcomber's Ned Schuyler has joined Murray Wein- ger in the C. C. bperatiori) with rest of the spots grabbing What availables are around after Copa has skimmed the top. First of the clubs to teeoff (15) will be Alan Gale's new Celebrity Club in heart of the beach. He’s chancing a new idea— Working himself with other ofay acts for the dinner show to attract the eonsiderablev f ollowirig he’s" built in the past two seasons. To get the tourists— ^as well as residerits —he's installing an all-colored show policy for the midnight ses- sions, acting as host rather than emcee. Initial lineup has himself and Freddie Stewart, plus a dance team for the dinrier session. At midnight Sara Vaughan and Negro talent takes over. On the same idea,. Sam Singer, Atlantic City op who bought Kitty Davis’, plans to reopen the place in mid-month as the Cotton Club, with an all-sepia revue featuring Marion Bruce, Lar- ry Steele, Jimmy Smith and others, plus a line. Copa City, bowing Dec. 21 will have Sam Levenson, Borrah Mine- vitch’s Harmonica Rascals, Copsey and Ayres, plus a lavish production setup. Other names to follow are Jimmy. Durante Dec. 29 for a four- day stay, then Jane Froman; So- phie Tucker, Joe E. Lewis and Billy Daniels on Jari. 20; .others tenta- tively set, if 'Clearance can be ar- ranged, are Danny Thomas and Tony Martin. Hotels' Competish From the hotel front, the Casa- blanca, opening the 20th with Sa- cassas prehr plus a name still to be set, will offer competish in a. 400- (Continued on page 68) Ohio Board Rules AH With Race Debbie Reynolds, Carpenter Team for Vaude Date Debbie Reynolds and Carlton Carpenter, Metro filmsters teamed in “Two Weeks With Love” and “Three Little Words,” have been set for two theatres' dates. Duo are booked for a 12-day stand at the Capitol, Washington, starting Dec. 30 and will follow with the N. Y. Capitol, Jah* 11 or 18 for two weeks. Deal was set by Sidney Piermont, Loew's talent booker, with Metro exec’s blessing. Carpenter returned to the Coast after being on location in New Hampshire for . Louis de Roche- mont’s “Whistle at Eaton Falls.” Kyle MacDonricli, songstress. Is scheduled to go into the Persian Room of the Hotel Plaza, N. Y., Dec. 21. Douglas Managing: Ripley Museuin in Florida Ed Douglas, former manager of Loew’s State, N. Y., has been named co-adriiinistrator of the Robert L. Ripley “Believe It or Not Museuiri,” St. Augustine, Fla. Other administrator is Ray Ettel, a vet film exhibitor* Museum was opened last week by the John Arthur Exhibitions, Inc. arid is located in Castle War- den, the former hoine of novelist, Marjorie Kinnari Rawlings. lie’s Houston Date ; \ Houston, Dec. 12. ; Julie Wilson opens a two-week engagement at the Emerald Room of the Shamrock hotel on Tues- day (19). Carl Brisson is currently at the swank spot Also new on the band stand is Nick Stewart orch, succeed- ing Henry King combo. : I Qi Forms Usual Advertising rates prevml Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 19 154 w. 4Atli HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yiieca St. CH1CA60 11 612 N. Mithlqon Av«* LONDON. W: C. 1 8 St. Martin's floca Trofolqar Square Columbus, O., Dec. 12. Decision of the Ohio;, Board of Tax Appeals that a county fair- grounds . partially supported by money from gambling cannot be exempt from property taxes is ex- pected to be studied carefully by county officials throughout the state. The board ruled on an applica- tion of the Franklin County Agri- culture Society for tax exemption for 1950 on the county fairgrounds at Hilliard, O. The group asked exemption on grounds that the fairgrounds is a public institution designed for public instruction, for education purposes and for promo- tion of agriculture. The board said that the fair- grounds was rented out for harness racing for 39 days during 1950 at a dally rental of $200, and that pari- mutuel betting is allowed at the racetrack. Board added, “If it (betting on horse races) has any education value it lies in the teaching that one cannot get something for noth- ing.'’ It ruled that the major use Of the fairgrounds is for the “pro- duction of income by renting it for horse racing” arid that it “permits gambling from which it shares in the profits.” Cafe License Suspended For Showing Stag Films ; St. Louis, Dec. 12. The liquor license of Arthur Cordie, owner of a smhll bistro in Belleville, 111., near St. Louis, was suspended for three weeks last week by Mayor H; V. Calhoun after complaints that immoral films had been shown in the place. Follow- ing the beefs cops visited the spot and later reported the films were shown several weeks ago in the presence of a group of men arid teenage girls. Cordie offered no defense at the heariftg. vTack Cathcart's Continental vocal quintet, begin an engagemet at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria ‘ Wedgwood Eoofti Dec. 28. 66 XIGHT €LU 1 t REVIEWS P^mEihr Wednesday, December 13, 1950 Ea^in Quarter, Boston Boston, Dec. 7. Bert Wheeler, Luba Malina, Hal LeRoii, Martin York, Arden- Fletcher Girls (8), Dave Lester Orch (8), Don Rico Quartet; $3 minimuni. Entertainmentwise, current lay- out stacks as pretty close to top of honp for L.Q. presentations this season, with three principals turn- ing in solid individual perform- ances to neat customer reaction. Bill gets off lively with solid hoofing of Hal LeRoy. who man- ages to retain youthful appearance and seems to get better each-time around. Guy is plenty nimble, his tap and soft shoe routines grab- bing good response. Bit of terping while sealed in a chair and fast jitterbug routine round out slick turn. Luba Mr.lina, sultry thrush, . in repeat here, whams across several effective special numbers, which she handles with sly humor. Opens with “I'd H^’-ve Baked A Cake” ala Berlin ard Lodgers & flammerstein following with a pitch for a well- heeled daddy, lyrics set to “You Can't Have Everything.” Also in- cluded are “I Love the American Man,” “Queenie,” the plaint of a hurley queen, and “Can"! Afford That Man,” Stint is solid all the v’ay. Comic Bert Wheeler, with his sandwich munching and laconic line of gab, grabs yocks teaming with LeRoy in a couple of zany bits. Winds with Miss Malina join- ing on vocal of “Einbraceable You” for hefty applause. The Arden-Fletcher girls cavort through several production num- bers aided vocally by Martin York. Dave Lester orch handles show- backing neatly, and alternates with Don Rico combo for customer terp- ing. Biz fair. Elie. “Jam” waxing slaphappy plucking, and Cozy Cole, ate drummer- man, paradiddles for boffos. Louis’ featured thrush, Velma Middleton, pipes a husky “blues,” sends customers in the Flamingo room with her “Big Butter and Egg Man” duo with Armstrong. In spite of some 300 pounds heft, gal terps into neat split finis to draw cheers from ringsiders. Mellow Armstrong trumpeting foregrounds n s e m b 1 e arrange- ments, drives combo homo on codas, while famous disk solos “Struttin’ With Some growly chortling of Barbecue,” “Blueberry Hill” earn terrif returns and beg- off. Coast’s teevee comic Pinkie Lee’.s, fir;:t turn is ringside rendez- vous with femme customers to get in some bussing during “Beautiful People.” He ambles on through set- up including “Life of Pinkie Lee,” followed by abortive xylophone whamming, to sock over a legit “Whispering.” Encore is terp sesh wilh comic inviting table sitters to name their poison. He offs to good rct'Jrns. Moro-Landis Dancers grab at- tention with Tiller skill under strobs. Costunies are standout.s. Garwood Van’s orch handl 3 show- backing neatly and plays smart' in- terim terp sessions. Will. (PALMER HOUSE) Chicago. Dec. 7. The RndeUs *(3L DeLeon & Craciella, Jon & Sondra Steele, Merriel Abbot, Dancers (10), Eddie O’Neal Orch (14); minivnim $3.50. cover $1. Eiiif^ruDI Room, llocastoii (SHAMROCK HOTEL) ' Houston, Dec. 5. Carl Brisson, Nick Stuart’s Orch; $3.50 minimum. Handsome and apparently age- less Carl Brisson opened in The Shamrock’s nitery, to provide the first Continental flavor since Hil- degarde appeared there a year ago. Brisson does a single, reminis- cent of a nightclub Ezio Pinza or a Scandinavian Maurice Chevalier. Despite the inevitable compari.sons, he has a style of delivery all his own which clicks particularly well with the older ringsiders. Brisson’s showmanship and per- sonality are tops. On a naughty number about a Texan, or the pert “Lillette,” he is entertaining. When he gives a helping of “Song of Norway” songs, or gets serious with “The Angelus” complete with bells, it makes for a neat change of pace. hand - shaking audience provides Show is a solid which holds the course of about the life. None special or The singer's rounds with the a nice warmup, hour of singing. audience all the way and sends him away to boff applause. Nick Stuart, in for six week’s during regular bandsman Henry King’s holiday tour of Texas, pro- vides faster tempo than the Emer- ald dancers are accustomed to. However, he sticks mainly to the “sweet” brand, interspersing sev- eral bouncy Latin numbers which are particularly good. His singers are Loraine Daily and Allen Simms, who vocalize Current offering here is slow, except during those turns in which ■ the fine hand of Merriel Abbott a.sserts itself. These are the two j production numbers, both of which ; arc deftly terped by her dancers , and colorfully garbed by costumer John Bauer. Headliners Jon and ; Sondra Steele open with a duet :of “Begin the Beguine,” then shift !to a couple cf parodies, one con- I corning video’s hampering the true InrwiiT-c^ rtf marUal love, and other advantages of married of the material is very new, Husband-frau team work for the I most part under a spot to give an I illusion of intimacy. It’s an under- I taking coziness tliat Mrs. Steele 1 doesn’t" come off. And her exag- I gerated attempts at continental I faire, in which she is obviously i aping finer purveyors of the art, becomes almost ludicrous. It’s only when the thrush plays straight with a “South Pacific Melody.” does she score with the seatholders. She comes back for a neat treatment of “Can’t Seem To Laugh Any- more” and “Dem Bones” which are solid. Pianist-S^cele has little to do. but rates good mitt with his 88ing on “Valse Durant.” Brother-.sister act, the Rudells score with some colorful trampo- line work. Gal augments brothers’ to little avail, but she’s sexy to watch. Team perform some stand- ard feats, then garner neat recep- tion at the close, after. one brother performs a difficult double som- mersaiilt through a hoop while jumping rope. It’s a sock closer. De Leon and Graciella rate nice response with some lively Latin terping. They're particularly adept with castnets. Though Miss Ab- bott’s production numbers have ap- parently been derived from other of her numbers, they’re both lively 5 0 *€loek, Miami Beach Miami Beach, Dec. 10. Phil Foster, Carlos Ramirez, Mary Kaye Trio, Frank Linale Orch; minimum $3.50. This mid-beach intimery has the best lineup of talent since appear- ance of Martha Raye some weeks ago. Although marquee values are not of the “big name” cla.ss such as lush mid-season shows project, the triple act idea is paying off. Phil Foster in the comedy, slot is well- known to the vacationers here. The easy working comic gets them from waikon with his amiable style and self-etl'acing manner. Depending on his former slick routines he’s solidly effective. He’s added some new stuff to his character types for potent results. Standouts are “how modern . Moms name their kids” and a panto on a sculptor designing a gal’s figure. Offs to heavy plaudit. s. Carlos Ramirez hasn’t been around since his appearance at the. old Copacabana (where, incidental- ly, Foster also made his last local showing). The voice and Latin charm are still potent. However, his penchant for straight series of slow songs, without regard go bal- ance. somewhat negates what would be smash reaction. 'Withall, he keeps them mitting via his wide range baritoning of “Gra- nada.” “Besame Mucho,” Caruso’s concert number “Sentimente” and Latino tunes. Almost cooping top honors is the teeoff act. the Mary Kaye trio. In- strumentally ( accordion, guitar, ukelele, bass and piano) they’re expert. Vocally, their harmonies are sure and colorful manner for iootimum reception. Added factor is ;the fresh and youthful quality, as well as inserting comedy biz in i their numbers. Miss Kaye is fea- j turod and wisely. Her vocals are jtopdrawer. and when she takes up. the uke for “Twelfth Street Rag” she wraps up and brings encore demand.s. Other highlights are “Harbor Lights” and “The Monkey Song.” Frank Linale combo ably. backs cap- Lary. Iru'in Corey. Marie McCurdy, Ct^r'^nce minimums $2, $3. €l, N. Y. Young, Ed Williams Trio; and fill the bill in smart fashion. ; walks off to hearty salvos throughout the evening, with spot-; Eddie O’Neal backs the show cap- lionr r»iifn nrti’c nt-irti’ trt ■n»»it?ort»,’r. .i i n light numbers Stanza. prior to Brisson s Fraz. ably i okay. and handles emcee chores Mel. factotum.” Latter is screwball turn with about income tax woes. Following a Jolson coupling on “Rockabye My Baby,” and “Swanee,” Price wends his show- wise way back along the years grabbing plenty of boffs from an impresh of Jessel and Cantor, tosses in soiTie hoofing to earn solid mitt on final bows. Dorothy Dandridge in black se- quins gown, opens the bill with a brace of nicely gauged tunes. Shapely sepia thrush, and a looker, scores with “Lover Man,” and “Something I Dreamed Last Night.” Between these, chirp tosses in a slightly blue “Mimi,” adds a touch of terping to put her oyer. Gal . draws plenty of attention, shows good training. She should. Her mentor is Phil Moore, who con- ducted opening night, got her off to a good start. Opener, Meribeth Old clicks in aero controtion atop a table, with patrons gasping and applauding simultaneously while she ties her- self in knots. Cover Girls raise and lower the curtain with a couple of chirp, terp routines. Sterling Young Orch backs okay, also providing dance tempos betwwen shows. Will. Cafe Gala^ H*wooil Hollywood, Dec, 7. Bobby Short, Robert Clary, Bev- erly Alber, Dmk Hazard and Julie I Jerome; $l,50-$2 minimum. The Village Vanguard’s operator, Gordon, who gave Irwin Corey his first major showcasing nearly a decade ago. has enlisted the com- ic to lift business out of the normal pre-holiday doldrums. It appears as though Corey is capable of turning the trick. He’s achieved I somewhat of a name status in the ! interval. His type of humor is ; especially appealing to Village ‘ habitues. Corey retuins here with virtual- ! ly the same act as on his first ‘ Vanguard stand.. The absent- minded professor characterization is still good fo'" laughs, and his act is most potent when he sticks • to that format. The professor gam- ^ bit has good comedy' content and it virtually slays the diners. His Fronch dissertation is also a potent : bit of bu.siness. But when he strays ■ into a Biblical discussion, he’s a [ bit off-ba.se. His discourse into Old , Testament readings is jarring and I not conducive to a nitery floor. AVith the elimination of that bit, ) his routine would put has zanyisms , on a much higher level. Corey was on for the better part of an hour , and despite his sole deflection, he ElaiiiiiB«$o Riii.^ Eas Vc^gas (HOTEL FLAMINGO) - Las Vegas, Dec. 6. Lo.vi,«; Armstrong's All-Stars (6) with Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Cozy Cole, Barney Bigard, Arvell Shaw,, Velma Middleton; Pinkie Lee, Moro-Landis Dancers (10), Garwood Van Orch (12); no cover, no ml 'imum. OoDlen. Roiio Reno, Dec. 8. The Continentals (6), Joe Cappo, The Kings and Their Ladies ( 7 ) , Dick Hyde, Les Parker’s Orch (6); no coiwr, no minimum. Just a.s Louis Armstrong sticks to tradition according to jazz, so does Hotel Flamingo adhere to their long-standing tradition — at least one fortnight yearly set aside for the king of trumpet^ and his all-star combo Appearance marks his second at this nitery within a 12-month frame, and he’s packing 'cm in. The remarkable Armstrong embouchure is still tough. He al- lows no’.'abberation from the New C)rleans jazz style within his select cii'clo, performs it faithfully toss- The Continentals, male quintent with their arranger-accompanist Jack Cathcart, are the solidest singing act Reno has ever seen. The fivesome open with “The Continental.” and slips smoothly into a French number. A classic intro takes them into nifty “Donkey Serenade,” and then a Gershwin medley of “Sum- mertime,” “I’m Bidin’ My Time,” “I Got Rhythm.” and “But Not For Me” fpr hefty returns. Encore with “Shiek of Araby,” “For Que” anr “Smitty From Trinidad” for additional plaudits. . Comedian Joe Cappo clicks with Top in c in gravel throated blucs'pathos ■ ^ab and imitations, topped^by vivid ! oldtimer in ann oarlby wit. 'impresh of Charlie Chaplin m a:p,.ip„ marquee show I 1 ^'^^'■^^ars hit high also. ! Toaverden flaunts a virtuoso contoured "St. James Infirmary”^ using drinking gla.ss in place of tium boll Kai'l Hines take the pop babul "Dewitehod.” makes it so' Mitb agile (uiing. Barne. Bigard’s iKHUd elarineting bubbles forth on. ♦Krt ^ Arvell Shaw rags' the bass alongside of Bigard on 1 scene from “The Gold Rush. who by a dance duo back log five girls w'ho are mostly just ornamental drapery for the Kings dancing. Latter get nice applause for a couple of slick acrobatic routines. pick Hyde emcees and handles a song in the opening stanza. Mark'. Miss batch while much Remainder of the show has been ; at this spot ai various times during !the season. Marie Young, who made la strong impact on her initial ap- ! pearance. reti:rn.s here for a week I until Hope Foye comes in. ■Young, in this instance, has a of unfamiliar tunes wdiich , excellently sold, require too ■concentration to provide relaxation. 1 A reshuffling of her catalog would . serve her more effectively. ! Balladecr Ed McCurdy, a hold- 1 over, seems to be improving. He’s i also revamped his repertoire con- siderably so that there’s greater all-around interest. The Clarence j Williams Trio showbacks capably ! and fills the dance floor. Jose. Jim Dalan, who took over this intime hillside bistro over a year ago when John Walsh moved down the Sunset Strip a piece to turn Dave’s Blue Room into the Deau- ville, has brought in Beverly Alber to accentuate the motif of keeping the customers posted on what went with Gershwin, Porter and Rodgers & Hart 20 years or so ago. Especially those songs that never became hits. It’s a bright device, and biz is good. Miss Alber, an alumna of Gotli- am’s Blue Angel, though possibly not summa cum laude, nonetheless di.spenses such items as “Little Girl Blue” and Joan Merrill’s hit, “How Did He Look’?,” in an in- gratiating fashion that fits right in with the Gala’s chi-chi atmosphere. She wmrks sans mike and displays a potent penchant for grabbing at- tention and holding it. Bobby Short, still the big draw after a 29-month run, keeps the nostalgia churning with “Harlem on My Mind,” “Who Cares?,” “Just One of Those Things,” “I Can’t Get Started With You” and the like. Sepia star takes over the joint completely with his breezy per- sonality, keyboarding and smartly phrased songalog, copied in many instances from old waxings (same arrangement of “Harlem.” for in- stance, as Ethel Waters’), but it’s all sparked w'ith his own brand of sharp song salesmanship. Robert Clary, gnome-like French import who has etched some arias for -Capitol Records, gives it all a Pigalle touch that pleases. Agile, rubber-faced singer bounces up and down in the small space al- lotted entertainers here and perches betimes on one of the twin Steinways, the W'hile doing a pleasingly assorted repertoire spanning “La Vie en Rose” and “Orange Colored Sky.” Owner Dolan emcees amiably. Dick Hazard and Julie Jerome 88 the accompaniment.s and between- acts ramblings on popes and semi- classics that call for w'eeping in the beer. No dancing. Mike. Tliunderbircl^ Eas Yega^ Las Vegas, Dec. 7. Mel Torme, Richard & Flora Stuart, The Romanos (3), Gil Johnson, Kathryn Duffy Dansations (7), Barney Rawlings, Normandie Boys, Al Pellegrini, Al Johns Orch (11); no cover, no minimum.' New show at this nitery with Mel Torme as topliner, along with its diversified bill, may fill up table gaps during the pre-Xmas lull nicely. Biz has been off for the past 10 days in several places up and down the resort hotel strip, prompting some bonifaces to ride out the annual lull with medium budget shows. Thunderbird’s out- lay however, seems to be generous and will garner enough midweek support from townspeople to keep it in the black. Youthful Mel Torme returns after interim of nine months to this same room. He’s more stylized, nevertheless, and ignites plenty of spark. Cognoscenti go for his hep way of bending musical phrases, his keen ear and sense of that beat even on a ballad. Lukewarm viewers might cavil with h)s hand flipping and sometimes contrived mike stance. In spite of , differ- ences. Torme can sell a song — does sell, and that’s aplenty. After warmup “Wonderful You,’* The Fog revives “Nevertheless,’* gets gabby on intro to “Let’s Fall in Love,” but punches lyric in- nuendoes over for ribtickling re- sponse. ' “Blue Room” is surfeited with 'Torme’s brand of breathless- ness, while “All of Me” switches to pixie. Sender is his own “Xmas Song” with nice tribute to Nat “King” Cole; then into “Jamboree Jones” complete with college boy props, for a begoff. Richard and Flora Stuart, terp duo, win favor with first two whirls, but really sock over with “Bolero Cape Dance.” Adroit twirl- ing of satin capes coupled with deft footwork sells act big. Openers, the Romanos, are des- tined to be a sleeper and will cause favorable buzzing around town. Their jet-propelled setup of aero comedy stuff is a reminder of Les Charlivels. However, Romanos seem speedier on many Similar flippings. Injection of slapstick aids setups, with constant motion keep- ing customers eyes rolling. Act isn’t content to let the heartstop- ping three high and forward fall close the turn, but go on for hand and chair balancing, flipovers, half and double forward and back twists sans hand assist. Running applause throughout isn't dimmed at close, when patrons award hefty mitts. Gil Johnson’s terping aids Dansa- tions’ routines both times on. First is “On the Town” spotted from the Bernstein score in sailor, gal theme. Finale is holdover from last frame. Barney Rawlings’ emcee w'ork is favorable and in song chores with Normandie Boys on production numbers, Al Pellegrini, Torme’s pianist and cond\ictor, gives capable assist. Al Jahns pilots musicrew for other acts, lends okay interim tempos for dansapation. Will. RIu 4 » Room. X* O. (HOTEL ROOSEVELT) Now Orleans, Dec. 6. Joe Reichman Orch ( 14 ) , Con- i nie Haines, Bobby Laine & Claire, \ Sharkey’s Kings of Dixielhnd (6); , minimum $3. ; RoiiiHliin Rill.. Eas ■ (HOTEL EL RANCHO VEGAS) ! , Las Vegas, Dec. 6. j Georgie Price, Dorothy Dand- . ridge. Cover Girls (6), Meribeth Old, Sterling Young \ Orch (10); ,770, cover, no- minimum. name here is an biz, Georgie his admission and Price- rr., i rr,i - -r | mattor of rocoi'd , started singing The Kings and Their Ladies arc, and lioofing in Gus Edward’s Kid Cabaret. A great part of Price’s vocal and terp gesticulations con- sist of recalling those days. It all garners good reception. Price leads off with “Can’t Take it With You” and impresh of Pinza’s “Enchanted Evening” and garnering good yocks for “Largo al Ragatollo. Eoiiilon London, Nov. 29. Beverley Sisters. (3) Edmundo Ros & Rhumba Band, Arnold Bailey Swingtet; minimum $3. After a session of American acts, the Bagatelle is now spotting Brit- ish talent with a return booking for the Beverley Sisters, a chirp- ing trio who first played this cafe on their return from America some time ago. In style and presentation their act remains unchanged, but its content has been varied and some new s'parkling lyrics intro- duced. The Beverleys adopt a technique and treatment already made pop- ular here by visiting U. . S. acts. They harmonize effectively, score strongly with a few saucy numbers, but are somewhat out of their idiom on a ballad. In the first of their two spots, they tee off’ neatly with “Three Little Dreams’j and follow through with an attractive “Cruel, Cruel World” and “I Hate Men.” By way of variation' they contribute a “Cin- derella” medley which they recent- ly recorded for Columbia and wind with “Teasin, ” which is their best number. In their second show this tune is also their topper, proves to be a repeat but they also score with a punchy '‘Only for Ameri- cans,” The Arnold Bailey Swingtet pro- vide nice backgrounding. Edmundo Ros crew handles rhumbas expert- ly. Myro. Current bill has plenty of sparkle, although leaning heavily on the musical and vocal side. Tlie rollicking Joe Reichman’s adroit pianoing sparks, it and gen- erates plenty of audience enthu- siasm. There’s never a letdown from the moment he takes over to emcee proceedings until the finale. Leader is great favorite here.. He’s a past master at making the customers feel right at home. His nimble-fingering at the keyboard impresses, while the rhythmic quality of his band keeps the floor crowded with dancers. The Reichman crew produces sweet, dreamy Latin and bouncy music with equal ease but does j\ot indulge in the urge to smother a melody unde.»' weird arrange- ments. 'The bouncing maestro’s handling of the group is expert and the way he keeps the cus- tomers happy is a tribute to his warm personality and showman- ship. Topping the floor shows is viva- cious Connie Haines, al.so paying a return visit to the Blue Room. She is a singer v^hose evident enjoy- ment of her work is communicated to her listeners. Thrush was given an excellent reception. A dynamo of vitality and a top song stylist, the winsome gal clicks with “Keep Your Sumyside Up,” “T Can't Give You Anything But Love,” “Choo, Choo Idaho” and “La Vie En Rose.” Bobby Laine and Claire display versatility and agility in a fast- (Continued on page 68) Wednesday, December 13, 1950 row «!«• « «« *5: croud to the consents Wais5ll2J ^dom... °^‘» flu. tfM ta — n iaJKSS!-* ^ ^ jgSiBfle I Jane •.. i« ni\\p. linw^f® l Vocnrit de PSd^i^ of Paris Becomes y / fov r?^(B /i"’*»S»""V"' *• •S*o ‘^"7 M'££"5' "• '“'Ss/ I ^houift ^tjd Af P^hip has J con^o7^5?<* pfe ' ' Wee f '"catin? ".fW rt ^^orga"^ aod J 1 ED SULUVAK, *'«Toast of the To«n \ Sunday. D««"’^' ' ^lately Sign®'* 1 \ Guest Shots'. \ s • Gowns, by ALWYNN • Special Material BUD REDDING ■Sv ■S'.'nSs Booked for 2 WEEKS and HELD OVER FOR 8 WEEKS MAISONEHE Hotel St. Regis, New York Exclusive Mgt. BARRON POLAN 444 MADISON AVE. NEW YORK 68 VAUDEVILLE Wednesday^ Deceitibei* 18, 1980 Intornaiional Ice Revue , ure skating champion and later * Trov Dec 7 I featured in "Howdy Mr. Ice” at Troy, Dec. 7. Inte f national Sports ptesentcition Center Tlieatre, N. Y., shares of revue in two acts. Stars Eileen honors mth Seigh; features Jerry Reh field, Bob of the Whites, Rehfield and Brand- & Peom/ Wliite, ^ddie Brandstetfcer, I stetter. Miss Seigh appears four Leonard Furnas, Nick Dantos, Bob- j times: as^ihe Snow queen m the by DuRav, Johnny Flanagan, De OPenmg "Frozen Fantasy with Witt Twins; production planned by ' Rehfield in a ‘dream waltz cli- Miss White and Rehfield; dioreog- j maxing the first.half closer, Stire raphy and staging, Dorothie Little^ : De . Vienne”; in a tambourin uum- « •‘vr* : AGMA Sets Stars for Its Annual Benefit Concert Imogene Coca, Todd Duncan, Robert Mefrillr Dorothy Kirsten, Gladys Swarthout, Patrice Muhsel, Yehudi Menuhin, Elisabeth Schu- Night Club Reviews iCohtimied from page 66; Hliic Room, O* mnnb fiance turn that includes SV^will^heaS^ intricate tapping, acrobatic and , Reiner uill heamine _ann^^^^^ rniiH adagio routines for good results. S I As an added attraction, Sharkey j of Musical Artists at the Met Opera ; Bonano and his Kings of Dixieland I House, K. Y.,- J aur 7. . Umoh is pro- ; uand practically bring down the ; moting the event under title of the jjQ^gg with rousing examples of ‘Concert of the Year.” Others to appear include Eugene genuine New Orleans jazz. The sextet has feet stomping all over field; costumes. Miss White and Mrs. J. E, .Luffman; setting, A, Butterworth; lighting, J. William Butterworth; musical director, Ed- die Ackland. At R.P,I. Field House Troy, Dec, 5, ’5(1? $3.60 top. her for “Gypsy Reyelry,” and as leader of promenade at end of closing “Canadian Hoe Down” — there are 21 on the ice for former, ' ‘‘Hoe Down” is not the fla.shiest ! bit, but it gives the line the best opportunity for precision skating, Conley, Thelma Votipka, Fedora I the place. They open in chorus, Barbieri, Cesare'Siepi, Gyorgy San- tpass the solps around and display dor, Aldo Parisot, Elena Nikolaidi and the Philharmonic Piano Quar- ete. Deems Taylor will be emcee and Wilfred Pelletier musical di- rector. .. plenty of drive With "When the embarked on a show-plus-dancing, no cover, no minimum policy, ap- parently hasn’t been able to establish a set entertainment pat- tern for itself. Room used two combos and a singer in its first show of the season; now it’s got two singers and a combo, plus a pianist and -organist. While the singers are a lad and femme and have different styles, and while their stints are broken up by piano an(P organ solos, the wisdom of rhythms. ‘‘Pork Entertaining though not preten- : and draws heaviest applause. Miss tious revue is the realization of an,' Seigh, blonde, adept and daring, idea which White and Rehfield : is a, fine performer. Her figure formulate last spring at the con- j Work is splendid; the spins and elusion of a Canadian and New , twists, including one-ancl-a-halfs, York State tour with Barbara. Ann rare arresting. Miami Scott in "Skating Sensations of 1950.” A number of the principals appeared in that show, Rehearsed last summer, at Cobourg, the troupe has been playing the smaller spots' in Canada for three months; Troy is the only A^meri- can engagement booked; Quebec Good looking, California-born , Rehfield does a reasonably spec- tacular ‘‘Serenade” .in “Soiree” I before joining Miss Seigh for slick ; team skating. He also registers ; solidly as "Caravan Master” ih ■ "Gypsy Revelry,” and in dress ' elbthes, with Leonard Furnas (an-, Continued from page 6 seatci' iiilery. On the agenda for Saints Come Marchin’ In," “Hada- 1 booking is dubious. col Boogie” and other two-beat The sirigersi both of whom are good and show promise* are Jail Chops” and "Kidney Arden and Joan Kibrig, who are I Stew,” colored dancers featured ■ reviewed as New Acts. Vocalists I with Sharkey, Scored heavily with are accompanied by Ram Ramirez, I their footwork and patter. iwlio also does a solo piano stint j The Reichman band also makes and shares the intermissioning with i some outstanding musical and vocal , organist Milton Page. Ramirez en- j contributions of their own. open with ear-caressing seawi .from "South Pacific,” and close • sbovv With a stirring musical trib Ute to George Gershwin* is to follow. Rehfield said that ! other capable icer' as Debonairs ' "International Revue” is a co-op ! in "Rhapsody in Rhythm.” The Whites score in "Poetry of ; Motion” and "Dan.se Rituelle. de Feu.” Man is a fine skater and Superb understander. Woman does | breath-catching dips, swings and ; spins, including an attention-hold- ing one-arm pivot. Theirs is an ^ outstanding act. Brandstetter, | talented acrobatic skater comedian, : pairs, with Furnas for a humorous , “A Hunting We Go” bit after the ; opener. He also performs in the j neat "Studio of Dance” number, which dovetails into “Ballet Blah,” I venture, one of the few in the field. A small audience ih the spacious Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Field House the second night of the engagement warmly received the 105-minute show. It lacks the size, elaborate ^ production, spec- tacular costuming and brilliant lighting of better known ice dis- plays. In spots at least, the pres- entation also lacks their speed, sureness and. precision, although the unusually large RPI rink may contribute to this impression. The a Cole Dancers and Gloria DeHaven. Saxony hotel will feature name orchs such as Miguelito Valdes, and Teddy Powell. Plan now is tb try to book in solo star .attractions. Same idea is being used by the Sans Souci hotel, where Jose Cur- belo is current, plus acts. Harold Minsky ; has leased the Capacity biz when caught Oval RotNiii, Bostou (GQPLEY PLAZA) countered a bit of trouble in his medley l accompaniment of both singers, close but this will probably be ironed out with work and rehearsals. Page, who tries a little too hard to dress Up his arrangements, is a bit . too loud for the small room. He would do well to soften his volume arid play his tunes a bit, more simply. The Spotlighters, an instrumen- Liuz. Boston, Dec. 8. i Margaret Phelan, Eileen & Gar- ■ tal trio comprising guitar, bass and ver: Harry Marshard Orch '( 9), ' vibes, do their own stint and sup- Beachcomber from Ned Schuyler ^ yai/lor Trio; c er $2-$2.50. ply the dance music. As a dance and preems his glorified burlesque ^ ^ unit, their rhythms are a bit too (same unit vvhich clicked in Las Margaret Phelan, with new rep- 1 . the two-Step side; and Vegas in recent weeks) the 19th, 1 ertoire stressing special material, I Hiough brisk, lack smpothne.ss. ‘ - Their feature turn, in which they play with phosphorescent effects on instruments and gloves, is colorful. Show as a whole indicates a com- .jplete lack of organization and di- ROY DOUGLAS show, however, has a group of , Purnas and Oscar Dussault. . talented principals, who perform | second half Brandstetter cuts ! with skill, polish, daring, enthu- ; loose in "Ten Too Many.” aided by ! siasm and good humor. The hue j ^yj.jO keep him put i —12 girls and four buys is not of focus, for laughs, ! /nTetev ''' others coming through nicely ^ M’iss Seifih fdrmer aWeur fig- ^ Santos, in a high-skating jyiiss t>eign, lormer amateur ng [ routine, Bobby Du Ray. in hand- ; stands, flips and somersaults titled , "Jack in the Box” De Witt Twins; j Jack Flanagan (unprogrammed) in I a funny "Charwoman” solo spot. ' Farmerettes in "Hoe Down” are:. Roslyn Mc([jleary (captain), Shirley ; Andrews, Shirley Luffman. Marga- ret Chenier, Maureen Nicholas, ■ Grace Wood, Monique Metiyier, Irene Luteck, Betty Shand, Mar- , garet Goddard, Joan Skinner, June Solter, Jean De Witt, Joan De = Witt, Joan Hyland, Margarete . Chenier. Bill Cunningham and ! Art Nickolas also appear. Bruce Mapes, Jr., was an added ! starter in "Smooth Styling,” His ! skill and grace caught on. despite ; one ice^slip Mapes turned in ex- j cellent radio and television promo- tion for local date. Five traveling musicians, ba- toned by Ackland, supplemented by five locals play the score well. | Troupe ran into two bad breaks: ; heavy rain opening night and no : coverage by Troy or Albany pa-' pers. Extensively-equipped Field! House was a little bn the cool side ! during second half. Jaco. aiHl VICKIE "DOUBLE-TALK” Feoturing EDDIE-ECHO CASINO ThMtr* Toronto, Canada Manager: Matty Reien Puppet Artistry by SID KROFFT Opening December 14 TERRACE ROOM HOTEL New York • Clover Club has the Vagabonds, is in for *a two-weeker at this plush Rose Marie, and Gene Baylos for ; room, and is grabbing neat cus- Dec. 29. Jackie Miles Will succeed . tomer response for her vocal stint. Baylos in January on a 10 week | Gal, a looker clad in a svelte black deal Chez Paree reopens Dec. 29 j gown, with Max Furman and a modified : Tees off with straight version of ' rection, With Ramirez in the role hurley policy until late •B'teary, i “You Do '‘Somfl'ing to^Mc.” ~ when Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis : ;."l/ots several naughty. , ditties, fr. o vt/APif riip Tlipv ^3^ R^sioess Man,”“Love n Ko nn?v tnrf Jd ' I? H Cheat,” w h 1 c h she tabs a will be only top names featuied in -gypsy song to end all gypsy songs” that room. uoe Hie admonition to spinsters that Art Mooney bandleader, has j ..you Can’t Take It With You” and taken over^the La Boheme, foimer , self-styled guide for wives, casino, and rebuilding spot lor a | I Became a Hussy for My late December opening. Mentioned . jjysband.” Lyrics are cute and in plans for show policy are Gigi 1 saucy with customers plenty at of an emcee— -ra job he’s unsuited for— -cues were missed, spriie songs unscheduled, and the entire pro- ceedings marked by a looseness amounting to sloppiness. It's obvi- ous that someone is needed to di- rect the bill here. Chan. DUrston, Noonan and Marshall and j tentlve. Stint is interspei'sed with a disk jock broadcast. Mooney isn’t j change of pace vocalizing of stand- figuring on bringing his band in until he sees how the idea clicks. ards "Can’t Help Loving That Man” and "Woriderful World” which she Leon & Eddie’s is now featuring j handles in pleasing manner show- j the Ha Ha Club revue (feirime im- ] casing her classical training. Winds, personators) as is the Jewel Box, i with semi-operatic treatment of now at the old Frolics Club, with i "Lover” for neat bowoff. Jackie Mavc heading Show there, ; ^ Eileen and Carver, solid terp Intimeries such as Park Avenue d>io, open hill with three nifty rou- ; Club and Bill Jordan’s Bar of Mu- “"f winding with fast bolero, sic, both nioneymakei's, are doing I”®*® 1 :?!***''® s'ott m fn® 1, it-.-:.- UanU llIC well with their fresh young talent ! while executing a rapid Gets solid response. idea, buttressed by Joidan at his j Marshard orcli furnishes spot and vet (Charlie Farrell at the , backgrounding and purveys Park Ave. Rest of clubs around the j rhythms for customer dancing. Bob area are all pitching for trade via strip gals. There are some 20 of them in outlying and city locations, most getting by, and expecting lush returns when the tourists hit town. Hotel “cafes are expected to si- phon off a good bit of the early trade. But despite extension Taylor Trio fills lulls. Biz fair. Elie. RUSTY FIELDS - The One Man Show'' Now Apptoriiig with Mdo West in ‘^DIAMOND LlL’’ Direction: AL DVORIN 54 Wcit Randolph St.. Chicago FRankiln 2-4tl0 Bal Taliarin, S. E« San Francisco. Dec. 6. Flora Duane’s '‘Gambols of 1951” with Harry Savoy, Verner &; of [Draper, Cass, Owen & Topsy, Karl | hours by city offcials they still can ' & King, Bill Clifford's Orch (11); ! put on only one show nightly, cover $1. . i because of the law ♦ which makes one ayera the closing hour for mu- sic weekdays and 2 a.m. on Satur- days. . Copa City’s Suit Meantime, Copa City ops are ex- TlPlI tn PJlin ’ peeting hotel owners to join them l ieu lU UllUIC 1 lull I in {.Q enjoin the city from Skelton’s Midwest P.A.’s • Hollywood, Dec. 12. Red Skelton will hypo the initial midwest openings of his new Metro film "Watch the Birdie,” with per- sonal appearances. Comic has been set by William Morris office to open at the Loew’s State, St. Louis, for a week start- ing Dec. 28, and follow it with one* ; Week at the Chicago, Chicago; In I each case,, p. a. will coincide with I film bow. - allowing the new Municipal Audi- .j^ instances too fast-tempo torium manager to rent the place , in holding attention throughout. Show ranges from the The perennial quality of this miniature revue which, keeping abreast of changing moods, has evolved from the "Grandfather’s Follies,” produced in 1937 (an essentially Gay 90s compote) to the current Standard. "Ganibols” in its 51 minutes of fast moving — to private enterprise such as Au- ditorium Attractions, Inc., and oth- er organizations booking in "unfair competition” in the way of musical shows such as "Brigadoon” and per- sonalities such as Eddie Cantor. Walter Jaicobs of the Lord Tarle- ton waS: first to agree with .Schuy- DICK COURT and GENII SAUNDERS "Courtship in Song" New Hastings Theatre Vancouver, B. C Thanks to JOE DANIELS Placed by EDDIE SMITH OFFICES mildly funny to the gayly spicy, with an adequate display of gams to please the wine imbibers. There are 16 varied items in this melange, including dance routines with, eight girls and four boys, the roustabout ballrooming of Verner A BOX aUFICE ATTRACTION PLAYIXO MAJOa SPOTS Just concluded,- Chez Paree and Edgewater Beach Hotel. Chicago; Prince George Hotel. Toronto; Ed Sullivan's “Toast of the Town," CBS-TV. DANNY O'DAY "The Mahogany Kid” Assisted by JIMMY NELSON and. his new pal HUMPHREY HIGSBY^ OPENING Dec. 20— -Hotel El Rancho Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Jan. ' 11 — Riverside Casino Reiio. Nevada* P«b, 1—Clro’s— Hollywood _ and ROXY THEATRE, New York Mgt. LOUIS W. COHAN 203 N* Woboih, Chicago ler arid Weiriger of the Copa, and •& Draper, the knockabout comedy others are meeting with them to I bf Gass, Owen & Tppsy and the | discuss the problem this week. ! novelty ventroing of KaiT & King, j Laurence Schwab, co-producer with i “'ho manipulate six dummies : St. John Terrell of the Music Tent i ^ ! shows here (a click last season) en- j ! tered into the controversy with a ] humor is pleasant^ but ' statement that he believed, any sort | jacks f he verve which the revusical ■ of attra.ction should be booked into ! needs. In the effort to spark the the audithLium, on the theory that potential audiences for same tempo, at a racy clip some of the numbers are inclined to become HELD OVER ! ! THIRD WEEK OVAL ROOM COPUY PLAZA HOTEL BOSTON abound in the area especially the : jumpy, particularly the Floradora thousands who cannot afford a Sextette itern in Which smoother j nightclub but can pay to see a pop pacing would be more effective, j priced shov'. From lopks of things , This detail, however, is easily cor- 1 now, it adds up to solid publicity ! rectible and detracts little from i break fpf any amusement op in the [^be sum total which is, pleasing ' area who wants to get intp the act , “htertainniehl.^^ . | With the matter being, fought Put in L i ■ attractive, cpstuming the local press long before the i hv^^nni Music judiciary arrives at a decision. Hotel * «hnS i owners now have a heightened ! show and Lerping. terest. Most have signed with Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists for minimum basic wage contract, after stalling when the Guild reps first contacted them on the agreement ^ several weeks ago. All hostels now \ muVn in the entertainment busine.'ss, are Involved in such controversies. Ted, Sliolliiirkie Loiiiigo* X. ¥• (HOTEL SHELBURNE) Jan Arden, Joan Kibrig, The Spotlighters (3), Rani Ramirez, Milton Page; no cover, no mini- C A L L Want ait once — Girl musicians, all in- struments. Prefer those who double, sing harmony, both pop and Western (no hillbilly), .do specialties and dance> for compact variety unit. Must have youth/ be neat, and have TALENT. All intarviews New York City. Write C.A.E., Box iA4, c/o Variety, 154 W. 44th St., New York If, N. Y. Shelburne” Lounge, which has Wally Overman GAYETY THEATRE MONTREAL, CANADA WEEK NOV. 27 Mgt.: MATTY ROSEN, N. Y. P^fiiEfr Wednesday, December 13, 1950 NINO MARTINI Songs 40 Mins. Terrace Rooni, Clevelanil For supper club bow of Nino Martini , concert and former _ Met Opera singer. Hotel Statler shifted its nightly show schedule to^ 9: JO and 11:30 p.m. so that the compete p.m. SANDRA DEEL Songs 20 Mins. Normandie, Montreal Sandra Deel, from musicomedy ranks, makes her initial Montreal appearance in current Normandie layout. Gal has the voice and style that augers well for future riitery appearances; Well-groomed brunet has a freshness and ebarm that made her an immediate hit on opening night plus a set of pipes fable personality and nice ward- robe. , * i. Act constitutes yams and fast quips, most of which £§11 into the excessively blue category. He also , does a song bit about a kid hyp- ! notist that draws heavy mltting. Gros, JOAN KIBRIG Songs 20 Mins. ' Shelburne Lounge, N. V. Joan Kibrig, doubling at the Shelburne Lounge from the Shu- bert theatre, where she's appear- ing in “Kisi. Me, Kate,” is a natural for the intimeries. Pert blOnde, whose voice is tailor-made VARIETY BILLS WEEK OF DECEMBER 13 Numerals In connection with billi^below indlcatie opening day of thow whethdr full pr •plit week Letter In parentheses indicates circuit (FM) Fahehon Marco; (I) Independent! (L) Loew; (M) Moss; (P) Paramount; (R) RKO; (S) Stoll; , ■ Strand, ■ ^ N.' Y. ' While Lee Marx apparohtly has been around for some time, he isn’t listed in Variety’s New Acts file. Marx has a fine juggling turn, embracing most of the standard routines plus a couple that are Aarely seen. Following some routine pin and ball work which he enhances with a sort of droll- ery, he juggles pins while balanc- ing atop a large rubber ball. As a topper, he moves the ball up and dowii a see-saw and then moves DANNY CAPRI Songs 8 Mins. Strand, N, Y, Danny Capri youngster . with TWO BELLHOPS Songs-Instrumental 8 Mins., Apollo, N. Y. Decked out as bell-hops, this se- pia male duo, comes on with a gui- tar and bass fiddle for some okay tunes. Team augments with some light vocalling that adds to the act’s effectiveness. Make good ap- pearance with guitarist, especially, demonstrating some nimble finger- work. Ttines offered, all of which are given vocal accompaniment by the duo. are “Coquette,” “Tea For Two” and “In The Mood For Love.” Gros. RICARDO & NORMA is a personable | Ballroom strong, pleasant i 8 Mins,; Three voice and a feel for pop and show tunes. He’s the opening act on the Strand bill and clicks solidly. Sings a rousing“I’m Gorina Live Till 1 Die,” then into a deliberate ver- sion of VNevertheless.” He takes too many liberties with the lyrics and rhythm Of his closer, “All My Love,” however. Capri should stick to straight and simple arrangements on his pops. His selection of tunes as con.stituted is okay. He’s got poise and an easy movement on the stage. Right now he’s good bet for the better class vauders. Chan. Palace, N. Y. Ricardo & Norma indicate that they’ve been around for some time. They are experienced ballroomers with a good sense of values, hav- ing some good daiice designs iri the straight terp passages, sparked by good lifts and Spins. They’re nicely groomed and work hard, The gal sometimes ap- i Neai & Newington ' pears aloof.: A more relaxed stance would give a warmer aspect to the team. Jose. Flying^ Demos R.nnleighs Liberty Horses Oscar Spuds Co BRIXTDN Empress (I) 11 Pauline Penny Wally Dunn Les Biancas Brockways CARDIFF New (S) 11 Vic Oliver Steve Conway June Manton Dorothy Caston Sylvia Campbell Maureen Power Douglas Argent Ernie Brooks Laurie Watsoii Les Rayner Sc Betty Girl Friends I & S Davis EAST HAMPTON Metropolitan (I) 11 Jack Lewis Dawkes & Rose Melody 6 Arthur Knotto Pete Taylor Ralph Humber James Regan Eric' Marr I Bert Yates EDINBURGH Empire (M) .11 Joe Stein Max Carole . 7 Ashtons . Fred Sloan Jack Farr Ronni6 Stewart GLASGOW Empire (M) 11 Roger Smith Reid & Squires 3 LeKoys Jimmy James Co Jack Mllroy Mischa Auer Anpell & Brask 3 Adairs . HACKNEY Empire (S) 11 Rhodes & Lane NIPSEY RUSSELL Comedy 10 Mins. Apollo, N. Y. . Nipsey Bussell, Negro comic, seems out of element when play- theatre date. His material is mg a in and around' several posts set up strictly of burlesque wheel idiom bn the stage. | and unsuited for family theatre His work is characterized by ah : audiences. Russell would do bettor ease and sense of humor that sells confining his talents to local niter strongly. A good booking for any vauder. Chan. ies where he’d probably register strongly. Comedian presents an af- LOU WILLS, JR. Dance 10 Mins.; Two • Palace, N. Y. Lou Wills^ Jr.,, has been around for some years, but he hasn’t been recorded in Variety’s New Act files. He’s one of the better younger dancers, having a good conception of routines, occasion- ally spiced with humor and aero stunts to point them up. Wills has an amusing impression of Ray Bolger which is probably one of the best of the routine. He’s an energetic terper who should be good for most visual media, rose. Tony Vaughn Tommy Dee Caroline & Richards Parisienne Peaches J & A Grant LEEDS Empire (M) 11 Scott Senders Deep River Boys Delly Kin Max Bacon Swan & Leigh ! Noni Nlta Sc Dody Helga Barry CANADA Johnny Lawson 3 NEWCASTLE Empire (M) 11 Billy Cotton Bd Scott Sc Foster Leslie Sarony Forbutt Elizabeth Sc Collins Blllington Duo Marno Vernon Sis NORTHAMPTON New (I) 11 Sam Costa Nitwits Bobby Breen Curzon 3 Martell Sis Nixon & Dixon , Ron Parry Hamilton & Vassl NORWICH Hippodrome (I) 11 Jackson Earle. Valerie Sc Davis. Wallace Delise Sc Janet P & F Naylor Annette Duval . Gls Billy Eves NOTTINGHAM Empire (M) 11 Jackley & Jee Booth Sc Ziegler Jack Melville Suzettc Tarri Olga Varona Hei*schel Henlere Joe Black Carsony Bros Bebe & BeUe PORTSMOUTH Royal (M) 11 Maurice French Sc Joy Anne Shelton Floyd & B’Nay Charles Warren & Jean Roy Sc Ray Dolinoffs Sc Raya Sis Archie Glen Dick Henderson Henri Vadden Co . SUNDERLAND Empire (M) It Woods & Jarrett Eddie Williams Pep Graham SWANSEA Empire (M) 11 Eddie Connor McAndrews Sc Mills Eric Corrie Roberts & Phillips Paul Gomez Les Trois.. D’Artagnahs John Conie. Berry Cameron . Marie De Vere Lovlies WALTHAMSTOW Palace (I) VI Benny Lee Pop White Sc . Stagger Rihgle Bros Sc Renee Bega 3 Max Seymour Annette DUval Tp Terry Sfcott Harry Benet WOLVER. HAMPTON Hippodrome Madrid Baer & Rosenbloom Lily Ann Carol Roy Kirk Pupl Campo chve harmony. , r maturing a high tenor and a / l^. bass, gets strong applause i<>r Don’t Imok Now," “Lm So This is one of the few^ band shows that this house uses through- out the year. The only trouble with the package is there is too much extraneous material and not enough Ellington. As one of the few real jazz bands left, with each member of the band a standout soloist on his own, more ftf the Ellington library would certainly make for greater impact, Ellington starts off show with a medley of his fave tunes, but to the avid fans, it’s almost a slough- off, just a few bars of the com- I positions before segueing into the 'next number. However, it does 1 sdrve to introduce the members of 'the band. Joe Chisholm makes a 1 baton do tricks that a drum major i never thought possible, interpolat- ing a few dance steps as he flips I the wand back and forth. Hp gets ? big hand for his one-finger twirl- ing climax. j Johnny Hodges and Lawrence . Brown step down to pace each I other . respectively with sax and ■ trombone on “Sunny Side of the Street" for heat reception. Trumpet .section', five strong, come forward for “Blue. Skies" and Al Hibbler takes over the mike for one of Duke’s top compositions, “Do Noth- ing Till You Hear From Me." How- ievor, -vocalist is working under handicap of a cold, and doesn’t I get his usual warm mitt. He ; follows with “Supposin,” with band jamming behind him. Maestro takbs over at the baby gprid _with all the brass riding ^behind him for a “Happy Go Lucky” jam session. ' Howell and Bowser get laugh s by berating each other for attempts on the uke and violin. While the quips may be ' hoary they get plenty laughs with one of them scoring with falsetto rendition of “Stay in Your Own Back Yard" ' and “The Nearness of You." Off to nice returns. ! Sarah Vaughan, song stylist, swerves from her . idiom slight^ on bouncy opening number but get? back to it with solid “Summer- time." Niftily garbed songstress gets in more pop groove with “I Love the Guy," and then swings back with “Thinking of You" to her fans liking and cjosbs strong with bop treatment of “Perdido.’ Znbe. Musle Hall^ N. Y. “The Nativity;** **Stdrbright,** with Martha King, Bettina Rosay, Sharkey, Leonard Sues, Kanazawa Trio, Roy Raymond,' Rockettes, Corps de Ballet, choral ensemble, symphony orch directed by Ray- mond Paige; produced by Leon Leonidoff; settings, James Stewart M or com; "Kim** (M-G)i reviewed in Variety, Dec. 6, 1950. The Music Hall’s Christmas lay- out, like at Easter time and July 4, has turned into a traditional cere- mony for the clientele of this Ra- dio City showcase. For this holL day’s trade, the stage production repeats all the pomp and spectacle which has become typical over the years for this quasi-religious pag- eant. As usual, the show is com- posed of two parts. With the latter [portion switching to a more secular Xmas spirit. Framed by the customary elab- orate stage trimmings and the ' choral ensemble, Martha King i handles the soprano role in “The I Nativity," with Norman Wyatt act- ing as narrator and Raymond Paige j batoning the massive house sym- j phony Orch. Although repeated every year, this lO-minute produc- tion still has tremendous impact. For the hinterlanders who have never seen it before, it sums up all the technical wizardry and richness of which, this house is capable. ^ Second half of the show com- prises standard production items by the ballet corps, with Bettina Rosay as the ballerina in a Christ- mas card number; the Rockettes with some more of their precision, routines, and the glee clUb in some musical high jinks revolving aroUnd a greeting motif. Miss King, during a production number set in a winter resort, delivers, for some strange reason, the torch standard; “My Bill," which is out of key with the prevailing mood. Two regular vaude turns spotted in the show are sock. Sharkey, the i trained seal, performs brilliantly in his juggling and balancing routine. It’s a perfect attraction for the kids who will be flocking to the house during the holiday vacation. Adults, too, find the intelligence of this mammal to be of an uncannily human quality. Certainly, this seal has the soul of a ham. The Kanazawa trio, another vet vaude combo, deliver one of the most skillfully executed aero turns in the business. Routine is com- posed of risleying of barrels and the smallest member of trio with some smart “misses," which are good for laughs. Herin. Uapital^ Wash Washington, Dec. 9. Mary Raye & Naldi, Don Cornell, i Pitchmen • ( 3 ) , Bobby Whaling & Yvette; "Mrs. O’Malley & Mr. Malone’* m-G). and a kazoo. Illusion of string in- struments is particularly convinc- ing. Act registers well, though it never achieves the belly laughs for which it aims, “Flight of the Bumble Bee," with a broken down fiddle , and a clothes hanger as bow, and a “zither" version of the “Third Man Theme" are best bets. No showstoppers, but get good re- turns. ^ Bobby Whaling & Yvette fill the curtain raising slot with a comedy aero routine on a Open with some inanities oh a trick wl^l, which falls apart, then go on^o some neat cycling. Does okay with payees. Lbiue. Apollo^lV.V. Ruth Brown, Willis Jackson Orch (13 ), Nipsey Russell, Tamara & prloff, Two Bellhops, 3 Chocola- teers, Juanita Pitts, Claudius Young; "Lonely Heart Bandits’* (Rep), Palace9 Nm Ym Lou Wills, Jr., Two Valors^ Louise Ho Jackie Bright, The A. Buddies, Ricardo & Norma, Sena* tor Murphy, Prof. Keller’s Jungle Cand, Don Albert House Orch; "High Lonesome” (E-L) reviewed .; in Variety Aug. 14, ’50. Current Capitol lineup lacks bounce, possibly because of absence of comedy. However, it comes off smoothly and has enough appeal to send payees out happy. Terp team of Mary Raye and Naldi earn their headline billing with a finely executed routine. Their’s is an effortless perform- ance, with one sequence following another so naturally that effect is more restful than stimulating. Terp technique is flawless, and numbers are on the sophisticated side. Per- sonality of team manages to pro- ject across the footlights, though terpings arc handled straight, sans by-play or chatter. Opening num- ber, a slow, dreamy waltz, sets a mood which is contrasted by a fast, bright bit. The Latin flavor and hep adagio of “Begin the Be- guine" send couple off with a burst of enthusiasm. Singer Don Gornell, new RCA. Victor click scores . best with ! payees who welcome him on basis of his disk fame and cheer him I along. Cornell’s, delivery at show ■ caught impressed as spotty. There I is an unevenness about his presen- Itation which can well be the re- sult of some nervousness, since it disappeared by the time he bowed off with a very winning version ; of “Because." Opens with “My Blue Heayen." which seemed strict- ly stock, then went all out, and showed up much better in “There’s No Tomorrow," dressed^ up with the original Italian version. Does a series of takeoffs, with some , identifying chatter, but never the names of the originals. However, there was never any doubt in the I minds of the informed, about latter, as vocal caricatures of Frank Sinat- ra, Vaughn Monroe, Frankie Laine, Ink Spots aiid Crosby followed each other. Payees lilW5d the se- quence, but went all out for the pure Cornell version of “It Isn’t Fair," the tune which put lad on the list of juke faves. Pitchmen combine music with some laughs in a w a t e r e d down Spike Jones routine. With one man doing the piaao chores, other two go down the )ine of 'orch in.‘ tive hand. However her excessive ; mugging could be modified. Gros. ! Strategic routining gives the cur- rent Palace show some good play- j ing values. Acts are spotted to rmaintain interest, i Of the newcomers on this bill, Louise Hoff (New Acts) shows up [.extremely well. She was previous- |ly teamed with Mickey Deems, cur- rent at the nearby Paramount. Other acts in the New Acts coluihii are Lou Wills, Jr., Ricardo & Nor- ma and Professor Keller’s Jungle Land. Two Valors, hand-balancers, pro- vide rather a slow opening. Vet duo show some standard hand-to-hand- ing and depart from the usuM with the understander’s double-jointed lifts. It makes for good audience values, but results in uneven ex- ecution. However, they’re off to a good hand. Jackie Bright, a repeater at this, house, has a good audience par- ticipation turn. He gives things away amusingly. Most of the au- dienee volunteers have to work for their gifts. Three of them indulge in a doll-diapering contest and five are cast for a hat-passing routine. Bright’s line of chatter is good, but should refrain from ridiculing those aiding him. Garners neat ap- plause. The Four Buddies, singers bn Savoy disks, are an unusual quartet. They’re grouped around two mikes with the bass using one and partners the other. The bas$ gives virtually all the color to their offerings, counterporting the others with solid motifs. The basic tunes are okay, but their stage deport- ment is sub-par and there’s not enough physical color to place them above an average song group. In the next to closing spot. Senator Murphy delivers his usual spiel • on the political and social didoes. It’s virtually the same rou- tine he’s befen doing for several decades and one that the Palace oldsters still revel in. The Don Albert Orch, as usual, showbacks excellently. Jose. Earle, Pliilly Philadelphia, Dec. 9. Ink Spots ( 4 ) , Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie "Moms” Mobley, Holmes & Jean; Frankie Juele’s House Orch (16); "Surrer.der” (Rep). Stars on TV Continued from pae:e 1 are the most vehement agmust ; TV. First two companies, in fact, ■ have recently edicted that not even ! their producers, directors, writers, etc., can appear on TV programs, i (One of the few exceptions is 20th , producer George Jessel.) M-G doesn’t mind letting the video ■ audiences get a peek at its exec ; personnel and technicians' once in I a while but, so long as it can gain I the TV say in its star contracts, • will not perrnit any of its marquee, names on video, These studios, along with others ' in the industry, have come to real- ize that TV can be a potent adver- tising medium for their product. As a result, they are following the trend towards use of video trail- ers, spot plugs, etc. But, thOy maintain, even if a star covild throw in a lengthy plug for his 1 latest film on a TV show, the bene- fits to be gained would never com- ; pensate for the simple fact that the public was seeing the star in . action on a screen in their homes. ; Studios, of course, cannot invoke ; the bans against freelance talent. Once television develops its own stars, around whom can be built as i much glamor as the public now as- 1 l.sociates with the film names, then I the studios realize they will have*! a real ftciu on their hands. Until now, many of the most popular video personalities have been j carryovers from pix, legit, vaude and other show biz media. The Ink Spots are making their annual appearance headlining new Earle show. The act is as solid as ever in its presentation, its har- monizing and liiythm, but the pre- holiday lull seems to have de- scended. House was virtually full at the Saturday night show, but there were no standees. Billy Kenny, as usual, is the pacemaker for the cOmbo and employs his effective head tones on such lachrymal items as “Time Out for Tears” and “You Left Me Every- thing But You." In contrast to the lanky Kenny, stubby Bill Bowen steps out for a comedy rendition of “Everybody Loves My Baby." Pianist Harold Francis gets a chance to show his keyboard stuff, during the group’s chanting of “Sometime" and they make the getaw'ay to their first great record- ing hit, “If I Didn’t Care/’ for a surefire finale to the show. Bill is nicely setup and opens with the fast and fairly amusing footwork of Jean &: Holmes, mixed duo. They are followed by EUa Fitzgerald, who is always solid with the customers here. She did four numbers at the show caught and could have easily come on for more. Her selections are neatly varied and include “It’s a Marsh- mallow World," “Can Anyone Ex- plain," “Don’t Get Around Much Any More" and the current; last number “Orange Colored Sky." Jackie “Monis" Mabley, well known oh the cafe . circuits in this area, goes over Well in the big vaude house with her casual, throw- away style and material that skirts the blue. She has a new gimmick to her routine, a candidate for a 'seat at the U, N. Her spiel is largely concerned With what thfe girls and elder women can do to hold the boys and their men in this, country. The femme activities recommended are largely non- political. ; Bob Bon, forme! band singer and nitery act. does a straight enicee job in introducing the acts; and both Miss Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots went out of their way to beg for kUdoS for the nice backing by Frankie Juele’s house band. Gdgh. : Tong Bros., aero act, have Work- ed as a trio since coming to this country over two years ago. A VNew Act review last week erra- I turned in saying they had previpus- I ly worked as a duo, ) 72 LEGiTIMx^TB Wednesday, December 13, 1930 Met’s SRO B way-teed ‘ The Metropolitan Opera, which>- — — — — has already provided a number items of unusual ihterest under its - oegasiure tfraDS IVCb new managerial regime this fall, is Foi* B’wav Productioil coming up next Wednesday^ (20) ] nroduc- with probaWy the ^ ^ ‘Sannigoward Rieh.,^,o„ WH.iam Sli-auss- “Die FleOei-maus." . « i ®Sal shS vill be the first Jledermaus ,n 45 • years at the Met. ^ ^ ’ Tale,’' Rdnald' Jean Third new i^oduetion Of the ; weeks in London last sea- season (“Oon Carlo and ^ ing Dutchman” were the other ; twoh it IS already practically , Perry is set to stage sold out. despite its upped tariff as ; one of three operas this season ■ • • . sold in a package as “first nights.” , Popular interest in the |W||C|i*o| Tpiifc Waw tion is strong, because the produc- j 1 WU IflUoIval 1 vlllo 1 "UtV tion i.s more operetta tlian^ opera, n - r Ci and as niuch at hoine .in legit as in . 001 101 Ou ionghair. (It was done on Broad- way as “Rosalinda” in 1942). Espe- j cially does the Met’s new offering • appeal to Times Square habitues | hecaiise of its strong Broadway , touch. Playwright - director More Skedded for Mass. JAY ROBINSON AVho ha.s appeared to good ad- vantage. in New York In “As You Like- It” . “Gayden'' and “The Shop At Sly Corner’,’ start rehearsing .soon In the leading role in Shepard Traube's production of ’The Gret/n Bay Tree;” St. Petersburg. Dec. 12. This Florida resort, already j slated to have one musical tent this Gar.son 'winter, is how scheduled do have Kanin «as called in to stag; the The evork, in his first try at opera (and “1® pii the MeCs second bid , to Hurley, with Wilbur Evans as proT way director this season, Margaret ■ n,an.Be. jo-pni, iviaoniilev jyebstei; heing the first, with-Don t t"l’rector”aTd’ Sd S ’ai Carlo I. Kanin was also asked to ; j„usieai director, supply a new book, or libretto, ; : ,tt, which he did by going back to the : . Spot will be^loca ted outside the ilaffner-Greehe German libretto, J? the opposite j used by Strauss, and to tlie M^h- direction fronv^t^^^ Island hac-IIalovy French farce on whioli,^^®\^ . being that was based, and coming up , Riohard. Aldrich & With a new version in English. Ju jus Fleischmann in association^^^ Kanin called in film exee-Broad- ^ St John Teijell and Lau^ way. lyricist Howard Dietz to do Schvvab. Also, through the latter; new Ivrics I group s tie with Rodgers & flam-; , ; k J ' merstein, it will have access to a Jack Gilford, seen wi Ri'^^dway ' properties not available! earher this season in Kanin s The Qt Pafk.rchi.vcr m.fp.f cn ' Live Wire,” was hired for the im- portant third-act non-singing comic role of the jailer Frosch — the first Broadway comic to have a role in a regular Met repertory production. Rolf Gerard, who did scenery for both ‘That Lady” and *‘Caesar and Cleopatra” on Broad- way last season, was called in for bade Stolf-Lc^ Complexity of the ANT A Play Series setup; with two separate pro- ductions being presented in the ANT A Playhouse, N. Y., at different hours of the day and evening, is Indicated by the multiple payroll for the house. According to Jack Schlissel, business manager of the opera- tion, there are five different payrolls, containing a total of about 160 names. Company of “Tower Beyond Tragedy,” presented at the the- atre on a regular evening schedule, Includes 43 names. “Cellar and the Well” troupe, doubling on the same stage on a late-aftemoon i^chedule, numbers 23. In rehearsal are productions of “Twentieth Century,” with a cast of about 24, and “House of Bernarda Alba/’- with a company of 25. The house staff and crew comprise the balance of about 45. Rex Harrison, wlib has a run-of-the-play contract as co-star of “Bell, Book and Candle/’ with his wife, Lilli Palmer, has the right to with- draw from the John van Druten comedy on four weeks’ notice, effective early in February, in order to fill a verbal agreement to star in. a Gabriel Pascal film production of Shaw’s “Androcles and the Lion.” 1-Hpwever^ the uncertain status of Shaw’s estate, pending filing of his will, may delay the screen project indefinitely. Otherwise, Harris and Miss Palmer are set to remain with the li’eme .M. Selznick production at least until next May 31, when all run-of-the-play contracts automat- ically expire under Actors Equity regulations. Backers of “Four Twelves Are 48,” the Richard Aldrich, Richard Myers, Julius Flelschmann and Otto Preminger production of Joseph Kesselring’s new comedy, include Coast writer Mac Benoff, $1,000; stage manager John Effrat, $500; Fleischmann, $5;O0O; L. Boyd Hatch, of A,tlas Corp. , $ 1 ,000; May Kirschner , sister and production assistant of playwright Sidney Kingsley, $1,000; producer Malcolm Pearson^ $2,000; Preminger, $5,000, and theatrical attorney and former tennis star Watson Washburn, $lj()00. The venture is capitalized at $50,000. Kansas City, Dec. 12. Katharine Corn ell, in her native Buffalo last week for the premiere of “Captain Carvallo,” combined her visit with private business. She attended a meeting of the trustees of the $1,700,000 charitable trust . fund provided in the will of her father, Dr. Peter G. Cornell. Her ! cousin, John Cornell, stage manager for the Theatre Guild and just 1 appointed to the same position with “Anna and the King of Siam,” also attended. to the St. Petersburg outfit, so the two projects may not be. in | direct competition. j The St. Petersburg Operetta will , open about Jan. 15, probably with | Evans and Victoria Sherry co-star- j ring in the initial presentation, . Among the shows listed for ^ p r o d u c t i o n during the season i are “Merry Widow,” “Vagabond j costumes^nd sets. ! King,” “Naughty Marietta,” “Rosa- ■ More Odd Angles 1 linda,’' “Blossom Time,” “Rose ! There are other unusual angles 1 Marie” and “Student Prince.” The i about the production. Eugene j $50,000 Venture is being backed by j Ormandy, for many years director | a group of Philadelphians, includ- } >of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will: ing John B. Kelly, brother of playr conduct the first few performances, ■ wright George Kelly and father of in his first appearance with the j actress Grace Kelly. Met Opera. (Ormandy will also conduct recording of the Met’s version for Columbia Records.) Antony Tudor of Ballet Theatre has North Shore Setup Boston, Dec. 12. Musical t e n t, for in-the-round devised new choreography. Open- : presentation of operettas and musi- ing night’s all-star cast wiU in- cal comedies, will be operated next elude Liuba Welitch, Rise Stevens, summer by Louis Stern, Louis Patrice Mimsel, Nana Gollner. Set Richmond and Ben Washer at Svanholm, Richard Tucker, John ; Magnolia, Mass., on the north shore Brownlee, Hugh Thompson, Paul Franke and Gilford. Jam of bookings in the city- 1 owned Music Hall last week has ; given rise to a running controversy over which shall have preference in the hall, road shows or concerts. During the week the ‘2,562-seat hall housed eight performances of “Kiss Me, Kate,” and three performances by the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra, “Kate” played Dec. 2-9, with mat- inees Thursday and Saturday, and racked up a whopping $44,000 un- der the banner of the John An- tonello booking agency. The Phil- harmonic, on Tuesday-Wednesday (5-6), plaj^ed its regular subscrip- tion concerts and Thursday after- noon gave a children’s concei't. This necessitated starting the evening concerts a. 7:30 p.m., too early' to suit most music lovers, and delayed the curtain on “Kate’ • till nearly 10 p.m., too late for majority of showgoers. In addition, it caused no end of crowds and jams in the Music Hall, with one audience filing out One door while a second came in another. Whole affair boiled up Thursday evening (7) when' Clarence Hoff, manager of the Municipal Audi- torium, which includes the Music Hall, announced that a new plan would be put into effect next year. (Continued on page 76) In Wildberg-Leonard Suit On Producer’s Film Cut Decision of N. Y. Supreme Court Judge Kenneth O’Brien last week in the Jqhn Wildberg-Claire Leon- ard suit, is not expected to have wide application in legit author- producer-agent dealings. In award- ing producer Wildberg the $14,000 representing the agent’s commis- sion on the producer’s 40Cf? share of the $350,000 film sale of “Anna Lucasta,” the court specifically noted that the deal was not a “real’’ one, since the author, Philip Yordan, had purchased the film rights himself,, so no agent was required. Whether agent Miss Leonard, the defendant, and attorney Herbert Silver berg, who was a co-pleader in the case, will appeal, has not been definitely determined. Since the judge’s opinion hinged on a narrow aspect of the film sale, it between Salem and Gloucester. Spot, on the Casino grounds, was under option for a while to band- leaders Ruby Newman and Sammy Eisen, but they lost it and the new trio took over. In contrast to the original plans of Newman and Eisen, the opera- tion will be independent of an- other hew musical tent to be man- aged by Richard Aldrich at Co- hasset, Mass., on the south shore. Latter spot will be run by Aldrich more or less in conjunction with his Cape Cod Music Circus, at Hyannis, Mass. The South Shore setup is owned by a group headed by Charles Maginnis, a Boston architect and summer resident of Cohasset. It will be called the South Shore M ii s i c Circus and, like the Hyannis operation, will be affiliated with Musie C i i* c u s of America, the St. John Terrel-Lau- rence Schwab-Richard Rodgers-Os- car Hammerstfein, 2d, outfit. Fla.’s Artillery Stock Set for Fifth Season St. Augustine, Dec. 12. Ai Fresco Xmas Play Set by College Femmes An open-air production of the Nativity play w'ill be offered In Westchester County, N. Y., com- munities by Sarah Lawrence Col- lege students, Presentation will be offered prior to the Christmas holiday via a horse-drawn wagon, which s e r v e s as a stage. Per- formances will be given in parks and village squares. Towns sched- uled to see the offering are Yon- kers, Dec. 11; Mount Vernon, Dec. 13; Scarsdale, Dec. 15, and White Plains, Dec. 17. The clos- ing performance will be given bn the Sarah Lawrence campus, Dec. 20. The college’s travelling theatre is part of the school’s theatre for the community course conducted by Madalyh O’Shea and John Blankenchip. During the past summer, eight students toured Westchester w i t h the theatr^on- wheels. On ‘Blondes’ Seen Unique For Non-Starred Player Display ads in the New York dailies Monday (11) announcing the return of Carol Channing to the lead of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” at the Ziegfeld, N. Y., is believed to be the first such recognition for a non-starred player in years. The ad billed the comedienne’s name above the show’s title, and in larger type. Miss Channing had been out of the show more than a week for a tonsilectomy. Ad indicated that although the actress-singer doesn't get star bill- ing in the musical, producers Herr man Levin and Oliver Smith re- gard her as a definite boxoffice factor. It also suggested that the management Ayill probably make a strenuous effort to keep her with the show beyond the expiration date of her contract, next May 31. It’s figured she may be given the star billing at that time. After “Blondes” opened to smash potices a year ago, with Miss Channing getting rave men- tions, the question of upping her to star status was considered. However, Levin and Smith wanted her to extend her conti'act for a second season in return for the bigger billing. When she turned down the proposition, the manage- ment figured that it would be un- wise to build up her name fur- ther, since she might become so closely identified with the musical that it would be that more diffi- cult to replace her when her con- tract ran out. During Miss Channing’s absence, as bn a previous such occasion, Bibi bsterwald played the part. The Artillery Lane Playhouse, isn’t regarded as applying to most j Fioidda’s oldest winter stock com- slich contracts, in which the stand- ! pany, will open its fifth season here ard terms of author-agent agree- f Jan. 5 under the management of itect the percenter’s ! Patricia Dutton and Jane O’Con- ments protect rights. ‘ j nor. Following the policy started In' the “Anna Lucasta” case. Miss j last ybar, the Equity outfit will play Leonard’s contract with Yordan ap- 1 1 ’oad dates at several towns within parently didn’t specifically coVer ' a 100-mile radius, as well as con- the angle of the author himself i tinuing its regular schedule at the buying the film rights. Even so, ! lo *50; $2.40 top. .{ If the American pi’C-hnicre of this j : latest British importation,, which is ! rather , enigma tically labeled ' a J traditional comedy,” is significant . of anything, it is that Katharine- Cornell’s modern vehicles have ; sch’om proved a match for her j .gifts, and that Engli.sli humor, stage j. or olhf'rwi.^-T. is no belter than it, is ei'acked up to be. On ly . the. latter ! proposition could account for the ^ fact tlial Denis. Cannan’s ineptly-- Written dpiis i.s now in .its fourth ; nionth in London with Diana Wyn- yr’ cl featured- ■ , , ' 'J'his American vefs.ion, billed as i “a Katharine Coi’ne tl production,”. > unwinds as an uninspired piece ofj contrived cardboard carpentry, di- j rcctecl and played in a broad coin- ed v vein and with strong over- tones oT farce, It marks the return • to the comedy milieu of Miss Cor- 1 nx'li aftei’- a ■half-dozen seasons with-, the tragic muse. But .iudged. by ' this presentation, the star should, have stuck to her last. The first j act has .•'Onic dreary pedestrian , passages, the second stan 2 ;a goe.s i slapstick and . the final session i proves merely a conventional wrap- | up for the ovonin.g's. activities. j The story line isn’t impressive?. ' A gallant captain of an invading ! arm.v O'dls at a farmhouse, in a j myiiiical European country to ar- i range a billet for himself, and his | aide. The handsome middleaged ' farmer’s - wife, repulses his seduc- j tive aclvances. onl.v to fall in love i with him later. To save him from death at the hand.s of partisans, of whom her doltish husband is a leader, she turns the tables by seducing him into an alLnight as- signation. The billet is blown . up . but he emerges safely from her bedroom iicxt morning. When he offers to desert to be near her, she repulses him and sends him ruefully on his way. A philosophic teacher Of biolcigy caught up in the partisan plottings, and a pair of young lov- ers complete the roster of onstage goings on. Plot and motivation are jeriy- built and flimsy. Guthrie Me- Glintic directs the proceedings with bold farcical strokes, utilizing most of the stock tricks of farce with doors, closets, under-table antic's and similar pieces of stage busi- ness for guffaws. There are also some touches of fantasy in the di- rection and acting which lend an atmosphere of unreality to the presentation. Whether or not this is helpful to the dverall effect is ! largely a matter of taste. | There isn’t much in the role of i the wifely heroine which is worthy of Miss Cornell’s talents. War Is war, but her mature charms seem scarcely calculated to stir the romantic captain, although a cou- ple of fetching peasant costumes by Motley are a decided assist in accomplishing the job. Miss Cornell, as Usual, surrounds herself with distinguished players, but here it seems like a waste of talent. The wisdom of some of the casting is moot. Cedric Hardwicke’s professorial partisan is a ribbon of bright comedy characterization, although it’s disconcerting to see him relegated to dark closets, un- dertables and to low comedy busi- ness for comic relief. Robert Emhardt projects a shrill-pitchcid Dicken.s-like carica- ture a.s the querulous husband. The romantic Carvallo is limneti by Jphn BuckiTiaster with a skipping touch. . Nigel Bruce draws a stand- ard portrait of a gamey old baron. The junior love interest is satis- factorily handled hy Walter Star- key as Carvallo’s obtuse aide and Hope Cameron as the heroine’s addlehcaded maid. Some where, between Londori and America, by the injcietion . of an overdose of dialog and extraneous comedy business, the .script sCems to have gone off the « dramatic beam. However, with a single set, small, cast and Miss Cornell’s faith- ful. retinue of ca.sh admirers, it should be able to stick around for a while. For pictures, it can be scored as a loud and emphatic no'. Burt. ^ Leo Kopp, director for the St. Paul Civic Opera Co. and Chi- cago s Grant Park Symphony, has been signed by . the Detroit Civic Light Opera Assn, to conduct its orch for the. 10- week operetta sea- son starting Dec. 25. I f ’( I I Activities of UN personnel pro- vide a new springboard for the familiar mistaken-identity plot re- volving around the parenthood of a seeminglyrillegitimate child in this new Florence Ryerson- Alice D. G, Miller script. It’s a near- miss for Broadway, but ‘‘Little Scandal” has all the elements of pleasing strawhat fare and might easily make a laugh-provoking film. Good comedy writing is stretched a trifle too thin for big- time success in its present form, but careful rewriting might pro- duce the desired tightness to make it a homey comedy click. Laughs stem from the retUm home, after two years abroad, of UN worker Angela Pettigrew. She brings with her a seVeral-day-old baby — and even her own family fihds it bard to believe her story that she smuggled the infant iri from Paris when its mother died iri childbirth. The father is a wildcat pilot, currently somewhere; in the wild blue y 0 n d e r. The town, of course, is wondering whether An- gela hasn’t been carrying world co- operation a little too far. Every- thing gets straightened out in proper order . after Angela has a fight with her diplomat-fiancee, staves off an attempted kidnapping by baby black-marketeers and de- livers the tot to its father in tinie to make the final curtain clinch with her diplomat. Laughs flow freely during the first and second acts, but action is, slowed considerably when the script attempts to bridge a few serious moments. Authors have beautifully captured the flavor of smalltown life and the clubwomen characterizations are devastatingly accurate. Well-selected cast gets the most out of the laugh lines under Le- nore Shanewise’s nicely-paced di- rection. Paul Maxev and Madge Blake are (jornfortanly at ease as Angela’s parents, to score solidly. Genevieve Johnson earns attention as a bookish spinster-neighbor, an(i Sally Parr and John Milton Ken- nedy are appealing as the leads. Production, 358th on the Play- house’s Main Stage, boasts another fine Scott McLean set. Kap. turns in another standout perform- ance, as a slightly rattle-brained music coach, here. By college thesping standards the hard-wOrking cast and well- trained chorus are definitely above average, and in some cases ex- cellent. C. Rpbert Jennings, a^ Peaches, turps in an exceptionally fine performance, while Hugh H, Wilson and Robert S. Goldman are well cast as Gloomy Gus and Happy. James D. R, Harder reg- isters favorably with his skillful performance as the dim-witted Gerard. Both costumes and settings are colorful and eye-appealing. Revi- sions are still being planned. Shane. IBudda Knows Best . Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 8. Hasty Pudding production of musical in two acts with book, lyrics and music by William S. Wheeling, William Wiggin and Sidney Stires. Directed by James MacAlIcn. Dances, by James Venable; cos* tumes, Paul. Etter; sets, David Hays. At Clubhouse, Cambridge, Dec. 8, *50. Too Hot for Toddy Princeton, N. J., Dec. 7. Princeton U. Triangle Club production of revue in two acts (19 scenes),- with Prolog. Book by Bruce H. Kennedy, Peter. H. Bunce, C. Robert Jennings, Edward J. Streator, Walter H. Lleberman, III, and John H. Smith. Music aiid lyrics by Vin- cent M. Hogan, Ford Van Hagen, G. Don- ald Murray, Roger S. Berlind. Craig A. Nalen, Walter demons; Jr.; John F. Ball, Edwin G. Snyder, Streator and Jennings. Directed . by Mark Lawrence. Ch 9 re- ography, Fred Kelly: settings, Edwin G. Snyder: costumes and makeup, George W. Lewis, Musical direction, Vincent M. Ho-' gan. At McCarter theatre, Princeton, Dec. 7, '50: $3.90 top. As college shows go, ‘‘Too Hot For Toddy,” 59th annual Triangle Club’s production, turns out to be a fairly amusing revue. However, it doesn’t rate among the Trian- gle's long list of past hits. The production sags badly in the first act— -a sharp contrast to Act II which, on the whole, proved to be more evenly paced. It needs plenty of tightening and revision. The plot revolves around a fantasy trip in the year 2,000 A.D. |, Gloomy Gus and Happy, two Princeton men who escaped freez- ing in. the great cold of 1955 (by drinking plenty of anti-freeze), go through a series of zany adven- tures accompanied by Peaches— the gal who can unfreeze anyone. Choreography definitely proves to be good— and the show’s best feature; Outstanding routines in- clude the finales of both acts and ‘‘Steamroller Operators Ball.” E. Howard HarVey‘’s neat tap dancing rates special mention. Top skits included ”11 Bottle- topera,” a satirical singing duel between the (cohorts of Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola, and the Newark Airport sequence in which Robert A.. Shaw as “Toddy” Cranston, (the Great Hollywood Lover whose name is the rhagic Unfreezing j word) does a side-splitting take- off on a jug-eared gentleman of the screen. Though adequate on the whole, no numbers in the score are out- standing. Best of the lot are “Love’s in Town,” “One Touch of You” and “Where There’s a Song.” The latter was compose(i and is sung by jack F. Ball, who scored as Sally in l; 3 St yeat’s show and This one isn’t up to the level of other productions put on by this famed Harvard theatrical outfit, hut is serves to get enough laughs from the in-the-know audience to make an entertaining evenihg. Main defect of “Buddha Knows Best,” which seems to have some- thing to do with the search for a jade eye' in the exotic jungles of Burma of somewhere, is the book. Apparently pretty heavy with plot at the outset, the book got thrown put along the line, with the result that. the. confusion as to what is going On is considerable. Thus with all chance for situatiori gags gone, wisecracks come out of no- where, when there are any, arid there is no sustained buildup. The boys weren’t too much happier with: their music this year, either, most of the songs being top derivative, the lyrics unpointed and ordinary and the rhythms persistently beguine-ish through- out. Nearly all the songs are set in top low a key, tooj which always mars an effect. In other departments, sets, costumes, lighting, etc., the Pud- ding show is well up to previous standards, and the talent through- out excellent. Frederick Gwynne as Henry Atwater, the head of the mission hunting for the jade eye, has a comic deadpan style, and Nicholas Benton as the princess, inakes a sock femme lurer. Sharps bits are contributed by Kerry Lyne as Isabel Taylor (who draws the show’s best tune, .“Love and the Night”); Lansing Lament, Dick Button, Andrew Sisson and James Wood, with top honors going to the solo dancers Lawrence Osgood and Roger Butler. • The show is well directed and paced and draws laughs - from somewhat blue material, but it needs a good deal more work on the book and at least two more top songs and a couple of dance specialties to uphold the tradition. Production numbers by the chorus are well conceived and smartly, ex- ecuted. Show uses a student or- chestra of no great capabilitids and the conductor might give the do- ings on the stage a little more leadership. Elie. The Tender Branch Philadelphia, Dec. 7. Little Theatre Club of Swarthmore Col- lege production of drama in three acts (11 scenes) by Eugene Lerner. Directed by Barbara Pearson Lange, assisted by Lerner. At Clothier Memorial HaU, Swarthmore, Pa., Dec. 7, *50. The author of “The Tender Branch” has something to say and, at times, he says it well, but there are other times* especially in the earlier portions of the play, when the action is so jumbled and over- wrought as to show little hopri of remedy. The pacifist theme, right now, at hny rate, is loaded with ari- ti-boxoffice dynamite. “The Tender Branch’’ tells the story of Carl Randall, a mid- westerner, son of a violent social- ist and unbeliever, who grows up just as bitter and radical as his dad. When the U S. enters World War II, Randall goes to a con- scientious objectors’ camp rather than take up arms. Even his loving, faithful wife cannot accept the decision, arid her last meeting with her husband, at the camp, finds her in a WAG uni- form. After two years as a C.O., Randall is so d i s g u s t e d and frayed by the monotony and lone- someness that he changes his mind (if not his deeply-routed convic- tion) to the extent of enlistirig as a common $oldier. Later he is killed in the South Pacific and be- comes a much-lauded hero. The Swarthmore college stu- dents who take part-^this is inter- curricular, as there is no regular dramatic group here — deserve plenty of credit for their industry, sincerity and ambition. Barbara Pearson Lange has staged the play (with the author’s help) with con- siderable imagination. Waters. I . » Decision was reserved last week by U. S. circuit court of appeals justices Harrie B. Chase, ThofnRS W. Swan and Learned Hand in the suit of Carl E. Ring against the Dramatists Guild. Both sides had appealed the finding of the lower court ... Allyn McLerie, the orig- inal Amy of “Where’s Charley?,” will resume the part in support of Ray Bolger when the Frank Loes- ser musical opens its tour Dec. 25 iri Boston , . , Actress Dorothy Storm resigned as publicist of the Equity Library Theatre to become p a; for Pat Hurley’s St. Peters- burg (Fla:) operetta festival . . . Edwin Lester is dickering ^ for “Call Me Madamy as the principal production of his San Francisco and Los Angeles Civic Light Opera season next spring. The deal may I be for him to produce the show, which would revert to Leland Hayward’s manageriient as a tour- ing attraction after the two Coast engagements ... Vincent Sorey, who operates the Sea Cliff (L. I.) strawhat, has leased the Newark Opera House and is seeking to book it as a road stand. Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayers, producers of “Kiss Me, Kate” and the incoming “Out of This World,” posted. $40,000 in bonds in order to obtain a delay until January of the trial of agent Richard LaMarr’s suit against them for a share of the ‘’Kate” profits . . . Betty Field apparently changed her mind and is now set to co-star with Elliott Nugent in the Playwright’s Go, production of “Not for Ghildfen,” by her husband, Elmer Rice ... Frank Smith, recently company manager of .“Edwirta Black,” will be house manager of the National, N. Y., for the engagement there of the Louis Calhern revival of “King Lear,” He’s president of the Assri. of Theatrical Press Agents & Man- agers . . . Robert Lewis, who staged the Alan Jay Lerner-Fred- erick . Loewe“Brigadoon” for Cheryl Crawford, reportedly asked for 2%. of the gross, plus 5% of the profits to direct their new musical, “Paint Your Wagon,” Lee & J. J. Shubert, already scheduled to present the Fridolin show, “Ti-Goq” (“Little Booster”) on Broadway next February, are also announced as planning the production of “Mrs. Candy and Saturday Night,” the Joseph Field- Irving Elman dramatizatiori of Robert Tallani’s novel ... Arthur Schwartz, producer of - Samson I Raphaelson’s “Hilda Crane,” star- I ring Jessica Tandy, has already ' optioned a new, untitled play be- • ing written by the same author . . . ! “Clash by Night,” the . Clifford Odets drama of 1941, has been purchased by film producers Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna for $40,000 ... Martin Manulis and Philip Langner planed yesterday (Tues.) to Nassau, B.W.I., to close a deal to present a lO-week winter stock season, starting late in Janu- ary, at the British Colonial Hotel there , . . Screen rights to “Maggie,” comedy by Caesar Dunn, have been acquired by Paramount for $25,000, The play was never produced on Broadway, but was tried out two seasons ago in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Ted Goldsmith pressagent on the “Where’s Charley?” tour, in- cluding Coast engagements as a San Francisco and Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Co. presentation . Cloris Leachman, who scored a personal click in “Story for a Sun- day Evening,” has turned down a picture bid for an undisclosed legit show, due in January . . . Follow- ing his current date at the Capitol, j N. Y., Charles Fredericks will re- sume his TV series. He has no im- mediate plans for returning to his home on the Coast . . . Standard Light Opera Corp. has been char- tered in Albany by Franz Steinin- ger, George P. Clere and John T. Cusack . * . Leland Hayward, producer of “Call Me Madam,” “Mister Roberts” and co-producer of “South Pacific,” is due tomor- row (ThurS.) on the Queen Mary after a European vacation. Backers of “King Lear” have been notified to put up a 20% over- call on the $80,000 production . . . Betsy Blair (Mrs. Gene Kelly) will play the Queen iri the N.Y.. City Center revival of“Richard H,” star- ring Maurice Evans . . . Author Samuel Spewack sailed yesterday ; (Tues.) on the LaGuardia for I Israel. Before returning he will go to London to direct Jack Hyl- ton’s production of “Kiss Me, Kate,” for which he and Bella (Mrs.) Spewack supplied the book and Cole Porter the songs . John van Druten’s “Bell, Book and Candle” will be published Jan. 18 by Random House . . . Carol Channing, who returned last week as femme lead of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” after being out for a tonsilectomy, is conferring with Anita Loos about playing the title part In the latter’s contem- plated dramatization of her own novel, “Effie Huntress” V . . Nan- cy Andrews, understudy to Ethel Merman in “Call Me Madam,” will double into the Maisonette, N. Y., in March, following Julie Wilson's engagement there . , Phyllis Perlman and Theron Bamberger celebrated their 20th wedding anni recently. Arthur Edwards, who appeared In several productions at St. 'John Terrell’s Musical Circus in Lam- bertville; N. J., last summer; Car- oline Richter, who sang vat tlie Lyric Theatre, Houston, during the strawhat season, John Malcolm and Harold Mehaffey have been engaged to appear in “Of Thee I Sing,” first musical production at Malcolm Atterbury's. Playhouse in Albany. Show will run three weeks. Duncan Baldwin and At- terbury will be among the regular company handling principal roles. Gordon Seaman, WOKO, Albany, musical director, will conduct. Maude Adams, whom the man- agement of the current “Peter Pan” revival was trying to locate recently in connection with the productipri. setting a new perform- ance recor(i, is living in a cionvent on Long Island, adjacent to her Old home . v . The ANTA costume ball has been postponed from Dec. ' 31 to Jan. 15 in New York . . , Hume Cronyn returned to ’the Coast over the weekend to com- plete a film scripting stint and confer about a screen acting offer. He and his actress-wife, Jessica Tandy, decided not to lease a house at Greenwich, Conn., as previously planned . . . Pressagent Robert. Hector has gone into hiding to work on a play . . . Actress Mer- cedes Gilbert has published a mu- sical pageant titled “Cavalcade of Negro Music in Ariierica,” for presentation by civic and college groups. The Cellar and Ihe Well American National Theatre Sc Academy presentation of George Fr^edley and R. L. SteVens production of drama in three acts (four scenes) by Phillip Pruneau. Staged by Henderson Forsythe; scenery and light- ing, Paul Morrison:, costumes, Ruth Mor- ley. At ANTA Playho^e, N. Y., Dec. 10. *50; $3 top (membership rate). Maureen Mayo ............ Ann Dearintf Grandma Mayo Eda Helnamann Theona Pringle; ...Helen Harrelson Maud Mayo Dorothy Sands Howie Edgar Grower 'Miss Triumph Mary Finney Mr. Hubble Henderson Forsythe Robert Francis Mayo. .Eric Mattson Mrs. Farley .......... Florence Beresf brd Mrs. Dennis.... .Kathleen Bolton Mrs. Lofab Hannah Toback Young Woman Alice Winston Her Husband. ........... .Gerry Walberg Mrs. Flynn ........ .... ..... Susan Stpell Mrs. Haggerty .Fay Sappington Ml'. Haggerty Frank Rowan As the second bill in the ANTA Play Series, George Freedley and Roger L. Stevens have produced Phillip. Pruneau’s “The Cellar and the Well,” which had previously been presented by several stock companies and little theatre groups arountl the country. Perhaps its chief interest in the present cir- cumstances is its novel perform- ance schedule, being offered at 5:30 p.m. on the same stage where “Tower Beyond Tragedy,” the initial bill in the ANTA Play Series, is being played at the reg- ular theatre hour, 8:30 p.m. If such a, setup were to prove practical* it might offer a valuable method for spreading theatre rental over a greater number of shows. But it may require con- siderable playgoer education, be- sides involving technical problems and p()ssibly prohibitive expenses for shifting and storing scenery, re-setting lighting, . etc. Regardless of whether the experiment pans out, however, it’s a commendable try. • ; ; v ■ ■ : ■ ; As for “Cellar and the Well,” it is a down-at-the-mouth study of the ragtag Irish-American resi- dents of a "grubby South Side Chi- (?ago apartment. The author ap- parently intended it as a sort of combination “Street Scene” and “Awake and Sing,” but the script falls considerably short of such a standard. It’s a sprawling yarn about an assortment of (Irab and relentlessly unsympathetic charac- ters who rant and quarrel without assuming dimension or conviction. As a prospect for commerciai presentation, “Cellar and the Well” is negligible, and it is a disappointing item in the ANTA series. The writing is labored and disor(iered, the staging is chaotic and the performances are under- standably (Under the circum- stances) distraught. The cluttered layout of the multiple setting apparently stems from the script specifications. . Hobe. , I rj > • r ' I _ ' 1 » 1 . , ' I ' ' We 12. “Born Yesterday” did a $12,400 final week fit the Gayety theatre last M'eek, for a total take of $45,- 800 during its three-week stand in Washington. The oldie had never played D. G. before. “The Consul” opened last night (11) to a strong^ fidvancc, which indicated that its single week booking might be the biggest since the house reopened for the fall sea.son, Gayety ; goes dark next week and then reopens Dec; 26 with Edward Arnold in a revival, of the oldie, “Apple of His Eye.” Cornell-‘CarvaI|o’ Fair $12,300 in Six at Buffalo Buffalo, Dec. 12. Katharine Coniell, co-starring with Cedric Hardwicke in Denis Cannon’s London drama, “Captain (Carvallo,” pulled a moderate gross of over $12,300 in six performances at the Erlanger here.. After breaking the production in here, the actre ss - manager moved to the Cass* Detroit, for the current week. I LfiOlTIMATB 'WediiMdayt Decembel* 13, 1930 A Season in Hell Frances Starr Guest With Ohio Wesleyan U. ^Cord' Actors FuiidMuIfe Drive for Coin, ] oB-BW aow* | f A/f Fi - — v; — ^ — ■ Delaware O Dec 12, Federal government was once Members to Ousel Resources Dipi .» poSe'^ A1AMBWVS V » three acts (^i«ht scenes) by Rao Dalven. pouea r ranees awrr io wi^c jnc ^ « . • ' ■ ■ ■■ Directed by John Dyley. Settings Rich- guest lead in a campUS production . resolution todonted la»*t wppIt TKe Actors Fun^ ^ ^ ^ {.Vlh^fflcan ffllpll As^ S“us governing boa^i Ts cur- Hcaley-George Treasure I.d.nd, J«k pf ^hlch was presented Monflay L»tte''- /? *"rni 'nT^^hv *,k' rently mulling ways Of bringing ad- ]\Jay Go IntO ANTA Series ; “jjs? H^Sid <;S. d^n!* Richard’ Spiihn. John ! (11). ^Sta^S ^^OVernmerttroadway proape- ggj,|jUgj.g enabled t.o buy tickets tax now levied by the. Federal gov- are topping receipts for the first involved in the decision are the tjons that haye^a Jjuiited appe^, I ^ Miller production at be- 1 ernment has every characteristic time, and since he dOesuH to thors. M. J. Farrell and John h"at Save th*^™ an Unfair edge Ta ^KcaH^^^ dim into the Drincipal, ne leeis it pprrv. 1®CI is one mai is inore lo ine any mAmKAra vvrbh bad .nr- i a.... ...n dip into the principal, he feels it *-aKA Bnanrial nef‘ds ' * i v j 1 r, Element than the average playgocr I better fiiV thy - fin^ The play jiad a 41-week run in ^^^n ^-Equ?h^^xast‘ dered seats at the regular boxof- j which wish to use it. To accom- now than to wait until the_condi- West End last season with ^nroduced bv Greeor fice price, she claims. However, * pUsh this the Federal government tion becomes^ Sybil Thorndike and Taksa, who plans running it at the [ Miss Siegler^said she has made no i should withdraw fronvthe Federal posed^ campglg ^^^ members Cherry Lane theatre for at least a protest to Miller or to the mana^ , admissions tax, or ihstitute a credit all-out drive ^o . . other staged the H. M. Tenne t n^onth with regular evening per- ' ment of the Martin Beck, N, Y., device similar to that employed but. as Vincent agrees o^^^ lormances and two matinees a where the Christopher Fry comedy with the inheritance tax.’^ sources of reyenue will be ne^^^^^ ;■ . .... ' .. . week. Yam concentrates predoml- ig playing. I - — N .1 City W GarMrs ;;.S, '£"5 SVJS Ciirreat Rnd Shows la,t j^artrtheilland nMdy.; This Crix KlldoS, $81,900 TokC IwcameTslave’deaier and “ (Dac. ll-dd. figure includes sums distributed for «« A gun-runner. pioduction of Bell, Book, and “Angel In . the Pawnshop*' (tryr direct relief, medical care, hos- I- CaII \p;|CA|| It was during the seven-year pe- Candle reached a Be\y extreme, — Harris, Ghi. (11-23) (Re- pitalization and upkeep of the , !■* ff vCn 1 au y wovu of composition that Rimbaud ' Claiming that several hundred ^ in Variety, Nov. 8; *50). Fund’s home in Englewood, N. ,j. The three-year-old N, Y. City became friends with the elder Ver-1 sealed and stamped envelopes ^ “As You Like It’* — Biltmore lormances and two matinees a where the Christopher Fry comedy with the inheritance tax.” week. Yaini concentrates predoml- ig playing. ^ / . | ^ ^ — — nately^ Oil RjmbaMil, who^.began j Meanwhile, Miss. Siegier's strug- 1 riirMnf RasiiI n\ ! ucuausc ui me iiiuve. i lief wAsilr in hi'? nttiOC Wltll local charity, which he claims most wth only a Cast turns in capable perform- the Ihuberts" of the uniformed are inclined to be- th® Brst ^ but It ances, with Robert Leland though : because of the move. ! ing last week in his office with licie^ S UP timt » fir the major relief caseload comes ^ hoff $35,500 the final week, foi “Brigadooii” — Shubert, Detroit anees, wiLU xvouert j- , Know, wherein aU legit attractions play a ^.oj.^.of.,,,outh. Cri^ Written by ice skater-actor-avi- i "’'>*•« ®nd prefers not to chi. lil-23i. me pici mdi mu k-miimai. action was involved, but that it was ! . ,,441^ a Pivil mittpr ‘ Comc Back, Little Sheba”— * ^ ^Tn Fill Ordpre Geary, San Francisco (11-16); Met- : Mrs. SeT;;,ick. asserUng yester- . 'r®'" w . day that she has already given . Consul ^^Gayety, Wash. (11- Miss Siegler more “Bell, Book and '• ^ a „ . 1 Candle” seats than specified in the “Death of Salesman”— Color i contracts, indicated that rather Bial, Bost. ( 11-23 >. than penalize any bona fide SOMC . “Diamond Lil” Blackstone, : members, she is trying to w'ork ' Chi. Ql-23t. out a method of filling orders sent D’Oyly Carte — Shubert, Phila. in by. subscribers. She will PQsi- (11-23*. jtively not give Miss Siegler any ' *i Know My Love” — Selwvn, BrobHlyn Masque Players (Lee Wenick) 1 contracts, indicated that rathei Sunday night benefit jjerfo n a c ics were unusually liberal with thor Ken Parker and originally Srtltn “innoccnts”—Hanna. Cleve. (ll- i their praise, some singling the titled “There’s Always a Murder,” wants to accommodate SOMC ; 15,. Majesty’s. Montreal ilS- netted $34,208 t() the Fund- Other troupe oiit as America’s No. 1 “Apartment For Renl” has “the subscribers, she^ said. , 123'. sources come frem membership makings of a neat meller. Certain ' On another front. Miss Siegler “Kiss Me, Kate” t— C onvention dues of about 3,000 members at $2 yearly. company now. inaK.nigs 01 a neac meuer. L-eriain vyu xii/nv, wy-jo rwiss me, ivave t— ^ onveniion Troupe recently returned from a details of the play need ironing rescinded last week, on instructions , Hall. Tulsa (11-13); Home, Okla- British tour this Summer of 10 out before it can rate as a smooth from Edward A. McCalfery, Ne\y homa City (14-16i; Robinson Me- weeks five of these In London It whodfinit. However, even with the York City commissioner of license.s, meorial Aud., Little Rock (18-19); nr*»«5pnff‘d no elaborate new nro^ necessary doctoring, it’s doubtful a “tie-iu” deal she had offered her Aud., Memphis (21-23). subscribers for tickets to “Ring Lighthouse Opener presented no elaborate new pro^ necessary doctoring it's doubtful a “tie-iu” deal she had oflered her Aii^ Mcn^bis ( eri A fiAHMaAAOA At? lha diiption*; here althouffh artistic di- as a Broadway venture. ! .subscribers for tickets to “Ring “Mister Robert w V w rectorchoreograS Yarn eoncerns pair of newly- Round the Moon” and “Guys and , Springfield, Mass N. Y Assn, for the Blind, will rectOT-cnoreograpner ue^^^ Weds who rent an apartment, only noils” In the original letter to Syracuse (18-23). open its winter season at Carnegie anchme offered a new pas de deux jo get involved in a murder. A -„hQ<.,-iher Hoff’s plan would set the Phil- KeVlS6u Ur66n FathCrS harmonic back to Friday and Sat- n . / jr“i rt n • urday evenings Yrom Us present Jet tOf 51 D.C. KeOnSe Tuesday-Wednesday dates, and give - the early part of the week to other Washington, Dec. 12. concert series — Town Hall, Frit- The Paul Green historic pageant. dependently of each other. When ' Miss Siegler gave indications of , y.fi ’a - a ul *’ trying to get out of her commit- ! A, m4»nt for thp “Mortn” tirkpft; hf» (13), Sheas, Eiie, Pa. ment 101 me Moon iicKeis, ne , (141. cKpaVo .Tam4»ct,k\»»n (irti* hads lbfome^ her that miUl she . Shea's/ Bradfo^^ Pa. (16.; Boyal lived ur to the agreement , in fulP Alexandra, Toronto (18-23). (14); Shea’s, Jamestown (15); he wpuld not release the “Guys” i the early part of the w^ to other Washington, Dec, 12.. allotment to her, he explai I concert series — Town Hall, Frit- The Paul Green historic pageant. Miss Siegler conferred at length schy, Seufert and possible one- “Faith of Our Fathers,” which lost 'Yesterday (’Tues.) with/ coiimiisr ; e nighterS. This brought a howl over $5,000. this year, will go a i sioner McCaffery and_ made ar- a from various quarters, principally sec<)nd summer at the D. C. sesqul j tc) put him on her J| supporters of the Philharmonic, airiphitheatre, 4,000-seat structure j ihailing list, so he will get copies , ti which has become standard fare newly renamed the Carter T, Bar- o/ regular SOMC communica- ; e for Tuesday - Wednesday nights rOn Amphitheatre in honor of the , to . subscribers. On the un-; every other week during the winter recently deceased Loew-Metro rep related m,atter of the ticket , code | ' season. The orchestra plays the here. j of the League of N. Y. . Theatres, : •» hall without rental, the city con- Decision to play a second sum- ; been renewed, ' ”*- tributing the hall in support of the mer was reached recently by the Herman Shumlin, Ker- music program. National Capital Sesquicentennial j Sl®o®^Sarden and Mrs. Selz- Being a guest tenant, the Phil- Commission, of which Barron was ; ^Iso met with McCaffery yes- 1 f harmonic is put in k ticklish spot, formerly executive vice chairman, terday. j and Dale Thompson, president of His place has been taken by Melvin — •" — ~ ^ o the board of directors, has called a D- Hildreth, Democratic National „ j# f jf i • ■ meeting for this week to determine Committeeman, for D. C., who was 1 KadlO llid 8 Li6|flter s the orchestra’s position in the jam. recently appointed to the vacancy Houston, Dec. 12. Fox Midwest Is watching the by President Truman. I The Alley Theatre will present — 1 present controversy ,and any out- Green is being ordered to do kn “The Magic Fallacy,” stage adap- r“ come which would throw bookings extensive rewriting job on the pag- Jation by David Westheimer and ' to Its available pix house, the eant to give much more attention to . Waiter Jensen of Weslheimer’s B Phone Olympic 8-2352 or Newtown MODELS, SIZE 10-12 Height 5‘ 9“ Better Dreises-^Hlgh Salary Attractive, Experienced . Steady Position Nat KAPLAN 498 7th Avenue (21 st Floor) WAnteo EXECUTIVE VyitH DANCE BACKGROUND A male or female ballet or tap In? structor with managerial ability ii wanted lor an execufiye position in the fastest-growing dancing school chain in. the World. Write or phone . FRED ASTAIRE DANCE STUDIOS Ul5 WAlnuY St., Phila., Pa., LO. 7-3413 Fj O R S A L E Prosperous# better ready-to-wear store. Excellent location, low rental, lease to run about' flvo yitars more. On ..Jine^ of Jamaica's thoroughfares. Owner re- tiring. $18,500. cohiplete. Cash. Writs Box V-S7tE, Variety, 154 West 4ith Street, New York If, N, Y. Qrpheum. Likewise, Ahtdnello, the founding of the national capi- : novel, as its second production of who has been booking in road com- tal. In the original production, the the season, opening here Dec. 28. 1 panics for several seasons, would D.C, angle has been kissed off very ; Westheimer was former radial like to see any arrangemeni which lightb^r Green is understood to be ; editor for the Houston Post, and is would give him a clear shot at at work already making the | how stationed at Ellington Field week-long dates in the Mpsic Hall, changes. , , I with the Air Fpree. 1 BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY ESTATE BUCKS COUNTY, PA., Near NEW HOPE New stone home and fine buildings, with all modern impravements. Recre- ation facilities for enjoyable living in country, 95 acres. Estate can be bought at fraction of Us cost. Write Box V-354S, Variety, 154 West 4$1h St., New York 19, N. Y. We^neBday^ Deceiiilbar IS, i9S^0 Editorial Kudo To Rose The Albany Knickerbocker News, which had been carrying Billy Rose's syndicated column, ♦‘pitching Horseshoes,*' in an edi- torial voiced tribute to the “fabulous character.’* Reporting that “the little dynamo of Broadj vvay has slowed down at last and is in the shop for soine rewinding,’* the Gannett daily added, ‘ blessed with many talents— anyone of which would satisfy the ordinary person— he has used them all. He was a songwriter and a success at it something to achieve in a high- ly competitive field.; As a show- man he was outstanding and it didn’t seem to matter whether he dealt with a stage big enough for football, or the tiny dancing spot in an intimate night club. “Perhaps he will be back. We are sorry, to see him drop out of his foie as columnist. , He brought; to it a fund of stories and a gift for expressive and picturesque phrases.” Chi Suh-Tlraes Switches EnVniett Deadmon takes over the consolidated arts and amusement section of the Chicago Sun-Times, the latest in a series of economy moves for the 'Mairshall Field paper. Deadmon also replaces Robert Poliak as drama critic, with Poliak fetiring to give full time to his investment interests. Deadmon retains his job of book editor^ but outside of the lead re- view the rest of the section will be a Saturday Review of Literature service. ‘ Felix BOroWski remains as mu- sic critic, with Doris Arden on the film end and Bentley Stegner dor ing the bistro beat. Bill Irwin continues as radio-teevee editor. Great Painters’ Trio Interesting show business facet ; in connection with the Library of j Great Painters’ recent publication of three volumes on Renoir, Van Gogh and El Greco, each contain- ing 50 reproductions in color, is that quite a few of the originals were borrowed from the private collections of top personalities in the entertainment fields, notably among film people. In fact, in combing Europe and America for originals, Harry Abrams, publish- er, and Milton S. Fox, associate publishei’, were astonished at the number of show hiz pefsonalities, particularly in this country, who have invested in originals of the masters. (A big percentage of the paintings contained in three vol- umes had never previously been reproduced in color.) . By the same token, a consider- able segment of art enthusiasts currently beating the drums for the newly^published volumes are from shpw business (Ginger Rogers last week put in an order for 100 sets, as Christmas gifts, at $30 per trilogy). Life mag is prepping a layout on the volumes, with John Renoir, son of the painter represented in one of the volumes, assigned for the text treatment. Latter is in Hollywood. Meanwhile, the pub- lishers, because of the response to the initial trilogy, are at work on tl)e next four volumes on Degas, Cezanne, Rembrandt and Toulouse- Lautrec, with the Renoir-Van Gogh-El Greco reproductions set for distribution in Britain and France, and similar deals being set for Scandinavian, Italian and Israeli editions. Latter will con- tain Hebrew text. Initial three volunies has won plaudits from, art critics in this country and abroad.: CHATTER .William I. Kaufman, NBG-TV casting director whose “Best Tele- visipn Plays of the Year” is due shortly, now prepping a second edition, Merlin Press is publish- ing. William E. Buckley elected h Veepee of Holt. Edgar T. Rigg is president, Buckley joined Holt on 1> 1949, as’ manager of the ^ rape Department, after exiting Doubleday. , , Fred Feldkamp, literary ex- ecutor for the late Will Cuppy, has pacted with Henry Holt for a new book i'rom Cuppy 's files, tentative- ly titled “How to Get from January to December.” “The Maestro; the Life of Arturo Toscanini,” by N. Y. Times music cd Howard Taubman, and “Puc- cmi, by George Marek, Good Hou$ekeeping ipusic ed, will be on Simon !& Schuster’s spring list. ; ^,,^hthors Max Shulman and Rich- ard Joseph back from European junkets. Former from a protracted stay in France (his first) and Jo- seph from an extended BOAC junket that took him into North Africa. Arthur Todd has been appointed associate editor On Dance Ob- server. He’s also theatre editor for Dance News, contributing editor on Dance Magazine and N. Y. corre- spondent for Ballet Today in London. Walter H. Annenberg, publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer, has gifted the Boy Scouts with a 48- page booklet containing the daily reports for the paper by John M. McCullOugH of the scout’s 1950 National Jamboree. Gordon Gammack, columnist for the Des Moines Tribune, just back from a three-mOnth v^ar corre- spondent assignment in Korea, I gave a “Report to the People” at the 4,2Q0-seat KENT Radio Theatre in Pes i^oines Dec, 8. Clarerice R. Peiiel, who resigned as circulation director of the Chi;- cago Herald-American earlier this year after 40 years With the Hearst organizationy has joined TV Times, Chicago area video magazine, as general manager and circulation director. Ida Lupinb is coiitributing a chapter outlining the problems of a director-writer-actress to “Lights, Camera, Action,” a book about the film industry, edited by Muriel De Lisa and sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Maurice Zolotow, now that he has moved his family from Wash- ington Square to Hastings-on-Hud- son, N. Y., has discovered that “just 45 minutes from Broadway there are more trees than people.’’ He is still trying to make the transition from “Where automo- biles don’t bark all night.” ^r?r/^ir3 been booking In shows and letting them fall as they may. Because of the c success of such attractions, clubs are now preparing for full scale for shows in^ an all oiit ef- fort to give them full production value. The Sarong Club has In- stalled a runway at each end of bar a hd features a stripper on each fiat. Last Call is building a stag bar right on the stage. This enables gents to step right up and drink yet not be deprived of their gawking. Other clubs have put runways in which go the length of the room. Customers, as a re- sult, are allowed all the comfort of their booths and are able to gaze upon the gyrations of strippers without straining the neck muscles. Upsurge in strip casuals, of ! course,, has made Way for theatri- cal agency specializing. At this time, their are nine agencies; han- dling most of the stripery book- ings. .Lou Dorn agency is about the largest in the territory han- dling the three leading strip spots; the Bowery, Colony Club and Club Zomba; Others working in this field are Grace McKee, Maury Bar- ton, , Sonny O’Neil, Alice Kirkman, Ginger Lee, William Fleck, Walter Trask, Kenneth Holland; A1 Wager and Arthur Sidler. UTBRAtt' .Y’S SCR A By Frank Scitlly LA. Continued from page 1 sSzJ of the stripperies features two gals a night gs part of a show of five persons. Irvin Mazzei, Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists rep here, sez this strip situation now accounts for better than 40% of all AGVA performers working in this county. Nitery strip shows, which got un- derway about 18 months ago, are' far from being on the downward trend. Latest recruit to the strip parade is LA’s plushery* Giro’s. Herman Hover has booked Lill St. Cyr into his night spot for $1,500 weekly; the highest tab in this locale. Strip parade started at the Colony Club about 18 months ago and from there spread to the Bow- ery, Club Zomba and Toddle House. Six months after the initiallers got underway, group was joined by the El Rancho, Waldorf Cellar and the -Bomb Shelter, latter un- dergoing three quick changes in management and name prior to going into strip biz to click. Both the Manchester Club and the Red Feather gave up “name” policies to go into the take-it-off biz. Manchester featured small combos while Feather was booking single act attractions. Failing to pull with these, clubs joined strip ranks and are now stacking ’em on the rafters. Nice Coin Gals Working niteries are pulling in anywhere from AGVA’s $75 minimum to Miss St. Cyr’s $1,500 per frame. Betty Rowland, LA’s long standing strip attraction, pulls in $750 a $tariza and Yvette Dare pockets a heat $450 for one week’s chores. According to AGVA, aver- age hits right on $125 per stanza. Girls how doihg strip acts are cohi- ing ih from ranks of the chorus ahd two, Dorehe Gray and Pat Fiahnery, are former Earl Carroll girls. Faith; Carltoh; now touring the niteries, is a tap and aero dancer and Bebe Dento came to strip, clubs directly from modeling chores. Strip bills usually include two buriip-and-grihd gals, a comic, a straight woman who usually does one strip and often one or two variety acts. Off nights for regu- lar shows are finding many of the stripperies doing a“Battle‘ of the Btripteasers.” The Colohy, Bowery, Last Gall and Bomb Shel- ter all feature thi$ gag to draw dead, night crowds. Each of the clubs brings in five grind-gal$..who go through their paces with ope being chosen as the night’s top artist. Heretofore niteries have merely TV New Market t Continued front page 9 licenses are identical with those for theatrical screening. Naturally, only a small part of all the films in the possession of the Office of Alien Property Will prove suitable for video. But a casual survey of the catalog shows travelogs covering all parts of the world, popular science subjects, filmed operas and concerts, animal pictures, as Well as all types of , features and foreign soundtracks. In addition to usage in toto, the films are a source file of clips and stockshots for speciail pur- poses, and U. S. studios have taken out licenses to use limited portions of them. In a few instances, OAP issued licenses to American producers for the remake rights of vested foreign pictures. Thus there is a prece- dent under which the Government might permit the remake of. some of these pictures especially for television. Since it first seized films, GAP has collected a h o u t $250,000 in royalties for rentals of the pic- tures. This indicates what might be earned through the television mediumj In the field of music, GAP con- trols hundreds of thousands of copyrights of popular and classical compositions. They include the entire catologs of .nearly 100 of the largest foreign music publishing firms. Subject to existing pre-war contracts, Alien Property thus has in its possession thousands Of tunes which would be suitable for TV. Similarly thei’e are vested plays, operas and operettas. For example, television rights to the “Chocolate Soldier” were recently licensed to a network, with b share of the fee coming to GAP. GAP regulations allow consider- able flexibility in the handling of royalty rates on the copyrighted ihaterial. All licenses are for a limited duration *and every effort is made to comply with the evoUi- i tion of standard trade practices. Sam Marx Back ContiiiUed from page 2 sss three years of uninterrupted resi- dence in France, are on the Queen Elizabeth this week. Her son, Irv- Ihg Thalberg, Jr., is of draft age. Steve Crane and his French ac- tress-bride, Martine Carol, are also eh route to California although she has a French film comfnitment in February. Mrs. Spl G. Siegel is re- 1 turning but her husband, the 20th- i Fox film producer, is remaining, in i England to produce a remake of “Berkeley Square.’^ William Marshall, now m Paris, producing an Errol Flynn indie I abrOa d , thinks the actor may be aboard his yacht, which is missing from its Cannes harbor basin, en route to the U. S. Gn the other hand, Gregory Rat- off, Orson Welles, Eric von Stro- heini, Jack Kirkland, the Bernard Bros, are among Americans re- maining abroad indefinitely. Ella and Aly io India Madrid, Pec. 12. Rita Hayworth and her husband, Aly Kahn, are here en route to V India, in easy stages. _ . Traveller’s Rest, Ala., Dec. 5. I promised my brood that if I heard one more word in praise of Gary Crosby I Would put Per Single and his bundle of B-flat bindle- stiffs where they properly belonged, and that’s miles behind the Scully Circus or any performing member thereof. Let’s tako the Skipper, our first flea from heaven. His hopalongs in 1950 alone would make Cassidy, Hope, Crosby and all but the inter- planetary Saucerians s^m like troupers who never got but of bed all year.;,- ; ^ ^ What’s more, he did it bn a shoestring, and even returned half the shoestrihg as proof that just because youhe an American that doesn’t mean you have to be taken every time you cross a frontier. His ambition for years was to see his grandmother in Norway before the military yanked him elsewhere. Eighteen, 6 feet 3, a lieutenant , in the California state guard, a cadet in a university R. O. t, C. and a corporal in a national guard air force unit, it looked as if he would h® swooped up for active duty wherever he turned. Under the circum- stances I favored a trip to Europe while the tripping was good. This was last May, before Korea. But what, would we use for money? I handed him a shoestring and told him to work it up from there. It was while discussing this prob- lem that 1 ran into a partial solution. A young wife wanted to get home to; her husband, a professor at Cambridge University. She had two children, aged 17 months and two months, and needed a baby- sitter. Skip offered to take on the mission and save hiiiiself 600 bucks. The Wrong Mr. Scully The day the party was to leave L. A. Mme. Scully gave birth to her fifth baby. The Skipper skipped down to Cedars of Lebaiiob hospital and announced himself as “]^, Scully.” He was allowed to see the baby. After that he zoomed to New York with his helpless trip. I saw him off and then repaired to the hospital to see my baby. I was barred. Mr. Scully, the rebords showed, had already seen his baby and due to some miner infection around the chophouse, second Visits were barred for a week. How do you like that? A gatecrasher I had trained from infancy had beaten me to a barrier. In New York for eight hours he scrounged arpund fdr saucepans to make formulas for the babies and, looking far into the future, left ah Air Force uniform behind so that he could thumb his ‘way back from N. y. to L. A., if and when he returned to the States. Less than 48 hours after leaving L. A. he was telephoning that he. had deposited his charges safely in Cambridge and was free, to go to London. He reported at our Variety office, met Siraff, dated the sister-in-rlaW Of one of our Hollywood muggs and then smelled out a hew busline which was to make a maiden voyage from London via Belgium, Holland, north Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. He signed up as a guinea pig. The trip took four days and nights. In- cluding all meals and hotels, the shakedown cruise cost him $60, and he even worked that one out to be paid in Norway, out of l^oner Hitler had swiped from his mother ; and had to be put back. Hiking For a Rest His grandmother, 82, ran him so ragged that after three weeks of her entertainment program (there were 35 first cousins of his mother’s that had to be met) lie packed a rucksack on his back and hiked 100 miles into the hinterlands for convalescence. By now he had a yen to see Paris. He could sing “The Last Time I Saw Paris” and not simulate nostalgia either, because he had been born there. But how to get from Gslb to Paris? Well, he found some more kroner of his mother’s. (It seems I tnarried an heiress but it took the Skipper to find it out.) In Paris he fell into the loving arms of Maxime de Beix. He hadn’t been in them since he was a baby. Maxime gave him the plush treat- ment. I suspect he saw more of Paris for less cost than a cabdriver. Then Maxime discovered that the Skipper had a yen to see Rome and, if possible, have an audience with the Pope. Our Parisian Variety mugg fixed that faster than ypu can say, “Entendu.” In Rome it seems these things were expedited through TWA. A girl there arranged for a semi-private audience. Skip thanked her. *‘DoH*t thank me,” she said, “thank TWA.” “Semi-Private!” wrote the Skipper. “At least 100,000 persons were packed into St. Peter’s. Far off I could see the Holy Father. I couldn’t wave because I had both hands on my pockets. 1 had been robbed four times in one day. Following your advice I dissembled my money in various pockets, but even so I was clipped several times for small sums. They, don’t need a Marshall PJan in Italy. They get all the dollars they need by direct transactions.” It was so hot in St. Peter’s that when he staggered out sweat was squishing from his shoes. He went over to a fountain and plunged his head in its cooling waters. The Bath That Killed Gramp “Gh, my goodness,” cried his mother on reading this, “that’s the way his great grandfather died; He was Norway’s greatest historian and through a Lutheran he was granted access to the Vatican library. One day he came out overheated, ducked his head in a fountain and died of shock. He is buried in Rome, in fact.” But th? Skipper seemed to have been made of sterner stuff. He survived the plunge. He next discovered that taxis had no meters and were charging all sorts of fares. So he scrounged around and found an old American motor scooter. He rented it for $3/a day arid toured from Rome to the sea. Refreshed, he sought out a priest who could help him to serve Mass in St. Peter’s. He found one, but he was French and. eould talk no English. Skij) could talk no French, So they conversed for an hour in Latin and set up the deal. That I would have loved to have seen, for nobody serves a better Mass than the Skipper. Wc Cut To the Chase He rescued his Air Force uniform and went to Mitchel Field with his right thumb pointing west. But the C.O. told him it wOuld .be a week before he could bum a ride to L.A. So he went back to Brooklyn: with the sad news. It was after bahking hours but the Leo Mishkins f leaned $99 amibrig them. The Skipper grabbed one of the Flying Irish- man's cutrate jobs. This got him home 13 hours Overdue. I was about to leave for the east myself as he called up from the Burbarik field. “Grab a cab,” I said, “because I must leave in 20 min- utes for the Municipal airport and after all these months I certaihly want to see you before 1 go.” . , The minutes ticked off. it looked as if I would be late for by plane if I didn’t blow, Alice warmed up the motor* “Give him two more minutes,” I begged, I gave Sylvia some money and told her to pay the cab if the Skipper arrived in the next 60 seconds. Sure as a Hollywood soenario, his car tore around the cornel at 7:02 p.m. “Hop in here!” I shouted. He leaped into our car and we tore off as if pursued by FBI opera- tives. The cabbie must have thought we were crazy, In the hour’s! drive to the airport our wandering boy told us much or his adveritures. He was home, happy and broke. . No charige. He had started out that way. Smiling, he handed me half the shoestring I gave him to start with; . Even il' his name were Crosby arid he could carty a tune I doubt if we . could be prouder of him. Anybody else want a teeri-aged baby sitter whose military commisrion has now been stepped up to a na- tional status? He may not sing as well as Oary but he does quite well with one of my compositions which no Crosby has ever sung. It’s c^l^d “The Cockeyed Lullaby.” All of the Scully Circus, Including the Skipper, were raised on it. ......... .......... Wednesday, December 13, 1950 P^auEyrir 19 JOSEPH N. WEBER Joseph N. Weber, 86, former nresident of the American Federa- tion of Musicians, died in Beverly Hills X>ec, ^ t *• Details in the Music Secuon. PERLE DUDLEY Mrs. Perle Wilkinson, 88, former actress and administrator in sev- eral women’s correctional institu- tions, died in New York Dec. 6. Mrs Wilkinson, known profession- ally as Perle Dudley, was the wid- ow of Arthur Wilkinson, a baritone in many Gilbert & Sullivan operas, Mrs Wilkinson was born in Gree^castle, Ind. She. scored her first hit in a tour of Gharles Froh- man’s productiori, “Hazel Kirke.” She then became the piano accom- pianist for Emma .Eames at her first appearance in Boston, and later, for Sarah Bernhardt in a program of readings. In the 1890s, she was chorus mistress at the LvHc and Prince of Wales theatres in London, working under Sir Ar- thur Sullivan. After her husband died in 1894. she returned to this country, and was supervisor of music at Indi- anapolis public schools, and at the Ethical Cultui'e Schools in New York, until 1901. For more than theatre display frames, died in N. Y., Dec. 9. He was partnered for over 30 years in the firm of Fink & Rosenfeld. Wife and two sons survive. “Ready Money’* and other produc- 1 tibns. In more recent years, he ap- ! peared in “My Lady Friends,” “The Humming Bird,” “You Can’t Take it With You” and “the ‘Ghost | of Yankee Doodle.” Ober was a member of the Lambs for many years and a life I member of the Actors* Fund of i America. His wufe, actress Mabel ! Taliaferro, survives. Patrick P, Feltihan, 53, projec- . tionist, died in Chicago Dec. 2. He j leaves, wife and son. Donors to American dance in the past 15 years comprise: Lucia Chase ....... . . . . . . . , . . . , ; . , . , . .... . , .... , . $2,000,000 GEORGE F. CALLAHAN George F. Callahan, 77, founder and retired president of the Elx- > hibitprs Service Co., Pittsburgh film trucking outfit, died at his ' home in that city Dec. 9. Callahan j Organized the .firm . in 1911 and served as its head until 1946, at I which time the business passed |.into the hands of his son, George : F. Callahan, Jr. I in addition, he leaves his wife; I four daughters, one of whom j Connie, is wife of Pat Kennedy, ' former vocalist with Ben Bernie’s band, Father-in-law of Russ Fachine, Chi head Of General Artists Corp., died in Chicago Dec. 6. Darwin C. Hawn, 75, former part owner of the Roda-Royal circus, died in Chicago pec. 5. Survived by a brother and sister. Ted Weisbarth, 47, still photog- rapher, was killed in a motor ac- ! cident pec; 2 in Texas while eii . route to his home in Hollywood. Thomas C. Smith, 58, writer and film actor, died Dec. 3 in Holly- wood. Marquis and Marquesa de Cuevas Lincoln Kirstein-Edward M. M. Worburg . . . . . . Philip Leidy .... Blevins Davis . . . . . . . .... Julius ; Fleischmann ^ Dwight Deere Wiman . . . . ! . . . ...... . . .... . . . . . . . . . * Herbert Herbert I^atharine Cornell ^ . ^Vinthrop Palmer . . . . .. . , . . .. ■ . . . ... . . i-. . . . . . . , . . . . . . 2,000,000 250,000 250.000 200.000 150.000 100.000 75.000 50.000 40.000 Ballett Russe Foundation $5,115,000 . ...... $ 100,000 Ballet Theatre Foundation . . . , . . . . . . . . . , . . .... . , , . . . 50,000 Ballet Associates of America .... ........... . 40.000 Ballet Society ; 50.000 .$5,355,000 Mother of Billy Leech, radio ' singer, died at her home in Pitts- , ■ Nov. 29. . ; U. S. Ballet Angels Continued from pape X JAMES F. COYLE James F. Coyle, 52, on sales ; staff of WCAU for 23 years, died : in Philadedphia Nov. 8. i Last April, Coyle was appointed neede d for “Country | Century, N Y. But an estimated $800,000 of it was expended in HARRY MOSS (OEC. 18TH, 1947) Father, 68* of Dorothy Young, i dancer, died in Westhaven, Conn , I Nov. 13, ■ 20 years, she held administrative posts at the House of Refuge on Randalls Island, N. Y., and at . the Reformatory for Women at Fram- ingham, Mass. She included poach- ing the inmates in Gilbert & Sulli- van operas among her extracurri- cular duties. Surviving are a daughter and a brother. GEORGES MET AX A reorges Metaxa, 51, Rumanian- boi actor and singer, died 01 a heart ailment Dec. 8 in Mon- roe. La. Born in Bucharest, Metaxa ap- peared as a musical comedy singer in New York and London. He played in "Bitter Sweet” and “The Cat and the Fiddle” before going to Hollywood, where some of his screen roles were in “Secrets of a Secl'etary,” “Swing Time,” and “The Mask of Dimitrios.” . “Paris Calling,” “Hi Diddle Diddle” and “The Doctor Takes a Wife” were other films in which he had roles. Metaxa had served for a time as chief of the Cabinet of the Agri- cultural Ministry in his native country. He made his first stage appearance in 1926 at the Strand theatre, London, in “Hearts and Diamonds.” Later he Was seen in “The Blue Ma7Airka,*’ “Bow Wows,” “Will o’ the Wisp” and “Wake Up and Dream.” ^ In 1936 he married Mrs. Bymece Macfadden Muckerman, daughter of Bernarr Macfadden, publisher. CLARENCE B. GOSHORN ^ Clarence B. Goshom, 57, chair- man of the board' of .directors of Benton & Bowles, Inc., N. Y. ad- .vertising agency, died Dec. 10 at Bimini Island, the Bahamas, due to accidental drowning while on a yachting trip with Mrs. Goshorn and a group of friends. He had been attending the National Cof- fee Assn, convention in Boca Ra- ton, Fla. Be.Sides his Wife, he’s survived by two sons. In 1929 Goshorn entered the aij- vertising agency field with Erwin vVasey, Inc. where he was an. ac- count executive, and plans organ- izer. When Arthur Kudner, then president of Was,ey» left to set up an independent organization, Go- sliorn joined the Kudner aigency as account executive and super- visor. In 1937 he joined Benton u Bowles, Inc., as vice-president and account executive. In 1942 he became president of .the agency 1950 was elected chairman of the board of directors. • ' manager of commercial sales ; development for radio and televi- 1 siori at WCAU. His wife, a daugh- ' ter and two sons survive. » CEDRIC HART Cedric Hart, regional executive of the American Guild of Musical j Artists, died Dec. 5 in Hollywood after a week’s illness. He was a former orchestra lead- er and manager of operatic Stars and was one of the organizers of ! the Opera Guild of Southern Cali- fornia. Mother of Jeanie Baxter, radio ^ j' songstress, died at her home in Pittsburgh^ Nov. 28. i $75,000 ■ .- I Girl”). Tom Hood, 31, actor, was found ■ Legit angels go into a produc- Va brief eight-week season in 1944 bludgeoned to death Dec. 8 in his i tion expecting to make a killing,.! '' ^th Ballet International at the Hollywood apartment. . I or receive a certain retprn on their j International, N. V. investment, or at least get their j Julius Fleischmann, yeastmanu- coin back. In ballet, they know they j facturer and a legit angel, has won’t. Anyone who invests in put about $150,000 into the Ballet ballet is making a donation. .Russe de Monte Carlo since 1938. Under the best circumstahees j Blevins Davis, midwest industrial- (with the exception of a partly j ist, is paying the bills for the just- state-endowed Sadler’s Wells Bal- ‘ completed four-month tour of Bal- let), a ballet company can just pay ! let Theatre in Europe, estimated to its running expenses. It has to go i l^^ve cost him $200,000. outside for donors to finance the ! Lincoln Kirstein, Boston depart- new productions it must always n^ent store heir, and Edward M. have to keep artistically progres- • M. Warburg, banking house scion, sing and culturally in the swim. between them have laid out $250,-, that Shell Out Impulse ' ^^^5. first for /^erican , j Ballet, then for Ballet Carayan, The donors— although, of course, ; ^nd now for the N. Y. City Ballet I Mother of Helen Raymond, legit , actress, died in New York, Dec, 1., Mother of Adolph Deutsch, com- poser, died Dec, 4 in Buffalo, MARRIAGES Peg Bruce to Charles Gilbin, I Pittsburgh, Nov. 11. Bride is music j librarian at KQV. „ u • r » — Alice Tenney to Art Sterman, having money— ^ome from all - qo; Dwight Deere Wiman, legit Pittsburgh, Nov; 23. He’s on KQV ; strata, being titled folk, i producer, has donated $25,000 a staff there. [ American ^iristocracy, . lawyers, • year for four years now, or a $100,- manufacturers, poets, dancers, : ooo total, to Ballet Theatre. I even legit producers and actresses. | phiUp Leidy, Philadelphia social- Frances Eisenberg to Robert Howard, Cleveland, Dec. 10. He’s producer - announcer at WVKO, All seem actuated by pure love for i jte and attorney and former hus- Columbus, G. j the dance art, and all are seized ! ban^ of “e^^ Barbara Rush to Jeffrey Hunter, ; with the driving impulse to shell i tween 1936 and 1940 paid out an -KT 2^ Both -lA 1 i I JOSEPH DONCOURT Joseph Doricourt. 68, retired ! vaudeville actor and father of CBS-TV comedian Ken Murray, died Dec. 8 in North Hollywood. In addition to son. he is survived by wife and a daughter. Boulder City, Nev., Dec are screen players. Marlene Heider to Bill Yonan, j Chicago, Dec. 1. He’s a Chi ABC salesman. MRS. EDWARD LAPPE Ml'S. Edward Lappe, 81, midget performer, died in White Plains, ; jif Y. Dec. 12. j With her first husband, the late j Leopold Kahn, professionally known as “Admiral Dot,” she toured the U. S. and Europe. artistic sat- j estimated $250,000 for his then isf action that borders on the re- ; wife’s Philadelphia Ballet Co. ligious, 1 Herbert Herbert, jewelry manufac- Leading U.»S. ballet angel is prob- turer, in one month in 1947 ex- Hilary Rodd to Robert Russell, I ? Connecticut watch and , pended $75,000 on Ballet for Los Angeles Dec 9. He’s a screen i York carpet heiress, Lucia i America. Winthrop Palmer, social- writer i Chase, who in the last 12 years . ite and poet, contribute^'" about I Angela Alves-Lico to Rod | poured an estimated $2,000,- $40,000 in 1941-42 for Dance Cameron, Las Vegas, Dec. 7. He’s i 009 into ballet* most of it for Bal- Players. And actress Katharine let Theatre. ; Cornell donated $50,000 ($25,000 Vieing with her for generosity ' each in 1946 and ’47) to Martha MRS. ERIC GORRICK Rita (Mrs. Eric) Gorrick, wife of Variety’s longtime representative IN MEMORIAM EDWARD B. MARKS Nov. 28th. 1865 - Doc. 17th, 1945 a film thesp. Nova Pilbeam to Alexander Hamilton Whyte, Nov. 30, London. Bride is a film-legit actress; he’s a reporter for British Broadcast- ing Co. Faye Emerson to Lyle G. ; “Skitch” Henderson, Cuernavaca, Mexico, Pec. 12. Bride is an ac- tress, currently spotted on her own N. Y. tele program; he’s a pianist- bandleader-disk jockey, currently t on radio and TV. [ Mrs; Elizabeth Harkness,. ta Rob- ei't Montgomery, Sag Harbor, L. 1., Dec. 9. He’s film actor and TV producer, ; Mildred Fenton to William ; Gdetze, San Francisco, Dec. p. ! Bride is head of the N. Y. radio- ■ TV production company bearing : her name; he's partnered in the ad firm of Elliott, Goetze & Boone. of donation has been the Marquis George de Cuevas and his wife (granddaughter of John D. Rocke- feller), who have also contributed about $2,000,000 to the classic toe art. Majority of it went into the Marquis.' current Grand Ballet, which dropped $150,000 alone in its recent four-week stand at the Graham’s modern dance group. In addition, there are various or- ganizations that have contributed to different productions of ballets, Ballet Russe Foundation expend- ing $100,000, Ballet Theatre Foun- dation $50,000, Ballet Associates of America $40,000 and Ballet So- ciety $50,000. 2IHIi’s College Frat Pic Continued from page 1 and correspondent in Australia, died in Sydney Nov. 28 after a long V iUness. They had only recently i celebrated their silver anniversary. IRVIN J. WAGNER Irvin J. Wagner, 51, former ' Olian Chi ad agency veepee, died : Dec. 3 in Los Angeles, l^e was a writer , for the late Ben Bernie’s radio shows.; Survived by wife and son. CHARLES A. DICKINSON , Charles Alvah Dickinson, play- i Wright and director of Piadua Hills Players for 18 years, died Dec., 3 in Claremont, Cal., after a heart attack. mies of our country,” ‘ Balfour de- 1 frank with you. ‘Take Care of My manded that the project be Little Girl’ is indeed an exposition dropped. ! of the evils which are found under I SeveTal weeks later, Skouras ■ certain fraternities and sororities, Bunny Lane to William DeWire, wrote a reply in which he stated, l and practices of an un-American New York, Dec. 11. Bride is a | ^^^ong other things: “I belieye ' character. It does not condemn sing^ im the Broadway revue that it would be in keeping with : the fraternities or sororities, but it ‘Pardon Our French. our system of fair play in Amer- | does expose the evils and practices ■■ ■ . . . . • ica, and with our treasured rights' such as segregation and intoler- BIRTHS I of free expression, for you and ance , . . It is un-American, we Mr and Mrs “Chip” Gipblla, your associates to withhold judg-.; think, to bar a girl from a sortrity ! daughter New York, Nov 24. He’s : ment upon this importartt picture.: because she belongs to a certain ! snortscas’ter at WG'NR. New Ro- ! until you have seen it. Our Ameri- ’ religious faith, or happens not to 1 chelle N. Y. ! can system has been perpetuated ; dress as well as her sisters, or ' Mr.’ and Mrf: Bob Riggs, son, ; by the right of freedom of expres- ; comes from the wrong side of the^ Pittsburgh, Nov. 20. Father; was [ sion and this, of course, includes [ railroad tracks. Some of the things former trumpet player Avith Elliott the right of freedom o criticism. ; that do occur are heartbreaking Lawrence prehv , ! Meanwhile, please be assured that l and wrong.” Mr. and Mrs. Sy Friedmam son, • the picture is being prepared in | Recently L. G. Balfour retorted New York, Dec. 5. Fathert is as- j cognizance of the facts in- ! with his hidden threat that fra- ROBERT OBER Robert Ober, 68, an actor, who appeared, in many Broadway pro- ductions, died in New York Dec. 7. ■ His first appearance on the stage was Ayith Colonel Hopkins S/tock Go, in Au.gustU$ Thomas’ “In Missouri.” and later in , the farce My Friend from India.” He then spent a season wMth Robert Edison in “Soldiers of Fortune.” In the two years following he acted in The Little Grny Lady,” “Gallops.” Forty-Fivo ’’I'nntos from Broad- way,” “BrcAv.ster’s Millions,’/ ANNIBALE BETRONE Annibale Betrone, 66, Italian actor, died in Rome, Dec. 3,0. He had celebrated his 50th year in the theatre two days before his death. JULIUS HERNER Juilus Herner, 84, former con- cert cellist and intimate of _ Franz j Liszt and Johann BrahmS, died I pec. 7 at his home in Culver City. Wife of Haul E. Faust, secretary- treasurer of Feature Radio, Inc., I died Dec. 6 in Chicago, Husband, : three sons and two daughters i survive. i sistaht photo editor in NBC press i yQjygjj in the subject matter and department.^ , ; ! with a view to the greatest possi- ®hd Mrs. Ray.. Kavanaugh, j cprvirc to the Dublic includ- son. New York, Nov. 9. Father is service to tne pumic, inciua a musical director; mother is a ternity people might get even. He wrote to Skouras: “Quite frankly, I think you are former dancer. Mr. and Mrs. George Collie, daughter, San Antonio, Nov. 27. Father is merchahdising manager for WOAI and WOAI-TV there. Mr. and MrS« Robert Anderson, 1 . - 5 making a serious mistake. It : seems apparent that you have Isaac ^Fink, (66, manufacturer^ of irtg your membership. The letter slapped as “an un- worthy anld unwarranted intima- 1 joined the Comnrmnlsts in attack tion” that 20th was giving comfort ing the American College Fra- to the Redsf it pointed out that ternity System which has served the studio had produced “The Iron our country and our educational Curtain,” first purely anti-Commy j system for more than a century. daughter, Chicago, Dec. 1. Father I film and such other patriotic fea- 1 “Your position will be brought is ABC Central Division research tures as “The Fighting Lady,” j to the attention of our member- manager.' ; “Mouse on 92nd Street,” “The Song , shin, which totals in excess of 5,- Mr. and Mrs. Ed Leahy, daugh- of Bernadette” and “Twelve i 000,000. and I can a.ssure you that ter, Chicago, Dec. 3. Father is 0.(;ilock High.” Skouras added i you will not be favorably re- that in making such films as ; ceived . . . “Pinky,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” ; “Your further sug^^estioii that “Gentleman’s Agreement,” and we wait until your attack on fra- others “which dealt with defects ternities is publicize rV is a suc»«es- in our American system.” 20th al4b tion that we lock the door after served the cause of Americani*:m, 'the he”'?'? iith the radio tickets, of course, provided cuffo. Majors Nurse 257 Backlog in Case Hollywood, Dec. 19. Hollywood film studios are sit- ting pretty, as far as product is concerned, even if the Screen Writers Guild carries out its threat to strike. Eight major companies have a total of 257 features, either in the backlog, in the editing rooms or ill various stages of production. Completed films, ready for dis- tribution, number 176. In addition are 48 films in the editing process and 33 shooting. Added to that are 50 story properties, completed or nearly so. Members of the Screen Writers Guild have pledged $109,925 to date as a strike fund, in case the producers fail to agree on a new basic working agreement. Numerous checks have been re- ceived although the pledgers are not required to put up the coin unless a strike is called. Exclusive Deal Brewing NBC is in the process of nego- tiating a deal for the pacting of Margaret Truman to a longterm exclusive as ah NBC radio -TV guest star. It’s reported that she stands to make $4,000 per guest shot, “With a potential annual in- come of $200,000 if she circuits the web’s AM-video kilocycles on a bnce-a- week basis. The idea of wrapping up the ex- clusivity stems from the wide- spread reaction to Miss Truman’s recent appearancO on the Stmday evening “Big Show," when She not only held her own In the vocal departmehlt, but genefally drew kudos in the comedy department as a foil for emcee Tallulah Bank- head. By MIKE KAPLAN Hollywood, Dec. 19. Appeal to a pair of human frail- ties — the urge to make a fast buck and the desire to be a part of show business— is being made over local radio stations in a pitch to raise money for a legit show tagged “My L. A.,’’ the first show ever okayed for (Stock sale by California au- thorities. Copy makes it sound like a “blue sky" promotion, despite the state blessing and the fact that the L. A. Junior Chamber of Com- merce is one of the heavy backers of the musical. Radio drive fbr funds is the lat- est— and, the promoters hope, the last— stage in the two-and-one-half- year campaign to get the show on the boards. Response has been fairly steady in the four weeks that “My L. A." has been seeking stock buyers, and more than $100,- 000 of the needed $173,000 has now been raised. William Trenk, presi- dent of the production, reports that the show will open late in Febru- ary — if the present rate , of stock sale continues unabated. Public sale of shares, according to Trenk, is predicated upon the desire of those associated with the show to make “My L. A." a truly civic venture. And, he claims, stock is being bought in just that spirit. Virtually all of the letters enclos- ing $102 for . each unit of stock mentions the purchaser’s “joy and (Continued on page, 46) CBS Rushes Hollywood,. Dec. 19. Timetable on construction of CBS’ $35,000,000 Television City on the edge of Hollywood is being moved up and site may be activated long before the pencilled unVell- Ing In the fall of ’52, Wrecking crews move in this week on Gil- more Stadium and ground breaking is slated for early next year. With the war crisis becoming in- creasingly alarming, Columbia is moving fast to beat anticipated controls on material needed for the construction and to take ad- vantage of available crafts before they are recruited for war produc-. tion. ^ Las Vegas, Dec. 19.. Paradise City is a newly formed community, on the “Strip," just south of the city limits, by which “Strip" spots expect to avoid high gambling and liquor licenses. In Paradise City are such gilded spots as the, Flamingo, Desert Inn, the I.»ast Frontier, the ThundcTbird and £1 Rancho. Levenson Three-Year Deal at $3,500 a Week Sam Levenson and CBS last week finalized a three-year non- cancellable - contract^ • with the ex-teacher-turned-comic reportedly pacted at $3,500 a week. Levenson, who during the past two years spiraled into the TV big- time through his guest shots, starts a weekly half-hoiir CBS video show Jan. 27 in the Saturday 7 to 7:30 p.m. time, with Oldsmobile pick- ing up the tab. Jose Ferrer Enterprises, set up recently by the actor and two as- sociates, is said to be for the pur- pose of “activating the seven live- ly Ferrers." It will put him simul- taneously Into seven different phases of show biz. Initial venture of JFE is already under way. It is the legit revival of “20th Century,” in which Ferrer and Gloria Swanson will costar on Broadway and perhaps the road. At the same time, Ferrer and his pards are planning an indie pic, a series of record albums, a sort of autobiography, a combo radio-TV package, a nitery turn and a lec- ture tour. Ferrer would star in all of them. ' Partners in JFE are Ferrer; his attorney, Edwin M. Reiskind, and Richard Condon. Latter is a film exploitation specialist, who han- dled “Samson and Delilah" for Paramount earlier in the year and just wound up , a . chore, for pro- ducer Stanley l6:atner on “Cyrano (Continued on page 55) ^Guys and Dolls’ Plot Legal action for injunction and damages against Martin Block and station WNEW, N. Y.‘, is planned by Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin, producers of “Guys and Dolls," new musical comedy smash at the 46th Street, N. Y. The partners complain that Block’s broadcast of portions of the show’s story includ- ed plot situations and parts of the dialog, Feuer & Martin wired disk jockey Block, “Because of your unauthorized performance of Saturday, Dec, 16, of ‘Guys and Dolls’ songs and material, we have notified pur attorneys to Institute I suit immediately for injunction and I (Continued on page 41) With prospects of the armed forces being enlarged to 3,500,000 within the next year, nitery line producers are anticipating a bo- nanza. With many Army camps slated to reopen, it’s felt that de- mands for lines will be equal to that which existed during the past war. It’s anticipated that every city of any size located near an Army installation will be using talent as well as lines to entice the GI trade. They’re taking the cue that “there’s nothing like a dame" to lure the spenders.. Presently, line production is at the lowest ebb in years. Most nite- ries that formerly used production have dispensed with it until times are better. Consequently many Chorines, have left the business for lack of employment opportunities. Producers will be hard-pressed to fill future demands, it’s felt. Even now it’s difficult to get to- gether a group that will meet met- ropolitan standards. Combination (Continued on page 55) Pinza, Hottest Concert Prospect, Prepped For 5-Wk. 300G Nat’l Tour Ezio Pinza is being pitched for a 1951 spring or summer concert, in what looks like the most un- usual setup — ^as w^ll as the hottest prospect — in years. Tour is in the works, subject to Pinza’s avail- ability. Marks Levine, prez of Na- tional Concert & Artists Corp., his manager, has prepared a presenta- tion Calling for a tour of five weeks minimum, with possibility of a sixth, and Pinza has okayed the prospectus. But actor-singer won’t know until Jan. 10, when his sec- ond Metro pic, “Strictly Dishonor- able,” goes into production, what date his pic stint will be over, and when he’ll be available for the tour. (Pinza recently finished his first film chore for Metro, “Mr. Imperium” ) . Levine . is satisfied, feeling, he can set up the tour on eight weeks’ notice. Tour would call for five appear- artdes a week. Pinza, who is a basso, would be supported by a soprano and a tenor, as well as aii orchestral unit of 28, for a com- pany of about 35; Group would travel by private car and cover the country, tour starting on the Coast, coming as far east as N. Y. and Working back to California. With Pinza’s Met Operay “South Pacific" legiter and now film back- ground, Levine thinks he’s got the hottest card in longhair on hand. He had an offer last summer from Robin Hood Dell, Philadelphia, for a Pinza concert, for a $5,000 fee. He had an offer from the ^ Los An- geles Philharmonic fbif $10,000. Levine will play Pinza strictly on percentage, at 65-70-75%, de^ pending on location. He says he doesn’t need a guarantee. He fig- ures a five-week tour of 25 dates will gross $300,000 for an average of $12,000 a date. msasiXA’NT WeHhes^ay^ be<;eiti](»er 20, 1^0 Tledennaus’ Sellout of tonight’s (Wed,) per- fprmance of the new Met Opera version of Strauss’ “Die Fleder* mauS,’’ confirms the success of the company’s unique experiment with its “package” deal this season. Be- fore the season opened, the Met offered three “first nights” in a package (at upped fees), with those desirous pf buying tickets for opening night’s “Don Carlo” (Nov. 6) having to purchase tix for to- night’s “Fledermaus” and “Fideiio” March 6-^cohsidered three of the season’s most important events. Normal top at the Met is $7.50, With last year’s opening night hav- ing a special top of $10. This year the package was sold at a $60 top for the three (With boxes going higher). Most of the house for the three nights was sold this way, the few remaining tickets then going On single, sale. With this package deal, the Met has received about $120,000 gross, or $93,000 without tax, on the three performances, with probability the net figure may go to $95,000 by March, when the third opera, “Fideiio,” is done. . Met inanagement arbitrarily (Continued on page 20) Alleged Widow Back in Court on W. C. Fields Will Chicago, Dec. 19. Mrs. Elith Williams, 71, of Chi- cago, was back in court here last week, alleging she is the widow of W. C. Fields. Mrs, Williams’ peti- tion, filed in Probate court, asks that the comedian’s will be broken and claims that $50,000 of the estate is in Illinois. If winning this amount, however, Mrs. Williams stands to collect Fields’ full $900,- 000 bequest. Mrs. Williams claims she married the comic on June 24, 1893, while Fields was an itinerant entertainer in New York. Fields, it’s alleged, married her under the name of William Ward and she bore him seven children before he deserted her in Chicago in 1910. Half share in the estate was given Harriet V. Fields, the widow, after extensive . litigation in Los Angeles. SIHPP Prexy Ellis Arnall reviews The Indies^ Position in the Wartime Economy * .* ★ an interesting editorjq| feature, in the 45th Anniversary Number of PSSUETY Due Soon Broadway, Incorporated By JOE LAURIE, JR.. Johnny Hyde Diw At 55 on the Coast; Morris Agcy. Veepee Hollywood, Dec. 19. Johnny Hyde, 55, William Mor- ris Agency v.p., who died Monday (18) of a heart attack at Cedars of Lebanon hospital. Was generally regarded as one of the top agents in the field. He helped foster such stars as Betty Hutton, Lana Turner, Esther Williams, Rita Hay- worth, June Allyson, Gloria De Haven, Robert Walker, Lew Ayres and others. He was among those to develop the independent film production deals for top stars. Hyde had had a heart ailment for the past two years. He was brought back from Palm Springs Sunday (17) to the hospital from which he had been discharged a few days earlier following a second coron- ary occlusion. He was rushed back to the ; institution after complain- ing of chest pains. Hyde, born in Russia, came to the U. S. at an early age with his parents’ family act, the Nicho- las Haidabura Imperial Russian Troupe. He himself was not a per- former, but all his brothers, sisters and his parents worked in the act (Continued on page 46) WILL MAHONEY THE INIMITABLE Currently .. Contiiuiing Ringiing Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, Havana, Cuba Represented by ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP. 12 20 Gilt Subscription Enclosed find cheek or ni,o. for $. . . . Send Variety for one year. . . , . . . two years. . . . . . * . . , . . . NAME . ADDRESS • • 0 • • ZONE ... STATE . Indicate if gift card desired’ □ NAME • • • , • « • . . . , . > . . • . , •« • « • :» « •« • ADDRESS . , ... ... , . . , ..... ZONE... STATE. One Year— $10.00. . . .Two Yeors-— $18,00 Canodo and Foreign— $1 Additional per Year f^HIETY Ine. 154 West 46th Street New York 19. N. Y. BROADWAY, SR.^A guy who has played everything from one ©'cat to the Palacel BROADWAY, JR.^A youngster in show biz who is being weaned on the Borscht Circuit and small nightclubs . TIME: Nou). PLACE: Times Sq. JUNIOR: Have you been listening to these disk jockeys lately^ SENIOR: Yell, arid I got a beef. Did you notice when they introduce / an actor or a comedian, they nearly always say he or she is a star! Jr.: What’s wrong with that? Sr.: , Because if you wanna get technical, we only have maybe a half a hqpd red real stars in all of snow biz, if even that riiany. Jr.: What do you mean? : Sr.: i’ll bet a lot of people don’t know that a star is billed over the show, or picture.' If they are billed under the show dr picture, they are featured players. Npw tell me how many guys or gals that are introdiiced, riot only by disk jockeys hut by m.c.’s and even in the newspapers, are entitled to that billing? i Jr.: Qh well, you know they got to give a guy some billing, and it I doesnT mean anything to the M.C. to give ’em star billing. Sr.; Oh, I know why it’s done. But years ago when you said a guy was a star it meant a lot. It, meant that he or she had proven them- selves in show biz, that they were a drawing card at the b.o. It meant that they worked hard for years to get to that position, it irieant that they were big enough to demand and get a percentage of the take at the b.o. i Jr.: Come to think of it, you are right. I’ve noticed some guy or gal makes a hit recording and immediately their press agent gets busy and makes 'em a star. They don’t niention the other 50 or 100 recordings that they made that didn’t even pay for the wax. Sr.: That’s it, a guy makes a hit in a show, they call him the star. You may never hear of him again, a one-timer, but from then on he is always introduced as a star. Did you know that W. C. Fields after being a feature and headliner for years was jlist a feature in “Poppy” v'hen it started biit when he proved a draw he became the star? A1 Jolson was a riot at the Winter Garden for years before he became a star (in billing). Years ago when the great George Milton Berle moves into another President” he was the , o I • -j - -rv-i billed star, but nearly all of the exhibitors starred Jimmy Durante phase of his video career in. 1951 because Jimrny could draw ’em in and Cohan’s name meant noth- when, in addition to his still No. 1- ing at the b.o. in the little towns, rated “Texaco Star Theatre,” he’s Jr.: Weren’t there any over-night stars year ago? slated to join the ranks of NBC Sr.: You don’t mean over-night star.*?, kid, because stars are not made over night— youTriean synthetic stars — maybe put dough in a show on condition they were starred, but they didn’t last long. The same goes for the old vaude days. To hear the m.c.’s today everybody was a headliner in vaudeville. They had many headliners, but very few proved dynamite at the boxoffice. Through the years a lot stood up: Eva Tanguay, Irene Franklin, Alice Lloyd, Sophie Tucker, Belle Baker, Van & Schenck, Bayes & Norworth, Sara Bcrnhart, Elsie Janis, Ethel Barrymore and a few more, and there were a lot of feature acts who were great, most of ’em entertained the people that the headliners brought in, but remember, there was one headliner and a few feature acts on, a bill and the rest were acts. Plenty good, mind you, but no headliners or special attractions. Jr.: I noticed some guy may be a star in night clubs but are just fea- tures or attractions when they play theatres or pictui'es or even radio. Sr;: It’s a different kind of show biz today, kid. Years ago Just a few acts would step out of vaude into musical comedy, pic and radio- hut today the average actor spreads his stuff to all branches of the show biz; night clubs, radio, pics, TV, legit, musical comedy; that’s why 1 always say the actors ought to have just one union and one card that would let ’em play in all branches of show biz. Jr.: I heard someone on the radio say there were too many actors today. Sr.: Listen, kid, they’ve been saying that for years. There’s always too many in every line, and in show biz especially. But the bad ones or the ones that can’t make the grade eventually get out, but they always can be gotten hack on (he least provocation. It’s just iii the blood, Of course actors stick longer in show biz, even when things are rough and they know * in their hearts they stand no chance of getting anywhere. ! Jr.: What’s the reason for that; aint’s actors smart? production echelon in a producer- consultant capacity. Berle, who has been on top of all aspects of his own Tuesday night TV show, has long had a yen to assert his production-directorial talents, and talks with NBC have been going « on for some time. Martha Raye is slated to move into the vacated Fred Allen slot on the Sunday night “Colgate Comedy Hour” either in January or Febru^ ary, with probability that Berle will lake over the production- directorial reins. Miss Raye has been identified with Berle’s own show, having done a number of guest shots. Flynn Would Determine Republic’s ’Major Studio’ Status in Suits Vs. WB Hollywood, Dec. 19. Errol Flynn asked in superior court, in a pair of suits, to de- termine status of his 12-year star- ; Sr.: Sure they’re smart, but in show biz there is always that long-shot, ring contract with Warners. Ac- tions stem from Warner-Flynn hassle over actor’s appearance in “The Blood Line,” William Mar- shall indie made in France and set for Republic release. hope of getting a great pai*t, or singing a hit song or do a great bit in a pic, anything that would make . ’em a hit, and a hit gets you in demand, and when you’re in demand you get plenty of loot, and when you have fat bankbooks, you forget all about the tough times you went through to get there, you just kinda laugh it off. Many a star didn’t click until they were along in years, like Frank Bacon to just mention one. Flynn said Warners notified him How many of our present day stars do you think will live, I mean that his contract provides for out- j live in the history of show biz? side pix if such pix are distributed : Sr.: When you say live, you must mean 100 years from now. I doubt by “a major releasing agency,” and if anybody we know or have seen the past 50 years will become that since Republic was not. con- immortal-r-maybe. Charlie Chaplin,, and I still say maybe. There sidered a major he had breached were great clowns and actors and actresses that were world re- his contract. One suit asks court nowned in their time that are forgotten today. A1 Jolson may be remembered beGause he made the first talkie. Writers have a better chance than actors, guys like Irving Berlin must live through hjs songs. They will sing “White Christmas, ’V “Easter Piarade’* and “God Bless America” as long as all of ’em last, and they all will last as long as the wprld. ; Jack Norworth through his “Take Me Out To the Ballgame,” George M. Cohan through his “Over There,” and a few more, but of all the Usts of imriiortals that haye been gotten Up by rievvspapers, 1 don’t remember ever seeing an actor’s name, did you? { Jr.: Tell you the truth, Senior, I don’t read that stuff. Sr.: Well, to tell ypu the truth rieither do I. I get my, education listen- ing all night to all the disk jockeys; they know everything; If they don’t they bring up some guy that does. Jr.: I listen to ’em too, but not so much for news. I like to hear soine new gags when they have comics ad libbing, but they don’t seein to use anything that is funny. Sr.: Well, it’s late at night and I guess they are tired. Jr.; 1 know it’s kinda lough. I found when I work in clubs that it's hard for people to applaud or laugh with a toothpick in their hand or mouth. J Sr ; Gee, we started Off talkin’ about calling everybody stars and we end ' I up with toothpicks. Jr.: Well, what’s your solution, Senior? Sr.; I’m not tryin’ to solute anything, kid. 1 only say we should never worry about show biz, there will always be entertainriierit and the kids of today will be the real stars of tomorrow, but let’s not go overboard on adjectives, like the press agents of pictures did, call- ing everything, tremendous, gorgeous, terriffic, etc. Being a good actor or comedian or singer or dancer is pretty good. The greats just come once in a while— that’s why they’re GREAT! to determine whether Republic holds a “major studio” status in the industry; the other asks that Republic and Marshall be re- strained from releasirig “Blood” until Republic’s status is deter- mined, and also that Warners be restrained from suspending him or cancelling liis contract. * So, YoU^re a No. I Bestseller! detailt Biidd Schulberg in on qxpoittion oh flic frovail thot goes with suddonly being pro- jtetod into fho Lithrotl Limelight > * * on omiising bylint pitet In the 45th Anniversary Number of P^RlEfr Out Soon ^^dneiclaft December 20, 1950 YICTITRBS U. S. OKAYS WB CONSENT DECREE Paramount has . imposed ft signifi-'f cant qualification in making 12 pix available to Phonevision for the 90-day test it will make in Chicago next month. Par gave the pay-as- vnu-gb video system a wide choice of five or six years from which to pick the product it wanted, but insisted that the 12 films must be lifted in a block from the Para- mount release schedule in the same order as they originally appeared. Gdr; Eugene F. McDonald, prexy of Zenith, owners Of the Phone- vision system, has accepted the Par restrictihn. Choice has been made from a group of pix that St a rt c'd in release about inid-1 947. Other companies are allowing Zenilli to select whatever indi- vidual films they desire which were released prior to August, 1948. Par’s stand is that it is giving the films to Phonevision for free, for an experimental run and thus wants a fair test. It feels, there- fore, that Zenith m: t take the bad with the good, as might ordin- arily be expected in buying a pro- gram of product. A test of nothing but top pix chosen from release schedules over a long period of years would prove little, according to Par toppers. . It now appears very likely that the . twice-postponed experiment Phonevision’s 3-a-Day Phonevision will offer its subscribers three shows a day during the three-rilOnth test now slated to begin in Chicago Jan. 1. Pix will be showm at 3:30, 7 and 9 p.m. Different pic will be exhib- ited each show! with the films repeated at varying hours On subsequent days. will get under way Jan. 1. It is understood that Zenith has lined up about 75 of the 90 pix it needs. Metro, Warner Bros, and RKO each is contributing 15. Columbia, Republic and Eagle Lion Classics are also providing some. 20th-Fox and Universal are giv- ing Zenith nothing as yet. Spyros Skouras, 20th prexy, has taken the attitude that the company’s first (Continued on page 20) Theatre TV Proves B.O., Pub Relations Value Via Truman Speech Coverage Theatre television again proved its value as a public service me- dium last Friday night (15), when nine theatres in the east and mid- west carried President Truman’s speech to the nation. At the same time, reports from these houses OLOBETROTTER W. ,A. S, Douglas discoilrsts bn o ' ' ■ . Wilshire Boulevard Aurora Borealis * * * on InferniHn? bylint feature in the 45th Anniversary JSufnber of P^RIETY Out Soon Skouras Income San Francisco, Dec. 19. Attorneys pressing the Samuel Goldwyn monopoly action against Fox West Coast will ask the U. S. district court here for an order compelling Charles P. Skouras to reveal whether he and his two brothers, George and Spyros, pool their incomes from their respec- tive theatre and film company in- terests, The FWC prexy main- tained a steadfast silence, on the advice of his legal reps, when questions on a possible pooled revenue arrangement were put to him by Goldwyn coun$el Joseph Alioto during deposition proceed- ings last week. Prompting Alioto's queries Were Said to be rumors persisting in the trade which closely link the op- erations of the three brothers, and with all adhering to the same busi- ness patterns. Skouras is skedded to resume his testimony at a new hearing here on Jan. 4, but, prior to this, Alioto is expected to seek the court order directing him to make known the facts on the al- leged pool. Obvious Objective of querying by Alioto is to establish that such a Skouras pool, working arrange- ment or division of profits would preclude effective competition be- tween the United Artists Theatres circuit, of which George Skouras is head, and Fox West Coast, of which Charles Skouras is top man. It also was intimated the working arrangement covered the Skouras circuit in N. Y., plus M. A. Naify’s Golden State chain in this area. “SS ,r.K i 7 i? J”! exhibitors pointed out that the radio fireside chats of the late president Roosevelt had cut severe- ly into their grosses. By bringing^ President Truman’s “chat" directly mto their theatres, they also re- tained their customers. Speech furnished Paramount with the first opportunity to bicy- cle a print of the President’s speech from its Broadway Paramount to its Brooklyn Paramount theatre. Broadway house, utilizing Par’s in- termediate film method, carried the speech as it was 'picked tip (Continued oh page 16) Ghevalier For H’wood Production Pari$, Dec. 19. Maurice Chevalier has been Pficted by William Wilder for a he will niake next spring in liollywnpd.. It will be a story, with afjout Chevalier’s loves. Director, who came over pri- ii^anly to find out about making some Marshall Plan shorts in Ger- ^^any, left today (’Tues.) for a couple of days in Munich and a yisu to Switzerland befote return- ing to the U. S. in February. concerning the operations of the Frisco Bay Area FWC organization and its affiliates. After two days pX_^quest^hing the Skouras deposi- (Continued on page 16) SET FDR Fan Chicago, Dec, 19. Profits from the Hadacol medi- cine show, which has been touring the country with top talent, are being earmarked for film produc- tion. Louisiana State Sen. Dudley LeBlanc, who spent $200,000 in luring talent to his patent-medicine traveling company, will be heading for the Coast on Jan* 5 with the View of branching out to pix-mak- ing. LeBlanc is said to be figuring on siphoning off excess promts from the jnedicine show. Prexy of the. Hadacol firm, Le- Blanc is set • to rent 600 theatres throughout the country on Christ- mas Day. Holders of Hadacol box- tops will be admitted to showings of Hopalong Cassidy Ulms. Meanwhile, LeBlanc’s reps on the Coast are planning a testi- monial for him. . Warner Bros, this week became the third major film company to reach full agreement with the Gov- ernment on terms for divorcing its theatres from prodiiction-dis- tribution. Representing the final major hurdle to be cleared, ap- proval unofficially was given by the U. S, Treasury Department; which was called upon to rule on the taxar tion aspects of the reorganization. Due within a few days is a for^ mal announcement on the settle- ment, which means WB exit from the antitrust suit filed against the eight principal film firms 12 years ago by the Department of Justice. Latter approved the WB plans for separation several weeks ago. Schedule jiow provides for entry of the consent decree at a hearing on Jan. 4, by the ,U' S. statutory court in N, Y., which heard the trust case, with thi sto be followed by formal ratification by stock- holders at a special meeting to be called in February; N. Y. court set the hearing date yesterday (Tues.) at the request of the Jus- tice Department. Although WB would be permit- ted a full year to effect the theatre split, apparently the company in^ tends to. complete the job by next (Continued on page 20) Trustee Certain for Hughes’ Stock; Clarence Brown is of fho opinion . It Isnh the Old Joke That^s Necessarily Best 0 byline feature in the upcoming 45 th Anniversary IS umber Schafy, Schenck, Gpetz In N.Y. Meet to Talk Production Increase With exhibitors still clamoring for more product, a group of top Metro execs will get together in New York next Week to scout the possibility of boosting the output of the M-G studios. Company is releasing 40 features this year as compared with the 36 distributed in 1949. With the market evident- ly in a position to absorb a greater number of films, M-G may hike its total'to 45 during 1951. Participating in the huddles will be prexy Nicholas M. Schenck and other homeoffice execs; production veepee Dore Schary and Metro’s British production chief, Ben Goetz. Goetz and Schary are both due in N. Y. Saturday (23). Sales veepee William F. Rodgers is slated to leave for his annual Florida va- cation the preceding day, but he'll (Continued on page 16) A unique angle for financing in- die production is being attempted; by Harry Sherniah. Vet producer, j who, originated the “Hopalong Cas- sidy’’ series, is lining up invest- ments in a new^ group of pix by manufacturers and wholesalers j who would get the rights to com - 1 mercial products that are corollary to the films. The commercial licensees would actually be prepaying royalties on ; products growing out of the pix. j Whether or not they got their ad- i vances back out of the royalties, j they’d be in the position of second- ; nioney investors in the films and would independently profit or lose j (Continued on page 4) Washington, Dec. 19. Stanton Griffis has been ac- cepted as ambassador by the Spanish government. The Paramount biggie resigned as envoy to Argentina last month and went off on a “sabbatical." I At that time Griffis reported to President Truman and was asked to take the Spanish post, Griffis w'ill be first U. S. ambassador to Spain in five years. With the complete collapse of the Harir Brandt deal and only 11 days left before divorcement of the RKO theatre and picture com- panies beconies imperative, it ap^ peared certain this week that How- ard Hughes’ interest in the circuit would be trusteed. Meantime, the group . of Wall Streeters who have been in revolt at Hughes’, mariagemeiit of the company was involved in a series of intricate maneuvers that might have tremendous effect oh the fu- ture of either or both Ihe film or theatre company. The operation is in a temporary lull period, how- ever. pending actual separation of the two divisions and the change of the stock in them from a “when- issued" to regular basis. , Divorcement is required under the anti-trust consent decree by Dec. 31. Actually, the theatre and picture firms will function together as a unit for the last time Dec. 29. All requirements have been ful- filled for separating them and they’ll begin operation. on the new basis Jan.. 2. Stockholders this week will re- ceive a letter informing them that Bankers Trust, N. Y., has been ap- • (Continued on page 16) Moscow Goes to Top With ‘Mr. Deeds,’ But Without Any Payoff “Mr, Deeds Goes to Town," which the Associated Press reported over the weekend is now playing . as an anti-American propaganda piece in Moscow, w'as not sold to the Rus- sians. Prints of the 1936 Colum- bia release were available in many countries of JEurope before and af- ter World War II and could easily have been picked up by the Soviet propaganda-makers. Motion Picture Export Assn., which handles the Russian terri- tory jointly for the American com- panies, has been trying to make a deal with the Russians for a block (Continued on page 19) National Boxoffice Survey Biz Swings Low; ^Solomon* Champ for Fifth Week in Succession; ^Dance/ *2 Weeks^ Next in Line First-run theatres are currently j rounding out the week before Christmas, always one of slowest sessions of the year, and total biz shapes up lower than in recent years for many locations. Reports from Variety correspondents iii some 24 key cities indicated it is a case of the sluggish trend, reported ! prior to pre-Xmas Influence took hold, being accehtuated by the familiar pre-Ytiletide lull. The f^w top films that are doing nice or, big trade are the rare exceptions. For the firth week in a row, “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) is retaining its grip on 'fir$t place even though it is 100% holdoyer or extended-run. In the face of slow biz generally/ this opus did not report a single sour session; Second money is going to “Let’s Dance" (Par) for the second suc- cessive stanza while “Two W eek^ With Love" (M-G) is edging up to third spot. “Dark City" (Par) will wind up fourth, with “American Guerrilla" (20th) in fifth. “Two Flags West" (20th) is displaying enough to take sixth place while “Highway 301" (WB) and “West Point Story" (WB) round out the top eight list. Outside of the first six pictures, few are showing suf- ficient strength to ordinarily place among the winner. “Kansas Raid- ers*’ (Ui, with steady trade in one key and good takin(,3 in another, and “I’ll Get By" (20th) class as best runnerup entries. Because nearly all exhibitors are waiting until just before Christmas Day to launch their stronger prod- uct, only one new film looms as a potential boxoffice favorite in cur- rent frame. It is “For . Heaven’s, Sake" (20th), which got away to a | solid start at N. Y^ Roxy despite j opening in the rain and having to \ battle the current downbeat. j Of the several reissue combos spotted in an effort to bolster trade at a minimum rental, “Gilda" (Col) paired with “Platinum Bilonde" (Col) is collecting the most sizeable coin. Mild in Chicago, Providence, Minneapolis and Baltimore, this combo shapes nicely in Portland and okay in Toronto. “Pinocchio”* “Make Mine Music," both RKO- Disney pix, - are doing solid trade at N. Y. Criterion, where they are giving this house its best week in a long time. “The Milkman" (U), which opens at N. Y. Mayfair soon, looms big in Portland and okay iii Toronto. “Southside 1-1000" (Mono), while spotty, is checking in with a fair Boston round and is okay in Cleve- land. “High Lonesome" (EL) looks fine in Denver. “Two Lort Worlds" (EL) is rated big in Frisco. (Complete Boxoffice Reports on I Pages 10-11) ' Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY. Inc Harold Erichs. President 154 West 46th St.. New York 19: N Y Hollywood 28 6311 Yucca Street Washington 4 1292 National Press Building Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ave. London WC2 8 St. Martin’s PI.. Trafalgar Sq. SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 Foreign . $11 Single Copies 25 Cents ABEL GREEN. Editor Vol. 181 ■ r(^ : No. 2 MERRY CHRISTMAS f 4 - • • • INDEX Bills . '» . Band Reviews . . . , . . . . . Chatter ... . ...... Film Reviews . . . . . House Reviews; . . . inside Legit V ... . Inside Music . , Inside Pictures Inside Television . . International . . . . . Legitimate . . ..... Literati . . , Music . . . New Acts . Night Club Reviews. . . . Obituaries .... Pictures . . . . . Radio . .... . , Radio Reviews . Hecords .... Frank Scully . . Television .... Television Reviews . . . . . Vaudeville • 0 * • • • • -* .k • • 0 • • » 4 • • • O' 000 . f 4 46 34 52 6 . . 47. ..50 .. 36 . . . 20 . . 33 . .14 48 54 .34 46 42 55 3 21 22 34 54 25 27 42 DAILY VARIETY tPuhlished in HollyVvood hy Daity Variety Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Foreign PICTURES ^KIETY Wetliiesclay, December 20, 1950 ASCAP Near Pic Deal American Society of Com- posers, Authors and Publishers is nearing a windup of it ne- gotiations with the major Hol^ ly producers on performance feesv Rest of the majors are following the pattern set in the ASCAP deals with Metro and Columbia which were com- pleted several months ago* Per- forming rights society looks to collect about $800,000 from the majors and indie producers. , Details are on P. 35 in the Music section. Gamble, New RKO leatre Co. ly Op In Gamble, posers, Authors and Publishers m 1 i* MM ' 25 Suits TolaDing $71 j79,S0fl TOA-COMPO Truce; Bid for Myers . . . fees. Rest of the majors are ■ ■ ■ . . ^ ^ Copyright I From PUncJl tO ^ ^ little Julian T.Al,e)es ^ firs. 7m™. o„. ^ p»«5’ Yw /or T/Kspi. 5 I. llOUl tte ..iu ^ , D,UII. Ir. ». P JS B 01. ; W ' ' iof B organizational papers, the theati’e TJtP Pvoof of 'tJlP Music section. . ■ __ , a i , rirMojoR ■ ^ ■+. * r lu • firm states many such cases figure iHe riOOf QJ me .. ,.... ... . . . , , , Harry Hersllfieltl COMPO committee tor the _sessipn. to be settled with Ihe plaiiitifts PuilAitt^ ' ' - ■ ' ^ ^ '■ ^ - Quick action is iinperatiye this receiving onlf a small frL^^^ Puttain ' C 1*1 A1a,«». I? * * * week, ance Gamble is_ planning to the amount of alleged damages, oi- ' Nllllt WPar F Or a-. • . S . • . 1 . leave New. York forfiis_W no cash consideration at all, one of the mony editorial feotures : UUlli 1 1 vUI • VI on editorial feature in the Portland, Ore., for the Christmas- >v Cl f' , .rj 11 Kim !» pn I. 1 luL •- Ncw Ycar liolidays. Gamble ik the New RKO film 1 ^ _ . *, . ^ ■ ■ forfhcomi q sparkplug of the TOA group which actm^^^ These :45f/. ,<«MioerSory AumJicr , ^^$1316 ' ^iiititifirsfiry v^ora a W^ii^^i^e^ were not listed.^ ^ ■■ V ^ . V ^ ^ - mittee with him are exec director ^Toppmg tlie list of piaim p^filETY Dissolution of the United Para- ; Gael Sullivan and board member IVk ^ inn^riassics (hit Sooti ' mount Theatres partnership vvith J^f^IETY ; Simon. H. Fabian. \ f a : Kart Hoblitzelle in the. operation : ^ : • ■--—I;!- Gamble at the first session with J^w«SrfiPv^^Tf^’s^mdthedis- 1 - i of Interstate Circuit, extensive ■ _ — ^ ^ trihQ iQ fipmflnflh ^ total damages ' M X f 1 i Texas chain, . is anticipated shortly 1 pi’exy a compromise formula on I IP I Q ^Pf inr Kf as a consequence of the new $45,- i ||AY^^ rilllfirCffinCV TOA's demand that , it be given oi $15,000,000.^ ^ _ Ul 1 5 lici t Vl idl : OOO.OGO UPT credit arrangement. j UU V li ^ on the ^ Pavtiallist^f filler jfiaint^s and Well equipped with cash as a re- / . ^ ^ ^ . COMPO board. , The nine other the amount of alle^^ .11 ll/I C suit of the refinancing, UPT now jn,, constitiientgroups in the all-indus- ' l l IVlAQ Nifli/lirC in a strong PQsitipn to buy^ 0 ^^ ^PPII IVPV lO I lirt S public relations organization ’ \T v’ X X 111 Vvo V I its partners, with the yievy to sub- ^ would haye to agree to this to make $9,124,000; fieathcorp, Inc., N. Y., . i sequentVy divesting portions of the • , ^ ^ ^ Tii ^11 I^lill ki i Unit With fOMPO'BSgs'KgLIii^ia sss: WiivhoukvV’ N * U «1U ljOyU,UVU thfough as expected, it's likely that kiMln ' ' Willi V Allied States Assn. It is understood onn ^HoblitzeUo, 38 president, and gen- 1 i- • ^ ,i,v ' thatniembers of the Depinet .Gom- United Paramount Theatres had j eraji manager-vice president Robert ! ., Respite the^^ , mittee have been ; in touch with S3 648 000- Joseph Anthony N y” ! estimated consolidated earnings of J. O’Donnell, as well as others of it was clegr this. .Allied board chairman and-gcneral ||250:oSa -- ’ $2326,000 forfhe October dnd No^ i the .chain's execs^ w,mld^contin,m : ^v,mi^o™nca, 111^^^^ ' The Profit Rgnge : . Imbcr fiscal months, including ! S^e" “-P''"’ , pro forma statements show that capital gains of $167,000, and $597,- p' .vj'y.v of UPT orexv Leonard from Presi- i xi is hoped by the others in the RK.O circuit, if it fiad. operated I qoo, which, previously was reported Goidenson is to disclose new deals ; , CQMPO that TO A and Allied will Son‘^ LSr^iave'^^^'h^^^^^^^ ^s undistributed earnings of non- only after they have been consum- ; coMP^fol^becausf om^^^ Iw “ « light of ihB ! consolidated, partly-owned compa- mated. For this reason there has i COMPO fold because ot dit^rences | the pr^ and piofit lange ovet the past five , .. nrofit. brines the been nn nmbial comment on Inter- '?” forget differences that Oiit Soon ! Dissolution of the United Para- mount Theatres partnership vvith ; Karl Hoblitzeile in the. pperatibii ! i of Interstate. Circuit, extensive i Texas chain, is anticipated shortly 1 as a consequence of the new $45,- 1 000,000 UPT credit arrangement. W ell equipped with cash as a re- sult of the Tefinancing, UP’T now j is in a strong position to buy but 1 I its partners, with the yievv: to sub- ! I sequently divesting portions of the | properties to third parties. j If the I h t e r s t a t e deal goes j ’ through as expected, it’s likely that j i Hoblitzeile, as' president, and gen- .l From Punch to Punchlines; Pugs- Yen for Thespis by - Harry Herslifield dn editoriol footure in the ; forfliconilnq ' 4oih Ahnivorsary: Numhor of ► A second attempt of the com- mittees headed by Ted Gamble and Ned E, Depinet to settle the differ- ences between Theatre Owners of America and the CounciV of Mo- tiom.Picture Organizations will take place this week. Initial effort tvvo weeks ago was stymied by inability of Depinet to line up his full COMPO committee for the session. Quick action is Imperative this week, since Gamble is planning to leave New York for his home in Portland* Ore.^ for the Christmas- New Year hoiidaiys. Gamble is the sparkplug of the TOA group which, favors a compromise arrangement with COMPO. On the TOA com- mittee with him are exec director Gael Sullivan and board member Simon H. Fabian. ; \ Gamble at the first session . with i Depinet put before the COMPO . prexy a compromise formula on TOA's demand that ,it be given increased representation on the COMPO boards The nine other constituent groups in the all-indus- try public relations organization would have to agree to this to make ■ it operative. j .Principal hurdle is TOA ’s com- petitor in the national exhib field, Allied States Assn. It is understood that members of the Depinet com- 'iqif Iififfin 24A been nooffibi.fi comment on Inter- financial 701 1044 B,. Ant N. Y. last Friday (15'.. H? said in its consent decree witli th. m^Drofit of $6 271 IsV^lbV'? 'loss i '’® anticipated some decline in tiie ernment. - . k"" However, on the more favorable I leaking gene^^^^^ Goidenson ' I ShermaH PlaH foe ttewal of mflation and the various, . . 1 Actually, the state of emergency ; of tOA’s member groups are will- as proclaimed by Mr. Truman has to go— and that’s not too far. ; had the effect bf putting the pres- These groups want repre.sentatiori i sure on both TOA and COMPO of- on the COMPO board though it • fieials to reach an early compro- will mean little in view of the ' mise. Industry feeling, of course, is .system of voting by organizational that in order to do a complete job units. Mvers’ headache is to avoid in any Government assignment the making it appear he has bowed to trade must be fully unified. TOA’s demands. . However, if th ; TOA group is COMPO committee which is unese include a studio overnead — — r ;**. — ThevTl be saeebrushers i narry crandt, itooert Coyne ar cut of $2,000,000 annually; ^^i^fgtt^VSd WOO. Xhere^^ first year’s progranr either com- Only, business enacted at the ):“ste.-n^ in color to cost around i L. A. to N Y pleted and awaiting release or in stockholder conclave was approval c^oo 000 o'lch Meanwhile, COMPO spokesmen • • the process of cutting and editing, bf the UPT stock option plan for sherman nartnered in the deal i Y. this Week that the Of these, 10 were brought in at I key personnel. Under the program, ...ifb Neil Aenew former Para- ! budgets less than $500,000; seven ’ Goidenson and others are entitled 'nd I:k other restrictions Yanks iucing. ,[ Washington; Dec. 19. The nation’s film theatres took in $1,569,000,000 at the boxoffice in i. 948, Including the Federal 20% admissions tax aiid the various lo- cal and state amusement taxes, the U. S. Census Bureau reported to- day (19). The figures; a paid Of the 1948 census of business, are, exclusive of the drive-ins and the few porta- the last previous date when a Fed- eral census of business was taken, were $673,000,000. Washington, Dec. 19. Film industry dividends continue far in the ruck of what they W'ere in 1949; Reported dividends for the first 10 months of 1950 aggregate $28,887,0()0. a dive of $9,764,000 beA low the same peidod of the preced- ing year, according to figures re- leased by the U. S. Gomjnerce De- partment. The big spread is explainable in a few companiei., a Commerce spokesman pointed out. ; For in- stance, Stanley Go. of America-^ Warner’s subsidiary — cut melons totaling $7,240,000 for its stock- holders in the first 10 months last year. This year it has reported nothing. RKO paid three qiiarteiiy dividends aggregating $1,775,600 in 1949 but nothing this year. And the total Paramount dividends are off by $706,000. While Columbia Pix dividends are running $327,000 back of last year, its November dividend will liipre than wipe but this discrepan- cy. The dividends of Republie Pic- tures were up $500,000 from last year. Commerce estimates that the. publicly reported dividends total about 60 to 65^’r' of all dividends, paid in any industry. on the market in the U. S. and, free; its quality doesn’t come elose j through competition with the other to films.” ! si!ystems currently in use, will un- Balance of industry leaders spoke I dbubtedly force the price down, warmly of good feeling between ; Swiss system is entirely different exhibitor and distributor. Allied from any yet seen in the U. S. prexy Jack Kirsch asked that the in that it Is direct projection, but biggies on hand return to Chicago . utilizes an external light source, sometime in January to map out ] such as a carbon arc, and creates a circumvention campaigh for the projection through extremely rapid biz drop. Huddle had originally ' rotation of globules of a mineral been called for Dec. 14, but Kirsch water substance known as Eido- reportedly cancelled out because phor. Light is reflected from these of lack of cooperation* ; - j globules in a mahner similar to the House darkenings are at a stand- i reflection of light from a pool of (Continued bn page 18) [oil. Globules would also reflect col- ors, which reporfedlj makes the I system especially adaptable to color video for theatres. Use of a carbon ^ arc light source indicates that the PaefArn VIIAC I niAi system can provide a “throw” as LiadipiU UaiCO i/HIci gg standard 35m film pro- Peter T. Paha has been promoted jector. While that advantage is also U Promotes Dana To from district manager to eastern division sales chief for Universal, succeeding CharLs J. Feldman, Who recently Was upped to nation- inherent in Paramount’s interme- diate film method, it is not present in the direct projection system built by RCA for use with a al sales topper. Feldman said the Schmidt optical system., Dana appointment was in line with Engineers from the Uniy. of Zu- the firm’s policy of promotion from rich, as well as several Swiss busi- withln the ranks. ness men owning commercial rights As district manager, Dana super- to the system, have been in the vised the Albany, Buffalo, Cleve- U. S. for huddles' with theatre land, Detroit and Pittsburgh ex-: execs. A description of the system changes. He started with the com- j was recently published by the So- pany in 1930 as a salesman. Sue- ’ ciety of Motion Pietpte and Tele- dessive promotions made, him vision Engineers. It's said that the branch chief in Albany, Buffalo original working model set up by and Pittsburgh. He was upped to the Swiss occupied two full floors the district post in 1946, \ (Continued on page 19) FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, December 20, 1950 Pagan I^P VC Seng (SONGS - COLOE) Metro release of Arthur lion. Stars Esther WilUams, Howard JKee , features Miiina Gombell, Rita Moreno. Directed_by associate producer. _Ben ^DavS play, Robert Nathan and based on book by ^ H^Sj jfic, Harry Warren, Brown: camera (Technicolor), (^hams Kosher; editor, Adrienne Fazan; spec^l effects, A. Arnold Gillespy. combe, ..Previewed, 1^ Y., Dec. 12 oO* Running time. 76 _ ^ Miiuatiire Reviews Mi mi Bennett .. lia/ard Endicott , . Kate Bennett. ... . Tavae . . . - ... . , . • • Teutu Mahu. . . ......... Taiii . . . ... • Papcra. . ........... . Esther WUliams . Howard Keel . <■. Minna Gombell .....Charles Mauu .. . . . Rita Moreno . . . . Philip Costa , . . Dione Leilani . . .Charles Freund '‘Pngan Love Song*’ is one of the \veakep entries in . Arthur Freed s. long string, of Metro rnusicals. Filmed almost entirely in Hawaii, but located in Tahiti, picture is backgrounded by some lush tropi- cal vscenery that, in better tunes, : would probably, start a raid on the travel agencies. With the exception of the boxof- fice pull to be derived from ^ the : names of Esther Williams and How- ard Keel, that’s about all the pic- ture has to offer. It will naturally get top playing time and, like other . M-G musicals, should do its share . of business. ^ “Pagan Love Song’* (M-G) rSongs-Color). Esther WiL liams, Howard Keel in pleas- ant musical, okay boxoflfice. “The Man Who Cheated iUmselF t20th). Fairly inter- esting melodrama of a cop in- volved with murder, but mod- erate, b.o. • “Under the Gun” (Song) ( U V. Prison^break melodrama with good twists and fair b.o. ^ '^“the^ Company She Keeps” •(RKOV. Drama of femme paro- lees. okay chances if exploited. “Trail of Robin Hopd” fSongs-Color) (Rep.1. Fair Roy Rogers patuner with guest list Of oldtime western names. “Call of the Klondike” (Mono). Okay entry in North- west Moimtie series. “Stage to Tucson” (Color) fCol). Routine westernwith Rod Gameron, Wayne Morris and color tO; help. \ ^ Tlie Man Who Cheated Himself Hbllvwood, Dec. 18, Under the Cun (ONE SONG) Hollywood, Dec. 15. universal release of Ralph Dietrich pro- duction. Stars Richard Conte. Aud^y Totter: features John McInUre. Sam Jane, Sheppord Sirudwick, Gregg ^ lip Pine. . Directed by Ted Tetzlaff. Screenplay, George Zuo^kerman; camera, Henry Freulich; editori Virgil Vogel. Pre- viewed Dec. 12, "50. Running time, . 83 Ml NS Bert Galvin . i . • • • ■ Ruth Williams. . . . i ...... . Langley . - Milo Bragg. Shepperd Strudwick Nero . . . ‘ • GreaS.Martell Gandv PhUlip Pine SherboUrne , ...... ....... Don Randolph wugeni Richard Taber Five Shot A number of story twists keep “Under the Clun” from being just another melodrama and its box- office indications for. the general market ' are fairly good. Perform- ances stand up and there’s a good touch of authenticity gained by location filming in Florida, locale of the plot. The George Zuckerman screen^ play hinges its meller factors on a penal law custom that pardons a trusty if he shoots an escaping prisoner, Richard Conte is a big- shot New York gambler who takes Seven Days to Noon “Seven Days To Noon,” Brit- ish-made, which opened at the Trans-Lux 52d- St, N. Y., Monday (18l, was revieiaed iri Variety from London, Aug. 23, 1950. “A tense and topical theme is the main ingredient of this new British-made Boul- ting Bros, production,” re- viewer stated^ He went on to say “the major handi- caps this film will have to overcome are complete lack of marquee names for both the British and American markets. Powerful exploitation, how^- ever, may make this, a big grosser on both sides of the Atlahlie.” Pic deals with an atom scientist, mentally de- ; ranged because his work is being used for destructioh, w'ho warns the Prime Minister of England that unless atomic bomb production ceases by noon of the following Sunday (seven days after receipt of the letter.), he‘ll blo^y up ail of Loridont w ith a stolen bomb. Picture is being released in the U; S. by Distinguished ■Films. ' Cull of the Kloufllke Hollywood, Dec. 13. Monogram release of Lindsley Parsons production. Stars Kirby Grant, Chinook (canine); features Anne Gwynne, Lynne Roberts. Tom Neal. Directed by Frank McDonald. Screenplay,. Charles Lang; based on story by James Oliver Cur- wood; camera. William Sickner; editor. Ace Herman, Previewed Dec. 12, ’50, Run- iring time, 66 MINS, Rod • Kirby Grant Chinook (dogl . . «... • . ... • • Chinook Nancy .................... Anne Gwynne Emily . . * . . .......... . . . . Lynne Roberts Mallory .... , . ..... . . . . . . • • Tom Neal McKay . ........... . . , . . . Russell Simpson ^Xencheck . ... M[aro Kiah Fred Foley ; , . . . . . . ..... . v . . Paul Bi.yar Billy ;...... .Pat Gleason Luke. ...................... . Duke York t top playing time ana, release of Jack M. Warner : -G musicals; should do its share ■■production, stars Lee J. Cobb, John Dali, i Kiicinpcc Wyatt: features Lisa Howard, Alan I PU.SinebSj. . ^ Wells. Harlan Warde. Directed by Felix- Withal the picture has a pleas- . e. Foist. Screenplay, Seton I,' Miller, .! .ntcHarm about ject It as sheer escapist entertain )jart: music .score, Louis Forbes, Trade- I nient. Action is pegged on the shown Dec. 13 , ’ 50 . Running time, so thinhestof story lines but its ivory- MINS. ^ _ towered presentation or the, care^iEd^^tuii.D^ free life to be found on a never- . .jane wyatt never South Seas isle wiU evoke j.',net . . . ... ... ............ .Lisa Howard the right reaction fiptii working day-dreamer. While the : pien-o capa ; Tito vuoio tilnes lack the punch to merit Mrs. capa ^Lmi Agu^ia much commercial plugging, thdy’re • • sold neatly by Miss Williams and eiaVr Keel. And the usual dazzling pro- Rushton time out for murder W’bile return-. ■ . . ' ■■■■■ ., ing from a Miami vacation. Audrey j Scott, in what Totter, a girl singer he has picked jg offbeat character^ Pie.lro Capa i Mrs. Capa .• Mr. Quimb.v . MiS. Quiniby Blair ..... . up, fails to carry through with a perjiiry scheme and he draws a 20-yeair sentence in a southern prison camp. ' Conte carefully maneuvers his way to a trusty position and then talks, Sam Jaffc; a felldw prisoner, into attempting to escape. It’s a deadly game the two are to play. If Jaffe is gunned dowm. by Conte the former’s family w'ill be. pro- vided for and Conte gets a pardon, ; It all comes ofLas the gambler had I registers strongly. O’Keefe holds 1 his own in w-hat is principally a woman’s story. John Houseman’s production Is I marked by good casting . in the ' supporting roles. Among theih are i Fay Baker, the parolee who gets 'Miss Greer in trouble; John Hoyt, I a judge; Bert Freed, police pf- jficer; James Bell, Don Beddoe and Irene Tedrow. I Tight editing keeps the footage .7. .'.Marjorie Bennett : planned, except that details of the down to 82 minutes. Lensing. Bud Wolfe : in Jaffo’c I music score, and the ol her techni- cluction numbers limited .Morgan Farley Howard Negley revealed two. Which in itself fits in with the ■ Airport cuTk indolent nature of the film, . getl^^ h e *■ .7. Miss Williams does capably in ivtiichetti , the the.sping singing, and, especi- Attonuy .. ... ally the swimming departments. ■ Keel, who scored as Frank Butler ■ A fairly in M-G’s version of “Annie that plays Get Your Gun,’’ repeats in “Love i pre.sented i Song” in a part that doesn’t re- ly tilled “IV quire him to do more than give out self.” Indei with his robust baritone and act M. Warner plea.santly. Minna Gombell returns i and being i to film acting after a long absence should rale in a role that’s almost a W'alkon. j returns in Rest of the cast handle their chores ket. competently. j Story po: Screenplay, scripted by Robert . Nathan and Jerry Davis from Wil- 8^ve it a J liam S. Stone’.s novel, “Tahiti Pur>enance Landfall,” has Keel as a. school- : teacher from the States w'ho. comes 'vnicn. aic to the island to take over a run- , ^ clown plantation wdlled him by an j St-'t it ovtT uncle. Miss Williams is an English ! ^ • 5 gal born and raised there, who 3 "0iviicid( lives with her w^ealthy family but ; good recor also doubles into the idyllic native ' ^ a V eb^ life. Against the .sultry tropical Jgoe Wyat background, they meet, fall in loye, | kills ber r quarrel and are reconciled for the , fadeout — and that’s aboiit all there , Cobb .s yo is. Irresponsible but lovable, na - 1 lives wander in and out of the ac- i tion to help keep things moving. • : 1 Robert Alton's direction is ca- ' ^^dtJou^ ] pable, but his talents shine in the • leads Dal two production numbers. One is a ; brilliantly-executed native sw'ord ; W>'att Jud( Meclicitl Examiner .William Gould Airport ClCi'k ^ . . , « . • . • ; > • Art Milan Butler .......... ..»,i .Gordon Richards Detective . . . . . .... . . ..... . . . Terry Frost Machetti ......... , . Mario Siletti Attorney ................ .Charles Victor Rushton .'.'.V.*.'. . . .Morgan Farley j Olson ... . . . . .... ...Howard Negley ; daily diary of pripon life, and Meditai Examiner ....... .William Gould ([jontc is trapped and killed while Butler .Gordon Richards , tr> mg to flee. _ Detective Terry Frost l Ted Tetzlaff S dll’CCtlon gets a Machetti . . ., — vSlfr nice element of suspense into the story-telling and. crams, quite a bit A • 1 of action into the chase sequences. tv.'V Corite gives his tough role a strong that p ays off in .fafhion is performance but his co-star. Miss presenterim th^apt but awkward- ^ ly titled Man Who Cheated mm-! c.. seif.” Independently inade by Jack i M. Warner t son of Jack L. WarnerV, , and being released by 20th-Fox, it; should rate moderately satisfactory ! returns in the general dual mar- ■ ket. j Story poses an obvious plot, but; scripting, plaj'ing and direction: give it a lift; the production ap- 1 p.urtenances are good. A factual technique is used for the telling which, along with the location ! filming in San Francisco, helps to J get it . over. Lee J. Cobb plays the title role. • a homicide cop with a long and I good record. He becomes involved i in a w eb of circumstances w’hen ; Jane Wyatt, the girl he is chasing, j kills her husband and he tries to i cover up for her. John Dali, Cobb’s younger brother W'ho has i just joined homicide, draws the : case as his first. j Good police work, despite Cobb’s ■cautious intervention, eventually: : loads Dali to his brother, and ! climax comes when Cobb and Miss - W'v'att hide out in San Francisco’s Totter, rates only a few scenes. Supporting players are firstrate. John Me In tire scores as a wily j “cracker” sheriff who is much I simarter than appearance or ac- ' tions would indicate. Jaffe’s por- 1 trayal of the philosophical pris- i oner clicks. Shepperd Strudwick, ; a perjuring southern l^ivvyor, Royal i Dano, a trusty, and the others ap- pear to advantage. Ralph Dietrich’s production has ; an excellent gloss and a realistic i look that is expertly displayed by music score and the other techni- cal phases are well done. Brog. Tirall of Robin lloOfI (SONGS-COLOR) Hollywood, Dec. 12. Republic release o( Edward J. White i production. Stars Roy Rogers, Trigger ! (equine); features Penny Edwards. Gordon i Jones. Jack Holt. Foy W'illing and the Riders of the Purple Sage; , guest stars Rex Allen, Allan '‘Rocky” Lane. Monte. I Hale, WUlliam Farnum, ^iTom Tyler, Ray 1 Corrigan. ..Kermit Maynard. Tom Keene, j Directed by VViyiani W’ilney. Written b.v I Gerald Geraghty: camera (TS-ucolor), John This entry in Monogram’s North- west Mouhtie se'ries is an okay lowercase feature for lesser situa- tions. It’s done along formula lines with enough action to make it acceptable in the market at vyhich it is aimed. Kirby Grant is again the daunt- less Moimtie, enforcing law and order in the north woods with the help of Chinook, his educated canine. This time they go to a remote trading post to investigate some murders and locate Anne Gwynne’s father, vv‘hp mysteriously vanished after discovering a lost gold mirie. • Thie hero pair gets involved in some ambushes and rough and tumble scraps before being able to pin the killings oh Tom Neal, who, with his sister, Lynne Rob- J ertSf 1$ stealing the gold via a ; secret tunnel from their worthless mine into the rich lode. The. Charleis Lang script, based oh a James Oliver Curvvood story, tosses in a number of suspects to confuse the Mountie and acceptably ties ( together the loose ends when the i heavies are brought, to justice; Cast goes about its chores agree- ably under the okay direction of Frank McDonald. Lindsley Par- sons’ production supeiTision pro- vides some nice outdoor values to help the story. Lensing, editing ahd other technical credits are standard, Brog. Stage io laestm (COLOR) Hollywood. Dec. 15. Columbia release of Harr.v Joe Brown production. Stars Rod Cameron. W’ayno ; Morris: features Kay- Buckley, Sally Eilers. . Carl Beiiton Reid, Roy Roberts. Harry MacBurnie: editor. Tony Martinelli: songs. ' Bellaver, Douglas Fowley. Directed Jack Elliott, Foy W'illing. Previewed Dec. 11, '50. Running time, 67 MINS. Roy Rogers. Roy Rogers Trigger. ..Smartest Horse in Movies Toby .Penny Edw'ards Splinters . . ; ; . Gordon Jones Guest Stars Rex Allen, (Arizona Cowboy), Allan “Rocky” Lane. Monte Hale. W'il- liam Farnum, Tom Tyler, Ray Corrigan,, t Kermit Maynard, Tom Keene. Ralph Murphy. Screenplay, Bob W'illlams, Frank Burt, Robert Libott; based on novel b.v Frank Bonham: camera (Technicolor), Charles Lawton, Jr.; editor, Charles Nel- son; music score, Paul Sawiell. Previewed Dec.' 8, ’50. Running time, II MINS. Grif Holbrook Rod Cameron Barney Broderick. .W'ayne Morris ! the good camera work. There’s one j Mitch j tune, the oldie “I Cried For You,” Muft; I used in a nitery sequence. Techni- ceorj ; car assists are topnotch. Brog. Sheri Jack Holt. J. Corwin Aldridge. Murtagh . . . Sis . ■ George SherifT . . . . Foy Willing Riders Jack Holt . .Emory Parnell . . Clifton Young . . .lames Magill : . . Carol Nugent George. Chesebro Edw'ard Cassidy of Purple* Sag^e The reiifimny Slie Keeps Hollyw'ood, Dec. 19. RKO release of .Tbhn Houseman pro- I is certainly varied. Thi.s time his ^ ^ cliicf mtcrest is in seeing that Dennis O Keefe: features Fay Baker, John phricthihc ti-PPc -ii-p rut anH nnt nn Hoyt, James Bell, Don Beddoe, Directed C/iiriSLmas iices aie CUi ano pui On j .John Cromwell. Story and screenplay, the market at a price pOOr klds | can afford. Around that base. Re- line. TrVeshown ; public has wovcn a fair outdoor time, 82 MINS. j actioner that will get by in the sit- mane 1 ‘ ‘ '••••••• • Jane*' (freer ^yhich it is aimed. Larry ,'.7* ’. 1)011018 O'Keefe Script gimmick has Jack Holt a Fay Baker , retired Screen star and. now rais- . .7.7.7.'.7.7:’.7 James Bc^ii : Christmas trees at cost to cheer ... ..7 .*!.* *..* .7 . . Don Beddoe ’ the poor. A commercial firm com- ............. Bert Freed petes and, through a crooked .7.\\\\‘.7.7 MaSiQ wo^^^ 0*^ ^ pcrcent- ...... ..ivi.ir.i.oiie Crossland 7age, givcs Holt a bad time harvest- . . . Virginia Farmer ing and marketing his trees. Rog- ,.r7~~v ers contributes enough heroics. 7 '1 'f- She how'ever, to see that the Holt crop sn t tip that this^is^ a • reaches the big city in time, prin- rnnie parolees an^d_the j cipally because a lineup of oldtime .y race during rehabiU- w'estern .stars comes to the aid of lineup is | 0 (>d, as are , their retired friend. nesting points. With : develop- oitation,’ its boxoffice Juvenile, the playing .and UP okav i direction .just adequate. Pacing is er is the fnrnlPP rp ' Slow. too. making the 67 minutes ■ serving two years of 1 run“!ng, t'me sccrii longer than had ohWk tprm ohp I Proper for an outdoor actiohcr. A Kate Crocker . . , “Doc” Benteen.. Jim Maroon ...... Gus Heyden .... Annie Benson. . . . Ira Prentiss . . . . . Sam Granger. . . . . Chantry John Butterfield. : Juan Lopez .... . Bartender . . . , . . . . . . . . . , . . . Kay Buckley ......Curl Benton Reid ........ Roy Roberts . a . . . . , i .Harry Bellaver ......... 1 . Sally Eilera Doiigliis Fowley .. ...i. .. . .John Pickard ........... Clin Howlin ......... Charles Evans Boyd Stockman ... .'5 ... . John Sheehan Roy Rogers’ . screen hero career brilliantly-executed native sw'ora : m .i^vnnis i^^ecie dance, with a large chorus garbed | long-abandoned Fort Point to await !j„4e K,>ridaii :;- john®H^^^ In native costume and grass skirts , the lilting of road blocks. Dali ' Mr, Nceicy jam", i)°u to make it a Techhieblor* eyeful. 1 traces them there and when they : Don Beddoe Second is Miss Wiliiams’ water bal- , ni.akc their break at night the law ' Mar.joriQ Wood to make it a Technicolor’' eyeful, f^ecoml is Miss Wiliiams’ water bal- let, apparently lensed under water. Ludicrous lead-in to the number (it’.s a dream sequence) mars its initial impact but Miss Williams’ undet-w'ater artistry, backed by some more, of that Techni-hued scenery, give it top scoring ability. Special effects created by A. Ar- nold Gillespie and Warren New- coinbe rate mention for. the nuin- bci\ Other technical credits are up to the usual ace. Metro stand- ards, including Charles Rosher’s fine leri-sing, Stal. Mr.s. .Seeley . Mrs. Haley . ; . Mrs. Griggs... Mrs. Harris.., [uier water. I clo.sG.s in. Mrs. h he number! Felix E. Feist’s direction keeps ' J;' i) mars its I footage moving and there is 3 Williams’7a .good measure of anticipation ; a,.,, backed by i up by the handling. Perform- KeenV 'echni-huedi anccs are uniformly good, particu- ! ring ability. ! laidy tho.se of Cobb and Dali. MLsS nroble by A. Ar- • Y^ att does her spoiled rich w'oman latinn irren New- 7i’oile; excellehtly, even though oot : r. the nuin- I uuite suited to the casting, Li.sa i hac }f creciits are ) Howard, as Dali’s bride, appears i ct-dnc etro stand - 1 to advantage, and other troupihg pUanni js Rosher’s assists come from Alan Wells, i j"!; Stal. Harlan Warde, Charles Arnt, Tito i^ftcpH - Vuoio and Mimi Aguglia. : iiue of “The Company She ■ Keeps” doesn’t tip that this is a drama of femme parolees and the ; problems they face durin.g rehabili- tation. Cast lineup is good, as are the performances, and the story I has its interesting points. With ' strong exploitation, its boxoffice chances .shape up okay. I lilt. Apiirlia “Oh; AnieUa,” French-made, tradesiiowri in N, Y. Friday (15)^ was reviewed in yARiETY from Cannes, Oct! 19, 1949, . imder its original title, “Oc- cu pe-Toi D ’ Am elie ” ( “Look A f t e r Amelie’’ I. Reviewer Mosk stated, pic’s “interesting . production and slick treatnient make it a good U, S, . bet.” Tabbed as “a .sophisticated epmedy wlfich wdll pmase in most situations,” film concerns itself with a 7hung man about town who must marry to re- ceive iiis inheritance. In sum- mation, review declared: “film aUempts to become , a satire on the turn-of-the-century bourgeois, but does not quite, bring it off due to its stagey structure,’’ IMarquee-wise fim stark Danielle Darrieux and was directed by Claude Autant Lara, who also megged “Devil in the Flesh.’’ , Picture is being released in the U, S. by Lux Films, riari^ mrL ATnf ■ !; Jane Greer isT the parolee, re- ; tjov^^making 67 minutes jiaiian y arae, cnaries Arnt, Tito , leased after serving two c nf 1 running time seem longer than Vumo and Ag^glia. , ' a Hve-j^? bl^^h&k^rnf an; outdoor actioner, ,A The Seton L.Miller-Philip Mac- ibgjjomes the ward 6f I iziheth I Tut of chases, patently-staged fisti- somfe *’ St parole officer. aL rfarts*a I several arson blaxes are tou“hes“n the fln7in/bTlD^«.n ' devices used to simulate movement. Harlan and the LOui^ p^rbiq Frings script Guest stats cohtributihg their music score sets the mood i the character humari, with bits are Rex; Allehv Allan “Rocky’’ pmm '^e^knesses m^^^ not ease her Lane, ^onte Hale. Far- num. Tom Ty mr, Ray CoriTgan. Kermit Maynard and Toiti Keene. Eddie .Heed Howes Sheriff Pete Deuce. .... James Kirkwood Some good action helps wiiat is ; just a fairly routine western. Its I formula ingredients . have been i dressed up with Technicolor an 1. Nathan D. Golden, chief of National Production Authority’s motion picture and photographic section, sent out invitations to leaders in the motion picture equipment field to serve on a Gov- ernment advisory committee. First meeting will be held here Jan. 10. It will be an organization session during which industry problems and needs will also be discussed. 2. Silver Sensitized Good Indus- try Advisory Committee— the raw film manufacturers — met last week to warn that any sharp increases in Government rawstock demands would have to result in civilian cutbacks, some of these affecting the motion picture industry. It was disclosed that the raw film in- dustry is operating at virtual ca- pacity today and that any major expansion in facilities would take about two years. 3. The NPA photographic ap- paratus and equipment advisory committee met with Government officials to protest the base period chosen by NPA from which to cut back allowable light metals. The group represents manufacturers of cameras, ^ lenses, projectors and similar equipment. It also urged war contracts quickly for its mem- bers; otherwise, it said, when the cutbacks come its skilled labor will drift away to other fields. 4. Radio- and TV were given more to worry about when NPA said it was preparing to cut back civilian Use of cobalt. This will probably reduce production of sets in 1951. Cobalt is used in mahu- facture of magnets for radio and TV speakers as vvell as othef in- strumehts. Cutback order is due Within the next f evv weeks. 5. While the President’s prpcla- matioh of a ktate of emergency has no immediate effect pn show busi- ness, the indication is that price controJs and w^age ceilings will be arriving soon. (Construction of amusement buildings has already been halted, except for hardship 'leases, “ Despite recent stock market de* dines, film company Issues were given substantial recommendation this week by Arnold Bernhard & Co., investment advisers and pub- lishers of a widely-used mar- ket analysis service. Published survey by the firm declares that the competitive effects of tele- lished survey by the firm declares vorcement resulted in the past month's downward trend. How- ever, the firm adds, neither of these will • “adversely affect the basic long-term earning power and the intrinsic value of these com- panies,'' Investment firm states it “espe- cially” recommends purchase of Columbia Pictures, United Para- mount Theatres, Universal and Warner Brbs. Subsequent recom- mendations are Loew’s, Techni- color, 20th-Fox and Paramount Pictures. Bernhard outfit concedes teler vision has made some, inroads on motion picture attendance but con- tends the movie-going habits of the American public still are not likely to change. Films, it was said, constitute one of the “cheap- est forms of entertainment and, as such, we believe, will continue to attract good attendance at the box- office.” Firm notes there was a signifi- cant, contraseasonal revival of in- terest, in film, entertainment during July and August, which reflected increased consumer incomes, im- proved quality of pix and lesser entertainment value of summer re- placements on television. Uptrend in theatre attendance, it was added, held through October but thereupon turned downward be- cause of increased teevee set own- ership and Improved video enter- (Continued on page 19) NPA OK s Bldg. To funeral of Joe Weber, ex-AFM I The rapid-fire turnover has seen all prez, conferred with Coast rep J, W. Gillette on the indie producefs’ plea for deal, and stated Mono- gram situation remains status quo top-quality product slated for 1950 release run the gamut here. 2()th has the highest lii-and^out record, booking nine films dovvh- Only outside contributing produc- j towm since Oct. 22. Paramount has erS, like Hal E. Chester and Jan I played five and Warpers four. And Gripp6, can secure' services of in the past five weeks Metro has AFM members for music scores.. . i squeezed ip five, . Washington, Dec. 19. Since the theatre construction freeze went into effect Oct. 26, Na- tional Production Authority has given the okay to 12 hardship cases and has rejected one, NPA disclosed yesterday (18). Construc- tion w^ork ^approved amounts to about $800,000. Six Of the projects involve drive-in theatres, six standard picture houses, and one is for a community playhouse. Following 13 cases were dis- posed of: Plaza theatre, Salem, Mass., finally okayed for repairs after an initial refusal, amiount not given; Loew’s Orpheum, Boston, okayed for $10,000 of alterations to theatre building; New York Life Insurance Co, okayed for work bri ; a theatre part of a commercial structure in New York City, loca- tion and amount not^ given; Spring- field ’Theatre Guild, Inc.r okayed for construction of $100,000 com- munity theatre playhouse; James B. Cagle, Peil City, Ala., okayed for $15,000 w^O.rk on a drive-in, 411^ niiles north of Pell; Milford L. Miller, Panatna City, Fla., okayed to: build drive-in there, amount not given ; Giddens & Reston, Mobil e, Ala., okayed for $65,000 theatre in Chickasaw, Charles . F. Vat- terott approved to. continue on. $178,180 theatre in village Of St. Anne Theatre, near St. Louis. Also, Great Plains Anius. Co., Kansas City, approved for $105,000 drive-in at Lincoln, Neb.; Copper Foundation, . Lincbln, Neb., ap- proved for work oh $150,000 the- atre building in Oklahoma City; Modern Theatres, Inc.,: Tulsa, okayed for $120,000 drive-in there; Lippert PrpducLions, Hollywood, approved for $30,000 of work, on a drive-in in San Francisco. Only rejection was handed out to. Mundo Enterprises, Little, Rock, Ark., which W'anted to do .$45,000 of wi'ork on a theatre in Alamo, Texas. Wednesday^ Dccembci* 20, 1930 WedneBday, December 20, 1950 Hot Weather, Hdidays Hit LA But ‘Guerrilla’ OK $36,000; ‘Dance’ MiU 20G, ‘Highway’ 26G, Los Angeles, Dec. 19. -f Soft biz gait is continuing here in the face of pre-Xmas shopping, with seven newcpmers very spotty. Hot weather also is no help. A satisfactory $36,000 shapes for “American Guerrilla" in five the- atres with some help from a small jJrice boost. But elsewhere biz is Dance" in two sluggish with even ‘‘Let's only getting mild $20,000 Paramount houses. “Two Weeks With Love" looks thin $20,000 in two sites. “High- way 301" is oiily light $26,000 in three locations. Price raise is proving no help to “Emergency Wedding” which is heading for sour $11,000 in two spots “Myste^ Submarine” is under $17,000 in five theatres while “Once a Thief" is dim $10,000 or less in three, Estimates for This Week Los Angeles, Chinese, Uptown, Loyola, Wilshire (FWC) (2,097; 2,- 048; 1,719; 1,248; 2,296; 70-$1.10)— “American Guerrilla in . Philip- pines” (20th). Okay $36,000. week, “All About Eve” (20th) C3d ; Wk), $26,800. Hollywood^ Downtown, Wiltem (WB) (2,756; 1,757; 2,344; 60-$l) — “Highway 301" (WB), Light $26,- 000, Last week, “West Point Story" (WB) (3d wk), $16,700. Loew’s State, Egyptian (UA) (2,- 404; 1,538; 70-$ 1.10)— “Two Weeks With Love" (M-G) and ‘.‘Under Mexicali Stars" (Rep). Thin $20,- 000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk), $20,800 Broadway Grosses Estimated Total Gross This Week $422,000 (Based on 18 theatres.) Last. Year. ... ... .$451,2(10 {Based on 17 theatres) Downtown ing much of Cleveland, Dec. 19. houses are not feel- an upbeat in attend- ;,ance although the weather is bet- : ter and there appears to be a let- I up in Yule shoppers’ spree. “Min- _ ! iver Story” is not doing much for ! the State. Hipp’s “Highway . 301" shapes standbut with pkay sessipn; Estimates for This Week Allen (Warners) (3,000; 55-80)— “Southside 1-1000" (Mono). Oke $10,500. Last week, “Deported" (U), $11,500. Esquire (Community) (704; 55-80) — “Show Business” (RKO) and “Lady Takes Chance" (RKO) (re- issues). Sad $1,500. Last week, “Outrage” (RKO) (2d wk), $3,500. Hipp (Warners) (3,700; 55-80) — “Highway 3Q1” (WB). Biggest in Ilillstreet, Pantages (RKO) t2,-j town at okay $15,000. Last week, 890; 2,812; 60-$!) -— “Emergency "Midnight a n d D a w n” (Col), Wedding” (Col) and “Beyond Pur- ple Hills” (Col). Sour $U,QQ0. Last week, “Joan . Arc” iRKO) and “Counterspy Scotland Yard” (Col), $ 14 , 000 . Los Angeles, Hollywood Para- mounts (F&M) (3,398; 1,451; 50-$l) — “Let’s Dance" (Par) and “Trail Robin Hood” (Rep). Mild $20,000. Last week, “Tripoli” (Par) and “In- dian Territory” (Col) (L.A. only) (2d wk), $11,200. Orpheum, Hawaii, Beverly Hills Music Hall (Metropolitan) (2:,2l0; 1,106; 855; 50-$!)— “Once a Thief” (UA) and “Lightning Guns" (Col), Slight $10,000. Last week, “Three Husbands” (UA) and “Roll, Thun- der, Roll” (EL) (8 days), $12,000. United Artists, Ritz,i Vogue, Stu- dio City, Culver (UA-FWC) (2,100; 1,370; 885; 880; 1,145; 60-$l) — “Mystery Submarine” (U) and “Outlaw Gold” (Mono). Dull $17,- 000. Last week, “Undercover Girl” (U) and “Father’s Wild Game” (Mono), $14,000. Four Star (UA) (900; 60-$l) — “Thunder Rock” (Indie) (reissue) (2d wk). Small $1,000. Last week, $1,800; ’ Fine Arts (FWC) (677; $1.20- $2.40) — “Cyrano” (UA) (fith wk). Opened fifth frame today (Tues ). Last week, good $6,500. $14,000 Palace (RKO) (3,350; 55-80) — ‘‘Buffalo Stampede” (Indie) and “Hell Town” (Indie) (reissues). Fair $9,000. Last week, “Joan of Arc” (RKO), $8,500. State (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-80) -- “Miniver S t o r y” (M-G). Dreary $8,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par), $13,000. Stillman (Loew’s) (2,700; 55-80) -^“Let’s Dance” (Par) (m.o.). Good $6,000. Last week, “Dial 1119” (M-G), $6,200. ‘CITY’ TORONTO; ‘WIDOr 9G Toronto, Dec. 19. With Xmas shopping, plus lack of product appeal, only first-run house doing any outstanding busi- ness is “Dark City,” fine at Im- perial. Other attractions are only fair to light. Estimates for This Week . Downtown, Glendale, Mayfair, ScarborO, State (Taylor) ; ( 1 ,069; 955; 470; 698; 694; 35-57)— “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (re- issues). Oke $11,000. Last week, ‘^Shakedown” (U) and “Hit Parade ’51” (Rep), $12,000. Eglinton, Victoria (FP) (1,180; 1 , 140 ; 38-77)— “Miracle 34th St." (20th) and “Adventures Sawyer" (SRO) (reissues). Fair $7,000. Last Week, “Tripoli" (Par) (2d wk), $ 6 , 000 . ' Imperial (FP) (3,373; 38-77)— “Dark City” (Par). Fine $13,000. Last week, “Odette" (EL), same. Loew's (Loew) (2,096; 48-67)^ — “To Please Lady” (M-G). Fair $8,000. Last week, “Miniver Story” (M-G) (2d wk), $6,500. Nortown, university (FP) (959; 1,556; 38-77 )^“Breaking Point” ( WB) (2d wk). Mediocre $8,000. Last week; $10,000. Qdeon (Rank) (2,390;. 50-90)— “Reluctant Widow” (EL). Light $9,000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col), $11,000. . Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 38-77)— “Born to Be Bad” (RKO) (2d wk). Poor $6,500. Last week, $8,000. Uptown (Lpew) (2, '743; 38-67)— “Milkman" (U) (2d wk). Down to $4,000 after last week’s fair $6,500. K. C. Slow But Key City Grosso Estimated Total Gross This Week . , . $1,828,000 {Based on 24 cities, 195 the- atres, chiePy fixst runs, inclu^- ingNY.) Total Gross Same Week LaSt Year . . . ; $1,923,000 ( Based on 24 cities* a7id 196 theatres^) Prov. On Skids Albeit ‘Raiders’ Oke at $9,000; Reissues Get No Place Providence, Dec. 19. All houses are slipping here, with nothing to get excited about except the fact that Christmas is > only a week away; Majestic is do- ing fairly well with “Kansas Raid- ers.” Loew’s State has reissue combo of “Mutiny on Bounty” and “Day at Races,” but they are very SlpW; Estimates for. This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44-65) — *‘Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde’^ (Col) (reissues). Below par $8,000. Last week, “Deported" (U) and “Appointment With Crime" (Lip), $9,000. Majestic (Fay) (2,200t 44-65) — “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Father’s Wild Game” (U). Steady $9,000; Last week, “Undercover Girl” (U) and “California Passage” (Rep), $ 8 , 000 . Metropolitan (Snider) (3,100; 44- 65) — “Black Angel” (Indie) and “Tangier” (Indie) (reissues). Dim $5,000. Last week, “Woman on Run" (U) and “Palooka Squared Circle” (Mono), fair $7,000. State ( Loew’s) (3,200; 44-65) — “Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races” (M-G) (reissues). Drab $9,500. Last week, “Miniver Story” (M-G) and “Next Voice” (M-G), $9,000. Strand ( Silverman) (2,200; 744-65) —“Winslow Boy” (EL) and “Per- fect Lady” (EL). Opened Monday ^ (18). Last week. “Sun Sets at H Dawn” (EL) and “Two Lost ■ Worlds” (EL), sad $5,000. ■ .( i ; ( ‘ ( ‘Daughters’ Hep $18,000, Mout’l; ‘Capture’ $7,000 Montreal, Dec, 18. “Three Daughters” is pacing the field this round with nice take at Palace. Despite heavy censor- ing, “Joan of Arc” is way down in second Capitol stanza. “Capture” looms okay at Imperial. Estimates for This Week Palace (C.T.) (2,625; 34-60) — “Three Daughters” (M-G). Nice $18,000. . Last week, “Odette” (EL), $15,000. Capitol (C.T.) (2,412; 34-60) — “Joan of Arc” (RKO) (2d wk). Off to $8,000 following hefty opening session at $15,000. Princess (C.T.) (2,131; 34-60) — “Right Cross” (M-G). Fair $11,000. Last week, “Tripoli” (Par) (2d wk), nice $10,500. Loew’s (C.T.) (2,855; 40-65) — “Toast New Orleans” (M-G) (2d wk). Off to $16,000 after smash first week at $25,000. Imperial (C.T.) (1,839; 34-60) — “Capture” (RKO) and “Inter- rupted Journey” (RKO), Oke $7,000. Last week, “Dark City” (Par) and “Holiday Rhythm” (ParT, $9,500. Kansas City, Dec. 19. Biz is slow here with shopping activity at peak, and lightweight attractions generally the rule at first-runs. One of stronger magnets is “American Guerrilla” at three- house Fox-Midwest combo, topping the average for trio. Midland has pair of new pix, “Fuller Brush Girl” and “Last of Buccaneers,” but most others have reissues. Weekend weather was favorable. Estimates for This Week Esquire (Fox Midwest) (820; 45- 65)— ‘?Dedee” (Indie) and “Good Time Girl” (EL). Best here in weeks, strong $3,300. Last week, “Return Jesse James” (Lip) and “Shot Billy Kid” (Lip), $2,500. Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 45-65) — “Fuller Brush Girl” (Col) and “Last of Buccaneers” (Col). Light $10,000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col) and “Midnight and Dawn” (Col), ditto. Missouri (RKO) (2,650; 45-65) — “Born to West” (Indie) and “The Thundering Herd” (Indie) (re- issues). Slim $7,000. Last week, “Outrage” (RKO) and “Rio Grande Patrol” (RKO), first 4 days, with “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (reissues), second half, same. Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 45-65) — “The Buccaneer” tPar) and “Ladies Big House" (Par) (re- issues). Slow $7,500. Last week, “Highway 301" (WB), about same. Tower - Uptown - Fairway (Fox Midwest) (2,100; 2,043; 700; 45-65) — “American Guerrilla" (20th). Strongest entry in town, fairly good $14,000 or better for Tyrone Power opus. Last week, “Wyoming Mail" (U) and “Shakedown"* (U)^ slim $10,000. Detroit, Dec. 19. Another dismal Week is facing Detroit exhibs as Christmas shop- pers continue to hurry by the box- offices in quest of gifts. Only half-stable entry this round is “Breakthrough", which may come through with an okay session at the Michigaii. “Two Flags West" is shaping slow at Fox. “King Solom6n‘iS) Mines" is holding to ; nice total in fourth round at Palms. “Undercover GUT’ is shap- ing weak at United Artists. Estimates for This Week . Fox (FoX-Detroit) (5,000; 70-95) — “Two Flags West" (20th) and “Eye Witness" (EL). Light $20,000. Last week, “Dial 1119" < M-G) plus pick Continb stageshow,^ $29,000. Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 70-95)— “Breakthrough” (WB) and , “Revenue Agent" (Col). Okay i $17,000: Last week, “West Point Pittsburgh, Dec. 20. It’s the week before Xmas, and all through the film houses, the story’s about the same as in the past years— no biz. Penn has the lightest of the pre-holiday films in “Two Weeks With. Love" and will get what there is of the shopping crowds seeking relaxation. Other theatres are mainly very heavy. “Where Danger Lives" is going no- where at Stanley despite heavy campaign for Howard Hughes’ new stkr, Faith Domergue. Estimates for This Week Fulton (Shea) (1,800; 45-80)^ “Southside 1-1000" (Mono). Hardly keeping above $5,500, slow. Last week, “Deported" (U), $6,500. Harris (Harris) (2,300; 45-80)— Midnight and Dawn" (Col). Noth- ing much for this one either at $6,000. Last week, “All About Eve" (20th) (3d wk), $8,000, Penn (Loew’s) (3,300; 45-80) — “Two Weeks With Love" (M-G). Fairly presentable $12,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) (3d wk-8 days), niceu $8,500. Stanley .(WB) 3,800; 45-80)— “Where Danger Lives" (RKO). Building new Howard Hughes star. Faith Domergue, but all for naught. Puli ' $9,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance" (Par) not too good at $11,000 in 9 days. Warner (WB) 2,000; 45-80)— “Outrage” (RKO). Off to slow start but picked up some oyer weekend and should hit okay $6,000. Last week, “West Point Story" (WB) (m.o.), $5,000. Boston, Dec. 19. Plenty of shoppers in town but the influx of reissues at most ma- jor houses are not much help. Biz is better oh the weekends than or- dinarily at this time of year be- cause of hypoing effect of down- town Xmas trimmings. “Southside 1-1000" at paramount and Fenway is not more than average, while “Between Midnight and Dawn" at Memorial looks mild. “State Se- cret" looks fair at Astor in fourth week. Elsewhere biz is mostly sluggish. Estimates for This Week Astor (B&Q) (1,200; 50-95) — “State Secret" (Col) (4th wk). About $4,000 after fair $5,000 for third. Fenway (NET) (1,373; 40-85) — “Southside 14000’’ (Mono) and “California Passage" (Rep). Fair $4,500. Last week. “Sun Sets' at Dawn" (EL) and “Two Lost Worlds" (EL), okay $6,000. Memorial (RKO) (3,500; 40-85)— “Midnight and Dawn" (Col) and “Last of Buccaneers" (Col). Mild $12,500. Last week, “Mad Wednes- day^’ (RKO), $18,000. Metropolitan (NE'T) (4,367; 40-? 85)— “Tars and Spars" (Col) and “Thousand and One Nights" (Col) (reissues). Mild $11,500. Last week, “Jackpot!’ (20th) and “Look Before You Love" (Indiei, $16,000. Orpheum (Loew’s) (3,000; 40-83) “Mutiny on Bounty" (M-G) and “Day at Races" (M-G) (reissues). Sluggish $10,500. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G). (3d wk), okay $11,500. Paramount (NET) (1,700; 40-85) —“Southside I-IOOQ" (Mono) and “California Passage" (Rep). Mild $9,5QQ. Last week, “Sun Sets at Dawn" (EL) and “Two Lost Worlds" (EL), neat $15,000. State (Loew) (3,500; 40-85) — ‘^Mutiny on Bounty" (M-G)’ and “Day at Races” (M-G) (reissues). Slim $6,000. 'Last Week, “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) (3d wk), oke $6,800. ‘2 Wetks’-Milk Bns. Sock $34,000 in Hpk. Story" (WB) and “Counterspy Scotland Yard" (Col), $10,000 in second week. Palms (UD) (2,900; 70-95) — ‘'King. Solomon’s Mines” rM-G) (4th wk). Nice $12,000. Last week, $15,000. Madison (UD) (1,800; 70-95) ‘ — ♦‘Hamlet’’ (U). Slow $5,000. Last week, “Dark City" (Par) and “Stars Over Wyoming” (RKO)/ $11,000. United Artists (UA) (1,900; 70- 95)— “Undercover Girl” (U). Weak $7,000. Last week, “I’ll Get By” (20th) (2d wk), $6,000. Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 70-95) —“Two Weeks with Love” (M^G) (2d wk). Slim $8,000. Last week, $9,700. Downtown (Balaban) (2,900; 70- 95) — “Ravaged Earth” (Indie). Poor $7,000. Last Week, “House of Frankenstein” and “House Dracula” (Ihdies) (reissues), $6,000. lOGHWAY’-'SOUTHSIDE’ OK $12,000 IN BUFF. Buffalo, Dec. 19. Film theatre biz is droopy here this stanza, with pre-Xmas lull on in eaiiiest. Probably the pest showing is being made by “High- way 301” paired with “Southside 1-1000” which looms okay at Para- mount. Elsewhere grolSses range from moderate to drab. “I’ll Get By” is not doing too badly in sec- ond round at the Center. Estimates for Thi^ IVeek Buffalo (Loews) (3,500; 40-70)-^ “Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone” (M-G) and “Three Husbands” (UA). Light $10,000 or less.' Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk) (9 days), nice $11,000. Paramount (Par) (3,000; 40-75) — “Highway 301” (WB) and "“South- side 1-1000” (Mono). Passable $12,000. Last week, “Fireball” (20th) and Arthur (Godfrey Unit with Billy Gilbert and Bill Law- rence, $13,500. Center (Par) (2,100; 40-75)— “I’ll Get By” (20th) (2d wk). Down to $8,500. Last week, fancy $13,000. Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 40-70)— “Emergency Wedding” (Col) and “Pygmy Island” (Col). Drab $6,- 000 or less. Last week, “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Paper Gallows” (U), $9,000. Century (20th Century) (3,000; 40-70)-^“Mr. Lucky” (RKO) and “Lady Takes a Chance” (RKO) (re- issue). Modest $7,500. Last week, “Outrage” (RKO) and “California Passage” (Rep), $8,000. , Hollywood, Dec. 19. Spencer Tracy will play three separate roles in “Jealousy,” a threercplsode picture, at Metro, slated for filming in spring when he completes his job in “'The Peo- ple vs. O’Hara.” Don Hartman will produce “Jeal- ousy,” which consists of a comedy, a drama and a tragedy. Minneapolis, Dec. 19. Week before Christmas, tradi- tionally the film theatres' worst, finds Radio City engiaged in a dar- ing experiment. Trying to whip adverse seasonal and severe weather, the big Paramount has an expensive stageshow headed by Mills Bros, and Ethel Smith, coupled with “Two Weeks With Love.” Paying off with big total, way ahead of recent film biz there. Radio City upped Its scale to $1 after 5 p.m. against 85c formerly for such stage-film layouts. Otherwise, the spotlight is mostly monopolized by holdovers. It’s the fifth week for “King Solo- mon’s Mines” and third for “All About Eve.” Estimate& for This Week Century (Par) (1,600; 50-70) “All About Eve" (20th) (3d wk). Good $5,000 after excellent $7,500 preceding stanza. Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 50-70)—^ “King Solomon’s Mines" (M-G) (5th wk). One of the season’s top grossers here. WilLgo still an- other week. Satisfctctory $4,000. Last week, $4,500. Lyric (Par) (1,000; 50-70)— “Rio Grande" (Rep) (m.o.L Here after Radio City break4n. Well-liked, but under a handicap; Fair $4,000. Last week, “If This Be Sin" (UA) and “Once a Thief" (UA), light $3,000. Radio City (Par) (4,000; 65-$!)— “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and stageshow, headed by Mills Bros, arid Ethel Smith. Entertain- ment bargain even at new high scale (i5c and 20c Over previous tariff). But seasonal and weather handicaps are hurting somewhat. Despite this, looks sock $34,000. Last week, “Rio Grande” (Rep), $8,500 at 50c-70c. RKO -Orpheum (RKO) (2,890; 35-70)-^“Gilda“ (Col) and “Plati- num. Blopde” (Col) (reissues) split with, “Midnight and Dawn” (Col) and “Last Buccaneers” ( Col) . Oke $5,500. Last week, “Breakthrough" (WB), okay $8,000. V RKO-Pan (RKO) (1:600; 35-70) — “Breakthrough" (WB) (m.o.)* Okay $5,000. Last week, “Girls Under 21" (Indie) and. “Girls of Road” (Indie) (reissues), $4,500. Stale (Par) (2,300; 50-70) — “Desert Hawk" (U). Okay $6,000. Last week, “Panic in Streets’* (20th), $6,000. World (Mann) (400; 50-85)— • “Ecstasy" (Indie) (reissues). So-so ! $2,000. Last week. “Toast New j Orleans" (M-G) (2d wk), tepid 1 $1,900. t > I 1 >' ( . ./ ■) > ( \^'(Mlnosclay, December 20, 1?50 Deported’ Dull lOG, ‘Angel’ Sock 6G Estimates Are Net ; Film gross estimates as re- ported herewith from tiie vari- ous key cities, are net, i.e„ without the 20% tax' Distribu- tors share oh net take, when playihg percentage, hence the estimated figures are net in- come. The parenthetic admission prices, however, as indicated, include thC U. S. amusement tax. ■ ■ ’ Medium Ghlcago, Dec. 19. 'f l oop Is crippled this week with ivul weal her. weak holdovers, and reissues, with all houses stalling iiiitil Xmas. Only two new pics nnenecl this session, Chicago, with ^Daik City’’ and Eddie Peabody onslage. should hit only slight S32 0()0 for . frame. “Deported” mild at Palace with $10,000. OruMital bill of “Two Weeks W'iih hove” plus Three Stooges and Eileen Barton onstage looks tired in third round with weak $18 000. Reissue bill of “San Quentin’ and “Alcatraz Island” only okay $11,000 at State-Lake; “Kina Solmon’s Mines” is still steadv in fourth stanza at the Grand at ,1;12,,500, “Southside MOOO’Vand “SuiTender” at Roose- velt loom poor $8,000 in second week. Woods, with second week of “i^ansas Raiders” looks only $12.000. . ■ i ; World, bringing back “Blue An- gel” for Igng-run, is ^rnash $6,000 • Louisville, Dec. 19. in. first rouml. ^ _ Biz curnintly is following th^^ Il.stiinates ler This Week^ ^ usual pattern for pre-Xmas. Com- ■■K,'™ °Par) and EddU paratively, vet exhibs say this week body lopping stage show. Slim not the poorest pre-holiday ses- $32 000. Last week, “Killer Stalked sioh by any means. “Fuller Brush Ne« York” (CoP with Duke, EUing- Girl” at Loew’s State promises i|.?.v’''vi9 000 ■ ® " "“‘ fairish biz. “Born To Be Bad” at S.)9.ooo, , ^ the Rialto is fairish. Grand (RKO) (1.200: 55-981— FeiimofA*, w i, “Kina Solomon's Mines” (M-G) , Estimates for This Week . (4th wkb Firm $12,500. Last week, Anderson (People’s) (1,200; $ 13 , 000 . 45-65)— “Highway 301” (WB).. Mod- Oriental (Indie) (3.400; 55-98)— storv’WWR)^2d wtw ‘Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) | Story (WB) (2d wk), light $6,000. plii.f; 3 Stooges and Eileen Barton | ^Fourth Avenue) (3,000; onstaae i3d wk). Only $18,000. ' To Be Bad” (RKO) Last week, okay $26,000. . Woman on Pier 13“ (RKO). Palace (RKO) (2..500: 55-98)— Set ‘ Deported” (U) and ‘'Cassino to ' — week, Korea” (Par). Slow $10,000 Or ncai- Last week. “Mad Wednes- day!' (RKOV and “Texan Meets Calamity Jane” (Cbl), $11,000. KooseveU (B&K) (1,500; 55-98)— “Sniithside 1-1000” (Mono) and “Surrender” (Rep) (2d wk). Drab , $8,000 or near. Last Week, $10,- 00 . 0 , Stale-Lake (B&K) (2,700; 55-98) — “San Quentin?’ (WB) and “Al- catraz Island” (WB) (reissues). C)kn\' $11,000, Last week, “Mini- ver Story” (M-G) and “Emergency Wedding” (Col) (2d wk), $11,000. Tlnitcd Artists (B&K) (1.700; 55- 98' — “Gilda” ((^oD and “Platinum BJoncle” (Col) (reissues) (2d wk), Min()r $9,000. Last week, $11,000. VVoods (Essaness) (1,073; 98)— 'Kan.sas Raiders” (U) . (2d wk). Light $12,000. Last week, $16,000. World (Indie) (587; 80)— “Blue Angel (Indie), Sock $6,000. Last r soo (6th wk), OMAHA NSH EXCEPT ‘MOON’ MELLOW $11,000 . . Omaha, Dec. 19. _ Destination Moon” was a good ; pre-Yule hypo for the Orpheum. It looks to land fine totals being . only solid entry in town. Film had a smash opening. The Paramount IS way ofl with “Miniver Story.” I “Last of Buccaneers” and “Mid- . , night to Dawn” at the Brandeis ' also is sluggish. The State broke into its four-week run of “King Solomon’s Mines” with a replace- ment Sunday, v Estimates for This Week Orpheum (Tristates) (3,000; 16-65) -^“Destination Moon” (EL) and “Armored Car Rbbbery”^ (RKO). Fine lift from former to get nice $11,000. Last week, “Right Cross” (M-G) and “It’s a Small World” (EL), $9,500. Paramount (Trlstates) (2,800; 16- 65)— ‘‘Miniver Story.” (M-G ). Way below expectations with $8,500, Last week, . “Glass Menagerie” (WB), $10,000. Brandeis (RKO) (1,500; 16-65)— “Last of Buccaneers” (Col) and “Midnight and Dawn” (Col). Slow $5,500. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Gol), $6,500. Omaha (Tristates) (2,100; 16-65) ^“Dark City” (Par) and “Prisoners in Petticoats” (Rep). NSG $7,000. Last week, “All About Eve” (WB) (m.o.), good $7,000 for 5 days. state (Goldberg) (865; 20-75)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th Vvk). Off to $2,000 in 3 days. Started “To Please a Lady” (M-G), on Sunday. Last week, okay $5,500 for full week. PICTVRR GROSSES Let’s Dance” (Par), brisk $11,000. State (Loew’s) (3,000; 45-65)— “Fuller Brush Girl” (Col) and “Last of Buccaneers” (Col). Medi- um $10,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk, neat $13,000. Strand TFA) (1,200; 45-65) — “Trail Robin Rood” (Rep) and ‘'Hit Parade 1951” (Rep). Moderate $4,500. Last week. “High Lone- some” (EL) and “Killed Geronimo” (EL), neat $5,000. Few Wash. B.O. Winners; ‘Soulhside’-Vaude Trim $16, 000,'Raiders’ $8,000 _ Washington, Dec. 19. Aombo of holdovers and holiday is taking its usual heavy mil nt midtown houses. There is ,0 winner in the lot, though some bo Ido '■ors. particularly “Trio.” in lost Worlds’ Big 20G, Frisco, Despite Biz Dip; Tough as Come’ $12,000 San Francisco, Dec. 19. Despite usual pre-holiday slump, “Two Lost Worlds,” with “High- way 301” as second feature, is heading for big session at Para- mount this round. Preem* of “Worlds” was backed by extensive bally and sidewalk displays. It is one of few bright spots here cur- rently. “Prehistoric Women” is doing okay at Golden Gate as is “Tough As They Gome” at Qrjjheum. Otherwise, the pickings are mighty slim. " Estimates for This Week Golden Gate (RKO) (2.850r 60- 85) — “Prehistoric Women” (EL) and “Prisoners in Petticoats” (EL). iiUh uoek at Lopert’s Plavhou.se $12,000. Last week. “Mad Jiapc sururisingly steady. ‘‘South- i ^®^*^®sday” (RKO) and “Experi- 1-1000” looks best bet among Alcatra?” (RKO) jRa son Estimates for This Week ^ _ pi pilol (Loew’s) (2,434; 44-85)— 1-1000” (Mono) plus lr!.,i Sound $16,000, all consid- Last week, “Mr Malone i — /‘pel Mrs. O’Malley” (M-G) plus Story” (M-G). ^‘IIkIo. $ 14,000 ^ 1^:19 000 t “trA.r.rt ^Lopert) (378; 50-85)— ni n ■ ^Oth wk). Nice ! ' _ . v / «” t)00 after $4,000 last week Holds ‘ Paramount (Par) (2,646; 60-85)— ; Keith’s IRKO) (1 939 44 ^^ ! * 'Two Lost Worlds” (EL) and "K>'n,sa.s Raidei^” (Ur Ikitfacto^^ ' “Highway 301” (WB). Big $20,000. $B.()00. Last ^week ’ “Deooi^ed” i week, “Breakthrough” (WR) $fi .snn weeK, l^epoitea ‘‘Rordeiv Rantrers” (Lin) (2« ment Alcatraz” (RKO), $9.500'. Fox (FWC) (4,651; 65-90)— “Two Flags West” (20th) and “California Passage” (Rep) (2d wk). Down to $9,500. Last week, passable $18,- 500; . Warfield (Loew’s) (2,656; 60-85) Fair $12,000, Last week, “King Solo- mon’s- Mines” (M-G) (3d Wk), big $15,400, ‘Wednesday’ Tall inPhilly Philadelphia, Dec. 19. Usual Christmas shopping spree is slashing biz to a minimum in all first-runs here this round. The- atres with strong bills., held them tq wait until just before Xmas to bring in new product. New pix also are not doing much. Surprisingly good is “Mad Wednesday” which broke fast at the Goldman. “Undercover Girl” is strictly under, wraps at Earle. “Two Flags West” is eomparatively okay in view of conditions at the Fox. Estimates for This Week Aldine (WB) (1,303; 50-99) — “Ichabod, Mr. Toad” (RKO) (re- issue). Fair $9,000. Last week, “Eye Witness” (EL), $12,000. Boyd (WB) (2,360; .50-99) — “Three Husbands” (UA). Dull $10,000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col) (3d wk), $8,000. Earle (WB) (2,700: 50-99) — “Undercover Girl”.. (U). Modest $12,000. Last week, “Surrender” (Rep) with Ink Spots, Ella Fitz- gerald, onstage, tidy $24,000. Fox 1:20th) (2^250; 50-99)— “Two Flags West” (20th). Just okay $16,- 000. Last week, “Jackpot” (20th) (2d wk), $13,000. Goldman (Goldman) (1,200; 50- 99) — “Mad Wednesday” (RKO). Fine $15,000. Last week, “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) (3d wk), $7,500. Mastbaum (WB) (4,360; 50-99)— “I’ll Get By” (20th) (2d wk). Down to $16,500, after mild $20,000 opener. Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 50- 99) — “Let’s Dance” CPar) (5th wk). Off to $7,000. Last week, oke $8,500. Stanley (WB) (2,950; 50-99) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk). Good $15,000. Last week, $18,000. Stanton (WB) (1,475; 50-99) . — “Highway 301” (WB) (2d wk). Stout $10,000 after •fast $14', 000 getavVay. Trans-Lux (TrL) (500; 50-99)— “Trio” (Par) (5th wk), Gff to $3,- 500. Last week, neat $4,500. World (G&S) (460; 50-99 )^“Bit- ter Rice” (Indie) (4th wk). Holding at $5,500. Last vi^eek, trim $6,700. $G,500, 7u'‘‘f.W®Ktan (Warner) (1.163; 44- Sir-nh Wonder” (Col). Slow “Eiilip.l^?*' Last v'eek, i tUUuv Brush Girl” (Col). $4,000. (2*^ 44-74)— s Mines” (M-G) (3d all!'.- '‘use Uf ‘-un $15,000 last week. V (Uopert) (485; bO-85) Jii,../,/ ^Par) (5th wk). Very ?^.5()0 Last week, nice .jlViuncr (WB) $ 8 . ()('(). (2,164; 44-'74).— I and “Border Rangers” (Lip) (2d wk), $11,000, St. Francis (Par) (1,400; 60-85) — “West Point Story” (WB) (4th wk). Only $6,500. Last week, $7,500. Orpheum (No. Coast) (2,478; 55- 85)— “Toiigli As Come” (Indie) and “Cockeyed Wonder” (Col). Okay $12,000. Last week, “Mystery Submarine” (U) and “Counterspy” (Col), nice $17,500 in 9 days, United Artists (N.C:) (1.208; 55- 85) — “Undetcover Girl” (U). Fair $7,000. Last week, “State Secret” ^ (Col) (3d wk), $5,500. Cil 5 ' ’ (Pau). 'Very slow' Larkin (Rosener) (400; 65-85) — “Vli, “Highway 301” “Catskill Honeymoon?’ (Incliei. • 5>i.-.000 in 9 day.s but below ■ Oke $1,800. Last Week. “Sinners” 1 (Indie) (3d wk), nice $2,000. ‘Lonesome’ Pine $12,000, l:ops in Offish Denver Denver, Dec. 19. “High Lonesome” with “The Torch” is taking top money in three houses by a slight margin. “Breaking Poiht” looks fair at Paramount but elsewhere trade is way off with usual pre-Xinas in- fluences cutting in deeply. “Har- riet Craig” looms very ordinary in two spots. Estimates for This Week Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 35^74) — “High Lonesome” (EL) and j “Torch” (EL), day-date with Tabor. [ Webber. Fine $4,500. Last week, “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Jungle St''mpede” (Rep)* $5,500. I Broadway (Wolfbergi (1,500; 35- * (Continued on page 18) This is the week before Christ- mas, and a big majority of Broad- ' way first-rims are suffering, the [usual drop to the lowest point of the Winter. Rain and snow last Friday (15) night sloughed biz generally but a sharp upturn the next day (Sat.) indicated that some of the Yuletide shopping pressure was lifting. Christmas week upbeat can’t come soon enough for most Broadway houses because of the beating they have been taking sit the boxoffice for nearly four weeks. The best total of the newcomers ; is being registered by “For Heaven’s Sake” with Yuletide stageshow featuring Elsa & Waldo and Gertrude Ribla at the Roxy. This combo promises to hit a big $82,000 in the first week ending tomorrow (Thursi) night despite being hurt by rain opening day. Top straight-filmer is “Pinocchio” and “Make Mine Music,” Walt Disney reissue combo, which is [proving a natural for this season of year at the Criterion. First stanza looks to reach fancy $17,- 000, biggest at house in some time. Still standout and greatest draw of first-runs is *’kim” and annual Christmas show and pageant at the Music Hall. Combination is eyeing sock $148,0()0 in - second round, better than opening week. “Watch Birdie,” with Enric Madri- guera band and Paul Regan lead- ing stageshow, is another prC-rMle- tide casualty with’ only $20,000 opening week at the Capitol. “California Passage,” also new, is drab $7,000 or less on first frame at the (ilobe. Victoria, which opens fifth arid final week of pop-scale run of “Red Shoes” today, gets “Born Yesterday” (Col) Dec. 26. Besides the Paramount, which opens “Mr. Music” with Louis Prima band and Jan Murray on- stage today (Wed.), the Cap, Strand, State, Rivoli, Palace, Rialto and Astor bring in new holi- day bills within the next few days. Last-named preems “Harvey” with Heart Fund benefit show tonight, regular run starting Thursday. Estimates for This Week Astor (City InV.) (1,300; 55-$1.5()) — “Harvey” (U). Opens today (Wed.) with N. Y. Heart Fund benefit at night. Regular showings start tomorrow (Thurs.). In ahead, “American Guerrilla” (20th) (6th wk-6 days), dipped to $5,000 after $8,000 for fifth round. Bijou (City Iriv.) (589; $1.20- $2.40) ^ “Cyrano” (U) (5th Wk). Fourth session ended last night (Tues.) held about even at $12,500 after $13,000 last week;'-both high- ly profitable sessions and not far frdm capacity. Stays on. ' Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 55-$1.50) — “Watch Birdie” (M-G) and Enric Madriguera orch, Paul Regan, others, onstage (2d-final wk). In- itial round ended Sunday (17) night was drab $20,000. Picture never had chance since, opening in middle of sharp downbeat on Monday, and picked up only slight- ly on weekend. “Pagan Love Song” (M-G), plus Ink Spots, Shep Fields orch, Marilyn Maxwell topping stage bill, opens Dec. 25. Criterion (Moss) (1,700; 50-$l,75). — “Pinocchio” (RKO) and “Make Mine Music” (RKO) (reissues). First week ending tomorrow (Thurs.) is heading for strong $17,-^ 000 ^or better, unusually big for this season v'tof Vjye^f 7 and oldies. Holding, in ahead, “Woman oh Run” (U) (^d wk-9 .days)* $11,000, Globe (Br$ri0 (1,500; 5p-$1.20) — “California • Pa'ssage” (Rep). Brought in rather hurriedly, and looms unexciting $7,000 or less; Stays only two extra days. “Dial 1 119” (M-G) (2d wk), thin $4,500 in 6 days. “Vendetta” (RKO) opens Dec. 25. Mayfair (Brandt) ' (1,736; 50- $1.20 )— ‘ ‘Rio Drande ” (Rep ) ( 5th wk). Gontinues^ but not at early big pace, with only $6,500 or less likely this round; fourth week was just okay at $7,500. Continues thrbuch Christmas. “The Milk- man” (U) opens Dec. 30. Palace (RKO) (1,700; 55-$1.20)— “Last of Buccaneers” (Col) with vaude. Looks like light $15,000 or less. Last week, “High Lonesome’’ (EL) and vaude, $15,500, below hopes. Paramount (Par) (3,664; 55-$l. 50) — “Mr. Music” (Par) with Louis Prima orCh. Jan Murray, others, onstage. Opens today (Wed.). La.st week. “Let’s Dance” (Par) with Jimmy DorsOy orch, Nat “King” Cole and Trio topping stageshow (3d wk), slipped to about $46,000 after okay $56,000 in second. Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- fellers) (5,945; 80-$2.40) — “Kim” (M-G) plus annual Christmas pageant and stageshow (2d wk). Doing the only real business down- town, with sock $148:000 likely, ahead of opening, round’s $143,000. Hall got in five shows Saturday (16), making close to $30,000 on that day alone. Rain hurt some On Friday like most other spots but Sunday was close to Satur- day’s trade. Holds through year- end holidays. Rialto (Mage) (594; 44-98)— “In- ternatiorial Burlesque” (Indie) (7tlr wk). Down to $4,000 in final ses- sion. Last week, nice $5,500, “March of Wooden Soldiers” (In- die) (reis.sue) opens tomorrow (Thurs.), old Laurel-Hardy comedy being brought back under new title., • I' Rivoli (UAT-Par) (2,082; 90- $1.25) — “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) (4th Wk). Looks to sag to about $6,000 after mild $7,500 last week. “Mudlark” (20th) opens Dec. 23. Roxy (20th) (5.886; 80-$L75) — “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th ) with Yuletide stageshow featuring Elsa & Waldo, Gertrude Ribla, Gautier’s Steeplechase, iceshow onstage. Getting big $82,000 or near on initial week despite pre-Xmas sluggishness. Holds for year-end holidays. In ahead, “Jackpot?' (20th) plus stagefshow (3d wk-9 days), light $54,000. State (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-$1.50) —“Operation X” (Col) (2d wk), Down to thin $5,000 or near after slow $9,500 opening round, “Fly- ing Missile” JCol) opens Dec. 23. Strand (WB) (2rr56; 55-$2) — “Highway 301” (WB) with Dave Apollon, Peggy Martn, others on- stage (2d-final y/k). Shapes to get only $20,000 or less after light $27,000 opening stanza. “West Point Story” (WB), with Jackie Miles, Mary Raye & Naldi, Don Cornell onstage, opens Friday (22). Sutton (R & B) (561; 90-$1.50)— “Trio” (Par) (11th wk). For 10th week ended Monday (18) it was- steady at $9,000 after fine $9,600 in ninth frame. Stays on. Trans-Lux 60th St. (T-L) (453; 74- $1.50) — “Rapture” (EL) (2d wk). First week ended last night (Tues.) dull $4,000. Holds one week only. Last week, “Kind Hearts” (EL) (27th wk), $2,500. “Macbeth” (Rep) opens Dec. 27. Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; 90- $1.50 — “Seven Days to Noon’' (Indie). Opened Monday (18). Last week, “Prelude to Fame” (U) (6th wk), $3,500 after Okay $4,500 for fifth frame. Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 95- $1.50)-->‘Red Shoes” (EL) (5th-final wk). Fourth session ended last night (Tues.) slipped to $11,000 after $13,500 for third week. “Born Yesterday” (Col) opens Dec. 26. ‘2 Hags’ Good $18,000 In Laggard St. Louis, Tuller’ Fairish $11,000 St. Louis, Dec. 19. Natives are more intent on Christmas shopping than entortain- ment, and the result is that cinema returns have been sloughed this session. “Fuller Brush Girl,” which cppped plaudits from crix, is about the best bet but only inild at Loew’s. “West Point Story” is barely okay at Ambassador. Estimates for This Week Ambassador (F&M) (3.000; 60- 75 )— “ West Point Story” ( WB ) and “American Guerrilla” (20th). Oke SlO.dOO: L a s t week. “Harriet Craig” IGol) and “Midnight and Dawn” (Col), $10,500. Fox (F&M) (5,000; 60-75) “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) and “Dark City” (Par). Opened today (Tues.) Last week. “Two Flags West” (20th) and “Where Danger Lives” (RKO), good $18,000. Loew’s (Loew) (3,172; 50-75* — - “Fuller Brush. Girl” (Gol) and “Last of 'the Buccaneers” (Col). Mild $11,000. Last week. “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk), big $8,000. Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 60-75* — • “Air About Eve” (20th) (‘2d wk) and “Harriet Craig” (Col) (m.o.). Fair $8,000, Last week. “Eve’.' tm.o.) $9,500. Shubert (Ind) (1,500; 60 t 75) •— “Red Shoes” (ED and “Winslovv Boy” (EL) only $4,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Jackpot” (‘20th), $4,500. 10 PICTURE GROSSES Wednesday, December 20, 1950 Hot Weather, Holidays Hit LA. But ‘Guerrilla’ OK $36,000; Hance IHQd 20G, ‘H^way 26G, ‘Thief Dim lOG Pror^ On Skids Albeit Providence, Dec, 19. All houses are slipping here, with nothing to get excited about except the fact that Christmas is only a week away. Majestic is do- ing fairly well with “Kansas Raid- ers.” Loew’s State has reissue combo of “Mutiny on Bounty” and ^‘Day at Races,” put they are very •slow. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44-65)— - ‘'Gilda” (Col), and “Platinum Blonde” ([Col) (reissues). Below par $8,000. Last week, “Deported” (U) and “Appointment With Grime” (Lip), $9,000. Majestic ( Fay) (2,200 ; 44-65 ) — “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Father’s Wild Game” (U). Steady $9,000. Last week, “Undercover Girl” Los Angeles, Dec. 19. -f Soft biz gait is continuing here in the face of pie-Xnias Shopping, with seven newcomers very spotty. Hot weather also is no help, A satisfactory $36,000 shapes for “American Guefrill^” in fiye the- atres with some help from a small price boost. But elsewhere biz is sluggish with even “Let’s Dance” only getting mild $20,000 in two Paramount houses. “Two Weeks With Love” looks thin $20,000 in two sites. “High- way 301” is only light $26,000 in three locations. Price raise is proving no help to “Emergency. Wedding” which is heading for sour $11,000 in two spots “Mystery Submarine” is under $17,000 in five theatres While “Once a Thief’’ is dim $10,000 or less in three. Estimated for This Week Los Angeles, Chinese, Uptown, Loyola, Wilshire (FWC) (2,097; 2,- 048;. 1,719; 1,248; 2,296; 70-$1.10)-^ “American Guerrilla in Philip- pines” (20th). Okay $36,000. Last week, “All About Eve” (20.th) (3d wk), , $26,800. ^ ^ Hollywood, Downtown, Wiltem (WB) (2,756; 1,757; 2,344; 60-$l) — “Highway 301” (WB). Light $26,^ 000. Last week, “West Point Story” (WB) (3d wk), $16,700, Loew’s State, Egyptian (U A) (2,- 404; 1,538; 70-$l. 10)— “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and “Under Mexicali Stars” (Rep). Thin $20,- 000. Last Week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk), $20,800; Hillstreet, Pantages (RKO) (2,- 890; 2,812; 60-$l) ^ “Emergency Wedding” (Col) and “Beyond Pur- ple Hills” (Col). Sour $11,000. Last week,' “Joan Arc” (RKO) and “Counterspy Scotland Yard” (Col), $14,000. Los Angeles, Hollywood Para- mounts (F&M) (3,398; 1,451; 50-$l) •^“Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Trail Robin Hood” (Rep): Mild $20,000. Last week, “Tripoli” (Par) and “In- dian Territory” (Col) (LA. only) (2d wk), $11,200. Orpheum^ Hawaii, Beverly Hills Music Hall (Metropolitan) (2,210; 1,106; 855; 50-$l)— “Once a Thief” (UA) and “Lightning Guns” (Col). Slight $10,000. Last week, “Three Husbands” (UA) and “Roll, Thun- der, Roll” (EL) (8 days), $12,000. United Artists, Ritz, Vogue, Stu- dio City, Culver (UA-FWC) (2,100; 1,370; 885; 880; 1,145; 60-$l) — “Mystery Submarine” (U) and “Outlaw Gold” (Mono). Dull $17,- 000. Last week, “Undercover (5irl” (U) and “Father’s Wild Game” (Mono), $14,000. Four Star (UA) (900; 60-$l) — “Thunder Rock” (Indie) (reissue) (2d wk). Small $1,000. Last week, $1 800 Fine Arts (FWC) (677; $1.20- $2.40) — “Cyrano” (UA) («th wk). Opened fifth frame today (Tues.). Last week, good $6,500. Estimated Total Gross This Week . . , $422,000 (Based on 18 theatres.) Last Year . . . . . . $451,200 (Based on 17 theatres) Cleveland, Dec; 19. Downtown houses are not feel- ing much of an upbeat in attend- |»ance although the weather is bet- ter vand there appears to be a let- up in Yule shoppers’ spree. “Min- iver Story” is not doing much for the State, Hipp's “Highway 301” shapes standout with okay session. Estimates for This Week Allen (Warners) (3,000; 55-80) — “Sputhside 1-iOOO” (Mono). Oke $10,500. Last Week^ “Deported” (U), $11,500. : Esquire (Community) (704; 55-80) — “Show Business” (RKO) and “Lady Takes Chance” (RKO) (re- issues). Sad $1,500. Last week, “Outrage” (RKO) (2d wk), $3,500. Hipp (Warners) (3,'700; 55-80) — “Highway 301” (WB). Biggest in town at okay $15,000. Last week, “Midnight and Daw n” (Col), $14,000. Palace (RKO) (3,350; 55-80) — “Buffalo Stampede” (Indie) and “Hell Town” (Indie) (reissues). Fair $9,000. Last week, “Joan of Arc” (RKO), $8,500. State (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-80) —: “Miniver Story” (M-G). Dreary $8;000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (Par), $13,000. Stillman (Loew’s) (2,700; 55-80) —“Let’s Dance” (Par) (m.b ). Good $6,000. Last week, “Dial 1119” (M-G), $6,200. 'Daughters’ Hep $18,000, Mont’I; 'Capture’ $7,000 Montreal, Dec. 18. “Three Daughters” is pacing the field this round with nice take at Palace. Despite heavy censor- ing, “Joan of Arc” is way down in second Capitol stanza. “Capture” looms okay at Imperial. Estimates for This Week Palace (G.T.) (2,625; 34-60) — “Three Daughters” (M-G). Nice $18,000. . Last week, “Odette” (EL), $15,000. Capitol (C.T.) (2,412; 34-60) — “Joan of Arc” (^KO) (2d wk). Off to $8,000 following hefty opening session at $15,000. Princess (C.T.) (2,131; 34-60) — “Right Cross” (M-G). Fair $11,000. Last Week, “Tripoli” (Par) (2d wk), nice $10,500. Loew’s (C.T.) (2,855; 40-65) — “Toast New Orleans” (M-G) (2d wk). Off to $16,000 after smash first week at $25,000. ; Imperial (C.T.) (1,839; 34-60) — ^ “Capture” (RKO) and “Inter- rupted Journey” (RKO). Oke $7,000. Last , week, “Dark City” (Par) and “Holiday Rhythm” (Par), $9,500. ‘OTY’ BRIGHT $13, 000, TORONTO; ‘WIDOW’ )G Toronto, Dec. 19. With Xmas shopping, plus lack . of product appeal, only first-run I house doing any outstanding biisi- j ness is “Dark City,” fine at Im- perial, Other attractions are only fair to light. ; Estimates for This Week Downtown, Glendale, Mayfair, Bcarboro, State (Taylor) ; ( 1 ,059; 955; 470; 698; 694; 35-57)— “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (re- issues). Oke $11,000. Last Week, “Shakedown” (U) and “Hit Parade ’51” (Rep), $12,000. Eglinton, Victoria (FP) (1,180; 1,140; 38-77)— “Miracle 34th St.” (20th) and “Adventures Sawyer” (SRp) (reissues). Fair $7,000. Last week, “Tripoli” (Par) (2d wk), $ 6 , 000 . Imperial (FP) (3,373; 3847)— “Dark City” (Par). Fine $13,000. Last week, “Odette” (EL), same. Loew’s (Loew) (2,096; 48-67)— • “To Please Lady” (M-G). Fair $8,000. Last Week, “Miniver Story” (M-G) (2d wk), $6,500. Nortown, University (FP) (959; 1,556; 38-77)— "Breaking Point” (WB) (2d wk). Mediocre $8,000. Last week, $10,000. Odeon (Rank) (2,390; 50-r90)— “Reluctant Widow” (EL). Light $9,000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Gol)y $11,000. Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 38-77)— “Born to Be Bad” (RKO) (2d wk). Poor. $6,500. Last week, $8,000. , Uptown (Loew) (2,743; 38-67)-— ^Milkman” (U) (2d wk). . Down to $4,000 after last week’s fair $6,500. IL C. Slow But Kansas City, Dec. 19. Biz is slow here with shopping activity lat peak, and lightweight attractions generally the rule at first-funs. One of stronger magnets is “American Guerrilla” at three- house Fox-Midwest combo, topping the average for trio. Midland has pair of new pix, “Fuller Brush Girl” and “Last of Buccaneers,” but most others have reissues. Weekend weather was favorable. Estimates for This Week Esquire (Fox Midwest) (820; 45- 65) — “Dedee” (Indie) and “Good Time Girl” (ELI Best here in weeks, strong $3,300. Last Week, “Return Jesse James” (Lip) and “Shot Billy Kid” (Lip), $2,500. Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 45-65) — : “Fuller Brush Girl” (Col) and "Last of Buccaneers” (Col). Light $10,000. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col) and “Midnight and Dawn” (Col), ditto. Missouri (RKO) (2,650; 45-65) — “Born to West” (Indie) and “The Thundering Herd” (Indie) (re- issues). Slim $7,000. Last week, “Outrage” (RKO) and “Rio Grande Patrol” (RKO), first 4 days, with "Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (reissues), second half, same. Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 45-65)— -“The Buccaneer” (Par) and “Ladies Big House” (Par) (re- issues). Slow $7,500. Last week, “Highway 301” (WB), about same. ^ Tower - Uptown - Fairway (Fox Midwest) (2,100; 2,043; 700; 45-65) — “American Guerrilla” (20th). Strongest entry in town, fairly good $14,000 or better for Tyrone Power opus. Last week, “Wyoming Mail” (U) and “Shakedown”- (U); slim $10,000. Det. Dismal at B.0" '6i%akthro^^ and “California Passage” (Rep), $ 8 , 000 . ■ ^ Metropolitan (Siiider) (3,100; 44- 65) — “Black Angel” (Indie) and “Tangier” (Indie) (reissues). Dim $5,000. Last week, “Woman on Run” (U) and “Palooka Squared Circle” (Mono), fair $7,000. State (Loew’s) (3,200; 44-65) — Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and Day at Races” (M-G) (reissues). Drab $9,500. Last week, “Miniver “Next Voice” (M-G), $9,000; Detroit. Dec. 19, Another dismal week is facing Detroit exhibs as Christmas shop- (U)iP6rs continue to hurry by the box- offices in quest of gifts. Only half-stable entry this round is “Breakthrough” which may come through with an okay session at the Michigan. “Two Flags West” is shaping slow at Fox. “King Solomon’st Mines” is holding to nice total in fourth round at Palms. “Undercover Girl” is shap- ing weak at United Arti.sts. Estimates for This Week Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; 70-95) -- “Two Flags West” (20th) and Eye Witness” (EL). Light $20,000. — 44-65) I Last Week, “Dial 1119” (M-G) plus . mslow Bo> (EL) and “Per- i Dick Contlrio stageshow, $29,000. feet (18). Lady” Last (EL). Opened Monday week, “Sun Sets at pawn” (EL) and “Two IVorlds” (EL), sJid $5,000. Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 70-95)— “Breakthrough” (WB) and T s ^Col). Okay I of Frankenstein” and “House ($17,000; Last week, “West Point Dracula” (Indies) (reissues), $6,000. ( '- • • » - ^ -11 > .1 1 j < i. . .1 . 11 .If-..’. Story” (WB) and “Counterspy Scotland Yard” (Col), $10,000 in second week. Palms (UD) (2,900; 70-95) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk). Nice $12,000. Last week, $15,000. ’ Madison (UD) ; (1,800; 70-95) — “Hamlet” (U), Slow $5,000. Last w'eek, “Dark City” (Par) and “Stars Over Wyoming” (RKO), $11,000. United Artists (UA) (1,900; 70- 95)— “Undercovef Girl’’ (U), Weak $7,000. Last week, “ril Get By” (20th) (2d wk), $6,000. Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 70-95) —“Two Weeks with Love” (M-G) (2d wk). Slim $8, ()00. Last week, $9,700. Downtown (Balaban) (2,900; 70- 95) — “Ravaged Earth” (Indie). Poor $7,000. Last week^ "House of Frankenstein” and “House Key City Grosses Estimated Total Gross This Week . , , $1,828,000 (Based on 24 cities, 195 the- atresy chief Jy first runs, includ- ing N. Y. ) Total Gro$s Same Week LaSt Year ... . , $1,923,000 (Based on 24 cities* and 196 theatres.) Pittsburgh, Dec. 20. It’s the week before Xmas, and all through the film houses, the story’s about the same as in the past years— no biz. Penn has the iightest of the tfre-holiday films in ’“Two Weeks With Love’’ and will get what there is of the shopping crowds seeking relaxation. Other theatres are mainly very heavy. “Where Danger Lives’* is going no- where at Stanley despite heavy campaign for Howard Hughes’ hew star, Faith Domergue. Estimates for This Week Fulton (Shea) (1,800; 45-80)— “Southside 1-1000” (Mono). Hardly keeping above $5,500, slow, Last week, “Deported” (U), $6,500. Harris (Harris) (2,300; 45-80)— “Midnight and Dawn” (Col). Noth- ing much for this one either at $6,000. Last week, “All About Eve” (20th) (3d wk), $8,000. Penn (Loew’s) (3,300; 45-80)-^ “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G). Fairly presentable $12,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines”. (M-G) (3d wk-8 days), nice, $8,500; Stanley "WB) 3,800; 45-80)— “Where Danger Lives” (RKO). Building new Howard Hughes star, Faith Domergue, but all for naught. Dull ' $9,000. Last week, “Let’s DahCe” (Par) not too good at $11,000 in 9 days. Warner (WB) 2,000; 45-80)— “Outrage” (RKO). Off to slow start but picked up some over weekend and should hit okay $6,000, Last week, “West Point Story” (WB) (m.o.), $5,000. ‘HIGHWAy’-'SOUTHSDE’ OK $12, (KN) IN BUFF. Buffalo, Dec. 19. Film theatre biz is droopy here this stanza, with pre-Xmas lull on in eamest. Probably the best showing is being made by “High- way 301” paired with “Southside 1-1000” which looms okay at Para- mount. Elsewhere grdlsses range from moderate to drab. “I’ll Get By” is not doing too badly in sec- ond round at the Center. Estimates for Thi j Week Buffalo (Loews) (3,500; 40-70)— “Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone” (M-G) and “Three Husbands” (UA). Light $10,000 or less. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (2d wk) (9 days), nice $11,000. Paramount (Par) (3,000; 40-75) — "Highway 301” (WB) and "“South- side 1-1000” (Mono). Passable $12,000. Last week, ^Fireball” (20th) and Arthur Godfrey Unit with Billy Gilbert and Bill Law- rence, $13,500. Center (Par) (2,100; 40-75)-^“I’ll Get By” (20th) (2d wk).. Down to $8,500. Last weeH, fancy $13,000. Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 40-70)— "Emergency Wedding’^ ((jol) and "Pygmy Island” (Col). Drab $6,- 000 or. less. Last week, “Kansas Raiders” (U) arid “Paper Gallows’* (U), $9,000. Century (20th Century) (3,000; 40-70)— “Mr. Lucky” (RKO) and “Lady Takes a Chance” (RKO) (re- issue). Modest $7,500. Last week, "Outrage” (RKO) arid "California Passage” (Rep), $8,000. Hollywood, Dec. 1 9. ^ Spencer Tracy will play three separate roles in “Jealousy,” a three:episode picture, at Metro, slated for filming in spring when he completes his job in “The Peo- ple vs. O’Hara.” Don Hartman will produce “Jeal- ousy,” which consists of a comedy, a drama and aUragedy. f Boston, Dec. 19. Plenty of shoppers In town but the infiux of reissues at most iria- jor houses are not much help. Biz is better on the weekends than or- diriarily at this time of year be- eause of hypoing effect of down- town Xmas trimmings. “Southside l-ldOO” at paramount and Fenway is not more than average, while “Between Midnight and Dawn” at Memorial looks mild. “State Se- cret” looks fair at Astor in fourth week. Elsewhere biz is mostly sluggish. Estimates for This Week Astor (B&Q) (1,200; 50-95) — “State Secret” (Col) (4th wk). About $4,000 after fair $5,000 for third. Fenway (NET) (1,373; 40-85) — “Southside l-lOOO” (Mono) and “California Passage” (Rep). Fair $4,500. Last week, “Sun Sets at Dawn” (EL) arid “Two Lost Worlds” (EL), okay $6,000. Memorial (RKO) (3,500; 40-85)— “Midnight and Dawn" (Col) and “Last of Buccaneers” (Col). Mild $12,506. Last week, “Mad Wednes- day” (RKO), $18,000. Metropolitan (NET) (4,367; 40- 85)— “Tars and Spars”; (Col) and “Thousand and One Nights’’ (Col) (reissues). Mild $11,500. Last weekj “Jackpot” (20th) arid “Look Before You Love” (Indie), $16,000. Orpheum (Loew’s) (3, 00(); 40r85) “Mutiny ort Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races” (M-(j) (reissues). Sluggish $10^500. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-Ca) (3d wk), okay $11,500. Paramount (NET) (1,700; 40-85) — “Southside 1-1000” (Mono) and “California Passage” (Rep). Mild $9,500; Last week, “Sun Sets at Dawn” (EL) and “Two Lost Worlds”. (EL), neat $15,000. ^ State (Loew) (3,500; 40-85) — ‘^Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races” (M-G) (reissues); Slim $6,000. Last w e e k, “King Solomori’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk), oke $6,800. '2 Weeks'-Mills Bros. Sock $34,000 in Mpis. Minneapolis, Dec. 19. Week before Christmas, tradi- tionally the film theatres’ worst, finds Radio City engaged in a dar- ing experiment. Trying to whip adverse seasonal and severe weather, the big Paramount has an expensive stageshow headed by Mills Bros: and , Ethel Smith, coupled with “Two Weeks With Love.” Paying off with big total, way ahead of recent film biz there. Radio City upped Its scale to $1 after 5 p.m. against 85c formerly for such stage-film layouts. Otherwise, the spotlight is mostly monopolized by holdovers. It’s the fifth week for “King Solo- mon’s Mines” and third for “All About Eve.” Estimates for This Week Century (Par) (1,600; 50-70) — “All About Eve” (20th) (3d wk). Good $5,000 after excellent $7,500 preceding stanza. Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 50-70)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (5th wk). One of the season’s top grossers here. WilU go still an- other week. SatisfOTtory $4,000. Last week, $4,600. Lyric (Par) (1,000; 50-70)- “Rio Grande” (Rep) (m.o.). Here after Radio City break-in. Well-liked, but under a handicap.^ Fair $4,000, Last week, “If This Be Sin” (UA) and “Once a Thief” (UA), light $3,000. Radio City (Par) (4,000; 65-$l)— “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and stageshow, headed by Mills Bros; and Ethel Snilth. Entertain- ment bargairi even ait new high scale (15c and 20c over previous tariff). But seasonal and weather handicaps are hurting somewhat. Despite this, looks sock $34,000, Last week, “Rio Grande” (Rep), $8,500 at 50C-70C, RKO -Orpheum (RKO) (2,890; 35-70)— ''Gilda” (061) and "Plati- num, Blohde” (Col) (reissues) split with “Midnight and Dawn” (Col) arid “Last Buccaneers” ( Col) . Oke $5,500. Last week, . “Breakthrough” (WB), okay $8,000. RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 35-70) — “Breakthrough” (WB) (m.o.)* Okay $5,o66. Last week, "Girls Under 21” (Indie) and^ "Giris of Road” (Indie) (reissuris), $4,500. State (Par) (2,300; 50-70) — "Desert Hawk” (U). Okay $6|000. Last week, "Panic in Streets” (20th), $6,000. World (Mann) (400; 50-85)-^ "Ecstasy” (Indie) (reissues). So-so ; $2,000. Last week, “Toast New j Orleans’* (M-G) (2d wk), tepid 1$X,900. ' ij j . ( « ■ . / UAkiety Wednesday, December 20, 1950 fe Paramount & MARTIN AND LEWIS S COMEDY SMASILAT W ^ •» LJ»J -'Hi ' ^ / V/f T'-if . J ■ . '-, V, '-•i'’'’ 77.' BPPP^' '^v^'^*’ .‘i; V ..--V " ■■ .:• \. '< - . i::\ ■*•• .•••;^> ;‘ ■- / iW-' iW^S' #'»• ' •.....•.i5.i^.v7....7.'7<< jj!jv.\V.: ■■■■fl’.viw.- i i j ■ "■ ■/ A 7 . V J^^5- “Sf'- *'■■■■. . ^.- . .1 . , . .- . . . ., ., . .y a ^ N ✓ ^"^ ' V wm ■>vs Yeii-r they're In tho \ ^ army nowl In a Jai^h-fMted \Osn screen version of Broadway’s fun-pacM stage playl \ ' ;-■ ' '. .:: r/ '...; ........... ^ " t Paramount presents Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “AT WAR WITH THE ARMY” with Polly Bergen • Executive Producer Abner J. Greshler • Directed, by Hal Walker • Written for the Screen and Produced by Fred F. FinkelhofFe • Based on a Play by James B. Allardice • Songs by Mack David and Jerry Livingston Wednesday, December 20, 1950 Boxoffice News FARRED IN NEW YEAR America’s funniest team in their newest, most hiiarious hit! They’ii premiere at speciaiiy seiected New Year’s Eve midnight dates— preceding coast to coast engagements throughout the month of January . . . FROM THE ROAR-FRONT- COME THESE HIGHLIGHTS: RECORD VIW OlOlI mK oVJW %1 [orry serves up novelty number, “The Navy Jets the Gravy But the Army Gets the Beans!’’ For the record, it’s Dean crooning “You and Your Beautiful Eyes” to lovely Polly Bergen. ‘1 '.v/ 4 -: ^‘^'pers, how the gorgeous dames fall for Sgt. Jerry Lewis goes AWOL, disguised as a fasci- Martin’s special brand of romancing! nating blonde spy with hair on her chest! V m i B. mr Going your way! They’re making like Bing and Barry with “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral”! V ** z> '• f-h > '< y » i ^ m. w,- ; i '■ 5 1 i-" 'imm At camp show the famous team sings “londa Wanda Hoy,” the hit you’ll hear everywhere. INTERIM ATIONAL 'VARIITY'r LONDON: OPPICI • th Martin's Plactf Trafal«ar Squirt Albeit ‘Eve’ London, Dec. 12, ^ The first snow of the season, which made travel precarious the early part of week, pushed the box- office more in the doldrums than is usual for this tirtie of the year. The only film to beat the weather is “All About Eve,“ which opened _ • J • . • WB Latin-Am. Meet, Jan. 15 Relationship between the Littin American niairket and Anierican films will be reviewed at a meeting of Warner managers and division htroldt Val Parnell as the Star in Anglo^V* S • Co-op on inttreiling byline pltct In the forthcoming 43th Anniversary dumber of to raye notices and capacity biz, Central and South clicking at the Gaumont with a smash $ll,50Qi There are five other new entries in the West End, but these mainly recorded only moderate; grosses. The British-made “Highly Danger- ous” is likely to end its first round at about $7,500 at the Leicester Square theatre, ' However, the London Pavilion double bill of “Betweeri Midnight and Dawn” and “Gaptive Girl,” started off nicely. “To Please a Lady,’’ plus stage, is mild at Em* pire. “I’ll Get By” at Odeoti, Leicester Square, shapes up only moderate: V : ; Estimates for Last Week Carlton (Par) (1.128; 65-$1.60)^ “Monkey Business” (Par) and “It’s ] a Gift” (Par) (reissues). Pair of oldies failing to do much at only $2,000. “Samson and v Delilah” (Par) due in on Dec. 19. Empire (M-G) (3,099; 50-$1.6,())— “To Please a Lady” (M-G) and stageshow, (2d wk). Mild $13,700, another victim of the general bii dive., “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) opens next. U.S. Majors in Hole on Italian Pact America to be held in Panama Jan. 15, Exchange operations and sales policies are also on the agenda. All available 1950-’5l product will be screened for the delegates. . Wolfe Cohen, prez of Warner Bros. International, will preside at the conclave. Also slated to attend from N. Y. are Karl Macdonald, ■Latin America sales manager, and John Moraio, head of the foreign contract department. Washington, Dec. 19. French film production in 1950 is expected to exceed the pre-war average of 110 features annually, U. S. Department of Commerce re- ports. During the first eight months of this year a total of ;_76 features were completed, which was 16 more than in the same pe- Gaumont (CMA) (1 ,500; 45-$1.60) i riod in 1949. . —“All About Eve” (20th). Attract- Und^r the law providing aid to ing great crowds after rave notices, : the French studios, that country’s and started off to capacity biz. i government has made 1,694,513,640 First frame looks to wind up at , francs available for films. Of the sock $11,500. In for run. i total, 1,544,562,117 francs was Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) [turned over to feature producers, (1,753; 45-$1.60)— “Highly Danger- ; while 80,000,000 went to neWsreel (GFD) and “Kettles on the j production, 44,951,523 went to aid short subject producers, and 25,- 000,000 francs was a subsidy . to Unif ranee Films, which pushes for- eign distribution of French pix. It takes 350 francs to equal $1 Ameri- can, ■ Responsibility for the precarioJus ! state of the British film industry ' can be directly attributed to the government’s 40% admissions bite according to independent pro- ducer-director Roy BouU.ing who returned to London yesterday (Tues.) after a week in N. Y. . ^‘1 dpn’t believe there can be any durable solution to our problems,” he said, “while the great burden of taxation lies upon our heads.” Boulting added, that the present Arg. Import Talks Delayed Buenos Airesi Dec, 12. Raul Alejandro Apold, presiden- tial press secretary in Argentina, and virtually In control of film matters, was so absorbed the past week trying to bring national film producers into line that he had to postpone talks scheduled with the U. S. films distributors on the long-awaited pact to renew imports of Yank product. Apold’s confabs with Joaquin Rickard, Motion Pio ture Assn, of American represen- tative in Latin America, are due to start again next week. In the meantime, “Iron Cortain,” released at last at the Ocean and Broadway theatres day-date Dec. 1 after almost two yearsV refusal by the Argentine government, has grossed around $13,000 over the first Friday, Saturday and S ’nday. Genoa, Dec. 12. Though U. S. pix distributed in system of distribution and exhibi- [Italy continue to turnjn the strong- tion, as practiced in Britain, must est boxoffice total during the first be reconsidered in light of new de-! months of the fall season, Italian velopments. He particularly criti- cized the existing methods Of re- .films have focently made substan tial biz gains at local theatres. On lease whereby a picture is booked i an average net profit per pic, some into a theatre for one-week only I actually have surpassed Yank, and then pulled out whether busi- i totals. This partly stems from the ness is good or bad. This, he said, [early season dearth of top-grossing OUS' Farm” (GFD). Just okay at about $7^500 in intial round. Stays on. London Pavilion (UA) (1.217; 45- $1.60)— “Midnight and Dawn” (Col) and “Captive Girl” (Col). Double bill opened strongly with about $3,000 in first weekend. In ahead, “The Men” (UA) (3d wk), $5,000. Marble Arch Pavilion (CMA) (1,- 750; 35-80C)— “Lilli Marlene” (UA) and “Underworld Story” (UA). New British combo moved in with- out press comment and likely to hit . mild $4,200 in opening stanza. Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) (2,200; 45-$1.60)— “I’ll Get By” (Fox). Starting off only' to fair trade with about $6,500, moderate. Holds a second week with “Har^ vey” (U) following as Christmas pic. Odeon, Marble Arch (CMA) (2,- 200; 45-$l. 60) — “Clouded Yellow”’ (GFD) (3d wk). Dipped to moder- at $5,100. “I Shall Return” (20th) opens Dec. 14. Plaza (Par) (1,902; 65-$1.60)— — “Tripoli” (Par) and “Friend Irma Goes West” (Par) (2d wk). Dual bill proving a disappointment, first holdover round being near $4,000. “Samson and Delilah” (Par) is due In Dec. 19. Rialto. (LFP) (592; 45-$1.25)^ “City Lights” (UA) (reissue) (7th wk). Still strong at around $5,000. Stays in def. . Warner (WB) (1,735; 45-$1.60)— “Pretty Baby” (WB). Failed to draw, with only $1,500 in its first .three days: Continues on. doesn’t give either the producer or j audiences a chance While cognizant of the aid that American pix (held up in part by Italian stalling tactics during cen- sorship and dubbing). It also comes ‘FOUR IN JEEF NEAR Zurich, Dec. 12 New Praesens pic, ‘‘Four in a Jeep,” is scheduled to be com- pleted by Dec. 25 after shooting for over two months. Stars and staff are now ..back in Zurich for interiors at Rosenhof and Bellerive Studios. Outdoor shooting was done on location in Vienna and Graz, Austria, for the last six weeks. Film is being directed by Leo- pold Lindtberg from an original screenplay by Richard Schweizer, Wilhelm L. Treichlinger and Hans, Sahl. “Jeep” stars Viveca Lindfors, Ralph Meeker and French actress Paulette Dubost. It features M. Dinan, Joseph Yadin, Michael Med- Win, and Hans Putz. World preem of picture will be held early next year at Scala Zurich. Modern Town Built In Australia for 20th-Fox; Name It Zanuckville Sydney, Dec. 12. When 20th-Fox announced that Darryl Zanuck had decided to make the Technicolor pic, “Kangaroo,” liere, the premiers of each Aussie state put in bids to have the film produced in their respective ter- ritories. The big prize went to South Australia on a deal engi- neered by Premier Tom Playford. Figuring here is that the 20th-Fox production crew will spend $250,- 000 with South Australian traders on foodstuffs and other commodi- ties, quite apart from additional technical equipment and crew Wages. When the unit’s production man- ager, Robert Snody, finally decided on Port Augusta as the “Kangaroo” location. Premier. Playford (despite heavy housing shortage) gave the greenlight for the erection of a small town, complete with cooling system, sanitary conditions, sports arena, cinema and westefn-type sa- loon for the unit’s use. Stars Maut feeh Q’Hara, Peter Lavirford and Reginald Boone have their own bungalows: This Week Premier Playford de- clared the town officially opened and named it Zanuckville. Looks like eithei Snody or director Lewis Milestone will take the designation of mayor on the sayso of Premier Playford. It is the first time in Aussie history that . town has been named after an Anierican film pro- ducer. “Kangaroo” should be in the cans by next September. the government’s Film Finance from the current success of many Corp. is giving the industry, Boult- ing indicated that the agency’s as- sistance should not be termed largesse because the state takes vast sums out of the film business by taxation and returns only a small portion via the FGC. The financing body was set up 18 months ago when private sources of funds dried up. Boulting was dubious about the value of a proposed cooperative production organization over which FFC chairman James H. Lawrie would preside. Lawrie reportedly would have the . final say-so on scripts, budgets and stars before a camera could turn. The independ- ent producer-director declared that “any system that has complete power of life and death over an in- dustry is dangerous.” Despite domestic financial prob- lems, Boulting feels that the inter- national outlook for British pic- tures is improving. He said that British films are developing a new audience in the U. S. and other couhtries. It’s not the same audi- ence that goes to see Hollywood’s output, he added, for “our pictures shouldn’t compete with Holly- wood.” Producer- . director made the junket here to attend the American preem of his “Seven Days to Noon” at the Trans-Lux 52d Street, N; Y., last Monday (18). Boulting made “Seven Days” for Sir AI®i^&hder Korda’s London Films ; in association with his brother,' Johh. ' The Boultings next verituf e, “I ‘ i^py' Strangers,’’ is scheduled to go before the cameras Jan. 15 for J. Arthur Rank release. Following its 'completion the brothers will turn out two more pix for Korda. low-budget Italian comedies and to the attainment of a certain com- mercial standard in local product Local observers, with an eye also to solving strained U. S.-Italo re lations, say that While audiences have begun to show a -preference for local pix over low-calibre U. S imports, the top American product continues to hold its dominant posi- tion On Italian screens. They point out that the present trend, even if Continued, would in no way harm American companies in the long run since able to recoup via big ger profits on their strong pix. It merely would bring about a better balance between Italian U. S. and other foreign films, and help discourage the importation o low-grade American productions which have been flooding the Ital ian theatres, the over-crowded market hurting takes of both Italian films and the better Yank product. It is generally felt that even though these Italian early- season gains are a yearly seasonal occurence, due for a letdown, but they are this time considerably higher. French films, in recent years considered boxoffice poison in ItMy, also have ' made recent gains in the wake of a sock reception accorded the 1949 Venice Grand Prize winner “Manon,” which did phenomenal biz in recent key-city French language houses; It is now hitting the top figures with a dub- bed Version in general release. Sev- eral other Gallic entries have since ^reached substantial figures. Rome, Dec. 19. Action of United Artists in Join- ing the National Italian Cinema Assn. (ANICA) has broken the solid front of American major film dis- tributors in the protracted nego- tiations over dlstrib of U. S, films in Italy. It has resulted in a com- plete stymie Of the three-year-old effort to work out a settlement be- tween the Italian government and Yank distribs. In, all previous talks between reps of U. S. film com- panies and the Italians, the Amer- ican distribs have stayed adamant on the point of ever joining ANICA. Result is that UA’s deci- sion to join up came as a real sur- prise in local film circles. it is fairly welT known that the deal worked out on a so-called limited basii which was rejected by other major U. S. distribs, ac- cording to UA’s rep George Orn- stein. The theory back of this rejec- tion is that it is not necessary for the film industry to negotiate with the government for a free market, and ANICA is unofficially Support- ed by the Italian government. Obviously, this is a local point-of- view concerning films in view of the restrictions of France and Ger- many, Italy being described as fair- ly easy to deal with compared with other European countries. Under- stood here that the Italian govern- ment felt that the Yank distribs were “stalling” on the negotiations so they started a “retaliation.” In other words, Italy is enforcing the request ^originally made to U. S. conipanies (though the enforcement is unofficial thus far) that Ameri- can distribs in Italy reduce the number of film imports by 25%. New Crackdown Via Censorship The Italians have been shrewd enough not to actually make legis- lation against importing foreign films, having consistently held to the laws now in existence. This was done apparently in hopes that the Americans would come to an agreement without government in- terference. Since last August, the censorship of films has become so rigid that U. S. distribs feel the ciit into the number of pictures they have been receiving. Censoring body, began to closely scrutinize all cen- sorship requests and to not take pix in order of precedence. These and other things have made it pos- sible for only a few films to get okays. One early result Of . the UA action in joining ANICA is that all com- pensation deals are at a complete standstill until further decisions are made. Some claim that United Artists, through its local distributor; Artisti Associati, always has been a semi- member of ANICA. Ornstein says he simply formalized a relationship that has existed, in fact, for many years, “because Artisti Associati has been a member for years.” Ornsteip also stated that during his three years in Italy he has never experienced the slightest de- lay in securing import or censor- ship permits. Metro’s 4th Aussie Nabe Sydney'^ Dec. 19. Bernie Freeman, Metro topper here, has signed a deal for take- over of the neighborhood Century in Manly as anticipated. Now gives Metro four nabe houses plus seven j in key cities, the biggest solely U. S. operated loop in Down Under territory. Understood that M-G will add additional nabers in the Melbourne zone to the circuit early next year. Uruguay Exhibs Clijpped Again by Rising Costs Montevideo, Dec: 5. Film exhibitors, here,/ who re- cently were hit by increased taxa- tion and pension fund contribu- tions, are to have their overhead again increased via a government decree published early this' month, This sets up a Wages Board to fix salaries for employees and direc- tive personnel. Technicians are expressly excluded, by virtue of ah agreement . signed last August, which met their demands in full. Other Forei^ Newt On Page 16 1st Coin From British Fix Shown in Germany London, Dec; 12. Although the ' first trickle of funds froni the showing of British films in Germany may be expected very sobn, film producers here fear that a native quota being consid- ered by the Western German govt, may curtail screentime for their product and thus restrict \ftiture earnings. Up till now, a substantial num- ber of British films have played German theatres but all the money has been blocked. The optimistic view taken is that the first flow of coin may be followed by a big increase early next year. The export group of the British Film Producers Assn, has also worked out a formula with French authorities for increasing the num- ber of dubbing visas allocated to British pix. ‘UCE’ LOOKS LIKELY FOR RUN IN LONDON London, Dec. 19. Aimee Stuart’s “Lace On Her Petticoat,” which opened at The Ambassador’s Thursday (14), Was splendidly received and looks likely to register a profitable run at this small house. Play, an unpretentious sentimental Scottish comedy, stars Sophie Stewart. Youthful newcomers Eleanor MacReady and Perlita Neilson score as teenage friends parted through class distinction. Parnell Loses Contest For Quota Exemption London, Dec. 19. An application by Val Parnell for quota exemption for the Prince of Wales, where “Cinderella” open- ed last night (18), has been re- jected by the Films Council. . At the Conclusion of the Disney pic- ture’s run a British film will have to be screened to comply with the 30% quota. It is, believed that “Tales of Hoffman” will be booked. Earlier this year, this theatre Was fined for a quota default, Wednesday, December 20, 1950 w few mW MMm •if i Mm mm wm if* 8 w Wm W $m wi ism. > SwSsw&S M K 1 »1 mm Mim mu iw THE MOST POPULAR GUY AROUND ! He's bringing Holida)^ Cheer to Happy Showmen every wherer with:^ FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE THE MUDLARK AMERICAN GUERRILLA In the Philippines ncHNicom ALL ABOUT EVE I’LL GET 0 rtgumiot MISTER 880 MY BLUE HEAVEN TECNNicoiOR f lite^ xmniKfjfOK Q 2:^ * < 'VAItilirVfiMONDON OFFICI I Ih Martinet Plact^ Trafaltar Muara VY/ By GEORG^: F. GAAL Bonn, Dec. 12. Representatives of Avestern Ger- many's two most powerful political parties, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the , Christian Demo- crats fCbij), launched an all-out concentrated attack in the federal ! parliament last . week against the i Allied High Commission’s plans to j decartclize the UFA combine, Nazi ] Germany’s state-controlled motion j picture monopoly. A government spokesman also told Parliament that tlie government’s views on the breakup plans are not very much dilTerent. The attack emerged during an assembly debate on the UFA liqui- dation, decreed as Allied High Gom mission Law No. 32 last sum- mer. It w«is launched by CDU- Hoyts' 1483,000 Profit Sydney, Dec. 12. Under Ernest Turnbull, Hoyts* loop turned in a net profit of $483,- 000 to June this year. Dividends of were okayed for “A” stockhoiders and 2% for “B’’ • stockholders. Net profit shows -a decline of about $6,000 from comparable pe- riod of last year. ^Dancing Murder* Berlin, Dec. 12, Sovietriicensed newspapers in Berlin ihade a big propa- ganda item out of last week’s performance by Ainerica’s Bal- let Theatre here of Agnes de Milie’s -Fall River Legend,” based: bn the famed axe-mur- ders. Reds called it “dancing murder.” Ballqt went over big here. Lowendahl, Back in U. S., Maps Special On Italo-Made 1 More Govt. Help Goldwyn-Skouras Continued from page 3 London, Dec. 19. The big brass of the British Cabinet, headed by Clement R. At- tlee, Prime Minister; Ernest Bevin, foreign Secretary; and Hugh Gait- skell, Chancellor of the Exchequer, r ! joined with show biz toppers in I celebrating the diamond jubilee I of the National A.ss'n. of Theatrical Final editing and sound re- ; . . 1 , recording on the film version of i ? ® ® ® ^ ^ deputy Richard Muckermann, \vlio Gian-Carlo Menotti’s musical play, ' ^ ^ * introduced , an interpolaHon on be- “xhe Medium,” will likely be com- , pleted within three or four weeks, Rightist Free Democratic (FDP)i , according to producer AValter Low- Although it was the biggest ar- ray of political talent ever seen at a trade f unctioni the occasion was German iDP) and Bavarian (BP) cndlhi; whoVSy retwmrd from ! T^ Arthn, parties, attacking the AUies^ for Italy, where the picture was made, i auctioning nine grade B films, with Menotti directing, the film ' without Gcrmaii participation. It ^^as partly tensed in Rome’s Sea- i in re,^ demanded a government statement , igi-g studios and around the Italian ! mfi"iL“nd on Whether tne Allies had taken ponital miscent and nostalgic vein, leCall- po.sition concerning Bonn’s coun- ; -• * , . , ^ a ^ j- * incidents in the 60 years of tcr-law on the UFA liquidation as ' Lowendahl has not set a distribu- | TATKE. well as whether action has been Lon deal yet, prefening to Avait , The tenof of the speeches was taken to hinder losses inflicted ontil final prints are ready. How- sparked by Tom O’Brien, M.P., upon the Federal Republic by such il^V^^iLcated in N. Y.^ last the union’s general secretary, who auctions. He further termed the pic will very likely in proposing the toast of the Prime pix auction a “perfect flop” and o® a special basis to arty Minister, explained how glad he sa^d that onlv two were sold at the houses somewhat similar to the ■ was that Attlee had no daughter minimum Wd oC procedure on '•Red Shoes " : who was aspiring to be a great ($1,190), Whereas the . auction cost ■ several members . singer. Attlee, in his response, 60,000 marks ($11,900). . origmal Broadway produc- , avoided trade affairs, apart from a Uon. ! comment that he had never been While the budget for “The Me- able to understand the complicated , ^ J .4- dium” was only $140,000, Lowen- organization of the film industry. ! Karl Brunner, an SPD deputy ^ better film could 1 Richard F. Walsh, International 1 whose party program ^calls for been achieved even with Alliance of Theatrical and Stage ] nationalization ^of the big indus- expenditure of more coin. The • Eniployees prexy, who had travel- tnes, attacked the Allied Lquida- Italian atmosphere, he said, blend- ' led 3,000 miles to participate in tion plan, which he said would not ^d perfectly with the tone of the the celebrations, welcomed the in- hinder industrial concentration, venture and the whole project was ’ itiative of the Prime Minister on ' rapped up In nine weeks. ' tiis recent Washington visit. He Production of the film “Medium,” , the outcome Would be ’ a bond between the American and The Real Attack Starts leal attack started when tion hearing was adjourned to Jaii. 4, to be resumed here. Questioning of John Bertero, FWC exec, and attorney, covered a three-day period, during which tiriie the FWC executive was grilled bn the business routine of more than 100 theatre properties, during which Alioto endeavored to establish that the Interests of Charles P. Skouras are interwoven with all phases of the film busi** ness. This Bertero vigorously de- nied. At one tense point in the querying Bertero, on advice of his attorney, Arthur B. Dunne, rei- (iused to answer a question regard- ing possible Skouras interest in a candy and confectionery supply houSe selling to the circuit. Later the: objection was withdrawn and Bertero answered negatively, Bertero was also clpsely ques- tioned by Alioto as to whether there had ever been any arrange- ment to split product in the ac^ quiring of theatres by FWG. This Bertero denied, stating unequivo- cally that there were no such ar- rahgemeiits. Following Bertero’s questioning, Goldwyn counsel examined chief filni buyer Ed Zabel, concentrating on film buying practices of FWC. Deposition hearings of Bertero and Zabel were postponed until Jan. 30, when they will be resumed in Los Angeles. A full array of high-powered legal counsel was on hand for the Skouras - Bertero - Zabel question marathon. They included Alioto, Samuel Goldwyn; Fred Pride, 20th - Fox* Arthur B. Dunne* FWC-Skouras, 20th-Fox and Na- tional Theatres; Charles Carr and Theodore Roche, Naify interests, and Ed Keil, Skouras and FWC. James A. Mulvey, Goldwyn prexy, sat through the hearings as an observer. He returned to N. Y., but will be back for the Jan. 30 hearing. in consent decrees* but have not Imposed any such restriction on Hughes. While the stock is in the hands of trustee, Hughes will have no control over it but will profit from, any dividends it earns. Dietrich and Slack both insisted prior to returning to the Coast From New York Saturday (16) that the Brandt deal fell through be* cause Hughes had “never received an acceptable Offer from him.” It is understood that Brandt had $1,000,000 in cash available against the $6,500,000 that would be re- quired for purchase at $7 per share. He, wanted to pay the rest over a two-year period. Hughes is under- stood to have wanted a greater amount in cash. B.o. decline in the past eight Weeks or so reportedly dampened Brandt’s enthusiasm for the deal* It is understood he refiLsed to make compromises in the negotiations with Dietrich last week that he had considered earlier. , . Theatre TV Continued from page 3 He said it would promote a “front i system, not making ; it impossible that another UFA-type concern . ...... should emerge this time not led i^^-’identally, was financed by a lim- , i Y ( Altt-l^d) n^rtn^rchirt TTn.i.... H,! ’ Britisli people as great as that (Erich) Pommer an American ciuzen ana rormer xcap ^^,0. o Rripn with n trnifi Military Government film officer, Among the latter are Moss I card of lATSE rn accord with was, Xiepuently^ attacked lor al- ’ t£e%edsion of tL OeveS to^ legedly trying to secure the UFA j producer Joseph Hyman. combine for U. S. interests, even ^ ^ — — though Law No. 32 provisions Austrian Pic for $163,000 heavily restiuct foreign biiyings of Washington, Dec. 19. auctioned UFA assets). Hughes* Stock Continued from page 3 vention in 1948. The present critical state of Brit- ish production was underlined by Rank in supporting the toast of NATKE. As a result, the union Brunner further charged that dugg ^ fulUengto^feature filnf ini"®* ® goal of UFA had already been smashed in i today, According to official j continuity of employment, and the 1940 since 70% ^of its properties sources there. This is considered 1 . *’®®” " “I'l fr 'enough to turn out a deluxe produc- ill ‘‘’?Governrncnt had not created the Allied plan is aimed at elimi - : . f 12 non fn 1*1000 fppf- x. hiip I the National Film Financ Corp. Bating competition of German pic i “oneyeiTort can be made fo^ The Treasury, as a sleeping partner production and accused them of qqq in the industry, collected $100,000,- •■flooding”, the German market; production 'costs of a maior fea- i 2®® fliey could help with foreign films. ture include 41% for studio faelli- I ®®®‘‘ Dr. Rudolf Vogel, CDU, deputy i ties and sets, 30% for salaries, i ‘j? nSn non oorl' and chairman of the Parliament’s j io.7ro for outdoor sifeneq 30,1 Fund from $4,000,000 to $8,000,000. committee for press, film and ra* ; 6.6% for r aw stock ®and "primfng. i ® *™®“ P“‘ “""^s dio, said the problem has nothing Rpmaining 11 . i.G Exec Meet Continued from page 3 I ■ j be consulted by phone. Then Schary and Schenck will go to Flor- ida next week to continue the con- fabbing with Rodgers. Reason for exhibs’ demand for more product is the dip in the na- tional boxoffice suffered during the last few months. With business off, pictures are totaling less playing time, and as a result more features are needed to fill the void. If M-G decides to boost its total, the com- pany will produce all of them at its home studio. Metro no longer has any distrib deals with indie pro- ducers. Schai’y is being accompanied to N. Y. aiid Florida by his wife and children, along with Walter Reilly, his chief assisUnt. Goetz, after sitting in on the N. Y. talks to dis-: cuss the situation at Metro’s British studios, will head for the Coast for huddles with studio toppers and visit his son, Hayes, a producer at M-G. He’ll also talk with producer Richard Thorpe on the projected filmizatidn of Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” which is slated to roll in England early next spring. Paris, Dec. 19. Parisian showbiz is in a terrific pre-holiday slump. No improve- ment is anticipated for Christmas, as reservations are meagre for both niterics and theatres. Money is particularly scarce this year, and many that generally hit cafes now .seem to prefer outings. International situation has many worried. Money has tightened up because of curtailed bank credits. ♦ k ^ r , Wedhcsday, December 20, -1950 ^h ‘ U^KiETY M • ^ ^ . M PICTURES 19 Govt. Eyes Freeze, Increases in Films Hollywood, Dfic. 19. Plans for cost-of-living increases and pension programs are being mapped by Hollywood Guilds. Unions are apparently styitiied by Government’s decision to seek wage controls. Union leaders frankly admit cur- rent negotiations and plans are jeopardized by intention to freeze salaries. Most important group to be involved in any Federal freeze would be AFL film council, com- prising more >than 20^000 studio workers iri affiliated unions. Pro- ducers recently nixed a proposal for discussion of cost-of-living in- crease and were served last week with demand that negotiations be started for pension plan and group insurance. Increase in minimum wage scale Is one of three major demands Of the Screen Writers Guild. Govern- ment action, might wash this out but Guilds’ other points, particu- lariy “separation of right,” issue, would still be pertinent points in controversy. Although not yet disclosed, it’s expected that Screen Actors Guild would ask for wage hikes, espe- cially for low-bracket and bit- player members, when negotiations start within the next few months. Present Television Authority cam- paign for increases in Video would also be jeopardized by a freeze. Grinieff-UA Contintied from page 5 Its present rough period. He said he was uncertain ak yet how much would be needed, but estimates are around $500,000. After that a permanent arrangement could be worked out, Grinieff indicated, which might entail around $2,000,- 000. That would include coin for financing production. Money would come from an east- ern financial group that wpuid get collateral for its temporary loan. Permanent arrangement would „be on a more complicated basis that would involve management and ownership of the company. Part of the arrangement, Grini- eff said, would entail bringing in a well-known industry figure who has the confidence of banks and pro- ducers. He has a tentative arrange- ment with such a man to step in if the other details can be worked out, he declared. The man, he empha- sized, w'as not James A. Mulvey, prexy of Samuel Goldwyn Produc- tions, who has repeatedly denied rumors that he might become as- sociated with UA. Grinieff said he will have no money in the projected setup or any corporate position or Interest. He asserted his feeling that contin- uance of UA Is imperative tcPthe film industry. He said he’s not asking anything now, nor does he expect to get anything. The quid pro quo, if any, he hopes will come in the future when he would be recompensed for his. services by be- ing given control of certain foreign operations for UA. AVhether McNutt, who took over as board chairman in July, will step out without compensation appears subject to a difference of opinion. Awhile it has been Widely reported that he wants a payoff for. his ef- foiis, persons Close to McNutt say he is willing to walk now if Chaplin and Miss Pickfofd think they haye another deal that can be success- fully set via his departure. ELC-Rank Continued from page 5 profit by such an arrangement, since he owns a 49% interest in LFD. It Would primarily distribute Korda pix, but there is. an affinity in that Robert S. Benjamin is prexy and counsel of the Rank or- ganization in the, U. $., while Ar- thur Krim is Coiinsel and board member of LFD^ They are part- ners in the law firm of . Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin ^ Krim.; ELC’s unhappiness with the present Rank arrangement results from its inability to get favorable breaks for its product bn Rank’s Gaumont-British and Odeon cir- cuits. It is felt that : the Rank’ dis- tributing setup is sloughing ELG pix in doling out circuit dates. Even U complains aibout the sariie thing bccasionally, although Rank generally sees that the' company gets a break because of his heavy investment in it. Most U. S. distribs are unhappy to Varying degrees on their de- pendence^ oh Rank with his con- trol of tw'O of the three British chainSi . Like ELC, their squawk is that there’s no opportunity for negotiation; they’ve either got to take or leave the deals offered by Odeon or G-B. Withoqt circuit bookings, distribs can only go to individual indie houses, where they can make opt okay if they are able to get two pix booked as an equal-billing d u a 1 1 e ri They’re pretty well riiurdered if they must take bottom spot on the twin-bill. ELC will likely give its product to some tndie distrib for release when it breaks with Rank. This is contrary to action of Republic in setting up its own offices through- out Britain. )faines at ’Harvey’ Bow Benefit opening tonight (Wed.) of ‘’Harvey” at the Astor theatre, N. Y.,. will feature on-stage appear- ances by an assortment of . show biz personalities. Proceeds will go to the Louise Baer Memorial Fund of the N. Y. Heart Assn. Slated to show at the preem are Burns <8c Allen, Eddie Cantor, Jim- my purarite, Josephine Hull, Glo- ria Swanson and Robert Merrilh among others. Jesse Block & Fve Sully sparked the drive. ’Mr.iyeed$’ Continued from page 3 Film Stocks Get OK S Continued from page 7 Denver Ups Priees 5-1 Oc . Denver, DeC. 19. First-runs will boost their mat- inee prices from 35c to 40c and their night prices from 70c and 74c to 80c Christmas day or before the .first of the year. . Subsequents will follow in some instances with a nickle boost. Continued front page 5 of equipment but that the system has since been compressed into a size that would make it commer^ cially feasible. Fact that Skouras and Sponable are the first American film com- pany execs to travel to Switzerland to witness the unit in operation in- dicates that 20th is hot yet tied exclusively to RCA’s big-screen sys- tem. Twentieth has invested con- siderable reseai'ch money in help- ing iron out the kinks in the RCA tinit, which was believed to signify that the RCA method is the one that 20th would utilize wli^n it rolls its long-standing plan of a theatre TV circuit of theatres on the Coast. of 20 U. S. pix for more than two years. With increasing hostility between the two countries, nego- tiations have been allowed to lapse in the past few months, although they actually never looked favor- able.. ' Moscow showing of the James Stewart- Jean Arthur, starrer is, of j course, contrary to international copyright conventions. Russians, however, dp not subscribe to these. Since neither Col nor the MPEA is receiving royalties on t he film ! from the Soviet, squawks may be filed with the embassy in Wash- ington, although it is thought un- likely they’ll bring any results. Film is the first U. S.-made to be I shown in a first-run Moscow house I in more than two years. It is j drawing crowds, according to the ' AP, under the title “Senator.” It j depicts machine politics, showing j activities of a political boss who ! controls the press and radio in his j state and pushes around senators and congressmen. An MPEA exec declared yester- day (Tuesday) that if the Russians were showing the pic as it was originally released he’d be “glad to donate to them all the prints they want.” He pointed out that the finale really showed how democra- cy Worked,, for a little man who had been a nobody but Who had become incensed at the political boss’s pushing around had suc- ceeded In throwing hihi out. tainment, plus the lack of many good motion pictures. Waxing optimistic, Bernhard h Co. asserts the novelty of video entertainment will wear off, which factor, along with a stepped-up number of film releases, will con- tribute substantially tp; bolstered boxoffice. Wall street company further states that while corporate tax- ation is likely to rise, thus cutting into per share profits of the film firms, current quarterly dividend rates, of all the majors should be maintained. Especially healthy, according, to Bernhard, is Columbia, whose 1951 dividends may tptal one dollar per share, as compared With 75C this year. Divorcement of the inte- grated companies is looked uopn as a favorable factor for Col, which figures to have greater mar- keting opportunities. As for Loew’s, continuation of the 37V^c quarterly divvy seemk assured, Bernhard reports. Gross revenues promise to be well main- tained in light of a possible im- provement in domestic theatre at- tendance and a probable rise in in-r come frohn foreign operations. Profit margin may widen for Loew’s, it was said, because . of lower film amortization Costs and operating economies, but heavier taxes will cause 1951 earnings to “fall moderately” below 1950: Par to : Climb Paramount, reportedly headed for a 1950 profit of $6,400,000 or $2.45 per share, is likely to climb above that point in the next year, the investment concern states. Continuation of the 50c disburse- ment appears assured, it was added. UPT shares are “especially rec- ommended for substantial appreci- ation and exceptionally generous yield” by Bernhard. Both the near term and longer term earn- ings prospects of the circuit are favorable, it W’as added. ‘ Techni dividends are likely to total $2 'per share again in 1951, the Bernhard report states. Earn- ings in 1950, it was said, are in- dicated at $2.30 per share on sales of $22,000,000. Techni is expected to operate at full capacity in the new year, Bernhard anticipates, with the processing of 75 features, as compared with 65 in 1950. Also apparently secure are 20th’s 50c quarterly divvies. Bern- hard predicts that some increase in domestic theatre attendance, ac- celerated film production and larger foreign revenues may boost the 1951 income over the current year but heavier tax liability will cut profits to about $3.25 per share. Further gains in U’s operating results are in prospect for; 1951, Bernhard declares, with resump- tion of the quarterly dividends on the common stock probable. U’s competitive position in the indus- try also figures to improve as ths majors divest themselves of the- atres. Wider margin of profit; gen- erally is anticipated, An increase in WB’s 1951 divi- dends ovCr 1950 is cited as a pos- sibility. Although the major’s gross revenues may decline slight- ly because of some theatre divesti- ture, lower amortization charges and reduced operating expenses may permit some added profits, ac- cording to Bernhard. N.Y. Par Lobby Show To Honor Crosby’s Anni Opening of ’‘Mr. Music” at the N. Y. Paramount theatre today (Wed.) will be accompanied by a tv/o-hour radio show from the lob- by, occasioned by Bing Crosby’s 20th year as a solo performer. Slated to salute Crosby are Martin Block, Guy Lombardo, Ella Fitz- gerald, Jimmy Dorsey and Dorothy Kirsten. Program will be aired by WNEW, 8 to 10 p.m., EST. Also joining in the tribute is the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Otto Har- bach, ASCAP prexy, will present a plaque to Crosby, by proxy, on ■ the -Dec. 28 “We the People” ra- ' dio-teevee show. 4« ^ESA Nancy’s fresh young beauty is in harmony with the gay romance of *'Mr. Music.’’ She’s a^Lux Girl- guards her fair complexion with the beauty soap of the stars.” 'Active lather facials really work for me,’- says Nancy. smooth the rich Lux Soap lather in well,’ rinse, then pat with a towel^ to dry. Leaves my skin feeling wonderfully soft and smooth ’.’*5 Try this gentle Lux Soap care screen stars recommend, and thrill to the quick new beauty it gives your skin ! m \< / ■'v y-j <• N . . '.f, \./ a/ / -'■&m '/ ' 9 . ft s' VV .6^ 9 eiit of 10 Seroon Star* «»• T®*'®* *®"'^ PICTURES NEW YORK I^udy . Solriisen, producer >♦ t »♦♦♦»♦ ♦ ♦ »»»♦»♦♦ » four relej^ses because of 4efays in t ^ ^ completing ^‘Navy Bound” and /ll* f T^l W “According to Mrs. Hoyle,” These I linQ lITAin rlllll KAW - two fUms wm go out Feb. 11 and VllUO llUlll I 11111 IWTf .. Feb. 18, instead of id January 21. Their places will be taken by - tf 4- »♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ ”Bowery Battalion” and “Rhythm . Inn.- • , . • NFW VriRIC las Bardavon theatre manager. Five deluxe film houses in this ^ iv/iviv . ; Hogan will be succeeded by Her- . territory boosted their admission Rudy . Solmsen, producer ot ’ rnan Edel, who comes from Phoe- scale without protest from custom- French and Italian pix and an as- ' ^^.^2 ; ers. Prices now range from 70c sociate of Ilya Lopert, in town i otis Bowes, manager of Or- at matinee to 90c at night, with i oji a two-week visit. ! pheuni Moose Jaw, Sask., named i $1.10 for loges. Theatres involved A. W. Schwalberg,. F^ramount , of Capitol, Moose Jaw, 'are the Chinese,' Los Angeles, sales chief, returned to the home- . p. Fields, who died ' Uptown, Loyola and AVll shire, all office yesterday (Tues.) after a ; ® Fox AVest. Will be followed this scries of branch meetings m the ^ Sask., ex- week by^^^R^ Hillstreet and Pan- ^ ^ , T u tended 38 feet and remodelled. ; tages, and Egyptian and Loew’s P. H. Shirley, assistant to John Seating was upped from 550 to 700. • State. . Davis, director ot the J. . Arthur . ^'ijelnhorn, head • ' ■ • ' •— - — Rank lilm_ empire, was in New - ^gg] _^oius. Co., installed his son, ; “ York over the weekend on his way . Leonard, as manager. . . liin to England from Jamaica He had I Lari Evans, at one^^ ViD U6Cr66 . been on an_i*^spection trip of .the Monroe band; - ' Rank circuit on the West Indian ■ I’ecently exploitation director . ,^55555 continued from pass 3 i island. [for Paramount in New Orleans, is i u.hiph the end of Its ^ ^^^tro field rep for Albany CHICAGO and Buffalo., t Harrv. Jack and Albert Warner, Gollos. theatre circuit recently vi / a i firm’s three ^principal stockholders, | darkened . Its Sun theatre on the WAbHlNUl UW I all are. required to stay together in' 1 southside. 'i^‘'^ck Mclnerney, Jr., son Of , either of the tw'O new companiciT ATitiof AAn InAft 1 hnjicoc nAnlr^n • . • ^ >- 4 . a \ .>'*'^**v* .j «i 1 tre"“^Vx?at?~iv^^Aw4rd of i Merit from, Disabled American i S® iockev present exhibition Sub- Vets of Illinois last week. Medal 1 adio station s disk Jockey , be slated to take is ^ibute for his policy of ^mi^ [ Trio of Lopert arty houses reC-i over the helm of the new theatre ting somcemen free during world War II and resuDiRtion o£ policy hi rovivintfl Reoi reviving Reorg Plan Reorganization plan directs that Kat^ local universal exploi- J ^ i iour ^e^S i : share in each of the 1^0 new com- i Lubliner-Trinz^Gircuit currentlv I Warner Bros, donated two of its i panics in exchange for each full | operating the Clark theatre, formed i i?SSnnd^?Af Tnfa? share they ^S^the p^ent the Colbar Vending Co. ' shows to collect food for local or- ent corporation. The three Warner Plans for Allied Theatres of ^ ^^oizations. ■ brothers will be . called upon to Illinois meeting last week to find i 20 pig^e their theatre stock in trust, ■ answer for bad biz was cancelled. I yoars with the focal WB realty_de- - pending its disposition. . However, ^ Palace is playing split-week cur- celebrated his 75th : view of the large extent of their ., rcntly for the first time in its , o^Uhclay last w^k. , . holdings. Justice Department is; historvJ Action stems from Jack-! .Orville Crouch appointed. to sue- cnid in have acreed to a long-term ' history’ Action stems from Jack-! — ® i said to have agreed to a long-term ' son Park ruling to release full ' cecd the late Carter T. Barron arrangement since any re-; quota of fil ms over 13-w eete period. , ^tfoS^s of So early , sale of the shares | AIDAMV studio. Crouch, who has been in ■ , I ALdANY an ‘ acting” capacity in the jobs, I- .Upon the divorcement, the thea- Jiilius Perlmutter, of Albany, i wa.s brought here a year ago to as- tre circuit will be given a three- , added a fifth theatre, the Ameri- i sist Barron when latter's health year schedule for divesting ap- 1 can in Schenectady, to his string, j became worse. Crouch has been proximately 75 houses, in addition . He leased the Grand and Strand, ' with I.oew’s for 20 years. Appoint- ; to dissolving all. partnerships with ] AVatervliet, and the Lake in Lake ; ment keeps intact the team which Other eXhibs in the field. Theatre . George, from Sam Rosenblatt last [operated under Barron. Jack Foxe, | firm also must ask court approval summer. He recently took over | pubUcily director for Loew’s thea- ! for any houses Which it desires to j the Crane, Schenectady. ‘ f ires here, was trained by Barron acquire in the future, and will be | Wedne 8 day 9 December 20^ 1950 Inside Stuff— Pictures A hornet’s nest and Industry strife have been stinted up by a statement in Cedric Adams’ column in the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune to the effect that theatre business in neighborhood and suburban houses is so bad that owners are prepared to abandon the exhibiting of pictures and use the buildings for other , purposes. Denying the state- ment’s accuracy, local film branch managers charge “it must haye been exhibitor inspired as part of a present move to force down film prices.” The branch managers point to “the fact” that “It’s virtually impossible to buy any of these theatres”, as refutation of the claim. Adams, the area’s most influential and popular columnist, declared in his column that “suburban theatreowners, in scores of instances, are ready to turn their theatres into garages or super-markets or rebuild them as apartment houses.” Both Harry B. French, Minnesota Amus. Co. (Paramount Circuit) president, and Bennie Berger, North Central Allied head, derided Adams’ columnar statement. “Business at our theatres is off, but not to an alarming extent by any means,” said French, . . . “Whatever exhibitor furnished Adams with this misinformation is doing the film industry harm.” Berger called Adams’ data “very much exaggerated.” Bill Introduced in the House of Representatives last week would restore the special tax rate for seiwicemen which was the law during World War II. It provides that, where a' theatre institutes a special low rate for servicemen, it must collect the tax oh that price alone. Where the servicemen are admitted free, no tax will be required. The general law on the admissions tax provides that where a ticket is sold for less than the standard admissions price, the tax must be collected on the stafidard admissions rate. There is little likelihood that this 81st Congress will have time to push through such a law. However, the 82nd Congress will probably do so. Paramount pulled an unusual switch in its trailers for “The Gold- bergs.” Instead of the normal procedure of adapting a regular theatre trailer for tele use, it made a special Video trailer which pub-ad chief Max E. Youngstein liked so much he is making it available to theatres as a teaser. TV briefie was written and prepared by ad manager Sid Blumenstock’s department in New York and made up by Par’s newsreel lab. American distrib rights to the British thriller, “Seven Days to Noon,” were sold for an $80,000 guarantee against a percentage. Maylux Films, organized for the purchase, pays Sir Alexander Korda, under whose banner it was produced, 40% of earnings here. May lux is owned equally by Harry Brandt, who put up $40,000 of the advance, and a syndicate headed by Arthur Mayer, which put up the other $40,000. Par Proviso on Phonevision Contiiiued from page 3 the Crane, Schenectady. ‘ | Ires here, was trained by Bar 'i^omasH. Hogan, Jr., manager and will remain under Crouch, of Glens Falls Paramount for last . year, transferred to Poughkeepsie MINNEAPOLIS V tkre's ^ only one [\\ OrdZarletoH and will remain under Crouch. , enjoined from engaging in produc- j - — — ; tion or distribution. MINNEAPOLIS I New film company, similarly, will , XT A * T All- j • 1 I begin operation with an injunction ; J acquiring any theatres. rentals down to “a fair and ' , equitable level” announced its ''^w out of the trust suit plan will be ready shortly. ; consent decree, parted with its tho- Campaign for “Rio Grande” at 1 ^U'es last Jan. 1.- RKO is ready Radio City included 19 TV trailer ; to complete its divorcement at the shots, the most television use for j end of this month. Next on the sked any picture to date here. figures to be 20th-Fox, which has The entire bloclfrotit ■ oceah'privacy 40th to 4l8t Sta. COMPLETELY m-CONDITIONEO Rciervationf, Walter Jacobs ^ MIAMI BEACH 4 ENGINE DOUGtAS DC-4S Direct from La Guardia and Newark NON STOP CHICAGO $24 MIAMI $43 ^ 10 Discount on Return Trip CURTIS, from $35 $^^CALIFORNIA$ J £ 1 Way 1 STOP Return NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES Free Ticket Del'y, Irr; F]lght6 . oIub tai BRyqnf 9-6492 503 5th Ave. (Ent. 42nd 8t.) Suitt 100 BROOKLYN UL 5-3888 BRONX LU 4-0607 HetH St. George -^[4(58 Qr. Coheouria Clark Street I (FordhamRd) Rm 326 TRAVEL AGENJS\:REC OGNlZEol Back from New York, Harry B. reached an accord with the Govern- ' French, Minnesota Amus. Co. ment on many points of a proposed | proxy, said negotiations are under overall agreement. Loew’s is the way to launch big screen TV at I lone holdout, with apparent inten- : Radio City where its installation . Hons of resuming the court fight. ' has been completed. 1 Ted Melzer, former vet New . d.— ■ . ■ ■ ■ ■ ' • ^ Ulm, Minn., exhibitor killed in iw ■ t ' auto accident. /flC FlPflifirilldllS Morrie Steinman back from | fcVM I IvUvl IllCIUd , Hollywood with 16m prints of this 1 ■ -r continued from page 2 — -> I year’s Minneapolis Aquatennial, L , ! summer mardi gras. He produced | broke down the $60 package price it. to a $36 top for opening night, and Minnesota Amus. Go. took ad- a $12 top for the other two pack- ‘ vantage of the snow by using sticks age preems. This gave an estimated i in snowbanks downtown and in $53,000 net for opening night’s many neighborhood areas for “Rio “Don Carlo,” with about $20,000 I Grande” at Radio City^ each for tonight’s . “Fledermaus” I I and March’s “Fidelio.” Tonight’s 1 pages““‘^ ; takl which thouglv at a $10 top, • Greatly increased use of televi- $23,000 net, because the box sion has been started by the Min- seats were scaled very high, nesota Amus. Co, (Paramount The Met planned on mounting “■circuit) in exploiting picitures in three new productions this year, in its downtown theatres, here. The “Don CRrlo,” “The Flying Dutch- chain also has substantially man” and ’[‘Fledermaus,” budgeting stepped up its newspaper advertis- about $155,000 for the three shows, ing. “Don^Gario” alone cost about $60,- ■ . ' ' . - - 000 to put on/ Management Was LOS ANGELES aided on “Don Carlo” by a gift Jack Dodd moved from Indian- The Otto H. Kahn family, ^ho apolis to manage Republic’s L. a. , ^ P^^ljUiTS to the^Met, branch, succeeeJing Earl Collins i turn sold it to a midwest who resigned to organize a com- I F^^t of this pany for sale of films to tele- i coin was us^d on “Don Carlo”; re- vision. mainder. has been set aside for RKO is dusting off “Show Busi- t other purposes, although not for ne.ss,” Eddie Cantor musical filmed [ further new works, in 1944, for national reissue, start- i All the money originally allotted i jj ^*iV^*^* “ , .L i [ifor new shows, however, has not Eddie \^person^ bought the old j been used -up on the three specified Chailie Chaphn-Marie. Dresner new productions, so the Met is picture, Tillie s Pictured Ro- 1 using balance of coin fOr new j through Eagle scenery and costumes on “Cavah | ■ Monogram ‘moved release date I OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT, SERVICE / from Coast I I teCoost * ovtr % Century its Wayne Morris .starrer, i t-u ty : “Sierra Passage,” from late Janu^T of the season. Hor- ary to Dec. 24 to take advantage or holidny trade.' • for Broadway’s “The Consul” and I Anna Magnahi starrer, “Volcano,” . Medium,” will do the new ; directed in Italy by William Die-/ scenery for the two short operas.) [terle, will go into general Ameri- John Lloyd, who designed both the j • e.-'h release next February via N. Y. and London versions, of ' Eagle Lion Classics. “Touch And Go,” Will do the cos- JMonogram switched dates on tumes. making this double-bill the fourth Refreshment Service for DRIVE • IN THEATRES obligation is to its exhibitor cus- tomers. He has thus resisted the nudge from the Dept, of Justice that caused the other companies to agree to provide trial films. Top exec of another company suggested this week, however, that Skouras might see the light and go along when he gets before the Federal Communications Commission on his request for theatre TV chan- nels or other concessions. Universal’s Delay Universal has not turned Zenith down, but has merely given no answer. Phonevision sponsors are reported to have been told that the ^vife of U prez Nate J. Blum- berg has been very ill and that other officials of the company have not had the opportunity to put the request to him. Zenith has asked for delivery of prints this week and labs are currently making them up. It re- quested all new prints, volunteer- ing to pay for them, which is per- fectly satisfactory to the di.stribs. McDonald is running into, plenty of legal headaches on- the.^films and their various compoilents. Comoanies have a.^reed to deliver to him all the rights they own—, but have stated they will not legal- ly defend any of those rights if lawsuits should grow out of use of the films on the wired video. Thus Zenith is faced with tak- ing a long chance that the rights the producers own are valid for said video or going through a tre- mendou.s legal fiiecking job on .story, music, players arid. the . vast complex of other details that go into a film. Distrib.s figure it would take their own legal departments weeks to do the job. 1 Among the difficulties /that Phonevision has already discovered are the billing requirements that go with each pic. The billing is provided for in the contracts with the studios of the various players, producers, directors, writers; etc., and must therefore be meticuloii.sly followed, as is done by the dis- tribs. Phonevision will have to con- form to these same requirements in all of its advertising of the films. The pix will be offered daily to 300 selected homes in the Chi area. Subscribers will be charged $1 on their phone bill for each film show they request’ . Paramount release .schedule from June 1, 1947, runs in the following sequence: “Calcutta,” “Danger Street,” “The Trouble With Women,” “Perils of Pauline,” “Dear Ruth,” “I Cov^r Big Town,” “Desert Fury,” “Jungle Flight” “Variety Girl,” “Wild .Harvest;’ “Adventure Island,” “Golden Ear- rings,” “Where There’s Life,” “Un- conquered,” “Big Town After Dark,” “The Road to Rio,” “I Walk Alone” and “Albuquerque.” Zenith has chosen an undisclosed _^equence of 12 from the above. New Vork Theatres SlctTin§ CLIFTON WEBB ► Doois Optir 10:30 A. 1$ Oti the STAGE and ICE \ B Tti* Oil* Annual RoMf “CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA” ^ A Jofovt ol Mirth iudMuiid *2^ Plus i UloTiotl> SpccucU , RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL RockefoMer Confer > RUDYARD 64ir||U|99 KIPLING'S i^inrl ERROL FLYNN - DEAN STOCKELL Color by TECHNICOLOR A Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture and THE MUSIC HALL'S GREAT CHRISTMAS STAGE SHOW ^louis mm/r •n4 hi* ORCM. . ipl«i "KEliy* SMITH rhu SHIRLEY VAN MU*RAV> A Raramavnl f iilwr* itarriny A •ItM UANCT f CROSBY • OLSONI CHARIIS RUTH \ COBURN *HUSSEY> Gk'mI Stare (ROUCtie • ROMTNT ROITM WWT m » IW WIRRT HAO NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON From “Beaulieu".. .the de Latour estate in Napa Valley, California,, tome several of the world!s fine wines. Try this BV claret from rare Cabernet Sauvisnoh grapes. Beaulieu Vineya rd • Ruther ford, Calif. CARE PACKAGES ARE STILL NEEDED ( tAX EXEMPT) (Contrtbufed by a friend) rT’‘ Paley Back to Wartime Status? ^hlle thereof nothing official; a report^ afloat that CBS board chairman William S. Paley may vacate the spot at the network and return to a wartime status as a key aide to Gen. Dwight D. pisenhower, when the latter moves into the western European theatre as Supreme Commander. During the last war Paley, as a colonel, headed up the radio Opel ations of the Psychological Warfare Division, with headquar* ters in London. Paley, it’s understood, has been in frequent communication With the White House and top military aides. This, coupled with the fact that he’s been solidifying the web’s structure, with such ckccu- tive appointments as Daniel T. O’Shea, is regarded by some as a prelude to his leaving .the network command to prexy Frank Stan- ton and his 20tli floor aides. The Paley-Eisenhower tie stemming from World War II has been pronounced through the subsequent peacetime era, with Paley also serving on Eisenhower’s board of trustees at Columbia U. ningmg on Excess rronK l ax Angle Some hush-hush negotiations have been going on during the past week, which may result in a five- year sponsorship deal for the ra- dio-television rights to. the World Series. This Is predicated on the assumption that the bankrolling coin involved could be written off in one fell swoop, in the event that the 75% excess profits tax is slapped on big business. Although Gillette has a first re- fusal on the ’51 pickup of the Se- ries, the identity of the sponsor in- volved is being kept under wraps. The razor company paid $800,000 for the video rights alone for the past series, and in view of Baseball Commissioner A. B. (Happy) Chan- dler’s previous declaration that the *51 series should fetch $1,000,000, a five-year radio-TV deal W'ould en- tail a multi-mlllion-dollar layout. The prospective client. It’s under- stood, has been doing some fast huddling w'ith attorfieys over the past week in a bid to determine the legality of writing off that kind Of coin on a single tax return. If an affirmative decision Is forthcoming, it’s generally antici- pated that similar deals will even- tuate, involving major radio and television property rights, not to mention film deals, etc. Should the 75% nick go through, the agencies and advertisers are alerted to move in on sponsorship deals. Radio, particularly, is eyeing a resurgence which could pour mil- lions in network coffers. For ‘Maugham’ There’s likelihood of the “Somer- set Maugham Theatre” TV dra- matic showcase on CBS also get- ting an AM ride for. the same spon- sor, Tintair, sparking a new tele- •^^.'^’^dio program trend. Tintair prexy Martin Strauss last week purchased the Saturday morning 11 ;3o 10 noon time on Co- mmbia, within two days after Lever Rros, had decided to cancel out on the time and its “Junior Miss” shoW; In addition to spofisOrship of the Maughain Series on TV, Straitss Wants to spot a radio version in the Saturday time. If difficulties are encountered, he mav buy “Ro- mance” or another CBS dramatic package. New acquisition wyi give Tintair an ambitious spread, client also sponsoring a 15-minute segment of the Sunday afternoon Frank Si- matia radio show on CBS. In ad- oition Tintair w'ill participate in ®P®«soi*ship of “Cavalcade of Stars” ^^^^^^^avalcade of Bands,” both on Peter Lind Hayes diipMMi with tomt f09« odvkt, qrofif. Stay in the Parlor ond: out of tho studio * * * OR omuliRg byllRO fuoturo Ir tht forthcomlflg 45ih Anniversary Number of Stations Switch ABC’s Whodunit Shifts ♦1 Camel having picked up 10 Dick Powell starrer, “Richard J^iamond,” currently on NBC, for J Friday slot on ABC 5, the web is shifting ^ts.^hodunit lineup, I' at Man” moves to 8:30 ptn. 'M'dnosdays bn Jan. 3. The Dick IV • I'l Anything” stanza II / a brief hiatus, shifting to 1 .'^ .p.m. Tuesday spbt on ..'Jan. 23, , ...... . . L _ Minneapolis, Dec. 19. The Midwest was a hot battle- ground last week in the struggle for communications supremacy as Gardner (Mike) and John Cowles muscled two of their stations, KRNT and WNAX, out of the ABC fold and into the CBS lineup. The Cowles brothers and pub- lisher Luther Hill of the Cowles- owned Des Moines newspaper dynasty moyed In on Columbia’s headquarters at 485 Madison ave- nue, New York City, took a quick look (no pun intended on names of their two publications) at the office of station relations veepee Herb Akerberg and then invaded the Bill PalCy precincts. At the same time a 24-pouhd dressed turkey (Continued on page 82) WMR’s 16C Take li Akron, Dec. 19, Over $16,000 was taken in by WAKR via its annual “Shara- Christmas” Show. Program, joint- ly sponsored by the radio station and the Akron Beacon Journal, be- gan at 8 p.m. Saturday (16) and ran for six hours. Production, copyrighted by WAKR, featured almost 100 different acts, local civic leaders, public officials. Industrial- ists and business men. Coin de- rived from the airer is distributed between various local charities. Participants included ABC prexy Robert E. Kinter, Paul Whiteman, Ted Malone, Ted Mack and George V. Denny, Jr. All expenses are carried by WAKR, while talent is donated. Treynor’s. NAB Post Washington, Dec. 19. NAB hAs appointed as assistant director of .station relations Wil- liam K. Treyhor, until recently with i WTOP-TV in Washington, D. C. 1 Treynor was formerly with W OL 1 in Washington.’ Detroit, Dec. 19. G. A. Richards* efforts to sapolio his name, refute charges of “news- slanting” and hold on to his li- censes for WJR here. KMPC, Los Angeles^ and 'WGAR, Cleveland, have cost him $1,000,00(1, it was re- vealed in the FCC hearings last week. Sessions were an almost monot- onous parade of character witness- es attesting to the “patriotic” and ‘‘unbiased” operation of WJR, in- | terrupted only by frequent angry exchanges by the attorneys. . During Friday’s violent verbal bombastics, Hugh Fulton, counsel for Richards, accused FCC coun- sel of a “contemptible attempt to injure relations” between Richards and musicians who play for pro- grams for rebroadcast in L. A. The wrangling grew from cross- examination of Jack Ferentz, pres- ident of the AFL musician’s union in Detroit, by FCC Attorney Frederick W. Ford, Ferentz testified he had had no trouble with WJR bosses. Ford asked: “Would you continue to vouch for the high character of Mr. Richards and WJR if you knew that the station was caught red- handed cheating your musicians in 1941?” Ford then read a letter written In 1941 by Leo J. Fitzpatrick, former WJR general manager, to Richards. The letter referred to the sending of transcriptions to KMPC of a WJR-originated pro- gram for rebroadcast in L. A. The letter said in part: “While we are not supposed to do this, we will keep it up till the musicians’ union makes a squawk.” At this point, Fulton called read- ing of the letter “a contemptible at- tempt to injure relations between the musicians’ union and this sta- tion.” Ford replied by shouting that Richards ‘Tried to cheat” the union. When Ferentz was permitted to answer Ford’s original question he said that royalties were paid in full to WJR musicians when the mat- ter of rebroadcasting the transcrip- tions was brought to WJR’s atten- tion. “It was all a mistake, I guess,** Ferentz mumbled. He added that it was more than two years before the union found out about the practice. By that time royalty fees had reached more than $40,000 which Was promptly paid, he said. Claims Evidence Withheld Earlier in the week, Richards’ at- torney, Joseph W. Burns, again ac- cused the FCC of withholding evi- dence favorable to Richards. He referred to a letter dated Oct, 21, 1941, which Richards addressed to Fitzpatrick. The letter, which Burns said was “a complete defense of Richards” said that his three stations “Must and should immediately adopt a policy which simply oozes America for Americans from every stand- point;'* The letter also instructed Fitzpatrick to “look into the legal (Continued on page 32) TWA BUYS mANDINGS’ , FOR SUN. SHOWCASING Trans World Airlines (TWA), in its first network sponsorship deal, has bought the Gary Grant radio show, “Mr. Blandings,” based on the “Blandings Dream House” pix- mag series, for a Sunday afternoon showcasing. Show, packed by Don Sharpe, will go into the 5:30 to 6 p.m. NBC slot, preceding the web’s “Big Show,” and will origi- nate from the Coast. “Blandings” is packaged at $8,- 500 a week. Grant’s initial radio show, it represents one of the ma- jor program sales involving that kind of coin in recent months, and | is generally regarded as merely the forerunner fo an AM resurg- ence, which now finds agencies and clients eyeing properties with a re- I'nevved interest. ‘ ' On NBC Rate Cnt; Affiliates to Meet Robert E. Kmlner Pr«iId«Rt of Oho ABC Notwork loot Rodlo-TV at . Main Entrance To New American Economy .■■* **■ OR Inferotflng odiferial footuro In tht forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number P^SRIETY ‘Incentives’ Voted f NBC’s plan to effect a rate cut in its AM structure bn Jan. 1 encouh* tered a setback last week, when squawks started piling in from tho affiliates. In fact, the whole in- dustry was quick to respond to NBC’s gesture of acquiescence with some loud lamentations that a rate cut at this time was premature and unwise. Not only station men, but, surprisingly enough, some top ■ agency execs deplored the contem- plated NBC action as weakening the medium’s structure at a time when an AM resurgence seems in order, and asking the network to reconsider. The other networks were partic- ularly disturbed oyer the NBC rev- elation, recognizing that if one net- work succumbed to rate cut de- mands, it would leave them with no other alternative but id fall in line. As result of the reaction, NBG has called a meeting of the affiliate membership involved (those in markets where TV has. a marked penetration). The session will be held in New York Jan. 10. RCA board apparently is taking no chances on losing prexy Frank M. Folsom, Only last June it ex- tjended by a year the original 1948 contract which assured his staying with the company until Dec. 31, 1952. Board recently voted still another year’s extension to RCA $20,000,000 Loan . RCA has obtained a $20,- 000,000 loan from the New York Life Insurance Co. It runs until May 1, 1974, and pays 3% interest. Agreement also gives RCA the right to borrow another $20, 000, 000 on the same basis. No indication was given in the loan contract, which was negotiated some months ago, of its purpose. It is under- stood, however, to be for video expansion. the pact, thus nailing Folsom down until Dec. 31, 1954. New deal doesn’t alter the RCA topper’s $165,000 yearly, salary. That represents a raise of $25,000 granted him when his contract (Continued on page 32) WJR, DETROIT, SIOIS 1ST AFRA ANNOUNCER PAa Detroit, Dec. 19. Successful conclusion of nine weeks of negotiations between WJR and the Detroit local of the American Federation of Radio Art- ists was jointly announced by Boaz Siegel, AFRA secretary, and Wouth Kramei*, veepee and general man- ager of \irjR. It was the first contract WJR had signed with AFRA. Siegel said the contract provides a minimum starting , salary for announcers of $70. It provides for step increases after three months, six months and so on, until the maximum of $115 is reached in five years. Previbusly there were no established mihi- mums or maximums. In addition, the station promised to continue in effect its “very lib- eral” retirernent and health insur- ance .programs. Siegel said his union represents nine WJR an- nouncers. ’Nona’ Bowout Giving CBS 1st Afternoon Open Time Babbitt’s cancellation of the “Nona From Nowhere” serial gives CBS its first, afternoon open time in some months. The 3 to 3:15 p.m. segment will be 'taken over by “Hilltop House,” sponsored by Alka Seltzer* which is now heard 3:15 to 3:30. Web is shopping around for a client for the lattbr time. - • » ’ , ' ‘ NBC is asking some stations Where the TV penetration is deep- est to take as high as a 25% rate cut, with the overall average re- portedly based at 12%. It’s under- stood that some sizable deals are on the AM fire for NBC, if it can maneuver the rate change. Although some of the other webs were inclined to see NBC as will- ing to absorb the rate cut if the affiliates stand firm, web execs assert that’s not the case; that it will respect'all contracts and abide by the wishes of the affiliate sta- tions. NBC Cottons Up To Dallas Game Something new in network bally- hoo is on the immediate NBC agend^ Specifically, the network will take the initiative to glamorize the Cotton Bowl football game in Dallas on New Year’s Day in the hopes of giving it the same pres- tige values as the Rose Bowl clas- sic from Pasadena. The Rose Bowl event is com- mitted to CBS. Since NBC can’t have it, the network, in essence, wants to fit the Cotton Bowl grid- fest into the NBG scheme of things. As result, the web is originating a number of shows, in addition to the game itself, out of Dallas. Orig- inations out of the Texas city, in- cluding the Dallas Symphony Or- chestra, are now being lined up. Ace announcers and staffers will be sent down to take charge. Peary Vs. ‘GiWersleeve’ Popularity Question In Mexican Standoff The reourring question of the season— Was it Hal Peary, or the basic formula of the “Great Gilder- sloeve” property that made it a perennial Kraft corhmercial fav* Qrite?-^has resolved itself into a Mexican standoff on the basis of th . new Nielsen ratings. Ever since Peary checked out of “Gildersleeve’.’ a few months back, following a hassle with the Need- ham,. Louis & Broi’by agency, Which has title to the show; ahd moved bom NBC to CBS, "there’s been. Considerable speculation as to whether Peary’s new Columbia show would out-rate “Gilder- sleeve.” . The nevy Nielsens show: Peary (in his CBS sustainer) 10.9. “Gildersleeve” 10.7. , Heartening to Columbia is the fact that Peary is outdistanced by less than two points by his NBC competition in the Wednesday 9; 39 /Ci'olidhVMarx. RAIIIO REVIEWS Weilnesday, December 20 , 1950 ' Technique in By GEORGE ROSEN Oh the premise that “never did so inahy need to know so much, “ CBS last Friday night (16) em- barked ort an ambitious new ven- ture which it aptly phrased “A document for ear.” This is the 60- hiinute weekly series called “Hear It Now,” which has been given prime evening time i 9 to 10 o’clock) and preemed with a 173-affiliate station acceptance. “Hear It” is patterned after , the Edward K, Murrdw-Fred Friendly *‘I Can Hear It Now” Columbia Records “spoken history” trilogy, with the broadcast scries also rep- resenting a Murrow-Friendly col- laboration. Designed as a weekly magazine of the air to capture the “heat, and confusion of a world: in crisis.” even down to the Time mag-simulated cover page profil- ing of the man of the week, it has Murrow as editor-narrator. It has such departmental editors as Abe Burrows covering the theatre; Bill Leonard reviewing films; Red Bar- ber on sports; Don Hollenbeck to reappraise the “bad taste of an astonishingly indiscreet outraged father” in dissecting President Truman’s letter to D. G. music critic Paul Hume. It represents, tOo, a herculean editing job, under the . Murrow- Friendly production aegis, in re- capturing on tape or “live” the week’s top moments in eveiy facet of today’s living. It encompassed within its framework the conversa- HEAR IT NOW Sharp Driving Spots WNEW, the New York indie, has come up with one of the more effective public service spot campaigns of the year, de- signed to alert the teenage- adolescent element to the haz- ards of careless driving. The series of transcribed brief ies, ;which bypass the jihgle formu- la. for a straight recitative pitch, is strictly on a showman- ship level and succeeds in par- laying warmth and sincerity. ‘Such top talent as Dick Haymes, Doris Day, Eddie Cantor, Jo Stafford, Vaughn Monroe, Margaret Whiting, Ezzard Gharles, Jackie Robin- son, Perry Como, Nat “King’’ Cole, Faye Emerson, etc , have translated the messages into idioms identified with their perspnalities. The kids will ijsteh; it’s a safe bet that many will take heed. WNEW, which conceived the series, is turning them over to the National Safety Coun- cil for distribution to 1,000 stations throughout the coun- try. They merit prime time Spinning. Rose. JACKIE ROBINSON SHOW Writer: Leonard Safir Director: Al Stetson 30 Mins.; Sat., 9 a.m. Sustaining WNBC, N. Y. Part of the Saturday morning i With Ed Murrow,’ editor - narrator; ; programs designed for Don Hollenbeck, Abe Burrows^ ! , I * A** i? '■ T T Red Barber, Bill Leonard, Al- [Wholly on the slren^h ot . Jackie f redo Antonini orch; others j Robinson’s personality AVhile not Producer - writers: Murrow% Fred ! adept around _ a mike as he is Friendly 60 Mins., Fri., 9 p.m. Sustaining CBS, from New York tion of two GIs in Korea; Secre- tary of Defense Marshall’s crisis- laden warning to the nation; at Lake Success one could hear Chi- nese General Wu and U. S. dele-i( i6), none of the disks rated "below around second base, the Negro baseball star handles this assign- ment with a nice flow of gab. The program, otherwi.se, is a fair sample of juve programming. Format has Robinson spinning some disks with a panel of kids in the studio scoring the juve plat- ters in baseball terms from a homerun to an out, On the preem gate Warren Austin; a couple of 'a triple. No whiz kids, the panel newsdealers telling Why they w’ant | on the pfeern failed to produce no part of the Daily Worker. ; any natural juve humor, Robinson It sent a recording crew to prodded them okay, and gave a Roosevelt County in Montana . couple of intelligent tolerance where the draft board went on • pitches, but the show rated only strike because of the counties t as a scratch single. Herin, failure to use the atom bomb; one could hear Anna Rosenberg de- fending herself against the pro- Commie accusation; the Duchess of Windsor linking herself with all women in love; Carl Sandburg ex- pounding on freedom and “The People* Yes;’* there Was Walter Reuther to capsulize the labor situ- ation, and Gov. Dewey and Ber- liard Baruch, among others, to pin- point the economic mobilization of^ the nation. Plus, too, an original musical score on the initial broad- cast composed by David Diamond, with Alfredo Antonini as the per- manent conductor.. (There will be guest composers weekly from among the nation’s best.) It’s a tall order to emcompass; almo.st breath-taking in its scope and concept, particularly when en- visioned on a continuing weekly basis. Granted that Murrow was the ideal choice as editor-narrator; granted, too, that CBS hurdled all the technical barriers and difficul- ties in the fusion of aU the com- ponents. Yet, the fact remains that some necessary component was missing in translating it into 60 mihutes of sustained listening: Per- haps 60 minutes is too long. Or it could be that the changing from serious political discussion into the lighter departmental items, then from Korea and Bariich to Judy Holliday and “Born Yesterday,” is harder to achieve on a radio pro- gram than when turning the pages of a magazinie. Certainly it proved more disconcerting. pe.spite the designation of subr editors for sports, drama, films, etc., the overall effect was of a pattern. The tempo remained un- changed. (Notable exception was Burrows, who was riot only good as a critic in appraising the “Bless You AU’^ Broadway musical, but brought a distinctiveness and spark to the segment. On the other hand. Bill Leonard, while an able and literate Critic, went to the same school as Murrow and Hollenbeck.) HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERT With Judith Auderson, Charles Boyer, Dr. Fritz Busch* Sir Er- nest MacMillan, Marion Ander- son, Claudio Arrau, John Brown- lee, Hallelujah Chorus; Lyulph Stanley narrator Producer: W. Gibson Parker 90 Mins., Sat., 4:30 p.m. CBS, from N. Y. A special concert commemorat- ing the second anni of the adop- tion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations Genei’al Assembly in 1948, was held at the Met Opera House, N. Y., Sunday, Dec. 10. ‘Musical program was broadcast that day over WNYC, N. Y., and was done transcribed over CBS and .the Canadian Broadcasting Gorp. net- works Saturday (16) from 4:30- 6 p.m. Concert was also relayed simultaneously on Dec. 10 to Latin American countries via United Nations Radio and the Voice of America. Besides spotlighting Interna- tional concert figures; pi’ogram also included an . address by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, chairman of the UN Human Rights Comniis- siori, and the reading of selections f roni the Declaration of Human Rights by Judith Anderson and Charles Boyer. Latter spoke in French. Program opened with a stirring ceremonial fanfare written especially for the anni by Ameri- can composer David Diamond. Longhair program made for com- fortable listening: Participating artists ; included Dr. Fritz Busch and Sir Ernest MacMillan conducting the N. Y. Philharmonic - Symphony, Marian Anderson singing Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with the Schola Can- torum and oreh under Dr. Busch, Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau and the Met’s Australian baritone John BrOwrilee. Last-named, as soloist, was featured with the Hallelujah Chorus in the presentation of ex- cerpts from Handel’s “Messiah.” Lyulph Stanley, with the UN Radio division acted as program’s moderator. Gros, . Granted, too, that Time mag, the N. 'V. Times, or the New Yorker, j* -n 9 1 _ .R v' Civil Liberties line’s Anti-Commie Paen Gets Beefs-— From Anti-Reds Public service editorial airer which NBC beamed Wednesday (13) to mark the 159th anni of the Bill of Rights resulted in 350 pro- tests on the Coast and 75 in Gotham. Callers objected to (1) the fact that the cast included a couple of perfoimers listed in “Red Channels/’ the catalog of 150-odd AM-TV personalities with their allegedly subversive ahili- ations, and <2) the program’s sup- posed “pro-Communist line.” Actually, the broadcast — pre- sented in association with the American Civil Liberties Union— was anti-Communist in its ap- proach. The ACLU subsequently announced that, the show “de- scribed the great freedoms of out Bill of Rights in contrast to the tyfanny of Communist-controlled countries. It emphasized the im- portance of maintaining free speech and other guarantees of the Bill of Rights in the present world- wide striiggle against, totalitarian- ism.” The program flatly declared the ACLU’s opposition to Com- munism at home and abroad and its defense of the Arifierican form of government. Yet, the ACLU program de- clared, there are dangers to Amer- ica’s civil liberties today. “There’s no bigger problem than maintain- ing our national security,’^ it ar- gued* “But isn’t national security our individual security, the se- curity of each one of us. Haven’t we got to think that we may lose this fight for security if we forfeit our individual security.” . To that end, half the broadcast was devoted to some case histories: (Continued on page 32) Would Tall into the same categori- cal, criticism, the point still holds that radio is different; its audience Inust be gripped and held; what-^ ever dramatic element was needed Radio Followups ii CoiAbihed talents of f emcee Tal- lulah Bankhead, scripter Goodman Ace arid a string of top-name guests headed by Bob Hope and Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis wrapped up one of the best yet. in NBC’s “Big Show” series Sunday night (17). Hour-and-a-half program started rather slowly, but only in comparison with the rest of the show, w'herein the jokes were fired fast and furious to provide for sus- tained yockirig, It was sharp and original radio comedy at its best. Hope carried most of the 90- minutes with Miss Bankhead and scored throughout, at most times grabbing off more laughs than he does on his regular Tuesday night series. But it was Martin and Lewis who sparked, the program for the best returns. Scripter Ace handed them lines perfectly suited to their unique brand of zanyism and, with both Miss Bankhead arid Hope as foils, they sold it solidly. Duo also teamed with Hope in the final segment for a funny satire on a male version of Clare Booth Luce’s legiter-film, “The Women,” which had been done straight ear- lier in that segment by Miss Bank- head, Dorothy McGuire and De- borah Kerr. Show originated in .Hollywood, which gave NBC a chance to re- cruit members of the Actors Co., represented by the Misses McGuire and Kerr. (Actors Co. becomes permanent fixture after first of year.) Others in the gue.st lineup also registered strongly. Phil Har- ris walked on (he was supposedly on his way to. his own show) to indulge in the comedies and plug his record bestseller, “The. Thing.” Louis Armstrong imparted an ex- tra flavor to his lines with that gravel voice and, natch, excelled : with his trumpeting. Frankie ' Laine sold a single tune in his usual dramatic style. Meredith Willson and his orch and chorus sounded fine in their bwii work and backed the other musical turns solidly. IN mW YORK CITY . . i John Hayes, WTOP geiieral manager, addressed the New School on AM and TV problems Monday (18) ... Mara Loeb last week directed two 60-minute “M-G-M Theatre of tlie Air’’ stanzas, one ’‘Crime Does Not Pay” broadcast, one ’‘Counterspy” show and pinchhlt on “Gang- busters.” He asks, “Who sez radio’s dead?”. . . .Patsy CampbeU fea- tured on “Big Story” Wedriesday (20). . . .Theo Goetz signed for the new Tennessee Williams legiter, “The Rose Tattoo” . . * . A. W. Hobler, chairman of the executive committee of Benton & Bowles, elected to add the duties of chairman pf the board of directors. Post had been held by Clareiice B. Ooshoni, who died Dec. 10; Casting eue: Waller. King of the American Cancer Society is lining up thespers for 15 dramatic transcribers . . . * John Derr, CBS associate sports boss, to Miami today (Wed.) for vacation and Orange Bowl game ;. . .WNJR newscaster Tom Costigan got an exclusive interview last . week with Jersey City Parks Director James Murray, Who barricaded himself in his city hall office. . . .ABC’s William Wylie tagged a Ken- tucky colonel . . Joey Adams of CBS’ “Rate Your Mate” to Hershey, Pa., today and tomorrow, to entertain the chocolate company employees ..Tommy Velotta’s ABC news department searching for Lyford Moore, newsman, who disappeared Dec. 12 in Oslo, Norway . . . Irving Mansfield, CBS producer, to Miami, and Walter Jacobs* Lord Tarle- ton hostelry for a week. Eloise McElhone. and Bill Warwick (of Warwick & Legler) announced their engagement last weekend and will wed this spring . . . . WOR to air its Bellevue Christmas Party from the hosp today (Wed.). . . . ABC’s “Peace of Mind,” based on the Rabbi Oebman tome, to be renamed “David Amity” , . . .Mel Goodman lias been upped to casting director at Compton agency ... .Oxford University Press to make its first ven- ture into. American radio over WABF with a weekly 60-mlnute series, starting Jan. 3 ... Joan Sack and John De Vries have Joined Kenyon & Eckhardt's AM-TV dept .... Qrrin Dunlap’s “Radio and Television Almanac” off the Harper presses Jan. 3 . . .Radioites fattened up with WGAR’s (Cleveland) 20th anni birthday cake sent out last week. Sales manager John Karol observes his 20th anni with CBS today (Wed.) . . . .Disk Jock Mort Niisbaum of WHAM, Rochester, in town tomorrow (Thurs.) prior to a cruise on the Caronia . . . .Gotham repre- sentation of broadcasters who met with President Truman in D. C. last week Included MutuaV^s Frank White, DuMont’s Chris Witting and WNYC’s Seymour Siegel . . . .Barbara Becker just concluded..a run on “Our Gal Sunday” and last week started one on “Road of Life”. . . . Ann Teeman new to “Backstage Wife” .... Richard Holland, Dkniel Ocko, John Stanley, Lauren Gilbert, Ann Burr, Sylvia Davis and Kath- erine Emmet join “Front Page Farrell. . . Merrill E, Joels completing film at U. S. Army Signal Corps this week. IN HOLLYWOOD . . . George Fisher wdll follow the progress of a motion picture in pro- duction by installing his tape recorder on the set of “Two Tickets to Broadway” at RKO. Each week he’ll use a segment of the tape on hig CBS program and follow through at the preview and splash opening. It has never been done before, although scads of gossipers have re- ported on picture making and the Hollywood scene .... NBC’s Budi Barry Winged in for “The Big Show” to help Producer Dee Engelbacli keep the temperamental stars, in line. . . .KFI just did get under the .wage freeze wire to pass out increases to key men. They remembered that during the last> war they lost many of their key men, who took better paying jobs at other stations when salaries were frozen,... Mori Lewis pulled out as head writer after four years with Ralph Edwards on “Truth or Consequences” ... Vick Knight, now heading up his own ad agency, landed the Mills Music account. .. .Jack Benny making a tour of Army hospitals in the Frisco bay area to spread a little Christmas cheer Howard Melghan passing the holidays en famine in the east. . . .Frank Samuels moved up Dorothy Roe as spot sales manager at KECA .... Pat Campbell took a flier to Yuma, Ariz.^ and came back with KYMA as a Don Lee affiliate. .. .Dick Grahamv NBC resident attOimey, and Bob Hope, sneaked off to Palm Springs to untangle some contractual legal knots .... Steve Slesinger withdrew “Red Rider” from Lagendorf (bread) sponsorship on Don Lee whert the client demanded an option for TV but refused to pay royalty rights. Langendorf apparently doesn’t know that Esty paid up to $3,000 a week royalty for use of “Blondie” for one of its radio clients Bobbe Valentine left CBS publicity for another connection and was replaced by Bob Bow'en, late of Coll-Friedman . . . ,No less than a half dozen agencies are pitching for the Eastside beer account, whose an- nual billing runs to $1,500,000. with Murrow’s capacities. It was he, rather than the taped pickups, who gave emphasis and clarity to the issues. His “profile” of Gen. 4 ... . — Douglas MacArthur was prose, to excite the listener, was missing j lucid and tight — and a one-dfmen- from the opening broadca.st. ' sional glorification of Murrow's % No one, however, can take issue hero* Martha Lou Harp,, radio, new- comer, is one of those surprise singers one occasionally hears in dialing at random. A throaty, blues warbler, Miss Harp is on Mondays at 9 p.m. for 15 minutes in a solo sustainer (ABC). She’s a distinct ear-arrester as she goes through slow blues like “Blue Moon” and “Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home,” all in the same tempo. Her voice is basically rich, with lush middle tones. There’s the suggestion of lack of experience, but that certainly is no handicap. Miss Harp looks like a radio and disking comer if handled right IN CHICAGO .. . For the 21st consecutive year, WLS is distributing its “Family Album” promotion booklet. Press run this year has been upped to 45,000 for the self-liquidating promotion piece which sells for 50c . . . . Jack Carey, WIND staff announcer, exits indie to join the Chi staff of the Progressive Broadcasting System. He’s being replaced at WIND by Ray Wheat up from WJIM, Lansing, Mich. James Stirton, Chi ABC sales manager, in N* Y. on biz last Week. . . Charles Barry, NBC program- veepee, and John Herbert, AM sales chief, here conferring with Chi NBC execs . , . . Toni ad chief Don Naihanson has been named radio Chairman of the Chicago Heart Ass’n’s 1951 fund-raising cam- paign. . . . Jim Morgan of the Raiymorid R. Morgan Hollywood agency in town for huddles with Mutual execs, . . Rodney Sanders, Zenith Radio publicity assistant, entered the armed services. . . .Chirper Eileen Barton guested on ABC’s “Junior Junction” Saturday (16). . . .Harry LaBruiii was elected to board of directors and Rollie Sherwood was named veepee, in charge of sales for Hallicrafters ... : Norm Berry’s morning news show on WMAQ was renewed for 52 weeks by Metro- politan Life. . . , Bob Broeckman is new member of WENR’s spot sales depariment . , . .Roy Starkey has joined WCFL as a folk music disk jockey. . . .Dave Moore* former Chi, CBS publicity director, has joined the sales staff at KSTP* St. Paul-Minneapolis. HUMAN ADVENlrURE SERIES (The Great Plains) With Oscar Brand, Florence Mar- cus, Robert Gladstone, Jack Tureen, Philip Wolf, Arthur Seelen, Mark Gordon; Paul Her- linger, narrator; announcer, Jack Curtis Producer-director: Jerry Sandler 30 Mins.; Wed., 8:30 p.m. Sustaining WNYC*N.Y.. W N Y C’s “Human Adventure Series” last Wednesday (13) had as its motif the development of the west. Labeled “The Great Plains,” yarn provided an effective sum- mation of the difficulties encoun- tered by pioneers of that territory. Script was given added punch via its dramatic telling. Incidents were highlighted by related iolk^ songs, neatly rendered by bal- ladeer Oscar Brand. Program ^ transcribed, was narrated, with certain situations dramatized. Difficulties spotlighted were of a familiar pattern to oater fans. These included battles with the In- dians,, the light waged between the homesteaders and cattlemen; short- age of water and other handicaps. Cast performed well, with Paul Herlinger’s narration setting the proper mood. Gros. Portland, Ore,— Val Linder, KEX announcer-pi'oducer for the past three years* assumes the position of continuity acceptance director, replacing Hal Bratsberg, who re- signed to accept a position with KING-TV in Seattle. W^fclnesdayy December 20, 1950 RADIO 23 CBS alone ol the four major networks is handing out Christmas bonuses to employees this year* Upwards of 2,000 Columbians have been given an extra week’s salary, with the network, for the first time in .several years, cutting across union lines and even including the approximate 600 members of the Radio Guild. In rec ent years the web had bypassed the unionites. (CBS winds up /jO with nearrrecord radio billings.) N’BC, which distributed bonuses of a week’s pay last year, will f,il it out this season, with a memo circulating the network last Friday stating that the heavy television costs during the past year arc tiie major contributing factor in the no-bonus edict, (Web \\ ind.s up with an approximate $2,500,000 TV deficit for 1950. Radio billings also show a loss this year compared with 1949.) ABC hasn’t passed out a bonus in some years. Mutual, by vir- Uie of its cooperative setup, makes no such provisions. Fvrn as radio and television are warhiing up to the holiday season will! special Yuletide programs, networks look set for some solid conniiorcial holiday biz. Among the bankrollers coming ill for lioliday airers are: !\lulual Benefit and Health Assn., which will back "Mutual Calling" on .MBS Monday (25) from 2-3 p.m. On tliis show GIs in the Korean I heal re will exchange greetings with relatives in the U. S, by short- wave liookupS. Web’S "Christmas Carol" with Lionel Barrymore had previously inked A. O. Smith Gorp. to sponsor. . In video, NBC-TV is benefiting from the "Uncle Milty" co-opera- tive show starring Milton Beiie (Ml Christmas Day, 3-4 p.m., which | i.s being backed via the Kieseweeter Agency by top department stores across the country, including Abra- ham iS: Straus in N. Y., Hutzler’s in Ballinvore, Hecht’s in Washington, tfoseph Horne in Pittsburgh, etc. Same web is also getting Coca-Cola coin for “One Hour in Wonder- land," the Walt Disney airer on which clips of his famous cartoon pix will be included. On CBS-TV, Longines is backing the Christmas Day Festival, 5-6 p.m,, which W'ill include the Sym- tConiinued on page 32) AM and TV : Still a Great Sister Act •ayt Joseph H. McConnell (President of ISBC ) h ■ it - . it on« of tho mony oditoriol feafuros ' in fht 43th Anniversary ISiimber of P^fHETY Due Soon BAB Circulation Survey Of Eight Top U.S. Mags Seen Aid to Radio, Television Radio and television industries are expected to take biz away from iva I ional magazines through the ‘(’ounty by County Comparison m Magazine Circulation" W'hich Broadcast Advertising Bureau has just is.sucd. Ala.ssive tome collates tlie circu- lation figures for eight top mags — \V Oman’s Home Companion, Gol- lior’s, American magazine, Satur- day levelling Pjjst, Ladies Home Journal. Country Gentleman, Life and I.ook. Armed with this data, sialions and nets w'ill he able to make immediate comparisons pf radio or tele circulation with mag- azine audiences. Using Broadcast Aleasurenient Bureau figures for coiiniies in station Coverage areas, BAB suggests, . should yield "star- lling resultSi" , _ In bis foreword, BAB director IJugh M. p. Higgins points out that the mag circulation figures "repre- sent once-a-week or even once-a- moiuh impressions. Radio, as you know, can make multiple impres- sions within a , single day which gives a new and greater dimension to radio advertising.’’ IVIaterial should also be helpfuh Higgins adds, in convincing local reps of national advertisers to urge M logically greater investment of Rational ad budgets in spot radio.” In talking up radio aiid tele as compared with printed media, broadcasters stress the argulhent that mag circulation doesn’t neces- sarily mean that a particular adver-^ tisemeiit is seen by all the publica- J|t)ii's readers. Oh the' contrary, point out, ratings garnered by AAI and TV shows give a truer pic- hire. because a person listening to a program can’t easily avoid exposure to the sponsor’s message. WHOM’s Transfer Bankroller Bah Washington, Dec. 19. WHOM’s long battle to be iden- tified as a New York rather than a Jersey City station was finally w'on last week. Victory is expect- ed to pay off in coin from potential bankrollers .w'hom, the indie feels, shied aw'ay because they considered it a suburban rather than a Gotham outlet. (Station has also bought WMCA- FM for $7,500, subject to FCC ap- proval. The FM adjunct had been slated to go to Storecast, Inc., but delay in FCC’s okay nixed that deal.) With Comrs. Paul Walker and Edward Webster dissenting, the FCC granted the station’s applica- tion to move its main studios from Jersey City to Manhattan. Actual- ly, the outlet has been broadcast- ing most of itk programs from its New 'York studios and no removal will be required. But the Commis- sion action will permit WHOM to close its Jersey City studios and use as its call henceforth WHOM, New York, The station is owned by the family of the late Generoso Pope. Commission action w’as based on the fact that WHOM has been pro- gramming for yiaars primarily for tbft foreign language audience in New York and that it has been operating, in effect, as a New York station. ' ' WHOM had previously been turned down in a proposed deci- sion on ^he Question. Later, when it planned to purchase the facili- ties of WINS, it withdrew its re- moval application. When the deal on WINS fell through, it I’esub- mitted its . application. Nielsen’s Top 10 (Nou.- 5-11 ) Lux Radio Theatre (CBS) 20.8 Jack Benny (CBS) ...... 18.9 Amos ’n’ Andy (CBS) ... . 17.6 Edgar Bergen (CBS) . . . . 16.8 Fibber Sc Molly ( NBC ) . . 14.8 Godfrey’s Talent (CBS). ..13.8 Mr. chameleon (CBS).,. .13.6 Our Miss Brooks ( CBS ) . . 13.4 My Friend Irma ( CBS ) . . 13.3 Red Skelton (CBS) .... 13.2 Washington, Dec. 19. Some doubt as to whetheiv the FCC will approve the record $12,320,000 Don L6e radio-TV deal, has been raised here by a squabble between the successful and unsuc- cessful bidders for the stations. Millionaire oilman Ed Pauley, who participated in a syndicate which had bid. $11, 200, 000 for the properties, charged last week that General Tire & Rubber, in rais- ing the ante by $1,795,000, is pay- ing an amount which indicates "trafficking in freq^uencies.” General Tire came right back and accused Pauley of trying to de- lay or block approval of the sale, in the hope of getting another chance to bid on the package. It pointed out that if the sale con- tract for the properties fails to get FCC approval within a prescribed period, Pauley’s bid could again be entered. Pauley que.stooned the Don Lee sale in a petition filed by his com- pany, Television California, in which he a.skcd the Commission, before passing on the transaction, to dismiss an application for TV channel No. 2 in San Francisco, which the agency had held in re- serve for Lee while it was investi- gating possible violations of its chain broadcasting regulations. Lee was cleared last May and his li- censes renewed, but no disposition could be made of the application because of the freeze. Pauley’s company has a TV ap- plication pending in Frisco. If the Commission should refuse the pur- chasers of the Don Lee proper- ties "grandfather” rights to the channel, three instead of two channels would become availnble to applicants contesting for video in Frisco when the freeze is lifted. Tele California’s petition stated that when General upped its ori- ginal $10,525,000 bid for the pack- age, a new agreement was made with CBS, which is to get the Don Lee video station, KTSL, in Los Angeles. It suggested that the Commission look into the original agreement, to determine which group supplied the additional funds and for what "assets" the funds were supplied. "If a sub- stantial sum is being paid by Gen- eral Tire in the hope of stepping into Don Lee’s shoes in San Fran- cisco," it asserted, "the Commission would be confronted with a clear case of trafficking, not inlicenses or construction permits, but in mere applications for television fa- cilities.’ The petition also pointed out that under the sale agreement, (Continued bn page 33) Niles Trammell NBC Board Chairman diicuiiec Formula for the Future— Change an inroretting bytino picct In tho 45th Annivers(try Number of Out Soon Hot Mutual Board ACTORS CO. ‘BIG SHOW’ DEAL HITS LA.-N.Y. SNAG Hollywood, Dec, 19. Actors Co. deal to supply "Big Show" with star names for a 13- week period has hit a geographic rpadhlock. Originations from N, Y. stymied the original plan. So re- vised^ deals calls for guestars only when' program is broadcast from Hollywood. ; : Next Coast origination is Feb. 17, at which time as yet unselected names wiU appear in a dramatic vignette. Game for 350 Stations Hollywood, Dec. 19. Pabst will sponsor the All-Star pro bowl football game scheduled for the Coliseum Jan. 14 on 350 stations. Charity game may also be filmed and reduced to half-hour of highlights for televising several nights later around the country. Local video deal has been re- fused by promoters. Broadcast on Pabst Blue Ribbon net comprises station.s bn Liberty-chain, WMGM in N. Y., 'Inter-Mountain chain and AFRS.. Harry Wismer and Sam Balter will be at mikes. Last week’s meeting of the Mutual board of directors resolved itself into a lovefest, with the an- ticipated jockeying - for - position among the well-heeled owner- stockholders failing to materialize. Major business was accepting with regrets the resignation of Lewis 1 Allen Weiss from the board (of which he was former chairman), and okaying budgetary items. (Weiss retired from the Don Lee setup on the Coast following its sale to the Yankee Network inter- ests for $12,000,000). The scheduled realignment of stockholder factions to determine where dominant control of Mutual will eventually rest, now that Yan- kee has moved into the forefront, ! didn’t come off. Policy dictates : that the board must wait until the FCC okays the Don Lee transfer to Yankee. While nothing happened last week, it’s merely viewed bs a post^ ponement of an inevitable squaring off, probably at the February meet- ing of the board. FCC Okays ll New AM Authorizations Washington, Dec. 19. The FCC had a busj^ time last week grinding out permits for new AM radio stations. Altogether, the agency handed out 11 authoriza- tions, all but three for daytime out- lets. Fulltime 250 watters were auth- orized for East Rainelle, W. Va., Mt. Jackson, Va., and Sparta, Wis. Day- time permits were granted for sta- tions in Paris, 111., Matewan, W, Va., Ft. Valley, Ga., Lake Wales,. Fla., Carrollton, Ala., Georgetown, Del., Waycross, Ga., and Marlin, .Tex.- . . • ^ The (jommission also authorized several daytime stations to go full- time. Included were WSCB in ! Scranton, Pa., and WKAP in Allen- town, Pa. In addition, siX; applications for new stations y^ere designated for hearing. Jon Arthur Expands Jon Arthur, whose two-hour "No School Today" stanza has hypoed ABC’s Saturday morning lineup, has been inked by .program topper 1 Leonard Reeg to . do a cross-the- [ board kid strip on the web, frorri i 5^5:30 p.m. Airer will preem Jan. 8. Hoohoo, Tallu Bob Hope’s two-word critique bn Tallulah Bankhead as fern- cee of the Sunday night NBC "Big Show": "Girl Berle/’ Washington, Dec. 19. There’s lots of talk here that radio and television will be called bn to play an important role in the current national emergency^ hut how the job will be done and who will do it is stiU to be deters mined. Top broadcasting industry brass, after a high-level briefing here last week on the military sit- uation, agreed that it’s time to get together for a "working opera- tion” They will meet shortly after the first of/ the year to discuss "specific plans" for assisting Gov- ernment in whatever tasks are as- signed them. i An agency .similar to the World , War II GWI Domestic Radio Bu- [ reau, which served as a clearing j house "^for allocating Govemment campaigns to stations and net- works. is regarded as a distant possibility. (Currently, the Adver- tising Council, which has in its staff some former OWI’ers, is con- tinuing where OWI left off. It may Well provide the nucleus for a larger operation. I After conferences last week with j President Truman, Sec. of State Dean Acheson, Sec. of Defense George C. Marshall, and Sec, of Commerce Charles Sawyer, mem- bers of the new Broadcast Ad- visory Council were impressed that there is an important morale job to be done on the home front. But, as NAB prexy Justin Miller, their chairman, explained, only "a beginning" has been made and fur- ther meetings are necessary. No Controls Seen The 19-member Council, which ! was formed at the request of the [White House, was assured by • Pre.sident Truman that the, Admin- istration anticipates no controls of broadcasting beyond the voluntary cooperation extended by the in- dustry in World War II. He j stressed the importance of main- taining morale and expressed his conviction that the public would rally to any task in the common good if given the facts. The Presi- dent also thanked the members for organizing themselves so ex- peditiously.. Secretary Acheson. emphasized the heed for calmness in the pres- ent situation and solicited the aid of broadcasters in presenting the news on the current crisis in fac- tual, dispassionate fashion. Later, through his aides, he asked the council to consider as soon as pos- sible ways of providing closer liai- son between the State Dept, and the broadcasters. General Marshall reiterated the (Continued on page 33) Wright, Cummings to Head Tavalcade’ Texas Airer Orange, Tex., Dec. 19. -Film stars Robert Cummings and Teresa Wright will play the leading roles iri an original radio story of the diiscovery of oil at Spindletop to be broadcast from this area next month pri the Du- Pont "Cavalcade of America." Announcement was made by D. B. Campbell, manager of the DuPont plant here, whose 1,700 employees will play host to "Caval- eade" when the broadcast and three performances of tjie show are staged in City Auditorium in Beau- mont, Tex., Jan. 7-9. Cummings has been cast as Capt. Anthony F. Lucas, Austrian-born geologist and engineer who ‘discov- ered Spindletop. Miss Wright. will play the part of his wife, Mrs. Caro- line Fitzgerald Lucas, whose faith bolstered the determination of her husband and his small band of associates in pioneering the Texas petroleum industry. Performances and broadcast of "Spindletop” will come on the eyft of the official opening of the cele- bration in Beaumont, Jan. 10, of the 50th anniversary of the bring- ing in of the Lucas gusher. 24 TEUSnSlON ^ Washington, Dec. 19. With a decision imminent by the Chicago federal court on the validity of the FCC color tele- vision action, CBS has been play- ing it very coy bn what it thinks of RCA’s improved system. CBS brought down some of its top brass for a special demonstration here Friday (15). RCA sent down a larger delegation, including four legalites, just in Case CBS said something. But CBS prexy Frank Stanton Issued one of those statements which provided ho occasion for re- ply. He said: “In view of the pend^ ing litigation, we do not believe that it is appropriate to comment bn the RCA demohstration we have just attended. “The FCC report explicitly pro- vides for consideration of hew or improved systems. If RCA be- lieves that its system has been sufficiently improved . to warrant adoption, it can ask formally for further consideration. If in fact the RCA proves by this procedure that it is so improved as to qualify for further consideration, the vari- ous claims arid observations which have thus far been reported can be dealt with in an orderly manner and through witnesses under oath and subject to cross-examination.” However, the court decision did hot prevent the questions arising from the RCA demonstrations from being discussed here Sunday night (17) in a round-table on WWDC. Chairman Edwin C. John- Bon of the Senate Comiaerce Com- mittee; Stuart Bailey, a Washing- ton consulting engineer who was a meniber of a Senate advisory committee on color, and Henry Fisher, Washington lawyer, par- ticipated. From Here, Where? When asked “where do we go from here?” in view of RCA’s im- provements, Johnson replied: “The question isn’t where to go from here, but where does RCA go from here. RCA hasn’t made an appli- cation for an opportunity to be heard on an improved system of color.” Johnson was asked whether he had seen the improved system. “Yes,” he said, “and I was very much impressed with it , . , They’ve really made great progress. But I think they’ve made this progress because they’ve been Under the whip of CBS. . They (Continued on page 33) ‘Man About Town’ Format For Paul Lukas TV Show Paul Lukas, featured in the cur- rent Broadway musical, “Call Me ! Madam,” has been pacted by indie talent and production agent John , Gibbs to star in 'a weekly, 15-min- ute television packagel To be^titled : “Maq About Town,” the show will ■have Lukas dispensing chitchat _ about Show business and interview- i ing guest personalities. , I Gibbs this week also signed Nina : Foch and Wendy Barrie for exclu- ; sive handling on radio and TV, DON HOLLENBECK TELE NEWSCAST FOR NORWICH Norwich Pharmacal Co. this Veek pacted with CBS to bankroll a Sunday night “News in Review” roundup, featuring newscaster Don Hollenbeck. It’s to be aired in the 11 to 11:15 period, starting Jan. 14. Time segnient is currently oc- cupied by the “Robert (3. Lewis Show,” which is bankrolled by Arnold Bakers. When the bread firm decided to bow but, Benton & Bowles, agency on the account, re- tained the slot and pitched it to Norwich, another of its clients. Hollywood, Dec. 19. All Los Angeles television sta- tions are expected to get behind KTTV’s demand for an investiga- tibn of rating services in the area. Station has asked the Advertising Agency Asspciation of America, Southern California Advertising Agency . Association and the South- ern California Broadcasters Asso- ciation to. set up a committee to study the books and procedures of C. E. Hooper, Tele-Que and Video- dex. .Stations, all of whom are known to be dissatisfied with the sur- vey systems, would contribute the funds for the investigation. Committee would check the au- thenticity of each survey and if it determines none is satisfactory the stations will try to work out a new system. ROBERT Q. VICTIH OF CLIENT CRAK CBS-TV, with several bankroll- ers interested in buying participa- tions In its daytime Robert Q. Lewis strip, is having trouble wrapping up the deal because other sponsors are encroaching on his time* Lewis show originally was aired from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. efoss-the- board. Procter & Gamble then picked up the 2:30 to 2:45 p.m. segment five days a week to air Its “First 100 Years.’* This week, CBS sold the 3 to 3:15 p.m. slot Thurs- days to Hudson Paper Napkins, which will sponsor a TV version of “Bride and Groom” starting Jan. 25. Hudson may also put the pro- gram into the same slot on Tues- days. With all the outside activity, CBS is finding it difficult to tie down the Lewis show to a steady Opera- tion. Sales department, as a re- sult, is havihg trouble lining up cross-the-board strips to pitch to sponsors. GPL Displays New Kine DuMont Woos Kupcinet For Chi Variety Emcee Chicago, Dec. 19. DuMont is negotiating with- Irv Kupcinet, Sun-Times columnist, to emcee a half-hour variety show. Scribe’s web venture will originate from .WGN*-.TV, Chi DuMont out- let, and will be patterned after the local vaudeo series he’s been em- ceeing on the station for William A. Lewis stores. Latter show, “Re- quest Performances,” was dropped by the sponsor last week. DuMont show, slated to teeoff the latter part of January, would go into either the 5:30 or 6:30 Sunday p.m, slot. "Show is a W. B. Doner agency package. .®t ‘Texaco Star Theatre” on NBC has dipped into the CBS roster of comics to sub for Milton Berle, when comic takes a vacation for two weeks. Ken Murray has' been pacted to work the Jan. 2 pro- gram. Replacement for the Jan. 9 show Is still to be set. RANSOM SHERMAN CHI SHOW DUE FOR JAN. AXE Chicago, Dec. 19. Unless NBC comes up with a sponsor beforehand. Ransom Sher- man’s afternoon , tele show is due for the axe Jan. 12 at the end of the current cycle. Cast of the Chi- ofiginated, half-hour efoss-the- board was notified of the pending cancellation Friday (15). Now that the web is off the hook on the Kate Smith day timer, hope here is that the N. Y. salesmen will put more effort on the Sherman strip, to salvage *■ it before the cutoff date. Sherman show had an eight- week sustaining ride in the 6^ to 6:30 p.m. slot during the summer and moved to the 2 to 2:30 period in October as the opening segment of NBC)’s afternoon programming, Durochers, Price Set For Video Guesters by ATC Vincent Price, Laraine Day and her husband Leo Durocher, Dick Foran and Barbara Britton are among the latest batch of names pacted by Agents Television Corp. for video guesters, A’i'C is a com- bine of 50-odd agents and personal management outfits which is plac- ing Coast personalities mainly on eastern tele shows. The Durochers, repped by Marty Martin, will be booked on several CBS-TV stanzas as part of that web’s block booking plan. They’re due Jan. 5. Barbara Britton, agented by Tom Somlyo, was sighed for the Robert Montgomery show and “Leave It to the. Girls.” Foran, handled by Lou Rantz, arrived Thursday (14) and Price, handled by Edingtbn Cloutman, arrived yesterday (Tues.). New kinescope recording process, in which an electronic control is said to provide the best picture quality yet devised for TV tran- scriptions* was unveiled last week by General Precision Labs. New recorder basically is just a TV re- ceiver combined with a 16m film camera, but the electronic design is claimed to eliminate much of the fuzziness, garbled sound and Washed-out lighting which have plagued most kinescoped shows unr til now. GPL engineers at the same time displayed what’s believed to be the first video film projector designed for use with an image orthicon camera, instead of the old-type iconoscopes employed for most TV film transmission. Also unveiled was a new image orth camera chain with a motor driven iris, which ad- justs light apertures instantly to changing light conditions and so is said to eliminate the need for the cameraman to reach around to the front of the unit for manual ad- justment of the iris. While, present kinescope record- ers also team a film camera with a video receiver, they synchronize the TV image running at 30 frames per second with film’s 24 frames via a mechanical process. Accord- ing to GPL engineers, this resulted in much of the fuzziness usually seen on kinescopes. In the GPL recorder, the video tube is shut- tered electronically during the frac- tion of a second the film moves from one frame to another. As a result, each frame of film consti- tutes a separate photograph in it- self and gets a full exposure. GPL’s electronic counter was described as being so sensitive that it has an accuracy down to one- half of one line. Since each TV frame has 525 lines, thei3 are 15,- 750 lines which flash across a re- ceiving tube in a second. GPL recorder adds sound simultaneously with the picture, printing both on a single film strip* Another new piece of equipment revealed by GPL is a remote con- trol unit* which will reportedly permit placement of cameras in hitherto dangerous and inaccessible locations. Cameras tied iii with the system are controlled Via an electrical connection with the con- trol panel, which can be placed at any distance convenient to the di- rector. : ’ ABC-TV’s “Hollywood Screen Test” has switched from a policy of original scripts to dramatizations of short stories. The Lester Lewis package, which Ironrite reeently expanded by 17 outlets, will air an adaptation of James Thurber’s “Many Moons” on Christmas Day, with John Carradine starred, and on New Year’s Day will do a Her- man Sudermann classic, “Confes- sion.” Stanza is buying adaptations of yarns by D. H. Lawrence and other top writers. LEDERER PACTED FOR MIDNIGHT HYSTERIOSOS Actor Francis Lederer has been signed by NBC to narrate the pro- jected “Midnight Mystery” series, which is to occupy the 12:05 to 12:30 p.m. slot cross-the-board. i Web is currently pitching an audi- tion film On the show to agencies and potential sponsors, but will not put the series on the air until it is sold. Present plans are to utilize fea- ture film oMies with a mystery mo- tif. These are to be broken down into three segments, with one to be aired each night on three suc- ceeding nights. As a result, the show will be soniething in the form of a serial. I I Wednesday^ De^semlier 20, 1950 Miody Carson Regular For Haley Ford Airer When the Ford-sponsored Jack Haley TV show preems on NBC Jan. 4, as successor to the Kay Kyser program, Mindy Carsoii will go in as a regular. Show will be tabbed “Ford Star Revue,” same title as applied last summer when Haley was subbing for Kyser. Miss Carson is currently in the Perry Como show, but checks off. Carl Hoff will conduct the oreh. Hollywood, Dec. 19. Negotiations will be resumed to- day (Tues.) for a television thesp contract on the Coast following Television Authority’s, rejection of a proposal that an hourly pay scale be established, plan had been ad- vanced by five local telestations as an alternative to the TVA plan for a pay scale based on program structure. Hourly proposal, which stations said was worked out so that a per- former working a short bit on an hour-long show wouldn’t receive more than another performer work- ing an entire 15 minute show as a single, was rejected following a meeting of both local and national TVA boards. GEN. MILLS BUY TIME, BUT STIU LACKS SHOW General Mills takes over a cream evening time segment Friday night (22) oh CBS-TV but has not yet found a program for the slot. "Client for the first week, conse- quently, will -reprise one of the “Lone Ranger” vidpix, which it bankrolls Thursday nights on ABC video. Time slot is the 9:30 to 10 pe- riod on alternate Fridays, half of the full hour vacated two weeks ago by Magnavox. Other half-hour every second week is to be “Char- lie Wild, Private Eye.” Two shows are to alternate with “Ford The- atre,” which retains the full 9 to 10 p.m. slot. Agency for GM is Knox-Reeves. NLRB Clears SDG Of Unfair Charge Rap Hollywood, Dec. 19. Regional NLRB director Howard Lebaron has dismissed, for lack of evidence. Radio Television Direc- tors Guild charges that the Screen Directors Guild is guilty of unfair labor practices during hearings on television directors at jKECA-TV. Decision was reported to meet- ing of the SDG television members, who also heard that 70 vidfilm pro- grams have signed Guild’s 100% guild shop contracts. KPRQ-TV’s Atom Show Pulls 125,000 Viewers Houston, Dec. 19. Houston televiewers were given a forecast of what coiiid happen to the south’s largest city in an atom bombing, in a dramatic pro- gram presented by KPRC-TV and the city government. Mayor Oscar Holcombe, whO had asked all set-owners to iiivite their friends to see the program and re- quested all TV retailers to remain open late, estimated the airer had an audience qf 125,000. Key de- fense officials portrayed the roles they would actually play in event of an atom blast. According to the Houston Post the results were frightening.” _ ^ Louisville, Dec. li With 27 out of 30 distributors porting, a certified public accoi ant tabulation shows there w 65,700 television .sets in the Lo ville area as of Nov. 30* That’s an- increase of 5,508 the month of November. " Washington, Dec. 19, While FCC television allocation hearings are going forward as per schedule, there’s little expectation, here, in view of the national emer- gency, that the freeze will be lifted by summer, as earlier anticipated. Rather, it’s taken for granted, it will be a long time before the lid’s off on new station construction. However, the Commission will resume its allocation hearings Jan. 15 to receive more testimony on the petition of the educators to set aside channels in both the VHP and UHF bands for hon-commer- cial stations. Soon afterwards, the agency will get down to the busi- ness of considering specific chan- nel allocations for various cities, and proposals for minimizing the intermingling of VHP and UHP stations in particular areas. FCC, it’s pointed out^ has no power to continue the freeze after it has worked out the allocation and interference problems. That’s the • responsibility of other agen- cies concerned with use of mate- rials and manpower. But should the defense agencies ban the use of steel and electronic equipment for new TV stations, FCC would probably issue an order, as it did in World War II, giving effect to such restrictions. Drain On Materials Depending on military require- ments aiid their effect oh receiver production. It’s possible some ef- fort will be made to allow a lim- ited number of stations to be con- structed, particularly In areas not yet served by television. Whether this could be worked out without too many squawks, is a question. But it is not considered likely at present that the Government would allow hundreds of applica- tions accumulated since the freeze to be translated into stations, with consequent drain or essential ma- terials. Regardless of whether station 9 (Continued on page 33) INTI SILVER BUYS BEm FURNESS SHOW Personalities in show biz and other fields will detail how they first got their starts in a new tele- vision show packaged by Lester Lewis Productions. Titled “Success Story,” the 15-minute daytime pro- gram is to be aired Tuesdays a.nd Thursdays starting in Janujiry under sponsorship of International Silver. Betty Furness will be femcee and conduct the interviews, with three guests a week to be spotted. Web has not been set, but it’s expected the show will preem via ABC. For the bankroller, it’s the first TV show since last year’s “Silver Thc- tre” series, aired via CBS-TV. Young & Rubicam is the agency, Mady Christians Show In CBS Teeoff Jan. 20 With its Initial television soap opera, “First lOQ Years, V success- fully launched, CBS will tee off a new series Jan. 20 with the same general format. Titled “The' Laura Gibson Show,” it will star legit actress Mady Christians in the title role, as a charitable woman con- tinually trying to help others, Show will be aired Saturday nights from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m.. Where it will buck NBC video’i “One Man’s Family.” Gibson Re- frigerators is the sponsor. Color Conies to Philly Philadelphia, Dec. 19* CBS began public demonstrations of color TV (14) in a Chestnut St. store.. The demonstrations started with a special public preview, at which no tickets were required. The color "demonstrations, which are to 'continue for an Indefinite period, are held four times daily. Admission is by ticket, which may be obtained by applying in writing to the demonstration head- quarters or at the nearby Land ’Title Bank. The color demonstra- tions are “line” showings confined to the display room. The color shows do not interfere with the regularly scheduled programing of WCAU-TV, CBS-TV local affiliate, and televiewers cannot pick them up on their receivers. Wednesday,* Pcccmber 20," 1950 DETROIT VR TELEVISION 25 i KID Abo Lastfogel, g.m. of the Wil- liam Morris agency, Ayho flew hack to Ibe Coast Monday (18) midnight ahead of schedule, due to the death from a heart ailment of WM veepee Johnnv Hyde, is now concerned vith msuring the talent future of television on a sounder basis. Gon- sidering that the Morris office’s business is now 50% from TV-^ the agency services the dominant KBC video shows— -Lastfogel re^ ali/es that the trite; “guest shot” formula i's not the healthiest thing, either for the sturdiness of TV or the ads. He foresees a diminution of the fulMiour programs, even for the more socko Milton Berle, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante (among Morris clients). He is certain* that Fred Allen in a half-hour show Will be surefire. Lastfogel recog- nizes that the paucity of talent is a major hurdle both for the Morris otTiee and the business^that medi- ocre acts Which wouldn’t rate opening or deuce spots in the in- termediary vaudeville circuits, find themselves given spottings on ma- jor variety programs. On the other hand, the impact of tv i.s something which leaves the most hardened stars wondering. Both permanent or guest talent on TV shows invariably are struck with the potency of their impact which, at first, leaves them won- dering because they know that they are no strangers to the pub- lic IMost of them are time-hon- ored vaude personalities, who have scjilecl the radio and Hollywood heights, yet for some reason their TV work— if only one or two (Continued on page 30) Chicago, Dec. 19. Negotiations between Chi Tele* vision Authority and local tele sta- tions for. a contract setting wage and working conditions for TV talent moved a step backward as the TV A board Monday (18) re- jected the station’s counteroffers. Tclecasters’ wage proposals pre- sented to the union last week w'ci’e characterized as “completely un- acceplable'’-by TVA bargainer Ray Jones. U was learned that the . station execs’ counter-proposals set talent Ice .schedules at roughly 50% of ^VAs demands. Union’s original demands, presented to the tele- casters several weeks ago, were pegged at 80% of the national fees establi.shed by the network co,des negotiated last month. _ Union . is asking $56 for per- lOrmors working a 15-minute show, roe includes five hours of re- Ken Murray diieuifM The Serious Side of Laughter * oil Ihttrcifing bylint ftoturt in tht forthcoming 45th Anniversary Number P^KiEfy Chicago, Dec. 19. Question of how to realize the educational potentialities of tele* vision left delegates in something of a dilemma after a three-day kickaround of the subject at the 14th annual School Broadcast con- ference, which ended here Thurs- day (14). • General consensus of the educa- tors was that video channels should be set aside for educational use, but the specific financial aspects ml adapting video to school use ob* viously tempered the enthusiasm of the delegates. “Television would be a wonderful teaching aid, but can our public school systems af- ford it?“ was the big question in (Continued on page 33) liearsals with extra rehearsals pegged at $4 per houv. Stations are pnering $23.50 for a 15-minute P.i’ogram, including an hour and a . |u If . rehearsal time. Extra run- Jlu'oiigh lime would be $2.25 per hour. • - 1' or the hour rate, TVA is seek- iiyg $136 with 22 hours of cuffo pi’aetice time and the stations have j'oplicd with an offer of $50 and Ihree hours of rehearsals. Another snag is the union’s de- imind for the same rate for off- camera work as for on-cainera per-: iormances. Station negotiators Want to set up two scales for the calegorie.?, T-VA and station bargainers will loeei again Friday (22). Stations J;;'/oh'od are.- WNBQ (NBC), M RNR-TV (ABC), and indies WGN- TVandWBKB. Settlement Likely On AT&T 4-Web Dispute In Washington, Dec. 19. Settlement of the dispute among the four TV nets over American Telephone & Telegraph allocations of intercity video transmission fa- cilities appeared to be virtually certain, when the FCC again post- poned hearings on the case. Orig- inally scheduled for Dec. 11, the hearings have now been scheduled for Jan. 15. They had been previ- ously postponed a week. The nets have been meeting fre- ! quently in an effort to work out a compromise. Last week, they ad- vised the Commission they have reached an agreement “upon cer- tain principles and procedures to be followed by them in resolving tiieir ^conflicting requirements for I intercity video transmission serv- ; ice.” i Hearings were ordered by the ^ Commission following a complaint by DuMont that it received dis- criminatory treatment in current quarter quotas by AT&T, which it Charged with favoring NBC and CBS. DuMont has taken the posi- tion that the available channel fa- cilities should be allocated among the nets on an equal basis. Garlhi to Maxwell Vice MCA Boger Carlin, who wa^s one of U) 0 fi rst percenters in the Music tori), of America television dept., resigned last week and will join nobcri iViaxwell Associates. Carlin has been with MCA for past four years. Houstort, Dec. 19. Program preferences w'ere made knowm by 1,500 local television set owners to a questionnaire made available by KPRC-TV- to more than 50,000 local viewers. Trends established by the first 500 answ^ers received were main* tained throughout the rest of the survey, according to Jack Harris, general manager of the outlet. Local TV fans desired straight dramatic programs; mystery drama; w'estern drama; full length feature films and educational films in that order. Detroit, Dec. 19. Thefe’s inore on video than should meet the eyes of children and teenagers, Detroit’s Common Council believes. Acting on “com- plaints by citizens and religious groups,” the Council unanimously approved appointment of a commit- tee to: 1 . Receive and^creen complaints relative to TV proflrams. 2. Contact sponsors of TV pro- grams and advise them to cease production of objectionable fea- tures. 3. Apply to the FCC for “aid in controlling this evil” when spon- sors fail to cooperate. Some TV programs, the resolu- tion said, “include acts, perfojcm- ances and pictures of shady, sug- gestive and objectionable charac- ters.” Some programs, the resolu- tion continued, “glorify mUrders, robberies— and burlesque ’perform- ances.” Wrestling, it added, “formerly known as an act of skill and strength, now is a farcical producr tion of choking, eye-gouging, hair- pulling -and similar tactics of a roughhouse nature,” Conceding that enforcement pow- er over I'V is held by the FCC, the Council believes its committee can act as a powerful influence on that agency. The city clerk, aqting corporation counsel, police commissioner and the sujperintendent Of parks and recreation, were named to the com- mittee. Nine representatives of va- rious religious organizations will be appointed. Television is saving the lives of many Detroit Children, in the opin- ion of J’ames A. Hoye, traffic di- rector of the Detroit Police Dept. He believes that a decrease in the number, of children killed in traffic accidents may be due to the fact that so many are watching tele- vision after school is out. He pointed to a decrease in the number of Detroit children be- tween the ages of five and 14 who have been killed in traffic acci- dents this year. The decline oc- curred also despite the fact that 80,000 more autos travel Detroit streets than in 1949, he added. “Maybe TV can , mean ‘Traffic Victory’ to Detroit’s parents and | the police traffic division,” he said. Eddie Cantor detoili why Sorne of My Best Friends Are Guest an amusing bylint piect in tht 45th Anniversary Number P^KiEfr Due Soon $1000,1)00 Studio; Claimed to be the besUequipped and largest television studio in the country, NBC's studio 8*H, in Radio City, N. Y., was launched Monday night (18) with presentation of Robert Montgomery’s “Lucky Strike Theatre.” Once the domain of Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony for their weekly radio broadcasts, the studio has been converted for video use in about three-and-a-half months at a cost to NBC of oyer $1,000,000. With overall measurements of 70xl4px30-feet, the studio is con- structed so that it can be used either for musical or variety shows with a stage, or stripped of the stage for dramatic presentations. Stage, when in use, will have a , Philadelphia, Dec. .19. To protect the public from, un- scrupulous mail-orde promoters, Hidden costs and inferior merchan- dise, WFIL-TV has set into effect new contract regulations which will place under close scrutiny all such business before it is accepted. Roger W. Glipp, general man- ager, announced that every prod- uct advertised on this basis over WFIXrTV must be backed by a recognized testing laboratory or by the reputation of an established firm. The regulation went into immediate effect. There was no attempt at cen- sorship in the regulation, Clipp said, but because TV has proved a highly effective medium for mail-, order selling, the station merely intended to protect this sales power by eliminating the damag- ing effects of irresponsible mer- chandisers. Another WFIL-TV precaution concerns acceptance of business from new firms Or merchandisers, only after a thorough investiga- tion of company resources, includ- ing the firm’s credit status. Likening television to the “pitch- man” and the oldtime traveling show’s “medicine man,” in its highly personalized approach, Glipp said: “If TV stations are to win and hold the continuing confi- dence of the home audience, they must vo“ntarily assume the re- sponsibility of supervising the quality of the merchandise sold through their facilities. This is the sole reason for the WFIL-TV mail-order business standards. “Viewers will thus be assured of the value of mail-order purchases advertised on WFIL-TV. They will be protected against inferior mer- chandise and ‘hidden co!5ts’ such as postage, or extra COD charges. We mean to establish a bond of confi- dence for the reputable mail-order advertiser; “Irresponsible selling tech- jniques have threatened the stature is to retain the power of its dy- namic sales effectiveness,” Clipp. stated. BEN BLUE CHECKING OUT OF SINATRA TELE SHOW Ben Blue has turned in his no- tice and is checking out of the Saturday night “Frank Sinatra Show” . on CBS-TV. Blue report- edly has been uphappy with the manner , in which he’s been inte- grated into the hour-long program, and according to those close to the scene the comic, and Sinatra have not been seeing eye to eye for some time. . Sinatra, it’s stated, had made some overtures to sign Jackie Glea- son as the show’s comic, but iat- tef’s drug clients on his DuMont “Cavalcade of Stars” have report- edly nixed the idea. 30-foot proscenium tut has no ele- j gj^^^^a^^'buses on'^television must L'“trael^un?es'tr1ctedIy''ae?o\T[hl ' ^ .-‘bed. now if the new medium floor and not be confined to plat- forms, as in the standard studio theatres. For a legit prpduction, the stage can be stripped in an hour-and-a-half and all the space converted to studio usage. One of the big features in 8-H is the extensive lighting system. All lights are hung on pipes indi- vidually counter-weighted, and can be raised to a height of from five to 27 feet off the floor. Studio has over 300 separate lighting cir- cuits. Lighting engineer has a (Continued on pagd 33) Autry Rolls New TV Brown Shoes Buys NBC i i NBC television wrapped up a sponsor for a new show this week and. also had two options lifted. New show is “Say It with Acting,” aired alternate Saturdays^rom 6:30 to 7 p.m. It’s to be bankrolled, starting Jart. 6, by Brown Shoes, Which presently sponsors ‘‘Smilin’ Ed McConnell” on the alternate weeks. Renewals are “Kraft TV Thea-- tre,” believed to be the oldest hour- long dramatic series on video, which has been reoptioned by Kraft Foods, and Ovaltine for a 15-min- ute segment Fridays of the ‘‘Howdy Doody” show. Camel in Daytime Debut With Moore CBS has finally nabbed a sponsor for the Garry Moore daytime video show, after months of trying. Client is Camel eigarets, which is buying 15-minute segments of the 60-niinute (1:30 to 2:30) stanza on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Camel thus becomes the first ^ s 1 * * I cigaret- company to stake a . claim CBo 1 5u Askine rrice l ^^e major daytime TV program. , , ® ming sweepstakes, and it’s con- Although hes been under con- 1 ^idered a cinch that others will stant fire from film exhibitors for follow. Among the other year-in- the series of films in which he co- | year-out top bankrbllers in radio- stars on teleyisiori,. Gene Autry has TV, the food companies are repre- put a second series into work. New .sented by General Foods ( with its pix. produced by Autry’s “Flying A Bert Parks daytime show), and Enterprises,” will not star the cow- ; soap ' comnanics represented by boy actor, hovveve:*, Instead, they , Procter & Gamble, with Kate Smith and the CBS “First Hundred Years”". TV daytime “erial, Hecbt. Ashley Packaging New Adveijture Series feature Jack Mahoney, former Hol- lywood stunt man, in the lead. Titled “Range Rider,” the films are being offered to agencies and sponsors by the CBS program , sales department at a gross cost per each half-hour stanza of $15,000. They are being produced by Lou Gray. „ tr , . i m j -a n under, the supervision of. Armahd ! . Ben Hecht and Ted Ashley asso- Schaefer. Other cast leads are Dick i mates are packaging a . dramatic Jones and Eve Miller. To date, eight scripts have been completed. ABC’s Dramatic Bra video series which the former will .script. Titled “Bl^ckie Gagiu,” airer will consist of original yarns deriling with an adventure charac- ter. Hecht has already completed two scripts. Ashley outfit is also cutting kine- scopes on the Coast of a soap Maidenform Brassieres is set to pick iip the tab for a dramatic pro- gram on AbC-TV, Saturday morn- ' opera, “Miss Susan.” starring Sii- ings from 11-11:30 a.m. | san Peters. Carl Bixby, “Life Can Agency is Welntraub. Sale gives ‘ Be Beautiful” scripter, is writing the web three Weintraub shows in it. It's expected the' show, if a two-hour span on Saturdays. ; signed, will eventually be done in Seeman Bro.s. and H. T. Babbitt, 1 the east, as will “Date With Judy,” other Weintraub clients, occupy j which has also been kined on the the 12 noon-1 p.m. slot. 1 Coast by Ashley. WcAiciday^ Dumber 20t 1950 POLITE TO POINT... • . •. (*■ • • i ‘Variety’s’ 45th ^ Numbeir will be published early in January. \ • . . This is an opportune time for you to both emphasize and point to your accomplishments. Your advertisement in this issue is your memo- randum on the desk of Mr. John Buyer Dough* • . . Forms are closing ^ r Rates remain the same. Contact the nearest office and our NEW YORK 19, 154 V/. 46th St, CHICAGO n, 612 No. Michigan HOLLYWOOD 28, 6311 Yucca Street ' LONDON 8 St. Martin'i PL Weflneaday^ Dumber 20, 1950 TfiLEVlSIOI¥ RKVIEWS 27 ;; Tele -Up Comment Frank Sinatra's CBS showcase j)it its maximum effectiveness Saturday (16) with one of the best programs tp date. Largely respon- sible for the upbeat was a greater awareness of tele values by Sinatra and his production staff and the giiosling of Phil Silvers. A tremendous amount Of in- genuity was shown on this pro- gram. . The opening by Silvers, \\l)o took over as though the show was designed for him, initially gave the show a great deal of promise. The gag of Sjlvers lock- ing Sinatra in his dressing room touched off a display offering tre- nu'iulous entertainment. 'rhe improvement was largely in the comedv departments. Sinatra and Silvers worked as though they’d been partnered for years. Thc\v hit it well With a satire of \aude teams and a sketch at the finale, both of Which were -good lel(' fodder. , The efficiency of this parlay put the Ben Blue comedic conlfibulion of a barbershop scene out of the running. Sid Fields’ ef foils were similarly kept at a nvihimiim. Of course, Sinatra radiates a gi'i'at deal , of charm and . warmth, lie sang more than usual on this clispla>‘, but his contributions al- wiiys .seem to be welcome to both studio and home audiences. Best of the talent hit for a good response. The Whippoorwills, regis- tered Vvith a single tune; Roberta Lee did likewise and the Axel Stordahl orch provided good show- backing. while standing , pn his head, and Salvadore Dali, The surrealist artist, who was lensed in a set supposedly on the edge of a tall building, also failed to divulge the secret of the “thing” and finally jumped off the set, presumably into the istreet below. As all this was going on, a model was in the foreground, suspended from the rafters, W'ith an arm or leg dan-* gling into the frame. Total effect, while displaying imagination, reg- istered as overly pretentious and too cute. Also on the hirer were .John Palma, the Brooklyn GI who was released by the Communists in Korea; a fashion show in . which dogs modeled canine fashions, some with sequins and real dia- monds; Count Byron De Prorok. archeologist, who told of his ex- pedition to locate the tomb of the Queen of Sheba;, and Ferndall Yerxa, who co-autimred a series in the N. Y. Herald Tribune on Communist activities in the .U. S. Novelty tune, “The Thing,” was given a healthy plug omNEC-TV’s “We, the People” Friday (15). Emcee Dan Seymour interviewed publisher Howard Richmond, who explained how frenzied he has been driven by people wanting him to identify the “thing,” and songwriter Charles Grean, chief of RCA Victor’s popular artists and repertory department, whom the cameras found cowering be- hind a couch to avoid curious “Thing” singers. Show then brought on Leo , Sunnee, who played the tune ort a bass fiddle . Fred Allen turned in his last i.show Sunday night (17) as one of the rotating comics on NBC-Ty's “Colgate Hour.” The comediah’s sLable of writers this time concen- trated more on comedy sketches than on the big song-and-dance numbers, but for the most part they lacked spark. Middle one, moreover, which had to do with a mock murder trial in the Maine backwoods, pot only was overlong but also bore severial marks of poor taste. It’s no longer funny to kid a deaf man wearing a hear- ing aid, even thougli the character is written in as a dolt. Allen himself evidently tried hard and worked in two skits in heavy costume, but seldom could he overcome his weak material. With Doc Rockwell as his chief support in the Maine sketch., he utilized his “Allen’s Alley” charac- ters this time including Minen^a Pious, Kenny Delmar, Peter Donald and Parker Fennelly, as other down- east residents. They proved their versatility but that’s about all. Best of the! skits, and one which (Continued on page 30) NBC-TV OPERA THEATRE (“Carmen”) With Vera Brynec, David Poleri,; Andrew Gainey, Elizabeth Car- ron, Beatrice Bush-Kahe« Morley Meredith, Robert Goss; Guy Tano, Aida Alvarez, Fernando Ramos Producer: Samuel ChotzinOff Artistic Director: Peter H. Adler Director: Charles . Polacheck Writers: Lillian Foerster, Town- send Brewster 60 Mins.; Sun. (17), $ p.m. Sustaining NBC-TV, from New York Series of eight operas-in-English which NBC-TV is beaming this year, , with the same production team that jtaged the web’s music dramas last. year, , kicked ; off with a fine version of George Bizet’s “Carmen” Sunday (17). 'Despite its frequent translations into vari- ous forms, the Prosper Meriniee .story held compellirig interest. The video version offered more realism th-n the Rita Haywoi'th pic for Columbia and avoided the stylization of the Roland Pettit ballet. The new English lyrics provided by Lillian Foerster and Townsend Brewster were good, and t’ne locale and characters were not Americanized as was the case in the Billy Rose jBrbadway pro- duction. It didn’t register with the impact of the French film vvith Vivian Romance and Jean Marais, as was to be expected with TV’s more limited facilities. Naturally, the tele edition was scaled dovm to fit a 60-minute span. The role of the gypsy leader was deleted, for example, and soriie familiar arias might have been missed. However, the editing was tastefully done and the u.se of a narrator— in the form of the con- demned Don Jose unfolding his story in flashbacks — bridged the omitted Scenes neatly. Vera BiTner made an intriguing Carmen, getting across her arro- gance, intensity and attractiveness. David Poleri sang Don Jose, in the early scenes nicely , portraying the young corporal’s . callowness and infatuation for the cigaret girl. Vocally,, they did well al- though t h e i r characterizations were on the understated side, not quite capturing the full fire w'hich a lengthier performance would have permitted. Andrew Gainey W'as effective as Escamillio and his toreador song which might have been hackneyed, was given an interesting reading. Supporting cast, including Eliza- beth Carron, Beatrice Bush-Kane, Morley Meredith and Robert Goss, did well, with Guy Tano scoring as the narrator. Aida Alvarez and Fernando Hattios handled the dances. Theae, while pleasing, lacked the fiery flamenco spirit and were hatnpered by cramped quarters that also interfered with the camerawork. Otherwise lens- ing was imaginative. George Jenkins’ sets and Rose Bogdanoff’s costumes were good. George Neiman’s lighting, par- ticularly in the mountain hideout, added to the impact. NBC is to be congratulated for upping its operatic sked from four i productions last year to eight for [ the current season. BriU CAFE DUBONNET With Amly and Della Russell, Gy . Coleman | 5 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 7 p.m. ! SCHENLEY INDUSTRIES ABC-TV, from N. Y. (Bioti;)\ ; A five-minute show is usually a ' glorified spot announcement and ’ this airer follows form. As a com- - mercial, it may be an effective cle- vice; but as programming nothing much can be done in such a quickie period. If the entertain- ' ment values are good, then five minutes can be irritating in their brevity. If the values are poor, : then five minutes is way too long: for a commercial. In either case. , therefore, a five-minute show has a big hole in its logic. On this show, the performers are solid and could use more time. Abbreviation of several vocals by Andy and Della Russell on the preem (18) cleverly suggested a full-length show but, still, the hands of the clock were almost quicker than the eye. Besides the vocals, the Bussells managed to squeeze in a pleasing hoofing rou- tine w h i c h, unfortunately, was truncated by bad camera work. Opening show, in fact, was badly marred’J>y technical miscues in the shifting of the cameras between the plugs and entertainers. Cy Cole- man had about eight bars of solo planistics which, once again, isn’t enough for his superlative key- board style. Berm. JACKIE ROBINSON'S SPORTS CLASSROOM With Robinson* Jimmy Powers, audience participants Producer-director: A1 Hartigan 15 Mins.; Thurs., 7:15 p.m, Sustaining WPIX, N, Y. Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodgers' Negro second baseman, showed considerable promise as a new TV personality in making his video debut Thursday (14) in a new 15-mihute sports series over WPIX, N. Y. Baseball star, who was introed by the N. Y. Daily News’ Jimmy Powers, ably priesided in a schoolroom set which had a dozen- odd teenage “pupils.” Format has the kids toss ques- tions of a sports nature at Robin- son, Among queries on the ini- tialer were “what do you think is the most important factor in train- ing a trackman?” and “do you think sportswriters have any in- fluence . . .?” The Dodger main-? stay deftly handled the posers in a rapid delivery and also dressed up his replies with an occasional anecdote. While Robinson appeared con- fident and at ease, the “students” were somewhat self-conscious and hesitant. One way to smooth this over would he to emphasize a pre- program rehearsal. Classroom at- tendees will vary from week to week. Tomorrow (Thurs.), for ex- ample, five athletes from Xavier Highschool, N. Y., will make up the panel. Withal. “Sports Class- room” undoubtedly will grab a wide slice of that adolescent audi- ence on the basis of the preem show. Gilb. . I UNCLE SAM’S STORY With Walter Abel Producer-writer: George Wallach 30 Mins.; Sun., 12:45 p.m. Sustaining WNBT, New York New airer launched by WNBT is designed Jo tell the story of the Veterans Administration and other Governmental agencies through official films. If the stanza can consistently, come lip with pix of the level reached on Sunday (17), the NBC-TV outlet should have a worthwhile public service offering, . Feature beamed bn the preem was a Veterans Administration documentary on hearing rehabili- (Continued on page 30) i c (X0( H < J • • • Coast peojJe listen inosl (o ColuiiTbia Pacific during the daytime. They lishm inosl to Golumliia Pacific at night. And Nielsen confirms it : During the entiie \\'Qek, Columbia Pacific commands a bigger average share, of audience — day and night — than any other CoaM iietivork.' So., to reach the inosl on the Coast, tell your sales story on., /\/tA ')! I'l'iril'. li.li'iii-'t J'lniinn throtigh Srpt^mh^r I’iV Represented by RADIO SALES, Ridis md Television Station) R«present)tivi.,.C 3 > Columbia PaeWe . ..the lUL.l .W'lHurk Wediieedayy December 20, 1950 ir .?>/ r« \sV^‘.' i;Vi.t') *'V/ 'lA "-’y /t> ^"‘ G,.;\ / ‘A^ C ‘ ^^ 'vX "'\ Xs.;- V i'\V y\\ \y \* A' t 0 / * *' v^ . Av \ Sly S i <■ "S. . ; ..,4 \ ^,0 / XA.V) y V A .j4\ -f .».tV »NNV>iV». •. :' i i • /“ s i /v"‘ V /'^ iv V-3 <>yS} .^ • •; C -s V . •> '.y Yy /' ■?%* • /V . . /:. / \ k \ . I \ .^v/' V V. < y'';» • v>. . » v' '*> •» > ^ - * ?' * •VI **^»*;, .^ #♦•»* N ^ v^-/ < 'v. -v."'- t,y "A, • 4» • Va. .^ • \v A’O 'i' ^ i #'1 yJCS^ •‘ \ A Ai V y ^«> 4 ? 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T *..{■•• . >y-v. f ■■•■ ■<>. .*<••,•? y , X.. ,r. r- .'A * k ^ ■ .**»* % \A J X 'l a X-... '....rt ■- ■,* ;• v.^ V\*^ .. ‘\.X > • . . •> •%, /r-.-t ‘y ,.yA*T* A X'A - A ^x-r :■■■■% V'.y • I 'A 'A \ \ • .> ^v; I r^v I X. * :^_ y. \ "■.. \ ■ A V ... ..v;**^* ■ r Ml '^W 'V X V Y V I .< N \y * Wcdn€ieddy» Dcceiiiber 20, ^950 29 /' " 0 \ w Mister PLUS, in yo>nr hands, can put a stamp of approval for your brand on > —minds and markets which are largely He alone is there because tfeere is Home Town America, 11,000,000 families strong, a thriving fourth of the whole U.S. which lives and listens within close reach of a Mutual ^solo^ station. ( ' » V s :-v. ;'C'\ 'A ; ■ V''i h- /■ C ... lb serve these markets— from within— Mutual provides 325 stations, each one speaking in the neighborly tones of the only network voice in toivn. And this voice gets heard- longer and oftener than all out-of-town voices coin6med.+ Coupled with bigger-city coverage by Mister PLUS, this Home Town domination can m^ake a vital pro/i^dij^re^n^ in your sales efforts for ’51. ’^'56% of all Home Town iune-in is to MBS by day ; 53% by night. Next best network 13% by day^ 28% by night. And TV tunedn is less than Vi of 1%! Source: Half a tnillion interviews by Crossley^ TEKEVISION TY — — long, involved set of lines, as w;ell as singing several tunes prettily. Tele Follow-up Comment iviv ■ WiIVtt Mp WViHiiiViili Hatter. Ralph Riggs’ Continued from pase 27 Mock Turtle and RilT McGuire’s . . ■ , . . \ t and Jack hemmon’s Tweedledee obviously involved intricate pro- economies in their being used for ■ Tweedledum. Play had ex- duction techniques, had Allen as two_telecasts. cellent production for the most Continued from pase 27 Santa Claus, who refused to ride “Ford Theatre” this Christmas because of the classic last Dt world’s state of affairs, Skit show- , minute Version j ♦ M Ai««ff' Cellent production for the most Ford Theatre^ 4ih the Alcott ■ some fine niusic accom-, classm last ^Decembei^ m a ^ Handling of t h e minute Queen’s procession, for instance, as Jo and Patricia Kirkland, ace direction and lensing. Lockhart^ and i EfTect of making Alice first smaller, sisters. While that excellent P^P"’ i fiyf,,, larcrpr rlpverlv executed. ing the effects of TV on a nine- as Jo and Fatncia ivirKiana, .June year-old Who obtained all his edu* Lockhart and Kim Hunter as her cation from the video screen was sisters. While that excellent pro-^ sharp, mostly because it had some ' duction had better marquee of Allen’s ; incisive \vit. values, “Studio One’’ matched iV Ex •^ Metopera soprano Eileen -^and the expansion to two. houls Farrell registered strongly Avitli added, new values. There w as. no her “Un Bel Di" from •‘^Iadame ‘ need, for example, to have a nai- Bulterfly.” but there must be at rator . v Xea.st. one olher aria; which would . Betty . Furness be suitable for these guest trillers good job on the - Westmghpuse on TV, Christianis scored witlv commercials; tlveir iot-pacecl aefo routines, and, , . • A1 Goodman and his orch backed ;’ At. Morgan’s Monday night half-' tire .show capably. Commercials hour oh DuMont from WGN-TV, for the several Colgate products Chicago, has undergone some, re- vere standard. 'furbishing. Format remains ba- v \-"- . . isicallv the same, with Morgan car- -V’c -QtnhiO nn.r:' nvikina Of tllC SllOW' wilh lllS IV ^ singing and keyboarding. But since an excellent choice ot Chnstmas johnnv King’s recent takeover as prosramming .selMUd Loiu : produaer, more en'ective staging AlooU s ' and smoother production has given ',r I cn""- * 15 ; the session added \nftving val,ue.s, eventful novel into a ^O-minpte : pP g new. set and bet- production,, producer Worthington , ( integration of the weekly guest W'ncr divided It in two houiMong ■ gj^ve to make the show Queen’s procession, for instance, was ace direction and lensing. ! EfTect of making Alice first smaller, ! then larger, was cleverly executed, duction haj ‘ and thefe were similar highgrade, I touches thToughout. Grace Hous- I ton’s costumes, copied from the faihous Tehniel drawings, were good, and on. color \Tould have been sock. Dorothy Jarnac, who rates a nod for the choreograpliy / j also did a neat job as The White | : Babbit. . .. I Wecjnes^fEij, December. 20, . 1950 Same Old Bridges I MINN. HIGHWAY CALLS re.y%^«KS HURT WTCN RECEPTM musicians^ are running into a problem — repetitiousness of Mmneapolis, Dec. Id. themes and bridges. There’s Calls from the Minnesota high- one catchy little humorous way commission’s radio station n u ni b e r which , frequently KAB 247, re-broadcast throughout turns up on the Douglas Ed- Wisconsin on a 74.5 megacycles wards newsreel strip foi^Olds- frequency and put out fronv Meno- mobile on CBS-TV, \yhen a j^inee, Wis., less than 25 miles film clip with an amusing an- from Eau Claire, Wis., are inter- gle is screened. That smne fering with WTCN television re- £ vr^hovvrod net- from Minneapolis in Eau works last Thursday (14h At ^ numerous eomplaihts, Eau Claire city ofTiciaJs have stavU ed cbnsuUatipiis with \JiscQti.Jii people, in charge of the radio re- broadcast, to determine if the .calls can be radioed on, another fre- quency to eliminale tiie inlerler- ence with the T\^ reception, Al Morgan’s Monday night half- hour oh DuMont from WGN-TV, Chicago, has undergone some, re- furbishing. Format remains ba- sically the same, with Morgan car- r.s’ing mo.st of the show with his , singing and keyboarding. But since Johnny King’s recent takeover, as . producer, more effective staging : and smoother production has given ! the session added wn^ving values; ; The addition of a new set and bet- • DuMont’s, late-evening entry. “Once Upon a Tune,” attempted to satirize the . obvious in a show titled “South Terrific” Thursday .night (14'. .Apparently, time and ng^g mS l^i'boardilS; Biit since ; etVort expended on the ^'oducUon, ohnnV- king’s recent takeover, as . have made it good comedy nVnrp obPrHvP staffing ' mpre capable hands. But, as segments. . First, titled ‘^Meg’s T Stm-y." was beamed Monday <18t ' unmie Scents ^ Second. “Jo’s Story:” in. wliich ! Juir Stanza Kent Smith will be added to the : a roun ca.sL as^ Professor Baher, will be | his own flailing screened next week. | accompaniment, whi The story of . the bu.stling ; his trademark. Goo feniinine household was giyeh a , registered Morgan’s toDflight nroduction with fine di- of selling a song, wh Morgan’s Oh this stanza (ID, singer, squeezed in a round dozen tunes with his own flailing arms keyboard accompaniment, which has become his trademark. Good camera work Z'.egistered Morgan’s friendly way of selling a song, which lends itself well to teevee. Guest Lorry Raines was neatly brought into the pro- gram with a nostalgic bit about old favorite recordings, which Morgan opened and closed with ‘‘That Old Phonograph Record.” Miss Raines kept to the theme with a good The story of . the bu.stling feniinine household was giyeh a topflight production with fine; di- rection by Lela Swift. Despite its years, the ya’’n holds lip nicely, involving human questibhs— the impact of war, money problems, the uneven course of ropiance, family relations, illness and the struggle for a career— that are still around and are still movihg. chii-ping job on “Two Cigarets in They were sensitively and tenderly the Dark” and “Don’t Worry About treated: The different personalities of the four girls were effectively deline- ated. Nancy Marschand was the self-reliant, tomboyish Jo and Mary Sinclair the pretty, lovestriick Meg. June Dayton as the quiet Beth and Lois Hall as the young Amy also scored; Rest of the well- cast players included Peggy Hillias as Marmee, Richard Purdy as Mr. March, Elizabeth Paterson as Aunt Marcl\, Henry Bernard as Laurie, John Baragrey as the tutor John Brooks, Berry Krocgei as the for- bidding Mr. Lawrence, Una O’Con- nor and Dorothy Blackburn. Sumner Locke Elliott’s adapta- tion caught the spirit of the family which manages to be happy de- spite its pinching and scraping, and the acting and direction gave the piece realism despite its sen- timental outlook, Sets were par- ticularly good -possibly reflecting Me.” ■ zf the Bd Roberts’ plugs for Fox Head eline- Beer were well written and ably s the delivei'ed. Mary ^ ^ truck ‘‘Ford Theatre’s” full-hour pre- quiet sentation last Friday ( 15) of ‘‘Alice In Wonderland” was an interest- ing and unusual event, and well proclucod by Bob Loewi and staged by Dick Rose, the satire was laid on so heavily that it almost seemed at times as though they were tak- ing the whole thing seriously. Show, as a result, resembled more than anything else one of those college, dramatic workshop produc- tions which get by mainly on their “cuteness,” Show didn’t use any of the “South Pacific”, numbers but rang in several other Broadway Show- 1 tunes, along with a couple of non - 1 impressive originals. Parts for the ; show were obviously juggled! around to fit the series’ regular cast members, which resulted in some strange characterizations, particularly on the distaff side. Phil Hanna and Gordon Dihvorth, Ed Holmes and Reginald Beane performed their thesping and sing- ing stints adequately but Holly Harris and Diane Courtney, while singing well, were woefully mis- cast. Kraft Music Hall’s version of A. A. Milne's “Michael and Mary” over NBC-TV Wednesday (13) was an entertaining 60 minutes that 10 p.m. it was pari of the “I Cover: Times Square’^ stanza on ABC-T V, which had a comedie twist. At 10:30 p.m. it was included on ^lare Dan- iels’ :“Nash Airfi>te Theatre” on CBS-TV, wliich adapted Ei'skine Caldwell’s amusing ! short story, ‘'The ■Windlfall.” Explanalion probably lie.? in the fact that’ both (^BS and ABC are s ubscri hi n g to t h e same trariscription library; Finding canned tunes that . blend in, with tlie action on video theatricals is admitted- Iv a toughie. 'Yet il’;s one which 11 a s t o be m e t 6 n prog ram s saving coin oh live windjam- mers and aiTangcments. So- lution may entail goirig afield for waxed backgroundings, dipping more extensively into instrumental classics dr per- haps signing up yWith more transcription services. The part that the recorded music can play in evoking a mood is apparent not only in dramatic airers but also in news programs. 'The same De- fense Dept, pix of retreating GIs in Korea \vere beamed by both CBS’s Oldsmobile show and NBC’s Camel strip Thurs- day, but with different musical tracks. The dirge-like accomp used on the CBS broadcast gave its version greater sol- emnity. Bril, Tele Reviews Continued Irom page 27 S5=sa tation. This sensitively told the effect of ear trouble on an ex-GI: worth the doing. Not altogether captui‘ed most of the essence of the eiiois on tiie ]OP, t ie iicieas successful as a television show, the production nevertheless hit a high average. Video adaptation of the classic made changes inevitable, of course, but at times it seemed more like a musical, or play with .music, than a satire or fantasy. Scripting was a little too literal, and production, somewhat noisy and boisterous. Otherwise, it had merit, with some scenes very highgrade. Little Iris, Mann displayed her. histrionic versatility as well as precocity in superbly handling a stage original. StoiT of romance, blackmail and an embarrassing death was tailor-made for video, and the bulk of the action came off well in a modest living room set. Milne tale was a yarn in which most viewers could readily generr ate a vicarious interest. Its dra- matic impact was also heightened with an occasional plot tw'ist. Fe- licia Monteleagre w^as believable as a young woman who remarried after her husband deserted her..; John Newland’s portrayal of the ; new .spouse w’ais warm and sincere. ing carelessness of his speech, his withdrawing from social life, etc. It then detailed the work of the VA ; in diagnosing the trouble, providing a hearing aid, auditory training, classes in lip reading and similar help. The documentary was put in human terms, Which ; gave it appeal. AUhoiigh it has! been seen on video before, the film ; nevertheless stands repetition, \ Walter Abel briefly introed the ! celluloid and trailerized the com-! ing attractions, which will deal Sunday (24) with agriculture and forestry. Bril. .\Va$hihgtoh,:Dec. 19 J Voluntary radio and press cen- sorship. similar to that operating during World War II, is being con- sidered in connection with the Korean War. Gen. George C, IMarshall. Sec- retary of Defense. met yesterday (18) With top execs of newspaper and broadcasting businesses to study the problem, Their views are being forwarded to General Douglas MacArthur. Among those present W'ere Justin Miller, NAB prexy; and Ralph W. Hardy and Robert K. Richards, of his public velations staff. Dixie Lee in Net Drf>ut On Groaner Hubby Airer Dixie Lee (Mrs. Bing Crosby) will make her radio network debut on her husband’s CBS program to- night (Wed.) at 9:30 p.m., when the couple wtll perform in a holi- day skit with their four sons, Gary, Philip, Dennis and Lindsay. Guester marks Mrs. Crosby’s first professional engagement since 1935, when she appeared in the 20thrFox musical, “Redheads on Parade.” Actress Mary Jane Croft had originally been skedded to play Mrs. Crosby, but bowed out when the latter decided to come put of retirenient. THE JIMMY DURANTE TV SHOWS” ■‘GometJy as innocent as it is rare on TV.- -joiriing the throng of critics and reviewers' ejuoting the fresh gags and brand new roMtines frorn the Jimmy Durante show. L I— ^ Continued from page 25 ^ shows— gets the most socko reac- tion. It’s explained undoubtedly by the fact that the closeup of the talent, in the confines of the home ■ receiving set. gives the public an intimacy and a tie with the . per- former as neither radio, pix nor stageshpws have done. Durante is an illustration of being “happy' now that I went into television.’ He was frankly op- ; ■ posed to starting ' it at first. Only his late . personal manager, Lou J Clayton, , and Lastfogers counsel- ; ] ing swayed him into the NBC con- j I tract. : Clayton put it in a . race- j ^ horse parlance, “For once here's a , J medium where you’ll riart from the ■ i barrier with the rest of the field.” j meaning that in radio arid pictures i he was a latecomei-, Clayton felt ' ' that Durante “startihg with the | i field” would be not one of the top ■ 10 or five, but in this new medium ! he could Well become the pace- : maker for this new TV form of ' ' show business. Durante’s impact ^ thus far would tend to support that 1 thinking; ; Uastfogel is also concerned with » “the habit of even the best of ’em 1 knocking television.” “Sure,” he ' continues, “we all knovv it’s hard ■ work— what isn't? I wanted to add I one thing to VARiftTy/s story about ; the ABC&D; of Television Comedy, ! and that is I wish the ABC&D^ I Allen, Benny, Cantor and Durante I —were only 1 5 5'ear5 younger. 1 This IS a really rugged and some- ' times grueling grind. In time it ' may become smoother, hence easi- l er. but it was; one thing to read’^ your scripts virtually at show, time, but another to get timing, re- ■ hearsal, makeup and 'bounce’ to co- incide when the TV shows go to Eileen BARTON December 22 CAVALCADE OF STARS-TV December 25 PALACEr Youngstown, Ohio Dir.; Music Corp. of America “MORTY” ’’AHTir* '’Af’jBHl •Currently ' Coraplcflng the Picture •LAUGH AND BE HAPPY" Direction: MUSIC COUP. OF AMERICA m Courtesy of M-6-M Now appearing with DONAtO O'CONNOR in '^THE MILKMAN” . (Universal-International) Manaoemeht WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY Wednesday, DMcimlier 20 , 1950 '■XTTr^tt iCA OO bP*^ Of BO .stabo****" '- ^ AG ' ''•®' \ . . . 1 e. preut. I 2-70 N XT H y O t)ec BX GVB ap GV.C t>j u e. N-T. - a I ©cV WT . ® pSct JeM Wat ''i'^anthroPi' s«^*s« siaffcf^”"*'' shov. /^our leceip . ^AbO ,«cbed P OIW W.OOO. :*'' * 9 A ^0 liOlliS ot OOOi lev Orleans X’oOO- CVvicago 17 , 000 . Detro^^ j^lglcits) '' yitVvoii^ -^nrmances v _ aj, ^trolt Rights) scenery, •voTon^o ' ^itnonb ,-.g. ^cooitt , performances man S0T3^ cn'7 for ® 4 ^® of named V Aust a Pai^ °|is colv®»> v^iggcst yea vi^^n^«sidine , of yonr '^*^lood lae® Bo^ Consio e’JL contit^^®^ ^oo X peel “S'lv aSp Lppiness- j aj, veaT 3 to * - X ^ i ,„u a-* S2 B ADI0•TELE\TSI03^ Wednesday^ December 20, 1950 New York Kaiscr-Frazer . renewed DuMont's “Adventures pf Ellery Queen” for 13 weeks . . . Murray Jordan, WLIB staff announcer, narrating a TV film about the N. Y. Public Librarv’s Bookmobile for the ci tv's TV department . ; . Frank- lin Pulaski Rhodes pacted as an- nouncer for the Christmas . Day *'L’ncle MiUie’.’ show .on NBC . v . Faye Emerson, Abe Burrow and Joey Adams subbing for Robert Q. Fewis on hi^ daytime CBS strip, while he vacations., in Florida for a week . . . 'Producer Bill Von' ■ Bag.” will produce, tl e package u Thor Brooks will direct . . . Dave Barry took over emcee chores on KLAC-TV program emanating from Hollywood Palladium . . , Sears Roebuck will bankroll thr Fleetwood Lawion news analysi'^ show over KTSL starting Jan. 1 in mail order firm’s debut as a video sponsor . . . KECA-TV's “Academy Theatre, ” which features the first 26 films made for Procter & Qam- ble sponsorship by Gordon Lev6y« w HT be sponsored by Corona Dark cigars after Jail. 5 . V . ^ Walter Wanger returned from ISlexico where his company is lensing the Zehle of WARD’S ‘Tt‘s in the Bag” first three “Captain Scarlett” tele- offering a $100 war bond to the ; pix starring Richard Creenie femme viewer sending in the best — ; — — — — - name for . the grocery; .store fea- tured on the show ... Don Brown, Vnicag.p formerly with Republic Pictures, 1 cbi NBC account exec Dan Mc- signed by Bernard J, Prockter; to - Guire wrapped .up a 26-sveek re- direct tile filmed sequences of ..newal from the Waiider Co. .'Oval- NBC-TV's “Big Story” . . Sono ; tine i for. the 4:45-5 Friday se.gment Osato has femme lead oppo.site , of “Howdy Doody” ... Ivor Mc- Richard Hart in DuMont’s ‘Dllery Lareii, former producer of “Don Queen” show tomorrow . night , T\icNeiH’s . .TV Club,” joins Chi (Thurs.i . . . Treva Frazee pacted ! ABC as a staff producer . . . John for a character role on the preem . Meek Industries has boosted prices of CBS-TV’s “Charlie .Wild, Private of its. tele sets 10% ... Hir.sch Eye" Friday (22) . . . Sportscaster Guy Lebow' signed to handle WP.IX wTcstling Saturdays from the Bayonne Naval Base, N. J. . . . Harry Forwood, until now press- agenting legit shows only, has opened his own publicity office, with Sid Caesar as his lop per- sonal account . . . Local Chevrolet Dealers pacted to bankroll the en- tire series of Golden Gloves box- Richards Coutinued from page 21 go Clothing Co. will sponsor Sunday afternoon feature film on AVBKB : beginning Jan. 14 . . . Fred Giese, WGN-TV photog, named first vee- 1 pee of Chi Press Pliotographers Assn. . . . Tony Fontaine, Paula ! AVray and The Starnoters headlin- i ihg \VGN-TV's new Monday night ' musical, stanza— -“By Candlelight” I . . Dorothy Shay due in Dec. 27 McNeill aspects of the news so I can back and keep, w'ithin boUnds.” . Burns said it was “outrageous” that tile letter had not been intro- duced before. He demanded that Ford be subpenaed ’ to make Sure I get all the records.” Ford replied: “It is standard operation for defense counsel to smear and sling mud.” Ford of- fered to take an oath that he had no more documents that the FCC had subpenaed from Fitzpatrick in 1949. James D, Cunningham, FCC examiner, took no action. Fitzpatrick testified that . Rich- ards never ordered him to slant the news. He also testified that Rich- ards had bombarded his staff with memorandums, letters and tele- grams which ranged in subject from bebop music to the Wayne University football team. “No one man could comply with all his ideas,” Fitzpatrick, who : two w'eeks ago had said Richards had a “definite psychosis,” said. “SoriVe of them were ridiculous.” The nearly 100 character wit- nesses who so far have appeared on Richards' behalf ranged all the way from Detroit’s mayor, to industrial leaders to union leaders, to educa- tors, to former governors, to po- licemen and to Board of Com- merce officials. to a “man in the street'* heckler, I who ends up backing the program’s j principles. There was a note of irbny in the fact that this tribute to the Bill of Rights and denunciation of totali- tarianism provoked what the' ACUU later called “organized pro- 1 tests.” Especially since the airer j did not mention the case of Jean ^Iuir. (who was dropped from an NBC-TV program because of pro- tests arising from her inclusion in “Red Channels”,) and since the ACLU some months ago offered to support “Channels” topper Ted Kirkpatrick when the latter was ,''^^iost censored oft’ an NBC sta- tion. , Bril. Continued from page 23 to guest on ABC’s Don ing matches as televised by WPIX.. tele show . . . WBKB director Scott Red Barber’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Yoiing planning to wed Thea Lyla Thomas, critically, injured 1 .Mueller Christmas Day . . . With when struck by a Oar near her jxy Forecast dropping Ernie home in Jacksonville. Fla,, Satur- clay <16). CBS sports chief and lii.s wife flew to her bed.side, forc- ing a cancellation of their pro- posed holiday vacation in Mexico . Eddie Cantor scheduled to re-, turn from the Coast today (Wed.) to prepare, his New Year'S' Eve slum- for NBC’s “Colgate Comedy Hour.” Lena Horne signed to emcee “Your Show of Show.s”.Jan. 20 on deal set by Nat Debbins . . . Marty .Goodman submitting a tele pack- age headed by singer Kitty Car- lisle . . . Robert Cummings set for the Bob Hope show Sunday (24) . . . Maurice Lapue, ex Music Cofp, of America tele sector, has joined the J. Walter Thompson RCA Blue Chips Simon's “Simply SimOn” variety .show on WENR-TV. Dec. 25, Wright & Assocs., agency which packaged the series, is pitching, the show to other clients . . , Dave Durstin joins Chi ABC-TV a.s a producer . . . Entire stock of Tay- ilor Tubes. Inc,, teevee parts manu- facturer, has been purchased by a group headed by Jack Kaufman,, prc.xv of Lewis & Kaufman, Inc., Los Gatos, Calif., electron tube makers Continued from pa?e 21 phonette, Paul Tripp and dramati zations of children’s classics. Almost all of the regular com meiHjial stanzas are being decked , with Yule trimmings during the i holiday season. Additionally, spe- , cial airers have been set. Among the special shows are: ' NBC-TV’s “Heralds of Goodwill.” i a salute to the United Nations i which Caroline Burke is producing , for the 11:30 p.m. slot on Christmas ; i Eve. Ben Grauer will exj)lain carols , of many iahds and Juanita Hall and ; ! a chorus will sing. -Hansel and Gretel’ on TV I “Hansel and Gretel” will be sung in English by the NBC-TV Opera I Theatre IMonday at 2 p.m. : “The Joyful Hour,” Jerry Fair- banks^lensed vidpic of the Nativify', is being screened by all four video webs. It was produced by Father Patrick Peyton with a cast Of Hollywood names. On some Ideal outlets it is being sponsored. DuMont is airing an hourlong “Christinas Song” Monday at 9 !,p.m., featuring special music by $1,500,000 Deal Pending For Adantic City Sale Of 2 Stations, 3 Newspapers Atlantic City, Dec. 19. Plans to sell the three newspa- pers and two radio stations operat- ed by.the Atlantic City, N. J., Press- Union Publishing Co. for a sum of between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000, have been announced here. , A company headed by R, L. Ad- ! ams, editor and publisher of the , Bethlehem. Pa., Globe-Times, will assume ownership of the resort publishing firm as" soon as the FCC acts on the transfer of the radio licenses. Albert J Feyl. president of the I Press-Union Publishing Co., Said ; the transfer includes the Morning and Sunday Press, the Evening i Union and radio stations AVBAB and WBAB-FM. Adams saidi the new oAvners plan no changes in i operation dr personnel. Present owners, Feyl, Francis Groasdale, vice-president, and for more tlmn 30 years managing edi- tort and the family of the late Paul J. O’Neill, former secretary-treas- urer and advertising manager, have controlled the newspapers since April 2, 1919, was amended in June. His ojdginal pact had called for $100,000 dur- ing 1948 and $140,000 from 1949 through 1952, ^ ^ ^ « Folsom was also handed an op- and Metop tion by the board on 50,000 shares singers Brian Sullivan and Lois of stock, along with a similar grant of 100,000 warrants to RCA board chairman David Sarnoff. The op- tions haven’t much value at , the agency. Hollywood Norman H. Sloane named as- sistant to Dick Moore wlio directs tele operations for ABC’s western division and manages KECA^TV . . , Following resignation of George Fogle, Bob Oakley stepped in as veepee of the National Soci- ety of Television Producers . . , John Jay Franklin departed for Hawaii to lens background for a projected vidfilm series on the Islands . . . Phil Itapp now produc- ing DuMont Television’s “Star Time” . . . L.A. Daily News colum- nist Matt Weinstock propping a vidfilm series dramatizing items from his pillar. Peter O’Crotty Pryor Heads Heart Fund i Arthur Pryot, veepee of BBD&O, ; has been named AM--TV chairman , for the 1951 Heart Fund. Other Committee members are:; Robert E. Kintner, ABC; Frank ) Stanton, CBS; Frank White. MBS; Charles. C. Barry. NBC; Walter Craig, Benton & Bowles; Wallace S. Jordan, William Morris Agency; , Ivor Kenway, ABC; Thomas H. Lane, McCann -Erickson; Thomas D. ; Luckenblll, William Esty; Gerald F. Maulsby, CBS; Richard McDonagh, NBC; Thomas M. McDonnell, Foote, Cone & Belding; Everard W. j Meade, Young & Rubicam; Richard Pack, WNEW; Adrian Samish, Dan- cer - Fitzgerald - Sample; L o w e 1 1 Thomas, CBS; Lewis H. Titterlon, Compton; Sylvester L. Weaver, Jr;, NBC-TV; David A. Werblin, Music Corp. of America; and Frederick A. Zaghi, Young & Rubicam. Hunt. Cardinal Spellman will visit WABD’s (N. Y.) “Morning Chapel” today (Wed.) at 9:15 a.m. ABC-TV is telensing “Family moment, since they permit pur- in cooperation with the chase Of the shares at $17.75, con- Radio Commission on siderably above the present price ' . 9:30 p. mi, depicting a on the New York exchange. The faniily sing with old English carols. $17,-75 figure was the market on . ABC will originate the day the warrants were granted. ; Christmas Stocking” from Chicago The options were given to both ; bn Monday from 3-4 p,m., with Jon e.xecs as incentive compensation, i and “Sparky” as hosts, and “particularly since,”, according to ! the Lone Ranger, Ozzie ahd llar- tlie minutes of the board meeting, i Nelson, Dick Haymes, Ginny neither of the officers “has any ' Simms, Ted Malone, Happy Felton Other i n c e n t i v e pay.” Board i ^hd others guesting. At 1 1 a.m. the stated tliat it long ago recognized will beam “GI Cluiistmas Call,” the, desirability of the options as 1 calls from GIs overseas and an incentive, but never gave them ; their families in the States. becau.se they might be ta.xable and [ CBS will air the fifth annual therefore of little value. However, • Christmas Eve concert of 17th and Vivienne Segal Retiring After Wedding Rdbinson With Vivienne Segal’s marriage to Hubbell Robinson. Jr., CBS prO^ gram veepee, she will retire pro- fessionally after a long career in almost every branch of show busi- ness. She had planned essaying a new TV series with Glenda Farrell (two former showgirls in the mid- dle-age of their careers), but now CBS is seeking a new vis-a-vis for Miss Farrell. Joan Blondell is un- der discussion. This is Robinson’s third mar- riage, the first two being radio scripter Terry Lewis and more re- cently, Margaret Whiting, the song- stress. Cowles, Paley Continued from page 21 it stated, that situation has been changed by clarifications in* the Revenue Act of 1950. Board, as a result, set up a com- mittee to make recommendations 18th century music by the Boston Society of Ancient Irrstruments Sunday (24* at 11:30 p.m., and the annual program of carols with the Collegiate Chorale and Dorothy I’.cerning the options for Sarnoff 1 Maynor at midnight. fir DiDliiile :s6Hiflg^ W D E L WILMINGTON DELAWARE WKBO HARRISBURG PENNSYLVANIA WORK YORK PENNSYLVANIA WGAL LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA WRAW READING PENNSYLVANIA WEST EASTON PENNSYLVANIA and Folsom. Group con.sisted of Gano Dunn, chairman; George L. ■ Harrison. Arthur E. Braun. John Hays Hammond, Jr., and John T. ■ Cahill. They came up with the ' recommendations that w e r e adopted. The^ options must be ; exercised by Nov^ 3, 1955, or with- 1 in three months after either of ; the execs leaves the company if tliey depart before the expiration | date. ! Mutual, for the fourth consecu- tive year will present the -\M “Joy- ful Hour” on Christmas Eve at io p m., with a score of stars. Web will also air the “St, Nicholas Can- tata” with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m., Sunday (24*). “Thou Bethlehem,” dramatization of the Nativity, will be aired at 11:30 p.m.', followed by an hour in which displaced persons in Euro- pean camps will be heard in carols. Niles Trammel’s contract, which | Premiere of “Birthday in Bethle- runs from Nov. 1, 1948, until Dec. | hem,” by Gene Bone and Howard 31. 1952, has not been changed, i Fenton with text by Frank He continues yearly. to get . $100,000 don, will be broadcast by 11:30 p.m. Sunday (24*. King- NBC at left the Cowles’ Minneapolis Star- Tribune farm for the office of Kingsley Murphy, former Tribune owner-publisher and now owner of KSO, CBS’ Des Moines outlet. Attached to the bird were “cor- dial greetings, warmest regards, happy Holiday. Signed, John Cowles,” Cowles and Murphy are directors in the Star-Tribune and have been closely associated in business for a decade. Meanwhile, with the turkey on its way, CBS brass and the Cowles triumvirate shook hands, the vibrations shak- ing loose the KSO-CBS Des Moines connection along with KSCJ’s Sioux City CBS affiliation. For ABC the switches, which take effect June 15, mean goodbye to WNAX, Yankton, and KRNT, Des Moines. The third Cowles .station, WCQP, Bo.ston, is not lo move under the CBS banner be- cause Columbia has its bwned-and- operated WEEI in the Hub, For Kingsley Murphy of KSO, 20*^0 stockholder in the Minne- apolis Star-Tribune, it was cold turkey for Christmas. Cowles had sold KSO to Miirphy in 1944. WDELTV WILMINGTON DELAWARE w\ WGAL'TV LANGASTEit PENNSYLVANIA STEINMAN stations C lair ft. McCollough, G*n*roi ManagtHr ky ROBERT MEEKER ASSOCIATES Chicago San Francisco How York Loi Angelos s- f'i' 's' x>'' '' *. CoRtlhiied from jiiage 22 a librarian who was fired, afl'cr 36 years on the job, because she .Sub- scribed to the Nitton, New Repub- lic and Negro Dige.st; a Berkeley college prof vvho refu.sed to sign a loyalty oath as a “freeze on ideas,” and a government employee who was dropped because 17 years ago, as part of a Bryn Mawr political science course, she had attended a Communist Party meeting. Stanzai ended with a discussion of the McCarran Act, which Pat- rick Murphy Malin, of the ACLU, termed “notorious because it un- dermines our greatest strength — Our ability to tolerate all opinions, unpopular as they may be.’^ Producer-director Hoiner Fick- ert lined up a name cast, including Melvyn Douglas as emcee and Kenny Delmar, Berry Kroeger, Anita Louise, Karl Malden, E. G. Marshall, Saiiford Meitner, Bui*- gess Meredith, Cameron Prud’- hornme, Joel Walsh, and Mary Wiekes, with Don ' Pardo as an- nouncer. Philip Lewis’ script was in a much-used format, that of 1 narrators expounding their views wer to its (f ff service an Wednc«Jay» Decemlter 20, 1!>50. RADIO-TELEVISION 33 insde Stuff— Television r E Hooper reportedly asking $2,000 eAch per month for sub- /*rii)tion to his projected Hooperecosder, new automatic audience {measurement device for video. Subscribers must also pay six months ^Devhie^ comprises an Instrument attached to video receivers, which wftuld transmit signals automatically to a central office via leased tele- phone wires. In that way, subscribers will be able to get a running J ount of their ratings during the time a show is being aired. Hooper plans to launch the system initially in N. Y., Chicago and Los Angeles. ' Net spokesmen, while favoring the idea of getting an on-the-spot rating noted that the system will lack the advantage inherent in wnnner’s present coincidental telephone measuring of learning the com- ^Uon (5 their audience. . Possible insight into the sympathetic attitude held by most sports fans for ex-heavyweight champ Joe Louis is contained in American Research Bureau ratings for November. NBC’s “Greatest Fights of the Century’’ on the Friday night rated featured films of the bout in which Louis wort his title from Jim Braddock. Fifteen-miniite program out- drew by three percentage points NBC’s “Gillette Cavalcade of Sports,’* with its standard pickups of fights from Madison Sq. Garden, N. Y. "Greatest Fights,” bankrolled by Chesebrough through the Cayton agency, follows Immediately after the Garden bouts on the NBC video w'eb Program grabbed a 24.5 rating, as Compared with the 24.2 drawn the same night by the Gillette bouts. Govt. Figrures to Vie In Amateur Hour Jan. 25 Washington, Dec. 19. For the second consecutive year, a Ted Mack “Original Amateur Hour,” featuring top figures in Government, Congress and the armed services, will be held here. Affair has been slated for Consti- tution Hall, Jan. 25, with the Women’s National Press Club sponsoring. Proceeds of the ticket sale will go to the armed forces’ associated services, to provide recreation for servicemen in the U.S. and abroad. Last year’s show was sponsored by the American Heart Assif. ’ Educational TV Posers Continued from page 25 NBC-TV Preems S-H Continued from page 25 separate control room, located on the old ninth-floor level of the studio. There are also separate control rooms for the video and audio technicians, separated by a glass curtain. This can be raised or lowered, to make it one or two rooms. ' , ■ . Studio is designed for use with six cameras, including one which is to be mounted oh a special Island suspended from the celling. This Is for high camera angles, as well as for “follow” spotlights. With the six cameras, the producer or director will have eight monitor screens before him— one for each of the cameras, one for the “preview” shot and one for the on-the-air picture. In addition, a ninth mon- itor can be used for remote camera pickups or for film transmission. Studio is also equipped with a 15x20-foot rear-projection screen, Jbelieved to be the largest ever used, as well as the standard 0x12- foot screen. There’s a small bal- cony for an audience with a capa- city of about 300, as well as 15 dressing-rooms and a plush-and- chromium makeup room. In addi- tion to the Montgomery show, the studio W^U also be used initially for “Kraft TV Theatre” and the “Musical Comedy Time” series. The American Chenteuse from Peril MILT SHAW * HORACE BIAZ •nd hli Orchfitro End hk Special New Year's Fva Party SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31ST CBS-Coy Continued from page 24 Don Lee Continued from page 23 know they’re on the spot so they’re improving the system.’* But, Johnson added, “we’ve never heard anyone tell us how much the system will cost . . * No one says anything about cost . . . Maybe that’s why they don’t come in.” . Bailey^ In reply to a question, said about RCA’s color: “I will say that even today RCA could not meet the requirements laid down by the Commission, bdt I must say they’ve come a long way since their original demon- stration.” Fisher pointed out that RCA has taken no legal steps that ^ would even suggest reopening the record. “No one can say,” he added, “ihat we saw an acceptable picture on the RCA system.” On one point, the were agreed: that the controversy has advanced the development of color tele- vision by many years. CBS and General Tire together would pay a total rental over a 10-year period of $5,200,000 for a building in L. A. which cost only $2,100,000 to construct after World War II and, in addition, assume taxes and maintenance costs. “Un- til the Commission obtains full in- formation regarding this deal,” it asserted, “one can rightfully specu- late how much trafficking in con- struction permits and applications is involved in this leasehold de- vice.” Other aspects of the deal were suggested for scrutiny. The peti- tion noted that General Tire, as o^\^ler of the Yankee Network, al- ready holds a 19% interest in the Mutual Broadcasting" System. With Don Lee’s 19% interest in Mutual, General Tire would have 38% of Mutual stock which, says the peti- tioni would be contrapr to the Mu- tual charter, which limits holding to not more than 25% except by consent of the other stockholders. In its opposition to the Pauley petition, General Tire offered three principal objections: (1) Tele California has no “standing” in the proceeding to transfer the Don Lee stations, (.2) the question as to the disposition of the Frisco TV appli- cation is “irrelevant” to the case and is “premature” at this time, and (3) the petition is “wholly frivolous and interposed solely for the purpose of delay.” General Tire pointed out that no proposal has been made for the assignment of the Frisco applica- tion and that there is no “immedi- ate question,” before the Commis- sion with respect to it. “It is obvious,” It asserted, “that no action taken by the Commission on the transfer applications in any way limits or prejudices the action that the Commission might later decide to take in connection with the San Francisco television appli- cation.” However, General said it would have no objection to the Commis- sion approving the sale without limiting or in any way, prejudic- ing whatever action it may later take bn the disposition of the channel. the minds of the teachers acquaint- ed with budgetary practicalities. Much-discussed alternative to actual ownership of teevee stations by schools was the increase of edu- cational programming by the com- mercial stations. Many of the radio educational projects ex- plained at the confab were com ducted in cooperation with regular AM stations which have devoted their public service air time to specific school programs. It’s en- visioned a similar pattern will de- velop in video. Along this line, delegiites heard with considerable interest NBC tele veepee Sylvester (Pat) Weav- er’s blueprinting of web’s “Opera- tion Frontal Lobes.” NBC exec outlined the ambitious public serv- ice project at the Wednesday (13) luncheon. He also took the oppor- tunity to answer some of the criti- cism that has been coming from educational circles about the pro- gram quality of teevee and its al- legedly harmful effect upon chil- dren. He emphatically denied , that NBC’s broadly patterned shows which are aimed at the “all-family, all-set” circulation, means the web is seeking the lowest common de- nominator in national tastes. But, rather, the network is seeking to develop shows that “all of the peo- ple like some of the time, rather than shows some of the people like all of the time,” he said. Weaver told thb educators that the appeal of popular shows is not necessarily infantile. He declared that the people who don’t care for Milton Berle are “statistically in- significant.” No official business was handled at the Conference, which was de- voted chiefly to workshop and panel sessions dealing with all phases of educational broadcasting. Natl Emergency Continued from page 24 coiild be builti it’s likely that the FCC will go ahead with processing Of applications, once the alloca- tions have been decided oh. In many cities there will be more ap- plications than channels avai^ble, and hearings will be necessary. It usually takes a year for permits to be granted on hearing cases. Even where no hearings are required, several months are required for processing an application. Under the emergency powers granted to the President, radio or television stations could be seized or shut down by the GovemmenU However, such authority was not exercised during World War II and it’s unlikely it would be used now. Presumably, the purpose of pro- viding such powers is to enable the Government to operate any stations, upon compensation to the owners, if such action is deemed necessary in the national interest. THAT REGISTER IN DETROIT We^re proud of tho successful company we keep on WJBK ■. C. MEMEDY CROSIEY MErMIGWATORS iLONDiX OAMRETT , lOMDEN'S INSTANT ednii IRANA TOOTHPAS I CAMEL CIO AMETTES lAPRANCi CHASE I SANBORN COPPER QAKlTl COLO ATI VEL PHILIP MORRII Follow these leaders and boost your wM WJBK TV. a CBS 3 m[J Du'^cnl atliiiale. WJBK-AM‘TV-DETROIT national sales HEADQUARTERS: 488 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK 22, ELDORADO 5-24 55 Represented Nationally by THE KATZ AGENCY. INC. AM-TV Role Continued from page 23 importance of morale among the. armed forces as well as on the home front. He said the broad- casters could perform an invalu- able service to the nation ana to the troops overseas* Secretary Sawyer and National Production Authority Administra- tor William H. Harrison asked the Council for facilities by which any problems requiring the aid of broadcasters could be handled quickly. Council members attending the conferences included reps of all major radio and TV networks, com- mercial and educational / stations, the Television Broadcasters Assn, and the "Radio-Television Manu- facturers Assn. Cordic’s Philco TV Deal Pittsburgh, Dec. 19. Rege Cordic, WWSW’s early morning . waker-upper and just about the hottest thing in radio around here these days, has signed for a TV, show, too. Philco’s tagged the comedy plat- . ter-spinner foi* a half-hour show ; every Wednesday afternoon on WDTV, beginning Jan. 4, with vir- , tually the same format he uses on i am every morning over indie sta^ tion between 6 and 9. Memphis— KWEM, West Mem- phis indie, booked up with Pro- gressive Broadcasting System, last w eek. takes more giant a. strides upward in Detroit . . Ground has been broken for WWJ-TV’s beautiful new television studio building, adjoining present WWJ studios. Scheduled for completion in the spring, the com- bined buildings will give Detroit a great Radio Center. The facilities housed in this new building will be in keeping with the importance of television as a selling medium in the Detroit market and WWJ-TV’s position as the Num- ber One television station. Because WWJ-TV Is 2 years ahead, and always 2 steps ahead, Detroiters tune to WWJ-TV first just as adverlisers turn to W WJ-TV first for results. PI3ST IN MICHIGAN UIWJ Owntd crnl Op^rottd hy THE DETROIT NEWS ^'BC Telet>ision Netueork JVafioiiallIrpre4ienfat*r^3iTMEGKOR(»KI*. IIOLLINf.BtRV CO.MPA. V ASSOCIATE AM-FM STATION WWJ s A I a s .& A K a a: .A .3 a a a a . « • « t < « I • • • • « I « a « • C / ' I : * f ( t f '} i ) ' ? QBCnESTRAS-llflJSIC Wednegdayt December 20^ 1950 ,By HERM SCHOENFELD, Gordon Jenkins Orch - The Weavers: “So Long’* - “Lonesome Traveler’* (DeccaV. The same team that ran away from the field with '‘Goodnight Irene” has come up with another likely smash in “So Long,” also a folk number. The “The Bandwagon” (Columbia). These are two fine Columbia long- play disks scored from a pair of legit musical hits of the 1930's. On both, Mary Martin delivers the click tunes from each show with backing from a Vocal chorus and an orch under Lehman Engel’s baton. Excellently equipped for this assignment, Miss Martin Weavers and Gordon Jenkins orch and chorus combine to make this | neatly dishes up “You’re the Top,’’ A rrtlnrfiil . Instv-flflvnred . deck. ! ^ 9,^ “Blow, Gabriel, Blow ’ from Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes.” From the Iloward-Dietz-Arthur Schwartz I show, “The Bandwagon,” she reg- \To isters in Superlative style oh such o num bors as “It Better Be Good ,” iflfi ‘.‘New Sun in the Sky” and “Danc- with ing in the Dark.” Ted Royal did a colorful, Tusty-flavored deck Reverse is ariother good, folk tune but the commercial values, are questionable. Jo Stafford: 'Tf”-“It Is Secret” (Columbia*. “If” ha definite potential; A fine ballad, it's ; sold by Miss. Stafford her customary tastefulness; Qh • the orchestrations. the re verse, she joins with a vocal quartet on a solid version of “Secret,” a religioso item that’s continuing to build in the pop market. Paul Westonr orch. back- grounds neaUy. Freddy Martin Orch: “Hullaba- lpo”-“Poetry” (Victor). Th is yer- sion of “Kullabaloo” has the .in- gredients for a big jock and juke ride. Martin’s orch gives this rous- Best British Sheet Sellers {Week ending Dec. 9) London^ D^c, 12. Rudolph Reindeer. . Chapjaell I Taw a Putty Tat . . Connelly Goodnight Irene . ..... Leeds Xmas in KlUarney , . . Connelly Mona Lisa . . . . . , . New World Sam’s Song. .... ... Sterling Beloved Be Faithful . . Pickwick Have 1 Told You . . . ^ • Leeds Autumn Leaves. .... .Maurice Orange Colored Sky. . Morris Ashes Of Roses . . . , . Connelly My Christmas Wish . . . . Reine Platter Pointers peorge Sira vo prclv has added a : sharp-sounding . platter to Coltim- ! bia -s “Dance Date” ipng'^play series . . Discovery has a couple of fine long-play di>ks by Paul Smith’s instrumental quartet and Mary Ann McCall, backed by Phil Moore’s orch . > . Frank Sinatra lias a fair cut of “You Don’t Re- Vera Lynn’s version of “Rainy Day Re- Second 12 Silver Po.llai' • > • • • , ^ • Pic If I Were Blackbird Box & Cox in English Garden V . . . . ; Sun I Only Saw Him Once . . Unit If I Loved You . ... Williamson Ferry Boitt Inn. ... .Connelly All My Love . V . . . . . ; . Maurice We’ll Keep a Welcome \ . Cox Bewitched . . Sterling Daddy's Little Qirl . . . . . . Yale Petite Waltz . . . . . , > Duchess Dream is a Wish . . ... . Disney MORRIS 250-POINT ASCAP HIKE E. H. Morris Music was granted a 250-point hike in its American Society of Composers, Authors and week. Morris three firms, E. H. Morris, Ing tiine ah energetic but smooth , ^ treatment with Mery Griffin han- ; dling the; vocal in effeoUve style, j ,7 __ Keverse is a. weak^ovelty.^ , _ ! dol.^ • ^ Benny JLee & Mai^^._ 1 Taut I okay on “Thinkihg of You” (King* ' Mayfair and Meirose Music, is now ®T J®®*- ; .. . . Jane Harvey's cut of the Stand- i about 3.300. A click in Eng' ard. ‘ All I Do Is Dream of You,” land, Puddy Tat is^ jnst ludi- jpjns , . Benny Strbne has crously infantile enough to attract a good cut of ‘ Dear Dear Dear" attention in the U. S; market, j foi- Capitol ... Fx^an Warren has Worse, but not much worse novel- . ^ good version of “Teardrops from ties have happened before. Benny ^y Eyes” (Victor) ; ... Teddy Wil- Lee & Mary ^^hver the lyric in i has fine sides in “Some- CLYDE McCOY ORCH (16) With 'Chris Abbott Hotel MuehlebaCh, K, C. Clyde McCoy la an established favofite of long standing around K. C., and always a welcome book- ing in the Terrace Grill of the Muehlebach. This is his Second stand in the room during 1950, and his sixth in the hotel during his career. As lead-man is an exponent of the niusiC'^is-foi’-those-who-pay-the- “hecks-school, music put out by this crew is the mccoy . in that re- spect, but good. It’s rhythmic, full-blown and rounded but in a number of styles. It’s embellished with the leader’s own waa-waas trumpet work, vocals by Chris Ab- bott, and McCoy’s veteran show- manship. It sums up as music for the dancers and patrons, strphgJy in the standard popular vein. Instrumentally crew is one of the bigger outfits to hit town, carrying five, reeds, trid of trom- bones; trio of trumpets in addi- tion, to McCoy’s famed specialty I work, and a rhythm section of pi^ * aiio, string bass, guitar and drums, i Arranging favors the brass in muted style; but calls for good deal of feature work from all sec- w , ^ 'tions in sending but widely varied Publishers availability Voting last • rijyf]|niic; anrl mixing up standard Total availability for Buddy . songs with hits of the day, Latins ! Raise in MorrisV rating followed by a week availability raises for Pickwich, a Leeds subsid; AVords & Music, jointly Owned by Jack I Robbins and Cork O’Keefe, and ; Isham Jones Music, owned by hokey baby-talk style^^with suitable i thing I Dreamed Last Night” and i accompaniment by the Stargazers , -The Shiek of Araby” (MGM) . . . | . — and Nat Temple s orch. . Reverse : 351, pewey’s orch dishes up more is an okay number but without j sides in “Castles in the any unusual pegs to latch on, j Sand” and “I’m the One Who Tallulah Bankhead: “You, Go to Loves You,” Tommy . Furtado My Head”- T’ll Be Seeing You” vocalling (yictor> . . . Toni Arden’s (Columbia). Initial waxing stint ; cut of “I’m Praying to St. ♦Chris- by Tallulah Bankhead has more itopher” is a good entry in the re- personality than musical interest. ' ligioso cycle (Columbia) . . . Les Sultry- voiced with more than a ; Brown orcli has a sharp version ' mentalists, leaves for Europe next j - , /suggestion of Marlene Dietrich in of “Thirsty for Your Kisses” (Co- .^veek to line up concert dates for her style, Tallu recites rather than i lumbia) . . . Another good version , . a j ^ n i ‘ - = -jV-jy wm. Kir 1 his stablc. . Aiiderson Will sIso 0.0. Anderson to Europe To 0.0. for Concerts Ernie Anderson, personal man- ager for Joe Bushkin. Bobby Hack- ett and a flock of other jazz instru- aiid novelties On the vocal score McCoy is bringing along young Chris Ab- bott, as romantic baritone bal- ladeer. Young singer has been \Vith the cre\v a little over a year, and has come along in that time. McCoy connection is his first big-, league connection, aiid Abbott now j the shows accomplished Work, usually on the sweeter styled songs. \Vith McCoy's renowned thumpet spe- cialties. such as the timeless “Su- gar Blues,” band rates highly in the entertainment department. Crew w'orks in various midw^est ■ clubs and theatres before heading r for Florida late in the winter. Quin, JIMMY MePARTLAND (9) Jazz at 76 Warrenton, Boston Jimmy McPartland, long asso- ciated with jazz and exponent of the Bix school of corneting, is cur- rently breaking in a nifty six-piece combo at Steve Connolly’s newly Opened downtown jazz spot, Jazz at 76 Warrenton, with solid overall results. McPavtland, Whose sur- rounding all-star setup includes his wife, Marian Page, an 88-er who stacksS up with the best in the jazz idiom; trombonist Vic Dicken- son; clarinetist Buster Bailey, and ex-Keriton sideinen, bassist Max Wayne and druitimer Bob Varney, has Aveldod a formidable group whose individual styles comple- ment each other solidly. This in it- self is quite an accomplishment,, for the rhythm section tends to be on a modern kick while the front- line hews to the more traditional. While ensemble playing accents dixieland, McPartland wisely gives group plenty of solo Spots to show- case talents, with Dickenson pur- veying a solid sense of humor via tromboning “Blues in the Night,' • Bailey some topnotch technical manipulating of “Body and Soul,” w'ith Max Wayne getting in his licks with his own composition, “The Black Cat.” As for Miss Page, Versatile gal dishes out sock pionoing, whether soloing “Yester- day” in modern vein or backing soloists in accepted dixieland style. She has a terrific beat combined with taste and showmanship sav\v, . McPartland, plenty articulate m. c. with a casual, informal man- ner. succeeds in making each set a production, meanwhile sparking crew through such standards as “Squeeze Me” and “That’s a Plenty” with the solid corneting that has long been his trademark. Following group’s Hub date, Mc- Partland and rhythm section fill an engagement in Columbus, O., after which Dickenson and Bailey rejoin for booking in Toronto, with lineup remaining intact for future record and bistro dates. EUe. sings these standards with her usual disdain for such conven- tionas as flats and sharps. Her fans will approve. Joe Bushkin and string orch give polished backgrounds. Margaret Whiting: “Over and Over and Over” - “The Moon was Yellow” (Capitol). “Over” haunting-type ballad that Whiting renders in dramatic style, with a big assist from a striking orchestral background. On the flip. Miss Whiting delivers the standard in Effective style. Frank DeVol’s orch provides superb framework. Buddy Morrow Orch: ‘Rio Rita”-“ShadOvv Waltz”; “I’m Mov- 1 ing On’’-“Little Grey Home in the West” (Victor). These latest sides by the new Buddy Morrow orch have a clean bounce style with Morrow’s standout trombone lead- ling the swinging instrumentation, sans the Tommy Dorsey style. Combo scores strongly on such standards as “Rio Rita,” delivered in smooth tempo, and “Moving On,” di.shed out on a rocking beat. Album Reviews Robert Alda-Yivian Blaine-Satn Levene: “Guys and Dolls” (Decca). Out of Frank Loesser’s Click legit musical, Decca has packaged the standout original cast showtune set of many seasons^ Loesser’s stature as an original and versa- tile lyricist and. composer, with frequent flashes of billiancy, is fully revealed on w'ax w-here tlie tunes have to stand up on their essential merit. The racy humor of the' show has been caught in this 12-inch long-play platter as well as the romantic interludes. Vivian Blaine’s delivery of “Ade- laide’s Lament” is great; equalled Humorous-Folk Songs In Kalmanoff-Baer Concert 50 Jazz-Swing Disks of “My Heart Cries for You” by ! ' In Col R6-Rcl6aS6 Evelyn' Knight and 'Red FolCy for booking situation fdi a numbei j Columbia Records, lii an effort Decca. j of Joe Glaser s attractions, such to further penetrate the rhythm! Composer Martin Kalmanoff pre- standout folk, jazz, | 'I® and blues market, is releasing some sented ‘a group of his serious, hu- 50 couplings of its old jazz and imoroux ahd folk songs in a recital swing releases. Diskery Is taking | last Wednesday ( 13 ) at Times Hall, its best numbers and backing them N. Y. Kalmanoff, whose pop copy- for another European swing early next year. Anderson ' Will hit Stockholm. Co- penhageii, Brussels, Paris and Lon- don, the main stopover; points for jazz concertizers. polka, religious, etc: Tampa Red, “Don’t Blame Shorty for That” (Victor) . , . Le Fevre Trio, “Swing _ Down , Chariot” (Bibletone) . . . is a ! Kenny Roberts, “Cry Baby Blues” Miss I ^ Coral) ... Sister Rosetta Tharpe, “Heaven Is Not My Home” (Decca) . . . Cecil Campbell’s Tennessee Ramblei-s, ';Steel Guitar Rag” (Vic- COEAI ADDS lYN MURRAY tor) . . Elton Bntt/ “Lost and i r. j t, jj j Found Blues” (VictorV , . . Bud / Records has added the iMessrier, “Skyliners Boogie” (Ab- Murray orch and choir to its jbey) . . . Dorothy Ann, “Sam. Don’t ; talent roster. Deal calls for sev- I Slain the Door” (Abbey) .. . Mr. ' eral sides with options. I Goon Bones & Barney Lantz, ' The Decca subsid has also inked I “When You Wore a. Tulip” (Mer- ■ Nick Perito, accordionist, to a deal eury). ■ * also calling for a few sides. on now 78s for marketing rhythm and blues territories. Among the artists on the reissues are Billy Holliday, Jirnmy Lunce- ford. Lucky Millinder, Count Basie and Johnny. Hodges. Present Co- lumbia r&b setup has only about eight artists actively recording. Move is designed to expand the de- partment's coverage without adding artists. P^RIETY Week of Dec. 16 J 1. 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. by her duet with Sairi Levene on “Sue Me.” Isabel Bigley neatly works over “If I Were a Bell” 'in straight style and teams .with Robert Alda on a flpck of good ballads. Alda’s pipes are' okay enough for the job. Stubby Kayer Johiiiiy Silver and Fat Rooney, Sr., deliver flavorsomely on such tunes as .‘;The Oldest Established Crap Game,” “Guys and Dolls,” and “More I Cannot 'Wish You.” Other standout items among the 16 num-. bers in this set are “Take. Back Your Mink,” . vocalled by Miss Blaine and a femme chorus, and “Luck Be t. Lady,” delivered ade- quately by Alda. Irving Actman is musical director with George i ^ Bassman and Ted Royal responsir ( ble for the orchestrations and ; Herbert Greene for the ■vocal ar- j ^ ran,gcmtnls. Mary Martiii: “Anythiijg Goes”- TENNESSEE WALTZ (4) (Actiff-R) THE THING (4) (Hollis) ..... ALL MY LOVE (15) (Mills) . . . HARBOR LIGHTS (9) (Ci^ppell) . NEVERTHELESS (7) (Chappell) .. ORANGE colored SKY ( 8) (Frank) THINKING OF YOU (4) (Remick) . , CAN ANYONE explain '(16) (ValandoV rLL ALWAYS LOVE YOU (5) (Famous) I’LL NEVER BE FREE (1,2) (Valando) • « • • • • • « * • t * • 4 • « » . • * • • V • * • I • * » • • « « f « * « Pcitii Page . . Phil Harris.. Patti Page. , Sammy Kaye \ P,alph Flanagan ... . . . . . I Mills Bros. ... ... . . King Colc-Stan Kenton. ' y Don Cherry ] Eddie Fisher. Ames Bws. Dean lyjdrti'-. . . Kay Starr Tenii. Ernie . , Mercury . . . .Victor . . M creury .Columbia . , .^-Victor . . . Decca Capitol Decca .Victor . Coral Capitol Capitol Second Croup • ‘ I . t « * . f 4. MY HEART CRIES FOR YOU (Massey) A BUSHEL AND A peck (Mbrri^^^ , . TO THINK YOU’VE CHOSEN ME (Valandd) . OH BABE (Alamo) . ..... .Guy MiicheU-M., Miller Columbia \ Mag Whiting- J im Wakety Capitol } Betiy Hutton Perry Comp . Victor THIRSTY FOR YOtIR KISSES (Mutual) MARSHMALLOW WORLD (Shapiro-B) : PATRICIA .(BVC): ■ THE ROVING KIND (Hollis) . CHRISTMAS IN KILLARNEY (Remick) LA VIE EN ROSE (13) (HarinsI ... f t. 4 • ' 4 • • 4 GOODNIGHT IRENE (i7) (SpCncer) MONA LISA (20) (Paramount) 4 4 4-4 4 • * Eddy Howard \ Aines Brost .-. I Louis Prime . \ Ames Bros. I MlUs Bros Vaughn Monroe Perry Cotrio Guy Mitchell . Percy Faith,. . Tony. Murtir : ... Mercury Coral ..Robin Flood Coral .Decca V* • • . Victor Victor Columbia Columbia Victor I. 4. » 4 « 4 4 4 • 4 4 • • 444-44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,4 • 4 4 • • ••444 DREAM A LITTLE DREA.M (Words & Music) PETITE WALTZ (Diiehess) BE MY LOVE (Miller) . {Figures tn parentheses indicate numhe* oj in eks song has been tn the Top lOJ t » ♦ t ♦ ♦ ♦ » ♦ ♦♦♦♦4 ♦ 4 4 4 ! ♦ » ♦♦■4 ♦ 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ f 4 • «,« 4 4 4 4 ] Gordon. Jenkims WeaveXs Disced f Frank Sinatr I . , ; . . . .Columbia • « • > . 'Capitol . • • • • . . . ■ l^e.cca .Mercury .pecca .Victor in rights include the current “Just |sa_y I Love Her” and “At a Side- walk Penny Arcade,” has taken. numerous poems and set them to music, with varying result.s. Among the more melodic of his i works are A. E. Houseman’s “Wlien I Was One-and:Twenly,” “The Lord Is My Shepherd” and “Ou Ton Coeur Se Pose,” from a poem by Victor Hugo. Kalmanoff has also taken some humorous verse and set It to equally light and humorous mu.sic. The best are a song-cycle ; of poems written by Edwin Mar- tenet ; “The Commuter’s Carol,” a poem by Atra Baer, who is Kal- manoff’s Wife, a journalist and daughter of Hearst humorist Ar- thur “Bugs” Baer; “Moo,” from a poem by Robert Hillyer, and “To J iMy (?) Cat,” by Miss Baer. About half the lyrics on the pro- gram were written by Miss Baer. Among the best are two folk songs, “Brandy Is My True Love’s Name” and “Adam’s Lament.” Lyrical but somewhat superficial is “Met- ropolitan Folk-Songs,” a song-cycle consisting of six parts; Lyrics are by Miss Baer and the work dedi- cated to her father. Closing por- tion of the program was excerpts from Kalmanoff’s and Miss Baer’s prize-winning opera, “Fit for ' a King.”;-': Soloists were Nancy Kenyon, a soprano who a few years ago was ' Seen on Broadway as Magnolia in the revival of “Show Boat,” and James Beni, baritone. Miss Ken- yon, who, in addition to an excel- lent voice, knows how to hold an audience, treated her songs warmly and delicately, Beni, a little stiff at first, proved equally capable as the evening progressed. Kalman- off accompanied at the piano. Chan. V King C' tie Trio IVictoi Young FrankW Lain^ . Guy hombnrdc Mario Lanza • « 4 • 4 4 COLEMAlir JOINS CABLE Roger Coleman has joined the Frankie (^arle orch as vocalist. He formerly worked as a single in the midwest. , Band has been functioning in re- cent mofiths With just songstress Joan House, who’ll continue Coleman. OIIClIESTBAS>M1J$lC P^RiffTY Wednesday^ December 20, 1950% Decca copped the album rights to the click Frank Loesser* “Guys juiid Dolls*' legit musical on a holdover deal with Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin, the show’s producers. Diskery originally agreed to wax the tunes from Feuer-Martin production of “Whc’ce s Charley, with Ray Bolger starring, if the producers turned over the album rights on their next show. At present, the “Guys and Dolls set looks like the hot- test wax property since Columbia. Records’ “South Pacific’’ and Decca s •’Oklahoma.” Feuer and Martin, meantime, are still holding back on generah re- lease of several special material .songs from “Guys,” ’Tunes, such as “Adelaide’s Lament,” are being barred from radio and video in attempt, according to the producers, to save their freshness in the show. _ Its understood, however, that Decca would prefer a release on these tunes to spur sales of the showtune album. Incidentally, “Bushel aiid a jPeck/’ Xocsser tune from “^ys/^ has become the first show tune of the season to break into the No. 1 spot of the “Hit Parade.’’ Number was given a general release several months ago and steadily forged ahead of the flock of other pop tunes from the Irving Berlin show, “Call Me Madam,” and the Cole Porter musical, “Out of This World.” Tunes from the latter show started late, but are coming up. From ‘'Call Me Madam,” “You’re Just In Love and “It’s a Lovely Day” are also showing strongly in the pop market. > Recent settlement of Solly Loft’s N. Y. supreme' court suit against Nick Campbell came about after a three-hour Dec. 5 trial in W'hich only tile plaintiff took the stand. Following the testimony, Campbell’s attorney, Morris Gold, inoyed for dismissal of the action. .However, . Justice Edgar Nathan reserved decision on the motion, then called the litigants into his chambers and advised settlement. Adjustment totaled $10,500, according to Campbell, which he will I pay Loft over a period of time: Amount represents only money ae- ' tuallv owed to Loft. Although Campbell did not testify at the trial, he feels that the outconie of the proceedings represents a victory for him since Loft was suing for. a pOCh interest in Campbell Music and Cornell j Music. Inasmuch as Loft agreed to the settlement, the court never ruled upon the partnership, aspects of the case. A novel promotion has been effected by Dick Bradley, president of Tower Records, Chi indie label, in connection with his Bernie Mann oreh recording of “Toast to Happiness,” new tune published by Dix Music, a Ghi Broadcast Music, Inc., publisher. Bradley is distributing to all disk jockeys a small bottle of wine, given to him by the Mogen David Co., arid a miniature loaf of bread, promoted from Continental Baking Co. Idea is, of course, a toast with the wine and bread, with the disk jockeys playing the record. Bradley is in New York, incidentally, setting eastern promotion on ! the disk, which is Mann’s first for Tower; He’ll return home for Christ- mas, then go to the Coast to start promotion there. Mann has cut 10 sides for Tower, but “Toast,” backed by “When You’re Smiling,” will j be the only release for a while. Top Song* Qii TVi (Alphabetically Listed) (Based on copyrighted A«- dience Coverage Index and Audience Trend Index, pub- lished by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman, director) Week of Dec. 8-14 La Vie En Rose . . . , . . , Harms Nevertheless ........ Chappell Gh Babe ... ...... Alamo Rudolph Reindeer . St, Nicholas Thinking Of You. . . .Remick 5 Top Standards Diamonds Girl’s Best Friend. . . . . ..... . . . Robbins Just One Those Things. Harms Stout-Hearted Men . ... Harms You’re The Only Star Shapiro You’re The Top : . . ... . Harms Bid to Louis Armstrong for a month-long stand at the Palladium, Hollywood, next spring at a flat $4,000 per week, marks the first time liie terpery has attempted to book a predominantly Negro organization for a run. Colored combos have played the spot, but generally on one-night basis for benefits, etc. Many name bands on regular book- ings have used Negro sidemen in playing the spot but no colored leader ever had an engagement there. Palladium w'ould use Satchmo’s sextet (Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Barney ,Bigafd, Cozy Cole, Arvell Shaw and vocalist Velma Middleton), currently at the Oasis, L. A., as a lure, and have another band on hand to handle terp chores. Amateur high school bands will strut in the Pasadena Rose Parade on New Year’s Day as a result of a deal struck by American Federa- tion of Musicians and the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. In return for letting the tyros parade, officials have agreed to use 112 profes- sional windjammers at $25 per head — a total of $2,800. Deal is similar to that made for the Thanksgiving Eve Santa Claus Lane Parade in Hollywood when tyro tooters were blessed because $2,000 worth of professional musicians also were, hired. RCA Victor is trying to figure out what label to use for a pair of sides dueled by Fran Warren and Ezio Pinza. Chirp, a popular artist, always records on RCA black label platters. Pinza’s records have al- ways been in the Red label series. Diskery may solve the problem by putting the pairings put on the green showtune label. Coast recording date with Pinza was part of a double effort for Miss Warren. Flown to the Coast at the plattery’s expense, she also checked in for a wax session with Tony Martin. Benny Benjamin and George Weiss, tunesmiths under contract to Laurel Music, were given special dispensation by the pubbery to join Sammy Kaye in the writing of a number labeled “My Dear Little Girl of Theta Chi.” Tune, scheduled to be out in January, is being pub- lished by Kaye’s World Music (ASCAP)* Number was penned as a tribute to Kaye’s fraternity. Theta Chi, and will be pushed throughout the country by members of the Greek letter society. Report that RCA has put up $50,000 for 12i/^% Of the “Make a Wish,” Jule Styne-Harry Rigby legit musical, is o^ by a decimal point. Corporatiori will probably put up about $5,000 for the legit musical, an adaptation from Ferenc Molnaris “The Good Fairy,” with book by Preston Sturges and score by Hugh Martin; That sum will give RCA Victor first refusal rights on the original cast showtune. album, which is the prime reason for the investment. Mrs. Irene Williams, blirid retired musician, who is having one of her old ballads, “Some Other Spring,” pubiished by Edvvard B. Marks, was once the leader of an orch under the name of Irene Edey.^^^v^ Was formerly married to Teddy Wilson, the jazz pianist, / Jerry Johnson In George Simon Tieup ■ Jerry Johnson, who exited as a partner in Michael Music a few months ago, has. teamed with George Simon, head of George Simon Music and Simon House Mu- sic. Latter pubbery is affiliated with Broadcast Music, Inc., while former is assoeiated with the Amer- ican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. . Johnson Will represent orgs in the east, while Simon will serve as Coast rep.: Johnson, incidentally, has his own catalog. Hunter Music, composed of all of Michael’s re- corded tunes, which he took when he left the outfit. Simon is also selling- agenV -for Bradshaw Music. Hollywood, Dec. 19, Television’s power as a talent builder is shown in. the skyrocket- ing Coast career of Ina Ray Hut- ton, whose all-girl orch currently ; is one of the hottest musical lures | in the area, i Last summer Mi.ss Hutton was > virtually unknown oii the Coast, i Although she had batoned bands ' for years, slie had never played : a Coast date until she essayed a stand at the Aragon ballroom with ; a distaff band she had formed out j of members Of Local 47. Terpery at that time had a regularly- beamed television program. The Aragon shot led telestation KTLA to build a program around Miss Hutton and her 12 sidewomen, and Altes Beer quickly, arranged to bankroll the layout. Soon, General Artists Corp., which books Miss Hutton, began receiving bids from ballrooms in the area, and from private parties. Batoneer began ac- cepting weekend dates which do not conflict with her Tuesday pro- gram or its rehearsals. Original bookings were at $750 nightly against 60% for ballrooms and a flat $1,000 for private parties. On recent dates she has been going into percentage, grabbing over $1,600 in Balboa and $1,500 in Po- mona. Latter date, incidentally, set a precedent, the terpery actually getting a total of 82 reservations. Management, which had never be- fore had a reservation, figures that as proof that Miss Hutton is luring an entirely new type of patron to the spot. Latest deal is for five consecu- tive nights at Hawthorne ballroom, recently bought by Eddie DeSure. She starts next Tuesday (26) at a flat $5,000 for the stand. Deal also is being talked for a Giro’s stand In February. Miss Hutton’s personal take on the KTLA show, after paying all salaries, is $545 weekly. Gel Peer Cook’s Tour A new form of education will b.e given to lyricists by Peer Interr national Miisic Co. Peer will send its lyricists employed in the adapta- tion of foreign, tunes for American pUbiication to countries outside the U. S. to absorb folk styles and man- nerisms, according to general man- agrr Ben S.elvin. Eirst lyricist to go abroad under tliv irogram will be Albert Gamse, who wrote- the English lyrics for “Anuipola” and “Yours.” Gamse Will vi.rit Brazil during the “carni- val” festivals, in which folk music plays a rriajor part, to absorb back- ground for bis future English adaptations of Brazilian tunes. Survey Week of Dec. 8-14, 1950 The top ZO songs of the week (more in case of ties), based on the copyrighted Audience Coverage Index Survey of Popular Music Broadcast over Radio Networks. Published by the Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman, Director. Alphabetically listed. A Bushel and a Peck--*“Guys and Dolls” . ..... ♦ , Morris A Marshmallow World : . . . . ShapirO-B All I\4y Love ... • . ■ . . .... . • . » » • . • • • .IVIills And You’ll Be Home — . . .......... . . .Burke-VH Be My Love-^1“Toast of New Orleans” ... . . . . , . , .MiHor Best Thing For You— ♦“Call Me Madam” . ... . . . . . . Berlin Can't Seem To Laugh Anymore .... . . . . • •••• . . . . • Drey CT Christmas In Killarney . . .. .......... . Remick Frosty the Snow Man . ... .... . ... . ... . > . . ; ... Hill & Range Get Out Those Old Records . . . . . . , . , , . . . . . . ^ . i ^ BVC Harbor Lights ' . . . . : . . . . ...... . . . , ... ... . . . . . .Chappell I Am Loved— ♦“Out of This World” ............. Chappell If I Were a Bell— ♦“Guys and Dolls” . .7, . . . . . Morris If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time . . ... , . , Peer I’ll Always Loye You— 1 “Friend Irma Goes West”. , Famous I’m In the Middle of a Riddle . . . . . . . . : . . . , .Robbins It’s a Lovely Daj^ Today— ♦‘‘Gall Me Madam”. Berlin La Vie En Rose . . . . . . . . . ..... ... ... Harms Life Is So Peculiar— 1 “Mr. Music” , . . . ... . , . . . . . . Burkc-VH Looks Like a Cold Gold Winter . . .... ... , , , . . , ... Lombardo My Heart Cries’ For You . . ...... . .... . . . , . . . Massey Nevertheless— :1''“Three Little Words” .... . . .. ... . . . Chappell Once You Find Your Guy .. . . ................... Harms Orange Colored Sky ...... . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . ... . . . • Frank Patricia' . . . ...... .' . . ..... .......... B V C Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer . , . . . . . . St. Nicholas Silver Bclls^-! “Lemon Drop Kid” ...... ... ... . . . Raramoinit Tennessee Waltz , . ; . ; . . . . . . . . . . , • • . ^ . ... ..... , . Acufl’-Rose Time Out For Tears ; . . . . . . Republic The Thing \ . . . . . ; . . . : . . . , . . . . . ..... : . ... ... ... . Hollis Thinking Of You— ;!;“Thre,e Little Words” .... .. .. Remick You Love Me — ■“The West Point Story” . . . ... . . . . Witmark You’re Just 111 Love — ♦“Gall Me IMadam” Berlin TUe remaining 20 so^ms pj the ireek (more in cose of tics), based on. the copyright Aiidicnce Coverage Index Survey of Popu- lar Music Broadcast over Radio N ctieorks. Published by the Clffice of Research, Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman, Director. Alphabeticany listed. Beyond the Reef * :Laurel Blue Christmas Choice Button Up Your Overcoat ...................... Crawford Christmas Syinpliony Disney Could Be BMl Here Comes the Fatte.st Man In To\A n . . . , ... , ... . . Life I. Love the Guy (I Love the Girl) ........ . Shapiro B I’ll Get By— i “i’li Get By” .: ..Bourne Never Been In Love Before— ♦“Call ^Te Madam”. . Morris Jing-A-Ling Jing-A-Ling ....................... . Disnej’^^ Longing . . .Knick'b’ck’r Lucky Lucky Lucky Me .Santly-Joy My Dream Christmas . . . ............ . .Life Night Is Young and You’re So Beautiful. Words-Music Ocarina— ♦“Call Me Madani” Berlin Petite Waltz ... . . : .Duchess Sea Of the Moon Robbins Sleigh Ride ... Mills So Long Sally ^ . .Oxford Timeless ..... : . Weiss Tonight Be Tender To Me ...................... Life Where Do 1 Go From You, . . . .... ............... .Paxton i Filmusical. * Legit musical. ASCAP-H’wood Continued fiom page 35 UP TO 10 FILM SCORES FOR BIG 3 PLUGGING The Big Three — rRobbins, Feist and Miller Music— will have one of its busiest schedules in years in 1951. The M-G-M subsidiaries will have anywhere from eight to 10 film scores to work on, in. addition to pop tunes already purchased or contemplated. Firms figure to have six or seven scores from Metro musicals, plus at least a couple from 20th-Fox, which owns a 2S% interest in the Big Three.. Robbins has already set to work on the score of Metro’s Pagan Love Song,” which preems Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) at the N. Y. Capitol theatre. Oh tap for January plugs is J e score of “Roy- al Wedding ” from which firms are scheduied to work on live tunes. Probability is that Jhc score will be split between Feist and Miller; Metro would like to make all five tunes plug songs. . Berneir, J ones Team Plollyvvood, Dec, 19. Sara Berner will etch a total of Six sides with Spike Jones on RCA Victor in the next 12 riionths. She’ll receive billing, on all platters and a share of tlie royalties* Contract allows Miss Berner, aft- er a six-mpiith lapse, to accept oth- er recording chores provided baek- ! stopping doesn’t reflect zaiiy baton- ! .cer’ii st^le. . * , . , , ... ... 4 I theatres which have stage shows or ' play music between films. This sum, however, will far from make up the loss ASCAP is taking from the motion picture industry as a whole. ! Feb. 1 Deadline ' ASCAP, meantime, nolified the ' indie television stations last week that its interim agreement now in ; effect will be suspended after Feb. ! 1, 1950. In making the move,; ASCAP prexy Otto A. Harbach de- , dared that the negotiations with , the TV stations for a blanket, or ; per-program, license had stretched i over a longer period than expected; and that ASCAP would no lon.gcr grant extensions of the interim ar- rangement. ASCAP is giving the TV outlets a ehoice between a blanket license or a per program license if they wish to Use the Society’s rinisic starting in Fcbruai’y. if a statibn doesn’t want either form of licens- ing, ASCAP is allowing the stations to license its compositions on an individual basis. Harbach further pointed but that if the stations rejected all pro- posed ASCAP fees, they could bring the matter into Federal court for a determination of a reason- able fee as provided for in, the Government’s antitrust decree. It’s believed that if the stations take the case into court, ASCAP will ask for stiffer fees than how proposed. ASCAP execs are urging tlic in- die : stations to; adopt the blanket license in order to avoid book- keepilig arid logging difTiculties for the Society. It’s pointed out that the stations will benefit from a blanket license also since they will be free of all copyiright tangles and will also Save on administration costs. The savings from bookkeep- ing alone, .it’s - argued^ would-mGi»e* than make up for any savings on a per program deal. ^ ASCAP notified the Television Per Program Committee of the TV industry, Which is handling the negotiations for the indie outlets, that rates on the per program liccn.ses “would bear a reasonable relationship to the blanket license,” meaning that the per program fees would be slightly higher due to administrative expenses. AS(3AP currently has blanket licensing arrangements with all the major video webs, based on a percentage of each network’s revenues. 8 SHERATON HOTaS IN CANADA GET AFM NIX Toronto, Dec. 19. The eight Sheraton hotels iri Canada this week were put on a “blacklist” by the Toronto Musical Prolecli ve^^ssri. ahd the American [ Federatiori~:bT' Musicians. W. M. Murdoch, secretary of the local, said that all union men at Shera- ton hotels in Ontario have been withdyawn and that inusicians playing the chain’s Quebec hotels would be withdrawn when present contracts expire. ^ Blacklisting followed a dispute at the King Edward hotel here. After the chain bought the hotel from Vernon G* Cardy last winter, 16 musicians were given notice. While the chain later offered to re- , tain eight men, the union insisted that all be rehired. It then black- listed the hotel, and the AFM ex- tended the bah to all Sheraton hotels. M-G-M Sighs Pair M-G-M Records last week two. folk singers to its talent Gene McGhee, Knoxville singer, and "Happy Wilson, ingham singer. Initial releases of both are sched- Illorl frki' T.on added roster, radio Birm- ^^^edneeday, December 20, 1950 Following the* breakdown of rie^-f gollations with American Federa- tion of Musicians Local 802, New York niiery owners face the pros- pect of a musicians walkout before the end of the week. Local 802 execs announced yesterday (Tues.) that they plan a strike against all top N Y. cafes and" hotels which Les Brown's prch takes off on I another sex’ies of flying one-niters in February, playing five dates in SIX nights over several thousand miles. Qrew, which has been booked between two of the Bob Hope Tuesday night radio shows ! on Which it plays, will hit Salt WM Pacts Winterhalter For TV, Theatre Dates . Hugo Winterhalter, RCA Victor musical director, has been inked ' to an overall management pact by William Morris. Pact, which will I run for three years, will cover ! projected video and personal a P* | pearance bookings for the baton- OllCllESTRAS-MUSIC •f Price of popular sheet music, currently centered at about 35c, is likely to be hiked Within a few weeks to 40c by the vast majority of dealers, With practically all the jail to come to terms with musi- ^ |Lake City, 7; Hutchinsdn, ciaiis, . j Hob. 8{ Lansing, Mich., Feb. I nlon has been demanding a ; 9-10;. Milwaukee, Feb, 11, and Tulsa, Feh 12. Browm has been guaranteed , $12,500 for the six nights against I ^ mV ' V I Moving into the concert field for ! ‘he first time, oi-garn^^ . . lUb uisKciy pose. [ grossed an estimated $3,100 for a j Publishers having announced Deal t^'as negotiated, by Milt | two-hour solo performance last price increases to 23c, Ebbins, Winterhalter’s personal] Tuesday (12) at the Lyric theatre, 1 and jobbers selling their copies at manager, wdth the Morris agen''^'. 3 Allentown, Assisted by a fbur-Tman to 30c; its figured that few re^ — . ! rhythm unit, El Bando Carioca, she ' Jailers will be able to hold the ; played such tunes as ‘‘Tieo, Tico’* * “ and related anecdotes of her re- cent European trip. BritDeca Uses wage hike plus 3% welfare fund impost, to be paid exclusively bv management. Operators coup- ; percentages. Associated Booking ' Ict ed Svitiv a flat 10% offer, but [ Corp, handled the dates. i balked at tax. Union has raised this demand to the level of a principle Whirh it refuses to compromise. /VlVecled wdll be some 250 spots of all descriptions^ including . all nit erie.s, hotels, cocktail lounges and restaurants with music. Operators declare that with cur- . rcMit conditions,, it’s impossible to absorb the increased music scale and still come out ahead. In the la rge r ca les , such as the Gppaca- baha. Latin Quarter and Diamond • « -j*- price line. Thus, the publishers face a pps- : sible further shrinkage of an air In a twp-w'eek period early this i t^eady severely shrunken copy mar- month, Miss Smith appeared with | ket. There vvaiS nothing they Could the Indianapolis Symph at the ; do, however— cost pressures have I Murat theatre, Indianapolis, Dec, 3, i proved too great. A number of key followed with the Allentown stand | Publishers had announced ijo Oc- Mnnfi Miic,-/. is current at Radio City thea- ' tober that they would raise prices rmH Minneapolis. Booked by 1 effective Dec. 1. Despite a 5% artivatprf ^ j .Charles H, Hansen, , she next goes . hike in the cost of printing at that FVm d I Chicago theatre, Chi, for I time, a _ number; of key publishers to Hmsc.-ihoe. Increase asked by^ the ! producers " BritainVl^artinr I Chicago shortly. Initial plug tune u r X ..1 4. to compete in the U. S. market ac- Mood w'as originally set up to . 1. be bonifaces .feel that menu cordine tn Harr« Sarf/^ri publish tunes from Cohimhia Pip- The bonifaces feel that menu prices have reached their peak and it’s .suicidal to raise food and liciiior prices. They’ve just come Ihiough with sizable Increases to to compete in the U. S. market, ac- cording to Harry Sartoh, British Decca artists and repertory chief currently in this country. ‘British Decca, which releases in the U, addUionar music cS^s'^wS f i -oason ;.p:'.iatiom*tlley dSe?“‘ i Li!..”'* differently styled back- ; »u^io_h_andle_^Go_lumbia_ pic Mood w'as originally set up to publish tunes from Columbia Pic tures under a deal that S-B had W'ith the studio. The firm’s biggest hit, before being deactivated, was “The Anniversary Waltz,’’ from the A1 Jolson biopic, “The jolson Firm, ai. affiliate of S-B and partly-l two weeks stalling owned by Decca Records, Will 4 starting Dec. 22. headed by Marvin Cane; w'ho takes ! over the general professional post. Cane, who is perscnal manager for Vic Damone, wdll continue to han- ! die Damone while managing the pub firm. (jane said that Mood plans to Following the footsteps of its film Vwt.^^L'lS'* iroducers. Britain’., leaHin., Shortly. Initial plug tune held Out oh a price increase. How- ever, some printers last week riotiw fied publishers that they were rais-? ing printing prices 10% after the first Of the year, and that another 10% hike would probably be ef- fected by early spring. This, plus the fact that arrangers and copyists and white collar help are getting wage increases, proved too much for the holdout publish- ers, and they have’ announced in- i creases effective Jan. 1, on new I songs. They can’t raise prices on Publishers no longer w'ill have j songs already on the stands. Among to print popular-priced editions of [those announcing increases for the revivals in order to secure “rack” I first of the year were Robbins, On PS ‘Rack’ grounds. Some of the more militant oper- j Sarton, how'ever, pointed up the standing, ators feel that they would welcome ! Close correlation between pop hits I “ closing up for a w'hile at this point. ! purrent in both the U. S. and Eng- The larger, cafes say they are cur- j i renlly operating at losses reach- ing as high as $10,000 weekly. With tunes under an informal under- Ihe e.xception of New Year’s eve. business February, and a closing at this point would eliminate a lot of po- tential los.se.s. Most of the large cafes are cliargirig $1 per drink and they feel that it’s the limit wuth cur- rent conditions. An increased scale, it’s felt, would force upward revision of charges' on the wine list, and they think the public won’t take it. land. While England follow''S the | DREYFUS STILL SEEKS TO orders for tlie songs, Mu^,c Deal- ers Service, with its rack of nearly 100,000 copies, will now permit publishers— -if they so choose— to ! catalogs. Feist and Miller— -the Big Three, and Tommy VaJando for his Lau- rel, Valando and Mark Warnow sell revivals through the rack in higher-priced editions. Currently, printing situation is in a state of utter confusion, and American pattern, he decried talk of America “dominating’" the Brit- ish market to the exclusion of na** will coSe off untli -nl Publishers. He said that an examination of BUY OUTLEO TALENT Once a hit song has subsided, | it’s not entirely the fault of the publishers generally place it in [ printers. Paper supply has been their catalog as “dead” material I fluctuating wildly ever since the l and print editions retailing at 50c i Korean war started, and it’s be- j or 60c, instead of the pop-price of j come increasingly tight over the 35c. Wheft-a tune is revived to the ■ past few weeks. At least one ma- point where it can be considered a ; jor publisher, fearing shortages and new” — I . . o Chappell Music chief M.ax Drey- . . ,f us is still negotiating with Leo American pop hit lists would show .Talent, general professional man- a fair proportion of numbers j ager of Mutual Music, to biiy out which derived from abroad. Among these are “All My Love,” “The Petite Waltz,” “A Rainy Day Re- the latter’s equal interest in the firm jointly owned by the two. Negotiations have been on for some pop song, publishers have price increases later in the year, is generally reprinted it in a pop edi- seriously considering ordering the tion. MDS placed only pop edi- i printing of his entire year’s^'supply tions on the rack, the.se selling at | of standard books and folios im- about 35c. 1 mediately. The only thing that’s New move was initiated mainly | stopping him at present, he said, to iron out inequities resulting! is lack of storage space. JONES PREPS 4.H0NTH train. Count Every Star,” "Au- ; weeks, and while they are expected tumn Leaves, among others. to be consummated within the next Concerning recent reports that week or so. Talent is still holding British meffers had petitioned the | out for a higher price then Dreyfus British Broadcasting Co. to alio- ; is offering. cate 50% of the playing time to native tunes, Sarton said that Eng- Meanwhile, Dreyfus last week completed a deal under which he from the heavily intensified revital- ization of oldies in past months. While the rack dealers, with the pop-priced edition, had , songs on sale at 35c, many other dealers who ordered direct from the publishers found themselves selling the re- vivals in the higher-priced editions. Move also should prove of bene Increasing their price is the last thing publishers wanted to do at this time. With the current satu- ration point in sales for a hit song about 300,000 out of a population of over 150,000,000 and with televi- sion threatening to cut even further into sales, publishers feel they have a hard enough time selling miisic. Hollywood, Dec. 19. such a plea regularly ^^th^MC^ ' Henry Russell’s share enougn time .selling music, i In rPfllhv Ivy Music and is now partners | J® maj.oiv publishers ^without With a price increase, it’s even if the situation jack Perrin, who was Rus- kurting the minors. Trend of rec- | tougher. Howm^er the move may ’ tn Vesp^ct; sell’s partner. Perrin becomes pro- ord companies and television in j affect volume .sales, they mu^t tunes in England *than”it\Ss^*hP^^ t fessipnal manager of Ivy under its i J'eyivmg standards and other oldies j meet their per unit cost, they point- tunes in England than it was^^^^^ affiliation with Chappell.* [ this year gave publishers their best j ed but ' Memphis Sets Skillman [ _ Memphis, Dec. 19. Unopposed, Vincent E. Skillman ; lp‘’ /J"®lected president of Local] > ot Mu.sicians Union (AFL). Also M'ctejl sans opposition were Aii; ; hurell, veepee, and Edgar M. i sec.-treas. Reelected direc- 1 Le.ster Bruch,. Sr., Johnny i y®^’nie Adams, Billy Boyle ] * d Robert Van Kannon. Freddie ’ n Ernie Winburn were I ’Jined new directors. I ^IRIETY Next spike Jones road tour, a I foi’e the second World War. Sar- loin -month coast - to - coast effort, i asserted that, the ^ritiisb publics lees off Jan. 13 with a date at i hke the American, doesn’t care Long Beach, Trek includes only - from where a good tune originates one location, two weeks at the (lia.se hotel. St. Louis, starting :^larch 23 at a flat $12,500 per '\cok. All other dates are on a sa.OOO guarantee against 60% with tlic split reaching 65% if the gross top.s. $5,000. lour is being booked by Music t orp. of America, which will get tile standard 10% of the take each (late although Jpnes’ pact with lie agency expired, last June and ^ . heen renewed. Deal with MCA i.s to pay it strictly what it OQpks and nothing else. Pitt’s Local 60 Sets Davis ; Memphis Elects Skillman W. 1 . Pittsburgh, Dec. 19. : I till Davis has been re-elected pi iysident of Local 60 of Musicians [-n ion for his third term. Also iiiiniGd again were James Como- lacln. y.p., and Nicholas Hagarty, 'll-, treasurer. 1 lie only break in the board of y' actors’ .slate was made by K'orge Wilkins, who ousted Gene ! i-rnan, Davis' predecessor as presi- (lonlv : ■ > standard business in j’^ears. In fact, 1 many key publishers managed to | Majestic Records named Irving come out in the black only through Szathmary musical director. ' their great standard business. RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS Sur'dey of retail sheet music sales, based on reports obtained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing comparative sales rating for this and last week. Natioilal Ratiiif This Last wk. Week Dec. 16 Title and Publisher ■cn. Q ‘ • At ■o a . CD u 04 o CO • o ’ 09 ’0) -a to ,o aj :>> 0) a- o 'B 5 00 o- >» Q. a. 3 W U . CO 3 S CO 3 O P • ■ W ■ . ■ (O g a 0 ' ' 4i» cc .CO '2 pq OJ B ■ C. fi- O e h 4-> § E ,3' P CO 0) 'tj .ca >C P - 0 ' la ■X .V 73 «■ to a 2 Ah ca ■ dj CA P-4 . Pi ca .B ca B O U u lO 3 to B • —4 ■ a a>. CA ee B. CO o U o' l-H. to '3 .74 3 ca r“ c to CO O u 0 73 j B 01 o > o o ■u- o CO .3 S' 73 E’ x/i 'm" (A •— O ■ p (tt o B B d) a to o- P ca X ca B T O T A L P 0 1 N : T 1 •: i “Rudolph, Reindeer’^ (St. Nich.), . 2 1 2 1 1 0 i 3 2 2 1 7 98 2 “ 4 “Tennessee Waltz? (Acuff-R) . 1 2 1 3 6 1 3 4 0 0 1 .■ . Id 78 3 3 “Frosty the Snowman” (Hijl-R) . . 3 6 4 2 3 2 1 1 '3 8' • • 0 '• 77 4 ' 5 ‘"Nevertheless” (Crawford) ... 9 9 6 V « 4 2 7 '6 7 4 2 2 63 5 2 “Harbor Lights” (Chappell) , ... . ; 6 7 9 2 4 6 3 10 . - 1 51 T" 9 “Bushel .and a Peck” ; (Morris) . . , . 8 5 8 • ■> 9 6 8 5 6 6 3 8 49 7 6 “All My Love” (Mills) . . . ; ... . . • 4 ♦ #■ 8 5 5 0-0 •7 4 9 7 3 47 8 7 “The Thing” (Hollis) .... 4 3 3 4 9 0 0 10 5 '0 0 5 45 9 8 “Thinking Of You” (Remick) . .... 10 10 10 0 » 8 3 10 19 9 0 0 • 0 18 10 ■" 11 “La Vie En Rose” (Harms) . . . . ; , • • • . • 0 • 0 5 V 0 0 • 0 . 0 8 • 0. 0 4 16 11 10 “WTiite Xmas? (Berlin) . . ....... 7 • .0 0 « • 7 0 . 4 0 • • • f 0 « * ■ 0 0 15 12 14 “Marshmallow World” (Shapiro-B) • • 8 0 0 10 0 r 10 . 0 0 2 0* 0 0, .0 ♦ ■# 0 • 14 13 14 ‘"Orange Colored Sky” (Frank) . . . 0 0 ,0 0 0 • * 0 8 • 0 0 8 0 4 • 0 • 6 13 14A • • “My Heart Cries For You”' (Massey) 5 « 0 ' ■0 ■ •- - • • 0 0 '0 0. 0 0 ' ’ 7 .• 0 *0 10 14B 13 **Xiiiae In Killarney” tRemick) . . 10 CAYANAUGH NAMED RIVERS’ EASTERN AIDE Dave Cavanaugh, Coast band- leader and arranger, has been named assistant to Walter Rivers, Capitol Records’ artists and reper- tory chief in the east. Cavanaugh fills the .spot, recently vacated by Pete Rugolo, who transferred to Hollywood to head the diskery’s jazz and blues operations. Cavan- augh, who has been heading a Dixieland combo at the Chi-Chi -Club, Palm Springs, will lake over the new post early next year. I Appointment was made by James ' B. Cohkling, company vice-prexy and a&r chief, to give Rivers more ; time to devote to promotional and legal activities. Kenton, Anthony In Renewak by GAC General Artists Corp., whose stable of bands includes some of the tpp: namc.s currently active, has renewed Stan Kentpn and Ray Anthony to five-year contracts. Kenton; wh6’.s been with the agency for about 12 years, is scheduled to begin an engagement aU the Click, Philadelphia, tonight (WedJ. He’ll remain there until Pe(j. 30, when he heads for the Kavakos Club. W’'ashingt6n» for a week-long stand stafting Jan. 1. Kenton is alsp booked into the Vogue Terrace, McKeesport. Pa., Jan. 10-13, and from there works his way to the Coast, via one- niters, to begin a six-week .stand at the Palladium ballroom Fob. 20. Anthony is currently appearing at t)ie Hotel Statler, N. Y. Record Talent and Tnnes * « «r I OR€llESTRAS-MU$l€ Wednesday, Decemlier 20, 1950 ^ tM ;0i .00 ,«0 .r« no ;M M N.,0>..00 aXIH— «0SI»X «151S AHXAi— ui|ooh:k P-*«aioh lAXH— 5|»!a JLHXAi*^P««J|0 »ox rr AVM— J0I‘<»X iniines 00 . 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Cft Cft 3 *^ § s o o O O 2 =* oS 3 CA 2 2 ^ & St £ M £ s .' >. J -d d M Cft p ho ^ s « S M 3 5 s ■ • Cft O ho 'd Cft u 9 Cft I "S Ml ^ eft d P O ■■• u a) ^ d >. •s ft) *5 kl y p 4) ■ 43 '2 9 p ** b ki a) Pc H • >1 • « -d O i I n u u CA • ft) ho a d • I S' Cft kl g p CA rd ft) p'tlli ^ M M O ‘CJ ai^ ^ ^ Cf ^ 5ll|g ®*ao S.a itS4i »d *. 6A d . • J g • ^ I ►iff J § 3 .S § a I a 1 1 &< d gp d (w *?! ho 43 ^ ft) B O o d .S3 *n P H S > te A -a w & t4 *~i P CO 0> •H irt O') 2 ^ CO • C4 CO V n g p H .£i M W N OJ iftt ^ «iti < tt y .mU 00 40 00 ^ ^ ' to >o i Wednesday, Dccemlter 20, 1950 PlSfUJEff ^ ORCHESTBAS-nniSIC Wednesday, December '20, 1950 On the Upbeat New York Paramount-Famous general man- ager Ed Wolpln leaves Jan. 5 for a two-week vacation in Culia, after which he Coasts to Par studios for two weeks to look over forthr coming scorew the picture subsids will publish . . Three Notes ter newed for four weeks at the Sena- tor hotel, Atlantic City . . . Tommy Valando. Laurel Music chief» off for Nassau vacation, while Jw Zimmo, of ChappeU’s sales depart- ment, heads for Florida . , ^ singer Jack Smith to emcee the “Queen of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade’' New Year’s Day on the Coast . . . Disk jockey Jack Lazare switched from WOR, N, Y,, to WPAT, Paterson, N, J, “Hullabaloo.’' new novelty au- thored by Mills contract writers Jeff Curtis and Vernon Cross, waxed by six labels as of last week . . . Florence Gershwin, of Mills Music's sales department, off to the. Coast for a month. ROy Stevens orch, which closes at Roseland ballroom, Dec. 24, re- turns to the New York terpery for plays hit fproatetf hitt •xclufively LATEST RELEASE! ‘‘TENNESSEE WALTZ” • ‘‘SET OUT 78 rpm 39113 33'/> rpm 3-39113 “HARBOR UGHTS” • “SUGAR SWEET” ^78 rpm 3B963 33/i rpm 1-784 45 rpm 6-784 “STRANGERS” # “THE ONE 78 rpm390b7 33'/i rpm 1-837 !” 45 rpm 6-837 *'CHEEKT-ClliEKt HOOPLA** • **eUILTY** 78 fpm 39013 ^ ^ 45 rpm 6-843 “MTRICIA” • “THE PETITE WAUZ” 78 rpm 39030 33'/j rpm 1861 45 rpm 6-861 **TO VMINK YOU*yE CHOSEN ME** **YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICfURES** y8rpm 39036 33'/. rpm 1-867 45 rpm6-867 PLUS "SAMMY ICAYE*t SUNDAY SERENADE** 33'/> Long Playing Record CL 6155 Set C-219 on 78 rpm records on COLUMBIA RECORUS OLD RECQRDS** * 45 rpm 4-39113 a four-week stand Jan. 21 • • . trumpeter Leonard Suea is cuiv rehtly featured as an onstage solo- ist in the current Music Hall, N. Y., show . , . 4at «King*V Cole trio into the Tiffany Club, Los Angeles, for four weeks, opening Dec. 26. Chicago BMI organizing spots in central ! and southern Illinois, with Lake Club, Springfield, the first to pact . . . Ed McAuley, Robbins Music sales manager), in from New York for lookoyer . . . Three Bars of Rhythm and Zaniacs into Crown Club. Chi, this week , . . Kitty Kallen added to Chicago theatre I bill with Red Skelton, Jan. 5 . . , ' Saul Bourne in town huddling with > Hank Markbreit . . . Mercury pact- ed Teddy Stouffer band to cut i eight sides a year in Acapulco, Mexico . . * Natt Hale left Colum- bia as midwest promotion manager ... Betty McGuire band set for i Lockland field, San Antonio, Jan. 3 i for one week . . . George Auld | band and Lee Wiley to Colonial Tavern, Toronto, Jan. 1 for two weeks ... Dick Bradley, Tower Records topper, to New York to spread “Jug O’ Wine” campaign in connection with Bemie Mann disks ... Hugo Malan orch to Mayflower hotel, Akron, Dec. 29 for two weeks . . . Bob Smith, former folk singer, now handling d.j. promo- tion for London ... Ella Fitzger- ald set for Blue Note, Feb. 16, for two weeks . . . Music pubber Ches- ter Conn in from New York hud- dling with WBBM music director, Caesar Petrillo . . . Marty Mills of Mills Music in town. Tops of the Tops ICetRll Disk- Best Seller “Tennessee Waltz” Retail Sheet Best Seller **Rudolph the Reindeer" ^Most Requested” Disk “Tennessee Waltz’' Seller on Coin Machinei “Tennessee Waltz” Best British Seller “Rudolph the Reindeer" Chi Tooters Continued from page 35 Pittsburgh Tommy Carlyn's band back into Bill Green’s for indefinite engage- ment. Saxman Billy Sagone left Teddy Phillips to rejoin Carlyn, and orch’s new vocalist is Chickie Dale, replacing Dolores Randall . Buddy Laine took on A1 Fremont as his arranger, succeeding Bill Cornelius, going into army . . Claude Thornhill booked for one- nighter in January at Colonial . . . Will Hansen, ex-bandleader now managing new Royal ballroom in Wilkinsburg district . . . AL Di- Lernia, whose trio is at William Penn hotel’s Continental Bar, dou- bling into orch playing for “Tech Varieties,” teevee show on WDTV . . . Nick Covato- Jack Peck crazy house band, the Racket Cheers, now touring midwest, signed man- agerial' contract with the Chicago Mutual Entertainment Agency , , . Whitey; Scharbo's band had op- tion picked up at Johnny Brown's Club in East Liberty . . . Nelson Maples, critically injured last win- ter in auto accident, isn't return- ing to Cork and Bottle for some time yet, and organist Dick Nuss- baumer stays oh there. Hollywood Freddy Martin inked for Jan. 19 opening at Ciro's . . . Charlie Ventura's band dropped by RCA Victor . . . Geri Galian etched four sides for Azteca Records . Spike Jones talking a film deal at Columbia . . . Frank DeVpl band postponed it N. Y. Capitol date from Jan. 25 to mid-February . . . Decca renewed Louis Jordan for three years ... RCA Victor or- dered a goldplated disk of “The Thing/' proof that the Phil Harris etching had passed the 1,000,000- mark. Figure, of course, includes the 45 rpm version. Last Victor platter to top the 1,000,000-mark was Vaughn Monroe's “Riders in the Sky,” Song Cavalcade in ’51 Prentice-Hall’s publication pf the “Variety Song Caval- cade” has been deferred to the spring of 1951 because, of the considerable additional mate- rial which Dr. Julius Mattfeld, CBS musicologist, who com- piled it, has added. The vol- ume will round out the mid- century by including the 1950 Calvacade of Hits, plus ah his- torical-biographical appendix. This portion, too, is being ex- tensively revised and reedited by Abel Green, editor of Variety, who has written a special introduction. The proposed $4 publication ... price will more likely be nearer $7, because of the . added material. Those ad- varice-orderers who have re- . mitted $4 to Variety are hav- ing their checks held, for final billing, or they can have, the remittances returned. Other- wise their orders are being kept, along with others which are to be billed upon publica- tion. survey the lot of his own musicians. When the COA withdrawal move is called by Local 10, observers here feel the threat may hot stick, particuiarly since t^e op is so de- pendent on his entertainment. Plushier lounges here are gen- erally lighted six nights a week; neighborhood lounges, which em-: ploy small local units, usually are open all week; and larger hiteries, hotel room, and terpalaces are also a seven-night operation. 'The latter spots customarily bring in a relief band for the seventh night, with smaller lounges using a sub trio or a single / Among the hardest hit will be the glorified lounges who book name units, and who rely mostly bn attractions for its trade. In addition to a heavy dole for the band itself, the op must also bring in another unit for the sixth night. Generally this would be a bread- and-butter outfit, on which he’d probably lose money for lack of trade. Only other outlet would be to darken the spot for two nights, which he now feels would be equal to bringing in the sub group. Passing-through units, in this case, would also feel the brunt of the five-day week, particularly since the op might feel reluctant to shell out the customary coin for only five days’ service. Where ops are now doling out upwards of $1,000 for small name units, the likelihood is now apparent that they’ll plead for lower flat rates. Equally hard hit, if not in a more vital spot, is the nabe lounge own- er, who’s working on a low budget atid depending on his local trio to keep him in the black. Where he has previously brought in a single on the off-night, he must now either keep the solo for two days or plug in the music box. Since he depends largely on his regular unit to make ends meet, any alter- native would be to little avail; and two nights of slow business is too big a gap to hurdle during the bal- ance of the week. Niteries have been using one of a few local relief bands to work its shows on the seventh night. The same relief band usually alternates among several spots for six nights. In a sense, the steady substitute must reduce its rounds to five, or the maestro must form another unit — that is, a substitute must be found for the substitute. Many small unit bookers here have already reported some ops, independent of COA announce- ments, are ready to suspend enter- tainment operation's entirely, and others are shuffling their budgets, bringing in trios on weekends and using singles the rest of the week. This is almost a complete turn- about. One lounge owner, with a $550 weekly budget, has now gone on a single policy, paying his solo $150 a week then bringing in the small coiiibo on his heavy nights at the regular $19 scale. This, ad- mittedly, is a vast. Improvement for the solo 88’er, for example, Who reportedly will be much in demand when the f liU impact of Petrillo's edict is felt. It's believed the lot of the local sideman, however, will not be per- ceptibly improved, though his wel- fare inspired the five-day week. Only new openings that may be- come available will be In the dozen or so spots which use full bands. These reportedly cannot sWallow the great horde of Local lO’ers who still want work. / The long-range power and stand- ing of Local 10 is further endan- gered by holdbacks. Observers feel that where dishonesty between orch and op. in dealing with the AFM, has been virtually at its smallest human percentage, the probability of increased holdbacks now looms likely. Many sidemen are steadily employed here, some having sunk coin in homes, and all are good game now for cooked-Up [rates to insure their employment. 5 DISTRIBS ADDS BY LONDON IN THE WEST London Records has buttressed its releasing setup* over the past couple of weeks with the addltipii of five distribs in the midwest and far west. New outlets are Oregon^ Record Sales, Portland; D&E Dis- tributors, Des Moines; Music Serv- ice, Great Falls, Montana; Lleber- man Music, Minneapolis, and Gramophone Sales, New Orleans. Under policy of sales chief Joe Delaney, London has been fran- chising distribs in all the key cen- ters in effort to pinpoint the com- pany’s releases. Lee Wiley, Hackett Set for Col Album Columbia Records has signed jazz singer Lee Wiley and trum- peter Bobby Hackett to do an al- bum. Pair will be equally featured on the disks. Joe Bushkin and his string group will accompany. Kaye Returns to GAC Sammy Kaye, who’s been a free agent for over six months, last, week signed an exclusive booking contract, with General Artists Corp. Agency will handle theatre, niteiy, dance, radio and television bookings for Kaye. Bandleader did not renew with GAC after his old contract was up earlier this year. Instead, he had GAC booked most of his theatre and nitery dates, but also accepted bookings from other agencies. ffoofus rocordoJ and fnaturnd bf WMMV OORSEV Oecco MR. GOON-IONEl-tARNEV lANTl M*rcury PHIL HARRff EGA Victor JOHNNY MERCER Copitol lEt PAUL Copitol. PRANK PEHV TINO M.G.M « lEC ffiST ;S': THE WINTER SENSATION! SLEIGH RIDE PROGR4M NOW! "I DON'T MIND BEING ALL ALONE" (Wh.n I’m All Al.li. WlHi VmiI MILLS MUSIC, iNC. Ul'f . BroadwaY . Naw York If SHAKtSHARl ^ “IH£ PLAY'S THE THING" , PlAV THE. YIIN6 Heor PHIL HARRIS an RCA Victor HOUIS MUSIC, INC. 1 29 W, 52 nd S' . NYC Phonogrdph recordi wanted mode be-^ tween 1920 and 1940. Any quantity, or deo!er*a etock. i. SCHNElDEk, 128 W. 66Hi St. New York City, N. V. ^'ednciyayi December 20; 1950 Lfi''i!‘.M’) RETAIL DISK BEST SELLEBS Survey o1 retail disk best sellers, based on reports oh tained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing coni’ parative sales rating for this and last week, . Week Ending IB -K g 2 6 c' A S O' ^ Vi is . CO g to « « ■ 3 U B ^ Si S 8 It jn P D '« 'T 5 O, - o X Q '§ 1 III CO CO I o: ■b c h .2 t-t CO CO P I: ^ s i ■ W) . G •P « ■ « ; * z o I m i s I 1 5 fl B . 5 (W ^ o o s i S'-l o iJ ca o I I g I &■ e I ? I i « i 1 ^ i 1. C/3 .& < S •« I •= £ « \ t s i S •2 i '.g « 2 2 • g .8 o s S £ g oi o . *0 u Si • w «S . S c j • « js s 5 s S ' 2 •§ '.§ S- 0 ! E ^ S - ^ ©■' S M B . ; ■ ■ .‘S' ^ H ^ or S O) ^qu-; PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 1 1 '‘Tennessee Waltz” — 5534........ 2 2 2 1 1 . . 5 ' PHIL HARRIS (Victor) .. • • ’ ~ 2 2 ”The Thing” — 20-3968B 3 5 1 4 6 1 8 ^ GENE AUTRY (Golumbia) . 3 3 "Rudolph Reindeer”— 38610 ... . 1 6 7 3 . . . . 9 PERRY COMO-B. HUTTON (Vic ) 4 7 '^Bushel and a 'Peck”— 20-3930 .. . 5 ., 4 .. .. .. 4 — M^IO LANZA (Victor) 5 9 * "Be My Love” — 10-1561A ...... . .. 1 .. 2 3 8 .. " G. xMITCHELL-M, MILLER (Col ) 6 4 ‘‘My Heart Cries For You” — 39067 8 4 . . 6 2 . . , . SAMMY KAYE ( Golumbia ) ' 7 5 "Harbor Lights^*— 38963 ; . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . . . ^ , . . GENE AUTRY (Columbia) $ "Frosty the Snowman”— 38907 . . . . . ,. .. 5 , . 10 GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) ' ^ 9 . . "Harbor Lights”— r-27 208 .. 7 . . .. .. . . 1 don CHERRY (Decca) 10 9 "Thinking Of You” — ^27128 6 8 .. .. ,. 2 KAY STARR-T. ERNIE (Capitol) 11 11 "Fll Never Be Free”— 112 4 .. .. .. .. .. 6 " BOSTON POPS (Victor) ■ , ^ " 12A . . "Sleigh Ride”— 10-1484 3 . . 9 7 EDDY HOWARD (Mercury) 12B 18 *‘To Think Chosen Me” — 5517.... .. .. .. .. 5 .. .. MILLS BROS. (Decca) 12C 11 "Nevertheless” — 27253 .♦ .. .. .. 3 PERRY COMO (Victor) 13A 8 "Patricia” — ^20-3905 . ........ . . . 7 .. STAN KENTON-N. COLE 77 45 FIVE TOP * Albums SOUTH PACIFIC 1 TOAST OF N. O. ; VOICI OF XTABY MERRY XMAS CALI ME MADAM Broodway Cqtt Columbia MM850 i\IL4l80 Mario Looio Victor DM1417 WDM1417 Ymo Sumoc Capitol GC244 Ding Crotby Decca A-550, 9-65 DLP-5019 Ethel Merman Decca DL-5304 ‘Guys and Dolls’ i^i ii' Continued from paie 1 (l|)ni.3gcs for copyright infringe*- ment and violations of other i'iglit.s." The records Block Is claimod*to have played are in the ‘Guys and Dolls” album just re-, loa.'iod b.v Decca< According to the pioduccrs’ announcement* the nar- )’«(tion of plot* situation, and t lalog "constituted unauthorized (h aipatic use of the play.” Informed - of the situation yes*^ afternoon, an official of 'VNEW said the station knew npth- n)g of the suit and ha(d no state- )nent to make. Attorney for cu(>r ^ Alartin is Howard Rein- nermer. Since the broadcasting of albupi (’(•‘Olds of songs of legit musicals f . practice ( "South . Paci* Kiss Aie, Kate,” etc.) the ('Uor - Alarlin complaint against 'Ofk and WNEW apparently the ailegation that the ''k jockey show in question also included narration of ‘Guys and Dolls” plot and dialog. The pro- ducers seemingly regav(i this latter as constituting "unauthbrized dra- matic use of the play.” In a some- what similar connection, author- producers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hanimerstein 2d, h a v e never sought to interfere with the broadcast of songs from their showsi but have repeatedly taken legal steps to prevent "dramatic” performance on the aii* and other- wise. llssss Continued, from, pace 1 sic publishers* viewpoint, the trend towards music has also been noted with the growth of the war threat. This, however, for psychological reasons^ On the ‘Iffy’* side of the future, Rackmil said the disk companies might be severely limited iu the months ahead by the Government’s armaments program. Siphoni ng of material to munitions, he said, may cause tight shortages of essential j chemicals going into the manufac- iture of Vinylite besides the almost certain reduction in the availability i of metals, such as copper and nickel, which are used in the manu. facturing of platters. The prospect : of a manpower shortage also is , darkening the future. Rackmil, however, was (Confident that the disk industry, as in the last war, ; would continue iii business even if the Government drastically cut down the scale of operations. Decca’s recent leadership in in- itiating the price rises adopted I by most of the companies was 'stoutly defended by Rackmil. He ' said the move was not intended to ' beat any anticipated price freeze ' move by the Government. Pointing : out that disks were among the few I commodities to hold the line over I the last five years, Rackmil said i that the pressure of increased pro- * duction costs had reduced the profit I •margin of the industry to a danger- i * ous level. The price rise, he said,! was the o.nJy way the indu.stry i could continue making a fair profit. Presenting 4.nptfi€rJ^ Smash » ' * I I I « . •» ^ • y • ' .t ’ *• Of-v- ORIGINAL tAST ALBUM “GUYS ‘"DOLLS’ A Musical Fable of Broadway Music and Lyrics by FRANK lOESSER Featuring Rskerl ALDA, Vivian BIAINE, Sam LEVENE, IsalNl BICUY, Pat ROONEY, Sr and Members of the New York Production wm , N '' •' ... V ?/■ -. . fy. .iiii; ' '' ' '■^< iiji I . . . .-i Selections include: ■ Decca > 27379 (1) Runyoitland Music (2) Fugue for Tinhorns (3) Fellow the Fold STUBBY KAYE, JOHNNY SILVER. DOUGLAS DEANE, ISABEL BIGLEY. and THE MISSION GROUP *9>27379 (1 ) Morry the Mon Today (2) Reprise: Guys and Dolls VIVIAN BLAINE— ISABEL BIGLEY Decca 27380 The Oldest Established SAM LEVENE. STOBBY KAYE. JOHNNY SILVER with The Guys' ^.9-27380 Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boot STUBBY KAYE ! Decca 27381 I'll Know *9-27381 Sue Me ROBERT ALDA. ISABEL BIGLEY VIVIAN BLAINE, SAM LEVENE Decco 27382 (DA Bushel ohd a Peck (2) My Time of Doy (1) VIVIAN BLAINE and The Hot Box Girls (2) ROBERT ALDA *9-27382 Luck Be a Lady ROBERT ALDA and The Guys Decco ^ ' 27383 Adelaide's Lament *9-27383 More I Cdmiot Wish You VIVIAN BLAINE PAT ROONEY. SR. Decco 27384 Guys and Dolls STUBBY KAYE. JOHNNY SILVER *9-27384 Take Back Your Mink VIVIAN BLAINE and The Hox Box Girls ' Decco'- - 27385 If I Were 0 Bell *9-27385 I've Never Been in tove Before ISABEL BIGLEY ROBERT ALDA. ISABEL BIGLEY "Indicates 45 RPM Version Available In 71 RPMv 45 RPM and Lone Play Decco Album DA-825 * Seven 78 RPM Records 9 Price .$6.70 Decca Album 9-203 • Seven 45 RPM Unbreokoble Records • Price $6.30 DL 803(i 91 2-in. long Ploy Microgroove Unbreakable Record * Price $4.85 All album records available at singles. Long Play Prices Include Federal Excise Tax but no State or local tax. 45 RPM and /• RPM prices do not Include Federal, state, or local taxes. America's: Fastest ^Sdling' . Records I 42 VAlTDlEVIMJI P^-RIETY Wedneaday^ December 20, 19«'>0 N^t Chib Reviews ^ Copacabana9 V. Henny Youngman, Luba Malina, The Skylarks (5), W.ynters & Angeline, Jecin Caples & Chuck Brunner, Betty Harris, Mickey De- vine; Copa Girls (8); Michael Dur- so and Fernando Alvares bands; $3.50 and $^,50 viininmm. Lacking namepower, the Copa inanagement makes up in. quantity and; by . fortunate happenstance/ also in Quality for the. absence of names such as Danny Thomas, Tony Martin, Frankie Laine, jimmy Durante and Martin & Lewis who are booked in p6st-N.ew Year's. The Copa made an abortive try with a new nitery face via Phil Silvers who, while proving his floorshow expertness, somehow found the pre- holiday shopping competition a little tod rugged. For a change of pace, what looks like a not costly lineup in the Luba Maliria-Henny Youngman parlay plays bigtime, as unfolded this w:eek. With the same surrounding show— in fact the gals' gloves and stockings show unseemly fraying for the stahidards usually main- tained by this class bistro ^ the four new components shape up in- to thoroughly satisfying fare. The other two are The Skylarks and Wynters & Angeline, both under New Acts, and both also okay. The costumes are as striking, as are the beauts and the Douglas Coudy standard of production, but it is the cavalcade of the new talents that grips the interest, holds it and pyramids to a socko payoiT. It errs only, perhaps, by generosity. After it is figured that Miss Malina might leave them surfeited, Youngman proves they are not, al- though he, perhaps, went a shade overboard. But his quips are ever surefire and his delivery certain. Some of his freshest material got a sort of TV preview on the CBS “This Is Show Business" show the preceding Sunday, a rather hazard- ous break-in, considering the hep Guest Appearances JOHN CONTES fV Show l^ead Vn •annie^get GUN pNt Stadium Jackie Hellers 1 BEVERLT H**-*-* OCTOBER \ Cncinnat.. Ohio , , .r>ec. 5 . 19 ^®- Montreal Hera .•It ’ 3 a wonder to Normandie Deel currently at .1 ^ some en- toWwood talent snout terpnsing this town. Lure long she can rocking deUtni . , gj,. Kj,,gS!d?t- ddus vei-sat'n"- ' : . , •‘Sandra Dfiel took, storm this in “Annm.^et „ tion ot Annie OakW^ Ma«dlou..tr... . Your Gun. , Press. , . Heller some .o^gh ^‘Shrewd Jackie ^ sandra Heel weeks ago . signed^ that Tor his Carousel on ^ e,l,e*d be a tremendous Stadium^. Get Your .. betray .him and Jackie’s hunch j n- ^terday aj'-^ . was all smitcb .. gj^^dra a - reading the >^^%ViVll headline , th^ performance. _ v/cek slatti g T:arousel show Monahan. Monday." ■. pitlsbur gh-Sun j &.^’50 • • ..A constant delig^o the ear. Miss Deel is wonde f noiembek SOMERSET HOTEL Boston Sandra Variety . Well-groomed b that freshness tnSnediate hit made , her .^j^t plus ® °nXerthat"arrledav«>ed . eong list .'^tth ?n®“®rieu)t. . . aitb of talent. As a ^ “A tetriac. as an singer. as actress, sh^ • j^g terrific. Ih comedienne she^ naatter fact she s. terrin j^gr^and how you look she’s certainly y/ard. at, too. The Cincinna«^n 9 ut 0 - •* A show -stopper.' Sunday ^-^®j^lTuolds large “The type that hoio theatre , Xian Fra;«cre . bound a • • ^ Exclusive Mgi.: BAUM-NEWBORN AGENCY II West 42n Wednesday, December 20, 1950 P^GSiEff VAUDfiVnJJB 45 Philadelphia, Dec. 19. > Cafe operators have missed the boat again on the Sabbath New Year’s Eve celebration and most of XU0 j*ooms will be shuttered Dec. 31 thanks to the Pennsylvania blue laws which forbids the dispensing of intoxicants from Saturday mid- night until 7 a, m. Monday.. Several of the cabaret men here and in Pittsburgh have asked the State Liquor Control Board for a special ruling on New Year’s Eve, but officials said such a move by the board was impossible. Even if the board wanted to relax the regu- lations it couldn’t do so without a special act of the state legislature, and the legislators don’t reconvene until Jan. 16. Some of the larger clubs^the Latin Casirio and the Little Rath- skeller— rhave leased their rooms out to private parties. There will also be a lot of private parties in hotel rooms. Board officials said the regulations permit such parties provided the rooms rented are sep- arate from the regular bars in the hotel or club. These parties, however, must be paid for in advance. There can be no collections at the door, and, theoretically, any party that runs out of stimulants on New Year’s Eve can’t replenish until the bars open Monday morning. The situa- tion recalls a similar one in 1944; when New Year’s Eve also fell on the Sabbath. A number of clubs stayed opcii and took a chance on (Continued on page 47) Schine Restoring Vaude Shows in 7 Houses The Schine Circuit is slated to resume vaudeville Dec. 28 in seven houses. It’s expected the chain will continue stageshows until the summer season and more houses will be added in time, Schihe’s dropped stageshows a couple of weeks ago; in keeping with their usual policy of discon- tinuing live talent during the Christmas shopping season. The A1 & Belle Dow office will con- tinue to book. Yost Settles Suit Vs. Berle on Music Lift A $10,000 siiit which Ben Yost had brought against Milton Berle has been settled and discontinued, according to papers filed in New York federal court. Also defendants in the action were Berle’s brother, Frank, and Jack Collins, an ex-Yost employee. Yost’s complaint charged that Collins had taken various arrange- ments of a vocal group called “The Vikings’’ and turned them over to the Berles, who allegedly used the material for another harmony unit, “The Cavaliers.’’ Yost also sought an Injunction. AC CoUects $6,600,000 From Tax on Luxuries Atlantic City, Dec, 19. In the six years since the resort has started to collect a luxury from visitors on hotel bills, amuse- ment admissions, tobacco, and liquor sales, more than $6,600,000 has poured into the city treasury. , Ceorge R. Swinton, city engineer, in a talk to mem^rs of the Lions club (14) pointed out that most of this sum has been spent in giving the city a facelifting, repairing storm damage and holding back the ocean. In Mpls. to Couiibat Pre-Xmas Doldrums Minneapolis, Dec. 19. Film industry is watching with considerable interest current dar- ing experiment of the Minnesota Amuse. Co. (Paramount circuit) in bringing in a big, expensive stage show, coupling with it an “A” pic- ture and spending a huge amount in advertising, in an effort to over- come the traditionally heavy week- before-Christmas boxoffice handi- cap. In view of the fact that Radio City, Where the combination show is playing, and its RKO opposition, the Orpheum, have only occasional stage shows scattered throughout the season, the radical policy de- parture is all the more marked, The show has as headlmers the Mills Brothers and Ethel Smith, plus other acts and a local 17-piece stage band. Field in Talent Cancellations Mpls. Cafes Forego Usual ‘Eve’ Parties Minneapolis, Dec. 19. Prompted by critical internation- al situation and fact New Year’s Eve, falls on Sunday, when liquor sales arO illegal, Hotel Nicollet’s Minnesota Terrace and Hotel Radr isson’s Flame Room, town’s leading supper clubs, will forego usual parties. ^ Preceding Saturday night Won’t include .festivities, either, and there’ll be only usual floor shows and dancing, with $1 .50 cover charge and $2.50r$3.50 mmimums. Sabloii at N.Y. Plaza For ist U.S. Date in 2 Years Jean Sablon will play his first U. S. date in two years when he opens the Persian Room of the Plaza hotel, N. Y., Feb. 15. Sablon had been in Europe and during the past few months has been playing a series of South American stands. He’s current at the Teatro Opera, Buenos Aires. The Persian Room has also lined up Yvette and Herb Shriner for the bill starting Jan. 18. Dorothy Shay has been booked for March 15. President Truman’s declaration of a state of emergency last week is causing havoc in the club date and convention field. Several top manufacturers are now cancelling sales-meets, fashion shows and gatherings in which new merchan- dise will be displayed* Some tal- ent agencies face a sharp loss of coin within the next few weeks be- cause of ' possibility that many plants will go in for immediate conversion to defense needs. The present precarioushess of the convention business is espe- cially evident in foods, textiles and manufacturing lines in which metals are an essential part. General Foods and National Bis- cuit, two Of the top spenders in the convention field, are expected to call off several sales meetings within the next few days. Several textile mills which had been plan- ning fashion shows are also in the process of calling off various dis-? plays. One firm which had been plan- ning a fashion show to cost $85,- 000 is in the process of cancelling the shindig despite the fact that more than $50,000 has already been spent. Talent Which has al- ready been pacted, and sets that have been executed, will be paid for. Nonetheless, the affair is not likely to go through because the firm feels it would be in bad taste (Continued on pfige 44) Roller Speed Derby Preem Halted By Philly Injunction Philadelphia, Dec. 19. The Roller Speed Derby, a smaller edition of the Roller Derby, adaptable for theatres, was forced to close three days after its debut at the Metropolitan Opera House here Thursday (14). Closure occurred after Roller Dei:4)y Asso- ciates had succeeded in obtaining a temporary restraining injunc- tion against the operation In Phil- adelphia’s court of common pleas, keeping it from using the RSD title. Injunction was Obtained on the grounds that the name Roller Derby had been patented by Roller Derby Associates, headed by Leo Seltzer. RSD was notified of the injunc- tion Thursday (14), but opened that night despite the fact that local newspapers had been forced to cancel its ads; the name of the show had to be. taken off the the- atre marquee, tickets and all signs announcing the booking. The ball- bearing outfit was also stopped from placing radio or TV spot an- nouncements. Unable to publicize the event, the new outfit was forced to wrap up the engagement after Saturday night’s (16) per- formance. A1 Munch, RSD’s prexy, and Tom Howell, treasurer, were scheduled to appear at the court of common pleas today (Tues.) to show cause Why they should : continue using the name. ★ * * * Thanh for Making This My Bdst Year in Show Business MILBOURNE 15 W. Mfh St. TRafalgar 3-7360 CREATIVE COMEDY ThD Author of '‘Comtdy Routinos and Durlasqifa" writas to ordor, for your •xciuslv# Ufa, sura-flra Comady Acts. Sampla Act and Particulars FRIE. A. GUY VISK -Writing interprises 11 Llbarty straat Troy, N. Y. “Herb Shriner it another eomer to the room whoee •O’Oalled rural wit tcoret with the tophisticatet* '| There's no buildup or ao* tion, in tho physical eente of telling a story, but ths first nighters enjoy the hoary tales about lift In a small town* Comio also gets chucklee with hie army reminiscences* In between his Will Rogerish remarks he plays two har* moiiica numbers, both well received." ^ZABE. \ CHICAGO HERALD AMERICAN “Herb Shriner’e star In the comedy world It cur- rently blazing at Its bright- est. He’s the Ft. Wayne fellow who took homespun, quiet comedy about his “home folks" out of In- diana , . and on to Broadway, and ths radio and television airlanes. Hit mode of fun is pleasantly contrasted with that of the forceful “pusher!’ type comedian, and the manner in which he clicked with liltra-crltical Chez Parse first-nighters is proof enough that his new^ Chi- cago engagement will be one of his best anywhere.*’ CHARLIE DAWN. V NEXT Persian Room PldzOf New York Jan. 18 CHICAGO DAILY NEWS “Spiritually enthroned on the cracker bar’l of a country , general store, Herb Shriner is the es- sence of James. Whitcomb Rirey's human touch. Kin Hubbard’s “perceptive wit and the drawling, bucolic sagacity of all Hossierdom. In the cynicism-soaked Chez he is as refreshing as an evening .breeze when the moon shines on the Wabash. Best of all, the quotable notable is a son of that soil whose fertility bears tall cprii and poetry —by the biishel.' Lanky, with a shy en- gaging smile and ah errant cowlick. Herb is a. chunk of Americana at authen- tic as was, Lincoln in his lighter . vein." GENE MORGAN. / CHICAGO SUN-TIMES “ F o Mowing Danny Thomas is one of the toughest assignments in show business, but Herb Shriner and Frances Faye are demonstrating it can be done without a letdown. Herb's cracker barrel m us- ings about his little home town on the banks of the Wabpsh are philosophical comedy in the rare tradi- tion of Mark Twain and Will Rogers. His grass roots solilo- quies are more than just a string of wisecracks. Hands thrust deep in his pockets,,, staring with artful awk- wardness at his feet, he is shrewd and salty commentator on the Ameri- can way life.’’ BENTLEY STEGNER. \ DiractioM WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 44 VAIJIIEVILLB Wednesday^ December 20, 1950 Night Club Reviews Continued from page 42 Latin llnartor^ Ilos^ion solid fare with production fast and zany. i?'rank Libuse, ah Olsen and Jonnson alumnus garbed as a wait- er, goe.S through a pre-show : warm- up wandering about tables burnp^ ing into customers, leadiht^ them to tables and then grabbing the first seat, taking pratfalls and in gen- eral creating a furor among the startled guests. However, the ring- siders catch on fast and hi antics ,gra b hovls. Spotted in floor, show, Libuse. aided by Margo Brander, ta hbecl as a foreign singer making her Ainerican debut, appears as her piano accompanist and pro- ceeds to break up any atlempl by ]Miss L'rpnf’.c'i' to vocalize. Essaying- the rol'' pf flutist accompanying a color: liira- .soprano, .my blows a toy parserhi-tc out of the: instru- mcMTt but . manages to purvey the imprc'slv llw't he. could reallyyplay it if necessary. Durih.g the stint, a stooge wanders? around shooting pistols: hanging trays and ackling to the general din in typical O & J fashion. Bill opens with the Winter Sis- ' ters, three cute gals who.se fast ; turn of flips, twists and butterflies serve as neat getpff. Guy Marks, a sardonic impressionist, clicks with carbons of Arthur Godfrey, Vaughn Monroe, Gary Cooper and Mai'garet Truman. Three nifty new produc- tion numbers are intrped by the Ardcn-Fletcher girls aided by spot’s new' male vocalist. Jack Gas* , sidy. Lineup in for tvvo-weeker. : Dave Lester orch handles . back- I grounding in usual solid hianner, ' splitting' dance a.ssignments : with : Zarde. firothers continental group. • Biz fair. Elic. Hasdmum, Phfla., to Open Spot Pdicy j Mlaitil liVli I Miami Beach, Dec. 18. Ahm Gale, Ffcddie Stewart, .The ' Haydocks - ( dinii er only ) ; Sarah Vaughan, Tiiitmie. Rogers, Berry. Bros., George Kirby (supper shows r. Teddy King Orch. Mini- pinms; $3.50-$4. . . IIIILES INOAllS ! " Alan Gale, vet comic who settled i here some seasons ago and has had several locations for his Celebrity Club, is now operating in a brand new room, handsome in decor and designed to feature intime enter- tainment.; And w’ith it, he's experi- menting with what amounts to a dual-nitery idea. At dinner, he [presents the unit that’s been wuth him for the past two seasons. At midnight, wdth an added minimum for those dinner guests who want to stay oh, he steps out of the pic to hosting duties and an all-colored show takes over. From biz opening and the following nights, the idea looks to click. Dinner show’ components in- clude Gale and his frenetic com- edy. Guy still is a hard working laughmaker, wutli his yarns, ini- preshes and heckling routines W'ith waiters, bartenders and the band. (Continued on page 47) ACVA PROTECTION PLAN STIRS SQUAWKS IN BOST Boston, Dec. 19. The new American Guild of Variety Artist ruling slanted towards stricter supervision of franchised agents and club date I producers, at the same time im- ! proving working conditions, went ; attractions. First deal to be set ^ ihe%e«*teturagents^^^^^ Red Skelton, who will play^ a , There’s possihility that Skelton . biok club dlt4s must post a $500 : ‘’l''tL’'‘cWc/io 'tSe ! will play the N. Y Paramount sub- i-bond, pay a minimum scale Of Chicago theatre, Chi- , sequently, on a deal which was ! net for a single, furnish trahspbr- ■ tation and insure acts while under • their juri$dictiOn, . Policy, costing the agents per i person, covers therh with payments ' . - from $2,500 to $5,000 for * dismem- ! , . HollyWOod berment. medical expenses up to ■ Ahne Triola hack at the Bar of SLOOO. disability benefits of $50 for hir ulird stand . . whf have weekly up to 13 w^eeks and a Buddy Baer opens a lOrday sing- blanket $5,000 death benefit. ing stint Saturday (23) at the • , Skelton can fill his old A.ny franchised agent, posting Stockmen’s hotel, Elkp, Nev. ... the required $500 bond with AGVA Billy Vine set for a bne-weeker at and fulfilling these provisions, can Desert Inn, Las Vegas* Jan. 2 and book either club dates of steady will be followed by Billy Eckstine .spots but franchised bookers who • • • Sophie Tucker set for a Feb- 1 Danny Kaye into the London Pal- balk at the bond may hot engage . ^'^^^’ykiate at Ciro’s . . * Tito Gui-? , ladium July 2 for four weeks* in club date ' biz. HoweVer, they are not barred from booking • opening Christmas ^ iiileries, providing they stick to gaysee 'Frakson''the’' Magiciin”™d ' regarding ; BarBara Perry auS o“t4 bill . . . tnese spots. i Dave Kenner inked for an indefi- ; Setup has resulted m some, tern- nite 88 stint at the Zimba Room . . . porary confusion and squawks Danny Hdetor and Betty Byrd, hereabouts, but AGVA head- ; after winding Biltmore Bowl stint quarters reports majority of fran- here Saturday (23) wuU plane to chised agents have fallen in line ' London for a date at the Savoy The Mastbauih theatre, Phila-.cago, Jan. 5. Starting date at the delphia, wdll be reopened for spot [ ^^stbaum hasn’t been determined as yet. Skelton leaves the Coast Christmas day. signed nearly 10; years ago. After pacting of that date, Paramount’s managing director Bob Weitman re- 1 leased the comic so that he could go but to the Coast to make his first piicture for Metro. The Capi- tol, N. Y., a Loew house which Red Skelton goes to England next surnnier for his first personal appearance abroad. He’ll follow with the new decree. Saranac Lake hotel . . . Dick Wesson booked to open an indefinite stand at the Bar of Music Dec. 24. Tony Martin opens Dec. 28 at the Flamingo, Las Vegas, for a two-Weeker . . . Billy Gray’s Band Box due to reopen Dec. 22 after re- furbishing . . . Jackie Green .epens a two-weeker Dec. 26 at Desert H 1 m The Theatres of the Stars MARCUS L 0 EW„ BOOKHKAKNCI' EX .2000 general WECUTIVf^^'®^^ ^ ^ lOEW boiidin^anh I M liUBlN general SlDNEf H ■ By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, Dec. 19. Birthday greetings are in order ! to Laura (Loew’s) Sloan' and Del- pliin (RKO) Streder, both Variety i Inri, Las Vegas. Clubites W'ho are progressing QK. . Robert (lATSE) Tarr, projec-i tionist of Oil City, Pa., in for.' PliirAcro observation ! As iisuai “We the Patients’’ • Gussie’s Kentucky Club is drop- ] topped their quota in the Christ- ' semi-name policy 'for mod- ; ; mas Seal drive, ditto for the local budgeted talent ... Paul Gray hospital fund drive. - 1 Piaymg some concert dates in the Don’s Melody. Lounge, formerly , midwest . . . LaSalle hotel, which ; ' the Pine Room, held it’s opening has been on band policy for the : ' to a capacity crowd. ^ past three years, is adding talent' j i Joe DeNicolo. ex-Rogerite, folded with Dick Oordon on teeoff bill ! ! his TuoDer Lake cafe. ; • • • Larry Allen, released from the , ; Lee Klimmick, formerly with | Army, signed with Sid Harris of i Loew’s and lately on our office h^iu over | i staff here, left for N.Y.C. I at the^ T^ninn, Sioux City . i Sydney Gross, of Gross-Evans j Herb Shriner repacted W'lth Wil- , ^ Associates, in to line up biogra- ; ham Morns agency for three years. ^ phies of many of the patients here Entertainment Managers Ass’n ; to be used during the Variety dinner-dance set for Jan. 29 with Or/ Or/ FOR THAT XMAS GIFT Give Him Something Useful; ! A complete set of 35 issues of FUN-MASTER GAG FILES 4 Vols. BOOK OF BLACKOUTS THE GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GAGS! Or/ All of the above itemsill THIS IS A XMAS GIFT THAT’S NOVEL, USEFUL t VALUABLEI For PRICES and ADDRESS See our . other AD olsowhtro in this issuo Clubs drive. Write to those who are ill. Continued from page 43 Jack Page, J^ck Lau, and Howard Schulze heading ticket committee . . . Dell’s, Evansville, victim of i 1 flood waters last week. Clarence | Woods, owner, paid off all acts un- j 'able to give show ; . . James Hart in ; New York to pick up talent for the Buttery, Ambassador West. , , V p 1 - • i Jimmy Nelson makes Coast de- , to parade a new line of fabrics Ciro’s, Feb. 1 . . . Sammy which cannot be sold during the | shore into LaBolime, Louisville, coming year. I Kv,, Dec. 22 . , . Frances Faye The club-date bookers think that I lieadlines at Eddie’s, Kansas j the recession in the field will be ; City, Jan. 12 . . . Low, Hile I temporary, since the .same firnivS ' & Stanley pacteci for the Capitol, . will be resuming' showings once , Washington, Jan. 18 * . . Charles ' war work gets under way. During : Hogan off to Florida for several i the past war this was the case. Be- 1 weeks . . . Chicago theatre snared cause of the excess- profits tax and /Red Skelton for week of Jan. 5 for high income levies, many manu- ; ■ facturers spent an unusual amount I ^ ! in entertainment. Sales meets; were frequently pepped up with talent and promotions continued with postwar sales in view. En- ; tertainment Will be continued for institutional purposes. Bookers i think this Will happen as soon as . ivvar-conversion plans are com- i pleted. DICK COURT and GENIE SAUNDERS Courtship in Song'* MAGIC INN Seattle, Wash. Placed by EDDIE SMITH OFFICES ROY DOUGLAS ami VICKIE "DOUBLE-TALK" Footurlnq EDDIE-ECHO CASINO Theatre Toronto/ Canada Manogor: Matty Reson AL TRACE Orchestra Currently on TV for SENTINEL and TELE-TRONICS ABC NETWORK ★ e4jie^Ui(me ★ M a KEN GRIFFIN Greater of "You Can’t Be True, Dear" AMERICA’S FOREMOST ORGANIST Just Closed Michigan State Food Show, Grand Rapids ing Dec. 21 —Hotel Nicollet, Minneapolis ★ Harbor Lights, :^38889 a Personal M^t.: MILO STELT. Mutual Entertainment. Agency On Top with COLUMBIA RECORDS Rudelpli, the Red Nosed Reindeer, :/^38610 • Humoresque, #39002 * 203 N. Wabash, Chicago 1, RAndoiph 6-6990 • JT » P 1 b Wednesday, December 20, 195Q VAUjDEVlLLB 45 To Aid in Oi^anizing Holdouts Deal is in the works for a link between the American Guild of Variety Artists and Local 802 of the American Federation of Musi- cians for a greater degree of co- operation between both unions. Both are working on a pact which will forbid acts to work with non- union bands, and also calls for bands hot to play for nonrunion acts. Terms will also call for a mutual ban on spots cited unfair to either union. In many cases previously the acts have gone through AFM picket lines, and vice-versa. Although the agreement by its nature will be confined to the NeW York area, similar deals are likely, to be concluded in other parts of the country. It’s felt that agree- ments of this kind will aid both unions to organize holdout spots. The Local 802-AGVA agreement is an extension of the recently con- cluded pact between the national offices of both outfits in which the jurisdiction of each union was de- fined and was made primarily to end the AGVA-AFM quarrel on acts, bandleaders and sidemen who use both music and dancing as part of their routines. Two N.Y. Jocks to Switch JIMMIE HUSSON "AW. ivtuyBODy" Currtntly: Club Dat«s for Mlldrod Lan* LEAMINGTON HOTEL Oakland, California (Until Dtc. 3«) FATRICE JAN HELENE and HOWARD HELD OVER CHEZ PAREE CHICAGO, ILL. COMEDY MATERIAL ^ AW Bronchot of Thwatrkah OUASON'S FUN-MASTER 'THE ORIQINAL SHOW BIZ GAG PILE'' • IJhru 35 • $1.00 •ach • CDwra,? ** 'J Only) AL—FIRST 13 FILES FOR $10 A LL 35 FILES FOR ONLY $2 5 1 budget . . . . $35 • MOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES ‘rtlssoa), $ 2.00 ENCYCLOPEDIA Or GAGS/ $250. Worth ovar a thousand. NO C.O.D.'S , PAULA SMITH 200 W. 54 St.a Naw York 1 f Dept. V Circia 7-1130 CALL Want at onca-^Giri musicians^ all In- struinents. Prafar thosa who doubla, Both pop and Wastarn (no hillbilly), do'spoclaltlos and danco# tor ^compact varlaty unit. Must hava b* naat/ and hava TALENT. All intaryiaws Naw York City, Writa «/o Varlaty, 154 W. ^«h St., Naw York If, N. Y. Wally Overman GAYETY THEATRE MONTREAL, CANADA WEEK NOV. 27 Mgt.: MATTY ROSEN, N. Y. Two N. Y. cafe disk jockeys are working out a reciprocal deal en- tailing exchange of spots for one evening weekly. Barry Gray, who spiels at Chandler’s restaurant two evenings weekly, will switch with Lou Quinn, who works from the Copacabana, N. Y. ’ Full details of the switch haven’t been worked out as yet, but ex- change is slated to start shortly after Jan. l. During the switch, Gray, Who is. regularly heard over WMCA, will gab over Quinn’s out- let WVNJ, and vice versa. Whether each takes his sponsor’s to the new mike is one of the matters to be resolved. Como Sock at Click in 1st Philly Date in 6 Yrs. Philadelphia, Dec. 19. Perry Como, playing his first cafe date here and making his first Philadelphia appearance in six years, fractured attendance records at the Click, Saturday night (16). Como was accompanied by the Fon- tane Sisters and their two shows clocked more than 6,000 patrons, despite Sat. midnight closing. Singer made the siiigle-night date as a favor to Click owner, Frank Palumbo, who arranged a Saturday .iiftefnoon cocktail party and reception for Como, which was attended by virtually every disk jockey in the area. CAN. COMBO TO FUY Ui. AFTER 2-YR. DEraV Irving Pall Quartet, Canadian comedy-vocal-instrumental combo, makes its U. S. debut Dec. 29, at the Forrest Park hotel,i St. Louis. Group was originally supposed to appear in this country in the sum- mer of ’49, but was refused entry under the U. S, Alien Contract laws. An appeal was made and granted in September of last year. Under the grant, outfit was called upon to make an American appear- ahee before Jaii. 1* 1951, or the appeal would be invalid. Quartet has been booked into the Forrest Park for four weelw by General Artists Corp. Statler Hotel, D. C., To Resume Name Policy in January The Statler hotel, Washington, is slated to resume an act policy Jan. 8. Spot has set Rosalind Court* wright and Cardin! for its preem show under the talent format. Ted Lewis is slated to follow Jan. 22. Inn had been on a band policy for some time, and spot will con* tiiiue to book top crews whenever budget allows. However, it’s been decided to accent acts in all of their shows. ’Saga of Sameness’ Sags Holiday 6.0. Not Too Gay Montreal, Dec. 19. The only things resembling a white Christmas around Montreal are the empty tables as local boite operators go into one of the poor- est holiday seasons for several years. Although prepared for the usual slump, owners were dealt ; additional blow with the announce- ment that all rooms must close early aver Christmas and New Year’s Eves. Lack of biz in some cases is not entirely the, fault of the season. Too many spots have opened in the past year offering the tab-lifter the same sort of entertainment, that is, an imported line of hoof- ers; a couple of singers; emcee- comedian, plus a novelty act. Most successful to date has been the Bellevue Casino and it hit on this formula first, it is still drawing with a regular clientele that the other saloons are unable to cut into. The stubes that spread from mid-town to the heavily pop- ulated French districts in the east end seem unable to produce any- thing more than a trio (always the same setup; an accordion, a bass and guitar) that specializes in pseudo rhumba numbers. Other rooms are suffering when new owners decide after a month or so that they are impresarios and start bargaining around for talent. With more than 25 rooms offering revues, the public is shopping around for entertainment and avoiding the joints that, keep changing their price policy de- pending on the amount they have to ante up for performers. The clubs with a consistent policy of price and show formula pick up the biggest chunk of business every time. The Esquire, one of the oldest clubs in town, may drop its shows in the new year and con- tinue as a lounge; the Latin Quar- ter which has gone through a se- ries of owners in, the past few years is up for sale after taking a beating for the last couple of months. The Diana Grill with its new Candlelight Room is starting to click, concentrating on “name” acts such as the Inkspots^ Ames Bros., Delta Rhythm Boys, et al.; but the climb is slow. The Iceland restaurant, N. Y., is currently undergoing financial re- organization folio wing a crisis of last week, during which the Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists had to pay off the acts out of the $880 bond that was posted with the union. Because of a siege of sub- par business, spot’s till was shy of the . necessary coin and the union last week pulled the acts. More money was put up on Friday (15) and show was allowed to go bn un- til Sunday (17). At press time, union stated that the Iceland Would not be permit- ted to reopen last night (*rues,) un- ie$s a bond for the full amount of the show wa$ posted. Iceland is getting new money men into the corporation and it was expected that the spot would resume. 46 Wednesdayy December 20» 1950 WEEK OF DEGEMBER Numerals In connection with bills below Indicate opening day of show whether full or split week Letter in parentheses indicates circuit (FM) Fanchon Marco; (I) Independent# (D Loew; tM) Moss; Reid & Dorothy Jacklcy ^ Jee Agnette. A Sylvio GRIMSBY Palace. (I) 18 Amazing Chevalier Co Johnnie Kayes Flying Dernos, Ranleighs Liberty Horses Oscar Snuds Co LEICESTER Palace (S) 18 Max Bacon Jane Semnrini A1 Roxy Bcmanfls Pigeons. Bob Wayne Barbara Rondart NORWICH Hippodrome (I) 18 Vic Ray Sc Lucille Tommy Truman Joe Aster St Rene Billington Adrian Sc Spero SUNDERLAND Emnire (M) 18 Dell j' Kin Deep River Boys Leslie Sarony Johnny l.awson 3 Noni Nit ' St Dody Walter Niblo Kelga. Barry Harry Baile.v WALTHAMSTOW Palace (1) 18 Da ge till am (l.jrl Pipers ■ Low & Webster. ■ 2 Condons 2 An"clo.s Boy Dorck Vic Silver Sylvia llylton.. H A: A Ross WOOD GREEN Empire (S) 18 Woods & J:'rrelt Har’.em Belles 4 Tune g’ellcrs Shorty Mounsey Lewis Ilardeastlfe ■Worroens Eddie Willi'ims Pep Graham Ray Elliiv'ton 4 YORK Empire (I) Speedy Smith Gwendolyn G Cy Gr:inl Ida Shepley David Dirks Dan Jackson Gwyn Miller Rex Du I ton McKay Bros St ! Norene Tate Garland Wilson — _ I Ellis Larkin 3 cafe Society Josh White Beatrice Hpwell Leonard Conner 1 Clift Jackson j Windhurst Ore •j Copocaoan* Henhy 'Youngman : Luba Malina i M Durso Orb, . : Wynters St ‘ Angel ine : Skylarks , Jean Caplos . I Chuok Brunner I Betty Harris ’' Mickey Devine ■ .F. Alvares Ore ' Diamond Horseshoe , Ross Si LaPierr© vRudy Cardehas ; W C Handy : Billy . Banks j Gloria LcRpy Noble Sissle Ore 1 Chic Morrison Ore • Rigolettb Bros I Jack Spoons Frank Evans Tommy King Harry Meehan Billy Banks Harry Armstrong Havana-Mad rid - Baer Ac Rosenblooin Lily Ann. Carol, Roy Kirk Pupi Canipo Orc. Jerry Cooper Vierra .Monkeys Iceland Alfred St Lenore Jack. Palmer Ore Habibi Lota . Bracha Hillel Sc Aviva El Chico Roslta Rios Los Gita nos Pilarin Tavlra Sarita Herrera D' Alonso Ore Leon & Eddie'e Eddie Davis Louise R Harris Peggy O'Neil Rusha Holden Myron Bell Jimmy Dale La Commedia Jo Hurt La Martiniqub Hcrkie Styles Mary Hatcher Johnny Conrad Rosette Shaw Ralph Font Oro Val Olmah Ore Latin Quartor Wenccs Galli Galli Sarah Ann McCahe Christian! Troupe Mila. Raymon Vikings Nirska Genia Mel Wilson Morrelll Calvin .Holt . Ralph Young Art Waner Ore L© RuUan Bleu . Bibi Osterwald Hugh Shannon 3 Rift's Ronnie Graham Norman Paris 3 ■' Julius Monk Little Club Ernie Warren Ore. No 1 Fifth Av© Louise Howard Erik Rhodes Downey & [‘on.viUs Bazel Webster Old Knick Jerry Bergen Arthur Barnett Harry Fleer Denise Griffin Fred Ardath ' ' Old Roumanian Sadie Ranks Jackie W'inston Buster Burnell. ■ Alverda Mary Mon. Toy • Joe La Porte Ore D’.Aquila Ore Park Av© Gloria Elwood Scotty Graham Charlie Stewart Penthouse . Paul Taubman Hotel Ambassador Jules Lande Ore Hotel Blltmor© Harold Nagel Ore Hotel Edison Henry Jerome Oro Hotel New Yorker Ray Robbins Ore . Rookies Carol Lynne Farrar Ai Carter • Ozzie Wells B. Pennington Arthur Johnson Hotel Pierre DeMarcos Robert Maxwell Stanley* Melba Ore Manuel Jiminez Ore Hotel Park Sheraton Irving Fields 3 Hotel Plaza Victor Borge Artini Ac Consuolo Nicholas Malthev Mark Monte Dick La Salle Orc Hotel Rooseven Guy Lombardo Orc Hotel St. Regis Jane. Morgan Milt Shaw Ore Horace Diaz Oic Hotel Sheibourne Aaron Payne Joan Kibrig • Ray Ramirez Spotlighters . Hotel Statier Ray Anthony Orc Hotel Taft Vincerii Lopoz Ore Versailles Edith Piaf Emile Pett* (ire Panchito Ore Village Barn Bourbon A; Bayne Tex Fletcher Jane Abel Peter Rubino Village Vanguard Irwin Corey Hope Foy . Clarence Williams 3 Waldorf-Astoria Lisa Kirk D.e Mattiazzis Emil Coleman Mischa Borr Orc ' of Gommerce has played no BmaU ! part in attracting the small invest- ors. Advertising copy has made much of the. fact that the last show the Junior Chamber backed was “Song of Norway,” and the copy ' adds that the Music Foundation of the Junior Chamber “still receives ‘ diviijcnds on, its .investment.” ■ Make It Look Gilt-Edged Some of the copy beamed ox’er ’ .local radio stations to attract in- ' vestors at $102 per . imif makes it sound as if backing a show were a ' gilt-edged’ investment. .One blurb . blandly, tells ;listeners that “the ■ profits are greater and the fun is : higher when you get in on the ground floor of something good/” ^ No mention is made of the fact that : less than 20^0 of the shows that tried Broadway last season were listed as hits— or that backers of • even the flop shows usually make . their irivestment on the basis of a script audition rather than a siren ' announcer. ; Spot annoimcenient copy de- scribes the potential show .as “a brilliant; new musical productiori created by outstanding theatre per- ' sonalities” ahd .goes on glowingly tb • describe the success stories Of some i of tjie creative talent associated ' With the shpw^ Then the copy adds enticingly that “the most exciting : ; aspect of this distinguished nev; show is that yoii can own a part of ; it and share the excitement of . watching the birth of a new show 1 and the pi'ofits from bpxoflice re- / ceipts, sale of motion picture, tele- vision. radio and recording, rights, ' and all other subsidiary rights, of wh i ch th e re a re . many . ” I Little Old Investors ! Some of the blandishments have heart-tugging reference old lady” who forked ' for nine units because ' She /‘wanted to be a part of this ; great venture.” Advertising of this , sort is frowned on. Trenk main- ’ Stains,, adding, however, that since j several radio disk jockeys and pro- j ducers already have invested in the | I show it is possible that they display ( a noticeable over-enthusiasm in re-: ferring to. the enterprise — ^and .if; this enthusiasm creeps into the , copy as it is aired there is little ; “My L. A., “ Ltd., can do about it. While the appeal to pro,‘;pective stock purchasers is geared to a “get into the 'charmed circle’” kick, copy also aims straight at civic pride. Brochure included to a over $918 L. A.” says flatly CHICAGO Blackhawk Patsy Abbott Norma Lee Doggett Joel Frieiicl Ray Hyson Henry Brahclou Ore Chez Fare© Stan Grover ' Paul Gray Elissa Jane Moore At Lossy Richard France Che'Z Adorablcs Manuelitto Ore ('ee David.'^on Ore Palmer hous© J A: S Steele DeLeon A.-: Graciella Rudell.s (3) M Abbott Ders Eddie O'Neal Orc ■ Helsmgs Georgie Gobel Jayne Walton Billv ('h.nndler Ore Hotel Bismarck Norman . Martin . • Trade Adams Lee iMorgan Johnny Alladin Orc H EdgeWater Beacr Honey Bros D mid Deis Orrip Tucker Oic Hotel Stevens Skating Ryle.s Arnold Shoda Jerry Mapes Jack R.afTloer. Mac MacGraw Reed W'illiams Harper Flaherty Bob Fitzcerald . Skating Blvdeart Jo Barnum Jack Spooh.s Chordmen (4) Biuddy Rust Bill Perry Leighton Noble Ore Vine Gardens Myron Oohen Carter Sis (2) Minda Liing., Susan King Mel Cole Ore put out by “My that to believe in show, the poten- first believe that MARY HATCHER & IIERKIE STYLES Songs-Cbiuedy 40 Mins. Martinique, N. Y. This turfi really comprises two separate acts, with the two combin- ing for a closer after completing their individual turns. Mary Hatcher and Herkie Styles have been touring together and have been booked under this type of arrangements and it might be con- sidered as a single act. For Miss Hatcher, it’s her .first big nitery assignment. Gal scored in her Broadway stint in “Texas, O’l Darling.” Styles has been around for a while, and since their marriage, the pair has combin as an act. Styles is on first, for about 20 minutes. He’s a personable young comic with good delivery and pro-r jection; but his material Is sparse. About half his act consists of bait- ing the audience and wohderirig who’s going to take his place the next night after he’s cancelled. While all this is done in art in- ofl'ensive manner, it begins to wear after the first five minutes. A good deal of his gags are also directed toward the trade, which is alright for opening night but simply won’t hold thereafter. He’s got some neat'* impersonations, an okay piano-playing bit and a funny ex- change with the musicians, but these aren’t long or strorig enough to avert the impression that he’s on thin ice most of the way through. Miss Hatcher, who reniinds one of Betty Hutton in looks, voice and projection, shows to better ad- vantage, Delivers a couple of ballads nicely, and. although her voice isn’t tops, she makes up for it in appearance and delivery. More substantial is her rendition of “Yodel Blues,” which she in- troduced on Broadway, Here, her comic abilities come to the fore. As a closer, the pair combine for a song-and-dance bit, some singing by Miss Hatcher with accompany- ing baiting by Styles, and some more straight comic work. They’re at their best when Working to- gether; they complement each other. Styles might try tightening his solo turn and adding material to the closing duo stint. This would serve the purpose . of making his stint better and strengthening the act as a whole. Chan. LOUISE & HARRIS Comedy Dance 10 Mins. Leon & Eddie’s, N> Y* Louise & Harris, a youthful pair of comedy terpers have an ; act that should make the grade in , cafes, theatres and other visual I situations. They make a good im** ' pressipn at the outset. Starting off j with male doing a vocal and then : into comedy dance routine, the , terping is punctuated with good I laugh values. The femme is pert and has . comedic ahility. j They have ah assortment of good routines, w h i c h at present can ' meet the demands of the family i time. With a trip around the ciiv cults, the duo could play most any- where. Jose. , WYNTERS & ANGELINE I Dancers . 7 Mins. i Copacabana, New York 1 Svelte pair should do okay in : the east, this being one of their i earlier engagements around Goth- am. Undoubtedly they have been around as their terp skill bespeaks, J but missing from the Variety New Act files. They have a neat routine, reg- istering all the way, notably in the Strauss waltz and in the cakewalk which includes some rather new and hovel holds. They’re a ' very I personable pair who evidence im- 1 mediate terpsichorean authority. Okay for any class room. Abel. MYRNA BELL Aero Dance 8 Mins. Leon Sc Eddie’s, N. Y. Myrna Bell, a newcomer, shows promise in the aero terp line. ,A short period of seasoning Will make her a good bet for most vis- ual situations. Miss Bell can tap out a number with considerable applause values, and her aero work is up to standard in this de- partment. Miss Bell has an excellent assort- ment of tricks. She does nipups rap- idly gets off some good spins and mixes in assorted aero antics with good effect. Some of her routines need perking up, but essentially, the talent’s there. Jose. LOS ANGELES 18 I’cy Vera Ambassador Hotel Eric 'i’hoi'sen DiGitanos (2) Eddie Bergman Ore Geri Gaiian Gru . Biltmore Hotel Sonny Howard Hoctor Ac Byrd Vic and Adio Anita Russ Ai'bs Morgan Giro's Dick Contino Dick Stabih' Moc'ambo Billy Daniels Benny Payne Latin-Aircs Eddie Oliver Oro Ore Ore the future of the tial backer must Los Angeles is “well oh its way to ' becoming the greatest city in the world.” I Key man behind the pi'oduction, • Trenk is a former Viennese pro- j ducer-director-actor. Reveling in ; the description “Los Angeles’: "Greatest Booster,” he sees the ‘mil- 1 j sical, based in part on L, A. Daily ; 1 News columnist Matt Weinstock’s ; book, as a longrun natural. The ! show will have a score by 3 I I }j ' - • 4ii LEGITIMATB PT^lSFt Weditegday^ December 20^ 1950 Plays on Broadway nie^is You All Hei'man Levi* & Oliver Smith presents^ Won of revue In two att* fl9 scenes), wim music and lyrics by Harold Rome, sketch- es by Arnold Auerbach. Stars .lules Mun- ■hin. Marv McCarty. Pearl Badey; features ; Blltzstein. Seta Valerie Bettis. Jane Harvey, Byron Palin- , swang; cpstumes. Make au Opera Peter Lawrence St Show-Of-Tbe-Month Club presentation of musical jin two acts. Book and lyrics by Eric Crosier: music by Benjamin Britten. Staged by Marc Sets and lighting* Ralph Al- Aline Bernstein; must- brought him to the depths of lone- liness. There is the issue* of the solid citizen who feels that he has contributed much to the advance- ment of society, only to have his fellow-beings fail humanity in the ^chaos of present-day confusion. There is, too; the issue of mod-^ em-day y o u n g e r girls casting their marital alliances, in the di- Richard Whorf will stage the N. Y. City' Center revival of “Royal Family,” in which John Emery will appear . . . There’s an outside chance that Gary Cooper may make his Broadway debut in Hor- ton Foote’s “The Chase,” which er?Robc"t'Hi 5 “hoim.*‘GVryy "Char- ; cal dlfec^r-conduct^^^^ many years their, , lene Harri.s. Donald Saddler, Gene^Baio% : Ar John Golden,^. Y., Dec. 13, And there’s the problem ) John Haggott and Celeste Holm John cf’^^Wifeon^ musfcal en^ Lg Bob and^Sm.?*^ Randolph Symonette of medical treatment, or psychia^ i may present next spring . . . Mel^ semble.sV Helen Tamiris; scenery. Oliver ‘ Clem and Alfred. Rawn Spearman 35 opposed tO the simple Will , vllle Cooper, an alien member, haS Smith, co.tun.es, MUes__WWt,;_nm;lcal j SSJff ! to live. All this Ir -- ■ — oniBLiir i;u»tu4iic3# i»***wi» I ^ if - r "R «»l*nd Naddl llVC. All iius in one package, I received Actors Equity pennission mSr E°rJor orStVatE. Don WaiK; !^r^^ . . ;;;;;;;.V.\V.'. . ,Ai*iyne Frank ! Which indicated the play’s absorb- to appear in “Make a Wish,” the lighting. Peggy Clark; ballet music com- j Juliet. . ' 1^8 potentialities. Preston Stiirges-Hugh Martin mu- PSnoR?^ind"Dtm Va'iker.® M HeiuSjer^ sopW^^^ 1 Taking his premise from actual ; sical edition of JVIolnar’s “Gpod N. Y,. Dec. 14 , ' 50 ; $7.20 top ($ 9 . 60 ’Tina ................. ...Angela Adamses gyg^^g q£ Qm- times, the author in which Nanette Fabray IS opening). 1 ' '*******' ^ ******' ’ r ' ‘ liiii It his Work nround Josish 1 set for.' the femme lead Cast: Jules Munshin. Mary McC.'mty. ! Johnny Santamaria UaS^ UUllCJ S V^ . ITafiiaisin*. rAtmAll will fnM Pearl Bailev. . Valerie Bettis, Jane Harr ) vev, Byron Palmer, Robert Chisholm, Gar- ia has built his work around Josian . ^ * i.* ‘ ! Bolton, eminently successful legal 1 *^3tharine Cornel will fold her i- ' light, who has reached a state of i Pf Ofjyction of ^Captain Carvallo * . ■ • _• * ■ __ _ 1 • . w - *1 . of rnib r%f tFia tifdolr'o It UUCdll t UClUAlg ^ — - — - - r . V*J? . son. Jo.scph Gifford, Philip Nasta. Berti-am . Bi-njidwaV As an amateur audi- ' reached an- impasse In his liie, in ! . ^ .-j • j? n -li*- ....nwAi. f,o,s. John sandal. ; en^el^^artl^ipftion fholic, it be- ; that he finds.no way to turn as he i: Nash. Elmira Jones-Bey. Gwenha. t.ee ; c/wr’r.i.ih rnm ^ realizes that Kis work Is “finished ” i Webster is set for the femme lead Smith. Deli Parker. JiU Melford. Jeane longS in the hlgh schOOl-ClUb-COm- ‘'W ^ anH dhiimlin will QfaPP Williams. Billie Kirpich. Clive Dill, Irene theatre category, and his wife has divorced him and reri ^Ijd “egnan 5>n™“n wii stage Riley, Bot.sy Holland^ Ray Morrissey^ Kns jt to Broadway, as^ a $4.20 married, his daughter is about to • Hosen.s produ^i ion .of Nodiahd. Blanche Grady, Gloria s daughter — - KudiTvn' BeminYrMorg-^wt Wright. Grace conuiiuhlty Sing Setup, wBs a mis- leave nun to marry an elderly ' “Stonge _Sanct^uary;v Varik. Geraldine Hamburg. Eileen Turner, Broadwayites are a little too suitor, his son has virtually aban- ! Hastings melodrama wfiiCi^^ Donald Mcifayie, Richard ^ or So whattish to fall into ^oded him, and perhaps most : London hit undei 4he title of Comaddre. o.sborne Smith. Fred 01 , SO ^nauisn lo laii of all humanitv itself ' Bonaventure” . . . Paul Douglas, ny Smith. William Sutherland.^ Nor al the spirit of a Community glee — . sJ^dincam or ail n^^^ . plipWprf on HrnnHwnv in Kenny Tormsen:*Jane’^riide.^^olhy Richards. • effect. ' has floun^^d l^dly in- the pres- : cHc^^. {n T 7— nil ^ Fii’st act deals wim^ I tlm Herman Levin. and adults who plan putting | Contemplating suicide, a status J* ^ S jL^r’s “SunriL in operators of a mint called Gentle- . an opera. Audience i.s invited .to of wliich only a young medical ^ Part of the r^TA men^ Prefer Blondes, . become the chorus, and is taught • family friend ; is aware, Bolton is ; yided a ® I ^onr not-tob-easy s o n g s to sing, , gradually brought into closer con- i ^,1?^ Saoed the Siin ’» “Bless You All, , new, i e\ue hj j Yralf is the opera presenta- tact with his daughter. And after ! ^.n? the Sun, Harold Rome and Arnold Auerr : bedtime a rugged session of self-anailysis on bach. In this instance^lhe matenal 1 g^gj;y ^ jg^b century London the part of both father and daugli- seems dwarfed by the bcautitui . who escapes from ter, play ends on an optimistic Smith scenery and stunning miles | g^g^. ej^ployers with the aid note. White costumes. And whe_n a ^ a group of children. Novelty of , clive Brook, making his Amerl- cal looks better than it soandh, tt . baving a N. Y. audience singing can sta^^e debut elves a heauti- nmpp^^^?’n*^while^‘BT^^ Air ' t P^odhetion has its points-- : fuily-pofished rekfng of office, oo while Bless j ou, au but thev don’t add up to enough. ' min ttic rViaraoifkr will probably have_several montl«i,.yyhole procedure is a little too noteworthy ^as is^his acting hfer" i ?**"’* “Seventh -Veil,” according run, P»vt.cu arlywtth its heavy 3,,^.,,^ ^3 ell as, difficult, and by g^ret PhiUips gives credencf to the ‘,2;“ h, IIm 000 ini 1*’’® ee™es, has of the daSghter and stands up ! * regain its $200,000 in . become a little tiring and dull. ; {(.gu bi heavily dramatic moments. : |''®J®f.^ hfe cimith and COS- * There ate many nice things ; gbe seeiiis unable to shed an ac- ! Scene (designer Smith and cos about this production. Second-act , winch has a tendency to de- popidai click . . The 1951 turner White a r e the rear stars of .gpgj.^ is a .(‘harming work, with Lgi from her interDretatimi season of the Shakespeare Me- the show, which. IS unusually opu- ; gP^^g excellent tunes by Benjamin a basically American girlf^ I morial theatre at Stratford-on- ■Oi.itf/in nc U'aII JIG n liGtpnnhlPi • will direct the Harold Clurman- tV’alter Fried production of S. N. Behrman’s “Let Me Hear the Melody,” in which Franebpt Tone may appear. . Ann Todd and Leo Genn will 'Appear on Broadway next spring characterization Is ' ^ ® legit edition of Michael Mac- lent looking and handsome, even as well as a listenable by the lavish standards 9: score. One or two ensemble num- Hugh Reilly provides an aiithen- Broadway. But the material is ^ i ore uarticularlv choice pro- -> , — „ ^ - generally undistinguislied, and ' ^®” J" ^ talented 1™®^?® 'vi’o eventually rouses Bol- , ductions of “Hichard II.” "Heni-y although Jules Munshin, Mary Me- ' “^®®®® we asse ^ t t ,3 If Avon will open next March 24 .arid continue through the follow- Pro- ' easy-goirig young ; ing Oct. 27 and will include pro- aitnougn juies iviunsnm, maiy me- vnimffsiprs to aid the few , aciA-i.»kcacxvai.iuM, unu vveam Carty and Pearl Bailey labor vai- ■ *‘'® ‘®"' [the daughter from her May-Decem iantly to bring it to life, the out- ; ^|,jg hitter Pawn Snearman plans to more ro- standing perfo'rmer is Valerie Bet- ; “fine* Ivric tenor Handolnh i >"30110 ones involving himself, tis, whose dancing provides i ® ■® ‘^"® ' n»t<.v Vnn Ti'..,.ct„ni.«..« i., i,... tertainment sock. As demonstrated several sea.sons ago in “Inside U. S. A.,” when a dancer is the highlight of a revue it’s an unfortunate commentary on the comedy and music. There’s only one . real guffaw- bringer among the “Bless You All’^ sketches. That’s a jibe at anti weans, IV” (Parts 1 and 2), “Henry V” and “The Tempest.” Michael Redgrave will be a nieniber of the ides the en- I g-, h^V^^'-'i^^sonaXtas;; i V?". Furstenberg. In her j 'rttaSlng at*lntg"iug"Xe^ Miss Bettis ! to Nadell is a competent post-strawhat stage appear- paul Vroom, general manager for , f°XMo -^nd Avlyne Frank a i ?>'®®', <1°®? ® completely captivat- ; •'Affairs of State" and slated to be lovely as well as accbiriplished so- i I?®*. \ refreshing^ manner i company manager of “Make a piano. Jo Sullivan is altogether a p“minence^ Frediric’k BradleT’as iT* general managerfor treat as Juliet visually vocally i P^oii'^ineiice. KreaeiicK Biaqiee, as jack Segasture, whose production '^°^'“‘^!the Show-mmded son whose read-|of “Sodom, Tennessee” goes into mg -s c 0 p e "prefers Variety to | rehearsal Jan. 15 with Robert and histrionically. Marc Blitzstein has staged the work with a good sense of theatre, and a sure feeling for the artistic \ and musid valuerard Norman BS the gullible patient and Garry l3avis as the enthusiastic druggist. A travesty of “Peter Pan,” as it might be presented for. a parent- teacher entertainment, is moder- ately funny, but a skit about how the next President may be elected without leaving the television studio seems attehuated and over- produced. Of the songs, there may be some popularity for “I Can Hear It Now,” the sardonic “Little Things Meant So Much to Me,” "A Rose Is a Rose,” “Take Off the Coat” and “You Never Know What Hit You — When It’s Love,” but there’s noth- ing like a genuine smash tune in the show. Miss Bailey goes to Mar, who doubles as emcee-con- ductor, does a yeoman job of wheedling the audience into sing- ing and handling his precocious cast. At times he’s a little too cute Blackstone,” is competent in a lesser role, and Gordon Richards completes the cast as an efficient man-servant. Perry as stager, Leo Kerz de- signer, Earl Robinson composing the incidental music and Ben Washer as pressagent . . . The Rob- Sherwood takes over in this re- — which is whole production’s idea : vised version of the Barry original, ^ /K* • • • . 1 J A . ■i J • TT and its downfall. Bron. (Closed Saturday (16) ajter five performances). l^^pconil Thresliolcl New Haven, Dec. 13. Alfred de Liagre, Jr., presentation of drama in three acts (four scenes) by Phil- elaborate lengths to put over You. | Ip Barry, with revisions by Robert E Never Know,” but isn’t able to do is difficult to determine, In any ! event, there is considerable depth to many of the lines, and thougnts have been dove-tailed to produce an overall smooth flow of. story ' content. De Liagre’s staging has carried the script from scenes of pin-drop- ping silence, through a- diversifica- tion of charm and simple comedy, to a very fine dramatic sequence in which the central character lays bare a searing analysis of his much with her first number, “When,'’ Miss Bettis scores in her two ma- jor dance spots, the first involving pictures that come to life and the second a sizzling pash number called “Desert Flame,’’ besides singing a laughable ballad parody called “Voting Blues;” Besides the drugstore sketch arid the T V-Pres- Ident stanza, Munshin wrestles reasonable humor from a skit about a foreign matinee idol, struggles through one about sea- side artists and teams with Miss McCarty in a heavy number called “The Roaring 20’s Strike Back.” Miss McCarty gives what anima- tion she can to a sketch (in which one word apparently shocked some first-nighters) and sOng about south- ern authors, succeeds . in un- corking laughs with the “Little Things” song and. the “Peter Pan” jape, and also appears in the TV satire arid the “Roaring 2()’s” rium-^ her:' Jarie Harvey and Byron Palmer prove agreeable Singers, either solo, in duets or ensemble, with such tunes as “I Can Hear It Now,” “A Ro.se Is a Rose,” “Love Letter to Manhatlan,” “Summer Dresses'’ arid “Take Off the Coat.” A notable addition to the show, definitely in the visual category, are the girls, billed riot iinjustifi- abJy as a “Swarm of Sultry Sylphs,” for whom White has de- signed attractively scanty togs, John C. Wilson has done the over-- all staging and Helen Tamiris con- tributed the striking dance num- bers. Kobe* Sherwood. Stars Clive Brook; features : OWn Deingv Margaret Phillips. Hugh Reilly. Directed I A handsome library Setting gets and lighting, Don- , able visual assistance fromHattrac- ald Oenslager; costumes, John Derro;. pro- A- duction a.ssociate, Philip Barry, Jr. At . Dve appaiel. Boue, Shubert, N^w Haven, Dec. 13, '50; $3.60 j -■■■-■ ' top. Toby Wells Hugh Reilly Malloy Gordon Richards Miranda Bolton .Margaret Phillips Josiah Bolton .Clive Brook Thankful Mather . . Betsy Von Furstenberg Jock Bplton. ..... . , . . .-. Frei^crick Bradlee Writing represents ari interesting ! ert L. Joseph-Alexander H. Cohen blend of scrivening craftsmanship, j revival of “King Lear,” starring Where Barry left off and Robert j Louis Calhern, is financed at $65,- 000, plus a $6,500 overcall. Any expense beyond $71,500 will be supplied by the producers. With Wilbur Evans due to be production manager and co-sfar of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Operetta this winter, his singer-actress wife Susanna Foster will be on the Coast with her parerits, having a baby . , , Meivyn Douglas is set for a leading part in “Little Blue Light,” Edmund Wilson drama which the Theatre Guild plans to produce in the spring. Hume Cro- nyn, who co-starred with Jessica Tandy (Mrs. Cronyn) in a tryout of the play last fall at the Brattle theatre, Cambridge, will have an interest in the production . . . Robert Fletcher, one of the Brat- tle theatre members, who played a principal part in andl designed the costumes for the recent Theatre Guild-Brattle revival of “The Re- lapse,” has been admitted into the United Scenic Artists union . . . The council of Actors Equity will give its annual Christmas party tomorrow afternoon (Thurs.) for the union’s office staff . . . Thomas Hammond’s touring production of “Apple of His Eye,” to star . Ed- ward Arnold, has been capitalized at $30,000.. Joseph Harris is company man- ager of “Arms and the Girl,” at the Arena, N. Y., succeeding Joe Moss, who withdrew to tour with Edward On 'Sightless’ Sadler’s Cleveland, Dec. 19. Sadler’s Wells Ballet Co,, rang up approximately $40,000 gross in its twp-night stand at . the Civic Auditorium last week, but poor seating facilities drew terrific squawks from many of the 17,500 ^‘Thresholcl.” is not only the title of this final play by Philip Barry, It is also its exact status as re- gards its Broadway Chances. As of j its premiere,^ it stands on the. brink, facing a moderately good reception or a significant one. ' hail et fane whn almnef fillod thp Whether it steps over that thres- i vrio almost filled trie hold into legit’s Hall of Fame or into oblivion will be determined in the two remaining tryout weeks available for finding — ^atid fanning — ^the spark that can ignite it into a thoroughly .worthwhile play. Paradoxically, the play’s major hall during the run. G. Bernardi, local promoter, got most of the blame for installing an inadequate rising platform for 1 A% ■ 1 I A v**v**,x^ Tf VWUX TirXl.AA M:J%SWW€SS\ the seats. Although the Wooden I Arnold in “Apple of His Eve I'lGP pnef hiiYi il r/i 1111 for! fiOO in I rise cost him a reputed $1,600 in rental, it was so low that patrons problem at the moment is that it [ in highest prized orchestra seats has no major problem. There is j couldnT see the feet of the danc^ no single factor that protrudes with marked negation in the over- all structure. The theme is good; writing, acting and staging all are good— but not quite good enough for standout acceptance. It is in the ignition .field that further re- search must be conducted. Play poses a number of inter- esting Issues. There is the one of the materially suc(?essf 111 riian who, in middle life, finds that his goal has been only an illusion. Another is tliat of the parent who has severed the bond between himself l and his children, and learns that ers. Majority of spectators in the first 15 rows had to stand in side aisles to get a clear view of George White lias arinounef'ed from the Coast a new edition of his “Scandals” for next spring, with sketches by Irving Caesar, Billy K. Wells and himself, lyrics by Caesar and Jack Yellen and a composer to be selected . . , Since hurley term for chief comic of .a show * . . Pennis Kins will play the ship’s captain In “Billy Budd,’* the* Chandler Cowles^ presentation of the Louis O. Cox-R. H. Chapman dramatization of the Herman Mel* ville novel ... Ezra Stone may stage the Sbuberts’ production o£ “The Man Who Corrupted Hadley* biirg,” the Bernard Evslin adapta* tion of a Mark Twain story, which was tried out last summer at Hedgei’ow theatre, Moylan, Pa. . . , A special perfonriance, to raise funds for the Mary MacArthUr Me- morial Research Respiratory Cen- ter, Wellesley Hills, Mass., will be given Jan. 28 by the Professional children’s School, N* Y. Judith Anderson is chairman of the com* iriittee . . . Caiherine Falcone has resigned as secretary to Felix M, Sommer at Universal’s foreign (ie- partment in N, Y. to join the cast of Lawrence Schwab Productions, for its Music Circus theatre in Miami this winter. Because she lives in New Hope, Pa,, press agent’s wife Mrs. Sol Jacobson generally does her play- going in spurts. Last Wednesday (13), she topped herself by visiting the Modern Museum, N. Y., before lunch; attending the matinee of “Ring Round the Moop,” at the Martin Beck; the 5:30 performance of “tellar and the. Well,” at the ANTA Playhouse, aind the evening performance of “Don Carlo,’’ at the Met Opera House. Margo Jones paid a visit last week by plane to Frank Lloyd Wright, near Phoenix, Ariz. It’s presumed she conferred with Wright concerning a new play- house which is a possibility for Theatre ’50 here. The theatre would be flexible to accommodate both arena rfaging, as at present, and conventional platform staging, with seating capacity of 500 to 600. Mary Chase is polishing her new play, “Mr. Thing” at her Denvei* home, and hies to Broadway short- ly to sumbit it to producers, It has no connection with her first legit hit, “Harvey", or with the currently popular song and shooting film, both titled “The Thing,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,*' w'hich has been grossing around $44,000 a wee k recently, is still .hitting an operating profit of about $10,000 a week .i . . Next benefit performance for the Actors Equity and Chorus Equity welfare fund will be “Lady’s Not for Burning,” Jan. 14, with “Season in the Sun’' slated for Jan. 28 and “Country Girl” Feb. 11 . . , Jacquelyn Van Natter, production manager of the Atlanta opera company, due in New York during the holidays to cast singers for her company’s spring season . . . Malcolm Keen, currently winding up shooting with Ethel Barrymore and Maurice Evans in Metro’s film edition of “Kind Lady,” due east next week- end to play Capiilet in the Olivia De Havilland revival of “Romeo and Juliet” . . . Robert Alan Bern- stein will stage the Laughing; Stock Co. revival of Euripides’ “Electra,” slated for February presentation at the Master Institute, N. Y. . . . Joe Shea has withdrawn as press- agent of the American Legion re- vue, “Red, White and Blue,” with Joe Flynn shifting from “Diamond Lil” to succeed him . . . Theatre party age n t Lenore Tobiit* pub- lisher of Stubs, the seating guide to Bi;oadway theatres, is issuing replacement diagrams for the Hel- linger, N. Y,, which recently rear- ranged its seating playout. Frank Duane Rosengren, of San Antonio, has written the book and lyrics, for a musical, “The Walls Rise Up,” skedded for Theatre ’5(), Dallas. Music is by Richard. Shari- nori of Houston. The play will start a three-week run at Theatre ’50 March 12. Margo Jones is the producer. Richard Skinner, just firiished as company manager for “The Re- lapse,” going but in similar post with the Jeanette Macdonald-Gene Raymond “The Guardsman,” which opens in Buffalo Jan. 25 enroute to the Coast. liCwis, Garter in ‘Consul’ For Montreal the procedure has ultimately i on its visits. the dancers. S o m e soreheads ! Whitehead has been de- started a teapot boxbffice tempest 4;he casting of Donald Og- u.. J - .1 . den Stewart $ “Kidders,” Harold Clurman has withdrawn as director of the show and will stage Kermit Bloomgarden*s production of the .new, ..urititied Lillian Heilman play . . . Phil Silvers is announced as star of “Top Banana,” nev^nusi- cal with songs by Johnny Mercer and book by Hy Kraft to be pre- sented on Broadway in the spring by Paula Stone and her husband, Michael Sloaiie. The title is a by demanding ‘refunds and Caus- ing a lobby commotion, in which one hot-head tried to swing a hay- maker at Bernardi’s chin. He iriissed when the promoter dodged. Newspaper critics pointed out that for another $1,000, the local management could have rented the type of platform regularly used for [seats by Metropolitan Opera Co. Montreal, Dec. 19. Montreal Opera Guild, of which Paulina Dorialda is prez, w pre- senting Gian-Carlo Menotti’s ,”The Consul” at His Majesty's here Jan. 9 for a ruri of 10 days or longer. Brenda Lewis, last seen oii Broadway in “Regina,” will sing Magda; Met tenor John Carter will be the magician; Lydia Summers, the grandmother; Gloria Lane, the ! secretary, and Chester .Watson, Mr. I Kauffner. ' Emil (hooper, ex-Metopera maes- I tro, will conduct. William Butler [will stage* Wednesday, December 20, 1950 ‘Roberts’ Shuffles Leads on Tour; Fonda Troupe to Close on Coast P^iEfr UBGITIMATE 49 Tod Andrews, who’ll be suc- ceeded by Henry Fonda as star of the second company of ‘Mister Robeils,” Jan. 22 in Pittsburgh, will take over the same assignment ivltli the original edition a week later in Toronto, replacing John Forsvthe. The latter is starring in Ihe play at the Alvin, N. Y., and iroes on tour with it starting Jan. 10 in Schenectady. He has no im- mediate plans for after his with- drawal f rom^ the ca^t. _ Larry Ely den wiU taken over the part of Ensign Pulver in the origi- iril cast next week, succeeding Dick Van Patten. Robert Ross has al- ready replaced Paul Stewart as Doc and Rustay Lane has suc- ceeded William Harrigan as the Captain. About 10 additional cast changes, all in , supporting parts, fire slated for next week, with co^ aiit i)or and director Joshua Logan holding intensive rehearsals of the troupe in preparation for the tour. With Fonda In the title part which he created originally on Broadway, the second company of the Leland Hayward production is slated to work toward the Coast, winding up about Aug. T In Los Angeles. Oiie of the expected high spots of the tour will be the engagement in Omaha, Fonda’s l)ome town. The show has never played there, having been routed around it several times iii accord Avith the star’s wish to appear there himself. McLerie, Mitchell Will Do Allyn IVicLerie, last on Broadway as lead in "Miss Liberty,” arid James Mitchell, chief dancer in “Brigndoon,” will dance leads in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo,” when Ballet Theatre presents the work in its N. Y. one-night “homecom- ing” performance :.t the Met Opera House, Jan. 9. (John Kriza will take the third lead.) Troupe has just returned from a four-month tour of Europe, in which the twO driheers took part. After the N. Y. perform- ance, troupe goes on a three-month IJ. S. tour, opening in Philly Jan. 10. but duo (w’ho never danced with Ballet Theatre in N. Y. before) is pulling out. Miss McLerie resuming her old lead role in “Where’s Char- ley?” when it opens in Boston Jan. 25. “Rodeo,” which served as basis for the dances in “Oklahoma,” has been in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo repertoire for many seasons. Miss de Mille took it from Ballet Russe last Summer, and gave It to Ballet Theatre for its repertoire. Latter company has never done “Rodeo” in the U. S. before. In addition to “Rodeo,” the Jan. 9 gala Met performance will also in- clude “Theme arid Valuations,” with Mary Ellen Moylan and Igor You- skevitch; “The Black Swan” pas de deux, with Alicia Alonso and You- skevileh, and “Fall River Legend,” xyith Nora Kaye, Lucia Chase, Ruth Ann Koesun and Mitchell. Top will he $6. Miss Moylan has never ap- peared with the company here be- Miss Alonso is returning to A. Y. after several seasons’ abserice, during which she had her own com- pany in her native Cuba. Alexander bmallens, ex-Radio City Music Hall maestro, who went to Europe With Ballet Theatre as musical director, ydl be conductor for the N, Y. date. Boxoffice Meii Re-Elect Entire Officer Slate Entire officer slate of the Treas- urers Club of America was re- elected Saturday night (16) at the boxoffice men’s organization’s an- nual nieeting and election, at the Astor hotel, N. Y. They include Arthur W. Wright, president; Hugh J. McGauley, vice-prez; Frank Frayer, treasurer; Herman Leins, recording secretary; Murray Lang, financial secretary, and Edward E. Colton, attorney. Newly elected to the board of governors, to serve two years, were John F. McPartland, Louis A. Berge, Abe Bairanoff, Charles P. Murphy, John L, Wallum and Ralph W. Long. Incumbent gov- ernors, whose terms: have another yeat to run, are Walter O’Connor, Irving Morrisori,: George Handy, James Vincent and Harry Lee. <«. Texas Circuit Squawk On Bypass May Pay Off Dallas, Dec. ID. R. J. O’Donnell, veepee and gen- eral manager of the In^rstate The- at re Circuit, has squawked to the N. Y. Theatre Guild for sendirig Katharine Hepburn’s “As You Like It as near as Tulsa and Oklahoma J ny, without dropping down to ' Lrierstate territory. . The Guild now says it may be able to work it out after the Coast dates, which should bring the show here in mid-spring. Interstate has booked Les Ballets de Paris for the Melba March 2-3, ana road season looks good; “The ■Apple of His Eye,” with Edward Arnold, is set for Feb. 5-6, with 'Mr._Roberts” Inked for March 15- J (. Previou.sly announced is Mae West in “Diamond Lil” Feb. 13-14. Affairs of State,” Louis Verneuil comedy which has just repaid its $50,000 Investment, is earning an operating profit of about $5,500 a week at the Music Box, N. Y., on its capacity grosses of approximate- ly $26,500. The Richard Krakeur- Fred Finklehoffe production cost $38,965, plus a tryout loss of $1,108 and bonds of $11,350. Production expenses Included $7,550 in fees ($3,000 to Verneuil as director, $2,500 to John Haggott as production supervisor, $1,000 to scene and costume designer Paul Morrison, $750 legal, $300 account- ing), $4,072 in salaries, $5,758 for scenery ($4,233 building and paint- ing, $1,122 scrim drop and drapes), $1,307 electrical expense, $1,815 property department expense, $3,- 751 wardrobe, $1,163 hauling and transfer, $6,317 advertising and publicity, $1,421 rehearsal arid $5,- 812 general and administrative. Operating costs Include 30% the- atre rental, an average of about $6,600 for the cast of six, minimum author royalties (5-714-10%), no di- rector royalty, 1% production su- pervisor royalty, $290 for depart- ment heads, about $200 for com- pany stagehands, $'725 for man- agers, stage managers and press- agent, and around $1^000 share of advertising and $250 office expense. Company operating expense (exclu- sive of theatre rental) has been averaging about $13,000. Type Casting? George S. Kaufman and Abe Burrows, respective stager and co-librettist of “Guys and Dolls” (46th Street, N. Y.), have promised to play “run- ons” in the show at some per- formance soon. Stunt would be Tor Kaufman and Burrows to join the collec- tion of tinhorns and mobsters scramming the Save-a-Soul mission after using it for their floating crap game, at the Act 1 curtain. Strawhat Operation Woes Show Up m Chicago Suit For Chevy Chase Splitup Chicago, DeCr 19. Suit filed here iri Chi superior court last week by Phil Tyrell, theatrical booker and partner in the Ghevy Chase summer theatre, which asked for a dissolution of the partnership, brought out some significant facts on summer stock operation. Suit charges that pro- ducer Marshall Migatz allegedly withheld $50,000 in net profits from the 17^week season, which had a $100,000 gross, it asks for an ac- counting and examination of the hooks. ■ t . • Migatz told Variety that instead of a profit, there was an $8,000 loss for the seasonr including his own money. One of the greatest loss items was the matter of transporta- tion^ with stars getting over $5,400 in fares for themselves and rest of packages. He said that he would not use packages again, due to ex- cessive transportation. Out of the $100,000 gross, $22,000 went for rent to William Johnson, owner of the strawhat building, in addition to $4,000 spent in seating and re- modeling. In the second week of “Happy Birthday,” with ImOgene Coca . (the biggest grosser, which hit $10,000) Johnson, oil percent- age got $1,000 more than the star, who rated $1,400. Migatz said that it was through Johnson that Tyrell was taken in as a limited partner with a third share. He claimed that the action was brought on due to Tyrell’s wish to operate his own house. Producer said that hi/B lowest weekly operating cost was $4,000. it ran to as much as $9,000 with Burgess Meredith in “Harvey,” sec- ond biggest grosser. Newspaper ads ranked heavy in expenditures, with $10,000 in daily ads alone. Friml-Paskitian’s Musical •"f Clarification of the ticket distri- bution system, as it applies to Of ‘My Dear Children’ Carl Brissori is a possibility to do the John Barrymore role in 1 the musicalization of “My Dear Children,” by Catherin Turney and Jerry Horwin, which Rudolf Friml Will score. Dailey Paskman is do- ing the libretto adaptation, includ- ing the lyrics. The Shuberts, Aldrich & Myers and Jean Dal- rymple have been alternately men- tioned in connection with ‘the pro- duction. Horwin, how story editor for the i Columbia Broadcasting System, has I had Miss Turney east on several writing assignments (for “Studio One” and other CBS-TV shows), and also huddling on the musical version. Miss Turney left yesterday (Tues.) for Hollywood but returns east after the holidays. Fay’s Tlease’ Fqldo Involved 83G Nick “If Yoii Please,” Frank Fay re- vue which folded recently in San Francisco while trying out for Broadway, involved a loss of about $83,000, including $58,000 produc- tiori expense, $18,()00 tryout loss arid $7,000 closing expense. Fay, who produced, authored, di- rected and starred in the show, re- pdrtedly put up $60,000 of the coin, the balance being supplied by three non-show biz friends In New York. Riggs Doing Drama Stint For Western Reserve U. Cleveland, Dec. 19. Lynn Riggs* author of “Green Grow the Lilacs,” is writing a new lyric drama, titled “Toward the Westerri Sky,” under a commis- sion from Cleveland’s Western Re- serve U.* which will stage the play next June as part of its 125th an- niversary program. Although the drama deals with colonial history of the WeStem Re- serve territory here' and the uni- versity* from 1825 to 1851, the playwright said the subject mat- ter will have “univers«''i 1-1^0 jn 3 new and realistic endeavor to resolve by mutual agree- son June 23, . ’51, and will run six nights weekly, Tuesday through Sunday, until Labor Day. Producer Harry Davis, of the U. of North Carolina, said minor revision of the play would be made. Plans also call for enlarging the cast, which was stretched thin numerically last season and necessitated consider- able doubling4n-brass. On Davis’ recommendation, Jack Frederick Kilpatrick, the Cherokee Indian who composed the music for the drama, has been engaged to revise the score for the play. ment the interriational conflicts which now imperil the peace of the world and human civilization itself.” Signers included actors Leriie Banks, Lewis Casson, Roger Livesey, Miles Malleson and Dame Sybil Thorndike, composers Arnold Bax and Benjamin Britten, conductor .Sir Adrian G. Boult, novelists E. M. Forster and Augustus John, and dramatists Christopher Fry and Laurence Housman. Value of a mailing list composed Of names of mail order patrons of a previous show was illustrated in the case of last week’s short-lived j “Let’s Make An Opera.” From a list of approximately 10,000 names, almost 500 orders were received, involving a total of $4,400 worth of tickets. The mailing list, belonging to Peter Lawrence, co-producer of the audience-participation musical, had been compiled from “Peter Pan” ’mail orders. Lawrence is co-producer of theMatter show with. Roger L. Stevens. His partner in the presentation of “Opera” was the Shovi^-of-the-Month Club. Fact that “Opera,” like “Peter,” had a i strong juvenile appeal, is figured to have been a factor in the unusually ! large response to the mailing. • • • • — • • • ^^0 Tolc 6f the boy, John Henry. FJed%ip*cT‘***?,.‘.V.V.V.\\V. .. Fred Emney Gustav Manket’s excellent set- Anita Gunn.. — Eve_Lister j ting caught the Spirit of the play ES'^?lrmardV:::::::::BSh?BeS jif^^^rem the producUou Hercule Bompard Charles Stone . Caprice And .Johansen On the accepted assumption that the British public likes the old fa- vorites best, Emile Littler has gambled on the popularity of the pre-war type of farce, embellished one with some tuneful melodies and submitted it in musical form. This production, based on “It’s a Boy,” depends, as did the original, on the joint drawing power of two comedi- ans, Fred Emney and Eichard Hearhe, in the roles created by Leslie Henson and Sydney Howard 20 j^ears ago. Today the play is even more dependent on the two stalwarts who have really only one humorous scene to bolster up the sagging, incredible story. The tick- et agencies registered their con- fidence in the show’s possibilities as a Christmas attraction to the did not. Barn.. Malli*e Apres Dlou (Second Only to God) Paris, Dec. 1. •lean MercUre and Andre Gerte.s pro- duction of drama in three acts by Jan de Hartog. French adaptation by Jean Mer- cure. Setting by Douking. Directed by Jean Mercure. At Gaite Montparnasse, Paris. Dr, Richters. .......... .Raymond Raynal Henley Rene Maze Dr. Willemse Marc Vanclau* Hruguanian Police ...Jean Rognoni Meyer Eugene Frouhins Kuiper .Jean Roger Causslmon Dutch Consul ..Jean Ayme Rabbi Jean Mercure Davclaah. . . . . . . . . , . , . . , . . .Henri Lesieur Bruinsma .... . . . ......... . . Paul Bonlfas First Emigrant . . ....... .Francois Nithart Second Emigrant . . ; K, Selby American Captain. ... . . . . .Philippe Aurlol Dutch Captain .Bernard Veron Pastor . . . .. ............ .Lucicn Blondeau C'liililren of llic Lailybiig (YALE DRAMA DEPT.) New Haven, Dec. 12. Yale Drama Dept, production of dra- ma in Uvo acts (five scenes) by Robert Thom. Directed by James Light; setting, George Corrin; lighting, Charles .Levy; costumes, Pat Campbell. At A'ale U. the- atre, Dec, 12, '50. . Cast: Robert Barr, . Sue Aim Young, Elbert Smith, S.vlvia Stpckdale, ' Edwiard W. Hastings, Michael Onofi’io, Walter Boughton, Dorothy Pierson. FOR SALE TOWER THEATilE PROPERTY FRESNO, CALIFORNIA • {Land, Building, Equipment' and Business') : ■Ais.o ■ ■■ RITZ THEAtRE PROPERTY .HANFORP, CALIFORNIA mmd.\Building, Equipm ent and . Business ) . ■ For pertinent details write . (Do Not Pliojte) to LAURENCE A. PETERS, Asst. Sec. FOX WEST COAST AGENCY CORPORATION ■ 1609 WEST WASHINGTON BLVD. Lbs Angeles 7, Calilornia Jan dc Hartog’s powerful play, seen bn Broadway' tvfo years ago as “Skipper Next to God,” at once brings’ to mind the tragic odesscy Of the ill-fated“Exodus” and its cargo of refugees that sailed from port to port only to be refused This second major production of the Yale pi'ama Dept., will, in all probability, never get beyond the confines of Eli’s University theatre, but it does serve as ah excellent showcase for some fine writing, acting, and staging. This, in the last analysis, is the primaiy pur- pose of these workshop produc- tions. Whether or not this par- ticular work can be regarded as entertainment, depends entirely, on the amount of mental cooperation an audience is willing to con- tribute. In any case, while it is true that commercial successes have been spawned at Yale, a more important factor to be considered is whether or not these productions provide the proper outlet for which stu- dents in the department prepai'e themselves. In the present in- stance, it doe.s. W ritten in prose-ver.se combina- Edward M. M. Warburg, banking house scion^ who w'ith Lincoln Kirstein laid out $250,000 between them oh U. S. ballet enterprises, has been appointed general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal’s 1951 fund drive, succeeding Hetnry J. Morgenthau, Jr. Warburg quit ballet activity a while back, on death, of his father^ Felix M. Warburg^ to devote full time to the Warburg philanthropies, which expend over $B000,000 a year. ^ Winthrpp Palmer donated $150,000 — ^not $40,000— in 1941-42 to Dance Players. Ballet Associates of America have expended $50,000, not $40,000, on dance activities. asylum, although the author main- ! tion, script discloses some excel- tains it was Written before that ' lent wprdage that stamps the au- ^ event took place. However, Hartog ' thor as a scribbler of promise; An I has vividly pictured the moral cour- ' extensive vocabulary haS been ably age of the captain of a ship en- j employed to project pithy phrases I trusted with the lives of over a 1 across the fpotlights* ; hundrecl J ewish refugees from the j Rased pn the “Ladybug, Lady- ! Nazi regime. Bermuda Season Offer To Dance Group in N.Y. Trudy Goth, head of N. Y. Choreographers W o r k s h o p, is leaving for Bermuda Sunday (24) to survey possibilities for a series of dance recitals on the . island around Easter time. Projecit is be- ing fostered by the Bermuda Art Assn, of which Cristine F. Diel is president. GrPup, picked from Work.shop personnel, ymuld consist of 12 to 15 dancers, plus director and tech- nical director. Programs would include classical ballets, Spanish dances and light numbers. Round trip tt'ansportation, h 0 1 el,; meals and. smalV; allowance Ip English pounds \yould, be paid by tiie Art Assn.. Brattle Sets Hletlniselali’ SAMUEL FRENCH SINCE 1930 Play, Brokm and Authors' Representatives 25 WCsl 4Sth StreeL New York 7623 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 46. Cal FairreU-Cowks’ ‘Budd ’ Anthony Brady Farrell will be associated vvith Chandler Cowles in presentation of “Billy Rudd,” the Louis O. Coxe-R. H. Chapman dramatization of the Herman Mel- ^ , . , ville novel, Dennis King will star 1 bug- fly awji<>ihe’’ yerse, tlmme in the dram The play is magnificently acted i points up the tragic outcome when.l fn nnen Fph A at thA Riitmnro . a firie of .otov,. .11 . mothk- fans her breakrin Starting Jan. 25 at the Shubert, Nevi^ Hampshire, and a Weelc at the Forrest, Philadelplua, beginning Jan, 29. I by a fine group of actors, all giv- I a l ing the impression of living their ' father follows suit, and the cliil- 1 roles. Dpukiiig’s setting of a ship’s dren -fail each other. It’s pretty i cabin is superb, and the sound ef- grim in spots, but .it offers oppor- j feets of the running motors and the tunity for some eapablc emoting, j final scuttling are excellently hah- i Cast is well choSeh, only minor , , , . died. But it is the play itself that ! drawback being the necessity of! The production is budgeted at Farrell is supplying $5,000. holds the spectator spellbound elderly roles being carried by from start to finish. Fred, ^ youthful department members. James Light, Yale’s newly ap- Areria' Stage, the D. C. theatre- in-the round, is plugging business i Soprano Jennie Tourel will do a pointed visiting critic in play di- bicycle stot In. N. Y. Jan, 8, ring- 1 rectingj has. staged^ with full ap- , .. i ing with the Little Orchestra Soci- ; precialion of the poetic values in - j with a “six plays for the price of i ety at Town Hall, then rushing to : liorcnt in the script, A skeleton- j five” sub.scription series. It ex- , the Waldorf to be soloist with the 1' izdem Vfisett mfwyp shrdluiatheii pects that the six listed plays will , ‘ Israel Philharmonic under Leon- a clever example of imaginative de- 1 run from the beginning of January i dragola,” adapted by’ Lawrence Hill ard Rcrnstein. ; ,, _1 signing. , Bojie. 1 through April. 1 from the Somerset Maugham stoi’y. Tieups With N.Y. Producers “Back to Methuselah,” Shaw’s five-play drama cycle, will he re- vived by the Brattle Theatre, Carh- hridge. Mass., opening Jan. 16 or 17. The work will be produced in two somewhat shortened versions* each scheduled for a two-week run. The plays will be put into rehearsal next Tuesday (26), with Albert Marre staging. Also slated for production soon by the Brattle group are Pirandel- |o’s“Six Characters in Search of an Autlior,” which may be present- ed first in London; a first U; S. presentatibn*’ of John Webster’s “White Devil,” a hew adaptation of Thomas Marin’s “JFiorenza’’ and a new play by Edmiund Wilson, whose “Little Blue Light” was tried out by the same outfit last fall and is being readied for Bimadway pres- entation this season by the Theatre .Guild.^,r ; : The organization is. going ahead with plans tb; star Hermipne Gin- gold in a revue comprising selected material from her three. London successes, “Sweet and Low,” “Sweeter and Lower” and “Sweet- est and Lowest.” The idea is to try out the show In Cambridge, at a production; cost of about $60,000, and then brifig it to Broadway. Other possibilities on the group’s agenda are tiehps with Broadway producer Oliver Smith for a tryr out. of ‘Tn the Summer House.' by Jane Bowleg and another with Ben Boyar for a tryout of “Man- I . • <1 ' .» . f ‘ ,v * ' « I f f « ) ■ * f • • VI ' < > . I • ♦ cnATTEH Wednesday, DeceniWr 20, 1950 Jesse (Variety) Gross checks in with iJncle Sam Jan. 5; Hotel Astor's new front com-, pletes general facelifting projject. Margaret Sullavan 'sold her 13- room house; Stone Ledges, in Brookfield, . COnri. Hay Bloch, bandleader, sold Hollybrook Farm, his 35-acre estate at Brewster, N. Y. Lovilla Bysh, for 37 years chief telephonist at the Algonquin Hotel, bedded in Montefiore Hospital. Hollywood interest already in the still unwritten biog' which J. P. McEvoy is doing bn Alice and Frank Scully. Lou Wilson of the Prince Lit- tler, Lohdori, organization, married dancer Fern Whitiiey Dec, 6 at Ariingtoh, Va. Mort BlUmenstock, Warner ad- pub veepee, left last week on a plane trip to the West" Indies ac- companied by his wife. Special screening Of Arch ObO- ler’s iridie “Five” being set for the United Nations at Lake Success. It’s the first atom bomb pic. .. Bi’iiish film distrib Dan Fish to Hollywood to package an Ahglo- U. $. film deal. Walter Gould, ex- UA, meeting him on the Coast. W'iseguy New Yorkers who never think of looking at want ads, whereas her kid sister, Catheryn McCune, visiting from her home- town, Tulsa, just spotted it and that’s the way they got the apart- ment. ^ I j Dealer drama critic, hospitalized London by emergency operation for abdom- , i TT ^ M V inal abscess and peritonitis. Jack Hylton postponing his N, i. Local musicians’ union, first or- trip until Jan. 4 wiien he planes ganized in country and now head- put. ed by Lee Repp, celebrated 63rd Gharlie Cairoli and Paul topping anni with party for members, bill at the Savoy for Christmas and Sheila Barrett, nitery mimic out New Year’s. ,of circulation several seasons by Vivian Van Damm donating pro^ illness, doing comeback at Wade ceeds of the Windmill’s 19th anni Park Manor with hew routine; shoNV Feb. 1 to Actors’ Orphanage. Joseph Longo, after 11 year ab- Jack Hutchinson chosen as liai- , sence, transferred from Seattle to son officer for the^ Industrie’s better local RKQ exchange to handle ex- business campaign; starts new' job plditation for this territory, Xin- By Bill Willard show Feb. 1 to Actors’ Orphanage. George White in town. Jack Hutchinson chosem as liai- . Tohnnv White fiamc at the Gold* officer for the. mdustry s be«^^^^ en^Nu^get/ ^ j husiness campaign; starts new job ; Asia Bros; pacted for Flamingo p^David Fafrar off to Hollywood show Dec. 23, . ^ opposite Ann A1 Donahue Orch opens at Last Blytlt in Universal’s “The Golden ; Frontier Dec. 29. Horde.” . I Jimmy Kennedy headlining ciir- Pamela May undergoing opera- rent Club Bingo show. . tion cfn her knee which she strained Kay Thompson, Jimmy Nelson "hi'®, Sadlers Wells frame at El Rancho Vegas Allan Jones and Irene Hei-vey ^ T ifA nhntnff srtiiir- ' homeward bound, following for- Qfrf ^ I named after him wbicli he opened Sue Carson^on bill. : 1 t year in association with Jack Las Vegas Little Theatre s Sep - 1 nthers I arate Rooms” garnering hefty, mitt ‘•Thanks for the Memory” "‘S .r a.™ isa ^ oij : S0G tHG. VCLGlallo. . i cinhati and Indianapolis. Phil Spitalny Hour of Charm still charming customers .with ropes up in third week. Sid, Krofft out of Xmas Thunder-.. Howard Duff in from the Coast ■ bird show because of pacting a 12 after the first of the year for his week teevee stint in N. Y. first TV guest shots, Debuts oh '’Grandfathers Follies” package NBC^TV’s “Show of Shows” Jan. 6: show^ due in from Frisco to the Jonas Rosenfield, 20th-FoX ad. Flamingo after_Tony Martm^ ^ . maonager, flew to the Coast Satur- - treks to Desei^ day (16) for confabs wdth studio ^hn for opening Dec. 26, follow'ed execs. He’s due back tomorrow on^ week later by Billy Vine. _ (Thurs.\ Harry Cohn ringsiding at El The Nicholas M Schenck.s intro- S-b^bb Vegas eyeing sepia_ thrush duced their daughter, Joanne, to Dorpthy Dandridge for possible pic society at the Debutantes Gotillion peal. ; v oi. & Xmas Bali on Monday (18) at ! Vincent, Paul Steff^^ the Waldorf. Chiquita (Mrs. Eddyl Duchin W'ent from the “Bless You All” By Helen McGill Tubbs “They Knew What They Wanted” at the Arcoboleriq^ Jack Forrester and Frank Ryan liere from New York. ' “Winchester ’73” dubbed into the Italian for first-runs. John Sheppridge editing Orson Welles' ‘•Othello” at Scalera Stu- dios. ■ Charles Beal playing for the cocktail hour at Open Gate Club ■here,; “Festa d’Amore” (Festa of Love) is the Italian moniker for “State Fair.”' Bricktop here from Paris to open the ABC club at the Ambas- sador hotel. “Napoli Millionaire” to be Stephen Douglass ,had to vacate i • ciuD at me Auipas- the leading role iii 'Xardiisel,” due sador. hotel. ^ to expiration of his labbr permit, , . Millionaire to ^ be replaced by Canadian singer Ed- ^ «an the Amei - r-f • T Ai-i ' Paul Baron to Paris after con- ^ Welwyn Garden City, neai Lon-^ orchestra for Concert of Joan Dixon to Miami. Van Johnson aired in from N.Y. William Holden laid up W'itU ; virus infection. Johnny Hyde vacationing in Palin Springs. j Vera Ellen to Chicago for pcT- ' sonal appeafahces. Sid Grauman’s personal effects up for Ruction, this week. Rory Calhoun opening his Rock- ling St^r Dude Ranch at Ojai. 1 Chafles Lamonts celebrMing • their 25th wedding anniversary; Fire caused $75,000 damage to the Sirocco Room On Sunset Strip, Dana Andrews in from Norfolk to spend Christmas w'ith his fam- i-iiy*. ■ . ■ /' Dick Haymes in from Palm Springs w'here he baked out a case of flu. i Paul A. Wilderman hospitalized in Santa Monica after being struck . by an auto. Joan Fontaihe will emCee the Christmas Benefit at the Shrine Auditorium. ; Carl Post recovering from injur- ies sustained in an auto accident near Salinas. Irene Dunne succeeded Maureen O’Sunivan as prexy of the St, John's Hospital Guild. Matty KeiUp to Mexico City to consult government officials about a film production. dubbed into English for tb® Aineriv. . jj^^g Jr., in town cam maijet. , for the winter, before heading . 3 back to England in spring. ■ Dancers, Lester Cole and Debu- Eddy> Duchin ' tabtes, Mons. Choppy, currently at ; Bless^Ybu All”i D^brt Inn. . ■ ^ - ^ , | )reem direct Memorial Resort hotel strip on highvvay ! Hospital W'here her bandleader-hus- . 91 south of Las Vegas now unih- 1 ^ hand ill rriticallv ill corporated City by name of Para- ! ^>1001 c, uaviai Maior Albert lending dlsC" retert-ed to as •‘Pairto^dice” ;^ Major Albert WariiCr lending his Miariii Beach guest house to newlyweds John Malcolm Gold- smiths (Betti Schinasi), He’s in the WB homeoffice publicity dept. Chanteiuse Irene Hilda back to Paris but returning for TV shots in the U: S. in an act w'ritten by Blanche Merrill and handled by Miles Ingalls. She’s set for four W'eeks at the Embassy, Paris. Gig Young, film actor, due in by locM wags. Jack Kearns setting up Wilbur. Clark as another : Tex Rickard to head org promoting heavyweight fight card wdth Maxim-Savold bout sometime late Feb. here. By Hal Cohen Danny Crystal back Dei"m m&ifge'to‘sSpht >t Carousel thb illow'ed don, is to erect a theatre in biem- ,^ 1 ^^ . ne. ory of George Bernard Shaw, i ^ at El who was clo.sely interested in tbe ! attended thrush founding and developing of the • Adriano here, ible pic city. i “Harvey” ha; Sir John Barbirolli, musical di- scene here, w Steffan rector of Manchester’s Halle Or- the films, in tl Debu- ( chestra , received the Royal Phil- -Dodici lo mtly at V harmonic Society gold medal, its (Twelve Call I I highest award, at the Albert Hall, Italian title fo ighvVay ! Dec. 13, ^ ^ Dozen.” unih- i A new comedy by Anthony ;. — .‘‘Para- ' Moore, “Caviar and Chips,” was , p, o-dice” Presented by Molly May, Ltd. at , MO Embassy Dec. 5, Show ably di- ! _ Wilbur reefed by Richard Bird, but slip- ' By Sven card to • shod plot pi'ecludes any chance of Director Ivai Aveight West End run; ' a new' film at Id bout Anouilh’s “Point of Departure,” Jularbo and his successfully tried out at the Lyric, • : Arnold Sjo Hammersmith, replaces the short- Municipal thea lived “Return to Tyassi” at the appearing for Duke of York’s, Dec. 26. Show is wbon nrndiir directed by Peter Ashmore and „pvf jo . cast is headed by IMai Zetlerling, .4. , i toxvn, Dirk Bogarde and Stephen INUmray. suojeci i the Nations. Jose Iturbi off to Naples after a well attended concert at the Adriano here. “Harvey” has invaded the legit scene here, w'ilh Giiio Cervi of the films, in the title role. ‘ “Dodicl lo Chiamono Papa” (Twelve Call Him Father) is the Italian title for “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Dec. 29 marriage to Sophie Rosen- Hv«e stein, drama coach and test diree- r^Xro tor at Universal. ris offic Paris nitery prop, Maurice Car- father rere, Louis Vaudable/ boniface of Mike the famed Maxim’s, back to France by air (Wed;). Bbth hosted a fare- the win well dinner last night (Tues.) at Tnhnt the WaldorL I l^allg“{ Sam Rosen, Anne Revere’s bus- Queen band, planed in from the Coast to ^Kyle join her while she rehearses for anee r« Otto Preminger’s “Four Twelves Heller’s Are 48,” w'hich preems on Broad- Varie wav Jan. 17. Eve pai Harry M. Kalmirte, Warner Bros. Catizon .Theatres’ prexy, disclosed engage- Bill ^ ment of his daughter, Joan, to radio-T Daniel Paradies of Atlanta. Wed- nownir ding will be held at the Hotel John Plaza Feb. 10. has ma Johnny Dugan, coordinator of at Mt. Music Corp. of America’s act and Geiie band depts., going on his first show \ vacation in several years with a one da cruise on the Empress of Scotland, Mike starting Jan. 4. reopen Music Corp. of America holding (24) afi its annual Christmas ^rty at the Art Hampshire House Fri, (22). The dav at Sonny Werblins (Leah Ray) cock- as hi tail-partied the MCA execs at their ington. George Gruskin, of William Mor- j lYlinn63P011S ris office, here for funeral of his , « , . « father. : • . I . ■ . . ^ By; Les-.; Rees Mike Winograd, Rbcherter^ Pa.^ ! St, Paul Civic Opera Co. offer- theatre owner, to Miami Beach for ing“nansel and Gretel.” the winter. Freddie Schader here ahead of Johnny Harris and Jerry May- “Come Back, Little Sheba,”sched- hall got back from England on the , uled for Lyceum. Queen Mary. Jimmy Nederlander, manager Kyle McDonnell busted attend- of Lyceum, legit road.show' house, anee records last week at Jackie to Detroit, to visit pai*ents, Heller’s room. | Hotel Radisson Flame Room has Variety Club’s annual New Year’s ; Gali Gali, magician, and Cass Eye party will have music by Bill Franklin & Monica Moore, sing- Catizone’s unit. ing team. Bill ^Burge is latest addition to Arthur Olsen. 17-year-old local radio-TV department of Walker- ' pianist, won $1,000 prize in Horace Downing agency. 1 Heidt radio Youth Opportunity John McGreeveys’ lad, Tommy^ ' show' finals, has made varsity basketball squad j “Oklahoma” pencilled into Ly- By Sveii G. Winqulst ! ipireetor Ivar Johansson started • a new' film about composer Carl J ularbo and his life. Arnold Sjostrand signed by Municipal theatre in Malmo after appearing for years here. i When production of feature films ends next January considerable short subject production w'ill start here. • Much discussed “Stromboli” , preemed at the China here. Pub- lic appears interested despite bad notices. I Gunnel Brostrom, how in U. S. since she married an American, ex- pects to return here to appear at Royal Dramatical Theatre next: spring. I Nbrdisk Tonefilm, a company j owned by Sw'edish trade organiza- j tions and the social-demoeratic 1 party, preparing to do film about Sw edish sailors. I Holmes Herbert celebrated hi.s . 60th anniversai*y as an actor, and his 35th as a screen player. Nick . Castle is readying a ohe- houf show to tour California hos- pitals during Christmas week. Paramount Studio Club tossed its annual Christmas show for kids, with Philip McClay producing. Gene Autry to Hbu.ston to en- tertain the kids in the Variety Club’s annual Christmas party. John Maynard succeeded Earl C. Hamilton as president of Local 150, Motion Picture Projectionists. Buddy Pepper bedded at home W'ith serious injuries to his right hand as a result of an auto crash. Mickey Rooney and Martha Vickers called off their divorce lawyers, and decided to ti*>' it agairi. Harry Stradling won the Ameri- can Society of Cinematographers' October award for his lensing of ‘ Edge of Doom.” Dorothy Lamour emceed a luncheon in the Paramount Com- missary celebratihg Y. Frank Free- man’s 60th birthday. Edmund Grainger took over temporarily as director of “Flying Leathernecks.” subbing for Nicho- las Ray who is dowm with flu. Clark Gable and wife in town ItiSt \V*G0k '* Herb Graf fis, Sun -Times sc ribe , elected prexy of Chicago Press Club last week. Actor Charlton Heston in town visiting family and drum-beating current pic, “Dark City.” Jimmy Durante guested Inter- national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers shindig last week. town at Mt. Lebanon H.S. Gene Autry and his Western show will play The Gardens for one day on Feb. 13. Mike Sachs and Alice Kennedy “Oklahoma” pencilled into Ly- ceum. Dec. 14 for fifth local en- gagement after grossing $58,000 for 12 performances here last season, i Marjorie Garretson and Alan & ; Blanche Lund holding over at; Sun-Times scribe, of Chicago Press reopening Casino Sunday night ' Hotel Nicollet Minnesota Terrace, (24) after month shutdown. 1 Marie McDonald, accompanied Art Tatum missed his opening by mother, passed through en day at Johnny Brown’s V'lien he ; route from Hollywood to Roches- W'as bumped off plane at Wash- Iter, Minn., for Mayo clinic check- home Sunday (17). Frank Braden, chief advance agent of the Ringling Bros. Circus, named by Stanley Kramer Dis- .tributing Xorp. to tour 14. nation- wide keys in behalf of the com- pany’s “Cyj?ano de Bergerac.” ECA’s Ed Gruskin back to Paris after N. Y, and D. C. sojourn. Has an idea for a “So This Is Free Eu- rope” /revue, a la ‘‘This Is the Army,” He’S the brother of Wilr liam Morris agency ,’s George Grus- Hotelier Conrad N, Hilton, at the Hilton Hotels management meet- ings at the Waldorf last week, de- tailed Some of his plans for a new hostelry in Istanbul* He’s bullish on Turkey’s future* Also the f Ur -ture of Yank hotel management operations in Europe as a means to stave off Gbmmuriism. Jacqueline Susann back from a Chi quickie in connection with fi- nancing of her new play, “Cock 0 * the Walk,” which James Dunn plans doing under Craig Kelly’s auspices. With Joyce Matthews (ex- Lawrence Riley, author of “Per- sonal Appearance,” working on a novel at his home in Wheeling, .W.^ Va* Robert Carr, student at Carnegie Tech drama school, has lead in Playhouse’s hew show, “The Charm Kid,” Jules Green here for few days wdth his mother before going to New York to open James Saphier agency office there* I Marie McDonald, accompanied . national Brotherhood of Electrical first Italian ,in-the-round theatre m ing by mother, passed through en ’ Workers shindig last week. i will open here shortly at the 1 he : route from Hollywood to Roches- j Vera Ellen, Biir Lundigan, and Circolo Lumen. (''ash- Iter, Minn., for Mayo clinic check- Rex Allen in town last week for ; “Closed Shutters” Lux Film, is I up. . .[Allied Theatres’ 20th Amu ban- ' gj^QQjlj^g ‘Per- Move on for civic opera he^e. ■ quet at Palmer House. : ]\[assimo Girotti and Eleanora Ros- on a same as in St. Paul, with Anton . Chicago Federated ^Advertising stars of film Which treats with ‘ling, Dorati, Minneapolis Symphony or- Club has set “South Pacific” and * . I chestra conductor, declaring “it’s “Angel In The Pawnshop” casts. Diana Tor rieri Italo legit ac- ^gie ; a n^essity.’’ ^ ^ ! comic Benny Ri^in,; orkster Duke tress, off to: South America to set d in \ Theatre collections for North- Ellington, Dave Garroway, Frances tour with an Italian comDanv, “The, west Variety cliib’s Uni v. of Min^e- ; Faye, Herb Shriner, and Johnny i jtalo stars Carla Def Poggio. [sota heart hospital fund ^8Si c- j Desmond for annual Xmas blow- Andrea Checchi and director Giu- days ; gated more pr on a out. / - I ^*1 t n ' — % here to interest fresh coin tpr phier In talk at Woman’s club, Jean j ni •!. u-aiian narti- By R. E. Hawkins “Three Musketeers in sock Ibngrun at newly-opened Verdi theatre. The Re.x Harrisons are building a house above Pdrtofino, resort vil- lage near here. ‘ Hamlet,” first Italian Arena the- atre staged her by Circolo Lumen, a hit at Teatare del circolo. ; Nino Taranto has brought his top-grossing musical “Appointment 1950” to the Augustus theatre, [ Following the , mushrooming of ' similar projects in the U. S.. the ; first Italian ,in-tlie-round theatre i will open here s h o r 1 1 y at tlie Circolo Lumen. i “Closed Shutters.” Lux Film, is now shooting here in the port area. Massimo Girotti and Eleanora Ros- si, stars of film Which treats with problem of prostitution. ' Dia.na Torriei'i. Italo legit ac- . tress, off to South America to set San Francisco By Ted Friend Bal Tabarin to shutter Jan. 10. Ann Sothern in for ^uick visit td Palo Alto medicos, James Mulvey. Goldwyn prexy, home to N. Yv fdr holidays. Dave Scofield, KFRG newscaster to Seattle, Maine and New York* Rotus HarVey elected on ew Chief Barker for Tent 32, local Variety Club, Campbell McGregor* president I of Pacific Opera Assn., recipient of Dalryriiple, Brdadway producer,] declared current theatre has more | beauty and intelligence than evei’ i before, reflecting nation's increasr ing culture. , Ramona Gerhard, Bob Sutton dhd Slu MacPherson, WCCO staff,' By Jerry Gaghaii Singer Buddy Greco introduced his new combo Monday (18) at the Rendezvous. Bosh Pritchard, Philadelphia Eagles star halfback, returhing to seppe De Santis ( “Bitter Rice”) here to interest fresh coin toe forthcbining pic on Italian partis, sans to be financed and shot in Genoa. CaiTo Lizzani is working on the* script and will direct. ' tiFoffr^Tn ■ director ■ £ind Sl3r iifliiPaCK* l eiui. hewscaster, respectively, back after jockey field pn WPEN a fortnight in Europe during which | Morton Downey and Faye MacPherson did several recordings. ! will guest star at the^ Mrs. Milton. Berle) she is also audi- plaudits for success of current sea- February. By Glenn C. Pullen Dave Dorn starting jazz concert series in Hollenden’s ballroom in Honing for the Somerset Maugham TV Theatre.” besides starting her own WJZ-TV show for Quest-Shon Mark bra. Inez Robb, the INS feature writ- er, and her, husband. who just movrd into the -old Billy Seeman penlliotvse at 13'6 Waverly Place, William Nietfield new director of news for KCBS with Al Berglund replacing Nietfield as news director at KFRC. Ann Holden, veteran commenta- Adeline Neice and Larry Daniels in Alhambra Taven for 10 days; followed by Barton Bros, on Dec. 29. Frank Koza, TOlenews camera- man, flew home from three months By Florence S, Lowe Morton Downey and Faye Etner- ! nbuncing^rtaff^oFwTO^^ son will guest star at the Vartety ' T r* e « Clubs convention here next spring. , Eric Johnstons off to their Spoj Harry Davies, theatrical press kane honie for the holidays lU A agent, in town plugging a new | ^^5t-inihute switch. ^ product/ a television earphone Nathan Golden* Department of gadget, Commerce film biggie, recuperat- Chubby’s, W. Colliugswood show- ing from surgery in Emergency case for recording names, has en- Hospital here* larged and will open the new room Scott* Kirkpatrick, town's sole Dec. 22. legit union flack, on leave from Frank Brookhouser, Inquirer Gayety theatre to tub-thump are ribbing themselves as overly I needy youngsters. tor, in three-week Forum of i sojourn in Korea; into hospital for Friendship broadcast for gifts to I onceover. William McDermott, Plain gossip columnist, launched a varie- ty television show on WFIL-TV this week* Iz* Bushkoff, proprietor of New Town Tavern (Delair, N. J., spot ‘ planed to Paris Monday (18/ for four days on a talent hunt. Ballet Theatre. , . “Juvenile Jury,” the Mutual air-, er, Jane Pickerts, Lillian Kallir and Jimmy Savo trekked in to high- light National Press Club’s father- daughter dinner iiv honor of the President and Margaret Truman. I WeSneBday^ Dcqpmlier 20, 1950 Paris By Maxime de Beix (33 Blvd. Montparnasse) Salvador Dali to, film opposite Anna Magnani in his native Spam. Tpan Plorre Aumont to act in his own play “Happy Island’" in Mauban replacing. Sophie ■Desniarets in legitdr, ‘Ami Arnlt fluG to illness. . . , William Tubbs taking a role in tile new Jacque Becker pic, '‘Edou- Hi d and Caroline.” Maurice Chevalier invited by the oily to submit a ,song for Paris’ OOOth anni festivities. , , "“ An dree Debar after finishing her latest film stint is off to Hollywood A\ilh a three-year contract. Billy Wilder here on way to jnake shorts in Germany; also mull- in a Maurice Chevalier biopic: Francoise Rosay is about to open in Brussels in ah adaptation by her jaie husband Francois Feyder of ‘Mincle Harry.” ducers’ code, aimed to hike the morals of Mexican pix, Elsa Aguirre, pic starlet, inked for the Paris Follies Bergere. She got $231 per day recently .at Tea- tro Lirico, vaude-reviie house here. Current top-selling disk is “El Arete de Mariles” (Mariles’ Arete), named after prize horse of Col. Antonio Mariles, Olympic games ! champ. By Eric Gorrick Metro will put “Annie Get Gun” in three Sydney houses opening Dec. 25. Wirth's Circus is doing good biz in Melbourne after long tour of the road. Sir Ben and Lady Fuller the Lope de Vega here to go to Bilbao and Barcelona. Padilla, author of “Valencia,” is in Madrid from Paris. He will baton his new operetta, “The Vamp,” now in rehearsal. Ariel Films is the new producing company that has signed Rosario and Antonio to star in a new pic. Three Ways,” directed by Jpse Miami Beach Amelia Bence and her husband Alberto Closas in Spain from By Lary SolloWay I Dave 'Martin’s Ice Show is doing William Lundigan and Gene j sock biz at His Majesty’s, Mel- Tierney in town for preem of new bourne, on repeat. run. . Wometco theatre, the Carib; on Finlay Currie, British character Dec. 22.^ ^ actor, here to play role in Pine-Thomas setting up arrange- “Kangaroo” for 20th-FOx. ments for filming “Crosswinds” in i Alan Williamson, for many years this area in January. j Aussie^ rep of Gaumont-BritiSh, ' Hal Graham orch into Lord , bows out of this job Dec. 31. celebrated their 45th wedding i- anni recently; ‘Broken Arrow”*’f20th> j V ,“^1? , at Hoyts’ Plaza. 1 P So back to Buenos Aires to start work on a new film in February. | Dancer Antonio Ruiz Soler (of • Rosario & Antonio) ‘ decorated by ' the Spanish government With the Cross of Queen Isabel the Catholic for “his service to Spanish dance at home and abroadi” Williamson -' Tail bringing in Song of Norway” to Royal, Tarltoh’s new cafelounge. Town loading up, with tourist. ^ „ peak expected by Dec, 22, and with ' Sydney, for^Xmas season run. it nearly every seasonal club I Charles Munro, indie loop op- ' z. nffovc ' P^’6Gmirig. Minsky’S Beachcomber, 1 orator, plans to open^some drive- if. G. Clouzot pondeimg pffeis^ and Copa City, head ; >ns m the Queensland zone early to make a pic m Palis befoie ^ie- I next year; tinning tov^ahia to pioduce Le Dorothy Ross set for the Ren- j John Calvert, U. S. magico, cur- CMoval De Dieu. _ _ . dezvous Jan. 5. rently. playing the Tivoli loop, is •Viler a year’s run, me Gallic Annie Get Your Gun” is being iH'placcd at the Chatelet by .; new (jcorges Guetary musical, “Pour Don Carlos.” ; . After 1,100 performances in La Petile ilutte,” Suzanne Flon has bowed out to Jacqueline Porel; former starts rehearsals in “Nuit Des Hoiiimes;” Negative of Maurice , Chevalier .‘^uvi’ier, “Ma P'omme,” seized by tlm courts on the complaint, of Ci'oi ges Fron.sac who wrote lyrics for the songs; claims: he vVas; given po credit. . Opera ballerinas Bourgeois and iMoreau pencilled by National Lvrical Theaters ^ topper George, ll’irsch for the Comique. Miss By Lewis Garyo Amalia Rodrigues back from a tour in West Germany. . Zara NClsoya, Canadian cellist, on tour of Portugal and Spain. dezvous Jan. 5. ) renuy piaying me nvoii loop, is | Floor shovi? at Estbrik Former Club BaFi opens on Dec. ; planning to make a pic here next i eludes Les Bingsters and Karine 2 Q’ under new mariagement and I his tour. . _ : 1 Stael. , nevv naine, Club : Caribe. Show i Anthony Kimrnins, Briush pr9’‘ { v joao Villaret back in Lisbon policy still not decided. . . I ^^^^^’mrector, plans to have his . g of Portu- Caruso’s of Chicago took over . rolling early next year on ^ that^au- ! „ Sir. Ba™ a^^ ^ confabs With Metro toppers Nick^ an ^e Schenck and Louis B; Mayer. r , e ,, . i 4 .- Olympia resumes vaude Decv 20 ^®^^dwing compleLod of with Jessica Dragonette and pgt ! Henning headlining. IMoreau refused to oblige, her place riioofTnu; being filled by yOuthful-Liliane l “vin^nV sinX Daydc. ^ Scotland By Gordon Irving Deep River .Boys back in Glas- gow. vaudeville. “Tobacco Road” at Alhambra RKO’s “Stromboli” at the Poli- tcama and Capitolio, doing very New Zealand government is : good. Two houses seat 2,500. looksebing into the possibilities of 1 Violette Quenolle, dancer from ; early arrival of TV in that, zone, i Paris Opera, under contract to according to Frank Doridge, minis- 1 Verde Gaio Ballet ter in charge of broadcasting. 20th-Fox production ; unit has soloist. Carmen as teacher and pimedo, songstress Vincent Singleton, Scotland ex- hibitor, in from trip to U. S. taken over the old Cinesound stu- ‘ from , Peru, and her ballet on three- dio, Sydney, ' for interiors on . tour of Madeira and “Kangaroo” in addition to floor ■ Azores, _ space at the Pagewobd studio. I I .Antonio Ferro, now Portuguese “Worm"s Eye View” is doing minister to Switzerland, published strong biz at the Conway, Mel- ' a book about the cinema and the L/itui, All iiuiii iiip lu u. o, , m -1' xirn thpafrp Olympia theatre in Glasgow, ; bourne for Williamson-Tait. Wil- j t^iea^tre celebrating 12th anni as a cinema. ^ bam Hodge, Morris Sweden and By Emil W. Maass ATarlin Rathsprecher named new d i reel or of Scala Theatre. .Alban Berg’s opera “Wozzek” skedded for 1951 Salzburg festival. Hans Hass back from Red Sea where he produced underwater sJiorts. Filmarchitect Jueptner elected pre.sident of Austrian Film Artist Union. American violinist Isaac Stern inked by Miisik Freunde for 1951 concert. Ernst Krenek’s opera, “Tarquin,” on repertoire of Vienna music fes- tivals 1951. Diana ■ Films bought Frank Filip's liiyretto “Venzi” for early production. A. M. Rabenalt, dii'ectmg a peasant pic, “Marriage in the Hay- stack” in Tyrol. . . Ernst Krehek’s opera, “Life of Orest,” to be preemed in Gratz theatre tStyria). “No Time for Comedy” accepted by Josephstadt theatre. Gustav blanker will direct. A merican, orchestra leader Henry Swoboda disking here on Bacli- Mozart compositions. Fritz Krenn of State Opera inked for N. Y. Met and New Orleans appearances. Herbert Albert is orchestra chief ot newly-founded Gratz (Styria) Philharmonic Society. City of Vienna to erect a monu- ment of Hansi .Niese, famous ae- Iross before the last war. Bregenz 1951 festivals decided on classical Franz von Suppe bper- el la, “Boccaccio,” as opener. City By D. L. Crahame Alary Douglas inked for “Girls ni Hniform,” Dolores del Rio taking, a three- month rest in Acapulco. Soprano Marla Luisa Carbajal recovering from operationi ,, Peliculas Nacionales distributing A ngeis Without Pants,” Argentin- . can pic. Leonora Amar, Brazilian thrush- actress, signed by Peerless for a • ;w;ax series. : Nini Marshan, Argentinean, » a r, here to play in a film for C'regoHp Wallerstein. : Announcer Ricardo Ldpez Men- riez readying a big radio station in Morelia, capital of Michoacan state, Operadora de Teatros, big film Hiam, has underwritten future M^^ican pix to the turt$ of $920,000. Agustin Lara, romantic song Writer and vaude theatre impre- sario, recovering from abdomihal operation. ..Alfonso Sanchez Tello, dean of iHexican pic producers, to make a version in English of all his fu- ture productions. Mauricio de la Serna, a top film pt’ociucer, campaigning for a pro- Gasting started on Scottish Mu- sic Hall, skedded for radio on Dec. 30. London Films bought screen rights to “Geordie,” Scottish novel by David Wklker. J ; . Olympia Cinema, Bridgeton, built in 1911 as vaude house, cele- brating 12th anni. Eddie Reindeer will be the comic in “Cinderella” at King’s Theatre, Edinburgh. Gordon Jackson, film actor, to play in Perth Theatre production, of “The Hasty Heart.” Scott Lyon, Variety Artistes’ Federation man in Scotland, bedded with bronchitis. “Oklahoma” will play season in Glasgow starting next April after prelim run in Edinburgh. “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” out on reissue, drawing crowds to Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow. British Broadcasting Gorp, ex- perimenting with signals at Kirk o’ Shotts, Scot TV station site, “The McFiannels,” Scots radio family, go on to stage at Gateway theatre, Edinburgh, New Year’s, Lee Lawrence, British singer, skedded for second tour on Moss circuit, including visit to Glasgow. South Africa Beryl Orde, comedienne, due here soon to start African Con. Theatres tour. For the first time in South Africa a play in arena style was produced in Capetown by Leonard Schach, Jose de Macedo, director of a Portuguese film company, arrived here to make a film of local har- bor and air activities. Sydney and Leslie Pidding- ton, mentalists, currently touring South Africa, will continue on to Rome, London and Australia. Graham Young; of the South African Information Bureau in New York, here to make three films about South Africa for dis- tribution in the U. S. and other countries, will depict what the country is doing for natives. Harry Moroney have the leads. Palm Springs By Dorothy. Gray * The Jean Hersholts and au- thoress Lesley Storm houseguests of the Sol Lessors, Storm is work- ing on screen version of “Black Chiffon.” Rudy Vallee’s two-week date at Starlite Room moved up to Dec. 24. ■ Leo Rojo, Felix Martinique and Sue Stanley opened Friday (15) at Hotel La Quinta’s new Mirage Room. The Richard Widmarks also left early this week. He goes to the Virgin Islands on location for . a film with a Navy theme. Robert Taylor is living in the house he and Barbara Stanwyck leased, before their split up, for December and January. Director Sidney Lanfield at Racquet Club for a rest following completion of “Ben Hogan Story.” By Mary Frazer Serge Koussevitzky and the Is- rael Philharmonic have been signed for Houston date in City Audi- torium March 13. Jimmy Lewis, veteran vauder now owner of Houston’s Gay Nine- ties nite club, turned thesp in Urtiv, of Houston’s “Man Who Came to Dinner,” last month. Don McGrahe orch playing first Houston engagement with four- week date at Rice Hotel Empire Room. Denny Beckner's band, a fave here, follows. George Olsens Jr., son of band- leader George Olsen and Ethel Shutta Kirskey of Houston, will cut his thesping teeth a lead role in the local Alley Theater’s dr arnfi, “Magic Fallacy,” Dec. 28. Ottawa King Sisters at Fairmount Club. Johnny Lane headlining Gat- ineau Club show. Don Cossacks into The Play- house for one-niter. Rash of holiday bingos offering total of $40;000 in prizes in a week. Leslie McFarlane, National Film Board director, lecturing on fiction writing and Terry Kielty, CFRA special events chief, pn radio writ- ing, at Carleton College. Canadian Repertory Theatre collecting local kudos for ambi- tious billing, including Shaw's “Mrs, Warren’s Profession,” and Christmas repeat of “Harvey.” Apolo theatre reopened with a new revue by Lopes Braga, star- ring Laura AlVes, Antonio Silva and Ribeirinho. Nacional Films sent cameraman Fernando Maynard to Azores Islands to take location scenes for a film to be produced shortly. Producer Cesar de Sa received the new machinery he bought in the U. S. via Marshall plan aid; installing it at the Cinelandia Studios. Nikita Magaloff touring Spain and Portugal, .. “Gone With the Wind” will be shown in Spain this year. Tenor Emilio Salanova to Buenos Aires soon to sing in opera at the Colon. Rita Hayworth and Ali Khan in Seville to visit Antonio CansinO, grandfather of Rita. Legit company of Ramon Fejela will appear in Tetuan shortly, and then tour North Africa. Alicia Palacios to Habana to fill contracts on the radio arid as femme lead in a new play. Carmen Amaya and company cancelled theif January dates in Spain and will continue in Paris. Jorge Mistral due here soon from Mexico to star in a pic to be pro- duced by Cesareo Gonzales in Jan- uairy, Antonio Villar back in Madrid after completing “Bel Amour” -in France with Giselle Pascal , and Odile Veirsoir. , Company of Juanita Reina, with American dancer Ricardo Sole, left Barcelona By Joaquina O. Vidal-Gomis Dancer Maruja Tomas' at Em- porium hitery. John Gray to appear at the cir- cus as Buffalo Bill. Mexican singer Aria Mai'ia Gon- zalez at the Poliorama. The Liceo opera has “La Gio- conda/’ with Italian singers. Ernesto Vilches at Teatro Borras with his old success, “The Eternal Don Juan.” - Fernanda Montel back again at the Ritz after success at London Embassy Club. “Come to Stable,” with Loretta Young and Celeste Holm, doing well at Coliseum. Jacinto Benavente’s play, “Love Must Be Sent to School,” hit its 100th performance. Guadalupe Munoz Sampedro scored at Barcelona theatre with new play, “La senorita Lupita.” “Lola la Pieonera,” play by Jose Maria Peman, made into an Opera with music by Conrado del Campo. Romea theatre starts new sea- son with Catalonian plays, first be- ing “Les Vinyes del Priorat,” by Jose Ma de Sagarra. Tony Leblanc under contract with producer Iquinb to film “Ca- pricho Espanol” with Carmen Mor- rell and Pepe BlanCo. The old Lyon d’Gr Cafe is noW called El Ruedo, the nitery offer- ing Spanish dance shows. Anto- nita Herrada is its first star. Following the trend to pix with all-male casts, producer Eduardo G. Maroto has finished “Honor Ruffians,” with Jo$e Bodalo and Manuel Arbo, By Victor Skaarup “Arihie Get Your Gun” at Norre- bro past its; 250th performance. Doris Day most popular Ameri- can songstres.s on platters here, “The Heire.ss” (Par) at Dagmar Bio got the best pix reviews here in many weeks. “Death of a Salesman,” at the Kongelige Teater, has played to many soldout houses. “■Three Came Home’’ (20th) at Alexandra, which got a fine recep- tion, looks in for a long run. British songstress Vera Lynn, on tour here, scored the biggest hit of< the season for foreign artists. New play by Denmark’s leading dramatist, Kjeld Abell, got a so-so reception at Frederlksberg Teater. CHATTER 53 Buenos Aires •Delia Garces on South American legit tour now in Ecuador, Lucas Gute, Mexican ; warbler, singing at Golden Gate nitery, over Belgrano web and at Casino the- atre. Mexican warbler Pedro Vargas completing broadcasts on Splendid web; then goes on South American tour. Ex-boxing champ Luis Angel Firpo, back from U. S., ready to work on Portena Films’ “Search- ing for a Champ.” Efforts made by Rodriquez and Lofiego to buy out stock in old EF A studios have not materialized, with company contlhuing under the supervision of Julio Yolly. Jose Gibrian signed for impor- tant role in “Los Arboles Mieren de Pie,” adaptation of Alejandro Casoria’s long-run legiter, to be made at Estudios San Miguel. Due to a shortage of materials, Hugo del Carril postponed plans fot another picture in Madrid , fol- lowing compietion there of “The Negro With the White Soul,” in which he doubles as star and di- rector. ; Narciso ibanez Mcnta tossed stage party at El National theatre celebrating wedding, to bit player Laura Hidalgo of his “Death of a Salesman” legit cOst. Production now goes to Sodre theatre in Monr teyideo. ; In another bid to sell pictures In foreign markets, Sono Film is wooing Mexican actor Pedro Ar- ; mendariz to appear in a pic to be ! directed by Luis Cesar Amadori, in which he’d star with Zully Moreno. Team was starred earlier this year in the Mexican film, “Tierra Baja.” Argentine actor Narciso Ibanez Menta goes to Montevideo to re- i produce the role he played here in I “Death of a Salesman,” skedded for production at Sodre theatre there. He will plane back to Bue- nos Aires three times weekly for I filmization of “The Beast Must [ Die.” Pic, adapted from a Nicho- I las Blake story, will be filmed at i Emelco. By Bill Conlan Jerry Lavan bringing “Anna Lucasta” to Titania Palast. Two French pix receiving the critic praise this week are “Manon” and “La Ronde.” Fritz Kortner’s version of Schil- ler’s “Don Carlos” did not go over big with the crix. Latest legit performances In- clude “Dream Girl,” “Corn Is Green,” “Lady Not for Burning” and “Double Door.” Ed Gruskin, Economic Coopera- tion Administration radio chief, to 'confer with Oscar Hammerstein over a German musical. Paul Stein,* former RKO direct tor, arrives here early next year to supervise production of television pix for George Richfield. Operetta composer Rudolph Nel- son booked for two weeks at the Splendid. Songstress Nina Konsta finished there recently and is now in Hamburg. By George Mezoefi Metro’s “On Town” and “Father of Bride” did smash first week biz. French pic “We’ll Go To Paris,” smash at Bourg Cinema, Lausanne. Rita Hayworth and All Khan will spend this year’s ski vacation at i Gstaad. Viveca Lindfors, Ralph Meeker and others of the staff of new Prae- sens pic, “Four in a Jeep,” now 1 here for indoor shooting after lo- cation work in Vienna. Ireland By Maxwell SWeeney Comedian Harry Bailey baqk i from Canadian tour, i Pianist Eileen Joyce pacted for Dublin celeb concert in January* Emile Littler’s “Annie Get Your Gun” company doing two^week stint at Theatre Royal, Dublin, and then two weeks in' Belfast; Alec - Fryer, long-time batoneer i of Queen’s Theatre, Dublin, orch, J bowed, out because Of ill health. George Cullen takes spot. Portland, Ore. • Ray Bennigson joined announc- ing staff of station KGW, Billy RayCs tops Harvest of Stars RevUe at Amato’s Supper Club. Ben Mosher furnishing his* new . gold key club in penthouse of the swank Kiiig Tower. . Kaiharirie Hepburn in “As You I Like It” is slated for three days in January at the Mayfair thestre. Roland Petit’s Ballets de Paris and “Mister Roberts” are pencilled to follow. t • < f 54 EITERATI Wednesday, December 20, 1950 Louis SoboFs 20th Year Louis Sobol’s contract with the Hearst newspapers has been re- newed for two more years. Next year will be his 20th with the N. Y. Journal-American, His column, • 55 JOHNNY HYDE Johnny Hyde. 55, WilUam Morris Agency - vicepresident, died of a hSi t attack Dec. 18 at Cedars of Lebanon hospital, Dos Angles. ■ Further details on page 2. grace elliston Grace Eliistop. .72. icgit. actress. ai,t in ■ Lenox, Mass., Dec. 14, i ter a brief illness. Miss ElUstOn, of chonis stroyed by fire in 1924 and his son, Clifford, has been managing that house as well as the Kane in re- cent years, Coroner Elmer Beatty said Brown’s death was due to a self- inflicted wound. The theatre own- er had been in ill health for the past several months. His son Clif- ford is the only survivor. tonio, after heart attack Dec. 13. He also was founder and conductor of the Waco Symphony Orchestra. Reiter inaugurated the San An- tonio Grand Opera Festival held in the spring. Reiter also cpriducted a Sunday morning musical program on WOAI on which he spoke and played the classics. ad agency, N. Y., and T. Wylie Kinney, Life mag exec, died at her home in New Haven Dec. 17. Father, 69 of Robert Hibbard, WGN-TV assistant operation head, died in Chicago Dec. 12. Mother, 42, of Theodore Liss, TV producer, died in Chicago, Dec. 12 . J. j. McFADDEN J. J. McFadden, veteran exhibi- tor and owner of the Rialto thea- 1 Wife of Moe Wells, vet Chicago tre in Renovp, Pa., died at his home i music piibber and theatre owner, there on Nov. 25 after suffering a I died in Chicago, Dec. 10. heart ailment for a number of - . years , He leaves his wife, two daugh- ^ Archie . Leyington, Evelyn Selbie, 79, former ac- i [ers and a son, George, who , has j manag m Philadel- tress, died in Hollywood, Dec. 7 , , J^en managing the^ Rialto for his Dec, ii. Cn was active in legiters ' of a heart ailment. A legit per- j since he . returned to | _^ a i x. 1 retirement in 1932. Ac- 1 former for 25 years, Miss Selbie ! olvflian life following a ^ stretch ^ of , Murray K^z, 63, f a the r of I had worked with Henry ; started her film career as G. M. Naval service during Wprld War ; WMGM,^ N. Y., program director Jose Ferrer Continued from pace 1 u ho hcKan her ..stage _career before- the turn oi the girl with century, as a Frank Daniels’ EVELYN SELBIE Mtuer Nat Goodwin, George ■ Anderson’s leading lady in 1912. Ai' iss’ Ethel Barrymore, Julia She appeared in a number of ivi-n lowe Richard^ Bennett, Wil- ; silent pix and several talkies. Her ii.!m Fnrnum; Richard Mansfield, ; stage work included leading roles Viola Alien and Edmund Breese. jin “Hitman Hearts” and “The Cat 18^)9 she played a role in ; and the Canary.” JOHN E. GOGGIN John E. Goggin, theatrical agent, died in New Haven, Dec. 11. Gog- Raymond Katz, New York. died Dec. 18 in _ ji ' . Sin, who opened his own New >eis Within Wheels,” followed Among the silent films in which i Haven agency in 1908, had repped ' * X “His Excellency, the she appeared was “The Squaw | Rudy Vallee, Artie Shaw and ‘ Charlie In “U by: a part^^in A I* rnvenior. rMan,’’ Cecil B, DeMille's first ^ Founder Of tho Stockbridge, Hollywood production. Her talkies jv, j,j, Theatre Workshop, Miss included some of the Fu Manchu viVi^ton had important roles in series. ‘^rvvplfth Night,” starring Miss I Miss Selbie also free-lanced on M irlowe- “Three of Us” and. “Help I radio. wSl " With Bennett ; she ! rjaved a leading role in “Damaged l.ixM oicn had BELLE STODDARD Goods.” She also had one pL the j Belle Stoddard Johnstone, 81, actress over a fnn roles in “The Battle Cry, " j stage and screen Farniim. Other Broadway j period of 64 yeJrs, died Dec. 13 at with "appearances . w ere . ih “The Shadow ” with Miss Barrymore; ‘•OUl Ilciclelberg,” with Mansfield; Spivak early in their careers. For some years, he also had maintained a N. Y. office. He retired in 1945. His wife, a daughter, two sisters and a brother survive. Grandfather of Mrs. Tony Can- zoneri, died Dec. 14 in New York, ROY E. THOMPSON Roy E. Thompson, 63, former radio manufacturer, died in Scars- dale, N. Y., Dec. 17. Following hen home in Hollywood, tod I worid tVar-j. in which he Te^^el been in. retirement for five years. Her first stage appearance was “The Dictator,” with William Col- j with Mme. Modjeska in 1881, at the licr- “Her Husband’s Wife,” with ! age of 12/ In her legit career she Miller- “Bereforcls,” with Miss ' was associated with Joseph Jeffer- Allen' and “Lion and the Mouse, son, McKee Rankin, Edward T. with Breesc. She also played m , Mayo, Robert Edison and o Devil.” “The Rectors stars of a bygone era. Among “The Garden” and “Jacqueline.’ - One of her last stage appear- ances was in the Theatre ^uild s production of “The Lucky One in 1930 . other her VIRA RIAL Vira Rial. 77 . legit actress, died in New York, Dec. early pictures were “Kentucky Pride,” “Hangman’s House” and “Anne Against the World.” Surviving are three daughters. as a radio consultant, Thomp.son formed the Thompson Radio Corp. manufacturing outfit. In 1931 he exited the business and formed Color Photography, to make color films. A daughter and sister survive. VIRGIL T. HURST Virgil T. Hurst, 57, manager of | Fern Whitney MARRIAGES Melle Mathews to Lew Kerner, Beverly Hills, Dec. 10. He’s a film casting director. Jane Baldwin to Frank Shugrue, Tijuana, Mex,, Dec. 17. She's a film studio makeup; he’s a still eariieraman. Colleen Townsend to Louis H. Evans, Hollywood, Dec. 16. Bride is former film actress, now an evangelist. . Nancy Priest to Louis Stone, in BronxVille, N. Y., Dec. 15. He is assistant to David O. Selznick and former counsel for American Society of Composers, . Authors i& Publishers. de Bergerac,” in which Ferrer is Doubters that the 38-year-old actor ; could keep up with the schedule that Condon has laid out for him Were treated this week to a peek at the resume of a “Gyrano” tour. It lasted three months, dur- ing which Ferrer Crossed the coun- try six times and roiled up a total of 364 newspapers, tradepaper, ra- dio, TV, magazine and lecture ap- pointments. During that time he undertook 29 ohe-h6ur-and-20- minute lectures before a total of better than 17,000 people. He talked through ni radio and TV appearances and 68 press inter- views, averaging 5.2 interviews a day over the period of 70 working days. In Los Angeles, a columnist who had been trapped by other pub- licity handouts became suspicious; of the casual notation that Ferrer spoke five languages and suggest- ed a five-language interview be set up. This was done, with Ferrer bobbing and weaving through French, Spanish, Italian, German and Engl i.sh for 45 minutes to the delight Of the Kramer flacks. Ferrer, during the tour, receiv- ed the keys to four cities, did seven French-language broadcasts in Montreal, 12 Spanish-language in New York, did a one-man, one- hour video show and cooked a half-hour meal on TV. Leisure was occupied by tennis, singing les- sons, dancing lessons and gym workouts. Pic being planned by JFE may be “20th Century” if remake rights can be obtained from Columbia, j Legit version starts Dec. 24 on a to Lou Wilson, , non-profit basis for the American ANTHONY KIEFER Anthony Kiefer, 88, one of founders of the American Federa- home in that city Dec. 9. Formerly ! production office of London. , „ 16. Miss Rial , Hon of Musicians, died Dec. 17 in had appeared with the Lillian i peoj-ia. 111. Kiefer, who Russell Opera Co. in “The Little secretary-treasurer of the Peoria Duke” in 1906. She later appeared .Federation of Musicians from the in ‘‘Little Jack Sheppard,” “The i Hme of its founding in 1894, Was Nominee” and “Turned Up.” This i /.nnVonfinn was followed by several years under the management of the la^. William A. Brady in “The White Fealher.” “Little Miss B” and “Babv iMine.” She Worked with Sidney Drew in “Keep Her Smil- ing” and also had roles in “Little Jesse James,” “The Gingham Girl” and Sam H, Harris’ pfoduc- tioh of "Icebound,” An early member of Actors’ Equity, she w'as at one time an officer in the Professional Wom- an’s League and was also a mem- ber of the Episcopal Actors’ Guild and Actors’ Fund of America. KEN ROBEY ■ Kurt Robitschek, 60, known as Ken Robey, theatrical producer, died in New York, Dec, 16, Robey, born in Poland, staged productions in the U. S. and Europe. He was founder of the Kabarett der Komiker (Cabaret of Comedians), under which title he presented, shows at Carnegie Hall, N. Y. The Kabarett was founded by Robey in Berlin in 1924, the uprising of the Nazis finally forcing him to America in 1936; His productions here include “Vaudeville Marches On,” presented at the Majestic theatre, N. Y., in 1939. . In 1948, he produced “Morey Amsterdam’s Hilarities” at the Adelphi, N. Y., writing lyrics for some of the songs featured in the show'. active at the founding convention of the AFM in Indianapolis in 1896. He- was also city controller ■of Peoria, helped found the 'municipal orchestra and operated two music stores there. Survived by wife, two sons and a daughter. GEORGE MORTON George Marshall, 55, magician known pirofessionally . as George Morton, died Dec. 17 in a Phila- delphia hospital where he had been taken following his collapse backstage at a Knights of Colum- bus Christmas party for children. He was dead on his arrival at the hospital, efforts of rescue squad members failing to revive him^ Marshall had been a pro magi- cian siiice 1914., He had operated a photographic studio in Phila- delphia. Survived by wife and son. the Richmond theatre, St. Louis, ' Arlington, Va.. Dec. 6. Bride is j National Theatre and Academy and died of a heart ailmenL at his | dancer; he’s with Prince Littler i then moves on ai commercial basis to the Fulton, N. Y. Ferrer hopes to run through the season, with another name actress subbing for Miss Swanson if a prior film com- mitment takes her out after March 1. Ferrer plans to tour in the late spring, winding up in Los Angeles to start the picture chore. Recording pacts are being talked with RCA Victor and Capitol. Fer- an assistant manager of the St. Louis and manager of the Shaw. Hurst had been in the entertain- was ' iiaent field for 10 years; ' His wife and three daughters survive. RAYMOND L. SCHROCK Raymond L. Schrock, 58, screen writer, died Dec. 12 at his Holly- wood home after a heart attack Frances Burson to Bill Todman, Dec. 17, N. Y. He’s co-producer with Mark Goodson of several CBS radio and TV shows. Norma Thornton to Tiger An- drews, Dec. 18, N. Y. She’s mem- ber of the line on Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” vaudeo show; he’s an actor. . Betti Schinasi to John Malcolm rer wants to do a “Cyrano” album ! Goldsmith, Dec. 15, New York, (he has already done “Othello” for : Gro^^ is with Warner Bros, pub- I Columbia), some love poems, some before Y.; she is daughtto of i internatiotol .songs, children’s al- Midwest before .loming Universal , Lepn) Schinasi, w.k. in ; pums (he has done one for Decca) as a scenarist in 1925. At one time or another he worked for practical- ly every studio in Hollywood. CLARENCE E. ONENS Clarence E. Oneris, 51, chief engi- neer at WCAM, municipally-owned Camden, N. J., station, died Dec. 14 at his home in Collingswood, N..J. A former president of the South Jersey Radio Assn., Onens was as- sociated with WMAM for 22 years. His wife survives. DEWEY ROBINSON Dewey Robinson, 51, character actor, died Dec. 11, in Las Vegas j Herald, was the owner after a heart attack. He had never - fully recovered from an automobile accident a year ago. , « A veteran of World War I, Rob- inson took up acting >vhen he left the Army and appeared in several revues with the Marx Bros, in the As a film player since claughter. late 1920s. - 1930 he Specialized in gangster „ roles in hundreds of pictures. His Survived by his wife and a i most recent pictures were “At War BEN J. SALLOWS Ben J. Sallows, 62, former news- paper publisher and theatre bw'her, died in Alliance, Nebraska, Dec. 17, of leukemia. Sallows, who had published the Alliance Times- of two Nebraska theatres. His wife; two sisters and a brother survive. A. ROBINS Adolph Proster, comedian, known prol’es.sion^i.lly a.s A. Robins,. 64, diod Dec. 17 in London of a gall bladder ailment. Robins had ar- With the Army” and “The Adven- tures of Skipalong Rosenbloom.” His wifb, Louise, survives. RAY HANSEN Ray Hansen, former casting di- rector at Central Casting office in lived in London the previous day ! Hollywood, died Dec. 16 at Wads- lo open ill pahtoniinie for Emile ! worth Hospital, Sawtelle, Calif., Litijeiy when he became ill. I where he had been bedridden for Rollins wa.s born in Austria and | 18 months. Originally bedded two fame to the U. S. in 1912 to work years ago following a stroke, he re- for Miu'iin Beck. He made numer- ‘ - -x - oils trips to the Continent before settling down in the U. S. His hist appearance in this country V as bn the Ken Murray television show Dec. 2. His “banana man” aet appeared ip , virtually every vaudeville theatre in the country, ivjusicals in which he appeared in- eliKlcd “Katinka” and ” Jumbo.” Survived by his wife. HARRY E. BROWN , ifarry E. Brown, 80, pioneer ex- jjihiior-of Kane, Pa., died at his' noine there bn Nov. 26 of a gun- i,;P),."’ohnd. He had been in ex- years. Brown en- lliealre business in Kane Wr opening one of the first 0 urn picture houses in the area, 1^^* , lolling in business until i 0 time of his death. He rebuilt | ^ lempie after it had been de- i turned to work six months later Only to suffer a relapse. ' Originally, a talent agent, he had been in showbiz for 40 years, Sut*- vived by his wife,^ actress Evelle Poole. HEI^BY M. SHAW Henry M. Shaw, 80, pioneer radio inventor and founder of the Shaw Insulator Co.^ died Dec. 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla. He invented one of the first practical vacuum tube bases and designed one of the first U, S. radio stations in San Francisco. He also invented a lighting arrestor. Survived by wife, son, daughter, five brothers and a sister. WILLIAM P. McCRYSTAL William Patrick McCrystal, 69, former vaudeville trouper, died Dec. 9 in Culver City following a heart attack. His son, William T. McCiystal, is manager of the Metro radio station, KMGM. . WILBUR SMALL Wilbur Small, 40, stations rela- tions executive with the Progres- sive Broadcasting System, died of a heart attack Dec. 9. in San Jose, Cal. show biz. I an(j an opera based on Dr. Fred- Barbara Sachs to David Mar- eric Wertham’s “Dark Legend.” gulies, Dec. 20, New York. She is Book, for which a contract has the daughter of Mrs. Hal Horne, already been set with Henry Holt wife of the film publicist and pro- j py Music Corp. of America, would i be a combo of memoirs, anecdotes Althea Murphy to Gerald [ and opinion. Delivery date of the Savory, Dec. 16, White Plains, j manuscript is set in the contract N. Y. _ Bride Jis a legit actress; he’s j as Oct. 1 , 1951, Ferrer plans to dictate it into a machine on trains and between other chores. a dramatist-director. Vivienne Segal to Hubbell Rob- inson, Jr., Bedford Village, Conn,, Dec. 16. Bride is a singer; he’s CBS program veepee. Ruth Roman to Mortimer Hall, Las Vegas, Dec. 17. Bride is a film actress; he is manager of radio station KLAC, Los Angeles, which Ferrar’s aim with the radiO-TV package is some sort of variety show, about which he has already had talks with NBC, He does not want to do a weekly dramatic se- ries (although he has already ap- peared in “Cyrano,” “What Makes is owned by his mother, Mrs. Dor-!sammy Run”‘ and other hour-long — _ I* f _ i* I othy Schiff, publisher of the N. Y. Post. Helen Clayton to Alfred A. Ros- sin, N. Y., Dec. 16. Bride is a con- cert singer. adaptations). He feels that good drama can’t be rehearsed and done well enough every seven days. Cafe turn which Ferrer and Condon are working out is a sort Shirley Temple to Charles Black, ; of “male Hildegarde” routine. It Del Monte, Cal., Dec. 16. Bride would be strictly class, with all is a film actress; he’s been active in TV. Constance Willdberg, 25, wi fe of legit producer John Wildbergv died Dec. 18 in Beverly Hills, Calif., apparently of an overdose of sleep- 1 ‘ ing pills. Survived by her husband * editor at RKO, and father. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs, Murray Garrett, son, Hollywood, Dec. 11. Father is a cameraman. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Bachman, son, Pittsburgh, Dec. 13. Father’s radio- TV account executive with Both- well Ad Agency. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Raff, son, Hollywood, Dec, 8. Father is a special material, and run four to six weeks a year. Lecturing, at which Ferrer proved himself highly adept dur- ing the “Cyrano” tour, is designed partly as an income-producer, but primarily for cross-promotion of tjie actor’s other activities, such as his book, records and films. JFE is also seeking other deals involving production or promotion that would hot require Ferrer’s personal services. Mr. and Mrs, Lepnard Spinrad, , son, New York, Dec. 15, Father is : Armed Forces Hike Continued from aage 1 gpod-looking girls and gpod humorist, died in Indianapolis, ■ Dec. 16, after along illness. Her; husband, three ’ sons daughtefs survive. DR; MAX REITER Dr. Max Reiter, 45, founder and conductor of San Antonio Symph- Mother, ,69,- of H. Allen Smith, ' Wnrner Bros, nublicitv de- ‘ . . , x ■'^-'dianapolis, ! ™” ' j>ros. pupiiLiiy ne have always been difficult ness. Her : partmept. j and talent buyers have frequently and five I Mr, and Mrs. Robert H. Echei- i been forced to compromise on son, daughter, Hartford, Dec. 16. these two basic, demands, phe F^her is Variety mugg in Hart-- wartime factor that proved to be a. Eddie Franks, 55, in Chicago, j publisher of Post News, potent hurdle to getting sufficient Dec. 11, He was a nightclub oWn- 1 and entertainment daily, i personnel to fiB put dance groups, er and husband of Dolly Kay, song- 1 Mother is Jane Hall, nitery singer, has been the high: wages in de- Mr. and Mrs. Ezio Pinza, daugh- fen se plants. ter, Hollywood, Dec. 15. Father quently been forced to pay moie is an operatic singer and a legit- ^ Y. film actor; mother is the former They look forward to a rcpeti- ballet dancer Doris Leak. Mr. and Mrs, Donald H. Mac- stress, Raymond T. Guy, 66, film tech- nician for 25 years at Paramount, died Dec. 8 in Hollywood. Ray Fitzgerald, 58, electrician on the Universal Pictures lot for 15 Lean, daughter, Dec. 12. years died * !c with Hni Mt tion of all these problems. How- ever, these headaches are com- Father paratively easy to take. The pro- ' ducers would rather be hit with IV^oiher of ony Orchestra, died in San An- veepee of the J, Walter Thompson 1 Johnny Longs band. Dec. 11 in Hollywood. Vis drummer with Hal McIntyre’s ^ ducers wouict ratner pe nir uiin . ; orch; mother, j<\net Brace Mat - 1 a shortage, of girls than with a Gilbert Kinney, senior j Lean, was former vocalist with ' shortage of spots in which to dis- le J. Walter Thompson Johnny Long’s band. ‘ play ’em. Wednesday, December 20 , 1950 fi.'H *«;“» kcn' fLs** lOJ NOfTH WAlASrt AVI. ■ CMlCA&O. ypUa* C."*'*' k-”” u »» » » DC A Hill'* IKtlH *>* Dear S: Citizens ^ good citueim ^ call SK oardonable ptide. 1 _ Show So, with internal tP >■> T"” tepeotoj to «>• cSuto Big M"* ’™J one- nite stand. _ _ "Sunrise Ronlde'e toe to W « "Oh what « colvonhia nec THE GOLDEN TOUC FRANKIE CARLE HIS PIANO AND HIS ORCHESTRA nCA Virdor* outbustoess^”^^ Mootto o» p sold more Ih^ and bcmdleader. . loo *eotte boo-o^J^oM too** Frankie holds , ^^atempo*®'®® go mcmV ®* • voiitdttistWs; Well, l^te poml oi d _ rvervbodY ^ ^ Every tp^ves# Housitv^' ^ tespo^'" W«.?S:-^lotoP>to«eBeon4»P ^ility. card. Associated Booking Corp ^ Becomes Jh® ^ ^ ^^^3 Sales ^ Otchesltci. piano & His .a like to hear torn a tote oboe.. WonrilY* ly ]oe Glaser »ri the Caie Bouge ® p S • Franlde retuti^ >„„ber 29 with loan „ %. A'e Stotlet on l^ceto^ Setenodeis. *?" HMM Oolemon ond '^e M Psfsonol Manogemeht WARREN H. PEARL R.C.A. VICTOR ARTIST fffTira RADIO VIDEO MUSIC STAOE Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street. New York 19, N. Y., by Variety, Ino. Annual •ubscrlption, $10. Single copies, 26 oenta ' Entered as second class matter December 22, 1906, at the Pos t OfClce -ait New York, N T.. under the act of March S, 1879. COPYRIGHT^ 1950. BY VARIETY. INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED VOL. 181 No. 3 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY,PECEMBER 27, 1950 PRIGE 25 CENTS Any picture starring Ingrid4 Bergman and directed by Roberto Rossellini will not get a Johnston office seal, a Mexican group that contemplated such a picture has I'eportedly been told by Production Code Administrator Joseph I. Breen. The Mexicans, headed by producer Oscar Danclgers, have dropped the project as a result. Danclgers, a former European filmmaker and now a successful Mexican producer, was approached by Rossellini through emissaries some months ago. The Italian pro- ducer-director wanted to make a film with Miss Bergrtian, his wife, in Mexico if the Mexican group would put up the entire produc- tion cost. Danclgers figured budget would rim about $200,000. For that Mexi- can group would get western hemi- sphere rights, with Rossellini and Miss Bergman to reap their return from the rest of the world. Mexi- can outfit thought' it a good deal and was ready to go ahead until Danclgers went to see Breen. That changed his mind, since most of the income to recoup the produc- tion cost would have to come from the U. S., and most important the- atres in this country won’t play a pic without a PCA seal. Rossellini, who is reportedly in need of coin, has recently been in Paris trying to promote a similar deal there. He wants a French (Continued on page 47) I The “tomorrow we die” aspect Of nitery spending that characterized World War II cafe grosses has failed to assert itself so far. Boni:* faces report that the holiday spend- ing has been following the pattern of previous postwar years with little difference one way or the other. Up to this point. New Year’s Eve reservations have been com- paratively sparse. There’s been no special rush to insure space during the big night. As in previous years, nitery owners expect that most available cafe space will be sold during this week. The Xinas business was on the ; level of last season. The three-day holiday weekend resulted in g^rosses, that were on par with 1949. There were no complete sellouts, pi on Saturday (23) in some of the top spots. Sunday and Mon- day dinner business was good, but fell off for the late shows. This year N, Y. nitery ovvners are insuring themselves against a last minute bad weather break on the Eve. There will be no con- firmations unless a substantial de- posit accompanies each reservation, t his procedure has been followed past, but not as ngidly as fis been this year. Cafe men ascribe the unusually (Continued on page 39) I And die (Prize) Fur Flew NBC, Louis G. Cowan and Maxi- milian Furs are being sued in New York Federal court by a giveaway winner, who alleges the defend- ants misFepresented the value of her prize. Action was brought last Week by Ann Notre, who claims that she won a coat represented as being worth $3,500 on NBC’s late-lament- ed “Hollywood Galling” in August, 1949. She charges that when she had it appraised it was valued at only $4()0, and she^ asking for $3,500. Key locals of the American Fed- eration of Musicians began laying the groundwork this week for a major fight against the displace- ment of live musicians by mechani- cal devices on radio and television in upcoming negotiations with the major networks and indie stations. Reps of the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago locals began drawing Up a joint strategy in Chicago to^ day (Wed.), with AFM prexy James C. Petrillo sitting in on the dis- cussions. Attitude of the ranks and leader- ship of the AFM, as Indicated by tesolutions and speeches/ points to a showdown fight against the broadcasters around the central is- sue of the use of disks and kine- scope recordings on radio and TV. Leaders of New York Local 802 have already gone on jrecord in favor of a sweeping ban against the use of disks on all broadcast out- lets between 8 a.m, and midnight. Possibility that the other locals will follow suit is strengthened by the fact that Petrillo has okayed the Local 802 recommendation. Present contract with the net- works and local stations ends Jan, 31, and negotiations for a new pact are expected to open right after the New Year holidays. Petrillo, repping the national office, will bar- gain for the network pact, while the AFM locals in each city will handle the negotiations with the local stations. Leaders of the N. Y., Chicago and L. A. locals are aiining at the for^ mulation of parallel demands in each city in the first attempt of the union to impose a national scale for tooters in local stations. Wage rates, however, would vary in each station, depending upon the classification of the outlet; More important, however, is the locals’ effort to draw up a uniform strate- (Continued on page 46) By HERB GOLDEN After a period of stringent economy which has left them with virtually no new stars of impor- tance currently, major film studios are again beginning to build up stables of youngsters they hope to develop into stellar names. A re- turn to greater emphasis on stars as marquee lure is in the making. Most top production execs on the Coast will say they never stopped their efforts to build new names. That’s true, bUt the attempts were relatively half-hearted as compared with . the energy, imagination and care that went into the process In the past. Whether consciously or subcon- sciously, Hollywood and the indus- try as a whole has lost a good bit of its enthusiasm for stars as b.o. insurance in the past three years or so. And with good reason, since pic after pic with highly-regarded players found little audience re- sponse and piled up losses. With the pressure for budget economy that began in 1947, it thus became a natural to pare the lists of established players and to save what coin was ostensibly to be saved by a minimum of effort in developing new ones. Relatively few new contract players have been hired in the past three years. Talent departments have had in- structions to consider virtually no one unless the studio had a specific (Continued on page 47) Ken Murray s TV Cavalcade for ’50 Ken Murray, as a special pre- New Year’s Eve production on his regular CBS-TV show this Satur- day (30), has lined up a string of w:k. personalities whom he con- siders the best in their respective fields this year for a “Cavalcade of 1950” program. List is topped by Dr. Ralph Bunche, Nobel prizewin- ner, and includes Mtilton Berle, whom Murray has selected as the “Man-of-the-Year” in TV, even thotigh Berle’s Texaco show is aired on the rival NBC/J web. Others on the Murray list, all of whom have wired their acceptances to appear on the show, include heavyweight boxing champ Ezzard Charles; Phil Rizzuto, N. Y. Yan- kees’ shortstop; Navy football coach Eddie Erdlatz, Whose team knocked off Army this year; chan- nel swimmer Florence Chadwick; Gloria Swanson, chosen by Murray for her film “comeback” in “Sun- set Boulevard”; basketball Coach Nat Holman, whose College of the City of N. Y. team last season emerged as the only twin-title win- ner in the sport’s history; N. Y. Mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri; vo- calist Eileen Barton, for her “If I Knew You Were Cornin’, I’da (Continued on page 40) As Good Chicago, Dec. 20. For the past year Jim Moran, auto dealer^ has been advertising On his teevee program^ “Courtesy Hoim,” that he will pay transporta- tion, costs to his showroom to any car buyer. Last week he had a taker— but from Australia. Moran wrote, out a check for $708, plane fare from Down Under, However, there’s been no ex- planation as to how the Australian had seen or heard of the offer. House Would Give Washington, Dec. 26. possibility looms of a new probe into alleged Hollywood Reds by the House Un-American Activities Committee. This one, however, would be a more friendly investigation, with film industry name figures who have been ac- cused of Communist leanings in- vited to come forward and clear their reputations. The idea developed last week, after Edward .G. Robinson went before the committee w i t h his records to back up his statements that he had never been a Commie. Robinson, Who had earlier appeared before the Un-AmerJcan Activities Committee investigators at his own request, came back to take his (Continued on page 40) WUr Emergency Kiboshes Chi Fair, N. O. ’51 MCsta Chicago, Dec. 26. U. S. Govemhient state of emer- gency was blamed for the decision to skip having a 1951 Chi Lake- front fair, but board bf trustees recommended that lease on prop- erty be extended in case condi- tions permit another exposition. Fair lost several hundred thou- sand dollars last year, blaming loss on adverse weather. N. O.’s Defense Pitch New Orleans, Dec. 26. The Spring Fiesta for 1951 has been cancelled “owing to serious conditions prevailing throughout the world/' Mrs, Henry Landry de Freneuse, president, announced Thursday (21). At the same time, Mary Evelyn Dickerson, director of the Louisi- ana State/Dept, of Commerce, said the state would abandon all tourist trade advertising. She said that her department would concentrate I on getting defense contracts and new industries for Louisiana. Philadelphia, Dec. 26. It’s a safe bet that when Ted Mack comes down here on Jan. 1 as chief judge of the traditional Mummer’s Day Parade, he’ll be Wearing a Special coat of armor. No sooner did the word leak out in this City of Brotherly Love that Mack and the management entour- age of his Original Amateur Hour were to officiate in the judging of the competing Mummers— -thus up- setting a precedent dating back to the parade’s origin — than things began to hum. The main noises, which precipi- tated the greatest scandal in Mum- mers history and a subsequent po- lice investigation, came late last week front an automatic pistol, which was aimed at a Mummer of- ficial, barely missing him, but in turn resulting in serious wounds to a passerby. Within the next 24 hours an at- tempt was made to throw acid into the face of a Mummer exec re- sponsible for the designation of “outside” judges. As with the acid, the shooting Was attributed to those within the competing Mummer or- ganizations protesting the designa- tion of non-Philadelphians as judges. M For years the Mummer’s Parade has been strictly a “local baby,” with invariably widespread reports of factionalism in the judging and competitions. It was when the top Mummer officials decided to “play it straight” and designated Mack to officiate that the fun began. Police fear it Isn’t over yet, , ■ \ Met 'Fledermaus' Hottest B.O. Prospect in Years; B’way Slant a Factor By ARTHUR BRONSON Hottest boxoffice prospect In years at the Metropolitan Opera, N. y., seems to be the Met’s new production of Johann Strauss’ “Fledermaus” (“The Bat”), which preCmed last Wednesday (20). That performance had been sold out for some time previous, due to its be- ing included in a package deal with two other special “first nights” of the season. . But even before the preem, and tfie gener- ally enthusiastic press notices of the next day, there had been unusual interest at the b o. in the operetta. Management reported a heavy mail-order from hon-sub- scribers for that evening or for sub- sequent performances, “mostly from foreign names.” “Fledermaus” probably has caused more excite- ment than any other production this season, said one official; “every homesick Viennese in N. Y. wants to come.’' The second and, third perform- ances of “Fledermaus/' skedded for tonight (Wed.) and Sunday (31), were both sold put a week ago. Tonight’s performance ii the first , of the regular subscripilpii (Continued on page 47) KflSCELLAiXV Wednesdayi^ December 27, 1950 New Techniques for Pictiire Prod. Hollywood, Dec. 26. Motion picture production re- ciuires a wider range of raw mate- rials, manufactured, products, and standard and specialized equipr jiient than any ot.ier American in- dustry, In addition to these basic needs, more than 250 classifications of specialists and workers in vari- ous arts, sciences, skills, trades and handicrafts are employed on pei> inanent or part-time basis to turn out the 400 or more features' an- nually to supply the market. • Requirements cover all types of. building and construction mate- rials, household equipment and fur- nishings, fabrics,. hard good.s, chem- icals, office supplies, standard and specialized electrical apparatus, specially-designed equipment, cars', trucks, tractors — in fact, virtually every product manufactured. With such a.diversity of products required, and the constant need for improving techniques and- equip- ment-^in addition to adapting new products; for usage— tiie eight ma- jor producing companies of Holly- wood tColiimbia, RKQ, Universal- International, Metro, Republic, Par- amount, 2dth-Fox and Warners) in- corporated the Motion Picture Re- search Council nearly three years ago to function as a centralized organization for research arid de- velopment of new materials, proc- esses, and equipment for its con- tributing companies. The organization is an outgrowth of the Academy Research Council, which was established more than 20 j'‘ears ago specifically to probe the then-new sound devices and techniques. Shortly after the start, the major studios subsidized over- head of the. Academy branch, and recently pulled away to set up its own reSearch^ organization. Spendinjg in excess of $100,000 annually, its key engineering staff of nine covers the divisions of con- struction, physics, standards, elec- trical, design, mechanical, lighting and construction. It also has 200 studio engineers arid technicians on its advisory staff; all of whom are, from time to time, called on to lend aid in research or develop-^ ment programs instituted by the Council. Council As^ Liaison In addition to its pure research, the Council functions as a liaison laetWeen its members and manu- iContinued on page 40) Ex-Champ Braddock Okays Film Biog Ex - heavyweight fight champ James Braddock has approved the story treatment of his projected biopic by Howard Irving Young, and the property is currently be- ing handled by the Paul Kohner agency in Hollywood, Rights to the property, which will probably be called “The Brad- dock Story,” are held by producer Richard Czinner. Duraiite’s Lab Tieup Now it will be “Durante, the Well Groomed Man.” Company manufacturing “3 Gut Of 5” prep- arations for men (shampoo, hair dressing, scalp cream, after-shave lotion and shaving cream) has been licensed by the NBC-TV comedian to be renamed Jimmy Durante Laboratories, Inc,, and will adver- tise under the new name after Jan.-l.'- Durante has been using some of the products for several years. Artliiir Koher glorifiDt the pitchmen in u humorous piece Y^SayYaNot Saddisfied^ Y’ Say Ya Want More Fa Y a Money on amusing byline itory in the 45th Anniversary IS'nmher of p^fitETY OVt !SEXT W EEK Legjt-Tele-Musicals Part of Cudia Setup Located Near Phoenix Phoenix, Dec. 26. Blueprints for a three-point proj- ect embracing legit, television and musicals are being drawn up by S. P. B. Cudia, local showman, whose Cudia City enterprise is lo- cated just outside the city limits of Phoenix. Physical setup, valued at $200,- 000, takes in 125 acres and includes the Cudia City theatre, a 250-seat- er, and a large indoor set with a 70-foot stage and a seating capac- ity of l.OOO: Latter is being primed for traveling musicals, roadshows, and TV, with smaller theatre being reserved'for gaslight mellers. Thea- tre is part of a western set that Cudia built in 1939. as locale for filming sagebrush sagas, and is cur- rently being utilized as winter showcase for traveling stock groups with ten-twent-thirt- repertoires. Deal calls for stock group to re- tail all b.o. receipts, on admission of $1, with house collecting revenue on potables. Patrons are seated at tables to watch the performance, while house waitresses circulate among the payees. In addition to TV films, also in the making is Cudia’s idea of turn- ing out a series of 52 TV westerns, in color, ifhcler label of “The Ro- mance of the West.” Series would be marked departure from usual cacti continuity and would deal se- riously with the historical develop- ment of the we.st. Each film would (Continued on page 40) I SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK WILL MAHONEY THE INIMITABLE Currently (Vomiiruing' Third Week Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailby Circus, Havana, Cuba Represented by ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP. Washington, Dec. 26. / Hollywood comes off fairly well in the compromise excess profits tax bill which the Senate approved last week and which the House will probably okay on Jan. 1. The measure includes provision for two of the biggest headaches troubling the big companies— taxes on their frozen coin overseas, By Frank Scully J Assay, Ore., pec. 23. Hollywood gave itself a Christrtias present, to which the more favored of its residents no doubt will point with pride for many years to come. Well, five anyway. They bought back at public auction an Oscar they had given to the late Sid Grau man only two years before. Margaret Herrick, representing the Academy, bought up the goldplated bauble, worth perhaps $45, for $450. ’ The idea was to keep the statue from falling intd some well-heeled peasant’s hands^ Family pride, it seemed, was involved, though what would have happened- if Graumaii had riiade a will and had given it to any one of an army of. nobodys now claiming they are legitimate heirs, is strictly in, the realm of conjecture, It is claimed that no Oscar has ever fallen into outside hands, though it seems to me I remember one having been picked up a few years ago in an ashcan. Still it is good to see even a small display of family pride, though it was a little sad to see how fast those who had an interest in keeping this memento within the Academy family rushed off to pursue more frivolous matters once the Oscar had been rescued from more lowly ■ hands.' ' j Around the wMls were all sorts of paintings, sketches, and photo- : gx'aphs which had once belonged to “the master showman who had j raised the standard of exhibition of motion pictures.” In -the main, j they were pretty terrible examples of contemporary art. This need not be construed as px'oof of how bad Gr-auman’s taste was in art,, but rather the taste of those who gave him these things* After all you accept a gift in the spirit in Avhich it is given, and niany people loved Sid Grauman and gave him the best they could afford. In fact, judged by the higher standards of sculpture, Oscar himself is rio great shakes. This may get me a letter from Douglas Shearer, r who i understand designed it, that might well go down, in history as a companion piece to the Prcz\s letter to the Washington mu.sic critic kWho didn’t think too much of Margaret’s singing. But I was hit quite ; hcifd by critics in 1950, and as Bugs Baer once said in another epn- i nection, it vvas like throwing rice at a Chinanian. It was nourishment : to me. Real Art For a Buck As further proof of Holly W’ood’s sentimental attachment to the by-products of its main business of manufacturing good commercial motion pictures, original posters of Charlie Chaplin, a great friend of Sid’s, and Douglas Fairbanks, the Academy’s first president, went for and on the succe.ssor companies to : practically nothing. I think one of Doug and Mary iiold for $1 and the Big Five, resulting from di- j one Of the immortal Chariot sold for $3. Such posters could not be vorcement of the theatre interests/! made for less than $100 apiece. That would put their intrinsic value In both instances the industry got = at twice the value of a copy of the Oscar. just about what it requested. However, these aren’t all the new taxes pictures have to worry about. Early next year Congress begins exploring new soui'ces ol (Continued on page 47) . Davis, Guinness, Booth, Mitchell, Blackitier Get Frisco Critics Citations In fact there was a Chinese paperw'eight, a beautiful little thing, that W'ent for $1. It must have cost $50 to make and cast it. There were four Chinese panels, works of art which will not likely be made again in that sorely troubled land, that went for $45 apiece. They rep- resented a real buy. Though much of w-hat went on sale was of prop quality, some of it, even if sold by the foot, should have brought much more. A huge canvas, about 10 feet by 8, painted by Howard Chandler Christy, \vent for $150. It was a glamorized presentation of Constance Talmadge in riding togs and guarded by Russian wolfhounds. The canvas in this one alone could run into a lot of money, and I Was surprised some frugal painter didn’t buy it up and ciit the canvas and the frame into sizes which would bettei* serve his o\yn serious works. I was looking for a similar portrait of Marion Davies but it didn’t go on the block while I was hanging around the gallery, i looked ! to see some smart press agent get himself in right with the Hearst San Francisco, Dec. 26. The San Francisco Critics Coun- cil, consisting of critics and drama , dynasty for life by paying a fancy figure for this one. _ A 1 I U * A n ! Helen Hayes Back To Fix in ‘Son John’ Hollywood, Dec. 26. , Leo McCarey persuaded Helen ! Hayes to return to the screen as I star in “My Son John,” his first i picture . for Paramount under his new pact as producer-director. It wiU be Miss Hayes’ first pic- ture since 1936. Filming starts March 1. I editors representing all Bay Area i newspapers, last 'veck voted its an- nual awards. BaUotiijg honored Bette Davis and Alec Guinnes'^, as actress and actor giving I hie best screen per- i formances of the vear. Honors for the best stage performances went to Shirley Booth, as an actress, and Thomas Mitchell and Sidney > Blackmer (tied) as actors. “If You [Please,” starring Frank Fay, was [ voted the \von;t musical production i of the year, ! “All About Eve” was declared I made the pilgrimage to the auction with Simeon Gest, an old friend of Sid’s and the brother of the late Morris Gest. Few people west of the French Minister of Beaux Arts know as much about these things as Simeon. In fact some of the better things in the Grauman collec- tion were gifts of his to the master showman. We were particularly curious to see how a painting by John Decker, after Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy,” would fare among Hollywood’s art collectors. Decker was an excellent painter. Walter Wanger, in fact, once paid $5.0,000 for eight portraits by Decker to embellish a motion picture. One Way To Notoriety Showbiz OK in Paris Xmas Paris, Dec. 26. Despite riieager Christmas res- ervations at theatres and niteries; a last-minute onslaught filled all amusement ceriters. Thousands Of Parisians left town, j However, hordes of: holiday-bound hinterlanders more thari filled the void. Subscription Ordei 12 27 !• . Mi Enclosed find check for $ Please send VARIETY for Lo • • • • • « • • «.« . . . . . . ■ , * » r ■ • • • • • •• • (Please Print Name) Street'. • • • ■ • • ■ e "• • • • • a • f • • • • • * « • * • • » v.f • • • ' ■ • • ■ 'S' <1 ty., • * i e ■ • • • • • •' Zone.,. • StAto. * • • • • • • Regular Subscription Rate$ One Year— >$10.00 two Yeors— $10.00 Conado and Foreign— $1 Additional per Year PSrIETY Inc, 1 54 West 44tli Street New York 19* N. Y. I language film: “Black Rose;” worst 1 screen performance: Hedy Lamarr (actress); worst sereen perform- ance: Mickey Rooney, (actor); worst stage production (non-musical): “Strictly Dishonorable;” worst stage production (musical); “If Please,” But Decker is best remembered for taking classics such as “Blue Boy” and replacing flie face used by the artist in the original with i-i. 1 . i. 1 « 1 some Hollywood character. He put Bill Fields’ face in a portrait of the best E!igli.“i-language film, V h I Victoria. He made Morris Gest as Rembrandt’s “A Man In I ^unset B(ml(jvarff ^ ^and Jvina | ,* Frans Hals’ “A Gay Cavalier” and painted in the ; Hearts and Coronets tied for s^c- . David Belasco. He took another Frans Hals painting, and ond place. Other awards: chanced it into John Barrvmore as Hamlet t. Best foreign-language film: “Bi- u into jonn Jiaiiymore as Hamlet. cycle Thief;” best stage procjuction “Blue Boy” Goes For $25 (non-musical): ‘‘Death of a Sales- man;”, best musical: “Lost in the His painting of Sid Grauman after Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy” was Stars;” best stage performance presented to Sid many years ago at a banquet in Sid’s honOr, which (actor): Thomas Mitchell and Sid- 1 was held at the Roosevelt hotel in Hollywood. Simeon Gest presented ney Blackmer (tied); worst English- | the fantasy. Grauman’s old mother was distressed by the conceit, but everybody told het it was all in fun, and in fact was worth lotSi more than most of the things people gave her little son with the big ideas. Maybe so, but all it brought was $25 at the auction. Like most of Grauman’s treasures, it probably gathered dust in storage. While his mother lived they shared two rOoms at the Am-' bassador hotel, and after her death Sid confined himself to one foOm. You ; He was Very ab?ent-niinded. Gertrude Skall, his secretary for 21 years, I and the co-administratpr of his estate, once gave him a present— -a beautiful cigaret case A visitoii caught him unarmed the next day l and Sid told Miss Skall, “Quick, fix up that gift on my desk there and ‘ give it to this guy.” Then as an afterthought he said, “Take out the card first. It might have pome from him.” i That Gtauman was no busiriessman is best proved by the fact that 1 he died without making a will. Sid resolved to do something about it I In fact he had made a will but had never signed it. He particularly I wanted to take care of George Ormiston, who had been Belasco’s head I carpenter and Graumari’s as well. Ormiston, now 75, had a stroke and ■ is completely paralyzed, so the kindness Sid intended.to pass on to him Was never consummated. in fact, the same wa.s true of Gertrude Skall. With Sid’s death she .‘lost her job at the Chinese theatre and, except for this job as cO* I administrator, she would have nothing. As moi'e than 25 persons have claims on the estate, not to stress a carload of characters clairriing to be his relatives, it is doubtful that • she will be able to buy an annunity out of her services. I R()y J. Goidenberg, the auctioneer, announced he was proudly pre<- ^ senting the “momentums.” He probably had it right the first time, j Certainly beyond that flash of ardor the Academy people showed ■regarding $id*s Oscar, nobody was paying much for a Grauman I memento. Trovel Expert Ricliarcl Joseph details why there will be 506^000 Americans on the Lam in ^51 In 0 iort of d last-Hihg touriiiii b|nge ★ ★ ★ an Interesting editorial feature ‘ in the 45th Anniversary Number of P^YHETY OUT i\EXT WEEK picnjiuBS BOOM A NEW KIND OF NEWSLETTER FROM THE Transportation ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 1 !• I WE CAN*T AFFORD 130 North Wells Street Chicago 6, Illinois December 15, 1950 Not many of us are going into the Christmas Season with much hope for * 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.” But we *re sure of this: 1. We can*t afford to give up hope ... and each of us has to do everything he can to help find the answer. 2. We can*t afford to scatter our fire and our resources so that we fall victim either to the attacks of Reds or lio bankruptcy at home. 3. We can*t afford the Soviet scheme for America - by aggression, by in*^ filtration, or by the Creeping approach of Fabians, bureaucrats, or any other eager-beavers who don’t like what we have. WHY CAN 'T WE AFFORD IT ? BUDGET OF A SOVIET COAL MINER /Jt K t S MON T H L Y I N C 0 ME ■ 1200 RUIIES HiS MONTHLY EXPENSES Government Deductions take 195 rubles Rent and Food take 820 rubles He now has 185 rubles left. . . which is enough to buy a total of ] shoe 10 cigarettes \ packet of hairpins The graph alongside tells why . . . even if we didn't mind letting Big Government run our daily lives. The fact that our standard of living is ten times that of the Russian tells why . . . even if we didn't mind losing the right to say what we think. LET'S SPEAK UP If you have an idea about what should be done about Korea, or Russia, or taxes, or controls, or Socialism or freedom, speak your mind. Your representatives in Congress want to know what you think. > Your officials in government need to know what you - think. We are working all the time to keep America free - especially its transportation. We'd be glad to bear what you think. America will always need all ways of transportation! iniporiance as a film promotion niediuni, exoc said, the ban must eventually be lifted. Before that can be done, though, he averred, It will probably be necessary for each studio to set an exec or panel 01 discriminating execs to deter- fivine which stars have the talents necessary for video appearances and which have not. With the other problems currently confronting the studios, he pointed out, the majors think TV so- far is fiot worth the time and money that would necessarily be expended^ >> Uhout mentioning names, the exec declared that most stars are entirely unable to judge for them- n'x'nn^^y would appear on iheir agents, he noted, also eannot be counted on to be dis- ci'iminating. ^ ■ Chicago, Dee. 26, tiu» • * ^ Katz eircuit, . riding hvi-; the Xrtias sittendance reopened two of its five theatres. They are I ‘ 0-seat Iris and 871-seat tin-,,*' were darkened about c weeks ago because of the umr "^iehborhoocl biz drop, a n n, Hollander, circuit veepee, the re-lighting th-.i experiment, -and thi» darken again after Hie year if business ‘'•'-s down. j f vwav aravVik v v Hypoed Prod. Activities; Contracts Flu in Gotham Metro production veepee Dore Schary contracted flu enroute to New York from the Coast last week, and as a result he has been con- fined to his hotel. He his been forced to delay his scheduled cour fabs at the homeoffice with LoeW’s prexy Nicholas M. Schenck and othex' execs. Schary plans to leave for a four^ week vacation in Florida tomorrow (Thurs.), where he'll probably hud- dle with Schenck. Latter is sched- uled to depart for his annual Flori- da Vacation immediately after New Yeai''s. Metro sales veepee William F. Rodgers* incidentally, left for Miami last Friday (22), so will also be available there to sit In on the talks. Schai'y revealed on his arrival ’ from the Coast that Metro has nine ; new pictui*es ready to roll aiid cOn- ^ firmed repoi’ts that the studio • would increase its output for 1951. ! While he did not specify the ttum- : her of pictures to be produced^ it's believed the company will up its feature production from the 36 turned out this year to 40 for the coming yeai\ Seven pictures are now before the camei’as, with another .20 in final phases of filming, editing or 1 release printing. pion, ^Heaven/ ^Harvey/ *Song* Next Strongest it in 21 Months roposed Decree; Washington, Dec. 26, Divorcement of the Warners’ the- atre chain within 21 months is pro- vided in the proposed antitrust de- cree which will be submitted to the Nexv York trial court for ap- proval on Jan. 4. However, submis- sion depends Upon formal appi'ovat of certain tax and fiscal features befoi’e then by the U. S. Treasury Department. Exemption from the corporate reorganization levy is sought by WB. Two successor corporations— one to opei’ate the theatres; and the other to run the stiidios and dis- tribution end of the business— will be created, with stockholders in the present WB obtaining shares of ; stock in both the new firms. In addition to divorcement, the big exhibition circuit must diyest a minimum of 52 of its theatres, with another 21 or more subject to di- vestiture depending upon competi- tive conditions in the future. Half of the 52 divestitures must be com- pleted within one year afid all must be disposed of within two j years. ; In the splitup, the three Warners f — Harry, Jack and Albert-— are all ; required to remain on the same I side of the fence, either exhibition I (Continued on page 14) Swanson Cavalcade ' Being Assembled By N.Y^ Film Museum Film library of the Museum of Modem Art, N. Y,, is assembling clips from various of her old films for a 45-minute Gloria Swanson Cavalcade. It’s been facetiously dubbed by the Museum staff “Swanson Through the Ages.” Composite, being assembled un- der supervision of Richard Griffith, assistant to the director of the li- brary, will have its initial showing (Continued on page 7) Biz is perking up in most key cities covered by Variety this week, with end of pre-Christmas influences. However, some spdts still reflect the downbeat that pre- ceded arrival of Dec. 25 while oth- ers ai'e being hurt by snow and ex- tremely cold weathei’. Also, the current session will not reflect now, stronger product as much as next week, since many theatres opened their new bills well before Xmas day. “Mx*. Music” (Par) is taking over first place by a healthy margin, with over $3 10,000 amassed in some 12 key cities. New Bing Crosby starrer is uniformly nice to smash, being tops or ..tandout film in three cities, “For Heaven’s Sake” ( 20th ) is finishing second, although jiist okay in several keys and good in some ether dates. “Harvey” (Ui is shvwing enough on its initial batch of playdates to capture third position with a ma- jority of dates sock to wow, Fourth spot is being taken by “Pagan Love Song*' (M-G ), also new* while “Dal- las” (WB) is landing fifth money. “Never a Dull Moment” (RKO) will place sixth, . with “Watch Birdie” M-Q) seventh. “West Point Story” (WB), “Solo- mon’s Mines” (M-G) and “2 Weeks With Love” (M-GL) round out the week’s Big 10. “Kansas Raiders” (U), “Let’s Dance” (Par), “I’ll Get By” (20th) and “Breakthrough” (WB) are top runner up pix. Besides such films as “Harvey,” “Music,” “Song” and “Dallas,” of the new pix “Kim” (M-G), “Mud- lark” (20th) and “Frenchic” (U) show perhaps the greatest poten- tials. “Kim,” in third big week at N. Y. Music Hall, opened this stanza with sock -otal in Philly . “Frenchie” (XJ), neat in Chicago, is smash in San Francisco. -Mudlark” looms smash in first. N, Y. week “Magnificent Yankee” ( M - G ) shapes sturdy in D. A. srnall-seater. “Vendetta” (RKO) is doing well in three spots, “Branded” (Par), also new, looms strong in Frisco* but “Flying Missile” (Col) is not so good oh initial date in N. Y. “American Guerrilla” (20th) is stout in K. C. “Mystery Subma- rine” (U) looks okay in Philly and L.;A. ■ ^ ■ “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) shapes nice in Seattle but not so sti’ong in Louisville and Indianapolis. “All About Eve” (20th) is big in St. Louis. “Miniver Story” (M-G) shapes oke in St. Louis. “Right Cross” (M-G) is fair iri Boston. “Two Flags West” (20th) is do^ng nicely in St. Louis, but is mild in Philly. (Complete Boxoff ice Reports on Pages 8-9.) Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY, Inc Harold Erichs, President 134 West 46th St., New York 19, N. V Hollywood 21 6311 Yucca Street Washinoton 4 1292 National Press Bulldlni Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Avo. London WC2 8 St. Ma rtin*s PI.. Trafalgar Sq, SUBSCRIPTION Annual ..... 810 Foreign . $11 Single Copies 23 Cent.« ABEL GREEN. Editor Vol. 181 190 No. 3 HAPPY NEW YEAR IHDEX Bills . Band Review. . . . . • Chatter . . ... ..... Film Reviews ...... House Reviews . . . . Inside Legit, inside Pictures . , . . Inside Radio . . . . . . iT^'-’de Television . , International .... . Legitimate Literati . . Music New Acts . .... . . . . Night Club Reviews Obituraries Pictures . . Radio R*adip Reviews . . . . * Records Frank Scully..,.., Television Television Reviews Vaudeville ........ • » -• 0 o o 40 ...... 36 46 6 41 42 14 26 12 42 1 4 fO • ••«•• 0 O '• • ' • • o. • • • • .D • '4 • ••• 0.4 • ••400 « • . • ' • • • • 0 • •• .4 • 31 41 38 47 3 19 30 33 2 20 23 37 DAILY VARIETY (Published iii Hollywood by Dally Variety. Ltd.)' $15 a Year $20 Foreign - 2 ]|lilSCELLANY Hollywood, pec. 26. Motion picture production re- quires a Avider range of raw mate- rials, manufactured products j apd. standard and specialized equip- ment than any ot.ier American In- dustrie In addition to these basic needs, more than 250 classifications of specialists and workers in vari- ..ous arts, sciences, skills, trades and handicrafts are employed on per- nument or part-time basis to turn out the 40Q or more features an- nually to supply the market. Requirements cover all types of building and coristruction mate- riaisv household equipment and fur- nishings. fabrics, hard goods, chem- icals; office suppUes, standarid and speeialized , electricai apparatus, specially-designed equipment, bars, trucks, tractors— in fact, virtually every product; manufactured. With such a,diversity of products required, and the constant need for improving techniques and equip- ment— .in addition to adapting new products for usage— the eight ma- jor producing companies of Holly- wood (Coluinbia, RKQ, Universal- Interhational, Metro, Republic, Par- amount, 20th-Fox and Warners) in- corporated the Motion PietUre Re- search Council nearly three years glo F aii c 45 th 0 Par Blue) ect em! musical !■ S ' P ' ago to function as a centralizied | ^ organizatioii for research and de- \ ^ velopment of new materials, proc- i phot esses, and equipment for its con- j phys tributin |. companies. ' oqo tal The organization is an outgrowth i fhe Cu of the Academy Research Council, 1^.^; which was established more than i ^olfoot 20 years ago specifically to probe ' jfy^^of 1 the then-new sound devices and 1 fo,. techniques. Shortly after the start, ! ^^d TV the major studios subsidized over- j j,gggj,yg head of the Academy branch, and i jg recently pulled away to set its j own research organization. ! filminc Spending in excess of ,$i0Q>000 j ^.gj^^y annually, its key engineering staff i ghowca of nine covers the divisions of con- j ^vith te struction, physics, standards, elec- Deal trical, design, mechanical, lighting and construction. It also has 200 of gi' v studio engineers and technicians on | on pot its advisory staff; all of whom. are, tables from time to time, called on to ^yhile lend aid in research or develop- among ment programs instituted by the Council. .Council As ^ Liaison In addition to its pure research, the Council functions as a liaison between its members and manu- iContinued un page 40) Ex-Ghamp Braddock bkays Film Biog Ex - heavyweight fight champ I |j * James Braddock has approved the | f|g|g] story treatment of his projected biopic by Howard Irving Young, and the property is curi'ently be- ing handled by the Paul Kohner agency in Hollywood. Leo Rights to the property which Hayes will probably be called “The Brad- 1 star h dock Story,*’ are held by producer i picture Richard Czinner. In a the ms ing ou in col( mance be ma cacti c riouslj ment i ( Durante’s Lab Tieup Now it will be “Durante, the Well Groomed Man.’’ Company manufacturing “3 Gut Of 5“ prep- arations for men Gshampoo, hair dressing, scalp cream, after-shave lotion and shaving cream) has been licensed by the NBC-TV comedian to be renamed Jimmy Durante Laboratories, Inc , and will a.dver- tise under the new name after •:^an.'L ^ Durante has been using some of the products for several years. new p. Alt w ture i. March 1. Showbiz OK in Parif Xmas Paris, bee. 26. Despite meager Christmas res- ervations at theatres and niteries. a last-minute onslaught filled all amusement centers. Thousands of Parisians left town. Hovvever, hordes of holiday-bound hinterlanders more than filled the void. ■ 12 27 Order Form Enclosed find check for ' : Please send . *1^0 . • • f • .• • #. • '4' . • • « *• . * ‘ i • ■ . « • 0 A' • A* A A A (Please Print NaniO) Od) • • A A. A A -A A. ^ e A A .A A A A A" A.;A A • A • A’ «. A 'A A . A A. '-A A A - A A A A A A A A' 'ity •' A A A A A A A A A .A A A A A A A A AAA 'Zoll0.< • A. • Rc^ulqr SubscHptioli Rates One Yedr-^$10A00 Two Yeors— $18.00 Coiiado oitd Foreign-^iV Additional per Yeor Pl^niETY 154 West 4«th StrcAf Ihc. New Yorh 19. N. Y. “Sunset Boulevard’’ and “Kintl Hearts and Coronets” tied for sec- ond place, Other awards: Best foreign-language film: “Bi- (lycle Thief;’’ best stage production (non-musical): “Death of a Sales- man;” .best musical: “Lost in the Stars;’’ best stage performance (actor): Thomas Mitchell and Sid- ney Blackmer (tied); worst English- language filni: “Black Rose;” \yorst screen performahee: Hedy Lamarr (actress); worst screen perfprm- arice: Mickey Rooney (actor); worst stage production (non-musical): “Strictly Dishonorable;” worst stage production (musical); “If Please.” .Trpvel Expert Richard Joseph details why there will be 9 OOO Americans on the Larn in ^5T In 0 sort of o lasNfling tourism A * W on interesting editorial feoture in the 45th A nn iversary JSii m her of PSHIETY OUT ^EXT WEEK j Armor.” He took Frans Hals’ “A Gay Cavalier” and painted iii the j face of David Belasco. He took another Frans Hals painting, and changed it into John Barrymore as Hamlet, “Blue Bby’VGocs For $25 ilis paipting of Sid Graumah after Gainsborough’s *‘Blue Boy” was presented to Sid many years ago at a banquet iii Sid’s honor, which was held at the Roosevelt hotel in Hollywood. Simeon Gest presented the fantasy. Grauman’s Old mother was distressed by the conceit, but everybody .told her it was all in fun, and in fact was worth lots more than most Of- the things people gave her little son with the big Ideas. Maybe so, but all it brought was $25 at the auction. Like most of Grauman’s treasures, it probably gathered dust in storage. While his mother lived they shared two rooms at the Am* bassadpr hotel, and after her death Sid Gonfined himself to one looitiA He was very ab?ent-nunded. Gertrude Skall, his secretary for 2| years, arid the co-administrator of his estate, once gave him a present— -a beautiful cigaret case. A visitor, caught him unarmed the next day and Sid told Miss Skall, “Quick, fix up that gift on my desk there and give it to this guy.” Then as an afterthought he said, “Take out the card first. It might have; pome from him.’l That Grauman was no bu.sinessrrian is best prbved by the fact that he died without making a will. Sid resolved to do something about it In fact he had made a will but had never signed it. He particularly wanted to take eare. of Geox'ge Oriniston, who had been Belasco’s head carpenter and Grauman’s as well. Ormiston, now 75, had a stroke andf is completely paralyzed, so the kindness Sid intended to pass oh to him Was never consummated. ^ In fact, the same was^true of Gertrude Skall, With Sid’s death she j lost her job at the Chinese theatre and, except for this job as co- ’ administrator, she . would have nothing; As more than 25 persons have claims on the estate, hot to stress a carload of characters claiming to be his relatives, it is* doubtful that ; she AVill be able to buy an annunity out of her services. I R()y J. Goldenberg, the auctioneer, announced he was proudly pre* ^ senting the “momentums/’ He probably had it right the first time. : Certainly beyond that flash of ai'dor the Academy people showed ; regarding Sid’s Oscar, nobody was paying much for a Gi’auman 1 memento. Wednesday, D<^inber 27, 1950 PICnjBBS EARNINGS BOOM Studies by major distribs of gross f,rrui’cs from TV and nomTV areas in the past few months indicate biz is down an extra 10% in locales r.'fu’hed by tele. B.o. is reportedly oiT about 20^0 from 1946 in the territories not yet served by video stations v as against : 30% in tele ^^Tliese figures are the result of ahal\sis by statistically-mirided of two major companies. They reiulo both the ideas (1) that, icle^js having little -if any effect: oil bo. or (2) that it is murdering ■film. biz. ■ . : ^ ... ' The eoinpanies have, of course, been watcliing the effect Of video on grosses for a long time. While few execs doubted that the new iiu‘(Jlitinv \vas talcing its toll, , it has only l)ocn in the past four to six months that a valid statistical cor- relation has appeared. Ileretoforo. comparisons of gross figures in TV and hon-TV terri- tarios revealed no pattern that ' showed biz in the former was worse , than the latter. That led, as a matr / ter of fact, to a remark by Metro sales chief William F. Rodgers that 1 was widely quoted in the trade: '•There’s no television In Hawaii,” meaning that biz there is just as ' bad as iii TV territories. I A \v hole complex of causes is ' ascribed by major company an- 1 alysts for the 20%-off biz, aside ; froin tele: economic factors, atti- ; ludes toward films and a lot of i Ollier things on which no one can place a specific finger. i In general, the correlation be- tween film grosses and TV competi- i lion is disclosed by the fact that , the b.o. is holdin^ up best. in the I soulh. That’s where tele is least ; developed. Gii the Other hand’, biz is at its worst in those areas with ! a heavy concehtratioh of TV. They [ are New York, Philadelphia, Bps- 1 ton, Los Angeles and Chicago. Fear That Film Stars May Flub TV Shots Also Figures in Studio Bans Fact that some film stars might appear , ludicrous on television through inability to memorize lines, or to ad lib a sustained con- versation, is another reason for the major studios’ ban against their contract players appearing on TV. According to a major studio exec, tile risk of such a star completely dispelling the “glamor” built around him via years of costly pro- motion makes the move to TV out of the question at this time. With video gaining Steadily in importance as a film promotion medium, exec said, the ban must eyenliially be lifted. Before that can be done, though* he averred, it will probably be necessary for each studio to set an exec or panel Cl cUscriminating execs to deter- mine which stars have the talents neces.sary for video appearances and which have not. With the many other problems currently con 1 rPnl iiig the studios, he ppinted ciU, the majors think TV so far is not worth the time and money that ^ Av- beCessarily be expepded. . Without mentioning names, the _xec declared that most stars are ^ judge for them- 'Vbuld. appea on agents, he noted, also yiinot be counted on to be dis- ; ^Lniinaiing. Max Shulmaii Hat Aufheriid a Satirical Show Business Short Story The Public Servant ft ' ,. Sf Ah Interesting Byline Piece in the . forthcoming 45th Anniversary yiimhet of P^niETY ■ OUT mXT 'W.EEK Although his first film produced especially for television has al- ready been completed and broad- ca.st, indie film financier N. Peter Rathvon still is not certain how vidpix producers are to derive their profits. Rathvon declared this week that the question of who retains subsidiary rights to the picture is still unsettled and must how be worked out through nego- tiations with the various parties in- volved. And, it’s generally com ceded that at this stage of video’s growth, : it’s the second and third run showings of vidpix that pro- vide the profits. Rathyon’s film is “The Pharma- cist’s Mate,” aired as part of ABC- TV’s “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse” series Friday night (22b Film was considered good enough (see re- view in this section) to bring up the question of whether Rathvon might be contemplating theatrical release for it. He emphasized, however, that he had produced it specifically for video purposes and that the possibility of theatrical distribution is strictly “secondary.’* He pointed out that the questiop of subsidiary rights must be nego- tiated with Schlitz Brewers, spon- sors of “Pulitzer”; Columbia U., through which the Pulitzer tiein (Continues on page 14) .Earnings for the seven major I film conipanies in 1950, wbiile well below half what they were in the peak year of 1946, are almost three times what they were in 1940. They are about equal to net profits of the 1929 boom era. Prospects of the seven majors for the year that draws to an end this week are for composite earn- ings about slightly over $50,000,000. In 1940 they were $19,000,000, in 1935 $16,000,000, and in 1930 (par- tially fepreseriting income from 1929) $51,00,000. Gross income for the companies j declined during 1950 about 12,% jfrom the top year of 1947. It is now not quite twice as much as it was in 1940; something oyer twice as big at 1935 and about 1% times its 1929-30 scale. The 1950 gross will .be about $836*000,000 for the seven com- panies. This compares with $954,- 000,000 peak of 1947 and $488,000,- 000 in 1940; $401,000,000 in 1935 and about $500,000,000 in 1929-30. Companies .included in the tabu lation by Variety include Metro, Paramount, 20th-Fox, Warner Bros., RKO, Columbia and Universal. Not included of the majors is United Artists, , which, being . privately owned, does not issue financial re- ports. Adjustments have been made in the count for such corpo- rate changes as the split of the old Paramount company into two new firms, Paramount arid United Par- amount Theatres, Earnings per share of stock out- standing — an index to how the com- panies are doing for their stock- holders — in 1950 oh a composite (Continued on page 16) 2 ^ Chicago, Dec. 26. ^ Katz circuit, riding lu n ibe Xmas attendance ri l l?’ "‘‘y® ^'^^PPened two of its five theatres. They are i f,,, 0-seat Iris and 871-seat tinn'*' were darkened about ICC weeks ago because of the f. boighborhood biz drop. an.J circuit veepee, •niounced that the re-lighting til'll 1 bo an experiment, -and Uif p *iiay darken again after b'l'rL I' if business down. Schary Reveals Metro’s Hypoed Prod. Activities; Contracts Flu in Gotham Metro production veepee Dore Schary contracted flu enroute to New York from the Coast last week, and as a result he has been con- fined to his hotel. He hks been forced to delay his scheduled con- fabs at the homeoffice with Loew’s preXy Nicholas M. Schehek and other execs. $chary plans to leave for a four- week vacation in Florida tomorrow (Thurs.)v where he’ll probably hud- dle with Schenek. Latter is sched- uled, to depart for hi^ annual Flori- da vacatiori immediately after New Year’s. Metro sales veepee William F. Rodgers, incidehtally, left for Miami last Friday (22), so will also be available there tp sit in on the talks. Schary revealed on his arrival from the . Coast that Metro has nine ; new pictures ready to foil and con- ; firmed reports that the Studio - would increase its output for 1951. ! while he did not specify the num- ber of pictures to be produced, it’s believed the company will up its feature production from the 36 turned out this year to 40 for the coming year. Seven pictures are now before the camei'as, with another 20 in final pha.ses of filming, editing or 1 release printing. Goldwyn East to Eye Players and Writers Samuel Goldwyn is due in New York from the Coast next Wednes- day (3). He’ll be east only about a week. Trip is said to be involved with internal affairs of the Gold- wyn organization, for the purpose of talking to Writers who are work- ing in New York on several scripts for the producer, and to see pros- pective players and writers, Mrs. (Frances) Goldwyn was east for a week about a month ago on pretty much the same biz and lined up a number of young actors and writers for her husband to see. She's not accompanying him on this trip. President of 20th Century-Fox Films Spyros Skburas Feels Certain that Better Pix Always Get Better Biz .* * * An Interesting Byline Piece In the 45th Anniversary jyumber of OUT mXT WEEK Washington, Dec. 26. Divorcement of the Warners’ the- atre chain within 21 months is pro- vided in the proposed antitrust de- cree Which will be submitted to the New York trial court for ap- proval on jam 4. However, submis- sion depends upon formal approval of certain tax and fiscal features before then by the U. S. Treasury Depaftment. Exemption from the corporate reorganization levy is sought by WB. Two successor corporations— one to operate the theatres and the other to run the studios and dis- tribution end of the business-will be created, with stockholders ill the present WB obtaining shares of ■ stock in both the new firms. In I addition to divorcement, the big exhibition circuit must divest a minimum of 52 of its theatres, with another 21 or more Subject to di- vestiture depending upon competi- tive conditions in the future. Half of the 52 divestitures must be com- pleted within one year and all must be disposed of within two years. In the splitup, the three Warners —Harry, Jack and Albert— are all required to remain on the same side of the fence, either exhibition (Continued on page 14) Zenith Radioes Bhonevision rolls New Year’s Day in Chicago with three top-budgeted and top-starred major company features, all re- leased originally in 1948. With a reported 75 films made available for the test by several major and minor distributors, Zenith prexy Eugene F. McDonald, Jr. has select- ed for the preem Warners’ “April Showers,” starring Jack Carson and Ann Sothern; Paramount’s “Wel- come Stranger,” toplined by Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald, and Metro’s “Homecoming,” co-starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner. Films are to be offered to 300 Chi families equipped with the Bhonevision “pay-as-yoU-see” de- vice, through which they’ll be able to order them screened in their homes at a fee of $1 per showing. Features are to be transmitted at 4, 7 and 9 p. m. daily. McDonald has set up a rotating schedule, un- der which a film shown at 4 o’clock one day will be repeated at 7 the next day and at 9 the third day (Continued on page 40) National Boxoff ice Survey Arrival of Xmas Perks Trade; ^Music^ New Cham- pion, -Heaven,* ‘Harvey/ ‘Song' Next Strongest Biz is perking up in most key cities covered by Variety this week, with end of pre-Christmas influences. However, some spots still reflect the downbeat that pre- ceded arrival of Dec. 25 While oth- ers are being hurt by snow and ex- tremely cold weather. Also, tfie current session will not reflect new, stronger product as much as next week, since many theatres opened their new bills well before Xmas day,- “Mr. Music” . (Par ) is taking over first place by a healthy margin, with over $310,000 amassed in some 12 key cities. New Bing Crosby starrer is uniformly nice to smash, being tops or , tandput film in three cities. “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) is finishing second, although just okay in several keys and good in some Other dates. “Harvey” (U) is showing enough on its initial batch of playdates to capture third position with a ma- jority of dates sock to woW. Fourth spot is being taken by “Pagan Love Song” (M-G.), also new, while “Dal- las” ( WB) is landing fifth money. “Never a Dull Moment” (RKO) will place sixth, with "Watch: Birdie” M-G) seventh. I “West Point Story” (WB>. “Solo- ^ mon’s Mines” (M-G) and “2 Weeks With Love” (M-G) rounU out the week’s Big 10. “Kansas Raiders” (U), “Let’s Dance” (Par), “I’ll (5et By” (20th) and “Breakthrough” (WB) are top runner up pix. Besides such films as “Harvey,” “Music,” “Song” and “Dallas,” of the new pix “Kim’* (M-G), “Mud- lark” (20th) and “Frenchic’* (U) show perhaps the greatest poten- tials. “Kim,” in third big week at N. Y. Music Hall, opened this stanza with sock ’.ptal in Philly. “Frenchie” (U)* neat in Chicago, is smash in San Francisco. “Mudlark” looms smash in first. N. Y. week. “Magnificent Yankee” (M-G) shapes sturdy in X. A. small-seater. “Vendetta” (RKO) is doing well in three spots. “Branded” (Par), also new, looms strong in Frisco, but “Flying Missile^ (Col) is not so good on initial date in N. Y. “American Guerrilla” (20th). is stout in K. C, “Mystery Subma- rine” ( U ) look$ okay in Philly and 'L. .-A., . ■ “Mad Wednesday’' ( RKO) shapes nice in Seattle biit not so strong in Louisville and Indianapolis. “All About Eve”. (20th) is big in St. Louis. , “Miniver Story” (M-0) shapes oke in St. Louis. “Right Cross” (M-G) is fair in Boston. “Two Flags West** (2Qth) is do’ng nicely in St. Louis, but is mild in Philly. (Complete Boxojf ice Reports on Pages 8-9.) Swanson Cavalcade ' Being Assembled By N.Y/Film Museum Film library of the Museum of Modem Art, N. Y., is assembling clips from various of her old films for a 45^minute Gloria Swanson Cavalcade. It’s been facetiously dubbed by the Museum staff “Swanson Through the Ages,” (Composite, being assembled un- der supervision of Richard Griffith, assistant to the director of the li- brary, will have its initial showing (Continued on page 7) Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Pubtished Weekly by VARIETY, Inc Harold Erichs, President 1S4 West 46th St.. New York 19. N. V Hollywood 21 6311 Yucca Street Washington 4 1292 National Press Building Chicago 11 613 No. Michigan Ave. London WC2 8 St. Martin’s PI.. Trafalgar Sq. SUBSCRIPTION Annual ..... $10 Foreign . $11 Single Copies . ....... 25 Cents ABEL CREEN. Editor Vol. 181 I2Q No. 3 HAPPY NEW YEAR INDEX Bills Band Review . . . . . , , Chatter . . Film Reviews . , . , . . . House Reviews . . ♦ , . Ihside Legit . . . . ; , . Inside Pictures . ... . Inside Radio . .... If'-^e Television... International liegitimate Literati . Music New Acts Night Club Reviews . Obituranes Pictures Radio . Radio Reviews . . . . , . Records ...... . v. . . Frank Scully . . ..... Television . , . . . . . . . Television Reviews. Vaudeville ......... • • eee 40 36 46 6 41 42 14 26 20 ..... ,12 42 45 31 41 38 47 3 19 30 33 2 20 23 37 • • 9 e • 6. R -e. 4 • • e s • • • • '4 t •• 6 e e • dee# e e . e e e • • e e • fee.* • • e • e • . e e e • • • e 4 k • • • • 4 * S' e e • « e e e e e '• ¥ • e e 0- • ^ » e e e * * e a e • • • • p •. • • • • • • '« • DAILY variety (Published In Hollywood by Dally Variety. Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Foreign PICTVnES Wednesday, December 27, 1950 N.Y. Theatre in Ban of ‘Miracle’ Public indignation by both pri- vitte citizens and organized groups over the. action of New York City’s License bpmmissioner in ordering ^vithdrawal of the Roberto Rossel- lini-Anna Magnahi filrn, “The Mira- cle,” threatened to bring a full- fledged test of the official’s un- limited one-man censorship powers. Order imposed on the Paris the- a.tre, Gotham artie, where the film was playing, by Commissioner Edr ward T. McCaffrey appeared to bring into focus the whole, matter of screen censorship. Industryites Were unanim pus over the long Ghristnias weekend in promising support to the theatre and the film’s distrib, . Joseph Burstyn, in a full-scale legal fight. . Actually, the License Comrnis- sioner is believed by attorneys to be within his legal rights un- der N.Y. City statutes. His power has been upheld by the courts in a similar test brought by Howard Hughes on “The Outlaw” several years ago. Major difference is that the “Out- law” issue. was ..obscenity, while the present One is a matter of opinion as to whether the 41-minute Ital- ian-made story is anti-religious. Lawyers indicated yesterday (Tues- day) that only, the City Council or State Legislature could limit Mc- Caffrey’s power, and that public protest would probably be the niost effective method of dealing with the issue. However, Burstyru^ has been meeting constantly with lawyers for the past several days. It appears certain that if any grounds can be (Continued on page 40) mN' AND 3 OTHER FIX GET LEiaON’S'B’ RATING Columbia’s “Born Yesterday,” in which a critic for a Catholic diocer san organ found subtle Communis- tic propaganda, last week was placed in the National Legion of De- cency’s Class “B” category. After scanning the picture, the organi- zation’s reviewers, declared that it contained “suggestive situations and dialog as well as a low moral tone.” ' “B” label (morally objectionable in part for all) was affixed bn four other pictures at the same time. “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) was rapped for its “suggestive se- quences; contains material morally unfit for entertainment of motion picture audiences and tends to con- done immoral actions.” Group points out that the rating oh “Sake” applies only to prints shown in the U. S., its possessions and Canada. Version exported to other countries is judged to be “more morally offensive.” A com- edy-fantasy, the film stars Clifton Webb and Joan Bennett. Three other pix drawing “B’s” were “Vendetta” (RKO), “Highway 301” (WB) and “Headline,” British Lopert Owns 'Miracle^ American rights to “The Miracle,” Roberto Rpssellini film banned in New York, are owned by Lopert Films, but ' the pic is being distributed by Joseph Burstyn. Latter made the deal more than a year ago. Lopert was to get 80% of the film rentals and Burstyn 20% after a distribution fee was taken off the top. At that time it wasn’t cer- tain what could he done with the pic because of its odd 40- minute length. When Burstyn conceived the idea of putting it with two short French films under a single-feature title, Lopert deal was revised to give Burstyn 55% of the take and Lopert 45%. Burstyn pro- vided the two French films» “A Day in the Country” and “Jofroi,” which were made be- fore the war and for which he, reportedly paid a flat $6,000 each for U. S: rights. Todd-Thomas Eyes N.Y. Legit Theatre for Bow Of New Cinerama Pic New firm formed tP produce films using the Cinerama process, 1 inking B r o a d w a y producer Michael Todd and author-commen- tator Lowell Thomas, figures on ( unveiling its first pic at a N.Y. legit ; theatre next September. Other cities on the initial list include Chi- cago and two additional spots to be j serviced by mobile units. i Thomas-Todd Productions has set ] a $1,25(),000 budget for the first j film, according to Todd. Addition- j ally, permanent installation of the special equipment at the N. Y. house is estimated at $50,000. Tied in with Thomas and Todd are Reeves Soundcraft and its subsidiary, Cinerama, Inc. Sys- tem requires three sets of projec- tors, a special set of sound heads and a wide arc-shaped screen. Todd Will serve as executive pro- ducer with Thomas also taking a part in the filmmaking. Money in- terests will be represented by Frank M. Smith. Financing, which has been provided by private group, and involves no banks, was set by Smith, Thomas’ business manager. Cinerama system untiT recently was slated to be put into. use by a group of circuit optotors in an association with producer Lester Cowan. Group decided to drop the idea the past month, largely be- cause of the extensive financing re- ; quired. Photographic process for the medium was developed by Fred Waller* Sound was provided by Hazard E. Beeves, president of Reeves Soundcraft. Already demonstrated for the RKO Picturei Preiy Ned E. Depinet Itcmiies Some of fho Plus Factors W hich Can Help Recapture the Lost Pix Audience Ah Interesting EditoridI FeatHre In the 45th Anniversary Number of' rP^RlETT . ' OVT - NEXT: WEEK • • t Much of whether or not “The Miracle’* “ridicules faith and re- ligious fervor lies in the eye of the beholder,” Variety said in re- viewing the Roberto Rossellini- Anna Magnani film in last week’s (Dec. 20) issue. Pic popped into the headlines over the weekend as a result of a ban on it by the New York City Commissioner of Li- censes on the charge that it is “blaspherhous.” “Pjayed with passion, boldness and great style,” Herb, the Variety reviewer, stated, “the story gives rise to the question of taste in whether the religious fanaticism of an obviously idiot Woman and her resultant invitation to seduction by a ‘saint’ is fit subject matter. Much of whether or not it ridicules faith and re- ligious fervor lies in the eye of the beholder. In any case, it ha$ the faculty of making the viewer mighty uncomfortable.” . . “Obviously a how-dramatic-can-you-get effort by Rossellini,” review stated, “the director succeeds in steering his star to the brink of screen intensity. She is pictured as an idiot peasant, a religious fanatic. Who takes a bearded stranger for St. Joseph and, in the belief that she has been divinely chosen for this miracle, gives herself to him. Ridiculed in her pregnancy by the cruelly ignorant folk of the bleak Italian town and cast put by them, she crawls off to a cave until time to have her baby. It is born to her as she cries out alone in the vault of ah empty church.” ‘■Miracle” runs 41 minutes a^^ three short features joined together under the overail title of “Ways of Love:” Ronnie Alcorn and his produc* tion of “Johnny Holiday” became the subjects of legal ado on two fronts. In Wichita, Kails., two Stockholders of the Kansas Milling Co. slapped officers of the firm with a fraud suit charging they wrongfully used company funds to back Alcorn Productions in its lens- iiig of the film. It was alleged that about $1,067 ;000 was advanced, that the film was a financial disaster with only about $10,000 returned to the milling company. D. S, Jackson^ vieepresident of the flour outfit, issued a statement denying there was any wrongdoing or mishandling of funds. He added the pic was hot a complete loss; that it currently is bringing in coin, and probably will return at least two-thirds of the money outlay. On the second front, in' Los An- geles, the California State Labor Board held its second hearing on complaints of ll former employees of A-lcom Productions for unpaid wages. Claims reportedly total $12,000; Alcorn said he only was an agent for Kansas Milling, which put up the coin for the film being released by United Artists. Reports from the two spots re- called Alcorn’s visit to N. Y- follow- ing completion of the pic. At that time he stated he used a large por- tion of his own money for the proj- ect and that he had amassed a for- tune through wheat deals which hO engineered with groups in Brazil. March of Time, which produced “Crusade in Europe” for television, has established a special TV unit which swings into operation im- mediately after the first of the year under the supervision of MOT chief Richard de Rochemont and „ , , « , associate MOT producer Arthur B. Visit. He s huddling With Par j xourtellot. Since the film outfit is prexy Barney Balaban and eastern j an adjunct of Time, Inc., that studio rep^Russell Holman, under ; means that the Henry Luce pub- whose aegis come Farley’s activi- | jighing firm is stepping into active Farley in From England Frank Farley, managing director of Paramount British Productions, Ltd., arrived in New York from London last week for a fortnight’s ties abroad. British exec is also seeing the plays in New York and talking video work for the first time. According to 'Tourtellot, the new uAdj'a ill i^cvv . i wiiv. aiiu toiiviiis i ...Alt. 1 l • a over potential buys of Plays and“^J. stories originating in England with Par play editor John Byram and i ^ Crus^ade in the Pacif story editor Alan Jackson. Virginia Kellogg In Pro-H’wood Pitch As QiiA ACAQ Yplioc P||» i anese film, and Library of Congress iJllC l\C5v4ll LllCo 1 iv I material, as well as the vast MOT Virginia Kellogg, researching i library, will follow the entire Pacif i ic, " which is to be a counterpart i of the “Europe” series. Latter, in- icidentally, is currently playing its third time around oh various TV stations throughout the country. Tourtellot said the “Pacifip” series, which is to utilize captured Jap- inport, which English Films is dis- 1 press, the Cinerama projection tributing. “Vendetta,” Howard ; gives the audience a sense of par- Hughes production, was branded ticipation in action depicted by rea- replete with material “morally un- i son of the tremendous breadth of suitable for entertainment of mo- ; the screen, tion picture audiences.” Warner entry has “excessive brutality,” while “Headline” contains “sugges- tive dialog and costuming.” Pam Blumenthal In N.Y, to Talk Release A. Pam Blumenthal is in New York from the Coast currently to discuss a hew distribution setup for Fidelity Productu ns, in which he is partnered with Howard Welsch. He is also; having talks with Joseph H. Seidelman, former Universal foreign topper, who. is associated witiy Ihm and -Wels^^ in the pix. Fidelity has made two films, “House by the. River,” which was released by Republic, and “Woman On the Run,” handled by U. It is I planning to go into a larger pro- gram. Blumenthal will be east for several more weeks on the distri- bution arrangements. AMERICAN LEGION IN Sells 2,600 Par Common Hollywood, Dec. 26. At a genial gathering in the Bev- erly Hills hotel, Y. Frank Freeman, chairrhan of the Assh. of Motioh Picture Producers’ board of direc- tors, accepted the American Le- gion’s Citation of Merit for coop- eration in patriotic endeayors. The presentatioh was made by Leon V. McCardle, president of the Legion’s 1950 convention, accomr panied by a message from John R. Quinn, past national commander. He said, in part:.^‘I want to assure you that our delegates are deeply impressed by the film industry’s firm friendship and that it stands, with the Legion, as a tremendous force for the perpetuation of Our rights and freedoms.” ITALO-AHERICAN PIC DEAL SOUGHT BY AMATO Possible Italo-American produc- tion deal will be worked out in Hollywood in the next two weeks by Giuseppe Amato, who trained to the Co 2 «:t today (Wed,) accom- panied by Leonide Moguy. Both ar- rived in New York last week from Italy. An associate of Rizzoli Films of Rome, Amato will confer with an undisclosed producer-director with a view to starting a filmmak- ing project in Italy. Amato and Moguy brought a print of their recent Italian-made film, “Tomorrow Is Too Late” (“Domani E Troppo Tardi”) with them, Upon their return to Gotham they expect to set an American distribution deal for the picture.’ RKO is releasing in Italy, while Sir Alexander Korda's organization has the rights elsewhere in Europe and, in Britain. Directed by Moguy from a story by himself and Alfred Machard, “Tomorrow” stars Vittorio De Sica in a script concerning the problem of sexual education for children. Film won an iaward from the Ital- ian government at Biennale of Venice for the “best Italian pic- ture.” Its cast includes Pier Angeli, on a loanout from Metro, to whom she is Under contract material for a forthcoming Sam Bischoff (RKO) picture on juvenile delinquency, is combining her film ic campaign through World War II up to and including the current fighting in Korea. No bankroller material with two supplementary : . 1^^®^ set yet, but he said TV projects. One will be pieces forj^^^Hon managers had convinced Reader’s Digest and Collier’s, pos- sibly to be elaborated into a book; the other and more important— to her-r-is the pro-Hollywood pitch I she has been doing. him on his recent swing around the country that, there Would be little trouble in selling it. Second project is titled “March I of the Years,” which will comprise A Hollywood scripter for over . a weekly, half-hour series of con- 20 years, and a member of the tinning history during the last 15 Screen Writers Guild board. Miss ; years. This series, according to Kellogg has frequently toured the ; Tourtellot, has been optioned to an U. S. on behalf of anti-crime, im- unidentified sponsor. During the provements in public hospitals and ' next six months, he added, he ex- similar institutions, and again now | pects to explore and experiment in relation to juvenile delinquency. ; with several hundred other possi- She has just completed touring j ble vidfilm series, selecting five or six others for production, MOT has takent. another floor in its present Manhattan quarters to house the new unit, which will comprise about 16 persons, as well : seven different states; has lived as 1 an “inmate” in a number of insti- i tutions; absorbed the authentic feel [and argot of the delinquents, law- ! breakers, narcotic addicts, and the | I like. She^was ^surprised at the ex- - as the editorial staffs of Time. Life istence Of a Narcotics Anonymous ! and the MOT imovement, a la Alcoholic Anony- i mous;, has been struck by some of j the “snakepit” conditions in cer- ■ tain institutions (which, however, are being constantly improved and made more humane); learried of the “honor system” penal institu- tions which are gaining momen- tum, etc, A sworn special officer of the Lbs Angeles Police Dept., Miss Kel- logg is proud of her recognition {from “official” channels. With i Mary Ross, a retired femme cop i.after 20 years’ service, she has j had a regular radio series on “JPo- ( Continued or. page 40) U’s Sales Drive Universal next week launches a __ . ^ 17-week sales drive honoring do^ Mavu’ice v Newton, Paramount i mestic distribution chief Charles J board member, has sold 2,600 1 Feldman. . shares of the major’s common 1 Prizes of $35,000 in cash will be ... . clistributed among division, district This slices his 'holdings to 9,605 i and branch managers, salesmen shares. l and bookers. Metro Production Veepee Observes That New Faces Have Value Only in Relation to the Quality of Their Talents , Q ' • An Interesting Editorial Feature in the 45th Anniversary Number of P^eiETY pVT NEXT, WEEK N. Y. to L. A. Giuseppe Amato Caroline Burke Judy Feiner L, Wolfe Gilbert Jack Lait Leonide Moguy George J. Schaefer Jule Styne Ned Washington Ni Y. to Europe Charles Carpenter Hoctor & Byrd ; Europe to N. Y. Ben Goetz Paul Graetz Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hummel Boris Morros Spyros Skouras L. A. to N. Y. Bai bara Belle • George D. BUrroWs Gina Canale Ed Cashman Hume Cron jm Armand Deutsch Kirk Douglas Frank Fontaine' Jim Ffasher Thomas Gomez Teddy Hart Alfred Hayes Van rieflin Ruth HUssey Abe Lastfogel A1 Lichtman' Perry Lieber Jason Lindsey Jeanette MacDonald Borrah Minevitch William Pine Robert Preston N. Peter Rathvon Gene Raymond Jonas Rosenfield, Jr. Sophie Rosenstein George . Sanders Victor Saville J oseph Schildkraut Martha Scott Peter Scully Marla Stevens Danny Thomas J. Arthur Warner Fran Warren Alec Wilder Gig Young Wednesday, December 27, 1950 PICTURES FREEZE SPURS WAGE DEMANDS tniiial step In the plan that Jac- cues Grinieff has outlined to United Artists’ owners for resiisGitation of the company entails obtaining of a fpiTiDorary product soyrce to tide t over until a regular supply of nidures can be obtained. Manna vhich the foreign film financier and exporter hopes to shake loose at once includes eight indie pix al- ready in the can or near it, plus four films from abroad. Most of the eight, it is under- stood, are pix already made for and committed to UA but which their producers have been holding back because of the uncertain con- dition of the company. The -four lingualers, according to Grinieff, are first-rate pix on which he has had his eye and which he is almost certain he can obtain for UA re- lease in the U. S. Clririieff thinks he cah obtain the eight Hollywood pix by providing U A with temporary operating funds and a top exec in whom the pro- ducers and banks would have faith. He would also make known then his permanent plan for reviving UA. Thus the producers would be assured of cf^*:tinu3d operation of the company and would no longer have reason for holding back their product. The foreign film trader has re- fused as yet to reveal who the man is whom he has tentatively lined up to head the company, except to say it Is not James A. Mulvoy. (Continued on page 16) Paramount Surveys Ozoners to Determine Status Following its recent announce- ment that soihe drive-ins will be eligible to license films in groups with a 20% cancellation' privilege, Paramount is now getting under- way with a complete survey of all ozoners to determine their competi- tive status. Major’s group selling policy has been in effect for the past two years, but heretofore cov- ered only conventional houses, numbering over 3,000. Sales chief A. W. Schwalberg has Instructed all branch managers to study the drive-in operations in their areas with the view of listing those which meet the block licens- ing requirements. Par “security service plan,” as it’s called, is de- signed to service only the smaller situations, particularly those in outlying; non-competitive areas. Licensing a group of pix ,at one time to the difficult-to-reach ac- counts means a substantial saving in time and effort for both the dis- trib and the theatre. Kach picture, under the plan, is sold on its individual merits, with no conditioning the sale of one on the licensing of others. However, the overall deal is permitted to cover as many as 17 pix, which are skoddod for release through next spring. , : . Wrlltr-blrRctor Richard Thorpe Wonts to Know ‘Say, Wko^s Writing the Dialog^ Anyway An Amusing Bylino Ploeo In tho 4^th Anniversary Number ■ of P^Rmfr OUT NEXT WEEK in New RKO He’s Evefl Started Burn by distribution chief Grad Sears over resignations from Unit- ed Artists of pub-ad director How- ward LeSieUr and ad manager Francis M. Wlnikus almost result- ed last week in LeSieur’s quitting his Eagle Lion Classics Job before he started. LeSieiir left UA to be- come pub-ad chief of ELC, post which he steps into next Tuesday ( 2 ). ^ He reportedly came close to re- signing the chore because of a re- versal by ELG prez William C. Mac- Millen of a tentative agreement that Winikus would simultaneously be hired as ELC ad manager. Mac- Millen’s about-face is understood to have resulted from a beef from Sears that he was ‘'raiding’’ UA. Previously both LeSieur and Winikus were “fired” by UA three days after LeSieur had already re- sided to take the ELC job. Sears’ burn .started when LeSieur In- formed him he was leaving, and in* tensified when he got the news that Winikus was also going. Sears, feeling the men were un- fairly deserting the UA ship in its greatest crisis, ordered them dis- missed at once rather than await- ing the end of the notice periods they had given UA. Sears also (Continued on page 16) State of hatlonal emergency and the threatened Government edict on a wage freeze have served, to spur film workers’ demands for salary boosts on a variety of fronts. Latest group to join the mass campaign for wage hikes before the curbs are set is made up of personnel at the homeoffices, where union contracts do not ex- pire at least until another year. Appeals are being made to com- pany presidents via an informally elected spokesman at each outfit, with the added-coin requests based on increased cost of living in ad- dition to the impending freeze. Pattern was set at Paramount where employees enlisted ad-pub vicepresident Max Youngstein to represent them in talks with prexy Barney Balaban. Youngstein sub- sequently reported to the group that he made the pitch to Balaban and the latter was holding the mat- ter under . advisement. However, Screen Employees Guild, whose membership includes Par workers, recently was turned down when it made a formal bid to open current contracts with a view toward fat- ter pay envelopes. In view of the rejection of the SEG request, Par h.o. group is not too hopeful that their informal approach through (Continued on page 7) Indonesia Biz Pressure Brings Fox’s U Exit Resignation of Matty Fox from the boards of Universal and United World Films last week resulted from increasing pressure of his In- donesian activities. For the past three years he has served as agent for Indonesian products sold in this country and all purchases here by Indonesia. Since the nation was involved In a war wUh the Dutch during most of that time, Fox’s activity wasn’t too great un- til the Indonesians gained their independence during the past year. As a result, the former U exec hais found it increasingly difficult to give time td the company’s af- fairs. He thus tendered resigna- tions from the boards of both the parent and its 16m subsid, effec- tive Jan. 1. Fox was chairman of the directorate of United World, which he was instrumental in founding. He had previously been a v.p. of U, but stepped put of that post several years ago. Metro DIreetor Commiterotet Xo, the Poor Indian * ♦ ♦ Ono of the Many Byline Feoturef In the 4$th Anniversary Number of • 4 P^RlETf OUT NEXT week Theatre Owners of America’s proposals for voting privileges for each of its regional units on the Council of Motion Picture Organi- zations exec board were regarded this week as primarily, a “feeler” and not likely to he fully pressed by the theatre org as the pnly out- right condition on which it will re-enter the GOMPO fold. Thought widely held in the trade was that TOA would be agreeable to some alternative arrangement, but sent out its voting-power-for-all propo- sitions as a means of determining the attitude of Allied States Assn, and other members of COMPO. Allied especially would figure to raise substantial objections to the TOA plan since there is some vari- ance in the number of affiliates Which each oi the twP national orgs have in the field. TOA pres- ently is comprised of 28 local groups and the figure will climb as other projected units, such as one in Michigan, become organized. Total of 20 regional outfits consti- tutes Allied. While all members o£ COMPO have veto power, and a unanimous vote is required on all board mat- ters, the proposals of TOA still would give it the most impressive (Continued on page 16) 4- Trusteeship of Howard Hughes* stock in the new RKO theatre com- pany may result in a new skirmish with Fioyd Odium, president of Atlas Gorp„ who still contends he holds first refusal rights on pur- chase of the shares and intends to acquire the Hughes holdings “if the price is right.” Impending dispute, however, will 1 have no effect on the skedded re- prgariization of the major and the start of “independent operations by the two new companies on Jan. 2. Final letter to stockholders, notify- ing them of the split and the trans- fers of stock, was sent out over the weekend. Hughes is now called upon to place his theatre shares in trust within 10 days of their is- suance. It was said on the Odium side that the investment firm prexy be- lieves no bonafide offer for the Hughes shares ever was made and, consequently, his option continues in force. When Hughes acquired the 24% interest in RKO from Odium, a stipulation was entered providing Odium with the right to meet any offer for the theatre stock upon reorganization of the I corporation. Hughes claims that a firm bid for the shares had been made by Matty Fox, Cliff Work and Stanley Meyer, and Odium was given the opportunity to match their offer. Having declined to dp so. Odium’s option ceased to exi.st, occording to the Hughes interest^. [ Stock-transfer deal also directed, that C)dlum could buy the theatre stock at a cost of $4,560,000 if, at ^ the time the circuit is separated from the picture company, Hughes did not receive a bonafide offer from any third party. While it was stated flatly that Odium would take the theatre (Continued on page 16) Del Guidice Tryiag OUT NEXT WEEK The 45th Anniversary Number KORDA PIX DISTRIB Morris Helprin, U. S. rep for Sir Aioxancler Korda, is slated to head .lapan next Wednesday (3)* has obtained licenses from vicnoral MacAiihiir’s. headquarters ]”'■ irnportation of seven films into h" territory, and Helprin will 1 aK(' arrangements for their dis- Hit ion through a Tokyo com- Piin.v. . Korda’s product has not pre- viously heen .distributed in Japan. . tliose which will now be in are a number the. British iiiri- ^Hnde in Hollywood as an 11(1)0 heiore the War and which V.., ,‘'Hdled by United Artists, of in ^ part owner. Expected heavily in this batch are ^ and “Thief of Bag- ^Kijji-in will be in Tokyo two to iiiii'o weeks. Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail Copy and spate reserYations may he sent to any Yanefy office NEW YORK 19 154 W. 46th Sf. HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yucca Sn CHICAGO 11 612 N. Michigan Avf. LONDON, W, C. 2 B St, Martin't Ploet Trafalgar Sguara U.S. Distrib of 8 Pix Filippo Del Guidice, who recently arrived in New York from Italy, is attempting to arrange financing for the establishment of a company to prepare for American distribu- tion of eight foreign films on which he holds options. He also brought with him options on 18 European documentaries. Aim of the former J. Arthur Rank producer, now living in Italy, is to put a commentary on the pix rather than subtitle or dub them. He hopes to line up a top-ranking American player to make the track for each of the pix, explaining the action and giving a colloquialized version of the dialog. Del Guidice feels that this method will make the films readily acceptable for circuit hookings, as well as art houses. His plan is not to make a distribution deal for them until the track is on the first couple and he can demonstrate his method to various releasing organi- zations. Among the pix on which Del Guidice holds U. S. options are “Duel With Death,” made in Vien- na by George Pabst; “L’Edera” (The Ivy), made in Italy by a company fully owned by the Italian government, directed by Aiigusto Genina; and “Cuorie Sul Mare” (Hearts Over the Sea ), made by the same coiilpariy. POLON, SHERMAN TO BUY FILM FOR NEW RKO eO. Matthew Polon and Robert Sher- man, will handle film buying and booking for the RKO circuit under the new divorcement setup. Both veteran RKO execs, Sher- man has been assigned to the N. Y, metropolitan portion of the chain, including Newark, Trenton and Ne/v' Brunswick, N. J;, and Polon will handle RKO’s 46 out-of-town situations. Appointments were made by Sol A. Schwartz, president of the thea- tre company. nLHf REVIEWS Wednesday, December 27, 1950 Gamliling Homo Hollywood, Dec. 22. RKa release of Warren Duff produc- Stars Victor Mature, Terry Moore, WUliam Bendix; features Zagi^ry A. Charles, Basil Ruysdael, Donald Randolph, Damian O'Flynn, Cleo Moore, Ann Eleanor Audley, Gloria W^ters,_Don Hag- gerty. Directedby Ted^Tetzlaff. Scre^- pl.'iy, Marvin BorowsKy, ^ Allen Wi^Km, based on story by Harry J. Wild,* music, Roy ^obb.^editOT, Roland - Gross. Tradeshpwn Dec. 20, 50. ll?SnWM«n.. .. “"S’;' Joe Farrow ........ . . . William Willie * . , . • -Zachary A. Charles Judge Ravinek Lloyd Crane Donald Randolph Ralph Douglas ...... . . , . . Damian O Flynn Sally . . . . . . ............. • Cleo Moore Della • • . Ann Doran Mrs. Livingston Audley B. J. Warren. Gloria ^Wmters Bliarky . ... .... . . .. .'. . . .. .•,> • • .P?** Haggerty Miniatiire Reviews “Gambling House? is a routine melodrama that will get some Deeded help from its marquee names. Plot is the old one about the reformation of a gambler, but uses the twist of having character undergo his, change of heart when he; becomes aware, of what U. S. citizenship means. As presented, it has its entertaining moments but can’t be rated as generally sat- isfactory overall; Victor Mature, TCrry Moore and William Bendix are the three stars involved in the Marvin Bbrowsky- Allen Rivkin script. In between the number of good melodramatic sequences there is a tendency to bv r-dialog scenes. :/ Tature, lone-wolf gambler, be- cc .les the fall guy in a killing com- mitted by Bendix for a $50,000 fee. Self-defense is proven, and Mature is cleared, but Bendix has tipped the immigration department that Mature was born in Italy and his parents were never naturalized. Faced with deportation, Mature undergoes a gradual realization of what this country means to him, manages to convince the judge of his earnestness and wins the right to "^ry for citizenship. lature gives his role a lot of CO or. Miss Moore is the soci^ worker with whom he falls in love. Har role makes only light demands. Bendix is satisfactory as the heavy. Zachary A. Charles shows up very well as Mature’s friend, and Basil Ruysdael is good as the jur’ge. Others are adequate. -Vmong the good moments in the film is the holdup of Bendix’s gambling house by Mature so he can collect the $50^000. It was well-staged for suspense and ex- citement. Also coming across is the finale, when Mature talks Bendix’s henchmen into killing their boss Instead of him. Production mounting by Warren Duff gives the picture an okay dressing. Plenty of low-key pho- tography by Harry J. Wild is in keeping with the meller mood, as Is the Roy Webb Score. Brog. '^Gambling House*^ (RKO). Routine melodrama of a gam- bler’s reformation; marquee toppied by Mature, Bendix. *’The Flsing Misslc’* (Gol). Good guided missiles drama with Glenn Ford, Viveca Lind- fors. General top bookings. “Double Deal” (RKO). Pro^ graih melodrama, fair enter- tainment for lowercase book- ings,. “Law of Badlands” (RKO). Good Tim Holt western for general oater fan. “Buckarob Sheriff of Texas” (Rep). Just fair sagebrusher introducing Republic’s two new Oater moppets. “Silver Raiders” (Mono). Fair entry in Monogram’s Whip Wilson oater series. “California Passage.” (Songs) (Rep). Good outdoor action feature with okay biz pros-, pects. “Hunt the Man Down” (RKO), Well-made melodrama for supporting bookings. “Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle'- (Mono). Routine Joe Palooka entry; passable seepn- dary fare for minor situations. ind Ford out sequence accident plosion, crew man killed, mander learns of no missiles manages to of available, but talk the Army one in a well-staged During the test an causes a preniature ex- Ford is injured and a When the c6m- the death he de- fith, Tom Browne Henry, Jim Hayward and the Others are okay. James T. Vaughn gives it a nice production gloss. The ^ photog- raphy is good and the editing tight. Brog, Law Of the Badlands Hollywood, Dec. 22. RKO release o£ Herman Schlom pro- duction. Stars Tim Holt; features Richard Martin, Joan Dixon, Robert Livingston, Leonard Penn, Harry Woods, Larry Johns. Directed by Lesley Selander. Writ- ten by Ed Earl Repp: camera, George E. Diskant; editor, Desmond Marquette, Tradeshown Dec. 20: '50; Running time, 5t MINS. Dave Tim Holt .... .Joan Dixon Robert Livingston ..Leonard Penn •Harry Woods Larry Johns _ . , , . Robert Bray Capt. MeVey . ....... .Kenneth MacDonald Madigan .................... . John Cliff Chlto Rafferty, .......... .Richard Martin Velvet Dirkin Cash . Conroy Simms Benson • • • • 4 • 4 • • • • • • • ••••*• ^ e • • (I er .e . Here C^me the Hnggetts “Here Come the Huggetts,” British-made, which opened at the Beacon theatre, N. Y,, Sun- day (24), was reviewed in Variety from London, Dec. 8, 1948. Pic , was tabbed by re- viewer Myro as being “an in- effective production which will achieve little in the home market ahd less abroad,” Script, dealing with various Huggett family matters, was cited as being “bad, both in plot and dialog,” Film is being released in the U. S. by Pentagon Pictures, The Flying Missile Holljrwood, Dec. 26. Columbia release of Jerry Bresler prO' duction. Stars Glenn Ford, Viveca Lind- fors; features Henry O’Neill, Carl Benton Reid, Joe Sawyer, John Qualen, Anthony Ross, Harry Shannon, Ross Ford, Zachary A. Charles, Jerry Paris, Kenneth Tobey, Paul Harvey. Directed by Henry Levin. Screenplay, Richard English, James Gunn; story, Harvey S. Haislip, N. Richard Nash: camera, William Snyder: editor, Viola Lawrence: score, George Duning. Pre- viewed Dec. 12, '50. Running time, 91 MINS. Commander Bill Talbot ... Glenn Ford Kerin Hansen .Viveca Lindfors A-imiral Scott Henry O’Neill Dr. Gates Carl Benton Reid *‘Fuss” Payne Joe Sawyer Lars Hansen .............. Johii Qualen Admiral Bradley Anthony Ross V 'le-Admiral Williams . . . Harry Shaniioh C '.uck Davis .... ... . Ross Ford Mac . .Zachary A. Charles Andy Mason Jerry Paris Pete McEvoy ........... . Kenneth Tobey General Benton .......... Paul Harvey Captam Whitaker ;..... ..Grandon Rhodes L'.eutenant Jackson. James Seay Myers ................ Bill Donnelly Hank Weber Richard Quine Chief of Naval Operations. Charles Evans velops a mentar block that makes his legs useless. ‘ However, Ford snaps out of it in time to partici- pate in a new test that proves guided missiles can be . used by siibs to wifie out a large fleet* Ford does a likely job of the commander^ with thespic shadings that strengthen it. His co-star, Viveca Lindfors, occupies a rather thankless spot of secretary at the test center with whom Ford car- ries on a romance. Character doesn’t demand much of her con- siderable talent. Henry Levin’s direction is good and the featured players deliver ably under his handling. Joe Sawyer, Ross Ford, Zachary A. Charles, Jerry Paris and Kenneth Tobey do well by their crew mem- ber roles. Henry O’Neill, crusty admiral; Carl Benton Reid, medico, John Qualen, Anthony Ross, Paul Harvey and the others are capable. Jerry Bresler ’s production sup- plies an authentic feeling to the technical phases and backgrounds of the Richard English .- James Gunn script, based on a story by Harvey S. Haislip and N. Richard Nash. Camera work, music score and technical aspects on the sub- marine and test center scenes are firstrate. Brog. . Tim Holt has a good western in “Law of the Badlands.” Action and general story-telling run ahead of several late entries in the RKO scries. This time, Holt and his side- kick, Richard Martin, save the U. S. Secret Service from an em- barrassing situation. Heroes are Texas Rangers and their aid is sought to find the source of coun- terfeit money which is flooding the east. Phoney tender is being printed in a tough section of the badlands, so Holt and Martin be- come outlaws, join the gang and smoke out their quarry. While the story setup is formula, Ed Earl Repp’s script takes advan- tage of natural action opportuni- ties, and Lesley Selander’s direc- tion builds considerable suspense to make it pay off, particularly for the juve ticket buyers, Holt and Martin both deliver neatly in putting over their saddle action. Leonard Penn and Robert Livingston do well as the principal heavies, as does Harry Woods as a Secret Service agent who is killed. Joan Dixon, femme lead; Larry Johns and the others do their part in keeping it on the move. Herman Sehlom’s production Is good for the market, and technical assists are in keeping. Brog. Doable Deal Hollywood, bee. 21. RKO release of James T. Vaughn pro duction. Features Marie Windsor, Richard Denning, Taylor Holmes, Fay Baker, James Griffith, Carleton Young, Tom Browne. Henry. . Directed by Abby Berlin. Screenplay, Lee Berman, Charles S. Bel den: story, Don McGxiire: camera, Frank Redman; editor, Robert Swink. Trade- shown ‘ Dec. 18, '50. Running time, 64 MINS. Terry Marie Windsor Buzz Richard Denning Corpus ............... . . .Taylor Holmes LUli Fay Baker Karns James Griffith Reno . Carleton Young Sheriff Morelli. . ... . . .Tom Browne Henry Mike Jim Hayward Webber ................. Richard Reeves Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas Hollywood, Dec. 19. Republic release of Rudy Ralston pro- duction. Features Michael Chapin. Eilene Janssen, James Bell, Hugh O'Brian, Steve Pendleton, Tristram Coffin, William Haade, Alice Kelley. Directed by Philip Ford. Written by Arthur Orloff: camera, John MacBurnie: editor, Arthur Roberts. Previewed Dec. 19, '50. Running time, 60 MINS. Red White ... .Michael Chapin Judy Dawson ... ......... EUene Janssen Tom (Gramps) White ....... James BeU Ted Gately Hu^ O'Brian Sam White Steve Pendleton Jim Tulane .Tristram Coffin Mark Brannigan William Haade Betty Dawson Alice Kelley Governor Selmef Jackson Clint Edward Cassidy Mexico into the U. S. He masks his Identity until the renegades kidnap a Mexican lass, Wilson scores with his whip- cracking and overall physical prowess. Andy Clyde, as the sheriff, adequately supplies the comedy relief while Leonard Penn convinces as the heavy. Virginia Herrick and Patricia Rios lend a feminine touch to an otherwise male cast. Other players lend okay support. Direction of Wal- lace Fox is standard as is the camerawork of Harry Neumann in this Vincent M. Fennelly produc- tion. V Glib. California Passiage (SONGS) Hollywood, Dec. 15. Republic release of Joseph Kane pro- duction. Stars Forrest Tucker. Adel® Mara, Eslelita Rodriguez; features Lm Davis, Peter Miles, Charles Kemper, Bill Williams. Directed by Kane. Written by James Edward Grant; camera,. John Mac- Burnie; editor, Arthur Roberts;, smigs. Jack Elliott, Harold Spina. Previewed. Dec. 14, '50. Running time, 90 MINS. Mike Prescott Forrest^ Tucker Beth Martin Adele Mara Maria Sanchea?. , Estellta Rodriguez Line Corey Tommy Martin. • • .Peter Miles Willy Charles Kemper Bob Martin . . . ; > BiU Williams Norris ................. ..Rhys Williams Whalen Paul Fix Kane (Recorder) .... ... .Francis McDonald Waiter Eddy Waller Pedro .Charles Stevens Indian Iron Eyes Cody Conover ' Alan Bridge Stella ... Ruth Brennan filmfdire. It has excellent produc- tion values for the budget, sipootli direction of an interesting plot, and good performances to see if through its booking^. Gig Young is the public de- fender who tackles the chore of clearing James Anderson of a 12- year-old murder charge. It’s a cold trail he has to follow to find witnesses who put the finger on Anderson at the old trial* and piecing of the evidence together comes about logically, plus a sur- prise twist at the finale that re- veals the real killer. ' Anderson, a fugitive for 12 years, is captured when he be- comes a hero during a holdup. He tells Young his story of a bar pick- up, a party in the home of his new friends and ' the killing of one of them during the night after he had had angry wOrds with the victim. As Young gets hot on the trail, his still unknown quarry kills a witness, tries to murder another but is stampeded into ah admis- sion of the old crime while again testifying against Anderson. A competent cast, mostly of younger players, expertly put over the DeVallon Scott story. Young is good as the lead, ahd Anderson shows up well as the prosecuted. Lynne Roberts, femme lead op- posite Anderson, also pleases, Mary . Aridersoh, Willard Parker, Carla Balenda, excellent as a crazy girl, Gerald Mohr, John Kel- logg, Cleo Moore and Christy Palmer form the assorted group of capable suspects and witnesses. Harry Shannon makes his role of Young’s father count nicely. George Archainbaud realizes on the good story elements with his direction, anjJ Lewis J. Rachmil accounted for the neat productipn values. Music score and lensing are in keeping With generally good presentation. Brog. I The dramatic possibilities in a woven around guided mis^ Siles and submarihes have been r mpetently realized in “The .Fly- ing Missile.” It’s a good top-of-' the-bUl offering for the general si latipn and should rate good rc'iims; Work with guided missiles at th. Navy’s Point Mugu, Gal., test ctnter has a timely interest and ir often exciting. 'This helps snap up the pace and carry the film over its 91 minutes. Romantic phases of the plot are rather rou- tinely developed but do hot inter- fere too much with the basic story lire.' ’lenn Foid is a submarine com- in ider who stfeps on a few Of- ficial toes in his push to put over the ideas that guided missiles can be successfully launched' from an underseas craft. . 'Heavies of the plot are time, red tape and short supplies as Ford and his crew are sent to Point Miigu for special tre'ning. Vs the group crams, script in- jc s a good humorcus touch to lard the dramatics. These deal With theft of supplies to secretly build at night the missile-launch- ing platform before the time runs out. They make the deadline, then As a programmer for lowercase dates in the general market, “Double Deal” gets by as fair en- tertainment. It stresses melo- drama in a fairly satisfactory man- ner, and the budget production values show up well for release intentions. Plot has a whodunit flavor and a surprise twist in revealing a killer who has claimed three vic- tims before being caught. Richard Denning is the hero, a drifting petroleum engineer who gets in- volved in a complicated revenge scheme when he tries to help drill an oil well for Carleton Young. Latter’s sister, Fay Baker, covets the well and ^makes things tough for the hero. Young is killed and Marie Wind- sor inherits the well. ' Denning keeps OR with .his , Work as a romance builds, and things really get rugged when Miss Baker and then her partner in the dirty Work, James Griffith, are bumped off. There’s not much logic to the Don McCJuire story or the script by Lee Berman and Charles Belden, but it still comes out as acceptable program filmfare. Abby Berlin’s direction is spotty, Miss Windsdr is excellent under his handling, as . is Denning, but Miss Baker is made to overplay her femme menace; Holmes’ reading also is flamboyant. Young, Grif- Republic is using “Buckaroo Sheriff” to introduce its two new oater moppets but the picture gives the kids only a mild sendoff. If Michael “Red” Chapin and Eilene “Judy” Janssen are to find favor with juve ticket-buyers they will need more actionful sagebrushers than this one. Initialer has little adult interest.. Plot scripted by Arthur Orloff works in typical western situations and barely passable dialog to spin along for a complicated 60 minutes. It seems that Tristram Coffin has seized the ranch property of Steve Pendleton while the latter is away fighting the War Between the States. Pendleton, father of young Chapin, had planned to turn his land oyer to settlers and work a bauxite mine (actually not discov- ered until about 20 years later) for their benefit. . Neither story nor Philip Ford’s direction makes any demands on the cast and they go through their roles' with stock portrayals. ’ Rudy Ralston’s production framing and the technical credits are just ade- quate. Brog. Silver Elaiders Monogram release of 'Vincent M. Fen- nelly production. Stars Whip Wilson; fea- tures Andy Clyde, Directed by Wallace W.: Fox. Original screenplay, Dan Ullman; Camera^ Harry Neumann: editor, Richard Heermance: musical director, Edward Kay, At New York theatre, N. Y,, . dual, -week of Dec. 19, '50. Rurining time, 55 MINS, Larry . . . . . . ... .Whip Wilson .‘. it ,. . . • • Aiidy . Clyde Corbin Leonard Penn Boland Dennis Moore Patricia ....Virginia Herrick Dolores ................. . . Patricia Rios George Reed Howe.s Bill ^Rlley Hill- Horn.-. .. Marshall Reed- . George DcNormand Larkin . . , . ... . . . . . ; . . , Kerihit Maynard “Silver Raiders” 1$ a routine entry in Monogram’s Whip Wilson series. J There’s a wealth of action, hard riding and general excite- ment. Howevei*, to overshadow a silver smuggling. As an Arizona Ranger, Wilson manages to worm himself into the confidence of a band of outlaws hustling contraband silver from these assets fail cliched tale of Republic has an actionful out^ door feature in -“California Pas- sage” that will rate its share of business in most situations. It has been expertly put together to please the. general action fan and goes about telling a standard westr ern tale with no lost motion. Mixed up In the action are For- rest Tucker and Jim Davis, part- ners in a western saloon and rivals for the attentions of Adele Mara. ■WTiile partners, the two males are strictly enemies and maintain their business under an armed truce. Davis also has a sideline activity of stealing gold shipments, and when things begin to get hot for him he frames the robberies on Tucker. Producer-director Joseph Kane keeps the James Edward Grant script continually moving towards the climax with no letup in pace. Handling features a welcome touch for a western. There are some good action spots alohg the course that leads up to Tucker’s flight into the hills to escape a posse after being framed. Windup finds Tucker sav- ing Miss Mara from Davis, after she has learned the truth, and the death of the heavy in a finale fight with the hero. Script covers more story ground than the usual western, adding in- teresting characters and sequences to carry the plot over the 90 min- utes of footage. Also, there are two listenable tunes capably vo- called by Estelita Rodriguez. They are “Second-Hand Romance” and “I’m Goin’ Round in Circles,” cleffed by Jack Elliott and Harold Spina,^ , Principals please with their per- formances. The late Charles Kem- per registers strongly as a smart western sheriff, and among others lending good support are Peter Miles, Bill Williams, Rhys Wil- liams, Paul Fix and Francis Mc- Donald. Picture has been given excellent lensing by John MacBurnie, and the other technical credits are good. Brog. Hunt ilie ]lf an Down Hollywood, Dec. 19. . RKO release of Lewis J. Rachmil pro- duction. Features Gig Young, Lyiine Rob- erts, Mary Anderson, Willard Parker, Carla. Balenda. Directed by George Arch- ainbaud. Written by DeVallon Scott; cam- era, Nicholas Musuraca; editor, Samuel E. Beetley ; music. Paul Sawtcll. Tradeshown Dec. 14, '50. Running time, 68 MINS. * * * ***** * * * *■*•* * * * ^ ' * * ’ . Youns y • • • • ‘ • • • . 1 . » • » • • V , »■ . .Lynne Roberts Alice McGuire. , . ... . , .Mary Anderson Eric Appleby ..... ,. , . . . .WiUard Parker Rplene W ood . Carla Balenda WaUeiv Long . Gerald Mohr KinKaia .James Anderson Kerry McGuire John Kellogg j'® ■ •••••••<*• »•*’ .•.Harry • Shannon Pat. Sheldon . . Cleo Moore Joan Brian ........... ...Christy Palmer p3cky Co^llins ••4«4*444c«e9k* •» Pnul Fvggs P rosecutor . . . . . . ... .... . : . . .James Seay «foe Palooka in the Sqnared Circle Monogram release of Hal E. Chester production. ' Stars Joe Kirkwood^ Jr.s James Gleason: features Robert Coogan* Lois Hall. Dan Seymour. Myrna DeU. Directed by Reginald Le Borg. Screen- S lay, Jan Jeffrey; from story by B. F, lelzer; based on Ham. Fisher's comic strip character: camera, M. Le Picard. At New York theatre; N. Y., dual, week of Dec. 12. '50. Running time,. 63 MINS. Joe Palooka Joe Kirkwood, Jr. Knobby Walsh James Gleason Ann Howe . - Lois Hall Brogden Edgar Barrier Sandra Myrna Dell Humphrey Pennyworth. .. .Robert Coogan Crawford Dan Seymour iMerkle Charles Haltori Looie ..... Frank Jenkt Pete . Greg McGuire Canvas ................... Eddie Gribbon Kebo Robert Griffin PhUllps John Harmon Gunsell .......Jack Roper Felice Sue Carlton Bubbles ............William Haade TV Announcer .Stanley Preger 2nd Reporter .. ....... .Meryln Williams Pinky Thompson. ........ . .Hal Felberling Tiny John Merricic Roderick ...; Paul Bryar Public defenders and their work form the basis'for “Hunt the Man Down,’’ a well-made melodrama that will serve as good supporting A routine entry in Monogram’s Joe Palooka series, this film shapes up as passable secondary fare for minor situations. Pic follows the usual formula whereby Joe Kirk- wood, Jr. (Palooka), tangles with gangsters in addition to his ring opponents. Pu^list’s one-man cru- sade against crime in this instance paves the way for only fair action. Story has the boxer witnessing a gangland shooting, with a re- sultant resolution to bring the killers to justice. This leads to open warfare between Kirkwood and the murderers, since the law* not able to locate the body, can’t step in and prosecute. Neverthe- less, Kirkwood carries liis- story to the newspapers, which splash his claim all over the front pages. Two hoods, named by the fighter as the murderers, start gunning for him, but in due time wind up behind bars, leaving him ready to start on another adventure. On hand to supply comic relief are James Gleason as the fighter’s manager and Robert Coogan as his rotund friend Humphrey. Film’s most exciting moments come near the end when Palooka, unknowing- ly under the influence of dope, ap- pears on the verge of losing his championship title in a ring bout. Pic also gtyes tele a bi^ boost via a sequence where Gleason, being held prisoher by a mbbrfer, is forced to view Kirkwood’s cham- pionship bout over a video screen, which the gangster touts as being a good medium for seefing the fight, Kirkwood turns in a satisfactory job, while Lois Hall makes a nice appearance . as his wife, Myrna Dell is okay , as a gangster’s moll, and Dan Seymour shows the proper suaveness as a bigtime gambler. Hal E. Chester’s produc- tion and Reginald Le Borg’s direc- tion are standard. pros. Ghevalier in ^Love^ Hollywood, Dec. 26.: Maurice Chevalier will return to the U. S. next July under a one- picture deal to star in “A New Kind of Love” at Paramount., His, last picture on that lot was “The Innocents of Paris” "In 1929. ,1 Wednesday, December 27, 1950 P^^IEIY PiCTITRES 7 W6 Eyes Freelancers as Studio Scribes Fall Short on Originals Hollywood, Dec. 26. ^ Wariiers Bros.’ pres€?nt drive for original stories from sources out- side the studio reportedly has re- cultcd from disapppmtment fit ef- iorls to develop such yarns on the jpt WB has been parcelling out weekly bhecks to scribes hired spe- cifica 11 V for the purpose and work- ing within the studio’s confines. it is understood that production toppers have agreed that scriveners working on that basis have not turned out the eKpected quantity, of satisfactory niaterial. , Writers, in turn, have expressed the opin- ion that good originals cannot be expected when the scripter is sub- ject to page-by-page discussion analvsis by the story department and the prospective producer. Resuit has been the move by the studio to get freelancers to work on the outside. Lot is reportedly willing to give Option money on Ideas it thinks miight develop in this way. It is particularly look- ing for yarns from this source for all its mole players, U.S, Appeals Court Affirms Nix of Suit Vs. WB, D.C. Chain Washington, Dec. 26. U. S. court of appeals last week affirmed the district court’s action In throwing out a damage suit against Warner Bros: and the Kogod-Burka nabe chain. The Federal court had ruled that the agreement originally entered into by the three parties was a viola- tion of the antitrust laws and that therefore the damage suit, by Kass Realty Co., could have no standing in the courts. Case dates back to 1945, When K-B bought a site to build a the- atre in Washington. About that time. Stanley Co. of America, wholly ow’ned subsidiary of War- ners. made a deal for Kass Realty Co. to build a theatre three blocks away and lease this to Warners. K-B promptly sued to enjoin War- ners'. A private settlement was worked out whereby, Stanley would drop Its project and take a half-interest in the K-B theatre. To recom-? pense Kass for cancelling its con- tract with Warners, the parties agreed Stanley and K-B would designate a site for another theatre within two years. Kass would build this theatre. If they failed to designate a site in that time, then they would pay Kass $100,000 damages. K-B and Warners failed to agree on a location for the hew theatre and Kass Realty demanded its money. Meantime, K-B brought suit against Warners foi^ the latter to relinquish its half interest in tlie theatre on the grounds that Warners had to unload theatre properties as a result of the Su- pr me, Court ruling in the Big Five antitrust case. The appellate court agreed with the trial court that all actions — the K-B and Warner joint opera- tions of the new theatre, and the deal with Kass-^were illegal. Await Briefs In Par-Partman Suit ; Los Angeles, Dec. 26. Hearing of Paramount’s suit to Giisi Partman Corp. from the down- town Paramount theatre came to a clo.se in Federal court and was taken Under advisement by Judge Harry C. Westover. Jurist ordered hoih sides to file their briefs by Foh. 15: ■ • : After that the court will take up 1 arlman’s damage suit against Par- amount, accusing that company of "iiiiiiQiuing product. May Make 3 in London London, Dec. 26. \\ arners may be making three mins 1 a Britain next year if cur-r H'ni plans mature. First, an- uunced some months back, will ‘Master of Ballantrae,” the R. pCvcnson classic which will e lollowed by the summer pro- tuciion of '‘Where’s Charley?” MiUTing Ray Bolger. p, * reported that the next *'i'i Huncaster film will be lensed m ixHain. Title is “The Crimson *irale.'' Wilby-Kineey Prei 'R.B.wnby Exploins Why H» It Fed lip On Problem Pix^, Minimises IFF, Accents Building Up Our 40-60 Million Fank ■ ft: An Inttreitliig Editorial Opinion (li tho Forthcoming 45th Anniversary Humber of P^rIety OVT NEXT WEEK Arch Oboler was disclosed this week as having put his recently completed feature, “Five,” into* the can for $72,000 William H. Weln- traub, New York ad agency exec, who gets billing as associate pro- ducer, reportedly was instrumental in raising most of the coin. Finan- cing was on a limited partnership basis, similar to a Broadway legiter, with about 30 angels involved, Unusual pic was shot entirely on Obcler’s ranch in the Santa Monica hills of California. It concerns the only five people left on earth as a result of radioactive dust from an atomic explosion being blown across the world. Oboler, who is credited as pro- ducer, director and writer, arrives in New York from the Coast next Tuesday (2) to set up a distribution deal. Oboler and a number of others involved drew no fees for their work on the film, but have taken deferments. Resort to legit-financing methods resulted from the producer’s in- ability to find coin for it after he wrote it in 1948. It was consid- ered too fantastic at the time. He had previously written a radio play, in which Bette Davis starred, along somewhat the same idea in 1939. Among the current angels are Don Quinn, writer on the “Fibber McGee and Molly” radio show; Charles Re vson, cosmetics manu- facturer (Revlon); Dr. Meyer Perl- stein, authority on spastic paralysis; Harry Salter, bandleader, and Al- bert Checio, N.*Y. restaurateur. One of the elements of the low production budget was the fact that the cast, of course, consists only of five people. They are played by William Phipps, Susan Douglas, Janies Anderson, Charles Lampkin and Earl Lee, Swanson Cavalcade Continued' from page 3 in a month or so as part of the Museum’s regular two-a-day pro- gram of old pix. It’s to be included in “Great Actresses of the Past” series. ' First clip is from “The Danger Girl,” in which Miss Swansoh ap^ Reared in 1916 for Mack Sennett. Next is “Male and . Female,” pro- duced by Cecil B. DeMille in 1919. Then “Queen Kelly,’’ made by Miss Swanson independehtly in 1928 and never released in this country. Other sequences are from “The TrespasstSIr” (1929), “What a Widow” (1930), “Perfect Understanding” with Laurence Olivier (1933), “Music In the Air^’ (1934) and “Father Takes a Wife” (1941). Griffith has been anxious to use a portion of “Sadie Thompson,” which Miss Swansoii produced in- dependently ih 1928 and Which the Museum exec feels is a noteworthy example of her work. However, the actress sold her prints, along with all rights to the film, to Jo- seph Schenck for a remake in 1932 under the original title of the Somerset Maugham story from which it was adapted, '‘Rain.’* Miss Swanson over the years has contributed prints of most of her pix to the Museum, but hasn’t one of “Sadie” because of the Schenck sale. A print coiild be made up, but the film library hasn’t the coin at the moment to float it. Wage Demands Continued from page 5 Youngstein will prove any more effective. Similar moves reportedly are planned at Columbia, 20th-Fox and other firms, all largely based on the combination of upped living costs and the wage curbs. Also on record with a request for salary boosts is the Colosseum of JVlotion Picture Salesmen. Out- fit sent its appeal to distrib sales chiefs. Successful in its action for in- creased salaries this past week was the International Alliance of The- atrical Stage Employees, as bar- gaining agent for personnel. . at film company branches in the field. New accord reached with eight dis- tribs and National Screen Service provides for a $4 weekly wage hike for all lA members at the ex- changes. Among the few industry labor organizations not seeking addi- tional remunerationL are the mo- tion picture projectionists around the country. lA chief Richard Walsh recently reported the booth- men, for the most part, are satis- fied with their present scales and are not likely to be coming up with new demands. Number of guilds and unions at the Coast studios are underway with programs for minimum-scale hikes, living cost increases and peiirions, which obviously are threatened by the likely wage con- trols. Largest of the studio groups is. the AFL Film Council, which com- prises 20,000 workers in affiliated unions. Producers recently turned down their move for salary in- creases but how, the Council is planning to launch negotiations for pensions and group^nsurance programs. An increase in minimum wages for its members is one of the three major demands of the Screen Writers Guild in its move for a new basic agreement with the studios. Screen Actors Guild also is un- derstood to have mapped bids for wage hikes, especially for lowr bracket and bit players. Paramonnt Bd. OK of 5W,l)IIH&e ‘Purchase of Own ^ock’ Spars (limb New Canadian 450-Seater Edmonton, Alta. New 450-seat Avalon in Beverly, an Edmontoii suburb, opened by N. T. Ruptash and D. Kubalik. House has air-coqditioning and a private viewing room for the man- ager and guests. Floridian Showman Mitchell Wolf Details Sonie of the Opposition Facing an Exhibitor Today (Mejont He Must Sell Harder) One of the Many Editerjol Features in the 45tk Anniversary Number of PSniEfr OUT NEXT WEEK Hollywood, Dec. 26. Stanley Kramer Co. is about ready to sign a deal whereby the indie unit will produce a number of features for Columbia release. Understood the agreement calls for a minimum of threp and a maxi- mum of six films a year. One point of discussion is the studio where the films will be made. It will probably wind up with the shooting done on the Co- lumbia lot, although the expense will be higher than that on the rental lot on which the outfit has been working. Both sides have agreed to distri- bution fees at 25%. Special Navy Screenings Of ‘Operation Pacific’ The U. S. Navy is giving a special screening of Warners’ “Operation Pacific” at its New London, Conn., submarine base Jan. 9. Idea is to give newspapermen some back- ground on submarine operations. Special train has been chartered to make the trip to and from the base. All guests will be first to be cleared by the Navy for security purposes^ Hollywood, Dec. 26. Darryl Zanuck hoisted the judget on “Take Care of My Little Girl’- and added scenes in- i^olving John Lite! and Marjorie Crosland . . . Metro assigned Keefe Braselle and Richard Anderson to ;op roles with Walter Pidgeon in ‘The Bradley Mason Story,” start- ing in January with Robert ThOm- jen producing . . . Marilyn Erskine signed a term pact at Metro, with ‘The Family Man” as her first film jffort ... Eddie Prinz shifts from W^arners to Paramount to handle ;he dance sequence in “That’s My Boy” for Hat Wallis . . , Andre Chariot plays a French doctor in 'Here Comes the Groom” at Para- mount . . . John Russell checked in at Republic for a role in “Fight- ing U. S. Coast Guard.” Ventura Pjpoductions registered ‘Fifty-Four-Forty or Fight,” a tale the pioneer northwest, with the MPAA title bureau . , . Next film role for Peter Graves will be in ‘Fort. Defense,” to be produced by Frank Melford for Ventura . . . Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” will start shoot- ing Jan. 22 at Sarasota; Fla.j on a 30-day location schedule, after which the troupe Will return to the Paramount lot.. . . Lee J. Cobb, currently in “Sirocco” at Colum- bia, will remain on that lot to play John Derek’s father in “The Se- cret’’ . . . Joel McCrea made .a brief appearance as a guest star, play- ing himself , in UPS “Hollywood Story.” . : “Lefty Farrell’ is the new tag on “Two of a Kind” at Columbia. , . . Steve Cochran plays an ex- convict in “Tomorrow Is Another Day,” “after playing a criminal in “Storm Warning” and a prisoner in “The Story of Folsom” . . . Les Goodwins will write and direct the next Wally Brown-Jack Kirkwood comedy short for producer George Biison at RWO . . . A. I. Bezzerides will script “Ten Tall Men,” the forthcoming Burt Lancaster starrer for Columbia release . . . Para- mount assigned Harry Tugend to produce '‘The Road to Hollywood.” co-starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope . . . Metro borrowed William Demarest from Paramount for a comedy role in “The Strip.” Fay and Michael Kanin sold their screenplay, “How High Is Up?,” to 20th-Fox for $85,000 . . . Lucille Ball withdrew from the elephant girl role in “The Greatest Show on Earth” because of im- pending motherhood . , . Eagle Lion reconditioned three sound stages, with Nat Holt’s “Fort Sav- age” as the first tenant . . . Thelma Ritter’s player option picked up by 20th-FOx : . . Anna Q. Nilsson plays a seamstress in “Show Boat” at Metro . . . Anita Loos and Rich- ard Sale drew new contracts at 20th-Fox and were assigned as writer and director on “The Hus- band Who Rah Away” . . . 20th- Fox registered “Song of Hiawatha” for production next year . . . Nick Castle assigned as dance di- rector on Metro’s “The . Strip,” starring Mickey Rooney. Edward Nassour pmd $15,000 for screen rights to “The Black Grandee,” costume story authored by Johnston McCulley . . . Tony Martin bicycled last week between Paramount and RKO for exteriors and interiors in “Two Tickets to Broadway”: . . . Stephen Chase drew a featured spot in “When Worlds Collide” at Paramount . . . Hal Wallis bought “Good Boy/’ screenplay by Cy Howard, as co- starrer for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis . . . Lauren Bacall signed a one-picture-a-year deal with 2()th- Fox . . . “Here Comes Tomorrow” is the final tag on the Lou Schor production to be filmed in con- junction with Joseph Justman at Motion Picture Center . . . Charles Drake signed for a support role in the Howard Christie production, “The Golden Horde,” at Ui. f Action by the Paramount board last Thursday (21) authorizing purchase of up to 500,000 shares of the major’s own stock at $21.50 per share had an immediate spur- ring influence on the issue. Par, which opened at 2014 on Thursday, closed at 21% for a gain of i%. Issue climbed another quarter, point on Friday, closing at 21%. Stock held to the same price . yesterday (Tues.). Actual bid for the shares was placed on the N. Y. Stock Exchange on Friday and was in line with the Par policy of shrinking the capitall** zation structure. The" offer is sub- ject to withdrawal at any time, and in any event will be withdrawn on Jan.l9 at the latest. Between Jan. 1 and; Sept. 30* 1950, Par* purchased 645,768 *.of its shares at an aggregate cost 'Of $13,- 379 , 419 . Portion of the funds for these acquisitions came from a $9,- 000,000 borrowing from Prudential Life Insurance Co. in the form of a $7,000,000 mortgage on th^ film’s homeoffice building, in N. Y. and a $2,000,000 note. , ^ To cover the new stock pur- chases, Par has entered a 1 ew and separate loan agreement with Pru- dential in the amount of $15,000,- 000, to be repaid over a 1 5-year span with interest on unpaid bal- ances payable at the rate of 3%% per annum. Par is required to make payments of $150,000 each quarter commencing March 1, 1951. Provisional Paymeht Deal provides that the major, un- der certain conditions, may prepay air or any portion of the loan prior to Dec. 31, 1951, without payment of any premiums. Optional pre- payments also are allowed, in some cases without premium and " in other cases with premium of 1%, 2% or-3%, as the case may be. Special letter sent to stockhold- ers by prexy Barney Balabaii, ad- vising them of the 500,000-share bid, was accompanied by a con- solidated balance sheet and profit- and-loss statement for the nine months ended last Sept. 30. As pre- viously reported, company had a profit for the period of $4,571,112. Dividends, at the rate of $1.50 per share, amounted to $4,224,947, leav- ing an earned $urplus of $346,165. Firm, at the end of the nine- hionth period, had total current as- sets of $65,591j707, against total current liabilities of $9,416,080. As- sets included $19,488,376 in cash and Government securities, and $38,820,614 in film and other in- ventories. Par’s heavy stock holdings in Allen B. DuMont Laboratories con- tinue on the books at $164,000, rep- resepting the amount of original investment. Actually, Par figures the market value of the DuMont shares is above $10,000,000. DuMont divvy of 50c per shar? recently voted will make Par’s fourth quarter the best of the year, Balaban noted in his letter. As Boxoffice Drterrent Voiced by B&K Exec Chicago, Dec. 26. A Balaban; & Katz spokesman blamed nation-wide installment buy- ing as one of his circuit’s top op- ponents in 1950. In regarding B&K’s: business downswing last year, he charged the public with purehasihg teevee sets and other luxury items without reconnoitering its bank balance. The buck that formerly went for the theatre ticket each week is now being used to meet obligations of credit buy- ing, he said. , Circuit spokesman cited the re- cent report by the U. S. Treasury Department that more Class E bonds are being turned back for cash than at any time in recent years. Most of the demand for coin, he said, stems ffom panicky buying, particularly of video sets, and especially after the 10% tax announcement by the Government last year. B&K topper opined that pros- pects loom better for 1951, pro- vided quality of picts impro\es. “As long as we have good pictures,” he said, “there’s nothing that can stand in the Way.” Circuit biggie concurred, however, that pix have been better in 1950 than during B&K’s big year in 1946, over which a 30% decline has been registered Hast year. PlCTVRi: CROSSES Wednesday^ December 27 , 1950' Ifaiikee’ tnsfy SG; ‘Dance^ ISG, 2d Los Angeles* Dec. 26 j 4 Most film deluxers here brought In new bills Christmas Day (25) with biz generally running ahead of Xmas a year ago. Warner got a jump on other showcases by open^ Ing “Dallas” on Saturday (23), with hefty $45,0()0 in prospect. “Born Yesterday” was another strong opener* doing $8' 000 in single day in two sites. “Magnificent Yankee” shapes 8ock in small-seater. “Harvey” is looking for forte trade based on matinee trade initial days. Also kicking off well is “For Heaven’s Sake” in five spots. Only hold- over to do outstanding ^ biz. is “Cyrano.” which is .stoiit in fifth round. “Let’s Dance” looms fine $15*000 or over in second week at two Paramounts, Estimates forThis Week Los Angeles, Chinese, tJptown, Loyola, WilShire (FWC) (2,097; 2,048; 1,719; 1,248; 2.296; 70-$1.10) “For . Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Opened Monday (25). Last .week, “American Guerrilla” (20th), only $12:300 on 5 days after $32,000 first full week, Hollywood, Downtown, WiltemV (WB) (2,756: 1,757; 2,344; 60-$l)— ' “Dallas” (WB). Sturdy $45,000. Last week, “Highway 301” (WB) (10 days), $31,000. Loew’s State, Egyptian (UA) (3 404; 1,538; 70-$1.10) — “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G) and “Un- der Mexicali Stars” (Rep) (2d wk- 6 days. Gkay $15,000. Last week $ 22 , 000 . Ilillstreet, Pantages (RKO) (2,- 890;; 2,812; 60-$l)— “Born Yester- day” (Gol). Opened Monday (25). Last week, “Sahara” (Col) and “Coast Guard” (Col) (reissues) (3 days), okay $6,500* and “Emergency Wedding” (Col) and “Beyond Purple Hills” (Gol) (6 days), $7, 800. Los Angeles, Hollywood Para- mounts (F&M) (3,398; 1,451; 50-$l) —“Let’s Dance” (Par) and “Trail Robin Hood” (Rep) (2d wk). ' Fine $15,000. Last Week, $19,OO0. Orpheiim (Metropolitan) (2,210; 7()-$li0)— “Hostile Country” (Lip) with Billy Eckstine onstage. Opened Monday (25).. Last week, “Once a Thief” (UA) and “Light- ning Guns” (Col) (9 days). Only $5:500* Hawaii, Beverly Hills Music Hall (Metropolitan) (1,106; 855; 50-$l)— ^ “Hamlet” (U). Opened Monday (25). Last week* “Once Thief” (UA) and “Lightning Guns’ (Col) (9 daysK drab $4,500. United Artists. Ritz, Vogue, Stu- dio City, Culver (UA-FWC) (2,100; i:370; 885; 880; 1,145; 70-$1.10)— “Frenchie” (U). Opened Monday (25). Last week, “Mystery Sub- marine” (U) and “Outlaw Gold (Mono) (10 days), $20,000. Four Star (UA) (900; 70-90) — “Magnificent Yankee” (M-G). Great $8,000. Last week, “Thunder Rock” (Indie) (reissue) (2d wk-6 days), $ 1 , 000 . ■ Fine Arts (FWC) (677; $1.20- 2.40)— “Cyrano” (UA) (6th wk). In- to 6th frame today (Tues). Last week, fine $7,000 ahead of fourth week. Carthay (FWC) (1,518; 85-$1.50) —“Harvey” (U). Opened Academy qualifying run yesterday (Mon.), Broadway Grosses Estimated Total Gross This Week . . . : , $634,500 ( Based on 18 theatres . ) . Last Yeair . - .. . . • . . .$880,300 (Rased on 17 theatres) ; St too Ace St. Louis, Dec. 26. “Harvey” iis the distinct filin standout for all first-runs here this week, with smash session looming at the Missouri. “Never a Dull Moihent” shapes as fine hold- over at the Fox. “Miniver Story” looks only fairish at Loew’s. Fine weather aver weekend is boosting trade after slow returns all last week/ V- Estimates for This Wek Ambassador (F&M) (3,000; 60-75) “TWO Flags West” (20th) and “Where Danger Lives” (RKO). Fine $13,000, Last w'eek, “West Point Story”MWB) and “American Guerrillas” (20th), $10,0^0. Fox (F&M) (5;000; 60-.75) — “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) and “Dark City” (Par) (2d wk). Fine- $15*000 following $16,000 initial stanza' Loew’s (Loew) (3*172; 50-75) — “Miniver Story” (M-G) and “Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone” (M-G). Gke $14,000. Last week, “Fuller Brush Girl” (Gol) and “Last Buc- caneers” (Col), $11,000. Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 60-75)— “Harvey” (U) and “Mad Wednes- day” (RKO). Terrific $20,000. Last week, “All About Eve” (20th) and “Harriet Craig” (Gol), $9,000. Shubert (Ind) (1,500; 60-75) — “All About Eve” (20th). Big $5,500. Last week, “Red Shoes” (EL) and “Winslow Boy*’ (EL). $5,000. ’Music’ Balto Standout, 16G; ’Dallas’ So-so 13G Baltiniore, Dec. 26. Shake up of opening dates and general booking of above-average product have placed the down- town deluxers here in good posi- tion fpr whatever holiday trade may be engendered following an offish weekend. “Dallas” is show- ing some strength at the Stanley* while “Mr. Music,” looks standout with hefty session at Keith’s. Of the others, “For Heaven’s Sake” shows the most promise with okay total at the New. Estimates for This Week Century (Loew’s-UA) (3,000; 20- 70)— “Watch Birdie” (M-G). Point- ing to passable $10,000. Last week, “Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) arid ’’Day at Races” (M-G) (re- issues), $4,900. Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,240; 25-80)— “Stage to Tucson” (Col) plus Hamid’s Olympia Circus on- stage. Good $14,000. Last week, “Platinum' Blonde” (Col) and “Gilda” (Col) (reissues) plus vaude, $ 8 , 200 . Keith’s (Schanberger) (2,460; 20- 70)^ — “Mr. Music” (Par). Heading for . hefty $16,000. Last week, “If This Be Love” (UA), $4,200. Mayfair (Hicks) (980; 20-70)— “High Lonesome” (EL). Opened today (Tues:) after week of “Arabian Nights” (UA) (reissue) hit slim $3,900. . New (Mechanic) (1,800; 20-70)— “For Heaven’s Sake”. (20th). Looks okay $8,000: Last Week, “All About Eve” (20th) (5th wk), $5,300. Stanley (WB) (3,280; 25-75) — “Dallas” (WB). Barely okay $13,- 000 looms. Last week, “San Quen- tin” (WB) and “Alcatraz” (WB) (reissues), $4,000. Town (Rappaport). (1,500; 35-70) —“Sorig of South” (RKO) and “Make Mirie Music” (RKO) (re- issues). Trim $7,000 or near. Last week, “Next Voice” (M-G), $4,300. Prov. NSG But ’Vendetta’ Trim $ll,00d, ic’NeallSG, airatl2iG . Christmas aftermath plus new product at all major spots is result- ing in a ^ pickup in boxoffice re- ceipts this stanza. House skeds are plenty shuffled around, man- agers making strong bids for trade. ’Mr. Music” Shapes neat at Met and ’’For JHleaven’s Sake” with nice Opening at Memorial shape as best in town. “Right Cross” at State and OrpheUm is only fair. “Ven- detta” looms fine at reopened Bos- .'tpn.' ■ • . Estimates for This Week ^ .Astor (B&Q) (1.200; 50-95) — Fantasia” (RKO) (reissue). Okay $5,000. Last Week. “State Secret” ' (Col) (4th wk), $3,000. ^ Boston (RKO) (3,200; 40-85)— VAendetta” (RKO). House re- opened Christmas having been closed for four weeks for facelift- ing. Nice $11,000 or over. Last week, shuttered. Average $5*000. Last week, “Southside (Qontinued on pa^e, 18) ‘Flags’ OK $10,000 In Oniitha; ‘Hawk’ Good 8G Omaha, Dec. 26. With s u m m e r y pre-holiday weather, allowing everybody to get to the shops, the boxoffice took a weekend slump even with holiday pictures on tap. “Two Flags West” at Orpheum is okay" whib?, “West Roint Story” at Brandeis looks fair. “For Heaven’s Sake” also shapes modest at Paramount. Estimates for This Week Orpheum (Tristates) (3,000; 16- 65)— “Two Flags West” (20th) and “Hidden City” (Mono). Okay near $10,000. Last w e e k, “Destination Moon” (EL) and “Armored Car Robbery’^ (RKO), $11,000. Paramount (Tristates) (2,800; 16- 65) — “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Fair $9,500. Last week, “Miniver Story” (M-G), $8,000. Brandeis (RKO) (1,500; 16-65)— “West Point Story” (WB). Opened Saturday with fair total in pros- pect. Last Aveek, “Last of Bucca- neers” (Goi) and “Midnight and pawn” (Cril), slow $5,000. Omaha (Tristates) (2,100; 16-65) — ‘Desert Hawk” (U) and “Blues .BUsters“ (Mono). Good $8,000. Last week, “Dark City” (Par) and “Prisoners in Petticoats” (Rep)* $6,500. State (Goldberg) (865; 20-75> — “To Please Lady” (M-G) (3d wk). Fair $3,500. $5,300. Providence, Dec. 26. Despite optimistic predictions things are still really tough around here. Slight Upsurge came with the end of Christmas shopping splurges but nothing Tike that seen in previous years before TV. Prom- ise of outstanding Christmas day TV programs, etc., also cut. Best of the current Crop is State’s “Watch the Bi^idie.” Other stands are way below par. Estimatest for This Week Alhee (RKO) (2,200; 44-65)— “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) and ’‘Experiment Alcatraz” (RKO). So- so $8*000. Last week, “Gilda” (Gol) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (reissues), $7,000. Carlton (1,200; 44-65)— “Trail, of Robin Hood” (Rep) and “Blazing Sun” (Rep). Fair $5,000. Last week, reissue. Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 44-65)— “Jackpot” (20th) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip). Very slow $6,000. Last week, “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Father’s Wild Game” (U), nice $9,000. Metropolitan (Snider) (3,100; 44- 65)— “Milkman” (U) and “Pygmy Island” (Col). Fair $6,000. Last week, “Black Angel” (Indie) and “Tangier” (Indie) (reissues), slow $4,200. State (Loew) (3,200; 44-65)— “Watch Birdie” (M-G) and “Gun- fire (M-G). Disappointing but tops at $11,500, Last week, “Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races’’ (M-G) (reissues), weak $9,500. Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 44-65) —“Branded” (Par). Opened Mon-^ day (25). Last week, “Winslow week, oke ; Boy” (EL) and “Perfect Lady’’ I (EL), so-so $5,000. Cincinnati, Dec. 26. Noel jingling is respunding mer- rily at the wickets here this week. Three new bills, “Pagan Love Song” at Grand, current town top- per, and “Harvey” in Keith’s are standout. “For Heaven’s Sake,’* at Capitol, also is big. • Two other newcomers, “Never A Dull Mo- ment” at Palace and “Mrs. O’Mal- ley and Mr. MalOne” in Albee were slowed by early-in-week openings but stepped up with arrival of the holidays. Estimates for This Week Albee (3,100; 39-75) —“Mrs. Capitol '(Mid-States) (2,000; 39^ 75)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Lofty $12,000. Holds. Last week, “All About Eve” (20th) (24 Wk), $7,500. Grand (RKO) (1,400; 39-75) — “Pagan Love Song” (M-G). Smash $14,000. Stays anotheri stanza/ Last week, “Davy Crockett” (UA) and “Gun Crazy” (UA). $6,500. Keith’s (Mid-States) (1,542; 39- 75)— “Harvey” (U). Wow $12,000, warranting extended time. Last week, “Mystery Submarine” (U), so-so $4,600. Palace (RKO) (2,600; 39-75) — ‘Mask’ Terrif 18G, Trencbie’ Wow Frisco; ‘Branded’ 130 , ‘Song’ 24G key City Gros$e$ Estimated Total Gross This " Week ; . ... $2,343,500 . ( Based on 24 cities,, 193 the- atres, chiefly runs, include ing N: Y.) • Total Gross Same Week Last Year ... .$2,804,0^^ {Based on 21 citios, and 17.8 theatres.) O'Malley and Mr. Malone” (M-G)/i“Never , A Dull Moment” (RKO). Mild $7,500. Last week, “Killer ' Fairish $9,000. Last wrick, “Mid- That Stalked N. Y.” (Col), $7,000. night and DaAVn” (Col), $7,500* Philadelphia, Dec. 26. New product and favorable weather is spelling nice trade gen- erally here this sessiori. Terrific bally helped preem of “The Gold- bergs’’ at the new Midtown thea- tre, with neat week in prospect. “Mr. Music” shapes smash at the Goldman while “Pagan Love Song” looms solid at the Randolph. “Dallas” shapes well at Mastbaum and “For Heaven's Sake” started out fast at the Fox on Monday (25).-:' Estimates for This Week Aldine (WB) (1,303; 50-99) — “Watch Birdie” (M-G). Lean $7,- 500. Last week, “Ichabod, Mr. Toad” (RKO), $8,500. Boyd (WB) (2,360; 50-99)— “Kim” (M-G). Sock $24,000. Last week, “■Three Husbands” (UA), $9,700. Earle (WB) (2,700; 50-99)— “1,001 Nights” (Col) and “Tars and Spars” (Gol) (reissues). Weak $4,500 in 4 days. Last week, “Undercover Girl” (U), $12,000. Fox (20th) (2,250; 50-99)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Opened Monday (25). Last week, “2 Flags West” (20th) (2d wk), mild $10,000 in 5 days. Goldman: (Goldman) (1,200; 50- 99) — “Mr. Music” (Par). Smash $24,000. Last week, “Mad Wednes- day” (RKO), fast $17,500 in 9 days. Mastbaum (WB) (4,360; 50-99)— “Dallas” (WB).' Sturdy $22,000. Last week, “ril Get By” (20th) (2d wk), $18,000 for 9 days. Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; 50- 99) — “The Goldbergs” (Par). This new pic opened this brand new theatre after big bally. Neat $13,000. Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 50- 99)— “Pagan Love Song” (M-G). Solid $21,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (M-G) (5th wk), $7,500. Stanley (WB) (2,950; 50-99) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (5th wk). Down to $9,000. Last week, $14,000. Stanton (WB) (1,4'73; 50-99) — “Mystery Submarine” (U). Oke $9,000. Last week, “Highway 301” (WB) (2d wk), $10,000. Trans^Lux (T-L) (500; 50-99)— “Trio” (Par) (6th wk). Off to $3,- 000. Last week, $3,400. World (G&S) (500; 50-99) — “Bitter Rice” (Indie) (5th wk). Tasty $5,000. Last week, $5,600. In Indph.; ’Get By' lOG . Indianapolis, Dec. 26. First-rurts are being helped only mildly here currently by Christmas week. “Watch the Birdie” will lead town with stout figure at Loew’s. “I’ll Get By” is nice at Circle, “Kansas' Raiders,” at Indiana, looks fair. ■■ \ ■ Estimates for This Week Circle (Gamble-Dolle) (2,800; 44- 65)--”ril Get By” (20th) and “Ex- periment Alcatraz” (RKO). Nice $10,000. Last week, “Born Bad” (RKO) and “Father’s Wild Game” (Mono), dull $7,0()0, after Ralph Flanagan orch, Patti Page tilted ’ Admiral” (UA) to smash $18,800 in previous week. Indiana (tx^D) (3,300; 44-65)— “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Woman on Run’* (U). Fair $9,000. Last week, “Destination Moon” (EL) and “Redwood Forest Trail” (Rep), $8,000. . . ■ ■ Loew’s (Loew's) (2,427; 44-65)— “Watch , Birdie” (M-G) and “Dial 1119” (M-G). Stout $12,000. Last week, “Two Weeks Love’* (M-G) and “Next Voice You Hear*’ (M-G), $9,500. Lyric (G-D) (1,600; 44-65)— ’‘Mad Wednesday” (RKO) and “Border Treasure” (RKO), Mild $4,500. Last week, “Hell Town” (Indie) and “Buffalo Stampede” (Indie) (reissues), ditto.. San Francisco, Dec. 26. City is packed with new, sttong product and biz currently is reflect- ing it with smash sessions. “Pagan Love Song” shapes as biggest grosser with sock total at Warfield. However, “Mr. Music” is equally as strong with wow session at St, Francis. “Harvey” is in same class with wow session at Orpheum while “Branded” looms strong at Para- mount. ’’Never a Dull Moment’* looks big at Golden Gate despite opening last Wednesday while town still was limping. Estimates for This Week Golden Gate (RKO) (2,850; 60- 85)— “Never Dull-Moment” (RKO) and “Hue And Cry” (Indie). Big $18,000. Last week, “Prehistoric Women” (EL) and ’’Prisoners In Petticoats” (EL), $12, 000.- Fox (FWC) (4,651; 65-90) — '’Dallas” (WB) arid “Trail Of Robins hood” (Rep). Good $21,500 in 9 days. Last Werik, ”Two Flags West” (20th) and “California Passage'* (Rep) (2d wk), $9;500. Warfield (Loew’s) (2,656; 60-85) —“Pagan Love Song” (M-G). Sock $24,000. Last Week, “Miniver Story” (M-G), $12,000. Paramount (Par) (2,646; 60-85)-^ “Branded” (Par) and “County Fair” (Mono). Great $22,000. Last week, “Two Lost Worlds” (EL) and “Highway 301” (WB), big $20,000. St* Francis (Par) (1,400; 60-85)--- *!Mr. Music” (Par). Terrific $18,000. Last week, “West Point” (WB) (4th wk), $6,500. Orpheum (No. Coast) (2,478; 55- 85)— “Harvey” (U). WoW $22,500. Last week, “Tough As Come” (Col) and “He’s Cockeyed Wonder” (Col), $ 12 , 000 . United Artists (No. Coast) (1,207; 55-85) — “Frenchie” (U). Colossal $14,000. Last week, “Undercover Girl” (U), $7,000. Stagedoor (A-R) (370; 85-$l)-* “Fantasia” (RKO) (reissue). Good $3,200. Last week, “Keys To King- dom” (RKO) and “Razor’s Edge” (20th) (reissues), $2,800. Clay (Rosener) (400; 65-85)— “Bitter Rice” (Indie), Big $3,800, Last week, “Mafia” (Indie) (re- issue), $2,000. ' Larkin (Rosener) (400; 65-85) — “Bitter Rice” (Indie). Great $3,- 700. Last week, “Gatskill Honey- moon” (Indie), $2,000, Pitt Up; Godfrey Unit tilts ’Pier’ Socko 25G, Pittsburgh, Dec. 26. With few spots doing much ovrir the weekend, as expected, Xmas Day saw biz perking at night. Ai> thur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts unit with Billy Lawrencri and Billy Gil- bert should give “Woman on Pier 13” a sock session at the Stanley. “Kansas Raiders” is a strong en- try at Fulton. ‘’For Heaven’s Sake'* is pacing for not much over aver- age at Harris. Estimates for This Week Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 45-80)— ’‘Kansas Raiders” (U). Sturdy $10,- 000 at least. Last week, “South- side 1-100” (Mono), $4,000. Harris (Harris) (2,200; 45-80)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Nice $12,000, looms. Likely candidate to stick for New Year’s. Last week, Midnight and Dawn” (Col), $7,500. Penn (Loew’s) (3,300; 45-80)— “Watch Birdie” (M-G). Not doing as good as Red Skelton comedies usually do. Modest $14,000 or close. Last week, “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G), $10,000 in 8 days. Stanley (WB) (3,800; 60-$l .10)-r- “Woman on Pier 13” (RKO) and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts on- stage. Scouts the big Wraw, natch„ and looks; smash $25,000 or over, ^st. week, “Where Danger Lives’* (RKO), $9,000. JVarner (WB) (2,000; 45-80)— _Gilda’ (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (reissues). Pair booked in at ' Iast ’ minute. Mild $6,500. Last week, “Outrage (RKO), about same* ‘Heaven’ Hearty $13, ()00, Port.; ‘2 Weeks’ Fat 14 . Portland, Ore., Dec. 26. Nothing outstanding in the w of -product is showing at first-ru this Week considering this is holiday week. Local girl Ja Powell in“Two Weeks With Lov at' United Artists is boosting tl pic to best showing in city. ’-F Heaven’s Sake” also shapes fairly well, Estimates for This Week Broadway (Parker) (1,850; I (Continued on page; 18) , < Wednesday, December 27, 1950 iPiCTlJIIE OaOSSES i ic -Vaude Sockeroo at 48G, Chi; Chicago, Dec. 26. -f- Ti uiT»P"card product in Loop this week is giving most spots a big boost but 9-inch snowfall will clip totals Oriental looms tops, with "Mr Music” and Ames Brothers onstage with sock $48,000. Chicago entry ‘ Pagan Love Song’V and Phil Silvers and Ethel Smith topping stage show, is okay at $40,000^ "Frenchie” shapes big at the , Uni left Artist^ v >; State-Lake bowed with “Harvey” vest 0 relay (25) to fine returns. “For Heaven’s Sake” teedoff at Woods vith fine $20,000. “Vendetta” shouUl nab nice $13,000 at Grand, Estimates for This Week rhicago (B&K) (3.900; 55-98)— “Pagan Love Song” (M-G) plus Phil Silvers, Ethel Smith topping stagoshovv. Just okay $40,00Q. Last week “Dark City” (Par) and Duke Ellington orch and Sarah Vaughan onstage, $32,000, Grand (BKO) (1,200; 55-98)— ehdetta” (RKO). Fine $13,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (5th wk), $14,500 in la days. Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 55-98)- — “Mr. Music” (Par) with Ames Brothers and Roily Rolls onstage. Sock $48,000. Last week, ”Two Week.s With Love” (M-G) apd 3 Stooges and Eileen Barton oiistage (3(1 w k), $18,000. Palace (RKO) (2,500'; 55-98)—^ “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) and “Tougher They Gome” (Col). Opened Sunday (24). In ahead, “Outrage” (RKO) and “Modem Marriage” (Mono) $4,000. Last week, and “Cassino to $ 10 , 000 . (4 days), dull “Deported” (U) Korea” (Par), Roosevelt (B&K) (1.500; 55-98)— “Fighting Caravans” (Indie) and “Fighting Westerners” (Indie) (re- issuc.sh Minor $10,000. Last week, “Southside 1-1000” (Mono) and “Surrender” (Rep), $8,500. State-Lake (B&K) (2,700; 55-98) —“Harvey” (U). Opened yesterday (Mon.) big. Ldst week, “San; Quen- tin” (VVB) and “Alcatraz Island’’ (WB) (reissues) (2d wk). Slim $9,- 000. Last week, $11,000. United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 55- 98\— “Frenchie” (U) and “He’s a Cockeyed Wonder” (Col). Big $14r 000 or over. Last week, “Gilda” (Coll and . “Platinum Blonde” (Coll (reissues) (2d wk), $9,000. Woods (Essaness) (1,073; 98)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Fine $20,000. Last week, “Kansas Raid- er.'^ ’ (U) (3d wk), $3,000 in 3 days. World (Indie) (587; 80) — “Blue Angel” (Indie) (reissue) (2d wk). Great $4,000. Last week, $6,500. ‘Music’lciid $13,000 h Seattle; lad Wed.’ Hot 9G, ‘Heaven’ Loft; 12G Seattle, Dec. 26. Trade at first-runs Is better this week. “Mr. Music” looks standout while “Mad Wednesday” shaped nice. “For Heaven’s Sake” also is trim at the larger Paramount, Estimates for This Week Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800: 65- 00 i— “Undercover Girl” (U). Good .$3,000 in 6 days. Last week, “West Point Story” .(WB) (4th wk), $2,- 400. Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,349; ().O'90)-r-“Mr, Music” (Par) and ; rougher They Come” (Col). Big $13,000. Last week, “Let’s Dance” (IMiO and “Torch” (EL) (3d wk), $4,800 in 6 days. Liberty (Hainrick) (1,650; 65-90) ^ Mystery Submarine” (U). Fair f dvOOO. Last week, “2 Weeks Love” (M-G). and: “Dial 1119” (M-G) (3d wk). oke $3,900 in 4 .days. Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 65-90) — 'Hit Parade ’51” (Rep). , Slow Sm.dOO. Last Week, “Good Time Girl” (EL), $4;200; " .^Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,200; 65- Solomon’s Mines” IcM “Happy Years” (M-G) (5th wk).^ Great $9,000. Holds. Last Week. $10,700. Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,600; 65- Mad Wednesday” (RKO) and Robin Hood” (Rep). Nice Lsst week; “Breakthrough” (WBi (2d wk) big $7,000 in 9 days. . Palomar (Sterling) (1,350; 65-90) ■lackpot” (2Dth) (2d run) plus sbigeshovv. Big $8,500. Last week, . Hi idi Lonesome” (EL) .(2d run) and vaude. $3,600. rvw-,;t**(owount (Evergreen) (3,039; ' Heaven’s Sake” (20th) Fireball” (20th). Trim Last week, “Hell Town” uliei and “Buffalo Stampede” indie ), $8,000 in 8 daysl • ' Estimates Are Net Film gross estimates as re- ported herewith from the vari- ous key cities, are net, l.e., without the 20% tax, pistribu- tors 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 Lax. Buffalo, Dec. 26. * Christmas lull is putting skids under boxofflee take here this week and last stanza. Standout Is “DallaSi” with great session' at Center. “Mr. Music” also is nice at Paramount. Estimates for This Week Buffalo (Loews) (3,50Q; 40-70)— “Watch Birdie” (M-G) and “Hot Rod” (Mono). Mild $10,000. Last week, “Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone” (M-G) and “Husbands Three” (UA), $7,500. Paramount (Par) (3,000; 40-75) — ‘‘Mr. Music” (Par), Nice $12,000. Last Week, “Highway 301” (WB) and “Southside 1-1000” (Mono), $ 11 , 000 . Center (Par) (2,100; 40-75) — “Dallas” (WB). Great $13,000. Last week, “I’ll Get By” (20th) (2d wk), $7,200. Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 40-70)— “Deported” (U) and “Undercover Girl” (U). Light $7,500. Last week, “Emergency Wedding” (Col) and “Pygmy Island” (Col), $6,000. Century (20th Cent.) (3,000; 40- 70)— “Song of South” (RKCD) and “Make Mine Music” (RKO) (re- issues). Lean $5,000. Last week, “Mr. Lucky” (RKO) and “Lady Takes Chance” (RKO) (reissues), $ 6 , 000 . K.C.; ’Music’ Fast 16G Kansas City, Dec. 26. Film houses going out for biz in big way with stellar line-up of pix this week. “Mr. Music” at the Paramount looks for one of big- gest weeks recently after a strong opening. “Two Weeks With Love” is pleasing at the Midland, RKO’s Missouri is sharp with “Never a Dull Moment.” Fox-Midwest three- house combo is holdover on “American Guerrilla in the Philip- pines,” and likely to top opening round. Weather is bringing some of the warmest winter days on record. Estimates for This Week Esquire (Fox-Midwest) (820; 45- 65) — “Pituri” (Indie) and. “Jungle Stampede” (Rep). Nice $3,000, Last week, “Dedee” (Indie) and “Good Time Girl” (EL), best in many weeks, sock $3,800. Kimb (Dickinson) (550; 50-75) — “March of Wooden Soldiers” (Lip) (reissue). Average $1,500. Last week, “Mr. Perrin and Mr. Trail” (Indie) and “Canterbury Tale” (Indie)^ $1;000. ; Midland (Loew’s) (3, 500; 45-65) —“Two Weeks With Love?’ (M-G) and “Kiss for Corliss” (Col). Pleasant $16,000. Last week, “Fuller Brush Girl” (Col) and “Last of Buccaneers” ((IJol), $10,000. Missouri (RKO) (2,65Q; 45-65) “Never Dull Moment’? (RKO) and “Blues Busters” (Mono). Better than recently here with nice $11,- 000, Last week, “Born to West” (Indie) and “The Thundering Herd’’ (Indiel (reissues), $7,000. Paramount (UP) (1,900; 45-65)— “Mr. Music” (Par). Giving house one of biggest weeks in recent months at $16,000 or near. Holds over. Last week, “Buccaneer” (Par) and “Ladies Big House” (Par) (reissues), low $7,000, Tower - Uptown - Fairway (Fox- Midwest) (2,100; 2,043; 700; 45-65). — “American Guerrilla” (20th) (2d wk). Help of holiday crowd better- ing first week, fast $12,000. Last week, held up to $11,000 in face of usual pre-Xnias’ slumR/ ‘BIROr IIG, L’VIllE; ‘MILKMAN’ FAIR 5iG Lpuisyille, Dec. 26. Business at the downtown houses was slowed to ; a walk over week- end before Christmas. Some up- turn was noted Christmas Day, but generally the pace is slow this ses- sion; “Watch Birdie” and “Next Voice You Hear” at the State will make best showing, with “Jackpot” and “Blues Busters’? at the Rialto a loping runner-up. “Mad Wednes- day” at Strand is only mild. Estimates for This Week Mary Anderson (Peoplels) (1,200; 45-65) — “Milkman” (U). Fair $5,- 500 in prospect. Last week, “High- way 301” (WB), $6,500. Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 45-65) — “Jackpot” (20th) and “Blues Busters” (MonO). Mild $9,- 000. Last week, “Born to Be Bad” (Par) and “Woman on Pier 13” (Par), satisfaictory $11,000. State (I^oew’s) (3,000; 45-65)— “Watch Birdie” (M-G) and “Next Voice” (M-G). Stacks up as good product, but holiday activities not helping. Modest $11,000. Last week, “Last of Buccaneers” (Col) and “Fuller Brush Girl” (Col), fairish $10,00Q. Strand (FA) (1,200; 45-65)— “Mad Wednesday” (1^0) and “Walt Disney Cartoon Festival” (RKO). Mild $4,6 oO, indicated. Last week, “Trail Robin Hood” (Rep) and “Hit Parade 1951” (Rep), $4,500. Toronto, Dec. 26. Smash returns for “Harvey” and ,*T’ll Get By,” running nearly even will be standout this session. “For Heaven’s Sake,” in two houses, looms neat. “Fuller Brush Girl” is also doing okay. Estimates for This Week Downtown, Glendale, Mayfair, Scarboro, State (Taylor) (1,059; 955; 470; 698: 694; 35-57)— “San Quentin” (WB) and “Alcatraz Island” (WB) (reissues). Okay $12,000. Last week, “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (re- issues), $11,000. Eglinton. Victoria (FP) (1,180; 1,140; 38-77)— “Miracle 34th St.” (20th) and “Adventures Tom Saw- yer” (SRO) (reissuos), continuing sharp $7,000. Last week, $7,200. Imperial (FP) (3.373; 38-77)— “Dark City” (Par) (2d wk). Neat $10,000. Last week, $13,000, Loew’s (Loew) (2,096; 48-67)— “To Please Lady” (M-G) (2d wk). Satisfactory $6,700 in 5 days. Last week, $11,000. Nortown, University (FP) (959; i,556; 38-77)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Neat $11;000. Last week, “Breaking Point” (WB) (2d wk), $7,000. Odeon (Rank) (2,390; 50-90)— “I’ll Get By” (20th). Big $17,000. Last week, “Reluctant Widow” (EL), $8,500. Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 38-77)— “Fuller Brush Girl” - (Col). Okay $8,000. Last week, “Born Be Bad” (RKO) (2d wk), $6,000. Uptown (Loew) (2,743; 38-67) — “Harvey” (U). Smash $16,500. Last week, “Milkfhan” (U), $5,500. Holdovers Hurt Mont’l ; ‘Convicted’ Fine ^8,000 Montreal, Dec. 26. “Convicted” and “Counterspy” at Imperial is only bill doing much this stanza here, other houses be- ing heavily hit by holiday influ- ences. “Great Jewel Robber,” an- other newcomer, shapes slow at Princess, Estimates for This Week Palace (C.TJ (2,625; 34-60) — “Three Daring Daugnters” (M-G) (2d wk). Way off to $6,000 followr ing okay first session at $16,000, Capitol (C.T.) (2,412; 34-60) — “Fireball” (20th). Lean $7,000. Last week, “Joan of Arc” (RKO), $8,000. Princess (C.T.) (2,131; 34-60) — “Great Jewel Robber” (WB). Slow $7,000, Last week, “Right Cross” (M-G), $10,500. Loew’s (C.T.) (2,855; 40-65) — “Toast New Orleans’? (M-G) (3d wk)- Down to $8,000 after sturdy $15,000 in second. imperial (C.T.) (1,839; 34-60) -- “Convicted’^ (Cql) and “Counter- spy” (Col). Fine $$»000.. Last week, “C a p t u r e” (RKO) and “inter- rupted Journey” (RKO), $7,000. 4th Youngstown Closing Youngstown, Dec. 26. Fourth theatre to close in Youngstown this year, the Strand darkened last week. Decision to close vvas mad when the owners and the operators' Lo* call .388, lATSE, failed to reach an agreement on a new edritr^cL ‘ ■ Xmas Ups B way; ‘Musk’ Solid 73G Widi Prima-Jan Murray on Stage, “Harvey 35(j, “Mudlark’ 36, “West Pt’ (6 Long holiday weekend plus the usual business pickup after Christ- mas Eve is giving Broadway first- runs a real lift this week. Natural- ly, Christmas Day (Mon.) was much better than most recent days hut the biggest Improvement came yesterday (Tues.). Subsequent biz is expected to be strong. While the steady snowfall yesterday did hot particularly cut into earlier biz, many managers were fearful that too much snow would damage the prize take in the next few days if it continued heavy. With schools out arid a letup in Xmas shopping, most houses on Tuesday (26) be- lieved the day’s trade would re- flect the customary after Dec. 25 increase. Weather was largely favorable until Tuesday’s snow. Brightest newcomer for vaud- film theatres looks to be '*‘Mr, Music” with Louis Prima band and Jan Murray heading stageshow at Paramount. Combo wound up ini- tial week last (Tues.) with solid $73,000, especially nice in View of starting in middle of worst pre- Xmas session. “Harvey” and “Mudlark” are outstanding among the new straight film bills. Despite opening Thursday (21), about the peak of. the pre-Christmas lull, “Harvey” is soaring to about $35,000, smash, in initial session at the Astor. Helped by good reviews, James Stewart starrer, adapted from the legit comedy hit, rebounded sharply as soori as the Street got back to normal. “Mudlark’? is about as strong at the bigger RivOli, with a big $36,000 likely, . “West Point Story,” piu$ Jackte Miles, Mary Raye & Naldi, Don Cornell, topping stage bill, looks fine $46,000 or near at the Strand. “Flying Missile” does not shape as strong as expected but is still good «t around $25,000 at the State. Holiday crowds plus extra shows last . Saturday is pushing “Kim,” with annual Xmas stageshow and pageant, to smash $160,000 at the Music Hall despite this being the third frame for this bill. §tays through Jan. 10, with New Year’s Eve show sold out weeks ago.. “For Heaven’s Sake,” with Yule- tide show featuring Elsa & Waldo, plus iceshow, is soaring to great $110,000 in second week at the Roxy, far ahead of initial round. . Both the Capitol and Glpbe brought in new shows Christmas Day while Victoria opened “Born Yesterday” yesterday in sock style. “Pagan Love Song” with Ink Spots, Shep Fields band, Marilyn Max- well onstage, started smash at the Cap while “Vendetta” teed off well at Globe. , Holiday week is pushing up such long-run pictures as “Cyrano” at the Bijou, where it’s in sixth week starting today, and “Trio,” now in 12th stanza at the Sutton. Two new bills open Dec. 30. “The Milkman” comes into the Mayfair on that date and “Where Danger Lives” opens the same day at the Criterion. Estimates for This Week Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 55-$1.50) — ^^“Harvey” (U). Initial week end- ing today (Wed.) is beading for socko $35,000 or close, Looks in for { < run. Teed off with special benefit show of the N. Y. Heart’ Fund on Dec. 20. Bijou, (City Inv.) (589; $1.20- $2 40) — “Cyrano” (UA) (6th wk). Fifth r o. u ri d ended last night (Tues.) picked up to smash $15,000, aided by extra shows. Fourth week was $12,500. Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 5541.50) — ‘Pagan Love Song” (M-G) plus Ink Spots, Shep Fields orch, Mari- lyn Maxwell heading stageshow. Opened Monday (25)i first two days being great $25,000. In ahead, “Watch Birdie” (M-G) with Enric Madrigucra Orch, Paul Regan, others onstage (2d wk)ii was down to drab $12,000. Criterion (Moss) (1,700; 50-$1.75) — “Pinbcchio” (RKO) and“Make Mine Music” (RkO) (reissues) (2d wk). Initial holdover round ending tomorrow (Thurs.) climbing to big $17,000 after $14,000 opening week, a bit below hopes. “Where Dangei* Lives” (RKO) opens Dec. 30. Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 50-$1.20) — “Vendetta” (RKO). Opened Mond^ (25) in fine style. In ahead,- California Passage” (Rep), slow $10,000 in 9. days. Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; ou - 1 - , - ^ a $1.20)-— “Rio Grande” (Rep) (6th ; “Horse Feathers (Par) (reissues), wk). J^ushed up to okay ,$ 8 ,()i 0 p.i Okay $3,500. LasV . week^^. Rio after $5,5()0 in fifth sTanza; but* winding up profitable run. “Milk- man” (U) opens Dec. 30. Palace (RKO) (1^700; 55-$1.20)— “Emergency Wedding” (Col) with vaude. Still lagging at about $17,- 000: Last week, “Last of Buc- caneers” (Col) and vaude, light $15,000, Paramount (Par) (3,664; 55-$1.50) r^“Mr. Music” (Par) plus Louis Prima oFch, Jan Murray, others onstage (2d wk). Initial session ended last night (Tues.) hit solid $73,000. In ahead, “Let’s Dance” (Par) with Jimmy Dorsey orch, Nat “King” Cole Trio heading stage bill (3d wk), modest $45,000;. Radio City Music Hall (Rocke** fellers) (5,945; 80-$2.40) — “Kim” (M-G) with annual Christmas pageant and stageshow (3d wk). Soaring to $160,000 after fancy $143,000 in second round, latter not . quite up to hop6s. . Extra shows, with long lines, making money possible this session. Plays through Jan, 10, and possibly longer. Rialto (Mage) (594; 44-98) , — “March of Wooden SoMiers” (In- die) (reissue). Oldie LaureK Hardy comedy hitting mild $5,500 in first week ending tomorrow (Thurs,),. and won’t hold. In ahead, “International Burlesque” (Indie) (7th wk), $5,000, winding up highly profitable run. Rivoli (UAT-Par) (2,092; 90- $1.25) — “The Mudlark” (20th). First week ending next Friday (29) looks to register big $36,000' or better. Holds. In ahead, “Never- Dull Moment” (RKO) (4th wfc- 8 days), $5,000. Roxy (20th) (5,886; 8041.75)— ‘‘For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) plus Yuletide show featuring Elsa & Waldo, iceshow (2d wk). Pushing up to rousing $110,000 or near after fancy $74,000 opener albeit below expectancy. Holds through New Year’s. State (Loew’s) (3,450; 55-$1.50)— “Flying Missile” (Col). Initial round ending Friday (29) ofi dis- appointing side at good; $25,000 or close.: Holds. In ahead, “Opera- tion X” (Col) (2d wk), $4,500. , Strand (WB) (2,756; 55-$2)— “West Point Story” (WB) plus Jackie Miles, Mary Raye & Naldi, Don Cornell onstage. Initial week ending next Thursday (28) looks to hit nice $46,000 or near. Holds. In ahead, “Highway 301” (WB) and Dave Apollon Peggy Mann, others onstage (2d wk), $17,000. , Sutton (R & B) (561; 90-$1.50)— “Trio” (Par) (12th wk). For 11th week ended Monday (25) held nice- ly at $8;400 after $9,000 for 10th round. Continues. Trans-Lux 60th St. (T-L) (453; 74-$1.50)--“Macbeth” (Rep). Opens i today (Wed.). In ahead, “Rapture” (EL) (2d wk), dipped to $2,500 in 4 days after slow $4,000 opener. Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; 90- $1.50) — “Seven Days To Noon” (In- die) (2d wk). Initial round ended Sunday (24) climbed to smash $15,500. In ahead, “Prelude to Fame” (U) (6th wk), $3,500. Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 95- $1.50)— “Born Yesterday” (Col). Opened in smash fashion yester- day ITues.), ^ In ahead, “Red Shoes’* (EL) (5th wk), was big $12,000 in final 6 days after $11,000 for fourth week. * Oke IIG, ‘Hearts’ {5,000 Minneapolis, Dec. 26. Christmas week got off to slow start because- initial days just pre- ceded the holiday. But with such an array of strong newcomers as “For Heaven’s Sake,” “The West Point story” and“Kind Hearts and Gentle People/’ it is expected to gain momentum later in week. Lone holdovers are “King Solo- mon’s Mines”, in its sixth week J^nd “All About Eve/’ now at its third loop stand. Weather continues an adverse factor: / , Estimates for This Week Century (Par) (1,600; 50-70)— “Adam and Evaiyn” (U). Mild $4;000. Last week; “All Aboiit; Eve (26th). (3d wk), okay $3,500. ^ Gopher (Berger). (1,000; 5040)^ “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (6th wk). Fini.shing ace engage- ment at okay $3,500. Last week, $3,000. . Lyric (Par) (1.000; 50-70)-^ 50- j “Monkey Business” (Par) and V'VtV.v'w.. (Continued on page 18) <£E£Mi Wcdncgdiiy, PecemBer 27, 1950 ■' 4^ V0m>5 g8saa>iw'»o;..r'^. .s/-' Faith in the future? Sure! No shows anywhere — no shows in any medium can match the scope and stature (and color!) of entertainment on motion pic- ture theatre screens. Emphasize this fact in your advertising. And, as you will note on the next page, M-G-M guards your security with multi-millions of dollars of big-time entertainment. That’s the kind of confidence and optimism that “makes M-G-M the Leader this year as it was last year and will be always! II 12 INTERNATIONAL t t». Martinet PlEct» Tr|yigT tguaro Pre-Production Control To Make Mex Pix Pure Mexico City, Dec, 19. Making Mexican pictures pure by law is in the offing, J. JeSus Castillo Lopez, chief of the govern^ mentis cinematographic board, has London, Dec. 26. Commercial Ty is one stage nearer in Britain. Its introduction is to be recommended to the gov- ernment next month by the Beverr idge committee which has been in- vestigating terms pf the new BBC charter to take effect as beginnihg in 1952; With full recognition of the tradition of British broadcast- ing, the Beveridge panel is not to recommend an unqualified .sell-out j measure aimed at' at^ to advertisers. Iristead, it is PTb - 1 pj. gpQj_ posed to use revenue from the sale ness, and has submitted it for okay of screentime as a means towards ^p Alfonso Rui^ Cortines, secretary increasing the amount Of playing ; p£ ^j^g interior. Proposition fea- xime offered to the public. | tures turning the Mexican film If the introduction of sponsored , g^.gy from blue material so video is a success, it is suggested . pig^pj.gg ggp g^gy in the black, that the next stage should be the j strictest censorship to cover all creation of a rival service financed i phases, including dressing and . dis- solely by advertising revenue. The j presentation, mounting, in- Beveridge recommendations have j ^gj.pj.g^g^jph. acting, megging, and been framed after on-the-spot ex - 1 ^iglpg arnination by members of tlie epm- 1 It would open a school for pro- mission, who looked into the^poten-. : ^yggpg gp^ directors so they may tialities of sponsored tele and radio i jparn what the government ap- j in the^U. S. and Canada. , proves and doesn’t in pix; screen- Another proposal which, it is be- ; ings of borderline pix befpre board lieved, the Beveridge committee | gj^^ three niembers of the national Will recommend to the goyernment, pic producers’ assn, for candid dis- Will be the setting up ^of S' closed j gyggippg. gj^pgpgipp of the service TV circuit for picture theatres, el- j gjio^e^j producers to submit lowing^ direct transmissions from a i scripts, and production charts and central studio of a complete film I pre-production. It would offer cash Doesn’t Give a Hoot Mon-I Glasgow. Editor Variety As your Variety mugg in Scotland, I am interested to^ read in my evening newspaper'' here today the news that Mr, Danny Kaye will be with us in Britain for the 1951 Festi- val, I am also interested in his manager, Mr. Eddie Dukoff’s, reported statement: Actually, we never have discussed terms in England (sic!) because it is not as important as the joy and satisfaction of being in England (sic!) and appearing before British audiences . . . As one who lives in the Auld Laiig Syne country, Would it please Mr. Diikoff to hear from me that the Word ‘Erig- land’ should be banned when speaking of crossing to enter-- tain here. The correct word is ‘Britain,’ for there is such a country as Scotland, the land that turned out 10,000 Of her braw citizens to welcome Mr. D. Kaye when he reached , Glasgow in June 1949. Gordon Irving. prizes for clean scripting. Pact on At^.; Houses Ciy for Films See 30^ Brifish Quota As and vaudeville program. Three ma- jor circuits, Odeon, Gaumont-Brit- ish and Associated British Cinemas, as well as Granada, have plans on this prepared just awaiting .the gov- ernment green light. Recommendations by the Bever- idge committee did not necessarily imply accpetance by the govern- ment. Some political experts hold the view that almost any British regime is opposed to commercial- London, Dec. 26, Ism on radio and the chances of London's four arenas and a dozen even .a modified form of sponsor- ^^re West End theatres went ship being permitted aie regarded ; week to festive Yuletide ; as remote. 1 entertainment. The stadiums are , housing two iceshows and two cir- : cuses while legit houses three new i pantomimes and a flock of seasonal i •favorite". First of the Xmas offer- 1 ings wa:- Bertram Mills’ circus at But Oualitv Still Lags I Initialer in the panto sweepstake TVT • ri if\ is Emile Littler’s “Goody Two Mexico City, Dec. 19. shoes” which was launched at the The forecast of last summer that i Casino last Wednesday (20) with 1950 will be the record-high film i Arthur Askey as “The Dame” and production year for Mexico, with featuring the Cairoli Brothers, a score of 130, seems to be sure Current Xnfias revivals are Dec* '50 T dozen more are S ‘ ‘he Beast” 'at the the production wK* alTtodicatiois ! Westminster, with film star Patri- they will be done by the end of | I year. This record isn’t rocking the trades, however. Mexican pix ex- hibition results this year were not much better than in 1949, which were not big. Only a few Mexican Mexico’s All-Time High In Total Pix Produced Peter Pan” at the Scala, with Mar- garet Lockwood repeating last year’s hit as Peter. Among the batch of openings last Thursday (21) was a new edition of “Charley’s Aunt” at the Savillej pix have done well this year, at i Tom Arnold’s latest circus at Har- home or abroad. Trade is gloomy ringay and Claude Langdon’s pres- about exports because there are , entation of “Babes in the Wood huge 1948 a^nd 1949 backlogs in ; g^ Empress Hall, Earls practically all lands where Mexi- j court ’ . can fil ms are screened. | Earlier In the week, Sir Arthur AUSTRIA PIX INDUSTRY i Sl’U” orS"e fcrpantr“ EYES 450G COLOR FILM i “whKo £ 1 La 4 JUU LIILUIV riLlYl ing production starring Australia’s Vienna, Dec. 12. j Pat Gregory and produced by Ger- ald Palmer. “Babes in the Wood,” a lavishly mounted show, opened Saturday (23) at Val Parnell’s Palladium while “Mother Goose,” Bertram Montague production, bowed the . same .day .at the Princes, “Babes Made in Germany After Nationalistic Pressure Munich, Dec. 19. Nationalistic pressure from Ger- man official circles as Well as the press and public forced 20th-Fox director-producer Anatole Litvak to change the title of pic he has been shooting in Germany for the last few months. First having the original title of George Howe’s book, “Call It Treason,” was changed to “Legion of the Damn- ed.” Now it has been changed to “Decision Before Dawn.” Pic co-produCer Frank McCarthy stated that in response to strong objections on the part of a large segment of German public opinion, the company had abandoned “Le- gion of the Damned” as a title for the controversial film being pro- duced in the U. S. gone. Litvak said it had been impossible to con- vince the German press and public that the former title did not refer at all to the German people. This action is the latest develop- ment in a series of troubles the 1 film has run into. Recently the Ba- varian government refused to let the company shoot the pic on gov- ernment property because of charges by the mayor of Wuerz- burg that it is distorting history to justify American air attacks on the city. Government demand to see the script was refused by Lit- vak on grounds that it would repre- sent censorship. However, he did submit a synopsis. Then the gov- ernment gave it the green light. London, Dec. 19. The current 30% British film quota is likely to gp by default as a result of the inadequate num- ber of pix estimated to be avail- able during the current year. Al- most 50 pictures are required by the three circuits alone and it is dubious whether this total will be attained. It is also- clear now that unless substantial financial backing either from the Government or indepen- dent sources is made availablerthe quota will have to be sliced even further in 1951. Exhibitors, who first heard of this new situation at a joint meet- ing with British producers, are seriously alarmed since they may be forced to take a number of reissues to make up their 30%. Particularly hard hit are the in- dependents who play in direct op- position to the major circuits and who are now faced with the pros- pect of having no choice of alter- native product; In an endeavor to obtain more precise information on British product availability, the exhibs have asked' producers for a detailed statement to be made available when joint talks, on a new tax campaign are resumed next year. The film industry, especially la- bor unions here, was thrown into an uproar over the announcement that the Austrian government will spend about $450,000, an excep- tionally big budget here, largely with Yank interests in the produc- tion of a Technicolor Austria spon- ' appears a surefire holiday success. Adele Dickson registers as Robin Hood and Sonnie Hale . scores as Dame. Jewel (8c Wariss provide good comedy flavor. “Goose” is a lively piece in which Ethel Revnell, Hy Hazell and Billy Russell carry off top honors. Roy Rogers to Star In Rep’s 1st British Prod. London, Dec. 26: sored film. Pic is to be a li^ge scale historical and cultural docu- ment designed to promote Austrian prestige and tourist trade through- out world. . It is supposed to be shot during 1951 from a script pre- pared by Ernst Marboe, writer nephe.w of Ghancellor: Leopold Figl. Marboe got 'the job when a prize contest for scenarios brought in 2,00() entri’es, but none was ac- ceptable to the committee; At the same time, . film industry unions have, been .complainingj , Republic’s first British pic is to about the. raising of the “kultur- ; bb . lensed in Scotland next sum- gioschen, . a tax of about a penny i -mer, , an . outdoor subject starring on every film theatre ticket sold. ; Roy Rogers. Will be in Trucolor. Coin raised this, way has bieen dis- , The break-away of Republic from tributed so far mainly to the help ; British Lion, early this month, was in legit theatres. Now it is pro- ‘finalized last week when the last posed to raise tax by. a half and ; three provincial branches were possibly put some cash into a fund , taken over. The first major sub- tb. back Austrian film production ject under new setup will be “Rid which has sunk to the vanishing | Grande.” point because new' productions! Company’s new offices' in Soho were riot exportable nor did they Square will be opened by Her- In any way measure up to pre-., bert J. Yates and Republic stars Nazi prestige. Unions now are ' early next. year. Among the latter joining exhibs in squawking that ' will be John Wayne, who is to go this groscheii lax already has seri- 1 on to Ireland for the new John ously hurt the pic b.o. iFord production. Birch-CarroII-Coyle Houses May Go to GUT Sydney, Dec. 19. ^ Looks very certain now that Greater Union Theatres will take over the Birch - Carroll - Coyle pic loop in Queensland early in 1951 on a deal blueprinted by Nor- man B. Rydge, GU topper. John Evans, Rydge’s general manager, is presently in Queensland huddling with BBC chiefs. Expected that GU will also take a more active control ' of Sydney & Prince Edward, long I Paramount’s showcase. (GU has I held a silent interest in this house j for a long time.) ■ * • Consummation of this deal should add about 20 more houses to the company’s total, or about 130, covering keys, habes and stix. Rydge also has set a deal for ! two more Sydney nabe houses at Belmore and Lakemba to get under the GU tent and away from indie control. Tokyo, Dec. 19. Sessue Hayakawa, veteran Jap- anese screen star, who returned to Nippon this year after a long European sojourn and a brief Hol- lywood stint, plans to invade the U. S., North African and^ Euro- pean market next year with his recently completed adaptation of “Les Miserables.”; Hayakawa’s screen production of the Victor Hugo classic, filmed here at local studios in two parts, is doing sock biz in local roadshow dates. Part One plays a single week, while Part Two appears at the same house the following week. For foreign distribution, Haya- kawa plans to edit the film down down to a single feature film. The producer, who appears in the pic in the role of Jean Vajean, is currently negotiating with the French distrib outfit, Discina, for release of “Miserables” in France. He plans to return to America early next year, and plans to hud- dle with 20th-Fox on a possible U. S. release deal. George H* Elvin General Secretary of the Associ- ation of Cinematograph and Allied Technicians, Favors Inter national Co-op in Pix Prod., ^ot -iPorld Domination^ hy the U.S. An Interesting Editorial Feature in the Upcoming 45th Anniversary Number " . of USniEfr Ol’T mXT WEEK NEW SCOT WORKS SET FOR GLASGOW LEGIT Glasgow, Dec. 19. New plays by Scots playwrights are scheduled by Glasgow Citizens’ i Theatre for the 1951 season. They I include “Spindrift Against World,” I by^^ Naomi Mitchison, and “Retreat ! fro'm MoonsfiTne,” a new piece by I Murray McClymont. Citizens company is also likely to stage T. M. Watson’s “Bachelors Are Bold,” a liew Scottish comedy I now doing fine biz in Scotland. .Other plays in the line-up are Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”; Christopher Fry’s “Venus Ob- served” and Somerset Maugham’s ‘Before the P’arty.’V Buenos Aires, Dec. 19. It Is near the end of 1950, but still no agreement has been arrived at between the Argentine govern- ment and the U, S. film distribu- tors In Argentina for renewal of American pix imports. Situation is harrying to exhibitors who are at their wits’ end trying to find ma- terial for their theatres. Their grosses are diminishing week by week as all the oldies are dragged in to play even the more important first-runs. “The position is so serious that it has even drawn the attention of the big opposition dailies. One editorial stressed the educational value of films and stated bluntly that to cut people off from seeing the best in pictures from all coun- tries is to deprive it of means of elevating its culture. Cited that shortly Buenos Aires will be so far behind the times that it will be at a disadvantage in comparison to much poorer cities. Those in touch with government circles are not optimistic about the future possibilities for American pix ill the Argentine market. Some predict that any deal worked put from now on will be based on terms which U. S. interests have con- sistently nixed. Some sort of quota systems looms, with only a small portion of earnings allowed out of the country, and possibly preferen- tial terms for distribution of Ar- gentine-made movies in U. S. mar- kets. Highest grossers in recent weeks have been at the Ocean and Broad- way, where “Iron Curtain” (20th) is playing. “Deadly Is Female,’* one of pix imported by UA under a “capital investment” deal with the Argentine government, grossed about $8,000 on first week at the Opera. This first-run (second largest here ) is now showing “City Lights,” which gives an idea. The Ambassador has “Romance; en Tres Noches” (Argentine-made), the Gran Rex is running “La Culpa la Tuvo el Otro,” a Luis Sandrini Comedy; and “Underworld Story,’* another UA import, is at the Met- ropolitan. All other Buenos Aires houses are showing either very old reissues or French and Italian pic- tures of doubtful vintage. That local producers are not feel- ing any too happy about the poor business at the film theatres is shown by the terrific advertising splurge for the Sandrini opus at the Gran Rex. Blurbs were put out over all the radio outlets. In addi- tion, many posters were plastered over the city and windowcards used. Paris Opem House Fire Burns 5 Rows of Seats . Paris, Dec. 26. An estimated $8,000' worth of mu- sician and stagehand salaries was jeopardized early Monday morning (25) when fire broke out in the Opera House. The blaze, believed to have been caused by. a smoker’s V relessiiess, was quickly controlled although damage was. extensive, i Theatre expects to reopen New Year’s Eve. but it grossing poten- tiality will be , cut by about $500 daily for several weeks. Reduction stems from the^ fact: that at least 15 to 20 days will be required to replace five rows of orchestra seats and loges which were destroyed. Gretske Booking in Paris Paris, Dec. 19. Harry Gretske, former partner of Leo Salkin in Chicago until the latter joined the William Morris office, recently returned from a swing through the Middle East where he made deals on some 200 pix, nearly all oldies. He has opened an office here to find acts for the U. S. First is Kalanag, German magician, who does a two and a half hour show with a company of 25. Before head- ing for N. Y., he plans to play Lon- don and Paris. London Shows (Figures show weeks of run) London, Dec. 19, “Accolade,” Aldwych (16). “Ace of Cliibs,*’ Cambridge (29). “Blue For Boy,” His Majesty’s (4). “Capt. Carvallp,” Garrick (20), “Carousel,** Drury Lane (29). “CocktMl Party,” New (34). “Dear Miss Phoebe,” Ph’nix (11); “Dish Rah Away,” Vaude (26). “Follies Bergere,” Hipp. (64). *Bis Excellency,” Piccadilly (31), “Holly and Ivy,” Duchess (33); “Home & Beauty,” St. Mart (13). “Home at Seven,” Wyhdll’m ( 42). “King Rhapsody,” Palace (66). “Knight’s Madn’ss,” Vic. Pal. (41). “Lace on Petticoat,” Ambass. (2). “Little Hilt,” Lyric (18). “Mister Roberts,” Goliseum' (23). “Reluctant Heroes,” W'telVll (15). “Ring Round Moon,” Gl’be (39). “Seagulls Sorrento,” Apollo (28)., “2d Tanqueray,” Haymark’t . (17). “Take It From Us,” Adelphi (8), “To Dorothy/* Savoy (5). “Top of Ladder,” St. Jas. (11), “Who Is Sylvia,” Criterion (9). “Will Any Gent,” Strand (16). “Worm’s View,” Comedy 1 192). CLOSED LAST WEEK “Latin (C^uarter,” Casino (40). “Return to Tyassi,” York’s (3). Wednesday^ Decembei* 27, 1950 / ^.V y^' Portrai Exhibitor to himself on New Year’s Day. . ■iff. . s/=^^ \ ' ; 'r:. ' y' /' • <• I hereby resolve — to make ’5 1 my banner year of show- manship-^ backed by that great 20th CENTURY- FOX PRODUCT! W Couldn’t make a better reso- lution myself! Here’s to the Command Performance pic- ture — *THE MUDLARK’ ship picture! ” .•S'.'i'.'.s’.'.'.’ V.'.’.' ^ p. *> ^ ' V ^ s ^s .’iS'.'.V.V.V.SV,'. s ^ ^ ' '’t ' ^ I' /■• •• ■•< < >• V y { ^ 'u,' * , ' S'' I hereby resolve. .. to play ’HALLS Of montezumav I’D CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN’, ’CALL ME MISTER’., .all in Technicolor, too! Well, call me a happy showman when I have those and 'FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE’, THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIM- SELF’ and 'AMERICAN GUERRILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES’ Technicolor to st^rt off this great New Year! [ C".' V'.. , ^ \ S ' ^ s' ^ S+ ' ' "^'s ■' s' + •■/' C '■ ^ S ' 's' '’•• , L ''l-l-'-SS 'ss' ^-s .S /y"!* i'' ■"' , VSS ^ V,+ ^ X S .• s s ■■.•.•Xs'.'.';*:'. O, /y f .t \\ • o tsf icKa % ;•^L_ . You said it, pal — I’m right with DUmM- 14 K^ CMCmMo.. emruRY-fox * ! '>*v O 1 14 PICTURES P^IETY Wednesday, December 27, 1950 Warner Decree Has Intricate Plan For Divesting in Controlled Sitnations Washington, Dec. 26. , date of the judgment, an independ- The Warner Bros, antitru.st rte- ! ent i.s not regularly playing first- cree to be submitted to the new j Pictures during the greater - part of the year. Lnder such con- 1 ditions, WB must divest one thea- ! tre each in Appleton, Wise.; Fair- j mount, W. Va.; either the Warner Rathvon Again Denies He’s Unhappy at ELC, Inside Stuff— Pictures in Y¥ nir ft • 1 > • 68% of all feature-length films approved by the Production ^Plll Hp IViSIV Swifrh I Code Administration in 1949 were based upon original stories, accord- nc ! aj ^ 1 ing to figures cited by Paula Seligman in an analysis of the field in 'Olv for five vears In ‘ competitor is op- . that he 01 s, Warners is given nrst-run. In Schenley, Pa , ; ai.strib. Kew York trial court includes a highly intricate plan for handling divestitures of some theatres in closed and controlled situations. It provides for only 52 outright divest it urcs. all to be accomplished vithin two years. However, there are 21 other theatres placed in a conditional cla.ss. They w’ould be divested unless competition de- velops within a year or keeps op- erating activ .come situation the option of dive.sting theatre.s or operating them subject to rigid limitations on the clearance of product. If it can’t get fair prices, j \VB may lease up to 12 of the j theatres and then sell as soon as ! possible. i Straight Divestitures j Following are tlm straight di- vestitures pro^•jdcd: . One theatre each in Ansonia., . Conn.. Gettysburg. Pa., Pleasant- 1 ville, N. J.. and Sidney, O. How- ■ ever, in any two of these cities, WB must first offer (o sell the larger of their theatres. If there are no takers within 30 days, then lliey may sell the smaller theatres. \ny one tluatre WB chooses to FoU in Bristol, Conn.. Chester. Pa., Clifton Forge, Va.. Clinton. Mass., Dover. N. J.. Greensburg, Pa., ; Ilagcr.stown, Md.. Hoboken, N. J., Ii-vington, N. J.. Lawrence, Mass., I.e?dngton. Va., Manchester, Conn., IM.edina, N. Y.. Millville, N. J., Pater.son, N. J.. Punxsutawney, Pa.' Racin''. Wise., Sharon, Pa., Titusville. Pa., Tyrone, Pa,, War- ren, Pa., Waynesboro. Pa., Wells- villc, N. Y.. West Chester, Pa., and Willimantic, Conn. In Sheboygan, Wise., Warners must sell any two of its theatres. Following specific divestitures are provided: In Danbury, Conn., either the E’'''»press. or Palace, or Capitol, but if the Capitol is sold the Gov- ej’nmcnt must receive a .statement of intention that the purchaser in- tends to operate it as a fir.st-run house. In Donora, Pa., either the Harris or Princess, In Martinsburg, Va., one of the following — Apollo, Central, strand or State. Monclair, N. J., one of follow^- ing — Claridge, Wellmont, or Mont- clair. Newark, N. J., one of follow- ing — Stanley, Mayfair, Central, Tivoli or Savoy. or Alhambra in Milwaukee; one each in Staunton, Va.; Tarentum, Pa.; Washington, Pa.; and York, Pa. In Elmira, N. Y., a theatre must be divested if at any time in the next three years three Warner theatres are playing fir.st-run when N. Peter Rathvon, whose Picture Capital. Covp. has financed six films for distribution through Eagle Lion Classics, la.st w’eek again denied reports that he’s dis- satisfied with the way tfie company has been handling his pix. Former the current issue of Writers’ Journal. Formerly with Paramount’s story department, Miss Seligman heartens budding scripters with the observation that ^‘companies frequently purchase plot material from unpublished fiction. And this really indicates that the motion picture market for material is larger than the picture credits indicate.” Tagged “Original Stories for Movies,” the Seligman piece statistic- ally probes the story origin of Hollywood pix over a 10-year period via figures supplied by the PCA. Best year for writers of originals was 1943 when 74,8% of all PCA approved films stemmed from that source. ; hp^PomeTto^New York^^ i 56.3% were consumed. Studio story ‘ hits him over the head with ’ departments, incidentally, have been leaning toward originals with re- Warners has the oj^fion of dive.sti lure or product limitation of one theatre if an independent theatre in the Oakland area is not being accorded full first-run rights. Salem, Ore., Situation In Salem. Ore., cither the Elsi- nore or Capitol must be divested if both operate first-run in the next three years when not more than one competitor is operating first- run. In Co.shocton, O., one theatre must be divested it two WB houses play first-run at any lime in the next three years when not more than one other theatre is operating first-run, except that Warners’ Pas- time theatre may play additional first-run pix which competitors re- ject. In Silver Spring, Mcl., if the in- dependently owned Flower theatre i.s subordinated in playing time to Warners’ Silver at any time in the next three years, while latter is operated by WB, question of di- vesting the Silver jnay be re- opened, Warnor.s has a special formula for Philadelphia, the city in which it is strongest. The deal i.s a com- bination of what was arranged in other places. WB must sell either the Mid- way or Allegheny; either the Col- onial, Orpheum or Vernon; and two of the following — Rexy, Al- hambra, Plaza. Broadway, Savoia. One theatre shall be divested in addition to two in this zone, if by end of the year Rexy is not play- ing neighborhood first-runs for a new owner. In Pliiladelphia also. "WB must divest either the Colony or Fern Rock; and either the Diamond or Keystone. At WB’s option it may divest or subject to product lim- itation either the Oxford or Lib- erty, unless independent operators are given reasonable opportunity to procure neighborhood second- runs. The Frum theatre may be either divested or subjected to rumors that his as.sociation ELC is an unhappy one.” Although scotching the reports, Rathvon nevertheless intimated he may switch to some other In the past ELC has re- leased such Rathvon-backed pix as “Destination Moon,” “The Torch,” “The Great Rupert,” “The Sun- downers” and “High Lonesome.” Financier’s deal with ELC is on a per-picture basis. As yet, he added, no contracts have been signed for “Happy-Go-Lovely,” a Vera Ellen starrer, only still-un- released film on his schedule. with interest in recent months, especially Warners and 20th-Fox. pest picture of 1950 was Paramount’s “Sunset Boulevard,” according tcVvthe Committee on Exceptional Films of the National Board of Re- view. Runners-up; “All About Eve” {20th), “Asphalt Jungle” 4. w ft Ui>;:.A..’ rr'mxx‘i:;tw *■ UJamer tk^nder NORTH-SOUTH-EAST'WEST UANUAHITIT GINGER RON AID DORIS STEVE TRADE SHOW JANUARY 8 ALBANY Warner Screening Room 79 N. Pearl Si. • 12:30 P.M. BOSTON RKO Screening Room 122 Arlington $1. • 2:30 P.M* BUFFALO Paramount Screening Room 464 Franklin St. • 2:00 P.M. CHICAGO Warner Screening Room 1307 So. Wabash Ave. *1:30 P.M CINCINNATI RKO Palace Th. Screening Room Palace Th. Bldg. E. 6th • 8:00 P. CLEVELAND Warner Screening Room 2300 Payne Ave • 8:30 P.M* DENVER Paramount Screening Room 2100 Stout St. • 2:00 P.M. DES MOINES Paramount Screening Room 1125 High St, • 12:45 P.M. DETROIT Film Exchonge Building 2310 Cass Ave. • 2:00 P.M. INDIANAPOLIS 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 326 No. Illinois $t. • 1.00 P.M. • KANSAS CITY 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1720 Wyandotte St. • 1:30 P.M. LOS ANGELES Warner Screening Room 2025 S. Vermont Ave. • 2:00 P.W MILWAUKEE Warner Theatre Screening Room 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. • 2:00 P.l MINNEAPOLIS Warner Screening Room 1000 Currie Ave. • 2:00 P.M. NEW HAVEN Warner Theatre Projection Room 70 College St. • 2:00 P.M. NEW YORK Home Office 321 W. 44th St. • 2:30 P.M. OMAHA 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1502 Davenport St. • 1.00 P.M, PHILADELPHIA Warner Screening Room 230 No. 13th St. • 2:30 P.M, PITTSBURGH 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1715 Blvd. of Allies • 1:30 P.M. PORTLAND Jewel Box Screening Room 1947 N.W. Kearnoy St. • 2.00 P.i SALT LAKE 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 216 East 1st South * 2:00 P.M. SAN FRANCISCO Paramount Seteening Room 205 Golden Gate Ave. • 1:30 P.M SEAHLE Jewel Box Screening Room 2318 Second Ave. • 10:30 A.M. ST. LOUIS S'renco Screening Room 3143 Olive St. • 1:00 P.M. WASHINGTON Warner Theatre Building 13th A E. Sts. N.W. • 10:30 A.M. ROGERS • REAGAN • DAY • COCHRAN STORM WARNING PHOnuCED 0Y DIPF-CTEO BY JERRY WALD STUART HEISLER Written by Dab'et Fuchs ^nci Richard BrooWs 16 PICTIJIIES Wednesday, December 27, 1950 LeSieur In ELC Tangle . ..._ ■ ■ ■ L--. -S Continued called MacMillen, who reversed field on the Winikus appointment rather than get involved in a “fam- ily” squabble. When given this word by Mac- Millen, LeSieur is understood to have' indicated he wouldn’t take the ELC job unless Winikus was also hired. This was in line with the promise the ELC topper report- from pagt 5 quick to point out last week that releasing contracts provide for UA maintaining an “adequate” pub- licity department. They said they did not consider it adequate with- out a pub-ad and an ad director. LeSieur was with UA for almost 16 years. He came there from the Hanif-Metzger advertising agency Record Playdates But Lower Rentals in ’50 - For 20th Due to Slump ’50 Earnings Par ’29 Boom Continued from page 3 basis for the seven companies will Twentieth-Fox sales department ! be about $13.75. That compares will winci up 1950 with the I with $33.67 in 1946 and $34.04 in paradoxical situation of having j the alltime top year in this cate- achieved a record number of play- dates and contracts but with lower rentals than it scored in 1949. Re- sponsible, according to 20th execs, is the nationwide slump suffered gory, 1943. Figure in 1940 was $13.87, about the same as at pres- ent; $12.65 in 1935 and $18.91 in 1929-30. Cash dividends — another index 11 , V. .--r-r- X---- . (now Buchanan & Co,) as advertis- i by the boxoffice during the last 12 j close to the heart of edly gave him originally that he’d ; ing production manager. Series of i uionths, coupled with the fact that | Iggg than half be permitted to run the department ' promotions ended with his appoint- ; 20th’s fiscal year for 1949 was | v^hat they were in the big year of ■ • ■ • ~ ’ based on 53 weeks’ earnings, while 1 1946_ but more than twice as boun- and its personnel without interfer- j ment to the top spot when Paul ence. Following several confabs N. Lazarus was promoted to assist- with MacMillen, and on the urging ant to Sears, then prez, two and of Winikus, LeSieur later agreed one-half years ago. to take the post. W'inikus is now understood hud- dling with several ad agencies and other companies on a job. The ad managership at ELC is currently held by Jones Arnold. LeSieur takes the spot held by Leon Brandt since May, 1949, when Brandt succeeded Max E. young- stein. The new ELC pub-ad chief takes over Jan. 2. Meantime, Brandt is understood TOA feeler’ Continued from page 5 vote, w’ould for 1950 it will include only 52 weeks. Company this year racked up 45,000 more playdates than in 1949 ' and sold 26,000 more contracts. Sales department was ^ble to do ■ this, it was said, because 20th en- ' tered 1950 with the smallest back- i log in its history of pictures that ^ hadn’t yet been played off. As a ' result, sales staffers throughout : the counti'y were able to concen- , trate on lining up dates for the ' new releases and could almost for- ; get about pushing the carryovers trib. Department at ELC is being administered in the interim period by Paul MacNamara, former Selz- nick Releasing Organization pub-ad chief, who now is working for indie producer N. Peter Rathvon. Latter releases through ELC. MacNamara has been serving MacMillen as an Hughes-RKO Continued from page 5 numerically. That Allied hold still for this was not seen by tradesters as much of a possibility. Meeting of the full COMPO board, called by prexy Ned E. , to be well advanced with negotia- Depinet for Jan. 11-12, consequent- j fro^i 1949, tions to join a new indie film dis- ly is slated to be called upon to consider some alternatives which would be mutually agreeable. Idea being discussed in trade circles would provide for divisional rep- resentation on the COMPO board. This, for voting purposes, would divide TOA and Allied into di- visions, instead of regional units, I profits have fallen off considerably unofficial adviser on publicity and similarly as the distribs operate on ' in the past year. Estimates in the advertising. the basis of territories. It was : trade are that the chain, as a sep- UA’s situation in regard to a pub- said both TOA and Allied under j arate unit, promises to show a net ad chief was unresolved as of yes- this plan could have an equal of $1,500,000 for 1950. Major’s pro number of reps on the COMPO ’ forma statements reported the board from the eastern sector, the ' theatre company had a profit of mideast, south, southwest and ‘ $4,500,000 in 1949. If the estimates west. prove correct, obviously Odium In any event, the Jan. 11-12 con- . would scale downward his ap- clave is likely to result in either a ' praisal of the circuit’s value, final TOA break from COMPO, or | In any event it was clear that a compromise which will mean the ; Odium intends to press the option shares at the “right price,” it also was pointed out that the circuit’s terday, Winikus, as No. 2 man in the department, would have been In normal succession to take over for LeSieur. However, Sears or UA prexy Frank L. McNamee made no new appointment. Department was be- ing operated by Mori Krushen, field exploitation topper, and A1 Tamar- in, publicity director. They have been told by Sears to continue as heretofore, but to report directly to him. There’s no pressure, since there’s no new product in sight. A couple of reps of producers distributing through UA were “all-industry” group actually will j issue, possibly to the extent of a be all-embracing. Both Depinet j court battle. When Harry Brandt and Ted R. Gamble, latter as head ' recently was negotiating for the of the TOA committee which has ■ theatre stock, Hughes agreed that been negotiating a settlement plan | if a deal could have been reached, with COMPO, said they are “hope- ; he would indemnify Brandt against ful” the differences will be j any losses growing 'from the dif- patched up. ‘ ferences with Odium. tiful as in 1940 or jl935 and less than two-thirds as big as in 1929-30. Current year will see a composite dividend for the seven companies of $7.25. In 1946 it was $13.05, while in 1940 the figure was $3.45 and in 1935 $3.50. The 1929-30 boom period saw an $11.75 annual payoff to the shareholders. Net earnings follow the grosses only in a general sort of way. They hit their peak during the 1945-46 semester, a year prior to the top- grossing year, and then started to decline. What started to drive the earnings down in 1946 was the in- crease in production costs. Amor- tization of high-cost films took its 1 toll and w'asn’t checked until the major economies of 1947 and 1948 were reflected in an upturn of nets in 1949. Big slough in grosses, meantime, started to bite ih from the other end and pushed the net down this year. The net earnings are as follows: 1929-30 ... $51,375,992 1935 . . . 16,330,018 1937 ... 37,018,398 1938 ... 21,583,616 1939 . . . 19,486,242 1940 ... 19,391,228 1941 . . . 34.446,547 1942 . . . 49,738,468 1943 . . . 59,674,178 1944 . . . 59,319,228 1945 ... 62.874,011 1946 ... 119.405,749 1947 . . . 86,893,425 1948 . . . 49,034,465 1949 . . . 52,055,462 1950 ... '•^50,500,000 pattern of the nation and the world. They were high in the boom era, declined during the depression, spurted a bit during the comeback of 1937-38 and then declined until the war began to give them a real push. Gross income for the seven com- panies is as follows: 1929-30 •5.$5oo,000,000 1935 401,241,723 1937 479,466,566 1938 486,311,832 1939 478,520,879 1940 488,256,110 1941 489,096,003 1942 577,649,144 1943 751,856,669 1944 817,838,498 1945 841,781,756 1946 928,329,780 1947 954,006,264 1948 911,330,042 1949 865,044,828 1950 ’-^836,328,000 Per-share earnings of the majors are somewhat' trickier to figure than other statistical indices, since they are affected by the stock splits which have been made by a num- ber of companies. Here are the figures, however, as closely as they can be tallied: 1929-30 $18.91 1935 12.65 1937 13.44 1938 3.63 1939 8.23 1940 13.87 1941 23.63 1942 28.23 1943 34.04 1944 32.51 1945 25.39 1946 ; 33.67 1947 ...' 23.81 1948 7.64 1949 13.18 1950 ’M3. 74 Dividend payments reveal. Grosses over the past 20 years followed pretty much the economic » of hbld- ers. In addition to the cash divvies, which are tabulated below, some companies, particularly Columbia, have at various times passed out stock dividends. Composite 'cash dividends for the seven companies are as follows: 1929-30 $11.75 1935 3.50 1937 11.50 1938 6.10 1939 3.65 1940 3.45 1941 3.90 1942 5.80 1943 , 8.60 1944* 10.30 1945 6.371 1946 13.05 1947 10.70 1948 8.25 1949 7.00 1950 7.25 Estimated. As an exotic beauty of the South Sea islands she’s bewitching in her latest picture. Her skin is lovely as the hibiscus flow’er she wears in her hair. ^'Gentle Lux Soap care,’’ says Esther, 'keeps my complexion right for the close-ups. I wouldn’t neglect it.’’ Try these facials screen stars recommend. Smooth the creamy lather well in, rinse, pat with a towel to dry. Lux Soap’s active lather does the trick ! Skin takes on fresh new beauty — so quickly ! Grinieff-UA Continued from page 5 9 out of 10 Screen Stars use Lux Toilet Soap Prexy of Samuel Goldwyn Produc- tions was rumored for the spot sev- eral weeks ago. If owmers Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin accept Grinieff’s plan it entails Initially the de- parture of the present manage- ment, which took over last July. Paul V. McNutt, who has drawn no money from the company, could stay on on that basis as chairman of the board if he desired. Gri- nieff’s aim, however, is to eliminate prexy Frank L, McNamee, who has been drawing $1,000 a week, and treasurer Max Kravetz, who has been drawing $650. Grad Sears is contemplated continuing as sales chief. Miss Pickford met with McNa- mee last week, but there have been no tangible results evident as yet. It is thought likely there will be action of some .sort within a matter of days, since it is now becoming imperative. Company’s losses are mounting dangerously. There appears to be no other succor on the horizon aside from that offered by Grinieff. That’s why that while prospects of his success in making a deal appeared slim a few weeks ago, they are now mod- erately good, according to well-in- formed sources. He claims to be seeking nothing for himself at the moment but to help UA. If he can help it over the present hurdle and then bring in money to put it on a permanent route to success, as he plans, he hopes eventually to be given foreign distribution of at least some of UA’s product. Wednesday, December 27, 1950 • « « « ♦ » A U Ah Jnli • ■ * / aramount # • I t ' !• s.Vij' • ■ <■: V ■■• 9'1 ' . .-. ■■■■? S-. o*.' /r ' Ui » • • * -."•.■•VA'.'.'.jWi ' ->^ i- f M:::!:!:: s / ss I***; ■■••*••• 1 # \CP(iramoanL #!»• % iiM « • % % * * * • AROUND THE CLOCK, AROUND THE CALENDAR, S. ^ r THESE/AND MANY MORE GREAT PICTURES FROM rriTT in J. JlXXi BIG GUN r \ Q. munount m ’51 • . ly.ov.'.-.' # » 18 PICTURES Wednesday, D^ember 27, 1950 Clips from Fdm Row NEW YORK Detroit syndicate, headed by Benjamin Fenton, bought Film Center Building on Ninth avenue from interests led by the Bonded Film Storage Co , a tenant in structure. Premises were immedi- ately leased back for a term of 14 years to a new group called the Film Center Co, . Twentieth-Fox veepee A1 Licht- ihan and ad manager Jonas Rosen- field, Jr,, returned to the homo- office over the weekend following huddles with Coast execs. DALLAS Paul. Short expected back here Jan. 15 to resume his position as division manager lor National Screen Service, headquartering here. He held this post before the war and his service in the Navy> Since 1946, he has been in Holly- wood making pics. Short once was manager for Interstate Theatres in Dallas. For second consecutive year, exhibitors throughout the state will join forces in a theatre cam-, paign lor polio stricken Texans. Funds Will go to the Gonzales Warm Springs Foundation, Texas’ own polio treatment center. A special trailer featuring Texas Governor Allen Shivers and pa- tients from Gonzales home will be shown in theatres Dec. 24-30. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Groves sold their 800-seat Queen theatre _ in Houston to Jensen Theatre Corp., for about $125,000. Austin police arrested a man there on a charge of robbing the Carver theatre in that city. MINNEAPOLIS Instead of usual Thursday open- ing for “West Point Story,” RKO- Orpheum preemed it Saturday (23) to escape as much as possible of pre-Christmas box-office lull. W. R; Frank’s West Twins, sub- urban house, varying its usual two to three changes weekly policy to run “King Solomon’s Mines” seven days. Saturation booking for “Mr. Music*’ will find it playing 20 of 4 ENGINE DOUGLAS DC-4S Direct from La Guardta and Newark CHICAGO $24 $^^CALIFORNlA 1 Way 1 STOP Return . NON STOP MIAMI From $35 Curtis 10% Discount (bn Return Trip NORTH AMERICAN "AIRLINES Free Ticket Del'y, Irr. Plights, plus tai BRyont 9-6492 503 5th Ave. (Ent. 42nd 8t.)> Suite lOp BROOKLYN UL 5-3888 Hotel 8t. George Clark Street BRONX LU 4-0607 2488 Gr. Concourse (FordhamRd) Rirf 328 [ OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT^ SERVICE from Coast to Coctst over V, Century Refreshment Service for DRIVE - IN, THEATRES SPORTSERViCE; CO'RP. . pliant- fPORTSERVICE BLDG.;** BUFEALO, N. Y, WA. 3506 territory’s towns simultaneously New Year’s week. On competitive bids Bennie Berger landed “Halls of Monte- zuma” for his downtown Gopher, now playing “A” first-run pix in opposition to Paramount and RKO circuits. Bennie Berger off on South American tour. Alvin Stern, son of A1 Stern, RKO office manager, in armed services for second time after serv- ing 18 months in Japan. W. R. Frank, circuit owner and film producer, in from Hollywood to spend holidays with family. BOSTON Contributions by downtown pic houses to the Mayor’s fund for Christmas decorations on Streets, buildings aild the Boston Common have paid off nicely with a wel- come spurt of biz, especially over weekends. Many out-of-towners drive in to looksee the sights and while here drop in to a downtown theatre. Promoted by Sam Pinans- ki and Martin Mullin at sugges- tion of. Mayor Hynes, Houses con- tributed with little expectation of reaping any sizable benefits. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Canavan and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Laski, E. M.’ Loew circuit bigwigs, spending Christmas holidays in Miami. Scollay Square theatre shuttered with chances of reopening very slim, at least under same manage- ment. SAN FRANCISCO Ralph Amacher, formerly Eagle Lion Classics’ Portland branch manager^ is new head of local ex- change replacing Sam Sobel, re- signed. Salesman Barry Green- berg becomes, assistant manager. Meanwhile, S. F. Powers moves up from salesman in Portland to take over Amacher’s old post there. A gala charity preem for “Mr. Music” accompanied by personal appearances of Hollywood names and local fanfare, marked reopen- ing of the United Artist at Rich- mond, nearby suburb. The United Artist, formerly the Fox, is largest house there. Preem coin will go to the Children’s Hospital of East Bay. Acquisition of Paramount here will take the circuit into its fourth state. ’Music' Lusty $14,000, Det.; ’Harvey’ Rousing 12G, ’Dallas’ Good 20G Detroit; Dec, 26. As usual, biz is perking up in the pOst-Christmas rush for enter- tainment. and relaxation.- “For Heaven’s Sake” is shaping okay at the Fox. “Dallas” looks good If not sock at the Michigan. ”Mr. Music” is making smooth music at the Adams, big for this spot. In its fifth week, “King Solomon's Mines” is still digging a steady total. Estimates for This Week Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; 70-95)^ “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) and “Adam and Evalyn” (U). Oke $32,000. Last week, “Two Flags West” (20th) and “Eye. Witness” (EL), $18,000. " Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 70-95)— “Dallas” (WB) and “Cock- eyed Wonder” (Col). Good $20,000. Last week, “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Revenue Agent” (Col), $16,000. Palms (UD) (2,900; 70-95)— “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (Sth wk). Steady $10,000. Last week, fancy $12,0(30. Madison (UD) (1,800; 70-95)^ “Kansas Raiders” (U) and “Girl in My Heart” (Mono). Trim $12,000. Last week, “Hamlet” (U), $5,000. United Artists (UA) (1,900; 70- 95)— “Harvey” (U). Rousing $12,- 000 or over. Last week, “Under- cover, Girl” (U), $7,000. Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 70-95)— “Mr. Music” (Par). Fancy $14,000. Last week, “Two Weeks With ! Love” (M-G) (2d wk), $8,000. Downtown (Balaban) (2,900; 70- 95 ) — “Never Dull Moment” (RKO) and “Palooka Squared Circle” (Mono). Slew $9,000. Last week, “Ravaged Earth” (Indie), $7,000. CHICAGO Manta-Rose circuit is reopening remodeled 1,200-seat Elko in Elk- hart, Ind. Film attorney Seymour Simon planed to Coast to huddle on Markoy Theatre circuit anti-trust case against majors. Max Roth, Realart Films head, rehatched ancient handbill distri- bution idea for exhibs playing Realart reissues. Circulars link photos of scantily clad femmes to retitled films. Edward F. Lane ^.nd Roy Barnby of (Greater Union Theatres of Aus- tralia In town this week lookseeing Chi distribution. Hal Pearlmah, who formerly op- erated trailer service in Milwau- kee, joined ITational Screen Serv- ice here as salesman. Balaban & Katz acquired Palace, Times, Midway and Auburn in Rockford, 111. Chain purchased theatres from local op Willard Van Matre, who is left with opera- tion of Coronado theatre. BOSTON (Continued from page 8) 1-1000” JMono) and “California »i Passage” (Rep), same. Memorial (RKO) (3,500; 40-85)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Opened Sunday (24). Started but fine. Last week, “Midnight and Dawn” (Col) and “Last of Buc- caneers” (Col), oke $15,000. Metropolitan (NET) (4,367; 40-85) — “Mr. Music” (Par) and “Chain Gang” (Col). Neat $18,000. Last week, “Tars and Spars” (Col) and “Thousand, One Nights” (Col) (re- issues), fair $13,000. Orpheum (Loew) (3,000; 40-85)— “Right Cross” (M-G) and “O’Mal- ~|4ey-and Malone” (M-G). Fair $13,- 000. Last week, “Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races” (M-G) (reissues), better than ex- pected at $14,000. Paramount (NET) (1,700; 40-85) —“Highway 301” (WB) and “Trail of Robin Hood” (Rep). Oke $11,- 000. Last week, “Southside 1-1000” (Mono) and “California Passage” (Rep), same. State (Loew) (3,500; 40-85) — “Right Cross” (M-G) and “O’Malley and Malone” (M-G). Fair $8,500. Last week, “Mutiny on Bounty” (M-G) and “Day at Races” (M-G) (reisues), $9,000. KANSAS CITY Durwood circuit reopened Its Roxy in downtown sector recently with a policy of double bills, first subsequent-run. Theatre was shut- toed for several months. Bayard Grant of the home office, is han- dling the house temporarily. The ^ Paramount, downtown major first-run, changes hands with ^^^"^Lates Theatres taking from United Paramount. Tri-States; the A. H. Blank circuit, takes over on Dec, 30, operation continuing es- sentially Bs it has in the past; show- ing Paramount product and half of Warner releases. LOS Angeles Realart Pictures will reissue five Universal oldies, starting in Jan- uary., . Artor Greenblatt, sales man- ager for Lippert Pictures, ap- pointed Joseph Engel branch man- ager of company’s Philadelphia exchange. ' Fox West Coast reopened two film houses, the El' Portal in San Fernando Valley and Fox Yuma in Yuma, after remodelling jobs. Monogram appointed Jack Felix manager of its Portland exchange to succeed the late William Grant. ‘HARVEY’ IN 19 MINN. SPOTS NEW YEAR’S EVE Minneapolis, Dec. 26. Minnesota Amuse. Co. (Para- mount circuit) is having what it plls a “New Year’s Eve Jamboree” in 19 of its theatres, including the Minneapolis Radio City and St. Paul Paramount, at midnight on Dec. 31, offering a single advance showing of “Harvey” at a boosted $1; admission. Also, in 17 theatres, including the Minneapolis Radio City and St. Paul Paramount, the chain is opening “Mr. Music” as its regular New Year’s week attraction. Laurel to Make 4 In in Following completion of Laurel Films’ “Double for Della” in New York today (Wed.), company ptexy John Arent will announce four pic- tures for 1951, all to be done in New York. Two Of the quartet will be based on originals, while the others are to be adapted from /stage plays. Starring J anis Paige and Robert Alda, “Della” was begun at the Fox Movietone News Studio, N. Y., about a month ago. Cast also in- cludes Jimmy Gleason, Lionel Stander, Arnold Stang and the Three Suns. A1 Green directed. Laurel’s three other films also were made entirely in New York. PORTLAND, ORE. (Continued from page 8) 85) ---’‘Mrs. p’Maney and Mr. Malone” (M-G) and ’’Johnny One-. Eye” (UA). Solid $10,000. Last week, “Milkman” (U) and “Trail Robin Hood” (Rep), $9,000. Mayfair (Parker) (1,500; 50-85) —“So Young” (UA) and “Silk Noose” (UA); So-so $5,000. Last week, “West Point Story” (WB) and “Hotrod” ’ (Mono) (m.o.), $5,600, Oriental (Evergreen) (2,000; 50- 85)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) and “Dark City” (Par), day-date with Orpheum. Good $4,5()0 . Last week, “Gilda” (Col) and “Platinum Blonde” (Gol) (reissues), good $5,000. Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,750; 50-85) — “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) and “Dark City” (Par), also Oriental. Fine $8,500. Last week, ’’Gilda’’ (Col) arid “Platinum Blonde” (Col) (reissues), good $7,500. Paramount (Evergreen) (3,400; 50-85) — “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Rookie Fireman” (Col). Faricy $11,000. Last week, “Fuller Brush Girl” (Coi) and ’’Texan Meets Calamity Jane” (Col), okay $10,000. United Artists (Parker) (890; 50- 85)— “Two Weeks With Love” (M-G)i Huge $14,000. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (4th wk), big $9,300. ‘MUSIC’ SMOOTH 19G, D.C4 ‘DANCE’ $13,000 Washington, Pec. 26. Dull thud of the nose-diving pre- Christmas biz offset much of the holiday gravy here this round. Mid-town takes, though better than recent weeks, shape about average. Of newcomersi “Mr. Music” at Pal- ace looks like leader, with “Let’s Dance” at the Warner close on its heels. Estimates for This Week Capitol (Loew’s) (2,434; 44-85) — “Watch the Birdie” (M-G) plus vaude. Nice $23,000, but washout of vaude headliner Georgia Gibbs because of illness may have hurt. Last week, “Southside 1-1000” (Mono) plus vaude, $14,000. Dupont (Lopert) (378; 50-85)— “Bitter Rice” (Indie) (7th wk). Very steady $4,000 after $3,000 last week. Holds. Keith’s (RKO^ (1,939; 33-80)— “Mr. Lucky” (RKO) and “Lady Takes a Chance” (RKO) (reissues). Very thin $3,500, filling in gap be- fore holiday opening of “Harvey” (U). Last weeh;, “Kansas Raiders” (U). slow $6,000. Metropolitan (Warner) (1,163; 44-74) — “Emergency Wedding” (Col) and “When You’re Smiling” (Col). Fair $4;000. Last week’ “Stage to Tucson” (Col) and “Cockeyed Wonder” (Col), same. Palace (Loew’s) (2,370; 44-74) — “Mr. .Music” (Par). Firm $19,000 to top town. Last week, “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) (3d wk), nice $11,000. Warner (WB) (2,164; 44-74)— “Let’s Dance” (Par). Brisk $13,- 000, well above average of recent weeks. Last week, “Dark City” (Par), $8,000. MINNEAPOLIS (Continued from page 9) Grande” (Rep) (2d wk), satisfac- tory $3,200. Radio City (Par) (4,000; 50-70)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th). Cast names and picture should lure cus- tomers but only okay $11,000 “Two Weeks (M-(i) and stageshow headed by Mills Bros, and Ethel Smith, good $29, 000 , at 65-$l scale, below hopes but stiU satisfactory considering week-before-Christmas and weather conditions. [RKO) (2.890; 35- 70)— West. Point Story” (WB) Top-notch musical has plenty of boxoffice names. Nice $10,000 or week, “Gilda” (Col) and R^^^^hum Blonde” (Col), (reissues) split with ‘Between Midnight and “Last of Buccari- eers ’ (Col), light $4,000. (RKO) (1,600; 35-’70)— Uarayans” (indie) and ^ Fighting Westerner” (Indie) (re- issues). Slow" $4,500. Last week wk) split Town” and “Guns Ablazin (Indie) (reissues), $3,000. ;,_State (Par) (2,300; 50-70)— ‘ , (2()th). Moderate “Desert Hawk” (U), $5,500. ^Mann) (400; 50-85)— Kirid Hearts” (EL). Big $5,000, to make extended-run grade. Last ‘Solonion’ Huge $15,000, Denver; ‘Music’ Big 136 Denver, pec. 26. “Solomon’s Mines” is packing the Broadway this ^session with new record Set for opening day and likely for week. “Mr. Miisic” also is big enough to win holdover at Denham. “Pagan Love Song/' fancy at Orpheum, likewise is being held over. “For Heaven’s Sake” looms good in two houses. Estimates for This Week Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 40-80)— “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip), day-date with Ta- bor, Webber. Fine $4,000, Last Week, “High Lonesome” (EL) and “Torch” (EL), $4,500. IBroadway (Wolfberg) (1,500; 40- 80) — “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G). Smash $15,000. Last week, “Next Voicii” (M-G) (2d wk), $3,500. Denham (Cockrill) (1,750; 40-80) —“Mr; Music” (Par). Big $13,000. Last week, “Admiral Was a Lady” (UA), $8,000. Denver (Fox) (2,525; 40-80)— “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) and “Savage Horde” (Reip),, day-date with Esquire. Good $13,500. Last week, “Harriet Craig” (Col) and “Call Klondike” (Mono). $10,000. Esquire (Fox) (742; 40-80)-:^“For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) and “Savage Horde”, (Rep), also Denver. Good $2,500. Last week, “Harriet Griaig’' (Col) and “(jail Klondike” (Mono). $1,500. Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 40-80)— “Pagan Love Song^ (M-G) and “Experiment Alcatraz” (RKO), Fine $13,000. Last week, “Under- world Story” (UA) and “Gunfire’* (Lip), $9;0G0. Paramount (Fox) (2,200; 40-80)— “Fireball” (20th) and “Hit Parade 1951” (Rep). Poor $5,000. Last, week, “Breaking Poirit” (WB) and “Sensations’- (Indie), $7,000. Rialto (Fox) (878; 40-80) — “Southside ’ 1-1000” (Mono) and “Spook Bustos” (Mono). Good $3,000. Last week, on m.o. Tabor (Fox) (1,967; 40-80).— “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip), also Aladdin, Web- ber, Fine $5,000. Last week, “High Lonesome” (EL) and “Torch” (EL); fine $4,500. Vogue (Pike) (600; 60-74) — “Nicholas Nickleby” (U). Fair $2,000. Last week, on reissues. Webber (Fox) (750; 40-80 )— “Breakthrough” (WB) and “Bandit Queen” (Lip), also Tabor Aladdin. Nice $3,000. Last week, “High Lonesome” (EL) and “Torch’' (EL), $3,000. • Wi M bcffVx N N IIMum..; on the screen lames STEWART The r I Iiib* v-f 0 I INOAPWAV AT 49rit II. • COUiM^ fictuw u V nunjra h- i YESTERDAY i uni. in... eiraOBStit HOLLIDAY* HOLDEN - CRAWFORD ^ Vji; s, vs ‘'JUDY WILLIAM * Cpnlmuout . B'wpy 1, 46l|i St. --^RADIO CITY MUSIC HAll— i— Rockefeller Center RUDYARD f KIPLING'S ERROL FLYNN • DEAN 5TOCKELL > 9>lor by TECHNICOLOR A M^tro‘Goldwyn*Mayer Picture ♦ and THE MUSIC HALL'S GREAT J CHRISTMAS STAGE SHOW Wednesday, December 27, 1950 RADIO 19 SCOREARD ON G01HAM OffTtETS ISIost intriguing question posed to the industry last week was the niotiv'ating factor or factors that led to the unusual action of CBS, as a private enterprise with no governmental affiliation, requiring a loyalty oath from its 2i5Q0 employees. Some close to the Columbia picture saw a direct bearing on the action with the fact that CBS board chairman William S. Paley is in the process of returning to a wartime status as one of the Gov- ernment’s key communication men (some say he’ll throw in his lot \viih Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower when the latter takes over the Supreme Command of the Western European theatre.) Obviously this will require Paley getting an okay from the in- vestigative powers. To this end, it’s reasoned, the CBS organiza- tion w ould have to pass muster. Tipoff was seen in the wording of the communication to the CBS organization, which said: “We are asking each employee to answer the questions on the form aiiached, which we will keep confidential, unleK at some future time the information is demanded by a governmental security agency.” , It's recalled all too vividly how Columbia, in projecting itself as the most liberal of all the networks in its thinking and pro- gramming during World^War 11, was branded by some, concedely unjustifiably as the “Red Network.” Apparently, goes .the thinking, Paley is determined to erase any such stigma from here on in, now that he’s about to throw in his lot with the Government’s mobilization movement. Seen Tied in Adam Hats has notified the Wil-f liam Weintraub Agency that it has no intention of renewing its con- tract for sponsorship of Drew Pear- sbii after the expiration of the pres- ent i)act on Feb. 1.- For his 15- miniite Sunday afternoon at 6 seg- ment on AB(j, Pearson has been draw ing $4,500 a week for a num- ber of years, with Lee Hats having preceded Adam in picking up .the lab. Cancellation of Pearson is seen as a direct repercussion from the columni.st - commentator’s recent “Battle of the Cloakroom” with Sen. Joseph McCarthy some days back, although there is some evidence to suggest that the past year’s finan- cial statement of the hat company may also be a factor. (Company recently changed prexies and turned the account over to Ward Wheelock instead of the Madison agency, although Weintraub still retains the radio end of the busi- ness.) The Sunday at 6 p.m. hard-hitting commentaries and slugging “predic- tions” have projected Pearson into national prominence. Intriguing to the trade is Whether, in a period of increasing sensitivities and alert- ness. a national bankroller will play along with the “call-all-shots-as-you- sec-ihem” Pearson technique. Adam company prexy issued a statement over the weekend assert- ing the Pearson cancellation had in reality been decided upon several weeks before the McCarthy alter- cation, w'hich resulted in the latter ! calling for a boycott of the Adam product. ABC Buying Trendex On Experimental Basis Trendex, new rating organiza- tion, has gotten some business from ABC. Web is buying the service on an experimental basis for three jprograms: one morning, one after- noon and one evening stanza. Trendex ratings are based on 14 four-network cities, in all of which (except Denver) there is television competition. AFRA Authorizes WJW, Oeve. Strike Cleveland, Dec. 26. AFRA has authorized a strike at WJW when the current contract expires at the end of the month. The station local voted unani- mously to go on strike and at a general membership meeting, AFRA, by overwhelming vote, ap- proved the action. Meanwhile, it is reported the station has dropped its demand for a 10% wage cut and elimination of talent fees. Negotiations are expected to continue this week with William M. O’Neil, station president. By BERT BRILLER Despite the great inroads tele- vision has made in the New York area, business for the Gotham out- lets has generally held up. How- ever, with 20-odd stations crowding the metropolis. Competition has reached a feverish pitch, and there are signs of weakness in the situa- tion. What has aided the N. Y. kilo* waiters is the upsurge of national spot biz. Many bankrollers who have splurged in video are turning to selective campaigns to round out their coverage. Since many of the sponsors feel network radio may give them “waste circulation," they’re supplementing their TV budgets with pinpointing spot drives, .from which the lucrative N. Y. market is benefiting. The Gotham outlets are also drawing relatively heavy coin from television manufacturers and re- tailers. These are generally re- garded as “soft accounts,” since they undermine the AM audience and will taper off as the area reaches the TV saturation point. Toppers in local radio, agency heads and time-buyers who know the N. Y. radio sweepstakes handi- cap the field in the following con- sensus: WOR: The Mutual key, despite video losses, is still a money nag. It probably has the bi^feest grOss of any AM station in the country, due to its large stable of local com- mercial programming, (contrasted with the other web keys feeding sustainers or carrying more net air- ers with their lower return). How- ever, there is a plenitude of mail order biz which, some' observers feel, indicates slipping. WNBC: The NBC entry, stress- ing a new locaTemphasis under the aegis of Ted Cott, has had record months in both local and national spot biz in October and November. Programmatic innovations have paid off saleswise and ratingwise. Eleanor Roosevelt stanza, replacing Mary Margaret McBride, is SRO. WCBS: Columbia’s gem has seen some of its local show ratings dip, but has moved up billingwise. New program entries are Stan Shaw and the Tommy Riggs-Betty Lou disk jockey stints. WJZ: Acquisition of Miss Mc- Bride hypoed the ABC key's posi- tion. Station is now. pounding hard (Continued on page 28) Jack Benny hai on kintusiiig story “2990— Or Bust /” OS ho looks into the Show bis . crystal boll ■* ■* ,★ one. of tho many byline pieces in the 45lh Anniversary Number of OVT NEXt WEEK Billings Set Pace Of Agencies in ’50 The year’s end will find Dancer, Fitzgerald & Sample agency not only maintaining its billings leader^ ship in radio-television, but emerg- ing with an approximate $3,000,000 additional business, practically all due to the D-F-S clients’ upbeat in video. Last year the agency, with its flock of Procter & Gamble, Gen- eral Mills, Sterling, and Franco-Am- erican (Campbell Soup) shows, topped all agency expenditure in radio-TV with an approximate $25,- 000,000. For 1950, the figure will probably exceed $28,000,000. Increased billings stem chiefly from P & G’s program expansion into video via the ABC-TV “Beu- lah” show and P & G’s buy into the Kate Smith daytime video pro- gram. (P & G has also staked a major -claim in the daytime TV picture with the “First Hundred Years” serial, but the latter is in the Benton & Bowles house,) Gen- eral Mills’ sponsorship of the Stu- art Erwin show and expansion of “Lone Ranger,” Turns’ coin ear- mark for TV; Sterling's bankroll- ing of “Sing It Again,” and Fal- staff Beer’s elaborate 20-state sports programming are other con- tributing factors in the D-P-S blue- skies billings picture for '50. The loyalty oath which CBS Is asking its 2,500 regular employees to sign may meet opposition from unions, although definite antag- bhism against the pledge has riot yet crystallized. National Assni of Broadcast Unions and Guilds and Radio- Television Directors Guild will probably discuss question at their regular meetings. The Authors League of . America, parent body of the Radio Writers Guild, Television Writers Group and other scripters* guilds, will take a stand tomorrow (Thurs.) at a special ALA council Hoyse Dick In the wake of the CBS edict ordering all employees to sign a loyalty pledge, came the rev- elation last week that for the past three months an ex-FBI agent has been in the employ of the network. Practically no one at the web has been aware of his exist- ence or the capacity in which he’s employed. Npr; for that matter, is it known whether he’s directly or indirectly as- sociated with the web’s deter- mination to exemplify itself as a “lily white” organization. meeting. A segirient of the ALA council expressed opposition to the oath at a previous meeting called on the question Friday (22). In the past the ALA campaignecl against an NLRB ruling (later reversed) requiring council members to sign a non-Communist affidavit. At last week’s parley the League heard a wide variety of opinions pro and con the CBS move. A statement of the League’s views is being drawn up by a committee headed by ALA prexy Oscar Ham- merstein 2d arid including v!p. John Hersey and secretary Erik (Continued on page 29) After many weeks of negotiation which culminated in a contract a couple of vyeeks ago, Robert Pv 1 1 oiler has submitted his resigna- tioiv as director of AM radio for CHS. to join the Lpuis G. Cowan Dr.^^ani/alion, Heller will move in- ,to (ho creative programming as- : PocLs of the Cowan setup, with an , cQuiiv in the AM-TV shows he de- volops. ileller has been one of the key Pi'();>ram aides at CBS Under pro- g auv veepee Hubbell Robinson, Jr. I nor to moving into the No. 2 AM Pi’om am spot at the web, he headed P.lhe net’s wide-kudosed docu- P)oiUary unit. Slern s New WNBC Show ^Icrn takes over the Rich- j 0 llarkness twice-weekly news ' s h( on WNBC, N/Y., with a youth. : _ anicd stanza on which he’ll air coi'dij^gg of famous sports events ' fnun NBC’s files. ' T.,, " whieh will be open for i P'UMieipatmg spots, will be heard ’ icsdays and Thursdays at 11;X5 'Starting jan. 9. OUT NEXT WEEK The 45th Anniversary Number Of Foims closing shortly Usual Advertising rates greynil i ■ Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 19 154 W. 46rh Sf. HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 61 2 N. Michigan Ave. LONDON. W. C. 2 8 St. Martin's Place! Trafalgar Square Some of tTie NBC affiliate sta- tions assert they won’t even bother showing up at the meeting called for Jan. 10 in New York by NBG, to kick around the question of an AM rate cut. The threatened “boy- cott” stems from their feeling that without their support, the network will be in no position to exercise the slash. These stations want no part of it. They feel that a cut such as that contemplated by NBC would, par- ticularly at this time, be harmful to the radio industry as a whole. They feel more convinced than ever, in the wake of the economic mobilization, that the AM resurg- ence is about due; that as tele- vision feels the effect of production curbs and controls and the printed media becomes hit by newsprint shortages, the radio upbeat is cer- tain to manifest itself almost imme- diately. Around NBC, no one v/ill con- jecture whether the fate cut will go into effect or riot. NBC origin- ally had hoped for a Jan. 1 dead- line, but in view of affiliate sta^ ' tipn opposition, the whole matter remains in a state of flux. NORWICH EYES BOYER Norwich Pharmaceuticals is in- terested in the Charles Boyer day- time soaper, “Thanks for Tomor- row,” which NBC has auditioned. Web feels that the addition of Hollywood : personalities can re- vitalize the soap opera format. Al- though H. T. Babbitt has cancelled “Nona From Nowhere” and “David Harum,” the explanation is given that these had been in n standard- ized style and that more modern treatment, plus marquee names, will hypo serials' appeal. to RAmO Wednesday, Deceml^r 27, 1950 Sharpe Shapes Up as ‘1-Man Network’ One of the more Interesting facets in the sale of the new Cary Grant “Mr, Blandings” NBC series to Trans World Airlines (TWA), is the manner in which it projects Don Sharpe and his packaging operation as something approach- ing a one-man network. The “House of Sharpe” today is unquestionably the hottest com- modity in the radio paekaging bus- iness, with the Coast operator, who only a short span back was writing the continuity for the Kate Smith radio show, • now repre.sented by rnoi’c AM package properties than William Morris or Music Corp, of Anierica put together. The following represents the Sharpe stable of shows that finds him going into 1951 as one: of the most talkedvabout men in the agency-packaging marts: Cary Grant's “Mr. Blandings,” which is being brought in under ! TWA commercial auspices at $8,500 a w'eek— representing major coin in an era when high-budgeted shows are strictly passe. “Screen Directors Guild,'! noW ai. hour-long showcase, which gets a multiple sponsorship ride on NBC with its inclusion in the “Operations Tandem” sales paV tern. The Actors Co. segment of the NBC Sunday night “Big Show,” which Sharpe has delivered to the web as one of regular components of the 90-minute weekly frolic. The Brian Donlevy-stairlng •‘Pangorous Assignment” series, currently sustaining on NBC. The “Adventures of Marcel,” with Charles Boyer, which recent- ly exited NBC, but is booked in again for a Saturday morning ride. The “Nightbeat” adventure series, with Frank Lovejoy, a sus- tainer. The DiCk Powell series, “Rich- ard Diamond,” w’l'ch Rexall spon- sored on NBC and which moves over to ABC under Camel spon- sorship. The General Foods-sponsored •‘My Favorite Husband,*’ starring Lucille Ball, one of the more solid comedy entries on the CBS kilo- cycles. The Joel McCrea “Texas Bangers” series. New England AFRA Elects Boston, Dec. 26, New England branch of AFRA has elected the following officers: Bill Stewart, WBMS, prez; Ray Goulding, WHDH, 1st v.p.; Vin Aiiilioir-Conicdian Hal Block humorouily conjuret up a new Mf. & Mrs. program origlnarlng from rho Whit* Houso, ontitlod Harry and Bess ! Ovendon, WEEI, secretary; Joe Grant, WMEX, treasurer. Board members elected for three^year term are Bill Hahri, IWNAC; Nat Hentoff, WMEX; Gon- ; nie Jamieson, freelance actor; Ed Myers, WMEX; Ken Ovendon, WEEI. Elected for tWo-year term are Streeter "Stuart, WBZ, and Gene Vaillancourt, WEEI. i • ■ ■ RCA Proxy Frank M. Folsom Envisions Radioes Importance Anew in the 1951 War Effort ♦ on omiising bylino feoturd In tho 45th Anniversary dumber of . An Intorosting Editorial Pootur* In tho 45 th Anniversary Number of PrAniETT OVt NEXT WEEK P^fUIETY OUT NEXT WEEK Tab on Godfrey Although Wildroot has cancelled out on its segment of the cross-the- board morning Arthur Godfrey Show on CBS, the web has found a new client to pick up the tab. It’s .Monarch Foods, producers of canned fruits and vegetables, which starts sponsoring the middle of January. Wildroot had been splitting up the 15-minute, five-times-a-week segment with Toni, each sponsoring two and a half days. Toni agreed to take the entire five days until a hew client came along, and now reverts back to the split-sponsor- ship deal. Wildroot cancelled out following expansion of its “Charlie Wild, Private Eye” show, which is now a TV as well as an AM attraction on CBS. NBC has launched a $100,000 spe- cialized research campaign oh radio audiences, marking the web’s big-* gest expenditure to date for a sin- gle-purpose survey. Aim is to study Saturday a. m. and p. m. and Sunday afternoon listening habits of the nation to determine whether broadcasters’ traditional approaches to dialers’ preferences are right. Questions will be asked to learn whether Sat- urday a. m. really comprises the children’s hours; whether the ma- jority of people actually wants sports on Saturday afternoon, and whether families want forums, seri- ous drama, music, whodunits, re- ligiosos, name talent or variety shows on Sunday afternoons. . The project will encompass ef- forts by A, C. Nielsen, Trendex, NBC affiliates’ research organiza- tions and private pollsters. The comprehensive study will include doorbell-ringing to learn audience composition, age brackets, eco- nomic status, sex, geographical differences, products purchased, just who spends the money and other socio-economic data. Project will take at least two months to wrap up. However, it's felt that from it NBC will get vital information for use in planning programs for the weekend, and ma- terial which will be useful to its advertisers or potential bankrollers in tailoring airers to their specific market needs. Cleveland, Dec. 26. Broadcasting’s “heroic role in the Thanksgiving weekend snow crisis” has been forgotten by “ ‘of- ficiar Greater Cleveland,” AFRA- THOTS, AFRA publication here, charges in its monthly issue being released Thursday (20). Magazine points out that broad- casters are being ignored, and that their services are not beng uti- lized to meet another immediate weather crisis. AFRATHOTS adds that although broadcasting has been contacted by civilian defense authorities, the communications problem in Greater Cleveland is still so confused that “if tonight, another 20-odd inches of snow were to fall on this area, commu- (Continued on page 26) Damrosch, Music Pioneer And'Miracle Worker’ On Radio, Dies in N.Y. at 88 ^ Dr, Walter Damrosch, dean of American conductors and pioneer in the airing of fine music on the radio, died of a heart attack at his home in New York City Fri- day (22). He was 88. The composer-eonduCtor-pianist had ^ a lifelong aim of bringing music to the people, from the po- dium, lectures, cross-country tours and over the radio. In the 1920’s he launched the NBC network’s Music Appreciation Hour, a pro- gram which was used in thousands of schools as the nucleus of their musical studies. Starting in 1942 he served for five years as NBC’s music adviser. Comparatively f e w cities have orchestras,” he once told a New York Times interviewer."! do not (Continued on page 28) P£G NAMES CHASE AS NEW AH HANAffiR Cincinnati, Dec. 26. Newly-created position of adver- tising manager of the Procter & Gamble Co. is being filled by W. R. Chase. His appointment was an- nounced last week by Howard J.^ Morgens, veepee in charge of ad- vertising. A. N. Halverstadt continues as manager of the broadcasting, media and art divisions and C. C. Uhling as manager of the merchandising division. Morgens also na’^.ed D. H. Rob- inson and E. A. Snow for new pbsts, managers of brand promo- tion divisions within the advertis- ing department. SSC&B’s Cohen Is Named ’Smith Step-Brother’ In Warm One-Man Tribute Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Dec, 26. Holiday as Well as friendly spirit at the Smith Bros, headquarters here resulted last week in a unique tribute to Phil Cohen, veepee of Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles, who handles radio for the 100-odd-year-old cough drop firm, Lee Shaw, ad sales manager for Smith Bros., wanted Cohen to pay a visit to the plant, which he hasn’t seen for some time. So Shaw had one solitary formal in- vitation engraved, inviting Cohen upstate for the “dedication of a new wing.” Plan waa to have Cohen surprised at the railroad station with a brass band. SSC&B exec, howeyer, decided to motor up from Gotham, which required a change in strategy. First inkling Cohen got that some- thing unusual was afoot was a series of Burma Shave-type signs along the roadside. These said, “For 100 years . . . we’ve grown and grown . . . and now we’re getting ... a visit from Phil Cohen.” Entire day’s activities were cen- tered around Cohen, who was honor guest at the Rotary Lunch, handed a gold key to Poughkeepsie by Smith Bros, topper Bill Smith and made an honorary member of the firm — a “Smith Step-Brother.” With the stepped-up war tempo, the four networks are currently blueprinting extensive realignment of their news staff and program- ming. Particular emphasis Is being placed on the overseas contingent of correspondents, which the webs plan to strengthen. With the Korean transmissions broken down in the face of the UN troops’ evacuations, the networks are con- cerned at the moment in lining up their own transmitter facilities in Japan, which will be a focal point for correspondents on the Pacific front. All networks are reappraising their open time segments, with a view toward building additional news programs. With the antici- pated onrush of clients into AM, the webs are confident that news- slanted formats will get first call around the agencies. Sandburg’s WNBC Shots Carl Sandburg will be heard in two special broadcasts on WNBC, N. Y„ Tuesday (2) and Thursday (4) at 11:15 p. m. Poet will do songs from the new edition of his “Amer- ican Songbag.’^ He’ll accompany himself on the guitar. Walker ’Granted FCC Stay’ Tho Eligible to Retire Washington, Dec. 26, President Truman last week signed an executive order permit- ting FCC Commissioner Paul A. Walker to complete his present term in office, which expires in 1953. Walker will be 70 years of age on Jan. 11 and would be eligi- ble for retirement. Commission Chairman Wayne Coy requested that he be allowed to stay on. Walker is the only member of the original Commission, estab- lished in 1934, still with the agency. He is now serving his third six-year term. The Commissioner came to Washington after extensive experi- ence in public utility regulation in Oklahoma. Cash Upped by NBC Norman Cash has been upped to AM station relations director for NBC, effective Jan. 1, replacing Easton Woolley, who resigned last month to become a veepee of the intermoiintaln Broadcasting Corp. in Salt Lake City. Cash, who’ll serve under station relations veepee Carleton B. Smith, has been with NBC since 1940. With web toppers getting in- creasing complaints from their sales chiefs and staffs that both radio and television have been turned into “bargain basements;” resulting In cutthroat competition among the networks, a moverrierit I is afoot to bring the chains together in January for a meeting at which fair business practices would be outlined. The parley, if it materializes, would not be in tue nature of a price-fixing venture— which might result in charges of “monopoly”-^ but one at which a code of stand- ards would be presented for adop- tion. The salesnien are griping that they can’t go to an agency with a package without having the price tag jawwed down. In other cases, agencies take their shows to all the networks and get bids. While this in' itself is not bad, what has been happening is that Network X says “never mind the price, we’ll de- ! liver it to you for $500 less than ' Network Y.” Among the sales fraternity it’s said that the situation has reached ! the point where the number of j deals made at legitimate prioes in the past few months can be count- ed on one hand. On just about everything else “special” prices were arranged: tossing In the Orch gratis, giving rebates for one rea- son or another, etc. The evil. It’s contended, has’ ex- tended both to AM and TV. At first it was thought that a discount could be handed out to only one or two advertisers, just to “snag another piece of business.” Biit the agencies have “wised up” and the webs’ rate-chiseling practice has become a Frankenstein monster which is confusing and hurting the entire field. Result; it's felt, has been to re- duce the mammoth broadcasting industry to the level of. a shady yfire sale” operation. Detroit, Dec. 26. The FCC hearing on George A. Richards’ application ' for reneWal of licenses for his three stations— WJR, Detroit; KMPC, Los Angeles, and WGAR, Cleveland— ended Thursday (21), but a final decision is months away. After 114 days, 18,000 pages of testimony, some 275 wltuesses and 1,200 exhibits, FCC hearing exam- iner James D. Cunningham took under advisement the question of whether Richards ordered his hire- lings to slant news to the disadvan- tage of FDR, the New Deal, Jews, and others. The hearing on Richards’ appli- cation began in L. A. June 14 for testimony pertaining to KMPC, and moved here Nov. 21 for facts relating to WJR and WGAR. Richards disclosed that so far the legal battle has cost^him $1,000,000. Should Cunningham deliver a de- cision unfavorable to Richards, and should the FCC sustain that de- cision, Richards faces further mon« etary losses if he takes his fight to the Court of Appeals of the Dis- trict of Columbia, then to the U. S. Supreme Court. Richards will “stand or fall bn the reputation of his stations,” de- fense attorney Hugh Fulton told Cunningham. He made that state- ment as he withdrew a long-pend- ing motion to the FCC to place control of the three stations in the hands of a .board of trustees. The purpose of the. proposed trusteeship has been “completely defeated” by the hearing, Fulton said. It Was suggested in April, 1949, almost a year before the be- ginning of the hearings. “Richards believed the plan was desired by the commission and would be ap- proved and result in preventing the necessity for protracted and enor- mously expensive hearings,” Ful«* ton explained. Plans Advisory Councils As a substitute for the trustee- ship, Fulton said Richards how is proposing to establish advisory councils for. his stations. Each would consist of five to seven per- sons familiar with problems of re- ligion, labor, politics and civilian defense. They would not censor each script, under the proposed plan, but Would review copy over a period of time. The hearing ended on a cheering note for Richards. Cunningham ruled it would not be necessary for defense attorneys to call in 100 character witnesses from the Cleve- land area. Bob Baffin Exits F-C-BtoJoinJWT Hollywood, Dec. 26. Bob Ballln, for the past three and a half years veep and head of Hol- lywood radio office of Foote, Cone & Belding, leaves Feb. 1 to take a newly-created post with J. Walter Thompson ifl New York. He Will head up a creative department to plan and set up radio and TV pro- grams for clients. A veteran of 22 years in radio, Ballin came out of vaude, where he did a song and patter act with Renny McEvpy, son of the humor- ist, J.P. McEvoy. After 12 years of trpuping he joined Ruthrauff & Ryan as a producer and was as- signed to Vox Pop, which lasted for four years. Agency then moved him to Hollywood to produce the Jack Benny show. He followed ny when the show moved to Footer Cone & Belding. Ballin rates v.p. stripes in his new job. Don Belding and Fax Cone are now screening candidates for the Hollywood post. Hadacoi medicine has bought 'one-shot on ABC for Saturday, Jar 13, at 9-9:30 p. m. Program will be a repeat of th broadcast which Hadacoi is spor soring on Mutual the previous daj Airer will originate from the test: monial dinner being given in Lq Angeles for Hadacol’s toppei Louisiana State Sen. Dudley J. Le Blanc, and will feature Holly woo names* By BOB STAHL Television networks Will be able to IraUe in their red ink for black by this time next year. That’s the opinion of Sylvester L. (Pat) Weav- er NBC-TV exec veepee, who main- tains that program costs, which sky rocketed to new heights during 1950, will level off during the com- ing year. As a result, he said, net- work program execs will be able to operate within their budgets and the webs should consequently start earning profits. Weaver, of course, spoke only for NBG but NBC’s progress will undoubtedly carry through for the rest Of the in- dustry. • Detailing video’s past and fu- ture progress in a year-end ihter- vieAV with Variety, Weaver averred that the medium literally came of age during 1950. He pointed out that it emerged as a vital phase of show business--and of big busi- ness— by developing on all fronts^ hitting the top categories in stars, writers and production, as well as in money both spent and received. “After a year’s shakedown, tele- . Vision has become big business and now we must really worry about it,” Weaver said. “But we’re already reaching one-third of the country’s population and they aren’t kicking about the quality of our shows. That should prove that TV’s basic fare is comparable in quality either to radio or films.” On the monetary front, the NBC e.\ec declared* that TV is big enough now not to be hurt by the war sit- uation. He indicated his belief that other forms of bankrolling may be affected, declaring that “advertising nay be hurt.” But, he added, the present situation should not impede TV’s growth, even though production of receivers will undoubtedly be curtailed drastical- ly. As for program costs, he said they will stabilize during the com- ing year,, “relative to current prices, of course.” Weaver noted that the Television (Continued on page 28) Pabst Pulls Kine On Fatal Bout Because of; the death of boxer Sonny Boy West from injuries sus- tained in the ring last week, CBS has ordered all affiliate stations which usually carry kinescopes of its weekly boxing matches to can- cel this week’s kine. Order was wired out to the affiliates over the weekend at the request of Pabst Beer, which sponsors the fight pickups. Pabst reportedly believed it might be accused of poor taste, It tlie kine were to be transmitted as scheduled. Since the fight was part of i ^ Wednesday night series, th< aifiliates will be forced to fill th< tune with local programming o: some sort. As far as the financia end of the cancellation is con corned, there will be no billing o: a^i.v kind made." CBS will noi charge Pabst for the kine and wil bypass the time charges to th( bankroller. Affiliates also reported |v will not bill CBS for the tim( fees. WNVe IN QUEST OF 7G VIDEO HANACER ; Seymour Siegel, head of New ork City’s radio and tele actlvi- lo.s, is hunting for a new topper $7,000 annually) for the ty s Tv and film production unit, lom which Clifford Bvahs is re- While headihg up the nit Evans also held the position of vsista^nt to the deputy mayor, at .$12,000 annually, a job mch will be taken over by Harry Municipal Unit has lensed sev- vidpix- for local tele outlets nd .subsequent exhibition in the- Aiir’’ ^^Kools, churches, etc., and aibo produced live TV stanzas. 4- On the Eve of New Vistas ly FCC ChQirinqn „ Wayne Coy ♦ if One of tht Mony Editorial Ftafurtt In fht Forthcoiniiiig 45th Anniversary Number of P^niETY OVT NEXT WEEK Is Click in D.C. Washington, Dec. 26. In a special telecast direct from Detroit to Washington, WWJ-TV presented its widely-heralded edu- cational program to 100 guests from Congress, the Army, State and Commerce Depts. and five of the seven members of the FCC. Guests watched the weekly U. of Michigan Television Hour on four screens in a Wardman Park hotel suite. At the same time, NBC re- corded the show in New York as an example of what the nation’s telecasters have been seeking for months: a way to' use the new me- dium for formal education. Along with thousands of regular Detroit area viewers, the Washing- ton group witnessed final illustrat- ed lectures on human biology and on the psychological problem o| hobbies as a new means of liveli- hood for the growing number of elderly and retired persons. They then Watched a video tour of the university’s speech depart- ment and a demonstration of how war veterans and others subjected to brain injury are treated for aphasia, FCC Chairman W^ayne Coy’s comment was: “One word— terrific — describes what WWJ-TV is doing. All of us are tremendously im- pressed with the idea. I would like to see the program carried one step further and have the students in the university’s radio and television (C!ontinued on page 28) Grappler Tourney For Men After Femmes Click Cincinnati, Dec. 26. Crosley’s tri-city TV web kicks off this week with a men’s heavy- weight wrestling tburnameht which president /Robert E. Dun- ville said was prompted' by popu- larity of its elimination tourney for femme grapplers inaugurated early this month. Saturday night matches in the men’s elimination series will orig- inate in the studios of WLW-D, I Dayton, and in Cincy’s Music Hall arena for pickups by WLW-T. Stakes of $5,000 will be split with $2,500 in cash and a $1,000 cham- pionship belt for the winner; $1,000 to second, and $500 to third-place finishers. Winner of the gals’ competition meets Mildred Burke for a $2,000 purse. A1 Haft, matchmaker for both tourneys, said the men’s also is open to all comers, with no limits on size or age.' Bouts are on a bne-fqll, 60-minute time limit basis, with three defeats causing elimination. Crosley video stations, Including WLW-C, Columbus, offer one Fri- day aiid two Saturday wrestling programs weekly. ' By GEORGE ROSEN It’s Procter &. Gamblei vs. Lucky Strike in TV billings supremacy among the major clients, as televi- sion brings to a close its most affluent year. P&G, in nosing out the ciggie client for topdog position among i the heavy spenders, winds uP 1950 with total TV expenditures (pro- grams and time) of about $8,000,- obo. That’s over and above the ap- proximate $22,000,000 P&G spends annually on shows and time Costs in radio as the. No. 1 advertiser. (There’s been no diminution in . P&G’s AM programming since mov- ing into the TV forefront). Lucky Strike is only slightly be- hind P&G. Although the ciggie company, has fewer shows, they are more expensive ones. Luckies, too, splurges an approximate $2,000,000 bn TV spots, while P&G puts the accent on programming. Significant is the “history-re- peats-itself” aspect of the P&G emergence into supremacy, ’ Virtu-, ally clinching its undisputed lead- ership in the longtime P&G vs. Lever Bros, rivalry. Just as, in radio, it was P&G that set -the pat- terns in daytime radio and night- time strip shows, and grabbed off the valuable time ' franchises, the same story applies today in TV, with a situation that finds Lever Bros, practically frozen out of NBC and CBS on daytime franchises. Lever Moves Slowly With the exception of its own two CBS half-hour nighttime shows, “Lux Television Theatre’’ and “Big Town,” Lever has been slow in moving intq the TV picture, up to now completely bypassing the bid for daytime audiences. On the other hand, P&G has spread itself wide over the video kilocycles. It is entrenched in the daytime pro- gram sweepstakes with the $15, 000- weekly budgeted “First Hundred Years” on CBS-TV; it has bought into the Kate Smith NBC video show on a five-times-a-week basis. On the after-dark channels, it spon- sors “Beulah” on ABC-'TV; the $32, 000-weekly budgeted “Musical Comedy Time” on NBC-TV, and the Tuesday night “Fireside Theatre” vidpix series on NBC-TV. With an approximate time and talent budget of $1,500,000 annually on each, it represents a total outlay of close to $8,000,000. ■ Luckies," in the runnerup spot, has’ such expensive items as the Robert Montgomery dramatic se- ries on NBC-TV; the Sunday night “This Is Show Business” on CBS- TV; the Saturday night “Hit Pa- rade” on NBC-TV, 'and the sched- uled appearances of Jack "Benny, who has already . done one video show. Further, Luckies has a tal- ent-production hut for its variety of “Be Happy-Go Lucky” commercials that approximates full program costs. SHOE CO. TAKES NEW KID QUIZ SHOW ON ABC-TV The Sam Smith Shoe Co., of New England, has negotiated a deal, via Dancer, Fitzgerald & Sample agen- cy, for a two-day-a-week spbhsor- ship of a kid show on ABC-TV. Starting Feb. 16, the shoe com- pany will be represented by a kid quiz program featuring A1 Ganna- way, It will be a 15-minute pro- gram, getting a late afternoon showcasing on Mondays and Wed- nesdays. Balto Has 252,200 Sets Baltimorej Dec. 26. Baltimore’s television set ^ure reached 252,200 as of Dec. 1. Sales for the' month of Nov. totaled 11,- 750. Television set figure a year ago In Baltimore Was '112,517. * ♦ ■, NBC'c TV Chief S. L. (Pat) Weaver Ditcatftt TV and the Intellectual A ProvoeoHve Byline Feature In the 45th Anniversary Numher : of--, P^filETY OVT NEXT WEEK ■ Chicago, Dec. 26. Flurry of cancellations or threats of same the past few weeks have left Chi tele show packagers sing- ing the “option blUes.” Rising costs and uncertainty over what the new year will bring in the way of emer- gency controls and restrictions, have caused the axing of several of the relatively high-budgqted live local TV programs. Although the failure to renew options has left the package build- ers and agencies with unsold prop- erties on their hands, situation hasn’t had too much effect ubon | the four tele stations as far as rev- enue is concerned. In mosf^ cases they’ve been able to peddle the time to clients using smaller-budg- eted film shows. With the four stations all now charging $1,000 for an hour of Class A time and the looming hike in talent rates coming out of the Current local Television Authority negotiatioiLs, some of the bankroll- ers are claiming they’re being priced out of the medium. But a closer scrutiny of the withdrawals shows that many of them were in just for pre-Christmas promotiou Network Competition Most of the shows that have been dropped or are bowing out have been slotted in the highly competi- tive prime evening time. As a re- sult, the local ventures have run into trouble snaring respectable ratings against network offerings. (Continued on page 28) Turns Yens Tele Show; Wants Fannie Brice For AM Counterpart Tumsi which sponsors the Fannie Brice radio show on NBC, is also looking for a TV property, and has set its sights on wooing the comed- ienne into video. Turns hai notified; its agency. Dancer, Fitzgerald & Sample, that it’s set to make the TV plunge in ’51 and has indicated that a teevee; counterpart of Miss Brice’s AM program would suit the client fine. It’s now a case of D-F-S con- vincing Miss Brice to make the transition. If she consents, show would be filmed on the Coast. Billie Burke’s Vidpic Hollywood, Dec. 26. Billie Burke will get $600 for a one-day stint before the television cameras next week in “Dear Aman- da.” Thirty-minute vidfilm being made for “Bigelow Theatre” is a William Morris package, and the agency will peddle it as a series starring Miss Burke. Bob Sodeberg, who is scripting, Will get $500 for the chore. ► Chicago, Dec, 26.. Did CBS prexy Frank Stanton offer to peddle the Web’s color teevee system tor $3,000,000 in 1949 or did he not, remains the question of the week here. The fuse to this latest bomb which blew the color controversy back Into the headlines was lighted by a state- ment made Wednesday (2Q) by Ross D. Siragusa, prexy of the Admiral Gorp. Tele set manufacturer declared in a Chi luncheon speech that Stan- ton had offered him the CBS tinted video device!, “lock, stock and bar- rel for $3,000,000.” The statement was denied in ad- vance by CBS topper, who had read a .handout of the Siragusa speech, Stanton telephoned the Chi manu- facturer from N. Y.^ Warning him if het repeated the statement during his .Wednesday talk, he (Stanton) would publicly label it false. Stanton’s denial read: “After reading the advance handout on , Siragusa’s talk, I phoned him to say that I have never made Admiral such an offer. He contended that during the spring of 1949, I perr sonally had made an offer to him personally, 1 advised Siragusa that I was in Europe at the time he said I made the offer. Moreover, I had no conversation, meeting, or correspondence with Siragusa on any subject during 1949. And I have never made any offer to Sir^ agusa on color television at any time. Accordingly, if Siragusa makes a statement about my offer as in the publicity handout, it i» false.” A Chi CBS publicity department staffer was sent to the luncheon to monitor Siragusa’s talk. Admiral chief stuck closely i6 his advance text. Siragusa led up to the controver- sial statement by declaring that his company does not believe the CBS system to be the. answer to color TV. “f could go into a great deal of . detail on ittie deficiencies of the CBS System. I think the most force- ful way to summarize my views about it, however, is to tell you that in 1949 Frank Stanton, presi- dent of Columbia, offered to sell Admiral its color system lock, stock . and barrel for $3,000,000,” he said. (Continued on page 26) UnderhOI Quits CBS-TV G Jtt. Post Charles Underhill, general man- ager of the television department at CBS, has turned in his resigna- tion to board chairman William S. Paley. That makes the second ma- jor year-end checkout, with Robert P. Heller, director of AM program- ming for the network, also having tendered his resignation to join the Lou iCowan package operation. A few months back Underhill Was transferred as director of TV programming (the video counter- part of Heller’s job under program veepee Hubbell Robinson, Ji*.) to the newly-created general manager spot, with Harry Ommerle desig- nated as UnderhilTs successor, Underhill's future plans are un- determined, ‘RANGER’ MINTED TWO-WAY RIDE FOR GH Because General Mills has been unable to decide what show to put in its newly-acquired Friday night CBS-TV time, it looks like the filmed “Lone Ranger” will get an interim two-way ride on Columbia and ABC-TV. , GM purchased the CBS time last week, through Knox-Reeves agen- cy, to plug its Wheaties product. Same client has the “Ranger’’ Series on ABC via Dancer, Fitzgerald & Sample. Latter is loaning out the coWboy pix to Knox-Reeves pend- ing some conclusion ou the regular Friday CBS stanza. 22 TELEVISION Wednesday, Dceember 27, 1950 Color Picture in Battle Vs. RCA CBS fired a new and impressive ♦ gun in its color television barrage yesterday (Tues.), when it unveiled a 17-inch direct view color picture which furnished color images even better than those previously dem- onstrated, New development, made pd-s-sible through use of a rotating filter drum to replace the disks used heretofore, is considered especially significant in that the V eb previously had been unable to display a picture larger than 12^<2 inches. * Rotating drum has been Under development by CBS veepee Dr. peter Goldmark since 1941. Web execs emphasized, however, that -its display at this time was in no %vay tied in with the Chicago court i decision last week upholding the FCC okay oh the CBS system. Ac- cording to ' GoWmark and CBS A'eepee Adrian Murphy, the drum was only perfected enough for demonstration purposes by last week. Major importance of the drum filter is that CbS is no longer con- fined as far as the size of its color picture is concerned. Where the filter, disks necessarily had to be twice the size Of the viewing tube, the drum is only 15Cb vlarger. Thus, while a 1 ' 2 ;inch tube re- quired a 25-inch disk, the ration between the drum and the tube Is only 20:17. Color drum, though , FCC Cemmliileiiir Frieda B. Hemiock Dlscuites Video's EdHCotlenol Potenllollflts In the 3 IV s in tv ‘ One of the Many iyllne Pieces In the 45ih Anniversary Number . of ^ OUT K EXT WEEK Transmission Errors Nix 50^ Commercial Spots, Check Survey Reveals More than 50% of commercial spots, kinescepes and film being screened on television throughout j America are subject to errors in transmission, according to a survey I conducted by Spot Check, Inc., for I some of the top agencies. Report, j which included 1,000 consecutive monitoring checks up to last July j 10 and which has just been com- piled, claims that clients and i i agencies who buy adjacencies and • I specific time slots for commercials, i I cannot be niore than half certain ! that their commitments will be ' riiet.' . . ] According b- Spot Check, 10.2% of the total commercials monitored , did not appear at all, while an- , other 3-3% appeared either four ; : minutes or more too early or too j i late. On 5.4% of those monitored, the audio portion of the spot was indistinct or not synchronized, while on another 4.3%, the video portion was too light, blurred, i etc. Organization found that in % of the checks, the station V perniitted double spotting before the spot appeared, while double spotting after the commercial was I noted in 10.8% of the cases. In 13.5% of the spots, a blur was caused because the station failed Unipie TV Tlniversity of Air.’ Backed r I to provide an interval before the J. i. J Au • i. ^ i- 1 ! preceding program had faded, and _ Predicated, on the mtemationai another IT.2% the final sales .situation arid President ® | niessage was 'lost because no in- , , i recent declaration of a national j tgi-yal was provided before the rigid, is in effect wrapped around emergency, ABC Prepping a • appeared. Spot the tube, with thc filters at right , large-scale ad-promotion campaign j QReck utilized checkers -in every angles to the scanning lines. As j to spur electronic advertising against a with the disks, though, the drum j the modern inethod of sellmg ' questionnaire through Which the still does not provide compati- j uncertain, fast-moving business ‘ei^iecker could outline his report. conditions. I r • ■ ' ■ ' ' ' - ■ ■ bankroll Max Liebman’s TV Lomaiit: So Who’s Worrying? A Iyllne Ediforlol in the Fortheaming 45th Anniversary Number of P^niETY OUT NEXT week bility with white sets. present . black-and- In today’s conditions — , • n • iir* i i ers need the maximum amount of - 1 A StshAIIC WlmfilT/IW speed and flexibility, ABC ad-pro- j OldllCIIlb ff llllUl dW motion - research - publicity veepee Robert Saudek told Variety this week. As prices shift, materials and products become scarce and Hourly Pay Philadelphia, Dec. 26. One of the most extensive uses ever made of television as an adult education medium will be launched Monday, Jan. 2, with the “WPIL- TV University of the Air,” series of daily programs slated to go out five times weekly oVei* this three-^ state area. Nineteen colleges arid universi- ties in Perinsylvariia, New Jersey and Delaware, as well as the Phila- delphia Board of Education’s exten- sion services, have pledged their full cooperanon to WFIL-TV in presenting the program, W'hich will be telecast Mondays through Fri- daj's 11:10 a.m, to 12 nOpn. Roger W. Glipp, general manager of the Philadelphia Inquirer sta- tion, announced the educational se- ries following a series of meetings with leading educators from the participating Institutions. Attention is certain to be focused on the WFIL-TV television college courses at a time when educators all oyer the couritry are seeking added TV time for instructive pro- grams in the public interest. The FCC at the moment is considering a number of requests for the alloca- tion of separate channels for edu- „ , . . , cative purposes. Television may be years young- „ er than the film industry but net- work broadcasters are already run- j ning into the same problems that j currently confront the Hollywood [ J studios. One of the thorniest such : television industry, by develop-? problems now is the lack of op- j regulai college youi’sesadapta- portunity to train new personnel, presentation. Dr. Arm- which in TV means particularly ' L. Hunter, educational director new directors. of the Inquirer stations, will serve ! as chairman, of the administrative Hollywood, Dec. 26. New pay . scale proposal is being Eye De-Icing Move Washington, Dec. 26, FCC and CBS, in the wake of the Chicago federal court’s decision in the color television suit last week, are both expected to take action ' copy appeals are changed, he said, to por catiori of the CBS system. While ‘ papers and other graphic media ^ Video outlets agreed to withdraw ! ing to NBC-TV program, manager the court upheld the FCC’s de- jack. 'their original plan calling for an Ernest Walling, it’s the dearth of cision greenlighting CBS color, it In an emergency, the ABC exec hourly wage scale plan. I sustaining shows of any dimen- ' continued the .stay order oh a. tern- pointed out, the Government re- 1 New scale proposal probably will ' sions which is responsible. Unless lies chiefly on radio. No othei* ! be patterned after the basic TVA -1 ; ; — 4._.' : i i - ^ .• .t'L- -i J both expected to take action copy appeals are changed, he said. | clrawn up by local telestations fol- 1 long been used as the training ; unfreeze the Chi tribunal’s fern- j AM and TV provide advantages j lowing first Television Authority '• ground for new actors, directors, j I’ary stay on commercial appli- that billboards, magazines, news- ; victory in current, negotiations, j technicians, etc. In video, accord- po'”)ry basis. in Chi, the decision was re- garded as a tactical victory for over 95% of American RCA, which had filed to have the rural and urban, with the emo- ; are still a considerable distance FCC. decision set. aside. Stay tional power of the spoken word. ' apart , on final terms of a working medium can immediately get into . structure calling for payment based r»x7Pr nf Ampi-inan homcs, ' On programming. Statioiis and TVA order an extension of the ruling js.sued by the Chi court Nov. 17, will remain in effect until April 1, or until ended by Supreme Court action. However, RCA expressed satis if AM is sb heavily relied on by j contract, but stations’ decision to | plained by the industry’s present the Government, it is just as ' withdraw the hourly-scale offer is ' k In the film industry the situation ■ committee. Dr. Hunter is chairman was created by the major .studios^ ! department of radio, speech decision to eliminate production ^of , theatre at Temple U., and for- both on a dwin- j^^^, chairman of the department of dling boxoffice and .increased prO" radio in Northwestern U.’s School duction costs. The B Tilms had Dr. Joseph Zimmerman, director of the Temple U. Television Work- shop, will be in charge of produc- tion for WFIL-TV. Before joining the Temple faculty. Dr. Zimmer- man was technical director of the Northwestern U. Theatre and a for- mer set decorator at Paramount. Courses of study scheduled will be televised in two series of II weeks each during the winter and Spring. Nine colleges and universi- .some solution is soon reached, Walling said, TV directors miav soon be at a premium.. Video situation reflects an ap- parent paradox but one easily ex- seen as an indication that the next negotiation meeting Jan. .10 may achieve a framework for a pact. Chi -‘Circus^ Renewed Chicago, Dec. 2. ABC’s Chi-originated “Super Cir- cus” got a 13-\veek renewal last potent for the advertiser. Web’s campaign will plug the theme that electronic media are the most economical. “Advertisers faction that the lower court, in coin- 1 have always given careful ePnsid- tinuing the stay pending final de- 1 eration to bringing down the cost termination of the issue, “clearly of their distribution,’’ Saudek said, indicated its awareness of the , “but too often they neglect to con- great public interest at stake.” The ; sider the cost of distribution of company said it would appeal, ' their ad messages. Studies will | week from M. & M., Ltd. Gandy "confident that the Supreme Court show that radio and television dis- i maker will continue to bankroll the will recognize that the public tribute advertising more efficiently ' 4:30 to 5 p. m. segment of the should not be denied compatible , and cheaply than any other j hour-long show on alternate weeks, color decision.” ; media.” I Agency is William Esty. CBS, on the other hasd, had “no j — — — ^ ; - question” the Supreme Court “will 1 also uphold the Commission order, ■ if RCA insi.sts on carrying its case ; further.” In any event, the web I added, “we are now assured that the matter will finally be disposed of within a few months.” The Chicago court action set off con.siderahle speculation as to whether color sets or converters could be manufactured in yie\y of defense requirements for critical NBC Eyes Expansion Of Chicago, Dec. . 26. With more and more city folks leaning to television; Chi radio of revenue is the WLS Artist Bu-. reau 'which handles p a. bookings Tor fairs and other events' through- out the area, which use western- slanted talent.) WBBM, CBS Chi slatidn, recent- running 15 minutes, available in i audition form, which are being materials. A definite effort to get ' stations are upbeating their pitches the National Production Authority : to the rural dialers. Idea is to, to prevent production of color ; take advantage of the heretofore ; ^ .u c ^ 4 - i . ■ , - -° equipment was made by a vtask ' fluently-ignored non-metropoli- ; ty entered the Satin day night out- peddled around the ageficies. These croup ” of televisioii set distribu- ' tan audience encompased by the i ot-town audience sweepstakes wTth l include “Hawkins Fails,” vvhich was tors following a meeting herewith riig city 50,000 watters. j k ^ KPA for a briefing on the effect of Several sophisticated Windy City . clcfen.se order.s oh their business, stations, w'hich down through the Action was asked in the form of a years have eschewed oater program- : ^ r^olutipn adopted by the ming, as temg 4e^^^ cently taken on folk singers and i y-.„yvy.^vy.7ii>o k>y a western drawl disk jbckeys in an ! economy. Networks, and particu- ' ties w'ill offer 15-minute, 20-minute larly NBC, have Tew sustaining ' apcl half-hour programs in the Thi- programs because .they arc almost ; tial series. Some of these will be completely .sold out pn their cream i ^^Pl’esented in the second series, evening time. But, because of the ■ ^tie. Philadelphia Board of Educa- amount of money the webs have : tion W’ill offer a separate course, ^Continued on page 29) j ^ Speak Spanish. i institutions represented in the j first series and the subjects to be ! covered include: Albright College, j “Nuclear Physics for the Layman;” Beaver Collcg:, “Understanding Economics;” Drexel Institute, “Un- Now that NBC has posted the derstanding Our Teenage Chil- SRO sign on its daytime “Kate , dren;” Penn States “The Homes We Smith Show',” the web is pressing - Live In;” Pennsylvania Military to wrap up sponsors for other clay- j College. “Chemistry of Living;” time segments. With Miss Sigith’s ■ Rider College, “Success Through show' airing CTOS.s-the-:^oard from 4 | Self-Improvement;” St, Joseph’s to 5 p. m., NBC is now' concentrat - 1 College, “The Art of Thinking;” ing on selling the 3 to 3:30 m. ! Temple U., “The Child and the vslot and, according to web execs, Family,” and ul'sinus College, j several bankrollers have already | “Governments Around the World.” nibbled at various packages being ; Other cooperating colleges in- ! pitched to them. ; elude Bryn MawT, of Delaware, Shows with soap opera forniats Uaverford College, LaSalle College, are getting the biggest play. NBC ' Lehigh U., Moravian College foi* Currently has three of them, each i Women, Muhlenberg College, Rut- ealers. Jr. Ad Awards To Barrett. attempt to woo the hinterland list- eners. ‘Country Hour” at 5 to 6 a.m. One of the heaviest hillbilly lAcrease in farmer-beamed shows by the other stations isn’t being ! viewed with glee by WLS. Latter Philadelphia, Dec. 26. , * u ..k i j Edward W. Barrett, assistant Sec- ; "’ll'’' 'T' rotary of State in charge of the Voice of America, and Edward Li I'T"® Clu situation is | E.KcMahon, WCAUyTY .staffer, i'i'ere ■ ^oncevt^ed. Station has always ca- 1 selected as the wtnneri of the Phil- I Primarily^ to the farm audi- Edeluhia Junior ArivprtiKitic iiinh’* i with its. heavy, emphasis on adelphia Junior Advertising Club’$ j annual awards. . . Barrett and McMahon . lyere pre- •t'.iied with plaques at the club’s annual aw'ards dinner - held (2X), in :] the Poor Richard, Club. A former agriculture news and features and its folk talent programming. WLS 'Monopoly' ' up by WJJD, daytime indie opera- tion, "rhe 50,000 watted has a solid two-hour block of ^ disk shows fea- turing folk singers, running from 3;45 to 5:45 p.m. Since program directors have found there’s some affinity betw'een hillbiliy music and mail order pull, WJJD slots its m.o. spots in this afternoon period. Sta- tion also opens its day with an hour of recorded oater tunes. • . : same pattern is developing at WCFL, which jiist took ’^on Ray has had thip field practically ^ . ! to itself, especially Saturday nights ' Starkey, Texas-born folWrti’sts, editor of Newsweek magi Barrett ; w'ith its* National Barn Dance, , who^s now handling the indie’s was chief of the overseas new'.s and ; which has been a rural midwest ' early morning rural-beamed record the Office qf jstaqdby for ^5 years. (An Irnpor - 1 show. Labor-owhed station sched- war iniormation ; t ) Tant by-product arid a major solircc I < . tClontlnuodr on page 26 ) 1 gers U„ Sw'arthmore College and Villanova College. staged as a Tull-hour, Saturday night program last summer; “Fam- ily Doctor,” and “Candy and BillV’ latter produced by NBC in associa- tion with indie packager Carol Irwin. Unlike Miss Smith’s pro- gram, Which w'.as sold on a partici- pating basis, NBC hopes to line up « epHpc nf TXr «vi ^ ®®®'' ®f these ero.ss. [ ^ TV Pg'* ™^^® London, Dec. 26. . The recent deal by which the British Broadcast > Corp. acquired the-board. “Ransom Sherman Show,” which originates in Chicago, presently occupies the 3 to 3:30 segment. Web has been unsuccessful so far in selling it and, , if the program is not dropped, it will probably be cut to a 15-miriute format to play back-to-back wTth One of the soap- ers. Meanwhile, with its “Mystery Theatre” series already earmarked for the 12:05 to 12:20 a. m. pe- riod, NBC Is mulling the Idea of building other post-midnite shows. These will probably be programs which can be produced without the addition of more personnel or fa- cilities; according to ,a web spokes- man. John Nasht, has led to talks be- tween the cpuncil of Britrsh Actors Equity and the BBC. An Equity Spokesman says the deal highlights the danger that a good part of the BBC’s own output might eventually consist of pix made abroad. Equity^ calls it as a “knotty problem” which can’t take a hasty decision. It would be a “nightmare world,” said Equity, if the product of a tiny handful of artists in' a single ’ country could be canned and din*, patched to TV screens of every other country, w’hich is already J- Jiapperilng ‘‘fo a /considerablf ex- , , t¥nt” witft iH9U};wod4 p|m«. ; i Wednesday, December 27, 1950 P^SSiEff TELEVISION BEVIEWS 23 ‘ ^ y As its Christmas Night offering, the Procter & Gaihble-sponsored *i\fiusical Comedy Time’' on NBC- tV oll'ored an adaptation of Victor Herbert's ‘^Babes 111 Toylland/' en- dow it with a cast that included ciuh fine performers as Dennis King, Hobert Weede, Edith Fel- iowes, Gil Lamb, Dorothy Jarnac and Robert Dixon, among others. Alexander Kirkland wrote the TV version, transforming the Herbert classic of the 1929 Broadway sea- son into a 1950-vintaged musical tivat took cognizance of such cur- renl phenomena as video, Milton Berle and Hopalorig Cassidy. Practically everybody and every- thing, for that matter* was written into the book but Dagmar and Faye Emerson,- ( ho’cc of ‘Babes’V as the Yule- tide offering was understandable, bid what was. projected oyer the screen was anything but. Soine- liow the grownups couldn’t make the transition into babes in Toy- land, The fantasy was elusive and lvea\ y-hahded, the Christmas charm seldom if ever permeated and the res ti 1 1 a n t hodgepodge never bi’onched the light, melodic tempo of the Herbertign frolic. As Dr. Electronic, whose nuclear miiul ultimately proved no match for the creator of Toylarid, Dennis Ki ng iiad a hapless role. Even the pei'i nniaUy favorite ‘‘March of the Toys ” and “Toyland” tunes didn't come to life, ill the TV version, though the opportunities for imaginative staging were bound- loss. Dorothy Jarnac and Gil I.am 1) projected well in individual specialties; Robert Weede as the season’s portender of cheer made the one outstanding musical com tiibuUon. but the lengthy number pi iinpressive credits could have labored and brought forth some- thing more rewarding. * The names w e r e ^liXtposing enough, and so was the talent, but the comedy material used to flavor I he ingredients failed to produce the desired results Sunday night On the Bob Hope show. NBC’s “Comedy Hour” found Hope still a very funny guy, but he, too, had his lapses, through no fault of his own. When the laughs don’t come, there’s little that can be done to circumvent the void. ^ The names included Eleanor Roosevelt, Lily Pons, Robert Cum- mings and Betty Bruce for the lure-’em quality, in addition to Hope himself, Mrs. Roosevelt finaled the show with her reprise ol a Yulethne message of peace and goodwill, a message once read , .^"'Gorge Washington himself, and .while this was not entertain- incni per se, it lent the proper spiritual quality to the program, c.spcgially with its choral back- ground (St, John’s Boys Choir). MLss Pons, with a nifty produc- tion background, first did the“Bell Song ” from “Lakme,” and with inis^she socked over strongly. She made a couple of subsequent ap- pearances that were also-rans, but this was because she had little to do except foil for some inferior comedy, Robert Cummings, from films, sulterod also from scriptitis, al- I tough at times he was able to sift tiuough the W'elter of so-called comedy and point up his own per- sonality. He was in several comedy appearance, A C showing him off best, e bit, with Hope, B. iT Bergen, was especiaJly, disastrous. The way the number was written — with the macy s department store as the fulcrum—suggested that the latter sponsor. But maybe it Fi'iVi year, with I I igidau;e playing Santa, too. ^ ^ dancing l ot and her taps, as always, were ^ Robert Maxwell, iidipist, likewise was clicko in his ^oio. . - . contributidh was that H i ‘^ries Sanford , the musical dll eclor, with his complex cues of music that ranged from the pops IQ the operatic. ■ ger, Cactus Jim and Ted Mack of the “Original Amateur Hour.” Just what purpose this accomplished is not clear, but it did eat. up 15 min- utes of the show. Thereafter,' the program was back on its customary format*, with comic Mickey Deems, Lauritz Mel- chior, danceivbird trainer Ross Harvey, David Niven and singer Rosemary Clooney on the roster. Deems did his bit on Sunday with the family, and registered solidly. While he’s done the same turn in theatres and niterles and on TV before, it stiU is strong, Melchior excelled in “Vesti la Giubba” and later came bdek to sing “Some Enchanted Evening,’’ doing a charming waltz with an eight-year old girl from the dance group. Niven appeared in a scene from R. C, Sherriff’s World War I play, “Journey’s End,” which, while competently done, lacked dramatic pertinence out of the complex 6f the entire play; Harvey scored in his turn with his trained Australian budgie bird.s. Stint requires a degree of audience participation in that some members of the audience are asked to hold the birds on their fingers. But the delightful quality of the act registers with home viewers too. Miss Clooney com- petently sang a couple of pops. Henry James has now provided “Philco Television Playhouse” vyUli three topflight vehicles. On Sun- day (24) the NBC-TV stanza offered a dramatization of his “The Pupil,” which was movingly staged. Story is that Of a tutor, played by John Newland, who was hired to teach a spoiled 10-year-old (Jud- son Rees). However, he quickly learned that the child’s unman- ageability stemmed from his par- ents’ failure to give him love. Be- cause he himself had been an orphan, and knew a kid’s need for affection, Newland cared for the youngster and finally he and his bride-to-be took him away with them. More important than the plot was the psychological depth which James gave his novels and which Stephen deBaun’s adaptation re- tained. The piece made an incisive indictment of parents who are more concerned with their finan- cial affaire than with tneir, chil- dren, a theme which has figured in much of James’ Works. Newland brought understanding and charm to the role of the tutor and young Rees was believable as his problem charge. Viola Roache handled the part of the callous mother well and Ann Summers clicked as the tutor’s fiancee. Because Of the Christmas Eve skedcUng, commercials were de- leted from the " intermissions and 1 the time saved was devoted to a five-minute session of carols at the end of the airer. Presumably, in kinescope cities which see the pro- gram after the Holidays, commer- cials will be restored and the carol segment dropped. V,. Sullivan . decided it' va.sn t worth competing with Bob Hope, who was on NBC-TV at the Sdine time as Sullivan’s CBS-TV loast of the Town,” or he could / '‘R enough' variety tal- out a full hour. At any late, the first 15 minutes of his inow were devoted to introducing ® ^hmber of stock video characters respite a strong talent lineup uioreaftcr, the show lacked its cus- tomary glitter and sharpness. - Mpening with Paul Jones’ danc-r ' W’oup of , youngsters 'from plamiord, Cpnii., Sullivan kept and inthidii^ed them' lo 'tfa'ptliiW'VldW,* tHe Vidftdi'Ran- ! Joey Adams bandied badinage jWith Abe Burrows and George S. 'Kaufman on “This Is Show Busi- ness’’ (CBS> and almost made it kidding-on-the-square in rebuttal and otherwise. He did an okay stint, based on his “Rate Your Mate’V quiz (also a CBS show, AM not TV). Kitty. Carlisle was the guest femme panelist. Incidentally, Clifton Fadiman has dropped his cheaters which is a good visual idea in view of the high-dome as- sists from permanent panelists Burrows and Kaufman. A performance that will be long remembm'ed by those that saw it was delivered Monday (25) night by Fay Bainter on CBS-TV’s “Lux Video Theatre.” Playing an inn- keeper’s wife in an adaptation of the late Stephen Vincent BenefS “A Child Is Born,” she endowed the role with the mystic, poetic quality that gave spirit and mean- ing to The story of Christ’s birth and all that story conveys^ Benet's tale itself, like most of his Work, has a mystic quality about it. It tells of how the inn- keeper’s wife gets the revelation of the meaning of the birth of the Child in the stable' of her Inn and how she gets that meaning across to the rest of those in the Inn. Story is set in. the cruel reign of King Herod, and the Child’s birth comes to her as a symbol of hope for freedom for all men ai)d for all thne. Miss Bainter delivered her lines as' inspirationally as the mood of the story itself. In her better m6- mehts— or superlative, since they were all good^fhey flowed like poetry. Gene? Lockhari was coni-: ►pletefly effective in 'an ^antithetical (Continued on 'page fiB>' ' CHRISTMAS SONG With Lois Hunt, Norman Scott, Gordon pilworth, Harold Brown, Beverly Jan^, Margery Myer, Stephen Kennedy* Joe Helgesen, Jon Silo, others Producer: Paul Rosen Director: ‘'Larry White Stager: Roger Gerry Writer: Barbara Boothe Music: Robert Russell Bennett 60 Mins.; Mon. (25), 9. p.m. Sustaining DuMont, from N. Y. ; For its special , Christmas offer- ing, DuMont trotted out this ambir tious, hour-long original produc- tion demonstrating how Christmas affects a supposedly typical Man- hattan community. But, While the musical portions were well-han- dled, the weak thesping and cliched script militated against full projec- tion of the Christmas spirit, for which; the show was supposedly aiming. Web is to be commended for staging such an apparent costly venture on a sustaining basis, but the. show just didn’t have it. Story was set in a lower-class apartment house, supposedly on the lower east side, which per- mitted for the inclusion of N. ^.’s polyglot life. Main story line had the landlord, in love with a young femme tenant, seeking to have the building torn down so he could erect a warehouse. What was more to the holiday atmosphere Was the introduction of the tenants, each of whom emigrated to the U. S. from a different Country. In pick- ing up the story of each, the show segued neatly into depicting how Christmas was Celebrated in each of their native lands. Several original songs, mostly of the dramatic shbyvtune variety, were defied for the production by Robert Russell Bennett. While none had much pop appeal, they sounded like good Broadway musi- cal prospects, In comparison, though, Rodgers - Hammerstein “Soliloquy” from “Carousel,” which was sung capably by Ste- phen Kennedy, was standout. Show was backgrounded by an attractive set, with simulated snow, showing the front of the apart- ment building. Cast sang much better than they acted. Production and camera work were adequate. Stal. FAMILY CHRISTMAS With Burl Ives, Margaret Johnson, David Anderson Writer: AI Crews Producer; Rudy Bretz Director: Crews 30 Mins.; Mon., 9:30 p.m. Sustaining ABC-TV, from New York Hrotestant Radio Commission, in cooperation with ABC-TV, turned out a fine Yuletide program in “Family Christmas” which the net aired Monday (25). Kingpin of the informal session was Burl Ives, who presided over a family gatbering around a living room tree. 'The pipe-smoking balladeer set the holiday mood with impromptu songs in verse and led family mem- bers in Christmas carols around a piano. Atmosphere of “Family Christ- mas” was informal, but with a quiet dignity that typified many similar scenes in other American homes. High point of the stanza w'as Ives’ explanation of the Bibli- cal and contemporary significance of Christmas to his 10-year-old son. He re-told the story of the Nativity and drew a parallel from the troubled times when Christ was born to our o\^)n uncertain period of the present. Tauchiiig on the Communist menace, Ives counselled his off- spring that we’re not mad at the Russians— only their government. “We mustn’t hate people,” he add- ed, “for when w'e have good will in our hearts toward people and they have good will to us, then we will have peace.” Withal, “Family Christmas” ranked high among holiday special shows, for it related the story of the birth of Christ and its relation to the present era in terms that children could readily understand; Gilb. ■ - i' I . I ' UNCLE MILTY’S CHRISTMAS PARTY With .Milton Berle, Lauritz Mel- chior, Maxellos. Martin Bros.* Martha Rayc, Trixie, Gaudsmitli Bros,, Delage Sc Shirley, James Little, Manuel Sc Marita Perez, Al Goodman orch Producer: Irving Gray Director:’ Arthur Knorr Writers: Hal Collins, Jay Burton, Bobby Gordon, Buddy Arnold. Woody Kling 60 Mins., Mon. (25), 3 p*m. Participating NBC, from N. Y. • (Ki(*'Swcttery Milton Berle put on a special fUll-hour variety show I'dr kids Christmas Day (25). afternoon, and bfecause the acts were shrewdly chosen for kid appeal,- and breezily paced,' the airer came off well. There was -a good^ informal quality *l(C0iit1liueabbltegte 29) ’’ ’• HANSEL AND GRETEL With* David Lloyd, Virginia Has- kins, Claramae Turner., Frances . Lehnerts, Paul Ukena, Michael Splvak Director: Charles Polacheck Producer: Samuel . Chotrinoff 60 Mins.; Mon. (25), 2 p.m. Sustaining NBC-TV, from N. Y. Humperdinck’s opera, “Hansel and Gretel;” was trimmed into an engaging 60 -minute Christmas afternoon video offering for juves and adults .alike. Based . on an English translation by ’Townsend Brewster, this holiday opera was imaginatively .staged within the limitations of. the video screen while fully utilizing the technical flexibility of the TV cameras. This . production was cleverly presented as a fairy’ tale with music. While Humperdinck’s score was used with only minor dele- tions, the video version of the opera was Primarily angled to- wards a lucid narration of the familiar legend. As such, this pro- duction eliminated the elaborate dream sequence of the original in favor of retaining a steady focus on the adventures of the two cen- tral characters. Hansel and Gretel' Three simple sets vvere adequate for this prodiiction which was run off without interruption. The sequence in the forest, where, the children become lost after dark, was a model of theatrical ecoii- omy. The terrors of the night Were .fully communicated thrbugh the utilization of only a couple of camera tricks. Similarly, in the witch’s house, camera_ superim- positions created the illusion of the witch riding through the air on a broom. While effective, the camera tricks were wisely not overdone. On a par with the physical pro- duction, the performances were standout. Virginia Haskins and David Lloyd, as Hansel and Gretel, sang flawlessly besides entering into the spirit of their juvenile roles. Claraniae Turner also was impressively sinister as the witch, while Frs^nces Lehnerts and Paul Ukena handled the parental foies competently. Herin. LET’S LIVE With Bill Leonard and family Producer-director: Paul De, Fur Writers: Al Morgan, Leonard 15 Mins.; Sun., 12:30 p.m. MACMILLAN WCBS-TV, New York BUR Leonard’s “This Is New York” strip on WCBS (which has the aid of a large and hep report- ing-script staff) is one of Goth- am’s most literate morning airers. In view of that, Leonard’s video, entry, “Let’s Live.” is a sad dis- appointment. Preem Sunday (24) had Leonard with his wife Adele and three of their five sons gath- ered in their living room and chat- ting on Christmas. Aim is to provide relaxed, lei- surely conversation. However, it came off as stiff and static. Leon- ard’s handling of his kids was un- natural and formal. He tended To monopolize the time and his wife wasn’t fully integrated into the proceedings. The family- gabfest format, in short, is too compli- cated to provide a smooth show. Furthermore, the airer lacked a clearcut angle. There was some talk about their Nativity creche and a reading of a couple of stan- zas of “The Night Before Christ- mas.” Fact that this was. cut short added to the program’s feeling of incompleteness. Production, -on film, was marred by bad camerawork that lacked closeups, and a slow pace that used less than a dozen shots in the quarter-hour span. Future telecasts, Leonard ex-r plained, will deal with photog- raph 3 % boating, skiing, etc., in which books on the subjects will be brought in as commercials for the Macmillan publishing house. Dealing with more specialized top-, ics, such as these hobbies, may provide the appeal to a specific viewing audience that the series peeds, Bril. MAGIC BY CHRISTOPHER With Milbourne Christopher Producer: George Poisal 15 Mins,; Wed., 6:40 p.m. SCHRElBEil FOOD MARKETS WAAM, Baltimore Milbourne Christopher is a youth- ful, smooth working magico with a good line of patter to sell his tricks with small stuff, mainly ropes* cards, cigaret lighter, etc. He keeps his show at a good pace and rings jn a “party puzzle” give- away trick, offeilng more of such to writers-in. it’s a nice switch from the song and dance, drama and commentary stuff pre'ceding and following his particular slot and oHers possibili- ties of more ambitious auspices. Sponsoring food markets display nathe branded items with good mention which may be a tipof f as i to how the tab is being picked up. * • v> i •: I r u 5 BAfm. ONE- HOUR IN WONDERLAND With Walt. Disney* Kathryn Beau- . mont* Bobby Driscoll* Hans Conried, Edgar Bergen, Fire- house Five Plus Two, others Producer- writer: Bill Walsh Supervisory .director: Disney Music: Paul Smith 60 Mins.; Mon. (25), 4 p.m« NBC-TV* from New York (film) iD’Arcy) The art of Walt Disney socked over a special houriong Christmas show, delightfurto' young and old/ Which NBC-TV aired Monday (25). The program, made on film iii Disney’s Hollywood studios, was a fine blend of human and cartoon Characters, with real people such as Disney and Edgar Bergen mix- ing well with ventriloqual dummies and such pen-and-ink . stars as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Format had Bergen, Charlie Mc- Carthy and. Mortimer Snerd at a Coke party Disney tossed, with the guests calling on a magic mirror to reprise segments of their favorite Disney features. The in- terplay between the real and fantasy worlds made for some wonderful effects. There was Mc- Carthy’s cynical comment that the niirror was “just a hopped-up tele- vision set” and the- looking glass* acid retort that it summoned up the old reels “without the aid of vulgar knobs, tubes or aerial.’* Hans Cohried's performance as the mirror genie was neat, ^and the W’eird effects used in the occult glass were charming rather than frightening. , ' Disney released Ills stable of characters for video as a healthy plug for his upcoming “Alice in Wonderland” pic. Taking part in the production were Kathryn Beaumont, Alice’s voice in the film, and Bobby Driscoll, Academy Award-winning juve who , also worked on the feature. Disney and his daughters also acquitted them- selves well in the party scenes. Outshining the real scenes, however, were the Disneyana reels. There was the gay “Happy Song’* from “Snow White arid the Seven Dwarfs,” some sock antics with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck' and Goofy as they cavorted on a clock tower, a laugh-getting excerpt from “Uncle Remus” with Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox and Br’er B’ar, and a winning piece in which Pluto and a bulldog wrangled over a bone in a carnival hall of mir- rors. Piece de resistance was a pre- vievy of, the tea party episode from “Alice,” In this Ed Wynn does the voice of the Mad Hatter and Jerry Colonna does that of the March Hare. ; The Lewis Carroll fantasy, it would appear from the sample, should prove a smash, faithful to classic’s spirit with the addition of typical Disney in- ventiveness. Firehouse Five Plus Two orch pmvided a novelty arrangement of Jingle Bell,’’ and the airer wound with a cute scene as McCarthy tried to make a “deal” with the magic mirror, only to find the' genie replaced by Mortimer Snerd. Pictorial quality of the Techni- color cartoons was good, although a bit of the separation was lost, and pointed up a reason for color video. Coca-Cola commercials were tastefully restrained and effective. Bril ’s ‘Mate’ Proves Answer to Diehards On Any doubts still held by the “all- television” diehards about what Hollywood can contribute to the medium , must have been complete* ly shattered Friday night (22) with the presentation of “The . Pharma- cist’s Mate” on ABC’s “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse.” For here, in an hour-long film produced by N. Peter Rathvon’s indie firm and di- rected by ; Irving Pichel . was the type of professiona] drama video has been awaiting. Spontaneous or not, the show, from dialog through camera work and lighting, was near-perfect in executipn. And, in addition, with Pichel evidently paying .strict attention to TV’s re- quirements. the film certainly con- tained as much “intimacy” as any live video production. Hollywood names studded the cast and production credits, with all i turning in top-drawer perform- ances. Script was penned by Budd ; SchulbCrg for his first major TV writing assignnient. Brian Donlevy j and CJene Raiymond starred, and j Darryl iliekman, Alan Hale, Jr., ■ Frank Jenks and other Hollywood '• feature players topped the support- ! ing cast. While the- entire story jtook place.instdpia aubfiierged sub- I (Contitiuied' Oii page *26) ‘ S4 Wedinesdiay, December 27, 1950 “WELCOME TF "THE SHOW WITH y NOW IN THE 169th C0^ FOR PROCTER I THE Blow COMPAHY • STEFAH NATOS, Producer • BOB CUNNIN NBC, 10-10:30 A.M., E.S.T., MONDAY DIRECT FROM THE COLLEGE INN PORTERHOUSI Radio-TV Roprestntotivo: JOHN E. GIBBS 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York 20, N. Y. NOW BOOKING FOR 1951 TOMMY BARTLETT AND HIS AUDIENCE PARI STREAMLINED TO MEET YOUR INDIVIDU AND BUDGET WRITE, WIRE OR PHONE LES LEAR FOR j HIGHEST MAIL PULLING RECORD IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ON WBBM CHICAGO With Jack Fulton, Ralph Mazza, Dick Cunliff, Sid Nierman Al Rudd, Director Edwin Cahn, Producer Bill Despard, Announcer Sam Samuelson, Writer P • Monday through Friday, 3:30 P.M. Sponsored by Sawyer Biscuit Company through the George H. Hartman Co. Wednesday, December 27^ 195i 25 VELERS Thanks to these NBC Stations for their tine Cooperation in Merchandising 'WELCOME TRAVELERS' iHEARr iECUTIVE WEEK GAMBLE / AM, Director * LES LEAR, Business Manager IROUGH FRIDAY hotel SHERMAN, CHICAGO i/ation show SITUATION ^LABILITY! Personal Management Personal Appearances LES LEAR Hotel Sherman, Chicago 1 Albuquerque, N. M KOB Allentown, Pa WSAN Altoona, Pa WFBG Amarillo, Tex KGNC Asheville, N. C WISE Atlanta, Ga WSB Baltimore, Md WBAL Bangor, Me WLBZ Baton Rouge, La ......WJBO Billings, Mont * KGHL Birmingham, Ala WBRC Bismarck, N.D KFYR Bluefield, W. Va WHIS Boise, Ida KIDO Boston, Mass ,.WBZ Bozeman, Montana. KXLQ Bristol, Tenn.-Va WOPI Buffalo, N. Y WBEN Butte, Montana KXLF Charleston, S. C WTMA Charleston, W. Va WGKV Charlotte, N. C. WSOC Chattanooga, Tenn WAPO Chicago, III »,,WMAQ Cincinnati, O WLW Clarksburg, W. Va WBLK Cleveland, O WTAM Columbia, S. C WIS Corpus Christi, Tex KRIS Cumberland, Md WTBO n II ir^ ir XI. ^ i WFAA Dallas-Ft. Forth, Tex ) WBAP Davenport, la WOC Denver, Colo KOA Des Moines, la WHO Detroit, Mich WWJ Douglas, Arizona KAWT Duluth, Minn. -Superior, Wis.WEBC Easton, Pa WEST Eau Claire, Wis WEAU Elmira, N. Y WENY El Paso, Tex KTSM Erie, Pa WERC Evansville, Ind WGBF Fargo, N. D WDAY Flint, Michigan WTAC Fort Wayne, Ind WGL Fresno, Cal KMJ Globe, Ariz KWJB Grand Rapids, Mich ..WOOD Great Falls, Montana KXLK Greenville, S. C WFBC Harrisburg, Pa WKBO Hartford, Conn WTIC Hazelton, Pa WAZL Helena, Montana KXLJ HIbbIng, Minn WMFG Houston^ Tex KPRC Hutchinson, Kans,.... KWBW Indianapolis, Ind WIRE Jackson, Miss WJDX Jacksonville, Fla «,.WJAX Johnstown, Pa WJAC Kansas City, Mo WDAF Kingsport, Tenn WKPT Knpxville, Tenn WROL La Crosse, Wis ...WKBH Lancaster, Pa WGAL Lewistown, Pa ..WMRF Lima, O WLOK Little Rock, Ark KARK Los Angeles, Cal KFI Louisville, Ky WAVE Madison, Wis WIBA Mankato, Minn KYSM Marinette, Wis WMAM Medford, Ore KMED Memphis, Tenn WMC Miami, Fla WIOD Milwaukee, Wis WTMJ Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn KSTP Missoula, Montana KXLL Mobile, Ala WALA Montgomery, Ala WSFA Nashville, Tenn .......WSM New Orleans, La .....WSMB New York, N. Y WNBC Norfolk, Va.. WTAR North Platte, Nebr KODY Oklahoma City, Okla ,.WKY Omaha, Nebr WOW Peoria, III WEEK Philadelphia, Pa KYW Phoenix, Ariz KTAR Pittsburg, Kans KOAM Pittsburgh, Pa.,., KDKA Pocatello, Ida..., KSEI Portland, Me WCSH Portland, Ore.... KGW Prescott, Ariz K Y C A Providence, R. I.. WJAR Raleigh, N. C WPTF Reading, Pa WRAW Reno, Nev KOH Richmond, Va WMBG Rochester, Minn KROC Rochester, N. Y WHAM Safford, Ariz KGLU Saginaw-Bay City, Mich....WSAM St. Louis, Mo KSD St. Cloud, Minn i.KFAM Salt Lake City, Utah .KDYL San Antonio, Tex..,- WOAI San Diego, Cal KFSD San Francisco, Calif KNBC Santa Barbara, Cal KLbT Savannah, Ga WSAV Schenectady, N. Y WGY Seattle, Wash KOMO Shreveport, La KTBS Sioux Falls, S. D .KELO Spokane, Wash ^...KHQ Springfield, Mass WBZA Springfield, Mo ,,..KGBX Syracuse, N. Y WSYR Tampa, Fla WFLA Terre Haute, Ind .WBOW Toledo, O WSPD Trenton, N. J WTTM Tucson, Ariz KVOA Tulsa, Okla ^..KVOO Twin Falls, Ida KTFI Virginia, Minn WHLB Washington, D. C WRC Wausau, Wis......... WSAU Weslaco, Tex ...KRGV Wichita, Kans KANS Wilkes-Barre, Pa WBRE Williamsport, Pa WRAK Wilmington, Del ..WDEL Winston-Salem, N. C WSJS York, Pa WORK Yuma, Ariz KYUM Zanesville, O WHIZ 1 ) X The Home Arts Guild tV Show with THE HIGHEST DAYTIME RATING ON WGN-TV CHICAGO * It SELLS.. • AND SELLS... for Niagara Starch Frenches Instant Potatoes Little Bo Peep Ammonia Henryks Tastee Dressing Florida Oranges On-Core Steaks Melody Whip Adolphes Meat Tenderizer Chiquita Banana Marcai Wax Paper Grid-L-Redi Monday through Friday, 4-4:30 P.M. ^November Videodex Bud Palmer, Director Keith Fires, Producer 26 RADIO-TELEVISIOX P^HIETY Wednesday^ D^cembet 27, 1950 WPIX now has 11 editors and newsreel photogs working under the supervision of Walter D. Engels, which the station claims gives it the largest fulltitne video newsreel organization among the N/ Y. outlets . . . Eyron n.. ^Ic- Kinney joined Galkins & -Holden, Carloek, McClinton & Smith, as, a radio-TV producer-director. He formerly produced radio and TV shows for . the Veterans Adminis- tration Central Information Office . and. prior to that, .was. with Du- Mont and the Americah Theatre Wing . Pilot film in a ‘ Red Ryder” series for TV was screened for agency and network execs this week by the William Morris Ofr ‘f ice, in association with Stephen Slcsinger . . . Lena Horne makes her video debut Jan, 20, on Max Liebmah-s“Y6ur Show of Shows” via NBC. : She’il sing, femcee add do a sketch with Sid Caesar and Imogen e Coca . . . Steve Previn, formerly associated with several Hollywood producers, has joined DuMont and is now directing“In- side Detective’* . . . Carl King, who appears on DuMont’s “Captain Video” and emcees “Mayfair Jirntinee,” ha been handed a third emcee chore, , on . : , WOR-TV’s “King’s Crossroads.” Variety \vaS misinformed last week that John Gibbs had Signed Paul Lukas for a hew series of video shows and Wendy Barrie to an exejusive radio-TV pact, Lukas has been . set for a series of dra- matic. shows by Pick-deVry Pro- duclions and Miss Barrie remains under contract to packager Martin Goodman. ’ \ iVBC-T V producer Carolyn Burke to Coast for. a "week, including visit to parents in Portland, Ore- Jack Weir, of NBC’s video sales department,, and Jane Allerdiiig, receptionist in the department, who first met through working to- gether, revealed their engagement over the weekend. Norman and Irving Pincus hit a . parlay with their two TV shovvs: -^‘Adventure.s of Ellery Queen” ’’(DuMont) named by TV Guide as best tele mystery for 1950. and their “Mr. I, Magination” (CBS) labeled best children’s show of the year by Look mag . . . Hope Miller into lead femme opposite William Gargan in “Martin Kane” (NBC), tomorrow (Thurs, ). •finishing on the right side of the ledger, for the first time in its his- tory, L, A. Rams will ask 15% more for television rights to the 1951 pro grid ganies. Additionally,, pact will have to be: on a term deal of three to five years. KNBH, which lost $61 ,000 on this year’s games, will get first refusal • . . Kraft will sponsor Bob Raisbeck’S KEGA-TV package “The Buggies,” starting Jan. 18 ... Currie’s Ice iCreani .js dropping “Space Patrol” to take over bankrolling of “Take 15” oh KLAC-TV tomorrow (27) on a five-day-Avcekly basis. Ewing Sisters, Don Burke and the Van ; Alexander Trio are starred , , . CarroH Righter, star of the KLAC- TV “Star Gazing” program, has been set as astrological columnist ; in 30 newspapers around the coun- ; try by Enterprise Syndicate. ' First column appears Jah. 8 in Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles i Times, Detroit Free Press, Boston ; Traveler and San Fraricisco j Chronicle among other papers . . . ' Package of 13 J. Arthur Rank pix, ' selected as the best of the 65 ; beamed .so far this year, has been selected by KECA-TV for re-run- ning in 1951 . . . “Wild . Bill Hickok” vidfilm series starring Guy Madison and Andy Devine gets under way today at Hal Roach , studios, Pi.K are being made for sale on a regional basis by Sid Siuitli, With Tommy Carr direct- ing: ' Lois Gavzer poins the NBC tele production staff here . » . Ernie Simon bowed, with a half-hour talent hunt show on WGN-TV Friday (22) . . . TV Forecast, Chi video fan mag, picked up the tab on WNBQ for Milton Berle’s . Christmas party oh NBG , . . Chi I public library reports tele viewihg ! has cut down book circulation 1.8% since the first .of the year [ . ABC will kine Herb Laufman’s “Your Problem Panel” next week . Commonwealth Edisoh is pick- ing iip the Youles’s “Weathermah” show on WNBQ Wednesdays arid Fridavs. Standard Milling “Gere- sota Flour I will continue tO bank- roll the series other nights. Inside Stuff More than a dozen Paramount personalities have completed a special “Voice of America” program which will be broadcast throughout •Italy as a New Year greeting to that country on the night of Dec. 30. Esti- mated listenihg audience is 10,000,000. Titled “The Curtain Rises," the half-hour show was emceed by Isa Miranda, with Hal Wallis, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, JOan Fontaine, William Holden, Dorothy Lamour, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, William Bendix, Ruth Hussey, Lloyd Nolan, William Deiharest and Walley Westmore featured* Recorded in Italian on the Paramount lot, show was produced by Lew Danis of the “Voice of America’s” Italian division, who flew to the Coast from N Y. especially for this purpose. Continued from page 21 Hollywopd Deal is being dickered for Rupert Hughes, author, wit and radio emceC, to make his television debut oh KTTV with a quarter- hour Sunday night commentary .. . . Altliougli admitting television was a major factor in the team’s Chicago Danny O’Neil opened with an- other show on WBKB last week. Latest offering, tagged “Danny O'Neil at Home,” went into the Tuesday and Thursday 6-6:15 p.ih. slot for Leo Rose stores. Pianist Bud Griesc and Gus Rhodes are also taking part . . . Saih Singer’s puppet package, “Paddy the. Peli- can,” returns to WENR-TV next Saturday (30) replacing “Shirley and Bedelia.” which moves into the Tuesday and Thursday 5:45- 6 p.m. spot opened with Marshall Field & Co. dropping “Uncle Mistletoe” on those days . . . .Paul Visser, of the Chi NBC agriculture department, will unreel a kine of the special NBC telecast last month from the International Live Stock ExposUion before U. S.Dept. of Agriculture specialists in Wash- ington, Jan 3 . . . Borrah Minnc- vitr.h’s Harmonica Rascals guest- ing on ABC's “Don McNeill TV C^lub” tonight (Wed:). Sarira wound two new film plugs of Pure Oil Go. to be used o;i NBC’s “Who Said That.” Super- vising were Pure Oil ad manager Oliver Goldsmith and Clair Calli- han of Leo Burnett agency . . . The pitch was flatly turned down, lie declared. ■ : Siragusa Stands Pat, Too When apprised of Stanton’s de^ nial at the conclusion of his speech, Siragusa enlarged upon the details ■ of the offer. He toM reporters he • had phoned CBS in May, 1949, to I ask board chairman William S. Pa- ley to postpone or cancel a sched-.^ uled closed circuit medical color telecast in Atlantic City. Paley was I hot available so the call was switched to Stanton, Admiral prexy 'said. ; Stantoh toltl him the test had al- ready been set up and could not be abandoned. Then, aceordihg to Siragusa, CBS exec asked, “Why j don’t you and two or ■ .three other j manufacturers bail me out of this I thing?” Siragusa said he asked Stanton how much CBS had Invest- 1 ed in its color system. “Stanton ; said $3,000,000. I laughed and said it wasn’t worth $30.” ' Siragusa ad mil ted Stanton had called him about the advance copy . of the talk. “I told him I had talked j with a man who said he was Frank ; Stanton, and recalled the circum- • stances to him,” Admiral exec said. , Radio Reports, Inc., has just released the latest issue of its Radio-TV Personalities Digest; Tome lists more than 800> names of people and programs (coihmentaitors, gabbers, Mr.-and-Mrs. shows, forums, news- casters, women commentators, etc.) on the webs and local stations in AM, TV and FM. For each stanza it catalogs the Working address, station, broadcast time, format, etc. In addition to the network airers, special sections are devoted* to New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, New England, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washingtori areas. Civil service examinations for the position of senior electrical en- gineer of WNYC, N, Y., will be held shortly. Post pays $6,900 an- nually. . / Applications will be issued and received at the Municipal Civil Service Commission from Jan. 10-25. Pulitzer’s ‘Mate’ continued from page 23 marine, which eliminated the need for any expensive sets, it’s still dif- ficult to figure how Rathvoh and Edgar Peterson, regular producer , on the “Pulitzer” series, brought in i the film for the reported $30,000 budget. But they proved it could be done, and the project’s success should go far towards luring other major Hollywood producers into i vidfilm work, 1 Schulberg based his yarn on the I 1943 Pulitzer prize news stOry ; penned by George Weller of the ! Chicago Daily News. It told of a pharmacist’s male aboard the sub forced to perform an emergency appendectomy, oh an enlisted manr Medico had never been close to an operating room before, which pro-, vided a starkly suspenseful story peg for both Weller and Schulberg. As scripted 45iy the latter and per- formed by the standout cast, the show sustained maximum dramatic impact, often reaching that “heart- in-the-moutli” atmosphere. Fact that the story actually occurred during the war, with enemy sub- chasers in the immediate area, added to the suspense mood. Donlevy and Raymond were fine as the skipper and exec officer of the sub, but it was Phil Shawm, as the young and inexperienced med- ico, and Hickman, as his patient, who scored most solidly. Jenks turned in a nice bit as the sub’s cook, wdth the all-male supporting cast rating top honors. They in- cluded, in addition to Hale, Harold Lloyd. Jr., Bill Mauch, George Con- rad. Richard Bartlett, Steve Wayne, Robert Payne, Bob Strickland, John Tuggle. M. B. Scheidy, John BaiKM’ and Bill Lechner. Schlitz, which bankrolls the se- ries, added to its excellent com- mercial.s by confining its plug to a single, tasteful blurb at the mid- way point. Instead of its being a commercial, it w'as a neatly-execut- ed Christmas greeting to the audi- ence, Slat AFRA Continiied from page 20 Who's at the (And It's Not The First Broadway Comedian to Be Featured at the Metropolitan Opera House in tne iMonoinging of Frosch the Jailer in the New English Versibh of DIE FLEDERMAUS Chi Stations Continued from page 22 Liles its mail order pitches in this 5 to 6:30 a.m. prograni. If Starkey catches on as expected, station plans to expand his schedule. Il’Y Victor’s midnight to 6 a m. disk stint on WGN is heavily lard- ed with both folk music and m.o. spots. Clear channel 50,000 w^atter has always made a strong pitch for the non-metropolitan dialers with its noon hour “Market Reporter” show and its 6 a m. “Farm Hour.” Although the Chi NBC key — WMAQ— hasn’t as yet succumbed to the folk talent trend, it is giving thought to expanding its far-tar- geted programming. Station beams its daily “Town and Farm” show, aired at 6:15 to 6:45 a.m. and em- ceed by Everett Mitchell, to both the rural and city audience. Lloyd Biirlingham’s “This Is Farming” is aired Saturdays at 7 p m. Significantly, Quaker Oats, which has cut hack several of its AM show's to move into teevee, siiU re- tains the half-hour Saturday “Maa On the Farm show on Mutual for its fafni feeds division. Ellis Chalmers, farm equipment mahu- facturer, coptinueswith NBC’s “Na- tional Farm and Home Hour” in the 12-12:30 p.m. slot on Saturdays, On the same web, the cross-the- board 6:45 to 7 a.m. Alex Drier newscast for Sinclair Oil is written with the farm audience in riind. Bentley to WHAN Spencer Bentley^ recently • southern rep of Harry S. Goodman Radio Productions, has resigned ta b^ecome general manager of the Charleston Broadcasting Co., which operates WHAN at Charleston, S. C. He wdll make his home there, moving from Deal, ,N. J* Bentley, who last appeared in radio in such shows, as “Stella Dallas,” “The Sheriff” and -‘Mister Keane,” previously was on the legit stage in N. Y. Later he was cona- mentator for Paramount newsreel and chief announcer at WNEW» N. Y. nications will be about as effective as they were the morning of the show'.” In its editorial, the publication points out that broadcasters meet every month; that the top person- nel in this area are in a position to recommend to both civilian de- fense and city authorities the best possible means to “cope w'ith an- other w'eather crisis or disaster that may strike at any time,” Commenting on the broadcast- ing industry’s role during the Thanksgiving snow', AFRATHOTS quotes “Col. William G. Hummell, w'hose 112th Engineers were called out to battle the snows as saying ‘without radio we could not have alerted our troops. Radio broad* cast an urgent message to our men, asking they report. We were not able to reach them directly because telephone lines were, jammed.’ ” AFRATHOTS urges that the broadcasters’ committee put into effect a program, w'hereby weather, bulletins, police and fire instruc- tions and other pertinent facts be brought to the public’s attention during a crisis and thus prevail upon the public not to jam tele- phone wires wdth calls to police# fire, W'eather, and other key agen- cies during a disaster. The American Chantcuse from Paris MILT mt • iiORKE DIAZ find hU OrchtstrO «n^ hit CnttmbI# Special New Year- s Bve Party SUNDAY/ DECEMBER 31ST Courtiky off M-C-M Now oppoarieo with DONALD OXONNOR In “THE MILKMAN” (Univeriol-Intornational) Mioiiement WILLIAM WORRIB AOeNCY Wednesday^ December 27, 1950 You may be focusing on /e55 than half oi your Northwest market. For if you’ve got your eyes on tv, you’re overlooking the almost half a million radio families in wcco territory who are of th e range of television^ In fact, there are three and a half times more wceo radio families ou.f5ide the TV service area than there are TV set-owners ‘inside.^ But . . .use wcco and you reach a/Z of 113 Northwest counties where 894,600 radio faniilies spend more than three bil- lion a year in retail sales !'^ What’s more, you get the biggest weeMy audience every- where you go — inside Miiineapolis-St. Paul mMT I « * “ j* m m I SjSC5>>P .4 W / iS" ■f- S' y lI m '^x and outside, (Even in the home counties of the 16 next-largest cities of this area— some as far as 195 miles from the Twin Cities — wcco gathers a much larger audience than the station in 12 out of the 16 !) It simply means that the best way to capture the most customers throughout your ezz^ire Northwest market is to make your- self heard^on wcco. ^Cotnpari.soTt of WCCO^s 30-106^/o BMB Nigh f time Aiuliencc Area and Twin Cities TV Sejvice Area, October 1, 1950 ^Saies M ana gem enC May 1950 ** .'s ' *Good Neighbor to the entire Northwest ■ MifinedpoliySt^ Baid ', ... 50,000 watts Represented by Radio Sales ^ 1 ^ 4 % 28 RAllIO-TilLEVlSIOlV Wednesday, December 27» 1950 Tele Followups Continued from page 23 role, that of the materialistic but understanding innkeeper. An ex- cellent biting performance was that of Dan Morgan as the cynical and tired thief, Ditmas, Who is given faith . after he catches a glimpse of the Child. Ann Marno and Elizabeth Ross are good as the two servant girls, and Horace Bra- ham excellent as the narrator, Sets, camera work and staging wer uniformly good. Cal Kuhl and Fielder Cook can take a couple of deep bows' for their production and direction. CBS-TV's “Suspense,” as its con- tribution to holiday cheer, staged a warm-hearted adaptation last Tuesday night (19 > of a Damon Runyon short story; titled “Danc- ing Dan’s Christmas.” As adapted by Halsted Welles, the script re- tained just enough suspense to re- tain the integrity of the title. Otherwise, it was a pleasant bit of. Runyonesque nostalgia harking back to the speakeasy-and-Prohibi- tion era when Runyon could kid about a couple of gangsters putting the. finger on a romantic jewel- thief: As played by a fine cast, foplined . by Wally Cox and Ethel GriffiQS, the show had in it much of the charm of Broadway's cur- rent Runyon offering, “Guys and Dolls.” ■ • Story was uncomplicated fluff, about a beauteous hostess in a speak, loved by the gang chief and •‘Dancing Dan,” the jewel-heister. Through, playing Santa Claus for the gal’s aged grandmother, Dan succeeded in getting the doll and eluding the mobsters. Cox, in what \\'as probably his first straight role on TV, did a neat job as one of the speak’s habitues.' Miss Grif- f ies scored as the sentimental grandmother and Cloris Leachman achieved just the right Runyon flavor as the gal. Robert Webber turned in a fine characterization of Dan, and Cliff Hall was good as the saloon-keeper.. Paul ^Tipton and Harold Gary, as the two gangsters; Joe Sweeney, as a tipsy Santa, and Joe Bushkin, practically 1 . playing himself as the speak’s 88’er, all registered solidly. Show was backgrounded by some standout sets lined up by producer- director Robert Stevens, including probably the best simulated snow yet seen on TV, which was worked up by CBS special effects chief John DeMott and his crew. Miss Leachman, incidentally, was spotted in one scene putting on her clothes over a chemise. It was the kind of thing that would never have gotten by the film industry’s ' Production Code guardian?, but it i fit right into the TV story. KMA Asks 39G Tax Refund Des Moines, Dec. 26. May Broadcasting Co., operator of KMA, Shenandoah, has filed suit in federal court asking $39,328 tax refund, charging that the Iowa collector of internal revenue “er- roneously and illegally” assessed and collected too much excess profit tax from the company for the years .1942 to 1945. Amounts the company claims are due are as follows: 1942, $5,- 466.70; 1943, $7,770.04; 1944, $15,- 819.95 and 1945, $10,271.33. Eileen BARTON December 25-29 PALACE, Youngstown, Ohio December 30-31 PALACE, Toledo, Ohio Dir,: Music Cprp. of America NBC-TV’s "Lights Our went out on a new supernatural tangent Monday night (18) by presenting a story of a dead soldier returning to help some of his buddies out of a Japanese trap in the last war. While the fantastic aspects of the yarn hit somewhat too closely to ! home to make it very believable, the neat production given the show by Herbert Swope, Jr., coupled with some good perform- ances under the direction of Lau- rence Schwab, Jr., made for an in- teresting half ‘'hour. Lee 'Tracy turned in. his usual capable thesping job as the hard- bitten but sympathetic sergeant, responsible for springing his! squadron out of the trap atop a mountain in the Philippines. Rob- ert Hull overplayed slightly as the war correspondent fresh from the ! States, while William FrCe scored, i as a GI from Texas. Verne Collett registered strongly as the young soldier too terrified to take his turn at watch, with Biff Elliot do- ing a good job as his back-from^ the-dead brother. Tom Jewett’s sets helped create the battlefront illusion. Harry Muheim scripted the yam. ‘Pat’ Weaver Continued from page 21 Worthington Miner’s “Studio One” two-part production of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Wom- en” offered the moving second in- stallment, “Jo’s Story,” Monday (25) on CBS-TV; It registered j with an emotional impact, with the sensitive adaptation of Sumner Locke Eliot and the realistic direc- tion of Lela Swift pointing up the warm, human values in the classic.. The hesitant romance between Jo and Professor Baher, for instance, I was put in the framework of his I stressing the importance of per- sonal integrity, of her learning to write truthfully rather than turn- ing out money-making pot-boilers. [ Rent Smith played the German professor with appealing restraint. Nancy Marchand gave Jo dimen- sion, as she grew from a spirited but cautious New England girl into a thoughtful, mature young woman. There were many touch- ing scenes, one of the more out-V standing being that in which Beth, well thesped by June Dayton, told Jo she knew death was approach- ing. Others in the topflight drama- tization included Mary Sinclair. Lois Hall, Peggy Hillias, Richard! Purdy, Elizabeth Paterson, Henry Bernard, John Baragrey, Berry Kroeger, Una O’Connor and Doro- thy Blackburn. Authority contract, which set up the first minimum scale for video talent, has claidfied that situation. Agreements with other unions and guilds'in TV have also been ad- justed during the last year, he said. “As a result,” he declared, "stag- ing, productioh and talent costs should be foreseeable and there- fore controllable. Now we’ll be able to set up a budget and do our show within that budget as best we can.” Crystal-bailing for 1951y Weaver predicted more individualizing in programming, with the various stars all finding ways to stylize their own personalities. "The rest of the show/' he said, "will stem from what they do. Our big musi- cal shows don’t necessarily have to be either revues or vaudeville. /We have hot been forced into any revue formula. That's a misconcep- tion, which only a few people ever took seriously.” NBC exec conceded that not much has been done to improve the quality of dramatic productions during 1950, explaining that "man- agement has had to go hack to take care of new money problems first.” He declared that much which can be done to develop TV drama must , be done in an experimental form. ; “It’s unlikely,” he said, "that spon- sors will go for experinientation. What we may do is package a show in audition form and then try to sell it to sponsors.” He noted, too, that TV will probably find sustain- ing time opening lip next summer, wbicb can be utilized for experi- mental programming. - WWJ-TV ; Continued from page 21 THAT REGISTER IN DETROIT We're proud of the successful cdrripahy we keep on WJBK-TV AMUROL TOOTHPASTI BENRUS WATCHES BORDEN‘S DAIRY CAMEO CURTAINS COCO-WHEATS DOMESTIC SEWING MACHINE CO. FLEX-IET WATCH BANDS GERBER POPCORN PACKAGE national carbon OVALTINE (WANDER CO.) PINAFORE CHICKEN SMITH agricultural CHEMICAL CO. Follow these leaders and boost your sales! WJBK-TV, a CBS and Dumont affiliate. WJBK-AM‘TV-DETROIT NATIONAL SALES HEADQUARTERS.; 488 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK 22, ELDORADO 5-2455 Represented Nationally by THE KATZ AGENCY. INC. courses, taken into tbe production end. “Along with tbe need for well- planned. adult education, the tele- vision industry needs vehicles to train young men for its expanding technical staffs.” FCC Commissioner Frieda Hen- nock, who advocates reservation of specific video bands for school use* pointed to the WWJ-TV Venture as a means of helping 13,000,000 Americans who have never received formal education. "Every video set,” she said, “can become a class- room, and I, for one, would* like to see every station in the country duplicating the Detroit effort- morn- ing, noon and night.” Col. E. M. Kirby, chief of radio and television for the Dept, of the Army, predicted that national net- works will duplicate the Detroit plan and give the whole nation a graphic lesson in world problems and responsibilities. Herbert Ponting, a director of the Detroit News, owner of the sta- tion, and Harry Bannister, station’s general manager, explained to the guests how listeners seeking official certification from the television teachings may pay $2 enrollment fee and receive printed material developing the televised leetid*es. Bannister said 40f) already have enrolled for a video course in pho- tography which will begin Jan. 7. Continued from page 19 for a new local identity and i retail biz. WNEW Still No. 1 Indie WNE W: Still out in fron Number 1 indie, with tilted pj from local aiid national spot ac tisers. WMGM: Rated as Number J die, Loew’s-owned outlet repc a healthy increase in gross for ending Aug. 31. Heavy sports and MGM Radio Attractions 1 scribers helped recent good s) ing. WMCA and WINS are repo neck-and-neck. WMCA, under hardselling Norman Boggs Oj tion, touts increases of 23% after paring its rate card. Added sports coverage also helped. WINS has shown some faltering, tipped by some open adjacenies to its athletic events, However, TV dealers’ coin has kept the Crosley outlet in the race. WQXR: N. Y. Times outlet esti- mates a 10.7% hike in annual take, based on its specialization as the city’s longhair music box. WOV: Specialization has paid off with heavily-sold Italian language concentration.: English shows also are specialized — Irish, hillbilly, jazz, etc. Indie recently added three English hours daily to accommo- date new national spot biz. WHOM:.Reported as just holding its own. However, shift from Jersey City to N. Y.: (just approved by the FCC) and acquisition of WMCA-FM are expected to step up its stride. WLIB; Being outpaced but its new management is looking for a new pattern appealing to the city’s Ne- gro and Jewish-American audi- ences. WEVD: Jogging along steadily with dominance in the Jewish, field. WBNXi Not a mudder. WWRL: Diversification of for- eign languages, new pitch to Negro audiences, greater kilowattage helping the Woodside dark horse. WAAT, Newark, is a good subur- ban bet. WPAT, Paterson, showed some flash under pacing of the late Herman Bess. WNJR and WVNJ— both in Jer- sey-^show signs of weakness in the •stretch. WHLI, Hempstead, with the population of Nassau county zooming, has been pulling up. WNYC: Municipal outlet hasn’t had a commercial in 25 years. But its sponsor, City of New York, is expected to vote it a budgetary in- crease. L Damrosch Continued from page v'} have to tell you of the miracle that radio has worked in this country. The results have been awe-inspiring. Beethoven and Bach as well as Wagner and Verdi have brought their magic into the hum- blest and remotest dwellings.” The son of Leopold Damrosch, who turned from medicine to mu- sic and conducted the Metropoli- tan . Opera, Damrosch began to study harmony at the age of nine. When the elder Damrosch died in 1885, the son was appointed as- sistant director and conductor at the Metopera, remaining with it for seven years. For 41 years Damrosch led the N. Y. Symphony Orchestra (later merged with the Philharmonic So- ciety), retiring as conductor in 1926 and later serving as associate conductor. He helped form the Mu- sicians Emergency Fund Aid in 1931, for which he conducted a series of concerts in Madison Square Garden. Among his compositions in many forms are four operas, "The Scar- let Letter,” "Cyrano de Bergerac,” “The Dove of Peace” and "The] Opera Cloak.” From 1936-41 he served as president of the Na- tional Institute of Arts and Letters. He is survived by four daughters; a sister, Mrs. Henry T. Seymour; nine grandchildren* and a great- grandchild. ‘Option Blues’ Continued from page 21 Situation points to possible diffi- culties which will confront non-web stations if and when the channel freeze is removed and Chicago has its full complement of seven out- lets. Already cancelled is "Request Performances,” half-hour vaudeo show emceed by columnist Irv Kup- cinet and bankrolled in the Sunday night 6 to 6:30 spot on WGN-TV by Win. A. Lewis stores. Also Herb Laufman’s "Your J*roblem Panel,” 45-minute show using an average of six thespers weekly, has been dropped by Charles A. Stevens stores from its Monday night pe- riod on same station. Bowing put' Monday (25) was Ernie Simon’s "Simply Simon” va- riety stanza on WENR-TV, spon- sored by TV Forecast iriag. Wind- up of the football season hit a couple of shows with seasonal can- cellations. WBKB’s "Bear’s Quar- terback Club,” aired at 9:30 to 10 Tuesday nights, ended its run for Standard Oil last week. Likewise for the "Sid Luckman Football Show,” sponsored Monday nights on WGN-TV by Karrolls’ Men Stores, Still going strong, however, is Jim Moran’s hour-long "Cpurtesy Hour” variety show Friday 10-11 p. m. Car dealer, laying out be- tween $1,700 to $2,000 weekly for talent, says he has no intention of cancelling unless local TVA rates make it impossible for him to put on an acceptable show within the $2,000 figure. Seattle — Harry Helm now part- time announcer at KXA, local in- die Dick Crombie, formerly KBRO, Bremerton, now on sales staff at KXA, and Chuck Engcll, formerly at KMO, is a new engineer on the station, replacing Earl Thoms who is now at KJR. Thoms replaced Walt Stewart, now at KNBC, San Francisco. ” • fi MOUTT* -AMTII” j ”At’ Currently TOWN CASINO BUFFALO DirMtl«n: MUSIC CORf. OF AMERICA WANTED Commercial TV writor for largo mid- west agency. Prefer experienced vis- ual ad-writer with at least one year ogency work in TV. Write BOX G, 915, VARIETY 154 West 46th St., New York 19 Comtdy Writing Wanted • . Radio and TV • • • tkiti, monologt, iltuotlont outlined, [okas, etc. VYhat would YOU like? Box V-1222. Variety, 154 W. 46th St., New York 19, N. Y. I I Wednesday, December 27, 19$0 RADIO-TBUSVISION 29 Inside Staff— Tdevision RCA had the biggest year In Its history during 1950, with television accounting for 75% of gross Income, board chairman David Samoff revealed in a year^nd statement this week. He said that profits and stockholder dividends were larger than ever before and that employment Increased substantially. During 1950, he declared, TV reached pro- portions in performance and growth that qualify it for major service in helping to speed the nation’s defense mobilization efforts. “At this time of national emergency,” he added, “America is particularly fortunate in that, since the end of World War 11, TV has been developed to the extent that 40,000,000 Americans now comprise the TV audience. This is of tremendous importance to the country, since it provides a new medium to supplement radio’s vast audience in achieving fullest unity of purpose,” He noted that President Truman’s recent speech pro- claiming a national emergency was viewed by one of the largest audi- ences ever to see and hear a President at one time. “His audience sur- passed in numbers the total population of the country in 1850,” Samoff ■said. . • New series of awards foir television programming, to be known as “Sylvias,” has been set up by Sylvania Electric to help mark its 50th anni in 1951. Top award each year is to go to the program “best illus- trating creative TV technique,” with other awards going to individuals who are “considered to have made the greatest contributioh*Vas a Writer, producer, director, actor or actress, camera man, scenic designer, light- ing expert and make-up man. First winners are to be feted with a dinner next August. Deems Taylor has been chosen to chairihan the judges committee, with other judges to be selected from among show biz execs, educators, officials of parent-Teachers and Women’s clubs, critics and business men. Shell Oil’s annual luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., was given unusual coverage last week by a camera crew from WNBT, NBC-TV’s Gothani key. Team lensed the pre-lunch and mealtime activities, proc- essed the clips, added titles and screened them at the end of the affair, 90 minutes laterv WNBT, which carries Shell newscasts, picked up the tab. Stunt was a development of the technique used at the annual NBC affiliates meet- ing at White Sulphur Springs this year/ when morning sessions were lensed and the fflm screened the same afternoon. Television rights to the entire case histories of the International Police have been obtained by indie packager Art Cooper, who plans to produce a series of half-hour vidftlms based on the crimes solved by the unit. He declined to reveal his financing setup but said the pix are to roll at the General Service Studios in Hollywood, starting about March 1, Cooper has not pacted with any actors yet but hopes to line up a name star who will play the lead role in the entire series. Geza Herezeg, who won an Academy Award for his script on “Life of Emile Zola,” is to handle the writing assignment. Police imit, which head- quarters in Paris and represents a number of countries, including the U. S., has been in operation for the last 28 years. During that time it has worked on more than 1,000 cases, all of which will be available to Cooper. Television Reviews Continued from page 23 to the whole proceedings; ^‘Uncle Milty” knocked himself out clown- ing, gagging and stooging, and the kids who comprised most of the studio audience, as well as the dozen or so onstage for extra “dressing,” had a time of it. Berle’s good spirits, his obvious warmth of feeling as he threw himself Whole- heartedly into the proceedings, were communicative. If the show was noisy, it was in keeping with the occasion; Berle W'as no noisier or more exuberant than his guests. Acts were standard, with most of them good, and included pup- pets, a dog turn, trained monkeys, magic act, juggling, and an aero act. Berle, as is his custom, clowned in some of them to maximum re- sults, taking some falls in the aero turn, and getting a real beating in a cartoonist takeoff. Last-named was the only full sketch in which Berle appeared, and was one of the weaker segments of the show, but Berle worked like a Trojan in it, while the audience ate up the pie in his face, the water over his head, and the powder in his nose and eyes. Lauritz Melchiort looking like a kindly grandpa with his white hair and tortoise-shell glasses, added a note of distinction with his brief appearance, singing “House I Lived In” very affectingly. Martha Raye walked on briefly wdth daughter Melody to say hello. Show was participating, with Abraham & Straus picking , up tab in N. Y. Berle handled the A&S commer- cials himself, and did them credit- ably. He also changed mood briefly for a sincere pitch for aid to handi- capped children. Bren, the joyful hour With Pat O’Brien, Ruth Hussey, Nelson Leigh, Lloyd Corrigan, Thurston Hall, Cecil Cunning- ham, Rhys Williams, Roger Wag- . ner Chorale, others Producer; Father Patrick Peyton Director: Frank McDonald 60 Mins.; Mon. (24), 10 p.m. Sustaining . ABC-TV, from New York . Father Patrick Peyton, whose Family Theatre religious programs on radio and TV at the CJhristmas season are now an established cus- tom, scored again this year with ‘The Joyful Hour.” Filmed for Video in Hollywood by the Jerry Fairbanks Multi-Cam process, the picture was a well-produced* well- acted story of the birth of Christ. Major TV nets all carried the film over the weekend, as did most in- uependent outlets. Ilf commbh with* his jii’ecedirfg' Family Theatre, airers, Father Peyton lined up an imposing cast of professionals to portray Biblical roles. The contemporary scene was represented by Pat O’Brien and his family, who gathered in their living room for the rosary. As the group prayed, the film flashed back some 1,950 years to Palestine. Series of historical events which led up to Christ’s birth in the Bethlehem manger were recap- tured with skill and reverence by the large cast. Particularly out- standing were Ruth Hussey as Mary and Nelson Leigh as Joseph. Supporting players who included Rhys Williams, Lloyd Corrigan and Cecil Cunningham, among others, helped add to the overall quality of the production by striking per- formances. Program was presented by the Family Rosary Crusade of Albany, in cooperation with various sta- tions which carried the film. At the close of the picture, it was pointed out that the “lesson of the Bethlehem family is as valid and as powerful” today as in those Biblical times. Domestic unity was also stressed through the admonition that “the family that prays to- gether stays together.” uilb. LoyaKy Oath Continued from page 19 Barnouw. Meanwhile exec secre- tary Luise Silcox called CBS exec v.p, Joseph H, Ream, informiug him that ALA members were hold- ing off signing until a stand is taken. Ream promised that no ac- tion will be taken concerning ALA members until the council decides ALA policy tomorrow. Ream had signed CBS’ interofr fice memo which said, iii part, “To- day we are faced with a new crisis in our national life. The President of the United States has declared a national emergency. If we are to fulfill our pbligatioiis and re- sponsibilities as radio and televi- sion broadcasters in this new crisis we must do at least two things: first, we must make sure that our broadcasting Operations in the pub- lic interest are not interrupted by sabotage or violence; second, we must make sure that the full con- fidence of our listeaers and view- ers is unimpaired.” For these reasons, Ream wrote, CBS was asking its employees ’\(rhether they are now, or haVfe ever been, a member of the Communist Party, or any Communist organi- zation, or a Fascist organization, or “any organization, association, movement, group, or combination of persons which advocates the overthrow of our cdnstitutional form of government, or of an or- ganization, association, movement, group or combination of persons which has adopted a policy of ad- vocating or approving the commis- sion of acts of force or violence to deny other persons their rights un- der the Constitution of the United States or of seeking to alter the form of government of the United States by unconstitutional means.” Appended was a list of organiza- tions and groups designated totali- tarian, fascist, communist or sub- versive by the Attorney General of the U. S. / The network did not state what would happen to employees who failed tO fill out the forms, Some staffers expressed the View that the questionnaire constituted an “invasion of their privacy and civil liberties by a private organization,” with “the club of possible dismis- sal hanging over their heads.” The questionnaire caused confu- sion at the network as some employ- ees immediately signed the form and . others decided, temporirily at least, not to. Those opposing the questionnaire at the ALA council meeting said that “even in World War II networks did hot take such a step.” They expressed the view that “the CBS plan might spread through the Industry, being adopt- ed by agencies, indie packagers and other nets.” Legal question was asked wheth- er a private concern has the right to query employees on their politi- cal affiliations and sympathies. Lack Directors Continued from page 22 invested during the last year in new personnel, studios, facilities, etc., they are far from showing a profit. As a result, even though they may be sold out at night, they cannot afford to air ambitious sus- taining programs during the open time still available. Walling is currently pitching to NBC’s top echelon the prime im- portance of opening up ^t least one-half hour per week for experi- mental programming, which could be utilized as a new testing ground for fledgling directors. Web top- pers to date have turned down his request on the plea that they can- not afford such a project . Walling would not have a series of shows of the same' kind in the half-hour, but would use the slot to showcase different types of programs. Web conducted a similar project last year on Monday nights alternating with the Robert Montgomery dra- matic series, which proved valu- able in training new directors, Walling said. That slot this sea- son, however, is occupied by Proc- ter Sc Gamble’s “Musicql* Comedy Time.” Illustrating his predicament, Walling said he has one floor man- ager now who is ready to be upped to full director’s status as soon as he gets some actual directing ex- perience behind him. But the web won’t permit the necessary sustaining shows and the agencies are reluctant to take a chance on any untried director for one of their shows. Only alternative open to Walling is to shift the tyro for his training down to WNBT, the web’s key N. Y. outlet, where he would work on local shows. But that, too, is n.s.g., Walling said, since WNBT ie trying to build its own staff of directors and resents being flooded with new talent who will learn their tricks there and then be moved back up into the network operation, Same problem was aired in a different way recently by Fred Coe, producer of NBC’s “Philco TV Playhouse.” One of the vet producer-directors on the NBC staff, Coe voiced the fear that the lack of sustaining showcase time would prevent even the tried-and- tested directors from experimenting With new techniques ahd ideas. Be- ing forced to turn out one or two commercial shows each week of the same general format, Cpe de- clared, might groove the entire staff into an unimaginative rut. Boston^Wendell Davis, for past several years, publicity director of WBZ and WBZ-TV, has trans- ferred to video production at the Hub NBC outlet. Publicity post has been assigned Cliff Hill, for- merly of the news room of the statioh. . ’ ' ' How Thankful Never enough ! But anyhow j , i /. Thanks to UNCLE MILTY" BERLE the sweetest guy this side of Santa Claus for his great work On H UNCLE MILTY’S CHRISTMAS PARTY (NBC-TV-GHRlSTMAS DAY-3-4 P.AA.) U Thanks to ABRAHAM & STRAUS and specifically to patient, ulcer-ridden DILL TODEY and ED BERAAAN 'm ■' Thanks to V Uncle Mjjty's red-nosed reindears IRVING GRAY ... ARTHUR KNORR...Bi Co. Thanks to the WILLIAAA MORRIS gong to NBC * . . to TV ... to You . . . to Wo and Thanks to those we’ve forgotten to thank (fill .Ve Thanks from 9 East 40th Street, New York Id • ** e Advertising Agency that handled it all) RADIO RE VIEWS Wednesday^ December 27, 1950 OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY With Arthur Kingsley, Ruth Gold- man, Draza Klein, Phillip Lewis, Jack Mabley, Fred Cherye, A- Gerry Cliff, Ronnie Engler, Richard Adams, Gloria Guil- fpyle, Darwin Opel, Joan Can^ tello producer: Ruth Moore Writer: Don Herbert 30 Mins.; Sun. 2 p.m. Sustaining WBBM, Chicago The Dec. 17 segment of the new Since Charles Dickens’ works are a traditional part of the Christ- mas holidays, Theatre Guild of ■ heads the school’s VOICES OF THE 30TH CENTURY With Bernie Lowenthal Trio 15 Mins., Sun., 1:15 p,m. WPEN, Phila A promotion gimmick for the 20th Century Institute of Music, “Voices” serves as a showcase for the talents of pupils of Artie series of documentaries aired by WBBM, Chi CBS key, in coopera- the Air” presented “David Copper- department. , Each week, a field” oh Xmas eve with a cast i gjj^ggj, is featured and of legit players headed by Boris i gg^g opportunity to do about Karloff, Flora Robson and others , numbers. There is a short I now appearing on Broadway. Rob- : interview, but it always draws the ' ; ert Anderson’s adaptation was a gg^g responses, the students being skillful editing job which touched ; virtually all headed for the same _ _ the highlights of the novel ^and j go 3 |g_^jnusical comedy, television tidn with the Welfare Council and v tied together the rambling story ' j.g(jiQ the Community Fund, pointed the I into a workable plot. The script :; thp calibre of the spotlight at television and its im- succeeded in evoking the Sickens g.pg ,| trainirig^is^ notice- phaet on family iaSih f« Us S Ruth Moore,^ra.dio director pF the ^ Tj^g. thesping, .mbreoyer, con- clarity of phrasing. Bernie Lowen- : Community .Fund, and scripted by ^ the v/;arm quality of the ^-^gi gi- piano is' ah enormous Don Herbert, program presented program. David Cole; as David, • j^gip tfje vocal aspirants, in the a . well-rounded picture of the nevy , ^gg excelleht as was Miss Robson, : accompaniments and his arrange- medium, ranging from \yrestling to his aunt. Boris Karloff’s portrayal pients are fine, having taste as educational TV. of Uriah Keep, in the spirit of the as variety. Like Singer, Thespers were used for the color ! novel, dripped witli minister hy- i £o^,enthal heads his department and statistics with taped interviews I pocrisy while Cyril Ritchard, as ' gt thp school. with guest experts lending a note of authority. Setting up a “cham- pionship fight between TV and other forms of leisure activities,” it was dedlared that; visiting is down 5:0% in TV homes; /reading down 40%; evening radio listening down, 80% and motion picture attendance down 10 to 15% in TV cities. A by-product statistic reveal-: ed that since Hopalong Cassidy's video resurgence, :dne manufac- turer of black dye who ordinarily sells a few thousand pounds, a month, recently received orders for more than 15,000 pounds from a maker of Hoppy suits. Sound advice as hqw to handle the child-teevee situation was provided via interviews with Ruth Goldman, deputy commisSiorier of Chi Welfare Department, and Draza Klein, director of the Foster Care Division of the Illinois Chil- dreh’s Home and Aid Society. Mrs. Goldman recommended that moppet's viewing habits be . con- trolled by the parent rather than the child. Miss Klein suggested that undue, preoccupation with the tele set might indicate deep seated psychological problem needing im- j mediate attention. Educational possibilities of video were discussed by Phillip Lewis, teacher conducting a teeyee course W^outh Shore high school. Able defense of commercial program-, ming was presented by Jack Mabley. Daily News radio-TV edi- tor, who reminded listeners the “problem child” is not necessarily a phenomonon of the teevee age. Session was neatly narrated by Arthur Kingsley . with non-pro thespers okay in their bits. Dave. Micawber, played with^ properly ; caricaturized good-breeding. Show Sunday . (17) presented i Nancy Lewis, who did best oh A j • 1 u.hr. i “Stormy Weather” and showed Admiral Elias Zachanas, '^hp . pj,Qj^jgg The previous week’s en- had ch^ge of psychological trant Billy Dey, was much stronger against Germany and Japan m the . gj^^ gj^ggg^^j g night club engage- last world conflict and who au- (g^. Rendezvous) on the thored Behind . Closed Doors, ^ i gtrength of the radio appearance, just published, gave ^. Penetrating each program is analysis .of ^ the reasons the U. S. g^ instrumental interlude from ,hol(^ all the cards and can win Trio (piano, bass arid over Russia, if we play- them right, i «uitar) Gaah. in an interview (21) with Tonmiy on “Welcome Traveler” Bartlett over NBC. The interview was ASSIGNMENT— 1950 TEXAS ROUNDUP With Curly Fox, Texas Ruby, Del- more Bros., the Fox Chasers, Red River Dave, Curley Wil- liams, Lou Emerson, Bill Sho- mette, Mel Winters arid orch. Bob Wills and Texas Playboys 60 Mins.; Fri., 7 p.m. GULF BREWING CO. WO Al, Sari Antonio Greatest array of southwest tal- ent on a regularly scheduled radio series is being featured Friday night.s over stations of the Texas Quality Network in a full hour of w^estern and folk music which orig- inates from three of the TQN out- provocatiye and guardedly optimis- With George Ross, Don Nelson* Ed tic, worth a playback elsewhere, i Rarley Admiral Zacharias (retired) is a Writers; Sandy Sewell, Charles masterful speaker, with a superb ; Bornstein command of English and an im- • Producer; Sewell . pressive background of experience. :' 30 Mins., Wed., 7 p.m. He insisted that most of . mistakes have been in “evalua- j Beamed from their own FM stu- tion”; that official Washington is dios, the students of Enierson Col- too frightened about Russia. That j g jQ^g^ dramatic school, pre- country's great “vulnerability” is ^ ’ ifi oil supplies, the admiral declar- sented this one-shot documentary ed. Bomb them out, and the Soviet with professional skill arid solid will be powerless to. continue a - war, no matter how strongly its i ’ a u forces are organized, The United j Story revolved about a student s States, Admiral Zacharias declared, • class assignment to highlight must be prepared to stand up to ; events of 1950 as he saw them, re- an^l^TTh? levied know poft^g^ his reactions and views o£ wull not longer tolerate what has been taking place. Once Russia ; Narrated in down-to-earth manner understands that, it will “retreat jjy George Ross, as the student, Lenin ^describ^d^’^^ history, as j g^g^za moved swiftly, displaying none of the phoney heroics or his- trionics that might be expected from dramatic students. Instead, it stacked favorably with many professional jobs. Dramatization of student’s trip through the UN building, a simu- lated BBC broadcast and an actual newscast by WHDH news editor John Day, were handled skillfully, with music and sound effect inter- polations well done. Elie. Cleve/s Yiddish Jock Cleveland, Dec. 26, This city . has its first Yiddish disk jockey in the Jackie Herman show, heard on WSRS. He bills himself as “Jackele Der Jockele.” Program is Sold on a participat- ing basis. Washington, Dec. 26. j permit, that a transaction had been A 5 kw station in Milwaukee ' entered into with Uihlein as a (WMAW) and a long-established source of financing, lets, KPRC, Houston; WOAI, San ' 250/ watr daytimer jn Trenton, ! .The Commission decided /hat Antonio, and WFAA, Dallas, Each j N, J. (WTNJ) were ordered of/the , -deliberate deceptions were conv of the outlets is given 20 minutes ' the FCC last week on find- ' muted under circumstances which for their origination iugs of violations of Commission ' make it clear that the responsible The show opens from Houston, regulations. In the Milwaukee case - parties were aware , of the nature the home of the Giilf Brewing Co i agency refused to grant a and desired effect of their acts.” bottlers of Grand Prize Beer and after, uncovering, “apparent I • Olsen’s Takeover is a honey. It’s all corn, pure and = misrepresentations and conceal- ] The basis on which the Commis- simple, but it’s what Texans enjoy. ! ments” as to the ownership of the sLon revoked the license of WTNJ The three different types give a station. In the Trenton case, the was Uncovered as a result of an good overall cross-section of music ; license was revoked for, among application by Charles E. and Julie which should please all types of listeners. other reasons, illegally abdicating ; V. Loew (brother arid sister), own- control of the station to a proposed ers of the station, to transfer con- From Houston, Curly Fox, Texas /Purchaser. ' trol to Erling C. Olsen. Through Ruby; Alton and Rabun Delmbre ! Cbmriiission . actiori on WMAW the application and through an iii- and the Fox Chasers hold sway, followed a, six-year effort on the dependent investigation, the ageri- Fox serves as m.c. and keeps the ' part of George E. Inghram, former cy said, it learned that Olseri “has show moving at a fast pace. Mu- j sales manager of a rival station, ! assumed unauthorized control of sioal background is well supplied with the backing of the late Her- the licensee without the prior con- by the Fox Chasers. i bert E. Uihlein, Milwaukee mil- sent of the Commission arid in From San Antonio, cowboy sing- ' lionaire, to establish the outlet, violation of . . the Communica- irig star, Red River Dave is fea- Inghram claimed he was be given ' tions Act.” ^red. Bill Shomette serves as . a 50-50 partnership in the enter- j The revocation order further rn.c. and is also heard singing in ! prise and, following changes in the stated that Olsen “has hired arid liam?^ T m? Wil- corporate setup which excluded ' fired personriel, obtained control Mel WiSers^^nd and reduced Inghram to a over the bank account or acounts the group Vamiel Mbdenm holding, “informed the Of the licensee, assumed full super* ’ Ihhst wiu; J b^d.^ M^”hS CommissiOri^ .staff of the alleged; ^siori over the , day-to-day opera- in a solo spot ^ ^ i misrepresentations and conceal - 1 tion of the station and complete ;• Rounding out the airing are Bob P^^Wted the inves- Wil s and hi*? Texas Plivhnvc fi*nm • ■ j ovei-all station policy. Dallas, with Wills as m.c. Romona * Difficulties of WMAW , which re* : , in previous investigations, the Reed and jack Lloyd are heard ^ construction permit in | Commissiou found that the Loews singing with the; band. I early 1947, appeared To develop as have been living away from Tren- There are several commercials ' a decision to drop ton and had delegated full respon- in each portion, all in good taste com- 1 sibility for the operation to the for Grand Prize Brew. “When It’s ^mwest Broadcasting Co., ; station’s general manager. Roundup Time in Texas” serves as* ■ of the belief of the other ; The Commission ordered the a natural tor the program theme • that Midwest would license of WTNJ revoked effective played by each group. Show por- obtain a constructiori permit if , Jan. 10 but gave the station to Jan. tions are well., produced in each Uihlein remained as a stockholder ' 5 to request hearing. The revOca- keeping the program on a and director.” The Commissron tion order would be suspended un- igh level. Andy. found, however, after granting the i til the conclusion of the hearing. m NEW YORK CITY . . . Actor Allan Stevensoii on “Big Story” tonight (Wed.). . . .Ed and Pegeen Fitzgerald shift their WJZ-TV strip to 2:30 .p.m., which they figure is a better timeV. . . John B'^tes, Kenyon & Eckhardt account exec, in Minneapolis because of the death of his father in an auto accident . ; , . WOR will air a four and a halfrhour stint pf dance remotes on New Year’s Eve. . . . Albert TilL 3d, has- joined theTV staff of Erwin, Wasey. , ; WLIB ran a one-week pre-Christmas promotion con- teat for Raytheon TV. ' Van Heflin in from the Coast for “Theatre Guild on the Air” this Sunday (31) night. New York Fruit Auction Gorp. was so pleased with commefcials on . Walter Preston’s WOR show it contributed $500 to the station’s Chil- dren’s Christmas Fund . . . Oscar L. Germain new assistant treasurer of WHLI, vice Fred A. Curran, resigned. . . ^Organist Rosa Rio “talked back” on ABC’s “Talk Back” series yesterday (Tues.) . . . Toffenetti res- taurant to back two quarter hours weekly on WNBC’s Tex: arid Jinx McCrary breakfasts . . . L. Rohe Walter, former ad-public relations tojp- per for Flintkote Go., has joined Erwin, Wasey & Co. in an exec ca- pacity. . i . WJZ-FM transmitter at Lodi, N. J., closed down yesterday (Tues.) arid will be dismantled for relocation atop the Empire State building on Friday (29) . . . . Burl Ives, Georgia Gibbs, Louis Jordan orcH and Men of Song to entertain at Bethesda, Md., Naval Hosp todaiy (Wed ) . . . . It’s a boy for the Arnold Hartleys (WOV), bom Saturday night in French hospital, N. Y. Their third child . . . . Ken Williams new to “Ro- mance of Helen Trent” . . ! Bob Pollack joins “Nona From Nowhere” . Charles Dingle, Rupert La Belle and Lanni Carvel added to “Back- stage Wife” .... Dorothy Francis new “Front Page Farrell” player. m HOLLYWOOD . . . J". Walter Thompson’s “Corny” Jackson is shopping around for a site to consolidate the dovvntown L. A. and , Hollywood offices. Time and space departments vull continue to be separate ehtities. Reason for move is that television, now quartered downtown, rieeds closer prox- imity to the radio staffers ... Bob Hopkins, who replaced Steve Allen on KNX midnight shift, came off with a busted beezer after a street tiff .... Eight stations in the San Diego area cancelled shoWs so that Charles Laughton could have the time to read The Story of the Nativity, spon- sored by 110 churches. . . Wally Boone, former controller of KNBH here, now managing a station in Yakima, Wash... .Frank Samuels* son, Jack, takes the marriage vows soon , . . .Ralph Rose is packaging “Here Gomes Mr. Kitzel,” who is Artie Auerbach of the Jack Benny ‘ show, and gets a CBS audition 2’7th . . Harry Ackerman set Ezio Phtza and Eye Arden for guest shots on “Suspense.”. . . .If Arthur Godfrey would turn serious for a half-hour, they would 'move the show to N. Y. to accommodate him . . . . Doc Middleton is moving over to BBD&Q with Amos ’n’ Andy to continue as their producer on a freelance basis . . . Vick Knight’s ad agency landed the Mills Music account . ... Steve Sles- inger, who owns “Red Rider” and a half dozen other strips, won the annual award of Boys Clubs of America for his active interest in their citizenship program. At least once a year he gathers up a half dozen youngsters, transports them to his ranch high in the Rockies, where they live like real cowboys , . . Nat Wolfe, who scripted and directed the audition that sold “The Blandings” to TWA, will continue as di- rector and occasional scripter. . . Two careers, apart as twilight and dawn, were welded by NBC when Michael Chapin, 13, shared.^ the lead with Francis X. Bushman, 66, On NBC’s holiday special, “BeethoVen and the Child” . . . Desi Arnaz will have his own show on CBS in addition to working with his wife, Lucille Ball, in television .... George Fogle sold his interest in “Aunt Mary” and “Dr. Paul,” radio serials/ to NBC but continues to supervise production, IN CHICAGO . . . Tommy BarUeti aired his Christmas NBC ‘‘Welcome Travelers” show from the William E. Old home in Norfolk, Va. The Olds had been selected after a six-week hunt for the family that “best typified the Christmas spirit all year long.’’ Federal taxes on the several .thou- sand dollars’ worth of gifts showered on the Olds are being paid by Bartlett Wesley Nunn, Standard Oil ad manager; Judith Waller* Chi NBC public affairs and education director, and Robert Richards, National Asm. of Broadcasters public affairs director, have been named to the judges panel for the National Safety Council's public interest award. George Jennings, Chi board of education radio-TV director, was appointed to the NSC jury, which will select winner of Alfred P. Sloan Radio Awards for highway safety , . .Hills Bros, coffee will pick up John Harrington’s cross-the-board 4:40-4:45 p.m. newscast on WBBM next week. Don McNeill is mailing out 100,000 copies of his annual “Breakfast Club” booklet which sells for $1. . . . Jack Taylor and Wally Moore are new members of WLS’ Sage Riders . . . . Hallicrafter net income from last quarter hit $451,636 Compared to $229,776 for the same period a year ago. Radio-TV sales for the same three months totaled $11,881,263 against $5,560,206 in 1949 . . . . Singer-composer Carolyn Gilbert visiting Dave Garroway’s WMAQ airer Saturday (30) ... .WGN beamed a special Christmas remote from the Cliff Johnson home Sunday (24) ... .Fran Clark, Chi NBC press photo editor, off on a three-week sunning in Mexico. ■ IN WASHlNCtON . , . Julian Goodman named NBC director of news and special events for Washington, with Arthus Barriault assisting . . /.Frank Blair and Biette Bradley winning commercial auditions for their WNBW-NBC ‘‘People’s Playhouse” TV show. . • Morgan Beatty garnering kudos for his nightly I TV stint on WNBW-NB(i, a video news rOundup immediately following j his web AM newscast.. ^ . . Don Owens terminating nearly three and a [half years of starring on WGAY’s “Radio Rodeo” show by enlisting in I the Air Force, >along with pal Ferry Westlandi hillbilly singer on the show. . . Marge Fee, ex^columnist of the Omaha World-Herald, has joined staff of WMAL-ABC as assistant to Ruth Crane, station’s direc- tor of Women’s Activities . . . . Gene Davis, formerly of WQUE, Akron, takirig over WGAY’s Sports Circus, along with Ben Sworts, who moves over from job as assistant to station owner Chuck Dulane. . ...Ray , Scherer, WNBW-NBG news commentator, slated for a December aisle march with Barbara Alin He, tzner. . . Staff of ABC’s “Original Ama- teur Hour” for the Women’s National Press Club’s “VIP” version of the show. Jan. 25 begins .auditioning town’s brass for cast next week. : St. Louis-^Carter Ririglep, asst. gen. mgr. of KMOX, local CBS out- let, has resigned his post as of Jan. 1 and Will retire to a newly-pur- chased home in Florida. He joined KMOX as manager of CBS Radio sales in 1941 and became asst. gen. mgr. in 1946. He previously has been associated with stations WADC, Akron; KRNT, KSO and WMT, Des Moines, and KMBC. Kansas City. Legislative Pickups Des Moines, Dec. 26. ” KXIC, Iowa City, will broadcast three daily programs direct from the Iowa legislative sessions start- ing Jan. 8. KXIC farm editor, G. M. Ludwig, was elected to the Legislature last November. . This is the first time that reg- ular broadcasts have been aired from the state house by a member of the Iowa Legislature* Wednesday, December 27, 1950 ORCHESTRAS-MUSIC 81 spotlighting the problem faced by major platter companies in keeping their tune-feeders happy, llCA yictor once again is revamp- ing its system of publisher con- tacts. In place of the current set- up in which each of the company’s three^man artists and repertory staff is assigned to a number of publishers, new procedure will set aside one or two days a week for the pubs to submit their tunes for an on-the-spot verdict by the col- lective a&r Staff. New setup is similar to the one how in opera- tion at Capitol Records. Charles Grean, Victor’s pop a&r chief, said the contact method was bverhauled to cut out the over- whelming number Of queries made by the pubs each day. Under the new setup, each publisher will be given a chance to enter his tune at a specified date, at which time he’ll get a definite okay or nix by victor’s staff. Grean said that no phone palls would be accepted from pubs in the new system. Since taking over the top a&r spot early this year, Grean said he had been receiving between 75 and 100 calls a day from pubs. Accord- ing to Grean, a typical telephone routine by a publisher after his tune is accepted involves more than a half-dozen followup queries as follows: (1) “What’s cooking”; (2) ‘’When are you making the tune”; (3) “Is the artist in good health”; (4^ “How did the side turn but”; (5) “When can we get a dub”; (6) “Why isn’t the disk available in the stores”; (7) “We have a new tune that’s a sure smash.” And then the Cycle goes around once niore. Victor tried but the new setup two years ago but it flopped be- cause the a&r setup was too un- wieldy. At that time, over 10 dif- ferent department heads sat in judgment on a tune, and agree- ment on a single entry was vir- tually impossible. Under the new system, piily Grean aiid Victor’s two other a&r staffers, Hugo Win- terhalter and Dewey Bergman, will act as a jury. on Art Mooney has disbanded in order to devote his time to the operation of La Boheme Club, Hol- lywood, Fla., which he has leased. Mooney also operates the Hamp- shire House hotel in the Same town. Bandleader will probably reor- ganize in early spring, after he gets his nitery operation into shape. Perry Como, top-selling male vocalist in RCA Victor’s stable, haS been re-signed by the diskery to a 10-year pact. Terms are the same as the one recently signed by Dinah Shore when she switched from Co- lumbia. It’s understood that Como, like Miss Shore, is getting substan- tially over a $50,000 per annum guarantee. Pointing up Como’s sales pull, the singer was awarded four gold disks by Victor last week, marking Como’s sale of 1,000,000, or over, on four different numbers. Gold- plat..d platters were awarded for Como’s “Prisoner Of Love,” “When You Were Sweet 16,” “Because” and “Hubba Hubba Hubba.” Victor had awarded only 13 gold disks pre-r viously, and it’s the first time that a single artist received more than one. Ai Brackmaii resigned Friday (22) as professional chief of Lou Levy’s Pickwick Music to Join Howie Richmond as general pro- fessional manager of Hollis Music, one of Richmond’s BMI firms. Brackman starts at his new post Jan, 2. Meanwhile, no replacement has been set for Brackman at Pick- wick. Brackman Is preparing an un- usual type of operation for Hollis, which currently is publishing “The Thing” and “The Roving Kind.” He’s got 10 tunes of an offbeat nature on hand, for which he’ll try to secure records on an exclu- sive basis. For the exclusive record- ing of each tune, he will guarantee to spend a minimum of about' $2,- 500 for exploitation of that record only. Brackman will also be in charge of the standard operation for all Richmond’s firms. He’ll prepare simplified piano copies, band and choral arrangements, etc., of the tunes. Up to now, Richmond has turned out only regular piano copies'^'and prchestrations. Brack- man will also Work out some of the foreign copyright problems of the firms. Brackman activated the Pickwick catalog when he joined Levy last March. Prior to that, he was with Mills . Music and Big Three, where he worked with Richmond. Meadowbrook Respite Frank Dailey will shutter his Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove, N. J., until Jan. 19, following closing Of Ralph Flanagan’s orch on New Year’s Day. At that time Elliot Lawrence’s band comes in for three weeks and three days, fol- lowed on Feb. 16 by Charlie Splvak for four weeks. Shuttering is a seasonal affair, due to poor early-January burt- ness. Tops of the Tops Retail . Disk Best Seller “Tennessee Waltz” Retail Sheet Besv Seller “Tennessee Waltz” **Most Requested” Disk “Tennessee Waltz” Seller on Coin Machines “Tennessee Waltz” Best British Seller "Rudolph the Reindeer” Presaging a major expansion in the longhair field, Decca Records has concluded a deal with Deutsche Grammaphoh Co. of Germany whereby the lattef firm gives Decca the exclusive rights to its entire catalog for distribution in the U.S. and its possessions and Canada. Deutsche Grammaphoh, in turUj will have sole rights to ijecca’s catalog in Germany, Austria and Norway. Deal with the German company was worked out several months ago by Decca ptexy Milton R. Rackmil while on a trip to the Contiriertt for that purpose. Decca came iip with the Deutsche Grammaphon catalog, one of the most extensive on the Continent, despite bids' by British and other American com- panies for a similar deal. Under the agreement, Decca will have access to all past catalog mar terial of the German outfit, includ- ing the Archive Series, which is de- voted to the reproduction of early German and other European music. Deutsche Grammaphon is current- ly recording a number of leading longhair groups and soloists in Ger- many, including the Berlin Philhar- monic Orchestra. Decca’s initial release from the German catalog will be made in February as part of the Gold Label series. This deal, incidentally, doesn’t affect Decca’s deal with British Decca, whereby the latter company distributes Decca’s cata^ log in England. Gilbert Returns to Coast For ASCAP Payoff Report L. Wolfe Gilbert, Coast rep of the American Society of Com- posers, Authors and Publishers, returned to Hollywood over last Weekend to report to Coast cleffers on the recent meetings of ASCAP’s classification committee on revis- ing the 60-20-20 payoff plan. Ned Washington, Coast cleffer who came east recently to present his plan to ASCAP, also returned home. » ASCAP’s committee, meantime, has adjourned its sessions' until early in January, when Gilbert will return. Price Boosts Despite GovL RoDbad Diskers Eye Les Brown As Col Pact Expires Number of record coDtipanies are reported to be dickering with Les Brown, whose contract with Colum- bia Records is about to expire. Co- lumbia wants to renew, but Brown is reportedly listening to all offers. Most prominently mentioned among the diskeries after Brown is Coral. It’s undexstood Brown has talked terms with the Decca subsid, but hasn’t made any commitments to any firm. Max Dreyfus and Leo Talent last week reached a verbal agreement whereby the Chappell Music chief will buy oiit Talent’s 50% interest in Mutual Music Society, Inc. While no papers have yet been signed, Dreyfus will become full owner of the firm. Talent, Who was general professional manager of the firm, gets some of the copyrights, with which he will start his own firm. Just what Dreyfus intends to do with the firm isn’t clear. He intends to move Ivy Music, in which he. re- cently purchased an interest, into Mutual’s present quarters, which are next to the Chappell office. There’s a possibility hq. may inac- tivate thd firm. Mutual’s catalog includes a great many of the old Glenn Miller copy- rights; including “A String of Pearls.” Miller, before his death, owned part of the firm, and after his interest passed to his widow, Helen, she sold out. Firm was equally owned by Dreyfus and Tal- ent for the past five years. ^Hopalong’ Tie-Ins Number of unique tie-ins are be- ing piahned for the exploitation of “The Hopalong Cassidy March,” Wolfie Gilbert-Naclo Herb Brown tune published by Naclo Publica- tions, which is owned by Jack Rob- bins, Brown and Bill (Hopalong) Boyd. The Frank DeVol Capitol record- ing of the song will be dubbed into the: Hopalong TV and radio shows on NBC as an opening theme. Song will also be plugged in the syn- dicated “Hopalong Cassidy” comic strip, and in tie-ins with Boyd-li- censed merchandise. In addition, Boyd will lead the Rose Bowl Pa- rade in Pasadena Jan. 1, while the band plays the tune. Despite* the Government’s re- quest last week for a voluntary rollback of prices to the Dec; 1 level, the disk industry is planning to keep in force the price hikes made two weeks ago. It’s under- stood, however, that RCA Victor may revert to its former price structure because of , the public re- lations sensitivity of the RCA par- ent company. Latter’s war contract with the Government te another important factor which may lead Victor to a rollback. Rest of the mdustry, hbwever, is holding firm oh . boosts^ Speaking for his company and the industry as a Avhole, Decca prexy Milton H. RaCkmil declared that the price hikes are necessary for the survival of most companies. Pointing out that labor and materials had risen appreciably over the last half year, Rackmil s^d the disk industry had not raised its prices for the past five years. Under the old price structure, he asserted, even k large increase of volume sales next year would not put several big compa- nies in the black due to the in^ creased production costs. Should the. Government contest the price' hikes, several companiei are already preparing briefs to sup-, port the economic legitimacy Of their actions. It!s believed, how-* ever, that the Government will hot pay too much attention to the plat- ter price boosts at this time since disks are hot essential commodities* However, the Government may at- tempt to impose a ceilihg in the disk industry as part of its general price-fixing policy. ON RADIO-TEEVEE Vaughn Monroe has decided to forego the road for the next few months, arid perhaps permanently, in order to devote full time to his CBS radio and television activities in New York. Monroe Will play an occasional college date or Ipcation- er when it does not interfere with his programs. Monroe is the first major band to take this step, but others may hot be too far behind. Sammy Kaye IS auditioning a television version of his “Sunday Serenade,” which may, if‘ sold, restrict his travels, and Guy Lombardo is understood to be Interested in a regular video show. Savannah Churchill Set Savannah Churchill, Negro song- stress, has been inked to an ex- clusive pact by Regal Records, indie N. Y. outfit. Miss . Churchill, who formerly worked for Manor Records, cut her first sides this week. OUT NEXT WEEK The Of Forms dosing Usual Advertising rotes Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office •NEW YORK 19 154 W. 46th Sf« HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yucco Sh CHICAGO 11 612 N* Mlchlgoii Av«. LONDON. Wi C. 2 8 St. Martin's Ploee Trafalgar Square Paul Southard, who resigned last week as vicepresident in charge of merchandising for Columbia Rec- ords, will join Times-Columbia, Inc., Columbia’s New York dis^ tributor, as executive v.p. on Jan. 2. Southard, who while with Columbia held a board membership and stock Interest In Times-Colum- bia, retains his directorship and financial interest in the distribut- ing outfit. Meanwhile, Columbia has filled the gaps left by the resignations of Southard, and of advertising-pro^ motion director Ken McAllister two weeks earlier. Sales manager Paul Wexler will take over all sales activities, including those supervised by Southard, who was actually sales veepee. Al Earl, formerly assistant ad- vertising chief under McAllister, has been appointed advertising manager, and will be in charge of both advertising and promotion. The board of directors vacancy left by Southard has not been filled. VICTOR 10 Slow DP ' RELE ASES ON POPS Beginning with the first week of 1951, RCA Victor is cutting down on the number of pop tunes to be released. In place of the six or seven disks currently put out week- ly, Victor will hold down its re- leajses to four or five a week. Pop artists and repertory chief Charles Grean stated that Victor will work only on guaranteed pub- lisher plug tunes arid will no long- er attempt to cover every side put ' out by the other majors. With a j lesser number of releases, company will be able to space releases by its top artists more effectively. In the past there have been frequent ‘ squawks from retailers and disk ; jockeys that releases by top names j have been turned put too quickly to permit, adequate exploitation of any sirigle side. Manson-Welles to Do Col Harmonica Album Columbia Records has signed the harmonica team of Eddy Manson j and his wife, Margery Welles, to do a harmonica album. Pact car- ries options for longterm deal. I Pair, whose work has been more or less confined to vaude, will re- j edtd pop and classical numbers. I They’ll be backed by a small rhythm section. ecord Talent and Tnnes ORCHfiSTRAS-MrSlC Wednesdayy December 279 1950 8 I OaVH— sni^aiAi *n|f 1/1 ;J I JLHXAi— W>I»9!«WI P^«aioh « OWfM— It?P“®Ai pna u ■ ~ ■ “S HSiAi— jauMinBj Ilia KaOAl— ’* 5 )!a HAVOH-^^J^aV pJOi^Bp MVOAV— snJno »3Joao aoNAi— 5^ *•’1 CO CM w w w 3 : lli£SS% jt c.'fe.i » s c itsls f^§|: iPlI 2® ill III § “ 'oo.S K « W s’ o ^ ^ ^ «Q P t ?0 _ O; O Ci ■g&|So^ §^i:.9 U m O O o Jf ^ is e -^ 8 ® S § 8 «£ V3MAA— »l*®is P®1 ^ I®® Wednesday, December 27, 1950 9R€HESTRAS-MUSi€ 33 and Disks .By HERM SCHOENFELD. Ferry Gomo: “If”- ‘Zing Zing- Zoom Zoom” (Victor). A new and noteworthy ballad, “If” gets a com- mercially sock treatment on this side with Como keying his delivery to the lyric’s warm sentiment. It rates plenty of spins. Reverse, a Sigmund Rdmberg tune, is a pleas-^ ing waltz neatly packaged by Como and a chorus, but the tune and lyric are not particularly strong. Romberg batons “Zing” with Mitchell Ayres’ orch backing up ‘‘If.’’ Jo Stafford-Gene Autry: “My Heart Cries for You”-‘*Teardrops from My Eyes” (Columbia). This dueted version of “Cries for You” is good but isn*t likely to overtake tiie excellent Guy Mitchell cut, also for Columbia. Gn the flip. Mi ss Stafford and Autry neatly combine to give “Teardrop” an Ozark flavor with Carl Cotner orch furnishing a cider jug background. Kate Sihith: “Little Bitty Baby”T “The Same Lord;” “Ave Maria”^ “The Lord’s Prayer” (National). In her first waxing assignment in some time, Kate Smith registers nicely on this group of religious sides although none Of these entries ^re likely to, break through into the hit lists. Miss Smith is spe- cially effective on the folk tune, “Little Bitty Baby,” Other sides are bkay blit not standout. Jack Miller orch accomps. Lee Lawrence: “With These Hands”-“Gur Finest Hour” (Lon- don). “With These Hands” is an excellent ballad and Lawrence’s rendition should give it a big send- off. Lawrence handles the lyrics with a large-scale feel, pick Brown also has a fine cut of this tune on Jubilee Records. On the London flip, Lawrence delivers another fine ballad with a title taken from a Winston Churchill wartime phrase. Briice Campbell orch backs up. Betty Hutton: “Who Kicked the Light Plug”-“He’s a Demon-He’s a Devil-He’s a Doll” (Victor). “Light Plug” is a frantic, lightweight nov- elty that may stir up a slight flurry. Miss Hutton, as usual, drives it home with lots of snap. Bottom deck is a better number delivered by Miss Hutton in her familiar ex- plosive style. Sammy Kaye Orch: “Get Out Those Old RecordS”-“Tennessee Waltz” (Columbia). Kaye is slight- ly late with “Records,” but this rendition has a flavorsomely nos- talgic mood that should sell in any case. Tony Alamo and Roy Rob- erts, backed by the Kaydets, handle the vocal With an appropriately corny beat. Kaye’s cut of “Ten- nessee Waltz” is way too late to catch up. Ziggy Talent: “Please Tell Me What Is the Thipg”-“Sad Case” (Victor). Talent, who did a Cute followup to “Goodnight Irene,” has a clever sequel to “The Thing,” the Charlie Grean novelty. It’s good for some laughs without tip- ping off the riddle. Flip is a neat Calypso number with some more of Talent’s comedies. Dewey Bergman orCh backs up solidly. Album Reviews 'The Voice of Martha Raye (Dis- covery), Comedienne Martha Raye shows a surprisingly fine and varied style on this long-play disk. She delivers a couple of special material numbers, “Oph, Dr. Kin- sey” and “The Boy Next Door,” which are fair, but her workover of such Standards as “After You’ve. Gone” and “Miss Otis Regrets” is standout. In one number, “Lotus Land,” she does an excellent take- off on Yma Sumac, the unique Peruvian songstress. Phil Moore’s orch supplies distinctive back- grounds. Platter Pointers Capitol has packaged a fine set of oldies duetted by JO' Stafford and Gordon MacRae. Six-sided album includes such numbers as “In the (51oaming,”“Love’s Old Sweet Song” and “Now the Day Is Over” . . . Wayne Kin| has a couple of good sides in “The Mid- night Waltz” and “So Goes My Heart” (Victor) . . “I 'Taut I Taw a Acad of Music Buys Outstanding Stock Philadelphia, Decl. 26. To assure itself permanent use of the Academy of Music, century- old concert hall, the Philadelphia 9^'chestra Assn, purehased a major- ity of ^the outstanding stock in the historic auditorium. The Assn, bought 1,255 shares of the 2,501 outstanding shares from John Frederick Lewis, Jr., and his brother Alfred L. Lewis, , Piddy Tat” gets another cut by Mel Blanc for Capitol . , . Roberta Quinlan has made a neat side from her televsion show theme song, “Especially for You” (Mercury) . , , Elise Rhodes shows promise iri “Blue Mood” (Pab) i , . Oh the same label, Stuart Foster does nicely on “If It Isn’t Forever,” Dick Freitas orch backing up Wyhonie Harris comes up some blues, shouting in “Triflin’ Woman” and “Put It Back” (King) . . . On same label, jazz mart Lon- nie Johnson delivers okay oh Little Rockin’ Chair” . . . Jan Gar- ber orch has a good cut of “If” (Capitol). A little over 10 years ago, a small combo headed by John Kirby was drawing raves for its tasteful swing renditions of pops and classics, and at the same time setting a style for small units for years to come. Its personnel have since gone on to other things, but last Friday (22) night, as much of the . original “Biggest Little Band” as could be gathered were reunited for a con- cert at Carnegie Hall, N* Y. While the reunion, as it was called, drew only about 300, it was an artistic success. Combination of timing it on the holiday weekend, bad weather and poor promotion probably accounted for the small turnout. But those who did attend were treated to an evening of top- notch instrumentalizing. Group comprised Charlie Shav- ers (now featured with Tommy Dorsey), trumpet; Buster Bailey, clarinet; Russell Procope, sax; Billy Kyle, piano; Big Sid Catlett, drums, and Kirby himself on bass. Also on ' the program was Juanita Hall, who is on a week’s vacation from “South Pacific,” a six-piece dixieland combo headed by trombonist Wilbur De Pairs; the Orioles/ a vocal j^oup; Joe Bailey, who sang with the Kirby unit, and disk jockey Art Ford, who emceed the show. Miss Hall sang two of her numbers from “South Pacific,” then did a blues which she wrote with poet Langston Hughes. Latter was a fine exam- ple of blues singing-shouting. Chan. Best British Sheet Sellers (Week ending Dec, 16) London, Dec. 12. Rudolph Reindeer.; Chappell I Taw a Putty Tat .. Connelly goodnight Irene . . . ; . Leeds Beloved Be Faithful . . Pickwick Xmas in Killarney . ; . Connelly Sam’s Song. . . Sterling ^ Mona Lisa . . . , . . . New World The Thing .... ...... . . Leeds My Christmas Wish . . . . Reine Have I Told You . . . . . . Leeds Ferry Boat Inn. ... . Connelly Ashea pf Roses . Connelly Second 12 I Only Saw Him Once ... Unit Orange Colored Sky . . Morris Autumn, Leaves . ^ . . . . Maurice All My Love! ...... .Maurice Blackbird 1 . V . .Box & Cox Silver Dollar . ! . . . . . . . . . ! i*ic In English Garden . . . . .Sun Petite Waltz . ; ... . Duchess Once in a While . . Magna We’U Keep a Welcome . . . Cox Flying Saucers . . ... . . .Unit Marshmallow World . Kassner Hambro, Ex.-Knipa, Forms SmaU Combo Lenny Hambro, longtime* lead sax • with Gene Krupa’s orch/ has formed his own small combo. Outfit has Mickey Crane, piano; Sam Brurto, bass; and Gene Thaler, i complete victory for Local drums. Group \yiU be augmented - - - with a vocalist. DECCA BlffS COMPO TO BUILD CANADA SERIF In a move to build its Canadian operations, Decca has bought out the Compo Co. of Canada, which has been manufacturing for the U. S. diskery in the Domihioriv Milton R. Rackmil, De^ca prexy, who arranged for the purchase of all of Compo’s outstanding com- mon stock/ has been named board chainnan for the latter. Compo win eontinue under its old name as a subsidiary of Decca, with H. S. Berliner, operating head of the Canadian firm, remaining as prexy. Other officers are R. A. Chislett, vice-prexy and general manager, and S. D. Roberts, v.p. over sales. Apex Records, Ltd!, wholly-,! owned subsid of Compo and dis- tributor of Decca records in On- I tario, has also been taken over by Decca. George Offer, Apex man- ager, has been named vice-prexy of the distrib outlet. Threatened strike by American Federation of Musicians’ N. Y. Local 802 in leading niteries and hotels on the eve of the holiday season was averted pyer last week- end following an tigreement be- tween the! employers and the union I at N. Y. State Mediation headquar- t ters. Settlement represented a 802 in its fight for wage hikes and estab- lishment of a Welfare func^ New pact, which is retroactive to Nov. 27, gives musicians wage increases ranging from $7 to $10, with a majority of the hikes in the upper bracket. In its origihal de- mands, union asked for a flat $10 boost over the current minimums of $87 to $103, depending upon the spot’s classification. Union’s key j demand for a Wei** fare fund, With the employers to contribute $3; I or 3% per man, whichever is less, was granted in entirety. Management previously balked at shewing out to any wel- fare fund and it was over thij^ issue that the local made preparations for a walkout ^ Fund,, which goes into operation Jan. 15, Will be ad- ministered' jointly by the union and employers. Chicago, Dec. 26. Obligation for paying Illinois unemployment tax for musicians as of last week fell to the inn- keeper, according to an extem- poraneous ruling set down by Cook County Circuit Judge Harry M. Fisher. Jurist’s ruling bottled up a lengthy dispute over who is re- sponsible for the labor tax— the h Other provisions in the contract s Rainbow Records, N! Y., has completed deals for distribution of its product in South Africa, Australia and Canada. Company’s disks will be released in South Africa on the Tru^Tone label, in Australia on Welch Esquire Pty, Ltd., and in Canada on the Quality label. - - bandleader or the cafe operator. ' Amount of the tax is decided ac- cording to the sideman’s wage, ranging anywhere from one-quar- ter Of 1% to 2.7%; Edgewater Beach hotel, chief litigant in the hearing, fOr some tiihe had been attempting to slide out of a board of review decision that the hotel is responsible for the tax payment. Circuit court re- versal will not be accepted as final, however, hotel attorney Albert Lidy said, announcing the current ruling will be appealed before Il- linois supreme court iri 1951. Judge Fisher’s ruling in some re- spects disregards precedent of U. S. Suprenie Court decision in Bartels vs. Birmingham, under which national level taxation must be doled out by the orch leader. Basis for the jurist’s •decision rested, however, on a tangent Illi- nois statute, which cites the owner of premises on which services are performed as being liable for Gov- ernment levies. Raeburn V N;Y. Par Date Boyd Raeburri’s orch plays one of its infrequent theatre dates at ■ the N. Y. Paramount in February, 'it’s one of the spots played an- nually by the band. I Besides playing about 12 thea- itre dates yearly and a number of I school proms. Raeburn is devoting ' most of his time to writing music. Week of Dec. 23 give musicians 10% premium pay in nitery productions that run over one hour. Previorisly, musicians were paid a 6% premium. Tooters were also grarited a $10 bonus for working New Year’s Eve as against the former $5 extra payment. Agreeiment, Which was nego- tiated by Local 802 execs and reps of the Hotel Assn, and Allied Restaurant and Entertainment In- dustries of N, Y., covers about 250 spots in the mietropblitan area, in- cluding all the top midtown hotels and cafes. Frederick C/ Bullen, Mediation Board’s exec secretary, and Arthur Stark, another state mediator, assisted in bringing the parties to an agreenient. 1 . 2 . i 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 . 9. 10 . TENNESSEE WALTZ (5) (Acuff-R) THE THING (5) (Hollis) . . NEVERTHELESS (8) (Chappell) ALL MY LOVE (16) (Mills) .... HARBOR LIGHTS (10) (Chappell) THINKING OF YOU (5) (Reriiick) •« • • * • 4 • • • •' • • 4 4 • ORANGE COLORED SKY (9) (Frank) I’LL NEVER BE FREE (13) (Valando) . . MY HEART CRIES FOR YOU (1) (Massey) I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU (6) (Famous) « • 4 4 • « 4 4.44 • Patti Page Phil Harris I Ralph Flanagan ) Mills Bros. . . . Patti Page Sammy Kaye . Don Chern Eddie Fisher . . King Cole- Stan Kay Starr TeAv Guy M it chell-M. Dean iViartV' MercU'.y . Victor . Victor .Decca Mercury ...... Columoia . . ; . . . . . . Decca . . ! . V. , , Victor Kenton Capitol Ernie . Capitol Miller Columbia . Capitol Seciimd Croup TO THINK YOU’VE CHOSEN CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN (16) ME (Valando). (Valando) • . • • 4 • • • • * A BUSHEL AND A PECK (Morris) on BABE (Alamo) . . marshmallow world (Shapiro-B) THIRSTY FOR YOUR KISSES (Mutual) ’THE ROVING KIND (Hollis) . . : . . DREAM A LITTLE DREAM (Words 85 Music) CHRISTMAS IN KILLARNEY (Reriiick) ;/ •PATRICIA:. (BVC)-.:.;. . . - BE MY LOVE (Miller) . ; . . ..... PETITT: waltz (Duchess) ... ... LA VIE EN ROSE (13) (Harms) . . GOODNIGHT IRENE (17) (Spender) Howard ...... Mercury Arties Bros. Coral \ Mag Whiting J 'in Wakely Capitol ) Betty Hutton Pei ry Como Victor 3 Ames Bros . . ! . . Cdral I Louis Prime . ... .Robin Hood Vaughn Monroe . . , . ; . . Victor \ Ames Bros. ......... Coral . ............ • ’v* •*•••' I /vfills Bros V... . .. Decca Guy Mitchell Columbia . , . . .... ... t » . . ’ 444-44 4 4 • . 444444 • • 4*4 « 4 • 4 4 4 4 4 4 4.4 ,4 4 . 4 > • 4 4 4 • 4 4 4 • 4 4 4 ' Frankie Percy Faith . ; Perry Coiho Mario Lanza . Guy Lombnrdc Tony M<*rti'>- Mercury Columbia / Victor .Victor Decca Victor • 4-4 4 4 4_.4 4 4 4-4 4.4 4 MONA LISA (20) (Paramount) -• 4 '4 4 '4 4 4 4 J Gordon Jenkin.s Weavers Decca } Frank Sinatr r . . . . Colurnbia \ King Cn[e Trio Capitol } Victor Youny . . ...... , Decca * IFipurcf ill Parentheses indicate numbcf o| xreeks song has been tv the Top 10 J Weavers Click in N. Y. Hdl CoDcert; Capacity 3G Gross The Weavers, Decca Records* folk-singing group, made their con- cert debut Saturday night (23) at Town Hall, N. Y., and the appear- arice wa? sock from both the finan- cial and artistic point of view. Playing before a capacity house that paid over $3,000, the group ex- hibited a wide repertoire, excellent renditions and solid showmanship. Group comprises Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman. v Seeger plays banjo and the near-obsoletr English re- corder, while Hellerman plays guitar. The four work excellently together, biit just as important, each is ' an accomplished soloist, with the result that they can per-- form a varied prograin in a varied manner, • Probably the best singer in the quartet is Miss Gilbert, who vary her voice and mood from a quiet harmony to a strong, mean- shoutirig blues. Hays is a baritone, Seeger a tenor and often a falsetto, while Hellerman is midway be- tween tenor and baritone, and has the most folldsh-sounding voice. Songs on the program consisted mostly of American folk music, but there Were some sougs from other larids and other times— a couple of Israeli songfe; a Zulu chant, a Haitian songv a Spanish civil war song and an Elizabethan ballad, played on the recorder and guitar. In every case, the numbers were socked across splidly by the group. And towards the end of the pro- gram they .had the eritire Town Hall audierice singing alpng with them,' ■ Also on the program was a six- piece jazz group led by pianist- arranger John Benson B rooks, which played “jazz on American themes.” Aetually, Brooks had af**'- ! ranged variations on familiar themes in a progresrive style. While interesting, the arrange- ments were unexciting. The group fared better at the end of the pro* gram, when- it improvised accom- paniments to the Weavers, Chan. Jailed on Dope Rap Sari Francisco, Dec. 26. Saunders King, blues singer former jive orch leader, was jailed on narcotics charges last week, ORCHESTttAS-MIJSlC Wednesday, December 27, 1950 presenting BING CROSBY AMERICA’S ‘MR. MUSIC 20tli ANNIVERSARY K' •* PWm His New Decca Album! BIMQ CHOSiY Songs from the Paramount Picture MR. MUSIC BING CROSBY with The ANDREWS SISTERS and DOROTHY KIRSTEN Selections include: Dtcca 27173 High On the List *9-27173 Life Is Se Peculiar with THE ANDREWS SISTERS Decca 27241 Accidents Will Happeh *9-27241 And You'll Be Home Decca 27263 Wouldn*t It Be Funny *9i)I7263 Once More the Blue and White Decca 27264 Accidents Wiii Happen *9-27264 Milady with DOROTHY KIRSTEN Decca Album A-790 • Four 10-Inch 78 RPM Records • Price $4.15 Decca 9-101 • Four 45 RPM Unbreakable Records * Price $3.75 DL 5284 * 1 d-in. Long Play Microgroove Unbreakable Record * Price $3.00 INDICATES 45 RPM VERSION ALL ALBUM RECORDS AVAILABLE AS SINGLES Long Play Prices Include Federal Excise Tax but no State or local taxes. /O RPM prices c^o not Include Federal, state, or local taxes. 0 ^America^siFastest '‘Sdling-iRecords! RETm DISK BEST SELLEBS m 1 National Ratinf This Last \vk. wk. Survey of retail disk best sellers, based on reports ob- tained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing comr parative sales rating for this and last week. Week Ending Dec. 23 Artist, Label, Title 4-> M m g cj Oh O 0) w .M cs ^ .2 'z o 2 2 9B 12 13 12 15A . 15B 17 15C 10 15D .. 15E .. 16A .. 16B . . 16C 13 16D .. PATTI PAGE (Mercury^ ^'Tennessee Waltz" — 5534. 4 PHIL HARRIS (Victdi) “The Thing"— 20-3968B 6 GENE AUTRY (Columbia) “Rudolph Reindeer"— 38610 1 G. MITCHELL-M. MILLER (Col.) “My Heart Cries For You" — 39067 3 MARIO LANZA (Victor) “Be My Love"— 10-1561 A SAMMY KAYE (Columbia) “Harbor Lights"— 38963 GENE AUTRY (Columbia) “Frosty the Snowman" — 38907... 9 PERRY COMO-B. HUTTON (Vic.) “Bushel and a Peck" — 20-3930 ... 8 G. MITCHELL-M. MILLER (Col.) “Roving Kind"— 39067 MILLS BROS. (Decca) “Nevertheless" — 27253 . . . . BING CROSBY (Decca) “Harbor Lights"— 27219 KAY STARR-T. ERNIE (Capitol). “I'll Never Be Free"— 1124 GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) “Harbor Lights"— 27208 BOSTON POPS (Victor) “Sleigh Ride”— 10-1484 DORIS DAY (Columbia) “Bushel and a Peck"— 39008 DENNIS DAY (Victor) “All My Love”— 20-3870 EDDIE FISHER (Victor) “Thinking Of You"— 20-3901 DON CHERRY (Decca) “Thinking Of You"— 27128 10 JERRY MARLOWE (Capitol) “Frosty the Snowman" — 1204. . . . . . JOHNNY DESMOND (MGM) “Sleigh Ride"— 10827 PERCY FAITH (Columbia) “Xmas in Killarney" — 39044 . . . . . . . RALPH FLANAGAN (Victor) “Harbor Lights"— 20-3911 . . PERRY COMO (Victor) “Patricia"— 20-3905 7 BING CROSBY (Decca) “Marshmallow World"— 27230 i § 4) oq » 0) .s o ad' d 0 4^ • 01 o . ea a P 4 P CO o ■ cn p X p 3 4>> -CO- (fl ♦44 p o *» cn tn o pq :ai P P : »h : o o Q P 0 B p Q M- 01 t: as XJ 0 . « €9 1 '3 TS (0 01 P 0 01 (1 CO 01 PM X •a o A cd P (9 P.‘ 0 U 01 p § 01 p a p a> U . X I X o lU a> c CO •fH A 3 o U u CO p o a s (d 4) fl ■ P 0 ) A 01 O (d •s a T O T A' L P 0 1 N T S 1 2 “Tennessee Waltz” (Acuff-R) ..... 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 I 6 1 • t 103 2 1 “Rudolph Reindeer” (St. Nich) ... 4 2 3 2 1 9 3 2 2 2 1 2 99 3 3 “Frosty the Snowman” (Hill-R.) . . 7 5 4 3 2 10 "2 '4 1 3 2 3 86 4 5 “Harbor Lights” (Chappell) , .... . 5 6 ' 7- ‘ * . * ' 4 7 5 3 10 • 0 4 48 5 6 “Bushel and a Peck” (Morris) . . . . 6 3 * • 6 4 - * * . 7 8 6 6 42 6 A 8 “The Thing” (Hollis) . . . . . , . . , . . . 2 9 5 4 •' • . . 6 • « 10 5 • • • • 36 6B 4 “Nevertheless” (Crawford). ..... • 8 *. . • '• 5 3 4 6 9 • . « 7 10 36 7 12 “Marshmallow World” (Shapiro-B) 8 7 6 7: 7 • • 3 f • 4 . « 4- ’ . • 4 ' 35 8 14 “My Heart Cries You” (Massey). . 3 • • • • 5 ' • 4 ■ ■5.. • • 10 . • • 9 5 9 31 9 • 11 “White Xmas” (Berlin) . . 9 • • 2 \ • • • • 5 • ’• ' , * * '3 25 10 ■ 7 “All My Love” (Mills) ........... 4 8 10 8 • • • » a « • 4 • • ~87 24 11 9 “Thinking Of You” (Remick) . .... .*■ * f • ♦ • • 9 2 10 7 8 • • 19 12A 14 “Xmas in Killarney” (Remick) ; . • ' • • •. • • 6 *. • 7 • • 7 9 • m • 13 12B « “Sflver Bells” (Paramount) ... . . . • • t • • •' • • • ' • » 5 • 4 4 ■ • • 13 13 • « “Petite TValtz’* (Duchess) . . ...... t • « » a • 9 10 • • • • * * *. ' • • • « 7 7 London Flies O’Day ^ To N.Y. for Disking London Records flew vocalist Anita O’Day into N. Y. from Hollywood to cut four sides this week, following a good public re- action to her slicing of “Yea Boo.” Diskery also signed arranger Ben Homer to arrange and conduct the sessions with the singer. Following slicing of the sides to- day (Wed.), Miss 0‘Day goes to De- troit, where she opens Friday (29) for two weeks at the Flame Club. On the Upbeat continued from page 34 back to Casino as leader of house orch after shutdown of more than a month . . . Ben Kibble’s band opened indefinite engagement at William Penn hotel’s Terrace Room Monday (25), replacing Rob- ert Norris outfit, which departed with Hildegarde . . Billy Cati- zone’s band signed t6 play for Va- riety Club’s annual New Year’s Eve party . . . Gloria Seigle, for- mer featured pianist * at , Monte Carlo, has turned to teaching piano. TONY PASTOR ORCH (13) With Kay Little Rustic Cabin, Englewood, N, J. . It’s unfortunate that in the past couple of years Tony Pastor’s orch has been restricted in its record- ing to novelty and rhythm num- bers. Actually Pastor has a fine, relaxed dance band that can de- liver a pop tune with the best of them. Orch has an instrumentation of five saxes, three trumpets, two trombones and three rhythm. Its style is simple and direct— saxes lead the melody while brasses fill in. Tempo is brisk and danceable. And the whole tenor of the music is relaxed. * Book is surprisingly stocked with current pop's, and Pastor has a vocal team that delivers them nicely. Kay Little is an accom- plished vocalist who shows a fine voice, poise and good looks. Buddy James, one of the saxophonists, handles ballads. He’s got a good v^ice, but little in the way of stage appearance. Stubby Pastor, Tony’s younger brother and a trumpeter in the band, shares novelty and rhythm vocals with Tony and the gal. He’s got a voice ciit out of a groove similar to his brother’s, and bounces around the stand enter- tainingly. And Pastor himself, of course, handles a novelty with ease and finesse. There aren’t too many instru- mental solos.. Both Pastors take a few, Tony on his sax and Stubby on trumpet. Biit band is geared for dancing, and most of the ar- rangements call for concerted band work only. Group makes a neat appearance, and Pastor fronts it handily. Chan. Top Songs on TV (Alphabetically Listed) Week of Dec. 15-21 (Based on copyrighted Au- dience Coverage Index and Audience Trend Index,/ pub- lished by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John G. Peatman, director.) Xmas in Killarney. . . Remick Harbor Lights Chappell Orange Colored Sky . . Frank Rudolph Reindeer. St. Nicholas The Thing .......... .Hollis 5 Top Standards I’ye Got My Love . . . . . Berlin Lover .Famous Oh Beautiful Doll . . . .Remick Santa Claus Cornin’ Feist White Christmas . .... .Berlin .V >A GREAT STANDARD ROBBINS MUSK C0RP0RA1I0N Kansas City Willie shore moves Out of El Casbah of the Hotel Belleriye for a date at the Cheat Lake Supper Club, Morgantown, W. Va., Dec. 29, and follows that with "the Chi- Chi Club, Palm Springs, Cal„ Jan. 6, and the Last Frontier, Las Ve- gas, Jaii, 26. Bellerive set Radio Rogues, Fisher & Marks and Dwight Fiske for its next several shows ... Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette bring their show in for a one-nighter in the Municipai^udi- torium Jan* 14 . , . Ray Palmer band, a newcomer in the Pla-Mor ballroom, playing pair of weekend dates . . , Max Cooper comedy trio now playing return engagement at the Famous Restaurant on the Baltimore Strip ... Craig, Collins & Ames Trio opened for a two- week stand at Eddy’s Dec. 22 * . Dick Mansfield Trio currently doing music chores in the Pen^ giiin Room of the Hotel Conti nental. Chappell Picks Up ' 3 Coining B’way Tuners Chappell Music has picked up the scores of three upcoming Broadway musicals, in addition to the two it is currently working on and the Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein 2d score of “Anna and the King of Siam,” which goes into the Williamson catalog. Scores set for late winter and early spring campaigns are the Johnny Mercer-Robert Emmet Dolan score for “Messer Marco Polo”; Arthur Schwartz and Doro- thy Fields’ music and lyrics for “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and “Paint Your Wagon,” score by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner. *► Chappell currently is working on Cole Porter’s “Out of This World” and Harold Rome’s “Bless You All” scores. As an LP Record Norman Foley will haye as his. first plug sprig upon becoming gen- eral professional manager of Leo First, Inc., next week one of the longest song titles in recent years. It’s “How C^ould You Belieye Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I’ve Been a Liar All My Life,” from the Alan Jay Lerner- Harold Burton score of Metro’s “Royal Wedding.” Score has been split between Feist and Miller Music by Big Three general manager Abe Ol- man. Feist will also have “Too Late Now” and “I Left My Hat in Haiti.” Lester Sims, who replaces Foley as general professional man- ager of Miller when Foley moves into Harry Link’s post at Feist, will work on two other songs from the picture. They are “The Hap- piest Day of My Life” and “You’re All the World to Me.” Pic Wrongfully ' Used '‘Managua’ ; Sues Sir Alexander Korda’s London Film Productions wrongfully used its song. “Managua Nicaragua,” in “The Third Man,” Ericore Music Publications charged in an iri- fringement suit brought Friday (22) in New York Federal court. Publisher asks an injunction, dam- ages and an accounting of the profits* Also named defendants In the action are Selznick Releasing Or- ganization, distributors of the film in the IJ. S.; City Entertainment Corp,, Loew’s Theatre & Realty Cor p. and Estates Theatres , Iric. Last three firms operate theatres in which “Third Man” was screened. Larry Grpen Adds 2 Vocalists Boston, Dec. 26. Two vocalists, Barbara Gray and Art Mansor, joined the Larry Green aggregation last week. Both are locals and mewcomers to band vocalizing. Femme, rec- ommended by Hub’s Ray Dorey, won post over field of 30 audition- ers. Bourne Reopens CKi Office, Rehires Aide Bourne Music cl. : , Saul Bourne has returned to New York after three weeks on the. Coast. Trip was routine one,^ iri which he checked his Coast activities. Bourne, on his way back to N, Y., rehired Hank Markbreit, whom he had dropped as Chicago contact- man, and announced that his Chi- cago office would reopen Jan. 2. His original intention was to close the Chi office completely. He has not yet replaced Mike Gould on the Coast. Eddie Shaw, who was hired to rep his ABC Music there is curreritly handling both firms. , Names Magid Lee Magid has been named art- ists and repertory chief for Savoy Records, indie N. Y. company spe- cializing in blues arid rhytbm num- bers. Magid has been in the per- sprial management field. Magid, who just returned from tour through the south, inked sev- eral names for Savoy’s talent ros- ter, Including ZiUa Mays and Thomas Brown, vocalists, and FaU Jackson, bandleader. Prestige to Release Dial Prestige Records N. Y. outfit handling a flock Of iridie labels specializing in jazz, has acquired Dial Records’ catalog for national distribution. Dial label, inactive in recent months, pioneered in modern jazz and bebop with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Erroll Garner and others. SHAKESPEARE diUd ' "THE PLAY'S THE THING " WC Mtf ~ , PlAY Heor PHIL HARRIS on RCA Vitfor! HOLLIS MUSIC INC 129 A' 5.."’cS' N ' THE WINTER SENSATION.' SLEIGH RIDE PROGRAM NOW! "I DON'T MIND BEING ALL ALONE" (When I'm All Alon. With Voul MILLS MUSIC, INC. 1619 Broadway Now York' 19 Phonograph rocords wanted made be- tween 1920 and 1940. Any quantity, or dealer's stock. J. SCHNEIDER, 120 W; 66th St. New York City, N* Y. Wednesday^ December 27 ^ 1950 VAIJDETILLB Cues Crackdown on Cafe Casinos Atlantic City, Dec. 26. A feud that has developed be- tween the Hepublican organization here and a group of resort police- men has driven most city bookies out of town and caused every night- club casino to shut down. it started a month before elec- tion when younger men on the force came out for an $850 pay raise. At first the Republican or- ganization, all powerful here, adopt- ed a hands-off attitude. A week be- fore the pay hike question was to be voted upon in the November general election the party bosses came out against the raise. It was defeated by a more than two to one majority. Members of the police commit- FOR MARDI GRAS By TED R. LIUZZA New Orleans, Dec; 26. This old city on the Mississippi’s levees will have its traditional Mardi Gras this year complete vith street pageants, balls and a Carnival queen. There will be a huge parade on Mardi Gras Day, Feb. 6, and a parade each night from Jan. 20 through Mardi Gras night. Krewe captains of the Carnival organizations which have decided to continue their plans said they will fill in the dates left vacant by cancellation of four parades by the four oldest major krewes—Comus, Proteus, Momus and Rex. Each parading krewe, the captains said Thursday (21), will donate three or four floats to make up the Mardi Gras Day parade. And the organi- zations will meiet soon -to select a queen of Mardi Gras, whose nanie will be announced on Mardi Gras Day as is the tradition. A king also will be selected and his identi- ty will be kept secret until then. However, all these plans are con- tingent on inquiries to be made of national defense leaders as to the advisability of carrying on the tra- ditional- season. Rep. F. Edward Hebert of New Orleans has been named by these organizations to inquire whether the Carnival festivities will hurt the nation's war effort. He will confer with national leaders after the Christmas holidays. Arrangements are underway to have the krewes of Okeanos and Carrollton, two-daytime parading organizations, to fill in the two open nights. The krewe captains will meet again about Jan, 15 to complete plans. News of the cancellation of parades and balls by the four major organizations came follow- ing an all-day meeting with Mayor DeLesseps Morrison at City Hall Tuesday (19). Reason given was the grave international crisis. Mayor Morrison said that no use- ful purpose would be served to the nation or to the city of New Or- leans by cancellation of the Mardi Gras. The annual celebration an- nually attracts thousands of visi- tors and millions of dollars to New Orleans merchants. Carnival celebrations have been suspended here four times pre- viously because of war. The city has seen only five Carnival cele- brations since they were resumed after cessation of World War II. tee which had conducted an active campaign for the raise growled they had been double-crossed, and then started to do something about it. This something was raiding bookies which heretofore had op- erated without too much police trouble. They raided them when they were located on their beats, and they even organized and raided where they believed they needed more than one or two men to han- dle the situation. Heretofore the policy had been for police to turn in addresses of suspected places to their su- periors, who in turn had them in- vestigated, ani, should they deem it necessary, raids would be made. Bookies, fearing the raiders, started shutting down or moving into Other communities on the is- land to escape raids. Even here they are Open to police visits, as officials in the residential areas do not favor bookie establishments be- ing located, in their communities. As the situation stands at the present time, the raiding cops have been transferred from regular pa- trol duty to a traffic post, where they report at 10 a.m. and quit t 7 p.m., after the last race is fin- ished. Comedian Joey Adams Urgof All Actors fo Meet Your Audiences ■'■if. * ♦ An Amuilng Bylino Pltet In fho ForiHcomlng 45th Anniversary Number of OUT NEXT WEEK to Vaude 278G in 26 Dates Nat Karson Returns To U.S. to Gander Acts For London Vauder Nat Karson, producer of the stage presentations at Metro’s Em- pire theatre, London, arrived in New York last week for a three- week stay. In a combined busi- ness-vacation trip, he plans to look for talent and may visit the Coast. Karson, former Broadway pro- ducer, has been abroad since the live show policy began at the Em- pire Dec. 26, 1949. He’ll continue as director there during 1951, hav- ing just inked a pact with Metro for another 12-month stretch. House’s stage entertainment is similar to that of the Radio City Music Hall, N. Y. Prior to Inception of the new policy the Empire ha^d been on straight films., ^ Resident company comprises a line of Empire Girls (a la the Music Hall’s Rockettes), ballet, choral group and an orchesr. tra led by George Melachrino. Format has proved a successful one, boxoff ice-wise. Hollywood, Dec. 26. Second personal appearance tour, to be launched after he makes “Thataway” with Bob Hope, is be- ing mapped by Roy Rogers as a result of his initial 26-city safari that wound up with a $278,000 gross. Blizzards forced cancellation of dates in two other cities, Troy and Marion, O., with an estiniated loss of $30,006. Trek marked the first time Rogers had essayed a one-night stand. All dates were played at a $2 top, plus tax. Decision to launch a second tour stemmed from sev- eral SRO stands, including a new record at the Corn Palace, Mitchell, S. D., where Rogers drew 7,637 paid admissions, including 763 standees. Rogers, who was on stage for about 40 minutes at each show in addition to emceeing the layout, was supported by, his Wife, Dale Evans, and his horse. Trigger, and the Roy Rogers Riders, a new choral group. Other acts in the entourage were, Walter & Jean Brown, Wallis & Carroll, Black Bros., Pat Brady, Knight Sisters, Ralph Platt and A1 Dault. p.G. Showmen Host Naval Hosp Layout Washington, Dec. 26. Local showmen are hosting a name entertainment program to- morrow night (27) for patients at the big U. S. Naval Hospital at suburban Bethesda. Among the entertainers who have valunteered to appear are Burl Ives, Frank Sinatra, the Men of Song, Louis Jordan, Myrna Loy, Edward Arnold, Eileen Wilson, Bill Darnell, Allen Carney, Danny Scholl, Scotty Graham, and others, mostly recording artists. Show committee is headed by Hirsh de la Viez, president of the Washington Music Guild, organiza- tion of juke box operators; Morton Gerber, president of the D. ,C. Variety Club; Joel MargoUs, mana- ger of Loew’s Capitol theatre; Herman Paris, of station WWDC. illv Cafe Mich. Fair’s ISG Profit Detroit, Dec. 26. The 1950 Michigan State Fair made a profit of $15,113, it w^s an- nounced by the board of managers. Revenue was $607,011, expendi- tures were $591,898. Cost of entertainment. Including Betty Hutton, Carmen Miranda, Johnny Mack Brown and others, was listed at $53,000. Vs. Martin and Lewis Harry Steinman, operator of the Latin Casino, Philadelphia, agreed yesterday (Tues ) to a stipulation in which he withdraws his $14,000 suit against Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis for breach of contract. Comics’ former manager, Abner J. Greshler, is now the sole defend- ant in the suit.. Withdrawal of Martin and Lewis from the papers came after Henry Dunn, American Guild of Variety Artists national administrative sec- retary, notified the nitery operator that shows would be pulled from his spot as. of yesterday unless he ceased action against M&L. Dunn told the cafe operator that the suit Was a violation of his mini- mum basic agreement with the union, and as the suit had ' pre- viously been arbitrated at the union, he was going counter to AGVA rules in processing the claim. At the arbitration held about a year ago, union board ruled against Steinman because M&L’s contract to play the Latin Casino had allegedly been signed by Greshler without comicsV knowl- edge. Pact was signed about two years ago and stipulated a two- week date at $7,000 weekly. Date 1 was never played. The Brandt theatres are con- templating vaudeville for many of their houses as a means of com- batting video. Circuit heads havo asked for a meeting with Henry Dunn, national administrative sec- retary of the American Guild of Variety Artists, in order to discuss scale and working conditions^ The Brandt vaude plans encom- pass their smaller houses with seating capacities Up to 1,500. Chain is mulling two-a-day vaud- filih. The Brandts, who have approxi- mately 135 houses in the N, Y. metropolitan area* have operated vaude houses in the past; A few years ago, the Fiatbush, Brooklyn, and Windsor, Bronx, were regular vaude stands. Liast season, thesO houses were set to roll with live talent, but failure to reach att agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Em- ployees stymied vaude in those houses. Just how many theatres will be getting vaude isn’t known as yet. Most of Brandt’s houses are in the nabes, and neighborhood business is a major problem these days. Ui., BRITISH TALENT Sydney, Dec. 26. David N. Martin, managing di- rector of the Tivoli circuit, Aus- tralia, will be in New Yprk Mon- day (1) and Tuesday (2) enrOute to London. He leaves Sydney today (Wed.). Martin expects to complete some deals with name talent for a tour of the Tivoli houses while in the U. S. and England. He’ll be back in his native heath late in January. Florence Desmond Follows Piaf at Versailles, N. Y. Florence Desmond, British co- medienne, has been signed for the Versailles, N. Y., starting Jan. 3 for four weeks and options. She’ll succeed the long run of Edith Piaf, For this show, spot will take A departure from its one-act policy and is adding another 'act, Teresa Brewer, a recording singer. * Henri Salvador was originally §et for this date but because of a booking mixup, he’ll be playing the Follies Bergere, Montreal, in- stead. By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 26. ^Theatrical Union No. 1 of N. Y. C. played Santa Claus to patients and staff and personnel pt the Variety Clubs hospital. . William Patrick, of the Sipp Theatre Circuit of Paintsville, Ky., In or rest and observation. Faye Emerson and Skitch Hen-? derson skedded to be crowned King and Queen of the Winter Carnival at Lake Placid. A salute to the Saranac Lake Study & Craft Guild and Alfredo Gonzalez for making possible for a group of Variety Clubs patients , to attend their annual Christmas ' party. It was a grand affair. Esther (RKO) Ostrow In from Y. C. to visit Lillie Ostrow, wliose progress places her in the all up gang. Write to those who are ill. % A SOAGy I Broke All l^ccords tor 1950 at the ()\al Room, (aH)le\- Fla/a, Boston!” I ■ . . . /I ; R/C ) lil L FNTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR FOR SHERATON HOTELS No One Will Forget Such a Perform- ance... No One Should Miss It!” . . . ir. Lliirk BOSTON DAILY RECORD Carmichael Not Onl\’ is Proving; a Terrific Top Name Draw, but .Also a Top Bistro Entertainer. As Solid a Nitcr\- Stint as Seen in Some dime!” ... I '(iriil] "WE THINK HE'S BOX OFFICE!" I % t jiick G or chum FAMOUS ARTISTS CORP'N Motion Pictures Jc//n/u(^s LdUil MUSIC CORP'N OF AMERICA Rcdio-Television lictu'nycl ShoDUi}! EDWARD SHERMAN AGENCY Personal Appeoronces VAtTim^TLLE P^KIETY Wedtiesdayf December 27, 1950 N^ht (M Reviews Diaiiionfl IPorsc^iShoo (NEW YORK) Billy R<}se presentation oj. John Murray Ciro’8 H’wood Hollywood, Dec, 2(), Dick Contino, Dick Stabile Orch (8), Marco Rizo Rhunthand (5); podium. A new turn is the Saxon ' ^oucr $1.50i $2» Sisters (2), a team which made impact at the old Casino de Paree Boniface Herman Hover has put 15 years ago, and which has ; a heavy bui-den on the shoulders ..p lor occasion, i of Dick Contino- asking him to Beauty f f These girls can still belt out a hold dowif the solo spotlight at this Houjord. Ros.s^& La P even though their scat-sing- Sunset Strip spot over the Yule- ’ (2) Wallen ^ ^ throwback to another era. tide season. Accordionist may turn Twln!^L^ie ul H ' toward is one of the most ^ - heavy mitt response. Tossaway ‘‘About You and IV^e” contains frothy counterpoint, while • final patter song “Rubyacco from Morocco” is a spellbinder filled with clever double entendre. Miss Tfhompson works her audience into the cheer stage throughout by rapid punching, whirling gambols with her three terpers, to be called back many times on final bowoff. Nelson uncorks a sort of Jimmy (2),. Wallen -rwins: ^ unie ^ > j ; perennials in the business 0?;cK- cJiorcwap^^^ ’ , genarian singer-composer ------ . - , . infimo nif ^ ^ nieht stellar figure. He asks no quarter i little doubt that the stand here With gab aimed ^ward mtime mb sfnce^^he advanced years and ^^vill earn him a film chore. ' ery audiences *”stead. of rapid p.eomed his^.lOth sho\v since he ; ^ hold his own with the more ’ Contino is a personable young gags. Nelsons act is .further en- --.--Jr V... hidden piping as dum- ‘Best Things in Life Introduction of third Humphrey Higsby, perks icn both dummies begin a measuring stick to determine • wjiether this kind of nitery siirviv'^ in an era when television is ‘o dominant. George Moro brings a new line this nitery after having spent T-hA oiivvAiif hill ii? tint id the ' . ... v i squeezeoox wofk inai leaves mm will 1 k,i. 11® ! other songstcr.-iu tins 'display rather breathless. The overall squeezebox work that leaves him usual expansive style that chatac- . ' v, - w i. . IS IIUILIU.VCI HjKAMXXZ- ‘ A’ 1 dlixviiAi, « terizcd : diminutive tenor, who does well the past, As a ' with medley of Jerome Kern num tlvere s evidence of retienchment. Ihe costumes are as striking but , This tribute to composers plays the overall lavishness isn t eM 7 ■ The pace is rapid and Dick dent r. • . . . , holdover Eddie Franklin, .a effect, however* is good. Kap. ^foa<1owl»ro€»k (CEDAR GROVE, N. J.) Ralph Flanagan Orch (15), with. 1 ‘T.J Barstow’s dance designs punctuate Harry Prime, Singing Winds iA); T. he . holdover talent in the cui - 1 cfi-iir. ^o aaiioviaia/iioai rent revue ver laiem j the production numbers with strik- $1.50 nmni/nmi. inaicates inai ttose, _ effect. Noble Sissle, a fixture Ralph Fianagan is in at the Walker taking solo slots., Henry Busse bows in this show, handles cues decisively, but reveals^ slightly ; left unsaid. A.. . a .... a., aa 2 aa. A .M. aJ' A •m./x Hmerald llm.9 Houston (SHAMROCK HOTEL*) Houston, Dee. 20, Julie Wilson, Wiere Bros, with Mildred Seypiour, Nick Stuart's Orch; $3.50 minimum. Juile Wilson in her well-filled gown has something new to give Texas* fanciest hotel nitery, even In face of • competition from the long line of femme stars who have preceded her in the past 17 months. Shelias a unique sultry style, which accounts for as much other appeal as her throaty voice, particularly when she socks over with “Pretty Baby,*’ ‘‘Can’t Help Lovin* That . Man” and other stand- ards. Audience cools a shade with material such as “I Want a Little Boy” and ‘‘Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love.” Miss Wilson gets neat returns when she ropes a ringsidet as her “Pretty Baby” stooge, although the idea has become almost standard Shamrockside of recent months, •The, Wiere Bros, trio click well when they’re clowning with their violins, using and misusing Bach and Debussy, and in a precision dance and slick slapstick with derby hats. Some of theii* patter falters, and $ome o4it, done dead- pan and relying oh malapropisms, is giggle-worthy. The banter with I pianist Mildred Seymour .could overbearing coda crescendos dur ing dance choi'evS. Room is a little small for multi-unit orchs. Will. C'ofia I'iiy. Miami Beach. Dec. 23. Fisher, Kramer . 4. bers an excelient lift. i Band does 13 one-nighters follow- * /iraen j' wrcjier uirls (12), yious sho\v\ Current displa^v Beaii- , The production numbers come ing closing on Jan: 1. then opens 2^17^ Ih- Ostro ty Id A Flat, has ^retained the well. The showgirls are lookers at the Palladium, Hollywood, Jan. Orch; minimum $3, $a. ^rviees ^of lon^eri^rs_ such as , 23 for four weeks. ' Acts close New Year's Eve, when they share billing with Sophie Tucker on her eight-day engage- ment opener. Nick Stuart’s band and floorshow plaj^s Christmas- I New Year’s week. ■ Fraz. through his producer, John Mui i ay ; spot, batons his orch in a Meadowbrook again, preparatory l . Sam Leyenson. ^ Eddie Fi Anderson, has boiro^ed liberally gives individual num- , to launching his first Coast tour. from ideas evidenced in the_^pie- 1 , . -i, ^ I Barid dnp.s .13 nne-ni 0 htpr.<; fnlinw- & Go., Arden Fletcher Girls Vine Gai*cleii»9 Cbl Chicago, Dec. . 24. Myron Cohen, Carter Sisters (2), Minda Lang, Susan King, Mel Cole Orch (5); minimum $2.60; cover up miLfS INOftllS i NOW Appearing ‘GOOD-EVANS show OMff0 L . . L 0 f* t ^ • ard, no stranger to the Horsesho_ abided spice to the line’s endeavors, v admitted adoption of the Glen Mil- : disappointing, business-wise. Fmst • — Their briefie tumbling toward the ■ ler style, and Flanagan intends to sjiow filled up nicely enough, but ^ i end of the show gives zip to the keep it that way. In addition, he the supper stanza was far oil from j finale. Jose, j has repeatedly said he’s playing former years. Answer may be m . — — - 1 for the dancers, and that’s just the plethora oLhotel openings, with, , Tw ! what he does. ledge taken oft for cafe-conscious (HOTEL NICOLLET) ‘ | Consequently the orch is m"ake ^ . . Minneapolis. Dec 20. ' ^ time '"o« jusl 2i"mdnT afferV to Marjorie Garret son (2), Alan & rue music u ^\ams m a siyie it nieht after niffht -Rinrtrh^ Ti/nr? Cpril Crnlhi Orp]? . ''^J^ts. it plavs fov the danccr — • Kccp ^aiienaiiig nignt aicci lugiu. 1(12) with Mildred' Stanleir cover ' the- guy who pays money . B udds up to a ^year of stiff com- SI S2 50-S3 50 1 to hear the band— and it has a ! Pef'sh for the straight mtenes as : ’ ' ■ * * ^ * . ■ canable group of vocalists who can ludicatcd by the past weeks fight After ah all too long absence of > deliver the poo ballads and rhythm : for biz among aU concerned. ^ I four, years, Marjorie Garretson songs n^efas^n ^ow-' Though handicapped" bf“Sck of Singing comedienne, is back m her .‘\uistica ly ana tecnnicauj . no\v ; . f . • Hup in failnrp ' niH Prnnnds this time at ever, there’s, less to be said for the ; Production numPeis duo lo laiiuie Old stamping gi(mnas, inis x me i Obviousiy Flanagan can’t ' of costumes arriving in time for ENGLAND Terrace instead of the equally ■ SelthP,ta ented 'hPSicians he u.Sed the opening and ! swanky Hotel Radisson Flame ™ his initial , studio recordings to sat sfactory entm I Room where she formerly was a ^9 “'e toad with him, and a does not contain th Ifrnniipnt viciinr high turnovci' of personnel since mentb tnat a nugc lavoui suen as , I Tnsiparl nf ttlavinff her own ac- ^^^0 travelling unit’s formation has , Copa City needs to fill for profits, i con paniLnts af improved the duality of mu-- Sam Levenson is still a top spin- !S?Ptso^ now work^^^ sician.ship. The band lacks a good ner of ' basic humor angled on Sike ^and has the hiehlv capable essential drive, and its sec- family upbringing around Brook- ' Alex Studer It th^^ sometimes fuzzy., lyn. He hasn’t brought any new Chinee SvL her greater oDPor- nearly always lacks sharpness and material since his appearance at tunitf' to® exploit he? coined^ and tompM , . ■ an^uTvne of ^nlTolog ?s vocal talents. In thoroughly show- ' In-strumentalion comprises five and h'sfvpe of monolog i^sundei manly fashion, she projects a lively saxes, three trumpets, four trom- ' handicap in he 'Me ?Paccs of flnrl ncrsrtnalitv durinfr hones and three rhytm. including the loom. Withal, ne builds yocks h?r Vocaf InferFudl Origin^ ^ Flanagan himself. Band’s stvie with his delineation of the modern terial by lyrickst Mac Maurada and ealls for mse of saxes 'eading , mother vs the old-fasl^ composer Studer does well by the ' the^melody and the ,recd,s are the n bi ngin,g up ch Idicn Tops Dcrformer .best-defined and sharpest section his weavings vith, his slandaid The Lunds are a young, attrac- i in fhe hand. Trombones are rather “weddmg of the son’’ lor satisfac- fivp ham’ooni coiidIp whose soinsi Weak, trumpets okay, lOi.^ i etui ns. and "lides are performed with ! Band has dropped its femme vo- Eddie Fisher is a likeable young- smoothness and grace Particular ' and substituted a quartet, sler. His .stint accents a simple il provoked^^^^^^ ^i^ales a gal. Lynn Tilton. : Quality to build top and reaction. ; ning-fast whirls of Alan with handles solos. Harry Prime Smart blending is evidenced in : RlanphP fltdn his head and shoulders still is the male vocalist. His work sock topper. “Wandcrin; ’’ to bring IS consistently fine. Quartet is best encore. An original, The good, as is Miss Tilton. Band’s ap- Newsboy.” makes for a solid pearance is uniformly neat. • finish. Chan. : Copsey and Ayres, now a trio - — - : (two femmes), e.ssay expertly de- Roiincllip Km*. I^as Voil^as ®^5ned Indo-Javanese head and arm (HOTEL EL RANCHO VEGAS) : their terp routine. Las Vegas. Dec. 20. * ^ routines through JACK HIPPQ. DROME lALTIMORE COMEDY MATERIAL For AH Cranches of Theatricals CljlsQN'S FUN-MASTER .Hi ORIGINAI SHOW 8(2 GAG flW • Nos. 1 thru 35 @ $1.00 eath i» (Sold in Sequence Only) SPECIAL- FIRST 13 FILES FOR $10 ALL 35 FfLES FOR ONLY $25 • 3 Bks. PAROdIes. per book $io • • MINSTREL BUDGET $25 • • 4 BLACKOUT BKS., ea. bk $25 • HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES •reissue), $2:00 GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GAGS/ $250. Worth over a thousand. NO C.O.D.'S PAULA SMITH 200 W. 54 St.. New York 19 Dept. V Circle 7-1130 ' two*'"'’ io un9 ers HAL GEORGIA HAKBERS and DALE Held Over 4th Week CASA SEVILLE Long Island, N. Y. and by a country style waltz, Rees. LOE.W'S Kay Thgmp.son and Co.,. ( George i impact, though good, ' \ Martin. Buzz Miller. Jiminy Thomp- i vdiam returns if con- . son ) , iimm 1 / Nelson, George Moro V , Dancers (8), Henry Busse Orch interesting, but .the vital finish ; i 18 no cover, $2 minimum Satun. ■ 1 days. factors channel this new layout toward a solid click at the | E1 Rancho: Toplinei* Kay Thomp- son and company gallop through ‘ a dazzling half hour, preceded by j Jimmy Nelson’s droll ventrilo- quisms and sock dance routines by the Moro line. Miss Thompson’s three new boys set up her act with a iete entrance for “Hello” .gteeter. Setup follow- ing has quarte;t combining facile song arid dance routines aimed to please haut monde as well as the r.Ld. Miss Thompson darts within to augment varied dance patterns, flicks heT satire ringside from any and every vantage point; Complete I ^ ■ command of her media extolls “Re- joice,” and “Virginia”-r-an amusing ' journey below the Masori-Dixon llirte. ■ . . ■ ■ Highlight is “Madeleine D’- Esprit,” a fantasy., based on a most ingenious courtesan coming face to face with lost lovers Albert. Gregory^ and Andrie, This sells all the^ \y<>^ 1 and Almost stealing the show is the Stan Kramer puppet act. Working | with his parents behind the scenes, ' he wraps up a fine act. Standout is the drunken tramp and Bill RobinSon stair-dance imaginings. Handling of the figure.s is top grade and the musical backgrounding on records heightens effect. For a closer, trio joins for open manipu- lation of the puppets. ■ Line, based on the single num- ber they do, should add much to show Values once they’re working Uiroughout on production ideas, They’re handsome, and handle dance assignments in capable man- Tyler orch is tops oh the backgroundings. Don Ostro and his rumberos fill in. Lary. PATRICE Jan HEENE and HOWARD CURRENTLY STATLER HOTEL DETROIT Grant*s Riviera restaurant AND BAR IS! W. 44 SK. New York LU 2-4481 WHE31E SBOWBUSINESS MEETS ^TALENT CONTEST* MONDAY NICHTS Prite: Professional Engaiiem0nt lOupllcRti Prhei Awardtd la thi Cau if tlwi AL TRACE Orchestra Ciitrently oa JV tor SENTINEL and TELE-TRONIcS ABC NETWORK Wednesday, D«c«***^®<* 27, 1950 VAlJDEVlUA 39 New Year’s Eve Continued from poge 1 Ice Review Hollywood lee Re^nne Chicago, Dec, 23. Sonja Henie jfiresents Hollywood Night Club Reviews Continued from page 3S Blue Laws Snafu Pitt’s New Year’s Eve Revelry Pittsburgh. Dec. 26. cncror iiiif thofo woe oleA « ice xtcrue siarrmg cAnffnn® If 'iff featuring Freddy TrenkleTf Michael to 60 d,ays, John Walsh. Skivpy Baxter, Three Bruises ( Geoff e Stevens, -oft tenor of the holiday business | get in the heavy New Year’s Eve > ?n the fact that Christmas shopping w :Icc Reouc storring herself, ontt was especially heavy this year. They claim that many anticipate and that was mandatory, shortages and have been buying That immediately put a crimp in UP to insure future needs in ap- pliances, television sets, etc. This, they say, accounts partially for the drop. Once this buying is out of the way, it’s expected that cafe takes will bounce back. Pickup is expected to come in the middle of January, and by that time, they hope that wartime money will as- sert itself. everything, and so boys got togeth- er and announced in newspaper ads that as far as they were concerned. New Year’s Eve would be celebrat- ed 24 hours earlier, on Saturday (30). There would be the usual Sid Spaulding. Monty Stott), with company of 65 in two acts and eight scenes. Singers:. Ken Stev- ens, Rita Stevens, and Audrey Caleb. Arthur M. Wirtz, executive producer: William H. Burke.: pro- duction director: choreography and noisemakers and favorSi and no ' staging by Catherine Little field; j , . ■ • v^.Tvrvi.. r added cover charge. Most Chi Hotels, Niteries Hold Down Holiday Tabs Chicago, Dec. 26. Most top Chi niteries and hotel spots are holding last year's line to forget all about New Year’s Eve this year. Celebration falls on a Sunday and Pennsylvania still has its Blue Laws and no booze sales on Sabbaths, so there’s simply no way to surmount either or both of them. Cafes Tor a while thought tl\ey had the problem licked and an^ nounced that they would be open for business that night, but that customers would have to bring their own liquor arid pay a corkage charge. Show, the managements said, would go on after midnight. City . authorities were believed to have given them the green signal to dance that one Sunday only. Then the State Liquor Control Board stepped in and had its legal counsel check ari> re-check! What the barristers found in the statute books was something nobody had counted on — an old ordihance, passed in 1855, that no booze dis- pensary could permit any patron to consume on its premises what it was not itself permitted to sell. The fine is $50, which all of the boys would gladly have paid to Pittsburgh niteries have decided j N«w Year’s eve tabs. Only ex- . ception to date is the Marine Room of the Edgewater Beach hotel which will charge $13 per per^ son, plus tax, 50c over last year. Pump Room at the Ambassador East will ask $15 tariff, with sister room, the Buttery, settling for d mere $10.50, Both spots are using regular year-rin entertainment. Minimum levy at the Boulevardi Room, at ^e Stevens, and Empire Room, at the Palmer House, is identical $15.25 with last year, with the latter bringing in Connie Haines and Sharkey Bonano band. Chez Paree is also asking $15.25 for Mopire and Lessy and Paul Gray. This is the same levy as last year. New Porterhouse Room at the Sherman is setting rates also at $15.25. costumes bi/ Bil/v Livinostoh.. Mme Kn.rinska, Mme Berthe. Bfooks, and Edith Lutuens: settings, Becker Studios: Musical arrangements, Paul Van Loan, with orchestra under^ the direction ; of Jack Pfeiffer. At Chicago . Stadium, Chicago, Dec. 23 at $4 top. This 12th edition of the Sonia Henie-Arthur Wirtz ice extrava- ganzas shapes up as. the best o^ the series. Understandably, MiJ'S Henie bears the brunt o.f most of the in- dividual blade chores, but, for once, there’s more of a balance in other departments with more com- edy added, breaking up the elab- orate line presentations. Most of the riecruits were formerly with the Center theatre. N. Y., ice show. With the exception of . her hula riUmber, Miss Heriie has presented an entirely new package, perhaps the most, colorful and most beau- tifullv costumed of the series. Lighting is impressive with fluorescent costumes being fea- tured in two of the numbers. Two acts are ^broken up into eight scenes with the featured acts in Vine GardeiiS 9 €lil an expensive Yule package with headliner Myron Cohen and four acts instead of the traditional three. The overloading doesn’t pay off, however, since only Cohen' and the Carter Sisters give the show a lift. ting applause for some frantic wotk to ’’Rhapsody in Blue.” They en- core with a short bit depicting penguin waddle. Paul Gray Is different than the usual run of brash young comics ! building up his quickies arid then paying off with an unexpected Cohen registers Virith his wepn- ieurlng, most of which revolves h{cfrn”Vrnwrt "hmS **His two line around his former garment-selling nlfrOdies on^o iBslre pungent and days. It’s the same routine the gf timf Kif exS?essive taltates the Ink Spots in “If face n &ish"dia{ect ?re Itm C"'-” ‘'“^"8 *« Parts -per. effective. What might become tire- i some is the comedian’s apologetic manner and over-sincerity, which breaks down a lot of his appeaL Carter Sisters score solidly with 1 their dueting. They’re a cute sister act with adequate pipes and little polish, but they make up for that Elysa Jayne* vivacious aero dancer, does some seeniingly end- less cartwheels and flips. Dancer gets heavy applause with her imita- tion of Bette Davis, Moore and Lessy revive th< song and dance era of the early 1900’s with hard work and lots of energy, - with a modern touch. Svelte blonde Sisters mix in some hoofing for heckles balding partner, teeing off good results. '. with a fine medley of old tunes. Minda Lane, a whistling turn, i stays on far too long. : She whistles Sisters are about nine tunes, doing an okay j job on “Sabre Dance,” and “Hun- i garian Czardas.” Rest of numbers | kicWing se^ are merely ear-shatterinc Taoster I Lessy dons big sombrero and SusaTKin^ is a slow the seatholders with tale fooriy^g?rt>ed“and he‘? i western pictui;c making. ^ ^ : below standard. I Rich France and Lucielle Bartos Mel Cole band plays for the i ai'c especially impressiye, in winter dancers and backs show capably, scene ballet with' backing of line, : Mel. !Cee Davidson backs the revue m ■ ■ ■ ■■■' ■ , • ‘ I good fashion with Manuello taking over the rhumba chores; Zabe. Chez Par ee^ Chi Chicago, Dec. 23. Moore & Lessy, Paul Gray, Coast Bistros Boost Eve Prices 20% Hollywood, Dec. 26. Like everything else nowadays, the cost of celebrating New Year’s between the^ productions. Norwe- j Ejysa Jayne^. Son & Sonny, Rich gian blonde is snotljp'hted.in six of 'France ic Lucielle Bartos, Manuello the routines and ^ while she works j ( 4 ) ^ (10); with partners, Michael Kirby snd $3 50. gouer $1. newcomer John Walsh, it’s solo work as far as the audience is con- Hillbilly Turns Nitery Op Dallas, Dec. 26. Hillbilly entertainer, A1 Dexter, ! has opened a local dine and dance - I spot.' While this €ce supper club is ! It will be known as A1 Dexter’s BILL FALBO = . . NATION'S NEWEST NITWIT* ★ Held Over 3rd Week club CHICAGO, ILL. Direction: SID HARRIS it Mutual Entertainment Agency, Inc. 203 N. Wabash Ave.. Chicago 1. III. RAhdolph 6*6990 Wally Overniaii GAYETY THEATRE MONTREAL. CANADA WEEK NOV. 27 Mqt.: MATTY ROSEN, N. Y Bobby Whaling aiid YVEHE f NOW HIPPODROME BALTIMORE cerned. Still piece de resistance is : trying to get name talent for later i Barn Where Dexter and entertain- tho famous ^ ^ it is presenting well bal- • ers will work every Friday and dance, which brings out the whist- i gnged revues using some of the caf„«rfov niohtc ling and stomping contingent. She s I lesser stars. The only complaint ^ ■ ■■ » . V ■■ Eve in the style to which Holly- 1 vivacious as the “It Girl” of the | ^vith the present display is length, woodites have become accustomed j ’29s in which she swings a mean not the individual acts, but the ' will be about 20% more this year i Charleston and also in a Mexican total amount — ^with all taking some ; than last. Only the Cocoanut Grove Hat Dance. In her other three turns i trimming show would run much among the top four nite spots in ! she sticks closely to ihe^ Classical smoother. : town is tabbed at the same -price ; school of blade w<^k giving out | . posted for the previous New Year’s some fancy jumps and UMrls ^ flurry with thin member of Eve I ? ^he soin. . , the duo knocking out some staunch I Grove is reoeating its Package' i ^ce^^P '^'crk. ^^her guy does run- : ' on “S pacKage , additions, is the first to take over , flins and solits with nair get- ’ offer, $31.80 per person for dinner, iloor and socks over some fine l nips a na spats \Mtn pair get favors, breakfast and all the cus- | sneedwork gabbed as cowboy, Af- ; tomer can drink — except for cham- ; jej. a series of running jumn.': and , , pagne. Biltmore Bowl has boosted jflios he gets a tremendous hand for its tariff from last year’s $15 to exit running back flin while firing I $18.25 for dinner and favors. Out two revolvers. Instead of one of on Sunset Strip, Giro’s will charge the more elaborate productions. $15 for dinner and breakfast while i more of Baxter would be, additional Mocambo will .get $15 and $20 for j sock fare. ^ Also armther \\Tlcome the same setup. Last year, each ; addition Is the jhree Bruises spot had a flat $12.50 deal. I ^ ® >1 profitabl^e, altliough ?ot necessarily •: fjarwmcn a re^rd, New Year s Eye. a,coa- ; ^ ^ ^ witlv mops and ;nut Grove, which has limited ad- , ^ ,hen suddenly hreak- mission to about 750, already has ' to return to moments of more than 500 paid reservations. ; charm. Other spots have similar percent- ' Freddy Trenkler, however, re- age figures to report. mains as the chief laughgetter, — being featured in three situations. Dallas Holding the Line First as a little mou.se trying to Dallas, Dec. 26. ingratiate him.self in a cat family. Most of the local nite spots will ! a beautiful piece of whimsy, and ROY DOUGLAS ”DOUBLE-TALK'' Featuring EDDIE-ECHO CASINO Theatre Toronto, Cenacle Monagar: Matty Raitn DICK GENII SAUNDERS tti XourUhip in Song' PERRIS HOTEL Winnomucco, NovoaIo I Days niece# by lOOII OMITH. OFFICII m. JA A adhere to the same prices for New ithen in his usual tattered garb as Years Eve that has prevailed for , he breaks up a Navy Wave drill ! the past year or so. Prices range '.team. Near the end of the second „ i from $2 to $15 per person, tax in- act he returns to interject himself j eluded. The latter is the price at jin a hockey game knocking down the Cipango Cliib, private mem- 1 the burly olayers and referee, buss- bership spot, which includes dinner, ■ ing the femme cu.stomers in the gifts for the ladies apd favors. stands, .^hd generally ^ Mural Room of the Baker hotel • small not. but ^ and Century Room ’of the Adolphus 1 mischevious lad, ^ hotel have set the price at $12 a ; his stooge in two numbeis does a person, which includes dinner, fa- j fine straight job. ^ vors and noise makers. Colony ; Ip^nnH art ^ Club and Showland have set the ; numbers fnrm nHnns tab at $5, with the latter charging , opener,, with $3.60 for tables back of the fiftlr :fnd^; pairing ^of Te ular rovVi Louanns is charging $5 per ■ ti ^bn. couple for the younger crowd. At , the ’20s Bob Wills Ranch House it will be ■ crazes of the el a ha^^^ $2.50 plus tax and Theatre Lounge bdfe respons^ $2. Most of the spots are Including ; with clul s an^^ tax in the charge. This also in- i ping is ^ f ashy^apd timely Smike?s ■ : registers just as strong a^^ noisemakers. ivious vears. Other formations, ■m\r ik/f n T? •6. .while strikingly garbed, are . a- TV May Force Exit ! bit overion^ and dragg.v.° Af A r' ’ Miehaei Kirby and John Walsh; • Ul A. L/, concert oenes ^..ndsome partners to Miss Henie, .' Atlantic City, Dec. 26. do M^ell in their assisting roles, ill’:, I Television may force the Jewish the singing division. I^n.^d Rita i Community Center to discoritinue Stevens, and Aiidrey Caleb do an t its annua) All-Star Music series, admirable job this^huge au. . i Louis M. Maliin, . chairman of the ditonum with fine vocaling oL^ ■ series, ! which . brings ’ riational ; tunes. I. artists arid lecturers here each,.| 'Pr#>Bpntat.{An Housas tVIo [winter, said (20) that concerts held Paris * 19* ! thils. winter, have been poorly at- The Gonseil d’Etat.’thc top ad- tended anid the series book sales „iinistrative French court, has were off. i . . - - . - handed down a decision which. ’.’inroads made .by television are ^ gives exhibitors having stage pre- ; such that it has caused us to lower i mentations a real break. , ' the price b£ our concert series. If i Recently,, the city council reduced w# cannot pull -out of the financial : the taxes of vaude shows. Picture.: 1 hole we now find ourselves in there -i exhibs claimed this also should^aj^ ‘ will be . no , concert series next ply tq pgoduqtions shown on , their, I >MaliliiF 4 statedr • • ’’st^gbs. and won their point*' CRITICS SAY-- "Flora Duane’f Gambols of 1951 is just about the most perfect enter- tainment one con osk for-! — hos the big crowd on the edge of their seats • — put Gambols on your got to see list." — ^iyon Paul, S. F. Examiner. "Bol Toborin's Thursday opening, presented brie of the gayest attrac- tions in its long history of entertaining ohd . colorful revues — Flora Duane's Gambols of 1951 offers everything d show cose con have." 8 -!-Gene de Forest, S. F. Coll Bulletin. Funniest — Fastest Musical Satire of 1951 Now Appeorirtg at San Francisco Opening Jdn. 4, 1951 Mgt.: F« SIEGjIL SUntef 3-9334 Two. Compiotely Differont Shows / ' STAR-STUDDED CAST QFllO - I liOS lAURELWOOD DRIVE StODIQ dTY, CAUF;/ ft , • rt 8 4 • , . ft » ; •. 1 40 Wednesday, Deeember 27, 1950 Support in 'Miracle’ Ban Continued front page 4 found, an injunction against Mc- Caffrey will be sought. Meantime, Burstyn, the theatre, McCaffrey and Mayor Impellitteri were being hit by a barrage of let- ters of protest against the License Commissioner’s nix. The American Civil Liberties Union reportedly was planning a direct appeal to the mayor. Backing From the Vatican It was pointed out that Rossellini, Magnani and the filni’s ffnancial backers are all. Catholics. Likewise, that Rossepini stands in well with the Vatican. He recently completed a film on St. Francis Assissi with the Church’s blessing and is under- stood to have correspondence from the Vatican indicating its approval of “The Miracle.’' McCaffrey stated he had received no squawks about the film, but as- serted in letter to Mrs. Lillian Gerard, managing director of the house: “Officially, as a representa- tive of the city government, I felt there were hundreds of thousands of citizens whose religious beliefs were assailed by the picture.’’ ^ Indicative that McCaffrey’s ac- tion was in line, at least, with opin- ion of the Church in New York, was the disclosure that the Legion of Decency had put “Ways of LoVe'* on its “C^’ (condemned) list. Not mentioning “The Miracle’’ specific- ally of the three short features that make up the “Ways of Love’’ pro^ gram. Legion said pic presented “a sacrilegious and blasphemous mockery of Christian- and religious truth’’ and condoned “illicit aCr tionS;’’. ■ Another hint of Catholic opinion was in an unusual action by Bob Cass, reviewer for WFUV-FM, the FOrdham University station in New York. Fordham is a Catholic school. Cass saw the picture at a screen- ing, and then, breaking a normally- observed rule, that a pic is not re- viewed until after it has opened, four days before the preem lam- basted all three of the items which make up ‘'Ways of Love,” of which “The Miracle” is one part. While critical opinion on the Rossellini portion varied consider- ably, most of the reviewers found the two French vignettes that go with it highly entertaining. They are Marcel Pagnol’s “Jofroi’’ and Jean Renoir’s“A Day In the Coun- try.” Cass, however, was exceptionally vitriolic on all three, suggesting they Were tired, did pix and that the theatre was cheating people in taking their money to see them. Criticism, however, was entirely on aesthetic grounds, hot religious. Theatre itself received not a sin- gle beef in the 10 days before “Miracle” was pulled. An Irish pic, “Riders to the Sea,” starring Sara Allgood and the Abbey Play- ers, was substituted. The two short French features which had been melded by Burstyn with “The Miracle” into a sort of lingual “Trio” were went back into the show, since she received another letter Saturday morning. It said: “I now take the Occasion to inform you that this letter is being delivered by a li- censed inspector who is authorized by me to inform you that your li-- cense has been suspended and that the suspension is immediately in effect upon any further showing of ‘The Miracle.’ * “While not required to do so, I shall not take any further step of revocation of the license (if events should indicate the necessity there- of) without a hearing.” McCaffrey also sent a letter to Burstyn asking him to “eliminate” the film from bookings in N ew York. He Said he’d take immediate action against any house that played it. Red Stigma Continued from page 1 or con- ”Quartet” tinued. Burstyn owns “Riders to the Sea,” and sent it to the house as an emergency filler when the Mc- Caffrey threat was received Friday (22). Dr. Hugh C. Flick, chief of the New York State board of cen- sors, stayed at his office late Friday in order to look at“Riders” and give it a seal so that it could play the Paris. It hadn’t yet been Offi- cially submitted to the board. House was doing exceptionally strong biz With “Ways of Love, ’V and expectation was that it would clean up over the holidays. Although,- the Paris continued to do good biz over the weekend, “Riders” was pulled Monday (25) night and a cartoon short, “Broth- erhood of Man,” inserted. Mrs. Gerard said public indication was it didn’t want a feature substitute for “Miracle.” Burstyn and Mrs. Gerard made no announcement of the ban, hop- ] Ing to straighten it out, New York Crimes got wind of it when one of its editors, in the house to see the pic, heard, an announcemeiit from the stage of the substitute bill. In a phone call from the Dept, of Licenses and later in two letters, the Paris was threatened with' loss of its license if it played “The Miracle.” It was deleted for two Shows Friday, and then put back In the, evening when Burstyn noti- fied the house that it was breaking Its Contract with him by not play- ing the pic. McCaffrey, although he couldn’t be reached by phone by Mrs. erard, apparently, knew, the pic stand under oath before the full committee. Rep. Francis E. Walter (D., Pa.), a leading inember of the commu- te , later said that Robinson ”defi- nitely gave me the impression he Was neither a Communist nor a fellow traveller. “'This Robinson hearing Was a good thing. The time has arrived when we should find out what in- fluences have been at work in Hollywood, who is responsible for the charges of . Communism, and who is and is not a Red. I think we should offer anyone Who has ever been accused an opportunity to come before us and clear his repu- tation. I favor a full and complete investigation.” In the event the probe should reopen, according to Walter, hear- ings would probably be held both on the Coast and in Washington. ^ Petition Asks Release Of 8 of ‘HVood 10’ Petition signed by 17 prominent figures, calling for parole of the eight members of the “Holly wood 10” still in Federal prison, was pre- sented to the U. S. Parole Board last week. Signers Of the p^ition, which follows a regular legal appeal, were Dr. Harlow Shapley, Dr. Linus Pauling, Thomas Mann, Carey McWilliams, Frank Lloyd Wright, Prof. Ralph Barton Perry, Prof. Kirtley Mather, Mark Van Doren, Rev. John Howland LathrOp, Dr. Robert Morss Lovett, Dr. Allen Butler, Prof; Talbot Hamlin, Dr. Michael Heidelberger, Dr. Edward L. Young, Uta Hagen, Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich Hackett. Petition was on behalf of Alvah Bessie, Lester Cole, Ring Lardner, Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Saniuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott and Dalton Trumbo. Herbert Blberman and Edward Dmytryk have already completed their min- imum sentences and have been re- leased for good behavior. Prisoners are serving one-year sentences for contempt of Con- gress. direct and indirect benefits for the industry. On the direct line there are items such as the camera crane, stripable adhesive for wallpapers, large and small wind machines, basic design of location transporta- tion equipment, recommendations on heat filters for process project- ors, special motors for camera cranes and cameras, plastics, and improved process screens. The indirect contributions in- clude recomimendation for adoptibn of safety base film; analysis b£ possibility of large-scale . film pres- ervation by changing existing standards; analysis of economies of magnetic film recording; and in- vestigations of new equipnient and ideas that might be applicable to niore economic production,* ; One of the most important proj- ects of the Council is research bn set lighting, and optical and Ihe- chanical problems in the camera and the speed of photographic emulsions. Set lighting consumes a large portion of shooting schedules, and the aim is to reduce this loss on production through securing better and more portable equip- ment with greater efficiency in the light sources. Excellent progress along the line is being made by both MPRC' and the individuM companies. Qohtihued from page 3 Continued from page 3 facturers and suppliers of equip- ment wbipb might he valuable to film production. Instead of a com- pany having to contact each studio indiyidually with a new product, the latter can be brought directly into the Council. Latter te 5 t$ and reports to its member companies without recommendations; and MPRC investigators have cOrhe WP with utilization not even considered by the manufacturer, • Another service is centralized contact for inyeritors Who figure they have items of value for film production. Studios funnel the in- ventors to MPRC* which thoroughly investigates, and conducts tests if feasible. Studios are all advised of the invention and details, Without recommendations. Research and development covers a Wide variety of fields. An im- proved type of equipment might be; started by a studio, and thein tufned over the Council to bring to a conclusion through widespread cooperation of the member com- panies. , MPRD , activities are devoted to Thus, each family will have a chance on three different days to see each feature and ./ill also have a choice of three different films on any single day. 4 Majors Nix Product At least four companies to date have turned down Zenith’s request to lease product for PhonevisioU; These include Republic, 20lh-Fox, Universal and Columbia. Consen- sus among the proxies of these com-' panics is that they have too much at stake in the business they do with, exhibitors to risk via cooperar tion with Zenith, Twentieth prez Spyros P. SkpUras, in addition, has emphasized that the only possible tie he sees between films and TV is through the medium of big- screen video in theatres. In revealing plans for tlie test, McDonald stressed that it repre- sents only a test, authorized by the Federal Communicaitions Commis- sion to determine whether Phone- visibri“is in the public interest and whether it shall in the future be authorized as a new type of serv- ice.” He explained that the pro- grams are to bt transmitted on Channel 2 in Chi from Zenith’s ex- perimental transmitter, adding that the telecasts will not interfere with any standard TV broadcasts on Chi’s four assigned channels. McDonald said that Zenith “does not propose Phonevision as a sub- stitute for any of the established or potential uses of regular TV broadcasting, radio, motion pictures Or other extant communications and art forms.” Zenith, he said, envisages the device as a“new and distinct service,” through which families will be able to see in their homes, on payment of a fee, the entertainment or education for which they have heretofore paid an admission charge or tuition fee. Again, however, he did . not men- tion the possible effect of Phone- visioh on the nation’s film thea- tres. “This first test of the practical uses of Phonevision,” he said, “will begin solely with the exploration of the public interest in, and po- terttial patronage of, such a serv- ice, as reflected by the reaction of the 300 typical Chicago families who will participate in the test. This experiment will simply tell us how often such families will pay the $1 fee for the opportunity of receiving premium entertainment in their homes, and whether or not after they have paid the fee they are satisfied and feel that they have received their money’s worth.” * . VARIETY BILLS WEEK OF DECEMBER 27 Numtralt In ionntctlon with billi below Indlcato opanlng day of thow whothor full or split woak Lotfor In parehtHosai Indlcotas circuit (FM) Fanchon Marco; (I) Indopondonfi (L) toow; (Ku Most; (P) Paramount; ^ Eddie Bergman Ore Geri Galian pre Biltmbro Hotel Sonny Howard Hoctor 4c Byrd Vic and Adio Pro Anita Aros Russ Morgan Giro's Dick Contino Dick Stabile Pro Mocambo Billy Daniels: Benny Payne Latin-Alres Eddie Oliver Ore LAS VEGAS Desert Inn Romo Vincent P Steffan Ders Cole Debutantes Mohs. Choppy Caritoii Hayes Orb El Rancho Vegas Kay Thompson Jimmy Nelson Henry Busse Ore . Flamingo Hotel Toni Arden The Kings Harold Stern Ore Garwood Van pre Last Frontier Hotel PhU Spltalny Ore Nick Stuart Ore Thunderbird Hotel Watson 4c Austein Busketeers . Sid Krofft Gil Johnson. A1 Jahhs Ore Cudia Setup Continued from page 2 NEW TOSH CITT Ella Continued from P8ge 4 lieewoman USA” (a sort of femme FBI). Her films, such as “T-Men,” “Mary Stevens, M.D.” and “White Heat,” have projected her into the penal research and reform phase, which, boupled with the Hollywood screen as an interpretative force, have given the scripter important acceptance among prison institu- tions and penologists. In turn, she has lectured at the University of Colorado, etc*, always with a pfQ- flollywood* perspective^ - BIrctiano i Fitzgerald Bud Johnson Bud Powell 3 BUly Taylor 4 Blue Angel Connie Sawyer Bill Hayes Wally Cox Stuart Ross Harold Cooke Barbara Cook Eadie 4c Rack Chittison 3 Bon Soir Jimmie Daniela . Mae Barnes . Ghostley 4c Wood Norene Tate Garland Wilson Ellis Larkin 3 c,aro Society Josh White Beatrice Howell Leonard Conner Cliff Jackson J Windhurst Ore , Copacanaito' ' Henny Youngman Luba Malina M Durso Ore: Wynters 4c Angeline Skylarks Jean Caplcs Chuck Brunner Betty Harris Mickey Devine F. Alvares Ore Diamond Horseshoe Ross 4c LaPierro Rudy Cardenas W. C. Handy Billy Banks Gloria LeRoy Noble Slssle Ore Chic Morrison Orb Rigoletto Bros Jack Spoons Frank Evans Tommy King Harry Meehan Billy Banks Harry Armstrong . Havana-Madrid Baer 4c Rosenblo.om Lily Ann Carol Roy Kirk Pupl Campb Ore Jerry. Cooper Vietra Monkeys Iceland Alfred 4c Lenore Jack Palmer Ore H^Nbi Lota ( > Bracha Hillel Sr Aviva il Chico Roslta Rios Los Gitanos Pilarin Tavira Sarita Herrera D’ Alonso Ore Leon & Eddie's Eddie Davis Louise R Harris Peggy O’Neil Rusha Holden Myron Bell Jimmy Dale La Commsdia Jo Hurt . La MaHinique Herkie Styles Mary Hatcher Johnny Conrad Rosette Shaw Ralph Font Ore Val Olman Ore Latin Quarter Wences Sarah Ann McCabe Christiani Troiipo Mila Raymoh Vikings Nirska Genia Mel Wilson Morrelil . Calvin Holt Ralph Youiig Alt Waner Ore Lo Ruban Bleu Bibi Osterwald Hugh Shannon 3 Riffs Ronnie Graham Norman Paris 3 Julius Monk Little Club Ernie Warren Ore No 1 Fifth AVO Louise Howard Erik Rhodes Downey 4c FonvlUe Hazel Webster Old Knick Gene Courtney Connie Anderson. Sid Marion Old Roumisnion Sadie Ranks Jackie Winston Buster Burnell Alverda Mary Men Toy Joe LaPorte Ore D’Aquila Ore Park Aye Gloria Elwood Scotty Graham' Charlie Stewart r run 26Vi mintues and would tell a complete story while tying in with general theme. Cudia plans to scout his own talent and will offer free training in various media in exchange for work sessions. At 63 he’s accumu- lated a rich store of experience in the major entertainment fields, running the gamut from actor, pro- ducer, and director in legit, films, musicals and TV. Cudia broke into films in 1903 with the old Edison Co., Yonkers* N. Y., and took his first fling at stock in 1904 as a member of the Tannhauser troupe in New Ro^ chelle, N. y. He became a legit pro- ducer in 1923, after years of tour- ing the hinterlands, and was an indie film producer in Hollywood prior to settling in Phoenix in 1939. Continued from page 1 Baked a Cake” record, and pro golf champ Ben Hogan. In ad(lition* Murray will present a posthumous tribute to five show biz personalities who died during the year; 'These include A1 Jolsdh, Walter Huston, Frank Morgan, Bill “Bdjangles” Robinson, and A. Rob- ins, latter the clown who appeared in Murray’s “Blackouts” on the Coast last year and also on his TV show several times. Film clips showing these five in action will be used* as Well as live presenta- tion ()f their work by other actors. Murray plans to give each, of his “man-of-the-year” selections a brief, dramatic intrcjduction ' and then bring them on . for a short spell. Othfirwise, the program is to .retain' its .' usual rfcvue-type fox’ihat* 42 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, December 27, 1950 Plays on Broadway Out of This World Saint Subber flc Lemuel Ayers pres- entation of musical comedy in prolog and two pets (18 scenes), with songs by Cole Porter, book by Dwight Taylor and Reg- inald Lawrence. Features Charlotte Greenwood, William By the, Priscilla Gil- lette, William Redfield, David Burns. Bar- bara Ashley, Jaiiet Collins, George Jon- geyans, Ray Harrison. Entire production staged by j\gnes de Mille? choreography, Hanya Holm; scenery and costumes, Lemuel Ayers; musical director, Pem- broke Davenport; orchestrations, Robert Russell Bennett; dance music arrange- ments, Genevieve Pitot: incidental music arrangements, Trudi Rittman. At Cen- tury, N. Y., Dec. 21, '50: $6 top ($9.60 opening). ’ Mercury . . . . , . ; . . . i . - William Redfield Jupiter . . . . .. George Jongeyans f t <•••••• < not ideally suited for some of her numbers. They include solos of ‘T Am Loved” and “No Lover for Me,” plus joining in “Use Your Imagination” and “What Do You Think?” - William Eythe, who is second’ billed, is more or less incidental in the non-singing “dual” part of a reporter-bridegroom and of Jupiter in the guise of same. William Red* i field is acceptable as Mercury, though a trifle light as a singer. David Burns gets what comedy he can as an exTChicago gangster who owns a rural Greek inn, ^ George Jongeyans’ impressive baritone is Helen . .Priscilla Gillette ^ O’Malley Wi^Uam Eythe 1 wasted in .the role of Jupiter, but • U Aiaiiey • • • < vviuiam. r..vine drwrno Art Night . . ’ Janet Collins Vulcania ... .... ... . Peggy Rea Juno ........ .Charlotte Greenwood, Ghloo ......... . . . . Barbara Ashley " Niki Skolianos... Strophon Singer*!. CoUihs provides some choreographic excitement as Night. Because of the show*s involved David Burns ! writing and directing setup, it’s im- dancers: ‘ Barbarf Reiver", | POSSible tO know Who’s responsible Shirle.v Prior. Enid Hall. Nola Fairbanks. 1 for • W'hat. The program credits B. J. Keatiiig, Lois Monroe, John Schick- j Dwight Taylor and Reginald LaW- ling. JciMi Schmidt. Richard Curry. • rpripp fnr fho hnhk hilt Rpttv Com- Ayers, Orrin Hill. Robert Baird. Joe Hill. ,Tence lor ine DOOK, DUl oeuy Leo ^:ivv"'rth, Michael Kingsley. Gi^eiia -j den and Adolph Green worked on ■ it at one time. Producers Subber and Ayers are also understood to have done some doctoring and F. Hugh Herbert was called . in for revisions during the tryout. Agnes de Mille is billed as stager of the “entire production,” but she was superseded during the tryout by George Abbott, who is not men- tioned in the program. Hobe. Svetlik. Virginia Bosler, Eleanor Fair- child. .To'>n En^ek. Joan Kruger. Ja^oue- lihe Sa^'^r. Glen Tetlov,. Dn^id Nillo, Staniov «;!mmo,p.«;, Paul Lydav, Eric Kris- ten.' Barton Mumaw, Jan Kovac. Doria Avila. It’s significant that the top momenf of “Out of This World,” just before the finale, is. Charlotte Greenwood’s old show - stopping hi.gh-kif'k. Until then, the Cole Porter musical is perhaps the most beautiful show in Broadway his- tory, but mild entertainment. The Twentieth Century American. National Theatre & Academy book, based on the Amphitryon ^ presentation of Jose^ Ferrer production ■1 « j efiff , (in association with Richard Condon) of legend, seems synthetic anil stilt, ' comedy in three acts, by Ben Hecht & the SOnPS are generally disappoint- j Charles MacArthur, bdsed on a play by ing and the performance lacks ' Bruce MUholland.^ Stars Ferrer, Gloria I Swanson. Directed by Ferrer; scenery v^itality. As a conse(iuence, the . lighting, Wolfgang* Roth; costumes. Saint Subber-Lemuel' Ayers pro- I Noel Taylor. At ANTA Playhouse, N. Y., ducHo^ i'; a dubious -bet to recoup ' Bee. 24, 'SO; $3 top (membership rate), its S220.000 investment, although gr- Johnson . . . . . w . Paula, BauersmUh Its sizable advance sale, including ! /.V.V.T.'. "?;'?,? sfdS“ numerous theatre parties, should i Grover Lockwood Ralph Bunker pnahlp it to ffpt a run 1 Anita Highland Betty Bartley enduie it lu gei. «* ^uii. 1 Owen O'Malley Robert Strauss In contrast to the previous Sub- Conductor .Burton Mallory ber-A vers presentation, “Kiss Me, : BBver Webb — . . ... . . . . Donald Foster Kate, this appears to h^ve been j one of those shows that was ' Matthew Clark WilUam Lynn troublesome from the start. Per- ! First* Beard (Cnstus) . Werner Klemperer v..vc.:c fWiA r« .-A Air ■ Second Beard (Judas). ..... . Leon Askm haps its story basis, the Greek ; Qgj.g|. jose Ferrer myth about how Jupiter descends from Olympus and, despite Juno’s wifely kibitzing, has a love affair ^ with a mortal girl, is partly to ^DetecUveTV* .’.'. .’i’ili”; ;‘.7."paui LiiTy blame. It apparently promises .^cond D^ectlve../ Charles Summers morf‘ than it delivers- on the stage, ® playing the performance as a whole, including the actors, light cues and scene changes, should be considerably smoother. ; Kobe. King Lear Robert L, Joseph & Alexander H. Cohen presentation of William Shakespeare dra- ma revival In . three acts. Starar Louis (^alherh; features Arnold Moss, Norman Lloyd, Edith Atwater, Joseph Wiseman, Wesley Addy, Martin Gabel, Jo Van Fleet, Nina Foch. Directed by John House- man. .Incidental music, Marc Blltzstein: sets and lights. Ralph Alswang; costumes, Dorothy Jenkins. At National, N* Y., Dec. 25. '50; $4,80 top. Earl of Kent . . . ... ..... .Martin Gabel Earl of Gloucester .......... Arnold Moss Edmund ............. . Joseph Wiseman .King Lear . . Louis. Calhern Duke of Cornwall . . , , * . Nehemlah -Persoff Duke of Albany Richard Malek GonerU ... ............ ... Edith Atwater Regan ........ . . , . . ... . . . Jo Van Fleet Cordelia Nina Foch Duke of Burgundy. . .. . . Martin Waldron King of France . . . i . , . .Frederic Watriner Edgar Lear’s Fool . . . . . ...... . . Curan Oswald Loyal Knight Wesley Addy Norman Lloyd .Mitchell Agruss . . Kurt Richards Guy Arbury Gentleman of the Court. . .E. J. Ballantine’ Cornwall Servants .. ..... . Jack Bittner, McGregor, Gibb, Bernard Pollock. Herald ....... . , . Thomas Ppston Knights and Servants. . . . , . Ted Baden, Michael Bey, Sam Gilman, Jack Ram- sey, Earl F. Simmons, Keith Taylor, Henry Leonard. Waiter Van Prince Sadie .Eva Leonard-Boyne Lily Garland . . . . * Gloria Swanson George Smith ^ Robert Carroll ..Henry Sherwood as S. N. Behrman discovered a dozen years ago in adapting “Amphitryon 38” for the Lunts. The yarn is only occasionally and mildly funny, and the libretto, with . Its accent on sex. sex, sex, makes that normally stimulating subject seem pretty tedious. Porter’s score lacks melodic sweep. In this in- stance, his emphasis on tricky lyrics and counter-rhythms seems affected, with only a few tunes approaching his best work of the past. The Hanya Holm choreog- raphy is electrifying and the physi- cal production is stunning, but the casting is uneven. Co-producer Ayers, doubling as designer, has created breath-catch- ingly lovely scenery, particularly several gossamer night effects. His costumes, too, are generally strik- ing, esnecially for playgoers who enjoy the spectacle of male nudity (in almost every dance number the girls wear notably more clothes than the men, although diaphanous femme costumes are occasionally used effectively). As the ungo(idess-like Juno, Miss Greenwood is the cast standout. Besides her climactic “Nobody’s Chasing Me” number, she scores with her “I Got Beauty” and “I Slcieo Easier Now” singles, as a femme trio member with “What Do You Think About Men” and in a double duet of “Cherry Pies Ought to Be You.” Barbara Ashley has an attractive personality and proves an . engaging singer with her “Where, Oh, Where” solo and in an assist with “What Do You Think About Men’’ and “Cherry Pies.” Priscilla Giliette, as the mortal chosen by Jupiter, is a looker, has an appealing manner and is an agreeable singer, though perhaps John Byrain Wants to know Why Dp So Moity Legit Producers Think It's lllegiti^ mate to Bivouac Near the Scene of Their Activities qs He Pieods ■ Come Back to Broadway^ Boy An Amusing Byline Feature In the 45 th Anniversary Number of U^RIETY OVT NEXT WEEK “Twentieth Century,” a comedy hit of the 1932-33 Broadway season and subsequently a convulsing film with John Barrymore and Carole Lombard, is the third presentation and apparently the first boxoffice bullseye of the- ANTA Play series. With Jose Ferrer and Gloria Swan- son costarre(J, it belies its 18 years, stacking up as a vigorous, hilarioius show. Following its two-week en- gagement under ANTA sponsor- ship it is slated to be moved to the Fulton for a commercial run, with ANTA due for a share of the pros- pective profits. For this revival, co-authors Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, who adapted the comedy originally from a play by Bruce Milholland, have revised the script somewhat, confining the action to a single set- ting and eliminating several bit parts, besides making some mod- ernizing touches which seem of questionable merit. But nothing ba- sic has been done to the riotous story of a fabulous trip of the 20th Century Limited from Chicago to New York, with its assortment of rambunctious characters aboard. Ferrer and Miss Swanson, as the egomaniac producer-director arid the flairiboyantly temperamental actress, the parts played in the original production by Moffat Johnson and Eugenie Leoritovich, provide: the principal vitality and comedy fireworks, particulariy in their scenes together. Both play with expertly broad strokes, pro- jecting the infantile vanity of the characters, yet remaining plausible and somehow captivating. They re- veal not merely, a talent for com- edy, but a disarming sense of hu- mor. There are competent supporting performances by, Donald Foster as the producer’s harried manager, Robert Strauss as the eloquently sardonic pressagent (an affection- ate portrait of Richard Maney); Burton Mallory as the frenzied con- ductor; William Lynn as the re- ligious crackpot; Robert Garroll as thfe actress’ cardboard lover; Eva, Leoriard-Boyne as her understand- ing but loyal maid; Werner Klem- perer and Leon Askin as a couple of hungry Passion Players, and va- rious others in the motley of char- acter hits. ' ' Ferrer’s appreciative staging suc- cessfully skirts the edge of cari- cature; Wolfgang Roth’s multiple setting combines atmosphere with practical playing space and Noel Taylor’s dostumes are suitable for such an uninhibited collection of passengers. With a little more Director John Houseman, with a notable assist from Louis Calhern, has hurdled a major challenge in this revival, with the result that “King Lear,” always tough to stage and hence rarely done, comes off as a stunning production. The chief role has a flrstrate protagon- ist in Calhern, who is supported by a worthy cast, shrewdly chosen^ Staffing, lighting, costuming and incidental music all play promi- nent, cohesive parts. The essen- tiallv talky. Static play moves swiftly un(ier these conditions, holding an audience rapt. The role of the aged, imperious ruler who divides his kingdom be- tween two ungrateful daughters and eventually goes mad at their mistreatment, requires heroic treatment. This C]!alhern provi(ies. i His regal bearing is one asset. His j shifting of moods, from majesty, anger or affection to raving and iriadnes.s. is virtuoso stuff, and Cal- hern utilizes all mOods brilliantly for a searching, sympathetic char- aeWization. Houseman’s sure staging keeps plot and several sub-plots fluid, and the nace of the show is swift. Ralph Alswang’s setting is spa- cious, while his lighting works wonders, creating whole forest and seacoast e.ffects without the use of pron or set. There are standoiuts in the good supporting cast who are especially fine. Arnold Moss is a princely fiffure as the Earl of Gloucester, whose early credulity and later misfortunes at the hands of a treacherous bastard son are always believable and compelling. Joseph Wiseman makes a fascinating crea- ture. of the malevolent Edmund. We.siey Addv paints a sympathetic portrait of the unfortunate Edgar; Martini Gabel is unusually warm- ing as Kent. and Norman Lloyd makes a vivid impersonation out of the difficult role of the Fool. Of the women, Nina Foch is beautiful and appealing in the relatively brief role of Cordelia, and Edith Atwater and Jo Van Fleet are vividly sharp as the cruel sisters. Nehemiah Persoff, as Cornwall, and Kurt Richards, as Oswald, lend individuality to lesser roles. Marc Blitzstein’s incidental mu- sic is in strong keening with the times and mood of the play, and Dorothy Jeakins’ costumes are eye- filling. Broadway has done right by the Bard here. Bron. Inside Stnlf-Jegit Backers of “Elnemy of the People,” Lars Nordenson’s production of Arthur Miller’s adaptation of the Ibsen drama, include bandleader Meyer Davis ancl company manager Morton Gottlieb, $200 each; pho- tographer Richard Avedon, actor Alan Hewitt and producer Nancy* Stern, $400 each; radio commentator Kenneth. Banghart, costumer A. M. Blumberg, producer Mary K. Frank and authors agent Flora Roberts, $800 each; pr()ducer Leoii Broneskyr theatreowner Howard Cullman, attorney Morris Schrier. repfesenting Music Gorp., of America, publisher M. Lincoln S(ihuster anil film executive George Skouras, $1 ,600 each; film distributor-exhibitor Joseph Burstyn, $2,000; director Robert Lewis, $3,000, and producer Roger L, Stevens, $20,0()0. The venture was cap- italized at $80,000; Connecticut supreme court has upheld a lower state court ruling that the late Walter Huston was justified in canfceling a performance of “The Apple of His Eye” in Worcester Dec, 16, 1946, due to a throat ailrnent. Court unanimously declared that . “Huston was a man with a Sincere desire to carry out his bbllgations.” , Wasserman Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., of Worcester, had sued producer Jed Harris for dam- ages for breach of contract. Suit was instigated In New Haven where show played previous to the Worcester date. Performance is claimed to be the only one Huston ever canceled In his 45ryear career. Huston underwent a minor throat operation in Chi following the New Haven date, before the show opened in the Windy City Dec. 25, ’46. Katharine Cornell pulled a Christmas surprise on yet Clevelancl critic WilUam F. McDermott j who claims he’s never missed a Cornell play in his 29 years of reviewing, and who’s been home 111 for th'e last month. Last Friday (22),; Miss CbrneU, together with Sir Cedric Hardwicke and five other cast members, gave a special “matinee” of her latest play, “Captain Carvallo,” in costiime, for'McDerrhott in the latter’s home in BratenahU suburb of Cleveland. Stagehands moved some of the furniture, while “Mac” and wife Eva sat in the living room as audience. Show closed down in Cleveland Saturday (23). I Lovely ilia Hollywood, Dec. 22. Players Ring production of musical in two acts (eight Scenes)^ by Julius J. and Philip G, Epstein (based on Sheridan's “The Rivals") with music and lyrics by Jay Liyin.gston and Ray Evans. Directed by Terry Kilburn. Musical numbers staged by Nelson Barclift; musical director, Stan Lebowsky; sets, Sidney Rushakoff. . At Players Ring theatre, Hollywood, Dec.- 22 , '50; $3.60 top (opening night $4.80). Croupier ............ Paul Leyitt Johnson-Brackett ; . , .Marvin Kaplan Prince John . . . .John Cx’awfol'd Pabst . Joe Mell Faulkland . . . . , , . .... . . ... . Ben Strobach Lucy .Bunny Bishop Sir Lucius O'Trigger . . . , , . . David Alpert RoSencrantz . , , . ... . Bruce Sheldon Guildenstern . . .;. ........ Pat Clement King Augustus XXII. . ,, , . . .King Donovan Bob Acres . . . , . . . . . . . ; . . . . . Ted Thorpe Lydia . . Margot Powers Mrs. Mandrake. .....> . .Kathleen Freeman .^lia . ... . ... . , . . , .Charlotte Alpert Bookie James Ogg Television Man . .Tony lacobuccie Radio Man . Stuart Kearns Dancing Gigolo .......... .Nelson Barclift •First Lndy ...■••#** 4 #*, Lynn Second Lady ........ ... .. . . .Jafte Adrian A program note proudly pro- claims that four Academy Award winners are involved in the cre- ation of this musical version of Sheridan’s “The Rivals.’’ That, obviously, is the difficulty. Libret- tists Julius J. and Philip G. Ep- (Gontinued on page 45) Joseph Kipness who holds an option on the Coast production, “I Love Lydia,” plans a Broadway presentation next fall of the musi- cal edition of “The Rivals,” with book by Philip & Julius Epsfein and songs by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. George Abbott will be sought as stager ... John C. Wil- son left over the weekend for a fortnight’s vacation with Noel Coward at Jamaica, B. W. I. . . . Joseph Schildkraut will play Dul- cimer, the part originated by James Dale, in Shepard Traube’s revival of Mordaunt Shairp's “Green Bay Tree,” with Jay Robin- son in the Laurence Olivier part, Rex O’Malley probably playing the butler role created by Leo G. Car- roll and Anne Crawford as the sole femme character first enacted by Jill Esmond ... If Georges Gueta- ry, a tenor, plays the male lead opposite Mary Martin in the Lon- don edition of “South Pacific,” the songs originally sung by basso Ezio Pinza will be rearranged . . . Howard Barnes, drama critic of the N. Y. Heral^ Tribune, was ill last week, but recovered in time to cover Sunday’s (24) preem of “Twentieth Century.” Second- stringer Otis Guernsey, Jr., cov- ered “Out of This World.” Carol Channing has been upped to star billing in “Gentlemen Pre- fer Blondes,” in consideration of extending her contract until Sept. 5, 1952 . . . Cecil Kellaway will play a leading role and Robert Hal- liday is also being sought for the cast of “Three Wishes,” the Albert Lewis production of the Ralph Blaine-C^arles O’Neal musical ver- sion of the latter’s novel, “The Three Wishes of Jamie McRuin” . . . Jennifer Bunker has succeededi Marcia Henderson as Wendy in “Peter Pan” . .. . Paul Groll will be general manager of the Chan- dler Cowles-Brady Farrell proiiuc- tion of “Billy Budd” and company manager of “Make a Wish,” the Jule Styne-Harry Rigby production Of the musical edition of “Good Faii’y” . . . Dwight Deere Wiman has optioned a play, “Vicilets Are Blue,” by comedian Wally Cox, who clicked last season in the pro- ducer’s revue, “Dance Me a Song.” With the signing of William Mar- j shall foil’ the key role of Dei LaWd, Wiman’s revival of “Greeri Pas- tures” will go into rehearsal Jan. 11 under the direction of the au- j thor, Marc Connelly. The pro- ' ducer’s revival of “Romeo and Juliet,” starring Olivia de Hayil- land, is already in rehearsal . . , Dorothy Fields a n d Arthur Schwartz, just back from Nassau, have gone to the former’s place at Brewster, N. Y.; to continue work on the songs for “Brooklyn Story.” Next March has been designated by UNESCO as the second annual “Theatre Month,” during which legit groups all over the country are urged to present plays which typify man’s search for security and peace, on themes related to human rights” . . . Edmund Hock- ridge, a Canadian, has taken over the Billy Bigelow part in “Carou- sel” in London, succeeding U. S. singer - actor Stephen Douglas, whose Labor Ministry permit ex- Pif^d,. Other leads in the show, all British Empire citizens,' now in- clude Patricia Black as Nettie Fow- ler, William Thorburn as Enoch Snow* Sally Gilmour as leading ballerina and Barbara Lee-Smith as Carrie-Pipperidge . . . Michael Redgrave is presenting a one-man show for a limited tour of Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, but is diie to start re- hearsals in January for the new Stratford-on-Avon season . . . Jean Anouilh's “Ardele,” which was a flop on Broadway last season under the title, “Cry of the Peacock,” but was a critical click when pre- sented recently by the Birming- ham (England) repertory, will be presented in London by Linnit & Dunfee, with Fay Compton and Peter Ustinov in the leading parts. A. E. Matthews, recovered from his recent illness; has rejoined the cast of “The Gay Invalid,” Sir Barry Jackson’s adaptation of Mo- liere’s “Le Malade Imaginaire,” which is playing a pre-London tryout tour, with Elisabeth Berg- ner co-starred * . ; Tyrone Power, star of the London production of “Mister Roberts,” was guest speak- er at the December membership meeting of British Equity . . , The Legitimate Theatre Employees union. Local B-813, of the Inter- national Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, will hold its an- nual ball Feb. 21 at the Wood- stock hotel, N. Y., with proceeds going to the organization’s welfare fund for retired doormen, ticket takers, etc. . ; . Basil Rathbone has sold his five-story house, assessed at $50,000, in East 92d street. New York . . . Backers of the Courtney Burr-Malcoim Pearson production, “Season in the Sun,” have received a 5% dividend, the first profits, on the $60,000 investment ... U. S. rights to “Young Wives’ Tale,” the London success, are under option to Louis Boreli, the Dutch actor who recently presented the Ronald Jeans play in Holland, according to Leah Salisbury, the author’s American representative . . . The Workshop Theatre of Long Island U. is inaugurating a policy of hay- ing professional guest leads in its three annual productions . . . Em- ployment and earnings for legit players were up a bit last season, according to the second annual sur- vey conducted by Actors Equity and published in detail in the cur- rent issue of Equity, the union’s irionthly house organ. Exclusivity on “Rodeo” has run out with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but the work is still in that troupe’s repertory, even though its choreographer, Agnes de Mille has turned it over as well to Ballot Theatre. The Dean of Broadway Drohio Critics Kelcey Allen Reprises Some of the Sidewalk Lore He Has Gleaned On the Broadway Sidelines.^ ♦ . ’■*- ■ An Amusing Byline Piece In the 45th Anniversary Number . ' of,. PSfUETY OUT NEXT WEEK \redne 8 day 9 December 27, 1950 uassiEff UBGITIMATB 43 ‘Roberts’ Boycott; Terms It ‘Nasty Mrmit’ Albany, Dec. 26. ■ The Evangelist, official weekly of the Albany Catholic Diocese, in an editorial (22) titled " *Mr. Roberts* Gondemned,” declared that "all de- cent citizens should boycott this presentation and inforni the man- agement of the Erie theatre (Sche- nectady) of their strong resent- ment.” The company, starring John Fors3d;he, will open a nationwidjr; tour of 33 cities in Schenectady, Jan. 10. "‘In bringing *Mr, Roberts* to Schenectady and suggesting that tickets to this off eii^ive play pro- yide the answer ‘to your Xmas chopping problem,* the manage- ment of the Erie theatre is per- petrating one of the nastiest af- fronts to Christian decency that the community has suffered in a long time,” the editorial said. ‘“Mr. Roberts’ has been condemned by the Catholic Theatre Movement as being wholly^ objectionable. Its characterization of the nation’s Navy personnel is Insulting to the members of this armed branch of defense and their families. “The dialog is crammed with ribald, lewd and blasphemous lan- guage. This type of entertainment, pawned off in the name of realism, should be resented by all right- thinking people. It is a challenge to the legion of men whose lives ‘Mr. Roberts* pretends to portray.. To support this type of entertain- ment evidences a degraded moral tone. This is an instance where the pledge of the Legion of Decency calls for Intelligent Implementa- tion.’* The suggestion of a boycott is the most drastic which the Albany Diocesan spokesmen have taken against a stage play in recent years, although it has several times been advanced on motion pictures. “Mr. Roberts,” which features Robert Ross, Rusty Lane and Lawrence Blyden, will play the Erie for four performances, at $3.60 top in the evening and $3 in the afternoon (Saturday). THEATRE ASSEMBLY SET DESPITE EQUITY STAND Despite a recommendation from Actors Equity Council that the project should be abandoned, plans for a National > Theatre Assembly, to discuss the expansion of the le^ gitimate theatre, - will probably be carried out. The conferences, at which 200 official delegates are ex- pected, will be held Jan. 2*4 at the Fulton theatre, N. Y. A representative of the Ameri- can National Theatre 6c Academy, which is sponsoring the Assembly, said yesterday (Tues.) that the Equity proposal to cancel the meet- ings had been received too late to be , practical, since plans are now too far advanced, with some dele- gates already here and others en route. According to Equity council members, it is Inappropriate to hold such a conference in view of President Truman’s declaration last week of the existence of a state of national emergency. Bad Breaks Pile Up On Pitt’s New Nixon Pittsburgh, Dec. 26i Bad breaks seem to be continuing for the town’s only legit site, the new Nixon, formerly the Senator, lor many years a film house which Was recohyerted this summer when the old Nixon was torn down. So. fnr, the theatre has had eight weeks since being launched, and half of them cairie during the long news- paper strike and were losers, while $10,000 had to be refused on the Lunts’ “I Know My Love” because of the big snow. -Now the houto is open again for Ainas week with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Co., after a dark fortnight, and looks almost certain to be shut- tered again for at least another two weeks and maybe three, due to can- eollations, “Rose Marie” was to have come in New Year’s but was yanked out, and “The Consul,” which was to have followea it, is folding because of poor bL oh the road. Only certainty thus far for January is “Mister Roberts,” Jan. 22. Charlotte Greenwood Hoi on AMutlng Pitco on Hor Logit 'CoRitbock* TlHed Never Stop Dancing *, *■ Ono of the Mohy Byline Fcoturet in the 45th Anniversary Number of OUT NEXT WEtlK 'World’ Cuts Reinsertio]^ Defiance Charge Denied “Out of This World,” which opened last Thursday (21) at the Century (N. Y.), suffered consider- able changes in Boston on orders of the assistant censor, Beatrice J. WheltOn, but was, reporteffiy played there in its unexpurgated form the last few performances at the Shubert. Hub city officials are understood to have been angered by the action, but upon the advice of a local pressagent decided not to condemn the show publicly, lest it merely create publicity for the Broadway engagement. Recording to a representative of producers Saint Subber and Lem- uel Ayers, no Important material objected to by the censor was put back in the show there. He indi- cated, however, that some of the scenes in question had been al- tered somewhat a few days before the Hub engagement closed, as the management wanted to be sure to have the performance running smoothly in time for the New York premiere. No defiance of the local authorities was involved, he said. Procedure is looked on as a fairly familiar story in the Hub, accord- ing to those in the trade. In the case of a regular touring show, it rarely occurs. But with tryouts, the deleted material is generally slated to go back in for the Broad- way presentation, so there have been numerous reported Incidents of the" management gradually changing the script, direction and costumes into their permanent form near the end of the Boston stand. Lawrence Langner, co-director of the Theatre Guild, and Jerome Whyte, musical production man- ager, plane to Kansas City next week to hold checkup' rehearsals and recast some minor parts in the touring “Oklahoma.” LA. WiU Vote On $35,000,000 Outlay For Op House, And. Los Angeles, Dec. 26. This town will spend $35,000,000 on a civic opera house, auditorium and exposition hall if the citizens vote that way at the primary elec- tion next April 3. City Council authorized two reso- lutions calling for bond Issues to cover the construction of a $10,000,- 000 opera house and a $25,000,000 auditorium-exhibition hall in the downtown area. In Sales to Fix Film sales of legit plays, which boomed during 1950 after being largely dormant for several sea- sons, have included an unusual number of percentage deals re- cently. Of 15 c 0 n t r a c t s set this year, seven involved a per- centage of the picture gross. One other deal, reportedly due to be closed shortly, is oh a similar ba- sis. More than twice as many sales have been registered in 1950 than in 1948 and 1949 combined, and a far greater share of them havei in- volved percentages. Although most of the deals set during 1950 have been for shows of previous seasons, at least five productions of the 195Q-51 season are regarded as likely to be told ultimately. They include “Affairs of State,” “Bell, Book and Candle,” “Country Girl” and “Guys and Dolls” and “Hilda Crane.’* Also, several current shows from previ- ous seasons are screen prospects, including ‘‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,’* “Happy Time,** “Kiss Me, Kate,** “Mister Roberts** and, if it ever becomes ^available, “South Pacific.** ‘ Plays sold thus far during 1950 include “Magnificent Yankee,** “O Mistress Mine,*’ “Look, Ma, I’m Dancin’,” “You Touched Me,” “Skipper Next to God,” “All You Need is One Good Break,” “The Privilege Car” (unprodUced), “At War with the Army,” “Montserrat,” “Goodbye, My Fancy,” “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “Me and Molly,” “Where’s Charley?,** “Clash by Night” and “The Man.” Increase in the number Of film deals has not yet brought any per- ceptible change in the legit produc- tion-financing setup pn Broadway. Producers and backers, who came more and more to discount the possibility of a picture deal in picking shows for legit presenta- tion, are apparently going along on the same basis. Fact that this atti- tude hasn’t changed may be due to the prevalence of percentage deals, which sound less spectacular than the large flat sums that were paid for screen rights some years ago. ‘Harvey’ Backers Suii$ Pemberton Withbeld Prolite ANTA f reildtnf Helen Hayes r«vi«ws,tlit fob of Hit American National Theotro and Acodcmy'i Job in Getting the l/.S. Public Back Into the Legit Habit * ♦ e .. r on Interoitlng editorial feoturO: In the 45th Anniversary Number of OUT NEXT WEEK ‘Charley’ Seeks House For Return B’way Run Prior to Coast Dates “Where’s Charley?” which re- opened Monday night (25) in Bos- ton to strong reviews, may be brought; back to New York for a limited run prior to its Coast en- gagement in the spring. The move apparently depends on the avail- ability of a suitable Broadway the- atre. One Shubert house, cuirent- ly occupied, is figured a prospect unless the show now playing there makes a sharp recovery. If the large-capacity spot in question gets the nod, “Charley” may . have a pop-price scale for the return en- gagement. With Ray Bolger resuming as star, “Charley” is tentatively set for T run of four to six weeks. That would give it a more or less similar period unbooked before it jumps to the Coast to open March 19 under Los Angeles and San Francisco Civic Light Opera spon- sorship. A Chicago engagement is not figured feasible at present, but will probably tollow the Coast stands. The film version of the Frank Loesser musical is slated for pro- duction by Warner Bros, next sum- nfer, with Ray Bolger again in the star part. The dancer-comic has been with the show since its Broad- way opening in the fall of 1948, his withdrawal because of exhaus- tion having finally forced it to suspend its Broadway run early last fall. Bainter’s Stock ‘Mine’ Phoenix, Dec. 26. Fay Bainter, Reginald Denny, Roddy McDowall and Ann Lee will play the principal parts in a re- vival of Terence Rattigan’s “O Mistress Mine” at the Sombrero Playhouse here, opening Jan. 9. OUT NEXT WEEK The 45th Anniversary Number 01 Fonns closing shortly Usnol Advertising rntes prevail Copy and space reservathns may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 1Y 154 W. 46th $t. HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yuicco St. CHICAGO 11 612 N. Michigan Ave* LONDOH. W. C. 2 8 St. Mortin'f Ploca Trafalgar Square Backers of Brock Pemberton’s production of “Harvey’* are suing the producer’s estate for $95,000 of undistributed profits from the play. Action was filed last Friday . (22) in N. Y. surrogate court, nam- ing the Chemical Bank & Trust Co., executor of the estate, as de- fendant. The suit is aimed to force distribution of the fund before the Government can take it as part of a claimed tax deficiency of around $300,000. The plaintiffs’ allegation is that the. $95,000, which was their share of the “Harvey”, profits, was never the producer’s property and Is thus not part of his estate. Tangled state of the late produc- er’s affairs stems directly from the Govemment'S tax claim. This in- volves a ruling that the, producer’s wife, Margaret, was not actually co-producer of his shows, aS he listed her in his Income tox re- turns, and was thus not -entitled to a full share of the management’s end of the profits. Treasury claims, covering several years, reportedly total about $300,000, which is more than the assets of the estate, : Bank Cautious Chemical Bank & Trust, which was appointed administrator of the estate after Pemberton’s desig- nated executor failed to qualify, has refused to distribute the $95,- 000 to the “Harvey” backers with- out some legal ruling that the coin is not part of the producer’s es- tate. Its position is that if the funds in question were ultimately deemed part of the estate, the bank might be held liable for the amount in payment of the Govern- ment’s tax claim. Under the informal letter of agreement between Pemberton and the backers, the precise distribu- tion of profits from “Harvey” were apparently not specified. The pro- duction was designated a “joint venture” and, following regular precedent in the trade, , profits were divided equally between the (Continued on page 45) BOOTH, JOHNSTON SEEN LEADS FOR ‘BROOKLYN’ Shirley Booth and film-radio singer Johnnie Johnston are tenta- tively set for leading parts in “Brooklyn Story,” the musical ver- sion of “A Tree Grows in Brook- lyn.” The few dance numbers in the show will probably be staged by Herbert Ross, and the scenery is being designed by Jo Mielziner. Tryout engagements are "pencilled in for New Haven, starting March 19, and Boston for three weeks* bo- ginning March 26, With the Broad- way premiere listed for the week of April 16, at an unspecified theatre. Miss Booth, currently co-starred with Sidney Blackmer in the tour- ing “Come Back, Little Sheba,” Is reportedly set for the Abbott mu- sical, with Johnston listed as a possibility. Music for the show is being written by Arthur Schwartz, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Overall director will be Abbott, who has also collaborated with Betty Smith on the adaptation of her own novel. The production Is being financed at $20Q,000, of which about $50,000 is being supplied by CBS. Europe Tour in Pact Hitch Plans to send a company of “Anna Lucasta’* to Germany to appear before U. S. Army audl- ciicto and then on a commercial tour of the Continent and the Brit*^ ish provinces, have apparently been dropped. There is some ques- tion of who was to have produced the show, which was being re- hearsed at the 48th Street, N. Y. Since no bond had been posted and the actors were not under contract, Actors Equity halted the project. According to Equity officials, John Wildberg, the original ‘Lucasta”, producer and presenter of“Black Chlffoii,”. current oc- cupant of the 48th Street, told them that the Army had requested the show and he was nierely try- ing to help but; Investigation* by the union disclosed that Army of- ficers in Germany had okayed a tour of the show there, but it turned out that the War Dept, in Washington had not arranged for transportation. 44 LEGITIMATB Wednesday^ Deceiiil>er 27, 1950 Bnt Biz Upturn Due This Week; Contrary to managerial expecta- About $18,200 (previous week, tions, attendance on Broadway Gdn- $21,000). tinued its seasonarslump right up «seasoii in the Sun,” Gort (13th through Saturday (231. It had^ been wk) (C-$4.80; 1,056; $24,967). About expected that tliero jould be^an Ugl.SOO ( $23,000). '‘Soolh Pacific,” Majestic (88th ^tfcrn and -lift Christmas week to a healthier : taSt veek. , „ AXTmA level. Receipts failed to make a ■ ”T6wer Beyond Tragedy ,» .A1J.TA comeback, howiever, being partlcii- ; Playhouse. f4th. wk) (Dr$4.80; 924; lai’iv weak at matinees. Business $19,900). Nearly $10,200 for seven was also off at shows giving per- ; performances; closed Thursday formances Sunday (24) and was ’ night (21) after 29 performances, disappointing again Monday night i Stock (25), but was due to slarl recover- j- «Arms and the Man/' Arena ing last night (Tues ). i ClOth wk) (C-$3; 500; $10,600). The total gross for air 22 shows . Nearly $4,300 (previous week, last week was $495,000, or 70(o ! $3^800). of capacily. The previous w:eek’si Openings show's was $590,800,1 “Captain Brassbound's Convcr- or 70.0o'f. ^ i slon ” City Center (C-$2.88-$3; 1 * — ^ : 3,025; $32,000). Shaw revival, co- limitod - engagement lower Be- j starring Edna Best and John Arch- yond Tragedy. No are , presented by N. Y. City Theatre due this week, but .Mister Roberts . budgeted at , $35,000;, cost winds up 3an. 6 after a Rreat run ; about $40,000 (includes two weeks’ ol almost three yeais. Theie are i 18-Week U. S. Tour in ’51 Pitched to Beecham Orch four openings this \yeek. Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), M f Musical J , 0 (Opera K Other parentheHc figures refer, respectively, to top price, number of seats and capacity gross, includes 20 9o amusement tax, hut grosses arc vet: i,e,, exclusive of tax. “Affairs of State,” Music Box n4th W'k) fC-$4.80; 1,012; $26,484). About $26,300 (previous W'eek, $26,500). ■ “Bell, Book and Candle,” Barry- more (6th wk) (C-$4.80; 1,066; $28,060). Hit the limit again, with parly commissions limiting the take to over $27,700 (previous week, $27,500). “Black Chiffon” 48th Street (10th w}^) (D-$4.80; 925; $22,165), Around $11,000 (previous W'eek, $11,300). “Bless You All,” Hellinger (2d W'k) (R-$7.20; 1,543; $55,000). Near- ly $48,700 for first full week (pre- vious week, first five performances grossed $34,600, Including $6,500 for a preview). “Call Me Madam,” Imperial (11th w'k) (M-$7.20; 1,400; $51,847). All the house will hold again, $52,500. “Cocktail Party,” Miller (49th Wk) (C-$4.80; 940; $21,600). About $6,500 (previous week, $6,800). “Country Girl,” Lyceum (7th wk) (D-$4.80; 995; $22,845). A 1 m o s t $20,600 (previous wek, $20,700). “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” Ziegfeld (55th wk) (M-$6; 1,628; $48,244). About $33,709 (previous week, $39,300). “Guys and Dolls,” 46th Street (5th wk) (M-$6.60; 1,319; $41,750). Hit the limit again, $42,200 (previ- ous W'eek, $40,600). “Happy Time,” Plymouth (48th wk) (C;$4.80; 1,063; $29,019). Al- most $18,500 (previous week, $20,- 000 ). ^ “Hilda Crane,” Coronet (8th Wk) (D-$4.80; 1,027.; $26,800). About $10„500 (previous week, $14,700), ' “Kiss Me, Kate,” Shubert (102d 1,361; $40,8573. Almost $22,800 (previous week, $25,100). “Lady’s Not For Burning,” Roy- ale (7th wk) (C-$4.80; 1,035; $27,- 100). Almost $24,700 (previous week, $25,900). “Member of. the Wedding,” Em- pire (50th wk) (D-^$4.80; 1,082; $24,- 196). Nearly $9,400 (previous week, $ 10 , 000 ). . . ’ .“Mister Roberts,” Alvin (144th wk) (CD-$4.80; 1,360; $34,276). Nearly $10,500 (previous week, $ 11 , 000 ). . ’ ^ “Out of this ; World,’^ Century ast vjt) (M-$6; 1,645; $49,000). Opened Thursday night (21) to five favorable notices (Chapman, News; Coleman, Mirror; McClain, Journal - American; Pollock. Com- ^^vo unfavor- able (Atkinson, Times; Guernsey, Herald Tribune) and one “take it or leave it” (Hawkins, World-tele- gram-Sun); first five perform- ances got the standee limit at $33,- 500. incliidiiig One previous for $6,400, . “Pardon Our French,” Broad- way 800 proximately $5,000 in bonds); opens tonight (Wed.). “Enemy of the People,” Broad- hurst (D-$4.80; 1,160; $32,000). Arthur Miller adaptation of the Ib- sen play, co-stars Fredric March and Florence Eldridge, presented p • _ j hy Lars Nordenson; production fi- - ’ nanced at $80,000, cost about $50,- 000 (excluding $25,000 in bonds) and can break even at around $17,- 500; opens tomorrow night (Thurs.). “King Lear,” National (D-$4.80; 1,172; $29,534). Shakespeare re- vival, starring Louis Calhern, pre- sented by Robert L. Joseph and Alexander H. Cohen; production financed at $65,000 (plus $6,500 overcall), cost about $83,000, plus $17,000 in bonds, and can bKak even at around $20,000; opened Monday night (25), to three pro notices (Atkinson. Chapman, Pol- lock), three con (Barnes, Coleman, Hawkins) and two undecided (Mc- Clain, Watts). “Twentieth Century,” ANTA Playhouse (C-$3; 924; $22,730). Re- vival of Ben Hecht-Charles Mac- Arthur comedy based on play by Charles B. Milholland, co-stars Gloria Swanson and Jose Ferrer; production budgeted, at $15,000^ cost about $15,000 plus $4,000 in bonds, and will break even at around $10,000; opened Sunday night (24), unanimously enthusiastic reviews.. Future Schedule “Second Threshold/' Morosco, Jan. 2 (trying out). “House of Bamarda Alba,” ANTA Playhouse, Jan. 7( rehears- ing). “Darkness at Noon,” Alvin, week of Jan. 11 (trying out). “Royal Family/' City Center, Jan. 10. “Four Twelves Are 48,” unspec- ified theatre, week of Jan. 15 (re- hearsing). “Angel in the Pawnshop,” Booth Jan. 18 (trying out). “Richard II,*' City Center, Jan. 24. “Green Bay tree /' Golden, Feb. 1. “Mary Rose,” ANTA Playhouse, Feb. 25. “Romeo and Juliet,” unspecified theatre, week of March 5 (rehears- ing). ‘Oklahoma’ GtOod $28,100 In Seven*Show Split Cheyenne, Wyo., Dec. 26. _ Not even , the traditional pre- Christma.s slump could quite stop “Oklahoma” last week as the Rodgers - Hammerstein perennial compiled a gross of $28,100 in seven performances. The Theatre Guild musical played Monday through Thursday (18-21) at the Uptown, Salt Lake City, and a matinee and evening show at the Lincoln here Saturday (23). Show is splitting this week be- tween Denver and Wichita. ,8uu in Riverside, Cal., Dec. 26. In three performances last week, I 1 ’900; $55,- I $16,800 gross ih the Theatre Guild ««« Was. laying off last week. I revival of You Like It ” Garden 1 Shakespeare . comedy played Mon- AlmosL $55,677). ! day night (18) at the^RLs mZ (previous week, loriuni, San Diego; Tuesday night -Peter f zo... i the\Civic Auditorium, P wk) (M -$4 80 1 r^dena. and Wednesday night ( 20 ) 3Q0 $3()4,80() Season’s total road gross so far. ....... . .$11,490,400 $9,946,500 Lull; Lunts Philadelphia, Dec. 26. The D’Oyly Carte Opera Co. wound up its four-week local stand at the Shubert, with biz slipping again after a marked improvement in the third stanza. Getaway week’s biz was just over $19,000. Local engagement can hardly be called ! a success and on strength of dis- appointing biz here and in Balti- more the Savoyards may end more, they will cut short their tour and will probably return to Britain in late February instead of April, possibly, winding up travels in To- ronto, although there is some talk of a New York visit just before sailing. “The Consul,” which preemed at the Shubert last season, started a two weeks’ return visit at the same house last night (Mon.)., Advance | sale has been only fair. Tonight (26), Sidney Kingsley’s new play, “Darkness at Noon,” will have its preem at the Forrest. It’s in for two weeks with Claude Rains as star. ‘ ■Brigadoon’ Pair $17,500 In Second Detroit Week Detroit, Dec. 26. i Second week of “Brigadoon” put j a fair $17,500 into the Shubert's | till. Current presentation is “Mis- ter Roberts,” in for a; week. The Cass is scheduled to reopen after a holiday hiatus on New Year’s i Day with the D’Oyly Carte Opera | Co., booked for a week. “Carousel” opened the Detroit Civic Light Opera’s eighth season last night (25) at Masonic Temple, Featured ate Jack Kiltj’, Iva With- ers, Dorothea MacFarland, Marion Ross and Dusty Worrall. Group’s j operetta series will run 10 weeks. ’Sheba’ $11,200 for Seven In 5-Day Seattle Stay Seattle, Dec. 26. Engagement bob-tailed to five days owing to a rail jump, “Come Back, Little Sheba,” with Shirley Booth and Sidney Blackmer in the leads, did a meager $11,200 in seven performances. Next legit attraction, Jan. 21-27, is Katharine Hepburn, in “As You Like It.” ‘Kate’ Moderate $23,500 In 7-Show Split-Week Memphis, Dec. 26. Touring edition of “Kiss Me, Kate” drew a mild gross of nearly $23,500 last week in seven per- formances spread over two stands. The Cole Porter musical played Monday and Tuesday nights (18- 19) at the Robinson auditorium, Little Rock, and Thursday-Satur-: day (21-23) at the Auditorium here. Show opened last night (Mon.) at the State Fair Park Auditorium, Dallas, for a 10-day stand. Threshold’ $10, ‘Death’ 15G, Hub Boston; Dec, 26. | Two newcomers to the Hub legit scene are “Where’s Charley?,” i which bowed in Christmas night at ; the Shubert with solid advance sales reported, and “Blossom Time,” in for a two- week stint at the Opera House. “Second Threshold,” at the Plymouth, and “Death of j a Salesman,” at the Colonial, fared so-so last week. Estimates for Last Week “Death qf a Salesman” (Colonial) (3d Wk) (1,500; $3.60). Off to about J $15,000, but should rebound this ! stanza, I “Second Threshold” (Plymouth) , (1st wk) (1,200; $3.60): Very un- exciting at just under $10,000. Final week current. Chicago, Dec. 26. Normally the worst week in Chi legit, last week’s take was temper- ed considerably by three hits. First stanza of two-week engagement of Sadler’s Wells was a bofT grosser, high above last year. Second week of “I Know My Love’’ was very strong too and of course, the SRO sign still stands on “South Pacific.” “Rose Tattoo” debuts Friday (29) and “Red, White and Blue” conies in Jan. 1 and “Ti-Coq,” the Frido- lin play, arrives Jan. 1.7. Estimates For Last Week VAngel in the Pawnshop,’' Harris (7th week) $3.80; 1,000). Dull $8,000* “Diamond . Lil,'^ Blackstone (14th week) ($4; 1,358). Weak $10,000 for pre-holiday stanza. “I Know My Love/' Selwyh (2nd week) ($4.40; 1,000). Fine $21,900. No Christmas performance, in keeping with Lunt tradition. . " Sadler’s Wells Ballet, Opera Hou.se (1st week) Sensation $116,000 showings. “South Pacific,” week) ($5; 2,100), again. ($4,94; 3,600), for first nine Shubert (6th SRO $51,300 ’Carvallo’ Folds in Cleve.; Final Week Poor $1 3,000 Cleveland, Dec. 26. Katharine Cornell folded her “Captain Carvallo” here Saturday (23), after landing an indifferent $13,000 in eight performances at the Hanna at a $3.70 top. Total production loss is reported to be over $40,000, but Miss Cor- nell and co-producer Guthrie Mc- Clintic, felt the play was too thin and shaky for Broadway, expect to recoup in selling stock and perhaps film rights. Take It Easy Second Avc. Theatre production of mu- sical comedy in two acts (five scenes),- with book by S. R. S. Bader,, music by Joseph Rumshinsky. lyrics by Molly I’icon. Stars Miss PlCon. Directed by Jacob Kal- Ich. Dances by Ruth Watson. At Second Aye., N. Y., Dec. 23. *50. Mr. Kreecher .Irving Jacobson Annie .................... Fanya . Rubina Sarah Molly .Picon Rebecca .. ............... .Natalie Comef Rachel ....... . . . ...;. . . . , Rayla Ostrow * Yossel Dave Lubritzky Uncle Elye ............. Gustav Berger Harry Leon Licbgold SosSel Esta Snltzman Stella Anne Winter* Steve Mae Schocnfeld Los Angeles, Dec. 26. , Absence of competition helped : “Twelfth Night” boost its business j last week. Century theatre occu- pant was the only legit offering in town for Christmas week and it grabbed off $3,300^an increase of about $ljl00 ovet the previous frame. Figure is still on the wrong sido of the ledger, however, and Shake- spearean revival probably won’t last more than another week. ‘innocents’ 9G, Mont’l Montrqdl, Dec. 26. / ‘The Inhocents,” starring Sylvia Sidney, eked , out a mere $9,000 last week at His Maje.sty’s, with the 1,579-seater scaled to a $3,38 top. Wayne & Shuster’s production of “Mother. Goose,” with Eric Christmas in lead is currently playing the house. This is the first panto to play Mohtreal in several years, and response to date is good. ‘Streetcar’ $11,200, Tor. Toronto, Dec. 26. After setting up a house record of $28,000 at a .$3.50 top at the Royal Alexandra (1,525) last sea- son, “Streetcar Named Desire’’ brbdied to a bad $11,200 at a $3 top. This was attributed to Xmas shopping, plus critical opinions that the current production, played for laughs, wa.s , not the deep, pene- trating version seen here on the previous ‘ jn Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), M (Musical), O (Opera). •Tour Twelves Arc 48” (C)— Aldrich Myers, Otto Pleminger, Julius Flerschmahn, prods; Premin- ger, dir. . “House of Bernarda Alba” (D)— ANTA-Stewart Chaney, Boris Tu- mann, Lily Turner, prods.; Tuma- nrt, dir. “Romeo and Juliet” (D) — Dwight Deere Wiman, prod.; Peter Glcn- Ville, dir. Molly Picon is back on Second avenue with a new musical, “Take It Easy,” and all is well on New : York’s lower East Side. If it isn't the best of the Picon-Joseph Rum- shinsky- Jacob Kalich offerings, it’s a pretty good one, and Miss Picon —who never takes it easy — works like a little Trojan in this one. She sings, dances, does Irnpersonations, conducts the audience in a modi- fied community-sing, and spreads the magic Picon personality for all its worth. And that’s plenty, A drunk scene she does early in the shovy is a special standout. The pint-size Ethel Merman this time IS an actress whose job is to prevent her philandering father from divorcing her pious mother, so as to. insure her own (Miss Picon’s) romantic, future. Job in- volves impersonating a male, in order to break up papa’s romance gold-digging nitery . hostes.s, which gives Miss Picon opportuni- ty to strut in white tie and tail.s, ^ do a cakewalk and taps, and even ; do an ajl-too-brief Charles Chaplin i takeoff. Some of her songs « are sock, and the lyi4cs (which, shef contributed for all the tunes) are romantic, timely or amusing. She’s supported by a good cast, irying Jacobson is genuinely funny her wa3’Ward father, and Esta Saltzman amusing as a lovelorn rustic. Rumshinsky’s melodies are derivative and familiar-sounding, but they fall in a sure, appealing pattern. Best tunes are the title song and “That’s How It Was.” Leon Liebgold, who is a manly hero, ^ngs his songs agreeably. Fanya Rubina, Natalie Comer and Ostrow have an appealing gibbath eve song number, and Mae Schocnfeld and Jacobson offer an amusing parody of pop U. S. tunes in ‘Yiddish, titled “Do You Remember.” Other cast-members, and a sing- ing and dancing chorus, are okay support. Kalich’s direction is smooth, as usual. Bron. Wednesday, December 37, 1950 45 Plays Abroad Brlgadoon Glasgow, Dec. 12. Prince Llttler, Jn association with rhei-vl Cfawford, production of musical nlav: booK and lyrics by Alan Jay ,Ler- Ser and music by Frederick LoeWe; pro- duction staged by Robert Lewis; original choreography by Agnes de MUle; dances rUtaged by Peggy Watson; orchestra un- der th^direction of K. Behrens. At Kings, ,. , By Jerry Gaghmi . . , I fSr‘‘uVoh^^^^ sle with a screenplay at Columhta. Giro’s has done over the upstairs , Minn.,, loi I'vo Arlene Dahl and Lex Barker bar and converted into a new 1 month,. tOwn s first legit stage. at- ^ -f ™dnn^eS LouJjge"‘‘’ - " 1 traction in years, ; ; ^ - j ounced, their engagement wLi? I trained in ffonv N. Y; for the holi- Ken Griffin and Perry Franks & James Grainger in town on a Janyo^nJo Hotel NicOllrt^^^S of Republic filni exchanges, sota Terrace with Cecil Golly or- ■ Jack Mahoney broke three ribs chestra. 'stunting in a Gene Autry picture. “Oklalioma” pencilled into Roch- ' Anita Loos in from N. Y, to ras- Paris By Maxime de Bei.x (33 Bivd. Montparnasse ) Marta Zenthy to Cannes for, twu-week dance stint. The Joe jHummels preppihg a long delayed trip to, U. S. ! Claire Le Glair disking Jimmy Davis’ new song, ‘'Les Rues de Ma Vire.”. i Julien Duvivier winding up i sliootih.g on his pic, ‘'Sous Le Ciel j de Paris.” . 1 locally-made pic “Wherever She Film will have early N. Y. preem here. ‘‘Song of Norway” comes into Royalv Sydney, for Xmas run via Williamsort-Tait. Cast includes Doreen Wilson, Charles Doming, Nina Cooke, Hendrik de Boer, ^iBerhai’d Manning and Robert ; Bernard. Big Bill’s musical bar latest: club to put in 'a. line. IS the Laucel Arce is producer and director of : and will include stands in W^ i-u-. 1 Tiii^pic Michigan^ Ohio, On-'^y®' By Helen McGill Tubbs Fred Mueller of U, A. back from London. Actor William C. Tubbs. to Paris French crix prize given this year j to make a film there. the .chorus.. Ed Sullivan will receive the fourth annual Journalism Award of 1 the B’riai B’rith at the Latin Gasino, Monday, Jan. 16. Jack Dia mond. who operates the Martinique, Wildwood. N. J , and agent Jolly Joyce, leave next week ■for Las Vegas, San Francisco and Hollywood on a tale^nt hunt. Theodore Preser Go,, local music publishing firm, has entered the recording business with an album by Rose Bampton, accompanied by Wilfred Pelletier’s orchestra. Harry Schwartz, one of the own- ers of Atlantic City’s Million Dol- iar Pier, is promoting tho$e new auto-bars, a serving unit which clocks the number of drinks poured. sin, Illinois, tario and New York. Sam Briskin. returned to work at Paramount after a long siege Oeared to presept national ! flu emergency, St. Paul’s 1951 Wint^ j Andre de Toth and Veronica carnival, annual winter Mardi Gras , will be two days shorter than originally planned, running from Jan. 27 through Feb; 2. By Gordon Irving Richard Todd may be guest of honor at Glasgow’s annual cinema ball, slated for Feb. 16. Louise BOyd, Scottish: soprano, touring South Africa in “Briga dpon,” sails home ,Jah. 10. (Nark and Murray, up-coming Lake put their California ranch on The New Swing Club, jukebox comedy duo, sighed for lead in to Robe a BrL!on’s fil lip' Geno Coi-vi Npitli Phtlly, ha., adopted ; 1951 strawhat stint at Dunoon, de Cairnagne.” Oliver Hardy at gala preem, of “Le Chateau de Verre” congratu- lated the wrong actor. Billy Wilder preeming his “Sun- sc. 3ou-evai*d” to the French press, with Erich Von Stroheim, one of cast toppers, on hand. Marie Dubas heading ca.st of hew revue produced and authored by Max Rognier at Porte St. Martih, titled ‘‘What a World.” . RoberL Hakim mulling a Span- 1 of the films at the Eliseo 1 ^ policy of playing name bands in Lois Maxwell si lined for role ih ttio area, Saturday nights. The; club Ray Long, dancer from N. Y ■ Ambassadors ish cppi’oduction of a story based on Madena Sahdor’s n o v e 1 , “Woman in the Night,” The Billy Wilders to Munich for a couple of days, and then to Switzerland for the holidays. Won t return home until February. Displaying their work at art ex- hibit of paintings by stage: and screen actors are Andre Clayeau, Micheline Presle, Rene Genin and Charles Trenet. Marianne Tvanoff and Roger Fenongeon, of the Paris Opera bal- let. getting assessed $800 fines each for deserting the French Opera Ballet company vvhile in Buenos Aires to accept offers bet- tering their monthly $80 French salary; Christian Foge, also of the French ballet, who resigned from a $25 monthly salary, drew a $280 clip. musicals, at Hotel with Bricktop, 20th-Fox will distribute “Thief Of Venice.” Maria Montez starrer made in Italy last year. , Maria Michi featured in the Theatre of Midnight, which opened 1 at the Fiametta recently. “Miracle of Milan,” Vittorio De Sica’s latest, release delayed be- cause of added fantasy scenes. Silvana ■ Mangano; deluged with offers after news of* American and Great Britain hit for “Bitter Rice.” Lady Berkeley of London started adoption proceedings for Italian child chosen to play lead in An- thony Havelock Allen’s production of “Pepino 8c Violetta” being lensed in Assisi. last five weeks. Clyde coast spot Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Jane Russell, Robert Mitchum and Donald O'Coniior cabled greetings to Gaumont-Ascot cinema in Glas- gow on its 11th anni. By George F. Gaal ’ O' “Bitter Rice,” Lux-Film pic, a hit all over Germany. New 300-seater legiter opened in Wiz'sbadeh this month. Director Alfred Bra iih in serious aulo accident in Berlin. Third legit house, intime thea- tr;'. opened in Goettingen. Cjcorge Bernard Shaw’s “Saint Joan.’:’ preemed in Leipzig, Eagle Libh’s “Oliver Twist” be- in synchronized in Bamburg. Hell a Lexington starrihg in Do rfler-Film’s “Midnight Venus.” New. film production company f 0 • ’ ad^d in Munich by Heinz Paul. T. S, Eliot’s “Gocktail Party” got Reno . Golden hotel featuring“Keyhole Follies.” Bob Taylor, of acrobatic Taylors, drafted. Entertainment spots completely recovered from the flood. Mapes Sky Room’s new show has Harry Noble and Frances King. Alice Tyrrell and Dick Winslow head reopening show at the River- side. up’s roving correspondent, Bob Miller, plans return from Indo- China in January. Clubs in slump in week before Christmas. Business expected to pick up in midst of holidays. Reno Press Club chartered Frank McCullough, Reno Evening Gazette repoi’ter, as, first prexy, NBC's KOH loses three of staff in a month to Las Vegas stations; Larry Geragh ty and George Platis, announcers, and Betty Stoltz, con- tinuity and women’s reporter. By Hal Cohen Bandleader Tommy Carlyn-s I wife okay again after a nervous i breakdown. i Joe Hi Per took annual Variety I Club .Christmas show to Western 1 1 Penitentiary. \ : Buck Waever lias taken over, ' personal management of singer ! Johnny Gallis.. Rosemary O’Reilly, local th^'usli, into Jackie Heller’s Carousel with Jerry and Turk, . Russell Swann and Stuart Mor- gan Dancers headlining new show at Terrace Room. Everett Thorner around , arrang- ing theatre cooperation for MM’ch of Dimes campaign. Playhouse will do “Velvet Glove,” by Rosemary Casey, local playwright, in April. Mrs. Carrie Levy, sister of Si Steinhauser, Press radio ed» died in Wheeling, W. Va. Tom Troy, manager of William Penn hotel, elected president of Chamber of Commerce. Alan Trench, WCAE salesman, in hospital for check-up while his dau.ghter, Judy, underwent appen- dix operation. Actress Helen Lake has left for New York to join her husband, J. English Smith, doing promotion Work for ANTA. By Emil W. Maass Ruth Boesciv and Hans to Teheran for concerts. American singer George London gave concert in Konzefthaus. Vienna Singing BOys under Peter Lakowitch off to U. S. for tour. Mozart birthhouse in Salzburg completely restored and open for public. Paul Hindemith’s newest string quartet preeihed in Konzerthaus concert. Schoenbrunn Film began work oh “Poor Sinner,” Paul Hoerbiger starring. Josef E. Sills appointed program director of American sponsored Red-White-Red network. the market. Jennifer Jones Selzhick home from hospitai after losing her ex- pected child; Viveca Lindfors planed in from Vienna to fulfill a commitmerit with Columbia. Charles Laughton wound up his recital tour in time to spend the holidays at home. Norman Siegel is the first Holly- wood film representative on the Z '. board of directors of the L. A. Pres.s Club. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans en- tertained 750 employees and their kids at the Republic Studio Club’s annual party. ^ Masquers Club staged a Ghris- mas show, “Virtue’s Reward,” au*^ thored by Bill Woodson, to enter- tain troops at Camp Cook. William Farnum in the hospital. Dan Dailey granted a three- month leave of absence by 20lh- Fox to continue his sanitarium treatment. Hal Roach setting up dancing schools, printarily for children, in Hnpnfl ^ conjunction with talent contests noepn ■, screen tests. First school will be established at tlie Roach Stu- dios on the Coast. AFM Strategy Continued from page 1 Barcelona By Joaquina G. Vidal-Qomis Amparito Carvajai and Yolena fiivt German stage preem in Dues- ! at Mexico niterj\ soldorf; looks like hit. j Albane, French singer, and Ed- Now theatres opened iii Ratze- [ die de Latte orch at Rigat nite- b’ ; . Pitllach^ Bordersholm, Wa- 1 club. Pragati Studio of Madras doing a 'Tamil version of Charles Dick- ft iv'doi' e ife, younger sister of the seven Ring- 1 Anna Block, as Block and Williams, ling brothers who made history in ' . the early days of the film the circus, died Dec. 21 following ; industry, Wiliams left the stage a istroke iii Sarasota, Fla. Mrs. and North made her home in the i holding every post of office mari- Florida city since the death of her j shipper, salesman and branch Wednesday’s (20) preem was a gala event, almost as piromineiit as opening night at the Met (“Don Carlo.” Nov 6). House was packed with society and its con- (oniitant of mink, and in addition was unusually strongly repre- sented liy legit, pix and radioites. Production’s Broadway tinge drew I lie in , an d performance was en- ihusiastically received by the audi-: ence. ' But, artistically, the production was a disappointment, doubly so in view of the preliminary high prospects. This was to be an un- usual occasion; first official . Met ‘‘Fledermaus’’ since 1905, with Philadelphia Orchestra maestro Eugene Ormandy in his operatic debut as its conductor. Further, it was a Broadway-slanted work, with new libretto by Garson Kanin, who was staging the work in fiis first operatic venture; hew lyrics by Howard Dietz; sets and costumes by Rolf Gerard (who designed “That . Lady” and “Anthony & Cleo- patra” last season for Broadway); and Broadway-nitery comic jack Gilford in his opera bow, in the iibn-singing, third-act role of jailer Fro.sch >the fir.st Broadway comic to appear in regular Met repertory). Ballerina Nana Gdllner was talking her first speaking role as Ida and Anthony Tudor had created new choreography for the ballroom scene to the music of Strauss* “Hoses. Frorh the South’* waltz. “Flederinaus,’’ as stated before, is more operetta than opera, and as much at home in legit as long- hair (witness its success as “Rosa- linda’’ on Broadway in 1942). But here the elements didn’t fuse, Broadway and opera running head- long into each other and producing a stodgy work that lacked wit and charm. Production, played altogether as I slapstick, had little distinction or style. Kanin’s book and especially Dietz’s lyrics were excellent fun, \\ ith many cute colloquialisms and double entendres. But Kanin’s staging was heavy-handed, and the second-act ballroom scqne, which should be sock, was generally heavy 6nd slow. Two bad miscastings also 1 urt. Accentuate the Positive . A performance sung in English should have had an all -English mcci east, thoroughly intelligible, oei Svanholm’s Swedish accent in t'lG iinportaht Eisensteih role made him mostly unintelligible, while j^iuba Welitch’s Bulgarian accept in her Rosalinda role was hardly Physically, she didn’t look llie part either, vvhile her singing 'vas routine, And except for Patrice Mu nse 1 , as the - maid Adele, and Rk‘ hard Tucker, as Alfred, the SI ngihg generally disappointed. Uise Stevens, playing the male role of Prince Orlofsky, was a hand- soine sight, and acted the snobbish I'oie perfectly, but she wasn‘t up to par vocally. Nor was there any par- ticular need to affect an accent, Which marred an understanding of ker. lines, ^ \ Miss Munsel, however, was a sen- saiion, \yith a pert acting perform- «hco and a stunning vocal job as ambitious maid. Her “Look MO over once, look me over twice’’ file show for many ihinutes, and her third - act , . , . , j .production, in which they miglit cises, which may include a manu- jiave found jobs when the majors facturer’s excise and possibly even didn’t want them— made it a year a tilting of the admissions tax. This, is what the excess profits tax bill provides for pictures: 1. The Big Five companies, be- ing forced to divest their theatre interests under the antitrust de- cree, wefe Worried about a tax base from which their normal and ex- cess profits would be figured. The. bill, as approved in the House- Senate compromise, Includes this picture reorganization in the sec- tion dealing with “growth C(prpora- fions.’* Thus, the successor com- panies will be permitted to share- on the basis of their worth- the base provided by the corporate earnings of the parent companies. 2. Companies may use any three years of the 1946-49 inclusive pe- riod for their base. Since 1949 was a recession year for many film companies, they will be able to figure normal earnings without in- clusion of 1949. Original sugges- tion by prexy Eric Johnston, of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, that corporations be permitted, as an alternative base, to figure 150% of earnings during the 1936-39 . pe- riod, was killed. .3. Iced coin held in foreign coun- tries will be credited as earnings in the years when tl^e dollars be- come available and will be figured as normal, instead of excess, profits and hence exempt from the excess profits levy. 4. The bill provides that the nor- mal and excess profits taxes of any corporation may not exceed 62% of the earnings of the corporation. Of reckoning Whether the inidustry will be able to deyelop from the new crop of hopefuls any marquee draws equal to the gigantic lures of the past is another question. No matter how much pressure is put behind a campaign, there’s no assurance that a player will catch the public fancy. In addition, there’s good reason to think that greater sophis- tication has somewhat reduced the hero-worshipping potential of the average .person, and so Hollywood may never again expect to spawn the cinematic demigods of the past. husband, Henry Whitestone North i in 1926. The only daughter in the big Ringling family, offspring of a German immigrant who settled at Prairie du Chien, Wise., Mi’S. North concentrated on a music career while her brothers began, a series of battles and mergers with other circuses in the late 1800’s. Upon the death .6f John Ring- ling, last surviving founder of Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Mrs. North and her son John Ringling North were named trustees and administrators of the Ringling estates. Included in the immense holdings were her son’s interest in the circus; the multi-million dollar Ringling Mu- seum of Art and the adjoining mansion built by John and Mabel Ringling, which were later turned over to the State of Florida for operation. With her son, John Ringling North, Mrs. North con- trolled 51% of the circus stock, which permitted them to win con- trol over a rival faction in a series of legal disputes. Two sons, John and Hchry Ringling and a daugh- ter survive. chief, with a number of pioneer companieSv Later he Continued in show busi- ness as a theatre manager. He also handled roadshows and Was a cir- cus advance man and bill poster. DANS'TANLEY David Steiner, 58; known pro- fessionally as Dan Stanley, died in New York Dec. 15. Wellknown oh vaude circuits as part of the dance team of Stanley and Birns with many dates at the Palace, and throughout the continent, His wife, two daughters, a son^ two brothers and a Sister survive. JACOB B. MAZUR / Jacob B. Mazur, 68, Musical di- rector, died in Chicago, Dec. 2J: For 25 years he was musical director for Chi Shubert theatres and for the last 11 years musical conductor at the Douglas Park Yiddish Theatre. Survived by wife, son and two daughters. H’wood Stars Continued from page 1 young players has taken place in MARRIAGES Shirley Temple to Charles Black, Del Monte, Calif., Dec. 16. She is a film actress. Ruth Roman to Mortimer Hall, Las Vegas, Dec. 17. Bride is a screen actress; he’s manager of KLAC and KLAC-TV. Florence Greene to Edward W. Cohen, New -York, Dec,, 24. Bride is television producer and personal representative. Muriel Becket to George Corn- stock, Los Angeles, Dec. 18. Bride operates the Metropolitan theatre in Seattle. Betty Farrington to Robert Dachau, Dallas, on Dec. 2. He’s a projectionist at KEYL, San An- tonio. Terry Chenier to Tom Maloney, San Antonio, recently. He’s film editor for KEYL, there. Jean Simmons to Stewart Grang- er, Tucson, Dec. 20. Both are screen players. Mrs. Christine ' Maria De Bal- vanjos Hapsburg to Gyorgy Sandor, Waterbup^, Dec. 20. He’s a Hun- garian pianist. MIKE CONNOLLY Mike Connolly, 63, retired talent agent, died Dec. 19 in Los Angeles after an illness of four years brought on by asthma and a heart condition. Starting 50 years ago as an usher in the Alhambra thea- tre, N. Y., Connolly became a song plugger, a reporter and a drama reporter before he shifted; to the film business as casting director for William R. Hearst’s Cosmo- politan Productions in 1917. Among the players he induced to switch from stage to screen 1 were Claudette Colbert, Franchot Tone, Pat O’Brien, Gladys George, Donald Woods and Ross Alexander. For a time in 1933 Connolly worked on Variety, but is not re- lated to the Mike Connolly who writes a column for Daily Variety In 1934 he returned to the agency business with Jenie Jacobs as a partner and four years later be- came business representative of the Screen Actors Guild. He was associated with the Freddie Fralick agency in 1946 when he had to re- tire because of illness. His wife, Marion, a son, George, and a daughter, Mrs. Susan Walker, survive. RIDGELY TORRENCE Ridgely Torrence, 75, poet and playwright, die.d Dec. 25 in New York. Survived; by wife. WILLIAM GRANT William Grant, 52, manager of the Monogram film exchange in Portland, Ore., died Dec. 18 that city after a heart attack. in Mrs. Alice W. Conners, 83, moth- er of James L. Conners, Albany, N. Y., correspondent for Variety, died suddenly in that city* Dec. 14* She was the widow of Michael F. Conners, one-time Albany County coroner and business' man. Three sons arid' a daughter survive. Mother, 79, of H, Leslie and Ralph Atlass, Chicago radio execs, died Dec. 24 in Chicago. H. Leslie Atlass is Chicago CBS veepee and general manager of WBBM; Ralph Atlass is president o^ WIND. Father of John E. Dugan, Jr., 20th-Fox salesman in St. Louis, died at his home in Wooster, O., Dec. 11. CHARLES W. HODGD0N Charles W. Hodgdon, 73, pioneer exhibitor and* president of the Princess Amus, Go., died in Wake- field, Mass., Dec. 19. Long identified with the enter- tainment business, he began his Dale Wilson, 56, theatre opera- tor, died on Dec. 6 at Elgin. Tex. He was owner and operator there of the El-Tex theatre. ^ *1.' * 1 1 career in 1902 as Boston represen- tative of the M. R. Sheedy circuit, David, Saaieguemines, riance, i. - . ♦ — . — rs-u the hopes of making stars of them. Dec. 21. Bride is a film actress; Tipoff to the change that’s cur- rently taking place is seen in the activities of both talent and public- ity departriients of the majors. The new-faces scouts are no longer lie- ing stringently restricted to hiring people for specific roles. Yo'ung. Broadwayites and others are once again being gandered as meat for studio contract lists and potential buildup. Pep Publicity Depts. Publicity departments, thus given something to work with, are once again under orders to . take the likeliest from among the pactees and give him or lij^r the fiiU treat- ment. As a matter of fact, a new crop of publicity men as well as stars may be in the offing. Some New York execs are known to be plainly vexed at the lack of imag- ination and vitality of . their Coast flackeries in selling new names to the public. This return to star emphasis is obviously the result of tlie drubbing the boxoffice has taken in recent ihonths. There’s been much head-scratching in that time to determine the cause of public apathy toward films. Lack of strong new stars has not been missed as a possible reason, partic- ularly inasmuch as the^ mazda names were synonymous with many of the industry’s best years. It's natural, therefore, to think of de- veloping new marquee giants in ati effort to recapture past glory. With the increasing failure after ‘^P'^u iinpcrsonatioiv number was a i the wnr of stars to insure b.o. siic- virtuoso bit. Gilford had ^ cess* for a pic, Hollywood turned he’s a French film director. Harriette Scheiner to Arthur Pine, New York, Dec. 24. He’s a theatrical publicist, BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. John Roerick, daughter, in Rockville Centre, N. Y., Dec. 13. FatheT is assistant eastern story editor of Paramount. Mr. arid Mrs. Bernard Kalban, son, Rockville Center, L. I., Dec. 21. Father is ad-pub head at Ethel Smith Music. ^ Mr. and Mrs. Johri Russell, son, Hollywood, DeCi 14. Father is a screen player. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pierce, daughter* Chicago, Dec. 16. Father is WNBQ transmitter engineer. Mr and Mrs. John Natale, daugh- ter, Chicago, Dec. 18. Father is a Chi NBC-TV technical director later entering the booking field with the Boston Banner Film Rent- al agency. In 1910 he opened a theatre in Wakefield, later extend- ing operations to Malden, Middle- boro, Worcester and New Hamp- shire in partnership with the late Frank J. Howard. One of the founders of the Independent Ex- hibitors, he had served the organ- ization in many capacities, and at time of his death was a member of the board of directors. For the past few years lie had been associated with his son * David; in the operation of twp the- atres in Wakefield, one in Middle- boro and had only recently taken over the Stoneham theatre. . Survived by wife and son. , Mrs. Amelia Rabinowitz, 75, mother of Bill Ross, Broadway- stiige manager and Equity Council member, died in New York Dec. 26. Bly Brown, 52, former stage and .screen actress, died Dec. 19 in Los Angeles. Father, 76, of Phil and Ned Mil- ler, Chi miisic contactment, died in Chicago, Dec. 16. Bergman-Rossellini Continued from, page 1 GEORGE MAYO George Mayo, 59, vet vauder, died in .Hollywood Dec. 21 of a heart ailment while visi t i ng a sister. Mayo did a comedy single Mr and Mrs Jeff Corev, daugh- l for years arid doubled with the texv Hollywood Dec; 18. rat)xerZis : late , lightweight fight champ. a screen player. Mr. and Mrs. Laurence A. Peters, son, Pasadena, pec. 18, Father is counsel for Pox West Coast The- atres. Mr. arid Mrs. Randy Honeywell, i son, Pittsbutghi Dec. 15. Mother is Marilyn McCabe, radio singer. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Naccarato, son, Pittsburgh, Dec. 6. Father’s with Atlas Theatre Supply Co. Mr. and, Mrs, James Riley, son, j Chapel, N. Y. Lawrence* Mass., Dec. 20. Father is an erigineer at WLAW, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Kramer, son, Dec. 25, Hollywood. Father is indie film producer; mother is Ann Pearce, film actress. Benriy Leonard, played Vaudeville. Mayo also appeared in “Man- hattan Mary’' arid played with USO-Camp Shows for four years in Europ.e during the past war. Survived by a son; two daugh- ters, arid a si.ster Lillian Watson, who did a vaude single for many years. Body is being sent to New York for burial. Services will be held Thursday (28) at the River- HARRY C* WILLIAMS Harry C. Williams* 75, veteran syndicate to put up all> the francs necessary to make a film with Miss Bergman there in return for giv- ing the group French rights. He reportedly hasn’t been successful in setting up the deal as yet, but it is anticipated that he’ll probably be able to make the arrangements eventually. His original plan was to start in February: ; Breen’s refusal of a seal to any Bergman-Rossellini effort resiulls, of course, from, the bad public re- action generated last year when the actress left her former, Jnis- bahd and daughter in Hollywood to go to Italy with the prodUGer, Ingi’id to Dub 'Stromholi’ Rome, Deo. 26. Ingrid Bergniari will speak the lines of her own role in the Italian version of “Stromboli,’’ currently being dubbed to. ready tlie filnv for the local m«Trket, Roberto Rossel- lini, husband of the star and di- rector of the RKO film, will direct the dubbing. \ Role played by Miss Bergman m the pic is that-of a Lithuanian dis- placed person, so the accent is practically a necessity. Upon completion of the dubbing, vaudevillian and showman, died in . Pittsburgh Dec. 15. Originally half ' the Rossellinis leave for Pans. rt:W \ 48 psssmff Wednesday, December 27, 1950 SMITH -WHITING -SHORE C.B. S. Five-A-Week SUMMER THEATRE, HOTEL and ONE-NIGHTER TOUR Now being booked BOI WEISS, Publicity, 6331 Hollyweoii Blvd., HullywMd 28 Hollywood PALLADIUM record set Scanned from microfilm from the collections of The Library of Congress National Audio Conservation Center Coordinated and sponsored by H E C I ^ MllsTaRV l: A search of the records of the United States Copyright Office has determined that this work is in the public domain.