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Publi*h«4 Weekly at 154 Wtet 46tb Street* New' York 35,. N. Y.. by Variety* Inc. Annual nibicrlptton, 910, Single\6optes. *5 cents. 
Entered as secong-class matter December 82. 1905. at the Post Office at New York, N. Y.. under the act of March 5. 1879. 


COPYRIGHT. 1956.. BY VARIETY, 


to new jLviRi x *> ua 

ALL RIGHTS &ESERVED 


Vol. 205 No. 1 


NiJW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1956 


RICE 25 CENTS 


LOST AUDIENCE’: GRASS VS. GLASS 


Why Exhibs Are Going Mad STICKS 

Feature Him availabilities on New York ty screens Monday (3) 
perhaps best Illustrate why theatre exhibs are getting frantic. 111101 

A widescreen dialer in New York metropolitan area (assuming HI I 

he had the patience) could h^ve stayed right through with the fol- 111U 

lowing potent schedule: 

5:30 p.m.—-Metro’s “They Met In Bombay/' starring Clark Gable/ By HY 

and Rosalind Russell on WCBS-TV’s “Early Show." 

7:30 p.m.—“Mr. Blandings Builds His’Dream House,” with Cary 

Grant, Myma Loy and Melvyn Douglas, on WOR-TV's qu *j ,, 
“Million £>ollar Movie” showcase. audience bac 

10:00 p.m.—“Ox-Bow Incident,” with Henry Fonda, on WATV’s ? rm ,! 

"All-Star Movie.” ous indi?st?v D 

11:15 p.m.—Metro's “Random Harvest.” witji Ronald Colman and th . ip 

Greer Garsoif, on WCBS-TV’s "Late Show.” S, 


Legion & DoO’ Pose Code Dilemma; ^ 
Positive Pic Biz Stand Is Asked 


Olympics-A Sock Sports Show-Pays 
Off As Aussie Prestige Presentation 


By BOB CONS1D1NE h 

^ Melbourne, Dec. 4. 

Hello from Down Under. How’s 
overything Up Over? 

When Millie and 1 first heard of 
6ur Olympic assignment—she for 
* HRS and 1 for INS—I hunted up a 
-George Solitaire of the travel 
'dodge and said, “We’ve got to get 
to Australia in the worst way.” 

“Really?” he said, surprised. 
•‘Then you’ll want to take a boat It 
takes six weeks.” So we compro- 
.mised on TWA, PAA, and ap air¬ 
line wh eh the public address an¬ 
nouncer at the Sydney air pprt 
.identified as “I.N.I.” Turned out 
.to he his way of saying, “A.N.A.” 
—as in Australian National Air* 
,ways. The whole thing took less 
than 40 hours which is remarkable 
when you realize that movies last 
that long these days. 

I can’t describe to you what the 
Olympics meant to this country. 
But try to picture an event in the 
U. S. that would consumer every 
. page of every newspaper from 

J ontpage to the goiter cure and 
uss ads, plus a vast percentage of 
tne radio and tv time, plus monop¬ 
olizing small and big talk. 

These people became Olympic 
buffs the moment they heard the 
(Continued on page 86) 


‘Cyrano’ Musical 
For TV & B way 

Tunesmlth Bernie Wayne has 
Written a musical adaptation of 
Rostand’s “Cyrano De Bergerac” 
•for tv. The musicalization will be 
packaged and produced by Theatri¬ 
cal Enterprises Inc., outfit which 
prepared “The Stingiest Man In 
Town” for a Christmas spec over 
NBC-TV. : r 

Plans arc also in the works to 
bring the. “Bergerac” musicaliza¬ 
tion to Broadway as a stage offer¬ 
ing after its tv display. In addi¬ 
tion to cleffing, Wayne continues 
as orch leader cutting for the ABC- 
Paramount label. His new album 
is due after the first of the year., 


‘Bells’Ads Toll for’58 

“BellS\Ar,e Ringing” is topping 
itself in longrange ads. The musi¬ 
cal, which placed its first mail or¬ 
der ad approximately six months 
before its Broadway opening last 
Thursday (29 )l is now plugging ,for 
such orders .^from next April 1 
through Jan. 1, 1958. r- 

“=The Theatre Guild production, 
starring Judy Holliday, drew five, 
affirmative reviews and two nega¬ 
tive from the New York crix, .and 
has been doing standee-limit busi¬ 
ness, with a steady line at the b.o. 

Gunpowder. Bomb 
Seen Teenagers 
Own Vendetta 

Saugus, Mass., Dec. .4. :. 
A home-made bomb was explod¬ 
ed. in the Saugus State Theatre, 
na’be house, in an attempt to kill 
the manager, it was disclosed here 
Friday’ (30), as the state fire mar¬ 
shal’s , office joined Saugus policy 
artd fire officials in a three-pronged 
investigation, ./The bomb, which 
caused damage but no injuries, ex¬ 
ploded Sunday (25), but news of 
its nature was withheld by police 
pending the probe. 

An anonymous call was made to 
the . theatre and answered by a 
cleaning woman on Monday (26), 
police revealed. Referring to the 
theatre manager, Harry Golden, a 
male voice threatened: “We didn’t 
get Golden- - this time, but we’ll 
get him yet.”- Golden manages the 
theatre. for owner Richard Rubin 
of Newton.. . r 

The..bomb /was discovered by 
Robert Hayes,. 16, an usher, who 
told police he beard a hissing.noise 
and . traced it to . Golden’s office. 
The bomb had already exploded, 
shattering the 1 , office door. It was 
eight inches long, stuffed with gun¬ 
powder and wrapped in tinfoil. 
Police Indicated belief that the 
(Continued on page 20) 


By HY HOLLINGER 

What type, of pictures are re¬ 
quired to lure the so-called “lost 
audience” back-to theatres? The 
answer to this all-important ques¬ 
tion is, of course, elusive, and vari¬ 
ous industry pundits, depending on 
their personal needs, are proposing 
different product formulas for Hol¬ 
lywood to follow. What appears 
to be developing is a serious schism 
between the smalltown rural com¬ 
munities and the large key cities. 

It wasn’t very long ago that in- 
dustryites, both in exhibition and 
distribution, insisted that the only 
pictures that could possibly com¬ 
pete successfully in an era of tele¬ 
vision saturation were the big, ex¬ 
pensive blockbusters and the un¬ 
usual, off-beat films with adult 
themes that tv could, not handle.* It 
was further contended that the so- 
called family pictures and mass ap¬ 
peal action films no longer fitted 
the pattern required by theatres 
since entries of this sort could be 
seen in abundance on television. 

In a comparatively short period, 
however, there appears to have 
been a complete reversal of the 
pendulum in relation to this think¬ 
ing. The cry, surprisingly enough, 
is for pictures that appeal to fam¬ 
ily groups and to teenage audi¬ 
ences. The new demand was par¬ 
ticularly evident at last week’s an¬ 
nual convention in Dallas of Allied 
States Assn. The convention, which 
appeared .to be dominated by ex¬ 
hibitors from smalltowns and rural 
areas, devoted much attention to 
pitching a return to the type of 
'film-making which only recently 
was considered boxoffice poison. -. 

Last week at Dallas’ Allied 
States convention keynoted Roy L. 
Kalver, who operates two theatres 
(Continued ,on page 86) 

Dorsey Finns On 
Block For $300,000 

With the death last week of 
bandleader Tommy Dorsey, interest 
increased in the possible sale of 
his music .publishing interests. 
Dorsey owned 100% interest in an 
ASCAP firm, Dorsey Bros. Music, 
and a BMI firm, Embassy Music, 
Both of these were on the market 
while T.D. was alive and the asking 
price was around $300,000. The 
firms now revert to the estate, 
which can set another price. 

The Dorsey ASCAP firm has 
such copyrights as “I Should Care,” 
“There Are Such Things,” and 
“Until,” while the BMI catalog in¬ 
cludes numbers like “This Love of 
Mine,” “I Dream of You/’ “Violets 
For Your Furs,” “Opus One” and 
“Will You Still Be Mine.” Also 
included in the Dorset music 
(Continued on page 76) 


Col’s 3 Golden Pops 

For the first time in its history, 
Columbia Records is riding with 
three concurrent 1,000,000-plus 
selling singles. The sides which 
passed into the golden disk circle 
last week are Doris Day’s “What¬ 
ever Will Be, Will Be,” Johnnie 
Ray’s “Just Walkin’ in the Rain,” 
and Guy Mitchell’s “Singing the 
Blues.” 

Although each has passed the 
1,000,000 sales mark, the three 
platters are continuing to set the 
sales stride for the label’s pop 
line. The Mitchell side, inciden¬ 
tally, was cut a la Elvis Presley (an 
RCA Victor artist) and it marks 
the first time a carbon has given 
the original such a close run for 
the- money. . 


U. S. in Antitrust 
Suit Vs. RCA-NBC; 

Asks Divestiture’ 


/ Washington, Dec. 4. 

A precedental civil antitrust ac¬ 
tion was filed today (Tues.) by the 
Justice Dept, against RCA and its 
NBC subsidiary in Philadelphia 
District Court, charging the elec¬ 
tronics manufacturer and its net¬ 
work subsidiary with violation of 
the Sherman Act in its exchange 
of’ statiohs’' with Westinghouse 
Broadcasting Co. in Philadelphia 
and Cleveland. 

The suit is the first such anti¬ 
trust action against any network, 
and follows intensive grand jury 
investigation of the swap whereby 
NBC traded its Cleveland radio 
and tv stations for Westinghouse’s 
Philadelphia outlets and $3,000,000 
in cash in May of 1955. 

The suit has far-reaching* impli¬ 
cations. For one thing, the com¬ 
plaint' asks the court • to order 
“such divestiture^of NBC’s assets 
(from RCA) as it may deem nec¬ 
essary and appropriate.” For an¬ 
other, it implies that a network’s 
power to grant or withhold affilia¬ 
tions may be in violation of the 
antitrust laws. 

Complaint alleges that the de¬ 
fendants ’ “unlawfully' combined 
and conspired together to obtain 
VHF ’tV station' Ownership’in five 
of the eight largest markets in the 
U.S. by the unlawful use of NBC’s 
power as a network to grantor to 
withhold NBC network affiliation 
for the tv stations of NBC affili¬ 
ates. 

“This combination or conspir¬ 
acy,” the complaint continued, 
“has been carried out .in part by 
the acquisition in Philadelphia of 
the tv and radia stations formerly 
(Continued on page 20) 


By FRED HIFT 

Legion of Decency's blast vs. the 
Production Code in connection 
- /ith the issuance of a seal for 
“Baby Doll” has, again, spotlighted 
the predicament Qf the Code and 
the industry’s need to take a stand 
behind it. 

In condemning the Elia Kazan- 
Tennessee Williams story last 
week, the Legion noted that the 
film was “an obvious violation 
of the spirit and purposes of the 
Motion Picture Code.” It said, “The 
subject matter of the film indicates 
an open disregard of the Code by 
its administrators.” 

This isn’t the first time that a 
rift between the Code and Legion 
approaches has been obvious. Early 
last year, the Catholic group made 
it amply plain what it thought of 
Code “laxity.” This came at a time 
when several of the studios had or¬ 
dered changes in films that already 
had received a Code seal because 
the Legion had indicated that the 
Code-approved versions would 
draw “C” ratings unless altered. 

The “Baby Doll” case has 
brought up a number of pertinent 
points. One is that, in thq lijght of 
Hollywood’s obvious determination 
to go for “offbeat” themes, the 
Code will be faeffd with difficult 
decisions that will require some 
sort of definition of just where self T 
control starts and where it endsi 
Another is that, again in the 1 light 
of upcoming projectsrthe industry 
will have to take a positive stand 
(Continued on page 86) 


Lawrence Tibbett 
As MBS Disk Jack 


Mutual has signed Lawrence 
Tibbett to do a two-hour nightly 
music show, which will find the 
former Metropolitan Opera star 
hosting a record show which will 
range from pop to current show 
tunes, semi-classical music and 
folk songs. 

Thinking behind the move is 
that local stations, while they may 
be able to spin records, cannot 
corral a personality such‘‘as Tib- 
be 4 t to serve as emcee. As host, 
Tibbett will tell of some of,, his 
associations with the- music aired, 
occasionally sing a chorus or two, 
and relate anecdotes.' The show 
tentatively is set to kick off Dec. 
17. It will be slotted Monday- 
thru-Friday from 10 to midnight 
and‘Sundays, t" > sar.e hours. Carl 
Hohengarten \ ' .irect and work 
closely with Ti -tt on the selec¬ 
tion of the records. 

Taken out of the slot will bo 
mostly “Music From Studio X,** 
which has been fed to the net by 
WOR, Mutual’s New York flag- 
1 ship. 







MISCRU4SV 



The Havana Las Vegas axis is 4 
getting to be! even more pro- 1 
nounced now .that the Cuban, cao- 
ital is negotiating for airliners to 
service that town from Dallas and 
New O-leans. Vegas has Ion? re¬ 
lied. on Texas oil money for a 
healthy share of its revenue and 
now Havana is seeking to divert 
a lot of that coin. 

Havana operators feel that when 
such money is diverted to Cuba,- it 
will be able to get a bigger play 
frcm some of the spenders than 
Las Vegas. It’s held that the aver¬ 
age L?s Vegas vacationer stays 
ju£t short of two days. That’s be¬ 
cause bulk of the tourists come by 
automobile. However* plane and 
train vacationers remain longer. 
In Havana, with no. automobile 
tourism, the average stay is e\^ 
pected to be considerably longer. 

Resemblance between Las Vegas 
and Havana is growing. Las Vegans 
already identified with casino ven¬ 
tures in Cuba include Wilbur Cla 'k 
of Vegas’ Desert Inn; Jack Entrat- 
ter of/the Sands, who will be in 
chargdmf a new hotel still under 
construction; Lefty Clark, now in 
charge of the Tropicana casino 
v.ho was formerly with the nea'by 
Sans Souci. And there’s possibility 
that the upcoming hotel of the Hil¬ 
ton chain will call on Las Vegas 
ltffowhow for the operation of its 
casino. 


Murphy Talent Head 
For Ike’s Inauguration 

Washington, Dec. 4. 

George Murphy, Metro’s travel¬ 
ing ambassador and a biggie in 
Califo rnia GOP politics, has been 
named to head entertainment in 
connection with President Eisen¬ 
hower’s inauguration in January. 

This involves principally the fes¬ 
tival to be held on Jan. 19 at both 
the National Guard Armory and 
Uline’s Arena. Top name talent will 
be sought for the double-header. 

Inaugural will also involve a con¬ 
cert, ball, and parade. , 


Pat Boone’s Cap V Gown 
And Film Career, Too 

j Columbia Urtiv;/ New York, hav¬ 
ing' okayed leave of absence from 
studies - without jeopardizing his 
Phi .Beta Kappa chances, singer 
Pat Boohie r will make his film debut 
in “Bernardine” for 20th-F.ox 
starting Feb. 4. 

Boone had held up signing a 
contract until he received assur¬ 
ances'* that his film career would 
not impair his , chances for aca¬ 
demic honors. Director Henry 
Levin was in N.Y. yesterday 
(TuesJ) to begin going over film 
pla»;s. Meanwhile, Cecil Bern¬ 
stein, managing director of Brit¬ 
ain’s Graiiadjt Theatre group, sgid 
that Boone makes his British bow 
Dec. 26 at,the Granada Theatre, 
to be followed by a tv appearance. 

BALLERINA SUES 20TH 
FOR ‘KING & I’ SLIGHT 

Ballerina Gemze De Lappe filed 
suit in N. Y. Supreme Court last 
week against 20th-Fox, Darryl F. 
Zanuck, Charles Brackett, and tjae 
Roxy Theatre charging that she 
did not receive proper credit in 
“Th^f King and I.” 

Through her attorney, Barry S. 
Cohen, the dancer alleges that the 
producers “negligently, willfully 
and maliciously” refrained from 
giving her “the proper and appro¬ 
priate credit due her by virtue of 
her having created^and performed 
the role of King Simon of Legree” 
in “The King and I.” Instead, Miss 
De Lappe claims, they credited the 
role to a dancer who did not per¬ 
form it. In thie picture, the bal¬ 
lerina recreated, the role she origi¬ 
nated in the JBf;6^dway production. 


PffRl&rr 

’J’imp Is Money 

i . IJollyWood, D^p. 4. 

• New. pro4>f that; things were 
, cheaper in! the good did days 
■* came to itilel Sliavelsdh and 
Jack Rose, whose indie firm 
will biopic the Wright Broth¬ 
ers for Paramount release.’ 

When the Wrights assembled 
their first plane at ; Kitty Hawk 
in 190.3, it cost them\$?85. 'To 
make a facsimile bf the famed 
ship for the .filnj, producers 
have received b'ds as follows: 
non-flying. duplicate, $45,000; 
practical model,-$75,000. 


We<!,ne»dayj^ (1 $,\l9$6 


Go to Bat in D C,; 
Vs. 10 & 20% Tax 

Washington, Dec/4. 

The new Congress does not be¬ 
gin its sessions for another month, 
biit it is already \mder a show hit 
barrage fo£ further reduction and 
elimination of the excise taxes. The 
Forand Subcommitee of the House 
Ways and Means Committee heard 
pleas last week for legislation to: 

1. Slash the 20% nitery bite. 

2. Eliminate the 10% tax on 
tickets to legit, concerts and lec¬ 
tures. 

3. Wipe out the 10% manufac¬ 
turers’ excise on phonograph rec¬ 
ords and tape recorders. 

The heaviest heat was turned 
on to get action again x the 20%i 
cabaret tax . Pleas came mainly 
from musicians who emphasized 
(Continued on page 76) 


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Coi’Id Sherm Billingsley 
Libel ‘Toots’ Without 
A Prepared TV Script? 

Libel has always been consul 
ered as any written defamatory 
matter while slander concerns the 
spoken word. But last week in 
what may be a precedental ruling, 
N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Wil¬ 
liam* C. Hecht Jr. held that a'tele¬ 
cast of defamatory material not 
read from a prepared script combs 
within the scope of libel. 

Ruling stemmed from prelimi¬ 
nary legal jousting on a defama¬ 
tion suit which restaurateur Ber¬ 
nard (“Toots”) Shor is pressing 
against rival cafe owner Sherman 
Billingsley. Former’s action claims 
that Billingsley defamed him via 
certain remarks made in the 
(Continued on page 86) 

CURB 2 ‘UNAUTHORIZED’ 
FILMS OF THE OLYMPIAD 

By COL. BARNEY OLDFIELD 

(Author of the hook, “Never a 
Shot iri Anger”) 

Melbourne, Dec. 4. 

Film bootleggers are having a 
rough go at the Olympics, with the 
film cans of two “unauthorized” 
teams under clamps here. 

One of them, lensed by a Japa¬ 
nese unit, got caught in the Com¬ 
monwealth Film Censorship Board 
through which all film' slated for 
export must move. The other, shot 
by an American team of four peo¬ 
ple who had passed themselves off 
as “still” photographers, had ac- 
(Continued on page 76) • 



London, Dec. 4. 

Norman Del Mar will conduct 
the full Royal Philharmonic Or¬ 
chestra to accompany Louis Arm¬ 
strong when the American, trumpet 
player donates his services at ‘ a 
concert here in aid of the Lord 
Mayor of London’s Hungarian Re¬ 
lief Fund. 

Concert takes place at the Royal 
Festival Hall on Tuesday, Decem¬ 
ber 18, and Armstrong is reported 
to have cancelled a 22,500-dollar 
booking at Miami Beach in order 
to make the date. The Musicians’ 
Union has given the okay to BBC 
to televise part of the concert, 
which is being promoted by a com¬ 
mittee under the chairmanship of 
Royal jazz-fan, Gerald Lascelles, 
cousin of the Queen. Lascelles is 
writing a special tribute to Arm¬ 
strong in the souvenir program. 

Ticket prices for the concert 
range from $1.50-$28. # 


If HI* 

‘ Show biz biographies and kin¬ 
dred works, which rely on name- 
dropping for authenticity and ap¬ 
peal, are too oftentoead -from the 
back—meaning the Index. Thus, 
whatever name, .or event interests 
the •• reader particularly is first 
scanned. 

A quick gldinming of Fred Al¬ 
len's posthumous memoir, “Much 
Ado About Me” (Little, Brown; 
$5) discloses nine references to 
Variety and four to Sime Silver- 
man, founder - editor - publisher. 
Taken out of context, the' very 
first reference to both might be 
construed that the comedian hatl 
been nursing a /Jf0-year grouch 
when he recountis an incident at 
Proctor’s 5th Ave. Theatre (on 
[ Broadway and-/28th St.)) which 
[Siipe frequently covered in pref¬ 
erence to the Palace or other flag¬ 
ship assignments. It wasn’t as 
much giving himself the “worst” 
assignment but the. house was im¬ 
portant, as a near-Times Square 
’showing” theatre where agents 
and bookers cased possible candi¬ 
dates for a bigtime route. 

Irked by aft eager-beaver ad 
solicitor, Allen recounts, “He 
played his trump card: He told me 
that Sime, editor of Variety, was 
going to review the show that 
night, and that he, the (ad) rep¬ 
resentative; would like 'to go back 
;o tlik office and tell Sime that I 
had taken an ad. I told him 
vhatyhe^could tell Sime. I don’t 
kio^r what;-if anything, he did tell 
3ime, but I do know that Sime 
Appeared at the theatre that night, 
reviewed the show, arid panned 
the life dut of me and my act . . .” 

However, within 'the same chap¬ 
ter Allen reprises that he not only 
flopped at the 5th Ave. but was 
canned at the Palace, which he 
first entered via an emergency 
booking. In sequence Allen 
flopped several times more before 
he- made the grade. So while the 
above sounded like a gratuitous 
gripe, Allen records two rave re¬ 
views in the paper, one a New Act 
notice Oct. 4, 1925, when as part 
of. (Bert) Yorke & Allen, doing 
18 mins. 4n “one,” when Dave 
Gordon booked them finally into 
the Palace, the reviewer conclud¬ 
ed : “As g. single, Allen was • too 
fast and/refused to > compromise. 
With his present partner the act 
contains all the necessary elements 
for the poets and peasants, and is 
geography proof. They’ll \like 
Yorke & Allen, from half a Buck 
up/o $5.50.” 

lien reprises that when his 
;ent, Dave Gordon, and Palace 
looker Eddie Darling caught 
them at the Fordharn and spotted 
his act, titled “Disappointments-of 
1927” at the flagship bigtime show¬ 
case, Variety wrote: 

‘Aside from Fanny Brice and 

e .Gus Edwards Revue, the out¬ 
standing turn was Fred. Allen, do¬ 
ing Xnew solo line of patter, 20 
minute^ofas sparkling a monolog 
as can befeqnd hereabouts. Al¬ 
len is one of\the exceptional 
comics who can geKhonest laughs 
without hokum. The material is 
meaty with witty surprises.. Port¬ 
land Hoffa, nice looking girl, does 


. t . i . ^ 

>»»»♦» »♦ > ♦♦♦ ’MM »+ # » ♦ » » + ♦ " » ♦ » 4 

assistant fon brief interruptions, 
but otherwise rAllen alone sustains 
an ’ amusing interlude.” . 

kljeri-includes in .life book ex* 
cerpts from the “Near Fun” col¬ 
umn he did in Variety when Sime 
gave, him the .opportunity to .pick 
up where ; the • late Tommy Gray 
had left off! Allen knew that 
“Tommy’s Tattles” had made Gyay 
a force in show business; that, ac¬ 
tors .were .constantly quoting his 
quips and Gray -was getting writ¬ 
ing assighme’nts, <ptc, Allen alto 
did several extended columns in 
three Anniversary Numbers of the 
paper. 

It was at this time, when his 
show biz fortunes were again 
downbeat, that Allen approached 
Sime and offered to work for $60 
a week as a Variety staffer. He 
recounts, “As I talked, Sime was 
busy rummaging around in a 
mound of editorial debris that lit¬ 
tered his desk; from time to time 
he looked up to see if I was still 
there. When I 0 mentioned small 
salary the second time, Sime 
stopped foraging, looked up again 
from his rubble,, and. said, ‘Do you 
know what Variety’s advertising 
l’ates?’ I said I didn’t. ‘You get 
two columns a week,’ Sime con¬ 
tinued. ‘If you took a two-column 
ad, you’d have to pay for it.’ Pick¬ 
up a pencil and salvaging a small 
pad of paper from the desk litter, 
he said, ‘Let me show you.’ He 
started scrawling away at some 
figures, when he had finished his 
wry smile and said, ‘It seems to 
me, at current advertising rates. 
Variety is paying you about $200 
for this column you’re writing’.” 

What Allen didn't dig. appar¬ 
ently, was that Sime felt the 
comedian's greater talertEs^were 
in comeaianing. not writings The 
latter was incidental. ^History 
proved both Sime and Allen right. 
But out of context, it would 
appear Allen may have been nurs¬ 
ing a 30-vear grouch. 

(Parenthetically, as this journal 
of trade Information—hasr—been^. 
making more to’ more with the 
True Confessions bit, and not a 
little soul-searching, two footnotes 
in re Fred Allen re Variety come 
to mind. One has to do with Walter. 
WinchelL There, again, an overly 
eager-beaver ad representative had 
solicited the columnist backstage 
at the Broadway Paramount. What¬ 
ever the “scripts” that ad hustlers 
are prone tp give *out with—and 
Variety doesn’t stand for much 
nonsense along those lines—Sime 
objected to Winchell chiefly be¬ 
cause he felt that he (WW); having 
been ad solicitor for the old]Vaude- 
ville (NVA) News, before starting 
to columnize for the N.Y. Graphic, 
he should have understood the 
paper better. This (1) had nothing 
to do with the great help given 
Winchell by the founder-editor- 
publisher of this paper, and which 
the columnist has often and volun¬ 
tarily acknowledged, nor (2), even 
the fact that Winchell, of all out¬ 
siders, should have known how 
divorced is ad solicitation frorii 
any “notice” in the paper. The 
entire credo of Variety is founded 
(Continued on page 76) 



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FOUNDED 1905 by SIME SILVERMAN; Published Weekly by VARIETY, INC. 

. Syd Silverman, President ^ 

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ABEL GREEN, Editor 


Volume 205 


Number 1 


Bills .*76 

Chatter .. 85 

Circus Review . 72 

Concert, Opera . 82 

Film Reviews . 6 

1 4 House Reviews . 73 

Inside Pictures .27 

Inside Radio TV . 43 

International . 16 

Legitimate . 77 

Literati .: 84 

Music . 57 

New Acts .73 


INDEX 


Night Club Reviews .... 74 

Obituaries . 87 

Pictures .!. 3 

Radio . 32 

Radio Reviews . 43 

Record Reviews.58 

■ Television . 32 

Television Reviews .... 36 

TV Films. . r « 

Unit Reviews ........ . j 

Vaudeville . 68 

Wall Street . 20 

Insert Alphabetically . 


DAILY VARIETY ^ % 

(Published in Hollywood by Daily Variety, Ltd.) ,v 
515 a year. $20 Foreign. 






































^Wednesday, December 5 f 19^ 



Formalize Than as M-G Studio Head; 


Yates Hurries Sale of Post-1 


Name Exec Staff; Accent on ‘Unit’ Fix NOT GOING THRO Republic Pix; Thereby Thwarts 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. - 

Benjamin Thau, Metro v.p. and a 
top studio exec since 1932, today 
(Tues.) was formally appointed ad¬ 
ministrative head of the Culver 
City lot by Joseph R. Vogel, 
Loew’s-Metro president. 

Confirming Variety’s, exclusive 
of last week, which also revealed 
detays of Dore Schary’s bowout as 
production head, Vogel announced 
that working with Thau as an ex¬ 
ecutive staff will be E. J. Mannix, 
J, J. Cohn, producer Lawrence 
Weingarten, story editor Kenneth 
MacKenna, Saul Rittenberg and 
Marvin Sehenck. With the excep¬ 
tion of Rittenberg, an attorney 
who joined M-G within the pa^ 
year, all had served in a siml*ai 
capacity under the 'Schary regime. 

Vogel offered this aside re the 
new administrative bossw “Ben 
Thau is one of the best known ex¬ 
ecutives in the motion picture 
industry and perhaps one of the 
least known to the public. Quiet 
and unassuming, his name rarely 
appears in print." Many film vet¬ 
erans doubtless will readily agree 
that through the years Thau has 
never taken any spotlight although, 
in yelping to build the great deals 
in the present time, he’s had one 
of the top industry jobs on the 
Coast. 

After working as a booker ^or 
''fhe . Keith and Orpheum vaude j 
companies, Thai} joined Loew’s | 
Theatres in 1927. It was his as¬ 
signment to package the talent for 
the Capitol Theatre, New York, 
and other big stageshow houses in 
the Loew’s chain. Five years later 
he was brought to the Coast by 
(Contjnued on page 86) 


Schary Eclipse 
Part of Change 
From Autocrats’ 


Bowout of Dore Schary from the 
kingpin production role at Metro 
serves toIdraw further attention to 
the fact that the final chapter is 
being written on the era of the 
film czar, \,His predecessor,' Louis 
B. Mayer, was the monarch of Cul¬ 
ver City, whereas certain “com¬ 
mittee” controls were, placed upon 
Schary. Yet, the latter was still 
the boss, indisputably the top man 
in all matters pertaining to pro¬ 
duction. The boxoffice fluctuations 
of M-G pictures were his respon¬ 
sibility. 

To that extent, Schary was the 
czar, as was Darryl F. Zanuck at 
20th-Fox, Jack (with Harry) War¬ 
per at Warners, Harry Cohn at 
Columbia, etc. 

W^th M-G veering more and 
(Continued on page 7) 

✓WRITERS' HARVEST 

Lazar Deals For Meyer Levin and 
Peter Viertel Works. 

Two properties, both agented by 
Irving P. Lazar, were acquired for 
the screen last week. 

One was Meyer Levin’s book, 
“Compulsion," which Darryl F. 
Zanuck bought in a pre-production 
deal involving a legit version to be 
followed by a picture. The other 
was “White Hunter, Black Heart," 
by Peter Viertel, on which the 
Hecht-Lancaster unit took a $5,000 
option vs. a $30,000 purchase price. 

Zanuck paid $150,000 down 
against a top $300,000 for “Com¬ 
pulsion." In addition, Levin col¬ 
lects 10% of the gross of the legit 
show and 7V£% on the film net. 
“Compulsion” recounts the Loeb- 
Leopold story, treated on the 
screen once before by Alfred 
Hitchcock in Rope." 

“White Hunter" recounts the 
John Huston safari to Africa to do 
“The African Queen." Burt Lan¬ 
caster and Katharine Hepburn will 
star. Miss Hepburn coincidentally 
also starred in “African .Queen," 


Schary Rests First 

Dore Schary has plans only i 
for a vacation, now that his J 
bowout as production chief of 
Metro has been finalized. He \ 
disclosed in New York 'this i 
week he wants to relax for a 
few months, his schedule per¬ 
haps including a trip to Eu¬ 
rope. 

While beyond that there’s 
nothing specific, Schary stated 
he’s already received “a few 
interesting propositions" in 
production but declined to say 
from whom. But that he will 
return to film-making seems 
for sure, and not aligned with 
M-G. Schary made it clear he's 
not entering politics. There 
had been some industry con¬ 
jecture along these lines be¬ 
cause of his activity with the 
Democratic Party. 

Blueprinting M-G 
Future in Series 
Of Coast Meetings 

Metro’s course for the future 
is being blueprinted on the Coast 
this week at a series of meetings 
gavelled by president Joseph R, 
Vogel. 

Trio of homeoffice execs on 
Monday (3) were summoned west 
to participate in the conclaves. 
They are Howard Dietz, 'ad-pub 
v.p. and board member; Sidney 
Phillips, M-G liaison with the legit 
theatre, and Olin Clark, eastern 
story editor, Kenneth MacKenna, 
story head at the studio, had 
planned a N. Y. trip this week but 
the importance of the meetings 
necessitated a month’s postpone¬ 
ment. 

That there wUl be some per¬ 
sonnel pinkslippmg in the wake of 
Dore Schare’s bowout as produc¬ 
tion head has been strongly sug¬ 
gested but those involved have yet 
to be identified. A general trim¬ 
ming of expenses is regarded as 
mandatory, particularly in the light 
of stockholder dissatisfaction oVer 
overhead vis-a-vis income. 

Variety's story last Wednesday 
(28) on the termination of Schary’s 
services had the effect of forcing 
an official announcement to that 
effect the same day. Pressured in¬ 
to some kind of statement by other - 
papers, M-G issued a terse handout 
saying Schary no longer would be 
associated with the company fol¬ 
lowing his editing of “Designing 
Woman.” Schary, now in-N. Y. and 
returning to the Coast tomorrow 
(Thurs.), confirmed the disaffilia¬ 
tion a day later. 

MICHAEL RENNIE CO. 

SETS BALCHIN TALE 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 
Latest to join the star-producer 
ranks is Michael Rennie, who is 
forming his own independent pro¬ 
duction firm which will teeoff when 
he completes his co-starring role in 
“Island in the Sun," Darryl F. Zan¬ 
uck production. Role winds an as¬ 
sociation of six years with 20th- 
Fox. 

Rennie has optioned Nigel Bal- 
chin’s “The Borgia Testament” as 
his initial indie production and 
also plans to film “The Life of Man- 
olette." Bullfighter bionic will first 
be done as a tv spectacular. 

Ann Blyth as La Morgan 

Ann Blyth grabbed title role in 
Warner Bros.’ “The Helen Morgan 
Story." 

Richard Whorf production rolls 
early next year under direction of 
Michael Curtiz. 


Motion Picture Assn, of America 
has called a halt on any further 
consideration of a. “credit" system 
for charging theatre admissions. 

With a survey of public reaction 
to the idea among people in Marion 
County, Ind. (which includes Indi¬ 
anapolis) on hand, MPAA prexy 
Eric Johnston called the results 
“disappointing" and noted that a 
“charge it" system didn’t offer a 
promise of upping attendance. 

Poll also clearly indicated that 
the public’s desire to attend the¬ 
atres more often—with or without 
a credit system—was low. 

Even as Johnston informed the 
board yesterday (Tues), theygeneral 
sales managers heard a( report 
from their sub-committee consist¬ 
ing of William C. C^iring 5 (20th- 
Fox), chairman; Charles M. Rea¬ 
gan (Loew’s) and Charles Feldman 
(Universal). 

, Immediately after that meet, 
Gehring left by air for Indianap¬ 
olis to inform the local exhibs, who 
had promised to cooperate on any 
plan, that the project was off. The 
MPAA survey was undertaken by 
A. J. Wood & Co. of Philadelphia, 
with MPAA financing. Had it 
turned out positive, Indianapolis 
would have been used as a “tes„t 
tube” for the system. 

1,400 Queried 

Survey, covering 1,400 persons 
picked out of a cross-section of 
the Marion County adult popula¬ 
tion, broke into two parts. One 
covered reaction to a “charge it" 
plan involving issuance of a credit 
card good for all theatres, with a 
bill sent at the end of the month; 
the other revolved around a sys¬ 
tem under which patrons would 
purchase a movie “scrip book," en¬ 
abling them to buy $12.50 worth of 
tickets for $10. 

Neither plan roused much inter¬ 
est. Only 14% said they’d be inter¬ 
ested in the credit idea and 28% 
thought they might goJorJhe_scrip^ 
(C imtinue€h-oirpagi22) 


Possible Loss of His Control 


AM-Par Goes Ahead 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

, Am-Par Pictures Corp., the 
new production unit set up by 
American Broadcasting-Para¬ 
mount Theatres, ha,s launched 
its activities without waiting 
for an official okay , from the 
Dept, of Justice. Production 
began yesterday. (Mom) at Re¬ 
public Studios on “The Begin¬ 
ning of the End." 

“Beginning" is a science fic¬ 
tion yarn written by Bert I. 
Gordon, who will also produce 
and direct. Peggie Castle and 
Peter Graves topline. 

‘Delighted’ Sums 
Up Reaction To 
Aliens’ U. S. SeU 

Foreign producers’ and indus¬ 
tries’ current determined action to 
establish themselves in the U.S. 
market is greeted cheerily by the 
Motion Picture Export Assn. 

Companies feel that the setting 
up of a French film office in N.Y., 
and the projected distribution ac¬ 
tivity on the part of J. Arthur Rank 
here accomplishes two purposes: 

(1.) They convey to foreign film 
interests a firsthand knowledge of 
the difficulties of the market. (2.) 
They provide the Association with 
a ready-made answer to the fre¬ 
quent charge that the U.S. market 
is closed to foreign films. 

—MPEA has always labored with 
(Continued on page 7) 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Biz Slumps Post-Holiday; ‘Giant* No. 1 for Fifth 
Week in Row, ‘Commandments’ 2d, ‘Wonders’ 3d J 

Post-holiday session is following “Seven Wonders of World" 
usual pattern this week, with even (Cinerama) is moving up to third 
the strongest fare on the skids, slot. J^Love Me Tender" (20th), 
Fact that Christmas shopping second last stanza, is dropping to 

ptorto/1 v.TM/M- f/v tVi a aorlxr 'TtionTro. fnnrtli “ Tilli a” (M!~G) is taking 


started prior to the early Thanks- fourth. “Julie’ 
giving this year is being increas- fifth money, 
ingly felt by exhibitors all over “Oklahoma" 


ingly felt by exhibitors all over “Oklahoma" (Magna) is winding 
the country. Many exhibs are just in sixth position. “Opposite 
marking time with whatever prod- Sex" (M-G) is taking seventh spot, 
uct they are now showing rather “Friendly Persuasion" (AA), long 
than open stronger or new fare high on list, is dipping to eighth 


-during the pre-Xmas lull. 


place, having finished many of its 


For the fifth consecutive stanza, bigger key engagements or is now 
“Giant" (WB) is finishing first by winding them up. 


a wide margin. Pic, which is now 


(20th) is landing 


almost exclusively holdover or ex- ninth spot while “Lust For Life” 
tended-run, will register about (M-G) is 10th. “Can’t Run Away 
$445,000 gross in the key Cities cov- From It" (Col) and “Secrets of 
ered by Variety, which is consid- Life" (BV) are the runner-up films. 


ered amazing for season of year. 


“Teahouse of August Moon" 


“Ten Commandments" (Par), (M-G) is socko opening week at 
currently playing in only nine keys N.Y. Music Hall accompanied by 
but doing great to terrific or ca- annual Xmas stageshow. It con- 
pacity biz, is capturing second tinues smash in second week in 
place. This C.B. DeMille opus, Chi. and L.A. Otherwise, there is 
which won’t be opening in any little new product around. 


key cities until 


“Death of Scoundrel" 


Christmas, is listed for first time shapes okay in Frisco and mildish 
this week since previously'only in in Baltimore and Denver. “War 
in a few key cities. and Peace" (Par), now in bigger 


MPAA President 

Eric Johnston 

h« written a revealing series of 

Notes On Visiting The 
Land of the Bolsheviks 


one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming ^ 
51st Anniversary Number 

of 

ISfisilETY 


and Peace" (Par), now in bigger 
subsequent dates, shapes spotty 
this round. 

“Silent World? (Col), good in 
N.Y. and Philly, is okay in De¬ 
troit but modest in L.A. “Curucu” 
and “Mole People" (U) combo is 
rated so-so in Seattle. 

“Tea And Sympathy" (M-G) 
shapes sluggish in L.A. “La 
Strada" (T-L), okay in Frisco, 
looms big in N.Y. * “Fantasia" (BV) 
(reissue) is hot in Balto and Wash¬ 
ington. 

“Cinerama Holiday" (Cinerama) 
loojcs sock in Chi, sturdy in Wash¬ 
ington and fine in L.A. • “Attack” 
(UA) is robust in Chi. * 

“Sharkfighters" (UA), torrid in 
Chi, dsr dull in Portland but stout 
in Frisco. “Unguarded Moment" 
(U) looms fairish in Balto. 

(Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
Pages 8-9) 


► Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Republic may jump the gun on 
all other studios by selling, its post- 
1948 pix backlog to television im¬ 
mediately without waiting for any 
agreement between the major film 
studios and talent guilds for a guild 
participation of coin derived from 
such sales, it’s reported here. 

Evrn while the Assn, of Motion 
Picture Producers and talent guilds 
met to seek a format for sale of. 
such pix, Rep prexy Herbert J. 
Yates was giving the greenlight to 
sale of Rep pix to video-features 
made after 1948. 

Such a sale would naturally boost 
Republic’s current year’s earnings 
considerably. Republic has out¬ 
standing 400,000 . shares of pre¬ 
ferred stock, calling for $1 annual 
dividend, plus $5,200,000 in 4% 
bonds requiring interest payments 
of $208,000. Company’s corporate 
bylaws require that if it skips pay¬ 
ing a dividend for three successive 
years stockholders may seat five on 
the board of directors. Such an 
eventuality is seen likely to oust 
Yates from control of Republic, in¬ 
asmuch as a number of minority 
stockholders have been attempting 
for several years to wrest control 
from him. 

^A syndicate including Harry Pop- 
kin, Moe Ellis, Jack Dietz and a 
group of L. A. businessmen has 
been buying large amounts of Rep 
stock for the past two years, seek¬ 
ing to gain control of the company. 
Group a few months ago offered to 
buy Yates’ stock, but he rejected 
its bid. 

Some producers involved in the 
discussions with the guild ac¬ 
knowledged they Understand Yates 
is planning to dump the post 1948- 
pix orf tv, and admitted this may 
affect current confabs drastically, 
although just what happens if 
Yates jumps the gun with such a 
move isn't certain at this stage. 

Unless Films Stay 
‘Exciting, New’ It’s 
TVsGame-Kazan 

With television today the “stand¬ 
ard brand," it’s today up to the 
motion picture to be the inno¬ 
vator and to produce the genuine 
novelty, producer - director Elia 
Kazan said in New -York last week. 

“Unless 1 the screen discusses ex¬ 
citing events and tackles new 
themes, the. film has lost its rea¬ 
son," Kazan, deeply embroiled in 
the “Baby Doll" controversy, de¬ 
clared. Pic has a Code' seal but 
has been condemned by the Catho¬ 
lic Legion of Decency. 

Kazan said he saw hope for the 
(Continued on page 27) „ 

WRITING'S GOTTA BE FIRST 

Republic Product in Production 
Doubted on That Basis 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

While Republic prexy Herbert J. 
Yates insists his studio is going 
into production next month, Re¬ 
public is the only film studio today 
without a single screenwriter on 
its payroll. As a matter of fact, 
no screenwriter has worked at the 
Valley lot since-last Sept. 8. 

ThiS^was learned despite the 
statement by Yates and another 
• last week by one of his aides that 
two screenwriters were working at 
1 Rep. Any plans for production are 
always accompanied by screen¬ 
writers working on the contem¬ 
plated properties, and the fact Rep 
t hasn't had a writer since last Sep- 
; tember indicates no production is 
’ in sight. 

The 'only writers at the Valley 
lot are working on Rep’s tv series, 
“Frontier Doctor." 



PICTtfRES 


Actors Must Protect Careers; 


Conditions in the'ljrisis-ridden A 
Italian industry are (forcing the top 
actors to set up production units 
^of their own and to demand per- 
« centage deals from the producers, 
according to Gene Lerner, partner 
with Hank Kaufman in Italy’s only 
U.S. agenting setup. 

In N.Y. last week heading for 
the Coast, Lerner reported the 
Italian* industry crisis was as. deep 
as ever, with money tight, employ¬ 
ment low and producers wasting 
potential assets of the business. He 
said he couldn’t see any real 
change in the situation for the next 
two years. 

Lerner, whose outfit is the Wil¬ 
liam Morris Agency affiliate in 
Home, \said the top players were 
setting up their own units “for the 
simple reason that the stars have 
become more important in Italy 
than the producers. And it’s mostly 
the producers’ fault because they 
refuse to tailor their properties to 
the leading personalities.” 

Situation in Italy is such that 
“the door is wide open for the 
Americans to come in and pick up 
the pieces,” Lerner opined. He 
noted that such top names as are 
around — Anna Magnani, Sophia 
Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, etc.— 5 
have been tied up by the U.S. in¬ 
terests. Local producers : can no 
longer afford them. 

He said stars and agents, like 
himself, were being forced into 
production. “We can’t help it,” he 
observed. “The local approach to 
filmmaking is all wrong. As a 
matter of fact, there ^re few Ital-~ 
ian producers to whom I’d entrust 
a top star at this stage of the 
game.” Lerner and Kaufman are 
branching out into Spain and Ger¬ 
many. They also rep U.S. players 
active in Europe. 

Demands for percentage deals on 
the part of players are “resented” 
by the producers, Lerner said, 
adding: “I can’t really see why. 
The producers don’t have money. 
Their pictures can’t cost more than 
$160,000 if they’re to recoup. Why 
punish the stars. It’s’their names 
that will make -a picture click. 
They have a right to participate.” 

Lerner said Italian production 
had “a wealth of possibilities” if 
they’re properly used and ex¬ 
ploited. He said the Italians were 
heartened by the success of the 
Dino de Lauren tiis “War and 
Peace” in the U.S. and that the 
capacity for making international 
pictures was definitely there. 

Going to the Goast with Lerrter 
is his client, Rossanno Brazzi. 
They’ll huddle with Universal on 
a new project. Negotiations also 
are going on re the possible Brazzi 
casting in the Rodgers & Hammer- 
stein “South Pacific” screen ver¬ 
sion 


Zolotow’s Twist on Dean: 
Criticism, Not Adulation; 
Calls Actor Repulsive 

The late James Dean has until 
now been much-discussed for his 
capacity to draw extravagant 
praise in death. A twist has now 
been provided by Maurice Zolo¬ 
tow’s syndicated column for Spa- 
dea. Detroit Free Press carried 
it under caption: “Are Dean Fans 
Buying Phony Idol?” *(8 cols) and 
the Omaha World-Herald (3 cols) 
captioned, “Late Actor Was Sadis¬ 
tic, Uncouth, Arrogant, Cruel and 
a Filthy Slob.” Akron Journal has 
been another to play the Zolotow 
Teverse-fietd big. 

Zolotow quotes intimates of the 
actor as saying he was “sully, 
surly, ill-tempered, brutal, without 
any elements of kindness, sensi¬ 
tivity, consideration for others or 
romantic passion. He was physi¬ 
cally dirty. He hated to bathe, 
have his hair cut, shave or put on 
clean clothes. He smelled so rankly 
that actresses working in close 
contact with him found it unbear¬ 
able.” 

Adds Zolotow, “He made life hell 
for any girl who gave him her 
affection,” .and quotes Elia Kazan 
as declaring Dean was “sick and 
unhealthy” in attitude. 


JAB AT HARRY COHN 

Removal of Sick Robert Aldrich 
Uncorks Acid Comment 

Hollywood, Dec. 4< 

Columbia took Robert Aldrich 
off “Garment Center” five days be¬ 
fore director was to . have com¬ 
pleted film and indie firm of As¬ 
sociates and Aldrich, to which di¬ 
rector is under contract and''Which 
had loaned him to Columbia, 
charged it was part of Harry 
Cohn’s, standard practice to “woo a 
creative man and having once won 
his services, then attempt -to em¬ 
barrass and humiliate him.” * 

Indie contended there was no 
cause or justification for action, 
said it wasn’t logical there could be 
a reason to remove a director after 
five months and within a week of 
windup. Aldrich’s directorial chore 
was taken over Friday by Vincent 
Sherman when Aldrich reported 
sick with 105 degree fever. Over 
weekend he sent studio notice he 
was ready, willing and able to re¬ 
port for work Monday. He did, 
but found Sherman there. 

Studio says it was under impres¬ 
sion Aldrich wouldn’t recover for 
a few days, since only five days 
were left to shoot, decided to let 
Sherman finish. 

O’Neil, Dozier, O’Shea In 
Florida Masterminding 
Session on RKO Future 

Three RKO topers head for Palm 
Beach today (Wed.) for an out-of¬ 
public-view meeting regarding pol¬ 
icy matters. Agenda for the ses¬ 
sion, which probably-will run sev¬ 
eral days, is being kept under 
wraps but expectedly will include 
plans for new productions and 
ways and means of getting them 
to market with new stress on effi¬ 
ciency in distribution. 

To sit in are Thomas F. O’Neil, 
chairman of the entire RKO Tele¬ 
radio setup; William Dozier, pro¬ 
duction v.p., and RKO president 
Daniel T. O’Shea. 

Regarding possible changes in 
the RKO operation, it’s reported 
that the company, in a streamlining 
move, has tentative plans to place 
all its domestic billings and collec¬ 
tions work in the hands of Na¬ 
tional Film Service, as has been 
done by Buena Vista. 

Also, it’s suggested in some 
trade quarters that RKO would like 
to effect economies in England to 
the extent that all its distribution 
throughout Britain would be taken 
over by British Lion. This is lack¬ 
ing in confirmation but is none¬ 
theless consistent with O’Neill- 
O’Shea thinking re the desire to 
cut down on overhead. 

It became definite this week that 
RKO Pathe, a sub-division of Tele¬ 
radio, will cease operation of its 
106th Street studio in Manhattan 
and all production activities will be 
shifted to the Culver City lot. Jay 
Bonefield, who continues as head 
of the subsidiary and will remain 
in N.Y., said the move will mean 
no decrease in the number of 
shorts to be made in the future. 


rpmteff 


• CAN BE KNIGHTED 

Mickey Rooney Remove# Epaulets 
If Sword Should jFall •; 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

A star for 21 years, Mickey 
Rooney has agreed to waive Jus 
star billing in RKO’s°“The Bold 
and the Brave” in order to quali¬ 
fy for an Academy Award nomina¬ 
tion- for -Best Supporting Actor. It 
is’ the third time in as many years 
that a top-billed actor has stepped 
down in order to qualify for ail 
award, Jack Lemmon having 
copped the Oscar last year for “Mr. 
Roberts” after dropping his top- 
line status and Jan Sterling hav¬ 
ing been nominated the year be¬ 
fore for her performance ih-iiThe 
High and the Mighty.” 

Rooney ha's had star billing ever 
since “Ah WiWerness”"in-1935. In 
“Bold,” he shares the top-line with 
Wendell Corey. 

Rooney won a special Academy 
Award in 1939 for his perform¬ 
ances in “Boy’s Town” and the 
“Andy ^ardy” series. He was a 
nominee for Best Actor Award in 
1943 for “The Human Comedy.” 

Only 24 Writers 
Now ‘Employes’ 
0( Big Studios 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

With major film studios steadily 
paring their lists of contract writ¬ 
ers, there are only 24 writers hold¬ 
ing tennpacts at the majors to¬ 
day, probably a record low in the 
history of the industry. Studios, 
seeking to economize and cut their 
overheads, now sign writers chiefly 
on a ’ picture-by-picture b&sis. 

Of the 24 still under contract, 
18 are on the payroll at Metro. In 
addition, there are two at Colum¬ 
bia; two at Universal; two at 20th- 
Fox. Four scripters are under non¬ 
exclusive pacts at Paramount. 

Altogether, there are 143 writers 
now working at the nine majors, 
it’s disclosed in a survey of the 
studios. Leading the parade are 
Metro, with 30; Universal, 29; 20th- 
Fox, 25, and. Columbia, 19. 

There are 17 writers at RKO, and 
eight at Paramount, although at the 
latter studio there are also three 
working for indie producer Hal 
Wallis, who releases through Par-j 
amount. Warner Bros. «fias seven* 
Allied Artists, six; Republic, two. 

Magnani, Booth, Presley, 
Martin & Lems Films 
On Hal Wallis Sked 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Total of five big-budget pix have 
been slated by Hal Wallis for 
1957, giving him his heaviest pro¬ 
duction schedule since he joined 
Paramount as an indie 10 years 
ago.- 

Lineup consists of “Fiiria,” to 
star Anna Magnani, “Hot Spell” 
(formerly “Next of Kiri”), starring 
Shirley Booth; “The Lonesome 
Cowboy,” Elvis Presley; an un¬ 
titled Martin & Lewis comedy and 
“The Last Train to Harper’s Junc¬ 
tion,” a .big outdoor actioner. 


’* Wedhes&jjty 3; 1956 


New York Sound Trdck 


“Nervous breakdown” report about Ernest Lehman was about as ex¬ 
aggerated as the w.k. Mark Twain crack. Scriptfer. is currently at Metro 
deciding whether to tackle- “Cat on a. Hot Tip Roof” scenario assign¬ 
ment in favor of something else. s * 

“The only "true thing about ‘Teahouse of the ’August Moon’ . . . is 
Marlon Brando . . . every inch an Okinawan,” William K. Zinsser, Her¬ 
ald-Tribune. “Mr. Brando looks synthetic”’ Bosley CPowther, Times. 

Sidney Harmon’s “Wild Party”’set for* art house showcasing , 
Kenneth MacKenna is in looking at the new plays . . . Mark Robson 
and F. Hugh Herbert to London at the weekend to complete “Little 
Hut” editing . . . Stanley Warner annual meeting set-for Jan. 10.. . . * 
AMPA will have its 40th Christmas party Dec.. 18 . . . British actor 
Jeremy Spenser (he’s in the “Sleeping Princess” film) was injured when 
his car overturned near Shropshire . . . Albert Lewin has “Living Idol” 
in the can for Metro . .. Otto Preminger starts rehearsals.this week for 
“Saint Joan” in London . . . Jim Scovotti, picture reviewer for the Na¬ 
tional Film Board, into the Army tomorrow (Thurs,). 

.....Gordon Sinclair reports in Toronto-Star-that a minor -employ ee-^ un¬ 
named) at Columbia Pictures sent inter-off ice.memos to the top brass, • 
all mentioning his great talents and promise and urging that he be 
pushed along. Since inter-office memos aren’t signed, says Sinclair, 
the character won five promotions and three raises before being caught. 

Judy Holliday made two pictures for Columbia this year (“Solid Gold 
Gold Cadillac” and “Full of Life”) to discharge her one-a-year commit¬ 
ment through to 1958. So now she can stay with the “Bells Ay e H in 8* 
ing” legiter all next year with no necessary time out for pix . . . 
Romanoff Caviar Co. is sponsoring showings of Embassy Films’ “Em¬ 
peror Nicholas II.” documentary newsreel account of the Imperial 
Romanoff family . . . William T. O’Connell was sworn in as a Municipal 
Judge by Mayor Wagner Friday (30). His actor brother, Arthur O’Con* 
veil, appears as a Municipal Court probation officer in RKO’s “The 
Violators.” ^ 

Humphrey Bogart’s throat illness means a continued delay of the 
start of “Good Shepherd” at Columbia. This' is one of four films 
Bogart is to do at Col . . . Allied Artists prez Steve Broidy gets a spot¬ 
light in Fortune mag as one of the “Business Men in the News.” Peg is 
AA’s profits and production rise. 

French producer Henri Berard has completed Europe’s firtt black- 
and-white Cinemascope film, “C’est Luis Qui Doit Mourir” (He Must 
Die). Based on the Kazantzaki book, pic was lensed on the island of 
Crete . . . David O. Selznick may not be able to shoot “A Farewell to 
Arms” in Italiy. Seems the Italo Government has objections . . . 
Rosanno Brazzi still dickering re the possibility of playing the lead part 
in “South Pacific” , . . German’s "The Last Bridge” finally heading for 
U.S. theatres via Peter Horner’s Union Films . * , Metro’s foreign dept’s 
Dave Blum in the hospital. 

Universal Pictures exec veepee Al'lJaflf was just telling a dais-mate 
“I never won a thing in my life” when Picture Pioneers dinner chair¬ 
man Sol A. Schwartz announced him winnah of the $4,700 Olds. Daff’s 
prime concern was “whaLto do with it; I’m leaving for the Coast right 
after this dinner.” p 

Possibly more technical advisors than on any other picture in history 
of Hollywood have turned up for Universal’s “The Man of a Thousand 
Faces,” biopicking the late Lon Chaney, All of them volunteers, too. 
Many of the crew members on picture worked with Chaney years ago 
in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Phantom of the Opera,” and 
according to director Joseph Pevney on the Coast all feel this gives 
them the right to make suggestions on how certain scenes should be 
handled. 

Peter Graves and Peggie Castle signed by Am-Par Pictures Corp. for 
roles in "The Beginning of the End,” initial pic of the newly formed 
producing company. Bert I. Gordon will produce and direct “End,” 
which he also screenplayed. Film before the cameras at Republic 
Studio on Coast. 

A. E. Siegel, formerly in the picture business, now heads Television 
Utilities Corp., Corona (L. I.) electronics outfit which sells broadcast¬ 
ing and industrial picture monitors to manufacturers. 

“The Devil’s General,” German film based on the play by Carl Zuck- . 
jpiayer, set to open at the World Theatre, N. Y., in late January . . . 
Republic prexy Herbert J. Yates balking at his own execs’ deal for Rep 
to take on the IFE Releasing Corp. product in the U. S. . . . F. L. 
Thomas, managing editor of The Cinema, British film trade mag, has 
resigned . . . George K. Arthur’s “Wee Geordie,” current at the Little 
Carnegie, N. Y., to be distributed nationally by Times Films . . . Wil¬ 
liam C. Gehring, 20th-Fox v.p., in Indianapolis to explain to local ex- 
hibs why the admissions-on-credit plan was called off , . . 20th reissuing 
the Selznick film, “The Third Man” -. .... Warner Bros, ad-pub topper 
Robert Taplinger returned from the Coast yesterday (TUes.). 


20tNox 39-Weeks: $8,182,099 Net 


The pattern of upped grosses 
and declining profits was repeated 
last week when 20th-Fox disclosed 
a -$3,182,099 net—$1.20 per share 
—for the 39 weeks ended Sept. 29, 
1956. Comparable period in 1955 
produced a net of $4,446,851 or 
$1.68 per share. 

20th board declared the regular 
40c cash divvy on the common 
stock, payable Dec. 27, 1956, to 
stockholders of record Dec. 10. 

Earnings statement shows a 
sharp drop in film rentals which 
went to $77,719,336 for 1956' from 
$79,654,821 in the 39 weeks of 
1955. It must be pinned mostly 
on the domestic market since for¬ 
eign rentals of 20th are equal to 
1955 and for the 39 weeks ran to 
approximately $39,000,000. For a 
47-week period they amounted to 


$47,000,000, maintaining a $1,000,- 
000-a-week average. 

With operating income up, 
thanks in part to tv sales,"20th’s 
overall income was put at $87,157,- 
860 against $86,832,411 la^t year. 

Amortization of film costs* jugs up 
to $50,262;293 from $47,557,040 arid 
film distribution and administra¬ 
tive expenses continued to rise, 
reaching $23^29,444 against $22,- 
323,790 for the"39 weeks last year. 

Tax provisions for the period in 
’56 amounted to $2,882,302 against 
$5 159,403 in 1955. 

20th’s take for the remainder of 
the year should be .bolstered by the 
income from “Love Me Tender,” 
but no other big grossers are on 
the immediate horizon, short of 
“Anastasia” ,which won’t register 
' appreciably on the 1956 books. 


N. Y. to L. A. 

Don Appell 
Patricia Barry 
Nate J. Blumberg 
Red Buttons 
A1 Daff 
Howard Dietz 
Roger Englander 
Betty Field 
Sandy Glass 
Herb Golden 
Peter Gray 
Alan Handley 
Irving P. Lazar 
Johnny Meyer 
Joseph H. Moskowitz 
Milton R. Rackmil v 

. Syd Rubin 
Dore Scharv 
Sophie Tucker 
Walter Winchell 

New York to Europe 

Joan Fontaine 
Hal Hackett 
Harold Hecht 
F. Hugh Herbert 
James Hill 
Edmund Hockridge 
James Mason 
Michael Rennie 
Sheldon Reynolds 
Mark Robson 
Jerome Whyte 

Europe to N, Y. 

Paulette Goddard 
Tom Honeymam 
Scott McKay 
Arnold Picker 
Sam Spiegel 
Margaret Webster 
Robert B. Weiss 


Gurney's 4th Literary Buy 

Indie producer Robert J. Gurney 
Jr. has acquired the film rights to 
“The Good Yeoman,” historical- 
novel by Jay Williams. 

This is the fourth literary prop¬ 
erty Gurney has purchased within 
the past few months as a backlog 
for his production company. His 
initial film, “Edge of Fury,” will be 
released shortly by United Artists. 

L. A. to N, Y. 

*Pier Angeli 
Samuel Z. Arkoff 
Irving Atkins 
Leon Blender 
Alan (Bud) Brandt) 

Marc Cavell 
Phil Cohan 
Laraine Day 
Leo Durocher 
Kirk Douglas 
Grade Fields 
Frank Freeman Jr. 

Samuel Goldwyn Jr. 

Beldon Katleman\___^ 

Gene Kelly ^ 

Norman Krasna * 

Piper Laurie 
Art Linkletter 
Jackie Loughery 
Kenneth MacKenna 
Paul Marsh 
Ernest H. Martin 
Stuart Millar 
James H. Nicholson 
Mary Pickford 
Irving Pincus 
James Poe 
Bu,ddy Rogers 
Barry Sullivan 
Robert S. Taplinger 
Hal B. Wallis 






FILM REVIEWS 




Wtdrie*d*y, Dcctnibe* Sj 19S6 


Baby Boll; 


‘.J 


S«x,h«te and revenge wrapped 

up in* a strictly offbeat yam 

set vs.: a white-trash South¬ 
ern background. Controversial 

but could be b.o. dynamite. 

Warner Bros, release of Ella Kazan 
(Newtown) production. Stars Karl Mal¬ 
den, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach; features 
Mildred Dunnock, Lonny Chapman. Eades 
Hoguei Noah Williamson. Directed by 
Kazan; story and screenplay by Tennes¬ 
see Williams; camera. Boris Kaufman, 
editor. Gene Milford; music, Kenyon 
Hopkins. Previewed in New York. .Run- 

Arctic m *' n, . M,N . S ‘.. K.n Malden 

Baby Doll . C wr°w?ilJeh 

Silva Vacarro . Wallach 

.Aunt Rose Comfort .... Mildred Dunnock 

Hock .Lonny Chapman 

'Town Marshal .. • • 

Deputy .Noah Williamson 

There’s presumably never been 
any doubt that another combo of 
Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan 
would produce an explosive, pro¬ 
vocative motion picture, distinctly 
oUrof theTiormal screen frame uf 
reference and probing into emo¬ 
tional strata not usually touched 
by Hollywood. “Baby Poll” is pre¬ 
cisely that kind of film; and if 
sensationalism in theme, and ex¬ 
ploitation can put a picture over 
the top (as it has in most instances 
in the past), this Kazan entry 
should make a barrel of dough. 
Moralists will perhaps fight that 
result. . ' 

It is not a pleasant picture. Few 
of Williams’ stories are, and Kazan 
is too good a director to allow the 
negative qualities to be polished 
into positive ones by the Produc¬ 
tion Code or anyone else. What 
some people will be wondering 
after seeing “Baby Doll” is how it 
got by, the. Code office in the first 
place. 

For this film, while certainly not 
visually offensive in its -.treatment 
of sex, nevertheless is probably 
one of the strongest to come out 
of Hollywood. It is a raw, shatter¬ 
ing experience, surcharged with 
red-hot emotionalism and directed 
and acted with such skill that some 
of the soCalled'“sexy” pix of the 
past seem like child’s play. 

‘ There will inevitably be those 
who will call “Baby Doll” border¬ 
ing on the obscene, and it has a 
highly suggestive element in it. 
Except for moments of humor that 
are strictly inherent in the char¬ 
acter of the principals, “Baby 
Doll” play$ off against S sleazy, 
dirty, depressing Southern back¬ 
ground Over it hangs a feeling 
of decay, expertly nurtured by 
Kazan who probably here. turns 
In his greatest^ directing job to 
date. All of the people in this film 
are ugly in their own way and 
eaten up with hate and resent¬ 
ment. That’s true of the leading 
characters and it shows up in the 
flashes of the townspeople, their 
poker-faced expressions. passing in 
an unforgettable gallery of the 
deep South. 

Out of his actors—Karl Malden 
as Archie, Carroll Baker as Baby 
Doll and Eli Wallach as Vacarro— 
Kazan has drawn superb perform¬ 
ances. None are marquee names 
now. All will mean more after this 
film. Miss Baker in particular 
shapes as one of t]|e most im¬ 
portant film finds in decades. 

“Baby Doll” is based on a 15- 
year-old Williams vignette, drama¬ 
tized on Broadway in 1955 as “27 
Wagons Full of Cotton.” Williams 
here has done his own screenplay, 
taking out some of the more sadis¬ 
tic aspects of the original story. 
What’s left is still a gall-bitter, 
uncompromising yarn that churns 
In hate and revels in its examina¬ 
tion of the ugliness and shallow¬ 
ness of man. For once, ads will not 
disappoint those who come ex¬ 
pecting hardhitting screen *are. 
Some may consider this a luge 
and welcome step in the screen’s 
road towards maturity. Others may 
violently object to it as thinly- 
disguised smut. 

Whatever the point-of-view— 
and it is usually determined by 
how strong are one’s moral inhibi¬ 
tions—“Baby Doll” ranks as a 
major screen achievement and de¬ 
serves to be recognized as such. 
Whether it rates as “entertain¬ 
ment”-in the traditional sense of 
the word is another question. 

Story briefly has Miss Baker, 
an immature teenager, married to 
middleaged Malden who runs a 
cotton gin. When their on-credit 
furniture is carted £^way, Malden 
sets fire to the Syndicate cotton 
gin in town. Suspecting Malden, 
Wallach—owner of the gin—carts 
his cotton to Malden’s gin for pro¬ 
cessing but then proceeds to se¬ 
duce Miss Baker who signs a note 
confessing that Malden committed 
the arson. Malden, who has prom¬ 
ised not to touch his young wife 
jntil one year after their marriage 
the year is almost up as the pic¬ 
ture starts) finds Miss Baker and 
IVallach together in the house, sus¬ 
pects their relations and goes 
peserk with jealousy. > 

Miss Baker’s performance cap- 
,ures all the animal charm, the 
laivete, the vanity, contempt and 
•ising passion of the pretty flirta-, 


tiofls Baby Doll, Utf voice, with 
Its Southern*sihg-song, her move* 
ments and her overall acting make 
her a top contender for this year’s 
.Academy Award. Whether spittin’ 
fire at Malden or flirting with Wal¬ 
lach, she etches a startingly true- 
to-life figure that fairly seethes 
with emotion. 

Wallach as the vengeful Vacarrio 
plays> it to the hilt and establishes 
himself as a top player. His 
Sicilian is tough and angry, and 
yet underneath tinged with com¬ 
passion, particularly in the final 
scenes. He jarid Mis6 Baker play a 
love scene (without kisses, if you 
please) on a swing outside the 
house that sizzles with tension. 
Kazan can take credit for this as 
one of the-most revealing emotional 
sequences ever to be played on the 
screen. 

Malden, the resentful, dour, 
sweaty Jhusband. is cast to perfec¬ 
tion and turns in a sock perform¬ 
ance. He is hateful and lecherous 
a^-4ie-bojpes-=a-hole in-the wall to 
observe his child bride curled up 
in her baby crib, sucking her 
thumb; yet he is also pitiful in his 
final desperation when he sus¬ 
pects Baby Doll’s unfaithfulness, 
can’t prove ft and then goes on a 
drunken prowl for Vacarro.» 

But regardless of how good the 
performances, this is still Kazan’s 
picture. It was shot down in Benoit, 
Mississippi, and the realism— 
complete with many references to* 
“wops” and “niggers”— stands the 
film in good stead. The characters 
look real and they sound real; 
there is wild, teasing madness as 
Vacarro frightens Baby Doll in the 
empty house and then plays his 
deadly game of hide-and-seek with 
her to obtain the confession; there 
is drama in the burning cotton 
gin mill; there is raw passion in 
the Baker-Wallach embrace. 

There is a good deal of Williams’ 
original stage dialog in this opus, 
and despite its action, the sym¬ 
bolisms and the occasional sophis¬ 
ticated, touches may be over the 
audiences’ heads. There may be 
laughs in the wrong places, for 
Williams'humor is not necessarily 
popular and his occasional strain¬ 
ing for effects may call for guffaws 
where, none were intended. “Baby 
Doll” runs on a powerful line and 
its ugly cruelty—and* sometimes 
viciousness—come across with un¬ 
diminished fury, glazed with the 
aura of 1 decadence. 

Everyone in this is good. Mil¬ 
dred Dunnock as the pathetic Aunt 
Rose Comfort, tolerated and 
abused by Malden, contributes very 
importantly. Lonny Chapman as 
Vacarro's assistant, Eades Hogue 
as the Town Marshal and Noah 
Williamson as his deputy, all do 
yeoman service. 

Boris Kaufman’s lensing (wisely 
in black-and-white) is fully in tune 
with the story itself. His camera 
never intrudes, but accentuates the 
action, giving it intimacy and hint¬ 
ing subtly at the dammed-up tor¬ 
rents of hate in the players. It is 
exceedingly fine camera work. 
Gene Milford's editing and Kenyon 
Hopkins’ music contribute in equal 
measure. 

“Baby Doll” is the kind of rare 
screen art (and art it is, pretty or 
not) that towers high as b.o. bait. 
It is also an excellent argument 
for some sort of rating system that 
would automatically exclude the 
teenage set. Hift, 

La Terccra Falabra 

(The Third Word) 
(MEXICAN) 


" Mexico City, Nov. 27. 

Peliculas Nacionales release of Cine- 
fnatografica Filmex production. Stars Pe¬ 
dro Infante, Marga Lopez; features Ro¬ 
dolfo Landa, Miguel Angel Ferriz, Emma 
Roldan, Eduardo Alcaraz, Manuel Tamez, 
Prudencia Grifell, Sara Garcia. Directed 
by Julian Soler. Screenplay by Alejan-' 
dro Casona; adaptation, Antonio Matouk; 
cameraman, Jose Ortiz Ramos. At Cine 
Variedades, Mexico City. Running time, 
100 MINS. 


An offbeat story, that of a 
grownup nature hoy on a prosper¬ 
ous Mexican rancho and two Mexi¬ 
can 1955 Oscar winners make this 
beautifully lensed production good 
entertainment despite an uneven 
3 ’arn. It played several big weeks 
at a swank first-run here. 

Top player is Pedro Infante and 
his singing of five songs is stand¬ 
out. He was Oscared as Mexico’s 
head actor last year. Almost co- 
starring with him is Marga Lopez, 
the Argentinian brunette looker, 
who for a decade has been a big 
name in Mexican pix. Ace char¬ 
acter woman of 1955, Prudenica 
Grifell, a big stage name before 
she went into pix, and Rodolfo 
Landa, headman of the National 
Actors Union, lend strong support. 
Sara Garcia, . longtime stage-pic 
star, also is excellent. 

Infante adroitly plays the role 
of a baby raised by. two aunts, one 
a widow? the other a spinster 
(Misses Grifell and Garcia), far 
into manhood by them. At 28, he 
is a big strong man but a gentle¬ 
man, withal. Then they decide 
that he should get a.schooling, and 
hire l^iss Lopez as tutoress. She 
wants to walk out when it looks 


Four Girls In Taws 

■■ (C’SCOPE-COLOR) 

Hollywood talent search back< 
ground gives fair interest for gen¬ 
eral dual bookings. 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Universal release of Aaron Rosenberg 
production. Stars George Nader, Julie 
Adams. Sydney Chaplin. Marianne Cook, 
Elsa Martinelli, Grant Williams, Gia 
Scaia, John Gavin. Written and directed 
by Jack.. Sher. Camera (Technicolor), 
Irving Glla6sberg; editor, Fredrick Y. 
Smith; music supervision, .Joseph Gersh- 
enson; special theme "Rhapsody For Four 
Girls*' composed by Alex North. Pre¬ 
viewed Nov. 20, *56. Running time, 15 
MINS. 

Mike Snowden...George Nader 

Kathy Son way ....Julie Adams 

Johnny Pryor.Sydney Chaplin 

Ina Schiller !.....Marianne Cook 

Maria AntoneUi .Elsa Martinelli 

Spencer Farrington, Ai...Grant Williams 

Vicki Dauray ...Gia Scaia 

Tom Grant ......John Gavin 

Ted Larabee .Herbert Anderson 

Bob Trapp ...Hy Averback. 

James Manning ..Alnslie Pryor 

William Purdy .Judson Pratt 

Walter Conway .....James Bell 

Mrs, Conway .Mabel Albertson 

Yinee™ r:~~;.. .YiT.Y..Dave Barry 

Henri . .Maurice- Mat6ac 

Rita Holloway ..Helene Stanton 

Mildred Purdy ....Irene Corlett 

Paul-.'rEugcne Mazzola 


A talent hunt is an old Holly¬ 
wood device to get publicity for an 
upcoming production. “Four Girls 
In Town’’ goes a bit further; It puts 
the hunt on film, U6ing it as the 
story peg, to showcase some ' new 
faces and to further the recogni¬ 
tion of talent that has been on. the 
Universal lot for several seasons. 
The combo, while spotty entertain¬ 
ment, gives the picture fair inter¬ 
est fojr the regular run of dual 
bookings. 

The Universal lot, here' tagged 
Manning, is excellently utilized in 
the Aaron* Rosenberg production to 
emphasize the backstage Holly¬ 
wood angle, and the authentic set¬ 
ting gains in value from the Cine¬ 
mascope lensing in Technicolor. 
Where film comes up short mostly 
is spreading the interest among too 
many characters since there is 
bound to be a repetitious quality 
in dealing with four hopefuls in 
the same story. Jack Sher both 
wrote, and directed. While some 
scenes score strongly, largely be¬ 
cause of the talent involved, others 
are flat and ordinary, so his dual 
function is uneven. 

Out of the showcasing, Marianne 
Cook, German actress, emerges a 
definite click. Italian actress Elsa 
Martinelli, already seen in a Holly¬ 
wood-made pic, also scores, with 
emphasis on an earthy, s.a. quality. 
Good, too, is Gia Scaia, another 
from Italy. Holding up .stateside 
honors are Julie Adams, at Univer¬ 
sal for some time; George Nader, 
also long on the lot, and such 
newer faces as Sydney Chaplin, 
very good; Grant Williams and 
John Gavin. Other casters handles 
their chores ably. 

Helene Stanton, seen mostly 
from the rear with a Monroe-type 
wiggle to her walk, will cause some 
chuckles as the star who refuses 
a big role, resulting in the talent 
hunt which finds the* hopefuls at 
the studio to be tested by embryo 
director Nader. Plot tells bits of 
each’s story and windup finds none 
getting the coveted part, Miss 
Stanton changed her mind, if not 
her walk, and there’s a romantic 
>airing up of males and females 
;or the finale. I 

Alex North composed “Rhapsody 
For Four Girls,” theme heard 
through the background score and 
Irving Glassberg handles his cam¬ 
eras to advantage. Costuming by 
Rosemary Odell bedecks the 
femmes beautifully and Fredrick 
Y. Smith’s editing is good. 

Brog. 

Nightfall 

(SONG) 


Fair action-suspense entry for 
the duals. 


Columbia release of Copa (Ted Rich¬ 
mond) production. Stars Aldo Ray, Brian 
Keith, Anne* Bancroft; feature*?.-Jocelyn 
Brando,; James Gregory, Frank Albertson, 
Rudy Bond. Directed by Jacques Tour¬ 
neur. Screenplay, Stifling SiUlphant, from 
novel by David Goodis; camera, Burnett 
Guffey; editor. William A. Lyon; music, 
George Duning, conducted- by Morris Sto- 
loff. Previewed N.Y., Nov. 29, *56. Run¬ 
ning time, 78 MINS. 

James Vanning . Aldo Ray 

John .. Brian Keith 

Marie Gardner .. Anne Bancroft 

Laura Fraser . Jocelyn Brando 

Ben Fraser . James Gregory 

Dr. Edward Gurston... .Frank Albertson 

Red ...Rudy Bond 

Bus Driver . George Cisar 

Taxi Driver .. Eddie McLean 

Woman . Lillian Culver 

Woman ... Maya Van Horn 

Spanish Man . Orlando Beltran 

Spanish Woman .Maria Belmar 

Shoe Shine Boy .Walter Smith 


in the past. Of some b.o. help, how¬ 
ever, will he the familiar name* of 
Aldo Ray, Brian Keith and Anne 
Bancroft. 

The Stirling Silliphant Screen¬ 
play, based .on the novel by David 
Goodis, employs several flash¬ 
backs to disclose that Ray is on the 
lam in an attempt^o prove himself 
innbeent of murdering a hunting 
companion and of complicity in a 
bank heist. Actual culprits are 
Keith and Rudy Bond who unwit¬ 
tingly lost‘the loot and are con¬ 
vinced that Ray knows where it is. 
' i Also involved in the proceed¬ 
ings are Miss Bancroft, a model 
who first puts the finger on Ray 
and later falls for his charms; and 
James Gregory, an insurance sleuth 
with a hunch that Ray is guiltless. 
Since murderers, always return to 
the scene of a crime, the charac¬ 
ters all converge by chance in the 
snowswept Wyoming' mountains. 
There the money is found, the 
thieves killed in a scuffle and Ray 
revealed as innocent-.....__ 

Performances of most -of the 
players are uf a mechanical nature. 
However, Ray is suitably laconic as 
a man saved from a phony rap; 
Keith is okay as a bank robber 
with an -occasional redeeming qual¬ 
ity, Miss Bancroft supplies ade¬ 
quate romantic interest and Bond 
is a typical hard guy. Gregory is 
quiet and methodical as the insur¬ 
ance. investigator and Jocelyn 
Brando is seen briefly as the for¬ 
mer’s wife. 

. Jacques > Tourneur’s direction 
manages to extract the action and 
suspense in Silliphant’s par-for- 
the-course screenplay; Ted Rich¬ 
mond, who produced the Copa pro¬ 
duction, tossed in some above aver¬ 
age values including a fashion 
show by the J. W. Robinson Co. of 
California. Physical backgrounds 
and action scenes show -up nicely 
in Burnett Guffey’s black-and- 
white lensing. Also good is Ross 
Bellah’s are direction. - 
* There’s a fairish title tune with . 
lyrics by Sam M. Lewis plus music I 
by Peter DeRose and Charles Har- j 
old. It’s appealingly sung by A1 1 
Hibbler’s offscreen voice. Gilb. 


HellywafffI or Bvwt 

(SONGS—COLOR) 

Martin' & Lewis In crowt-eoun- 
try comedy Caper; entertain¬ 
ment uneven. B.o, prospects 
okay. 

Hollywood, Dec. A, 

, Paramount release of Hal Wallis pro¬ 
duction. Stars Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis! 
costars Pat Crowley, Maxie Rosenbloom, 
Anita Ekberg. Directed by Frank Tash- 
lin. Written by Erna Lazarus; earner* 
(Technicolor), Daniel Fapp; editor,- How¬ 
ard Smith; music arranged, conducted by 
Walter Scharf; musical numbers, Charles 
O'Curran: songs, Sammy Fain, Paul 
Francis- Webster. Previewed Nov. 19, *56* 
Running -time, 94 MINS, 

Steve Wiley ...Dean Martin 

Malcolm Smith . Jerry Lewis 

-Herself .................. Anita Ekberg 

Terry ....:... Pat Crowley 

Bookie Benny ... Maxie Rosenbloom 


Hollywood’s in the label and 
does make a finale appearance, 
but most of thjs comedy caper 
takes place on a cross-country 
junket from New York, with way 
stops erirbute, includtnigTCas Tegasr. - 
While the laugh , pace overall is 
uneven, there’s still enough that’s 
very funny to keep the Martin St 
Lewis fans amused so the box- 
office prospects are good. 

This one was lensed pre-separa¬ 
tion and the boys go. together like 
hot dogs and mustard. That Erna 
Lazarus plot framework if mighty 
light, being principally a setting 
for frenetics and gag - situations 
in-between five Sammy Fain-Paul 
Francis Webster songs and a cou¬ 
ple of just passable production 
numbers. 

Hal Wallis decks, the production 
in Vista Vision and Technicolor, 
with Daniel Fapp’s cameras taking 
good care of all the scenic points 
of interest across the country. Di¬ 
rection by Frank Tashlin scores 
enough comedy highspots to keep 
the pace fairly fast, even with the 
slow spots that his handling and 
the team’s talent cannot overcome. 
One of the film’s funniest bits 
comes before the title with Dean 
Martin introducing Jerry Lewis as 
different types of movie-watchers. 
(Continued on page 24) 


Capsule Foreign Flint Reviews 


. . Paris, Nov. 20. 

Tout* L« Vlllo Accuse (The Whole Town 
Accuses) (FRENCH). SNT-Egyra release of 
Radius production. Stars Jean Marais; 
features Etchika Choureau, Noel Roque- 
vert. Francois Patrice. Directed by Claude 
Boissol. Screenplay, Bolssol, Georges 
Combret; camera, L. Burel; editor, Du- 
mesnil. At Cardinct, Paris. Running time, 
90 MINS. 


Pic by a new young director, 
Claude Boissol, has . emerged as a 
sleeper here, and though slight, 
might do for U.S. special situations 
on its happy entertainment values. 
It needs hypo but has narrative 
force. This concerns a writer who 
goes to a little town to work and 
suddenly finds himself daily re¬ 
cipient of a bag of money. First, 
he hides it but later decides to 
begin to use it carefully and for 
charitable purposes Which arouses 
the town. 

Boissol displays fine feeling for 
film storytelling, with the gentle 
mood only dissipated by a rather 
gratuitous explanation of how the 
money was left by some juveniles 
who stumbled onto the cache of 
some dead gangsters. It is adroitly 
acted with good’ technical credits. 
Though tenuous and reminiscent 
of many American comedies, it still 
bears freshness. Mosk. 


La Vie Est Belle (Life Is Beautiful) 
(FRENCH). Gamma release of Davis- 
Gamma Film production. Stars Roger 
Pierre, Jean-Marc Thibault; features 
Colette Ricard, Veronique Zuber, Noel 
Roquevert. Directed by Pierre and Thi¬ 
bault. Screenplay, Danielle Haik, 'adapted 
by Pierre and Thibault; camera, Gustave 
Raulet; editor, Paulc Patier. At Triomphe, 
Paris. Running time, 90 MINS. 


Although there’s a generous 
slice of mystery, action and sus¬ 
pense in .“Nightfall,” this modest 
budge ter adds up to' only a fair 
entertainment for the duals. Story 
is too reminiscent of similar mate¬ 
rial ground out of the script mills 


as if she’s the victim of & gag sinde 
her pupil is some years her senior. 
But the dear old ladies and Pedro 
plus a snug ranch, with horseback 
riding, hunting, fishing and bi" nay 
induce her to stay on. Doug. 


Popular nitery and music hall 
comedy team, Roger Pierre and 
Jean-Marc Thibault, have made 
their first pic as composite authors, 
directors and thesps. Their zesty 
in-person appeal is used in a series 
of sketches loosely tied up by a 
story. Here two young couples win 
a house together but their attempt 
at communal living leads to much 
friction and enmity. 

Although commonplace in film 
form these domestic tiffs make for 
some yocks via the fresh clowning 
of the pair aided by some solid 
comedy character performers. It 
hasn’t the weight for U.S. arty 
spots; hence, its main appeal could 
only be paring down for U.S. video. 
Technical credits are good. 

Mgsk. 


Pltle Pour Les Vamps (Pity for the 
Vamps) (FRENCH; DYALISCOPE; COLOR). 
Fernand Rivers production and release. 
Stars Viviane Romance; features Gisele 
Pascal, Jacqueline Noclle, Yves Robert, 
Genevieve Kervine, Jean Meyer. Directed 
by Jean Josipovlci. Screenplay, France 
Roche, Robert Chazal. Josipovici; camera 
(Fprranicolor), Marc Fossard; editor, Paul 
Cayatte. At T'rioinphe, Paris. Running 
time. 105 MINS. 


This quickie will do nothing for 
apamorphoscoped pix. Lagging tale 
of ah aging film star who sacrifices 
her man to a younger sister gets 


little depth or character relief. Di¬ 
rection is static and technical as¬ 
pects below par, with this Gallic 
process still off in clarity. Acting 
is ordinary but Viviane Romance 
is adequate. Mosk. 

Le Plus Belles Dos Vies (The Most 
Beautiful Life) (FRENCH). UGC release 
of CCA production. Written and directed 
by Claude Vermorel. Camera, Walter 
Wottitz; editor, Jean Douarinou. With 
Claire Maffei, Jean-Pierre Kerien, Roger 
Pigaut, Lucien Ralmbourg, Aissia Barry, 
Nabi Youla. At Ralmu, Paris. Running 
time, 120 MINS. 


This concerns a French teacher’s 
dedication to his task of enlight- 
ing the natives of French West 
Africa. Made under government 
auspices, pic details the odyssey 
of the teacher and his wife who 
finally make contact with the na¬ 
tives, but not before they lose 
their only child, the wife has a 
breakdown and aim.oSt runs off 
with a young engineer. 

Too literary, this is overlong. It 
has an interest in its locale.. For 
the U.S., this shapes primarily for 
secondary spots and even there 
needs pruning to make more taut. 
Economy of means is evident but 
noting is good and technical credits 
fair. Mosk. 


C'Est Arrive A Oden (It Happened In 
Aden (FRENCH; DYALISCOPE; COLOR). 
Coeinor release of S. B. Films production. 
Stars Dany Robin. Jacques Dacqminei 
features Robert Manuel, Jacques Duby, 
Elina Labourdette, Andre Luguct. Versini, 
Dominique Page, Michel Efcbevevry. Di¬ 
rected by Michel Boisrond. Screenplay, 
Jean Aurel, Boisrond from novel by 
Pierre Benoit; dialog. Constance Colline, 
Jacques Emmanuel; camera (Eastman- 
color), Marcel Grignon; editor, Claudin* 
Bouche. At Biarritz, Paris. Running time, 
90 MINS. 


Mock adventure tale has proper 
tongue-in-cheek quality to make a 
diverting entry.. Obyipus aspects of 
a secondrate acting troupe strand¬ 
ed in India, with Anglo lieutenants 
and princes fjghting over the pert, 
flirty ingenue, get a clever going 
over. For America, it does not 
seem suited for art houses. Film’s 
comic touch makes this a possibil¬ 
ity for dualers. Its screen size is 
akin to C’Scope. this process hav¬ 
ing good definition. 

An acting troupe is bogged down 
in a British possession. The leading 
actress becomes a pawn in politics 
as a native prince falls for her and 
will sign a treaty only jf^he has 
her. Her lover, an English lieu¬ 
tenant, asks her to help but they 
do ngi reckon with her Gallic tem¬ 
perament. 

Director Michel Boisrond has 
given this neat style. Slapstick 
mixes with adventure and romance 
as the young- girl’s love affairs are 
depicted. Dany Robin has the 
proper coquettish qualities as the 
girl while the actors all are ade¬ 
quate.. Production values and tech¬ 
nical credits are. good. Film lacks 
values except fo* Dany 
Robin. Moslc. 





































! Wednesday, JDegem^er 5» 1956 


PtiferEfr 


PICTURES T X 


+ • 


+■ 


i ' 


Bob Hope was the No. 2 headliner next to g. of h. Bob O'Donnell 
at the Picture Pioneers' annual dinner and among the nifties: “In 
Texas among all those, millionaires they'd pick up Howard Hughes 
for vagrancy" . . . “He (O’Donnell) started in the picture business 
when Conrad. Nagel. Bessie Love and Nita Naldi didn’t know they 
•were making pictures for Channel 9 ... I saw a picture on tv that 
was so old that Conrad Veldt was on our side" . . . saluting Mike 
Todd and his “80 Days Around the World” . . . “and he hasn't done 
: . bad with, his nights either!" . . . “when Uncle Sam told Mike how 
' much he owes he exclaimed. ‘What do they want me to do—give 
up cigars?'," j __ . 


Texan’s Night at Waldorf Lively With Trade Quips 
—Schwartz Banishes Stage Wait Stuff 


Robert J. O'Donnell, v.p.-general 
manager of Interstate Theatres. 
Dallas, was the industry's No. One 
man at the Waldorf Friday (30) 
night as the top brass from exhibi¬ 
tion and various .film companies 
turned out to salute him as the 
“pioneer of the year." With Sol A. 
Schwartz, president of RKO Thea¬ 
tres, as* a dinner chairman bent on 
barring boredom, and Bob Hope as 
emcee, this 18th annual spotlight¬ 
ing of an industry figure was high 
on pace and humor. 

,New members of the Motion Pic¬ 
ture * Pioneers were inducted by 
Judge Ferdinand Pecora and Jack 
Cohn, and Schwartz intro’d the 
dais toppers, which sounded like a 
film exec “Who’s Who." Hope 
came on to quip that Schwartz, 
“in addition to his other duties, is 
vicepresident in charge of Sid 
Luft. in reference to Mrs. (Judy 
Garland) Luft’s stand at the RKO/f 
Palace. (J 

Eric A. Johnston, president of 
the Motion Picture Assn, of Amer¬ 
ica, read a telegram from Presh- 
dent Eisenhower which cited 
O’Donnell’s efforts in behalf of 
“enlightenment and understand¬ 
ing." ' 

Hope again: “This is a wonderful 
group. I see at least two men who 
(Continued on page 22) 


Praise Be-Deferred 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Paramount has cut its pub¬ 
licity department to the bone 
as a result of the current pro¬ 
duction slowdown. Six prais- 
ers — Michael Scotti, Frank 
Friedrichsen, John Del Valle, 
Irwyn Franklyn, Jack Hirsh- 
berg and Jack Nicholas—have 
either departed the lot in the 
last f£w weeks or will go with¬ 
in the next few days when they 
finish current assignments. 

Studio now has only “The 
Joker" and “The Tin Star" be¬ 
fore the cameras. 


‘Carnival Story’ Profit 
Seen Near $500,000, 
King Bros. Reports 

King Bros. Productions, Inc., 
chalked up a net profit of $125,- 
024.64 before Federal income taxes 


Only 6 Roll In 
Bleak December 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

December will probably be the 
bleakest production month in 
modem Hollywood history. Only 
six films are scheduled among the 
nine major lots, and one or two 
of these may not start because of 
the unavailability, of star names. 

Scheduled starters are “Hellcats 
of the Navy" and “Jeanne Eagles" 
at Columbia; “The Way to Gold" 
and “The Wayward Bus" at 20th- 
Fox; “Man on Fire" at Metro and 
“Pylon" at Universal-International. 
Of the list, the 20th entries are the 
most doubtful starters since 
neither has a director or a com¬ 
pleted cast as yet. 

There are several indie films 
but on a tentative basis. 


for fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1956, 
prexy Frank King- disclosed in a 
report to stockholders. Figure com¬ 
pared with $101,678.66 for preced¬ 
ing year, * repping an increase of 
33%. 

Net profit afte'r provision of $58,- 
710.80 for taxes amounted to $66,- 
313.84. Total assets of company 
were listed at $950,419.66. 

King advised shareholders that it 
was expected outfit’s “Carnival 
Story," released last year, will real¬ 
ize profits in excess of $500,000. 
Greater success is anticipated, he 
declared, from “The Brave One," 
now in early release. 

A new source of profit is expect¬ 
ed from company’s entry into tele¬ 
vision, Bfing reported. First series 
will be “The Adventures of Sinbad 
the Sailor," and plans are under¬ 
way for a second, “Adventures of a 
Gaucho," to be produced in sub¬ 
ject's Souui American locale. 


Nicholson Party in N. Y. 

Trio of execs of American Inter¬ 
national Pictures in New York 
from-the Coast over the weekend 
to hold a series of regional hud¬ 
dles with their distributors and 
franchise holders. Comprising the 
contingent are prexy James H. 
Nicholsoh, v.p. Samuel Z. Arkoff 
and national sales manager Leojn 
Blender. 

Group will also confer with local 
circuit heads and have scheduled 
exhibitor screenings of three re¬ 
cently completed AIP productions. 
The AIP officials remain in N. Y. 
until Saturday (8) when they plane 
to New Orleans for sales confabs, 
with their Southern distribs. 


U. S. Gheers Aliens 

== Continued from page 3 
the problem of how to be helpful 
to foreign industries with their eye 
on the U.S. and yet to draw the 
precise line beyond which it can¬ 
not go. The Americans went so far 
as to subsidize the Italian promo¬ 
tion—and later distribution—effort 
in'' the States. MPEA is constantly 
faced with demands for quid-pro- 
quo distribution. 

It has set up a Foreign Films 
Advisory Unit which, for several 
years now, has been handing out 
procedural advice to overseas pro¬ 
ducers with pix they’d like shown 
in the market. MPEA arranges 
screenings of such films for inter¬ 
ested parties. 

It’s pointed out that no other in¬ 
dustry in the world has gone to 
this length to aid what is essen¬ 
tially competition. To this the. re¬ 
ply is that a.) the American com¬ 
panies can well afford to boost 
imports which, even at their best, 
barely dent the market, and, b.) 
MPEA is painfully aware that, 
dominating the screens of the 
World as it does, it must keep re¬ 
assuring one and sundry that the 
U.S. is a free market where, with¬ 
in natural limitations, everyone 
gets h<is chance. 

Rank’s^ entry into the market 
will put to rest, once and for all, 
British contentions that American 
distribs haven’t done justice to 
British pix. There may still remain 
the charge, of course, that U.S. 
exhibitors resist. The MPEA feels 
it will not have much of a problem 
explaining that its members no 
longer control the circuits. 


SOME KEEP'EM 


Use of a wrong advertising ap¬ 
proach and an unappealing title 
can cost a picture $3,000,000 to 
$4,000,000 in gross Income, it was 
charged at the Allied States Assn, 
convention in Dallas last week. 
The assertion was' made by re- 
search£r..Al„S.mdlinger, _who based 
his claim on surveys made by his 
staff. 

He noted, for example, that de¬ 
spite the widespread criticism in 
advertising circles of Warner Bros.' 
campaign on “The Bad Seed," his 
staff of researcheas found no re¬ 
sentment amongdhe general public 
which, he said, liked the picture 
and was not disappointed because 
of the ad campaign. Sindlinger 
claimed that in areas where the 
controversial * campaign was u^ed 
the picture grossed 30% hotter 
than in sections where orpinary 
advertising was usecL-HEfe main¬ 
tained that if a commonplace cam¬ 
paign had been used the picture 
would have grossed only $1,000,000 
instead of the $4,000,000 it is ex¬ 
pected to hit. 

Women & Westerns 

In appraising the campaign orf 
WB's “Giant," Sindlinger declared 
that a simple change, such as re¬ 
moving the western hat worn by 
the late James Dean in the orig¬ 
inal advertising, made a difference 
in the picture’s gross. “There are 
a lot of people, especially women, 
who might have remained away 
from the. picture if they thought 
it was a western,” Sindlinger noted. 
He pointed to a strange quirk— 
discovered by his researchers— 
femmes like westerns while they’re 
in the theatre, but they don’t want 
to go to see them. 

No ‘Persuasion' 

Sindlinger ridiculed such titles 
as “The Friendly Persuasion,” 
“Death of a Scoundrel," and “The 
Sleeping Prince." He charged that 
the public when confronted with 
these titles expressed no interest 
in the films. However, when given 
an outline of the story of each of 
the pictures, Sindlinger said there 
was considerable “ interest in the 
property. As a result of a survey, 
he noted, WB is changing the title 
of “The Sleeping Prince" to “The 
Prince and the Show Girl." Lat¬ 
ter title, he said, won immediate 
response from the public and fin¬ 
ished first among some half a doz¬ 
en titles tested. He claimed the 
new title could make a $4,000,000 
difference in the picture’s gross. 

REPUBLIC HANDOUTS 
CALLED ‘BOOTLEGGED’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

IATSE Publicists Assn., for the 
second tim,e in month, has warned 
Republic prexy Herbert J. Yates 
that the firm must cease “bootleg¬ 
ging" publicity releases. Studio, 
with no theatrical film production 
plans at the moment, shuttered its 
praisery a month ago-and is now 
the only major without a function¬ 
ing press feed. 

Association pointed out that un¬ 
der the basic agreement all news 
and publicity material must be 
handled by members of the Pub¬ 
licists Assn. It charged that non¬ 
members have been sending re¬ 
leases to the press since the pub¬ 
licity department was axed. 


Copyright Attorney 

Harriet t 1 . Pilpel 

who's a specialist in-author 
relations chides thf 

Ineffectuality Of 
Authors to Protect 

Own Rights 

* * ★ 

another of the many editorial 
features in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P^RIETY 


United Artists Keys Up Field 
Team As Other Companies Adopt 
UA-Like Partnership Deals 


2-to-l RKO-Scope 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

A new widescreen process 
perfected by RKO will be in¬ 
troduced on Sol Lesser’s 
“Tarzan and the Lost Safari" 
and will be used for practi¬ 
cally every one of the com¬ 
pany’s upcoming releases. 

Tagged RKO-scope, the ana- 
morphic process will have a 
screen ratio of 2-to-l. 


Venice Festival 
Not ‘Recognized’ 

International Federation of Film. 
Producer Assns. executive council, 
meeting in Paris, recently, has nix¬ 
ed official recognition for the 1957 
Venice Film Festival. Move came 
on technical grounds since Venice 
didn’t submit its rules under the 
deadline. 

The IFPA decision isn't final and 
there is still plenty of time for it 
to include Venice in the months to 
come. It does, however, emphasize 
European and American misgivings 
re the Venice rules which arrogate 
to Venice itself the right to pick 
films for the fest. 

Both the Americans and the 
British have made it plain they 
object to this procedure. Motion 
Picture Export Assn, didn’t offici¬ 
ally participate at this year’s 
Venice shindig. 

When Eric Johnston was in Mos¬ 
cow some months back, he ran into 
the Italians who were holding a 
film week there. They told him 
that “something had to be done" 
to restore U.S. participation at 
Venice. It’s definite that, unless 
there is a change in basic rules, 
MPEA will continue to stay out. 

Meanwhile, Cannes has issued 
new rules for its fest. They limit 
official entries to a single picture 
per country. However, Cannes 
will continue to invite films. 


Schary Eclipse 

Continued from page 3 ——; 

more to partnership deals with in¬ 
dependent producers, the top man 
now is to be an “administrator." 
He’s to approve the partnerships 
and perhaps assist the indies in 
putting up their packages. But 
there’s no longer those onetime 
well-populated stables of contract 
producers, directors and players 
who had to be kept employed to 
justify their upper-bracket sala¬ 
ries. There’s no longer the control 
to. be exercised over story inter¬ 
pretation, casting and production 
development. 

This obtains largely with just 
about every studio. The indies are 
at, work in large number at WB 
and while Jack Warner is still at 
the helm he, too, has relegated 
himself to a certain extent to ad¬ 
ministrator status. ’ Ditto 20th, 
where Zanuck himself is function¬ 
ing as an indie and Buddly Adler, 
while taking top billing, is . in ad¬ 
ministration command. 

Harry Cohn’s iron-hand rule at 
Columbia has been kid gloved as 
per the overall Hollywood pattern. 
It’s become an industry of package 
deals all around. At RKO, William 
Dozier is the v.p. in charge of pro¬ 
duction but only half of the RKO 
production is to be studio fostered, 
the other 50% coming from free¬ 
lance film-makers. 

Further reducing the power of 
Warner; Cohn, Dozier, Adler, Y. 
Frank Freeman at Paramount and 
Ed Muhl (working under A1 Daff) 
at Universal are the participations. 
The stars are taking a part of the 
ownership of their pictures and 
are. demanding, and receiving, all 
sorts of approval rights. 

The czar has done a fade. 


As other \ companies more- and 
more are engaging in partnership 
deals with independent producers. 
United Artists i^ faced with a 
strong competitive situation. But 
the company is confident that its 
record of experience in merchan¬ 
dising product will continue to 
bring stars, producers, writers, di¬ 
rectors, etc., into the field. 

This was 1 a major point made at 
UA’s New York conference of field 
exploitation men and homeoffice 
department heads over the ‘past 
week. .Max E. Youngstein, v.p,, re¬ 
lated how the company emerged 
from a redrink operation some five 
years ago with only a few boxoffice 
pictures but with much promo¬ 
tional drive. The Italian-made 
“Fabiola," which.had been turned 
down by other distributors, was ac¬ 
cepted for release by UA and, bal- 
lied to the hilt, grossed $1,000,000 
domestically,. said Youngstein. . 

The campaigns for “African 
Queen" and “Moulin Rouge” clear¬ 
ly helped push both entries in the 
top-money brackets, he added. 

Youngstein participated in the 
confab along with distribution v.p. 
William J. Heineman, ad-pub direc¬ 
tor Roger Lewis, Coast publicity 
coordinator Leon Roth, exploitation 
chief Mori Krushen;. assistant ad- 
pub director A1 Tamarin and pub¬ 
licity manager Mort Nathaqson. 

Youngstein pointed to UA’s line¬ 
up of 48 features for 1957 which 
represent, he said, an investment 
of $42,000,000. These,' he pro¬ 
claimed, are to be backed by inten¬ 
sive merchandising, with new em¬ 
phasis On local “sell." Heineman 
said the job of the fieldman com¬ 
bines the functions of specialists 
in advertising, publicity and ex¬ 
ploitation and because of changed 
market conditions the exhibitor is 
(Continued on page 25) 

Yanks Waive Takeout In 
Dollars of Gain Should 
British Kill B.O. Tax 

Board of the Motion Picture Ex¬ 
port Assn, last week voted to waive 
dollar remittance on funds accru¬ 
ing to U.S. distribs in Britain un¬ 
der any local admission tax cut 
there. 

Info, figured to be helpful ijHhe 
British traders battle to get the 
tax sliced, has been relayed to the 
British Chancellor of the Ex¬ 
chequer. , It’s figured, that some 
35% of any tax cut would benefit 
the distribs - in Tfntain. 

American companies, which are 
short on sterling in Britain anyway, 
made the gesture partially to offset 
local criticism that they went along 
with the British tax campaign for 
strictly selfish gains. 


Par Rental Space at 75%l 

__;_j 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Paramount’s film-rental opera¬ 
tion of its Sunset sound stages is 
now functioning at 75% of capac¬ 
ity and will be working at capacity 
.^shortly after the first of the year. 
‘'Only one of the four stages now 
in use is being utilized for theat¬ 
rical film production. It houses 
“Johnny Trouble,” initial effort of 
the new Clarion Productions. 

Other tenants are BBD&O which 
is filling General Electric tele¬ 
blurbs; Tom R. Curtis productions, 
readying “Sergeant Preston" tele- 
pix; and the DuPont Electronicam 
system which has taken one stage 
for demonstration purposes. 

By the first of the year two other 
features planned by Tudor Produc¬ 
tions and Milner Brothers Produc¬ 
tions, will also be housed at the 


Arthur /Massed 24, son of an Ot¬ 
tawa French Baptist clergyman, 
has signed an acting contract with 
M-G-M British Studios and Ealing 
Films/Ltd. 




PICTURE CROSSES 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


L A. Slumps; ‘Sympathy’ NSG$50,000, 
llSpots; ‘Moon’ Lush 26G, DeMile 
Whopping 27G, 3d, ‘Giant’ 21G, 7th 


Los Angeles, Dec. 4.. < 
Pro Xmas lull already is setting 
in here with many spots just coast¬ 
ing. Even strong extended-runs 
are beginning to feel the pinch. 
New openers this week are all on 
th£ slow side. “Canyon River” and 
“Young Guns” combo is slow 
$8,500 in two theatres. 

“Woman’s Devotion” paired with J 
“Scandal, Inc.” shapes thin $7,500 i 
in three houses. Top-price run of 
“Tea and Sympathy” looms modest 
$11,000 in two locations plus $39,- -j 
000 in three nabes ^d_.six_djlV_e^ 
ins. i 

“Teahouse of August Moon” still 
is bright $26,000 in second week 
at Pantages. Third round of “Ten 
Commandments” looks fancy.. $27,- 
000 at Warner Beverly. While 
“Giant” is down, it’s still good at 
$21,000 in seventh week. “Love- 
Me Tender” is down sharply in 
second stanza at light $16,000, four 
spots. 

Estimates for This Week - 
Warner Downtown, Wiltern (SW) 
(1,757; 2,344; 80-$1.50)—“Canyon 
River” (Col) and “Young Guns” 
(AA). Slow $8,500. Last week, with 
New Fox, “Curucu’MU) and “Mole 
People” (U), $16,000. 

Orpheum, New Fox, Uptown 
(Metropolitan-FWC) (2,213; 965; 

1.715; 80-$1.50) — “Woman’s- Devo¬ 
tion” (Rep) and “Scandal, Inc.” 
(Rep). Thin $7,500. Last week, j 
Orpheum with Hawaii, Uptown , 1 
“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “3 For 
Jamie Dawn” (AA), $14,600. 

State, Hawaii (UATC-G&S) (2,- 
404; 1,106; 8'0-$1.25) — “Tea and 
Sympathy ” 1 (M-G) and “Tunder 
Bay” (U reissued Modest $11,000. 
Last week, in other units. 

Pantages (RKO) (2,8i^ r $1.10- 
$1.75) — “Teahouse of August 
Moon” (M-G) (2d wk). Fine $26,- 
000. Last week, $40,800. 

Hollywood Paramount (F&M) 
(1,468; $1-$1.50)—“Death of Scoun- 
(Continue’d on page 24) 

Holdovers Slough Prov.; 
'Giant’ Smash 10G, 3d; 
‘Sex’1HG, Tender’ 7G 

Providence, Dec. 4. 
“Giant” is still wow in its third 
session at Majestic. Also strong in 
second week is Strand’s “Friendly 
Persuasion.” RKO Albee’s “Love 
Me Tender” in second round is 
way off from great opener. “Lust 
For Life” opened big at State. 

Estimates for This Week 
Albee (RKO) (2,200; 60-80) — 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) and 
“Finger of Guilt” (20th) (2d wk). 
Slowed up sharply but still good 
at $7,000. First week, $16,000. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 90-$1.25)— 
“Giant” (WB) (3d wk). Sock $10,- 
000. Second stanza was $17,000. 

State (Loew) (3,200; 60-85) — 
“Lust For Life” (M-G) and “Gaby” 
(M-G). Opened big on Saturday ( 1 ). 


Broadway Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross' 

This Week !.. .$546,900 

(Based on 22 theatres ) 

Last Year . $448,100 

(Based on 22 theatres) 


Philadelphia, Dec. 4. 

Weekend biz on which first-runS 
here depend So much fell off 
but .blue-chip productions remain 
steady in current session. Army- 
Navy annual classic grid battle 
brought- .’thousands into city ' but 
failed to hike the sagging pre- 
Xhias boxoffice. Presley’s “Love 
Me Tender” went into a nosedive 
in second round at the' Fox. 
“Canyon River,” one of few new 
pix, is only fair at Goldman. 

“Ten Commandments’ ? still is 
smash in second stanza at Randolph 
despite everything; “Giant” con¬ 
tinues big in fourth Mastbaum 
round. 

Estimates for This Week 

Arcadia (S&S) (526; 99-$i.80)— 
“Opposite Sex” (M-G)’ (5th wk). 
Fell off .to $6,800. Last week, 
$8,500. 

Boyd. (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 
“Seven Wonders” (Cinerama) (32d 
wk). Steady $14,500. Last week, 
$16,500. 

Fox (20th) (2,250; 75-$1.50) — 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) (2d wk). 
Tepid $11,000. Last week, $26,000. 

Goldman (Goldman)’ (1,250; 65- 
$1.35)—“Canyon River” (AA). Fair 
$7,000. Last week, “Everything 
.But Truth” (U), $8,000. 

Green Hill (Serena) (750; 75- 
$1.25) (closed Sundays) — “Ship 
That Died of Shame’* (Cont). Okay 
$3,600. Last week, “Make Me an 
Offer” (Indie) (2d wk), $3,300. * 

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 90-$1.80) 
—“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Big $25,- 
000. Last week, $36,000. 

Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; $1.20- 
$2.40)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) (14th 
wk). Group sales helped to $ 11 , 000 . 
Last week, $12,000. . 

Randolph (Goldman) (2,250; $1.40- 
$2.75) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Continued on page 24) 


Bliz Blitzes Buffalo; 
‘Wonders’ High$15,000 

Buffalo, Dec. 4. 

Blizzards and pre - Christmas 
shopping are/ combining to take a 
big bite out Of boxoffice here cur¬ 
rently. “Giant” looks/sock stand¬ 
out although in fourth week at. 
Paramount.. “Seven Wonders of 
World” stilt is smash in 14th round 
at the Teck. “Love Me Tender” is 
way off on first holdover week. 

Estimates for This Week . 

Buffalo (Loew) (3.000; 60-85) — 
“Opposite Sex” (M-G) and “Man 
is Armed” (Indie) (2d wk). Fair 
$9,000.: Last week, $13;500, 

Paramount (Par) (3,000; 90-$1.50) 
—“Giant” (WB) (4thwk). Big $12,- 
000. Last week, $20,000, 

Center (Par) <2,000; 50-80). — 
“Love Me -Tender” (20th) (2d wk). 
Slow $8,000 or near. Last week, 
$ 20 , 000 . 

" Lafayette'XBaSitl- (3;000; 50-80)—- 
“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) (3d 
wk). Soft $7,500. Last .week, $9,000. 

Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 90- 

$1.25)- : -“War and Peace” (Par) 
(4th wk). Slow $7,000. Last week, 
$8,500. 

Teck (Cinema, Products) (1,200; 
$1.20-$2.40)—“Seven Wonders of 
• World” (Cinerama) (14th wk). 
Great $15,000. Last week, same. 

‘Mountain Big 9G, 
L’ville; ‘Giant’ 13G 

Louisville, Dec. 1 . 4, 

Business is strong this week, de¬ 
spite fact there is only one new¬ 
comer. “The Mountain,” solid at 
the Kentucky. “Oklahoma,” now in 
. 15th round at the Brown, is sag;- 
ging. “Giant,” in third at the Mary 
Anderson, is still great. “Love Me 
Tender,” in second week at the 
Rialto, is down sharply but still 
rated healthy. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brown (Fourth Avenue - United 
Artists) (1,000;- 90-$2)—“Oklahoma” 
(Magna) (15th wk). Fair $7,000, 
with ads warning patrons just four 
more weeks remain of run. Last 
week, $ 10 , 000 . 

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-85) 
—“Mountain” (Par). Only new pic 
in town, solid $9,000. Last week, 
“Everything But Truth” (U), 
$ 8 , 000 . 

Loew’s (United Artists) (3.000; 
74-99) — “Friendly Persuasion” 
(AA), (2d wk). Fair $7,000 after 
first week’s $9,000. 

Mary Anderson (Switow) (1,000; 
85-$1.25)—“Giant” (WB) (3d wk). 
Wham $13,000 after second week’s 
$16,000. 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 
74-99)—“Love Me Tender” (20th) 
(2d wk). Way off at healthy $11,000 
or near after first week’s $ 21 , 000 . 


Cincy Stoat; ‘Can’t Run’ Okay $7,500, 
‘Giant’ Bigl5G,3d;lender’llG, 2d 


-- : - & Cincinnati, .Dec. 4. 

tr • ’ Downtown trade shapes above 

Kptj I Ilii fiirAtt&pe <par this week, trailing Thanksgiv- 
IMjy. UlJ UFU5&C5 ing upswing deling first im- 
- . . pact of Yule, shopping diversion. 

Estimated Total Gross Only new . bill, “You Can't Run 

This Week .$3,630,600 AwarFrom It.” loortis just okay at 

{Based on 2*2 dttei and 229 Ke‘th ». Giant/* racking uo a 

theatres , cMeflu first' runs, in- tail third-week figure at the Albee, 

riiiiiinn at v v ■ continues to overshadow two other 

ciuatng n. x.) heiarty holdovers, ^Oklahoma” and 

Total Gras Same Week ■ "Love Me Tender." Latter is 

k*** Ye *r i * • ■ especially solid. “Seven Wonders 

(Based on 24 cities and 232 0 f Worid’Ms' slowing down-at half¬ 
theatres.) -year mark, but still sprightly for 

. . . ■■■■ — * ■■■■■■■ ■ ■ this season of year; 

mm • " t Estimates for This Week 

* Albee (RKO) (3,100; 90-$1.50)— 

LiOliniMlIfllllfilllS_ .‘Giant” (WBIOcljwk)..Qvershad- 

aviinuuuuuivmy owing the city for third straight 
week, wow $15,000 or near. Last 

FI • 00/ 1 IV P we**, $22,000. 

KAIlClfltf / ili III Crxpltol (Ohio Cinema Corp) 
llUUdlAW LuUy I/tVr* (1,376; $1.20-$2.65>—“Seven Won- 
** ders of World” (Cinerama) (26tli 

Washington, Dec. 4. wk). Slowing down some to $16,- 
An i„ 000 gait at half-year stage for 

smallest gross of run, hut no com- 
^ plaints. Last week, socko $18,000. 

21 iw Grand (RKO) (1,400: 90*1,25)— 


Rousing 23G, DC 


Washington, Dec. 4. 


main §tem horizon, and with holi¬ 
day shopping taking its perennial 


this week 0 ’-'Man TrZ DelVo" ‘Xo^Me'Tended (20thM2dwE 
itl/cw’s- Columbirshapes^brisk. Cl ° S ' f °"° Wing 

Big disappointment among hold- (Shor (1 500- 75-$l 25)—— 

overs is nosedive taken by “Love -can^Ru^Away Fro'm’lt'^'lCol). 
Me Tender” in second stanza at okay $7>500 . L ast week, “Friend- 
Loew s Capitol. Ten Command- ly persuasion” (AA) (3d wk). same, 
ments ^ is impressive in second Palace (RKO) (2,600; 90-$1.50)— 
week at RKO Keiths while 'Cine- “Oklahoma” (20th (3d wk). Bow- 
^ ma T,r Hohday .’ in ^lst session at [ j n g out with swell $11,000. Last 
the Warner is marking time for \ W eek $15 000 
Dec. ”27 preem of “Seven Won-j ’... _ 

Estimates for This Week j Pitt on Pre-Chrisbnas 

(; ?wb) ( ^ a h 0: wk?: Skids Although ‘Friendly’ 

Fine $8,000. Last week, $9,500. .' >• ■*/» -//*• .* ‘i or* 

Capitol (Loew) (3,434;, R5-$125) Fat ll(l, Giailt BlglJll 
—“Love Me Tender” (20th) ( 2 d 1 * ■ 

wk).-* Weak $12/000 after $26,000 ^ , Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. 

opener, a bit beloW hopes. Bottom’s dropping out ot every- 

rtAiuMtKi* /tnfeurf M 1 rjA. ok thing this week and it’s an indica- 
<51 (ttm tion generally of things to come 

Bride $8 000 *La5 ^eek "Shark- until Christmas is out of the way. 

(ofj^ ^nnn "Love Me Tender” is in complete * 
fighters (UA) ( 2 d wk), $6 000 nosediye in holdover at Fy }i ton , 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 90-$1.15) Third stanza -of “Friendly Persua- 
—“Secrets of Life” (BV) (4th wk). s ion” is respectable at Penn while 
Fine $4,000 after $5,000 last week, fifth of “Giant” is good enough to 
Holding. rate a sixth session at Stanley. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1.859; $1.25-. Even high-voltage “Seven Wonders 

$2 75) — “Ten Commandments” of World” is pulling in its horns 
(Par) (2d wk). Impressive $23,000, at the Warner. 


considering pre-Yule slump. Last Estimates for This Week 

week, $35,000. Stays on. Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 65-99)— 

(qw^ n 4 Qn- on "Love Me Tender” (20th) (2d wk). 
«1 (WB) (5th *’ wk) H °P es of thls making a run col- 

$ 12^00 1 LasT week $16 000* la P sed quickly after big opening 
Solid $12,500. Last week, $io,uuu. and is way o£f on holdover. Lucky 

Palace (Loew) (2,360; 70-90)— t o get $5,500 after $13,000 last 
“You Can’t Run Away From It W eek. 


AAAVVV ' JLUW/ | UVOvl 

“Love Me Tender” (20th) and || A If 1> • 111 1 H . 

EVE- 80a Xmas Buying Bop Mpls. Bnt 

‘Giant’ Sock 14G, 4th, Okla.’ 16G, 2d 

State (Loew) (3,200; 60-85) — 

Life” (M-G) and “Gaby” Minneapolis. Dec. 4. [is smash at Radio City. “Love Me 

•M-G). Opened big on Saturday ( 1 ). Signs already are appearing to Tender” in second session is way 
Last week, Opposite Sex” (M-G) indicate the normal pre-Xmas box- off but about as expected. 

ISod a^nn 611 ^ Hospital ” lUA) * office slu , m P I s making its appear- Amazingly “Oklahoma” still is 
gooa ance early. Egon such big pix as solid Loon newcomers arc a nair 

Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 60-85) “Seven Wonders of World” and 0 f lesser ^pictures being dualed 

wk S?m^nf S r S i 0 ,nnn'n AA V ,2< J “ Gia J ,t ” ln th , cir , 18th fourth That may be'a Ltor in keeping 
wiek t LSn 1 $I0 ' 000 -- Flrst ™;« eks ’ respectively, are being bit pacc sluggish. 
week^$12, 0 °Q. this round. However, "Giant" still Estimates for This Week 


NEW ADDRESS! 


6404 Sunset Boulevard 
Hollywood 28, California 
Phone: Hollywood 9-1141 


Century (S-W) <1,150; $1.75- 

$2.65)—“Seven Wonders” (Cinera¬ 
ma) (18th wk). Seasonal' drop in 
evidence here. Nice $14,000. Last 
week, $17,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1.000; 85-90)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (3d wk). Rousing 
$5,400. Last week, $5,000. Holds. 

Lyric (Par) (1,000; 85-90)—“Mas¬ 
sacre” (20th) and “Stagecoach To 
i Fury” (20th). Light. $3,000. Last 
week, “Shake, Rattle, Rock” (Indie) 

; and “Runaway Daughters” (Indie) 

; (2d wk), $3,500. 

Radio City (Par) (4.100; 90-$1.50) 
I—“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Box- 
: office accomplishment has lived up 
i to its title. Socko $14,000. Last 
; week, $16,500. ^ 

i RKO Orpheum (RKO) (2,800; 75- 
; 90)—“Love Me Tender” (20th) (2d 
■ wk). After a smash initial canto 
1 it’s withering on vine. Batfely okay 
$8,000. Last week, $17,500. 

* RKO Pan (RKO) (1,800; 75-90)— 

, “Reprisal” (Col) and “Cha, Cha, 

Boom” (Col). Slim $3,500. Last 
week, “Killers” (U) and. “Sleeping 
City” (U) (reissues), $4,500. 

State -(Par) (2,300; 90-$1.50) — 
“Oklahoma” ( 20 th) ( 2 d wk). Cotii- 
; batting adverse seasonal influences 
fairly well. Fancy $16,000. Last 
| week, $19,500. 

i World (Mann) (400; 75-$1.20)— 
[“Lust for Life” (M-G) (3d wk). 

• Healthy $4,000. Last week, $4,600. 


(Col). Opened Saturday (1) in Guild (Green) (500; 85-99)— 

fairly good manner. Last week, “Wages of Fear” (DCA) (4th wk). 
“Opposite Sex” (M-G) (2d wk), a quick dissolve right after 
slight $9,000, Thanksgiving. Won’t even do drab 

Playhouse (Lopert) (456; 75- $1,000. Last week, $1,600. 

$ 115 )—“Fantasia” (BV) (reissue) Harris (Harris) (2,165; 65-99)— 
(3d wk). Pleasing $5,000 after “CanJ Run Away from It” (Col.) 
$7 000 in second. Stays. (2d wk). General weakness down- 

Plaza (T-L) (290; 90-$1.35)— ‘u™ reflected here with $4,500 in 

“Lady Chatterly’s Lover” (Indie) 6 8 ®y s - L , a , S 71 n'mi’n C Inervi) 
(3d wk). Solid $5,000 after $6,500. <<17 P . en, ' 1 (UA) <3,300 80-$1.25)— 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 90-$1.25) pi ; i . er,dly Persuasion (AA) (3d 

Fan?y $137oO. SfKt 

Warner (SW) M.300; $1.20-$2.40) Jj on 1 SLi 2 ’ 000 on vundl 'P* Last 

S?e°adv ay $10 OOO ei aT1t Stanley (SW) (3,800; 99-$1.50)— 
(61st wk). Steady $10,000 as it « Giant „ (WB) (5th wk ). Only thing 

Sinnn HoSe M LaS - t that’s holdings up fairly well down- 
week, $11,000. Holding on. iown# Ought tb do at least $13,000, 

" solid, and enough to get it sixth 

Indpls. Uneven Albeit Zp j&dF&tf'Z 
‘Giant’ Hotsy 14G, 2d 

Indianapolis, Dec. 4. (Cinerama) (33d wk). Taking it on 
First-run biz here is spotty this the chin with the others; looks only 
stanza, with holdovers continuing $ 10 , 000 , low for this engagement, 
to dominate. “Giant” in third week Management isn t too concerned, 
at Indiana is hottest again, and however, ; since other Cinerama pix 
will stay on. “Oklahoma” iooms j) a d same . ^ e ^ 0le Xmas, 

big in 14th week at Lyric. “Love Last week, $12,000. 

Me Tender,” in second week at ...... A AAA 

Circle is way off. “Julie,” only (JliNr HIICE SI3 000 

new entry, at Loew’s shapes light. WfUll I1UUL. ipi 

Estimates for This Week PORT • < TFN^FR , Nfi fiG 

Circle (Cocki'ill-Dolle) (2,800; 50- ivIVI,, lEllULa W 

85)—“Love Me Tender” <20th). Portland, Ore., Dec. 4. 

Dull $7,000 following $18,000 Town is loaded with holdovers, 
opener. and not all of them are continuing 


Circle is way off. “Julie,” only ‘GIANT HUGE SI 3 000 

new entry, at Loew’s shapes light. WfUll I1UUL. 

Estimates for This Week PART * ‘TFNDFR’ NG GG 

Circle (Cockiill-Dolle) (2,800; 50- lURl., .HUwIUI 11U OU 
85)—“Love Me Tender” <20th). Portland, Ore., Dec. 4. 

Dull $7,000 following $18,000 Town is loaded with holdovers, 
Opener. and not all of them are continuing 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 90-$1.50)— smash ‘.‘Giant’’ looks great but 
“Giant” (WB) (3d wk). Hefty $14,- way off in third. Love Me Ten- 
000 making it about $65,000 for der . 1S rated only slim in second 


run here to date. 

Keith's (C-D) (1,300; 60-90) 


round at Orpheum. “Friendly Per¬ 
suasion* continues okay for third 
session. “Oklahoma” in fourth 


nnn week sti11 ls sturdy. “Sharkfight- 
wk). Olce $6,000 and about $25,000 ers »• dn j y newcomer, is sad at 
in three stanzas. .Paramount. 

• Loew's (Loew) (2.427; 50-80)— Estimates for This Week 

“Julie” (M-G) and “These Wilder Broadway (Parker) (938; $1.50- 
Years” (M-G). Mild $7,000. Last $ 2 ) — “Oklahoma” (Magna) (4th 
week, “Opposite Sex” (M-G) and wk). On two-a-day with extra mati- 
“Suicide Mission” (Col), $8,500. nee on weekends. Sturdy $14,000. 

Lyric (C-D) (850; $1.25-$2.20)— Last week, $14,200. 

“Oklahoma” (Magna) (14th wk). Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.50) 
Solid $12,000. (Continued on page 24) 







Wednesday* December '5, 1956 




PICTURE CROSSES 


Tender 28G, ‘Moon Mighty 35G, 2d 


Chicago, *Dec. 4, 4- 
Loop hiz is tapering off some¬ 
what this session with only one big 
opener, although holdovers are 
maintaining a satisfactory pace. 

“Julie” shapes smash $25,000 for 
United Artists- Theatre opener. 
“Reprisal’.' and , “White. Squaw” 
double bill at Monroe looks strong 
$6,500. ^‘SeVen Little Sins” at 
World is hot $5,000, * 

“Ten Commandments” is still 
the standard beater at the McVick- 
ers, preselling in second to another 
-capacity session. Relying on teen¬ 
ers, “Love Me Tender” is not so 
strong at Oriental, also in second. _ 
“Teahouse of August Moon” still “ 
is smash in second stanza at the { 
Woods. “Attack” exits State-Lake I 
with a strong take. 

“Giant” is still powerful in its 
sixth Chicago week. “Cinerama 
Holiday” is running great at the 
Palace in 76th round. 

Estimates for . This Week 
Carnegie (H&E Balaban) (480; 
95)—“Fruits of Summer” (Indie) 
(2d wk). Fast $4,000. Last week, 
$5,700. , 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re¬ 
ported herewith from the vari¬ 
ous key, cities, are' net; i;e., 
without usual tax. Distrib¬ 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in¬ 
come. . 

The"* parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


Commandments’ 
Wham 25G, Clere. 


■ ■ ~ -4 ££«£.• Teahouse’ Hot 165G, ‘Giant’ GOG, 9th, 

and Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Ten- ' * 7 

der” is providing the big news at //« « 9 mA n , nrkA 

SSpSKIS Commandments, 80 Days at SRO 

flagship, to join “The Robe” as the . . ... ,, m v . 

only film to play that long at this Broadway film theatres arO ex- $2>—‘Xove Me Tender” (20th) (3d 
house Meanwhile,, the Presley periencing the usual ^post-holiday wk). Current week winding up to- 
fans are strancelv AWOL at the slump in the current stanza. Be- day (Wed.) looks to reach mild 
Omaha for “Tender” and it mav sides the expected dip after $26,000.' Second, including Thariks- 
hot even go two weeks. “Julie” is Thanksgiving Day week, the de- giving holiday, $40,000. Stays a 
slumbinc in second round at the luxe houses are starting to feel fourth. “Wrong Man (WB) due in 
State the effects of early Christmas next but not until near Dec. 25. 

Estimates for This Week shopping. Accelerating the down- Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 

n nnA-Srom beat is the absence of much new '$1.80)—“Silent World” (Col) (11th 

product wk>. Tenth round ended Sunday 

“rrXri ?!Jn Despite all adverse factors, the (2) was fine $6,800. Ninth week 

? Music Hall, with its Xmas stage- was $10,000. 

S ? Dark We”’ |5 0W ,?? d ‘T eah ? use : of August Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 

(Col) bP - A ° K W D Moon,” is soaring to a smash $165,- fellers) (6,200; 95-$2.85) — “Tea- 

Omaha^ristates) (2 000* 75-90) ^Long lines every day solar, hous^-of August Moon” (M-G)-and 
(2fhh> Verv of cour se. has brought some turn- annual Christmas jstageshow. First 


—“Love Me Tender” (2Gth> Verv annual unnsimas jstagesnow. Jbirst 

disaDDointinelS 000 Last week f^ays aiding nearby houses. Al- session winding today (Wed.) looks 

“Friendlv-Persuasion” (AA) (2d though ^opening a bit earlier than to soar to sock $165,000. Holds, 

Wkv? 7 nnn Persuasion (AA> (2d usual this, year, advance reserved naturally, and through year-end 

Ornheum (Tristates) (2 890- 90- seat sale plainly indicates that the holidays. Inahead, “FriendlyPer- 

SlM^cSanr (WB) (4th° wk°) feW da S- h ? s * bee . n . ta Jf. n suasion” (AA) and stageshow (4th 

eonn/v care o£ b y P ubllc interest in this w k), $130,000. 

Slimming to $9,000, still solid for annua i Christmas show. r rv m 


Wham ZMj, Ueve. ^^sssysas 

$60,000 y on engagement, - terrific, being currently in its^ eighth week ending next Friday (7) looks capac- 
Cleveland, Dec. 4, Last week $12 500 at the Roxy. It s headed for a nice |ty $35,000, using 10 shows, since 

With one-month blackout lifted State (Goldberg)’ (860; .75-90)— $60,000 and goes a ninth round. no extra matinees. Sixth week, 

by three labor-hit newspapers and “Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Down to “Ten Commandments still is also sans extra shows, was same. 

.1 « « I I 4 « « * * * ... ▲ , — ... _ _ V 1 Jl I1L. .AM.Aktvt Vk(S flflfl in C*oirr< An m/1 a£ 


Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 98-$ 1.80) I the publications back in operation $4,000 and bows out. Last week, holding with capacity $56,000 in Stays on indef, with seats being 


_“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). Fancy again, mainstem houses are perk- $6,500. 

$38,000. Last week, $48,000. *ng up. Such a setup enabled “This 

Grand (Indie) (1,200; 98-$1.25>— Is Cinerama” to hold at a giant ’ 

“Distant Drums” (WB) and “Dal- figure m third Palace round, just fk » 
las” (WB) (reissues). Fine $10,000. a step behind the second week’s llpll 
Last week, “Rack” (M-G) and take. Same is true of “Ten Com- 1/lrll 
“Naked Hills” (AA) (2d wk), $6,500. mandments ” which is only a 
Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25)— couple of thousand dollars behind 
“Secrets of Life” (BV) <4.th wk). second week’s total, landing a \ 

Nice 87,500. Last week, $8A00. terrific take in third Ohio Theatre |D' 

McVlckers (JL&S) (1,580; $1.25- round. “Oklahoma” is soaring to 

$3.30) —, “Ten Commandments” a lively total in fourth Stillman , 

(Par) (2d wk). Full house at $48,- stanza. /‘Back From Eternity” Holdovers are commum* 

000. Last week. same. _ _ looks only light openmg week at hence an0 ? h “ ' goodweek 


DeMille Mighty 
$31,009 in 2d, Det. 

Detroit, Dec. 4. 

Holdovers are continuing strong; 


present session, the fourth, which sold to January, 
winds up tomorrow (Thurs.). Plaza (Brecher) (525; $1.50-$2)— 
"Julie” looks to hit a nice $20,- “Lust For Life” (M-G) (12th wk). 
000 in second session at the State. The 11th round ending Monday (3) 
“Solid Gold Cadillac” continues was so ii d $12,000. The 10th was 
champ longrun straight-film, with $13,600. 

a bright $17,500 for sixth round Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5,717; $1.23-, 
at the Victoria. It stays on, with $2.50)—“Giant” (WB) with stage- 
“Baby Doll” set to preem the night show (8th wk). Present stanza 
of Dec. 18. “Around World in 80 finishing today (Wed.) looks like 
Days” looks to hold at capacity nice $60,000. Seventh week was 
$35,000 in present (7th) week at $98,500, helped by holiday week- 
the Rivoli, playing 10 shows. end. .. Goes a ninth week, which 

“Seven Wonders of World now enables Roxy to preem “Anastasia” 


~ Monroe '(Indie/^T.OOO; 67-87)— State. ’ ” “ ~ DrosnVfnr dint hmfL tr? in 35 th session, held at great $42,- (20th) on night of Dec. 13. Pic with 

••Reprisal" (Col) and ’'White Estimate, for This Week P 0 „ly two new“? are on top TeenageR, «. -.tag^h ^Tdtv s ( t f|f show opens “> P ubUc • 

weeC “Pm°tAfrique S f“i) «r?d on^lM) 'wk)' Patarfnd'^Mon^SiMe?’* at r «P ectabl * showing wnn $7,000 State O,oew> (3,450; 78-$1.75)- 

-Cha, Boom” (Col) (2d wk>, $4,500. l^^if^.ooOakrS.odo Wk> ‘I BSwav^Capito Both“S£ bt- S„£l ght l0r ^ fr * m * at . the 


Broadway-Capitol. Both are be- Globe. 


?5 k 5000° ff t0 $28 '°° 0 ' W (Mverife 0l) $n?(So d 75) - 

’ Palace. (Indie) (1184- $125- Last week, “Friendly Persuasion” week total at Madison. Giant shapes to get only mild $17,000 m “Secrets of Life” (BV) (3d wk). 

$3^0)—'“Cinerama Holiday” (Cine- (AA > (2d wk), $12,000. T? k third round at Capitol while “The First holdover week ended Monday 

rama) (76th wk). Sock $34,000. Ohio (Loew) (1,244; $1.25-$2.50) lo^kc h f!?Hv Mountain” likewise is sluggish at (3d) was fast $10,200. Initial week, 

Last week, $32,000. -“Ten Commandments” (Pa?) (3d g about $ 10,000 at the Astor /Rain- $i 6 f 20 0. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-95)— wk). Terrific $25,000 after $27,400 of ^World” li SoJKS* ™ ake *’ is due to repiacethelat- Trans-Lux 52d St.(T-L) (540; $1- 

“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “Huk” in second; took in Thanksgiving Sjf®. . is a *5 « r w - th a preem the n ght pf D $1 ’ 50) ~ La strada < T - L > (21st 

(UA) ( 2 d wk). Hotsy $16,000. Last weekend. tut m-satn wees at Music mil. 12. _ ^ wk) The 20th session ended Sun- 

week, $20,000. Palace (S-W) (1485- 8125-82 40' Estimates for This Week “Love Me^ Tender is way off to day (2 ) was lively $8,400. The 19th 

State-Lake (B&K) <2,400; *98- ”Thiris Cinerama” (Cinerama) Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000: 90- a rou nd $26,000, very mdd, at Para- week was 810,600. 

$1.25) — ‘(Attack” (UA) (2d wk). (3d wk). Giant $30,000. Last week, $1.25)—“Love Me Tender” ( 20 th) mount in third session. r Victoria (City Inv ) (1 060; 50-$2) 

Fa»r 820,500.) Last week, $35,000. $31,000 and “Desperadoes in Town” (20th) in view of how most product is far- —Solid Gold Cadillac (Col) (7th 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685: state (Loew) (3 500* 70-81) — <2d wk). Good $20,000. Last week, mg and will continue to do so un- wk). Sixth stanza completed yester- 

$1.25)—“Private’s Progress” (DCA* “Back From Eternity” (RKO). $42,000. til nearly Oiristmas day (Tues.) was bright $17,500 or 

i 5 $oo: k) - Big $5,00 °- Last week> ^sJ&*®b) L 2j eek; " 0ppo ' 

L1Vely $ 15 '°0 Q - Lastweelc Ul.OOO: ‘‘Re- %g* we^Sd^latu^ay'% 

Woods (Essaness) ^(1,206; 90- r . . »ia AAA PriS v (p ar) set to preem nigbt of Dec 12. was rousing $42,800. The 33d ses- 

$1.50) — “Teahouse of August uF 6 <lt dt 518.000. C j n t. T S u ? ‘vS^ ay ^ B a ronet (Reade) ( 4 30; . 8J..25- s i on was $5ij00, which included 

Moon” (MnG) (2d wk). Smash t > I 19e^AA and ^tah Blame (Col), $1.80)— Snow Was Black (^® n t) three extra matinees two of them 

$35,000.) Last week, $47,000. IlAI 1 V£r a 1 9J ^ 15 * 000 - < 8 th wk). Seventh s ® s ® 1 _ oP for kids. Stays on indef at this 

• World (Indie) (430* 98)—“Seven UvIIVCr, I 6 DQ 61 IU 2 U, Lu Madison (UD) (1,900; $1.25-$2.75) Sunday ( 2 ) was good $5,100, Sixth pace. 

Little Sins” (Kingsley). Rousing Denver, Dec 4. —‘‘Ten Commandments” (Par) (2d was $6,800. 55th St. Playhouse (B-F) (300; 

$5,000. Last week, “Bullfight” “Giant” is still leading the city wk). Socko $31,000. Last week, Capitol (Loew) (4,820, $l-$2.50) $i.25-$1.50) — “Vitelloni” (API- 
(Janus) ( 4 th .wk), $3,000. at the Paramount in fourih round, $33,500. ™ fnS (Wed ) ^ nu / } J 7th , wk L round fln - 

Zicgfeld (Davis) (430; 98)— and staying a fifth. Warner opus Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500; This stanza * ending today^ (W.ed.) Mrato. ( 8 } waa faiior 

“Grand Maneuver” (UMPO) (3d still is great. “Oklahoma” in sev- 90-$l.25)—“Blonde Sinner” (AA) c nnn’°°“RnnHlP of ? 4,800 ‘ Flf i b . was ^J’ 5 , 00 - Week- 

wk). Sturdy $3,200. Last week, enth session at Tabor is tapering and “Cruel Tower” (AA). Slow Second was $26^000.. Bundle ot days are a blt offish but weekends 

$4,000. - W to T SS Saturday was ^ of^’ ^ 

‘Sex’ Fairish $9,000 In. ph tt ar> Ar $ Jr?uAi a,*., 9 «- Huh Sli^-‘WS«IW 

«r -a /a. * c. 1 A /1 run. biz generally is slinnincr this ti wu“OW a hnm 9 » f 20 th> ( 5 th $3.30)— len ^ommanamenis IIUD JllQeS. oBl jQlIfl 


to uupvii 111 dUU ucai ivi iucjr xuui- 

^av* Pairicli tQ AAA In round at the Denver. With seven phy” (Par), $14,000. 

OCa rdiriMl IO- theatres on holdover or extended- United Artists (UA) (1,668; 90- 

K V . I 1 nr run \ biz generally is slipping this $1.25)—“Oklahoma: (20th) (5th (4th ThS'week'finish- 

. C.; Giant Lofty 10b, week. wk, v 

j.i <»p i >ior OJ Estimates for This Week weeks heiie i]a „?riA G ° d for terrific $56,000. Third hit $56,- 
4th, Tender lJU. Zd Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 70-90)— m 9 tEw^7(ii- 0 (2i Hi 500 for usual 14 shows a week plus 

> " _ > “Secrets of Life” (BV) (4th wk). Ada ^® }i 7 2S ; extra upper-scale matinee. Con- 

Kansas City, Dec. 4. Thin $3,000.- Last week, $6,000. ““ § ex . (M-G) (3d wk). tinues, with advance continuing 

Only one new picture at major Centre (FOX) (1 247 - 70-81 25) ° ke $7,000- Last week, $8,500. 

houses and one newcomer in arty “Friendly Persuasion” (AA) (3d Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
houses, making a' mild week here vvir) Fine 811 000 Last ■ week tions) (1,205; $1.20-$2.65) — ~ Seven 
currently. Christmas shopping also $14 000 * ’ ’ ' ’ Wonders” (Cinerama) (25th wk). 

S_ __1_...... _4 T _, _ * . _ __ _ - m_-• J *oa nAA T_4 f>OQ CAA 


Thin $3,000.- Last week, $6,000. ’ r7“ 0p P^ e ? ex V (M ‘, G) *i 3 ?AA Wl 
Centre (FOX) (1,247; 70-$1.25)— ° k e $7,000. Last week, $8^500. 

- * - * - ' - - Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 


Hub Slides; ‘Sex’ Solid 
$19,006,2d, ‘Giant’ Wow 
18G,‘Shake’Lusty 23G 


great. Boston, Dec. 4. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 9(V$1.80) Pre-Xmas slump is beginning 
—“Marcelino” (UMPO) (7tn wk). an d many exhibitors are holding 
Sixth frame completed Monday (3) over their pix from last week. 

_ -L _CAA 1? IXIU ..... *0 _ I.n. . . 4. 1 n il, 


currently. Christmas shopping also $ 14 ,000. / A 9 ine T ran ^ a) ( ? 5t i 1 oo?AA Sixth frame completed Monday (3) over their pix from last week 

is under way in earnest and hurt- Denham (Cockrill) (1,750; .90- Torrid $28,700, Last week, $28,500. was sturdy $7,500. Fifth was $9,- “Shake, Rattle, and Rock” and 

ing grosses Opposite Sex at $ 1 . 50 )—“War and Peace” ■ (Par) ; 000. Stays. “Runaway Daughters” combo at 

Midland is fairish. Madame But- (6 tli wk).. Fair $7,000. Last week, <Tl?Nni7P’ UAT Cl if AAA Gh>be (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50) Paramount and Fenway is only 
a t the Kimo is do ^ n 8 $9,000. iuNl/lllV HU I y* —“Teenage Rebel” (20th) (3d wk). new entry this frame and shapes 

Giant has tapered off some at Denver (Fox) (2,525; 70-90)— MAnnilTA TtmffTT IP Current round winding tomorrow fancy. Holdovers are holding bet- 

Paramount in fourth week, but is “Love Me Tender” (20th) and TORONTO. DEMILLE 266 (Thurs.) looks to hit fair $7,000. t er than anticipated. “Giant” is 

still solid. . Ten<^r “Stagecoach To Fury” (20th) (2d * . Second was $8,000, not quite up to s fjn strong in fifth at Metropolitan, 

shapes barely good at four Fox w k). Down sharplyW$10,500. Last Toronto, Dec. 4. hopes. “Ten Commandments” is hotsy in 

Midwest houses in second week. wee k, $24,000. Despite whipped-up newspaper Guild (Guild) (450; $1-$1.75)— third at Astor “Love Me Tender’ 

Estimates for This Week Esquire (Fox) (742; 70-90)— accounts^ of broken doors by “Magnificent Seven” (Col) (3d wk). is fat i n second at Memorial but 

Brookside (Fox Midwest) (1*081; “Doctors” (Kingsley). Poor $2,000. screaming teenagers and early First holdover week completed W ay off from opener “Opposite 

-■75-9 0) —- Scerets of Life” (BV) (3d Last week “Papa, Mama, Maid” morning lineups, no- doors were Sunday (2) was smash $10,500. Se £» looms ro bust in second at 

Soaa $1*700. Last week, (indie), $2,500. broken for “Love Me Tender at First week was $11,500. State and Orpheum. “Lust for 

• $2 ^? 0, , I 1 /r,AA rrc aan Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 70-90)— Shea’s. However the first week Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 79- L ife” at Kenmore is breaking 

Glen (Dickinson) (700; 75-90)— “Death of Scoundrel” (RKO) and shapes big. Of .other newcomers $i.80) — “Oklahoma” (20th) (5th house record in second round. 

Lucretia Borgia (Indie). Back in “Gunslinger” (ARC). Mild $9,000 “You Can’t Run Away From It w k). C-Scoped version is off to tT his w<w>ir 

house after a police lawsuit closed or under. Last week, “Sharkfight- is very good in three theatres f a i r $11,000 or near in current f® r ?5 ® 

it last January. This one is scis- ers” (UA) and “Calling Homicide” while “Back from Eternity” is so-so wee k ending 'tomorrow (Thurs.). Astor (B&O) (1,372; $1.90-82.75 
sored version. Good $1,500. -Last (AA), $10,000. at the Imperial. “Ten Command- Fourth was $f4,000, a bit below — Te n Commandments (Par) (3ci 

week, “King of Virtue” (Indie) (2d Paramount (Wolfberg) (2 200; ^0- ments” is doing turnaway night biz expectancy. • wk). Second week ended yesterday 

wk), $700. $1.25)—“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). on second stanza at the University. Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 95- Monday (3) was virtual capacity. 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-90)— Fancy $18,000. Stays on. Last Estimates for This Week $1.80)—“Rebecca” (20th) (reissue) $30,000. Last week, $31,000. 

“Madame Butterfly” (Indie). Okay week, $28,000. Carlton, Colony, F a i.r 1 a w n ( 3 d w k) First holdover session Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (678. 

$2,000; holds. Last week, “Letters Tabor (Fox) (930; $1.25-$2)— (Rank) (2,518; 839; 1,165; 60-$l)— ending today (Tues.) shapes stout 90-$1.25) — “Rififi” (UMPO) (4th 

l?rnm F9r! u/lr\ KALI<rri>Vi «Von Tiun Axirair TTrrtm f\r\r\ Tm’i-lnl iuaaIt RHH wH ThlH WPPlf PTlded v6sterda\ 


wk), $700. $1.25)—“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-90)— Fancy $18,000. Stays on. Last 
“Madame Butterfly” (Indie). Okay week, $28,000. 

$2,000; holds. Last week, “Letters Tabor (Fox) (930; $1.25-$2)— 


From Windmill” (Toffan) (2d wk), “Oklahoma 1 
$800. $7,500. Last week, $10,000. Sfays (Col). Very good $20,000. Last ' Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) (Mon.), neat $7,000. Last weex. 

Midland (Loew) (3,500; 60-80)— on week, “Between Heaven, Hell” (550; $1.25-$1.80)—“Wee Geordie” $11,000. 

“Opposite Sex” <M-G) and “Gun Vogue (Sher-Shulman) (442; 70- (20th) (2d wk), $12,000. (Arthur) (8th wk). Seventh stanza Cinerama (Cinerama Produc- 

Man Down” (UA). Stays 9 days 90)—“Snow Is Black” (Indie) (3d Christie, Hyland (Rank) (877; 1,- ended Sunday (2) was smooth $7,- tions) (1.354; $1.25j-$2.65)— Sever 

for fair $9,000. Last week, “Julie” wk). Good $1,100. Last week, $1,- 357; 75-$l)—“Death of Scoundrel” 300. Last week, $10,200. Wonders of World (Cinerama 

(Continued on page 24) 1200. Holding. (Continued on page 24) Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,665; $1- (Continued on page 24) 


” (Magna) (7th wk). Eair “Yau Can’t Run Away From It” $7,000. Initial week was $9,500. wk). Third week ended yesterda> 
st week, $10,000. Stays (Col). Very good $20,000. Last Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) (Mon.), neat $7,000. Last week. 

tiraolr “Rofuronn Hoavon Holl 11 /RKA. QA1_“Won ant'd la” SI 1 fiflrt. 


Hell” (550; $1.25-$1.80)—“Wee Geordie” $11,000. 

(Arthur) (8th wk). Seventh stanza . Cinerama 


(Continued on page 24) 


(Continued on page 24) 


10 


PICTURES 


P'XfzlE’Fr 


More B&WPk Than Tinters in 1>6; 


Hollywood may be going in for 4 
more colorful subjects, but the 
number of tint features continues 
to drop. This year, for the first 
time in a long time, black-and- 
whites actually outnumber the 
color releases. 

Best available index is the total 
of feature films okayed by the Pro¬ 
duction Code Administration dur¬ 
ing 1956. As of early November, 
with 269 seals issued, 153 of the 
pix were in black-and-white and 
116 were tinters. 

By comparison, with 305 seals 
issued for the full year_ of 1955, 
151 were black-and-wlntes arid 154 
were in color. In other words, the 
color content hasL.slipped from 51% 
in 1955 to 43% in 1956. 


Non-Fitting’ Doormen 

A theatre-man joints out in 
line with the"'V ariety' stories 
on house operations, and al¬ 
leged shortcomings, that in 
certain cities the elderly men, 
who are mostly in* the door¬ 
man and ticker-taker' jobs, are 
not permitted to sit down. 

It is pointed up that Loew’s 
and RKO theatres provide tall 
stools for the doormen but 
that the Paramount policy is 
pot to permit sitting-down.’ 


Coast Girilds 


Drop is attributed to two factors: 
one is the desire to effect econo-, 
mies and the other relates to a 
realization that some subjects are 
actually. more effective in mono¬ 
chrome .than in color. Top direc¬ 
tors, like Elia Kazan, have long 
maintained that the wholesale 
swing to color has its artistic draw¬ 
backs ahd that color for color’s 
sake alope doesn’t necessarily pro¬ 
vide added value for a film. 

Kazan, who did one tinter— 
“East of Eden”—said last week he 
had yet to find a drama filmed in 
color where the tinting didn’t 
soften the impact of the story. He 
deplored the “artificial” coloring so 
often adopted by Hollywood and 
said he wouldn’t mind making a 
tinter provided he could attain the 
proper, muted hues. 

20th-Fox, which for a time in¬ 
sisted that all of its CinemaScopers 
be in color, has now adopted a flex¬ 
ible policy and, like other studios, 
is turning out black-and-white 
C’Scope pix. Cost of prints, par¬ 
ticularly on the long color films 
like “Giant,” has taken op increas¬ 
ing importance and figures as an 
important item in adding up costs. 

Widening Gauge 
Of Film Oka; 
With Allied 

Allied States Assn, greeted fa¬ 
vorably the future potential of 
large gauge film. Metro’s upcom¬ 
ing 65m film was enthusiastically 
hailed by the exhib organization’s 
equipment standardization commit-, 
tee. 

In a report submitted by Hugh 
McLachlan, head of the committee, 
M-G’s 65m system was described 
as “an Allied type of exhibitor’s 
Cinerama.” On the basis, of what 
he saw in a Coast demonstration, 
McLachlan said that M-G’s 65m is 
superior to Cinerama arid Tod<j- 
AO. He said exhibs did not have 
to worry too much about the giarit 
gauges coming from the film com¬ 
panies since “indications* are that 
there will be simultaneous release 
of most, if not all, 6f these films 
on 35m.” 

McLachlari stressed, however, 
that Allied’s committee “feels that 
we must have progress and that 
the business must accept progress, 
so we must encourage in- all ways 
possible anything that is an im¬ 
provement and big film projection 
is definitely 'an improvement.” 

He declared that certain late 
model projectors could- be modi¬ 
fied to show large gauge films and 
cautioned exhibs contemplating 
new purchases to make sure the 
equipment could be modified. 

McLachlan said he had received 
assurance from the film com¬ 
panies that when the large gauge 
film is released, it would be made 
available on a standardized print 
stock, including 20th-Fox’s 55m. 
However, 20th officials in New 
York promptly denied that its 
55m films would be issued on a 
70m print stock. 

Other recommendations made 
by Allied’s equipment committee 
include: 

In purchasing new projector 
lamps, especially for drive-ins, 
make sure'they can be modified to 
operate with new projectors that 
may be purchased. 

There is definite trend to the 
discontinuance of silver screens 
and a return to the fairly high 
grain white sheets. i 



Terms of Fox 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 
Matty Fox has returned east fol¬ 
lowing meetings wjth the talent 
guilds aimed at’ working out a for¬ 
mula whereby he can sell the RKO 
backlog of post-1948 pix: to tele¬ 
vision, with a guild cut-in on the 
profits. Fox made. the. guilds a 
“more generous” offer than was 
pitched them by the major film 
studios at earlier meetings, and 
the guilds are now mulling his 
proposals. 

Screen Actors Guild, Writers 
Guild of America West and the 
Screen Directors Guild will now 
turn the*’ Fox proposals over to 
their respective boards for discus¬ 
sion and possible action. 

(SAG board Monday night 
(2L) rejected the Fox offer, 
amounting to $648,000 in cash 
to three guilds for 75 RKO 
pix. Guild nixed the bid as 
“ridiculously low.” It’ll now 
consult. with the other guilds. 
SAG wants, over 50% of any 
talent split‘on post-1948 films. 
Fox offer wouldn’t cut in the 
craft' unions, only the guilds.) . 
Fox’ offer was better than the 
majors’ proposal of putting the 
guilds in for a total of l'5% of the 
gross from tv, with the guilds to 
split up the 15% pie themselves. 
Majors’ deal, also excluded from 
guild payments theatrical pix 
which went in the. red oh their the¬ 
atrical runs. Guilds turned the 
majors’ bid down in 'ft hurry and 
countered with a demand for 30 % 
of the net, a demand iced by the 
majors. With the two groups dead¬ 
locked, there' is no date for an-, 
other meeting at this time. 

Fox first proposed the guilds al¬ 
low him to release his 70 post-1948 
pix now, with the understanding 
if the majors reach an agreement 
in their guild talks within six 
months, he would pay the guilds 
according to the major format, and 
make his payments retroactive to 
the time he sold his post-1948 pix 
to tv. He also suggested if no 
deal with the majors were consum¬ 
mated in six months, the payment 
problem should go to arbitration. 
The guilds nixed this proposal, 
particularly the arbitration angle. 

Fox, who came here with his 
attorney, David Stillman, doesn’t 
face .g^e multiple problems con¬ 
fronting the majors. Unlike the 
majors, he doesn’t have consider- 
abel coin tied up in -backlogs, al¬ 
though he is eager to unload the 
70 pix involved. In addition; the 
majors were told by international 
IATSE proxy Richard F. Walsh 
earlier this year that if and when 
they sell post-1948 pix to tv, he 
expects the majors to cut IA crafts 
into the tv pie. That’s why the 
majors told the guilds their 15% 
figure must include any other 
unions or crafts. 


Lapkin’s Added Braid 

The board of directors of Stan¬ 
ley Warner Corp. last week elected 
Nathaniel Lapkin as first vice pres¬ 
ident of the company. 

-As an officer and member of the 
board, Lapkin has been a key fig¬ 
ure in SW’s diversification moves. 
He was prominent in the negotia¬ 
tions which led to the acquisition 
of Cinerama and the International 
Latex Corp. He is presently in 
charge of the company’s Cinerama 
production program. 


CIVIL LIBERTARIAN 
VIEW: CODE DUBIOUS 

Pointing to certain “glaring 
faults” in the Production Code, the 
American. Civil Liberties Union 
has urged the Motion Picture Assn, i 
of America to determine whether 
specific subject taboos in the bode 
are “based on solid evidence and 
represent the opinion of the mo¬ 
tion picture audience rather than 
the opinion of one particular 
group,?’. 

In a letter to MPA A prexy Eric 
Johnston, the National Council on 
Freedom from Censorship (an 
ACLU affiliate headed by Elmer 
Rice) safd the Code should be re¬ 
vamped .with tfie opinion of three 
outside groups taken into account: 

1. A cross-section of the film-go¬ 
ing public; 2. experts on the sub¬ 
jects to be covered, and 3. psychol¬ 
ogists and social scientists who 
have some knowledge of human be¬ 
havior and what stimulates it. 

Letter made it plain that the 
Union in no :way endorsed the 
Code,, which it considers “a re¬ 
straint on freedom of expression.” 
However, it noted, “as long as the 
Code continues, we believe that at¬ 
tention should be given to those 
provisions which especially limit 
free expression. 

“It strikes us that in framing the 
Code to meet the demands of these 
(pressure) groups, the MPAA has 
not only given up an important 
measure of freedom, but it has 
done so without determining if the 
public agrees with their opinion 
and whether the evils inveighed by 
these groups could reasonably be 
expected to follow.” 

In what appears a clear refer¬ 
ence to the Catholic Legion of Der 
cency, the Union noted that, by 
their continuing pressure, “these 
groups ... have required the in¬ 
dustry to accept their standard of 
socially-acceptable film subjects 
and treatment.” It noted these 
groups’ rights to vent their feel¬ 
ings, but observed it was proper 
to object “when their expression 
hampers free expression arid de¬ 
prives other members of the com¬ 
munity of the opportunity to dee 
certain subject matters treated in 
films.” 


Rodgers Named Veepee 
Of Trans-Lux Theatres 

Thomas E. Rodgers was elected 
veepee of the Theatres (Corpora¬ 
tion last week, per Percival E. Fpr- 
ber, chairman of the Trans-Lux 
Corp. board. Rodgers has been 
supervisor of Trans-Lux theatres 
in New York for the last six years* 
He had been in the film business 
for two years before joining Trans- 
Lux. 

Booking of product Into T-L the¬ 
atres is handled by Rodgers, who 
also serves as ad-publicity director 
for the chain which includes 
houses' in Philadelphia, Washing¬ 
ton and Boston besides the N.' Y. 
theatres. 

Trans-Lux declared a 20c divi¬ 
dend last week, covering 1956* T-L 
recently has been paying 15c divvy 
annually. The 20c is payable Dec. 
20 to stockholders of record Dec. 
12 . 


'ART 1 FILMS MIDWEEK 


Deliberate Slotting Of Imports 
Tues. and Wed* 


St. Louis, Dec. 4. 

A combination policy of art im¬ 
ports and American films has been 
inaugurated by the Frisina Amuse¬ 
ment Co.’s hardtop, the -.Lincoln, 
in Charleston, Ill., that relighted 
Thanksgiving Day. Dale Rennels, 
manager of this house and the 
Rogers in the same town said the 
change in policy was made at the 
request of patrons of the • house 
who yenned the foreign made prod¬ 
uct. 

Under the current plan the im¬ 
ports will be shown on Tuesday 
and Wednesday nights and the 
rest of the week reserved for Hol¬ 
lywood product. 

The Osage, Kirkwood, Mo., 
owned and operated by Harry 
Wendt also has become art-minded 
and will show such films four 
nights weekly with the rest of the 
week reserved for domestic prod¬ 
uct. The first foreign film pre-r 
sented since the change in policy 
was “Diabolique.” 


Wednesday, Dcccoiber 5, 1956 


Wax Museum of Stars Readying ; 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

A new tourist attraction for Hollywood—a wax museum a la 
Madame Tussaud’s in London featuring some 300 life-kize figures 
of top film stars of both past and present—will be opened next 
summer by the Society of Make-Up Artists. Society’s membership 
of 33 make-up artists Will do the work and approximately, one year 
will be required to complete all the figures. Museum, however, will 
be opened as soon as a representative group of statues has been 
completed and displays will include duplicates of all famous make¬ 
ups of film history. . 

Museum will be located at SMA’s new headquarters on Cahuenga 
Blvd., and. will be open to the public with half of the proceeds going 
to industry Charities, 

Clay Campbell is chairman of the Museum Committee which in¬ 
cludes Here Westmore and Jack Kevan._ 


Credit Freeze By Italian Pix Labs 


Midsummer Santa 

Glendale, Dec. 4. 
Santa Claus comes to this 
suburb too early to suit film 
makers. Producer Wiliam 
Goetz had received an okay to 
do location scenes for “The 
Brothers Rico” on Brand Blvd., 
and a crew showed up on 
schedule for the film which car¬ 
ries a mid-summer setting. 
But Brand Blvd. was already 
festooned with Christmas jdeco- 
rations. .J 

A crew of 20 electricians and 
grips had to dismantle the 
decorations along one entire 
block so that director Phil 
Karlson could shoot a scene in¬ 
volving 85 actors and crew¬ 
men. When the day’s work was 
over, the decorations were re¬ 
stored. 


Rosener’s Advice 
To French: Avoid 
Monopoly Plans 

French producers have every¬ 
thing to gain and nothing to lose 
by continuing to use sub-distribu¬ 
tors in the U.S. and by keeping 
the distribution of their films oh 
a competitive rather than a “mon¬ 
opolistic” basis, Herbert Rosener, 
whose * Mayfair Pictures releases 
imports in the western states, said 
in N.Y. last week. 

Rosener, who’s, also an artie 
exhib (in Los Angeles and San 
Francisco) noted a rising interest 
in foreign films in his area, but 
opined, that overseas producers 
tended to spoil their own game via 
exaggerated demands. 4i A bad 
deal with the Independent distrib¬ 
utors filters all the way down the 
line to the sub-distributor and trie 
theatre,” he commented. 

. Rosener thought the proposed 
20 % distribution fee outside the 
keys “wasn’t realistic” if a picture 
had limited circulation and did not 
gross much. As for the charge 
that .sub-distributors tend to lose 
foreign pix in the shuffle since 
they handle so much other prod¬ 
uct, Rosener commented that the 
outfits couldn’t very well exist on 
French pictures alone,. 

Exhibitors; he said, did try to 
play imports, but frequently had 
been discouraged. “If a man In a 
small town tries a foreign picture, 
and he dies with it, and then he 
tries again and finds he doesn’t do 
business, he* is likely to lay off. 
And, after all, who can blame 
him ? ” : 

Even so, Rosener reported, ilve 
theatremen recognize ' the offbeat 
value of imports and they keep 
coming back to them. One French 
picture he handled was extraordi¬ 
narily successful. It played 11 runs 
in San Francisco, 20 in Los An¬ 
geles, two in Fresno, two in Santa 
Cruz, four in Sacramento, etc. 
United California Theatre booked 
it over the entire circuit. 

UniversaPs 25c Divyy 
And Extra Ditto Melon 

Board of directors of Universal 
at a meeting last week declared a 
quarterly dividend of 25c per share 
and an extra dividend of 25c per 
share on the company’s common 
stock. 

Melon is payable Dec. 28 to stock¬ 
holders of record Dec. 14. 


Rome, Nov. 27. 

Most recent consequence of the 
financial crisis in the Italo film 
industry has been the credit freeze 
just approved by a group of film 
labs here in Rome, now banded 
together in what some opponents 
term a “cartel.” Reported that 
this group now demands advance . 
payment from producers and dis- 
tribs who want their copies Rroc- 
cessed or multiplied. 

Price cited as necessary before 
the labs will accept work is 39 
lire or an estimated average price 
of 50 lire per meter, or some 120,- 
000 lire of a 150,000 tab per copy 
(about $200 of the $250 total). 
Previously, all this work was ac¬ 
cepted on credit. Now, labs ap¬ 
pear unwilling to risk mounting 
bills in an* industry in which too 
many companies are in a bad way 
financially, and in which billions 
of lire in unpaid bills are literally 
circulating as “legal” promissory 
tender. 

Results of the lab freeze have 
not yet been felt, but early indi¬ 
cations are that many independent 
operators in the .business will be 
severely handicapped, and perhaps 
thrown out of business because of 
the new interruption in the pic 
credit cycle. Obviously, the move 
has little or no effect on the larger 
established firms or on the Yank 
companies here which are able to 
afford the advance money needed 
for their prints, etc. 

While some observers ,here feel 
the move justified because of the 
uncertain credit Jtructmre in the 
local industry, ana by tne difficult 
situation the labs have found 
themselves in in recent times, 
others (who. have demanded that 
ANICA step in), feel that the 
freeze is unfair to Independents 
while favoring the big companies. 

Labs have another worry. The 
Technicolor plant now being 
erected just outgid$ Rome to them 
constitutes a. serious threat via the 
company’s backing, tie-ins with 
Ferrania here and its vast experi¬ 
ence in the field. 


Russia, Romania 
Building More 
Picture Plants 

Expansion of film production 
facilities in Russia and ROmanig 
was reported in N. Y. last week 
by Bernard Kreisler who recently 
returned from a trip behind the 
Iron Curtain. 

Huge new fring is being added te 
the Mosfilm studios outside Mos¬ 
cow, Kreisler said. It includes six 
new sound stages,, two of which are 
already in use. Stages are 40 feet 
high to allow for highpowered 
lights. 

Outside Bucharest, a 350-acre 
film city is springing up. It in¬ 
cludes six stages and living quar¬ 
ters ’ for 3,000 persons. German 
and Soviet technicians are em¬ 
ployed and the equipment is com¬ 
ing from France, Germany, Hol¬ 
land and Russia. -* 

The Romanians are arranging 
co-productions with Italy and 
France as part of the effort to 
adopt the new filming techniques. 


Rod Steiger’s Rank Film 

Rod Steiger will star in J. Ar¬ 
thur Rank’s “Across the River” 
which rolls Jan. 21 at the Pine- 
wood Studios in England. 

Ken Annaken directs, John Staf¬ 
ford will produce. 




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16 


INTERNATIONAL 


German Stage on Upbeat at Last; 

Local Talent, New Writers Emeige 

4 -:-a- 


Frankfurt, Nov. 27# 

The German stage, which has 
been in sharp decline since the war, 
with productions being mainly Ger¬ 
man versions of American hits 
(“Diary of Anna Frank,” “Tea¬ 
house,” ‘/Seven Year Itch/’ “Caine 
Mutiny,” and “Anastasia” current¬ 
ly being the big draws in many 
major cities) is finally seeing a re¬ 
vival of local talent, with, some 
new writer names cropping up on 
the upcoming-winter season sched¬ 
ule. The season also sees some new 
plays by seasoned German drama¬ 
tists who have been silent for a 
long-period.- ..- - 

At the Duesseldorf Playhouse, 
Werner Krauss plays the lead in 
Berthold Brecht’s drama, “Life of 
Galileo Galilie,” staged by Karl¬ 
heinz Stroux. And last season’s hit 
play by German-American drama¬ 
tist Carl Zuckmayer, “Das Kalte 
Licht” (The Cold Light) is still 
showing some smaller repertoire 
stages. Plays about the last world 
war figure prominently in the new 
German dramatic scene, with Erich 
Maria Remarque’s new drama, “Die 
Letzte Station” (The Last Station) 
having been the standout hit at the 
recent Berlin Drama Festival. Now 
it’s scheduled to play other Ger¬ 
man cities. Another world war 
play, Peter'Hirche’s “Triumph in 
Tausend Jahren” (Triumph in 1,000 
Years) preems at the State Thea¬ 
tre in Wiesbaden Dec. 6. 

'Death of Doll* 

Ferdinand Burckner’s “Tod einer 
Puppe” (Death of a Doll), another 
new play by a German author, 
bowed in Bochum last month while 
the comedy, “Nichts Neues aus 
Hollywood” (Nothing New From 
Hollywood) by Kurt Goetz, opened 
recently in Hamburg. “Das Nacht T 
mahl” (The Sunper) by Karl Man- 
delartz and' 'werwandelte Welt” 
(Changed World) by Wilhelm Sem- 
melroth, are scheduled for Biele¬ 
feld. Richard * Beer-Hofmann’s 
“Young David” and Hans Holt’s 
“Heart Specialist” are due to play 
In Goettingen. 

A new play by Claus Hubalek is 
due in Frankfurt while “Und Zeus 
Laechtelt” (And Zeus Smiles), by 
Stefan Andres, is booked for Gel¬ 
senkirchen. “Die Gesteinighten” 
(The Stoned) by Friedrich Forster 
is set for Bremen and “A Monu¬ 
ment to Ophelia” by Kurt Schweg- 
ler is to open shortly in Karlsruhe. 

Berlin theatres are producing 
Karl Wittlinger’s “Heaven of the 
Defeated,” Arnold Kireger’s “Fjo- 
dor and Anna” and Rolf Homold's 
“The Zikadb Case.” Cologne has 
booked Wittlinger’s “Do You Know 
the Milky Way,” Mainz will do Otto 
Zimmermann’s “Dream of a Better 
Life,” Nuernberg is offering Ger¬ 
hard Menzel’s “TauernAffair” and 
Pforzheim will show Helmut Vo¬ 
gel’s “Road Into House.” 

Thus, for the first year since the 
end of the war, the German thea¬ 
tre seems to be coming into its 
own. Many reasons for the long 
delay is revival of an original thea¬ 
tre here have been given—the Ger¬ 
mans were too close to the war to 
be able to portray it, too ashamed 
of the brutalities of Nazism or too 
busy rebuilding other phases of 
their industry. Whatever the rea¬ 
sons, the present season sees a new 
trend, and perhaps German stage 
stature is on its way to pre-war 
heights. 


LISBON NAT L THEATRE 
RELIGHTED WITH ‘DIE’ 

Lisbon, Nov. 27. 

The Teatro Nacional, helped by 
the government through the Minis¬ 
try of Education, has reopened and 
for a month has presented, “Some¬ 
body Must Die,” by Luis Francisco 
Rebelo. This piece closed last sea¬ 
son to SRO biz. Some Portuguese 
classics are being used now while 
preparing for the winter season. 

Artists managers Amelia Rey 
Colaco and Robles Monteiro, who 
have been in control of the Teatro 
Nacional for the‘last 30 years, will 
give a special subscription series. 
Another subscription series will in¬ 
clude modern works such as Diego 
Fabbri’s “Family T r i b u n a 1”; 
“Julie” by Somerset Maugham and 
Sauvageon; “Our Children are Our 
Judges” by Brazilian Ernani For- 
nari and two foreign classics, 
“Much Ado About Nothing” by 
Shakespeare and Gogol’s “The In¬ 
spector.” 


‘Rock Clock 9 'Fails 

To Rock Swiss Kids 

Zurich, Nov. 27. 

“Rock Around Clock” (Col) was 
received calmly on its Swiss open¬ 
ing ldst week at the 1,100-seat Rex 
Theatre by. a sellout audience, 
mostly teenagers. Stolid reaction 
came somewhat surprisingly after 
a midnight r&r concert at same 
house the week before ended in a 
riot. Then, a locally-formed quickie 
combo, The Original Rock and Roll 
Prophets, caused booing by the 
youngsters ‘arnttead to typical r&r 
reactions. * 

Following this, the Rex manage¬ 
ment had decided to .cancel “Rock 
Arpun<jL Clock” for fear of further 
riots and wanted to replace'TFwftdi 
“Meet. Me in Las Vegas” ; (M-GV 
Swiss distributor of “CJock” in¬ 
sisted on fulfillment of contract. 
Pic is now having, a normal run, 
audience reaction being generally 
disappointing. 

German Nitery Offering 
New Amateur Gimmick 
As Biz Hypo and Show 

Frankfurt, Novi 27. 
Helmut Dettmer, owner of three" 
nightclubs here, has come up With' 
a new gimmick t<f (stimulate busi¬ 
ness with his new “To Each a 
Chance” Friday night recording 
sessions at his Club 08-15. Each 
patron at the cafe is permitted to 
entertain before the stage micro¬ 
phone, with results recorded. Sing¬ 
ers, comedians and musicians of all 
kinds are urged to take part in the 
informal talent contest. It’s heard 
by the cafe’s patrons, thus provid¬ 
ing free entertainment. 

Last Friday’s session included a 
young factory worke^WRo'sang, a 
male philosophy student who 4 war¬ 
bled “I Love Paris,” a seven-year- 
old girl who mimicked famous Ger¬ 
man performers, a guitarist, a 
yodeler, a harmonica trio and a 
student jazz band. Performers are 
unpaid, but there’s an added in¬ 
centive in the sessions since Dett¬ 
mer selects the best to entertain at 
another of his clubs, The Tropi- 
cana. Thus he has the “auditions” 
at one club in order to hire per¬ 
formers for the other, and can base 
his decisions on audience response 
as Well as on his. own opinion. Local 
firm providing the records, too, is 
benefiting, for many later buy rec¬ 
ords for their portion of the show. 

BEAUCOUP HUNGARIAN 
TALENT IN GLOBAL PIX 

By HANS HOEHN 

Berlin, Dec. 4. 

The Hungarian tragedy has 
brought up a lot of nostalgia here. 
German filmites have always felt a 
great sympathy for Magyars and 
vice versa. Before 1945, Hungary 
was one of the most lucrative mar¬ 
kets for German pix, and Hun¬ 
gary’s contribution to German 
film-making has always been very 
substantial. Particularly referred 
to are stars like Martha Eggerth 
(married Polish singer Jan Kie- 
pura), Kaethe vbn Nagy, Tibor von 
Halmay, Rosy Barsony (who now 
lives in Italy), the late Szoeke Sza- 
kall and Franziska Gaal (who both 
later went to Hollywood), etc. 

In the later 1930s, Marika Roekk 
(wife of pic director Georg Jacoby) 
became Germany’s second most 
popular (after Swedish Zarah Le- 
ander) screen actress. * 

Also Hungarian pic. directors 
found their way to Germany, such 
as Gustav Ucicky, Geza von Bol- 
vary and Geza von Gziffra (who all 
still film in Germany). Hollywood’s 
Henry Koster (litz) and Michael 
Curtiz also once worked here. 

After the war, Eva Bartok be¬ 
came an established star here, and 
Gyula TrebitSCh; of Real-Rilm. 
(Hamburg), is one of the more 
prominent domestic (“Captain of 
Koepenick”) producers. Geza von 
Radvanyi, whose early Hungarian 
postwar pic, “Somewhere In Eu¬ 
rope” has remained unforgotten, 
came to Germany to make a couple 
of pix, ditto Alexander Paal. 

And there are more names such 
as Gabor von Vaszary, whose nov¬ 
els found filmization here, or Zsa 
Zsa Gabor who starred in “Ball of 
the Nations.” 


PfiniitTr 


- *VAMKTY'r LONDON OFFICP 
J It. Mwtln'i Rlact, Trafalgar Iquare 


Rank Shuttering Blues 

London, Dec. 4. 

During one of his scenes in' 7 
the new Adelphi revue, “Unit¬ 
ed Nations,” Tommy Trinder 
calls to the pit orch for back¬ 
ground music. After the band 
strikes up, he exclaims: “Don’t 
make it sound like the Odeon 
or we’ll have J. Arthur Rank 
coming to close us up.” 

He went on to say that Rank 
had already closed about 30 
theatres. __ 


Booking Setup 
For British Pix 


By HAROLD MYERS 
^ London, Dec. 4. 

The entife booking pattern for 
the British motion picture^iridustry 
is 'to be. reviewed as a result of a 
decision taken at a joint meeting 
of exhibitors and distributors. This 
review is a sequel to. the go-it- 
alone policy initiated by 20th-Fox 
when it* broke away from estab¬ 
lished policy and insisted oh ex¬ 
tended runs for “The King and I.” 
Exhibitors protested at the dis¬ 
tributing company’s decision, but 
the Kinematograph Renters Soci¬ 
ety upheld its right to make 
changes in a releasing system 
which has been introduced as a 
war-time emergency measure. 

Joint CEA-KRS meeting. unani¬ 
mously' agreed that swiftly.changing 
conditions in the industry warrant¬ 
ed an overhaul of t|ie exhibition 
system and that this should £e 
undertaken as soon as possible. 
Exhibitor thinking has obviously 
been influenced by the results re¬ 
ported by 20th-Fox in the last few 
weeks. It even cited the case of an 
indie theatre owner, who had sent, 
a protest cable to Spyros Skouras 
when the policy was first an¬ 
nounced, but who had since re- 
bOoked the film after playing it 
for a single .week. 

Throughout the country 20th- 
Fox is quoting figures of higher 
returns by theatres Who have 
played this opus on extended-runs. 
Initial bookings of “King” were 
limited to theatres which under¬ 
took to play a minimum twoweek 
engagement, holdovers beyond this 
period being common. Subse¬ 
quently, it was released on a single 
week’s engagement with options to 
rebook; and in the last weeks, 
many theatres in London and the 
Home Countries picked up their 
option. 

Among examples quoted were 
the Cinema in Guildford, where 
the first week gross was $840 above 
“The Robe” and where the film 
had been held over. It had also 
been retained at the Granada, Ep¬ 
som, where it followed a fort¬ 
night’s run in the neighboring dis¬ 
trict of Sutton and threa. weeks in 
nearby Kingston. “ 

In the north of England the 
20th-Fox musical played five weeks 
in Sheffield, where it outgrossed 
“The Robe” over the same period 
by 10%. It’s had the longest coi*r 
tinuous run at any one picture the¬ 
atre in York, where it has been 
booked-for a return date in the 
New Year; and has created a simi¬ 
lar record in Harrogate. 

PRINTERS’ STRIKE BOPS 
ALL ARC. SHOW BIZ 

Buenos Aires, Nov. 27. 

All show biz here has been badly 
affected by a printers’ strike, which 
has deprived the entire country of 
newspapers, magazines or any form 
of published news or comment 
since early this month.. Strike was 
declared illegal by the government 
after a few days, but the workers 
made no move to get bapk to work. 
There is plenty suspicion that the 
strike was timed to coincide with 
other industrial unrest (especially 
a steel workers* strike), and with 
events in Hungary, Poland and the 
Suez. There are also undercur¬ 
rents of political unrest at home, 
and many workers openly boast 
they hope to have peron back soon. 

Legit and cinema boxoffices have 
been badly affected by the lack of 
advertising. Distributors estimate it 
has cut film boxoffice receipts 
50%. For instance, “Footlights” 
was preemed by Luis Sandrini at 
Gran Rex to only a partially filled 
theatre. All other film releases are 
similarly affected. 


Brazil’s Top B.O. for Yank Imports; 

> Disks, Legit, Ballet, Ice Units, Jazz 


By RAY JOSEPHS 

(Third in a series) 

Rio de Janeiro, Dec. 4. 

American imports are bigger 
than ever in Brazil, be they rec¬ 
ords, legit hits, touring iceshows 
and other specs or even ballet. 
This is the highlight impression of. 
this correspondent in a Varig Air¬ 
lines tour of the country after an 
eight-year absence. American films 
have an influence in the making 
of record hits, but they are not 
alone responsible for the surge of 
Yankee mass entertainment here. 

U.S. music has caught: on in 
Brazil as it never had in the previ¬ 
ous decade. Localites are as fa¬ 
miliar with North American vo¬ 
calists and bands as they were once 
able to chapter-and-verse you on 
Hollywood names. And since a 
Hollywood film will get around 
faster than anything except local 
introduction of a successful-Samba 
at Carnival Time in Februarya 
good American pressing is enough 
to establish a previously unknown, 
U.S. star. Record sales can run 
up to 350 to 400,00h. 

Personalities like Dizzy Gillespie 
who recently made a highly suc¬ 
cessful personal appearance in a 
State Department-sponsored ‘ tour 
rfn South America, and Nat “King” 
Cole, have been known only by 
records. Gillespie drew from the 
widest possible range of audiences. 
He brought out teen-agers and the 
young studeht crowd up to the 
topdrawer society set, and rated 
coverage by the serious critics. He ( 
also" rated the front covers of most 
of the leading Brazilian magazines, 
editorials in the papers, and con¬ 
siderable official attention. 

The film backing has produced 
hits even in unexpected quarters. 
“All Around the Clock” from 
“Blackboard Jungle” had never 
previously been heard in Brazil. 
Distribs tied in with local release 
of disks and within a month after 
the opening, more than 100,000 
pressings had been sold. 

On the> other hand, “Love is a 
Many - Splendored Thing” was 
known here before the film was 
premiered, recordings having ar¬ 
rived early and caught on when 
played by local disk jockeys. The 
latter divide their time between 
U.S. and local numbers, primarily 
Sambas. 

Night spots with an international 
crowd divide their time about 
50-50 with sambas and imported 
numbers, and those with a more 
domestic audience, may give about 
a third of their time to the im¬ 
ports. 

RCA Victor, Decca, Columbia, 
Capital and MGM all make press¬ 
ings in Brazil from imported mas¬ 
ters. They have their own studios 
for local recordings. In some cases, 
top U.S. hits are later given Portu¬ 
guese lyrics and re-recorded as an 
interesting Brazilian-American ar¬ 
rangement, creating a new effect 
that’s especially "popular outside 
the big cities. 

Two Brazilian organizations, cor¬ 
responding to our ASCAP and 
Broadcast Music, Inc., are UBC— 
Union of Brazilian Composers, and 
SBACEM — Society of Brazilian 
Authors and Composers, both in¬ 
ternationally recognized and work¬ 
ing with U. S. entities on inter¬ 
change payments df royalty fees. 

Disk Singers Rated 

Of the Brazilian recording ar¬ 
tists, the best upcoming samba 
singer is generally rated to be 
Marlene. A young attractive gal, 
she works only in Portuguese, 
dresses in the smartest interna¬ 
tional style, and avoids the Car¬ 
men Miranda regional Bahia fruit 
basket costumes entirely. Another- 
samba singer of an entirely differ¬ 
ent type % is Angela Maria, * whose 
style is more in the Miranda mood, 
and who is heavily booked, partic¬ 
ularly in the provinces, sched¬ 
uling her dates as long as ten 
months in advance. 

Of the male singers, Cauby 
Peixoto, who has recorded with 
Paul Weston on Columbia in the 
States, is known for both sambas 
and U. S. numbers, and veteran 
balladeer, Salvio Caldas, still 
draws extremely well both on 
records and in local theatre. Some¬ 
what offbeat is a unique harmonica 
player who uses the name Edu 
who does extensive TV and radio 
dates. 

Of the top local bands, Ary Rar- 
roso, composer of the famed 
“Aquarela do Brasil,” the theme of 
Walt Disney’s “Saludos Amigos,” 


still rates at the top. Dorival 
Caimmi is being touted as a local 
Harry Belafonte, since most of his 
compositions which he himself 
sings are based on local folklore. 

Legit Replete With Imports 

Theatre in Brazil concentrates 
primarily in Rio and San Paulo. 
The former has some 14 legitimate 
houses Operating during the sea¬ 
son. American ‘hits played in 
English and in mahy cases in trans¬ 
lations hi(ve been outstanding hits. 
“Teahouse of the August Moon” 
is the great current success, having 
run over eight weeks with n0 signs 
of diminishing. Top price is the 
equ i valent of $1.25. “Porgy and 
Bess,” which came down with an 
American Negro company, played 
at the Teatro Municipal, holding 
1,600. “Rose Tattoo” in a Portu¬ 
guese translation was also an out¬ 
standing hit last year. 

In the theatre field it is the 
French who manage to keep the 
most regular companies going. 
There have been visiting French 
companies working in French for 
the past several seasons. The Tea¬ 
tro Brasileira de Comedia, a stock 
company, puts on a regular year- 
round season in both Rio and Sao 
Paulo, working only in Portuguese, 
and frequently doing its own 
translations of the U.S., Italian and 
French hits. 

Popular theatre of musicals 
draws the greater consistent audi¬ 
ences, however. Typical is a Bra¬ 
zilian producer named Walter 
Pinto who assembles ideas for a 
.show from New York, Paris and 
Buenos Aires, gets local writers to 
do the sketches, adapts costumes 
from the best ideas found inter¬ 
nationally, and then assembles a 
group of local comedians, actors 
and dancers around which to build 
his show. Such performances can’t 
be considered on the Broadway 
level, but rather as a popular form 
of musical spectacle. 

Musicals Big B.O. 

Musicals get an admission pos¬ 
sibly a third or 50% more than the 
serious plays or comedies, and may 
run as long as a year. Of the big 
imported spectacular items, the 
biggest draws have been such at¬ 
tractions as Sonja Henie’s “Holiday 
on Ice,” which came down in July 
of this year, ran four weeks in the 
big Maracana Stadium, seating 
18,000 people. Nightly perform¬ 
ances and matinees on Saturday 
and Sunday, with admissions rang¬ 
ing from $1 to $3 tops, extremely 
high for Brazil. 

“Dancing Waters” and “Skating 
Vanities” first played the Teatro 
Republica and then the Stadium 
at a lower-price scale. Show played 
Rio, Sao Paulo and Santos, then 
returned to the Stadium after 
Sonja Hepie's departure. Not in 
the direct theatrical field, but 
nonetheless an important enter¬ 
tainment draw, have been the 
visits to Brazil. They currently 
hold the top yecord for the largest 
turnout, drawing a complete sell¬ 
out and standing room only at the 
Maracana Stadium. 

Of the other show business at¬ 
tractions, ballets hold the lead, 
followed by concerts. The Corps 
de Ballet, associated with the 
Opera Hpuse in Rio, gains munici¬ 
pal support and thus has been able 
to import such top stars as Alicia 
Markova ahd Tamara Toumanova. 

The local ballet company has 
some 50 well-trained dancers, puts 
on a regular winter season, and 
then appears in the operas which 
have their season from July to 
September in the Municipal Thea¬ 
tre. The American Ballet Theatre, 
headed by Lincoln Kirsten, has 
had successful seasons both in Rio 
and Sao Paulo. And the Ballet of 
the Teatro Champs Elysee from 
Paris has also done seasons both 
in Rio and in Sao Paulo. The 
Marques de Cuevas company from 
Montp Carlo |s a another outstand¬ 
ing ballet draw. 

The closeness of Rio and Sao 
Paulo—only an hour by plane with 
more traffic by air between the two 
points than almost any other area, 
in the world except New Yprk- 
Washington and New York-Boston 
—means that stars appearing in 
one city can easily get to the other 
and the broad new highway con¬ 
necting is also making the move¬ 
ment of props far easier. 


The Dublin Players and French 
pantomimist Marcel Marceau have 
been signed for U.S. tours next 
year by Ronald A. Wulford Associ¬ 
ates. 



'VAfllBTY'r LONDON OPPICI 
• ft. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square 


U&RiEfy 


INTERNATIONAL, 


17 


War Jitters, Gas Rationing Brutal 
For New Paris Plays; Many Folding 


Melon After 27 Years 

> London, Ped. 4. 

After 27 years of operation, 
without once declaring a stockhold¬ 
ers’ dividend, Associated Talking 
Pictures (parent company of Eal¬ 
ing Films) has announced that its 
board has recommended a distribu¬ 
tion 1 of 7 V 2 %, This, has been 
achieved by selling studios and 
equipment which brought in 
around $912,500. This also wiped 
-uut .ihe subsid company’s _ debit 
balance of $136,$$8. 

. The annual report also revealed 
that less than $392,000 had now to 
be repaid out of a total loan of 
$3,832,707 from the National Film 
Finance Corp. Trading profits for 
the year ended last June 30, after 
taxation, totalled $2,374. Surplus 
carried forward was $4,942. 


Paris, Nov. 27. f - 1 - 

Paris legit biz is suffering badly . • . J IV r 

from war jitters and gas restric- ASSOClfUGQ llX UltS 
tions, with patrons staying home ] 
in droves. Most offerings hope, to 
hold on and reap from the Xmas 
crowds, but pre-holiday weeks 
look bleaker than ever this year. 

The 1956-57 lineup so far has had 
new plays by such w.k. Gallic play- 
scribes as Jean Anouilh, Marcel 
Pagnol, Julian Greep, Henri de 
Montherlant, Andre Rivemale, Ar- 
mand Salacrou and Jean de 
Letraz. Imposing names but not 
such- an imposing array of pro¬ 
ductions. 

Only -sellout shows are-Maurice 
Chevalier, plus a sound supporting 
bill, at Alhambra-Music Hall 
(draws pop nabe audience) and Al¬ 
bert Camus’s adaptation of Wil¬ 
liam Faulkner’s initial try, “Reqiii- 
em for a Nun," at Mathurins.' Lat¬ 
ter is a morbid shocker about an 
infanticide. Jean Anouilh’s latest, 

“Pauvre Bitos," a brutal satire of 
postwar France that hits at all 
classes, got a unanimous critical 
nix, but is building. 

Name Playwrights* Dull Crop 

Few of big-name, playwrights’ 
new works made the grade. The 
Comedie-Fraricaise honored Mon¬ 
therlant by giving his “Broceli- 
ande," about a retired pen-pusher 
who blows out his brains, its first 
presentation. Though Jean Debu-- 
court, one of C-F’s best actors, 
gave a fine performance, the play 
itself is often very dull. 

Pagnol's “Fabien,” story of a 
circus-park Lothario, has some 
comic scenes and good characters 
but fails to hold together. : Philip¬ 
pe Nicaud, Odile Rodin and Milly 
Mathis scored. But “Fabien," like 
most Paris shows currently, is do¬ 
ing poor biz. 

Green’s Meller Tiresome 

Julien Green’s meller about 
man tortured to death by his con¬ 
science, “The Shadow," proved a 
tiresome affair. It will be replaced 
soon at the Antoine by “Cat on a 
Hot Tin Roof." Andre Rivemale’s 
mild fantasy, “Nemo," had only a 
short run at the Marigny. 

Salacrou’s “The Mirror" at Am- 
bassadeurs is heavy sex drama 
about a middle-aged matinee idol 
whose trifling with women causes 
tragedy. Andre -Luguet and Lu- 
cienne Bogaert star, but the script 
has a dated air. Jean de Letraz’s 
posthumous comedy, “Lolo," is 
merely a routine bedroom scamper. 

Both new English imports, “Sleep¬ 
ing Prince," at Madeleine, and 
Shaw’s “Mrs. Warren's Profes¬ 
sion," in a new French translation, 
with Valentine Tessier, at the 
Athenee, are failiifg to prosper. 

Many News Plays Open Soon 

Barillet-Gredy product, “L’Or et 
La Paille’\ (Gold and Straw), is 
very light comedy and doing mod¬ 
erately well at the 800-seat Michel. 

With so many^ shows due to fold, 
a flock of new plays comes to town 
before Xmas. Among the prom¬ 
ising prospects are “Cat" (for Ah- 
toine); “Tea and Sympathy," with 
Ingrid Bergman (for Theatre de 
Paris), “L’Oeuf" (The Egg) (for 
Atelier), revival of Chekov’s “That 
Fool of a Platonov'* by Theatre Na¬ 
tional Populaire, “Une Femme 
Trop Honnete" (A Too Honest 
Woman) by fJalacrou (for Edouard 
VII), dramatization .of Erskine 
Caldwell’s “God’s Little Acre" (for 
Arpbigu), Comedie-Francaise’s ver¬ 
sion of “Les Miserables" and a 
new operetta, “Minnie Moustache" 

(for Gaite-Lyrique). 


27 Italo Legilers 
Win Govt. Subsidy 

Rome, Nov. 27. 

Twenty-seven Italo legit com¬ 
panies have been admitted to ben¬ 
efits of the government’s subsidy 
provisions for the 1956-457 season 
by the special commission desig¬ 
nated for that purpose. 

A cash subsidy is a necessity in 
this country's lean legit field. Few 
companies of any ambition are able 
to end the season in the black 
without such support. 

A current survey shows that the 
present theatre season in Italy will 
see 312 plays staged by different 
companies. Of this total, a strong 
majority, will be plays by Italian 
authors. 

Latter group will be repped by 
312 announced works while 84 pro¬ 
ductions slated for this Season are 
credited to forefgn writers. Eighty- 
two of this season’s announced 
plays in the legit field are novel¬ 
ties. 


MEX. CITY PREEMS 338 
FILMS IN 10 MONTHS 

Mexico City, Nov. 27. 

Seventy Mex-made films received 
first-run screenings here out of 
338 preems from last Jan. 1 to 
Nov. 1, it was revealed by the loqal 
exhibitors association. Totai gross 
for the 10-month period was slight¬ 
ly more than $10,080,000, with the 
months of June and October best 
for locally made product. Both 
of these months gave premiere 
playing time to 10 Mex.productions., 
Longest run to date this year was 
- “Rififi," which played 32 weeks and 
. at downtown Del Prado art house. 

Most successful of locally-made 
first-runs were “La •Escondida” 
(The Hidden One)'which also, did 
about to $120,000 and “Con Quien 
Andan Nuestra Hijas" (Who Goes 
With Our Daughters) which showed 
an $88,000 for it's first nineweeks 
of playipg time. 


'Variety' Affiant Correspondent 

Ireqe Valissariou 

has don* a ravlow on why 

Greeks Build Theatres 


another editorial feature 
in the upcoming 
51 st Anniversary Number 
. of 


Only Edinburgh, 


Italo Film Biz Burns 
Over Favors Given To 
Competitive TV Setup 

Rome, Nov. 27. ~ 
Italian film industry and espe¬ 
cially its exhibitor sector, is up in 
arms over what at calls “continued 
discrimination" in favor of local 
filmdom's ever-growing rival, tele¬ 
vision.* This time the culprit is the 
Italo government itself, which re¬ 
cently approved a reduction of 
some $3 in -the yearly television 
subscription fee paid by ‘ all set- 
owners in this country. 

According to the complainers, 
this move deprives the state of 
some $1,500,000 in video revenue 
(probably be recouped by sales of 
commercial tv space to be started 
here soon). The government, still 
according to its critics, accepts this 
without a complaint because RAI- 
TV, the company which runs local 
radio-tele, is 4 after all" a govern¬ 
ment-subsidized group. 

On the other hand film people 
point out that the government has 
again enforced a heavy holiday 
film tab surtax for “winter relief." 
making it valid until June. This 
is known to cut down attendance 
on “tax days" because of the over- 
heavy added admission tap on the 
film patron. Estimated that the 
government net from this levy is 
roughly some $6,000,000. 

If the same' 1 facilities as were 
granted video had been given film 
houses, pip officials argue, attend¬ 
ance could l^ave maintained a nor¬ 
mal level via the lower entry tab. 
But under this setup, another large 
segment of the Jtalian public in¬ 
evitably will be oriented in the di¬ 
rection of tele. 


Cannes Win ‘A’ 
Festival Rata; 

Paris, Dec. 4. 

Forthcoming 1957 film festivals 
of Cannes and Edinburgh are the 
oltty ones given official ‘A’ competi¬ 
tive fest sanction by the Federa¬ 
tion of the Assn, of International 
Film Producers which met here 
last week. .Others examined were 
Berlin, .which will need some 
change in regulations, and the Ven¬ 
ice and San Sebastien, affairs. Also 
expected this coming year are the 
Locarno and Karlovy Vary festi¬ 
vals while Punte Del Este may 
also be in. 

FIAFP studies all fete rulings to 
see they conform t<T its principles 
before giving approval. Main de¬ 
mands are that all product in all 
countries-be given a chance to en¬ 
ter. Also that those selected get 
free licenses and remittances of 
earnings, and that the countries 
with fests must have free exhib 
setups for all international pro¬ 
duction. 

Outfit also discussed interna¬ 
tional pix exchange- difficulties in 
Belgium and Switzerland which 
have been crowded out of interna¬ 
tional fest chances lately because 
of their restrictions on foreign film 
percentage ' agreements. FIAFP 
also has set up a permanent liaison 
office with 'UNESCO. 

Reps present were Charles Delac 
and J. P. Frogerais of France, Fay¬ 
ette Allport for the U. S., C. A. 
Dimling for Sweden, Salvador EHi- 
zonde of Mexico, Sir. Henry French 
of Great Britain, Miguel De 
Echarri for Spain, Eitel Monaco 
for Italy and Germany’s Gunther 
Schwarz. 


West End Dips Albeit “Peace Sock 
$12,500; ‘Friendly’ OK lF^G, ‘Gun’ 
Fast 7G, 2d, ?)ate’ Big 11G, 4th 


British Pianist Claims 
He’s Champ Pix Patron 

London, Nov. 27. 

Clarry Ashton, w.k. pianist and 
accompanist to Hermione Gingold, 
claims to be .Britain’s champ 
cinema patron with about 560 films 
likely to be seen this year. This 
would--bring t,heJtotaLJflL.15,00Q— 


since he started his marathon film¬ 
going. Ashton has his own card 
index system and entertainment 
value rating of pix, which is so far 
topped by “Greatest Show on 
Earth" (Par), with 99 3 A%. 

He sees an ayerage»of 11 films a 
week, catching tradeshows and 
hunting round London and prov¬ 
inces to see pix. While working on 
a Cunard liner in 1951, Ashton beat 
all his previous records, after be¬ 
ing starved of films during the 
crossing, by seeing 10 features in'a 
non-stop 18-ho’ur theatre tour of 
New York. He saw four pictures 
in the Times Square area and fin¬ 
ished his day in Brooklyn where 
theatres were playing dualei^. 


Real Reason For Crowd 

Blackpool, Eng., Nov. 27. 

A showman was fined $1.30 here 
for causing a crowd to assemble. 
He was pulled before the court on 
a charge of obstruction. 

The police officer said he was 
enticing' people into a show billed 
as “The Nineteen Fifty Sex Girl 
Show." 


-PAKISTAN SETS FEST 
FOR NATIVE INDUSTRY 

Karachi,•Nov. 27. 

National film festival under pat¬ 
ronage of the Republic of Pakistan 
and organized by the Directorate 
Film Development (a depart¬ 
ment of the Ministry of Industries, 
Government of Pakistan) is to be 
held Dec. 28-30 at Karachi. It is 
expected that festivals will be held 
annually at different important 
cities of the country. 

Object of the Pakistan fest is 
to maintain the spirit of competi¬ 
tion and cooperatidn between na- 
ational producers with a view to 
elevating the artistic standards of 
the country’s motion picture in¬ 
dustry. 

All types of full-length and short 
films produced in Pakistan can 
enter the festival provided (1) 
they have been made within 12 
months preceding the festival and 
(2) they are not copies of any 
foreign film. 

The film receiving the Presi¬ 
dent’s Award for the best produc¬ 
tion will be selected to represent 
Pakistan at various international 
film festivals. Only Pakistan na¬ 
tionals will be eligible for the 
rrtain awards. 

WB Pacts ‘Frankenstein’ 

London, Nov. 27. 

Exclusive Films has closed a dis¬ 
tribution deal with WB for its cur¬ 
rent production, “The Curse of 
Frankenstein." Warners will re¬ 
lease the film in all world markets, 
other than the United Kingdom, 
Sweden and Japan. 

Pic is being lensed in color with 
Anthony Hinds as producer. Hazel 
Court is playing Frankenstein’s 
bride. 


Yank Plays Score 
In West Berlin 


Berlin, Nov. 27. 

Glimpse at West Berlin theatre 
bills reveals the strong position 
U.S. plays currently hold in this 
country. Nearly 12 topflight 
American shows are making the 
local rounds these days. ‘ Schloss- 
T>ark Theatre currently has “Diary 
of Anne Frank" in addition to 
“Rainmaker" and “View From the 
Bridge.’’ Renaissance Theatre is 
now showing “Will Success Spoil 
Rock Hunter," a comedy byGeorge 
Axelrod whose “Seven .Year Itch" 
was a big click last year. 

Komoedie am KurfuerstencRimm, 
which just recently -had in Cole 
Porter’s “Kiss Me Kate” one of its 
biggest postwar successes, now has 
“Boy Meets Girl." Tribuene is 
coming atong with a Tennessee 
Williams play, “Mississippi Mel¬ 
ody," at present. Theatre am Kur- 
fuerstendamm’s present piece is 
Goldoni’s “Mirandolina." . Besides 
its American items, Schlosspark 
also. has Anouilh’s “Ornifle” and 
Strindberg’s “To Damaskus." As 
a matter of fact, a German play is 
currently a rarity here. 

High popularity of U.S. plays is 
also evidenced by a review of past 
records—John Patrick’s “Teahouse 
of August Moon" has been per¬ 
formed 790 times within the 1955- 
’56 season. It heads the list of 


-4- London, Nov. 27. 

Evidence of a seasonal drop is 
apparent in latest returns from 
West End first-run situations. The 
most important new entry is “War 
and Peace," which is playing three- 
a-djay at the Plaza with v upped 
prices. First stanza grossed a great 
$12,500. 

“Fastest Gun Alive" made a boff 
start at London Pavilion and still 
is fancy in second of over $7,600. 
“Loser Takes All" looks fair $15,- 
600 or less in second Carlton sesh. 
|^Ti^er^'“lSnTOkH"“was~Tmiy~TiTod- — 
erate at around $5,000 in initial 
week at the Leicester Square. 

Sturdy hdldovers included “Bat¬ 
tle of River Plate," which still is 
big at $11,000 or better in fourth 
week at Odeon, Leicester Square 
and “Moby pick," which shapes big 
in third Warner frames near $10,- 
600. ^‘Oklahoma’’ currently at the 
Odeon, Marble Arch, is heading 
for a sturdy $7,600 in its 12 th West 
End week, and fourth at this house. 
Estimates Last Week 
Carlton (20th) (1,128; 70-S1.70)— 
“Loser Takes All" (BL) (2d wk).' 
Modest $4,800. First week $5,600. 
“Best Things In Life Are Free" 
(20th) follows on Nov, 29. 

Casino (Indie) (1,337; 70-$2.15)— 
“Cinerama Holiday" (Robin) (40th 
wk). Fine $12,800. 

Empire (M-G) (3,099; 55-S1.70)— 
“Friendly Persuasion" (M-G). Be- , 
low expectations but good at $11,- 
500—or near. 

Gaumont (CMA) (1,500; 50-$1.70 
—“Certain Feeling” (Par) (2d wk). 
Fair $,5000 or close. 

Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) 
(1,376; 50-$1.75) — “Tiger in 

Smoke" (Rank). Heading for mod¬ 
est $5,000. 

London Pavilion (UA) (1,217; 50- 
$1.70)—“Fastest Gun Alive" (M-G) 
(2d wk). Fast $7,000. First week, 
$8,600. “Dance With Me, Henry" 
(UA) preems Nov. 30. 

Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) 
(2,200; 50-$1.70)—“Battle of River 
Plate” (Rank) (4th wk). Still big 
at over $11,000. Third week 
$13,000. 

Odeon, Marble Arch (CMA) (2,- 
200;. 50-$ 1.70)—“Oklahoma” (RKO) 
(4th' wk). Fine $7,000 following 
previous eightweek run at Odeon, 
Leicester Square. 

Plaza (Par) (1,902; 95-$2.50)— 
“War and Peace” (ABP). Great 
$12,500 with two of three daily 
shows running near capacity. Stays 
indef. - 

Rialto (20th) (592; 50-$1.30)— 
King and I" (20th) (8th wk). Stout 
$4 500 

Ritz (M-G) (432; 50-$1.30)— 

“Guys and Dolls" (M-G) (3d wk). 
Steady $3,600. 

Studio One (APT (600; 20-$1.20) 
“Moby Dick" (WB) (3d wk). Fine 
$4,500. 

Warner (WB) 1,785; 50-$1.70)— 
“Moby Dick” (WB) (3d wk). Big 
$10,600 or near after $12,600 in 
previous week. 


most-played plays. Runner-up Is 

“Rainmaker,” with 558 perform- 1 Mex Distrib Execs See 

ances. Next is Thornton Wilder’s 
“Matchmaker" 544 shows. 

In the operatic field, Paul Abra¬ 
ham’s “Victoria And Her Hussar” 
is leader with 252 performances 
for the season. Cole Porter’s “Kiss 
Me Kate" reached 187 perform¬ 
ances, thereby nosing out Paul 
Burkhard’s “Fireworks," a previ¬ 
ous success. 


PARIS LEGIT CRIX 
GAIN MORE INFLUENCE 

Paris, Nov. 27 
With economic conditions mak¬ 
ing theatregoers more choosy, legit 
theatre 1 crix seem to be getting 
more important here. Never as po 
tent as their U.S. counterparts, the 
Gallic aislesitters now can help 
make or break a show. Except for 
controversial entries, such as the 
Jean Anouilh’s “Pauvre Bilos,” do¬ 
ing well despite unanimous pans, 
bad reviews usually denote no biz 
here. 

Heretofore, a legit hit was more 
frequently made by word-of-mouth 
of the so-called “tout Paris,” the 
professional first nighters whose 
reaction usually meant as much as 
that of reviewers. Now things are 
changed and a batch of bad notices 
can shutter even those cheered by 
the crowds at the first night. 


Booming Market For 
Their Pix in the U. S. 

Mexico City, Dec. 4. 

A rising U. S. market for Mexi¬ 
can screen product and a heavy 
need* for increased local production 
Were v! the two major observations 
of top local distribtuion chiefs, Al¬ 
fonso Pulido Islas, of Cimex, and 
Bias Lopex Fandos of Peliculas 
Nacionales, on their return from a 
month of north of the border in¬ 
spection tour. 

Noting the southwest part of the 
U. S. was a typically increased dis¬ 
trib territory, Pulido Islas stated: 
“In my estimation, this section has 
become one of our most important 
markets. The tremendous rise in 
Spanish-speaking residents calls 
for an equally heavy increase in the 
shows of films starring Mexican 
personalities. In Los Angeles, 
Frank Fouce is opening the new 
Rialto to be used exclusively for 
the showing of our. product. This 
is indicative of the present trend 
towards more houses devoted to 
Latin-language films. 

Lopez Fandos in a similar vein 
added: ‘We believe that there will 
be no less than a 50% increase 
of Mexican-produded films shown in 
the United States during 1957 as 
compared to 1956. 

















TTednegtfay, DMemto 5,195(5 


PfifilETr 


OUNT’S FAST-PA 


THE STARS 

...timely in 
marquee value, 
great in 
colorful 
performances.. 


COLT 

hard, 

strong, 

sure of 

hand- 

and 

filled 

with 

fierce 

pride 

in his 

manhood. 


LORNA 

a wife 

not easily 

mastered 

...who 

swore 

she’d 

never 

bear 

Colt's 

son... 


t',"' y 

r ", v. 


CINCH 

a young 

rebel 

living for 

revenge, 

feeding 

his 

twisted 
fury on 
hate... 


CHARLTON 


GILBERT 



co-starring TOM 











20 


PICTURES 


p mi&rt 



Daisied as Bait to Sell Public Stock; 
Circular Mentions *2,300 Theatres’ 


In the first known move of it.<'- 
kind, the public is being offered 
stock in a company orgifWzed for 
the specific purpose of acquiring 
Snd distributing foreign . films. 
Prospectus is being circulated by 
Coliseum Films Ific. 

Total of 30,000' shares are being 
Offered at $10 per share. Prexy of 
Coliseum is Lew Shoskes, with 
Mario de Vecchi, v,p., secretary and 
a director. Other directors include 
Pi^d—Luaiettij-O,- Pe ter - Kn minik 
and Frederick Goldman. Shoskes 
is also president of Api Produc¬ 
tions, indie distrib of imports. It 
holds the U.S. rights to the Italian 
tVitelloni” which would be sold to 
Coliseum for $15,000. 
i Prospectus paints a glowing pic¬ 
ture of the future potential of for¬ 
eign films which, it says, “have 
played successfully in approxi-; 
inately over 2,300 theatres.” (The 
average import doesn’t come close 
to that kind of volume, booking— 
Ed.) It notes that foreign films are 
”less affected by the inroads which 
television has made upon attend¬ 
ance at American films” and that 
tv has enhanced public interest in 
the better type of foreign flims. 
i Colisepm Films in the future 
rnay not only import and distrib¬ 
ute foreign pix, but also engage in 
production in the U.S. and copro¬ 
duction abroad; acquire theatres 
and, with others, interest in U.S. 
or foreign films or legit produc¬ 
tions. 

Prospectus says neither Shoskes 
hor de Vecchi will draw salary un¬ 
til the end of 1956. After that, 
they will draw $6,000 annually each 
plus a combined 20% of the profits. 
Officers of the company are given 
options to purchase stock, exer^is-' 
able by Dec. 31, 1957. 


‘Now’s the Time 
In U^L’—French 


Paris, Dec. 4. 

French film producers are firmly 
convinced that this is the time for 
their features to get the needed 
foothold on the U.S. circuits. Vari¬ 
ous factors have combined to make 
the local industry feel that their 
chances in the States are better’n 
ever. : . 

For one, the French industry 
needs new foreign, markets and a 
bolstered ^income; for another, 
news of a. product shortage in the 
U.S. has not been lost on producers 
here. 

Returning from the U.S:, Adolphe 
Trichet,.prexy of.the Syndicate of 
French Film Exhibitors, went oh 
record with the opinion that, the 
decline in U.S. production had 
brought “depth” distribution of 
French films in America within the 
ken of Gallic pix. 

His remarks have been under¬ 
scored by recent visits from Amer¬ 
ican theatremen who expressed a 
desire to buy films outright for 
dubbing and immediate use Ih sub- 
sequents and dualer situations 
Stateside. 

One of those who’s been here is 
Daniel Frahkel of Zenith; Amuse¬ 
ment Gorp. who declared' he was 
acquiring pictures for distribution 
all over the U.S. He no'ted that the 
time was ripe for the introduction 
of dubbed foreign features both in 
the theatres and on tv. 


Houston Tent Officered 

Houston, Dec. 4. 

Paul M. Boesch was reelected 
chief barker of Variety Tent 34 at 
the annual general meeting. Elect¬ 
ed first assistant chief barker was 
M. M. Lewis and second assistant 
chief barker was Mike Conti. Mor¬ 
ris Rosenthal was elected dough¬ 
boy, with Augue Schmitt going in 
as property master. Boesch is in¬ 
ternational canvasman, and he and 
Marc Howard are delegates. 

In addition to the officers, other 
canvasmen elected were Dick Gott¬ 
lieb, Lester Kamen, Les Hunt, Jack 
Groves, George Carpenter and 
Fred Nahas. 

I Mack Howard was presented 
with the first annual award to the 
man who did the most to help the 
chief larker. 


NO SEAL FOR TROUBLE,’ 
CLARION TAKES RISK 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Although the Production Code 
Administration has withheld ap¬ 
proval on “Johnny Trouble,” 
indie’s initial production, Clarion 
will' , continue filming the Ethel 
B arrv t nor e-Cecii Kellawav-Carolvn 
Jones^Jesse White Vehicle. Screen¬ 
play of the Ben Ames Williams 
story was written by Charles 
O’Neal and David Lord. 

Exec producer John Carroll re¬ 
ported the firm hopes the com¬ 
pleted picture will be approved, 
but ‘In any case saw no choice for 
the firm but to continue as written. 
“It's - too late to sfcop now,” he 
pointed out. “We’ve got to gam¬ 
bled 


Antitrust Suit 

Continued from page X ■■ ■ - 

belonging to Westinghouse Broad¬ 
casting Co. This acquisition is al¬ 
leged to have been. obtained by 
threatening that if WBC would not 
agree to it, it would lose its NBC 
affiliations in Boston and Phila¬ 
delphia, it would-not be granted 
the.' NBC affiliation in Pittsburgh 
and it would not obtain NBC affili¬ 
ation for any future television sta¬ 
tion when acquired.” 

Complaint alleges that “the con¬ 
tract of May 16, 1955,'by which 
WBC agreed to^ exchange its Phil¬ 
adelphia stations for NBC’s Cleve¬ 
land stations and $3,000,000 was'in 
itself in unreasonable restraint of 
trade: and therefore violated the 
Sherman Actl 

“The illegal activities of NBC 
and RCA,” the complaint went on, 
“have reduced Westinghouse’s abil¬ 
ity- to compete With NBC and other 
Station owners, have eliminated 
competition among independent 
station representatives for repre¬ 
sentation of WPTZ (now WRCV), 
have precluded competition among 
other Philadelphia station owners 
for NBC network affiliation and 
have reduced the competitive abil¬ 
ity of Westinghouse Electric (par¬ 
ent of WBC) against RCA and 
others in the sale of tv and radio 
transmitters and receivers.” 

Justice Dept, asked the court to 
declare the RCA-NBC combina¬ 
tion and conspiracy illegal, to de¬ 
clare the contract for the swap 
illegal, to order such divestiture of 
NBC from RCA as it deems neces¬ 
sary and to grant the Government 
the right to take such action as is 
necessary to correct the situation. 

NBC Denies Charge 

NBC and RCA issued a joint 
statement in New York yesterday 
(Tues.) characterizing the Govern¬ 
ment’s antitrust suit as the result 
of a “jurisdictional dispute be¬ 
tween two agencies of Government” 
and said, that NBC and RCA were 
“caught in the middle.” 

The RCA-NBC statement, re¬ 
leased with a letter from the board 
chairman of both NBC and West¬ 
inghouse Broadcasting to the FGC 
urging approval of the station 
transfer, cited the FCC’s approval 
and declared that the suit was in 
reality a dispute between the Anti¬ 
trust Dept, arid the FCC. Latter 
ageTicy approved the swap as in the 
public interest, and the joint letter 
was qited to show there was no 
coercion. 

“If American businesses are to 
be hauled into court . . . because 
they act in conformance with the 
rulings of an-authorized Govern¬ 
ment agency, then indeed confusion 
will be compounded by confusion,” 
RCA-NBC declared. They ex¬ 
pressed confidence that they will 
not be “penalized” for “scrupu¬ 
lously following the procedures es¬ 
tablished by law.” 

Letter cited was sent to the FCC 
in answer to its requests for com¬ 
ments on the then pending trans¬ 
fer. It stated that the transfer had 
the approval of the boards of di¬ 
rectors of both NBC and WBC and 
both their parent companies, and 
urged the transfer as “in .the best 
interests of both companies” and 
“consistent with the public inter¬ 
est.” Letter was dated Nov. 10, 
1955. I 


Cine-Sound Dictionary 


In Electronics. Series 

An extraordinary production job, 
from the point of view bf seman¬ 
tics/show biz, and the general liter¬ 
ati appeal, is Eslevier’s “Dictionary 
of Cinema, Sound and Music” (D. 
Van Nostrand Co.; $19.75). It is one 
of a series of similar, multilingual 
books sponsored and published un¬ 
der-the aegis of the Philips’ Elec¬ 
trical Works (The Netherlands). 
Compiled, edited and arranged. on 
an English alphabetical, basis, by 
W. E. ClaSon, head of the transla¬ 
tion department of the Dutch elec- 
-tronio- cartel t - 4hjs - diction ary is in 
six” languages: Dutch, French, Ger¬ 
man, Italian and Spanish besides 
the English-American. (Editor ClaS¬ 
on makes frequent differentiation 
between the two). * 

As a show biz manual, most of 
the basic translations adhere ‘. to 
the literal European linguistic 
counterparts of the American-Brit- 
ish originals. There are exceptions 
—such as pick-up, gramaphone, 
k(c)inema, which are universal 
terms, much in the same idiom as 
hotel, auto, motor, deluxe, bar, 
train are now unilateral words hav¬ 
ing the same meaning in all lan¬ 
guages. 

Interlarded with the cine-sound 
words are allied show biz terms,. 
B u t essentially the basis for this 
six-language dictionary has to dq 
with' soundfilms, television, radio, 
phonograph recording, acoustical 
reproduction, tape-recording and 
allied pursuits, born of that marvel 
of the 20th century—the electronic 
capturing of sound on celluloid, 
vinylite, tape, etc. 

Some American show biz terms 
defy translation and seemingly: 
have no multilingual counterpart, 
except among the aficianados, and 
hence are abandoned completely. 
Among these particularly are the 
jazz terms and dance-band argot.- 
The foreword credits Penguin 
E-ofts Ltd. for the source in the 
musical terms’ translations, and 
some of these translations may be 
open to discussion. By and large 
there is small room for any cap¬ 
tiousness. Samples of the words 
which are left untranslated, picked 
at random, are cool jazz, drive, 
jam session,, mood style, progres¬ 
sive jazz, rheostat voice (translated 
here as “a singer or actor with ’a 
voice which must be tuned down”), 
rounds (“in bell ring, the sounding 
of the descending major scale”), 
lung lifter (identified as slang for 
“a studio name given a high-voiced 
female”), etc. 

Paradoxically, the Germans re¬ 
tain “high-fidelity” (along with the 
literally translated “hochste Orig- 
inaltreue”) but the other countries 
ignore hi-fi, in favor of haute fidele, 
alta fidelidad, etc., as the language 
may be. Such a sdfed and basically 
generic word as jazzband is per¬ 
verted into orchestre de jazz, bania 
de jazz, orquestina de jazz (f.), 
jazzorkest, jazzkapelle, etc/'Same 
goes for soundtrack which becomes 
piste sonore, colonna, sonora, gel- 
uisspoor, Schallspur, Tonspur, etc.; 
coori song, or Negro song, becomes 
chants des noir, cantos de negros, 
canzoni dei negri, negerliederen 
and Negergesange. 

Interlarded, because of the pic¬ 
ture business affinity, are transla¬ 
tions of quickie, Poverty Row, etc., 
now rather archaic. Jazz-wise, as 
against cool jazz and progressive 
jazz, there are no definitions for 
such obvious terms as hot jazz, 
riffs, gutbucket, etc. 

By and large, it’s an excellent 
work, listing 3,213 translations (un¬ 
der American-British English) and, 
perhaps even more important, 
there is a cross-inflex in the other 
five tongues, with proper numeri¬ 
cal. identification for translation 
into the other languages. 

This is a companion work to 
Elsevier Pub. Co.’s (Amsterdam- 
London-New York-Princton, N.J.) 
similar dictionaries on automobiles, 
amplifiers, transmitters & receiv¬ 
ers, cellulose & paper, criminal 
sciences, electronics and wave 
guides, pharmacy, photography, 
metallurgy, machine tools, televi¬ 
sion, radar & antennas. Most of 
these are in six or eight languages, 
with the exception of the “Rubber 
Dictionary” which is in 10 lan¬ 
guages. Abel. 




, Tor Week Ending Tuesday (4) 


*956 . . Net- 

High Low \ Weekly Vol;WeekIy Weekly Toes. Change 




in 100a 

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Low 

Close 

for week 

32% 

221/z 

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Bid Ask 


Ampex ...... 

Chesapeake Industries. 

Cinerama Inc. .. 

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DuMont Broadcasting.. .. 

Magna Theatres .. 

Official Films ...... 

Polaroid .. 

C. A. Theatres .. 

Walt Disney ... 


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* Actual Volume. 

(Quotations furnished by Dreyfus & Co.) 


ROY ROGERS SEEKING 
FILM MARKET ADVICE 

: Roy Rpgers is prepared to re¬ 
turn to the production of theatri¬ 
cal pictures, but before taking the 
step he is sounding out exhibitor 
opinion* to determine what kind of 
caters are ripe under current mar¬ 
ket conditions.*' 

Sagebrush .star appeared before 
the Allied States Assn, convention 
in Dallas last week to seek the ad¬ 
vice of the theatremen who would 
most likely book his films. “I came 
here,” he said, “to find out what 
interest there would be in west¬ 
erns. Should they be big, elabor¬ 
ate Cinemascope productions or 
small pictures? What kind of bud¬ 
get should they have? I don’t want 
to get off on the wrong foot. I’d 
like to make pictures for theatres 
if you can do business with them.” 

Rogers declared that he had to 
withdraw from making pix for 
theatres because Republic prexy 
Herbert J. Yates “had a club over 
my head.” He charged Yates 
threatened to flood the market 
with old Rogers films if the cow¬ 
boy star made pix aftfr he failed 
to renew his contract with Repub¬ 
lic. 

Nab 53 Young Terrors, 
Parents Upset—at Police 

Baytown, Tex., Dec, 4. 

Aftermath of “prank” here, when 
a teenage gang of boys damaged 
a police car, a private car and 
crashed the Bay Theatre twice 
then tossed eggs at front, is 
blanket charges against 53 boys. A 
group of 70 angry parents descend¬ 
ed upon the city council to pro¬ 
test. Attorneys for the parents 
said, “all 53 boys’were charged 
with the same four offenses. If 
all boys were* 1 throwing bricks at 
the police car they would have' de- j 
stroyed it. It’s ridiculous to charge j 
that many boys with the same spe¬ 
cific offense.” 

Police chief Roy Montgomery J 
said he would continue his inves¬ 
tigation and refile against hoys on 
whom he had more concrete evi¬ 
dence. Officers had been told not 
to lay hands on the boys the night 
of the riot, it was said. Rufus 
Honicutt, manager of the Bay 
Theatre said the order not to sup¬ 
press the boys was a mistake. 


Youngstein 75% 

In UA Production 

.Max E. Youngstein, United Art¬ 
ists v.p., while still holding the 
reins on the ad-pub-exploitation 
departments, is now giving 75% of 
his’time to film production mat¬ 
ters, such as details of the deals 
with independent producers. 

Exec disclosed this at the UA 
convention of field men over the 
past week. It gave rise to renewed 
speculation that Youngstein even- 
tuaUy may take over a'new UA 
post, that of production head and, 
additionally, take a crack at pro¬ 
ducing a few films of his own. 

This would be subject to the ap¬ 
proval of Youngstein’s partners in 
the UA ownership management. 


Gunpowder Bomb 

SiSSSS Continued from pace 1 ^—^3 
bomb was planted by disgruntled 
teener patrons and said there have 
been frequent disturbances by a 
gang of youths who have been 
ejected from the theatre. Police 
also reported it was the second 
bomb incident in the Saugus thea¬ 
tre within eight months. Last 
March 3, the theatre was emptied 
of 200 patrons for 30 minutes dur¬ 
ing the night show after employes 
received an anonymous threat that 
a bomb would explode at 7:30. 

The bomb scare followed anoth¬ 
er unpleasant episode of manager 
Golden the previous January. He 
was the only customer in the Sau¬ 
gus Trust Co. when gunmen robbed 
the hank of $32,000. 

B’klyn Par Bombing 

Seven persons were injured 
when a bomb exploded under a 
seat in the Paramount Theatre, 
Brooklyn, Sunday (2) night. Ex¬ 
plosive had been placed iri the 
12th row.from the rear In the 
orchestra. Of those injured, one 
/is in critical condition. 

Panic in the house was averted . 
by assistant manager Horatio 
Tedusco who, with the aid of 
ushers and other employes, en¬ 
couraged patrons to remain in 
their seats. Presentation of “War 
and Peace” continued during the 
incident. 





















21 


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20th CENTURY-FOX present* 


INGRID BERGMAN 
YUL BRYNNER 
HELEN HAYES 

STASIA 

COLOR by DC LUXB 

CinemaScOPE 


AKIM TAMIROFF* MARTHA HUNT - FELIX AYLMER 


BUDDY ADLER 


ANATOLE LITVAK 


ARTHUR LAURENTS 


mow thI Hat Hr maJCCuI MAUH' t C a$ aOaMIO |y Cur eQUOM 













22 PICTURES 


<mmn 


u VixInMJdyf 5,1^56 


‘Faith m Tomorrow’ Cues U Meet 


Company Releasing 33 Features During Upcoming 

Year—Rackmil on ‘Industry Crossroads* 

+ -,, ^-— 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Universal- will release 12 pic¬ 
tures during the ilrst four months 
of 1957 as part of its stepped-up 
production program, sales v.p. 
Charles J. Feldman revealed at the 
opening meeting of the company’s 
week-long sales executive palaver 
here today (Tues.). Feldman 
termed the offerings ‘as repre¬ 
senting the strongest group of 
boxoffice attractions ever assem¬ 
bled by the company.” 

The company’s overall program, 
which calls, for the release of 33 
pictures during 1957, is designed, 
according to Feldman, “to insure 
a steady flow” of product .to the 
nation’s theatres. The pictures, he 
explained, are highlighted by a 
diversification .—of subject matter 
and “an unsually strong combina¬ 
tion” of star names. 

• Noting that U has one of “the 
greatest product inventories in its 
history,” Feldman explained that 
U’s conception of “big” pictures 
“is bigness in profit-making poten¬ 
tial.” He stressed that the com¬ 
pany’s program would be backed 
by hefty “showmanship effort.' 
Pub-ad chieftain David Ag Lipton 
is scheduled to outline promowon 
plans during the sessions later this 
week. 

With U making its 45th anni 
during 1957, the company is mak¬ 
ing an all-out effort to enunciate 
U’s faith in the future of the mo¬ 
tion picture industry. Separate 
comments relating to the future 
of the industry and U in particular 
were made by the company’s three 
top executives — prexy Milton R. 
Rackmil, board chairman Nate J. 
Blumberg, and executive v.p. Al¬ 
fred E. Daff. 

Rackmil, noting that the indus¬ 
try is at a crossroads, declared 
that U is “prepared to accept the 
challenge of the future” and will 
attempt to meet the needs of the 
“mass movie going public.” Blum¬ 
berg urged U’s 4,500 employees in 
50 countries “to personally become 
ambassadors of optimism about 
the future of the motion picture 
industry ...” Daff stressed that 
the increased program “signalizes 
our faith in our future as well as 
in that of the entire motion pic¬ 
ture industry throughout the 
world.” 


Warmish Carolina 


KNEW IT ALL THE TIME 

• ' 

Johnston Tells Radio About U.S.- 
Russian Film ‘Trade’ 

The United States is unable to 
get its pictures into Russia al¬ 
though the Soviets may freely .ex¬ 
hibit its films in American thea¬ 
tres, Eric Johnston pointed out on 
radio “Reporters Roundup” over 
the Mutual network. To a. query 
about his inability to make a-deal 
with the Russians during his re¬ 
cent trip to Moscow, Johnston re¬ 
sponded: 

“The terms and conditions that 
we Imposed seemingly were satis¬ 
factory^ to the representatives of 
the Government of the Soviet 
Union with whom we dealt. But 
then they wanted us to agree to 
distribute widespread throughout 
America their particular pictures.” 
Such assurances were, not possible. 
Popularity and preference rule. 
“We can’t get wide, distribution for 
certain American pictures in 
America.” Soviet Union shipped 37 
pictures last year into the U.S. 
which were shown in “one or 
more” theatres here. So there is a 
free market here for Russian pic¬ 
tures. But there is no comparably 
open market in the Soviet Union. 


Hail O’Donnell 

Continued from pane 7 , ■» 

haven’t been asked to become, 
president of Loew’s. It’s great to 
be a success—th'at’s when- you. 
don’t have to appear on the Win- 
chell show unless you want to.” 

Mike Todd engaged in some self¬ 
ribbing, noting “I have the pleas¬ 
ure of courting a girl younger than 
my son.” Hope came back with 
the crack anent how fortunate it 
would be “to have as much money 
as Todd owes.” William O’Donnell, 
also a circuit operator of the Done 
Star State, was articulate fn toss¬ 
ing posies at his brother, Bob, and 
jocularly claimed; “I’m the only 
man alive who ever saw him fix a 
drink for himSelL” And Hope’s 
topper was this: “I had a long talk 
with my brother and he convinced 
me he’s an only son.” 

Gagged-up summary of O’Don¬ 
nell’s career via., a screening • of 
pictures was followed by O’Don¬ 
nell’s brief, emotional acknowledg¬ 
ment of the night’s salute. 


Orer-Carparked 
For Winter Biz 

Columbia, S. C., Dec. 4. 

Drive-ins, seemingly a “natural” 
in the South Carolina’s warm- 
weather winters, have “oversat¬ 
urated” the market. 

So says C. Warren Irvin, District 
Manager of Palmetto Theatres Inc., 
chain operators in the Carolinas. 
Irvin’s chain has three drive-ins in' 
this state, running as auxiliaries to 
their other houses. 

Irvin says the 10 drive-ins in the 
Columbia area are “entirely too 
many for an area of 175,000 j 
people,” especially with the lim¬ 
ited film market which now pre¬ 
vails. 

Otherwise, he says he feels the 
drive-in is a safe investment, if op¬ 
erated close to the vest. 

Texas Catholics Asked 
To Take Legion Pledge 

San Antonio. Dec. 4. 

A call for Catholics to pledge 
themselves to shun motion pictures 
branded as objectional by the Le¬ 
gion of Decency has been issued 
here by Archbishop Robert E. 
Lucey. 

In a letter to all pastors in the 
San Antonio Archdiocese, he di¬ 
rected that\the pledge of the le¬ 
gion, condoning indecent and im¬ 
moral motion pictures and those 
which glorify crime or criminals, 
be renewed in all churches on Sun¬ 
day, Dec. 9. 

Archbishop Lucey urged pastors 
and school principals to publicize 
the Legion of Decency’s film clas¬ 
sifications. 


The plaque presented to O’Don¬ 
nell by Jack Cohn, president of 
the Pioneers, duly noted that his 
“53 brilliant years in the motion 
picture business closely parallel 
the spectacular growth and tre¬ 
mendous achievements of the in¬ 
dustry he has served so faithfully 
and so well.” 

But perhaps the proportions of 
the tribute to O’Donnell were best 
shown in the lineup of important 
manpower on hand Friday night. 
It ranged from J)ave and Jack 
Lutzer who came from Dallas 
along with Interstate president 
Karl Hoblitzelle, ; to such topklck 
personages as Johnston, Depinet, 
Todd, Spyros P. Skouras, Barney 
Balaban, A1 Daff (who won the 
drawing for a new Oldsmobile) and 
Milton Rachmil, E. V. Richards, 
Jr. (from New Orleans), Nate J. 
Blumberg and John J. O’Connor, 
Ed Raftery, Gus Eyssell, S. H. Fa¬ 
bian, Y. Frank Freeman, William 
German, Leonard H. Goldenson, 
Herman Robbins and George Dem- 
bow, Sam Rinzler, Sam Pinanski, 
Ed Rowley, Walter Branson, Albert 
Waarner, etc. 

The tune, “Yellow Rose of 
Texas,” as parodied by Mort Sun¬ 
shine, got across the contributions 
O’Donnell has made to the welfare 
of the industry and for which he 
was being handed the bouquet. His 
work for the War Activities Com¬ 
mittee during World War II, his 
prominent Identification, with In¬ 
ternational Variety Clubs, his 
spirited support of the Will Rogers 
Memorial Hospital',. his participa¬ 
tion in film ’business institutional 
programs during-the past decades 
—these things are well known to 
O’Donnell’s trade colleagues on 
the various exec echelons and they 
were out en masse to say, “Well 
done.” 


Briefs From the Lots 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Robert Bassler bought Talbot 
and Elizabeth Jennlngi* original 
screen story, “Tale of Conse¬ 
quences,” for a United Artists, re¬ 
lease starring, Joel McCrea and 
Mark Stevens ... Walter Woolf 
King will play Jeanne Crain’s 
father in Paramount’s “The Joker” 

. . . Walt Disney limns his amuse¬ 
ment park for ^Disneyland. U.S.A.,”, 
latest in his ‘‘People and places” 
series . . Thelma Polish and Mary 
Stanton, in Broadway cast of “The 
Pajama Game,” recreate their 
roles in Warner Bros.’ picturization 
. . . Jack Straw, in road company, 
ditto ... Alfred Hitchcock post¬ 
poned his “From Amongst the 
Dead” until next Spring to permit 
James Stewart to holiday in South 
America . . . Arthur Franz snagged 
second male . lead in Charles 
Schneer’s “Hellcats of the Navy” 
for Columbia Pictures release . . . 
Nicholas Ray will direct two pix 
for Schulberg Productions, “On 
Eighth Avenue” and “In the Ever¬ 
glades” .. . Jay Robinson signed to 
one-picture pact by John WayneT 
assignment to be set. 

Universal set “Ma and Pa Kettle 
at MacDonald’s Farm,” 19th in 
series ... Hal Wallis pitching to 
Burt Lancaster and Katharine 
Hepburn to re-team for “Summer 
and Smoke,” following their ap¬ 
pearance in “The Rainmaker” . . , 
Indie Hall Bartlett will biopic Joe 
Foss, World War II ace, to follow 
“Flight Into Danger” on his Hall 
Bartlett Productions banner . . . 
Robert Bray, who starred in “The 
Traitor” for David Turner Produc¬ 
tions in England, is partnered with 
Turner in three-picture deal, 
initialer to be “Murder on Wheels,” 
lensed in Europe and U.S. . . . 
Glenn Ford costars with Anna 
Kashfi in Metro’s “Don’t Go Near 
the Water” . . . “Kiss Off,” novel 
by Douglas Heyes, acquired by 
Herbert B. .Leonard for his two-, 
picture indie slate for Columbia 
Pictures release next year . . . 
Roger Corman will produce-direct 
“Rock the Boat” for Sunset Pro¬ 
ductions. 

Ronald Reagan and Nanvy Davis 
will costar in Charles Schneer’s 
“Hellcats of the Navy” . . . Hal 
Makelim inked Gerd Oswald to di¬ 
rect “Valerie,” Sterling Hayden- 
Anita Ekberg-Anthony Steele co- 
starrer . . . James Darren and Paul 
Picemi copped featured roles in 
William Goetz’ “The Brothers 
Rico” for Columbia Pictures’ re¬ 
lease .'. . Boris Karloff will do 
three pictures during next two 
years for Bel-Air Productions . . . 
Columbia Pictures purchased'“The 
Number One” as Lee Sabinson’s 
first producer chore . “When 
Gumglu Walked Towarl Town” 
and “The Enchanted Dolphin,” 
yarns by Eugene Poinc, purchased 
by Robert Angus Productions . . . 
Armand Deutsch will indie pro¬ 
duce Jerome Weidman’s “Re¬ 
prieve” , . . Joan Collins repacted 
by 20th-Fox for another year . . 
Sol C. Siegel cast Broadway 
thesps Mary Fiekett and Richard 
Eastham for “Man On Fire,” at 
Metro. 

Bobby Watson will portray 
Adolph Hitler in Warner Bros.' 
“The Story of Mankind” . . . Pro¬ 
ducer John Beck prepping pair of 
indies, “Jantzen Girl” and “Sister 
Blandina” . . . Ann Robinson set 
for femme lead opposite George 
Montgomery and Steve Brodie, 
Don Barry and Bobby Clark for 
top roles in Robert E. Kent’s “Last 
Gun in Durango,” for UA release 
. . . 20th-Fox picked up its option 
on Rachel Stephens • . . Jesse 
White with Ethel Barrymore, Cecil 
Kellaway and Carolyn Jones in 
Clarion's “Johnny Trouble,” for 
which Stuart Whitman Was inked 
for title role. 


‘Foreign Agent’ 

Continued from page 5 

films in New York, Pittsburgh, De¬ 
troit, Chicago, San Francisco and 
other cities. 

Justice last June took the posi¬ 
tion that Kaufman, acting for the 
Yugofilm monopoly in the U. S., 
had to register as a foreign agent. 
Kaufman replied, citing his right 
to an exemption under the clause 
of the Foreign Agents Registration 
Act which said no registration was 
necessary if a party was engaged 
in “private, nonpolitical, financial, 
mercantile or other activities in 
furtherance of the bona fide trade 
or commerce of a foreign prin¬ 
cipal.” 


False Economy 

Lack of funds is given as the reason why the Academy of Mo«> 
tion Picture Arts & Sciences has had to suspend work on the 
project of reclaiming more than 1,000,000 feet of historical mo¬ 
tion pictures printed on paper. So far. the Academy has In¬ 
vested $125,000 in this public service project undertaken eight 
years ago at the request of the Copyright Division of the Library 
of Congress which was unable to* obtain a Federal appropriation. 

Considering the priceless worth of this celluloid record of ir¬ 
replaceable him, dealing with personalities and events that are 
part of the American scene circa 1894-1912, it is a crying shame 
that the necessary , funds can’t be provided. That goes for Uncle 
Sam and industry leaders. 

The transfer of these fllms-on-paper to celluloid, for perma¬ 
nent preservation, is a costly item.- Eastman Kodak and the 
Museum of Modern Art Film Library In New York couldn’t come 
up with a system Until inventor Kemp Niver, an Academy mem¬ 
ber and a Hollywood technician* perfected the Renovare Process. 
This has worked out satisfactorily but-it.ls.‘4iainfully-slow-and 
exacting.” 


With America's renowned generosity for all causes, the $250,000 
now required seems relatively trivial. And certainly when % so 
important and historic an objective is involved. Abel. 

==^ =i . ■■■ ■ ; +----- 


Credit Card Flunks 

S—; Continued from page 3 5555 

book method. Report stressed that 
a mere expression of interest was 
a long way from people’s realizing 
‘ their intention. 

On plan number One, the credit 
card idea, 47% of the 14% that 
showed interest said they’d attend 
films more often if they had a 
card. That means 6% of the total 
sample would spend more money 
at the b.o. by raising their attend¬ 
ance. Question remains, however, 

I how much more often these 6% 
[would actually go. Study findings 
put the increase at 50%, but Wood 
& Co. concluded that this was an 
optimistic and unrealistic estimate. 

I In any case, since the cost of 
administering a plan is a factor, 
the net gain would be negligible. 
Even assuming the 50% in attend¬ 
ance, the net boost would run to 
only 3% (6% of the people going 
50% more often). Administrative 
costs would run to 1.5% of total 
sales and could be higher. That 
would leave a net. sales gain of 
1.5% at best, 

■ Poll examined various other atti¬ 
tudes. For instance, it reasoned, if 
a person wants a credit card mere¬ 
ly for convenience sake, this didn’t 
mean that he or she would attend 
films more often. Of the 14% that 
were Interested in a card, only 52% 
.wanted it because it would enable 
them to go to see pictures when J 
they were short of cash (that’s a j 
little more than 7% of the total 
sample). If these 7% were to In- i 
crease their attendance 50%, the 
overall attendance boost would be ! 
3.5%, leaving 2% after deducting 
administrative costs. 

Five Angles 

Total of five approaches to the 
credit card question was attempted 
by the survey, including one seek¬ 
ing to establish how many more 
people might attend if theatres 
offered a credit plan. All reached 
the same general conclusion, l.e. 
that the credit system, so success¬ 
fully applied by department stores, 
etc., has no place in the film biz, 
partly because there Is no shortage 
of available entertainment coin. 

As for the scrip book, assuming 
that the 28% that showed interest 
actually would attend more often 
if it ’ were offered, the survey 
showed that 12% of 4he total sam¬ 
ple would buy a book and would 
attend more. If these 12% in¬ 
creased their attendance 50%, the 
net increase in attendance stitt 
.only would run to a possible 6%. 
Taking into account the 20% dis¬ 
count offered in the book, and its 
application to the total 28%, there 
would actually result a 5.5% de¬ 
crease in dollar volume. Deduct 
that from the 6% increase, and the 
gain is practically nil. 

Figuring it in two other ways, 
in each Instance the net attendance 
gain would be wiped out by the 
discount offered In the book. 


I RKO All on Location 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

There’s to be no production ac¬ 
tivity on the RKO lot for the next 
three months, with all new product 
being lensed on location. “Girl 
]\|qst Likely” was completed on the 
home lot two weeks ago and studio 
production is not to resume until 
March. 

On the slate for that month is 
“Galveston,” which will be made 
partially in that Texas city as well 
as at the studio. 


Funds Crisis Hits 
Salvage of Old 
Paper Roll Pix 

Appeal to the motion picture in¬ 
dustry and public to “awaken to 
their responsibility” came last 
week from Richard Griffith, cura¬ 
tor of the Museum of Modern Art’s 
film library. He was commenting 
on the Academy of Motion Picture 
Arts 8c Sciences' decision to dis¬ 
continue its salvage of old films on 
-Paper rolls, stored in the Library 
of Congress. 

The Academy said it no longer 
had the funds to continue the re¬ 
claiming project. Academy prexy 
George Seaton noted that, for 
$250,000, the job could tie done. 
While some 260,000 feet of the old 
film have already been transferred 
to celluloid, another 1,000,000 feet 
of historical footage remain to be 
saved. 

| The Museum in New York has Its 
own project for saving the mass oi 
decomposing old film in its vaults. 
It has collected $52,000 for that 
purpose. 

Griffith said it was “bad news 
indeed” that the Academy had 
been forced^ to halt “this coura¬ 
geous and arduous project.” And he 
went on: “This part of our Amer¬ 
ican heritage is fast disappearing, 
and unless the motion picture in¬ 
dustry and public awaken to their 
responsibility in the matter, we 
may all one day look back with 
regret to the irreparable loss of 
this priceless record of our life.” 


Edison Awards Go To 
‘Moby Dick,’ ‘Wide World,’ 
‘Disneyland’; Others 

“Moby Dick” was named the filrii 
“btfst serving the national interest” 
in the 1956 Thomas Alva Edison 
Foundation Mass Media Awards 
Monday night (3) at the Waldorf- 
Astoria, N.Y. Foundation handed 
out a total of 10 other awards in 
films, radio and television. 

Other film winners were “The 
G: eat Locomotive Chase” as the 
best children’s film and “On the 
Threshold of Space” as the best 
science film for youth. Television 
winners were NBC’s “Wide Wide 
World” as the tv program best por¬ 
traying America and ABC’s “Dis¬ 
neyland” as the best children’s 
tv’er. In radio, “CBS Radio Work¬ 
shop” got the nod in the “best por¬ 
traying America” category; “No 
School Today” (ABC) as the best 
children’s program and “Adven¬ 
tures in Science” (CBS) as the best 
science show for youth. 

Winners in the station category 
for having best served youth were 
KRON-TV, San Francisco, ‘ and 
WOWO, Ft. Wayne, with each get¬ 
ting a $1,000 scholarship for use in 
its community. WNYC, the munici¬ 
pal station in N.Y., got a special 
citation for its Annual Science 
Seminar. 










- W<Nlttcgday, De^mber S, 1956 


PSsaiEtf _;_ :■ . » 




The Story Thus Far! 
Your Theatre Can Write 
The Next Glowing Chapter! 


CURRENT ENGAGEMENTS: 


NEW YORK—3rd Month. 
All time record! 


BEVERLY HILLS, CAL.-3rd Month. 
Equalling all-time tops! 

OAKLAND, CAL.-3rd Month. 
Equalling all-time tops! 

MADISON, WIS.—3rd Week. 

Very Big! 

PORTLAND, ORE.—3rd Week. 

Fine Business! 


& 


COMPLETED ENGAGEMENTS: 

WASHINGTON, D. C—8 Weeks. 
New M-G-M record! 

SAN FRANCISCO-8 Weeks. 

2nd biggest in house history! 

DETROIT-7 Weeks. 

One of the biggest! 

PITTSBURGH-7 Weeks. 

— Record-breakmg-rair! — 

BALTIMORE-6 Weeks. 

Very big ! 

KANSAS CITY, MO.-5 Weeks. 
Record-breaking run! 

CHICAGO-5 Weeks. 

. 2nd highest M-G-M record ! 

BUFFALO-5 Weeks. 

Excellent engagement! * : 

SAN DIEGO-4 Weeks. 

Fine business! 

SEATTLE-4 Weeks. 

Fine business! 

ATLANTA—4 Weeks. 

Fine business! 

SALT LAKE CITY-3 Weeks, 5 days. 
Top M-G-M grosser! 

HOUSTON-3 Weeks. 

Fine business! 

DENVER—2 Weeks, 5 days. Ditto! 
DALLAS—2 Weeks, 5 days. Ditto! 
MILWAUKEE-2 Weeks. Ditto! 


CINCINNATI—3rd Week. 

Excellent! 

MINNEAPOLIS—3rd Week. 

Terrific! , 

ROCHESTER, N. Y.-3rd Week. 

Big! 

BOSTON—First 4 days all-time house record! 

ST. LOUIS—2nd Week. 

Excellent! 

ATLANTIC CITY—2nd Week. 

Big! 

GREENSBORO, N. C -2nd Week. 

Very Big! 

DURHAM, N. C.—Close to "Guys And Dolls”! 


: LUST FOR LIFE | 
' COUU) WELL WIN ; 



M-G-M’s most honored picture 1 


M-G-M presents in CinemaScope and Metrocolor •KIRK DOUGLAS in ’'LUST FOR LIFE” • co-starring Anthony Quinn 
James Donald • Pamela ^rown ♦ with Everett Sloane • Screen Play by Norman Corwin • Based on the Novel by Irving Stone 

Directed by Vincente Minnelli ♦ Produced by John Houseman 


(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound) 



PICTURES 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


Picture Grosses 


‘Sharkfighters’ Big 12G, 
Frisco; ‘Giant’ 17G, 5th 

San Francisco, Dec. 4. 

Pre-Xmas slump has set in here 
already, with only “Sharkfighters 
doing well among the few newcom- j 
ers. It is rated sturdy at UnUed 
Artists. “Julie” is coming off after 
three days of second week at War- 
field to prep for opening of Tea¬ 
house of August Moon.” Giant 
still is solid in fifth session at Para¬ 
mount. “Love Me Tender” is sag¬ 
ging badly in second round at Fox. 
“Seven Wonders of World” still is 
fancy in second Orpheum frame. 

Estimates for This Week 

Golden'GaTe(RKO) OT59r80-$l| 
•‘Death of a Scoundrel” (RKO) and 
“Strange Intruder” <AA). Okay 
$11,000 or ndar. Last week. Mole 
People” (U) and “Curucu’ (U), 
$15,800. 

Fox (FWC) (4,651; $L25-$1.50)— 
•‘Love Me Tender” ( 20 th and 
“Desperados In Town” (20tli) .(2d 
wk). Mild $8,000. Last weeki 
$22,500. ' , 

Warfield (Loew) (2,656; 65-90)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Fair 

$7,000 in 3 days. Last week, $19,- 
500. 

Paramount (Par) <2,646; $1.25- 
$L50 )—“Giant” (WB) (5th wk). 
Splendid $17,000. Last week, $26,- 
000 . 

St. Francis (Par) (1,400; $1-$1.25) 
—“Odongo” (Col)- and “7th Cava¬ 
lry” (Col). Oke $10,000. Last 
week, “Can’t Run Away From It 
(Col) and “Miami Expose (Col) 
(2d wk), $10,000. 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre 
Calif ) (1,458; $1.75-$2.651—“Seven 
Wonders World” (Cinerama) (2d 
W k). Fancy $28,500. Last week, 
$28,500 in 4 days. 

United Artists (No. Coast) (1,207; 
70-$l)—“Sharkfighters” < UA) and 
“Huk” (UA). Sturdy $12,000 or 
•hear. Last week, “Friendly Persu¬ 
asion” (AA) (4th wk) and Dial 
Red-O” (AA), $3,500. 

Stagedoor (A-R) (440; $1.25- 

*1 50 )—“Secrets of Lite (BV) (3d 
wk) Fine $4,300. Last week, 
$4,900. 

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $D— 

“Rififi” (Indie) (7th wk). Fancy 
$3,000. Last week, $3,800. 

Clay (Rosener) <400; $1)—“Pri¬ 
vate’s Progress” (Indie) (3d wk). 
Slipping to $2,600. Last week, 
$3,600. „ ^ 

Vogue (S.F. Theatres) (377; $1)— 
“La Strada” (T-L) <13th wk). Okay 
$1,700. Last week, $1,900. 

Bridge (Schwarz) (396; $1.25)— 
“War and Peace” (Par) (2d wk). 
Good $2,700. Last week, $4,200. 

Coronet (United California) 

(1 250; $1.10-$2.75)—“Oklahoma 

(Magna) (41st wk). Nearing end 
of run, great $16,500. Last week, 

^Rio (Schwarz) <397; $1.25)— 

“War and Peace” (Par) (2d wk). 
Good $2,400. Last week, $4,000. 

PHILADELPHIA 

(Continued from page 8) 

(Par) <2d wk). Smash $36,000. Last 
week, $45,000. 

Stanley (SW) (2,900; 99-$1.49)— 
“Friendly Persuasion” <AA) (3d 
wk). So-so $12,000. Last week, 

*^ 1 Stanton (SW) <1,483; 99-$1.49)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (3d wk). Weak $8,300. 
Last week, $10,000. 

Studio (Goldberg) <400; 99-$1.40) 
—“Lust for Life” (M-G) (9th wk). 
Wan $4,800. Last week, $6,000 

Trans-Lux (T-L) <500; 99-$1.80) 
—“Secrets of Life” (BV) (4th wk). 
Dull $3,200. Last week, $5,900. 

Viking (Sley) (1,000; 75-$1.49)— 
“Can't Run Away from It” (Col) 
(3:1 wk). Slow $6,000. Last week, 
$7,500. 

World (Pathe) (499; 99-$1.49) 
“Silent World” (Col) (3d Nvk). Good 
$4,500. Last week. $6,000. 

PORTLAND, ORE. 

iContinued from page 8) 
—“Giant” (WB) (3d wk). Mighty 
$13,000. Last week, capacity $23,- 
800. 

Guild (Indie) <400; $1.25)—“Lust 
For Life” <M*G) (3d vvk). Modest 
$2,000. Last week, $3,400. 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,890; 90- 

$1.25)—“Friendly Persuasion” (AA)- 
1 3d wk). Okay $6,000. Last week, 
$8,800. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) <1,600; $1- 
$1.25)—“Love Me Tender” (20th) 
and “Stagecoach To Fury” JjJQth) 
(2d wk). Slim $6,000. Last week, 
$23,600. 

Paramount (Port-Par) <3,400; 90- 
$1.25)—“Sharkfighters” <UA) and 
“Gun Brothers” (UA). Dull $6,500. 
Last week, “Mountain” (Par) and 
“Come Next Spring” (Rep), $8,100. 


LOS ANGELES 

(Continued from page 8) 
drel” (RKO) (2d .wk). Dull $4,500. 
Last week, $5,900. 

Los Angeles, Hollywood, Ritz, 
Loyola. (FWC) (2,097; 756;. 1,363; 
1,248; 90-$1.50)—“Love Me Ten¬ 
der” (20th) and “Desperadoes in 
Town” (20th) (2d wk). Way off to 
dull $16,000. Last week, $44,100, 
plus $52,300 in seven FWC nabes. 

Vogue (FWC) (885; 90-$1.50)— 
“Mountain” (Par) and “Bridey 
Murphy v (Par) (2d wk). Small $2,- 
500. Last week, with State, $10,800, 
plus $46,000 in ope nabe,. seven 
ozoners. 

Hillstreet, Iris (RKO-FWC) (2,- 
752; 816; 80-$1.50) — “War and. 
Peace” (Par) (J$d wk); Slow $3,000. 
Xast~week, $15,900; pliiS~$57;4f)0 in 
three nabes, four drive-ins. 

D’Town Paramount (ABPT) (3,- 
300; 85-$1.25)—“Back From Eter¬ 
nity” (RKO) and ‘^Teenage Crime 
School” (Indie) (reissue) (2d wk). 
Modest $6,800., Last week* $13,700. 

Warner Beverly (SW) (1,612; 
$1.50-$3,30) — “Ten Command¬ 
ments” (Par) (3d wk). Fancy $27,- 
000. Last week, $37,000. 

Egyptian (UATC) (1,411; $1.25- 
$1.80)—“Can’t Run Away From 
It” (Col) (4th wk). Mild $7,000. 
Last week. $9,400. 

Fox Wilshire (FWC) (2,296; 
$1.25-$1.75) — “Friendly Persua¬ 
sion” (AA) (5th wk). Medium $8,- 
500. Last week, $14,500. , 

Four Star.(UATC) (868; 90,-$1.50) 
—“Brave OnC” (RKO) . (6th wk). 
Okay $4,500. Last week, $4,700. 

Chinese (FWC) (1.908; $1.25- 

$2.40) — “Giant” (WB) (7th. wk). 
Down to $21,000 but still big. Last 
week, $32,000. 

Fox Beverly (FWC) (1,334; $1.25- 
$1.50)—“Silent World” (Col) (8th 
wk). Modest $3,2,00. Last week. 
$3 200 " » 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1.25- 
$1.75)—“Lust for Life” (M-G) 
(11th wk). Okay $3,500. Last week, 
$3,700. 

United Artists (UATC) (1,242; 
$1.10-$2.75)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) 
<50th wk). Slow $6,000. Last week, 
$7,200. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) (1.364; 
$1.20-$2.65)—“Cine Holiday” (Cine¬ 
rama) ,<56th wk). Into present 
frame Sunday (2) after fine $15,- 
600 last week. 

‘Giant’ Lively $12,000, 

St. Loo;‘Sex’Hep 10G 

St. Louis, Dec. 4. 

Biz is steady currently,- and some 
downtown cinemas, oddly enough, 
expect to benefit from policy of 
large department stores and other 
shops staying open four nights per 
week, instead of two, until Xmas. 
Spending splurge at stores is in 
full swing with cool weather on 
tap. “Giant” continues to lead the 
boxoffice derby with stout session 
in fifth week at the St. Lou ; s. “Op¬ 
posite Sex” looms neat in second 
round at Loew’s. “Lust For Life” 
still is fine in second frame at 
Esquire. “Love Me Tender” did 
well on movcover to the Missouri 
after great opening week at the 
Fox. 

Estimates for This Week 

Amba.^ador (Indie) (1,400; $1.20- 
$2.40)—“Seven Wonders Of World” 
“Cinerama) (32d wk). Good $9,000. 
Last week, $8,500. 

Esquire (Indie) (1,400; 90-$1.10) 
—“Lust For Life” (M-G) (2d wk). 
Nice $8,000, after $11,000 opening 
stanza. 

Fox (F&M) (5,000; 51-75)—“Back 
From Eternity” (RKO) and “First 
Traveling Saleslady” (RKO). Open- j 
ed today (Tucs.). Last week, “Girl 
He Left Behind” (WB) and “Ama¬ 
zon Trader” (WB), solid $16,000. 

Loew’s (Loew) <3,221; 50-85) — 
“Opposite Sex” (M-G) and “Miami 
Expose” (Col) (2d wk). Neat $10,- 
000 following $15,000 initial ses¬ 
sion. 

Missouri (F&M) (3.500; 51-75)— 
“Rock, Rock, Rock” (Indie) and 
“Jail Busters” (Rep). Opened today) 
(Tues.). Last week, “Love Me 
Tender” (20th) and “Stagecoach To 
Fury” (20th) (m.o.), fine $8,000. 

Orpheum (Loew) (1,914; 50-85)— 
“These Wilder Years” (M-G) and 
“Zanzabuka* (Rep). Fair $7,000. 
Last week, “Can’t Run Away From 
It” (Col) and “Cha-Cha-BoonT’ 
(Col), $5,000. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1,000; 
90-$1.10)—“Bridey Murphy” (Par) 
and "Edge cf Hell” (U). Fine 
$4,000. Last week, “Don Giovanni” 
(Indie), $3;000. 

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) T400; j 
$1.10) — “Don Giovanni” (Indie) 
(2d wk). Oke $2,500 following I 
$3,000 for first stanza. 

St. Louis ‘St. L. Amus.) (4,000; 
90-$l.25)—“Giant” (WB) (5th wlc». 
Stout $12,000 after $16,500 for 
sixth frame. 

Shady Oak (St. L. Amus.) (800; 
$1.10) — “Ladykillers” (Cont) (8th 
wk). Neat $2,000 after $2,500 for 
seventh session. 1 


Mary Stewart Suspense 
, Novel Set With Dragon 

Dragon Films Ltd., British indie 
firm ‘Whose “The Silken Affair’’ is 
being released by RKO, has ac¬ 
quired a suspense novel by Majry 
Stewart, “Madam Will You Talk,” 
as its third film venture. Pic will 
be filmed on location in southern 
France. ,.j. . 

With, “Silken Affair” set for re¬ 
lease in U. S. shortly. Dragon is 
launching “Prescott Affair” -for 
.spring production in Spain and 
England. Latter was written by 
two American writers—David Os¬ 
born and Charles Sinclair. 

BOSTON 

(Continued from page 9) 

(15th wk). Great $20,000. Last 
p week, $25,000. 

. Exeter (Indie) (1,200; 60-$1.25)— 
-“Richard- HI' 1 -(Lopert)- --(4th. - -wkfcr 
Slick $6,&00. Last week, $8,000. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373; 60-90) — 
“Runaway Daughters” (Indie) and 
“Shake, Rattle, and Rock” (Indie). 
Hotsy $8,000. Last week, “Friendly 
Persuasion” (AA) and “Calling 
Homicide” (AA) (3d wk), $3,500.' 

Kenmore (Indie) (700; 85-$1.25) 
—“Dust for Life” (M-G) 42d Wk). 
Smasheroo $16,000 for new record. 
First week was ditto. 

Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 60-90)— 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) and 
“Desperadoes In Town” (20th) (2d 
wk). Nice $14,000. Last week, 
$28,000. 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,357; 90- 
$1.50)—“Giant” (5th wk). Sturdy 
$18,000. Last week, $22,000. 

Pilgrim (ATC) (1,000; 65-95)— 
“Rack” (M-G) and “Boomtown” 
(M-G). Oke $6,500. Last week, 
“Julie” (M-G) and •‘Cha, Cha, 
Boom” (Col) (2d wk). $7,500. 

Saxon (Saxon) (1,100: $1.25-$2.20) 
—“Oklahoma” (Magna) (13th wk). 
Bright $17,000. Last week, ditto. 

Orpheum (Loew) (2.900; 60-90)-^- 
“Onposite Sex” (M-G) and “Power 
and Prize” (M-G) (2d wk). Neat 
$12,000. Last, week, $16,500. 

State (Loew) (3,600; 60-90) — 
“Opposite Sex” 'M-G) and “Power 
and Prize”. (M-G) (2d wk). ; Fine 
$7,000. Last week. $10,000. 

Paramount (NET) (1.700; 60-90) 
— “Runaway Daughters” (Indie) 
and “Shake. Rattle, Rock” (Tndie). 
Hotsy $15,000. Last week, “Friend- 
lv Persuasion” (AA) and “Calling 
Homicide” (AA) <3d wk), $8,000. 

KANSAS CITY 

(Continued from page 9) 

(M-G) and “Zanzabuku” (Rep) (2d 
wk). $6,000. . 

Missouri (SW) (1,1.94; $1.20-$2)— 
“This Is Cinerama” (Cinerama) 
(25th wk). Holding high at $12,- 
000, with Jielp from special parties. 
Last week, same. 

Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 
90-$l.25)—“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). 
Lofty $10,000. Last week, $14,000. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 75-90)— 
“The Mountain” (Par) (2d wk). 
Mild $3,000. Last week, $6,000. 

Tower (Fox Midwest) (1.400; 90- 
$2) — “Oklahoma” (Magna) (7th 
wk). Skimpy $5,000; after which 
house may close. Last week, $6,000. 

Uptown, Esowire, Fairway, Gra- 
(Fox Midwest) (2.043; 820; 
700: 1.217: 75-90)—“Love Me Ten¬ 
der” (20th) all four, with “Fight¬ 
ing Trouble” (AA) (2d wk) added 
at Esouire and Granada. Good 
$13,000. Last week, $28,000, ex¬ 
ceeding estimate. 

Vogue (Goldoni (550: 75-90)— 
“War and Peace” (par) (2d wk)'. On 
subsequent-run doing okay $1,500. 
“House goes dark after this, closing 
long career as an art filmer. Last 
week, $2,500. 

TORONTO 

(Continued from page 9) 

(RKO) (2d wk). Sad $4,000. Last 
week, $8,000. 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State. Westwood (Taylor) (1.054; 
995: 694; 698; 994: 50-75)—“Pillars 
of Sky” (U) and “Sudden Danger” 
(AA). Light $13,000. Last week. 
“Curucu” (U) and “Mole People” 
(U). $15,000. 

Imperial (FP) <3,344; 60-$1.10)— 
“Back from Eternity” (RKO). So¬ 
so $12,000. Last week. “Toward 
Unknown” (WB), $13,000. 

Loew’s, Uptown (Loew) (2.098; 
2.745: 60-$ 1) — “Opposite Sex” 
(M-G) (2d .wk). Nice $17,000. Last 
week, $25,000. 

Shea's (FP) (2,375; 60-$l)— 

“Love Me Tender” (Par). Big 
$14,000. Last week, “Solid Gold 
Cadillac" <Col) <4th wk), $6,000. 

Tivoli (FP) <995; $1.50-$2)—“Ok¬ 
lahoma’ (Magna) (32d wk). Oke 
$8,000. Last week, $8,500. 

Town© (Taylor) (695; 60-$l)— 
“Lust for Life” (M-G) (4th wk). 
Hefty $7,000. Last week. $8,000. 

University (FP) (1.556; $1.75- 
$2.50) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (2d wk). Turnaway biz on 
evenings for upcoming month, 
with two-a-day run near capacity 
on mats. Looks sock $26,000. Last 
week, same. 


Film Reviews 


Continued from page f ; 


Hollywood or Bust 

Lewis* encounter with a bull and 
making like a matador is another 
fun-filled sequence, as is his cham¬ 
pagne binge in Vegas after hexing 
the gambling devices into a big 
payoff. Team has to split honors 
for laughs with a huge Great Dane, 
Mr. Bkscora, Lewis’ pet. 

By way of making the latter part 
of the:title legit, Anita~Ekberg apv 
pears as guest star on whom Lewis 
has a crush. She doesn’t have much 
more to do than to display what 
nature has wrought in the fjords 
of Sweden, so it's still a big part. 
She’s the attraction that enables i 
Martin to talk Lewis into the! 
cross-country trip after they have J 
won a car (Lewis legally, Martin 
THegally ^itb~fin:ged-*1iekets) in a 
theatre drawing. Enroute west they 
pick up Pat Crowley so that Mar¬ 
tin will have someone to sing ro¬ 
mantic songs to and all end up in 
the film capital where Mr. Bascom 
becomes the picture star. 

A title tune, plus “A Day in the 
Country,”- “It Looks Like Love,” 
“Let’s Be Friendly” and “The 
Wild -nd Woolly West” all fall 
pleasantly on the ear when Martin 
is doing the vocalling. Lewis cuts 
a raucous vocal here and there, 
too, and even Miss Crowley joins 
in on occasion. As usual, Martin 
sets up most of the gags for Lewis’ 
comedic talents to milk and they 
come off very well as a clowning 
team.. Miss Crowley makes ' out 
pertly in the situations, but obvi- 1 
ously had a false friend among the 
designers of her more personal 
garb. Maxie Rosenbloom* as a 
bookie musclem&h completes tho 
credited cast. 

Technical credits tee up excel¬ 
lently in supplying visual'gloss to 
the footage, and Waltey Scharf’s 
arranging and conductihg of the 
music scores nicely, too. Brog. 

The Wild Party 

Hard-boiled sex and sadism, 

backed by a crazy jive beat. 

For exploitation situations. 

Hollywood, Nov. 28. 

United Artists release of Sidney Har¬ 
mon (Security Pictures) production. 
Stars Anthony Quinn, Carol Ohmart. Ar¬ 
thur Franz, Jay Robinson. Kathryn 
Grant, Nchemiah Pcrsoff, features Paul 
Stewart, Nestor Paiva, Buddv de Grunco 
Quartet. Directed by Harry. Horner. Story 
and screenplay, Jdhn McPArtland; camera, 
Sam Leavitt; editor, Richard C. Meyer; 
music. Buddy Brccman. Previewed Nov. 
26, '56. Running time, 92 MINS. 

Tom Kupfen . Anthony Quinn 

Erica London . Carol Ohmart 

Arthur Mitchell . Arthur Franz 

Gage Freeposter . .. Jay, Robinson 

Honey . Kathryn Grant 

Kicks Johnson . Neheniiah Pcrsoff 

Ben David . Paul Stewart 

Sandy •. Barbara Nichols 

Singer . Jana Mason 

Wino . William Phipps 

Ellen . Maureen Stephenson 

Branson . Nestor Paiva 

Bouncer . Michael Ross 

Customer . Carl Millctaire 

Barman . James Bronte 

Fat Man . Joe Greene 

Hard-boiled sex and sadism, set 
to a crazy jive beat and aptly titled 
“The Wild Party,” is the type of 
entertainment offered in this 
United Artists release. It’s the 
kind of filmfare that, with lurid 
ballyhoo, attracts the" more im¬ 
pressionable and wilder elements 
among the younger viewers, so ex¬ 
ploitation dates may payoff. 

A deliberate shock appToach is 
used in the Sidney Harmon pro¬ 
duction to portray a seamy side of 
life filled with unwholesome char¬ 
acters and situations. Robbery, 
rape, sadistic murder, even im¬ 
plied dope addiction, are common 
parts of the film. The weird dialog 
used in John McPartland’s screen 
story belongs to a peculiar sect 
and. if you don’t dig it, its not easy 
to follow the plot, even though j 
Harry Horner’s direction snclls 
everythin'! else out in basic ABCs. 

None of the cast has any par¬ 
ticularly endearing characteristics, 
but within the demands of story 
and direction the players do what 
is asked of them with professional 
dispatch in most instances. An¬ 
thony Quinn appears as a pro foot¬ 
ball has-been with only animal de¬ 
sires and muscles left over from 
his brief fame. He hangs out in 
dark jive cellars and shabby sec¬ 
tions of the city with such com¬ 
panions as Jay Robinson, foppish, 
knife-wielding sadist; Kathryn 
Grant, apathetic young girl hang¬ 
er-on to the ex-gridiron hero, and 
Nehemiah Persoff. piano player 
who lives in a dreamy, shadow 
world. 

The title action more-or-less re¬ 
fers to this combo's plan to rob 
Carol Ohmart, excitement-seeking 
society girl, and her fiance. Naval 
Lieutenant Arthur Franz. Through 
plot -contrivances which have little 
concern with logic, the group kid¬ 
naps the engaged couple and hides 
out in an abandoned beach amuse¬ 
ment building. This sets the scene 
for plenty of brutality and lust be¬ 
fore the incredible ending sees 


Quinn dead and the victims freed. 

Others in the cast have only 
sipall spots. Sam Leavitt's low-key 
lensing goes with the plot’s mood, 
as does the score by Buddy Breg- 
man. The jive beat is maintained 
by the Buddy de Franco Quartet, 
heard in a cellar dive sequence and 
elsewhere. Bring. * 

Tiger in. the Smoke • 

(BRITISH) 

Well adapted Margery AUlng- 
ham thriller with Muriel Pay-, , 
low, Donald Sinden, ‘ Tony 
Wright involved In gangster’s 
hunt for hidden treasure: me¬ 
dium b.o. prospects anywhere, 

r -London,-tfovr27r~ 

Rank production and release. Stan 
Donald Sinden, Murial Pavlow and Tony 
Wright; co-stars Bernard Miles, Alco 
Chine* and Laurence Naiamith. Directed 
by Roy Baker, Screenplay -hy Anthony 
Pelissier from book by Margery Ailing- 
ham; camera, Geoffrey Unsworth;. editor, 
John D. Guthrldge; music, Malcolm Ar¬ 
nold, At Leicester Square Theatre. Lon¬ 
don. Running time, 94 MINS. 

Geoffrey Levett .....Donald Sinden 

Meg Elgin .. .•.;;.Muriel Pavlow 

Jack Havoc . Tony Wright 

Tiddy DoH . Bernard Miles 

Assistant Commissioner.Alec Cluncs 

Canon Avrll .Laurence NaismHh 

Chief Inspector Luke. Christopher Rhodes 

Will Talisman . Charles Victor 

Roly Gripper .Thomas Heathcote 

Tom Gripper ..Sam Kydd 

Crutches . Kenneth Griffith 

Duds Morrison. Gerald Harper 

Detective Segt. Pickett.. .‘Wensley Pitlvoy 

Uncle .. a... Stanley Rose 

P.C. Perkins ...Stretford Johns 

Trumps . .Brian Wilde 

Mrs. • Talisman . Hilda Barry 

Mrs. Cash .Beatrice Varlcy 

An intriguing, nearly plausible 
Screenplay has been made from a 
book by Margery Allingham, an’ace 
English thriller writer. With a 
sterling cast, and not over com¬ 
plicated plot, the result is good 
general entertainment. . 

. Although many loose ends are 
left trailing, the story details how 
a group of ex-soldiers and petty 
crooks who parade as street mu¬ 
sicians awaiting their leader just 
from via a jailbreak. Through a 
wartime association, he knows of a 
French seashore mansion contain¬ 
ing buried treasure, and plans to 
steal the address and directions 
from the widow of the .man con¬ 
cerned. She is on the verge of re¬ 
marrying and gets mysterious pic¬ 
tures of her husband mailed to her, 
with the implication he is still 
alive. Scenting blackmail, she goc9 
to the police who tie it all in with 
the escaped convict and some sub¬ 
sequent murders. The killer rush¬ 
es down the cliffside clutching the 
loot only to be trapped by French 
and British police. Treasure turns 
out to be a statue of the Madonna, 
priceless, but useless to a thief. 

Most of the action is set in fog 
laden London city streets, stress¬ 
ing the mystery and suspense. Di¬ 
rection and camera work enhance 
the realism of the scenes. 

Muriel Pavlow ably displays 
nerve tension and anxiety through¬ 
out the entire picture, with Donald 
Sinden exhibiting bulldog tenacity 
as her impending mate. Tony 
Wright is making his mark in the 
cold killer type of roles and this 
one fits him like a glove. Odd as¬ 
sortment of crooks are convinee- 
ingly portrayed. Dignity of the 
law is well represented by Christo¬ 
pher Rhodes and Alec Clunes. Law¬ 
rence Naismith as the girl’s father 
and Charles Victor as his cockney 
servant bring a mellow touch to 
their gentler ioles. Beatrice Var- 
ley turns in a realistic bit of sub¬ 
dued venom as the criminal’s 
mother. Clem. 

WARNERS TO SCRAM 
MANHATTAN WEST SIDE 

The 10-story Warner Brothers 
office building on West 45t.h St 
along with the two-story WB film 
exchange building have been sold 
preparatory to the company mov¬ 
ing into new qiiariers on Fifth 
Ave., N.Y. » 

Purchaser of the two buildings 
was Charles Benenson. Price is 
put at $2,500,000 with possession 
of the property to be given in 
about 18 months. That’s when the 
new Tishman Bros, building on 
Fifth Ave. will be ready for WB 
occupancy. 

Included in the transaction with 
Benenson is a $20,000 a year lease 
which Warners took back on the 
Film Exchange Building for 15 
years. 

This is the first sale of the prop¬ 
erty since the Warner brothers 
built it 30 yeqrsjtgo. Company has 
had its exec offices there ever 
since. Lawrence Cohen repped the 
purchaser and Harold Berkowitz 
the sellers in the transaction. An¬ 
other company — Columbia Pic¬ 
tures—recently also moved to new 
Fifth Ave. quarters. 
































PICTURES 


25 


Wtdne^ay^ December 5, 1956 


pzssnsfr 



CARTEL 


Mats to Reach N.Y. on End-Run? 


Film Companies Eye Deal to Turn Native Funds To 
U^S. finf© Agency—Latter Converting at Home 


Possibility Of accepting local cur¬ 
rent# against .‘tT. S. Information 
Agency convertibility: guarantees in 
the Troii Curtain nations is being 
raised by some of the film compa¬ 
nies. 

- Under -such- * -convertibility-ar¬ 
rangement the XT. S. Government 
guarantees pick up local currency 
for its own uses and in turn deliv¬ 
ers equivalent dollars in New York. 
Native authorities have to agree to 
any such deal. 

Argument is that, in accepting 
local coin, a better price might be 
obtained than by insisting on dol¬ 
lar payments, which would be con¬ 
verted at the least favorable rate 
in nations where a dollar scarcity 
exists.. 

Motion Picture Export Assn, is 
negotiating-deals with Poland and 
Czechoslovakia and may extend 
these also to Roumania and East 
Germany. United Artists, acting 
outside the MPEA framework but 
in collaboration with the Associa¬ 
tion, is making its own deals. Like 
the rest of the companies it is re¬ 
stricting itself to five pix per coun¬ 
try. 

It's understood that, in dealing 
with the satellites, MPEA is offer¬ 
ing films for as little as $3,500 
but ranges up to $10,000. Under 
present conditions, it’s not thought 
that the majors are offering their 
top product since they wouldn't 
want to set a precedent for future 
deals, possibly on more favorable 
terms. 

An MPEA exec last week stressed 
that any USIA convertibility guar¬ 
antee deal in no way represented a 
deliberate governmental “subsidy” 
to encourage film companies to go 
behind the Iron Curtain and, at the 
same time, to protect them from 
loss. The companies are acting 
out of patriotic motives. They also 
figure that Red sales represent 
some money, and that anything up 
from zero is a gain. They’re also 
not unmindful that, if they don’t 
go in, the indies will. 


UA Field Men 

Continued from page 7 

more dependent on him than ever. 
It’s up to the field rep to spark 
the “local stimulation,” said Heine- 
man. 

UA’s entire operation is turning 
to a greater accent on local-level 
sales push. The newspaper ad 
schedule is being advanced by 8% 
and co-op ads with retailers and 
manufacturers are going up a simi¬ 
lar amount, Lewis disclosed. Over 
the past six months, he added, UA 
has established a permanent liaison 
with non-film advertisers in the 
key market areas, for tieups, he 
added. 

Youngstein also told the conven¬ 
tion: “The emphasis in selling and 
pre-selling must be on the local 
level. The best creative efforts 
of our homeoffice people are mean¬ 
ingless unless they are intelligently 
and aggressively carried into the 
field. The work of you fieldj en 
in translating ideas into action has 
been an important factor in UA’s 
performance as the No. One mer¬ 
chandising company of the indus¬ 
try.” 

Working around the exchange 
areas under Krushen are 12 dis¬ 
trict exploitation men and 20 to 40 
(it varies with the number of pic¬ 
tures in release) other promotional 
reps. In addition, Roth reported, 
the indie publicity offices working 
on UA product are now giving 
more attention to local-level breaks 
such as via the preparation of spe¬ 
cial material for television stations, 
photo layouts and copy generally. 
In past, said Roth, the indie pub¬ 
licists had concentrated on produc¬ 
tion news and breaks in national 
publicaations. 

In discussing the responsibility 
of the fleldmen, Roth said it is they 
who are in .contact with exhibitors 
and touring stars ‘and producers 
and their performance reflects the 
productivity of the entire company. 


Ozoners Brave Winter 

St. Louis, Dec. 4. 

Four ozoners owned and Op¬ 
erated by the Bloomer Amuse¬ 
ment Go., Belleville, HI., i& 
southern Illinois will continue 
-tc jyierafce^throughout the win- _ 
ter with one on a full Week 
basis. This will be at Alorton 
near East St. Louis where in- 
car heaters have been made 
available for the customers. 

* The others that will operate 
only on a weekend-policy are 
located near Belleville, Alton 
and Centralia all .in the mid¬ 
southern part of the state. * 


“Why The Picture 
Did Biz For Me’ 


Annual meeting of the Virginia 
Motion Picture Theatres Assn..is set 
for Jan. 16 in Richmond with a spe¬ 
cial promotional session included 
on the agenda. Billed “Why the 
Picture Did Business for Me,” the 
session will be a forum in which 
members of the association are to 
relate how certain pictures came 
to draw unusually tall business. 

The exhibs have been asked to 
keep a record of ads and promo¬ 
tional devices they used and the 
extent of their effectiveness in 
boosting the b.o. 


WB’s Golob, Dead at 52, 
Gruff Front Masked His 
Loyalties, Say Intimates 

Larry Golob, 52, national pub¬ 
licity director of Warner Bros., died 
suddenly Nov. 25 in New York. 
Golob, apparently in good health, 
had been at his homeoffice desk 
prior to the weekend and displayed 
no signs of illness. 

A veteran of 33 years in the in¬ 
dustry, Golob joined First Na¬ 
tional Pictures at the age of 19. 
When that company merged with 
Warner Bros., Golob joined the lat¬ 
ter company where he worked for 
the past 28 years as, successively, 
director of fan magazine publicity, 
director of field exploitation, east¬ 
ern publicity director and, recent¬ 
ly, national publicity director. 

Outwardly gruff and frequently 
misunderstood, Golob was said to 
possess basic kindliness and under¬ 
standing by those of his associates 
who knew him well. He was ex¬ 
tremely loyal to his staff and fre¬ 
quently fought off top brass. How¬ 
ever, when forced to cut because of 
economy ordered by company top¬ 
pers, Golob faced a difficult task. 
He lacked the heart to fire anyone 
and was confronted with an embar¬ 
rassing experience when he was 
forced to do so. Many, times he 
asked those whom he had been 
ordered to dismiss if they had 
enough money to tide them over. 
He made loans without asking for 
a return. 

Golob preferred the background 
and never injected himself in press 
conferences or other publicity af¬ 
fairs. He preferred to let his staff 
take the credit and the limelight. 

Wife, mother, and sister survive. 


Seeks New Pic Director 

London, Nov. 27. 

Because of the sudden death of 
Roy Kellino last week, Dragon 
Films is looking for a new director 
for its second British film, due to 
start rolling on the Costa Brava 
next year. He was the director on 
Dragon’s British venture, “The 
Silken Affair.” 

Richard Coit, chairman of Dragon 
Films, has negotiated the purchase 
of “Madam Will You Talk?” by 
Mary Stewart, which will be the 
third British production. 


TO FORCED DEALS 

By ROBERT F. HAWKINS 
Rome, Dec. 4. 

The cry of “cartel and the 
pushing arOund of independents 
and outsiders Ds Increasing raised 
here as the tensions within Italy’s 
film industry wqrsen despite con¬ 
stant meeti ngs designed to com¬ 
promise the complaints. Debts, 
block bookings and angles in the 
mew Film Law recently enacted by 
Parliament are Involved. 

Indie exhib beefs are exempli¬ 
fied by the situation pertaining in 
Rome, where indies claim they are 
being literally squashed by the 
“cartels” set up by two exhib 
groups virtually controlling the 
showcases, of the capital • city: (1) 
the Gemini - Pazzi - Marconi - ENIC 
group, and (2) houses controlled 
by the Amati group. Two cartels 
practically control the local mar¬ 
ket, can almost call their own 
prices, practically eliminating bar¬ 
gaining. Similar situation pertains 
in other centers, notably Turin and 
Milan. 

Forced to Join 

Fears expressed by Indie exhibs 
over ever-increasing powers built 
up by the cartels are centered also 
in the Rome situation where it’s 
claimed that remnant indies are 
being pressured into “joining” big 
groups by threat of cut-off of avail¬ 
able product. Under this pressure, 
indies are then “taken over” by 
one of the two groups in return 
for a percentage of the .take vary¬ 
ing from 3-7%, in a variation on a 
large scale of the “protection 
racket.” 

Further beef on part of indies 
is that extent of debts racked up 
by exhibitors (towards distribs) has 
now reached the formidable total 
of over 4 Billion Lire, (some 
$6,000,000), with one of the Rome 
“combines” alone now said to owe 
various distributors in the capital 
some $300,000. Indies have so far 
been hesitant to • stop supplying 
these exhibs with further product 
for fear of a block in future out¬ 
lets. 

Situation has, however, now 
reached such a state that strong 
indie action appears imminent, at 
the same time involving IJ. S. 
companies, still according to re¬ 
ports. 

Indie exhib plans would consist 
in an attempt to convince the Yank 
distribution firms to undertake a 
boycott of the cartel groups the¬ 
atres in as much as these violate 
antitrust principles (of the U.S.A. 
—in Italy, cartels as such are not 
in violation of law and no action 
here is possible). Indies would at¬ 
tempt to convince* American dis¬ 
tribs that further concessions (i.e. 
supply of films) to these exhibs 
would only be like cutting their 
own throats, as the cartel setup 
negates principles of bargaining, 
etc. Exact method of approach to 
U.S. outfits is under study by indie 
exhibs, with view of enforcing ar¬ 
gument via interpretation of Yank 
antitrust legislation, etc. 

Further possible development of 
the controversy is that the indies 
would leave AGIS, the exhib asso¬ 
ciation, to form an Independent 
Exhibitor Group. There is said to 
be considerable ill-feeling as well 
among the indie exhibs regarding 
the lack of backing and/or inter¬ 
vention of the Italian government 
entertainment office in the matter. 
Exhibs claim that under one of the 
articles of the new law (regarding 
rental ceilings), the government 
could and should step in to solve 
the situation and “malpractice.” 
Government has not officially com¬ 
mitted itself, but is said to feel 
that the article in question "does 
not adequately cover the situation 
and hence cannot be enforced. 
Their attitude hence is felt to -be 
one of hands-off. 

One local report, neither con¬ 
firmed nor denied, is that the pow¬ 
erful Titanus Film Co., is also in¬ 
volved in • a controversy over 
blocked situations. Report has it 
that as “punishment” for Titanus’ 
giving one of the “indie” theatres 
in Rome. (the REALE) a pic to 
show, apparently against the 
wishes of the so-called cartel 
groups, these had kept all Titanus 


Staffing Foreign ‘Observation Posts’ 
Crucial h Tensing O’Seas Marts 


vJEJresley-Tender 

Minneapolis, pec. 4. 

Further testimony regarding 
the Elvis Presley vogue if any 
were needed was provided 
here last Sunday when two in¬ 
dependent neighborhood thea- 

.tres runnmg-a jomtnewspaper,_ 

ad for their attraction, ’Ban- 
dido,” played up in it the fact 
that all patrons that day would 
receive “beautiful” 8x10 
Presley photos free. 

The gi|ts of the photos were 
more prominently stressed 
than the film offering’s name. 

AH this was in the face of 
the fact, too, that the Presley 
picture, “Love Me Tender,” 
was playing at a loop first-run 
theatre, the Orpbeum, on the 
particular day. 


Red Tape Thick, 
Television Film 


Why the further acquisition of 
lcinescoped television plays by the 
Film Library of the Museum of 
Modem Art is unlikely was ex¬ 
plained last week by curator Rich¬ 
ard Griffith in his report in the 
library. — 

To obtain the filmed record of 
the Horton Foote play, “Trip To 
Bountiful,” starring Lillian Gish, 
the library had to obtain permis¬ 
sions from 16 individuals. The 
same 16 must give special permis¬ 
sion for every single public per¬ 
formance. 

This, observed Griffith, “indi¬ 
cates the difficulties that lie ahead 
should the Museum, as is now of¬ 
ten suggested, found a television 
archive analogous to the Film 
Library.” 

Carillo’s Texas Film Co. 
(Studio to Be Erected) 
Makes Distrib Deal 

Dallas, Dec. 4. 

A deal is in the final stages be¬ 
tween Jack Goldberg, head of dis¬ 
tribution for Studio Films, and 
Felix C. Tanco, prez of the Film 
Corp. of America, for distribution 
rights covering 10 features films 
due to be shot in Texas with Holly¬ 
wood stars in the leads and Texas 
talent filling supporting roles. 
Plans for the initial production, yet 
untitled, are under way with shoot¬ 
ing to begin in four weeks. 

Arthur Leonard, an indie .pro¬ 
ducer, has joined the Film Corp. 
staff as production executive. 

Leo Carrillo is chairman of the 
board for the new organization, and 
has asserted that a complete mo¬ 
tion picture studiQ will be erected 
here, with laboratories and location 
facilities, and a department which 
will produce films for theatrical re¬ 
lease under the FCA banner. Com¬ 
pany will also produce television 
films, commercials, industrials and 
all types of filmed entertainment 
under the slogan: “Anything from 
a 10-second commercial to a mil- 
lion-dollar epic.” 

’Carrillo is chairman of the board; 
Felix C. Tanco is prez; Edwin Tan¬ 
co is veepee and controller; Harry 
Preston, secretary and treasurer. 


product off the Rome screens for 
three to four weeks. 

Indie exhibs do not deny that 
their situation is serious and grow¬ 
ing worse, and that the interven¬ 
tion of Yank distribution firms in 
their favor is a last resort possi¬ 
bility. Situation, especially in re¬ 
gard to legal angles, is still under 
study, however, and U.S. firms 
have not been officially approached 
as yet on this subject, though 
tentative feelers have already been 
sent out. 


Motion Picture Export Assn., 
concerned over the U. S. indus¬ 
try’s position in the foreign mar¬ 
ket next year, is. engaged in .a 
study to determine, among other 
things, where its field staff might 
be expanded and strengthened. 

MPEA is^ Cu rren tly best repped 
in Europe. In Latin America it has 
one regular field man. In the Far 
East, MPEA has a man in Tokyo 
and another .in Djakarta, Indonesia. 
Early appointments are likely in 
India, Argentina and possibly in 
Prague, Czechoslovakia. 

There is a feeling that,, with 
the foreign market definitely 
.showing signs of tightening^ MPEA 
must be in a stronger position to 
meet emergencies. That includes 
keeping the current offices in Eu¬ 
rope, which shapes as a problem 
for 1957, because of television, a 
possible scarcity of dollars, re¬ 
strictions and, last but not least, a 
considerable revival of Communist 
agitation vs. the American indus¬ 
try, particularly in France. Grow¬ 
ing number of indie producers also 
has somewhat whittled • down the 
retaliating MPEA power abroad. 

MPEA currently has men sta¬ 
tioned in Paris, London, Rome, 
Frankfurt and up in Scandinavia. 
In addition, MPEA v.p. Griffith 
Johnson takes frequent trips to the 
Continent. 

While MPEA is valuable on a 
legislative and government level, 
its main asset is trying to head.off 
trouble for the industry. One com¬ 
pany topper this week pointed out 
that, while the MPEA service was 
valuable, the distributors' real 
problem was in trying to expand 
their business. “We must worry 
about the things we have, and how 
we can keep them, but—even more 
important—is the question of drum¬ 
ming up new business,” he said. 
“In that, MPEA, with or without 
staff, can do little to help us.” 


STRIPPER LURES $2,000 
ON FOUR-DAY RUNS 

Columbia, S. C., Dec. 4. 

Striptease releases, ruled out of 
theatres here for years by man¬ 
agers’ decisions, are back again. 

Manager Jack Fuller of the 
Strand has refused to commit him^ 
self on a house policy concerning 
the strip films, but he says he’ll 
play them as long as they make 
money. 

So far they have. House, scaled 
at a 50c level, seats 450 and the 
four-day runs of the films have 
been to capacity night crowds and 
spotty matinees for overall grosses 
amounting to $2,000. 

Columbia has no live burlesque. 
Some drive-in theatres, which op¬ 
erate all winter here, also book 
the strips and other “adult only” 
films for late show attractions. 
Grosses are always heavy for them, 
managers report. 


Filmakers Up Chas. Kranz, 
Other Company Officials 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Treasurer Charles Kranz was ap¬ 
pointed veepee in charge of ex¬ 
change operations for Filmakers 
Releasing Organization in a re¬ 
shuffle of duties following the res¬ 
ignations of prexy Irving H. Levin 
and veepee Harry L. Mandell. both 
of whom swung over to Am-Par 
Pictures Corp. Company will func¬ 
tion without a prexy for the time 
being. 

Albert Perelnlan was named as 
secretary and controller and will 
operate with Kranz out of the 
firm’s Beverly Hills homeoffice. 
Other new officers include J. J. 
Felder, veepee in charge of eastern 
operations and William H. Pizor 
who will continue as veepee in 
charge of foreign operations. Both 
will headquarter in New York. 

Company plans four pictures for ' 
1957. 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 








no:. 1 ' in i‘d 


HOT CARS" 

S t d r r , n t ’ J c M r' E^C r> ' *'! i:' 
MarK'Danr: 


REBEL IN TOWN” 

s\a rr ' r 'r. John Payne ■ Ruth Ren"''-. 

_ Carrp 1 .\a,sh • Be r C . ;• c-r-• j ch r ‘ -S'-'ii 1 ,- i 


THE BLACK SLEEP’ 

la-rv Eas!I Rathbone • AEr ^-• ■ 
^C r ' n Carradine • Bela.Lu^os 1 


mm\ 



now in production 

“GAMBLING MAN” 

starring Dane Clark • Ben Cooper 
Lori Nelson • Ellen Drew 

“JUNGLE HEAT” 

starring Lex Barker• Mari Blanchard 

“PHARAOH'S CURSE” 

starring Mark Dana * Ziva Shapir • Diane Brewster 

“REVOLT AT FORT LARAMIE” 

in Color by DeLuxe 

starring John Dehner • Gregg Palmer • Frances Helm 
Don Gordon 

“THE GIRL IN BLACK STOCKINGS” 

starring Lex Barker * Anne Bancroft * Mamie Van Doren 
Ron Randell. Marie Windsor • John Dehner 

“TOMAHAWK TRAIL” 

starring Chuck Connors • John Smith • Susan Cummings 
Lisa Montell 

“VOODOO ISLAND” 

starring Boris Karloff 

“WAR DRUMS” 

in Color by DeLuxe 

starring Lex Barker ♦ Joan Taylor • Ben Johnson 







Wednesday, December 5^, 1956 


Inside Stuff-Pictures 

Writers Guild of America is mulling question of upping basic dues 
and Initiation fees, or to reduce certain services to members without 
impairing guild's work. Rising administrative costs for guild, particu¬ 
larly on the coast, is given as reason for projected hike. Move was 
initially discussed at the national council meeting in N.Y. last month. 
WGAW, outnumbering WGA East two to one, feels the problem more 
acutely, and Is now trying to resolve its situation. 

Guild puts aside 15% of its income each year for emergency purposes, 
but now that's insufficient, hence the possibility of a hike* in the $10 
annual basic dues and $25 initiation fee. Before any uppance could 
become an actuality, east and west branches would have to agree on it. 
and membership would then have to ratify. 

Gabo Sumner, publicist associated with Paramount the past six years, 
has resigned to form an indie/outfit to serve as special press liaison 
between entertainment and Industrial accounts. He'll also work on the 
promotion of New Yorl^ openings- of indie pictures. ‘ Sumner was the 
New York newspaper contact for Par and previously handled syndicates 
and wire services and did field work. Earlier, he was the assistant to 
the ad-pub director of Schine Theatres, Gloversville, N.Y, 

Metro's trailerniepaTtmeTit is preparing a special 16m one-reel 'coioirj 
subject featuring historic scenes of the^Civil War period that were 
recreated for “Raintree County." Utilizing the footage shot during 
location filming in Kentucky and Mississippi, short fail! he distributed 
primarily to schools. In addition to regular trailers, Metro is also film¬ 
ing a 400-foot color subject on the making of “Raintree” for theatre 
showing and a black-and-white iv featurette of similar length. 

William Berke rates New York over Hollywood for shooting of his 
pictures. The indie film-maker, who is associated with United Artists, 
states Gotham , offers more stimulating locales, draws interesting new 
talent and appropriate pix can be shot in the area at no higher costs 
than on the Coast. A vet in both theatrical films and television, Berke 
Las two new features upcoming, “Street, of Sinners" and “Four Boys 
and a Gun,*' both done in Manhattan. 


Sam Katzman, who has his own production unit at Columbia Pictures, 
has five unreleased pictures and one currently shooting :On his present 
sked. As a result, producer set back slated Dec. 3 start of “The Giant 
Claw" until next March. Completed films include “Rumble on the 
Docks,” “Utah Blaine,” “The Man Who Turned to Stone,” “The Zombies 
of Mora-Tua” and “Don’t Knock the Rock.” Lensing is “The Night the 
World Exploded.” 


Warners’ special penchant for name properties was accented by a list 
of titles dropped at random at a luncheon conversation between a re¬ 
porter and a WB rep. They included: “Old Man and the Sea,” 
“Bad Seed,” “Giant,” “Auntie Marne," “Marjorie Mormngstar,” “Damn 
Yankees,” “Pajama Game,” “Nun's Story,” “Spirit of St. Louis,” “No 
Time for Sergeants” and “Story of Mankind.” „ 


That American^ Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres will avail itself of 
the Warner Bros, studio for production of films for television was con¬ 
firmed on the Coast last week by AB-PT president Leonard Goldenson 
and Jack L. Warner. Variety earlier reported that such a deal was 
pending for both telepix and the theatrical features which AB-PT plans 
for the future. 

Goldenson, in New York this week, said the arrangement calls only 
for the telepix lensing and no specific plans have been set for the 
theatrical productions. However, it still appears that the latter will 
be turned out on the Burbank lot. ^ 


Merger of Charles K. Feldman’s Famous Artists Corp. and the Jaffe 
Agenfcy resolves the* former’s manpower problem. Feldman chiefly 
had Jack Gordean, his exec veepee, as the No. 1 aide. In the main, 
of recent years, Feldman has been more an indie film packager and 
quondam independent producer than a 10%er. In light of his still 
sizable talent stable, the merger with Sam Jaffe’s percentery resolves 
matters. Feldman’s title is board chairman and Jaffe is prez of the 
newly formed Famous Artists Associates. 


Sherman Hart, manager of the Town and Country Twin Drive in 
Theatre at Abilene, Tex. operated by Leon Theatres, has an ihgenious 
and meticulous speaker thief he would like to catch. In each case, the 
thief came prepared with a Phillips screwdriver, a small set of wire 
cutters and took off the covers, cut the speakers loose, and replaced 
the speaker cover on the box. Unless Hart checks every one of the 
more than 1,000 speakers every day, he can’t tell if he is givifig sound 
to all-cars or not. 


Kazan: 'Keep ’Em Excited’ 


; Continued from page 3 ; 


_.__ PICTURES 27 

IA Lensers in O’Seas Production, Too 


Meanwhile Lens and Actor Unions May Finally 

Unite Against ‘Runaway’ Production 
----♦ 


medium on a more mature level 
“because the artists have partly 
gotten hold of it.” Although the 
majof lots are financing the inde¬ 
pendents, latter are being given a 
surprising amount of freedom, he 
felt, pointing to his own “Baby 
Doll.” 

Pic was shot mostly on location 
at Benoit, Miss. “When you do a 
film about the South, you’ve just 
got to tell the truth,” Kazan 
stressed. “My job is to tell what I 
see. Hollywood has a tendency to 
go pussyfooting around. And it 
isn’t Hollywood alone. The net 
result, though is that we are not 
prepared for the facts.” 

Kazan said that, after a while, 
he had formed an affection for 
Mississippi. “There are many won¬ 
derful qualities in the South,” he 
observed. “I was most struck by 
the bonds of hate and resentment 
that tie the poor white Southern 
and the Negro to one another. 
They have a great deal in com¬ 
mon, and I tried to bring that out 
in ‘Baby Doll'.” 

Location crew encountered no 
difficulties whatever once Benoit’s 
citizenry understood that this 
wasn't going to be a picture about 
the South’s bad treatment of the 
Negroes. “We had only one inci¬ 
dent when, someone fired a rifle at 
the place where we were staying, 
I found out it was because we em¬ 
ployed a Negro watchman. We 
made a change, and after that no 
one bothered us again. They re¬ 


sented a Negro being employed to 
keep out white men.” 

Kazan expressed himself strong¬ 
ly as favoring the Production Code. 
“I fully believe in it.and I have an 
admiration for its administrator, 
Geoffrey Shurlock,” Kazan said. 
Code office questioned one scene 
in the film hut then decided to let 
it pass. 

It the moment where Baby 
Doll, having deliberately teased 
her husband into believing she has 
gone to bed with the visiting Vac- 
carro, leans back against the wall 
and speaks a line about now feel¬ 
ing “clear and cool” inside. Since 
Kazan wants to make it very plain 
that nothing has happened at all, 
and since those who have seen the 
picture feel that the line indicates 
the contrary, Kazan is eliminating 
it. 

The director said he regretted , 
the Hollywood withdrawal from 
the original script—“you just can’t 
get writers to write ‘on specula¬ 
tion’ any mpre”—and noted that 
he was deeply concerned over the 
excessive violence still rampant in 
pix. Having just completed “A 
Face, in the Crowd,” based on a 
Budd Schulberg short story and 
film script, Kazan reported he had 
four new projects currently in 
mind, none of them as yet far 
enough advanced for discussion. 
He takes plenty of time to work 
Out his projects. “Baby Doll,” for 
instance, started to take shape 
back in 1951. 




Love That ‘Doll’ 

Continued from page 5 

said 1 Schwartz, “we’ll cross that 
bridge when we get there. A. lot 
of things can„happen by-then.” 

Robert J. O’Donnell of the Texas . 
Interstate circuit declared his chain 
had already booked “Baby Doll” 
but, being himself 0 Catholic, he ■ 
had his misgivings. “We have a 
contract with Warner Brothers, and 
as long as the film has a Code seal, 
we can’t break that contract,” he 
said. He stressed that he didn’t 
like to play films condemned by 
the Legion, but added that he had 
his own ideas about the Legion’s 
functions. 

“T think the Legign has a perfect 
right to urge Catholics* not to see 
a film of which it disapproves,’’ he 
-said T —-“I- don’t-JioweveiH-believe it 
should keep a theatre from showr 
ing a picture which it does not 
like” «, 

This is a point which bothers 
manv in and outside the industry. 
While the Legion stout’y maintains 
that it does no more than rate 
films for'Catholics, its actual in¬ 
fluence extends well beyond the 
Catholic audience sector and has 
had the effect of depriving an en¬ 
tire community _ of a picture of 
which it doesn't approve. Since • 
the studios fear the Legion, pic¬ 
tures may be changed bv the stu¬ 
dios to conform with * its wishes 
even after they have ■ obtained the 
industry Code peal of approyal. At 
the exhibition level, exhibs may 
pull a film, or refuse to book it, 
when faced with threats by Catho¬ 
lic orgs reacting to the Legion rat¬ 
ings. In one or two instances, a lo¬ 
cal Bishop has threatened a Cath¬ 
olic boycott of a house for a full 
year if the theatreman went 
through with a planned booking of 
a “C” film. 

Asked re the Legion’s position 
on this, Msgr. Thomas F. Little, 
the Legion’s executive secretary in 
New York, said the question was 
simply one of the exhibitor not 
wanting to offend a part of his au¬ 
dience. “We are not telling him 
what to do or not to do.” Father 
Little stressed. “But this is a 
democracy and within this concept 
Catholics are free to do as they 
please.” He added that, in the 
instance of “Baby DOll,” the Le¬ 
gion criticism had ^iot been on 
Catholic but on broad moral 
grounds which, he implied, would 
apnlv to anyone. 

“This is different from The Mir¬ 
acle’ or ‘Letters From My Wirid- 
mill’ where our objections might 
have been purely Catholic,” he 
said. 

One of the Legion points in the 
past has been that, after issuing 
its ratings, its job is done and it 
has no active part in any attempt 
to enforce them. This is up to the 
local priest or to Catholic organi¬ 
zations on the spot. 

In his. statement re. the “C” rat¬ 
ing, Kazan made it plain how he 
felt: “I made ‘Baby Doll’ as I saw 
it. I did the best I could to get, 
on film what I felt in the South. 
Not the way things should-be. Not 
the way they will some day he. 
But the way they appeared to me 
there and then. I wasn’t trying to 
be moral or immoral, only truth¬ 
ful. I did the best I could and I 
like the film as is. I have no inten¬ 
tion of being pressured.. As for 
the judgment of the Legion of De¬ 
cency, I think in our country all 
people finally will and should 
judge for, themselves.” 

There has always been a ques¬ 
tion. on an important filmy whether 
a Legion “C”—or the absence of a 
Code seal for that matter—keeps 
people away or induces them to 
come to the theatre. Feeling at 
WB leans towards the latter the¬ 
ory. The Legion action last week 
got plenty newspaper attention. It 
landed page one with the N. Y. 
Herald Tribune. 

Exhibs are sure to watch close 
the “Baby Doll” grosses at the'As- 
tor Theatre. N. Y., where it preems 
Dec. 19. Spokesman for the Wil- 
J?y-Kincey circuit in Charlotte ^aid 
last week that a decision on book¬ 
ing the pic would depend largely 
on its biz potential. Chain played 
“Moon Is Blue” without any ad¬ 
verse-reaction.' 

Oddly enough, “Baby Doll,” may 
Well run into a peck of trouble in 
the South because of its theme and 
setting. It's already been banned 
in Memphis a«d Atlanta. Accord¬ 
ing to Warners, some 100 key dates 
for the film have already been set 
up ^across the country. Pic was 
brought in on the comparatively 
low budget of $1,300,000. It’s seen 
as a big potential earner abroad. 


PLAN BRITISH PICTURES. 


Hecht-Hill to London for Rattigan 
and Show Projects 


Harold Hecht and James Hill of 
Hecht-Hill-Lancaster left New 
York for London over the past 
weekend on production prelimi¬ 
naries for adaptations of “Separate 
Tables,” Terence Rattigan legiter, 
and Bernard Shaw’s “Devil’s Dis¬ 
ciple.” .Latter is to have Burt Lan¬ 
caster and Sir Laurence Olivier in 
the leads. 

—H-H-L recently completed “Bach- - 
elor Party” and is now winding' up 
“Sweet Smell of Success.” Entire 
lineup is for United Artists release. 


U.S. Opinion Not 
United on ‘Part’ 
Trade With Danes 

Difference of opinion has arisen 
among the American companies 
over the wisdom of a limited re¬ 
entry into the Danish market which 
is currently being boycotted by 
members of the Motion Picture Ex¬ 
port Assn. 

Embargo has been going on for 
several months now, and has af¬ 
fected the product supply of many 
of the Danish houses, particularly 
outside the larger cities. One 
prominent local exhibitor recently 
took out a newspaper ad, declaring 
he would be willing to go along 
with American rental demands, and 
urging fellow exhibs to join him in 
asking the U. S. distribs to resume 
trading with those houses that are 
willing to accede to the MPEA de¬ 
mands. 

The Danish exhibitors’ org in the 
past has maintained that local tax¬ 
ation is too high to allow the the¬ 
atres to raise rentals. The Ameri¬ 
cans, while open to suggestions for 
a sliding scale for various types of 
situations, maintain this is a local 
problem; they also don’t wish to 
set a precedent for the rest of 
Scandinavia. 

Question has now arisen whether 
the American companies should do 
business with those Danish exhibs 
that are willing to meet the MPEA 
terms. Some of the foreign man¬ 
agers take the position that MPEA 
should do business with anyone 
who offers a fair price. Others hold 
it would be wrong to, return to the 
market on such a partial basis. 

In any case, it’d be the MPEA’s 
right—in a country sans antitrust 
laws—to act as a body in making 
any decision whether. or not to 
sell. Little likelihood looms that 
any of the American companies 
will take individual action outside 
the frame of-the current standoff¬ 
ish MPEA stance. 

No Special Mercy For 
Pittsburgh Exhibs As 
Tax on B.O. Reenacted 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. 
Faint hope of naborhood houses 
that they might get tax relief from 
the city in 1957 was killed last 
week when Council, at Mayor Da¬ 
vid L. .Lawrence’s urging, re-en¬ 
acted Pittsburgh’s five special 
lefSer* including the one for 10% 
on amusements. 

' Smaller theatres, spearheaded 
by Allied MPTO of Western Penn¬ 
sylvania president Harry Hendel, 
had argued for exemption of all 
theatre admissions of 55c and un¬ 
der, but City Law Department 
ruled that such an exemption 
would .be invalid, stating “courts 
have Consistently held that any at¬ 
tempted classification of the sub¬ 
jects of-taxation solely on the ba¬ 
sis of amount of property, income, 
etc., is violation of the require¬ 
ment of the Pennsylvania Consti¬ 
tution that all taxes shall be 
uniform.” 

Film men at a public hearing 
pleaded that their case was unique 
in that they, unlike other business¬ 
es, couldn’t pass the tax on to the 
nabe trade. They also warned that 
more and more small theatres will 
he forced to shut down unless 
given tax relief* 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. 
IATSE cameramen’s local 659 
has offered to meet with the Screen 
Actors Guild to map a joint pro¬ 
gram against so-called “runaway” 
production abroad. The lensers 
and SAG each has been following 
a separate plan against pix produc¬ 
tion abroad. 

Previously the lensefs had criti¬ 
cized the actors’., approach to the 
problem, charging the Guild pitch 
for Government help meant little 
because many SAG members are 
also stars who. produce pix over- 
seasT To"'This"'"SA'G countered by 
saying the chief problem has been 
that IA cameramen always are 
happy to go along on foreign units. 

The lensers now say, “Should the 
actors desire to make a pact with 
the cameramen, we are prepared to 
meet with their executive board at 
once.” 

Lensers have blasted Batjac for 
what they allege is runaway pro¬ 
duction, involving “Timbuctoo” in 
Libya, a charge later denied by 
Batjac which said film is being 
made by a Panamanian company. 
Regarding this situation, the unioti 
source said “we definitely plan tb 
pursue this matter to its conclu¬ 
sion, particularly to investigate the 
device of a Panamanian corpora¬ 
tion. IA men going with the com¬ 
pany are'being paid by Batjac.” ' 

Detroit Selected 
For Allied, 1957 

Detroit, Dec. 4. 

Allied Theatres of Michigan Inc;, 
has received confirmation fr6m thb 
National Allied board of directors 
that the 1957 Spring meeting will 
be held in Detroit, May 7-9. 

Meanwhile a new dues schedule, 
effective Jan. 1, has been voted by 
Allied’s Michigan board of direc¬ 
tors. Conventional theatres in 
metropolitan Detroit will pay fol¬ 
lowing annual rates: second .runs, 
$260; pre-keys,- $156; keys, $104^ 
following keys, $52 and 7 days v a£* 
ter keys and others, : $39. Oiitj- 
state: first-runs, in cities over 50 r - 
000, $208; all others, over 500 seats, 
$78, and under 500 seats, $39. 

Drive-ins, metropolitan Detroit, 
will pay $200 annually. Outstate, 
over 750 cars, $100; 500-750 cars, 
$75, and under 500 cars, $50. 

MCNALLY SANGUINE 
WORST (OF TV) IS OVER 

Greensboro, N. C., Dec. 4. ' 
“The* trend is definitely back 
from television to the movies,” says 
the new president of the Theater 
Owners of North and South Caro¬ 
lina. •! 

Howard B. McNally of Fayette¬ 
ville, elected as the group ended 
its annual convention at Charlotte, 
asserted, “The motion picture busi¬ 
ness looks tjie best it has in the last 
five years.” 

McNally, first drive-in theatre 
owner to head the Carolinas organ¬ 
ization,, said his “optimistic outlook 
for the coming year” resulted from 
two main considerations: 

(1> The better product from the 
producer. 

(2) The fact that the Small Busi¬ 
ness Administration has included 
theatres among those eligible for 
government loans. 

Other new officers include Rob¬ 
ert E. Bryant of Rock Hill, S. C., 
first vice president, and Harold 
Armistead of Easley, S. C., second 
vice president, Jack Fuller of Co¬ 
lumbia, S. C., outgoing president, 
becomes chairman of the board of 
directors. 

Upward of 500 persons are in at¬ 
tendance. 

Jack Fuller of Columbia, retiring 
associate president, presided. A 
principal speaker was Ernest Stell- 
ings of Charlotte, president of the 
Theatre Owners of America. 

Clinics on showmanship and the¬ 
atre operation were held Monday, 
with business sessions and speech¬ 
es Tuesday. 

Marion McKnight of Manning; 
S. C., Miss America of 1957, met 
with the theatre group and in its 
behalf presented a mink cape to 
Mary Ellen Furr of Charlotte, “Miss 
Film Row of 1957.” 




PfitelEFf 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


TOP 


PLAYED BY 


ROCK ’N’ ROLL 


OF HEAVEN! 


i V X JA 


■FRANKIE LYMON and THE teen agers" 


T 


THE THREE 


SEE-iove/y LA VERN BAKER 


THE BOOTIES 

X ' 

THE 

MOONCLOVfS 

, 

THE v 

FLAMINGOS 


SEE ""The inimitable CHUCK BER RY 


21-New Rock 'N' Roll Hits-21 


t Already heading for Mt parade 
Baby, Baby". sun g by Frank/ e 
lymon and Tb©'Teenagers and 

"TraLa sung by Ldr.Vern Bata 

Produced by Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky; A a 
^ Directed by Will Price (§£{ 

'A Vanguard Production ■ [Releaj 


CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DCA EXCHANGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

















PMTIIRES 


WedUimlayi y 


UfatiETT. 


Hollywood Production Pulse 


ALLIED ARTISTS 

Starts , Tiif $ Year . .... .. 18 

This Date, Lust Year ...♦..24 


o 


"LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON" 

(Shooting in Paris) 

Prod.-Dlr,*—Billy Wilder 
Gary Cooper, AudrejT Hepburn, Maur¬ 
ice Chevalier • . : ' 

(Started Aug. 27) 


COLUMBIA 

Starts, This Year ..32* 

This Date, Last Year .30 


"THE GOLDEN VIRGIN" 

(Valiant Films, Ltd.) 

(Shooting- in London) — — --- 

Prods.—John & James Woolf 
Dir.—David Miller . 

Joan Crawford/ Rosanflo Brazzi, Heath¬ 
er Sears, Ron Rundall, Lee Patterson, 
John Loder, Bessie Love, Sidney 
Jahnes 

(Started Aug. SO) 

"THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI" 

(Horizon-Amerlean Productions) 

(Shooting in Ceylon) 

Prod.—Sana Spiegel 
Dir.—David Lean 

William Holden. Jack Hawkins,. Alec 
Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, Brenda 
Marshall, James Donald 
(Started Oct. 1) 

"GARMENT CENTER" ’ 

Prod.— Hurry Kleiner 

Dir.—Robert Aldrich • 

Lee J. Cobb. Kerwin Mathews, Richard 
Boone; Gia Scala, Valerie French, 
Robert Loggia. Joseph Wiseman, Har¬ 
old J, Stone, Adam Williams, Jon 
Sheppodd, Judson Taylor. Celia Lov- 
sky. Willis Bouchey, Wes Addy, 
Joanna Barnes « 

(Started Oct. 13) 

"THE HAUNTED" • 

(Shooting in London) 

Prod.— Hal E. Chester 
Dir.—Jacques Tourneur 
Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Nial 
MacGinnV?, Maurice Denham 
(Started Nov. 5) 

"THE BROTHERS RICO", 

(William, Goetz Production). 

Prod.—Lewis J. Rachmil 
Dir.—Phil Karlson 

Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, James 
Darrdn, Paul Picerni, Rudy Bond, 
Paul Dubov, Argentina Brunetti, Wil¬ 
liam PhipP6. George Cisar, Nesdon 
Booth, Richard Bakalyan 
(Started Nov. 26) 

"THREE-TEN TO YUMA" 

Prod.—David Heilweil 
Dir.—Delmcr Daves 

Glenn Ford, Van Heflin, Leora Dana, 
Felicia Farr, Henry Jones. Richard 
Jaeckel, Robert Emhardt, Ford Rai¬ 
ney. Woodrow Chambliss, Barry Cur¬ 
tis. Jerry Hartleben, Robert Ellen- 
stcin 

(Started Nov. 28) * 

"HELLCATS OF THE NAVY" 
(Columbii'-Morningside Productions) 

Pro.—Charles Schneer 
Dir.—Nathan Juran 
Ronald-Peagan, Nancy Davis 
(Started Dec. 4) 


: 20th CENTUM.FOX 

Starts, This Year: ,....... IB 

This Date, Last Year ..... ,14 


"HEAVEN KNOWS MR. ALLISON" 

(Shooting at Tobago, B.W.I.J 
Prods.—Buddy Adler, Eugene Frenke 
Dir.—John Huston 
- Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitdhum 
(Star ted. Aug. 1) 

"BOY Oti A DOLPHIN" 

(Shdotlng in Greece) 

Prod.—Samuel G, Engel 
DJr.—Jean.Negulesco , „ ■ 

Clifton Webb, Alan Ladd, Sophia Loren 
(Started Sept. 24) 

"ISLAND IN THE SUN" 

(Shooting ,in B.W.l.) 

Prod.—parryl F. Zanuck 
Dir.—Robert Ros,en 
James Mason, Joan Fontaine, Dorothy 
Dandridge, Joan Cpllins, Michnel 
'Rennie, Diana Wynyard,' John Wil¬ 
liams, Basil Sydney, John Justin, 
Stephen Boyd, Ronald Squire, Pa¬ 
tricia Owens and Harry Belafonte 
(Started Oct. 15) 


UNIVERSAL 

Starts, This Year ,.,.......29 

This Date., Last Year ..... .25 


"NIGHT PASSAGE" 

Prod.—Aaron Rosenberg 
Dir.—James Neilson 
James Stewart, Audie Murphy, Dan 
Duryea,* Elaine Stewart, Brandon de 
Wilde, Dianne Foster, Jay C. Flippen, 
Olive Flavin, John Day, Robert J. 
Wilke, Herbert Anderson, Ellen 
Corby, Hugh* Beaumont 
(Started Sept. 14) ... 

"THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES" 
Prod.—Robert Arthur 
Dir.—Joseph Pevney 
James Cagney. Dorothy Malone', Jane 
Greer, Jim Backus. Jeanne Cagney, 
Clarence Kolb. Marjorie Rambeau, 
Danny Beck, Robert Evans, Celia 

Lnysty 

(Started Nov. 5) 

"JOE DAKOTA" 

Prod.—Howard Christie 
Dir.—Richard Bartlett 
Jock Mahoney, Luana Patten, Barbara 
Lawrence, Charles McGraw, Paul 
Birch. George Dunn 
(Started Nov. 12) 


WARNER BROS. 

Starts, This Year .....13 

This Date, Last Year .20 


METRO 


Starts, This Year . 

...23 

This Date, Last Year... 

...18 


"THE SEVENTH VOW" 

Prod.—David Lewis 
Dir.—Ronald Neame 
Eleanor Parker, Bill Travers, George 
Sanders, Joan Pierre Aumont, Fran- 
coisc Rosay 
(Started Oct. 29) 

"SILK STOCKINGS" 

Prod.—^Arthur Freed 
DJr.—Kouben Mamoulian 
Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Janis Paige, 
Jules Munshin, Peter Lorre, Win 
Sonneveld, Joseph Buloff. 

(Started Nov. 5) 

"GUN GLORY" 

Prod.—Nicholas Nayfack 
Dir.—Roy Rowland , 

Stewart’ Granger, Rhonda Fleming, Burl 
Ives, Steve Rowland 
(Started Nov. 12) 

"THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT" 

Prod.—Joseph Pasternak 
Dir.—Robert Wise . .. 

Jean Simmons. Paul Douglas. Anthony 
Frnnciosa, Julie Wilson, Nelle Adams, 
Joan Blondell, Zasu Pitts, -Rafael 
Campos 

(Started Nov. 12) 


PARAMOUNT ' 

Starts, This Year .17 

This Date, Last Year . 8 


"THE JOKER" 

Prod.—Samuel J. Brlskin 
Dir.—Charles Vidor 
Frank Sinatra, Mitzl Gaynor, Jeanne 
Crain Eddie Albert, Jackie Coogan, 
Beverly Garland, Ted de Corsla, 
Valerie Allen 
(Started Oct. 12) 

"THE TIN STAR" 

Prod.—Perlbcrg-Seaton 
Dir.^rAnthony Mann 
Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins, Betsy 
Palmer, Michel Ray, Neville Brand, 
John Mclntire, Mary Webster, Lee 
Van Cleef, James Bell. Howard Pe¬ 
trie, Peter Baldwin 
(Started Oct. 22) 


REPUBLIC 


Starts, This Year . 

.. 8 

This Date, Last Year .... 

..15 

. 


RKO 


Starts, This Year . 

...14 

This Date , Last Year . . < 

...11 


"ESCAPADE IN JAPAN" 

Prod.—Arthur Lubln 
Dir.—William Snyder 
Teresa Wright, Cameron Mitchell, Jon 
Provost, Roger Nakagawa, Philip 
Ober 

(Started Oct. 2) 


'/LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE" 

Prod.-Dlr.—William A. Wellman 
Tab Hunter, Etchika Choureau, J. Car¬ 
rol Nalsh, Marcel Dalio, David Jans¬ 
sen, William Wellman Jr., Jody Mc- 
Crea 

(parted Oct. .19) 

"SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND" 

Prod.—Richard Whorf 
Dir.—Richard L. Bare 
Randolph Scott, James Craig. Dani 
Crayne, James Garner, Gordon Jones 
(Started Nov. 5) 

"THE STORY OF MANKIND" 

Prod.-Dlr.—Irwin Allen 
Ronald Colman, Charles Coburn, Hel¬ 
mut Dantine. Dennis Hopper, Sir 
Cedric Hardwicke, Peter Lorre, 
Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price, 
Heri-y-'Xamarr, John Carradine, Dani 
Crayne. Anthony Dexter, Reginald 
Gardiner, Edward Everett Horton, 
Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, Harpo 
Marx, Virginia Mayo, Cesar Romero, 
Marie Wilson, Mhrie Windsor 
(Started Nov. 12) 

"THE PAJAMA GAME" 

Pro.—George Abbott 
Dir.—Stanley Donen 

Assoc. Prods.—Frederick Brisson, Rob¬ 
ert E. Griffith, Harold S. Prince 
Doris Day, John Raltt, Carol Haney, 
Eddie Foy Jr., Beta Shaw’, Ralph 
Dunn, Jack Straw, Barbara Nichols, 
Thelma Pelish, Owen Martin, Ralph 
Chambers, William Forrester, Frank- 
lyn Fox, Mary Stanton. Buzz Miller. 
Kenneth LeRoy. The Pajama Game 
Girls 

(Started Nov. 28) 


INDEPENDENT 


"ACTION OF THE TIGER" 

(Blau-Meyer Productions) 

(For Metro Release) 

(Shooting in Spain) . 

Prod.—Kchneth Harper 
Dir.—Terence Young 
Van Johnson. Martlne Carole. Herbert 
Lorn, Gustavo Rojo, Anna < ber 
(Started Oct. 23) 

"THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCC .S" 
(Hecht-Hlll-Lancaster Productions) 

(For UA Release) 

(Shooting in New York) 

Prod.—James Hill 
Dir.—Alexander Mackendrick 
Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Sam 
Levene, Susan Harrison 
. (Started Nov. 4) 

"CONQUEST" 

(Benedict Bogeaus Productions) 

(For 20th-Fox Release) 

Prod.—Benedict Bogeaus 
Dir.—Allan Dwan 

Ray Millnnd, Anthony Quinn. Debra 
Paget, Rudolfo Acosta. Harry Carey 
Jr., Chubby Johnson, Byron Foulger, 
Frank Gerstle 
(Started Nov. 5) 

"IL GRIDO" 

(Robert Alexander Productions) 

(Shooting in Rome) 

Prod.—Harrison C. Reader 
Dir,—Michael Angelo Antoinl 
Steve Cochran 
(Started Nov. 12) 




"THE BLACK SCORPION" 

(Melford-Dletz Productions) 

(For Warners Release) 

(Sho6tlng in Mexico City) 

. Prods.—Frank Melford, Jack Dietz 
Dir.—Edward Ludwig 
Richard Denning, Mara Corday, Carlos 
Rivas 

(Started Nov. 21) 

"LAST GUN IN DURANGO" 

(Peerless Productions) 

(For UA Release) 

Prod.—Robert E. Kent 
Dir.—Sidney Salkow 
George Montgomery 
(Started Nov. 26) 

"ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTER" 

(Roger Corman Production) 

(For Allied Artists) 

Pro.-Dir.—Roger Corman 


Sec’yof MPMOU on Why 
. Projection Can Be Poor 
But Denies IPs So at MH 

■ New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

' While Edivard Connor’s letter 
Variety Nov. ?• illustrates the'pa¬ 
per’s commendable policy, of allow¬ 
ing readers’ opinions to appear in 
its publication, it also Illustrates 
Mr. Connor’s penchant for inac¬ 
curacy and a complete lack of 
knowledge and understanding in 
the field of modern motion picture 
projection. o, 

Mr. Connor sfw fit solely to con¬ 
demn the projectionists for faulty 
focus and screen blackouts. But 
what Mr. Connor failed to realize 
is that one can_Jl 3 .rcl.ly’blame pro¬ 
jectionists for flaws .in films that 
have not been properly processed 
or. treated. Many features have 
been shown on Broadway with the 
film in such a poor condition that 
it was virtually impossible for the 
projectionist to focus the pictures. 
A specific example bearing this 
statement- out was the repent open¬ 
ing of “Oklahoma.” There was Only 
one print available for the Broad¬ 
way viewing of this show. This 
print had been used for rehearsals, 
tryouts, editing, etc. and because 
of the constant pre-show running a 
a number of flaws developed in this 
particular print. As a result of 
these flaws, the projection of the 
film was less than desirable, but 
certainly not the fault of the pro¬ 
jectionist. 

The projectionist’s viewpoint on 
the problem of focus is further 
strengthened by a recent first-run 
picture at the Criterion Theatre, 
where the print was so Out of focus 
that it was practically impossible 
to run. It would be grossly unfair 
to blame the projectionist for the 
viewing problems created by the 
advent of the modern screen. This 
[latest innovation calls for high il¬ 
lumination of the film. The in¬ 
creased brilliance of the projection 
light is* accompanied by greater 
heat which tends to buckle the 
film after it has been run a number 
of times. The resultant distortion 
problem creates a condition that is 
beyond the control of the projec¬ 
tionist. 

Mr. Connor’s statement about the 
opening of “The Ten Command¬ 
ments” was the grossest piece of 
hyperbole I have ever read. Mr. 
Connor states that “ . . . the pro^ 
jectionists were unable to show 
much more than half the picture in 
focus.” I also attended the open¬ 
ing and saw the full viewing of 
“Teh Commandments” and, with¬ 
out comparing Mr. Connor’s and 
my experience in this c field, I am 
able to honestly state that the en¬ 
tire picture was presented properly 
and in perfect focus. 

The deprecation of the Music 
Hall, projectionist by Mr.. Connor 
was both unfair and inaccurate. It 
is well known that the finest pro¬ 
jectionists are hired by Music Hall 
and the resultant projection is 
unsurpassed in its superior con¬ 
sistency. 

The projectionists who work in 
the theatres of the City of- New 
York are expert craftsmen. Some 
have been in this craft for over 45 
years and have designed and in¬ 
vented equipment that has been 
universally adopted. Others have 
travelled all over the world and 
taught the art of projection and 
the. proper maintenance of equip¬ 
ment. The members of the Motion 
Picture Operators Local 306 are 
known as leaders in their field and 
feel that Mr. Connor’s criticism 
levelled against their skill, particu¬ 
larly in the Broadway theatres 
where the projection is unsur¬ 
passed in its quality, was based 
upon his ignorance of the field and 
his lack of experience elsewhere. 

Ernest Lang. 
(Secretary). 
Local 306, Operators 


Republic’s 25c Pfd 

Republic board has % declared the 
regular 25c dividend on the pre¬ 
ferred, stock issue. 

It’s payable Jan. 2 fo holders 
of record on Dec. 10. 


Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, Rus¬ 
sell Johnson, Leslie Bradley, Mel 
Welles, Dick Cutting. Beech Dicker- 
son, Tony. Miller, Ed. Nelson 
(Started Nov. 26) 

'JOHNNY TROUBLE" 

(Shooting at Paramouht-Sunset) 

Exec. Prod.—John Carroll 
•Prod.-Dir.—John H Auer 

Ethel Barrymore. Stuart Whitman, 
Carolyn Jones. Cecil Kellaway. Jesse 
White, Edward Byrnes 
(Started Nov. 20) 


29 


r 


i . fT*.i . n nr< -9 


* 


‘Friendly Persuasion’ Strong 


(Variety’s survey of how 
princival product fared, at the 
boxoffice the previous month 
is not fully national but based 
on reports of correspondents 
in 23 representative key cities 
over the 17, S. and Canada. As 
such, it usually' reflects the 
strength boxofficewise of key 
product but does not pretend 
either to be an index of total 
gross or total earnings of any 
current picture.) 

With a month containing three 
holidays this year—Nov. 11, Elec¬ 
tion Day and Thanksgiving—first- 
run biz was . on a sharp, .upbeat. 
Coupled with this was a batch of 
new, strong product and the arri¬ 
val of much-colder weather. Just 
how sharply trade improved in the 
past month perhaps is best attested 
to' by the .fact that the No. 1 pie, 
“Giafit” (WB) registered more 
than $2,270,000 in the four weeks 
covered by Variety. This is the 
biggest gross total in many,, many 
months,to be racked up.'by one 
film in such a Short period. Two 
other nix each* came, near the 
$1,000,000 mark last month. 

Way out front, of Course, was 
“Giant,” its terrific impact en- 


Nov. Golden Dozen 

1. “Giant” (WB). 

2. “Friendly Persuasion” (AA). 

3. “7 Wonders” (Cinerama). 

4. “War and Peace” (Par). 

5. “Oklahoma” (Magna.) 

6. “Opposite Sex” (M-G). 

7. “Gold Cadillac” (Col). 

8. “Teenaere Rebel” (20th). 

9. “Cine Holiday” (Cmerama). 

10. “Heaven, Hell” (20th). 

11. “Uugruarded Moment” (U). 

12. “Lust For Life” (M-G). 


abling this production to take first 
for four weeks in succession. Pic¬ 
ture’s sustained strength enabled it 
top the $600,000 mark, each of the 
three final weeks of the month. Pic 
obviously should become one of 
Warner Bros. ,alltime high gross- 
ers, since such figures come from 
only some 24. of the bigger cities 
covered by Variety. 

“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) was 
a strong second-place winner. The 
Gary Cooper starrer was second 
three weeks in a row in Variety’s 
weeklv compilations, and third in 
the other week. “Seven Wonders 
of World” (Cinerama) finished 
third as against fourth spot in Oc¬ 
tober, Additional openings and 
continued strength enabled the pic 
to rack up nearly $950,000 during 
the month in grosses. 

“War and Peace” (Par) boxoffice, 
champ in October, wound up 
fourth, final week last month, 
showing it to have played its prin¬ 
cipal key city first-run dates and. 
now finding success in its first 
subsequent-run engagements. It 
is. of course, still playing initial 
first-runs in other key spots. “Okla¬ 
homa” (Magna) copped fifth place 
as compared with sixth in the pre¬ 
vious month. 

“Opposite Sex” (M-G) a new¬ 
comer, wound up sixth, not proving 
as big as anticiptaed to its standing 
through sheer weight of number 
of dates. “Solid Gold Cadillac” 
(Col), which was third in October, 
finished seventh. 

“Teenage Rebel” (20th) conned 
eighth'position, never rising higher 
than fourth in weekly tabulations. 
It did surprisingly well on first 
weeks, however. “Cinerama Holi¬ 
day” (Cinerama) captured ninth 
snot. It was top-runner-up pic in 
October. “Between Heaven and 
Hell” (20th), another runner-uj) 
film in that month, was 10th. 

“Unguarded Moment” (U)*took 
11th place money while “Lust For 
Life” (M-G) rounded out the Gold¬ 
en Dozen. “Oklahoma” (20th), the 
C’Scope version; “Can’t Run Away 
From it” (Col)- ^ncl, “Secrets of 
Life” (BV) were the runner-up 
films'in that order. 

“10 ..Commandments” (Par) 
shapes as the future blockbuster, 
based on its showing the final 
week in November. C. B. DeMille 
opus ranged from socko to terrific 
or capacity in all eight spots where 
opened. It is playing two-a-day, 
with upped popscale in all loca¬ 
tions. “Teahouse of August Moon” 


(M-G), which opened last week at 
the N. Y. Mus’c Hall as the Christ¬ 
mas picture, hints similar poten¬ 
tial judging from .first two engage¬ 
ments, 

“Love Me Tender” (20th), also 
new, finished second the final 
week in November, naturally cash¬ 
ing in on the long holiday weekend 
with the juveniles out of school. 
It’s exact potential will be better 
known after it is seen how well it 
does on holdovers. “Julie” (M-G), 
another nowcomerrwas- just getting 
around as the month wound-up but 
it was able to place eighth in that 
final week of November. 

“Curucu” (U). usually paired 
with “Mole Pqgple” (U), did nicely 
for two weekfc late in. the month, 
finishing seventh in national rat¬ 
ings the final November stanza. 
“Mountain” (Par) also gained some 
nice coin, being a runner-up pic 
one week and ninth-place winner . 
another. . 

“Sharkfighters” (UA)', fairly new, / 
too, was a runner-ujp pic two weeks : 
in a row but on the whole was 
rated uneven in biz. “Girl He Left; 
Behind” (WB), &iso a newcomer,, 
managed to land in runner-up cate¬ 
gory one week but * otherwise 1 
created little excitement. “Fan¬ 
tasia” (BV) (reissue) added consid¬ 
erable additional coin; finishing as., 
a runner-up contestant one Stanza., 

“La Strada” (T-L), which has 
been doing remarkably well for a 
foreign entry in arty theatres, 
again showed well, taking 12th 
place one round. “Death of 
Scoundrel” (RKO);, a newcomer 
which previously had been uneven,. 
did nicely on a couple of dates 
near the end of the month. 

“Everything But Truth” (U), an- ‘ 
other newie, came through with 
some bright showings late in No¬ 
vember. “The Rack” (M-G) thus 
far has been spotty. “Rebecca” 
(20th) (reissue) 'showed jnicely on 
some initial engagements. Oldie 
combo of “Killers” and “Sleeping 
City,” both Universal, chipped ‘ in 
with some more solid playdates last 
month. 


Douglas Ahead, 



Los Angeles, Dec. 4 . 

Film stars are not entirely 
“goldfish iri a bowl,” Superior 
Judge Leon T. David ruled in de¬ 
nying a defense motion to dismiss 
Kirk Douglas’ $41$,000 lawsuit 
against Disney Productions charg¬ 
ing unauthorized use, on the “Dis¬ 
neyland” television show, of film 
footage showing Douglas and his 
family at the Disney home. Prece-. 
dental action seeking to establish 
the extent of * privacy a celebrity 
may enjoy and the property rights 
he has in commercial use of his 
name, has the support of Screen 
Actors Guild. 

Judge Davi4 opined that “it is 
not • enough' to say that because he 
(Douglas) is a motion picture per¬ 
sonality and a public character, he 
has no rights in the matter.” 

“One is inclined to believe,” the 
judge added, : “that a screen person¬ 
ality when in private surroundings. 
as a guest is entitled to be consid¬ 
ered and to consider himself as 
a private individqal.” 

In the memorandum of opinion, 
the Judge also declared that “if 
the pictures or photographs of an 
individual have a unique commer¬ 
cial value due to his professional 
character, the non-authorized use 
thereof commercially may be ac¬ 
tionable as a special wrong in it¬ 
self.” 

In filing the suit, Douglas de¬ 
clared that any money damages 
derived would be turned over to 
the Motion Picture Relief Fund. 


Dean Films Bracketed 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Warners is mapping a double¬ 
bill reissue of James Dean’s first 
two pictures, “East of Eden” and 
“Rebel Without a Cause.” Pro¬ 
gram is set for release next spring 
and summer. 

Dean’s third and final film, 
“Giant,” is now in the first-runs. 


















30 


PICTVIKES 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


PttifflFi: 


Distribs Stick to Tradition, 



me Spans 


Despite exhibitor efforts to elim- 
lnate the so-called "orphan peri¬ 
ods” by having an orderly distribu¬ 
tion of outstanding pictures 
throughout the year, the distribu¬ 
tors are continuing to bunch their 
better pictures for the holiday sea¬ 
sons. The pictures that had been 
available for the .first-run and first 
sub-run situations for Thanksgiv¬ 
ing and set for Christmas shows 
again, according to exhibitor 
sources, that the film companies 
are adhering to an outmoded meth¬ 
od of-release. - - - .- 

It’s charged that the system re¬ 
sults in ai feast or a famine. It’s 
noted, for example, that cities with 
one of two first-run houses will 
have more top quality pictures for 
the holiday seasons than they can 
possibly assimilate. In contrast, 
the periods prior to Thanksgiving 
and Christmas are marked, it’s 
asserted, by a run of mediocre 
films hardly likely to draw cus¬ 
tomers to the boxoffice. 

It’s pointed out that when the 
theatres need the ‘most help—im¬ 
mediately after the summer, pre- 
Xmas, pre-Easter, and prfe-Thanks- 
giving—the distributors withhold 
the so-called, blockbuster attrac¬ 
tions. The five-week period be¬ 
tween Thanksgiving and New 
Year’s, it’s said, is once again de¬ 
void of films that can arouse b.o. 
attention. 

Although the quality pictures are 
released for Thanksgiving showing, 
it’s charged that they are not per¬ 
mitted to flow down to the sub¬ 
runs immediately blit are withheld 
urtil Christmas. One booker of a 
large chain has claimed that a good 
picture will do business no matter 
what time of the year it is re¬ 
leased. He asserts without qualifi¬ 
cation that a top picture will draw 
customers even during the so-called 
lull stanza that is supposed to ex¬ 
ist between Thanksgiving and 
Christmas, He noted, for example, 
that the theojy that any picture 
will draw customers during the 
holiday periods does not work. "I 
know a lot of pictures that have 
died during Christmas week—if it’s 
not the right picture,” he said. 

While the limited competition 
smalltown spots are faced with a 
feast during the holiday periods, 
the sub-run neighborhood houses, 
particularly in the New^_ York 
metropolitan area, are anticipating 
a dearth of quality films during 
the Xmas stanza. These are the 
pictures that will be available to 
these theatres at that time: 
"Sharkfighters,” "Man From Del 


Rio,” "Rock, Rock, Rock,” "Francis 
in the Haunted House,” "The Mole 
People,” "Curucu Beast . of the 
Jungle,” "Vagabond King,” and 
"Search for Bridey Murphy.” These 
films are not considered of the 
quality that will cause customers to 
line up for admission. 

They stand to fare better for 
Thanksgiving with the first-run 
subs scheduled to receive "Tea and 
Sympathy,” "Attack,” "Rebel in 
Town*”. "Best ..Things in Life Are 
Free,” and "Last Wagon.” The first 
run key houses will have the best 
choice. Among the Thanksgiving 
offerings are "Love Me Tender," 
"Teahouse of the August Moon,” 
"You Can’t Run A ways From It,” 
"Friendly Persuasion,” "10 Com¬ 
mandments,” "Giant,” "Oklahoma” 
(Cinemascope version), "The Op¬ 
posite Sex,” and "Solid Gold 
Cadillac.” 


ALLIED HOPS ABOARD 
TAX-CUT JUGGERNAUT 

.r The industry’s new campaign 
for complete elimination of the 
Federal admissions tax received 
strong impetus with the assurance 
that Allied States Assn, will join 
the fight to end the tax bite. At 
it is procediqg in accordance with 
Allied noted that it "will help” 
although most of the theatres op¬ 
erated ' by Allied members are no 
longer subject to the tax levy since 
their admission charges are less 
than 90 cents, the present exemp¬ 
tion price. 

Allied’s decision to support the 
tax drive at this time may seem, 
ironic to industryites since the 
exhibitor org, as a national body, 
failed to go along with the previ¬ 
ous tax campaign which benefited 
the majority of : the theatres rep¬ 
resented by Allied. However, in¬ 
dividual Allied units supported the 
tax drive v without the national 
organization’s approyal. 

At any rate, Allied’s official en¬ 
dorsement of a new tax campaign 
is a hefty asset since, on a grass¬ 
roots level, Allied members can 
get the ear of local senators and 
congressmen. Allied prexy Rube 
Shor cited Allied’s action as stem¬ 
ming from. a closer liaison with 
Theatre Owners of America, many 
of whose circuit members stand 
to benefit from complete elimina¬ 
tion "of the tax. 


Columbia Prior-to-1948 -, 
Count 686; More Recent 
Pix (TV Potential) 304 

Columba * has an inventory of 
686 features made prior to 1948 
and 304 produced since then which 
could be made available to televi¬ 
sion. But there’s to be no quick 
wholesale deal for this reason: Col 
is operating on the theory that the 
money yield from telecasters wilL 
go up and up as time passes. 

The plan is to lease blocks of the 
oldies one at a time through the 
Screen Gems subsidiary and not in¬ 
volved at all in this modus oper- 
andi are the post-’48 films which, 
of course, must be cleared through 
Hoilywood unions. 

Further, as the union roadblocks 
are removed from the pictures in 
the "modern” category, these can 
be used to enhance the value of 
package deals for the oldies. 

If this line of reasoning holds up 
obviously it would mean that the 
old prints in the vaults, instead of 
merely gathering dust, actually are 
becoming more valuable with each 
passing tv season. And it tends to 
render further inaccurate those 
early industry predictions that- all 
film companes would give the tv 
market a heavy play once the first 
outfit unloaded. 

Col this year is leasing 52 pix of 
the meller classification to tv and 
may follow these with another 52, 
Col stockholders were told Monday 
(26) by Abe Schneider, v.p.-treas- 
urer. Exec did not, however, go 
into any details about the blueprint 
for the future, except to say that 
the company is interested in the 
idea of buying into tv stations. Pre¬ 
sumably this would be akin to the 
Metro pattern of taking stock in¬ 
terests in video outlets to which 
the M-G back-number features are 
channeled. 

Schneider was more specific 
about Screen Gems. He told Col 
investors at the annual meeting 
that this subsid piled up $11,000,000 
in business volume last year and 
this should be well exceeded this 
year. Profits, he indicated, are be¬ 
ing poured back into the subsid for 
further expansion, including the 
"development of know-how” and 
building the sales department, 
largely abroad. 

SG, he further reported, has 
been merged with the Stanley 
Kramer Corp. for tax purposes: 
The Kramer outfit, which was 
bought out by Col some time ago, 
had sustained “Tosses which, via the 
paperwork merger, can be applied 
against SG profits. (Kramer since 
formed a new indie producing com¬ 
pany.) 


F-P Canadian Acquires 
Five Edmonton Houses 

Edmonton, Atla., Dec. 4. 

Control of five Edmonton thea¬ 
tres has been acquired by Famous 
Players Canadian Corp. Clarence 
Entwisle, president of Entwisle 
Theatres Ltd., said his firm’s in¬ 
terest in the houses, formerly op¬ 
erated in partnership with Famous 
Players, has been sold to the cor¬ 
poration. 

Deal covers the Entwisle interest 
in the Strand, Garneau, Princess, 
Empress and Dreamland theatres. 
It also includes the Strand building 
but Entwisle retains the Dream¬ 
land building, which is under lease 
to Famous Players. 

The Entwisle chain began opera¬ 
tions here in 1921 when the late 
Alex Entwisle and his son Clarence 
leased the Dreamland. Later, they 
acquired the property and in 1938 
built a new theatre on the site. 
The Entwisle interests leased the 
Princess and for many years also 
operated the Monarch. About 1930 
they took over the Strand and soon 
after acquired the Empress. They 
took over an interest in the Gar¬ 
neau in 1946. 


— RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL—> 

Rockefeller Center I 

MARLON BRANDO • GLENN fORD 
MACHIKO KYO 


stirrinf in CliiniSeipi ind METROCOLDl m 

THE MOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON" 


In another aspect of tax relief, 
Allied resolved to petition the Gov¬ 
ernment for a reduction in the ex¬ 
cess profits tax from 30% to 20%, 
for liberalization of depreciation 
allowance, for allowing the estates 
of small business men to pay their 
estate taxes over a period of 10 
years, and for relief in the taxa¬ 
tion of small business corporations 
with less than 10 stockholders as 
partnerships. 


On SG’s production end, Schnei¬ 
der believes the "development of 
talent (for feature production) can 
be through the medium of tv and 
in this way pictures and tv can 
work together, Complement each 
other.” . • 

He further noted that SG would 
be interested in buying out tv pro¬ 
ductions companies "if there are 
any around” to liquidate their 
residuals. 


Allied Convention Not Sure That 
Film RowChanges Are ‘Sound’ 


The wisdom of consolidating 
certain exchanges, a policy adopted 
by sonje film companies as an 
economy measure, was strongly 
questioned by Allied States Assn, 
at its convention in Dallas last 
week. The elimination of an ex¬ 
change centre, it was charged, had 
the effect In some instances of 
causing a serious • hardship for 
theatremen in the area. It was 
pointed but that exhibs had diffi¬ 
culty getting contracts and in mak¬ 
ing bookings and changes of pro¬ 
gram. 

A resolution adopted by the con¬ 
vention noted that Allied was "dis¬ 
turbed” by the hardships imposed 
upon exhibitors in licensing and 
booking films, by the reductioh of 
sales forces, and by the curtail¬ 
ment of other services. 

While the exhibitor association 
recognized the necessity for all 
branches of the industry to elimi¬ 
nate some needless expenses, it 
nevertheless feels that before cer¬ 


tain economies are Instituted the 
industry "should proceed on the 
premise that this is a permanent 
business and should not be endan¬ 
gered by ill-considered or unnec¬ 
essary changes.” 

The resolution suggested that 
before changes are m§tde reducing 
services the distribs should con¬ 
sult with the exhib organizations to 
determine the needs of theatremen 
in each area in relation to dis¬ 
tances involved,’ bookings, and 
sales solicitations. 

The resolution was sponsored by 
the Allied unit from Iowa and Ne¬ 
braska which claimed that it was 
facing difficulties because of the 
closing of the Omaha exchange. 
Elmer Huhke, of the midwestern 
unit, claimed that one company is 
losing $1,000 weekly in revenue 
for short subjects because it elimi¬ 
nated its Omaha office. He termed 
the move as "false economy” since 
the film company’s phone bill was 
increased by about $500 a month. 


Reade Block-Boy Nixed Prior To 
Rank’s Own Invasion’ of States 


- Tenting With Variety ^ 

♦4444 + 4+4 + 44444 M I4 M +4 t 

London, Dec. 4. 

New members elected to Vari¬ 
ety Club crew here for 1957 in¬ 
clude BBC-TV producer Richard 
Afton, Irving Allen, Sam Eckman 
Jr., Michael Shipman and Harry 
E. L. Woolf. Re-elected were 
Monty Berman, Billy Butlin, Mike 
J. Frankovich, John Harding, Sir 
Tom O’Brien, M.P. and Arthur 
Watkins. 

New crew meets this- week, 
when it is anticipated that Mike 
Frankovich will be named Chief 
Barker. Ben Henry, who was first 
assistant barker, failed to secure 
re-election to crew. 

At election dinner at the Savoy 
last Tuesday (27), it was announced 
that Irving Allen and Cubby Broc¬ 
coli had donated British preem of 
"Zarak” to the Hungarian Chil¬ 
dren’s Relief Fund. It’s expected 
$50,000 to $80,000 will be collected. 


Allied’s Felix Denver’s Barker 
Denver, Dec. 4. 

Variety Tent 37 elected the fol¬ 
lowing crew for 1957: Jack R. Fe« 
lix, Allied Artists branch manager, 
chief barker; Jim Ricketts, Para¬ 
mount • branch manager, 1st asst^ 
chief barker; Robt. G. Sweeten, 
Centre manager, 2nd assist, chief 
barker; Joe B. Stone, National' 
Theatre Supply branch manager, 
dough guy; Bruce Marshall, Colum¬ 
bia salesman, property master. 
These round out the crew: Duke 
Dunbar, attorney general of Color¬ 
ado; Marvin Goldberg, Buena Vista 
district supervisor; Fred Knill, of¬ 
fice manager Gigralter Enter¬ 
prises; Jack Wodell, Paramount 
manager; Phil Isaacs, - Paramount 
division manager; r Robert Lotito, 
publicity man. 


Boesch Again At 34 

--Houston, Dec. 4. 

Paul M. Boesch has been re¬ 
elected chief barker of Variety 
Tent 34 at the annual general 
meeting held in the club rooms at 
the Montague Hotel. Elected first 
assistant chief barker was M. M. 
Lewis and second assistant Mike 
Conti. Morris Rosenthal was elect¬ 
ed doughboy, with Augie Schmitt 
going in as property master. Paul 
Boesch is international canvasman, 
and he and Mack Howard are del¬ 
egates. 

In addition to the officers, other 
canvasmen elected were Dick Gott- 
leib, Lester Kamin, Les Hunt, Jack 
Groves, George Carpenter and 
Fred Nahas.' a 

Mack Howard received the first 
annual awarcTto the man who did 
the most to help the chief barker 
to do his job. 


It’s Bill Srere at 25 

Los Angeles, Dec. 4. 

O. N. (Bill) Srere will be in¬ 
stalled in January as new Chief 
Barker of Southern California Va¬ 
riety Club Tent 25, succeeding 
Ezra E. Stern who is retiring as 
chief barker after having held the 
po£t for two years. Installation cer¬ 
emonies will be held at a dinner- 
dance affair. 

Other new crew members are 
Lloyd Ownbey, first assistant chief 
barker; Morton Scott, second as¬ 
sistant; Bernie Wolf, property masr 
ter; JaCk Y. Berman, doughboy; 
and John Benedict, Spence Leve, 
Forrest Tucker, John Lavery, E. E. 
Hughes and Steve BroidyV canvass- 
men. 


Tobolowsky Dallas Barker 
Dallas, Dec. 4. 

Variety Club Tent 17 elected 
Edwin Tobolowsky Chief Barker 
for 1957. Other new officers are 
Don C. Douglas, first assistant; 
Charles Weisenburg, second assis¬ 
tant; Meyer Rachofsky, doughguy 
and W. L. Marshall, property mas¬ 
ter. 

New directors are Duke Clark, 
J. H. Elder, John K. Hieks, Alex 
Keese, Pai^Short and Jack Under¬ 
wood. 


Northwest V Re-elects Heller 
Minneapolis, Dec. 4. 

Northwest Variety Club re-elect¬ 
ed Sim Heller as Chief Barker for 
a second term last week. Joe Podo- 
loff and Thomas A. Burke were 
named first and second chief bark¬ 
ers, respectively. 

Others elected were Gilbert 
Nathanson as property master and 
Edward P. Schwartz as doughguy. 


- J. Arthur Rank Organization, 
just prior to releasing the news 
that it prepared to undertake 
its own distribution in the U. S. 
market, nixed a solid offer from 
Walter Reade Jr. to handle a block 
of Rank films in America. 

Since the Reade offer is consid¬ 
ered a very good one by those fa¬ 
miliar with its details, the Rank 
nix is seen as an indication of how 
eager Rank managing director John 
Davis was to tackier the U. S. on his 
own. 

Reade, whose Continental Dis¬ 
tributing has successfully handled 
several of the Alec Guinness films^i 
proposed to take an option on a 
block of some 14 Rank films which 
would have been sold to exhibs as a 
package, with theatres given can-^ 
cellation rights. If the necessary 
dates were obtained, Reade would 
then have approached Rank for de¬ 
livery of the films. 

J»art of the deal was a guarantee 
on Reade’s part to expend between 
$400,000 and $1,000,000 on setting 
up an expanded sales org, go into 
co-op advertising deals with the¬ 
atres, arrange star appearances, 
etc. On a top group orthe Rank 
films, Reade was willing to guar¬ 
antee 2,500 playdates. 

The Reade proposal originated 
more than a year ago. Rank Org is 
due to start operating in the U. S. 
by next Easter, using five or six 
regional offices. Kenneth Har¬ 
greaves Is in charge, with Geof¬ 
frey Martin to head up ad-pub 
chores. It’s been made clear that, 
once the Rank agency is in opera¬ 
tion, indies like Reade will no 
longer be able to lay their hands 
on any of the Rank product. This 
is going to hurt him and others 
since, in comparison with French 
and Italian films, British imports 
are still far and away the easiest 
to sell. 

REMBUSCH ADDS TWO, 
MAKING FIVE, DRIVE-INS 

Franklin, Ind., Dec. 4. 
Syndicate Theatres, local theatre 
chain headed by Trueman T. Rem- 
busch, has acquired two drive-ins 
near Crawfordsville, Indiana. New 
properties were purchased from 
the Ben-Hur Drive-In Corp. and 
Auto Theatres Corp. 

tyew acquisitions give Syndicate 
a total of 10 indoor theatres and 
five ozoners. According to Rem- 
busch, the company is continuing 
its policy of unloading some of its 
indoor theatres by converting them 
to realty property. Outfit’s theatre 
in Columbus, Ind., has been rented 
to a retail shoe company. Rem- 
busch charged that the inability to 
acquire first-run product to com¬ 
pete with nearby^ key cities forced 
the conversion. 

Again Urge Wagner’s 
Espousal of N. Y. Cut 

New York City exhibitors, as rep¬ 
resented by the Independent The¬ 
atre Owners Assn, and the Metro¬ 
politan Motion Picture Theatres 
Assn., are pressing for repeal of 
Gotham’s 5% tax on admissions. 
Meeting has been set with Mayor 
Robert F. Wagner at his City Hall 
office Friday (7) when a commit¬ 
tee of theatremen will urge re¬ 
moval of the levy. 

Exhib group comprises Harry 
Brandt, Sol Strausberg, Eugene 
Picker, Sol A. Schwartz, William 
Namenson, Julius Sanders, D. John 
Phillips and Mort Sunshine. Also 
to participate is Robert W. Coyne, 
special counsel for the Council of 
Motion Picture Organizations. 

Editorial support was given the 
Gothamites last week by the N. Y. 
Daily Mirror. Hearst tabloid stated 
that many neighborhood, houses are 
still fighting to survive despite the 
upbeat in film quality. "For scores 
of theatres (the 5% impost) is the 
difference between breaking even 
and losing money,” the paper edi¬ 
torialized. "In the city’s own self- 
interest, it should be removed. 

"There is no profit to anybody in 
depressing or killing an industry 
which, with a little and thorough¬ 
ly justified help, now can look for¬ 
ward to a bright future after many 
misfortunes.” 







S2 BA»IO-TELEVISION 


Z'SfiiETr 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


NBC NETS BRISIOUtYERS'$2,100,000 


‘Can’t Live By Mathematics’ 

Whatever the overtones of the Walter Wlnchell television non¬ 
renewals, the columnist’s crack that “I can’t live from week-to- 
week fey mathematics” has more hitter-truth than sour-grape 
connotation. $ 


CBS Radio, which apparently has< 
been building*a better mousetrap 
for the country’s blue-chip adver¬ 
tisers, pulled off its second $3,000,- 
000 gross deal of the year-with the 
pacting this week of Lever Bros, 
to a 52-week purchase of 20 of the 
network’s seven-and-a-half-minute 
daytime segments per week. The 
Lever’s buy matches that of Col¬ 
gate, made this past summer for a 
similar group of segments, and 
gives the network its fifth million- 
dollar-plus sponsor in as many 
months. 

Lever, via three agencies, is 
picking up segments in “Ma Per¬ 
kins/’ JL 4 .Young_Dr, Malone,” “Helen. 
Trent” and “House Party.” Deal, 
which is effective on Jan. 2, in¬ 
volves three products, Spry (Ken- 


Gross Vs.'Net 

Radio networks are com¬ 
pounding the confusion in 
their refusal to get together 
on reporting sales figures. 
Policy of CBS Radio, is to re¬ 
port gross sales figures, before 
discounts, while the NBC poli¬ 
cy is to report net (after de¬ 
duction of discounts) revenue. 

That accounts for the con¬ 
fusion surrounding the two 
major sales made by the webs 
this week. NBC’s Bristol-My¬ 
ers deal runs about $3,900,000 
gross, according to NBC, but 
the network reported only the 
net revenue of $2,100,000. On 
the other hand, CB§ reported 
only the gross of $3,000,000 on 
its Lever Bros. deal. NBC 
claims the CBS net. comes to 
only $1,600,000, but a CBS 
exec said that figure “isn’t ac¬ 
curate/’ 


yon & Eckhardt), Rinso (J. Walter 
Thompson) and Breeze (BBD&O). 
The 20 segments will be spread 
through five days a week. 

The Lever deal represents a 
particularly happy triumph for 
CBS. The soap company, long one 
of the web’s heaviest timebuyers, 
had cut back its radio expendi¬ 
tures drastically over the past two 
years on the network, starting in 
1954 when it shifted “Lux Radio> 
Theatre” to NBC in a radio-tv deal 
and extending to as recently as last 
June, when it dropped segments 
in four shows, including “Talent 
Scouts,” “Aunt Jenny,” “Arthur 
Godfrey Time” and even “House 
Party,” to which it’s now return¬ 
ing. 


NBC Won’t‘Accept’ 


■ First major sale for NBC Radio’s 4 
new program lineup is in the hop¬ 
per, and it’s a dilly—a $2,JL00,000 
net billings bundle out of the 
Bristol-Myers shop for half-spon¬ 
soring of the web’s 85 weekday 
newscasts over a 52-week span. 
Bristol-Myers will sponsor one-half 
of each of the 17 five-minute *on- 
the-hour newscasts each day be¬ 
tween 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., five days 
a week. 

The. new newscast pattern isn’t 
scheduled to start till Jan. 14, and 
that’s the effective date of the 
Bristol-Myers sponsorship as well. 
The deal is by far the largest sin- 
gle radio sale_ in several vears-Ior. 
"'any web, and the package is. only 
half-sold. The total net billings in 
the event of a sale of the other 
half would come to $4,200,000 an¬ 
nually, a major feather in NBC’s 
cap. Sponsorship of the newscasts 
will follow an unusual pattern with 
“major-minor” announcements in 
each show. Sponsors will alter¬ 
nate, one holding the major com¬ 
mercial on one show, the other the 
major spot on the following seg¬ 
ment. 

The new five-minute news pat¬ 
tern was one .of the “musts” in¬ 
sisted upon by Joe Culligan, v.p. 
in charge of NBC* Radio,. in his 
overhauling of the NBC Radio pro¬ 
gram structure over the past few 
weeks. The .unusual pattern—in 
that it provides for five-minute net¬ 
work cutins on the hours from 7 
a.m. to 11 p.m. regardless of sta¬ 
tion option time — was endorsed 
unanimously in a series of affili¬ 
ates meetings which ended . last 
week. Endorsements were made 
vprbally, with the new contracts 
just coming in the mails now. In 
effect, the Bristol-Myers deal was 
set before the affiliates had offici¬ 
ally ratified their new contracts. 

Sale to Bristol-Myers, set via 
Young & Rubicam, is a major vic¬ 
tory for the web in another sense. 
Had the drug outfit, or any other 
sponsor, bought in on the news¬ 
casts piecemeal, the network would 
have had a tough time selling the 
property in socalled “weaker” 
time periods and would have faced 
the problem of easy sales on choice 
periods but tough ones in the less 
desirable periods. The Bristol- 
Myers deal, however, with a sched¬ 
ule embracing cosponsorship in 
every time segment, makes it man¬ 
datory on any other sponsor to 
buy the weak as well as the choice 
periods. 

WLIB WINS BY A BEEP 
ON TENN. SCHOOL ISSUE 

Indie WLIB, N.Y., found itself 
on top of fast-breaking Clinton, 



SAMMY KAYE 

Columbia Records—just released 
“FADED. ROSES" 

“I'M THROUGH WITH LOVE” 
Present Album Releases 
“WHAT MAKES SAMMY SWING” 
“MY FAIR*LADY (For DANCING)” 
Currently 

Extended Recording Sessions for 
Columbia Records 


Herb Shriller Off, 
G-T Quizzer In 

Herb Shriner’s CBS-TV half- 
hour was cancelled last week after 
an eight-week run by Pharmaceuti¬ 
cals Inc., making the Shriner stan¬ 
za the shortest-lived entry of the 
season. He’ll be replaced Dec. 18 
by the new Goodson-Todman pan- 
eller, “Nothing But the Truth,” but 
he himself leaves the air after the 
Dec. 4 show, with the Victor Borge 
spec falling on Dec. 11. 

There’s an ironic note in the fact 
that it’s a Goodson-Todman pack¬ 
age that’s replacing Shriner, since 
he ankled his emcee spot on the 
G-T “Two for the Money” in order 
to do his own show for Columbia, 
with his exit resulting in the can¬ 
cellation of “Money.” 

As to Shriner’s future status, he 
does have at teast a two-year deal 
with CBS, and the web announced 
that it would work on the develop¬ 
ment rf a new format for him, but 
even that’s problematical. It’s re¬ 
called that he was originally set to 
do an hour show, but because the 
web couldn’t sell it and couldn’t 
come up with a format, it cut down 
to a half-hour and announced it 


Dr. Horwich’s Exit 

Dr. Frances Horwich, the “Miss 
Frances” of “Ding Dong School” 
and supervisor of children’s pro¬ 
gramming for NBC, has submitted 
her resignation from the network 
to prez Bob Sarnoff. NBC, how¬ 
ever, refuses to “recognize” her 
letter as a letter of resignation and 
is taking no action on it. 

The stalemate, it’s understood, 
stems from the wording of the let¬ 
ter, which in essence states her 
dissatisfaction with the cancella¬ 
tion of “Ding Dong School” and 
the overall children’s programming 
situation at the tv network and 
adds that if there is no change in 
the situation, she will be “forced” 
to resiin. She asks such a resig¬ 
nation to become effective Dec. 28, 
the date “Ding Dong” goes off. 

NBC, however, refuses to con- 


Tenn., integration fight yesterday 
(3). Via beep telephone inter¬ 
views, it aired the voices of White 
Baptist Minister Rev. Paul Turner, 
who was beaten up earlier in the 
day, accompanying a Negro stu¬ 
dent to school. The interviews also 
encompassed the Clinton school 
board chairman, a girl Negro stu¬ 
dent, and the local sheriff. The 
Clinton school board, which re¬ 
cently asked U.S. Attorney General 
Brownell for help in enforcing in¬ 
tegration, closed the high school 
after the attack on the white min¬ 
ister. 

WLIB carried the decision of the 
board more than half an hour be¬ 
fore the ruling was flashed on 
newswire tickers. 


(Continued on page 50) 


'CLIMAX’TO N.Y. FOR 
‘JUNE TAYLOR STORY’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

CBS-TV’s “Cljmax” moves away 
from Television City for the first 
time Jan. 31 when “The June Tay¬ 
lor Story” is televised from N. Y. 
Subject of the telebio is choreog¬ 
rapher for Jackie Gleason, who’ll 
appear on the hour show. 

Also unprecedented for the 
Thursday night dramatic series 
will be the integration of song-and- 
dance. Edgar Peterson produces 
from script by Adrian Spies. 


The Weekend Trendex 


(Continued on page 56) 


WW on Co-op Basis 

Failing to garner a national 
sponsor the past two weeks, since 
Seaboard Drug Co. pulled out 
of Walter Winchell’s quarter hour 
Sunday at 6 p.m. commentary 
show, Mutual is putting the show 
on a co-op basis, sharing the local 
sponsor coin with its affiliates. 

Last year, the Winchell news 
commentary was sold on a co-op 
basis by MBS in the other- than 
50 major markets taken by Trans 
World Airlines, the then national 
sponsor. Seaboard Drug bo\ved 
out of its Winchell sponsorship 
after a 13-week ride. -- 


Jackie Gleason resumed his early-season rating supremacy over 
Perry Como in the weekend Trendex returns. Danny Kaye, on 
“See It Now,” easily topp'ed the NBC competition on Sunday after¬ 
noon, while Ed Sullivan nearly doubled the Steve Allen rating 
that night. On Friday, Dinah Shore in her monthly “Chevy Show” 
was the winner, on the hour avera^g, though topped slightly in 
the second half by the CBS “Playhouse of Stars.” 

Dinah’s average came to 21.9 for the Friday 9 to 10 hour, against 
the “Crusader”-“Playhouse” average of 19.1 and ABC’s “Treasure 
Chest-”~“The Vise” average of 9.7. On Saturday, Gleason topped 
Como for the first time in weeks with his memorial showio Tommy 
Dorsey, scoring a 26.5 to Comb’s 23.8, With ABC's “Famous Film 
Festival” presentation 1 of Sir Laurence Olivier’s “Hamlet” scoring 
only a 4.4 in the 8 to 9 period. 

•On Sunday, Kaye and “See It Now” scored f a 15.5 for the 90- 
minutes, against 8.2 for the NBC lineup of “Topper,” “Captain Gal¬ 
lant” and “Meet the Press.” At 6:30, CBS’ “Air Power” pulled 
away from Roy Rogers, 19.1 to 10.2. And the Sullivan rating was 
36.2 to Allen’s 18.4, with a 4.0 average for ABC’s “Amateur Hour” 
and “Press Conference.” 


The “ratings” yardstick is something against which many a 
showman-rfrom. artist to agency—has inveighed. It is true that 
the toprated performers and sponsors are almost never the ones 
to complain about “ratings.” Winchell was not toprated but, in 
all fairness, he was not low man on the totem pole either—as 
the industry attitudes are charted he had, in fact, a respectable 
rating. 


It may be assumed that even if he were toprated he’d feel the 
same way—or h.e may not. On the other hand, Groucho Marx— 
the Caesar’s wife of the business, meaning “above suspicion,” 
because it so happens he enjoys the solid Nielsens and Tren- • 
dexes—has been just as forthright in his attitudes that ratings 
mean nothing. George Jessel has made the “flintex,” as he lam¬ 
poons them, a personal cause—also, a butt for some intra-trade 
laughs-.^-But^ ft-aiso^-happens thttt _ Jessers"'teladvehfure was "far”" 
from the resounding click that has attended most of his other 
show biz activities. Eddie Cantor, in his heyday, like Marx, took 
the commonsense attitude that “the only rating that matters is 
if the show or the star sells the merchandise.” (In line with 
that, there was a time when the toprated “I Love Lucy” was a 
significant economic disappointment for the sponsored cigaret 
product). 

Back to Winchell—the overall grief attendant to “living by 
the week-to-week mathematics”—the dubious if not suspect 
point-system—is something for the trade to think about. Only 
the networks and sponsors can control it. They started it them¬ 
selves, underwrote it, financed it, mentored it. Now they are the 
victims of the index Frankenstein. If a picture or a play is a 
hit, it gets good notices and the public pays at the till. If a tv- 
radio show is a hit, the press will notate it, and the sponsor 
worth; his merchandising salt can find ways of translating his 
sales graph to the success or failure of his show. 


Ed Sullivan and Maria Callas 

This. Ed Sullivan footnote is obtuse to a Winchell tirade against 
ratings but is footnoted herewith for two reasons: the obvious 
columnar association, and the fact that Sullivan has enjoyed 
top ratings. 


Fact* that Sullivan knew that Maria Callas and the Metropoli- 
. tan Opera, on a Sunday night vaudeo, would not get the ratings, 
he is to be commended for the affirmative move to bring some 
of the “good” things- to his large tv audience. The antidote to 
Elvis Presley is also obvious. Abel. 


Deintermixture Wins Some Wide 
Support But Attach Are on Way 

-:-f 


Coke, Eddie Okay on Radio 

Coca Cola plans to renew its 
“Coke Time” twice-weekly Eddie 
Fisher broadcasts on Mutual, the 
net which was airing the radio 
Fisher show concurrently with 
Coca Cola’s tv show. Latter is 
being cancelled. 

Contract details are^ being 
worked out now. At present time 
“Coke Time” is not heard in New 
York and about 40 other big major 
cities—since these were the major 
market where Coke had the Fisher 
tv show airing. New MBS pur¬ 
chase plan will extend to these 
markets, as well. 


‘House That Home Built’ 
Promotion Campaign In 
Closed-Circuit Kickoff 

The NBC-TV.“Home” promotion¬ 
merchandising crew officially kicks 
off the third annual “House That 
Horjfe Built” promotion campaign 
tomorrow (Thurs.) with a closed- 
circuit preview of plans to hun¬ 
dreds of homebuilders and affili¬ 
ated businessmen stationed at 90 
of the network’s affiliates. 

Closed-circuit is the first step in 
the modification of the fabulous 
promotion, which last year saw 45 
builders in as many cities build 
and sell homes planned and heav¬ 
ily promote c d by the “Home” show 
itself, with the total in home and 
allied equipment sales running 
into the millions and the number 
of visitors to their models total¬ 
ling 500,000. New plan is to lay 
a greater measure of control on 
the stations joining the promotion, 
enabling them to recommend spe¬ 
cific builders and dealers and 
thereby not only boost their own 
local revenues with the likeliest 
advertising prospects but become a 
more effective information source 
on the results of the promotion. 

Other modifications of the pro¬ 
motion designed to widen its scoop 
are: (1) a less expensive house, 
which can be built for $20,000 with 
(Continued on page 56) 


Washington, Dec. 4. 

The FCC’s interim proposal to 
pfotect TJHF stations from VHF 
competition through deintermix¬ 
ture of channels, pending a possi¬ 
ble longrange shift of all tv to 
ultra high, received support in 
various comments filed with, the 
agency yesterday (Mon.). 

' However, it was apparent from 
last-minute efforts to affected VHF 
stations and grantees to postpone 
the deadline for filing of briefs 
that there would be considerable 
opposition to plan. Parties had 
up to Monday midnight to mail in 
comments. 

Indicative of such opposition 
was a petition filed by the "Wis¬ 
consin committee to save existing 
rural television service” urging 
the commission to maintain WISC- 
TV in Madison as a VHF station. 
Petition was accompanied by more 
than 20,000 signatures of persons 
in fringe reception areas. 

Various appeals were also re- 
(Continued on page 56) 

‘GE Theatre’ To 
Scrap ‘Lire’ Segs 

Hollywood, Dec. 4 

CBS-TV “General Electric Thea¬ 
tre,” once a stronghold of live 
video drama (26 live and *13 film 
segments last season), has no fur¬ 
ther live segs slated after the first 
of the year. 

However, in-the-flesh video is 
going out with a bang on G.E, The 
live production team of producer 
S. Mark Smith, director Don Med¬ 
ford and designer John Robert 
Lloyd is staging four of the five 
December G.E. segments, all to 
originate from CBS-TV City here. 
They are* “Orphans,” “The 
Breach,” “A Child Is Born” (tradi¬ 
tional Christmas show)* and “The 
Shadow Outside.” 

This will bring total of live G.E. 
segments this season to seven, if 
kine of the stanza starring the late 
Jimmy Dean is included. 




Wednesday, December 5, 19S6 


RADIO-TELEVISION 33 


TV’S ‘ALL BIZ, LITTLE SHOW’ 


Aroundthe World’ With Bill Paley ‘FINANCE’ FOILS TelePrompter Buys Out Sheraton 

* Having don* allright by itself by underwriting the cost of “My _ __ _ .... /II 1 TPIf * Hit • P • 

pnnPQjlM Ul fC llosed-iv m Major expansion 


Having don* allright by itself by underwriting the cost of “My 
Fair Lady,” giving it a 40% ownership in the legiter, CBS is now 
in the process of negotiating a deal with Mike Todd whereby the 
network becomes part owner of “Around the World in 80 Days.” 
Just how much of an investment CBS is making isn’t known, but 
it’s understood .that the deal will be wrapped up within a matter 
of days. (This is exclusive of the reported personal stake CBS 
board chairman Bill Paley has in the Todd-AO click.) 

As in the case of “Lady,” CBS envisions an ultimate spec (after, 
of course, the theatrical b.o. potential of “80 Days” has been 
siphoned off). Since, along with the Todd-AO pr 9 cess, there’s also 
a Cinemascope print of the film, this would be “squeezed” to 35m 
-dimfinsinn^s-4®F-tfeer4v--sh«wsasing:-r—-■--- 

Faced With Price-Cutting War, 
Distillers Seek to Crack TV Ban 


U.S. distillers are seeking means*r- 

of crocking the ban against ad- 5 

vertising liquor on video in an ef¬ 
fort to avert severe price-cutting Alan 

wars next year. The U.- S. spirits 
manufacturers will be faced with waxes i 

one of the heaviest surpluses in 
the history of the industry in 1958, Here 

a condition that results from the 
Korean war.. iflr. 

Distillers would like to tout the a xVarii 

merits of the domestic grape as M Mr> j, 

against that of the imports. An¬ 
other factor contributing to the * 

surplus of ryes ’ and bourbons is another e< 

the increasing popularity of such «n the 

drinks as vodka and gin. The com- ■ 

petion of the imports is also tre- 51st Anmv 
mendous. In the face of these con¬ 
ditions, the schnapps makers would 
like to be able to get into televi- ^ 

sion to try to push the product and 
avert what is likely to result in 
panic in the field with a price-cut- C«|o| Clmrfal 
ting war, even in fair traded states ' ullUI Utl 
as a distinct possibility. They feel p •. »r 

that they have a good chance of Bril. 1 

getting in on video, with of course* 
networks supervising the commer- [y 

cial spiels in a manner that would Some °* coni 
make present day restrictions seem advertisers, pe 
like complete anarchy. It’s believed a _f e . be . m , g all °" 
that next year, there will be some £beir future bo 
vacant periods on some of th3 /lets, “/-e ln yi . ew . °* 
and if they Started at this time, oline rationing, 
they may be able to get in on the .Associatea T 
act. TV have agreei 


Alan Lipscott 

waxes whimsical in 

Here Comes 
Mr. Cordon 

a TVariation of the 
"Mr. Jordan" saga 
★ * * 

another editorial feature 
!n the upcoming 

51st Anniversary IS umber 


By GEORGE ROSEN 

The details surrounding the con¬ 
tractual background which enabled 
ABC-TV to grab off the “Frank 
Sinatra Theatre” series for three 
.years, jsea^-ia-piinpo int . -t h e- .‘leca- 
of the lawyer” as television’s “Mr. 
Big.” Seemingly, the program 
chiefs at the networks have bowed 
to the “superior” talents of their 
legal braintrusts. He’s the guy 
who makes the decisions, with the 
future of practically any tv star 
or hot property now predicated not 
so much on the “give us a good 
show” ideology but rather on a 
“give us a good shake on the coin.” 

Granted that Sinatra’s the hot¬ 
test availability on the tv horizon. 
But the “arm and a leg” conditions 
laid down by his legal-business ad¬ 
visers accentuate the economic 
plight of a medium helping to 
perpetuate rather than discourag¬ 
ing unprecedented talent-program 
costs. 

Just to get its foot in the door 
on the Sinatra show, it cost ABC 
$3,000,000. That’s for a 40% buy- 
in on the Sinatra-,owned Kent Pro¬ 
ductions (under conditions stipu¬ 
lated by Sinatra’s legal aides speci¬ 
fying “buy me, buy niy whole pack- 


Carroll Carroll 

who has been around the huckster 
set for a passel of years 
has a tongue-in-cheek closeup on 
Ulcer Gulch titled _ 

jpST a Nice Way to 
Make a Living 


another bright editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 


VARIETY 


Hillbilly Format 
May Go In For 
Will Rogers Show 


-■ TelePrompter is expanding into 
the closed-circuit television field 
via the takeover of Sheraton Closed 
Circuit Television Inc., a subsidi¬ 
ary of the hotel chain. Deal was 
set by Irving B. Kahn, Tele¬ 
Prompter prexy, and Ernest Hen- 
. dei'sonwSheratpnjepxP^jPl-Ajtterica— 
topper. v 

Under the agreement, Tele¬ 
Prompter acquires the “services 
and personnel” of.Sheraton TV. 
New firm will be known as Group 
Communications Division and will 
operate as a division of TelePromp¬ 
ter. 

The two top executives of Shera¬ 
ton TV—exec v.p. William P. Ro- 
Sensohn and v.p. Robert M. Rosen- 
crans—are joining the new com¬ 
pany, with Rosensohn designated 
as director of closed-circuit tv ac¬ 
tivities and Rosecrans serving in 
an executive capacity. 

The new company, it’s disclosed; 
will launch a program designed to 
expand and improve the Sheraton 
closed-circuit facilities via the ac¬ 
quisition of “new modern equip¬ 
ment recently developed for large 
screen projection.” H. J. Schlafly 
Jr., TelePrompter’s v.p. in charge 
of engineering, will supervise the 


| " PfiRIETY _ 

Fuel Shortage Cues 
Brit. TV Cancellations 


UUUlUllb \ liilUCJL UUUUlllUUd ouuu- * ■ — ” — —w— — w TT* e 

lated by Sinatra's legal aides sped- iL Hp*/ nf S £f C * S ’ 

fying “buy me, buy niy whole pack- With its 7 to 8 a.m. “Good Morn- research for 20th- 

age”). Add to this another ap- ing With Will Rogers Jr.” showing u d 0n J he fil ? , com ‘ 

proximate $9,000,000 as the pro- few signs of progress against its pany s ^diophor system of large 
duction nut (at $70,000 per show) “Today” competition, CBS-TV has scracn color television, 
over a three-year span. begun to look around for a new TelePrompter’s recent associa- 

The 40% share of Sinatra & format for the time period. At the tion with Western Union, it’s said, 
Co. is in exchange for an equal top of the web’s list of possibilities ^P,^ de Group Commumca- 
amount of AB-PT shares which 18 an hourlong country & western tions with electronic and electro- 
enhances the capital gains'aspects music show which Would originate mechanical personnel throughout 
of the deal) from the midwest - the country.” 

Sinatra himself is guaranteed Though a hillbilly format has Sheraton, the first hotel com- 
himselt J; 8 guaranteed neve h een tried in early-morning pany to engage m closed tv opera- 
$250,000 a year. This, however, ^ “ “V tions. entered the field turn ed a 


Brit. IV Cancellations „ ir ^^ biUy format has the firs t hotel com- 

U L °T n ' DeC ' “• ™o ra a h ™a S r eI£ -ve rTeenVied in "early-morning 

Some or commercial tv’s largest Snly represents his take for the television before, the network feels ^if ylarftgo^ in ^revealing the 

advertisers, petroleum companies, half-hour tv show (which will be that . lts audience potential is s ‘ hift y Qf t he S subsidiarv ti g Telet 

are being allowed to cancel out of sponsored by Chesterfield starting g £ eat enough for a However, Prompter the Sheraton^rexv said 

their future bookings on short no- next September with a Thursday the network would not go ahead f h r a ^ 

oline n riitioning. £lle gas " HSSwSSS 

.Associates Television an d ABC PX 


TV have agreed on a minimum 14 son — 

frnrn days notice of cancellation, and figure in the Sinatra theatrical dis- wo 8tars set * . 

the other two commercial tv pro- tribution setup with likelihood of There’s no deadline of any kind 

ireail „ . r _ Li. _„ ...ill _ A T >/~1 _ 


The distillers’ distress stems 


cannot always guarantee.’ 


the 1950-51 period when Korean tne otner ™o commercial tv pro¬ 
wartime conditions made it man- g 5 a ? fl H ie j ?* Granada and Associ- 
datory that the domestic manufac- ated^Rediffusion have come to sim- 
turers protect themselws by mak- llar s “ or > : notice agreements, 
ing huge amounts off liquor for 
Storage in Government - bonded I" 
warehouses. Under present regula¬ 
tions, the same rate of tax applies 
for whiskies up to eight years of 

age. After that, the product re- _ 

maining in barrels gets a stiff tax 
hike because it becomes classified 
as a premium whiskey. The demand 

for premium domestic whiskies ~ 

isn’t great, and thus it becomes 
necessary for the distillers to with- • 

draw the Korea vintage from the 
warehouses, and put it on the mar¬ 
ket. That step is slated for next 
year. 

Unless they get some measure 1 r W , 

of widening their sales scope, the I ST AA 

distillers will start the price cuts 
themselves by selling three bottles 
(Continued on page 50) 


a pattern that will give ABC an attached to the projected “Good 
exclusivity on the features for a Morning” axing, though a cancel- 


continued pn page 52) 


(Continued on page 52) 


OUT SOON! 


51st Anniversary Number 


Ford Ain’t Mad At 




miiiiLmii 


One of the shows listed as a 
possible 13-week casualty has made 
the grade. That’s the NBC-TV 
VFord Show,” starring Tennessee 
Ernie Ford and sponsored by the 
auto company of the same name. 
Ford has come through with a 39- 
week renewal on the show, effec¬ 
tive Jan. 3, insuring the variety 
stanza of a firm berth in its Thurs¬ 
day spot through next fall. 

The Ford show had been taking 
a severe drubbing on. the Trendex 
ratings from the CBS-TV “Play¬ 
house 90,” but on the earlier-dated 
Nielsen charts, it had been beating 
out the drama skeim Ford put its 
chips on Nielsen, with the addi¬ 
tional factor that it- feels Ernie is 
the kind of personalized pitchman 
who can sell cars regardless of the 
size of the rating. Renewal .came 
through J. Walter Thompson, which 
with MCA produces the show. 


Form$ closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 

NEW YORK 36 HOLLYWOOD 28 CHICAGO 11 LONDON, W. C. 2 

154 W. 46th St. 6404 Sunset Blvd. 612 N. Michigan Ave. 8 St. Martin's Place 

Trafalgar Square 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ave. 


ary Martin Id 
6-Year NBC Deal 


Mary Martin, who signed an ex¬ 
clusive three-year deal with NBC- 
TV in late summer, has extended , 
the term of the contract to six 
years, with the proviso that she’ll 
do two shows a year during the 
six-year span. The extension was 
negotiated for NBC by Nat Wolff, 
program development v.p., who 
snared Miss Martin’s services in 
the initial deal. 

With the pricetags varying with 
the properties involved, it’s under¬ 
stood each of the shows to be done 
by Miss Martin will cost in the area 
of $200,000, out of which she per¬ 
sonally will get a $50,000 per-show 
fee. Programs-will be produced by 
her husband, Richard Halliday. 

Sinatra’s Flexible 
TV Format: May Even 
Revive Nathan Detroit 

Under conditions- laid down in 
the Frank Sinatra-ABC deal which 
will find the singer-actor helming 
his own half-hour weekly entry 
starting next fall, Sinatra will have 
comolete and final say on each of 
the shows. 

“Frank Sinatra Theatre” will 
have a flexible format encompass¬ 
ing all areas, including vaudeo, 
drama, etc., with Sinatra even con- 
te- plating a “Nathan Detroit” for¬ 
mat for some of the entries. In 
these instances he will use Stubby 
Kaye and Johnny Silver, who 
worked with him <6n “Guys and 
Dolls.” This deal, however, has yet 
to be worked out with the Damon 
Runyon estate; has nothing to do 
wiih “G&D.” 

Sinatra may do a 90-minute live 
sne- for his ABC-TV kickoff, then 
sc'.-’.e into the regular half-hour 
film entry. 















WedneBclayy December J5»' 1956 


PKfctWFr 


RADIO-TELEVISION 35 



Anent the stepped up censorship activity among agencies^ and 
sponsors on tv, dramatic.shows, as detailed in last week's Variety 
one. of the major Madison Ave. ad houses with a multiple-client 
stake in about a score of network shows is now subjecting tv scripts 
to what amounts to a Univac test. 

Agency has. taken on a psychologist whose job it is to screen all 
scripts submitted for the agency’s dramatic presentations. Unless 
the scripts meet aU.the slide-rule requirements and specifications 
within, the framework of the psychological test, they're turned back 
for revisions pr, tossed out altogether, 

. ♦ #4 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦+» ♦ <!♦♦♦ »4 ♦♦♦♦ 







;; The ‘Whys’ of Media Buying;; 


By ART WQODSTONE 

Last week was a week in which 
the frailties of media buying and 
promotional research were re-ex¬ 
posed to trade view, A specialist 
told a media buying workshop at 
the Eastern Annual Conference in 
N.Y. of the American Assn, of Ad¬ 
vertising Agencies that made media 
planning is no science and suggest¬ 
ed that a lot of the so-called scien¬ 
tific reasons for putting sponsor 
coin into given media “are justifi¬ 
cations after the fact which could 
just as readily have been brought 
up in support of some other media 
choice.’’ At the 2d Annual Confer¬ 
ence (also in N.Y.) of the American 
Research Foundation, which is 
dedicated t, furthering “scientific 
practices,” another expert said that 
“more and more, research .is being 
used to sell rather than to en¬ 
lighten.” 

Four A’s media buying workshop 
was a unique affair, built about 
the points of view of four agency 
media chieftains on how a single 
hypothetical account (actually, Tet¬ 
ley Tea, now spending. moH of its 
£750,000 budget in spot, radio) 
should allocate its budget. With¬ 
out knowing the actual account, 
and working from a fact sheet that 
gave several facts about the anon¬ 
ymous “potable,” executives of 
Grey, J. Walter Thompson and 
Benton & Bowles agencies told the 
audience what they thought the 
spending process should be and 
why. A like exec from Ogilvy, Ben¬ 
son & Mather, which handles Tet¬ 
ley,. told what it actually was 
Spending andVhy. Dr. Leo, Bogart,, 
of McCann-Erickson, summed up 
the four points of viewan# mildly 
levelled criticism at some of the 
post-rationalization that had gone 
on previously. 

“I’ve been analyzing, some of the 
(Continued on page 56) • 

CBS-TV’s 3-Hour 
Year’s End Show 

A three-hour news and public 
affairs show, longest of its type, 
has been set by CBS-TV for Sun¬ 
day, Dec. 30. The one-time special 
will be titled “At Year’s End- 
1956” and will be divided into 
three segments, “The New Fron¬ 
tier,” dealing with top scientific 
advances; “The Big News of ’56,” 
and “Years of Crisis: 1956.” 

The special show will occupy the 
£ to 6 p.m. period, with each seg¬ 
ment getting one hour. Will 
Rogers Jr. will host the science 
segment, assisted by three CBS 
newsmen. Segment will be pro¬ 
duced in cooperation with the 
American Assn, for the Advance¬ 
ment of Science, with Dr. Paul 
$ears, president of the association, 
Slated to appear. Michael Sklar 
of the pubaffairs department will 
produce. 

Second segment, the news wrap- 
up, will be narrated by Charles 
Collingwood, and comprise some 
1,700 feet of newsfilm shot by 
CBS newsmen. David Zellmer will 
supervise, with Ted Marvel direct¬ 
ing. “Years of Crisis” will be the 
web’s eighth annual symposium of 
its foreign newsmen, with Ed Mur- 
row presiding. Panelists will be 
chief European correspondent 
Howard K. Smith, Paris chief 
David Schoenbrun, Bonn corre¬ 
spondent Richard C. Hottelet, 
Moscow correspondent Dan Schorr, 
Rome chief Winston Burdett, Asia 
correspondent Robert Pierpoint 
and chief Washington correspond¬ 
ent Eric Sevareid. 






Those *B&H* Hot Spots 

At the weekly meetings of 
CBS-TV o&o managers and - 
CBS-TV Spot Sales in N. Y. 
last week, several out-of-town 
. station execs expressed a de¬ 
sire to see the Piel's a Beer 
“Bert & Harry” spots, about 
which they’d heard so much 
but never seen due to the east¬ 
ern - states - only distribution 
setup of the brewery. A show¬ 
ing of the spots, consisting of 
^ string of four one-minute 
blurbs and four 20-second 
spots, was arranged for the 
end of one of the sessions, fol¬ 
lowing some business-only 
clinics. 

After the showing, at which 
the spots got a solid reception, 
one station manager asked, 
“Who do I talk to around here 
about scheduling those at 5:30 
p.m. every day?” 


Tovaiich,’ Other 
TV Musicals On 
Spedor Agenda 

Joel Spector, the indie producer 
who-turned up “The Stingiest Man 
in Town” spec set for “Alcoa Hour” 
Dec. 23, has acquired four more 
original musicals for teledevelop¬ 
ment. Spector, however, sees as a 
necessity the evolution of a pat¬ 
tern whereby"television rights will 
be predicated on network financing 
of a Broadway presentation of such 
originals first, with the spec com¬ 
ing afterward, and he’s working 
on that basis on the four new prop¬ 
erties. 

Properties are musical version 
of “Tovarich,” an original called 
“The Female Touch,” composed by 
the “Stingiest” writers, Fred Spiel- 
man and Janice Torre, an original 
called “Caribbean Nights” and a 
musical version of “Henry VIII.” 
All four shows are in their early 
stages of development, with no 
financing or commitments for stage 
or tv set. 

Score for “Tovarich” would be 
done either by Burton Lane or by 
(Continued on page 52) 


What may .prove to be one of 
the most drastic overhaiilirigs of 
programming at NBC-TV since Pat 
Weaver went on a spec spree a few 
years back appears, to be shaping 
up at the network for next season. 
The_“t op to bottom” reshuffle is. 
the No. 1 item for “in depth” dis¬ 
cussion at a meeting of the minds 
over which the network’s top. brass 
is presiding this week. 

. Pointing up the critical nature of 
program situation was the appoint¬ 
ment of RCA-NBC staff v.p. Manie 
Sacks to head up programming and 
the shift o| Bob Lewine from ABC- 
TV to become Sacks’ aide (see sep¬ 
arate story). Sacks will take im¬ 
mediate charge of the meetings, 
with Lewine joining in Monday 
(10) when his moveover becomes 
effective. 

It’s understood that the network 
may expand the schedule of 60- 
minute and 90-minute shows, with 
the long dramatic form being in 
high favor (as, of course, it. is at 
the rival CBS-TV web, where the 
Thursday night two-and-a-half- 
hour parlay of ‘‘Climapc” and 
“Playhouse 90” enjoys an SRO 
status plus an enviable Trendex 
record. 

The NBC program heads are 
taking a long hard look at piloted 
properties and other programs cre¬ 
ated by its Hollywood staff,of pro¬ 
ducers. The meetings are also in¬ 
tended to improve the program 
quality to head off the threat of 
ad agencies producing on their 
own. Also up for discussion is 
California National’s participation 
in the filming of shows for the 
new order of programming. Rob¬ 
ert Levitt, head of CN, will pro¬ 
pose its contribution, while sacks, 
Tom McAvity, Nat Wolff and 
Coast program chief A1 Livingston 
will pass judgment on the new 
crop of shows from Hollywood. „ 

Decisions, of course, will also be 
made on the immediate replace- 
continued on page 52) 


COLGATE ANKLING 
‘MY FRIEND FLICKA’ 

Colgate has passed the word to 
CBS-TV and 20th-Fox that, it will 
cancel 20th’s “My Friend^ Flicka” 
after one year of net sponsorship of 
the kidshow in late Januarry. At 
the same time, CBS itself will let 
its rights to the stanza, which it 
bought from 20th and peddled to 
Colgate, lapse and will substitute a 
new show. 

Possible entries for the Friday 
at 7:30 time period are “Mama,” 
which is being revived in a film 
version and is due to start soon on 
Sunday afternoons, and “Two for 
the Money,” which was dropped at 
the end of the summer but which 
the web has still been peddling to 
sponsors. Sam Levenson would 
emcee “Money” if it returns. 


‘Manie’s Men’ Portends New NBC 
Era; Sacks Helms Program Setup 


Reds Raid Terry toons 

A television exec visting 
Berlin recently was astonished 
at seeing' some old Terrytoon 
cartoons on East Berlin’s Com- 
...mie-xun. tele.visian_ station. He. 
did some investigating an<j / 
found that the cartoons were 
made about 22 years ago and 
transferred to the Castle 
Films home-movies outfit. Pre¬ 
sumably, they were in East 
Berlin when the Russians took 
over and were dug up for tv 
use. 

What made the situation 
something of a coincidence 
and accounted for the tv exec’s 
interest in the cartoons is the 
fact that he is Leslie T. Har¬ 
ris, v.p. and general manager 
of CBS Television Film Sales. 
CBS Inc. bought out Terry- 
toons from Paul Terry a year 
ago and set up a Terrytoons 
division for which CBS Televi¬ 
sion Film Sales handles sales. 


Ken Englund Exits 
CBS-TV Deal; Sets 
His Own Prod. Unit 


Ken Englund, vet motion picture 
and television scenarist-producer, 
has worked out an amicable release 
from his five-year producer-writer 
deal with CBS-TV and is setting up 
his own production ope *,'on, with 
the first item on the agenda being 
a series starring Boris Karloff and 
titled “Ghost!” Englund has at least 
one other tv project in the works 
and several motion picture and 
legit properties which he hopes 
to develop. 

“Ghost!” is a property he devel¬ 
oped while at CBS-TV, and he’s 
asked the web to release it back to 
him and meanwhile worked out the 
deal with Karloff to star and be¬ 
come a partner in the venture. It 
would be a ghost series—but not 
an anthology—which Karloff would 
narrate and perform in, with top 
guest stars from all over the world. 
Series would have a contemporary 
setting arid would be shot on the 
Coast, in England, France and 
Spain, in the latter countries to 
take advantage of genuine locales. 
One possibility for a studio site is 
Toledo Films in Madrid, in which 
Frank Hale, with whom Englund 
and his producer-son, George Eng¬ 
lund, have been associated. 

Also in the television hopper is 
“Hollywood Hook and Ladder,” a 
comedy series on which George 
Burns wants to do a pilot through 
his McCadden Productions in Jan- 
(Continued on page 48) 


Appointment on Friday .(30) 
of . vet RCA-NBC staff veepee 
Manie Sacks to the top NBC-TV 
program post, and the simultaneous 
shift of Bob.Lewine from ABC-TV 
to become his key aide under¬ 
scores a subtle significant change 
that. has. ..taken. ..place- UL.thfL.past..... 
couple of months in the network’s 
two most vital areas, programs and 
sales. 

All but one of the top program¬ 
ming echelon at the network are 
Sacks “boys,” people he either 
brought into the web or with whom 
he’s been closely identified. And 
the top spot in sales likewise is 
held by a “Sacks” man,” that be¬ 
ing Billy Goodheart, whom Sacks 
brought in some months ago as a 
programming exec and who was 
named v.p. over sales a couple of 
months back. 

Since Sacks has been one of 
RCA board chairman David Sar- 
noff’s proteges and in great mea¬ 
sure reports directly to Gen. Sar- 
noff, it’s assumed that the RCA 
chief has decided to resume a 
greater measure of active control . 
of the weh than in thft past. More¬ 
over, it was Gen. Sarnoff himself 
who brought in former ABC prez 
Bob Kintner as an exec v.p. of 
NBC, all of which points to a 
heightening of Gen. Sarnoff’s day- 
to-day activities at the network. 

In the new setup, Sacks in effect 
replaces Dick Pinkham, who was 
shifted to v.p. over advertising and 
promotion a couple of months 
back. " S&cks, as v.p. in charge of 
television network programs, re- 
(Continued on page 56) 


Framer Strikes a Rich Big Payoff 


With the CBS-TV cross-the- 
board “Big Payoff” entry out of the 
Walt Framer shop winding up its 
fifth year upon expiration of the 
current contract on Dec. 31. Col¬ 
gate is not only going for another 
go-round through ’57 but is taking 
an even bigger slice, adding Thurs¬ 
day to its sponsorship days (effec¬ 
tive Jan. 3) with possibility that it 
may close the five-day gap by buy¬ 
ing Tuesday as well. All of which 
merely adds some more interesting 
fodder and vital statistics to what 
emerges as one of the most fabul¬ 
ous money stories in daytime tele¬ 
vision,’to wit: 

With “Payoff” entering its sixth 
semester and Framer’s companion 
show, “Strike It Rich,” now in its 
ninth year, it’s estimated that Col¬ 
gate thus far has an investment of 
somewhere between $25,000,000 
and $30,000,000 (time and talent) 
in its longtime sponsorship at the 
going rate of $4,000,000 per -year 
for the two properties. 

For Framer,, the two entries 


bring in a gross revenue of $1,000,- 
000 a year (what's retained after 
expenses—there’s a staff of 53 on 
the Framer payroll—taxes, etc., is 
something else again .“but who’s 
complaining?”). 

All this, too, without benefit of 
a nighttime showcase (the after¬ 
dark version of “Strike It Rich” 
has been off the air for two years), 
but Framer’s reentry into the 
nighttime program sweepstakes 
has already been" tossed into the 
combined network hoppers for 
consideration. If it goes on, it 
would project “Rich” into a new 
programming area comprised large¬ 
ly of public service overtones, with 
a built-in format designed not so 
much to help individuals but over¬ 
all community projects, such as 
new hospitals or other charitable- 
philanthropic ventures generally 
relegated to civic groups. 

And in tempo with the current 
yen for travelling the shows (“be¬ 
cause audience tastes change”) 
Framer will “hit the road” at an 
accelerated pace with both “Pay¬ 


off” and “Rich.” It’s just a case 
of getting someone other than Col¬ 
gate to go for the added tab on 
line charges, etc., in which in most 
cases the communities themselves 
are only too happy to share. 

Framer’s also pitching up an¬ 
other nighttime entry called “The 
$1,000,000 Family,” which he de¬ 
scribes as full of “human equa¬ 
tions designed to glorify the fami¬ 
ly as an institution.” The million 
is the grand payoff. ^Format pits 
families of immigrant parentage 
vieing in telling the family story. 
“It’s that simple but what comes 
out is fascinating.” 

And what has seven years of 
“Strike It Rich” done to Warren 
Hull? Recently he went to Hono¬ 
lulu for a rest. (“That’s one place 
where nobody’ll know me”). Not 
until he arived did he learn that : 
three-week-late kinnie of “Rich 1 
is a top cross-the-board fave in 
Honolulu. It turned into an auto¬ 
graph vacation. 


Alka Does afizz 
On NBC Radio Coin 


For .the first time in nearly two 
decades, there'll be no Alka Seltzer 
fizzing on the NBC radio network 
after the first of the year. Miles 
Labs, which is spending $1,200,000 
on NBC AM this year, is dropping ‘ 
all its identities on the network 
at the end of the month to take a 
$1,000,000 52 : week ride on a spate 
of Mutual news shows. 

Actually, Miles reportedly wanted 
to bow out of its commitments on 
NBC-TV’s Chet Huntley and Dave 
Brinkley .newscasts. When it 
couldn’t get the tele network’s 
okay on that, Miles voted down a 
renewal on the radio properties. 

Biggest blow hits the nightly 
AM “News of the World” which 
has carried the Miles banner for 
more than 15 years. Web, how¬ 
ever, expects to have tbe Morgan- 
Beatty-helmed roundup resold be¬ 
fore the week is but. 

Also being axed are the daily 
participations in “Woman In My 
House” and “Hilltop House,” as 
well as the spot slurge on “Band¬ 
stand” and “Monitor.” 

Miles transactions are handled 
by the Geoffrey Wade agency Ip 
Chicago. 

Don McNeill Staging 
His Own ’Convention’ 

To Fete ABC Brass 

Chicago, Dec. 4. 

In a novel salute to the guys who 
played key roles in propelling 
ABC’s “Breakfast Club” into the 
soldout bracket, BC headman Don 
McNeill is hosting and underwrit¬ 
ing a two-day “convention” of ABC 
brass and sales staffers in Chicago 
Dec. 12-13. Guest list . includes 
Don Durgin, ABC Radio veep; 
Steve Riddleberger, web’s business 
manager; George Comtois, sales 
manager; Les Harris, eastern sales 
manager; Ernest Walker* midwest 
sales manager, and Harry Wood- 
worth, western division sales man¬ 
ager. 

Delegation will be ensconced in 
the Sherman Hotel and will guest 
on the “Breakfast Club” broadcast 
of Dec. 13 which will be dedicated- 
to the selling profession generally. 




TELEVISION EEVIKWS 


Msmm 


yi»A«egJay, D«cei»l>er &, llSf 


M' 


Damy Kaye in TV Bow 
As a One-Man UN Troubadour 


r By GEORGE ROSEN 

Danny Kaye came to television 
as a giant*—with the whole world 
and its kids as his “format.” All 
of New York and Hollywood’s 
crack tv enterpreneurs as a com: 
feine : couldn’t have duplicated the 
“production,” nor for that matter 
the entire staff operating from 
within the precincts of Mr. Diilles’ 
State pept could make , such .a 
universal peace-generating contri¬ 
bution as this one-man show biz 
ambassador on a charity mission 
for. the United Nations Interna¬ 
tional Children’s Emergency Fund. 

It was not only grand television, 
endowed with that once-in-a-blue- 
moon spontaneity sparked .by the 
virtuosity of a consummate artist, 
but it was great statesmanship as 
well. It was, in short, the kind 
of “show 1 ’ that stems from a belief 
in something bigger than a tele¬ 
vision audience and designed to 
restore one’s faith in a medium 
tl|at, when used properly, can 
emerge as something of great 
value. 

if “The Secret Life of Danny 
Kaye,” the 90-minute filmed docu¬ 
mentation of the star’s 50,000-mile 
journey to kindle the UNCEF 
flame and invite funds to help 
bring succor to children in dis¬ 
tress, invite hosannahs from the 
editorialists as well as tv review¬ 
ers, it’s because it was far more 
than a iv show. Simultaneous 
with its “See It Now” showcasing 
on’CBS-TV Sunday afternoon (2.), 
it was shown in 26 other countries 
throughout the world. Whatever 


SECRET LIFE OF DANNY KAYE 
(See It Now) 

With Ed Marrow, host; Kaye, 
others 

Producers: Fred W. Friendly, Mur- 
row 

90 Mins., Sun. (2), S p.m. 

PAN-AM, Shulton 
CBS-TV, from N.Y. (film) 

(J. Walter Thompson; 
Wesley Associate) 


its global Trendex, it merited «all 
of' it and more. For this was not 
cqly entertainment—it was an edu¬ 
cational eye-opener, it was peace 
propaganda, it was, indeed, a one- 
man UN in action with Kaye as 
a 20th Century Pied Piper leading 
kids into moments of great joy. 
And if Kaye in the process cuffoed 
this unique and distinctive con¬ 
tribution as “See It Now’s” most 
rewarding stanza, he himself was. 
more than rewarded by the un¬ 
alloyed joy and happiness that 
was inherent in the 8,000 feet of 
documentation (culled from a 
total of 200,000 feet brought back 
by “See It Now” camera crews and 
so expertly edited by Ed Murrow, 
Fred Friendly & Co. 

Sincerity and human compassion 
were Kaye’s translators as he sang 
his way through country after 
country and staged one benefit 
after another on behalf of UNICEF. 
If language never presented a bar¬ 
rier to hinvit“s because Kaye’s de¬ 
sire to communicate sidestepped 
it. Wherever he went, he estab¬ 
lished an emotional telegraphy, 
and the children, no matter what 
their tongue, made contact and 
understood the message. And over 
and above the sheer entertainment 
values, the fascinating insight into 
the ways and thinking of many 
people, the personal charm, the 
graciousness and dignity of a hum¬ 
ble performer, there was also the 
revelation of the overwhelming 
potential of this newest means of 
communication—tv. “The Secret 
Life of Danny Kaye” demonstrated 
that television, at one and the 
same time, could reach on their 
own level millions throughout the 
world. Illiteracy couldn’t stop its 
message; diplomatic red tape had 
to dissolve; ulterior motives would 
not stand up under its exposure. 
And if any one agency of the UN 
could work so well in a world 
beleaguered with insolubles, here 
was proof that television as the 
giant liaison can implement its 
work. 

First and foremost, there was 
Danny* Kaye, the performer, put¬ 
ting on a great show as he sang, 
danced and frolicked with the kids 
of many nations. ■ Wherever he 
went they, wanted the* “Ugly 
Duckling.” ’‘Minnie the Moocher” 
panicked ’em in Turkey. Spain it 
was “Tschafkqwsky.” At the Royal 
Festival in London it was his fabu¬ 


lous panto bits in leading an imag¬ 
inary orchestra and drinking tea' 
from an empty cup. In Israel his 
batoning of the Philharmonic Orch 
was the mccoy with a hilarious 
“Stars and Stripes” finale. In 
Israel, too, his takeoff of an Israeli 
pantomimist doing a pantomime of 
Gary Cooper in “High Noon” was 
high comedy tempoed to universal 
appreciation. In Ankara, Turkey, 
he danced with a children’s ballet 
and took command when a 
UNICEF benefit wefft awry back- 
stage and leadership temporarily 
vanished. And the topper of them 
all... .8. fabulp.y^_pjece. jif ..natural 
and uninhibited talent, was the 
show-stopper in Italy when a 
cherubic Neapolitan kid sang and 
gesticulated “Ciu Ciu Bella”—the 
song, incidentally, that themed 
the whole presentation. The kid’s 
spontaneous joy at his own per¬ 
formance and Danny Kaye’s re¬ 
sponse was a gem to behold. And 
once more Kaye the- man proved 
even greater than Kaye the per¬ 
former. The stage and the lime¬ 
light all belonged to the kid. 

Kaye the ambassador also took 
his audiences into the dark coun¬ 
tries of great want and disease. 
A town with 100% trachoma afflic¬ 
tion; a city of lepers, children 
without hands and many others 
with needs so great that only a 
world organization could cope 
with them — here was Kaye the 
diplomat and humanitarian in ac- 
tiom And in a brief yet -complete 
montage of interviews with the 
beads of the different nations, 
Kaye gave in telling figures the 
surprisingly small sums that could, 
arrest and eventually control"; 
trachoma, that could cure a leper 
for life, that could provide safe 
and pasteurized milk for the chil¬ 
dren of a country. The episodes 
of affilictiort'weren’t always pleas¬ 
ant to look at; as propaganda they 
were powerful, smoothly and force¬ 
fully integrated in this three-way 
communication of Kaye, the peo¬ 
ple of the world and tv. 

Both Pan American and Shulton, 
toiletries manufacturer, sponsored 
the show. In thd best of all pos¬ 
sible tv worlds, an uninterrupted 
90 minutes on this kind of pro¬ 
gram would, of course, have been 
desirable. But it is to Pan-Am’s 
credit, in particular, that it used 
restraint and dignity rather than 
a hard sell. 


THE BARRIS BEAT 

With Alex Barris, Jack Duffy, 

Gloria Lambert* Roy Roberts, 

Larry Mann, Cynthia Barrett 

Dancers 

Producer: Norman Jewison 
Writers: Alex Bams, Sammy Sales, 

Bernard Ornstein 
30 Mins.; Sat., 10:30 p.m. 

CBC-TV, from Toronto 

As a pleasant and amiable gag¬ 
man, Alex Barris is .probably the 
top Canadian comedy‘single on the 
CBC-TV network, so much so that 
his weekly summer series has been 
extended to 18 fortnightly pro¬ 
grams for 1956-57. On production 
cost, “The Barris. Beat” has no 
sponsor (although there have been 
nibbles) but, on the unusual calibre 
of the amusing conversationalist, 
the CBC is carrying the series as 
a sustainer on 39 coast-to-coast 
stations. 

The only sponsorship suggestion 
is that more time should be de¬ 
voted to the Barris patter and sit¬ 
uations rather than the present 
song-and-dance formula that not 
only runs up costs hut is a carbon 
of so many similar CBC variety 
shows. 

Roy Roberts is in again this win¬ 
ter season as baritone singer and 
opened with a novelty “You’ll Get 
Yours.” this sung against a bar¬ 
room set, with the Cynthia Barrett 
Dancers (4) on for the usual calis¬ 
thenics. Gloria Lambert was the 
nitery singer for a lusty rendering 
of “It’s Love” from “Wonderful 
Town” and seemed to be essaying 
a Judy Garland delivery without, 
of course, attaining that objective. 
She/and Jack Duffy were back to¬ 
gether later for a “Flattery” duet. 

The writing of the gag situations, 
which are contributed by a trio of 
scribblers, feature Barris and Jack 
Duffy, with former more of the 
straight man in such instances and 
duo a good comedy team. On nov¬ 
elty takeoff in the Ed Murrow 
style, with Barris in the chair, had 
separate “interviews” with Chris¬ 
topher Columbus, Dr. Graham Bell 
and the Wright Brothers. Neat, 
backgrounding throughout is given 
by Gordon Kushner’s 16-man orch, 
with arrangements by Phil Nim- J 
mons; ’ McStay. * 


MARCH OF MEDICINE 
(Mon*****) 

With Jehu Gunthbr, Ben Graver; 

Nondan Rose 
Writer: Lou fiazMa . 

60 Tues. (29), 9:30 p.m. 

SMITH, KLINE * FRENCH 
NBC-TV, (color-film) 

(Ooremvs-Ethehnan) 


la the field of documentary tv, 
“Monganga” rates as a standout 
job.' All hands, and that includes 
the Smith, Kline & French tv unit 
as well as writer Lou Hazara- and 
narrators John Gunther,* Norman 
Rose, Ben Grauer, rate a low bow 
for putting together a 60-mimiter 
that gripped the viewer throughout. 

The subject for “Monganga” 
(anglicized to white mission doctor) 
was a natural but the film makers 
didn’t soup it up to build' any un¬ 
necessary dramatic values. The 
story of Dr. John E. Ross,' based 
in the Belgian Congo to serve the 
African natives, is dramatic enough 
on its own. And the. addition of 
topnotch pictorial shots of the 
country and its people heightened 
all elements of a well-conceived 
script of one man’s march for 
medicine. 


Dr. Ross* strenuous workday in 
his own native-built hospital and 
in faraway bush clinics were vivid¬ 
ly portrayed both in picture and 
narration. His battles ■ against, 
leprosy, yaws, elephantiasis, sleep¬ 
ing sickness, arthritis,. etc., came 
across with impact and also spot¬ 
lighted SK&F’s message of 'modern 
medicine’s advance all over' the 
worid. ’ 

Gunther, Grauer and Rose 
headed up the narration slot in a 
style that was in keeping with 
dramatic mood of the theme. The 
SK&F commercials were alsb in 
line as well as‘ being informative: 
The pic rates a repeat sometime 
ill the future. * Gros. 


HERE’S MUSIC 

With Norman Ross, Marian Mc- 
Partland Trio, ’Peggy Connelly, 
Dick Marx & Johnny FrigO, 
Frank D’Rone 1 

Producer: Herbert S. Laufman 
Director: Phil Bodweli 
30 Mins.; Mon., 10:30 p.m. 

WNBQ, Chicago (color) 

“Here’s Music” is a generous 
serving of cool jazz for the modern 
music cultists. Classily dressed in 
a mock nitery setting, the half- 
hour features current talent dou¬ 
bling from the London House and 
Mr. Kelly’s bistros, thus assured of 
a stream of topflight music makers. 

Roundelay watched (26) was long 
on music without too much patter 
by. host Norman Ross who chins 
casually with the guests between, 
sets. Top spot was occupied by 
Marian McPartland’s trio with the 
namesake’s piano showcased to 
good advantage on “All the Things 
You Are” and “Greensleeves.” 

Dick Marx, backstopped by 
bassist Johnny Frigo, took over 
the keyboard for a rousing medley 
climaxed -by a fine treatment of 
“Sleighride.” It’s easy to see why 
the two are standard fixtures at Mr. 
Kelly’s emporium. 

Vocal chores were handled by 
Peggy Connelly and Frank D’Rone. 
Strategically stacked Miss Con¬ 
nelly was easy on eye and ear as 
she unfurled a warm “Let’s Do It 
Again,” among others. Singer- 
guitarist D’Rone contributed an 
okay version of “Our Love Is Here 
To Stay.” 

Show is packaged in tint but 
on a black and white set the light¬ 
ing was strangely dim, making for 
some unflattering shadows. 

Dave. 


Foreign TV Reviews 


VERA LYNN SINGS 
With Semprini, The Keynotes, 
Dennis Spicer, Julian Bream, 
The Leslie Roberts Silhouettes. 
Orchestra conducted by Eric 
Robinson 

Producer: Albert Stevenson 
45 Mins.; Tues. (27), 7:30 p.m. 
BBC-TV, from London * 

Although this show depended 
largely on music, the wide range 
of entertainment in that field of¬ 
fered by a headline cast avoided 
any chance of repetition. Vera 
Lynn’s charm in femceeing the 
program, and her many vocal 
renderings, added'a pleasant touch 
of informality to the 45-minute 
spot, and the polished perform¬ 
ances of all taking part resulted in 
an easy going, good show. 

Program was beamed from the 
BBC owned King’s Theatre, at 
Hammersmith, with a live audi¬ 
ence present, and Miss Lynn’s 
singing of “You’ll Never Know’V 
put them into a good frame of 
mind from the start. Ventriloquist 
Dennis Spicer and his unusually 
animated dummy was perfect for 
tv. His routine, closing with a 
tongue twisting 200 word-a-min- 
(Continued on page 50) 


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Kraft Television Theatre 

Arthur Hailey, the Toronto ad- 
man-turned-scripter ' who’s been 
burning up the international tele¬ 
vision screens with three hot shows 
in a row, muffed 1 a beautiful op¬ 
portunity for a smash suspense 
vehicle in his-' “Time Lock.”* “Kraft- 
Theatre 11 producer-director Harry 
Herrmann managed to turn Hailey’s 
story of a boy locked in a bank 
vault into a niftily paced melo¬ 
drama, but considering the oppor¬ 
tunities presented by the property 
in terms of compelling human* val¬ 
ues, his effort has to be chalked 
up as a superficial one. 

Yarn has a bank adfcountant 
locking the vault to open 63 hours 
later, on Monday morning, There¬ 
after,'if s a f ace to get to the buy 
before the oxygen in the vault 
gives out, and Herrmann made this 
a dilly, with the cops bringing up 
p.a. systems, acetylene torches, air 
hammers, oxygen, etc., and bring¬ 
ing in an expert on safes via a po¬ 
lice roadblock, escorts and heli¬ 
copter. 

All the melodramatic ingredients 
were there^and fully exploited, but 
the performance* never struck 
home and established a sense of 
reality “and impact because the 
human values were neglected. The 
viewer couldn’t really identify 
with the characters. In short, it 
was melodrama instead of drama. 
Fault lay primarily in the script, 
since while the mother .and father 
of the boy were on hand, they got 
minor treatment, and except for a 
few moments, so did the boy hitn- 
self. The concentration on the ac¬ 
tion itself to the exclusion of the 
reactions hurt the presentation 
badly. 

Not much better were the per¬ 
formances. Mother and father, 
played by William Kemp and 
Nancy Relinick, were flat and un¬ 
convincing; Chester Morris, as the 
safe expert who finally gets the 
boy out, was authoritative without 
any depth; Tom Middleton as the 
bank manager was somewhat more 
effective but not wholly convinc¬ 
ing. In most cases, the actors had 
to contend with the superficiality 
of the script. 

“Time Lock” still has some sold 
inherent values. With a longer 
treatment, either as a 90-minute 
showcase or a motion pic, full ad¬ 
vantage could be taken of the real 
possibilities presented by the 
premise. “Kraft”" showed up the 
melodramatic impact, but that's 
only half the story. (Following 
the tv showing, “Time Lock” in 
fact was purchased* for the 
screen by Romulus Films of Lon¬ 
don.) Chan. 


Voice of Firestone 

“The Voice of Firestone” was 29 
years old Monday (3), and institu¬ 
tional sponsor Firestone Rubber 
clings sentimentally to an un¬ 
changing format of opera and light 
classics, with little regard for in¬ 
creasing its audience share. Since 
the sponsor seems satisfied draw¬ 
ing that same relatively small but 
faithful following week in and 
week out for its brand of music. 
Firestone cannot be challenged for 
so continuing. But there is room 
for a change. It was apparent on 
the ABC simulcast as guest Cesare 
Siepi and the Firestone chorus and 
orchestra under Howard Barlow 
pleasantly devoted the full half- 
hour to Italian music. 

For the last eight of its 28 years, 
the program has been on tv as well : 
as radio. Having to think also of 
the radio audience, the talent and, 
production team on “Voice” are 
handicapped in what they can offer 
visually.. Motion is slowed; the 
music and song are not enhanced 
by free-flowing action, as the per¬ 
formers concentrate inelastically 
on that mike. Maybe its time to 
drop the radio seg entirely, Or go¬ 
ing back to using replays from its 
first 28 years, so that the major 
medium can receive full concen¬ 
tration. 

An appraisal of the music results 
in praise for Siepi, who lent his 
rich voice to “Anema E - Core,” 
“Santa Lucia,” “Son Lo Spirito” 
from “Mephistofele,” and “Mari* 
Mari.” Eight-voice chorus—all its 
members are young and attractive 
—pleased with “Funiculi Funicu- 
la,” and the orch pitched in spirit¬ 
edly with the -overture from “La 
Forza Del Destino.” Art. 

Dinah Shore Chevy Show 

Dinah Shore, television’s most 
vivacious grande dame, presided 
over a pleasant caper for Chev¬ 
rolet on NBC-TV last Friday night 
(30). While they were handed 
some patter material that sagged 
in spots, Miss Shore & Friends 
didn t let it throw them off stride 
for long. 

Again its was a personal triumph 
for the headmistress as she chirped 
and tfeiHfted her *way through the 
hour with\an infectious charm that 


brought ou the best from her 
guests. 

She and “Shirley MacLaine, 
fetchingly Sheathed in spangled 
leotards, spunoff a darb of a song 
and dance routine. Ladies were 
then joined by George Gobel, who 
demanded, and got a Jackie Glea¬ 
son introduction that was a rib¬ 
tickling lampoon of same. Three 
of them segued into a parody -of 
“Whatever Lola Wants,' Lola Gets,” 
with Gobel playing the masterful 
male for a clever switch. 

Joel Grey popped in for a re¬ 
prise of a medley from his recent 
“Jack and the Beanstalk” spec and 
Guy Mitchell delivered “Singing 
the Blues” for the teeners.. Banter 
supplied him for his chat with the 
'Misses Shore md~MHcLainr" was" 
limp. 

Miss Shore’s medely dueting 
with Gobel, hacked ’ by the Sky¬ 
larks, was a solid next-to-closing 
climax to the hour tastefully and 
adroitly reined by producer-direc¬ 
tor Bob Banner. Dave , . 

Playhouse 90 

As its second filmed show since 
bowing last October with a daring 
new program concept, CBS-TV'* 
“Playhouse 90” Thursday (29) un¬ 
reeled a ^modest melodrama com 
cisely titled “Confession.” An origi¬ 
nal by Devery Freeman, it emerged 
as so*so entertainment and. scarce¬ 
ly enhanced the prestige of this 
important weekly drama presenta¬ 
tion. 1 

Star power for this'Screen Gems 
production was provided by Dennis 
O’Keefe. and June Lockhart, with 
Paul Stpwjarf and. Romney “Brent 
holding down featured roles. Un¬ 
fortunately. their talents were rel¬ 
atively wasted,by the trite.script 
and uninspired direction of Anton 
Leader. * 

For ^Confession” concerned the. 
posthumous admission of a civic 
leader that he and his associates' 
had dipped*into the public till'via. 
a $12,000,000 bridge construction 
scandal. Of course this hot 1 story 
wasn’t on the sdrface for all. to 
see—it had to be ferreted down by 
star reporter O'Keefe. 

But in light of what he had 
stumbled upon, it was curious how 
O’Keefe cruised through the 90 
minutes of footage with an unre¬ 
lieved air oif cynicism and indif¬ 
ference. However, when reflecting 
upon the story material and direc¬ 
tion it cease* to be a mystery. A* 
for the other participants, Miss 
Lockhart struggles to deckle 
whether she’ll be loyal to O’Keefe 
or her late father; Stewart does a 
popular conception of what a news¬ 
paper publisher’s lik$ and Brent 
turns in a stock characterization of 
an attorney exposed as a grafter. 
Technical credits are standard. 

Gilb. 


Sunday Night at London Palladium 

Britain's top commercial tv 
show from the Palladium again 
proved itself a winner on Sunday 
(Nov. 25) with a topline cast of en¬ 
tertainers headed by Johnnie Ray. 
He was in fine form during his 10- 
minute spot on this ATV program, 
and the live audience, mainly con¬ 
sisting of teenagers, provided the 
familiar offstage squeals. 

Ray was given the full treat¬ 
ment. He appeared standing on 
top of a high pedestal holding a 
hand mike to sing his opening 
song, “Who’s Sorry Now,” and 
slowly walked down a large num¬ 
ber of stairs to the front of the 
stage. Then along came a piano 
on the Palladium’s revolving plat¬ 
form. Ray sat down for about 10 
seconds to play the opening bars 
of his next number “If I Had You.;* 
He registered in all his numbers, 
especially in “Just Walking in the 
Rain,” -and his finale rendering of 
“Alexander’s Rag Time Band.” 
Closeup shots of the audience 
showed enraptured Ray fans. 

Joe Church demonstrated that 
he’s a funny man, providing he has 
enough gimmicks, including to¬ 
matoes growing from his left leg. 
Luisillo and his Spanish company 
of dancers added a fiery touch to 
the show with clacking castanets 
and stamping feet. The comedy 
acrobatic duo, the Marcellis, added 
the crowning touch to the fiO-min- 
ute show With rapid, complicated 
tricks; their routine was slick and 
never lagged for a second. “Beat 
the Clock,” a regular feature of 
the program, was entertainingly 
emceed by Tommy Trinder, who 
also took -care of the intros. 

Bary. 

Perry Como Show 

Perry Como is emerging as a 
savvy, low-pressure comedy per¬ 
former. On his NBC-TV show last 
Saturday night (1), Como was in 
top form, handling his script in 
the same easy style that he displays 
on his songs. The Goodman Ace 
(Continued on page 46) 



W*4neft<lay r December 5y 1956 


PSfklETf 


RAMO^TEI4VISI^ 57, 



Ted Husing is in trouble and since it's no intratrade secret it 
may as well be air^d. He is not in a coma, he is not sinking, and 
should survive, everything being equal—this is being spelled out 
because of wellmeaning newscasters’ premature (very!) statement 
to that effect. ?, 

The pioneer: sportscaster has been ailing for two years, suffered 
a stroke quite some time ago, has. had a brain tumor, but has been 
moved from rehabilitation hospital to hospital, with some good ef¬ 
fect. While this is intended to spotlight the fact that mental 
therapy is good for him right now, there are also the sordid 
economic details attendant to protracted illness and the drain on 
the exchequer;, 'This has been called to the attention of the Radio 
.J?ioneei^..ahdii^intixnate...sociaL.. group t _.caJled. The. Skeeters, o.f 
which “ 21 " Brands Jpc, exec Charles A. Herns (the original Jack 
& Charlie of “21''. Clpb). is treasurer, is doing the realistic work 
op the financial phase. * Herns is the key man for such funds. 

. .Meantime Husing ijrat the Burke Foundation, Mamaroneck Ave., 
White Plains* N.Yj,, anil’ can. see old friends at any time and accept 
phone calls also at any time. This is the “mental therapy" part 

Of it; . 

The economics belong in treasurer Herns’ lap, 23 West 52 St., 
N.Y. City 19. ___ 

St. Louis Home Talent ‘Dream Specs’ 

KSD-TV's Sei*ie6 6f Union Electric-Sponsored 
Shows Clobber Competition 


NEDR BANKR UPl Medium Only, Sez Lindsey Nelson 


St. Louis, Dec. 4.' 
George Burbach, factotum at 
K30-TV here, has been blinking 
his eyes and doing a double take 


i ailing for two years, suffered By LEONARD TRAUBE 

id a brain tumor, but has been „ , . , 

:o hospital, with some good ef- The lowercase program depths to 

potlight the fact that mental which television has sunk this sea- 
w, there are also the sordid son has many facets. But one 
acted illness and the drain on 

i to the attention of the Radio “?“{?.■*I?tSJ a £J? 
rniin rallpd Thp SkpeLcrs of ■ pir^tion of ttl0 JlCXt cycl 0 find A 
Berns (theSnal Jack conservative dozen “or-~sor-shows* 
i Is doing the realistic work for oblivion the program 

, w man for such funds chieftains would not be prepared 

Foundation, Mamaroneck Ave., them with fare potenti- 

friends at any time and accept ally Qualitative, 
is the “mental therapy" part This is a situation that has been 
a “creeping paralysis" .hitting tv 
er Herns’ lap, 23 West 52 St., in the groin without finding the 
industry anywhere near alert to 
■ — - ■ - ■ ■ - —-■= stemming the tide of “Operation 

_ f Downgrade." A highly placed 

*ll_network television executive is au- 

!Hl Dream 3D6CS thority for th e statement that, de- 

' II1 spite almost daily ballyhoo to the 

_ contrary emanating from chief pro¬ 
duction centres New York and Hol- 

dl Electric-Snonsored lywood, there are scarcely enough 
m caeciric oponsorea highly regarded “p 0ssi biiities" in 

Competition the hoppers of the three networks 

__ : _ , _ to fill out six or eight hours of 

programming. He says that come 
n Aft Mofolin rinna January or thereabouts, much 

lldldlie ElOpc more than a mere dozen shows 

Producer Dee Engelbach eloped launched this season or last will 


to San Francisco last week with 


have to call it quits. 

To the not illogical question 


at the “dream, ratings"- that have Natalie Glaser, an NBC secretary. whether unpredictable program 
been registered thus far by the Engelbach used to produce “The mortality puts program factotums 
series Of ■one-a-month one-hour lo- j$ig Show" on NBC Radio. It was and related masterminds on a hot 
cal spectaculars that are being p at Weaver brainchild Miss seat where they do not necessarily 

What°L ed haDDSntog n U E ]SSjOTt un-' Glaser used to be Weaver’s seere- belong he had two answers 
What is happening is Almost un D The mortality and dis tinct 

precedented here. Not even $64,- tary. W' A h v {- 


a Pat Weaver brainchild. Miss seat where they do not necessarily 
Glaser used to be Weaver's secre- belon S’ he had two answers. 


precedented here. Not even “$64,- tary. 

000 Question*' has a chance against - 

them, with the home-made talent - 

Remember That 

When, a few months back, Union “ W,IVIIWVI m 
Electric asked its agency, Gardner, /V O 

to put-together a local show to in- I liiolflfvr (llltnt / 

stitutionalize the company, the 1JIMIIIV If 111 III I 

agency radio-tv veepee, Chick Mar- ^ * J 

tini, knew where to go. Since Ted ^ ~ 

Mack, of the “Original Amateur VlM I A f I | A n m 

Hour," and the show’s producer, ^ aj|l|| ||l|| ulCdlH 
Lou Graham, are old hands at this 

sort of thing, Martini asked them rhiraen Der 4 

to deliver a monthly “package" to . . . ™ c * g0 ’ , . 

KSD-TV, the only proviso being Although virtually dormant since 
that strictly St. Loo talent be used its incorporation in '54, the Qual- 


1) The mortality and distinct 
probability of mortality has obvi¬ 
ously been too great for the last 
two or three years, and much 
greater than it should be this sea¬ 
son, to let the “creative" crowd get 
off the hook that easily, and 

2) Cancellation is a “going con¬ 
cern" in tv, an ever-present thing, 
“strictly a routine”; and hence, 
from that view, it “behooves" the 
program sphere to be ready with 


Nelson’s Hot-Foot 

One of the chronic occupa¬ 
tional hazards of both sports 
reporters and sportscasters 
during the football season is 
the iceboxes they call press 
-boxes at the -J/ar-ious—stadia, _ 
There have been cases where 
the commentators wound up 
games with actual frostbite of 
limbs and even faces. 

NBC-TV commentator and 
sports announcer Lindsey Nel¬ 
son’s got the problem licked, 
however. He discovered a pair 
of “electric socks," which he’s 
been using this fall. They work 
on the electric blanket prin¬ 
ciple, but are battery-operated, 
with the four-hours-use bat¬ 
tery pack located in a hip 
pocket and wires running 
down the legs to the socks. 1 
Nelson says they’re used by 
duck hunters and the like, but 
knows of no other sportscaster 
who wears 'em. 

He says they work like a 
charm and keep him warm as 
toast for the four hours the . 
batteries keep, but he’s afraid 
of one thing. “If you hear me 
- yelp during a game," Nelson 
says, “it won’t be a touchdowh. 
It’ll be a short-circuit." 


WincheD Dropping 
Cues a Reshuffle 


NBC-TV has begun taking steps 


on the show. ity Radio Group is continuing its 

First “On Stage In St. Louis" existence. Annual stockholders' 
entry. Oct 17, grabbed oft an 80.0 . held here last week 

share of the audience based on Ed " . . 

Doody’s coincidental ratings. In at which QRG’s present and future 


\f||| IwAf *| 1 |00|T| “shock troops," much as the mili- to fill the Friday night gap left by 
T UllU UUl VIILCUH tary operates even when the odds the Q id Gold-Toni cancellation of 

are held to be m their favor. He T. r . i^i wi ,. im . i; . 

Chicago, Dec. 4. says the topmost rung of the net- Walter Winchell. With little like- 

Although virtually dormant since works decided long ago that the lihood of the columnist continuing 

its incorporation in M, the Qual- “ se ? on i p ,l atoon ," the spot - NBC pr0gram boys 

ity Radio Group is continuing its g^mming. and that anyone who have gapped at least two alternate 

existence. Annual stockholders' is not prepared by reason of per- moves - 

meeting was held here last week sonnel, brains and/or money to One, under serious consideration, 
at which QRG’s present and future (Continued on page 50) would involve switching Big Sur- 


the 8 to 8:30 slot, it knocked off a status was discussed, and it’s un- 


45.6 -against a 6.1 for. Vice-Presi¬ 
dent Nixon (and it wag. an impor- 
• (Continued on page 50) 


Pepsi, Shnlton Buy 
R&H’s ‘Cinderella’ 


derstood a new sales approach will 

be unveiled in a couple of weeks. 

. . ,, Phinatm TMnv 4 U P 10 m me lauer instance. 

When originally launched, the Armour meat-packing firm is Another, would be the inking of 
Quality setup envisioned an ex- making a $m ^ 0 J nv S st “ ent in “Masquerade Party” recently 
tensive cooperative sales and pro- nbC-TV’s daytime schedule, start- dropped on ABC-TV by Lentheric 
gramming effort targeted at na- ing the second week in January ai \ d Bromo-Seltzer, for an NBC 
tional advertisers. At that time, Armour has ordered 26 quarter- ride ^^r the 8 or 8:30 spot. If 
0 . . ,. , j. ,. . hours of It Could Be You and m e ' network does sign Masque- 

24 of the top radio operations in the second and third positions in rade,” it would air the show in 

the country were signed as char- “Matinee,” both on alternate Wed- color from the Ziegfield Theatre, 
ter members. Bill Ryan was later nesdays. * Meanwhile, Winchell last week 

(Continued on page 56) Agency is Tatham-Laird. (Continued on page 50) 


Armour’s 70CG Buy 


One, under serious consideration, 
would involve switching “Big Sur¬ 
prise" from Tuesday nights to Fri¬ 
days, either in the 8:30 period or 
at 8 , with “Life of Riley" moving 
up to 8:30 in the latter instance. 


By BOB CHANDLER 

Sportscasters can’t and shouldn’t 
wear two hats—they should work 
radio or television but not both. 
That's the confirmed opinion of' 
NBC-TV commentator and assist-; 
ant sports director Lindsey Nel¬ 
son, who did his last radiocast id 
1952 -and ~has ' :stuck~' ter 'television 
since. 

“It’s like a major leaguer who 
tries playing softball in his spare 
time—he ends up out of the ma-’ 
jors. Baseball and softball may 
look alike, but they’re not — the ’ 
timing is different, everything is 
| different, and the guy who tries 
I to play both ends up no good at 
either- one. Same holds for radio 
and television," Nelson declares, : 
“and the announcer who tries to do 
both ends up doing them badly." 

The brand-new requirements of 
television (and they are still de¬ 
veloping, he adds) have changed, 
the groundrules for the announcer. 
The video commentator now has 
to do “analysis and explanation 
rather than description and colon 
The old gag about the dog who 
wanders on the football field is 
still great on radio, but try it on 
television. Even, if the dog is on 
the field, the camera isn't on him, 
and if you try the bit you’re dead." 

Nelson's point is that an an¬ 
nouncer subconsciously, reverts to 
form. If he’s a radio announcer 
doing television, tie’ll .-make him¬ 
self look silly with heedless and 
sometimes inaccurate descriptive 
matter. If he’s a tv. man doing 
radio, he just won’t say enough. 
In spite of all conscious effort, it 
always comes out that way, Nelson 
insists. 

Similarly, video leaves less room 
for time lapses and mistakes. In 
radio, the announcer can miss a 
player’s number or even a play, 
and make up for it a few minutes 
later, ■ because the listener has no 
other means of learning what’s 
happening. “But in television the 
guy at home sees the play* better 
than we do, and we’ve got to be 
right on the spot with him. All 
we use spotters for now are to 
keep our cards with the players 
right, but we’ve got to memorize 
the number and looks of every 
man in uniform." 

One result is that in football, at 
least — and the principle is the 
* (Continued on page 52) 


Rodgers & Hammerslein’s first _ 

tv original, “Cinderella," has been 
snapped up by Pepsi-Cola and 
Shulton for sponsorship on March 
31. when the 9Q_-minute musical 
starring Julie Andrews 1 preempts 
Ed Sullivan, Thus, CBS is well I 
off the hook on the spectacular, Un 
costs of which are expected to run news 
In excess of $300,000. J 


both on alternate Wed- 


Agency is Tatham-Laird. 


color from the Ziegfield Theatre. 
Meanwhile, Winchell last week 
(Continued on page 50) 


UN’s ‘Servants Of History 


By MURRAY HOROWITZ 


I hours of world-wide transmission 110 years he has been with the de- 


off the hook on the spectaculac, Unlted Natlons nsws is "hot thU%K'&dUM web fa partment - he has not heard a dele- 

costs of which are expected to run new s,” and feeding the broadcast- Der f or m ed bv a relativefv small gation squawk that his country did 
In excess of $300,000. i ng medium for Afghanistan to Lit- S roup 0 f 54 producers directors not receive a fair shake in the UN 

It’s Pepsi’s first major tv buy in tie Rock, Ark., is a small band of and announ cers with Michael Hav- news P resentation - 1° fact, Hay- 
gome time. Softdrink outfit has men, servants of history working ward chief of operations of the ward tells of the time prior to Is- 
stuck to spot coverage and some in the UN’s radio-visual services news’radio-visual services division rael ’ s inception as a nation, when 
one-time sporting events, over the division. at th e helm Currently they are the received favorable corn- 

last few years, but the purchase Before the current Middle East working on a budget of’about $1,- ments from both the . Ar ? b and tbe 
marks a change in malting strat- an d Hungarian crises, the demand 500,000, but hope to expand their ^ ben would-be Israeli side, on its 
egy, particularly in light of the fact for UN coverage was not as high as activities next year, especially in reporting of the General Assembly 
that it’s also dickering a regional ^ j s currently. Today in the U. S., the tv realm, with added appropria- deo 3 ^- 

vith CBS Film Sales i 0 cal indies and networks, both on tions. He also reports that Russia and 


vidfilm deal with CBS Film Sales i 0 cal indies and networks, both on tions. He also reports that Russia and 

On “Whirlybirds." As for Shulton, the radio and tv side, are seeking Like the UN itself, the composi- other Eastern European states, (no 
the cosmetics-lotions outfit has be- and getting coverage to a varying tion of the radio-tv staff is inter- amateurs at jamming Voice of 
come a major backer of CBS-TV degree. Ever-diplomatic, the UN national, with 37 different coun- America broadcasts), have not de¬ 
specials," having this season alone news corps-feels that even before tries represented in the depart- liberately jammed UN broadcasts 
sponsored a couple of the “See It the current crisis, the international ment. The hot kines sent through- which, interestingly enough, are 
Now" specials and the Victor organization got good U. S. cov- out the world are directed by Jose sent out over VOA transmitting 
Borge one-man show. erage, estimating that the equiva- Quijano, a Colombian, while Emery facilities. The UN, which has no 

--- lent of $12,000,000 in airtime was Kelen, a Hungarian now retiring transmitting facilities of its own, 

n» nfl |pttt’ t ‘QA’ FnfrV devoted to UN activities last year is tv camera director. Kelen, in- leases facilities from the VOA, com- 
vlallUUllC o Jv luill J by U. S. broadcasters, an estimate cidentally, is being replaced by mercial carriers, and other facilities 
Hollywood, Dec. 4. based on rate cards of radio and Arnold Rabin, formerly of WCAU, in order to reach most every corner 


Claudette’s ’90’ Entry 


in the world. Additionally, 67 of 
the 79 member states relay the 


Hollywood, Dec. 4. based on rate cards of radio and Arnold Rabin, formerly of WCAU, in order to reach most every corner 

Deal is being finalized for Claud- tv stations. Philadelphia. in the world. Additionally, 67 of 

ette Colbert to star .Jn “One Coat Abroad, UN programs are trans- Always Objective the 79 member states relay the 

of White," on Playhouse 90 on mitted in over 30 different lan- In the charged atmosphere of in- shortwave programs on a regular 

CBS-TV late in February. guages, with hot kines, wrapups of ternational relations, the UN news basis of their own particular coun- 

H. Allen Smith original Is being UN highlights going to 17 countries staff in its tv and radio report- tr y> a relay service also subscribed 

adapted by Leonard Spigelgass for with tv facilities. Both tv and radio ing must hue the objective line t0 by 41 non-member territories, 

producer Martin Manulis. account for from 5,000 to 6,000 closely. Hayward boasts that in the (Continued on page 52) 


N.Y. AFTRASweep 

In the hotly fought battle foi 
the 35 seats on the N.Y. board oi 
the American Federation of Tele* 
vision & Radio Artists, the Coali¬ 
tion ticket swept 29 members into 
office for 1957. Incumbent Middle 
of-Road group won five seats and 
the remaining board seat wai 
taken by Charles Collingwood, a 
former Middle-Roader who ran in 
the election as an independent. 

Coalition slate had- several move- 
overs from Middle-Road after a 
battle with the slate’s top men. 
Cliff Nortbn and Luis Van Rooten. 
who were board members this yeai 
under the Middle-Road banner, 
won again, but this time as Coalt 
tionites. Other Coalition victors 
were Leon Janney, who reportedly 
received the highest plurality of 
those elected, and Virginia Payne 
and Bud Collyer. 

The chief Middle-of-Road mem¬ 
bers. Orson Bean and John Henry 
Faulk, who hold vice-presidencies 
on the present board, both won for 
’57. They were considered the 
Coalition’s most vociferous opposi¬ 
tion. Janie Rule, Bob Carroll and 
Craig Timberlake were other 
M-of-R slaters to win seats. 

Collingwood, who is this year’s 
board prexy, was returned to the 
board handily. He broke from the 
Middle-of-Road to run as an inde¬ 
pendent this time. 

Out of some 5,000 local members, 
1,300 voted for local board mem¬ 
bers. 

































































































































PISt&i&Ff 


TV-FILMS 


39 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


MAD SCRAMBLE FOR AIR TIME 




4 


House-Trailer 


Last Saturday (1) night, WCBS-TV, New York, put on a house- 
trailer. What Channel 2 was pitching, in preemption of the 10:30 
p.m, slot of “High Finance” (which will shortly quit, anyway) was 
the biggest load of backlogs in iTwood-to-tv history—about 1*000 
or so titles, including the blng-bang 700-plus out of Metro and 
the balance from Warners and Screen Gems-Columbla. The idea 
was to give the dialers just finishing up on the networked (CBS) 
“Gunsmoke” a sampling, just a taste of the hot stuff to whet their 
appetites. And to whet it they must have in an array of mostly 
potent titles and ditto stars unfurled on the station’s where-good- 
shows-get-together Big 2—“Late Late Show” and “Early Show,” 
latter returning to elongated version (90 minutes) in order to ac- 
^commodate the ^big-picttttes.” --* - 

The channel, 15 minutes later, led with Metro’s all-star ’’Com¬ 
mand Decision” (’48)—certainly a whammo of a film to get going 
with. The run-through ended about 1:15 a.m., or two hours inclu¬ 
sive of the commercials. The Clark Gable-Waiter Pidgeon-Van 
Johnson-Brian Donlevy-Charles Bickford-Edward Arnold starrer 
originally took a clocking of 111 minutes, so there couldn’t have 
been much cutting. 

But to get back to the trailer, the “look at us” master of cere¬ 
monies’ pitch was live and alive in the handling by George Bryan, 
host and summarizer of “Early Show” who underplays to good 
effect. After nice “selling” patter, he cued in the segues to the 
trailers, all of them preceded and followed by placards purveying 
the days and dates of scheduling, etc. Then into quickie scenes, 
extracting the best and most exciting thereof, from such pix as 
“Come Live With Me,” “Act.of Violence,” etc * 

This “Early Show-Late Shpw Preview” was savvy showmanship 
and good viewing. When you have a product—in this case a couple 
of wagons-ful—one of the best places to shout about it is on -the 
station with the flicker clientele. Trau. 


9 


$750,000 Windfall for CBS-TV Film Sales 
On 67-Market Spread 

- 


CBS Television Film Sales, 
which quietly acquired the Desilu j 
produced “Whirlybirds” series on | 
helicopter pilots from the CBS-TV 
network program department about 
a month ago, is flying high with the 
property now in syndication. The 
CBS syndication subsid has racked 
up a total of $750,000 in contracts 
with sales in 67 markets, and is 
currently nefotiating with. Pepsi¬ 
Cola for a regional deal which in 
itself would embrace 75 markets. 
The Pepsi deal is still In the early 
stages, however. 

Pacing the “Whirlybirds” busi¬ 
ness is a 39-market regional with 
Continental Oil Co., through Ben¬ 
ton & Bowlwith Continental 
concentrating in the south and 
southwest but taking on such large 
markets as Kansas City and Mil¬ 
waukee as well. National Biscuit, 
Via McCann-Erickson, is in for six 
markets in the south, while Laura 
Scudder Foods, through the Mottl 
& Sideman agency in Los Angeles, 
took on the entire all California 
markets, about 15 of them. Single 
deals include Carling’s Beer for 
Detroit, Sugardale Meats for 
Cleveland and Sealy Mattress in 
Cleveland. 

“Whirlybirds” pilot had been 
(Continued on page 50) 


10 Series Rolling 
As SG Hits Peak 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Screen Gems in December is eas¬ 
ily setting a one-month production 
record, with 10 skeins slated to go 
before the cameras. 

The 10 new series, all of which 
have been announced in the past 
few months as in various stages of 
planning, are: “Here Comes the 
Showboat,” a musical adventure; 
“Shore Leave,” comedy adventure; 
“Johnny Wildlife,” all-color nature 
drama; “Doctor Mike,” drama; 
“The Shape, Face and Brain,” situ¬ 
ation comedy; “Johnny Night- 
hawk,” adventure; “Leathernecks,” 
adventure-drama; “Casey Jones,” 
adventure; “Danger Is My Busi¬ 
ness,” mystery; “Tom, Dick, and 
Harry,” situation family comedy; 
and “Western Banch Party,” musi- 
ca 1 variety. 

Dec. 20 is scheduled as the last 
day of shooting for the new pro¬ 
grams already announced by the 
Columbia subsid for the 1957-’58 
season. There will be other an¬ 
nouncements of new series. 


Tibbals, Savin on Own 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Walter A. Tibbals and Lee Savin 
have joined forces to form an indie 
tv company. 

Tibbals ankles from his v.p, post 
at Four Star films and Savin leaves 
his spot as exec v.p. of Gross- 
Krasne Productions, in what’s de¬ 
scribed as an amicable separation. 

AAP To Share In 
Chi’s WGN Profits 
On WB Features 

WGN, the Chicago Tribune tv 
station, bought the entire Warner 
Bros, catalog of 756 features from 
Associated Artists Productions this 
week. Over and above the flat 
payment the station will make, 
WGN has committed itself to in¬ 
cluding the distrib in for part of 
the profits from the advertising 
revenue on the pix. 

It’s the first major station sign¬ 
ing under AAP’s profit sharing 
plan. Intention of the distrib in 
creating the profit-sharing was to 
enable stations to take the library 
at a lower cost than would nor¬ 
mally be usual; thinking was that 
the price might otherwise be too 
high for many stations. WGN buy 
brings the number of stations buy¬ 
ing the Warner pix to 49, it’s un¬ 
derstood. 

Some sidelight shennanigans af¬ 
fecting AAP Inc., the distribution 
company, is the announcement by 
the parent company, PRM Inc. 
that it is changing name to Asso¬ 
ciated Artists Productions Corp. 
Reason is that AAP Inc., through 
the feature film deals and concur¬ 
rent promotions, has built up a 
“name” reputation. Corporate title 
change was motivated by overall 
boss Lou Chesler, and the company 
listing on the American Stock Ex¬ 
change will be changed according¬ 
ly. AAP Inc. will remain as the 
motion picture-tv subsid. 


FELD'S GUILD SLOT 

Irving Feld, former veep of 
Gross-K r a s n e Productions, be¬ 
comes supervisor of syndicated 
sales west of- the Mississippi for 
Guild Films. 

Before his G-K tie, Feld, who’ll 
work directly under John Coles, 
Guild sales veep, was with UM&M. 


TO PIX UPSURGE 

What is shaping up, as more and 
more stations begin • Unreeling 
their newly-bought theatricals, is 
not a two-way fight between fea¬ 
tures and half-hour telefilms, but 
a scramble for air time involving 
rem aini ng “ lo ca l” live._shpw§land . 
occasionally network shows, as 
well. 

To date In market after market, 
the already reduced local “live” 
shows with the exception of news, 
weather and sports, have been clob¬ 
bered, as stations began their cel¬ 
luloid programming. 

While telefilms are feeling 
pinched, too, they have new out¬ 
lets in stripping, and a promising 
return engagement .if the station 
finds it has overprogrammed with 
vintage pix, as indicated by WOR- 
TV’s N. Y., recently announced new 
skein plans. The same degree of 
flexibility cannot be ascribed to 
the local “live” shows lopped off 
in Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago 
and Pittsburgh, to name some re¬ 
cent examples. 

Network shows in the late 
“fringe” time period, and in other 
periods, as well, are being thrown 
in the competitive station time 
ring, challenged for the first time 
to justify their audience, as op¬ 
posed to audiences rated for quality 
vintage pix. For example, WFIL- 
TV, Philadelphia, an ABC affiliate, 
is not taking the net’s Famous Film 
Festival Saturday night, feeling 
that it has better pix itself. Addi¬ 
tionally, it looks like the Triangle 
station will change its weekday 
feature slot from 11:15 p.m. to 
10:30 p.m., cutting into net time. 
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI., an 
NBC outlet, has axed the net’s Sat¬ 
urday night staple “Your Hit Pa¬ 
rade,” substituting theatricals. 

Live Shows Take Count 

Here is where “live” local shows 
have, taken the count. 

In Chicago, WNBQT dropped its 
late afternoon “Elmer, the Ele¬ 
phant” moppet show for a stripped 
treatment of Ray Milland's “Mr. 
McNulty” filmer. Biggest displace¬ 
ment is being caused by the full 
length theatricals there. WBKB 
launched its “Movietime, U.S.A.” 
feature bundle Monday (3) in its 
10 to signoff evening spot cross 
the board. This means the demise 
of the Norman Ross’ “This Is cfie 
Day” and Ernie Simon’s interview 
session which had been filling the 
Monday-thru-Friday 11 to midnight 
block. Also going out are the Mon¬ 
day night at 10 Griff Williams band 
show and Teddy Phillips tootling 
display the same hour Saturday 
nights. 

What has occurred in Chicago, 
also has happened for a variety of 
reasons at KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, 
KABC-TV, Los Angeles, KTVR, 
Denver, and other stations. 

Don Conaway, national executive 
secretary of the American Federa¬ 
tion of TV and Radio Artists, when 
asked to comment on the downbeat 
(Continued on page 50) 


TV READERS DIGEST’ 
INTO SYNDICATION 

“TV Reader’s Digest,” the Ches¬ 
ter Erskine series formerly on 
ABC-TV, has been acquired for 
syndication by Bernard L. Schubert 
and in a one-month sales period 
the property has already grossed 
$250,000 in sales, according to Schu¬ 
bert. The distrib also predicted 
additional sales of $350,000 within 
the next 20 days on the basis of 
sales verbally okayed but not yet 
in contract form, and added that 
there are regional sponsorship ne¬ 
gotiations in progress for 50 more 
markets. 

Station sales on the series in¬ 
clude deals with KTTV, Los An¬ 
geles; XETV, San Diego; WTVR, 
Richmond; KDTV, Denver; KEYD, 
Minneapolis and KTVW, Seattle. 


More TV Film News 
On Page 54 


Screen Gems In Deal to Acquve 

Hygo TV; Sets $5,000,000 Loan 

- + 


‘Popeye’ Biz Poppin’ 

National Biscuit Co. took Tues¬ 
day, Wednesday and Thursday 
participation’s on WPIX’s (N.Y.) 
“Popeye,” the cartoon series which 
leads the urty’S'^everr stations by tr 
large score in the 6 p.m. time zone. 
ARB last time out gave it a 12 and 
a 43% share of the local audience. 

Associated Artists Productions, 
which distributes “Popeye,” has a 
two-way win between 6 and 7 p.m. 
in N.Y. “Looney Tunes,” also dis- 
tribbed by AAP and now running 
on WABD at 6:30, pull approxi¬ 
mately the same score as “Popeye” 
on WPIX. Both far outweigh sec¬ 
ond WGBS-TV with news and 
“The Early Show.” 

WFIL-TV Late Nile 
Coup as Features 
Dominate Ratings 

Philadelphia, Dec. 4. 
WFIL-TV, now unreeling pix 
from three major libraries, 
Metro, 20th-Fox, and RKO, has 
broken an audience pattern of 10 
years standing with its new late 
night feature film programming. 
For the first time since the Quaker 
City became a three-station mar¬ 
ket, the ABC-TV affiliate has 
moved into first place in the past 
11 p.m. time period during 22 out 
of 28 quarter hours* according to 
advance November ARB ratings. 

It is significant that the only pro¬ 
gramming which seriously bids for 
big audiences during the late even¬ 
ing is feature films. Network pro¬ 
gramming in the same time period 
is essentially non-competitive, with 
no more than 10% share of audi¬ 
ence indicated by both ARB and 
Trendex for “Tonight.” 

Contrasting current ratings with 
those of two months ago makes the 
impact of the new product appa¬ 
rent. In a time period beginning 
at 11:15 weekdays when WFIL-TV 
telecasts its features, that drew a 
3.0 in September, the new films 
draw a 10 in November ratings. 
The films show a remarkable sta¬ 
bility through the course of the 
week. As contrasted to other situa¬ 
tions, no undue promotion has gone 
into the introduction of the quality 
films, discounting last summer’s 
(Continued on page 50) 

Gross-Krasne ‘O’Henry’ 
Pulls in $1,000,000 
In Station Contracts 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 
Gross-Krasne’s new distrib set¬ 
up, established to sell the new “O. 
Henry” series, has inked approxi¬ 
mately $1,000,000 in station con¬ 
tracts during the past three 
months. Show, toplining Thomas 
Mitchell, is already on the air in 
e east. 

Phil Krasne disclosed at a press 
confab that “O. Henry” has been 
sold to the entire General Tele¬ 
radio lineup of stations,' including 
KHJ-TV, here, and WOR-TV N. Y. 

Meanwhile, the permanent sales 
org gathered by Krasne .and Jack 
Gross will work on sale of only 
one series a year, Krasne disclosed. 
Thus, G-K is readying an adult 
adventure series to follow “O. 
Henry” before the cameras, but no 
sales pitch will be made for it 
before June 1. Also, since G-K 
controls some 250 O. «Henry story 
properties, further stanzas beyond 
the present 39-telepix schedule 
might be lensed. 

Krasne disclaimed personal 
knowledge of any impending Cali¬ 
fornia National (NBC-TV telefilm 
subsid) takeover of the California 
Studios. 


Screen Gems, the Columbia Pic¬ 
tures telefilm subsidiary, is negoti¬ 
ating to buy all the assets and man¬ 
power of Hygo Television Films 
and its subsidiary Unity and Ar- 
gyle companies. Transaction, when 
completed, would mark the first 
wqoTsltTdn"of ail^ butsTde~coihpany 
by Screen Gems in its rapid ex¬ 
pansion program. 

Screen Gems prez Ralph Cohn 
and Hygo-Argyle-Unity boss Jerry 
Hyams have been huddling for 
some time, and it’s reported that 
a deal is imminent within the next 
week or so. Cohn merely con¬ 
firmed that' negotiations are on but 
said there is “no deal.” A Hyga 
spokesman said that negotiations 
had been hot but have cooled off 
somewhat though they are not off 
completely. Other sources, how¬ 
ever. indicated that a deal is only 
a matter of days away. 

In order to finance its expansion 
program, which also involves ac¬ 
quisition of television station prop¬ 
erties, Screen Gems this week fi¬ 
nalized a $5,000,000 loan from 
First National Bank of Boston. 
Loan, payable in three annual in¬ 
stallments, carries a 4% interest 
rate and is guaranteed by Colum¬ 
bia. Two annual installments ol 
$1,000,000 each are due Aug. 31 oi 
1957 and ’58. with the balance due 
Aug. 31, 1959. 

Hygo, which is one of the more 
dynamic feature film houses, has in 
effect been more competitive to 
Screen Gems than any other com¬ 
pany, since it has lease deals on 
considerable Columbia product 
which Screen Gems would nat¬ 
urally like to get back into its own 
fold. Included in this product are 
some 20-odd Columbia features, all 
the Wild Bill Elliott Columbia 
westerns and 156 Col cartoons 
Hygo also has 31 Universal serials, 
along with the Chesapeake Indus¬ 
tries (Eagle-Lion) features and as¬ 
sorted other product. Sum total oi 
all its product, including that oi 
Argyle and Unity, is 415 features, 
(Continued on page 56) 

WCBS-TV s‘Wow’ 
M-G Rating Bow 

Premiere of the Metro backlog 
in New York Saturday night (1) 
busted the market wide open a 9 
WCBS-TV scored an unprecedent¬ 
ed 28.4 rating and 88.2% share of 
audience with its 11:15 p.m. to 
1:30 a.m. showing of “Command 
Decision.” WCBS-TV’s rating was 
some five-and-a-half times the com¬ 
bined rating of the six competitive 
stations, and translated to a total 
viewership of over 1,300.000 homes 
and at least twice as many viewers. 

Less remarkable but still way 
ahead were the Trendex returns 
on the station’s Sunday night “Late 
Show” (“Come Live With Me”) and 
Monday’s (3) 5:30-7 p.m. “Early 
Show” (“They Met in Bombay”). 
Sunday night late show scored a 
Trendex of 18.9 with a 74.6% share 
of audience, nearly three times th€ 
combined competition rating of the 
f« r stations on the air, which 
scored a total of 6.7. The Mondas 
“Early Show” lead the pack with 
a 90-minute average of 12.0, with 
a 36.4% share. The half-hour 
breakdown on the show saw il 
reach a 6-6:30 high of 15.6. 

Previous high for any Saturda: 
night late show had been a 17.8 
by “It’s a Wonderful Life,” so thal 
“Command Decision” was 10.6 rat 
ing points higher. The previoui 
Sunday “Late Show” high was a 
12 .1, and “Live With Me” register¬ 
ing a 6.8 point increase. Nearest 
competitor to “Command Decision’ 
Saturday was WRCA-TV with a 
2.5; nearest competitor to “Live 
With Me” was the same statior 
(also playing features) with a 5.6, 
nearest Monday “Early Show’ 
competitor was WABC-TV (with 
“Mickey Mouse Club” 5:30-6 rat¬ 
ing accounting for its high show¬ 
ing for the 90 minutes) with a 7.1. 




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42 


TV-FILMS 




Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


PfifelETY - ARB City-By-City Syndicated Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na¬ 
tional spot film, covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bur- . 
eau on a monthly basis . Cities will be rotated each week, with the 10 top- 
rated film shows listed in each case , and their competition shown opposite . 
All ratings are furnished by ARB, basedeon the latest reports. 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent in forma-. 
:tion about film in each market , which can be used by distributors, agencies , 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market . Attention should he paid to time—day and 


time factors , since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot 9 i.e. 9 a Saturday afternoon children’s show , with a low rating 9 may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children , with cor* 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market . Abbre • 
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv), adventure; (Ch), children’sf 
(Co) 9 comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical\ 
(Myst), mystery; (Q), quiz; (Sp) 9 sports; (W)> western: (Worn), 
women’s. Numbered symbols next to Nation call letters represent, the sta¬ 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are TJBF. Those ad ageHcies listed as 
distributors rep the national sponsor for whom the film pt aired.- 

• :s«V •. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 

AND TYPE * 

STATION 

DISTRIB 

DAY .AND 

TIME 

OCTOBER 

RATING 

SHARE 

(%) 

SETS IN 
USE 

1 TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

1 PROGRAM STA. 

. .i ,* • 

RATING 

PHILADELPHIA 

Approx. Set Count - 

- 2.0001000 

Stations -—WRCV (3),WFIL '( 6 Y-WCAU (10),WP^H 02) 

1. Superman (Adv) . 

.. .WCAU. . .. 

Flamingo. 

..Mon. 7:00-7:30 . 

.,....,.25.7. 

...65.0... 

.38.0 

Newsreel .. 

.WFIL . . 

. 5.8 








Game of the Week. 

.WRCV .. 

.... 5.8 

2. Waterfront (Adv) . 

.. WCAU. 

MCA. 

. .Sun. 6:30-7:00 .. 

.21.5. 

... 60.9... 

..... 35.3 

Do You Trust Your Wife... 

. WFIL ... 

.8.9 

3. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

. . WCAU. 

, Ziv . 

. Sat. 7:00-7:30 .. . 

.19.0. 

... 62.1... 

.30.6 

Studio 57 . 

.WFIL ... 

..... 7.1 

4. Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

. . WCAU. 

- Flamingo. 

..Tues. 7:00-7:30 . 

.: ....17.1. 

... 51.7... 


Celebrity Playhouse. 

.WRCV .. 

....10.9 

5. Man Called X (Myst). 

,. WCAU. .. 

Ziv . 

..Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

.16.3. 

... 50.6... 

. 32.2 

Rosemary Clooney.,.. 

.WRCV .. 

.... 12.6 

6 . City Detective (Myst). 

.. WRCV. q. 

MCA. v .. 

. .Mon. 10:30-11:00 

..... .15.9. 

... 35.1... 

.45.3 

Studio One . 

.WCAU .. 

....12.7 

7. Crunch & Des (Adv). 

. . WCAU. 

NBC. 

. . Fri. 7:00-7:30 . . . 

.15.5. 

... 52.1... 

.29.7 

Dr. Christian . 

.WRCV .. 

.9.0 

8 . Badge 714 (Myst) .. 

. WCAU. 

NBC. 

.. Wed. 7:00-7:30 . . 

...... 13.1. 

... 41.1... 

.31.8 

Code 3 . 

.WRCV .. 

...12.3 

9. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) WFIL. 

Ziv. 

. . Sun. 10:30-11:00 

,. 12.6 . 

... 25.1... 

. 50.1 

What’s My Line. 

.WCAU .. 

... .32.0 

9. Rosemary Clooney (Mus) . 

WRCV. 

MCA .. 

..Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

. 12.6 . 

... 39.1... 

..... 32.2 

Man Called X .. ..-. 

. WCAU . . 

.. ..16.3 

DETROIT 

Approx 

. Set Count —1,610,000 

Stations 

—WJBK (2), WWJ (4). WXYZ (7), CKLW (9) 

1. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

. WJBK . 

Ziv . 

. Tues. 9:30-10:00 . 

.23.1. 

... 44.7... . 

. 51.7 

Federal Men .. 

.WWJ 

. .. .12.4 

2. Waterfront (Adv) 

..WWJ. 

.MCA. 

. Mon. 9:30-10:00 . 

..... . 22.8 . 

.. . 39.4. .. . 

. 57.9 

Studio One ... 

.WJBK .. 

....14.5 

3. Studio 57 (Dr). 

. .WWJ. 

.MCA....... 

. .Wed. 9:30-10:00 . 

.20.5. 

...50.6.... 


U. S. Steel Hour. 

.WJBK .. 

.... 17.6 

4. I Led 3 Lives (Adv). 

. . .WJBK. 

Ziv . 

. Fri. 9:30-10:00 . . 

.18.6. 

... 33.0.... 


Person to Person. 

.CKLW .. 


5. Badge 714 (Myst) . 

. .WWJ. 

• NBC. 

..Sun. 10:00-10:30 

.16,4. 

... 34.7.... 


Hockey .. 

.WXYZ .. 

...16.7 

6 . Amos *n’ Andy (Com). 

. .WWJ. 

CBS .. 

. Wed. 10:00-10:30 

....; 16.3. 

... 43.1.... 

.37.8 

Ellery Queen. 

.WJBK .. 

.... 13.7 

7. Racket Squad (Myst). 

. WJBK. 

ABC . 

. . Fri. 10:00-10:30 . 

.15.8. 

... 35.7.... 

. 44.3 

Carlings Playhouse . 

.WWJ ... 

....12.5 

8 . Superman (Adv) . 

. WXYZ. 

Flamingo. 

..Tues. 6:00-6:30 . 

.15.7. 

... 59.7.... 

. 26.3 

6 o’clock News & Sports... 

.WWJ ... 

.... 5.7 








Weathercast; Dolores ... 

.WWJ ... 

.... 4.2 

9. Sheriff of Cochise (W) .... 

. WWJ. 

. NTA. 

..Sat. 10:00-10:30 

.14.8. 

. . . 37.2. . .. 

. 39.8 

Top Plays of ’56 . 

.WJBK .. 

.... 11.6 

10. Celebrity Playhouse (Dr). . 

. .WWJ. 

Screen Gems.... 

. Mon. 10:00-10:30 

...... 14.7. 

... 34.3 ... 

. 42.8 

Susie . . 

.WJBK .. 

.... 13.7 

SAN FRANCISCO 

Approx 

. Set Count— 1,350,000 

Stations - 

o 

-KRON (4), KPIX (5), KGO (7). 

KOVR (13) 

1. Search for Adventure (Adv) 

. KPIX . 

Bagnall. 

..Thurs. 7:30-8:00 

.29.5. 

... 54.1.... 

. 54.5 

Lone Ranger . 

KGO .. 


2. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

. KRON. 

.Ziv. 

. .Tues. 6:30-7:00 . 

.22.7. 

... 59.4.... 


Western Marshall. 

. KPIX .. 


3. Waterfront (Adv) . 

. KPIX. 

MCA. 

. .Sat. 7:00-7:30 . . . 

.21.5. 

... 46.9.,.. 

.45.8 

Science Fiction Theatre.... 

.KRON .. 

.19.0 

4. Crunch & Des (Adv). 

. KRON.. . . . 

nbc. ;. 

. Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

.20.4.. .... 

... 45.8 ... 

.44.0 

Juke Box Jury.. 

.KPIX .. 

.... 9.9 

5. Badire 714 (MvstI. 

KPTX _ 

NBC ... 

. Wed. 9:00-9:30 . . 

.19.9. 

... 35.7_ 

.55.8 

Kraft TV Theatre. 

.KRON .. 

■HU 

6 . Science Fiction Theatre' (Adv) KRON 

Ziv. 

. Sat. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.19.0. 

... 41.4.... 

.45.8 

Waterfront . 

.KPIX .. 

....21.5 

7. Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

. KGO. . .. 

Flamingo. 

. . Tues. 6:00-6:30 . 

..16.5. 

... 44.6. ... 

..... 37.0 

Shell Newscast . 

KPI* .. 


e» 







CBS News-Doug. Edwards 

KPIX ... 

....10.7 

8 . Buffalo Bill, Jr. (W). 

* KGO. 

CBS . 

..Wed. 7:00-7:30 .. 

.16.0. 

... 35.6. ... 


Show Stoppers . 

. KPIX ... 


9. Jungle Jim (Adv) . 

. KGO. 

Screen Gems.... 

. Fri. 6:00-6:30 .. . 

.15.9. 

... 33.6 ... 


Cavalcade of Sports. 

.KRON .. 


10. Superman (Adv) ... 

. KGO . . . .. 

Flamingo . 

..Thurs. 6:00-6:30 

.15.7.\ 

... 49.4.... 

.31.8 

Shell Newscast. 

.KPIX ... 

_TO.O 

y 







CBS News-Doug. Edwards. KPIX ... 



BALTIMORE Approx. Set Count —664,500 Stations —WMAR (2), WBAL (11), WAAM (13) 


1. Man Called X (Myst). 

. . .WBAL 

..Ziv. 

... Sat. 9:30-10:00 . 

.30.7... 


. 58.2 

High Finance. 

.WMAR .. 

.... 1 M 

2. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

. . .WMAR 

.Ziv. 

... Sun. 10:00-10:30 . 

.30.3... 


.43.7 

News; Weather; Sports. 

.WBAL ... 

.... 12.6 



- 





Million Dollar Movie. 

.WBAL ... 

.... 84 

3. Stage 7 (Dr). 

. . .WBAL. 

.TPA. 

. .. Mon. 9:30-10:00. 

.29.6... 



Studio One . 

.WMAR .. 

.... 17.2 

4. Racket Squad (Myst). 

. . WMAR 

.ABC. 

_Mon. Thurs., Fri. & Sat. 










10:00-10:30 . 

.25.1... 


.45.9 

Finals; Weather; Sports 










M, Th, F, & Sat). 

.WBAL ... 

....13.1 








Tonight’s Newsreel (ML 

.WBAL ... 

.... 12.1 








Movietime (Th. & F.)... * 

.WAAM .. 

...14.7 








Your Hit Parade (S.).... 

.WBAL ... 

.... 10.0 

5. Studio 57 (Dr). 

. . .WAAM 

.MCA. 

_Tues. 9:30-10:00 . 

.23.0... 

. 40.2.... 

. 57.4 

Duckpins & Dollars. 

.WBAL ... 

....18.0 

6 . Superman (Adv) . 

.. .WBAL. 


....Wed. 6:00-6:30 . 

.15.5 . .. 

. 56.8.. . . 

..... 27.3 

Film Funnies . 

i WAAM .. 

.... 7.4 








Amos ’n’ Andy. 

.WMAR .. 

.... 6.8 

7. Crunch & Des (Adv). 

. . .WBAL. 

.NBC. 

...Wed. 9:30-10:00 . 

.14.4. .. 

.-24.3... . 


U. S. Steel Hour. 

.WMAR .. 

....35.7 

8 . Waterfront (Adv) . 

. . .WMAR. 

.. . MCA. 

... .Thurs. 10:30-11:00 

.11.9... 

..... 32.2.... 


Tonight .... 

.WBAL ... 

....13.7 

9. Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

.. WBAL. 

.Flamingo. 

.... Fri. 6:00-6:30 . 

. 11 . 6 ... 

. 51.8_ 

.22.4 


. WAAM .. 

.... 8.9 








News—John Daly ....... 

.WAAM .. 

.... 4.7 

10. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv) . 

. . WBAL. 

.MCA.. 

-Thurs. 6:00-6:30 . 

.11.3..., 

.i 45.8.... 

.24.7 

Amos ’n’ Andy... 

.WMAR .. 

.... 6.6 

CINCINNATI 


Approx. Set Count— 662,000 


Stations —WLW-T (5), WCPO (9), 

WKRC ( 12 ) 

1. Sheriff of Cochise (W)._ 

. . . WLW-T. 

.NTA. 

. . .Mon. 9:30-10:00 .:. 

.23.0... 



Feature Boxing... 

.WCPO ... 

...14.2 

2 . Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) WLW-T. 

.. Ziv. 

... Tues, 9:30-10:00 . 

.18.9... 

.43.2_ 

.43.8 

Secret Journal ... 

.WKRC ... 

... 15.6 

3. All-Star Theatre (Dr).. 

. .WLW-T. 


... Wed. 7:30-8:00 . 

.17.9... 

. 33.1.... 

.54.2 


.WKRC ... 

.. .25.7 

4. Cisco Kid (W). 

. .WCPO. 


... Sun. 5:00-5:30 . 

.16.0... 


.*28.7 

Meet the Press .. 

. WLW-T .. 

... 7.2 

4. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

. .WCPO. 


_Thurs. 9:00-9:30 .. 

.16.0... 



Lux Video Theatre. 

.WLW-T .. 

...26.1 

6 . Secret Journal (Dr). 

. .WKRC. 


.. .Tues. 9:30-10:00 ... 

.15.6. .. 

35.6.... 


Science Fiction Theatre.... 

.WLW-T .. 

...18.0 

7. The Falcon (Myst). 

. .WKRC. 

...nbc.:;.... 

...Sat. 10:00-10:30 . 

.15.2... 

.30,5.... 


Midwestern Hayride. 

WLW-T .. 

...17.9 

8 . Captured (Doc ).. 0 . 

. .WKRC. 


...Tues. 10:00-10:30 ..v... 

.14.3... 


.36.0 

Big Surprise . 

WLW-T ., 

...16.6 

9. Annie Oakley (W). 

. .WLW-T. 


_Tues. 6:00-6:30 . 

. 13.7. J. 



Headline News; Weather... 

WKRC ... 

... 7.0 

9. City Detective (Mystf. 







CBS News-Doug. Edwards. WKRC ... 

... 8.1 

. .WKRC. 


. ..Fri. 10:30-11:00 . 

,13.7.... 

..... 39.6.... 

.34.6 

Walter Winchell . 

WLW-T .. 

...17.6 










































































































































































































































































































































































PTSMFr 


RADIO REVIEWS 


Wednesday, Peeeriiber 5, 1956 


43 


Inside Stuff—Radio-TV 

Paul Reed, as a member of the permanent cast of “Caesar's Hour" 
for the past two years., has played about every kind of role on the show, 
doctor, dentist, French painter, Sid Caesar’s boss, dancer, even singer. 
On off-weeks he’s been able to do motion picture work, and has com¬ 
pleted stints in three films since joining the Caesar show. 

Last season, he played a cop in “The Phenix City Story.’’ Shortly 
afterward, he did another policeman’s stint in the “Eddy Duchin 
Story.” Just last week, he wrapped up a role in the New York-Ioca- 
tioned “Sweet Smell of Success.” The casting was slightly different 
this time-r-he played a plainclothes detective. 

A good Samaritan bit almost got the ’Fitzgeralds into needless trouble. 
It had to do with a pair of tickets foy “My Fair Lady.” The doorman 
at their East«7dtb St. house observed that next week was his 30th anni¬ 
versary and nothing would please his w r ife more etc. Fitzgerald, as a 
surprise, dug’up the “Lady” tickets and then went on the prowl for 
the doorman, only discovering he was bedded with flu. On the Ed & 
Pegeen Fitzgerald, afternoon radio program they mentioned the., fact. 

Hffiat they were “stuck” with a pair for that night's performance but the 
WRCA switchboard lit up pronto. There was no problem disposing of 
them to the .first request. But later some of the intra-NBC people 
expressed disappointment they hadn’t been given the first reject rights. 
In fact, Fitzgerald had to dig- another pair for a particular VIP who, 
too, had an anniversary problem, a la the doorman, and he promised 
not t.o caj^h the flu or anything. 


It’s o&o meeting time. With QBS-TV having wound its annual ses¬ 
sions of the o&o and Spot Sales managers last week, NBC has sched¬ 
uled its o&o and Spot Sales sessions for radio-tv for two days next 
week. Sessions, to cover sales, programming,. public service and spe¬ 
cial projects of all radio and tv o&o’s, will be held Monday and Tues¬ 
day (10-11) at the St. Regis Hotel, N. Y. Entire group of station execs 
will proceed from there to Miami Beach for the NBC 30th anni con¬ 
vention. 

Tom McFadden, v.p. over o&o’s and Spot Sales, will preside at the 
sessions. 


Studebaker-Packard Corp. is employing closed-circuit television to 
introduce its 1957 line of Packard passenger cars tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Telecast, produced and serviced by Tele-Sessions, an affiliate of 
Theatre Network Television, will be viewed by Packard dealers .in 
hotels in 22 cities on large screen projectors. The program is being 
produced by Haford Kerbawy, Detroit program producer, and directed 
by Marc Daniels, TNT’s program director. 


' At the U. of Florida over the weekend, Desi Amaz and Lucille Ball 
disclosed a new Desilu Award designed to aid creative writing talent, 
in U.S. colleges. Winner will get a minimum of one year’s contract, 
at Desilu Productions and his script will be made into a pilot film, in 
which he will share ownership. 

The award was disclosed at ceremonies here, during which Miss 
Ball and Arnaz and the cast Pf Desilu’s “I Love Lucy” series were given 
a citation by the student body for their contribution to American 
humor. 


Richard Bertrandias assumes the post of director of programming 
of Radio Liberation in Munich, Germany. He succeeds Manning Wil¬ 
liams, who lately quit to become chief of the Russian branch in -the 
European program division of Voice of America. 

Recently, Bertrandias, who was once an NBC writer, was radio ad¬ 
visor to the Department of Defense. Radio Liberation beams directly 
into the USSR. 


Newly-formed Television Allocations Study Organization to carry 
out the UHF “crash” research program proposed by FCC Chairman 
George C. McConnaughey selected its first executive director last week. 
He is George R. Town, associate'director of the Engineering Experi¬ 
ment Station and Professor of Engineering at Iowa State College. 

Town, who was associated forfl3 years with Stromberg-Carlson be¬ 
fore joining the Iowa State faculty, will begin his new duties about 
the first of the year. 


Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres, is going to go on a four-city road tour next spring in order 
to powwow with the entire list of 340 ABC Radio affiliates. March meet¬ 
ings in Chi, L. A., Frisco and then back to N. Y. will be followups to 
Goldenson’s conclave three Fridays ago with the eight-man ABC Radio 
Affiliates Advisory Board. 


N.Y. chapter of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will 
offer Nat Hiken, Richard Rodgers, Rod Serling and Phil Silvers Friday 
(7) night in the first in a series of membership forums. Each of the 
speakers will work over his specialty: Hiken, tv comedy; Rodgers, a 
comparison of legit and video media in re cleffing; and Serling, the tv 
writer. Starting time is 8 p.m. at NBC studio 8 H. 


JOE SINATRA SHOW 
With Joe Sinatra Trio; Jerry 
Howard 

Producer: John Marion 
30 Mins r , Mon.-thru-Sat., 11:15 
RICKSHAW RESTAURANT 
WEEI, Boston 

This 30-min. nightly seg features 
live talent, a rarity in Hub radio, 
but WEEI, which is CBS Radio 
owned, clings heroically to the live 
talent format. To book the Joe 
Sinatra Show, WEEI broke into a 
clicking night time disk program 
with its own element of live talent 
programming, Jerry Howard, sea¬ 
soned radio personality weaving a 
dramatic interlude between the 
platters. The Rickshaw, new plush 
Chinese eatery located in the heart 
of the legit theatre belt and open 
to 3 a.m., bought the 11:15-11:45 
seg to catch the after theatre 
crowd. 

For novel switch, Jerry* Howard, 
who " has practically" become" the 
character he created, Slim Pickens, 
the down east Mainer, straight out 
of a Norman Rockwell cover, dons 
the Pickens outfit, dferby, plaid 
shirt, polka dotted .tie, swallow 
tail coat, steel rimmed specs on 
the end of his nose and bright 
yaller Sunday shoes, to roam the 
Lotus Lounge upstairs in the fried 
ricer interviewing legit and other 
show biz celebs. A bonus for legit 
pressagents who’ve been quick to 
find it bringing in their stars and 
casts. Howard, fast on the reDartee, 
with John Marion handling the in¬ 
tros, gags it up in slick fashion 
with the show biz Dersonalities. 
Joe Sinatra, old hand at Hub in¬ 
time entertainment, plays the elec¬ 
tric organ paced with accordion. 
His trio comprises himself, bass 
and clarinet who double in vocals. 
Lounge is pleasant, but thin air¬ 
fare. Producer-announcer John 
Marion rates kudos for subduing 
treble crackles of bar fentmes. He 
moves show at brisk pace. Night 
caught, members of “Arsenic and 
Old Lace” cast were interviewed. 

Guy. 


MUSICALLY YOURS 

Witk Joel Spivak 

165 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 8 p.m. 

Participating 

WPTR, Albany 

Sound musical taste, combined 
with improved technique, Is elevat¬ 
ing the listenability of Joel Spi- 
vak’s three-hour show. A former 
member of the Martin Block staff, 
with some air experience at the U. 
of North Carolina television station 
and with a Durham radio outlet, 
the young man has smoothened 
and tightened the program, and 
polished his projection, since the 
local debut in late September. 

Spivak welcomes requests for 
numbers, but it is obvious that he 
does most of his own selecting, 
widely and wisely. The last time 
caught, he gave considerable play, 
in the latter half, to easy, relaxing 
music, with a bit of the "offbeat 
type. 

Spivak’s own style reveals prog¬ 
ress. He appears to have taken a 
major step toward overcoming two 
faults: smacking the lips and suck¬ 
ing in breath. His manner is more 
relaxed and the voice is warmer— 
the latter had tended to be deep 
but not too expressive. Spivak, son 
of the band leader, also had cut 
down on the gab. There was an 
overuse of “sounds,” not a magical 
word despite its current popularity. 
Five-minute news blocks are pre¬ 
sented on the half hour, one being 
the AFL-CIO network commentary 
by John W. Vandercook. Jaco. 


Scripts of Broadcast Music Inc.’s radio series known as “The 
American Story,” launched in the puddle of 1954, have been incor¬ 
porated in a book bearing the same title, published by Channel Press. 
Edited by Earl Schenck Miers and Containing an introduction by his¬ 
torian Dr. Allan l^evins, “The American Story” has' been selected as 
the January-February dividend of The Book Of the Month Club. 


PHILLY BULLETIN’S 
SCRANTON TP OKAY 

Philadelphia, Dec. 4. 
Controlling interest of WGRI- 


BMI, in continuing the public service programmers, now is empha- 
. sizing prominent Americans in the series. 

In his foreword to the book, Dr. Kevins writes in part: “This book is 
unique in that it grew out of an application of scholarly talent to the 
mass media, and its contents unite some of the virtues of the spoken 
word—directness, simplicity, human interest—with those of the written 
essa ,r These papers first reached the public over radio.” 

Tue ocripts were written by 60 members of The Society of American 
Historians. 


Jan. 2 has been set as the deadline for submitting entries for the 
1957 American Exhibition of Educational Radio and Television Pro-, 
grams sponsored by Ohio State U. The winners of the “Ohio State 
Awards” will be made May 6. - 

More than 580 programs entries were made last year in the competi¬ 
tion which is held annually in conjunction with the OSU Institute for 
Education by Radio-Television, directed by Dr. I. Keith Tyler. Awards 
are made to further the broadcasting of significant educational radio 
and tv programs. 


Annual conclave of American Women in Radio and Television, set for 
April in St. Louis, will be enlarged over previous years, with the femme 
gettogether to be fashioned after the yearly NARTB powwow. Con¬ 
clave, running from April 25-28 at the Chase-Park Plaza, will feature 
a Sight and Sound Fair. 

Fair is to take the form of an exhibition by manufacturers. There 
will also be clinic sessions in broadcasting, advertising and sales. Betty 
Barnett, KSD-TV, St. Louis, is convention chairman. 


TV, Scranton, was transferred yes¬ 
terday (Mon.) from Scranton 
Broadcasters Irtc. to WCAU Inc., 
latter owned by the Philadelphia 
Bulletin. At the same time, new 
officers for the Scranton UHF'er 
were named, with Donald Thorn¬ 
burgh, WCAU president and gen¬ 
eral manager, also becoming pres¬ 
ident of WGBI-TV. 

Vance L. Eckersley, attorney and 
consultant to the old management, 
becomes v.p. and general manager; 
Mrs. Marcella Megargee Holcomb, 
v.p. of Scranton Broadcasters, be¬ 
comes secretary and WCAU as¬ 
sistant general manager Joseph L. 
Tinney becomes treasurer. New 
board of directors for the station 
will comprise Robert McLean, prez 
and publisher of the Bulletin; Rich¬ 
ard S. Slocum, Bulletin; exec v.p. 
John G. Leitch, engineering v.p. 
of WCAU; Charles Vanda, v.p. in 
charge of WCAU-TV; and Thorn- 
, burgh. Mrs. Holcomb and Mrs. 
| M. E. Megargee, prez and treasurer 
‘ of Scranton Broadcasters. 


BOOKS AND VOICES 

With John K. M. MeCaffery, St. 

John Irvine, guest 
Producer: Richard M. Pack 
Assoc. Producer: Ben Hudeison 
25 Mins., Sat., 3:30 p.m. 

WNYC, New York (transcription) 

The many faceted personality of 
George Bernard Shaw kicked off 
this interesting series, produced 
by Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. 
for the WBC skein of stations and 
made available to WNYC*. one of 
the several educational and non¬ 
commercial radio stations carrying 
the series. 

It is well, produced and intelli¬ 
gent without being stuffy. John 
MeCaffery, an old hand at this type 
of programming, being the first 
moderator of the “Author Meets 
the Critics” series handles his 
emcee role well, bringing to the 
program a seeming wealth of 
-knowledge- about the subj ect. To~ 
build interest he introduces other 
voices, in this instance the voice 
of GBS himself from an old record¬ 
ing which was a delight to hear, 
and that of the author of th’e book 
being discussed, St. John Irvine 
who penned a GBS biography, Ir¬ 
vine and MeCaffery spoke via 
trans-Atlantic telephone, a touch 
indicative of the caliber of the 
series. 

Wisely, MeCaffery spoke of one 
aspect of Shaw's life, his relation¬ 
ship with women and the roots of 
that relationship, a topic which 
has no end to speculation, consider¬ 
ing the public ' knowledge that 
Shaw during the course of 25 years 
of marriage, never consummated 
that marriage. Also brought into 
the discussion was Shaw’s upbring¬ 
ing, his sotted father and his 
distant, but efficient mother. 
Shaw’s recording on how to speak 
the English language was right in 
the Shavian groove. 

Other tomes in the promising 
series include children^ books and 
records for Christmas. “A Treasury 
of Jazz” by Eddie Condon and Fred 
Alien's “Much Ado About Me,” and 
the poetry of Dylan Thomas. 

Hor q. 


WORLD TONIGHT 

With Blair Clark, commentator; 

. others 

Producer: Robert A. Skedgell 
Director: Blaine Littel 
Writer: Paul Loewenwarter 
20 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 9:05 p.m. 
CBS, from N.Y. 

With fast-breaking developments 
occurring in the middle east and in 
Soviet satellite nations, the CBS 
radio net has come up with a solid, 
meaty news show. 

The format has commentator 
Blair Clark opening with a run¬ 
down of the day’s news develop¬ 
ments, followed by on-the-spot re¬ 
ports from CBS correspondents 
overseas and other focal news 
points, such as United Nations 
headquarters. Sandwiched in be¬ 
tween Bob Trout’s newscast and 
the Eric Sevareid commentary, 
“World Tonight” fills out a 30- 
minute across-therboard news 
•schedule, offering variety and 
news-in-depth. 1 

On show' caught the split be¬ 
tween the Allies over the Egyptian 
crisis w'as examined, with Alex¬ 
ander Kendrick reporting from 
London on the anti-American wave 
sweeping Britain and David 
Schoenbrun from Paris telling of 
French reaction to U.S. support of 
the U.N. “forthwith” resolution. 
Schoenbrun, in pithy style, said the 
French feel that the U.S. could 
make amends by “rubbing oil on 
the wound,” referring to the cur¬ 
rent oil shortage hitting both 
France and Britain. Stuart Novine 
reported from the U.N. and Lou 
Cioffi, via shortwave, told of the 
fear gripping Port Said. 

Commentator Clark handled the 
opening and the continuity with 
professional ease. Radio, as evi¬ 
denced by this show, remains the 
hard-to-beat medium for fast on- 
the-spot coverage, lending insight 
and color to what is read in news¬ 
papers. Horo. 

GOBEL SHOW TO N. Y. 

IN GUESTAR HYPO 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

For first time in the show’s 
three-year history, George Gobel 
will originate his NBC-TV program 
away from Hollyw'ood Gobel and 
his crew will trek to the net’s 
Rockefeller Center studios to stage 
the Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and 9 show's 
there. 

One reason for the Gotham 
originations is the crop of fresh 
guest stars available in N. Y. 

Making the trip with Gobel will 
be his Gomalco Enterprises part¬ 
ner, David P. O’Malley, producer 
A1 £<evvis, director Dick McDon- 
augh, music director John Scott 
Trotter, and scripters Howard 
Leeds, Everett Greenbaum and 
Harry Winkler. 


JACK BENNY CHRISTMAS SHOW 
With Mary Livingstone, Eddie 
i (Rochester) Anderson, Dennis 
Day, Don Wilson, Bob Crosby, 
June Allyson, Frances Bergen, 
Sportsmen Quartet, Artie Auer¬ 
bach, Sheldon Leonard, Sara 
Hearn, Joe Kearns, Dick Ryan, 
Herb Vigran, Mel Blanc, Benny 
Rubin, Charlie Bagby, Elliott 
Lewis, Girl Friends Quartet, 
Mahlon Merrick Orch 
Producer: Hilliard Marks 
Writers: Sam Perrin, George Bal- 
zer, Hal Goldman, A1 Gordon 
55 Mins.; Sun (2), 5:05 p.m. 
MINNESOTA MINING & MFG. 
CBS, from Hollywood 

(McManus, John & Adams) 

Idea of a radio spectacular is a 
relatively new one, in effect started 
last year on CBS Radio with North 
American Insurance’s “Christmas 
Sing With Bing” (which has been 
renewed for this Yuletide too) and 
which has- received- impetus with 
this Jack Benny holiday spec for 
Minnesota Mining & Mfg. on CBS 
and an upcoming Fred Waring 
Xmas show for Allis-Chalmers on 
NBC. 

In terms of costs, the Benny spec 
was a great buy for 3M’s, running 
in the neighborhood of $30,000, 
which several years ago is what 
would have been paid for a regular 
half-hour weekly episode on the 
Benny stanza. Add to this the pub¬ 
licity and exploitation values in¬ 
volved in a “special” like this, the 
seasonal nature of the ; buy involv¬ 
ing one-shot coin (to duplicate the 
same kind of show on tv would 
have required a minimum of 10 
times the amount), involving an 
awful lot of coverage for a small- 
for-tnese-days amount of expendi¬ 
ture. 

Still, the setup had its flaws, not 
the least of which was the show it¬ 
self. It wasn't nearly up to the 
customary Benny standard. Lack of 
any situation other than a Christ¬ 
mas shopping trip was one factor; 
the absence of any standout com¬ 
edy material was another; repeti¬ 
tion, that old Benny standby, was 
overabused this time out. The show 
tended to ramble, the customary 
sharpness wasn’t there. Perhaps it 
was because Benny and his writers 
are so largely accustomed to a 
half-hour format and tended to 
ramble when past that length; also,' 
it’s entirely possible that Benny 
and his scripting stable, who had 
a good deal of trouble initially in 
adjusting themselves to television 
but did • well after they went off 
radio, have found it difficult to 
think in terms of audio-only once 
again. 

Whatever the reasons, the show 
didn’t come off in customary 
crackling fashion, though to be 
sure, there was a fair-sized grab- 
bag of laughs. But those special¬ 
ized characterizations, for example, 
like “Mr. Kitzel,” etc., were flat. 
So were the guesters, with June 
Allyson on briefly for a comedy bit 
and Frances Bergen singing from 
her album (plugs, of course, for the 
disk and for Miss Allyson’s latest 
pic.) 

Another factor was that radio 
wasn’t the ideal medium for the 
sponsor, which plugged its gift 
wrappings (explaining the early 
timing for a Christmas show; 3M’s 
season is pre-Christmas, not the 
holiday itself). Assuming that the 
company had the coin, television 
with its opportunities for demon¬ 
stration, would have had far more 
impact. Sponsor, however, got 
plenty of strong identification via 
the old Lucky Strike business of 
integrated singing commercials, 
with the Sportsmen, the Girl 
Friends and Rochester all taking 
off on “Tonight You Belong to Me” 
with a “Tonight We Belong to Min¬ 
nesota Mining & Mfg.” parody. 

If the Benny special didn’t come 
off entirely in terms of the pro¬ 
gram and the media choice, that 
doesn’t mean that 3M itself didn’t 
get good value out of the purchase, 
and it particularly doesn't mean 
that the radio spec idea is a bad 
one. With some more planring 
than was evident on this occasion, 
with a wiser use of the medium 
and with more promotion behind 
it, this type of special program can 
be made to pay remarkable divi¬ 
dends for a small investment. 

Chan. 


Brace of Awards For 

‘Medical Horizons’ 

“Medical Horizons.” sponsored 
by CIBA Pharmaceutical Prod¬ 
ucts, telecast Sunday afternoons 
over ABC-TV, has copped two 
awards. 

American Medical Assn, at its 
annual meeting in Seattle cited 
CIBA Pharmaceutical for service 
to the medical profession through 
its presentation of the series. 
Scripter Jay Raeben who did 
“Arthritis, the Sly Crippler,” for 
the series won the 1956 Russell L. 
Cecil Award for his documentary 
teleplay. Latter award is granted 
yearly to works in all media bv the 
Arthritis and Rheumatism Foun¬ 
dation. 





Exclusively 

RECORDS 


Personal Management 

RANDY WOOD-JACK SPINA AGENCY 

157 W. 57th St.. New York 19. N. Y. PLaza 7-4877 



Wedneaday, December 5, 1956 


45 


Ufo&U&fr 


Current Release 

"ANASTASIA" 

b/w 

"don't forbid me* 

POT 15521 



Motion Pictures: 

20th Century Fox 

“BERNADINE” 

Shooting Feb. 4th 


Press Relations: 
FOLADARE-GREER & ASSOC. 
Suite #118, 1741 No. Ivor Ave. 
Hollywood 28, Calif. 



46 


BADIO-T11JEVI$I0IV 




■ Wednesday,. December ^ 1956 • 


Tele Followups 

55 Continued from page 36 55 


script, incidentally, was also stand¬ 
out in the light-touch department 
and also for the smart, unassum¬ 
ing pegs used to lead into the vari¬ 
ous sponsor plugs and station 
breaks. And where, as this show, 
the plugs for the various bank- 
rollers are somewhat numerous, 
the clever lead-ins make ’em much 
easier to take. 

The guest lineup was excellent. 
Carol Channing was amusing in 
her rendition of a material number, 
“The Story of Marie,” and a show- 
tune, “If,” in which Como acted 
as straightman in a duet. Nat 
(King) Cole, who has his own NBC- 
TV show Monday nights, con¬ 
tributed a solid entertainment 
highspot with-his smooth-solos- of 
“Thou Swell” and “I’ve Grown 
Accustomed To Her Face” and 
then winding up with a socko 
straw-hatted duet with" Como on 
the Latin number, “Cuba,” with 
some racy mavnbo choreo backing. 
Longhair violinist Isaac Stern 
provided a change of pace with 
some virtuoso fiddling before tak¬ 
ing on Como in an okay if rather 
obvious, routine involving Stern’s 
100G instrument. 

In addition to the three main 
guests, the show also had bits with 
the French ventriloquist Robert 
Lamouret and Red Skelton who 
trailerized their upcoming appear¬ 
ances on the Como series. Their 
routines were brief, but effective 
fox their purpose. 

The Ray Charles Singers, the 
Louis Da Pron Dancers and the 
Mitch Ayres’ musical arrangements 
all added to the show’s lustre. 

* Herm. 


Steve Allen Show 

Except for a couple of weak 
points, the entertainment on NBC- 
TV’s “Steve Allen Show” last Sun¬ 
day (2) was pleasant. Plus factors 
included Ethel Waters’ slick war¬ 
bling of -“Happiness Is a Thing 
Called Joe,” and “Taking a Chance 
on Love,” Vincent Martin’s live 
piping of his record hit, “Cindy, 
Oh Cindy,” and an imaginative 
terp routine, neatly executed by 
Bobby Van. 

Also on the credit side was a 
closing routine in which film-legit 
actor Charlton Heston did a take¬ 
off on the different types of Holly¬ 
wood celebs who guest on tv. A 
standard bit of vox-popping odd 
characters was good, as*was an in¬ 
terview with Floyd Patterson and 
Archie Moore who slugged it out 
for the heavyweight crown last 
Friday (30), with the former win¬ 
ning. 

Allen continued the pattern of 
getting the show off to a zany start 
by lying down on a board in Yogi 
fashion and having Heston and 
Gypsy Rose Lee do likewise. On 
the negative side, however, was a 
weak satire on tv serial heroes. It 
was tagged “The Coward,” with 
Allen in the title role and Miss Lee 
as the slinky femme. 

The business of Allen and Don 
Newcombe tossing a ball back and 
forth while the former interviewed 
the Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher was 
silly. As usual, the show was 
flooded with commercials. Jess. 


Ed Sullivan Show 

After a fitful start with the 
“Cranks” troupe which helped to 
bog down the first half of Sunday 
(2) night’s “Ed Sullivan Show,” 
Sophie Tucker, Myron Cohen and 
others came to the rescue, enliven¬ 
ing the proceedings and bringing 
the curtain down with a flourish 
of solid entertainment. 

. Sophie Tucker socked across a 
narrative, nostalgic songalog which, 
despite its familiarity, remains 
solidly entertaining. Her’s may be 
corn, but she tucks at things which 
brings a response from most of the 
audience. The same cannot be 
said for the trio of “Cranks,” the 
chi chi imported from England 
revue that goes by the same title, 
recently opened on Broadway. The 
first number was “I’m the Boy You 
Should Say Yes To,” sung by a 
male to a ballerina. It was poised 
nonsense that just looked silly un¬ 
der the glares of the tv cameras. 
In an eerie hand bit, there were 
some elements of surprise, the only 
one of the three “Cranks” acts 
which came off well. Appropri¬ 
ately, sandwiched in between the 
English stints, was takeoff on the 
Swan Lake ballet, done bv the 
Princeton Triangle Club. It fitted 
into the zany proceedings. 

Myron Cohen followed Sophie 
Tucker in the second half of the 
show, and in top form, he made 
like a funny fella, brin^ing^a high 
quota of yocks. A segment of the 
final 15 minutes was devoted to the 
Modern Screen Magazine awards 
for best performance, best actor, 
etc., hosted by Louella Parsons, 
and televised from Hollywood. The 
parade of stars included Kirk 
Douglas, Natalie Wood, Tony Cur¬ 


tis, Doris Day and producer-direc¬ 
tors George Stevens and King Vi¬ 
dor. It was enough to bring forth 
some “ohs” and “ahs” from movie 
fans, wjthout being boring. Loca¬ 
tion shots in Japan of the filming 
of “Teahouse of the August Moon” 
eame after the awards, and de¬ 
spite their trailer orientation, the 
clips were of interest. 

Rosemary Clooney opened the 
«show with an o.k., but hardly in¬ 
spired, rendition of “April in 
Paris.” Less perfunctory was the 
final act, a novelty dance number 
by a German duo Koester & Stahl. 
Theii^ stepping had fine comic ef¬ 
fect. Horo. 


-Walter Winchell-Show 

The Walter Winchell Show to 
attracting some of the top variety 
artists is maintaining the high 
standards in the act department 
set at the beginning of the series. 
With a lineup of Jimmy Durante, 
Joey Bishop and Jill Corey work¬ 
ing within a half-hour span, there’s 
little that can go wrong. 

Durante, doubling from the N.Y. 
Copacabana is still one of the top 
cafe comics extant. He has a verve 
and spirit easily transmitted to all 
within hearing. His two numbers 
were positive hits. Durante’s “Tos¬ 
canini, Iturbi and Me,” and his 
finale on which he breaks up the 
piano, similarly breaks up the 
house. r 

Another slice of comedy was by 
Joey Bishop, who came on with a 
good line of chatter, for excellent" 
continuation of the yock standard, 
and Bishop’s doleful demeanor 
blends in well with his verbiage. 
Bishop also rates high as a standup 
comedian. 

Miss Corey charmed with two 
numbers, first being a good ar¬ 
rangement of “You Made Me Love 
You” and the period piece, “I Love 
My Baby” which made a strong 
impact. 

The Winchell panel contained 
some impressive names and an ap¬ 
pearance on this show might have 
caused a couple of late curtains. 

Shelley Winters of “Girls of 
Summer” and Billy Gilbert of 
“Fanny” rushed back for their 
legit duties. Other names on the 
grandstand included Gypsy Rose 
Lee, Gloria De Haven, Robert 
Merrill, songwriter Harold Arlen, 
Tex & Jinx and Norma Douglas. 

D Jose. 


Frontiers of Faith 

It’s never been easy, in television 
to achieve the complete rehabilita¬ 
tion of a lowlife in a ( half- 
hour, and have viewers believe it, 
but Norman Rosten came close in 
the last “Frontiers of Faith,” Sun¬ 
day (2). He scribed “Old- Man 
Stone,” presumably taken from the 
real-life story of a Detroit druggist, 
in which two teenage hoodlums are 
won over by utter trust. 

Ending was platitudinous but 
true to the needs of the Sabbath 
religioso on NBC-TV. Rosten’s 
“slice of life” dialog is on a par 
with that of many of tv’s major 
dramatists, and his plot construc¬ 
tion, considering the basically tired 
theme he chose to work with, was 
never uninteresting. This one was 
produced by the Jewish Theologi¬ 
cal Seminary, which seems to do an 
above-average job when it takes 
part in the^eries. Specifics of pro¬ 
duction were done by Milton 
-Krents; Martin Hoade’s direction 
was just right. The role of drug¬ 
gist Stone was the kind that David 
Opatoshu fit into snugly. Art. 


Omnibus 

“Omnibus” on Sunday (2) pre¬ 
sented one of its least fascinating 
sessions. Intended perhaps as a 
catcli-all, the ABC-TV program ex¬ 
pended itself through spattering. 
All things to all men turned out 
to be very little for very few. A 
jazz buff concerned with such com¬ 
parisons anent the musical beat 
might have found “East Meets 
West At Jazz” up his alley. Chatur 
Lai, a “tabla” player from India, 
and Jo Jones, the American Negro 
who makes a drum sing, were 
politely pitted against each other 
in a percussion stanza apparently 
aimed at depicting the respective 
styles. A group consisting of clar¬ 
inetist Tony Scott, trumpeter Ruby 
Graff, trombonist Urbie Green, 
bassist Walter Page and pianist 
Bonnel Bright were also on hand. 

John Hammond was the jazz con¬ 
sultant; what the segment might 
have needed was a Leonard Bern¬ 
stein as jazzster of ceremonies. 

A large and competent cast was 
all but wasted in a “modern” ver¬ 
sion (whatever that is) of Edward 
Everett Hale’s “The Man Without 
a Country.” The mccoy version is 
good enough—and what’s so start¬ 
ling or experimental in an updating 
that makes exactly the same point 
in 20th Century garments? Maurice 
Valenty did the adaptation. Cast, 


principals were. Arthur Franz in 
the title role; Joseph Anthony ad¬ 
miral-who tells the story in flash 
back; Joe Mantell, Joan Wetmore 
and John McGovern. Daniel Petrie 
directed. 

And then there was hockey; spe¬ 
cifically a slice of the game re- 
moted from New York’s Madison 
Square Garden (Rangers vs. To¬ 
ronto Maple Leafs), then a post¬ 
game pickup later in the program. 
Okay for the aficionados, no doubt. 
Not enough general interest. Jack 
Sameth directed.. 

The windup segment was a 
delicious bit of nothing called 
“Amicable Parting,” by Mr. and 
Mrs. George S. Kaufman (Leueen 
MacGrath). Eli Wallach, a splendid 
actor, and Ann Jackson, a ditto 
actress, labored their way through 
this pseudo-sophisticated labyrinth 
of marital life, with more verbosity 
and preciousness than life. Charles 
Dubin directed this* and the chap¬ 
ter on jazz.-.-.-.Trmu— 


Alcoa Hour 

The “Alcoa Hour” Sunday (2) 
proved conclusively that it’s dan¬ 
gerous to anticipate the Christmas 
spirit too early. “Merry Christmas, 
iMr. Baxter,” adapted by William 
McCleery from an Edward Streetej; 
book; fussed and fumbled with the 
subject of Christmas shopping and 
succeeded in little more than being 
a mildly amusing comedy with sac- 
carine. overtones. 

Dennis King was the well-heeled, 
elderly gent who tried to get his 
shopping in at the last moment and 
merely succeeded in swooping up 
all sorts of unnecessary gadgets 
and getting himself locked up in 
jail on Christmas Eve. King’s ami¬ 
able performance seemed like a" 
. decided tvaste of talent. 

Despite its lack of substance, the 
play still featured some endearing 
personalities. Cornelia Otis Skin¬ 
ner had warmth and carried off 
her part as King’s sympathetic 
wife extremely well. Patricia 
Benoit has a knack for projecting 
warmth in a simple and unaffected 
way. John McGiver registered 
strongly^ in a bit part and master 
Jimmy Rogei's was appealing with¬ 
out being coy. 

The unusually well-cast play 
also featured Margaret Hamilton 
as a secretary in the day-after- 
the - Christmas - party - spirit. Alice 
Pearce in a comic bit as a demon¬ 
strator of an icecream machine, 
and pretty Anne Wedgeworth and 
Margaret O’Neill as sales ladies. 
Miss Wedgeworth displayed per¬ 
suasive looks and talent in her 
brief part. 

Herbert Hirschman’s direction 
caught the frantic rush of the de¬ 
partment store at Christmas time. 
It’s just that the whole thing 
wasn’t worth the effort put into it. 
In the end it seemed to matter 
very little whether King believed 
in Christmas or not. Hift. 


Robert Montgomery Presents 

Production staff of “Robert 
Montgomery Presents” deserves 
credit for persistency and con¬ 
sistency; they are continually try¬ 
ing productions beyond their scope, 
and as consistently failing to make 
them come off. “Sunset Boule¬ 
vard,” adaDted from the Charles 
Brackett-Billy Wilder-D. M. Marsh- 
man Jr. screenplay by Doria Fol- 
liott, falls exactly into this pattern 
—the “Montgomery” unit deserves 
an “A” for ambition, but they were 
naive to think they could have 
achieved any semblance of a pol¬ 
ished job in the space of less than 
54 minutes. 

The “Sunset Boulevard” that 
emerged was a hodge-podge of un¬ 
impressive scenes in which moti¬ 
vation and characterization played 
little part. Occasionally, director 
Ted Danielewski got a frightening 
moment in, but all the subtle de¬ 
velopment of both plot and charac¬ 
terization (and therefore the really 
fi'ightening and shocking aspects of 
the story) were missing—-there 
wasn’t enough time. The result was 
a potboiler instead of a power¬ 
house. 

Mary Astor was cast in the role 
created by Gloria Swanson, and 
while she had some good moments, 
she had more bad ones. Yet it 
wasn't her fault—where the subtle 
and logical development of the 
screenplay made Miss Swanson’s 
wildest flights believable, the very 
absence of this in the teladaptation 
made Miss Astor mostly inci’edible. 
Dari'en McGavin, as the kept 
writer, made with a lot of sound 
and fury, but again the lack of 
time made for an absence of any 
l'eal characterization and what 
emerged was just an impoverished 
and cynical hothead. <5 

Gloria De Haven had a couple 
of brief and uninteresting scenes 
as the love interest, Walter Kohler 
was contritely mournful as the 
butler-ex-husband, John Gi’iggs 
had an okay scene as the director 
and Carl Low was okay as another 
Hollywood character. All in all, a 
most unsatisfactory effort, and yet 
the “Montgomery” crew is continu¬ 
ally trying these outsized propei'- 
ties. Persistent and consistent. 

Chart. 


From the Production Centres 

Continued from page 34 j 

veep, addressed the National Safety Council’s training institilte here 
yesterday (Tues.) . . . Jack Ferren upped to veepee in charge of indus¬ 
trial relations at Zenith Radio . . . Anne Glasner, ex-WGN-TV, added 
to WBBM’s continuity department. .. Walgreen’s has renewed the daily 
“Romper Room” on WGN-TV for another year. Kindergarten strip, 
presided over by Rosemary Rapp, is in its third year . , . Bill Drips, for¬ 
mer NBC farm director now living in Oregon, back for the Interna¬ 
tional Livestock exposition . . . John Setear new media supervisor at 
Leo Burnett . . . Kitchens of Sara Lee extended its Wednesday night 
“TV Bowling Classic” for another 13 weeks on WBBM-TV . . . Elliott 
Moore has taken over as Erwin, Wasey’s Chi radio-tv director, vice 
Mike McCarthy . . . WTTW, Chi r s educational station, notches its first 
anniversaiT next week and is now programming 43 hours weekly ... 
WGN veep Ward Quaal on a business junket to N.Y. and Washington 
this week. 

IN LONDON ... 

Japaffe’S'e sbpfahdTCaiukd'YariiagucHFwas forced to cancel out of her 
BBC-TV date in the “Vic Oliver Presents” show (28) by Moss Empires 
topper, Val Parnell. Reason given was that Miss Yamaguchi was billed 
to appear on the program before Moss Empires knew about it, and 
she and the Italian Opera Co. with whom she’s appearing, were booked 
to play one of the Empire’s that week . . . “Face Of A Stranger” by 
Yank playwidght Irving WCrstein featured in ABC-TV’s “Armchair 
Theatre,” on Sunday (2),. The play provided an ABC drama debut for 
director David .PaltenghI, who:recently joined its Drama department 
. . . “Pastorale/’ a teleplay by Maxwell Cohen was the fourth CBS tele¬ 
film to be screened by the state web. It/went out over the network 
today (Tues.) . . . The USAF Dance Band will make a 30-minute ap-> 
pearance from BBC-TV’s Birmingham studio next Tuesday (11) . . . 
Richard Widmark*guested in ATV’s “Poi'trait Of A Star” . . . Excerpti 
from Noel Coward's latest comedy, “Nude With Violin,” set for BBC- 
TV airing next Tuesday (11). 

IN WASHINGTON . . . 

Award-winning suburban station WGAY celebrating its 10th annr- 
versai'y Friday (7) under management of co-founder Joseph Brechner 
. . . Ruth Geri Hagy, producer-moderator of “College Press Confer¬ 
ence” was lead-off speaker at-last week’s National Women’s Executive 
Committee meeting of the U.S. Treasui’y Department’s National Con¬ 
ference . . . Voice of America currently recruiting parttime radio 
actors, announcers and narrators for "its overseas broadcasts . . . WMAL 
boasts of being sole station anywhere with a regulation studio duck pin 
bowling alley, built at $25,000 cost to accommodate two shows, “Cham¬ 
pionship Bowling” and- “Bowling Time” . . . WRC sportscaster Jim 
Simpson currently in Australia covermg the Olympic Games ... 
Town's radio and tv stations going in to nigh gear with their annual 
Christmasr projects. Lineup is as follows: WRC timekeeper A1 Rosa 
has set up the “Doll House”; WTOP teed off its fifth annual “Dollai'S 
for Orphans” drive in cooperation with Junior (Chamber of Commerce; 
WWDC has opened its Radio Christmas Booth for 14th annual drive; 
WMAL has put its “Country Store” into operation; WGAY has launched 
its “North Pole Network. 

IN BOSTON . . . 

WNAC-TV inked S. S. Pierce Co., Hub’s famed carriage trade pantry 
grocers, to present 90-min. documentary, “Camera Inside Russia,” Mon¬ 
day (10) from 9:30-11 p.m. via Harold Cabot agency . . . Ken MacAskill 
moved from WNAC-TV production to new assignment in TV film dept, 
this frame. He scripted “Yankee Story” . . . Procter & Gamble signed 
to pi’omote Big Top peanut butter and Comet in heavy skeds over 
WNAC-TV . . . Other accounts signing with WNAC-TV included Con¬ 
tinental Baking Co. to promote Wonder Bread; Maybelline Co. for eye 
beauty aids; on WNAC, Seaboard Drug Co. to promote Mericin on 9 
o'clock news . . . Louise Morgan guests Gertrude Berg, starring in “Ar¬ 
senic And Old Lacelfc current at the Colonial, on her “Dear Homemaker 
Show” Tuesday (11) in the 1-1:30 p.m. slot. . . Barbara Pechie, WNAC- 
TV Tadio traffic dept, and Richard J. Curry of Waldorf chain set for 
marriage before Xmas ... In response to requests for a reshowing of 
“Playhouse 90” production “Sizeman And Son,” WNAC-TV nabbed 
the kinescope and will show the film for the Apparel Industries of 
N. E. in the Princess Ballroom, Hotel Somerset, Thursday night (13). 

IN SAN FRANCISCO ... 

William Winter, whose commentary has graced the radio-tv scene for 
15 years, departing shortly for Los Angeles, and tv money. He’ll con¬ 
tinue his ABC radio show from there, fly to Frisco each Sunday to do 
his KPIX TV show « . . Joseph Cotteii' winged into Frisco, was feted 
by KNBC . . . KOVR* named the Golden-George Agency, Stockton, to 
handle its general and trade media ads . . .JVIalcolm Dewecs new radio¬ 
tv director for Buchanan Frisco office . . ; Guild Films’ Reub Kaufman 
spoke to the Ad Club ... Ted Taylor’s on KNBC’s “Night Shift” (2 to 6 
a.m.) . . . KCBS grabbed all the Stanford baseketball games, with Don 
Klein and Dick Godfrey teaming up just as they did in football sea¬ 
son . . . Lucille Lando back at her five-day week stint with KSAN . .. 
Don Arlett stirred interest in Sacramento for the Northern California 
Academy of Television, with the result that the academy’s received a 
number of new membership applications . . . Jonathan Schiller took 
over as emcee for KNBC’s “Symphony Preview.” 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Phil Sheridan, WCAU-TV’s weatherman for the past five years is 
being replaced by Harry K. Smith, former late night WRCV-TV show 
biz, interviewer . . . WFIL-TV Chief Half town preems a weekly “chil¬ 
dren's spectacular” (9) . . . Johnny Lupton, host of WCAU’s “All Night 
Watch,” emcees the CBS network broadcast of the Lennie Hermarf 
Quintet Mon., Wed. and Fri. from the Warwick Hotel . . . WRCV de¬ 
buted public service series, “The Psychiatrist,” with Dr. Stanley Con¬ 
rad of Temple U. and Charles Hoover of the station’s production staff 
. . Two standard and one electric typewriter, worth a total of $1,100, 
were stolen from the exec offices of WFIL-TV . . . Jerry Gaines, WHAT 
dee jay, running a series of weekly dances in the FJourtown Firehouse 
(Philly suburb) . . . Art Raymond, WPEN’s mambo deejay billed as 
“Pancho,” ankles station at end of year . ,. Jazz sessions from the Blue 
Note broadcast every Sat. night by Mutual Network. 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Bob Neal pacted to do Mon.-thru-Fri. 11:10 p.m. sports show on 
KYW-TV .-. . WSRS disker Bob Forster spinning Saturday five-hour 
stanza at Taylors Department Store . . . Roger Kennedy adding five- 
minute tv commentary to his WJW-TV spieling . . . Bill Randle ended 
his half-hour Sunday series on WEWS . . . Fred Wolff’s WDOK staged 
area’s first successful Hi-Fi-Fair with more than 10,000 attending. 
He’s planning repeat next year . . . John J. Larlsh appointed to KYW- 
TV sales staff . . . WGAR’s Charles Day now doing daily 6:20 p.m. 
“Close Up” series featui'ing radio reviews of personalities in the news 
. . . WJW-TV continuing its daily 9:30 a.m. half-hour local roundup 
featuring news by Jim Doncy and Howard Hoffman, and woman’s views 
by Maggie Wulff. Stanza is carryover from newspaper strike that 
ended last Tuesday . . . WHK sales promotion manager John Wyman 
will have his “Boy Who Never Was” recorded by BMI with Ruth Price 
the canary. 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 





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TRENDEX ON WCBS-TV 

The WCBS-TV "bate Sh ow" has long been the New 
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Nearly 90% of the fate viewers tuned In COMMAND 
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urday, December 1 *,,and the TRENDfeX hit a high 
of 28,4 ♦* ♦ topping lt$ closest competition by more than 
ehven4o-Onel 

Never have so many New Yorkers stayed up so late 
to watch any single television'progr am*,< but who con 
resist the mighty M*0-M Iron? / 

WCBS-TV biBlngs ore beading for a new high! With 
exciting new programming from M-G-M, offering^ 
more viewers for the advertisers dollar, the prestige 
and profit potential of this flagship station are now 


greater than ever before. 


And the story's the same everywhere the M-G-M 
features ore being programmed: higher ratings and 
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Wait no longer. Inquire today as to the availability of 
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RADIO-TELEVISION 


Ikeember 5,: 195$' 


■Flock of Anng$ Follow Court's 
Nix of RKOs Purchase of WGMS 


Washington, Dec. 4. - 

Eighteen radio station employees 
of WGMS and WGMS-FM here are 
out of jobs as a result of a series 
of legal developments which forced 
RKO Teleradio Pictures to return 
operation of the outlets to Good 
Music Station Inc. RKO purchased 
the stations several months ago. 

Upon taking over the-.operation 
last week, M. Robert Rogers, prin¬ 
cipal stockholder of Good Music, 
immediately issued a memo notify- j 

Mutual, that their employment ter-1 
minated as of Nov. 30. Robert Hur-1 
leigh. Mutual director of Washing-1 
ton operations,' said efforts would j 
be made to find positions for the 
affected engineers, newscasters and 
talent, some of whom came here 
from various parts of the country- 
All were given two weeks pay. 

Among those,, released were Phil 
Lampkin, program director; Les 
Sand, disk jockey; Hubert Hollo¬ 
way, commentator; Jeffrey Ford, 
announcer; Charles rWarren, news 
editor, and Flore pz Hinz, director 
of sales promotion. Status of Art 
Lamb, d.}., has not been deter¬ 
mined. 

With resumption of operations by 
Good Music, which was ordered by 
the FCC, pursuant to a Court of 
Appeals directive, Rogers has al¬ 
tered the format of the stations 
from that instituted by RKO which 
carried the Mutual programs on 
WGMS and good music on WGMS- 
FM. He is now back to his old 
operation of duplicating "good” or 
‘‘middle hair” music but is carry¬ 
ing all Mutual commercial pro¬ 
grams. Prior to sale of the sta¬ 
tions, he had been carrying only a 
few Mutual programs as a sup¬ 
plementary affiliate of the network 
whose primary affiliate was WWDC. 
Rogers is running the stations with 
the original staff of 25. 


'Omnibus’ To Project 
Education in 1977 
A La 'Alice’ Fantasy 

In the production hopper of the 
Ford Foundation Radio-TV Work¬ 
shop's “Omnibus” is a telecast- on 
the future of public education in 
the U.S. It’ll be the first network 
stanza to project the status of edu- 
ration . Mt’s expect ed the show w ill 
have something strong to say about 
the allegedly dismal current posi¬ 
tion of education, as well. 

Exec producer Robert Saudek 
has set a staff of researchers to 
mapping “an informed, guess” as to 
how education will look -in 20 
years. Slotted for presentation 
betweeen January and March on 
ABC-TV, “Omnibus” will do the 
program as a fantasy along the 
lines of an “Alice Through the 
Looking Glass.” 

Saudek doesn’t know at this 
juncture whether lie'll give over 
the entire hour-and-a-half weekly 
show to the venture, but as pres¬ 
ently envisioned it will embrace 
the architecture of schools in 1077 
(as seen by a eouple of “well- 
known architects”); the use to 
which tv and other visual-audio 
aids will be put then; and a com¬ 
parison of the teacher-to-pupfl 
ratio, based on the projections of 
experts. 

' Making like Lewis Carroll will' 
be. Sydney Carroll, the mystery 
writer who scripted “The Stranger 
Left No Card,” a film short which 
twice appeared on “Omnibus,” and 
other material for the program, 
will do the “Wonderiand”-type 
script if negotiations can be con¬ 
cluded. 


New Orleans — Mel Leavitt, 
sports and, special events director 
of WDSU-TV here, has been upped 
to tv program director. 


Reynolds’ Paris-to-N. Y. 

For Berle Stow Huddles 

Sheldon Reynolds, producer of 
“Foreign Intrigue” and other tv 
and feature film series, flew in 
from Paris over the week-end for 
a quickie huddle with NBC on the 
comedy detective series which he 
and„ Milton Berle plan producing 
abroad next May. The pilot of 
“Follow That Man,” as it’s called, is 
now with Berle in the U. S. 

NBC, Reynolds and the star want 
to show it to U. S. theatre audi¬ 
ences and dub a realistic laugh- 
track, and circumvent any phoney 
studio dub-laughs. 

There is considerable sponsorial 
interest in the Berle comedy who¬ 
dunits, hence the quickie trip in 
by Reynolds who has other produc- 
tion in wo rk in Fr ance. _ 

Jerry Lewis To • 
Solo Jan. 19 Spec 

Jerry Lewis will do his first 
NBC-TV telecast as a single under 
the network’s new contract with 
York Pictures as a Saturday night 
color spec on Jan. 19. Unlike the 
regular Saturday night spec series, 
itnwill be an hour; otherwise the 
setup is the same, With the show 
slated as a tintcast with Oldsmo- 
bile and RCA - BCA - Whirlpool 
sponsoring. 

Stanza will originate in New ’ 
York, with Ernie Ghicksman, wha 
produced the Martin & Lewis 
shows for NBC in the past, coming 
in from the Coast to produce the 
show. Program will wind up 
Lewis’ commitments to the net¬ 
work through June, with the comic 
then slated to do four shows a year 
for four additional years. That’s 
the deal consummated a couple of 
weeks ago under which York Pic¬ 
tures, owned by Martin, Lewis and 
Paramount, withdrew its $3,000,000 
suit against the networks and 
signed a new pact calling for sep¬ 
arate appearances by the ex-part¬ 
ners. 


Ken England I NBC Sets Granik’s 


Continued from pajce 35 1 
uar'y. Also, England has agreed to 
return to CBS for specific assign¬ 
ments should time" be found for 
specific properties on which he 
worked, such as the “Breezy QLCon- 
nor” series, a property About a 
young priest developed with Leo 
McCarey, or Paul Gregory’* new 
“Emotions” serjes. 

On the combined legit-motion 
pic front, Englund has formed a 
partnership arrangement with Mc¬ 
Carey for the production (stage, 
screen or both) of “The Gombeen 
Man,” an Irish play by Patrick 
Welch, who wrote, “The Quiet 
Man.” They’ve already talked to 
-John—d?ord~ 4a—direct^—and—they- 
would film the play in color in Ire¬ 
land. Englund also has an 18-month 
option on “Six to Ten,” an English 
melodrama novel by John Garden; 
on which he can change the locale 
to Maine and shoot there. Also in 
the hopper are “A Curious Leg¬ 
end,” an original by Englund about 
Germany between the World Wars 
which he would shoot in Germany, 
and “Bonanza Belle,” a musical 
laid in San Francisco. 

Englund parts company from 
CBS-TV on Sunday (9), having 
served out a year in what original¬ 
ly was a five-year pact. It’s an- ami¬ 
cable parting; in fact CBS will have 
first refusal on “Ghost!” and other 
tv projects. While at the web he 
worked on the development of the 
Gregory and McCarey properties 
as well as the original hour format 
for Herb Shriner and an hour se¬ 
ries still in the works for Rob 
Crosby. Lack of immediate time 
availabilities for those projects, 
which are still possibilities for the 
future, cued his decision to ask 
for his release. Moreover, Englund 
points out, the business particular¬ 
ly in Hollywood has changed so 
that the creative personnel have 
become free agents to an unpre¬ 
cedented extent, with all kinds of 
possibilities opening up to them 
for production and creation of new 
properties which never existed be¬ 
fore. Englund" wants in on them 
after years of contract work with 
major studios and networks. 


NBC-TV has tossed into the sales 
hopper, with an eye toward early 
sponsorship, a new half-hour show 
conceived by Ted Granik and de« 
signed- as " a Sunday afternoon 
showcase. Called “Youth on th 0 
Go ” it’s 1 a companion piece to 
Granik’s "Youth Wants to Know,” 
but with an entirely different for¬ 
mat presenting a continuing on? 
the-scehe study of history in the 
making. 

As explained by Granik, “Youth” 
explores the kev pat t erns and in- 
fluences of our time, through the 
personalities and places linked 
with the major events, develop¬ 
ments and ideas of the day. It is 
designed to take a group of repre¬ 
sentative young people on a visit 
to laboratories, air bases, proving 
grounds, government headquarters, 
schools, studios, etc., meeting with 
scientists, technicians, star enter¬ 
tainers, political leaders, et al. 
Show will be on a live basis. 

Initial 13 entries deal with 
“Threshold of the Jet Age,” a Visit 
to the Dr. Salk experimental lab¬ 
oratory, a visit to the Eisenhower 
farm in Gettysburg, Pa.; a visit to 
UN headquarters with the Secre¬ 
tary-General; a tour through Bour¬ 
bon Street, New Orleans, anent the 
current popularity of rack ’n’ roll; 
a probing into juve delinquency 
with a visit to one of the country’s 
first reformatories; a backstage 
view under ANTA auspices, etc, 

Granik* has worked out a pro¬ 
motional tie with Reader’s* Digest 
in which one of the "Youth on the 
Go” shows will be based on one of 
the magazine’s monthly articles. 
Mag, of course, will crossplug the 
show. National Education Assn, 
will also publicize the stanza to 
its members. 


Hollywood —Bill Beals has joined 
KFI sales staff. He was formerly 
with KDAY, Santa Monica, and 
KABC, here, in similar capacities. 


The HILARIOUS COMEDY GAME 

“MAKE ME LAUGH” 

(Created by MORT GREEN and GEORGE FOSTER) 

AVAILABLE AS A Vz HOUR TV SHOW 


WALTER WINCHELL SHOW 

“ . . .High spot came midway when comedians 
Gene Baylos, Henny Youngman and Sid Gould 
bounced their wits off a deadpan housewife and 
then Basil Rathbone in a “MAKE ME LAUGH” 
routine. Their rapidfire patter produced a lot 
more laughs than they were able to extract from ^ 

the foils who got a $1 for every second they kept 
their faces straight . . p'fi fflETY 

“Please renew our subscriptions to Variety 
forever ...” 

MORT GREEN AND GEORGE FOSTER 

“ . . . I loved it ^ . . Let’s t do it again on 
DECEMBER 7TH and DECEMBER 21ST, from 
Hollywood . . WALTER WINCHELL 

“Please renew our subscriptions to the Daily 
Mirror forever . . .” * 

MORT GREEN AND GEORGE FOSTER 

"... And that. ‘MAKE Mfe LAUGH’ skit, with 
Henny Youngman, Sid Gould and Gene Baylos 
wgs a riot . . .” NICK KENNY 

"... Nick Kenny is a . riot . ► 

HENNY YOUNGMAN, SID GOULD AND GENE BAYLOS 

“I hated it. Obviously a capitalist plot . . .” 

KRUSHCHEV 

**Anybody who does not buy this show is un- 
American.” THE WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


Thank You W. W. 

0 

For putting "MAKE ME LAUGH" on your Nov. 9th 
Show ... and for the two return engagement*: 


From HOLLYWOOD: 


DECEMBER 7th 
DECEMBER 21st 


And many thanks to Alan Handley, George Wood, 
Ben Griefer, Sandy Glass, Ken Roberts, Milt Rosen, 
Bob Condon, and the staff . . ♦ 

“MAKE ME LAUGH” is represented by: 

THE WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 








How well do you know the Boston market? 


As any native can tell you, there’s a 
lot to he seen in and around Boston. 
If you’re familiar with the land of 
the cod and the “Hub of the Uni¬ 
verse,” you may recognize quite a 
few of the photographs above. 

A. WEEI's Priscilla Fortescue inter¬ 
viewing singer Julius LaRosa. 

H. Warehouse in New Bedford. 

C. Old church in Attleboro. 

D. Second Millennium idol at the 
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 

E. Radiator in Glass Flower Room at 
Harvard University. 

F. Lighthouse and breakwater in East 
Gloucester, Massachusetts. 

G. Photograph of an electrical dis¬ 


charge, made at the Massachusetts In¬ 
stitute of Technology. 

H. Chinese Merchants National Bank, 
Stuart Street, Boston. 

I. Trademark of the Davis Brothers 
Fisheries, Gloucester. 

J. Three dimensional abstraction, 
Shopped World, Framingham. 

K. E. B. Rideout, WEEFs weather ex¬ 
pert for the past 30 years. 

L. Sculpture on Harvard campus. 

. Anyone familiar enough with Boston 
to recognize its landmarks will also 
recognize this basic truth about the 
Bostonian himself: he’s a tough cus¬ 
tomer to sell. But once you’ve won 
his trust and his confidence, he’s 


likely to be your customer for life. 
WEEI has already won that trust 
for the products it advertises. No one 
knows the Boston market as WEEI 
does — especially the buying habits 
and brand loyalties of the Boston 
people. When you have something 
to sell to people in that special Bos¬ 
ton market, call CBS Radio Spot 
Sales or WEEI Radio. 


Credits: B, C, F, I, J—Standard Oil Co., N. J.; 
.G —Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 























50 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


PftfzmfY 


Wednesday, December 5, 1950 


Foreign TV Reviews 


Continued from pace 3* ; 


ute verbal volley, was solid visual 
entertainment. 

Julian Bream’s highbrow guitar 
playing, followed by immaculate 
piano work from Semprini, did 
much to keep the show running 
smoothly. And good dance rou¬ 
tines by The Leslie Roberts Sil¬ 
houettes kept up the tempo. The 
Keynotes close harmony quintet 
ably rendered three numbers and 
led Miss Lynn into a perfect-for- 
her beguine, “I Am Loved.” Or¬ 
chestral accompaniments through¬ 
out, conducted by Eric Robinson, 
were good. Albert Stevenson’s 
production was slick, and camera 
work up to the same standard. 

Bary. 


OFF THE RECORD 

With Jack Payne, Max Bygraves, 

_ Shirley Abicalr v .~BicMe-Hender~{~ 4 
son, Dorothy Squires, The Four 
Jones Boys, Ronnie Harris, Vic¬ 
tor Feldman * Quartet, Concert 
Orch, George Mitchell Singers 
Conducted by Stanley Black 
Producer: Bill Cotton Jr. 

30 mins., Mon., 9:30 p.m. 

BBC-TV, from London 

The state web, which shuns com¬ 
mercials, came about as close as it 
could to plugging new disk re¬ 
leases in this series. In the pro¬ 
gram reviewed, the headline name 
was Max Bygraves, who was given 
plenty of scope to inform viewers 
that he’d just cut two new sides, 
and, surrounded by a quartet of 
beautiful femmes in a harem 
setting, he struggled through “The 
Feather Song.” 

Jack Payne’k easygoing emceeing 


was the bright spot of the program. 
His neat, straightforward patter 
kept the gaps between numbers 
pleasantly filled, although good 
tunes weren’t necessarily of prime 
importance. 

Shirley Abicair, Dorothy Squires, 
Dickie Henderson, Ronnie Harris 
and The Four Jones Boys stepped 
forward in turn to intro their latest 
recordings. Victor Feldman, home 
from the U.S., where he’d been 
playing with the Woody Herman 
Band, played his vibraharp, accom¬ 
panied by piano, bass and drums, 
for a snappy original jazz number, 
“Monsoon.” Although Bill Cotton 
Jr’s production was smooth, it 
lacked punch and was consequently 
dull. The Concert Orchestra and 
George Mitchell Singers, conducted 
by Stanley Black, provided ade- 
.quate.accompaniments. — 


A — Z 

With Frances Day, Douglas Byng, 
Jacqueline Delman, Diana Dors, 
Sam Costa, Florence Desmond 
Producer: Bryan Sears 
45 mins., Fri. 7:30 p.m. 

BBC-TV, from London 
This new BBC-TV series, based 
on Wolf Mankowicz’s “ABC of 
Show Business,” is a neat idea for 
an all embracing program, even 
though it doesn’t quite come up to 
expectations. Run on a fortnightly 
basis, the idea is to develop the 
various permutations on each letter 
df the alphabet. 

In the program reviewed the 
basic letter was “D” and this was 
used to justify an interview with 
Diana Dors, to show highlights of 


FLASH! 

“GUNGA DIN” 

hits 


522 


rating 


in Los Angeles 

Every week "Channel 9 Movie Theatre" on KHJ-TV delivers 
the largest TV movie audience in Southern California. The 
latest special ARB rating on RKO's "Gunga Din" proves it 
again ... with 

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Walt Disney’s works, to bring back 
Florence Desmond-from retirement 
and to give Frances Day an op¬ 
portunity to indicate how she had 
branched out into the rock ’n roll 
idiom. 

Other “D’s” exploited in the 
program were Dames (pantomime), 
illustrated by Douglas Byng, 
Drinks Istage), described via a 
couple of brief sketches, Drums, 
with Jack Parnell as the exponent, 
and Deejayes, with Sam Costa. 
Opera singer Jacqueline Delman 
qualified on two counts, once for 
the initial of her surname and the 
other because she originally made 
her professional debut on the state 
web. 

W. Macqueen-Pope, the theatre 
historian, and Peter Noble take 
credit for research, but missed out 
on the obvious show business “D” 
for Darlings. Former Sunday 
Chronicle show business columnist 
Ken Smith was responsible for the 
compilation of the program. Alan 
Melville made a fluent emcee and 
Bryan Sears produced the program 
-smoothly..* .. MWro. 


St- Louis Specs 


—— Continued from page 37 = 

tant campaign speech) while in the 
8:30 to 9 time it went to 51.8 while 
the rival “I’ve Got A Secret” could 
do no better than a 9.1. 

Second entry, Nov. 20, pitted the 
local spec against the more for¬ 
midable competition of Red Skel¬ 
ton and “$64,000 Question,” but it 
won by a breeze. Against Skelton’s 
20.2 it snared a 37.3 and grabbed 
off a 33.3 against “$64,000 Ques¬ 
tion’s” 26.5. 

While initial negotiations were 
for three specs (third will be done 
Dec. 13) Union Electric and Gard¬ 
ner agency are now huddling with 
Mack to continue through next 
year with the one-a-month presen¬ 
tations. 

And the beauty of it is, it’s fur¬ 
nishing Mack and producer Gra¬ 
ham with a ready-made testing 
ground for new talent that can be 
channelled into “Original Amateur 
Hour.” So everybody’s happy, most 
of all the St. Loo audiences. 


Herb Shriner 

Continued from page 32 ; 


would expand to an hour next sea¬ 
son. Now the web has nothing 
from which to expand. 

As to “Truth,” the paneller was 
kinnied just a week ago and sold 
almost instantly. It’s a “cross-ex¬ 
amination” game in which the pan- 
ellers have to discover which of 
three contestants is telling the 
truth. Panel for the kinnie con¬ 
sisted of Polly Bergen, Hildy Parks, 
John Cameron Swayze and Dick 
Van Dyke. 

Question of an emcee is still up 
in the air, however; Mike Wallace 
did the kinnie, but the subsequent 
Tuesday at 9 berthing of the show 
results in a conflict with his NBC 
“Big Surprise” stint at 8. If NBC 
moves “Surprise” to Fridays, as is 
contemplated (see separate story), 
that will clear the way for Wallace 
to do “Truth”; if not, Goodson- 
Todman will have to find another 
moderator pronto. 


Distillers 

; Continued from page 33 ; 


for the price of two t Retailers are 
likely to sell individual bottles at 
the reduced rate. By the time fair 
trade laws can get around to the 
offending retailers, they hope that 
surplus stocks will be off the 
shelves. However, the danger lies 
in the fact that it will be difficult 
to get the customers to pay normal 
prices once the cut-rated stocks 
will have been exhausted. 

It’s believed that every domestic 
manufacturer is in the same situa¬ 
tion, and at the present time, they 
view video advertising as a neces¬ 
sity in order to maintain the status 
quo of the industry. 


Winchell 

Continued from page 37 - m 

began sniping away at the cigaret 
industry in his column, and the 
trade speculation is that he’ll,, start 
a fullscale campaign against the 
industry as a result of his axing by 
Old Gold. First blow (along with 
his blast at the rating systems) was 
a briefie, merely citing a Wall 
Street Journal headline to the ef- 

I fect that ciggie sales are down 
from last year, but that, it’s fig¬ 
ured, is just the opener. 


WFIL-TV 

■■ 1111 Continued from page 39 -— 

quickie Victor MacLaglen tour with 
the unreeling of the RKO product. 

Feature films slotted by the 
Triangle station in weekend prime 
time against well entrenched net-, 
work fare come out strong. WFIL- 
TV, not taking the net’s “Famous 
Film Festival,” has its early even¬ 
ing feature pulling p 14.3 ARB 
against Como and Gleason with a 
30.6 and 29.5 respectively. This is 
more than four times as much as 
previously scheduled programs 
have drawn, and represents a 
significant inroad into the strength 
of the net efforts, probably enough 
to keep Como and Gleason out of 
ARB’s top 15 for Philadelphia. 

Sunday afternoon present a 
bright picture too. The 2 to 4 p.m. 
feature film on WFIL-TV rings in 
with_a 10,7 .ARB^-.more‘_-tMn.Jthe. 
total of the other two stations com¬ 
bined. Sunday at 5 to 6:30 p.m. 
shows a 15.5 average ARB, a 45% 
share of: audience, for the WFIL- 
TV feature. 

Bristol Myers, as part of its 
single sponsor spread on theatri¬ 
cals in major markets, has bought 
Friday night top theatricals, be¬ 
ginning at 10:30 p.m. There is a 
strong likelihood, that WFIL-TV, 
ridingan uphill rating swing, may 
move all their theatricals for 10:30 
telecasting Monday through Friday. 


Air Time Scramble 

sssssz Continued from page 39 1 - 

in remaining local “live” program¬ 
ming, an accentuated trend the last 
few months, declined to make any 
formal statement. He said the sit¬ 
uation involves union policy and he 
is not in a position to comment. 

WOR-TV, N. Y., execs, when 
asked why the station didn’t swing 
over to local “live” shows instead 
of a return to telefilm skeins, re¬ 
plied that local “live” shows that 
draw an audience are hard to come 
by^j 

Among the exceptions in retain¬ 
ing “live” shows, incidentally, is 
WFIL-TV, in Philadelphia, which 
is keeping a kiddie, educational 
and a bandstand show, all local, in 
spite of its theatrical unreeling and 
slate of ABC shows. 

While talent-in-the-flesh local 
programming Is still in there pitch¬ 
ing, it seems the remaining “local” 
live shows by and large have been 
the first casualty in the celluloid 
splurge, fed by the vintage libra¬ 
ries. 


'Rainy Day 1 

; Continued from page 37 ; 


cope with such a visible fact of tv 
life should be removed, demoted, 
or seek other pastures. 

It is widely held that the indus¬ 
try is taking an easy out, sending 
“pilots,” telepix series old and tel- 
epix series new in for axed shows. 
There are, it is declared . in 
knowledgeable circles, a bare mini¬ 
mum of live shows in {he blue¬ 
print or “ready” stage, and most 
of these are in the cliche^ or trend 
programming groove, as reflected 
in quizzers and assorted charades. 

Some of the top brass are get¬ 
ting harder to reach by phone or 
otherwise at a time when they 
should make themselves more ac¬ 
cessible; this, too, is working havoc 
with outside producers and pack¬ 
agers, plus those within the net¬ 
works' physical structure, since if 
even as little as 10% of these em¬ 
bryonic or “ready” formats prove, 
out, it would represent a larger 
percentage than the networks have 
been able to come up with so far 
in the way of click programming. 


‘Whirlybirds’ 

; Continued from page 39 ; 


produced by Desilu last spring and 
had been held by the network pro¬ 
gram department for possible use 
on the web. The Film Sales subsid 
got a look at it and asked for 
rights to sell it in syndication. Web 
finally granted an okay, but put a 
deadline and a minimum sales fig¬ 
ure on the deal, which Film Sales 
met with plenty to spare. Desilu 
will go ahead with production, on 
36 additional films (three are in the 
can), with a late January air date 
set for the series. Kenneth Tobey 
and Craig Hill star in the series, 
with Mort Briskln as exec pro¬ 
ducer. 


Martha Rountree 
TV as Major Weapon 


International politicians are be* 
ginning to use television in the 
game of diplomacy. Guy de Mol- 
let, French premier, took the lead 
by literally inviting Martha Roun¬ 
tree to bring he* ABC-TV “Press 
Conference” stanza to Paris this 
week to interview him so that 
American televiewers can get an 
idea of France’s international po¬ 
sition. 

Stanza is being filmed this week 
for the : Sunday (9) telecast on 
ABC. A spokesman for the pro¬ 
gram judges that Mollet, at the 
suggestion of foreign minister 
Christian Pineau (who was inter¬ 
viewed 6n “Press Conference” 
three Sundays ago), hopes the tv 
show will help him build. syjrma*.. 


thy FdFElc "views "in this country. 

Miss Rountree, whose half-hour 
program has carried other politi¬ 
cos from abroad in recent weeks, 
left with newsmen for Paris via 
Air France on Monday (3). She’ll 
pick 10 other correspondents for 
the show from the U.S. press corps 
in Paris. 

Houston — Rick Williamson and 
Mark Foster are the latest addi¬ 
tions. to the staff of KXYZ here. 
Williamson joins the news staff. 
Foster joins as a disk jockey and 
comes here from KLIF, Dallas. 




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54 


TV-FILMS 


PfttetEfY 


Wednesday, D^iemW 5, 1956' 


fight Money Forcing Indies Into 
Alliance With Major TeUneries 


The indie tv producer, now 
eclipsed by the growing major 
telefilm outfits, currently is being 
hit from another source, that 
of the shrinking credit line open 
to him as an indie. Bank money 
available for new loans has never 
been tighter, as a consequence of 
the Federal Reserve Board’s at¬ 
tempt to hold down inflation and 
keep money harnessed. 

The escape hatch* open to the 
indie film, producer is to align 
himself with a major telefilm com¬ 
pany which, prior to the ftiQney 
squeeze, established a line of credit 
with a bank or a group of banks. 
Also bolstering the indie’s position 




the $2,500,000 fund established by 
Columbia subsid Screen Gems to 
help finance independent produc¬ 
tion. But these avenues, while 
offering financial relief,. further 
ensconces the indie under th’e 
wings of a major, a growing de¬ 
velopment the past years, now ac¬ 
celerated by the tight money ‘mar- 
ket. 

What is happening in the tv fi¬ 
nancing field is a reflection of 
what is occurring throughout the 
U. S. economy, with loans being 
tight in fields ranging from Home 
mortgages to indie feature film 
producton. The Federal' Reserve 
Bank, in an attempt to hold down 



inflation, has boosted its rediscount 
rate to a record high, making it 
more expensive for banks to bor¬ 
row money, as well as taking other 
deflationary steps. Banks are now 
feeling the credit squeeze to an 
unprecedented degree. For ex¬ 
ample, Bankers Trust Co., which 
for years has been expanding its 
loans for telefilms and indie fea¬ 
ture production, just hasn’t got the 
money to up its loan pool In that 
department. Herb Golden, assist¬ 
ant v.p! at Bankers Tmjst, says the 
bank attempts to service its regu¬ 
lar clients in the telefilm field 
now by substituting “ingenuity for 
money,” referring to possible 


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alone is up 55% since 1947, 
currently over one billion dollars! 
This is only part of what you can 
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Also High Interest Rates 

Ordinarily, bank loans in the 
telefilm field have fallen* under 
category of “national loans,” with 
the bank furnishing the money 
against a network or national spon¬ 
sor contract. In the current tight 
money situation, unless a producer 
already has a line of credit or 
aligned, himself with a major, he’s 
going to have a tough time getting 
the financing via the banks. 

Another factor working against 
the receptivity of banks to grant 
loans to telefilm producers in the 
current money market is that in¬ 
terest rates have gone up along 
the line, and the gap dividing the 
high interest rat&_~of amusement 
financing and more * stable indus¬ 
try financing has grown smaller. 
The general amusement interest 
rate is and has been 6%, although 
loans have been gotten for lower 
interest rates. But interest rates 
in niore stable industries, called 
in banking terminology “prime 
“rates,” have gone up from 1 and 
Yz% to as high as 4%, narrowing 
the rate sprehd between what the 
banks consider risky amusement 
financing and “prime,” stable loan 
fields. Other than for a few banks 
specializing in film financing, this 
lower interest differential factor 
lessens the attractiveness of tele¬ 
film loans. 

Concurrent with this tighter 
money situation, major telefilm 
outfits report that fewer indie 
producers are making the rounds 
with pilots for possible distribu¬ 
tion-financing deals the last few 
months. And the change, they say, 
is not only seasonal. More indies 
today are submitting story outlines 
for a series before going ahead 
with a pilot, and only when the 
major telefilm outfit wants in, will 
the indife proceed with a pilot, 
they say. 

Burned by the high mortality 
rate of pilots, faced with the 
growth of the major telefilm out¬ 
fits and npw the tightening *money 
situation, thfe indie without a big 
distributor or producer brother 
under whose banners he functions, 
looks like the vanishing Indian of 
bygone tv pioneering days. 

Cal Nat to Roll 
Navy Sul) Series 

California National Productions 
has acquired rights to “The Silent 
Service,” new property based on 
the U. S. Navy’s submarine serv¬ 
ice, and will go into production 
on a series for syndication next 
month on the Coast. Series will 
be produced in cooperation with 
the Navy and will be made avail¬ 
able for syndication by early 
spring. 

Series was brought to CNP by 
Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykerc 
(Ret.), who spent about 13 years 
in the sub service and who since 
retiring has been in the motion 
pic industry as a consultant and 
technical advisor, as well as pack¬ 
ager. Associated with Adm. Dy- 
kers in the project is Beirne Lay 
Jr., vet screenwriter and aviator. 
Lay will write most of. the scripts, 
based on Navy files, while Dykers 
will narrate and act as a produc¬ 
tion exec. 

Films will be shot on the Coast, 
at Navy bases in Long Beach and 
San Diego, on the U.S.S. Steelhead, 
a Navy training sub. Navy is also 
making available about 627000,000 
feet of film for the series,.compris¬ 
ing stock footage and captured 
enemy film. 


Trans-Lux TV Sales 
On Yuletide Package 

The sale of Trans-Lux Televi¬ 
sion’s Christmas package of three 
quarter-hour and one half-hour 
shows, produced by Encyclopedia 
Brittannica, in six U. S. markets 1 
and one in Hawaii, was reported 
as the holiday season set in. An¬ 
other 20 to 25 station deals was 
seen by Dec. 15. 

One of the sales, WVET. Roch¬ 
ester, N. Y., was for color nega¬ 
tives and spanning a three-year 
period. The Christmas film pack¬ 
age consists of four shows, “Night 
Before Christmas,” “Christmas 
Rhapsody,” “Christmas Through 
the Ages,” and “Santa and the 
Fairy Snow Queen.” 


IRCAWtafino 
Sponsorship Of 


RCA International has entered 
the tv lists as the spojosOr of fea¬ 
ture films in South and Central 
American tv. It has bought 26 U.S. 
features from Associated Artists 
Productions national sales depart¬ 
ment for use in the Dominican Re¬ 
public. As a matter of fact, accord¬ 
ing to RCA, the features are now 
playing that country’s tv, and ne¬ 
gotiations are being made to bring 
the pix to seven or eight other 
countries with tv. 

It’s believed to be the first for¬ 
eign sponsorship by an American- 
based bankroller of feature films 
produced in this country. Pix, to 
be shown to Latinos with Spanish 
titles, were all made between the 
mid-30’s and 1947. They include 
“Divorce,” with Kay Francis; 
“Right Man,” Alan Ladd; “Little 
Pal,” a Mickey Rodney- starrer, 
and “Charlie Chan in the Jade 
Mask,” with Sidney Toler. None 
of the Warner Bros, pix handled 
by AAP are in this group, they 
haven’t been released for foreign 
tv. 

• A spokesman for RCA indicated 
that his company hopes to buy the 
pictures for as many as 19 Latino 
countries as tv develops along the 
line. 


‘HAMMERL0CK HOUSE’ 
ON DEREL TV AGENDA 

Derel Producing Associates, 
which packaged the Overseas 
Press Club series, now In produc¬ 
tion in Europe, with ABC Film 
Syndication slated as the distribu¬ 
tors, is moving ahead on several 
other projects. 

One of these is a situation com¬ 
edy series, “Hammerlock House,” 
revolving around the director of a 
rundown community center and 
created by Derel’s exec producer 
Gene Feldman. The pilot script 
has been completed and negotia¬ 
tions are now in progress for a star. 

Also in the works is an anthol¬ 
ogy-type show, “boundaries,” and 
“Saga,” an adult oriented dramatic 
show dealing with the American 
Indian. 


SG Mulls Tvanhoe’ 

As a Tint Series 

“Ivanhoe” may be another color 
skein for Screen Gems. Ralph 
Cohn, topper of the Columbia sub¬ 
sid, and Seymore Friedman, pro¬ 
duction exec, returned from quick 
trip to England to line-up talent 
and likely locations there for shoot¬ 
ing. They are now mulling whether 
to tint “Ivanhoe.” 

Screen Gems is doing “Johnny 
Wildlife” and a projected one-hour 
bible drama series by William 
Goetz in color. 


John Burns to Coast 

John Burns, v.p. and director of 
national sales for ABC Film syndi¬ 
cation, has planed to Hollywood for 
a series of conferences with West¬ 
ern v.p., William L. Clark. 

While on the Coast, Burns also 
will confer with producers. Clark, 
who has supervised syndicated 
sales in the west since 1953, now 
also will work on national sales in 
the 11 western states. 


Film Pattern for TV 
Here, Theatres Abroad 

With a target date of RKO Radio 
Pictures getting into telefilm pro¬ 
duction in 1957, Pete Roebuck, 
sales exec of RKO Teleradio’s tv 
syndication subsid, has left for the 
Coast for studio confabs.* 

One of the items on the agenda 
will be the possibility of producing 
low-budgeted 90-minute films 
which could be released theatri¬ 
cally abroad and domestically for 
tv. Said to be holding up a deci¬ 
sion on the project is the studio’s 
desire to get a fast theatrical 
playoff of the 90 minute films in 
the U.S. c.s w611 before. releasing 
them to tv. Until agreement with 
the guilds on residual rights is for¬ 
mulated, the lat ter possibility of 
Tfieatfical release prior to tv dis- 
tribution on new product is nigh 
impossible for a major studio. 
Other projects in the 90-minute 
category include taking what are 
considered top hour dramas pre¬ 
viously telecast and exparfding. 
them into the 90-minute format for 
telecasting. In the half-hour cate¬ 
gory, RKO hopes-to base a .num¬ 
ber of series on a number of fea¬ 
ture properties, the story tights of 
which it still retained under its 
library sell-out deal with Matty 
Fox. 


Ziv Shows Cookin’ 
With Gas & 03 


Telefilm sponsorship by gasoline 
and oil firms is on a steady in¬ 
crease, reports Ziv, which now 
counts over a score of petroleum 
firms on its client list. 

This total is double the number 
of oil companies in the Ziv fold in 
1952. Within a few days of its re¬ 
lease Ziv’s “Men of Annapolis” 
was signed by Ohio Oil for a 13- 
market lineup in the midwest early 
last month, and Lion Oil Co. has 
upped its market list for a second 
year of “Highway Patrol” to a total 
of nine, among other gas-and-oil 
deals wrapped up recently by Ziv. 
Phillips Petroleum, which signed 
“I Led Three Lives” for 23 mar- 
kets in 1953, has now broadened 
its market lineup to a total, three 
years later, of 38, an increase of 
65%. 

Originally aiming for masculine 
viewers a few jfears back, gas and 
oil sponsors are also showing an 
interest toward programs with an 
all-family appeal as the number of 
cars-per-home in the U.S. in¬ 
creases, Ziv execs feel. 


‘OFFICIAL DETECTIVE’ 
DESILU-NTA SERIES 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Triangle Publications editor 
Harry Keller and Desilu Produc¬ 
tions have inked a contract to 
make “Official Detective” vidpix 
series, based on the files of the mag. 
Deal is part of the Desilu-National 
Telefilm Associates package of six 
new series, which NTA will distrib. 

Mort Briskin has been assigned 
producer of chores by Desilu top¬ 
per Desi Arnaz, and Don Clarke is 
presently scripting the initialler, 
“The Chopper Gang,” which rolls 
next month. 

Keller will help select the stories 
from the available backlog of some 
150,000 articles which have ap¬ 
peared in the mag. 


Ruppert’s Movie Buy 

WATV, the Gotham market tv 
indie located in Newark (N.J.) 
picked up its 7th bankroller on its 
multi-exposure “Famous All-Star 
Movie” and two other national 
spot accounts this week. Ruppert 
Beer signed for the 16-times-a- 
week features from 2Qth, and Tex¬ 
aco started its new spot pitch as an 
adjacency to the nightly pic. 

Maggio Carrots bought partic¬ 
ipations in the “Uncle Fred” super¬ 
time juve strip. 


'ADOBE WALLS' ROLLS 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Flying A’s $1,560,000 adult west¬ 
ern telefilm series, “Adobe Walls,” 
got underway at Newhall location 
last week, with 39 stanzas on the 
schedule. 

Lou Gray is producer; Arnold 
Laven is directing first segment. 


Guild’s ‘Capt. Grief 
Market Sale 

D-X SUn Ray Oil Co. of Tulsa 
has bought Guild Film’s “Captain 
David Grief” telefilm series in 40 
markets. It’s the first tv program 
buy for the company, which has 
taken the third and largest regional 
schedule on the adventure show^ 

Pacting of the Sun Ray contract 
by Guild insures a February start 
for the series. As of now, the pro¬ 
ducer has two half-hours in the 
can, but another eight are expected 
to be .ready .b’y the end of' Decem¬ 
ber. 

First regional was with Stand- 

weeks ago signed for 12 Coast mar¬ 
kets. This buy was followed short¬ 
ly by a 20 market, midwest deal 
for Stroh Brewery. ESSO wanted a 
January start, but has delayed the 
preem of the stanza in order to get 
the fuller promotional impact of .a 
single national start during the 
same week in early February. 

John Cole, sales veep at Guild, 
and the Potts, Woodbury agency 
closed the deal late last week in 
Kansas City. ^ .Guild set the pro¬ 
duction cost on the 39 “Grief” pix 
at $1,912,000 when it was first an¬ 
nounced this fall. Cost, Guild be¬ 
lieves, is the highest yet for a syn¬ 
dicated series. 

Sun Ray has taken Minnesota, 
Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois (except 
Chicago), Kansas, Missouri, Okla- 
home, Arkansas, .Kentucky and 
parts of Tennessee and Indiana. 


Signal’s Lend-Lease 
Of DuM Electronicam 

With no takers for some weeks 
now, DuMont’s Electronicam cam¬ 
era system has gotten a partial re¬ 
prieve The film camera which em¬ 
ploys a live tv shooting technique 
has been leased out to Signal Pro¬ 
ductions, a new tv film commercial 
producer in N.Y. Unlike previous 
N.Y. deals, the camera system will 
be installed in ‘studios of Signal's 
own choice, so that the producer 
will not he' required to use Du¬ 
Mont’s Adelphi Theatre operation 
in N.Y. 

The Adelphi will probably re¬ 
main dark, since the new DuMont 
policy is to lease Electronicam 
units to outside studios. Signal’s 
first shooting will be a series of 
Kelvinator commercials for Geyer 
agency. They’ll be done at Biltmore 
Studios. 



Stan 

FREEMAN 

Currently 

“HOME” Show 
NBC-TV 

Monday thru Friday 

• EPIC RECORDS • 

Exclusively 

MERCURY ARTISTS CORP* 

730 5th Ave., New York 19, N. Y. 


Interested in 
The Very 

best deal on a new 

THUNDERBIRD 

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Call or write SAM ANGER— 
(brother of Harry Anger, G.A.C.) 
LYnbrook 9-0600 
TED ROWLAND, Inc. 
Lynbrook, Long Island, N. Y. 
Oelivery Anywhere in the U.S. 










Wednesday, December 5, 1956 




55 


$750per week gets you! 



WABD’s presentation of Warner Brothers pictures has hit the formula of success! With 
a vertical presentation of a matinee and evening performance, 15.1% of all TV homes in 
the nation’s largest market tune in every Sunday. 


These are the Nielsen figures (! t weeks ending October 20,1956). 




A 

B 

A+B 

Weekly Cumulative Audience 

Homes 


333,300 

346,800 

623,500 

Percent 


8.1 

8.4 

15.1 

Avg. Qtr. Hr. Eps 


4.4 

4.4 

4.8 

4 Week Cumulative Audience 

Homes 


885,200 

1,061,200 

1,739,600 

Percent 


21.4 

25.7 

42.1 

Avg. Qtr. Hr. Eps 


6.6 

5.8 * 

6.9 


The lowest cost per thousand of any feature film presentations in New York on the station 
where interesting things keep happening. 

WABD, N. Y. Channel 5 



56 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


US'RIETY 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


The ‘Whys’ of Media Buying 


Continued from page 35 ; 


arguments used by our speakers to the subject to be studied. This is 


support their decisions to go into 
spot broadcasting,” Bogart said. 
“Not to suggest that their reason¬ 
ing is specious -or that another 
medium would be better, but all 
I want to do is separate what I 
consider to be the really essential 
elements that dictated the media 
decision from those elements which 
seem justification after the fact 
which could just as readily have 
been brought up in support of 
some other media choice. 1 

“Many a media plan,” Bogart 
said, “is adopted with one over¬ 
whelming consideration in mind— 
like the availability of a top rated 
tv program—and then other argu- 


costs within reasonable limits. Top 
stars will take less money for a 
role that appeals to them, or for 
a part that they can't get in motion 
pictures. They’ll work well below 
their normal scales just, to avoid 
being type-cast, or to put it posi¬ 
tively, to find a challenging and 
iiienTs"Inajr^^aise(S - lateF“tO "pTO^firew kmd"of-partr 


vide further support.” (This is an 
argument, incidentally, which has 
been waged for years in an attempt 
to override the media men accused 
of using “science” as a self-justi¬ 
fication.) 

“I don’t bel mg to the school of 
thought which holds that advertis¬ 
ing is a science or that it even 
ought to be a science,” Bogart ad¬ 
vised. “But I do think that adver¬ 
tising should be a profession in the 
sense that it follows commonly ac¬ 
cepted standards and that its meth¬ 
ods show consistency . . . Our ses¬ 
sion has underlined in my mind 
the conviction that preparation of 
a media plan has some of the ele¬ 
ments of an art, and as such, is a 
kind of personal creative expres¬ 
sion much like the writing of a 
fine line of copy.” ~ $ 

Bud Sherak, director of research 
for Kenyon & Eckhardt, warned 
ARF attendees to let the buyer of 
research “beware.” He explained 
° that he was cognizant of the many 
'‘devious ways in which research 
can be used.” 

He said that it is not always 
easy to tell “good” from “bad” 
promotional research. “The chances 
are unfortunately high,” Sherak 
observed, “that for every piece of 
research literature that we discov¬ 
er to be misleading or invalid, 
there are half a dozen that are 
equally bad which we accept, fully 
unaware of its limitations. 

“The biases of special selection 
(in research studies) are more seri¬ 
ous when they are present in the 
design and implementation of a 
study than they are in deciding on 


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because if we are freely selective 
or arbitrary about where to con¬ 
duct surveys, when to conduct 
them, whom to interview, and what 
to ask, we can ‘prove’ most any¬ 
thing,” the K & E exec said. 


Milo Frank 

Continued from page 34 ; 


That’s a secondary considera¬ 
tion in controlling costs, however, 
Frank states. The primary and 
vital requirement is the establish¬ 
ment of a “ceiling” for the par¬ 
ticular show, a “top price” which 
becomes known to the trade. The 
“top of the show” on “Playhouse 
90” is $10,000 an appearance, and 
it’s been made known in Hollywood 
and N.Y. that producer Martin 
Manulis under no conditions will 
pay more than that to anyone. 
“When an actor knows that he’s 
getting the ‘top.’ ” Frank states, 
“he’ll work at that salary even if 
it’s below his normal standards, be¬ 
cause he won’t feel any loss of 
prestige. He’ll know that he’s re¬ 
ceived as high a salary as anyone 
is going to get on the show. 

“In some cases, establishing that 
‘top’ can be tough at first, but after 
awhile when the word gets around, 
it pays off. Martin Manulis and I 
were lucky because we established 
that policy with ‘Climax’ and then 
carried it over to ‘Playhouse 90,’ so 
everyone knew that when we said 
$10,000 was the top, we meant it,” 
Frank declares. 

With an established top salary, 
the show then proceeds to offer 
other incentives to desired actors, 
whether it be an offbeat bit of 
casting, a desirable role, an excit¬ 
ing property, even unusual billing 
arrangements. Incidentally, bill¬ 
ing has been more of a headache 
on “Playhouse 90” than actual sal¬ 
aries themselves, Frank observes, 
but some new techniques in bill¬ 
ing, including the use of an open¬ 
ing and closing top billing spot 
have solved some of the headaches 
satisfactorily. 


schedule calls for occasional fea¬ 
tures on, “House That Home 
Built” through early spring, twice- 
monthly features from late spring 
into summer, once-a-week during 
the summer and every-day features 
or plugs during September. Be¬ 
sides the features on the house, 
the “Home” editors will plug the 
house in connection with other 
topics. 

Objectives of the promotion re¬ 
main the same—to create public 
interest in the homes and estab¬ 
lish a market for them while at 
the same time creating a program 
subject of interest to viewers, 
to showcase client products on 
“Home” in the equipment and ap¬ 
pliance field and to create adver¬ 
tising and selling opportunities for 
the local stations tieipg in with the 
plan. 

New home, a ranch model, was 
designed by -Bruce McCarty, 
Knoxville architect, with an ad- 


from House & Home, the NAHB, 
and architectural schools. Bets 
Haglund of NBC’s participating 
programs promotion department is 
managing the campaign. 


‘Home’-Biiilt House 

Continued from page 32 
an expanded alternate model with 
a $25,000-$28,000 pricetag, instead 
of the $30-40,000 tab on last year’s; 
(2) a tiein with the homebuilder’s 
trade mag, House & Home, in 
which the mag will act as consult¬ 
ant; and (3) elimination of re¬ 
motes of the models- from the 
‘Home” show itself but increased 
use of films of the new houses. 

Other details remain the same— 
the campaign will be in coopera¬ 
tion with the National Assn, of 
Home Builders, the plans will cost 
each builder $100, and the station- 
network-sponsor tieins and cross¬ 
plugging will follow the same pat¬ 
tern. The models will open simul¬ 
taneously in early fall in connec¬ 
tion with National Home Week. 

Tentative on-“Home” promotion 


‘Mania’s Men’ 

; ContiMied from page 35 

ports on paper to Tom McAvity, 
exec v.p. over tele programs and 
sales, but the talk is that McAvity’s 
influence is on the wane. Under 
Sacks will be Lewine as v.p.. (he’ll 
get the stripes ^t the next board 
meeting) and general program 
exec, and Mort Werner as v.p. for 
national programs. On the Coast, 
Alan Livingston, v.p. in charge of 
Coast programming, reports di¬ 
rectly to Sacks. Livingston, former 
v.p. of Capitol Records, was 
brought into NBC by Sacks, first 
as president of California National 
Productions and subsequently ’as 
Coast v.p. ,■ 

In this entire setup, Werner is 
the only exception to the pattern 
that’s evolved. In lower echelons 
in programming, the old lineup re¬ 
mains unchanged—Jerry Chester as 
daytime chief, Mike Dann as pro¬ 
gram sales v.p. (but reporting to 
Goodheart instead of McAvity), 
Dick Linkroum as participating 
programs boss, Barry Wood as spe¬ 
cial events boss, etc. 

Sacks has always been identified 
with the talent end of the business, 
first at MCA (where he worked 
under Goodheart), later at Colum¬ 
bia Records and finally at RCA, 
where he built up the RCA Victor 
disk stable as talent relations boss 
and later as v.p.-general manager. 
He’s been an RCA staff v.p. for 
several years and an NBC staff v.p. 
for over a year. Lewine has been 
ABC-TV v.p. over talent and pro¬ 
grams for the past year, having 
moved up since 1953 from the post 
of eastern program manager. Be¬ 
fore that, he was radio-tv head of 
Hirschon-Garfield agency, a con¬ 
sultant to Rockhill Productions 
and a tv commercials producer. 

YORK'S MERCHANDISE SETUP 

A new organization for the mer¬ 
chandising of television and news¬ 
paper syndicate properties has 
been launched by James York As¬ 
sociates, headed by James York, 
formerly of Screen Gems and King 
Features. 

Organization will offer a com¬ 
plete merchandising service in the 
toy, apparel and book publishing 
field. 


CISCO 

KID 




SVHIED 
SHOW IN 
HOUSTON ' 

PULSE, 

May, 1956 


*6 AMONG AIL IETW01K 


SHOWS, ALL WEEK 


BEATING: 

DRAGNET " 

$64,000 CHALLENGE 
CLIMAX 
I LOVE LUCY 
JACK BENNY 
AND MANY OTHERS 



Deintermixture 

^ Continued from page 32 ; 
ceived from Indiana organizations 
to retain the VHF station, WTVW, 
in Evansville. It was expected that 
similar opposition would-be made 
to proposal to require the VHF 
station in Fresno, Calif., to shift 
to UHF. 

Chief support for deintermixture 
came from the Joint Council for 
Educational TV and ABC. JCET 
told the commission it is “ex¬ 
tremely important” that UHF be 
preserved as a going concern until 
ways are found to improve its 
coverage. It urged the agency to 
go through with its proposal to 
remove V’s in three cities (Evans¬ 
ville, Madison and Fresno) where 
VHF stations are on the air, in 
three others ~TSpringffeTdrlTi. f Pe¬ 
oria,. Ill.; Hartford, Conn.), where 
VHF grantees have been prevented 
from constructing, and in two 
others (Elmira, N. Y., and Albany- 
Troy-Schenectady), where V’s 
would be dropped in. 

A strengthening of UHF in these 
eight areas, JCET asserted, would 
go a long way toward giving* as¬ 
surance that the Commission will 
support Ultra High during “this 
critical interim period.” 


Screen Gems 

Continued from page 39 

134 westerns, 282 cartoons and 53 
serials. 

Apart from the Columbia prod¬ 
uct which Screen Gems would like 
to acquire, the Hygo roster has 
considerable other good product, 
and the entire negotiation repre¬ 
sents a desire by Screen Gems to 
step up its feature activities. A key 
factor also is its desire to secure 
additional experienced feature film 
sales manpower, which is a hard- 
to-get commodity these days. 

Screen Gems growth until now 
has been strictly internal, repre¬ 
senting its greatest strides in terms 
of more new half-hour properties. 
This year, however, Columbia 
turned over 104 of its features to 
the subsid and put it into the fea¬ 
ture business. Hygo .and Argyle 
were organized by Hyams, and 
Unity was acquired last spring 
from Joseph Seidelman, who just 
a few months earlier had pur¬ 
chased it from its founder, Arche 
Mayers. 


Dr. Horwich 

; Continued from page 32 ; 


strue the letter as a resignation. 
In fact, Dr. Horwich was first in¬ 
formed of the NBC attitude by 
Variety and insisted that whatever 
the NBC construction, the letter 
was actually intended as a resigna¬ 
tion on the effective date. 

She said “several doors have 
opened” at other networks “in the 
past three or four days,” these pos¬ 
sibilities including the switch of 
“Ding Dong”-to another network 
and a possible post in children's 
programming for her personally, 
though not necessarily with the 
same title as she holds at NBC, 
Asked the reason for her resigna¬ 
tion, she said children's program* 
ming at NBC has “reached a 
plateau.” She also stated she 
wants to keep “Ding Dong” on the 
air. Dr. Horwich said she hadn’t 
gone out and “solicited” other 
webs but that inquiries have come 
in and “doors have been opened.” 


Sforer 


Continued from page 34 

the Plain Dealer resumed Opera¬ 
tion. Strike began Nov. 1 as 
the . Cleveland Newspaper Guild 
walked out against the Scripps- 
Howard Press. Within a few 
hours, shutdowns followed in the 
other newspaper plants, when the 
Teamsters Union truck drivers re¬ 
fused to handle a newspaper which 
added the mastheads of the struck 
daily. 

Old Guild contracts gave top 
weekly minimum of $122.50 for 
newspapermen with five-years ex-, 
perlence. Under new pact with 
the dallies, weekly wage hikes of 
from $6.50 to $9 will be added to 
the current minimum. Next year, 
minimum jumps to $131.50. In all, 
seven other unions reached agree¬ 
ment With the trio of papers. 


GUY LOMBARDO GETS 
NEW YEAR’S SPONSOR 

Clairol has signed to sponsor an 
hour’s New Year’s Eve segment on 
WCBS-TV, N. Y. The hair„prep- 
aration will take on sponsorship 
of the 11:15 to 12:15 period, wliich 
features Guy Lombarclo and his 
orch remoting from the Roosevelt 
Grill, with an eight-minute break 
for a Times Square pickup at 11:55 
by Robert Trout. Station will con¬ 
tinue its New Year’s hoopla from 
12:15 to 1 a.m. with Vincent Lopez 
from the Taft Grill, but this seg¬ 
ment is still unsold. 

In picking up the Lombardo seg¬ 
ment, Clairol is following the band¬ 
leader, since it sponsored him last 
yea#bn WRCA-TV, the rival NBC 
flagship. The latter station this 
year won’t do any local New Year’s 
^ve—progi'amming;' '-shfeerthir net-" 
work’s “Tonight” is taking on that 
function, so WCBS-TV was free to 
bid for Lombardo. At that it en¬ 
countered some opposition, with 
WABD reportedly heavily in the 
bidding with an idea to carry the 
Lombardo segment locally and 
share the costs with a five-station 
out-of-town feed. 


WCAU Radio Rate Hike 

Philadelphia, Dec. 4. 

Rate increases in early morning 
and early evening announcement 
costs went into effect this week at 
WCAU Radio. The new card calls 
for price hikes in 7 to 9 a.m. seg¬ 
ment and the 5 to 7 p.m. slot, Mon¬ 
day through Friday. 

It also calls for an increase in 
the rates for the,“Good Morning 
Show,” 9 to 9:30 * cross-the-board, 
when bought separately from other 
units of the Housewives’ Protective 
League combination. All other 
rates remain the same. 


Quality Group 

— Continued from page 37 ——j 

hired as sales topper, but he 
bowed out a few months later. 

Reps from 17 stations attended 
last week’s session. New board 
members elected were: Robert 
Dunville, Crosley Broadcasting 
president*’ John DeRussy, sales 
manager of WCAU, Philadelphia; 
Stanton Kettler, Storer Broadcast¬ 
ing veepee, and E. K. Hartenbower, 
general manager of KCMO, 
Kansas City. 

Ward Quaal, WGN veep, con¬ 
tinues as prexy. 



#1 IN 
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PERIOD 
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NEW YORK * 
with 

33.2% S.O.A. 

Details 
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10 E. 44th St., New York 17. Oxford 7-5880. 


WANTED 

TV Film Producer-Director 
with Major Agency credits on free¬ 
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BOX—VV 99—VARIETY 
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Wednesday, December 5, 1956 




MUSIC 


57 


‘SINGLING OUT’ THE SHOWTUNES 


2,400 Film Tooters’ $4,468350 Suit 
Against AFM and 100 ‘Neutrals’ 


INTING BACKS Three Combine in 2d Inti Conp 
TOP POP PLAY With Buyout of Francis, Day & Hunter 


Los Angeles, Dec. 4. 

Damages of $4,468,950 are sought 
by 22 film studio musicians in a 
Superior Court action naming more 
than 100 film production firms as 
“neutral” co-defendants with the 
American Federation of Musicians 
in the second lawsuit challenging 
the operation of the Music Per- 
fwananeeL-Trust • Fu n d,-- 

AFM and Trust Fund trustee 
Samuel 'Rosenbaum are the key de¬ 
fendants in the litigation brought 
“on behalf of” the 2,400 windjam¬ 
mers employed in the film indus¬ 
try. The production firms were 
named solely to make them a party 
to a requested injunction which 
would prevent further payment to 
the Trust Fund of royalties derived 
from the sale or lease to television 
of feature films originally made 
for theatres. * 

Litigation follows the formula 
established a week ago when dissi¬ 
dent musicians filed suit against 
the AFM and recording companies 
to recover what they contended 
was a pay scale hike illegally di¬ 
verted to the Trust Fund. Both 
cases grew out of the rebellion of 
L. A. Local 47‘s working musicians 
against the Trust Fund policies, 
and still further litigation is ex¬ 
pected to be filed in connection 
with the assault on the AFM stand 
oh royalties from telefilm and 
radio transcription producers. 

New action, filed bv attorneys 
Harold A. Fendler and Daniel A. 
Weber, charges that collective 
bargaining agreements negotiated 
by the AFM in 1952 and 1954 spe¬ 
cifically provided for “re-use” pay¬ 
ments to be made to musicians in¬ 
volved in the original scoring of 
theatrical feature films subse¬ 
quently sold .to tv. The rate struc¬ 
ture, according to the complaint, 
was $25 per film for each sideman, 
$50 each for the leader and con¬ 
tractor, $75 for the arranger and 
$25 for the copyist. Under the 
terms of the agreement, widGws 
and estates of deceased musicians 
would receive these payments as 
pix were sold to tv. The flat pay¬ 
ments were in addition to the AFM 
formula of 5% of television rev- 
continued on page 64) 


Liberty Bidin’ High; 

Sales 200% Ahead; 

80 Albums for 1957 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Liberty- Records, tworyear-old 
Coast indie, will release at least 
80 albums next year, sales director 
Jack Ames reported, and will dou¬ 
ble its single release output. Pack¬ 
ages will for the first time include 
classical offerings, beginning with 
the initial album by the Paganini 
String Quartet, under the direction 
of Henri Temianka, which will be 
released early in January. 


Jack Hooke (d) 

It cost Royal Roost Records' 
prexy Jack Hooke $21 to play 
a part in a film. The diskery 
exec was Invited by deejay 
Alan Freed to sit in as an ex¬ 
tra in one of the scenes from 
ColmnMa!sv4?ifi. “Don’U&nock 
the Rock,” which costars Freed 
and singer Alan Dale. 

Here’s Hooke’s mathematics 
on turning screen thesp: Fee 
to join the Screen Actors 
Guild—$55. P« ineni: for part 
as extra—$34. That left him 
$21 in the red. 


EMI Disk Sales 
Up 33%; Its Cap 
Link a Big Hypo 

London, Nov. 27. 

Electric & Musical Industries 
(EMI), in its annual statement to 
stockholders, reports that its disk 
sales have increased 33% during 
the past fiscal year, ending last 
June 30. The money gross nearly 
equalled the total of all other firms 
combined. EMI stated that it has 
begun to feel the effects in the 
home market of its buying Capitol 
Records. Since distributing Capi¬ 
tol disks beginning last January, 
EMI reports that Capitol sales here 
have far exceeded “calculated ex¬ 
pectations” and the “most sanguine 
hopes.” 

In .explaining the windup of its 
tie with RCA Victor, starting next 
April, EMI said it was “the logical 
result of our experiences in the 
last three years, since the termina¬ 
tion of a similar agreement with 
i Columbia Records of America.” 

The report states that since set¬ 
ting up Angel Records in the U. S., 
to sell EMI’s British Columbia 
| (Continued on page 64) 


The m^jor disk companies, are 
not so “exclusive” , any more where 
legit scores are concerned. This is 
a development laid to the “My Fair 
Lady” smash and which is due to 
affect the flock of musicals this 
season. Not so long ago, if a disk 

CQBlfi&Qy._didn’t_have- -the—.cast 

album rights to a show, it wouldn’t 
touch the single numbers. Current¬ 
ly, however, the diskers are closely 
studying the Broadway musical 
scores for potential pops whether 
or not they have the cast albums. 

Situation stemmed from the fact 
that after Columbia Records came 
up with “My Fair Lady,” the dis¬ 
tributors of the other companies 
began putting in p.d.q. calls for 
numbers from that show. The other 
diskers were forced to cover and* 
because thev waited until the show 
shaped up as a hit, they generally 
had to take second money. 

“Happy Hunting,” the Ethel 
Merman starrer which Victor is 
doing as a cast set Sunday (9), 
shapes as the top slugger in the 
pop singles league. Of the 17 songs 
Matt Dubey and Harold Karr 
have penned for the tuner, eight 
have already been put into the pop 
singles groove. 

“Mutual Admiration Society” 
has four etchings currently on the 
market. They are: Teresa Brewer, 
Coral; Jaye P. Morgan-Eddy Arn¬ 
old, Victor; Charlie Applewhite, 
MGM, and Lawrence Welk, Cordl. 
“If’n” has three recordings—Jaye 
p. Morgan-Eddy Arnold, Victor; 
Jeanne Carson, Decca, and Richard 
Hayes, ABC-Paramount. In addi¬ 
tion six other tunes from the show 
have been set on wax. They are: 
“New Fangled Tango” by Dinah 
Shore (Victor) and George Cates 
(Coral); “This Much I Know” by 
Tony Martin (Victor), Denise Lor 
(Liberty), Lurline Hunter (Vik) and 
Lawrence Welk (Coral). “Game of 
Love” has been etched by the 
Ames Bros. (Victor) and Lawrence 
Welk (Coral). Eartha Kitt (Vic¬ 
tor) and A1 Martino (Capitol) 
have waxed “I’m a Funny Dame.” 
(Title for the Martino slice was 
(Continued on page 64) 


4th Estate, Sideline 

Jazz critic John Mehegan is 
leaving himself wide open to 
criticism. Scribe for the N. Y. 
Herald Tribune is now dou¬ 
bling into the Composer, N. Y. 
jazz spot, as keyboard soloist. 

-In addition to these-ehoresr— 

Mehegan heads up the jazz de¬ 
partment at the Juilliard 
School of Music and is assem¬ 
bling 'the jazz score for Ten¬ 
nessee Williams’ upcoming 
drama, “Orpheus Descending.” 


Peter Maurice 
Also May Move 
Into New Hands 

. London, Dec. 4. 

Paralleling the Robbins-Feist- 
Miller Music negotiations to ac¬ 
quire the venerable Francis, Day 
& Hunter music companies is the 
reported moves for the new owner¬ 
ship of Peter Maurice Music and 
its 10 subsidiaiy and affiliated 
firms. Jimmy Phillips, who runs 
Maurice, and who owns 37% of 
the company, reportedly has one 
syndicated lined :u for complete 
buyout. Saul H. Bourne, the 
American music publisher, who is 
50-50 with Maurice in Bourne Ltd. 
(British company) has also been 
mentioned. And the acquisitive 
Big Three (Robbins & Co., which 
is another billing for Metro and 
20th Century-Fox Films, the real 
owners) are also mentioned as eye¬ 
ing the valuable Maurice catalog. 

Peter* Maurice is actually a Bel¬ 
gian tycoon, Peter Koch de Goore- 
ynd, who (1) is said to be “bored” 
with the music business now, and 
(2) is dominantly in “The City” 
(London’s Wall St.) as a broker and 
investor. 

Maurice Co. has a 50-50 owner- 
continued on page 66) 


OUT SOON! 


The 

51st Anniversary Number 


Firm’s sales for 1956 were ap¬ 
proximately 200% over those of 
the first year in business, Ames 
disclosed, and the company expects 
new sales marks in 1957. Release 
schedule will be bolstered by offer¬ 
ings from the firm’s new band de¬ 
partment, including Jerry Gray, 
Hank Mancini, Pete King and 
Claude Gordon, all of whom will 
record in Liberty’s new home 
studios. Company also promised to 
continue to uncdVer new talent, 
along the lines of its disk introduc¬ 
tion of Julie London and Patience 
& Prudence. 


Of 


Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Elton Britt in Switch 
From Victor to Decca 

Elton Britt, country & western 
singer, has switched to the Decca 
banner from RCA Victor. Pact with 
Decca, which calls for releases in 
the singles and album field, runs 
for two years. 

Britt had been with the Victor 
label for 21 years, scoring several 
top sellers foremost of which there 
was “There’s A Star Spangled Ban¬ 
ner Flying Somewhere.” He’s per¬ 
sonal-managed by Major Artists. 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 

NEW YORK 36 HOLLYWOOD 28 CHICAGO 11 LONDON, W. C. 2 

154 W“. 46th St. 6404 Sunset Blvd. 612 N. Michigan Ave. 8 St. Martin's Place 

Trafalgar Square 


The Big Three (Robbins, Feist 
aihd Miller) music companies, joint¬ 
ly owned by Loew’s Inc. and 20th 
Century-Fox, is in process of clos¬ 
ing for the acquisition of the ven¬ 
erable international music publish¬ 
ing house of Francis, Day & Hun¬ 
ter, headquartered in London, and 
with corporate affiliations all over 
-Europe and-eiseWhere. If'the "nego-~ 
tiations currently in the British 
capital go through it will give the 
Robbins outfit its second biggest 
coup in as many years. Last year 
Robbins bought out the equally 
old-established music firm of B. 
Feldman, regarded in the music 
business from Denmark St. (Lon¬ 
don’s Tin Pan Alley) to the Brill 
Bldg, ofbit as a “steal” in light of 
the fast. dividends redounding to 
the Big Three. 

FD&H has been longtime British 
and European representative for 
the three- American music firms 
untfl. Robbins recently set up its 
own org. 

While the price is being kept 
hush-hush, the rich catalog values 
in the Francisf Day & Hunter firm 
founded in the 1880s are said to 
be priceless. Especially so because 
of the disparity in British copy¬ 
right law which affords copyright 
protection for life plus 50 years 
after the death of the authors. In 
America it’s a 28-year term with a 
like renewal period limiting pro¬ 
tection to 56 years maximum. 
\(Tied in with the Robbins- 
FD&H negotiation is a'nother 
dicker for the sale of Peter Mau¬ 
rice Music, as detailed herewith). 

The Robbins-Feldman takeover 
of last year for 80,000 pounds, 
about $225,000 was deemed ex¬ 
traordinary in light of the fact that 
the Feldman Co„ with its seven 
subsidiaries, was good for 20,000 
pounds (almost $60,000) per annum 
(Continued on page 64) 

Victor ‘Break-In’ Talent’s 
TV Chance; NBC to Spec 
’Em Up New Year’s Eve 

The disk talent showcase idea, 
which was tried out by both Co¬ 
lumbia Records and RCA Victor 
this fall, has blossomed into a 
stanza for a top NBC-TV series, 
“Robert Montgomery Presents.” 
Latter show will present a lineup 
of RCA Victor talent, mostly com¬ 
prising new names, as its New 
Year’s Eve offering. 

Bernie Miller, whose job at Vic¬ 
tor is to get radio and tv plugs for 
the disk names, -set up the video 
show with the program chiefs. 

Layout on the Montgomery show 
will include Hugo Winterhalter’s 
orch, pianist Eddie Heywood, trum¬ 
peter Henry (Hot Lips) Levine, 
and singers Dorothy Olson, Ann 
Gilbert, Teddi King, the Nightcaps, 
and Eddie Dano. 

Miller will get a kinescope of 
this show in order to sell the tal¬ 
ent showcase idea as a summer 
replacement series on tv. Accord¬ 
ing to Miller, there is enough top¬ 
flight musical talent on Victor and 
its subsid'labels to fill any possible 
demand, but getting that initial 
exposure for those newcomers who 
don’t 1 have a hit is the main prob¬ 
lem. 

Col Artists Mgt. in Jazz 
Debut Via Teddy Wilson 

Jazz pianist Teddy Wilson is 
swinging over to Columbia Artists 
Management for concert bookings 
next fall. He’ll be the first jazz 
attraction to appear under that 
banner. 

The concert package will be 
tagged “Teddy Wilson’s Concert 
Jazz” and will include his trio 
(drums and bass) as well as three 
clarinet, trumpet, trombone, a 
vocalist and a dancer. 

The package will be produced by 
Peter Dean and Robert Altfeld 
and will make a nine-week tour 
next fall from Oct. 7 to Dec. 8 
under the management of the Cop- 
picus & Schang Division of Co¬ 
lumbia. 



5* 


MUSIC 


PtifeiiEfr 


'WMneddaf, Dwtmto 5, a 'l?5% 


Jocks, Jukis and Disks 


By MIKE GROSS 


The Tarriers: "‘The Banana Boat 
Song’V'No Hidin’ Place". (Glory). 
The music biz may be off on a new 
calypso kick on the strength of 
‘‘The Banana Boat Song." The 
catchy calypso rhythm gets top- 
gride showcasing in the Original 
Glory version by The Tarriers, as 
well as such followups as Steve 
Lawrence on Coral and 'Fontane 
Sisters on Dot. The Tarriers were 
out first, however, and look -to 
keep the lead. Mor e of^the^caly pso 


Hidin’ Place." 

Danny Kaye: “Ciu Ciu Bella’’- 
“Love Me Do” (Capitol). Danny 
Kaye’s first for Capitol after a long 
run on the Decca label gets him 
off to a strong start in the wax 
sweepstakes and could bring him 
high on the bestseller lists. "Ciu 
Ciu Bella" is the side that should 
keep rolling on the dieejay and 


cal spirit that attracts spins. “The 
Story of Sherry," on the reverse 
side, is an above-par ballad that 
could also step out. 

Jan August: "Desert Suririse"- 
"Nickelodeon Tango" (Mercury). 
Jan August has a highly listenable 
keyboard coupling in “Desert Sun¬ 
rise” and "Nickelodeon Tango," 
Both are rhythmic pieces that dis¬ 
play August’s slick finger work. 
"Sunrise" is the richer of the two 
and should get the programming 
'attention: ; . 

Fess Barker: “The Ballad of 
John Colter’’-"Pioneer’s Prayer" 
(Disneyland). Out of Walt Dis¬ 
ney’s “Westward Ho The Wagons" 
comes the meaty oatune, "The Bal¬ 
lad of John Colter." Fess Parker, 
who made some wax noise with 
the “Davy Crockett" ballad, should 
stir, up new spinning action with 


THE TARRIERS ... ..^BANANA BOAT SONG 

(Glory) . ......... No Glidin' Place 

DANNY KAYE . ..CIU CIU BELLA 

( Capitol) ....... Love Me Do 

MITZI MASON ... . I’LL GO WAY UP ON A MOUNTAIN 

(Moss) . . ................. . .You Can’t Come Back 

HENRI RENE .THE LITTLE WHITE HORSE 

(RCA Victor) __ s . ... Love Me Tender 


coin machine turntables. (It also 
got a hefty plug on "The Secret 
Life of Danny Kaye" over CBS- 
TV’s "See It Now 1 ' stanza Dec. 2.) 
It’s a lilting Neapolitan-styled air 
and Kaye brings it in a winner 
with a delightful reading.^ His 
vocalizing on “Love Me Do” is also 
pleasant and will attract some at¬ 
tention. 

Mitzi Mason: "I’ll Go Way Up 
on a Mountain’’-“You Can’t Come 
Back" (Moss). Mitzi Mason’s strong 
belting style gets its top display in 
her first effort for the new Moss 
label. With "I’ll Go Way Up on a 
Mountain,” the thrush has a 
chance to get up in the topselling 
wax brackets. Beat and delivery 
make it a natural for spins on all 
levels. "You Can’t Come Back" is 
in the slower ballad groove, but 
it’s an okay spinning bet. 

Henri Rene Orch: "The Little 
White Horse”-"Love Me Tender” 
(RCA Victor). In the instrumental 
field. “The Little White Horse” 
weighs in as an odds-on fave to 
cop top spinning time. It’s a 
brightly paced item which Henri 
Rene gives a fresh and winning 
workout. Orch is in a more sub¬ 
dued mood on a likeable instru¬ 
mental workover of “Love Me 
Tender." 

Don Cherry: "Give Me More’’- 
“The Story of Sherry" (Colufnbia). 
There’s enough beat to "Give Me 
More" to give Don Cherry a strong 
, pull _ with the rock ’n’ roll fans. 
The tune, out of France’s Tin Pan 
Alley, is a swinging item and the 
crooner hits with the kind of vo- 


this rouser. "Pioneer’s Prayer," 
also from the pic, probably means 
more in the film than on wax. 

Sylvia Sims: "Each Day"-"Danc- 
ing Chandelier" (Decca). This cou¬ 
pling showcases Sylvia Sims jn two 
appealing* moods. On "Dancing 
Chandelier,” she’s in a romantic 
groove and on "Each Day" she lets 
loose with a solid rhythmic beat. 
The spinning play will probably be 
split. 

Danny Walker: "Walkin’ and 
Whistlin’"-"In My Dreams” 
(Coral). Danny Walker'(ex-Danny 
Winchell) has a light-hearted and 
breezy offering in “Walkin’ and 
Whistlin’." Crooner gets a happy 
feeling into the side that practical¬ 
ly bounces out of the grooves. It 
makes for good programming fod¬ 
der. The ballad on the bottom 
deck is a pleasant affair that’s easy 
on the ear. 

The Kossol Sister s:" "Kissin’ 
Cousins"-“Mr Winter" (Epic). New 
femme vocal group shows off a 
bright. harmonizing technique in 
"Kissin’ Cousins.” It’s a hillbilly- 
tinged item but the pop bounce 
gives it an okay spinning chance on 
all levels. “Mr. Winter" is just a 
lightweight seasonal item. 

Spencer Morales Orch: "Carib¬ 
bean Mambo"-"Vamos Mambo- 
laros” (Zephyr). For dhe mambo 
huffs, these are two colorful sides 
played with an infectious beat by 
the Spencer Morales orch. Both 
tunes on this platter have pretty 
melodic ideas underlying the 
rhythm structure. 





LAWRENCE WELK 

and his 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
(Exclusively on Coral) 

276th Consecutive Week 
Aragon Ballroom-Ocean t*ark, Cal. 
ABC - T V-^Sat, 9^10 P. M. E.S.T. 
Sponsored .by 
Dodge Dealers of America 
ABC-TV Mon. 9:30-10:30 p.m. EST 
Sponsored by 

Dodge and Plymouth Dealers of 
America 


Longhair Reviews 


The Holly and The Ivy (Van¬ 
guard). . A charming repertory of 
old English- Christmas Carols sung 
with skill and taste by the counter¬ 
tenor, Alfred Deller. In a more fa¬ 
miliar vein of Christmas carols, 
the Roger Wagner Chorale also 
has a highly pleasing collection of 
holiday songs in a Capitol album, 
"Joy to the World.” 

Rossini - Respighi: La Boutique 
Fantasque: Blzzetti: La Pisanella 
(Angel). Two modern ballet pieces 
played with co’or and style by the 
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted 
by Aleeo Galliera. Smooth, superb 
sound. 

Ibert: Suite Symphonique (MGM). 
Another striking modern work is 
added to the disk repertory with 
this performance of Jacques Ibert’s 
"Impressions of Paris" by Arthur 
Wingrad and the MGM Chamber 
Orchestra. Also included in this 
package is another modern piece, 
Vittorio Risti’s "Marigale.” an at¬ 
tractive, humorous work in a 
pseudo-traditional style. 

Schubert: Fantasie in C; J*roko- 
fieff: Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 (RCA 
Victor)*. Young, pianist Gary Graff- 
man displays virtuoso technique 
and artistic’ sensitivity on Schu¬ 
bert’s romantic “Wanderer" and 
some bright' Prokofieff pieces. 

Delibes: Sylvia; Coppelia (RCA 
Victor). Two popular- ballet works 
precisely performed by the Phil- 
harmonia Orchestra under Robert 
Irving’s baton. Harm. 


cert tour of the U.S. a? New York’s 
Carnegie Hall Sunday (9). 




f 8. NIGHT LIGHTS (3) 


10 Best Sellers on Coin-Mac5iines 




1 . 

2 . 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6 . 

7. ' 


THE GREEN DOOR (9) . 

JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN (11) 


TRUE LOVE (6) 


BLUEBERRY HILL (7) 
CINDY, OH CINDY (4) . 



. .. Columbia ^ 


. Victor + 


. Dot f 

.... Johnnie Ray ...... 

...Columbia T 

j Crosby & Kelly .... 
1r -‘ l Jane Powell . 

. Verve 1 

.... Fats Domino . 

.... Imperial + 

i Eddie Fisher ...... 

* * * ) Vince Martin . 

. Victor I 

- Nat (King) Cole... 

. .. Capitol ♦ 


9. 

10 . 


friendly persuasion (3) .j ;;;; ;;;;;;;;; ; D °°a 

... Frank ^Sinatra . Capitol 


HEY, JEALOUS LOVER (1) 


Second Group 


TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS 


A ROSE AND A BABY RUTH . George Hamilton 4th . . . ABC-Par 

GARDEN OF EDEN. Joe Valino . Vi?c 

{ Don Rondo . Jubilee 

. [Morgan & WillVams . Kapp 

YOU’LL NEVER, NEVER KNOW . Platters . Mercury 

CANADIAN SUNSET .| Winterhalter . Victor 

] Andy Williams . Cadence 

RUDY’S ROCK . r . Bill Haley’s Comets . Decca 

MAMA FROM THE TRAIN..... Patti Page . Mercury 

DON’T BE' CRUEL. Elvis Presley . Victor 

CITY OF ANGELS ... ... High Lights . Bally ■ 

ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY .. Jerry Lewis . Decca 

t Figures in parentheses indicate number oj weeks song has been in the Top 10] 


Columbia. Records* grooving of 
the score from the upcoming NBC- 
TV spec, "The Stingiest Man In 
Town," is a wax winner this year 
and should develop into a standard 
Yule seller for the label. Cleffers 
Janice Torre (lyrics) and Bred 
Spielman (music) have turned out 
a solid theatrical score, that holds 
up in shellac showcasing and the 
all-star cast gives the tunes a 
memorable zing. Top liners in the 


package are Vic Dampne, johnny 
Desmond (on loan from Coral). 
Four Lads, Patrice Munsel, Basil 
Rathbone, Robert Weede, Martyn 
Green and Betty Madigan (bor¬ 
rowed from MGM). On the whole, 
it shapes as one of the best musi¬ 
cal . efforts to come out of, the' tv 
assembly line and some of the 
tunes have a good chance to step 
out of the album for an individual 
pop score. 

Mark Murphy: “Meet Mark Mur¬ 
phy” (Decca). A lot of disk buyers, 
are going to dig Mark Murphy 
after they “meet" him in this 
debut package, Young crooner has 
enough individuality of style, lean¬ 
ing towards the modern jazz 
school, to give him a good chance 
to crack through in the male Vo¬ 
calist sweepstakes. He’s a sui^e bet 
in the album field and he could 
even step out with q pop single if 
the diskery wants to put the pres¬ 
sure on. The 12-song repertoire is 
varied and interesting and shows 
off his hep understanding' of lyric 
values. 

Jane Powell: "Can’t We Friends” 
(Verve). Screen star Jane Powell 
steps into the disk field with a 
bang. In Hhis initial solo package 
attempt, the young soprano shows 
off a feeling and an understanding 


of the pop mood that makes every' 
song a delight. She’s selected a 
songbag loaded with familiars but 
her approach makes ’em* all worth 
hearing again. Her single click, 
“True Love" (not in the album) 
should help“get this package across 
to the jukebox set. 

The Clovers: (Atlantic). There 
are few rock ’n’ roll groups that 
can stand up in an LP package. 
The Clovers, however, have put- 
together 14 numbers that aren’t 
toor-hartLand--cmrid—con* - 


vince some of the anti-r&r ele¬ 
ment that the beat isn’t that hard 
to - take. 

For the Christmas Shelf: Among 
the outstanding releases for the 
Yule season are Epic’s "Christmas 
In Europe" and Jackie Gleason’s 
"Merry Christmas" for Capitol. 
The Epic album, recorded in Eu¬ 
rope, includes Christmas carols 
from Spain, France, Italy, Holland. 
Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, 
Austria and England. Gleason’s 
lush orch styling makes the patch 
of seasonal standards in the set 
highly appealing. 

Dorian: “A Flash of Strings’* 
(Dot). Dorian, a mono-labelled fid¬ 
dler, shows off a flashy string tech¬ 
nique in his debut package. Against 
a colorful orch support, Dorian 
takes off on a bowing spree that 
ranges from schmaltz to pyrotech¬ 
nics. David Rose’s perennial "Holi¬ 
day For Strings" is included, of 
course. 

Noteworthy sets in the seemingly 
endless jazz parade are ?‘Dizzy Gil¬ 
lespie: World Statesman" (Nor- , 
gran); Greig McRUchie’s "Eazy 
Jazz on a Fish Boat" (Zephyr); The 
Dexter Gordon Quartet’s "Daddy 
Plays The Horn" (Bethlehem), and 
“Duke Ellington Presents . . .’* 
(Bethlehem). 




Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), base d on, 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research . Inc.. Dr. John Gray Peatman . 
Director. Alphabetically listed. *L egit musical, t Film. ftTV. 

Survey Week of Nov. 23-29, 1956 

A Rose And A Baby Ruth. .Bentley 

Anastasia—i"Anaslasia’’ ..Feist ^ 

Armen's Theme . .. Bourne 

Baby Doll— J *"Baby DoU" .Remick 

Blueberry Hill . Chappell 

Canadian Sunset. Meridian 

Friendly Persuasion—t"Friendly Persuasion" .Feist 

Green Door. .Trinity 

I Don’t Know Enough About You.. Porgie . 

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.St. Nicholas* 

Jubilation T. Cornpone—*"Li’l Abner" ...Commander 

Just In Time—*“Bells Are Ringing".Stratford 

Just Walking In The Rain.Golden West 

La La Collette .. ; ...Criterion 

Love In A Home—*"Li’l Abner" .Commander 

Love Me Tender—v"Love Me Tender"...Presley 

Mama From The Train....Remick 

Money Tree ..Frank 

Mutual Admiration Society—* "Happy Hunting" .... Chappell 

My Last Night In Rome ..Famous 

Never Leave Me ..Leeds 

Night Lights .BVC 

Party’s Over—+"Bells Are Ringing".Stratford 

Petticoats Of Portugal.Christopher 

Singing the Blues.Acuff-R 

Star You Wished Upon Last Night.Robbins 

To The Ends Of The Earth .Winneton 

True Love—t“High Society" .Buxton Hill 

Two Different Worlds .. Princess 

You Can’t Run Away—i"You Can’t Run Away" ... . Col. Pic 

Top 30 Songs on TV ' 

- (More In Case of Ties) 

A Beautiful Friendship ...Kahn 

Baby Can Rock...\ ....Vernon 

Big ‘D’—+"Most Happy Fella”.Frank * 

Blueberry Hill ..° •....Chappell 

Christmas Toys ....Champagne 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .Marks-B 

Friendly Persuasion—•"“Friendly Persuasion" .Feist 

Gonna Get Along Without You Now.KeUem 

Green Door ..Trinity 

Hey, Jealous Lover.'.....Barton 

I Could Have Danced All Night—*"My Fair Lady".. Chappell 

If I Had My Druthers—*“Li’l Abner"..Commander 

If’n—*"Happy Hunting" .Chappell 

It Isn’t Right..Mellin 

It’s Yours .Southern 

Jubilation T. Cornpone—*"Li’l Abner .. Commander 

Just Walking In The Rain.Golden West 

Lay Down Your Arms.Ludlow 

Love Me Tender—t"Love Me Tender".....Presley 

Money Tree—*"Most Happy Fella" .Frank 

Mutual Admiration Society—*"Happy Hunting".... Chappell 

Namely You—*"Li’l Abner" .Commander 

Pass My Prime—*“Li’l Abner" .Commander 

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer .St. NiC’^las 

Singing The Blues ..Acuff-R 

St. Theresa Of The Roses ......Dennis 

To The Ends Of The Earth . ..Winneton 

True Love—i"High Society" ...Buxton Hill 

Two Different-Worlds .Princess 

Yon Can’t Run Away—:"You Can’t Run Away" .... Col. Pic. 





















































































































MUSIC 59 


W^neiday,. DecemW5, 1955 


^8?g/8ftr 



; B, 0. Off 


By SYE SILVERMAN 

Dixieland jazz again invaded 
New York’s Carnegie Hall last Sat¬ 
urday night (1) with Carlton Sin¬ 
clair presenting a five-band, two- 
act concert featuring some of the 
top dixie names in the east but it 
somehow lacked the spark needed 
to make it a top draw. Two shows 
were presented, neither to capac¬ 
ity, First performance filled half 
the hall with Lhe crowd composed 
• -trf ■ yomig“peopio“ bitersifersed- with 
a few adults. Audience was ex¬ 
tremely well-behaved and respond¬ 
ed to the various numbers strongly 
but at no time got out of hand. 

Opener was Max Kamihsky and 
his band who did a nice turn and 
produced several toe-tapping tunes. 
“Royal Garden Blues,’’ “Memphis 
Blues” and “Squeeze Me” were all 
executed neatly, getting much mit- 
ting from the crowd. Windup of 
“That's A-Plenty” was sogk with 
the driving sound that is associ¬ 
ated with the dixie medium. Ka¬ 
minsky on trumpet, Eddie Bare- 
field on clarinet, and George Wett- 
ling on drums handled their solo 
turns with polish. 

Second spot was occupied by 
Jacques Butler who Was backed by 
several outstanding sidemen in¬ 
cluding J. C. Higginbotham on 
trombone, Doctor C. Haynes on 
piano, and Panama Francis on 
drums. Best of Butler’s numbers 
was “Night Train” which featured 
some jidat skin work by Francis. 
Cozy Cole and Sol Yaged (who 
taught Steve Allen to play clarinet 
for the “Benny Goodman Story”) 
sat in with the Butler group for a 
smooth rendition of “The Shiek 
of Araby.” 

Tony Parenti & His Rag Pickers 
finished up the first half. Parenti, 
suffering from a cold, turned in 
some nice solos on clarinet and 
Dick Wellstood on piano. Milt Hin¬ 
ton on bass, and Tony Spargo 
(Original Dixieland Jazz Band) on 
drums provided some neat solo 
turns. Best numbers* jvere “Bill 
Bailey” and “Tin Roof Blues” 
which featured Parenti and Spargo 
in solos. 

Willie (The Lion) Smith opened 
the second stanza with a couple of 
piano tunes complete with cigar- 
(Contlnued on page 66) 


Wolfie Gilbert’s Biog 
A Colorful Rundown Of 
50 Years of Show Biz 

L. Wolfe Gilbert, vet ASCAPer 
who wrote the lyrics for a bagful 
of hits including “Waiting for the 
Robert. E. Lee,” “Ramona,” and 
“The Peanut Vendor,” has put his 
life to words in an amusing auto- 
biog, “Without Rhyme or Reason,” 
published this week by Vantage 
Press ($3.50), with a short preface 
by Jimmy Durante. 

Now‘70 years old, Gilbert’s ca¬ 
reer opened in the dawn of this 
century and spanned all of the 
Tiuccessive revolutions in show biz 
from the decline and fall of vaude 
to the new hegemony of television. 
Gilbert performed and/or wrote 
•for all media during the past five 
decades and his story is essentially 
a biography of the whole entertain¬ 
ment industry. 

Gilbert, known as Wolfie to his 
friends, has written a typical “and 
then I. wrote” yarn, but he tells it 
amusingly. The tome’s title un¬ 
derlines Gilbert’s approach. 
The • , no attempt at anything be- 
l * series of reminiscenses 
abou. the personalities who figured 
in his various exploits as vaude- 
villian, parodist, Tin Pan Alley 
wordsmith, newspaper columnist, 
publisher and Hollywood writer. 

Some of the anecdotage, particu¬ 
larly that about the eccentric 
writer, Con Conrad, and the yam- 
about how Gilbert won a rigged 
favorite-songwriter contest, are 
tiptop reading fare. Gilbert de¬ 
livers a story punchline like a pro 
and he’s best with the humorous 
material. Like other books in this 
genre, there’s also plenty of name- 
dmDping and some sentimental 
stuff, including a boost for ASCAP 
and a rough knock at BMI, scat¬ 
tered throughout. Also Gilbert 
throws out, for what it's worth, his 
list of songs that he’d wished he’d 
written. There’s no particular or¬ 
der to the list, but it’s a good one. 
The same can be said for Gilbert’s 
book. Herm. 


- Victor’s’Rainmaker’ 

RCA Victor has nabbed the 
soundtrack rights to the Hal Wal¬ 
lis pic, “The Rainmaker,” which 
will be released through Para¬ 
mount. Score for the Katharine 
Hepburn-Burt Lancaster starrer 
was written by Alex North. 

Famous-Paramount is publishing 
the score^ A theme wjil be culledj. 
from Yhe scorV’lor 'pop "single re- 1 
lease by Victor. 

Metronome Ups 
Merc O’Seas Beat 

Metronome Records, Swedish 
diskery, is broadening its overseas 
tieup with Mercury Records. The 
Swedish label, which already has 
exclusive rights to the Merc line in 
Sweden, Finland and Iceland, will 
widen itsf scope to include the 
West German market as well as 
Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe 
Islands. 

Deal was set between Irving 
Green, Merc’s prexy, atid Claes 
Dahlgren, head of Metronome’s 
New York firm, Orion Develop¬ 
ment Coip. To handle the Merc 

- (Continued on page 67) 


‘Iitternationale* Disks 

Washington, Dec. 4. 

Egyptian , revolutionary 
songs anyhow* being sold, on 
records -in Communist • China, 
the U. S. Information Agency 
reports. . 

The songs Were brought back 
by ,'a Chinese cultural delega¬ 
tion which visited Egypt. Re¬ 
cordings were made in Shang¬ 
hai. 


ASCAP Scored as ‘Bitter,’ ‘Envious’ 

At BMI Fete; 36 Tunes Kudosed 


Reshuffle Cadence 


PAUL EXITS ARC-PAR 
FOR DISNEYLAND LABEL 

SI Paul has exited his national 
sales-promqt-ien manager’s post at 
ABC-Paramount to join Disney¬ 
land Records. At Disneyland, Paul 
will head up the eastern sales and 
promotion division. Jerry John¬ 
son and A1 La Tosca handle Dis¬ 
neyland’s sales and promotion on 
the Coast. 

Paul had been sales-promotion 
topper at ABC-Paramount since 
the diskery’s inception over a year 
ago. He had come to the label 
from Capitol Records. His replace¬ 
ment at ABC-Paramount is ex¬ 
pected to be named this week. 


Cohn Longhairs for MM 

Arthur Cohn has joined Mills 
Music as director of symphonic 
and educational music. 

He previously had been exec 
director of the Settlement Music 
School, Philadelphia, and director 
of the Fleisher Music Collection at 
Philly’s Free Library. 


4* The litigating ASCAP songwrit¬ 
ers were roundly lambasted by 
Broadcast Music Inc. execs at 
BMI’s Fifth Annual Award Dinner 
at the Hotel Pierre, N. Y., Monday 
(3) night. The' ASCAPers who are 
suing BMI and the broadcasters 
on antitrust charges were tagged 
as “bitter” and “envious” by BMI 
v.p. Robert J. Burton and BMI 
board chairman Sidney M. Kaye. 
The attack on the ASCAPers was 


Cadence Records has reshuffled 
its distributor setup in the Houston 
and New Orleans territories. The 
line will now be handled by King 
Records’ branch distributors. It 
marks the first time that the King 
distribs have taken on a topline 
label. 

The Ca^^cetalog-h^ "of the 


handled in Houston by United and 
in New Orleans by Roberson. 

Cig Puff in Cuffo 
Hillbilly Shows 

Nashville, Dec. 4. 

. Hillbilly music will be plugging 
Philip Morris cigs under a new 
deal signed by the tobacco com¬ 
pany and the Jim Denny Artistg 
Bureau here covering “The Philip 
Morris Country Music Show.” The 
cig outfit is sponsoring a troupe of 
folk artists on a tour throughout- 
the. country with free shows for 
public. 

Ray Price, country linger, is top¬ 
lining the first of the PM shows 
which will start initially in the 
south. Tour will start Jan. 4 at the 
(Continued on page 66) 


ETY Scoreboard 

OF 

TOP TALENT AND TUNES 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE: The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu¬ 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from under sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
. veloped from the ratio of points scored , two ways in the case of talent (coin machines , retail 
disks/ and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machifies. retail disks and retail sheet music). 


TALENT 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


ARTIST AND LABEL 


8 

9 

10 


2 ( 

3 
6 

4 

5 

8 

9 

10 

7 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 


1 

3 
2 

4 

5 

6 
.7 

9 

10 


TUNE 

I Love Me Tender 

Love Me C_rUel 
Hound Dog 

GUY MITCHELL (Columbia). Singing The Blues 

JIM LOWE (Dot) .. The Green Door 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia).. Just Walking In The Rain 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol)... True Love 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial).Home 

PAT BOONE (Dot) .(Friendlv Persuasion 

' (Chains Of Love 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4th (ABC-Par) .A Rose And A Baby Ruth 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol). Hey, Jealous Lover 

BILLDOGGETT (King) .j?. onk y T ° nk 

(Slow Walk 

TUNES 

(♦ASCAP. fBMI) 

TUNE PUBLISHER 

fLOVE ME TENDER. Presley 

f SINGING THE BLUES .;. Acuff-R 

♦TRUE LOVE..... Buxton Hill 

fTHE GREEN DOOR. ... Trinity 

fJUST WALKING IN THE RAIN.Golden West 

♦BLUEBERRY HILL ......... Chappell 

♦FRIENDLY PERSUASION.. Feist 

fCINDY, OH CINDY.....Marks-B 

♦HEY, JEALOUS LOVER . Barton 

♦TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME. BVC 


affair. While making the awards 
for the top BMI songs this year, 
Burton repeatedly pointed out that 
the BMI songwriters represented 
the “great heart of America,” “the 
American way of life,” “symbols of 
free competition,” and “proof that 
talent exists west of the Hudson 
River.” It was a restatement of 
the BMI counter-charge against 
ASCAP for allegedly ignoring 
broad facets of American music, 
particularly in the country & west¬ 
ern and rhythm & blues fields. 

Kaye rapped the ASCAPers for 
attempting to impose their “own 
monopoly” over the music business 
by • stifling competition. Some 
ASCAPers’ description of BMI mu¬ 
sic as “junk” and “obscene” was 
held by Kaye to be an “insult” to 
the American people which likes 
BMI music. 

For 1956, BMI gave scrolls to 36 
songs, a peak number since the 
awards were launched. The BMI 
hit^of the year were “Singing The 
Blues,” “Glendora,” “I’ll Be 
Home,” “See You Later, Alligator,” 
Honky Tonk,” “Cindy, Oh Cindy,” 
The Fool,” “I Want You, I Need 
You, I Love You,” “Love Me Ten¬ 
der,” “Just Walkin’ In The Rain,” 
“I Almost Lost My Mind,” “Blue 
Suede Shoes,” “Rock Island Line,” 
“Hound Dog,” “Daddy-O,” “Be- 
Bop-A-Lula,” “Band of Gold,” 
“Dungaree Doll,” “It Isn’t Right,” 
“Canadian Sunset,” “Eddie My 
Love,” “Memories Are Made of 
,This,” “Why Do Fools Fall In 
Love,” “A Tear Fell,” “I’m In Love 
Again,” “Soft Summer Breeze,” 
“Walk Hand In Hand,” “Don’t Be 
Cruel,” “Graduation Day,” “Rock 
and Roll Waltz,” “Heartbreak Ho¬ 
tel,” “Green Door,” “Long Tall 
Sally,” “Wayward Wind” and 
“Jukebox Baby.” 

Panassie-Gautier’s OK 
’Guide to Jazz’; NYU Pubs 
’Heart of Jazz’ Volume 

French jazzologist Hu g u e s 
Panassie’s “Guide to Jazz” (Hough¬ 
ton, Mifflin; $4) joins the jazz book 
parade, of which there have been 
hiany this fall. This one is basic¬ 
ally a biographical index, plus dis¬ 
cographies, and also includes cer¬ 
tain pops (“Hallelujah,”'“Honey¬ 
suckle Rose,” “High Society,” “Blue 
Skies,” “Marie,” “St. James Infirm¬ 
ary,” “Dinah,” “Saints Come 
March In,” etc.) and all name 
songsmiths whose works have been 
prolifically performed in jazz cir¬ 
cles. Written in collaboration with 
Madeleine Gautier, Robert Laffont 
published it originally in 1954 in 
Paris as “Dictionnaire du Jazz.” 
Desmond Flower translated; A. A. 
Gurwitch edited it; and Louis Arm¬ 
strong wrote the introduction in 
his truly inimitable style. 

Book is alphabetized according 
to proper names but also generous¬ 
ly cross-indexed under perhaps the 
better known connotations of the 
Duke, the Count, Satchmo, Cootie, 
“Lady Day,” etc. 

Book is a terse history of jazz 
in that it identifies historic land¬ 
marks and styles like Storyville, 
Chicago, New Orleans, turn-of-the- 
century pioneering jazz groups, 
Casa Loma, shake, slap, inflection, 
sweet, cool, etc. 

Musicians stylists,,, vocalists, et 
al. are identified as to real name, 
nickname, the basis vital statistics, 
bibliography and discography, basic 
instrumentation or style, outstand¬ 
ing performance and the like. It 
is not limited to the Yank influ¬ 
ence. As Armstrong points up 
“every musician that is important, 
his life is right in the book,” and 
it includes many of the European 
jazz greats. It is generously illus¬ 
trated. It’s a good book for the 
jazz buffs and for researchers and 
reference. Like Eddie Conlon’s 
“Treasury of Jazz” (Col album), 
this one has an RCA Victor album 
tieup also. 

More academic is William L. 

(Continued on page 66) 























60 


MUSIC 


usssmFf 


Wedhgg'day,' PecemiMH* 1 ; 5,; 1856;■ •!’ 


Live Jazz Hot oo Radio Via Mutual’s 
‘Bandstand USA’ Jive Spot Pickups 


While- jazz on wax has been 
meeting with a generally cool reac¬ 
tion fr6m the disk jockeys, jazz is 
turning up as potent radio broad¬ 
cast fare in its live form. Mutual’s 
“Bandstand U.S.A.,” a two-hour 
Saturday flight show based on 
pickups from the top jazz joints 
around the country, is swinging* on 
the ratings and has lifted Mutual 
from the' fourth-ranking network 
. .slot_fbr that time .into a consistent' 
No. 1 or 2 position since its in¬ 
augural last summer. 

The jazz show is now being 
picked up by about 350. stations 
in the Mutual hookup, an unusual 
number for a sustaining program. 
At the present time, however, there 
is the possibility that all or part, 
of the show may be sold in view 
of its drawing power! 

The “Bandstand” show, which is 
produced by quondam bandleader 
Tommy • Reynolds, has provided 1 a 
potent outlet both for-the jazz 
spots and combos. Part 1 of a recent 
marked growth in the number of 
jazz clubs is credited to the Mu¬ 
tual show for its promotional boost 
to the jazz market as a whole. 

On a typical show last Saturday 
Cl), “Bandstand/* had pickups from 
the Blue Note in Philadelphia, the 
Patio Lounge in Washington, D.C.; 
The Red Hill Inn in Hennsauken, 
N.J.; Cafe Bohemia jn Greenwich 
Village, which has. been spotlighted' 
on the show every week; and Bird*- 1 
land on Broadway. The talent 
lineup included such jazz names as 
Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Max 
Roach,’ Buddy DeFranco, Joe Car- 
roll and Donald Byrd. On previous 
shows, Duke Ellington, Stan Ken¬ 
ton, Teddy Wilson, Les Brown and 
others have been aired from re¬ 
mote points. 

The Mutual show is now the only 
all-live music show on Saturday 
night * radio and Reynolds, who 
holds an American Federation of 
Musicians card, is helping to con¬ 
cretize the union program of ex¬ 
ploiting . the possibilities in live 
music performances on the air. 

Bobby Weiss to U. S. For 
Buddy Morris Confabs 
Re Global Music Plans 

Paris, Dec. 4. 

Bobby Weiss, managing director 
of the international division of Ed¬ 
win H. Morris music, planes N. Y. 
Friday (7) for the first of a series 
of homeoffice conferences with 
boss Buddy Morris, covering future 
plans for the recently created 
global music department. 

Weiss will confer with Morris 
execs, Sidney Kornheisfer and 
Harry Gerson, and in Hollywood, 
with topper Morris and Sidqey 
Goldstein. Weiss, following flying 
visits to Hamburg and Zurich last 
week, is huddling with Gerson, 
currently in Paris, and they both 
embark on the same flight from 
France tomorrow night, Thurs.). 

- Key music firms in France, Ger¬ 
many, Switzerland, etc., are already 
being set to supply the Morris 
music setup with pop material, fol¬ 
lowing' meetings held with Weiss 
since he assumed his post with the 
Morris companies, in October. 

Current .visit /f>y Weiss will.be 
first of annual hops he will make 
to N. Y. and Hollywood as part of 
plan of owner Morris to take fuller 
advantage of the expanding busi¬ 
ness in the global market by keep¬ 
ing close liaison with the foreign 
music centers. Weiss expects to 
remain in N. Y. for two weeks 
before flying to Hollywood for a 
three-week stay. Weiss will plane 
back to his Paris headquarters in 
time to attend the San Remo Music 
Festival, Feb>4-6, in Italy. 

While in N. Y., Weiss is due to 
be married to his French fiancee, 
who is accompanying him to the 
U. S. 


Brit. Earl’s ‘Big Splash’ 

Blackpool, Eng., Nov. 27. 

Robert Earl, English disk singer, 
will be featured next summer at 
England’s “Coney Island” show biz 
town of Blackpool. He will have 
a starring spot in “Big Splash,” 
annual aqua-revue, opening at Der¬ 
by Baths here June 15. 

Three Deuces, another musical 
act, are pacted for Central Pier 
show here next summer* 


Rama Buys Heartbeats, 

R Y R Group, From Hull 

In a deal with ,the indie Hull 
Records, the Rama label has added 
the Heartbeats’ rock, ’n’ rollers, 
to its foster. George Goldner and 
Joe Kolsky, Rama toppers, bought 
up the Heartbeats’ pact with Hull 
as well as their released and un¬ 
released masters and publishing 
rights to all tunes etched by the 
group. 

Among the masters purchased 
was the current r’n’r click, “A 
Thousand Miles Away.”. It’ll now 
be issued under the Rama banner. 
The tunes in the package. will be 
published via Patricia-Kahl Music, 
firm operated by Phil Kahl and 
Morris Levy. Bill Jenkins, of Vari¬ 
ety-Management, continues as per¬ 
sonal manager of the group, . 

Also added to, the-Rama roster 
last week was nitery. thrush Bar¬ 
bara Black. Initial recording ses- 
siofts are now being set up. 


'‘Gamble’.’!* the Woi-# 

■„ • London, Dee. 4*„ 

“Love Is a ; Gamble^*.; tune; 
written by Robert Cohere'with' 
lyrics by Dion /McGregor, 
which failed tp make the grade 
in the U. S. earlier this year, 
is catching on fast over here. 
Recorded by a newcomer to 
the' vocal business, Mike 
Shaun, on‘the indie Oriole 
label, and published by Gros- 
venor Music, the number had 
. considerable plug time by disk 
jockeys. • 

Shaun was an unknown until 
he was discovered on a corti- 
mercial tv talent show. 


Ocie Smith’s ‘SlowlValF" 
His First for Cadence 

Cadence Records has tapped 
crooner Ocie Smith: who previously 
etched under the MGM banner. His 
first waxing, out this week, is a 
vocal workover; of the instrumental 
click, “Slow Walk.” 

The platter, incidentally, marks 
Cadence’s third vocal treatment of 
a previously established instru¬ 
mental disclick. The others have 
been Andy Williams* versions of 
“Canadian Sunset” and “Baby 
Doll.” 


LaVem Baker joins Bill Haley’s 
unit on its Australian junket. She 
leaves Jan. 4. 


Col’s Goddard Lieberson Busy Every; SabbathOn 
Cutting Sessions for Showtuners ’ 


Goddard Lieberson, Columbia 
Records prexy, has been maintain¬ 
ing a busy Sunday schedule to keep 
pace with the trio of Broadway 
musicals set for .original cast album 
grooving. Last Sunday (2), Lieber- 
sori headed up the session for 
“Bells Are Ringing” and this up¬ 
coming Sabbath (9), he’s set to put 
“Candide” on wax. Several weeks 
-a.go~U.8X, - ‘Li !1 Abner/L. was..put. into 
the can by the prexy. 

The “Bells” session ran from 
10 a.m. until midnight with final 
editing completed by 6 a.m. Mon¬ 
day. The album will be in the 
hands of key retailers today (Wed.). 
Judy. Holliday, the show’s star, 
stayed until the early morning 
windup, explaining that in pix she 
always stays around for the early 
rushes after the take. She was 
accomped in the dawn virgil by 
Adolph, Green and Betty Comden, 
who penned the musical with Jule 
Styne, and featured player Sydney 
Chaplin. - 

“Bells*' opened on Broadway 
Nov. 29 while “Candide,” the Leon¬ 
ard Bernstein tuner, preemed Dec. 
1, Sunday is the available day for 


llhe diskettes to cut a Broadway 
|Tuner. Victor has pencilled in the 
“Happy Hunting’* session for this 
Sunday (9).. 


Decca’s Hawaiian Set 
Tagged ‘Magic Islands’ 

Hollywood,- Dee. - 4-.- 

Cream of the standards of Hit 
waiian music has been packaged by 
Decca in a new album by Alfred 
Newman and the Ken, Darby 
Chorus. Probably the most expen¬ 
sive Island package ever assem¬ 
bled, it will be released early next , 
year under the title “The Magic 
Islands.” 

Newman utilized a large string 
orch in addition to a number of 
native instruments to provide an 
authentic Island sound to the pack¬ 
age.' Instruments u?ed included 
nose .flutes and bamboo reeds. 
Steel guitar was used for only one 
side and the .numbers are inter¬ 
spersed with native chants by the 
Darby Chorus. 


RETAIL DISK AND ALBUM DEST SELLERS 


l /S A‘IZIETV~ 

Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based on reports cb 
tained from leading stores in 
21 cities and showing com¬ 
parative sales rating rot tnis 
and last week . 


National 
Rating 
This Last 

wk. wk. Artist, Label, Title 


1 

3 

GUY MITCHELL (Columbia) 
“Singing the Blues”. 

3 

2 

1 

2 

2 ' 

2 

1 

3 

1 

3 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 

_ 1 

3 

3 

2 

7 

4 

182 

2 

1 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Love Me'Tender”.:. 

1 

6 

7 

1 

1 ' 

4 

9 

10 

3 


1 

1 

4 

4 

5 

3 


1 

3 

1 

1 

143 

3 

2 

JIM LOWE (Dot) 

“The Green Door”. 

2 

3 

2 

& 10 

6 

5 

3 


4 

10 

2 

3 

6 


3 

10 

1 

5 

1 

9 


113 

4 

6 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) 

“Just Walking in the Rain”. 

4 


10 

4 

4 

1 

8 

4 

2 

9 

8 

7 

3 

3 




6 

4 

8 

2 100 

5 

4 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol) 

“True Love”. 

7 

1 

3 

3 

3 

3 


7 

10 


3 

4 



4 



2 

7 

5 


92 

6 

5 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial) 
“Blueberry Hill”. 

6 


4 

7 

5 



6 

7 

5 


5 

8 

2 


8 


7 

5 

3 

5 

82 

7 

8 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Don’t Be Cruel”.. 

5 

7 









7 

9 

7 




10 



2 

3 

38 

8 

10 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

“Friendly Persuasion”. 

9 

TO 

& 


8 

7 




7 

5 

6 






9 


10 


33 

9 

9 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4TH (ABC-Par) 
“A Rose and a Baby Ruth”. 

— 8 

5 

6 



2 








10 

4 






31 

10 

It. 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol) 

“Hey, Jealous Lover”. 




5 




9 

6 








4 

8 

6 



28 

11 

7 

BILL DOGGETT (King) 

“Honky Tonk”.. 

8 


8 


7 




5 



8 

5 






9 


.. 

27 

12 

22 

EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 

“Cindy, Oh, Cindy”. 






6 











9 


8 

4 


17 

13 


PATIENCE & PRUDENCE (Liberty) 
“Gonna Get Along Without You”.. 

5 















2 





15 

14 

24 

JERRY LEWIS (Decca) 

“Rock-a-Bye Your Baby”. 













2 

6 








14 

15A 

23 

JOE VALINO (Vik) 

“Garden of Eden”. 








5 



10 




6 




10. 



13 

15B 

14 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

‘Love Me’*’. . 


4 















5 





13 

17A 

12 

VINCE MARTIN (Glory) 

“Cindy, Oh Cindy”. 

10 







8 

8 






7 



10 




12 

17B 

18 

SIL AUSTIN (Mercury) 

“Slow Walk”. 



9 




7 






9 








7 

__12 

19A 


PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 

“Mama from the Train”. 


9 


.8 










9 







8 

_10 

19B 


FIVE SATINS (Ember) 

“In the Still of the Night”. 










6 

6 











_10 

19C 


SUNNY KNIGHT (Dot) 1 
“Confidential” . 







4 








8 







_J.O 

19D 


LAVERN .BAKER (Atlantic) 

“Jim Dandy”. 










1 




• 








10 

19E 

21 

ELVIS .PRESLEY. (Victor) 

“When My Blue Moon Turns Gold” 








1 


.. 












10 

24 

16 

JANE POWELL (Verve) 

“True Love”... 

.V 















5 

8 





9 


25 13 


HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 
“Canadian Sunset”. 


10 8 


10 


1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

ELVIS 

MY FAIR • LADY 

• CALYPSO 

KING AND 1 

EDDY DUCHIN 

OKLAHOMAI 

HIGH SOCIETY 

ELVIS PRESLEY 

GIANT 

JERRY LEWIS 

Elvis Presley 

Broadway Cast 1 

Harry Belafonte 

Film Soundtrack 

STORY 

Film Soundtrack 

Film Soundtrack 

Film Soundtrack 

Elvis Presley 

Film Soundtrack 

JUST SINGS 



Victor 

Capitol 

Capitol 

Capitol . 

Victor 


JERRY LEWIS 

Victor 

Columbia 

LPM 1248 

W 740 

Decca 

SAO 595 

LPM 1254 

Capitdl 

Decca 

LPM 1382 

. .OL 5090 

EPA 1248 

EAP 740 

DL 8289 ; 

SDM 595 . 

, W 750 

EPB 1254 

.W 773 

DL 8410 


























































Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


PfatlWfr 


MUSIC . 61 


Inside Stuff-Mask 

Reports from Germany say tliat the Frankfurt “Two Beat Stompers” 
is currently the No. 1 dixie band in the country. Group of seven, 
Werner Rehm (trumpet), Dick Simon (trombone), Emil Mangelsdorlf 
(clary), Herby Hess (pi$no), Gerd Schuetrumpf (banjo), Joki Freund 
(sousaphone) and Horst, Lippman (drum), came along recently with a 
very fine Brunswick extended play hi-fi recording titled “This Is Dixie¬ 
land.” It consists of “Kansas City Stomp,” “Melancholy Blues,” 
“Some of These Days;’.’ and “Herby’s First Blues.” Incidentally, 
this is one of the few European dixie ensembles which plays 
with sousaphone and banjo. The Stompers is actually an amateur 
ensemble (dentist, a student, a hotel owner, etc., are in the group) and 
has already had dates outside Germany. It went to Yugoslavia last 
year and participated irj the first “Festival Europeen de Jazz Neuvelle 
Orleans” in Paris early this year. 

Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “Blow The Smoke Away” is not, as most 
jn .the trade suspect,- aJ“eleanfid-up” version of an ©Ie Joe E.- Howard 
ballast “What’s The Usd of Dreaming?” It is true that the latter has 
a “dreamy Chinatown” and an “opium den” connotation, but when; 
Howard wrote it originally it was under the “Smoke” title. Latterly, 
only one tag-Jine was changed by Paul-Ford to read <4 and then the 
flame goes qut,” giving it a romance rather than a junkie’s dream 
treatment. The better known title came when Will M. Hough and 
Frank R. Adams interpolated it in “Flower of the Ranch,” a 1906 legit 
musical for which Howard did the score. Edward B. Marks publishes 
now; Charles H. Harris was the original copyright owner but on re¬ 
newal Howard ceded the rights to Marks. 


Goldie Goldmark, who heads up Mo^ Gale’s music publishing firms, 
is planning a campaign along this line, “I got my song placed through 
Variety.” The story behind it is that Goldmark read an Item in 
Variety’s film section a few months ago that Warwick Productions was 
looking for an authentic Turkish folksong for its upcoming Columbia 
release, “Zarack.” He dug into his files for an old copyright, “Climb 
Dp The Wall,” rushed it to Chappell Ltd. in London and set it in the 
pic. The tune was written by Auyar Houessini with an English lyric 
by Norman Gimbel. It was put on wax four years ago by Eydie Gorme 
for the Coral label. Thrush, who incidentally is of Turkish descent, 
has since shifted to ABC-Paramount but Coral plans to reissue the side 
in a tieup with the film. 


“The Coming of the King,” Don Gillis’ musical adaptation of Dr. 
Norman Vincent Peale’s tome, will be performed Dec. 23 at New 
York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Dean Pike will relate the 
story of the Nativity with a musical background of a 60-voice choir 
under the direction of Alec Wyton, ABC-TV will carry the perform¬ 
ance. “King” has already been put into the groove by Columbia Rec¬ 
ords with David Wayne narrating. Mills Music published the Gillis 
work. 


The Naval Aviation Cadet Choin. has been put into the groove for the 
benefit of Navy Relief. The Choir cut a special Christmas extended 
play platter for sale through regular commercial • channels with all 
royalties going to Navy Relief, org which provides emergency financial 
aid for Navy enlisted men. Included in the Yule-bag are “Silent 
Night,” “Christmas Is Coming,” “The Lord's Prayer” and a new Christ¬ 
mas novelty “Yawcob Strauss.” The platters are being manufactured 
by Allied Records, Coast firm. I 


The American Academy amt the National Institute of Arts and Let¬ 
ters, in collaboration with Composers Recordings are inaugurating a 
new series of recordings of compositions by winners of Grants in Music 
of the National Institute. The initial disk will present the work of two 
1955 winners, Henry Brant’s “Angels and Devils” and Irving Fine’s 
“Mutability” and “Music For Piano.” Eunice Alberts is the soloist 
on “Mutability,” with the composer at the piano. The Brant work is 
conducted by the composer with Frederick Williams playing solo flute. 


“A House With Love In It” is rocketing its way up the British Hit 
Parade. Published in London by the Lawrence Wright Music Co, by 
arrangements with the Redd Evans Music Co. in New York, the number 
is currently ninth in the popularity poll. In three weeks it has risen 
from 22d place to the top 10. It's been plugged on tv by a number of 
topline songsters and recorded by six labels. 


Barry Gordon’s MGM waxing, “I Like Christmas,” has been tied in 
with the Treasury Dept.'s Christmas Savings Bond Drive. Special 
photos of the moppet singer were taken by the Treasury Dept, show¬ 
ing the youngster taking a bond off a Christmas tree. The pic will be 
displayed in the Treasury Dept.’s advertising and publicity campaign 
with a creditor the MGM platter. 


Nat King Cole’s 1955 release, “Toyland,” has been recoupled by 
Capitol Records for another seasonal drive this year. Meantime, tune 
will spread into Mexico, and South America via publisher Ivan Mogull’s 
recent tieup with Peer, International. The song is published by 
Mogull’s Harvard Music (BMI). Chappell Ltd. handles the song in 
England via a previous deal with Mogull. 

i ' 

* Era Records, Coast indie, figures there’s nothing like topicality or a 
tiein with stage and film properties, to excite disk buyer interest. Con¬ 
sequently, the label has come up with what it figures is the perfect 
title for a new LP by pianist Rosalinda. Material includes both classics 
and rhythm tunes and Ss tagged “Will Success Spoil Rachmaninoff?” 


Walter Holzhaus has befen appointed manager of the band instru¬ 
ment department of the Alamo Piano Co., San Antonio. Holzhaus has. 
played with the Paul Whiteman and Gus Arnheim orchs. He also 
Worked with the pit crfcws at Fox and Loew film houses and with Jack 
Teagarden as a brass team. 


E.B. Marks’Yes, We Hare 
The Banana Boat Song’ 


Absentee Ballots Key to Local 47$ 
Political Shape in Upcoming Elections 


ROBBINS GOING WAX 
ON ‘FIRESIDE FOLIOS’ 

Robbins Music (Big Three firm) 
Is the latest publisher to take the 
record route to promote its song 
folios. Firm is packaging a folio of 
10 standards with a 45 rpm disk 
fox the home musician to play along 
With the music. 

The package has been tagged 
“Pay Along With the . Modern 
Rhythm Makers Record” and is 
priced at $1.50. Separate books 
have been set for different keyed 
instruments. Tunes in the package 
are “My Blue Heaven,” “Laura,” 
“Don’t Blame Me,” “I’ll See You 
In My Dreams,” “Ja-Da,” “Blue 
Moon,” “I’m Nobody’s Baby,” 
“Wang Wang Blues,” “Coquette” 
and “Honey.” 

E. H. Morris lauched a similar 
project last year. 


Plenty of Clancys Form 
Offbeat Tradition Label 

A new record company special¬ 
izing in folk, ethnic music and the 
spoken word is being launched 
this week with a broadside of seven 
LP packages. The label will be 
tagged Tradition Records. 

The diskery will be headed up 
by Patrick Clancy, Irish folklore- 
ist; Liam Clancy; writer-folksinger; 
and Tom Clancy, actor-folksinger. 
Elizabeth Clancy will handle the 
cover art for the company with 
Diane Hamilton and Robin Rob¬ 
erts. The company will headquar¬ 
ter in New York’s Greenwich 
Village. 


Erroll Garner plays a concert at 
the Toledo (O.) Museum of Art 
Dec. 12, and opens the following 
day at the Zanzibar, Buffalo. 


E. B. Marks Music has picked up 
“The Banana Boat Song” from. Bry- 
den Music. The calypso tune be¬ 
gan stirring up noise in the in¬ 
dustry last week via the Tarriers’ 
waxing on Glory Records. It’s al¬ 
ready been covered by Steve Law¬ 
rence (Coral) and the Fontane Sis¬ 
ters (Dot). 

“Banana Boat” is Marks’ second 
tune pickup from Bryden in the 
past several months. Other song 
was “Cindy, Oh Cindy,” wh ; ch has 
become a disclick via etchings by 
Eddie Fisher (RCA Victor) and 
Vince Martin (Glory). 

The Bryden firm is run by Lou 
Strong and Phil Rose, who also 
operate the Glory diskery. 


Benny Goodman B. 0. 

-D”*s in Frisco Dates; 
Grosses $7,300 in Two 

San Francisco, Dec. 4. 

Return of Benny Goodman to 
Frisco area last week was some¬ 
thing less than a resounding suc¬ 
cess, with promoters of both Frisco 
and Berkeley dates reported to 
have taken financial beatings. Pro¬ 
moter Dick Carroll first bought 
Goodman for Berkeley, Sacra¬ 
mento and Los Ange’es dates, at 
$3v500 per date against 50% of the 
gross. 

Clarinetist was booked at Berk¬ 
eley Community Theatre, with 
Martha Tilton, Hank Jones, Jackie 
Cain and Roy Krai, for last Thurs¬ 
day (29) in what presumably was 
to be only Frisco area date. Later, 
however, promoter Mark Anthony 
Petercupo got Goodman a date at 
Frisco Opera House for last Wed¬ 
nesday (28), with Goodman report¬ 
edly getting only a $2,500 guaran¬ 
tee. Result was that the Frisco date 
hurt Berkeley ticket sales, with 
numerous refunds sought. 

Scaled at $4.50, Goodman drew 
about $3,300 in Frisco, and close to 
$4,000 in Berkeley, with some 1,500 
and 1,900 in attendance, respec¬ 
tively. Saving date for Carroll 
should be at Los Angeles Shrine 
-Auditorium, which is reported to 
be doing hefty business. 


BASIE, HEATH SET FOR 
’57‘CURTSY CIRCUIT’ 

London, Nov. 27. 

After many weeks of negotiation, 
agreement has been reached for 
the next transatlantic band ex¬ 
change. This will take place be¬ 
tween the Count Basie orch and 
Ted Heath & His Music. Basie 
will open in Britain on Sunday, 
April 7, and will remain here for 16 
days. 

Heath will carry out his recipro¬ 
cal side of this exchange with a 
similar visit to the States, starting 
Feb. 8. He will appear in a pack¬ 
age show including singer A1 Hib- 
bler, pianist Eddie Heywood and 
a femme singer who will either be 
June Christy or Chris Connor. 

Willard Alexander has been 
handling the negotiations from the 
American end, and Harold Davison 
has looked after the British angle. 

Michel Emer Back in U.S. 
To Clef for Piaf, Raye 

French composer Michel Emer, 
on his first U. S. visit in eight 
years, primarily to do more new 
songs for Edith Piaf, whom he is 
meeting again in Hollywood when 
she opens Dec. 15 at the Mocam- 
bo, is placing some pop material 
for American firms. He has been 
shuttling between two Adamses, 
former ASCAP president Stanley 
Adams (Harms publication) and 
newcomer Lee Adams, no relation 
to the former ASCAP president. 
Emer is also , writing some songs 
for upcoming Martha Raye revue 
which Herbert Jacoby and Harry 
Rigby have primed. 

A prolific contributor for Miss 
Piaf, with whom he has also on 
occasion written songs, his 25th 
and 26th ballads for her new reper¬ 
toire include “We Liked the Boss” 
(words and music) and *“I Am 
God,” for which the w.k. French 
star Pierre Bra’sseur did the lyrics. 
(Titles are literal translations from 
the French.) 

After the Hollywood nitery, Miss 
Piaf does four concerts in Phila¬ 
delphia, Washington, Boston and 
New York’s Carnegie Hall (Jan. 
13), and Jan. 15 Emer returns to 
I his native Paris*. 


New Maternity Team— 
ABC-Par and Mennen’s 


Mennen Baby Products will ride 
tandem with ABC-Paramount to 
plug its new line for the coming 
year. Tieup will be centered'on 
Mennen’s “Lady in Waiting” ad 
campaign and the ABC-Par album, 
“Music for Expectant Mothers/’ 

Diskery had initially released 
the album in August but has now 
redesigned the cover to fit in with 
the theme of the Mennen cam¬ 
paign. Cover will feature a photo 
of a model in a red formal ma¬ 
ternity coat. 

A sampler disk with the new 
sleeve is being shipped to more 
than 4,000 disk jockeys and the 
platters are also being earmarked 
for women’s and baby editors of 
U.S. dailies. Sid Feller conducts 
the orch in the album. 


RCA Triple-Track 
As Hi-Fi Cue To 
‘X-Ray the Score’ 

As its latest innovation in hi-fi 
recording technique, RCA Victor 
now plans to master virtually all 
longhair- performances on triple¬ 
track tape. That is going one bet¬ 
ter over the double-track stereo¬ 
phonic method used up to now. 
The triple-track tapes, however, 
are strictly to be used for achiev¬ 
ing well-balanced sound and, in po 
event, will be made available to 
the public. 

Victor has gone to triple-track, 
which picks up various sections of 
an orchestra on three different 
microphone systems feeding into 
as many tape machines, to correct 
some of the distortions noted on 
dcuble-track recordings. In the 
latter system, for instance, a solo¬ 
ist in a concerto who moves his 
position slightly is likely to cause 
the sound from his instrument to 
“float” from one mike to another. 
Under the triple-track setup, the 
position of the soloist can be fixed 
in the middle the sound picture 
where he belongs. 

The triple-track t .pe technique, 
which has been widely experiment¬ 
ed with in tjhe industry but which 
is now being used by Victor for 
the first time as a regular record¬ 
ing method, also permits a buildup 
of the middle frequencies and a 
lowering of tape noise, resulting 
in a greater overall clarity of 
sound. 

.Upon completion of a recording 
session, the triple-track tapes will 
be blended into a single-track tape, 
for use on the disk master, or into 
a double-track tape, for Victor’s 
stereophonic tape catalog now 
available commercially. Company 
repertory execs say that the use 
of the triple-track system permits 
them to “X-ray the score” by turn¬ 
ing up musical patterns that are 
lost on the usual recording or even 
in the conceit hall. The triple-track 
comes. closest* of all systems, they 
say, to duplicating what the maes¬ 
tro hears while conducting. 

Victor initially tested the new 
system with the Chicago Symphony 
under Fritz Reiner and with a cou¬ 
ple of recordings made in Boston 
with the Boston Symphony and the 
Boston Pops. It’s particularly well 
adapted for large musical ensem¬ 
bles. Solo performances, however, 
can be recorded best on a single¬ 
channel setup. 

Col Sales Corp, Adds 

Richardson, Hostler 

Robert Richardson and Harry 
Hostler have been added to Co¬ 
lumbia Record Sales Corp.’s dis¬ 
trict managers network. They’ll re¬ 
port to Col field sales manager 
William Gallagher. 

Richardson will manager District 
6 with headquarters in Charlotte, 
N. C. He had previously been 
with Southern Bearings & Parts 
Co., Col’s N. C. distributor for ttye 
past six years. Hostler, who has 
been assigned District 7, will be 
based In Kansas City. He had been 
a territory salesman for Col in the 
Philadelphia market. 


¥■ Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Absentee ballots are expected to 
be the key to the crucial Local 47 
elections in which the fate of the 
incunlbent administration is at 
stake. Ballot battle, slated for 
Dec. 17, marks the climax of the 
year-long internal strife which has 
disrupted the Local and is pegged 
on growing dissatisfaction among 
Coast musicians with the AFM Mu* 
'sic Performance Trust Fund and its 
operation. 

Switch in the Local’s voting regu¬ 
lations this year provides that ab¬ 
sentee ballots are sent only to mem¬ 
bers outside 47’s jurisdiction who 
I actually request a chance to vote. 
^Thus, each absentee ballot is fig¬ 
ured as representing a definite vote 
in the battle—and some 1,500 bal¬ 
lots had been requested by the 
deadline last night (Mon.). 

Indications are the voting turn¬ 
out will be the greatest in the his¬ 
tory of the local; with perhaps 
3,500 members voting here, wim 
polls open from D a. m. to 10 p. m., 
and 1,500 others voting by mail. 
Local has a membership of around 
16,000 but has never had more than 
4,000 voters an the past. 

Incumbent prexy John te Groen, 
recording secretary Maury Paul 
and financial secretary G. R. “Bob” 
Hennon head the “Equality” ticket 
to which business agent Joe Barros 
has been added as a vice-presi¬ 
dential nominee. Slate is opposed 
by the “Voice of the Membership” 
party which has put up Eliot Dan¬ 
iel for prexy; John Tranchitella, 
veepee; Max Herman, financial sec¬ 
retary, and Warren Barker, record¬ 
ing secretary. Herman currently is 
v.p. of the Local, having been elect¬ 
ed by acclamation to succeed Cecil 
F. Read when the latter was ex¬ 
pelled from AFM for leading the 
revolt of Coast musicians. 

Although no official tie has been ' 
announced, the “VOM” ticket is an 
outgrowth of the dissident move¬ 
ment that sparked the revolt. Her¬ 
man was Read’s campaign manager 
for several Local 47 hoard of direc¬ 
tors elections and Tranchitella and 
Barker both were successful board 
candidates who were nominated by 
the dissident group. 

Electioneering for the biennial 
elections reaches its peak during 
the next fortnight and part of the 
ammunition—to be utilized, appar¬ 
ently, by both sides;—will be a cur¬ 
rent Reader’s Digest story by Les¬ 
ter Velie, recounting the intra¬ 
union struggle f under the title “The 
Union That Fights Its Members.” 

IMPERIAL LABEL HOPS 
ON FOREIGN ALBUMS 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Lew Chudd’s Imperial Records 
has embarked on a hefty program 
of releasing foreign albums as a 
result of Chudd’s recent trip to 
Europe. Schedule tees off with a 
pair of packages by Roy Harrison, 
BBC conductor in London. 

While in Europe, Chudd made 
releasing deals with Vargo Records 
in France, Milano in Italy and 
Melodise in England. He’ll take a 
total of 20* packages from each 
firm during the next 12 months, 
the albums representing 10 differ¬ 
ent artists. 

Chudd returns to Europe next 
May at which time more releasing 
details probably will be made. 

Herman Pollack’s Arrow 
Debuts With Yule Pair 

Latest indie to ^iit the field is 
Arrow Records. The new diskery 
will be prexied by Herman Pol¬ 
lack. 

Label will kick off its release 
schedule with a Yule coupling, 

I “It’s Christmas” and “The Let Me 
[Song.” Waxing features thrush■ 
Irene Carroll backed by Joe Sher¬ 
man’s orch. Len Wolf is handling 
the diskery’s promotion and pub¬ 
licity. 


Friedlander to Marks 

Buddy Friendlander is switching 
from the record field to the music 
publishing biz. He’s leaving Mer¬ 
cury Records to join E. B. Marks’ 
contactman staff. 

He had been associated with 
Merc’s promotion operation for the 
.past eight years. In the last few 
months he had been assisting 
Bobby Shad, label’s jazz and r&b 
I topper. 



Top Record Talent and Tunes 


62 MUSIC _- _Wednesday, December 5» ,1956 













































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































MUSIC 



These songs published by: 

ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC, INC. 

141? Broadway, Now York 19, N. Y. 

Now York Chicago 

Sam Wigler SoJ^Wagner J< 

Tommy Tempesta 

Record Promotion Jim McCarthy; 
Marvin Drageri Office-Public Relations 


M&SFBfr 


Yellen’s ‘And Then I 
Wrote Sonny Girl’ 

Buffalo, Dec. 4. 

When songwriter Jack Yellen 
was snowbound in his neighboring 
farm - .home during this week’s 
Western Ne(v York blizzard, he 
found himself acting as intermedi¬ 
ary to relay a doctor’s telephoned 
instructions for the birth of a baby, i 
Yellen and his wife were awakened f 
at 2 a.m. by two women who were 
stalled in a car nearby. One of 
them is about to become a mother. 

Unable to get -* doctor, Yellen 
telephoned his brother, a Buffalo 
obstetrician, who, relayed instruc¬ 
tions to him which he in turn 
parsed along fo to wife and their 
guests. Result, delivery of a girl 
who, with her mother, were “doing 
fine” when the snowplows finally 
got through. 

Mills Blueprints 1957 
Summer School in Eng.; 
Course Lured 600 in ’56 = 

London, Nov. 27. 
Plans for next year’s two weeks’ 
course at Canford Summer School - 
of Music are already being made e 
by Mills Music, which is running 
the setup as part of its-extensive 
Educational Dept,program. Mills " 
virtually saved the -school from a ti 
financial death bkek in 1954, when tl 
Bournmouth Council cut down ex- t tl 
penditure on its music program e 
and relieved Noel Hale, up to then tl 
musical adviser to the Bournmouth a 
Education Authorities, of his post v 
as campus principal. e 

In desperation, Hale offered the J 1 
school, a West of England mansion 
in several hundreds of acres of ri 
parkland, to a number of music ~ 
publishers. His offer was turned J 
down. But Mills was taken with 
the idea, and decided to try its ' 
hand at running the school. 

In August, 1955, the first time 
Mills sponsored the fortnight’s u 
course, over 500 students spent 
their vacations at Canford, and 
this year the number of students p 
rose to almost 600. Hale now has ^i 
a permanent appointment as ditfec- g 
tor of music at Canford, and Mills. 
Music topper, Jack Mills, is its _ 
president. Patrons now also in- Q) 
elude such notables as Sir Malcolm' 
Sargent, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir ^ 
Arthur Bliss and Dr. Ralph 
Vaughan Williams. E 


_ Wednesday; December 5’, 1956 


Gleason Tribute toTD 

The swing era that was synonymous with Tommy Dorsey was 
revived last Saturday (1) in an hour-long tribute to the late band¬ 
leader on the Jackie Gleason CBS-TV show. 

Gleason, who last season gave the Dorsey Bros, their own tv 
show preceding his own half-hour filmed series scrapped his regu¬ 
lar format for the musical memorial stanza. Working from both 
coasts, a top array, of vet music names paid their respects in a 
songfest format of tunes identified with the Dorsey band. It’s to 
Gleason’s credit that on short notice (Dorsey died the previous 
Monday), he was'able to put together a smooth-fliowing program 
that never became overly sentimental or sticky. 

Almost every big music 'name (with the exception of Frank 
Sinatra) who had* been associated with Dorsey in his quarter- 
century career was on camera for the musical pitch. 

The show got off to a hot start with a rework of Dorsey’s first 
click, . “The Royal Garden Blues.” tootled by an all-star crew that 
included Joe Dixon, Bobby Byrnes, Russ Morgan, Howard Smith, 
Eddie Condon, Boyd Raeburn, PeeWee Russell and Joe Venuti. 
Then came fhe parade of Dorsey.faves such as “Will You Still Be 
Mine?,’’'pairing Connie Haines apd Matt Dennis; “Daybreak,” Lee 
Castle and Dick Haymes: "Little Man With a Candy Cigar” and 
“Embraceable You,” Jo Stafford and Paul Weston^ “Dinah," Bob 
Crosby, with a musical assist from Charge Barnet. Red Nichols, 
Joey Bushlcin and Jack and Charlie Teagarden; “I'll Never Smile 
Again,” Vic Damone and the Pied Pipers; “Oh, Look At Me Now,” 
Damone and Miss Haines and Crosby and Miss Stafford. 

Show wound on just the right note with an effective eulogy by 
Patil Whiteman, and brother Jimmy Dorsey conducting a medley 
of TD’s hits. Probably the toughest spot on the show went to the 
unbilled .trombonist, in shadow effect, who had to carbon the TD 
style. Gros. 


Tooters Sue 


Continued from page 57-; 


Lot Angeles 
Jot Whafen 
Milt Stffin 


Big Three 

——; Continued from page 57 

from PRS (Performing Rights So- 
dries, Dix Ltd., had cash reserves 
of around 10,000 pounds. 

Attorney Julian T. Abeles, who 
represents Metro and 20th on 
music copyright matters, is cur- 
ciety), the British ASCAP. In addi¬ 
tion, one of the Feldman subsidi- 
rently in London with Mickey 
Scopp, general manager of the Big 
Three, on°the negotiation. _ 

The Day family controls FD&H 
of which David Day was the origi¬ 
nal partner. Fred Day is now in 
his 70s, and (adopted) son Eddie 
Day, the heir apparent is in his 
50s. Editions Francis Day in France 
and kindred corporate branches in 
Germany and other countries are 
part of the venerable and well- 
established firm. (A flash from 
London indicates that formal take¬ 
over is primed for Jan. 1/ 1957). 

, Feldman has about seven sub- 
sids, among them Davewski Music, 
Essex, British & Continental, Dix 
and others. In turn, Francis, Day & 
Hunter is in on the Feldman own¬ 
ership setup with Robbins & Co., 
the dominant owners; The Francis, 
Day & Hunter firm has about 
eight corporate affiliates of its 
own. 

It is expected that attorney 
Abeles and Scopp will wrap up the 
deal by next week. 

The whyfore of the Days* exit 
parallels the Peter Maurice story 
(herewith)—a matter of sufficient 
wealth, other interests (in the 
Days’ case it’s real estate), and a 
desire “to take it easier.” 


PACIFIC JAZZ REVIVES EP 

Pacific Jazz Records, indie Coast 
label, is reviving a portion of its 
extended play line. Diskery had 
previously discontinued its EP 
catalog. 


enue to be paid to the Trust Fund. 

Re-use payments were cut off 
last June, the suit points out, on 
the Federation’s contention that 
the musicians involved in scoring 
t the pix currently being sold to tv 
could not be located. This excuse, 
the complaint adds, was “untruje,” 
and a sham, pretense and contri¬ 
vance adopted by the federation to 
effectuate their aims, purposes and 
intentions” to divert the money in¬ 
to the. Trust Fund from which it is 
disbursed to AFM locals around 
the country for free concerts. The 
action was “timed,” according to 
the • complaint, to divert “vast 
amounts” suddenly due as a result 
of a flood of pix-to-tv sales. 

The 50-page complaint also men¬ 
tions that in recent months the us¬ 
ual 5% formula has been bypassed 
in favor of a 6% formula adopted 
for the sale of old Warner Bros, 
pix to tv and hints that the addi¬ 
tional 1% is in lieu of the former 
flat scale re-use payments. 

Diversion of the re-use pay¬ 
ments amount thus far to $1,495,- 
000, according, to the cbmplaint, 
and plaintiffs contend they have 
also been damaged to the extent 
of $2,973,950, the sum represent¬ 
ing the royalty payments made to 
the Trust Fund in the last four 
years. 

Of the 22 plaintiffs in the action, 
only one, William (Bill) Atkinson 
was directly involved in the Local 
47 rebellion which stemmed from 
the decision of local musicians to 
seek court aid, if necessary. At-J 
kinson, a former Local 47 board 
member, was expelled from the un¬ 
ion for one day for his part in 
the campaign against Petrillo and 
the Trust Fund. 


Continued from page 57 a—, 

classical disks, Angel has become 
the fourth leading classical disk 
company in the U. S. Between 
Angel and Capitol, EMI reports 
that it will soon be in a unique po¬ 
sition to sell in the Americas the 
vast resources of European music, 
of which EMI claims to have the 
lion's share. EMI reports that it 
also hopes that its present agree¬ 
ment with the Soviets will grow in 
importance. 

EMI’s report also raps the “para¬ 
doxical” tax setup in Britain. While 
the British government has been 
subsidizing concerts and opera 
with grants and tax exemptions, 
EMI says that, it has “with discrim¬ 
inating injustice imposed a heavy 
tax on recordings by the same per¬ 
formers.” Nevertheless, the EMI 
report states that increased factory 
efficiency has resulted in keeping 
disk prices down to reasonable 


levels. If the British purchase tax 
were removed, the report says, it 
would permit putting the “best re¬ 
cordings of the greatest master¬ 
pieces of music within the reach 
of aM but the most restricted fami¬ 
ly budget.” 

Net profit for EMI, which, fs a 
leading manufacturer, of electronic 
equipment, was $2,441,600 for the 
fiscal year, after taxes of about 
$1,200,000 were provided for. 


Showtunes 

; Continued from page 57 

switched to “I’m a Funny Guy.”) 
“This Is What I Call Love” has 
been cut by Dialiann Carroll (Vic* 
tor) and the Modemalres (Coral). 
“She’s Just Another Girl” was cut 
by Jeffrey Clay (Coral). In addi¬ 
tion to the original cast set, Vic¬ 
tor is issuing an instrumental al¬ 
bum by Hugo Winterhalter and 
Ted Straeter for the Kapp label. 

The majors are cutting only the 
showtunes with the strongest pop 
potential in advance of the Broad¬ 
way openings. However, if the New 
York notices indicate a long run 
for a musical, „ the majors are 
climbing aboard with additional 
covers. In some cases, non-cast 
albums of smash hit scores will be 
issued by various companies in a 
move to cash in on this expanding 
phase of the packaged market. 


Morty Palltz, veepee-a&r topper 
at Jubilee Records, is back at his 
New York base after a 10-day 
Coast looksee._ 


a wonderful 
seasonal song 

STYNE AND CAHN't 


na 


NOW ... 

AND ALL THROUGH 
THE WINTER SEASON 

Lerov Anderson s 

Sleigh 

Ride 

MILLS MUSIC 


^America's Fastest 
Selling^Records! 





























Wednesday, Decfmbfr 5, 1956 


.1 


m 


M5sfflFr_ 


65 



■ ■ ■ 




EPA-992 

the most fabulous 45 EP 
Album in record history. 



*irs ELVIS, voL. i ^ 
includes: Love Me...Rip 
It Up...When My Blue 
Moon Turns To Gold... 
Paralyzed 


■Your customers will hear this New Orthophonic High Fidelity Recording Best on an RCA Victor New Orthophonic High Fidelity phonograph. 


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RCA\/iCTOR 







66 


MUSIC 


isfamesTr 


Wednesday, Dccerobeir 5,1956 


On The Upbeat 


New York 

Pauline Rogers pacted to Flair 
X Records . . . Sol Handwerger, 
MGM's publicity topper, sending 
out “good luck” crickets cages to 
key deeajays to plug Shirley Yama- 
guchi’s “August Moon” platter . . ■. 
MGM Records has tied up with the 
Dept, of Commerce, Office of In¬ 
ternational Trade Fairs, to display 
the label’s albums at fairs through¬ 
out the world. Fairs have already 
been held in Turkey, Afghanistan, 
Sweden, Damascus, Greece, Yugo¬ 
slavia, Italy and Austria . . . 
Larry Coleman and Charlie Single- 
ton now a cleffing duo . . . Danny 
Walker, Coral pactee, set for Mur¬ 
ray's Inn, Albany, beginning Dec. 
18 . . Terri Stevens, RCA Victor 
thrush] opens at the Elegante, 
Brooklyn, Dec. 19, before leaving 
for a three-week date at the Ritz 
Carlton Hotel, Montreal, Dec. 26. 


London 

New British song, i?The Hahd Of 
Friendship,” written by<.Jack - Fish? 
man,' was given a good. sendofr 
when Whole cast of tv program fea-.. 
turing the Grand Order of the 
Water Rats sang as finale num¬ 
ber on Sunday (2) , . .‘Ivy Benson 
and her all-femme orch inked for 
commercial tv show Jan. 18 . . . 
Tommy Whittle, tenor-saxist just 
back from V U.S., has formed bis.| 
own quartet ... Ted Heath drum¬ 
mer Ronnie Verrel advised to. my 
off for a- <?duplo of weeks to rest 
broken bonfe in his hand ,: V Ralph 
Johns, pianist-entertainer, headed 
for* the Bahamas where he opens 
sixmonth engagement at. Balmoral 
Clulb, Nassau,, next Monday (10)... 
Singer Dennis Lotis set for series 
on Radio Luxembourg.. 

Hollywood 

Singer Nancy Miller signed to a 
management pact by Rocky Carr 
. . . Buck Rani inked by James H. 
Nicholson, prexy of Sunset Pro¬ 
ductions, as musical director for 
“Rock All Night.” The Platters 
have been set for pic . . . Dick 
Allen and Stan Hoffman have 
formed a new waxejy—Sonic Rec¬ 
ords, . . . Rudy Friml Jr. named 
music supervisor for Warners' 
“Pajama Game.” 

Johnny Green, Metro’s music 
chief, will personally handle musi¬ 
cal assignment on “Raintree 
County,” creating an estimated two 




THE 

BEST YEARS f| 
OF MY LIFE 


Jo Ann Greer with 
Lei Brown's Orch, 
Capitol 


AMERICAN MUSIC, INC. 

9109. SUNSET BLVD.. HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. 


WANTED YESTERDAY 

Top level promotion man with ex¬ 
ecutive ability by a large group of 
broadcasting stations, in major mar¬ 
kets only. Must be real fireball, 
hot shot, go-getter. Terrific op-, 
portunity for man who can get job 
done. Broadcasting experience not 
required. Looking for man with 
promotional background, preferab¬ 
ly in show business. Apply 9 A.M. 
to noon, 4 to 8 P.M. Sunday, Dec. 
9 qnd Monday, Dec. 10, to Buck 
Weaver — Beverly Hilton Hotel, 
Beverly Hills, Californio. 


hours of original score ; Coast¬ 
ers David Phillip Gussin and Her¬ 
man S. .Saunders elected to ASCAP 
membership . ' . . Doris Day and 
John Raitt pre-recorded “Small 
Talk” for Warner Bros. “Pajama 
Game” . . . Unique, Epic and Coral 
labels will put' out recordings of 
“Romance 'Is a Silken Affair,” 
themer for RKO's “The^ Silken 
Affair” . . Tony Martinez tem¬ 

porarily drops his baton for a com¬ 
edy role in telefilm series. “The 
R eal McCoy” . . . Harold Lloyd Jr. 
joins the Cabaret Concert' crew 
this month. 


Chicago 

Toshiko Trio opens at London 
House, Chi., Dec. 19 for two weeks 
. . . Pompoff, Thedy & Family into 
Palmer House Dec. 27 for four 
weeks . . , -Vagabonds will turn 
Chez Paree over to Cab Calloway 
Dec. 10-15, then return for another 
week; Dec. 16; Jerry Lewis follows 
for two weeks Dec. 27 . . . Glen-, 
view Naval Air Station releasing 
“Naval Aviation. Cadet Choir Sings 
Merry Christmas” through" Allied 
Recordwith proceeds to* benefit 
Navy Relief,. . ; Charlivels (3) play 
the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans 
for two weeks starting Jan. 31. 

Philadelphia 

'... Steve Gibson A Red Caps at 
Chubby’s for two-week frame. Gib¬ 
son is pacted by cafe for six such, 
sessions a year .... Teresa Brewer 
vocalizing for one week at Sciolla'S 
. . . The rock ’n’ roll combo Fred¬ 
die Bell & His Bellboys opened at 
La Maina’s, in Jersey v . . Roberta 
SherwoOd debuts locally the Latin 
Casino (3-15) . . . Bennie Ventura 
and his modern jazz all-stars take 
over the stage at- Carroll’s, West 
Philly spot which formerly fea¬ 
tured femme entertainment. 


Pittsburgh 

Dewey Rudge new pianist with 
Frankie Barr orch at Twin Coaches 
. . . Wild Bill Davis .winds up two- 
week stand at Flamingo Hotel Sun¬ 
day ... Jack Purcell band played 
for Chatham College junior class 
coronation ball at Webster Hall 
Hotel . . . Miami Beachcombers 
finish their second three-week 
stand at Ankara tomorrow night 
and Somethin’ Smith & The Red¬ 
heads come back Xmas Eve until 
Jan. 12 . . . Abbie Neal hillbilly 
combo signed for season to play 
square dances every Friday at 
Royal Ballroom . . . Milt Buckner 
into Duffy’s Tavern which has just 
switched to rock ’n* roll policy. It 
used to be a strip joint ... Jodi- 
mars, just closed at Copa, will play 
Flamingo in : : Las Vegas next 
month with Tony Martin. They 
were with Martin on his recent 
month tour qf one-nighters . . . 
Cavaliers returning to Don Metz’ 
Sky Vue for weekend dancing . . . 
Kloman Schmidt now doing the ar¬ 
rangements for Jack Purcell crews 

Dallas 

Joe Reichman, who doubles as a 
WFAA d.j., signed to open Ameri¬ 
cana Hotel, Miami Beach, in Janu¬ 
ary. He’ll use Florida musicians 
in the six-week stint . . . Frankie 
Carle, Shep Fields and Buddy Mor¬ 
row bands one-nighting in Texas 
. . . Saxist Harry Nieto forming his 
own 18-man band. Also, Ewell 
Box has a new jazz combo set for 
weekly concerts at White Rock Ter¬ 
race . . . Cell Block Seven, local 
dixielanders, set for one-nighters 
monthly at new Riverlake Country 
Club . . . Bob Cross, Statler-Hilton 
maestro who doubles on trumpet, 
viola and valve trombone at the 
Empire Room, will insert his long¬ 
hair string quartet during the holi¬ 
days, replacing his “seven singing 
strings.” Cross will be on cello 
for the seasonal music. 


Another BMI "Pin Up' Hit 

“I DREAMED” 



U BETTY JOHNSON 




1 


■ 

■ 

Jl 




-V P^RIETY -r 

Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based pn reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
13 cities and showing com¬ 
parative sales ratinp for this 
and last week. 

♦ ASCAP t BMI 


■5 

l 

s 

Efc 

4> 

. z 

Boston—(Mosher Music Co.) 

_i___._ 

Philadelphia—(Charles Dumont) 

San Antonio—(Alamo Piano Co.) 

Chicago—(Lyon-Healy Music) 

' o 

O 

o 

*co 

1 

c 

o 

S 

<u 

b 

{ 

« 

rsr 

43 

2 

Detroi t—(Grinnell Bros. Music) 

' o 

U 

o 

1 

J_ 

Kansajs City—(Jenkins Music Co.) 

St. Loijiis—(St. L. Music Supply) 

5 
3 

1 

e 

at 

6 

O) 

T 

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to 

a 

o 

*55 

! 

w 

CU 

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8 
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CO 

6 

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-3 

a. 

ca 

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Jl— 

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°S 

National 

Rating -- 

.This Last 

wk. wk. Title and Publisher 

......... 

1 

1 

ILove Me Tender (Presley).. 

2 

1 

2 

1 

1 

4 

3 

4 

1 

1 

i 

~ 

3 

115 

2 

2 

♦True. Love (Buxton Hill). 


1 

2 

1 

2 

5 

3 

1 

5 

2 

2 

2 

1 

10 

106 

3 

3 

tWalking in Rain (Golden W.) 

4 

.. ^ 

4 

3 

4 

2 

8 

3 

6 

4 

3 

7 

1 

83 

4 

6 

tSinging the Blues (Acuff-R). 

3 

4 


9 

2 

1 


1 

5 

8 10 

2 

9 

67 

5 

5 

♦Friendly Persuasion (Feist). 

9 

3 

3 

5 


5 

7 

8 


7 

8 

6 

5 

“55 

6 

4 

tThe Green Door (Trinity).. 

6 


6 

4 


6 


2 

3 

5 


*5 


51 

7 

7 

♦You Belong to Me.(BVC). 





6 



2 

10 


3 

5 

8 

2 . 

41 

/. 8 

.8 

♦Bltleberry:Hill (Chappell). 


5 

10 

9 


6 



6 

.. 10 


3 

8 

31 

9 

io 

♦Whatever Will Be (Artists)., 


5 


8 

7 


6 


4 


7 

10 


30 

10 

.9 

tCindy, Oh Cindy (Marks-B). 

. 7 


5 


3 


10 



6 




24 

1 HA 14 

tCanadian Sunset (Meridian). 




7 

9 



9 


9 

4 

~T" 


19 

L 11B 12 

t2 Different Worlds (Princess) 

8 

7 

8 




5 


10 

* 

9 



19 

13 

12 

♦Mama from Train (Remick). 

10 

6 




10 



7 




. 4 

18 

14 


♦Hey, Jealous Lover (Barton). 






8 

4 







10 

15 


♦Allegheny Moon (Oxford). 

__ 

~~ 


__ 

10 

8 

__ 


__ 

■■ 


~ 



9 


Gig fuff 


Continued fitom pace *59 s Si 
company’s Richmond, Va., plant 
and thereafter will give daily per¬ 
formances In different cities be¬ 
fore local Veterans’ hospitals, in¬ 
dustrial locations* and military 
bases. The talent is bein^g trans¬ 
ported by special bus equipped 
with radio telephones for chats 
with disk jockeys and newspaper 
editors in the cities along the route. 

The cig company will also bank¬ 
roll radio shows with the troupes 
at each major stop on the road. 
The station lineup is being set. 
PM has been longtime active, in 
the folk music field, having spon¬ 
sored several music festivals and 
country music sfcows on the air. 


Panassie 

Continued from page 59 

Grossman and Jack W. Farrell's 
“The Heart of Jazz” (NYU Press; 
$6.50) with its treatises on stylists 
and pioneers (Kid Qry, Bunk John¬ 
son, New Orleans jazz, Chicago 
style, San Francisco jazz, Satchmo, 
etc.) The preface is by bandman 
Turk Murphy and it’s illustrated. 
Authors are Prof. Grossman, NYU 
School of Commerce, and trum¬ 
peter Farrell, a jazz collector and 
aficianado. 

Another NYU professorial alum¬ 
nus, Dr. Marshall W. Stearns, now 
of Hunter College, Is among this 
past fall's jazz book authors, as is 
playwright Stephen Longstreet, 
among others. Abel, 


“Alabama Jubilee.” Group switched 
easily to ballads, presenting three 
with Rubin’s (now Fordham Law 
School) treatment of “If I Had 
You” standout. Ed Poncer (Prince¬ 
ton) on cornet and Ed White (Har¬ 
vard Business School) on bass also 
handled their solo chores in good 
fashion. 

Finale of the show was “The 
Saints Go Marching In” with all 
five bands participating. Number 
was well done and provided a sock 
windup for the show. 

Taken individually each of the 
b^hds presented its numbers nice¬ 
ly ^'and was well-liked by the crowd; 
however, the transition between 
groups wasn’t smooth and the spon¬ 
taneous spark seemed lacking in 
all but Rubin’s group. Concert was 
in marked contrast to the first con¬ 
cert of college jazz at Carnegie 
Hall in November, 1955 which was 
SRO. 

Jerry Warren, WINS (N.Y.) 
jockey, did an OK job as emcee. 


Stan Rubin 

— - Continued from page 59 ——; 

m-m’outh vocals. “Back in Naga¬ 
saki” produced good response from 
the crowd. 

Remaining portion of the bill 
was filled by Stan Rubin & His 
Tiger Town Five. Rubin, who at 23, 
has already cut six albums (three 
for Jubilee and three for RCA Vic¬ 
tor) is well kown among the col¬ 
lege crowd for his dixie endeavors. 
In 1953, while still an undergradu¬ 
ate at Princeton, Rubin produced 
his first album with a $1,000 loan 
from the University Store.* Group's 
popularity has increased during the 
past three years although main 
support is still with the eastern 
college crowd. Present Tiger Town 
Five averages 22 years of age and 
deport themselves well on stage. 
Group has a freshness and enthusi¬ 
asm that comes across in their ren¬ 
dition of the traditional jazz tunes, 
Individual solos were all first rate 
and compared favorably with the 
vets on the bill. 

'‘Hindustan’’ was a good opener 
and Ed Hubbell • on trombone 
turned in some neat slide work. 
Charlie Hoyt’s (Columbia Gradu¬ 
ate School) piano work on “Honey¬ 
suckle Rose” was alsd solid as was 
Roy Burns’ (20) skin pounding for 


Peter Maurice 

—— Continued from page 57 

ship in Imperia Music (with Ray 
Ventura), owns Editions Musicales 
Peter. Maurice (France), Edizioni 
P e t e £ Maurice (Italy) and 
Deutsche-Englische Musik-Verlag 
K.G. (Germany). 

The American outfit, Peter 
Maurice Ltd., formerly partnered 
with Lou Levy, is now wholly 
Owned and operated from the 
Brill Bldg, by Sonny Cox (ex-Box 
& Cox). , 

Maurice’s British subsidiaries 
(10) include MacMelodies, World 
Wide Music, World Copyrights, 
Television Music, Star Records, 
and others. 


Hegry Gets Jazz Spot 

Pat Henry, jazz disk-jockey, has 
been named artists & repertoire 
head of the newly formed Jazz. 
Records, subsid of San Francisco 
Records. 


Otis, Lewis (BMI, ASCAP) 
Start Dover Diskery 

Cleffers Clyde Otis andAl Lewis 
have set up their own record oper¬ 
ation. It’ll be called Dover Records. 

The writers will concentrate on 
cutting their own tunes via their 
own publishing firms. Although 
Otis and Lewis are pards in the 
diskery, they won’t be teaming up 
as writers because Lewis is a vet 
ASCAPer and Otis is a BMI clef- 
fer. The BMI tunes will be pub¬ 
lished via Kensington Music while 
the ASCAP songs will be published 
by Vanderbilt Music. Kickoff plat¬ 
ter is Sherry Parsons’ slicing of 
“Whispering Heart” and “How Can 
I Keep My Mind on My Feet?” 


IOOK our /OR . 


BABY 

moj,® 

FROM THE WARNER BROS. PICTURE ‘ 

BIG RECORDS 

REMICK MUSIC CORF., 



■ Re-coupled — Re-released 

A Gr eat Seasonal Song 

NAT “KING” COLE’S 

“TAKE ME 
BACK 

' TO T0YLANB” 

harvard music, inc. 

1619 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 



ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 


JOE GLASER, Pres. 
York I Chicago 

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1 Wednesday, l>6cem!teir 5,1^56 


A ‘Ja2z Home’For F 
Juves As Berlin’s ™ 
Pill-Push Vs. JD’s § 


pmmm- 


MCSIC 


mR emw ASCAP Atty. on Songs & Rights 


Berlin, Nov. 27. 

To combat juvenile delinquency; 
a 'particularly hot problem in post¬ 
war Germany, plans are afoot here 
to let jazz play an important part 
of the counter-actions. Initiator of 

lin jazz expert and .head of the 
local New Jazz Circle, who has had 
negotiations with W. Berlin’s Sena¬ 
tor for Youth and Sports, Mrs. 
Juliane Kay. 

The Senator applauded Jae- 
nicke’s idea and admitted that jazz- 
has an Important mission here, 
namely, to prevent Juveniles from 
•’doing nonsense,” but a construc¬ 
tive deial has not been reached as 
yet due to the fact that there “is 
too much money involved in it.” . 

Jaenicke has in ipind to inaugur¬ 
ate a “Jazz Home” for juveniles in 
Berlin, and possibly later some 
more homes of this type in several 
Berlin districts. He says Berlin 
youngsters have a big predilection 
for jazz -and therefore, they go to 
the jive joints of which there are 
many in town. Here, however, they 
find more what Jaenicke calls 
“pseudo jazz,” which spoil* their 
taste, plus the inevitable prosties, 
hoodlums and other classes of 
.dubious elements who are regular 
customers at these spots. It “can’t 
,1?e helped” that this atmosphere 
will lead many youngsters on to 
. the wrong path; but Ills “Jazz 
Home” would provide regular jazz 
bands, lectures on jazz and decent 
atmosphere* that is to say, no pros- 
ties, hoodlums and no alcohol, of 
course, Jaenicke said. 

He won’t give up his plan and 
thinks that local authorities will 
accept it sooner or later. “Unfor¬ 
tunately, it’s always the same,” he 
pointed out, “First they hesitate to 
spend a small amount of money for 
juveniles; later, however, they are 
forced to spend an even bigger 
amount for them, but then in many 
cases it’s almost too late.” 

Beside* his. other ’ functions, 
Jaenicke has taken tip the job of 
Berlin’s representative for Swed¬ 
ish Metronome records. He has the 
entire Swedish repertory of thi* 
diskery available, with only few 
exceptions, such as Metronome’s 
star, Alice Babs, who is under Poly- 
dor contract in Germany. Because 
of that, Metronome is selling here 
only those Alice Babs records 
which are in either Swedish or 
English language. 


A Solid Ballad Hit! 

IVRYD/IY 

OF 

MY LIFE 


M'llfR CORPORATION 


*• * > - — ’ » 



AMERICAN MUSIC, INC. 

9 ; F SUNSET El .D HC.lT'AOOD ;Ali? 


STEINWAY GRAND PIANO 
MODEL *-61T 

Ebontzod case—bull polished 
Slightly used—As goad as new 
THIS IS A BUY AT $2,800 
NYACK 7-1464 


TAL FARLOW TRIO I 

Composer. N. Y. 

The guitar is developing new 
prominence in the jazz field and 
Tal Farlow is helping to lead the 
way. The : young guitarist is a 
hipster out of the modern jazz 
school, but he*s; managed.-to retain 
a swinging, beat that some of his 
colleagues have dumped for the 
ultra-cool mood. This gives him 
added commercial values and 
doesn’t limit his appeal to the 
beret goatee set. 

?The cool crowd won’t rap his 

a unit and a sound with a wide 
appeal, he has managed to remain 
inventive in guitar. styling and 
melody arrangements. In his sets, 
Farlow mixes up some jazz origi¬ 
nals with a flock of evergreens and 
keeps the sound rolling at a swing¬ 
ing pace. 

Farlow’s momentum and high#: 
style musicianship ard excellently 
complemented by Eddie Costa on 
piano and Bill Takis on bass. Costa 
is especially standout when he gets 
the opportunity for a solo keyboard 
lick. 

Attesting to the combo’s draw in 
this west side jazz spot is the fact 
that the Composer management 
(Cye Baron-Willie Shore) has set 
Farlow for 20 weeks during 1957. 

Gras . 


EARL GRANT IN RISE, 
PRINCE TO DECCA 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

‘After an outing on a .tiny inde¬ 
pendent label and a “loanout” to a 
major subsid, Earl Grant made the 
disk bigtime last week, signing a 
new contract with Decca Records. 
Label rushed him to a studio to 
launch the contract with a cover 
release on “Goodnight My Love,” 
b/w “My Consolation.” 

Grant, local pianist-piper with a 
style reminiscent of that of Nat 
King Cole, Is under contract to 
music pub Mickey Goldsen, who 
first showcased him on his own 
Prince label. He subsequently was 
“loaned” to Camden Records in an 
unusual deal calling for one EP re¬ 
lease. The Decca pact followed. 

Elektra Label Expands 
Distribution Network 

In a move to expand its dis¬ 
tribution network, Elektra Rec¬ 
ords, indie label based in New 
York, has added three new dis- 
tribs to handle its line. The dis¬ 
tributors are: Lesco for Philadel¬ 
phia and eastern Pennsylvania; 
Schwartz Bros, for Washington, 
Maryland, Virginia and West Vir¬ 
ginia, and Allied for Connecticut. 
Label also is planning other dis- 
trib shifts. 

Elektra exec* expect to limit 
their 1957 LP output to 24 albums 
because they feel that the flood of 
new packaged goods releases is 
not benefittlng distributors or 
dealers.' Diskery has been riding 
high for the first 10 months this 
year pushing its take more than 
125% -ahead of a similar period 
last year. Elektra’* LP Folk Sam¬ 
pler already has passed the 21,000 
sales mark. 

Epic’s ‘Other Masters’ 

Epic Records, Columbia’s subsid 
label, is apparently following the 
lead set by the indie diskeries in 
latching on to independently made 
masters. Epic i* making its first 
stab with “Bacon Fat,” purchased 
early this week from Fortune Rec¬ 
ords, a Detroit outfit. 

The side was cut by Andre Wil¬ 
liams, who also wrote the tune. 
Phil Kahl nabbed the publishing 
rights for his Kahl Music firm. r - 


Metronome 

s ss SmmS Continued from page 59 »-• — ■ 

line, Metronome has expanded its 
German operation to a force of 10 
motorized salesman. The admin¬ 
istration and promotion staffs have 
plso b e en increased. Jack Martin 
head up the German branch. 

Metronome already represents 
the Prestige and Atlantic jazz, cat¬ 
alogs globally. Nixa (England) and 
Festival (Australia), are among 
Metronome’s licensees, iln the. 
U.S., Metronome disks have been 
released on Mercury, EmArcy, 
Capitol, RCA Victor, Prestige and 
Cadefice, among others. 


“Advice to Authors and Users 
of Musical Works” is given by Her¬ 
man Finkelstein, ASCAP's general 
counsel, in the November issue of. 
the legaL magazine, The Practical 
Lawyer. Finkelstein outlines the 
necessary procedure for copyright¬ 
ing songs, in order to prevent them 
from' falling into the public do¬ 
main, and discusses the impor¬ 
tance of filing a “notice of user” 
with the Copyright Office once the 
song is recorded. 

Finkelstein also outlines the 

er and author as formulated by 
the Songwriters Protective Assn, 
and covers such matters as sheet 
music royalties, synchronization 
fees and performance rights earn¬ 
ings. 

Writing also in the current issue 
of Pennsylvania Uniy. Law Re¬ 


view, Finkelstein urges a wide re¬ 
form in copyright protection in an 
article titled “The Copyright Law 
—A Reappraisal.” Instead of the 
present duration of copyright pro¬ 
tection, extending over two 28- 
year terms, Finkelstein proposes 
the adoption of the European con¬ 
vention of computing the term of 
the copyright on the life of the 
author, plus a period of 50 years. 

“In an age and country where 
all are conscious of the importance 
of life insurance,” Finkelstein 
states, “this is not too generous a 

jgfts&ce-Jta .mtiLorsF_ 

it would eliminate one of* the 
greatest fields of controversy un¬ 
der the present law, namely, the 
question of who is entitled to the 
renewal term of copyright for the 
second 28-year term. 

Another reform favored in the 
1909 Act by Finkelstein is the drop¬ 


ping of the exemption of coin-op¬ 
erated machines. He says: “Of all 
commercial users of copyrighted 
music, only the jukebox industry 
is permitted, through this out¬ 
moded provision of the copyright 
law, to exploit the creative efforts 
of composers and authors without 
payment.” Finkelstein also advo¬ 
cates the elimination of the com¬ 
pulsory recording license under 
which, once a song is recorded 
by one company, any other disk 
company can record it by paying 
the statutory 2c royalty rate. 

—A lso fo eem m e ade d—by F -inkol- 
stein is the dropping of technical 
requirements for copyright regis¬ 
tration, the abolition of distinc¬ 
tions between published and un¬ 
published works, fend the separa¬ 
tion of the various rights included 
in copyright so that each can be 
dealt with separately. 


T 

U 







THE WEEK 



BARRY GORDON 


SINGS 

I LIKE 
CHRISTMAS 

—AND— 

Zoor/.ah, The Santa Claus 
From Mars 

MGM 12367 K 12367 


LEROY HOLMES 

AND HIS ORCHESTRA 


PLAY 

AUGUST MOON 

From MGM Film 
Toahouso of Tho August Moon 
Vocal by 

SHIRLEY YAMAjiUCHI 

—AND— 

ANASTASIA 
From 20th-Contury Fox Film 
MGM 1239Z K 12392 


ART MOONEY 


GIANT 

From Warnor Bros. Film 
—AND— 

ROCK AND ROLL 
TUMBLEWEED 

From MGM'< "TK« Oppoilt* S*x" 


JONI JAMES 


SINGS 

WHITE 

CHRISTMAS 

—AND— 

I'LL BE HOME 
FOR CHRISTMAS 



MGM 12368 


K 12368 


THE FOUR SPICES 


SING 

ARMEN'S 

THEME 

—AND— 

FIRE ENGINE BOOGIE 


MGM 12397 


K12397 


DAVID ROSE 

AND HIS ORCH 


PLAY 

HOLIDAY FOR 
TROMBONES 

—AND— 

MIDNIGHT ON THE CLIFFS 

From MGM’s "Julio” 


MGM 12320 
K 12320 


MGM RECORDS 


MGM 12374 
K 12374 


THE O RE A T E S 1 


NAME AOi in ENTERTAINMENT 
















m 


VAUDEVILLE 


•PSBkiVff 


VtfjB 0 g^y, December 5» J956 


French Variety Acts In Troubk’On 
Horae Grounds; TV Makes lb Old’ 


Paris, Nov. 27. 

The rise cff the. singer to the 
position of undisputed headliner in 
all house shows (with the help 
of. disks, radio and specialized 
music hall fan mags), the tendency 
b.v house and cabaret owners to 
take primarily foreign acts, and 
the growth of video which can ex- 


Las Vegas. Dec. 4. 
New longterm pact has been 
inked by the Mary Kay^ Trio call¬ 
ing for a total of 25 weeks at the 

haust an act in two appearances | next year ' Three of 

and even TnterTer^winiTFs“fiTrTTvp'ri^ n : e, “ 


" and even Interfere .winiTfsTurflier 
live bookings, are reasons leading 
to a shaky position for Gallic num¬ 
bers on their home grounds. So 
says Georges-Andre Martin, a fin¬ 
ger-dance-patter act and vTp. of 
the Club of International Variety 
Attractions. 

This seems a -paradox, since 
Paris alone is probably now the 
biggest house town in the world 
and, with its four music halls, 
many cabarets and chansonniers, 
can probably give more continuous 
playing time to acts than any other 
city. However, Martin points out 
that almost all of CIVA’s 80 mem¬ 
bers are in foreign spots. Though 
there are Gallic laws on- percent¬ 
ages of foreign acts allowed (50% 
house, 10% cabaret-and 60% cir¬ 
cus), these are always exceeded. 
The law is never enforced and 
bookers travel rather than look 
around at home. Medrano, the 
one-ring circus here, has now given 
its house entirely over 7 to foreign 
circuses and the Olympia recently 
had a solid three-week session with^ 
the Peking Circus. Martin feels 
these could be put in more general 
spots so as not to interfere with 
the French houses for Gallic act 
spotting. 

CIVA members get service for 
$43. dues per year. A yearbook 
lists them all and over 1,000 copies 
are distributed to managers and 
artists agents all over the world. 
Some small agents are against it 
but CIVA recommends that all 
bookers go through agents. Mar¬ 
tin would like to expand member¬ 
ship, and though he feels they are 
of course not against foreign acts, 
since that is the very essence of 
variety, they* would like to see 
French- acts also get their due on 
home grounds. He also said that 
most Gallic acts are underpaid at 
home with the two syndicates 
(CGT and FO) more interested 
In playing politics than safeguard¬ 
ing their members’ wages' and 
working conditions. 

Even the U. S. tv variety growth 
Is not a solution, according to Mar¬ 
tin, since there, too, one or two ap¬ 
pearances per year are usually the 
limit. The days of dumb or sight 
headliners are over, and the poor 
prospects may lead to a final de¬ 
cline in good acts, since not many 
persons would go to the trouble 
of setting up an offbeat, unusual 
act with the future as limited in 
France as it now is. So Gallic va¬ 
riety acts feel they need equitable 
bookings in their own markets as 
well as the foreign. However, 
Paris still remains the lead live va¬ 
riety spot, in sheer numbers, today 
and the place for U. S. vaude and 
video talent oglers. 


Mary Kaye Trio Wins 
Longtermer in Vegas 


of a show in the Congo Room. Re¬ 
maining 22 weeks will be divided 
among three stretches during 
which the act will headline at the 
Casbar Lounge. 

Deal was set with Stan Irwin, en¬ 
tertainment director of the Sahara 
where the trio currently is in the 
final stages of a 22-week ,run in 
the Casbar Room. Act closes New 
Year’s Eve and then takes a five- 
week layoff while Mary Kaye 
awaits the birth of a baby.. It will 
return to the Casbar March 26. 


Beimy Rubin 

who won't from 

Marquee and 
Ticker-Tape 


tells all about It In another 
editorial feature In the upcoming 
51 st Anniversary Number . 
of 

- -fcS&iErr - 


REG WARBURTON OPENS 
MANAGEMENT OFFICE 

London, Dec. 4. 

Reg Warburton, for three years 
piano-accompanist and music di¬ 
rector to British singer David 
Whitfield, is leaving to launch his 
own West End office as personal 
manager to various artists. 

Warburton accompanied Whit¬ 
field to the States for his five ap¬ 
pearances on the Ed Sullivan 
Show, and conducted the orchestra 
for Whitfield’s stint on the pro¬ 
gram this year. 


If It Can't Sink, It 
May As Well Swim 


Seattle, Dec. 4. 

The Granada Theatre, Everett, 
Wash., is slated to become a swim¬ 
ming pool. During the heyday of 
vaude, that house was a link in the 
Pantages circuit a^d managed by 
the late Joseph St. Peters. 

The Fox chain later took over 
the theatre and shifted to a straight 
film policy. House was at one time 
owned bv the Everglreen Theatres 
of Seattle. 


Nitery Names in U.S. 

Vs. Production Values 
In Paris: Guerin’s View 

Paris, Nov. 27. 

Pierre-Louis Guerin, director 
of the Lido nitery, is back from 
an intense talent ogling trip across 
the U. S. for his Lido show, “C’est 
Magnifique,” which bows Dec. 14, 
Guerin came back with a high ad¬ 
miration for the individual talent 
he saw on his trek. However, he 
feels that while U. S. boites may 
be able to subsist on name values, 
in France the emphasis still has 
to be on production since there 
•are only a handful of Gallic stars 
of top magnitude and the needed 
international appeal of the French 
shows might pose a lingo problem. 
U. S. has the names^ but France 
still leads in nitery ensemble as¬ 
pects, says Guerin. 

New Lido show will % probably 
run two years this time since 
Guerin feels that, with some act 
changes, the entry has enough vis¬ 
ual pull for repeat biz. Guerin, 
with co-producer Rene Fraday, 
will r also ready a special Lido 
troupe, composed of many past 
numbers and acts, which may be 
shipped intact to Las Vegas for a 
six-month at the New Frontier. 


Promoters Fare Unwell 
At City And. in Omaha 

Omaha, Dec. 4. 

The list of boxoffice failures at 
the new City Auditorium contin¬ 
ues this year to the point where 
several locaF promoters are giving 
up the ship. 

Latest to join Dick Walter on 
the sidelines are Don Hammond 
and Don Romeo, whose “Best of 
Steinbeck” was a turkey and who 
followed with Fred Waring, which 
also resulted in red ink. 

Last week (29), L. William Baker 
booked in Richard Maltby’s orch 
at the Aud Music Hall and the sum 
total of paying guests were an¬ 
nounced at 498—in a 2,610-seater. 
The same night, in the Aud Arena, 
Max Clayton’s pro boxing show 
also suffered a financial kayo when 
only 1,142 paid. 


Delfont’s Tolies’ Off 

On So. African Trek 

London, Nov. 27. 

Bernard Delfont’s “Follies Ber- 
gere” CFompany leaves London 
Thursday (29 for South Africa, 
where it opens a Christmas run at 
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Johannes¬ 
burg. . This will be the second 
Folies show Delfont has presented 
in South Africa, the first being two 
years ago. 

Scenery, ^ properties and cos¬ 
tumes have’ been sent ahead, and 
some of the Continental cast will 
fly direct to Johannesburg from 
France. 


Billy Glason, Geo. Lewis 
In Chapter & Verse On 
Comedians & Gag-Men 

Letter to young comic Bob F. 
Jones in the Nov. 21 issue of 
Variety has had a reaction from a 
couple of comedy writers. : Both of 
them have written to inform Jones 
that they'll be glad ta supply him 
with material at the proper prices. 

Billy Glason, who conducts the 
Fun-Master service, a low-priced 
gag service to the trade, says that 
at these low prices no act need 
suffer for lack of material. He re¬ 
calls that, with all the expensive 
material he purchased when he 
was doing a single, he could not 
use all the gags but was able to 
emoloy some and that most of those 
had to be tailored to suit his In¬ 
dividual style. 

i Glason says: “Material is merely 
basic construction for the per¬ 
former to apply to his individual 
style and delivery. I never did a 
line as I bought it. There was al¬ 
ways a bit of reconstruction and 
aopliance. Bob Jones should know 
what he’s, talking about. Your ar¬ 
ticle on blue comics stands as is in 
mv book. You can’t Climb a dirty 
ladder to success. I claim that if 
you’ve got it and you nlug hard 
and long enough, somebody will 
catch you in due time, whether 
you’re still voung or old Dean 
Martin did all right, so did George 
Gobel and Myron Cohen. I can 
mention a dozen names in today’s 
show business who have plugged in 
the backwoods and finally come 
through. I’ll admit it’s a tough 
grind, but it’s easier than just say¬ 
ing. T have to sUDply my own ma¬ 
terial ... I wish oiie of these 
writers would get in touch with 
me.’ ” 

George Lewis, director of the 
Comedy Workshop, in his missive 
admits that he's not going to wave 
the magic wand and grant Jones’ 
wish. Latter’s letter was the sub¬ 
ject of a Workshoo meeting on 
the theme that because new young 
comics, and new young writers, 
have basic problems, "o one is will¬ 
ing to give them a chance. 

Young writers, says Lewis, will 
go along with new comics, but they 
want the comics to get in touch 
with them. “A matter of psychol¬ 
ogy and approach is involved. 
Furthermore, they want some as¬ 
surance that the comic is serious 
about staying in the business. What 
can be more frustrating to a crea¬ 
tive comic writer than to have a 
funnvman he has been nurturing 
decide to quit. Young writers want 
young comics to go along with 
t^em. They feel it should be a fiftv- 
fifty proposition and give a token 
fee—something so that young 
writers can live. 

“That’s the, basic message from 
the Comedy Workshop writers. 
The other viewpoints were also ba¬ 
sic. and complimented Variety for 
serving as a forum for a discussion 
of these questions. New, comics 
and new writers need a place to 
get frustrations off their chest. And 
if Bob Jones or any other comic 
wants to sound off in person about 
these viewpoints, the Comedy 
Workshop invites him to personally 
address its meeting. If they can 
sell the writers on going along with 
them on their terms, they’re wel¬ 
come to the chance.” 


FURNI'S MPLS. DUALER 

Minneapolis, Dec. 4. 

Edward Furni, manager of the 
St. Paul municipal auditorium 
where legit roadshows play, also 
has been designated to handle the 
reins for the city’s new stadium. 

In addition to being the site for 
American Association baseball, the 
stadium will house numerous other 
outdoor attractions, according to 
present plans. 


Settle N’Orleans Strike 

The strike of the American 
Guild of Variety Artists against 
the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, 
was settled Monday (3) when ho¬ 
tel operator Seymour Weiss signed 
a minimum basic agreement. Pact 
includes payments to the union’s 
welfare trust fund. 

Strike had been on since Aug. 
16. ‘ . 


Ballerina Helen,.,Wood, ..currently...featured with Liberace at the 
Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, has been paged to. Join Beatrice Lillie, Billy 
DeWolfe and Harold Lang on the topline of a Broadway revival of 
“Ziegfeld Follies” being designed by John Shubert, Mark Kroll and 
Charles Conaway. “Follies” goes into rehearsals Jan. 2 in New York. 

Miss Wood’s pole in the show will call upon her to sing, act, dance 
and play the violin. Her violining at the Riviera, during which, she 
lends depth and sensitivity ‘ to the bolero movement of DeBeriot’s 
“Scene -du Ballet,” was inadvertently omitted from the Variety's re¬ 
view (Nov. 21) of her Las Vegas performance. 


Mrs. Harry Shea, who is on the critical list at St. Vincent’s Hospital 
in Manhattan, will be remembered by oldtime vaudevillians as the for¬ 
mer secretary (May) in her husband’s office during the era when Shea 
was a booker. In latter years he’s specialized in club dates. 


Paging Frances Langford 
For 1-Woman Tour in ’57 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

Harry D. Squires is dickering 
with Frances Langford for a three- 
month one-woman domestic totir, 
[-beginning next spring. He’s un¬ 
derstood offering a $300,000 guar¬ 
antee for trek which would mark 
the singer’s return to show biz. 
Miss Langford has an act in the 
works with choreography by Herb 
Ross, special material by Jerry 
Seelen, plus several numbers by 
Earl Brent and David Rose. 

Glenn McCarthy Still 
On St Patrick’s Kick; 
Cork as Talent Gusher 

Houston, Dec. 4. 

Oilman Glenn McCarthy, who 
parlayed his gushers into the 18- 
story Shamrock (now Shamrock 
Hilton) Hotel and opened the hos¬ 
telry and its Emerald Room and 
Cork Club (private) with a binge 
1949 St. Patrick’s Day that would 
have made the “Giant” film look 
like a peewee, is about to splash 
again with a new type nitery. 

McCarthy said that come St. 
Patrick’s Day, 1957, his Cork Club 
property will have a new location 
in the ground floor of just-com¬ 
pleted Old National Life Insurance 
building, about one one-half miles 
closer to downtown from its old 
home in the Shamrock. The move' 
he said, should open two new mar¬ 
kets for “small combos, name sing¬ 
ers, comedians,” etc. 

Cork Club manager Col. Ben 
Jolley saiff the privatery would 
change old policy of three-four 
month stints for keyboard and con¬ 
sole man plus thrush, in favor of 
big names signed on one-week, 
two-week basis. He said there 
would be a two-act limit for each 
show. 

“We want nice singers—some¬ 
one who can go out on the dance 
floor and mingle, unusual pianists, 
novelties, comedians. In fact, any¬ 
thing but a dog or monkey act,” 
Jolley said. He also said he was 
especially interested in “topnotch 
combos with up to four men.” 

To fill the hole left by departure 
of Cork Club, Shamrock manager 
Porter Parrish said hotel plans to 
install “one of the finest private 
clubs in the nation.” He had no 
details, but it’s reported the club 
will compete with predecessor for 
talent. 


Johnnie Ray to Reprise 
In Brit. After U.S. Dates 

London, Dec. 4. 

Johnnie Ray, who has just con¬ 
cluded a week’s visit to Britain, 
during which he has carried out 
two commercial tv dates and a 
number of concerts^ has been 
booked to return next spring. 

He will play a fortnight at the 
Palladium about April or May (the 
exact date depends on finalization 
of current plans for him to re¬ 
visit Australia in the New Year), 
and at least a month’s stint at pro¬ 
vincial music halls. 

Ray returned to New York yes¬ 
terday (Mon.), and flies on imme¬ 
diately to Miami where he com¬ 
mences rehearsals for a guest spot 
in the Perry Como tv show. 


50 Years in IATSE 

San Antonio, Dec. 4. 

A1 Galan and Helmer Schmidt 
were presented with gold cards on 
the occasion of their 50th anni¬ 
versary as members of the Stage 
Employees Local 76 of the Inter¬ 
national Alliance of Theatrical 
Stage Employees. 

Galan, prez of the group, is stage 
manager of the Texas Theatre. 
Schmidt is stage carpenter for the 
San Antonio Symphony at the 
Municipal Auditorium. 


AGVASetsTalEs 
With Chi Hotels 


Chicago, Dec. 4. 

Negotiations between the Amer¬ 
ican Guild of Variety Artists arid 
the Hilton chain’s Palmer House 
and Conrad Hilton hotels here and 
reps of the Drake Hotel have 
been scheduled for Thursday (6). 
The hotels have yet to post 
checks for salary bonds and wel* 
fare payments to AGVA midwest 
regional director Ernie Fast* in 
compliance with that organization’s 
minimum basic agreement plan. 

Earlier, the Chase Hotel,- St. 
Louis, agreed to interim recogni¬ 
tion of AGVA as exclusive collec¬ 
tive bargaining agent for all vari¬ 
ety artists to be engaged by the 
hotel, and deposited salary bonds 
and welfare payments, pending 
negotiation of a formal AGVA con¬ 
tract. 

Fast says that with salary bonds 
and welfare fund payments not yet 
agreed to in Chi, AGVA’s minimum 
basic agreements contract negotia¬ 
tions will center around clauses on 
Governmental benefit perform¬ 
ances and arbitration mechanisms. 

AGVA is now ready to issue ulti« 
matums to the .other hotels in mid- 
western cities,* according to Fast, 
with the same contract terms of¬ 
fered, and with-the union threat of 
•pulling acts, as was done at the 
Chase, for non-compliance. 


CULLMAN U.S. REP FOR 
‘UNEASY’ BELGE EXPO 

Uncertainty of the political situ¬ 
ation world-wide is putting a ques¬ 
tion mark on the International 
Exposition to be held in Brussels 
in the summer of 1958. Should 
there be any outbreak of war, the 
event is likely to be called off. 

Howard Cullman, legit investor 
and chairman of the N. Y. Port 
Authority, has been named by 
President Eisenhower to be the 
commissioner general representing 
the U. S. for this show, A commit¬ 
tee on the performing arts which 
will include representatives of all 
the arts will be announced by Cull¬ 
man at a later date. 

Cullman visited Brussels last 
October to confer with govern¬ 
ment officials on the fair. 


No Baby-Sitter Money, 

So Tot Becomes Skater j 


Columbus, Dec. 4. 

Debbie Williams, three-year-old 
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Wil¬ 
liams, will make her ice skating 
debut with “Ice Vogues” Dec. 22 
in Allentown, Pa. She Will do a 
solo and an act with her parents, 
who reside in Columbus off-season. ■ 

The Williams explained that their 
daughter became proficient in skat¬ 
ing while they were rehearsing. 
They couldn’t afford a baby-sitter, 
so they brought the child along. 
“We just put her on skates and ig¬ 
nored her,” says Williams. “She 
played around and pretty soon she 
was copying us and other skaters.” 

Glasgow Adds to ‘Gang’ 

Glasgow, Dec. 4. 

A fifth comedian, Pete Martin,' 
has jbined the Scottish “Crazy 
Gang” in Tom Arnold’s “We’re 
Joking” revue, set to open at the 
Empire vaudery here Dec. 11. 

Previously named were Chic 
Murray, Duncan Macrae,, Jack An¬ 
thony and Alex Don. Production, 
to be staged by Charles Henry, will 
also feature Robert Wilson, Scot 
singer. "Support cast includes Dick 
& Dot Remy, Will Starr, and 






' Vednesday; i^eceittffer' 5, 1956 


VAUUBVMXE 


«9 






For Large-Seater (liOd), Hints Defi 


Boston, Dec. 4. 

Stanley Blinstrub, boniface of 
Blinstrub’s nitery in South Boston, 


right of the City of Boston to raise 
hi$ food license cost from $15 to 
$465. The food license increase 
was one of hundreds of new fee 
schedules contained in an ordi¬ 
nance passed Wednesday (28) and 
effective Saturday (1). 

BJinstrub said- he considered the 
boost unfair. “I don’t think a 
restaurant should be taxed on seat¬ 
ing capacity,” he said. ‘1 will 
carry this new fee to the courts, if 
necessary.” 

Under the old law a food license 
cost $15. The new schedule is a 
flat $15 plus another $15 for each 
50 seats. Blinstrub’s, with 1,500 
seating- capacity,, will be assessed 
$465. 

The city’s law department has 
said fees are supposed to be in 
proportion to administrative costs 
and an excessive fee might be con¬ 
sidered a tax and therefore uncon¬ 
stitutional. 

Blinstrub’s official seating capac¬ 
ity was set at 1,500. The big spot, 
w.k. for 'booking of big names and 
offbeat acts, can hold 1,700 with 
extra tables Oad chairs set up. It’s 
monicker appears as “Blinstrub’s 
Village”* and it contains dance 
floor, stage, restaurant, bar, grille, 
cocktail lounge and checkroom on 
the first floor; balcony restaurant 
on second floor and dressing rooms 
for acts. 

Recently, Blinstrubjs was the ob¬ 
ject of a facelifting project at a 
cost of around $65,000, which in-r 
cluded a new stage and stars built 
above the previous one, with two 
stages now in use, a new electronic 
lighting system, new decor and 
curtains and remodeling of en¬ 
trance lobby and checkroom. 

Other night club ops protested 
the new ordinance and will also 
seek to challenge it in the courts 
as illegal taxation. Night spots af¬ 
fected in addition , to Blinstrub’s 
are the Bradford Roof and Steu¬ 
ben’s, also hotel supper rooms. 

The City Council’s ordinance 
»boosts scores of service and li¬ 
cense fees including burial per¬ 
mits, taxi, restaurant, jukeboxes, 
carnival, mechanic’s and similar 
licenses, pinball machines and pool 
room licenses. Licenses for pinball 
machines were increased from $30 
to $35 each per year, affecting 550 
machines. 


‘Igloo Circuit’ Team’s 
Hot Laffs Satirizing 
Alaska Nitery Fires 

Fairbanks, Alaska, Dec. 4. 

Young & Lyle, a couple of San 
Diego- imports, are clicking with 
the fur parka crowd here. One' 
of their best bits is a burlesque on 
the three big night club fires here 
recently. 

The three biggest and best 
known niteries have gone • up in 
smoke. The Cluh Rendezvous 
burned Aug. 30; the Squadron 
Club, home of ”20 Beautiful Host¬ 
esses,” Was next on Sept. 10; and 
on Oct. 30, the Country Club burn¬ 
ed to the ground. 

All- were early morning blazes 
but no one was injured although 
the Rendezvous and Country Club 
were 24-hour spots. The Squadron 
Club was in the city limits and 
closed at 1 a.m. curfew. . 

Investigators said arson was evi¬ 
dent in the Squadron Club fire and 
was suspected in the Country Club 
blaze. The Rendezvous ruin was 
written off due to overloaded elec¬ 
trical circuits. 

The Big Three blazes in the short 
time of two months have fired up a 
lot of talk among the locals and 
Young & Lyle have capitalized on 
the local interest. 

They stop their guitar and bass 
strumming to offer a neat, fresh 
skit satirizing the hazards of work¬ 
ing in a night club in the Fair¬ 
banks area. They boff it off by re¬ 
membering that they’re now work¬ 
ing in the Flame Room. 


Birth in a Bistro 

.- 

A 25-year-old woman in for 
a 5 o’clock bracer gave birth 
to a baby right in the midtown 
Top Hat Cafe here Saturday 
. (1). Bartender Robert Dupont 
called for help and two pa¬ 
trons—an Army medical corps- 
man and an airline hostess— 
delivered the child. Then the 
infant^ and the mother were 
taken'to the hospital and were 
reported doing okay. 

The obstetrics over With, £>u- 
pont, with a shaky haftd, 
poured drinks on the house. 


AGVA-Ringling 
Pact; See Circus 
Dropping Rails 

An agreement between the 
American Guild of Variety Artists 
and John Ringling North, prexy 
of the Ringling Bros, and Barnum 
& Bailey Circus, has been reached. 
The circus has agreed to sign a 
minimum basic agreement and pay 
into .the union’s -Welfare Trust 
Fund. AGVA had picketed the 
big top this past season, this being 
regarded as one of the factors that 
forced the circus to close last July, 
in mid^season. Next season the 
show will troupe in arenas only 
and will shun canvas dates. 

Under the new treaty with 
AGVA, the process of de-tradition- 
alizing and streamlining the circus 
will get under way. It's believed, 
for example, that all the show’s 
railroad cars will be disposed of. 
The circus will provide for the 
acts’ transportation by rail from 
stop to stop. North could not be 
reached by Variety for a state-, 
ment on this factor. 

There's also a possibility that 
(Continued on page 70) 


POWWOWS ALSO 


Although Las Vegas hotels are 
not known to play it close, to the 
fves t to begin^with r 4he--aew-trend 
of thinking in the resort country 
is to spend more money in re¬ 
creating the business. Validity of 
this new theory may be gleaned in 
the fact that the November crisis 
of last year has been avoided be¬ 
cause of the increased talent budg¬ 
ets currently. 

Hotels in the Casino area are 
loaded and reservations indicate 
that this momentum will be main¬ 
tained throughout the better part 
of the winter. The budgets have 
been heavier this year in an ^effort 
to avoid the depression which hit 
the resort last fall and winter. 
Earlier this year, it was believed 
that the sharp dip during the cold 
months would “separate thd men 
from the boys.” However, thus far 
the depressions of last year aren’t 
doing encores. 

One of the factors, aside from 
the use of names, is the upbeat of 
the convention business. The casino 
country is now the scene of re¬ 
gional as well as national confabs. 
Longrange solicitation of the pow- 
(Continued on page 70) 


LENA HORNE’S‘EVE’BOW 
IN WALDORF ‘RUSH’ ACT 

For the first time in Waldorf-As-: 
toria history, the New York flag¬ 
ship of the Hilton Hotels chain will 
have a debut act at its Empire 
Room premiere on New Year’s 
Eve. That happens with Lena 
Horne, and is due to a reshuffling 
of schedule because of Henri Sal¬ 
vador’s fall-out on the final (third) 
week of his Waldorf stay because 
of loss of voice. 

This caused Vic Damone being 
rushed into open this past Mon¬ 
day (3) for four weeks with Miss 
Horne having her Waldorf bow 
advanced from January to the holi¬ 
day eve. 

Salvador has some Mexico City 
commitments on the horizon* de¬ 
pending on his voice recovery. Wil¬ 
liam Morris Agency brought him 
to America from Paris. 


Ice Shows‘Gotta Be Familiar’ 

To Locals; Tollies’ Dip a Proof 


Jackie Bright in Hosp 


• Chicago, Dec. 4. 
An old pattern is making itself 
evident in this year’s run of ice 


.Jackie__ _ v 

trative secretary of the American 
Guild-of Variety Artists, is recover¬ 
ing at the- Flower Fifth Ave. Hos¬ 
pital, N. Y., following an ailment 
attributed to an allergy. 

Bright was taken to the hospital 
last week and is expected to re¬ 
main a few more days. 


,_L&hnw 


AGVA Setting Up 
Vaude Bills For 
Youth-Aid Drive 


Show business is attacking the 
pressing problem of juvenile delin¬ 
quency on • increasingly greater 
scale. Latest to get into the youth- 
aid pitch is the American Guild of 
Variety Artists which is setting up 
traveling vaude troupes . to work 
juve audiences. 

Other pitches are being made 
through the mechanical media. 
The Sammy Davis Jr. plan calls for 
spot announcements to be aired 
through a network of disk jockeys. 
Another entrant in the problem of 
wayward youngsters is the newly 
formed National Council of Disk 
Jockeys for Public Service, which 
will attempt to channel youth ac¬ 
tivities into public service projects. 
Murray Kaufman of WMCA, N. Y., 
is prexy of the new group. 

The.AGVA plan calls for a juve¬ 
nile delinquency fund which would 
finance variety shows in various 
sections of town, and with names 
and sports personalities pitching 
in. Union 0 will seek contributions 
of money for prizes and refresh¬ 
ments as further enticements. Plan 
would start in New York and 
thence fan out to other cities. 

The AGVA plan is still in the 
blueprint stage with starting, date 
of the project still indefinite. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms dosing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St.- 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
64.04 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N; Michigan Avc. 


LONDON. W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


an icer needs a few years’ oc¬ 
cupancy in any given town before 
the residents will shell out in pay¬ 
dirt amounts. It’s a fact being 
made clear during the current run 
of “Ice Follies.” 

This show has subpar grosses in 
Cincinnati, St. Louis and. Detroit. 
These are cities inherited by “Ice 
Follies” from Arthur M. Wirtz’s 
“Hollywood Ice Revue,” which was 
withdrawn last year from the road. 

In contrast to this situation, “Ice 
Follies” did very handsomely- in 
Chicago here it has had three pre¬ 
vious dates. During the period 
when Wirtz trouped his show, these 
situations returned a heavy load 
of cash. However, with the substi¬ 
tution of displays, a considerable 
dip at the wickets followed. 

One of the contributory factors 
is the general decline in the blades 
session field this season. Very few 
of ’the dates of any important 
frappe frolic have equalled the 
takes of last year, which was one 
of the best in history. However, 
the decline of “Ice Follies” in these 
towns is proportionately greater 
than -the' fall-off. suffered by the 
ice orbit generally. 

The only exception, wherein- a 
show making its first stop in a 
town will hit heavy grosses, are 
situations where new areas, have 
opened up. Virtually any skate 
show can make good under this 
condition where the site is part of 
the* lure. Otherwise, a town ac¬ 
customed to one or two icers a 
yeaq is loathe to transfer its sup¬ 
port from a tested article to a new 
item. 


Po Po, ‘The Little One,’ 
Drops ‘Original Dagmar’; 
Sez It’s a ‘Detriment’ 

Minneapolis, Dec. 4. 

SinCe the former television star’s 
rise to fame, there have been so 
many Dagmars appearing on the 
burlesque and nitery scene, partic¬ 
ularly the former, that the name 
now is detrimental to the less il¬ 
lustrious using it. 

, At least, that’s the opinion of Vir¬ 
ginia Blair, who’s appearing at the 
burlesque Alvin here and who 
claims to be the first professionally 
to appear in theatres and bistros as 
Dagmar and who started unsuccess¬ 
ful legal proceedings to enjoin 
others from appropriating . the 
name. 

That’s why, she says, she has 
dropped the “original” and “little” 
Dagmar billing and now is calling 
herself Miss Po Po professionally. 

She explains that Po Po means 
“little one” in Japanese and that 
it’s appropriate for her because 
after going in for Japanese routine 
she has been appearing mainly in 
Honolulu and west qoast Japanese 
clubs, although she came to the 
Alvin here from engagements at 
the Silver Slipper and El Cortez 
hotel clubs in Las Vegas. 

Pitt Diamond Room’s 
2-Month Run; Now Eatery 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. 

Downtown Pitt’s newest nitery, 
the Diamond Room, has given up 
the ghost as a cafe after just two 
months. Intime spot tried two or 
three different policies but none 
worked out and place has been 
converted into a straight restau¬ 
rant. 

Formerly an American Legion 
club, Diamond Room was recon¬ 
verted at a cost of around $100,000, 
but ran into difficulties immedi¬ 
ately, including a lack of parking 
space in crowded Golden Triangle 
area. Extra tables will be placed 
in what is now dance floor and 
Josephine Davis, organist, is being 
retained to furnish music for din-. 
ing. Room is owned and operated 
by those who run downstairs La 
Golondrina restaurant and it’ll 
serve as a second-floor annex with 
same menu and prices. 






VAUDEVILLE 


70 VAUDEVILLE 


Wedltiesttay» Peeemfcr 5, 1956 


Future of AnH-AGVAChorus Union 
Up for Court Decision This Week 


The situation between the Amer-- 
lean Guild of Variety Artists andj 
the chorus members of Radio City 
Music Hall, N.Y., was further en¬ 
tangled by an arbitration and a 
court order, 'both of which devel¬ 
oped last week. 

However, several skeins are ex¬ 
pected to unravel this week when 
the N.Y. Supreme Court is to de¬ 
cide whether the rump union 
formed by the choristers, the Ra¬ 
dio City Music Hall Chorus 4Cm- 
-Ployees. „Assn^_w.oiild_be allowed, 
to intervene in an arbitration be¬ 
tween the Music Hall and the un¬ 
ion. Motion was argued last week 
in that court. 

Events started with last week’s 
verdict by the AGVA executive 
board that the three officers of 
the indie union, Eric Hutson, presi¬ 
dent; Mary Ann Ray, vice presi¬ 
dent, and Violet Breck, treasurer, 
shall be expelled from AGVA un¬ 
less they rescind their membership 
in the indie org within one week 
of service of the notice. Service 
has been delayed pending the Su¬ 
preme Court decision. 

Prior to the court’s action, the 
Music Hall demanded an arbitra¬ 
tion on the interpretation of * the 
clause in the contract between the 
union which stipulates that any 
chorus employees of the Music 
Hall shall be dismissed if they 
fail to maintain good standing with 
AGVA. • tatter held that this 
clause was not arbitrable, but ac¬ 
ceded in an effort to hurry punitive 
action against the rebelling mem¬ 
bers. Arbitration had taken place 
when the rump union sought relief 
in the court. When decision is an¬ 
nounced, AGVA holds that the of¬ 
ficers of the union will be out of 
the Music Hall. ^ . 

AGVA also planned to hold the 
trial of 15 members last Tuesday 
(27), at 2:30 p.m. However, the Mu¬ 
sic Hall intervened on the ground 
that the procedure would interfere 
with the show. Union .will thus 
hold individual hearings as soon as 
the first service is completed. 


Adding Spas Downtown 
Rubs Hub Bd., Retailers 

' Boston, Dec. 4. 

There’ll be no more niteries or 
drinkeries in Boston’s downtown j 
shopping district, because no more I 
liquor licenses will be permitted, 
the Cltr Licensing Board said/The 
licensing board assured the Retail 
Trade Board, which had, pretested 
that “encroachment of the liquor 
industrjr: _ WaS __ stfanglmg Boston’s i 
principal shopping center,” that 
there/ll be no more than there are 
now. 

The letter from the licensing 
board, signed by Mary E. Driscoll, 
chairman, said the board would 
“not look with favor on any appli¬ 
cation for a transfer of any alcohol 
beverage license that would add to 
the number now existing.” 

PITT RIX-PEH GRIND. 
OUT-ONLY STRIPPERS 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. j 

Last-run feature pictures, which 
were part of reopening Casino 
policy when Frank Engel and 
Frank Bryan took over lease on 
the burlesque house at beginning 
of season, have been dropped. 
Peelery will stick exclusively to the 
gals and putty-noses. 

At same time, continuous run is 
being altered in part. It’ll stay that 
way in the afternoons, from noon 
to 5 under a grind, but in the 
evenings there’ll only be one show, 
at 8:30, with all seats reserved. 
Two nighttime performances have 
been skedded for Saturdays, at 
.7:15 and 10. 

. Management doesn’t figure pix 
will be missed since under the 
setup, Casino was able to show 
them only twice daily anyhow, 
first thing in the morning at 11 
and during the dinner break at 5. 


Buck-Passing 

Minneapolis, Dec. 4. 

Alvin, local burlesque road¬ 
show . house, is employing a 
unique gimmick to try to whip 
“ up trade. 

When anybody calls Its list¬ 
ed telephone number, he re¬ 
ceives a recorded sales talk re¬ 
garding the current ghowv The 
gab winds up with * statement 
pointing out that seats are re¬ 
served evenings and that if 
* such reservations and further 
information are desired, the 
telephoner should call another 
number that’s given’out at the 
tailend of the one-sided con¬ 
versation. . ___ 

Sheraton Chain 


Vande, Cafe Dates 


Vegas Stardust 

Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn will 
take over the operation of, the 
Stardust Hotel’s casino, if the 
Sheraton hotel chain starts opera¬ 
tion of that Las Vegas inn, built by 
the late Tony Cornero Stralla. The 
1,502-room spa, which was thrown 
into bankruptcy by creditors even 
before it could open, is being bid 
for by several interests but with 
the Sheraton chain reportedly hav¬ 
ing the inside track. 

Perry Thomas, of the Bank of 
Las Vegas, was in New York last 
week on negotiations. Nothing has 
been finalized, pending decision of 
bankruptcy referee John Mowbray, 
who expects to make the award in 
a matter of a couple of weeks. 

The takeover of the Stardust by 
the Sheraton would mark the first 
time a major hotel has gone into 
Las Vegas, and probably the first 
time that the Sheraton empire has 
come in contact with gambling 
casinos. The Hilton chain is 
familiar with the games of chance 
through, its Latin-American opera¬ 
tions. 

The Desert Inn is also familiar 
with chain operation. Itself part 
of a chain (United Hotels), it has a 
branch in the casino at the Nacion- 
al Hotel, Havana. 


New York 

Jose Greco and Lillian Roth on a 
double-header, at the .Sahara, Las 
Vegas, in April; with Donald 
O’Connor coming in May 21 . . . 
Zsa Zsa Gabor signed for El 
Rgncho, Las Vegas, Jan. 23 . . . 
Rusty Draper goes'to' the Frolics, 
Salisbury Beach, Mass., Feb. 10 . . . 
Charlivels go into the Adolphus, 
Dallas, Dec. 20 . . Billy Vine 

pacted for El Morocco, Montreal, 
in March . ; . Blackburn Twins to 
La Lune, New Orleans, Dec. 27. 

Hollywood 

Songstress Judy Marsh set to 
headline _the Monday nig ht sh ows 
'aF""3an“ HubinI’s Keyboard . . . 
Bongo' drummer Armando Peraza 
joins George Shearing’s 4 group 
during his current stand at Zardi’s 
. . . Jonathan Lucas signed by 
Crew Cuts as choreographer of 
their new nitery act. Vocal group 
play the Cocoanut Grove Dec. 8 
. . . AJla Kohn and Mia Reeber join 
Yma Sumac’s South American con¬ 
cert tour which begins Dec. 15 in 
Mexco City . . . Paul Gilbert set 
for four-weeker at Desert Inn, Las 
Vegas, Dec. 12. 

Chicago . 

Ames Bros, in for one week at 
Quad City Auto Show, Moline, Jan. 
21; then to Omaha Auto Show in 
New Music Auditorium for 10 days 
Feb. 1 . . . Connie Boswell set for 


Eddy’s, Kansas City, Dec. 14 for 
nine days . . Four. Coins open 
tomorrow (ThursJ for 17 days at 
Minneapolis’ Radisson . . . Eydie 
Gorme in Cleveland'* Statler Dec. 
31 for two weeks ,.. Palmer House 
booked Richiardi Jr. for four weeks 
April 20 . . . Paul Duke’s booking 
With Chi’s Conrad Hilton ice show 
extended to 24 weeks . . . Rusty 
Draper opens four-week stand at 
Roosevelt, New Orleans, thtf week 
... Margarita. Sierra signed for 
Drake’s Camellia House in Chi Dec, 
27 for four weeks . . Billy Wil¬ 

liams enters the Embers, Fort 
Wayne, Dec. 28 for four weeks, 
following Syd & Paul Kaye’s en¬ 
gagement there Dec. 14-27. 

Ottawa 

Laura Berekeley, singer has joined 
Paul Notar’s Quartet, now at mid¬ 
town Downbeat Cafe in Montreal 
. . . Venus Lounge, midtown show 
spot, renamed De Milo Room ... 
Bix Belair, orch leader at Bellevue 
Casino, has started a bandbooking 
agency with Frank West. 


Vegas 


what the CLUB OWNERS say: 


"Business was great.. • 
Patsy is sock entertain¬ 
ment." 

TOWN & COUNTRY CLUB; 

New York v 

"Patsy come back, you 
were hilarious." 

CHEZ PAREE, Chicago 

"Greatest comedienne 
to play this room." 

EL 'MOROCCO, Montreal 

"Dynamic, classy, a pol¬ 
ished pro." 

. GRAY’S BAND BOX, L. A. 

"Audience loved her; 
socko all the way." 

TOP'S, San Diego 


"Peak performance; 
everybody loved her." 

EDDY'S, Kansas City 



"Seven times In three 
years; the greatest." 

NAUTILUS HOTEL, • 

Miami Beach 

"Three times life one 
year; charmed the audi¬ 
ence." 

HOLIDAY HOUSE, 

Pittsburgh 

"Top business; wonder¬ 
ful performer." 

ELEGANTE, N. Y. 

"One of the funniest in 
show business." 

SAXONY HOTEL, 

Miami Beach 

"Held over three weeks; 
loaded with talent." 

GOLDEN SUPPER, N. Y* 


PATSY SHAW 

I Ccr/emi,-BEVERLY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB, KENTUCKY I 

"Patsy, you won the hearts of everyone here, and you scored 
j such a tremendous success, we want you back soonS' 


STAR REPRESENTATIVES. 200 West 57th St., New York, N. Y. UNIvarsIty! 5-1301 


——; Continued from page 69 
wows indicates that such outfits as 
American Legion, American Medi¬ 
cal Assn., Westinghouse, Mutual of 
Omaha are booking space for 1959- 
60 during the periods when tourism 
is on the wane. This additional 
business is likely to keep the green- 
felt hostels in the chips fob periods 
when the worry was universal. 

Another factor aiding the situa¬ 
tion this year is that no new hotels 
are opening. The Tropicana, now 
virtually completed, is reported un¬ 
likely to get a license that will 
enable it to open prior to Jan. 1. 
The only new inn there is the Ha¬ 
cienda, which is on a cocktail act 
policy only. The Dunes, which had 
been reopened by Bill Miller after 
an earlier foldo under other man¬ 
agements, is attempting to make 
it with offbeat policies such as 
bands, and currently has a Negro 
unit. These additions haven’t de¬ 
creased the supply of available 
headliners, nor has it increased the 
prices of talent. 

It was originally figured by Las 
Vegans that an upbeat of conven¬ 
tion business would militate against 
the need for a constant stream of 
headliners. However, the various 
organizations and firms booking for 
mass influx on Las Vegas are asking 
who will be in town during the pe¬ 
riod. They will go to the inn that 
has an attraction more to their lik¬ 
ing and will frequently pick one 
time-slot over another merely on 
the basis of the presence of bigger 
headliners. _ 


Ringling Pad 

Continued from page 69 ' 

some of the animals, such as ele-* 
phants, long a circus standby, will 
be dropped and that the only ani¬ 
mals with the show will be those 
owned by the acts. Thus there 
will be the usual assortment of 
horses, dogs, lions, etc., none of 
which will be circus property as 
such. In such a case, the animals 
will be transported in stock cars 
of the railroads. 

Change to an arena' format will 
eliminate a lot of the work force. 
From the hundreds of razorbacks 
and roustabouts formerly neces¬ 
sary, it’s figured that the circus 
can get along on a very small crew 
under its new setup. 


‘Why Tax Fun?' 

Framingham, Mass., Dec. 4. 

During his annual stint at 
his own spot, the 850-seat 
Meadows on the turnpike here, 
last week. Vaughn Monroe 
urged elimination of the 20% 
amusement tax. 

“I hope the 20% tax comes 
off,” he said. “Everyone in 
show biz should do their ut¬ 
most to prevail In its removal 
—it’s killing show biz in the 
night spots around the coun¬ 
try. Why should , people be 
penalized for having fun?” 


THE BILLBOARD 
DECEMBER 1, 1956 

NEWS REVIEW , 

Modernaires 
Draw Cheers 
At Grotfe. 

HOLLYWOOD-=-It’s criminal, 
in some respects, that the busy 
working schedule the Modem- 
alres have prevents them 
from traveling to other parts 
of the country where audi¬ 
ences other than Los Angeles 
can enjoy one of the. better 
vocal groups in the business. 
Doubling at-the Ambassador 
Hotel’s Cocoanut^ Grove and 
the dally Bob Crosby televi¬ 
sion show, the Mod’s still 
• rate as one Of the top nitery 
acts around. 

Their turn is highly polished 
and, fortunately, isn’t re¬ 
stricted to the mere chanting 
of 32 bars and a walk-off, as 
are many of their contem¬ 
poraries. There’s comedy via J 
Allan Copeland’s impressions,] 
a wow of special material in 
“X Can’t Carry a Tune,” the 
musical reminiscences of 
“Juke Box Saturday Night” 
and just enough pop tunes to 
make for a good evening’s en¬ 
tertainment. 

It’s obvious that the Mod¬ 
ernaires are a well-rehearsed, 
act, with plenty of imagina¬ 
tive effort in it to make the 
Grove audience stand up and 
cheer. Joel Friedman 




























Yort&ost - ; C : l : ' 

’" "Talented Betty and Jane K§ah werecheered at the Latin Quarter 

THIS IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST ACTST 


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FRANK FARRELL 

NW^rTTlV67ra^rr*~5TIS-.- 

“The Kean sisters gave Broadway 
an extra holiday zing." 


GENE KNIGHT 

New York Journal American 

“The clever Kean. Sisters were 
never funnier ... they scored a 

-smash_Mi_—.^..ihe-whote—l^atia^ 

Quarter was in an uproar." 



Thank You ELI. BASSE 
for writing and staging 
our new act .., 


Currently 

LATIN QUARTER 

NEW YORK 


Cafes: WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 







VAUDEVILLE 


MBmFr 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


Outdoor Show Be Puts Another 
Convention On Ice in Chicago 


By GLENN TRUMP 

Chicago, Dec. 4. 

The annual migration of outdoor 
show biz bigwigs to Chicago’s Ho¬ 
tel Sherman for their convention 
has been wrapped up for another 
year. Conclave ended in the usual 
mixed emotions as some carnivals 
signed the fairs they wanted and 
many didn’t. Some bookers bought 
and sold acts they desired and 
many didn’t. And practically ttll 
the participants wound up- with & 
hangover one day or another. 

It being this Variety cor¬ 
respondent’s (Omaha) first visit 
~t o~ T HT s 

interesting as the carnies stationed 
themselves at the- Sherman en¬ 
trances and snagged fair secre¬ 
taries before they could check in; 
the park, pools and beach boys 
ogling ne\y rides; and some of the 
rodeo gangs zipping out to the 
International Amphitheatre to see 
a possible new feature for them, 
the Ijtoyal Canadian Mounties, in 
action at the International Live¬ 
stock Show. 

Bowwows at the Powwows 
Some of the cuffed notes taken 
during the week (24-29): . 

Art Briese of Thearle-Duffield 
Fireworks concluded his duties on 
the entertainment committee and 
Immediately packed for Miami, 
where he’ll again stage the Orange 
Bowl pyrotechnics Jan. 2 , . * Leo 
Overland of the Earl Newberry 
thrill-show office reported a good 
season - and the possibiUty of an¬ 


other overseas (Ehgland and 
France) ■ junket next year* . . . R. 
L. (Bob) Lohmar handling tickets 
and reservations for the various 
parties in one hand, and conduct¬ 
ing biz for his boss oh the Royal 
American Shows, Carl Sedlamyer, 
in the other . . . Vet booker Ernie 
Young beginning his new affilia¬ 
tion with the GAC-Hanjid office. 

Auto racing promoter Frank 
Winkley still gloating oyer the 
26,000 that turned out for his “500” 
in St. Paul last fall . . . The many 
orchids passed out to Dorothy La- 
mour, for the constant help she has 

Friedman, p.a. for Paramount Pic¬ 
tures’ Chicago office, making every 
session in a striped shirt and vest 
that made the carnies green with 
envy. 

Sweeney SLA Prez 

The naming of A1 Sweeney, auto 
racing promoter/ as prexy of the 
Showmen’s League . . . Mert 
Thayer, boss of the International 
Amphitheatre, sneaking into the 
Loop for visits despite the many 
activities at.his huge' roost.. . . 
Huddles between Jim Norris, the 
IBC boxing boss, from Madison 
Square Garden; Art Wirtz, Chicago 
real estate mitfipnairc and pro¬ 
moter, and Art Concello, once 
again repping Ringling Bros, and 
Barnum & Bailey. 

A visit to the Gaslight, most 
popular of Chicago’s newest fad— 
key clubs. With the only attrac¬ 
tion being the (brief uniforms of 




f 



f ' - 



illy sincere thanks, 
John Swope, 
for wonderful 
engagements in 
“PAL JOEY” 
at La Jolla 
and the Civic 
Playhouse in 
Hollywood 





0 


My thanks also 
; to Gene Nelson, 
Benay Venuta and 
Fred Clark, 
and the entire 
company of 
“Pal 




Joey” 
for 

their wonderful 
encouragement 
and cooperation 


the waitresses .», Chicagoap Floyd 
Shaw and Omahan Don Romeo 
repping Ak-Sar-Ben, the Omaha 
civic org that - stages theatricals 
. . , The disappointment of attend¬ 
ing the Silver Frolics, Chicago 
strip joint that now has discon¬ 
tinued its production numbers that 
once were midwest’s best. Too 
much overhead,, they reported, and 
biz is bad. However, the. F. S. still 
boasts one of the best bubble bath 
routines there is in slinky Dolores 
Del Ray and a fast and peppy 
stripper in Pinky De Carlo, who 
has held forth at the S. F. for 
several semesters. In addition to 
the dozen Or so strips,. the show 
also offers an excellent magician, 
outstanding adagio act and pale 
male vocalist. 

Harold Steinman of “Dancing 
Waters” readying another over¬ 
seas importation for next spring 


rooms” appeared to be Duffield 
Fireworks and BarneS Sc Car- 
ruthers . . Five Cadillacs were 
won in drawings while the con¬ 
vention was on, . with concessions 
magnate Robert K. Parker ' of 
Miami winning ohe Lep Car¬ 
rillo stopping traffic In the lobby 
with his'“Pancho” outfit , . . Gene 
Autry also winged in for the final 
days after appearing on the Ed 
Sullivan show—but he stayed jn 
his room mo.st of the time and let 
his righthand men, Earl Lindsay 
and Harry Knight/conduct the biz. 


Circus Review 


Williams-Althoff 
West German Circus 
(MEDRANO, PARIS) 

Paris, Nov. 27. 

Jerome Medrano presents a West 
German Circus in two parts, with 
Addy Enders (4), Ballet Erik Gar¬ 
den (12), Barios (4), Carola Cock¬ 
atoos, Carla Barlay & Edouard 
Kastner, Antares (3), Western Cir¬ 
cus (13), Dschapur & Rutha, Ar¬ 
thur Klein Family (4), Marcellys, 
Loriot, Jean Laporte Orch (12); at 
Medrano, Paris; $3 top. 

With Medrano keeping its one 
ring open to visiting foreign cir¬ 
cuses, it seems to denote that the 
Western entries have been watered 
down by the incursion of music 
hall and rodeo, with only a few 
real circusy numbers saving the at¬ 
mosphere. On the other hand, the 
Eastern ' visitors have displayed 
more classical adhesion to the cir¬ 
cus need for dynamism and clown¬ 
ing, but cut down on its more 
robust appeal by more balletic set¬ 
ups and the limitations of the risk. 
At any rate, the sawdust firmament 
is undergoing a change in these 
times of new show interests and 
varying conditions, and the circus 
may be heading for either another 
revolution. 

This West German affair has the 
intrusion of a femme dance ballet 
and an imitative, naive Wild West 
aspect, but manages to uncork 
enough solid staples for general 
audience pleasure to give this an 
okay run here. But it is not one 
for stateside interest except for a 
few acts that could be plucked by 
the video need for new faces. It 
starts with the Ballet Erik Garden 
(12) in a military marching bit to 
segue into the mainstay of the 
show, its equine effects. A group 
of ponies cavort pleasantly; one 
gets on the back of a dray for a ride 
-around the jpie ring and Carla, Bar- 
lay & Edouard Kastner do a well 
regulated haute ecole turn. 

Addy Enters (4) is a rapid and 
skillful bareback bit witl& running 
jumps “to backs of circling horses 
and somersaultsf from one to an¬ 
other for the first big-guri entry. 
Carola Cockatoos has these birds 
pushing each' other about in car¬ 
riages, doing a see saw, etc., for a 
fair one of this type. Western Cir¬ 
cus (13) are cowboys and Indians 
circling and shooting, mixed with 
some sharpshooting and a rather 
ludicrous dance number in which 
a white girl is saved from the 
savages. 

Antares (3) mount to the top and 
girl gets into a plane facsimile with 
men at other end of a trapeze, and 
they take turns with girl doing 
arabesque balancing and men 
hand-to-handing for a fine, fast 
number. Dschapur & Rutha do 
some contortion balancing, walk up 
and do\yn staircases on hands and 
carry it off with enough pretense 
to give it a good sawdust air. Gold¬ 
en Lifiders (2) are a gilded mixed 
team going through a series of 
poses and aero routines, while Ar¬ 
thur Klein Family (4) are a spirited 
bicycle acrocomic number with 
speed, and inventiveness. Barios (4) 
are a clever clown family with 
three men and a girl essaying a 
zany turn which gets the closest 
to the needed circus atmosphere. 

Mosk . 


OAKLAND BURLEY OP 
FINED $500, JAILED 

Oakland, Calif., Dec. 4. 

Peter DeCenzie, operator of the 
El Rey burlesque, was fined $500 
and sentenced to five days, ip jail 
last week for staging an indecent 1 
show in August. . i 

Municipal Judge Charles'Fisher ( 
also fined two comics, Charles ( 
Castle and Will Mason, $300 apiece, * 
and stripper Dolly Crawford $100, 1 
and put all four on probation. I 

Earlier last month the judge 1 
sentenced the El Rey’s headline 
stripper, Evelyn West, and her man- . 
ager, A1 Charles, to 90 days apiece, J 
after they’d fled California, All 1 
six were picked up in the August 
police raid, together with a half- > 
dozen other' strippers who were ac- : 
quitt e d ^b y ^ t he^same^ju^ ^th ^t con - ] 

zie, the two comics and Miss Craw- ] 
foird. i 

Snyder’s Water Follies 
Readying Aussie Tour 

Boston, Dec. 4. 

Sam Snyder's Water Follies, in 
rehearsal here, leaves Jan. 5 from 
New York for a 15-week tour of 
Australia for which $225,000 has 
been posted, plus percentage. The 
show, which toured Aussie for 10 
weeks last winter, opens in Ade¬ 
laide Jan. 16. 

From Adelaide, the al fresco 
show goes to Melbourne and Syd¬ 
ney and has three weeks in New 
Zealand and four weeks in Manila 
before returning to the States. 
Snyder said he plans to open in 
San Francisco in May. 

Satcluno’s Fontainebleau 

The Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami 
Beach, has made its first name 
band booking with the pacting of 
Louis Armstrong for a 12-day stand 
starting Jan. 3. 

Armstrong will play this stand 
shortly after his arrival from Eng¬ 
land where he’ll appear at a Fes¬ 
tival Hall, London, concert for the 
benefit of Hungarian refugees, 

Saranac Lake 

Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 4. 

Joe McCarthy, Joe Sinclair, John 
Garvey, John McDowell, of the ; 
Christmas committee of Theatrical ' 
Protective Union No. 1, N.Y., will 
see that every patient* here is re¬ 
membered; also the board of di- 1 
rectors of the Will Rogers Hospital ] 
Fund. 

Joseph Shambaugh, film ex- l 
change salesman, called to Cincin¬ 
nati to attend the funeral of his 
brothers. Shambaugh, recently 
joined the “up” gang here. 

Arthur J. Slattery back to the 
Will Rogers after an ordeal at the 
general hospital following a major 
operation on a broken arm of long 
standing. He will be in a plaster 
cast for at least three montiw. 

Marion McLaughlin, secretary 
Comerford Theatres, Scranton, Pa., 
after six months of faithful ozoning 
and rest rated the all-clear to- re¬ 
sume work. 

Bob (Mello-Larks) Smith ap¬ 
pointed chairman of “We The 
Patients” entertainment commit¬ 
tee fo£ New Year’s party. Roberta 
Schram, singing hillbilly accordi¬ 
onist, booked for the shindig with 
the Kilroy HillBilly Five furnishing 
the music. H 

Morris Dworski emergencied via 
plane from our general hospital to 
the Memorial Hospital, Gotham. 
He is the director of the Will 
Rogers Research Dab. 

. Reservations being made for 
• Sandra Capsis and Beverly Dennis, 
both ex-Rogersites who will reside 
in our downtown colony during the 
winter, 

Ned Shugrue and Arthur Mayer, 
Will Rogers Fund executives, in 
from Gotham to make final ar¬ 
rangements for Christmas festivi¬ 
ties, with Bob (Mello-Larks) Smith 
of “We The Patients” as chairman 
of the entertainment committee. 

John (IATSE) Anderaon was 
emergencied into the Burke Foun¬ 
dation Hospital at White Plains, 
N. Y. t after a major operation. 


Act’s Suit Vs. Can. Cafe 
For Pre-Work Injuries 
Not Covered With AGVA 

Ginger Joyce, femme member of 
the dance team of Ginger & Joyce, 
is preparing suit against the Chau- 
diere Club, Ottawa, for damages 
sustained in an auto accident while 
on her way to work at the cafe. 
Spot was not a subscriber to the 
Welfare Trust Plan of the Ameri¬ 
can Guild Artists. This . would 
have insured the performer under 
these circumstances. 

Cafe owner, after the accident, 
according to AGVA national ad¬ 
ministrative secretary Jackie 
Bright, had sent in six months' pay- 

-metits-to-^he—fund; but—coi n w as- 

returned on thd ground that the 
insurance company wouldn’t take 
the liability of an accident that had 
already occurred. Bright said that 
the owner thus far had paid $500 
to Miss Joyce at the union’s behest. 

Phyllis Powell replaces Marilyn 
Mitchell as thrush with the Glenn 
Miller orch under the direction of 
Ray McKinley. She formerly sang 
with Ted Weems and Jan Garber. 


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Wednesday, ■ December 5, 1956 




REVIEWS 


73 


' New Acts 


JERKY LEWIS <10) ^ 

With Georgine. Darcy, Aristocrats 
s (7) Lou Drown, Ray Toland 
Comedy 
44 Mins. 

Sands, Las Vegas 

Between his opening night 
Thursday (29) and the second of 
this three-week engagement, Jerry 
Lewis cut his running time nearly 
50% and by the time the press got 
to see him Friday he was working 
smoothly and confidently within 
the confines of his material. This 
is his first time as a solo riitery 
headliner and the first time in 
around 12 years that he’s away 
from Dean Martin, -with whom he 
comprised the top money comedy 
j£airL-iii_ahow-.husines5L-- 

Those who see him here will be 
seeing a much different Lewis, now 
more the suave comedian than the 
goof; a straight singer rather than 
the off-key, screeching zany; a 
more often dignified entertainer 
rather than the most often mugg* 
ing, eccentric, bouncing clown. It 
takes some doing to get used to 
the new Lewis, just as obviously 
it will take some doing on Lewis’ 
•part before he himself becomes ac¬ 
customed to. his “new” stage per¬ 
sonality and finds the best in it. 

As a result, Lewis, while good 
right now, is not sock. The fact 
that he falls short of his tremen- 
dous potential can be attributed to 
two factors; while he's a “new” 
Lewis, what he relies upon as hfiTT 
comedy mainstay next-to-closing is 
old and familiar. In fact, the danc¬ 
ing school routine he does with 
seven chbrus boys, billed as The 
Aristocrats, and Georgine Darcy, 
as a dance instructor, is and has 
been done better for at least 25 
years by Johnny Puleo (Borrah 
Minevitch’s Rascals), only with 
Puleo. it’s harmonica-playing rath¬ 
er than tap-dancing. The other, 
and far mdre detrimental element 
in Lewis' act, is that he’s not only 
doing a panz, but doing it overly 
broad and too often. It goes be¬ 
yond the laugh stage; it gets to the 
shock point. . 

Lewis gets going with the homo 
stuff ver# early, after being 
brought on with vocal fanfare by 
The Aristocrats and he personally 
singing, in Jolsonesque style, “I'm 
Roiling Along.” A couple of gags, 
then a songalog on “Sometimes 
I’m Happy,” during which Lewis 
starts making passes at the chor¬ 
isters, stretching the gestures and 
mouth contortions far beyond rea¬ 
sonable bounds.- 

He follows this with' 1 his most 
original and easily best comedy 
Jbit, coming on in a red fright wig, 
disguised as “Mr. Selig Peyton,” 
and playing a typewriter to a 
clever offstage recording that can 
best be described as simulating a 
mechanical “Flight of the Bumble¬ 
bee.” A variation of the stooge-in- 
the-box routine is used for fair re¬ 
sults by Lewis with the very shape¬ 
ly, sexy Miss Darcy. Mike in hand, 
Lewis first tries to draw ringsiders 
into dramatic improvisations, then 
pulls Miss Darcy, ostensibly a cus¬ 
tomer, onstage. From the way 
she’s dressed, the “dumb blonde” 
biz Wouldn’t possibly fool the audi¬ 
ence, but she gives the bit a good 
snapper with a bump-and-grind 
walk-back to her table. 

Lewis very smartly holds an 
Elvis Presley imitation just so far, 
getting a big laugh with a climax 
gag, “Mr. Presley last night was 
taken to be wormed.” Then an¬ 
other Jolsonesque delivery of 
“Rockabye Your Baby!” which only 
those who never saw or heard Jol- 
son can accept as even a reason¬ 
able facsimile, this segueing into 
the dancing school routine. In cos¬ 
tume (oversized turtleneck sweat¬ 
er) and actions, it is the one time 
in the act that he comes closest to 
being the “old” Lewis and rings 
up a good laugh score. 

The comedian signs off singing 
“Top of the World,” again trying 
.to sound like Jolson on A Jolson 
standard. Since he has ability .to 
project a song, Lewis might per¬ 
haps get better results if he 
latched onto some new special 
songs rather than exercising some¬ 
body -else’s well-known and well- 
W>rn song style. 

Buddy Bregman conducted here 
for Lewis the first two nights with 
special piano and drum accompani¬ 
ment by Lou Brown and Ray Tol¬ 
and, respectively. Nick Castle 
staged the turn. Scho. 


sound treatment of “It’s Love,” 
“Nobody’s Baby” and “I Never 
Knew’^is okay, but evidently she 
was trying too hard to make like 
I Lena Horne with the facial empha- 
* sis. Miss Scott she is, but Lena 
Horne she ain’t. Scho. 

THE NEIGHBORS (4) 

Songs 
15 Mins. 

Bon Soir, N. Y. 

. The Neighbors are friendly folk 
singers who put a lot of zip into 
their rounds. The foursome, two 
boys and two girls, know the bal- 
ladeering ropes and sustain their 
song set with plenty' of high 
spirits. 


JUDY SCOTT 
Singer 
8 Mins. 

Sands, Las Vegas 

. This young, goodlooking brunet 
discover by Jerry Lewis is a 

E ieasant singer but her future will 
ave to be measured by her future 
ability to curb facial overplay. At 
times, her mouthing of the lyrics 
looks something like a gulping fish. 

In her turn here, Miss Scott does 
but three songs, all standards. Her 


Team is virtually ready for a 
swing through the intimery circuit 
where the clients dig the folk 
genre.- All they need to assure a 
steady buildup in the folk field is 
a sharpening of repertoire. As the 
songbag stands now, it suffices to 
show off the group’s range, pace 
and styling but it remains a 
sampling without that socko im¬ 
pact. They’ve got the stuff to get 
’em across and all they need is the 
right material in the right place, . 

The boys and girls are attractive 
and their exuberant delivery adds 
to the sight values. There’s 
enough sound there, too, to make 
the group a good bet for records. 

Gros. 


MAR°GIE DAY 
Songs 
7 Mins. 

|-Apollo, N.Y. 

For a comparative novice, Margie 
Day, a colored vocalist, has a good, 
dramatic sense with a song. She’s 
a tall girl, attractive, but despite 
her seemingly natural stage savvy, 
she’s got a lot to learn to get the 
most out of her voice, which has 
power, but not enough control and 
shading. Better mike technique 
and more suitable arrangements 
would help also. 

In rock ’n’ roll fashion, she belts 
out “Love Is Sweeping the Coun¬ 
try,” showing a good deal of zest. 
Changing her pace, she does “Blue 
Prelude” in pop style to okay 
effect, but has more trouble with 
“Deep Night,” the last in her song¬ 
alog. Horo. 


THREE DUKES (3) 

Dancing 
9 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Better segue into their tapping 
would help this terping trio. They 
come out playing a drum, guitar 
and trumpet with which they do 
okay, but the instruments are 
hardly their forte. 

As tappers, they show good 
style both as a group and in in¬ 
dividual numbers. Each, in the solo 
flights, shows some individual style, 
as well as evidencing a good deal 
of stamina and rhythm. A more 
thought-out integration of their 
musical abilities into the act would 
help their stint, even giving it a 
unique label in the terping field. 

Horo. 


JO ANN CAMPBELL 
Songs 
8 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

A pert blonde who goes through 
her rhythm and blues songalog in 
real pro style to socko effect is Jo 
Ann Campbell. Formerly a terper 
in a team, about six months ago 
she broke into vocalizing, playing 
one-night stands in Canada and up¬ 
state New York, and as seen at the 
Apollo, she now shows topnotch 
form. 

Although she has a small voice, 
she sure knows how to handle it. 
Her former terping experience 
helps too, for she punctuates her 
songalog with some neat stepping. 
Her seeming ^infectious feel for 
the tunes, projects itself to solid 
results. Dressed in a yellow gown, 
a cutie to start with, her appear¬ 
ance matches her talent. 

Slotted sixth, she belts out 
“Hallelujah.” “Fever” and “Com¬ 
ing Hojne Late.” She appears to 
be a good bet for some upgraded 
nitery engagements, as well as tv. 

Horo. 


PAULETTE & RENEE 
Trampoline 
10 Mins. » 

Bobino, Paris 

Switch has two girls bounding 
on the taut canvas for an offbeater 
that has merit for filler spots in 
U. S. vauders. Lowdown aspect 
provides the earthy music hall 
motif. 

A looker enters for a grinding 
hobble around the stage before the 
partner comes in for. fine leaping 
on the trampoline. Then she gets 
up for excellent arabesques and 
the two alternate in the climax 
with somersaulting through hoops 
while skipping rope. Mosk . 


ARLENE DE MARCO 

Songs j 

20 Mins. \. 

Eden Roe, Miami Beach 1 

Bookers for Arlene DeMarco, the 
leggy, attractive miss who was ful¬ 
crum for the DeMarco Sisters act 
for years, handed har a tough as¬ 
signment when they chose the 
Cafe Pompeii in this swankery for 
her break-in date. It’s an oversized 
layout that has been tough for 
more experienced and cafe-wise 
thrushes—in the case of a neo¬ 
phyte, doubly nervous without the 
supporting group she has been 
used to for so long, it was a rough 
debut. Withal, Miss DeMarco 
shows plenty of possibilities, once 
she gets her songbook in the 
right order, ^and becomes accus : 
tomed to working alone. 

Best on the upbeqt tunes, she 
has been further handicapped by 
interweave of a medley-that works 
in the slower tempos which de- 

than she now applies. When the | 
brunet hits the br ; ghter rhythmics 
such, as “Will You Be Mine?”. 
“Whoopee” and “You’re the Top” 
the effervescent quality that dis¬ 
tinguished her work with the sis¬ 
ters, is fully evident, aiud-reaction 
warming quickly. . 

Workover of her book should re¬ 
pair the weaker .elements, with 
experience gained . after, nervous 
opening shows aiding in the 
smoothening process -that should 
bring her into the upcoming-thrush 
orbit. The jump from grouorleader 
to solo-spot performer is obvious'y 
a tough one, but overall impresh 
left is that of a youngster who has 
the basic know-how and personal¬ 
ity to make it, once break-in un¬ 
certainty is replaced by the author¬ 
ity more work as a single will 
bring. Lary. 


ANNE MORRE 
Songs, Piano 
25 Mins.. 

Quaglino’s, London 

Anne Morre, a handsome colored 
girl from Baltimore, in her Lon¬ 
don cafe bow, shows a. style and 
personality that pleases. She’s a 
highly competent pianist and has 
a routine neatly fashioned for 
nitery tastes. 

Her songalog is an adroit blend 
of old-time pops and special Aate- 
rial. She’s self^accompanied, of 
course, and at times hits the ivories 
with a near-religioso fervor. That 
adds quite a touch to the general 
impression and makes for good 
showmanship. 

After an intro on the piano she 
opens vocally with “From This 
Moment On” and segues smoothly 
into a pleasing rendition of “Tea 
for Two.” “Saint Louis Blues” is a 
spirited contrast as is her cha-cha- 
cha special. “Will You Still Be 
Mine?” is a diverting entry and 
her Calypso Blues” is sung with 
obvious sincerity. Her 25-minute 
stint ends with a fine interpreta¬ 
tion of “Birth of the Blues” and 
the arrangement for this number 
is particularly good. 

Miss Morre requires only mini¬ 
mum backgrounding and this is 
given adequately by the Tim Clay¬ 
ton orch. Myro. 


MILLS’ CHIMPANZEES 
4 Mins. 

Music Hall, N.Y. 

An amusing novelty, this offers 
comic chimps (all chimps are 
comic, it seems) first in a boxing 
ring and then in a jam session on 
a bandstand. Opening bit has two 
as fighters, two as ring seconds 
and one as a spectator. 

Chimps, apparently nervous in 
the new surroundings, required 
some prodding by their trainer but 
still delivered enough comedy to 
register with the aud. Gene. 


MELITTA & WICONS 
Aerial 

5 Mins. ‘ . 

Music Hall, N. Y. ! 

A smooth aero turn, this mixed 
team draws immediate attention 
via work close to the rooftop. He 
suspends himself face downward 
and she dangles below him. It’s 
not a particularly unusual work¬ 
out—the teeth holds are included 
—but the appearance of the 
aerialists with so much space be¬ 
tween them and the boards makes 
them fascinating to watch. Aud 
palming is solid. 

A good act for vaude and vaudeo. 

Gene. 


REID TWINS 
Acro-Dance 
6 Mins. 

Empire, Glasgow 
The age-old stage trick of devis¬ 
ing a fake glass-less mirror to 
dance in identical matching.style 
opposite a partner is used to top 
effect by this duo*. 

, Only difference is that shapely 
pair are in the top-drawer in cre¬ 
ating mirror effect. Resembling 
each other strongly, they dance on 
either side of frame without a 
move out-of-step. Outfronters find 
it a pleasure to watch such well- 
rehearsed routines, and the illu- 


House Reviews 


Music Hall, N. Y. 

Russell Markert presentation unth ! 
Lillian Murphy, Ed Powell, Suz¬ 
anne Shaute, Corps de Ballet (Mar¬ 
garet Sande, director ), Music Hall 
Symphony directed by Raymond 
Paige, Melitta & Wicons, Mills’ 
Chimpanzees, Rockettes (special 
routines by Emelia Sherman ); lyr¬ 
ics, Albert Stillman; sets, Albert 
Johnson; choral ensemble directed 
by Paige; lighting, Eugene Braun; 

“ Teahouse^ of the August Moon” 
(M-G), reviewed in Variety Oct. 
17, ’56. 


Music Hall appears rushing the 

show Nov. 29. This was due, how¬ 
ever to a picture booking problem, 
there having been no film to bring 
in for one or two weeks between 
the past tenant, “Friendly Persua¬ 
sion.” and the holiday . special, 
“Teahouse of the August Moon.” 

Hall this year is continuing with 
the successful format of previous 
Yule layouts, opening with the rc- 
ligioso-themed “The Nativity” and 
following. with a colorful'‘grub-bag 
billed “Santa’s Circus.” As pro¬ 
duced by Leon.Leonidoff, both seg¬ 
ments are strong on production 
values and popular appeal. 

Show has nice [balance, the Na¬ 
tivity opener paying proper hom¬ 
age to the spiritualistic with its 
presentation of the procession to 
the child barn in the stable against 
appropriate curtain steaim effects 
and with narration by}.Ed s Powell 
and an impressive solo by Lillian 
Murphy. 

After, that it’s fun and games 
with holiday decor and costuming, 
all done under the “Jingling Bros.” 
banner. Powell and Suzanne 
Shaute start it off with a sprightly 
tune, “Alphabet Song,” and Earl 
Lippy comes on as a jolly Santa 
Claus. Melitta & Wicons in the 
next slot give the audience some¬ 
thing to mitt about with a spec¬ 
tacular aero turn (New Acts) and 
following is Mills’ Chimpanzees, 
amusing monkey business (New 
Acts). 

Hall traditionally has had a high 
standard for its year-end stage 
display and the current outing is 
no exception. It’s a big show all 
the way—there’s no stinting. The 
Rockettes, the Raymond Paige 
symph, the company of toe artists 
and the vocal group are as reliable 
as ever and the material shows 
freshness and imagination. This, 
indeed, is a tribute in view of the 
number of changes necessary from 
month to month. 

Rating a particular nod this ses¬ 
sion are the costumes, such as the 
zebra-striped togs worn by the 
Rockettes which set off their fa¬ 
miliar precision routines with 
striking effect. Gene. 


Apollo. N. V. 

The G Cleffs (5), Freddie & Flo 
(2), Margie Day, Satins (5), Frank 
Bronson, Jo Ann Campbell, Three 
Dukes, The Eldorados (4), Johnie 
Torez, Carl Holland Band (12); 
“Hilda Crane” (20th). 


The vaude layout this sesh at 
the 125th St. house accents rock 
’n’ roll. Change of pace also is 
on tap, in addition to the showcas¬ 
ing of a dandy rhythm & blues 
ofay newcomer Jo Ann Campbell 
(reviewed under New Acts). 
There’s a comedy team and a terp¬ 
ing trio to break up the soqgalog 
jeither by grottps or singletons, and 
;despite/some'weaknesses the bill’s 
seven add up to a good show, 
j The-Gai»l Holland Band opens 
:the curtain.with a loud rock ’n’ roll 
■ number, the leader and his sax 
taking* centre stage. Holland and 
the orch aren’t as much in the 
groove at mid-point, when pianist 
Frank Bronson in good pro style 
does some rock ’n’ roll solo vocal¬ 
izing, with Holland at the sax and 
the crew assisting. 

Nevertheless, the opening num¬ 
ber does set the stage for The G 
Cleffs (5) who give a polished turn 
to their three numbers, but the 
group is hardly distinguishable 
from other rock ’n’ rollers. Fred¬ 
die & Flo move in at the No. 2 
spot with a comedy bit right out of 
burlesque. Rotund, short Freddie, 
dressed outlandishly, is just funny 
to look at, and he does pretty well 
with his blue lines too, assisted 
strongly by his partner. 

Margie Day, slotted third, and 
the Three Dukes, sixth, are rer 
viewed under New Acts. The five 


sion could well be carried on for a 
couple of minutes longer. 

Distaffers finally emerge from 
frame, bow to merited mitting, and 
segue With some nifty acro-dance 
and balancing chores. Act’s preci¬ 
sion is of high order. Okay Cor 
vaude and video... Gord. 


Satins are a sol’*d r&r team, belt¬ 
ing out three numbers in good 
style. They could utilize more of 
the stylized r&r stepping'for dra¬ 
matic” punctuation, without veering 
to gyrations as one member is 
prone to do when things look dull. 
Throwing sex around onstage is 
rarely a substitute for talent. 

The Eldorados, closing, are a pro 
team, kicking up a fine r&r mood 
with their, numbers, ranging the 
slow tunes aga’nst the fast items 
in their songalog. Handling the 
intros i^Johnie Torez, who would 
do better as emcee if he didn’t 
overplay his enthusiasm for the 
acts. At this sesh, most of them 


Bobino, Paris 

Paris, Dec. 4. 

Georges Ulmer, Maria Candida, 
Charles Bernard; Jo, Jac & JoUny, 
Hurtado De Cbrdeba & Trini Rey, 
Warren tic Jean, Paulette tic Rehee, 
Fred lies Trio, Ricards (2) ; $1.50 
top. 


After a turn at the Moulin Rouge 
nitery Georges Ulmer winds his 
Parisian stay, at this house. Show 
ends the middle of December and 
Ulmer then has a one-shot tv date 
stateside on the Ed Sullivan show. 
Cutting out his overworked man¬ 
nerisms that slowed, him at the 
Rouge, Ulmer: goes' right into his. 
best impressionist . work at this 
house and scores roundly.. Shorn 
of his James Cagney tics, he is a 
subtle. impressionist, assisted by a 
good voice and catchy .self-cleffed 
tunes. His takeoffs on Tarzan; a 
waiter enamored of bullfighters 
who comes to* work garbed as one; 
a solid entry about a suspicious 
French tourist a broad, etc., com¬ 
bine to make this a fine act due 
for good U.S. reaction. 

Rest of show delivers some fine 
entertainment if overly loaded on 
comedy with a slight overdose of 
parody in lieu of the needed 
straight numbers. Charles Bernard 
lous patter for good returns, 
brings a chansonnier note of acidu- 
Kurtado De Cordoba & Trini Rey 
do an adapted Hispano dance 
routine which loses its flair in its 
watering down for house needs but 
has a good physical look. Fewer 
concessions and more dynamism 
would make this more acceptable. 

Maria Candido has come from 
operetta to rise as a pop favorite 
here. Svelte .looker has stance , but 
delivers with a soubrettish air and 
glissando that make her more local 
in appeal rather than an interna¬ 
tional bet. Shorn of some of the 
operetta mannerisms and soprano 
tactics, she couldsjjdevelop into a 
fine staple, and her wit and clever 
rep could make her a natural for 
intime room work. As is, she is 
still too set in attitude and material 
for anything but local chances 
until she alters her style and song 
methods and adapts her big voice 
for the more modern contingencies. 

Fred lies Trio are two men in 
tails and a smartly garbe^ woman 
who start posh and then go into a 
determined .slapstick acro-dance 
routine. Though good dancers, 
their overstated insistence and 
brutality in the knockabout aspects 
make this somewhat, overstacked 
on this program. More ease and 
care in programming will make 
this a good filler in many situa¬ 
tions. Ricards (2), on the other 
hand, know how to do a pratfall bit 
with the. aplomb' and spontaneity 
that provide comedy instead of 
grimaces. Their clockwork act is 
worth pegging under ( New Acts, as 
are the trampline comedies of 
Paulette & Renee and the clever 
comedy-terp routine bf Jo, Jac & 
Joni. 

Warren & Jean give a good low- 
down house fillip to the show in a 
heavily mugged number which ex¬ 
plodes for bellylaughs on down¬ 
right zany antics of the duo who 
mess up their dance, sing and aero 
attempts, to make this a welcome 
staple to any vaude show. Mosk. 


Metropolis Glasgow 

Glasgow, Dec. 4. 

Fraser NeaH presentation of 
“Scotland the Brave,” tartan musi¬ 
cal spectacle with Grade Clark & 
Colin Murray, Nicky Kidd, Fran¬ 
cis Langford’s Singing Scholars 
(12), Cameron & Campbell, John & 
Betty Royle, St. Dennis Sister (2), 
George Burton, Hugh Mcllroy, Will 
Hannah, Moxon Young Ladies (16), 
Jack Masterton Orch. 

Produced by Fraser Neal, local 
impresario and megger, annual 
tartan-hued layout again owes 
most of its success to wide appeal 
. (Continued on page 76) 



74 


wicHT ctinai 


* (JopMcnliRitA^ Y« 

Jimmy 'Durante, Eddie* Jackson, 
Jack Roth, Jules • Bufftmo; Karen 
Chandler, The Cerneys (2); June 
Allyn, Tony Reynolds, Jackie Met¬ 
calf; Michael Durso and Frank 
Marti Bands; staged by Douglas 
Coudy; songs Durso, Mel Mitchell 
& Marvin Kahn; costumes, Sal An¬ 
thony (Mme Berthe); orchestra¬ 
tions, Deac Eberhafd; $5 minimum. 


Annual returns of Joe E. Lewis 
and the Great Schnozzola are al¬ 
ways ‘‘events” in Gotham nitery 
annals, and Jimmy Durante’s re¬ 
turn is no exception. 

The Great Profile has now 
reached the stage where he can do' 
no wrong but, to insure against 
that, the canny showman^fortifies 
himself constantly. A major dis¬ 
appointment was George Raft's in¬ 
ability to make it as his “surprise^ 
entry, a la the Peter Lawford bit 
7asT~yeaf '"which~~inctdenta1iy pro- 
jected the latte importantly anew 
—and instead he had. Ben Wrigley, 
the very wriggly eccentric dancer 
for a comedy bit. 

Foiled by a Capable sextet of 
lookers, who have been with him on 
tv, along with a couple of tall 
blondes and a big redhead, the 
glam nonsense is offbeat—but it’s 
also loaded with s.a. Durante is 
too shrewd a showman to overlook 
those values and he makes much 
of them before going into the' sen¬ 
timental cavalcade with Eddie 
Jackson. Latter, just recovered 
from a throat op, trouped as of 
yore, sang well and foiled for “Rag¬ 
time Jimmy.” The lone spotlight 
on the “absent’* Lou Clayton was 
a sentimental touch which only 
Durante could project and weather. 
He’s obviously above any “kind 
applause”, bit, and it registers, 
particularly with the Manhattan 
vets. 

Jackie Barnett, staff songsmith 
for Durante & Co., and no slouch 
personally as a performer,, pianol- 
oged “Lonesome for the Guy in the 
Men’s Room.” Durante cut-up 
with the prop toupee; and the 
hokum ballet stuff; mayhemed the 
piano per usual; brought on Wrig¬ 
ley, alias “Elvis Pretzel,” whose 
semi-contortive, neck-crane, dance- 
style borders on pretzel-bending 
himself. 

The “Club Durant” blowoff. al¬ 
ways surefire, interlards “Well 
Dressed Man,” “Umbriago” with 
Jules Buffano at the companion pi¬ 
ano, and the Clayton, Jackson & 
Durante nostalgic reprise. For a top¬ 
per, and in salute to Walter Winch- 
ell, in " attendance opening night, 
Durante recalled that both had, 
written “She’s A Cow/’ a period 
comedy numbr typical of the 
speakeasy era (circa Yacht Club 
Boys, Chic Endor & Charles Far¬ 
rell). It served to trailerize Du¬ 
rante’s guest-shot on Winchell’s 
teeveer the next night (Friday). Du¬ 
rante said they wrote “Cow” in 
1923 “when yqj*. were on the old 
NY. Graphic”; Winchell corrected 
him he was then still on the Vaude¬ 
ville News. 

Karen Chandler, sub-billed, is a 
good, rhythm singer who errs by 
doing at least one number too 
many. “My Pops Ain’t Op” (for 
opera) was the best, but came on 
too late. The boudoir version of 
“Two. Sleepy People” is more Ru- 
ban Bleu than Copa, and not ex¬ 
actly for her forthright style. 
“Without You.” “Boulevard of 
Broken Dreams” and “All Right 
With Me” are belted out in nice 
style. She’s a ^ good ballad pur¬ 
veyor and doesn’t need the “soph¬ 
isticated” boite belt brand of num¬ 
ber like that schizo version. 

The dancing Cerneys also err on 
length. They run the gamut from 
waltz to rhumba to paso doble, and 
the five different routines are over¬ 
board. They are skillful and pro 
in what they do, but do too much 
of it; editing down would sharpen 
their impact. 

The Copabeauts are back to their 
pulchritudinous par and Sal An¬ 
thony (Mme Berthe) has costumed 
them well throughout. The ca¬ 
lypso “Chaperone” number, with 
those cute derbies, is particularly 
standout. June Allyn and Tony 
Reynolds are the vocal number- 
leaders and Jackie Metcalf does the 
terp interludes. 

As previously observed, the Doug 
Coudy pattern has been tried ana 
found beaucoup clicko so there is 
always the hazard of “rewriting a 
hit,” but none the! less the presen¬ 
tation formula has now become so 
familiar that perhaps a reshuffling 
of values might produce an en¬ 
hancement. But there’s nothing 
wrong With this holiday show—Du¬ 
rante is Xmas money in the bank 
for this Jules Podell operation. 

Abel. 


Slioreliam Hotel, Wash. 

Washington, Dec. 1. 
Roily Rolls & Combo (5); $1 
cover. 


Roily Rolls, long a solo enter¬ 
tainer in vaude and niteries, is 


Rfivtasw# 


both entertaining and sporting a 
combo of his own for daitelhg in 
the Shoreham’s plush Palladian 
Room; He'has broken in his new : 
presentation in the past few weeks 
and is now set for an indefinite 
irun in this spot. 

There is no question that he 
tries hard to please and that the 
customers like him well enough so 
that repeats in the audience are no 
exception^ The dance band, with 
which he works, consists of piano, 
bass, trumpet, sax and drums. 

When Rolls goes on for his act, 
he is backed up by the little orch; 
but hardly needs it. Rolls, whose 
hands are nearly as fast on the 
keys as those of Liberace, ranges 
from such old standards as “Dark 
Town Strutters’ Ball” and a Cole 
Porter medley, to his cbmic spe¬ 
cialities—the bashful child piano 
player, jitterbugging youth at the 
keyboard, imitation of an old-fash¬ 
ioned piano roll, etc. 

_ Bolls -gets close to his audi e nce ,. 
He calls out for numbers to play 
and reels them off. He also works 
the ringside tables, playing a min¬ 
iature accordion . which seems to 
have a special fascination fop peo¬ 
ple. Although he has been long in 
this country, he adds a nice Gallic 
flavor, to everything he does,, 
which makes his act different from 
similar "ones by Americans. 

Lowe. 


Sdnds 9 Las Vegas 

Los . Vegas, Dec. 1. 

Jerry Lewis, with“Georgine Dar¬ 
cy, Judy Scott, Aristocrats (7), Lou 
Brown, Ray Toland; Bob Devoye 
Trio, Copa Girls (12)', Chuck Nel¬ 
son, Antonio Morelli Orch; $2 mini¬ 
mum. 


Jerry Lewis’ first engagement 
as a solo nitery star—meaning his 
first time away from Dean Martin, 
with whom he comprised the top¬ 
grossing Comedy team in show biz, 
in over 12 years—is drawing a 
great deal of attention and what 
business there is on the Strip (lur¬ 
ing the pre-holiday dog days. 
Lewis is here fpr three weeks, at 
$25,000 per, and doing well if not 
sock while getting accustomed to 
his status as a solo entertainer. 
Audiences, too, find it necessary to 
get used to what looks like a “new” 
Lewis. (See New Acts.) 

On the 60-minute show with 
him is a new young singer, Judy 
Scott (New Acts); a shapely, sexy 
blonde Georgine Darcy, who works 
two comedy bits with the come¬ 
dian; the holdover Bob Devoye 
Trio, two men and a redheaded 
beaut, exceptionally good adagio- 
ists; and, of course, the Copa Girls 
(12) and singer Chuck Nelson. Lat¬ 
ter and the chorus do an oriental 
production number at the opening 
which is also a leftover from Jack 
Entratter’s previous show here. 

At night Friday (30>, second of 
.Lewis’ run, Buddy Bregman con¬ 
ducted Antonio Morelli’s fine 
house orch, with Lou Brown, pi¬ 
ano, and Ray Toland, drums, acting 
as Lewis’ special accompanists. 
Press was held out at Lewis’ open¬ 
ing. the comedian wishing to set 
his material before the critics saw 
him. Opening night, it’s said, his 
act ran nearly 80 minutes, which 
means that the shears were really 
given a workout to get him down 
to the 44 minutes he did the sec¬ 
ond night. Scho. 


Hotel Muehlebach, K. ۥ 

Kansas City. Nov. 26. 
Johnny Dugan, Delores Gay, 
Tommy Reed Orch (8); $1-$1.50 
cover. 


Terrace Grill of the Mpehlebach 
has a combo of terp- and songs and 
comedy for the current fortnight, 
both tapster Delores Gay and sing¬ 
ing comedian Johnny Dugan being 
in for first go in the. plush : ropm. 
Show is properly Spread over '35 
minutes and sums as moderate en¬ 
tertainment. 

Miss Gay has the opening spot 
and taps out a quartet of routines, 
building to a fast finish. A 
shapely blonde in a blue brief, she 
takes off on a fast waltz tap, and 
switches to a rhythm ballet for 
second turn. Peak effort is a whirl¬ 
ing dervish bit, tapping the while 
she spins and circles the floor. 

Until recently Johnny Dugan 
was with NBC singing on tv shows 
from the Coast. Lately he has 
taken to night club and hotel work, 
too, and is entwining comedy chat¬ 
ter with his lists of songs. Vocal-, 
ly he registers well, singing a med¬ 
ley of “Good Day” and “Hallelu¬ 
jah,” “If It Weren’t for the Irish,” 
“Anything Goes,” “The Glory of 
Love,’ and “Granada’ in Spanish 
for a powerful finish. His comedy 
has some high spots, notably his 
poking fun at marriage and in-laws, 
good for some hearty 'response. 
But generally his comedy, in mate¬ 
rial and in delivery, isn’t up to his 
singing forte. He’s pleasant 
enough, and Irish enough, and 
with more use the blend of com¬ 
edy and song may improve. Quin, \ 


Vtidiiefldiijrf Becember n 5y 1956 



Rei!Crciiine:.de. la.Fromage 



Debut at Coast’s Chi Chi 

By FRANK SCULLY 

Palm Springs," Dec. 4. 

After seven months . of looking 
like a bombed-out boite de nuit, 
the vast alterations of the Chi Chi 
Starlite Room are about completed 
and Irwin Schumann may now 
claim to have-"jhe most beautiful 
workshop for entertainers and 
night owls in thb country. How he 
will ever fill it to recoup a nut of 
$600,000 is his problem, but it does 
not seem to bother^ him in the 
slightest. 

Transformed nitery now seats 
500 comfortably and 650 with a 
little crowding, which would be 
welcome, as it is-quite a chore for 

customers to this village eicept 
Saturday night, especially with Las 
Vegas just about as close in flying 
time to L.A.' as is Palm Springs. 

Chief attraction.; last week was 
Ginny Simms; who never worked 
the cabaret circuit before. Her 
opening was preceded by a cocktail 
party which attracted the creme de 
la fromage. More than 200 attended 
and most of them spilled over into 
Chi Chi for t the. dinner and the 
show. Among theni were Bob 
Hope, Frances Langford, Virginia 
O’Brien, Broderick Crawford and 
George CamerOn, owner of the 
Desert Sun and Station. KDES, who 
picked up the tab for 40 of his 
hired hands in honor of the home¬ 
town girl. 

For Ginny Simms is rated a 
native-born, though actually from 
Texas. But since she retired some 
years ago she has lived in Palm 
Springs, dividing her time between 
being a playgirl and a serious 
mother raising two sub-teenage 
boys. 

Many had forgotten that she was 
a singer and : had begun her spo¬ 
radic career as soloist with Kay 
Kyser’s band. But they could not 
forget it after her Chi Chi opening. 
Earl Brent put the act together 


Clft Clii, Palm Springs 

Ginny Simms, Morey Amster¬ 
dam, The Appletons (3), Bill Alex¬ 
ander Orch (7); $2,-$2.50 cover 


for her and. it gave her an oppor¬ 
tunity to show how wide her vocal 
talent ranges. She sang everything 
from “I’ve Grown Accustomed To 
Your Face” to “Last Night,” a new 
r&r number Brent dashed off for 
her. In fact the lyrics on this one 
were so hot they were scribbled on 
a sheet of paper and presumably 
lost by Bill Alexander before the 
singer could memorize them by the 
third night; ' ' 

High point in 'her r songfest was 
a ipedley of Oscar-winning songs. 
She went as far back as “The Con¬ 
tinental” (1934) and came up to 
“Love Is A Many Splendored 
Thing” (1955). Along the way she 
sang “Zippydedooda” (1947 winner), 
“Over The Rainbow” (1939), “White 
Christmas” (1942), “You’ll Never 
Know How I Miss You” (1943) and 
“Thanks For *he Memory,” Hope’s 
big one which won an Oscar in 
1938. 

To say she sings these better 
than those who introduced them 
would probably be gilding the 
Ginny, but she obviously during 
her long layoff has not completely 
neglected her musical homework. 
She has a buxom charm, the eyes 
of a gazelle and, as she proved in 
an encore of “St. Louis Blues,” can 
belt out an oldie., with the best 
of them. 

Now and then it appeared she 
had mike trouble but actually it 
was the engineers, who had it, and 
understandably so, for the house 
is still in the shakedown cruise 
stage. House’s Chairs, linen and 
stage are done in .pale pink and 
Miss Simms dressed to match the 
color scheme. 

Place actually opened with Lil¬ 
lian Roth a couple of weeks ago, 
followed by Ella Fitzgerald, but 
these girls • were singing with the 
noise of carpenters’ hammers still 
ringing in their ears. Earlier in the 
season, attractions were staging 
with one whole wall opened to the 
stars and sidemen more crowded 
than if they worked in the subway. 
But by now .there’s plenty of room, 
if enough people can be found to 
fill it. 

Eddie Davidson has;- booked 
Hildegarde and after her Helen 
Traubel to follow Ginny Simms, 
who was in for eight days and then 
lays off for the holidays. She has 
an act that could be booked through 
the year but she is determined to 
split her time with her family, 
which is fine for her kids and a 
real loss to those who can’t sleep 
till dawn., . 

On the bill with Miss Simms 
was Morey Amsterdam, in Palm 
Springs for the first time in 17 


I years, and a bit depressed by-’ the 
[splendor of the new house.and.the 
wide open spaces where bb hoped 
people would be. His suspicion was" 
that he was “packing them out” 
and his frustration routine never 
sounded so much from the-heart 
as it did here. His blue gags 
brought some chuckles-but hardly* 
more than they Would have’ among 
grave-diggers at Forest Lawn. 

Bill opened With the Appletons, 
an Apache dance act that was 
shorter than a crewcut but even 
so included everything from table¬ 
tossing to knife-throwing. * It de¬ 
served more time. 


Eden Roe, Miami Beach 

Miami Beach, Dec. 2. 
The Novelties, Hal LeRoy, Arlene 
DeMarco, Mai Malkin OrCh; $3.50- 
$4 minimum. 


1 The Novelites are disproving^ a 

P^^iL^ wFth m its^ posh seP" 
ting, is not exactly the type of 
room a tumult a*t would fit. The 
trio, for years one of the stronger 
supporting acts in the indie cafes 
around town, can now be accepted 
as suitable topliners by the hotel- 
cafes, based on current impact on 
audiences in the Eden Roc’s club. 

They’re still ace instrumentalists 
on bass, guitar and accordion and 
don’t neglect that phase in their 
comedy-angled act, taking off pn 
straight classic during one se¬ 
quence for big returns. It makes 
for a smart break in the overall 
pattern of new zany material which 
is major facet of their routining. 
Once they set themselves With 
their standard hillbilly lampoon,- 
the character of the ke^-mugger— 
the accordionist—established, the 
rest of the course is an upbeat pne 
in the laugh department. Topper 
is a whirlwind breakup set of 
character bits, the briefies utiliz¬ 
ing an assortment of weird hats, 
wigs and other props to build 
themselves a howling windup and 
resultant encores. 

Hal LeRoy in the teeoff slot 
(switched to middle spot after 
opening night) is his usual slick 
tapster. The agile, easyjointed vet 
makes it all look easy and garners 
ascending mitting with his nimble 
hoofery and ingratiating approach 
via intro-talk. Arlene DeMarco, on 
her own as a single (see New Acts) 
assigned a tough room in which to 
try her wings, overall manages to 
add up as a pleasant songstress. 
Mai Malkin and his orch back¬ 
ground in ace manner.with Malkin 
dittoing on the emcee chore. 

The Novelites hold over for next 
stanza with Don Cornell and the 
Mambo Aces coming in to round 
out the show beginning the 6th. 

Lary, 


Blinstrub’s, Boston 

Boston; Nov v 30. 

Tony Bennett (Chuck Wayne, 
Billy Exener), Lottie Brun, Sin¬ 
clair & Alda, Charlivel Trio, Moro- 
Landis Line (10), Stewart Rose, 
Michael Gaylord Orch (10), Lou 
Weir; $3 minimum. 

Tony Bennett, long a fave here, 
is bringing hefty biz across the 
bridge to boniface Stanley Blin- 
strub’s big spot with cap biz re¬ 
corded every night since opening 
Monday (26). Punching his num¬ 
bers and using dramatic spots and 
a cigaret lighting and smoking bit, 
he works to strong returns. 

Bennett goes off ahead after 
wrapping up aud with “Lost in the 
Stars,” piped for ultimate with 
tiny green spot of light at his side 
symbolizing little lad to whom 
song is aimed. Aud tabbed his 
“Since My Love Has Gone,” sung 
from a stool in sad sweet style, as 
winner. With Chuck Wayne on 
the guitar and Billy Exener on 
drums. 

Lottie Brun gets big reaction 
with fast-paced flash juggling ac¬ 
companied by bouncy terping. 
Nicely costumed, brunet is one of 
the speediest jugglers caught here 
and a crowd-pleaser always. Sin¬ 
clair & Alda are smart with slick 
spins and twirls and ballroom 
terping. Cute “Give Me a Little 
Kiss” routine gets nice response. 

Charlivel Trio score smash with 
practically everything in the book, 
terping, piping, playing * instru¬ 
ments, and aero work for versatile 
presentation. Three personable 
youngsters open piping “I’m Gonna 
Live Till I Die” and then break it 
up with one at the 88, one on clari¬ 
net, and third acroterping for big 
flash. They go classical with 
Gershwin’s “Concerto in F” and 
Ravel’s “Bolero” with impression¬ 
istic teming and win big mitt. 

Eye filling Moro-Landis line gets 
off two hotsy production numbers 
with Stewart Rose piping slickly. 
Mike Gaylord cuts the show in fine 
style and pipes a few during the 
dance sets. Lou Weir makes the 
organ talk during the dance inter¬ 
ludes. Tony Bennett closes Sun¬ 
day (2). Lonnie Sattin opens Mon¬ 
day^ (3). Balance of show holds 
through Sunday (9). Guy. 


Hotel 8t. Regfe, N. Y- 

i * Margarita Sierra, Milt Shaw dnd 
Ray Bari Orchs; $1.50-$2 cover , - 

Margarita Sierra has come a 
long way in a single season. She 
; has traveled from the Viennese 
i Lantern in the YorkvllJe section of 
New York to posh Maisonette of 
the-Hotel St. Regis, which com-' 
paratively speaking is virtually as 
tgreat a distance as from her native 
Spain, from which she was im¬ 
ported earlier this year by Lantern 
operator Max Lowe. 

Thus Miss Sierra becomes a new 
[face on the hotel circuit, with indi¬ 
cations that she’ll be a repeater in 
the inns for some time. She’s a 
personable singer who works bi- 
lingually with an assortment of 
tunes familiar to most, but with 
sufficient variations and individu¬ 
alistic interpretations to freshen 
up the numbers. Miss Sierra works 
with a concealed m ike that all ows 
ner maximum movementT~anH“sfie ~ 
makes good use of her forays 
around the floor by getting on fa¬ 
miliar terms with the ringsiders. 
The senorita does terp interpola¬ 
tions at, times, works the cas¬ 
tanets and behaves the way all 
good Spanish singers should. 

Even her tunes are in the Iber¬ 
ian category and encompass such 
familiar items as “Clavelicos,” 
“Lisbon Antigua,” “April in Por¬ 
tugal” and a couple of tango airs 
that are easily digested. For the 
novelty department, there’s a 
Spanish version of “Rains in 
Spain” in which she’s aided by 
placards with a phonetic tr&n£la- 
iion of the Loewe-Lerner “My Fair 
Lady” opus in her native tongue, 
and in the same vein, “Could Have 
Danced All Night.” 

It's always debatable whether a 
new personality should. traverse 
: familiar song paths or attempt an 
infusion of new numbers to pro¬ 
vide further distinguishing marks. 
There are many points of differen¬ 
tiation in Miss Sierra’s treatment 
of her numbers. She’s an engaging 
stylist with a heavy accent on per¬ 
sonality, and this provides a few 
departures from the well-traveled 
groove. However, a girl can’t bo 
blamed for playing it safe, espe¬ 
cially on so important a date as her 
first midtown N. Y.’ stand. The 
thrill of discovery, hoover, cduld 
be greater for the audience with 
some less familiar material/ 

Milt Shaw gives Miss Sierra a 
solid musical base and Ray Bari’s 
latunesters fill the gap between the 
native-styled music. Jose. 


Mapes Skyroom, Reno 

.Reno, Nov. 26. 

Jimmy Nelson, Helen Forrest , 
Little Herman, Skylets, Eddie Fitz-. 
Patrick Orch; $2 minimum. 

For pure technique, Jimmy Nel¬ 
son must certainly head the list of 
ventriloquists. Handling two 
voices in rapid-fire conversation, 
besides his “own” voice, there’s 
hardly a trace of lip or throat 
movement. Nelson has taken ven¬ 
triloquism a step or two further in>" 
creating his wonderful characters, 
too. It’s more with long silences 
and slight movements that the 
characters take on even more real¬ 
ism. 

There are the obvious dufamy 
jokes about splinters and the like, 
but mostly it’s not the punchline 
that sells—it’s simply the charm of 
conversational dummies. The fast 
three-way “Rag Mop” brings the 
enjoyable sequence to a fine clos¬ 
ing. 

Helen Forrest, who had record 
hits when they were less easy to 
come by—especially for a “single” 
artist singing with a band, has no 
trouble reminding tablers of her 
contribution to music 15 years ago. 
“I Don’t Want to Walk Without 
You,” “I Had the Craziest Dream,” 
“I Cried For You”—all take the 
scene back to the early war yeai;s 
and before. Still sung with the 
same full voice, without the slight¬ 
est change, she creates more than a 
little nostalgia. 

Aside from this. Miss Forrest de¬ 
livers a straight singing act with ne 
gimmicks or “material.” Some 
standards are evident and “I Wish 
I Could Shimmy Like My Sister 
Kate” takes the spot as the laugh 
number. 

Little Herman,, probably heldrfo 
the minimum time on this bill, be¬ 
gins at the end. After a short burst 
of music, he spends a very long 
time in a kind of exercise sans 
music. It’s an exhausting demon¬ 
stration of footwork which comes 
too early, lasts too long. He would 
fare far better with a couple of 
lighter routines than this extra 
long and strenuous job. 

The Skylets begin with Red Gar¬ 
ters, eventually thrown tq t the cus¬ 
tomers, and pr.ecede Nelson with 
a philsosophic discourse on “Wom¬ 
an.” One’s an angel, ballerina 
type, the other is a devil, burles¬ 
que type. Eddie Fitzpatrick’s 
band makes excellent use of Helen 
Forrest’s arrangements. Mark. 


75 


Wednesday, December 5, 1956 


f^mfr 


NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 


Pierre, N. Y. 

Margwrite piazza, with John 
Smolko; Stanley Melba Orch con¬ 
ducted by Joe oudy, Alan Holmes 
Orch ; $2-$2.50 cover. . 

Marguerite' Piazza, who bears a 
long and strong vocal history that 
includes a stand* with the Met and 
an extended term on one of video’s 
earliest weekly specs, “Show of 
Shows," seems to have found a 
niche that has made her a staple 
on the posh hotel timq. 

Miss Piazza, a returnee to the 
Cotillion Room, has an extremely 
lively act that reaps a warm and 
rewarding mitt during her 45-min¬ 
ute stint. But no matter what gim¬ 
micks are inserted in her turn, a 
return to essentials such as the 
rendition of “Un del di” gives the 
customers a strong indication that 
behind the facade of production, 
lighting and a lot of fancy arrange- 

voice that commands respect and 
attention. Her occasional lapse 
from the primrose path of produc¬ 
tion brings to' the fore the fact 
that she can sing like an expert 
and could conceivably make her 
* own in this precarious business on 
the basis of her vocal ability. 

Miss Piazza, as it is, runs the 
gamut from Dixieland to opera, 
with several changes of costume 
and with the aid of a set, an accom- 

S anist and an assisting dancer, 
ohn Smolko. It’s a heavily pro¬ 
duced act, which sometimes serves 
to obscure the fact that Miss Piazza 
has excellently trained pipes. 
There are several changes of cos- 
■ tume, from a bouffant gown down 
to oldfashioned pantaloons, into 
men’s pajamas, a kimono*for the 
“Mme, Butterfly” excerpt. All of 
this has been neatly blueprinted 
so that the act goes off as a model 
of smoothness. Her incidental 
terps are a strong part of the turn 
and Smolko, in a student prince 
uniform and a distinguished look¬ 
ing chin piece, lends a dignity and 
a terplng skill to the proceedings. 

At one stage of the proceedings 
prior to donning pajamas, Miss 
Piazza goes behind the screen and 
simulates the taking of a cham¬ 
pagne* bath. Should this trend of 
singers wanting to make a clean 
breast of it continue, a girl’s friend 
is likely to be her plumber. It’s 
recalled that Lisa Kirk “showered” 
at the Plaza and the Waldorf floor- 
shows this season, and there are 
others performing similar ablu¬ 
tions . 

Musically, Miss Piazza tackles 
such diverse tunes as “Wien,” “La 
Danza,” “Basin St.,” “Birth of the 
Blues” and a few others, and hence 
there’s no lack of variety. Visual¬ 
ly, Miss Piazza has an arresting 
beauty and her turn makes for an 
entertaining interlude; this is de¬ 
spite some of the obvious over¬ 
production including lighting 
which had a passage of the lob- 
sterscope. 

Stanley Melba's orch, helmed by 
Joe Sudy, showbacks authoritative¬ 
ly and similarly rates high in the 
dansapation dept. Alan Holmes re¬ 
lieves likeably. Jose. 


Crescendo, Hollywood 

. Hollywood, Dec. 1. 
Paul Gilbert, April Ames, Ray 


The Village, S. F. 

San Francisco, Nov. 29. 
Roberta Linn, Rose Murphy (with 
Bruce Lawrence), The Linns (2), 
Joy Healy Dancers (6), Joe Kir- 
chen, Leon Radsliffe Orch (8); 
$1.50 cover. 


The Village looks as If it may 
haye a winning double bill with 
what on paper appeared to be un¬ 
likely material before last night’s 
opening. But Roberta Linn tuhis 
out to be a sincere performer who 
can belt out a song the way it was 
written, and Rose (Chi Chi) Mur¬ 
phy adds enough contrasting spice 
in the No. 2 billing to counteract 
any saccharine tendencies in.Miss 
Linn. 

Miss Linn is a cutie who stars 
her 35-minute stint in a fetching, 
off-the-shoulder pink gown and 
winds up in a silver swimsuit that 
shows her figure to Tine advantage. 
She comes on with a fairly weak 
introductory Specialty about how 
she wants to sing all sdrts of songs, 
then moves into a string of stand¬ 
ards, “I ("Could Have Danced All 
Night,” “True Love,” “Everything 
Happens to Me” (the latter replete 
with phony accidents). She follows 
with a handclapping specialty, 
“You Look Up to Him,” which she 
wrote herself, and plunges into a 
medley of’favorites her uncle, A1 
Dubin, wrote. These include “Danc¬ 
ing with Tears in My Eyes,” “42nd 
Street,” “I Only Have Eyes for 
You,” “Lulu's Back in Town,” and, 
wiiile she gets a big mitt, “Lullaby 
of Broadway.” Everything comes 
out bell-clear and strong—mike or 
no, she. can sell these numbers. 
Final song, done Very effectively, 
is “Bill.” 

Miss Murphy, capacious and 
eternally grinning, wraps Her solid 
pianist's hands and tiny voice 
around such tunes as “Me and My 
Shadow,” “Mean to Me,” “Cecilia,” 
“You Were Made for Me,” “Time 


on My Hands” and a bit of boogie- 
woogie.) v 

She closes, of course, with “I 
Can’t Give You Anything .But Love, 
Baby,” and rates a. good mitt, with 
bassist Bruce Lawrence. Main 
fault with .Miss Murphy’s bit is 
that she plays an upright, and part 
of room therefore misses her al¬ 
together. A baby grand might rem¬ 
edy this. 

Joy Healy Dancers seem to know 
their routines pretty Well. The 
Linns are okay as featured ballet 
team and Joe Kirchen emcees 
smoothly, sings adequately. Leon 
Radsliffe orch is smooth back¬ 
grounds nicely. Show runs through 
Dec. 11, should put a smile on 
owner Chuck Johnston’s face. 

Stef. 


El Raneho, La* Vega* 

Las Vegas, Nov. 28. 
Lisa Kirk, Morty Gunty, Renee 
Molnar Dancers (8), El Rancho 
Oroh (13); $2 minimum. 


Surveying the jampacked room 
for his Friday night (30) opening, 
Paul Gilbert struck his only serious 
note of the late evening when he 
smacked his lips over the phras¬ 
ing, “it’s good to see some pepple 
In a night club for a change.” That 
his name out front broughtejn the 
revelers must be accepted. He did 
it before on his last stand. Toward 
midnight the proof was positive. He 
kept them howling and left them 
limp. 

One day he’ll come across a set 
of writers who fancy his violent 
style and he should be off to the 
races like another night club 
alumnus, George Gobel, who lan¬ 
guished in bistros until his dis¬ 
covery by NBC’s Hal Kemp. What 
Gilbert needs most is material like 
the telephone quiz bit he did in 
tv and his current howler, the 
takeoff on “Medic.” What else 
passed for raucous comedy was 
brought off by dint of his own vigor 
and knowing how to punch and 
time his lines* The throwaways he 
skillfully manipulated. 

With Gilbert, it’s anything for a 
laugh, even to dropping his pants. 
He’s yet to tone down the coarse¬ 
ness but there was noticeable im 
provement over his previous times 
around. But the cover-lifters didn’t 
seem to mind, so he gave it to 
them in large doses. He can take 
a pratfall with the best of them 
and tried out some new routines 
that needed more than his ex¬ 
plosive antics. His stereophonic 
sound bit and the racetrack skit 
didn’t seem 0 worth all the trouble. 
Sharper and shorter gags would be 
more in his metier. 

April Ames is a personable chirp 
with tonal quality and in no hurry 
to get through a song. Ray Toland’s 
instrumental sextet sufficed. Bill 
launched Nov. 30 for 10 days. 

Helm. 


Eddys’, K. C. 

Kansas City, Nov. 30. 
Don Cherry, Stanton & Peddie, 
Tony DiPardo Orch (8); $1-$1.50 
cover. 


Eddys’ has added another of the 
male pop singers to its show and 
lists in Don Cherry, and with him 
on two-week session is comedy 
team of Stanton & Peddie. Two 
acts make a 50-minute stint, and 
some opening-night creaks showed 
through enough to slow the enter¬ 
tainment to a medium medium 
turn. Still, in his first appearance 
at a downtown bistro Cherry seems 
to have a magnetic way, and the 
house is in for good biz for .the 
fortnight. 

Dan Stanton & Eddie Peddie 
have put together their antics on 
the Martin & Lewis pattern, with 
Handsome Dan as the straightman 
singer and ready Eddie throwing 
in the wady ingredients. After a 
straight opening song by Stanton, 
pair clown the rest *of the way, 
with Peddie fooling with a har¬ 
monica, string bass and guitar at 
times, and the two taking turns on 
a series of impressions. It’s Stan¬ 
ton On King Cole, Don Cornell and 
Dean Martin for earnest tries, and 
Peddie kidding Presley, M. Monroe 
and J. Ray. They picked it up con' 
siderable after a light start, and 
managed to draw moderately good 
hand at close. 

Cherry makes the pace leisurely 
throughout, working in an octet of 
numbers, three of them his Colum¬ 
bia label bestsellers. Route in¬ 
cludes “I'm Gonna Live Till I Die,” 
“I Could Have Told You,” “Ghost 
Town,” “Green Door,” “Smtfck 
Dab in the Middle,” “Friendly 
Persuasion,” “Band of Gold,” and 
he encores on “Wild Cherries.” 
Last three catch on stfongly for 
big hand at close. Cherry is on the 
homey side, tosseis in a bit of 
chatter between numbers and 
sticks to the casual-informal man¬ 
ner. 

Show holds through Dec. -13, 
with Connee Boswell and George 
Hopkins taking over on the 14th. 

Quin. 


The easy giant step with which 
Lisa Kirk bridges the mileage 
between the patrons of Gotham’s 
Waldorf-Astoria (and the . Plaza’s 
Persian Room) and Vegas’ El 
Rancho indicates that she has the 
kind of act that will -excite any 
crowd of night clubbers. Her four- 
frame tour of the Rancho’s Opera 
House is a continuation of her now 
familiar svelte songology, larded 
with slick production flourishes, 
that runs a gamut of posh, sophis¬ 
ticated cafe trillings. 

Perhaps the most important 
keystone to Miss Kirk's success 
here, or anywhere for that matter, 
is the wealth of show biz savvy 
which she employs to full use to 


Her emoting enables her to deftly 
accomplish neat transitions from 
song to song. She bubbles with 
“Everything Goes,” reflects depth 
and poignancy with “I Loved Him,” 
is stormy in “Why Can’t You 
Behave,” effects visual as well as 
vocal throb in “You’re Sensa¬ 
tional,” and is sly when she turns 
to “Garden of Paradise” and “Good 
Little Girls Go To Heaven.” 

Plenty of coin and thought has 
been invested on Miss Kirk!s props, 
wardrobe and material, hence her 
performance is also a study in neat 
production which, while sometimes 
extremely complicated, never be¬ 
comes awkward or cumbersome. A 
‘Monitor” interview (replete with 
the NBC radio show’s sound identi¬ 
ty) themes her backstage sequences 
and draws howls. Song duos with 
Buddy Pepper are very infectious. 
Pepper is a show in himself as he 
keybords Miss Kirk’s background 
and directs her zingy musical ar¬ 
rangements. Wrap-up has her sing¬ 
ing in a shower onstage, a turn 
that hardly cools the effectiveness 
of her act one bit. 

Morty Gunty, a bright young 
monologist, continues in the sup¬ 
porting slot from the previous bill. 
For this segment, Gunty has in¬ 
serted fresh material, retaining 
only those pieces of business, like 
his begoff “Pm a Clown” nifty, 
that are surefire and- essential to 
the continuity of his act. His 
spright, tempestuous comedies lay 
a solid foundation for Miss Kirk’s 
followup. 

Renee Molnar Dancers tee an 
okay modern blues terp, but the 
absence onstage of Miss Molnar 
(who is abed with pneumonia) is 
noted in the lack of zip usually 
generated when she personally 
helms the Rancho choreos. Dick 
Rice capably keeps his tootlers 
abreast of the cues throughout. 
Nick Castle designed Miss Kirk’s 
meritorious choreography, while 
star's special material was defied 
by Kay Thompson and Bob Wells. 
The lush backstage set was laid 
out by Bob O’Heam, and Charles 
James blueprinted Miss Kirk’s six- 
change wardrobe. Alan. 


knew, their fresh enthusiasm could 
show itsett more substantially, 

A1 DeMarco at the bass and Joe 
Parnello’s piano provide fine ac¬ 
companiment and pleasant interim 
music between the comfortably 
spaced acts, an effective item of 
this program. Show continues 
through Dec. 26, followed by Larry 
Storch and Johnnie Mathis. 

•> Leva. 


Colony, London 

London, Nov. 21. 

Tessie O'Shea (with Ernest Warn- 
bola), Felix King and Don Carlos 
Orchs; $5 minimum. 


Tessie O’Shea has shed many 
surplus pounds in weight, but has 
lost none of her vitality or exuber¬ 
ance in the process. At a mere 
180 lbs., she’s a dubious candidate 
for her title of “Two-Ton Tess,” 
although that number, which has 
- wit - h -hepy "i-g-f- 

included in her present routine. 

Just back from a world tour that 
has taken* her to America, Canada 
and the Far East, including dates 
in Korea for the troops, Miss 
O’Shea is an entertainer in the 
literal sense of the word. She 
puts style and energy into her per¬ 
formance, but overall there’s an 
evident desire to please the cus¬ 
tomers. She’s gay, lighthearted 
and sentimental in turn, and al¬ 
ways a prpfessional. 

In her present three-week en¬ 
gagement the outsize songstress 
provides a varied and contrasting 
songalog in which pops and spe¬ 
cialties take their place with vin¬ 
tage tunes. Easily the best part 
of her routine is her medley of 
oldtime faves,- which involve im¬ 
pressions of a string of famous 
vaudevillians, hmong them Will, 
Fyffe. Harry Champion, Vesta Vic¬ 
toria and Florrie Ford. Another 
offbeat feature is a selection of 
numbers which she had sung a 
decade or more ago; among these 
are “Ruby Lips,” “A Little on the 
Lonely Side” and “Slow Boat to 
China.” 

Miss O’Shea holds the stage for 
half an hour in solid style and 
could comfortably go on for much 
longer. Her presentation is aided 
by Ernest Wambola, who is not 
only her regular accompanist but 
her arranger and composer. The 
two resident orchs 1 take good care 
of the dance sessions. Myro. 


Rudy Vallee should be worried. 
Not even the free-loaders—and the 
Statlers, Terrace Room is a haven 
for them—showed up for his Mon¬ 
day night opening, a repeat stop 
in this hotel chain circuit for the 
vagabond lover of a bygone, lusher 1 
day. Those who did come didn’t 
show much enthusiasm, but that’s 
an emotion that must be whipped 
up rather than loose-reined. Vallee 
Ujvill have to eke out his three 
| weeks as best he can with the 
transient cover-lifters who like 
nostalgia with their libation. An¬ 
other hazard _is the playdate, at a 
time when spenders start, thinking 


Silver Slipper, Vegas 

Las Vegas, Nov. 26. 

“French Folies of ’57,” with Hank 
Henry, Barbara McNair, Yasmina, 
Artie James, Sparky Kaye, Cliff & 
Judy Ferre, Jimmy Cavanaugh, 
Mac Dennison, Silver Slipperettes 
(4), George Redman Orch (4); no 
cover or minimum. 


Statier. Hotel, L. A. 

Los Angeles, Nov. 27. 
Rudy Vallee, Ashton & Allen, 
Eddie Bergman orch (10); $2-$2.50 
cover. 


Black Orchid, Chi 

Chicago, Nov. 29. 

Leo De Lyon, Abbey Lincoln, 
Tune Tattlers (4), Al DeMarco, Joe 
Parnello; no cover or minimum. 

Current display at vestpocket 
Black Orchid fully capitalizes on 
the room’s revamped intimacy. 
It’s a sprightly entertainment bun¬ 
dle, paced by Leo De Lyon’s free¬ 
wheeling comedies and spiced by 
Abbey Lincoln’s sultry thrashing. 

De Lyon’s impressions release 
a peppering of spontaneous quips 
that turn’even the most relilbtant 
heads to the stage. He shows he 
can hold an audience either with 
panto or musical tricks such -as 
whistling “Humoresque” and hum¬ 
ming “Swanee River” simultane¬ 
ously, or accompanying his. piano 
antics with vocal imitations of 
orchestral instruments. 

Comedian’s seemingly loosely 
organized routine has plenty of 
funny business to make for a rol¬ 
licking half-hour. He’s got the 
stuff to build a following with the 
Black Orchid’s drop in patronage. 

Abbey Lincoln debuts for her 
hometown with the qualities one 
watches for in a new young 
singer. An arresting “Tenderly” 
rendered in Eartha Kitt-ish fash¬ 
ion by this graceful girl is a pre- 
lpde to a clear-voiced “Dream 
Your Troubles Away.” “Gypsy In 
My Souit’ is buoyant and tantaliz¬ 
ing without a trace of strain. 

With her abilities to weigh her 
audience and get close to her mate¬ 
rial, it’s only a matter of time un¬ 
til she develops a style strictly 
hers. She has^the talented charm 
to make the grade and perhaps go 
a long way. 

The Tune Tattlers, three males 
and a girl, open the show enthusi¬ 
astically with “Look for the Silver 
Lining” and maintain a fast pace' 
through their Charleston climax. 
With less accent on sentimentality 
for the ’20s, an age they never 


Through the seasons that have 
recorded the Vegas phenom, the 
Silver Slipper Gambling Hall & 
Saloon has become a landmark on 
this circuit as a fave late hour re¬ 
treat for showfolk and a must-stop 
for the traveler. It’s unique atmos¬ 
phere, set in intimate, Barbary 
Coast decor, has earned the Silver 
Slipper very nearly the popular re¬ 
putation pf the more plusher boites 
that dot the Las Vegas strip. But 
the real attention-snaring flypaper 
is located in the girlesque staged 
four times nightly by thC" Silver 
Slipper Stock Company, one of the 
remaining regiments keeping alive 
traditional station house burlecue. 

“French Folies of ’57,” produced 
and directed by veteran showman 
Eddie Fox, is a continuation of the 
format that has established the Sil¬ 
ver Slipper as one of the top coin¬ 
reaping joynts in town. It’s a 
zingy, swiftly paced layout encasing 
surefire acts within the maniacal 
mayhem evoked during the revival 
of some of‘ hurley’s classic black¬ 
outs. 

'Hank Henry, a master craftsman, 
helms the scenes which for "Fol¬ 
ies” include “Double Crossin’ 
Moe,” “The Wine Tester” and 
“Stand In!” Henry’s lusty buffoon¬ 
ery is contrasted by the pixie com¬ 
edies of Sparky Kaye, the droll 
chiding of Jimmy Cavanaugh and 
the zany carrying on of Mac Denni* 
son. The blackouts are furthered 
by the adroit straight-work Of Cliff 
Ferre who, with Fox and Henry, is 
credited with a share in the rewrit¬ 
ing and updating of the sequences. 
Ferre also teams with frau, Judy, 
for a nifty hoof and song routine. 

The palm-pounding rewarded the 
Henry-guided howlarities is sus¬ 
tained through the vivacious 
torchariting of Barbara McNair, a 
sepia beaut with a big voice who, 
under proper tutoring, will have 
little trouble scoring a niche for 
herself; the sexy hipflipping of 
Yasmina, a well endowed cooch 
dancer, and the roller skate gyros 
of Artie James, whose dazzling ex¬ 
hibit nets instant response. The 
Silver Slipperettes decorate the 
stage with their spright terping de¬ 
signed by Barry Ashton. 

George Redman's f o u r-piece 
show band effectively supplies the 
right tempos throughout. Alan. 


more gifted use. 

Eddie Bergman, dual emcee- 
maestro, brings - Vallee on with the 
intro, “the gentleman songster off 
on a spree.” Sing he does with 
pipes that have gathered some rust 
over a quarter of a century, but 
the spree must be individually 
assessed. He pleaded fatigue after 
the long drive from Texas and he- 
did keep looking at his wrist watch, 
but there’s more wrong with his 
act than liveliness. The “Alouetta” 
bit with the sitters chiming in is 
as old hat by now/as the Whiffen- 
poof song. He would fare better 
by either dropping them or josh¬ 
ing ’em up. His own album h,e 
plugs and takes a jolly fall out of 
the gold record owners with but 
a slight reference to Elvis you- 
knowho. ?StiS complaining about 
being “a little punchy from the 
trjp,” he did a few standup gags 
and one not especially palatable to 
a certain faith when he told of a 
repeat going into a confessional 
and pleading, “clear me, daddy-o, 
I’ve goofed.” His political quips 
are a bit dated by now. 

To prove that his lip is still 
serviceable for other than chirping; 
he took a few licks at the clarinet 
and sax that brought grins from . 
the sideman. Mot forgetting, either, 
that he was once a bandleader, he 
took up the baton to front the 
Bergman crew. Samples of Drene 
he passed out for no apparent 
reason * and skittered offstage 
happily disregarding a smattering 
of applause for an encore. 

Bebe Allan & Bafry Ashton have 
been doing their fast turns, spins 
and acrobatic ^.exercises in about 
as many clubs as there are around 
town and it’s still an exciting turn, 
but Miss Allen, who is trim of 
figure, is completely deglamorized < 
in an eneasement^of solid black. 
Eddie Bergman’s dance sets coaxes 
out as many hoofers as the floor 
comfortably allows. Helm. 



BETTY MILLER DUO 
Golden Horseshoe, Kansas City 

After more than two years of 
thumping in a small cocktail 
lounge on Troost Ave., the Golden 
Horseshoe, the jazz pianistics of 
Betty Miller are beginning to come 
through to modern buffs of the 
beat. It was sparked by her re¬ 
cent recording for the Foremost 
label of an album, “Jazz Piano 
Heatwave,” which caught on fast. 
Now the little Troost lounge is a 
real pop spot, and the gang gath¬ 
ers nightly to hear this new style 
with Miss Miller backed by Milt 
Abel on basis. 

What comes through to the ear 
is* an emphatic touch with her own 
brand of phrasings via which she 
meanders in and out of the melody 
and touches it from nearly every 
possible angle, and doing a multi¬ 
tude of variations. Adding to the 
rhythm impact is Abel on the bass, 
picking and slapping and going in 
for a considerable bowing not 
common in jazz combos. Actually, 
there is a great welding of the 
separate styles of the colored pair 
for their distinctive craftsmanship. 
And for a minor added fillip they 
“holler a little,” either in duo or 
solo. 

In doing the Foremost album, 
drummer Terry Basso was added 
for an extra effect. But at the 
Horseshoe it continues to be Miss 
Miller and Abel, with a growing 
following. This is a style already 
becoming‘earmarked as outstand¬ 
ing and drawing increasing atten¬ 
tion from the trade and the pub¬ 
lic. Quin. 


Yma Sumac has been signed for 
a stand at the Versaille, N. Y., 
starting Jan. 29. 

Miss Sumac’s ^ previous N. Y. 
dates for some ydars have been at 
the Hotel Pierre’s Cotillion Room. 



76 


pmtmf 


Wednesday^ Dqceqz&ey 5,1956;? 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF DECEMBER 5 , 

Numerals in connection with bills below' Indicate'opening day o# show 
whether full or split week 

Letter in parentheses Indicates circuits (I) Independent; (L).Loew; (M) Mqjs; 
<p> paramount; <R) RKO; <S) Stoll; <T) Tlvplf; <W> Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 


Music Hall (R) 6 
Lillian Murphy 
Ed Powell 
Eleanor 'Relna 
Muriel Ives 
Suzanne Shaute 
Melitta & Wicons 
Mill’s Chimps 


Palace (P) i 
Judy Garland 
Alan King 
Pompoff Sc Thedy 
Wazzan Tr. 

Bob Williams 
Amin Bros. 

G fie F Szony 


MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 10 
Richard. Hearne 
Julia 

Nicolas Darvas 


AUSTRALIA 


mcoias uarvas K 


Boss fie La Pierre 
Bob Bromley 
The Albins 
Billy Banks 
Alwyn Leckie 
Frank Ward 
Daniel. Davey 
Lewis Jacob 

SYDNEY 
Tiyoll (T) 10 
George Wallace 
Maurice Colleano 
.Jim Gerald . 
Jennie Howard 


Queeme Paul 
Millie Hansen 
Morry Barling 
Peggy Mortimer 
Jandy 


Brenda Charles 
Dandy Bros. 

George Nichols 
David Sterle 
i Jack O’Dowd 
Wilbur Wheeler 
1 Plat Tops 
2 Randows 
Honky Tonk 4 
PERTH 

. Capitol (T) 10 

Katherine Dunham 
Co. 


BRITAIN 


ASTON 

Hippodrome (I) 3 . 
Jimmy. Melbourne 
Ramoni Bros. 

Larry v Gordon Girls 
Buddy Smart 
Raymond Ray 
P & S Raymond . 
Lilian. Pearson 
BIRMINGHAM 
Hippodrome (Ml 3 . 
Robert Earl 
3 Martins 
James .Co. 

Judy Moxon 
Janie Marden 
B Sc M Konyot 
3 Deuces 
Roy Castle 

BLACKPOOL 
Palace (S> 3 
Tommy Fields 
Kaye Sis 
Roy Stevens.- 
Felix Bowness 
Granger’s Puppets 
Nemec & Violet 
Ronnie Collis 
The Angelos 
A fie B Black 
Mary Kinson 
BRIGHTON 
Hippodrome (M) 3 . 
Dickie Arnold 
Mickle Warren 
Rusty 

Syd Jackson 
Arthur Haynes 
CHISWICK 
Empire (M) 3 
Betty Miller 
Bobby ‘Dennis 
Bernard Landy 
Jackie Allen 
Daly fie Wayne . 

N & P Lundon 
Sydney Shaw 
FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (M) 3 
Xommy. Steele - 
Ballet Montmartre 
M & B Winters 
Josephine Ann 
Johnny Laycock 
Reg Thompson 
Thunderclap Jones 
GLASGOW 
Empire (M) 3 
Lee Lawrence 
Renee Dymott 
Saveen 

Tevarich Troupe 
Sally Barnes 
Don Arden 
Nat Gonella 
Toots fie Eva 
LEEDS 

Empire (M) 3 
Dave Gray 
Wallis fie Beryl 
Sonny Claire 
Cornelia Lucas 
Johnny Ford 
Mitzi Gray 
Lilian Brown 
Lana La Verne 
Sylvia Joseph 
Reece Sis 
2 Palmers 
Continental Lovelies 
LIVERPOOL 
Empire (M) 3 
David Hughes 
Rey & Ronjy 
Tanner Sis 


The Skylons 
Peter Cavanagh 
.Harry Worth 
Ted Durante 
Ron Scott 

LONDON 

Hippodrome (M) 3 
Benny Hill 
Shani Wallis 
Andrea Dancers 
Jones Sc Arnold 
Los Gatos 
Jimmy Lee 
PRINCE OF WALES 
* (M) 3 . 

Lonnie Dbnegan 
Anne Shelton 
Bonar Colleano 
Freddie Sales 
Clifford Stanton 
? Ariston 
Kenald Sc Rudy 
Dickie Dawson 
Paul Sc Peta Page 
Eliabeth Sc Collins 
MANCHESTER 
Hippodrome (M) 3 
Issy Bonn 
Nat Jackley 
Desmond Lane 
Babette Sc Raoul 
Lynn Sc Deel 
Kclro.vs 
Jean & Ernest 
Joe York 

CARDIFF 
New (I) 3 
Tony Crombie Co. 
Maxine Daniels 
Don Fox 
Billie Wyner 
Billy ‘Vke* Scott 
Ross Sc Howitt 
Dancing McKennas 
Johnny Dallas 
NORTHAMPTON 
New (I) 3 
Wilton Family 
Carla 

Michael Roxy 
Tara Naito 
Alexandra Sc Davina 
Lake Sc Rose 
Monsantos 

NORWICH 
Hippodrome (M) 3 
.Tack Anton • 

Eve 

Checker Wheel 
Jessie Carron 
Doreen Denton 
Charles 3c Jupp 
Gordon Sc Juanita 
Ray Thorne 
Peggy ’ Bourne 
Tonimy Seymour 
SOUTHAMPTON 
Grand (I) 3 
Ronnie Harris 
Terry Blain 
Scott Sc A’Scott 
Eddie King 
To Day 
Lane 2 

Jeffrey Lenner 
Richman & Jackson 
SUNDERLAND 
Empire (M) 3 
Jimmy Young 
Anton Sc Janetta 
Hackford Sc Doyle 
Rita Marteil 
Tom Mennard 
Louise Sc Co. 

Del Cortina 


Cabaret Bids 


MEW YORK CITY 


Bon Soir 

Tony Sc Eddie 
Neighbors 
Jorie Remus 
Jimmie Daniels 
Three Flames 
Bruce Kirby 
Warren Vaughan 
Blue Angel 
T C Jones 
Annette Warren 
Jill Corey 
Eddie Garson 
Martha Davis 
•==- Sc Spouse 
Jimmy Lyons 3 
Cameo 
Teddy Wilson 
Barbara Carroll 
Chardas 

Anny Kapitanny 
Lili 

Bela Babai Ore 
Tibor Rakossy 
Bill Yedla 
Dlr’k Marta 
Chateau Madrid 
Raul Sc Eva Reyes 
Luis Mera 
Rene 

A1 Castellanos Ore 
Copacabana 
Jimmy Durante 
Karen Chandler 
June Allyn 
Tony Reynolds 
Jackie Mptcglf 
Nora Bristow 
Michael Durso Ore 
Frank Marti Oro 
Duplex 
Sererta Shdw 
Rudy De Saxe 


Alvaro Dalmar 
No. 1 Fifth Ave 
Bob Downey . 
Harold Fonvilie 
Hotel Ambassador 
Chauncey Gray Ore 
Jani Sarkozi 
Gypsies 

Quintero Rhumbas 
Hotel Bilttnore 
Russ Morgan Ore 
Sande Williams Ore 
The Charmers 
Hotel Pierre 
, Marguerite Piazza 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Alan Logan Ore 
Joan Bishop 
Joseph Sudy 
I Hotel Roosevelt 
Guy Lombardo 
Hotel Taft 
Vincent Lopez Ore 
Hotel §t. Regis 
Margarita Sierra 
Milt Shaw Ore 
Ray Bari Ore 
Hotel Statler 
T Sc J Dorsey Ore 
Latin Quarter 
B Sc J Kean 
Nanci Crompton 
Syncopated Waters 
Lucienne Ashour 
Lynn Christie 
Barbour Bros. Sc 
Jean 

Dorothy Vernon 
Jo Lombardi Ore 
B Harlowc Ore 
Hotel Plaza 
Los Chavales 
Trlni Reyes 


Ted Straeter 
Mark Monte 
Le Reuban Bleu 
Lola 1 Fisher 1 
Don- Adams 
Norman Paris 3 
Harry Noble • 

Park Sheraton 
Jose Melis 

f aark Thurihhrt 
row.n & Country 
arry Belafonte 
Alan Drake 
Augle Sc Margo- 
Bumell Dancers 
Ned Hkrvey Ore 
Pupi Campo Ore 
Two Guitars 

Dolores Dauphine 
Leonid Lugovsky 
Eugene Sc Sonya 
Andrei Hamshay 
Versailles 
Dorothy Lamour 


Salvatore Gloe Ore 
Panchito Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Vicki Autier 
Dolores Perry 
Ernest Schoen Ore 
Harold Sandler 
Paul Mann 
Village Barn 
Belle Carroll 
Johnny Gilbert 
Jack Wallace • 
Danny Davis Ore . 
Larry McMahon 
Piute Pete. 

Irving Harris 
• Village Vanguard 
Barbara Lea 

Steel Band 
C Williams Trio 
Waldorf>Astoria 
Vic Damone 
Emil Coleman Ore 
Mlscha Borr Ore 


Mardi Gras . Ed Fitzpatrick Ore 
The Jesters. Riverside 

___ 

. Mapes SkYi'oom l fit E Roberta* 

• Starlets 

Sky lets Gf Bill Clifford Ore 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid ' 

Leo de Lyon 
Abbie Lincoln 
Tune Tattlers (4) 
Blue Angel 
"Calypso Extrava¬ 
ganza’’ '• 
Princess Abilia 
King Christian 
Lord Rafael 
Lady Angelia 
Lady Margaret 
Lady Jeanue 
Lord Carlton 
EmperOr Sago 
King Rudolph 
A1 D’Lacy. Ore 
Bluf Note 
Fats Domino 
Chez Paree 
The Vagabonds 
Dunhills (3) 

Babe Pier 
Rbnnie Eastman 
Elisa Jayne 
Ted Fio Rito Ore 
Cloister Inn ' 
A1 BeUetto (6) 
Lucy Reed 

Conrad Hilton 
"Comics-On-lce" . 


(4) 


tr. Arnold Sc- Marjl 
The Boyerp 
Lilian Renef 
Paul Duke 
George Simpson 
Paul Chbben . . 

J. Melendez Sc D 
MaxField ' * 

Virginia Sellers 
John Keston 
Boulevar-Dears fit 
Boulevar-Dons 
F. Masters Ore 
Drake Hotel ^ 
Monique' Van 
Vooren 

Jinimy Blade Ore 
London House 
Marian McPartland ; 
Ahmad Jamal (3) 
Mister Kelly's 
Jackie Cain fie 
Roy Krai’ 

Mya Angellou 
Harry Slottag (3) 
Marx Sc Frigo 
Frank d'Rome 
' Palmer House 
"Hey Day” ** 

Paul Hartman 
Bill Tabbert 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hotel 

Billy Eckstine 
Orrin Tucker Ore 
Bar of Music 
Loray White 
Jimmy Shaw 
Felik De Cola 
Jerry Linden Ore 
Bandbox 
Billy Gray 
Leo Diamond 
Bert Gordon 
Eddie LeRoy 
Short Twins 
Carol ^Shannon 
Dodie Drake . 

Bob Barley Trio 
Giro's ’ 
Frances Faye 
Trio Bassle 


Geri Galian Ore 
Felix Martinique Ore 
Crescgnao 
Paul Gilbert 
April Ames 
Ray Tolahd Ore 
Interlude 
Sy’yia Syms 
H Babasin Qtt. 

Mocambo 
SaUie. Blair 
Frankie Sands Trio 
Paul Hebert Ore ' 
Moulin Rouge 
Andrews Sisters 
Frankie Laine 
Wiere Bros. (3) 
Statler Hotel 
Rudy Vallee 
Eddy Bergman Ore 


LAS VEGAS 


Deserr Inn 

Ted Lewis 
Cathy Bosic 
Caribbeans 
Benita D’Andrea 
Elroy Peace . 

Art Johnson 
Donn Arden Dncrs 
Carlton Hayes Ore 
Dunes 

Smart Affairs '57 
Larry Steele 
Leonard Bros. 
Fov.chee Dancers 
Rose Hardaway 
Willie Louis 
Flash Gordon 
Sir Lionel Beckles 
Lon Fontaine 
Beige Beauts 
Lucky Henry Ore 
El Cortez 

Mary Beth Hughes 
Bobby Pinkus 
Herby Barris 
Mack Pearson 
Dolores del Rey 
Cirquettes 

Sterling Young Ore 
El Rancho Vegas 
Lisa Kirk 
Morty. Gunty 
Sandra ~Sc Sonja 
Warner 
El Rancho Ore 
Renee Molnar Dncrs 
Flamingo 
“First Edition'* 

Dick Contino 
Kaye .Ballard 
Larry Storch 
Mary Meade 
Flamingoettes 
Lpu Basil Ore 
Fremont Hotel 
Gemp Stone 
Cortez fit Boyer 
4 Goins 

Sammy Blank Ore 
, Golden Nugget 
Sons of Golden 
West 

Hank Penny 
Sue Thompson 
Freddie Masters 
^Sextette 
Hacienda 
Billy Ward 
Eddie Peabody 
Daryl Harper Show 
Bruce Davis 
New Frontier 
Jack Carter 
Connie Moore 


Henny Youngman 
The Lancers 
Blackburn Twins 
Hubert Castle 
Steve Gibson- Red¬ 
caps 

Gil Bernal 
Venus Starlets 
Garwood Van Ore 

Riviera 

"Frolics of '57’* 
Liberace 
Jean Fenn 
Helen Wood 
Geo. Liberace Sym 
phony Ore. 
Riviera Dancers 
Ray Sinatra Ore 

Sahara 
Kay Starr 
Stanley Boys 
4 Step Bros. 
SaHarem Dncrs 
Cee Davidson Ore 

Sands 

"Ziegfeld Folies” 
Jerry Lewis 
Devoy Trio 
Copa Girls 
Antonio Morelli On 
Lillian Briggs 
Clark Bros. 

Morgan Bros. 

Four Voices 
Rounders 
Ernie Ross Trio 
SHoWboat 
Oscar Cartier 
Tere Sheehan 
Garr Nelson 
Showboat Girls 
Mike Werner Ore 
Silver Slipper 
French Folies 
Hank Henry 
Artie James 
Barbara McNair 
Yasmina 
Sparky Kaye 
Cliff fit Judy Ferre 
Mac Dennison 
Jimmie Cavanaugh 
Slipperettes 
G. Redman Ore 
Thunderblrd 
China Doll Rev 
Ming fit Ling 
Toy fit Wing 
Tong Bros. 

Sing Lee Sing 
China Dolls 
Barney Rawlings 
Thunderblrd Dncrs 
A1 Jahns°Orc 
Dukes of Dixieland 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


Ball & Chain 
Chris Connor 
Lee Konitz 
Blue Notes 

Eden Roc 
Novelltes 
Hal Leroy 
Arlene DeMarco 
Mai Malkin Ore 
Chuey Reyes Oro 
Fontainebleau 
Fernanda Montel 
A1 Bernie 
A1 Navarro Ore 
Sacasas Ore 
Leon A Eddie's 
Can-Can Girls 
Toni Rave 
Terry Rich 
, Denise 
Atoma 

Malayan 
Rivero Quintet 


Bimini Mama 
Pierre Duval 
Lad Richards Band 
Murray Franklin's 
Roy Sedley 
Anne Marie 
Murray Franklin 
Sandra Barton 
Billy Mitchell 
Fred Thompson 
Nautilus 
Dick Hall 
Phil Sena 
Tony Gyle 
Hal Fisher 
Margie Leslie 
S.vd Stanley Ore 
Sans SoucI Hotel 
Jackie Jay 
Fred McKenzie 
Sammy Walsh 
Freddy Calo Ore 


„ Seville., .. 
Charlie Farrell 
Mickey Gentile 
Tommy Ryah. 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Rey. Mambo Ore 
Saxony 

Jay Jayson. > 
Berrlie Burns 
Baron Buika 
Betty Barclay 
Cartes Ore 
Roney Plaza 
Jan Winters 


* Jim Luca*'. r .. 
Juliette Robbins 
Serge Valdez Ore 

" 5 0 'ci*tk 

Flash Laine 
Siska 

Tommy Raft 
Parisian Rev 
Thunderblrd 
The Kentones 
Herkie Styles 
Hal DlCiccio 
Libby- Dean 


HAVANA 


sans Souci - 
T fie P Rodriguez 
Joan Leslie 
Sonia Calero 
Victor Alvarez 
Ortega Ore'> 

Nacfonal , 
DeCastro Sis 
Ving Merlin - , ~ 
Ana Nevada 
Magic Violins 
W. Reyes Ore 


Tropic.ana 
Gloria fit Rolando 
Harmonics 
Miguel Herero 
Carmellta Vasquez 
Carmela Reyes 
Ruffinos 
Elsa Marval • 
Ramon CalzadiUa 
Paulina Alverez 
S Suarea Orq 
A Romeu Orq 


fe&NP 


10 & 20% Tax 

• ■- Continued from page 2 

that this tax is keeping thou¬ 
sands of places closed down and 
thousands of musicians out of 
work. 

Herman D. Kenin of Los An¬ 
geles, member of the Internation¬ 
al Executive Board of AFM, re¬ 
minded that the bite had been 
*r«sti tutert as an errerffenev war¬ 
time measure .and - has not even 
been reduced since* 

“Musicians. 1 ’ he added, “have 
suffered a 40% job loss- since 
1930. Since 1943, an |dditional 
25,000 man-years of work have 
been . lost to instrumentalists in 
places subject to the 0 20% cabaret 
tax . . . Most of America’s instru¬ 
mental musicians can # now find 
only part-time work in* their pro¬ 
fession.” 

Dr. Robert C. Shook, statistician 
for the musicians, pointed out that 
the technological changes in re¬ 
cent years—sound films, radio and 
tv. passing of vaude—have .dealt 
stunning blows to the musicians. 
Adding to the mortality, he said, 
has been the nitery tax which, he 
charged, is grossly discriminatory. 
Among others who spoke for elimi¬ 
nation of the tax were Vanett Law¬ 
ler, executive secretary of the 
Music Educators National Confer¬ 
ence. and Marie A. Hurley, legisla¬ 
tive chairman of the National Fed¬ 
eration of MUsic Clubs. 

Frank B. Walker, president of 
the Record Industry Assn: of 
America, called for repeal of the 
10% tax on phonograph records. 
The tax was imposed during World 
War I as a revenue., .measure,' he 
said, at a time when records were 
the most important factor in home 
entertainment. The tax was ‘ re¬ 
pealed and then re-imposed in. 1941 
“as the result of a serious*misun- 
derstanding,” he contended. He 
said Congress did not realize how 
much the importance of records 
had declined, due to the compe¬ 
tition of radio and now television. 

“In the fiscal year ending'June 
30,, 1956,” he said, “the Federal 
excise tax on records produced 
onlv $12,324,000 in revenue. 

• “During the same period of time, 
manufacturers paid the ,Federal 
Government about $15,000,000 in 
excise and income taxes combined, 
and it is estimated that these comr 
oanies earned about $3,675,000 af¬ 
ter taxes. If the excise tax is. re¬ 
pealed the Government should 
make a substantial recovery 
through increased record sales re¬ 
sulting in increased income tax 
payments.” 

James F. Reilly, executive direc¬ 
tor of the League of New York 
Theatres and the National Assn, 
of Legitimate Theatres, argued the 
economic plight of what’s left of. 
the legit*biz. He said things had 
improved slightly since 195 3, 
thanks to cutting the admissions 
tax from 20% to 10%. But he 
added: 

“The living theatre in the past 
20 years has been constantly met 
with competition by free radio and 
television entertainment paid for 
bv commelrcial advertising. Al¬ 
though ticket prices have increased 
only, moderately, all theatre unions 
have received wage increases, and 
production and operating costs 
have continued their constant 
rise.” ' 

Robert W. Dowling, chairman of 
the board of A'NTA, spoke on be¬ 
half of legit, concerts and lectures. 
He urged complete elimination of 


.the, 10% tax. Patrick Hayes of 
Washington, chairman of;.the Tax, 
Committee of the National ASsh. 
of Concert Managers, spoke strong¬ 
ly for elimination Of the 'Federal 
bite On concert , tickets. He re¬ 
minded that the price 4 scale’ for 
concerts is about the same as it 
wa$ 20 years ago, although every¬ 
thing else has climbed in cost. 


‘Unauthorized’ Films 

ss Continued from page 2 i—^5 

tually left Australia, but was or¬ 
dered off-loaded en route. 

Aussie papers, quoting their New 
York offices, reported the tv ban in 
the U. S. had made Australia the 
“dark continent,” and that the six- 
film arrangement, Worked up by 

with Tom Harmon, the west coast 
sportscaster, was tired and late 
trailing events by days. 

The wire services, however, 
scoffed at this, since all feedback 
service messages indicated sports 
page Coverage of what has been 
essentially an “out ot season” track 
meet thtfS far has been heavy. 

W. S. Rent Hughes,; chairman of, 
the Olympic Organizing Commit¬ 
tee, precipitated the tv walkout 
when he insisted that “3 minutes 
a day” was news, any more than 
that, entertainment, i.e., salable 
to help defray costs of staging the 
games. The initial world film rights 
for the games has brought a re¬ 
ported $250,000 to the OCC at this 
time, with percentage arrange¬ 
ments built in to hVing in much 
more over the- playing life of the 
officially sanctioned films. 

A philatelist’s field day is being 
had here at the Olympics, with five 
post offices set up to service the 
people from more than 100 nations 
who file into the stadium. Aus¬ 
tralia struck four special stamps 
for the games, and only in these 
five postoffices do.buyers get the 
specil overprint cancellations. Take 
is running at $4,300 a day. 


Fred Allen 

Continued from page 2 

on this independence, and has been 
frequently stated and reaffirmed. 
It was a gripe chiefly because of 
human relations between WW and 
a Variety ad rep. This, of course, 
has long since been ameliorated, 
as was the Allen observation, 
although in his case, too, the late 
comedian was most knowledgeable 
that, not only has a one- and two- 
page advertiser been panned in-the 
same issue with his ad, but as has 
often happened, by one of those 
makeup exigencies which occur 
with every publication, the rap 
notice was just preceding or just 
after the ad. 

(The other- parenthetic recollect 
tion concerns a Variety staffer 
ip the Hollywood office who was 
trying to hold down two jobs at 
once. The paper’s credo is that it 
pays its staft foi* fulltime services, 
hence outside writing chores are 
discouraged. When Sime ran' into 
the sleepy youth, who was trying 
to write scripts at night, he wisely 
observed that it “was evident you 
have a broader horizon writing for* 
Hollywood.” The boy was saddened 
by this seemingly gruff letout, 
especially after having been groom¬ 
ed, from a Chi office staffer, thence 
brought into the New York home- 
office, and later shifted to the 
Coast bureau. It wasn’t long be¬ 
fore Claude Binyon, who authored 
one of the more famoiHs Variety 
headlines, “Wall Street Lays An 
Egg,” admitted the wisdom of the 
firing. He has long been one of the 
industry’s most qualified writer-di¬ 
rector-producers). . Abe'. 


Dorsey Firms 

iSS Continued from page 1 55 

package are about 60 disk masters 
which his band cut in recent years 
under a deal with Bell Records. 
Benny Ross, who has been running 
the Dorsey firms for the past 
couple of years, continues in that 
spot. 

Victor, meantime, is prepping 
disk tribute to Dorsey with two 
12-inch LPs to be issued early next 
month. Package will include many 
of the top numbers associated with 
the Dorsey organization and will 
feature some of his early band vo¬ 
calists, such as Frank Sinatra, Jo 
Stafford and the Modernaires. Al¬ 
bum was compiled from the Victor 
archives by the staff of Downbeat, 
the jazz mag. 


Hoas* Reviews ” 

=55 Continued from page =■■ 

of iilting-and nostalgic Scot tunes, 
such as those sung> by Sir Harry 
Lauder in his day, and other bal- * 
lads which have found'popular re¬ 
sponse over .the generqtiqn?. Lay-; 
out is brightly, garbed, the Scotch - 
tartan being most to the fore. 

Grade Clark, toothy Scot come¬ 
dienne, and the only Auld Lang 
Syne distaffer heading a vaude 
show* today, clicks strongly with 
local, stubholders, including many • 
of the older generation who prefer 
homely Scot comedy to. more live¬ 
ly, youthful fodder. She’s best , 
when defying her stage husband to. 
answer her back, and establishes 

to rouse yocks from both male and 
femme customers. She’s assisted 
by male stooge Colin Murray, her 
actual husband. 

Nicky Kidd, billed as Scotland’s 
Mister Rhythm, warbles, intimately 
at the" ivories, his songalog includ¬ 
ing “Mountain Greenery,” “Too 
Young” and an A1 Jolson medley. 
He has pleasant appeal. 

Francis Langford’s 12 Singing 
Scholars, garbed in red blazers .and 
white flannel trousers, jump preci¬ 
sion-wise about the stage chirping 
modern tunes, and register by ju¬ 
venile appeal. They are well-re¬ 
hearsed group. 

Irene Campbell is partnered by 
Billy Cameron in bright, kilted 
Scotch dancing act. and get too 
little time in layout. Quality of 
offering merits more sedpe than 
this. The two St. Dennis Sisters, 
blonde warblers, please with pop 
and Scot tunes. 

More singing from English duo ' 
John & Betty. Royle. Distaffer is 
elegantly gowned and male is a 
hefty redhead who might be taken ' 
for a true Scot. Pair register solid¬ 
ly with ballads, specially with cur¬ 
rent local fave, “Northern Lights 
of Old Aberdeen.” 

Hugh Mcllroy aids in both* the 
song and comedy departments. Will 
Hannah gets the feet a-tapping 
with accordion tunes of a Scot fla¬ 
vor. Comedy aide to principals is 
vet funster George Burton, arid the 
16 Moxon Ladies are imaginatively 
used as the tartan-garbed line. 
Showbacking is by resident orch ' 
under Jack ‘ Masterton. Layout 
would benefit from at least one act 
with strong glamor appeal. As is; 
it meets ■ all local requirements 
over holiday season, with show 
running through next March. 

Gord; \ 


Empire, Glasgow 

Glasgow, Nov. 28. 

Jimmy Young (vnth Jack Mar¬ 
tin), Wilson, Keppel & Betty; Joyce 
Golding, with Tony Stuart; Peter 
Crawford Trio, Rita Marteil, Don¬ 
ald B. Stuart, Reid Twins , Ronnie 
Collis, Bobby Dowd Orch. 


Jimmy Young, English singer, 
shows happy, easy style as head¬ 
liner of this vaude layout. He reg¬ 
isters with a piano bit himself, re¬ 
ferring to the likes of Anita Ek- 
berg, Marilyn Monroe and Sabrina. 
Also scores with “Wayward Wind” 
and “Chain Gang,” and does a 
Liberace takeoff by walking on 
with a candelabra. 

Young has smart backing at the 
ivories from Jack Martin, and in¬ 
troduces a novel touch with humor¬ 
ous weepie-weepie introduction to 
the pianist, a travesty on normal 
star introductions. 

Rita Marteil, glamorous young 
juggler, tosses balls and tophats, 
up and down with agility, showing 
extreme smartness pf eye. She 
wins strong palming in pre-interval 
slotting. Wilson ,1 Keppel & Betty, 
longtime trio but with new girl’ 
partner, offer their near-classic 
Egyptian sand dance that seldom 
fails to rouse chuckles. 

Joyce Golding is energetic come¬ 
dienne, but her vocal talents could 
be used to advantage in<>straight 
impressions. As is, she fools around 
the stage too much with partner 
Tony Stuart, overall effect being 
a. minimum, Her best hit is a 
Naughty ’90s windup to second- 
half act, she and Stuart garbed in 
oldie bathing' suits. 

Peter Crawford Trio, billed as 
comedy musical wolves, offer lively 
instrumental spot and win maxi¬ 
mum aud reaction. Donbld B. 
Stuart, tdll, ; lanky comedian, Uses 
audience stooges for comedy- 
magico act that follows pattern too 
much. Ronnie Collis opens post¬ 
interval segment, with nifty tap 
work. * 

Reid Twins, dancers, are in New 
Acts. Usual* adequate showbacking 
from Bobby Dowds orchi Layout-is 
hot a standout, but . gets by as pre- 
Christmas offering. Gord. 


Wednesday, December. 5, 1956 , 


t'fiRlETf 


LEGITIMATE 


77 


Writer Scores Mail Order Delays; 
Another Explains His Click System 


New York. 

Editor; Variety: 

I ’am bringing this matter to 
your attention since you are recog¬ 
nized as “the bible of the theatre 
industry,’' thinking perhaps you 
would have some influence in 
changing the present situation re¬ 
garding advance sale of theatre 
tickets. 

Previous years we were re¬ 
quested to give three alternate 
dates whertVwriting for shows in 
advance of opening. Now we are 
required to give five alternate 
dates. The shows advertising early 
in the season have great advantage 


you write in two weeks in succes¬ 
sion you have used up practically 
the whole season and ithe tickets 
are not mailed for many weeks in 
some cases, so you are' not free to 
send , for others, 

During the season there are new 
shows advertised almost weekly 
and this puts the prospective buyer 
in a quandary. If the tickets were 
mailed out promptly when requests 
go in it would facilitate matters 
somewhat, but waiting two, three 
or four weeks to find out when 
your tickets are coming through 
puts you off entirely. 

I am in the habit of sending for 
tickets as sifon as a show is adver¬ 
tised, taking my chances whether it 
is a hit or not, but I am beginning 
to feel the present situation is im¬ 
possible and am about ready to 
give up even though I am very re¬ 
luctant to do so. Recently I sent 
for tickets for a show opening in 
(Continued on page 80) 


Why te Sails to Set 

British ‘Game,’ ‘Yanks’ 

Jerry Whyte, production super¬ 
visor for the Theatre Guild and 
Rodgers' & Hammerstein, sailed 
last Friday (30) for London, after 
attending the preem of "Bells Are 
Ringing” the previous night at the 
Shubert Theatre, N.Y. He repre¬ 
sented the Guild during the musi¬ 
cal’s rehearsals and tryout tour. 

In London, Whyte will arrange 
for the closing of the West End 
production of " Pajam a Game,” and 

also make preliminary prepara¬ 
tions for the London edition of 
"Damn Yankees,” due to open next 
spring, Williamson Music, the Brit¬ 
ish production subsidiary for 
R. & H, is the management for both 
musicals. 

• On his return to New York in 
about three weeks, Whyte will take 
an extended vacation. 


’Cranks,’ British Revile, 
With Only Four in Cast, 
Bankrolled for $50,000 

"Cranks,” the British revue 
which Richard Charlton and John 
Krimsky are presenting at the 
Bijou Theatre, N. Y., is capitalized 
at $50,000. The offering written 
and directed by John Cranko, is 
booked into the house on a four- 
wall basis, with the contract run¬ 
ning until Dec. 22. 

The capitalization for the pro¬ 
duction, which utilizes a cast of 
four, was put up by 20 limited 
partners. The revue was originally 
presented in London last spring by 
K. G. G. Productions. The orig¬ 
inal cast, Hugh Bryant, Annie Ross, 
Anthony Newly and Gilbert Ver¬ 
non appear in the transplanted 
presentation. 

Others making the Europe-N. Y. 
trek include Cranko, John Addi¬ 
son, who composed the music, and 
Anthony Boles, musical director. 
Boles remained with the show the 
first week and, besides batoning, 
doubled at the piano and harpsi¬ 
chord. He’s been succeeded by 
Philip Ingalls. Five other musi¬ 
cians complete the orch, which has 
been tagged the Cranko Chamber 
Group. 

New scenery was constructed 
for the production after plans to 
use the original sets were fouled 
up by the longshoremen’s strike. 
The physical setup was shipped to 
New York aboard the Cunard liner 
Franconia, but because of the 
strike the producers were unable 
to remove the property which was 
still in^ the hold when the ship 
sailed Nov. 16 for Liverpool. Dup¬ 
licate sets were fashioned from 
color sketches of the John Piper 
originals. 

Cranko is due back in London in 
January tor the . Sadler’s Wells 
preem of his new three-act ballet, 
"Prince and the Pagoda” at Cbvent 
Garden. Piper is also doing the 
scenery for that. 


‘Arsenic’ a Quick 
Fold in Boston 


Boston, Dec. 4. 

The road revival of "Arsenic and 
Old Lace,” starring Gertrude Berg, 
did a quick folderoo Saturday night 
(1): at the Colonial Theatre here 
after only five performances. The 
George Kesselring farce opened 
last Wednesday night (28) to rave 
reviews, but boxoffice reaction was 
virtually nil. The venture lost 
about $60,000. 

The show’s fast flop was a stun¬ 
ner for everyone concerned, but 
especially for producer Sam H. 
Handelsman. As managing director 
of Philly’s Playhouse in the Park, 
he presented Mrs., Berg to smash 
business last summer in a revival 
of ‘.‘Solid Gold Cadillas,” and ex¬ 
pected her to clean up in "Arsen¬ 
ic.” He had to do some intensive 
talking to persuade the star of the 
’Goldbergs” television series to 
agree on the legit tour. 

Handelsman said he couldn’t un¬ 
derstand why the customers stayed 
away, and could only surmise that 
revivals of the "Arsenic” type no 
longer have a market with the legit 
public. He revealed that when he 
approached Howard Lindsay and 
(Continued on page 86) 


Donald Harron’s ‘Turvey’ 
Due to Bow in Toronto 

Ottawa,' Dec. 4. 

Donald Harron, Canadian actor 
currently in "Separate Tables” on 
Broadway, has written a comedy, 
"Turvey,” adapted from a war nov¬ 
el by Earle Birney, of Vancouver. 

The show will be presented by 
the New Play Society at the Ave¬ 
nue Theatre, Toronto, opening Jan. 
7. Robert Christie is directing. 


Yankees’ Hopnp 
Shows Potential 

r; 

—OftetrMas 


The lush payoff potential for 
touring shows playing Coast sub¬ 
scription dates and this State Fair 
Auditorium, Dallas, is*'reflected in 
a recent four-month mop-up by 
"Damn Yankees.” During that pe¬ 
riod, the touring edition of the 
musical earned an approximate 
$140,000 operating profit on Los 
Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas 
engagements. 

In each of the Coast stands, the 
tuner was presented as part of the 
Civic Light Opera subscription 
series. The show put in seven 
weeks in L.A., and another seven 
in Frisco. The Dallas bookingjpok 
in 24 performances, with another 
six performances at the Victoria 
Theatre, Kaneas City, completing 
the four-month period ending last 
Oct 27. 

The Dallas deal, incidentally, 
called for the company to get the 
first $110,000 gross, with the bal¬ 
ance going to the theatre: The 
total take for the run was $157,960. 
Up until its move to L.A., last July, 
the Bobby Clark starrer had been 
playing to generally moderate 
business on the road. The hefty 
operating profit on the three big 
dates lifted the musical out of the 
red, giving it a $35,055 net profit. 

As of the audit, the combined 
road and Broadway profit on the 
Frederick Brisson-Robert E. Grif- 
fith-Harold S. Prince two-company 
operation totaled $606,439,, of 
which $525,000 has been distrib¬ 
uted. On the basis of the regular 
50,-50 split between the manage¬ 
ment and backers, that gives the 
latter a 105% profit return on 
their $250,000 investment. 

The Broadway production is cur¬ 
rently in its 104th week. 


Road Returns to Traditional Form 
With 3 Quick Folderoos in 3 Weeks 


Sign Kermit Hunter To 
Write-Stage Pitt. Show 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. 

Kermit Hunter, author of "Unto 
These Hills,” annual Summer pa¬ 
geant at Cherokee, N.C., has been 
signed to write, and produce a his¬ 
torical drama to be presented here 
in 1959 as part of Pittsburgh’s 
scheduled Bicentennial celebration. 

Hunter has also been producer 
and author of uch other .historical 
pageants as "Horn in the West,” 
at Boone, N.C.; "The Eleventh 


Yib(iY , ,' n ^a’nfffarha di ’Woodf 
soii, and "Voice in the Wind,” a 
drama about Florida. 


The road, which had no fast 
flops previously this season, has 
had three in the last three weeks. 
Two were pre-Broadway tryouts 
and one a touring entry, repre¬ 
senting a combined investment of 
$220,000, exclusive of overcall. 

The most recent of the closings 
was "Arsenic and Old Lace,” 
which wrapped up last Saturday 
(1) at the Colonial, Boston, after 
preeming there the previous 
Wednesday (28). The revival, 
which starred Gertrude Berg, was 
financed at $60,000. It was sched¬ 
uled for a lengthy road tour by 


Repieat Trade At 
Sombre ‘Journey’ 

One of the unforeseen angles of 
the Broadway click of Eugene 
O’Neill’s "Long Day’s Journey Into 
Night” has been the number of*re¬ 
peat patrons.. Because of the post¬ 
humous play’s gloomy tone and the 
four-hour performance time, it had 
been figured that, even if the 
critical reaction was favorable, the 
popular draw might be limited. 

Not only is the biographical 
drama doing standee-limit busi¬ 
ness, but ticket brokers report a 
record volume of repeat orders. In 
many cases, it’s said, patrons who 
have seen the show the preceding 
night for the first time, call the 
broker and try to get seats for the 
next night. The case of vet 
comedienne Ina Claire, who saw 
the tragedy three times within 
five nights, is understood to be 
fairly typical. 

Not so surprising is the number 
of playwrights who have attended 
th^ O’Neill $ork. Among them 
have been William Inge, Elmer 
Rice, Sidney Kingsley, Paddy 
Chayefsky, William Faulkner, Noel 
Coward, Terence Rattigan, Jerome 
Chodorov, Clifford Odets, Arthur 
Laurents, Joshua Logan, George 
Tabori, Thornton Wilder and Hor¬ 
ton* Foote. As one veteran show 
biz observer noted, any new O’Neill 
drama is a must for serious drama¬ 
tists, just as there’s always a who’s 
who of fiddlers present whenever 
Jascha Heifetz gives a violin re- 
1 cital at Carnegie Hall, N. Y. 


Earlier last week, the Play¬ 
wrights Co. terminated its pre- 
Broadway test run of "Build With 
One Hand” at the Ford’s Theatre, 
Baltimore, following its move thero * 
from Philadelphia. The producers 
closed the Elliott°Nugent-Geraldine • 
Fitzgerald starrer after two per¬ 
formances in Balto. The play, by 
Joseph Kramm, was capitalized at 
$85,000, with provision for 20% 
overcall. It was slated for an in¬ 
terim booking at the Royale Thea¬ 
tre, N.Y., beginning today (Wed.), 
prior to a Dec. 17 move to the 
Belasco Theatre, N.Y. 

The first of the three shutter¬ 
ings, Max Gordon’s production of 
“Everybody Loves Me” ended its 
break-in run Oct. 24 in Philadel¬ 
phia. The Mannie Manheim- 
Arthur Marx comedy, which 
starred Jack Carson, .was capital¬ 
ized at $75,000, with provision for 
10% overcall. 


’UNCLE WILLIE’ REPEAT 
WILL BOW IN TORONTO 

Toronto, Dec. 4. 

"Uncle Willie,” Julie Berns-Irv- 
Ing Elman comedy which is slated 
for a Dec. 20 premiere on Broad¬ 
way, will be produced at the Circle 
Theatre here Dec. 27. The local 
semi-pro presentation will be by 
Stan Jacobson & Mervyn Rosen- 
zveig. The former is a tv producer 
with Canadian Broadcasting Corp. 

The Broadway version, starring 
Menasha Skulnik, is currently, play¬ 
ing a tryout tour. The producers 
are Albert Lewis & Samuel Schul- 
man, in association with I. B. Jose- 
low. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 

Of 



Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and spay* reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 34 
154 W. 44th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
4404 Suniet Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
412 N. Michigan Avt. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


Asks Why Actors Aren’t 
Still Given Admission 
To Due-to-CIose Shows 

New York. 

Editor , Variety: 

In former years, when a show 
was announced to close, actors 
could obtain admission either by 
passes obtained at Equity or by 
showing their Equity cards at the . 
theatre. Nowadays, for some rea¬ 
son, theatre owners and house man¬ 
agers no longer accord this privi¬ 
lege. 

I was refused the courtesy by the 
house manager for "Someone 
Waiting” at the John Golden The¬ 
atre last winter and by a boxoffice 
attendant for "A Very Special 
Baby” at the Playhouse recently. 
With present minimum prices $1.75 
(often only for matinees) and 
'$2.30, it is becoming increasingly 
difficult for actors to attend the 
theatre and learn by watching other' 
actors work, even in failures. 

I am curious about the changed 
policy and the reasons for it. Surely 
the actors on the stage would ap¬ 
preciate larger and warmer audi-^ 
ences for their final performances. 
The producer and his backers won’t 
lose any money by being generous 
in this matter, as they formerly 
were. 

Fitzroy Davis. 


HELEN HAYES TROUPE 
BUSY WITH THE BARD 

The Helen Hayes Concert Drama 
Group (the Platform Players), un¬ 
der the direction Of Jack . Manning, 
gave a performance 4 last week at 
the McMillan Theatre, N. Y., in the 
fourth of 12 concert bookings, tak¬ 
ing in a repertory of six Shake¬ 
spearean productions. 

The McMillan stand marks the 
second of five performances at the 
theatre for the Institute of Arts & 
Sciences, Columbia U. The first 
was "Lovers, Villains & Fools,” 
comprising Shakespearan excerpts, 
with a "As You Like It” scene 
as companion-piece. "Hamlet,” 
"Othello” and "Romeo and Juliet” 
are the other plays scheduled. 

Besides the McMillan bookings, 
the group also gave a matinee per¬ 
formance of "Lovers” at the The¬ 
atre de Lys, N. Y., last month and 
is slated for a rep.eat there early 
in December. "As You Like It” 
was also presented at the Brooklyn 
Academy of Music earlier this 
month and a return Stand at the 
spot is skedded for March with 
"Romeo and Juliet.” 

The Cancer Society has booked 
"Rovers” for a Dec. 20 showing at 
Memorial Hospital, while the 
Larchmont (N. Y.) Theatre Society 
has the show set for Feb. 15. 


























































































LEGITIMATE 


79 


W<*teesday, December 5, 1956 




Max Geudel resigned last week 
as pressagent Jack Todhey’s asso¬ 
ciate oil -Bells Are Ringing ’ 1 and 
“Mr. Wonderful” to take a United 
Artists job as advance man for 
Michael Todd’s film*.'”Around the 
World id 80 Days.” Max Harper 
succeeds him with Toohey. 

A stoty in last week’s issue 
failed to mention, that Huntington 
Hartford is co-producer with Ed¬ 
ward Choate: and Albert H. Rosen 
of the Coast edition of “Sleeping 
Prince.” The chainstore heir is sole 
adaptor of “Jane Eyre.” the Char¬ 
lotte Bronte novel, wnich he and 
Choate will present on the Coast 
and perhaps 1 , later on Broadway. 
The Choate-Rosen touring presen¬ 
tation of “Anastasia” earned 
$7,500 profit. 

-British-director- -y4 d »-Btop»-aad-| 

her playwright - husband, Derek 
Twist, arrived in New York from 
London recently for confabs with 
Harry Fromkes, who’s scheduled 
to produce Twist’s drama, “Malice 
Domestic” op Broadway. The Lon¬ 
don edition of the play was staged 
by Miss Hope. 

Novelist Erich Maria Remarque’s 
first play, “The Last Station,” re¬ 
cently preemed in Germany, has 
been “acquired for Broadway pro¬ 
duction next season by Hermit 
Bloomgarden and film director- 
producer William Wyler. The latter 
will double as stager. 

“O Happy Me,” a new musical 
with book and lyrics by Arnold B. 
Horwitt and music by Albert 
Hague, is scheduled for Broadway 
production next season by Shepard 
Traube, who’ll also direct. 

Film producer Darryl F. Zanuck 
is purchasing the screen rights to 
Meyer Levins dramatization of his 
recently published novel, “Com¬ 
pulsion,” with the stipulation that 
the author have the legit adapta¬ 
tion ready by Dec. 1, 1957. A 
Broadway producer will be select¬ 
ed by Levin. 

Margaret Webster, back in New 
York from England, will stage the 
Huntington Hartford & Edward 
Choate production of “Jane Eyre,” 
by Hartford’s dramatization of the 
Charlotte Bronte novel. 

George A, Smith, assistant di¬ 
rector of the instructional section 
at the American Theatre Wing and 
Variety’s off-Broadway reviewer 
(Geor.), has authored a book, “An 
Introduction to Mountainclimb- 
ing,” due for publication by A. S. 
Barnes next March. He vacationed 
and went climbing in Switzerland 
last summer to gather final data 
and illustrations. 

William J. Cornell , 1 formerly 
pressagent for the Shubert Thea¬ 
tre, Detroit, and manager of Mel¬ 
ody Circus, a local summer tenter, 
now has a similar assignment for 
the Cass Theatre and Masonic 
Temple Auditorium shows, “The 
Ten Commandments” and “Friend¬ 
ly Persuasion.” in the same town. 

Brooks Atkinson, drama critic of 
the N. Y. Times, is on grand jury 
duty for the month of December. 

“Lonesome Ship,” by Moishe 
Dulzhowsky^ will be preemed to¬ 
morrow (Thurs.) at the Radin The¬ 
atre, N. Y., by the Yiddish Folks- 
bine, making the start of the 
group’s 42d season. The production 
will be presented on ; weekends 
thereafter for a scheduled 16-wwk 
run. : 

David Kantor and Charles Pratt 
Jr. plan making their' Broadway 
managerial debut next season with 
“A Carriage for Alida,” a musi- 
comedy based on Edward Eliscu 
and Henry Myers' adaptation of 
Dion Boucicault’s play, ‘’Streets of 
New York.” The book and lyrics 
for the tuner are by Eliscu, while 
the music was composed by Sol 
Kaplan. 

Franz Spencer’s “Happy Ant 
Hill,” with Martyn Green in a 
leading role, is scheduled for pro¬ 
duction early next year at the 
Downton National Theatre, N. Y., 
by Barbara Griner and Morton 
Segal, in association with Isaac 
Sachs and George L. Spector. 
Euegene Van Grona has been set 
as stager, while Paul Winston and 
Tex Ballou are slated to design the 
sets and costumes, respectively. 

S. Hurok, who brought the Mad¬ 
eleine Renaud-Jean-Louis Barault 
Co. to Broadway from France 
during the 1052-53 season is ditto¬ 
ing this semester, with a four-week 
booking of the troupe at the Winter 
Garden Theatre, beginning Jan. 30. 

Clinton Wilder will be associated 
with George Axelrod in the produc¬ 
tion of “Visit to a Small Planet.” 

Graham Greene’s new play, “The 
Potting Shed,” will he the initial 
offering of Carmen Capalbo and 
Stanley Chase at the Bijou Theatre, 
N.Y., which they have under lease 
for this season. The play is sched¬ 
uled, to have its world preem there 
Jan. 29, with Sybil Thorndike and 
her husband; Lewis Casson, in the 
cast. 

The Holiday Theatre, N. Y., 
which was leased to Michael Rose 
for 10 years and used by him as a 


film and legit showcase for three- 
and-a-half years, has reverted to 
the Shuberts. 

Paul Gregory is planning on 
bringing “Foolin’ Ourselves,” a 
musical cdmedy with book, lyrics 
and music by Robert Rodgers and 
William Barnes, to Broadway next 
April, after a tryout tour opening 
Jan. 7 in Tucson. 

Peter Ustinov will recreate his 
original London assignment in 
“Romanoff and Juliet” when David 
Merrick presents the play on 
Broadway next season, with Denis 
Carey repeating his West End 
staging stint. Loring Smith, cur¬ 
rently in “The Matchmaker?’ will 
costar in the comedy. 

Having set Bryarly Lee for the 
leading femme role in Paul Os- 
born’ s “Maiden Voy age.” Hermit 
Bloomgarden' is pfenning to put the 
show into rehearsal Jan. 28 for a 
Broadway preem sometime in 
March. Joseph Anthony will direct. 

Harold J. Kennedy, managing 
director of the Grist Mill Play¬ 
house, Andover, N. J., has acquired 
the Coast production rights to 
“Tiger at the Gates” and “Time 
Limit,” which he plans presenting 
at the Ivar Theatre, Hollywood, for 
runs of four-six weeks each. Ken¬ 
nedy offered a 40-week season at 
the house in-1951. 

James Westerfield rejoined 
Melvyn Douglas in the touring 
company of “Inherit the Wind” in 
Pittsburgh last week after 'being 
sidelined for several weeks by 
complications following an appen¬ 
dectomy. During his absence, 
Leon B. Stevens substituted. 

Danny Newman, pressagent for 
just-completed Chicago Lyric 
Opera season, has resumed press 
chores for the stock operation at 
the Studebaker Theatre, Chi. 
Paul Montague filled in for him 
during the opera stint. 

Claudia Cassidy, legit-music crit¬ 
ic of the Chicago Tribune, is in 
N. Y. for a spell of Main Stem 
show-catching. 

After nine years accumulating 
the required apprenticeship, Joe 
Lustig has been admitted to mem¬ 
bership in the Assn, of Theatrical 
Press Agents & Managers, and has 
signed to ballyhoo the ‘Bowden, 
Barr & Bullock production of 
“Catch a Falling Star.” 

Louis MacMiuan, who directed 
the recent off-Broadway produc¬ 
tion of “Man With the Golden 
Arm,” will ditto on a Coast version 
slated to bow Jan. 8 Under the 
production auspicies of Joseph 
Rome. 


Show Oat of Town 


Speaking of Murder 

New Haven, Nov. 28. 

Courtney Burr & Burgess Meredith pro¬ 
duction of melodrama m three acts (five 
scenes) by Audrey and William R 006 . 
Stars Brenda de Banzie, Estelle Winwood. 
Lome Greene; features Neva Patterson. 
Directed by Delbert Mann; setting and 
lighting, Frederick Fox; costumes, Alice 
Gibson. At Shubert Theatre, Nov. 28, '56; 
$4.50 top. 

Blcky Ashton . Billy Quinn 

Janie Ashton . Virginia Gerry 

Annabelle Logan.Brenda de Banzie 

Connie Ashton . Neva Patterson 

Charles Ashton. Lome Greene 

Mrs. Walworth . Estelle Winwood 

Mildred . Brook Byron 

Mitchell .. Robert Mandan 

If this were in the old days, 
there would be little question as to 
the staying power of this murder- 
meller. But with Broadway land¬ 
lords on a for-smash-hits-only kick, 
the theatre shortage may be the 
Waterloo of this interesting mys¬ 
tery opus. The show has a tense 
third act and some ingenuity, but 
lacks overall one-two punch. 

“Murder” is not the rough-and- 
tumble, hatchet-mah type of who¬ 
dunit. Its .central character is a 
genteel woman who goes about her 
killing in a quiet, calculated man¬ 
ner, never attracting direction. 
Script is well thought out and its 
logic makes sense. Interesting seg¬ 
ments, capably staged by Delbert 
Mann, range from a warm step¬ 
mother-stepson scene to tKe grip¬ 
ping climax when an intended vic¬ 
tim is dramatically rescued. 

In her American stage debut, 
Brenda de Banzie impresses as a 
player of charm and skill, Although 
her British accent may present dif¬ 
ficulties for U.S. audiences. Estelle 
Winwood is capital as a femme 
lush and Lome Greene is good as 
the architect. * 

Neva Patterson is smoothly con¬ 
vincing as a film star and Billy 
Quinn is fine as a youngster. Vir¬ 
ginia Gerry, as a subteen daughter, 
and Brook Byron, a maid, complete 
an okay cast, together with Robert 
Mandan, whose performance as. an 
efficient young detective is a pro¬ 
nounced relief from the usual 
gumshoe interpretation. 

The Frederick Fox split-level 
domestic library is a stunner. Shift¬ 
ing time element offers opportun¬ 
ity for colorful femme Wardrobe 
display. It all adds to the general 
stamp of quality. Bone. 


" Out of Character 

■ . Fe v plqys in Broadway his¬ 
tory have had. such a morbid 

set of characters as “Long 

■ Day’s Journey Into Night,” Eu- 
gene,D’NeiH’s recentlyropened 
posthumous biographical dra¬ 
ma in which the father is a 
miserly, drunken has-been ac¬ 
tor, the mother is a dope-fiend, 
one son is a dissolute, psychot- 
ically jealous drunk and the 
other son is a neurotic, drunk¬ 
en consumptive. 

The show’s pressagent, Ar¬ 
thur Cantor, seeking publiciz- 
able personal items last week, 
was merely following routine in 
asking company manager Irv¬ 
ing Cooper, “Hpw’re Fredric 
March, Florence Eldridge and 
the others in the company,” 
“Great, great,” the manager 
enthused. “They’re all jus t on e 
' 6 i*g happy family?’ . V 


Recalls Refund Angle 
For Premiere Curtains; 
Why Not Femme Mgrs.? 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

Relative to the mention in a 
recent story of the prevalent man¬ 
agerial practice of announcing an 
opening night starting time of 
8 p.m. and then actually ringing 
up the curtain at * 8:10 or there¬ 
abouts, recalls how the firm of 
A. L. Jones & Morris Green 
handled opening night starting 
times back in the early 1930’s. 

These producers, who had such 
musicals as the “Greenwich Vil¬ 
lage Follies,” “Rain or Shine,’ r 
“Fine and Dandy,” etc. paid West¬ 
ern Union to install a huge clock 
on. proscenium left, in full view of 
the audience, having previously 
announced in their newspaper ads 
that each and every first night pa¬ 
tron, including the reviewers, 
would receive a $l-per-minute re¬ 
fund for each minute the curtain 
was delayed past the announced 
starting time which, in those days, 
was 8:30 p.m. 

To the best of my memory, 
there was never a single occasion 
when they were required to pay 
off. Their staff saw to it that the 
proceedings got moving at the des¬ 
ignated time. 

William Fields." 

(The writer is pressagent for the 
Playwrights Co. and various other 
managements. — Ed.) r 


Raps Sloppy Theatres 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

I applaud your comments in a 
recent issue about the carelessness 
and inefficiency of certain Broad¬ 
way theatre managers. As a fre¬ 
quent theatregoer, s o m e times 
three or four times a week, I am 
constantly shocked, not only at the 
conditions your article cited, but 
with the physical condition of most 
of the New York theatres. 

Many are old and antiquated 
buildings, it is true, but there is 
no excuse for dirty conditions, es¬ 
pecially in retiring rooms, in which 
patrons are frequently assailed by 
stench, as if drenching with vile 
smelling antiseptics could replace 
cleansing. At one of the theatres 
your article mentioned, I have ex¬ 
perienced the attitude of the house 
manager, whoever he is, who 
treats questions with a surly, ag¬ 
gressive manner and a whiskey 
breath. 

Good-housekeeping on Broad¬ 
way, as well as courteous treat¬ 
ment of patrons would help con¬ 
siderably, even though the hits sell 
out anyhow. I don’t know if there 
are any women managers available, 
but perhaps they would bring some 
improvement, since they would 
probably be less likely to tolerate 
preseht conditions at certain of 
the. theatres. 

Theatre Lover. 

(Certain of the independent the¬ 
atres, including the Morosco, 46th 
Street, Helen Hayes and Coronet, 
operated by City Playhouses, Inc.; 
the Henry Miller , operated by Gil¬ 
bert Miller, and the ANTA Play¬ 
house, Alvin and Martin Beck, are 
notable exceptions to the above 
charges. Ed.) 


Sock reaction to the recently- 
opened Broadway production of 
Eugene O'Neill’s “Long Day’s 
Journey Into Night” has apparently 
rubbed off on the off-Broadway 
presentation of the late play¬ 
wright’s “Iceman Cometh,” with 
business for the latter longrun 
entry reportedly jumping about 
50% since the “Journey” preem. 


Will Success Spoil 
Rock Ranter? 

(FORD’S, BALTO.) 


Baltimore, Nov. 22 . 

Manny Davis is back in the 
hinterlands with a budget-sized 
edition of George Axelrod’s Holly¬ 
wood version of the Faust legend. 
Two seasons ago, Davis toured 
“Guys And Dolls” with the original 
sets and an abridged cast. Last 
season, it was “Kismet.” At present, 
he is partnered with Julbs Pfeiffer 
and a group of 30 independent road 
theatre managements in a mini¬ 
mum of three productions for the 
current season. 


There are a number of sub¬ 
stantial strengths in this tourer 
that just about have the edge over 
-the-'-obstacles:—€Hrref—among “tfier 
latter is the economy measure of 
playing the entire three-act stretch 
in what was designed as an insert 
in the original three-set produc¬ 
tion. Though the effect is hardly to 
the credit of Oliver Smith, still 
listed as production designer, the 
script has been altered so that the 
entire action is set in the office of 
Rita Marlowe Productions. 

That allows the'-stager and the 
cast a shallow platform, of not 
much more than 12 -foot depth and 
cheats stage right and left with 
yards of black tormentor to meet 
the faraway proscenium. In addi¬ 
tion, the shopworn decor shows its 
57 weeks on Broadway. 

The sprightly staging by William 
Ross sometimes takes -the focus 
away from the somewhat uneven 
thesping, Eddie. Bracken, starred 
in the part that featured Orson 
Bean on Broadway, works feverish¬ 
ly to extract humor as the meek 
fan magazine writer. There’s occa¬ 
sionally too much effort involving 
business With “martooni” glasses, 
pencils, notebooks, etc., but some¬ 
times, as in the first act seduction 
scene, the howls are based in geur 
uine comedy. 

Roxanne Arlen has been im¬ 
ported from Hollywood for the 
Jayne Mansfield role. Whereas 
Miss Mansfield attacked her part 
with enough energy to dismay even 
her most determined detractors, 
Miss Arlen reveals a lack of ex¬ 
perience and savvy. The obvious 
is there, but some of the comedy 
in the role goes begging. Jerome 
Kilty, as the diabolical agent, 
forgoes Martin’ Gabel’s under¬ 
played, sinister Broadway carbon 
for- a more elegant, comedy-of- 
manners approach that loses some, 
of the character’s effectiveness. 

George Ives is polished and 
likeable as* the “play-wrote” and 
Harold Gary, held over from the 
Broadway troupe, scores as a Holly¬ 
wood producer. Marilyn Cole is 
fine as a decorative secretary and 
Norris Brandstraum is convincing 
as a muscle man. 

In locales where pulp-mag type 
sex-humor is a Saleable commodity, 
this fast paced, low-budgeted 
tourer should be a natural, despite 
its handicaps. 

Burm. 


sister Martha Brewster comes 
through properly happy and ami¬ 
able. 

Le Roi Operti gets good laughs 
as the alcoholic face, lifting Dr. 
Einstein and Ben Stone has a nice 
bit as the cop, “Shakespeare.” The 
single set, from Raymond Sovey’s- 
original blueprint, has the familiar 
landing where Teddy blows his 
bugle, plus the window-seat box 
for the bodies, and round table for 
the wine dispensing. Gene Coffin’s 
costumes are appropriately dated. 

Guy. 

(Closed Saturday ( 1 ) after five 
performances .) 


Stock Review 


A Month in the Country 

„ Chicago, Nov. 27. 

Studebaker Theatre C&. revival of 
drama m three acts by Ivan Turgenev. 
Stars Geraldine Page. Staged by Eugenio . 
Leontovich; scenery. Jack H. CornweU; 
costumes, Theoni Aldredge. At Stude- 
baker Theatre. Chicago, Nov. 27, ’56; 
$4.50 top. 

Natalia Islaev . Geraldine Page 

Arkady Islaev . Moultrie Patten 

Kolia ., .... Ernest Danko 

Alexei Balaiev . Robert Rietz 

Vera . . Ellen Bloodworth 

Mme. Islaev . Gertrude Berman 

Lizaveta . Mary Best 

Schaaf . . David Crane 

Rstotin . Anthony Mockus 

Dr. Shpigelsky . Henry Beckman 

Matvei .. John Norris 

Katya .. Olga Darina 

Bolshmtov . Jack Hollander 


For the third production of its 
initial season, the Studebaker stock 
company has exhumed' but hasn’t 
quite resuscitated Ivan Turgenev’s 
talkathon on the love and. jealous¬ 
ies of a Russian family, circa 1860. 
The play emerges as a flossy 
antique blurred by Eugenie Leon- 
tovich’s diffuse direction and the 
cast’s inability to breath much life 
into the stilted roles. 

While she stands out among her 
colleagues, Geraldine Page is not 
always believable as the bored 
spouse who dallies with her 
hubby’s best friend and then with 
the tutor of her teenage ward. In 
contrast to the freewheeling emot¬ 
ing of the others, Anthony Mockus, 
as the platonic friend, and Robert 
Rietz, as the tutor, are noticeaby 
reserved. 

Ellen Bloodworth comes off 
fetchingly as the adolescent. who 
reaches maturity with the discov¬ 
ery- she ahd her guardian are in¬ 
fatuated with the same man. Henry 
Beckman applies unrestrained 
gusto to the role of the busybody 
family doctor and Jack Hollander 
is properly befuddled as his coun¬ 
try bumpkin foil. Moultrie Patten 
does reasonably well as the carica¬ 
tured head of the menage. Lesser 
parts are adequately filled, 

Jack • H. ComwaFs split sets 
barely leave enough elbowroom 
for the play’s limited action. 

Dave. 

CENTRAL CITY SEEKS 
ANOTHER ‘BABY DOE’ 


Arsenic and Old Lace 

(Colonial Theatre, Boston) 

’ Boston, Nov. 28. 

With a few minor changes in the 
script, budgeted at $60,000, and 
bringing the radio-tv name Ger¬ 
trude Berg for b.o. draw, the 15- 
year-old antic of daffy maiden 
aunts who dispense arsenic-laced 
elderberry wine to bring surcease 
to aging gentlemen looks to have 
good potential in the provinces. 
The star plays the role of Abbie 
BreWstet. as bustling,, fussy and 
appealing, tmfi will presumably de¬ 
velop the; characterization further 
as the. tourer shakes down. 

Bretaigbe; .Wiiidust, who staged 
the original Broadway production 
of the Joseph' Kesselring comedy 
(Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse 
shared author royalties, but took 
no co-autho.r billing), has directed 
this revival with nice pace and re¬ 
straint. S. M. Handelsman is pro¬ 
ducer. 

The apparently indestructible 
piece has only three variations 
from the 1941 script. This time 
batty brother Jonathan Brewster 
looks like Orson Welles instead'of 
Boris Karloff. George Cotton, who 
could double for O.W., plays the 
hulking psycopathic killer with 
forceful intensity. A line about the 
drama critic going to the Norah 
Bayes Theatre has been cut (the 
Broadway house was razed some 
years ago) and a reference to Hit¬ 
ler is switched to Bulganin. 

I Hugh Reilly is fine as the bouncy 
drama critic who prefers identify¬ 
ing birds to. covering the theatre, 
and is nicely credible as the only 
sane member of the Brewster fam¬ 
ily. Kaye Lyder, svelte figured 
looker is zesty in brief. appear¬ 
ances in the almost completely un¬ 
written part of the ingenue. 

George Lipton plays “Teddy 
Roosevelt” deftly, making the most 
of the crackpot role. Helen Ray’s 


Denver, Dec. 4. 

Central City Opera House Assn., 
which opens up the 750-seat 78- 
year-old opera house in Colorado’s 
mining town each summer for six 
to eight weeks of opera and other 
shows, is looking for a second 
original opera to use in 1957. “The 
Ballad of Baby Doe”—about Den¬ 
ver and Colorado people, was high¬ 
ly successful last summer. 

There is a possibility that either 
“Porgy and Bess” or “Rigoletto” 
will be the second opera. A popu¬ 
lar play is usually used the last 
half of the summer.. 

The association lost .$5,899 this 
year, as against a “profit” , of $1,820 
last year. Since the association is 
non-profit, any “profits” go back 
into production. Income from all 
sources this year was around $500,- 
000 , with> the largest donation of 
$27,000 coming from the. Mrs. 
Spencer Penrose estate. 

At its annual meeting the asso¬ 
ciation elected a 38-member board 
of directors, with officers to be 
named later. Frank H. Ricketson, 
general manager of National The- 5 
atres and president of Fox Inter- 
Mountain Theatres, now living in 
Los Angeles, president of the'asso¬ 
ciation the past ten years, has not 
indicated whether he will resign or 
not. Others on the board said the 
job was his as long as he wished 
to continue. 


Shaw Playlet on Coast 

Hollywood, Dev. 4. 

“Why She Would Not,’ ’one-acter 
written by George Bernard Shaw 
shortly before his death, will he 
presented here in January by the 
Stage Society. 

The play will be directed by Jay 
Sayer. 

























LEGITIMATE 


Shows Abroad 

Continued frontpage 71 m 


Grab M© a Gondola 

tional musical comedy orbit. >„ The 
flamboyant curvaceous actress' dis¬ 
plays all the gimmicks, mink bikini, 
fiabulous dress and undress and the 
yearning hopes of playing in Shake¬ 
speare. Spiced with cracks at the 
press boys and debunking a lot Of 
the ballyhoo, Jt, leaves little illu¬ 
sion about these mushroom-like 
get-togethefrs. 

Undoubtedly top ranking in this 
sometimes indigestible concoction 
is Joan Heal, playing the blonde 
headliner with mischievous exag¬ 
geration. in this she is outstanding 
and never misses an’ opportunity of 
inovement—or--gest»fer'“^he^-q«ar-«'-i 

relling couple, a columnist and his 
girl, are well played by Denis 
Quilley and Jane Wenham, both 
with pleasing voices. Joyce Blair, 
as another starlet, is pertly attrac¬ 
tive and Donald Hewlett , convinc¬ 
ingly portrays, the ulcer-raising 
problems of a bombshell’s personal 
manager. 

Guido Lorraine, a victim of lar¬ 
yngitis, had. to talk through his 
songs, but. conveys the. requisite 
charm of the playboy prince who is 
finally caught in his own sex trap. 
Among the minor roles, Trefor 
Jones and Ina de la Haye make a 
cosy old Italian couple, and cari¬ 
catures of two British Naval types 
as well done by Johnny Ladd and 
Jay Denyer. The supporting star¬ 
lets and dancers all provide speed 
and color. 

The numbers are gay and spir¬ 
ited, winding up with a rock and 
roll which is exhilarating without, 
overstepping its abandon. Clem. 

United Notions 

London, Noy. 29. 

Jack Hylton presentation of a revue in 
two acts. Stars Tommy Trlnder. Patachou. 
Plnkey Lee; features George Tapps and 
his Dancers (5). The PeirO Brothers (2), 
Ann Hart, Peter Regan. Guy Tanno, Dor¬ 
othy Matthews, Ellen Cobb, Joe Ward, 
RusseU, John Forde and the Adelphi 
Girls and Boys. Staged by Arthur Lesser; 
music and lyrics, Ross Parker; choreog¬ 
raphy, George Tapps; decor, Dennis Wre- 
ford. Alec Shanks and Erte. At Adeiohi 
Theatre, London, Nov. 28, '56; 82 top. 

The international flavor of the’ 
title is justified by the cast, which 
has been recruited from Britain, 
the Continent and the U.S. In es¬ 
sence, the show is in keeping faith 
the twice-nightly revue ^policy of 
the Adelphi, but the ^current pfes- 
entation has a touch of sophistica¬ 
tion and a highly professional 
slickness, not always evident in the 
past. It stacks up as a profitable 
production. 

The headliners are Tommy Trin- 
der, Patachou and Pinky Lee, a 
contrasting trio who make individ¬ 
ual and valuable contributions. 
The British comic, however, is 
given too large a proportion of the 
bill and although he doesn’t out¬ 
stay his welcome, the production 
could be improved by the elimina¬ 
tion of a tasteless sketch making 
obvious jokes about plumbing. 

Patachou, in her 4 traditional 
skirt and blouse, has two vocal 
spots, as well as appearing with 
Trinder in a sketch. When she 
holds the stage alone to sing care¬ 
fully selected tunes, she oozes per¬ 
sonality. She’s naturally at her 
best with a medley of wellknown 
French numbers, but her sense of 
comedy is apparent in her inter¬ 
pretation of “I’m In Love With A 
Wonderful Guy.” Stout entries in¬ 
clude “The Poor People of Paris,” 
and Cole Porter’s “Foggy Day.” 

Pinky Lee, last seen here some 


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five' years ag6 at the'Palladium, 
has one main sketch. in which he 
develops his familiar pathetic lit¬ 
tle character;,?tO boff results. He’s 
an energetic and versatile comedian 
and collars extra laughs with his 
handling of the xylophone, par¬ 
ticularly in a sabre dance routine. 

New to London, the George 
Tapps dancers make a striking im¬ 
pact, and their main terping rou¬ 
tine is a fine, example of precision 
footwork an which the quintet 
achieve an unusual, fascinating 
rhythmic effect. Their individual 
style has clearly influenced the 
choreography for the entire pro¬ 
duction, The Peiro Brothers click 
-with—a - fancy -line- in—juggling... 
changing hats and cigarettes while 
going through their complicated 
routine. 

The production is good to look 
at and easy on the ear. The cos¬ 
tuming strikes a gay and colorful 
note and the decojf is strikingly 
simple, but still effective, Arthur 
Lesser, whose first British produc¬ 
tion this is, has made, excellent use 
of these qualities,, as Well as of the 
high grade talent available to him. 

The production numbers, nota¬ 
ry the all-time music-hall, which 
is a quick impression of the Palace 
in N. Y., the Moulin Rouge in 
Paris and the Palace in London, 
has a vivacious quality. Ross Park¬ 
er’s music and lyrics get full treat¬ 
ment from the Philip Martell 
house orch. Myro. 

Straefling Nr. 501 

(Convict No, 501) 

Zurich, Oct. 27. 

Rudolf Bernhard production of comedy 
in three acts, by Wilhelm Llchtenberg. 
Staged by Albert PtHman; sets, Paul 
Wettstein. Star? Rudolf Bernhard; fea¬ 
tures Otto Carl*. Josy Holsten. Ingeborg 
Cornelius, Artbiir StaOrkle. Ernst Boel- 
sterli, Albert Pulmann’. Lutz Altschul, 
Ursula Kube. Paul Wallnau. At Bernhard 
Theatre. Zurich, Oct. 26, '56; $1.55 top. 

Ernest Godard . Otto Carl 

Valerie .....Josy Holsten 

Ariane .. Ingeborg Cornelius 

Andie . . .*. Arthur Staerkle 

Hubert Furet .Ernst Boelsterli 

Dr. Briquet . Albert Pulmann 

Diogenes Stefanopolos.Lutz Altschul 

Jeanne Hugon _.Ursula Kube 

Dominique Malacru.... ..Rudolf Bernhard 
Durant n . Paul Wallnau 

This lightweight farce serves 
neatly as a starring vehicle for top 
Swiss comedian Rudolf Bernhard 
at his own small theatre. *Now in 
its seventh week, it’s a b.o. hit and 
looks to hold up for some time. 

Play is slight but diverting, let¬ 
ting down only in the final act. It 
'concerns a provincial French as¬ 
trologer who is maneuvered into 
posing as a. dangerous escaped 
criminal. He is taken to Paris to 
test the theory that-there are no 
born criminals and any law-break¬ 
er can be brought back into society 
by humane treatment. The experi¬ 
ment backfires, of course, and 
numemous complications arise un¬ 
til the real criminal is caught and 
the astrologer's true identity re¬ 
vealed. 

Bernhard is excellent as the as¬ 
trologer, holding audience atten¬ 
tion and getting laughs with deft 
skill. The fact that he'has a Swiss 
dialect heightens the contracts to 
straight German of the other 
players. 

The others are well cast, with 
lookers Ingeborg Cornelius from 
Vienna and Ursula Kube from 
Munich standouts, and Josy Hol¬ 
sten giving a polished performance 
as the Minister of Justice’s ro¬ 
mance-hungry wife. 

Albert Pulmann has directed the 
show, with verve and good humor, 
and also gives a click portrayal of 
a psychoanalyst who < could use 
treatment himself. Paul;-Wettstein 
has contributed two serviceable 
sets. Mezo, 

. E Tn Biondlna 

(To You, Blondie) 

Rome, Nov. 8. 

Macario Produslonl presentation of 
musical comedy in two acts, by Amendala 
and Mac; "staged by Macario; settings, 
Cesarino Monti; music, Giovanni D’Anzi; 
costumes, Soldati; danefes, Dlno Solari. 
Stars Macario, Sandra Monaini; features 
Elena Sedlak, Liana Rovis, Giulio Mar- 
chetti, Alberto Sorrentino, Rosetta Pe- 
drani, Laura Dari, Carla Macellohi, Ma¬ 
cario Ballet (14). At Teatro Sistina, Rome; 
$5 top. 

Second hit musical to open in 
Rome this season brings back Ma¬ 
cario, an established comic, in a 
beauty-studded musical which 
looks in for a run. The star is now 
producing as well as directing his 
own shows. 

Except for costumes, the produc¬ 
tion and especially the sets, is on 
an obviously modest scale. The 
show’s story is thin, involving an 
operettish tale of an innkeeper’s 
constantly . switching allegiance 
during Italo-Austrian wars of the 
past. It’s a pretext for much of the 
usual crinoline humor, liberally 
sprinkled with the earthier bar¬ 
racks variety whenjhe armies are 
involved. 

Macario is prone to the use of 
blue material, and this show bor¬ 


ders the tasteless' in that regard, 
though his fans eat it up. Similar 
audience effect is garnered by the 
show’s stock of femme lookers, 
likewise a Macario trademark, with 
Elena Sedlak and Rosetta Bedrani 
topping' thfc roster this" trip* , 

Former is also a fine terper with 
a nifty figure. Sandra Mondaini, 
as the star’s sidekick, has come up 
fast as one pf the country’s best 
comediennes and registers almost 
throughout. With a bit more ex¬ 
perience,. she’ll be a top. performer 
in the field. 

The songs < are listenable, espe¬ 
cially the title tune, but no more 
than that. Dances, by Dino Solari 
are good, topped by an Indian 
dance number with an imported 
line. Giulid Marchetti and Alberto 
Sorrentino, : latter as an Indian 
chief, displaced in Europe, back 
Macario ably. Sets are skijnpy and 
barely funcUo^al. ^ , Hawj^ 

Hopsa 

(The Life of a Girl) 

Zurich, Nov; 18. 

Stadttheatre production of musical com¬ 
edy in two parts (16 scenesh with book 
by Armin Robinson. Paul Bgudisch and 
Robert Gilbert, ‘from an idea by Paul 
Burkhard; music, Burkhard, Musical di¬ 
rection, Hans Rohrer;. staged by Helmtat 
Hansel; sets. Max RoethUrfhergcr; chore¬ 
ography, Erwin Hansen-Torgat; costumes, 
Rene Rougemont At Stadttheatre, Zurich, 
Nov. 11. '56; $3 top. 

Mayor Perkins.Gottlieb Zeithsmmer 

Gloria Perkins.. Josette 1 Bollinger 
Virginia Phipps . Gretl Henar 

Bill Carter Heinz Rhoedeh 

Mary Miller (Hopsa)... .Ingeborg Fanger 

Detective . Karl Pistorius 

Higgins .. Reinhold Guether 

Theatre Manager.......Thur Stahlberger 

Culpepper . Fritz Lanius 

Driver . Helmuth Seitz 

Dubbs . Eduard Wimmer 

Smith . Heinz -|Cremer 

Jim . Giacomo Tavoli 

Railway Conductor.Alfred Strasser 

Stage Painters. .Heinz Boettcher, Kremer, 
George Steiger. Tavoli; Wimmer 

Composer.Alois von . Piechowsky 

Librettists ... Max Kraemer. 

. . . Oskar Maria Ratz 

Maltre de Ballet . Helmut Vetter 

Stare Manager .Rudolf Gautschi ! 

Lighter . Eugen Rau 

Radio Announcer . Georg Steiger 

Headwaiter . Edwin Frdese 

Doctor . . Oskar Buehrer 

Dancers Margrlt Meyer Elfriede Paryzek, 
Eva Patockova. Karlheinz Kaiser, 

Fred MUan. Helmut Vetter 

This early opus by Swiss com- 
ooser Paul Burkhard has been 
brought back in a new edition re¬ 
flecting the influence the U. S. mu¬ 
sicals that have been playing Eu¬ 
rope. “Hopsa” ‘ contains little of 
old-style Mitteleuropean operetta, 
hut quite a bit of American zest. 
The action takes place In an imag¬ 
inary U. S. small tovya and later 
in KJew Ydrk. A rewriting job. 
injecting more Stateside flavor and 
vigor, might make this a prospect 
for the U. S. • " 

The plot involves .a smalltown 
girl pushed into a New York stage 
career but quitting to marry her 
childhood - sweetheart and settle 
down to domesticity. This stand¬ 
ard little story is charmingly told, 
without false operetta pathos. The 
music, though without hit propor¬ 
tion material, is pleasant, cleverly 
orchestrated and offers such listen- 
able numbers as the title song, 
“Flowers Have-X Seen.” “Everyone 
Has His Dreams,” “Who Was Co¬ 
lumbus?”, “Hoola Hoola Hoo” and 
“The Song of Jim the Negro.” 

The Stadttheatre performance Is 
excellent. Musical director Hans 
Rohrer does a fine job at the baton, 
Helmut Hansel’s staging is com¬ 
petent and the Erwin Hansen-Tor- 
gat choreography is praiseworthy. 
But top credit is due Max Roethlis- 
berger for his delightful sets. Inge¬ 
borg Fanger in the title part is in 
top form vocally and dramatically, 
While Heinz Rhoeden. Josette Bol¬ 
linger, Reinhold Guether and Karl 
Pistorius contribute good char¬ 
acterizations in other leading roles. 

Mezo. 

Touridg Shows 

(Dec. 3-16) 

Anniversary Waltz (Russel Nype, Mar¬ 
jorie Lord)—Geqry,. S.F. (3-15). 

Boy Friend—American, St. L. (3-0); 
Royal- Alexandra. Toronto (11-15), 

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Thomas Gomez, 
Marjorie Steele, AJex NicoO—National, 
Wash. (3-8); Ford's. Balto. (10-15). 

Chalk Garden (Judith Anderson, Ruth 
Chatterton)—Hanna, Cleve. (3-8); Nixon, 
Pitt. (10-15). 

Damn Yankees (2d Co.h (Bobby Clark) 
—Shubert. Chi (3-15). 

Great Sebastlens (Alfred Lunt. Lynn 
Fontanne)—Victoria, K.C, (3-8); Biltmore, 
L.A. (11-15). 

Hatful of Rain (Vivian Blaine)—Shubert, 
Det. (3-8); Shubert. Cincy (10-15). 

Inherit the Wind (2d Co.) (Melyyn 
Douglas)—Shubert. Boston (3-15). 

. Janus (Joan Bennett, Donald Cook, 
Romney Brent)—Alcazar, S.F. (3-18). 

Lark (Julie Harris)—Forrest, Philly 
(3-8); National, Wash. (10-15), 

No Time for Sergeants (2d Co.)—Erlan- 
ger, Chi (3-15). 

Pa|ama Game (Larry Douglas, Buster 
West, Betty O'Neil)—Shubert, Cincy (3-8); 
MUrat. Indpls, (10-15). 

Protective Custody (tryout) (Faye 
Emerson)—Walnut, Philly (3-8); Shubert, 
Wash. (10-15) (Reviewed in VARIETY, 
Nov. 28, '56). 

Sleeping Prince (Francis Lederer, Shir¬ 
ley MacLaine. Hermlone Gingold)—Hart¬ 
ford, L.A (3-15). 

Small War on Murrey Hill (tryout) (Jan 
Sterling, Leo Genn)—Shubert, New Haven 
(12-15). 

Speaking of Murder (tryout)—Plymouth, 
Boston (3-15). 

Uncle Willie (tryout) (Menasha Skulnik) 
—Locust. Philly (3-15) ..Reviewed in 
VARIETY, Nov. 21, '50). 

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (Eddie 
Bracken)—Nixon,. Pitt. (3-8); Shubert, Det. 
(10-15). 

^Witness for, the Prosecution—Harris, 
Chi (3,15). 


Wednesday, Beeeiwbet’ 1956 


Mail OrdfcrPros and Cons 

■uyflwA».iniaasassasgaca^ conUnut^ijrom p**e 77 -t”tt ~ ” "*;■ ■ f 11 i 

November arid received sofone for ihgetting tickets for"“AuntiB 
late April. This surely is enough Mame” for one of the dates and in 
to discourage anyone even as hardy the location I have specified; but 
* S JL* .. «. .. \ ; I am aware of the problem con- 

My friends and Lenjoy the fhea- fronting the boxoffice atthe Broad* 
tre and spend many hour? seeing hurst and I know William JUnaldo, 
the shows; -^e^would appreciate the treasurer, is doing the best he 
any help you may be able to give can under the unusual, combina- 
in remedying this situation. tioft. pf a. tremendous 'demand fol r 

Mildred M. Board. tickets on top of scores of theatre 
(Mrs. D. N. Board) , parties booked months in advance.' 


parties booked months in advance,' 
I know that Rinaldo cannot send 
Witness' For The Affirmative me tickets in the 5th row. cen- 

- . New York. ter for one of my specified dates 

Editor, Variety: , when the hou^e is sold out for that 

Your story in a recent issue night. He asks for more date?; I 
about the difficulties of buying supply them; arid- eventually we 

theatre- ticksts -by-maii-wax very. .mlJL it ou t. .. _ 

interesting. Mby I tptt you howj J have many Menas who hav* 
l“ v ?, Sotten around the Benefit been buying tickets by mall, nor- 
T t L/ n ? nace ’i , . , . mally in advance of opening for 

I think people get their checks many years. They are enthusiastic 
beck because the alternate dates proponents ot the mail order ap- 
tliey offer are all in one week, or proach and see more and more 

too early in the run. ’ shows every season. ' 

As a 10-year mail orderer myself, « 

toeTd^ol the* we*efc ‘l*c.“l «ts »d“lk e S mafl ordertespe: 

centrate on lVednesfiaya and my an^wimtion 

alternate dates are one Wednesday ticket buyer-has an obligation 

in each of the next five or six «”V al '“-W* order clear > c6 ®^st 

months.. I have now got tickets and complete. 

for all of the big incoming shows, 1- State how many tickets art 

and whep, I tell you~my seats are wanted. 

all IQ1-102 within the first seven 2; Specify acceptable seat lo* 

rows, you can see how successful cation or leave it open; 

my efforts are. 3. Specify alternate dates by 

Richard Lightstone. day of week and date of 

day; or leave it open. 

Wonders If Biz Is Too Good 4 . Enclose a check for the 
New York. correct amount. 

Editor , Variety: 5. Enclose a self-addressed, 

May I add my bit of fuel to the stamped' envelope, 
fire started by your recent story 6. Address your letter Cor- 
about New York theatres and their rectly; and if it is not 
handling of mail order?? typed, write legibly. 

As a Fairfield County commuter, And if the boxoffice cannot give 


and whep I tell you my seats are wanted. 

all IQ1-102 within the first seven 2; Specify acceptable seat lo* 

rows, you can see how successful cation or leave it open; 

my efforts are. 3. Specify alternate dates by 

Richard Lightstone. day of week and date of 

day; or leave it open. 

Wonders If Biz Is Too Good 4 . Enclose a check for the 
New York. correct amount. 

Editor , Variety: 5. Enclose a self-addressed, 

May I add my bit of fuel to the stamped' envelope, 
fire started by your recent story 6. Address your letter Cor- 
about New York theatres and their rectly; and if it is not 
handling of mail order?? typed, write legibly. 

As a Fairfield County commuter, And if the boxoffice cannot give 
I haVe been ordering tickets, be- you what you want, where you 
fore the opening dates, by mail for want it don’t assume that the treas- 
many years. ^While, admittedly, urer is picking on you personally, 
this is a gamble, both tickets and He or she has to sell 500 to 1,500 
service have generally been good, tickets a performance; they havo 
But in the past year things have to handle 'boxoffice orders as well 
changed! Here are two examples: as those that come by .mail; they 
On Sept. 11, two days after the have to cope with theatre parties 
first ad for “Auntie Mame,” I which they do not arrange in the 
ordered tickets listing six dates in first place; and, above all, they are 
January. Four weeks later my human. 

check was returned, rubber Julio F. Sorzano. 

stamped, “Sold ofit until after the _ 

end of March.” I, thereupon, re- cifpn CTPATFABn frONN \ 
mailed my order for tickets for any *S2? 5 J ***7v Yu\ » 
weekday evening as soon a<* pos- „„Much Ado About Nothing, 

reply. ^ ^ W " 1 ^ lat “' ”° NWs Drea^ wj^“£d 


-I.,, . by the American Shakespeare Fes- 

!i^? e A r n £!: tiv *l Theatre & Academy during 
kets were ordered on Oct. 8— its third season at Stratford, Conn., 


Tickets were ordered on Oct. 8— its tllird season at S) 
and nothing but deep silence for beginning June 22 
the 31 days which have since _ ■ 

Is business so good that theatres British Shows 

no longer needthei^friends?^^ ,. fFisure , deno«openi« S dalesJ 

(Lever Bros. Co.) LONDC 

<By withholding tickets for “Can- Bey Frlond. Wyndhar 
dide ” the theatre management Chalk GArdan, Hayma 
.avoided untold complications for SSry’Annf 1 ^FranS 1 ?! 

mail order applicants, as the pre - Doctor in House, Vic 

viously-scheduled premiere mu 

postponed from Noy. 22 to Dec. 1. Fanny, Drury Lane (1 
This is just one of the difficult fac z 

tors, unknown to the public, with a House by Lake, York' 
which a boxoffice staff may have -kismet, Stoll ( 4 - 20 - 55 ), 
ir* \ Le Misanthrope, Pala 

to £Ontena.—La.) Mousetren. Ambassad 


Plug: for B.O. Staffs 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

I think it is ‘time someone stood 
up for the good people behind the 
windows at the boxoffices of our 
New York theatres. • 

For many years now I have pur¬ 
chased tickets by mail in advance 
of opening for virtually every pro¬ 
duction that has appeared on 
Broadway. In all of that time, with 
very few exceptions, my orders 
have been filled promptly and sat¬ 
isfactorily. 

Buying my tickets well in ad¬ 
vance, I am occasionally obliged to 
switch Bate?. This has brought me 
in personal touch with a gopd 
many treasurers and assistaiit 
treasurers. They are pleasant peo¬ 
ple; cqjirteous, efficient and co¬ 
operative. They may have their 
off-days; and they may lose pa¬ 
tience under pressure or with the 
Unreasoning demands of unin¬ 
formed customers; but, then, so 
do I. ' 

There have been several com¬ 
plaints recently about tickets for 
“Major Barbara.” I sent in my 
order when the show was first ad¬ 
vertised. I gave two dates and 
specified seat location. The l? ox ~ 
office, in the person of Miss Cham¬ 
berlain, took the trouble to, tele¬ 
phone me to check on other suit¬ 
able dates since the locations I re¬ 
quested were not available on the 
dates given in my letter. I saw the 
play Nov. 2. 

To be sure, I am having trouble 


Chalk Glrdan, Haymarket (4-11-56). 
Davll'f Disclplt, Wint. Card. (11-3-36). 
Diary Anna Frank, Phoenix (11-28-56). 
Doctor ih Houit, Vic. Pal. (7-30-96). 
Doubla Imago, Savoy (11-14416). 

Dry Rot, WhltehaU (8-31-54). . 

Fanny, Drury Lane (11-15-56). 

For Amusement Only, Apollo (6-5-S6).— 1 
Good Woman Sotzuan, R'y'l Ct. (10-31-56). 
House by Lake, York'e 15 - 9 - 56 ), 

•t/ismat, Stoll (4-20-55). 

Le Misanthrope, Palate (11-14-56). 
Mousetrap, Ambassadors (11-25-52). 

No Time Sots., Her Maj. (8-23-58). 

Nude With violin. Globe (11-7-56). 
Pa|ama Game, Coliseum (10-13-55). 
Plaintiff In Hat, Duchess (10-11-56). 
Plume de ma Tante, Garrick (11-3-55).’ 
Rainmaker,* St. Mart. (5-31-56). 

Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (5-24-55) 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Palace (11-12-50). 
Repertory, Old Vio (8-7-55). 

Romanoff & Juliet, PiccadiUy (5-17-56). 
Roiallnde Fuller, Arts (10-8-50). 

Sailor Beware, Strand (2-18-55). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). 
Sorcerer's Apprentice, New Lind. (10-2). 
South Sea Bubble, Lyric (4-25-56). 

Ten Min. Alibi, Westminster (11-2-50). 
Towards Zero, St., James’s (8-4-5®. 
Under MltfTWood. New (8-20-56)., 

United Notions, Adelphi (11-28-56). 

View From Bridge, Comedy (10-11-5®. 
Waltz of Toreadors, Criterion <3-27-5®. 
Zero Hours, St. James's (8-4-56), 
SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
D'Oyly Carta, Prince's (12-3-56). 

Touch of Fear, Aldwych (12-5-5®. 

Way of World, Savflle (12-6-56). 

Mrs. Gibbons' Boys, West min, (12-11-5®. 
Who Cares, Fortune (12-13-5®. 

Closed Last Weak 
Devil Was Sick, Fortune (11-13-58). 
Doctor's Dilemma, Savllle (10-4-5®. 
Likely Tala, Globe (3-2Z-58). 

Mr. Bolfry, Aldwych (8-30-56). 


PROFESSIONAL CARDS HONORED 

Theatrical and TV Make* Ur • All 
Leading Cosmetic Lines • Imported 
A Domestic Perfumes • Distinctive 
Fountain Service. 

FREE DELIVERY OPEN SUNDAYS 
"The Drug Store of the Stars" 
HADLEY REXALL DRUGS 
1111 4th Ave., Cor. 46 St., NEW YORK 
Telephone PLaza 7-0023 I 


In the heart of Chicago's Loop 
near the Chicago, Harris, Selwyn and 
Erlanger Theatres, and. adtacent to 
all television stations, |t’s the 

BANCROFT HOTEL 

19 W. Randolph St. PRanklln 2-4740 
Special Rates for Show Folk 
Rooms and Kitchenettes 

































Wftfliwfliiy* Pecem^ g, 1956 




LEGITIMATE 


81 


Chi Edges Upward; “Yankees’ $41 jKH), 
‘Sergeants’ $32,400, ‘Friend’ $26200 


‘ c S2S2S«!B’way Up ’n’Dowm “Bells’ $!B20# (5), 


Chicago, Dec. 4.. * 

Legit receipts rose, slightly here 
last week, “Boy Friend" decamped ( 
Saturday night Cl) to continue it?-j~ 
tour. 

Upcoming / are. “Anniversary 
Waltz," at the. Blapkstorte, pec. 30, 
for a run} “Matchmaker," Harris, 
Jan. 7, for four weeks, on sub¬ 
scription; “JanUs," Harris, Feb. 4, 
for four weeks, on subscription. 

Estimates for Last Week 

'Boy Friend, Blapkstone (MO) 
(11th wk) ($5.50; 1,450; $40,583). 
Over $26,200: previous week, $22,- 
200; resumed* tour Saturday (1). 

TfMiiiti Ysttkeesr Sh\itiert~ tM€)‘ 
(5th wk) ($5.50; 2,100; $58,000) 
(Bobby Clark). Almost $41,800, 
previous week, $41,200. 

No Time (or Sergeants, Erlanger 
(C) ($4.05); 1,335; $35,495). Topped 
$32,400; previous week, $32,000. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Harris (D) ($4.95; 1,000; $29,347). 
Over $9,200; previous week, $12,- 
100. 

Miscellaneous 

Month In the Country, Stude- 
baker. Stock revival ends Pec. 23, 
to be followed by “The Immoral- 
ist" 


Build' a Fast Folderoo, 1 
EndsTryout in Balto 

. Baltimore, Dec, 4. 

The Playwrights Co. production 
of Joseph Kramm’s new play. 
“Build With One Hand," folded 
abruptly at Ford's Theatre here 
last' Wednesday J <28) after playing 
two performances. There was lit¬ 
tle advance for the remainder of 
the week and the mixed reaction 
to. the drama clinched to the deci- 

out. A dismai-$8Q0 . was the gross 
for the two performances. 

“Cat On A. Hot Tin Roof"'al¬ 
ready has a solid advance sale for 
the week of Dec. 10 as the second 
of $ix plays promised to local 
Guild-ATS subscribers. 


Milwaukee, Pec. 4. 

“Chalk Garden," costarring Ju¬ 
dith Anderson and * Ruth Chatter- 
ton, grossed , a good $20,700 last 
week in eight performances split 
between the U. of Wisconsin, 
Madison, and the Pabst Theatre 
here. The take for the one-niter 
at the university Monday (26) was 
$4,100, while another $16,600 was 
picked- up . in seven local perfor¬ 
mances Tuesday-Saturday (27-1). 

The play is current y,at - the 
Hanna Theatre, Cleveland; 


‘Custody’ NG10G, 
‘Lark’ 31G, Philly 

Philadelphia, Dec. 4. 
Philly critics saw eye-to-eye on a 
pair of entrants last week. Julie 
Harris in “The Lark" drew un¬ 
animous raves from Murdock, In¬ 
quirer; Sensenderfer, Bulletin, and 
Gaghan, News.. The same three 
aisle-seaters panned Faye Emer¬ 
son's starrer “Protective Custody," 
which opened the following night. 

Lone newcomer this week is 
Menasha Skulnick in “Uncle Wil¬ 
lie," which arrived last evening 
(Mon.) at the Locust. The town 
then quiets for the pre-holiday 
doldrums. Christmas week will 
bring rash of openings, with “Boy 
Friend" returning to the Shubert, 
Dec. 26. for 16 performances; “Cat 
on a Hot Tin Roof," Forrest, Dec. 
24, and “Clearing in the Woods," 
WalnutCDec. 26. 

“Boy Friend" will try an innova¬ 
tion with double evening perfor- 
mnees (6:15 and 9:15). on four 
nights during the run. 

Estimates for Last Week 
The Lark, Forrest (D) (1st wk) 
($4.80; 1,760; $35,000) (Julie Har¬ 
ris). Fine critical and public re¬ 
ception, plus heavy advance and 
subscription sale make this one a 
strong draw; fast $31,000; contin¬ 
ues. 

Protective Custody, Walnut (D) 
(1st Wk) ($4.80; 1,340; $30,000) 

(Faye Emerson). .Melodrama about 
brain-washing got under $10,000; 
continues tryout. 

SHIRLEY NICE $23,600, 
‘JANUS' $16,000, FRISCO 

San Francisco, Dec. 4. 
Business picked up somewhat 
for the second frame of “Desk 
Set" at the Curran, and the hold¬ 
over week of “Janus" at the Al¬ 
cazar was a trifle stronger, too.' 

“Anniversary Waltz" at the 
Geary was near or below the 
breaking point in- the sixth week 
of return engagement and is sched¬ 
uled' to close Saturday (8). 

Estimates for Last Week 
Desk Set, Cqrran (2d wk) ($4.40- 
$4.95; - - 1,752; $44,000) (Shirley 

Booth), Improved $23,600 (includes 
10% tax slice, which stays with 
promoter, non-profit Artists Em¬ 
bassy); previous week, $21,600. 

Janus, Alcazar (2d wk) ($4.40; 
1.147; $29,000) (Joan Bennett, Don¬ 
ald Cook, Romney Brent). So-so 
$16,000; previous week, $14,000. 

Anniversary Waltz, Geary (6th 
wk) ($3.85; 1,550; $32,000) (Russell 
Nype, Marjorie Lord). Lean $9,600; 
previous week, $10,200. 


‘Cat’ $35500, D.C.; 
‘Success’ $8,500 

Washington, Dec. 4. 
“Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" .was 
hot boxoffice last week, but “Will 
Success Spoil Rock Hunter” was a 
dog. The Tennessee Williams 
drama is playing a three-week 
stand as the start of. a national 
tour. 

Estimates for Last Week . 

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter" 
(Shubert); (C) (1st wk: 1,518: $3.85- 
$4.40; $26,672) (Eddie Bracken). 
Disappointing $8,500 for- this one- 
week stand; house is currently 
dark for a week. 

Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (National) 
(D) (2d wk; 1,600;. $4.95; $37,000) 
(Thomas Gomez. Marjorie Steele, 
Alex Nicol. Climbed to $35,500, 
almost $6,000 better than the ini¬ 
tial week; -looks even bigger in this, 
third and final week. 


‘Sgts,’ 35G, ‘Fanny’ 34G,‘Cranks’ 11G, 
‘Millionaire’ $24,300; ‘Auk’ Folding 


mintDEX’ SLOW 126(5) 
IN NEW HAVEN PREEM 

New Haven, Dec. 4. 

The tryout of “Speaking of Mur¬ 
der" was mild, with a gross of 
under $12,000 for five perform¬ 
ances last Wednesday - Saturday 
(28-1) at the l,6$0-seat Shubert 
Theatre here, at a $4.50 top. 

The local legit scene is dark cur¬ 
rently, but next week brings the 
breakin of “Small War on Murray 
Hill" for five performances Dec. 
12-15. Other bookings include the 
breakins of “Eugeriia/HDec. T9-22T, 
and “Hidden River," Jan. 2-5. 


‘Pajama’ Stylish $47,400 
In Youngs to wn-Toledo 

Toledo, Dec. 4. 

The touring “Pajama Game," 
starring Larry Douglas, Buster 
West, and Betty O’Neil, grossed a 
bullish $47,400 lost week in eight 
performances* split evenly between 
the Palace, Youngstown, and the 
Paramount here. The musical 
nabbed $19,800 at the former loca¬ 
tion Monday-Wednesday (26-28) 
and $27,600 in its local stand 
Thursday-Saturday (29-1). 

The tuner is current at the Shu¬ 
bert, Cincinnati. 


‘Hatful'$17,500 in Det.; 
Chatterton Exits ‘Ch§Ik’ 

Detroit. Dec. 4. 

“Hatful of Rain," starring Vivian 
Blaine, grossed a fair $17,500 last 
week in the first stanza of a fort¬ 
night’s stay at the Shubert Theatre 
here. The 2,050-seater, scaled at a 
$3.50 top, has a potential capacity 
for this show of $28,000. 

Current at the 1,482-seat Cass is 
“Chalk Garden," starring Judith 
Anderson. Ruth Chatterton was 
advised by 5 her physician to remain 
in Milwaukee because of a virus 
infection. Her costarring role was 
taken over here by an understudy, 
Audrey Ridgwell. 


‘Arsenic’ Flops, 


‘Willie’$9,000, Hub 

Boston, Dec. 

“Arsenic And Old Lace," star¬ 
ring Gertrude Berg, folded at the 
Colonial Saturday night (1) after 
opening to rave reviews Wednes-. 
day (28).. It was to have toured 
nationally. -Two new entries are 
on the Hub boards this week, 
“Speaking of Murder" opened a 
two-weeker at the Plymouth last 
night (Mon.) and the touring “In¬ 
herit The Wind", opens at the Shu¬ 
bert tonight (Tues.) for three 
weeks. ... . ■ „ 

“Happy Huntingstarring Ethel 
Merman, exited Saturday (1) after 
a three week sellout in which it 
grossed -over $157,000.. “Uncle 
Willie," starring Menasha Skulnik, 
pulled out Saturday (1) after two 
weeks of mild biz. 

New bookings , are “Fanny" for 
the Shubert, Dec. 25; “Eugenia" at 
the Plymouth, Dec. 26; and “Waltz 
of the Toreadors," at the Colonial, 
Dec. 31. 

Estimaies for Last Week 
Arsenic And Old Lace, Colonial 
(C) (1st wk) ($3,85-$3.3Q; 1,500; 
$30,000)' (Gertrude Berg). Open¬ 
ed Wednesday (28) to rave reviews 
all around (Ddyie, American; 
Adams, Globe; Hughes, Herald; 
Maloney, Traveler; Melvin, Moni¬ 
tor; Norton, Record) and folded 
Saturday (1) after b.o. failed to 
materialize. Got only $4,000 for 
five performances. 

Happy Hunting, Shubert (MC) 
(3d wk) ($6.25-$4.95; 1;717; $55,- 
582) (Ethel Merman). Went clean 
again at over $55,500 and exited 
Saturday (lb _ 

Uncle Willie, Plymouth (C) (2d 
wk) ($3.85-$3.30; 1,241; $29,880) 

(Menasha Skulnik). Nabbed $9,000 
and exited Saturday (1); previous 
week, underquoted, shpuld have 
read over $14,000. 

‘PRINCE’ SLEEPY 14£G 
FIRST FULL WEEK, L A. 

Los Angeles, Dec. 4. 
“Sleeping Prince" continued to 
be somnolent at the boxoffice last 
week, its first full session at the 
Huntington Hartford Theatre. Com¬ 
edy is in^for a three and one-half 
week run. 

Tally for the full week hit $14,- 
500, only fair and just edging over 
the operational breakeven point. 


SCHEDULED N. Y. OPENINGS 

(Theatres indicated if set) 

Speaking of Murder, Koyale (12-19). 
Uncle Willie, Golden (12-20). 

Protective Custody (wk. 12-23) 

Trollus S. Croat Ida, Wint. Gard. (12-26). 
Welting for Godot, Booth (1-9). 

Clearing In Woods <wk. 1-14). 

Small War, Barrymore (wk. 1-14). 
Hidden River (1-16). 

Light a Penny Candle (1-16). 

Waltz of Toreadors, Coronet (1-17). 
Catch Falling Star (1-24). 

Eugenia (wk. 1-27). 

Potting Shed, Bijou (1-29). 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Wint. Gard. (1-30). 
Visit Small Planat, Booth (2-7). 

Tunnel of Love (wk. 2-11). 

Holiday for Lovers (2-14). 

Hole Irt Heed (2-27). 

Zlegfeld Follies (2-28). 

Orpheus Descending (3-21). 

First Gentleman (4-11). 

New Girl In Town (5-8). 


OFF-BROADWAY 

Eagle Has Two Haads, Actors (12-13). 
Good Woman of Sotzuan, Phoenix (12-18). 
Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12-27). 

Shhh, Chanln (12-29). 

Volpono, Rooftop (1-3). 

River Lino, Carnegie Hall (1-3). 

Shadow Years,.Open Stage (1-8). 

Easter, 4th St. (1-13). 

Measure for Measure* Phoenirf (1-22). 
Taming ef the Shrew. Phoenix (2-13). 
Duchess ef Malfl, Phoenix (3-19). 


Douglas Hefty $2S,000 
In Solo Week in Pitt 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 4. 

The local legit season got off to 
a late but okay start last week at 
the Nixon Theatre when Melvyn 
Douglas in “Inherit the Wind,-’ on 
subscription, gave the 1,750-Seater 
just a shade short of $28,000 at 
$4.50 top. Final performance 
Saturday (1). 

Nixon has “Will Success Spoil 
Rock Hunter" this week and then 
gets two more subscription items, 
“Chalk Garden" and “Cat On a Hot 
Tin Roof.” 

Lunt-Fontanne $23,200, 
Full Week, Indianapolis 

Indianapolis, Dec. 4. 

Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne 
in “Great Sebastians" grossed a 
fair $23,200 in eight performances 
at the Murat here last week at a 
$4.40 top. It was belated season 
opener and the Murat’s first Broad¬ 
way show since last March. 

The theatre is set for a 4-day run 
of “Paiama Game," next Monday- 
Thursday (10-13). 


"Chele Graham, who recently ap¬ 
peared in the Broadway production 
of “Pajama Game" in the role cre¬ 
ated by Carol Haney, will be mar¬ 
ried Sunday (9) to British film ac¬ 
tor Christopher B. Carysfort in her 
home town of Tyler, Texas. 


Broadway was spotty last week. 
Receipts dropped substantially for 
several shows, while others picked 
up. Of 28* entries on the boards, 
excluding “Candida," whfch opened 
last Saturday (1), seven registered 
capacity takes. They were “Auntie 
Marne,” “Li’l Abner,” “Long Day’s 
Journey Into-Night,” “Major Bar¬ 
bara," “My Fair Lady/'* “Separate 
Tables” and the newcomer," “Bells 
Are Ringing.”’ 1 

. Only other preeiri, besides “Can- 

Closers were “Child of Fortune’ 
and “Glass Menagerie.” 

Estimates for Last Week 
Keys : C (Comedyh- D .(Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Drama); >R (Revue), 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op¬ 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices,' number 
of seats, capacity gross and slars. 
Price includes 10% Federal and 
5% City tax, but grosses are net; 
i.e:, exclusive of tax. 

Apple Cart, Plymouth (C) (7th 
wk; 52; $5.75; 1 062; $34,000) 

(Maurice Evans). Previous week, 
$24,500; last week, nearly $23,400. 

Auntie Marne, Broadhurst (C) 
(5th wk; 37; $6.90-$5.75; 1,182; 

$43,000) (Rosalind Russell). Pre¬ 
vious week, $43,500;. last week, 
same. 

Beils Are Ringing, Shubert (MC) 
(1st wk; 4; $7.50; 1,453; $55,039) 
(Judy Holliday). Opened last 
Thursday (29) to five favorable re¬ 
views (Chapman, News; Coleman, 
Mirfor; Kerr, Herald Tribune: Mc¬ 
Clain, Journal-American; Watts, 
Post) and two unfavorable (Atkin¬ 
son, Times; Donnelly, World-Tele¬ 
gram); almost $33,200 .for first four 
performances and one preview. 

Candide, Beck (MC), (953.05; 1,280; 
$52,000). Opened last Saturday 
(1) to four affirmative reviews (At- 
kinson-Times; Chapman, News; 
Coleman. Mirror; Donnelly, World- 
Telegram), one negative (Kerr, 
Herald Tribune) and two yes-no 
(McClain, Journal-American; Watts 
Post); almost $31,000 for first per¬ 
formance and five previews. 

Cranks, Bijou (R) (1st wk; 8; 
955.75: 603; $19,000). Nearly $11,- 
000 for first eight performances. 

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) 
(83d wk; 660; $8.05; 1.297; $50,573). 
Previous week $41,700; last week, 
almost $44;400. 

Diary of Anne Frank, Cort (D) 
(61st wek;-485; $5.75; 1.036; $2.8,- 
854) (Joseph Schildkraqt). Previous 
week,- $22,000; last -week, nearly 
$18,500. 

Fanny, Majestic (MD) (109th 
wk: 868: $7.50; 1,625; $62,968) 

(Billy Gilbert). Moved yesterday 
(Tues.) to the Belasco Theatre and 
exits that house Dec. 16, to tour. 
Previous week, $36,200 on twofers; 
last week, almost $34,000 on two¬ 
fers. 

Girls*of Summer, Longacre (D) 
(2d wk; 16; $5.75; 1,101; $29,378) 
(Shelley Winters). Previous week, 
$16,500; last week, over $24,300, 
with theatre parties. 

Happiest Millionaire, Lyceum 
(C) (2d wk; 15; $5.75; 995; $25,000) 
(Walter Pidgeon). Previous week, 
$23,800..for first seven perform¬ 
ances and one preview; last week, 
over $24,300. 

Inhetit l -the Wind, National ID) 
(72d Wk; 574; $5.75-$4.60; 1,162; 
$32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous 
week. $26;000; last week, nearly 
$24,000:- - 

Li’l Abner, St. James (MC) (3d 
wk; 20; $8.05; 1.028: $58,100). Pre¬ 
vious week. $58,100; last week, 
almost $ 57400 ; with theatre party 
commissions cutting into the capac¬ 
ity take. 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 
Helen Haves (D) (4th wk: 22: $6.90; 
1.039; $30,000) (Fredric March, 

Florence Eldridge). Previous week, 
$30,100; last week, nearly $30,200. 

Loud Red Patrick. Ambassador 
(C) (9tli wk; 69; $5.75; 1,155: $36,- 
500) (Arthur Kennedy, David 
Wayne). Previous week, $22,600: 
last week, almost $18,600. 

Major Barbara, Moi’osco (C) (5th 
wk; 39; $6.90; 946; $37,500) 

(Charles Laughton, Burgess Mere¬ 
dith, Glynis Johns. Eli Wallach, 
Cornelia Otis Skinner). Previous 
week, $37,300; last week, $37,310 
for a new house record, with the¬ 
atre party commissions cutting into 
the capacity take. 

Matchmaker, Booth (C) (52d wk: 
416; $5.75; 766; $25,000) (Ruth Gor¬ 
don, Eileen Herlie, Loring Smith), 
Previous week, $18,900; last week, 
nearly $18,000. 

Middle of the Night. ANTA (D) 


(Edward G. Robinson). Previous 
week, $34,400; last week, over 
$35,900. 

Most Happy FelTa, Imperial 
(MD) (31st wk; 244; $7.50; 1.427; 
$57,875). Previous week, $57,000; 
last week, same. 

Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) 
(37th wk; 287; $7.50-$6.90; 1,900; 
$71,000). Previous . week, $45,600; 
last week, almost $42,700. 

My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MC) 


(Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews). 
Previous week. $68,700; last week, 
same. 

New Faces, Barrymore (R) (25th 
wk; 196; $7.50-$ff.96; $38,577). 

Closes Jan...12, to tour. Previous 
week, $25,600; last Week, . almost 
$19,600. 

No Time for Sergeants,.Alvin (C) 
(59th wk; 468; $5.75-$4.60; 1,331; 
$38,500). Previous . week n $33,800; 
last week, nearly $35;000. 

Old Vic* Co., Whiter Garden 
(Repertory) (6th ,Wk;. 47; $5.75; 
1,494: $45,Q00). . Previous week, 

$34,700 split between “Richard II,” 
“Romeo and . JUlietf? and “Mac¬ 
beth"; last week, almost$31,400 on 
’Romeo, and Juliet’’and Macbeth." 

Reluctant Debutante, Miller (C) 
(8th wk; 62; $5.75; 946; $27,100). 
(Adrianne Allen* Wilfred Hyde 
White). Previous week, $21,000; 
last week; almost $19,100. 

Separate Tables, Music Box (D) 
(6th wk; 44; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021) 
(Eric Portman, Margaret Leigh¬ 
ton). Previous week, $31,300; last 
week, over $31,200. 

Sleeping Prince, Coronet (C) 
(5th wk; 36; $6.90; 1,001; $36,500). 
(Michael Redgrave, Barbara Bel 
Geddes). Previous week, $25,200; 
last week, nearly $31,400, with the¬ 
atre parties. Closes Dec. 22. 

Miscellaneous 

Saint Joan, Phoenix (D) (1st wk: 

8; $3.85; 1,150; $26,000). Almost 
$15,500 on first frame Of a two- 
week return stand; closes next 
Sunday (9). 

Closed Last Week 
Child of Fortune, Royale (D) (3d 
wk; 23; $5.75; 994; $29,000). Pre¬ 
vious week, $10,800; last week, al¬ 
most $11,500. Closed last Saturday 
(1) at an approximate $65,000 loss 
on a $75,000 investment. 

Glass Menagerie, City Center (D) - 
(2d wk; 15; $3.80; 3,090; $45,000) 
(Helen Hayes). Previous week, 
$38,400; last week, over $44,600. 
Ended its limited two-week stand 
last Sunday (2). 

Opening This Week 
Night of the Auk, Playhouse (D) 
$5.75; 994; $30,033) (Claude Rains 
Wendell Corey, Christopher .Plum¬ 
mer). Play by Arch Oboler, pre¬ 
sented by Kermit Bloomgarden; 
production financed at $90,000 (in¬ 
cluding 20% overcal}), cost about 
that to bring in arid can break 
even at around $18,000 gross. 
Opened last Monday (3) to unani¬ 
mous pans, closes next Saturday 
( 8 ). 

Happy Hunting, Majestic (MC) 
($8.05; 1,625; $69,989) (Ethel Mer¬ 
man). Musical with book by 
Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse, 
lyrics by Matt Dubey and music 
by Harold Karr, presented by Jo 
Mielziner; production financed at 
$360,000 (including 20% overcal!), 
cost about $400,000 to bring in and 
can break even at around $38,000 
gross. Opens tomorrow (Thurs.) 
night. : 

Mister Roberts, City Center (C) 
($3.80; 3,090;« $45,000) (Chariton 
Heston). Third . and final Revival 
in the annual N: Y. City Center 
Theatre Co.’s drama series. Opens 
tonight (Wed.). 


OFF-B’WAY SHOWS 

Arms & Man, Downtown (10-1- 
56). 

Hamlet, St. Ignatius Church (10- 
27-56). 

Iceman Cometh, Circle-in-Square 
(5-8-56). 

. Lady From the Sea, Tempo (12- 
4). 

Me Candido, Greenwich Mews 
(10-15-56). 

Misanthrope, Theatre East (11- 
12-56). 

Nine by Six, Open Stage (12-4- 
56). 

Sable Brush, Royal (11-27-56). 

Shoestring ’57, Barbizon - Plaza 
(11-5-56). 

Take a Giant Step, Jan Hus (9- 
22-56). 

Thor, With Angeles, B’way Con- 
gretional Church (10-14-56). 

Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9- 
20-55). 


A new off-BroAdway operation, 
Renata Theatre, Inc., has been 
uuuuic vi iuc au&jmi. xxn Azi >JL ,, | formed in Gieenxvich Village by 
(35th wk; 277; $5.75; 1,183; $39,116) I Gene Feist and Oscar Zurer. 






82 


CONCERTS 



Tales of Hoffmann 

Pat with many small good roles, 
“Tales of Ijtoffmann” shoves off the. 
resources Of' the Met Company. 
There is opportunity, too, in the 
busy doll scene.for the ballet to 
enhance the mood and setting. In' 
the present mounting of the French 
work, dating from a year ago, many 
touches advertise the flair of Cyril 
Ritchard, the. Australian actor,, now 
an ornament of th e Ma nhattan 
legit, for "staging, even opeFaT'with" 
a stylish accent. In this department 
be has, currently, the happy assist¬ 
ance on the stage of, George Lon- 
' don, playing all four villains, Xin- 
dorf, Cappelius, Dapperlutto. and 
Dr. Miracle, with entrancing thea¬ 
tricality. If the Met put up an 
annual prize for best singing actor, 
all the evidence up to and includ¬ 
ing last Thursday! (29) would make 
London a shoo-in. 

Actually London’s private art is 
ahead of the production, and his 
. individual performance hints at 
that sorheting more in imagination 
which, might still be -added. For 
though this is a good, sturdy and 
mobile version of “Hoffmann,” it 
is fettered to tradition rather too 
much (having gorte some distance 
in seeking more theatrical vitality).- 

Interest centered on the debut of 
a Mexican mezzo, Belen Amparan, 
a handsome woman who showed (a) 
a promisingly full and strong voice 
and (b) the expected premiere 
nerves. She neither quite made it 
' nor failed, but impressed as prob¬ 
ably a comer. In this instance, 
Ritchard’s production, and the 
other. singers, got in the way of 
the debut.. Nor . is Giuletta in the 
Venetian scene a showy role. 

Singing with ease, immune to 
any feud jitters, though Bing and 
Hurok fight over his television 
services, Richard Tucker was an 
easy and ■ sweet-voiced Hoffmann. 
Laurel Hurley as the doll was 
runner-up to. London for acting 
honors, and sang attractively. An¬ 
other to stand out was Alessio De 
Paolis, playing four roles, too. His 
gallery of creaky flunkeys climaxes 
with his featherduster “aria,” a 
small gem* of song-and-gesture. 
Mildred Miller is first-team all the 
way as Hoffmann’s male companion 
with th& soprano voice. 

Lucina Amara as the tubercular 
sweetheart, Norman Scott as her 
anxiety-ridden father, and Sandra 
Warfield, the mothers ghost, were 
others basking in. audience ap¬ 
proval. Land. 




Elisabeth Schwarzkopf 

Lieder recitals in Carnegie Hall 
are a rarity. For one thing, the 
type of art seldom can. be effec¬ 
tively projected in so large an 
auditorium; for another, the lieder 
public' has been 1 regarded as too 
limited to warrant the use of the 
vast Carnegie capacity. Saturday 
night 025) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf 
gave unmistakable proof that she 
is a singer not bound by the cus¬ 
tomary fetters, both in artistry and 
in her box-office values. 

Singing before an enthusiastic 
audience that overflowed onto the 
stage, the comely soprano inter¬ 
preted with uncommon skill a long 
list of some two dozen songs by 
Mozart, Schubert. Strauss and 
Hugo Wolf. The gross was a block-, 
busting^ sum just under $8,000, 
probably an all-time record for a 
lieder program in New York. The 
diva’s effect on her adherents may 
be gauged by the fact that she was 
forced to sing nine encores, almost 
half-an-evening’s normal program. 

A stunning figure . gowned in 
black, with a contrasting white- 
backgrounded' 1 design over Jier 
heart, Miss Sbhwarzkopf had her 
partisans under complete domina¬ 
tion,. The artist has captured the 
bulk of the old Lotte Lehmann 
following, but Lehmann’s public 
never approached . the size of 
Schwarzkopf's. Credit long-playing 
records with an assist on the build¬ 
ing of that new public, though 
Miss Schwarzkopf's vocalism, her 
personal- beauty and charm are 
factors. Wien. 


Singing Boys of Norway 

The Singing Boys of Norway, re¬ 
turning to this country for r -their 
second tour (they were last heard 
here in 1952), appeared at Carne¬ 
gie Hall (21) in a varied program 
ranging from the early Italian to 
Norwegian folk music. Audience 
received the offerings of the 33- 
voice choir with uncritical enthu¬ 
siasm. 

Ensemble ranges in age from 10 
to 27. A small group for Carnegie 
Hall, some of its singing was in 
keeping with its reputation, other 
numbers definitely were below par. 

Program notes describe it as the 
only choir In the world with so¬ 
prano soloists who can sing five 


tones above high C. There is lit¬ 
tle merit to that boast if the young 
voices are off-key and sound shrill 
and forced. • This .was, "painfully 
true particularly-.’hi the 16th cen¬ 
tury work and the Georg Schu¬ 
mann number. *• 

-Choir opened : With the 172$' 
“Great Amen? and. followed with 
works by Nordraak, Allegri, Moz¬ 
art, di Lasso, Grieg, Fliess, Nystedt, 
Mason and- Mendelsohn. Ensem¬ 
ble really ■showed its potential with 
nfe exquisite rendition..nOhejelght- 
part ^Ecco” by di Lasso in which 
Ragnvald Bjarne, the director, 
showed his mettle. The two Moz¬ 
art selections, particularly the Rex 
tremendae mdjefefatis from the Re¬ 
quiem, were disappointing. 

Lads put their best heart into 
the .folk numbers. Pianist-accom¬ 
panist Melvyn Simonsen offered 
twp .Grieg Norwegian Dances and 
played them with spirit. The boyfr 
were attractively garbed in blue r 
and-white outfits, Hift . 


National Orchestral 
■ • Assn. ‘ 

Hugo Fiorato who conducted the 
first concert of the National Or¬ 
chestral Association’s 27th season 
Nov. 27 at Carnegie Hall, is one 
of four young American conduc¬ 
tors, all graduate products oi this 
organization who will share this 
series while Leon Barzin is taking 
a sabbatical. The other three con¬ 
ductors will be John Barnett, as¬ 
sociate conductor of the Los An¬ 
geles 'Philharmonic; Newell Jen¬ 
kins, founder of the Italian Cham¬ 
ber Orchestra, and Joseph .Haw¬ 
thorne musical director of the To¬ 
ledo Orchestra. Each will help 
train the orchestra in the rehear¬ 
sals prior to his appearance. 

Association’s main objective is 
to train students who have prop¬ 
erly completed instrumental stud¬ 
ies, to gain orchestral routine and 
knowledge of the orchestra reper¬ 
tory. For many years this was the 
only organization in America to 
offer this kind of essential experi¬ 
ence. A press release states .that 
at this concert 47% of the orches¬ 
tra consisted of newcomers playing 
together for less than two months. 
The facts being correct, the or¬ 
chestra .played very well, indeed. 
However, this-reporter was amazed 
to see the orchestra peppered with 
quite a number of well-known pro¬ 
fessional orchestral players mak¬ 
ing up the various sections. True, 
the concertmaster even in years 
gone by was always a pro, but why 
so many others? Doesn't this kind 
of negate the objective of the As-, 
sociation in these concerts? 

The concert. Opened with Ros¬ 
sini’s “II Signor Bruschino” over¬ 
ture. It was tonally good but 
lacked spirit. After the introduc¬ 
tion, the Allegro section under¬ 
went a change of tempi from time 
to time. ^Next came Rachmanin¬ 
off’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C 
minor, with Leonid Hambro one of 
New York’s busiest pianists as-sol¬ 
oist. Hambro played with his usual 
technical skill and lovely tone. He 
was handicapped however by an 
inflexible orchestral accompani¬ 
ment which never permitted nice¬ 
ties of phrasing. In the first move¬ 
ment the soloist was frequently 
covered with too much string 
sound. The Adagio fared some¬ 
what better, and in the third and 
final movement the balance be¬ 
tween piano and orchestra was at 
it’s best. 

After the intermission, Fiorato 
led the orchestra in'a father heavy 
haftded performance' of' Haydn's 
Symphony No. 100 in G major, 
with a singular lack of grace in the 
Allegretto and Minuet sections. 
The concert concluded with the 
best performance of the evening 
being given to Hindemith's Sym¬ 
phonic Metamorphosis on a theme 
by Carl Maria von Weber. Though 
here too, some of the sectional bal¬ 
ances went awry, as for example 
in the last “March” movement, the 
string pitzzacati were not even 
audible. The woodwinds and brass¬ 
es played well throughout and the 
string sound was generally excel¬ 
lent the entire evening. 

As a conductor, Hugo Fiorato 
has learned much from Leon Bar- 
zin. But somehow, in spite of an 
obvious sound knowledge of the 
scores at hand, there was a curious 
kind of limpid conducting wrist 
and a generally relaxed air which 
seemed to rob the entire concert 
of emotional content and excite¬ 
ment. Kroll. 


Lorin Hollander, aged 12, carrott- 
thatched and wide-eyed, gave a 
surprisingly mature and technically 
cheer-making rendition at Town 
Hall Nov. 26 with 'the Little Or¬ 
chestra of Ravel’s G Major piano 
concerto. Son of a Philharmonic 


_"_;_ v Wcdttcftday, 5> 1956 



fiddler, boy took over when French 
Nicole Henriot couldn’t fulfill the 
date. t - . ' . . 

If ,his adolescence is a chemical 
and r emotional success, here is 
surely one^-of tomorrow’s piano 
virtuosi. Land. 


Artur Rubinstein at. the im¬ 
mense (over 2,000 seats) Palais De 
Chaillot in Paris last week! drew 
bigger crowds than, his recent 
Beethoven, Debussy and Liszt con¬ 
certs overflowed to stage. Piano 
imparted the feeling, wispy ten¬ 
derness and the. emotion and 
rhythm of Chopin. Displaying 
virtuoso mastery and feeling for 
both composer and keyboard, 
Rubinstein wowedv Mo$k. 


Not Our Own 


Stuff-Concerts 


Original, piano .concert? played by such musical greater as; Claude 
Debussy, Richard Strauss and Edward Grieg have been waxed by Tele- 
funken in a special five-part LP series titled “Musical Documents.” 
Series came about when the German disk outfit heard that an 81-year- 
old inventor had saved several hundred piano rolls whose perforations 
preserved- solo performances of. many maestros in the period from 
1905 through 1913. * 

- Edwin Welte, who devised the < Welte-Mignon Reproduction Piano in 
1903, conceived the instrument as a means of putting piano music on 
rolls of paper. Scores of noted pianists-composers of that era made 
use of his invention. Telefupken, after restoring both piano and the 
rolls, recorded the music first upon tape and then on records. Series 
one and two are already id distribution while the remaining three are 
still in preparation. 


Siegfried Hearst and Herbert Barrett have split amicably, and are 
yeraMflg-jnde pendsntlv .—Hears!.- vatJemnlovee-of^NCAC an d the chief 
of the conducting division at that-agency, joined Barrett Management 
about a year ago, bringing with him a stable of maestroes and a few 
solo names. The disposition of the artists who were booked by the 
Barrett-Hearst combine remains to be settled. It’s thought likely 
Barrett will continue to book Guiomar Novaes, in addition to bis own 
extensive stable. Hearst will concentrate on about-ten conductors, 
and soprano Inge 3orkh, who made her New York debut Friday U6) 
with Pittsburgh Symph under William Steinberg. Hearst*will operate 
from his Manhattan apartment, until he finds suitable office space in 
the W. 57th Street area. 


Dallas, Dec. 4. 

Dallas Symphony Society has 
asked the Dallas Grand Opera 
Assn, for the creation of a joint 
committee to study possible opera 
productions in Dallas making use 
of the resources of both organiza¬ 
tions. The Symphony Society made 
clear it had no desire to interfere 
with what is still the " Opera As¬ 
sociation’s primary reason for ex¬ 
istence, the annual presentation of 
the Metropolitan Opera in Dallas 
with a four opera season under¬ 
written for $250,000. 

The proposal was made by Mrs. 
Samuel A. Shelburne, symphony 
prez, to* Arthur L. Kramer Jr., prez 
of the Dallas Grand Opera Associ¬ 
ation who said that his group “was 
interested and certainly would 
participate in the exploration of 
the matter and would name a com¬ 
mittee.” 

Mrs. Shelburne saw an opportur 
nity to put Dallas produced opera 
on a wide civic base and also to 
extend the playing season of the 
orchestra. 


STELA AT LA SCALA, 
MORE MET DATES DUE 

Antonietta Stella, who made her 
Metropolitan ‘Opera debut as 
“Aida” on Nov. 13, interrupted her 
schedule there Sunday (25) to re¬ 
turn to Milan where she’ll open 
the La Scala season Dec. 7 in the 
title role-of “Aida.” 

Following her five-week La 
Scala season, Miss Stella returns 
to the U. S. in February and will 
remain with the Metopera for the 
duration of its current run. 


TO NOBODY'S SURPRISE 


Leningrad Symphony Won’t Appear 
at Edinburgh, 1957 


Edinburgh, Dec. 4. 

Negotiations for a proposed visit 
by the Leningrad Symphony Orch 
to the 1957 Edinburgh Festival are 
now definitely broken off. It is 
“undesirable” in present circum¬ 
stances. 

The Festival Society , hopes it 
will be possible on some future 
occasion, to include a visit by the 
Leningrad Orch in the Interna¬ 
tional Festival program. They have' 
sent a message to that effect to 
the Ministry of Culture in Mos¬ 
cow. 

Robert Ponsonby, the Festival’s 
artistic director, went to Moscow 
in the fall - to open talks. 

Danilova Choreographing 
‘Amahl & Night Visitors’ 

Dallas, Dec. 4. 

Alexandra Danilova will create 
the choreography for “Amahl and 
the Night Visitors,” due Dec. 15 by 
the Dallas Symphony Orchestra 
and the Dallas Lyric Theatre at 
State Fair Auditorium. Perform¬ 
ance will be a special, non-subscrip¬ 
tion concert of the Ideal orch. 


Cranko’s New Ballet 

London, Dec. 4. 

Sadler’s Wells Ballet Com¬ 
pany has started rehearsals 
for a new ballet, “The Prince 
of the Pagodas,” specially cre¬ 
ated by John Cranko for 
Svetlana Beriosova. 

The ballet will have its 
preem at Covent Garden on 
New Year’s Day. The music 
is by Benjamin Britten, 


Wm. Morris Concert Array 
Includes Piccola Scala, 


William Morris Agency will have 
its longest list of concert attrac-; 
tions next season. The lineup will 
comprise longhair as well as pop 
attractions which will include sev¬ 
eral in the U.S. for the first tin'#. 

A top item will be the associate 
company of the La Scala, so-called 
Piccola Scala, which does lighter 
works, per Donizette’s “Secret of 
•Suzanne” and some of Mozart, Ros¬ 
sini and others generally eschew¬ 
ed by parent company. Piccola 
Scala will be presented in New 
York in September and tour the 
rest of the country for two months. 

• Other firsts in the U.S. will be 
the Orfeon Choir of Portugal, 
which will tour the U.S. under, 
auspices of the Portuguese govern¬ 
ment, and the Marionette Theatre 
of Braunschweig. The Orfeon 
group comprising 80 voices are 
the major musical effort of the 800 
year old Orfeon Academy of Coim¬ 
bra. They got an award from the 
Edinburgh Festival last year. Ma¬ 
rionette Theatre, in addition to 
works for children, have a full 
length version of Goethe’s “Faust.” 

Other groups in the Morris cat¬ 
alog for next season will be the 
American Mime Theatre to be pre¬ 
sented during November and De¬ 
cember; Encyclopedia of Jazz head¬ 
ed by Leonard Feather, to comprise 
a jazz outfit with Feather serving 
as commentator; Jose. Greco on a 
repeat jaunt; Fred Waring’? Penn¬ 
sylvanians, also on a second round; 
National Ballet oi; Canada, Robert 
Maxwell, pop harpist backed by a 
rhythm group; Gracie Fields in a 
round of one-nighters; Joyce Gren¬ 
fell and fiddler Florian Zabach. 
Sole concert dramatic package will 
be a full production of “Candida” 
to^be done in conjunction with 
Stephen Rose, who* brought in the 
Carabinieri Band of Rome. 


IMPRESARI, TAKE NOTE! 


Spencer Barefoot’s Harrowing Bill 
To Clear House For Ballet 


San Francisco, Dec. 4. 

Concert manager Spencer Bare¬ 
foot didn’t know what he was let¬ 
ting himself in for whejn he asked 
the producers of “Desk Set” per¬ 
mission to take down, then restore 
their set at the Curran on a recent 
Sunday. 

Barefoot presented the P a r i s 
Ballet Sunday afternoon and 
thought it would be a simple job, 
requiring four or five hours labor 
at the most to move and rerig the 
single setting. ** 

What he" didn’t know was that 
the single set includes a metal, 
two-story spiral staircase and 400 
shelf-feet of real books— perhaps 
2,400 books in all. 

Consequently, he had to count 
on 16 to 18 hours to strike, then 
put up the Set, and the bill figured 
to run between $600 and $700. 

At that rate, Barefoot believes 
the ballet will leave him barefoot. 


Muriel Smith's London 'Carmen' 

American mezzo-soprano Muriel 
Smith makes her debut at the 
Royal Opera House, Covent Gar¬ 
den on Dec. 17 in the title role of 
Bizet’s “Carmen.” 

Richard Lewis is to sing the part 
of Don Jose and Elsie Morison, 
Micaela. The first performance of 
the opera will be conducted by 
I Rafael Kubelik. 


Ballet Theatre A 
Mop-Up In Rome 

' Ronie, Nov. 27. 

High praise from critics has 
greeted the American Ballet Thea¬ 
tre, making its third appearance 
since the war. Boxoffice has been 
practically S.R.O. (at an $8 top) 
despite hastily arranged booking 
replacing cancelled Middle-East 
portion of the Ballet Theatre’s 
tour (in turn replacing the also 
cancelled Italo bookings of the 
Russo Moisseiev- Ballet group 
which bowed out- following the 
events in Hungary). 

Despite tardy appearance of 
posters and newspaper ads, tho 
ticket sales at the Rome Opera 
House .began with a strong Million 
Lire sale for opening night, pro¬ 
gressing rapidly to 1^ million on 
the second night with 2 million 
copped at Sunday’s matinee for a 
three-day dollar total of some 
$6,750. Unit has two more days 
here following a change of pro¬ 
gram, then continues its tour In 
Florence, Leghorn, Geiloa, and 
Turin. 

Dailies here, topped by the influ¬ 
ential “Mpssaggero” gave the 
Americans rave notices, both as a 
group and for its various individ¬ 
ual performers. 


RUBIN OFFICE FOLDING 


Fails to Survive Founder’s Going 
With Baldwin Plano 


David Rubin Management, one 
of the leading indie agencies, is 
folding, and will not book its artists 
for the 1957-58 season, which now 
is in the selling stage. 

Founder Rubin joined Baldwin 
Piano. Co. as artist rep on Oct,,l 
and original intention was to con¬ 
tinue the bureau. Mrs. Rubin 
(formerly Vivian Taylor) moved 
over from post with Civic Concerts 
and worked with Alita Hernandez, 
vet Rubin aide, in* the firm. Its 
comparatively early demise is a 
surprise. 

Artists under the Rubin banner 
will disperse to various manage¬ 
ments, and no deal is pending to 
take over the name and clients. 
Grant Johannesen, pianist., and 
Giorgio Tozzi, basso regarded as a 
comer, are reported aligning with 
Columbia Concerts. Remainder of 
the list is believedJto be shopping 
around. 


Carol Fox Goes On 


Chicago, Dec. 4. 

Carol Fox has been reappointed 
general manager of Lyrio Opera 
and is going ahead with plans for 
a fourth season of operas next fall. 
Miss Fox is in New York this week 
scouting talent for the forthcom¬ 
ing season, tentatively slated to 
start at the Opera House next Oct. 
15. . 

Lyric board also disclosed a fund 
drive has raised $185,000 which 
will cover the carryover debts in¬ 
herited from the predecessor Lyric 
Theatre which was disolved last 
spring. Campaign is continuing 
to raise funds to covey the de¬ 
ficit incurred last season. 



■ Wedaegikfi D&temhev 5 f ' : IPS6 


PS&lE&r 


CONCERTS 83 



Promote a United Nations Symphony’ 


Stokow«kiBatonsEx-NBCer« January 20 At 
: Benefit For George Hoyen's UNISOMI 



Leopold Stokowski will guest- 

frgt ft n t h e fHaf was! Svm. 

v phony of the - Air in Carnegie Hall 
. Jaii. 20 for. benefit of. UNISOMI 
(United Nations International Sym- 
. phony Orchestra and Music Insti¬ 
tute). Organization was founded 
4 by George Hoyen, American con¬ 
ductor, who visions an orchestra 
.chosen from, various UN countries 
to tour the world in interests of 
cementing cultural relations. 

UNISOMI has board of interna¬ 
tionally-celebrated musicians and 
diplomatic reps*.So far it has been 
supported by voluntary contribu¬ 
tions and .concerts given in audi¬ 
toriums or in private homes. Janu¬ 
ary program will be New York de¬ 
but of Daniel Barenboim, 14-year 
old Israeli pianist, who will per¬ 
form Prokofieffs first concerto. 
{Stokowski will conduct his own 
arrangement of a Bach work, Mo¬ 
zart’s “Jupiter” Symphony and the 
Liebe'stod from Wagner's “Tristan 
and Isolde.” 


Cleveland Symph 
'Power Stride 
To Slowdown 

Special committee named to in¬ 
vestigate the managerial situation 
at the. Cleveland Symphony Or¬ 
chestra is due to report within the 
next ten days. Since last March, 
the orch has been operating with 
William McKelvy Martin as man¬ 
ager. and George H. L. Smith as 
co-manager. . Martin had been 
named topper by the symph board 
after the death of Carl Vosburgh, 
-while Smith had been passed over 
by the board despite more than a 
decade of service under Vosburgh. 

Situation led to considerable 
factionalism and bickering, as re¬ 
ported in Variety last month. The 
fact-finding committee resulted. 
Its recommendations will be re¬ 
viewed by executive board. 

Managerial direction must be 
clarified in near future, as orch, 
under George Szell, is believed 
slated to make its first European 
tour next spring, following end of 
the Cleveland-season. Szell is well- 
known in Europe and would re¬ 
main on Continent for solo con¬ 
ducting chores following his ap¬ 
pearances with the Cleveland band. 

The maestro has been a behind- 
the-scenes force in the manage¬ 
ment quarrels, and has supported 
Smith, though Szell originally was 
anxious to have Martin leave his 
Pittsburgh Symph post for Cleve¬ 
land. A,show-down is expected 
Within 30 days or less. Martin, 
meanwhile, has had several job of¬ 
fers but is not accepting any pro¬ 
posals for the present. 

ILL IGOR STRAVINSKY 
ABLE TO BATON ROME 

Rome, Dec. 4. 

Despite his recent illness, which 
has made him cancel a heavy 
string of concert appearances 
throughout Europe; Igor Stravinski 
has agreed to conduct the Rome 
Philharmonic Orchestra in a selec¬ 
tion of his recent work. 

Concert, to be held at the Eliseo 
Theatre, will comprise the recently 
completed “Cantlcum sacrum ad 
honorem Sancti Marci nomini,” 
which the author preemed as this i 
year’s Venice Festival of Contem- i 
porary Music, as well as other re¬ 
cent musical compositions. Also on 
tile hill is the seldom-heard “His- 
toire du Soldat” In its French ver¬ 
sion, never before performed in 
Rome. (Done this fall by the N. Y. 
City Center Opera,) 

The RAI Orchestra, the Fenice 
Theatre (Venice) chorus, and a 
French choral group have been 
signed for the single Ideal program., 


Eibteric Jenor 

--Reported-dis t r e ss ed -by--hia— 

in-The-middle position between - 
Sol Hurok and Rudolf Bing 
over tv commitments, tenor 
Richard Tucker holed up over 
the weekend with his favorite 
poet, T. S. Eliot. He emerged 
Monday to quote, enigmatic¬ 
ally: 

“Garlic and sapphires in the 
mud,” 


Pablos Gasals 
Festival to Hob. 
Puerto Rico? 

Pablos Casals, rated world’s top 
cellist and now aged 81, counts as 
his favorite pupil a beautiful 19- 
year-old Puerto Rican girl and there¬ 
by hangs part of the explanation for 
the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico 
April 22?May 8. Girl persuaded 
the Master to leave ' Prades in 
Southern France and take -a gander 
at his mother’s birthplace on the 
island. At which point the promo¬ 
tion-minded governor of the com¬ 
monwealth, Munoz Marin, stepped 
in and the festival resulted. 

Music- by Bach, Mozart and 
Schubert is going to be played by 
such artists as Serkin (piano) 
Szigeti (violin) the latter doubling 
with Alexander Schneider, the for¬ 
mer with Horszowski and sung by 
soprano Maria Stader and baritone 
Gerard Souzay. Isaac Stern (violin) 
Milton -Katims (viola) Julius Baker 
\ (flute) and David Oppenheim (clar¬ 
inet) with the Budapest string 
I quartet are going to. be In the sec¬ 
ond series of the program and na¬ 
turally Pablo Casals will be playing 
the cello. 

John H; Zorek (Mayfair Travel) 
an indefatigable arranger of Music 
and Festival tours will arrange all- 
inclusive tours and major airlines 
plan to put in special flights at the 
time. 


Lecturers This Season: 
Atiee, Reuther, Bing, 
Nash, Pearson, Price 

. Miami, Dec. 4. 

U. of Miami is still filling out its 
symphony series for the winter, 
with pacting this week including 
the Boston Pops Tour Orchestra 
with Arthur Fiedler for Jan. 24; 
two performances by the Ballet 
Russe de Monte Carlo, March 15 
and 16. 

University’s Student Body Gov¬ 
ernment, meanwhile, has booked 
lecture series starting Dec. 3 with 
“The Best of Steinbeck” featuring 
Constance Bennett, Tod Andrews, 
Frank McHugh, and Robert Strauss. 
Stephen Rose will present the 
drama-reading adapted by Regi¬ 
nald Lawrence with Elliot Silver- 
stein of the “Omnibus” tv directo¬ 
rial staff staging. 

. Lecturers include Drew Pearson, 
Dec. 11; Sir ClementrAtiee, former 
prime minister of Great Britain on 
Jan. 15; United Auto Worker’s 
ptexy Walter Reuther, Feb. 6; Met- 
opera’s Rudolph Bing, Feb. 14; hu¬ 
morist Ogden Nash, March 6 and 
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, March 
28. Vincent Price is an April 10 
starter. Subscription for the se¬ 
ries ranges-from $8-$15 with $1.50- 
$2.50 the single-event scale. 


Piatifforsky's Hurt Arm 
Regina, Sask., Dec. 4. 

Celebrity Concert dates in Win¬ 
nipeg, Regina, Calgary and Ed¬ 
monton were cancelled by cellist 
Gregor Piatigor$ky. An arm injury 
was given as the reason. 

Violinist Ruggiero Ricci subbed. 


Are the television rights to the 
Metropolitan Opera owned by the 
Opera or are they in the . public 
domain? Gan-just anybody-(nateed- 
Sol Hurok) package television 
opera with the Met’s own stars as 
come-on and during the Met’s own 
season and against the Met’s own 
television deals? 

This is the issue which has been 
raised by Richard Tucker’s signing, 
with Hurok to sing on NBC, a con¬ 
tract he. negotiated without the 
opera house’s knowledge and which 
became known Only when Tucker 
was invited to sing on one of the 
Met’s productions for Ed Sullivan 
of CBS. Revelation of his commit¬ 
ment triggered last week's con- 
troversy. 

Rudolf Bing saw the Tucker sit¬ 
uation as a direct challenge of the 
Met’s own property rights in its 
talent and . name and especially as 
to the Met’s ability to bargain for, 
and deliver, the important-to-adver- 
tisers- value of “exclusivity.” He 
felt that the Tucker sign-away to 
Hurok, following a similar fuss (not 
Tucker) last January, jeopardized 
the opera house’-s hope for outside 
revenues to supplement subscrip¬ 
tion and boxoffice income. 

Because of the Met’s feeling 
that a life-and-death principle 
was at stake and in the light of 
its readiness to seek injunc¬ 
tive protection, tenor Tucker 
backed down yesterday (Tues.) 
after first publicly stating he 
wtmld string along with Hurok. 
That took the immediate melo¬ 
drama out of the situation but 
not its broad significance. 

The Met’s attorney, Lincoln Lau- 
terstein, points out that the seri¬ 
ousness of the threat' is to the 
Met’s own self-producing and self- 
promoting rights. Video is now 
and in future promises to be an 
important side-market for the Met. 
The revenue Implications go beyond 
the 25-year run of radio-sponsored 
Saturday matinees, or the various 
tv experiments to date involving 
opening night, ‘‘Omnibus” pickups, 
and closed circuit feeds to provin¬ 
cial opera parties. The Met re¬ 
gards the true provocation of 
Hurok’s proposal as the use of a 
top Met tenor, who would have 
been so billed and exploited, plus 
the fact that ‘Traviata” will be 
done on NBC’s “Producers’ Show¬ 
case” with full costume, scenery 
and ballet. 

In general, the Met takes no um¬ 
brage at its singers telecasting or 
concertizing “white tie arias,” al¬ 
though by a clause in its (collec¬ 
tively bargained) contract with 
principal singers (those with more 
than five performances) it is agreed 
that “artists shall not, during the 
term of his engagement, without 
the writtenr consent of the Associa¬ 
tion, sing or otherwise perform in 
opera or in any other manner.” 
The Met agrees in the same clause 
not to “unreasonably withhold such 
consent or exact or request any 
payment or other consideration as 
a condition to granting the artist 
written consent.” 

Tucker authorized Columbia 
Artists to sign with Hurok. (Colum¬ 
bia may plead ignorance of 
Tucker’s Met contract since the 
singer negotiated his own deal at 
the opera house.) The issue there¬ 
by raised has an echo in a similar 
rumble last January, at which time 
Bing and Hurok were also in dis¬ 
pute, that quarrel being compro¬ 
mised so as not to keep the in¬ 
volved singers and opera off the 
network (again NBC). 

For the first of this Season’s five- 
opera arrangement with Ed Sulli¬ 
van, the Met packaged its own 
stager (John Gutman), two top 
singers, Maria Callas and George 
London, various lesser figures and 
sent over 60 musicians (but pay¬ 
ing 92) to back up a scene from 
‘"rosea.", In this procedure is a 
clue to the Met idea that Met 
management and production, with 
Met singers, can be “exported.” 
The Met rejects the counter-theory 
of having rights only over per- 


4 :-: : - : -—— --- 

Scherman’s Gourmet Music’ Growing; 
Children’s Concerts Vital Adjunct; 
Musicians; $3,000 to $4,000 Yearly 


__ By RO B ERT J. L ANDRY_ 

“Gdurmet'THustc ” like food and 
Wine of the. same appeal, is a slow- 
build, but Thomas Scherman’s Lit¬ 
tle Orchestra Society, now standing 
at 45 musicians and celebrating its 
10th. j'ear, has developed five dif¬ 
ferent sources of subscription sup¬ 
port. There are today around 
1,000 subscriptions for the show¬ 
case concerts’at Town Hall, Man¬ 
hattan, and around 1,500 for the 
“Dress Rehearsals” of the same 
programs at Hunter College. The 
other three subscription series are 
fqr children’s concerts and these 
are “sellouts’* as follows: Mosque 
Theatre, Newark, over 3,000 via the 
Griffith Music Foundation which 
hires the Little Orchestra; over 
2,000 at Hunter College, again; 
around 1,200 at Greenwich, Conn. 

All of the children’s concerts are 
held On Saturday mornings. In the 
instance of the Mosque Theatre, 
some 70 buses bring moppets from 
as. far aw^y as 60 miles. Kids are 
fed such items, as Igor Stravinsky’s 
“Song of the Nightingale,” Gail 
Kubik’s “Gerald McBoing Boing” 
and a version of “The Mikado” in 
which the audience (the kids) sing 
the- choruses from their seats. 
Small fry are also encouraged in 
other forms of “audience participa¬ 
tion.” 

Little Orchestra goes on tour 
each year for about one month via 
Columbia Management. In all, the 
musicians secure about 50 engage¬ 
ments (and rehearsals) annually 
for an income varying from $3,000 
to $4,000 each. The problem of 
attcacting and holding good musi- 


formances originating at its own 
theatre. 

Richard Tucker, resting up for 
his title role ir. “Tates of Hoffman” 
last Thursday (29), was in seclusion 
when reporters first tried to reach 
him but on Friday his publicist, 
Elizabeth Winston, revealed in 
Tucker’s name, his intention to 
honor his NBC contract with Sol 
Hurok, drawing the Met crack, 
“what about his honoring his con¬ 
tract with us?” 

Tucker’s press* handout further 
stated he would sing on the Ed 
Sullivan program with Renata Te¬ 
baldi in March. As to that, the Met 
itself declined to confirm whether 
the “Festival of (Hurok) Music” 
conflict would be influential. 

Publicist Winston included in 
her statement a quotation from 
Bing in Time Magazine,' “Caruso, 
Caruso, that’s all you hear! I have 
an idea we’re going to be proud 
some day to tell ^people we heard 
Tucker.” Bing on Friday praised 
Tucker as a man and as a personal 
friend but added “But I consider 
that in signing with Hurok he did 
himself and the Met a disservice.” 

Hy Paine, executive secretary of 
the American Guild of Musical Ar¬ 
tists, wrote Tucker under date of 
Nov. 29, in part: 

“I wanted you to know that 
in the current dispute in which 
you are involved with the 
Metropolitan Opera Associa¬ 
tion, that the Board of Gov¬ 
ernors of AGMA has adopted 
a resolution supporting your 
position in this matter and will 
go all out to defend you.’ It is 
AGMA’s position that it was 
unreasonable for the Metro¬ 
politan to refuse you permis¬ 
sion on the Producers’ Show¬ 
case on Dec. 10. I think you 
should also know that I have 
advised the Metropolitan of 
our support of you. 

“AGMA believes that under 
its agreement with the Metro¬ 
politan as well as your agree¬ 
ment with the opera company, 
as long as you are not sched¬ 
uled to sing at the Metropoli¬ 
tan Op ^ra House on Dec. 10 as 
well as pn the basis of previous 
precedent for similar or other 
outside engagements, the Me¬ 
tropolitan is being unreason¬ 
able and arbitrary in refusing 
permission.” 


cal talent under this economic 
"setup is acute, as _ScTTerman"_Well 
knows. Very often the Little 
Orchestra trains ’em for the big 
orchestras, although such is not 
its purpose. It has “supplied” a 
first flutist to Philadelphia, a first 
horn to Detroit, two percussionists 
to the Boston Symph and at-least 
10 alumni to the N. Y. Philhar¬ 
monic. 

Two things favor “The Little O”: 
it posts its concert schedule for the 
following season as early as March. 
Thus musicians, have plenty of 
time to book; around .the dates. 
(Ballet dates are useful that way.) 
But chiefly the musicians like, .as 
do the guest soloists* the fact that 
this organization dops unusual 
things. These, include never or 
rarely performed works of the past, 
and .unknown music of the present 
time. Scherman innovated opera 
in concert form (since a spreading 
form of platform fare) and during 
10 years he and his group have 
been “typed” as offbeat. Result- 
antly, musicians and musicologists 
volunteer many suggestions. - 

There is how In hand more ma¬ 
terial than the orchestra can “eat 
up” for a long tme to come. Hence 
Scherman has desisted from hold¬ 
ing, any longer, another innovation 
(borrowed from Brahms) his so- 
called “Open House for Compos¬ 
ers” (more accurately, open door 
j policy) which uncovered some four 
works, since played. 

' Sans Lorgnette 

A New Yorker critic spoke of 
Scherman’s group as presenting 
“the least orthodox and most wide¬ 
ly selected programs of any orches¬ 
tral sbeiety in town” and another 
commentator declared the con¬ 
ductor “has done as much as any¬ 
one to separate the lady from the 
lorgnette” in music. 

One of his coups was in 1951 
when he gave New York its initial 
presentation of Berlioz’s “L’En- 
fance du Christ.” It has since out¬ 
grown Town Hall and become, a 
fixed Yuletide event at Carnegie 
Hall. This December, Schernfan will 
conduct this pastoral oratorio for 
the Denver Symphony a few days 
before the N.Y. rendering. 

Innovator Scherman is still a 
young (Columbia, ’37) man. His 
father is the head of the Book of 
the Month Club, and his mother 
and sister are authors. The con¬ 
ductor upon demobilization from 
the Army in 1946 had a Mutual 
network program, “Let’s Go to the 
Opera,” and he also was a summer 
assistant conductor with the Mex¬ 
ico City Syraphcny. 

The Little Orchestra shares with 
its big brothers the problem com¬ 
mon to all: deficit operations. But 
these have shrunken with each 
year in the rising support of musi¬ 
cal “gourmets.” Scherman enjoys 
a latitude most program-builders 
in the big symphonies would not 
dare take. 

Engagements for Scherman to 
conduct symphonies in other Amer¬ 
ican cities and abroad usually call 
for a balancing of the offbeat, 
which gives him his special stand¬ 
ing in the music world, and the 
traditionalism of the big orches¬ 
tras. Typically Scherman seeks a 
compromise by sticking to familiar 
composers but doing their less 
familiar works. 

His maiden appearance .next 
June with the London Philhar¬ 
monic in the gigantic Albert Hall 
will include “Tap Dance Concer¬ 
to” and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in 
Blue.” Interestingly, the English 
“insisted” upon something by 
Gershwin from their visiting maes¬ 
tro. Thea Dispeker* general man¬ 
ager of the Little Orchestra, ia 
Scherman’s booking agent for his 
guest conducting. Coming spring 
visit will open in Berlin where the 
Philharmonic will have an “Amfer- 
ican-German music week.” He[ll 
be in regular or radio concerts in 
Holland, Hamburg, Switzerland and 
England and plans to use John 
Sebastian as a soloist. 





UTEBATI 




Wednesday, Dgcembcr S t 1056 



‘Time* Enlarges Radio-TV 
Lister Bernstein has been shift¬ 
ed from Time's Press section to 
take over the enlarged radio-tv de¬ 
partment;- 

Writer Bob Jennings and re¬ 
searchers Jean Sulzberger and 
Audrey Blodgett will work under 
Bernstein who, incidentally, has 
also been variously in the Borne 
and London bureaus before return¬ 
ing to the tJ. S, to reassume Press. 
Entire radio-tv section, plus Sports 
Section,, will now come under 
—senior.._ed.ltor Bob M anning. __ 


‘Wyatt Earp’ In 2 Suits 
v- Two suits against book publish¬ 
ers for alleged infringement of his 
“Wyatt Earp" tome were filed in 
N. Y. Federal .Court last week by 
Stuart N. Lake. Co-plaintiff in the 
case is the Houghton Mifflin Co. 
One action names Julian Messier 
Inc. and Enid Johnson while the 
other is against Farrar, Straus & 
Cudahy Inc. and Olga Hall-Quest. 

Lake, according to the complaint, 
claims he wrote “Wyatt. Earp, 
Frontier Marshal" prior to 1931 
and assigned rights to Houghton 
Mifflin in. . 1950. He charges that 
Messner infringed in 1958 by pub¬ 
lishing and selling a book called 
“Wyatt Earp, Gunfighting Mar¬ 
shal," which was lifted from the 
plaintiff’s work. 

Second suit asserts that Farrar, 
Straus & Ctidahy infringed by pub¬ 
lishing “Wyatt Earp, Marshal of 
the Old West,” copied from Lake’s 
book. Both actions seek an injunc¬ 
tion, damages sustained and an ac¬ 
counting. Also asked is delivery of 
the allegedly pirated tomes to be 
impounded during pendency of the 
actions. 


Burlesque and Zieggy 

Two attractive picture books, 
both via Putnam, are not only ideal 
for the gift season but should be 
enduring items. Both are of similar 
size and format, both breezily writ¬ 
ten, and both replete with infor¬ 
mation along with the pictorial 
values for the mass reader. 

Bernard Sobel s “A Pictorial 
History of Burlesque" is a^much 
a document of Americana, from 
pre-turn-of-the-century to date as 
it is a segment of a special branch 
of show business. In its develop¬ 
ment and* ultimate deterioration— 
and well nigh extinction, save for 
the few stripperies still extant in 
the U. S.—it was also an impor¬ 
tant incubator for all of show busi¬ 
ness. Sobel, an expert on the 
subject—his “Burleycue" (1931) 
has long since been the lone 
definitive authority — treats his 
subject amiably, affectionately and 
even when, such as citing Variety 
founder-editor-publisher Sime Sil¬ 
verman's biting indictment of the 
Minskys as “the killers of bur¬ 
lesque," he does it without rancor. 
He lets the record of the ecdysiatic 
invasion speak his general atti¬ 
tude by the bare facts alone. 

Marjorie Farnsworth’s “T h e 
Ziegfeld Follies" is good reading 
even if sometimes sounding like 
reworked slick writing from the 
Hearst newspaper files, to which 
she obviously recoursed. None the 
less, through the glamor and spe¬ 
cial appeal of the more famed— 
and notorious—“Pollies" beauts, 
she brings into sharp focus why 
Zieggy’s pulchritudinous parade 
was special unto itself. 

Miss Faftisworth is a N. Y. Jour- 
nal-American feature writer ard 
she gives published thanks to W. 
R. Hearst Jr., Louis Sobol, et al.. 
for permissions, presumably on the 
anecdota. Like the Sobel book it 
is handsomely, illustrated and ar- 
restingly presented in a goodlook¬ 
ing pictureS-and-text book. Curi¬ 
ously, in light of Sobel's longtime 
identification with the “Follies" as 
Ziegfeld’s Boswell and the spark¬ 
plug of the Ziegfeld Girls Club, 
which is doing such good chari¬ 
table work for the indigent Zieg¬ 
feld alumni he is not mentioned. 

Both books are $5.95 priced and 


both are very worthwhile gift 
items, for which they seemingly 
were designed. What’s, more, they 
will make durable reference works. 
Like Sobel’s evolution: of show biz 
greats from the . lowly burley be¬ 
ginnings, and before that the 
vaudeville and Tony Pastor’s brand 
of clean music hall divertissement, 
this cavalcade is a good sampling 
of the shifting standards of appre¬ 
ciation for the American beauty 
Abel. 


Rome Daily American Sold 

“"The - estate, of “adman Ray—Vir- 
Den (and also the attorneys for 1 
Doris "Duke, who owned about 30% 
of Vir Den’s Rome Daily Ameri¬ 
can), after holding out for around 
$300,000 for the . English-language 
paper in the Italian capital, got a 
little under that from a group of 
four. Landon Thorne, with the 
ECA in Europe and longtime 
Rome resident, is said to be one 
of the quartet of riew owners. 

Deal is still on the hush-hush 
side but reportedly finalized in 
principle. Vir Den died two years 
ago. 

Magyar Book Gifts 
Hungarian refugees unable to 
speak English will be helped by 
Pocket Books' “English—Through 
Pictures," gifted the books to Mag¬ 
yar refugees currently at Camp 
Kilmer. N. J. 


JOAN CRAWFORD'S 

career examined in fascinating detail! 
Get the Dec. issue of 

FILMS IN REVIEW 

(illustrated with 23 stills from Joan 
Crawford movies) FREE by subscrib¬ 
ing now to the only monthly maga- 
iine devoted to every aspect 1 of the 
motion picture. “Films in Review": In¬ 
tellectually stimulating, consistently 
readable. $4.50 a year in U. S.; 
$4-75 in Canada; $5 elsewhere. PO 
Box 175, Planetarium Station, New 
York 24, N. Y. 


Buckley’s 2d $150,000 Deal 

Henry Holt & Co. trade book 
veepee William E. Buckley has 
made his second $150,000 pix deal 
for a Holt property with Warner 
Bros, slated to do the Diana Bar¬ 
rymore autobiography, “Too Much, 
Too Soon," which she coauthored 
with Gerold Frank (who collabo¬ 
rated on Lillian Roth’s “I’ll Cry 
Tomorrow’.'). 

Recently he also sold the Pearl 
Harbor story, “Day of Infamy," by 
Walter Lord (author -of “A Night 
to Remember,” the saga of the SS 
Titanic tragedy), to Metro. 

Like “Cry,"-there is a pop song 
already*>tied in with “Too Much, 
Too Soon." It’s by Rosalind Page, 
MGM Records songstress, which 
WB’s Music Publishers Holding 
Corp. may publish and utilizers a 
thematic throughout the film ver¬ 
sion. 


gags well enough* .This is not the 
fitst time Cerf, - who is president 
of Random House, has been pub¬ 
lished by another publisher. As, 
with most works, and particularly 
Cerf’s : collections, because of his 
show biz and literati connections, it 
is replete with namedroppings; also, 
as with most compehdiums of this 
nature, it can be picked up any¬ 
where or undel* any category and 
sure of a laugh anytime. Carl Rose 
did the illustrations; It should 
prove a good seller. 

Illustrations of another type is 
Peter Arno’s latest cartoon book, 
“Hell of a Way to Run a Railroad" 
(Simon & Schuster; $3;95), pix 
mostly from his New Yorker con¬ 
tributions over recent years. Per 
usually they’re bright, oftimes 
ribald, and sophisticated . in the 


.ultramodern -manner. ::An^dbvlbUsr| 
gift thought, especially around this 
time of the.year. 

Another good anthology, as con¬ 
servative as “The Ladies’ Home 
Journal Treasury" would indicate 
by title (S&S; $7.50), is the one 
edited by John Mason Brown and 
the editors of LHJ. It culls from 
73 years of publishing, and the 
stories, articles and poetry make 
an impressive galaxy indeed. Many 
bestsellers were serialized first in 
LHJ and quite a few stories have 
enjoyed wider, impact via films -etc. 
The byliners read like a literati 
who’s who. Abel. 


2 Tiptop ‘Year’ Books 

The 1956 “Year" books again are 
standout production jobs under 
publisher Baldwin H. Ward’s aegis, 
in association with Simon & 
Schuster. “Year: The Annual Pic¬ 
ture-History" ($7.95) tells this past 
semester’s happenings in 1,000 
pictures and 75,000 Words, cover¬ 
ing 3,000 subjects. “Year’s Pictorial 
History of the World" is a living 
history book telling man’s progress 
from prehistoric times to the 
present, in 2,000 pictures, 20,000 
words, colorplates. etc., with fore¬ 
word by Henry Steele Commager. 

Both are fully indexed and both 
are fine gift items. Abel. 

Rose Franken’s Accident 

Rose Franken (Mrs. William 
Brown Meloney), author of the 
“Claudia" plays and stories, has a 
penchant for “remodeling the ter¬ 
rain," as her friends know. When 
they owned their New Canaan, 
(Conn.) estate, she literally re¬ 
versed the course of the Silvermine 
River—a little architectural conceit 
which the U.S. Department of 
Rivers & Harbors regarded with 
jaundiced eye, since it is illegal 
to change the course of rivers, etc. 

This is prelude to the . authoress' 
current hospitalization. Vs result of 
having just bought CBS commenta¬ 
tor Bill Leonard’s place at River- 
dale, N. Y., which she is again 
‘Remodeling." Nothing as drastic 
as changing river-courses but, in 
her eagerness to have things done, 
and despite a large corps of work¬ 
ers on the ground, she started 
puttering around at 6 a.rr last 
week, with result she tripped over 
some machinery, broke her knee 
and nose and lost three front teeth. 
Surgery on the knee has become 
necessary. She also laid uncon¬ 
scious from 6-8 a.m. until the 
workers came on the scene, and 
almost froze to-death. 

Miss Franken sdld the Connec¬ 
ticut place but donated her large 
private menagerie to the Danbury 
Zoo. She had sheep, Japanese 
deer, ducks, peacocks, aouad, 
cranes, etc. on her grounds. 


Cerf and Arno 

Bennett Cerf, irrepressible and 
indefatigable anthologist and joke- 
teller, has a new collection of 
anecdotes, gags, puns and tidbits, 
under the title of ‘"The Life of the 
Party"* (Hanover House: Double¬ 
day, $2.95) and there are enough 
samplings for ary parlor raconteur 
to become that if he rehearses the 


Man and Boy 

There appeared , to be close col¬ 
laboration between the morning 
Chi Tribune and its. recently pur¬ 
chased afternoon American in 
sports stories last Saturday (1). 

In reporting the Archie Moore- 
Floyd Patterson fight of the ■ pre¬ 
vious night, both the Trlb’s Mau¬ 
rice Shelvin and the Chi Ameri¬ 
can’s Wendell Smith led off with 
“They sent out a boy to do a man’s 
job . . . and he did it!” 

Col. Oldfield’s 2d Edition 

Variety’s Olympics o.o.er, USAF 
Col. Barney Oldfield has been told 
by Duell, Sloan & Pearce, publish¬ 
er of his “Never a Shot in Anger," 
that it’s going into a second print¬ 
ing. 

“I can’t run and I can’t jump,” 
says he, “but I can hope for a sales 
record." 


CHATTER 

Literati agent Hal Matson out 
of Greenwich Hospital following 
minor op. ' 

Another new magazine is “Die 
Pinzette," the Austrian Academic 
Federation and edited by writer 
K. G. Roehsler, 

‘“Der Willie" (The Will) Is new 
magazine just issued by Austrian 
Artists. Editor is Albert H. Rdege- 
nau, himself a w.k. writer. 

William Fine, former general 
manager of McCall’s on the Coast, 
joining Hearst Magazines as of 
Jan. 1 in a capacity to be disclosed 
later. 

Eight of Gore Vidal’s tv plays 
have been incorporated in a book, 
to be published Jan. 7, 1956 by 
Little, Brown, titled “A Visit to a 
Small Planet and Other Television 
Plays." 

Harold Turnblad, recently re¬ 
tired as chief of bureau for the 
AP in Frisco after 33 years of 
Coast wire service work, will take 
over as editor of the suburban San 
Mateo Times Jan. 1; ^publisher is 
J. Hart Clinton. 

Samuel L. Blumenfeld, previous¬ 
ly first reader at The Viking Prefes, 
joined Grosset & Dunlap as an as¬ 
sociate editor. He’ll deal with mo¬ 
tion picture tie-in reprints and 
participate in selection of titles for 
the Universal Library, Grosset’s 
new line of paperbacks. 

Henry Sell, editor of Town & 
Country, awarded a gold medal by 
ENIT. the Italian tourist agency, 
fof* his “friendship to Italy and its 
people among the Americans.’ 
G. E. Kidder Smith, author “Italy 
Builds," also given a gold medal. 
Ceremony was aboard the SS Con¬ 
te Biancamano. 

Merritt C. Speidel resigned as 
president and director of Speidel 
Newspapers, midwestern and Cali¬ 
fornia chain of eight dailies and 
two weeklies which he founded, 
more than 20 years ago. Speidel, 
who’s lived in Palo Alto, Calif., 
since 1937, will remain a consult¬ 
ant to the chain. • 

William Raney Is now an editor 
at McGraw-Hill, more or less swap¬ 
ping spots with Scott Bartlett, ex- 
McGraw, now at Dutton from 
whence Raney resigned. Another 
McGraw-Hill alumnus, Edward As- 
well, recently shifted from editor- 
in-chief there to one Of Double- 
dav’s senior editors. 

Working title on the Satevepost 
article by Richard Gehman on Irv¬ 
ing P. Lazar (“Lasalle" in George 
Axelrod’s “Will Success Spoil Rock 
Hunter?") is “Little King of the 
Agents," a tag the literary 10%er 
doesn’t fancy Particularly. Lazar 
returned to ^Hywood this week, 
after firming up several deals. 1 






SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK 

■ • - r • ■ : 

By Frank Scully + ♦ 


: Palm Springs, Dec. 4.’ 

Sometimes I wish the Big One , were a daily. Boy, would I have 
scored a hot scoop at. the men's fashion! show held at the Desert Inn 
while the 2,000 delegates, their wives 'and the press were wasting their 
time in Jimmy Van Heusen’s piano bar. 

I don’t say the election was framed, but when I saw Bob Wagner 
and Charles LeMaire of 20th Century-Fox and Teete Carle and Bob 
Goodfried of Par around the Desert Inn and spotted the convention 
delegates being shown “The Mountain," in which Bob Wagner had 
quite a part, I knew that Phil Silvers and Marlon Brando didn’t have 
a chance to cop the plaque as “The World’s Most Eligible Bachelor." 

These three were the announced finalists, but when you see only 
one of them ground and spot other evidences of interested parties 
present,; -ynifr e - 3 - - d n p g-i f - y o u 

a hot wire to your paper without waiting for the handout.' Presumably 
1,000 style-setters voted but their ballots must have been counted at 
least a week before the result was announced so that Par could get 
“The Mountain" (which hadn’t been press previewed as yet in Holly¬ 
wood), Bob Wagner and those top level Par flacks into Palm Springs. 

When he appeared to accept his award from Chuck Bailey, prez of 
Magic (as the Men’s Apparel Guild in California is called), Wagner was 
dressed in a way that indicated he was hanging on to his eligibility. 
The styles that walked down the gangplank were so dazzling they made 
Wagner’s charcoal gray look, well, like charcoal. He should have 
modeled a few of those creations to prove that he too could look like a 
peacock if given a Barong tagalog sports shirt of imported pure pongee 
silk, with designs in hand-printed colors outlined in gold, a sports coat 
of 100 p.c. silk, wovenf in Italy, with smoke ipearl buttons, no outside 
breast pocket (a switch), inverted flap pockets, vented cuffs, and slacks 
of a new lightweight flannel in iridescent tones and, get this, “harmony* 
trimmed in perspiration-proof satin." 

Or he might have walked down the runway in an everglaze hand- 
screened cotton sports shirt which looked like it has been splashed for 
jungle warfare. With a gal model in a dress of the same material he 
would have been sure to get twice as many oohs and ahs. (This was a 
contribution of Don Loper, incidentally.) 

. There were several sports coats from the Ganges with wide longi¬ 
tudinal stripes that looked on the wearers as if they were trying to 
bring back vaudeville. But brace yourselve?. You’ll be seeing them 
on the streets next year. 

The styles were lifted from the Far East, Indonesia, the South Pa¬ 
cific, the Mid Pacific, South America, Mexico and, not to be too self- 
effacing, California. Travel movies were run off before the styles of 
a particular area were shown. This is known as the softening-up proc¬ 
ess so that the shock of what the well-dressed male will have to wear 
next year would not start a stampede for Miltown. * 

Cleavage for Men?; 

Personally I thought the sports shirts which showed neither short 
sleeves nor long sleeves but three-quarter length sleeves were the most 
repulsive. One topped by an Olvera street Mexican hat and supported 
below with what a Bermuda shortstop will be wearing next year wa* 
at least an improvement over a swim suit with a V in the shirt down 
to the belt buckle. How daring in cleavage do tjj^se male stylists in¬ 
tend to go? 

Really wanna know? Well, Gantner trotted out a pair of swim 
trunks of long wickies, with side vents yet. These were three-quarter 
length. The color combinations were derived from the ribbons of 
gondoliers. At least that’s what Stu Wilson, who was doing the an¬ 
nouncing, said they were. There was no top to these longies and the 
male model must have felt a mite Cold as he : walked barefooted in the 
chill October night, especially with all that mink in the audience 
staring at his bare torso. 

These multi-colored striped garments in sports shirts, coats and^Ber- 
muda shorts made it seem as if the designers were looking over each 
other’s shoulders, but of course if they had all been to China, India, 
Malaya and the Fiji Islands they could not help but be similarly im¬ 
pressed. But where the Palomino Sportswear people got that sleeve¬ 
less jacket which opened at both sides like a newsboy’s sack and par¬ 
tially covered a peacock blue shirt (with three-quarter length sleeves 
that were slit to above the elbow) I’ll never know—unless the designer 
bad lost his way when looking for the ladies department. 

Don Juan has created a sports shirt in an attractive smallpox design. 
I saw it in the Stylist but don’t recall if it was ^rotted out in the fash¬ 
ion parade at the Desert Inn. This was a fast one-hour show and inter¬ 
lopers can’t remember everything. But I do Tecall seeing a da Vinci 
creation of glazed handkerchief weight rayon which by the use of a 
special printing technique I was told duplicates the features of a 
custom-made hand-screened shirt. Personally I think red and white 
gingham shirts and shorts make a nice combination too, and I rather 
like a Paul Howard long-sleeved slik rayon brocade sports shirt which 
he features for “after 5." That is to say, the cocktail hour when women 
dress, and .men (at least at desert resorts) dress down. 

By far the two wildest ensembles seen at the show, seemed the easi¬ 
est to bear. Or perhaps by then I was drugged into accepting anything 
in men’s wear. One of these was described as a beachcomber combo. 
The shirt with three-quarter length sleeves (and cuffs yet) was of 8 oz. 
topsail dappled with huge circular medallions. The pants were three- 
quarter length, too. These also were made of topsail cloth but plain 
white this time. The model wore a straw sailor hat which I thipk the 
British Navy featured in thp 18th century. „ 

The other show stopper was a cabana set derived from' traditional 
Mexican costumes, we were informed. The colors and designs fea¬ 
tured everything but the screams of Pancho Villa, though I thought I 
detected some contributions of the Aztecs to the montage. 

After that a dame with a writhing fat snake as a neckpiece and a 
Polynesian sarong awakened practically no Interest except among the 
photographers who perhaps felt that this was the best they could do, 
what with the Ringling Bros, sideshow having folded for the season 
without even coming to the west coast. 

One ensemble brought out by Barney Beller was swiped bodily from 
Captain Kidd. He called it The Buccaneer. It was in red and black 
and had a circular insert that extended as far as the shoulders and 
was rimmed with ocean pearl buttons. The pants were of the conven¬ 
tional pirate cut and the boots followed formula too. 

Of Course! Blame Hollywood 

Now all this frivolity is the basis of a $200,000,000 biz which has 
sprouted in Los Angeles in the last 10 years. It began when cloak- 
and-suiters seeing the screwball ensembles that were parading Up and 
down Hollywood Blvd, figured that here was a trend that might sweep 
the nation if made even a little crazier and billed “Styled in Cali¬ 
fornia." 

Before the war, California had Catalina swim suits and some snug 
jobs by Gantner. Rogue made a sports shirt and a few others played 
around with some play clothes. But the mdst daring things were de¬ 
signed by studio couturieres and they were made for photographing, 
not for wearing. At.least not until Marilyn Monroe got herself sewed 
into one and appeared at Ciro’s one night. It .was a flaming red job, 
as I remember, and if she had sat down it would have split in six 
directions, 

And this MAGIC is only the men’s division. They have a boy’s 
apparel guild that does millions in Jbiz. After that the teenagers. Then 
the dames! — 

It obviously runs into billions. And Sani Goldwyn Ivas in on the 
ground floor before he quit Gloversville for 1 this punch-drunk picture 
biz. Oh/ mama mio! 





^edheisflaf j *f$56 


pmmr 


CHATTEll 


% * V'. ‘ season Kirider <3ii:ectiah of Samwel •'' ‘ 1 

MOAAWay • Dinis . . . ! LOHI 

Leinta Arifet^on'fwjibse (very!) re 5t5f^jS y ^^^ ‘ ' .' "(fempte. Bar ; 5O4#$05$)i 

J®* "aStf* V?n ei D& -James Ca™Wusiye: 

«* *“ » eWlatd , fej 9 ' - > 

an l"’ j • „ ■ ■ ► Brazil and Portugal will co-pro-„ r/ 5 rol ?5; ^?/? er u 


, 15, "where "lie - meets Joseph L. ' ^ 

Makiewicz to prep final details on flOliyWOOll' 

the™ e \hi*”intt"’’inte!?fo? S pro& i** to talk motion pic- 

. ably will be shot in Rome. nwie-tv deals., ■ 

t — . . Frank Sinatra hpririprt With 


rreras, Exclusive Films > 
N.. Y'. on a three-day 


Rossano Brazzi signed contract! 


Global eVents 


snafuing Maryjduce a new version Qf the. classic SL'J? 

tout 1 Wltll Tfitfit cfntny 4 *T.a' Cotrora M A molia HOlir SvPW^. 


Tyrone power to be guest of ; for ’' Bat j a <:’s forthcoming; ‘‘Leg 
uii ?rr. imr**c “urnmon’c end Of the Lost.” which Henri 


throat- condition. 

Humphrey Bogart hospitalized 


' Ma^in r s Proposed tour with "peter stpry «x a Sever*starring'Amalia H< S£L s S l *r?.* an/? a« Africa this winter John Wavne 

- parti’ the comedienne' • has her PnHriVnpc: in rnlp «hp hac rinn^ nn : Richard Todd and .Harry An- j ij wimer. aonn wayne 

sights oS e « CO ne w Broadwir play gg* ri s fa gV 82JS*'Steffi f"**. «8ned by otto Preminger and Sophia J^oren co-star, 

nrhioh matt ha lirmori nn thic nr--ritu—-?* ^ _I for. his ud coming British Droduc- ‘ Picnic (Col) v 


end of the Lust,” which Henry „ Humphrey Bogart nospit 
Hathaway directs here and in for nerve pressure condition. 


which may be firmed up this t>r' mbeiro, original' interpreter of I £or hi |. “Pcoming British produc- 


. . next week. ... 

- The -Bill (Caren) Dolls to the 
Hollywood premiere of Mike Todd’s 
“80 Days” which, coincidentally, 
will permit Mrs. Doll to spend the 
Xmas holidays with her family who 
reside there. 

Johnny Meyer, co-producer^ of 
_ “Ac tio n o f the. Xiger„.”_ an upcom¬ 
ing Metro release, planes to 4fie 
Coast' tomorrow (Thursday) iollow- 


4 ‘April in Portugal.” 


By Gene MoskowKz 
(28 'Rue HucHette Qdeon 4944) 
“Moby Dick” (WB) in for good 
reviews. 


winter. John Wayne * Richard Widniark off to London 
Loren co-star for Otto Preminger s “Saint Joan.” 

I John Bentley returned to his 

H?52i nnn native England after year in Holly- 


tion of “Saint Joan.” , " first-run with a high $67,000 total, ““J* J “ 16 "*“ u 411 

Joan Miller, actress wife of di- topping seasonal figures to date. 
rector Peter Cotes, signed for next ‘War and Peace” (Lux) is running 

year’s Shakespearean season at up a good total at the Barberini, t*?*",®^ wood Bundle of 


Stratford-upon-Avon. . 

Jack De Leon. London theatre 


the net value was nil. 


with $37,500 for first 17 days. 
Vittorio DeSica heads soon for 


Eddie Cantor will emcee telecast 


Joy” preem Dec. 21. 

F. Hugh Herbert and Mark Rob¬ 
son returned • to London to corn- 


manager who died recently left Algeciras, Spain to star in pic di- Sete “The Little Hut ” 
gross estate of around'$11,300, but j-ected by Francesco De Robert's P william DoSer olant 


for. Filmcostellazione. Olhers in 


William Dozier planed to Palm 
Beach for confabs w ith Th omas F. 


^‘The Kilfers^ tHl llrr^dte/ seti—Ren-Randall- returned- 4o • Holly- -Spanteh-Haliair 'trt^protigctiirn—are- "(yReiTaruT S a mel T 'TTSBea 
for reissue 'here. . I wood last week where he’ll stay Sandra Milo. Rossella Monti and v • 


j^oasr tomorrow unursaayj ioiiow- Renee Passenr character actress over for New Year s, but is due 1 Juan Calvo. 
lng his return from London, where , «enee ^assem, cnaiacter aevress, , . t pi p ’ qpr ipc 

the Marline Parnl-Van Trthnsnn doing a singing stmt at Chez Suzy Da ^ K lo ?^. ar , ina ie * e se . n ® s - . 

*tarrer is before the Mmeras Solidor. , Anne Firbank^ who played juve DU.‘UJ.Ul.:» 

^htri .,4 win! ..o,., BKO will release “Oklahoma" in lead in recent Phoenix production rfllladelpllia 

Charles A, Berns, head of *21” Todd-AO in Germanv before it sets of A River Breeze,” being offered ■ _ ^, r . 

Brands, the ..original of Jack & the same formal distrib here g S a long-termer by Ealing Studios. B o ?u rr « Gaffhan ,., 

Charlie’s 21- Club, is honor guest * l u j s Runuel ankling directorial Adelphi Theatre celebrated its Lillian Roth off on months 
of the 7th annual Wine & Spirits cho res on “ThereseEt^nne” which 150th birthday last Wednesday (28), ? atlon at Palm Sprmgs after v 

• dinner-dance Jan. 16 at the Wal- willT?e ^ade^by ^Mario^ SoldaO coinciding with opening of its new m S up at Chubby’s Nov. 30. 

dorf for benefit of Brandefe Univ., p au i Meurisse pic actor noiV at revue. The present house was built Pacey’s Sho-Bar, after tl 
one of his pfct ^hll&nthrophics* Comedic-Frflncziise, scoring in his ^ 1930. month try ^t Dixieland snd 


s tay | Sandra Milo, Rossella Monti and Harpo Marx kudoed with United 
Juan Calvo. Jewish Appeal Entertainment 

“ — Award for “outstanding service.” 

Pliilorlalnliio f Everett Sharp, Fox West Coast’s 

I HUdllCipilttl chief film booker, recuping at Doc- 

Rv Terrv Gaphan tor’s Hospital after appendectomy. 

Lillian Roth off on month's va- seven of 17 

cation at Palm Springs after wind- n . e ™,. , players Yii 0 «* ap Sfm«nc+r Q n 
in« nn at c.hnhhv’c Nnv an studio’s new talent demonstra- 


Charlie’s 21- Club, is honor guest 


dorf for benefit of Brandeis Univ., 
one of his pet philanthropises. 


Pacey’s Sho-Bar, after three- 
month try at Dixieland and jazz 


tions: Anne MdCrea, Jane Liddell, 
Dolores Michael, Richard Gardner, 
Michael Galloway, Michael Sar- 


Must be a new trend: authors in first appearance there in Shake- Philip Ridgeway, who heads a combos, gave up jazz band policy. gent and Tami Conner 
•the recent, crop of legit openings speare’s “Coriolanus.” London public relations agency, Vienna Philharmonic makes its 1 & 

are getting bigger and bigger pro- Cheryl- Crawford bourght legit Ieft for N - Y - and Hollywood yes- local preem at Academy of Music 
gram billing. * Not as big. as the rights to the Maruice Druon novel, terday (Tues.) on his maiden trip Dec. 6, with Andre Cluytens con- 


public relations agency,- Vienna Philharmonic makes its 


are geuing Digger ana Digger pro- uneryi- urawiord oourght legit ,cu . * U1 dUU nouywouu y«- viccui m ntauemy uj. musiu . 

gram billing. * Not as big. as the rights to the Maruice Druon novel, terday (Tues.) on his maiden trip Dec. 6, with Andre Cluytens con- l,IllC&i?0 

players but bigger than the font “La Volupte D’Etre,” published m to x V* s - ' „ . ducting. ' , t r. * * 

type usually reserved for the mu- the U.S. as “Film of Memory.” Noel Rogers, Kassner Associated Tony Scott, Billie Holiday’s ac- Evelyn Wright at keyboard of 

sical conductor or scene designer. “Cinerama Holiday” (Cinerama) Music topper, heads for N. Y. Sat- companist at the Showboat, ap- Ballantine restaurants new Can- 
Sammv Fain and Paul Francis due at Empire next January after urday (15) for huddles with Ed peared on Steve Allen show as top dlelight Piano Bar. 

Webster have a new legit musical successful stay of “This Is Cine- Kassner and to look over music choice in a musician’s poll for Agent Leo Salkin staged annual 

which they are bringing eaS from nima,” which has garnered $1,917,- scene there _ year's best clarinetest.' Mnniav^ ete 

their Hollywood bdsc shortly Ella 000 in 78 weeks* Vet British music publisher, Trvini? Wolf former owner of Hospital pstients Mondsy (3). 

Logan may be in it although John Marc Spiegel hitting East Ger- whiubhP^I’rnpd^n^il the Rendezvous here and the 500 to^tc^S-S iSSo^Iloyd^Pat- 

Shubert is also talking to the com- many dunnrhisJron^Curtain film S 9^ Atlantic City, named cus- 


their Hollywood base shortly. Ella 000 in 78 weeks. Vet British music publisher, 

Logan may be in it although John Marc Spiegel hitting East Ger- Lawrence Wright, accorded a civic 
* Shubert is also talking to the com- many during his Iron Curtain film ^ W ! 1 I uaw, Auanuc v^uy, naraea eub- 1 1 - n « eht here sw ines ud 

edienne for the new “Ziegfeld Fol- sales trip. He comes back for a birthplace^ Leicestei after an ab- todian and host at p 0 quessing R^hpq t pr S th i sweekfor n a DhVsi 
lies.” * U. S. trip next week which willjSence of seven years. - .. Country Club, midtown private Rochester this week lor a pnysi 

Jimmv Hitz longtime manager also take him to South America Bernard Delfont sailed for South 1 lat Mavo s. 

for Walter Jacobs at thef Lor^T^r- £or a looksee of the film setup Africa last week with the Folies 

letonM?Imi Beach ismanager<rf there * Spiegel is Continental MPEA Bergere Co., but plans to % back 
ueacn, is manager or , n time for oDemne of his now 


Hospital patients Monday (3). 

Joe Sherman, up from Florida 
to catch Archie Mo.ore-Floyd Pat- 


Country Club, midtown private Mayo’s. 


Rochester this week for a physical 


Icana y wh7ch h tlfe 'tIscIi°B ro^^re Champs-Elysees film house, Christmas shows at the Prince of 
debuting next weekonoMasion of Ge b r ge V, long second-run house, Wales theatre. 

reputing next weex on occasion OI fipet.rnn »'it {nine Eric niasc n1annnu> flvin? visit 


in time for opening of his new 


■Knar"® imtvi onni.rorcor.r now is definite first-run as it.joins vxxaab piaumue «viaxi, joey msnop signea ior iiewi —~ Z 

NBCs- 30th anniversary conven- the p aramount croup of seven to N. Y. to catch the Broadway Year’s week show-at Club 30. Celeste Holm in for a whirlwind 

- v i « i ./• n «« i t, houses, in presenting original ver- opening of “First Gentleman” Jackie Heller comes back home | round of personals A behalf of 
Frank Hale <& Patterson), who s j 0n ( W ith subtitles) of Laurence which is to be staged by Tyrone for two weeks at Ankara beginning 
hoofed with the Original Dixieland Olivier’s “Richard III” (Par). Pic Guthrie with Walter Slezak in role Jan. 7. » £llm library this week: Merry An- 

Jazz Band, is a w.k. industrialist, preems this week. created in London by Robert Mor- P i av house Dicked Booth Tarkine- derS i, ^ tv? film 

now, but whenever he gets to- F Z izi Jeanmaire will head the ley. ton’ S From Home’-forits ! WGN-TVs film 


Eric Glass planning flying visit 


By Hal V. Cohen 
Joey Bishop signed for New 


to N. Y. to catch the Broadway Year’s week show-at Club 30. 
opening of “First Gentleman” Jackie Heller comes back home 


Sun-Times f columnist Irv Kup- 
cinet again emceeing annual “Off- 
the-Street” Xmas party sponsored 
by Chicago Federated Advertising 
Clubs tomorrow noon (Thurs.) at 
Conrad Hilton’s Grand Ballroom. 

Celeste Holm in for a whirlwind 
round of personals A behalf of 


gether with hoofers like Ray Bol-1 nex t bill at the Alhambra-Maurice Josef Somlo and Sergei Nolban- 
ger all the tycoon talk goes out the Chevalier when the presently sue- dov, indie producers, who arelcom- 
window and they hark back to cessful Chevalier show pulls out. bining their efforts under G. W. 
their buck-and-wing days. | Jacques Canetti is setting up Miss Films, planed to N. Y. last week- 


• • , j ■« m i ■ ders did the same honors last 

Playhouse picked Booth Tarkmg- week glamorizing WGN-TV’s film 
ton’s “Man From Home” for its | S p re ads. 


fifth show. 

Jim Gallagher Jr., elected com- 


Chicago amusement industry has 
raised oyer $10,000 for the 1956 


elr buck-and-wing days. | Jacques Canetti is setSnl up Miss ft i™, p Ian e d to N Fust week 1 ? and L e e r ei » f n ™ CIub ’ s Ameri ‘ SSSSS^SSjaMS 

Leon Leonidoff, Radio City Mu- Jeanmaire's appearance which will- end and are heading for Holly- can Legion post. I!ln at ^f S 

- - * ■*. ... . ... Bill MacDonald, who danced in man ot tne ineatres ana amus,e 


sic Hall producer, arranging and include her singing and dancing wood, where they’ll stay for about 
emceeing a “Festival of Music” surrounded by selected acts and an six weeks. 

Sunday (9) at the Waldorf-Astoria orchestra on stage throughout, ---- 

commemmorating the 28th anni of .which is'now standard at this new" n * 

Yeshiva College. Also participat- addition to the musicall picture KnSIOll 

ing in the event, among others, are here. wwm 

* the Met’s George London and -- By Guy Livingston 


Laurel Hurley. 

* Pegeen (& Ed) Fitzgerald is cam¬ 
paigning for making 6th Ave. (now 
more formally known as the 
Avenue of the Americas) the mid¬ 
town Manhattan dividing line, in¬ 


touring “Damn Yankees,” now in 
Broadway company. 1C6% 

Betty Furness coming here to Quota, 
open the annual Auto Show at 
Hunt Armory Jan. 19. 

Jackie Wilson, former AGVA 


ments division announced, this as 
106% of the industry’s assigned 


Alaska 

By Ricardo Brown 


Jack Melick Orch, new aggrega- secretary in Philly, joined sales 


Minneapolis 


tion, at Statler Terrace Room. 
Victor Borge set for repeat per- 


staff of Record Distributors here. 


By Les Rees 

Edyth Bush Little Theatre pre- 


Mara Landi, Tech drama grad, sen ti n g “Peter Pan.’L 

iH har hnchan/l .Tirr* TTut/>Viinc/\ii m__: j r 1 — - - -J • 


Police broke up GI gang fight 16. 


formance at Symphony Hall Dec. and her husband, Jim Hutchinson, Tenor David Lloyd in concert at 


stead of 5th Ave., in light of the out for the Jewel Room of Hotel Bos- ■ --- Yesterday” underlined. 

big building rehabilitation program University of Alaska held public tonian. « n s* “Grand Ole Opry” at Auditorium 

now going on from Rockefeller reading of “Teahouse of the Au- WBZ-TV making Hub tv his- BCIilD for 13th time within year. 

Center westward. gust Moon’ with drama coach Lee tory with transmitting of regular „ „ „ . Under new ownership, Vic’s 

Ruthrauff & Ryan’s senior vee- Salisbury reading .Col. Purdy. skedded color series out of Boston. “y “ a “* “ oenn nitery eliminating floorshow. 

pee Bob Durham uses a tom $2 bill ; Disk jockey Gordy Shaw (KFRB) Vaughn Monroe off to Florida wouzb4) Singing Boys of Norway set for 

as a fraternal come-on for con- tickled locals with organization of for vacation after closing 10-day °^ cl1 Sport- Lyceum one-nighter Dec. 15. 

atant lunch-reminder. One, defy- The Farthest North Creeps, satire stint at his own spot, the Meadows, P®last # Nov, 29. for two perform- Songstress Connie Towers con¬ 
ing the “hard luck” legend about .on all the Farthest North clubs in Framingham, Saturday (1). an ?£ s - „ , „ TT . tinUing at Hotel Radisson Flame 

the “deuces,” the torn-in-half bill here Singer Bill St. Claire of WEEI’s . , an .? Ha i ka : Room 

also makes it a lil game: whoever , The Barefoot Contessa” vocal- “Beantown Variety Show” planed nana (Mathias) picked* as last singing Lind Bros, and Ervine 

doesn't have it on him is stuck for 1st Beverly Knox celebrated birth- to Hollywood Dec. 3 for appear- s picture by Protestant Film Lavine at B’Nai Brith cabaret 

the luncheon tab. day with 5 a.m. cake-cutting at all- ance on Lawrence Welk Show. g Ht 5 of . <jrerman y*. . Dec. 1. 


at Buffalo Saloon, native girl hang- 


Chirp Charlene Bartley booked met in “Pajama Game. 1 
for the Jewel Room of Hotel Bos- - --— 


both in “Happy Hunting.” They st< Pau i Auditorium. 

met in “Pajama Game.” Theatre-in-Round has “Born 


big building rehabilitation program University of Alaska held public tonian.« 

now going on from Rockefeller reading of “Teahouse of the Au- WBZ-TV making Hub tv his- 
Center westward. 8 us t Moon” with drama coach Lee tory with transmitting of regular 


Ruthrauff & Ryan’s senior vee- Salisbury reading *Col. Purdy. skedded color series out of Boston, 
pee Bob Durham uses a tom $2 bill Disk jockey Gordy Shaw (KFRB) Vaughn Monroe off to Florida 
as a fraternal come-on for con- tickled locals with organization of for vacation after closing 10-day 
Btant lunch-reminder. One, defy- The Farthest North Creeps, satire stint at his own spot, the Meadows, 
ing the “hard luck” legend about .on all the Farthest North clubs in Framingham, Saturday (1). 
the “deuces,” the torn-in-half bill Rej*e. I Singer Bill St. Claire of WEEI’s 


By Hans Hoehn 
(760264) 

Lionel .Hampton orch at Sport- 
palast, Nov. 29. for two perform¬ 
ances. 

“Ransom” (M-G) and “Haka- 


also makes it a lil game: whoever “The Barefoot Contessa” • vocal- “Beantown Variety Show” planed hana” (Mathias) picked* as last 


The Todd-AO filmization. of night spot, the Diamond Horse- 
“Oklahoma!” is now spelled cor- s noe. 


day with 5 a.m. cake-cutting at all- ance on Lawrence Welk Show, 
night spot, the Diamond Horse- Storyville hosted- RCA Victor 


rectly on the Mayfair billboard; 

originally, as part of an attention- ^[nter production of “Gramercy I album and book simultaneous pub- iV 0U ’* R®P e /V» ln x Tov ^ n ” < i U ^^ Tn f I “Janus,” next Lyceum legit at- 
getter, it was purposely misspelled Ghost arena style in banquet lication; Friday (30). Mountain (Par) and Artists and \ t rac tion and its third this season, 

^Oklohoma!” ana the fact that r°oni of Travelers’ Inn. Lew In with Jackie Gleason for kick- Models (Par)- * * doesn’t arrive until Jan. 28. 

people observed the Artkraft- directed. off of Arthritis Drive were Rebecca f0l *rtn time, the Jerboa “Biggest In-Person Show of ’56,” 

Strauss people “better learn how Satch Bianchi, popular club Sand, Edna Rae, Dorothy Dunne, (Britishi soldier cinema in town) is Bill Haley and His Comets, 


getter, it was purposely misspelled wiost arena style 
“Oklohoma!” and the fact that £ 0 °m of Travelers’ 
people observed the Artkraft- ® e y e J’ directed. 


sh 2. e % , , an d Houghton Mifflin Company’s 

Fairbanks Little Theatre offered joint party for “Guide to Jazz,” 
winter production of “Gramercy album and book simultaneous pub- 


Guild of Germany. 

U.S. pix currently playing the 
G.I. circuit recently include “High 


Dec. 1. 

.^Nineteenth annual “Ice Carnival 
of 1957,” skating show, scheduled 


Society” (M-G), “Storm Center” S- Arena Dec 7-8 

TV, fTT A ^ “TKa I AfcHa L/CL. I O. 


misspelled I Ghost” arena style in banquet lication; Friday (30) 


(Col), “Rebel In Town” (UA), “The 
Mountain” (Par) and “Artists and J 


In with Jackie Gleason for kick- Models” (Par)- * * 

off of Arthritis Drive were Rebecca . fourth time, the Jerboa 


to spell” proves the stunt paid off. owner and singer here, took over Nancy Walters, Barbara Gowart, 

Missing Persons & Inquiry Bu- P,h downtown lounge, the Pol- Mary Ann Fisher and Lorraine 

reau of the Salvation Army is seek- ar£s ‘ He was partner in Club Ren- Rogers. 

ing' the whereabouts of (David) dezvous, destroyed by fire Aug. 30. — ; - 

Maynard Rutherford, many years . War and Peace ’ (ParV had Fair- D 

violinist-bandleader at the Ever- 'banks audiences waiting in street KOIHC 

glades Club in Florida. The info at opening in 640-seat New Era- 

is sought on behalf of his brother P r ^ s - pla y ed to near-capacity all Titanus Studios took over dis- 

« , . . ... lirnnlr end 4 'WaaI'wa AnAttA^An Ham tlMhnfiAW Af 4 , Taa Un>AviAr 19 


showing “Carmen Jones” (20th). 

Lil Dagover plays title role in 
“First Mrs. Selby,” comedy at 
Hebbel Theatre. 

Gordon Ewing, director of RIAS 
(US-sportsored radio station in 
West.Be):lin)» left his job to be- 


played Auditorium one-nighter. 

Portland, Ore. 

By Ray Feves ; 

Ann Mason heads show at the 


is sought on behalf of his brother P r ess. Played to near-capacity all Titanus Studios took over dis- come deputy director for Voice of Frontier Room, 

who is sfeekine to settle an estate week and theatre operator Dan tribution of “The Prisoner,” Brit- America. Laurence B. Dalcher, Glenna Page continues to be No. 

Rutherford about 52 was born in Redden reports it’s one of top at- ish-made release, in this country, formerly U.S. ^Information Officer i “lady of television” in this area. 

Dundee Scotland ' tendance draws of year. Pic staTs Alec Guinness and Jack i% Austria, named successor. Rowan & Martin, the Boginos 

Toots’ Shor’s Restaurant, due to .. y 2 un fl KfUan pianisl Mario Del- Hawkins. » • - and the Cladettes at Amato’s Sup- 

be displaced by a new 60-story edi- ll Pontl thrilled Alaska Music . Actress : model Audrey MacDon- n • f per Club. 


flee to rise on most of the block Trail audience at Lacey Street aid opening new nitery just off 

east of Sixth Ave between 51 ct Theatre. University of Alaska’s Via Veneto. Called “L’Aiglon,” it 

and 52d Sts., will conUnue biz sans m jJ sic JPf ofe . s k so J Lorraine Don- will be located just below the 

Interruption. Owners of the nro- S? h . u « ascribed performance as Eliseo Hotel. .. .. . 


Zurich 


interruption. ' Owners of the pro- f;? n rf aescriDe . <l performance as 
ject will build a new structure for • • - masterly m Fairbanks 

the eatery on an adjacent site and Ne ,S 8 T5Jj?® r * . ... 


Gina Lollobrigida leaves here 
Dec. 5 for the U.S, and start of her 


By George Mezoefi 
(32 Florastr.; 347032) 


and the Cladettes at Amato’s Sup¬ 
per Club. 

Al Learman off to Los Angeles 
seeking talent for his forthcoming 
HomeNShow. 

Barbara Belle, manager of Louis 


it eventually will be part of the 
$50,000,000 skyscraper. 


Stripper Princess Zenobia (Zen- “World’s Most Beautiful Woman,” it now totals 18,101. 


Number of Swiss tele subscrib- Prima and Keely- Smith, in city 
ers has again increased this month; for a few days visiting the disk 


Lisbon 

By Lewis Garyo 


obia Perkins) fighting larceny rap followed by a tour of Mexico and 
for dipping her pretty little fingers South America. 

in f IJT’c lflollef of iaeeinint "Dnrvn 11 fVto AUraJ Uifnlinnolr 


into GI’s wallet at jazzjoint Bird- “Rope,” the Alfred Hitchcock “Tosca” at Stadttheatre here. 

| land. Conviction here was af- picture starring James Stewart “Diary of Anne Frank,” SRO hit 
firmed by appellate court at San and Farley Granger, finally gets its at Schauspielhaus, chosen for char- 
Francisco which said her guilt local release this season after, be- ity matinee to help Hungarian vic- 


U. S. singer Eugene Tobin of the 
Stuttgart Staatstheatre guesting in 
“Tosca” at Stadttheatre here. 
“Diary of Anne Frank,” SRO hit 


Washington 


/‘King and I” (20th) scoring at stuck out like “the proverbial sore ing held up for some years by tims. 


Tivoh Cmema. thumb.” ‘ censorship. - T French road company Galas Kar- Mantovani orch due here for a 

Sepia chantoosie. Candida'Batista Drummer Johnny Warren is on Jean Negulesco brought his “Boy senty’s first show this season at one-nighter at Constitution Hall 

1 ° ors h ow at Maxime nitery. tap at Club Biarritz while wait- On Dolphin” troupe back from Schauspielhaus will be “Les petites Saturday (8) under Hayes Concert 

•‘Witness For - Prosecution” by ing trial on first degree murder Greece, including Alan Ladd, tetes,” with Max Regnier. Bureau aegis. 

Agatha Christie a hit at the Monu- charge in 1954 slaying of wealthy Sophia Loren and Clifton Webb. In view of world events, especial- - The Eric Johnstons hosting a 

mental Theatre, . Cecil Wells. He’s free on bond, Pic continues in interiors at Cine- ly in Hungary, Swiss radio has al- black tie dinner honoring Dr. Ar- 

U. S. pianist Ervin Laszlb con- permissable in Alaska on murder citta Studios. most completely changed its print- thur Bums, retiring chairman of 

ceruzing m Lisbon and pmvinces; charges. He was indicted with Comedian Toto ovationed when ed» programs to serious music. the President’s Economic Council, 

after that, he will tour Spain. Wells’ wife, Diane, who committed the curtain went .up on his new Theatre a'm Central preems St. and Mrs. Burns. 


thumb.” 

Drummer Johnny Warren is on 


French road company Galas Kar- 


By Florence S. Lowe 
Lili St. Cyr current topper at 
Casino Royal nitery. 

Mantovani orch due here for a 


thur Burns, retiring chairman of 
the President’s Economic Council, 


after that, he will tour Spain. Wells’ wife, Diane, who committed the curtain went .up on his new Theatre a'm Central preems St. and Mrs. Burns. 

American pianist Zadel Skolov- suicide, in Los Angeles. The case sow, “A Prescindere,” his first in John Ervine’s comedy, “The First Kathleen “ForeverAmber”Wm- 

sky concertizing. in Portugal and drags on but reliable source at dis- seven years after years of busy«>Mrs. Selby” this month. It stars sor, now wife of former FCC chair- 

Spain with local symphonic orchs. trict attorney’s office said Warren pic work. Musical also stars Yvonne German screen star Albrecht Scho- man Paul Porter, bought a home 

Teatro Trindado, which receives was cleared in lie deteetbr test and Menard and Franca May. ‘enhals and his wife. Annelie.se next door to Under Secretary of 


a state subsidy, opened the new I may not stand trial 


Mike Washinski to Saigon Dec. j Born. 


i State Herbert Hoover Jr. 



86 




Wednesday, December 5; 1956 


Olympics-Sock Sports Show 


Continued from pise 1 ; 


(Barnes had been awarded, and dur¬ 
ing the intervening years they 
steeped themselves in .Olympics 
lore td a degree which surpasses 
the knowledge of any resident of 
Brooklyn (USA) has of the Bums. 
They know who won the 50-kilo¬ 
meter walk in 1896, his name, 
height, nationality, how he liked 
his eggs, and where he's planted. 

This Olympics show cost the 
Australians about $15,000,000, give 
or take a quid. But, as many a for¬ 
mer Hollywood studio head has 
said, it was prestige. This was one 
prestige presentation which paid 
off, however. The Main Stadium 
seated 105,000 and it was filled 
- da il y . The--rest-ef -the -venuesy ~aS% 
they were called, accommodated 
and got 30,000 to 50,000 tickets a 
day. On the good days, two-buck 
roosts went for as high as $40. The 
cops, looked on benignly. Scalping 
is legit here. Scalpers, .whose gall 
would have : made- Mike Jacobs 
cringe, advertised in the classified 
sections of the papers; Usually nice 
old ladies. • * ' 

Prestige is what Australia 
wanted. It hungers for it individu¬ 
ally and en masSe. Prestige, and a 
wish to please, to be not considered 
a square. You are hardly in your 
room before the phone rings. It is 
an Australian friend asking, rather 
tensely. “Well, how do you like it?" 
You haven’t got your hat off yet 
but you say, “Fine . . . fine," and 
then you feel that it wasn’t quit? 

‘ enough to say. So you say, “Won¬ 
derful! Ga-reat!" though you have¬ 
n’t had a chance to try the plumb¬ 
ing in the louvre. 

If you come to Australia, eat 
everything placed before you in 
any public joint. 

“Was something wrong with the 
soup?” the waiter asks, noticing a 
trace of film on the bottom of 
your tureen. 

“No, it was fine ... I mean 
wonderful. Just-ga-reat!" 

‘.‘But you left some . . ." 

Real Hospitality 

And so it goes. At home in the 
styfes we’d be more inclined to 
shrug off whether a visitor liked us 
or lumped us. Not here! This is a 
land determined to be hospitable. 
These are fine people ... more like 
our mob than any others who share 
the mother tongue. They’re slan¬ 
guage inventors without compare. 
They “prefer our movies, mirror our 
lack of side. Thousands of GIs 
based here for a time before the 
big push, came back, wed, set up 
shop. 

America and Australia have an¬ 
other thing in common, England 
used each as a dumping ground for 
her criminal scum as well as for 
Britons who had been given life 
sentences for any of 200 crimes, in¬ 
cluding the crime of stealing a loaf 
of bread to feed a starving child. 

• The sock success of the American 
Revolution forced Britain to search 
elsewhere for a place to empty her 
prisons. She chose the farthest 
place away in the then explored 
world, Australia, or New Holland 
as it was called in the 1790s. 

And so it came to pass that the 
first settlers of Australia were 
1,000 men, women and children 
chained together in reeking prison 
ships that voyaged eight horrible 
months before reaching what is 
now Sydney. Out of that, plus later 
emigrations, came this lively, in¬ 
dustrious, ruggedly independent 
land. 

Perhaps that partly accounts for 
the pride these people share in 
playing host to the greatest sports 
show on earth, the Olympic Games. 
Australia is the youngest nation 
ever to be awarded the Games. It 
wasn’t found wanting. The show it 
put on for Opening Day at Mel¬ 
bourne was as fine (wonderful . . . 
ga-reat) as the annals of sfiort ever 
produced.. And -the Australians 
knew it. Yet their papers the next 
day devoted a curiously large 
amount of space, to excerpts from 
the stories jof visiting reporters, re¬ 
peating the obvious. . 

Les Girls—Ours and the Others 

The babes were swell in this 
one. The American swimming and 
diving team looked like a road 
company of a new Billy Rose's 
Aquacade. There was a Venus out 
of Berkeley named Shirley Ruuska 
who is actually 14 years old, but 
like Ava. ^ 

The gals us older fellows remem¬ 
bered, especially in nightmares, 
were the lady weight-throwers, 
however. The first championship 
won in the big Stadium was in the 
women’s discus throw. The discus is 
a wholly useless object about the 
shape and weight of a bride’s first 


pie. Apparently, the Iron Curtain 
countries breed babes especially 
for these event.' They resembled 
Kate Smith under heavy restraint, 
though not as pretty. To watch 
them was to gasp. 

The heaving contest was won by 
a 240-pound doll from Czechoslo¬ 
vakia named Olga Fikotova. Second 
and third place went to Russians, 
Irina Bogliakova, built about like 
Liberty without the torch, and the 
now somewhat notorious Nina Pon¬ 
omareva. She’s the muscle moll 
who won the shoplifting contest in 
Soho some time back, got herself 
pinched with five bonnets stuffed 
down her bosom, and spent a night 
■in—gaol;- - Nina—look s - 4ik e --another-j- 
great Olympic champion — Jim 
Thorpe. 

Billy Watson would have loved 
these broads. Each looked as if she 
coulff flatten Rocky Marciano with 
one punch. All three broke the 
existing Olympic record. Sitting 
high up in this press box, watching 
them, one felt for the poor souls 
to whom they are mated—especial¬ 
ly when Ivan or Dimitri stagger 
home some night with no better 
excuse than that they sat up with 
sick aunts. 

A last word about the natives’ 
earnest efforts to please and to 
boost their huge but sparsely set¬ 
tled country, Millie and I were rid¬ 
ing around Sydney one day when 
she noticed an avenue lined with 
tall, slim trees not unlike our pop- 
lar. 

“Are they poplar trees?" Millie 
asked the driver. ^ 

“Oh, yes, mum," he enthused. 
“Very pop’lar." 


Shows'on B’way 

Continued from page 78 » 

Night of the Auk 

motivation 1 as they witness the 
push-button war that destroys the 
earth. If all adds up to a mush¬ 
room cloud of hifalutin verbiage. 

This is not to question the 
urgency of the play’s subject. 
On the contrary, a weapon that 
threatens to wipe out life 'on this 
Planet merits more serious treat¬ 
ment than this lurid pulp maga¬ 
zine hokum, which doesn’t drama¬ 
tize the subject, but merely sen¬ 
sationalizes it. 

There is, to be sure, a certain 
adolescent theatricalism in the 
scientific mumbo-jumbo and the 
elaborate setup of glowing and 
flashing lights, buzzers, gongs and 
compressed air vents, the jet pro¬ 
pulsion sound effects and the fu¬ 
turistic gadgets simulating various 
instruments as the rocket blasts 
off from the Moon and communi¬ 
cates with the Earth via a space 
satellite. 

But the bogus super-science en¬ 
tertainment is not only childish but 
fleeting. Invariably it’s swamped 
under the thick, sticky smog of 
Oboler’s phony psychology and 
moralizing. 

It’s traditional, in circumstances 
like this to absolve the actors from 
blame, on the theory that they’re 
doing the best than can. But is that 
sufficient excuse? Presumably they 
must have read the script before 
the premiere, so what are they do¬ 
ing out there onstage? 

Sidney Lumet, a young director 
seeking his first Broadway break, 
was presumably in no position to 
be choosey, and this may have ap¬ 
peared a justifiable, calculated 
risk, A nd credit Howard Bay with 
exploiting the chance to design a 
novel, diverting setting of the 
rocket interior. 

The dictionary defines an auk as 
an extinct bird. That’s not quite 
accurate. Not yet. Hobe. 

(Closes next Saturday (8) after 
eight performances.) 


‘Arsenic’Folds 

— - 1 Continued from page 77 -■ -. 

Russel Crouse to arrange for pro¬ 
duction, the producer-authors told 
him they had been mulling the idea 
of getting Boris Karloff, who 
toured in the comedy as Jonathan 
Brewster, to go out with it in a 
revival. 

The poor business at the b.o. was 
laid to several factors. For one 
thing, the farce played Boston in 
1941, 1942, 1943 and again in 1944, 
plus the film exposure. Also, the 
traditional pre Christmas b.o. 
slump, may have been a factor. 
Finally, theatregoers apparanely 
have little enthusiasm for mixing 
of radio and tv performers in legit. 

Handelsman revealed that Mrs. 
Berg had doubts about the play, 


but that he talked her Into The 
star herself had previously been 
quoted by Elinor Hughes, Boston 
Herald drama critic, as saying prior 
to the ooening, “This wasn’t my 
idea at first, but it happened be¬ 
cause Handelsman thought that I 
should seriously consider doing 
something besides tv shows. 

“I wasn’t easily persuaded, be¬ 
cause I had never done anything 
like this before, but he really 
wouldn’t take no for an answer and 
when my summer tour of ‘Solid 
Gold Cadillac* was over he came 
to New York to discuss the project 
with me again and this time I 
agreed." She disclosed that “The 
Goldbergs'* will still be on the air, 
because she filmed .a new, series 
last summer. 


Allied States Assn, feels that two types of trailers are required- 
one designed to appeal to the sophisticated audiences of large 
cities,: and another suitable for smalltown theatres and houses 
specializing in action pictures, * . ' 

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the exhibitor organiza¬ 
tion’s convention in Dallas last week,. It was addressed to Metro 
and Warner Bros, “in hopes that they will comply with the re¬ 
quests made and xhat others will follow their good example." 


lost Audience’: Grass vs. Class 


i Continued from page 1 ; 


Billingsley-Toots’ 

— Continued from page 2 

course of “The Stork Club Show" 
as aired via ABC-TV some months 
ago. 

Defendants, which also include 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres Inc., Stork Restaurant Inc. 
and Mayfair Productions (produc¬ 
ers of the show), contended that 
application of the law of libel to 
broadcasting or telecasting without 
a script must be made (if at ail) by 
the Legislature rather than the 
courts. 

“However," Justice Hecht wrote 
in a lengthy opinion, “I do not 
agree that such a change must 
await legislative action." Jurist 
went on to cite numerous other 
decisions in . the past to show 
in effect that when lawmaking 
bodies fail to act it’s the duty of 
the court to revise the'law in ac¬ 
cordance with present-day stand¬ 
ards." 

Justice Hecht denied all but one 
of the defendants’ motions to dis¬ 
miss each of the four causes of 
action for insufficiency. Lone 
cause, in which. the defense 
emerged triumphant was based on 
an allegation that Shor’s name and 
picture were used without his con¬ 
sent as part of the program . . . 
this was done for the purpose of 
increasing its (the Stork Club) 
trlde at the expense of the com¬ 
peting “Toots Shor’s.” 

Although well publicized when 
the incident took place, the issue 
before the bench is best explained 
by the following excerpt from Jus¬ 
tice Hecht’s opinipn: 

During the show the following 
conversation was telecast between 
Billingsley and Carl Brisson, a 
guest on the program, and plain¬ 
tiff’s picture was telecast in con¬ 
nection therewith: 

Mr. Billingsley: “I see, I would 
like to show you a few pictures 
taken here, lately. The first^-now, 
how did this picture get in here?" 

Mr. Brisson: “That is Toots Shor 
and a man I don’t know." 

.Mr. Billingsley: “You want to 
know something?" 

Mr. Brisson: “Want to know 
something? I saw Toots Shor, he’s 
a good-looking fellow, isn’t he?" 

Mr. Billingsley: “Yes, he is. 
Want to know something? I wish I 
had as much money as he owes." 

Mr. Brisson: “Owes you or some¬ 
body else?" 

Mr. Billingsley: “Everybody—oh, 
a lot of people." 

Mr. Brisson: “He doesn’t owe me 
anything, but he is a good-looking 
fellow just the same. A little (in¬ 
dicating)—you know." 

Mr. Billingsley: “I wish I could 
agree with you." 


Benny Thau 

SSSS B Continued from pagl 3 

£ouis B. Mayer to take over as 
casting director at M-G. Mayer, 
Schary’s predecessor as production 
chief, shortly made Thau his exec 
assistant. 

There’s no production man as 
such in the new exec lineup at 
M-G—that is, no individual to. have 
the status that both Mayer and 
Schary had. It’s to he the exec 
team working under Thau, simi¬ 
larly as the Paramount studio is 
run by v.p. Y. Frank Freeman who, 
too, is an administrator. 

This type of operation is con¬ 
sistent with the M-G switch to 
more alignments with independent 
producers who biding in their own 
properties and roll them in part¬ 
nership tieups with the company. 
There still are to be studio pic¬ 
tures, made directly by M-G itself, 
and these are to be turned out by 
staff filmmakers working under 
the exec committee. But the accent 
is to be on a greater number of 
unit pictures via the indies. 


in an Indiana town of 7,500, 
touched off the drive for a return 
to’ “the less pretentious, less spec¬ 
tacular, family-type picture that in 
e money for. _ns,”. 
Kalvermaintained that smalltown 
situations .could: make money with 
pictures in the style of the Hardys, 
the Blondies, the .Maisies, the Las¬ 
sies, the Tarzans, and Lum and Ab¬ 
ners. “The city boys insist that 
the day of small, family pictures is 
over," he declared, “aqd its only 
the big ones that get the folks away 
from the . tv sets. However, in 
small situations my experience tells 
me our people are not as much at¬ 
tracted by sex themes, boudoir 
Olympics, swishing deviationists 
and sanguinary, violence as they are 
by the corny, light-hearted, pure 
entertainment type of offering." 

New Kid Stars 

Kalver’s theme was similarly fol¬ 
lowed by Jack Braunagel, Arkansas : 
exhibitor associated with Moe Ker¬ 
man’s Tudor Pictures, which is of¬ 
fering a program of 10 low-budget 
mass appeal films at a flat rental 
charge. Braunagel told the Allied 
delegates that the Industry needed 
“new kid stars" and new young 
players to appeal to today’s young 
audience. He insisted that the 
“stars on .the screen today" are 
tQO old and have lost their appeal 
to the majority of the ticket-buv- 
ers. He stressed that the “little 
pictures" were necessary to find- 
’“new Shirley Temples, Jane With¬ 
ers and Elvis Presleys.” He charged 
that Hollywood no longej? discovers 
stars and that it waits for other- 
sources to find them. As a result, 
he maintained, Hollywood is forced 
to pay huge sums for their .serv¬ 
ices when it signs them to appear 
in pictures. He cited Elvis Pres- 
lev as a case in point. Under the 
old system of picture-making, he 
declared, Presley would have been 
a product of Hollywood and not 
of the record industry. 

That a portion of the industry 
appears to agree with the rural 
theatremen is indicated by the fact 
that such projects as Kerman’s Tu¬ 
dor Pictures and 20th-Fox’s new 
low-budget program in association 
with Robert L. Lippert are being 
launched. The demand for teenage 
pictures, however, is coming from 
all quarters—from small theatres 
as well as large circuits, from rural 
towns as well as big cities. The cry 
to assuage to teenage market is so 
great that some observers are' al¬ 
ready expressing the fear that the 
only outlet for mature films will 
be the art houses. The key, big 
city houses, of course, are not aban¬ 
doning the blockbusters, which 
have turned out to be their biggest 
coin makers. 

What appears to happening, how¬ 
ever, is a return to the formula of 
picture-making, that preceded the 
advent* of television. There ap¬ 
pears to be developing a school of 
thinking* that the motion picture 
industry might have been perhaps 
a little too -hasty In dropping its 
varied program of production. 
When the industry mass-produced 
films, it turned out a sufficient 
number of entries to satisfy almost 
every taste and every region. The 
trend toward increased production, 
although it’s not expected to hit 
the volume of the pre-tv era, Is ex¬ 
pected to satisfy the call of the 
ruralites to some extent. 

However, if these low-budget 
items fail to draw as expected, the 
production end of the industry is 
expected to revert once more to 
its big city outlook, hopeful that 
it will, be able to realize 75% to 
80% of its revenue from 2,800 to 
3,000 key dates. The “little guys," 
as indicated by the Allied conven¬ 
tion in Dallas, are not throwing In 
the towel. They are convinced they 
can survive in the tv era if given 
the product atf prices they can af¬ 
ford. They are staunchly opposed 
to percentage terms and have 


shown a willingness to cooperate 
with any company that will give 
them pictures at fiat renlals de¬ 
termined by ability to pay. 


Legion & ‘Doll’ 

SSSSi Continued from page 1 

on the extent to which it is pre¬ 
pared to rally behind its own Code. 

Top. Ruler! 

If this is not done, the position 
of groups such as the Legion will 
be greatly strengthened, and in fact 
the Legion may then emerge as 
the final arbitrator on American 
film ethics and morality. 

Some of the Motion Picture 
Assn, of America brass are pain¬ 
fully aware that the association’s 
shoulder-shrugging attitude in con¬ 
nection with the “Baby Doll" inci¬ 
dent can have but one effect, i.e. 
to weaken the Code. Although it 
was urged to do so by Warner 
Brothers, the MPAA could not 
bring itself to defend the actions 
of its own Code in public print. 

The companies, and particularly 
the indies, take the view that the 
Code today is more vital than ever, 
serving as a bullwark for the in¬ 
dustry when it comes to defending 
..certain films’against the'pressure 
lobbies, the censors, etc. It was 
noted, for instance, that WarneVs 
in its statement on the “C" rating 
took refuge behind the observation 
that “‘Baby Doll’-has been given 
the customary code seal of ap¬ 
proval." 

It’s recognized, however, that— 
in the light of developments—the 
Code must be reevaluated beyond 
the current scope of inquiry. The 
MPAA committee working on the 
project has concentrated at broad¬ 
ening representation at the appeals 
level. Others hold that the entift 
Code structure should be reexam¬ 
ined and revised not only by the 
industry, itself, but in conjunction 
with outside interests. 

Liberties Union 

The Civil Liberties Union last 
week urged such a survey, bring¬ 
ing in a cross section of the film¬ 
going public, experts on subjects 
to be covered and psychologists, 
and social scientists. An MPAA 
exec, commenting on the ACLU 
proposal, thought it extremely un¬ 
likely that outside groups would 
be allowed to take part in any Code 
revision.* 

It is becoming fairly obvious—^ 
and “Baby Doll’’ clinches the argu¬ 
ment—that a rather considerable 
difference exists between the lan¬ 
guage of the Code and its inter¬ 
pretation by the men who admin¬ 
ister it. This is ascribed to a recog¬ 
nition by Code administrator Geof¬ 
frey Shurlock and others that—ras 
Eric Johnston also has stated—the 
Code must be “flexible" and at¬ 
tuned to a gradually maturing audi¬ 
ence. It’s agreed that a thorough 
rewording of the Code document 
could bring it more into line with 
current necessities and would elim¬ 
inate the frequent charge that 
Shurlock and his staff are being 
hoodwinked by producers smart 
enough to “get around" the specif¬ 
ics of the document. 

Those who are concerned and 
familiar with the Code problem say 
“Baby Doll" represents an excel¬ 
lent argument for some strong In¬ 
dustry p.r. action in support of 
the Code and of the contention that 
it is truly representative of what 
is and isn’t permissible within the 
natural bounds of American moral¬ 
ity. They feel that the Code, repre¬ 
senting an enlightened approach’ to 
subject matter, must be sold to the 
public as an acceptable and 
broadly representative set of 
standards. In that connection 
there has always been a good deal 
of sentiment favoring some sort of 
setup under which a rating system 
could be instituted under the Code, 
which, at the moment, is unable 
to distinguish between the accept¬ 
ability of material for children and 
adults. 








87 , 



LARRYGOLOB ^ 
Larry Golob, 52, national public¬ 
ity director of Warner Bros;/ died 
Nov* 25 In New York^ ■ ' 
Details in .film Section..: - ,«> ■ ' 


JEAN SCHWARTZ 
• Jean Schwartz, 78, composer In 
the old songwriting and vayde 
team of Schwartz At (William) Je¬ 
rome. died Nov; SO in Sherman 
Oaks, Cal, Schwartz, together with 
his partner,, Jerome, who died in 
1932, were charter members of 
ASCAP, ; having Joined in 1914 
Shortly-after it was founded. 

Born in Budapest. Schwartz ar¬ 
rived in the u.S. when he was 10 
and'WdS given a musical training 
in New York by: his sister w ho was 
~a' professional ‘ planish While still 
in his teens, he found a Job play¬ 
ing the piano with a band at Coney 
Island and thereafter was a regu¬ 
lar In the cafes. 

Schwartz met Jerome shortly be¬ 
fore the ,turn of the century While 
performing a small part in Weber 
& Fields comedy, “Hoity Toity,” at 
the Princess Theatre on Broadway. 
Jerome was librettist of the show 
and their first collaboration, “Mr. 
Shakespeare Come To Town,” was 
an overnight hit and was the first 
of some 1,000 songs which this 
team Was to produce. As a result 


afid Welldsley- 'dramatic clubs. 
Durih'jg'WorW War MI, while her 
husband’served In the Navy, > Mrs. 
Andersoit came to NY.-and worked 
for. the American Broadcasting Co. 
and for .seven .years as head of the 
Theatre Guild’s play dept. 

She was associate producer with 
the Guild of. William Inge's play, 
“Come Back,: Little Sheba,” which 
was - dedicated td her. - Iij: 19524 
Mrs; Anderson joined the Music 
Corp. of America. ■ She worked 
there , mostly in developing young 
playwrights and directors. 

Her brother and three sisters 
also, survive, 

; producer and brother of comedian 
Art Carney, died Nov. 28 in New 
York. He had been with Arthur 
Godfrey for 10 years, having pro¬ 
duced most of his shows since 
1945. His last Godfrey assignment, 
which he held until May of last 
year, was “Talent Scouts.” He had 
been on a medical leave of absence 
since then. 

Before joining Godfrey, Carney 
was a radio singer Tor a brief pe¬ 
riod, had been with the band dept, 
of Music Corp. of America. Since 
1942 he was with CBS. 

Besides his brother, he’s sur- 


In Memoriam 


• Our members fete In extending condolences fo the bereaved family 
of our beloved .Vice president 

TOMMY DORSEY 

Dance Orchestra Leaders of America 
LES BROWN. President 


of their song hits, they formed a 
vaude team which toured through¬ 
out' U.S. and Europe. Later they 
wrote Scores for several Broadway 
musicals, some known as Shubert 
Passing Shows and including* “Art¬ 
ists and Models,” "‘The Ham Tree,” 
“Midnight Rounders,” “Honey¬ 
moon Express,” “Innocent Eyes” 
and “Piff, Paff, Poof.” 

In the Schwartz & Jerome cat¬ 
alog are such songs as “China¬ 
town/’ “Bedilia,” “Mr. Dooley,” 
“My Irish Molly O,” “Rockabye 
Your Baby With A Dixie Melody,” 
“Hello Hawaii,” “Trust In Me,” 
“I’m Tired,” “Where The Red, Red 
Roses Grow,” M Au Rovoir, Pleas¬ 
ant Dreams” and “Hello Central, 
Give Me No Man’s Land,” a World 
War I number. 

Schwartz, who was once married 
to one of the Dolly Sisters, Roszika, 
had been retired for some years 
and living in Sherman Oaks. 

Surviving are his wife, Sally, a 
brother ana a sister. 

ALEXANDER M. DRUMMOND 

Alexander M. Drummond, 72, 
Professor Emeritus'of Speech and 


MARTIN P. HENRY 

December 6, 1955 
Video Pictures, Inc. 


Drama at Cornell and founder of 
the Cornell Dramatic Club, died 
Nov. 29 in Ithaca, N. Y. He was 
with Cornell for 45 years and was 
an advocate of community thea¬ 
tres, lecturing and writing books 
and articles oh the subject. 

He promoted “Little Country 
Theatre” at New York State Fairs 
from 1919-1923 and the New York* 
State Plays. Project, established in 
1938 to give prizes for plays with 
upstate motifs and suitable, for Tit¬ 
tle theatre production. He joined 
the Cornell faculty in 1907 and 
avjis chairman of the Dept, of 
Speech and Drama from 1920-40. 

His former pupils include pro¬ 
fessional actors, playwrights and 
drama professors. A group of 
‘'Cornellians on Broadway,” in¬ 
cluding Sidney Kingsley, Franchot 
Tone, Dorothy Sarnoff and William 
Prince, saluteiJPhim on his retire¬ 
ment in 1952. 

A brother survives. 


MRS. ROBERT ANDERSON 
Mrs. Phyllis Stohl Anderson, 49, 
wife of playwright Robert Ander¬ 
son, died Nov. 28 in New York 
after a long illness. 

During the 1930s she headed the 
drama department of the Erskine 
School in Boston, and also directed 
Plays for the Harvard, Radcliffd 


vived by his wife, son, daughter 
and parents, along with four other 
brothers. 


JOHN HAMRICK 
John Hamrick, 80, a leading the¬ 
atre operator in the northwest for 
more than 40 years, died Nov. 30 
in New York; where he was vaca¬ 
tioning with his wife. He headed 
John Hamrick Theatresr with 14 
houses in Seattle,* Tacoma, and 
Portland. 

Hamrick had been ailing for 
months, but regularly reported at 
his Seattle office until making the 
trip east some six weeks ago. After 
acquiring his-first theatre in Kan¬ 
sas City, he went to Seattle where 
he built the. Colonial and later the 
Blue Mouse, which is still in the 
Hamrick chain. Latter comprises 
six houses in Seattle, five in Ta¬ 
coma Und two in Portland. 

Surviving are his wife and 
daughter. 

FRANK T. JULIAN 
Frank Thomas Julian, 76, part¬ 
ner in a once famous- husband- 
a.nd-wife circus team, died Nov. 30 
in Dallas after a long illness. For 
more than 50 years he was the tat¬ 
tooed man with the Ringling- 
Barnum Circus. 

His late wife, Mary Alice Carr, 
was the sideshow fat 'lady known 
as “Fat Alice from Dallas.” Their 
marriage in 1921 was highly pub¬ 
licized whtn they had “Olga, the 
Bearded Lady” as maid of honor 
and a midget, “Major Mite,” as 
best man. The Julians retired sev¬ 
eral years ago. 

Survived by two sisters. 

CHARLES MACK 
Charles MaCk, 78, vet actor and 
member of Warner Bros, costume 
dept., died Nov. 29 in Hollywood. 
After appearing on the Broadway 
stage in such productions as “The 
Wizard of Oz.” Mack, whose real 
name was" McGaughey, entered 
films in 1919, where in addition to 
thesping he was an indie producer 
He was secretary of Actors 
Equity in HoUyWdBd prior to be¬ 
coming a costumer, and was mem¬ 
ber of Costumers Union, Local 705, 
which he prexied for two terms. 

Survivors include a son, Roheft 
McGaughey, tv engineer, and a 
twin daughter. 


NOEL SCOTT 

Noel Scott, 59, playwright and 
physician, died of coronary throm¬ 
bosis Nov, 20 in London. Only two 
weeks before his death Burney 
Productions acquired his latest 
play, “Lightning From the East.” 

Scott, who was-author of more 
than a dozen plays in the past 25 
years, first came to prominence 
via “The Rainbow” in 1923 which 
he wrote in collaboration with Al¬ 
bert de. Courville and Edgar Wal¬ 
lace, Among his better known 


works are “Traffic’*. <1930); s '.‘And 
the Music Stopped”r(l937X. ^ < The 
Joker” >1027): and-: .“Odrselves 
Alone”* (1932). • « < v* i wd. ; < 

. His sister and a* hfothe*i*urvive. 

CHARLES E- ROCHESTER 
CharlesE. : 'Rochester, retired- 
president arid -managing director 
pf the Hotel Lexibgton,. N.. Y„ died 
of a heart attack Nov.. 28 in New 
Canaan, Conm He retired last year 
when the hotel was sold; Associ¬ 
ated with £he ; inn. for 23 years, he 
came there when itTwas-in receiv¬ 
ership. \ , o. .. 

Rochester, who began, his hotel 
career at the age of 16’in Monroe* 
La., was later associated-with hor 
tels in Little Rock apd./Chicago. 
His last post, prior to joining-the, 
Lexington, was with the Hotel Van 
Curler, Schenectady.. - 
His wife and son survive. 


George Delbert (Del) Henderspn, 
79, veteran actor, died Dec. 2 in 
Hollywood. „ 

He launched his career* as an 
actor with stock companies, travel¬ 
ling throughout the U.S. He. 
entered films in 1909, and later 
turned to direction for D.; W. Grif¬ 
fith, Mack Sennett, Famous Play- 
ers-Lasky and American Film Co. 
He retired a few years, ago. 

Wife, former actress Florence 
Lee, survives. 


ALBERT CARROLL 
Albert Carroll, actor, died Dec. 
1 in Chicago. He launched his ca¬ 
reer with the Ben Greet Shakes¬ 
pearean players. From 1942-51 he 
was featured in numerous produc¬ 
tions at New Jersey’s Paper Mill 
Playhouse. His last appearance 
there was in “Sally,” in 1951. 

His Broadway credits included, 
among others, “Morn to Mid¬ 
night,” “Elizabeth the Queen,” 
“Garrick Gaieties,” “Ziegfeld Fol¬ 
lies,” “Hamlet” and the Theatre 
Guild production of “Peer Gynt.” 


HUGO BALLIN 

Hugo Ballih, 76, muralist, writer 
and film producer, died Nov. 27 in 
Santa Monica, Calif. He studied 
art in New York, Rome and Flor¬ 
ence, and went to Los Angeles 35 
years ago. 

He was successively an art direc¬ 
tor, director and independent pro¬ 
ducer in the film industry. He 
produced more than . 100 films, 
among them “East Lynne,” “Pagan 
Love,” “Baby Mine,” “Vanity Fair” 
and “Married People.” 


HARRY I* SOMMERER 
Harry L. Sommerer, 71, -retired 
Radio Corp. of America executive, 
died Nov. 29 in Sellersville, Pa.. 

Sommerer, who retired in 1946, 
had been in charge of ’ all manu¬ 
facturing for the RCA-Victor di¬ 
vision. In the 1930s he Was man¬ 
aging director of the Victor^ Talk¬ 
ing Machine Co., of Japan, Ltd. 
with offices in Yokohoma. 

His wife, two sons and a daugh¬ 
ter survive. 


JOHN H. GRAINGER 
John Howard Grainger, 56, as¬ 
sistant manager for Universal Pic¬ 
tures for the past 12 years, died 
Nov. 29 in New Orleans following 
a long illness. A native of Nash¬ 
ville, he had been in the film busi¬ 
ness since 1920, having served with 
the old Goldwyn Co., MG-M and 
Monogram Southern, all in New 
Orleans. 

Wife, two son and daughter 
survive. 


MME. EDITH HELENE 
Mme. Edith Helene, 80, retired 
opera and vaudeville soprano, died 
Nov. 27 in Mount Kisco, NY. She 
made her. debut in 19Q2 at the 
Brighton Beach (N.Y.) Music Hall 
and the following year toured Eu¬ 
rope. In 1909 she joined the 
Aborn Opera Co. in N/Y 
Two daughters and a son survive. 


ARMIN BERG 

Armin Bterg, 72, onetime come¬ 
dian, died Nov. 26 in Vienna. A 
native of Czechoslovakia, he jqined 
the once famous “Budapest Or- 
pheum” in Vienna, which featured 
one-act comedies. 

He emigrated to New York in 
1938, but returned to Vienna in 
1947. 


EARL WARNER 

~ Earl Warner Fernandez, 62 re¬ 
tired vaudeville, radio and night 
club singer known professionally as 
Earl Warner, died Nov. 29 in New 
Orleans after a lingering illness. 
He worked, solo and as member of 
the team of Earl Warner & Eddie 
Gerard. He was a member of the 
board of AGVA. 

Wife and two daughters survive. 


RICHARD A. MIDGLEY 
Richard A. Midgley, 46, legit- 
film actor died Nov. 30 in New 
York. His Broadway appearances 
included* “Tea and Sympathy,” 


Dream Girl” vend the.,.1949 Mae 
West revival of “Diamond Lil.” He 
appeared in mabyvfilms and before 
World war XL organized hi* own 
legit company/ 

His wife survives. - • « ; 

FLORENCE E. WIX. ' • 

! Florence E.. 'Witf, 73", veteran 
Character actress and ^several times 
a director of. . the - Screen* Actors 
Guild and Screen . Extras Guild, 
died of cancer Nov. .23 at Motion: 
Picture Country ! House on the 
Coast. 

A native . of England, where she 
made her stage debut in 1920, Miss 
Wix came, to Hollywood in 1920 
and had lived there since. 

WILLIAM J. LESTER 

William J. Lester, 80, former ad¬ 
vance agent for the Ringling Bros. 
& Barnum & Bailey Circus as well 
as other big top shows for The last 


vale, O. 


Rock V Roll 

Continue* front .nape’5 ; 


notably in Britain. Seeking to es¬ 
tablish the drawing power of “Love 
Me Tender’-’ abroad, 2oth recently 
conducted a survey relating- to his 
record Sales. It'- established- that 
rock ’n’vroll ; was hitting Australia 
hard and was building in New Zea¬ 
land. In Britain, Presley is looking 
to be one of the top recording stars 
of "the year, and “Love Me” is ex¬ 
pected to do big things there. 

; Story is' different South of the 
border.. In Puerto, Presley is al¬ 
ready famous. In Brazil, no one’s 
heard of him yet In Chile, Presley 
disks are big sellers, but' in the 
Canal Zone Presley has his follow¬ 
ers only among the Americans. He 
doesn't mean anyt hin g,.in Panama. 
Trr"jVefliezuela, „ui^ “name doesn’t 


Surviving are his wife, sister, 
and two sons, one of whom is Allen 
Lester, a press rep with The Play 
wrights’ Company. 

ROBERT C. CHAPPELEAR 
Robert C. (Bobl^Chappelear, 26, 
tv news photographer and .report¬ 
er for WyBAP-TV, Fort Worth, was 
killed Nov. 26 in an auto crash in 
that city. He had 'been with 
WFAA-TV, Dallas, before joining 
WBAP-TV. 

Survived by his mother and a 
brother. 


LOUIS COHEN 

Louis Cohen, 62, orchestra con¬ 
ductor for the past 30 years, died 
Nov. 25 in Liverpool, Eng. He. con¬ 
ducted concerts for leading orchs 
in Britain, including the British 
Broadcasting Corp., and also ba¬ 
toned the former Palestine. Sym¬ 
phony Orch. 

He had been in semi-retirement 
for the past three'years. 

PIERRE GENDRON 

Pierre Gendron, "60, former pic¬ 
ture actor and writer, died Nov. 27 
in Hollywood. During early days 
of Hollywood, he appeared op¬ 
posite many top femme stars. 

Surviving are his ’wife, writer 
Mary Alice Scully; a daughter and 
son. 


HAZEL BOWMAN 
Mrs. Hazel L eonai> d> 52, known 
professionally as Hazel Bowman, 
died Nov* 29 in Huntington BearTi, 
Calif. She was one* of the Gus 
Edwards Kids, later appearing an 
vaudeville. - 

Husband, two sons, father, four 
sisters and a brother survive. 


SAUL S. SCHER 

Saul S. Scher, 62, vet sound edi¬ 
tor, died in Hollywood of a heart 
attack Nov. 27. He retired three 
years ago after 2Q years at Metro. 

A daughter survives. 

Jennie Feingold Lesser, 73, wife 
of the late Myer Lesser, former 
president of Blaine - Thompson 
agency, died Nov. 29 in Larchmont, 
N. Y. Survived by daughter, who 
is wife of tv producer Mario Lewis, 
and son, Albert Lesser, current 
head of Blaine-Thompson. 


George Seid, 64, Coast rep of 
Duart labs and former superin¬ 
tendent of the film lab at Columbia 
Studios, died of a heart attack at 
Hillcrest Country Club, Los An¬ 
geles, Nov. 26. Wife, son and 
daughter survive. 

Mother,.86, of William Maybery, 
casting director for Hecht-Hill- 
Lancaster, and Richard Maybery, 
assistant director at H-H-L, died 
Nov. 24 in Hollywood. A daughter 
also survives. 


Dr. Henry Farnham Perkins, 79.. 
longtime curator and director of 
the Fleming Museum in Burling¬ 
ton, Vt., noted for its showings of 
classical films, died Nov. 22 in that 
city. 


Salvador Quiroz, 75,’ Mexican 
screen actor and one of the found¬ 
ers of the' Mexican Actors Guild, 
died Nov. 23 in Mexico City. 


Guillermo Gonzalez, Mexican 
stage actor, was drowned Nov. 25 
off the coast of Mazatlan, Sinoloa, 
Mexico. 


Mother, 62, of Metopera singer 
Frank Guarrera, died Nov. 29 in 
Philadelphia. Two other sons and 
a daughter survive. 


Father, 87, of Harry (Boogie 
Woogie) Sherman, nitery comic, 
and Bebe Sherman, cafe singer, 
died Nov. 24 in Chicago: 


Father* of Freelon M. Fowler, 
manager network film programs 
for ABC-TV, died Nov. 20 in St. 
Petersburg* Fla. 

Father* 77, of bandleader Bob 
Cross died NoV, 29 in Bevier* Mo. 


mean much-—yet. 

Companies feel that- their rock 
*n’ roll releases serve the very use¬ 
ful purposes of luring the juve au¬ 
dience sector back -to. the b.o. 


MARRIAGES 

Bobbye Donald to Don Henry, 
Fort Worth, Nov; 28: He’s a sales¬ 
man at WFJZ-TV in that city. 

Joni James to Anthony Acqua- 
viva, New York, Dec, 1. Bride is 
the MGM Records and nitery vo¬ 
calist; he’s her arranger-manager. 

Elise Bretton to Russ Miller, 
New York, Nov. 27.. Bride is a 
singer; he records for Kapp 
Records. 

Ola Stevens to Larry Nolan, Se- 
guin, Tex., recently. He’s a band¬ 
leader and recording artist 

Dorothy Coulter to Joseph B. 
Hall, Coral Gables, Fla., Nov. 29. 
Bride is an opera-tv singer. 

Sally Stewart to William Kram¬ 
er, Pittsburgh, Nov. 24. Groom 
owns downtown Pitt restaurant, 
long a theatrical hangout; 

Jay Mitchell to James Maxwell, 
Glasgow, Nov. 24. Bride’s a dancer; 
he’s a dance hand pianist. 

Texie Waterman to Arte John¬ 
son, Dec. 3, N. Y. Bride is a 
dancer; he’s an actor, currently in 
the Broadway company of “No 
Time for Sergeants.” 

NeH Gabler to Jerry Dexter, San 
Francisco, ,Nov. 23. Bride is a 
dancer at 365 Club*. Frisco; he’s 
emcee-flack for Fack’s in same city. 

Veronica Robinson to Kurt 
Hirsch, Los Angeles, Nov. 30. Bride 
is a former; United Nations aide; 
he’s an indie producer. 

Joan Gannon Jo John Navin Jr., 
Dec. 1, New York. Bride is with 
Goodson-Todman, tv packagers; 
groom is an “attorney, 

Louisette Roser to Sidney Mich¬ 
aels, New York, Nov. 29. Bride 
is associate director of the Amer¬ 
ican National Theatre & Academy’s 
National Theatre Service; he’s a 
playwright. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Carey, 
son, Bay City, Mich., Noy 21. Fa¬ 
ther ‘ is program manager of 
WNEM-TV there. 

Mr. and Mrs, Will Disney, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Nov. 27. 
Parents own and . operate Little 
Lake strawhat. 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Spivak, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Nov. 27. 
Mother was Marianne MarcuS; nit¬ 
ery performer and “Miss Penn¬ 
sylvania” in ’56. 

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Silden, son, 
Santa Monica, Cal., Nov. 24. Moth¬ 
er; the former Isobel Katleman, is 
a publicist with the Rogers & 
Cowan publicity office. 

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Kerby, 
daughter, Hollywood, Nov. 17. 
Mother, Emily Kerby, was actress 
Marie Wilson’s secretary until re¬ 
cently; father is western division 
manager for United FM. 

Mr. and Mrs. .James Day, son, 
San Francisco, Nov. 10. Rather is 
general manager of KQED there. 

Mr. and Mrs. William Adler, son, 
New York, Dec. 1; Father is sales 
manager at WABD, N. Y. She’s 
the former Gloria Goodman, and 
was with NBC production until 
her marriage. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Lee, 
daughter, Hollywood, Nov. 26. 
Mother is actress Janet Waldo; fa¬ 
ther is a playwright and screen¬ 
writer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Parker, son, 
New York, Nov. 30. Father is a 
comedy juggler; mother was for¬ 
merly of the De Leon Sisters, 
dancers. 

Mr. and Mrs. Barney Simmons, 
son, Toronto, Nov. 26. Father is 
manager of Towne Cinema, To¬ 
ronto. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Colucci, 
daughter, New York, Nov. 26. 
Mother is Jeanie Kerin, comedi¬ 
enne. 

* Mr. and Mrs. Emile Walter, 
daughter, Flushing, L. I u Nov. 30. 
Mother, a singer, is daughter of 
monologist Doc Rockwell. 

Mr. and Mrs. Murray Horowitz, 
son, New York, Dec. 3. Father is 
a Variety staffer. 





DAVID N. MARTIN and N'COLAS DARVAS 

present 



STARRING IN 

“OLYMPIC FOLLIES” 












ilTSTfl 

* 

ISO 

V 



mm 


STAGE 




•-- -- -—-——-:- 

Vegas Flamingo's PIlDoDs 

Las Vegas, Dec. 11. 

Pierre Cosette, entertainment director of the Flamingo Hotel, is 
! doctoring up his line of girls—he’s hiring a new crop, ell of whom 
will hsjre Ph.D’jg from accredited universities. 

Naturally, they'll also, have to know a little about hoofing, be 
Jobkers and have the necessary physical attributes. But the. key 
qualification Will be the doctor’s degrees—and Cosette insists he 
won't even Settle for girls with master’s degrees. He's tentatively 
picked a 'Couple Who answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times and 
other ads will be placed in New York and Chicago papers. If he 
can get at least eight gals, he’ll launch the line. 

Cosette has had almost 50 applicants so far. / 

j “I’m sure,” he reported, “that school authorities would be hor¬ 
rified If they knew how many teachers are interested in our propo- 
sition—er, job* Offer.” 


Shieprint 2d Texas ‘Studio City’; 

9-Story Office Bldg. For Produce)* 

4 -:-. 



Fort Worth, Dec. 11. 
Texas, which Jut.supposed to have 
othing ^but oil wells, cattle and 
looey, is apifig other parts of the 
riited States in an increasingly 
itionful way. San Antonio will 
ive an opera season, Dallas is 
Iking up building an opera house, 
id at least two pretentious promo- 
3 ns of motion picture studio en- 
rprises are in the works. 

One is the Film Corp. of Amer- 
i (Leo Carrillo) and now comes a 
cond, Texas International Pro- 
ictions Inc, (Jimmy Fidler, the 
lumnist). Latter has a blueprint 
build a studio plant on the Fair- 
»W Ranch ‘between here and 
satherford on some 3,000 acres, a 
xas-size "plot.” 

Details of the promotion are 
^Cn by C. Carl Werner, veep and 
ief stockholder in the closed 
tnpany planning this centre for 
jatre and television film-making, 
ti developing and processing, 
' (Continue^ on page 79) 


tur Inaugural Balls, 

But Only One Revue 
Is George Murphy Plan 

l • Washington, Pec. 11. 
show biz is again marshalling its 
ses to play a .leading role in the 
Siid Eisenhower Inauguration. 
>rge Murphy, entertainment di- 
;or for the three-day event 
king Ike’s swearing-in, outlined 
is for show biz participation 
n n he came here last week to 
'er with Inaugural committee 

ue print’ for the, entertainment 
[< (ram ’follows fairly closely .that 
. 53/when Murphy was also in 
i ’ge. “Instead of two inaugural 
> rivals,' of variety shows, there 
t bb ’ a’ single show at Uline’s 
s’ ha/ Present'^ plans call for a 
9 e from $3;6Q*to $12, with some 
jijfibility that a second show will 
‘ jaddea if there is a heavy de¬ 
aid for ’tickets'. ’ Festival Is sked- 
for Saturday ‘ (19) night. 

A Sunday (2’0) night Inaugural 
?pcert in Constitution Hall will 
wture the National Symphony 
:■/ (Continued ou page 69) 

f! 


Pre-Berle Pearl 

NBC’s 30th (Pearl Anniver¬ 
sary) hoopla will carry a two¬ 
fold Pearl connotation at the 
Miami Beach hoopla this week. 

Among the oldtimers in at¬ 
tendance will be one of the ra¬ 
dio network’s first smash at¬ 
tracting—Jack Pearl. 

Magyar Refugees 
Win Work in US. 
Via Show Bizzers 

Washington, Dec. 11. 
Local show biz rallied round the 
cause of a young Hungarian couple 
last week, brightening the gener¬ 
ally bleak picture of the flight of 
thousands fr6m the Commie-be¬ 
sieged country. 

Local lfil,; D. C> Federation of 
Musicians, .short-circuited the nor¬ 
mally laborious routine to admit to 
membership Eugene Sermely, a 
one-time Hungarian jazz pianist 
who learned American techniques 
from Voice of America broadcasts. 
Maestro of his own jazz band in his 
native Budapest, Sermely had to 
(Continued on page 22) 


Guthrie—An Industry 

When, “O.e.dipus Rex,” the film 
version, of ] the Stratford (Ontario) 
Festival production, opens at the 
55th St. Playhouse, N. Y. on Jan. 
7, British director Tyrone Guthrie 
will be repr&ented 'with Six dif¬ 
ferent ‘ productions in Gotham. 

While ' "Gedipus” is \ Guthrie’s 
first ‘directorial stint in ..films, his 
efforts' include "The Matchmaker,” 
"Candide,”’ ’ ‘and -the Old Vic’S 
"Troilus' and* Cressida.” Currently 
in the work’s by; Guthrie is a new 
staging of ‘‘La Traviata” for the 
Metopera and the direction of 
Norman Ginsbury’s "The First 
Gentleman” for the Theatre Guild. I 


"Talent capital” like "brains cap¬ 
ital” has long been an orphan in 
the eyes of Federal tax legislators 
and tax Collectors. But a new, and 
by far the worst, blow at talent and 
brains in show business is about to 
fall in the shape of a sweeping de¬ 
nial by., the Treasury Dept, of the 
right to benefit via corporation set¬ 
ups on unique and special personal 
services. 

Once more "talent capital” is 
seen as without standing in the 
land. Only cash capital can en¬ 
joy the "shelter” of lower rates. 

The proposed revision of Inter¬ 
nal Revenue regulations is already 
seen as a. colossal disaster to show 
business and the roar of pain and 
anguish is expected to explode mo¬ 
mentarily. There are voices already 
saying that certain stars and pro¬ 
moters may be bankrupted by “ar¬ 
bitrary ruling of Government audi¬ 
tors.” 

Drastic new tax regulations 
would wipe out personal holding 
companies by stars and some top 
independent producers. As quietly 
mapped by the. Internal Revenue 
Department these take effect imme¬ 
diately (Dec. 15) and apply*retro¬ 
actively to 1954, when the present 
tax code was written. Result would 
virtually nullify scores of corporate 
setups formed in the last two years. 

Under the proposed regulation, 
corporations dependent upon the 
pergonal services of an individual 
would be declared invalid—and all 
of the revenues of those corpora¬ 
tions would be included inlhe ordi- 
(Continued on page 4) 



Boston, Dec, 11. 

< Rev. Norman O’Connor, Catholic 
chaplain at Boston U. and a jazz 
authority, sees rock ’n’ roll as on 
its way out with calypso, now com¬ 
ing in strong, the exterminator of 
r&r. 

In talk to the Couples’ Club of 
Arlington Street Church Saturday 
(8), Fr. O'Connor said: "Rock and 
roll is a stage in popular music 
similar to the Charleston, jazz, 
#wing and jitterbug of the past two 
generations and is now on its way 
‘ (Continued on page 79) 


Rock, Roll V Royalty. 

Ottawa, Dec. 11. 

'Reuters News ‘Agency re- ’ 
ports that the Earl of Wharn- . 
cliffe has joined the British 
Musicians’ Union so he can 
play in a rock ’n’ roll band. 

The earl is 21. 


Loew’s Kremlin Calling 

’ Strange and wonderful in¬ 
quiries are commonplace in 
Variety home office, and to 
the girls on the switchboard, 
but last Thursday (6) was one 
for the record. 

The overseas operator rang 
Variety on behalf of an un¬ 
identified arm .of the Soviet 
bureaucracy for the address 
of Paul Robeson. 

Variety didn’t know. 


Politicking on TV 
Still Snarled, Sez 
Ike’s Press Chief 

Schenectady, Dec. 11. 

. James C. Hagerty, press secret 

tary to President Eisenhower, told 
Rep. Leo W. O’Brien here in a 
guest interview that "in this elec¬ 
tronic age, both p'arties are going 
to have to face the problem of tele¬ 
vision, particularly in the conduct 
of elections, where they may be 
placed in the position of depriving 
the people of the country of the 
right to entertainment in ‘their 
home.” 

Hagerty added, "I - think this 
problem will be an increasingly 
important one for decision by both 
parties. Candidates are going to 
have to be more and more infor¬ 
mal. Otherwise they will turn you 
off at home. You can’t stand’at the 
microphone and read.” s 1 
The President’s press chief, who 
served first as a -N. Y. Times cor¬ 
respondent, and then as secretary 
to Governor Dewey in Albany, 
agreed that a "combination” of 
(Continued on page 79) 


Comics M Psychos; Bean 

As one comic on the subject of 
| comics- -in general, -Orson Bean 
noted that ."all of them are sick 
1 and desparately in need of psycho¬ 
analysis.” Bean was Repeating 
some of the remarks he made a 
few days ago as a guest on Mike 
Wallace's "Night. Beat” interview 
show 'dVer. WABd; * N. * Y. * ’ Com- 
ments have reportedly got up the 
dandet'of many 'other‘funny men/ 
"Comedians have a great need 
for 'acceptance, which drive them 
to be comedians in the first place,” 
he said. "They're not acting like 
human beings. It’s evidenced 
when you meet one. They start 
throwing lines at you as if they're 
performing, instead of just listen* 
ing once in a while. • 

"People should relate as ope 
person to another. Comics loolt 
glassy when you talk.” 


The Motion Picture Production 
Code had. been*extensively revised. 
Some sections of Hollywood’s self- 
governing law anent what's moral¬ 
ly fit for screen depiction have 
been eased and other parts tight¬ 
ened. 

Removed are flat fans on illegal 
drug traffic, the subject of abor¬ 
tion, white slavery and. kidnapping. 

The rewrite of the Code leaves 
remaining two subjects in the tra¬ 
ditionally verboten classification: 
sex perversion and venereal disease. 

Mercy killing is now covered, 
with a restriction stating "it shall 
never be made to seem right or 
permissible.” The injunctions lim¬ 
iting the ways in Which rape, adult¬ 
ery and details of crime may be 
presented have been tightened. 

A new tabu has been introduced; 
it prohibits any picture that "tends 
to incite bigotry or hatred among 
peoples of different races, religions 
or national origins.” The use of 
these words "should be avoided”: 
chink, dago, frog, greaser, hunkie, 
kike, nigger, spik/wop, yid. Ac¬ 
tually, a flat ban on them is 
apparent. ... . 

This updating of the Code was 
approved by the board of the Mo¬ 
tion Picture Assn, of America at a 
New York meeting yesterday 
(Tues.), following a study and re¬ 
port made by a special committee 
which comprised Eric A- Johnston, 
MPAA president; Daniel T. O’Shea, 
RKO chief exec; Barney Balaban, 
Paramount prez, and Abe Schnei¬ 
der, Columbia exec v.p. Martin 
Quigley, trade journal‘publisher, 
served as a consultant to the com¬ 
mittee. 

Johnston stated that Code’s un- 
(Continued on page 20) 

Baptist Team May Hurt 
New Year’s Sugar Bowl 
As Cafe Biz-Builder 

New Orleans, Dec. 11. 

The hotels here are already 
booked solid for the Jan. 1 Sugar 
Bowl classic.'Managers of the ma¬ 
jor hostelries said Saturday (8) the 
selection ot-Baylor and Tennessee 
to participate in the New Year’s 
Day grid brawl has resulted in an 
avalanche of requests for reserva¬ 
tions. 

A number of railroads will park 
Pullman cars here for the event. 
Reservations have already been 
received by several lines here for 
over 100 sleeping‘cars. 

But glee of hotels is, not fully 
shared by' Bourbon Street nitery 
operators. Bajdor^ with its Baptist 
church’ tie-in,* ‘may not 'mean a 
bonanza for them. Most of the cafe 
men had hoped the Mid-Winter 
Sports Assn, would choose some 
other Texas team. 

The association announced 
Thursday (6) that a.contract has 
been signed with ABC for coast- 
to-coast radio and television cover¬ 
age of the. BowL Kickoff .time is 
set for 1 p.m. 

















MISCELLANY 


As Detroit Unveils 1957 Models 


By SYD SILVERMAN 

Opera Canary Jean Fenn 

for its presentation of the '57 mod- - n 1J u*. • 

els in a plush showcase at the New rOf LlDBIaCC S DltCIlCS 
York Coliseum. For the first time. - Las Veeas Dpp 11 

in 16 years, New York is the site fiberace b al signed Jean Fenn 
of a national automobile show, and (ft HS 

the switch from'the Grand Centra) £ 

ments-at Chicago s Chez Paree and 
Palace tO the new Coliseum pro- FnntainPhlPfln The. 


vides the luxurious‘setting that is 
in keeping with the new cars from 


Miami Fontainebleau. The opera 
soprano is a click with the nitery- 
goers during her featured role in 


Detroit. The manufacturers, who JK MdS Z? 

reportedly spent about $1,200,000 

bringing in the show, expect some the Chez pSee sSSStf Ja? 30 
750,000 to passthrough 4he wickets ™ 

in the first seven days. With ad- B 

mission pegged at 90c for adults a0ot ^ lr ^ starting March 12. 
and 50c for children, show will he Prior -td rejoining Liberace iii 
lucky to, break even on the nine- Chicago, Miss Fenn will sing the 


Since Peter Mmuit 

e-Tfeje.- changing buildings -of 
New York have caused can¬ 
cellation of producer-director 
George Sidney's plans to shoot 
‘‘Jeanne Bagels” on location in 
Gotham. Town Isn’t what it 
used to be and all the land¬ 
marks famous in the heyday 
of the Broadway star of ’‘Rain” 
have disappeared. Sidney will 
reproduce the Manhattan of a 
generation ago at Columbia 
Ranch. 

Earlier this year, Mel Shav- 
elsph and Jack Rose encoun¬ 
tered the same difficulties 
when they sought to location- 
Shoot ‘‘Beau James,” biopic of 
former New York mayor James 
J. Walker, in New York City, 


ycdiicsday, December 12, 1*956 


Vox Populi Via - Variety 9 


day run." |title role 111 Denver Opera Assn.’s 

Showmanship at the Coliseum is J an - 10-12 unveiling of “Rosalinda.” | 

first rale. Cars are displayed on -- 

two floors, with the truck exhibits ifT ni n . m • • 

occupying the entrance level. Many A|l NhAW K|7 UldTIUeS 
of the displays feature working. ” ^ 

models and breakaways of the new Wall Ronmif Krnitl F 

engineering innovations and each li ill Uvilviil iiuill I 

Is presented to get maximum inter- | n M af ._L T C 

(Continued on page 20) j ID lllaitO lUf Ou 


On Excise Tax Cot 


iff c»l n* m • • Washington, Dec. 11. 

All dhow DlZ Charities Prospects for removal or reduc- 

UP1I D *•«. n « tion excises on all-channel tv 
Will Deneilt rrom fete sets, theatre and nitery admissions, 

In Wlm-pli fnv Cnltnn* P hon °£ ra P h records and musical 
ID lUartfl lOr uuOIlOZ instruments were considerably 
All branches of the motion pic- dimmed yesterday (Mon.) when 
ture industry are joining in the Treasury Department came out 
testimonial banquet for Jimmy fl fl a -,_ in _ t anv tav rilU 
Durante, sponsored by the Jewish Ha “ y .f? ? ny tax * uts> , 

Theatrical Guild March 17 at the Testifying before the House 


Attends Proem Of 


I Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y. 


Ways and Means subcommittee on 


Serving on the motion picture tax revision, Dan T. Smith, special 
committee being headed by S. H. assistant on tax policy to the Sac- 


Fabian and Arthur B. Krim are ret o£ Treasury said he could 
*#•* t v Charles Alicoate, Harry C. Arthur . ,. • . 

Hilt All* l otnff Jr., Robert S. Benjamin, Charles see n0 bas,s tor a Proposal for 
11IIIU1I d LdiCdl ‘Brackett, Harry Brandt, Alfred E. reduction for any tax at the pres- 
Daff, George F. Dembow,, Walt ent time.” 

Mexico City, Dec, 11. Disney .Russell V. Downing, Arthur Questioned as to the depart- 

Two planeloads of celebs-as well Freed, Y. Frank Freeman, Leopold ment’s attitude on repeal of 10% 
as local luminaries helped Conrad Friedman, Herman Gelber, William manufacturers’ excise on all-chan- 
Hilton celebrate-the opening. of J-German, Leonard H. Goldenson, ne i set$ which was recommended 
his latest international 1 veft'aire, ~bel Green, Don Hartman, Saul i n a statement filed with subcom- 
the Continental Hilton Hotel, a Mrs. PJ 111 * Lewis, Eddie mittec by the FCC, Smith said*. 

400-room structure, which preemed Mannix, Abe Montague, John J. “The Treasury opposes it as a mat- 
formally Friday (7). O’Connor, Robert J. O’Donnell, ter of tax policy.” 

A four day series of events were Milton A. Rackrml, Elmer C, Rho- Smil'h said proposal would cost 
scheduled for the show biz and Jen, Herman Robbins, Samuel the Government $100,000,000 a 
other VIPs imported from New Rosen, Sol A. Schwartz, George ye£r in revenue “This is a verv 
York and .Hollywood. Aside from Sydney, George P. Skouras, Spyros substantial amount of revenue to 
(Continued 6n page 77) . * ■ (Continued on page 79) forego,” he added, “to foster a 


(Continued 6n page 77) . 



3cmas 

Gift Subscription 


Enclosed find check or m.o. 

for $.Send Variety for 

one year. 

two years. 


0 


forego,” he added, “to foster a 
■ particular line of development in 
a particular industry.” * 

Despite Smith’s testimony, Sub¬ 
committee Chairman Aime J. Fo- 
rand (D-R.I.) told reporters., he 
believes the committee will not 
necessarily yield to Treasury op¬ 
position. It’s for Congress, not the 
Treasury, to decide whether any 
excise cuts should be made, he 
said. 

■ . i ■ » 

Hildegarde-Sosenko Art 
.- Collection, Being Sold 

Hildegarde and her former man¬ 
ager, Anna Sosenko, are liquidat¬ 
ing their jointly-owned art collec¬ 
tion. The canvasses and the con¬ 
tents of a 14-room apartment they 
shared are going oh sale Friday 
and Saturday (14) at the Tobias, 
Fischer Co. auction rooms in* New 
York. Art works are the remains 
of a prior sale of the collection 
held two years ago. 

'Hildegarde and Miss Sosenko re¬ 
cently parted company amicably 
after a 23-year business associa¬ 
tion. Miss Sosenko plans to enter 
tv as an indie producer. Hilde- 
garde is currently appearing in 
Phoenix at the Sombrero Play¬ 
house. Chanteuse also got wide 
publicity on the extent of her oil 
strike' in Oklahoma. 


Show .biz, as the name implies, 
is first of all a business and effi¬ 
ciency of operation is therefore 
vital. It happens that during the 
present autumn season an unusual¬ 
ly voluble volume of complaints 
have been “forumed” in the col¬ 
umns of this journal anent both 
film theatre and legit theatre man¬ 
agement. Criticisms have ranged' 
from anguish to anger to amused 
satire but they add ug to a wail 
from' the ticket-buying public. And 
that is never funny. v 

" Letters by the dozen have come 
, Into Variety against both the 
picture tjieatres and the Broadway 
legit managements. ,The common. 
Tcompfemtr^hiept.-tHsro 
rogant, sloppy, inconsiderate - rela¬ 
tions with their customers, the 
paying public. 

It has surprised even Variety 
how many laymen seemingly have 
sought out this journal of trade 
information to air, their gripes 
against the former dispensaries of 
mass entertainment—meaning the 
film emporiums, now charged with 
relaxing the “de luxe” standards 
which was what gave the “cathe¬ 
drals of the cinema” and the 
“Publix service” brand of audi¬ 
ence-catering their warm hold on 
the movie public.. 

The gripe against the smash legit 
hits for careless mail-order hand¬ 
ling and other alleged public rela¬ 
tions’ shortcomings is as age-old 
as. the battle of the sexes. • 

But without delving too long and 
too -deeply into- the pros and cons, 
because there are extenuating 
circumstances oh both sides, one 
common factor does emerge: the 
public is vexed. 

It is comforting that, at least, 
they are annoyed enough to com¬ 
plain about this or that, even in 
face of the obvious alternative of 
the electronic home entertainment. 
The thing which the theatres—pix 
and legit—should fear never comes 1 
to pass is they get so fed up they’ll 
no longer care. As stated, theatres 
and showmen traditionally have ; 

‘Blues’ From a Wheelchair 1 
' Puts Melvin Endsley in 
Composers’ Money. Circle 

Kansas City Dec. li. 

Rise of “Singing the Blues” to 
the top of the bestseller lists now 
means no more blues for Melvin 
Endsley, the Arkansas composer. 
The composer, a victim of polio at 
3 and now, at 22, confined to a i 
wheelchair is expected to gross 
.$50,000 or more from- the song- ‘ 
“Blues” was written about a year 
ago and submitted to a Nashville j 
publishing firm (Acuff-Rose), after A 
which it became his first accepted < 
and successful song. Publisher has : 
asked him for more?- 
Sihce then Endsley has been l 
turning out more, accompanying i 
himself on the guitar and taping i 
the tunes to send to the publisher, t 
Recently he left his home at Heber t 
Springs, Ark., to join station 
KCON at Conway, Ark. 


, outlived the vogues and the peri- 
“ odic favorites. But usually jt was 
s because the basis for survival was 
s the savvy showmanship that the 
- entrepreneur constantly supplied 
» by replenishing the marquee 
• values, ploughing under the ele- 
i ttients to attract, a public. And 

■ seemingly, always, the theatre was 
r a natural attraction. 

It is obvious that today, in a 
period when the man in the street 
recognizes.that almost all standards 
J have become diluted or that de¬ 
mands no longer can* be made and 
results achieved, as in less pros¬ 
perous times -r- or whatever the 

■ other- sociological elements that 

" fault: tbe" 

theatre business somehow, some¬ 
where is a committing a boo-boo. 
Else there would hot he the gripes 
so vehemently aired in these col¬ 
umns. 

It’s time for the business end 
of show business, particularly on 
the customer level, to take stock 
of itself. Show biz is no longer the 
only “game” in town—that’s an 
old gambling joke which refers to 
the habitual gambler going up 
against a crooked wheel, knowing 
that it’s crooked, but observing, 
“What was I gonna do— it’s the 
only game in town,” With the com¬ 
petition and distractions extant, 
perhaps the No. 1 job for all thea¬ 
tre management, in-all media, pop 
and highbrow, live and shadow, is 
to take stock of customer relations. 
There is patently room for im¬ 
provement. • 

All of the foregoing, we point 
out editorially, is designed to. help 
show biz help itself. This is pre¬ 
cisely the sort of tiling about which 
Variety can be, most challenging 
and stimulating. 

And speaking of “challenging 
and stimulating” text, a lot of swell 
reading matter will be in the up¬ 
coming 51st Anniversary Edition. 
That text .makes the issue a pe¬ 
culiarly useful frame for persons 
and organizations taking display 
space. 

TV Sales Sport 
Dowd Under Via 
Olympics Sendoff 

By COL. BARNEY OLDFIELD 

(Author of the book, “Never a Shot 
in Anger”) 

Melbourne, Dec. 11. r 
No country ever had a kickoff 
for introduction of tv such as the 
Australians when they made it 
coincide with their- staging of the 
XVIth ^Olympiad. 

About a month before the Games 
began, there were about 3,000 sets 
in operation here* and not too many 
more than that in Sydney—the two 
towns accounting for a third of the 
total Aussie population. 

Public rooms rigged for viewing 
(Continued on pag£ 20) 


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Late Delivery 0 

It is almost inevitable that 
Variety, along with other 
periodicals, will be delayed in 
delivery in some sections of 
the country during this holi¬ 
day season. 

The U.S. Post Office Dept., 
in seeming anticipation, has 
advised all publications that, , 
from Dec. 10 to Jan. 2, it “will 
not be in a position to investi¬ 
gate complaints of late receipt 
, of newspapers by your sub¬ 
scribers.. During this period, 
thousands of temporary em¬ 
ployees are ... in the Postal 
service and . . . railroad eonv 
panies” and any complaint 
about p. O. Dept, service—or 
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nored because of the Xmas 
holiday mailing rush. 


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ABEL CAREEN, Editor • 

_Volume 205 Number 2__ 



INDEX 


Bills . 

.70 


70 

Chatter . 


Night Club Reviews ... 

...68 

Concert, Opera .... 


.Obituaries. 

...79 

Film Reviews . 

. 6 

Pictures . 

... 3 

Frank ScqJIy ...... 


Radio . 

. .. 25 

House Reviews .... 


Radio Reviews . 

...32 

Ice Show Review .. 

..... 69 

Record Reviews . 

...52 

Inside Pictures .... 

...... 16 

1 Television .. 

...25 

Inside Radio TV ... 


! Television Reviews ... 

...31 

International . 


TV Films . 

...45 

Legitimate ........ 


Unit Reviews .... 

...70 

Literati ......i.... 


Vaudeville . 

...63 

Music. 


Wall Street .......... 

...16 


DAILY VARIETY 

(Published in Hollywood by Dally Variety, Ltd.) 
$15 a year. $20 Foreign. 













































Wedaewlay, tiecembef 12, 1956 _ - P'&SI&Fy _._ MtttiiS g 



Berserk Teenagers Close Theatre 

Wenatchee, Wash., Dec. 11. 

Teenagers in this northwest town have caused the closing of one 
theatre and forced the employment of a special policeman on Fri¬ 
day nights at another situation. Rowdyism and vandalism on the 
part of the youngsters had reached the point where the exhibitors 
. were spending thousands of dollars extra yearly to repair knifed 
seats and carpeting, remove scrawled obscenities from walls and 
mirrors and replace equipment and fixtures that were stolen or 
, rendered inoperative. 

Specific damages were in addition to the adult business that 
was lost due to the ruffians’ behavior. 

Will Greime of Greime & Fisken Theatres, operators of a chain 
—that includes-the Mission Theatre r which-was forced to-shuiter v ~and . 
John Bretz of the.Liberty Theatre, which hired a cop for the par¬ 
ticularly troublesome Friday nights, gave details of the harm 
caused by the juveniles to the local press. Story was given a 
seven-column headline in the Wenatchee Daily World and this 
spotlighting, according to Greime, has had the effect of improving 
conditions. The exhib believes that the press play prompted par¬ 
ents to clamp down on their offspring. 

No telling as yet whether the mischief will be curtailed perma¬ 
nently; 

Texas’ Li’l Darlings Go Free 

Baytown, Tex., Dec. 11. 

It all came to very little. After a mob of some hundreds of 
teenagers, angered at restraints upon their hooliganism, pelted 
the front of the Bay theatre here with eggs and leathers, some 54 
were pinched by the cops. 

Whereupon the parents became irate at the idea of their little 
darlings (monsters) being maltreated by the police, a debatable 
point since the cops apparently had two police cars damaged in 
the fray. 

In the end the parents paid undisclosed compensation to the 
theatre and the hope of Texas’ future were all let off, the charges 
against them forgotten. 


Modulated Cheers 
For ComingEra 
In Film Industry 

A note of cautious optimism re¬ 
lating to the future of the motion 
picture industry and particularly 
its exhibition arm is replacing the 
pessimistic predictions of doom 
and extinction that was , generally 
heard during the past year. 

Statements by industry leaders 
in production,- distribution, and ex¬ 
hibition are more hopeful in tone 
and confidence than they have 
beeri for the past two or- three 
years. The general feeling of opti¬ 
mism has been motivated partly by 
the belief that television has 
thrown its ‘‘Sunday punch.” It’s 
felt that tv has delivered its “max¬ 
imum onslaught,” including the 
rich backlog of feature motion pic¬ 
tures, and that there isn’t much 
more that video can offer to hurt 
the nation’s film b.o. 

It’s agreed that the nation’s thea¬ 
tres are a little “groggy” and that 
there will be more casualties, but 
on. the whole the feeling is that 
most theatres will survive although 
there will be a reappraisal and re¬ 
adjustment of the business. This 
hopeful attitude is contained in re¬ 
marks made.by leaders in all seg¬ 
ments of the industry. It even per¬ 
vaded the confines of Allied whose 
keynote speaker Roy L. Kalver at 
its recent Dallas convention out¬ 
lined a hopeful future for theatre-, 
men. It was a departure frojn the 
predictions of dooi$ that have 
usually marked the comments of 
Allied speakers. 

The fact that 20th-Fox, Univer¬ 
sal, and other film companies have 
increased their production pro¬ 
grams is a hopeful* sign. The entry 
of American Broadcasting-Para¬ 
mount Theatres into production 
^ (Continued on page 69) 


Veteran Cartoonist 

Rube Goldberg 

discourses on 

Anonymity, 

TV Commercials , - 
and Being 6 Typed 9 

it * * 

one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

PfittiEfr 


FRED COE'S WARNER FILM 


Ignore Fact That Billy The Kid 
Also Bolls For TV 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Despite plans for a telepic series 
on the same subject, Warner 
Brothers is going ahead with its 
deal with Fred Coe to make a fea¬ 
ture biopic of “Billy the Kid,” star¬ 
ring Paul Newman. Studio’s vidpic 
division already is well into prepa¬ 
rations for the series. 

Feature version which Coe will 
produce will be directed by Arthur 
Penn from a screenplay by Gore 
Vidal. • 


‘Gant’Roxy Ron 


rosser 


“Giant” is winding up its ninth 
and final week today (Wed.) at 
the Roxy, N.Y., with approximately 
$900,000 gross or an average of 
$100,000 a week at this National 
Theatres’ house. This is only 
topped by “King and I” and, of 
course, “The Robe,” both 20th-Fox 
pic. “King” ran slightly over $1,- 
000 ,000, but the engagement ran 
more weeks and did not run into 
the pre-Yule lull which “Giant” 
has had to face for the last two 
sessions. 

Showing by “Giant” (WB) is 
rated^all the more, remarkable in 
view'of the running” time of more 
than three hours. This is particu¬ 
larly a handicap for the Roxy, 
which had its usual stageshow for 
the ourrent engagement. 

The thing which appeals partic¬ 
ularly to NT, which operates the 
Roxy, is the fact that it gives this 
house two pictures which alone 
will show nearly $2,000,000 gross, 
all in one year. 

Why Suffer, Asks Levey, 
When Home-Toll Video 
Cools Fevered Brows 

It’s time that Hollywood realize 
it's throwing, away its great assets 
for peanuts and get behind a con¬ 
certed drive for the early, author¬ 
ization of subscription television, 
Arthur Levey, prexy of Skiatron 
Electronics, opined in N. Y* last 
week. 

Levey, whose company developed 
the Subscription-Vision toll-tv sys¬ 
tem, said the film companies were 
“wasting time” in not coming out 
openly and vigorously for at least 
the experimental establishment of. 
a pay-as-you-see system. 

“Now that the spelt has been 
broken, and so many great pic¬ 
tures have been sold to tv for a 
fraction of their worth, the film 
(Continued on page 18) i 


1 1357, TEST 


Exhibitors in some parts of the 
country are beginning to show in¬ 
terest in transferring their opera¬ 
tions directly^ to the home. It may 
be an evolutionary st£p. Partisans 
of home-toll feel that ultimately 
the film biz will be based oh (1) a 
■kimited ^mbei^of firstrun-theatres-, 
(2) subscription-tv,’ (3) a wholly 
new pattern of distribution. 

May, 1957 has now been set as 
the target date for an* “electronic 
home theatre” to start actual oper-> 
atjons in Bartlesville, Okla., a town 
of some 35,000. There are five the¬ 
atres operating in and around Bar¬ 
tlesville (two . are ozoners) which 
can receive five tv channels, three 
of them very clearly. All of the 
houses are run by Video Indepen¬ 
dent Theatres, a large Oklahoma 
circuit which, as a sideline, also is 
in the community antenna business, 
i.e. the rebroadcast of tv signals 
for towns that ordinarily couldn't 
get even a single video channel 
clearly. 

Video Theatres, of which Henry 
Griffing is prexy, is undertaking 
the Bartlesville experiment at a 
cost of $250,000. That includes wir¬ 
ing up about 4,000 homes, building 
a studio and setting up the neces¬ 
sary transmission equipment. The 
entire investment is being put up 
by Video, with such outfits as Jer* 
rold Electronics and others con¬ 
tributing equipment. However, they 
have no other interest—financial 
or otherwise—in the project.’ 

Idea is to pipe new pix directly 
into the homes of subscribers, us¬ 
ing a channel not currently in use. 
Charge would be $9.50 per month 
and the films would be run contin¬ 
uously, with three changes a week, 
according to Griffing. Since this 
is a closed-circuit affair, the Fed¬ 
eral Communications Commission 
has nothing to say about it. 

Even as Video is preparing for 
its project, Matty Fox is going 
ahead with a similar idea, only 
going a step further. Fox wants to 
wire up small communities with 
inadequate tv service and to offer 
n^w films but on a pay-as-you-go 
basis, using the Subscriber-Vision 
toll-tv system developed by Skia- 
(Continued on page 20) 


Egypt Queries on ‘Jewishness’ Not 
Taken Too Seriously By Yankees 


Late Delivery 

It is almost inevitable that 
Variety, along with other 
periodicals, will be delayed in 
delivery in some sections of 
the country during this holi- 

-^day-seasonr------ 

The U.S. Post Office Dept., 
in seeming anticipation, has 
advised all publications that, 
from Dec. 10 to Jart. 2, it “will 
not be in a position to investi¬ 
gate complaints of late receipt 
of newspapers by your sub¬ 
scribers. During this period, 
thousands of temporary em¬ 
ployees are . * . in the Postal 
service and . . . railroad com¬ 
panies” ahd any cdmplaint 
about P. O. Dept, service—or 
lack of it—will have to be ig¬ 
nored because of the Xmas 
holiday mailing rush. 


Revamp of RKO 
Procedures Pends 

An overhaul of RKQ's produc¬ 
tion and distribution operation is 
in the blueprint stage. Details are 
lacking but Daniel T. O’Shea, presi¬ 
dent of the film company, this 
week disclosed that major moves 
are being considered “to meet 
changing trends and conditions in 
the foreign and domestic market.” 
Reshaping of the entire production 
and distribution structure would 
be in ‘The interests of * efficiency," 
said O'Shea. 

Exec confirmed that RKO has 
been giving thought for some time 
to merging some elements of its 
domestic distribution setup with 
another outfit. Several months 
ago, it’s recalled, RKO and Allied 
Artists appeared headed for an 
amalgamation of their branch of¬ 
fices as a means of cutting over¬ 
head. However, nothing has come 
of this as yet. 

Also on the distribution front, 
RKO has been turning over more 
(Continued on page 69) 


-4* Foreign topper of one of the 
American film companies said this 
week he didn’t think Egypt would 
continue to press restrictive ac¬ 
tions vs. the U.S. distribs. “I don’t 
think they’re in any mood to an¬ 
tagonize American interests right 
now,” he opined. 

* - eomment"trame-"in~the--wake- of- 
reports that the Egyptian govern¬ 
ment was cracking down not only 
on French' and British films, but 
was demanding proof that none,of 
the players in the American im¬ 
ports had Jewish ancestry and that 
no Jews are on the companies' 
board of directors. 

Jewish film company personnel 
in Egypt, including, one or two lo- . 
cal managers, have been forced to 
leave as part of the general Egyp¬ 
tian crackdown on persons of Jew¬ 
ish faith. 

Motion Picture Export Assn, has 
suspended shipment' of filme to 
Egypt pending a report from 
Charles Baldwin, the MPEA rep 
in Italy, who has been ordered to 
proceed to Cairo for a survey of 
the situation. 

Asked whether the American 
companies would put up with a sit¬ 
uation under which only films us¬ 
ing Aryan players could be 
shipped into Egypt, an MPEA of¬ 
ficial said he wasn’t sure, but that 
he didn’t think so. 

Antisemitic pitch isn’t new for 
the Arabs, but has been intensified 
since the Israeli invasion of Egypt 
Some years back, Iraq and Syria 
required the companies to file with 
their New York consulate certifi¬ 
cates .on the religious composition 
of the film outfits’ boards. This 
was later dropped. 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Pre-Xmas Bops Trade; ‘Giant’ Champ Sixth Time, 
‘Commandments’ 2d, ‘Wonders’” 3d, ‘Julie’ 4th 


It’s getting close to Christmas, 
and Dec. 25 can’t arrive soon 
enough for most* first-run exhibi¬ 
tors. Current stanza is typical since 
key cities covered by Variety all 
report the populace on a Yuletide 
buying spree, and virtually ignor-r 
ing the cinema. There are some 
exceptions to the deadly down- 
beat, one, for instance, being De¬ 
troit. Some idea of how exhibs 
are juggling their bills is shown 
by the fact that 49 different pix 
are playing this week. 

“Giant” (WB) is capturing No. 1 
spot for sixth week in a row by a 
healthy mafgin. Again second is 
“Ten Commandments” (Par) al¬ 
though playing only the same nine 
keys as last session. 

“Seven Wonders of World” 
(Cinerama) is finishing third, same 
as a week ago. “Julie” (M-G) is 
pushing up to fourth place from 
fifth of last stanza. “Girl He Left 
Behind” (WB), back for a string of 
fresh bookings, is fifth. 

“Oklahoma” (Magna) again is 
winding up in sixth spot. “Every¬ 
thing But Truth” (U), around for 
first time to any extent this week, 
is capturing seventh money. “Okla¬ 
homa” (20th), the C’Scope version, 
is taking eighth place. 

“Love Me Tender” (20th), fourth 
a week ago, is Slumping to ninth. 
“Lust For Life” (M-G) rounds out 
the top 10. “Sharkfighters” (UA), 
“Rebecca” (20th) (reissue), and 
“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) are 
the runner-up pix. 

There are virtually no new films 
showing up this week, again attest¬ 


ing that exhibs are averse to 
launching stronger fare during the 
pre-Xmas lull. “Anastasia” opens 
to the public at N. Y. Roxy Friday 
(14), but that’s in line with bring¬ 
ing the house’s Yuletide show. 
“Rainmaker” (Par) also is being 
launched this stanza at N, Y. Astor. 

“Death of Scoundrel” (RKO) is 
playing in several locations cur¬ 
rently, but is good only in Chi of 
keys covered by Variety. “Solid 
Gold Cadillac” (Col) continues 
racking up respectable grosses, 
especially in bigger cities. 

“Back From Eternity” (RKO), 
okay in L.A., looms good in St. 
Louis. “Cinerama Holiday” (Cine¬ 
rama), smash in Chi, is good both 
in Washington and L/A. “Raw 
Edge” (U) shapes big in' Louisville. 

“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (AIP), new 
this round,- looms big in Buffalo 
and Chi, and good in Frisco. “Don 
Giovanni” (Indie) is rated big in 
St. Loo. 

“Secrets of Life” (BV), so-so in 
Washington, is good in N. Y. and 
mild in Philly. “Nightfall” (Col) is 
okay in Boston. 

“La Strada” (T-L), big in N. Y., 
looks okay in Frisco. “Great Amer¬ 
ican Pastime” (M-G) is dull on ini¬ 
tial playdates. “Curucu” and “Mole 
People,” Universal combo, looms 
socko in Cleveland where it’s the 
top newcomer. 

“War and Peace” (Par), out on 
bigger subsequents, shapes good in 
Frisco but only so-so in L.A. 

(Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
Pages 8-9)* 


Shortage; Boon 
To‘Adult’Films 

Shortage of pictures has had one 
fortuitous effect—it's forced ex¬ 
hibitors to accept films:.: with adult 
themes and treatment, producer- 
director Joseph L. Mankiewicz said 
in N. Y. Monday (10). Audiences, 
he added, have always been ready 
and willing to appreciate the ma¬ 
ture pix; it’s the industry that has' 
been so eager to stick to the level 
of the 14-year-old mentality. 

Mankiewicz was referring to Elia 
Kazan’s film, “Baby Doll,” .itnd to 
his upcoming screen version of the 
Graham Greene novel, “The Quiet 
American.” He noted that the more 
thoughtful, provocative film fare 
was now “crashing through” but 
only because exhibs didn’t have 
enough pix to go around. 

“Quiet American” pic, to be 
lensed in Saigon and Italy, will be 
a “free adaptation” of the Greene 
novel, which was essentially anti- 
American, Mankiewicz, who wrote 
the screenplay and will direct for 
his Figaro Productions, said it 
would show an intellectual (a Brit¬ 
ain) being led around the nose by 
the Commies. The guilt, aspect in¬ 
volving the American has been 
(Continued on page 24) 


British Author 

WOLF MANKOWITZ 

hat written an interesting 
exposition on 

The ABC of British 

Show Business 

* * * 

another editorial feature 
. In the apeonting 

51 st Anniversary Number 

of 

PSniETY 







4 


HCTtJRES 




Wcdne^ay, December 12, 1956 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Executives, attorneys and audi¬ 
tors all agreeing that the proposed 
change in Internal Revenue inter¬ 
pretation spells confusion, discour¬ 
agement, dismay and possible 
hardship in given instances, pro¬ 
tests are being formulated for of¬ 
ficial filing with the U.S. Treasury. 

-Those expressing unmodified 
alarm include the Screen Actors 
Guild (via its attorney William 
Oerger) since many of its members 
(stars) have their own corpora- 


sibility ‘that the Government will 
amend its order to eliminate un¬ 
necessary hardship. In this case, 
the worst proviso is that making 
the tax change retroactive until 
Aug. 16, 1954. Thus, retroactivity 
might be eliminated. 

Third, Congress might be will¬ 
ing to write a quick amendment to 
the tax code to eliminate the fea¬ 
ture. 

Fourth and finally, nothing is the 
law until the courts have decided. 
Internal Revenue is confident this 


New Treasury Tax Bombshell 


All amounts received under a contract under which the corporation, 
Is to furnish personal services as well as all amounts received from 
the sale or other disposition of such contract, shall be included as per¬ 
sonal holding company income if— * . *. , . - . » 

(1) some person other than the corporation has the right to designate 
the individual Who is to perform the Services, or if the individual who 
is to perform the services is designated in the contract, and 

(2) at any time during the year 25% or more in value of the out¬ 

standing Stock of the corporation is owned by or for the individual who 
has performed, is to perform or may be designated to perform such 
sendees. . . „ . 

The fact that the contract, in addition to requiring the services of a 
25% stockholder who is designated, requires the performance of im¬ 
portant and essential services by other persons is immaterial and all 
amounts received under such contract constitute personal holding com¬ 
pany income; ' . ■ , 

Example: A, whose profession is that of an actor, owns all of the 
outstanding capital stock hi the M. Corporation. The M. Corp. entered 
into a contract with A under which A was to perform personal services 
for the person or persons whom the M. Corp. might designate, in con¬ 
sideration of which A was to receive $10,000 a year from the M. Corp. 
The M. Corp/entered into a contract with the O. Corp. in which A 
was designated to perform personal services for the O. Corp. in con¬ 
sideration of which the O. Corp. was to pay M. Corp. $500,000 a year. 
These $500,000 constitute personal holding company income. 

Section 541. imposition of personal holding company-tax: In addi¬ 
tion to other taxes imposed by this chapter there is hereby imposed 
for each taxable year on the undistributed personal company income of 
every personal holding'company, a'personal holding company tax equal 
to the sum of 

1. 75% of the undistributed personal holding company income 

not in excess of $2,000 

2. 85% of the undistributed personal holding company income 

in excess of $2,000. 

Corporations classified as personal holding companies are exempt 
from the accumulated earnings tax imposed under Section 531, but 
are not exempt from other income taxes imposed on other corporations. 
Unlike the accumulated earnings tax imposed under Sec. 531, the per¬ 
sonal holding company tax imposed by Sec. 541 applies to all personal 
holding companies as defined in Sec. 542, whether or not they were 
formed or availed of to avoid income tax on share holders. 

A personal holding company is: * 

(1) At least 80% of its gross income for the year is personal holding 
company income. 

(2) At least 50% of the outstanding stock is owned by no more than 

five persons. . > 

Exception: if the company was created before July 1,1950 and if 
after that it owned all the common stock or 80% of all other stock. 

This is a proposed rule making. Opinions in writing invited in 30 
days following Nov. 15, which was filing date. 


tions. All the networks are in an 
uproar because of their innumera¬ 
ble partnership deals with talent 
within the frame of incorporation. 

Talent agents have their own 
cause for jitters at the prospect of 
the Treasury, under the proposed 
ruling, which is retroactive to 
1954, saying, "Chum, you figured 
wrong, you owe two million bucks 
in back taxes. Pay up or we’ll 
graph your swimming pool and 
Cadillac.” William Morris, Gen¬ 
eral Amusement and Music Corp. 
of America will formally protest. 

Because of the volume of com¬ 
plaint it’s now thought the Trea¬ 
sury will back-date the Jan. 15 
"hearings.” It is also probable 
that the whole issue will be 
brought before Congress on the 
reasoning—to quote angry voices 
hereabouts — “a handfull of un¬ 
known tax collectors can destroy 
the foundations of presentday 
show business by simply giving 
notice of new ground rules.” 

Gloom pervades in the industry 
since it is doubted that with the 
political cards already dealt, there 
will be any backing down in Wash¬ 
ington. 


‘You May Not Be Hung* 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

“There’s many a slip ‘twixt cup 
and lip” in the Treasury’s proposed 
ruling to wipe out personal service 
corporations, an Internal Revenue 
Service spokesman admitted yes¬ 
terday (10). 

First, it was pointed out to 
Variety, a request for a hearing 
automatically postpones the effec¬ 
tive date (Dec. 15) until all protest¬ 
ing parties have an opportunity to 
go before Internal Revenue with 
their complaints. 

Second, there is always a pos- 


issue will be battled up to the U.S. 
Supreme Court, a matter which 
might take several years.. 

The revenue ruling was made 
retroactive, it was explained, to 
the operative date of'the 1954 tax 
code because, Revenue claims, it 
has taken all this time to decide 
just what Congress intended. 
Treasury means to collect every¬ 
thing coming to it. 

Revenue spokesman points out 
that any personal service corpora¬ 
tions, even though not in show biz, 
would be affected by the ruling. 


13 FROM WARWICK 


London-Based Productions Release 
Via Columbia 


Warwick Film Productions, indie 
outfit aligned with Columbia, has 
set a schedule of 13 features to be 
made in 1957 and 1958. Outfit, 
which is based in London,-is spend¬ 
ing on an average of $1,500,000 for 
the films. 

. Warwick, headed by Irving Allen 
and A. R. (Cubby) Broccoli (they 
formed it a little less than five 
years ago), has three productions 
completed and awaiting release by 
Col. Going out in January is “Za- 
rak,” which stars Victor Mature, 
Anita Ekberg and Michael Wild¬ 
ing; set for April release is “The 
Most Wanted Woman,” with Ma¬ 
ture, Miss Ekberg and Trevor 
Howard, and slated for early' sum¬ 
mer is “Fire Down Below,” with 
Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum 
and Jack Lemmon. 


Tax Disaster 

^ Continued from page l SSSSS 
nary personal income of the indi¬ 
vidual involved. Wording of the 
proposed'change in the regulations 
! would seriously affect the biggest 
| star independents, like John 
| Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Danny 
Kaye in the feature film field, to 
Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, George 
Gobel, Bob Hope and others whose. 
[firms* produce ov package the en- 
| tertainment in which they appear. 

Key to the change is ‘personal 
service.” The proposed changes 
specify that where contracts specify 
the personal services of an indi¬ 
vidual who is a member of a cor¬ 
poration, the firm's income is sub¬ 
ject to the personal holding corpo¬ 
ration tax schedule -rather than 
straight corporate taxes. Latter 
rate is a maximum of 52%. Per¬ 
sonal 1 holding corporation, how¬ 
ever, can be taxed 75% on the 
first $2,000 and 8% of everything 
over that figure. 

As an example of the extent of 
the change, there has been a grow¬ 
ing trend toward star-corporations, 
particularly in tv where the per¬ 
sonality owns the corporation which 
produces his show. In general, the 
star works in the show at a re¬ 
duced salary, the difference be¬ 
tween what he actually takes out 
and his usual asking price being 
left in the firm for. a buildup of 
corporate assets, and subject to the 
52% maximum tax rate. Now, this 
money would be taxed on the hold¬ 
ing company rate, giving the star 
only a trifling benefit over the pat¬ 
tern of 92% tax on ordinary in¬ 
come. 

Gloom Develops 

Tax experts have been notified 
that the regulation becomes effec¬ 
tive Dec. 15 unless there are ob¬ 
jections. It’s‘anticipated there will 
be serious objections and one group 
of Manhattan attorneys is under¬ 
stood to be planning to see Inter¬ 
nal Revenue officials in Washing¬ 
ton pronto. However, tax men. 
pointed out last night that in the 
past,, the announcement of pro¬ 
posed regulations has been the 
forerunner of actual implementa¬ 
tion, despite objections—and there, 
seems little likelihood that the 
proposed changes can be averted. 

It was recalled that when tax 
officials announced that collapsible 
corporations wouldn’t be allowed, 
the regulation went through and 
the owners of such firms were left 
to battle it out in court. Such 
action, of course, is liable to take 
as long as five years for determina¬ 
tion. 

Changes are discriminatory 
against showfolk, it was pointed 
out, since only showbiz corpora¬ 
tions now come within the limits 
of the activity which the Internal 
Revenue department seeks to pro¬ 
scribe. Tax men say measure is 
bad enough in what it does to 
future earnings but is particularly 
I severe in its retroactivity aspects 
since it means that a star who 
formed a corporation two years 
I ago in belief he was observing regu¬ 
lations, now faces a staggering tax 
rap by virtue' of having the cor¬ 
poration’s entire.profits re-assigned 
under the holding corporation tax 
rate. 

As a sidelight to the crippling 
-proposal, it was understood that 
the change would extend even to 
non showbiz activities of the star 
corporations. A firm, for example, 
might derive a certain amount of 
revenue from the rental of real es¬ 
tate but this income would also be 
subject to the new tax unless it 
was more than 50% of the dom- 
■ pany’s total income and despite the 
fact that in this particular aspect, 
“personal services” are not in¬ 
volved. 

Sweeping effect of the regulation 
upon all of showbiz is a major con¬ 
cern of film and television attor¬ 
neys and tax men.. It was pointed 
out that the regulation could* con¬ 
ceivably, have the effect of se¬ 
verely limiting production and em¬ 
ployment. Approximately 50% of 
motion picture product in the last 
two years have come from inde¬ 
pendent corporations which would 
fall under the new regulations— 
and the bulk of tv shows, particu¬ 
larly film, are in this category. i 


I New York Sound Track 

A film producer told us: The world is in such a state o.f turmoil, 

even the juture isn't the same anymore. 

.....Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox ad-pub v.p., Coasting Friday (14) to loin 
the 20th brass at studio huddles on the 1957 production sked . . . Prints 
of some of the pix Bernard Krelsler offered to Iron Curtain countries 
were there for Red inspection long before he even arrived. They were 
the films controlled by Moulin Productions and they were sent as part 
of a projeted deal. Now Kreisler is supposed to be sending them back- 
there again. Who’s confused? . . . Elizabeth Marton has joined the 
newly-established literary department of the Peter Witt Associates 
theatrical agency. She’ll rep several European authors and also con¬ 
cern herself with the placement of U.S. scripts abroad . . . Festival of 
films on art skedded at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art April 
26 through 28. It’s made possible via a grant from the Rockefeller 
Foundation to the American-Federation of Arts. Films made between 
1953 and 1957 are eligible. 

Warner Bros, has taken a longterm lease on some 100,000 square 
Jeet. ofjiffiee. space Jp.th.e.^ew..fi8.-j5imy.jaffice. Indlding-jm^Eifth. Ave, 
now under construction by Tishman. This means the entire seventh 
floor plus a major portion of the sixth floor should move in by the end 
of 1957. * 

Present Warner building on West 44th St. has been sold. Only the 
WB shipping department will remain in its present west-side quarters. 

One of the features of the new quarters will be a duplex projection 
room seating more than 100 and incorporating a cocktail lounge. It’ll 
also have facilities for closed circuit tv. 

Gene Kelly, Maurice Chevalier, and Billy Wilder discussing the pro¬ 
duction of a musical to be filmed in Paris . . . F. Hugh Herbert and 
Mark Robson to London to complete the editing and scoring on “The 
Little Hut ... Metro homeoffice secretary Lenore Horenstein engaged 
to Paul Slade of Paris Match magazine. ... 

National Film Board of Canada recently had a crew in Bolivia, mak¬ 
ing two 60-min. films for Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s weekly “Per¬ 
spective.” They’re “Man of< America” and "Chair of Gold,” story of 
UN’s technical assistance program there. Writer-director was Tom 
Farley; photographer John Foster; commentator Jack Scott, Vancouver 
Sun columnist. 

Col. Dean E. Hess’s hometown. Marietta, Ohio, gets the world pre¬ 
miere of Universal’s "Battle Hymn” Feb. 14 . . . Universal’s casting di¬ 
rector Jack Bauer eyeing the Gotham talent parade .., The Loewdown, 
said to be the only daily house organ “in the world”, by Loew’s The¬ 
atres Ernie Emerling, published Its T,000th issue last week . . . Opening 
of the Metro-Astra Theatre in Milan last week gives Loew’s Interna¬ 
tional a world-wide chain of 55 hardtops and drive-ins. Arthur M. 
Locw was” on hand for the opening ceremonies . ; , A1 ("The Great 
Man”) Morgan in town to plug the screen version of his novel . . . Ex- 
hibs and newspapermen will soon be receiving direct from Tokyo a 
1957 “Teahouse” calendar to remind them "of the August Moon” . . „ 
Stanley Wamer-Cinerama execs Harry M. Kalmine and Bernard G. 
Kranze in Miami Beach for last week’s opening of the three-strip proo» 
ess at the Roosevelt Theatre . . . Incidentally, Cinerama has closed a 
deal with the 8,500 Greyhound bus terminals to serve as boxoffices for 
the 21 Cinerama theatres in the U. S. . . . Seymour Mayer back from 
a one-month survey of Loew’s offices in the Far East . . . Rodgers & 
Hammerstein Pictures has signed Rosanno Brazzi to play Emile de 
Bacque in the film version of "South Pacific” . . . Charles Sinclair, of 
Rogers & Cowan, finds himself in the unique position of publicizing his 
own picture. Dragon Films, a R&C client, acquired the rights to a 
screenplay which Sinclair and David Osborn CQ-authored. 

B.O. slump, particularly in New. York, ,has hit the film biz. It's at¬ 
tributed to the traditionally slack pre-Christmas season plus the added 
•impact of feature-loaded tv. 

Last week marked the 28th wedding anni for the William (Metro) 
Omsteins . . . “Wee Geordie,” George K. Arthur’s click art circuit en¬ 
try, has been taken on for national distribution by Times Films ♦ . . 
Herbert J. Yates states that Republic intends to resume theatrical pro¬ 
duction in January. Company has closed some domestic branches but 
no other shutterings are planned. 

Michael Mindlin, publicity topper for Joseph L. Manklewkz’s Figaro 
Productions, has left for Tokyo and other points in the Far East prior 
to going to Saigon, Indochina, for the filming there of “The Quiet, 
American” on which he’ll do unit publicity work. Pic rolls in Janu¬ 
ary . .. Alfred Bauer, director of the International Filin Fest in Berlin,' 
in Mexico City to participate in the 25th anni of the Mex sound film 
there . . . Jack L. Warner in this week for the “Baby Doll” launching 
... 20th-Fox’s Glenn Norris off -for Kansas City and Denver before 
joining the 20th brass on the Coast on 1957 policy and production 
huddles . . . International Federation of .Film Producers Assns. has 
nixed three fests for next year—Cork (Ireland), Locarno (Switzerland) 
and Karlovy-Vary (Czechoslovakia). Federation turndown merely 
means, there’ll be no “official” participation by its members. 



EYELASH-CLOSE CHICAGO 


Amustment Tax Collection 
Remarkably Near, ’56 To ’55 


Chicago, Dec. 11. 

Municipal amusement taxes from 
Chicago film houses totaled $94,663 
for November. Corresponding fig¬ 
ure for November 1955 was $94,028. 
The 11-month cumulative total for 
this year reached $1,032,711 against 
$1,097,022 for the first 11 months 
last year. 

Total city amusement taxes in 
November amounted to $166,662 
compared to $164,207 for Novem¬ 
ber ’55. Eleven month amusement 
tax totals for 1956 reached $1,738,- 
720, approaching the $1,786,741 
comparable figure for 1955. 


L. A. to N. Y. 

Jack Benny 
Olin H. Clark 
Linda Darnell 
Andre De Toth 
Howard Dietz 
Charles K. Feldman 
William Holden 
Kay Kendall 
Phyllis Kirk 
Anatole Litvak 
Groucho Marx 
Jack Palance 
Sidney Phillips 
Jo Stafford 
Joseph R. Vogel 


Europe to N. Y. 

Julian T. Abeles 
Richard Buckley 
Norman Granz 
Lionel Hampton 
Rosemary Harris 
Robert F. Hawkins 
Rita Hayworth 
Scott McKay ,< 

Mickey Scopp 
Marc Spiegel 
Arthur Tracy 

N. Y. to L. A- 

Joan Caulfield 
John Cameron 
Eddie Choate 
Richard Eastman* r - * 
Charles Einfeld 
Harry E. Gould 
Alex Harrison 
Spike'Jones 
Gene Kelly 
Emmet Lavery 
Francoise Rosay 
Murray Silverstone 

N. Y. to Europe 

William Archibald 
Louis Armstrong 
George Banyai 
Beau Bergersen 
Bill Butler 
Joe Glaser 
Ray/Harrison 
F. Hugh Herbert 
William Douglas Home 
'Thomas Noyes 
Polly Porter 
Mark Robson 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 

Eady Food Melon Sh rinking 

[AND BRITISH ARE, WORRIED] 

London, Dec. 11. 

The declining returns of the Eady Pool, revealed in the sixth 
annual report of the British Film Production Fund, emphasize the 
concern currently being felt by British producers. Their bonus has 
been cut from a pe^k of 44%, in the year ended August 1952, to an 
approximate 33% for the last financial year. 

Apart from the first year of the scheme, when it operated on a 
very moderate scale, the fund income has consistently been well 
behind the 1951-2 record of $8,321,350. It dropped the following 
year to $7,651,630, showed a slight improvement in 1953-4 at 
$7,706,800, but dropped in the succeeding years to the 1955-6 total 
of $7,174,340. 

With the drop, there has necessarily been a cut in* the percent¬ 
age distribution to British film makers. In 1952-3 the share-out 
was reduced to 36.17% and the following year showed a further de¬ 
cline at 34.25%. The downward trend was again in evidence dur¬ 
ing the fifth financial year, when the share-out was limited to 
32.27%, 

-■■-A breakdown of the distributioft-of the^Eady-coin among British- 
film makers has already been published, but the current report 
reveals that one particular film (un-named) received an Eady share 
in excess of $300,000. The smallest amount paid to any individual 
pic was below $3. 

The British Film Production Fund is now in its final year as a 
voluntary industry effort. The Government will be introducing 
legislation in the immediate future to put the scheme on a statutory 
level. 


Metro To Build Stars—Again 


Revised Story Buys Policy Formulating — Loew 
Echelon Sanguine Despite Wall St. Snipers 

r 4.-;-1- 



As part of Its effort to regain its 
position of prominence, Metro will 
launch a star-building program. 
This was one of the decisions 
reached at the Coast conference 
last week between nrexy Joseph It. 
Vogel and Ben Thau, the new 
studio administrative chief. 

At one time- “the studio of the 
stars," with the most impressive 
roster of name talent, M-G during 
the past few years has seen the 
almost complete depletion of its 
valuable stable. As conditions in 
the industry changed and participa¬ 
tion deals became the order of the 
day and fewer pictures went 
through the production mill, 
Metro dropped its/gilt-edge players 
one by one until barely a handful 
remained under studio jurisdiction. 

Metro is also reappraising its 
story properties and setting a 
policy for future acquisitions. The 
recent Coast conclave was attended 
by Olin Clark, eastern story chief, 
and Sidney Phillips, head of the 
company’s play department. They 
were summoned to the / Coast to 
confer with studio story topper 
Kenneth MacKenna bn what type 
of properties to be on the lookout 
for in the future to conform with 
the studio's Dore Schary-less pro¬ 
duction program. 

Despite the sniping of Wall St. 
groups and dissident stockholders, 
there appears to be a feeling of 
optimism among Loew's manage¬ 
ment team. Vbgel and pub-ad chief 
Howard Dietz recently returned 
from the Coast and are reported 
to be enthusiastic about the upcom- 
(Continued on page 71) 


Meyer Hatner 
SncceedsGolob 

Meyer M. Hutner last week was 
named national publicity manager 
for Warner Bros., replacing the 
late Larry Golob. Hutner joined 
WB only recently to serve as the 
liaison with the indie producers, 
n Charles S. Steinberg has been 
advanced to the post of homeoffice 
publicity,manager, a job in which 
he will take on many of Golob's 
functions. Steinberg worked close¬ 
ly with Gblob for many years in 
the past. 

In disclosing the changes, Rob¬ 
ert Taplinger, WB ad-pub v.p., said 
the liaison post would be filled 
soon. 

Hutner was ad-pub chief for 
Samuel Goldwyn Productions in 
N.Y. before joining Warners. Be¬ 
fore that, he was associate public¬ 
ity head at 20th-Fox. 


U Drives for Daff 

Universal’s overseas sales drive, 
an 18-week stanza extending from 
Dec. 30 to May 4, will be* dedi¬ 
cated to Alfred E. Daff, president 
of the foreign subsidiary. 

Forty U branches will join in the 
campaign. 


C. H. Tarbox Sues Roach 
For Distrib Impediment; 



Los Angeles, Dec. 11. 

A $1,000,000 countersuit was filed 
in Federal Court here by Charles 
H. Tarbox, one of the defendants 
in the $500,000 piracy and mutila¬ 
tion action filed by Hal Roach 
Studio and Onyx Pictures over re¬ 
lease of some 600 old Roach two- 
reelers. Suit filed by Tarbox con¬ 
tends Roach and Onyx do not now 
hold copyrights on the films and 
that they interfered with his dis¬ 
tribution of the shorts, which he 
had purchased. 

Tarbox is asking $500,000 for an 
alleged conspiracy to deprive him 
of his property rights and another 
$500,000 for alleged false state¬ 
ments issued by Roach and Onyx, 
independent of their litigation, 
which purportedly harmed his 
business. 

Tarbox, a member of the New 
York bar, is his Own attorney. 


‘War & Peace’Results 
- May Ease Lingo Rule I 
On Foreign Co-Prod.! 

• Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Foreign producers see a chance 
of easing current dual language 
restrictions as a result of the box- 
office success of “War and Peace," 
director King Vidor reported at a 
session of the UCLA, Motion Pic¬ 
ture Division. Film was made by 
an Italian company": but only •’ in- 
English, a somewhat unprecedent¬ 
ed project, 

Vidor said the international re¬ 
turns on the film are being used 
by French and German producers 
particularly as aTguments for 
abolition of the requirements that 
a producer planning an English 
language film must also make a 
dual version in French or German. 
Vidor said European governments 
already are re-examining their 
regulations and “the entire struc¬ 
ture of co-production deals may be 
changed." % 


Allied Artists Britain 
Biz 25% Ahead of ’55 

London, Dec. 11. 

Allied Artists has had a record 
year in the British market, with 
gross more than 25% better than 
the previous year. The upward 
trend is a reflection of the general 
improvement in its overseas busi¬ 
ness although the increase has not 
been the same in other territories. 

Norton Ritchey, the company’s 
foreign veepee, revealed this prior 
to leaving for the Continent. He 
plans to be back in the U.S. by the 
Christmas holidays. 

He said, AA was continuing its 
policy of producing away from Hol¬ 
lywood when the subject demand¬ 
ed. Company had just completed 
a British co-production, “Jeahnie," 
with Vera-Ellen and Tony Martin 
co-starred. Company also was in¬ 
volved in a co-production with AB- 
Pathe and United Artists in France 
of “Love in the Afternoon, with 
Audrey Heyburn, Maurice Cheva¬ 
lier and Gary Cooper. 


Stuart Schulberg 

does some 

T raveling 
The Memory Trail 

wish reminiscences of hh 10 years 
abroad on the European film 
production fronts 

O * * * 

another bright editorial feature 
_in. the. upcoming 

Slst Anniversary Number 
of 

ISfiniETY 

Bob Ryan Estimates Star 
Must ‘Budget Six Weeks’ 
To Exploit His Release 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

The star today must plan at least 
six weeks’ extra time for plugging 
his own picture, according to Rob¬ 
ert Ryan, who in January takes to 
the road to bally Security’s “Men 
in War," in which he holds a finan¬ 
cial interest. 

As the latest actor to undertake 
this form of personal selling, Ryan 
is just back from N.Y., where he 
confabbed at length with Roger 
Lewis, Al Tamarin and other pub- 
ad-exploitation, heads of United 
Artiste, which will release picture, 
on the concept to be followed in 
campaign. 

It was driven home to him, he 
says, that films to squeeze the ulti¬ 
mate from their possibilities must 
be sold on a regional level. Each 
important key city should have its 
own separate campaign, carefully 
devised, and this is the formula 
which he and UA will follow on 
“Men," Ryan notes. 

So that there will be no “over- 
exposure" on television—a fault 
which has become particularly evi¬ 
dent lately in the case of many 
players making bally tours, Ryan 
feels—he will make no more than 
three TV appearances in any city, 
he points out. 

During his discussions in N.Y. 
he found there is an increasing 
interest in the use of radio as a 
(Continued on page 18) 


The moves made so far by prexy 
Joseph R. Vogel to revitalize 
Loew’s-Metro are not being greet¬ 
ed with enthusiasm by Wall Street 
groups and dissident stockholders. 
At best, Vogel's attempt to “clean 
house" and to regain the company’s 
blue chip statin is regarded as a 
“courageous effort." 3ome dissi¬ 
dents refuse to concede even that 
much, maintaining that all that Vo¬ 
gel has done is to rea’ign the com¬ 
pany’s “old guard.” 

Despite the Irek of enthusiasm 
for Vogel’s accomplishments since 
he assumed the top post, there ,is 
an - excellent * c Tanee that Loew’s 
might be able to weather the storm 
of criticism without being- sub¬ 
jected to a proxy fl rt .it. This seem¬ 
ingly paradoxical situation, in light 
of the strong opposition to the 
company’s poi? : cz, is due to the 
fact that there are so many differ¬ 
ent groups cha T len^ ng the present 
management. Tach group appears 
to be going off in a d 5 fferent direc¬ 
tion, Although be!rnd-the-scenes 
efforts are be’ng made to combine 
some of these grouns, little prog¬ 
ress has been made to date. 

According to Saul E, Rogers, an 
attorney represent ng one Wall SL 
group and one o* he most out¬ 
spoken critics of the Loew’s man¬ 
agement, “everybody's jumping on 
the bandwagon, but there is no 
united effort." Foyers is allied with 
Judge Louis Golds + e ? n’s Lowen- 
stein Foundation, another anti¬ 
management group, and between 
them both factions control some 
400,000 shares. 

Rogers is the first to admit that 
his group is w'rk’ng to combine 
the dissident fac-’ons , so that a 
united attack cm be made against 
(Continued on page 71^ 



Washington, Dec. 11. 

Dore Schary, who recently exited 
as studio boss of-Metro, still owns 
44,000 Shares of Loew’s common 
stock, according to latest monthly 
report of the Securities and . Ex¬ 
change' Commission on “insider" 
transactions. Schary sold 6,000 
shares of Loew stock during the 
month. Benjamin Thau, who suc¬ 
ceeded Schary in the number one 
spot at the studio, sold 2,650 shares, 
reducing his holdings to 19,400 
shares. 

Albert Warner sold 1,000 shares 
of WB common' to reduce his hold¬ 
ings to 11,000 shares, plus 12,000 
shares in a trust account. Jack L. 
Warner sold 500 shares, leaving 
him vith 147,499 shares, plus 1,400 
in trust. 

Y. Frank Freeman acquired 300 
shares of Paramount Pictures com¬ 
mon to build up his holdings to 
4,700 shares. 

Frank H. Ricketson Jr. is listed 
as having acquired 2,000 shares of 
National Theatres common in June, 
1955, to increase his holdings to 
20,042 shares. ^ . 

Harold J. Mirisch disposed of 
1,000 shares of Allied Artists com¬ 
mon from his Kenilworth Invest¬ 
ment Co., leaving him with 21,000 
shares in Kenilworth and 12,000 
in his own name. 

Harry Brandt acquired 1,900 
shares of Trans Lux common for 
the G. Brandt and H. Brandt 
Foundations which now hold 13,450 
shares. Brandt holds 129>815 shares 
in his own name and his wife 
holds 17,700 shares. 

George B. Storer disposed of 
185,360 shares of Storer Broadcast¬ 
ing Co. common tQ reduce his hold¬ 
ings to 1,092,890 shares plus 207,- 
750 shares in trusts. Company at¬ 
torney John E. McCoy acquired 200 
shares to build up his holdings to 
6,000 shares. * 


Balaban & Wallerstein’s 
‘St. Christopher’ Indie 

Chicago, Dec. 11. 

Frederic M. Frank has been 
signed to write original screen play 
for a t. ChriSstopher biopic which 
will be produced by Balaban & 
Katz Corp. under supervision of 
B&K prexy John Balaban and exec 
veepee David B. Wallerstein. 

Picture is scheduled for produc¬ 
tion in spring of '57. 


OUT SOON! 

The 

51st Anniversary Number 

Of 



Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 

NEW YORK 36 HOLLYWOOD 28 CHICAGO 11 LONDON, W, C. 2 

154 W. 46th St, 6404 Sunset Dlvd, 612 N. Michigan Ave. 8 St. Martin's Place 

Trafalgar Square * 





FILM REVIEWS 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


The Rainmaker Ranee With Me Henry with “You Can't Catch Wfe” Frank- The Cruel Tower 

(COLOR—V’YiSION) ie Lymon and The Teenagers get 1 

—- - Abbott anA Costello return to w n ° Steeplejack yam with enough 

Burt Lancaster and Katharine screen in okay programmer. Sfio S 'nai?nn«iSS »» SiSt « a .n« U JS chills to exploit for okay recep- 

Hepburn in expert adaptation - ‘ J2?® 2? tion in program market. 

of the N. Richard Nash play; Hollywood, Dec. 11. ?£ £«, -—— 

strong boxoffice prospects. United Artists release of a Bob Gold* be Connie Francis, who docs the Hollywood. Dec. 11. 

-- Coi?el]^ 0d FeatMeB St Sffl B Perreau 0tt Rusty r ' x en VOealling for” Tuesday Allied Artists release of a Llndsley Par- 

Paramount release of Hal Wallis pro-' S?-fjSJo,^Features Glgl Perreau, Rusty Weld, teenager lead m the medio- sons production. Stars-John Ericson, Mari 
^ Katharine Hamer. Mary, wicks, Ted De Corsia. Ron Onk.t.u Blanchard. Charles McGraw: costars Steve 


Abbott and. Costello return to 
screen in okay programmer. 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 


in some okay licks with two num¬ 
bers, including I’m Not a Juve¬ 
nile Delinquent.” Talent runs out 
of class after that, except for„ may- 


United Artists 0 reKa2°ol a Boh Gold* be Connie Francis, who does the Hollywood, Dec. 11. paypf/in^ll^iituat 

Cos?el]^ 0d FeatMes St Sffl B Perreau 0tt Rusty + en yoealling . Tuesday Allied Artists release of a Llndsley Par- ______ 

£?*^h 0 . Features Glgl H«reau, Rusty Weld, teenager lead in the medio- sons production. Stars John Ericson. Mari _ 


Th© Cruel Tower 

Steeplejack yam with enough 
chills to exploit for okay recep¬ 
tion in program market. 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 


Bundle ol Joy 

(SO NGS—C OLOR) 

Topnotch comedy with team¬ 
ing of Eddie Fisher and Deb¬ 
bie Reynolds to assure hefty 
payoff in all situations, 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 


Screenplay, N. Richard Nash, adapted 
from his play; camera (Technicolor), 


priTrt'hnmmT Wallace Ford. Yvonne sxory ’ vvxuiam noziemco, i*esuie.ivaruw Coe. , Bel Wright. Directed by Lew Landers. Reynolds; with Adplphe Menjou, Tommy 

Subotaky also can take the rap ftTfr'^wSi^B^tKy^eS 

music Al« North Previewed at Loewis Bud Flick .. Bud Abbott snaring UUS W1U1 Max J, KOSen- 58 Running time,-79 MINS. Scott Douglas, David and Donald Gray. 

? 2 d StreetTheatre, NY7Dec. 6, *56. Shelley . Gigi l»erreau berg, and the musical direction. Tom . John Ericson Directed by Norman Taurog. Screenplay, 

Running time, 121* MINS. Duffer .. Rusty Sound recording is unusually bad, Mary Thompson.. Marl Blanchard Norman krasna. Robert Carson, Arthur 

Running time, izi Miss Mayberry ..-.Mary Wickes ^arit i th* nilmherc hpinu Stretch . Charles McGraw Sheekman; story, Felix Jackson; camera 

Starbuck .Burt Lancaster Big Frank . Ted De Corsia niany 01 tne numners being COm-r Casey .... Steve Brodie (Technicolor), William Snyder; editor, 

Lizzie Curry.Katharine Hepburn Ernie,. Ron Hargrave pletely out of Sync With the actor Joss ... Peter 'Whitney Harry. Marker; songs. MackGordon. Josef 

File ....-S^ ey Bootsie .. Sherry Alberoni option Thoro’q even a nhonv an- Rocky ... Alan Hale Myrow. Previewed Dec. 6, ’36. Running 

Noah Curry.Lloyd Bridges Father Mullahy. Frank Wilcox action, inere s even a pnony ap mt . Diana Darrin time. 100 Ml nI7 

Jim Curry .. ..Earl HoUiman Mushie ..;... Richard Reeves plause track thrown in, ala many Waitress .. Carol Kelly _ m^ „ 

H. C. Curry.Cameron Prud’homme Du t c h... Paul Sorenson tv shows. Rev. Claver ....Barbara Bel Wright p®, 1 ? '.*' Vil hm? 

Shoriff Thnma<!.Wallace Ford Prnotni* .. ..Robert Shavne • .< roily Parrish..Debbie Reynolds 

ISookie T .V........... Yvonne Lime Knucks . . . . . . . . - John?,Cliff There’S not much Will Price’s - ‘ j. B. Merlin.. Adolphe Menjou 

Belinda .. Dottle Bee Baker Muckey .-... PhU Garris direction . COUld make of the Story This steeplejack yam gets in its £ r a e J* dic MUler .'.....Tommy Noonan 

Sheriff .777.7.7.7.7.7.7 Michael Bachus Garvey .7.7.7.7.*.*.*,7.7.7.. Eddie Marr or talent in telling a plot about a share Of chills—particularly for the Mrs. Dugan.'.’ .'.V.V.V.V.’.V ’7 Una Merkel 

^ a f^n wh ? n w ^ s / 0 t . ge ^ s a- acrophobe-minded-to rate good 

Townsman . Joe Brown mu_i r «. pr pen ann^arance in kinds of agonies to raise the neces- where it may be handily exploited. Matron .. • Mary Trecn 

Phil Mackey ....^.Ken Becker sary coin lnterspcrsed are theas- Characters are believable, direction SfkTc^n^ 

_ „ . : XT ... , . more tnan nnonms ana miuaier sorted acts introduced by Alan 0 ^ 4 Hnfr tallt anH irtpa f- wp i. Bin Rand .....Scott Douglas 

The N. Richard Nash play, which since bowing out of Universal last Freed, who’s starred with his or- and edltin S taut and idea » well .- ; — 

wav 1 hts P bem m fa I Shloned toto^a"y ear . Bud-Abbott and Lou Costello chestra for no discernible reason developed as a fast-paced mein- RK0 , s teamIng o£ Eddle risher 

solid screen entertainment. With are back with famlliarciowningin eastern spo1s!°Band Lindsley Parsons fashions his , D f bW *. j l ® ni) . , ? s has bee “ 

Burt Lancaster turning m perhaps this Bob Goldstein indie. Carrying fronts can’t even play good r&r. production around a compact cast slickly handled in this musical re- 
his most colorful performance as more story line than in most past Some of the turns are so incredi- from whom director Lew Landers make of Ginger .Rogers’ 1939 hit, 

the^ ingratiating con man, and «_ c entries film generally is 'bly bad there is even a Presley- draws interesting performances. “Bachelor Mother” Teehhirninr 

Katharine Hepburn offering a free- qu i c k_t empoe d and spotted with aping, guitar-playing, sideburned Conflict is generated between . 

wheeling interpretation of a spin- enoU gh laughs to satisfy comic’s country singer named Johnny Charles McGraw, boss of an itin- ty f e 

c ^ er + 1 *- sea r ch of rama B ce » the followers particularly moppets, in Burnette. Miss Weld, Teddy Ran- erant crew of steeplejacks, and Yfi55 e ? lt ^k ic b PJJ and should 
adaptation is a click show all ., program market. dazzo, Jacqueline Kerr, Fran Man- John Ericson, whom McGraw picks socko grosses-in all situa- 

around. Its doubtless destined to _ j _fred and others in the storv Dor- un after vounffer man is thrown tions. 


adaptation is a click snow all .. program market. dazzo, Jacqueline Kerr, Fran Man- John Ericson, whom McGraw picks i, up S0CK0 grosses-in all situa- 

around. Its doubtless destined to p n _ vprv Freeman scrint cen- fr ed and others in the story por- up after younger man is thrown tlop f* .. * 

take m tall money. The Deve y of Kiddv- tton have a long way to go. off a freight train, over the affec- Through the skillful comedy 

Nash’s own screenplay stays £ mooDet carnivaland prone Lensing, editing and other tech- tions of Mari Blanchard, blonde knowledge of Norman Taurog, 

close to the original, establishing vs C hmnan’ and other- nical credits are low grade charmer whom both want to marry, whose direction never misses a 

the title character right at the ^° is a e d % n f ay f’ ft2“ isAbbott, g Rro^ Thrills are Inserted in the War- JeJ. ^Edmund Grainger produc- 

etart and then moving into the “ uhT- rnsl _ ren Douglas scriDt via the dailv tlon ^ emerges a clever piece of 

story of how the smooth-talking This sit- ITm fandamiaA A liffAi*# work on toD of a tower and a sky- showmanship with Fisher warbling 

fraud pretends to-bring rain to a wifi U A 3#i0 ” Teaching ch?mney CUmaS is relcL fiva numbers and dueting with his 

drought-stricken ranch area. It’s rostell^bel S’Est Eehappe d wh2n McS faiKff a scaf- wife in another. Some of the songs 

humorously and imaginatively T^nsDect^murder of the (A Condemned Man Escaped) folding atop the chimney as ne by Mack Gordon and Josef Myrow 

done against unusually effective a A*?ft«™Av ^nrf^hifl involve- (FRENCH) atlemDts to^ settle his differences ?f e °* bit_ calibre, particularly "I 


humorousb^and 1 * imaginatively S&on. which include Costello be- 
done against unusually effective Sr?5t VtS™ fnd'bS'Tnvolve- 


District Attorney and his involve¬ 
ment with gangsters. Charles Bar- 


Lensing, editing and other tech- tions of Mari Blanchard, blonde knowledge of Norman Taurog, 
cal credits are low grade. charmer whom both want to marry, whose direction never misses a 

Brogi Thrills are Inserted in the War- bet, the Edmund Grainger produc- 

■ - ren Douglas script via the daily tion^ emerges a clever piece of 

Urn Condamne A Mort work on top of a tower and a sky- ^vvmanship with Risher warbling 

Rohanno reaching chimney. Climax is reach- and with his 

j * .. ed when McGraw falls off a scaf- S?, f ?/r in j? 1 S th 5 r ' ^ome of the songs 

(A Condemned Man Escaped) folding aton the chimnev as He by Mack Gordon and Josef Myrow 

(FRENCH) attempts to P settle hT differences {Wrt hl‘ calibre, particularly "I 

—~~n ■ t» a ' with Ericson, who, though fearful JJ®y er K j ^, a uu ® e / or f’ 

. Pans, Dec. 4. 0 * heights has been bullied into sun £ by Fisher and Debbie in for 

^r n L r r» ° h l G EfTi°: becoming a jack couple’s “Lullaby 


Although the unreeling takes tonrwho directed~*m’any”of comics’ 0 i^ heights, has l 

12! minutes, director Joseph An- earliS films, is back again on the d uction. Ducted by Robert SKsSS: becoming a jack. 


-. wvuv *'“ -v a earner nims, is uaun. ugant me auction. Directed by Robert Bresson. 

thony, who called the turns on the 4 0 b his know-how responsible for Screenplay Bresson from a true story by Ericson delivers a solid charac- ■ 15 j e ’ , Homey iitue tning 

*, n SL‘ S * herSWith pai^s -s^oth h °routine P s ”and fast terizS and^McGraw sco" S'Tabyto^le^ FlsKakefl 

making his filni debut, does a re- w i n dup in which a flock of orphans Gaumont-Paiace. Paris, Running time, *0 a rough-and-tumble impersonation favorable imnressinn in riPhnHmfae 

markable job of maintaining pace, help beleaguered duo out of their mins. , T , , of a violent man who intends to ™ rt e “S? b « 

? h 5.^A ay l ? 1 °X? s smoothly and.en- difficulties with baddies. S^ in « . Fra ^°, I ^ e ^" i *5 let nothing or no one bar his.ambi- f n if^ ea ? ct a f c «°J a A ^™ a f,« a high * 

cagifigiy all the way whereas, m c ic t t h eir usual par Priert ..*.•» — . • Roland “onod | B^nchard is a standout tal ^. Cast tp back hi “ up * 

less competent hands, it could ^ PnQtpiin snag- in her role who wants security Debbie as the eager-beaver little 

have become static at several S n g m ?he sympathy 0 as Mr, B?g Hobert Bresson has onl / made after a doubtful past, clinging to sales-girl in the department store 

points. ••Rainmaker" often is |e a rt who c?ntinually is having three films before this, butls con- McGraw as the one who can give ®wned by Fisher and his dad, 

tTo^nd^L^Slt^rove^nt: ? ** “Sf ^ iVldUa J 

Locale is the southwestern town ^ tak e ^^two adopted kids away dl ^ ctoys in ®?rope. His Brodie is smooth, romancing Me- self ^ he foster-mother of an infant 

of Three Point where Lancaster, from him Abbott straights in okay a Countr y Priest and Angels of Graw’s wife in another town on not her own, whom she picks up 

arriving in his outlandish wagon, fashionas his partner 'Gigi Per- Sin” played the U.S. without much the side; aqd Peter Whitney is a on the steps of ^ foundling home, 

sets out to pick up $100 on his reau an d Rusty Hamer are good as success. However, his latest mental case. Alan Hale also is a a ph uYT ?!?5f 

promise of brmgmg‘a vitally-need- Costello’s youngsters, and Mary emerges as an offbeat film that member of a crew in a brief but hfiL eV ff a S 

ed downpour. He comes into con- wickes as welfare worker, Ted De should insure arty house interest, rugged role. hcr S ‘1° 

tact with rancher Cameron Prud- corsia the gangster chief, Ron Its break with film convention, in Technical credits are excellent, hfneen^ 3 ^ 

homme and hisffamily, comprising Hargrave a bopster, Frank Wilcox detailing the escape of a French particularly Ernest Haller’s aerial ir n ° p f 0 ^ pn f p ° n ^,: r , s 1 ?f 1 jy y * comedy 

Miss Hepburn as the daughter, two t he orphanage head and Sherry resistance fighter from .a Gestapo photography and Maurice Wright’s f5hlr<S? e 2i° 

sons, Lloyd • Bridges, who s stern Alberoni a little orphan who holds prison, is done with relentless use fast editing. Whit. i,5l s SOn ’ GOmp ^ ca ^ in ® 

and practical, and Earl Holliman, the key to the murder score in of the mechanics of the getaway - matters further. 

a clumsy, likealble youngster. hefty support. without any recourse to familiar Ulan Beast Scnpt by Norman Krasna, Rob¬ 


in addition to the drought, Technical credits lead off with suspense tactics. This actually 
they’re concerned with finding a George Robinson’s fluid cameras stresses a man’s innate need for 
husband for Miss Hepburn and fig- a nd Robert Golden’s sharp editing, liberty without any shouting. 


ure a likely candidate is Wendell ' Whit.~ Bresson used no professional ac- -- - tw™^ a ,^u^J.i m l,i a<, , van ? 8e 01 

Corey, who plays a sheriff. - tors and made this on the actual . ’ Hollywood Dec 6 &wrt P SS l i. J h? r S 1 ? 11, 

That’s the setup, Lancaster, al- Rock, Rock, Rock! spot where the real incident hap- state, rights release d Jcrr/ Warr.n he is in^Is sineinu'and J)ebhte g )iM 
though he’s obviously a con artist, 9 nuimiD pened to Andre Devigny in 1943. (Associated Producers) production, di- a ad -Debbie has 

is nermitted to live, in Prud’- uhu&ilj p ilm nl ,j P ti v n i P kc un thp hprn on rected by Warren, stars Rock Madison, never been better. Menjou excels 

periniiiea 10 live* 1U - t ' ru M, --— f llm quietly PICKS up tne nero on Virginia Maynor; features Tom Maruzzl, j n a flamhubvant rnlp nnrf th« 

r a “n m magc Ck He^eonvtee^fMiis impressive rock and roiier th^ca/caut baby, ajtaa^yed by tw” ns. Da- 

Hepburn "that she’s pretty, and^ot gjft *" s «“* tag P him leslv®S?ely h 1ieTenand Se hearS^s 

plain as Bridges insists. As mat- Ias * D, °' casn * thrown into a cell. He begins his viewed Dec. 5 . ’56. Running time, *7 tne heartstrings. Tommy Noonan 

ters work out, the neglected Miss TT .. _ __ . _ studv of the situation and makes _ , _ scores as a stock boy ambitious to 

Hepburn finds herseff with two Distriblltor C o? P ° ofZeia^efeasl'of his resolve to escape. He meticu- SSnSSSirirt* V.’.V.’.V vir R g?^SS be ^ me an ass i i sta " t Ao^iker 

suitors, Lancaster and the previ- Max j. Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky (Van- lously takes his door apart and Steve Cameron . Tom Maruz^i Fine support also is offered by 

ously-reluctant Corey. And, of g*“ r ^Aiaii and can soon get into the corridor at Dr EHckson on . ‘’ George Weiis Lewi" Nl , ta Tal , bot ' Debbie’s wisecracking 

course the climax brings a u beaut night. VargT”.!!’.!!!!sales-|irl friend; Robert H. Harris, 

of a thunder storm, for which Lan- ivy schuiman, LaVern Baker, Chuck T ifp in thp rell and stolen talk .*. JackHaffner the floor-walker responsible for 

caster assumes credif. sMSi aro^d'a washlasTn* 1 ^ V.^. Ww “** 

around. PC In 0 s™eHbinding Ms*way Adding H A b hoik is"made tSSU " Man Beast ” shapes okay for the MrivilYe Co^pe?.^^Menjou’ FtM&- 

into the rancher's home and ?"ui„? d su"it®to"1mg s " a subits"rGien a lantern frame and k honed d spoons expl°lt a tlon m a rket. Though some- and Howard McNear, head of the 

AliAnminrf T A 1 lir^l D ° _ A , « a . ...L.i_1-. 1_L1_. J_ * j . * T nimn linff HfimO tUh/l £t£kic MoVihlA 


Man Beast 

Exploitable, but just fair en¬ 
tertainment-wise. 


Rock, Bock, Rock! 

(MUSIC) 

Unimpressive rock and roller 
quickie concocted for some 
fast b.o. cash. 

Hollywood, Dec. 7. 

Distributor Corp. of America release of 


matters further. 

Script by Norman Krasna, Rob¬ 
ert Carson and Arthur Sheekman 
allows broad characterization* 
laugh-studded in their develop^ 
ment and taken full advantage of 
by a well-picked player lineup. 


“V— .—~ A __ “ o„u recugn, auooisicy; songs, auooisity, uien ti liuiLeiii xioiiic anu huhcu bduuiis * /■„_J,•__ ,_■ , * —. —: , 7 . 

charming Miss Hepburn into be- Moore, ai Weisman, Ben Weisman, Aaron sejvyg as tools. Another man’s at- what amateurishly» done, it geh- foundling home who gets Debbie 

itw?nii? he ivr aS 1< K lcs ! Lancas t e t is ner, r johnny Pur&r? < iu"semTaSriSV tempted escape gives him the erates some suspense because of informs Ftsher^nfTbe^hllH^ 01 ' 16 

fj epb “f" ,l oes ,. a kn 0 wledge of the terrain-then he the „ot. so -threatening Abominable ‘ . 


winning job as the spinster dis- l? nd « Chuck Berry. Previewed Dect 5, ’56. 
couraged by the lack of male at- S mng tlme ’ 85 M,NS ‘ _ . w . _ 

tention shown to her but managing EoH’s Songs’ 7.7.7.7.Y.7 'cSlSS^rSSJ 
to make fun Of the Situation. Gloria ... Jacqueline Kerr 

Holliman, a relative newcomer, Arabella’ 7.7.7.7.7.7.7.7.7 FVan S Ma U nSld 
is a funny youngster. Whether Father . jack CoUins 

_ il _ a _ a • Mother CamaI Mada 


TfmL 118 n the t i? wn w? uti ?> + Y y 0I ? ne Mfs^^iiky•Eiean?r ar s 1 way 0 ne 3 
Lime, or awkwardly interfering Mr, Bimbie ..Lester Mack 


Knowieage oi me terrain—men ne the not-so-threatenim? AhaminahiA —7 — * 

Running time 85 mins - - is condemned to death. On the ^ ^ Abomir ; able Additional songs by Fisher in- 

Dori Tuesday Weld eve of his esca P e a b °y is P at in ? of . the Himala y as and tha elude “Worry About Tomorrow, 

Dori's Songs 7.7.7.7.Y.7 'Connie Francis his cell, though suspicious, he takes built-in excitement of mountain J amorr S!' v » All About Love,” 

.. Ja SS" e i*5.® him along. Here, all the planning, climbing. ^Some Day Soon” and ^'Bundle of 

Arabella’ '.*.VV.'.7.'.7.'.*.*.7.'." Fran S Man™ed the verve and dedication of direc- Story-line revolves mainly around £? y ’ als0 writte ? by Gordon and 

tor Bresson break into an absorb-’ fruiHe^effortsof Vir^inm Mavnor ^ y ^ ow ’ fmrangfed and conducted 

ing, moving segfhent as the men to find her brother ^lost in y the by Hugo Winterhalter. Film’s class 
make good their try. SSLlZ Sf bad Hground score was adapted and 


Lame, or awkwardly interfering Mr, Bimbie ..Lester Mack make good their try. Himalayas. Along on iournev are 0< «^eruuna score was aaapiea ana 

55 «BSS * m a rt House managers tSX^TpSS' ^M/s'tagl^ 


comedy role in broad fashion for Melvme recoroino artists: 
^a good laugh payoff. Miss Lime, Alan Freed (Coral) 


who has one ol the smaller parts, 
scores handily. 


Teddy RandazzG (Vik) 
The Moonglows (Chess) 
Chuck Berry (Chess) 


cry for and yet often are afraid to up to Miss Maynor; George Welles mnolMi 

show. It will need plenty of hypo- Lewis, a scientist; Lloyd Nelson, ™ u A s 1 i f a L n « n !S? 8 a ? d dan f e ®‘ 

ing and remains mainly for sped- Miss Maynor’s b.f. until he' Droves _ Albert S. DAgostino and W 


ing and remains mainly for sped- Miss Maynor’s b.f. until he' proves 
alize spots. -However, critics and himself a coward and gets killed in 


e proves u. LI artouhu aiiu vralter 

killed in Holscher’s art direction is a defi- 


-^.. jjnucic uerry tuness; anze spois. - However, criucs ana nimsen a coward and gets killed in » ai t uh cuiuh xa a uen- 

S2. d,h ?5St a L th ^f asy -v 8 ?i n J Ho?!’Roc H? r, (Coral, 2* S ^ V - e - ra i 


„„— T. -Jimmy cavaiio House Rockers 

fatner, Corey as the sheriff, Johnny Burnette Trio (Coral) 

Bridges as the elder brother and LaVern Baker (Atlantic) 

Wallace Ford in a Iaccoi* t.«1 a Cirlno and The Bowties (Roost) 

T_ i n _ a „i? S ? er r , 0le ., al1 Frankie Lymon Teenagers (Gee) 

assist in .making “Rainmaker” a Coney island Kids (Josie) 

delight. - 

The Hal Wallis production is With the trend to “picture 


lohnny Burnette Trio (Coral) pros all become a living part of characters, and George Skaff, ah- beeR expertly lensed by William 

nfrY«^ n a «rt k ^i A n la ^ dc) m c the pic. Lensing is stark and crisp, other guide, who turns out to be Snyder, and Harry Marker’s edit- 

Frankie %rn?n Teenager^Gee) and editing, sound and judicious an educated part-Snowman (fifth ln ® ls sharp. Whit. 

Coney island Kids (Josie) use of Mozart music all combine in generation) and is killed before he . ---— 

- . keeping the mood of the film in- can get to Miss Maynor. Wind-up PENNSY TOWNS REPEAL 

With the trend to “pictures for tact. of the B. Arthur Cassidy screen- Pittsburgh Dec 11 

onstrauc » if ... nl.,, «i_^ 0 Tl/ri«« X/T__j n/r- . . . . A “WUUieil, XACL, 11. 


... w ivxuaii; auu iccnni- auujeqis. mat aoesn t mean ail Wind Blows Where Tt wants) sne yemng to mm, Take me away, i«a+ A u _ 

cal credits all are strictly plus. will be good ones or that teenage SSpfcgSS^eoSseSesJ^andtense- steve - tak ® *"V.” {hi vote 7as unartS bv S 

Gene. _ a . x ? us . tai fl ed hess make even a rustle of the Acting-wise, Maruzzi is good; town council y 

_ jTi ,. _ ... lesser qiualjty ^ this hero's shirt and hair, by a sudden Miss Maynor isn’t, and the others Th . . 

Guy Biondi Toddmg It Vanguard production being re- wind, during the escape into a are just adequate. . Tlmt on the heels of Charleroi 

Guy Biendi, former assistant to l ea !SS*5? ♦ « • , e lo ° k °? vi vid or startling moment. A re- Film was produced and directed boro , s rapeal °* th e same tax a 

Jeff Livingston, Universal’s eastern Snl^at somf fasTb ST^sh aimed offbeat pic, this is worth by Jerry Warren under his own JW 1 ® ^ ye ! rs H ag0 at least glve . s 

ad exec, has been named campaign iY ? 1 ? b 0 * b ‘.. , a u s - tr y* ^ ™ heartening here banner, and is the first release of J beat F e owners here some ammuni- 

_ -i f j j> _ ‘ ° I hO TY1 Q iTDno n oua acoomhl /iH A 4 * ** a £ 1.L 1 A. A v t A .... n/in in rnAivt *+ J* ...ill. 


ad exec, has been named campaign mu , , ,, , r ------- xa me aiadl icieuac ui .. . ,, . -;- 

coordinator for Mike Todd’s “80 T Vi e makers have assembled a to see an entry of this type get- the newly-formed Associated Pro- tl0n i£ their continuing fight with 
Days Around the World” mostly unimpressive array of rock ting a top “tandem” popular dis- ducers. Release of the pic is being the Pittsburgh City Council, which 

He’ll supervise the ad-pub work althou g h LaVern tribution in Paris. Film was done handled in California by Favorite body recently turned them down 

on the film in all roadshow engage- Sfo wa ^u a u^ und T a practicall y all in closeups, w i all Films. In other areas, various dis- again after they had pleaded for 
ments. 8 T 0 a »? a ^ d P ro YJf ^ with Tra La unnecessary detail kept r to tribution outlets will take over. relief on tickets selling under 50c. 

La - °ood, too, is Chuck Berry j heighten its effect. Mo$k. Nqal. in the naborhoods. 
















































































Wednesday, December 12, 195$ 


PffizlWFi 


PICTURES 


500 JAP PIX IN ’56, ‘IT’S CRAZY’ 




Apart from the rags-to-riches success story which attended the 
fortunes of Harry Cohn—(the late) Joe Brandt-Jack Cohn, when 
they formed CBS Sales Co., the cradle of the present-day motion 
pecting Columbia to new heights on the production front. Jack 
- left on the eastern end of the picture business transcends any 
Horatio Alger saga. 

While brother Harry Cohn, president of the company, was pro¬ 
jecting Columbia to new heights on the production front. Jack 
Cohn, as executive vicepresident, headed a potent distribution 
organisation, strongly aided by Abe Montague, Abe Schneider, Nate 
Spingoid, Lacey Kastner, Paul Lazarus Jr., et al. 

But what projected Jac k ^Coh n^ even ^stnmger ^as an justly 

subsequent charity work furthered by the Foundation of the MP 
Pioneers. This was but one of Jack Cohn's pet charities, and he 
made it a vivid undertaking as all avenues of the film industry 
supported the work. A “Pioneer" had to be 29 years in the indus¬ 
try, to qualify for membership, and Cohn made the PP a potent 
force for good. Maturity of service within the industry wasn't 
the lone qualification: if you were a doer and active the PP knew 
of its obligations to others less fortunate. 

Were it not for this, Cohn who had been president since the PP’s 
founding Iff years, ago, would have resigned. In fact he was about 
to make another attempt to step down but show biz veterans, who 
knew- of his fine handiwork and the enthusiasm he generated 
wouldn’t permit it. This in turn militated against the industry 
honoring him as “the Pioneer of the Year.” This distinction was 
long overdue. Only his tenure of office forfended it. Nonetheless, 
the organization remains his permanent monument. He Was a 
Motion Picture Pioneer of high order. Abel. 


Is John CarroD Production Plan 


Jack Cohn Dies; 
Once film Editor 
At $7 a Week 

Jack Cohn, 67, who died from a 
pulmonary embolism in New 
York’s Midtown Hospital last Sat¬ 
urday (8) night, personified the 
film industry’s own particular type 
of success story. Like so many 
picture leaders, he.began his busi¬ 
ness career at an early age (he 
was 13 when he went to work at 
the Hampton Advertising Agency), 
his formal education was limited 
and the beginning, generally, was 
an humble one. 

From this Cohn emerged as an 
important figure in motion pic¬ 
tures. Columbia Pictures, which 
he and his brother, Harry Cohn, 
and Joseph Brandt founded in 1920. 
(it was called CBC Film Sales Co. 
at that time) had a capitalization 
of $250. 

Last year Col did-a gross busi¬ 
ness of $90,000,000. Assets were 
listed at over $65,000,000. Its of¬ 
fices are located throughout the 
free world. And its television sub¬ 
sidiary, Screen Gems, has become 
one of the most important in the 
field. 

Through the years Jack Cohn 
functioned in N.Y. as head of the 
business end. Harry Cohn, presi¬ 
dent of the company, wen^ west in 
1924 to take charge of production 
and studio operations, which post 
he has retained ever since. 

* After a stay at Hampton, Jack 
Cohn left the agency to work as 
a laboratory assistant for the late 
Carl Laemmle’s Imp Co. at a sal¬ 
ary of $7 per week. The job en¬ 
tailed film editing and cutting and 
was to lead to a position of im¬ 
portance in the newsreel field. Fol- 
owing Laemmle’s amalgamation of 
Imp with Universal, Cohn was 
named the top producer and edi¬ 
tor of Universal Weekly, one of the 
first reels,%and established bureaus 
in key cities to provide for filmed 
coverage of events of the day. 

It was in 1919 that Harry Cohn, 
who had been employed at the U 
(Continued on page 16) 

Seme Amusing Harkbacks to the 
H’wood Writing Mill Are 
recalled by 

Claude Binyon 

In his essay oh ^ 

25 { Years of Motion 
Picture Writing 
* * * 

another editorial feature 

In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P&HIETY 


'QUIET GUN' SATURATION 

20th Sees Midwest Recoup of 
$100,000 Negative Cost 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

20th-Fox is planning a mass 
booking in the midwest in an ef¬ 
fort to achieve a quick recoupment 
of its investment in “The Quiet 
Gun," which cost $100,000 to make. 
Distrib figures on saturation book¬ 
ings for the Forrest Tucker-Mara 
Corday starrer. 

Film was produced by Regal 
Films as part of its package of 25 
low-budgeters for 20th release. 

Seek Standard Contract: „ 
Writers Want Commercials, 
Documentaries Covered 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Factual Films committees of 
Writers Guild of America, east and 
west, will begin meetings in Janu- 
. ary to discuss standard form con¬ 
tracts for use with producers in the 
commercial and documentary 
fields. 

John Duff Stradley, chairman of 
the FF committee of WGA East, 
met here with WGA West commit¬ 
teemen and decided on the sessions. 
Malvin Wald heads the western 
group, - which includes Michael 
Amestoy, Arnold Belgard, Bill 
Deming, Harrison Negley, Bernard 
Petty, Eric Strutt, True Boardman, 
Charles Palmer and Houston 
Branch. 

Wald and Stradley said there has 
been a strong growth in this field 
in the last two years, and with 
more and more writers in such 
work, there is need for regulation 
of employment practices. 

COATES-GORDON COMBO 
TO ROLL FEATURES 

New* indie production outfit head¬ 
ed by William D. Coates as presi¬ 
dents has been set up on the Coast. 
Leon Brandt, publicist, has been 
named v.p. and a director of the 
firm. He'll also serve as eastern 
sales and publicity rep. Glen Gor¬ 
don is v.p. in charge of production. 
Setup goes under the name Coates* 
Gordon Productions. 

Sked calls for filming to start in 
early January at the Kling Califor¬ 
nia Studios. Pix will be budgeted 
at from $250,000 to $600,000 and 
negotiations are on for a major 
release. 

M. Monroe Wins Scot Fans 

Hawick, Scot., Dec! 4. 

Marilyn Monroe has won the 
hearts of Scotch girl hosiery work¬ 
ers here. She has written telling 
them she was once “a factory girl 
myself." While here, the actress 
wrote to the knitwear firm of Lyle 
& Scott thanking it for the gift 
of a specially-made cashmere 
sweater. • 

She also expressed thanks to the 
workers for a 20-feet-long fan let¬ 
ter containing hundreds of signa- 
1 tures. 


By FRED HIFT 

Unlike most other countries in 
the world, Japan is able to amor¬ 
tize the cost of its films' in its own 
domestic .market and is-therefore 
not dependent on exports, Naga- 
-V»v>.9a e xpor t m ana ger of 

the big Japanese Toho company, 
said in Gotham at the weekend. 

Kawakita, who also runs his own 
Towa Film company in Japan (it 
imports foreign films), is in the 
U.S. as one of the advance dele¬ 
gates for the Japanese film festi¬ 
val skedded for the Mtiseum of 
Modern Art in N.Y. Jan. 20 through 
25. Total of six new Japanese 
features and shorts will be shown. 

Japan, With six major producing 
companies in the field, today is 
turning out some 500 feature pix 
annually. “It’s crazy, and we are 
trying to do something about it," 
Kawakita commented. “There isn’t 
enough material around to make 
that many pictures." 

Stars. Salaries 

One of the reasons why the Japa¬ 
nese can recoup domestically is the 
low cost of production and — by 
comparison! with the U.S.—the ri¬ 
diculously low salary scales. For 
instance, a big Japanese star may 
collect all of $3,000 for a picture 
which, by Japanese standards, is 
considered quite high. Better films 
cost about $100,000. > *. 

As a result of the, low scales, 
Japan has trouble arranging co¬ 
productions, Kawakita explained. 
“How would our stars feel playing 
opposite -some young Americans 
who get three or four times their 
salary," he said, adding: “If ever the 
star salaries should -go up in Japan 
as they have elsewhere, our indus¬ 
try would just collapse." 

Kawakita said the Japanese 
week in N.Y. was designed primari¬ 
ly as a trade “fair" to acquaint U.S. 
£xhibs, distributors and critics, 
with what Japan has to offer. 

(Continued on page 22) 

Bash Syndicate 
Again Dickering 
Yates Buyout 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

A new bid for the purchase of 
Herbert J. Yates' controlling inter¬ 
est in Republic Pictures will be 
made “shortly" by John Bash, Chi¬ 
cago industrialist who is now an 
indie producer. Deal will be based 
on a price formula now being 
worked out by Bash and his~ asso¬ 
ciates, a national securities firm. 

Bash disclosed that the group 
had offered Yates $10 a share a 
year ago but the deal was kept un¬ 
der wraps because the Republic 
prexy turned down a flat $10 per 
share. Price was approximately 
$1.50 over the then market value 
of the stock and covered Yates' 
entire holdings of approximately 
500,000 shares, including those 
shares not persor ”^ owned but 
controlled. 

Bash said the / price offered 
would “naturally ‘ not h $10 per 
share since the stock closed Friday 
at $5.25. New figure, however, will 
be in excess of the market quota¬ 
tion at the time of sale., 

Few months ago, the Beverly 
Hills banking firm of Cantor, Fitz¬ 
gerald & Co. took an option on the 
stock controlled by Yates for pur¬ 
chase at $12.50 per share. The 
option subsequently was allowed to 
drop. 

Bash sees a “splendid" future 
for Republic and said he and his 
group plan to operate it as a “fea¬ 
ture production company" which 
would be on a continuing produc¬ 
tion basis instead of its current 
spasmodic operation. 

Charles Ruggles will be in “Ac¬ 
cidently Yours," by Pauline Wil¬ 
liams Snapp, opening at Pasadena 
Playhouse Dec. 27. Harvey Mar¬ 
lowe will direct the production. 


I Holidays Per Usual 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

At least four IATSE unions 
have vetoed Producers Assn’s 
proposal for four-day Christ¬ 
mas holiday and three-day . 
—Ne'W'Year’s'lroli'day, iftmrkilt:— 
ing plan despite endorsement 
by Hollywood AFL Film Coun¬ 
cil. i 

Lamp operators, grips, 
laborers, film technicians nix¬ 
ed plan which required unani¬ 
mous approval for adoption. 
Consequently, majors will ob¬ 
serve holidays as usual with 
only one extra day off for each 
holiday although some studios 
may still shutter for lengthier 
periods at own option. 

Economics-Harried U. S. 
Newsreels Oughta Get 
Coin From Europeans 

At a time when the newsreels 
are struggling to keep their heads 
above water, some executives are 
.questioning the wisdom of “ex¬ 
change" arrangements prevailing 
with several of the European coun¬ 
tries. 

“Why can’t the Europeans buy 
Our newsreel material; just as they 
buy news from the news services," 
asked one company topper. “I 
think it’s high time we'started sell¬ 
ing our reels instead of giving 
them away." 

Company policy re newsreel 
abroad varies. Most find it too ex¬ 
pensive to put out a foreign reel— 
at least in Europe-20th-Fox’s Mov¬ 
ietone being a standout exception. 
Newsreel “swap" is common, butt 
invariably works out to the disad¬ 
vantage of the Americans since the 
European reels are far more apt to 
run American news than the U.S. 
reels are to pick up ‘ local stuff 
from the Continent. 

Situation appears particularly 
bad in Italy where, according to 
reports, a hewsreel monopoly has 
been formed. This monopoly, it’s 
feared, may ultimately make a deal 
with one of the American compa¬ 
nies, eliminating the possibility of 
arranging anything on a paying 
basis. • 

RIVAL MEXICAN CRAFTS 
THREATEN INDUSTRY 

Mexico City, Dec. 11. 
Rivalry between the two local 
production union s—STPC and 
STIC—has flared up again during 
the past week, threatening to cause 
plenty problems production and ex- 
hibtion-wise. 

Latest battle was brought on via 
the filming of a series of one-hour 
video short features being pro¬ 
duced here by U.S. theSp, John 
Derek. According to a local pact, 
the STPC members (feature pro¬ 
duction workers) aren’t supposed 
to work on anything but theatrical 
features. STIC is the newsreel and 
documentary group. 

Under past agreement, there 
hasn’t been much crossing of the 
lines. However, Derek, figuring 
his pix are feature-length, took on 
an STPC crew. This lead to a lot 
Of harsh words, the issue being 
bandied about in the press. 

" STIC holds a top card at the 
moment since all Mex projection¬ 
ists are members of the outfit. 
Though threats have been voiced, 
no action seems likely on the pub¬ 
licly-voiced threat for STIC to stop 
the showing of all pix using actors 
(affiliated with the STPC) who ap¬ 
pear in contested films. Attempts 
are under way to get the warring 
factions together again. 

Maumee Theatre, at Fort Wayne, 
Ind.» built in 1926, is being remod¬ 
eled into a church by Calvary Tem¬ 
ple, Inc. Ralph T. Fisher, owner 
and operator of the Maumee since 
1931, plans to remain in the enter¬ 
tainment business. 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

John Carroll, who is branching 
out as a producer after a long ca¬ 
reer as an actor, is setting up a 
production operation that will en- 
I compass “several” outside inde¬ 
pendent package deals in addition 
to six features he plans to make in 
~1957"xrrr’his 'xrwir- ftuok.—Carroit*sr~ 
activity teed with the current 
“Johnny Trouble,” being produced 
under the banner of Clarion Pro¬ 
ductions, one of three Carroll firms 
which will make two pix each this 
coming year. 

Outside packages, he reported, 
will be completely financed by 
Carroll’s organization, which has 
extensive private financial backing. 
No exact number of outside deals 
has been set but Carroll has the 
facilities to go into the financing 
angle heavily. ^ 

Carroll's outfits include Clarion, 
Southdown and John Carroll Pro¬ 
ductions, the latter two formed 
several years ago but never pre¬ 
viously activated. Clarion is new. 
set up only a few weeks ago and 
already in production with a cast 
headed by Ethel Barrymore, Cecil 
Kellaway, Carolyn Jones and Stu¬ 
art Whitman. Within three weeks 
after formation of company Carroll 
launched “Johnny Trouble,” on 
Nov. 28. 

No distribution deals will be set 
for any of the-upcoming films, in¬ 
cluding “Trouble," until after fea¬ 
tures are completed, according to 
producer, who pointed out his 
financial setup is sufficient to per¬ 
mit such practice. “Trouble" will. 
cost in the neighborhood of 
$350,000. 

Carroll has been acquiring story 
properties for the past 15 years, 
toward the day he would establish 
his own production outfit, he re¬ 
ported, and now has 15 completed 
(Continued on page 71) 

Says Gene Kelly: 
Star’s Gotta Get 
Up Own Ideas 

If a performer wants to keep 
working in pictures in face of the 
problems facing the industry today, 
he must initiate his own projects. 
That’s the reason Gene Kelly gives 
for expanding his activities into 
independent production. “I got 
tired sitting around at Metro .for 
eight months doing nothing," he 
said in New York this week. 
“Finally T convinced the studio 
that I wasn’t doing them much 
good that way and they agreed to 
finance and distribute a project I 
presented." 

The result is “Happy Road," a 
“little picture" Kelly recently com¬ 
pleted in France. He is currently 
in Gotham to discuss release plans 
with M-G officials. The produc¬ 
tion, which Kelly frankly believes 
is more suitable for special handling 
than for mass* bookings, marks his 
debut as a director of a non-inusi- 
cal film and presents him in the 
triple-threat role of producer, 
director, and Star. 

Although the film was made un- 
(Continued on page 16) 


Harry Hershfield 

discourse* 

On Humor , Ghost 
Writers ami 
Thankless Comics 


one of the many editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 


P&RIETY 


PICTURE CROSSES 


SE liM 


V<^fBgay/Pwteher 12, 1956 


‘Julie’ Smooth 65G, 11 Spots, Truth’ 



Los Angeles, Dec. 11. 

Pre-Yjule doldrums continue to 
sluff first-run biz locally, with vir¬ 
tually all bills feeling slowdown. 
“Julie” is making the best showing 
of * newcomers although rain and 
cold weather hurt drive-in dates. 
Nice $18,000 or close is expected 
in two theatres plus $47,000 in 
three nabes and six ozoners. Third 
round of “Back From Eternity” is 
being helped to okay $20,000 by a 
Rock-and-Roll stageshow. 

-^Everything- -B«t--Tcuth.”_^hapes 

slim $8,500 in three sites plus $16,- 
500 in two nabes and seven drive- 
ins. Combo of “Rebecca” and 
“Third Man” is sighting $16,000, 
not bad for oldies, in four houses. 

Third week of “Teahouse of Au¬ 
gust Moon” is holding with good 
$22,000 at Pantages. “Giant” is 
still okay with $19,000 for eighth 
week at Chinese. 

Estimates for This Week 

Downtown Paramount (ABPT) 
(3,300; 85-$1.25) — “Back From 

Eternity” (RKO) (3d wk), with The 
Platters, others, onstage. Okay 
$20,000. "Last week, “Eternity” 
with “Teenage Crime School” (In¬ 
die) (reissue) (2d wk-9 days), 
$ 8 , 000 . 

Warner Downtown, Hawaii (SW- 
G&S) (1,757; 1,106; 80-$1.25)— 

“Julie” (M-G) and “Great Ameri¬ 
can Pastime” (M-G). Fine $18,000 
or near. Last week, D’Town with 
Wiltern, “Canyon River”.-(AA) and 
“Young Guns” (AA), $8,500; Ha¬ 
waii with State, “Tea and Sympa¬ 
thy” (M-G) and “Thunder Bay” (U) 
(reissue), $11,000, plus $38,300 in 
three nabes', six drive-ins. 

Orpheum, Wiltern, New Fox 
(Metropolitan-SW-FWC) (2,213; 2,- 
(Continued on page .18) 

Snowstorm Hits Omaha; 
‘Rebel’ Fairish $8,500, 
‘Tender’ Li<*ht 4G, 2d 

Omaha, Dec. 11. 

Holiday shopping, weak 'entries 
and a weekend snowstorm all are 
taking theiF-tolls at downtown first- 
runs this session. With the sole 
exception of “Teenage Rebel,” at 
the Orpheum, all houses are in a 
slump. “Tension at Table Rock” 
looms fairish at the Brandeis and 
“Great American Pastime” is on 
the sluggish side at the State. 
“Love Me Tender” is also slow in 
its second stanza at the Omaha. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,000; 75-90)— 
“Tension at Table Rock” (Col) and 
“Scandal, Inc.’ 1 (Col). Fairish 
$3,000. Last week, “Seventh Cava¬ 
lry” (Col) and “Suicide Mission” 
(Col), $3,500. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 75-90) 
—“Love Me Tender” (20th) (2d 
wk). Drab $4,000 or near. Last 
week, $8,500. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 75- 
90)—“Teenage Rebel” teOthr* and 
. “Stage Coach To Fury” (20th). 
Fair $8,500. Last week, “Giant” 
<WB) (4th wk), $7,500 at 90c-$1.25 
scale. 

State (Goldberg)* (860; 75-90)— 
“Great American Pastime” (M-G). 
Modest $4,000. Last week, “Julie” 
(M-G) (2d wk), $4,500. 


Estimated Total - Gross 
This weetf $520,900 

(Based on 22 theatres) 

Last Year .$509,600 

(Based on 22 theatres) 


‘Curucu-IHofe’ 
M 20G, Cleve. 

Cleveland, Dec. 11. 

Horror combo of “Curucu” and 
“Mole People,” shapes as top new¬ 
comer Here this session, being 
smash at the Hipp. As usual, for 
this season of year, biz is slipping 
but apparently not as much as had 
been feared. Many extended-runs 
are surprisingly big, including ♦‘Ten 
Commandments” at the Oh'o and 
“This Is Cinerama” at the Palace, 
both in fourth weeks. “Giant” still 
is solid in sixth ahd final stanza at 
the Allen. 

Estimates for This Week 

Allen' (3,000; 90-$1.50)—“Giant” 
(WB) (6th wk). Fine $13,500’ in last 
9 days. Last week, $15,000. 

Hipp (Telem’t) (3,700; 75-$l).— 
“Curucu” (U) and “Mole People” 
(U). Ace newcomer with b?g $20,- 
000 in prospect. Last week, “Sev¬ 
enth Cavalry” (Col) and “Odongo” 
(Col), $12,000. 

Ohio (Loew) Cl,244; $1.25-$2.50) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par) (4th 
wk). Great $22,000 for C. B. De- 
Mille pic. Last week, $23,000. 

Palace (S-W) (1,485; $1.25-$2.40) 

“This is Cinerama” (Cinerama) 
(4th wk). Solid $28,000 after $29,- 
500 in third. 

State (Loew) (3,500; 70-$ 1) — 
“Everything But Truth” (U). Fair 
$11,000. Last week, “Back From 
Eternity” (RKO, $10,000. 

Stillman (Loew) (2,700; 90-$1.50) 
— “Oklahoma” (20th) (5th wk). 
Brisk $10,000. Last week, $12,000. 


‘Mountain’ Solid 10iG, 
Denver; *Shake’ $9,50Q 

. Deliver, Dec. 11* 

Pre-Xmas is being felt, per 
usual, id first-runs here currently.- 
Only two films are good enough to 
hold, and some of takings are rock 
bottom. “The Mountain” shapes 
(-good—at—Denham*—It—stays—on.- 
“Oklahoma,” which is still sizeable 
in eighth week at Tabor, continues 
on. “Giant” continues very sturdy 
in fifth round at Paramount. But 
elsewhere ‘most results are light to 
poor. “Shake, Rattle and Rock” 
looms passably okay at Orpheum. 
Estimates for This Week 

Centre.(Fox) (1,247; 70-$1.25)— 
“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) (4th 
wk>. Light $7,000. Last week, 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Denham (Cockrill) (1,750; 70-90), 
—“Mountain” (Par). Good $10,- 
000. Holding. . Last wfeek, “War 
.aAdJteacfi!! lEasi. (6th, wki i _$.7,0pg. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 70-90)— 
"Seventh Cavalry” (Col) and “He 
Laughed Last” (Col). Poor $8,000. 
Last Week, “Love Me Tender” 
(20th) and “Stagecoach Fury” 
(20th) (2d wk), $11,000. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 70-90)— 
“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (AIP) and 
“Runaway Daughters” (AIP). 
Passably okay $9,500 or near. Last 
week, “Death of Scoundrel” (RKO) 
and “Gunslinger” (ARC), $8,500. 

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200; 90- 
$1,25)—“Giant” (WB) (5th wk). 
Fancy $11,000 or close. Last week, 
$18,000. 

Tabor (Fox) (930; $1.25-$2)— 

“Oklahoma” (Magna) (8th wk). 
Good $6,500. Stays on. Last 
week, $7,500. 

Vogue (Sher-Shulman) (442; 70- 
90)—“Snow ls Black” (Indie) (4th 
wk). Good $1,200. Last week, 
$ 1 , 100 . 

Hell’ Hearty lOG 
Cincy;‘Giant’11G 

Cincinnati, Dec. 11. 

Approach of Noel is evident at 
downtown theatres .this week, but 
trade in general has exhibtors 
smiling. “Between Heaven and 
Hell,” sole newcomer, .shapes swell 
for Keith’s. “Giant,” in fourth 
week at the big Albee, still towers 
over the field. “Oklahoma” con¬ 
tinues solidly at the Palace and 
“Love Me Tender” is giving no 
complaint in third week at Grand. 
Estimates for This Week • 

Albee (RfcO) (3,100; 90-$1.50)— 
“Giant”" (WB) (4th wk). Big $11,- 
(Continued on page 18) 


DeMifle Wow 35G, Giant’ Great 21G 


Estimated Total Grow' 

This Week ;*.$2’380,800 

(Baed on 24 cities and 232 
theatres , chiefly first runs, in¬ 
cluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Yeaf . $2,098,100 

(Based on 22 cities and 213 
theatres.) 


Seasonal Slowdown Sloughs K.C.; 

■ Tension’ Oke $4,080, ‘Giant’fiG, 5th 


. Kansas City, Dec. 11. 

Seasonal slowdown is under way 
here with product a bit routine. 
Hence, a so-so week looms. Few of 
the newcomers are getting far. 
Modest takes shape up for “Shake, 
Rattle and Rock” at four Fox Mid¬ 
west houses. Slow returns are in 
prospect for “Man From Del Rio” 
at the Midland. “Tension at Table 
Rock” at the Roxy shapes okay. 
Rockhill brought in “Stars of Rus¬ 
sian Ballet,” with an opening bene¬ 
fit for Hungarian refugee relief, 
to good results. “Giant” held for 


NEW ADDRESS! 


6404 Sunset Boulevard 
Hollywood 28, California. 
Phone: Hollywood 9-1141 

0#®SE?f© 


a fifth week at the Paramount, and 
is strong in the face of everything. 
Weather turned unpleasantly cold 
for most opening days. 

Estimates for This Week 

Glen (Dickinson) (700; 75-90)— 
“Lucrezia Borgia” (Indie) (2d wk). 
Fine $1,500. Last week, $2,000. 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-90)— 
“Madame Butterfly” (Indie) (2d 
wk). Handsome $2,000; holds. Last 
week, $2,500. 

Midland (Loew) (3,500; 60-80)— 
“Man From Del Rio” (UA) and 
“Flight To Hong Kong” (UA). Slow 
$5,000. Last week, “Opposite Sex” 
(M-G) and “Gun the Man Down” 
(UA), $8,000 iri 9 days. 

Missouri (SW) (1,194; $1.20-$2)— 
“This Is Cinerama” (Cinerama) 
(26th wk). Some holiday parties 
holding figures up, but $9,000 is 
lowest for house even though nice 
enough for this time of year. Last 
week, $10,000. 

Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 
90-$1.25)—“Giant” (WB) (5th wk). 
Unusual staying power, as few pic¬ 
tures stay this long in city. Fancy 
$6,000. Last week, $9,000. 

Rockhill (Little Art Theatres) 
(750; 75-90) —“StarT of Russian 
Ballet” (Indie): Good $1,500; may 
stay. Last week, “My Seven Little 
Sins” (Indie), second, time in this 
house, $600. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 75-90) — 
“Tension at Table Rock” (RKO) 
and “Way Out” (RKO). Oke $4,000. 
Last week, “Mountain” (Par) (2d 
wk), $3,000. . j 

Tower (Fox Midwest) (1,400; 90- 
$2) — “Oklahoma” (Magna) (8th 
wk). Light $4,000, and ends run. 
Last week, $5,500. 

Uptown, Esquire, Fairway, Gra¬ 
nada (Fox Midwest) (2,043: 820; 
700; .1,217; 75-90)—“Shake, Rattle, 
Rock” (AIP) and “Runaway Daugh¬ 
ters” (AIP). So-so $11,000. Last 
week, “Love Me Tender” (20th) 
with “Fighting Trouble” (AA) (2d 
wk), eight days, mild $11,000. 


Great 30G; Philly 

Philadelphia, Dec. 11. 

Pre-Christmas depression is 
deeper than last year; with week¬ 
end sluggish and rain washing out 
Sunday trade. Exceptions continue 
to be the blue-chip holdovers. “Ten 
Commandments” dominates these 
with a great third session at Ran¬ 
dolph. “Giant” still is stout in fifth 
Mastbaum round. “Love Me Ten¬ 
der” nose-dived in third stanza at 
the Fox, leading to new 55c week¬ 
end top for teenagers. “Great 
American Pastime” drew crix 
raves but no biz. “Sharkfighters” 
shapes as standout newcomer with 
big week at Stanton. 

Estimates for This Week 

Arcadia (S&S) (526; 99-$1.80)— 
“Opposite Sex” (M-G) (6th wk). 
Looks -under $5,000. Last, week, 
$6,800. 

Boyd (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 
“Seven Wonders of World” (Cine¬ 
rama) (33d wk). Sturdy $11,000. 
Last week, $14,500. 

Fox (20th) (2,250; 55-$1.50>— 

“Love Me Tender” (20th) (3d wk). 
Sad $9,000. Last week. $11,000. 

Gpldman (Goldman) (1,250; 65- 
$1.35) — “First Traveling Sales¬ 
lady” (RKO). Poor $5,000. Last 
Week, “Canyon River” (AA), 
$7,000. 

Green Hill (Serena) (750; 75- 
$1.25) (closed Sundays) — "Ship 
That Died of -Shame” (Cont) (2d 
wk). So-so $2,700. Last -week, 
$3,600. 

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 90-$1.80) 
—’“Giant*’ (WB) (5th wk). Stout 
$17,000. Last week, $25,000. 

Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; 
$1.20-$2.40)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) 
(15th wk). Down to oke $9,000. 
Last week, $11,000. 

Randolph (Goldman) (2,250; 
$1.40*$2.75) — “Ten Command¬ 
ments” (Par) (3d wk). Great $30,- 
000. Last week, $36,000. 

. Stanley. (SW) (2,900; 99-$1.49)— 
“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) (4th 
wk). Fair $10,000. Last week, 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Stanton (SW) (1,483; 99-$1.49)— 
“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “Stran¬ 
ger At Door” (Rep). Big $10,000 or 
close. Last week, “Julie” (M-G) 
(3d wk), $8,300. 

Studio (Goldberg) (400; 99-$1.40) 
—“Lust for Life” (M-G) (10th wk). 
Good $4,100. Last week,. $4,800. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 99-$1.80) 
—“Secrets of Life’VBV) (5th wk). 
Mild $2,800. Last week, $3,200. 

Viking (Sley) (1,000; 75-$1.49)— 
“Great American Pastime” (M-G). 
Weak $6,500. Last week, “Can't 
Run Away From It” (Col) (3d wk), 
$ 6 , 000 . 

World (Pathe) (499; 99-$1.49)— 
“Silent World” (Col) (4th wk). 
Good $3,500. Last week, $4,500. 

‘SLEEP’SLOW $9,000, 
PROV.; ‘GIANT’ 9iG, 4th 

Providence, Dec. 11. 

Miserably wet Sunday gave a 
slight boost to weekend biz but 
trade is down. State with. “Black 
Sheep” is sluggish. Majestic’s 
fourth week of “Giant” still is 
champ. “Girl He Left Behind” at 
Albee is fairly good. Strand “Can¬ 
yon River” looks fair. 

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 60-80)— 
“Girl He Left Behind” (WB) and 
“Deadliest Sin” (AA). Healthy $8,- 
500. Last week, “Love Me Ten¬ 
der” (-20th) and “Finger of Guilt” 
(20th) (2d Wk), $6,500. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 90-$1.25)— 
“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Still solid 
$9,500. Last week, $11,500. 

State (Loew) ' (3,200; 60-85)— 

“Black Sleep” (UA) and “Creeping 
Unknown” (U). Slow $9,000. Last 
week, “Lust For Life” (M-G) and 
“Gaby” (M-G), $11,500. 

Strand (Silverman) '(2,200; 60- 
85) — “Canyon River”(AA) and 
“Strange Intruder” (AA). Fair $6,- 
500. Last week, “Friendly Per¬ 
suasion” (AA) (2d wk), $8,000. 


Detroit, Dec. 11. 

- Str-ong-holdovers -are - continuing— 
to bring heavy traffic to downtown 
boxoffices. “Ten Commandments” 
is heading for a terrific third-week 
at the Madison. “Giant” looks 
great in its fifth week at the, Michi¬ 
gan. “Seven Wonders of World” 
stays high in 26th session at Music 
Hall. Newcomer “Julie” looks fine 
at the Adams. “Oklahoma” stays 
strong in sixth stanza' at United 
Artists. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; 90- 

$1.25)—“Love Me Tender” (20tfi) 
and “Desperadoes in Town” (20th) 
(3d wk). Mild $12,000. Last week, 
rtl'fcOOQT ' ....' 

Michigan (United Detroit) <4,000; ~ 
90-$1.50) — “Gian t” . (WB) (5th 
wk). Great $21,000 or near. Last 
week, $24,000. ’ 

Paints (UD) (2.961; 90-$1.25)— 
“Seventh Cavalry” (Col) and “Port 
Afrique” (Col). Good $14,000. 
Last week, “Silent World” (Col)' 
and “Reprisal” (Col), $12,000. 

Madison (UD) (1,900; $1.25-$2.75) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par) (3d~ 
wk). Wham $35,000 for C. B. De- 
Mille pic, . Last” week, $37,000. 

Broadway-CapitoL (UD) (3,500: 
90-$l.25)—“Tension at Table Rock’ 1 
(RKO) and “Man in Vault” (Indie). 
Okay $10,000. Last week, “Blonde 
Sinner” (AA) and “Cruel Tower” 
(AA), $8,000, 

United Artists (UA) (1,668; 90- 
$1.25), — “Oklahoma” (20th) (6th 
wk). Pic ran 36 weeks here in 
Todd-AO. Okay $8,600. Last 
week, $10,000. 

Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 90- 

$1.25)—“Julie” (M-G). Fine $15,- 
000. Last week, “Opposite Sex” 
(M-G) (3d wk). $7,500. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1,205; $1.20-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders” (Cinerama) (26th wk). 
Swell $20,800. Last week, $23,200.^ 

Wash. Off But DeMille 
Rousing $18,000; ‘Julie’ 
Mild 15G,‘Del Rio’ 10G 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

It’s' all downhill for main stem 
b.o, until the Christmas holidays. 
Only two newcomers this session, 
and both are thin. “Julie,” at 
Loew’s Capitol, is only mild de¬ 
spite great ' plugs from town’s 
drama desks. Combo of “Rebel in 
Town” and “Flight to Hong Kong” 
at Columbia, isn’t helping the gen¬ 
eral average either. Holdovers also 
are on downbeat, with “Ten Com¬ 
mandments” in third stanza nt 
RKO Keith’s holding its own. 
“Solid Gold Cadillac” is winding 
up solid 9-we«k run at Trans-Lux 
with a satisfactory final stanza. 
“Giant” still is good in two houses 
In sixth week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (SW) (1.490; 90- 

$1‘50)—“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). 
Hen $6,500. Last week, $7,500. 

Capitol (Loew) (3,434; 70-90)— 
Julie” (M-G). Mild $15,000. Last 
week, “Love Me Tender” (20th) (2d 
wk). $13,000 in 10 days at tilted 
scale. o 

Columbia (Loew) (1,174; 70-90)— 
Rebel in Town’WUA) and "Flight 
to Hong Kong” (UA). Opened Sat¬ 
urday (8). Last week, “Man from 
Del Rio” (UA), okay $10,000 in 9 
days. 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 90-$1.15) 
—“Secrets of Life” (BV) (5th wk). 
So-so $3,000 after $3,500 last week. 
Stays. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1,859; $1.25-$2.75) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par) (3d 
wk). Very sturdy $18000 after 
good $20,000 for DeMille classic. 
Goes on daytime grind policy at 
flat $1.50 scale this week. Current¬ 
ly playing two-a-day, phis Satur¬ 
day morning show. Holds on, 
natch! 

Metropolitan (SW) (1.490; 90- 
$1.50) —“Giaiit” (WB) (6th wk). 
Sturdy $12,000. Last week. same. 

Palace (Loew) (2,360; 70-90) — 
“You Can’t Run Awav From It” 
(Col) (2d wkl. Fair $12,000 after 
$13,000 last. week. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (456: 75- 

$1.15)—“Fantasia” (BV) (reissue) 
(4th wk). Pleasant $4,000 after 
$5,000 last week. Stays. 

PlazkMT^L) (290: 90-$1.35) — 
“Lady Chatterly’s Lover” (Indie) 
(4th wk). Surprisingly bright 
$4,000 after $4,500 last week. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 90-$1.25) 
—“Solid Gold Cadillac” (Col) (9th- 
final wk). Tapered to oke $4,000 
after $5,000 last week. 

Uptown (SW) (1,100; $1.20-$2.40) 
—“Oklahoma” (MagnaV (6th wk). 
Fancy $11,000. Last week. $11,500. 

Warner (SW) (1.300; $'l.20-$2.40) 
—“Cinerama Holiday” (Cinerama) 
(62d wk). Modest $8 000.-lowest to 
date. Last week, $9,000. “Sev°»l 
Wonders” (Cinerama) bows Dec. 27. 








TTfecfcacsdayy PeccmW 12» 1955 




PICTURE GROSSES 


9 


BALLYHOOED BACKLOG NO HIT 


* 4 - 


0iH)ff;LeftMn#Ceod$17,Oi, — 
“Shake’ Torrid 16G, ‘Moon’ Fat 26G, 
DeMiOe Sock 45G, ‘Tender DuD 13G 


Chicago, Dec. 11, " 4 

Lack of major openers during' 
the reasonably slow period points 
to a general slide in Chi film biz 
this week. 

looks: 

good $17,000 at State - Lake. 
“Shake, Battle and Rock” and 
“Runaway Daughters’* looms fancy 
$16,000 at. Roosevelt. “Violent 
Years” with “Calling Homicide” 
opened to a mild $7,000 at Grand. 

The Surf’s "Rebecca,” on reis¬ 
sue, shapes vigorous $6,000 for 
first. “Death of ^Scoundrel” is fair 
$8,500 opener at Loop. 

“Ten Commandments” is easing 
off slightly from its capacity draws 
at McVickers but still great at 
$45,000 in third session. “Love 
Me Tender” slowed to a modest 
pace at Oriental, also in third. 
“Giant” looks fine in seventh at 
the Chicago. 

“Cinerama Holiday” winds up 
longrun with healthy biz in 77th 
week at the Palace, “Seven Won¬ 
ders of World” opens tomorrow 
(Wed.). “Teahouse of August 
Moon” still shapes sturdy in third 
stanza at Woods “Julie” is solid 
in second week at United Artists. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carnegie (H&E Balaban) (480; 
95)—“Fruits of Summer” (Indie) 
(3d wk). Sturdy $3,000.' Bast week, 
$3,500. 

Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 98-$1.80) 
—"Giant” (WB) (7th wk). Fine 
$24,000. Last week, $34,000. 

Grand (Indie) (1,200: 98-$1.25)— 
“Violent Years” (Teitel) and “Call¬ 
ing Homicide” (AA). So-so $7,000. 
Last week, “Distant Drums” (WB) 
and “Dallas” (WB) (reissues), 


Cold Wave Clips Port; 
< 0kla. , Fat21G,‘jiilie , 8G 

Portland, Ore., Dec. li. 

Sudden unusual sub-freezing and 
snow are blamed for cutting into 
biz this round. However, some ex¬ 
tended-runs still are satisfactory. 
“Giant” is still strong in fourth 
session at the Fox. T< Oklahoma” 
continues sturdy in fifth inning at 
the Broadway. “Julie” looks good 
for a newcomer. 

Estimates for This Week 

Broadway (Parker) (938; $1.50- 
$2)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) (5th wk). 
Steady $12,000. Last week, $14,200. 

Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.50) 
— “Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Big 
$9,000. Last week, $13,200. 

Guild (Indie) (400; $1.25)—“Lust, 
For Life” (M-G) (4th wk). Edged 
up to good $2,000. Last week, 
$1,900. - 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,890; 90- 

$1.25) — ’’Julie” (M-G) and “I’ve 
Lived Before” (U). -Good $8,000 
or elose. Last week, “Friendly 
Persuasion” (AA) (3d wk), $5,700. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,600; $1- 
$1.25)—“1,000 Years From Now” 
(Col) and “Invasion U.S.A.” (Col). 
Slim $5,500. Last week, “Love Me 
Tender ” (20th) and “Stagecoach 
To Fury” (20th) (2d wk), $5,700. 

Paramount (Port-Par) (3,400; 90- 
$1.25) — “Everything But Truth” 
(U) and “Passport To Treason” 
(Indie). Modest $6,000. Last week, 
“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “Gun 
Brothers” (UA), $6,300. 


$4,000. 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 9d-$1.25)— 
“Death of Scoundrel” (RKO). Tidy 
$8,500. Last week, “Secrets of 
Life” (BV), $6,500. 

McVickers (JL&S) (1,580; $1.25- 
$3.30) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (3d wk). Mighty $45,000. 
Last week, $48,000. 

Monroe (Indie) (1,000; 67-87)— 
'“Reprisal’*' (Col) and “White 
Squaw” (Col) (2d wk). Fair $4,000. 
Last week, $6,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25) 
—“Love Me Tender” (20th) (3d 
wk). Modest $13,000. Last week, 
$17,000. 

Palace (Indie) (1,184; $1.25-$3.40) 
—"Cinerama Holiday” (Cinerama) 
(77th wk). Smash $28,000. Last 
week, $32,000. “Seven Wonders of 
World” (Cinerama) opens tomor¬ 
row (Wed.). 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-95)— 
“Runaway Daughters” (Indie) and 
“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (Indie). 

(Continued on page 18) 


‘FANTASIA’FAST 11G, 
L’VILLE;’JULIE’NG7G 

Louisville, Dec. 11. 

Pre-Xmas stanza in this town, 
where all-first-runs are grouped in 
one square block area, is about up 
to hopes. Rainy weekend and cool- 
ish weather have resulted in only 
a slight slackening at the boxoffice 
pace. “Raw Edge” . and “Calling 
Homicide” at the Kentucky is aver¬ 
age. “Julie” at Loew’s is dull. 
‘Giant” still is sock at the Mary 
Anderson in fouth week. “Fan¬ 
tasia,” in fourth local showing at a 
first-run, looks smash at Rialto. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brown (Fourth Avenue-United 
Artists) (1.000; 90-$2)—“Oklahoma” 
(Magna) (16th wk): Fairish $7,000 
after last week’s $7,500. 

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-85) 
-~“Raw Edge” (U) and “Calling 
Homicide” (AA). Average $7,000. 
Last week, “Mountain” (Par) 
$9,000. 

Loew’s (United Artists) (3,000; 
SjrjUji—“ J uHe” (M-G) and “These 
Wilder Years” (M-G). Dull $7,000 
0r less. Last week, “Friendly Per¬ 
suasion” (AA) (2d wk), on upped 
s °alc, about sam«. 

Mary Anderson (Switow) (1,000; 
eo-Sl.25)— 1 "Giant” (WB) (4th wk), 
holdmg up well at sock $10,000 
at'”]’ last week’s $13,000. 
sn l Fourt h Avenue) (3,000; 

ou- 85 )—“Fantasia” (BV) (reissue). 

booking for pre-Xmas, 
fourth time this pic has played a 
uovvntown first-run. Solid $11,000. 
fomi. wee k. “Love Me Tender” 
UOth) (2d wk), $10,000. 


DeMille Robust 
$26,000 Tops Hab 

Boston, Dec. 11. 

Hub is in midst of usual pre- 
Yule slump and the deluxers are 
beginning to feel the effects of the 
Xmas shopping. Heavy snowfall 
Sunday sloughed trade further. 
Despite all this, “Ten Command¬ 
ments” at Astor still leads city for 
third round. Memorial, is strong 
With' reissues of “Killers” and 
“Sleeping City.” 

Only new firstrun entry is 
“Nightfall” at State and Orpheum, 
with pleasing returns. Paramount 
and Fenway, with “Invasion 
U.S.A.” and “1,000 Years From 
NoW.” out on reissue, will be 
okay. “Lust for Life” is still 
smash at Kenmore in third frame. 
“Giant” continues powerful in its 
sixth at the Metropolitan. “Seven 
Wonders of World” is holding 
great at Cinerama in 16th week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1,372; $1.90-$2.75) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par) (4th 
wk). Third week ended yesterday 
(Mon.) was robust $26,000 for C. B. 
DeMille opus. Last week, $30,000. 

Beacon Hill (Beacon HiHr"(678; 
9041.25) — “Rififi” (UMPO) (5th 
wk). Fourth, week ended yester¬ 
day (Mon.) was big $9,000. Last 
week $8,000. 

' Cinerama (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1,354T $1.25-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders of World” (Cinerama) 
(16th wk). Fine $17,0()0 or near. 
Last week. $-22,0000. 

Exeter (Indie) (1,200; 6041.25)— 
“Richard Til” (Lopert) (5th wk). 
Nice $5,000. Last week, $6,500. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373; 60-90)— 
“Invasion U.S.A.” (Indie) and 
“1,000 Years From Now” (Indie) 
(reissues). Oke $4,000. Last week, 
“Runaway Daughters” (Indie) and 
“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (Indie), 
$5,500. 

Kenmore (Indie) (700: 85-$1.25) 
—“Lust for Life” (M-G) (3d Wk). 
Holding hotsy $12,000. Last week, 
$16,000. 

Memorial (RKO) (3.000: 60-90)— 
“Killers” (U) and “Sleeping City” 
(U) (reissues). Oke $10,000. Re¬ 
issues rushed in after Gina Lollo- 
brigida p. a. with Italian film, 
“Beautiful But Dangerous” (20th), 
world nPfeem was cancelled be¬ 
cause of processing troubles. Last 
week, “Love Me Tender” (20th) 
(Continued on page 18) 


ICE TELE Fills i 
.IN MINNEAPOLIS 

Minneapolis, Dec. 11. 
Local KMGM’s launching of 
Metro oldies over weekend, 
“Honky Tonk” and “Above - Suspi¬ 
cion” at nine p.m. Saturday and 
Sunday, respective#, after gigan¬ 
tic advance publicity and adver¬ 
tising campaign, was not believed 
to have- done appreciable if any. 
boxoffice damage here. 

Both Charlie Winchell and Harry 
H. Weiss, United Paramount and 
RKO theatres heads here, regard¬ 
ed weekend business as normal for 
this bad time of year and consid¬ 
ering the films r showing. They 
didn’t think their houses were hurt 
particularly and felt that the reg¬ 
ular video audience wasn’t in¬ 
creased appreciably. Grosses here 
generally were about- par, all 
things considered. ‘ 

Sub-zero temperatures, adverse 
pre-Christmas influences and only 
a few new entries will combine 
currently to throttle the Loop box-, 
office take. There three newcom¬ 
ers on tap, “Girl He Left- Behind,” 
“Death of Scoundrel” and “Tem¬ 
pest in Flesh.” Only “Girl” at the 
.Lyric is measuring up at the box- 
office, being rated good. A fine as¬ 
sortment of long running hold¬ 
overs continues to give a good ac¬ 
count of itself considering season- 
(Continued on page 18) 


’Giant’ Stout 13G, 4th 
‘Tender’ Slight 5G 

Baltimore, Dec. 11. 

Pre-Xmas doldrums are grip¬ 
ping biz here this waek. Best gross 
on tap is fourth week of “Giant” 
at the Stanley, still fancy. “Don 
Giovanni” 'is sadly disappointing 
at the New. “Tension at Table 
Rock” looms mild at ,the Mayfair. 
“Fantasia” still is good in fourth 
round at the Little. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (Fruchtman) (3.000:' 50- 
$1.25)—“Love Me Tender” (20th) 
(3d wk). Sparse $5,000 after 
$10,000 in second. 

* Cinema (Schwaber) (560: 50- 

$1.25)—“Frisky” (Indie).' * Moder¬ 
ate $3,500. Last week, “Strange 
Ones” (Indie), $2,500. 

Film Centre (Rappaport) (890; 
$1.50-$2.50)—"Oklahoma” (Magna) 
(41st wk). Oxay $5,000 after 
$5,500 last week. “Around World 
in 80 Days” (Todd-AO) opens 
Dec. 21. 

Five West (Schwaber) (460; 50- 
$1.25) — “Death of Scoundrel” 
(RKO) (3d wk). Mild $2,500 after 
$3,500 in second. 

Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,100; 
50-$1.25) — “Rock, Rock, Rock” 
(Col) and “Please Murder Me” 
(Col). Opens tomorrow (Wed.). 
Fifth week of “Friendly Per¬ 
suasion” (AA) was moderate $5,500. 

Little (Rappaport) (310; 50-$1.25) 
—“Fantasia” (BV) (4th wk). Good 
$2,500 after $3,500 for third. 

Mayfair (H<cks) (980; 30-90)— 
“Tension, at Table Rock” (RKO). 
Mild $4,000. Last week, “Unguard¬ 
ed Moment” (U) (2d wk), $2,500. 

New (Fruchtman) (1.600; 50- 

$1.50) — “Don Giovanni” (Tndie). 
Slim $4,000. Last week, “Shake, 
Rattle,. Roll” (In'die) and “Rock, 
Pretty Baby” (Indie), $7,000. 

Playhouse (Schwaber) (410; 50- 
$1.25)—“Above Us Waves” (Tndie) 
(2d wk). . Limp $2,000 after $3,500 
opener. 

Stanley (WB) (3.200; 50-$1.50)— 
“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Fancy 
$13,000 after $16,000 for third. 

Town (Rappaport) (1,400; 50- 

$1.25)—“Power and Prize” (M-G). 
Unexciting $6,000. Last week, 
“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk), $5,500. 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re¬ 
ported herewith from the vari¬ 
ous key cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib¬ 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in¬ 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


Xmas Shopping SlashesD’waylfe 
Bat ‘Moon’-Yuletide Show Wham 



W Usty $15,000 In 
Buff.; 'Gant' 12G, 5th 

Buffalo, Dec. 11. 

“Julie” shapes as standout new¬ 
comer here this stanza, with a tail 
figure at the Buffalo. “Runaway 
Daughters” is rated fine at Center 
in 9 days. “Giant” still is sturdy 
although in fifth week at Para¬ 
mount. “Seven Wonders of World” 
continues its amazing gait in 15th 
session at the Teck. 

Estimates for This Week 

Buffalo (Loew) (3,000; 60-85) — 
“Julie” (M-G) and “These Wilder 
Years” (M-G). Potent $15,000. Last 
week, “Opposite Sex” (M-G) “Man 
is Armed” (Indie) (2d wk-6 days), 
$9,000. 

Paramount (Par) (3,000; 90-$1.50). 
—“Giant” (5th wk). Sturdy $12,- 
000. Last week, $14,000. 

- Center (Par) (2,000; 50-80) — 
“Runaway Daughters” (AIP) ?and 
“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (AIP). Fine 
$14,000 in 9 days. Last week, "JLove 
Me Tender” 120th) (2d wk), $8,500. 

Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 50-80)— 
“Port Afrique” (Col) and “Miami 
Expose” (Col). Light $7,000. Last 
;eek, "Friendly Persuasion” (AA) 
\3d wk), ditto. 

Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 90- 
$1.20) — “War and Peace” (Par) 
(6th wk). Slow $6,500. Last week, 
$7,000. 

Teck (Cinema Products) (1,200; 
$1.20-$2.40) — "Seven Wonders of 
World” (Cinerama) (15th wk). Softy 
$15,000. Last week, same. 


Truth’ OK $8,iO 
Indpls; lust’ 7G 

Indianapolis, Dec. 11. 
Biz is showing effects of holiday 
shopping spree here this stanza, 
with grosses modest in comparison 
with recent * weeks. But ’ “Gian£” 
continues well in fourth stanza at 
the Indiana and will be held until 
Dec. 20. “Oklahoma” also is satis¬ 
factory- again ■ in 14th stanza at 
Lyric, which plans holding it until 
Jan. 30, when “Ten Command¬ 
ments” will come in. “Everything 
But the Truth” at the Circle shapes 
okay while “Lust For Life” at 
Loew’s is good. 

Estimates for This Week 
Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2,800; 50- 
85)—“Everything But Truth” (U) 
and “Raw Edge” (U). Oke $8,000 
or near. Last week, "Love Me 
Tender” (20th) (2d wk), $6,500. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 90-$1.50)— 
“Giant” (WB) (4th wk). Good 
$9,000. Last week, $13,000. 

Keith’s (C-D) (1,300; 60-90) —* 
“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) (4th 
wk). Mild $5,000 after $7,50(J last 

Loew's (Loew) .(2,427; 50-80) — 
“Lust for Life” (M-G) and "Rebel 
in Town” (UA). Good $7,000, Last 
week, “Julie” (M-G) and “These 
Wilder Years” (M-G), $8,000. 1 

Lyric (C-D) (850; $1.25-$2.20) — 
“Oklahoma” (Magna) (14th wk). 
Trim $9,000. Last wee£, $12,000. 

Seattle B.O. Slips But 
’Okla.’Oke 8G,‘Giant’11G 

Seattle, Dec. 11. 

First snowstorm of year along 
with usual holiday buying, follow¬ 
ing directly after a week’s bus 
strike, all combined against cinema 
trade this week. “Oklahoma” still 
is good in sixth round at the Blue 
Mouse. “Giant” is rated big in 
fourth stanza at Music Hall. But 
elsewhere biz is way off with few 
exceptions. Ending of city bus 
strike was helping downtown thea¬ 
tres and stores until Xmas buying 
got upper hand. 

Estimates for This Week 
Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800: 
$1.50-$2) — “Oklahoma” (Magna) 
(6th wk). Good $8,000 or near. Last 
week. $10,600. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1.870; 95* 
$1.25)—“Reprisal” (Col) and “7th 
Cavalry” (Col). Mild $6 500 . Last 
(Continued on page 18) j 


Rain last Saturday evening and 
a steady downpour plus snow on 
Sunday (9) did not hurt Broadway 
film business nearly as much as 
Christmas shopping. The buying 
spree was on with a vengeance 
both Monday and Tuesday," with' 
the usual results for current ses¬ 
sion’s boxoffice. The few deluxers 
showing strength are in the minor¬ 
ity by a. wide margin. Many houses 
are just coasting with present fare 
until near Dec. 25. 

Outstanding exception to th« 
downbeat is the Music Hall, with 
its annual Christmas stageshow 
and “Teahouse of August Moon.’ 1 
With a boost from five-show day 
last Saturday, Hall looks to hit a 
great $170,000 in current stanza ox 
ahead of opening week. “Giant’ 1 
with stageshow also is holding 
well with a big $57,000 in ninth 
(final) round at the Roxy. "Anas¬ 
tasia” plus %mas stageshow opens 
Friday (14) after a preem of pic 
tomorrow (Thurs.) night. 

“Solid Gold Cadillac” shapes 
good $15,000 in seventh week at 
the Victoria. “Eaby Doll” opens 
the night of Dec. 18. "Ten Com¬ 
mandments” is holding near capac¬ 
ity aroiuid $54,500 in current (5th) 
round at the Criterion. 

“Seven Wonders of World” held 
at smash $48,400 in 35th stanza at 
the Warner, now being in the 36th 
week. “Around World in 80 Days’* 
is holding close to capacity or 
about $34,000, for 10 shows, in 
present (8:h) week at the Rivoli. 
“Julie” st ; ll shapes good with $17,- 
000 for third frame at the State, 
now being in fourth week. 

“Rainmaker” is due in at the 
Astor tonight with a special preem. 
Outside of some arty -theatres, 
which are faring comparatively 
well, other houses are hitting unr 
believably low figures in current 
session. A whole batch of new pic¬ 
tures is due to be unveiled next 
week tQ. take advantage of the re-, 
versal of trend just prior of Christ¬ 
mas Day. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1.3C0; 75-$2)— 
“Rainmaker” (Par). Opens tonight 
(Wed.) with special preem. In 
ahead, “Mountain” (Par) (4th wk), 
held at fair $10,500, after $9,800 
on third week; Was helped in 
fourth week by two previews of 
“Rainmaker.” 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.25-$1.80)—“Wee Geordie ’. 
(Arthur) (10th wk). Ninth round 
finished Sunday (9) night was fast 
$7.1000. Eighth was $7,300. Now 
set to run well into next year. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; $1.25- 

$1.80)—“Show Was Black” (Cont) 
(9th wk). Eighth stanza ended Sun- 
(Continued on page 18) 

Pitt Singing Pre-Yule 
Blues; ‘Giant’ Loud 10G 
‘Wonders’ Big 11G, 34th 

Pittsburgh, Dec. II. 

It’s another week of singing the 
blues downtown. Only thing that’s 
really presentable is “Giant” at 
Slanley in its sixth and final stan¬ 
za. Elsewhere, it’s the same old 
pre-Xmas .story. “Sharkfighters” 
looks drab at the Penn while 
“Death of Scoundrel” at Harris is 
rated dull. “Everything But 
Truth” at Fulton is only fair. “Sev¬ 
en Wonders of World” still is nice 
in 34th week at Warner. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 65-99)— 
“Everything But Truth” (U). Fair 
$5,000. Last week, “Love Me Ten¬ 
der” (20th) (2d wk), bottom fell 
right out of Elvis Presley starrer, 
only $5,500. 

Guild (Green) (500; 85-99)— 

“Ship That Died of Shame” (In¬ 
die). Just -keeping the house open 
until its Xmas pic comes in. Maybe 
$1,800. Last week, “tY'ages of 
Fear” (DCA) (4th wk), $1,500. 

Harris (Harris) (2,165; 65-99)— 
“Death of Scoundrel” (RKO). No¬ 
tices fairly good but biz is dull. 
Isn’t likely to crack $5,000 and 
that’s in the red. Last week, “You 
Can’t Run Away From It” (Col) 
(2d wk), $6,500. 

Penn (UA) (3,300; 65-99)— 

“Sharkfighters” (UA). They aren’t 
buying this week, and not more 
than a drab $8,000 looms. Last 
(Continued on page 18) 






10 




¥cdttefldayt December 12, 1956 



IT IS TRUE 
THERE HAS 
BEEN NO 
MOTION 
PICTURE 
LIKE 

'Baby doll' 

*Baby Doll* is real. All its people are 
wrong and right, magnificent and foolish, 
violent and weak—the way all people are. 
It is not meant to be moral or unmoral, 
only truthful. It is bold. But it is real. 

♦ 

Honesty and reality are the outstand¬ 
ing characteristics of every Elia Kazan 
production. They have earned him two 
Academy Awards and three N. Y. Film 
Critics Awards. They have earned him 
world-wide respect. 

♦ 

- Outspoken and unusual drama is 


basic to all of Tennessee Williams* writ¬ 
ing. For it, he has won two Pulitzer Prizes 
and three N. Y. Drama Critics Awards. 
They have earned him world-wide respect. 

♦. 

i i 

Together, these two have now created ' 

i 

in 'Baby Doll* a special kind of dramatic 

i 

■j 

appeal—a theme and mood and characters 
that can be compared with no other. £ 
'Baby Doll* is essentially the story of 
three people: a married girl of nineteen, 


1 

ELIA KAZAN’S production of TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’ *BABY DOLL’ starring KARL MALDEN • CARROLL BAKER fl 
ELI WALLACE • Story and Screenplay by TENNESSEE WILLIAMS • Directed by ELIA KAZAN • A Newtown Production 












Wednesday, December 12, 1^56 




11 



who is not yet a woman—a husband twice 
her age—and a stranger. 

♦ 

The leading roles are played by Karl 
Malden, Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach. 
Their performances are certain to be 
auch discussed when the picture is 
shown. 

♦ 

‘Baby DolT is intimate drama—and 
Afferent. ‘Baby DolT is earthy humor— 


and different. ‘Baby DolT is tender beauty 
—and different. There has been no motion 
picture like ‘Baby DolT. 

♦ 

Warner Bros.— the presenters of 
•Baby DolT—have previewed it for a great 
many outstanding figures from many 
walks of life. In their considered judg¬ 
ment, enthusiastically given, ‘Baby DolT 
is certain to fulfill the public’s highest 
expectations. 



World Premiere Tuesday Dec. isth+Victoria, N. Y.♦ *so the Ticket 


The World Premiere and the Supper-Dance following at the Waldorf-Astoria are for the benefit of the Actors * Studio 















12 


INTERNATIONAL 


Fund Statutory; Extends NFFC For 
10 Yrs., Quota Act As k, To 1968 


'VARIITY'S* LONDON OPPICB 
I St. Martin'* placo, Trafalgar Square 


Anglo-French Deal Seen Increasing 
Friction Between U.S. Cos., Brit Prods. 


By HAROLD MYERS 

• London, Dee. 11. 

Issued in advance of expecta¬ 
tions, presumably to give produc¬ 
ers time to njan their new sched¬ 
ules with a foreknowledge of what 
aid they would be receiving, the 
government last week nublished 
an all-embracing Films Bill, which 
put the Eady Fund on a statutory 
basis for ten years, it also adds a 
further 10 years to the life of the 
National Film Finance Corp. an^ 
extends the existing Quota Act, 
with only minor modifications, 
until 1968. j ^ 

The all-important definition of 
a British film, which would be en¬ 
titled to participate in the Eady 
share-out, however, has been, de¬ 
ferred for the time being. A spe¬ 
cial regulation covering this and 
other problems, will be introduced 
by the Board of Trade after the 
bill becomes an Act. Parliament 
will be given every opportunity to 
debate these regulations. 

Exhibitors, who had expressed 
unqualified opposition to the statu¬ 
tory Eady scheme, will be expected 
to pay more into the produders’ 
pool. The bill estimates a first 
year yield of approximately $10,- 
500,000, which is more than w $3,0Q0,- 
000 above the total receipts in the 
1955-56 financial year. In subse¬ 
quent years, the bill envisages an 
annual income of not less than 
$5,600,000 and not more than 
$14,000,000. 

CEA Line Up Program 

The general council of the Cine¬ 
matograph Exhibitors Assn, will 
meet here tomorrow-(Wed.), eight 
days ahead of second reading de¬ 
bate in the House of Lords, Dec, 
20. It is expected to launch a 
major political agitation designed 
to safeguard its sectional interests 
and to campaign for a hefty cut in 
admissions duty as a pre-condition 
of CEA support. 

First part of the bill, dealing 
with the Eady levy, gives the BOT 
powers, to continue the practice of 
granting exemptions, and it has 
indicated it will make every at¬ 
tempt to devise rules which are 
fair and acceptable,. While failure 
on the part of an exhib to pay his 
levy dues will not a a criminal of¬ 
fense, the bill gives the govern¬ 
ment powers to deal with theatre 
owners who submit fraudulent re¬ 
turns. They would be liable to a 
fine of up to $280 and/or three 
months’ imprisonment. 

The levy will be administered 
and distributed by a corporate 
body which will be called the Brit¬ 
ish Film Fund Agency, with a 
directorate of three to five. No 
person whose financial or indus¬ 
trial interests are likely to affect 
him in the discharge of his func¬ 
tion will be eligible to serve as a 
member of the agency. 

Set Rule After Bill Passes . 

Among the regulations which 
will be drafted by the BOT after 
the enactment of the bill, apart 
from the definition of eligible Brit¬ 
ish pix, will be others to specify 
the rate and method of payment, 
to provide for recovery of over¬ 
payment and to prescribe the per¬ 
sons to whom payments are to be 
made'. 

Second part of the bill, giving 
the NFFC a 10-yeaT extension, 
contains a clause making it ‘"heir 
duty” to operate in such a way as 
may seem.most likely to them to 
avoid losses. To help in attaining 
ing this objective, it will.no longer 
be restricted to making loans to 
producers who have been unable 
to raise coin from other sources. 

A surprise new clause in the bill 
gives the BOT power to dispose 
of the State Film Bank as a going 
concern if that should prove prac¬ 
ticable. 

Extends Quota to*1968 

Simplest part of the bill 'is the 
section extending Quota protection 
until 1968. This is confined to four 
short paragraphs, which make pro¬ 
vision for raising registration fees 
from $6 to $15 and renters’ license 
fees from $15 to $36. Exhibitors' 
licenses go up from $6 to $15. In 
all other respects the new Quota 
Bill is simply an extension of the 
1948 Act. 

The government intends to rush 
the legislation through as quickly 
as pdssible and is hopeful it will 
pass through both Houses of Par¬ 
liament before next Easter. 


Concentration Gamp Pic 



• *. Frankfurt,. Dec. 9. 

I "Night, and Fog,” the contro¬ 
versial ' French documentary deal¬ 
ing with (concentration camps in 
Germany, • which was banned at 
the Cannes Film Festival ,tfut is 
now showing throughout Germany, 
has been awarded outstanding re¬ 
views in West Germany as an hon¬ 
est portrayal of unbelievable hor¬ 
ror. It has. won something else, too. 
—the German Film Classification 
Board has ; tagged it; "especially 
worthy,” the. highest classification 
possible, which means that German 
theatres booking the 31-minute 
short are-eligible for a tax reduc¬ 
tion.-. ; ' 

Interesting sidelight is that the 
same classification, "especiaWy 
worthy,” was also? given by the 
German Film Classification Board 
to another new French document¬ 
ary to be shown here, "Picasso.’' 


Well at Least It 
Helps Paris Pix 

Paris, Dec. 4. 

The touchy international sitUa* 
tion, a nightmare to all thinking 
men, stiH has its more positive 
side which is not . ignored by show 
biz here. This..j(s the feeling here, 
primarily among film people, as 
gas rationing comes in and turns 
stranded would be weekend voyag¬ 
ers into potential filmgoers. In 
fact', it is perking up the bdxOffice 
when film people were- crying 
crisis, and moving exhibition along 
to remove the blockade caused by 
backlogs and overproduction this 
year. * ■ ■ v 

With rationing and gas pumps 
closing weekends, film houses, es¬ 
pecially the nabes, are already get¬ 
ting greater patronage. Gallic tra¬ 
dition of weekend motoring is a 
form of distraction that has to be 
replaced by another, opine pun¬ 
dits here* and many Show biz facets 
are sure to profit. Films are get¬ 
ting the main rakeoff from this 
emergency, but theatre, revues 
and musicals are also denoting in¬ 
creases. Some sales hikes in' disk, 
radio and video sets also have been 
noted. 

The same thing is happening in 
Belgium and Switzerland, the top 
Gallic film marts, and so the Gallic 
film seems in for a much needed 
period of receipt upbeat. More 
optimistic films people are also 
hoping that this temporary meas¬ 
ure, even after receding, will have 
served to rekindle the filmgoing 
habit. It is felt that now is the 
time for the film setup to act, with 
the top pix to be put into circula¬ 
tion now while a more or less cap¬ 
tive audience is existing. 

Only the niteries seem, to have 
experienced a falloff since the in¬ 
ternational difficulties. Besides a 
present cold snap it is felt that 
most people are afraid of missing 
last buses and subways. There are 
still enough tourists and general 
night hawks to keep the better 
boites filled with the lesser "spots 
taking the brunt of the downbeat. 


‘PICNIC/‘CONQUEROR’ 
ITALIAN B.O. CLICKS 

Rome, Dec. 4. 

"Picnic” (Col) appears in the 
lead at the end of the first three 
months of this season’s Italian box- 
office returns, with a key-city total 
of some $328,500 racked up on 
early dates. With some $255,000 
for the same period, RKO’s "The 
Conqueror” took second spot. 
‘Man In The Grey Flannel Suit” 
(20th), "Man Who Knew Too 
Much” (Par) and "Alexander the 
Great" (UA) make up the first five. 

“The Searchers” (WB) was 
sixth, followed by the first Italo en¬ 
try, "Toto, Peppirio e la Malafem- 
ihina,” "D-Day 6th of June” (20th), 
then, "Nero’s Big Weekend” (Ti- 
tanus), "Donatella” and "Indian 
Fighter” (UA), in that order. 


Anna Neagle to Make 
P!c Sans Herb Wilcox 

London, Dec. 4. 

For the first time in more than 
20 years,. Anna Neagle is to make 
a picture outside her association 
with her husband, Herbert Wilcox. 
She has been signed to star for 
Associated British in "No Time For 
Tears.” , 

Wilcox in fact had tried to get 
the story. But ABP turned him 
down and offered the alternative 
of her doing it for th^m. A,lso to 
star in the production, which starts 
shooting at the end of the month, 
are Sylvia Syms and George Baker, 



London, Dec. 11. 

Ministry of Fuel and Power has 
promised , to co-operate witlf the 
picture industry to insure a regular 
supply of films to keep theatres 
open during the gasoline rationing 
period, which starts next Mon¬ 
day (17). 

An industry deputation to the 
Ministry last week explained that 
[it would be impracticable to use 
any alternative other than the pres¬ 
ent system of road deliveries of 
new film programs. If Film Trans¬ 
port Services, which handles this 
operation for the industry, had its 
fuel allocation cut th the level of 
non-priority users, they would be 
unable to service the entire coun¬ 
try. . In the circumstances, the 
Ministry intimated it would en¬ 
deavor to put film deliveries on the 
"A” priority level, ranking equally 
with doctors 1 and other essential 
1 services. j 

towards the entfof last week the 
Assn, of Cinematograph, Television 
and Allied Technicians sent a pro¬ 
test letter to the Prime Minister 
against the gas shortage and in¬ 
creased prices "due to government 
policy” which was bound to affect 
the livelihood of their members. 
They urged an adequate supply of 
fuel at reasonable prices to those 
whose jobs depend upon it. 


Touring Bands May Be Hard Hit 

Many British'touring bands fear 
they may be forced to fold as a 
direct result of gasoline price in¬ 
creases and rationing. Combos 
with heavy travelling commitments 
in all parts of the country, espe¬ 
cially around the festive season, 
will not be able to cover costs if 
they’re forced to hire transport. 
Running their own .private buses 
on the proposed gas allowances, 
even with a supplementary allot¬ 
ment, will not be possible for a 
large number , of th.em. 

Agent Harold Davison; with eight 
topline touring bands on his books, 
said he’d have to up band bookirig 
fees which could lead to higher 
admission prices at dances. Public 
transport will also be cut when-ra¬ 
tioning comes into operation next 
Monday (17). This could mean a 
heavy drop in attendance at dances 
in smaller spots. 

New Mex Govt Wants 
Small Houses to Stop 
Charging 32c at B.O. 

Mexico City Dec. 4, 

The 32c cinema admission price 
here, the top set four years ago, is 
holding, but only for the ace first- 
runs. Adolfo Fernandez Busta¬ 
mante, chief of the city amuse¬ 
ments supervision department who 
fixed the rate, has ordered local sec¬ 
ondary first-runs, the Cines Palacio 
Chino, Orfeon, Opera, Bucareli, 
Rex, Palacio and Mariscala, to quit 
charging 32c even, for a double¬ 
feature of recently released pix. 
His advice' was to the effect that if 
they ever again charged that price 
.they can be fined up to $720. 

Bustamante declared that these 
cinemas charging the top price 
were "harmful to public interests.” 
The maximum these film houses 
can now charge is 24c. 

Bustamante’s action provoked 
some secondary first-run exhibitors 
to threaten a close dowri in pro¬ 
test. These exhibs claim that only 
the 32c charge allows them any 
profit. 


Move ‘Dolnhip’ To Rome 
After 3 Mos. In Greece 

Athens, Dec. 4; 

"Boy on a Dolphin,”, first Yajik 
pic to be filmed in Greece, after 
three months location w.ork hei;e 
has moved to Rome, where Direc¬ 
tor Jean Negules^o will shoot inter¬ 
ims at the Cinecitta Studios. Three 
weeks of work are scheduled in Ita¬ 
ly’s capital city. 

Stars of this $3>500,000 C’Scoper 
are Alan Ladd, Clifton Webb and 
Sophia Loren as well as many 
Greeks. Greek natives also are 
members of the crew. Last addi¬ 
tions to the Greek cast include 
Alexander Anastassiades as cura¬ 
tor of ihuseum at the Epidavros 
Amphitheatre, and Aristides Chris- 
sphoos, who plays the- steward on 
Webb’s yacht. Four more mem¬ 
bers of the crew, now are doubling 
as actors. 6 They are Italian Still¬ 
man Alberto Coccbf, Greek Takis 
Gazduleas, Italian First. Assistant 
Director Carlo Lastricati and 
Greek Assistant Wardrobe Mis¬ 
tress, Nadia Vlahoutsicos. 

Shooting of the film in Greece 
gave a great boost to the island 
where the action takes place. 



Paris, Dec. 11. 

The Bureau of Film Industry 
Liaison, repping the. various syndi¬ 
cates of all facets of the film indus¬ 
try, and underwritten by both gov¬ 
ernmental and private film funds, 
is now setting up plans to perk up 
public interest in films and boost 
boxoffice receipts. Though filmgo¬ 
ing has remained on an average 
level the last few years, rising pro¬ 
duction costs (not entirely balanced 
by hiked admission prices) call for 
these attempts to sflore up the¬ 
atre attendance in a county of 
show biz paradoxes. There is in¬ 
tense actual interests in films here 
but not the corresponding traffic 
at the wickets. 

The BFIL has studied various 
problems her© and has narrowed 
down its interest to boosting audi¬ 
ence potential at film houses. Main 
aspects under study are the com¬ 
position and the variety of the pro¬ 
grams handed film patrons. Rural 
pix conditions, including traveling 
shows, theatre comfort and the 
technical operations. Propaganda 
and publicity for film production ! 
and followup activity will be 
checked on, too. 

Though the BFIL is looking into 
all sides of the film setup, it is 
planning its first action via ex¬ 
ploitation. Right after the Cannes 
Film Fest, which runs May 2-17 
.next year, it will inaugurate a 
"Quinzaine Du Cinema.” This will 
be a two-week period when all 
film theatres around France will 
cooperate via special shows and 
numerous personal appearances. 
This is expected to help public 
film patronage. 

Importance of the number of 
foreign pix- which make up the 
yearly exhib total will not be over¬ 
looked. Especially picked foreign 
stars and pix also may be worked 
into this manifestation.. 

INTX PRODUCERS ASSN. 
MOVES H.Q. TO PARIS 

Rome, Dec. 4. 

The permanent office of the 
FIAPF, International Federation of 
Producers Assn; has been trans¬ 
ferred from Rome to Paris. As 
a result of the move, Enrico Hjian- 
nelli resigned as general secretary, 
his post being taken over by Roger 
Fournier, head of the French Pro¬ 
ducer’s Syndicate. New headquar¬ 
ters were decided at the recent 
Paris meeting of the FIAPF. Gian- 
nelli continues as head of the Sta¬ 
tistical and Documentation Bureau, 
which stays here. 

Other biz covered at the get- 
together was the film fete calen¬ 
dar for 1957. The FIAPF has 
given official recognition to the 
Cannes and Edinburgh events, 
while awaiting word from Venice 
and San Sebastian as tp their rules 
and regulations. 


London, Pec. 11, 

New An^o-French deal for 
bing licenses for British pix, nego¬ 
tiated in Paris and approved unan* 
imously by the British Film Pro¬ 
ducers Assn, last week, is viewed 
as likely to increase the friction 
already existing between local pro¬ 
ducers and Yank companies oper¬ 
ating here. British negotiators, 
John Davis and Sit) J Hdftry L. 
French, who met Jacques Flaud in 
Paris late last month, have suc¬ 
ceeded in raising the number of 
British visas for France from 25 ■; 
to 30 a year. New arrangement 
dates from last Ofct; 1 last. There 
are also 10 additional licenses to 
cover the threemonth period from 
July 7, making a total of 40 dur¬ 
ing a 15 month span. 

However, there are several con¬ 
ditions agreed on by British and 
French negotiators for the disposal 
of the licenses.' most .controversial 
being the clause which declares that 
"of the 40 'licenses, not less than 
90% shall be given to films made 
by British producers as determined 
by the BFPA. There are also four 
provisions for reciprocity licenses 
in return for release and exhibition 
of French pix in Britain, but none 
of these will be granted "except 
with the concurrence of the 
BFPA.” 

At tiis press confab French ad¬ 
mitted, in reply to a Vabiety ques- 
i tion, that the 90% clause would 
operate against Warwick Produc¬ 
tions—the-focal point of the recent 
[ public controversy—and compar¬ 
able outfits. He intimated, how¬ 
ever, as another example, that Max* 

I well Setton, who produces for Co- 
1 lumbia. release through his Hemis¬ 
phere company, would be regarded 
as an eligible British producer. 

He also admitted that the use of 
the words "not less” implied that 
there whs no obligation on the part 
of the BFPA to allocate any of the 
40 licenses outside their own mem¬ 
bership. That would be a matter 
to be decided as and when applica¬ 
tions for visas were received. 

In recent statements .both-Irving 
Allen and Cubby Broccoli claimed 
I that., although running a British 
! company, they were denied the 
I right of membership in the BFPA, 
and thus had no say in the alloca¬ 
tion of British licenses for the re¬ 
stricted export markets in France. 
Germany and Japan. They claim 
that, in consequence, they had been 
obliged to send some of their Brit¬ 
ish film overseas on a Yank quota, 
with the result thatf the earnings 
did not revert to Britain. 

Mex Film Sales Soar 
20% in Latin-Am. For 
Past Year; No U. S. Gain 

Mexico City, Dec. 11. 

Distribution of locally made 
product during the past year has 
gone up 20% in LatinAmerican 
countries, according to Eduardo 
Garduno, general manager of semi¬ 
government controlled Banco Cine- 
matografica here. Garduno also 
stated that U. S. sales of Mexican 
pix has remained at more or less 
the same level as during the last 
three years. 

Figures released here show the 
film bank has loaned local pro¬ 
ducers some 91,800.000 pesos ($7,- 
344,000) in the last 14 months. This 
covers 70% of the total investment 
on 90 pix made during this period 
under the banks auspices. 

Regarding new markets for these 
films, Garduno was quoted as being, 
most optimistic. He pointed out 
that with, the varied new film 
pacts, recently concluded between 
France, West Germany and Austria 
a heavy new form of recoupment 
was expected on Mex-made prod¬ 
uct. He also noted that the 
Italian market would in all prob¬ 
ability Joe .opened .up during the 
coming year since an Italo-Mex 
film pact Is now under discussion. 

40,052. Yank Tourists 

To Memo in Month 

. Mexican City, Dec. 4. 

American adult tourists enter¬ 
ing. Mexico during September to¬ 
talled 40,052 and their spending 
amounted to $26,889,080 by those 
who didn’t go farther than border 
points and $8,410,920 by those who 
traveled deep into. the country. 

During the same month of 1955, 
the 40,451 trippers spent a round 
total of $30,314,000. 


Wednesday, December 12,1956 




PICTURES 


13 


Censor Jobs Open! 

% Albany, Dec. 4. 

Censor, anyone? The N.Y. State Dept, of Education’s Division of 
Motion Pictures has two reviewer vacancies in'New York City. 
Job* Which has a Starting'salary of $4,880, calls for* a critic to ap¬ 
praise films .before exhibition in the state to,determine whether 


they qualify for a license. 

-_ . 

elor's t degree* and a working knowledge of at least one modern 
language in any of these four groups; Romance, Germanic, Oriental 
and Slavic.” Among other things he must-also have “four , years 
' of experience showing lils use of mature judgment in handling 
social or educational problems.” ' 


PROTESTANTS BUDGET, 
FOR CHURCH FILMS 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

! Budget of $1,250,000 for the com¬ 
ing year was passed last week by 
the National Council of Churches 
for its Broadcasting and Film Com- 


Is More Sensitive Sex In Pix; 


‘Code* Borrowed for TV Trade, Mostly Effective- 
Less Violence Now:—Defends *10 Commandments’ 


Hollywood^ Dec. 11, 

Imitation is the sincerest form 
of flattery; Production Code Ad¬ 
ministrator Geoffrey .Sh ut 1 o' e k 
pointed out' to the National Coun¬ 
cil o£ Churches last week, in not¬ 
ing the success of the MPAA Code; 
While there Have been occasional 
breaches of the ‘Code, generally 
it’s ‘been* so well-received that 
other national film * bodies have 
adopted if. he commented, and the 
tv industry “borrowed it almost 
bodily.” (The National Assn, of 
Radio and Ty Broadcasters code 
is largely a paraphrase of the 'film 
industry Code.) 

Speaking at the generai board 
meet of the Council at the Statler 
Hotel here, Shurlock proved a 
lively, and adept defender of the 
picture industry, especially in* a 
brisk question-and-answer period. 

, Among the points he made were: 

HC admitted that there has been 
a tendency to exploit violence in 
films. However, he added, a reduc¬ 
tion is noted in, current product. 
Anyway, he pointed out to one 
questioner, “Violence is an ines¬ 
capable element of drama,”, and 
cited such campus classics as “Mac¬ 
beth” and “Tamburlaine.” 

Drawing on facts and his own 
experience in the lengthy session, 
Shurlock stoutly defended indus¬ 
try mores. For example, he re¬ 
futed one complaint that pix show 
too much drinking;. This is hot* an 
accurate appraisal, he declared. | 
Only in pix with ultra-sophisti¬ 
cated backgrounds, in which heavy 
drinking is the norm, do such 
scenes occur. 

Similarly, Hollywood o u tp u t 
tends to support the forced of. law 
and order, he declared,*and cited 
such films as “Trial,” “Giant,” 
“Intruder in the Dust’* and “Fury” 
to refute claims that films are lax 
in the treatment of racial intoler¬ 
ance. 

When asked by Methodist Bishop 
G. Bromley Oxnam of Washington 
about the effectiveness of boycotts 
against films, Shurlock replied that 
he knew of none. However, the 
Catholic Legion of Decency 
might influence some local theatre* 
owners. Shurlock said he .had 
been told by an unidentified pro¬ 
ducer that the latter had released 
a picture “several years ago,” 
without Code approval or Legion 
of Decency sanction. 

“He told me,” Shurlock recalled, 
“that he thought thb disapproval 
had helped in the big cities—but 
that some theatreowners had been 
scared off/' 

Earlier, the spokesmen for some 
30 Protestant and Eastern Ortho¬ 
dox sects stressed that their 
churches have no intention of fol¬ 
lowing the Legion of Decency’s ex¬ 
ample and set up “a pressure 
group to force pictures into our 
pattern or boycott pictures we 
disapprove. So commented Metho¬ 
dist Bishop Gerald Kennedy of 
L.A., chairman of the Coast office 
of the NCC Broadcast and Film 
Commission, who also stated that 
the group’s purpose is not censor¬ 
ship, “for this is contrary to the 
Protestant spirit.” Rather, he said, 
the groups wants to cooperate with 
Hollywood to keep pic content at 
a high moral level,' wherever pos¬ 
sible. He added that the group is 
glad to criticize scripts from the 
viewpoint of the member-denomi¬ 
nations of the NCC... 

Rev. H. K. Rasbadh, head of the 
BFC script committee, pointed out 
that his. group’s function is con¬ 
structive rather than censorious, 
and has proved a ..healing factor 
in relations of the film and church 
worlds. Rev. Rasbhch noted that 
°ut of the “deplorable low”,in pix 
during the ’20’s was born the Cath¬ 
olic Legion of Decency, other pic 
censorship bodies, and some “ru¬ 


dimentary Protestant pressure.” 
“It' was necessarily * heartless and 
created a wide breach between' 
men of films and men of .faith,” 
he stated. 

Earlier-, Shurlock had declared 
that Hollywood could “point with 
pride” to the rise of films dealing 
favorably with - Protestant - sects, 
especially since 20th’s “A Man 
Called Peter” became a b.o. smash 
last year. The nation’s largest re¬ 
ligious group was once ignored ’by 
Hollywood, he admitted, but this 
year’s product includes, “Battle 
Hymn,” “Peacemaker,” “Stranger 
At My Door," and “Friendly Per¬ 
suasion.” Last pic,- Shurlock pre¬ 
dicted, is likely to be- the most 
successful religious pic of 1356. 

During the q-and-a period, Shur¬ 
lock - staunchly defended Para¬ 
mount’s “10 Commandments” 
against various complaints, Pres¬ 
byterian minister John Samuel 
Lord of New Orleans said he had 
“mingled feelings” on the “devia¬ 
tion from the solemnity and pro- 
fundity” in the film treatment of 
the Biblical story. Shurlock point¬ 
ed out that Cecil B. DeMille (a 
luncheon guest, but not present at 
the morning session) had consulted 
at least 25 experts in the field, Ne¬ 
gro Episcopal minister Allan R, 
Crite of Boston, who is also an ar¬ 
cheologist, commended the film’s 
technical accuracy, although he did 
quarrel with several details. 


—bus&toJFigurftappwwa- - 

. , lately the same out j ay as last year, 

but NCC spokesman pointed out 
that 73 additional projects were 
undertaken by BFC last year, after 
the 1956 budget was approved. 

; Among projects this year will be . 
several low-budget features, for 
Church showings. Main. expendi¬ 
tures, however, will be in tv and 
radio fields. A tv series for chil¬ 
dren is one project on thFfire, and 
j'BFC wkill participate in such pro¬ 
grams as -NBC-TV “Frontiers Of 
Faith,” and CBS-TV “Look Up and 
Live,” in rotation with Catholic 
and Jewish orgs, " Also on the 
agenda is a research project to 
determine the most effective for¬ 
mat for Commission funds. 

. Third of Commission’s revenues 
from denominational contributions, 
another third from fail mail contri¬ 
butions and the sale of radio ser¬ 
mons, and remaining third' from 
rentals of non-theatrical religious 
films to church groups and other 
civic bodies. 


Par Newsreel 
Doe for Finis 

End of paramount News is in 
sight. The* parent company, which 
has been appraising the economics 
of the newsreel #for the past sev¬ 
eral months, has arrived at the 
conclusion that the operation .is 
losing money and it will be dis¬ 
continued. Specific shutdown date 
and disposition of the assets have 
yet ty, be set, however. 

Oscar Morgan, Par’s short sub¬ 
jects and newsreel sales manager 
for the past 15 years, already has 
been transferred to a special as¬ 
signment an “The Ten Command¬ 
ments.” His new job is to line up 
group ticket sales for the Cecil B. 
DeMille production at its various 
theatre, playdates. 

Par intends to continue produc¬ 
tion of shorts with the sales of 
these, along with the final licens¬ 
ing o^the reel, to He handled by 
the regular sales department under 
division managers Hugh Owen and 
Sidney Deneau. 


U RENEWS WALTER LANTZ 


29th year for Cartoonist — Will 
Produce 13 Shorts 


» Hollywood, Dec. 11 

Universal exercised its' option 
oh Walter Lantz and the vet 
cartoon maker will -deliver his 
usual quota of 13 Woody Wood¬ 
pecker; and Waited Lantz Special 
cartoons to the studio for the 29th 
year. Shorts, all in Technicolor, 
are” for delivery during the year 
beginning pec. 1, 1957. 

At the same time, U’s release 
rights to. six W6ody Woodpecker 
cartoons, .originally released in 
1951, were extended for five years, 
to* 1963, for reissue purposes. They 
include “Puny Express,” “Sleep 
Happy,” “Wicket Whacky,” ‘Sling¬ 
shot 6%/* “The Redwood Sap” and 
“The Woody Woodpecker Polka/' 

Gabe Sumner opened his own 
public relations office in Manhat¬ 
tan, after resigning from the Para¬ 
mount publicity department. . 


Not Like the Army 

. Hollywood, Dec. 11.. 

Now even newcomers to 
filrtfs are being subjected to 
the type-casting routine. 

Bill Lasky, son of veteran 
producer Jesse Lasky, finally 
got* into the picture business 
last week, as a second assistant 
director. He has, heretofore, 
been a zoologist. 

So iris first assignment is on 
the Screen Gems vidpic series 
“Johnny Wildlife,” a ^wild. animal 
series. 


150 Publishers 
To Hear Film 
Industry Story 

4 Reps of various trade associa¬ 
tions will meet in'New. York today 
(Wed.) to set’up a conference be¬ 
tween newspaper publishers and 
editors and several film execs, in¬ 
cluding Eric A. Johnston, presi¬ 
dent of the Motion Picture Assn, 
of Anferica. Plan is to bring 150 
press officials in .various eastern 
states to the huddle for the pur¬ 
pose, of acquainting them with 
operations of the film industry and, 
of course, seeking their support. 

The sessiri is loosely planned 
for about Jan. 20 with specific de¬ 
tails likely to be mapped- at the 
conclave today. Sitting in will be 
Taylor Mills, p.r. exec-at MPAA’s 
N.Y. office, and officials of the 
Council of Motion Picture Organ¬ 
izations, Metropolitan Motion 7 Pic¬ 
ture Theatres Assn.,-Independent 
Theatre Owners Assn., Allied 
States and Theatre Owners of 
America. 

Hope is to impress the fourth 
estate brass with efforts made by 
the industry to improve its own 
welfare and underline economic 
problems being encountered.. The 
use of more film news will be sug¬ 
gested with the emphasis to be on 
story material tieing in with pic¬ 
tures in local theatres, just as tele¬ 
vision news concerns current pro¬ 
grams. Re the latter point, it’s 
noted that film news often con¬ 
cerns the making of pix which are 
not in local theatres until months 
later. 

The press officials, it’s further 
hoped, will pass >long their im¬ 
pressions of the film business to 
their staffers. 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

No circuit opposition has devel¬ 
oped here to buying Warners’ 
“Baby Doll.” In fact, three majors 
in the territory. Fox West Coast, 
Stanley Warner and Paramount 
Theatres, have it booked for an ex¬ 
clusive day-date run starting Dec. 
26 at thq Vogue, Wiltern and 
Downtown Paramount. All would 
like an earlier opening, either Dec. 
19 or" Christmas Day, but Warners 
breaks “Giant” on the • latter date 
in a multiple spread and doesn’t 
want big advertising competition 
from “Dpll” on* the same day in 
the papers, as “Giant” will be 
given top space too. 

Circuit check reveals all feel a 
Code seal is all that should be 
necessary to make “Doll” a good 
booking. Too, consensus figures 
Legion “C,” ; while not necessarily 
welcome, plus an “adult” emphasis 
in ads, will help the b.o. 

To quote Bert Pirosh/chief film 
buyer* for National Theatres: “I 
think it *will kill them at the box¬ 
-office. We have it bought in all 
towns where we get Warners prod¬ 
uct and will take it anywhere else 
that some other exhibitor may’ pass 
it up.” 


♦ Legion of Decency “has made 
itself ridiculous” by condemning 
“Baby Doll” and in fact has con¬ 
demned itself as being “immature, 
insensitive, unimaginative, lacking 
in humor and totally ignorant of; 
the human nature of* human, be¬ 
ings.” 

Thus writes Maurice Zolotow in. 
his syndicated column (for the 
Spades Syndicate), under the title 
“Should Sex Be Censored?” 

Scribe not only questions the^ 
Legibzfs judgment, but' points out- 
that the French and Italians, among 
the world’s most ‘.devout Roman 
Catholics, “constantly create works 
of literary, dramatic, and motion 
picture art which <|eal quite me-, 
turely with lustful emotions and 
the, sexual complications between ., 
men and women. Yet you never - 
hear of any Legion of Decency try¬ 
ing to censor films in Italy or 
France. Only in the United States 
are creative men shackled and ; 
hockled with infantile ideas about 
morality and human nature.” . 

Zolotow proclaims that “what 
this country needs is more and 
better sex” (by wjiich he means 
sexual love experienced and ex¬ 
pressed with * sensitivity, delicacy 
and genuine feeling without a 
sense of. shame); and notes that 
“only when sex is driven under¬ 
ground is there a market for por¬ 
nographic books and photographs.’* 

He also objects as “shockingly 
misleading” to the impression 
given-that “such serious artists as 
(Tennessee) Williams and (Elia) 
Kazan are in the same category as 
the shabby vendors of porno* 
graphic goods.” 


TWO RKO THEATRES 
DAY-DATE C’D ‘DOLL’ 

Minneapolis, Dec. 11. 

Twin Cities’ two RKO Theatres’ 
houses, the Minneapolis and St. 
Raul Orpheums, for the first time 
are disregarding a" Legion of De¬ 
cency “C” taboo. “Baby Doll” has 
been booked into both theatres 
New Year’s week day and date. 

United Paramount thus far has 
shied clear of “C” pictures. 


Lincoln Theatre & Building at 
Youngstown, O., will be offered by 
the U.S. Government at public sale 
on 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, to 
satisfy unpaid federal amusement 
taxes totaling $3,726. 


To Use Eisenhower’s ‘Views’ In Ohio 


President Eisenhower’s thoughts 
on the subject of pre-censorship of 
films may be advanced in Ohio to 
prevent the legislature from in¬ 
troducing and passing a bill rein¬ 
stating film censorship in the state. 
Sparking the move is Robert A. 
Wile, executive secretary of the 
independent Theatre Owners of 
Ohio. 

Wile, purports to have uncovered 
what he considers concrete evi¬ 
dence that President Eisenhower 
is opposed to the pre-censorship 
of pictures. He bases his conclusion 
on a statement, by Ford Q. Elvidge, 
former governor of Guam, the U.S, 
island possession in the Pacific. 
Writing in the Dec. 1 issue of the 
Saturday Evening Post, Elvidge 
declared: “But I wasn’t amused 
when the legislators attempted to 
establish pre-showing censorship 
of movies with the strong backing 
of the church. They twice passed 
the bill, but my second veto final¬ 
ly. was upheld by the’President, 
who used almost exactly my words 


in pointing put that similar laws 
already, had been declared uncon¬ 
stitutional by the United States 
Supreme Court. I would repeat the 
veto today. If Guam is to be part 
oi the United States, its laws must 
conform to the American pattern.” 

On the basis of Elvidge’s com¬ 
ments on the President's part in 
upholding . the veto, Wile is at¬ 
tempting to obtain from Washing¬ 
ton' a copy of the President’s mes¬ 
sage supporting the former gover¬ 
nor’s decision on pre-censorship of 
films. He plans to use it in testi¬ 
mony before an Ohio legislative 
committee if an attempt is made 
to reintroduce film censorship in 
the state. 


Credit Group Xmas Meet 

Motion Picture Industry Credit 
Grpup, comprising some 35 -film 
processors, equippers, suppliers, 
etc., holds its annual Christmas 
meet Dec. 18 at the Park Sheraton. 

Org resumes .its regular month¬ 
ly conclaves Jan. 29, 


Boston Not to See 
Loflos Latest Via 


“Beautiful but Dangerous,” a 
Gina Lollobrigida starrer whose 
Boston preem was cancelled last 
week, shapes as an Italian “Baby 
Doll.” Pic suddenly fell into dis¬ 
favor all ’round because it couldn’t 
get an okay from the Catholic Le¬ 
gion of Decency. , It had no trouble 
with the Production Code. 

Boston preem was called off with 
a number of explanations, ranging 
from that the title couldn’t be 
cleared to a faulty soundtrack. 
20th-Fox was to have handled the 
pic and RKO Theatres was to have 
shown it. Real story is this: 

20 th was asked by Howard 
Hughes, who has Lollobrigida un: 
der contract for U. S. to handle 
“Beautiful.” Company agreed, even 
though it wasn’t,, happy with the 
dubbing job. Hughes then went 
ahead and negotiated the Boston 
opening. 

Story of the film is about a man 
who makes a bet he can seduce a 
girl. "He succeeds, and collects on 
his bet.- 

Code indicated it’d give the film 
its seal. However, the Legion made 
it plain that the pic would be ‘C” 
rated, cuts or no cuts. Whereupon 
20th told Hughes it wouldn’t take 
on such a picture for distribution 
(that’s a flat policy adopted by 20th 
prexy Sjpyros P. Skouras ever 
since he ran into trouble with 
‘Forever Amber”) and RKO Thea¬ 
tres apparently also kieked. 


Report From Beantown 

Boston, Dec. 11. 

Italy’s Gina Lollobrigida had the 
hub in a tizzy here last week with 
an on-again off-again act re her 
appearance with the film, “Beauti¬ 
ful But Dangerous.” It was to have 
opened at the RKO Keith Memori¬ 
al Theatre Dec. 6, proceeds going 
to Hungarian relief. 

Whole pit was suddenly can¬ 
celled when- Memorial manager 
Ben Domingo stated that the print 
couldn’t be processed in time for 
the Boston bow. Reports were rife 
that the pic was tob hot to pass 
local censorship. 

Next day, Miss Lollobrigida 
made it anyway and-200 paid $10 
each for the honor of dining with 
her. 


suddenly... happiness 
flooded through her! 
she was crying... 
he was crying ... 
























































16 


PICTURES 




Wednesday, December 12, 195$ 


KINDLED ANEW BY LEWIS, SINDLINGER 


atrical motion pictures) a villain 
or a benefactor? That’s a question 
the film companies have been de¬ 
bating and studying since the home 
medium began to be employed as 
a promotion outlet. After consid¬ 
erable experience, experimentation 
and research, some definite conclu¬ 
sions have been reached. It boils 
down basically to this: 

Advertising on tv, impropeHy 
used, can be extremely harm¬ 
ful and dangerous to the b.oV 
returns. 

Judiciously employed, tv ad¬ 
vertising can be a powerful as¬ 
set for the successful selling 
of a motion picture. 

How to harness and use the suc¬ 
cessful formula intelligently is a 
problem that is currently confront¬ 
ing the industry. For example, 
Roger Lewis, United Artists’ pub- 
ad chief, feels that “the field (of 
tv advertising) has barely been 
tapped” and that it is “the least 
understood and most neglected of 
all motion picture promotional 
media.” Gil Golden, Warner Bros.’ 
ad manager, takes a more conserva¬ 
tive view. He feels it only should 
be used occasionally, that it caniiot 
be employed for all pictures, and 


Taplinger’s Views 

Television definitely has a 
value as an exploitation me¬ 
dium for films, but it must be 
handled with extreme care and 
not used indiscriminately, 
Robert Taplinger, Warner 
Bros, ad-pub and p.r. v.p., said 
in N.Y. last week. 

Taplinqr pointed out that, in 
plugging, films on tv, it was 
really a question of sister me¬ 
dia function together. “If you 
advertise a cake of soap on the 
air, you’re not giving away 
anything. But if you run a 
trailer for a film, you are giv¬ 
ing away some of the very val¬ 
ues you are trying to sell,” he 
said. 

WB exec stressed that, in 
many instances, television 
wasn’t doing justice to the real 
appeal of motion pictures since 
it couldn’t convey color, scope, 
etc. t 

Taplinger said he didn’t be¬ 
lieve in running scenes from 
pix on the air. “We must pre¬ 
sent aspects of motion pictures 
that v don’t impinge on actual 
content,” he commented. “We 
are preparing footage based 
on the actual production of 
such films as ‘Spirit of St. 
Louis’ and ‘Top Secret Affair’ 
and we will let these scenes 
speak for themselves,” he said. 


that only certain pictures “lend 
themselves” to tv exploitation. Si 
Seadler, Metro’6 ad chief, points 
out: “Our function is to get pene¬ 
tration for our pictures. What 
greater penetration can you get 
than tv provides? The idea is to 
use it intelligently. The medium 
is there for us to use. afid we’re 
certainly going to take adyantage 
of it.” ; * 

Researcher Albert Sihdlinger, 
who has made a specialty of study¬ 
ing b.o. influences, is one of the 
most outspoken critics of “im¬ 
proper” video advertising. He has 
frequently charged that the “stu¬ 
pid” use of tv selling has cost cer¬ 
tain pictures as much as $2,000,000 
at the boxoffice. He claims that 
the industry can cause itself “ir¬ 
reparable harm” by its failure to 
use the rival medium intelligently. 
Sindlinger notes, for example, that 
a poor ad in a magazine, while 
failing to sell, is quickly forgotten. 
However, he maintains that “you 
can kill yourself” if “your picture” 
is poorly presented on tv to an au¬ 
dience of 40,000,000 to 50,000,000. 

Several years of experience with 
television has convinced the film 
companies that there are several 
things that should not be done. 
These include the showing of (1) 
clips of scenes from the picture 
and f2) ordinary theatrical trailers. 
Sindlinger is especially adamant 
on these points, asserting that “just 
throwing trailers on the home re¬ 
ceiver is stupid.” Most of the film , 


on this contention, although scene 
clips are occasionally used, par¬ 
ticularly on the Ed Sullivan show. 

It’s generally felt that the mere 
showing of a scene of a film out of 
context rarely conveys the true 
value of the presentation to the 
vast television audience. As a mat¬ 
ter of fact, it is charged that it 
does not distinguish the new en¬ 
try from the large number of old 
films that are currently being of¬ 
fered on video. The scope, color, 
and dramatic values that can be 
obtained, in theatres, it’s.said,-are 
lost when thrown on a 21-inch 
screen/ 

As a result, the film companies, 
acutely aware of the penetration tv 
can offer, are carefully searching 
for ways and means to convey a 
positive attitude and a strong want- 
to-see attitude. They’re preparing 
special tv trailers without showing 
scenes from the pictures; they’re 
shooting special background, fea¬ 
ture material; they’re aiming for 
trick commercials and spbt an¬ 
nouncements; they’re using “art” 
instead of scenes; biographical data 
on the stars instead of clips. No 
set formula, of course, can be. 
adopted. Each picture represents 
a new problem and approach and 
must be treated as such. • 

United Artists’ stepped-up pro¬ 
gram of tv use is.^ased on a four- 
month survey of 126 stations. On 
the basis of what is learned, UA 
will film 75 tv featurettes to plug 
the companys’ product over the 
next 12 months. It’s .said that as 
many as five per feature will be 
used, all shot during actual pro¬ 
duction with pre-selling in mind. 

Importance being placed on the 
necessity of tv promotion is . point¬ 
ed up by the report that Warwick 
Film Productions, U. S. indie firm 
operating in England, has set up a 
special video publicity department. 
Aim of the new unit is to film spe¬ 
cial tv material, ranging from four 
to 30 minutes, covering the War¬ 
wick films., Sound tracks for the 
telefilms will be voiced in four lan-' 
guages—English, Freneh, Italian, 
and Spanish. These languages .are 
expected to cover at least 90% of 
the world’s tv audiences. It’s 
stressed that the tv subjects will be 
made with the aim of providing 
entertainment values as well as 
selling the feature pictures. 


“JacKOoImilies 


Continued from page 7 ss 
studio on the Coast, and his broth¬ 
er decided to go in business for 
themselves. Brandt, who also had 
worked at Hampton, was invited 
to join them and a year^later CBC 
opened its office, a single room at 
1600 Broadway. The company en¬ 
gaged in the production and dis¬ 
tribution, of shorts and Jack Cohn 
drew the plans for a “fan maga¬ 
zine. jof the. screen..”_>This devel¬ 
oped into Screen Snapshots and, 
still being produced by Col to¬ 
day, it is the oldest of any motion 
picture series. 

The growth *of Col under Harry 
and Jack Cohn needs no detailed 
recounting. Suffice to say this was 
a midget company alongside its 
competitors of the early days and 
today, as the assets and gross busi¬ 
ness clearly show, is a major cor¬ 
poration. ' 

Jack Cohn was well known for 
charitable Work and many film 
execs, in joining in tribute to him 
via public statements, made men¬ 
tion of this. It was in 1939 that he 
founded the Motion Picture Pio¬ 
neers and, later, the Pioneers 
Foundation for the purpose of 
helping oldtimers who need an 
assist. 

Cohn was one -of the industry’s 
“most distinguished pioneers,” 
commented Spyros P. Skouras, 
president of 20th-Fox. Barney Bal- 
aban, Paramount president, stated: 
“A self-made man in the noblest 
American tradition, Jack Cohn 
stood as a strong pillar of the mo¬ 
tion picture industry to which he 
dedicated his, unlimited wisdom 
and indefatigable energies with a 
selflessness rarely matched.” Jack 
It. Warner and Loew’s president 
Joseph R. Vogel expressed similar 
senfiments. 

Services for Cohn were held yes¬ 
terday 0 (TuesJ with a eulogy de¬ 
livered by former N. Y. State Su¬ 
preme Court Justice Ferdinand 
Pecora. Many film officials served 
as pallbearers. 

Survivors include Cohn’s widow, 
Jeanette; two sons, Ralph M. and 
Robert L., brothers‘Harry and Nat, 
and a sister, Mrs. Anna Fraum, 
Another son, Joseph H. Curtis, 
died im 1954. 


Inside Stuff-Pictures 

There’s no Way to present doublefeatures in theatres without violat¬ 
ing most of the principles of gopd showmanship, Ronald Reagan, prexy 
of the Motion Picture Industry Council, charged in a letter to Denver 
columnist Frances Melrose. Letter was in reply to a column in the 
Rocky Mountain News, in which Miss Melrose charged that Reagan 
was being unfair to the picture-industry during a recent interview 
there. 

“A fundamental rule of showmanship is ‘always leave them wanting 
more,’ ” Reagan commented. “Beyond that, the regular use of double 
features robs us of the use of the twin bill as an occasional stimulant 
or bargain day sale. For years baseball has used the doubleheader 
in this manner and never considered making it daily practice. I just 
can’t believe that people who like movies well enough to sit through 
two of them will quit if they have to see them one at a time.” 

Referring to Miss Melrose’s, defense of the COMPO program, Reagan 
remarked, “I hate to be the bearer pf bad news, but COMPO has never 
carried out its original purpose of sponsoring research, and today is 
weakened by internal strife and division. On the optimistic side, 
there is a move on foot for the first time to institute such a program 
under the banner of MPAA, and in recent weeks, I have attended sev¬ 
eral meetings having to do with this.” 

“I did learn from your column that Denver moviegoers are much 
jmore fortunate than in most of the country. The things you cited 
about parking arrangements, publishing of picture schedules, etc., are 
not common practice throughout our land. Indeed, here in L.A., you 
not only, havp no parking tie-in, but most parking lots raise their prices 
if* the picture is doing good business.” 

In Hollywood a new pitch for Academy consideration of a special 
award category for musical films, dancers and choreography has been 
made bly choreographer Eugene Loring. Proposal has cropped up sev¬ 
eral times in the past. Loring pointed out, in a letter to exces of the 
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that musicals have long 
been a “pjgptal” part of the industry’s economic structure and recogni¬ 
tion of talents in this field in the Oscar Sweepstakes would help sell 
musicals and attract needed new young talent. 

First round of the Ernest Borgnine litigation against Hecht-Lan- 
caster ended in a draw when Santa Monica Superior Judge Orland H. 
Rhodes dissolved a pair of restraining orders, one against each of the 
principals in the action. Borgnine had filed suit to void his contract, 
asking $142,500 in damages. Judge Rhodes ended an order barring 
Eorgnine frpm seeking other employment and also.terminated the rul¬ 
ing under which H-L was prevented from ordering the actor back to 
work under the terms of his contract. 


Kids under 16 in Quebec province can see “The Ten Command¬ 
ments” but not “Love Me Tender.” Former has been classified by 
Quebec Board of Censors as “entertainment for entire family.” Only 
those 16 and over are admitted in other films, ever since a disastrous 
fire years ago. Proof of age is being demanded of “doubtfuls” by 
Capitol Theatre, Ottawa, where Presley epic is playing. 


JV. Y. Stock Exchange 

For'Week Ending Tuesday (11.) 


1956 





Net 

High Low 

Weekly Vol. Weekly Weekly 

Tues. 

Change 


In 100 s 

High 

Low 

Close 

for week 

22%—AmBr-TWTh~257- 2 T" ~ 

"23% 



327/a 22 % 

CBS °A”.... 140 

38% 

- *30% 

33% 

H-3 

32% 22% 

-CBS W B”.,.. 50 

33% 

30% 

3294 

+23/, 

26% 16 

Col Pix. 40 

18%; 

18% 

18% 

. — 

16% 13% 

Decca . 99 

14 • 

13% 

13% 

— 

1C094 75% 

Eastman Kdk 123 

90. 

88 , 

88 

— % 

47/8 27/8 

EMI .220 

‘ -3% 

2 % 

3 


12 > 6 % 

List Ind.131 

7% 

7% 

7% 

+ u 

25% 183,4 

Loew’s ...... 271 

19% 

18% 

19 

—. % 

9% 7 

Nat. Thea.,.. 204 

8 

794 

794 

— 

36% 273,4 

Paramount .. 84 

2m 

2794 

277/ 8 

— % 

36% 16 , 

Philco .... 619 

18% 

16 

177/a 

4*1% 

503% 337 /A 

RCA.. 670 

367/8 

35% • 

35%; 

• + % 

8 ?/s. 5 • 

Republic .... 66 

5% 

514 5% 

— 

15 % im 

Rep., pfd. . , 3 

117/8 

11% 

11% 

— % 

17% 13% 

Stanley- War.-. 144 

- 14% 

13% - 

14%. 


29% 22% 

Storer .. 39 

26% 

25% 

25% 

.— 

29% 21% 

20th-Fox . 116 

22% 

21 % 

22% 

. •— % 

29% 24% 

Univ.Pix... 14 

25 

24% 

25 

—p. 

82% 7434 

Univ., pfd. .. +50 

75 

7494 

75::. 

— 

29% 18% 

Warner Bros. 22 

26% 

•26%. 

26% 

— % • 

141% 101 . 

Zenith ..... 39 

111 . 

105% 

107% 

+3% 


4 mertcan Stock Exchange 



6% 3% 

Allied Artists 39 

4% 

394 

_3y 8 

—<■ Vs 

13% 93/4 

Ail’d Art., pfd 9 

10 

994 

994 

- % 

46% 19% 

Ass. Ar. Prod 32 

307/a 

3CT4 



2% ' 1 

C & C Super 193 

• IV 4 

1 

i 

— % 

10 43/8 

Du Mont. . 160 

5 : 

4% 

4 % 

— %• 

4% 23,4 

Guild Films. 80 

27/8 

294 

27/a 

-1- % 

9% 3 

Nat’l Telefilm 71 

83/g 

8% 

8% 

— % 

53/4 23/4 

Skiatron 19 

394 

3% 

3% 

— % 

13% 7% 

Technicolor . 242 

7% 

67/8 

67/8 

— % 

4 3 

trans-Lux .. 45 

3% 

3% 

394 

+ % 


Over-the-counter 'Securities 






Bid 

Ask 


Ampex ..., 



33 

35% 

+ % 

Chesapeake Industries.. 


21/16 

2% 

— 

Cinerama 109 . .. 


1 

• 1% 

— % 

Cinerama Prod.. 


3% 

3% . 

— % 

DuMont Broadcasting. 


5%. 

6 

— 

Magna theatres .f.... 


2% 

2% 

— Vk 

Official Films ... 


2 1/16 

29fc 

— 

Polaroid 



92% 

96% 

+1 

U. A. theatres .. 


5% 

594 

~ % 

Wait Disney 



21 > 

2294 

+3 


* Actual Volume. * 

(Quotations furnished by Dreyfus & Co.) 


.Cornel Wide Exploitation-Minded 


Dickers Fdr Tie-Ups With Oil and Tire Companies 
—Sports Car Features Involved 


Says Gene Kelly 

— Continued from page 7 ssssss 

der M-G auspices, it has no con¬ 
nection with Kelly’s personal deal 
with the film company. He still 
owes Metro three pictures under 
his contract and will fulfill one- 
third of the commitment when he 
appears in “Les Girls,” which Sol 
■Siegel is producing for Metro. 
Kelly said his arrangement was 
a loose one and non-exclusive and, 
with the proper notification, en¬ 
abled him to engage in other activ¬ 
ities. 

The experience With “Happy 
Road” has whetted Kelly’s appe¬ 
tite and he-plans to go ahead with 
’producing and directing on my 
own.” He is not setting any defi¬ 
nite program, however, pointing 
out that he’s still available for 
other performing and directing as¬ 
signments. His objective, he 
noted, is “to keep busy.” So when 
there’s no request for his services 
or when he comes across “an ex¬ 
citing property,” he plans to place 
his indie company, Kerry Produc¬ 
tions, into action. “I can’t sit 
around and wait for a job.” 

Another advantage of indie pro¬ 
duction, Kelly explained, is that 
“it gives me a chance to do the 
things I want to do.” Under pres¬ 
ent conditions, he pointed out, “I 
can always do a musical for some¬ 
body else,"” but he indicated that 
he had to look to the future when 
his days as a performer would be 
over. His de$re» he said, is mo¬ 
tion picture direction. 

Kelly disagreed wijgrthe current 
industry contention that the proper 
research would provide film-mak¬ 
ers with the type of pictures the 
public wants. He feels that cre¬ 
ative film-makers and showmen 
must be the final judge. He insists 
that pictures “cannot be made to 
order” and that nobody can tell 
‘how a picture will do until it is 
played.” The height of integrity 
for the film-maker, he said, “is to 
make the type of pictures you feel j 
you can make well.” And that’s 
the philosophy that will guide his 
independent efforts, he stressed. I 


Hollywood, Dec. II. 

Cornel Wilde is negotiating pre- 
production exploitation tieups with 
General Petroleum and Firestone 
Rubber in connection with his up¬ 
coming film, “The Fastest Man on 
Earth,” on the belief that “in to¬ 
day’s market pictures must/be sold 
as well as made.” Producer-actor’s 
Theodora Productions 4s negotiat¬ 
ing deals for property with George 
Sidney at Columbia, at Paramount 
and at Universal 

“Selling must be planned and 
prepared along with the picture.. I 
sent copies of the script to these 
two large companies, and both 
were enormously enthusiastic 
about the project. We are now 
discussing ways and means where¬ 
by they can help exploit, the film. 
Even though their products won’t 
be on screen, they feel a picture 
about sports car racing will be 
advantageous to them. They plan 
to exploit the film in their regular 
ad campaigns, and will put up dis¬ 
play ads of our ‘car of tomorrow* 
all over the World. 

“We have also discussed send¬ 
ing the car all over the country, 
with exploitation . tieins in each 
city it visits. In addition, the 
companies are going to make 16m 
color trailers covering the shoot¬ 
ing of the picture and the car, and 
will distribute these to sports car 
clubs in the country. There are 
2,000,000 members of such clubs. 
The trailers would be shown pre¬ 
ceding release of our film. The 
companies also promised to give 
technical advice and co-operate in 
every way possible,” said Wilde, 
owner of Theodora. 

Wilde and -his wife, Jean Wal¬ 
lace, will star in the film, to shoot 
the early part of next year. 


Indianola Reopens 

Columbus, Dec. 11. 

The Indianola Theatre, closed 
several months, reopened Sunday 
(9) under a family theatre policy. 

Before its closing last fall, the 
Indianola had b'e.en operated as an 
art theatre by Charles Sugarman, 
Its operation is now in the hands 
of Frank Marzetti with A. Jarvis 
the manager. 




















Wednesday, December lfc, 1956 







PICTURES 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


IS 



BROADWAY 

((Continued from page 9) 
day (9) was okay $4,200. Seventh 
_ , was $5,100. ‘'Don Giovanni”/Indie) 

‘Eiernity’ €ood-$ 15v839| op ^p i ^, c ( “L 0 e ^r(4,a2o; $i-$2.5o> 

■ - ' "Opposite Sex” (M-G) (4th wk). 


Rain, Sleet Harts St L; 
‘Sharkfighters’ Lean 8G, 


St. Louis, Dec. 11. 

Rain which turned to sleet and 
sheathed town in a heavy /coat of 
ice over weekend slowed turnstile 
activity so that grosses are below 
average this session. Sharxfight- 
ers” looms as best of newcomers 
but it i$ only mild at Lo;w s. 
“Power and Prize” looks l»mp. 
“Giant” continues its fine showing 
at the St.- Louis although in its 
sixth session. “Rebecca.” out on 
reissue, looks nice at the S/ady 
Oak, an arty housed “Back From 
Eternity” and “First Traveling 
Saleslady” combo wound up. a 
good week Monday at the Fox. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (Indie) (1,400: 

$2.40)—“Seven Wonders cf Worlr. . 
(Cinerama) (33d wk). Nice $9,000. 
Last week, $8,200. 

Esouire (Indie) (1.400; 90-$1.25) 
—“Lust for Life” (M-G) (3d wk). 
Mild £4,000 following $5,500 in 
second frame. 

Fox (F&M) (5,000; 51-85>_ 

‘‘Teenage Rebel” (20th) , an .d ‘‘Ten¬ 
sion at Table Rock * (RKO). 
Opened today (Tues.). Last week 
“Back From Eternity” (RKO) and 
“First Traveling Sales - Lady 
(RKO), good $15,000. 

Loew's (Loew) (3,221; 50-8o)—- 
“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “P ;?st 
Hollow Mountain” (UA). 1’ld 
$9,000 or less. Last week, “Oppo¬ 
site Sex” (M-G) and “Miami Ex¬ 
pose” <Col) (2d wk). $8,000 ^ 

Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 51-75)— 
•‘Rock. Pock. Rock” (Indie) ‘mo 
“Jail Busters” (AA) (2d wk). F-vs- 
week ending Monday (10) was 
fairly good $7,000. 

Orpheum (Loew) (1,914: 50 85)—- 
“Power and Prize” (M-G) mid 
“Murder on Approval”- (RKO). 
Limn $4,500. Last week, “Th^se 
Wilder Years” (M-G) and Z"-"' 
buka” (Rep). $5,000. 

Paeeant. (St. L. Amus.) (1000* 
75-90)—"Doctor in House” (^en) 
and “Doctor at Sea” (Rep) (reis¬ 
sues). Fine $2,500. Last v.-o»k. 
"Bridev Murphy” (Par) and 
of He’l” (U), $2,000. - 

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) (*0(1 
$1 io) — “Don Giovanni” (Tnd’o) 
(3d wk). Big $2,000. Last we-k. 
$2 500 " 

St. Louis (St, L. Amus.) (4.000: 
90 -$l.25)—“Giant” (WB) j®Jh wk). 
Fast $9,500. Last week, $ 12 , 000 . 

Shady Oak (St. L. Amus.) (800: 
$1 io)—“Rebecca” (20th) (reissue). 
Big $3,500. Last. week. “T^idy- 
killers” (Indie) (8th wk), $2,000. 

SEATTLE - 

(Continued from page 9) 
week “Love Me Tender” (20th) (?d 
wk). $7,800. % 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2.500- 
$l-$ 1 . 50 )—“Between Heaven. Hell” 
(20th) and “Desperados in Town 
(20th). Fair $6,000. Last week 
“Can’t Get Away From It .(Cnl) 
and “Odonga” (Col) (2d wk)-£6.7P0 

Music Box (Hamrick) (850- 90- 
$1.25)—“Friendly Persuasion” (AA) 
(5th wk). Oke $4,000. Last week 
. $5 200. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2 ? n 0 
S1.25-S1.50) — “Giant” (WB) (^h 
wk). Big $11,000. Last week, $13.- 
700. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700- 00- 
$1.25'—“Woman’s Devotion” (Re’o) 
and “Scandal, Inc.” (Rep). Orlv 
$2,500 in 3 days, to make room for 
Seattle Symph. Last week. “Ci.u-y- 
cu” <U) and “Mole People’ (U). 
$7 200 

Paramount (1,282; $U<M&.45)- 
‘,‘This Is Cinerama” (Cinerama) 
(17th wk).- Modest $8-,000. Last 
week, $10,000. 

CHICAGO 

(Continued from page -9) 
Strong $16,000. Last week, “Shark¬ 
fighters” (UA) and “Huk” (UA) 
(2d wk), $16,000. 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 98- 

$1.25)—“Girl He Left Behind” 
(WB). Trim $17,000. Last vc e k, 
“Attack” (AA) (2d wk), $13,000. 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; $1.25) 
—“Rebecca” (20th) (reissue). Po¬ 
tent $6,000. Last week, “Private’s 
Progress” (DCA), $4,000. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 98- 
$1.50)—“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Oke 
$18,000. Last week, $23,600. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 90- 

$1.50) — “Teahouse of August 
Moon” <M-G) (3d wk). Fancy $26,-, 
000. Last week, $32,000. 

World (Indie) (430; 98)—“Seven 
Little Sins” (Kingsley) (2d wk). 
Par $3,000. Last week, $4,500. 

Ziegfeld (Davis) (430; 93'— 

“Grand Maneuver” (UMPO) ' l^h 


wk). Good 
$4,000. 


This ’ session ’ winding! up today 
(Wed.) looks to get light $14,500. 
Last Week, $16,000; “Bundle of 
Joy” (RKO) opens Dec. 19. 

Criterion (Moss) fi,671; $1,80 
$3.30) •— “Ten Commandments’ 
(Par) (5th wk). Present round end¬ 
ing tomorrow (Thurs.) looks like 
near capacity $54,500, Fourth was 
$55,000. 

. Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.8Q) 
—“Marcelino” (UMPO) (8th wk). 
Seventh round finished Monday 
(10) was nice $6,500. Sixth was 
$7,500. Holds on, with “Pantaloons” 
(UMPO) set as Xmas pic but open¬ 
ing date not definite, 

55th St. Playhouse (B-F) (300; 
$1.2541.50) — “Vitellqpi” (API- 
Janus) (8th wk). The seventh ses¬ 
sion ended Monday (10) was fancy 
$4,100. Sixth was $4,800. 

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$l a .50) 
—“Teenage Rebel” (20th) (4th wk). 
Present week finishing tomorrow 
(Thurs.) likely will reach slow 
$5,500 or less. Third was $6,500. 
“Huk” (UA) is due in Friday (14). 

Guild'(Guild) (450; $1-$1.75) — 
“Magnificent Seven” (Col) (4th wk). 
Third round ended Sunday (9) was 
sturdy $9,000. Second week was 
$10,500. 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 79-$1.80) 
— "‘Oklahoma” (20th) (6th wk). 
C’Scope version looks to hit. near 
light $7,000 or under in present 
stanza ending tomorrow (Thurs.). 
Fifth was $9,500. “King and Four 
Queens” (UA) set to open Dec. 21. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 95- 
$1.80)-r-“Rebecca’’ (20th) (reissue) 
(4th wk). Third, round -completed 
yesterday (Tues.) was okay $4,000. 
Second was . $7,000. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,065; $1- 
$2) — “Love . Me Tender” (20th) 
(4th wk). Present stanza finishing 
ioday (Wed.) likely will get light 
$20,000. Third was $23,000. “Wrong 
Alan” (WB) is due in next but date 
not set. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80)—"Silent World” (Col) (12th 
wk). The 11th week completed 
Sunday (9) was nice $6,300. The 
10th week was $6,800. Stays on. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rockefel¬ 
lers) (6,200; 95-$2.85) — “Teahouse 
of August Moon” (M-G). with 
annual Christmas stageshow (2d 
wk). Current session finishing 
today (Wed.) looks like great $170,- 
000 or close. First was $165,000. 
Hall opened its doors at 7:45 a.m. 
last Saturday (8) to accommodate 
crowds. Stays- on through the 
December holidays. Saturday was 
one of the biggest 5-show days at 
the Hall. . 

Rivoli (UAT) (1,545; $1.25-$3.50) 
—“Around World in 80 Days” 
(Todd-AO) (8th wk). Current 
round finishing next Friday (14) 
looks capacity or near $34,000, with 
no extra matinees. Seventh was 
35,000, using same 10-performance 
schedule as in current week. 

Plaza (Brecher) (525; $1.50-$2)— 
“Lust For ” (M-G) (13th wk). 
The 12th frame ended Monday 
(10) was solid $10,400. The 11th 
was $12,000. 

Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5,717; $1.25- 
___ .50)—“Giant” (WB) plus stage- 
ihow (9th-final , wk). Current 
tanza ending today (Wed.) looks 
;o reach big $57,000. The eighth 
was $61,000. “Anatasia” (20th) 
with Christmas stageshow opens 
Friday (14), following preem of pic 
tomorrow night (Thurs.). 

State (Loew) (3,450; 78-$1.75)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (4th * wk). Third 
round ended last night (Tues.) was 
good $17,000 or near. The second 
was $19,000. “Hollywood or Bust” 
Par) is due in as Xmas pic but date 
not set thus far. 

Sutton (R&B) (561; 95-$1.75)— 
Sgcrets of Life” (BV) (4th wk). 
.Third session ended Monday (10) 
as solid $8,300. Second was $10,- 
” 00 . 

Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; $1- 
*1.50)—‘.‘La Strada” (T-L) C22d 
wk). The 21st week completed 
Sunday (9) was nice. $7,600. The 
0th week was $0,400. Saturday 
trade actually/topped the preced¬ 
ing Saturday. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 50-$2) 
—“Solid Gold Cadillac” (Col) (8th- 
final wk). • Seventh stanza finished 
yesterday (Tues.) was good $15,- 
000. The sixth was $16,500. “Baby 
Doll” (WB) opens the night of Dec. 
10 . 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600; 
*1.20-$3.50)—“Seven Wonders of 
World” (Cinerama) (35th wk). The 
35th week ended Saturday (8) was 
ocko $48,400. The 34th week was 
Q °0. Staysindef. The 35th 
$3,000. Last week, | session was helped by five juvenile 
me^nees, playing at 95c top. 


_ UXt&l&Fi 

DeMille Socko 20G, 

Toronto; "Truth’ 10G 

Toronto, Dec. 11. 

With current v inroads of Xmas 
shopping, this is reflected in a 
general slump at wickets. Such 
newcomers as “Girl He Left Be¬ 
hind” “Sharkfighters” and “Every¬ 
thing But Truth” are just fair. 
Holdover of. “Ten Commandments” 
still is - in Dftlfd^stanzoT how¬ 
ever. The C. B. DeMille opus is 
| capacity on weekend nights. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carlton, Colony, Fairlawn (Rank) 
(2,518; 839; 1,165;'60-$l)^-“Shark- 
fighters” (UA). Light ^T4,0Q0. Last 
week, “Can’t Run Away From It” 
(Col), $20,000. 

Christie, Hyland (Rank) (877; 
1,357; 75-$l)—“Long Arm” (Rank). 
Slow $8,000. Last week, “Death of 
Scoundrel'* (RKO) t?d wk), $4,000.. 

Downtown,. Glendfele, Scarboro, 
State, Westwood (Taylor) (1,054; 
995; 694; 698; 994; 50-75)—“Huk” 
(UA) and “Flight Hong Kong” 
(UA). Light $13,000. /Last week, 
“Pillars of Sky” (U) £pd “Sudden 
Danger” (AA), same. 

. Imperial (FPH3,344; 60-$1.10)— 
“Girl He Left Behind”. (WB). So-so 
$11,000. Last week, “Back from 
Eternity” (RKO), $ll;500. 

international (Taylor) (557; $1)— 
"Lover Boy” (20th) and “Letter to 
Three Wives” (20th) (reissue). 
Light $2,000. Last week, “Never 
Too Late” (IFD) (3d wk), $3,000. 

Ltfew’s (Loew) (2,0a& 60-$l) — 
“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Tapering 
to $8,500. Last week, $13,000. 

Shea's (FP) (2,375; 60-$l)—“Love 
We Tender” (Par) (2d wk). Fair 
$11,000 or less. Last week, $15,000. 

Tivoli (FP) (995; $1.50-$2) — 
“Oklahoma” (Magna) (33d wk). 
Oke $7,000. Last week, $8,000. 

Towne (Taylor) (695; 60-$l) — 
“Lust for Life” (M-G) (5th wk). 
Fine $5,00Q. Last week,- $7,000. 

University (FP) (1,556; $1.75- 
$2.50) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (3d wk). On two-a-day policy, 
with tumaway biz on weekend 
nights and. big for matinees. Hot 
$20,000; last week, $26,000. 

Uptown (Loew) (2,745; 60-$l)— 
“Everything But Truth” (U). Fair 
$10,000. Last week, “Opposite Sex” 
(M-G) (2d wk), $8,000. 


LOS ANGELES 

(Continued from page 8) * 

344; 965; 80-$1.50) — “Everything 
But Truth” (U) and “Light Touch” 
(U). Slim $8,500. Last week, <Jr- 
pheum, New Fox, Uptown, “Wom¬ 
an’s Devotion” (Rep) and “Scandal^ 
Inc.” (Rep), $7,600. 

State, Iris, Uptown, (UATC- 
FWC) (2,404; 816; 1,715; 80-$L25) 
—“Man Beast” (Indie) and “Pre¬ 
historic Wojmen” (Indie) (reissue).. 
Modest $12,000. Last week, with 
other units. 

Vogue, Ei Rey (FWC) (885; 861; 
90-$1.50) — “Rock, Rock; Rock” 
(DCA) and “Roadhouse Girl” (Inr 
die). Scant $2,000 in 5 days. Last 
week. Vogue, “Mountain” (Par) 
and “Bridey Murphy” (Par) (2d wk- 
9 days), $2,800. 

Los Angeles, Hollywood* Ritz, 
Loyola (FWC) (2,097; 756; 1,363; 
1,248; 90-$1.50)—“Rebecca” (20th) 
and “Third Man” (20th) (reissues). 
Okay $16,000 for these oldies. Last 
week, “Love Me Tender” (20th) 
and “Desperadoes In Town” (20th) 
(2d wk-10 days), $17,900. 

Pantages (RKO) (2,812; $1.10- 
$1.75)—“Teahouse August Moon” 
(M-G) (3d wk). Good .$22,000. 
Last week, $25,400. 

Hollywood Paramount (F&M) 
(1,468; $1-$1.50)—“Death of Scoun¬ 
drel” (RKO) (3d wk). Light $3,000. 
Last week, $4,000. 

. Hillstreet (RKO) (2,752; 80-$l)— 
*‘War and Peace” (Par) t3d wk). 
So-so $4,000. Last week, with Iris, 
$7,900, plus $25,400 in three nabes, 
four drive-ins. 

Warner Beverly (SW) (1,612; 
$1.50-$3.30) — “Ten Command¬ 
ments” (Par) (4th wk). Nice $22,- 
000 or close. Last week, $25,700. 

Egyptian (UTAC) (1,411; $1.25- 
$1.80)—“Can’t Run Away From It” 
(Col) (5th wk). Dull $4,500. Last 
week, $6,600. 

Fox Wilshire (FWC) (2,296; 
$1.25-$1.75) — “Friendly Persua¬ 
sion’-’ (AA) (6th wk). Modest 
$7,500. Last week, $8,200. 

Four Star (UTAC) (868; 90-$1.50) 
—“Brave One” (RKO) (7th wk). 
Mild $3,800. Last week, $4,100. 

Chinese (FWC) (1,908; $1.25- 
$2.40)—“Giant” (WB) (8th wk). 
Okay $19,000. Last week; $20,500. 

Fox Beverly (FWC) (1,334; $1.25- 
$1.50)—“Silent World” (Ool) (9th 
wkL Slight $2,000. Last week, 
$2,800. 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1.25- 
$1.75)—“Lust For Life” (M-G) (12th 
wk). Moderate $3,200. Last week, 
$3,500. 

United Artists (UATC) (1,242; 
$1.10-$2.75)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) 
(51st wk). Lean $5,500. Last 
week, $5,800. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) (1,364; 
$1.20-$2.65)—“Cine Holiday” (Cine¬ 
rama) (57th wk). Started current 
week Sunday (9) after slow $14,400 
last week. 


CINCINNATI 

(Continued from page 8) 

000 or near. Likely to hold for 
fifth frame. Last week, $14,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp) 
<1,376; $1.20-$2.654—“Seven Won¬ 
ders of World” (Cinerama) (27th 
wk). Pre-Yule slowdown of group 
parties hurting in dip to $11,000 
and engagement’s low. Last week, 
-soHd~$P?#GO:-;- 

Grand (RKO) (1,400; 90-$1.25)— 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) (3d wk). 
No complaint at $5,500 after 
$8,500 in second stanza. 

Keith’s. (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25)— 
“Between Heaven and Heir* (20th). 
Swell $10,000. Last week, “You 
Can’t Run Away From It” (Col), 
$8,500. 

Palace (RKO) (2,600; 90-$1.50)— 
“Oklahoma” (20th) (4th wk). Still 
plenty sweet at $8,500 in finale. 
Last week, $10,000. 

MINNEAPOLIS 

(Continued from page 9) 
al handicaps. It’s the 19th week 
for “Seven Wonders of the World,” 
fifths for “Giant,”' the fourth for 
“Julie” and third for “Oklahoma.” 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (S-W) (1,150; $1.75- 

$2.65)—“Seven Wonders of World” 
(Cinerama) (19th wk). Getting a 
play from pre-holiday parties and 
holding fine at $14,000. Last week, 
$16,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 85-90)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (4th wk). Good 
$4,500. Last week, $5,100. Holds. 

Lyric (Par) (1,000; 85-90)—“Girl 
He Left Behind” (WB). Hunter- 
Wood combo seems to spell b:o. in 
this pic. Off to a good start and 
helped by fact there’s only two 
other Loop newcomers. Good $7,- 
000. Last week, “Massacre” (20th) 
and “Stagecoach To Fury” (20th), 
$3,500, 

Radio City (Par) (4,100; 90-$1.50) 
—“Giant” (WB) (5th wk). One of 
longest runs in this theatre’s his¬ 
tory. Still good with $8,000. Last 
week, $12,000. 

RKO Pah (RKO) (1,800; 75-90)— 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) (m.o,). 
Okay $4,500. Last week, “Reprisal” 
(Col) and “Cha, Cha, Cha, Boom” 
(Col), $3,200. 

State (Par) (2,300; 90-$1.50)— 
“Oklahoma” (20th) (3d wk). Con¬ 
tinues in important money. Strong 
$9,000. Last week, $14,500. 

World (Mann) (400; 75-$1.20)— 
“Tempest in Flesh” (Indie). This 
foreign pic is heavy on sex angles 
and that helps; Satisfactory $4,000. 
Last week, “Lust for Life” (M-G) 
(3d tyk), $3,300 in 9 days. 

BOSTON 

(Continued, from page 9) 
and “Desperadoes in Town” (20th) 
(2d wk), $14,000. 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,357; 90- 
$1.50)—“Giant” (6th wk). Big 
$15,000. Last week; $18,000. 

Paramount (NET) (1,700; 60-90) 
—“Invasion U.S.A.” (Indie) and 
“1,000 Years Frpm Now” (Indie) 
(reissues). Okay $9,000. Last week, 
“Runaway Daughters” (Indid) and 
“Shake, Rattle, Rock” (Indie), 
$13,000. 

Pilgrim (ATC) ' (1,000; 65-95)— 
“Rack” (M-G) and “Boomtown”. 
(M-G) (2d wk). Mild $4,500. Last 
week, $6,500. 

Saxon (Saxon) (1,100; $1.25- 

$2.20)—“Oklahoma” (Magna) (14th 
wk). Sturdy $16,000. Last week, 
$17,000. 

Orpheum (Loew) (2,900; 60-90)— 
“Nightfall” (Col) and “7th Caval¬ 
ry” (Col). Neat $12,000. Last 
week, “Opposite Sex” (M-G) and 
“Power and Prize” (M-G) (2d wk), 
$10,500. 

State (Loew) (3,600; 60-90)— 

“Nightfall” (Col) and “7th Caval¬ 
ry” (Col). Oke $7,000. Last 
week, ‘(Opposite Sex” (M-G) and 
“Power and Prize” (M-G) (2d wk), 
$5,000. 


PITTSBURGH 

(Continued from page 9) 
weekf “Friendly Persuasion” (AA) 
(3d Wk), $10,500. 

Squirrer Hill ’(SW) (900; 85-99)— 
“Emile Zola” (WB) (reissue). Not 
much at $2,000. House had hoped 
it might stay uhtil Xmas, but it 
comes out . after one week. Last 
week, “Fantasia” (BV) (reissue) (3d 
wk), $2,000. 

Stanley (SW) (3,800; 99-$1.50)— 
“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). Windup 
for his blockbuster, and $10,000 on 
the finale is plenty good, giving 
picture almost $150,000 on the run. 
That’s real coin. Last week, 
$12,500. 

Warner (SW) (1,365; $1.25-$2.40) 
—“Seven Wonders” (Cinerama) 
(34th wk). Picking up a bit on 
heavy press attention to Cine¬ 
rama’s third anni in Pittsburgh, 
celebrated last night with benefit 
showing for UNICEF. Figures to 
get $11,000. Last week, under $10,- 
000 for first time since it opened 
last April. 


Robert Ryan 

S lmmm Continued from page S sa 

medium of penetration to the pub¬ 
lic, Ryan says, and this will fig¬ 
ure largely in his upcoming tour. 
He expects to visit about eight or 
.nine ~ dties~ (stlR- to-^be—set)r and 
each will be given a thorough can¬ 
vassing for the picture. Impact of 
radio .as an exploitation medium 
was what struck him most in N.Y., 
according to actor, who says that 
most exhibs believe it’s a better 
buy and that they don’t consider it 
severe competition, as in the case 
of video. 

In line with, preparations for his 
upcoming tour, Ryan has asked UA 
to give him research material anent 
local interests in each, of the cities 
he will visit He wants the names 
of _civic .officials, some history of 
th* city, items concerning -special 
civic problems and events in which 
populace* takes pride. Armed with 
such info, Ryan feels he can meet 
the public on its own terms and 
can talk about subjects fr i which 
they hold personal interest. 

Actor advocates that all personal 
appearances be- tied in with spon* 
sorship by some organization in 
each city. In the case of “Men,” 
he has requested UA to line up th« 
backing of veterans organizations. 

For the most part, these groups. 
make news and thus are more ac- ’ 
cessible to newspapers, he says. 
Additionally, sdeh orgs do not con¬ 
sider the personality-visitor “just 
another actor” who is making a 
trip to their city for self-aggran¬ 
dizement, actor adds. 

A star’s investment of time, 
Ryan points out, is very much 
worthwhile, especially in a market 
where the exhib places such stress 
on “name value.” Although a play¬ 
er has appeared in scores of pic¬ 
tures, he must once more make a 
nlay for the allegiance of his fans, 
Ryan thinks; a direct appeal, 
through contact in their own to* 
gions. 

While an adherent to percentage 
deals for stars, Ryan says there is 
danger in these, too. Every thesp 
who signs for such an arrange¬ 
ment, he feels, “sets himself up as 
a miniature production company. 
He must be careful not to pay more 
attention to being, a producer than 
to turning in a good performance.” 

Ryan has no plans for estab¬ 
lishing his own indie company, 
having no desire to be 'a “big busi¬ 
nessman,” he asserts. He’s satis¬ 
fied with his position, as an actor, 
“where I’m making more money 
than I ever thought possible.” His 
next assignment will be to co-star 
in RKO’s “Affair in Portofino,” 
which washes his Contract with 
company, after 15 years with that 
lot. 


Home-Toll‘Cure 1 

Continued' from page 3 j 

companies should at least act to' 
safeguard their interests in con¬ 
nection with the post-1948 prod- 
duct,” the Skiatron topper held. 

Impression has been growing of 
late that some development re pay- 
as-you-see is in the wind. Federal 
Communications Commission is 
still studying the question. 

Last week Zenith mailed out a 
brochure containing numerous pub¬ 
lic communications to the FCC and 
others, urging establishment of a 
fee-tv system. Booklet also quoted 
many favorable newspaper edito¬ 
rials on the subject. Zenith spon¬ 
sors the Phonevlsion system (which 
by now no longer hs anything to 
do with a,telephone). 

Many Hollywood producers ar# 
on record as favoring a-pay system. 
The studios’ prime hesitancy in 
coming out openly for toll-tv has 
been rooted in the strong exhib 
opposition to any such plan. 


Relight Esquire, Toledo 

Toledo, Dec. 11. 

. Loew’s Esquire, downtown To¬ 
ledo house, dark since late last 
spring, will be reopened by Loew's 
on Dec. 22, offering “Madme But¬ 
terfly,” the Italian-made film. Be¬ 
fore it closed down, the Esquire 
had featured an art film policy 
for almost a year. 

Late in November, the Westwood 
Art Theater, converted from a na- 
borhood house in West-Toledo, was 
opened as an art theatre. Policy 
of .the downtown 1200-seat. Esquire 
will “be “diversified.” It will be 
under direction of Abe Ludacer, 
manager of Loew’s Valentine. 





IKE THEATRES WILL BE 


WHEN THIS ONE STARTS 


for CHRISTMAS! 


4( 


".fill Si ? ' 




J lufiu 


EDMOND O'BRI 


"fi*E Of RL C 


OnemaScoP£ 


COLOR by QE LUXE 


•nd Guest QUrs 


JULIE LONDON • RAY ANTHONY - BARRY GORDON 

AND 14 ROCK 'N* ROLL HEADLINERS I 

Screenplay by FRANK TASHLIM and HERBERT BAKER 
Produced and Directed by FRANK TASHLIN 








20 


PICTURES 




Wcdncsday, Peeerofter X2 t 1956 


TV Sales Spurt Down Under 


; Continued from page 2 


brought hundreds of people to tv 
screens and hung them there dur¬ 
ing the sports spectacle, an en¬ 
counter in force whi ch could har dly | 
have been arranged any other 
way. Consequently, installations in 
homes moved much faster than 
normal, and will probably continue 
long after the games are a fairly 
dim memory. 

The success of tv in attracting 
onlookers Wa^ so great, W. S. Kent 
Hughes, chairman of the Olympic 
Organizing Committee, once threat¬ 
ened to cut down on the number 
of events which could be on cam¬ 
era, and the detail in which they 
were followed. Like the pattern of 
all sports promotions in every 
country, it was feared the free 
screen was injuring the standee 
ticket sales of the main stadium 
and at some of the lesser halls 
where the program was carried out. 

Hughes' stand, taken early, was 
that up to three minutes of film 
time, in the case of the newsreels, 
was news. <*Any more than that was 
entertainment, and saleable. Thus, 
commercial"value of sports events 
was made a precedent much earlier 
in Australia because of the games, 
and this reading will obviously af¬ 
fect telecasting of the charley- 
horse circuit from now on. 

From a press and radio point of 
view, it was a wild and unpredic¬ 
table filing point. Transmission 
troubles never stopped, and whole 
periods of several hours duration 
found the circuits • blanked out. 
Radio hands refreshed memories of 
their wartime stints when they 
went on in the wee hours of the 
morning to catcli daytime slots at 
home. This made it a continual 
long day and short night. As many 
w r ere on for suds accounts, one 
summed up that “. . . never did 
I stay up so late to talk up the 
early drinking habit.” 

The radio hand who had it worst j 
of all was a freelance, Kenrick 
Hudson, who was commissioned to ] 
announce results and program 
detail to the stadium crowd. 
Although he had been on such 
. things as the Queen's tour, the 
melee swirling around him ap¬ 
parently unnerved him and he boo- 
booed often, his best being his 
announcement to the tense crowd 
that the high jump bar, as Charley 
Dumas started, for his winning 
leap, was “. . . set at exactly six 
feet and 1VA MINUTES.” 

The official camera unit, made 
up of 40 lensers of seven nationali¬ 
ties, pulled off its polyglot cover¬ 
age without a hitch, although serv¬ 
ing many countries. Only incident 
to cause a ripple came when Ger¬ 
man Wilfried Huber pushed a red- 
coated guy out of his way so he 
could shoot, and it turned out to 
be only the Marqiys of Exter, Lord 
Burghley, topshot coordinator of 
the games. “His job is to get pic¬ 
tures,” said Lord Burghley, matter- 
of-factly," and mine is to stay out 
of the way.” 

Many of the radio pickups were 
used on the Australian Broadcast¬ 
ing Commission’s circuits to give 
the many points of interest and 
take advantage of the sports lore 
about many of the winners.NBC 
had a big staff working the games 
back to America, headed by Phil 
Geeves, based In Australia, and 
Jim Simpson, out of Washington. 
They tied into sports authorities 
like Jesse Abramson, N.Y. Herald- 
Tribune, and the L.A. Times dtio, 
Bill Henry and Braven Dyer. . Lead¬ 
ing into one of these, Geeves had 
the headset on when the program 
opened expecting the usual ABC 
cue “. . . and now hello to our 
friends in the United States.” 
Instead, it came through “. . . hello 
to our friends in the Soviet Union.” 
Geeves, startled, said on mike 
. . and who has friends in the 
Soviet Union?” 

Most amusing confrontation at 
the Olympics was AP’s Milton 
Marmor coming on Hungax'ian 
Jozsef Csermak, the hammer- 
thrower. Just two weeks before, 
while handling stories for AP out 
of London on the Hungarian revolt, 
Marmor had listed Csermak as 
“killed” with the rebel freedom 
fighters. Later when covering the 
hammer evont, Marmor saw Cser-‘| 
mak win fifth place. “Prdtty good 
for a dead man,” said Milt ruefully. 

When a Pakistan team member 
was reported to have spit on a 
British athlete as a reaction on 
Suez, UP's French Robert Ahier 
grabbed the rulebook in mock 
seriousness and asked: 'Ow ees 
he scored for zat?” 

All the sportswriters who went 


on after midnight to meet their 
radio committments back in the 
States fretted constantly against 
the se i nroads. on^bedtime and.spciaJL 
life. “A guy could get a reputation 
as a Night Club Charlie this many 
time zones away from home,” said 
the Chi Daily News’ John Car¬ 
michael. 

INS’ Tony Galli was working 
against a time schedule as tight 
as any competitor, slated to arrive 
back in New York on Dec. 13, and 
if the taxis are on. time to the 
hospital, he might just make it hr 
time to know whether it’s a boy or 
girl. 

Bob Considine, INS’, pride, never 
had it so good on schedules. He 
crossed the international dateline 
on a Thursday 'on the way out, 
which means he lost the Friday 
completely-r-and could eat hieat all 
the way. 


Revised Code 


. -Continued from .page 1 s sasj* 
derlying moral principles are un¬ 
changing but changes in policy 
matters were sought that “would 
be desirable in the light of experi¬ 
ence and present-day conditions.” 

He added: “A few years ago I 
made the observation that the Pro¬ 
duction Code was intended to be— r 
and has been—a flexible living, 
document—not a dead hand laid 
on artistic and creative endeavor. 
The revisions, I think, bear out and 
justify this statement and demon¬ 
strate once more our faith in and 
adherence to the voluntary system 
of self-regulation in the industry.’ 

While drug addiction or illicit 
traffic in addiction-producing 
drugs is now permitted, producers 
are given little leeway in their han¬ 
dling of either item. The subject 
can’t be used on the screen if the 
manner of portrayal tends to en¬ 
courage or justify the use ql nar¬ 
cotics, if their temporarily attrac¬ 
tive effects are stressed, if It’s sug¬ 
gested 'that the drug-habit can be 
easily broken, if procurement- or 
the administration of drugs is 
shown, if there’s emphasis on,the 
profits of drug traffic, if children 
are shown knowingly using or traf¬ 
ficking in drugs. 

(Otto Preminger’s “Man with the 
Golden Arm” was nixed by the 
Code because it showed traffic in 
and self-administration of nar¬ 
cotics. The film having played off 
its release, it’s academic whether 
it would now pass. 20th-Fox’s 
“Smiley k ” not yet in release, shows 
children exposed to dope but 
they’re unaware or its meaning.) 

Kidnapping of children is now 
okay on condition the subject, is 
handled with restraint and discre¬ 
tion and the child is returned un¬ 
harmed. 

Subject of abortion, while dis¬ 
couraged, is permissible. - But it 
may only be suggested and when 
referred to shall be condemned. 
It’s not to be given any comedy or 
light treatment, and the act itself 
should never be shown or indicated 
in any way and the word is not to 
be used. 

White slavery and prostitution 
also are green lighted but under 
strong restraints; no details on the 
screen, brothels in any clear iden¬ 
tification are out; and the subjects 
must be shown “in Contrast to right 
standards of behavior.” - 
Rewrite of the morality docu¬ 
ment took in considerable new lim¬ 
itations on the screen showing of 
crime. Pictures should not glorify 
the subject, inspire imitation, stress 
the flaunting of weapons, details 
of crime are to be avoided, etc. 

Rape should never be more than 
suggested and only when essential 
to the plot, should not be made to 
seem proper and may not be treat¬ 
ed in comedy style; 

Previous Code provision had .it 
that children’s sex organs are never 
to be exposed. This°now no longer 
applies to infants. 

Miscegenation, which heretofore 
was a "subject to be treated “within 
the careful limits of good taste,” is 
not referred to in the revised Code. 
Childbirth is now a “good taste” 
subject. Blasphemy and profanity 
are now specifically forbidden, 
whereas they were barred by spirit 
of the Code as it previously was 
written. 

At a press conference following 
the MPA A board meeting, John¬ 
ston characterized the changes 
made as a modernization, designed 
in part to give Code Administrator 
Geoffrey Shurlock a less interpre¬ 
tive area in which to function and 
more definite guicleposts. , 


Electronic Theatre 

SSimmi Continued from page 3 -— 

tron. It’s understood that the idea 
has already been tested in Mon¬ 
tana and Utah. 

Furthermore, Fox has latched 
on to a new .development in trans¬ 
mission' lines,' inyolviqg a simple 
and inexpensive copper wire capa¬ 
ble of carrying the eight mega¬ 
cycles needed to. transmit a pic¬ 
ture. It’s claimed that this wire 
could substantially reduce instal¬ 
lation costs. 

A good many exhibitors, watch¬ 
ing current trends with concern, 
apparently have v decided that the 
only way to latch on to tfffeir elec¬ 
tronic competition is by transfer¬ 
ring the b.o. directly to the living- 
room. | 

'Grilling has approached all the 


Detroit Unveils 1957 Models 


Continued from page 2 i 


est from the passerby. Spotlights 
are, used extensively to highlight 
the more expensive autos and at¬ 
tractively-garbed-models make the 
pitch from some of the stands. A 
six-a-day half-hour musical show 
(review in vaudeville section) is 
another plus factor in the show’s 
overall appeal. 

Of course, the cars themselves 
are the greatest attraction. De¬ 
troit is obviously hoping to match 
their sales quotas as of 1955, and 
the many changes incorporated in 
this year’s crop of cars are obvi¬ 
ously pointed *to that end. 
Chrysler** Styling 


_ . - • Chrysler has made the most 

major eompmues-with his idea,, ask- sweeping changes of any manufac- 


ing for product. He said that he 
had no commitments but had found 
“a great' deal of interest. As a 
matter of fact, we found much en¬ 
couragement in the response. It 
just takes them some time to ad¬ 
just for such a radical change.” 

Bartlesville’s population has been 
polled and, if the surveys are to 
be believed, a good many homes 
would be willing tq subscribe to 
the service. Griffing admitted that 
it was a long way-x from poll an¬ 
swers to actual implementation. He 
also acknowledged that the impact 
of the old films on tv were still an 
unknown potential. 

There are those who wonder 
whether, with the flood of oldies 
available on the air, people in'a 
town enjoying video service would 
be willing to spend extra money 
to see the newer product. The 
Bartlesville program, of course, 
leaves less to chance than any toll 
project inasmuch as income is fixed 
and assured in advance. 

One of the major film companies, 
whose execs take a definitely sym¬ 
pathetic attitude towards these pro¬ 
jected experiments, figured out 
last week that it could definitely 
do a lot better with a home service 
than via the local theatres. 

“The drive-ins are an expression 
of exhibition’s realization that cer¬ 
tain changes are necessary to keep 
up with the times. Now it may be 
time for us to bring films to people 
where it’s most- convenient—in 
their livingrooms,” Griffing noted. 
He stressed that none of the basic 
equipment to be used was patent- 
able specifically for that purpose. 

Asked what would happen to his 
five Bartlesville houses if the home 
service caught on, Griffing pointed 
out that their attendance had fall¬ 
en off steadily in recent years. 
Exhibs who believe the livingroom 
theatre will come say it may close 
up some theatres. The rest will 
offer the kind of grand Hollywood 
fare, with scope and color, that 
home tv can never equal. 

“All we are really doing is in¬ 
stead of building a new theatre 
to build one with 4,000 ’sold’ seats 
that is served electronically,” 
Griffing observed. 


DEUTCHMEISTER ECHOES 
GOLDWURM ATTITUDE 

French producer Henri Deutsch- 
meister has supported Jean Gold- 
wurm in his opposition to the set¬ 
ting up a Franco-American releas¬ 
ing agency in the U.S. 

In a letter to the Times Film 
prexy, Deutschmeister said that, 
with Goldwurm now definitely op¬ 
posed to the plan, he himself, also 
would ask to "have the project 
tabled by the French. He noted 
that some French producers had 
been “sharply opposed” to the 
idea frdm the start,. 

Deutschmeister is head of Franco 
London Film in Paris. He and 
other French industry figures ear¬ 
lier this year discussed the possi¬ 
bilities of-a new releasing agency 
with Goldwurm, Richard Davis and 
Ilya Lopert. Goldwurm recently 
came out flatly vs. a new distribu¬ 
tion setup. 

Frankovich Named New 
Barker London Tent 

London, Dec. 11. 

Mike J. Frankovich, Columbia’s 
topper in London, has been named 
Chief Barker of the Variety Club 
here for the coming year. He was 
elected at the first meeting of the 
new crew last week. 

Other named at the same session 
were Sir Tom O’Brien, M.P., as 
first r assistant barker, 'and Billy 
Butlm, as second assistant. John 
Harding is to be doughguy and 
Monty Berman, property master. 


turer, including new bodies for all 
five of its cars (Plymouth, Dodge, 
DeSoto, Chrysler, and Imperial), 
a' new suspension system on all 
cars and several minor changes 
including a switch to the new 14- 
inch wheels. Styling is a subjec¬ 
tive matter and is attractive or not 
depending on individual taste, but 
biggest engineering change is in 
the suspension system, which now 
uses front end torsion bars on all 
five lines. This system, which was 
pioneered by Packard for the 
American auto industry, is a defi¬ 
nite step forward in, the handling 
department which has been one of 
the weak spots of American cars 
in general. Engines have been in¬ 
creased in power throughout the 
line,- but of special interest is the 
Chrysler, which now sports a four- 
inch bore and 392 cubic inches of 
displacement. The hot Chrysler 
300-C now boasts 375 horsepower, 
making it th.e most powerful Amer¬ 
ican-built car. Brakes, which have 
been one of Chrysler’s best fea¬ 
tures, are' again up to their stand¬ 
ard, even though the size of the 
wheel has been reduced. It is ob¬ 
vious that Chrysler is making an 
all-out bid to put their volume 
Plymouth back into the No. 3 slot, 
ousting Buick, who took over that 
positfon several years ago. So far 
Plymouth sales are reportedly lag¬ 
ging 30% behind the record crop 
of 1955. A major fiasco by Ply¬ 
mouth this year could put Chrysler 
in a precarious economic position. 

Ford & Ventilation 

Ford line of cars (Ford, Mercu¬ 
ry, Lincoln and Continental) sport 
some major changes, of which the 
Mercury has 'the greatest number. 
Traditionally, Mercury has shared 
some of the body dies with Ford, 
but '57 marks the emergence of 
Mercury In a new shell all its own. 
Pushbutton transmission control is 
one of the new Mercury changes, 
as is a thermostatic device on the 
fan that cuts out the fan when it’s 
not needed. Best of the Mercurys 
is the new Turnpike Cruiser, which 
has. a vertical rear window that 
slides up and down to insure prop¬ 
er ventilation within the car. 
Power 'is up to 290 horsepower, 
and handling should be better be¬ 
cause of lower body. One of the 
hits of the show is a Ford con¬ 
vertible with a retractable hard 
top. This is an interesting feature | 
and one with - many possibilities; 
however, the one displayed had 
very little trunk space when the 
top was retraoted. Ford also dis¬ 
played one of the sexiest looking 
pick-up trucks ever seen in Amer¬ 
ica. Called the Ranchero, this 
half-ton truck should be as com¬ 
fortable as any passenger model, 
since its cab is fully equipped with 
all the modern conveniences. 

Lincoln is about the same as last 
year (when it.had a new body), 
although power is up to 300 and 
the exhaust pipes have disappeared 
under the body. The plgsh Conti¬ 
nental (about $9,500) has minor 
refinements, but otherwise is un¬ 
changed. 

Chevrolet’s Scoop 

General Motors has come out with 

couple of major engineering 
changes that are noteworthy. 
Chevrolet scooped the entire in¬ 
dustry by offering fuel injection as 
an optional extra. This system is 
of the constant flow type and 
should provide an interesting har¬ 
binger of things to come. In its 
hot form for the Corvette, the big 
fuel injection engine claims one 
horsepower per cubic inch (283), 
milestone in engineering effi¬ 
ciency. Chevrolet bodies have re-, 
ceived a facelift (let’s move the 
chrome around), as have several 
other GM cars, - including Buick 
and Oldsmobile. 

Cadillac’s new frame is an ino¬ 
vation that is sure to be widely 
copied‘in the future. Instead of a 


box like frame, Cadillac has 
brought out a central wishbone 
structure that supports the body 
by outriggers. This frame saves a 
lot of space and should be consid¬ 
erably lighter than the box affair; 
however, more important is the 
fact that this frame could well be 
a step toward unit construction 
(frame and body in one piece) 
which has. been used by several 
European manufacturers for some 
time and has also a feature of the 
Nash. Major problem - With this 
type construction is that it becomes 
niorfe difficult to change body de¬ 
sign-on a yearly basis as the cost 
of retooling is tremendous. 


Studebaker-Packard 
Studebaker-Packard cars are 
much the same as last year Receiv¬ 
ing a facelift in the body depart¬ 
ment. Most interesting car in the 
S-P .lineup is the Golden Hawk 
Studebaker which now uses the big 
Studebaker motor instead of the 
Packard engine of last year, and 
also features a supercharger as 
standard equipment. Car should 
handle much, better than previous 
model which was reportedly nose 
heavy (because of the big Packard 
engine) and should ‘do all right 
with the sporty* set'who still want 
to haul five people around. The 
lone Packard displayed at the' show 
was a stock Studebaker with a 
Packard grille and different 
chrome trim. It appears that S-P 
are pinning their hopes on Stude¬ 
baker for an increased slice of th* 
automotive pie. 

Nash-Hudson Family 
American Motors (Nash, Hudson, 
Rambler) exhibited one of the en¬ 
gineering jewels of the show. It’s 
a 200-lb. 62 horsepower aircooled 
engine that can be built up from 
two to eight cylinders by adding 
simple components? This engine, 
designed primarily for military 
use, would be ah ideal power plant 
for a small, lightweight car. The 
Rambler that started out as a 
small, economical car has grown 
this year till it is almost as big as 
the other AM autos. Reasonably 
priced, this car is the big sales 
hope for American Motors. 

The sports car movement is 
still a factor in Detroit thinking as 
the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Thun- 
derbird, and Studebaker GOlden 
Hawk are again in production for 
’57. The only Detroit product that 
classifies as a real sports car is the 
Corvette that had a successful year 
in competition with some of the 
better European machinery. Ru¬ 
mors of a new four speed gear 
box, if true, and coupled with the 
fuel injection engine might well 
put an American sports car on top 
in competition. 

Auto sfiow and thq introduction 
of the new models raises several 
questions on the current Detroit 
policy. The dubious factors of .the 
horsepower race are being brought 
Into sharper focus each year. Giv¬ 
ing the average driver a hopped 
up, over powered, elongated, 
“banker’s hot rod” is akin to giv¬ 
ing a child a loaded pistol and tell- 
in j him not to hurt anyone. A con¬ 
gressional committee recently 
made a special visit to Detroit to 
query the automakers on the high 
speed performance built in to the 
new cars and heard spokesmen 
f/om Ford say that their pitch for 
safety equipment had accomplished 
little but lower sales and that they 
too would plug performance. If the 
American driver isf predisposed to 
stop light drag' races and high 
speed driving then serious thought 
should be given ip making him a 
better driver, one equal to his car. 
Getting a driver's license is too 
easy a task in many states and 
the results of poor driving are be¬ 
ing reaped every day in accidents. 
Either uniform licensing laws and 
uniform traffic regulations for all 
states or federal regulation would 
be a step in the right direction._ 
The auto industry is a bell¬ 
wether of the general economy 
and the lagging production for the 
last two months of the year may 
be an indicator of things to come. 

A slack sales year for Chrysler, 
Studebaker-Packard, and American 
Motors could mean real, economic 
trouble for these companies that 
are trying to recapture a larger 
portion of the market. 


Herb Golden, head of the amuse¬ 
ment industries division of Bank¬ 
ers Trust, on the Coast for. 10 days 
of huddles with indie theatrical 
and telefilm producers. 








Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


21 


N£W YORK 

BROADWAY 
IN USUAL 
PRE-HOLIDAY 
SLUMP BUT 

TEAHOUSE 




99 


—VARIETY, Dec. 5,1956 

(biggest advance reserved 
seat sale in history 
of the Music Hall) 


« 


LOS 

ANGELES 

PANTAGES 


RECORD 

HIGH 

SOCIETY 

GROSS! 

4th Week 


99 


CHICAGO 


WOODS 
TOPS 
RECORD- 
BREAKING 
BLACKBOARD 
JUNGLE! 

4th Week 


f« 


FIRST 3 DATES OF 

TEAHOUSE” TERRIFIC! 

The Most Publicized Picture! 


LIFE—Two great breaks! Two full pages of Kyo in close-up 
department. Previously full page of Brando as Sakini; 

LOOK—Ed Sullivan cover and feature in Japan. Photo of 
Brando and Glenn Ford, plus announcement of TEA¬ 
HOUSE on Sullivan’s TV show. 

WOMAN’S HOME COMPANION-Four great breaks! 
Eddie Albert and Family. Color shot in “round-up of 
pictures.” Color pictures of Kyo as geisha girl for Janu¬ 
ary. 4 full pages of Kyo in January. 

AMERICAN WEEKLY— Two great breaks! Zolotow series 
on Brando starts January 6th. Already published Glenn 
Ford article. 

THIS WEEK—Four great breaks. First article included 
mention of film. Second article included still of Brando as 
Sakini. Third article included Kyo and mention of film. 
Fourth article, Berg’s visit to Japan, featuring Brando. 

PARADE—Feature including still of Brando as Sakini with 
credit. 

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING—Ruth Harbert review in January 
issue. 

COLLIER’S—Brando Japan photos in December 21st issue. 

TIME—Two great breaks. Still of Brando as Sakini with 
credit. And current issue excellent review with photo. 

CORONET—“Movie of Month” for January with profile of 
Glenn Ford. 

COSMOPOLITAN—Two great breaks! “Outstanding picture 
. of Month.” Also, in round-up of movie reviews in January. 

HOLIDAY—Kumitz glowing review with art. 

CHARM—Review and stills set for January issue. 


SEVENTEEN—Picture of the Month with art. 

GLAMOUR—Two great breaks! Glenn Ford in Japan and 
previously a preview with art. 

PARENTS’—Two great breaks! Awarded Film Family 
Medal; two-column spread with scene stills in Movie 
Guide. Following issue, Director Daniel Mann article. 

ARGOSY—Movie of Month “Heartily recommended” in 
review. 

N. Y. TIMES MAGAZINE-Layout of movies “based on 
Broadway plays” including half-page photo of scene 
from film. 

PAGEANT—Four-page spread on Machiko Kyo with credit. 

PLUS HIGH POWERED AD AND 
PROMOTION CAMPAIGN! 

Special footage and great plug on Ed Sullivan show! 

M-G-M presents In CinemaScope and METROCOLOR 

MARLON GLENN MACHIKO 
BRANDO* FORD * KYO 

"THE TEAHOUSE OF 
THE AUGUST MOON” 

Co-etarring 

EDDIE ALBERT 

with 

PAUL FORD * JUN NEGAMI • NIJIKO KIYOKAWA 
MITSUKO SAWAMURA • Screen Play by JOHN PATRICK 

° Based on a Book by VERN J. SN EIDER * And Hi* flay by JOHN PATRICK 
Directed by DANIEL MANN • Produced by JACK CUMMINGS 

(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound) 






22 


PICTURES 


UhfZIETY 


r 


Stanley Warner’s $3,194 JO Net 
Parlay of Theatres, Cnwrama, Bras 


Stanley Warner racked up a net< r 
profit of $3,194*200 for the fiscal 1 
year ending Aug. 25, 1956, Profit, 
derived from the combined opera¬ 
tions of theatre chain, Cinerama, 
and the International Latex Corp., 
is equivalent to $1.47 per share on 
the 2,166,500 shares outstanding. 

Current profit, arrived at after 
deductions of $4,722,800 for depre¬ 
ciation and amortization, $1,908,- 
200 for amortization of Cinerama 
productions, and $2,816,400 for 
taxes, compares with a profit of 
$3,065,800 earned during the pre¬ 
vious year, when depreciation and 
amortization was $4,759,200, Ciner¬ 
ama amortization $1,037,500,. and 
taxes $3,650,000. Earnings for the 
prior year were equivalent to $1.39 
per share on the common stock 
then outstanding. 

Annual financial statement does 
not provide a breakdown of the 
earnings and profits from each 
separate division of the company. 
Theatre admissions, Merchandise 
sales,, and other income totalled 
$96,234,200, an increase of $3,823,- 
700 over last year’s $92,410,500. 

In statement issued with finan¬ 
cial report, prexy S. H. (Si) Fabian 
said the outlook for increased b.o. 
receipts for the theatre division in 
the near future “is’brighter than: 
it has been for several months.” 
He maintained that there is no 
“lost audience” and thtat public is 
waiting for pictures of its choice. 
He noted that outstanding pictures' 
are playing to capacity audiences,- 
although there is an overall de¬ 
cline in attendance. 

He reiterated Stanley plans to 
alleviate the product shortage 
“either by participating in produc¬ 
tion itself or by sponsoring addi¬ 
tional production by others” and 
said the company is constantly re¬ 
evaluating its theatre properties. 

Stanley now owns and leases 306 
theatres, of which 162 are owned 
in fee, 134 are leased, and 10 are 
partly owned in fee and partly 
leased. The Cinerama division op¬ 
erates 21 of these theatres. 

The report devotes considerable 
space to Interiational Latex sub¬ 
sidiary, which Fabian noted 
“should generate substantially in¬ 
creased profits during the year.” 
International Latex, which manu¬ 
facturers girdles, bras, baby pants, 
and rubber household gloves, re¬ 
cently diversified in the pharma¬ 
ceutical field and is turning out a 
line of Isodine products, including 
an antiseptic and gargle and mouth¬ 
wash.. 

The annual stockholders meeting 
will be held in Wilmington, on 
Jan. 10. 


Pioneers* $174,505 

Harry Tahiti, 1 wJu^resIgnecT^is 
secretary-treasurer of the Motion 
Picture Pioneers following the tes¬ 
timonial for Robert J. O’Donnell, 
reveals that the organization since 
its inception on May 1, 1949, had 
total income of $174,505. Disburse¬ 
ments amounted to $62,036 and as 
of last April 30 there was a cash 
reserve of $112,486. 

Takiff disclosed ihat contribu¬ 
tions to industry needy have been 
increasing year to year, amount¬ 
ing to $15,39£ last year and expect¬ 
edly will reach $30,000 in 1957. 

Exec was presented with a silver 
bowl at the O’Donnell dinner in 
acknowledgment of his Pioneers 
services. 

Cinemiracle Production. 

To Take Six Months On 
Norwegian Squarerigger 

Production crew headed by Wil¬ 
liam Colleran has sailed from Oslo 
aboard the square-rigger, Christian 
Radich, to start camera work on 
“Cinemiracle Adventure,” initial 
feature which Louis de Rochemont 
will produce in the new three-strip 
process sponsored by National 
Theatres.' 

The sailing ship, captained by 
Yngvar Kjelstrup, will be the site 
of the contemporary story written 
by Capt. Alan J. Viliers for the first 
Cinemiracle pic. Script calls for 
sequences in Venezeula, Haiti, 
Curacao, Trinidad and other West 
Indies locations. Five of the 75 
handpicked members of the ship’s 
crew are from the Norwegian Na¬ 
tional Theatre. 

Filming is estimated to take ap¬ 
proximately six months, with Na¬ 
tional Theatres reportedly eyeing 
the completed film in time for 
opening mid-fall or early winter. 


Japan’s 500 

Continued from page 7 

About a dozen Japanese stars and 
industry personalities are being 
brought in for the event which is 
under the direction of Marjorie 
Geiss. Motion Picture Export Assn, 
is giving full support to the proj¬ 
ect. ■ • 

Lots of Medals 


Distribs As Worried 
As Exbibs’ Report From 
TQA’s Ernest Stellings 

Charlotte, "N.C., Dec. 11. 

Having completed a round of 
conferences with the presidents 
and general sales managers of most 
of the film companies, Ernest G. 
Stellings, president of Theatre 
Owners of America, revealed at 
his headquarters here that he 
found “that they are as concerned 
with the troubled state of distrib¬ 
utor-exhibitor relation, as we ex¬ 
hibitors are.” 

. According to Stellings, the dis- 
tribs “are willing to dd more than 
their share to improve those con¬ 
ditions.” He said he wafe “enthusi¬ 
astic” about their willingness to 
cooperate. He noted that he had 
assured the industry brass that 
TOA was ready to dedicate itself to 
industry efforts “aimed at promot¬ 
ing the selling of more tickets , . .” 
Stellings indicated that TOA would 
follow up the conferences with 
“constructive and definite industry 
programs in the immediate fu¬ 
ture.” 

At the same time, Stellings hail¬ 
ed the Allied States Assn, decision, 
made at its Dallas convention last 
week, to initiate negotiations in 
cooperation with TOA for the es¬ 
tablishment of an industry arbitra¬ 
tion system in accordance with the 
recommendations made by the 
Senate Small Business Subcom¬ 
mittee. The action, he said, paral¬ 
lels that taken by the TOA board 
and by the general membership at 
the recent convention in New 
York. He termed the moves by 
both organization as “statesman¬ 
like.” 


Export of Japanese pix since the 
war has improved, Kawakita said. 
“We’ve been getting .medals and 
prizes, but little money,” he noted. 
In the U.S., he'estimated that Japa¬ 
nese films this year earned about 
$750,000. 

MPEA of Japan plans to become 
more active, Kawakita reported. 
Plan is to set up offices in Paris 
and New York. Japanese had been 
toying with the idea of. renting a 
theatre in Paris to showcase their 
product, and a similar idea is being 
discussed for New York, the Japa¬ 
nese exec said. However, the Japa¬ 
nese apparently feel a start should 
first be made in the promotional 
field. 

He noted rising European inter¬ 
est in the Orient and said : “I think 
it is because Europeans, despite of 
reaching a certain hpight, still can¬ 
not gain satisfaction. They may 
have what they need materialisti¬ 
cally, but spiritually Europeans 
still have a long way to go. They 
seek peace and inner tranquility. 
They hope they may find it in the 
approach to the Orient.” 

Kawakita pointed out, somewhat 
regretfully, to the rapid westerni¬ 
zation of Japan which, he said, was 
finding c its expression prominently 
in Japanese films. “In a few years 
the fine, poetic Japanese pictures 
like ‘Rashomon,’ which created 
such a stir, will no longer be 
made,” he predicted. 


Leonard Hein last week was 
named to head Motion Picture 
Film Editors Local 771 for the up¬ 
coming year. Other officers elect¬ 
ed include Michael Pruschi, v.p.; 
Rosemarie H. Herman, secretary; 
John Oxton, treasurer; Charles 
Wolfe, business agent, while Fred 
Edwards and Edward Wyant Jr. 
will serve as sergeant-at-arms. 


Wednesday, December 1956 


UNIVERSAl'S CENSUS: 

52 PERSONALITIES 

! Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Big concentration of star names 
is massed in the 24 Universal fea¬ 
tures scheduled, for release during 
the next eight to nine months. A 
total of 52 personalities appear in 
the films which are now shooting, 
editing or awaiting release. 

Liberal use has also Ipeen* made 
of Cinemascope in the upcoming 
schedule, production veepee Ed¬ 
ward Muhl pointed out. Some cl5 
films have been lensed in the wide¬ 
screen medium, nine of them in 
color. Total exceeds U’s use of 
Cinemascope in all previous years 
combined. Studio also turned out 
one film in Technirama, the new 
process perfected by Technicolor. 

Names . involved in upcoming 
product include Julie Adams, June 
Allyson, Keith Andes, Lauren Ba- 
eall, Charles Bickford, Cornell 
Borchers, Rossano Brazzi, Walter 
Brennan, James Cagney, Jack Car- 
son, Jeff Chandler, Marianne Cook, 
Jeanne Crain, Tony Curtis, Ray 
Danton, Don De Fore, Dan Duryea, 
Jose Ferrer, Errol Flynn, Dianne 
Foster, Joanne Gilbert, Kathryn 
Grant, Jane Greer, Rock Hudson, 
Jeffrey Hunter, Martha Hyer, Dean 
Jagger, Van Johnson, Piper Laurie, 
Julie London, Fred MacMurray, 
Jock Mahoney, 'Dorothy Malone, 
Elsa Martinelli, Burgess Meredith, 
Colleen Miller, Sal Mineo, Audie 
Murphy, George Nader, Leslie 
Neilson, Marisa Pavan, Mala Pow¬ 
ers, Debbie Reynolds, Gilbert Ro¬ 
land, Gail Russell, Robert Stack* 
Orson Wells, Ed Wynn, Keenan 
Wynn. 


Okay To Peddle 
Pix To Soviets 

Suspension of cultural exchanges 
between the U.S. and Russia 
doesn’t cover motion pictures, offi¬ 
cials of the U. S. State Dept, and 
the U.S. Information Agency last 
week informed Bernard Kreisler. 

Kreisler recently returned from 
a trip behind the Iron Curtain 
where, among others, he made a 
deal to sell the Soviets 11 feature 
films. 

He’s proceeding with plans to 
ship prints of two American pix, 
starring Edward G. Robinson and 
Gary Cooper, to Moscow for local 
screening. If the Russians ap¬ 
prove, agreement on price will be 
sought, with payment, in dollars 
due in N. Y. simultaneous with 
the shipment of the dupe nega¬ 
tives. 


Projection Boothman’s 
View of 1956 Releases 

Milwaukee, Dec. 11. 

“If you ask me,” commented vet¬ 
eran Milwaukee projectionist, John 
Black,” I think we had better pic¬ 
tures in the old. dflys than we 
have now. What they’re showing 
now is a lot of junk,” continued 
Black at a recent huddle sponsored 
by Motion Picture Projectionists’ 
Union, Local 164. The meeting at 
Machinist’s Memorial Hall hon¬ 
ored retired boothmen. 

Black started “projecting” in 
1908 at the first 5c theatre here, 
the Theatorium. 

“In the old days,” said Black, 
we had one projector that we had 
to grind by hand, while we were 
handling the light with the other 
hand.” Black says the boothman 
of today has an “automatic proc¬ 
ess” chore in the booth. 

Commented Black: “I watch tele¬ 
vision, but not the old films ... I 
saw them enough times ..when I 
was working.” Ten retired booth- 
men honored at tbe huddle re¬ 
ceived gold passes to any house in 
Milwaukee, with former Fox-Wis- 
consin Amusement Corp. prexy, 
Harold J. -Fitzgerald, handling the 
presentations. 


*War & Peace 1 Plus 

Columbus, Dec, 11. 

Who says some of the cur¬ 
rent crop of Hollywood pic¬ 
tures are extra long? 

In Columbus, a number of 
neighborhood theatres have 
been showing “War and 
Peace,” a nearly four-hour 
show, on double bills with 
such pictures as “Miami Ex¬ 
pose,” and “Secret Scandal.” 


Bdsy Bel-Air Scripfers 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

In a new burst of activity, the 
indie Bel-Air Productions has five 
scripters on assignment and is 
readying at least 10 films for early 
starts, exec producer Aubrey 
Schenck reported. . 

Writers working are Herbert 
Purdom on “The Dalton Girls”; 
Jameson Brewer, “Fort Bowie”; 
John C. Higgins, “Untamed Youth”; 
Rik Vollaerts, “Bop Girl”; and 
Richard Landau, “Hell’s Highway.” 

Other five scripts being readied 
for production are “Crime Ship,” 
“Border Patrol,” “A Matter of 
Fact” (on option), “Drag Strip” 
and an untitled Boris Karoff horror 
film. 


Reich Features Stalled 
By Local Conditions, 

& Misread U.S. Market 

German producers, aiming for an 
export market in the U. S., are 
handicapped by the dual factors of 
(1) their dependence on the home 
market and (2) by their serious 
misconceptions about America and 
its audience. 

That’s the impression brought 
back last week by Frank Wisbar 
following a five months’ stay in 
Germany where, among other 
| things, he helped get his father into 
West Germany from the East zone. 

Wisbar, who signed to direct a 
German film next year—“Sharks 
and Little Fish,” dealing with U- 
boat warfare in World War II— 
said it was most important that 
more German industry personal¬ 
ities visit the U. S. “to get a feel of 
the market.” On the other hand, 
he said, the advice of Americans 
coming to work in the German 
industry also was valuable. 

“Sharks and Little Fish” is based 
on the German novel of the same 
title by Wolfgang Ott. It’s due to 
roll in March, with Wisbar and Ott 
doing a joint scripting job. Film 
will be done for the Deutsche-Lon- 
don distributing outfit by producer 
Willy Zeyn. - Wisbar said he was 
.trying to interest a U. S. group in 
shooting an, English version. 

Germans are lacking the courage 
to take risks in their small market, 
with financing extremely tight, Wis¬ 
bar opined. This attitude, he felt, 
prevented them from turning out 
more films with truly international 
appeal. 


Magyar Refugees 

Continued from page 1 

give up music when the Reds found 
his American style playing objec¬ 
tionable. Now, With his AFM 
card, he already has played one 
club booking here Saturday (8) 
night and has^others lined up. 

For the refugee’s eye-filling 20- 
year-old frau, Jolan, a " model’s 
career is in the works, thanks to 
the Help of local radio-tv station 
staffers, particularly WTOP - TV 
femcaster Donna Douglas. The 
latter, a former model herself, has 
garnered a wardrobe for the new¬ 
comer from her sponsors, and is 
helping to launch her in local mod¬ 
elling, circles. 

The dramatic story of the escape 
of the young couple from Commie 
tanks and security, guards will be 
well aired over U. S. radio and tv 
in the next few weeks. They are 
skedded for a stint on NBC’s 
“Monitor” and will appear on CBS- 
TV’s “Morning Show.’ In addition, 
they are. in demand for local ap¬ 
pearances. 

But most heartwarming stint of 
all was a Voice of America inter¬ 
view, taped for transmission to 
the Sermely’s native Hungary. 

VOA h.q., the refugee musician 
came face to face with the man 
who had inspired his jazz efforts, 
Willis Conover, local d.j. arid em¬ 
cee of Voice’s “Music, U, S. A.” 
The newcomer told Conover how 
he used to tape VOA jazz broad¬ 
casts later replaying them in se¬ 
cret to learn the technique. A 
devotee of the late Art Tatum and 
of such jazz greats as George 
Shearing, Oscar Peterson and Er- 
roll Garner, Sermely * has devel¬ 
oped a routine of imitations of his 
musical heroes. And local AFM 
reps have gone all out in raves for 
his talent. 

The attractive young couple, the 
first Hungarian refugees to reach 
the capital area, are living with" 
Mrs. Sernfely’s Chicago-born uncle, 
a Marine master sergeant. 


Germans Demand 
More Than Status 
Rates inU.S. 

Independent importers and dis¬ 
tributors of foreign films are voic¬ 
ing a growing concern over the 
kind of advance guarantees over¬ 
seas producers are asking for their 
pictures. Feeling was Voiced this 
week by Munio Podhorzer* prexy 
of United German Film Enter¬ 
prises, who spoke with special ref¬ 
erence to German producers. 

“Because of their primary em¬ 
phasis on commercial returns, some 
of the German companies have 
passed up good opportunities in 
the American market,” Podhorzer 
said. “It’s a shortsighted policy 
that deserves reevaluation.” 

Pointing out that, unlike the 
French and Italians, the Germans 
had not yet established theiriselves 
in the market, Podhorzer held that 
the German industry’s prirtiary aim 
should be to have its pictures cir¬ 
culated and seen in the U.S*. “Once 
there has been a public reaction 
arid interest has been aroused, then 
it’s time enough to* worry; about 
the money aspect/’ he held, 

He pointed out that some- prom- 
[ Ising deals for German pictures 
had been lost due to German pro¬ 
ducer hesitancy to commit their 
films without substantial advances. 
“It isn’t fair to ask the American 
distributor to take additional risks 
on films that ate essentially an un¬ 
known quantity in this country,” 
he said. “The distributor already 
must put money into preparing the 
pictures and that is all he should 
be asked to do, at least'at the 
start.” 

Podhorzer stressed the valugLof 
introducing German personalities 
on American screen., as part of the 
initial effort to establish the Reich 
pix and said he was working with 
the German government end the 
industry’s Export-Union on a Ger¬ 
man film fest project in N.Y. He 
also noted that some good German 
features had never been shown in 
the U.S. simply because the pro¬ 
ducers had insisted on unreason¬ 
able guarantees. 

Example is the Maria Schell 
film, “The Last Bridge,” which has 
only now been acquired for U.S. 
release by ■ Union Films. Austrian 
producer of the pic originally nixed 
a $25,000 bid for the film from Dis¬ 
tributors Corp. of America. Union 
Films has now acquired it on a 
percentage deal without any guar¬ 
antee. 

While the insistence on fiigh ad¬ 
vances appears incongruous to the 
indies in the instance of “the Ger¬ 
mans who have yet to make 1 their 
mark here, it is met more angrily 
in the case of the French and Ital¬ 
ians whose market potential Is bet¬ 
ter known. A number of potential 
imports from these countries have 
never been seen in the U.S. as a 
result of their producers' demands 


7 W. Berlin 1st Runs 
Playing Yank Product; 
’Bus,’ ’Anything’ Score 

Berlin, Dec. 4. 

Start of December sees seven 
out of West Berlin’s 24 principal 
cinemas playing American ' films. 
Three houses are showing German 
pix, two have Italian features, 
while the other two theatres are 
playing French, and Austrian films. 

20th-Fox preemed “Bus Stop” at 
the Astor While Paramount’s “Any¬ 
thing Goes” wepf into the Delphi 
arid Titania Palast day-date. Capi¬ 
tol took over “Man Who Knew Toe 
Much” (Par). Another Paramount 
pic, “Artists and Models” got un¬ 
derway at the Kurbel. “Rock 
Around Clock” (Col) was preemed 
at Filmtheatre Berlin-and “Desert 
Sands” (UA) at the Metropol* 

Special attention was given here 
to “Bus” because it was Marilyn 
Monroe’s first pic since “Seven 
Year Itch.” Film received fine 
pres3 appraisal, most crix refer¬ 
ring to the fact that the film was 
considerably better than the. stage 
version which had a short run here 
some months ago. “Anything Goes” 
is measuring up to the two-theatre 
date. 

New German pix included 
“Liebe” (CCC-Herzog), a Maria 
Schell starrer, at Gloria Palast; 
“Prize of the Nations” (Corona- 
Schorcht) at Ufa Pavilion - and 
“Schdav Child” (Berolina-Herzog), 
an Agfa remake of “Tailor Wib- 
bel.” 



Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


**'SL') , if 







Below is a copy of the lead story and editorial 
which appear in this month's Dancer's Notebook 
■ a publication which we prepare and distribute to the nation's 4,500,000 
dance students through their dance schools. 


From the desk of James Selva. 
I can remember it ’ as though it 
were yesterday . . . Rose (Mrs. 
Selva) and I were seated in the 
den with Mike, our Doberman, 
playfully gnawing on my leg, and 
Peter, our parakeet, flitting about 
— happy to be out of his cage. 
It was a very special night on TV 
and we had made a very special 
point to be home to watch it, It 
was last March 21st, the night the 
“Oscars” were being awarded. And 
although nobody could ever accuse 
me of being a red-hot movie fan, 
I confess I had more than just a 
passing interest in this movie event. 

It all started two years ago when- 
one of the few movies I did see 
was “Seven Brides for Seven 
,Brothers”. I was tremendously im¬ 
pressed with it — thought it was 
one of the best musical produc¬ 
tions I had ever seen. And, when 
the Academy Awards were given 
out for pictures that year and 
when no award was given for, nor 
no mention made of, the wonder¬ 
ful dancing or choreography in 
that picture, I can remember being 
more than just a little surprised 
and perturbed about it. • I think 
most of us probably feel the same 
way about this kind of thing, 
namely, that while recognition is 
being given, it ought to be given 
to alt those who deserve it. And 
when it's recognition in the dance 
field, it, of course, strikes a lot 
closer to home. I can remember 
discussing it several times with 
other dance people who were also 
surprised and perturbed about it. 
Matter of fact, there were a lot 
of other comments and discussions 
about it in the field generally. 
Nobody could understand it — 
and most people concluded, ”... a 
darn shame . .. probably an over¬ 
sight — they're bound, to correct 
it next year.” 

Well, “next year” then, was this 
year now, and so we watched the 
televised Oscar proceedings this 
March with, special interest. But 
again we were disappointed — 
again as you know there was no 
Oscar category set up for dancing 
or choreography _ not even a hint 
of it for the future. » 

Again there was much indigna¬ 
tion — Dance Magazine even set 
up its own film-dance “Awards” 


in protest — but stilt no recog - 
nition from Hollywood. 

Now, I've been in this dance 
business a long, long time. It seems 
only yesterday that we were mak¬ 
ing shoes for dancers at the Palace. 
Today, we’re making danceweac for 
television shows. So I’ve had plenty 
of time and opportunity to watch 
kids struggle towards the top. I 
know the sweat and hopes, and 
striving that go into every per¬ 
formance and I cohldn't, for the 
life of me, understand this Holly¬ 
wood refusal of recognition of the 
dance. Right then and there I 
decided that somebody really ought 
to' do something about bringing 
this more directly to Hollywood's < 
attention. 

And, who could be the more 
logical “somebody” than the peo¬ 
ple of the dance themselves. And 
what could be a better “some¬ 
thing” than to have them express 
themselves, out loud, using the 
democratic way people " have of 
making; themselves heard. 

Hence, this Dancer's Notebook 
story on the Oscar and the sug¬ 
gestion that we petition the Acad¬ 
emy dieectly. I don't know what 
the Academy of Motion Picture 
Arts and Sciences has in mind for 
this year. I don’t know why they've 
overlooked the Dance up to now 
and I don't know what they plan 
to do in the future, but I do feel 
that we — you and I — as part 
of the Entertainment Industry 
ought to let them know now — 
before another Academy Award 
presentation goes by — how we 
feel about this undeserved slight 
to the Dance, 

Academy Awards* Dance 
Forced To Sit Them Out. For 28 
years Hollywood has been giving 
Academy Awards, or “Oscars”, 
and in all this time a regular 
Oscar has yet to be awarded for 
either dancing or choreography in 
the movies. Awards are presently 
given in 24 different categories, 
ranging from acting and directing 
to sound recording and film edit¬ 
ing — almost every conceivable 
phaso of movie-making except 
dancing and choreography. In this 
issue the Dancer's Notebook spot¬ 
lights this slight to the dance 
world, and suggests that the people 
of the dance can no longer sit by 


and accept Hollywood's refusal to 
give dance the recognition and 
tribute it has rightfully earned a$ 
a true creative and . expressive 
cinematic medium. The Dancer’s 
Notebook makes a specific pro¬ 
posal: that two new Oscars be 
established, to be presented each 
year for (1) the best achievement 
m choreographing dances for a 
musical motion picture and (2) 
the best dance performance in a 
musical motion picture. 

During the 1950 Academy 
Award proceedings, a “special” 
award was made to Fred Astaire 
for “the artistry that has brought 
unique delight to picture audiences 
and has raised the standards of all 
musical pictures.” This move on 
the part of the Academy of-Mo¬ 
tion Picture Arts and Sciences was 
intended to compliment a great 
dancer-choreographer for his con¬ 
tribution to the realization of one 
of the Academy’s goals "... to 
advance the arts and sciences of 
motion pictures.” But the award 
represented too little recognition, 
hundreds of pictures too late. It 
seems incredible that over two 
decades of cinematic dance ap¬ 
parently have added up to justi 
one “special” award from Holly¬ 
wood. The obvious question keeps i 
coming up? how can Hollywood 
continue to ignore the dazzling 
parade of dancing by such stars 
as Cyd Charisse, Ray Bolger, Les¬ 
lie Caron, Donald O’Connor, Vera- 
Ellen, Dan Dailey, Gene Nelson, 
Marge and Gower Champion . . . 
the choreography of Michael Kidd, 
Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille, 
Gene Kelly, Eugene Loring, Jack 
Cole — and dozens more? That 
lone 1950 .token recognition only 
points out the extent to which 
cinematic dance is neglected; Why 
has the film capital repeatedly 
failed to recognize choreographers 
and dancers on a regular basis 
and on a level with those film- 
making categories now receiving 
the Academy’s honors? If, as the- 
special award to Fred Astaire im¬ 
plies, the artistry of one dancer 
can “raise the standards of all 
musical pictures”, can any of the 
existing Oscar categories hope for 
a greater achievement? 

As far as the producing studios 
are concerned, there is certainly 


no lack of recognition-of dance as 
a major branch of the industry. 
Jerome Robbins’ ballet, “The Small 
House of Uncle Thomas”, in the 
filmusical “The King and I”, is 
an excellent case in point. 20th 
Century-Fox placed so much im¬ 
portance on this ballet that it al¬ 
lotted half a million dollars of a 
6 Vi million dollar budget; nine 
weeks or rehearsal and shooting; 
and a full fifteen minutes of the 
picture’s running time —for this 
one dance sequence. Does this 
sound like one of the’minor cellu¬ 
loid activities? 

But look what happens at Os- 
car-bestowing time. To illustrate 
the offbeat position of Hollywood 
dance, assume that ‘The. King and 
I” is nominated for Academy 
Award consideration. Apart from 
a possible contribution to the “Best 
Motion Picture of the Year” award, 
‘The Small House of Uncle Thom¬ 
as” tfallet could be indirectly re¬ 
sponsible for a whole mantle- 
piece-full of Oscars. For the best 
achievement in art direction of 
a color production . . . in cinema¬ 
tography of a color production 
in costume design of a color pro¬ 
duction ... in scoring of a musical 
picture ... in special effects . . . 
in technical achievement. Yet the 
“finished product” to which all 
th^se accolades might in part apply 
— the choreography and dancing 
seen by the paying public — again 
is not considered of itself worthy 
of an Academy Award. Think of 
the humiliation experienced by 
choreographers and dancers, when 
they see awards made for “sound 
recording” and “film editing” — 
while their ancient art — which 
ranks with painting, sculpture and 
literature — is bypassed. 

Dance alone does not make a 
picture great — nor does acting, 
directing or cinematography. Mov¬ 
ie-making calls for creative and 
technical talent of all kinds, work¬ 
ing together in close co-operation. 
As part 9 f this talent, the chor¬ 
eographers and dancers do not 
need the Oscar to gain an elect 
place — they already enjoy the 
highest artistic position everywhere 
else in the world, in every other 
entertainment medium. But Holly¬ 
wood does owe them equal recog¬ 


nition for their motion picture 
accomplishments. 

Dance is not new to the movies; 
dancing stars have been big box 
office draws for a quarter of a 
century. As a vital ingredient of 
the musical picture success for¬ 
mula, dance has. progressed as 
surely as the other cinema arts 
have progressed. In his new book, 
“The Dance in America”, New 
York Herald Tribune dance critic 
Walter Terry describes the rise of 
cinematic dance, ns a major mov¬ 
ie art — and he cites a striking 
example of the part dance plays 
in the movies. “With ‘Seven Brides 
for Seven Brothers,’ produced in 
the mid-1950’s,” he writes, “the 
movies fully exploited what Broad-, 
way had known for a decade: that 
dancing could be a part of the plot 
itself, a perfectly natural medium 
for the delineation of character, 
the evoking of mood, the heighten¬ 
ing of incident.” Does this sound, 
as the Academy Award snub im¬ 
plies, -as though dance is nothing 
more than a clever innovation, 
dubbed into a picture for a change 
of pace? 

Most unforgivable of all is the 
mockery that the absence of dance 
Oscars makes of the efforts of 
4Vi million dance students and 
their teachers — truly ironic, con¬ 
sidering that they form the well- 
spring of talent to which Holly¬ 
wood looks for its future chor¬ 
eographers and dancers. What is 
the reaction among these young¬ 
sters, their parents, their teachers, 
as they sit before their television 
sets — watching ,the Academy be¬ 
stow award after award without 
so much as a mention of the art 
of dancing? Many of these young¬ 
sters have the great dream ofj 
eventual stardom or at least rec¬ 
ognition of their talent in the mo¬ 
tion picture realm. What kind of 
inspiration is the no-Oscar treat¬ 
ment supposed to offer them? 

It’s time N the dancer was released 
from this annual seat behind the 
movie theatre post. It’s time dance 
was paid the kind of tribute it 
earned in other mediums long be¬ 
fore anyone thought of saluting 
the motion picture craftsmen . . . 
in fact, long before anyone had 
even thought of making motion 
pictures at all. 


Because we feel that this matter is of interest to, and 
affects everyone in, the entertainment industry — 
we reprint this material here and sincerely enlist 
your support in pur efforts to bring this matter to the 
Academy’s attention. 



THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURER AND DISTRIBUTOR 
OF DANCEWEAR EXCLUSIVELY 

ami shun ; 

1;607 BRQADWAY. NEW YORK 19. N Y. 











24 


PICTURES 


umnm 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 



Considers Home Office Employes Union Misrepre¬ 
sents in Soliciting Film Field Men's Membership 

' :>■ 


An appeal to the ethical prac¬ 
tices committee of the AFL-CIO is 
being contemplated by the N.Y, 
Screen Publicists Guild to halt 
what it alleges to be “false” im¬ 
plications in the efforts of the 
Home Office Employees Union, 
Local H-63, IATSE to organize mo¬ 
tion picture field publicists. 

In a letter to Russell M. Moss, 
business agent of Local H-63, SPG 
prexy Martin Blau indicated that 
the SPG had no objections to Moss’ 
attempts to unionize, the fieldman. 
However, Blau said, the SPG ques¬ 
tioned the “use of falsehood in 
your membership solicitation.” 

The SPG’s prime beef is Moss’ 
Implication that the fieldman can 
join with the homeoffice publicists 
in a single organization through 
Local H-63. Blau stresses that only 
the publicists at Paramount and* 
RKO are affiliated with the IA. 
union. In addition, he notes that 
the Par fieldmen are already or¬ 
ganized under the Local o .H-63 ban¬ 
ner. He contends, therefore, that 
Moss’ pitch “could be made truth¬ 
fully only to the field publicists of 
RXO” since the homeoffice pub-ad 
staffers of Loew’s, Warner Bros., 
Columbia, 20th-Fox, Universal, and 
United Artists are members of the 
SPG. 7 

Moss, who has. been spearhead¬ 
ing a drive for a national film pub¬ 
licists urion, asked the field staf¬ 
fers to sign ap application for “the 
proposed formation of a publicists 
group which would include the 
field distribution publicists as well 
as those in the homeoffice in New 
York City.” His ultimate aim is an 
east coast unidn which would have 
a jurisdictional agreement with the 
studio publicists in Hollywood. 
Moss has noted that he has ap¬ 
proached the Hollywood group and 
“there seems to be no insurmount¬ 
able problems.” He said that both 
the east and west coast units will 
be in aposition to go- to the next 
IA general executive board meet¬ 
ing with an agreement which will 
result in the granting of an east 
coast charter. 

Moss’ Pitch 

In his appeal to the fieldman, 
Moss explained that he was" still 
working on the problem relating 
to a free exchange of publicists be¬ 
tween the east and west locals. tHe 
aims to achieve standard working 
conditions and salaries on both 
coasts, with the hope that the 
scales of the homeoffice and field 
publicists will be “ultimately 
brought in line with those existing 
in the Hollywood studios.” He is 
pitching for joint negotiations by 
the local unions so that “many of 
these gains can be accomplished.” 

The SPG has attempted on sev¬ 
eral occasions to organize the field 
staffs but has found it a “difficult 
task.” It acknowledges that “they 
desperately need unionization.” 
While objecting to Moss’ proce¬ 
dure, the SPG said it is ready at 
any time “to cooperate in the fur¬ 
thering of inter-ur ion relations on 
a high plane and'the betterment of 
the economic conditions of all 
workers in the industry.” 

Both Local H-63 and the SPG 
are members of the AFL-CIO via 
their affiliation with IATjSE and 
the Retail, Wholesale and depart¬ 
ment Store Union, District 65, re¬ 
spectively. Both parent unions are 
signatories to the AFL-CIO pact. 


JOAN CRAWFORD'S 

career examined in fascinating detail! 
Get the Dec. issue of 

FILRS IN REVIEW 

(illustrated with 23 stills from Joan 
Crawford movies) FREE by subscrib¬ 
ing now to the only monthly maga¬ 
zine devoted to every aspect of the 
motion picture. "Films in Review": In¬ 
tellectually stimulating, consistently 
readable. $4.50 a year in U. S.; 
$4.75 in Cgnada; $5 elsewhere. PO 
Box 175, Planetarium Station, New 
York 24, N. Y. 


EXHIB'S REVISED ESTATE 


Eugene Emmick Left $3,151,368. 

—Ki n Fifgit Will 

Redwood City, Cal., Dec. 11. 

. Third appraisal of the estate of 
the late Eugene H. Emmick, one of 
the founders of the Golden State 
Theatres chain, estimated his hold¬ 
ings at $3,151,368, according to an 
inventory filed at the San Mateo 
County Clerk’s office. 

Emmick, 73, died last Jan. 26. 

The new accounting added more 
than $2 millioh in sto.cks and bonds 
to real estate inventoried earlier. 

Four nieces and nephews are 
contesting Emmick's will, charging 
a brother of the theatre man used 
fraud and undue influence. Bulk of 
bequests go to friends and rela¬ 
tives, with 20% set aside for medi¬ 
cal research. 


Drive-In Growth 



Canada Has 231 

Ottawa, Ded. 11. 

The drive-iri trend spreading 
to Canada; with an mrerage of 70 
new ozoners being opened annu¬ 
ally. At . present there are 231 
driv^-ins' in the Dbminion^-89 of' 
them in Ontario—With a 95,712-car 
capacity and a''gross take of $5,- 
749,623. In 1948, thfere were only 
14. The ozoners are still illegal 
in Quebec province. 

Installation costs for outdoor 
theatres in Canada range. between j 
$50,000 and $250,000. 'Approxi¬ 
mately 75% of the Dominion's 
drive-ins are independently owned. 
Several drive-ins in British Colum¬ 
bia are year-round operations. 

Influences attracting audiences 
to the drive-ins are similar to those 
in the United States, according 
to Clare J. Appel, executive direc¬ 
tor of the Canadian Motion Picture 
Distributors Assn. Births in Can¬ 
ada are up and baby sitters are in 
short supply, Snaking the drive-ins 
ideal situations for family business. 
Most of the theatres heat baby 
bottles, several provide free diaper 
service. The majority serve food 
and many have playground facili¬ 
ties for children. 

LOEW’S OPENS HOUSE 
IN WEST BERLIN 

Continuing its overseas theatre 
expansion program, oeLw’s nter- 
national opened the. M-G-M Thea¬ 
tre in West Berlin on Friday (7). 
This is the fifth new theatre 
Loew’s has- opened in past few 
months. The company also has 
eight other theatres in construc¬ 
tion or bn drawing boards, with 
still others in preliminary planning 
stages. 

In addition to the Berlin house, 
Loew’s recently opened theatres in 
Milan, Buenos Aires, Sydney, and 
Hamburg. Loew’s International 
prexy Arthur M. Loew, in Europe 
for business conferences, attended 
the Berlin opening. 


Holljnvood, Dec. 11. 

Public interest in films is at an 
all time .high as a result of the 
wholesale release of old features 
to television with perhaps 105,000,- 
000 people watching films weekly 
at home and in theatres. The 
home audience, howeyer, has a 
two-to-one edge on theatre audi¬ 
ences, states analiyist Albert Sind- 
linger, and it’s a good thing for 
the filnj industry that the entire 
backlogs of the majors weren’t 
purchased.in the last 10 months 
and slotted on prime network time. 
If this had been done, he told the 
Screen Producers ‘ Guild, most of 


Adslt Kha Hjb0 

— Continued from page 3 «5sss 

eliminated as has the happy end¬ 
ing, Mankiewicz reported. 

At the same time, the American 
will not be' a lovable character. 
And, as a matter of fact, says Man¬ 
kiewicz* “there is no reason why an 
American can’t be a villain on the 
screen, as might an Italian or a 
Frenchman.” 

In an unusual move, Mankiewicz 
has hired Vietnamese film director, 
Vinh Noan, as assistant director 
for “The Quiet American,” Viet¬ 
namese actors are being hired 
with the assistance of various gov¬ 
ernment agencies. However, the 
lead part of the Vietnamese .girl 
hasn’t yet been cast. Nor has the 
key role of the Briton. Claude 
Dauphin has been signed as the 
French inspector. 

Mankiewicz expressed himself 
strongly on pressure groups. In his, 
contract with United Artists he 
refuses to accept any condition 
other than the issuance of a Code 
seal for his films. He is not obliged 
to deliver any specific rating from 
the Legion of Decency. Mankie¬ 
wicz paid glowing tribute to Geof¬ 
frey Shurlock, the Production Code 
administrator, stating that “as long 
as Shurlock is at the helm of the 
Code, the creators in the industry 
have a lot to be thankful for.” 
Shurlock, he said, realized the need 
for maturity on the screen and for 
differentiation-betWeen the motives 
of various producers - in setting 
their scenes. 

“Quiet American” will be a 
black-and-white pic. Mankiewicz 
leaves for Saigon Jan. 3 and starts 
shooting there Jan. 28. Film would 
wind in April. After that, the di¬ 
rector., said he expected to remain 
in Italy, writing a film or a play. 
He may do “12th Night” (with 
Audrey Hepburn) or “Santo Cow¬ 
boy” (with Gary Cooper) as his 
next personal production for Fi- j 
garo. Company; has three other 
properties Skedded. They’ll be 
produced by Walter Wanger, 

HUNGARIAN RELIEF IS 
BIG CINERAMA PEG 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

An unusually glittering benefit 
preem will launch “Seven Wonders 
of the World” at the Warner The¬ 
atre Dec. 27. Under the almost 
unprecedented sponsorship of the 
local chapter of American Red 
Cross, with proceeds earmarked 
for Hungarian Relief, capital of¬ 
ficialdom and society are going all 
out for the .popular cause. 

Hungarians give Sfanley-Warner 
and Cinerama a shining star on 
which to hang their third opening. 
Response to the impressive invita¬ 
tions to participate in benefit is 
sock, with contributions 1 pouring in 
well above the $5 and $10 scale. 

Almost entire upper echelon of 
Stanley-Wamer execs’will be on 
hand for preem. Amongst ttmse 
planning to attend are: — Sam 
Rosen, executive v.p.; v.p. Harry 
Kalmine; v.p. Bernard Kranza; ad¬ 
vertising topper Harry Goldberg; 
and exhibitor boss. Lester Isaacs. 
Cinerama’s Lowell Thomas will 
handle chore of emceeing. * 


Turteltaub to Middletown 

Richard D. Turteltaub, indie ex¬ 
hibitor who operates houses both 
in the metropolitan area and up¬ 
state New York, has taken the 
1,400-seat State Theatre, Middle- 
town, N. Y., on a longterm lease, 
Deal was consummated through 
Berk & Krumgold, theatre realty 
specialists. 


the theatres in the U.S. would 
have been shuttered. 

But, Sindlinger believes, the slot¬ 
ting of old features on television 
has had at least one good effect— 
it has created a new interest in 
current theatrical fare. 

Sindlinger’s estimate of the total 
film audience was based on an es¬ 
timate that 32,000,000 people go to 
theatres weekly and approximately 
28,000,000 see films daily on tele¬ 
vision. In the latter category, 
however, there is considerable dup¬ 
lication and Sindlinger figures the 
j actual audience on tv amounts to 
(around 73,000,000 persons weekly.* 



Never Before Have So Many Americans Viewed 
Films in a Week—Perhaps 105,000,000 Exposures 



Indianapolis, Dec. 11. 

In the light of the industry's attempt to raise theatre attendance, 
the following excerpts from the survey conducted in connection 
with the proposed charge it” system in Indianapolis is significant: 

The question was asked: “Would you like to go to the movies 
more often than you do now, or do you fee\ that you are going about 
as often as you would 9 like to?” The answer: 

(1) 14% of the people would \tfant a credit card. 

(2) Of this 14%, qrtly 47% would like to go to the movies more . 
Often than they do now. On the 'basis of the total sample this 
means that only 6% want a credit card and want to. .go to the 
movies more often. 

In connection with the scrip book idea, offering $12.50 worth of 
tickets for $10, the survey established that 28% would be inter¬ 
ested in the book, but only 43% of these indicated they’d like tp 
go to see films more often. Taking the whole sample, that means 
12% of those queried would buy the book in order to be able to 
visit their theatre more often. 

Only 2% indicated that the level of admission prices was de¬ 
terring them from seeing films' more often, and only 5% of these 
who indicated they didn’t care to go more'often stated that a drop 
in admission levels would" induce them; to step up their attendance. 
Of the 12% that would buy a book to go to the theatre more often, 
7% indicated they didn’t have the time to go. That leaves only 
5% who both would like to gp more and also fyave the time. 


Japanese loyalties’Sensitive; 

Hawaiian Location Company Under Howard Koch 

Encounters Rumor—Fed Tension Over ‘Jungle Heat’ 

- ---- : -- —. 


VARIETY CLUBS' FILM 


O’Donnell, Rowley and 54 Per- 
* sonalities In ‘Heart’ Picture. 


Dallas, Dec. 11. 

A print was .received at Inter¬ 
state Theatres office of “The Heart 
of Show Business” presented by 
the Variety Clubs International. 
The 55-minute film was produced 
by Ralph Staub. / 

It was screened here for Robert 
J. O’Donnel, the international ring¬ 
master of Variety; John H. Row- 
ley, the chief barker, and members 
of the Dallas Variety Tent No. 17. 
-Both O’Donnell and Rowley appear 
in the pic. 

The film outlines the various 
projects and achievements spon¬ 
sored by all Variety clubs In re¬ 
gard to helping children of the less 
fortunate in all parts of the coun¬ 
try, Theatre executives, and exhib¬ 
itors, as well as some'54 screen 
( personalities, ..are shown and nar-1 
rate the pic. 


St Louis 100% 

As Film Salesmen 
Now Affiliated 

St.Louis, D r 11. * 

Robert C. Lightfoot, Allied Art¬ 
ists- 'salesman, has been elected 
president of the St. Louis Lodge 
No. 19, Collosseum of Motion Pic¬ 
ture Salesmen of America at the, 
annual election. He succeeds" 7 
George A. Cohn of Columbia Pic¬ 
tures. Louis H. Rats, RKO> was re- 
lected vice president and Edward 
J. Stevens of United Artists was 
chosen to succeed Homer R...Hisey, 
Warner Brothers, as secretary-treas¬ 
urer and George Ware, formerly 
with 20th Century-Fox, as assistant 
to Stevens. 

One of the most important steps 
taken at the meeting was the de¬ 
cision of the organization to affil¬ 
iate with the International Alliance 
of Theatre Stage Employes' and 
Moving Picture Operators, thus 
making this city 100% IATSE af¬ 
filiated so far as organized em¬ 
ployes in the motion picture dis¬ 
tribution and exhibition ^fields arp 
concerned. 

SWG AWARDS DINNER 
UNDER HUGH HERBERT 

^Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

F. Hugh Herbert will produce 
the ninth annual Screen Writers 
Awards (tinder, to be held either 
the last week in’ February or the 
first week in March. 

Warten Duff is chairman of the 
wards committee of the screen 
ranch of Writers Guild of 
America West; and other members 
are Ivan Goff, George George, 
Ruth Brooks Flippen, Frank Nu¬ 
gent, Jesse L. Lasky Jr.'and George 
Slavin. 

Herbert’s first order of business 
will be to select director for the 
event. _ An emcee is also to be 
picked. 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Filming of Bel-Air’S “Jungle 
Heat” on the island of Kauai, 
Hawaii, was carried on in an at¬ 
mosphere of threats and tension, 
producer-director Howard W. Koch 
reported here last week following 
bis return from six weeks of loca¬ 
tion lensing. This ominous situa¬ 
tion, he asserted, stemmed largely 
from an erroneous impression 
some of the Hawaiian' press had 
about thp picture’s story line. 

While in the islands, Koch made 
.both “Voodoo Island” and “Heat” 
for United Artists release. Shoot* 
ing was done vtfth different casts, 
but the same crew. When.B-A sent 
out a* publicity release that “Heat” 
was a story about fifth column ac¬ 
tivities in the islands immediately 
preceding Japan’s Pearl Harbor at- 
i tack, the difficulties started, Koch 
i said, .despite the fact that no one 
had read either the script nor a 
synopsis. 

“Some newsmen,” Koch de¬ 
clared, “construed the meaning to 
be that there were disloyal is¬ 
landers and that we were particu¬ 
larly pointing our finger at Japa- 
nese-Americans and promoting ra¬ 
cial prejudices in the story.” Ac¬ 
tually, fie added, our script was 
far different. Company, however, 
completed its task and tried to 
play down the furore. 

Koch declined to show the 
script, feeling it would be bowing 
to censorship that might have 
gone out of bounds. Producer-di¬ 
rector, who said Bel-Air Is-still re¬ 
ceiving indignant letters, considers 
“much of this pressure as un- 
American.” 


THIS QUARTER TAKE 
GOOD—CHAS. WINCHELL 

, Minneapolis, Dec. 11. 

Current quarter grosses for this 
territory’s United Paramount Thea¬ 
tres (Minnesota Amusement Co.) 
circuit of some 50 houses are run¬ 
ning approximately 25% ahead of 
the corresponding 1955 period, ac¬ 
cording to Charles Winchell, the 
chain’s president-general manager 
here. 

Winchell attributes the gain and 
“very healthy and encouraging 
condition” mainly to stronger prod-** 
U.ct than a year ago, including sev¬ 
eral particularly outstanding pic¬ 
tures like “War and Peace,” ‘’Ok¬ 
lahoma” "and “Giant.” 

However, he points out, It all 
goes to show there’s still enough 
of a public, “to put it^inildly,” to 
provide adequate and better than 
that support for good movies in 
theatres which apparently, “aren’t 
losing any ground to television, but 
if anything are regaining some 
that has been lost.” 


New York Theatre 

i—RADIO CUT MUSIC HALL—i 

Rockefeller Center 

MM BRANDO • GLENN FORD ’ 
MACHIKOKYO 

starriM to UmmSmh m 4 METMCtlN to 

IlfcOFl AUGUST MOON" 

AN M-G-M PICTURE 
«/wf M wm mil’s CHEAT CHRISTMAS SHOW 





Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


M&SMFr 


RADIO-TELEVISION 25 


30 YRS.-SARNOFF TO SARNOFF 


Itnrbi & Cheesecake 

Fort Wayne, Dec. 11. 

Jose Itmtri, pianist scheduled to appear on the Ferry Como show 
on NBC-TV Dec. 22, denies calling singer Rosemary Clooney 
“cheesecake,” in refusing to appear on the program. He said 
it developed that the producer, Robert Finkel, planned a different 
type of show than Tturbi had in mind, and he turned down the show 
becausfc he did not want to jeopardize his career “as a serious 
musician.” 

Iturbi said he used the term “cheesecake” in reference to the 
whole idea of the show Finkel planned for him, not to Miss 
Clooney, and was disturbed at the suggestion that he did not re¬ 
spect Miss Clooney or Perry Como. He insists that he does, but 
that their musical field is not his. Iturbi. was.the guest star at a ..... 
near "sellout performance with the Ft. Wayne Philharmonic Or¬ 
chestra. 


New Ruling on ldle Insurance Has 
Wide Effect on TV-Radio Performers 


Appearance of a performer on 
a transcribed or filmed program, 
regardless of when it was made, 
constitutes a week's work. The de¬ 
cision has been handed down by 
the Unemployment Insurance Ap¬ 
peal Board of N.Y. State, based on 
an appeal for unemployment in¬ 
surance filed by radio-tv actress 
Rachel Price. - 

It’s a major decision that will 
affect all programs or commercials 
in radio and tv, whether tran¬ 
scribed, taped, filmed or otherwise 
preserved for re-use. The N.Y. 
state decision is expected to be¬ 
come the guide for state unem¬ 
ployment decisions throughout the 
remainder of the U.S., since N.Y. 
is said to set the precedent in most 
labor matters. Moreover, the deci¬ 
sion is probably going to extend to 
re-use of feature motion pictures, 
theatrically or tv. 

In New York, the law requires 
anyone applying for unemployment 
insurance must have 20 weeks of 
work in the year prior to the ap¬ 
plication. Miss Price sought unem¬ 
ployment compensation for the 
year from March, 1955, through 
March 1956, when she applied to 
State Unemployment. 

She based her application on five 
weeks of “real” labor and 16 weeks 
during which radio and tv commer¬ 
cials she had made for Procter & 
Gamble were re-used. Appeal 
Board ruled, after regular unem¬ 
ployment insurance channels re¬ 
jected her premise, that any week 
in which one of her commercials 
was replayed was a week of labor, 
and therefore should be credited 
toward unemployment eligibility. 

American Federation of Televi- 
(Continued on page 32) 


Idea Was Pilfered; 
Sues for $500,000 

Ray Harryhausen, who claims 
that he submitted an original idea 
to Foote, Cone & Belding on danc¬ 
ing cigarets forming LSMFT, has 
filed a $500,000 damage suit in 
Federal Court, contending that his 
idea was utilized without compen¬ 
sation to him. 

Named in the action were Amer¬ 
ican Tobacco Co., FC&B, John 
Freeze, agency exec at the time, 
and Sarra, Inc., commercial tv* 
producers. Harryhausen in his 
complaint said he submitted the 
idea in an animated cartoon which 
was examined by Sarra and Freeze 
in 1947, and in 1948 utilized with¬ 
out payment to him. 


Arlene’s Lady Senator 
As New NBC-TV Series 

Arlene Francis is set to play a 
lady senator in a new filmed sit¬ 
uation comedy under development 
at NBC-TV. She’ll play Sen. Vir¬ 
ginia Madison, a fictitious charac¬ 
ter, natch, in “The Senator Was a 
Uady,” which would be filmed on 
location in Washington starting in 
the spring, with studio interiors 
filmed in N. Y. 

Martin Goodman, Miss Francis’ 
manager, returned from Washing¬ 
ton after a weekend survey of the 
capital, including hudfiles with 
Congressmen for the project. 


Harpo’s TV Stint 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 
Star of “Snowshoes,” a CBS-TV 
“Playhouse 90” to air Jan. 3, will 
be Harpo Marx. 

As with his pic and stage ap¬ 
pearances, he’ll not say a word. 


AT&T to CBS-TV: 
Sorry, Wrong Slot 

American Telephone & Tele¬ 
graph, apparently dissatisfied with 
its Sunday at 6 time slot for it$ 
“Telephone Time” on CES-TV, has 
asked the network to look for 
other time availabilities for th* 
John Nesbitt-hosted vidfilmer. One 
possibility being investigated both 
by CBS and AT&T and its agency, 
N. W. Ayer, is the Friday 7:30-8 
period, which Colgate is ankling 
in February when it drops “My 
Friend Flicka.” 

At the same time, AT&T -has 
notified the network that it would 
like an earlier .time period for its 
next Frank Capra science presen¬ 
tation, date for which isn’t set yet. 
The first of the Capra science dis¬ 
continued on page 49) 


ME TO FUTURE 

By GEORGE ROSEN 

Miami BeAch, Dec. 11. 

NBC and its radio-television af¬ 
filiates move in on-Miami Beach 
tomorrow (Wed.) to play the “sun 
time” on the occasion of the net¬ 
work’s 30th anniversary. _ Aside 
from the social and nostalgic as¬ 
pects and the “hail fellow well 
met” overtones amid the • plush 
surroundings of the new Americana 
Hotel, tl^p “Pearl Anniversary” of 
NBC will have significant mo¬ 
ments of consequence to the entire 
industry. 

For one thing, the “State of the 
Union” address to be delivered at 
the Thursday night anniversary 
banquet by the network’s presi¬ 
dent, Robert W. Samoff (an event 
which also marks the completion of 
his first year in the prexy seat) 
carries a statesmanship imprint de¬ 
signed as a “where de we go from 
here” guide and overall industry 
credo not only in accepting the 
competitive intra-mural challenges 
hut in blueprinting the vistas of 
the industry’s tomorrow—an area 
in which, spanning 30 years, NBC 
has been the pioneering spirit. 

Vital issues of far-reaching con¬ 
sequence to the entire industry 
becloud the NBC gettogether; thus 
attention focusses on what Sarnoff 
says. For the convention comes at 
a time when. NBC finds itself on 
the Justice Dept, hot seat and 
facing civil anti-trust action for 
alleged coersion against Westing- 
house . Broadcasting Co. in . the 
Philly-Cleveland station swaps. ‘ 

At a time when the initial reac¬ 
tions are due from the Congres¬ 
sional sleuths and the multi¬ 
pronged inquisitions into a net¬ 
work practices (in fact on the eve 
of the release of the crucial Celler 
report stemming from the recent 
hearings), the anticipated Sarnoff 
note of caution to the Government 
to abstain from any rash moves 
that could possibly jeopardize the 
balance and structure of free net¬ 
work enterprise is but. one of a 
number of revealing dicta punctu¬ 
ating the Sarnoff address. 

(Interesting aspect of the NBC 
(Continued on page 49) . 


CBS-TV’s Clean Nielsen Sweep 
On Top 10; Half-Hour Supremacy 


It’s Hoover That Hurts 

? To illustrate its point that 
the new November Nielsens in¬ 
volved “freak” ratings, NBC 
points to the fact that a show 
identified • only as “Hoover 
speech” took eighth place in 
the Total Audience category 
with a 40.8 rating and 11th in 
the Average Audience with a 
34.1. 

The speech was a five-myi- 
ute political campaign talk by 
former President Herbert 
Hoover on Monday, Oct. 29 (a 
week before election) which 
was slotted on CBS-TV at 
8.55 to 9. The enormous rating 
is explained, NBC thinks, by 
the holdover “Talent Scouts” 
audience plus the 8:58 and 
8:59 tune-ins to “I Love Lucy.” 
That those “Lucy” tune-ins 
must be responsible explains 
the extraordinary difference 
between the- total audience 
rating and the average audi¬ 
ence, which ordinarily in a 
five-minute show wouldn’t 
amount to much. 


0G Testing‘Vegas’ 
TV Entry in LA 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Old Gold will bankroll “fabulous 
Las Vegas,” oft-attempted live va¬ 
riety show from desert entertain¬ 
ment center. It will emanate from 
the Sahara Hotel from 11 p.m. to 
midnight on Sat., Jan. 5, for beam¬ 
ing over KNXT (CBS) here. If 
test passes muster, Old Gold will 
pick up the tab for a monthly tele¬ 
cast on CBS Coast regional net¬ 
work, later on the national web. 

Time and talent it will carry a 
$10,000 price tag for a single out¬ 
let and will utilize performers from 
all Las Vegas niteries. Contracts 
was inked by Nick Keesley, ra¬ 
dio-tv head for Lennen & Newell. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms dosing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Av*. 


LONDON. W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


If NBC’s upper echelon needed 
some reasons to spell out the dras¬ 
tic reshuffle in its programming 
department last week, the new 
Nielsens provide more than 
enough. Not only does CBS-TV 
clean-sweep the Top 10, but a de- 
tailed competitive breakdown 
shows that of all nightflme periods 
where all three networks are in 
direct competition, CBS dominates 
the ratings in 35 half-hour periods, 
ABC in five and NBC in only 
six. 

That breakdown, supplied by 
one of the networks. (obviously not 
NBC), involves some .explaining. 
As above-mentioned, the total of. 
42 half-hour - periods covered in¬ 
volves only the time periods when 
all three webs are in direct com¬ 
petition. 

Breakdown was^ done on the 
basis of average audience data. 

The periods in which ABC dom¬ 
inates the time are the Tuesday 
8:30 slot (“Wyatt Earp”), the 
“Disneyland** hour half of Lau¬ 
rence Welk;, and the Friday *7:30 
“Kin Tin fin” • 'segment. NBC’s 
three periods where it beats the 
competition are Thursday at' 8 
(Groucho Marx), Friday at 8 (“Life 
of Riley”) and Saturday at 7:30 
(“People Are Funny”). Also, the 
two Perry Como Saturday-half- 
hours and the Tuesday at 9 Jane 
Wyman show. Of the six, four 
shows dominated by less than one- 
rating point. 

Equally damaging to the compe¬ 
tition is the CBS sweep in the Top 
10, average audience lineup of 
which follows. 

I Love Lucy . 46.1 

' Ed Sullivan. 44.4 

G. E. Theatre . 37.5 

Ford Star Jubilee. 35.7 

Arthur Godfreys Scouts 35.7 

Private Secretary . 35.0 

$64,000 Question ...... 34.6 

Alfred Hitchcock . 34.6 

Shower of Stars. 34.5 

Jack Benny Show 34.4 

NBC points out that ABB and 
Trendex, in contrast to Nielsen, 
give NBC three of the top 10 each. 
Moreover, .the Nielsens cover the 
two weeks ended Nov. 10, but skip 
the week of Oct. 21, when the web 
had some shows which from all in¬ 
dications would have landed in the 
top 10. 


1 Thought I Had Been 
Signed for 6 Months,’ 
Sez WW on TV Lopoff 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

“I felt in my heart that it is the 
ratings why I lost my sponsor,” 
Walter Winchell told the Holly¬ 
wood Masquers Club at the climax 
of a testimonial dinner in his 
honor. 

“Furthermore,” Winchell dis¬ 
closed, “I didn’t think I was down 
for 13 weeks, I thought I was signed 
for six months, I had set up Broad¬ 
way Stars Inc: to try and give me 
a capital gains deal—I was paying 
91 cents out- of every dollar to 
taxes.” 

Winchell’s sad song came at the 
conclusion of a long evening of 
praise, jokes, music and drama, all 
in his honor. Harlequin Harry 
Joe Brown Turned the evening’s 
(Continued on page 50) 


VITAMIN C0RP. BUYS 
STEVE ALLEN SEGS 

Vitamin Corp. of America is mov¬ 
ing into the Steve Allen Sunday 
night NBC-TV picture with an 
order for one-third sponsorship of 
the show on four dates starting at 
the end of January. With Allen rid¬ 
ing solidly with two one-third spon¬ 
sors and NBC scattering sponsor¬ 
ship on the other third, the VCA 
order brings the show up to three 
dates short of SRO for the season. 

On those three dates, one of 
which is this month, one-third of 
the show will ride sustaining, un 
less NBC comes up with some quick 
one-time sponsorship deals. 












26 







Wednesday, DecetfiW 12,-1956" 


Mamet 


radio-television 



The Week $ Trendex f 4 |j JUREflBY GnMed By Qearance Problems, 


“Playhouse 90’* took its first heating of the season on the 
Trendex line from “The Jazz Age” and Tennessee Ernie on NBC 
Thursday (6). On Tuesday, Phil Silvers took it on the nose from 
ABC’s “Cheyenne,” On .Friday (7), “Person to Person” came up 
with £nita Ekberg and its second highest rating of the season, 
which also was the second highest rating of the week. Perry Como 
widened his lead over Jackie Gleason while Ed Sullivan again 
plastered Steve Allen. 

The Tuesday ratings saw “Cheyenne” top Silvers by 18.6 to 16.8, 
with “Big Surprise” last with 13.3. “Wyatt Earp” continued to 
dominate the Tuesday 8:30 time with a 22.6 vs. “The Brothers’ ” 
14.3 and “Noah’s Ark’s” 16.8, and ABC also swept the 9 p.m. slot 
with a 20.8 for ^Broken-Arrow”- against'a-FT.-O "for Jane Wyman' 
and 13.6 for Herb Shriner. 

On Thursday, 5 “Playhouse 90,” with Imogene Coca in the lead, 
managed in 18.7 in the first half-hour, against 19.3 for Tennessee 
Ernie and 9.2 for ABC's “Wire Service.” At 10 to 11, the roof fell 
in, with “Jazz Age” hitting a 21.5 against “Playhouse’s” 15.7 aver¬ 
age and a 4.7 for “Ozark Jubilee” at 10-10:30 on ABC. 

“Person to Person” hit a 29.9 Friday, as against the Gillette 
fights’ 6.2 on NBC. It was the second highest “P to P” this season 
(topped only by the Duchess of Windsor stint), and was second only 
to Ed Sullivan’s 33.4 as the highest rating of the week. On Satur¬ 
day, Perry Como hit a 28.4, with Jackie Gleason at 25.3 and “Ham¬ 
let'? on ABC's “Famous Film Festival” getting a 1.9. On Sunday, 
the CBS-TV National Auto Show remote scored an 11.1 average, 
shaved by “Wide Wide World” and “Captain Gallant” on NBC, 
which averaged to 11.2. At the risk of repetition, Ed Sullivan did 
it again to Steve Allen, 33.4 to 21.7, with “Amateur Hour” at 8.5 
and “Press Conference” at 0.1 on ABC. 

Bing’s ‘Sing’ Promotional Fling 

Hardly Anyplace or Anybody Won’t Be Able 
To Pick Up CBS Xmas Show 


Those promotional - exploitation 
“plusses” the radio network sales¬ 
men talk about when pitching the 
newly-formatted “radio spectacu¬ 
lars” have been translated into 
some solid statistics in the case of 
CBS’ annual “Christmas Sing With 
Bing.” • 

Under exploitation director Sid 
Garfield, the web has created a 
powerful lineup of organizational 
backing for the Dec. 24 hourlong 
show. Topping the list is the Amer¬ 
ican Automobile Assn., which is 
broadsiding its 6,000 travel consult¬ 
ants instructing them to recom¬ 
mend tune-in on the show to the 
association’s 4,955,000 members. 
Also, the American Trucking Assn., 
repping a total of 3,000,000 long- 
line trucks across the country, has 
endorsed the show and urged mem¬ 
bers to catch it. And in New York, 
three independent cabowners asso¬ 
ciations with 5,500 radios in their 
cabs will keep the sets tuned to 
the show. 

Railroad terminals will pipe the 
show over their p.a. systems. In 
N.Y., it will be Grand Central Sta¬ 
tion, with 28 other cities, includ-1 
ing Chicago, Omaha, Philadelphia, 
Los Angeles, Washington, Boston, 1 
etc., represented on the list of rail- 
continued on page 49) 


ABC-TVs Windfall 
On Daly News Segs 

ABC-TV is sold out on the 7 to 
7:15 “John Daly and the News.” 
Purchases by General, Cigar and 
E. I. duPont de Nemours for the 
full week have gotten ABC off a‘ 
costly hook, which formbr network 
Pfexy Robert Kintner said last fall 
Was costing $1,000,000 a year. 

General began Monday (10) bear¬ 
ing the charges for the entire 
cross-the-board sked of quarter- 
hour ABC news shows. However, 
°n March 14, duPont takes over 
the Thursday and Friday segs of 
the Daly newscast. 

Miles Laboratories last week quit 
the program on the two days a 
week it sponsored in order to throw 
coin Into half-sponsorship of ABC’s 
Tuesday “Broken Arrow,?’ along 
with General-Electric. So, in ef¬ 
fect, ABC in the space of a few 
days, has come from no sale to sell¬ 
out, beating NBC (which still lacks 
coin for alternate Tuesdays on Its 
nightly news), and CBS, with two 
full quarter-hours unsold. 

Until sales to General Cigar and 
duPont, ABC had begun plans to 
E dl Daly to two separate sponsors 
? night, each taking seven-and-a- 
i ha lf-minutes. 


Lister Gottlieb 

humorously observes 

I Say It Was a 
Helluva Year! 


another editorial feature in 
the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 


| Variety ' | 

WPIX Heading For 
Alltime High Biz; 
Grbss Up by 750G 

With an increase of more than 
$750,000 in total gross business for 
the first 11 months of 1956, WPIX, 
N. Y., will show the largest profit 
year in its history, according to 
v.p. and general manager Fred M. 
Thrower. 

The New York Daily News indie, 
which has enjoyed a substantial in¬ 
crease in gross revenue over 1955, 
also reports early renewals of ex¬ 
isting contracts with national ad¬ 
vertisers for 1957. They include 
Socony-Mobil Oil and American 
Bakeries for Kevin Kennedy’s 
“News at Seven,” and Joe Bolton’s 
“Weatherman,” both portions of 
WPIX’s half-hour “Three-Star- 
News.” Seven Up Bottling Co. for 
full sponsorship of “Soldiers of 
Fortune,” and for three participa- 
(Continued on page 49) 

Back to NAB? 

Washington, Dec. 11. * 

Board of directors of NARTB 
will decide, when it meets in Feb¬ 
ruary in Hollywood, Fla., whether 
to submit a proposal to the organi¬ 
zation membership to change the 
name bflek to NAB (National Assn, 
of Broadcasters). Switch was 
unanimously endorsed here last 
week by the AM Radio Committee 
of the association. 

Committee chairman Grover C. 
Cobb of KVGB in Great Bend, 
Kan., said his group feels that the 
NARTB name has proved “cumber¬ 
some” and that there is no longer 
a need for it since the term “broad¬ 
caster” applies to both radio and 
I tv. 


By BOB CHANDLER 
The dismal showing of this sea¬ 
son’s crop of new television pro¬ 
grams, as reflected both by the 
ratings and the critical appraisals, 
coupled with the accelerating costs 
of tv .production, ..has...at last... 
touched off a fuse underneath the 
ad agencies and their clients. What 
may very well emerge is a new 
battle for program control, not be¬ 
tween the networks and independ¬ 
ent producers and packagers as in 
the past, but between the webs and 
the agencies, reminiscent of the 
situation in radio’s peak era. 

Until now,, the agencies with few 
exceptions have relegated televi¬ 
sion production to the networks 
and indies on the grounds that it 
was too expensive ahd too extend 
sive in scope for them to handle.' 
But the persistent problem of 
zooming costs has been a thorn in 
their sides, a thorn which they 
were willing to bear until now on 
the basis of a strong programming 
payoff in terms of prestige ‘and 
audience. This season, however, 
the payoff has not been apparent 
—program quality has been in¬ 
ferior despite the increased costs. 
And the agencies have been gal^. 
vanized into action for the first 
time. 

Y&R’s ‘Rob Roy’ Pilot 

Indicative of the reaction is the 
fact that Young & Rubicam, long 
an industry bellwether, has actu¬ 
ally gone into production on its 
own. The agency, it’s been learned, 
produced a t $40,000 pilot film in 
England this fall, title of which is 
“Rob Roy.” The production was 
strictly on an experimental, “get- 
our-feet-wet” basis, the idea being 
to discover possible cost .differen¬ 
tials between agency' and indie or 
network production, amounted of 
additional personnel needed for 
production, etc. 

Y&R hasn’t shown, the film out¬ 
side" the agency, and hasn’t yet 
come to any ^decision on future 
plans either for a series based on 
the pilot or an overall policy to¬ 
wards production. The very fact 
that the agency was willing to . ex¬ 
pend the time, effort and money 
on the project, however, is a clear 
indication of the gravity of the sit¬ 
uation. 

Coupled to this is the report that 
Procter & Gamble, another indus¬ 
try- leader, has indicated its Will¬ 
ingness to finance pilot films ,for 
Independent producers in return 
for the rights to the series. P&G 
has met with several producers 
and agreed to put up $25,000 to¬ 
ward the cost of a pilot film based 
on properties submitted by the 
producers. If it likes the pilot, the 
soap company would sign for 13- 
week sponsorship of the series and 
would put up the money for the 
production of the 13 pix. 

This too, represents a drastic 

(ContinuecLon page 49) 

‘21st Precinct’ As 
Prockter TV Entry; 
Slezak Pilot Rolls 

Bernard Prockter, who’s been 
111 for the past year or so, has re¬ 
turned to CBS-TV as an exec pro¬ 
ducer and has set to work on a 
pilot version of the CBS Radio 
longrunner, “21st Precinct.’ r With 
plenty of radio scripts on hand 
from the radio documentary-styled 
dramatic series, the major stum¬ 
bling block at this point is the 
casting of the lead character, the 
precinct captain. Role was played 
on radio by Everett Sloane and 
latterly by James Gregory. 

“Precinct” is only one of sev¬ 
eral projects in the works at CBS. 
The pilot on the new Walter Sle¬ 
zak situation comedy series, with 
Howard Teichman tabbed as pro¬ 
ducer, will .roll Dec, 21. ' In the 
daytime area, work is progressing 
on the new Frank Cooper Associ¬ 
ates package, “You Are the Jury,” 
a daytime remake of the old 
“They Stand Accused” with some 
overtones of the current-running 
(Continued on page 49) 


Goldenson Hues Close to Kintner 
Program Pattern—Mostly Film 


Reginald Rose 

amusingly reviews some 

Persistent Phrases 

by a,TV Writer 

* * * 

one of fhc many editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

MR&mTY 

$1,250,10 Loss 
For MBS, But ’57 
Biz Starts Perkin’ 

Mutual, which suffered an es¬ 
timated loss of about $1,250,000 
for the 1956 fiscal year ended Nov. 
3, has just signed the Quaker State 
Oil Refining Co. for a new cam¬ 
paign via MBS, 'which, taken to¬ 
gether with other new biz, bright¬ 
ens the billings outlook for 1957. 1 

Quaker State, which left NBC’s 
“Monitor”, programmer last year, 
signed for every “Game of the Day” 
station on Sundays, beginning mid- 
February. And for the non-“Game” 
stations, Quaker will present three 
five-minute sports stanza-on‘’Satur¬ 
days and three on Sundays. A 
sports personality is being scouted 
for the latter. Under net’s deal with 
major league baseball teams, net 
broadcasts a Sunday game nation¬ 
ally, with a certain area surround¬ 
ing the locale of the game being 
blocked off weekly. 

Also coming in under the head¬ 
ing of new biz is the following: 
Sterling Drug will initiate two cam¬ 
paigns Jan. 1 when they participate 
on “Queen for a Day” for Fletcher’s 
Castoria product and take the sec¬ 
ond five-minutes of “Parallels in 
the News” for Dr. Caldwell’s prep¬ 
aration. Benrus Watch Co. has pur¬ 
chased participations in “Bob and 
Ray” and MBS’ weeknight mystery 
block permitting SRO sign to go 
up on those multi-message stanzas 
until the end of the year. Also 
the net’s whole block of Sunday 
a.m. religious shows, ranging from 
8:30 a.m. through 11:30 a.m, have 
been renewed for another year. 

Holding up the expected renewal 
of Eddie Fisher’s “Coke Time” on 
MBS, now off tv, is a hassle about 
added coin sought by Fisher and 
others, now that the show is off 

(Continued on page 32) 

‘Music’s’ Flat Trendex 

“Festival of Music,” the annual 
Sol Hurok highbrow presentation 
on NBC-TV’s “Producers’ Show¬ 
case” Monday (10) took it on the 
overnight Trendex button from the 
combined “Burns & Allen”-“God- 
frey’s Talent , Scouts” - “I Love 
Lucy” competition on CBS. In its 
8 to 9:30 spread, “Festival” aver¬ 
aged out to 12.6, as against a 28.9 
for the three CBS shows and 8.5 
for the ABC lineup. 

Half-hour breakdown showed 
“Festival” hitting its peak in the 
opening 8 to 8:30 ^segment with tr 
14.4, against a 16.8 for “B&A” and 
an 11.6 for Danny Thomas on ABC. 
At 8:30, “Festival” dropped to an 
11.7, with-Gddfrey pulling in a 28.9 
and “Voice of Firestone” higher 
than usual on ABC with a 6.1. The 
final 9 p.m. segment witnessed 
“Festival” holding with an 11.8, 
“Lucy” shooting up to a 41.1 and 
Bishop Sheen on 4^C up to a 7.8. 


By ART WOODSTONE 

Leonard Goldenson, the new 
boss at American Broadcasting Co., 
wants to change everything that ‘ 
Robert Kintner did, and while 
much has changed in the last eight 
weeks he cannot effect any notice¬ 
able change in ABC-TV’s program 
and production policies. And no 
programming policy changes are in 
the offing for at least another year 
and probably more. ABC’s destiny 
is still mostly in films. 

The Goldensoh approach to pro¬ 
gramming is guided largely by the 
clearance problems that ABC faces, 
it was thought that when the 
change in commands occurred, and 
since the new topper was said to 
be- making available far more coin 
than ever before for ABC-TV stan¬ 
zas, he would start building a pro¬ 
gram department-in-depth. Cur¬ 
rently, ABC-TV works with a skel¬ 
eton department, mostly for 
screening outside wares. 

It was Kintner’s policy to make 
package deals with outside pro¬ 
ducers, most all of them on a 
share'-the-profits basis. Goldenson. 
is doing precisely the same thing 
for 1957-’58, and like. Kintner is 
negotiating most of these partner¬ 
ship contracts himself. Though 
Bob Lewine, the last ABC program 
chief, followed Kintner to NBC-TV, 
it’s deemed unlikely that Golden¬ 
son will encourage departmental 
expansion under the new boss. And 
the feeling is that Goldenson, be¬ 
cause of his strong ties with the 
Coast through his theatrical oper¬ 
ations, will continue first hand 
making package deals, just as he’s 
done in the past several days with 
Walt Disney, Frank Sinatra and 
Warner Bros. 

A department-in-depth is con¬ 
ceived mainly to institute more 
live programming at ABC-TV. But 
so long as the web can clear only 
a few more than its 70 or so major 
live stations now, live networking 
is thought to be unfeasible. The 
kinescope quality of delayed pro¬ 
grams is still not on a qualitative 
par with straight films. There is 
even some hesitancy at the web to 
speak optimistically abput the hour 
variety and dramatic shows from 
(Continued on page 49) 


T or CY Morning 
Berth on NBC-TV 


“Truth or Consequences,” long 
a nighttime fixture on radio and 
television, moves to daytime for 
the first time on Dec. 31 when 
NBC-TV finalizes its morning line¬ 
up with the slotting of “Truth” at 
ll:30-noon cross-the-board. In ef¬ 
fect, “Truth” will replace “Ding 
Dong School,” which goes off Dec. 
28, though not in the same time 
period: ‘ 

- The new NBC-TV morning line- 
up now has “Today” in its same 7 
to 9 slot, “Home” at 10-11, the new 
Goodson-Todman “The Price Is 
Right” at 11 to 11:30, “Truth” at 
11:30-12, “Tic Tac Dough” at 12- 
12:30 and “It Could Be You” at 
12:.30-1. Afternoon lineup, starting 
with “Matinee Theatre” at 3, re¬ 
mains the same, with “Queen for 
a Day” at 4, “Modern Romances” 
at 4:45 and “Comedy Time” at 5. 

“Truth” is the second Ralph Ed¬ 
wards package to go daytime on 
NBC-TV within the last six months. 
This summer, web slotted the new 
“It Could Be You,” which has been 
enjoying considerable sponsor and 
audience response. “Truth” will 
originate from the Coast, with the 
likelihood that Jack Bailey, who 
emcees “Queen for a Day” in the 
afternoon, taking on. the emcee 
chores on “Truth” too. Bailey em¬ 
ceed the show when it was on Fri¬ 
day nights for Old Gold on NBC. 
Show went off this season to make 
way for the new Walter Winchell 
segment. 


28 


RADIO-TELEVISION 




Vediietday, December 12, 1956 


State Reps Now on D. C. Griddle; 
Asked to Tell All’ on Contracts 


The station representatives are 
now in for their turn on the Gov¬ 
ernment griddle. N.Y. reps are 
visibly upset by the all-inquisitive 
questionnaires sent to them early 
last month by the FCC Network 
Study Group, and it is reported, 
that certain N.Y. reps are even 
considering nqt answering them at 
all. Deadline date for. filing the 
detailed reports on their o^n op¬ 
erations is Friday.(14). 

The Study Group, Otherwise 
known as the (Dean Roscoe) Bar- 
row committee, has asked the rep¬ 
resentatives to> disclose individual 
station contracts. This is one of 
the queries that has the reps un¬ 
happy, since it’s a widely known 
fact that many of their number 
settle for widely differing percent¬ 
ages of national spot revenue that 
they earn-for tv stations they rep¬ 
resent 4b advertising agencies. 
Only a minority of the reps main¬ 
tain openly they Charge the same 
fixed percentage of all stations 
they handle. If the questionnaire 
information were to “leak,” it 
might cue wholesale shifting by 
stations who feei they are receiv¬ 
ing short shrift compared to other 
stations repped by the same Com- 


f 


Show Biz. in a Hurry 

Indicative of the tv net¬ 
works’ frantic quest for new 
programming is the experience 
encountered by toward Teich-' 
mann, who was signed by CBS- 
TV recently to a longterm pro¬ 
ducer-writer pact. 

Teichmann’s initial assign¬ 
ment is the new Walter Slez.^k 
Situation comedy series, de¬ 
signed as one of the more im¬ 
portant entries for, the, ’57-58 
semester. To insure a quali¬ 
tative pilot, Telchmann was 
told -to take-his time, if neces¬ 
sary four, five or even six 
• months. 

Two days later he got an 
, SOS call! from exec producer,. 
Mario Lewis demanding to 
know “how’s that first script 
coming, and where is it?” _ 

Ron Cochran Late Nile 
News Hits Rating Paydirt 
But It Was a Long Haul 


pany. 

Some of* the 25 or so key rep or¬ 
ganizations in N. Y. are understood 
to be holding back the return of 
the questionnaire until they find 
what the mavericks in the group 
intend to do. There is an under¬ 
lying fear, however, that the Bar- 
row committee will turn to the 
FCC to subpoena the. Information 
from delinquent reps. 

Also an annoyance to reps is the 
fact that the exhaustive question¬ 
naire is eating up many hours in 
overtime pay. Queries require de¬ 
tailed investigation into past rep 
records to disclose information 
about contracts with stations which 
have since left the fold. Question-, 
naire demands reason for the ter¬ 
mination of the contracts. If the 
reps do decide unanimously to for¬ 
ward the information, it is still 
seen where many of them will 
have to ask for extensions beyond 
the Dec. 14 deadline, in some in¬ 
stances because they have stalled 
till now in trying to find an “out!” 

Since'the reps are basically in¬ 
terested in divesting the tv net¬ 
works of some of the option time 
they now hold with station affili¬ 
ates, in order to make room for 
more national spot business, they 
face something of an enigma in 
answering the committee query 
with regard to option time. The 
Barrow group requested an opin¬ 
ion on just hov* much time the 
reps consider the networks should 
have. 

Those reps who do most of their 
* (Continued on page 51) 


Geo. Crandall Resigns 
CBS After 17 Years; 

No Successor as Yet 

George Crandall, for the past 14 
years director of CBS Radio press | 
information, resigned last week, ef¬ 
fective Dec. 31. Crandall, who 
joined the network 17 years ago as 
an advance man for the CBS Sym¬ 
phony, became director of pub¬ 
licity for CBS three years later 
and when the network split its.radio 
and tv operations into separate 
corporate entities became director 
of press info for CBS Radio. Cran¬ 
dall hasn’t decided his next step. 

No replacement for Crandall is 
set yet, and the probability is that 
it will take some time for a suc¬ 
cessor to be named. Responsibility 
is that of Jules Dundes, v.p. over 
advertising, promotion and press 
info, who has his hands full in that 
he must also” find a successor for 
himself. On Jan. 1, he shifts over 
to become v.p ; in charge of station 
administration, and he’s currently 
on the prowl for successors to both 
his own spot and Crandall's. Suc¬ 
cessor. to Crandall, incidentally, 
will have a slight title change— 
he’ll be named director of audi¬ 
ence promotion and will take 
charge of press info and other 
avenues of publicity - promotion 
aimed at . building audience. New 
setup, however, tfon’t affect Sid 
Garfield’s exploitation department, 
which will continue as a self-con¬ 
tained unit at the web with Phil 
Sterling also operating out of that 
dept. 


After several years at the short 
end of the rating yardstick, the 
WCBS-TV. N. Y„ Ron Cochran IX 
p.m. “Late News” segment , has 
taken the rating leadership away 
from rival WRCA-TV’s John K. M. 
McCaiffrey’s “Eleventh” Hoqr 
News.” New rating figures, from, 
all three services finally show the 
Cochran segment well ahead,, after 
having been on the losing end for 
some years.. y 

It all stems back to the old 
“Chronoscope” situation, wherein 
the CBS-TV. network preempted its 
own flagship’s 11 p.m. news seg¬ 
ment three times a week for the 
Longines-sponsored “Chronoscope” 
spread. Result was that the “Late 
News” segment started at 11 twice 
a week and at 11:15 the other 
three days, while WRCA-TV began 
Its news promptly at 11 and. 
walked away with the audiences. 

When “Chronoscope” was. 

. dropped nearly two years ago, sit¬ 
uation . changed somewhat, But 
WRCA-TV still held a comfortable 
lead, due to the absence of any 
substantial leadin programming 
some nights of the week from the 
network in the 10:30-11 time. This 
has changed with the buildup of 
“Person to Person” on Friday 
nights, the installation of “Play¬ 
house 90” on Thursdays, etc., to 
the point where the Thursday 
“Late News” pulled down a 22:7 
ARB rating in November, con¬ 
trasted with WRCA’s 17.9, and the 
Friday segment a 24.7, as against 
WRCA’s 12.1. 

Overall six-night average in the 
November ARB comes to an 18.5 
rating as against a 13.8 for Mc¬ 
Caffrey. A year ago, the ARB’s 
read 12.9 for WRCA-TV and 11.7 
for WCBS-TV, With WCBS-TV 
registering a 34% audience gain 
in the last month alone, due to 
the upsurge of “Playhouse 90” and 
other leadin programming. Other 
rating services bear this out, with 
Pulse showing WCBS-TV with a 
13.7 and WRCA-TV with a 12.4 in 
October, and WCBS-TV with a 14.9 
and WRCA-TV with a 13.3 in No¬ 
vember. Nielsen October figures 
show WCBS-TV with a 15.9 and 
WRCA-TV at 15.5, up from Sep¬ 
tember’s 14.3 and 13.7 respectively. 

Another influence still to be- felt 
in the battle is the Metro backlog 
on the 11:15 “Late Bhow,” which 
preemed this month. With the 
leadin programming already estab¬ 
lished, '“Late News” is figured a 
sure bet to benefit from the top 
feature product, buttressing it with 
“fore and aft” support. 


Clipp’s Triangle Status 

Philadelphia, Dec. 11. 

Roger W. Clipp has been named 
veepee of radio and television. Tri¬ 
angle Publications, Inc., which op¬ 
erates WFIL-AM-FM-TV, In Philly; 
WNBF-AM-FM-TV, Binghamton, 
N. Y.; WFBG-AM-TV, Altoona, Pa.; 
and WNHC-AM-FM-TV, New 
Haven, Conn. The Division also 
owns 50% of WHGB, Harrisburg. 
. Clipp, associated with the WFIL 
stations since 1935, was business 
manager until 1938, and later gen¬ 
eral manager. Snce Its inception 
in 1955, he has served as general 
i manager of the radio-jjg division. 


Geae KeS/s TV’er 

Hollywood, ec. it. 
Latest name star to succumb to 
the lure of telepix is Clone Kelly, 
who’ll debut in “The Life You 
Save May Be Your Own,” a CBS- 
TV “Schlitz Playhouse” segment 
rolling at Revue Dec. 14. 

Herschel Daugherty directs the 
Nelson Gliding teleplay, from a 
Flannery O’Connor Story. 



Two likely candidates for the 
1957 presidency of the local N.Y. 
board of the American Federation 
of Television & Radio Artists are 
Charles Coilingwood and Luis Van 
Rooten. 

Dick Stark and Clayton (Bud) 
Collyer, also Coalition members 
of the new board, are other pros¬ 
pects, and either might edge Van 
Rooten as the leader of the Coali¬ 
tion before the day: is but. 

There - is still some doubt that 
Coilingwood, the incumbent prexy, 
will run again. If he does, report 
is that he will most probably be 
apposed hy Van Rooten, who won 
a seat to the board last week as a 
member of the Coalition slate. 
Coilingwood, a fornier Middle- 
Roader, was reseated as an inde¬ 
pendent. A guild spokesman said 
the . union , was “determined” to 
keep the presidential election frorfl 
becoming a “one-man race.” Names 
of candidates, each, backed by 20 
union . members, must be sub¬ 
mitted, by Friday (14). . 

Fear, of having an unopposed 
presidential candidate is real, since 
the local has resolved the political 
issues which tore it apart’in the. 
past two years. Fefeling of -amica¬ 
bility was clearly demonstrated last 
week by Orson Bean, the Middle- 
of-the-Road candidate, who was re¬ 
seated in the board election. 

Though Bean’s Incumbent party 
was severely beaten by -.Coalition¬ 
ists, 29 to 5, with Collingwood’s 
indie victory filling the 35th seat, 
he expressed satisfaction with the 
new board. He admitted that in 
1956 the Middle-Roaders came into 
office “as ; a bunch of shiny-eyed 
amateurs.” 

“I personally think we made a 
lot of mistakes, but for the first 
time there was no extreme right- 
wing around,” the comedian said. 
“As a result of our victory, it be¬ 
came apparent that the right-wing 
could no longer place - its own 
wishes above those of the member¬ 
ship. 1 ’ (The 1955 board was largely 
right-wing.) 

Bean noted that the new board 
was particularly well-representa¬ 
tive of all factions. He said that 
he had voted for many Coalition 
candidates, the Coalition being a 
synthesis of right, middle and left, 
as was Middle-Road. “I voted for 
Conrad Nagel; for example,” he 
declared. There’s a difference be¬ 
tween a conservative and a reac¬ 
tionary, and Conrad is a Conserva¬ 
tive. 

“We’ve (Middle-Road) goofed 
terribly as far as administration. 
We’ve done nothing effective about 
blacklisting. I think we owed it 
to the membership to make an ef¬ 
fort at the national convention 
last summer to have a clause writ¬ 
ten into the present negotiations, 
and we didn’t.” 


Sat. Aft Slotting For 
WOR’s ‘Studio X’ Music 

With the end of the Notre Dame 
football season, WOR, N. Y., has 
[moved “Music from Studio X,” its 
successful nightly show,' into the 
Saturday afternoon slot, from 1.30 
to 5 p.m. 

“Music from Studio X,”,the lush, 
standard record accented show, 
hosted by John A. Gambling, since 
its bow last August has lifted WOR 
from fourth position in the New 
York market to the first, according 
to November Pulse figures. Its 
2.1 Pulse average rating for the- 
9 to midnight Monday through Fri¬ 
day slot tops that time span in 
New York. Not wanting to break 
up the “Music from Studio X” for¬ 
mat, the Mutual flagship'will not 
carry the projected MBS Lawrence 
(Tibbett disk show. 


TArntThe Same ‘Jnlie’ 

Hollywood, Dee.'11. 

A showbiz disclaimer ;wa? put to new use by NBC-TV ^Matinee 
Theatre” last week, when the teleplay “Julie,” penned by David 
Davidson, was aired, “Matinee” warily warned its viewers that the 
“Julie” it-was seeing was not to be confused with a different femme 
* with the same name who is strictly a. motion-picture -progeayr - 

The disclaimer, aired by “Matinee’' host John Conte, was Utilized 
by the web after a hot protest from Metro, which is releasing the 
Arwin Production “Julie” also opening last week. * 

Furor started when the film studio suddenly discovered the co¬ 
incidence, 24 hours before the advent of the two properties, A 
prompt protest was sent to the web, demanding that the program, 

- starring Joel Grey, undergo a name change. 

When title switch was suggested to author Davidson, he waked: 

. hot under the collar and pointed out that the script had been tele¬ 
cast on CBS-TV ’’Studio One” last year. Net researchers added 
fuel, to the fire by discovering there are five other literary proper¬ 
ties of the same title. 

Finally, while the network pointed out there is no title protec¬ 
tion Involved, it, was admitted that Metro might legitimately com¬ 
plain that the teleshow was capitalizing oin its exploitation cam¬ 
paign for.the film. The disclaimer was then drawn up ; to preserve 
friendly relations. 

All of which goes to prove that Will Shakespeare knew his stuff. 


’ Scope Too Narrow, 


--- . ■ ■■ '■ -:-f 

NBC’s O&O Dream Biz 

NBC Radio o&o stations broke 
all sales records during October, 
with the combined gross on the 
five stations up 28% over that of 
October, 1955, NBC o&o v.p. Tom 
McFadden announced oh the eve 
oi the web’s two-day o&o meetings. 

McFadden said that sales for the 
N.Y. flagship, WRCA,- set a record 
during October and would be ex¬ 
ceeded by November billings, which 
will run- 33% of those in 1955. 


Tress Conference’ 
.Premieres Some New 
Technical Advances 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

Martha Rountree’s traveling 
“Press Conference” pioneered 
more territory for American tv 
last week. 

1. For the first time, a produc¬ 
tion crew went from America to 
film a French Prime Minister an¬ 
swering questions by a battery of 
U. S. newsmen. The ABQ network 
show with Premier Guy Mollet as 
the guest, was on the air past Sun¬ 
day night (9). 

2. For the first time in an. Ameri¬ 
can video production, there.. were 
placed in use two new items of 
equipment Which, in the opinion 
of one expert, may revolutionize 
certain types of filmed shows. The 
equipment consists of a microphone 
and a monitor board which will 
control four 16m cameras at once, 
turning them on and off, switching 
from one to the-other; and permit¬ 
ting the director to monitor simul¬ 
taneously what each camera is 
seeing. 

The raves, for the equipment 
come from Bob Novak, executive 
producer of “Press Conference,” 
who formerly produced such radio 
and tv shows as “Meet the Press,” 
“Magic .in the Air,” “Great Mo¬ 
ments of Music.” The mike, one 
of four hand-built jobs in existence, 
is the work of a French technician. 
It is directional and, according to 
Novak, “the most sensitive and 
most versatile I have ever worked 
with.” 

“It can be hung anywhere in a 
room with equal effect,” according 
to Novak who had never seen one 
before and who tested It carefully 
before using it. Normally, In the 
U. S., “Press Conference” uses six 
microphones for its 12 newsmen, a 
seventh for the guest, and an 
eighth for-Miss Rountree. But in 


Rod Serling Is the latest tv 
writer to object publicly to the 
censorship of tv scripts. He was 
joined by non-writer Lawrence. 
Langner, Theatre Guild Director, 
at the first tv forum of the eastern 
branch of Academy , of Television 
Arts & Sciences last Friday (7). 

Serling was a scheduled speaker, 
along with producer Nat Hiken arid 
Comedian Phil Silvers, bqt fie was 
given extemporaneous support by 
Langner, who was called to the 
podium to air his own comments on 
tv’s censorship problems. > 

Serling said that the video scrip- 
ter has the narrowest -scope of any 
writer in America today. The 
author mentioned the taboos set 
by sponsor, agency and network. 
Serling Went into two other prob¬ 
lem areas for writers in tv—his 
identity and economic Status. 
Since the entire stanza is based on 
the tv writer’s work, Serling felt 
the percentage of the production 
budget allocated to the writer is 
small compared to producer, direc¬ 
tor and actor. 

Langner compared the tv scribe’s 
lot unfavorably to that of the legit 
writer. The Guild chief said that 
he looked forward to the day when 
tv would become more like legit, 
where “its health derives from the 
freedom- to deal freely with all 
subjects.’' 

Hiken, creator of the Silvers 
CBS show, supported the ATA$ 
plan for a television workshop to 
be sponsored by the new group. He 
said that a recent survey showed 
there were only 250 working com-, 
edy writers in tv, most of tliem be¬ 
ing from radio. He felt a '“drying 
up” process would inevitably take 
place, and that the ATAS work¬ 
shop could help develop new com¬ 
edy talent. Silvers’ comments ran 
along similar lines. Sydney Black- 
mer, the actor who recently re¬ 
turned from an extended illness, 
backed the worship tas place to 
learn tv acting techniques. 

Kurnitz’s N.Y.-To-Pari$ 
Shuttle on ’Duchess’ 
Series for Reynolds 

Scripter Harry Kurnitz is" prac¬ 
tically commuting to > Paris with 
video producer Sheldon Reynolds 
on story conferences in re the first 
NBC-TV pilot of a situation comedy 
series to be called “The Duke and 
-the Duchess.”' Since this goes -be- 


(Continued on page 51) 

Ciggie Conflict Kills 
King-Size ‘Gunsmoke’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

* A ciggie sponsor conflict has 
killed the projected 90-minute of 
“Gunsmoke” on CBS-TV’s “Play¬ 
house 90” series. 

Web early in the season an-, 
nounced plans for the king-size 
version of its Saturday night tele- 
pix~series starring Jim Arness, 
However, Parliament ciggies has 
stepped into “Playhouse 90,” to 
pick up the last portion of the' 
show. And since “Gunsmoke” is 
bankrolled by Chesterfield, the 
longer version is dead. 


fore the cameras next month, and 
Reynolds has yet to cast the titular 
roles—an American and his British 
wife—Kurnitz figured he would 
save time by accompanying Rey¬ 
nolds abroad by air. 

Reynolds has another series, 
“After Dark,” whodunit localed in 
London, circa 1909, to be done in 
Paris. A costume adventure series, 
“The Black Knight” (French pro¬ 
duction), In the idiom of “The 3 
Musketeers” is still another. With 
Milton Berle’s comedy detective 
series, “Follow That Man,” and 
Reynolds’ longtime “Foreign In¬ 
trigue,” this would make five series 
going simultaneously. Kurnitz re¬ 
turns next w6ek to complete pol¬ 
ishing future scripts. 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


I'KnlETr 


RADIO -TELEV (SION 


29 




Noblrfrize^WinnerEyes Future 

As the result of winning recently the most lucrative literary 
prize in existence because of his “Snapflnger Creek’ r on* “Kraft 
Television Theatre/' William A. Noble has begun negotiating with 
Hollywood on a feature film based on the hour teleplay. After 
“finding out how much I owe the Government" from the $50,000 
prize given by Kraft for the best original script in the course of 
the past year, Noble said that he’s going directly back to work. 

He has a Broadway play, which he co-authored with Leo Herlihy, 
under option to James Hammerstein and Barbara Wolferman. Op¬ 
tioned work had a Westport, Conn., tryout as “Blue Denim" last 
summer, and the show is expected to hit Broadway a year hence, 
when Joshua Logan is available to direct. Kraft awardee lately 
sold a 20-minute telefilm, “The Devil in the Brush,” .to Screen 
Gems for the planned George Sanders series, and he’s got an hour 
live telaplay making the production rounds. It’s a comedy called 
“A Very Private Bye.” 

. Noble isn’t at liberty to discuss the details of the Hollywood 
pact until the deal is firmed. But he laid out his writing plans for. 
thenear future. With “Denim,” or whatever it shall be called, out 
of the way, he intends working oil another play. More immediately, 
he is part way through a new hour tv script, which like “Snap- 
finger,” is sat in a Southern locale. 

It’s * misconception to think of “Snapflnger” as Noble’s only tv 
original.. He 60td “Starfish” to Kraft for use last July, five months 
after the prize play was done. In the course of the ’56 year. Noble 
has made $ 10,000 on tv scripts and other writing jobs, and he ex- . 
plains it’s the best year he’s had (not counting the award dough) 
since he was-making $225 a week in 1048, toward the windup of 
a two-year deal with Metro. , 

Incidentally, Noble first came to New York in* 1950, after a stint 
with the Pasadena Playhouse. Trip was made on a $1,000 grant 
by Irene Selznick.' He said the other day that “now I’m a little 
ahead of the game I’m going to send that grand to Irene and sug¬ 
gest she send another broke out-of-tpwn writer to N.Y.” 


Murray’s Cost-Per-1,000 Paean 


‘Treasure Hunt 9 Emcee Says It’s More Important 
Than Ratings, Share-pf-Audience 


The tv rating services should 
give as much prominence in their 
pocket pieces to cost-per- 1,000 ef¬ 
ficiency of a network program as 
they do ratings and share of audi¬ 
ence. It’s the opinion of Jan Mur¬ 
ray, emcee of ABC-TV’s “Treasure 
Hunt.” 

Murray believes that cost-per- 
1 , 000 , in the final analysis, is as 
important, if not more so, as 
straight rating, data. According to 
the comedian, his Friday flight 
showcase delivers 13s and 14s on 
the Nielsens, hut since it costs ap< 
proximatcly $15,000 a week, pro¬ 
vides a cost efficiency picture bet¬ 
ter than most tv shows which cost 
two or three times as much. 

The plan to include cost-per- 
1,000 in the' Nielsen pocket pieces, 
and perhaps in those of Trendex 
and the other services, is not new. 
But it. has met quiet, hut stiff re- 
sisteripe from many in the trade. 

Networks have a two-ply reason 
for resisting .steps to publicize 
cost-per-1,000: (1) Webs are try¬ 
ing to build program strength, and 
one of the obvious methods, in the 
opinion of many, is to strengthen 
shows with more coin. And the 
more coin, the higher the cost-per- 
1,000 will usually he. (2) More¬ 
over, emphasis on cost efficiency in 
print will give other media a com¬ 
petitive selling advantage. How¬ 
ever low tv costs are, they rarely/ 
match the inexpensive billboard 
cost-per- 1 , 000 , for example. 

In the event' that Murray’s sug¬ 
gestion were taken up on a week- 
to-week basis, daytime program- 
(Continued on page 51) 

$491,000,000 In 
Radio Sales in’56 

Washington, Dec. 11 . 

John F. Meagher* NARTB radio 
veepee, estimated here last. Week 
that radio net time sales for 1956 
will approximate $491,000,000, an 
increase. of 8 %, over last year. 
Meagher also predicted a contin¬ 
ued upward trend in revenues for 
the medium, 

Meagher’s forecast was given at 
a meeting of the trade organiza¬ 
tion’s AM Radio Committee and 
reflected reports from broadcasters 
fi’om all parts of the country. Com¬ 
mittee chairman Grover C. €obb 
of Great Bend, Kan., said that 
things looked good when we met 
last year, look even better this 
year, and we expect to see further 
substantial increases in 1957.” 


Gene Moskowitz 

reports on why 

Gallic TV Still Looks To the 
Day When It Will Be a 
Potent Factor In Show Biz 
* * * 

another oditoriaf feature 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

USniEfr 


Radio-TV Ban By 
Gov. Long Draws 
Lancaster Fire 

Baton Rouge, La., Dec. 11. 
Gov. Earl Long said Friday 
night (7) that a ban against radio 
recording devices and tv cameras 
at his press conferences would re¬ 
main in effect but that he had “no 
intention of banning radio, and tv 
newsmen.” 

Several protests were lodged 
against the .governor after he ex¬ 
cluded radio and video newsmen 
and photographers from an, impor¬ 
tant news conference Thurs¬ 
day ( 6 ). 

Robert D. Swezey, exec veep of 
WDSU-TV and chairman of the 
Freedom of Information Commit¬ 
tee of the National Association of 
Radio - Television Broadcasters, 
said he was “amazed at Gov. 
Long’s discrimination against radio 
and television.” He charged the 
governor held a “closed door press 
conference for the benefit of news¬ 
paper and wire services only/’ 
Swezey added: “We believe that 
Gov. Long should not withhold 
from radio arid television report¬ 
ers the courtesies which are ac¬ 
corded them by the governors of, 
other states and the President. of 
the United States.” .i 

Douglas Manshup, president of 
the Louisiana - Television Broad¬ 
casting Corp., Baton Rouge, said 
Long defied the principles of free¬ 
dom of the press by his action. 

The governor said, the lights, 
cameras and noise were distract¬ 
ing, hence his refusal to le". them 
enter his office. 



Network radio appears to 7 be 
making a comeback.. After several 
years of agonizing reappraisal dur¬ 
ing which only ntiribr new accounts 
were signed while the big mil- 
lion-dollar blue-chippers slowly 
dropped away- from the medium, 
the trend has not only been halted 
but reversed. Since this summer, 
the million-dollar single-client 
sales have reappeared for the first 
time in years; last week both NBC 
and CBS signed single sponsors to 
gross contracts of $3,900,000 and 
$3,000,000 respectively. ’ T : 

But if network radio is once 
again on its Way toward being a 
blue-chip advertising medium, it 
will nonetheless be far different 
frorri its old self as an entertain¬ 
ment arena. The formulas and the 
formats are still in the mixing 
bowl, but what is emerging is pri¬ 
marily a communications medium 
—•the accent on news, music and 
special events and services. The 
“entertainment” area of network 
radio has shaken itself down 40 a 
few isolated comedy and dramatic 
nighttime shows, some still-strong 
morning and afternoon soap op¬ 
eras, and a group of “personality 
shows” employing a'fop emcee and 
a “family” of live performers: 

Moreover, the old household-by¬ 
word sponsor identification is a 
thing of the past. No longer will 
a Jack Benny be identified with a 
Jell-O or Lucky Strikes, or a Tong¬ 
running soap like “Aunt Jenny” 
with Lever Bros. As part .of its 
new look, network .radio has 
emerged as a low-cost, high volume 
medium in which a majoj* adver¬ 
tiser no longer buys a program 
hut purchases unbelievably wide¬ 
spread coverage instead. 

The NBC Bristol-Myers deal last 
week serves an example—the drug 
firm bought half-sponsorship of 85 
news programs a week for 52 
weeks. This will give it a total of 
4,420 commercials a year spread 
throughout every weekday from 7 
a.m. to 11 p.m. At a net cost of 
$ 2 , 100,000 (after discounts amount¬ 
ing to $1,800,000), it’s the kind of 
coverage that’s impossible to se¬ 
cure in any other medium and cer¬ 
tainly in radio as it was once 
known. Similarly, the CBS deal 
with Lever Bros., amounting to $3,- 
OOOIOOO gross, provides “seg¬ 
mented” sponsorship in four dif¬ 
ferent daytime shows daily, for a 
total spread of 1,020 segments a 
year. 

The two deals last week followed 
another $3,000,000 deal in late 
summer, with Colgate buying in 
for that much on CBS., Same web 
has signed several sponsors with 
contracts of over $1,005,000 in ad- 
(Continued on page 49) 


Collyer Set as Emcee 
For ‘Truth’ After CBS 
Says W on Cronkite 

With Walter Cronkite out of the 
running for the emcee job on the 
upcoming “Nothing But the. Truth” 
paneller, Bu$ Collyer was set 
yesterday (Tues.) by Goodson-Tod- 
man to head up the. show, which 
preems next Tuesday (18). 

Cronkite was up for the spot, 
among others, hut was ruled out by 
CBS news & public affairs veep 
Sig Mickelson on the grounds that 
newscasters are limited under net¬ 
work policy from appearing on en¬ 
tertainment shows or doing com¬ 
mercial announcements. This de¬ 
spite Ed. Murrow’s current “Per¬ 
son to Person’’ and Doug Edwards’ 
onetime emcee chores on “Mas¬ 
querade Party.” 

Previous choice for the emcee 
post was Mike Wallace, who was 
emcee in the audition kine on the 
show, but Wallace has been ruled 
out because of a conflict with his 
emcee chores on “The Big Sur¬ 
prise,” which airs an hour earlier 
Tues.day nights on NBC. Wallace, 
however, will do some stints on the 
panel, alternating with John Cam-, 
eron Swayze. Other panelists are 
Dick Van Dyke, Hildy Parks and 
Polly Bergen. 


-f 


To Dolcin Boss In 900G PnDouI; 


Robert Trout 

who should know writs* 

And Speaking of the Good 
Old Broadcasting Days 
Did I Ever Tell Tom 
About the Time —? 

' * • * • * 

another bright editorial featuro. 
In tho upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P&RIETY 

NBC-WBC Action 
May Have Vital 



/ ^ Washington, Dec. 11. 

Last week’s anti-trust action by 
the Department of Justice against 
^NBC and RCA because of the West- 
inghouse deal may have important 
repercussions on the FCC and the 
television broadcasting industry. 
It could also set off a demand for 
new regulatory legislation in Con¬ 
gress. „ 

The action had the immediate 
effect of delaying ECC I approval 
pf NBC’s . application . to acquire 
UHF station WKNB-TV in New 
Britain, Conn. An examiner’s de¬ 
cision recommending approval was 
to have become effective five days 
after Justice filed its complaint. 
But the agency suddenly decided 
against making it final “pending 
further review.” 

While this delaying.move is prob¬ 
ably temporary, it. serves to illus¬ 
trate the jolt to the Commission in 
the Justice suit, which was filed 
despite the agency’s approval of the 
Westinghouse transaction. 

In view of Asst. Atty. Gen. Victor 
R. Hansen’s hot blast before the 
Celler Committee against relaxa¬ 
tion of the multiple ownership 
rules, there are indications, that 
the Justice complaint, with its em¬ 
phasis on station acquisition in 
primary markets, may cause some 
commissioners to give up their ef¬ 
forts to lift the rules. Only, a 
month ago, it’s recalled, the agency 
was split 4-3 in denying Storer 
Broadcasting Co. a waiver permit¬ 
ting it to own eight tv stations. 

Paradoxically, if the Justice ac¬ 
tion should result in a tightening 
of the rules, Westinghouse itself 
might have trouble in acquiring a 
fifth VHF station (the Justice com¬ 
plaint charges NBC with threaten¬ 
ing to withhold affiliations from 
Westinghouse’s fifth VHF and two 
UHF stations “when acquired”). 

Another possibility, if not a prob¬ 
ability, in the suit is that it will 
result in resolving the question as 
to which agency, FCC or Justice, is 
to have jurisdiction over the broad¬ 
casting industry on anti-trust mat- 
(Continued on page 32) 

SY FISCHER’S PARTNER 
STATUS WITH COOPER 

Sy Fischer, v.p. in charge of the 
New York office of Frank Cooper 
Associates, has been made a part¬ 
ner in the agency and packaging 
outfit. Fischer will continue to 
head up the N. Y. office, but will 
share in the returns from the en¬ 
tire-operation; which Cooper him¬ 
self runs out of the Coast. Cooper 
said the partnership was granted 
in recognition of Fischer’s work 
for the company. 

Fischer joined Cooper in 1945 
after his discharge from" the Army. 


The issue of what constitutes 
overcommercialization of radio was 
joined in an exchange of state¬ 
ments between Victor van der 
Linde, chairman of the board of 
Dolcin Corp., and Bcb Ledfcr, gen¬ 
eral manager of WOR, N. Y. 

Van der Linde, who said his 
company pulled out of spot radio 
to the tune of $ 900,000 annually* 
deplored the 'grouping of compet¬ 
ing products -announcements, as 
well as what he contended to be an. 
overabundance of..commercials on 
WOR, in a letter to Thomas O’Neil, 
chairman of the hoard of Mutual. 

| Apart from the letter, van der 
[.Linde said that what is happening 
at the MBS flagship, on the basis 
of his monitoring of- the station, is 
symptomatic of local . stations 
throughout the country. 

Radio stations, he charged, are 
suffering from a “diarrhea of or¬ 
ders” and “haven’t got enough 
sense to keep up the entertainment 
values.” 

In his rejoinder, WOR topper Le- 
der said the' station has a definite 
and distinct policy of adherence to 
ethical commercial 1 standards, not 
putting two competing accounts in 
the same program and not sched¬ 
uling more than three commercial 
| participations in the quarter hour. 

The heart of van dei* Linde’s 
complaint was that on Nov. 21, he 
heard the following • announce¬ 
ments over WOR: 11:10 a.m., Meri- 
cin; 11:20 a.m., Sustamin 2-12;' 
11:35, Sustamin 2-12; 11:43; Men- 
tholatum; 12 p.m., Myopone; 12:07, 
Anacin; and 12:08; Infrarub. ‘/This 
means seven announcements . . . 
all for competing products in the* 
analgesic (pain relieving) field... 
in less than 60 minutes,” he com¬ 
plained to O’Neil. 

Going over WOR’s log, it was 
found that the Mericin announce¬ 
ment was in network news, the 
Sustamin 2-12 announcements 
were local cut-ins in the net’s 
“Millie ConSidine” and “.Queen for 
a Day” shows. Mentholatum at 
(Continued oil page 50) 


’56 A Banner Year 
On WGBS Billings 

Fourth record sales year in a 
row has been racked up by WCBS, 
the CBS Radio flagship in N. Y., 
whose non-network billings as of 
the end of last week were running 
24.9% ahead of those for the same 
period in 1955, which was the pre¬ 
vious record sales year. WC^S 
general manager Carl Ward said 
that the "Vear-end results should 
come within a half a percentage 
point of the 24.9% figure, making 
’56 the new* banner year. 

Ward skid much of the upsurge 
is due to increased business out of 
Chicago and'"San Francisco agen¬ 
cies, explaining that with the post¬ 
war increase in manufacturing in 
the mid. and far west, many prod¬ 
uct distribution setups are finally 
reaching the N. Y. market, with 
appropriate media expenditures. 
Another key reason for the in¬ 
crease, Ward said, is the expanded 
use of saturation selling and buy¬ 
ing techniques in local radio. 

.One of the station’s big problems 
at this point, said Ward, is the 
“difficulty in providing availabili¬ 
ties” for advertisers, so good is 
the outlook for 1957. “It’s a far 
cry from the days of 1950,” he said. 
Other facets of the business 111 >- 
surge, Ward added, are radio’s abil¬ 
ity to merchandise and thus bring 
in new sponsors with something 
more tangible than an announce¬ 
ment schedule; the fact that major 
advertisers are now buying radio 
to back up their tv expenditures; 
radio’s new ability to sell itself as 
radio and not in competition with 
other media; and radio’s efficiency 
in the increasingly tough media 
market. 



so 


KAmO-TIXKVISIOIS . 


Senators in New Office Ediice 


Washington, Dec. 11. ♦ 

A 500-seat auditorium, equipped 
‘with full-theatre lighting, motion 
picture equipment, and tv facili¬ 
ties? will be a feature of the new 
Senate Office Building.* Expanded 
space for the Solons, long in the 
blueprint stage, is currently in con¬ 
struction, with a 1938 deadline for 
completion. 

Though plans for a new office 
building for House of Representa¬ 
tives are not yet complete, it is 
generally assumed that it, too, will 
have an auditorium of similar, or 
even larger, size. 

Demand for enlarged and im¬ 
proved facilities for large public 
hearings have grown with'stepped 
lip use of tv on Capitol Hill. Largest 
hearing room in present Senate 
Office Building has a 300 seat 
capacity, poor acoustics, and in¬ 
adequate space for the tv cameras 
which have become standard ac¬ 
companiment to the more highly 
publicised Congressional probes. 
The widely seen-and-heard Army- 
McCarthy hearings several years 
ago, for example, had spectators 
lined up for hours, tv lensers 
crowding the already jampacked 
press space, and the chairman con¬ 
stantly pounding for order in the 
overcrowded room. 

On several occasions, Congres¬ 
sional committees have adjourned 
to the Library of Congress or to 
the screening room in the Con¬ 
gressional tv studios, to see perti¬ 
nent film. ‘ And, with more and 
more legislators jumping on the 
electronic bandwagon via regular 
televised reports to the home folks, 
there are frequent requests for 
staff screenings. 

. The new 68 by 52 foot “theatre” 
is designed to fill all/these require¬ 
ments. It will be equipped with 
comfortable theatre seats, on a 
sloping floor. Its large rostrum 
will seat 21 senators, with ample 
space for staff, official recorders, 
etc. The air conditioned room will 
also have a balcony. _ 

TV Opens New Horizons 
For Typed H’wood Stars 
T Farley Grander Opines 

If a Hollywood featured player 
wants to break out from a type 
cast niche, the tv .medium opens 
new horizons, according to Farley 
Granger who, for the past year, has 
made an active Career of starring 
in tv dramas. 

Granger isn’t complaining about 
the money either,' drawing from 
$5,000 to $10,000 for his services 
in each of the seven dramas he’s 
appeared in the past year. While 
his contract with Samuel Goldwyn 
may have brought him more on a 
yearly basis, his repeated suspen¬ 
sions stemming from differences 
on casting, ’brought his returns 
from his Hollywood cqntract down. 

In addition to the variety offered 
by tv. Granger says that the medi¬ 
um also gives him a wide choice 
in selecting the roles and dramas 
he appears in, adding that “at least 
right or wrong, I’ve selected them.” 
While with Goldwyn he was con¬ 
stantly on loanout to other studios, 
where he Jiad little command of his 
assignments.. His most recent star¬ 
ring roles on the Coast were “The 
Girl in the Red Velvet Swing” and 
“Naked Street.” : " 

From the vantage point;, of hav¬ 
ing both feet in tv, Granger says 
he’ll return to Hollywood if he gets 
a role he likes. Indicative of the 
variety and choice offered by tv, 
Granger ticked off some of the roles 
and shows he played, a killer cop in 
“U. S. Steel Hour,” Apollodorus in 
“Caesar and Cleopatra” for “Pro¬ 
ducers’ Showcase,” a tough sailor 
in “Kraft Theatre” show and a re¬ 
turning G. I. in Sizeman & Son” 
for “Playhouse 90?’ all within* a 
year. 


Kaiser’s Aloba TV’er 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

Initial venture into the broad¬ 
casting field was made by the 
Henry J. Kaiser interests last week 
when the FCC granted a permit for 
VHF channel 13 in Honolulu, T. H„ 
to Kaiser Hawaiian Village Televi¬ 
sion Inc. 

The K&iser subsid also has an ap¬ 
plication before the agency for a 
5,000-watt radio station in Hono¬ 
lulu. 


The Mail I&-Right * 

If the Post Office is any in¬ 
dication, NBC-TV looks to . 
have a daytime winner in the 
new Goodson-Todman package, 
“The Price Is Right.” Stanza, 
which involves guessing the 
retail prices of various goods 
with the goods themselves as 
the prizes, has’ one feature in 
which the home viewers can 
write in their guestimates. 
Just a.week after the show had 
premiered in its cross-the- 
board slot, NBC. had received 
125,000 pieces of mail. 

Subject of the write-in, and 
the prize for the closest an¬ 
swer, was a mink coat. 



Television Advertising Bureau 
plans another major nation-wide 
display of its Cellomatic presenta¬ 
tion. Having substantially changed 
the aporoach of “entertainment” 
from that used in the nine-city 
show done from April through Oct. 
15, it will be taken to four other 
big tv markets before next spring. 

The concept of the media presen¬ 
tation was changed last month to 
stress that television is the first 
advertising medium to provide mo¬ 
tion to the sell. “Beyond the Mo¬ 
tion Barrier.” which was first pre¬ 
sented to 2,200 ad and sponsor ex¬ 
ecutives at the Waldorf jNov. 16, 
will tour Dallas .on Jan. 8; Miami, 
soon thereafter, the NARTB Con¬ 
clave in April; and Cleveland on 
May 9, for the National Convention 
of Public Utilities Public Rela¬ 
tions Men and a group of Cleve- • 
land ager *y-advertiser people. 
Miami date has not been set. 

Besides providing a different ap¬ 
proach to the Cellomatic presenta¬ 
tion first made by Ollie Treyz, for¬ 
mer TvB prexy now at ABC-TV, 
and his operational chief Gene Ac -1 
cas, it’ll give a lot of tradesters 
their first view of new TvB prexy, 
Pete Cash, in action. Cash has 
teamed up with Accas, who helped 
develop the “onward-and-upward” 
tv pitch with writer George Hunt¬ 
ington. The audience at the Wal¬ 
dorf in N. Y. is said by TvB to be 
the largest ever to view a media 
presentation. 

Remaining ’Mouse’ Segs 
Offered on Co-Op Basis 

ABC-TV has temporarily given 
up the thought of selling the re¬ 
maining three quarter-hours of 
“Mickey Mouse Club” nationally. 
In an effort to pull the cross-the- 
board hour juve stanza out of its 
borderline profit status, the net¬ 
work has decided to open the three 
vacancies to co-operative sale, re- 
capturable from the affiliates on 
one month notice. 

Openings are the 5:15 to 5:30 
Slots on Monday, Tuesday and Fri¬ 
day. Latest ARB reports, coincide 
with the recent Nielsens in mak¬ 
ing the* show undisputed daytime 
tv champion. November ARB ran 
a 17.5 average, one-tenth of a 
point below the stanza’s average 
last season this time. 

“MMC” reportedly has been do¬ 
ing moderately well via local- co¬ 
op sales in the first quarter hour 
strip, which was unsold nationally 
since the beginning of the season. 


Sterling Drug, WOR 

In Swing to Kozlow 

Bucky Kozlow, whose recently 
launched “Parallels in the News” 
commentary is beamed 11:05-15 
a.m. cross-the-board on 500 stations 
of the Mutual web, will have WOR, 
N.Y., outlet starting with the New 
Year. Probably cueing WOR’s 
move is the entrance of Sterling 
Drug as co-sponsor with Seaboard 
Drug, beginning Jan. 1. 

Currently, Kozlow also is busy 
on two other fronts. He’s making 
a series of film commercials being 
shot in Hempstead, L. I., and han¬ 
dling the mike at the Dodge ex¬ 
hibit of the National Auto Show 
at the New York Coliseum. ( 


• Mfaamfr _ 

Rooney’s 1-Man Com’l 

i ^Hollywood, Dec..;3,1? • 

, Many a star has longed for the 
chance to do a one-man show for 
a vast audience. -Mickey Rooney 
gets the chance this week. 

Rooney has been signed*: to do 
the Cascade Pictures’ Paper^Mate 
commercials, produced for Foote, 
Cone & Belding, beamed specially 
for the Rose, Bowl and Blile & 
Grey football game tv audiences. 

In the commercials, Rooney plays 
a coach, a football player, a ref¬ 
eree, a sportscaster and a specta¬ 
tor. 


TV Wo Awards 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Writers Guild of America’s first 
annual tv-radio writers awards has 
been set up, with the winners to 
be disclosed on May 15. iThere are 
eight te’evision and fbur radio 
awards altogether. 

Tv categories are for a half-hour 
anthology drama; half-hour epi¬ 
sodic drama; half-hour situation 
comedy; half-hour comedy-variety; 
one hour or more drama; one hour 
or more comedy (situation, variety, 
musical, etc.); documentary; and 
children’s program (puppets, fairy 
tales, actual children, etc., rather 
than action-adventure type, which 
would come under drama). 

R^dio awards, which would be 
for '"any length, are for drama, 
comedy, documentary and series or 
serial (one episode). 

Winners’ works will be published 
by Random House in an Award 
Anthology. Final closing date for 
entries is Feb. 1. To be eligible, a 
script must have been -produced 
between July 1, 1955, and Dec. 
31, 1956. 

Walter Black, chairman of the 
WGA East awards committee, and 
True Boardman, chairman qf WGA 
West Awards committee, have 
asked members to submit scripts, 
conceding that in some of the 
categories returns thus far are less 
than had been anticipated. 

\ - 

Jeanne’s Guestints, Then 

To England for Pjc 

Hollywood, Dec; 11. 

Jeannie Carson winds her cur¬ 
rent batch of Four Star-Tartan vid- 
pix “Hey Jeannie!” this week and 
takes off on the first leg of a trip 
back to England for theatrical film 
work. She’ll do a couple of tv 
guestings in New York before sail¬ 
ing. 

Miss Car&on is due to start work 
in London in February on a J. 
Arthur -Rank film, first under the 
terms of her five-year pact with the 
British outfit. Property isn’t set 
yet. 

Before leaving she’ll also cut 
some more sides for Decca Records 
for whom she has already recorded 
several numbers. 


Peters, Griffin Gets Hot 

Spot rep house of Peters, Grif¬ 
fin, Woodward Inc. has gotten hot 
in the last five months by drawing 
a total of six radio and tv stations 
into its fold. Moveovers to PGW 
were topped last week by the ac¬ 
quisition of WJIM-AM-TV in Lans¬ 
ing, Mich. Stations left Petry to 
make the move. • 

It is perhaps coincidental, but 
the’ rush of stations came since 
the release of the reppery’s $100,- 
000 market-by-market tv research- 
promotion study. It covered the 
markets then represented by PGW 
through its 55 radio-tv station line¬ 
up. • As with the other rep outfits, 
PGW is hot to make a big promo¬ 
tional name for itself. Two weeks 
ago it contracted to use RAMAC, 
an electronic unit devised by Rem¬ 
ington-Rand, in immediately pro¬ 
viding time availabilities and data 
on all the stations it handles. 


Conflict 

London, Dec. 11. _ 
A finalist in commercial 
tv’s “64,000 Question,” has 
postponed his jackpot appear¬ 
ance because he is fulfilling a 
previous commitment to ap¬ 
pear in a church play. 

His subject: classical music. 
At stake: a top prize of $81960, 
plus a. 10% bonus if he takes 
his winnings in saving certifi¬ 
cates. 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 



♦♦♦♦♦♦+»+ ♦♦♦♦♦ » ♦♦♦+ 

IN NEW YORK CITY . *. . . 

Vincent Lopez, a recent inductee, will top the Xmas bash of the* N.Y, 
Chapter of Radio Pionpers tomorrow (Thurs.) eve at the Columbia U. 
Club on W. 43d . . . ScOdi Hull, tv actress’ (Miss TV of Mexico in 1955), 
back from two-month European junket . . . Ken-Martin, formerly chief 
gabber with Mutual’s Atlantic City affil, to WHLI staff on Long Island 
. . . James C.vHirsch added to the national sales staff under Halsey 
Barrett at Television Bureau of Advertising . . . Tonight Alan Freed 
goes intp Mike Wallace’s latenight WABD interview sesh; tomorrow 
(Thurs.)' show’ll have Post editor James Wechsler and Ringling’s N*Y. 
rep Harry Dube; Friday, 'David Wayne exchanges words with Wallace 
. . . Norma Karol, doing Swing-line staple pitch on Steve Allen’s week- 
nighter, returns as regular pitchgirl to Joe Franklin’s WABC-TV 
“Memory Lane” show early next month , . . Count Basie in “Good 
Morning” stint via CBS-TV Friday (14), to perform and receive three 
jazz awards . . . Charles Palma upped from Transfilm assistant editor 
to editor; Robert Firestone fills the a.e. slot . . . Robert Q. Lewis and 
Orson Bean .into “Xmas Surprise,” a “Person to Person” takeoff, on the 
holiday edition of “Studio One.” Bean leaves for Paris Jan. £ to shoot 
a pilot film for producer Arthur Lewis and NBC . . . Robert Burke to 
assistant sales manager at Adam Young reppery. Meantime, station 
rep house moves from 477 Madison to offices at 3 East 54, same building 
as Petry reps . . . Eric Johnston, president of Motion Picture Associa¬ 
tion of America, will be Mutual’s “State of the Nation” guest Thurs¬ 
day (13)... TV producer James Sheldon has joined the ranks of Ziv on 
an unannounced telefilm assignment. Other recent Ziv tv producer 
appointments are William Spier and Matthew Rapp ... Mutual’s 
“Millie Cpnsidine Show,” beginning Monday (10). emanates from vari¬ 
ous points enroute home from Melbourne, Australia, where she covered 
the Olympics with her husband. Stops on her itinerary home include 
Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong and Tokyo . . , WPIX, on Sunday (9) 
telecast the 19-minute official British film on the Suez crisis, titled 
“Suez in Perspective,” produced by British Information Service, and 
giving Britain’s view* on the Suez situation . . . The annual National 
Television Film Council Christmas Party and election meeting will be 
held Dec. 20 at the Delmonico Hotel, beginning at noon . . . Paul Lang- 
ton and Trudy Marshall have been cast as the adult leads in Screen 
Gems’ “Johnnie Wildlife” color skein. Louis Jourdan has been signed 
to star in the role of “Lupo” in the Ford Theatre presentation of “The 
Man Who Beat Lupo” on ABC-TV . . . Dick Buckley, prez of WNEW, 
back from a European trip with Mrs. Buckley. Couple, who returned 
on the S.S. Cristoforo Colombo, boarded the ship at Gibraltar. 

Paul Taubman is set as musical director on the new “You’re On Your 
Own” audience-participationer bowing on CBS-TV Dec. 22. Taubman, 
the conductor-restaurateur (Penthouse Club), now has a program lineup 
comprising “Own,” “Twenty-One,” “Tic Tac Dough,” “Edge of Night” 
and “Winlcy Dink & You,” a total of 13 half-hours a week . . . Locke 
Wallace and Gene Koskey have joined WCBS-TV as program assistants 
in the program department . . . NBC continuity acceptance director 
Stockton Helffrich wilt address the annual convention of the Speech 
Assn, of America Dec. 28 in Chicago on “Television, Comes of Age” 

. . . WRCA publicity program editor Cathy Ungaro leaving to join the 
staff of Polo magazine, with Nancy Heinemann, formerly with “Hall¬ 
mark Hall of Fame,” replacing her . . . Doug Edwards received the new 
Hamilton Time Award for his “objective and dramatic presentation of 
the news of the world” on his CBS-TV show . . . Pamela JFitzmaurice, 
who appears regularly on Don Herbert's “Meet Mr. Wizard” on NBC- 
TV, set for the cast of the same web’s “Modern Romances* the week 
of Dec. 17 . . . Pat Weaver, who’s been chairman of the American 
Heart Assn.’s public relations advisory committee for the past three 
years, received the Award of Merit from the association for distingu¬ 
ished service . , . Robert Merrill recorded a special 15-minute show for 
the Federal Civil defense Administration for use on 2,000 radio sta¬ 
tions. Ray Block orch backed up the baritone . . . .WCBS sales man¬ 
ager Buck Hurst and merchandising director Howard Lally in Chicago 
for a week of sales calls . . . Betty Hammer, secretary to WCBS' Her¬ 
man Hickman, engaged to Laurence Machol. June marriage planned 
. . . Robert R. Max upped to manager of the merchandising division of 
California National-Productions; he’s been sales promotioh director and 
in his new spot reports to business development director Hank Shepard 
... Murray Golden, director on “Kraft Theatre,” has composed an orig¬ 
inal musical score which has been selected by the educational depart¬ 
ment of the YM-YWHA for the Chamber Music Reading Series event 
today (Wed.) at Kaufmann Concert Hall . . . Murial Williams, written 
out of the script of the CBS-TV “Brighter Day” soaper some six months 
ago, back in the cast with the same role written back in . . . Pat Dodge 
leaving WRCA traffic department to get married, with Barbara Eaton 
replacing her. ' 

. “Person to Person’s” John Horn to Cleveland yesterday (Tues.) for 
huddles with Cyrus Eaton re his appearance on the sho'w Friday (14) 

. . . Teenager Nina Reader starting a run on Charles Irving’s “Search 
for Tomorrow” on CBS-TV . . . Frank D. Gilroy’s adaptation of J. P. 
Marquand’s “Sincerely Willis Wayde” on “Playhouse 90” tomorrow 
(Thurs.) . . . Karin Wolfe set for a part on “Stingiest Man in Town,” 
“Alcoa Hour’s” Christmas spec Dec. 23 . . . Helen Cotten’s original, 
“The Password,” set for “Matinee Theatre” next Wednesday (19). 

Tom Slater named z vice-president of Fuller, Smith & Ross, He’s 
western division director of tv-radio-films for the agency . . . Tele¬ 
vision scripter David Swift in his fir&t legit entry will pen the adapta¬ 
tion of Alberto Moravia’s novel, “Fancy Dress Party . . . Lawrence „ 
Tibbctt’s new weekday nightly MBS record show titled “Lawrehce Tib- 
bett Presents,!’ will start Tuesday (18) from 10:05 to midnight, with a 
15-minute break at 11 p.m. for Virgil Pinklcy’s hews commentary. 
Saturday programs will be aired from 2:05 to 4 p.m. . . . Eddie Fisher 
will make guest appearance Dec. 21 on Walter Winchell tv show . . . 
Ray Katz, associate director in charge of WMGM programming, hunt¬ 
ing for new deejay. 

IN HOLLfWOOD . . . 

Hollywood agencies now have two veepees among the femmes. Betty 
O’Hara drew her stripes from Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample. The other is 
Hilly Sanders of the Dan Miner agency . . . NBC loans out Carroll Car- 
roll to work up a script for Gordon MacRae’s first musical on Lux 
Video Theatre” Dec. 20 . . . George Schlatter, who booked talent for 
Ciro’s nitery, caught on at NBC to assist Hal Kemp in testing new¬ 
comers and set up guests for ^variety shows . . . William Winter, ABC 
commentator, moving down from Frisco . ... Hank Weaver will fill Red 
Barber’s Corner Dec. 21 and 28 after , the Friday night fights . . . Nick 
Keesely around for a pair of weeks to keep an eye on Walter Winchell 
and sample shows for Lennen & Newell to pitch to clients for next sea¬ 
son . . . Fred and Bee Wile back in Hollywood after two-month sweep’ 
through Europe . . . Parke Levy and his Bea took off for two weeks in 
Florida now that “December Bride” is well enough ahead . . . CBS 
believes it has next season's sleeper in “Cavalry Patrol,” a western 
actioner with Dewey Martin starred. 

IN CHICAGO ... 

Chi NBC o&o veep Jules Herbuveaux and assistant general manager 
Henry Sjogren in New York for the owned-stations assembly, then 
Herbuveaux planes down to Miami Beach for the web’s 30th anni 
festivities . , . WBBM’s Joe Foss tapped to do the play-by-play of CBS 
radio’s pickup of the Aluminum Bowl football game Dec. 22 at Little 
(Continued on page 32) 




Wodneeday, December 12/ 1956 


Tele Follow-Up Comment !j 

Studio Quo this trip as the self-propelled 

Kathleen & Robert Howard “injured” wife of 10 years, coming 
Lindsay, no doubt inspired by the forth with wham closeUp business 
recent success of the Irving,Stone in her setrpieces plus a prime ex- 
biographical . hovel on Andrew ample of' a serioso approach to 
Jackson’s wife, Rachel,-turned out comedy-lined situations custom- 
an original teleplay titlgd "'Rachel” made for the likes of a Coca. And 
and subtitled “A Love Story” as her also "injured” vis-a-vis, there 
about a vital day in her life. Story was the always authoritative Rob- 
centered ° about pressures on ert Preston .in an arched-brow se* 
Rachel, who had gotten Jackson to ries of slow and fast takes that 
retire to plantation life because of bounced magically off the screen 
the scandal over her. from local and into the laps of viewers, 
politicians to get Jackson to run Curiously, they had support as 
for Governor of Tennessee and equally meaty in the substance of 
from Aaron Burr to get him to the characterization that set “Made 
command Burr’s renegade army. in Heaven” somewhat apart, from 
While the story had interest, other good entries in that virtually 
perhaps the Lmdsays picked too *very role had varying degrees of 
small a theme for their drama; the depth not often reflected in tv 
plav moved at a snail’s nace and plays of any length, 90 minutes or 
reached a conclusion that was longer, and practically never in 
easilv .foreseeable and rather the hour-long editions, 
pointless. The focus, of course. Even some bits like those of 
was .on th° inner struggle of bartender Benny Baker were 
Rachel herself, condemned by lo« translated into powerful quickies 
cal societv because she had mar- not m erely to heighten an already 
ried Jackson with the understand- hilarious script in its laff s$g- 
ing she had been divorced but ac- m ents but to serve as meaningful 
t.uallv hadn’t. Perhaps in light of s ii ces 0 f the action. Of especial 
today’s moral climate, those con- merit was Phyllis Kirk, long a 
flicts «eem exaggerated, and there- talented and attractive of the 
fore Rachel’s sufferings didn t ore- misty-eyed school but here a kind 
nl e as much sympathy as they 0 f Gteek chorus* sophisticate on the 
might. At any rate, it was a slim ou t s ide dying on the inside but 
premise on which to bund an hour ever reac jy to give the playwright’s 
drama, and the lack of any sun- bright lines the benefit of snappy 
porting plot or action left ** limn- and frequently saucy quips and 
ing its way through the 60 mm- badinage that hft home pronto 
ut ftS - without "reaching.” There was 

■ Maureen Stapleton turned in a production skill shown "here in, 
compassionate and at times touch- that some of the peppery passages" 
ing performance in the title ro>. were so worked in as to ride inter- 
mckin 0 ' the f^ars seem reai enough ference on possible offensiveness 
and yet endowing the character to sensitive ears. Miss Kirk’s was 
with such commanding appeal cs the best performance she’s given on 
to bulwark the , scrlnt. Evere*t tv; and a great big ditto for Eddie 
S’oaoe v^s Ms usual forcefu 1 self Mayehoff, depicting a combination 
as the boM and assured E»»rr, 0 f casper milquetoast, H bumbling 
while F'lwavd Andrews was subtly husband and eccentric, nptable in 
convincing as the local pobtm^n. the past'for sterling handling by 
(Incidental^, nobody played Jack- such as f. Hugh Herbert, Robert 
son hbuse 1 * because he never ap- Benchley, Charles Butterworth, 
neared) Joanne Linville had a and not too many others in this: 
brief but excellent scene as the rare fleld of comedy. And there 
governor’s sister, who -icily warns was sheila Bond re i a xed, dumb- 
Rachel of the d*ueerft_of eossio blonde witticist with the Judy Hol- 
Jacksor• nms. Alma Hubbard end liday style plus business of her 
James Wall were .excellent as tje own; and a smart B cnay Venuta 
fir* V i S i/7 the while with Hnes dipped in acid, plus 

Mark Hvken was fine as Jackson s buffo timing in the more interest-; 


yo’mg nephew. 


„ r l 4 ng vignettes that combined a mix- 

Bu * r# ture of techniques, running the 


fine performances, director Wil¬ 
liam H. Brawn couldn’t, whip e»y 


gamut from straight comedy, com- 


™cJn 7 TLrloi 7 edy farce, straight farce, romantic 
ljfe , ,nt ” 1 sc ”Pj: drama and straight drama. Never 

? 10 . n : B*chel sends the two lob- th , admixed approach im- 


bvists off packing and tells Vm 
Jackson will make up his own 
mind, natch. Chan. 

Playhouse 9D 


did this admixed approach im¬ 
pinge on the overall theme, chalk¬ 
ing up another rung on the ladder. 
There was savvy and savoir faire, 
too, in the wise “other man” of 
Frenchman* Jacques Bergerac, and 


On television “Made in Heaven” air aler t job also by Mark Rob- 
was a crackerjack play, crackling erts as Miss K irk’s fiance-tumed- 
with snappy one liners and over- husband in an all-of-a-sudden 
all one of the finer comedies to “ happ y ending” curtain. Add also 
hit the medium in many a month. secretarial bit 'of Lois Brown 
Apparently the tightening process an d, seldom mentioned, script edit- 
necessary to fit a full-length Broad- i ng by .Peter Kortner that un¬ 
way opus into less than 90 minutes doubtedly furthered Miss Wilde’s 
served the adaptor well Before intentions in the legit-to-tv cross- 
the tv showing, Hagar Wilde, who over< A WO rd, also, for the mu- 
wrote “Heaven” as a legit effort, s i ca i punctuations by maestro 
made a number of observations on Amerigo Marino and Walter Hern- 
the subtle differences between a don’s art direction. 


stage and televersion. 


All in all, a tiptop job, with fluid 


Of course, a legit playwrights camera movement, great closeups, 
babies can get an awful slapping split-second timing. It’s a good 
around when crossing over to the thing, too, because even the over- 
homescreens. But—happy day! j y frequent commercials couldn’t 
Miss Wilde herself did the adapta- hurt the “Made in Heaven” that 
tmn Having hved with her prod- wa£ f ma de last Thursday in Holly- 

uct, if she knew what she was do- wood_live. s Trau. 

ing in the first instance, she would _ 

know what to do in the second in- c 


Sif Mprton l, Wishen1ra” OU who has 

son ^v lnhn rnlifeh done some oi the best t,ram i ,S 0,1 

NBC Radio's “Eternal Light," in 


matically, was a near hit in add- 


ing up to 92 performances; 9 bit Sates Itee'l Hour^ one of itTbest 
re\ 0 o r l, 0 a £ hlo he r„ g „ 0lden Cir ° le ' a dJamls llst We U dnesday (5) The 
e T? e s«* )£e wiili i, , , author, who it seems has a re- 

£ f sh 1 markable grasp of the European 

was doing—and she did—what of mlnd shu £ ned the usual stereo- 
tlie production masterminds’ ty p es ' of tbe Communist. “The 
r5! a ^r n ^ a l pro< *X£® d i ^ th , e Hunted” humanized the Russian 
i ast r^eek people, though it was dead set 
( 6 ) by Martin Manulis, the show s against Communism’s chief pitch, 
regular reiner, This is the same that the “end justifies the means.” 
Martin Manulis who directed it on Theodore * Bikel was a Russian 
Broadway. So far, extremely good refugee from Communism whom 
—same author, same key behind- the Reds were trying to intimidate 
tne r scenes man, with the very into returning home. Bikel was 
knowing R a lph Nelson directing terrific as this intellectual without 
the vidversion in what was easily a country. And Nehemiah Persoff 
one of the standout staging jobs brought life and sympathy to the 
since the medium came into being. Russian diplomat who preferred 
there was no credit listed for cast- delicacy to brutality In gaining his 
ing director. This is the person ends. Wishengrad showed deep in- 
who should report in for his medal terest in conveying to his Ameri- 
of honor. This was the best- can audience that Russia is not 
Peopled tv production one reviewer synonymous with tight - lipped 
has seen in years, and while sev- schemers and murderers but in- 
eral of the players were eminent stead is a nation of vital, fun-lov- 
long before last Thursday, these ing but frustrated people. But he 
and all of the others, without ex- also integrated a neat romantic 
ception, revealed new facets add- theme which involved Ann Sher- 
ed to their old ones that will sure- idan. 

ly earn them promotions, and give Only spot in which the play- 
other producers, talemt-hunteVs and wrlght came close to a cliche was 
CD’s a new angle on “old acts” and the depiction of Miss Sheri- 
new acts.” dan’ssfloozy, who proposes to Bikel 

Imogene Coca was in rare form, (Continued on page 48) , 




NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE 

SHOW 

With Charles ColUarwood, Dallas 

Townsend, Ron Cochran, Ned 

Calmer, Jim MeKur; R$c Mar¬ 
shall, announcer 
Producer: Paul Levitan 
Director: Yern Diamond 
Writer; Martin Plissner 
60 Mins.; Sun. (9), 5 jus. 
REYNOLDS METALS 
CBS-TV, from New York 

(Buchanan & Co., Clinton 
E. Frank > 

CBS-TV scored a real coup with 
this one-hour special telecast on 
the opening day of the revived 
National Auto Show at the New 
York Coliseum. For ohe thing, it 
was a hot show (the first since 
1940) which could have rated the 
special events treatment on a sus¬ 
taining basis. But CBS-TV got not 
only the event but a sponsor too, 
Reynolds Metals, which to make 
the occasion more, auspicious. hapt 
oened to be making its first major 
''xpenditure cn CBS-TV.. To top 
the :ist, tbe network had the dis¬ 
tinction' of doing the first major 
telecast out of the new Coliseum, 
which since its opening has been 
barred to television because of 
jurisdictional hassles. 

Having gotten all these plusses, 
CBS-TV’s news & public affairs 
boys made the best of s them. 
Eschewing interviews* and long 
“trend stories.” they showed as 
much as oossible cf the exhibits, 
going through no less than 22 dif¬ 
ferent new r model autos (every 
manufacturer was represented) in 
some detail, and managing a few 
truck models besides. Naturally, 
some of tbe newer advances were 
emphasized in themselves—items 
like the big hit of the show, the. 
Ford retractable hardtop converti¬ 
ble. the lower body design, Chev¬ 
rolet’s fuel-injection system, small¬ 
er tires, the dual safety larnu in¬ 
novation. etc., but* the observations 
were ruick and to the point, and 
the models were left to speak for 
themselves. 

Team of five reporters headed 
by Charles Collingwood and com- 
•Tn’ising Ned Calmer, Ron Cochran, 
Dallas Townsend and Jim McKay 
did an exnert job in their treat¬ 
ments, highlighting the new de¬ 
vices an'i designs and comparing 
them with the old models of the 
same make and otherwise captur¬ 
ing the spirit of the show and the 
new car -year. One thing about 
these CBS newsmen—they’ve all 
got a sense of humor, and perhaps 
the best examole of it came towai'd 
the end of the show when McKay 
was going through some of thp 
truck displays.- so quickly that he 
lost those of his floor crew that 
held the crowds back. He was soon 
engulfed in a crowd of waving 
teenagers, and laughing, he man¬ 
aged to stick his head through the 
crowd to get Collingwood and di¬ 
rector Vern Diamond to take him 
off the air. 

Producer Paul Levitan, who’s 
about the best in ( the business 
when it comes* to' .setting up a 
multi-camera remote setup on this 
large a scale, came through with a 
flawless production, using seven 
cameras to achieve a fullscale and 
fluid coverage of the entire exhi¬ 
bition hall. Diamond’s direction 
had the same easy, fluid duality, 
and those switches were achieved 
with <all the apparent ease of a 
studio show. Martin Plissner’s 
scripting was concise and punchy. 
Reynolds Metals commercials, 
handled by Rex Marshall, were 
nicely integrated into the subject 
matter, since the emphasis was on 
aluminum’s use in automaking. 

Chan. 

SCAPIN 

Producer: Arnold Wilkes 
Directors: John Sedwick, Raymond 

Bedwell 

60 Mins.; Sun., % p.m. 

WBAL-TV, Baltimore 

What must have looked like wise 
public service programming on 
paper telecasted as expendable 
video in this first of three joint 
productions to be given by WBAL 
and the Speech and Drama Depart¬ 
ment of the U. of Maryland; While 
the university label might have 
some pedantic appeal, it did not 
make this hour long version of the 
Moliere farce anything near pal¬ 
atable. 

There’s a lot that is commend¬ 
able about this project. A great 
deal of effort has gone into coor¬ 
dinating the student participants 
at College Park, Md. (40-odd miles 
from downtown Baltimore) and the 
WBAL studios in the city! There is 
also the considerable-value of the 
actual experience of a telecast for 
the tyro undergraduates. But this 
takes everyone into consideration 
except the viewer. 

A full hour seemed a long* time 
for this recapping of the usual 
Moliere treatment of intricate 
farcial mixups and mistaken iden¬ 
tities. This was the classic French¬ 
man's version of the one about the 
crafty servant who outwits his mas¬ 
ters. It takes an intelligent grasp 
of stylistic acting and a properly 
(Continued on page 50) 


TBLEVtSlWV REVIEWS 31 


THE JAZZ AGB 
With Fred Allen, nafriWr 
Producer: Henry Salomon 
Writers: Salomon, Richard Hanser 
60 Mins.; Thurs. (6), 10 p.m. 
NORTH AMERICAN PHILIPS CO. 
NBC-TV, from N.Y. 

(C. J. LaRoche) 

A compilation of old film clips 
was pieced together into a fasci¬ 
nating onceover of the 1920s in 
this NBC-TV documentary titled 
“The Jazz Age,” after F. Scott 
Fitzgerald’s tag for that era. While 
the film could be faulted for omit¬ 
ting some major events of that 
period, it was successful on the 
main point of recreating the val¬ 
ues, the atmosphere and the pace 
of the 1920s. 

Fred Alien,-who did the narra¬ 
tion for this film several months 
before his death, handled the 
script with his characteristic dry 
humor and his tone was a perspec¬ 
tive -framing of the 1920s' frenzy 
and futility. Isaac Kleinerman’s 
editing smoothly pieced together* 
the innumerable clips into a fin¬ 
ished work, while Robert Russell 
Bennett’s scoring, as background 
for the script’s integration of 
phrases from the top pops of the 
day. Was another important pro¬ 
duction facet. 


Opening with shots of the peace 
conference following World War 
One, the first portion of the film 
focussed on the political 1 aspects of 
the" early 1920s. An excellent 
closeup of President Wilson in de¬ 
feat segued ir.to the “back to nor¬ 
malcy.” movement symbolized by 
President Harding, In this connec¬ 
ts, the film counterposed some 
shots of the brutal,, anti-alien drive 
and a spectacular clip'of a Ku Klux 
Klan march in Washington, D. C. 
The meaning of Prohibition was 
spotlighted in a couple of gangster 
sequences. 

Most of the show, however, was 
focussed on the lighter side of the 
1920s, with its flappers, its jazz 
tempo, its., sports figures and its 
booming stock market, the latter 
being an ironic thematic motif run¬ 
ning through the whole show. 
Some excellent scenes of .the 1920s 
nightlife, here and in Paris, were 
part of the documentary, including 
a shot of Texas Guinan and 
Josephine Baker some 30 years 
ago. 

Lindbergs’ solo flight to Paris 
back in 1927 was caught in a neat 
little episode that caught the 
dramatic tension surrounding this 
feat. The Lindbergh bit was part 
of a long sequence depicting Amer¬ 
icans in Paris. Although an im¬ 
portant aspect of the 1920s, the 
documentary 0 was slightly over¬ 
board on the European phase and 
could well have explored more do¬ 
mestic manifestations of the “Jazz 
Age.” But, as a whole, it was a 
striking lesson in history. 

Herm. 

NEW FIGURES OF 1957 
With Natalie Core,' Andre, Ceil 
Chapman, Molly Pamis, Rox¬ 
anne, Sydney Wragge, Ben 
Zuckerman, Estevez, Dave Evins, 
Norman Norell, Adele Simpson, 
others ‘ 

Producers: Kay Elliot, Roger Gim- 
bel 

Director: Barry Shear 
60 Mins.; Sat. (28), 1 p.m. 
WARNER BROS. CO. 

NBC-TV, from N. Y. 

'(C. J. t^a Roche) 

If any scheme was ever success¬ 
ful in its design to entice the lad¬ 
ies to grab for girdles it was Sat¬ 
urday’s ( 8 ) Warder Bros, (not to 
be confused with the 35m freres) 
video promotion on NBC-TV. 
“New Figures of 1957” snapped 
with acres of eye—and snob—ap¬ 
peal. Only piece of televised ap¬ 
parel probably within reach of 
Miss and Mrs. America’s pocket- 
book was the sponsored founda¬ 
tion, unless couturieres such as 
Ceil Chapman, Molly Pamis, Paul¬ 
ine Trigere and the seven others 
"there to set the style, have turned 
altruistic and are selling their 
originals at shopping center prices. 

Stanza was the second of four, 
being done at quarterly intervals 
by Warners. There it was, the win¬ 
ter season at Palm Beach Aca¬ 
pulco, Paris and New York, in all 
its multi-buck glitter — bathing 
suits; cocktail, dinner, evening, day 
dresses; coats, shoes, etc., but no 
girdles, except in the nicely done 
commercials. Ironically, none of 
the 21 mannequins (21st was a Gal¬ 
lic import) looked as though they 
had to wear the skin-pinchers. 

Co-produced by Kay Elliot and 
Roger Gimbel, directed by Ernie 
Kovacs’ man Monday - Tuesday, 
Barry Shear, the program kept its 
stitches from showing. Even the 
nude statuette and other extras 
seemed in order, that is if nobody 
considers offensive shots of a fully- 
grown man sitting cross-legged on 
a bearskin rug. Side commentary 
by “Home” fashion coordinator 
Natalie Core was pleasant, and 
Miss Core was far less pretentious 
in her manner than the clothing. 

As well as everything came off— 
rjather, went on—it was nonethe¬ 
less a little unfair to do a show 


FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 
(R^ttcettf Sbowcane) 

With Jose Ferrer, Jiarrator; Artur 
Rubinstein, Marian Anderson, 
Boris Christoff, Andres Segovia, 
V ctoria De Los Angeles; Barry 
Morel*, Alfred Wallenstein and 
tbe Showcase Symphony Orch, 
o.hcrs 

Producer; Sol Hurbk 
Executive Producer: Mort Abra¬ 
hams ~ 

Dir?c.or; Kirk. Browning 

T.ais cal Director; George Eassman 

Scio n$s: Burr Smidt 

(Joe :mcs: Robert Fletcher 

9 « riins., Mon. (10) 8 p.m. 

RCA, WHIRLPOOL 

NEC-TV, froip New York (color) 

(Kenyon & EckhardU) 
Impresario Sol Hurok* wrapped 
up ^ qualitative and engrossing 
Ion: .laii’ session for his second an¬ 
nual “Festival of Music” go-round 
on the 90-minute “Producers’ 
SlTcrwcafje” tintspec Monday (10) 
cn J.TBC-TV. It was bigleague con- 
cj ilzing and considering that'such 
pr nie 8 to 9:30 time “translates it- 
sei . nio a “minority audience” of 
m 11 oas. it adds up to a major plus 
Jcv all concerned in its production. 
The inevitability of a fat Trendex 
pajoff for “Talent Scouts” and “I 
Love Lucy” on the rival skein 
mrhes the NBC and sponsoring 
P.CA ge.vture toward the classicists 
all the more commendabl 1 '. 

For those who stayed with it the 
rewards were manifold. There 
wt^a : o sugarcoating concessions 
tow rd popularizing its content 
(unless Marian Anderson’s spirit¬ 
uals all in that category). Here 
was tonflight artistry and virtuos¬ 
ity. irem Victoria De Los Angeles* 
Vi^latta in Verdi’s “La Traviata,” 
Artur Rubinstein’s superb key* 
bo-rding, Andres Segovia's perfec¬ 
tion at. the guitar to Boris Christ¬ 
off’s exciting Boris Godunov for 
the finale. 

TJi:l ke last year’s “Festival” 
with its overloading of talent and 
on-rr.d-off-again vignette:-, this 
time t.:ei*e was a correct and prop¬ 
er srmpling of the assorted mas¬ 
terful talents, each of them allotted 
sufficient time to permit for some¬ 
thing more than a “teas-er,” Thus 
Rub.nste n's performance of Rach¬ 
maninoff’s “Rhapsody On A Theme 
of Pagsnini” was of concert soloist 
dimensions; the two Segovia items 
gave ample evidence of his superb 
technique; the trio of spirituals by 
Miss Anderson showed the wide 
range of her magnificent voice; the 
“Traviata” scene as the curtain- 
raiser was an ideal vehicle for Vic¬ 
toria Da Los Angeles’ beautiful vo¬ 
calizing, while the Death Scene 
from “Boris Godunov,” ?.s the 
piece de resistance of the* spec* am¬ 
ply demonstrated Christoff’s mag¬ 
netic nt basso and grandolse acting 
as a premiere artist off grand 
opera. If was, incidentally, his ini¬ 
tial tv appearance in this country. 

There were some regrettable as¬ 
pects. In physique, the Violette of 
De Los Angeles somehow de¬ 
stroyed the believability. Director 
Kirk Browning .also could have 
taken a lesson from his own NBC 
Opera series in making the per¬ 
formance more plausible to a non- 
operagoer by at least applying a 
“tv technique” to the duet and 
having the lovers face one another 
instead of • performing full face 
into the cameras. One, too, could 
have washed for a wider diversity 
in repertoire to showcase Miss 
Anderson’s" distinctive talents to 
greater advantage. 

But these were far outweighed 
by the plusses. There was good 
pacing and routining.. Maximum 
dramatic values were extracted 
from the settings (particularly in 
the “Traviata” . and “Godunov” 
scenes) without infringing on the 
virtuoso spotlighting. And the mu¬ 
sic itself was never sacrificed for 
extraneous camera effect. 

> In the “Traviata”..segment. Bar¬ 
ry Morell' sang the role orginally 
intended for Richard Tucker, who 
w'as forced to cancel out at the last 
minute when the Metropolitan 
Opera threatened an injunction. 
Morell made a “fine Alfr.edo. 

As narrator, Jose Ferrer pri¬ 
marily was equipped with a fine 
and resonant voice. He also intro¬ 
duced the artists with a clarity that 
could only come from respect and 
rapport. 

With some wonderful sounds 
also emanating up to 10 p.m. from 
UN Headquarters in the form of 
Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony c>s 
performed by the Vienna Philhar¬ 
monic Orchestra and telecast 
through the good auspices of 
WOR-TV, it was, particularly in 
the metropolitan N. Y. sector, a 
grand night for the long hairs. 

Ron*. 

like this. The average female tele¬ 
viewer can no more seriously en¬ 
tertain buying most of the fashions 
seen than she can most of today’s 
color tv receivers. Those rich folks 
sure are lucky; program looked 
just fine in black-and-whito-aud- 
gray; probably was fabulous in 
tint. Art. 




32 


RADIO REVIEWS 




METROPOLITAN OPERA OF 
THE AIR , x 
(Lucia Hi Lamermoor) .. - 

With Maria MeneghfaU. Callas, 

Sordello, Giuseppe Campora, 

Thelma Vitipka, Nicola Moscona, 

Paul Frenke, James McCracken, 

Fausto Cleva Orch, Milton Cross, 

Boris Goldovsky, John Brownlee, 

Carol Browne, Sigmund Spaeth, 

Roberta Peters, others. 

Producer: Geraldine Souvaine 
Director: George Voutsas 
180 Mins., Sat.. 2 P.m. 

TEXACO 

ABC, from New York 

(Kudner) 

The Saturday afternoon broad¬ 
casts of New York’s Metropolitan 
Opera are probably the oldest cul¬ 
tural landmarks on the air. The 
first show was etherized in 1931 
and during its quarter century of 
airings, this single show has helped 
elevate American musical tastes, 
probably nlore than any single 

n f thP MPt hroad-4 enough” standout platter material 
sts S provides of£d Vomtlfor a couple o£ shows of; thjs dura- 


casts provides 
week aura. It seems to be a never- 
changing facade especially with 
Milton Cross doing the commen¬ 
tary and^a cast of familiars putting 
on between-the-acts soirees. 

This year’s broadcast start, Doni¬ 
zetti’s “Lucia Di Lamermoor” was 
highlighted by one of the more 
controversial divas to hit the 39 
St. hall in some time. Maria 
Meneghini Callas, who is almost 
making temperament fashionable 
agalm'in that area of town right 
adjacent to the N. Y. garment cen¬ 
tre, sang the role of the ill-fated 
Lucia, and there were times when 
her reading was truly exciting. She 
reached her aDex, of course, in that 
memorable Mad Scene in the last 
act of the opera. 

“Lucia”’ is a good beginning for 
the season, especially for the prov¬ 
inces where this broadcast is a 
major event. Acrobatics, even the 
vocal kind as provided by Mme. 
Callas are excellent curtain raisers 
whether it be at the Palace or the 
Met. 

The other assorted voices simi¬ 
larly contributed to* the afternoonJs 
entertainment. Enzo Sordello’s Fti- 
rico, Giuseppe Campora’s Ed^do, 
and the paimondo of Nicola M^s- 
cona provided renditions up to the 
Met standard. . 

Rudolnh Bmg introed the cast at 
the start, as is befitting the curtain 
raiser. The intermission entrain¬ 
ment, as usual is an added fi^n to 
the session. Jose. 


MARATHON . 

With Jerry Demon, announcer 
Producer-Writer; Bill Malcolm 
Director; Lee Jones 
Saturday midnight to 6 a.m. 
Sustaining 
WRCA, N.Y, 

As a change of pace from its 
regular “Music Through] The 
Nigh t” Monday-through-Fridey 
fare, NBC’S flagship, WRCA, has 
come up with an unusual program¬ 
ming concept for its Saturday all- 
night show. As preemed last 
weekend (8), the six-Kour stanza is 
being framed around a single star. 
Frank Sinatra teed off the series in 
the spotlight role with. Sammy 
Davis Jr. acting in the role of nar¬ 
rator. 

Sinatra’s manifold talents as 
singer, actor and general biz per¬ 
sonality provided excellent fare for 
the debut show. Fundamentally, 
this is a disk show and Sinatra has 


PRESS CLUB PRESENTS 
W»th Sanford Markey, Charles 

Tho^aben; Hoyt King, William 

Faulkner, others 
Producer-Director: Markey 
30 Thurs., 8 p.m. 

KYW, Cleveland 

Through “Press Club Presents” 
Cleveland’s newshawks give the 
city the information-public service 
type show given the nation by 
“Meet the Press;” “Press Confer 
ence,” “Face the Nation,” et al. 

Program created about the same 
time Press Club Organized, 10 years 
ago, and next to “City Club Pres¬ 
ents” is oldest of its kind in town. 
It was aired by WHK until two 
years ago when KYW skedded it as 
public service. 

Forum show had luck during en¬ 
tire history iri picking up hot news 
figures for what is pretty much un¬ 
restrained quizzing. Emphasis^has 
been on controversial personalities 
on local, county and state levels. 
Besides its public service impact, 
the show has informative and news¬ 
making overtones. 

On show caught Press Club de¬ 
parted from its practice of hud¬ 
dling quizzers with quizzee in KYW 
studios for taping session. Sub¬ 
ject, of interview, visiting Drew 
Pearson, was guest at luncheon in 
Press Club quarters. Overflow 
crowd helped panel of regulars in¬ 
terrogate Pearson. 

Questioning was wide-canvas 
stuff since Press Club is made up 
of not only newspapermen but ra¬ 
dio-tv personnel, ad agency men 
and public relations staffers. Pear¬ 
son was objective in discussing 
everything from his hassle over 
Ike’s health to whether he was 
sorry Walter Winchell is leaving 
tv variety. 

Move to Press Club proved pro¬ 
gram is livelier when audience, as 
well as regular panelists, is on 
hand to fire questions. Trouble is 
it takes a headliner like Pearson to 
draw such an audience. 

Skanders. 


tion. .Together with a rundown of 
the top standards and pop hits as¬ 
sociated with Sinatra, there was 
theme music from his films for the 
change-of-pace instrumental inter¬ 
ludes. If' similar one-man songa- 
logs can be turned up, this series 
has a sound basis: Coming up are 
shows that will feature the works 
of Perry Como and the late Tommy 
Dorsey. 

The gab portions of the .opener 
were kept brief and interesting, 
even if in the standard question- 
and-answer groove. Davis han¬ 
dled the introes smoothly , and also 
chatted with Sinatra via. pre¬ 
recorded tape. Some of the talk 
concerned haw Sinatra landed his 
role in the pic, “From Here To 
Eternity”; why he likes New York 
and! why he dislikes paying .in a 
Broadway show, etc. It was light 
stuff that didn’t interfere with the 
flow of Sinatra music which, in a 
show of this type, is the main thing. 

Herm. 


U.N. TASK FORCE 
With John McVane, others 
Prrducer-Director-Writer: Gerald 
< Kean 

25 Mins., Fri., 9 p.m. 

ABC,* from New York (transcribed) 
A four-week series of 25-minute 
radio programs by United Nations 
radio began Friday (7) over ABC 
as an examination of th/e Egyptian 
and Hungarian crises. First stanza 
was an uninspired recapitulation of 
the events surrounding the estab¬ 
lishment of a U.N. task force in 
Egypt. This week, talk will be 
about Hungary. ~ 

Facts were straight, but stanza 
added; no fresh notes in historical 
perspective, perhaps because it 
came so closely after the events it 
retraced. Voices of various U.N. 
delegates and* reporters which had 
been committed to tape were used 
in pointing up the highlights of 
the U.N. Egyptian action. John 
McVane interjected his own highly- 
editorial remarks as narrator. 
Show, was strictly a self-satisfied 
pat on the back for the U.N. and 
of less overall value than the 
nightly comments of most political 
analysts. Art. . 


MBS Biz 


MORE CBS RADIO COIN 

CBS Radid put another $125,000 
into its daytime till this week with 
the signing of M-O-Lene and Wool- 
ene cleansing products to five 
seven-and-a-half-minute daytime 
units weekly for a 13-week span. 
Deal was set via the Leeds & York 
agency of Chicago. 

Deal takes effect Feb. 1. 


tv and MBS will carry it in big 
markets, previously blacked out. 
Despite the trouble, deal is ex¬ 
pected to be inked' shortly. 

Carter Products, now in the MBS 
fold via participations thrice-week¬ 
ly on the mystery block, is ex¬ 
pected to expand its program after 
first of year. National Labor-Man¬ 
agement Foundation, Chicago, 
which publishes “Partners” maga¬ 
zine, has taken 15 minutes Sun¬ 
days preceding Walter Winchell for 
a new show, titled “Partners in 
Progress.” 

Recently Kraft Foods . renewed 
its 30 five-minute stanzas, starting 
Dec. 31, and Miles Laboratories re¬ 
joined MBS, beginning Jan. 1, with 
a 39-show campaign. In addition 
to participating to weekday “Queen 
for a Day” participations, Miles* 
also decided to buy five minutes of 
the 15-minute The Millie Consi- 
dine Show.” Mutual and Miles are 
still shopping for newscasters for 
the 29 five-minute news stanzas in¬ 
cluded in the deal. 

On Jan. 7, the Ralston Purina 
Co.’s “Checkerboard Fan Club” 
starts as a weekday feature, head¬ 
lining Eddie Hill as host emcee 
and hillbilly talent. 

Mutual’s expected loss of $1,250,- 
000 for the 1956 fiscal year was 
estimated by William O’Neil, pres¬ 
ident of General Tire & Rubber 
Co., the overall parent company, 
at a stockholders meeting. -j 


THAT FREE MEN MAY LIVE 
With Dr* Thimaspooley 
15 Mins , Sat., 6:45 p.m. 

KMOX, St. Louis a 

One of a Series or tape record* 
ings of a four-man, independent, 
medical-diplomatic mission spon¬ 
sored by the International Rescue 
Mission and headed by Dr. Thomas 
Dooley, a native St. Louisan. #This 
was a graphic first-hand descrip¬ 
tion of the lives among the refu¬ 
gees from the Communist-con¬ 
trolled portions of Indo-China. 
Tape recordings made on the spot 
were sent by various means of 
transportation frorti remote areas 
by foot, jeep, canoes and finally to 
a coastal town where they were 
placed board an airplane and 
shipped directly to this CBS out¬ 
let that has scored another first in 
this style of programming. 

In the* program caught Dr. 
Dooley tells how, in many in¬ 
stances, the C3mmunist ‘influence 
has been greatly dissipated among 
the refugees by. the work of the 
mission which has been providing 
fields, garden plots, vegetable 
seed, fruit trees and various kinds 
of craft to travel via canals that 
were dug by Residents, medical air, 
and help given them in building 
their thatch roofed homes in addi¬ 
tion to guaranteeing them freedom 
from the yolk of Communism, 

: As A former Navy doctor and au¬ 
thor of ‘.‘Deliver Us From Evil,” 
Dr. Dooley has provided medical 
aid to hundreds oj£ Vietnamese in 
areas where malaria and congen- 
tital diseases were found in great 
numbers. The series hah brought 
forth volunteer aid from many 
nuarters of the U.S. and one of the 
largest pharmaceutical houses in 
this country has supplied much of 
the.. direly needed medicines pnd 
one St. Louis firm has donated 
medical instruments valued at 
more than $100,000 to help Dr. 
Dooley and his associates to com¬ 
bat that sickness that has beset the 
natives; Sahu. 


Idle Insurance 

— — Continued froin page 25 » „ 

sion & Radio Artists, whose law¬ 
yers made the appeal, feel that the 
decision will relieve struggling per¬ 
formers in all unions from having 
to seek parttime work outside the 
performing field. As a result, ac¬ 
tors will have more time to devote 
to making rounds and otherwise 
developing work as performers. 
“The'day of the bargain basement 
may be over for performers,” ob¬ 
served a union spokesman. 

AFTRA lias been, involved for 
years in the struggle to get the 
Unemployment Board to consider 
re-use of programs as actual labor. 
The late George Heller, exec sec¬ 
retary of the Guild, fought and 
lost this, and similar issues time 
and time again .with officials in 
Albany, N.Y. statp capital. Jack 
London, associate of Jaffe & Jaffe, 
the law firm for AFTRA, made the 
appeal for Miss Price. Screen Ac¬ 
tors Guild declined last spring to 
join in the appeal, but has since 
given its support ta London, be¬ 
cause of how the decision would 
affect its members. 

A few years ago, the same ap¬ 
peal board established the basis 
for London’s brief by ruling that 
actress Madeline Lee should be al¬ 
lowed to count re-use payments as 
“wages” instead of “royalties,” In 
addition to demanding a minimum 
of 20 weeks work per year for 
unemployment eligibility, N.Y. 
State determines the amount of 
unemployment insurance payments 
on the basis of how much was 
earned in the previous 12 months. 
Miss Lee, who had 20 weeks of 
“real” work, wanted re-use pay¬ 
ments counted as wages in order 
to qualify for the maximum amount 
of insurance. “Royalties” were not 
considered part of regular earnings 
until then. 


NBC-WBC 

; Continued from page 29 ; 


ters. It is likely that this jurisdic¬ 
tional. issue will loom large in the 
decision by the Philadelphia Dis¬ 
trict Court on an expected move 
by NBC-RCA for dismistal of the 
complaint. It is anticipated that 
the Court will inquire into whether 
the Commission passed on the anti¬ 
trust question when it approved 
the Westinghouse-NBC swap, 

This aspect of the case might 
well prompt recommendations to 
Congress to spell out FCC’s re¬ 
sponsibility in the anti-trust field. 

There’s speculation that the case 
will wind up in a consent decree* 
providing the Court denies dis¬ 
missal. The question then would 
be what the decree would require 
and how it would affect the net¬ 
works and the whole industry. 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


From the Production Centres 

Continued from page 30 I 

Rock, Ark . . . Al Richman added to Olian & Bronner’s tv production 
staff . . . WMAQ sales manager Rudl Neubauer on his annual Florida 
hiatus... News and sportscaster John Harrington among those initiated 
into Chi CBS’ 20 Year Clhb at a party last Thursday hosted by veepee 
Les Atlass . . , WNBQ-WMAQ news director Bill Ray elected to the 
.exec council of Sigma Delta Chi... Jack Trindl, formerly with Vogue* 
Wright, signed on with Kling Film’s creative staff . . . Jim Brunsell 
upped to staging services supervisor at WNBQ-WMAQ . . . Chubby 
Jackson helming a new daily lunchhour kids show on WBKB and Dick 
(Two Ton) Baker taking over the 4 to 5 p.m. “Adventure Time” . . , 
Dorsey Connors notches her seventh year this week as WNBQ’s house¬ 
hold hints specialists . . . WGN-TV sales manager Ted Weber and fam¬ 
ily off on a Carribeaii cruise Friday (15) . . . Richard Forbes, Chrysler 
Corp.’s advertising director, to address the Broadcast Advertising Club 
luncheon next Monday (17). 

in boston ... 

“Big Brother” Bob Emery, WBZ-TV personality, tied up with “Animal 
Rescue Week” in the Hub showing film ; of visit he made with Small Fry 
clufc, on his “Big Brother Show" Thursday (13) at 12:15. Emery won 
the Sylvania award for the “nation’s outstanding local children's show” 

1 . . Household Finance Corp, inked for “11th Hour News” Sunday 
nights at 12:15 on WBZ-TV . . . S. S. Kresge bought 15-min. seg of 
Rex Thailer's “Boomtown” on WZB-TV Saturdays, 7-10 ; . . WBZ-TV 
presents its first live “Xmas Festival Show” Saturday (22) from 3:30* 
4:30 with Carl de. Suze, disk jock, emceeing . . . WBZ-TV first in Hub 
to break the color barrier, now color telecasting “Judge Roy Bean” on 
Sundays at 7 p.m. . . . Francis E. “Dinny” Whitmarsh, WBZ-TV nfews 
supervisor, author of new book, “Famous American Athletes pf Today,” 
published by L. C. Page Co. Inc, . , . Denis Warner, former far eastern 
correspondent for the London Daily Telegram and Melbourne Herald, 
Nieman Fellow at Harvjvrd,'guest on WBZ-TV’s “Starring the Editors” 

. . . Dizzy Gillespie and Guy Lombardo, while both Were playing Hub 
niteries, cut a tape discussion on pop music on John Bassett's WBZ 
“Tonigh” show , . , Al Kaye, WBZ-TV news photpg, and wife, Lea, 
parents of a new baby hoy . . . Alan Day received plaque on “Boston 
Movietime;” WBZ-TV, for his outstanding interest in behalf retarded 
children . .*, WNAC-TV and radio will heavily promote musical com¬ 
edy tourer, “Fanny,” in a first here. Promotion starts Dec, 22 on 
both radio and tv, with appearances,, spots and slides. “Fanny” opens 
at the Shubert Dec. 25 for two weeks. 

IN SAN FRANCISCO ... 

Look for two important Frisco indies. KYA and K§FO, to join KNBC 
on the 24Jiour-a-day kick. Irv Phillips, KYA’s general manager, says 
openly that he’s interested in 24-hour operation, hopes to go for it 
soon. Bill Shaw, new KSFO boss who arrived in Frisep from CBS- 
New York only Dec. 3, admits he’s interested, too* but is a trifle 
cagier, wants to “study” it a bit first ♦ . . AFTRA's dickering long and 
hard with independent radio stations, and with MBS’s KFRC, too, 
hasn’t come up with all the answers yet . . . KLX, Oakland, grabbed 
off the U. of California basketball games ... . KRON is proud ot,a new 
award—it was the only tv station in the'nation to win a Thomas Alva 
Edison award - for outstanding service to* youth: its service consisted 
of two science programs, “Science in Action,” and “Explorers of To¬ 
morrow” . . . Stanford U. got a $3,750 grant to study the numbers and 
kinds of viewers of educational tv programs . . . New KCBS engineer 
is John Seaver, ex-WQXR, New York , , , Jaime del Valle plans to film 
“Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” with a Frisco locale—shooting smarts 
Dec. 18. 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Joe Zimmerman, of WFIL-TV, elected to the hoard of directors of 
the Broadcasting Promotion Managers Association ... WlP had full- 
page ad in the Philadelphia News listing all musical selections skedded 
for 24 hours (4) . , . Mitch Miller guest speaker on “The Whys and 
Wherefore of Music” (6) at meeting of the TV, Radio and Advertising 
Club, at the Barclay . . . Locals Avho appeared on the WPFH Multiple 
Sclerosis Telerama included WFIL-TV’s Chief Halftown, Miss Claire 
of “Romper Room,” Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, the Chet Baker Quintet 
and the Jimmy de Priest Quintet . . . For the fourth consecutive year, 
WRCV will air weedend reports on major ski areas in East . . . Fete 
Boyle, longtime fixture on the WRCV-TV (6-6:30 p.m. slot) moves his 
“Fun House” up a half hour in direct competish with “Mickey Mouse 
Club.” , 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Sam Elber named WEKE program manager. He’s also promotion 
manager . Will Dougherty, WJW-TV sales, elected vice president, 
Tent No. 6 Variety Club ... Ed Edwards, ex-WERE, signed to do play- 
by-play for Kansas City A’s . . . KYW, KYW-TV staff partied for out¬ 
standing work done during newspaper strike , . . WGAR’s Henry Pild* 
ner extending FM program from 7:30-to-ll p.m. . . . Rosemary Han- 
rafian doing*Santa Claus’s “Jingles” role on WEWS . . . William Faulk¬ 
ner exiting Press , Club presidency for public relations berth in Toledo 
. . . Roger Albright named assistant business manager of Rutland, Vt. v 
Herald ., . Maurice Hesslegrave, ex-WOR, new WSRS publicity-promo¬ 
tion-advertising manager . . . Pichai Vasnasong, Thai TV, completing 
stay at Westinghouse, and moving to London for year’s study at BBC 
. . . WERE’s Bill Randle initiated seven-hour weekly musicale offering 
to artists with Erroll Garner kicking off (9) marathon with live appear¬ 
ance. 

IN MINNEAPOLIS . . . ______ 

In order to provide* uninterrupted programming, kstf-TV (NBC) 
has installed a special auxiliary antenna system, the only one of its 
kind in this territory. It’ll provide continuous service to the main an¬ 
tenna system during adjustment and maintenance periods and will 
afford protection against lightning and other weather hazards which 
might disable the main system ... Bob Woodbury celebrating 20 years 
of WCCO sales service during which he has never missed a day’s work 
. . . Johnny Morris, KSTP-TV weather man, and the wife, visited'by. the 
stork. Their first son after three girls . , . WTCN has paid the Min¬ 
neapolis American Association baseball club, a New York Giants’ farm 
team, a reported $65,000 for rights to televise 23 home games and 
broadcast all home and away contests next season. No sponsors have 
been signed yet. Last season KEYD-TV, now KMGM-TV, televised 
Minneapolis and St. Paul games . . . Tying up with the State theatre 
here, WDGY staged a girl with the sexiest voice contest 

IN CINCINNATI ... 

Willie Thall will again head WLW-T “Midwestern Hayride” Saturday 
nighter with hillbilly revival starting ban. 5 . . . Helen Nugent, former 
CBS “Sweetheart of the Air” and Mutual’s “Old Fashioned Girl,” 
changing from program director and publicity staffer to woman’s com¬ 
mentator on WKRC . . . Crosley Broadcasting Corp. latest sales staff 
additions are Todd R. Gaulocher, formerly of WAVE, Louisville, and 
NBC in New York, as radio account executive in N.Y.C., and Emil 
Bergdolt, to Cincy office, switching from WKRC ... At same time 
Dominic Farrell changed from Crcsley sales staff to WKRC. 



Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


ZfixtlETr 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


33 


8 Decades Of AM-TV (NBC) History 

Only a chronological review of the 30-year history of the Na¬ 
tional Broadcasting Co., reprising but a.handful of the firsts and 
adventures in pioneering this magic 20th Century electronic-art 
form of entertaimnent, education and news dissemination, can 
fully project how much has really happened in the days of our 
years. It was only a few years after Brigadier General David 
Sarnoff, then veepee and g.m. of the Radio Corp. of America, and 
now chairman of. its board, had foreseen “a radio music box... 
• which Would make radio a household utility in the same sense as 
a piano or phonograph," that NBC was formed. 


. Now 30 years after that historic Nov. 15, 1926 inaugural pro¬ 
gram which linked a 25-station, three-city network (Dr. Walter 
Damrosch and the N. Y. Symphony from New York's Waldorf- 
Astoria, Mary Garden from Chicago, and Will Rogers from his 
dressingroom in Independence, Kansas), NBC operates coast-to- « 
coast and beyond the U.S. borders to Canada, Cuba and Hawaii. 
The radio network now numbers 188 affiliates and the television 
network comprises 207. The manner in which this brand of com¬ 
mercially sponsored, "free hoi.ie entertainment has xhanged“the _ 
habits not only of America but the eWorld is now part of the 
history of America. 


This miracle made household favorites of personalities and 
programs almost over night. At one period an entire nation set 
its 7 o'clock time by Charles Correll & Freeman Gosden ("Amos 
'n’ Andy”). A1 Jolson, Rudy Vallee, Fred Allen, Ed Wynn, Eddie 
Cantor, Jack Benny, Jack Pearl, Groucho Marx, Weber & Fields, 
Fibber McGee & Molly, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Joe 
Penner, Bob Hope, Walter Winchell, Arturo Toscanini, Cesare 
Sodero, Edwin Franko Goldman, Harold Bauer, Ben Bemie, B, A. 
Rolfe, George Olsen and. Vincent Lopez are but a handful of the 
pioneering names given national prominence by virtue of this 
magical "radio music box.” 

NBC's television network into the homes dates back to April 
30, 1939, when WRGB, Schenectady, N.Y., would occasionally be 
"networked” with W2XBS (now WRCA-TV), N. Y. Philadelphia 
was added in 1940 as the first link in the coaxial cable. Com¬ 
mercial tv is actually a post-World War II phenomenon; None¬ 
theless tv had Its image orthicon eyes on the Republican con¬ 
vention in Philadelphia in 1940. President Truman's inaugura¬ 
tion Jan. 20,1949, was the first telecast of such a ceremony*and 
when President Eisenhower took office four years later the en¬ 
tire nation from coast-to-coast was able to vlew’lti 

The tv firsts are as historic as the AM firsts. The- Yanks- 
Dodgers 1947 series Incepted the World Series via video. iNBC’s 
oldest program Is the National Radio Pulpit which started June 
3, 1928, on network after haying been locally broadcast since 
May 6,1923 in N. Y. The Catholic Hour has been running since 
March 2,1930. "Eternal Light” (Jewish faith) is in its 14th year. 


As NBC embarks on its second third-of-a-centniry television 
augurs literally global opportunities. The refinements of the pi¬ 
oneers will be rich in their fruition. Perhaps not the least of 
the factors in the future will be RCA’s development of sound- 
and-pictures on tape, both blackTand-white and color; not only 
for broadcasting chain transmission but its ultimate refinements 
into the home, for parlor consumption, not unlike the develop* 
ment and refinement of the phonograph record. This will be 
still another "home network” soundfilm usage, separate and 
apart from the extension of big-picture, spectrum entertainment 
which will further the already well-evidenced observation that; 
truly, "all the world's a stage”—thanks to the magic of broad¬ 
casting, particularly with the development of the ty aspect. 

And in this the National Broadcasting Co. has made signal 
contribution, not only to America but the world in its develop- 
jnentj these past 30 years. It is not inappropriate to put the spot¬ 
light particularly on the vision and pioneering by Gen. Sarnoff. 

Abel. 


Highlights of NBC’s 30 Years 


1926 

July 1—Radio Corp. of America 
buys WEAF, New York, for $1,000,- 
000. It already owned WJZ id the 
same city. 

Sept. 9—RCA organizes NBC as 
a service of RCA and names Mer¬ 
lin H. (Deke) Aylesworth its first 
president. David Sarnoff was then 
v.p. and general manager of RCA. 

Nov. 15 — Inaugural program, 
running four and a half hours, with 
pickups from Chicago and Inde¬ 
pendence, Kans., and fed from N.Y. 
to 25, stations. Featured on the 
show were Walter Damrosch and 
the N.Y. Philharmonic from the old 
Waldorf, Mary Garden from Chi, 
Will Rogers from Independence, 
Edwin Franko Goldman, and his 
band, the dancebands of George 
Olsen, Vincent Lopez, B. A. Rolfe 
and Ben Bernie and comics Weber 
& Fields. Show was fed to a line¬ 
up consisting of WEAF and WJZ, 
N.Y.; WEEI and WBZ, Boston; 
WJAR, Providence; WBZA, Spring- 
field; WTAG, Worcester; WTIC, 
Hartford; WGR, Buffalo; WLIT, 
Philadelphia; WRC, Washington; 
WCSH, Portland; WCAE and 
KDKA, Pittsburgh; WTAM, Bos¬ 
ton; WWJ, Detroit; WCCO, Min- 
neapolis; WHAD, Milwaukee; 
WGY, Schenectady; KYW and 
WGN, Chicago; WDRC, New 
Haven; WSAI, Cincinnati; KSD, St. 
Louis and WDAF, Kansas City. 

1927 

Jan. 1—Second network, the 
Blue Network, is organized as an 
adjunct of the original; now named 


the Red Network. WJZ, N.Y., is 
the key station of the Blue. 

Jan. 1 — First coast-to-coast 
broadcast, the Rose Bowl game. 

Feb. 22—President Coolidge’s 
Washington Birthday address on 
42 NBC stations. 

July 24—First broadcast link of 
U.S. and Canadian stations. 

Sept. 22—Dempsey-Tunney fight 
in Chicago carried on -69 stations. 

1928 

Jan. 4—A1 Jolson starts his first 
NBC broadcast. Eddie Cantor had 
done a guest shot in 1926; other big 
names were Rudy Vallee starting 
on Ja*. 18, 1928 and "Amos 'n' 
Andy,” on Aug. 19,1928. 

April 4—Construction permit ob¬ 
tained for the first RCA-NBC ex¬ 
perimental tv station in N.Y. 

June 3—Oldest show still on 
NBC Radio premieres, "National 
Radio Pulpit.” On Oct. 2, .^another 
longrunner, still on, preemed—it 
was "National Farm & , Home 
Hour.” 

June 12—Three day broadcast 
of the Republican Convention at 
Philadelphia, followed by the Dem¬ 
ocratic Convention June 26-29. 

Nov. 6—First broadcast of elec¬ 
tion returns. 

Dec. 23—NBC coast-to-coast net¬ 
work, now 58 stations, inaugurated 
on a permanent basis. 

1929 

Feb. 1—First shortwave broad¬ 
cast from England,, a concert. 

Feb. 6—First west-to-east pro- 
gram sdriesf, from San' FrahciSco. * 


March 4—Broadcast of Inaugura¬ 
tion of President Hoover, 

Nov. 1—First use of NBC chinies. 

o 

1930 

June—.-Announcement of plans 
for N. Y.’s $250,000,000 Rockefeller 
City and relocation of NBC from 
711 Fifth Ave. 

July 30—NBC’s pioneer tv sta¬ 
tion (W2XBS) begins operations 
from the New Amsterdam Theatre 
Bldg, telecasting a 60-line picture. 

Sept. 14^-First broadcast from 
Chicago's Merchandise Mart. 

1931 

June 15—NBC selects Empire 
State Bldg, as the permanent home 
of its tv transmitter in N.Y. 

Dec. 12-Round-the-world roll- 

call of 14 nations on four conti¬ 
nents in celebration of the 30th 
anni of Gugliemo. Marconi’s first 
trans-Atlantic wireless message. 

- Oct. 3 0 ^^ 2XgS^fartsfransniit- 
ting 120-line pictures. 

Dec. 25—First in regular series 
of Metopera broadcasts over com¬ 
bined Red-Blue nets with "Hansel 
& Gretel.” 

1933 , 

March 9—First broadcast from 
floor of House of Representatives 
at opening of 73d Congress. 

March 12—First of President 
Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats.” 

Oct. 21—First regularly sched¬ 
uled NBC program from Moscow. 

Nov. 11—First NBC broadcast 
from new Radio City studios, a 
four-hour inaugural show. ■ 

1934 

Jan. 30—First of an annual 
series. President Roosevblt's birth¬ 
day ball. 

1935 

Dec. 7—Opening of NBC Holly¬ 
wood studios. 

1936 

Feb. 6—Winter Olympic games 
at Berlin broadcast, followed on: 
Aug.'1 by Summer Olympics, also 
from Berlin. : . 

July 7—First public: deidonstra- 
tion of' all-electronic ; tv - systemi, 
using both live stars land film. , 

1937 

May 6—Broadcast of Hindenburg 
disaster, at Lakehurst, N, J. . 

Nov. 4—Start of the weekly NBC 
Symphony Orch. Arturo Toscanini 
made his first appearance with the 
group Dec. 25 of the. same year. 

Dec. 12-—First mobile television 
setup, comprising two units resem¬ 
bling buses, appeared in N.Y, 

1939 

March 11—First broadcast of the 
coronation of Pope Pius XII. 

April 30—Inauguration of regu¬ 
lar tv program service by W2XBS 
with telecast from the opening of 
the World's Fair in N.Y. President 
Roosevelt, participating in the 
opening, became the first president 
to be televised. 

May 3—First regular, studio pro¬ 
gram service, with Fred Waring 
and others highlighted in a two- 
nights-a-week schedule. 

June 20—Weekly 10-hour tv 
schedule set, including full-hour 
dramas and musicals. 

Aug. 26—First telecast of major 
league baseball game, Dodgers vs. 
Cincinnati, a doubleheader at Eb- 
bets Field. 

Sept. 30—First college football 
telecast, Fordham vs. Waynesburg 
at Randall’s Island, N. Y. 

1940 

Jan. 11—NBC opens its FM sta¬ 
tion at Empire State Bldg. 

Feb. i—Demonstration for FCC 
members at Schenectady of re¬ 
broadcast of tv pictures from N.Y.”, 
WRGB thus becoming first NBC- 
TV affiliate. 

March 3—Firgt telecast of com¬ 
plete Broadway play ("When We 
Are Married”), running 90 min¬ 
utes. 

June 24—Coaxial cable links 
N.Y. and Philadelphia for first tele¬ 
cast of political convention (Repub¬ 
lican). 

July 15—Films of Democratic 
convention Chicago rushed to N.Y. 
for telecast, first use of this 
method. 

Nov. 5—First network telecast 
of election returns. 

. 1941 

Feb. 20—First color tv transmis¬ 
sion, from Empire State Bldg. 

May 2—Authorization of com¬ 
mercial tv by FCC, effective July 1. 

May 6—Bob Hope plays first 
Army camp show at March Field, 
Calif. 

June 16—NBC files applications 
fdr commercial tv licenses in N.Y., 
Philadelphia and Washington. 

July 1—WNBT bn air, replacing 
experimental W2XB$, as world's 
(Continued on page 42) 


Some Reflections On Those 
Early Years When NBC Was 
Pioneering Patterns for Radio 


. By G. W. (JOHNNY) JOHNSTONE i 


(The writer, for the past 11 years 
radio-tv-film PR director of the Na¬ 
tional Association of Manufactur¬ 
ers, served in the dual capacity of 
NBC’s first publicity director and 
assistant to the president, the late 
Merlin Hall (Peac) Aylesworth.) 

Reminiscing about the youth of 
today's giant National Broadcasting 
Co., your reporter, who flinched,. 

birth pains of NBC, turns back the 
pages of history to the Introduction 
of a new era in the field of enter¬ 
tainment, education and mass com¬ 
munication, the like of which has 
never been duplicated and the im¬ 
pact of which never will be match¬ 
ed. 

This offering, then, is dedicated 
to those men and women, living 
and passed on, who worked around 
the clock in their enthusiasm to 
develop the nation's first coast to 
coast radio network. To mention 
all their names would require an 
enormous amount of space, so just 
let us remember a few, particularly 
those who gave their all and were 
called to their Maker much too 
soon to enjoy the fruits of their 
labors: 

Merlin Hall (Deac) Aylesworth, 
NBC's first prexy; George Ford 
(Mae) McClelland, WEAF’s former 
manager mid NBC's first exec vee¬ 
pee and gni; Charles (Pope) Popo- 
noe, WJZ’s program charter, who 
soon became known to the entire 
industry for his brains and charm; 
Graham McNamee, whose non-pro 
descriptions of color- and.play-by- 
play from the: football and baseball 
stadia, attracted the feminine sex 
to the -ball parks of the nation— 
and so many Others. 

By no means should the "names” 
of the amusement (long and short 
hair), be overlooked. These were 
those established artists, . dis¬ 
regarding blacklists and prejudice 
against the medium to cast their 
lot with the future of "a radio mu¬ 
sic box” which the then veepee 
and g.m. of RCA, Gen. David Sar¬ 
noff, had proposed as far back as 
1916. Those of us at NBC in its 
beginning will never underestimate 
the pioneering efforts of: 

Dr. Walter Damrosch, Cesare 
Sodero; Joseph Knecht (and his 
Waldorf-Astoria orch); Major Ed¬ 
ward Bowes; "Roxy” Rothafel; Ben 
Bernie, B. A. Rolfe, Frank Crumit 
and Julia Sanderson, Billy Jones 
and Ernie Hare. The list is SO 
large* 

So jet us begin with the birth 
of NBC: 

In early September, 1926, a full- 
page ad appeared in the major 
newspapers of the nation, heralding 
the formation of "the National 
Broadcasting Co.” The ad was 
jointly signed by Owen D. Young, 
then head of the General Electric 
Company, and Gen. J. G. Har- 
bord, president of RCA. In those 
days RCA was selling agent for 
GE and Westinghouse, an operation 
later broken up by governmental 
decree. 

An Era Of *No Ratings' 

An excerpt from that ad hears 
reprinting today: 

"The purpose of that Company 
(NBC) will be to provide the best 
programs available in the United 
States ... It will need the help 
of all listeners. It will make mis¬ 
takes (sic). If the public will 
make known its views to the offi¬ 
cials of the Company from time to 
time we are confident that the new 
broadcasting company will be an 
instrument of great public service. 

Ratings were unheard of in those 
early days. Public reaction, largely 
through audience mail, was most 
dependable, Want an example? 

Shortly after "Deac” Aylesworth 
moved into NBC’s first (195 B'way) 
headquarters he wondered why the 
expenditure for a weekly full hour 
of tabloid grand opera. It had been 
dubbed the "WEAF Grand Opera 
Hour,” later changed to the "Na¬ 
tional Grand Opera Hour” upon 
formation of NBC. There had been 
and was no appreciable listener 
response, yet the program depart¬ 
ment continued to schedule it week 
in and week out. 

About 4 o’clock one afternoon 
before a ^"National Grand Opera 
Hour” broadcast was scheduled, 
Aylesworth called the staff to¬ 
gether. Everyone was to work that 


evening, manning telephones. No 
further explanation was forthcom¬ 
ing. 

As the "Opera Hour” was about 
to hit the air, Aylesworth had the 
announcer say: . 

"Instead of the program origi¬ 
nally scheduled, you will hear an 
hour of dance music.” 

The network switch ed from the 

for a "dance band remote.” What 
happened? 

Immediately, the NBC switch¬ 
board lit up like a house afire. 
Aylesworth had hurriedly passed 
out instructions: To. those asking 
"Where’s the ’Opera' program?” 
the staffers were to inquire: “Have 
you ever written in to us stating 
that you like this program?” 

Needless to say, every call was 
a bitter protest. 

The "National Grand Opera 
Hour” remained on NBC’s WEAF 
network week in and week out for 
years! Who knows, maybe this is 
how Hooper got his idea for rat¬ 
ings. 

George F. (Mac) McClelland, 
NBC's first exec veepee and g.m.— 
and the Pythias of the Damon- 
Py thias (Aylesworth - McClelland) 
team—had much to do with the 
formulation , of NBC's original 
policies. Yet one. of his ideas never 
got to first base. 

"Mac” foresaw the future of 
"studioaudlences.” He wanted the 
network to have full control of its 
every facility, studio audiences 
included. 

An Idea Dies Aborning 
His idea was for NBC to forego 
mid-Manhattan studios, to purchase 
the Paramount-owned Astoria (L.L 
City) studios, to build a high fence 
around the lot, set up guards and 
operate a broadcasting studio sim¬ 
ilar to a Hollywood movie lot. He 
would hire people as “extras,” to 
act as a studio audience and take 
direction from the program’s di¬ 
rector, just as an "extra” would 
take direction from a Hollywood 
movie director. 

But "Mac's” idea died aborning. 
Some think the "extra” idea but 
one of the plan's many good fea¬ 
tures. They say “Mac's” plan would 
have borne such fruit as: no whist* 
ling or stomping in the studio 
audience, a more photogenic audi¬ 
ence (for television); and, perhaps 
most important of all, there would 
have been built up an illusion of 
each and every radio (and now tv) 
program. Not every Tom, Dick and 
Harry outside the industry would 
know the "inside,” as it exists 
today. * 

In February, 1927, NBC’s newly- 
formed Advisory Council met for 
the first time. Space will not per¬ 
mit naming names. Suffice it to 
say that it was a Blue Ribbon list. 
The late Elihu Root, famed lawyer 
and statesman, was included.* A 
reading 0 of the minutes of this 
meeting shows that Root was pri¬ 
marily interested in what radio 
broadcasting could do to aid the 
farmer. 

"Statistics of our insane asy¬ 
lums,” Root declared, "showed 
formerly a great preponderance of 
farmers’ wives because of the lack 
of social stimulus and the loneli¬ 
ness of life amigst constant drud¬ 
gery verging Close onto penal 
servitude. 

"Use of radio (broadcasting),” 
Root continued, "will afford an op¬ 
portunity transcending everything 
else in providing elements of in¬ 
terest, cheerfulness and gratifica¬ 
tion of taste for the country folks.” 

Major Lenox Lohr, now head of 
Chicago’s fabulous Museum of 
Science and Industry, succeeded 
Merlin Hall Aylesworth as presi¬ 
dent of NBC on January 1, 1936, 
thereby instituting another era. 
Two years previous "Mac” hhd 
gone to the Great Beyond for 
broadcast executives — had taken 
his life by his own hand and the 
team of Damon and Pythias was no 
more. 

The first decade of NBC's history 
contains enough history inter¬ 
larded with human stories of In¬ 
dividual initiative to fill several 
volumes. But to those who went 
through it there Will always be this 
overall theme: 

"The first hundred years may bt 
the hardest, but the first 10 year* 
at NBC were the grandest!” 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 












35 



Just thirty years ago Will Rogers was chatting with all 
America on the broadcast which marked the founding of the 
National Broadcasting Company’s radio network. 

But look what's happened since then. 

The trumpet loudspeaker in the living room has given way 
to the 21-inch color screen. And radios are everywhere—in 
kitchens, cars, bedrooms, on beaches. 

The people who chuckled at Will Rogers are laughing how 
at Sid Caesar and Bob Hope and Groucho Marx. The nation 
that loved A1 Jolson and Fred Allen lights up at the sight of 
Perry Como and Steve Allen and Dinah Shore. 

Since 1926, NBC has kept America hrtouch with the latest 
news, the latest tunes, the greatest stars of the time. The 
NBC chimes have helped to weld the continent together. And 
now the NBC color peacock is a welcome visitor in homes 
from coast to coast. 

Millions will join-Perry in Miami this Saturday night, Decern- 
ber 15, as NBC celebrates its 30th anniversary with a gala* 
hour-long show starring special guests Groucho Marx, 
Jo Stafford, Johnnie Ray and Gina Lollobrigida. 

The names have changed, but the object remains the same: 
to give the nation its best-loved personalities, and programs 
for the next thirty years. 


NBC 


30 t h 

ANNIVERSARY 


THE NATIONAL 
BROADCASTING 
COMPANY-® 








PfiMMSTir 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 



OH 30 YEARS 
or SERVICE 
TO THE PUBLIC 

May this record be 
a continuing means 
of preserving freedom 
of the air-waves. 

LOUISVILLE, KY. 

WAVE 

WAVE-TV 












We’re proud because NBC has contributed in such great measure to the growth and development of both 
radio and television—the greatest media for entertainment and education the world has ever known. 

NBC has sparked so many firsts that have added excitement and fascination to sight and sound program¬ 
ing. The first nationwide radio network and the first remote TV program pickup in history (in 1939 at the 
World’s Fair). Shows like the Symphony of the Air, Information Please, NBC Opera, Monitor, Producers' 
Showcase, and most exciting of all—COLOR TELEVISION. 

NBC-TV brings you today’s highest rated Color TV shows. Shows like "Peter Pan,” the top-rated 2-hour 
show in TV history, with an audience of over 60,000,000; “Jack and the Beanstalk,” with its record-breaking 
performance as the highest rated hour-and-a-half program, reaching an audience of over 55,000,000. In fact, 
NBC—pioneer in Color TV programing—brings you color every night! 

RCA Victor congratulates NBC for its imagination and technical resourcefulness in constantly broadening 
the horizons of radio and TV broadcasting. 


-Hit MfttTtr* voice* 









Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


30 th anniversary 





radio station 


from your newest 
network affiliate 

WHK 

IN CLEVELAND 


Inside Stuff—Radio-TV 

CBS board of directors last week voted a oneweek salary bonus to all 
New York employees, same sum as last year. At NBC, It’s not official 
yet, but the board will vote a complicated bonus involving 3% salary 
raises for all employees earning less than $7,500 a year, bonuses for 
high-level .executive personnel and insurance and Blue Cross payments 
for all employees. At ABC, “year-end plans are still under review,” 
according to a company spokesman. 

CBS-TV, which last week announced the first successful on-the-air 
pse of magnetic video tape in a trial run on the Doug Edwards news 
show, this week hailed the introduction of another magnetic tape in¬ 
novation, the striped magnetic sound recording technique, on the same 
show. Network has begun installation of the striped magnetic sound in 
its 16m news cameras and expects*to extend its use to all phases of its 
news operation. 

Until now, CBS News has been using the photographic single system 
sound technique, involving a sound track on the same negative as the 
picture. Because of the “shortcomings” of this technique in quality, 
the network started experimentation with striped magnetic sound, 
which involves setting up magnetic equipment in the cameras. Re¬ 
sultant recording on magnetic material is then applied on the photo¬ 
graphic material without affecting film quality. Conventional devel¬ 
opment and* processing is used, but projectors must be equipped for 
the magnetic tape. 

Nation’s new crop of senators will be introduced to the country via 
television in a special one-hour show from Washinghton on CBS-TV 
Jan. 6. Telecast, titled “Meet the New Senators,” will originate from 
Washington and will take the form of a reception at the Carlton for 
the legislators and their families, A team of six or seven CBS news¬ 
men from N.Y. and Washington will table-hop for informal chats with 
the lawmakers. 

Show is a repeat from a couple of similar formats that CBS has done 
In past Congressional election years. Program, slated for 3 to 4 p.m., 
will be produced by the CBS Washington office, but no specific pro¬ 
ducer has been tapped yet. Commentators haven't been selected yet 
either, 

Mrs. Dorothy Lewis recently returned from London, where she had 
been elected international president of the International Association 
of Radio Women. The annual conference of IARW was attended by 


J delegates from nine countries. A board of governors was appointed 
representing Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and England. The 
1957 annual conference will be held in Paris next September. j 

Mrs. Lewis reported that the organization, representing women broad¬ 
casters from 22 nations, opened New York offices. While abroad, she 
also visited Paris, where she conferred with officials of Radio Francaise 
and UNESCO. 

[ Mrs. Lewis, now engaged in planning several broadcasting projects, 
last served with the United Nations, having reached the UN’s manda- 
j tory retirement age. Previously she was instrumental in founding 
what is now known as the American Women in Radio and Television. 

To make up for the fact that there’s generally no television newscast¬ 
ing from 11 p.m. Saturday night until well into Sunday afternoon at 
the earliest, WCBS-TV, N.Y. has scheduled a new “Sunday Morning 
-News & Weather” segment for 9 a.m. on Sabbath morn starting Dec. 
30. Stanza will consist of two parts, news from 9 to 9:10 followed by 
a five-minute weather Teport. Station hasn’t been able to get a regular 
newsman out of CBS News to handle the show (presumably because of 
the time), so it’s assigned staff announcer Dick Hageman to the seg¬ 
ment. Copy will be prepared by CBS News, though. 

The Advertising Council monthly board of directors lunch next 
Thursday (20) will also take on the form of aa awards luncheon and 
Christmas party, at which the Council will present its annual awards 
to the agencies and volunteer coordinators who served on its major 
campaigns during the year. Luncheon will be held at the Pierre Hotel, 
N.Y. 


NARTB Sets Plans For 
April Chi Convention 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

Plans for next year’s NARTB 
convention, to be held April 7-11 
in Chicago, will be brought nearer 
completion tomorrow (WedJ when 
the trade organization’s convention 
committee meets in the Windy City 
to consider the agenda for the 1957 
powwow. Committee will also re¬ 
ceive recommendations for the an¬ 
nual Keynote Award. 


WICC Lops Religiosos 

Bridgeport, Dec. 11. 

The last of WICC’s sponsored, 
religious programs was dropped 
Dec. 9 as “Baltimore Gospel Taber¬ 
nacle” ended a long association 
with the Bridgeport station. 

Almost a dozen out-of-town evan¬ 
gelical features have been taken 
off the WICC schedule within the 
past year in keeping with the de¬ 
cision of Philip Merryman, general 
manager, to make all programming 
of “home-to.wn” content. A num¬ 
ber of locally originated religious 
programs are being retained. 



Cunningham & Walsh 
Expansion Keyed To 
New Type of Operation 

Cunningham & Walsh absorbed 
two Coast advertising agencies 
and further consolidated its Chi- 
cagcusubsidiary this week in an ex¬ 
pansion move marked by what 
C&W* prez John P. Cunningham 
termed “an entirely new plan of 
agency operation.”. Brisacher, 
Wheeler & Staff of San Francisco, 
The Mayers Co. of Los Angeles 
and Cunningham &. Walsh Inc., 
Chicago, all will be absorbed by 
Cunningham & Walsh Inc. 

Consolidation is designed to 
meet demands from advertisers 
for a “country-wide knowledge of 
local and regional marketing and a 
cross-country ability to provide the 
client with all important agency 
services,” according to Cunning¬ 
ham. Agency has established a 
national management committee 
with two reps from each office, 
along with an exchange personnel 
program. Franklin C. Wheeler 
and Robert Brisacher, Henry 
Mayers and Ivan Hill, latter exec 
v.p. of the Chicago operation, will 
join the C&W board of directors. 
Brisacher, Wheeler brings in 
$5,000,000 in billings; Mayer 
$3,500,000. 

Schenectady — Mona Smith is 
hostessing a five-minute “Hospitali¬ 
ty House” over WRGB-TV, for 
Union-Fern Furniture Co., on a 
cutaway from NBC’s “Home.” She 
is the Albany Times-Union’s “Pru¬ 
dence Penny” 


NBC 


. . 


THE LEADER IN THE NATION FOR 30 YEARS... 

THE LEADER IN WESTERN VIRGINIA FOR 4 TEAKS! 

WSLS-TV NRC AFFILIATE CHANNEL 10 316,000 WATTS 

WSLS - RADIO 610 k.c. 5,000 watts roanoke, Virginia 


We ’re Happy ... 


Hi 


THERE'S MORE TO SEE ON 


No Better CWce! 














ANNIVERSARY 

GREETINGS 


®qQ 

WESTINGHOUSE BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC. 

* RADIO TELEVISION 

BOSTON— WBZ+WBZA BOSTON— WBZ-TV 

PITT8BURGH-KDKA PITTSBURGH—KDKA-TV 

CLEVELAND— KYW CLEVELAND— KYW-TV 

FORT WAYNE— WOWO SAN FRANCISCO— KPIX 

PORTLAND— KEX 


KPIX REPRESENTED/BY THE KATZ AGENCY, INC, 

All other WBC stations represented by peters, Griffin, Woodward, Inc. 




Wednesday, December 12 9 1956 



ON ITS THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

CONGRATULATIONS 

AND 

BEST WISHES 
TO 


. B. C. 


FOR THIRTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT 


Scut g ?'MUtcUec 



AFFILIATED WITH THE S. F. CHRONICLE 
AND THE HK-TV NETWORK ON CHANNEL 




















THAT’S 30 FROM HERE 

\ 

That any one institution could add so much to the lives of so 
many in just thirty years is unbelievable, and it is with the deep¬ 
est respect that we salute the National Broadcasting Company 
on its Thirtieth Anniversary. 

And, in the future, as in the past, the National Broadcasting 
Company will play a role of maximum importance—in entertain¬ 
ment, in education, in religion, and in the sale of products to the 
American consumer at the lowest possible cost—in radio and in 
television, the two media of greatest influence among them all. 

We, of the Storer Broadcasting Company, look forward 
with NBC to the future of the radio and television broadcasting 
industry with the brightest pages in its history still to be written. 

Our sincere congratulations to NBC for its first, wonderful 
thirty years. 


STORER BROADCASTING COMPANY 



WSPD-TV WJW-TV 

Toledo* Ohio Cleveland, Ohio 

WSPD WJW 

Toledo, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio 


WJBK-TV 

Detroit, Mich. 

WJBK 

Detroit, Mich. 


WAGA-fTV WBRC-TV KPTV WGBS-TV 

Atlanta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Portland, Ore. Miami, Fla. 

WAGA WBRC WWVA WGBS 

Atlanta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Wheeling, W.Va. Miami, Fla. 


SALES OFFICES 


BOB WOOD—national sales manager 118 East'57th Street, New York 22 • Murray Hill 8-8630 

LEW JOHNSON—midwest sales manager * 230 North Michigan Avenue,.Chicago 1 * Franklin 2-6498 

GAYLE GRUBB—vice-president and Pacific coast sales manager • 111 Sutter Street, San Francisco • Sutter 1-8689 









42 


RADIO-TELEVISION 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


Highlights of NBC 


, Continued from page 33 ; 


first commercial tv station, with 
four sponsors signed the first day. 

1943 

Jan. 9—Blue Network separated 
from NBC and established ;as Blue 
Network Co., Inc., later becoming 
ABC. 

1944 

Sept. 29—Start of NBC’s oldest 
tv series, “Gillette Cavalcade of 
Sports” boxing show; oldest drama 
series, “Kraft Television Theatre,” 
started May 7, 1947; same year 
saw “Meet the Press” (Nov. 6) and 
“Howdy Doody” (Dec. 27) begin. 

1945 

Oct. 25 — NBC demonstrated 
RCA’s new image orthicon camera 
tube. _ 

Oct. 27—Firsf network telecast 
of a U.S. President, pickup of Har¬ 
ry S. Truman from N.Y. and car¬ 
ried by three stations. 

1946 

March 25—Telecast of opening 
sessions of UN Security .Council at 
Hunter College, N.Y. 

1947 

Jan. 2—First telecast of opening 
of Congress. • 

June 27—Formal opening of 
NBC’s second station, WNBW (now 
WRC-TV), in Washington. 

Sept. 13—Announcement of spe¬ 
cial camera developed with East¬ 
man Kodak to film images direct 
from kinescope - screen, making 
kinescope recording possible. 

Sept. 30—^First World Series 
telecast, Yanks vs. Dodgers. 

Oct. 5—First White House tele¬ 
cast, President Truman on a seven- 
city hookup. 

Nov. 13 — Successful test of. 
AT&T’s first microwave relay— 
N.Y. to Boston. 

1948 

June 21—Convention coverage 
for real, with 54 hours of .GOP 
meeting and 41V£ hours of the 
Democratic Convention July 12, 
both carried by seven stations. 

Sept. 18 — Chicago station, 
-WNBQ, began test transmissions. 

Sept. 20—NBC midwestern tv 
network opened, to bring in Chi, 
St. Louis, Milwaukee, Toledo, De¬ 
troit, Cleveland and Buffalo via co¬ 
axial cable. 

Oct. 31—NBC’s Cleveland sta¬ 
tion, WNBK, opened. 

1949 

Jan. 16—Opening of NBC's fifth 
tv station, KNBH in Hollywood, i 
Jan. 20—First telecast of Pres¬ 
idential Inauguration* sent to a 15- 
station hookup. 

May 5—NBC receives permit for 


experimental UHF station at 
Bridgeport. 

Aug. 25—RCA announces fully 
compatible color system. 

1951 

Sept. 4—Network goes to Coast 
with microwave relay link. 

Dec. 24—Premiere of Gian Carlo 
Menotti’s class-to-be, “Amahl and 
the Night Visitors,” done annually 
thereafter. 

June 19—Formation of NBC 
Film Division, later to become 
Kagran Corp. and this year Cali¬ 
fornia National Productions. 

Oct. 4—Opening of multi-mil- 
lion-dollar-Burbank studios. 

Oct. 26—Premiere of “Victory at 
Sea” series. 

1953 -- 

Nov, 3—First live coast-to-coast 

color-program, also first color fi’m 
sent coast-to-coast. 

. Nov. 22—“Comedy Hour” be¬ 
comes first sponsored program to 
be colorcast. 

1954 

Sept. 12—“Satins & Spurs” is 
first spectacular, opening new 
Brooklyn color studios. 

1955 

Jan. 7—NBC .purchases first 
UHF station, WKNB-TV, New 
Britain, subject to FCC approval. 

March 7—“Peter Pan” telecast in 
color to estimated 65,000,000 audi¬ 
ence. 

March 2f—New color studios 
open in Burbank. 

June 27—NBC preems “Wide 
Wide World,” with remote pickups 
from all over the.U. S. and neigh¬ 
boring countries. 

Oct. 31—First full-hour daytime 
color program, “Matinee Theatre,” 
preems. 

Nov. 7—NBC announces $12,000,- 
000 color facilities expansion pro¬ 
gram. 

Dec. 29—NBC.buys second UHF 
station, WBUF-TV, Buffalo. 

1956 

April 15—WNBQ, Chicago, be¬ 
comes world’s first all-color sta¬ 
tion. 

Sept. 15 —- Ziegfeld Theatre, 
N. Y:, opens as newest NBC color* 
studio. 

Oct. 23—First on-the-air test of 
video magnetic tape, a musical se¬ 
quence-in color, on the “Jonathan 
Winters Show.” 

Nov. 1—NBC ups colorcasting 
schedule to 55 hours a month. 

Nov. 5—NBC announces new 
$3,500,000 program for further 
color expansion. I 


. Sarnoff Souvenirs 

Two tiptop souvenirs of Gen¬ 
eral David Sarnoff’s golden an¬ 
niversary dinner at the Wal¬ 
dorf-Astoria, N. Y., last Sept. 
30, commemorating his 5,0 
years of service to radio, tele¬ 
vision and electronics, have 
just been circulated to quests 
at the event. 

A souvenir booklet, contain¬ 
ing the address by the chair¬ 
man of the board of the Radio 
Corp. of America, telegraphic 
. and cable felicitations to Gen. 
Sarnoff, citations, presenta¬ 
tion addresses and press edi¬ 
torials and reports of the cele¬ 
bration, has been compiled by 
Orrin E. Dunlap Jr. 

The other memento is an 
anthology of old Victor Talk¬ 
ing Machine C®. recordings, 
made 50 years ago when Sar¬ 
noff first joined the old_ Mar- _ 
" coni Wireless Co. of America 
as a $5.5Q-a-week office boy, 
which RCA president Frank 
Folsom blew .up electroni¬ 
cally,' in presentation album 
form, for friends of Gen. Sar¬ 
noff and other VIPs. 


NBC Cops 11 Out of 20 


’Requiem’s’ Clean Sweep 

NBC took 11 of the 20 network 
prizes in the annual Sylvania Tele¬ 
vision Awards last week, with the 
web in virtually every case triumph¬ 
ing in the entertainment category 
as compared with CBS* concentra¬ 
tion on news and public -service 
in its eight awards. ABC placed 
only once, but won a special cita¬ 
tion for its convention coverage; 
NBC took two citations, _orte for, 
convention coverage and the other 
a special award to prez Robert W. 
Sarnoff for his “outstanding con¬ 
tribution to music on television” 
rel; ive to the “NBC . Opera 
Theatre.” 

In-the dramatics field, Rod Serl- 
ing took the top prize a second 
year running (last year it was 
“Patterns”) with his “Requiem for 
a Heavyweight,” presented this fall 
on “/Playhouse 90” on CBS. “Re¬ 
quiem” scored a sweep in the act¬ 
ing department too, with Jack Pa- 
lance getting the outstanding per¬ 
formance nod and Ed Wynn the 
best supporting actor. The George 
Roy Hill-John Whedon adaptation 
of Walter Lord’s “A Night to Re¬ 
member” was voted'the best tele 1 
vision adaptation, as contrasted 
with “Requiem’s” “best original” 
classification. “Night” was a “Kraft 




EXTENDS 


Heartiest Congratulations 

NBC 

From The Entire Staff 
and Management of m 

His Three NBC Affiliate Babies / 


TELEVISION 


RADIO 



TELEVISION 






THE EYES AND EARS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST 



10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 
' 2 to 4:30 p.m. 

7 p.m. 


7 to 10 a.m. 


.9 to 3 p.m. 


Here’s how a Miami Beach-type agenda reads (in this instance 
the NBC 30th anni powwow starting today (Wed.) at the resort’d 
new Americana Hotel: 

WEDNESDAY 
(Dec, 121 

. Registration of Convention Guests. 

Ladies’'Shopping Tour Lincoln Road, 
(transportation provided)' - 
Open House-^Grand Ballroom. 

THURSDAY 
(Dec. 13) 

Telecast of “Today” program with Dave 
Garroway, Jack Lescoulie, Helen O'Connell, 
Frank Blair, J. Fred Mug&s and invited 
personalities; to originate from the pool of 
the. Americana Hotel. 

NBC Men’s Golf Tournament—La Gorce 
Country Club. 

~T^dles^^aricingXlas^Americana Pool. 
Fashion Show—Lunch—Floridian Room. 
Yacht trip through Miami Waterways. 
Bingo-—Americana Pool. 

NBC Cocktail party reception for affiliates 
and other convention guests Starlite Patio. 
NBC Affiliates .Dinner—Robert W. Sarnoff 
' will be guest of honor. Governor LeRoy 1 
Collins of Florida will welcome the conven¬ 
tion guests—Grand Ballroom. 

FRIDAY 
• (Dec. 14) 

NBC “Today” telecast from Americana Pool. 
Ladies’. Golf Tournament—La Gorce Coun¬ 
try Club. ^ 

Ladies’ Dancing Class—Americana Pool, 

NBC Business Meeting with Affiliates— 
Closed meetings—Westward Room. ° 

NBC Luncheon—Grand Ballroom—General 
Sarnoff will be honored for his contributions 
to broadcasting. , ^ ~" 

Ladies’ Shopping Tour Lincoln Road, 
o(transportation provided) 

Ladies’ Bridge, Canasta, Gin Rummy Tour¬ 
naments—Americana Pool. 

NBC Affiliates—Closed Meeting—Westward 
Room. 

Cocktail Party—Starlite Patio. 

Lobster Roast-—Beefsteak Barbecue—Amer¬ 
icana Pool. 

“Tonight” Show, starring Steve Allen orig¬ 
inating from the Americana Pool. Stevt 
Allen, Gene Rayburn, Skltch Henderson, 
and others in his regular cast will be fea¬ 
tured in addition to other NBC stars. 

SATURDAY 
(Dec. 15) 

Morning and early afternoon will be fres 
for organized fishing,, boating and other ac¬ 
tivities. 

Buffet—Starlite Patio. 

“Perry Como Sho^y” will originate in the 
Grand Ballroom. Perry plays host to guests 
including Groucho Marx, Jo Stafford, John¬ 
nie Ray, Steve‘Alien, Melinda Marx. 

Doors close promptly at 7:50 p.m. 

Cocktails—Starlite Patio. 

NBC Supper Dance—Formal—Grand Ball¬ 
room. 


Tff-ftrt0:30 a m. 
11:30 to 2:30 p.m. 
2:30 to 5:30 p.m. 
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. 
7 p.m. 

'8 p.in. 


7 to 10 a.m. 

* 9 to 12 (Noon) 

10:30 to 11 a.m. 
11:00 to 12 (Noon) 

12:30 p.m. 


2:45. to 5:45 p.m. 
3:00 to 5:00 p.m. 
3:00 to 5:00 p.m. 

8 p.m. 

9 p.m. 

11:30 to 1 a.m. 


5:30 lo 7:30 p.m. 
7:30 to 9:00 p.m. 


9:15 to 10:15 p.m. 
10:30 p.m. 


Theatre” presentation on NBC, and 
took second prize, “best technical 
production.” 

Gracij Fields took the top per¬ 
formance by an actress award for 
her “U. S. Steel Hour” version of 
‘The Old Lady Shows Her Medals” 
(slated fpr a repeat next Tuesday 
18). Joan Lorring won the best 


supporting actress award for her 
performance in “The Corn Is 
Green” on NBC’s “Hallmark Hall 
of Fame.” Best comedy show wa* 
taken by Ernie Kovacs on “To¬ 
night” (he’s due to go off after the 
first of the year to make way for 
a new format). Best new series 
(Continued on page 43) 


WE’RE PROUD TO BE AFFILIATED! 



w trf ■ tv 



WHEELING 7, WEST VIRGINIA 


Reaching a Market—that’s Reaching New Importance! 












Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


P^KiEfr 


RADIO-TELEVISION 43 


SEATTLE STATIONS IN 
NEW AFTRA PACTS 

Seattle, Dec. 11. 

Seattle local of the American 
Federation of Television and Radio 
Artists has made an agreement 
with four radio stations here for 
a new contract that will run until 
April, 1959. 

Agreement was reached after 
local and Seattle Central Labor 
Council’ had okayed strike action. 
Weekly base pay of $115 for staff 
announcers, retroactive to Oct. 1, 
will increase to $117.50 on Oct. 1, 
1957. Nine months later scale 
moves up to $120. 

The Contract also stipulates em- 
ployes working fewer than 30 hours 
a week will be paid as fuliiime em- 
..ployes and will share in vacation, 
sick leave and vacation pay, plus 
a 15-cent hourly premium above 
base pay. 

Four stations covered are KING, 
KOMO, KIRO and KJR. Indie 
KXA also frill go along on new 
scale. 


Chi Radio 

C=5S Continued fr^m page 26 

semblence of programming balance 
while accommodating as much 
business as possible has never been 
more troublesome.. 

WBftM Top Grosser 

As has been the case for decades, 
CBS’ WBBM continues as the 
Windy City’s top grosser. Veep H. 
Leslie Atlass reports the station 
has registered a 20.72% increase 
in sales volume so far this year 
and is heading for its biggest year 
in its 33-year.history. For a period 
last fall business was so good a 
brief selling “moratorium” was 
effected to -give the traffic depart¬ 
ment time to sort out and schedule 
the flood of orders. 

Indie WIND, generally recog¬ 
nized as one of the most lucrative 
operations in the country, is giv¬ 
ing WBBM a nip and tuck race in 
annual billings. Best measure of 
WIND’S earning power is the fact 
that Westinghouse Broadcasting 
was willing to swap parent com¬ 
pany stock worth $5,300,000 for 
ownership of the indie, WBC takes 
over Dec. 21 but Ralph Atlass con¬ 
tinues as -general manager and 
John yarej as sales manager. • 

Latter states that '56 will be 
another record smashing year for 
WIND with a 10% hike in sales 
volume anticipated. 

Another independent, WCFL, 
owned by the Chicago Federation 
of Labor, has come up fast the 
past three years under the steward¬ 
ship of general manager Marty 
Hogan< Here too, '56 will be the 
top year in the station’s 30-year 
career. Hogan says billings are up 
approximately 26%, with an espe¬ 
cial increase in national biz. 

WCFL’s bis bonanza is its year 
around sports package, anchored 
by the White Sox baseball airers. 
Bundle fetches in $670,000 annu¬ 
ally from the four rotating spon¬ 
sors—Oklahoma ■ Oil, General Ci¬ 
gar, General Finance and Anheus¬ 
er-Busch. 

WGN, which severed its long¬ 
time association with Mutual, last 
August to freewheel as an indie, 
scored a 7% boost in volume the 
first 10 months of the year, accord¬ 
ing tp sales manager William Mc- 
Guineas. He expects the final fig¬ 
ure Will be closer to 10% when the 
November and December business 
is tallied. 

The .Chicago Tribune station has 
been • ungrading its operation the 
past six months. One of the first 
moves made by Ward Quaal when 
h took over as veepee of WGN 
Inc. was to close the doors to mail 
order; and PI patronage. 

Although reluctant to disclose 
the station’s trend for the year, 
WMAQ assistant general manager 
Henry Sjogren.points out the NBC 
plant had its biggest months in its 
history during September and Oc¬ 
tober. 

Similar bullish report comes 
from WLS, jointly owned by ABC 
and the Prairie Farmer publishing 
interests. Prexy’ James Edwards 
states the business trend has been 
up all during '56, with every indi¬ 
cation it will continue next year. 

WAAF manager Tom Davis says 
his daytimer had some of the big¬ 
gest months ever the * past year. 
Likewise, WJJD chief Fred Harms 
asserts the Plough-owned daytimer 
has hit an Historical peak the past 
few month'-. 


| Ole Morby to Mutual 

OleG. Morby, former member 
of the management group at CBS, 
has joined Mutual as business man¬ 
ager, a newly-created post. 

Reporting directly to MBS presi¬ 
dent John B. Poor, Morby will su¬ 
pervise the servicing of clients in 
national and regional ad* cam¬ 
paigns. As business manager, he 
also will function as sales liaison 
between the ' net’s affiliates and 
the national sales organization, 
headed by'Wendell B. Campbell. 

Morby, who had been with CBS 
for 14 years, functioned as man¬ 
ager of station relations in his last 
CBS assignment. 


McNAMEE AWARD 

FOR TED HUSING 

Ted Husing, who is seriously ill, 
is the next recipient of the an¬ 
nual Graham MCNamee Memorial 
Award given by the Sports Broad¬ 
casters Assn.. Husing founded the 
sportsgabber group in 1941. 

Award will be made at the an¬ 
nual dinner .of the Assn, at a din¬ 
ner on Jan. 31 at the Roosevelt 
Hotel in N. Y. McNamee Award 
was established in 1948, and past 
winners are Branch Rickey, Joe 
DiMaggio, A. B. (Happy) Chand¬ 
ler, Herman Hickman, Ford Frick, 
Rocky Marciano, Casey Stengel, 
Leo Durocher, Walter Alston and 
the late Babe Didrickson Zaharias. 


Sylvania Awards 

S—^ Continued from vase 42 ■■ 

was “Kaiser Aluminum Hour,” best 
dramatic series “Kraft Theatre,” 
best variety series “The Ed Sul¬ 
livan Show” and best educational 
series “Omnibus,” ABC’s sole 
winner. 

Other winners: 

Serious musical series: “NBC 
Opera Theatre.” 

Light musical production:. “The 
Bachelor” (NBC). 

Documentary: “Project 2(f” 
(NBC). 

Human Interest program: “The 
'Long Way Home;” on “Robert 
Montgomery Presents” (NBC). 

Local educational ... program:. 
“Journey,” KNXT, Los Angeles.; 

Public service program: “Out 
of Darkness” (CBS). 

Local public service: WPIX, N.Y., 
for its coverage of the United Na¬ 
tions sessions on the Middle East 
crisis. 

Network news and special events: 
“See. It Now” (CBS). 

Local news and special events: 
“Deadline,” KOMO-TV, Seattle: 

Children’s program: “Captain 
Kangaroo” (CBS). 

Local children’s program: “Big 
Brother Bob Emery,” WBZ-TV, 
Boston. ’ ’ /r ‘ 

Women’s show. “Matinee "Thea-t 
tre” (NBC). 


Canada’s Progressive Conservative 
Party In TV Hassle On Convention 


Ottawa, Dec. 11. 

Canada’s official government op¬ 
position, the Progressive Conserv¬ 
ative party, is in a double-headed 
hassle witl. the Canadian Broad¬ 
casting Corp. over CBC’s arrange¬ 
ments to put the PC national con-" 
vention on its television web. The 
convention, set for three days be¬ 
ginning tomorrow (Wed.) will be 
held in Ottawa primarily to elect 
a new leader to replace George 
Drew, who resigned because of ill 
health. 

Recalling CBC’s extensive- video 
coverage of the recent United 
States political conventions, PC 
party headquarters issued a state¬ 
ment blasting CBC for deciding to 
keep “Kraft Theatre” on schedule 
(9 p.m., Wed.) and not give that 
or any other tv time to the con¬ 
vention’s keynote speech by Rob¬ 
ert Stanfield, premier of Nova 
Scotia. JPC headquarters terms it 
“discrimination” and concludes 
“CBC considers television coverage 
of an American convention or a 
dramatic program originating in 
the United States to be of more 
importance, than the coverage of a 
convention of one of Canada’s two 
major political parties.” 

' CBC replied that extensive cov¬ 
erage of the PC convention was 


scheduled, the entire airing plan 
worked out some time ago by the 
CBC “in close and friendly con¬ 
sultation with representatives of 
the party, giving full weight to the 
priorities mentioned by these rep¬ 
resentatives and to practical tele¬ 
vision considerations. The plans 
were accepted on behalf of the 
party.” 

CBS said the PC party was “un¬ 
fair in comparing’-the television 
time planned for the convention 
with the total time over a period 
of months to the overall American 
election, including conventions and 
reporting of the results." CBC be¬ 
lieved a better comparison would 
be with its coverage of the U.S. 
conventions, when CBC gave a 
total of two hours to the Repub¬ 
lican convention, one, hour to the 
President’s speech, the other in 
four separate 15-minute roundups 
late at night. 

This is the second hassle. CBC 
has had with the party over its 
convention. The first came last 
week when CBC said it was not 
going to carry the convention’s 
opening “parade of the provinces” 
because the- corporation would 
have to pay big fees to hired hands 
in the convention hall, the fees not 
paid by the PC party. 


f "??**** "' 'i 




1926-1956 



SliSXl 






so 1 ’!' <*l> WC v \ * " * ^ 
t , * ,'V 


lllii 

|3?} 


salute the 


NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY 

on its 

THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY 


As one of NBC's original affiliates, KSD takes particular 
pleasure in joining with the entire industry in saluting the 
National Broadcasting Company. 

We're proud of the part we played in the growth of NBCi 
For three decades, we have built a large, loyal audience 
for NBC programs throughout the St. Louis area. 

Our association with NBC through 30 memorable years in 
radio and almost 10 years in television has been such as 
to make us look forward, with pleasant anticipation, to a 
continuation of that relationship for many years to come. 














**3 


44 


<TV<I11<MS 


P&tOEff 


Vedneflday, December 12» X956 



ABB FEATDBE FILM CHART 


Variety’s weekly chart, based on ratings furnished by American Research Bu¬ 
reau's latest reports, on feature films and their competition covers 120 cities. Each 
week, the 10 top-rated features in a particular city trill be rotated. 

Factors which would assist distributors, agencies, stations and advertisers in 
determining the effectiveness of a feature show in a specific market have been 
included in this Variety chart. Listed below is such pertinent information regarding 
features as their stars, release year, original production company and the present 
distributor, included wherever possible along with the title . Attention should be paid 
to such factors as the time and day, the high and low ratings for the measured 


feature period and share of audience, since these factors reflect the effectiveness 
of the feature, and audience composition, i.e. a late show at 11:15 p.m. would hardly 
have any children viewers, 4 but its share of audience may reflect dominance in that 
time period. In the cities where stations sell their feature programming on a multi* 
stripped basis utilizing the same theatrical throughout the week, a total rating for the 
total number of showings for the week is given, the total rating not taking into account 
the duplicated homes factor. Barring unscheduled switches in titles, the listed features 
for the particularly rated theatrical filmed dhow are as accurate as could be ascer¬ 
tained from a multiplicity of station and other data. 


CHICAGO 

- 


TOP 10 TITLES AND OTHER DATA 

TIME SLOT 

ARB 

RATING 

1. LES MISERABLES— 

Frederic March, Charles Laughton; 
1935; 20th Century Fox; NTA, 

Courtesy Theatre: 
Sun. Nov. 11 
10:00-12:00 a.m. 

' WGN 

26,4 

2. . MRS. MHtE— 

Evelyn Keyes, Dick Powell; 1949; 
United Artists; M & A Alexander. 

Courtesy Theatre: 
ThurS. Nov. 8 
10:00-12:00 a.m. 

WGN 

18.1 

3. SILENT RAIDERS— 

Richard Bartlett, Earl Lyon; 1954; 
Lippert Productions; Tele-Pictures. 

Mages Playhouse: 

Mon. Nov. 12 
10:00-11:30 p.m. 
WGN 

17.9 

4. COWBOY AND THE BLONDE— Community Playhouse: 

George Montgomery, Mary Beth Hughes; Fri. Nov. 9 

1941; 20th Century Fox; NT A. * 10:00-11:25 p.m. 

WGN 

15.8 

5. ROOM 109—HOTEL REGINA— 

Title Changed from “Amiable Lady”; 
Peter Beauvais, Richard Ney; 1954; 
Princess Pictures;, Flamingo. 

Request Playhouse 
Wed. Nov. 14 
10:00-11:30 p.m. 

WGN 

- • 12.4 

6. BLUE, WHITE & PERFECT— 

Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes; 1942; 
20th Century Fox; NTA. - 

8 O’clock Theatre: 
Sun. Nov. 11 
8:00-9:30 p.m. 

WGN 

11.9 

7. MASTER PLAN— < 

Wayne Morris; 1955; Astor Pictures; 
Atlantic Television. 

Family Theatre 

Sat. Nov. 10 
10:00-11:30 p.m. 

WGN 

7.5 

8. DIAMOND JIM— 

Edward Arnold, Binnie Barnes; 1935; 
Universal; Hygo-Unity. ’ 

Motion Piet. Academy: 
Tues. Nov. 13 
10 m) 0-11:45 p.m. 

WGN 

6.9 

9. AFRICA SCREAMS— 

Abbott & Costello; 1949; United Artists; 
M & A Alexander. 

Feature Film: 

Sun. Nov. 11 
4:00-5:30 p.m. 

WGN 

6.2 

10. THE RED HOUSE— 

Edward G. Robinson, Lon McAllister; 
1947; United Artists; Major Television. 

Two for Tonight: 

Sat. Nov. 10 
12:00-1:30 a.m. 

° WBBM 

3.5 

SEATTLE 



1. HOME SWEET HOMICIDE— 

Peggy Ann Gardner, Lynn Bari; 1946; 
20th Century Fox; NTA. 

Major Studio: 

Fri. Nov. 9 
10:00-11:30 p.m. 
KOMO 

14.2 

2. HER HIGHNESS & THE BELLBOY— 
Hedy Lamarr, Robert Walker, June* 
Allyson; 1945-46; MGM; MGM-TV. 

Command Perform.: 
Wed. Nov. 14 
10:45-1:00 a.m. 

KING 

13.9 

2. STRIKE UP THE BAND— 

Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney; 1940-41; 
MGM; MGM-TV. 

Command Perform.: 

Sat. Nov. 10 
10:30-12:45 a.m. 

KING * 

13.9 

4. FARMER’S DAUHTER— 

Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten; 1947; 
Selznick Studio; NTA. 

Command Perform.: 
Thurs. Nov. & 
10:45-12:30 a.m. 

KING 

* 13.8 

5. COMRADE X— 

Hedy Lamarr, Clark Gable; 1940-41; 
MGM; MGM-TV. 

Command Perform.: 
Mon. Nov. 12 
10:45-12:30 a.m. 

KING 

12.8 

6. SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS— 

Lana Turner, Robert Young; 1942-43; 
MGM, MGM-TV. 

Command Perform.* 

Sun. Nov. 11 
11:00-12:45 a.m. 

KING 

11.7 

7. TONIGHT AT 8:30— 

Kay Walsh, Stanley Holloway; 1952; 

J. Arthur Rank; ABC-TV Net. 

Famous Film Festival: 
Sat. Nov. 10 
7:30-9:00 p.m. 

KING 

10.9 

8. PARADINE CASE— 
a Gregory Peck, Ann Todd; 1948; 

Selznick Studio; NTA. 

Command Perform.: 
Tues. Nov. 13 
10:45-12:45 a.m. 

KING 

10.6 

9. DOCTOR TAKES A WIFE— 

Loretta Young, Ray Milland; 1940; 
Columbia; Screen Gems. 

Armchair Theatre: 

Sun. Nov. 11 
2:00-3:30 p.m. 

KING 

9.6 

10. FOXES OF HARROW— 

Maureen O'Hara, Rex Harrison; 1947; 
20th Century Fox; NTA. 

Curtaintime: 

Sat. Nov. 10 
11:05-1:15 a.m. 

KOMO 

9.5 




SHARE OP 

NOVEMBER, 1956 


■ ARB 

HIGH 

LOW 

AUDIENCE 

TOP COMPETING SHOWS 


RATING 

28.8 

19.7 

84.8 

News, Sports & Weather. 

WBBM 

.14.3 




News—Dreir; Sports ... 

.WNBQ 





Family Star Theatre.;.. 

WBBM 


21.3 

11.6 

"64.2 

Standard News Roundup. 

WBBM 





Beatty; Sports; D. Conners... 

WNBQ 





Championship Bowling . 

WNBQ 





Tonight . . 

WNBQ 


18.9 

' .16.7 

57.3 

Standard News Roundup..... 

.WBBM 





Beatty; Sports; D. Conners... 

WNBQ . 





‘News—Harrington .,. 

.WBBM 





Chicago Story, .. 

.WBBM 





Tonight .. 

WNBQ . 


16.4 

15.4 " 

42.0 

Standard News Roundup .... 

WBBM 





Beatty; Sports* D. Connors... 

WNBQ . 





». Federal Men ... 

.WBKB . 





Tonight .T. 

WNBQ . 


14.0 

11.0 

37.1 

Weatherman; Beatty . 

.WNBQ . 





. “Beatty; Sports; D. Connors... 

.WNBQ . 





Foreign Intrique . 

.WBKB . 





Tonight . 

WNBQ . 

.. 6.7 

12.7 

10.8 

19.7 

G. E. Theatre .... 

WBBM 





Alfred Hitchcock Presents... 

WBBM 





$64,000 Challenge .......... 

.WBBM 


7.8 

7.3 

12.4 

Secret Journal . 

WNBQ . 





Science Fiction Theatre . 

7WNBQ . 





Championship Bowling . 

WNBQ . 


8.4 

3.0 

24.5 

Standard News Roundup. 

.WBBM 





Studio 57 .. 

.WBKB 





Championship Bowling . 

WNBQ . 

.. 8.9 




Tonight . 

WNBQ . 


7.0 

5.4 

20.9 

Wide Wide World. 

.WNBQ . 





Sky Kings .. 

.WBKB . 





Cisco Kid . 

.WBKB . 

...9.7 

3.8 

3.2 

42.8 

Midnight Matinee . 

WNBQ . 



15.2 

12.7 

46.8 

Line-Up . 

.. KTNT .. 





World Today tk Weather ... 
Command Performance—It 

..KING .. 





Happened in Brooklyn.... 

..KING .. 

.13.9 

17.1 

8.5 

78.6 

Waterfront . 

, .KOMO . 

.10.1 




Favorite Story ’. 

. KOMO . 

.2.5 




Tonight . 

..KOMO . 


17,1 

7.3 

46.5 

Yout* Hit Parade . 

..KOMO . 

.19.9 




Paul-Ford; Curtaintime .... 

..KOMO . 



15.5 

9.2 

70.1 

Lux Video Theatre ...., 

Playhouse 90 . . 

Favorite Story .... 

Tonight .. 

.KOMO . 

.KTNT .. 

.KOMO . 

.KOMO . 

.13.6 

14.9 

10.1 

-77.1 

Our Miss Brooks . 

Color Fair .... 




12.7 

9.8 

80.0 

Late Show . 


..... 1.7 




Meet the Press . 

.KOMO ... 

..... 3.7 




Sunday News Special, 


.3.8 

15.2 

7.6 

17.2 

People Are Fi nny . 


.37.7 


Perry Como ...KOMO .38.8 


12.3 

6.6 

70.3 

Break the $250,000 Bank... 

Report From Israel ... 

Favorite Story .... 

Late Show .. 

...KOMO 
...KTNT .... 
...KOMO ... 
...KTNT .... 

.12.3 

. 1.7 

10.4 

6.5 

37.4 

Pro-Football .... 

...KTNT .... 



11.7 

7.9 

38.7 

Command Performance— 


- 




Strike Up the Band __ 

.. KING .... 

....13.9 




Nightcap: P,rayer & Hymn.. 

..KING 

.... 2.2 


















































































































Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


WasiOFi 


TV-FILMS 


45 


HALF-HOUR HOLDS THE FORT 


WCBS-TTs 7-NHe Pix Pull-12,750' 

A total audience of approximately 12,750,000 persons watched 
the N. Y. television showings of the Metro and Columbia backlogs 
on WCBS-TV’s “The Late Show” over a seven-night span from 
Saturady (1) to Friday (7), the first week of the Metro showings on 
the station. Many of those 12,750,000 comprised duplications, but 
the average nightly audience for the 11:15 p.m. to 1:30 (or later) 
a.m. screenings was over 1,920,000 persons per night. 

Data involves projections from the nightly Trendex ratings of 
the features, which averaged out for the seven nights to 20.2. 
With a N.Y. television set count of 4,800,000, this means that 
960,000 tv homes watched each show, and with a conservative two 
vi ewers per hom^_the.-Jiightly-audieRC-e- camc to - L DSKIbOOOr HEx-'' 
panded over a seven-night span and including duplication, the 
week’s total came to 12,750,000. No data is available yet on the 
amount of duplication of audience—that is, how many viewers 
watched more than one picture and were counted m’ore than once 
to make up the grand total of 12,750,000. 

Highest-rated picture of the bunch was the first, “Command 
Decision,” which in its Saturday showcase pulled a"28.4 rating. 
Second best was Friday’s “Johnny Eager,” with a 25.4 rating, while 
“Random Harvest” on Monday was next with a 21.1. Others were 
“Come Eive With Me,” Sunday^ 18.9; “Sahara,” Tuesday, 15.3; 
“Above Suspicion,” Wednesday, 16.3; and “Together Again,” 
Thursday, 15.8. In every case, “The Late Show” easily exceeded 
- the combined competition of all six other N.Y. stations 

Station’s other feature slot showcasing the Metro and Columbia 
product, “The Early Show,” didn’t do as well in its 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
slot, averaging out in its Monday-Friday showings to a 10.6 rating. 

On all days but the last, Friday, it topped the competition, but 
WABC-TV pulled ahead on Friday by a score of 9.4 to 9.1 for 
“Early Show's” “Once Upon a Time.” High for the week was “A 
Night at the Opera,” on Wednesday, with a 13.0 average. Other / 
scores: “They Met in Bombay,” Monday, 12.0; “Act of Violence,” 
Tuesday, 9.4; “Calling Dr. Kildare,” Thursday, 9.3. 


TV High? It’s Those Location Shots 


Castle’s Breakdown on That 40G Tab For 
Ziv’s ‘Men of Annapolis’ Series 


Telefilm producers must be pre¬ 
pared to boost production budgets 
as much as 35% over average stu¬ 
dio-made skein costs, if they are 
seeking the authenticity of location 
production, according to Ziv pro¬ 
ducer director William Castle, cur¬ 
rently. working on the “Men of 
Annapolis” series. 

The heavy location work, he 
feels, gives the skein a built-in 
“plus value” needed in today’s 
highly competitive telefilm market. 
With “MOA” units making month¬ 
ly flying trips from Hollywood to 
Annapolis, Md., for shooting, the 
series is the most expensive ven¬ 
ture yet launched by Ziv for the 
syndicated market, with each epi¬ 
sode running up a cost of an esti¬ 
mated $40,000. 

Indicative of how costs add up 
is the monthly travel tab. Union 
and talent contracts call specifical¬ 
ly for first class air travel for the 
average group of 35 technicians, 
crew members and actor leads. 
Costs for this, plus the air-freight 
charges monthly for nearly five 
tons of lights, sound equipment, 
etc., now runs between $10,000 and 
$15,000 every 30 days, to be bud¬ 
geted against, three or four epi¬ 
sodes wrapped up by Castle and 
his unit on each Annapolis trip. 

In addition, there is a whole 
array of “extra” charges as the 
unit follows the midshipment on 
the sea, undersea, on the athletic 
fields and at nights^ 

The payoff for the high produc¬ 
tion values, Castle maintains, is 
the fast sell off of the skein by Ziv 
in a tough market, with 100 mar¬ 
kets sold in a two-month period. 


20th TV Propping 
Satevepost Series 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

TCF-TV (20th subsid) is ready¬ 
ing a new anthology series, “Best 
of Saturday Evening Post,” with 
initialler, “Marriage, That Couldn’t 
Succeed,” slated to roll this week. 
Stories in the weekly mag will be 
selected and produced by the Rob¬ 
ert Eriders Agency of Washington 
to be sold for outright sponsorship. 

Robert Friend, of the agency, 
produces with Ted Post directing 
the initialler which stars June 
Lockhart with Bryan Hutton and 
Rhys Williams. It’s targeted for 
this season as a possible replace¬ 
ment. ‘ Many ofjthe shows will be 
shot away from Hollywood with 
Post to direct as many as his cur¬ 
rent schedule permits. 


’Doctor Mike’ to Roll 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

“Doctor. Mike,” a new telefilm 
series by Bryan Foy Productions 
for Screen Gems, goes into produc¬ 
tion Tuesday (18). Harold Greene 
will produce and Oscar Rudolph 
will direct, with Keith Andes 
slated to star in the title role. 

Prior to production, the Amer¬ 
ican Medical Association? extended 
its seal of approval to the project. 


Triangle in New 
Million 


Deal for WB Pix 

The four Triangle tv stations 
made another multi-million-dollar 
feature film purchase, buying from 
Associated Artists Productions the 
entire 754 pic Warner library. 
AAP is expected to receive partial 
payment from the station chain by 
participating in profits from the 
sale of the features to advertisers, 
thus giving the distrib its second 
major profit-sharing coup in a 
week. 

Signing with Triangle followed 
by a few days the profit-sharing 
pact with WGN-TV, Chicago. 
Newer deal, for WFIL. Philadel¬ 
phia; WNBF, Binghamton, N. Y.; 
WFBG, Altoona, Pa., and WNHC, 
New Haven, covers a several-year 
period, according to AAP. Sta¬ 
tions will begin the Warner pix in 
prime time shortly after the first 
of the year, the distrib further 
declared. 

Now Triangle has almost 3,000 
new-to-tv films to play with. Com¬ 
pany had previously bought the 
RKO; Metro, 20th Fox and several 
other films. Also at an earlier date 
—Warners deal was pacted Friday 
ct7)—Triangle bought the supply 
of Warners cartoons from AAP. 


More ’Grief Sales 

Fourth regional on Guild’s “Cap¬ 
tain David Grief” telefilmer has 
signed for a February start. Within 
a few days of the 40-market buy 
by D-X Sunday Oil, Pearl Brewery 
of Texas bought Houston and Dal¬ 
las and has optioned six other 
southwest markets for the / half- 
hour syndicated skein. 

Show is sold ifi 78 markets, 


FEATURE INROADS 
NEGLIGIBLE: TPA 

While the rash of major studio 
feature libraries has caused a great 
deaL of excitement in the industry 
“as any new programming form 
does,” the prophets of doom who 
are already PQiinting._aiiL-t he half —} 
hour syndicated program have at 
best made only a casual examina¬ 
tion of the picture. That’s the 
opinion of Michael M. Sillerman, 
exec v.p. of Television Programs 
of America. Sillerman cites the 
following points to support his con¬ 
tention that the half-hour film 
show is here to stay, features or 
not: 

1. No syndicated film sponsors, 
national, regional or otherwise, 
have dropped their telefilms and 
bought into features. In fact, Sil- 
lerman's dealt with some who’ve 
been forced out of their time peri¬ 
ods by feature programming but 
have refused to buy features and 
stayed with half-hours in other 
time periods. 

2. Those national and local spon¬ 
sors who have bought feature pro¬ 
gramming fall into two categories, 
those with special problems, like 
Colgate in the Los Angeles mar¬ 
ket, and those who had been buy¬ 
ing participations or feature spots 
before and have expanded their 
budgets. 

3. As long as feature films are 
multiple-sponsored, as the top 
libraries must be in the vast ma¬ 
jority of cases, there’s no substi¬ 
tute for the sponsor identification 
to be gained from a half-hour spon¬ 
sorship. Moreover, features of¬ 
fer no merchandising or exploita¬ 
tion opportunities for the adver¬ 
tiser, whereas the half-hour film 
abounds with them. 

4. The first wave of sales in the 
feature market have"* been con- j 
eluded, and now the real test will j 
come—getting into the markets I 
other than the top 25. Sillerman | 
wonders whether the feature tide: 
hasn’t passed its crest. 

5. In the face of all the feature 
fanfare, the half-hour syndicators 
never had it so good. Never, for 
example, have the syndicators been 
able to turn over a new show so 
quickly, getting off the negative 
hook in a matter of weeks- in terms 
of contracts written, instead of 
months and even years as in the 
past. Sillerman cites cases like 
ziv’s “Dr. Christian” and “Anna¬ 
polis Story,” TPA’s own “Last of 

(Continued on page 48) 


Screen Gems’ Top Distrib Status 
With Acquisition of Hygo-Unity 


The Eyes Have It 

Shortly before WCBS-TV, 
N, Y., launched its Metro 
pictures, it made a bid to one 
agency- - tor- move—some" spot" 
business from another station 
over to its Metro showcasers, 
the 5:30-7 p.m. “Early Show” 
and the 11:15 p.m.-to-l:30 a.m. 
“Late Show.” Agency at the 
time refused, but after the 
Metro pix preemed last week 
with bombshell effect, called 
the station and asked whether 
there were still availabilities. 
WCBS-TV said yes, and ar¬ 
ranged a meeting, suggesting 
that it would have its research 
department prepare additional 
rating data. 

Agency exec told the station 
to forget about the additional 
research. “We don’t need the 
ratings. We’ve got our own 
service. All I have to do is 
come in in the morning and 
look around at our girls. 
Every one of them is red-eyed 
from watching the “Late 
Show.” 


Casting Director For 
Filmed TV Corn! Has 
Problems— 1 Take Nancy 

The lot of a casting director for 
filmed tv commercials is not an 
easy one. Take it from Nancy Lit¬ 
tlefield, who holds down that spot 
for Screen Gems. 

Her complaint is that many an 
actor and actress conveniently for¬ 
gets when asked if he or she did 
any conflicting, competitive com¬ 
mercial recently. Usually, when a 
deception is tried, someone up the 
line from agency to client, finds 
out, leading to no end of trouble, 
including the blackballing of the 
guilty party at Screen Gemsr 

Another of her beefs concern the 
current accent of a whole list of 
sponsors on personalities with 
freshness and the girl-next-door 
type for their filmed commercial. 
So what happens, she says. Most 
of the applicants when they come 
up to be screened attempt to strike 
an ultra-sophisticated pose, heavily 
made-up, overdressed, and looking 
like anything but the girl-next- 
door variety. The competition for 
the job is tough, Miss Littlefield 
acknowledges, and talent could 
help themselves by watching the 
current commercials. Then, they 
would fall .into fevyer pitfalls. 


More TV Film News 
On Page 47 


Mpls/Iejoo; 

On M-G Library; 
Ratings Pile Up 

Another wow rating report on 
Metro features came out of 
KMGM, Minneapolis, which began 
unreeling the Leo the Lion label 
Saturady (8), as both KTTV, Los 
Angeles, and KTVR, Denver, 
claimed dominant rating positions 
in the time period alloted to Metro 
cinematics. 

In Minneapolis, the opener 
“Honky Tonk,” slotted from 9 to 
11 p.m. Saturday hit a 25.3 Trendex 
average for the period, against a 
14.1 for KSTP, an NBC affiliate, 
a 8.8 for WCCO, CBS, and 3.7 for 
WTCN, ABC. On Sunday t9>; 
KMGM with “Above Suspicion” in 
the same time slot, drew a Trendex 
average of 19.5, against 13.1 for 
KSTP, NBC, the next highest rated 
station for the period. Beaten were 
such shows as the $64,000 Chal¬ 
lenge,” “George Gobel,” “Hit Pa¬ 
rade” -and “Celebrity Playhouse.” 

The kickoff, accompanied by a 
big promotion-exploitation cam¬ 
paign, pulled KMGM from a fourth- 
position to a number one slot. In 
November, its ARB rating for the 
same Saturday and Sunday time 
period was an average 2.4. 

In Los Angeles, KTTV, which is 
slotting a different Metro feature 
each weeknight evening from 10:15 
to midnight, reports a Monday- 
through-Friday average rating for 
the period of 14.1, on the basis of 
a Pulse survey. Its closest com- 
petitor for the time period, on the 
(Continued on page 48) 


ZIV’S HOT ’STRIPS’ ON 
SUBSEQUENT RUNS 

Nearly a three-fold increase in 
sales of Ziv rerun telefilms for use 
as cross-the-board “strips” has 
been scored within the past 12 
months by Economee TV, Ziv sub¬ 
sid handling distribution of sub¬ 
sequent-run properties. 

Trend by tv stations toward the 
use of rerun “strips” has been par¬ 
ticularly strong in the big mar¬ 
kets, according to Pierre Weis, 
newly-appointed general manager 
of the division. In big cities, strip¬ 
ping is frequently set up in verti¬ 
cal as well as horizontal fashion, 
with two or more»half-hour rerun 
shows operating back-to-back style 
while also filling time periods on a 
Monday-through-Friday basis. 

With over 575 half-hours of Ziv 
reruns available now,' Economee 
TV expects to add several addl* 
tional Ziv properties as they be¬ 
come available for rerun syndica¬ 
tion. 


Screen Gems, consummating the 
purchase of Hygo Television and 
its Unity, affiliate, emerges as the 
largest distributor of television 
programming, considering its 10 
network shows, its., -syndicated 
skelnsr arid its swelled library of 
features, cartoons, and serials. Ad¬ 
ditionally, Screen Gems will con¬ 
tinue to draw upon the backlog of 
parent Columbia features which 
have not yet been made available 
to tv. 

The Hygo-Unity acquisition, a 
reflection of the trend toward the 
growth of the “majors” in tv, is 
part of Screen Gems’ fast-moving 
expansion plans, for which it pro¬ 
cured a $5,000,000 loan from First 
National Bank of Boston. Another 
phase of Screen Gems expansion 
plan is the acquisition of station 
interests, for which it appointed 
Robert H. Salk, former syndicated 
sales director. Salk will head up 
the Columbia subsid’s newly-cre¬ 
ated station operations department. 

Neither side would disclose the 
purchase price of the Hygo-Unity 
deal. Included in the acquisition 
are the distribution rights to Hygo- 
Unity’s complete roster of tv prop¬ 
erties, comprising 450 features, 
130 westerns, 156 cartoons and 406 
serials. The Hygo-Unity roster con¬ 
tained a good deal of Columbia 
product which was competitive to 
the Screen Gems product. Includ¬ 
ed in that roster are some 20-odd 
Columbia features, all Wild Bill 
Elliot Columbia westerns and 156 
Columbia cartoons. 

All personnel presently em¬ 
ployed by Hygo-Unity will be ab¬ 
sorbed by Screen Gems, according 
to the integration agreement, in¬ 
cluding Jerome Hyams, president, 
and Roert Seidelma^ who has 
been second in command, Hyams 
under the new setup will function 
as director of syndicated sales, re¬ 
placing Salk. Other assignments 
are being mapped by John H. 
Mitchell, v.p. and general sales 
manager, and Hyams. When the 
integration has been completed in 
about 30 days, the company will 
have a 48-man sales force. 

Screen Gems, now grossing more 
than $16,000,000 annually, will 
have the following programming 
lineup under the newsetup, exclu¬ 
sive of the net shows: 11 syndi¬ 
cated skeins consisting of over 
433 half-hours, 736 features, 216 
cartoons, 706 serials, including 
those recently purchased by Hygo 
from Universal/ and 200 action 
comedies. 

The Columbia subsid also is ac¬ 
tively engaged in new telefilm pro¬ 
duction for national and syndicated 
sales. 


Nestle, MCA TV 
In De Cafe Deal 

MCA TV and Nestle Co. are 
close to a deal under which Nestle 
will guarantee participation buys 
for its DeCafe to stations buying 
MCA TV skeins. 

The MCA TV telefilms to be 
utilized in the deal reportedly will 
vary in market to market, accord¬ 
ing to the list of availabilities in 
the particular city. The projected 
MCA TV-Nestle deal, being nego¬ 
tiated via Dancei-Fitzgerald-Sam- 
ple, highlights a growing flexible 
approach in the selling of syndi¬ 
cated product, an approach stem¬ 
ming from a tough competitive 
market in the field. 

Recently, Official Films inked a 
barter deal with Charles Antell, 
Inc., under which Official skeins 
from a group of five series are 
offered to stations in return for 
Antell spots. The five skeins in the 
group include “My Hero„” “Willie,” 
“Scarlet Pimpernel,” “C o 1 o ri e 1 
March,” and “This Is Your Music.” 
Under the deal, t)fficial and An¬ 
tell have already placed the series 
in 35 markets and expect to reach 
50 markets by the end of the year. 




46 


TV-FILMS 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


PfitelSfY - ARB City-By-City Syndicated Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na¬ 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Rnr • 
eau on a monthly basis. Cities 'will be rotated each week , with the 10 top- 
rated film shows listed in each case , and their competition shown opposi'e. 
All ratings are furnished by 4*?8, based on the latest reports. 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa¬ 
tion about film in each market, w h; rh can he usgd by di&rihntors , o” f '***''* i s. 
stations and clients as an md in d<°*ormimng the effectiveness of a 
show in the specific market. A"ention should be paid to time^-d.ny o**d 


time factors , since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot 9 i.e., a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low fating , may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children , with cor - 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market . Abbre¬ 
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv), adventure; (Ch ), children’s; 
(Co ) 9 , comedy; (Dr) 9 drama; (1)oc) 9 documentary; (Mus), musical; 
(Myst), mystery; (Q) 9 aniz; (Sp) 9 sports; (W ), western; (Worn), 
V'omen’s. Numbered symbols next to c*ntion call letters represent the sta¬ 
tion’s channel; all channels above IS are UHF. Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the notinrtol sponsor for whom the film is aired. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 
AND TYPE 


DAT AMD OCTOBER SHARE SETS IN I TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

STATION DISTRIB. TIME RATING (%) USE I PROGRAM STA. RATING 


PROVIDENCE Approx. Set Count —1,402.0J^« 


Stations—WJAB. (10), WPRO (12) 


1. Highway Patrol (Adv) . 

WJAR ... 

.... Ziv . 


. . 24.6. . .. 

. 65.3. 

.... 37.7 

Do You Trust Your Wife.. 

. WPRO . 

.... 12.2 

2. Sheriff of Cochise (W) . 

WPRO.... 

_NTA . 

.Sat. 7:00-7:30 . 

.. . 18.4_ 

f ... 43.9. 

_41.9 

Ozzie & Harriet. 

.WJAR .. 

...46 7 

3. Superman (Adv) 

WJAR. ... 

.... Flamingo. 


.. . 17.4.... 


_26.3 

Salty Brine’s Shack. 

..WPRO . 

.... 8.5 

4. Annie Oakley (W) . 

WJAR ... 

.... CBS . 


...17.3... 


.... 27.2 

Salty Brine’s Shack. 

..WPRO . 

.... 7.3 


WPRO.... 

.... Ziv . 

.... Wed. 7:00-7:30 .... 

.. .16.0_ 

. 55.8. 

.... 28.7 

Bold Journey . 

..WJAR .. 

...41.6 

6. I Led 3 Lives (Adv). 

. WPRO.... 

.... Ziv.. 

ThurJ 7:00 7 30 . 

.. 45.8 . ... 


.... 31.7 

Laurel & Hardy. 

..WJAR .. 

_14.8 

7. Wild Bill Hickok (W) . 

. WJAR ... 

... Flamingo. 

_Wed. 6:00-6:30 .... 

.. .14.1_ 

. 69.4__ 

_20.3 

Salty Brine’s Shack. 

..WPRO . 

.... 4.5 

8. Victory at Sea (Doc). 

WJAR .. . 

.... NBC . 

.Mon. 10:3041:00 ... 

...12.8 ... 

. 37.5. 

.... 34.1 

Studio One . 

. .WPRO « 

_19.2 

9. I Spy (Myst) . 

. WJAR ... 

.... Guild.,.. 

.Wed. 10:30-11:00 ... 

.. 11.5... 

. 35.6. 

.... 32.3 

20th Century Fox .. 

.. WPRO . 

_19.5 

TO. Secret Journal (Dr) . 

WPRO .... 

....MCA. 

.... Tues. 7-00-7:30 _ 

.. io:s. . . . 

...... 32.4 .... 

.... 31.8 

Adventures of Jim Bowie. 

. ^JAR .. 

. .. .20.9 


ALBANY-SCHENECmDY-TROY Approx . Set Count— ^<95,000 


C WRGB (6), WTRI (35), WCDA (41), WCDB (Satellite 
■ of WCDA, Stations WCDA & WCDB programmed together) 


1. Secret Journal (Dr) ^. .... 

. . WRGB. . .. 

.MCA. ... 

.. Sat. 7:00-7:30 ...V.. 

. . 32.9. 

.... 80.7. 

.... 40.8 

Western Theatre . .. . 

. WCDA .. 

... 7.5 

2. Amos V Andy (Com). 

.. WRGB.... 

.... CBS . 

. . Tues. 7:00-7:30 . 

. 32.5 .... 

.... 83.0. 

.... 39.2 

News; Weather . . 

.WCDA .. 

... 3.8 








CBS News—D. Edwards. 

. WCDA .. 

... 4.2 

2. Death Valley Days (W).... 

. . WRGB.... 

.... McC-E. 

.. Thurs. 7:00-7:30 .... 

. 32.5. 

.... 83.3 .... 

.... 39.0 

Kukla, Fran & Ollie 

.WTRI ... 

... 4.2 








CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.WCDA .. 

... 5.0 

4. Man Called X (Myst) . 

.. WRGB.... 


. . Sat. 11:00-11:30 . 

. 26.9. 

.... 74.8. 

_36.0 

Late Theatre. 

.WCDA .. 

... 5.8 

5. Highway Patrol (Adv) 

..WRGB. 

_Ziv. 

,. . Sun. 1:00-1:30 p.m. . 

. 22.9 

.... 88.8. 

.... 25.8 

Heckle & Jackie. 

.WCDA .. 

... 2.9 

6. Rosemary Clooney (Mus).. 

. . WRGB. 

_MCA. 

...Sat. 6:30-7:00 

22.1. 

.... 74.2. 

.... 29.8 

Western Theatre . 

.WCDA .. 

... 7.3 

7. Buffalo Bill Jr. (W y . 

. . WRGB..... 

_CBS. 

..: Sat. 9:3040:00 a.m . 

. 19.4. 

.♦.. . 74.4. 

_26.1 

Captain Kangaroo ... 

.WCDA .. 

... 6.7 

8. I Led 3 Lives (Adv) . 

.. WCDA. 


... Fri. 9:30-10:00 . 

. 46.5. 

.... 30.9. 

.... 53.4 

Teen Age Barn . 

.WRGB .. 

.. .27.1 

9. Celebrity Theatre (Dr) 

. .WCDA. 


... Tues. 8:30-9:00 . 

. . 16.3. 

.... 30.1. 

.... 54.2 

The Great War. 

. WRGB .. 

...32.3 

10. Range Rider (W) .. 

.. WRGB. 

.... CBS . 

... Sun. 5:30-6:00 . 

. 14.0. 

.... 62.5. 

.... 22.4 

Sagebrush Theatre . 

.WTRI ... 

... 7.1 


SAN DIEGO Approx. Set Count —-400,000 


Stations ■ 


KFMB (8), KFSD (10), XETV (6) 
KNXT (2), KRCA (4), KTLA (5) 


1. Superman (Adv) . 

. KFMB. 


. Mon. 7:00-7:30 .. . 

... 26.0..... 

.... 44.3. 

. 58.6 

Studio One. 

.KNXT .. 

.... 8.0 

,2. Code 3 (Adv) . 

. KFMB. 


, Wed. 9:30-10:00 ... 

... .22.3. 

.... 40.2. 

. 54.7 

Kraft TV Theatre. 

.KFSD .. 

...47.2 

3. Badge 714 (Myst).*. 

KFMB. 

.. NBC. 

, Sat. 9:30-10:00 ... 

...48.0. 

.... 31.7. 

. 56.7 

Lawrence Welk . 

.XETV .. 

...43.3 

4. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) 

XETV.. 


Mon. 8:30-9:00 .... 

.. . 46.5. 

.... 28.4. 

. 58.1 

Godfrey’s Talent Scouts... 

.KFMB .. 

...48.0 

5. Dick Powell (Dr) . 

, KFMB . 


.Tues. 7:00-7:30 _ 

... 45.9. 

... . 32.9. 

. 48.3 

Tuesday Night Movie No. 2. 

.KFSD .. 

...45.3 

6. Western Marshal (W). 

KFMB. 


Wed. 7:00-7:30 .... 

.... 15.5. 

.... 30.9.,\. 

. 50.3 

Wed. Night Movie No. 2.. 

.KFSD .. 

...45.7 

7. Annie Oakley (W).. 

. KFMB. 

.CBS . 

Mon. 6:00-6:30 .... 

.... 15.3. 

.... 36.4. 

. 42.0 

Jungle Jim . 

.KFSD .. 

...424 

8. Waterfront (Adv) 

. XETV. . 

.MCA . 

.Fri. 7:00-7:30 _ 

_14.2. 

_32.9. 

. 43.2 

Man Called X. 

.KFMB . 

...41,4 

9. Search for Adventure (Adv) . 

XETV. . 


Thurs. 7:00-7:30 .. 

...43.3. 

.... 26.2.... 

. 50.7 

San Francisco Beat . 

.KFSD .. 

...40.7 

10. Crunch & Des (Adv) 

KFSD. . 

....... NBC . 

Sat. 7:00-7:30 

. . . 134. 

.... 27.2 . 

. 48.4 

Beat the Clock . 

.KFMB . 

.... 9.9 

SYRACUSE 


Approx. Set Count- 

—371,000 



Stations —WSYR (3) 

, WHEN (8) 


1. 

Little Rascals (Ch) . . . . 

WHEN. 

_ Interstate . 

...;.Thurs 7:00-7:30 .. 

. . . .29.2. 

.... 70.0.‘ 

. ... 41.7 

Rosemary Clooney . 

.WSYR ... 

...42.5 

2. 

Secret Journal (Dr) . 

.WSYR. 

... MCA. 

.Suri. 10:30-11:00 .. 

....23.1. 

.... 43.0. 

.... 53.8 

What’s My Line. 

.WHEN .. 

....30.3 

3. 

Mr. District Attorney. (Myst) 

. WSYR. 

... Ziv .. 

Mon, 10:30-11-00 .. 

_20.1. 

_ 47.3. 

_ 42.5 

Studio One . 

. WHEN .. 

.... 22.4 

4. 

Badge 714 (Myst) 

.WSYR. 

... NBC. 


.... 17.6. 

.... 47.7. 

.... 36.9 

Ford Theatre . 

.WHEN .. 

...49,3 

5. 

Highway Patrol (Adv) . 

. WSYR. 

... Ziv. 

_Wed. 10:30-11:00 .. 

...'44.2. 

.... 33.3. 

.... 42.6 

20th Century Fox . 

.WHEN .. 

....24.8 

6. 

Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

. WHEN. , 

.... Flamingo. 


_14.0. 

.... 64.9. 

.... 21.6 

Canyon Jack . 

.WSYR ... 

.... 7.6 

7. 

Count of Monte Crlsto (Adv) 

.WSYR. 

... TPA. 

..... Mon. 7:00-7:30 .... 

...43.5. 

.... 533..... 

.... 25.4 

DuPont Cavalcade Theatre. 

.WHEN .. 

...41.9 

8. 

Rosemary Clooney (Mus) . .. 

WSYR. 

,... MCA . 


.... 12.5. 

.... 30.1. 

.... 41.7 

Little Rascals . 

.WHEN .. 

....29.2 

8. 

Victory at Sea (Doc). 

WHEN. 

.... NBC. 

.Sat J7:00-7:30 . 

.... 12.5. 

.... 42.1. 

... . 29.7 

Golden Playhouse . 

.WSYR .. 

...47.2 

10. 

Crunch & Des (Adv). 

WSYR . . .. 

... NBC. .. 

.Fri. ^9:30-10:00 .... 

. . . .12.1. 

.... 23.5. 

. . . . 51.5 

Playhouse of Stars . 

. WHEN .. 

.. ..39.0 


CORPUS CHRISTI 


Approx. 

Set Count —52,000 


Stations — 

-KRIS (6), KSIX (10), 

KVDO (22) 

1. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

.KRIS. . 

.Ziv. .. 


....40.2. 

.... 60.8. 

.. 66.1 

Jungle Jim . 

.KVDO . 

49.6 

2. Cisco Kid (W) .'_ 

. KRIS. . 



... .39.4. 

.... 89.5. 

.. 44.0 

This Is Your Music. 

.KSIX . 

. 3.8 

3. I Led 3 Lives (Adv). 

.KRIS.. 


.Mon. 8:30-9:00 _ 

,,. .39.0. 

.... 66.4. 

.. 58.6 


.KSIX . 

45.0 

4. Federal Men (Myst) . 

.KRIS.. 


.Wed. 9:00-9:30 .... 

... .34.4.-.... 

.... 55.4. 

.. 62.1 

Arthur Godfrey . 

.KSIX 

47.7 

5. Ray Milland (Com). 

. KRIS.. 



_33.3. 

.... 63.9. 

.. 52.1 

Boston Blackie .. 

•.KSIX . 

44.4 

6. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) 

KS1X.. 



... .32.9. 

.... 47.3. 

.. 69.6 

Texas in Review. 

.KRIS . 

.27.1 

7. Secret Journal (Dr) 

KRIS.. 



... .32.5. 

. 52.3. 

.. 62.3 

Superman ... 

.KVDO _ 

.15.0 








The Millionaire . 

.KSIX . 

45.4 

8. Kit Carson (W) 

KRIS.. 



... .29.0. 


.. 31.5 

Corral; Film Short .. 

.KSIX ..... 

. 2.1 








Junior Science . 

.KSIX 

. 2.9 

9. Stories of <the Century (W) . 

.KRlS 

....... H-TV. 


....28.4..... 

_ 72.1. 

.. 39.4 | 

Jet Jackson ... 

jcsix 

. 8.6 

10. Badge 714 (Myst) .. 

.KVDO.. 

NBC.. 

.Wed. 7:30-8:00 ... 

... .26.1. 

_ 384 . 

.. 68.2 1 

I’ve Got a Secret, »»#,*.• *,*•** 

.KSIX ..... 

.26.0 



































































































































































































































































































































































T^rrAGEV/EHONOB\ 

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RADIO-TELEVISION 


Television Reviews 

— Continued from page 31 


UftniE'jhr 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


in order to keep him here. H6w-i 
ever, he carefully brought attrac¬ 
tiveness to her part, as the play 
progressed, and Miss Sheridan, as 
the woman under the influence of 
the understanding Russian, was 
constant to the author’s intent. 
Mike Kellin was also a worthy en¬ 
trant, he as the neighborhood doc¬ 
tor interested in helping the Rus¬ 
sian in his dilemma. 

But major credit must go to 
Robert Mulligan, the director, who 
was probably as responsible for 
the successful offbeat casting of a 
guy like Kellin as he certainly was 
for the motion and mood of “The 
Hunted.” Mulligan’s job seems all 
the more remarkable when it’s re¬ 
called that most of the hour’s ac¬ 
tion took place-in a single..seedy, 
bedroom. Screen crawl showed 
that Leon Volkov, Newsweek’s 
Russian advisor, acted as technical 
consultant to the show, and per¬ 
haps he was the one behind whip¬ 
ping Bikel and Persoff into per¬ 
fect-sounding shape in those parts 
where Russian dialog was called 
for. ^ Art. 

Alcoa Hour 

Creditable, suspenseful plot 
lines, aided by some solid acting, 
helped to overcome a number of 
weaknesses in Sunday (9) night’s 
Alcoa presentation, titled “Adven¬ 
ture in Diamonds.” Despite its 
faults, mainly stemming from the 
script’s attempt to cover too 
tnuch territory, the drama remain¬ 
ed interesting and believably mov¬ 
ing, for the most part. 

The story, a “footnote in his¬ 
tory” as narrator Geoffrey Toone 
put it, concerned the daring mis¬ 
sion of a naturalized .British sub¬ 
ject to his native Holland, when the 
Nazis ; were in the process Of. in¬ 
vading that country. The mission 
was to rob the oncoming Nazis of 
the large number of industrial dia¬ 
monds owned by Amsterdam mer¬ 
chants, diamonds so necessary for 
armament production. 

In human terms, the task and 
conflict of the men concerned in 
the mission Were sketched. Garry 
Merrill played the naturalized 
British subject, the son of a lead¬ 
ing Amsterdam diamond merchant. 
Only in the second act did he over¬ 
play the part, engaging in moraliz¬ 
ing that was not • supported by the 
drama, a fault which properly her 
longs to the script written for tv 
by Jerome Coopersmith from a 
story by David E. Walker. Other¬ 
wise Merrill, along with other 
members of the cast, turned in very 
competent performances. 

Director Norman Felton kept a 
tight reigif on the proceedings, get¬ 
ting a good deal out of the in¬ 
herent suspense in the alloted 
hours needed to accomplish the 
mission. Others in the cast in¬ 
cluded Viveca Lindfors, Robert 
Flemyng, Maureen Hurley and 
Cameron Prud’homme, all turning 
in polished performances; especi¬ 
ally Flemyng, who ifortrays the 
British major accompanying Mer¬ 
rill- on the escapade. 

Had the drama stuck more close¬ 
ly to the business at hand, the ac¬ 
complishment of the mission in 
the human terms it laid out for it¬ 
self, with more insight into per¬ 
sonalities and less generalized mor¬ 
alizing, it would have been an 
Alcoa standout. Horo. 

Punchline 

WRCA-TV’s (N. Y.) five minute 
comedic format is a challenge to 
any comedian. Slotted at 11:25 p.m., 
following the Hy Gardner show, he 
comes out cold, on an austere stage 
and with an apparent few people 


in the audience. Working against 
the clock, he tries to make with 
the yocks. Caught in that trap 
Monday (10) was Gene Baylos, who 
kicked off the new stripped format; 
that is the same comedian holding 
sway for the entire week, instead 
of rotating a different comedian 
each night as had been the prac¬ 
tice since the show was introduced 
about five weeks ago. 

Baylos is a vet who has knocked 
around on some fancy nitery dates 
such as the Latin Quarter and the 
Copa, But thrown up against that 
ticking clock, on the bare stage, 
with nothing preceding him to es¬ 
tablish a mood, and no time to 
strike up a rapport with the audi¬ 
ence, he floundered pitiably. Pro¬ 
ducer-Director- Mike - Gargiulb 
changed to the same comedian for 
the week format in an attempt to 
get some rapport with the home- 
viewing audience, the belief being 
that the same viewers might tune 
in again the following and succes¬ 
sive nights. He seems to be taking 
a long shot with that belief. 

Horo. 

Jackie Gleason Show 

Jackie Gleason devoted his. 
Saturday night (8) CBS-TV hour to 
the trials and tribulations of the 
Honeymooners arid it was a case 
of an idea stretched too thin. The 
labored going in spots may well 
have cued considerable viewer 
curiosity as to what Perry Como 
was doing in the NRC-TV tent 
across the way. 

. Gleason, Art Camftr and Audrey 
Meadows were in top form them¬ 
selves but the situation’s comedy 
voltage was too faltering to keep 
the sketch hi high gear over its 
lengthy course. Jerrybuilt “jplot” 
had Ralph (Gleason) and Ed (Cart 
ney) trying to buy the neighbor¬ 
hood candy st 9 re under the. mis? 
taken impression that a big chain 
was seeking to grab,off the loca¬ 
tion. . • 

. To get the down payment money, 
the pair get involved in one of 
those radio station treasure hunts 
which winds up in an Automat. 
This was a. natural locale for a lot 
of rough house slapstick and Glea¬ 
son and Carney played it to the 
buffoonery hilt. . 

Latter was a pretty hilarious 
scene in the traditional Gleason 
style, but too often the gags were 
obvious and the doubletakes tele¬ 
graphed minutes ahead. Situation 
would have played better had it 
been tightened to say 30 minutes. 

Dave. 

Walter Winchell Show 

Walter Winchell's first from the 
Coast was a swiftly geared song 
and comedic outing. WW kept his 
guestar roster at a minimum which 
contributed to the smooth-flowing 
pace and kept the show from get¬ 
ting top heavy. 

Fortunately, WW had two top- 
notchers for the song department 
in Peggy Lee and Tony Martin. 
They carried the bulk of the show 
in duet and solo and made it all 
an ear-appealing affair. Duo opened 
with “I Don’t Know Enough About 
You” with interpolated excerpts of 
previous hits. Miss Lee crammed 
in “Manana” and “Lover” while 
Martin took his bows with “There’s 
No Tomorrow” and “I Get Ideas.” 
It was slickly produced and ar¬ 
ranged. 

In solo efforts later Martin 
scored with a romantic “True 
Love” and Miss Lee hit ’em be¬ 
tween the eyes with “Last Night 
When We Were Young” and 
“Them There Eyes.” Martip came 
in for an assist in the closing bars. 


The comedy segment also was a 
well-constructed affair that hit the 
mark. Using the previously tested 
“Make Me Laugh” format with 
comedians Dave Barry, Sid Gould 
and Buddy Lester. The three come¬ 
dians are pitted separately against 
guests whom they’ve got to make 
laugh. It serves as a neat umbrella 
for throwaway oldies but it works 
up to aud laughs. 

WW stayed out of the picture for 
the most part like a proper emcee. 
He took over only for intros and 
piugs for the jury box celebs and 
some of his current faves and he 
delivered the commercials like he 
wasn't mad at anybody. Gros. 

Ed Sullivan Show 

Well balanced was Ed Sullivan’s 
hour-long layout Sunday (9) via 
CBS-TV. For the array of talent 
ranged from Kate Smith and Sam 
Levenson to an Israeli choral 
group- and-some Finnish -gymnasts. 
Miss Smith, whose tv appearances 
are somewhat infrequent of late, 
proved she’s still in fine voice in 
tackling a couple of pops (“Hey 
Jealous Lover” and “I Cried 
More”). But the round of applause 
which greeted “Ave Maria,” her 
bow . off number, prompted emcee 
Sullivan to question the propriety 
of audience hosannas after a song 
of that nature. 

Storyteller Levenson scored 
nicely with some schoolday remi¬ 
niscences. However, his parody of 
the Twenty Third Psalm might well 
have been considered irreverent by 
some of the more pious viewers. 
Monologist Joyce Grenfell turned 
in a delightful stint via a special 
material song plus an impression 
of an amateur actress portraying 
her ladyship’s maid. Singer Dario 
Cassini's “Be My Love” evoked me¬ 
mories of Mario Lanza while the 
Israeli choristers were effective 
with some native airs. 

That the session, had an inter¬ 
national touch was further attested 
by presence of the Finnish athletes 
along With the /Little Gaelic Sing¬ 
ers from Ireland. Former; who 
comprised 10 shapely femmes, con- 
tribbed some precision- work with 
hoops Iri the brief time allotted 
them.; Irish moppets, likewise 
hampered by scant, time, provided 
some holiday atmosphere with a 
touching rendition of “Noe 1.” 
Christmas motif was further car¬ 
ried out with views of toys, frosty 
windows and Klauson’s rollerskat¬ 
ing bears. 

Rounding out the bill were Dody 
Goodman, who appears in the off- 
Broadway “Shoestring ’57;” distri¬ 
bution of some football awards, 
and a brief dramatic sketch by 
some unidentified performers. 
Miss Goodman did her “bride” rou¬ 
tine from the “Shoestring” revue 
for fair results. Sullivan presided 
during presentation of UP’s All 
America awards to two Oklahoma 
players; Lambert trophies also 
Went to Syracuse U. footballers. 
So-so was a “coffee sketch.” In 
this bit two people who had never 
seen each other previously were 
accorded the Actors Studio treat¬ 
ment. " Glib. f 

Wide, Wide World 

NBC-TV’s “Wide, Wide World” 
got around geographically last 
Sunday (9), but failed to get off the 
ground on the more important mat¬ 
ter of providing quality tv. The 
program was a time-waster, missing 
out completely in covering a sub¬ 
ject with wide potential. Clipping 
viewers of 90 minutes on a Sunday 
afternoon is not the best way to 
win friends and keep an audience. 

The program was supposedly de¬ 
signed to tell the story of “The 
Amercan Campus” and to show the 
wide variety of educational oppor¬ 
tunities available to students. In 
line with this, pickups were made 


Z!V HAS THE HOT SHOWS! 



SYNDICATED 
# I SHOW IN 
I ATLANTA 


217 


PULSE, May, 1958 



from Seattle, Virginia City, Reno, 
Philadelphia, Omaha, Phoehix and 
Columbia, Mo. , Colleges, univer¬ 
sities and Other schools were re¬ 
presented, but hardly explored. * 

The constant shifting of scenes 
tended to be confusing. Boys’ 
Town sequence had some charac¬ 
ter, as' did a segment in which 
architect Frank Lloyd Wright was 
given the person-to-person treat¬ 
ment at his Talisen- West home- 
school in Phoenix. 

Other than those two items, 
there was little else of merit be¬ 
sides a couple of humorous com¬ 
mercials involving Ernie Kavacs 
and his wife, Edith Adams, and 
Phil Harris and his x wife, Alice 
Faye. Jess. 

The Edge of Night 

Slotted Monday through Friday 
at 4:30 p.m. over CBS-TV, this 
Procter & Gamble sponsored half- 
hour series has turned into a cliff¬ 
hanging entry, with soaper over¬ 
tones. The accent, Judging "from 
Friday’s (7) show, is on murder 
and mayhem, enough to give any 
housewife the shakes. The many 
commercials, neatly spaced at. cli¬ 
mactic moments, must come as a 
relief to the melodramatic pro¬ 
ceedings. 

On show caught, a policewoman 
was knocked out, a police sergeant 
clobbered with a gun, a lieutenant 
shot, in addition to a running ver¬ 
bal battle between a killer and his 
girl friend, which also had brutal 
overtones. Tucked into the story 
line were the soaper elements of 
the police lieutenant and his fiance 
and the dialog between the killer 
and his girl friend. This mixture 
does produce suspense at the sim¬ 
plest level, probably accounting 
for its last Nielsen rating of 9.0, 
but it hardly brightens up the tv 
drama spectrum. 

To a viewer not addicted to the 
series, some of' the interest must 
have been lost, for there was no 
explanation of what preceded the 
previous day, information which 
was needed to lend credibility to 
the Friday happenings. Produced 
by Werner 'Michel and written by 
Irving Vendig" and Carl Bixby, the 
Friday show featured John Larkin, 
Teal Aines, Ian Martin, Mary K. 
Wells, Larry White and Bill Zuck- 
ert. All did quite well in terms of 
the melodramatic script. Produc¬ 
tion values and sets were economi¬ 
cal, but satisfactory. Horo. 


Half-Hour Holds 

Continued from page 45 ^ 

the. Mohicans,” Guild’s “Captain 
Grief” and National Telefilm As¬ 
sociates’ “Sheriff of Cochise” as 
cases in point, where the 90 and 
100-market level has been reached 
in a matter of weeks. 

6. The only possible area where 
features may have hit syndi¬ 
cated half-hours, Sillerman states, 
is in the rnatter of time availabili¬ 
ties, and “these are limited to spe¬ 
cialized situations, primarily time- 
lag spots like Chicago where the 
network stations are using features 
at 10 to 11 p.m. where some used 
to use half-hours.” But these cases 
are few and far between, he con¬ 
tends. Primarily, “the availability 
of good strong product has helped 
strengthen the feature film pro¬ 
grams that existed before.” 

Sillerman states that Dick Moore, 
prez of KTTV in Los Angeles, 
Which has been pn a major feature 
binge, believes the need for new 
syndicated product is greater than 
ever. TPA itself has 12 new pro¬ 
perties in various stages of prepa¬ 
ration, most of them scheduled for 
syndication. Not only have the 
telefilm sponsors stuck by their 
half-hours, but more and more new 
advertisers are attracted by the 
syndicated properties, states Siller¬ 
man. 

Sillerman has no intention of 
downbeating the feature films, in 
fact he declares the availability 
of top product is a good thing for 
the business. It creates solid pro¬ 
gramming is attracting new ad¬ 
vertisers and more of the old ones, 
and is strengthening many of the 
stations. In fact, it’s even helping 
sales on TPA’s own Edward Small 
feature package, which has been 
in the field for years but has re¬ 
gistered a sales spurt with the 
growing awareness of the values 
of feature programming. “But as 
with eveiV new development in fhis 
business, people tend to go over¬ 
board in their evaluations and 
predictions,” Sillerman states, and 
when they are applied to half- 
hour properties, “it just isn’t so.” 

Palm Springs—With expansion 
of programming by KPAL, here, 
Jim Am$phe, ex-KDAY,, Santa 
Monica, and Dirk Courtney, from 
Chi, have joined the station’s dee* 
jay corps. 


CBS-TV Going On 
Big Sports Spree 

CBS-TV has set one of its heav¬ 
iest winter-spring weekend sports 
lineups in years for this season. 
Schedule, apart from the bowl 
games and the remaining pro foot¬ 
ball setups, will include the Mas¬ 
ter’s Golf tourney in April, the Na¬ 
tional Invitation Basketball Tourna¬ 
ment in March and major league 
hockey in January through March, 
first time a hockey schedule has 
gotten national coverage via a ma¬ 
jor network. 

Bowl games lineup kicks off 
Dec. 22 with the first game from 
the new Aluminum Bowl in Little 
Rock. On Dec. 29, it’s the ‘Gator 
Bowl’ With the traditional “Orange 
Bowl” set for New Year’s Day. 
Hockey lineup is next, starting Jan. 
3 and involving every team in the 
National Hockey League except 
Toronto. Bud Palmer will handle 
the play-by-play originating from 
| N. Y:, Boston, Detroit and Chicago, 
with the 10-game schedule running 
through March 9. 

National- Invitation hoop cover¬ 
age will run two Saturdays, March 
16 and 23, originating from N. Y.’s 
Madison Sq. Garden, with Chris 
Schenkel doing the color. Follow 
ing week (30) will be the East- 
West College All-Star baskelball 
game, with Palmer and Schenkel. 
Two turf events out of Florida’js 
Gulf Stream Park are also op the 
slate, the Gulf Stream Handicap 
March 23 and the Florida Derby 
on March 30, with Bryan Field, call¬ 
ing the races. Schedule winds with 
two-day coverage 6U the annual 
“Masters” golf tourney, which will 
be held either April 6 and 7 or 13 
and 14. CBS will cover both Sat¬ 
urday and Sunday, with Sunday 
coverage limited to an hour In the 
afternoon. ■. t 

Mpls. Ratings 

— ‘ Continued from page 45 

basis of the November Pulse sur¬ 
vey, was KRCA, which drew a 
Pulse 6.1 for the Monday through 
Friday period. 

In Denver, KTVR bn the basis 
of a November Pulse report, main¬ 
tains that its “MGM Movie- Thea¬ 
tre” has put the station ifl first 
place both in the 3* to 5 p.m. and 
9 to 10:45 p.m. time segments in 
the four-station market. A differ¬ 
ent Metro film is shown every 
night. . * 

KMGM, the Minneapolis indie, 
is initially unreeling the Metro 
product Saturday and Sundays, 
now fully sponsored, planning to 
switch to weekday telecasting when ’ 
more sponsor coin is garnered. 
The station raised Its rates from 
$120 to $275 for participations in 
the Metro telecasting period. 





HIGHEST 
IN MIAMI 
OVER 
OTHER A 
CHANNELS 

Details upon request 



Id E, 44th St, New York 17, OXford 7*5880 








Mm&Fr 


RADIO-TELEVISION 49 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 

■SgSgSBg 1 , .■ ./LI. . . - 1 .m 1 1 iSSSSSSSS 


30 Years: Sarnoff to Sarnoff 


Continued from page 25 


prexy with a one-year chevron i 
status is that at the time of the 
network’s formation he was eight 
years old; yet it’s to this selfsame 
Sarnoff that such pioneer broad¬ 
casters who participated in the in¬ 
itial pledge of allegiance to the 
National Broadcasting skein—the 
Walter Damms, the George Bur- 
bachs, the Dean Fltzers, the Harold 
Houghs, the network’s own Bill 
Hedges—are looking at this 30th 
anni celebration for a reaffirma¬ 
tion of the principles and philoso¬ 
phy initially inspired by the elder 
Sarnoff who founded the network. 

Basically the Sarnoff “State of 
the Union’Ualk is designed to focus 
attention, mot on today’s ratings 
(on the- pr^ffitee that these can be~ 
gone tomorrow) but on the real 
measure of contribution over the 
long haul as the organization with 
the three-fold achievement: (1) the 
first to conceive of a radio net¬ 
work operation; (2) the first to in¬ 
cept black-and-white television; 
(3) the first to invite color televi¬ 
sion. 

Since NBC has just been through 
the Booz, Allen & Hamilton wars 
in effecting its most drastic admin¬ 
istrative reshuffle in the web’s his* 
tory (a reshuffle which brought the 
Pat Weaver regime to an end), and 
since it was the year which wit¬ 
nessed a Serious radio defection'in 
the" pullout of the pioneering West- 



inghouse stations in favor of its 
new indie status, it’s apparent that 
the affiliates aren't just coming 
along to see “this year’s hotel.” 
The give and take at those closed- 
sessions should be, to coin a phrase, 
provocative. 

If the closed sessions of the net¬ 
work-affiliate brass yields some 
areas of discontent because the 
present ratings and billings leader¬ 
ship belongs to the rival CBS 
and not to NBC, the Sarnoff blue¬ 
print for the future is designed as 
the “quietus” by accenting the con¬ 
tinuance of the 30-year NBC pio¬ 
neering and philosophies as the 
real achievements. As such the 
Sarnoff talk anticipates the cur¬ 
rent-live vs. - filnT contro vcrsy witTT 
a championing of the live concept 
of programming to meet the in¬ 
evitably of the “wane of the back¬ 
logs.” The new vistas portended 
by color television; the repledging 
of an allout effort toward a re¬ 
vitalizing of radio—these and other 
facets will get attention in perspec¬ 
tive in the recap of an institution 
that grew from a 24-station skein 
when it was originating from the 
old Waldorf-Astoria in New York 
(with a four and a half-hour pre¬ 
miere broadcast that included 
Mary Garden, Will Rogers, Walter 
Damrosch, among others) to its 
present giant-size position in pav¬ 
ing the way for 220 stations now 
able to receive color, and that was 
a guiding spirit in helping radio 
attain its 140,000,000-set status. 

The new “Bob Sarnoff & Co.” 
administrative team will be on 
dress parade, up to and including 
“Manie’s Men” (under the new 
Sacks program leadership). The 
new exec veepee Robert Kintner 
(ex-ABC), who assumes his reins 
on Jan. 1, will be officially intro¬ 
duced to the affiliates. And the 
entertainment program, including 
tint , originations of the Perry 
Como, Steve Allen (“Tonight”) 
and (“Today”) displays, will top 
any yet planned in the network's 
10-year history of conventions. 


STEAMISG 

AHEAD! 

Since the sternwheelers fjjst 
opened our Ohio River Valley to 
large-scale trade, this region has 
constantly steamed ahead to 
greater industrial records. 
Today, its array of manufactur¬ 
ing is the most vast in America 
... a solid head-of-steam typified 
by our own doorstep counties of 
Cabell and Kanawha (the Hunt- 
ington-Charleston area) where— 
say preliminary reports of the 
new U. S. Census of Manufac¬ 
tures — the value of industry 
alone is up 55% since 1947, 
currently over one billion dollars! 
This is only part of what you can 
command with WSAZ-TV. Sur¬ 
rounding our near-quarter-mile- 
high tower lies America’s 23rd 
television market — four states 
wide, four billion dollars deep.in 
buying potential. You leave a 
smart wake when you sail aboard 
WSAZ-TV. Any Katz office can 
make out a profitable bill of lad¬ 
ing for you. 



Affiliated with Radio Stations 
WSAZ, Huntington & WGKV, Charleston 

Lawrence h. Rogers, president 


_Represented by The Kate Agency 


Radio Comeback 

Continued from page 29 

dition. This is a strong reversal of 
a trend which saw radio attract¬ 
ing a lot of small-sized sponsors in 
the past few yearfe, while the major 
spenders sometimes' hung onto 
their high-cost programs for a year 
or two but eventually . cancelled 
out. • 

Fact that the webs have been 
able to work out systems of cost ef¬ 
ficiency to attract major bankroll¬ 
ed explains their recent success. 
For the webs faced a paradox in 
that local radio has enjoyed its 
most prosperous era while the net¬ 
works were in their decline. The 
local success can in part be ex¬ 
plained by one example. A recent 
N.Y. advertiser was able to pur¬ 
chase a weeklong campaign of 125 
one-minute spots on three stations 
for a total outlay of only $3,500— 
less than the cost of a one-page 
ad in any N.Y. daily. When sta¬ 
tions, and now the networks, are 
able to reach that kind of cost effi¬ 
ciency, they’re a sure bet to stay 
in business. 


Goldenson 

Continued from page 27 

New York that are on the blueprint 
for 1957. Moreover, the two shows 
have a good chance of being turned 
over to outside production talents. 
MCA is Certainly being considered 
as packager of the variety show. 

As for financing properties, again 
it is the same as it was with Kint¬ 
ner. Though the pursestrings will 
be loosed for better programming, 
according to the network, it will 
be released only as needed; there 
will be no fixed top sum for pro¬ 
gramming. 

Though Goldenson, who is pres¬ 
ident of the parent American- 
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres 
has no ABC title, he has shown an 
active interest in the tv network’s 
affairs, as. in the making of the 
many recent telefilm deals for 
1957. Observers have taken it to 
mean that while he might never 
accept a formal presidency, he will 
continue as active/network head 
indefinitely. 

Goldenson is not following Kint- 
ner’s policies entirely. Firstly, 
he’s understood to have giyen Don 
Durgin, the veep in charge of ABC, 


Agency Showdown On Tap' 

Continued from page 27 


radio, great autonomy while he in 
turn concentrates on tv. In Kint- 
ner’s days, the president made all 
top management decisions in radio 
by himself. 

In tv sales, too,. Goldenson has 
delegated authority. Belief is that 
his new veep in charge of the tv 
network, Oliver Treyz, will be al¬ 
most entirely responsible for net- 
work-client relations. 

In-depth departmentalization 
also exists in thd publicity, adver¬ 
tising and sales promotion areas. 
A top management team, officially 
comprised of Goldenson, “roving 
veep” John Mitchell, and Treyz, 
controls the network, thereby abol¬ 
ishing the system of “one-man 
rule” allegedly established by Kint- 
ner. Then, too, Paramount Thea¬ 
tre execs like Sy Siegel and Herb 
Hahn are believed to sit in close 
liaison with Goldenson on all-net¬ 
work activitiesr partieiularly-those 
of a financial nature. 

Second-echelon management 
lineup at ABC has slowly been 
changing since the Kintner depart¬ 
ure in October. Four veeps have 
gone. First it Whs Ernest Lee 
Jahncke Jr., veep and assistant to 
prexy Kintner, followed by another 
assistant, Geraldine Zorbaugh; con¬ 
troller Harold Morgan and most 
lately Levine. 


WPIX 

Continued from page 27 
tions weekly in “Popeye,” New 
York’s top rated midweek chil¬ 
dren’s show, slotted by WPIX 6 to 
6:30 p.m., Monday-Through-Friday. 
National Biscuit Co. also has re¬ 
newed its Tuesday-Wednesday- 
Thursday participations in the 
“Popeye” show, while Miles Labo¬ 
ratories inked for another 52- 
weeks for “Popeye” participations^ 
Other renewals include spot 
campaigns for 1957 by Continental 
Baking, F. M. Schaefer Brewing 
Co. and Max Factor. 

New spot and participation 
money brought into the house'in¬ 
clude Texas Co., Foster Milhurn, 
Food Manufacturers, Nestled Lionel 
Corp., and Grand Wig Co. 

WPIX, heavily programmed with 
telefilms with 'about 60 different 
series on the air, did not give 
comparative figures for last year,' 
nor the total gross business for the 
expiring one, other than the rise 
of over $750,000 in gross business 
for the first 11 months of 1956. 


Bing’s‘Sing’ 

Continued from page 27 

road terminals carrying the show 
by arrangement with the local CBS 
affiliate. Decca Records is also 
pitching in with 5,000 ad flyers in 
dealers throughout the company, 
pitching the show, and natch, 
Bing’s Christmas platters. Other 
organizations participating include 
the Salvation Army, National 4-H 
Clubs, Urban League, Boy Scouts, 
Camp Fire Girls, U.S. Junior 
Chamber of Commerce, National 
Council of Churches and Federa¬ 
tion of Music Clubs. 

“Christmas Sing With Bing,” in 
its second year and again under 
sponsorship of North American 
Insurance, is set for Dec. 24 at 9 
to 10, and will feature Maurice 
Chevalier from Paris, Sarah 
Churchill from London, the Vati¬ 
can Choir from Rome, pickups 
from the U.S.S. Locator picket 
ship, a GI chorus from Korea, and 
Rosemary Clooney with Bing in 
Hollywood. 


AT&T 

aaj Continued from page 25 — 
plays, “Our Mr. Sun,” preempted 
“Studio One” a couple of weeks 
back and while drawing excellent 
critical reaction also drew com¬ 
plaints about the 10-11 p.m. slot¬ 
ting and the loss of its educational 
value to the kiddies. Under con¬ 
sideration is a Wednesday 8-9 pre¬ 
emption setup for the science spe¬ 
cials. The request for a new time 
for “Telephone Time,” of course, 
stems from a different reason, the 
comparatively low* sets-in-use fac¬ 
tor in the Sunday early-evening 
period. 


Columbus—Collis A. Young has 
been named manager of radio sta¬ 
tion WCOL here, according to an 
announcement by John Pattison 
Williams, exec. v.p. of the Air 
Trails, Inc., operator of the station. 


change from traditional program 
purchasing practices in. television. 
Ordinarily, an. independent makes 
a pilot and starts shopping it 
around at agencies and networks. 
If the pilot is accepted, the pro¬ 
ducer goes ahead with the series 
on his own. The conception of the 
show, however, is complete before 
the sponsor ever sees it. But P&G, 
which has been having difficulties 
with its new shows this season, 
would initiate new programming 
from the very start and in fact par¬ 
ticipate in the development of new 
programs. 


farthest advanced in its production 
experiments, isn’t alone in consid¬ 
ering production on its own. Ted 
Bates agency is in the middle of a 
policy meeting to decide on the 
feasibility of. producing its own 
shows, and only a couple of weeks 
ago BSD&O prez Ben Duffy pub¬ 
licly declared the day has. come 
when the agency must get back 
into production as a matter of self 
protection. Duffy advocated a for¬ 
mula whereby the agencies would 
become co-producers with inde¬ 
pendent packagers. " 
Whatever the formula or the in¬ 
dividual progress, it’s abundantly 
clear that the matter Of program 
and production c o n t ro 1 has 
emerged from the academic shell. 
For all the debate pro and con on 
agency production over the years, 
the only agency that really did any 


production on its own was J. Wal¬ 
ter Thompson, with Y&R for a 
time handling some afternoon 
so.a'pers (so did the defunct Biow 
agency). But the cost-quality situ¬ 
ation has finally reached the point 
where action has replaced talk. It’s 
anticipated that the . showdown 
should come by next fall. 


‘2lsl Precinct’ ' 

asa; Continued from'page 27 


several runthroughs, the * casting 
problem is the roadblock. 

Also in the daytime hopper is an 
offer from Sterling Drug for a 
j televersion of their radio soaper 
series, “My True Story.” Sterling 
is willing to sponsor a quarter- 
hour tv version twice weekly prp- 
I vided CBS-TV airs the show across- 
the-board. No decision from CBS 
on it yet; presumably Dancer-Fitz- 
gerald-Sample would produce. On 
the Coopej; agenda is “Children 
Should Be Heard,” which is a 
children’s version of ’.‘Stand Up and 
Be Counted” and which will be 
auditioned in an unusual fashion. 
During Christmas week, one or two 
of the 1:10-1:30 p.m. “Stand Up” 
shows will comprise all children 
and the programs will take the 
form of on-the-air auditions for 
the new property. 


ATTENTION, PRODUCERS! 
★ ★ ★ ★ 

Distinguished Conductors Available For _. 

TV-MOTION PICTURES 
RADIO - INDUSTRIAL SHOWS, ETC. 

★ ★ ★ ★ 

FRANZ ALLERS 

My Fair Lady (currently)—Plain and Fancy—(Paint Your 
Wagon—Brigadoon—Dallas State fair Musicals—Symphony 
at Lewisohn Stadium—Robin Hood Dell, etc. 

ANTON COPPOLA 

Feuer & Martin Musical Director—New Faces of '56 (cur¬ 
rently)—Ziegfeld Follies—Silk Stockings—The Boy Friend— 
New Faces of '52—Grand Opera in San Francisdo and Cin¬ 
cinnati. 

SALVATORE DELL’ISOLA 

Rodgers & Hammerstein Musical Director—Pipe Dream— 
Ankles Aweigh — On Your Toes — Me and Juliet — South 
Pacific—Allegro—Oklahoma—-Symphony and Grand Opera 
in many cities. 

FREDERICK DVONCH 

Show Boat at Jones Beach—Musical Director City Center 
Musical Comedy Season—New York and London Productions 
of King and I and Carousel—Plain and Fancy—Symphony, 
Opera and Ballet. 

SYLVAN LEVIN 

Formerly Assistant Conductor Philadelphia Symphony— 
Conductor Philadelphia Opera Company—Musical Director 
WOR—Broadway Production Girl in Pink Tights. 

★ ★ ★ ★ 

Represented by „ 

MEYER DAVIS 

119 W. 57th St., New York 19 - Cl 7-6161 


Bates Also Mulls Move 

_ Young. Jk- Rubteamr --though 


CBS-TV-Cooper show, “Stand Up 
and Be Counted.” Here too, 
the^hough^hr5how'1ias‘lblTe“th'rough ‘ 





50 


rama-tele\hi»iv 




Wednesday, December 12, 19$6 


Television Reviews 


: Continued from pafce 31; 


antic approach to the staging to 
make his sort of thing stand up 
today and this technique was woe¬ 
fully miss'ng in the collegiate 
thesping. One can only hope that 
these are members of the fresh¬ 
man class because there’s muen 
that experience may teach these 
young performers. The cast of 11 
performed at about the same mod¬ 
est level except for a surprisingly 
adept clown bit contributed by 
Christopher Lark. 

In programming drama on a 
local level, the main problem lies 
in finding royalty-free material 
that fits the capabilities of non 
professionals. After this first ven¬ 
ture, it is hop'd more suitable 
material cm be found that will not 
involve such largesca’e use of 
~ crepe hair and incredibly bent and 
palsied movemert To suggest old 
ag<\ ? 

John Scdwick. of WBAL, and 
Raymond Eedwell, on the staff of 
the university, shared directorial 
chores. Burm. 


CHAMPIONSHIP HORSESHOES 
With Norm Barry, Ilollis Burke 
Producer: Matt Niessn 
Director: Paul Robsnsqn 
30 Mins., Mon., 10:30 u.m. 
RCA-VICTOR DEALERS 
WNBQ, Chicago (bolor) 

WNBQ, which has pioneered in 
tailoring bowling and golf for live 
television, has come up with, a new 
offbeat sports entry with this week¬ 
ly horseshoe pitching contest. 
While this contest doesn’t figure to 
make the tv solash the kegler 
matches have, it does generate 
enough competitive excitement 
and interest to build a following of 
sorts. 

It’s a match game with two toss- 


ers paired 1 off in a 25 inning con¬ 
test, Winner gets $50 and $5 for 
every.„double ringer. As an added 
incentive there's a $5 prize for 
each ringer after 10 straight. 

To save time the pitchers toss at 
one stake, otherwise the studio 
layout is rigged just like outdoors. 
On the match watched (5) director 
Paul Robmson zeroed in the color 
cameras for some good tight shots 
of the shoes plunking around the 
stake. The tvo competitors were 
plenty skillful, with the winner 
heaving an amazing number of 
ringers. 

Norm Barry does a nice easy job 
on the commentary and he doubles 
into the commercials to assist 
Hollis Burke in extolling RCA col¬ 
or sets. . Dauc, 


All-Beard Cast 

Hollywood, Dec, 11. 
There will be no more shaves 
in any scenes in CBS-TV’s 
“Gunsmoke" vidseries, * 
Remington - Rand, plugging 
its electric shaver, has, stepped 
in as co-sponsor of the series 
toplining Jim Arness. So the 
web sent the producers a 
memo saying no more scenes 
with straight razors. Since it’s 
a period western, they can’t 
use electric razors, so there 
will be no more shaves in the 
series! 


Detain 




10 E. 44th St., New York 17, OXford 7-5880 


VAL PARNELL'S STARTIME 
With Bob Monkhouso, Ren's Gtod- 
wtf, Sh»rley Eaton, Lestor Eer- 
- gir-on, Danny Blond, Svetlana 
Itoriosova and Philip Cbatfield, 
The Larenty’s, George Carden's 
Boys and Girls, Dennis Ring- 
rowe's Orchestra 

Producer-Director: Dicky Lceman 
00 Mins.: Thurs., 9 p.m. 

Associated TV Network from . 
London 

Bob Monkhoue’s emceeing is 
enough to make any show a suc¬ 
cess, but the program reviewed 
had so much to offer that it could 
hardly” have failed. Beamed from 
Associated TV’s Theatre, the show 
was brisk entertainment from the 
start. Smooth production and a 
wide field of entertainment, rang¬ 
ing from straight ballet to rock ’n’ 
roll by a 12-year-old boy, jail added 
up to solid tv. 

MonkhOuse, with a steady flow 
of gags and a smooth line of pat¬ 
ter, made his 22d and last appear¬ 
ance for a while on the show. 
Joined by his partner in comedy 
and script writing, Denis. Good¬ 
win, he provided some hilarious I 
sketches. 

Big noise of the show, was 4 ft. 5 
Danny Blond, a juvenile bundle of 
rhythm who really sent the live 
audience with renderings of “Rock 
in the Morning, Rock in the 
Night." and “Never Let Him Go." 
This blond haired kid was a mix¬ 
ture of practically all the rock 'n' 
roll songsters-sans voice. 

The Larenty’s, a troupe of three 
femmes and two men, were mod¬ 
erate acrobatic entertainment. Ca¬ 
nadian light tenor, Lester Fergu¬ 
son. sang three numbers passably 
well, and songstress Shirley Eaton 
delivered two songs pleasantly gnd 
with good tele technique. 

Svetlana Beriosova, partnered by 
Philip Chatfield, danced the Pas 
de Deux fvom the last act of “The 
Sleeping Beauty.’\It was first-class 
ballet and entertainment marred 
only by the poor backing from 
Dennis Ringrowe’s Orchestra. 
George Garden’s dance sextet was 
featured several times throughout 
the program and performed some 
good routines. Bary. 


formative program. At the pres¬ 
ent time, the critical international 
situation helps to create a special 
urgency, but even in normal times, 
such an interpretive series could 
be a valuable aid in appreciating 
the week's events. 

The current series Is iniroed in 
turn by Kingsley Martin, editor of 
the left w ng New Statesman and 
Nation, and by Brian Inglis, assist¬ 
ant editor of the more moderate 
Spectator. Ifl the program re¬ 
viewed, the chore was undertaken 
by Martin, whose forthright per¬ 
sonality was in contrast to the 
more gentle approach applied pre¬ 
viously by Inglis. 

The main function of the pro¬ 
gram is to indicate a particular 
bias of individhal papers in their 
handling cf the main happenings 
of the week. 0 There was no con¬ 
troversy in their treatment of the 
search for a missing three-year-old 
boy (since found drowned in a 
river), but there was a wide di¬ 
vergence in the presentation of the 
events in the Suez and of the 
Prime Minister’s illness and his 
subsequent visit to Jamaica, but 
only passing reference to the situ¬ 
ation in Eastern Europe. 

A weak feature of the program 
was the introduction of two or¬ 
dinary newspaper readers, .who 
swan their favorite dailies for a 
week and make their comparisons. 
As they were brought in at the 
tail end of a 15-minute program, 
there was no real • opportunity to 
develop their arguments. In other 
respects, however, the show •was 
stimulating and of above average 
iiiterest. Myro. 


WW 


sf^sssf Continued from page Z9 

■11:43 was net participation iii 
“Queen for a Day," while Myo- 
pone at 12 pjn. was a local cut-in 
on the same show. Anadn and In¬ 
frarub, both out of the American 
Home Products firm, were on the 
net’s “Gabriel Heatter Show." 

In his rejoinder,- Leder cracked 
“By sheer coincidence each of the 
advertisers listed is -a competitor 
of Mi\ van der Linde’s owu prod¬ 
uct, Dolcin." 

25 Plugs In 65 Mins. 

Regarding the “sheer multipli¬ 
city of announcements" issue, the 
Dolcin exec ticked off 26 commer¬ 
cial announcements within a 65- 
minute period, made on the eve¬ 
ning of Thanksgiving Day, from 
5:55 p.m. to 1 7 p.m. His listing in 
his" complaining letter from 6 to 
6:30 p.m. sums iip'’his position. 
He said he heard the following 
announcements during that time: 
6 p.m., State of Israel Bonds, Pep¬ 
si Cola, Esso News; 6:07 p.m., Tay¬ 
lor Pork Rolls; 6:12 p.m., Mercury; 
6:15, Medaglia D’oro; 6:15^, G.E. 
Iron; 6:16, Hit Parade; 6:19, Craw¬ 
ford; 6:24, Firestone; and 6:30, 
Kent Cigarets. 

Van der Linde maintained that 
such a multiple announcement 
schedule is “simply killing the 
goose . . . As an advertiser who 
has been spending over $1,000,000 
in radio annually," he continued, 
“I am interested in watching 
radio’s felo de se (suicide) . . . 
which foolishness has forced us to 
cut our spot-radio appropriation 
by $900,000 this year and invest it 
elsewhere (mainly in the printed 
media)." 

In rebuttal, Leder pointing to 
the station’s policy of scheduling 
three commercial ^participations in 
a ^-quarter-hour period, said that 
Mr. van dfer Linde “has added to 
his list time signals, station breaks 
and *ID’s’ performed on the break." 

Continued Leder: “We hope that 
he was ^sufficiently impressed by 
the type of advertising on WOR 
and the ratings in the'period . . . 
Mr. van der Linde's agency has 
reouested availabilities on WOR 
and we suspect that he’s anxious 
to dear some time." 


; Continued from page 25 ; 


WHAT THE PAPERS SAT! 

With Kingsley Martin 
Director: Guy Nottingham 
15 Mins.; Mon., 10:30 p.m. 
Granada-TV Network from Man¬ 
chester (Eng.) 

Headlines of the world’s news of 
the past week, form the basis of 
this topical, controversial and in- 





THE GOLDEN 
TELEVISION 

THE GREATEST 
THE GREATEST 


MOM 


Contact: CHARLES C. BARRY, Vice-president 
MGM-TV, a service of Loew’s Incorporated 
1540 Broadway, Now York, N. Y. » JUdaon 2-2000 


activities over to Toastmaster Pat 
O’Brien. Dais members who alter¬ 
nately. kudosed, kidded WW: Sol 
Lesser, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, 
Dick Powell, Vincent Price, Jack 
Haley, Allan Jones, Joe Frisco, 
Buddy Adler, L. Wolfe Gilbert, 
Bill Kennedy, David Hearst, Vin¬ 
cent X. Flaherty, Eddie Fisher, 
Champ -Butler, Mervyn LeRoy, 
Tony Martin. 

The Winchell-NBC situation Con¬ 
tinued up in the air this 'week as 
the NBC brass planed down to 
Miami Beach for their 30th anni¬ 
versary convention while Winchell 
remained on the Coast with his 
show. One major break in the log¬ 
jam, however, came from the Toni 
Co., which cosponsors the Win¬ 
chell show with Old Gold. Toni 
has begun to look around for an 
alternate week sponsor and has 
indicated it’s interested in contin¬ 
uing in the Friday,at 8:30 time 
slot. 

Whether it wants to keep Win¬ 
chell is another question, however. 
Winchell said last week that Toni 
had begun negotiations With Trans- 
Wdrld Airlines to take on the al¬ 
ternate week of the show, with 
.Winchell himself discussing the 
projected d'eal with Howard 
Hughes, TWA boss (airlines spon¬ 
sored Winchell’s Mutual radiocasts 
for a spell). However, there’s a 
lineup problem involved, in that 
NBC would probably insist that 
TWA pick up all 158 stations on 
.the linejat that hour; TWA doesn’t 
go into all those markets and would 
prefer a considerably smaller line¬ 
up. 

NBC, however, declared that 
Toni had notified it that it was 
shopping, not only for an alternate 
sponsor, but for a brand new show, 
NBC added that it had been re¬ 
quested by Toni to look for an 
alternate sponsor for the time pe¬ 
riod as Well. As for Old Gold, NBC 
hasn’t officially released it from 
its contract yet/ but will do so 
shortly. Winchell, incidentally, de¬ 
nied a report in Variety that he 
was attacking the cigaret industry, 
stating that- the industry to date 
has donated $350,000 to the Damon 
Runyon Cancer Fund and that P. 
Lorillard, which makes Old Gold, 
was the very first to donate a large 
sum to cancer-smoking research. 


Wasserman’s ‘Forger’ 

Sold for Italo TV 

Dale Wasserman sold “The Forg¬ 
er," the play he originally wrote 
for Kraft in 1955, to Italo tv sta¬ 
tions in Milan and Rome. It’s one 
of the first American tv dramas 
sold to Italian Television. 

The government-owned stations 
in both Italian cities plan- separate 
translated productions of “Forger" 
in January and February. Each 
P-rformance pays scribe Wasser¬ 
man 120,000 lira ($200) per show¬ 
ing. 


Bob Lewine’s Stripes 

Bob Lewine was officially handed 
his NBC-TV v.p. stripes last week 
at the monthly NBC board meeting. 
At the time he signed With the 
network to move from ABC and 
join NBC as a programming exec 
under Manie Sacks, it was an¬ 
nounced he’d be elected a veep 
at the next board meeting. 

Lewine moves over to NBC this 
week. He’ll be on hand at the 30th 
anniversary celebration of NBC in 
Miami Beach to be introduced to 
the affiliates, as will his old boss, 
Bob Kintner, former ABC prexy 
and now exec v.p. of NBC. 


Tony Express 9 Series 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

. “Pony Express" telefilm series 
will be produced for NBC-TV by 
Frank Rosenberg, who has formed 
a new indie telepix company, Cliff- 
wood Productions, in association 
with a partnership syndicate. 

Series goes into production Jan. 
3. 


Manned Over Features 

Minneapolis, Dec.. 11. 

With opposition KMGM-TV here 
inaugurating the M-G-M ftre-1948 
theatre features with a big whoop- 
dedo that has involved the ex* 
penditUre of a hefty sum for ad¬ 
vance and current publicity . and 
exploitation, Stan „ Hubbard, who 
has built his KSTP-TV and radio 
station (NBC outlet) intd one of 
the nation’s largest and most sue* 
ccssful independent operations of 
its. kind, says he’s unworried and 
undisturbed anent the rash of not 
so old and better theatre movies 
breaking out on boriy; video,. 

KSTP-TV will continue its pres¬ 
ent policy of devoting itself en¬ 
tirely to network and locally pro¬ 
duced live shows and syndicated 
half-hour film shows like “Bad^e 
714.” “Highway Patrol" and “D.'s- 
trict Attorney" which Have won 
high ratings here, and still will 
use only two old. movies a week, 
one at 11:30 p.m. Saturdays and 
the other at 11 p.m. Sundays, says 
Hubbard. 

it’s the policy that lias built 
KSTP into a more than $3,500,000 
investment that’s still being in¬ 
creased and one of the largest and 
best: physically equipped quarters 
of any independent station any¬ 
where, he points out. 

And Hubbard is confident that 
h*v present substantial tv audience 
will not be denied by the M-G-M 
and other better theatre features, 
that independent and any, other 
stations will not cash in important¬ 
ly on such fare and that the favor¬ 
ite network shows and syndicated 
half-hour films will continue their 
present popularity. 4 

“I’m unafraid of this new de¬ 
velopment," declares Hubbard. 
“Look at the ratings of the old 
movies. Even if these are tripled 
and quadrupled by the stronger 
entries, what will the [figures 
amount to? 

“Of course, at the outset,-helped 
by huge advertising outlays, these 
M-G-M pre-1948 pictures undoubt¬ 
edly will command substantial at¬ 
tention. But among the 747 com¬ 
prising the backlog it’s doubtful if 
more than 200 are of ‘A’ calibre 
and sufficiently ‘boxoffice’ even as 
far as video is .concerned to lure 
away importantly from the good 
live or syndicated shows. 

“Moreover, as a steady diet I 
don't believe the average setownpr 
wil* go for the hour and a half and 
longer movies. Yes, an occasional 
Spectacular or “Wide, Wide, 
World" of such length is accepta¬ 
ble, but, ordinarily, tv viewers 
don’t wish to concentrate so long 
on a single program." 



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Wednesday, December 12» 1956 


Closed-Circuit TV 

sssssm Continued from page 26 soimisa 


subject of largo-screen color is 
“controversial." .However, he points 
out that his company will build a 
studio, equivalent to the facilities 
that will be available in hotel ball¬ 
rooms. “We’ll let the client come 
in and evaluate ft before he buys. 
He’ll be the judge." He notes, too, 
that RCA would not have made the 
equipment available if the pro¬ 
jectors had not been ready for use. 
“With the. money NBC and RCA 
have riding on color, they wouldn’t 
put a big screen .projector in the 
closed-circuit tv field unless they 
were confident of its quality, effec¬ 
tiveness, and perfection. If they 
didn’t think it would work, they 
wouldn’t make it available. _It_ 
"would"set'■'color"'■'back', if they put 
out a faulty unit.” 

Lindsley, Kahn, and Halpern 
agree that the use of color will 
open new horizons for the closed- 
circuit entrengeneurs. They feel it 
will encourage the use of the me¬ 
dium for package goods, soft 
goods, and other products that 
deem* tint essential. 

. However, Kahn and Halpern 
maintain that the size of the units 
currently available is inadequate. 
TNT, which has already presented 
color shows commercially, has nev¬ 
ertheless acquired one of the new 
color units for experimental and 
development purposes*. Kahn and 



WGAL-TV 

Lancaster, Penna. 
NBC and CBS 



’3^ BILLION 


in retail sales 

America's 10th TV market— 
the Channel 8 Multi-City Mar¬ 
ket: 3Vi million people, own¬ 
ing 917,320 TV sets, having 
an annual income of $5% bil¬ 
lion, of which ttiey spend $3% 
billion in retail stores. 



Channel 8 Multi-City Market 


V. \ Harrisburg -Reading 

•vi /jYork ' Lebanon 

sj ^ Hanover . Pollsville 

WM Gettysburg Hazleton 

Lmm ChambersDurg ' Shamokin 

Waynesboro Mount Carmel 

[ '■■Frederick Bloomsburg 

Westminster lewisburg. 

Carlisle Lewistown 

^ / Sunbury .... Lock Haven 

V Maftinsburg Hagerstown 


316,000 WATTS 


. STEINMAN STATION 
CLAIR McCOLLOUGH, Pres. 

Representative 

the MEEKER company,inc. 

New York Los Angolcs 

Chicaoo ' San Francisco 


Halpern describe the RCA unit as 
a 4V6 ft; by 6 ft. projector, while 
Lindsley says it is capable of pro¬ 
viding a 6 ft. x 8 ft. picture. 

Kahn feels that the type of large- 
screen color currently available is 
of postage-stamp quality. He says 
his company will use b&w until 
such time as acceptable color is 
available. He points ■ out that 
closed-circuit? unlike home tv, is 
big business and the standards 
therefore must be higher, since a 
client is paying for the service. 
“The clients will be looking at it 
under theatre conditions,” he said. 
“In addition,, they’ll be trying tor 
sell products. The slightest devia¬ 
tion in shade or tone could be 
-murder,—Why -jump inland jeopar¬ 
dize the operation?" 

Kahn says the first objective of 
the closed-circuit industry is to 
provide a good black and white 
picture before introducing color. 
TelePrompter, he noted, is acquir¬ 
ing new large-screen equipment 
which will provide acceptable light 
“for the first time" and will pro¬ 
vide standards equivalent to motion 
picture projection. “If color is 
sold under a false label," he said, 
“it’ll be tougher to sell when it’s 
ready." 

TelePrompter Researching 

He indicated, however, that Tele¬ 
Prompter is spending considerable 
money in the research and develop¬ 
ment of large-screen color. The 
program is under the supervision 
of H. J. Schlafly Jr., TelePromp- 
ter’s v.p. in charge of engineering* 
who has' worked on 20th-Fox Eido- 
phor system of large-screen color. 

Halpern maintains that very lit¬ 
tle production values can be ob¬ 
tained via the so-called large- 
screen units currently available. He 
contends > that clients are demand¬ 
ing larger and larger pictures. He 
feels that the only new develop¬ 
ment in big screen color has been 
the shift from the field sequential 
system to the one approved by the 
National Television Standards 
Committee. “The size of the pic¬ 
ture is the same as before," he de¬ 
clared. He contrasted the 4Vfc by 
6 color size to the 9 x 12 and 15 x 
20 pictures that can be obtained 
with black and white. Under pres¬ 
ent conditions, he said, it has been 
necessary to limit the type of 
products that are suitable for color 
presentation. 

Via the use of the experimental 
unit it has acquired, TNT hopes 
to learn for “ourselves and the 
manufacturer" the proper size and 
the proper type of color unit that 
is necessary. TNT hopes “to stim¬ 
ulate manufacturers to develop a 
real big screen unit with a large 
picture size that is mobile and 
durable for location work." Hal¬ 
pern says that tubes have not yet 
been developed with the commer¬ 
cial quality, durability and strength 
to provide faithful color and to be 
driven by a high voltage power 
supply. “When the tube is devel¬ 
oped,"he said, "the problem of big 
screen color will open up." . 

Meanwhile, he stresses that b&w 
will continue to be the "bread and 
butter" of closed-circuit tv. He 
notes, for example, that when 
"management is the star of the 
show, color is not necessary and 
is not basic for the success of a 
management meeting. TNT, one of 
the pioneers of the business, now 
has 59 wholly-owned large-screen 
units stationed in various sections 
of the country. 

Closed-circuit Telecasting Sys¬ 
tem, which entered the field last 
week, has Lindsley as president 
and treasurer, Arthur O. Choate 
Jr. as chairman of the board, Wil¬ 
liam Rockefeller as secretary, 
Charles B. Pearson, formerly Life 
mag’s food merchandising mana¬ 
ger, as assistant to the president, 
and Tom Judge, former eastern 
spots sales manager for CBS, as 
v.p. in charge of sales. 


Jan Murray 

Continued from page 29 / 1 

ming would naturally come out on 
top. Even last summer, when low 
daylight audiences hike the aver¬ 
age cost-per-1,000, pre-dark tv 
generally pulled the best efficiency 
returns. For example, CBS soapers, 
"Guiding Light" and "Edge of 
Night," s^nt $1.43-per-l,000 and 
$2.63, respectively. "Brighter• Day” 
cost $1.89 a 1,000. There are night¬ 
time exceptions to high cost-per- 
1,000, such as Ed Sullivan on CBS. 
His ratings are so high that when 


PfikiETr _ • BAPIO-TELEVISION si 

Paul Hasten 

5 Continued from page 26 ■ ■■ ■ ■ - 


compared to „ the relatively high 
production costs of Hie Jiour show, 
it went at $2.36 per 1,000. 

Therefore, the "Murray Plan" 
would enhance the prestige <?f day¬ 
time tv. Murray pointed but that 
moderately -priced, moderately- 
rated programs' like "Treasure 
Hunt” provide the small sponsor 
a chance to get into network tv. 
Mogen David wine, his sponsor 
Who started with his ""Dollar ,A 
Second" stanza some years ago, 
has grown considerably since start¬ 
ing with him. 

Another;- observation on ~the 
"Murray Plan" has been that cost- 
per-l,OQO figures do lio more to 
reveal the real merit of a tv show 
—its impact and sponsor identifi¬ 
cation—than straight ratings. 


‘Press Conference’ 

Continued from page 28 

Paris, the one mike, suspended 
from the ceiling, did the entire 
job. In one advance test, it man- 
| aged to pick up street noises a 
block away. 

| Item No. 2 was a push-button 
monitor board wired to four cam¬ 
eras placed around the set for the 
Mollet interview. Each camera had 
a cameraman to focus and swing 
the camera. But only one camera 
ground at a time. A push button, 
directed by Novak, would turn a 
camera on and off. He switched 
from one camera to* another with¬ 
out difficulty. 

As ‘ each piece of footage was 
shot, it was scored by marginal 
fogs, which indicated the number 
of the camera which was shooting. 
Simultaneously, a code system— 
one small master strip' of film— 
kept a record of the sequence in 
which the cameras operated, so 
that the film editor would know 
the order in which to cut and splice 
the film clips. 

The monitor board, as used last 
week in Paris, lacked the four 
monitor screens which are to be 
added in the near future. 

However, Novak calls the shots 
as follows as the advantages when 
the unit is completed: 

"For the first time, a director 
will be able to film a news type 
show and see what every camera 
is getting. Second, because of the 
coding system, it will be possible 
to film a show within the desired 
length, thus eliminating much edit¬ 
ing. 

"Third, it should be considerably 
cheaper. There will be a reduc¬ 
tion in editing and laboratory time, 
and much less rawstock will be 
used. This will be especially im¬ 
portant when filming with color 
stock. 

"Fourth, since a director will be 
able to see what he is getting, by 
use of the monitor screens, stop 
action should be virtually elimi¬ 
nated." 

On the negative side, Novak had 
this comment: "Although better 
than a poor kine, the result will not 
be as good as a good kine.” 

Interestingly enough, the "Press 
Conference" crew was not aware 
until the equipment was being set 
up in the new Jenner tv Studios, 
that the new equipment even 
existed. Oliver Presbrey, husband 
of Martha Rountree, and co-pro- 
duder with her, is planning to im¬ 
port the equipment here. 


Sfation Reps 

Continued from page 28 

biz through tv stations in large 
markets, those which now' provide 
maximum network option time, 
want .option time reduced. The 
station reps who handle predomi¬ 
nantly small tv stations want it 
increased, since their stations al¬ 
ready have enough trouble getting 
networks to provide them with pro¬ 
gramming. And the reps (in the ma¬ 
jority) who divide their efforts be¬ 
tween large and small stations can 
at best offer conditional answers. 
Trouble with a conditional answer, 
it’s thought, is that it' loses its 
impact as an anti-network propa¬ 
ganda weapon. 

There was an original question¬ 
naire some weeks ago, which was 
considered so outlandish in its de¬ 
mands that the reps met 0 with 
members of the Bureau of the 
Budget, which controls the content 
of all business questionnaires from 
a Government agency like the FCC. 
The Budgeteers withdraw some of 
the more "extraneous” questions. 

Reps are fearful that the mate¬ 
rial supplied the Study Group 
might eventually land in the hands 
of one of the Senate or House 
groups investigating broadcasting 
and then be made public. 


positively doted oh the ways and 
means by which sell was achieved. 
He gave CBS the impetus it has, 
with some turnings, retained. It 
would take a full research job to 
isolate his direct influence on the 
CBS' men who followed him. Vic¬ 
tor Ratner, now with McCann- 
Erickson, was one of his idolators. 

The present Lord High Every¬ 
thing at CBS, Frank Stanton, was 
a Ph.D. in Ohio with communica¬ 
tions research as his specialty 
while Kesten was doing the Apres- 
Midi du Faun act at CBS. Stanton 
detected a false premise or deduc¬ 
tion, or both, in one of Kesten’s 
dissertations_on ..the..radio- medium. 
Characteristically Kesten did not 
resent, but admired, the peeled 
eye of the academic nobody. From 
this incident developed Kesten’s 
offer that Stanton join CBS in 
Manhattan (at $55 a week) an offer 
the towheaded instructor accepted, 
borrowing $100 in Columbus for 
pocket money. For the Alger flip¬ 
per: Stanton is today a millionaire. 

Kesten functioned in sales pro¬ 
motion at the time CBS was mak¬ 
ing industry precedent in news 
(per Edward Klauher and. Paul 
White) and in various program ef¬ 
fusions like the Columbia Work¬ 
shop (per William B. Lewis, Irving 
Reis, Norman Corwin) and, more 
esoteric, in the art of network re¬ 
lations . with affiliates (per Herb 
Akerberg and Jap Gude). Not the 
least remarkable thing to be said 
about Paul Kesten is this: in the 
Soviet of Egocentrics which was 
CBS in the Thirties and early 
Forties, nearly everybody held 
Kesten’s personality and mind ’ in 
something like awe. Men them¬ 
selves brilliant trembled when 
summoned to his presence for his 
powers of analysis ^were of x-ray 
penetration. 

Part of his skill lay in being 
able to be so indisputably superior 
intellectually and yet never stuffy. 
About the only criticism of Kesten 
ever heard came from more pro¬ 
saic imaginations on the executive 
echelon who hinted that Kesten’s 
love of words and phrases occa¬ 
sionally; over-complicated simple 


deal-making. Once or twice he was 
trapped in his own literary gifts. 

During his days as chief strate¬ 
gist of management, Kesten mas¬ 
terminded CBS’, fight for .color 
television, a fight which ..CBS won 
but ‘ couldn’t make stick because 
the CBS (Peter Goldmark) system 
was only quasi-electronic. During 
the bitted feuding with RCA, Kes¬ 
ten was accused of being dog-in¬ 
manger about black and white tv, 
he having argued that the FCC 
should hold back the television 
dawn and let it break first off in 
colors. 

B ut the factual data-on-Kesteri’s 
career hardly records the impact 
he had on his contemporaries, and 
their thinking. His use of scholar¬ 
ship in arguing the case for 
"sound" (radio) against magazines 
was most advanced for its time, 
though the advent of television has 
submerged his hypotheses, since 
the same interests largely domi¬ 
nate both media and the argu¬ 
ments favoring radio might "con¬ 
fuse" innocent-minded sponsors 
today.. 

Going on’ the CBS board in 1942 
and becoming general manager of 
the web, Kesten was exec veep a 
year later and vice-chairman upon 
his retirement from CBS. He was 
given a lifetime consultancy at 
$25,000 annually and continued in¬ 
termittently close to Bill Paley and 
Stanton. 

Kesten never sought personal 
publicity, but was instrumental in 
some unusual industrial and scien¬ 
tific promotions during the decade 
he occupied an office at the Hotel 
Lombardy off Park Ave. The most 
conspicuous of his post-CBS proj¬ 
ects was as chairman of the ex¬ 
ecutive committee which financed 
and launched Cinerama, the first 
of the wipie-screea devices and the 
beginning of a revolution in mov¬ 
ing pictures. 


Hollywood — Broadcaster Jack^ 
Feldmann has been named general 
manager of . KRKp, here, which 
has newly shifted to country-and-- 
western music format. 


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Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


Jocks, Jukes and Disks 


.By HERM SCHOENFELD. 


Johnnie Ray: “You Don't Owe 
Me A Thing’-“Look Homeward, 
Angel” (Columbia). Still riding 
with “Walkin’ Izi The Rain,” John¬ 
nie Ray maintains the hit pace 
with a fine coupling. “Don't Owe 
Me A Thing” is au attractive light 
rhythm ballad delivered by Ray in. 
a style that, although Considered 
flamboyant a few years ago, is now 
relatively subdued Compared to 
some of today’s current song belt-, 
ers. Excellent background helps 
this side’s impact. Flip, is a fine 
version of a tune that had wide 
circulation last year. 

Eddie Fisher: “All About Love”- 
“Some Day Soon” (RCA r Victor). 
From his first film effort, RKO's 
“Bundle of Joy,” Eddie Fisher 
comes up with a strong pop entry 
in “All About Love,” a swinging 
ballad which is projected with 


“Papa Loves Mambo” have a varia¬ 
tion on the same theme with a cha- 
cha motif. It’s a clever number 
with strong chances via this* combo 
of Don Cornell: vocal and Law* 
rence Welk’s orch. “Let’s Be 
Friends” is a lilting ballad with a 
pleasing, . oldfashioned Quality in 
both the melody and lyrics. 

Meg Myles: “Thirteen Men”- 
“Language of Love” (Liberty). 
“Thirteen Men” is an excellent 
piece of material that Meg Myles 
projects to the hilt. The.unusual 
idea may be a hurdle in the pop 
market, but the side rates atten¬ 
tion for Miss Myles' dynamic in¬ 
terpretation and the superb orch 
backing. “Language of Love" is a 
fine pop ballad with a clever lyric 
in a lightly bouncing setup. Rates 
lotsa jock and juke attention. 

Dick Hyman-Sam . (The Man) 



Albifln Reviews 


Best Bets 


JOHNNIE RAY ..YOU DON’T OWE ME A THING 

(Columbia) .............. .Look Homeward, Angel 

EDDIE FISHER ...... *. ..,.ALL ABOUT LOVE 

(RCA Victor) .. Some Day Soon 

THE PLATTERS......ONE IN A MILLION 

( Mercury ) ...On My Word of Honor 

JIM LOWE..BY YOU, BY YOU, BY YOU 

(Dot) ......'.I Feel the Beat 

BILL HARRINGTON ANGELIQUE 

(Dana) ..... Marilyn. 


commercial impact by the singer 
with Henri Rene's orch and chorus. 
Flip, also from the same pic, is a 
lovely piece of material which may 
take over for the long pult. 

The Platters: “One In‘A Mil- 
lion”-“On My Word of Honor” 
(Mercury). Among the current 
flock of vocal combos, The Platters 
have developed a slick style that 
blends both the rock ’n’ roll and 
straight pop qualities. On “One 
In A Million,” a good rhythm bal¬ 
lad, the combo belts in highly ef¬ 
fective style. “On My Word of 
STbnor” is another good entry in 
the same genre. 

Jim Lowe: “By You, By You, By 
You”-“I Feel The Beat” (Dot). Jim 
Lowe has a solid followup to 
“Green Door” in “By You,” a cute 
novelty'With a'catching lyric and 
an offbeat sound that could catch 
the juke spins. Flip is a more rou¬ 
tine piece of material, also done 
with a rinky-tink piano back¬ 
ground. 

Bill Harrington: “Angelique”- 
“Marilyn” (Dana). This platter 
could be another hit out of left 
field. “Angelique” is a charming 
number in an expert rendition by 
Bill Harrington with backing from 
Larry Clinton's orch and chorus. 
It could go all the way. Flip is 
bright, but conventional. 

Don Cornell - Lawrence Welk 
Orch: “Pa-Pa Ma-Ma Cha-Cha”- 
“Let’s Be Friends” (Coral). The 
same cleffing team (A1 Hoffman & 
Dick- Manning) who came up with 


PSniETY in D An | 


SINGING THE BLUES (6) 
LOVE ME TENDER (8) ... 


Taylor: “Congo Mombo”-“I’H Get 
By” (MGM). “Congo Mombo” par¬ 
lays the mambo and rock ’n' roll 
motifs into a cute instrumental 
novelty. Dick Hyman swings at the 
organ with Sam Taylor's lowdown 
sax supplying Much of the : drive. 
It’s a toe-tapping slice. On the flip 
the same duet works over *the fine 
oldie, “I’ll Get By,” effectively. 

Larry Hooper: “Roger Boom”- 
“The Fourth -‘R’, (Religion)” (Cor¬ 
al). “Roger Boom” is a. humorous 
ballad with good potential. Larry 
Hooper, from-the Lawrence Welk 
organization, handles this tune 
with a comedy basso, that sells it 
immediately. The Voices of Wal¬ 
ter Schumann, on the RCA Victor 
label, have a 'more, legit interpre¬ 
tation which, while polished, loses 
the gag effect. On the Coral flip, 
Hooper does very nicely with the 
handclapping, folk-styled religioso 
which was launched several 
months back. 

Clyde McPhatter: “W i t h o u t' 
Love”-“I Make Believe” (Atlantic*). 
An authentic practitioner in the 
rhythm • & blues groove, Clyde 
McPhatter impresses with his sin¬ 
cere belting of a solid ballad for 
the genre, “Without Love.” It’s a 
tune that could be adapted for a 
pop spread. Flip is another good 
entry with chances. 

Susan Silo: “Operator Please”- 
“A Shoulder To Cry On” (Candle¬ 
light). If there’s a demand for a 
distaff Elvis Presley, Susan Silo 
should be able to fill it. She has 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hid 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 

(Exclusively on Coral) 

277th Consecutive Week 
Aragon Ballroom-Ocean Park, Cal. 

ABC-TV—Sat. 9-10 P. M. E.S.T. 

Sponsored by 
Dodge Dealers "of America 
ABC-TV Mon. 9:30-10:30 p.m. EST 
Sponsored by 

Dodge and Plymouth Dealers of 
America 

the same frantic style and regis¬ 
ters with an allout broken-note de¬ 
livery on “Operator*Please,” rock 
'n' roll novelty that could go all 
the way. Miss Silo sings in a ipore 
straightforward style on “A Shoul¬ 
der To Cry On,” a pleasing tune 
with a music hall flavor. 

The BoWties: “Ever Since I Can 
Remember”-“Rock, Pretty Baby” 
(Royal Roost). The tunes from the 
Vanguard film, “Rock, Rock, Rock,” 
have been piling up a stack of wax. 
“Ever Since I Can Remember” is 
one of the better ballads in the 
rock ’n’ roll genre and the Bow- 
ties give it a typical interpretation 
for this idiom. Flip also from the 
film, features six-year-old Ivy 
Schulman in one of his obvious 
rocking tunes. Another good num¬ 
ber from the same pic is “I Knew 
From the Start,” done by the 
Moonglows on the Chess label. 

Teen-Agers Tco Young; 
Verboten in Scotland 

London, Dec. 11. 

Owing to special laws in Scot¬ 
land which ban variety- - stage 
appearances by "performers under 
the age of 15, the American Teen- 
Agers vocal group will not be able 
to fullfill their scheduled dates at 
Glasgow and Edinburgh on their 
forthcoming British tour. 

The Teen-Agers feature 13-year- 
old, Frankie Lymon, writer of the 
song, “Why Do Fools Fall In 
Love?,” which was a top hit here. 
Their own record of the number 
was also on top of the best-selling 
charts for many weeks. 

They open their British tour at 
Newcastle Empire Feb. 25. 


Sellers on Coin- 




3. TRUE LOVE (7).. 

4. THE GREEN DOOR (10) . 

5. JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN (12) 

6. BLUEBERRY HILL (8). 

7. ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY (IV. 

8. CARDEN OF EDJSN (1) ; .... 


. Guy Mitchell . Columbia 

. Elvis Presley . Victor 

l Crosby & Kelly . Capitol 

' l Jane Powell . '.Verve 

. Jim Lowe . Dot 

. Johnnie Ray . Columbia 

Fats Domino . Imperial 

.Jerry Lewis . Decca 

Joe Valino .. Vik 


i Pa f Boone ... Dot 

} Four Aces .Decca 


Second Group 


TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS 


j Don Rondo . Jubilee 

\ Morgan & Williams . Kapp 

A ROSE AND A BABY RUTH .. ........ George Hamilton 4th.. . ABC-Par 

MAMA FROM THE TRAIN. Patti Page . Mercury 

NIGHT LIGHTS .... Nat (King) Cole . Capitol 

HEY, JEALOUS LOVER ..... Frank Sinatra . Capitol 

RUDY'S ROCK .?. Bill Haley’s Comets . Decca 

AUCTIONEER .... Le Roy Vandyke . Dot 

DON'T BE CRUEL.■... Elvis Presley . Victor 

SLOW WALK I Hogictt .•. . King 

../ Sil Austin .. Mercury 

CANADIAN SUNSET .. .. . ' Rii'-a Winterlmltnr .. Victor 

. ) Williams Cadence 


SLOW WALK 


CANADIAN SUNSET 


( Hu'-o Winterhalter 
) Williams 


Billie Holiday, whose autobiog, 
“Lady Sings The Blues,” was the 
takeoff point for a highly success^ 
ful Carnegie Hall concert recently, 
now turns Upfn an equally click 
Clef album under the same title. 
This set collects a dozen tunes that 
are . closely associated with, this 
standout jazz stylist 'who is again 
singing in superb form. The reper¬ 
tory includes such oldies as 
“Strange, Fruit,” .‘T .Must Have 
That Man,” “Willow Weep For 
Mq,” “Some Other Spring” and a 
couple of upbeat numbers all 
etched with that special,, haunting 
quality that always makes this 
songstress an unusual experience. 
Also tied 4n with her autobiog, 
“Thursday's Child,” Eartha Kitt 
delivers in a similarly titled RCA 
Victor album a varied, interesting 
songalog in her trademarked style. 

. Duke Ellington furnished the 
highspot of t|ie 1956 Newport Jazz 
Festival last summer and his Co¬ 
lumbia* albums, “Ellington At New¬ 
port” aiid “Duke Ellington and the 
Buck Clayton All-Stars At New¬ 
port,” are two superlative swing 
demonstrations. " In the first set, 
“Diminuendo and Crescendo In 
Blues” displays the Ellington or¬ 
ganization at its very best, in other 
words, at the summit of the whole, 
field. With the Clayton combo, 
Ellington plays colorful, spirited 
versions of a flock of his standards. 

Jack E. Leonard, the comic, plays 
it strictly for laughs in a Vik set, 
“Rock and Roll Music for Kids 
Over Sixteep/' From the jacket 
photo of Leonard as a motorcycle 
hot-rodder on one side to the 
ghosted Jackie Gleason liner notes 
on the other, the gag is never 
subtle. It adds Up to a clever bur¬ 
lesque of the rock 'n' roll school 


with Leonard delivering the vocals 
in broad style with some slick par* 
odying of the ensemble r&r styles 
by a group tagged the Four Fives 
and a typical combo conducted by 
Will Stomp, obviously hokey moh- 
ickers. The “Middle Aged Juve¬ 
nile Delinquent” number sums up 
this album’s socko comedy tdkeoff 
on the current song vogue. , 

The catalog of albums on various 
labels cut by songwrters doing 
their own material 'gets another 
topflight addition with a “Hugh 
Martin & Ralph Blanc” package 
for’, the new Harlequin Records. 
Backed by the Ralph .Bums orch 
and vocal group. Blane handles the 
lion's share of the singing chores 
on an even dozen hits from the 
team’s opic and legit scores,' in¬ 
cluding such evergreens as “The 
Trolley Song,” “The Boy Next 
Door, “Buckle Down Winsocki" 
among some, clever, lesser known 
numbers as “Pass That ‘ Peace 
Pipe,’! “That’s How* I Love The 
Blues," . “Wish I May, Wish I 
Might” and “Ev’rytime.” Cover 
group photo . of some show ~biz‘. 
celebs is-a neat eye-catching angle. 

Possibly ttfe top qome-on in 
jacket photos is. the Liberty label’s 
“Calendar Girl” package of Julie 
London as both model on 12 Color 
cheesecake . shots, one for each 
month of the year, plus one deluxe 
shot for “The Thirteenth Month,” 
a motif that also has guided the 
song programming. Miss London 
is a songstress with a savvy, sex 
style (with looks that even exceed 
her pipes) and she sells such num¬ 
bers as “June In January," “I’ll 
Remember April," “September* In 
The Rain,” “Sleigh Ride In July.' 
among some new items also with 
calendar pegs. It’s a lushly pro¬ 
duced set that bows Liberty’s new 
packaging program auspiciously. 


++» * » v ++++ ■»♦ ♦+ » 


o nwnv fivf piicdv ( E&dtB Fishcv *•«••• 4 .»VictoT ^ 

B. CINDY, OH CINDY ( 3 ) .) Vince Martin . Glory | 

10. FRIENDLY PERSUASION (4) ...| B ° 0 ”® .. k * 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
. copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index . 
Published bp Office of Research, Inc.. Dr. John Gray Peatman , 
Director. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical, t Film. ii'TVY 
.Survey Week of Nov. $0-Dec. 6, 1956 

A Rose And A Baby Ruth ....Bentley' 

Anastasia-rt“Anastasia” ...Feist 

Armen’s Theme ......'.. ..Bourne 

Baby Doll—t“Baby Doll” ... Remick 

Banana Boat Song .... Marks-B 

Canadian Sunset... ...Meridian 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .Marks-B 

Friendly Persuasion—t“Friendly Persuasion” .Feist 

Green Door .. ..Trinity 

Hey, Jealous Lover .... Barton 

I Don’t Know Enough About You.Porgie 

Jubilation T. Cornpone—*“Li’l Abner” .... Commander 

Just In Time—*“Bells Are Ringing”.Stratford 

Just Walking In The Rain...Golden West 

Love In A Home—*“Li’l Abner” . ...Commander 

Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender”.Presley ** 

Mama From The Train.Remick 

Money Tree ..Frank 

Mutual Admiration Society—-“Happy Hunting”-Chappell 

Night Lights..BVC 

One Little Boy .. Harms 

Party’s Over—*“Bells Are Ringing”.Stratford 

Petticoats Of Portugal...Christopher 

Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody ...... Mills-W 

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer .;.St. Nicholas 

Silver Beils .*.Paramount 

Singing The Blues .Acuff-R 

Sleigh Ride .....Mills 

. Star You Wished Upon Last Night ...Robbins 

True Love—t“High Society” .Buxton Hill 

Two Different Worlds . ..Princess 

Winter Wonderland .BVC 

Ton 30 Son«s on TV 

(More In Case of Ties) 

Blueberry Hill.Chappell 

Canadian Sunset.Meridian 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .Marks-B 

Don't Be Cruel.... Presley-S 

First Born.... Bradshaw 

Friendly Persuasion—f “Friendly Persuasion” ..... Feist 

Green Door .. Trinity 

Happiness Street ... Planetary 

Hey, Jealous Lover ......Barton 

Hound Dog ...Presley-L 

I Don’t Know Enough About You ..,.Porgie 

I Love My Baby.... Shapiro-B 


I’ve Grown Accustomed—*“My Fair Lady” ..Chappell 


Just Wa’king In The Rain . .Golden West 

Looka Me—*“Happy Hunting” .Chappell 


Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender”....'.Presley 

Marna From 'the Train.Remick 

Ill-Assorted Guards—It “Jack & Beanstalk” .Chappell 

Money Tree . Frank 

Moonlight Love . .. Elkan-V* 

Mutual Admiration Society—*“Happy Hunting”.... Chappell 


[Figures in paievthesps ivd^''<tp number of weeks song hr 


m Too 101 


New England Tango—*“Happy Hunting” . 

Night Lights .* ... . 

Rock-A-B ’e Your Baby With A Dixie Melody 

Silver Bolls .... # .. 

Sin'Tlng The Blues.-. 

True T;Ovc—•‘•“High Society” ...... 

Two Different Worlds . 


. Chappell 
.BVC 
. Mills-W 
. Paramount 
, Acuff-R 
.Buxton Hill 
. Princess 


Wherever I Am, I’m Home .Desilu 


► » ♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦ ♦ 





















































































































Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


PfiklETr 


MUSIC 


S3 


VIDEO TUNES IN ON PAYOLA 


No Danger of Saturating Longhair 
Market With Warhorse Disks: Marek C0E5 


'Senate Wants Settlement on Issue 
Of Jukeboxes; ASCAP-RIAA Views 


Although there may be a dozen 
or more available disk versions on 
any of the more popular longhair 
works* there’s still no danger of 
the record business evei; saturating 
the market with the standard 
classical repertory. That’s the opin¬ 
ion of George R, Marek, head of 
the RCA Victor album division. 

Marek said several factors mili¬ 
tated against the possibility of such 
a saturation. First among these is 
the continual emergence of new 
artists, if they are good, Marek 
said, the public wants to hear them 
play the warhorses, such as Rach¬ 
maninoff’s or Grieg’s piano con¬ 
certos' and othet compositions of 
similar popularity. If the artist has 
the stature, there will always be a 
market for his interpretations. 

Secondly, Marek points out that 
the steady increase in album busi¬ 
ness is ;coming, in large part, from 
people who are installing phono¬ 
graph equipment for the first time. 
In order to feed this market, the 
standard works must be periodi¬ 
cally recorded in new perform¬ 
ances* The same consideration 
holds for young people who are 
now buying classical music in in¬ 
creasing quantities. 

Marek said that the question of 
“what.’s new” is now almost as im¬ 
portant in the longhair field as in 
the pop field. Longhair customers 
are more and more interested in 
buying the latest and best record¬ 
ings of any particular work, regards 
less of the reputation of previous 
interpretations. 

One of the reasons for this is 
the rapid development in recording 
technique over the years. A top 
recording of four or five years ago 
oftentimes is now held to be ob¬ 
solete, soundwise. Hence, there’s 
a’ways the necessity of re-doing 
the old works with the. latest 
methods. 


Eminent Viennese Ctmposer 

Robert Stolz 

harks bock to some 

Remembrances of 
‘Nazi 9 Upheaval 

* * * 

another editorial feature 
In tha upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

> : "‘a#' 

P'Sriety 


Palladino ’Good Mixer’; 
Makes Grade at Ca n >tol 
As Producer of Albums 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

John Palladino, a mixer ip the 
label’s recording department for 
almost eight years, has been pro¬ 
moted to album producer at Capi¬ 
tol Records, effective immediate¬ 
ly. Francis Scott 3d, Capitol’s di¬ 
rector of album repertoire, re¬ 
ported Palladino will devote most 
of his time to special package 
projects. 

A music major in college and an 
accordionist, Palladino has a repu¬ 
tation as one of the best music 
mixers in the disk biz. He has 
handled mixing on nearly every 
session for all of Capitol’s top ar¬ 
tists and handled special effects on 
many of the label’s kidisk albums. 

Luis “Val” Valentine, a mixer at 
Radio Recorders for the last nine 
years, replaces Palladino. in . the 
recording department. 


Flatteries See 
Tall Loot Coinin’ 
Down Chhimey 

The record industry is looking 
to one of the biggest Christmas 
sales seasons in its history. Bull¬ 
ish prediction is based on the or¬ 
ders,, which 5 began coming in 10 
days earlier this year. In the past, 
the retailers usually waited until 
after the Thanksgiving holiday be¬ 
fore stocking up on Yule platters. 

Syd Goldberg, Decca’s sales 
chief, also attributes the hefty buy¬ 
ing spree to the fact that the re¬ 
tailers were cautious and ordered 
short last year. They now have 
to replenish their catalog material 
as well as fill in with the new 
Yule packages. 

Goldberg also claims that Christ¬ 
mas sales are heavy in alternate 
years. The alternate year bonanza 
is based mainly on the standard 
Yule repertoire, which .retailers 
hold on to for a second-year drive 
(Continued on page 60) 


The lush , payoff to writer* and 
publishers on video tune perforpiT 
ances 'is turning into new spawn* 
ing grounds-for the payola and the 
cut-in, Under ASCAP’s distribu¬ 
tion formula, a plug Oh tv is Worth 
three times the value of a radio 
plug so that if a tune is performed 
on a 75-station tv hookup, it would 
rack up 225 logging points or 
around $75 per play for both pub¬ 
lishers and Titers. 

Cases have already cropped up 
where, musical directors on video 
shows have out the arm on writers 
and/or publishers for plugging 
their tunes. If video plugs on a 
tune can be delivered on a regular 
basis, the payoff to. the musical 
director can amount , to one-half 
the writer’jt. or the publisher’s 
share. 

The video performance bonanza 
makes it a profitable thing all 
around to cut in anybody who can 
deliver the plugs. Some ASCAP- 
ites, despite the payoffs to third 
parties, have been hitting the big 
money in their dividend checks as 
a result of some judicious slotting 
of their tunes on across-the-board 
tv shows. The same ethical consid¬ 
erations in all other payola prac- 
(Continued on page 60) 


ITALY TO‘OSCAR’ 

FAIN FOR BALLAD 

Although there have been recur¬ 
rent threats in Italy to limit the 
radio playing time devoted to 
American pop mus#, Sammy Fain, 
Hollywood songsmith, is getting an 
Italo “Oscar” for his “Love Is a 
Many Splendored Thing” pic tune. 
Award will be made at the Italian 
Festival of Song at Nice Jan. 13. 

“Many Splendored Thing” won 
the “Oscar” in 1955 for the out¬ 
standing pic tune. Paul Francis 
Webster wrote the English lyrics.. 


Late Delivery 

It is almost inevitable that 
Variety, along with other 
periodicals, will be delayed in 
delivery in some sections of 
the country during this holi¬ 
day season. 

The U.S. Post Office Dept., 
in-seeming anticipation, has 
advised all publications that, 
from Dec. 10 to Jan. 2, it “will 
not be in a position to investi¬ 
gate complaints of late receipt 
of newspapers by your sub¬ 
scribers. During this period, 
thousands of temporary em¬ 
ployees are ... in the Postal 
service and . . . railroad com¬ 
panies” and any complaint 
about P. O. Dept, service—or 
lack of it—will have to be ig¬ 
nored because of the Xmas 
holiday mailing rush. 


4 Veferan Artglo-Amwican Songtmith 

Jimmy Kennedy 

hat a tawy appraisal of 

Tin Pan 9 s 
Allies 
* * * 

one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

off 

UfiniEfr 


ASCAP Storm 


Coast To Coast 


The ASCAP storm continues to 
blow on both Coasts against recent 
rulings of the board affecting the 
payoff on background music, 
themes, jingles, etc. With the Sam 
Fox Music firm leading the oppo¬ 
sition to the board iii the east, film 
writer groups have been pressing 
the issue in Hollywood. It’s under¬ 
stood that Walt Disney’s music 
company on the Coast has also reg¬ 
istered a stiff beef against ASCAP. 

ASCAP’s board, ■ meantime, is 
understood to be favoring a spe¬ 
cial membership meeting to be 
held in New York early in January. 
Requests for such a meeting were 
made following the last regular 
meet in N.Y. when it was pointed 
out from the floor by Pinky Her¬ 
man and Hans Lengsfelder that 
not enough time was left for dis¬ 
cussion from the ranks. 

ASCAP’s board is known to be 
(Continued on page 62) 


Washington, Dec. II. 

A “compromise proposal” to set¬ 
tle the long drawn out dispute over 
whether jukeboxes should lose 
their exemption from the copyright 
laws, is urged by the Senate Sub¬ 
committee on Patents, Trademarks 
& Copyrights. 

Suggestion is made in a Senate 
report in connection with S. 590, 
a bill -to terminate the exemption 
which jukeboxes enjoy under the 
1909 Copyright Act. Report is 
largely a summation of pro and 
con arguments made last Feb. 29 
at an executive conference of 
spokesmen for the two sides of the 
issue. It also contains subsequent 
statements representing the diver¬ 
gent issues. .' 

ASCAP immediately followed up 
with a letter by its president, Paul 
Cunningham, to Senator Joseph 
O’Mahoney, committee chairman, 
endorsing the committee views. 
Wrote Cunningham in part: 

“I have instructed the. Society’s 
general attorney, Herman. Finkel- 
stein, to endeavor immediately to 
arrange for a meetingwith repre¬ 
sentatives of the jukebox opera¬ 
tors, at a place to suit their con¬ 
venience. Although jukebox oper¬ 
ators have, in the past,, repeatedly 
refused to meet with our. repre¬ 
sentatives, I sincerely believe that 
your desire ’to help all involved 
in the controversy "to find a corn- 
continued on page 60) 


Mickey Katz 9 . 5-Yr. Meow 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Signing of a new five-year con¬ 
tract by Mickey Katz was reported 
b.v Capitol Records prexy Glenn E. 
Wallichs. Katz, who fronts his 
own orch, specializes in novelty 
Yiddish dialect recordings. He 
has been an exclusive Capitol ar¬ 
tist since 1950: 

Voyle Gilmore produces the Katz 
sessions at Capitol. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
"154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 2S 
6404 Sunset llvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
61 * N. Michigan Ava. 


LONDON. W. C. 2 
t St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Squara 


Guy Mitchell ‘Knee Deep’ 
In Dates; Blues Record 


Columbia Records is again look¬ 
ing to Guy Mitchell and Marty 
Robbins for a double disk click on 
the same tune. Labdl is now- prep- 
ping a country & western (Rob¬ 
bins) and pop (Mitchell) version 
of “Knee Deep in the Blues,” which 
is a repeat for the formula used 
on the current click “Singing the 
Blues.” 

Mitchell’s version of “Singing 
the Blues,” which followed Rob¬ 
bins’ cut, is claimed to have passed 
the 1,000,000 sales mark and has 
also sparked new sales interest in 
Robbins’ record. 

The value of a click disk, inci¬ 
dentally, is again pointed up. in 
the Mitchell saga. The singer had 
been quiet in the wax market for 
some time, but when the “Blues” 
disk broke out, the bids for his 
tv and personal appearance serv¬ 
ices began to pile. up. He’s already 
had the Ed Sullivan 'show, the 
Dinah Shore .special and a Steve 
Allen shot is skedded Jan. 6. Mit¬ 
chell also will headline the show 
at the Fox Theatre, Detroit, when it 
relights its stage for a .Christmas 
week special. He Opened at Brook¬ 
lyn’s Town- & Country last night 
(Tues.). 


UP CLARK BOWLBY TO 
WB STANDARD CHIEF 

Clark Bowlby has been prpmoted 
to the head of the Music Publish¬ 
ers Holding Corp.’s standard and 
educational department. He takes 
over the spot vacated by J. Tatian 
Roach’s resignation from the com¬ 
pany. 

Bowlby has been with the War¬ 
ner Bros, music subsid as long¬ 
time advertising-promotion man¬ 
ager. 


Glaseraan Decca VP 

William Glaseman, veteran Dec¬ 
ca sales exec, has been upped to 
v.p. of the Decca Distributing Corp. 
in charge of the north central di¬ 
vision. With Decca since its for¬ 
mation in 1934, Glaseman was 
originally a salesman in the Chi¬ 
cago area and later became a man¬ 
ager of the Detroit branch, before 
holding several divisional sales 
posts. 

Glaseman has been manager of 
the north central division, with 
headquarters in Cleveland, since 
1948. 


54 


MUSIC 


VKBffifr 


’Wednesday,' December 12, 195ft - 


N. Y. Musicians’Union Hot Issue: 
Pressing 5-Day-Week With Cafes 


Establishment of a five-day week 4” 
for musicians in New York’s night 
clubs is shaping up as the most 
controversial demand put by Local 
802, American Federation of Mu¬ 
sicians, in negotiations with the 
Theatre - Restaurant Owners of 
N Y. Old pact expires at the end 
of this month and talks have been 
begun between the major nitery 
owners and the local's chiefs. 

Local 802, meantime, is conduct¬ 
ing separate bargaining talks tvith 
the N. Y. hotels using musicians. 
Latter hotels have organized a 
committee to conduct the negotia¬ 
tions for a pact to replace the one 
also running out before the New 
Year. Prelim -talks-have report¬ 
edly been held in an amicable at¬ 
mosphere. 

Some 400 musicians are now em¬ 
ployed in Manhattan'niteries and 
hotels. A drive for a five-day 
week by the local has been in¬ 
dicated by the fact that locals in 
other key cities have already es¬ 
tablished such a policy as a move 
to sprea'd work among more musi¬ 
cians. 


Yanqui Yammer 
Chic Click in S.A. 


Double-Featured Anni 
At Selmer’s Ind. Plant 

Elkhart, Ind., Dec. 11. 

H. & A. Selmer Inc,, music in¬ 
strument manufacturers, are hold¬ 
ing a double celebration for two 
company execs at the firm’s head¬ 
quarters here Dec. 19-20. Selmer 
prexy J. M. Grolimund is being 
honored on his 25th anni with the 
company while Maurice Selmer, 
prez of the Paris manufacturing 
affiliate, will mark his 50th year 
with the French firm.' 

Elkhart program includes a se¬ 
ries of ..sales... meetings, in addition 
to an “open house” Dec. 20 at fhe 
Selmer plant for employees, visit¬ 
ing salesmen and civic and busi¬ 
ness leaders. A dinner honoring 
Grolimund will be held at South 
Bend, a few miles from here, on 
Dec. 19. 

Grolimund, meantime, reported 
that the company’s sales this year 
topped 1955 by about 23%. He 
predicted a 20% increase in sales 
during 1957 for the company’s line 
of woodwind and brass musical in¬ 
struments. 


HAMP BREAKS UP HOUSE 
AGAIN M RERUN STAND 

Berlin, Dec. 4. 

Lionel Hampton’s fourth Berlin 
date last week (29) was another 
stout commercial click, with two 
performances, at a $1.40 top draw¬ 
ing near SRO at the 7,000-seat 
Sportpalast. 

When Hampton appears here, 
the Sportpalast management has 
always ity trouble with youngsters 
hopping on chairs, dancing in the 
aisle and even climbing up on the 
stage. Despite well meaning words 
(“Please, behave like civilized peo¬ 
ple!”) on the part of organisers 
before the concert began, there 
was no exception this time. The 
first show at 6:30 p.m. saw about 
70 chairs wrecked, while the sec¬ 
ond, show (9:15 p.m.) had to be fin¬ 
ished before eyen intended by 
Hampton. Latter was advised by 
the management to knock off in 
order to prevent the worst. Since 
there were attempts to wreck more 
furniture, police were rushed to 
the scene. 

Concert, last of which Hampton 
will play in Berlin for two years, 
was brought here by C, Ebner 
(Frankfurt-am-Main). Next on lat¬ 
ter’s roster are Rex Stewart’s band 
and Louis Armstrong & his All- 
Stars. 


Santa Songs Make Good 

ASCAP Alone Has 550 for Unspooling at Yule—- 
Leading Versions Listed * 


Fred Goodman Sales Mgr, 
For Luniverse, Eldorado 

Fred Goodman has been named 
sales manager for the Luniverse 
and Eldorado disk labels in N. Y. 

He's the brother of Dick Good¬ 
man, of the team of (Bill) Buchan¬ 
an & Goodman, who created con¬ 
siderable noise in the music biz, 
both sales-wise and litigation-wise, 
with their “Flying Saucer” hit on 
the Luniverse label. 


Ann Leonardo’s Cap Pact 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Capitol has inked 'Ann Leonardo, 
19-year-old Fresno vocalist, to a 
longterm pact and will begin re¬ 
cording her immediately. A sopho¬ 
more at Fresno State College, she 
has made numerous appearances 
recently on the Arthur Godfrey tv 
shows. 

Miss Leonardo was a contract 
player at Paramount when she was 
15. Originally destined for a con¬ 
cert, piano career, she switched to 
vocals after winning a highschool 
singing contest. 


If it seems as if there are plenty 
of Christmas songs available, that’* 
because it’s so. According to 
ASCAP’s program guide to Christ¬ 
mas music • on records, there are 
over 550 numbers licensed by tne 
ScJety. Numerous other Xmas 
items are also licensed through 
such performing rights groups as 
Broadcast Music Inc. and Sesac. 

In ASCAP’s listing of disks dn 
each tune (a listing that notes only 
the major recordings) “Rudolph 
The Red-Nosed Reindee”" turns 
up with most versions—14 disks. 
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” 
has 13 disks listed while “Winter 
Wonderland” has 10. “W h i t~e 
Christmas,” probably the biggest 
pop Christmas hit of all', has nine 
disk versions listed. In the latter, 
case, Bing Crosby’s Decca version 
has been such a stickout, with over 
10,000,000 disks sold, that there 
have been relatively few -attempts 
to buck it with competing versions. 


Lionel Hampton returns to Ifew 
York today (Wed.) after an eight* 
week tour of England and the Con¬ 
tinent, ’ - 


RETAIL DISK AND ALD0H BEST SELLERS 


Rock ’n’ roll has finally hit 
South America. But it’s the chic 
cafe set not the teenage crowd, 
that has fallen for the beat. 

That’s the report from thrush 
Jane Morgan, recently returned 
from a cafe job in Brazil. Accord¬ 
ing to Miss Morgan, Brazil’s ele¬ 
gant niteries, of the stature of New 
.York’s El Morocco, are hep to 
r’n’r and the bonifaces are prowl¬ 
ing for gringos who can belt out 
the beat. Only hitch, said the song- 
ptress, is that they’re hot looking 
rer^the authentic rock ’n’ rollers 
from the U.S. “What they want in¬ 
stead,” she pointed out, “are ‘east- 
side cafe’ singers who can inter¬ 
polate the best into their act.' The 
big click in her Copacabana Palace 
turn, she added, was a rock ’n’ roll 
version of “Love Me Or Leave 
Me.” 

Rock ’n’ roll has become an ac¬ 
cepted ^ form among S.A.'s upper 
strata in the same way that New 
York’s cafe society have flocked 
around the French chantoosies like 
Edith Piaf. The musical trends in 
South American countries, she 
stated, are started by people in the 
higher economic brackets. They're 
the ones who can afford the U.S. 
disk imports and who get first 
hearing on what's going on in the 
“arts” of the outside world. It 
eventually sifts its way down to 
the lower strata of society and 
r’n’r may eventually rub off on 
the teenage set. 

Meantime, Miss Morgan is roil¬ 
ing with her first U.S. disclick, 
“Two Different Worlds,” a non¬ 
rock ’n’ roller. She’s co-billed on 
the Kapp platter with pianist 
Rojjer Williams. 


CADENCE TO INVADE 
BRAZIL VIA SIEMENS 

Cadence Records will move into 
the Brazil market after the first 
of the year via a tieup with Sie- 
mans De Brazil. The pact with 
Siemens, which distributes in Bra¬ 
zil under the Polydor banner, will 
not affect Cadence’s current pact 
with London Records. 

The Cadence deal with London 
covers global distribution, except 
for South America and Canada. 
The pact with Siemens also calls 
for Cadence disk distribution in 
Venezuela via its branch affil there. 
The S. A. deal was sealed in New 
York last week by Rudolf Straus, 
manager of the Siemens disk divb 
slon. 


Tommy Prisco Goes Epic 

Tommy Prisco, who has shuttled 
from the King to the Mercury la¬ 
bels, has now been tagged by Epic 
Records. His initial sessions are 
currently being lined up by Epic 
artists & repertoire chief Marv 
Holtzman. 

The crooner is also set to go 
Into New York’s Copacabana for 
the last two weeks of the Jimmy 
E&urante stand. 


- ~P^‘RIETY~ 

Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based dn reports ob 
tained from leading stores in 
21 cities and showing com¬ 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 


National 
Rating 
This Last 

wk. wk. Artist, Label, Title 


S 

£ 




o 

fa 

i 

z 


< 




fa 

u 

o 


he 

4 


uJ 


fa 

s 

CO 


T 

O 

T 

A 

L 

P 

O 

I 

N 

T 

S 


1 

1 

GUY MITCHELL (Columbia) 
“Singing the Blues”. ... 

2 

4 

1 

1 

4 

6 

3 

3 

5 

3 

2 

1 

4 

1 

1 

1 

3 

1 

3 

6 

3 

173 

2 

* 2 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Love Me Tender”. 

1 

10 

3 

2 

1 


1 


1 

1 

1 

4 

10 

8 

2 

2 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

156 

3 

3 

JIM LOWE (Dot) 

“The Green Door”..... 

3 

3 

2 


6 

7 

. 2 

10 


2 

3 

6 

3 

4 

10 


6 


2 

2 

10 106 

4 

5 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol) ' 
“True Love”..... 

5 

1 

4 

5 

2 



.. 


.4 

4 


2 

7 




4 


3 


80 

5 

6 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial) 
“Blueberry Hill”. 

6 



3 

7 

8 

• 4 

5 

8 


5 

7 

7 


6 



7 

4 , 

5 


72 

6 

4 

JOHNNIE RAY (Cblumbia) 

“Just Walking in the Rain”. 

4 



6 

3 


6 



8 

7 

3 


.. 

- 

7 


6 

5 

7 

8 

62 

7 

7 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Don’t Be Cruel”. 

8 

6 









8 

2 




5 

5 



9 

2 

43 

8 

9 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4TH (ABC-Par) 
“A Rose and a Baby Ruth”. 10 

8. 

5. 

9 


2 





10 

9 


10 

3 




8 



36 

9 

10 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol) 

“Hey, Jealous Lover”. 

7 


9 



.. 

9 


7 




1 




10 

5 

9 



31 

10A 

8 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

“Friendly Persuasion”. 

9 

9 

7 

7 

5 




10 


9 







10 


10 


23 

10B 

11 

BILL DOGGETT (King) 

“Honky Tonk”. 






.. 

8 




6 

5 

.. 






7 


6 

23 

12 

12 

EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 

“Cindy, Oh Cindy”. 




8 









6 






6 

4 


20 

13A_ 

24 

JANE POWELL (Verve) 

“True Love”. 







. 7 








8 

6 

4 



.. 


19 

13B 


ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Hound Dog”. 
















_10_ 

8 

3 



4 

19 

13C 

17 

VINCE MARTIN.(Glory) 

“Cindy, Oh Cindy”... .. 







5 







6 


3 






19 

13D 

19 

SONNY KNIGHT (Dot) 
“Confidential” .<,,:. .. 






1 








2 








JL9 

17 

15 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Love Me”.. . 


_2_ 















2 ( 



77 


18 

18 


HARRY BELAFONTE (Victor) 
“Jamaica Farewell”.. 



10' 

4 





2 













17 

19 


LeROY VANDYKE (Dot) 
“Auctioneer” •.. 














3 







5 

_14 

20 


HIGH LIGHTS (Bally) 

“City of Angels”. 






3 

10 


, 






5 




# t % 



13 

21A 


FIVE KEYS (Capitol) 

“Wisdom of a Fool”. 






4 




7 










7~ 


11 

21B 


IVORY JOE HUNTER (Atlantic) 
“Since I Met You, Baby”. 


5 







0 













11 

23A 

19 

FIVE SATINS (Ember) 

“In the Still of the Night”. 








6 


6 










77 


10 

23B 

19 

LAVERN BAKER (Atlantic) 

“Jim Dandy”... 








1 














10 

25 

13 

PATIENCE & PRUDENCE (Liberty) 
“Gonna Got Along Without You”.... 

7 


.. 

9 

.. 

.. 




.. 

.. 


.. 

.. 



8 


.. 

* * 

9 


1 - 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 


8 

9 

10 

ELVIS 

MY FAIR LADY 

CAIYP§0 

KING AND 1 

EDDY DUCHIN 

OKLAHOMA! 

HIGH SOCIETY 

ELVIS PRESLEY 

JERRY , LEWIS 

GIANT 

Elvis Preslfty 

Broadway Cat) 

Harry Bolafonto 

Film Soundtrack 

STORY 

Film Soundtrack 

Film Soundtrack 

Film Soundtrack 

Elvis Prosloy 

- ti 

JUST SINGS 

Film Soundtrack 



Victor 

Capitol 


. Capitol 


Victor ' 

Jorry Lowts 


Victor . 

Columbia 

LPM 1248 

W 740 

Decca 1 

SAO 595 

Capitol 

LPM 1254 

Decca 

Capitol 

LPM 1382 

OL 5090 

EPA 1248 

EAP 740 

DL 8289 

SDM 595 

W 750 

EPB 1254 

DL 8410 

W 773 






























































Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


Under-Scaling Looms As Frisco 
Local Nixes Merger With Negroes 


San Francisco, Dec. 11. - 
Musicians' Local 0, fourth big* 
gest local in the American Federa¬ 
tion of Musicians, rejected amal¬ 
gamation with Frisco's Local 669, 
a 350-member "Jim Crow" unit, 
last Thursday (0) night. The vote 
of the 5,400-member local was 786 
for amalgamation, 554 against. 

The balloting was the culmina¬ 
tion of a third attempt to join the 
two locals, the first two having 
ended in turndowns by Local 6. of¬ 
ficials before the proposals ever 
went to the membership. 

Latest amalgamation effort was 
started nearly two years ago and 
it was a foregone conclusion that 
the Negro local would have ap¬ 
proved it if Local 6 had given an 
okay. Local 6's president, Charles 


Princess Subscribes 

There's, no doubt about 
Variety's "blue blood" read¬ 
er-ship. 

Latest subscriber is Her 
Serene Highness, princess 
Grace of Monaco, nee Grace 
Kelly. 

She ordered the paper in 
order «to follow the progress, 
via Variety’s extensive'chart 
system, for her one and only 
record—"True Love," fromithe 
"High Society" soundtrack, on 
which she duets with Bing 
Crosby. 

It’s up there, Your Highness. 


_ Z'SnTETr 


Red Carpet Treatment 
For Satchmo in London 

London, Dec. 11. 

When Louis Armstrong comes to 
Britain to play a charity date next 
Tuesday (18) in aid of the Lord 
Mayor of London’s Hungarian Be¬ 
lief Fund, he will be given a "High 
Society" reception. 

Arriving at London Airport on 
the previous day, Armstrong and 
his party will immediately drive to 
the Mansion House to be greeted 
by the Lord Mayor. The same eve¬ 
ning he-will be interviewed on 
BBC-TV’s "Panorama" program, 
and a formal banquet is being ar¬ 
ranged in his honor by leading per¬ 
sonality in British music. 

-On the day of' the concert he 
will be guest of honor at a^ala 
luncheon at Olympia, held by the 
Bertram Mills Circus. For the 
same evening, Metro has advanced 
the London premiere of "High So- 


MUSIC 


Diskettes Putting Showtime Albums 
Into AssortedGrooves-Jazz, Pop, Etc. 


100% ‘At Liberty’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Mushrooming success of his 
indie Liberty Records has led 
Si Waronker to resign as or¬ 
chestra manager at 20th-Fox 
after a 20-year tenure. He de¬ 
parts Feb. 19. 

Waronker will henceforth 
devote all his time to the disk- 
ery which he founded and of 
which he is prexy and artists 
& repertoire chief. Outfit be¬ 
gins recording in its own stu¬ 
dios this week with band ses¬ 
sions by Dom Frontiere, Bob¬ 
by Hammack and Jerry Gray 
slated as the initial work. 


un-aj. ~ > - - -tv • t wits juunuun premiere or mgn oo- „ _ _ 

<P° p ) Kennedy had been quoted Matt MlUirO, Bus Driver, ciety- at the Empire. Leicester A Hot Trumpet Can 

as saying the official family won t p* v. • -d *i. Square, in the hope that Armstrong «« « non 

take part in the + vote pro or con. Klding lOr UeCCa III lint. wiU be abIe to £ ppear personally Make It By De 


*♦ xhe packaged goods boom is get¬ 
ting this year’s crop of Broadway 
scores an unprecedented play in 
the album field. In addition to 
original cast set releases, the disk- 
eries are now covering the tuners 
with instrumental, dance tempo, 
pop vocal and even jazz packages. 

Columbia Records, which has 
had the bulk of the 1956 tuners, 
has been giving its Broadway 
score properties multi-packaging 
coverage. This week, for example. 
Col is cutting an album of the Jule 
Styne-Adolph Green-Betty Com- 
den score for "Bells Are Ringing" 
in a dance tempo groove arranged 
and played by Sammy Kaye. Label 
has already sliced the original cast 
_ album and an instrumental treat- 
- ment of the score arranged and 
conducted by Percy Faith. 


Policy of the international’s presi- London, Dec. 11. 

dent, James C. s New British singing discovery, 

for amalgamation for some years. 7 ° ** 

It’s understood oldtimers in Matt Monro, tafed recently on , 

Frisco area turned out in large recording contract with the Decca 
numbers to defeat this proposal, label, has made his disk debut on 
AU other propositions on Local 6 ^n LP titled “Blue and Sentiment- 


at the first show. 


Calvert’s Blow, Gabriel 


riot i rumpei t/an "Bells" marks Kaye’s second 

Ml&kfi It Bv Decrrees dance tempo treatment of a Broad- 

WnlWnnH Upp II W SCOre - Earlier this ^ar, Co1 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. issued a Kaye F;i » kage , of .. My 
Jazz finally dons cap and gown Fair Lady” in addition to its origi- 
as result of California’s okay to nal cast set, a Faith album, and a 
nonprofit Westlake College to pop Stafford, Rose- 

grant degree of Bachelor of Mod- mar y Clooney and Vic Damone, 


numbers to defeat this proposal, label, has made his disk debut on London Detf. 11. grant degree of Bachelor of Mod- v/iuuucy vie damone, 

All other propositions on Local 6 ^n LP titled “Blue and Sentiment- New music publishing company ern Music on completion of four- a ™p"g others.. T The Alan ^ 

ballot carried Many younger mu- al," shortly to be released in the launched in LE is Gabriel Mu- year course. ^erner-Fredcrick Loeye score for 

sicians failed to show up for vote, U. S. He also made his bow as s i c , one of the directors of which is The school has been battling for h v SLiwvi! 

too, thereby dooming amalgama- resident yocalist with the BBC trumpet player and disker Eddie a year to get permission for what thp rnnfp^nnr.r? ifufi 


Frisco’s original Jim Crow local ing. 


Show Band on Its Sunday (9) air- Calvert. 


amounts to a degree in jazz. 


on the Contemporary label. Manne 


General Manager is Max Dia- riculum ranges from 


ffifclETY Scoreboard 

OF 

TOP TALENT AND TUNES 

I Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

o as Published in the Current Issue 

T 1 .. . -■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 11 - - ' - 1 ■ • 

NOTE : The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived' at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu¬ 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de¬ 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail 
disks) and three ways In the case of tunes (coin machines. retail disks and retail sheet music). 


TALENT 


POSITIONS 
This Last 

Week Week ARTIST AND LABEL 


1 1 ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 


had been taken over by Local 6 in Only six weeks ago, Monro was a mond, formerly on the exploitation It marks first time that any college 
1934, when Negro unit was looted bus driver with no experience in staffs of Chappells and Southern has been authorized to matriculate 
by its officials. Thereafter, Negro show biz. Music. I hot tenor men. 

musicians had only one man, the 
late Al Forbes, representing them 

in the union and no vote. That’s 00^1 '——. 

why, in 1945, Local 669 was M/jfn&JFIrVY 

formed, with Forbes its chief exec. ^ M M wDOvff Cf 

Forbes stabilized 669 and, whep he ' 

died last May, it had a treasury OF 

surplus, same contract as Local 6 _ _ _ _ 

aftaSSsS TDP TALENT AND TUNES 

bers undercutting JLocal 6’s wage ■ ■ ■ mmmmrnUM ■ imumw* ■ 

scales to get jobs. . , ■■m-.-.- ■■ . i ... .. -- ■ . -■■■- . ■ ■■■■■■ , . . T —- 

VV L T I I 1a J Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 

HUD JUK6S JOlteU Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

With Taxes Adding Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

* ^ j os Published in the Current Issue 

Up to $160 a Head NOTE : The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 

' Ttnctnn tw 11 arrived'at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu- 

11 ooncplwi 1 ipnct <Un merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 

pp? machine to Boston ntos in- with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 

other $100 for city and state Sun- veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail 

day license and $10 Federal tax, disks) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines . retail disks and retail sheet music). 

bringing the total to $160 per ma- • . _ _____ 

chine. The new $50 license was TALENT 

slapped on jukeboxes by the City POSITIONS 
Council in an ordinance which L as fc 

raked feesfor hundreds of licenses Week Week ARTIST AND LABEL TUNE 

by $2,000,000 and is being studied 

by legal experts of businesses af- [Love Me Tender 

‘'jukeboxes, never licensed tall ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) .. Don’t Be Cruel 

Hub, except for the optional state Love Me 

and Sunday license fee of $2 per * iHound Dog 

tat^nde/f p^oviso^ptaclng a W $50 2 2 GUY MITCHELL (Columbia) ., Singing The Blues 

ta?nment £ r%aTio m “! 1 ^Tke 1 bo e x nt ta 3 3 JIM LOWE (Dot). The Green Door 

places of public assembly. ^45 CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol)..°.... True Love 

David J. Baker, president of the 

state’s Music Operators’ Assn., ^ A nmt/rrwffc /’TWin./arMon (Blueberry Hill 

said the fee was "discriminatory" * * b DOMINO (Imperial).]Dreamboat Comes Home 

and that the association would seek __™ . ■ t t-, • 

to restrain the city from imposing 6 4 JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) . ... Just Walking IirThe Rain 

cornt heartag nder Pr ° teSt pending 7 8 GEORGE HAMILTON 4th (ABC-Par). A Rose And A Baby Ruth 

pecited 1 to* be taattaelukebox It- 8 9 FBANK SINATRA (Capitol)... Hey, Jealous Lover 

der is not a fee, but an outright Q „ „ _ /TW v (Friendly Persuasion 

(Continued on page 62) y ' rAA BUUJSt, (Dot).^Chains Of Love 

Morty Palitz Pacts 3 
On Coast for Jubilee 

Morty Palitz, Jubilee veepee and 
artists & repertoire chief, returned 
to his New York desk from the 
Coast last week with a flock of 
pacts and album masters in the 
bag. 

During his Coast stay Palitz 
latched on to pic composer Walter 
. Scharf, pianist Harry Sukman and 
organist Frances Paige. He wound 
up an album session with the three 
uew pactees before returning to 
bis N. Y. base. 

The Jubilee pact with Scharf 
calls for his services as orch con¬ 
ductor as well as cleffer. Sukman’s 
first keyboard album is a tribute 
to the late Victor Young and Miss 
Paige’s set will be in the hi-fi 
organ groove. 1 


i also is giving the jazz treatment to 
not to cooi. D Qrnt ,t nin i P *# 


GUY MITCHELL (Columbia) 

JIM LOWE (Dot). 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol) 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial) ... 


JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) . 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4th (ABC-Par) 
FRANK SINATRA (Capitol)... 

PAT BOONE (Dot).. 


EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


TUNES 

(•ASCAP. +BMI) 


Love Me Tender 
Don’t Be Cruel 
Love Me 
.Hound Dog 

Singing The Blues 
The Green Door 
True Love 

(Blueberry Hill 
/Dreamboat Comes Home 

Just Walking In^The Rain 
A Rose And A Baby Ruth 
Hey, Jealous Lover 

(Friendly Persuasion 
(Chains Of Love 

Cindy, Oh Cindy 


PUBLISHER 


fLOVE ME TENDER. Presley 

fSINGING THE BLUES . Acuff-R 

*TRUE LOVE . Buxton Hill 

fTHE GREEN DOOR. Trinity 

tJUST WALKING IN THE RAIN.Golden West 

*BLUEBERRY HILL. Chappell 

’■‘FRIENDLY PERSUASION ......... Feist 

f CINDY, OH CINDY .. Marks-B 

-HEY, JEALOUS LOVER .. Barton 

fTWO DIFFERENT WO^ T DS..Princess 


Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide," 
which Columbia has put into the 
original cast set groove. 

I RCA Victor, which has the Matt 
Dubey-Harold Karr “Happy Hunt¬ 
ing’’ score, is also going in for the 
multi-packaging. In addition to the 
original cast set, Victor issuing an 
instrumental album by Hugo Win¬ 
terhalter. 

Col similarly treated Frank 
Loesser’s “Most Happy Fella” and 
the Johnny Mercer-Gene De Paul 
score for “Li’l Abner.” Col gave 
“Fella” an original cast grooving, 
a Faith instrumental, a Les Elgart 
| dance package and a pop artists 


RKO-Uniqne Coin’ 
Afl-Ont on Albums, 
At KW-a-Year Gait 

The RKO-Unique label is going 
on an album binge for the 1957 
season. T)iskery has blueprinted a 
release schedule of 100 albums and 
plans to limit its pop single re¬ 
leases to only one a week. 

Figuring imDortaritly in Unique’s 
packaged goods plans is the pros¬ 
pect of releasing soundtrack al¬ 
bums from many RKO pix, old 
and new, including nine Fred 
Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals 
mostly with Irving-Berlin scores. 
Only thing holding up release of 
the oldie soundtracks is an argu¬ 
ment with the American Federa¬ 
tion of Musicians regarding pay¬ 
ment to tootlcrs for record release 
of tracks made prior to 1941. 

In line with album push, the la¬ 
bel plans to expand its artists ros¬ 
ter as. well as its artists & reper¬ 
toire setup. Tommy Reynolds, for¬ 
mer bandleader, already has been 
padded to the a&r staff to head up 
the band department. Diskery also 
plans to have an a&r division work¬ 
ing out of both New York and the 
Coast. Among the new artists 
pacted are Piper Laurie and the 
(Continued on page 60) 


Victor Ewes R^um 
From O’seas Once-Overs 

W. W. Bullock, chief of the RCA 
Victor singles division and Joe 
Carlton, pop artists & repertoire 
chief, returned to the N.Y. home- 
office last week after a month’s 
trip to Europe to exDlore the pos¬ 
sibilities of global release of single 
records. Bullock is exoected to 
disclose the company’s plans later 
this week. 

In the transatlantic shuttling of 
Victor execs, Ed Welker* pop album 
a&r manager, recently returned 
from a tour of the Continent, while 
Si Rady, who is stationed in Paris 
as Victor’s liaison with the foreign 
affiliates, is due back in the U.S. 
after the first of the year for pow¬ 
wows with the company’s toppers 
in N.Y.. 























Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


dip-mw HOWDY! I bmL 

THE GOLDEH I Billy 
DLP-3016 !m STR uMEHTALS | Vaughn 

Dip- 3 oiz PAT BOONE 

,1HE BANJO WIZARDRY 
Of EDDIE PEABODY 

„ ]HE towering 

MWB * HIU.10PPERS 

Featurin g the volt* of ■» inl, " Y Satc " 

[ BEST StLtlNC E.P.’s> -' 

PAt BOONE 

"PAT" ON 1 Bat 
DEP-1053 I Boone 

dat BOONE sings songs from 
DEP-10M Ptl ffSv pffiSUHlOH 


jf fW HUtASES 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROtt f I 
MO W YOU'RE IH HY ARMS | 

SINCE I MET , Y^U ^^ 1 

' THE pink panther 
YOUR REASON _ 

' the POOR lIlHEDOWitt 

1 If YOU LISTEN WITH YO UR HEART 

-ONCE UPON A SUMMEKiinT" 

I IET THERE HE PEACE OH EARTH 


MELODY 
Of LOVE 

Billy Vaughn 



THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS 
RECORD Of THE Y EAR 

SILVER BELLS 
NUTTIN' FOR 
CHRISTMAS 
The Fontane Sisters 
15434 









Wednesday, December 12, 1956 







Billy 

Vaughn 


FRIENDLY PERSUASION 
CHAINS OF LOVE 


CREOLE LOVE CALL 
SWEET LEILANI 



ONE MINT JULEP 

I’m Waiting for Ships That Never Come In 




Mac 

Wiseman 



Jimmy 

Newman 


HONKY TONK TEARS 
LET THE WHOLE WORLD TALK 


MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU 
ORANGE BLOSSOMS «£■ 


THE FOOL 



Sanford 

Clark 


■£5 ot 


RECORDS Inc • Sunse? and Vine • Hollywood Calif • Phone HO 3-413? 
THE NATION'S 8EST SELLING RECORDS 






















































































MUSIC 


P'fi.umfY 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


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Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


PfaRIETY 


PAUL BEACHAM 
KQBC. GALVESTON 



PAUL BERLIN 
KNUZ, HOUSTON 


BOB BYRON 
KPRC, HOUSTON 



ED CASE 
KTHT, HOUSTON 


DAVe CHASE 
KLBS, HOUSTON 



KEN COLLINS DAN DANIEL 

KXYZ. HOUSTON KXYZ, HOUSTON 


DIZZY-UZZY 
KYOK, HOUSTON 


* 5 




TIM NOLAN LOEL PASSE , SISTER SUE 

KXYZ, HOUSTON KTHT. HOUSTON KYOK, HOUSTON 


MEET 

THE 

HOTTEST 

SALESMEN 

IN 

HOUSTON, 

TEXAS 

I 


SHEP FIELDS LEE FRAZIER ERNIE GOTTHILF 

KTHT, HOUSTON KYOK, HOUSTON KTLW, TEXAS CITY 






MILT WILLIS BOB YOUNGUE ZING-ZANQ 

KTHT, HOUSTON KLBS, HOUSTON KYOK, HOUSTON 


.• .they can help you sell more in the South’S largest city*! ^ 

National advertisers, seeking to pin-point their markets, are depending more 
and more on local radio. And in Houston's .318,582 radio homes, men, women 
and-teen-agers depend on these deejaysfor music and product information. 

If you want your sales message “brought home” in this nearly $1H billion retail 
sales market —you can depend on these popular radio personalities to do the job!' 


HI RCAVlCTOR 


^population rank in Sales Management “Survey of Buying Power," 1956. 


spotlights hometown broadcasting 



















60 


MUSIC 


Local47sTquality’Ticket Charges 
‘Domination’ By Read In Election Issue 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Domination of the Local 47 
board of directors and busiriess 
agents “by an exnelled member" 
is charged by the Equality slate in 
the upcoming biennial elect ons of 
the strife-torn musicians imi-m. A 
six-page pamphlet, issued in the 
r closing stages of the campaign for 
control of the union, also con¬ 
tends that the opposition Voice of 
the Membership ticket is, witlrthe 
• possible exception of presidential 
candidate Eliot - Daniel, “hand¬ 
picked and controlled" by the same 
expelled member—Cecil F. Read, 
former Local 47 veepee who was 
expelled by the American Federa¬ 
tion of Musicians for leading the 
rebellior against union policies 
earlier this year. 

Equalitv ticket is headed by in¬ 
cumbent prexv John te Groen, who 
is seeking relection along with re¬ 
cording secretary Maury Paul and 
financial secretary G. R. “Bob" 
Hennon. Group has named Joe 
Barros as its candidate for the vice- 
presidency and nominated a full 
slate of candidates including Sam 
Kaapuni, first Hawaiian ever to 
seek office in the local. 

Pamphlet, which includes brief 
biographical sketches of all Equali¬ 
ty candidates, winds up with a 
4,000-word summary of “The Local 
47 Controversy" which charges 
that recent lawsuits brought 
against the AFM over the contro¬ 
versial Music Performance Trust 
Fund were “timed perfectly to in¬ 
fluence" the Local’s election, which 
will be held Dec. 17. 

Recapitulation of the «union 
strife, which erupted openly last 
February when te Groen was "sus¬ 
pended" at a stormy membership 
meeting, charge's that “not one per¬ 
son has profited from these actions 
except Cecil Read and Max Her¬ 
man." Latter is the incumbent 
veepee ahd candidate for recording 
secretary on the Voice of the Mem- 
‘ bership ticket. 

“With few exceptions," the pam¬ 
phlet concludes, “their (Voice of 
the Membership) candidates were 
a part of the conspiracy to seize 
Local 47. They are dedicated to 
the idea that only working mem¬ 
bers should vote and that dues 
should be high enough to dis¬ 
courage membership by the re¬ 
tired. If you dont’ earn your en¬ 
tire living in music, they call you 
a 'free rider’." 


BMI’s 'Congo Mambo’ 

The Broadcast Music Inc. pub¬ 
lishing firm has taken over as sell¬ 
ing agents on the instrumental, 
"Congo Mambo,’’ Deal was made 
with Excellonic Music, Nashville 
firm headed by Ernie Young. 

In the deal, BMI also got all the 
foreign rights to the tune. 


1 * 2 ?™ 

WORDS” 

Lillian Briggs m 




TAKING DEPOSITIONS 
IN AFM FUND SUIT 

Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

Depositions from James Conk- 
ling, former Columbia Records 
prexy, and AFM exec Herman 
Kenin are among several to be 
taken tomorrow (Wed.) in con¬ 
nection with sweeping litigation 
brought against AFM by Coast mu¬ 
sicians over the Music Perform¬ 
ance Trust Fund. Meanwhile both 
sides are girding for a showdown 
Friday (14) when “show cause" or¬ 
ders will be argued In both cases, 
one over royalty payments and al¬ 
leged diversion of recording scale 
hike to the Trust Fund, and the 
other on royalty payments and di¬ 
version of scoring fees to the fund 
by AFM in its pix-to-tv formula. 

Diskeries are now operating un¬ 
der a temporary restraining order 
preventing payment to fund of 21% 
of scale on dates, but Superior 
Court Judge John J. Ford declined 
to issue a restraining order halting 
payments on record royalties or 
an order restraining film firmsL 
’from making royalty payments to 
AFM on pix-to-tv setup. 


Question on Presley 
Too Hot a Potato For 
Minnesota’s Governor 

Minneapolis, Dec. 11. 

Elvis Presley, whose "Love Me 
Tender" is in its third week here, 
hooked into more gratis Page 1 
newspaper space when the Minne¬ 
apolis Morning Tribune ran staffer 
Ed Goodpaster’s by-line story tell¬ 
ing how young Minnesota Gov. 
O. A. Freeman answered a letter 
from 11-year-old Linda Johnson 
of Minneapolis asking his opinion 
of the rock ’n’ roller. 

“I would like to have your per¬ 
sonal opinion of Elvis Presley," 
Linda wrote the governor. “I love 
him." 

Reported Goodpaster:. the gov¬ 
ernor “straddled the fence on a 
burning national issue" by inform¬ 
ing Linda thusly regarding Tiis own 
personal opinion; “I've been so 
busy with my duties here and my 
reelection campaign (a successful 
one) that I had never seen Mr. 
Presley until his recent appearance 
on the Ed Sullivan program. “He 
is certainly a very unusual show¬ 
man and apparently appeals to 
many people." 

Commented Goodpaster; “Free¬ 
man, no stranger to political dif¬ 
ferences of mind, realized that 
this, however, was a different sit¬ 
uation. As one of his. assistants 
put it: 'Political infighting hath no 
fury like a Presley fan whose blue 
suedes have been stepped on’." 


RKO-Unique 

Continued from page 55 SSSSS 

Skylarks, who already have, cut 
their first Sessions -for the label. 

Marty Machat, label’s secretary* 
treasurer, • wkot'.^prnetf pfrom; 
Coast huddles lasife w^ek, safi£«$h#fe' 
the diskery yiif new grt^stsf 

who have “m^Sfring" on tv tb^&et 
added exploitation values. He also 
indicated that the label will bypass 
the classical field for at least an¬ 


FREDDIE BELL 


AND HIS 


BELL BOYS 


Currently 

MANILA, P. I. 

Dec. 12 thru Dec. 25 v 

Exclusively—WING RECORDS 


★ * * * 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 

JOE GLASER, Pres. 

New York I Chicago I Hollywood 

745 5?h Ave PL. 9-4600 | 203 No Wabash | 8619 Sunset Blvd. 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 



BETAIL SHEET BEST SELLEB! 

2 




1 



\ 

m r 


n 

■J 

£ 

1 

Boston—(Mother Music Co.) 

Philadelphia—(Charles Dumont) • 

San Antonio—(Alamo Piano Co.V 

Chicago—(Lyon-Healy Music) 

Indianapolis—(Pearson Music Co.) 

Detroit—(Grinnell Bros,-Music) 

Kansas CJity—(Jenkins Music Co.) 

St. Louis—(St. L. Music Supply) . 

Cleveland—(Grossman Music Co.) 

Los Angeles—(Preeman Music Co.] 

San Iran cisco—(Pac. Coast Music) 

Seattle—(Capitol Music Co.) 

T 

O 

T 

A 

L 

P 

O 

I 

N 

T 

S 


Survey of tetail sheet music 
best sellers based on ^reports 
obtained . from leading stores in 
13 .cities and showing com¬ 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week . 

* ASCAP t BMI • 


National 

Rating 

This Last 

wk wk. .. Title and Publisher 


1 

1 

fLove Me Tender (Presley).. 

i 

1 

3 

1 

4 

5 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

4 

m 

2 

2 

♦True Love (Buxton Hill).. 


2 

2 

1 

3 

1 

1 

1 

5 

2 

5 

2 

2 

8 

108 

3 

4 

tSinging the Blues (Acuff-R). 

3 

4 

4 

5 

2 

2 


3 

3 

2 

4 

8 

3 

89 

4 

3 

fWalking in Rain (Golden W.) 

4 

6 

6 

2 

8 

4 

5 

4 

5 

6 

3 

5 

2 " 

78 

5 

6 

iThe Green Door (Trinity).. 

6 


8 

4 

3 

9 

7 

2 

7. 

3 

5 

4 v 

10 

64 

6 

8 

♦Blueberry Hill (Chappell).. 

5 

10 

5 

7 

5 



6 

9 

4 

6 

3 

1 

60 

7 

5 

♦Friendly Persuasion (Feist).. 

7 

3 

2 

6 


7 

4 

8 

8 10 

8 

9 


49 

8 

10 

tCindy, Oh Cindy (Marks-B). 

9 


9 

9 

7 


8 

9 

6 

7 

9 

6 


31 

9 

7 

♦You Belong to Me (BVC) 





8 

9 

10 

3 


4 



7 


28 

10 

11 

tDifferent Worlds (Princess). 

8 

7 

7 



3 

10 

.. 10 

.. 10 



22 

11 

14 

♦Hey, Jealous Lover (Barton). 






8 

6 

7 


9 

. 10 


15 

12 


tHonky Tonk (Billace).... 







6 




8 




8 

13 

13 

.-♦Mama From Train (Remick). 


6 











9 

7 

14A .. 

♦Mutual Admiration (Chappell t .. 

9 









7 

7!” 


6 

14B 9 

♦Whatever Will Be (Artists).. 


5 




~ 








6 


other year but that it hopes to im¬ 
port some foreign pop packages. 

Label’s music publishing subsid, 
Lamas Music, .is* also being ear-r 
marked for a buildup via tieups 
with scores from upcoming RKO 
filmusicals. Firm is ajready working 
on the Mack Gordon-Joe Myrow 
score for the Eddie Fisher starrer, 
“Bundle of Joy.” Next up will' be 
the Ralph Blaine-Hugh > Martin 
score for “The Girl Most Likely," 
which stars Jane Powell and Kaye 
Ballard. The score will be released 
at the end of January. Unique has 
the sound-track rights. 

The label is.even in line for its 
first original Broadway cast album 
next year via its parent company, 
RKO - Teleradio Pictures. Tom 
O’Neil, RKO - Teleradio prexy, is 
planning a musical version of “The 
Informer" (1935 Academy Aw'ard 
winner) for next September. 
O’Neil’s corporate setup will pick 
up all the marbles on this one. In 
addition to the Unique original 
cast set, Lamas Music will publish 
the score and the film fights to the 
musicalization will belong to RKO. 
Adaptor, add composer have not 
yet been set. 


Payola 

Continue# from page 53 
tices also apply in the tv field: 
if it’s profi^ible, It r s okay. 

A musical director told one pub¬ 
lisher: “If I don’t play your tune, 
it’ll be someone else’s. If you want 
the plug, you gotta give up one- 
third of the publisher’s , share and 
cut me in as a co-writer. There’ll 
still be more than enough to go 
around." So the publisher paid on 
the theory^ that everybody wins, 
nobody gets hurt, 

Opportunities for- the payola on 
tv are not as frequent as in radio 
in the Old days when the band¬ 
leaders called their own tunes. On 
the top video shows, the aepent is 
exclusively on the tried hits and 
standards where the big publish¬ 
ing firms are in the. saddle and 
cannot be jockeyed into any cut-ins. 

There is, however, still a flock 
of morning and afternoon tv shows 
which use music incidentally. A 
plug here counts full value and 
opens the door for all sorts of an¬ 
gles and chicanery in placing songs. 


^ Tall Loot 

SiiM Continued from page 53 

if it doesn’t move the first year. 
Last year, he said, diskery-to- 
retailer sales weren’t so heavy be¬ 
cause the stores had some hold¬ 
over stuff to sell. They were vir¬ 
tually cleaned out and this year 
are calling for a big fill-in. 

The buying spree, according to 
Goldberg, is reaching all the way 
down the line to include the stand¬ 
ard packages as well as the new 
product. He expects Bing Crosby's 
“Merry Christmas," a top album 
seller for the past nine years, to 
double last year’s sales this season, 


Senate Wants Settlement 


Continued from pace 53 


promise proposal for consideration 
by the Subcommittee during the 
next session of Congress’ may in¬ 
fluence the operators to sit down 
with us and join in an earnest 
attempt to reconcile our differ¬ 
ences. 

“In view of the fact that Con¬ 
gress will convene in less than 
three weeks it is our hope that the 
music operators will agree to a 
preliminary meeting with bur rep¬ 
resentatives before Jan. 1, 1957. 
I shall, of course, keep you advised 
of any such meeting, and of -any 
specific proposals that may result." 

An ASCAP brief, printed in the 
Senate Committee report, charges 
that “the jukebox industry has en¬ 
joyed a windfall for almost the 
entire 30 years of its existence. 
There is no reason for giving it an 
exemption not enjoyed by similar 
users; nor is there any reason for 
allowing that Industry to invade a 
right that is supposed to be the 
exclusive property of writers and 
publishers whose works are copy¬ 
righted." 

Wrote John Schulman, counsel 
for the Songwriters Protective 
Assn.: “The jukebox Industry Is in 
business to make money; it makes 
money; and it would not be in busi¬ 
ness unless it made money . . . 
The claim that jukeboxes 'popu¬ 
larize' music Is no justification for 
the exemption. It would be equally 
logical for them to argue that Con¬ 
gress should enact laws to force 
restaurants to permit the free in¬ 
stallation of jukeboxes ahd to com¬ 
pel manufacturers to furnish rec¬ 
ords without charge." 

The opposite viewpoint was ex¬ 
pressed strongly by Ernest S. 
Myers, counsel for the Record In¬ 
dustry Assn, of America. 

“Even though, for the purpose 
of argument, it is deemed that 
S. 590 is sound in theory, never¬ 
theless many record manufac¬ 
turers oppose the enactment of the 
legislation because, when consid¬ 
ered from a realistic business point 
of view, they are convinced it 
would create an effect which Is the 
exact opposite of what which its 
proponents Intend. That is to say, 
if coin machine operators are re¬ 
quired to pay a performance fee, 
then overall sale of phonograph 
records of popular music will be 


reduced, thereby decreasing rather 
than increasing the overall earn¬ 
ings of composers. 

“It is generally acknowledged 
that coin operated machines con¬ 
sume about 25% of all popular 
records made, and coiitribute in 
an Important degree to the popu¬ 
larity which leads to the purchase 
of the remaining 75% by individ¬ 
ual users." 

But L. Quincy Mumford, Librar¬ 
ian of Congress, wrote to the com¬ 
mittee: “It is a strange result of 
the present law that if a restaurant 
or tavern supplies music for its 
patrons without charge to them (as 
many establishments do* through 
the us_e of a commercial service 
providing music by means of wires 
or tape recordings), the operator 
of the music service is obligated 
to pay royalty fees. But If the 
patrons pay for the music by drop¬ 
ping coins in a jukebox, no royalty 
fees are payable." 


Coral Corrals Quadling 
For Orchestral Disks 

Hollywood, Dec, H. 

Coral Records has inked a two- 
year contract with Lew Quadling; 
longtime Lawrehce Welk arranger, 
to front his own band on a series 
of disks. He makes his bow with 
an initial four sides. 

Quadling is best known for his 
tunesmithing, having written such 
songs as “Careless," “A Million 
Dreams Ago" and “Sam’s Song." 


F-Crr W I 0 ~ vVylf 1 
"FRIENDLY PERSUAS.QN 

A A . r ri A • ■ ? \1 P ■ ■ i- 

FRIENDLY 

PERSUASION 

(Thee I Love) 

LEO FEIST, INC 

























61 


Veflttegday, December 12, 1956 




G rand Award Records proudly presents 



50 th Anniversary 


THE GREATEST ALBUM OF POPULAR MUSIC EVER RECORDED! 

I» Rrilliant ]$ew High, "Fidelity! 


grand award »•"» 


5 #*Anniversary 


>««sr;:^ L C T »M.ov S . 

■TOMMY DORSEY V&*** * 

JIMMY DORSEY HOAGY CARMlCHAE 

JOHNNY MERCER joE VENUTl 


PAUL WHITEMAN 
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

"‘•R M»v *. 

Lcstra, 

Umy dorsey ■*** 

AL WNJ®« CR0SB * HARRY RARRIS md 


V "*°“UMd*rf 
Rhapsody in Blue 

Fctuiin* EUGENE. WEED ., the Pj, no 


. STARRING 
MANY OF 
TRE GREATEST 


POPULAR MUSIC! 



The album contains two newly recorded 12"—33 1 /) rpm Long Play records— 



TOMMY JIMMY JOHNNY JACK BING HOAGY JOE 

DORSEY DORSEY MERCER TEAGARDEN CROSBY CARMICHAEL VENUTI 


Beautifully packaged with a 
special illustrated Booklet 
showing pictures and stories 
of ,< Peps”Whitetpau-and the 
stars appearing fa ttplbum 


* 


< _ 



Grand Award Record Corp., 8 Kingsland Ave., Harrison, N. J. 






62 


MUSIC 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 



New York 

Robbins Music’s new folio ij 
tagged “Play Along With The Mod- 
- - em Rhy4hm-JMCaker&--Record ’ and 
not “Pay Along" as typoed In ‘last 
week’s Variety . . Oscar Good- 

stein back from Europe after pro¬ 
moting the initial Birdland -jazz 
concert tour there . . . Kenneth 
Goldstein is veepee $t the new 
Tradition label , . Ann Gilbert 
joins RCA Victor’s -March of 
Dimes Train" Jan. 13 . . . The Blue 
Angel nitery celebrated, Jimmy 
Lyons’ fifth anni there with a post¬ 
midnight jazz, bash yesterday 
(Tues.) . . . Abbey Lincoln, Liberty 
thrush, into the Village Vanguard 
Dec. 25 . . . Don Elliott Quartet 
„ began a week’s gig at the Town 
Tavern,'Toronto; yesterday (Tues.). 

The Mello-Larks set for a two- 
weeker at Holiday House, Pitts¬ 
burgh, starting Dec. 24 . . . CBS- 
TV’s “Captain Kangaroo" will fea¬ 
ture 10 MGM kidisks on its shows 
between now and February , . 
George Shearing set to cut a Capi¬ 
tol album titled after his autobiog¬ 
raphy, “Sing Under My.Fingers" 
. . . Neal Hefti will score the up¬ 
coming jazz pic from U-I, “Solo In 
the Night" . . . Frances Wayne cut 
a solo album for ABC-Paramount 
. . . MGM joined the “Wake Up To 
Music" campaign with an A1 & 
Dick slicing of the title theme. 

Glenn Miller orch under the di¬ 
rection of-Ray McKinley set for 
three additional weeks on NBC 
Radio’s “Bandstand" show . • . . 
Jimmy Tyler orch into the Cotton 
Club Lounge. Miami Beach, Dec. 
22 . . , Theme music of the telefilm 
Series, “Highway Patrol," has been 
waxed by Cyril Stapleton for the 
London label. 

London 

Songwriter Dick Mullen back in 
England after three years’ stay m 
U.S. It’s reported he’ll team up 
with Tolchard Evans to write num¬ 
bers for a musical .picture based in 
Britain . . . Accordionist Camilleri, 
currently touring here, to appear 
»at the squeezebox convention in 
New York in April . . , Kassner 
Music Co. to take over complete 
building in Denmark St. (Britain’s 
Tin Pan Alley) in,the New Year 
, . . Composer Tominy Connpr 
headed for U.S. last week’ with, 
plans to settle there permanently 
, . . Billy Cotton band to play at 
Royal Household Ball at .Windsor 


NOW... 

AND ALL THROUGH 
THE WINTER SEASON 


Leroy Anderson s 

Slc»9h 

^!oo%\ Ride 

V MILLS® MUSIC' 


a wonderful 
seasonal song 

STYNE AND CAHN'S 



CAHN 

MUSIC 


Castle on Friday (14) . . . Three 
Kaye Sisters vocal group inked for 
cabaret spot at the Plgalle Res¬ 
taurant in January * ,- } Cyril Qiv 
nadel-to- U-Sr-nextrmonthrVu sturdyi 
score of “My Fair Lady.” He’ll con¬ 
duct the accompanying orchestra 
when the show opens in London in 
1958. 


Hollywood 

Les Baxter signed as musical di¬ 
rector of v The Storm Rider,” 20th- 
Fox pic ... Elmer Bernstein pacted 
by Perlberg-Seaton to score Para¬ 
mount’s “The Tin Star-’’ .... Johnny 
Mandel will arrange and conduct 
an Era session for Connie Russell, 

■ Gail Robbins and Alis Lesley . . . i v _ nnffl . 

LDecca .lias... signed- British-singer4^y|=- how annMri 

I Fvp Rnswf.ll Rlllv Rnlrafinn Py n ° W a PP e ^ rl 


Eve Boswell-. . . Billy Eckstiue, 
who recently closed out at the 
Cocoanut Grove, staying in town 
over the holidays and while here 
will cut some singles for RCA Vic¬ 
tor with Hugo Winterhalter back- 
stopping . <. Composers & Lyricists 
Guild made George Jessel an hon^ 
orary member ... George Shear¬ 
ing cut his first session with his 
new quintet - Friday (7) for Capitol. 

Jerry Gray orch set to play for 
dee jay . Alex Cooper’s annual 
KLAC teenage hop at Hollywood 
Palladium Dec. 26 . . . 88er Eddie 
Baxter current at the Plush Horse 
in Redondo Beach . . Ric Marlow 
making the d.j. rounds plugging 
his latest Zephyr disk, “That’s 
What I’m Gonna Be.” Bernie Sil¬ 
verman, assistant to Norman 
Granz, . trekking cross - country 
checking distrib lineup . . . Peggy 
Dieirick has set. pianist Milt Raskin 
to peii her special material during 
current stint at Jan Rubini’s Key¬ 
board Supper Club. 


Chicago 

Eddy Howard band into Aragon 
Ballroom Dec. 31 to Jan. 27 . . . 
Stan Getz quartet plays the Mod¬ 
ern Jazz Room April 29 for two 
weeks, followed by Chet Baker . . . 
Stan Pat of RKO Records escorted 
songwriter Mack Gordon around 
Chicago this week to promote Gor¬ 
don’s disks from “Bundle of Joy” 
film which opens in January at the 
Woods. 


San Francisco 

Cal Tjader Quintet returned to 
the Macumba . . . Count Basie and 
Duke Ellington bands due here 
after Jfirst of the year ... Victor 
signed Richard Gump & His 
Guckenheimer Sour Kraut Band 
for an album entitled “Sour 
Krauts in Hi-Fi” ... Hilltoppers 
open at Fack’s II today (Wed.), fol¬ 
lowed by the Hi-Lo’s, Dec. 26 . . . 
A1 Levitt’s San Francisco Jazz 
Records putting* out an album, 
“Straight Ahead,” with soloists 
from the Stan Kenton band, in¬ 
cluding drummer Mel Lewis, sax- 
ists Richie Kamuca and Jerry 
Coker, trumpeter Ed Leddy and 
three men out of Rudy Salvini’s 
band. 


now is as in big . local 

clothirtg hottse. A cousin, Ray 
Catizone, plays trumpet for mm in 
the Nixon group . ,Marcy - Lynn 
new " vocalist with Barbu -Elflott 
Since Mary Lou Valle took off for 
Fort Jackson to be with her 
soldier-husband. 


Philadelphia 


Lynn Hope combo, after two-year 
stay in Egypt and Arabia, back at 
Showboat for week’s- run . . ... The 
Palladium, uptown ballroom, picked 
up option of - the Milner-Brown 
band for another six months. Pair 
are WPEN deejays . . . Mel Torme 
into the Celebrity Room ... Dizzy 
Gillespie playing Pep’s . , ; Chico 
Hamilton headlines at Blue Note. 
. , . Ted' Forrest Quintet back at 
Big Bill’s . . . Cozy Morley quartet 
signed, by Sciolla’s ... Duke Elling¬ 
ton and aggregation open Red Hill 
Inn, in Jersey . . . Eddie Dano, 


local vocahst. recpplly_j^QiLCdl.i40s^- -TJiisJs-the first-4:ime-reGor4s have capitalized un ilKtcracy~afidr 
ppearmg on the Don bad recording." 


McNeill Breakfast 
Palumbo’s Jan. 2. 


g on the Don 
Club, due at 


San Antonio. 

Skinnay Ennis orch signed to 
play for the annual Holiday Dance 
of the Kelly Air Force Base Man¬ 
agement Club Dec. 28 at Club 
Sevenoaks . . . Don Albert, former 
maestro and nitery • operator, will 
reopen the Keyhole Club tomor¬ 
row. (Wed.) with floor shows . . . 
Dick Barlow will bring his band, 
back to the St. Anthony Hotel Dec. 
18 for another extended engage¬ 
ment . . . Carmen Cavallaro, will 
headline the floor show at the 
Shamrock Hilton Hotel, Houston, 
for a two-week stand starting 
Thursday (13). A1 Donahue orch 
will continue on the bandstand. 


Pittsburgh 

Hy Edwards band signed for 
weekend dancing at Sonny Boys 
AA* (formerly the Bachelors Club) 
in East Liberty . . . A1 Marsico 
rehearsing his new orch in prepa¬ 
ration for opening of New Nixon 
downtown. Marsico was booked for 
this job six months ago but spot 
has been delayed - by financial 
troubles . . . Frankie Barr outfit 
has :a fourth anni coming up short¬ 
ly ait Twin Coaches. Barr’s right 
name is Lombardo, changed for 
obvious reasons (for the band busi¬ 
ness),. . . . Genevieve Day, cock¬ 
tail'pianist at Jackson Hotel, had 
her option picked up ... Billy Cati- 
zone, who had his own unit for 
years, is back as director of house 
orch. at Nixon since theatre re¬ 
turned to legit. His regular job 



Another BMI ‘Pin Up'H/f 

“I’VE GOT A RIGHT TO CRY” 


eydie gorme 
BOB CARROLL 


BecordetI by 



....... - ABC-Paramount 

. Bally 

Published by 
RECORDO MUSIC PUB. 


Mantovani’s U.S. Concerts 
With Built In Payoff; 
N.Y. Date Winds Tour 

Mantovani, the British orch 
leader of Italian extraction, has a 
built-in U.S. concert audience via 
his London .label LPs. The diskery 
currently has 18 Mantovani albums 
on the market and for the past few 
years he’s .held up as London’s 
most consistent and top pop pack¬ 
age seller. 

In concert here, he gives this 
wax-built aud just what they ex¬ 
pect and want. Setting 18 numbers 
in his program, a Mantovani con¬ 
cert adds up to a live LP-and-one- 
half and an in-person disk sampler. 
The tunes -and arrangements are 
taken from his recording vaults 
and emerge with the same rich and 
colorful qualities, although- he’s 
working with Yankee todtlers.' 

The current tour,, which wound 
up in New York’s Carnegie Hall 
Sunday (9), was set with the •co¬ 
operation of the American Federa¬ 
tion of Musicians. The maestro 
was able to bring along only his 
concert master (violinist), his per¬ 
cussionist and his bass player. The 
rest of the 45-piece orch were 
pickups, but at Carnegie the whole 
orch followed the baton like a well- 
prepared and well-oiled unit. This 
was Mantovani’s second time 
around the U.S. and included 65 
concerts in 70 days. From the re¬ 
ception accorded him at the Car¬ 
negie finale, he could safely make 
the rounds again next spring. 

The repertoire runs the gamut 
from the melodic “Green Sleeves," 
the romantic “Moulin Rouge,” the 
classic “Ave Maria,” the senti¬ 
mental “White Christmas” and the 
frisky “Donkey Serenade." All, of 
course, prepared in the lush 
Monty-manner. 

The tour was ’set by Columbia 
Artists.. Management. Mantovani 
returns to U. S. for another tour 
this fall. Gros. 


•Seme almost unique specimen? of musical Americana were recently 
fouftd in the possessions 1 left by the noted American composer, Henry 
Holden Buss, who had a career of almost 80 years. Huss, born in 
Newark, Jan, 21, 1862, was just 15 in 1877 when Edison invented the 
tinfoil phonograph. Inspired by the new “wonder of the world,"- the 
youngster wrote a number, ^The Soifg of^ Mister_ Phonograph/Lwhich.. 
-was puhlished^byGr'Schirmer Music and” siing by at the “Phonographic 
Exhibitions" in New York in 1878. The cover featured a cartoon of 
a character composed of phonograph parts. This was Huss’ first pub¬ 
lished composition and it may have been the first song written about 
the phono. Huss’ widow recently came across five copies of the music 
and some of the Schirmer circulars advertising it. B. A. Lascelles of 
Kew Gardens, N. Y., a nephew of Huss, sent a copy of the previously 
forgotten song to Variety Musicologist Jim Walsh for Walsh’s phono¬ 
graph reference material collection. 


Mitch Miller of Columbia Records on rock ’n’ roll via interview 
in Toronto by Alex Barris of Toronto G16be & Mail: “It’s appeal to 
youngsters isHhe equivalent of those ‘confidential’ magazines to adults. 
It caters to a part of us we’re not proud of. It can’t be compared 
to the interest in Benny Goodman in the ’30s or Frank Sinatra in the 


bad recording." 

Recent Variety story on “Lili Marlene" credited authorship of “Wenn 
Wir Fahren Gegen Engelland" (We’re Sailing Towards England) .to 1 
Norhert Schulze when it should have been attributed to Herms Neils. 
Latter was nominated to Professor of Music by Hitler for writing this 
tune. Schulze, who penned “Marlene," wrote “Bomben auf Engelland, 1 * 
for a war film of the same title. 


Decca’s billing on a new disk release of “Anastasia" and “Written 
With The Wind" reads: “The Victor Young Singing Strings conducted 
by Alfred Newman." The two numbers were scheduled for recording 
two days before Young died and Alfred Newman, a fellow Hollywood 
composer-conductor on the Decca label, was given the assignment to 
record the single. * 


Hub Jukes 

Continued from page 55 —^ 

tax and therefore contrary to stat¬ 
ute. A municipality is empowered 
to levy certain fees only in propor¬ 
tion to expenditures for supervi¬ 
sion of licenses. 

Also, the action of the council in 
boosting the license fee for pinball 
games from $30 to $35 and the 
jukeboxes from nothing to $50 is a 
puzzlement, the association spokes¬ 
man said. “It would seem that 1 
there wouldn’t be that discrepancy 
range in the proportion to’ expen¬ 
ditures for supervision of licenses." 

Although the $50 fee covers 
radio, tv and jukebox, members of 
the association report that locatjloq 
owners see the fee as the “juke¬ 
box tax" and say, “it’s your tax— 
y6u take care of it." 


ALMANUTI WALKS IN 
AS LOCAL 802 PREXY 

A1 Manuti, Yocal 802 prexy, 
swept his whole administration 
back into office in balloting of 
New York’s American Federation 
of Musicians’ members Jast week. 
Manuti ran unopposed and copped 
4,350 votes of the nearly 5,000 cast. 
Also reelected were the rest of the 
union directors, Including v.p. A1 
Knopf, secretary Aldo Ricci and 
treasurer Hy Jaffe. It was the first 
time in the local’s history that no 
organized group opposed the in¬ 
cumbent officers. 

A couple of independents made 
a try at getting posts on the exec 
board, but were defeated. No indie 
received more than 1,000 votes. 


ASCAP Storm 

Continued from page 53 

considering the flock of complaints 
against the distribution formula 
setup, but to date no action has 
been tdken. .At least one lawsuit 
over the background music revi¬ 
sion is now looming and, if ASCAP 
does not mollify the dissidents in. 
some way, several other actions 
may be joined together. Com¬ 
plaints stem from the fact that 
ASCAP has cut back the perform¬ 
ance value of all background 
music, except that of a small num¬ 
ber of tunes which have already 
amassed 20,000 .logging credits. 

Meantime, Alec Templeton, pi- 
anist r composer who also owns an 
ASCAP firm, has also entered the 
fray by requesting the ASCAP 
board to call a special meeting to 
discuss the various issues before 
the Society. Templeton indicated 
in a letter to ASCAP that he was 
in substantial agreement with the 
criticisms of the ASCAP board 
made by Hans Lengsfelder, who 
has been the most persistent critic 
of ASCAP for the last few years. 


Ben Selvin to Coast 

Ben' Selvin, artists & repertoire 
chief for the RCA Victor Custom 
Records division, headed for the 
Coast last weekend for recording 
sessions with Lawrence Welk for 
Thesaurus, radio transcription divi¬ 
sion. 

On” the way back, Selvin will 
stop off in Chicago for. talks with 
Magnecord execs concerning back¬ 
ground music tapes which BCA 
supplies to Magnecord for its in¬ 
dustrial music service. 


D.CRapsAFMOn 
Drain From Locals 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

“Substantial sums” of money ar« 
being diverted from some mem¬ 
bers of the American Federation 
of Musicians to uses “highly ob¬ 
jectionable” to those members, ae* 
cording to* a report of a House la* 
bor subcommittee. 

This is the subcommittee which 
conducted hearings in Los Angeles 
[ last May on complaints by Local 47 
that income from motion picture 
and tv recording income was being 
diverted away from the local. The 
report pointed out that members 
of the local have no control over 
collective bargaining contracts for 
its members, and that 47’s funds 
were being diverted to such pur¬ 
poses ‘as a pension for the widow 
of an ex-AFM prexy, plus retire¬ 
ment funds for international of¬ 
ficers. 

The subcommittee will recom¬ 
mend legislation that such use. of a 
local’s funds must have the con¬ 
sent of the local’s membership. 
Consent, it was explained, would 
probably be in writing. s 



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Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


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WALL ST. GAMBLES ON VEGAS 


Chicago, Dec. 11. 

The dearth of dermal danseuse 
material is a compounding problem 
for stripperies here. Although the 
peelers are one of the few live tal¬ 
ent categories not in direct competi¬ 
tion with tv, recent years have seen 
a gradual fallout in commercial 
eroticism Jiere^_ 


"Agents claim there aren't enough 
girls willing to shed and prance 
the seven-day 8 p. m. to 4 a. m. 
grind which is the rule in Chicago. 

Salary alone no longer separates 
the stripper from the steno. Clubs 
here pay upwards of $100. Agents 
often find their percentage from 
thesd low-pay acts hardly worth 
while. Ever recurrent civic pres¬ 
sure groups contend that the girls 
are obligated to solicit customers 
for the bar in order to make a 
financial go of it. 

Police and political pressures ex¬ 
tend to the peelers arid their ped¬ 
dlers as well as club managements, 
further discouraging bookers from 
handling anatomy acts. With tal¬ 
ented young recruit^ hard to come 
by, even regular bump & grind 
bookers complain 1 that educated 
ectoderm i§ now largely limited‘to 
the grandma genre. 

During the war years, Chi flesh- 
pois dropped vaude acts and were 
gradually forced to concentrate on 
the G-stringers who could supple¬ 
ment her own ajid the house take 
if her presence could augment liq¬ 
uor sales. Simultaneously police re¬ 
strictions increased and the time 
when anything went, including the 
last shred of mesh, became a thing 
of the past in the public clubs. To¬ 
day only a few peeler palaces can 
attract trade names to Chicago. 
Some of the small houses have 
either doubled with pictures or 
concentrated on the offstage attrac¬ 
tions for business. 

Openings and closings (often 
forced) are frequent in Chicago 
and its Calumet City adjunct. The 
count of jiggle joints is rarely the 
same from month to month. Chief 
concern for the G (for girls) acts is 
shown by convention promoters. 
The main trade in the scanty clad 
clubs consists of out of towners 
whose open market is being nar¬ 
rowed by what the girls haven’t 
got and the police won’t allow. 

Seattle Cafes 
Upbeat on Acts 

Seattle, Dec. 11. 

Entertainment picture here is 
brightening, with Victor Naon, 
owner-manager of the Magic Inn, 
setting policy of continuous book¬ 
ings via Eastern Circuit Vaudeville 
(Joe’Daniels), using acts that also 
play "Amato’s in Portland. 

Four-week stand of “Fiesta Fol¬ 
lies” clicked at Magic Inn. Current 
are Benito “Pat” Moreno, the Four 
Redheads and 6race Nichelle. Spot, 
will use three acts on each book¬ 
ing. 

At the Olympic Hotel, manager 
Tom Gildersleeve has Stan Seltjser 
Trio in the Marine Room, with pos- 
, sibility of continuing combos ahd 
groups in a room which heretofore 
has used only piano or organ as 
background music. * In addition, 
Delta Rhythm' Boys are set for 
stand at the Town & Country Club. 


Late Delivery 

It- is almost inevitable that 
Variety, along with other 
periodicals, will be delayed in 
delivery in some sections of 
the country during this holi¬ 
day-season; — 

The, U.S. Post Office Dept., 
in seeming anticipation, has 
advised all .publications that, 
from Dec. 10 to Jan. 2, it “will 
not be in a position to investi¬ 
gate complaints of late receipt 
of newspapers by your sub¬ 
scribers. During this period, 
thousands of temporary em¬ 
ployees are ... in the Postal 
service and . . . railroad Com¬ 
panies” and *any complaint 
about P. O. Dept, service—or 
lack of it—will have to be ig¬ 
nored because of the Xmas 
holiday mailing rush. 


‘HOLIDAY ON ICE’FAT 
$86,000 IN TOLEDO 9 

Toledo, O., Dec.' 11. 
“Holiday on Ice,” giving nine 
shows in a seven-day stand at the 
mammoth SjlportS Arena, Toledo, 

. Nov. ~26 through.. Dec. 2, turneu 
away hundreds of people, with sell¬ 
outs for the last four shows on 
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, af¬ 
ternoon and evening. Gross for 
the nine jshdws was $86,000, a 10% 
Rain over last year,' when the la6t 
tour performances, were also sell¬ 
outs. Patrons even occupied seats 
111 back of the setting, 
leer scale was $1.50, $2.50, $3. 


Grind After Judy, 
Then Jerry Lewis; 
Palace B.O. Dives 

The two-a-day situation at the 
Palace is presently in a mixed sit¬ 
uation despite assurance of contin¬ 
uation at the Broadway house with 
the pacting of a four-week deal 
and options with Jerry Lewis start¬ 
ing Feb. 7. RKO execs are pres¬ 
ently uncertain as to the continu¬ 
ation of Judy Garland at the the¬ 
atre. 

Miss Garland is slated to take a 
week’s vacation starting Dec. 19 
and will resume Dec. 26. However, 
there’s some doubt that she’ll re¬ 
turn inasmuch as she’s been 
plagued by laryngitis, and hasn’t 
been at her best for several weeks. 

Feeling is that If Miss Garland 
takes a week’s hiatus she may 
come back well and finish en- 
(Contipued on page 66) 


SHIFTS CONTROL 

Las Vegas, Dec. 11. 

Las Vegas took on the appear¬ 
ance of a Wall Street buying spree 
last week as the ownership chips; 
were juggled in various directions 
reflecting the control-o£ a£ least- 
four major hotels. 

Most significant was the startling 
development that saw control of 
the Ne,w Frontier Hotel acquired 
by a group headed up by Las Vegas 
businessmen Sid Bliss, Louis Man- 
chon and Mrs. Vera Krupp, es¬ 
tranged wife of the former German 
munitions maker, 

Manchon replaces Bill Simonds, 
who resigned as president of the 
hotel’s, board of directors. Simonds 
will,, however, stay on as a member 
of the board. Bliss will be installed 
as general manager and executive 
vicepresident, taking over the post 
formerly held by Irving Leff. Mrs. 
Krupp, whose $168,000 investment 
represents the majority of the 
$301,000 transfusion injected into 
the financially rocky New Frontier 
as a result of the deal, will serve 
as a member of the board.* 

The Nevada Tax Commission has 
granted tentative approval to the 
transaction, which sees the new 
bosses picking up 17.2% of the 
hotel’s treasury stock for their 
investment. 

The Commission, meantime, 
deferred an application by minor 
New Frontier stockholders, led by 
Maurice Friedman and W. T. 
Richardson, who are seeking to 
reopen the Royal Nevada casino 
with an investment of $580,000. 
The Royal Nevada has been operat¬ 
ing sans casino since it folded last 
New Year’s eve. 

Federal Bankruptcy Referee 
John Mowbray rejected a lone bid 
of $475,000 offered for the Moulin 
Rouge, when the defunct $3,000,000 
hostelry went on the auction block 
to satisfy creditors. The bid was 
presented by Lou Lesser, prexy of 
the Rosehedge Corp. of Los An¬ 
geles, which holds the first trust 
deed for that amount on the inter¬ 
racial hotel, which went broke last 
(Continued on page 69) 


How Money Talks in Vegas With 
Krupp’s Munitions As the Mint; 
Frau’s Bid Fcr Klondike Queen 


Close Shave 

Ottawa, Dec. 11. 

After protests from Hull, 
Que., night clubs across the 
river, the Ottawa Citizen ex¬ 
pressed regrets. It also ex¬ 
plained its ‘reference to “clip 
spots” allowed to remain open 
on the Feast of the Immacu¬ 
late Conception 78), while tav¬ 
erns and beer-selling groceries 
had to close. 

The reference, it said, was 
to barber shops, also allowed 
to operate. 


Lydia Mmevitch 
Seeks 325G From 
Puleo on Breach’ 

Johnny Puleo, longtime member 
of Borrah Minevitch’s “Harmonica 
Rascals,” has been named defen¬ 
dant in a breach-of-contract suit 
brought in N. Y. Supreme Court 
which asks damages in excess of 
$325,000. Pressing the action i? 
Lydia Minevitch, daughter of 
the showman - musician. She 
charges that not only did Puleo 
breach an employment pact but 
“unfairly” competed with the 
Minevitch estate by wrongfully ap¬ 
propriating such billings as “Har¬ 
monica Rascals,” etc., for his own 
use. 

Miss Minevitch, who is suing in¬ 
dividually as well as administra¬ 
trix #of the Minevitch estate, asserts 
that in 1944 her father inked an 
agreement with Puleo under which 
the latter was to provide his serv¬ 
ices. Pact, which included an op¬ 
tion to be picked up annually, 
(Continued* on page 66) 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

. Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NSW YORK 24 
184 W. 44th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
4404 Sunset llvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
412 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON. W. C. 2 
• St. Martin's Place 
. Trafalgar Square 


By ALAN JARLSON 

Las Vegas, Dec.. 11. 

-Slipping through a curtalnof 
secrecy veiling momentous confer¬ 
ences in the executive suite of 
Hotel New Frontier is a fresh bat¬ 
tle being waged for control of the 
resort. It is a contest hinged on 
circumstances strongly suggesting 
that the financial structure of the 
multi-million-dollar hospice is tee¬ 
tering on a shaky cornerstone. 

Holding the trump card In this 
blue-chip struggle is Mrs. Vera 
Krupp, estranged wife of Ger¬ 
many’s former munitions king Al¬ 
fred Krupp who, by virtue of sev¬ 
eral developments occurring las! 
week, has jockeyed herself into * 
position of becoming the first dis¬ 
taff operator of a Nevada gambling 
saloon. Or, more appropriately, 
“Queen” of this state’s greenfelt 
action. 

A fortnight ago, Mrs. Krupp 
made her advent on the gambling 
scene Tby placing in escrow $301,- 
000, a cash investment covering 
the purchase of 17% of inactive 
treasury stock (see separate story), 
In an accompanying move, Mrs. 
Krupp made her deal contingent 
upon the installation of Louis Man¬ 
chon as president of the corpora¬ 
tion and Sid Bliss as the corpora¬ 
tion’s executive vice president and 
general manager of the hotel. Mrs. 
Krupp followed up this transaction 
by purchasing 53% of the stock 
held by a group headed by W. A. 
Simonds ,who stepped down as the 
(Continued on page 66) 

K. C. Teener Eve’ 
AsGty Soiree 

Kansas City, Dec. 11. 

City’s party for teenagers New 
Year’s Eve in the Municipal Audi¬ 
torium is going ahead for the third 
straight year. Show and midnight 
dance actually is underwritten by 
a group of 10 public-minded citi¬ 
zens and has the blessing of the 
city fathers. 

Last year’s party drew 4,600 
paid, at $1 if purchased in ad¬ 
vance, or $1.50 at the gate. It’s on 
a no-liquor basis, and schools arid 
'the welfare department provide 
chaperones. Out of the 4.600 last 
year, there was only one case of 
misbehavior, and that was an out- 
of-town youth, it was reported. He 
was evicted. 

Vernon Banks, of the auditorium 
staff, is handling the details. There 
is 90rminute floorshow before the 
kids take to terping. Gil Torres 
will head a 14-piece orch for the 
show and dance, and the lineup al¬ 
ready includes Betty Miller, jazz 
pianist only recently out on this 
locality’s Foremost Records album; 
Susan Silo, Candlelight label sing¬ 
er coming in from the east; Don 
Van Fleet, young jazz drummer, 
and John Billyeu, KMBC-TV, as 
emcee. 

Admission to the floor is limited 
to teenagers, with adults admitted 
only as spectators to balcony seats. 
Show now is on a nonpprofit basis, 
and any money left goes into a 
kitty kept for the next NYE party. 
Some coin is on hand from last 
year’s soiree. Banks said. 

The city-sponsored deal is staged 
as a magnet for the kids, who 
might follow troublesome paths if 
left to themselves on a night for 
celebrating. 

Tickets are sold through the 
“teen towns” which are established 
across the city, many of them in 
connection with highschools. Tal¬ 
ent is bought, but the budget Is 
limited, and most come for scale, 
albeit names make this one, if 
possible, as a goodwill gesture to 
the kids and the city. Mickey 
Shaughnessy, comic scheduled to 
play Eddys’ Restaurant at that 
time, likely will double into the 
kids party. 



C4 VAtTPEVnXE 


N. J. Palasades Park’s Three-Ringer; 
‘BiiBng War’ Vs. RB&BB Shaping Up 


For the first time in many years, 
New York will have a circus “bill¬ 
ing war." Prospect of billposters 
obscuring each other’s paper, a 
battle for choice locations for 24- 
sheets and bids for choice televi¬ 
sion and radio time is being envi¬ 
sioned in the first important circus 
battle to crop up within the mod¬ 
ern generation of showmen. 

The Hamid-Morton Circus com¬ 
bined with the' 54-year-old Hunt 
Bros. Circus will set up shop at 
Palisades Amusement Park, Pal¬ 
isade, N. J., during part of the 
time when the Ringling Bros, and 
.. pa mnm /fcJBailpy Circus will.xun- 
at Madison Square Garden, N. Y. 
Palisades Park draws much of its 
trade from metropolitan New York, 
and thus both outfits will be vying 
for the same patronage. The Pal¬ 
isades setup will start April 12, co¬ 
inciding with the opening of the 
park, for 18 days, while Ringling 
show starts April 3 for 40 days. * 
The battle is expected to be laid 
out along price lines. The Palisades ] 
show, to be co-impresarioed by 
George A. Hamid, prexy of GAC- 
Hamid, and Irving Rosenthal, who 
with his brother Jack operates the 
park, will charge $1.50 for adults 
and 90c for children, including the 
gate admission. In addition, they 
are offering free parking, as al-. 
ways. They currently have room 
for 6,500 cars and for additional 
space needed, have taken over two 
lots in nearby Edgewater, N. J., 
with free bus transportation from 
those lots to the park. ■ 

In addition, the battle will be 
fought along the lines of a tradi- 
ditional tent show as against an 
arean show. The H-M Hunt outfit 
will be under canvas with three 
rings in constant operation. Ring¬ 
ling show is expected to retain its 
traditional format Suitable for the 
larger halls, which it will play for 
_^he entire season. 

Both outfits, of course, will be 
importing acts from .Europe. 

' Among domestic and imported acts 
in the park circus will be the Fly¬ 
ing Malkos, Jack Joyce, the Dor- 
Chesters (latter from England). In 
addition, the Zacchini cannon pro¬ 
jectile will be with the circus. It’s 
not yet determined whether; 'Zac- 
chini will fly out of the .cannon’s 
mouth as part of the regular show 
or as a free attraction ballyhooing 
the big top. It also hasn’t yet 
been determined whether the me¬ 
nagerie and sideshow will be com¬ 
bined for one admission or run 
separately. In either case, it’s ex¬ 
pected that both sideshows will be 
at 25c top. 

Hamid and Rosenthal will make 
a pitch for the family trade from 
all the New York boroughs as well 
as the suburban areas. Along price 
lines, plus the attraction of a tent 
show and the free-parking gim¬ 
mick, they believe they'll hit the 
jackpot. The circus will be set up 
for as many as Tour shows a day, 
as against the two of the Ringling 
Bros. Tent will seat 3,000. 

In addition to the circus gate, 

•* it’s anticipated . that the receipts 
at the Palisades^ Park will perk,' 
Rosenthal has never gotten away 
from the lure of the five-cent 
merry-go-round, and other rides*- 
are similarly in the low-priced'; 
genre. With parents bringing the 
brood to the tent show, the rides 
are certain to hypo. Rosenthal is 
importing three devices new to the 
U.S. fqr this season. He has a 
rocket ride, a bobsled ride and an 
item called the Mouse. 

Hamid and Rosenthal will fash¬ 
ion the setup along the lines of an 
oldfashioned circus, which they 
claim has never died but has been 
killed by some showmen. They 
bank on the comparative intimacy 
of the tent where the clowns’ ex¬ 
pressions can be seen by the kids 
at almost close range, and are 
counting on <he constant activity 
of three rings. Another item which 
they feel will add up the grosses 
, is that the entire show will be 90 
■‘minutes maximum. After that, 
they feel, interest is saled for the 
kids, and they become restless so 
that nobody enjoys the show. Be¬ 
sides, the shorter shows permit 
more strolling through the park. 

After the Palisades run, there’s 
possibility that it will be booked 
into other parks, bat failing that, 
the Hunts and H-M will go their 
separate ways, as they have done 
for years. 


+ -- 

See Houston Dried Out If 
Precinct Taboos Liquor 

o Houston, Dec. 11. 

Will sales and possession of 
“Xmas cheer” and all other alco¬ 
holic beverages be verboten in 
Harris County (Houston's) in the 
future? Voters in Justice Precinct 
3 go to the polls here today (Wed.) 
to vote whether the area goes dry; 
There are numerous dry counties 
and towns in Texas, but a recent 
story in the Houston Post claims 
today’s electio n spe arheads a driv e 

ton, largest in the south. 

If the drive is successful,. Capt. 
J. S. Willis, chief of Houston’s vice 
squad, said it would put any nit- 
ery—public or private—on the il¬ 
legal list and subject to closing if 
it allowed alcoholic beverages in¬ 
side. 

“Even having the stuff in your 
home would be against the law,” 
he said. > 


Kemam as Uoio 
Tables Park Plan 

Columbus, Dec. 11.- 

ProSpects for a new state park 
at Cedar Point in the immediate 
future were virtually killed last 
week by. a recommendation of a 
special state park study committee. 

The special legislative committee 
accepted a recommendation of its 
Chairman, Rep. Fred Cassel (Re¬ 
publican from Wyandot County) 
that nothing should be done at the 
present time because of existing 
leases. 

The commitee also decalred that, 
when and if it appeared in the fu¬ 
ture that the famed Lake Erie re¬ 
sort was in danger of going into 
the hands of private developers, a* 
recommendation of Rep, Lytle 
Zuber (Republican from Franklin 
County) be considered. 

Zuber’s proposal would cost ap¬ 
proximately $1,793,000 as against 
almost $5,500,000 the state parks 
division estimates it would take ter 
acquire the entire peninsula. Zuber 
proposed that the Breakers Hotel 
and most of the amusement park 
area remain in private hands. The 
state would take over the bath¬ 
house, some 2,900 feet of the beach 
—more than half of the beach 
length but not affecting the area in 
front of the* hotel—part "of the 
amusement area°and the new road. 

State development would include 
a 1,500-car parking lot, two new 
bathhouses and a basin for some 
400 small boats. The proposal also 
would provide for a 25c fee for ad¬ 
mission over the road, a 25c bath¬ 
house, charge and a $I0-a-season 
docking fee. This, he said, would 
provide about $61,000 revenue tp 
help defray expenses/ . • / ' 

^ - —— - 

BigTurnover Cueing 

2 Shows Per Year Fof 

Dunes Hotel, Las Vegas 

Bill ^ Miller, operator of the 
Dunes "Hotel, Las Vegas, hopes to 
get along on just two units annual¬ 
ly. He’s presently in New York 
casting the first edition of “Minsky 
Goes to Paris,” which will open 
at the inn on Jan. 10 for a long 
stay. v 

Other unit, which Miller -hopes 
will be a regular, will be the cur¬ 
rent Larry Steele show, a Negro 
unit, which will have played 18 
weeks in that spot when it departs 
to make way for the Minsky show. 

According to Miller; since the 
average tourist stays less than two 
days, a hotel can get along on a 
long-running show and continue to 
do very well. Therefore, with the 
present two shows alternating, he’ll 
have his production problems 
solved. 

Miller says that while in New 
Yovk he'll start negotiations to add 
a 100-room wing and build four 
additional stores in the hotel. 


PfifitET'f 

Churchmen Fight Sex 

Shows at Blackpool 

Blackpool, Dec. 11. 

Local churchmen are urging the 
city’ authorities to rid this show 
biz town’s seafronj; promenade of 
“degrading sex shows.” They say 
th t Blackpool “holds a viper to 
her bosom by giving entertainment 
space, to .such demonstrations,” and 
demanded that the local toppers 
curb the so-called evil. 

Petitioners suggested ,a team of 
inspectors to make surprise visits 
at central beach shows, a rigorous 
application of laws relating, to isize 
of posters and a minimum age of 
18 for all patronizing the shows. 
Blackpool’s promenade is known as 
the Golden Mile because of its 
great turnover for entertainment 
promoters. 

LV.-SaltLalfeTK 
Far West “New Act’ 

Las Vegas, Dec. ll. 

Salt Lake City impresario Eu¬ 
gene Jelesnick is lining up a pro¬ 
gram that, if effected, would see 
one-nighters in the Utah metrop¬ 
olis hooked up with Las Vegas con¬ 
tracts. Exact share-of profits to be 
divided by Jelesnick and Vegas 
producers from such a project is 
not immediately known, but it is 
understood that acts would be 
pacted to either precede or follow¬ 
up their engagements here with a 
Salt Lake City concert whenever 
feasible to the act. 

Several Vegas ops, including the 
Desert Inn’s Wilbur Clark, have 
expressed interest in Jelesnick’s 
proposal. Jelesnick has been suc¬ 
cessfully producing concerts at the 
Salt Lake City 6,000-seat Coliseum 
for the last few years. Jelesnick 
also is conductor of the Salt Lake 
City “Pops” and Salt Lake City 
Symphony orchestras. 


‘Gas Follies’Latest 
Sales Heater-Upper 
In ‘Big Biz’ Show Biz 


Boston, Dec. 11. 

A 20-person musical revue, “Gas 
Follies,” is being produced here 
for industrial show of the New 
England Gas Assn, at Hawthorne 
Hotel, Salem, Mass., Dec. 27, for 
showing before a morning sales 
promotion meeting. Danny White, 
Hub booker, is producing the 
show, and Al Sherman is writing 
the lyrics via blueprints of the as¬ 
sociation’s ad agency, Harold Cabot. 

The show, which will run one 
and one-half hours, uses “Gas 
Heat,” in paraphrase of '“Steam 
Heat” from “Pajama Game,” as the 
theme of the revue, which has as 
its purpose hypoing salesmen to 
get out and sell more gas. There 
are 10 femmes and 10 lads in the 
package. Harry Marshard orch 
will back up the industrial musical 
which will have special dance 
numbers, lyrics of chorus numbers, 
solos, duets and line work all on 
the gas kick. 

Costs Miss Pauli $25 
To Be ‘Exotic’ Dancer 

Honolulu, Dec. 4. 

* It cost Jacquelyn Pauli, “exotic” 
•dancer, $25 to play a nitery date 
‘at Wailuku, Maui Island, 

The Honolulu femme was 
pinched by Maui police on a com¬ 
mon nuisance charge. Cops claimed 
her net bra and briefs were trans¬ 
parent and that her bumps-and- 
grind routine was being performed 
“to an extreme.” 


Claire and Tony 
Conway 

have written an interesting treatise 
on 

Circus Folk In 1956 

WWW 

an editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

51 st Anniversary Number „ 
of 

P'&RIETY 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 . 

Auto Race Promoter Raises Issue 


On‘Competitire’ Use of Fairgrounds 


City OK’s 10-Yr lease 
Of Tex’s Pleasure Pier 

Port Arthur, Tex., Dec. <11. 

A 10-year lease between the city 
and Pleasure Pier Inc., -a non¬ 
profit organization of local busi¬ 
nessmen, for the operation of the 
Pleasure Pier has been apprqved 
by the city commission. 

The new lease, calling for a $1- 
per-year fee, Was authorized by the 
voters last April. Since that time, 
thq city has advertised for bids 
from potential operators of the 
■pier, but only one other answer, 
was received. 

The lease provides that the city 
will be responsible for needed roof 
repairs and painting of the main 
ballroom, along with parking lot 
and street repairs. The corpora¬ 
tion will have the responsibility of 
maintenance work. New lease is 
effective Jan. 1. 


Boniface Sextet’s 
Chi Chi to Jazz 
Cleve. Cafe Spree 


Minneapolis, Dec. 11. 

Whether taxpayer-supported in¬ 
stitutions* like* the Minnesota* State ~ 
Fair Should be utilized by outsiders' 
for competitive profitmaking pur¬ 
poses is a point in controversy 
here. 

Donald Voge, owner of the Twin 
.City speedway where auto races 
are staged, has filed a formal pro¬ 
test against a move by the Ramsay 
County Board to eliminate present 
restrictive clauses on uses to which 
the grounds can be put, Interest 
in the matter of use restricted “for 
certain public purposes and no 
^th^er” Record i ng teethe land’s deed 

| Voge started suit to restrain the 
state fair board from leasing the 
fairgrounds racetrack, grandstand 
and parking area to *a private 
group promoting an auto race that 
drew a $28,000 gate last Septem¬ 
ber. 

Voge withdrew the suit for a 
temporary injunction on a stipula¬ 
tion : three days before the race, 
but the action for a permanent in¬ 
junction is set for trial in January. 

Denying that his suit, if success¬ 
ful, would prevent the fairgrounds 
from being used for non-profit 
events generally, Voge asserts its 
only purpose is to prevent the fair 
board from leasing the racetrack 
facilities to private individuals who 
would use state .property for pri¬ 
vate competition with .his speed¬ 
way.:, * 


Cleveland, Dec. 11. 

Six nitery angels figure this bur¬ 
geoning industrial centre is ripe 
for t^o new deluxe clubs although 
some of the current night spots 
are sweating to make both ends 
meet. 

Arnold “Goldie” Goldstein and 
Nick Pinardo, both vet impresarios 
here, are teaming up with Charles 
Lake and William Saley in opening 
a smartly upholstered Reviera Club 
in downtown area in late January. 
It was formerly the site of the re¬ 
cently folded Cavney’s Cafe and 
before that, Borsellino’s Club, 
which had a spectacular but rather 
unprofitable career. 

Foursome plans to install at out¬ 
set a policy of name attractions 
along line of Sophie Tucker, Myron 
Cohen, and Joe E. Lewis, for whom 
they are- said to be dickering, plus 
10-piece orclj. “Goldie,” who will 
manage room, is also looking for 
recording entertainers “who must 
have a Florida-Las Vegas label of 
sophistication and long show-wise 
experience.” 

Bill and Jules Weinberger, two 
downtown restaurateurs, are back¬ 
ing a poshy new jazz club that will 
be patterned after New York's Em¬ 
bers Club. Opening about Feb. 1 
as Billy’s Room, it is being set up 
in the old Leopard Club near the 
suburban North Randall racetrack. 

Jacobs Brothers, who own the 
property, and the Weinbergers, 
who operate Hickory Grill and 
Komman’s Restaurant, are spend¬ 
ing around $60,000 redecorating 
the room. Biliy Weinberger, spark¬ 
plug Of enterprise, says he is al¬ 
ready negotiating for such acts as 
Marion McPartland, George Shear¬ 
ing, Matt Dennis, Mel Torme and 
perhaps Ella Fitzgerald. Only small 
jazz combos and smart intimate 
singers and pianists will be booked, 
he said. 

Le Cupidon, N.Y., Would 
Reopen a la Calypso 

Negotiations to. reopen Le Cupi¬ 
don, N. Y., are underway by 
Freddy Jacobs, operator of the 
Red Carpet, who was also in on 
the previous ownership of that 
spot. 

Should deal go through, Cupi¬ 
don will go in for a Calypso policy. 


Tourists in Wrong Trap; 
Hawaii and South Seas 
Strangers to Each Other 

Honolulu, Dec. 11. 

Hawaii’s far removed from the 
South Seas, geographically, but 
the tourists don’t* care. There’s in¬ 
creasing demand for Polynesian 
entertainment here. 

Donn Beach, who has kept Don 
the Beachcomber’s jammed since 
he sounded the upbeat for Tahitian 
talent, is importing four more 
South Seas entertainers for the new 
International Market Place. 

Due next month are Teura, girl 
dancer from Rapa island; Teroro- 
tua, male singer and dancer from 
Bora Bora; Kahiti, girl dancer from 
the Tuamotus; and Mariteragi, male 
dancer from Tahiti. All are break¬ 
ing in at Les Tropiques hotel in 
Papeete, Tahiti, before flying to 
Hawaii. 

Additionally, Fijians, ' Maoris 
and Cook Islanders will be book¬ 
ed later in the season, Beach says. 

•Meanwhile, reports indicate that 
Henry J. Kaiser is planning a Tahi¬ 
tian-type nitery‘for the new multi¬ 
story unit of his Hawaiian Village 
resort hotel here. 

And new Waikikian Hotel is 
drawing crowds to its Tahitian 
Lanai supper room and Papeete 
Bar, both operated by the Spence- 
cliff chain. Neither spot is using 
any Polynesian entertainment, at 
least not yet. 


Jackie Bright’s Illness 
Delays Chi AGVA Talks 

* Chicago, Dec. 11. 

American, Guild of Variety Ar¬ 
tists’’ negotiations with Chicago’s 
Drake Hotel and the Hilton 
chain’s Conrad Hilton and Palmer 
House hotels here have been post¬ 
poned because of the illness of 
union’s national administrative 
secretary, Jackie Bright. 

Meanwhile hotels have sent wel¬ 
fare fund payments to AGVA 
pending finalization of talks on a 
minimum basic agreement. But 
union is not demanding the hotels 
post salary bonds as prerequisite to 
the bargaining. » 


Laine Set For May 13 

at London Palladium 

London, Dec. 4. 

First of the American name acts 
to play the London Palladium next 
year has been announced. Frankie 
Laine will appear there for two 
weeks starting May 13. 

Laine will also undertake a week 
of concert dates (backed by the Vic 
Lewis orch), following the Palla¬ 
dium engagment. Negotiations are 
proceeding for other American 
stars, with Nat “King” Cole and 
Elvis Presley both mentioned. 


S. C. State Fair Plots 
3,000-Seat Grandstand 

Columbia, S.C., Dec. 11. 

Construction of a new concrete 
grandstand seating 3,000 is sched¬ 
uled to begin on the State Fair¬ 
grounds here July 1. Fair offi¬ 
cials made the announcement prior 
to the annual meeting of the South 
Carolina Fairs Assn, here Jan. 15. 

Discussion of the building pro¬ 
gram is likely to come up ‘during 
the meeting as other managers 
seek means of improving their 
plants. 




Wednesday, December 12, 1956 a • Pj&SHfTr ^ 

“MOST EXCITING PERFORMANCE AT MOCAMBO IN A DECADE !” _ 

. —. — - -CHARLIE MORRISON, Owner 

MOCAMBO, Hollywood 



"Sallie Blair belongs in a show like the Ziegfeld Follies. She 
sings 'Black Magic' better than Billy Daniels and 'Hold 'Em Joe' 
better than Harry Belafonte. She is sex with a capital X." 

—WALTER WINCHELL 


"The jaded eye I reserve for night-club openings (the one on 
the left 4hat droops a little) got the shock of its life (and that's 
a metaphor that droops a litfle) the other night. 

It was present with the rest of me for the Sunset Strip debut 
of a lady who electrified an audience like nothing I've seen since 
the dawn of Eartha Kitt. 

Here name is Sallie Blair. And her opening night was a 
spectacle of the crazy, wonderful things that happen once in a 
while in show business. 

She came here unknown to Mocambo's ringside regulars. But 
before.she had returned for a final encore, ever Herman Hover 
had heard about her. 

Miss Blair is going td be a star. And while I'm not a gambling 
man. I'd take a friendly bet on it. 

She looks like Abbe Lane. And when she sings, she sighs. A 
combination like that, I can tell you from personal experience, 
does more for us folks over 35 than Serutan. 

If I sound a little giddy about the lady, l am . .. 

This young lady could sing 'Old Gray Bonnet' and make it 
sound suggestive .... 

SALLY CAN DO NO WRONG." 

—PAUL V. COATES, LA. Mirror-News 


"A sepia redhead with a growl in her pipes, sexy Sallie Blair 
bounces around the MO.'s button-size floor like she owns the 
joint. And well she may if business continues as good as at her 
opener." 

-MIKE CONNOLLY, Hollywood Reporter 


"Singer Sallie Blair, the sepian Marilyn Monroe, a ball of fire 
„and definitely the most promising young performer to hit town 
in a long time." 

—LA. HERALD & EXPRESS 


"She reminded me of a more natural Abbe Lane type, as well 
as Eartha Kitt, for she is very attractive, has a beautiful figure 
and a sultry singing style that is terrific." 

-HOLLYWOOD CITIZEN-NEWS 

"She has the same type of appeal that made Marilyn Monroe 
the biggest name jn Hollywood." 

-LOS ANGELES EXAMINER 

Direction: 

S.id Bernstein 
SHAW ARTISTS CORP. 

. New York 



Personal Management: 

Bill Alexander & Biddy Wood 
ALEXANDER PRODUCTIONS 
Baltimore, Md. 


Staged By—MERVYN NELSON 
Arrangements By—RICHARD -WESS 
Accompanist—WAYNE ROBINSON 







VAUDEVIIXIt 


POSHIWy 


Vande, Cafe Dates 


Lions’ Club benefit . . . Hugh 
Fowler, veteran local maestro, and 
Ed Currier, southwestern rep for 
Associated Booking Corp., formed 
new indie talent org, ^Fowler- 
Currier Agency. j 


New York Chicago Boston VeiY Puzzled Rv 

Billy vine signed to Core’s, Liberaee set for Chez Paree Jan. 3UU ,C, J 1 u “ ,cu Ujf Vari 

Pittsburgh, Jan. 18 . . . Lili St. Cyr 30 to Feb, 25; Jerry Lewis heads Niiarv FitvIa* Dwa Y«1a liable 

-goes to-the Uhi~Ghi,-Palm Springs* j-revues there-Jan. 9 for- a week ; . IIUCI j IlAr/JCj lltTl U1C gale o 

March 29 . . . Dolores Hawkins Ted Lewis signed for Chase Hotel. n| U l n* * stock x 

pacted to the William Morris St. Louis, Dec. 31 to Jan. 13 . . . MUDID fflllCO 100 I/10DV that th 

Agency . . . Harry Belafonte re- Harding & Moss at the Schroeder V pressin 

turns for three weeks in April at Milwaukee, Jan. 8-19 . . . Estelle „ . . v Boston, Dec. 11. t 

the Town & Country Club, Brook- Sloan into the Crescendo, Houston, Hub night clubs are having a 

lyn. He was let out of his last Dec. 18-31 . . . Lurlean Hunter at puzzlement They are experienc- {J| ffir 
week at that spot for a film assign- Black Orchid Dec. 27 for three ing the worst pre-Xmas slump ever 
ment . . . The Charlivcls to Beverly weeks . . . Peter Lind Hayes and and can’t come up with*the reason. aDoms * 


Paree Jan. Very PlIZZlod By Variety learned from usually re- lze a quick dividend. It has been 

swls heads ‘ Nifarv Firfln* P«*n.Vii1n liable sources that the. outright hinted that Mrs. Krupp plans to 

i week ; . .- 11IICI j llLUISy 1 Itr 1 Ui".gale -of the- Simonds controlled- sink $2*000,-000 into the-New- Fron- 

tase Hotel. Cl..—-, T i\* * stock was precipitated by the fact tier to put it on a basis competitive 

n - 13 • • • mum IfUlCD 100 1/lDpV that the hotel„was unable to meet with th§ .town’s leading money- 
Schroeder Boston Dec 11 Pressing-note's and a payroll due makers. 

’Houston* Hub night clubs are having a * a ?i.^£ ek * Xhe hotel operation, ad-. If Mrs. Krupp decides to stay on, 
Hunter at puzzlement They are experienc- mittedly went into the red last year A sweeping reorganization program 
?or three ing the waist preXmas sfump ever 'V*? tUne ° f $500 ’ 000 br there ' wU1 be ^ ignaled * New f^es will 
flayes and and can’t come up with'the reason, abouts. . appear in various departments. 


Wednesday, DeeemBer 12, 1956 


Money Talks in Vegas 

—-- continued from page 13 sssssssssmsssssssssm 
resort’s prexy upon the entrance of (refurbish the ailing spa to a point 
Manchon. where their investment would real- 


Boston, Dec. 11. 


Hills Country Club, Newport. Ky,, Mary Healy with Step Bros, enter- Last year, it was poor, but com- The anemic condition of the New mos t significantly in the casino 
June 21 . . . Danny Varzos has ing Fount^inebleau, Miami Beach, pared to what they are tabbing in Frontier coffers resulted in quick and managerial offices. Last week 

taken over the music chore at Ei Dec. 20 for two weeks ... Dr. Ar- now, it was good! Club dates are approval by the Nevada Tax Com- <3>, Sammy Lewis resigned as the 

Chico.. . Terry Haven opening at thur Ellen to the Embers, Fort reported way off by bookers, and mission of Mrs. Krupp’s sorely New Frontier’s entertainment di- 

Ceiebrity Ciub/ Phdadelphia to- Wayne, Dec. 17-26 ollowed by the one--ime lush office party and needed $301,000 transfusion. It rector. Lewis, who was purchasing 

SM&SS-S&A'ii g* par!:ie? ^ r - the hired ^ ^ s - I - ear ” ed -' how ^ r ’ *?•* 


«» u,d Ch Ne\f Year’s M sh^w at t ^ Q - Beeks - tIarck 1L - Tie greatest C;irtstmas-sHo®In? tj^l-53%^-which, -fnclndedTn-tier -capacity as show 

the Flamingo Las VelasTom- o n • rush seen hsre in years was re- original 17% buy, gives her a total chief at the Hlviera. 

•prises Tony Martin, Miss America, ^ an rranciSCO ported in full bloom by the Retail of 70% control—was transacted by At the New Frontier, Lewis has 

Dean Murphy and Little Buck. Video’s Don Sherwood doing the Trade Board. With the stores ooen notes payable in five years, plus been replaced by general manager 

Eartha Kitt into the Fairmont 1 a.m. show at Fack’s II and held every night until Xmas, the niter- meeting the hotel’s past due obli- Bliss, who will be assisted in book- 

San Francisco; April 25 . . . Rusty through January . . . Agent Sam ies are suffering a rash of snow gations. ing and staging by the hotel’s mu- 

Draper plays the Frolics, Revere Rosey in town to catch the Smith blindness. The remaining 30% of the New sical director* Garwood Van. Bliss 

Beach, Feb. 10 . . . Sandu Scott Twins at Bimbo s 365 and Roberta Consequently, shows in are of Frontier is the subject of the cur- says that future Show contracts he- 

pacted for the Colony Club, Lon- Lmn at the Village. Miss Linn the repeat or small budget variety, rent, top-secret conference. The gotiated by Lewis will be .recog- 

don, in March ... AUen & DeWood At Blinstrub ’ s - the Jones Boys, a 30% is owned by a group of Chi- nized by the Krupp group. It is 

join the Nat King Cole show at the Eartha Kitt signed for her fiic,t repeat, opened for the week Mon- cago stockholders. A source close reported, however, that Bliss is try- 

Paramount Jan. 23. T^sco ^ery date at the Fair- day (10). Ken Barry, a repeat, to the negotiations says that as far ing to shake loose a pact inked by 

- . . . "Nick Lucas -and the* Kirbv head ? the Bradford Roof show as Mrs. Krupp is concerned, she Lewis last month that pages the 

Hollywood stone Four open at the ViUage °P enin S tomorrow (Wed.) Bel- has her sights set on 100% control Lido Club Revue from Paris for 12 

« mvAA T ff VVM ^ 1 . “ TTlinnrQ flflnpp tpam HoaH tbn wimer i .1 _i_ 1^1 _ 1 11 _l *p _ 1 * 1 A urPnlrc ctortimf novf A nrtl 


have dwindled. 


Mrs. krupp’s purchase of the addi- and . the Riviera downstrip, will 


Hollywood 


, u r. / 4 “ « » U today (Wed.), followed by Patti I ? onts » dan . ce tean S’ head the new of the hotel and that if she fails to weeks starting next April. 

Moore & Ben Lessy after Christ- .S 0w M 0 o P * ening at Steuben ’s Thurs- buy out the Chicago investors, she Meanwhile, Mrs. Krupp’s appli- 

Brandt ana urnn luctte s oren „... -day (13). mav Hitch the whole Heal entirelv. cation -foi- * 7 ock. Aiimarch^n f 


by Brandt and Orrin Tucker’s orch 
opened a three-week engagement 
at Cocoanut Grove Saturday (8T 

stand at'til? Chi*Ch^Pahn^prings! „ A Evdyil West & Mag LoSC 

Dec. 4. Helen Traubel bows in the ^ Heiiry Grady Hotel’s Paradise FA Oi • • t M l n 

spot Dec. 14 for 11 days, followed Room offering comic Lou .Seiler jlrMnilff ID Libel KaD 

by Ben Blue and Joanne Gilbert, and Mercury recording- artist Jo W 

opening Christmas night - , JKay Miller as headliners in show that - San Francisco, Dec. 11. 

Martin & Her Bodyguards* current opened Monday (10), plus dance Stripper Evelyn West and a gos- 
at the Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, team of Floyd & Marianna. Erv sip mag, Whisper, lost a $5,000 
have been booked through the end orob are the current tooters. libel judgment by default last Fri- 


ky (16) - may ditch the whole deal entirely, cation for 70% ownership of the 

, ~ :—' It is reported further that the resort keynoted the agenda taken 

PvaLrn Wact it Ia»a Windy City stockholders are hold- up yesterday (Tues.) by the Clark 

LVCiyi! WcM Ot Ivlag LOSC ing out in speculation that Mrs. County Licensing Board. The coun- 

rn o, • • T *L I n Krupp will stay on* dip into her ty agency was expected to follow 

3(rdtnnff ID LlUCl Kao unlimited bankroll and financially the direction of the Tax.Commis- 

e ™ ^ ^ * r _ ■ sion by granting final approval nec- 

. Sa i? Francisco, Dec. 11. - essary for Mrs. Krupp to take over 

Stripper Evelyn West and a gos- the spa offlclaUy. 

p , ma s-„ wh ; s p er ^ 1 °^,^ ! 5 ^ 0 . 0 Mmevitch • 


sion by granting final approval nec¬ 
essary for Mrs. Krupp to take over 
the spa officially. 


B0»e1J S 

s on 'iou* | 

C««e«»W • 

TSlS* 

NVgt.: tACA 


Spot’s daytime Luncheon in Para- day (7). * -- Continued from page 63 ■ - 

dise show features dancer Rawena Eddie Skolak who nine fho 

Rollins and singer Bob Hannon . . . president Follies burle^mfe in originally handed Puleo $350 week- 
Club Peachtree lias exotic Bea Frisco^ ha ly and in 1955 reached $1,000. It’s 

Sweet and warbler Jerry. Paul . . . ^ ^f a piece L Whiter s?aned" alle S ed that Minevitch, up until his 

Redecorated Domino Lounge in t 111 Whls P 8r Slgned death in 1955, performed all con- 

Imperial Hotel headlines dancer uy c UIC ditions of the agreement 

Bunny Ware, comedian Vince Ella . Superior Judge Thomas M. Foley q cause 0 f action which seeks 
and.terperAriene Johnson . . . granted Skolak $4,000 general ! 


death in 1955/ performed all cpn- 
ditions of the agreement. 

One cause of action, which seeks 


ana s lerper Anene joansoa . . . &*••***«'-« 6 cuca«x nnn «nnfan/ic fhaf p„i on 

Clowning team of Ma & Pa Per- damages and $1,000 punitive dam- P £w V ? B ‘ 

kins opined at LiUlan DuPree’s ages. V>ted , h ‘L em P loy m en i t ticket in 

Clovis Club, where two exotics, The stripper, last reported in -Julie, 1956, when instead of per- 
Rachel.and Gabriel, round out the New Orleans, was sentenced to 90 forming for the Minevitch estate 
bill . . . Exotic Lisa London and days and fined $1,000—in absentia he worked for others. Another 

comic Robby Barton top show at also_by an Oakland judge last $250,000 is sought on the grounds 

John. Carmichael’s Gypsy Room .. . month for stripping too much that Puleo "maliciously appropri- 

Pianist Rena Estabrook- has re- ____ * ated' a valuable property right’’ by 

turned to Danny Demetry’s Zebra lifting the Minevitch billings. 


Dacombtr 15 

"SATURDAY SHOWTIME'^ TV 
LONDON, ENGLAND 


RAY R0MAINE 
and CLAIRE 

"Delightfully j 
Different". ' 
Now Appearing 

Morocco 

Club 

Madrid, Spain* 

(Return tinyagement 
within I month) 

Thanks to 
A. TAVEL 
Paris 


Lounge in Howell House Lobby . . . 

Singing Calvert Sisters and Jack 

n’icnn By Ha PPy Benway "The Rascals”’ in ” Hecht-Lancas- 

Judson Si^th is thumping piano . garanac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 11. ter’s United Artists release, 

des-Vous Lounge re K si£ vUte^th/afr^o/ne^Tnd mfnager' m^Th” ? addi ‘ iOT \. Mi f 
Freddie Martell annearing in hos- v 1U f J neatre owaer a ? b manager, Mmevitch wants an injunction to 

fe r ^ die Empi^^rm ar p'lls‘mis 0 ^ ^ow^lrom ‘his for'IhSd «i tra i n P ^? f ™ m taking over 

for dancing and show, by Sunny and rated h^ a greenliffht to re- The ? ascals - asks repayment of a 
Morgan orch. sJme work greenlight to re- $looo0 loan that her late father 

Patricia Matthews, Chicago, reg- ™ ade ^ Fuleo ahd claims the de- 

istered in for the general o.o. and Cendant made the film deal with 

lianas j-est period. H-L without consent of the Mine- 

Statler - Hilton, with Helen Among those who attended the vitch estate. 

Traubel current, gets Fran Warren meeting to try to establish the Suit came to light last week 
Dec. 13 for two frames. Henny Mohawk Airlines here that would when Puleo moved to dismiss the 
Youngman ana Cniquita & John- gj ve Saranac Lake east and west complaint on the ground that it 
hutU service were William Morris Jr., f ai i e d to state sufficient facts. 
Joaquin Garay into Colony Club James Loeb Jr., publisher of the 
for a fortnight, where the Ink Adirondack Daily Enterprise, and ■■■ ■ 

Spots are inked for Jan. 25 . . . j ac k DeMattos owner-manager of - 

Qulntcjtto Allegro open Jan. 3 at WNBZ. P 511A AO 

Hotel Adolphus . . . Jack Pepper, a letter in our mailbox from rdlflUU 

local boy, doing a split week at that grand octogenarian, "Mother” aajj Continued from page 63 

Club Marquis ... Singing 88 er Morris, who celebrated another ■ . re 

Mai Fitch, ex-musical director for birthday! "Thank you, Happy, for gagement strongly. If the rest cure 

the Crew Cuts, debuts his new act birthday wishes. You helped to fails to take, there is some fear 

-r-a standup routine—at the King's make it a wonderful day. Am so that she may not return to wind up 

Club this week. Exotic thrush Ami pleased reading Variety on Page her engagement, now slated for 

Marteitne also on the bill. ..Frank, 61 (Nov. 21). Variety woud be the Jan. 8. 

Parker, Richiardi Jr., Larry Logan* first to get it out.” There has been some dip in 

A1 'Mack, Matt Tuck,.. Landra & , The Sisterhood of the Jewish grosses at the Palace. Last week, 
J®”*®" a ^ d A F ^ a V k, ^E? mr Community Center in memory of Miss Garland scored $37,000, week 

State Fail* Aud tonight, (Wed.) for William Morris Sr. presented a orevious about $36,000. and Drior 

SET.-. ■■ l ^ l r.i l MV,^. l g holiday basket of refreshments to to that with several shows out? 

Otto Hayman, Max ^Rosenthal, Mi Garland fell to $31,000. 

Phillip Klein, Edward Rudman. T „ 

Roy Rogers of our maintenance hi ,i fS? 

department left here to take up a h^. -Paiil Sydell came m foi Bob 
new position in Harmon, La. He Williams. Bill now comprises Alan 
recently became the father of a King, the Szonys, Pompoff, Thedy 
son that he nicknames Trigger Jr. & Family, Amin Bros, and Wazzan 
"We The Patients” give thanks Troupe, 
for the Thanksgiving dinner served Between Miss Garland’s sched- 
here by chefs Percy Bryant and uled closing and the Jerry Lewis 
William Stehl. Annual event is opener, there will be a series of 
made possible by the board of di- eight-act vaude bills the usual pol- 
rectors of the Will Rogers Fund. icy 0 f the house. ’ 

Nurses worked overtime spooning —■—_—,*■ 


Saranac Lake 



ated’ a valuable property right” by 
lifting the Minevitch billings. 

Also sought is an accounting on 
coin derived by a performance of 
"The Rascals” in Hecht-Lancas- 
ter’s United Artists release, 
"Trapeze.” In addition. Miss 


des-Vous Lounge, with singer vi n e thea re o W ner and manager ^ u -uunwn, mi b 

Freddie Martell anneai-ine in hos-1 .? tre _ ™? aa ? ar J Mmevitch wants an injunction to 


Morgan orch. 


Dallas 

Statler - Hilton, with 


S iSSKi PHOTOS 

ELVIS PRESLEY 

PHOTOS as low as 1c each 
Wrlle for samples, prices. 

MOSS PHOTO SERVICE 

350 W. 50th St., N.Y. 19, N.Y 
PLAZA 7-3520 

Since "o. Serving America's Star* 


TERRACE 

and 

GRAY 

"Dance Artistry" 

Booked for 2 weeks with 
Harry Belafonte at 
TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB 
NEW YORK 

and HELD OVER for new show 
Beginning Dec. 11th 

Thanks to Doris and Ben Maksik 
. Per. Mgt. 

REDFIELD and REDFIELD AGENCY 
204 Central Pk. South, N*w Yark City 
CO 5-4941 



CHORUS 

DANCERS 

NEW YORK ENGAGEMENT 
2 A DAY. NO SUNDAYS 
Columbia Burlosque Stock. 
Report Friday (Doc. 14) One P.M. 
Natalie Cartier, Columbia Theatre, 
2nd Ave. and 4th St., N. Y. C. 

YVONNE MORAY 

CURRENTLY 

LENZI S SUPPER CLUB 

EUREKA, CALIFORNIA 

MILTON DEUTSCH AGENCY 
9157 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 

AN IDEAL XMAS GIFT! 

GIVE A 8ET OF 
FUN-MAaTER GAG FILES 
35 for $25 or 

A Year’s Subscription ($15) Ta 
“THE COMEDIAN” 

"The Only Professional Comedy 
Service el Ite Kind” 


WARD HALL 

and LEONARDO 

VENTRILOQUIST 
Juggling - Knife. Throwing 

CURRENTLY 

SHOW BAR SUPPER CLUB 

ORLANDO, FLA. 


out bicarbonate of soda to the 
overstuffed gang, 

Henry Bishop of Rowley United 
Theatres, Palestine, Tex., mastered 
surgery to a degree that rated him 
a go-home after 13 months here; 
his brother Robert Bishop is an¬ 
other cured case who left here two 
months ago. 

Write to those who are ill. 


Rancho’s Lili, Zsa Zsa 

Beldon Katleman, operator of 
El Rancho, Las Vegas, is planning 
a show accenting femmes starting 
Jan. 24. 

Headliners are Lill St. Cyr and 
Zsa Zsa Gabor. 


VING MERLIN 



CHICAGO, 

15 CONVENTION DATES 



Mgt.t Jerry Levy • Fred Amttl 
Dirtethm William Morri* Agency 










Wednesday, December 12, 1956 




Comeback After 19-Year Exile 


The long fight between Thomas-f- 


j. Phillips,, executive - secretary of 
the Burlesque Artists Assn., 
and the License Dept, of the 
City of New York has been ended 
with the issuance of a license to 
stage burlSy shows at the Colum¬ 
bia Theatre qn the lower east side. 
Phillips will attempt to make a 
run with what is designated as 
“clean burlesque." “ First show, 
“Welcome Exile," starts Dec. 26 
with Bert Carr, Eddie Lloyd, and 
Jack Coyle with Natalie Cartier 
doing the choreography. Burlesque 
has been banned from New York 
since 1937, but was permitted-to 
continue under the “Follies" label 
until 1941. 

Phillips had been in the courts 
for more than twb years in an at¬ 
tempt to get a license. A former 
license commissioner fought 
against issuance of h permit and 
Phillips obtained st decision from 
Justice Aron Steuer vdiich made 
it mandatory that a license be 
given. Decision was upheld in the 
Appellate Division in November of 
last year. However, the theatre in 
Brooklyn for which Phillips tried 
to obtain the permit was deemed 
unsafe, and with transfer of his 
attempts to the Columbia, permit 
was issued by the present commis¬ 
sioner, Bernard J. McConnell. 

Although the license granted to 
Phillips makes no mention of “bur¬ 
lesque," Phillips said there was no 
legal reason why he should not 
use that term as a “trademark." 


Pearl Bailey's Copa ‘1st’ 

Pearl Bailey has been signed for 
her first date at the Copacabana’, 
N. Y., starting Jan. 24. Negro sing¬ 
er’s prior N, Y. cafe stand was at 
the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. 

■. Miss Bailey will follow the two- 
tyeek Stand of Frank Sinatra, who 
will be preceded by a single frame 
for Billy Eckstine, 



WHEN IN BOSTON 

lt'$ the 

HOTEL AVERY 

Avtry & Washington Sts. 

Every room newly decorated. 
Air conditioned rooms available. 

The Home of Show Folk 


Cinema Lodge, AGVA Co-op 
On Saranac Xmas Party 

Cinema Lodge of the B'nai B’rith 
with the cooperation of the Ameri¬ 
can Guild of Variety Artists will 
again sponsor a Christmas enter¬ 
tainment for the patients of the 
Will Rogers Memorial Hospital, 
Saranac Lake, N. Y., to be pre¬ 
sented there Dec. 18. Bob Shapiro, 
president of the Cinema Lodge and 
managing director of the Para¬ 
mount Theatre, N.. Y., heads the. 
committee. Included in the roster 
of entertainers are Smith & Dale. 
Local 802, AFM, will provide an 
accompanist. 

Trcupe 'will also entertain for 
patients at the nearby Raybrook 
Veterans Hospital. 

N.Y. State Probes Plight 
Of Injured Dancer Joyce; 
Complex Legal factors 

The N. Y. State Insurance Dept, 
is continuing its probing into the 
accident claim of Bobby & Ginger 
Joyce, who were injured duringre- 
cent engagement at the Chaudiere 
Club, Ottawa. The bureau may 
again try to bring in the N. Y. 
principals in the case in an effort 
to alleviate the distress of the 
dancers, femme member of whom 
was hospitalized at length and must 
undergo further surgery. 

Insurance Dept, officials admit¬ 
ted that the legal aspects of the 
case were extremely entangled. 
From their investigations, it ap¬ 
pears that the American Guild of 
Variety Artists had signed the 
nitery to a minium basic agree¬ 
ment, and the Chauiere had paid 
the premiums for two weeks but 
was 27 weeks in arrears when the 
accident occurred. The Joyces 
were hurt in an auto accident near 
the cafe after they had been at the 
spot for several days. 

Following the accident, the club 
sent in $603 to clean up its arrear¬ 
ages, but sum wasn’t accepted by 
the union and the insurance com¬ 
pany on the ground that the latter 
might then be liable for the acci¬ 
dent. Meanwhile the Joyces’ acci¬ 
dent remained without coverage. 
Attorneys for the insurance com¬ 
pany and the AGVA Welfare fund 
appeared before the insurance de¬ 
partment, but no settlement was 
made. 

Admittedly, a legal determina¬ 
tion will have to be made in order 
for the Joyces to receive some 
compensation for injuries and loss 
of work. Miss Joyce has retained 
attorney J. Roland Sala. 


WALTERSTOLESTER: 
‘CLEAN UP-OR ELSE’ 

Lou Walters, operator of the 
Latin Quarters in New York and 
Miami Beach, has laid down the 
law to Jerry Lester. Boniface has 
told the comic, in effect, “either 
stay with the script and keep it 
clean or get off the show." Walters 
has Lester booked for four weeks 
at the Miami Beach for the opener. 

Walter^ has had a running tiff 
with the comic and is attempting 
to cancel him out. But, failing 
that, it’s expected that unless Les¬ 
ter agrees to hew to the script and 
stay away from ad libs both in¬ 
digo and otherwise, he is unwel¬ 
come. 

Lester had worked at Walters’ 
N. Y. spot, and early in his run 
had been pacted for the Florida 
run. Wide departure from the pre¬ 
pared act occurred after the Flor¬ 
ida contract was made. 





Latest ABC-PAR Record a VARIETY BEST BET 
The Music Goes Round and Round 
b/w I'll Be Worthy of You 

cab Calloway 

* Currently 

CHEZ PAREE, CHICAGO 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER, Ulf Broadway/New York 


J'&niE'irY _ 

Connie Bennett Sep 
For Versailles, N. V. 

Constance Bennett has been 
signed for the Versailles, N. Y., 
starting Jan. 2. It’s her second 
year as a nitery performer. 

. It’s -Misis Bonnett’s second Man¬ 
hattan . stand since making her; 
comeback, first having been at the ! 
.Cotillion Room of the Pierre. 


More on the Problems 
Of ‘Up & Coming’ Talent: 

A Singer Voices Gripes 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

In a recent issue ,you printed a 
letter from a young comic, Bob F. 
Jones, which I found to be very in¬ 
teresting and in which he stated 
problems which equal which equal 
a few of mine. 

Seems as though the comics have 
just as much a battle about doing 
clean material as we singers have. 

I agree with Mr. Jones, and with 
those agents and managers about 
doing clean material. 

I am a professional singer who 
has worked all over this country. 

I, too, am “up and coming,” but as 
with Mr. Jones, my career seems 
to be temporarily stalemated also. 
Outside of a casual club date, now 
and then, and a nice little business 
of making demo-records that I 
have, there’s been little else during 
the past few months. 

Seems as though, to the smaller 
night clubs around town and else¬ 
where, unless a girl singer does a 
strip with her act, or douses' her¬ 
self in a bathtub, etc., she’s no 
good. I have always specialized in 
good, straight singing. I do an 
act that’s just good singing, with 
classy ararngements, and all-around 
good music. What’s wrong with 
that, I ask you? Such fine enter¬ 
tainers as Jane Froman, Mimi Ben- 
zell, Helen Traubel, Hildegarde, 
Roberta Sherwood, all seem to do 
very well (and the majority of 
them have, for years) with just 
this type of good music, and sing¬ 
ing. So, I ask you and your read 
ers—why can’t owners and agents, 
recognize this give us “up and 
coming" singers the exposure we 
need? There is a public for good, 
stylish singing, just as there’s a 
public for good, clean comics, am# 
the sooner the “know all" boys in 
the biz realize it, the better off 
they'll be. 

Sure, the plush supper clubs and 
hotels know it, and hire my type | 
of singer (a “class” act) but they 
don’t hire the “up and coming" 
ones—they only hire the big names. 
As Mr. Jones says about himself, 
how the heck is somebody from 
Morris, or MCA, ever going to 
catch my act, on a casual club date, 
which usually turns out to be a 
10-minute stint at a banquet? Or, 
how can any of the tv men catch 
you, as long as you’re doomed to 
this type of work? 

It’s been proved before, and will 
continually be proved, an act does 
not have to be dirty and sexy to 
get an audience, and to please. I 
shall continue doing a clean act, 
because as Roberta Sherwood once 
said, and to which I’d hearily agree, 
“I’ll quit the business altogether 
when I have to start putting filth 
in my act!" Amen! 

Mr. Jones speaks of his prob- : 
lem with affording a- writer. J Well, 
my equal problem and that of many 
other young singers is affording a 
manager. We all know the best 
thing is to get a reliable manager, 
to get you the right kind of work, 
and represent you. But how do 
you get him when you cannot af¬ 
ford a nice fat $80(T (sometimes 
more) advance, plus commission? 
They say that there are a lot of 
manager around New York who 
only charge the percentage to han¬ 
dle you; I wish A few of them would 
get in touch with me! I havent 
seen one, yet. 

So, those are a few of the young 
singers problems, but like Mr. 
Jones, I’m not complaining. I’ll 
keep plugging as long as I still 
can sing; nothing going’s to stop 
me. I only say that I hope some 
of,the bigtime owners, agents and 
producers will “see the light" soon. 

Thanks for your always wonder¬ 
ful paper, and here’s wishing Mr. 
Jones lots of luck. 

Joyce Lynn. 


Jackie Kannon, comedian, and 
Singer. Norman Brooks are cur¬ 
rently at the Balinese Room, Gal¬ 
veston, Tex. 


VAiUPPWJ? 67 


iTAlUIIII u VII 11V 1 1IVlHi VI T A iUfl 


s: futisman 


The sudden rise in Florida-nit¬ 
ery price may have a sharp effect 
on the talent salaries in Las Vegas, 
which, according to El Rancho 
Vegas operator Beldon Katleman, 
hjive^been piore or less stabilized 
for some time. Katleman fears 
that the sudden rise by the Miami 
Beach hotels in wild bidding for. 
names will ultimately cause an¬ 
other inflationary cycle in the 
Nevada spots. 

Katleman takes a dim view of 
the Florida prices since, in some 
instances, small rooms sans casino 
adjuncts_have bid as high.-'as some-1 
of the Vegas plushefies. Jerry 
Lewis and Milton Berle are among 
those who are reportedly getting 


‘HOLIDAY ON ICE’ 

FOR VELDT COUNTRY 

“Holiday on Ice" will trek the 
South African territory starting 
Feb. 8 at Capetown. European edi¬ 
tion of the show will be shifted 
to that area, for the first time that 
a major ( icer will play the veldt 
country. 

Other stops in South Africa in¬ 
clude Port Elizabeth, March 15; 
Johannesburg, April 9; Blomfon- 
tein, June 7, and Durban, June 24 
for an extended run. Show will 
have a European cast augmented by 
headliners from the U. S. 


as much” in' Florida v as in the 
nation’s gaming capital. 

Only means of combatting this 
inflationary cycle, Katleman - says; 
is to stick with the regular per¬ 
formers who are year-iu-and-out- 
ers in any particular spot. In his * 
case, Katleman goes along w’th 20 
weeks annually of Joe E. Lewis 
(“who could stay here for 40 weeks 
if he wanted to"), Sophie Tucker, 
Eartha Kitt, Lili St. Cyr and a few 
others who continue to do well in 
his spa. 

Katleman points out that there is 
-not-as much-switching as' there " 
used to be by acts from one Vegas 
hotel to another. The talent, says 
the El Rancho op, have become 
content to work in a spot where 
they do business and make a buck, 
for the operator. Many have be¬ 
come accustomed to one room and 
would rather not leave even if they 
can get a higher price by going on 
the open” market. Every spot has 
its regulars who supply the back¬ 
bone of the talent needs of any 
particulai hotel. 

The building of a talent backlog 
by the bulk of the well-established 
inns has helped stall the inflation 
that had hit the industry. Prices 
are still going up in some instances, 
but many are incentive raises and 
bonuses for “well done" perform¬ 
ances, but generally, the Lns 
Vegas salary level has levelled off, 
Katleman says. 




And Itianks For 
Your Offers 

BUT---- 

I Am Now lit Rehearsal 
For A New Broadway 
Musical— 

Sincerely, 



SUE CARSQN under Personal Management of CUS 

L ..... v , , , , , v. - 


LAMPE 














68 


IVIOHT CLUB REVIEWS 


URrie^y 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


Waldorf-Astoria, Y. 

Vic Damone, Nat Brandwynne 
Orch, Mischa . Borr Orch; $4.50 
cover. 


Apparently a click disk was 
strong enough to transport^Vic 
Damone from the rowdy coniines 
of the Copacabana, which he 
played previously, to an eastside 
“first” at the Waldorf’s posh Em¬ 
pire Room. In this case the disk 
hit was “On The Street Where You 
Live” (Columbia) which he uses to 
theme on and as a belting finale. 
However, the “Street Where You 
Live” reprise isn’t strong enough 
to build a “towering feeling” 
throughout his long song set. 

There’s nothing wrong with Da- 
mone’s vocalistics, especially when 
he’s in the intimate ballad groove. 
The pipes ate warm and the de- 
liverv captures the solid lyric val¬ 
ues. ‘It’s his tendency to over-pro¬ 
duce the number that minimizes 
the impact. Many of the numbers, 
too, are hampered by over-arrange¬ 
ment and could be more effective 
if treated more simply and direct¬ 
ly in the orch and vocal depart¬ 
ments. 

His patter byplay doesn’t help 
either. It only serves to slow up 
the set. The bit about Italian sing¬ 
ers (“How did Elvis Presley and 
>■ Eddie Fisher get inhere?*’) ought : 
to go, pronto. And ditto the plug 
for his Columbia album. Both are 
corny, bits strictly for the squares. 

On the plus side is his sincerity 
of styling, pleasing stage demeanor 
and youthful appeal. His segue 
into a soft-shoe routine with skim-, 
mer and cane, although not socko, 
serves as a neat pace-changer. 
Singer gets an okay musical ac- 
comp from Hal Schaeffer oh piano 
and Artie Anton on drums work¬ 
ing with Nat Brand Wynne’s orch. 
Brandwynne also sets up a nice 
beat for the terp crowd, as does 
Mischa Barr’s outfit, Gros. 


vaudeville days of old, with mem¬ 
bers of the cast making like Sfegfcie 
Tucker, Al Jolson and Eva Tan- 
guay. This is all a buildup to the 
time-worn Abbott & Costello 
“Who’s On First” baseball routine, 
that surprisingly draws top laughs 
and applause. The A&C company 
includes, besides Berry, Baker and 
the Upstarts, Nina Varela, Norma 
Nilsson and Mary Louise Hoffman, 
as foils for the horseplay of the 
comics. p 

The show was produced, written 
and directed by Sid Kijller, With 
music composed and arranged by 
Jerry, Fielding and staged by Al 
White •Jr.-Supervisor of it all was 
Sahara entertainment chief Stan 
Irwin. Music is by Cee Davidson 
orch. Onck. 


Bimbo’s, San Frauelseo 

San Francisco, Dec. 7. 
Will Jordan, Frielanis (6), Smith 
Twins, Dorothy Dorben 'Dancers 
(10) with Jack Tygett;'bon Menary 
Orch (8) with Allan Cole; $1-$1.50~ 
cover. 


Sahara, Las Vegas 

Las Vegas, Dec. 6. 

Abbott & Costello, Joby Baker, 
"^n Berry, The Upstarts (5) Sa- 
Harem Dancers '(12), Cee Dauidson j 
Orch (13); $2 minimum. 

Durable comics Bud Abbott & 
Lou Costello bring a “new musical 
comedy revue” into the Sahara 
Hotel’s Congo Room' for a three- 
week stand, billing their effort as 
“Miltown Rivisited.” 

_ Although A&C. are surrounded 
by a group of talented youngsters, 
the production misfires in the com¬ 
edy department, partially due to 
the overplay of swish gags, which 
seem to go over the heads of the 
audience, and never are popular 
among Vegas hometowners any¬ 
way. . . 

Opening number is called 
“There’s Nothing Like the'Thrill of 
a Military Drill,” which features 
th£ Upstarts, four guys and a 
blonde, and the SaHarem Dancers 
of the line. The marching sequence 
soon ‘deteriorates into the first of 
the swishers, when Abbott & Cos¬ 
tello take over the act. . 

Second number is the “Milto’vn 
Revisited” theme, featuring sing¬ 
ing .tapper Ken Berry, a young and 
willing performer with an over¬ 
sized uke (or is it a pintsized gee- 
tar?). Berry shows promise in an 
overcrowded field with his contor¬ 
tions, but in this show he gets lost 
in the slapstick. A skit that is sup¬ 
posed to be funnier than it turns 
out is “Mayhem and Strauss,” 
which gives the josh treatment to 
the “Student Prince” with Costello 
leading the clowning as a Heidel¬ 
berg student, complete with beer 
stein. 

Holding forth next are the Up¬ 
starts, featuring Bill Norvas and 
Dee Arlan, who are distinguished 
mainly by the worst line in the 
show, : “Careful, Gladys, you’ll 
throw your Swarthout.” They , also 
sing, drawing good response with 
three jive- numbers, “You GOUa 
Love Everybody,” “1 Want a Girl 
Just Like the Girl That Married 
Dear Old Dad,” and “Rock and 
Roll Square Dance.” 

Something titled “Christmas is 
the Warmest Time of the Year” 
comes next, and begins with a sen¬ 
timental Yule message,, turns inio 
slapstick and ends oh a sad note 
that confuses the. audience, who 
can’t figure out if they’re supposed 
to keep laughing at Costello. Jn 
the bit, Costello is the pathetic 
Chaplin-like figure spreading 
Christmas cheer, only to be clouted 
around the stage at intervals by 
Abbott and assorted others, includ¬ 
ing even Santa Claus. 

. In the semi-final, the best talent 
m the show—Joby Baker—does his 
stuff. Billed as “NBC’s newest 
comedy find,” Baker turns out to 
be one^of the-.countless mimics of 
Jerry Lewis, but is better than 
mosl t. He gives the impression he 
could do much more with better 
material. His best spots are his 
E.vis Yokamura, a Japanese R-R 
fidget, and, of course, his mimic 
of Jerry Lewis. 

The windup is called “Family 
Entertainment,” a flashback to 


Will Jordan, whose stock-in-trade 
has. been mimicry, is trying to be 
funny as Will Jordan these days; 
and he’ll, probably succeed, if he’ll 
just stop apologizing for this 
change in'routine. 

He still opens, with his Ed Sulli¬ 
van bit, a sure winner, then 
wanders a trifle uncertainly into 
the trials, and tribulations of Will 
Jordan. He’s fast, pretty good on 
the ad lib and his material, seems 
unusually fresh when stacked Jup 
alongside that of many standup 
comics. But he works, the line— 
“No-o-o-o, I’m only kidding”-—to 
death. Fact of the matter is he 
isn’t kidding at all, and the apolo¬ 
gy takes the edge off some of his 
best gags. 

Jordan still, seems rather unsure 
of his material, but when he gets 
back to the mimicry — Groucho 
Marx, Sabu K Robert Mitchum, Bing 
Crosby, Jack Benny—he’s on safer 
ground and his confidence revives. 
He rates a good, hand with his 
Befiny begoff. 

The Frielanis, a German bike 
act, operate delicately and well on 
a quite small floor, winding up with 
a fine stunt four-high on the vehi¬ 
cle. 

Smith Twins are blonde, sexy- 
looldng and belt out standards like 
“Lullaby of Broadway,” “What Is 
This Thing Called Love,” “Hello, 
Young Lovers” and “Love Is 
Sweeping the Country” with nice 
harmony, though their voices are 
not particularly distinguished. They 
close with “Side by Side,” their 
best number, and land a heavy mitt, 
possibly due as much to their looks 
as their singing.,, 

Dorothy Dorben Dancers, Don 
Menary orch, emcee Allan Cole all 
turn in smooth, pro jobs. Show 
closes Dec. 26. Stef. 


Le Rnban Bleu, IV* Y* 

’ Lola. Fisher, Don Adams,’ Cindy 
& Lindy, Versatones (3), Norman 
Paris Trio, Don Carey ; $5 mini¬ 
mum. 


If legit producer Leonard Sill- 
man didn’t have the title in . the 
bag, “New Faces of. 1956” would 
be an appropriate label for the cur-, 
rent Le Ruban Bleu show. Since 
taking over the. spot last summer, 
Phil Simon and Al Sfegal.have.Jbeen. 
topping their offerings with estab¬ 
lished names.. This tune, however, 
they’re sticking completely to 
fresh talent. The result is good. 

-, There is a wrinkle, though. In¬ 
stead of a lure name, the club has 
imaginatively jumped on the “My 
Fair Lady” bandwagon by head¬ 
lining Lola" Fisher, understudy To 
the musical’s costar, Julie Andrews. 
What gives the booking punch is 
that Miss • Fisher has actually 
subbed for Miss Andrews on •vari- 
ojis_ occasions, thus strengthening 
[Tier association with the hit tuner. 

Miss Fisher is. reviewed under 
New Acts, as are two other entries 
on the four-act bill. They’re Cindy 
& Lindy, a songstering team, and 
the Versatones, a calypso trio. Don 
Adams, the demaining performer, 
although not a New Act, is com¬ 
paratively new to the comic fold. 
He’s a funny guy, with a dry ap¬ 
proach and some solid satirical ma¬ 
terial. His workover of lusty novels 
and the standard Bengal Lancer 
stories are top items, 

The Norman Paris Trio contin¬ 
ues to' dish out slick showbacking 
instrumentalization, while emcee 
Don Carey does a nice job at the 
*88 during the breaks. Jess. 


Beverly Hills, Newport 

Newport, Ky„ Dec. 7. 

Jack E. Leonard, Shyrettos (3), 
Sandu Scott, Donn Arden Dancers 
(10), Don Castain, Gardner Bene¬ 
dict Orch (10), Jimmy Wilber Trio, 
Larry Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 
Sat. 


Mr. Kelly’s, Chi 

Chicago, Dec. 6. 

.. Maya Angelou, Jackie Cain & 
Roy Krai, Lee Lynn, Frank d'Rome, 
Marx & Frigo, Harry Slottag Trio; 
no cover or minimum. 


Mr. Kelly’s new package is a 
jackpot for jazz addicts and in¬ 
cludes high quality musicianship 
through the whole program. 

Maya Angelou, for her first time 
in Chicago, sets the crowd on its 
ears for a solid 20 minutes with 
her “jazz calypso.” Her sizzling 
act is a unique creation in the jazz 
.world when everything progres¬ 
sive is expected to be on the cool 
side. Opening. “Polly Mon Bongo” 
is an almost recitative affair in 
which the vocalist carries on. a con¬ 
versation in rhythm iwitji the 
drums. The audience bangs pnito 
every' word. The singer does m ore 
of her own lyrics in “The, Heat Is 
On,” with , an intimacy, and s^arp- 
ness of presentation that makes 
the: song a part of the artist ,and 
“Calypso Blues*’ is an artfully sim¬ 
ple welding of idioms. Of the 
standard Trinidad calypso stuff, 
her “Scandal in the Family” rocks 
the house. 

Miss Angelou is preceded by 
the quick-paced song' duo of Jackie 
Cain & Roy Krai with latter dou¬ 
bling on keyboard. Their product 
is a swingy, sophisticated and cool 
routine built around offbeat mate¬ 
rial like “Spring Can Really Hang 
You Up the Most” and “Daoud." 
Pair plays to an enthusiastic fol¬ 
lowing here but slow lyrical stuff 
doesn’t draw the hands for them 
like the quick rhythms do. 

Harry Slottag Trio does some 
solid relieving here as regulars 
and contributes to the strength of 
the new entries. Lee Lynn’s key* 
board provides smooth and com¬ 
fortable tones Wednesdays through 
Sundays. She gives a fresh treat¬ 
ment to “Makin’ Whoopee” an'd 
“In the Still of the Night.” Marx 
& Frigo on piano and bass and 
singer Frank d’Rome alternate 
with her the balance of the week. 

Bill remains through Dec. 31. 
Hamish Menzies and Georgia Carr 
follow. " • Leva, j 


A trim 200-pounder, after dieting 
off 135 pounds, Jack E. Leonard is 
socking home laughs with greater 
rapidity. Returning to the Cincy 
mtery belt for his steenth time, he 
streaks the current Beverly Hills 
two-framer to a winner. The Shy- 
rettos, cyclists, and Sandu Scott, 
songstress, initial visitors, and the 
location hands round out a pleas¬ 
ing hour of cabaret fare. . 

Leonard has not shed any of his 
cafe routine, which differs notice¬ 
ably from the lack of profanity in 
his tv chores. It’s likely that his 
laughmeter wduld check higher if 
the change was tried, because he’s 
that kind of a seller. Pegs a lot of 
new chuckles on his slenderizing. 
A gracious'adieu after 27 minutes. 

The Shyrettos romp to quick fa¬ 
vor with amazing feats on Unicyclea 
and two-wheelers. Two males, in 
tux, and a blonde looker in shorts, 
they top off sevelral novel routines 
with varied dance timings in unison 
on high unfcycles. A -sock eight 
minutes for any spot with a high 
ceiling. 

Miss Scott, tall platinum blonde 
in neat silver gown, gets fair re¬ 
turns over a 20-minute run of vo¬ 
cals, concluding with “Kiss Me.” 

Olsen & Johnson are due for 
Christmas show starting Dec. 21. 

Koll. 


Flamingo, Las Vegas 

Las Vegas, Dec. 7. 
Ink Spots (4), Brenda Lee, Archie 
Robbins, Chiquita & Johnson (2), 
Wong Troupe (6), Lou Basil Orch 
(12); $2 minimum. 


Moving into the Flamingo Hotel 
for the worst three weeks of the 
year (when most folks stay home 
getting yready for Christmas) are 
the Ink Spots, who figure to do 
about' as well as any act at a time 
whfen there just aren’t many cus¬ 
tomers. 

Second only to the Mills Bros, in 
popularity in Vegas among male 
quartets, the Ink Spots stay mainly 
with their disk hits in a program 
that is well received by the sparse 
audience. Their numbers include 
“Best Things in Life are Free,” 
“Until the Real Thing Comes 
Along,” “Into Each Life Some Rain 
Must Fall,” “I Believe,”. “Rudolph 
the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and their 
top hit, “If I Didn’t Care.” 

The show, titled “A Christmas 
Package,” has the various acts in¬ 
troduced by Brenda Lee, the 
eight-year-old mopppt of the Perry 
Como tv show, whose singing voice 
is all but obliterated by laryngitis. 
Little Miss Lee's part-of the show 
consists of hopping in and out of 
bed as if she is dreaming the num¬ 
bers that follow her musical intren 
ductions. She sings a bit with dif¬ 
ficulty, managing to get through 
“On the Bayou,” “Tutti Frutti” and 
“Swingin’ On a Star,” the latter 
as a duet with comic Archie - Rob¬ 
bins. 

In his single - portion of the show. 
Robbins draws freely from Joe 
Miller or some source equally as 


ancient. His material fail? to match 
the talent he shows, which bears 
out one of his “funny” lines, 
“Everybody in Vegas has a gim¬ 
mick. ’ Mine is working cheap.” 
Robbins is tiresome with Vegas 
gambling gags done countless 
times over the years as if from the 
same script. Also, his “This is 
Your Life,” in which he imagines 
what Papa Gabor might have lived 
through is performed to morgue¬ 
like quiet, out front. 

* „ Rest of the show’ leans heavily 
on the acrobatic, with two some¬ 
what similar acts in a row. Chiqui¬ 
ta Johnson, a guy and a gal who 
go through all sorts of contortions 
in their acrobatic, dance routine, 
suffer from following the Wong 
Troupe, four fellas and two - gals 
who are much more spectacular in 
the rubber-back department. 

Show is produced and directed 
by Hal Belfer. Music is by Lou 
Basil and his orch. - Onck. 


RitzCarltoii, Montreal 

Montreal. Dec. 7. 
Ethel Smith, Johnny Gallant, Jbe 
Settano Trio; $2 r $2.50 cover. 


The comedies and organ playing 
of Ethel Smith mark the biggest 
change in show policy in tfie Ritz 
Cafe since : its inception Several! 
years ago. The entertainment 
formula for this attractive boite 
has always been strictly of a 
femme nature. It opened with 
Suzy Solidor and. has continued 
every season with chantootsies 
from every part of the world in¬ 
cluding the most recent songstress, 
Galena, who came originally from 
Siberia. - 

The sudden policy switch seems 
to be paying off if the capacity biz 
on the night the show was caught 
is any barometer. And Miss Smith 
gave full value for a solid 45 min¬ 
utes. 

Working from a small electric 
organ that is wheeled to m’d-floor, 
Miss Smith opens with a brisk 
English-French patter session that 
establishes her neatly and then of¬ 
fers a free organ lesson which is 
amusing, allows her to do a few 
musical impressions, and she winds 
up to plaudits. Inherent show 
savvy and glib ad libbing in French 
and English- keep patrons in line 
and quiet. Only time this tal¬ 
ented performer had any trouble 
with the gabbers was midway 
through routining when she 
brought, in a series of Latin-Amer- 
ican rhythm items. Pace faltered 
a bit and those on the outskirts 
lost interest. However, an innu¬ 
endo-laden gabfest about the trials 
and tribulations she encountered 
transporting her organ aroundJEu- 
rope picked up everyone’s atten¬ 
tion—-but fast. 

Back at the keyboard fr/ her 
finale, Miss Smith romps through 
a collection of oldies, does a salty 
parody on the cafe set of the '30s 
and gets off to salvos. 

Miss ’ Smith is ably backed 
throughout by pianist Johnny Gal¬ 
lant and the Settano Trio, who 
also do music between show# Miss 
Smith holds until Dec. 18 and the 
result of this engagement may in¬ 
dicate a new type of .showcasing 
for this room. Newt. 


Winston’s, London 

London, Dec. 3. 

“Snappy Go Lucky” with Fenel- 
la Fielding, Norma Arnold, Judy 
Collins, Mavis Traill, Barbara Fer¬ 
ris, Barbara Windsor, Ravic & Babs, 
Jack Kingfisher and Clarie Wears 
Orchs. Written and produced by 
Bryan Blackburn; choreography, 
Billy Petch; $2 ; 80 cover. 


. Bruce Brace, who recently ended 
his longtime association with 
Churchill’s Club, took over the 
Femina, off New Bond St., as his 
own late night spot and promptly 
renamed it Winston’s! It's a pleas¬ 
ant room, attractively decorated, 
with compact dance floor and the 
dais set well back. 

Opening revue, written and de¬ 
vised by Bryan Blackburn, is quite 
a modest affair, but has been vigor-; 
ously staged and has a lively ap¬ 
peal. The sextet of femmes, who 
comprise the cast, belt their num¬ 
bers for all they’re worth. Black¬ 
burn's lyrics hit a typical nitery 
style and this is particularly evi¬ 
dent in “Gina, Sabrina and Me,” 
“The Naughtiest Girl in Town” and 
“Met Him at the Wimpey.” Dance 
routines are on a limited scale, but 
in the same vigorous key. 

The one specialty act, the r skat¬ 
ing duo of Ravic & Babs, deliver a 
high speed performance on their 
miniature rink, despite space re¬ 
strictions. And for good measure, 
they lure a couple of male custom¬ 
ers who in turn are twirled around, 
until they reach the point of near¬ 
giddiness. 

The two resident orchs cater in 
lively fashion for - the dance ses¬ 
sions and Jack Kingfisher’s combo 
takes good care of the show back¬ 
grounding. The revue is in fo** an 
indefinite run. Myro. 


Riverside, Reno 

[ Rend. Dec, 6 . 

Mills Bros., Lucille & Eddie %ob- 
erts, Starlets with Don Dellair, Bill 
Clifford Orch; $2 minimum. 


Still spreading the most conta¬ 
gious rhythm available .these days, 
the Mills Bros, are unfortunately 
working to the smaller houses’ ex¬ 
pected for this pre-Christmas sea¬ 
son. -Show caught was less' than 
20% capacity, but dinner show was 
full. 

Casual and relaxed | witrf only an 
occasional change of places for any 
staging, the trio of voices and gui¬ 
tar possess that same lrresisfable’ 
bounce that eventually sweeps up 
everyone in the room. By the 
time “Opus No. .1” is Swinging, the 
small crowd .is making -enough 
complimentary noises to sound like" 
a full house. ' 

Otherwise, the repertory con¬ 
sists. of their greatest, from “Paper 
•Doll” to “Jones’Boy.” 

The old mentalist act, with 
“What have I here?” from the con-< 
federate in the audience, was; about, 
due for a revival, especially in the 
light, airy and funny manner pf 
Lucille & Eddie Roberts, . Eddip 
Roberts d°$s-Well with the. joked 
for a long intro and keeps up a 
running patter .in the.aud as he 
finds people for Lucille to identify* 
Whether by code, electronic de* 
viees or whatever, it’s clever and. 
well done. Later, when he tries 
the same blindfold while she wan¬ 
ders through the audience, the 
failure is very funny. 

Starlets are interesting in an 
opener' which has them working 
against a black curtain with only 
their big green and orange fans 
waving and disappearing. When 
they appear in sexy slit black vel¬ 
vet still waving the fane, Don Del* 
lair sings “Cool Me, Baby,” for ex¬ 
citing routine. Closer works Del¬ 
lair among the girls in fast action. 

Mills Bros will take the reins at 
the Riverside up through Dec. 19, 
when Gogi Grant is probable 
Christmas headliner. Mark. 


Hotel Roosevelt, IV* O* 

New Orleans, Dec. 7. 

Jan Garber Orch (11), Rusty . 
Draper, Emery Deutsch & Singing 
Strings (7), Three Dolls, Deanna 
St. Clair & Marv Nielsen; $2.50 
minimum. 


The new package unwrapped at 
the Blue Room.is a gay pre-Christ¬ 
mas treat combining rhythm, *Songs 
and laughs. 

Jan Gdrber and his versatile 
orch are no strangers here. Dis¬ 
playing his customary pep and com¬ 
municable happy spirit, the dimin¬ 
utive maestro continues to dispense 
a brand of rhythm that has kept 
his popularity hot through the 
years. He leads his charges through 
an avalanche of nostalgic selec¬ 
tions. After more than 30 years of 
fronting bands, he seems to possess 
an extra sense enabling him to 
perceive what audience want most 
and he proceeds to give it to them. 

Topping tfte acts is Rusty Draper, 
singer-guitarist with a fireball 
delivery who cozes with show biz 
savvy. The energetic performer 
stomps his feet, crouches and dis¬ 
plays amazing versaiiity in a get- 
in-and-sock-'erti drive that corrals 
the tableholders. The bulk of 
Draper’s numbers are keyed to the 
rhythmic groove and include “Just 
A Bummin’ Around,” “Sitting On 
Top. Of The World,” “Gambler’s 
Guitar,” “Shifting, Whispering 
Sands,” “Hound Dog” and' “Are 
You Satisfied.” Draper’s fingering 
of the guitar also could suffice .as 
a. top-drawer act. 

Violinist Emery Deutsch unveils 
one of the best musical stints to 
play the plush spot. Backed by a 
sextet of violins, the fiddler de¬ 
monstrates musicianship of vir¬ 
tuoso calibre. His technique is 
clean-cut and his carefully chosen 
selections draw heavy palni-poud- 
ing. Outstanding among hjs offer¬ 
ings are “Over The Raibow,” a bit 
of musical whimsy, “Humoresque,” 
“Roumanian Rhapsody” and “Sep¬ 
tember Song.” 

Youthful and full of vitality, the 
Three Dolls, two cute brunets and 
a blonde, wring .maximum effect 
with their voice-blending on “Blue 
Skies,” “Baby, Won’t You Please 
Come Home” and others. 

Pert Deanna St. Clair (see New 
Acts) impresses as a warm, fresh 
songstress who wins from her 
walk-on. Young thrush is a new 
face on the hotel nitery circuit. 
Her voice is bell-clear and strong, 
and sells a tune effectively. Marv 
Neilsen, Garber vocalist, is a young 
baritone with nice pipes who knows 
how to sell a song. Show runs 
until Jan. 3. Liuz. 


Hildegarde makes one of her 
rare Canadian appearances New 
Year’s Eve, singing in the posh 
Imperial Room of Royal York 
Hotel, Toronto. 




Wednesday, December 12, 


Fontainebleau, HI. B’ch 

Miami Beach, Dec. 7. 

Al Bernie, Fernanda Montel, 
Page & Bray, Murray Schlamm, 
Sacasas Orch; $3.50-$4.50 minimum. 

- - - * 

This last one-weeker of the pre¬ 
season build to top names booked 
for the winter serves to intro two 
Gallic turns. These are both of 
top calibre that should earn them 
more returns during choicer pe¬ 
riods. With Al Bernie, a staple 
along the oceanfront deluxers 
through the year, it all adds up to a 
sound layout that breezes into a 
winning parlay, 

Bernie is one of the wiser young 
comics iif that he freshens his mate¬ 
rial for. .each outing here', .a cus¬ 
tom. . some ^of the other group of 
regular returnees might adopt; and 
it pays off in .solid returns from 
the patrons in the La. Ronde, plus 
providing word-ofrmouth buildup 
that means sustained biz through 
the week. Bernie’s deceptively 
deliberate delivery hooks the ta- 
blers for the big-howl lines he 
builds adroitly. The trick of rais¬ 
ing giggles'and feeding additional 
biz to the toppers Is applied to his 
lampoons , of UN delegates, names- 
in-the-news characters and a series 
of quickie impreshes spelled out in 
hew dress. Insert of several local¬ 
ized yams adds to funnybone shots 
to wind him a big. winners. 

Statuesque , Fernanda Montel is 
making her first appearance in Mi¬ 
ami Beach (she's played Palm 
Beach) and, going on impact here, 
she can write her class-cafe re¬ 
turn-date ticket. The volatile 
blonde takes over the big stage 
with an authority that bespeaks 
her confident approach to the mix¬ 
ture of Gallic and American chan¬ 
sons in her varied songalog. The 
arrangements allow for full play 
of charmspread around the ring- 
siders, the byplay gamering chuck¬ 
les as well as establishing rap¬ 
port. Acceptance is on the ready 
side all the way with her French 
hit parade takeoff and finale Pres¬ 
ley bump 'n’ roll bit zooming up 
the mitting to encore plateau. 

Page & Bray were exposed to 
American audiences via Walter 
Winchell’s teleshow. The time al- 
loted them then allowed for a brief 
display of what, for cafes, is a sock 
adagio-ballroom act. The one-hand 
lift-spins, the lithe, airy whirls and 
in-the-air holds are constant ex¬ 
citement raisers. The several rou¬ 
tines add up to a pattern of palm- 
raising and gasps when they hit the 
climaxing splits, light-as-feather 
holds. The overall impresh is that 
of a class duo who can play any 
medium. 

Murray Schlamm, house emcee, 
keeps things moving in literate 
manner while Sacasas, and his 
crew, per usual, showback adeptly. 
Page & Bray held over 10-day show 
opening Tuesday (11) and featuring 
Larry Parks & Betty Garrett. 

' Lary. 


Amato’s, Portland, Ore. 

Portland, Ore., Dec. 4. 
Dan Rowan & Dick Martin, The 
Boginos (5), Herman Johehnan 
Orch (6), Nickalani & puddy Fo; 
no minimum, 1.50 cover. 


Rowan & Martin made their 
northwest debut with a week’s 
date at this plush nitery. Bossman 
George Amato did a hefty promo¬ 
tion job on the rising dub and they 
easily live up to their advance bill¬ 
ing of “America’s newest and fun¬ 
niest team.” With only seven days 
it will be difficult to get the word 
around, but these guys have a load 
of talent and will no doubt become 
regulars at this club. 

Duo have a style all their own 
and grab the customers from the 
beginning and keep them belly¬ 
laughing throughout with their 
fresh, clean material, R & M are 
major league all the way and their 
20-minute stint passes too quickly. 
They work easy but hard and keep 
the tablers interested at all times 
in their situation stuff. Lads have 
terrific timing, delivery, are sen¬ 
sational. Handsome Dan is ideal 
foil for comic Dick. Their new 
idea about takeoffs on tv shows 
and situation stuff is hilarious. 
Wrap up the stint With a Las Vegas 
bit regarding the debut of Lau¬ 
rence Olivier • spouting Shake¬ 
speare being heckled by a drunk. 
Beg off after 2j) minutes with the 
ball still filled with plenty of mit¬ 
ting. 

The Boginos get things under¬ 
way with their slam-bang aero 
stuff. Three fleet guys and two 
femmes razzle-dazzle the knife- 
and-forkers with better than stand¬ 
ard-stuff. Two guys lying on their 
backs football the other three in 
a variety of combinations to draw 
jalvos. The 15-minute workout is 
highlighted with comedy. Several 
customers are called upon to take 
a ride for yocks galore. Act is a 
tough one to follow. 

Herman Jobelmen and his house 
crew play .their usual good show 
and set the tempo for dancing 
throughout the evening. House 


1956- 


PfiSl&Fr _ NHSHT CLUB REVIEWS 69 


nearly full when caught despite 
tremendous sudden blizzard and 
near-zero weather. Nickalani & 
Buddy Fo please lounge patrons 
with their, piano and guitar assist 
to vocal stuff. Comedian Shecky 
Greene opens Dec. 10. Feve, 


Bar of Music, L. A. 

Lo$ Angeles, Dec. 11. 
Mae. Williams, Oscar Cartier, 
Felix de Cola <fc Jerry Linden, 
Linden'.Combo (3); $2 minimum 
Sats. 


. A lot of folksy reminiscing didn’t 
leave Mae Williams time for more 
than eight numbers on her 41- 
minute teeoff Thursday (6) at this 
Beverly* glvd. dine-dance spot, but 
the songs came over well and the 
friendly preem patrons seemed to 
like the chatter. 

Her signoff "One For My Baby” 
is given a dramatic rendition that 
clicks, as does "Body and Soul,” 
with composer Johnny Green tak¬ 
ing a bow from- the audience. A 
rhythmic "Lover,” "Life Is Just 
a Bowl of Cherries” and a special 
ditty about a femme president are 
the other bestsellers of the stint. 
Miss Williams palavers well, never 
rushing her act or songs, so the 
overall impression is good. Her 
show-type voice is particularly suit¬ 
able to the style she uses for her 
turn. Assisting at the piano for 
the songs—and good—is Hal Heidy. 

Oscar Cartier had hard going 
opening night during 15 minutes 
onstage with -material that has 
seen better days. Comic tried but 
the laughs didn’t flow. Felix de 
Cola & Jerry Linden are still at 
the keyboards of the twin, pianos 
and Linden’s trio provides the beat 
for terpjng between shows. 

Brog. 


Hotel Radtsson, Mple* 

Minneapolis, Dec. 8. 
Four Coins, Don McGrane Orch 
(8); $2.50-$3.50 minimum. 


The Four Cofns, Epic labeleers 
making their Minneapolis bow, 
prove to be an agreeable, youthful 
male singing group endowed with 
firstrate sets of pipes and .respon¬ 
sible for a pleasant, if unexciting, 
straightout vocalizing session. 
Voices blend well and the boys, 
displaying exuberance and energy,! 
handle standard numbers efficient¬ 
ly. These, numbers, including even 
rock 'n* roll, are of a type not 
usually heard in this tony Flame 
I Room. The act itself stacks up as 
| probably better suited for niteries 
with a younger clientele rather 
than for this sort of swanky sup- 2 
per club catering to the elite. 

Offering also likely could benefit 
from showmanship embellish¬ 
ments imagination in staging and 
presentation and more diversity 
and variety in the musical routin¬ 
ing. Hit was immediately replaced 
as "unsuitable” for the room, with 
the local Fox Quartet returning to 
the spot. 

There’s a bit of dressing up and 
some production trimmings for 
one contribution, an "old New 
York” vocal tour, that finds the 
quartet wearing high hats and 
sporting canes while indulging in 
a bit of stepping along with the 
warbling! Outstanding for its har¬ 
mony and arrangement is "Mem¬ 
ories of You.” One of the lads es¬ 
says brief whirls on the sax and 
the audience is invited at times to 
join in the clapping and singing. 

As to be expected, Don Mc- 
I Grane’s' orch backs up the singers 
flawlessly and makes guest dancing 
more enjoyable. Coins were to have 
held until Dec. 22 when they give 
way to the Trio Schmeed, who’ll 
be paying their second visit to this 
room. Rees. 


Blinstrub’s, Boston 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Boston, Dec. 3. 

Lonnie Sattin belts it out for 
Blinstrub patrons in rousing fash¬ 
ion working to heavy mitting 
throughout with a capacity aud of 
school teachers and politico cele- 
brators on hand opening night. 
Tall, personable Capitol disker 
knocks out a set in style combo of 
Eckstihe, Daniels, Belafonte and 
Cole. Piping is strong, permeating 
the back reaches of 1,500-seater, 
v)hich with extra chairs at opener, 
went to 1,700. 

With only a late performance to 
work, first show being cut because 
of politico speeches, Sattin gave 
"I Believe” big drama treatment 
for sock effect. Aud taks his 
"Sthnd Up and Fight” for winning 
rounds and his "Everybody’s Sing- 
in’ Calypso for big returns. Open¬ 
ing with "Let Their Be Love,” he 
weaves in some "Wayward Wind” 
and "Hound Dog” lyrics and bears 
down with "Ebb Tide.” Rest of 
show is same as last week. Sattin 
exits Sunday (9) along with bal¬ 
ance of show. Jones Boys, in for 
a repeat here, open Monday (10) 
with complete new show and new 
line productions. Guy. 


Shamrock, Houston 

Houston, Dec. 6. 
Carmdn Cavallaro and combo 
(3 ),.and Al Donahue Orch (10); 
couvert $2 and $3. 


Like a comfortable old shoe, 1 
Carman Cavallaro t easily fit the 
taste of his audience in his third 
appearance in the Shamrock Room. 
But the "Poet of the Piano,” be¬ 
sides plunging through "Mala* 
guena, "Beguine,” etc., in his 
wellknown keyboard sliding style, 
showed a newlook polish with pro¬ 
gressive jazz approach to other old 
faves. 

The three-quarter full room 
seemed restless through multi- 
variations. on "Many-Splendored 
Thing,” but Cavallaro, who never 
loses his smile, stopped hecklers 
by inviting them to sit closer to 
his piano. The master of the keys 
followed -with Leroy Anderson’s 
"Serenata,” a, natural showcase for 
his arcing arpeggios and glitter¬ 
ing chords. 

The show really comes to life 
with bright version of "The Con¬ 
tinental,” drummer Buffy Dee giv¬ 
ing an able assist in this one. Gen¬ 
erally, his buoyed look of surprise 
oh the downbeat is a real comic 
asset for the quartet. Jimmie Nor¬ 
ton on the guitar and Frank Mar¬ 
tinez on bass offer plenty of help 
too. , 

Cavallaro begged off after 30- 
min. stint, but heavy mitting 
brought him back twice more for 
extra 30 minutes which included 
"Crazy Rhythm,” "Till the End of 
Time” and the ‘-Maria” theme 
from "Bell Tolls.” The keyboard 
master also apt between numbers; 
with light humor. 

Al Donahue, in the middle of an 
eight-week run, lends his wind sec¬ 
tion which deserves kudos for able 
support in tricky orchestrations. 

Show finales Dec. .20, followed 
by DeMarco Sisters and Stanton & 
Peddie, comic team. Burt. 


Ottawa House, Ottawa . 

Ottawa, Dec. 4. 

Lurlean Hunter, Karl Du Plessis, 
Champ Champagne Trio; no cover 
or admission. 


Billed as "The Lonesome Gal,” 
colored thrush Lurlean Hunter is 
filling the Circus Lounge of the 
Ottawa House with palms lap-hap¬ 
py custodiers. Canary has only a 
small podium to work on, so 
there’s little opportunity for. stag¬ 
ing, but . what there is, she makes 
the most of. Piping is socko, her 
tone deep and fluid with a now¬ 
and-then touch of huskiness just 
right for this small room. 

Selection of pop tunes is savvily 
varied to meet almost any demand, 
but leans towards jazz items which 
Miss Hunter does best. Backing 
her and playing between canary’s 
20-minute stints is a clicko trio 
fronted at 88s by Champ Cham¬ 
pagne, who headed the Gatineau 
Club house band until that nitery 
shuttered for the winter. Trio does 
a solid job, with Champagne’s key¬ 
boarding the standout. Spelling 
the trio is an Ottawa pianist, Karl 
Du Plessis, providing a surprise 
twist with semi-classics inter¬ 
spersed 'with ragtime-type han¬ 
dling of standards like* "Margie,’* 
others, to mixed returns. This, 
setup stays for three weeks. 

Gorm. 


Ice Review 


Holiday On Ice 

Kansas City, Dec. 5. 

Ice extravaganza in two acts, pro¬ 
duced and directed by George and 
Ruth Tyson, with Dolores Pallet 
and John G. Finley; choreography 
and staging, Chester Hale, with 
William McDonald and Kenny. 
Brent;, costumes, Robert Mackin¬ 
tosh; orchestration, Paul Summey, 
with special lyrics by Miss Pallet. 
Cast: Kay Servatius, Arnold Shoda, 
Bobby Blake & Pat Gregory, Jean J 
Sook & Ted Roman, Percelly Bros. 
(2), Don Watson, Tommy Collins & 
June Stevenson, Paul Andre, Gigi, 
Rosita & Juanita Percelly, Joe Jack- 
son Jr „ Jack Rose & Leon McNabb, I 
Nove lie's Poodle Symphony, Ice' 
Squires (16) & Glamour leers (32). 
At Municipal Auditorium, Kansas 
City, Dec. 4-9. 


The annual stand of "Holiday on 
Ice” reveals another show in the 
expensive,* eye-f i 11 i n g tradition. 
While the eye-appeal is at a high 
level and constant throughout, the 
entertainment values have some 
.variations. There isn’t much in the 
way of skating that hasn’t been 
done before, and this troupe does 
it all and very well with *■ young 
and . attractive performers. On 
that score the company is first-rate, 
and some especially fine moments 
come with Kay Servatius and Arn¬ 
old Shoda in fancy blade work, 
both solo and in duo; with Jean 
S6ok and Ted Roman in aero ada-, 


gib work, and with Pat Gregory 
and Bobby Blake and their rhythm 
work. 


This show reached high in adapt¬ 
ing the Tchaikovsky "Nutcracker 
Suite” to ice and its free-wheeling, 
expansive stage. Ambitious in 
every respect, it coriies off as mec- 
ta^hH^ithra juvenile outlook, and 
is not to be confused with ballet. 
Even so, the idea proves more 
adaptable to ice presentation than 
some of the simpler fairy tales that 
have been presented before. The 
number comes at the end of the 
first act, enrolling virtually the en¬ 
tire cast in a series of specialties 
over all of which Miss Servatius 
presides as the Sugar Plum Fairy. 


There are the usual number of 
line productions, the best being a 
little heralded "Holiday in the 
Alps” with the girls ringing out a 
tune from bells hung around their 
waists, a big audience-pleaser. In 
the first act the specialties include 
a rhythm turn by Don Watson, an 
aero . bit. of the three Percelly 
youngsters, the established com¬ 
edy pantomime of Joe Jackson Jr. 
and his breakaway bike, some 
peppy rhythm work by Bobby 
Blake and Pat Gregory, a comedy 
interlude with Paul Andre cavort¬ 
ing in the water puddle and back¬ 
ed by Rose McNabb, pair skating 
by June Stevenson and Tommy 
Collins, and a solo bit by Arnold 
Shoda as Geronimo. 


Following "Nutcracker,” second 
half gets underway with the bell- 
ringing production, a solo bit by 
Juanita Percelly, the child of the 
family, rock ’n’ rolling by Bobby 
Blake, some fine aero adagio en¬ 
tries by Sook and Roman, and the 
novelty bit with Sally and Joe 
Novelle and their six French 
poodles (assorted sizes and colors), 
a big favorite with the house. 

Miss Servatius has. a solo entry 
in which she shows prettily, the 
senior Percellys serve up their 
high-style acrobatics of spectacular 
head-to-head stands while climb¬ 
ing up and down a ladder, and an¬ 
other comedy entry is by Paul 
Andre and Tommy Collins, suffi¬ 
cient for the moment. Finale is a 
cavalcade of show business, again 
running out virtually the entire 
company in specialties of ballet 
vaude, tv, circus, musical comedy, 
burley, pictures and ice shows; and 
capping with the miracle water 
fountains making it a sparkling 
production. 

Following the K.C., stand show 
lays off for Christmas holiday, and 
resumes Dec. 26-Jan. 2 at the 
Armory in Rock Island, Ill. 

Quin. 


Revamp of RK0 

.555555 Continued from page 3 

and more distribution work to Na¬ 
tional Film Service. This for the 
most part concerned physical han¬ 
dling of prints but now NFS is 
probably taking over billings and 
collections for the film company. 

O’Shea and other execs, in de¬ 
clining to yield further information 
about the possible changes in pro¬ 
duction, left room for considerable 
conjecture. Substantial part of the 
RKO program is being lensed 
abroad, thus important studio space 
and facilities are not being put to 
use. This suggests that a co¬ 
tenancy deal is being plotted with, 
perhaps, Warners. 

WB had angled for a get-together 
with 20th-Fox but the latter, which 
is expanding its film lineup, turned 
down the proposition. WB subse¬ 
quently leased some studio space 
to American Broadcasting Co. but 
still is : anxious to operate jointly 
with a: 1 majb'r film company. An 
RKO-WHfieUp, whereby the two 
would' share one studio, is con¬ 
ceivable. 

O’Shea was back in New York 
Monday (10) after spending the lat¬ 
ter part of last week in Palm 
Beach, Fla., in top-policy huddles 
with Thomas F. O’Neil, chairman 
of RKO Teleradio (which encom¬ 
passes the various show business 
enterprises of General Tire & 
Rubber Co.); Michael G. O’Neil, 
head .of GT&R; Walter E. Branson, 
RKO’s global distribution v.p.; Ed¬ 
ward L. Walton, administrative 
v.p.; William Dozier, production 
v.p., and Raymond Klune, exec 
manager of studio operations. 

As for new pictures on the 
schedule, O’Shea reported that the 
company will concentrate on four 
productions during the first part 
of 1957. These are "Stage Struck,” 
which will be locationed in N. Y. 
With Henry Fonda and Susan 
Strasberg in the leads; "Galves¬ 
ton,” which Edmund Grainger will 
produce, and two, Paul Gregory 
productions, "On My Honor” and 
"Naked and the Dead,” the latter 
to be made in the South Pacific. 
Chief exec claimed the four films 
will have an aggregate budget of 
$ 10 , 000 , 000 . 


Modulated Cheers 

i 

■ 1 i ■ Continued from pace 3 5 —aa 
and the increased activity of a 
number... — 

ising the smalltown theatres a 
program of family and mass action 
pictures is also regarded on the 
plus side. 

The fear of mass additional clos¬ 
ings as warned by Leonard Golden- 
son and Frank H. Ricketson is 
diminishing. A note of bravado is 
creeping into the thinking of the 
small operators as evidenced by 
the remark of Allied leader Jack 
Kirsh that if the circuits decide to 
shutter some houses ""be inde¬ 
pendents will take them over and 
do a better job.” Even Bennie Ber¬ 
ger, Minneapolis Allied's outspoken 
leader, is singing a new tune. Ber¬ 
ger, who a year ago said he was 
pessimistic regarding exhibition’s 
future that he was putting all his 
theatres up for sale, is feelihg 
"happier.” Now,, he says,' he’s so 
optimistic relating to film thea¬ 
tres’ prospects he’s glad there were 
no takers when his houses were 
for sale. 

Giving him particular "hope** 
and "courage,” Berger declares, 
is the fact that he has learned that 
elsewhere in the U;S. as well as 
in his own territory, television ap¬ 
parently isn’t hurting exhibition as . 
had been feared; In addition, he 
notes that the initial video impact 
on the boxoffice of the pre-1948 
theatrical films has been less dam¬ 
aging than anticipated. 

In a statement to v stockholders 
this week, S. H. (Si) Fabian', head 
of the Stanley Warner chain, said 
that the outlook for impi wed box- 
office receipts in the near future 
is brighter than it has been for 
several years. He declared that the 
audience is not "lost” but is wait¬ 
ing for pictures of its choice. 

Universal, at its sales conference ' 
on the Coast last week, expressed 
its “faith in tomorrow” by launch¬ 
ing what it calls the most ambitious 
schedule in the histoiy of the com¬ 
pany. 

What seems to have disappeared 
from the industry is the feeling 
that there is nothing that can be 
done to save the industry. From a 
sit-back-and-take-it attitude, . the 
industry is attempting to launch a 
strong back-to-pictures movement 
via special promotional campaigns. 

The optimism on all fronts is ap¬ 
parently sincere and the next year 
undoubtedly will provide the an¬ 
swer. 


Inaugural Balls 

—. Continued from page 1 5^555; 

and soloists. Winding up'the cele¬ 
bration will be a quartet of Inau¬ 
gural Balls held Monday (21) night, 
following the afternoon parade. 
Expanded from the two balls held 
in ’53, the four fetes will use an 
estimated 10 orchestras. 

President and Mrs. Eisenhower 
and Vice President and Mrs. Nixon 
will attend all four. 

' List of entertainers will not be 
completed for at least a week. 
Following have indicated they are 
available: Lily Pons, Ethel Mer¬ 
man, Red Skelton, Tony Martin 
and Cyd Charisse. Murphy esti¬ 
mates that, in all, 30 performers 
will be used. 1 ‘ 


Wall Sh 

Continued from page 63 55—.j 

year after being in operation only 
about six months. 

Less official, but nevertheless in¬ 
triguing, is the information re¬ 
ported by usually reliable sources 
that Charles Baron, a Chicago 
automobile agency owner, has 
purchase d the key interest of the 
Tropicana Hotel. Tropicana stock 
reportedly is available for $40,000 
a point. A week ago Saturday (1), 
Monte Proser, who will book the 
hotel's shows, took Eddie Fisher 
on a guided tour of the Tropicana, 
telling him to get ready for a Jan. 
15 opening. But many Las Vegas 
circles are wondering if the Tax 
Commission will have completed 
its investigation, expected to be a 
lengthy one, in order to greenlight 
casino action by that time. And 
informed sources are wagering that 
the Tropicana, perhaps the swank- 
ies resort in the world (costing 
$11,000,000), won’t snip the ribbon 
until next spring, possibly in April. 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF DECEMBER 12 

Numerals in connection with bills below Indicate openlno day of show 
whether full or split week > 

Letter in parentheses Indicates circuit: (I) independent; <L> Loew; <M) Moss; 
<P) Paramount; <R> RKO; (3) Stoll; rn Tivoli; <W> Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 


Music Hall (R) 13 
Lillian Murphy 
Ed Powell 
- Eleanor Reina 
Muriel Ives 
Suzanne Shaute 
Melitta A Wicons 
Mill's Chimps 


Palace (P) 13 
Judy Garland 
Alan King 
. Pompoff A Thedy 
Wazzan Tr. 

Paul Sydell 
Amin Pros. 

G & F Szony 


AUSTRALIA 


MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 17 
Richard He^rne 
Julia 

Nicolas Darvas 

-Lane -Bros.„ ; .-- 

Ross & La Pierre 
Bob Bromley 
The Albins 
Billy Banks 
Alwyn Leckie 
Frank Ward 
Daniel Davey 
Lewis Jacob 

SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T)/17 
George Wallace 
Maurice Colleano 
Jim Gerald 
Jennie Howard 


Quoeme Paul 
Millie Hansen 
Morry Barling 
Peggy Mortimer 
Jandy 

To ny Mqy nihan _ 
Brenda Charles 
Dandy Bros. 

George Nichols 
David Sterle 
Jack O’Dowd 
Wilbur Wheeler 
Flat Tops 
2 Randows 
Bowery Piano 4 
PERTH 

Capitol (T) 17 
Katherine Dunham 
Co. 


Quintero Rhumbas Spark Thurntan 
Hotel Blltmore Town A Country 
Russ Morgan Ore Guy Mitchell . 
Sande Williams Ore Alan Drake 
The Charmers Augie A Margo 

Hotel Pierre Burnell Dancers 
Galena Ned Harvey Ore 

Dornan Bros. PupJ Campo Ore 

AH n „ le L™i ba nr°, rC Two Guitars * 

Joan Bishop ° Kostya Poliansky 

Joseph Sudy Dolores Dauphme 

Hotel Roosevelt Leonid Lugovsky 
Guy Lombardo fugene & Sonya 

Hotel Taft Andrei H^mshay 
Vincent Lopez Ore ... Versailles 
Hotel St. Regis “ck Haymes ~ 
Connie Towers Salvatore Gioe Ore 

Milt Shaw Oro 

RftV Ba ri Oiv» _... .V antern , 

Hotel Sutler 


BRITAIN 


ASTON 

Hippodrome (1) 10 
Wilton Family 
Carla 

Michael Roxy 
Tara Nalto 
Alexandra & Davlna 
Lake & Rose 
Monsantos 

BLACKPOOL 
Palace (I) 10 
Morton Fraser's Co. 
Leslie Welch 
Harry Jacobson 
"Margaret West with 
Billy at the piano 
Nordics 
Bob Grey 
Lane Twins 

BIRMINGHAM 
Hippodrome (M) 10 
Tommy Steele 
Ballet Montmartre 
V 


Thunderclap Jones 
Ted Durante 
Reg Thompson 
BRIXTON 
Empress (I) 10* 
Betrice Reading 
Southlanders 
Johnny Silver 
Larry Grayson 
Miki A Griff 
Johnny Lister 

2 Columbus 
Western Stars 

CARDIFF 
New (S) 10 
Kenny Baker 
Joan Turner 
A & L Ward 

3 Deuces 

Joe Henderson 
Roy Earle 
Jackley & Jee 
DERBY 

Hippodrome (S)' 10 
Tony Brent 
Vic Wise 
Baker & Clark 
Chromer 3 
Fred Atkins 
Doran & Duval 
Susie & Coy 
Reg Russell 

EDINBURGH 
Empire (M) 10 
Jimmy Young 
McAndrews A Mills 
M & B Winters 
Reg Overbury & S 
Ronnie Collis 
Shan 

Rita Martell 
FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (M) 10 

Max Miller 
Denis Bros. A June 
Penny Nicholls 
Reid 2 

Bobby Kimber 
Patsy Sylva 
Richman & Jackson 
Dorothy Reid 
GLASGOW 
Glasgow (M) 10 
Jack Anthony 
Duncan Macrae 
Murray A Maidie 
Robert Wilson 
Alex Don 
D & D Remy 
Clarkson A Leslie 
Will Starr 
Bertha Ricardo 
Belles Sc Beaux 
LEEDS 

Empire <M) 10 
Lee Lawrence 
Walter’s Dogs 
Dowie & Kane 
3 Menares 
Nat Gonella 
Walter Niblo 
Pauline A Eddie 


LEICESTER 
Palace <SJ 10 

Ray Burns 
Harry Dawson 
Alec Pie on 
Norman Thomas 
Buckmaster Puppets 
Lucerne Skaters 
Elaine Clifford 
Hill & Rillio 
LIVERPOOL 
Empire (M) 10 
Tony Crombie Co. 
Maxine Daniels 
Don Fox 
Billie Wyner 
Billy ‘Uke’ Scott 
Ross Sc Howitt 
Tommy Locky 
McKennas 

LONDON 

Hippodrome (M) 10 

Benny Hill 
Shani Wallis 
Andrea Dancers 
Jones Sc Arnold 
Los Gatos 
Jimmy Lee 
Metropolitan (1) 10 
BUI Maynard 
Betty Driver 
WaUy Petersen 
Sonny Roy 
Hollander A Hart 
Vic Sanderson 
Leslie Lester 
Mons Defoe 
Lane.2 

MANCHESTER 
Hippodrome (S) 10 
Aft Baxter Co. 
Betty MUler 
Bobby Dennis 
Bernard Landy 
Jackie AUen 
Baker & Douglas 
N ■& P Lundon 
T Sc P Derrick 
NEWCASTLE 
Empire (M) 10 
Bobby Thompson 
Michael Hlbbert 
Gene Patton 
Edna Dean 
.June Balmer 
Terry Mooi-e 
Michael Hill 
NORTHAMPTON 
New (I) 10 
Barnes & Jeanne 
Noble Sc Denester 
Rio, Ron Sc Rita 
Betty & Harry 
Zodias 

NORWICH 
Hippodrome (I) 10 
Terry Blayne 
Jeffrey Lenner 
Scott & Ascot 
King & Day 
Pertwee Si Marion 
PRINCE OF WALES 
(M) 10 

Lonnie Donegan 
Anne Shelton 
Bonar Colleano 
Freddie Sales 
CUfford Stanton 
?. Ariston 
Ilenald & Rudy 
Dickie Dawson 
Paul Sc Pcta Page 
Ellabeth & Collins 
SHEFFIELD 
. Empire (M) 10 
Robert Earl 
Arthur Worsley 
The Martinis 
Sally Barnes 
Janie Marden 
Kordites 
Botandos 
Bob Andrews 
SOUTHAMPTON 
Grand (I) 10 
BUly O’Sullivan 
6 Tit-hits 
Robbie Dennis 
Morris A Cowley 
Derk Yelding 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


Bon Soir 
Tony & Eddie 
Neighbors 
Jorie Remus 
Jimmie Daniels 
Three Flames 
Bruce Kirby 
Warren Vaughan 
Blue . Angel 
T C Jones 
Annette Warren 
Jill Corey 
Eddie Garson 
Martha Davis 
Sc Spouse 
Jimmy Lyons 3 
Cameo 
Teddy Wilson 
Barbara Carroll 
Chardas 

Anny Kapitanny 
Lili 

Bela Baba! Oro 
Tibor Rakossy 
BUI Yedla 
Dick Marta 


T & J Dfirsev Ore Dolores Perry 

Latin Quirt.? Ernest Schoen Ore 

B & J Kean o ar i 0l< L S£ * ndler 

Nanci Crompton Paul Mann 

Syncopated Waters Village Bai 
Lucienne A Ashour Belle CarroU 


Chateau 
Peter Wood* 

Luke Salem 
Rick Allen 
San Kanez Ore 
Eden Ree 
Don Cornell 
NoVelites 
Mambo Aces 
NoveUtes 
H«1 Leroy 
Arlene DeMarco 
Mai Malkin Ore 
Chuey Reyes Ore 
Fontainebleau 

Larry Parks. 

Betty Garrett 
Page'Sc Bray 
Fernanda- Montel 
A1 Bernie 
A1 Navarro Ore 
Sacasas Ore 
Leon A Eddie’s 
Can-Can Girls 
Toni Rove 
Terry Rich 
Denise 
' Atoma 

Malayan 
Rivero Quintet 
Bimini Mama 
Pierre Duval 
Lad Richards Band 
Murray Franklin's 
Roy Sedley. 

Anne Marie 
Murr ay Franklin_ 
Sandra' "Bar toil 
BUly Mitchell 
Fred Thompson 


Lynn Christie 
Dorothy Vernon 
Jo Lombardi Ore 
B Harlowe Ore 
Hotel Plaza 
Annie Cordy 
l ed Straeter 
Mark Monte 
Le Reuban Bleu 
Lola Fisher 
Irwin Corey 
Cindy A Lindy 
Norman Paris 3 . 
Harry Noble 
Park Sheraton 
Jose MeUs 


Johnny Gilbert 
Jack Wallace 
Danny Davis Ore 
Larry McMahon 
Piute Pete 
Irving Harris 
Village Vanguard 
Barbara Lea 
Emil Mosier - 
Steel Band 
C Williams Trio 
‘ Waldorf-Astoria 
Vic Damone 
Emil Coleman Ore 
Mischa Borr Ore 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid 

Leo de Lyon 
Abbey Lincoln 


D. Arnold Sc Marji 
The Boyers 
Lilian Renee 


Tune Tattlers (4) Paul Duke 


Blue Angel 
“Calypso Extrava- 
•ganza" 

Princess Abilia 
King Christian 
Lord Rafael 
Lady Angelia 
Lady Margaret 
Lady Jeanne 
Lox d Carlton 
Emperor Sago 
King Rudolph 
A1 D’Lacy Ore 
Blue Not* 
Fats Domino 
Chez Pare* 
Cab Calloway 
DunhiUs (3) , 

Babe Pier J 
Ronnie Eastman 
Elisa Jayne 
Ted Flo Rito Ore 
Cloister Inn 
A1 Belletto (6) 
Lucy Reed 

Conrad Hilton 
“Comics-On-Ice" 


George Simpson 
Paul Gibben 
J. Melendez St D 
Maxfield 

. Virginia • Sellers 
Jc.bn Keston 
Boulevar-Dears A 
Boulevar-Dons 
F. Masters Ore 
Drake Hotel 
Monique Van 
Vooren 

'mun> Blade Ore 
'ondon House 
xn McPartland ; 
Ahmad Jamal (3) 
Mister Kelly's 
Jackie Cain A 
Roy Krai 
Maya Angelou 
Harry Slottag (3) 
Marx & Frigo 
Frank d’Rome 
Palmer House 
“Hqy Day’* 

Paul Hartman 
Bill Tabbert 


LOS ANGELES 

Ambassador Hotel , Geri GaUan Ore 


Crew Cuts 
Orrin Tucker Ore 
Bar of Music 
Mae Williams 
Oscar Cartier • 
Felix De Cola 
Jerry Linden. Ore 
Bandbox 
Billy Gray 
Leo Diamond 
Bert Gordon . 
Eddie LeRoy 
Short Twins 
Carol Shannon 
Dodie Drake 
Bob Barley Trio 
[ Ciro’s 

Frances Faye 
Trio Bassie . 


Felix Martinique Ore 
Crescendo 
Paul Gilbert 
AprU Ames 
Ray Toland Ore 
Interlude 
Sy’via Syms 
H Babasin Qtt. 

Mocan\bo 
AUan Jones 
Frankie Sands Trio 
Paul Hebert Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
De Castro Sis (3) 
Three Rebertes 
Wiere Bros. (3) 
Statler Hotel 
Rudy VaUee 
Eddy Bergman Ore 


LAS VEGAS 


Desen Inn 

Ted Lewis 
Cathy Bosic 
Carihbeans 
Benita D’Andrca 
Elroy Peace 
Art Johnson 


Connie Moore 
Henny Youngman 
The Lancers 
Blackburn Twins 
Hubert Castle 
Steve Gibson Red¬ 
caps 


Donn Arden Dncrs Gil Bernal 

Carlton Hayes Ore Venus Starlets 

t Dunes Garwood Van 

Snjart Affairs '57 Riviera 

Larry Steele “Frolics of '51 


Leonard Bros. 
Fouchee Dancers 
Rose Hardaway 
Willie Louis 
Flash Gordon 


Sir Lionel _ Beckles Riviera Dancers 


Garwood Van Ore 
Riviera 

“Frolics of ’57" 
Liberace 
Jean Fenn 
Helen Wood 
Geo. Liberaee Sym 
phony Ore. 


Lon Fontaine 
Beige Beauts 
Lucky Henry Ore 

El Cortez 


Ray Sinatra Ore 
Sahara 
Kay Starr 


Beth Hughes Stanley Boys 


Bobby Pinkus 
Herby “Barris 
Mack Pearson 
Dolores del Rey 
Cirquettes 


4 Step Bros. 
SaHarem ‘ Dncf's 
Cee Davidson Ore 
Sands 

“Ziegfelfl Folies** 


Sterling Young Ore £ y v L S,^ 


El Ranoho Vegas 
Lisa Kirk 
Morty Gunty 
Sandra & Sonja 
Warner 
El Rancho Ore 


Devoy Trio 
Copa Girls 
Antonio Morelll Ore 
LiUian Briggs 
Clark Bros. 

Morgan Bros. 


Renee Molnar Dncrs o™T-,,iY?i ces 


Flamingo 
. “First Edition" 

! Ink Spots 
Brenda Lee 
Archie Robbins 


Showboat 

Oscar Cartier 
Tere Sheehan 


Chiquita & Johnson Gan* Nelson 


Chateau Madrid 
Luis Mera 
Rene 
DoUy Sis 

A1 Castellanos Ore y 
Copacabana 
Jilhmy Durante 
Karen Chandler 
Cerneys 
.June Allyn 
•Tony Reynolds 
Jackie Metcalf 
Nora Bristow 
Michael Durso Ore 
Frank Marti Ore 
Duplex 
Serena Shaw 
Rudy De Saxe 
Alvaro Dalmar 
No. 1 Fifth Av* 
Bob Downey 
Harold Fonville 
Hotel Ambassador 
Chauncey Gray Ore 
Jani Sarkozl 
Gypsies 


Wong Family Showboat Girls 

Kaye Ballard Mike Werner Oro 

Larry Storch 1 Sliver Slipper. 

Mary Meade French Folies 

Flamingoettes Hank Henry 

Lou Besil Ore Artie James 

Fremont Hotel Barbara McNair 

Genje Stone Yasmina 

Cortez A Boyer Sparky Kaye 

4 Gems Cliff A Judy Ferre 

Sammy Blank Ore Mac Dennison 

Golden Nugget Jimmie Cavanaugh 
Sons of Golden Slipperettes 

West G. Redman Ore 

Hank Penny Thunderbird 

Sue Thompson China Doll Rev 

Freddie Masters Ming A Ling 

Sextette Toy A Wing 

Hacienda Tong Bros. 

Billy Ward Sing Lee Sing 

Eddie Peabody China Dolls 

Daryl Harper Show Barney Rawlings 

Bruce Davis Thunderbird Dnci 

New Frontier Al Jahns Ore 

Jack Carter Ddkes of Dlxielam 


Thunderbird Dncrs 
Al Jahns Ore 
Dtfkes of Dixieland 


Nautilus 
Holly Warren 
•Del Breece 
Syd Stanley Ore 
Sans Soucl, Hotel 
Jackie Jay 
Vivian Lloyd 
Fred McKenzie 
Sammy Walsh 
Freddy Calo Oro. 

„ Seville 
Charlie Farrell 
Mickey Gentile 
Tommy Ryan 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Rey Mambo Ore 
Saxony 
Danny Crystal 
Charlie Carlisle 
Mel Green 
Jay Jayson 
Bernie Burns 
Baron Buika 
Betty Barclay 
Cartes Ore 

Roney Plaza 
Jan Winters 
Linda Bishop 
Juliette Robbins 
Serge Valdez Oro 
S O’Clock I 
Flash Lalne 
Slska 

Tommy. Raft 
Parisian Rev 
Thunderbird 
The Kentones * 

'Herkie “Styles-- 

Libby Dean 
Hal De Ciccio 


New Acts 


Sans Souck 
Diahann Carrol 
Elaine Deming 
Sonia Calero 
Victor Alvarez 
Daida Q 
Ortega Ore 

Nacional 
DeCastro Sis 
Ving Merlin 
Ana Nevada 
Magic Violins 
W. Reyes Ore 


Tropicana 
Gloria A Rolando 
Harmonics 
Miguel Herero 
Carmelita Vasquez 
Carmela Reyes 
Ruffinos 
Elsa Marval 
Ramon Calzadilla 
Paulina Alverez - 
S Suarei Orq 
A Romeu Orq 

RENO 


Mardi Gras Ed Fitzpatrick Ore 
The Jesters Riverside 

Lewis & Sanchez . ... n 
Mapes Sky room MUls Bros - 
Monica Lewis L A E Rol 

Lenny Collyer Starlets 

Lenny Gale Don Delia! 

Skylets Bill Cliffo 


L A E Roberts 
Starlets 

Don Dellair " 

Bill Clifford Ore 


Unit Review 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 

I & Chain i Chris Connor 


Ball & Chain 
Billie Holiday 
Australian Jazz 4 
Harry the Hipster 


Lee Konitz 
I Blue Notes 


Betty Hutton Revue 

Phoenix, Dec. 8. 

Gene Mann production starring 
Betty Hutton , featuring The Cheer¬ 
leaders and Herb Lurie, Moro Lan¬ 
dis Dancers with Gene Nash , 7 Ash¬ 
tons, Jerry Bergland and Mimi. 
Directed and staged by Robert Sid¬ 
ney. Billy Rose Orchestra; musical 
conductor and arranger Vic Schoen; 
special songs, Jay Livingston, Ray 
Evans and Sammy Cahn; vocal ar¬ 
rangements Jack Latimer; produc¬ 
tion manager Milton Starr. At 
Sombrero Playhouse, Phoenix, Dec. 
7, 1956; twice nightly, $4.40 top. 

Betty Hutton unveiled her new 
revue last night and provided a 
dynamic opening to the current 
season at Phoenix’s Sombrero Play¬ 
house. Result should provide the 
local stage witlr S.R.O. nine-day 
run before its Las Vegas bow. 

With some slick production and 
supporting acts. Miss Hutton takes 
command of the 90-miilute bill dur¬ 
ing which, she vivaciously runs 
gamut from shag to soft shoe to 
blackface. 

After an unusual introduction by 
The Cheerleaders, who do an in¬ 
teresting bit of business around a 
larger paper caricauture of the 
star, through which she emerges, 
Miss Hutton opens with “I Remem¬ 
ber Her When,” one of the good 
specialty routines by Jay Living¬ 
ston, Ray Evans and Sammy Cahn. 

She then does some excellent 
spoofing of the current entertain¬ 
ment trends with “That’s Culture,” 
an audience rouser that • climaxes 
with a short takeoff of Elvis. “Sa¬ 
lute To The Blues,” in which she 
again is backed by The Cheerlead¬ 
ers, is a compilation of blues clas¬ 
sics for a neat change of pace. 

. A reminiscent routine. “In The 
Old Days,” provides a show-case for 
a.wide,range of Hutton versatility 
as she recalls old favorites, songs 
and styles of Helen Morgan, Jim¬ 
my Durante, Eddie Leonard, the 
Charleston era and Benny Fields. 
In this one also, Miss Hutton has 
.the fine support from the Cheer¬ 
leaders and Herb Lurie. 

Climaxing her performance, “It 
Had To Be You,” features several 
specialty numbers including 
“Thank You, Mr, Factor,” in which 
she and The Cheerleaders don 
blackface for their finale. 

Miss Hutton keeps up a lively 
pace throughout the show and 
leaves her audience clamoring for 
more. As an encore, she does a 
variety of well-known Hutton ren¬ 
ditions sitting on a piano near the 
footlights. 

Opening the revue, the Moro 
Landis Dancers present a well re¬ 
hearsed medley of showtunes vo¬ 
calized by Gene Nash who also 
serves as emcee for the lead-in .acts 
and handles some vocal solos be¬ 
tween them. 

The “7 Ashtons,” with their ef¬ 
fective acrobatics, thrill the audi¬ 
ence in spite of the restricting con¬ 
fines of the local stage. 

An ususual comedy act, combin- 


£ola fisher , 

Songs 

25 Mins. | 

Le Ruban Bleu, N.Y. 

Leila Fisher, understudy to co- 
star Julie Andrews in the smash 
“My Fair Lady,” is making her 
nitery debut as headliner of the, 
current Le Ruban Bleu show. The 
booking apparently stems from the 
strong press buildup given her on 
the several occasions she’s subbed 
for Miss Andrews, plus the lush 
“Lady” tie-in. 

Without these assets, it’s^doubt- 
ful that Miss Fisher would rate top 
billing on a club card at this time. 
She’s a solid singer,' but lacks the 
spa rkle that marks standout^nitery 

that legit is probably more her 
forte. That's evident in her. fine 
handling of a one-woman tab ver¬ 
sion of “Lady” in which she de¬ 
livers a few numbers from the 
show, augmented by some contin¬ 
uity dialog. 

Prior to going into the “Lady” 
portion of her act, Miss Fisher han¬ 
dles several other tubes in okay 
fashion, with her dramatic rendi¬ 
tion of “When Jonnny Comes 
Marching Home” particularly 
strong. A special change-of-pace, 
rock ’n’ roll item could be elimi¬ 
nated. Jess. 

TOMMY STEELE 
Songs, Guitar 
20 Mins. 

Finsbury Park Empire, London 

Recent addition to British rock 
’n’ roll exponents,. Tommy Steele, 
with no prior stage experience has 
gone straight to the top of the bill 
with his uninhibited brand of en¬ 
tertainment. His act, although lack¬ 
ing polish, is made to order for 
the current following of this type 
of music. Visually he’s excellent 
but vocally more control and clear¬ 
er diction would help^i lot. 

Backed by a four-piece combina¬ 
tion of tenor sax, bass, piano and 
drums, his routine is limited but 
set at a fast pace which never lets 
up. In all, Steele sings and plays 
his amplified guitar through seven 
rock ’n’ roll numbers during his 
spot, including “Hound Dog,” 
“Green Door,” “Giddyup a Ding- 
Dong” and “Singing The Blues.” 
He registers well in all and is ably 
backed by the combo.. His singing 
and playing are performed with a 
good accentuated beat, and his 
bobbing mop of curlyblond hair i 
and stomping feet are sure winners 
for the younger set. Bary. 

TOVARICH TROUPE (5) 
Equilibrists . 

10 Mins. 

Empire, Glasgow 

Here’s a honey of a balancing 
act comprising three attractive 
femmes and two males. 

They score strongly throughout 
with one-hand balancing, foot-bal¬ 
ancing and general skill in equili- 
bristic chores. At one point the 
three distaffers are perched ut 
varying degrees atop one of the 
male duo. A three-decker forward 
fall on to stage mat rouses cus¬ 
tomer gasps. 

One of the femme trio is a tall 
blonde near-Amazon type with 
strong physical prowess as well 
aS s.a. 

. Good 'act for U.S. vaude and 
video as well as for circus da^es. . 

CHA CHA TAPS (2) 

Dancing 
7 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Two males, introed as Carlos & 
Andy, dish up a Latino terp rou¬ 
tine in keeping with their billing. 
Boys’ footwork follows an eccen¬ 
tric style with comic overtones. 

Garbed in attire resembling zoot 
suits, they work individually and 
then in unison for some precision 
hoofing. Turn may have some ap¬ 
peal in spots where patrons dig 
the mambo, cha cha, etc. But act 
requires more proficiency before 
it's ready for better bookings. 

v Gilb. 


ing pantomiipe and sleight-of-hand 
by Jerry Bergland & Mimi, do a 
very unusual and comical routine 
with their dogless leash. Bergland 
also scores with some fast-moving 
pingpong balls. Later, he returns 
solo with pleasant comedy platter. 

Firstrate songs and music were 
arranged and conducted by Vic 
Schoen for Miss Hutton’s portion. 
The Billy Rose orchestra does a 
nice job throughout. Miss Hutton’s 
gowns, by Michael Woulfe, are 
standout. Entire production round¬ 
ed out by Gene Mann who remains* 
in Phoenix to produce the variety 
bills which will become a part of 
this season’s Sombrero showings. 

Dans. 


CINDY & LINDY 
Songs 
20 Mins. 

Le Ruban Bleu, N.Y. 

This boy-girl team from Boston 
rates as a sock nitery turn. Act is 
lively, the performers are fresh 
and the material is good. The 
more dominant member of the duo 
is the distaffer, who scores with a 
zestful and personable delivery. 
Her male partner, performing in 
a more sedate manner, comple¬ 
ments her vivaci^asness perfectly. 

The pair get off to a Snappy start 
with a fast and ingratiating “Never 
Felt Better,” followed by a pretty 
workover of “When The World 
Was Young.” Back on the lighter 
s;de the y give out vriilL_ajBMi£y_ 
la the Mary Martin-Ethel Merman 
tv bit. The takeoff has its enter¬ 
taining moments, but is a little too 
heavy on the mugging, with the 
femme the major offender. 

Their “We Ain’t Going Nowhere” 
account of a bickering couple is a 
fun item, while the male’s solo on 
“Lost in the Stars” effective. The 
act has what it takes to score in 
most visual outlets,. Jess. 


DEANNA ST. CLAIR 
Songs 
8 Mins. 

Blue Room, New Orleans 

Deanna St. -Clair is a. welcome 
addition to the hotel circuit. She's 
young and pretty and exudes tho 
sophistication of one more experi¬ 
enced. In her bigtime debut, 
thrush displayed plenty of show 
biz savvy, presenting a diverse 
songalog that suits all tastes, rang¬ 
ing from “Whatever Will Be” to 
“Love Me Tender” and “Happiness 
Street.” 

Miss St. Clair also has an intense 
sense of song timing that keeps at¬ 
tention throughout. Her melodies 
are characterized by clarity and 
admirable range. Liuz. 


JO, JAC & JONI 
Comedy-Dance 
15 Mins. 

Bobino, Paris 

Dressed in black tights and 
bowlers, threesome do a laconic 
tap before going into a well 
planned, businesslike clown take¬ 
off on a musical trio. Instruments 
suddenly disgorge Cigarets, food, 
beer. 

Logical, zany invention makes 
this an unusual comedy turn 
worthy of revue, vaude and video 
showcasing for that needed offbeat 
spot in U. S. shows. Timing, origi¬ 
nality and underlining of gag val¬ 
ues by these two boys and a girl 
add up to a unique number ready 
for international housing. Mosk . 

RICARDS (2) 

Aero-Comedy 
ID Mins. 

Bobino, Paris 

Pair, dressed in herringboned 
overalls, essay a hand-to-hand act 
which from a relaxed and easy 
stance segues into a torrent of 
pratfalls and knockabout aspects 
that become acceptable and funny 
after the prowess of the duo is es¬ 
tablished. 

Knockabouts off' a table or 
chairs, switching to sudden shafts 
of gymnastic ability, weld this Into 
a good sight act to make for strong 
filler or opener potentialities in 
stateside video or theatres. 

Mosk. 


VERSATONES (3) 

Songs 
20 Mins. 

Le Ruban Bleu, N.Y. 

Concentrating mainly on calypso 
tunes, this Negro trio delivers im¬ 
pressively. Their vocalling is vig¬ 
orous and the flavor of the tunes 
delivered is ably projected In their 
savvy execution. The three males 
also provide their own musical, ac¬ 
companiment via a bongo drum, 
maracas and guitar. 

, Numbers offered include “The 
Jamaican Farewell,” “Marry a 
Woman Uglier Than You” and a 
forceful “OT Man River.” Jess . 


N. Y.’s Capitol Hotel 

Now Largest YWCA 

The Capitol Hotel, N. Y„ long a 
theatrical hotel and at one time an 
important stop on the nitery cir¬ 
cuit when its Carnival Room head¬ 
lined Milton Berle, became the 
largest YWCA last week. 

Hotel was sold to the organiza¬ 
tion for $1,750,000 by Capitol As¬ 
sociates, and will become the Spel- 
man Residence Clu£, named for 
Laura Spelman Rockefeller, an im¬ 
portant “Y” contributor. 




71 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


PfiitlETr 


HOUSE REVIEWS 


ApollO) IV* Y. 

The Clovers (5)f Big Maybelle, 
Ralph Brown, Etta James & The 
peaches (2), Cha Cha Taps (2), 
« pigmeat" Markham & George Wil- 
shire, James Moody Band (13) v’th 
Eddie Jefferson; “Rhythm and 
Blues Revue** (Indie)* 


. With an array of top Negro 
names in its screen fare this week, 
the Apollo'has a modest stage bill 
led by the Clovers. Layout, for the 
most part, dishes up so-so enter¬ 
tainment. Clovers, a five-lad har¬ 
mony group frequently seen at this 
Harlem vaudery, romp through a 
repertoire of five tunes. Perhaps 
best in their sohgbag is the catchy 
“Bottom of My Heart.” Outfit's vo¬ 
calizing is relatively polished, but 
isn’t sufficiently original to set it 
aside from countless other turns in 
the same idiom. 

Big Maybelle, singer of gargan¬ 
tuan proportio ns, pun ct uates her 
'stentorian warbling with raucous 
shrieks. But despite her volume, 
or possibly because of it, the melo¬ 
dies of her three numbers are oc¬ 
casionally recognizable. She winds 
strongly with an r&r ditty, accom¬ 
panied by some shakes of her 
prodigious posterior. Ralph Brown, 
who doubles as emcee, also con- 
tribs some terpingi He's fairish in 
both respects. 

Kicking off the show is James 
Moody 1 ^ combo. With three 
rhythm, four reed and five brass, 
orch furnishes adequate backing 
for the varied turns. Batoner 
Moody, along with several side- 
men, draws good aud reaction with 
a couple* of instrumentals. Vocalist 
Eddie Jefferson opens unassuming¬ 
ly, but later impresses with a wide 
tonal range. 

Etta James and the Peaches (2) 
garner a mild reception despite the 
former’s vocalistic gyrations. Tall 
and buxom, she wraps a shrill 
voice around such tunes as “Tough 
Lover.” Her femme partners have 
little to do save for some torso¬ 
shaking and spirited handclaps. 
Rounding out the bill are “Pig- 
meat” Markham and George Wil- 
shire in a standard comedy bit. 
This time it’s the shell-game rou¬ 
tine—good for yocks despite its 
antiquity. Cha Cha Taps, pair of 
youthful male terpers, are re¬ 
viewed under New Acts. Gilb. 


Paramount, L. A. 

LOs Angeles, Dec. 4. 
The Platters (5), Penguins (4), 
Blockbusters (5), Patti Ann, Sugar 
V Spice, Gerald Wilson Orch. 
“Back From Eternity ” (RKO). 


Even Hard-fast rock ’n’ roll ad-1 
diets may find the current offering 
at the DoWntown Paramount hard 
to take—unless they are satisfied 
with one helpful, the Platters, 
mixed quintet. Hunter Hancock, 
deejay who specializes in rock 'n’ 
roll disks on KPOP, is,responsible 
for this package, which is billed 
as “The Greatest Stage Show of 
’56!” It isn’t. 

Other than the top-billed Plat¬ 
ters, the show is mediocre. The 
Platters belt out “Only You,” 
“Magic Touch.” “The Great Pre¬ 
tender” and “My Prayer,” all of 
which have topped the million 
mark in disk sales. Group winds 
up with its latest waxing, “You’ll 
Never, Never Know.” 

Remainder of the layout con¬ 
sists of the Penguins, male quar¬ 
tet best known for their recording 
of “Earth Angel”; The Block¬ 
busters, five-piece combo with two 
Elvis Presley type guitarists: Patti 
Ann, a sepia looker who sells well 
“You Made Me Love You,” and 
Sugar ’n’ Spice, a mixed team- 
booked at the last minute to re¬ 
place the Teen Queens, who were 
billed but didn’t appear. Gerald 
Wilson’s orch >"ckstopped the en¬ 
tire staging too loudly. 

Also hindering the acts and the 
audience at opening show was a 
faulty sound system that seemed 
to rebel throughout the entire 
staging. Hancock emceed h^ ^wn 
package. Kafa. 


Finsbury Park Empire, 
London * 

London, Dec. 6, 

Tommy Steele & His Steelmen 
(5), Thunderclap Jones, Mike & 
Bernie - Winters, Reg Thompson, 
Johnny Laycock, Josephine Anne, 
Marie De Vere Dancers (6); Syd¬ 
ney Kaplan Orch. 


. The whole of this show is de¬ 
signed and levelled at teenage au¬ 
diences, who constitute around 
90% of the ehtire paying public at 
each performance. Tommy Steele 
(New Acts) is the draw for rock ’n’ 
roll fans and tops the bill. 

Thunderclap Jones, billed as the 
Wild Welshman of the Keyboard,” 
ranges between boogie woogie, 
rock ’n’ i roll and classics, and 
Punishes the ivories with ham- 
ust.ed pounding and little techni¬ 
cal accomplishment. His act 
Proves entertaining, however, when 


he plays on his knees or lying flat 
on top of the closed piano lid. 

Comedy team, Mike & Bernie 
Winters* supply laughs with a 
slapstick routine. Patter is fair 
and act would be improved with 
fresher material. More comedy is 
by Reg Thompson, a gab type who 
has to work hard for effect. 

Johnny Laycock, a lively multi¬ 
instrumentalist, gets good recep¬ 
tion with his one-man band setup. 
In turn he plays three trumpets at 
the same time, four bulge horns, 
alto and soprano saxophone, trom¬ 
bone, soprano sax, bass drum and 
foot cymbal. Josephine Anne, pro¬ 
vides a boisterous vocal act, stud¬ 
ded with a couple of straight num¬ 
bers. The Marie De Vere DancCrs 
(6) are a stock show-opening femme 
dancing corps with simple routines. 

Bary. 


kmpU*e, Glasgow 

__ _“Glasgo w. De c. 6... 

Lee 'Lawrence (ivith Dennis Plow- 
right), Nat Gonella, Sally Barnes, 
Saveen, Don Arden, Tovarich 
Troupe (5), Eva, Toots & Eva, 
Renee Dymott, Bobby Dowds Orch. 


Lee Lawrence, English disk 
singer, smartly garbed in blue suit, 
scores pleasantly as headliner of 
this lightweight vaude layout He 
has easy, relaxed style and confi¬ 
dent personality, but would do well 
to cut out too many attempts at 
comedy cracks in his link-up pat¬ 
ter. Winds with some lively rock 
’n’ roll singing for which he’s 
joined by vet trumpeter Nat Go¬ 
nella. Dennis Plowright attends 
to the ivories. 

Gonella has fairly good recep¬ 
tion for his* trumpet-playing, m 
which he reveals good musician- 
ship. He wins solid mitting for 
“When -The Saints Go Marching 
In,” and also for his opening 
“Mountain Greenery.” 

Sally Barnes, smiling blonde 
comedienne, has an infectious 
sense of fun, but makes error of 
repeating “her too-familiar cockney 
charwoman sketch, seen for' sev¬ 
eral years in British vauderies. She 
sings and dances with vivacity, and 
could be real spellbinder with 
right act and material. 

SaVfeen, established English ven¬ 
triloquist, tophatted and urbane, 
scores with novelty twist plus voice 
manipulation. His dummies range 
from Andy the Spiv and his famous 
Daisy May to a dummy pooch, 
latter linked amusingly with a live 
terrier which answers back (via 
trick mouth) to raise loud jocks 
from the customers. Act is one of 
best vent offerings seen hereabouts. 

Don Arden, billed as an Anglo-' 
American impressionist, is ade¬ 
quate with impressions ranging 
from Nat King Cole to Frankie 
Laine and Jerry Lewis. Gives his 
interpretation of “If You Knew 
Susie” as ’t’would be sung by such 
as James Cagney, Johnnie Ray and 
Edward G. Robinson. 

Tovarich Troupe, quintet of three 
gals and two males, register loftily 
on the-mitt-meter with hand-bal¬ 
ancing groupings (see New Acts). 
Distaffer trio of this act reappear 
as Eve, Toots & Eva, doing surprise 
drop on rope ladder, trapeze swing, 
and single and double dental spins, 
two of the femmes whirling grace¬ 
fully ’round at high speed in latter 
spin. Renee Dymott breaks refresh¬ 
ingly away from normal run of 
dance openers with an acro-con- 
tortionist bit linked to toe terping 
on staircase and somersaults. 

Gord. 


MG Star Buildup 

Continued from page 5 —^ 

ing product array and the changes 
accomplished at the studio. 

The present, studio setup, headed 
by Thau and backed by E. J. Man- 
nix, J. J. Cohn, Lawrence Weingar- 
ten, Marvin Schenck, and Saul 
Rittenberg, appears to be the line¬ 
up that Vogel has decided to go 
along with unless, of course, per¬ 
sistent stockholder pressure forces 
him to make further changes. 

It appears certain that Metro will 
not name an overall creative pro¬ 
duction chief similar to the post 
held by Schary. For the most part, 
the company will rely on unit pro¬ 
duction teams, headed either by« 
indie producers or staff producers 
who have gained recognition for 
turning out certain types*of pic¬ 
tures. 


John Carroll Plan 

, Continued from page 7 

screenplays on hand, most of which 
are ready to roll. These rep an in¬ 
vestment of more than’ $300,000, he 
said. Among them are “Tiger 
Mike,” “Wanted—Dead,” “Devil’s 
Staircase,” “The King Could Sing,” 
“Milano,” “The Wedge” and “^The 
Shooting Star.” 


Prince of Wales, London 

London, Dec. 4. 

Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle 
Group (5), Anne Shelton, Bonar 
Colleano, Freddie Sales, Clifford 
Stanton, The Trio Ariston, Renald 
Rudy, Dickie Dawson, Paul & 
Peta Page, Elizabeth & Collins, 
Harold Collins Orch. 


Local talent takes pride lof place 
in this vaude layout and there are 
bright prospects of promising re¬ 
turns. Headline status is shared 
by Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle 
Group, with Anne Shelton, and the 
former is clearly the novelty at¬ 
traction on the bill. Opening night, 
in the second house reviewed, 
Donegan’s closing. spot was not 
reached until a few minutes before 
11 p.m. (the reg ular curta in time), 
hut' fhe customers who had waited 
lost none of their enthusiasm and 
Spontaneously went into a hand¬ 
clapping accompaniment. 

The Donegan quintet, compris¬ 
ing guitar, bass and drums, spe¬ 
cialize in jazzed-up versions of 
American folksongs. They’ve de¬ 
veloped a style in which vitality 
and exuberance are the dominating 
features and in which their strong 
sense of rhythm is a^standout fea¬ 
ture. Their appeal is aimed at the 
same type audience that goes for 
rock ’n’ roll and they encourage 
an identical reaction. They have 
an individual style in dress to 
match their unusual style onstage; 
the star wears an all-white suit 
With a Western cut, while the oth¬ 
ers are dressed in outfits which re¬ 
semble the wartime siren suits. 

Most of the vocalizing is by 
Donegan himself with an energetic 
and infectious approach. Typical 
items from the routine are “I’m, 
Alabamv Bound,” “Bring a Little 
Water, Sylvie,” “Dead or Alive,” 
“Rock Island Line,” “Cannon Ball” 
and ‘Lost John.” 

In striking contrast, Anne Shel¬ 
ton, who closes the first half, sings 
in. a pleasant, relaxed way, with¬ 
out any gimmicks or extra-special¬ 
ty numbers. Looking her best and 
in particularly fine voice, she gives 
out with a straight vocal sesh 
adroitly balanced to suit most 
tastes. She has a good opener in “A 
Woman in Love” and a neat change 
of style with “Two Different 
Worlds.” “Green Door”, is an off¬ 
beat novelty and after “Harbour 
Bells” and “My Prayer” she closes 
in strong fashion with “Lay Down 
Your Arms,” the number she 
hoisted to the Hit Parade. John¬ 
nie Spence’s unobtrusve accomp 
is a positive aid. 

Bonar Colleano, the American 
who has been longtime resident in 
Britain, takes over the emceeing 
chore for this three-week run and 
does it with a good show of ver¬ 
satility, ranging from a question¬ 
able impression of Mario Lanza to 
acting in a sketch which illustrates 
what would happen to the star of 
a four-a-day revue if real gin were 
substituted for water.- The scene is 
enacted four times to show the 
progressive effects of the liquor. 

Freddie Sales is a hard-hitting 
comedian, with a bright patter 
style; easily his best bit, however, 

[ is a fish & chips ballet in which 
he shows a considerable gift for 
mime. 

Impressionist Clifford Stanton 
has a new lineup of personalities 
and uses a square-dance song as a 
neat way of introducing his politi¬ 
cal characters, among them being 
Earl Attlee (complete with cor¬ 
onet), Sir Anthony Eden, Sir Win¬ 
ston Churchill and Hugh Gaitskell. 
Show biz names are restricted to 
Laurence Olivier, Jose Ferrer as 
Cyrano de Bergerac, and Danny 
Kaye. He effects an uncanny like¬ 
ness and his songs and gab hit a 
high level. 

The Trio Ariston offer high 
speed acrobatic tumbling and in 
contrast, Renald & Rudy give a 
polished muscle display of hand-to- 
hand balancing. Dickie Dawson’s 
main comedy spiel is so-so, but his 
impressions of Hollywood charac¬ 
ters, among them Robert Mitchum, 
Groucho Marx and Rod Steiger, 
have a genuine appearance, Paul 
& Peta Page have embellished 
their puppet act and a new addi¬ 
tion is a rock ’n’ roll dream se¬ 
quence as seen through the eyes of 
a Teddy Boy. Their presentation 
of their own hepcats in a rendition 
of “The Twelfth Street Rag” is also 
socko. Elizabeth and Collins pro¬ 
vide a stout opening act and their 
knife-throwing routine is given an 
added suspense quality when the 
male partner aims while perched 
on a slack wire at a revolving hu¬ 
man target. 

Harold Collins’, house orch gives 
a quality backing to the entire 
presentation. M'yro . 


‘America Moves On Wheels’—And 
Showmen Give Lift to Automakers 


By JOE COHEN 

Detroit with the u. J of Brouaway" 
has evolved its own form of show¬ 
manship which is spelled in colos¬ 
sal terms on a scale that the late 
circus pressangent Dexter Fellows 
never dreamed of. In the first Na¬ 
tional Automobile Club show held 
in New York in 16 years, the or¬ 
ganization putting on the soiree at 
the N. Y. Coliseum has shelled out 
a reported $250,000 to stage a 40- 
minute presentation which will run 
as high as six times daily during 
this, nine-day event. Legit musical 
comedies have been brought in on 
-lessr- and e v e n -some video -specs^ 


Vogel & Fish-Eye 

5= Continued from page 5 

the management team. He said his 
group's objective was (1) either to 
unseat-the present management or 
(2) to obtain “good” stockholder 
representation on the board. 

Pick Our Own 

“We don’t want them to pick 
banking groups for us,” Rogers de¬ 
clared. This was an obvious refer¬ 
ence to the election to the board 
last year of Paul Manheim of Leh¬ 
man Bros, and Charles Stewart of 
Lazard Freres. Rogers believes 
that Manheim and Stewart, both 
members of prominent Wall St. 
banking firms, were invited to join 
the board by Arthur M. Loew, then 
Loew’s prexy, in order to relieve 
stockholder pressure at that time. 
Manheim and Stewart subsequent¬ 
ly resigned from the board in a 
disagreement over the company’s 
policies. They have not, however, 
made public the exact reasons for 
their exit. 

The Lehman-Lazard group, rep¬ 
resenting trusts and estates, con¬ 
trols more than 1,000,000 shares of 
Loew’s common stock and is re¬ 
ported to be one of the factions 
challenging the present manage¬ 
ment, So far this group, perhaps 
the most powerful individual one, 
has not taken any overt action to 
contest the management team. As 
yet, it has not combined with any 
other dissidents and - appears to 
have taken a “wait-and-see” policy, 
perhaps holding its big guns for 
Loew’s annual meeting on Feb. 28. 

Cumulative Voting 

While the Rogers team concedes 
that it may be difficult to unseat 
the Loew’s management, it is con¬ 
fident, that under Loew’s cumula¬ 
tive system of voting for board 
members, the stockholders can 
place two or perhaps three of their 
own representatives on the board. 

In addition to the Rogers-Gold- 
stein and Lehman-Lazard groups, 
there are several others which 
have expressed dissatisfaction with 
the way in which Loews’ is being 
run. They have managed to keep 
under wraps so far . their exact 
strength and precisely what they 
hope to accomplish. One thing is 
certain, however, there has been 
little, if any, liaison between them. 
“That’s been the trouble all along,” 
Rogers commented. 

Among the groups whose posi¬ 
tion so far is unclear are a Canadi¬ 
an faction represented by the Wall 
Street firm of Thomson & McKin- 
nen, a Chi group and a Swiss-Euro- 
pean combo. The Wall St. outfit of 
Sutro & Co is said to be entering 
the scene via the purchase of a 
large block of shares, serving the 
interests of Walter D. Florsheimer, 
described as a German refugee 
reported to be interested in 
Loew’s overseas holdings. Hans 
Didersheim, of Butler Bros., is said 
to have some connection with the 
Swiss group. 

Rogers, so far, appears to be the 
only dissident willing to air his 
views openly. He declared that 
Vogel “hasn’t done a thing.” He 
was harshly critical of the com¬ 
pany's settlement with production 
chief Dore Schary, terming it a 
“lousy deal.” He compared it with 
the settlements made with former 
studio chief Louis B. Mayer and 
with v.p. J. Robert Rubin, both of 
which agreements came under 
heavy fire at previous stockholder 
meetings. 

Rogers insisted that the termina¬ 
tion of Schary’s contract solved 
only a part of the company’s prob¬ 
lems. He charged that “some 
people on the Coast are drawing 
big salaries and doing nothing. 
That’s why the company has moved 
backwards.” 


haven’t been as exp ensive. But__ 
-De t r oi t- -hasnft~brg^bb"To~Tl6'This 
year in maintaining the pace of the 
sales, and therefore ■ restraints 
haven’t been invoked for this lay¬ 
out.. 

Like the wide assortment of cart 
on the three-floor display; this lay¬ 
out, labeled “America on the 
move,” parallels the mode of the 
autos. Tho show is sleek, chic and 
glossy and runs at a rapid clip. 
Also*paralleling the products of the 
Detroit assembly lines, some of the 
top showmen on the Stem have 
been utilized in bringing about this 


America on the Move 

Presentation of Automobile Man¬ 
ufacturers Assn., with Blackburn 
Twins, Midget Bill Haggett, Ro¬ 
berta MacDonald, Herb Banke, 
June Taylor Dancers, -Lyn Duddy 
Singers. ' Produced j by Arthur 
Knorr; writers, Goodman Ace, 
Mart Green & George Foster; lyrics, 
music, Lyn Duddy & Jerry Bres- 
ler; choreography, staging, June 
Taylor; co,stumes, Peggy Morrison; 
musical director, Gus Haenschen. 
Previewed Dec. 7, ’56, at Coliseum, 
N. Y. 50c, 90c admission. 


show. Arthur Knorr, long the pre* 
ducer at the Roxy Theatre and the 
former producer-director on the 
Milton Berle video show; is in 
charge of the event. Writing has 
been delegated to Goodman Ace, 
one of the top craftsmen in this 
direction, with assists by Mort 
Green and George Foster. June Tay¬ 
lor, who does the choreography for 
the Jackie Gleason show, has di¬ 
rected a line as large as that nor¬ 
mally used at Radio City Music 
Hall. An original score by Lyn 
Duddy & Jerry Bresler c gives a 
good aural assist to the message of 
the automakers. Unfortunately, for ^ 
the show’s preem, a jurisdictional ~ 
squabble as to who should install 
the audio equipment left little time 
to get the desired sound level. But 
that which was heard w as clever 
and lilting and aided the visual 
proceedings greatly. 

Knorr has overcome the. inherent 
defects in producing a show in the 
Coliseum, which has a minimum of 
permanent staging facilities. He 
had to start virtually from scratch 
to do a job that meets the spon¬ 
sor’s specifications. 

The Blackburn Twins act as dual 
emcees for this shindig and inter¬ 
sperse parts of their regular act 
in the process. They pace the show 
nicely and at the same time help 
get thfi message of the automakers 
across. The theme of this year’s 
show seems to be a second car for 
the average American family liv¬ 
ing in the suburbs. With the growth 
of suburban living, the family frau, 
it is pitched, is stranded without 
a second car. And when they do 
decide on the models of the vehi¬ 
cle, they all live happily ever 
after—maybe.' 

Midge & Bill Haggett .are pri¬ 
marily a dance team and do vf.'ll in 
that department, but are used also 
in graphing the very slim plot. 
They’re a petite couple who help 
charm the citizenry in thinking 
about that second car, through off¬ 
stage dialog, natch. Their dancing 
is extremely personable. 

Added vocal lifts are by Elliott 
Reid, Roberta MacDonald and Herb 
Banke, for good allaround results. 
The Taylor line works excellently 
in the production sequences. The 
major themes are well suited to 
the show, with the girls being 
togged out as traffic cops, another 
production number depicts the 
building of roads. The Duddy Sing¬ 
ers give a belting note to the ses¬ 
sion in the latter number 

Gus Haenschen has a difficult 
chore in conducting the show. He’s 
pitted high above the stage on an 
overhead platform, with much of 
the proceedings getting their start 
out of his optical range. He car¬ 
ries the session off without a hitch. 
Peggy Morrison’s costume designs 
are colorful. 


St. Loo Chase’s Breather 

St. Louis, Dec. 11. 

The west end Chase Club has 
been closed until New 1 ear’s Eve, 
when Ted Lewis and his levue fea¬ 
turing Cathy Basic, the Carribeans, 
Benita D’Andrea a ml Elroy Peace 
begin a two-week tr.unc. 

The spot has placed a $10 cover 
for Lewis’ opening performance. 


72 


legitimate 




Wednesday, December 12, 1936 


Shows on 


Happy Hunting. 

Jo Mielziner production of musical com- 
two acts. (16 scene*). Book t>y Howard 
Lindsay and Russel Crouse; lyric*. Matt 
Dubey; music, Harold Karr. Starsr^vir 1 
Merman; features Fernando Lamas. Vir- 

Ss 

S-&>sri!af / as^u.-a[ 

Bob Herget; musical conductoi, Jay 
Blaclcton; orchestrations, Ted Royal; 
dance music devised by Roger Adams. 
At the Majestic Theatre, NY, Dec. 6, 
*5fl; $8.05 top ($11.50 opening). 

Sanford Stewart Jr..., .. Gordon Polk 

Mrs- Sanford Stewart Sr^ Templeto „ 

ReporiiS Seth Rig*,. Gene Weeaon. 
Rep Estelle Parson*. Robert C. Held. 

Carl Nicholas 

photographers .Delbert Anderson, 

P h0t0 * efifford Fearl, John Craig. George 
Martin. Jim Hutchison 

t t 7 Livingstone.. Ethel Merman 

Maud Foley .... Mary Finney 

Poil?e Sergeant . r.v. 

Duke of Granada . Femado Lfnmf 

Count Carlos .. Rennto Cibelli 

Waiter . Don Weissmuller 

Shin's Officer.John Leslie 

Barman .!..!... I. Warren J. Brown 
Society Women ....... .ITdi-ence Dunlap, 

Madeleine Clive, Kelley Stephens 
Grooms - Jim Hutchison. Eugene Louis, 
George Martin 
Hunt Members... John Leslie, Jay Velie 

Maid .Mara Landi 

Singers: Peggy Acheson, Marilyn Brad- 
lev. Deedy Irwin. Jane Johnston, Jean , 
Kraemer, Mara Landi. Betty McGuire. 
Estelle Parsons, Noella Peloquin, Glnny 
Perlowin. Mary Roche, Kelley Stephens. 
Helene Whitnev. Delbert Anderson. Ed¬ 
ward Becker, Warren J. Brown, Dabid 
Collyer, John Craig. Jack Dabdoud. Clif¬ 
ford 5 ^ Fearl, Robert C. Held. Carl Nicholas, 
Seth Riggs, Charles Rule, Mark Zeller. 

Dancers: Betty Carr, Alice Clift, Jane 
Fischer. Roberta Keith, Svetlana Motee, 
Patti Nestor. Wendy Nicherson. Fleur 
Raup, Sgyn. Bob Bakanic, John Harmon, 
Jim Hutchison. Dick Korthaze, Eugene 
Louis, George Martin, Jim Moor*. Lowell 
Purvis, Don Weissmuller, Roy Wilson. 

Songs: "Postage Stamp^-Princioality.’* 
•‘Don’t Tell Me," “It’s Good to Be Here/" 
"Mutual Admiration Society," “For Love 
or Money"’ “Tt’s - Like a Beautiful 
Woman.” "Weddlng-of-the-Year Blues," 
"Mr. Livingstone.” “If’n" "This Ts What 
I Call Love” “A New-Fangled Tango.’" 
"She’s Just Another Girl." “The Game of 
Love,” “Hapoy Hunting," “I*m a ^unny 
Dame," “Thi« Much I Know," "Every¬ 
one’s ‘Who’s Who’.” 


It’s been six years since Ethel 
Merman last appeared on Broad¬ 
way, in “Call Me Madam,” and 
it’s good to have her back. She is 
a spectacular performer, even 
when her show is otherwise medi¬ 
ocre. 

The star has a voice like a cal¬ 
liope. the energy of a bulldozer 
and the comedy touch of art old 
pro. It’s a Rood thing she has, 
because “Happy Hunting,” which 
opened at the Majestic Theatre 
last week is a tame effort that left 
an - expectant premiere audience 
lethargic. 

Since “Stars in Your Eyes” in 
1938-39, Miss Merman has never 
had a boxoffice failure, although 
some of her vehicles over those 18 
years have been anemic. Perhaps 
she’ll carry this one over the pay¬ 
off line, too. thanks to her per¬ 
formance and h.o. draw, including 
a reported $1,500,000 advance sale. 
If it’s any indication, there, was 
steady window sale the day after 
the opening, but nothing resem-, 
hling a stampede. 

The next few weeks should pro¬ 
vide a pretty good tipoff. Unless 
the window s^le and mail orders 
keep pace with the weekly gross, 
the show will he eating up its ad¬ 
vance. indicating a lack of post¬ 
premiere public interest. That 
was the case with “Me and Juliet” 
and “Pipe Pveam.” On-the other 
hand, both “Wish You Were Here” 
and “Fannv” had a slow-p’okup 
window sale after getting disap¬ 
pointing reviews, but built to sub¬ 
stantial payoffs. 

“Happy Hunting” has a few as-1 
sets besides Miss Merman. There’s 
film actor Fernando Lamas, mak¬ 
ing his Broadway bow as an at¬ 
tractive leading man with a pleas¬ 
ant voice, a poised and winning 
personality and possibly some box- 
office draw. The show has a mod¬ 
erately diverting buck (which al¬ 
ready reveals evidence of becom¬ 
ing dated, however), and two or 
three good songs. But that about 
completes the list of positives. 

The Howard Lindsay - Russel 
Crouse book would undoubtedly 
seem more animated pud propul¬ 
sive if the musical numbers were 
better. But a story seauence 
isn’t brightened by being followed 
by a weak song or dance routine. 
Also, the book seems seriously 
handicapped hv its basic reference 
to the Grace Kelly-Prince Rainier 
wedding, which is strictly- last sea¬ 
son’s news and as such, pretty 
much so-whnt. Some of the jokes 
are positively painful (one of the 
worst is a pun on Goya and goy). 

The yarn presents Miss Merman 
as a filthy rich, socially snubbed 
Philadelphia matron who, having 
failed to be invite ^ to the Keliy- 
Rainier nuptials, d- ermines to top 
it by marrying off her daughter to 
the Duke of Granada, pretender 
to the Spanish throne. The un¬ 
comfortably pred’ciaWe switch has 
her marrying the 
while her daughter weds a socially. 


correct lawyer from Philly’ii snooty 
Main Line. 

There’s one combustible song, 
“Mutual Admiration Society,” in 
which the star duets with Virginia 
Gibson, playing her daughter, to 
I J5piirk__th£ _sort__pf _Rudience _ put^ 
burst that’s a Merman trademark. 
She also gives the inimitable Mer¬ 
man treatment to a milder tune, 
“Mr. Livingstone,” with acceptable 
result. 

But not even she 1 can make much 
of.“It’s Good to Be Here,” “This 
Is What I Call Love,” “The Game 
of Love,” “I’m a Funny Dame” 
and “Just Another Guy,” a para¬ 
phrase of the juvenile’s earlier 
“She’s Just Another Girl.” In gen¬ 
eral, the Harold Karr-Matt Dubey 
songs seeni prosaic, at least on the 
basis of a first hearing. 

Abe Burrows has staged the .mu- 
srnarIn^he'fffamier of a-nrinstrei-| 
show, lining up the players across 
the stage or setting them in static, 
groups, and the performance 
seems curiously slow. The Alex 
Romero and Bob Herget (the latter 
was. brought in during the tryout 
tour) Choreography appears rather 
pointless and not even very lively. 
The chorus apparently wasn’t 
selected for looks. 

Producer Jo'Mielziner, doubling 
as designer, has provided deco¬ 
rative scenery, although it.looks 
as though he had leaned backward 
a bit to avoid lavishness. Except 
for a few becoming gowns, Irene 
Sharaff (who did the stunning 
clothes for the previous week’s 
opener, “Candide”) has provided 
downright ugly costume! 

Among the featured cast mem¬ 
bers who get by without personal 
disaster are the singer-dancer, 
Miss Gibson; Gordon Polk as an in¬ 
adequately singing juyenile whose 
appearance vaguely suggests El¬ 
liott Nugent; Mary Finney as Mer¬ 
man’s hearty friend; Olive Tem¬ 
pleton as a tilted-chin Philly 
dowager, and Leon Belasco and 
Renato Cibelli as ducal hangers- 
on. 

The scenes between Miss Mer¬ 
man and Lamas are engaging (if 
hardly believable) and the star is 
her familiar, unique self in belting 
out a song or making practically 
every line a laugh. But that’s not 
much to cover a whole evening, 
and the gaps are frequent and em¬ 
barrassing. It remains to be seen, 
therefore, whether an Ethel Mer¬ 
man, not quite to svelte or spright¬ 
ly after several years of retire¬ 
ment, can tote the production into 
the money. Hobe. 

Mister Roberts 

N. Y. City Center Theatre Co. (Jean 
Dallymple, director) revival of comedy 
in two acts, by Joshua Logan and Thomas 
Heggen, based on the latter’s novel. Stars 
Charlton Heston; features Orson Bean, 
William -Harrigan, Fred Clark, Nancy 
Berg. Staged by John Forsythe; settings 
and lighting based on original designs by 
Jo Mielziner. At City Center, N.Y., Dec. 

5, ’56; $3.80 top. 

Chief Johnsoi}.. Joe Hardy 

Lt. Roberts .Charlton Heston 

Doc ...Fred Clark 

Dowdy .. .Frank Campanella 

Captain.William Harrigan 

Insignia . Joe Marcus 

Mannion. Jack de Mave 

Lindstrom ..Ranee Howard 

Stefanowski . Stanley Beck 

Wiley .;.Walter Massey 

Schlemmer. w ,. Dick Button 

Reber .Buddy Reynolds 

Ens. Pulver. Orson Bean 

Dolan .. .Walter Mathews 

Gerhart ... Steve Pluta 

Payne .Clint Kimbrough 

Lt. Ann Girard...Nancy Berg 

Shore Patrolman ....» Jeff Harris 

Military Policeman .David Davis 

Shore Patrol Officer... Gerald H. Metcalfe 
Seamen, Firemen, etc.: Arthur Abelson, 
David Anthony, Rick Brymer, Barry 
Alan . Grael, Ronald Louis House, 
Michael Jacobsen, Michael F. Kasden, 
David Kurzon, Arthur LeRal, Bert 
Wechsler. 


Popular Girl 

The Theatrical Calendar, 
legit production schedule pub- " 
lished by Celebrity Service, 
has been listing.authoress Jean 
Kerr as producer of the con- - 
. templated presentation of 4 
“The Last Resorts,” which 
she adapted from Cleveland 

. _ Amnry_’s, JxestS£U@L__ 

When 51 queried about it r she 
commented, “That’ll be the 
day—when I turn producer.” 
Then, after a slight pause, she^ 
added, “Maybe that’s why so . 
many scene designers have 
been calling me.” 


Inside §taff-Legit- 


Howard Lindsay <and Russel Crouse, represented in Boston with 
“Happy Hunting,”, the Ethel Merman musical, for which they, supplied 
the book—rand with “Arsenic and Old Lace” revival starring'Gertrude 
Berg found themselves caught up in double-barreled social activities 
last Wednesday night (28), Authors attended opening night party with 
the ’’Arsenic” company, and a party given by Jo Mielziner for the 
“Hunting” cast to celebrate “freezing” all material for the Merman 
alfraction priofTolts preehtT at The TVIaj asticTN;tomtirf6wTTfinrsJr 
Lindsay also found time late last week to inspect the new Sheldoa ' 
room in the Harvard Theatre Collection at Cambridge. 


intro. Moreover# it isn’t likely to 
disappoint- -anyone ■ who may'. feel 
like dropping in on the show for 
old time’s sake. 

Besides Heston, who impresses 
as a prospect for other Broadway 


Legit Bits 


assignments; there af*-effeetive-^^ 

performances L by William Harrigan I . w . e€ * eToslng^ the 1955 1 a< 

in his original part of the psycho¬ 
pathic Captain, Fred. Clark, ■*“ " 


The way things have worked out, 
it’s too bad the N. Y. City Center 
drama season doesn’t extend the 
year around. With the revival of 
“Mister Roberts” as its third show, 
the series is hitting a climax. The 
Joshua Logan-Thomas Heggen 
dramatization of the latter’s best¬ 
seller is. a sock finale for a season 
that began weakly with an inade¬ 
quate revival of “Teahouse of the 
August Moon” and followed that 
with a tasteful production of “Glass 
Menagerie.” 

‘Roberts” is a natural audience- 
winner and with Charlton Heston 
giving a direct, persuasive per¬ 
formance in the title rolei the saga 
of a rustbucket Navy supply ship in 
the Pacific in World War II offers 
an undeniable blend of broad com¬ 
edy and sentiment. The show 
lacks some of the depth and 
finesse of Leland Hayward’s orig¬ 
inal Broadway production, which 
Logan staged. But considering the 
budget and rehearsal limitations of 
the Center, this is a satisfying re¬ 
vival. 

For the exceptional playgoer 
who may never have seen the legit 
version, with Henry Fonda, David 
Wayne and Robert Keith as leads, 
or Hayward's screen edition for 
Warner release, with Fonda, Jack 
Lemmon and James Cagney, this 
should serve as a worthy, if belated 


^_ _ as a 

plausible and poised Doc, ■ Orson 
Bean as the very junior officer, 
Ens. Pulver, and television person¬ 
ality Nancy Berg as a decorative if 
inexperienced Army nurse. 

There are also-notable support¬ 
ing bits by Walter Mathews, Stan¬ 
ley Beck, Jack de Mave, Joe Hardy; 
Frank Campanella, Ranee Howard, 
Walter Massey and former Olym¬ 
pic skating champion Dick Button 
as assorted members of the ragtag 
crew. John Forsythe, who played 
the title role on tour and then, as 
Fonda’s successor on Broadway, 
has staged the show competently 
and Jo Mielziner’s original de¬ 
signers have been well adapted to 
the enlarged dimensions reduced 
budget of the City Center. Hobe. 

U.S. Stock Company To 
Offer English Language 
Legit Season in Rome 

The stock circuit has spread to 
Rome. An American legit com¬ 
pany is slated to move to the Ital¬ 
ian capital in February for a 14- 
week season of English-language 
productions. The group, tagged 
The American Theatre in Rome, 
was formed Maury McGee. 

Miss McGee was stage director 
of a prior English-speaking legit.| 
venture in Rome. That was in the 
spring of 1955 when the British- 
American troupe, labelled The 
Playhouse of Rome, put on a series 
of five plays. John C. Mather, an 
-Englishman, was producer of that 
venture, which spotlighted U.S. 
actor Robert Alda in a production 
of “Room Service.” 

The new project will occupy the 
same house as its predecessor, the 
340-seat Ridotto dell’ Eliseo. It’s 
part of Rome’s largest and most 
modern theatre, the Eliseo, on the 
via Nazionale. Plans call for seven 
plays to be presented for a fort¬ 
night each, with “Picnic” as the 
opening entry, Ffib. 20. Scheduled 
to follow consecutively are “Solid 
Gold Cadillac,” “Roomful of 
Roses,” “Harvey,” “Anastasia,” 
“Sabrina Fair” and “Country Girl.” 
Tix will be scaled to an approxi¬ 
mate $2.40 top. 

Miss McGee recruited most of 
her all-Equity cast from the Port 
Players, a strawhat operation at 
Oconomowoc, Wis., where she was 
active last summer. The troupe 
will include Clinton Anderson, Jill 
Andre, Sorrel Carson, Wyatt Coop¬ 
er, Gertrude Flynn, Sarah Hardy, 
Mona Medici, Richard Taylor, 
Richard Via and Shirley Wilbur, 
with Jack Bostick and John Hanau 
as alternate directors. 

Miss McGee will sail Dec. 27 for 
Rome, with the company embark¬ 
ing Jan., 23. The group -will be 
housed in a villa rented by Miss 
McGee. 


• Maurice Zolotow 

who has covered the Broadway 
seen# for quite a spell 
wonders If Broadway producers are 
playing it (too) safe In his 

Plea For 
Playwrights 


one of the editorial features 
in the upcoming 
51st Anniversary Number 
of 

pfiltlETY 


Peter Davis, business manager 
for the Theatre Guild, has re¬ 
signed his doubling assignment as 
general manager of the Coconut 
Playhouse, Coconut Grave, Fla.t, 
“South Pacific” which drew a 
r ecord 15 7,474 payees during 


Municipal Opera Season has heen 
set to tee off the 1957 season next 
June. 

Pressagent Bev Kelley in Frisco 
ahead of the Lunts in “Great 
Sebastians,” opening Jan. 7 at the 
Curran. 

Shirley Booth says she plans on 
two films, “The Matchmaker” and 
“Next of Kin,” and a tv- show, 
“Story of Perle Mesta,” after her 
current run in “Desk Set.” 

Turnabout Theatre now on a 
weekends-only basis in Frisco. 

Producer Randolph Hale closing 
“Anniversary Waltz”, in Frisco 
after 13 months, heads to Los An¬ 
geles where he plans to open 
“Waltz” later this month. 

Eve McVeagh and William A. 
Forester will star in “Look 
Through a Dirty Window,” new 
play by Wayne Heffley which the 
New Hampshire Playhouse, Holly¬ 
wood, will try out in January. 

Studebaker Theatre Co. opens its 
second stock series Feb. 19 in 
Chicago with Arthur Miller’s “View 
From the Bridge.” Productions will 
run three weeks rather than the 
four-week cycles being followed 
In the still current initial series. 

Barnett Owen, regular director 
at the Cherry County, Playhouse in 
Traverse City, Mich., is stage man¬ 
ager. for Chicago’s Studebaker The¬ 
atre stock company. 

William Douglas Home, whose 
“Reluctant Debutante” has settled 
down for a run at the Henry Miller 
Theatre, N. Y., returned to Lon¬ 
don last week with his wife. 

Look Homeward Angel,” by the 
late Thomas Wolfe, has been dram¬ 
atized by Ketti Frings. 

The rights to “Rivalry,” Norman 
Corwin’s adaptation of the Lincoln- 
Douglas debates, which preemed 
on the Coast recently under the 
production auspices of George 
Boroff, have been acquired by Paul 
Gregory, who plans to bring the 
property to Broadway next fall 
after a cross-country tour. 

Robert Emmett has bowed out 
as adaptor of Peter De Vries’ novel, 
Comfort Me With Apples.” 

Roger Dettmer, drama critic for 
the Chicago-American, winds up a 
week of Broadway playgoing to¬ 
morrow (Thurs.). 

“Lysistrata,” translated and adapt¬ 
ed by Gilbert Seldes and directed 
by Tamara Geva, is being presented 
today (Wed).) through next Sunday 
(16) by the Equity Library Theatre 
at the Lenox Hill Playhouse, N. Y. 
The next ELT production at the 
house will be “Climate of Eden” 
from Jan. 9-13. 

“Maggie,” an operetta based on 
Sir James M. Barrie’s comedy, 
“What Every Woman Knows,” with 
music. and lyrics by William Roy 
and book by Hugh Thomas, will be 
presented at the Kaufman Audi¬ 
torium of the YMHA, N.Y., next 
Sunday (16). Maurice Levine will 
direct the “Y” Symphonic Work¬ 
shop and Chorus, with Gerald 
Freedman as book director. 

Gene Wolsk has been set as gen¬ 
eral manager for The New Theatre 
Company, currently represented* 
off-Broadway by its production of 
“Take a Giant Step.” i 

Staff for the Arena Stage, which 
reopened recently at a new loca¬ 
tion in Washington after a year- 
and-a-half of inactivity, includes: 
Hilmar Sallee, production coordi¬ 
nator for managing director Zelda 
Fichandler; Robert Conley, techni¬ 
cal jdirector-designer; Leo Gallen- 
stein, lighting director; Terry Jo¬ 
seph, assistant to Mrs. Fichandler; 
Warren Schreiner, boxoffice man¬ 
ager and resident actor; Polly Gil¬ 
lette, props; Barbara Mendels, 
sound assistant, and Robert Living¬ 
ston, stage manager. .The resident 
company also includes Allen Jo¬ 
seph, Margot Hartman and. Del 
Tenney. 

Eddie Dowling has acquired the 
Broadway stage rights to “La 
Muralla,” by Spanish playwright 
Joaquin Calvo-Sotelo. Joseph Hol¬ 
land Gleason is adapting the prop¬ 
erty under the title, “The Barrier.” 

Stephen Longstreet has drama¬ 
tized Helga Moray's novel, “Tisa,” 
and will partner with Mrs, Reggie 


Mate, wife of film director Rudy 
Mate, on a proposed Broadway pro* 
duction next season. 

Geoffrey Lumb joined the tour¬ 
ing “Witness For the Prosecution” 
recently in Chicago, replacing Ron- 
ald L ong in the role originally 
^oneTSjTFrancis L. Sullivan. 

Sean O’Casey’s “Purple Dust” 
will have its American preem Dec; 
27 at the Cherry Lane Theatre, 
N. Y., under the production aus¬ 
pices of Paul Shyre, Noel Behn, . 
Howard Gottfried and Lewis Mant* 
low. 

Richard Homer is company man¬ 
ager for “Cranks.” 
k John Kane has withdrawn from 
the cast of “Uncle Willie.” 

Normaii Hall, NBC-TV staffer, 
will stage Paul Shyre’s reading 
adaptation of John Dos Passos* 
“U.S.A.” for Dec. 18 matinee pres¬ 
entation at the Theatre de Lys, 
N.Y., by the Greater New York 
Chapter of the American National 
Theatre & Academy. 

The Actor’s Fund of America will 
hold its second annual “Salute to 
Broadway” luncheon Dec. 22 at the 
Sheraton Astor Hotel, N.Y. 

An exhibition of the stage 
designs of Donald M. Oenslager, 
Professor of Scenic Design in the 
Yale School of Drama, is on ex¬ 
hibition at the Yale Art Gallery 
through Sunday (9). 

Production staff for the Lucille- 
Lortel - Sanford Friedman - Henry 
Boettcher presentation of Charles 
Morgan’s “River Line,” slated for 
a Jan. 3 preem at the Carnegie Hall 
Playhouse, N.Y., includes Stuart 
Vaughan, director; Myron K. 
Weinberg, general manager; Henry 
Weinstein, managing director and 
Jay Russell, pressagent. 

“The 'Boy and the Egg,” by 
Stanley Mann and Roger Mac- 
Dougall, is slated for. Broadway 
production by Mark Marvin, Fred 
Finklehoffe and Gabriel Katzka. 
Reginald Denham will direct. 

Out-of-town drama critics catch¬ 
ing Broadway plays last week in¬ 
cluded Edwin F. Schallert, of the 
Los Angeles Times, an'd Jay Car- 
mody, of the Washington Star. 

Howard Teichraann’s “A Casual 
Miracle,” based on Nathanael 
West’s novel, “Miss Lonely Hearts,” 
is scheduled for Broadway presen¬ 
tation this season by Diana Green, 
with Alan Schneider directing. Ai 
Jones will be general and com¬ 
pany manager. 

James Schlader and Anthony 
Gardell, performers in “Most 
Happy Fella,” plan making their 
debut as Broadway producers next 
spring with Frank Merlin’s one- 
character play, “I Got Shoes.” 

Warner Bros, has made a pre- 
production purchase of the film 
rights to Irene Karap’g comedy, 
“Young Strangers,” which Robert 
Fryer, Lawrence Carr, Bertram 
Bloch and his wife, Edythe Latham; 
plan for Broadway presentation. 

Michael Laurence, a tv director, s 
and Stephen Richards, a composer- 
arranger, Dlan bowing as Broad¬ 
way producers next spring with 
Gerald Reidenbaugh’s “Take the 
Dross Away From the Silver.” 
Monty Shaff will be general man- 

Cheryl Crawford’s production 
agenda for this season includes 
“West Side Story,” the musical 
comedy with book by Arthur 
Laurents, music by Leonard Bern¬ 
stein and lyrics by Steve Sond¬ 
heim. Jerome Robbins is scheduled 
to stage the offering, 
ager. 

Italo Tajo, Italian bass-baritone, 
joined “Fanny” last week in 
the role originated by Ezio Pinza, 
later taken over by Lawrence Tib- 
bett and now being played by 
Henry Michel. 

Designers recently set for shows 
include: Boris Aronson (sets) and 
Irene Sharaff (costumes) “Small 
War on Murray Hill”; Oliver Smith 
(sets), Lucinda Ballard (costumes), 
and Abe Feder (lighting), “Clear¬ 
ing in the -Woods”; Oliver Smith 
(sets) and Miles White (costumes), 
“Eugenia”; Mordecai Gorelik (sets), 
“Sin of Pat Muldoon”; Wolfgang 
Roth (sets and lighting), “River 
Line”; (sets and costumes), “Good 
Woman of Setzuan”; Peter Larkin 
(sets), “Good as Gold,” Lester Pola- 
kov (sets), “Purple Dust” John 
Kinigstein (sets) “Eagle Has, Two 
Heads” and Boris Aronson (sets), 
Lucinda Ballard (costumes), Abe 
Feder (lighting), “Orpheus De¬ 
scending.” 






































Wednesday, December 12, 1956 




LEGITIMATE 


73 


New Performer Crop in Musicals 
Includes Names From Other Fields 


A fresh crop of musical perform- +- 
_ ers _ 4s-~4*placirig- the Broadway - 
mainstays of the past decade’or so. 
Some of the newcomers are name 
recruits from straight plays and ! 
other entertainmeht media. ' 

The change is evident in the 
current Broadway song-and-dance 
show lineup, which is heavier than 
its been in years. On tap are 10 
tuners, including a revue. Despite 
the load, there's only one longtime 
musical star on the boards. That’s 
Ethel Merman, who returned to 
Broadway last week t in "Happy 
Hunting” after a six-year absence. 

_ Most Of, the_other„topliners. .are. 
"making ~ their Broadway musical 
debuts. They include Rex Harrison 
("My Fair Lady”), Fernando Lamas 
("Hunting”), Peter Palmer ("Li’l 
Abner”), Judy Holliday and Syd¬ 
ney Chaplin ("Bells Are Ringing”), 
Robert Weede ("Most Happy 
Fella”), Max Adrian ("Candida”), 
Sammy Davis Jr. ("Mr. Wonder¬ 
ful”) and Italo Tajo ("Fanny”). 

Except for Palmer, all are estab¬ 
lished professionals. Harrison and 
Holliday are legit-film stars, while 
Lamas is also a Hollywood name. 
Chaplin has appeared in legit and 
pictures, while Weede and Tajo 
have opera backgrounds. Adrian, 
a British film-legit headliner, has 
had prior musical outings overseas. 
Davis is from the nitery field. 

'"he comparative newcomers, 
with previous musicals under their 
belts, include Gretchen Wyler 
(Gwen Verdon’s replacement in 
"Damn Yankees”), Edith Adams 
("Li-1 Abner”), Julie Andrews 
("Lady”) and Jo Sullivan ("Fella”). 
The revue, "New Faces of 1956,” 
as indicated by its title, is confined 
to newcomers. Billy Gilbert, co- 
starring with’Tajo in "Fanny,” has 
been principally active in films, 
hut previously had some Broadway 
tuners to his credit. 


Late Delivery 

It is almost inevitable that 
Variety, along with other 
periodicals, will be delayed in 
delivery in some sections of 
the country during this holi¬ 
day season. 

The U.S. Post Office Dept., 
in seeming anticipation, has 
advised all publications that, 
from Dec. 10 to Jan. 2, it "will 
not be in a position to investi¬ 
gate complaints of late receint 
of newspapers by your sub¬ 
scribers.During--this-perrodr— 
thousands of temporary em¬ 
ployees are ... in the Postal 
service arid . . . railroad com¬ 
panies” and any complaint 
about P. O. Dept, service—or 
lack of it—will have to be ig¬ 
nored because of the Xmas 
holiday mailing ru$h. 


Postpone Reopening Of 
Stamford (Conn.) Stock 

The planned resumption of stock 
at the Stamford (Conn.) Playhouse 
has been put back from Dec. 3.1 to 
Jan. 22. Producers Telly Savalas 
! and Frederick Dans (Parentha 
Productions) plan a 39-week ope r- . 
-atluir air - the i^53If-seafer,'’wifE|' 
shows playing fortnight stands. A 
ticket subscription deal, covering 
four shows, will be peddled at 
$4-$12. 

Daris, incidentally, was involved j 
in a prior unsuccessful stock ven< 


N.Y. Theatre League Sets Up Agency 
To Handle Booking When UBO Folds, 
Bat RoadGroup ffluUshwn Setup 


ture at the Playhouse in 1955.' 


Siobhan Eyeing 


(Please! Not an Agent) 
Getting No‘Hunting’% 

Another talent agent is doing the 
casting director bit. This time, 
however, the usual dispute over 
the collection of commissions from 
performers is not involved. The 
possibility of an issue has % been 
avoided, since none of th^ agent’s 
clients is involved in the produc¬ 
tion. 

Working both sides of the fence 
is Charles Baker, of the William 
Morris agency’s legit department. 
He’s program-billed as casting di¬ 
rector of the new Ethel Merman 
musical, “Happy Hunting,’” which 
opened on Broadway last week. 
That theoretically puts him in the 
position of being a buyer and ped¬ 
dler of talent at the same time. 

Similar situations have cropped 
up before, and last year Actors 
Equity reaffirmed a regulation for¬ 
bidding agents holding such posi¬ 
tions from collecting commissions 
from players they place.'According 
to a union official, none of the 
"Hunting” principals is repped by 
the Morris office, and since chorus 
members don’t pay commissions no 
problem exists. 

Under the Equity ruling an 
agent collecting a salary as a rep¬ 
resentative of a show cannot col¬ 
lect talent commissions also. How¬ 
ever, a union rep noted that in 
some cases the credit is purely a 
prestige item, without any.mone¬ 
tary compensation, thus excluding 
the possibility of a two-way payoff. 
In cases tvhere a salary is being 
paid, an agent hiring his own cli¬ 
ent would have to forego his per¬ 
centage. ...... 

Equity’s stand on the matter is 
that an agent casting a show "is in 
reality art employee of the man¬ 
agement and as such is not serving 
the interests of the actors. There¬ 
fore, the union figures, he should 
not get a commission. 

‘Auk’s Second Ruii 

For the first time a park ride 
will have a legitimate drama set. 
Irving Rosenthal, operator of Pali¬ 
sades Amusement Park, Palisade, 
N.J., has. purchased the set of 
“Night of the Auk,” which closed 
Saturday (8) at the Playhouse, 
N. Y,, after a week’s run. 

The Howard Bay set depicts the 
inside of a space- ship. It’ll be used 
in conjunction with a ride called 
the Rocket, which Rosenthal has 
imported from Germany. 


Producers Thea. 
Acquires Playkill 

The Playbill, official program for 
New York Theatres, has been pur¬ 
chased by the Producers Theatre. 
The acquisition of the publication 
by the legit producing outfit be¬ 
came effective Nov. 19 with the 
purchase of all the outstanding 
common stock of Playbill, Inc. The 
price is understood to have b. ... 
about $225,000. 

More than 97% of the stock was 
owned by Richard M. Huber, who 
had been associated with the pro¬ 
gram publishing company for more 
than 50 years. The minority inter¬ 
ests were held by Thomas A. Stein- 
feld, a veepee of the company, and 
Vincent Karp, a member of its 
sales staff. Huber, incidentally,* is 
the nephew of the late Frank V. 
Storrs, film chain owner -Who took 
over the company in 1930, when the 
present size Playbill was adopted. 

The purchase by Producers Thea¬ 
tre was negotiated by William 
Becker, executive assistant to pro¬ 
ducer-realtor Roger L. Stevens, 
who is partnered in PT with 
realtor-theatre owner Robert W. 
Dowling and executive producer 
Robert Whitehead. Becker, who’s 
also head of Theatre Trains & 
Planes, a show tour agency, has 
(Continued on page 74) 


if on of ‘Joan 


Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 11. 

Siobhan McKenna hopes to play 
Hamlet and then enact the title 
role in a film edition ’ of “Saint 
Joan.” She plans to produce the 
latter venture on her own. . 

The actress is here for a one- 
woman performance next Sunday 
(16) of "An Afternoon with the 
Irish Poets,” under the sponsor¬ 
ship of Poets/ Theatre, at Sanders 
Theatre, on 'the Harvard campus. 
She closed last week hi an off- 
Broadway revival of "Joan” at the 
Phoenix Theatre, N.Y. She’ll take 
the production to Broadway for a 
two-week return engagement open¬ 
ing Dec. 24 at the Coronet, N.Y. 

After that, the star will return 
to her home in Dublin, where her 
husband, actor - director Denis 
O’Dea, is with the Abbey Theatre. 
That’s where she first played Joan 
in the Bernard Shaw drama, and 
where she hopes to act Hamlet. 

"I’ll play t^e Dane with a period 
blonde wig,” she says. "I won’t use 
any effeminate manner. I won’t 
strut around as I do in ‘Joan.’ The 
character of. Hamlet is a mental 
study rather than a physical. one. 
The role is within the realm of 
many, many women players.” 

The Irish actress explains that 
she figures on doing the film ver¬ 
sion of "Saint Joan” on a shoe¬ 
string basis. "I already have the 
required capitalization,” she re¬ 
veals. "It won’t take much. I will 
use an Irish cast, perhaps not en¬ 
tirely professional. 

"We’ll do the filming on location 
in France, in the fields, on the 
roads and in old castles and cathe¬ 
drals. As for the script, it’s all in 
my head right now. I don’t have to 
put it down on paper.” 


Package Deal? 

The Producers Theatre’s 
purchase last week of The 
Playbill, official program for 
New York's legit theatres, 
sparked the customary flurry 
of quips among the Sardi set. 
One observer noted that the 
Roger L. Stevens-Robert W. 
JDnwling-s-Jlobert—Wh-iteh-eacP 1 ^- 
firm had already set some sort 
of record with its wholesale 
production activity, investment 
in other management ventures, 
tieups with London shows and 
theatres and ownership of 
Broadway houses. 

"Logically, their next step,” 
he suggested, "will be to buy 
Jake Shubert.” 


Musical Stocks 
Still the Style 

Boston, Dec. 11. 

G. Sheldon Balloch and Clifford 
N. Lenox, who produce^ musical 
stock at John Hancock Hall here 
last summer, have formed a new 
local resident Vr tre company for 
year round operation. They plan 
using a downtown house in the 
regular season and moving to the 
Hancock for summer. Balloch said 
the company failed to get the -Wil¬ 
bur Theatre and is now negotiating 
for the Shubert’s Copley, dark as 
a legiter for several years and now 
used as a church. 

For the strawhat period, the out¬ 
fit plans a 10-week season, present¬ 
ing five musicals, rurining two 
weeks each. Guest names and a 
regular resident company will be 
employed, similar to the system 
used, last year when five weeks of 
musicals were presented. 


New Frisco. Tent 
SanFrancisco.Dec.il. 
■yifork will start shortly on an 
1,800-seat summer' music theatre 
in the infield of Bay Meadows Race 
Track in suburban San Mateo. The 
house is being built by producers 
Russell Lewis and Howard Young. 

(Continued on page'74) 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to arty Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46H» St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sqnset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


The first major move in estab¬ 
lishing a new booking agency for 
touring legit shows has been made 
by the League of New York Thea¬ 
tres. The organization of Broad¬ 
way producers and theatre owners 
has fi^& incorporation papers for 
the purpose of launching the In¬ 
dependent Booking Office. How¬ 
ever, a key question is whether the 
out-of-town theatre men will par- 
.ticipale_ar~. form--their- own-book¬ 
ing organization. 

A $20,000 fund to get the out¬ 
fit roiling has been set up by .the 
League, the Council of Living 
Theatres and the Committee of 
Theatrical Producers. The IBO 
was formed because of the need 
for an organization to replace the 
United Booking Office, which must 
be sold or liquidated by the end of . 
the current legit season, as stipu¬ 
lated in a Government consent de¬ 
cree breaking the Shubert-UBO 
booking setup. 

The application for incorporation 
was signed by 10 members of the 
League’s board of governors. Out- 
of-town theatre operators, some of 
whom have been considering form¬ 
ing their own booking organization, 
have been invited to join IBO. A 
League committee, headed by 
Louis Lotito, general manager of 
the Martin Beck Theatre, N.Y., and 
vice president of City Playhouses, 
is scheduled to meet with members 
(Continued on page 77) 


Ft. Wayne Stock Folds 
" After Playing 4 Weeks; 
20G Suit vs. Ex-Prexy 

Ft. Wayne, Dec. 11. 

The stock operation at the Pal¬ 
ace Theatre here has folded. The 
collapse, attributed to poor busi¬ 
ness and insufficient capital,- has 
also spurred a $20,000 lawsuit 
against Richard A. McKay, former 
president of Conwayne Produc¬ 
tions, which was sponsoring the 
[jPalace project. 

A 12-week, season contempated 
by Conwayne was cut short Dec. 
2, following the windup of the 
fou til production. According to 
producer-director Douglas Conway, 
the star operation hps a "consider¬ 
able reserve fund deficit.” It’s in 
relation to" this that McKaye is be¬ 
ing sued. 

The legal action against the ex- 
prexy was taken by Conwayne, 
which charges that he failed to 
fulfiill an agreement Co purchase 
80 shares of stock at $100 par value 
and also to buy- $8,000 worth of 
5% debentures. It’s charged the 
deficit was caused by the alleged 
default. According to Phil A. Stei- 
gerwald, McKaye’s successor, the 
corporation "figured on running 
in the red on the first six shows, 
anyway,but the lack' of initial 
capital forced the closing. 

The stockholders are consider¬ 
ing a promotional campaign to pre¬ 
sell a new season next spring, with 
an announced bill, of four star- 
topped shows. The closing offering 
was “Harvey,” staiving Edward 
Everett Horton. The preceding en¬ 
tries were "Seven Year Itch,” with 
Eddie Bracken; “Made in Heaven,” 
with Richard Arlen, and ‘.‘Oh Men, 
Oh Women,” with Eva Gabor. 

Scheduled to follow ^Harvey” 
was "Anastasia,” with Joan Tetzel. 
Despite the shuttering, Conway 
says he plans to direct the outdoor 
Festival Theatre here next sum¬ 
mer. 


‘Wonderful Town’ Latest 
U.S. Tuner Hit in Vienna 

Vienna, Nov. 27. 

‘‘•Wonderful Town,” the second 
Broadway-originated musical to he 
presented at the Volksopera here 
by Marcel Prawy, looks to repeat 
the click of its predecessor, "Kiss 
Me Kate.” An international cast 
includes Ulla Sallert, from Stock¬ 
holm, and Olive Moorefield, from 
the U. S., playing the sisters. 

Other performers include Bruce 
Low, from Dutch Guiana, Ameri¬ 
can Hubert Dilworth and German 
comedian Siegfried Arno. Heinz 
Rosen directed, with Walter Hoes- 
slin and Alice M. Schlesinger pro¬ 
viding the sots and costumes, re¬ 
spectively. 
































Wednesday? December 12, 1956 




LEGITIMATE 


Phifly Tapering Off, Bui lark’ 34G, 
‘Uncle Willie’ $16,100, ‘Custody’ $6JO 


75 


Philadelphia, Dec. 11. 
“The Lark'* reached oeUeut^ro- 
portions in the second and final 
week here. “Protective Custody,” 
Faye Emerson starrer at the Wal¬ 
nut,' evoked poor response, helped 
only * by the First-Nighters Club, 
local cutrate ticket set^p. 

With nothing new on the books 
skedded until Christmas week, the 
lone entry last stanza was Menasha 
Skulnick’s “Uncle Willie.” The 
three local’ critics, Murdock, In¬ 
quirer; Sensenderfer, Bulletin, and 
Gaghan, News, all flipped for the 
comedian but had scant praise for 
the Julie Berns-Irving Elman play. 

__^timatea_tojr^Easl_Week . 

The Lark, Forrest (D) (2d wk) 
($4.80: 1,760; $35,000) (Julie Har¬ 
ris). Star power, plus steady press 
buildup, in addition to subscrip¬ 
tion sale, put this one in SRO cate¬ 
gory; previous week. §31,000; last 
week,-over $34,000; left town Sat¬ 
urday (B). 

. Uncle Willie, Locust (C) (1st wk) 
($4.20:; 1,580; $30,000) (Menasha 
Skulmck). Sock perform anc e'drew 
nice notices; but weak -vehicle un¬ 
doubtedly hurt pulling power; fair 
$16,100. 

Protective Custody, Walnut (D) 
($4.80; 1,34Q; $30,000) (Faye Emer¬ 
son). Although the story about po¬ 
lice tactics in satellite nation 
seems topical enough, the public 
shied away; previous week $10,000; 
last week, under $6,200. 

'DESK SET’ O.K. $26,500, 
'JANUS' $13,000, FRISCO 

San Francisco, Dec. 11. 
.Business spurted in third frame 
of “Desk Set” at the Curran and 
producers Jack Present and Harry 
Zevin have picked up a three-week 
option on the theatre and will run 
in Frisco through Jan. 5. 

Third round of “Janus” at -the 
Alcazar was down from previous 
session, and seventh week of 
return engagement of “Anniversa^ 
ry Waltz” at the Geary just hit the 
break-even point and closed last 
Saturday (8) night. 

Estimates for Last Week 
Desk Set, Curran (3d wk) ($4.40- 
$4.95; 1,752; $44,000) (Shirley 

Booth). Healthy $26,500 (includes 
10% tax slice); previous week, 
$25,500. 

Janus, Alcazar (3d wk) ($4.40; 
1,147; $29,000) (Joan Bennett, 

Donald Cook, Romney Brent). 
Sagging $13,000; previous week, 
$14,700. 

Anniversary Waltz, Geary (7th 
wk) ($3.85; 1,550; $32,000) (Russell 
Nype, Marjorie Lord). Break-even 
$10,200; previous week, $9,600. 


'HatfoTFaimh $18,000, 
‘Gardei’ 514,300, Detroit 

Detroit, Dec. 11. 

Second and Anal stanza of “Hat¬ 
ful of Rain,” starring Vivian Blaine, 
grossed a fair $18,000 at the 
Shubert Theatre last week. The 
2,050-seater had a potential capaci¬ 
ty for this show of $28,000 at a 
$3.50 top. “Chalk’Garden,” starring 
Judith Aridarson, did a poor $14,- 
300 at the 1,482-seat Cass. House 
was scaled at $4 top. 

- Current-at the Shubert is~“Will 
Success Spoil Rock Hunter,” star¬ 
ring Eddie Bracken. Production is 
in for one week. The Cass is dark. 


‘Cat’ Gets Cozy $38,800; 
$105,160 in 3 Weeks, D.C. 

Washington, Dec. 11. 

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” star¬ 
ring Thomas Gomez, Marjorie 
Steele and Alex Nicol, hit a sizzling 
. §38,800 last week at the l^QQbseat 
“fNational Theatre, it was the third 
and final frame here, with the over¬ 
all take for the stand totalling 
$105,100. The top Was $4.95. 

“The Lark,” starring Julie Har¬ 
ris, moved in. the National last 
night (Mon.), while the Shubert 
Theatre, dark last week, relights 
tonight (Tues.) with “Protective 
Custody,” tryout starring Faye 
Emerson, 


Lunts Passable $24,400 
In Full Week in Kaycee 

* Kansas City, Dec. 11. 

The Lunts returned to town last 
week with “Great Sebastians” at 
the Victoria Theatre. Reception 
was okay, although stormy weather 
Thursday (6) was no help. The 
show was offered by the Antonello 
Agency at a $4.48 top price, and 
received line notices. Take for the 
week was $24,400. 

“Pajama Game” and “Hatful of 
Rain” are on the future docket, but 
dates are not being advertised as 
yet. 


British Shows 

(Figures denote opening dates) 

LONDON 

Uoy Frlond, Wyndham's (12-1-53). 

Chalk Cardan, Haymarket (4-11-56). 
Diary Anne Frank, Phoenix (11-29-56). 
Doctor in House, Vic. Pal. (7-30-56). 
Double Image, Savoy (11-14-56). 

D'Oyly Carte, Prince's (12-3-56). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). 

Fanny, Drury Lane (11-15-56). 

Fot Amusement Only, Apollo (6-5-56). 
House by Lake, York'* (5-9-56). 

Ktsmat, Stoll <4-20-55). 

Le Misanthrope, Palace (11-14-56). . 
Mousetrap, Ambassador* (11-25-52). 

K rs. Gibbons* DoVs, Westmln. (12-11-56). 

o Time Sgtso Her MaJ. (8-23-56). 

Nude With Violin, Globe (11-7-56). 
Pe|ema Game, Coliseum' (10*13-55). 
Plaintiff In Hat, Duchess (10-11-50). 
Plume da ma Tante, Garrick (11-3-55): 
Rainmaker, St. Mart. (5-31-56). 

Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (5-24-55) 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Palace (11-12-56). 
Repertory, Old Vic (9-7-55). 

Romanoff & Juliet, Piccadilly (5-17-56). 
Rosalinda Fuller, Arts (10-8-56). 

Sailor Beware, Strand (2-16-55). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54).' 

South Sea Bubble, Lyric (4-25-56). 
Towards Zero, St. James's (9-4-58). 
Touch of Fear, Aldwych (12-5-56). 
Under Milk Wood, New (9-20-56). 

United Notions, AdelphI (11-28-56). 

View From Bridge, Comedy (10-11-56). 
Waltz of Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-56). 
Way of World, Seville (12-6-56). 
lero Hours, St. James's (9-4-56). 

. SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
Who Caros, Fortune (12-13-56). 

New Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-18). 

Bride & Bachelor, Duchess (12-19). 
Ticket of Leave Man, Arts (12-20). < 

„ Closed Last Week 
Uevll's Disciple, Wlnt. Gard. (11-8-56). 
Good Woman Setzuan, RV1 Ct. (10-31-56). 
Sorcerer's Apprentice, New Lind. (10-2). 
Ten Min. Alibi, Westminster (11-2-56). 


‘Yankees’ $37,600, 
‘Sets’ $27,700, Chi 

Chicago, Dec. 11. 

Start of the traditional pre- 
Christmas slump hit Loop legit 
boxoffices last week. 

Future bookings are; 41 Anniver¬ 
sary Waltz,” Blackstone, Dec. 30, 
for a run; “Janus,” Harris, Feb. 4, 
four weeks, on subscription, and 
the Old Vic Company, Blackstone, 
Feb. 11, two weeks. 

“Matchmaker,” slated for the 
Harris in January, has been post¬ 
poned. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Damn Yankees, Shubert (MC) 
(6th wk) ($5.50; 2,100; $58,000) 
(Bobby Clark). Over $37,600; 
previous week, $41,800. 

No Time for Sergeants, Erlanger 
(C) (13th wk) ($4.95; 1,335; $35,- 
495). Nearly $27,700; previous 
week, $32,400. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Harris (DMllth wk) <$4.95; 1,000; 
$29,347). Almost $9,500; previous 
week, $9,200. 

Miscellaneous 

Month In the Country, Stude- 
baker. Current stock revival con¬ 
tinues through Dec. 23; followed 
by “The Immoralist.” ■' 


'PRINCE'TORPID $13,300 
IN FINAL WEEK IN L. A. 

Los Angelas, Dec. 11. 

Local legit scene picks up slight¬ 
ly tonight (Tues.) with the arrival 
of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fon- 
tanne at the Biltmore for a four- 
week run in “Great Sebastians.” 
Entry gives the town a pair of 
legiters for this week at least. 

Last week's only tenant, “Sleep¬ 
ing Prince,” had a dull, $13,300 
frame for its second full week at 
the Huntington Hartford. Cur¬ 
rent week is final. 

“Sebastians,” incidentally, 
marks the end of a two-month 
drought at the Biltmore. 


'Success’ Not Rad $13,000 
On Single Week in Pitt 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 11. 

“Will Success Spoil Rock Hun¬ 
ter’ 4 got a modest $13,000 last week 
at the 1,750-seat Nixon, at $3.95 
top. The tourer dispensed with the 
regular matinees and instead did 
two performances each Friday and 
Saturday nights (7-8). Policy put 
the comedy across, since most of 
the business came in the final four 
shows. 

Nixon has “Chalk Garden” this 
week, with Audrey Ridgwell in the 
role Ruth Chatterton vacated be¬ 
cause of illness in Milwaukee, and 
Judith Anderson still starring. 


‘Small Servant’Tryout 
At Theatre ’56, Dallas 

Dallas, Dec. 11. 

Margo Jones Theatre ’56 will 
tryout “The Small Servant” next 
Tuesday (18) for a three-week run. 
Comedy, by S. I, Abelow and Rob¬ 
ert Cenedella, is the third produc¬ 
tion in the current 30-week season. 
Schedule changes advanced the 
preem of “Lawyer,” by Milton 
Kramer, from Nov. 27-Dec. 16 to 
next spring. “Macbeth” is current, 
playing through Sunday (16). 

“Hippolytus,” Greek classic pre¬ 
viously set to be translated and 
guest directed here Feb. 19-March 
10, has been indefinitely postponed 
due to the Inability of Dino Yanna- 
poulos to obtain leave as stage di¬ 
rector of the Metropolitan Opera 
Co. | 


‘Murder’11G, Hub 

Boston, Dec. 11. 

Only two shows were on the lo¬ 
cal boards last week as the tradi¬ 
tional pre-Christmas slump start¬ 
ed. Both were holdovers. Folderoo 
of “Arsenic And Qld Lace”, after 
five performances left the Colonial 
dark until next Monday (17), when 
“Small War on Murray Hill” opens 
for twp weeker. 

Christmas week has three en¬ 
tries skedded. “Fanny” is due Dec. 
25 at the Shubert, to be the first 
Hub musical getting a tv and radio 
ride as part of its ad budget. “Eu¬ 
genia,” starring Tallulah Bank- 
head, is set for Dec. 26 at the Plym¬ 
outh and “Waltz of the Toreadors,” 
starring Ralph/ Richardson and 
Merial Forbes, is listed for Dec. 
31 at the Colonial. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Speaking of Murder, Plymouth 
(D) (1st wk) ($3.85-$3.3Q; 1,241; 
$29,880). Opened to three favor¬ 
able (Doyle, American; Durgin, 
Globe; Hughes, Herald) and three 
fairs (Norton, Record; .Maloney, 
Traveler; Melvin, Monitor). Picked 
up $11,000; exits Saturday (15) for 
Manhattan. 

Inherit the Wind, Shubert (D) 
(1st wk) ($4.95-$4.40; 1,717; $35,- 
000) (Melvyn Douglas). Fine crit¬ 
ical and public reception. Racked 
up $27,500 for seven performances; 
holds through Dec. 22. 


B’way Begins Pre-Xmas Slowdown; 
Merman $45,600 (5), Holliday 55^G, 


‘BOY’PASSABLE $27,200 
FOR WEEK IN ST. LOO 

St. Louis, Dec. 11. 
“Boy Friend,” the first musical 
comedy to play the 1,513-seat 
American Theatre this season 
grossed a so-so $27,200 last week 
at a $4.95 top. 

House is dark currently, but 
relights next Monday (17) for a 
week’s stand of “A Hatful of Rain,” 
with Vivian Blaine as star, at $3.92 
top. 

SCHEDULED N. Y. OPENINGS 

(Theatres Indicated if set) 

Speaking of Murder, Royale (12-19). 
Uncle Willie, Golden (12-20). 

Saint Jean, Coronet (12-24). ' 

Ruth-Draper, Playhouse (12-25). 

Trollus & Crejwlda, Wint. Gard. (12-26). 
Protective Custody, Belasoo (12-27). 
Clearing In Woods (wk. 1-6). 

Waiting for Godot, Booth (1-9). 

Small War, Barrymore (1-16). 

Light a Penny Candle (1-16). 

Waltz of Toreadors, Coronet (1-17). 
Hidden River (wk. 1-20). 

Catch Falling Star (1-24). 

Eugenia (wk. 1-27). 

Potting Shed, Bijou (1-29). 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Wint. Gard. (1-30). 
Visit Small Planet. Booth (2-7). 

Tunnel of Love, Plymouth (2-13). 
Holiday for Lovers (2-14). 

Hole In Head (2-27). 

Zlegfeld Follies, Wint. Gard (2-28). 
Orpheus. Descending (3-21). 

Foolin' Ourselves (4-1). 

First Gentleman (4-11). 

New Girl in Town (5-8). 


OFF-BROADWAY 

Eagle Has Two Heads, Actors (12-13). 
Good Woman of Setzuan, Phoenix (12-18). 
Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12-27). . 
Shhn, Chanln (12-20). 

Volpone, Rooftop-(1-3). 

River Line, Carnegie Hall (1-3). 

Twelfth Night, St. Ignatius (1-4). 
Shadow Years, Open Stage (1-8). 

Easter, 4th St. (1-15). 

Measure for Measure, Phoenix (1-22). 
Taming of the Shrew, Phoenix (2-13). 
Duchess of Malfl, Phoenix (3-19). 


legit Playwright 

Phil Dunning 

discourses on why them should 
be a greater 

Actor-Playwright 

Esprit 

* * * 

one of the editorial features 
In th# upcoming 
51st Anniversary Number 
of 

P^RIETY 


Broadway moved into the tradi¬ 
tional pre-Christmas slide last 
week. Receipts dropped for practi¬ 
cally all shows not in the smash 
category. The slump is expected 
to continue this week- and next, 
picking up Christmas eve. “Happy 
Hunting,” which opened last week, 
joined “Auntie Marne,” “Bells Are 
Ringing,” “Li’l Abner,” “Long 
Day’s Journey Into Night,” “Major 
Barbara,” “Most Happy Fella,” 
“My Fair Lady.” . and “Separate 
Tables” in the capacity lineup. 

Other openers, besides “Hunt¬ 
ing” were the City Center’s “Mis¬ 
ter Roberts” and “Night of the 
Auk.” The latter folded last Satur¬ 
day (8). There are no preems this 
week. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Dr-amah R (Revue), 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op¬ 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number, 
of seats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price includes 10% Federal and 
5% City tax, but grosses are net; 
i.e., exclusive of tax. 

Apple Cart, Plymouth (C) ,(8th 
wk; 60; $5.75 1,062; $34,000) (Mau¬ 
rice Evans). Previous week, $23,- 
400; last week, over $20,700. Closes 
Feb. 2, to tour. 

Auntie Marne, Broadhurst (C) 
(6th wk; 45; $6.90-$5.75; .1.182; 
$43,000) (Rosalind Russell). Pre¬ 
vious week, $43,500; last week, 
same. 

Bells Are Ringing, Shubert (MC) 
(2d wk; 12; $7.50; 1,453; $55,039) 
(Judy Holliday). Previous week, 
$33,200 for first four performances 
and one preview; last week, over 
$55,500.- 

Candide, Beck (MC) (1st wk; 9; 
$8.05; 1,280; $52,000). Previous 
week, $31,000 for first perfor¬ 
mance and, five previews; last week 
almost $44,000. 

Cranks, Bijou (R) (2d wk; 16; 
$5.75; 603; $19,000). Previous 

week, $11,000 for first eight per¬ 
formances; last week,* almost 
$8,100. Closes next Saturday (15). 

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) 
(84th wk; 668; $8.05; 1,297; $50,- 
573). Previous week, $44,400; last 
week, oyer $42,100. 

Diary of Anne Frank, Cort (D) 
(62d wk; 493; $5.75; 1,036; $28,854) 
(Joseph Schildkraut). Previous 
week, $18,500; last week, almost 
$18,400. 

Fanny, Belasco (MD) (110th wk; 
876; $7,500; 1,037; $36,000) (Italo 
Tajo, Billy Gilbert). Moved Tues¬ 
day (4) to the Belasco Theatre, exit¬ 
ing next Sunday (16) to> tour. 
Previous week, $34,000 on twofers 
at the Majestic; last week, almost 
$23,100* mr twofers. 

Girls of Summer, Longacre (D) 
(3d wk; 24; $5.75; 1,101; $29,378) 
(Shelley Winters). Previous week, 
$24,300, last week, nearly $19,000. 

Happiest Millionaire, Lyceum 
(C) (3d Wk; 23; $5.75; 995; $25,000) 
(Walter Pidgeon). Previous week, 
$24,300; last week, over $23,700. 

Happy Hunting, Majestic (MC) 
(1st wk; 4; $8.05; 1,625; $69,989) 
(Ethel Merman). Opened 'last 
Thursday . (7) to four favorable 
reviews (Coleman,, Mirror; Don¬ 
nelly, .^YuHd-Telegram; McClain, 
Journal^ATiYCTican; Watts, Post) and 
three ...pro-star, anti?show (Atkin¬ 
son; Tihies; Chapman, News; Kerr, 
Herald Tribune); over $45,600 foi* 
first four performances and one 
preview. 

Inherit the Wind, National (D) 
(73d wk; 582; $5.75-$4.60; 1,162; 
$32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous 
week, $24,000; last week, nearly 
$22,500. 

Li’l Abner, St. James (MC) (4th 
wk; 28; $8.05; 1,028; $58,100). Pre¬ 
vious week, $57,500; last week, 
nearly $57,200, with theatre party 
commissions cutting into the capac¬ 
ity take. 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 
Helen Hayes (D) (5th wk; 28; $6.90; 
1,039; $30,000) (Frederic. March, 
Florence Eldridge). Previous 
week, $30,200; last week, over 
$30,100. 

Loud Red Patrick, Ambassador 
(C) (10th wk; 77; $5.75; 1,155; $36,- 
500) (Arthur Kennedy, David 
Wayne). Previous week, $18,600; 
last week, over $14,400. 

Major Barbara, Morosco (C) (6th 
wk; 47; $6.90; 946; $37,500) 

(Charles Laughton, Burgess Mere¬ 
dith, Glynis Johns, Eli Wallach, 
Cornelia Otis Skinner). Previous 
week, $37,310 for a new house rec¬ 
ord; last week, nearly $37,300, 


with theatre party commissions cut¬ 
ting into the capacity take. 

Matchmaker, Booth (C) (53d wk; 
424; $5.75; 766; $25,000) (Ruth 1 Gor¬ 
don, Eileen Herlie, Loring Smith). 
Closes Jan. 5, to tour. Previous 
week, $18,000; last week, almost 
$17,000. 

Middle of the Night, ANTA (D) 
(36th wk; 285; $5.75;, 1,185; $39,- 
116) (Edward G. Robinson). Pre¬ 
vious week, $35,900; last, week* 
nearly $32^900. 

Most Happy Fella, Imperial (MD) 
(32d wk; 252; $7.50; 1,427; $57,875). 
Previous week, $57,000; last week, 
almost $58,400. 

Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) 
(38th wk; 295; $7.50-$6.90; 1,900; 
$71,000). Previous week, - $42,700; 
last week, over $37,000. 

.My Fair, Lady, Heliinger (MC) 
(39th wk; 307; $8.05; 1,551; $67,696) 
(Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews). 
Previous week. $68,700; last week, 
same. Harrison begins a 12-week 
leave Feb. 1. 

New Faces, Barrymore (R) (26th 
wk; 204; $7.50-$6.90; $38,577). 

Closes Jan. 12, to tour. Previous 
week, $19,600; last week, almost 
$18,900. 

No Time for Sergeants, Alvin (CO 
(60th wk; 476; $5.75-$4.60; 1,331; 
$38,500). Previous week, $35,000; 
last week, over $34,000. ‘ 

Old Vic Co., Winter Garden (Re* 
pertory) (7th wk; 55; $5.75; 1,494; 
$45,000). Previous week $31,40p on 
“Romeo and Juliet” & “Macbeth”; 
last week, almost $29,000 on. same 
two shows. 

Reluctant Debutante, Miller (C) 
(9th wk;. 70; $5.75; 946; $27,100). 
(Adrienne Allen, Wilfred Hyde 
White). Previous week, $19,100; 
last week, nearly $19,600. 

Separate Tables, Music Box (D) 
(7th wk; 52; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021) , 
(Eric Portman, Margaret Leighton*. 
Previous week, $31,200; last week, 
same. 

Sleeping Prince, Coronet (C) 
(6th wk; 44; $6.90; 1,001; $36,500). 
(Michael Redgrave, Barbara Bel 
Geddes).. Closes Dec. 22. Previous 
week, $31,400; last week, over $25,- 
900. 

Miscellaneous 

Mister Roberts, City Center (C) 
(1st wk; 7; $3.80; 3,090; $45,000) 
(Chariton Heston). Opened last 
Wednesday (5) to unanimously 
favorable reviews (Atkinson, Times; 
Chapman, News; Coleman, Mirror; 
Donnelly, World-Telegram; Kerr, 1 
Herald, Tribune; McClain, Joumal- 
American; Watts, Post); over 
$25,800 for first seven per¬ 
formances and one preview. 

Closed Last Week 

Night of the Auk, Playhouse (D) 
(1st wk; 8; $5.75; 994; $30,033) 
(Claude Rains, Wendell • Corey, 
Christopher Plumber). Almost 
$12,500 for first eight performances; 
closed last Saturday (8) at an ap¬ 
proximate loss of its entire $90,000 
investment. 

Saint Joan, Phoenix (D) (2d wk; 
16; $3.85; 1,150; $26,000). Previous 
week, $15,500; last week, nearly 
$18,700; ended its limited two-week 
return stand last Sunday (9) and 
moves to Broadway for another, 
two-framer at the Coronet Theatre, 
beginning Dec. 24. 

OFF-B’WAY SHOWS 

Arms & Man. Downtown (10-1- 
56); 

Hamlet,', St. Ignatius Church (10- 
27-56); closes Dec. 30. 

Iceman Cometh, Circle-ih-Square 
(5-8-56). 

Lady From the Sea, w Tempo 
(12-4). : ' 

Me Candido, Greenwich- Mews 
(10-15-56). 

Misanthrope, Theatre East (11- 
12-56). 

Nine by Six, Open Stage (12- 
4-56). 

Sable Brush, Royal (11-27-56); 
closes next Sunday (16). 

Shoestring ’57, Barbizon - Plaza 
(1.1-5-56). 

Take a Giant Step, Jan Hus (9- 
22-56). 

Thor, With Angeles, B’way Con- 
gretional Church (10-14-56). 

Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9- 
20-55). 


‘Pajama’ Ragged $18,400 
. In Solo Week in Cincy 

Cincinnati, Dec. 11. 

“Pajama Game” drew a skimpy 
$18,400 last week in the 2,000-seat 
Shubert at $4.52. That was a dis¬ 
appointment, in view of the mu¬ 
sical’s gross of better than $50,000 
here the first time around. 

Theatre has “Hatful of Rain,” 
with Vivian Blaine as starrer, this 
week. Top is $3.96. 


76 


CONCERTS 


P^&RIEfY 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


HOW DO MALE OPERA STARS MAKE IT 

against the guttering prima donna? 


By LEONARD WARREN 

Baritone, Metropolitan and San 
Francisco Operas 


The idea that this is a man’s 
world, in which mere male-ness 
automatically makes success easier 
than for females is well-estab¬ 
lished. As a trite example, an Uij- 
wed mother, in or out of opera, 
has it tough, The father often gets 
off free. The ladies had to fight for 
the right to vote. We men handed 
it to .ourselves on a. silve r pl atter. 
And so it goes ... But riot in opera. 

As a man who has, in an 18-year 
career achieved the appellation 
“opera star,” I can tell you Hora¬ 
tio Alger would have had a harder 
row to hoe if he’d wanted to be an 
opera star instead of a tycoon. In 
which case, who knows what might 
have happened to our national 
Article of Faith that,, given Talent, 
success will always reward the 
hard-working, clean-living person 
who has the. will to win. * 

No one gets into opera without 
talent and hard, work, nor remains 
in it very long without a reason¬ 
able degree of clean-living—the 
high, wide and handsome life be¬ 
ing death to any voice in the long 
run. And, as any one who knows 
singers will testify, the will-to-win 
abounds in XLS. opera more than 
in any other arena, probably be¬ 
cause we have far fewer opera 
Stages where singers can do their 
stuff, than theatres, movies, supper- 
clubs, etc. where other performers 
can do theirs. 

Ladies of Steel Will 

The* exercise of that will-to-win 
by the “genus primadonna” is what 
reduces the idea of a “man’s world” 
in opera to absurdity, even while 
the ladies, rolling their pretty 
eyes heavenward, continue to be- 
wail" it, meanwhile establishing 
themselves as major competitive 
threats to their male colleagues. 

Why does competition arise be¬ 
tween male and female opera stars, 
when in other performing fields 
rivalry is usually between mem¬ 
bers of the same sex jockeying for 
top position? Because there are 
two goals for a singer, bent on 
operatic stardom: (1) Artistic rec¬ 
ognition, and (2) the prestige and 
contracts it can lead to. 

Prestige produces juicy plums: 
recordings, concerts, movies and 
tv. It creates a kind of fame, for 
entree into charmed and opulently 
rewarding circles outside opera. 
For though music lovers buy oper¬ 
atic recordings and tickets to con¬ 
certs, when it comes to .tv, the 
music public is only a small seg¬ 
ment of the auto-soap-cosmetic- 
coughdrop - and - cigarette - buying 
public wooed by that medium, ana 
a tiny portion of those who queue 
up at movie box-offices. 

In the matter of establishing 
themselves as glamorous person¬ 
alities who will “draw” in a movie, 
or “sell” on tv, operatic ladies have 
much more scope than their male 
colleagues. Heaven has endowed 
them with certain delightful attrib¬ 
utes in which there’s endless pub¬ 
lic interest, and custom approves 
their trading on them. 

There are the photos in low-clit 
and enchantingly becoming eve¬ 
ning gowns destined for the music 
pages. No male; singer can counter 
this, unless he. wants to flex his 
muscles in a “physical culture” 
pose. And if he did, who would 
use them? One New York after¬ 
noon paper has, I'm told, a rule 
that only pictures of female per¬ 
formers be used on its entertain¬ 
ment pages. 

One Male Wore a Tiara! 

There are also, to list quickly 
some of the other opportunities 
open to the ladies of the opera: 
The Fashion Feature, modelling a 
glamorous wardrobe; The Beauty 
Story; the First Night Openings 
where they are photographed al¬ 
luringly gowned accompanied by 
an escort serving as background. 
What man however true he sings, 
however well he acts on-stage can 
counter these opportunities? Can 
he model Bermuda shorts to her 
fashion story? Can he give an in¬ 
terview on how he gets a close 
shave, to her beauty story? Can he 
design his own red plaid dress suit 
and wear it to an opening? I do 
remember the opening of “The 
Hurok Story” where a male guest 
wore a tiara. He got nhotograohed, 
but if he had a career, I doubt the 


publicity did it much good, Tn 
short, the ladies have it made, 
when it comes to being able to call 
attention to themselves as glam¬ 
orous laborers in the operatic vine¬ 
yards. 

Don’t get me wong. I don’t be¬ 
grudge them one bit of their ad¬ 
vantage. I simply say that a male 
singer must establish himself as 
a star by other means. 

However, if you’re thinking of 
asking one what these other means 
are, you first have to identify him 
as a star. And that's hard because 
(being usually disguised by beards, 

<' .blet and hose on-stage) male 
opera singers seldom are recog¬ 
nized on the street or in restau¬ 
rants to be beseeched for auto- 
braphs. And as already pointed 
out, you don’t read much about I 
them in the public prints, aside | 
from reviews. 

How to Appraise Males 
About the only way you can 
establish a male opera singer’s 
star-status if you’re not “in the 
business” is by investigating. 

JDoes he do an impressive 
number of concerts in the 
country at large? 

Does he receive an impres¬ 
sive fee for them? 

How many recordings lias 
he made? Which company has 
him under contract? 

What guarantee have they 
made as to royalties, etc? 

How many and what kind of 
advertisements do they take 
to promote his records? 

Is he consistently chosen for 
“first performances of the Sea¬ 
son” and new opera produc¬ 
tions at thje Met? 

Is he in demand for other 
opera companies, here and 
abroad? 

The line of action that produces 
plus” answers to these questions 
is realistic, not glamorous as with 
a female opera star. Consistently 
good singing, coupled with persua¬ 
sive acting is one, since they move 
both audiences and critics to 
praise. Not less important is a 
large repertoire. If the Buenos 
Aires opera wants you for “Simon 
Boccanegra,” the fact that you’re 
considered a. fine Falstaff won’t 
help if you don’t have the Bocca¬ 
negra role as well. Granted the. 
voice, the artist with 40 lead roles 
is more likely to end up a star than 
the one with half a dozen. 

The saga of my own career 
couldn’t be duller as a case- in 
point. ' Determined on a singing 
career in the face of my family’s 
disapproval of anyone mad enough 
to want it, I got a job in the Radio 
City Music Hall chorus. I had a 
couple of sustaining radio pro¬ 
grams on WOR, sang at weddings 
and funerals and generally was 
proving my family’s, point by the 
complete lack of distinction in my 
alleged career, when I was accept¬ 
ed for the Metropolitan Auditions 
of the Air. When the Music Hall 
refused me a few weeks off to pre¬ 
pare for it, with considerable dar¬ 
ing, I quit. I was one of the win¬ 
ners, but at that time I had only 
the arias I’d sung at the Auditions, 
so that summer I went to Italy to 
get some roles under my belt and 
learn the small part I was to debut 
in. There I met a charming blonde 
American voice student, and later 
we were married. So far>you*see, 
it’s like many a movie script. It 
doesn’t get any more startling, 
either. 

My debut was successful, but 
occasioned no particular huzzahs. 
And for several years I champed 
at the bit with parts which carried 



Marla Callas 

(“Lucia di Lammermoor,” Met) 

For the‘final of the three roles 
selected for her first season at the 
Met (she returns to Italy, Dec. 19) 
the much-argued-about soprano 
was Looney Lucy of ■ Donizetti’s 
concert-miscalled-an-opera. Which 
fact threw the whole burden on 
her voice, - since there are prac¬ 
tically no opportunities to act, un¬ 
less going insane,JsL .CLQuntedr and. 
at that particular point Callas was 
concentrating on her trills. She 
went mad at calculated half-voice, 
with no discernible emotion at all 
save perhaps some worries about 
whether she’d hit and hold the top 
notes. Sacrificed, too, was diction. 

Although “LUcia di Lammer¬ 
moor” (dated 1835) has a famed 
sextette and is a showy role for 
the soprano, those two excuses" 
didn’t last the evening (4). Given 
a peculiarly blunted and matter- 
of-fact production, possibly the 
poorest staging this season, the 
opera was pretty much of a bore, 
including the artificially prolonged 
“triumph” for Callas at the end 
of the demeritia. While this ova¬ 
tion started with an air of sponta¬ 
neity the endless returns, the an¬ 
tics of both fans and singer turned, 
in a word, corny. Great numbers 
got up and left and finally there 
were shush-noises as the less 
volatile lovers of music decided 
enough was a sufficiency. Nobody 
objects to an artist, having an ego 
massage in public, but it was 
rough on those who paid to get in. 
So she had sung quite well and 
with much clever use of her voice 
and she rated kudos. It was not 
the second coming-of Tetrazzinni. 

Land, 


Punch Opera * 

Punch Opera presentation of two one- 
act operas. "The Intruder” with music by 
Robert Starer, libretto, Mary Anne Pryor; 
and "The Weeping Widow 7 " with music 
by Manuel Rosenthal, libretto, Nino, Eng¬ 
lish, lyrics, Milton Feist, English libretto, 
Francis and Marian Lathrop. Stage di¬ 
rector, Nelson Sykes; conductor, Rex 
Wilder. At Cherry Lane, N.Y., Dec. 5, 56; 
$2.60 top. 

Cast for "Intruder": Patricia Connor, 
Bert Spero, Anna Julia Hoyt, Richard 
Roussin, Sadie McCollum. 

Cast for "Widow": Martha Moore, Pa¬ 
tricia Falkenhain, Edward Block, John 
Miller, Julia Ann Gilmer. Anna Louise 
Kautz. Selma Rogoff, Bert Spero. Peter 
Stanford. 


Since 1951* Punch Opera has 
been making sporadic off-Broad- 
way forays, trying whenever pos¬ 
sible to give N. Y. something new. 
The current bill comprises a world 
premiere and a N. Y. premiere, 
VThe Intruder” and “The Weeping 
Widow,” in that order. Once again, 
Punch Opera’s serious, and clean- 
cut attempt is interesting. 

Perhaps thinking of George M. 
Cohan’s quip, “Always leave 'em 
laughing when you say goodbye,” 
the nightcap is “Widow,” an out¬ 
rageously farcical concoction, with 
musical styles candidly derived 
from hither and yon. Since at least 
half the spoof is spoken, by rigid 


very little responsibility as to the 
whole opera. Gradually • they be¬ 
came more important, and as they 
did I decided to specialize in the 
Italian wing—not spread myself 
thin as some artists do to prove 
their versatility. 

• For myself, this has paid off. But 
it took what seemed a long time 
to a young fellow convinced he had 
what it took, arid frequently frus¬ 
trated by the lack of opportunity 
to prove it.. . And do you know, 
I still feel if I’d been a soprano 
or mezzo with reasonable good 
looks, the proper curves and pretty 
legs, it would have happened a lot 
faster! 


Budapest Opera ‘Emigrating’ En Toto? 

.. [May Become Canadians] 


Ottawa, Dec. 11. 

Canada’s major cities are render¬ 
ing a report as to their staging fa¬ 
cilities to see if Canada can make 
a bid for the Budapest Opera Co. 
which, immigration officials hear, 
wants to come to Canada in a body. 
Immigration authorities are check¬ 
ing to see how many people would 
be involved, how many are chant¬ 
ers, how many are musicians ,and 
so on. 

The company is currently in an 


Austrian refugee camp and the idea 
of a transfer to Canada opened 
wide speculation here. Not only 
would accommodation, such as ade¬ 
quate staging, have to be consid¬ 
ered but the company would need 
financial backing target here and 
to get started and maintained for a 
while. 

a Budapest Opera Co. has report¬ 
edly maintained its quality and 
repertoire in spite of homeland 
hardships. 


More Pipers, Other Imports For Hurok 

Everyone laughed a year ago when Sol Hurok sat down with his 
kilts on but his' booking of the Scots Guards Band proved an arena 
attraction cleanup, selling out Madison Square Garden four per¬ 
formances, when one was considered chancy. Stimulated by, this 
success the impresario has now arranged a new massing of pipers; 
drummers. Highland Flingers and related diversions under the 
Black Watch Regiment, again of Scotland.\ Some 110 strong, the 
new trqupe will swing across the U.S. next autumn for some 12 
weeks of bookings. 

Another Hurok import \Vill be the (six) English Singers of Lon¬ 
don, specialists in Elizabethan and other old chanty stuff. Group 
which sings seated round a table is considered a natural for col¬ 
lege and music schools dating, Singers were last in States in 1937. 

From Italy there will be a party of 12 dancers, musicians and • 
singers known as the Neapolitan Ensemble. Not yet booked, Hurok - 
believes January, 1958, will be about right, He estimates such for¬ 
eign draws as good for 10-12 weeks. 

Hurok's list will include a new Polish pianist, aged 20, the sur¬ 
vivor of an exterminated Jewish family. The boy was taken in by 
Poles and given the name of Tschaikovsky, under which designa¬ 
tion he will tour America starting in October. 

-More immediately tJaiir20 nexty- Hurok-wtlt have a T4=year- old- 

pianist, Daniel.Barenboim from Israel, with the Symphony of the 
Air, Stokowski on the stick. 

For Monday night’s (10) NBC spectacular, “Festival of Music,” 
Hurok's Victoria de los Angeles came over from Europe for the one 
occasion. She’ll be back in fall for a regular concert swingaround. 


definition it would be questionable 
as opera, but that scarcely seems 
to. matter 'n-so merry a. jest.___._ 

Story? A widow is wooed* and 
won by a pretended widower who 
plays on her sympathies. En route 
there's musical mocking^ the coy¬ 
est of Freneh maids, a chorus of 
apartment hunters and a gay 
graveyard scene. Martha Moore 
and John Miller caper as the im¬ 
passioned .bereaved, singing satis¬ 
factorily when, as and if required, 
while Patricia Falkenhain -has a 
ball as the remarkably capricious 
maid. Manuel Rosenthal’s music 
and Nino’s libretto have been 
amusingly anglicized by lyricist 
Milton Feist and librettists Francis 
and Marian Lathrop. 

Robert Starer's “The Intruder,” 
with libretto by Mary Anne Pryor, 
is a brooding tragedy that takes 
place in the kitchen of a remote 
New England farmhouse. Starer’s 
contemporary attack has troubled 
echos that lift the story of three 
women in love with a vagabond 
out of the commonplace. Static too 
often, when moving there’s a tru¬ 
culent power, hinting at a poten¬ 
tial not yet fully explored. 

Richard Roussin plays the man 
who is the tragedy’s catalyst with 
restless energy and good vocal at¬ 
tack. Sadie McCollum, Patricia 
Connor and Anna Julia Hoyt are 
the mother and two daughters, 
Miss Connor, as the drab sister, 
helping strongly to drive the 
doomed tale implacably forward. 

Stage director Nelson Sykes has 
filled in with good detail and Rex 
Wilder conducts the duo-piano 
team. , ^ Gear, 


Mildred Miller 

Having debuted at the Metopera 
in 1951, It’s* amusing to find Mil¬ 
dred Miller’s Town Hall concert on 
Sunday (9) billed as “her first New 
York recital.” If it weren’t an un¬ 
gallant figure to use for a lady, it 
could bd said Miss Miller has put 
the cart before the horse. She is 
no stranger to the concert stage, 
however, having toured the hinter¬ 
land extensively. 

In programming this N. Y, “pre¬ 
miere,” Miss Miller has inter¬ 
mingled the traditional, the ex¬ 
pected and the new. As far as her 
snow-dampened audience was con¬ 
cerned, Mozart and Rossini were 
the big moments, the latter’s “Una 
voce poco fa” from “The Barber” 
closing the concert resoundingly. 
This was, in fact, the only time 
Miss Miller let go completely* and 
it seemed too bad the close rear 
wall at Town Hall should inhibit 
so fine a mezzo. 

Besides Mozart, the early pro¬ 
gram consisted of Brahms and (of 
course) Hugo Wolf, for the latter 
Miss Miller literally pushing up 
the sleeves of her handsome red 
gown. After the intermission and 
some delicate Debussy, she pre¬ 
miered for N. Y. several songs, two 
of which were “first anywhere” 
performances. Serge de Gastyne’s 
composition for poems by Arthur 
Rimbaud and e.e. cummings were 
sung with affectionate care, and 
the young Air Force sergeant took 
a rated bow from his orchestra 
seat. . 

Miss Miller is a pleasing concert 
performer, her brisk, almost mili¬ 
tary walk, her smiling charm, her 
actress’ attention to meaning, her 
limpid voice, making her an ap¬ 
pealing personality. Add that she’s 
„„ -H rac ti ve woman. What more 
need be said? Geor. 


Rudolf Serkin visited a plano¬ 
playing Viennese classmate, Paul 
Ulanowsky, at Frisco’s Stanford 
Hospital, where Ulanowsky is re¬ 
covering from a heart attack. 


Eleanor Steber will appear with 
the Austin Symphony Orchestra 
on Dec. 17 per Ezra Rachlin, con¬ 
ductor. 


Troy’s $3,0! Loss 
On ‘Butterfly’, 
2G’s on Vienna 

By JAMES L. CONNERS 

Troy, N.Y* Dec. 11. 

Nearing end of its eight-week 
tour NBC’s Opera Co. played 
‘Madame Butterfly” here (in Eng¬ 
lish) last Tuesday (4) and, al¬ 
though attracting 3,000 admissions 
scaled to $4.50, cost the local man¬ 
agement a loss of around $3,000. 
Opera date, first ever staged in the 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
Field House played under a $6,000 
guarantee which with other ex* 
penses exceeded the take. 

Another recent disappointment 
in the Field House was the Vienna 
Philharmonic on which auspices 
went into the red about $2,O0O. 
Managing director H. K. (Jack) 
Garren who is back on the job after 
his heart attack is hopeful that the 
Boston Pops date of Jan. 4 will 
wipe out the deficit. 

Elaine Malbin’s cancellation in 
“Butterfly” (she was stricken with 
virus in Indiana) may have 
crimped “Butterfly” boxoffice here. 
Russian-born Kira Baklanova, who 
substituted, displayed a fine rang¬ 
ing voice but did not physically 
suggest the too-trusting Japanese 
girl 

The veteran Thomas Hayward, 
vis-a-vising as the American lieu¬ 
tenant, sang well and enunciated* 
clearly. Edith Evans, Howard Cree, 
Mac Morgan and Jim Beni handled 
the other leads capably. English 
lyrics were clearest with the male 
vocalist and with the women, in 
the lower registerg. Limitations of 
the Field House stage made some 
scenic changes necessary. Sympa¬ 
thetic accompaniment was pro¬ 
vided by a 38-piece orchestra un¬ 
der the baton of Herbert Gross- 
man. 

Rochester, the previous stand, 
was also somewhat disappointing— 
apparently an exception to the gen¬ 
eral boxoffice pattern for “Madam 
Butterfly” and “Marriage* of Figa¬ 
ro” (sponsors had a choice). Man¬ 
ager. Eddie Blatt thought that next 
season’s swing might be for 10 
weeks, with a curtailment Of terri¬ 
tory covered, and with the addi¬ 
tion of “La Travlata” and, possibly, 
‘La BohemeT” Present tour, which 
went as far west as Oklahoma, has 
been made in three buses. 

NBC and RCA pick up the loss- 
tab; they expected a, substantial 
one. 

BALLET THEATRE QUITS 
HUROK F0RC0LMGMT. 

Ballet Theatre, in a surprise 
switch of allegiance, is quitting Sol 
Hurok's office and: returning to Co¬ 
lumbia Management. “Return” fig¬ 
ures sfnce it was as the Mikhail 
Mordkin Ballet in 1939 (with Lucia 
Chase), that the company started, 
and with Columbia. A year later 
came the change to Hurok. 

Ballet Russe, which has latterly 
been booked by Columbia, previ¬ 
ously went with the David Libidins 
office. 


Enrique Jorda, now rehearsing 
the San Francisco Symphony, has 
received the Order of Alfonso X 
from Spain, his native land. 



LITERATI 


Wednesday, December 13, X956 


PfikiETY 


n 


Literati 

. , . ...... . . -t 

Booking Office 


S=S Continued from, page 73 \ ’ 


Upbeat In 'Decadence’ 

Highbrow Paris .weekly Les Arts 
sounded out lour French philoso¬ 
phers as to the standing of arts 
and letters in France today. This 
included all forms of expression 
and was primarily aimed at liter¬ 
ature, art and theatre. Responses 
of the four, Wladimir Jankelvitch, 
Ferdinand Alquie, Brice Parain 
and Roger Caillois, were quite 
negative and almost concurred on 
a form of decadence in arts and 
letters today. 

The replies came down to eight 
reasons why expression was in a 
state of decline today: 

1— Most writers today are clever 
but devoid of true ideas. 

2— Today's youth is blase and 
'"Ey 25 they have'Tried and seen all. 

3— Politics and the tenets of 
literary and art societies have im¬ 
posed their rules which should be 
reserved to creatitfn alone. 

4— Everybody today automatical¬ 
ly has a bad conscience. 

5— Artists are how primarily 
bourgeois who think of profits first. 

6— Intelligence understands and 
absolvei-everythingr killing indig¬ 
nation and enthusiasm in the 
process. 

7— The creative movement grows 
from history and life rather, than 
the individual. 

8— There is too much absorption 
in the idea of decadence. 

Walt Disney’s Sales Appeal 
The Saturday Evening Post man¬ 
agement, generally and Pete Mar¬ 
tin, associate editor and collabo¬ 
rator on most of the show biz sub¬ 
jects involved, specifically, are 

E leased to note that Walt Disney | 
as as much and more magazine 
circulation appeal as perhaps more 
dynamic personalities like Bob 
Hope,. Bing Crosby, Marilyn Mon¬ 
roe, Drew Pearson, Arthur God¬ 
frey, Gary Cooper who have been 
recent SEP blogs. 

All subjects went into the five 
million-plus circulation figures, but 
Disney is tops next to the Godfrey 
series. Bob Hope's 5,090,000 
topped the Bing Crosby series, lat¬ 
ter, however, having the distinc¬ 
tion of doing better via newsstand 
sales. Godfrey’s 5,235.000 is about 
113,000 copies more than Disney’s 
sales so far. . The Post’s recent 
“SOB” (Drew Pearson) serializa¬ 
tion was also big, clocked at 5,040,- 
000 copies. 

Martin doesn’t share in the SEP 
collaborations fees, since he’s an 
associate editor on permanent 
staff, but shares 50-50 with his sub¬ 
jects on the subsequent book, 
serialization,- foreign and other 
rights. His agent, Hal Matsdn, has 
offers from France, Belgium, the 
Netherlands, Luxembourg, Den¬ 
mark, Norway and Sweden where 
the worldwide Disney organization 
(“Mickey Mouse,” etc.) were alert¬ 
ed to the blog, “My Dad Walt Dis¬ 
ney,'* authored (with Martin) by 
his daughter, Diane Disney Miller 
(her husband is Ron Miller, an L. A. 
Rams pro footballer). Matson 
favors “The Secret Life of Walt 
Disney” as the book title. The 
French counterpart of Reader's 
Digest, Constellation, already has 
signed for an 8-part serialization. 

Vermont Billboard War 

Restrictions on billboard adver¬ 
tising through Vermont may have 
been dealt a disastrous blow as the 
result of a decision by Judge Natt 
L. Divoll of Washington County 
Superior Court, which has invali¬ 
dated a zoning ordinance adopted 
in the town of Hartland in 1953. 

In ruling the Hartland ordinance, 
which was aimed at billboard ad¬ 
vertising, is “invalid, null and 
void,” Judge Divoll’s decision may 
have widespread effects on local 
zoning laws In 40 or more Vermont 
towns. . 

Judge Divoll held that neither 
the town of Hartland nor its legis¬ 
lative body had legally adopted 
zoning regulations because no pro¬ 
visions werennade for a “compre¬ 
hensive plan” of zoning. Under a 
state law allowing municipalities 
to set up zoning, the program must 
contain a comprehensive plan of 
zoning, it was pointed out. 

The Hartland “battle of the bill¬ 
boards” started in 1955, when Her¬ 
bert W. Jorg^nsqn and Mrs. Anna 
C. Jorgenson, doing business as 
the Rarre Sign Co. sought ’a per¬ 
mit to erect an outdoor advertising 
sign in that ..community. Secretary 
of State , Howard E. Armstrong, 
who is responsible for regulating 
outdoor advertising at the state 
level, refused the permit on 
grounds that the town of Hartland 
had its nwn zoning regulations. 
Then Hartland officials also turned 
down the petition because it 
claimed the proposed sign would 
hot meet, local regulations. 

The Jorgensons appealed to Su¬ 
perior Court, claiming the Hart¬ 
land ordinance failed to meet re¬ 
quirements of the state enabling 


act. They also claimed that a num¬ 
ber of Vermont communities. had 
similarly illegal ordinances aimed 
only at billboards and not provid- 
iny any comprehensive zoning plan. 

The Vermont Roadside Council 
has been Instrumental in getting 
the billboard restrictions adopted 
in various communities. 


Prison Drawings 
An exhibition of “Prison Draw¬ 
ings” by John Resko at the ACA 
Gallery •will open Thursday (6), the 
publication date of his book, “Re¬ 
prieve,” published by Doubleday 
& Co. 

“Reprieve” is Resko’s story of a 
20-year struggle for freedom. The 
“Prison Drawlngs”is,the same sto¬ 
ry told in pictures. , 

Runaway Bestseller 
The Xmas rush in all book pub¬ 
lishing is particularly effecting 
Random House’s just published 
“The FBI Story/* by Don White- 
head which looms a runaway best¬ 
seller. The first order of 50,000 
was followed by 15,000 copies but 
when Bennett Cerf, prez of RH, 
last week received orders for 
16,000 copies in one day he added 
another 50,000 order. 

Problem now is more with the 
binderies than the printing. War¬ 
ner Bros, just bought the film 
rights for $140,000. 

'Balzac of the Bed Pans’ 
Gagwriter-humorist Eddie Davis 
(Eddie Cantor, Jackie Gleason, 
Milton Berle, etc.) has been doing 
so well with fun-in-bed type of 
jokebooks that he fears he may 
wind up being dubbed “the Balzac 
of the bed pans.” 

After “Laugh Yourself Well” 
clicked, he just published “Laugh¬ 
ter in Bed/’ also selling well, with 
result that publisher Frederick 
Fell has commissioned him to do 
a third book, “Prescription for 
Laughter.” 

New Works on Ballet 
“Highlights from a Decade of 
Dance” is a new pictorial dance 
tome by Walter Strate, published 
by Kamin Publishers whose book¬ 
shop on Sixth Ave. is a meeting 
place of the dance world. Book 
contains photographs of most well 
known dancers be it in the Ballet 
field, the Modern Dance.as well as 
Ethnic Dance (Carmen de Laval- 
lade, the Kabuki dancers, and 
Mara)/* It has fitting captions, 
chosen somewhat preciously and 
arbitrarily among Chistopher La 
Farge’s, T. S. Eliot’s and Conrad 
Aiken’s writings. “ 

Unfortunately—probably for eco¬ 
nomic reasons —the reproductions 
are not as striking technically as 
the photographs themselves and 
appear rather grey and dull in the 
book. Nevertheless it is an im¬ 
portant record of America's con¬ 
temporary artists in the dance. 
Another book which will. no 
doubt be of more Than usual in¬ 
terest to the dance enthusiast and 
scholar, is the one by Maiirice 
Sandoz, also published by Kamin. 
Charming vignettes recall encoun¬ 
ters with the great personalities of 
the dance at the outbreak of World 
War I such as Diaghflev and Nijin¬ 
sky, Ansermet, Isadora Ducan and 
others. . Especially the Nijinsky 
vignette has great feeling and 
insight. A commentary by Romola, 
Nijinsky’s widof, and Walter Terry, 
N.Y. Herald Trib’s dance critic, add 
interest to the book. Goth. 

CHATTER 

Bell Syndicate considering a new 
comic strip idea, originated by the 
Florida gal editor Georgie Lapham. 

N. Y. Times staffer Lucy Free¬ 
man’s fifth book on her favorite 
subject — psychiatry — is titled 
“Search for Love” which World is 
bringing but in March. 

^Barbara L. ’Goldsmith, enter¬ 
tainment editor of Woman’s Home 
Companion, leaving her post to 
ready for the stork; until its ar¬ 
rival in May, she’ll do freelance 
pieces. 

✓ Copies of Japuary Esquire sold 
in Quebec province are minus the 
“calendar” pinups annually earned, 
in order to stay on the well-policed 
newsstands — which however are 
allowed to carry several scandal 
tabs. 

Philip Wittenbeig, w.k. Gotham 
attorney and a specialist in the 
subject, has authored “The Law of 
Literary Property” which World 
will publish next February. His 
previous work was “Protection and 
Marketing of Literary Property.” 

Paul Gormley, Variety’s Ottawa 
correspondent, is now asst, g.m! 
(p.r.) of Canadian Highway Con¬ 
ference. He was formerly on Dept, 
of Agriculture’s p.r. staff, before 
that National Film Board of Can¬ 
ada’s photo editor, and first a re¬ 
porter on Ottawa Citizen. 


of the hinterland group In JNew 
York tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Membership in the IBO, which 
will function as a non-profit opera¬ 
tion ,is open to both theatre opera¬ 
tors and producers. The presi¬ 
dency of the corporation will he 
rotated on a yearly basis. The 
aims of the organization are to 
avoid abuses, discrimination and 
favoritism in booking- shows and 
to stabilize, strengthen, enlarge, 
conserve and improve legit. 

Moves have been made by other 
groups to take over the touring 
field and it’s still possible that a 
scramble for control may develop. 
However, a plan by Columbia Art¬ 
ists -Management* -headquartered-iir 
New York, to promote hiterl$nd 
theatregoing via a subscription set¬ 
up has been put off until next year. 

Although the UBO has been of¬ 
fered for sale, there have appa¬ 
rently been no takers.. It’s under¬ 
stood the asking price for the firm 
is $190,000. A purchaser would 
get the $140,000 reportedly in the 
UBO bank account and intangible 
assets priced at $40,000. A catch 
to the proposition, however, is that 
a buyer would presumably also ac¬ 
quire any pending- legal claims 
against the agency. 

The Shuberts, who have booked 
their shows and road theatres 
through UBO, have indicated they 
will not use the new IBO, .hut 
will do their own booking for their 
houses, including key spots in 
Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and 
Cincinnati. Some of the UBO em¬ 
ployees are expected to switch to 
the Shubert payroll. 

Marcus Heiman, UBO president, 
is also reportedly planning do his 
own booking for the several road 
theatres he owns. 

A feeling among various of the 
road theatre managers in New 
York yesterday (Tues.) in advance 
of the meeting with the League 
reps was that they might go-ahead 
with plans for their own booking 
agency. It appeared that while 
they welcome a chance to discuss- 
the League .proposition, they lean 
toward the idea that they would 
serve their interests and problems 
best with their own booking, outfit. 

About 30 road theatre managers 
are due in town for their own pre¬ 
liminary meeting today (Wed.). 
They will hear a report and prob¬ 
ably recommendation by a com¬ 
mittee of five set up some time 
ago to study the situation. The 
committee. includes Ernest Hawley 
(Royal Alexandra, Toronto), Paul 
Beisman (American Theatre, St. 
Louis), Milton Krantz (Hanna 
Theatre, Cleveland), Jay Hpruick 
(Shubert, Washington) and James 
Nederlander (Shubert, Detroit). 


■e+f 


► ♦4 + 4-M 


! SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK 

By Frank Scully 


Hilton’s Latest 

Continued from page 2 — 

a series of dinners and receptions 
at the hotel, there was a bull fight, 
a fiesta at one of the better known 
haciendas in Mexico, special flights 
to Acapulco, a gala at the Jockey 
Club where native dancers per¬ 
formed Aztec Ceremonial dances, 
as well as other events. 

Among those flown in for the 
preem from Hollywood were Lex 
Barker, Leo Carrillo, Linda Dar- 
Qgll, Hedda Hopper, Martha Hyer, 
Howard Keel, Angela Greene, Sir 
Cedric Hardwicke, Merle Oberon, 
Ricardo Montalban, Marie New¬ 
man, Hillevi Rombin, Marisa. Pa- 
van, Enrica Pierangeli, Gia Scala, 
Shirley Yamaguchi, Am\ Miller 
Debra Paget, Anthony Quinn, Gin¬ 
ger Rogers, Barbara Rush, Cor¬ 
nell Wilde, Jean Wallace and Nata¬ 
lie -Wood. In addition, the usual 
assortment of newspapermen, news¬ 
reels and writers covered the 
preem. 

The Mexico City establishment 
is the second in the Latin Amer¬ 
ican inns to be operated by Hilton. 
Other is the Caribe Hilton, San 
Juan, P. R.; under construction are 
inns in Acapulco and Havana. In¬ 
ternationally, the chain also oper¬ 
ates the Castellana Hilton, Ma¬ 
drid; Istanbul Hilton, Turkey. Un¬ 
der construction in other parts of 
the world are hotels in Cairo, Mon¬ 
treal, West Berlin, Under contract 
are stops in Rome, Bangkok, Bagh¬ 
dad, and Tokyo. 

Chain’s topper, Conrad N. Hil¬ 
ton Sr., dusted off his 1 Spanish and 
welcomed the guests in that lan¬ 
guage and saluting the cordial re¬ 
lations between both countries. 
“Never in ‘the history of our two 
nations have relations been more 
cordial. Mexico and the U.S. 


Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

While Palm Springs was trying to simulate the 19th Century with a 
Western Week, Kangaroo court, square dances, rodeo and all that, 0 the 
Scully’s hightailed out of town to see what socially-productive dolls of 
Beverly Hills were doing to the 20th. 

They have a bunch there called Women for Legislative Action, now 
in their fifth big year. * 

I once described them as “bomb-tlirowers in ermine.” They were 
so delighted with the epithet that they tapoed me as their man-of-the- 
year, honored me with a banquet at Ciro’s and gave me their annual 
award—a gold-plated miniature of the Statue of Liberty. 

Their banquets get bigger with each passing political defeat. Their 
last one packed the Fox Hills Country Club in the week following the 
peasant’s proof that he was crazy about Ike but viewed his party as 
about as welcome as a plague. 

. Their membership represents all shades ethnologically but politically 
..they_are-nf one-mind.—They-seemiagly-believe that'equality means ~ 
what it says. At our table was an editor of a Mexican-American paper 
.and his blonde wife who was an anthropologist—a handsome couple 
by any standards. There was also a dark, cultured Negro and as Aryan 
a wife as you could find short of Stockholm. 

Next to them was a Negro couple, quite dark, quite handsome,, quite 
gay. The rest of our table could be described as white, which painters 
tell me is not a color at all but the absence of color. 

Not A Cigar-Store Indian 

Not to be considered too colorless in such a gathering, I told them 
about -Judge Saund, the Indian xyCKad elected to Congress in the Palm 
Springs area. I explained he was a native of India and had been a 
citizen of the country only seven years. In defeating Jacqueline Coch¬ 
ran Odium for Congress he proved that money doesn’t always talk 
louder than people. 

“Of course,” I added, “if he had been a native-born Indian he 
wouldn’t have had a chance!” 

This produced the kind of belly laugh that comics love to hear, 

I then asked Senor Lopez, the Mexican-American editor, if he had 
seen George Stevens’ production of “Giant.” He said he hadn’t as 
yet, but. planned to. I wondered how his compatriots were receiving 
the picture and he said “not too warmly.” Edna Ferber’s novel, which 
he had read, was fine, he thought, but the general view of his amigos 
who had seen the picture seemed to be that the conflict between those 
who had been in Texas before the Texans moved in 'and were now re¬ 
duced to second-class citizens should have been introduced earlier in 
the picture and should have run more sharply through it. 

“But if this were true,” he added, “I guess the picture would have 
had a hard time recouping its cost in Texas!” 

Only five persons sat at the speaker’s table. I recognized Mrs. Daniel 
Marshall, the prez of W.L.A., and her husband, who had knocked out 
a part of the California constitution which presented persons of differ¬ 
ent races from marrying. The supreme law for 70 years, Dan Marshall 
pointed out, it violated the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of freedom 
of religion in denying persons of similar faith, but different races, from 
enjoying the pursuit-of-happiness clause. He fought the case In the 
name of the Catholic Interracial Council and he never sent us a bill. 

The only other person at the table I recognized was Louis L. Redding, 
a Delaware attorney, who has eight cases on desegregation pending 
before the Supreme Court. I certainly would have been a dope not to 
have recognized him as I had been introduced to him only a half-hour 
before. A graduate of Brown and the Harvard law school, he certainly 
was the most learned and soft-spoken special pleader I had heard dis¬ 
cuss the melancholy gap between theory and practice in this matter 
of all men being created etpiaL 

“Bomb-Throwers Iii Ermine” In Action* 

He was pencilled in as the speaker of the evening but before he was 
called on, Sylvia Mrller, a doll who was the first prez of W.L.A., staged 
a skit she wrote, which contained much truth and some poetry. Ronnie. 
Weg, Martha Mindlin and A1 Hammer formed the cast. 

The skit was built on the Shavian premise that no man is a match 
for a woman, “except with a poker and a pair of hobnailed boots.” 
These were added by Hammer acting as prop man but they didn’t bal¬ 
ance the scales even so. 

The dames sang their version of “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely?” and, ac¬ 
cording to them, loveliness would be attained by a woman as Prez. 
"She’d get rid of H-Bomb tests, 

UnAmerican Committee pests. 

No drafts, no wars, no vets! 

Oh wouldn't it be lovely? 

As Prez she’d have Jim Crow kicked off every bus and: 

No more pigeons perched on stools. 

No. more. Eastlands and other, fools. 

Next time elect us jools, 

Oh, wouldn’t it be lovely, lovely, lovely? 

But the male stole the show. A1 Hammer as a Casper Milquetoast 
sang “I Could Have Danced All Night” but his doll talked, talked, 
talked. She gave him a liberal education on the Next Deal and when 
he finally was educated she accepted him. 

This, however, did not close her well-formeBT.tyap. By the time he 
had been transformed into an Earnest Citizen she had grown accus¬ 
tomed to his face and if you had ever seen A1 Hammer’s face you’d 
know that in admitting this she really had been beaten. 

Nevertheless he concluded: 

I- only know when I 

• - Make^ .that old college try 
, Shp wants to talk, talk, talk all night! 

Attorney Redding realized this was a tough act to follow but he ac¬ 
cepted Jhe Challenge and gave as clear an historical resume of the 
facial issue as I ever heard. His brief must be a delight for jurists to 
read but it’s even better to hear him tell it. - r 

P.A.s And Autographs 

Checking further to find out if it were all work and no play that was 
making Jacques Hollywood a dull boy, I attended the Ballyhoo Ball of 
the Publicists, which was held on a sound stage of what used to be 
Warners’ Hollywood lot and is now part of Par’s farflung domain. 

Well over a thousand jammed the joint, which was dressed like a 
carnival-genre circus, with most of those present being dressed in cos¬ 
tumes. Of course, Jayne Mansfield, dressed in bikini of leopard skin 
and raised aloft by Mickey Hargitay, got most of the photographic 
play, with Kathy Grant, as Lollobrigida in “Trapeze,” a close second. 

But I’m claiming I was the only one present who was asked for an 
autograph. It was from Polly Kauffman, a femme mag editor, whose 
escort claimed she had read “Cross My Heart” three times. In the din 
of the firehouse Five Plus Two it was hard to get her name and I 
loused up the first attempt and wrote it “Tolly.” 

Her escort then whispered to me that she wouldn’t listen to him but 
if I told her what way to vote in the general election she’d do it. So I 
told her the ballot was still a secret and she could vote as her con¬ 
science dictated, not as the 24-sheets implored. 

Another couple dressed in red and white prison-striped 19th Cen¬ 
tury bathing suits also came over to tell me how much they enjoyed 
“Cross My Heart.” The parents of seven children, they were Mr. and 
-Mrs. Martin Ingram of Allied Artists, I learned from Barney Gerard. 

As this biog of my short life out of bed has been out lqore than a 
year, it heartened me no end. to learn that its impact was still being 
felt in the publishers word where most books are 90-day wonders. 

Before we could steal a show at which I was only a spectator, we 
blew. After all, this was a party of publicists and stars, not of slum- 
mers from Palm Springs. 



78, -CHATTER 


Billy Reed extending his Little 
Club activities to a party-servicing 
business. 

Gloria Swanson and the .25- 
member Vienna Boys Choir in 
from Europe last week on the 
Quefen Elizabeth., 

Elizabeth Ebsen, daughter of 
dancer (now actor) Buddy Ebsen, 
starting her theatrical career in 
the Latin Quarter line. 

Rock ’n’ roll influence evidences 
among the earlier Xmas greeting 
cards; Soph Tucker’s among the 
first of the r&b Santa Clauses. 

George Jessel in town ipr three 
City of Hope campaign fund 
speeches and,_ for contr ast, an in¬ 
dustrial dinner, in Brobklyn,. ?or 
the Ex-Lax Co, 

Waldorf veep Claude C. Philippe 
and wine importer Alexis Lichine 
again co-celebrated their joint 
birthdays with a weekend, shindig 
at Philippe’s Watch Hill Farm in 
Westchester. 

Ted Kupferman, general attor¬ 
ney for Cinerama Productions and 
past president of the Federal Bar 
Assn, of N.Y., N.J. and Conn., 
elected president of the City Club 
of New York last week. 

Arthur Tracy, better known as 
“The Street Singer,” and now a 
realty operator in Washington, re¬ 
turned from a European honey¬ 
moon with hia bride last week on 
the S.S. Cristoforo Colombo.. 

Nathan Straus, board chairman 
of WMCA, has been named a fel¬ 
low of Brandeis U. Other Gotham¬ 
ites named fellows with Straus 
were realtor Samuel Lemberg and 
ILGWU prexy David Dubinsky. 

Hugh Owen, Paramount veepee, 
is one of a group of tenants and 
others who’ve purchased the Madi¬ 
son Hotel*, N.Y.,. in a $4,500,000 
deal, for the purpose of operating 
the property on a cooperative basis. 

Lucille and Harry E. Gould to 
the Palm Springs for the Xmas- 
New Year’s semester. Ditto adman 
Terry Clyne and the Joe (Loew’s) 
Vogels, ail converging Dec. 31 at 
the Racquest Club in the desert 
resort. 

Mildred Coughlin McNutt, wid¬ 
ow of longtime Hollywood scripter 
Patterson McNutt,I exhibiting her 
first one-woman show of litho¬ 
graphs and drawings at the Thea¬ 
tre East Gallery/ It’s on display 
through Jan. 6. 

Joseph D. Blau, co-producer of 
“Action of the Tiger,” an upcom¬ 
ing Metro release, left over the 
weekend for England, where the 
Van Johnson-Martine Carol star- 
rer is before the cameras at the 
Elstree Studios. 

Harry. L. Hall of Lakewood, 
Calif, trying to locate his father, 
Jack Joyce, monopedic vaude 
dancer, last residing at the Hotel 
Winslow in 1946. Joyce may have 
returned to England but is now 
believed resident here. 

Looks like Henri Soule, after 
longtime tussle with Columbia Pic¬ 
tures Corp., new owner of the 711 
5th Ave, Bldg, (original NBC Bldg.) 
will renew his lease for his Le 
Pavilion restaurant at a rental 
double the original term. 

N. Y. Times did one of those 
Mark Twain '‘grossly exaggerated” 
stories on Mme. Hedwig Rosenthal, 
widow of famed pianist Moritz 
Rosenthal, who died in 1946. Since 
then she has been q piano teacher 
at the Great Northern Hotel. At 
83 she is very-much alive. 

Leonard S. Picker, Coast" coun¬ 
sel for United Artists, engaged to 
Marilee Earle, .Wedding issched-, 
uled for April 20 in Dallas, Tex, 
Picker is the son of the late David 
Picker,- ..Loew’s executive, and 
brother, of Loew’s Theatres’ Eu¬ 
gene Picker and UA’s Arnold 
Picker. / 

Vet playwright George Middle- 
ton, now the Alien Property Cus¬ 
todian, came in from Washington 
for the special “Pipe Night” at the 
Players Club this past Sunday (9) 
which was- in honor of George 
Bernard Shaw. John Mason Brown 
was toastmaster; Stanley Holloway 
and Eric Portman participated, 
among others. 

A plaque to the memory of the 
late theatrical producer John 
Golden, presented by the Actors 
Fund of America, will be unveiled 
by Mayor Robert F. Wagner Dec. 
21 in front of the John Golden 
Theatre. After dedication, Fund 
has. set a “Salute to Broadway” 
luncheon at the Sheraton-Astor 
Hotel. 

Loew’s Theatres has made the 
following managerial shifts in the 
N. Y. metropolitan area: Jack 
Blum, manager of Loew’s Fair¬ 
mont, . transferred to Loew’s 
Boulevard, while Rene Clairmont, 
manager of the Boulevard, shifted 


to Loew’s Rio. Harry Meyer, man¬ 
ager of the Rio, transferred to the 
Fairmont. * 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 Rue Huchette; Ode on 4944) 

Louis Armstrong due for a stint 
here next January. 

Ruth Roman in before heading 
for Spain to star in “The Cid.’V 

Billy Wilder‘.winding “Love in 
the Afternoon” (AA) after a three 
month sked. 

Vittorio De Sica in for opening 
of his latest directorial effort, “II 
Tetto” (The Roof). 

Frank King in on his Continen¬ 
tal swing to look at various Eu¬ 
ropean openings of King Bros.’ 
“Brave One” (RKO). 

Arthur Loew through on looksee 
-tsip—o£-new~--theatres.. .Metro.—has- 
opened in Germany and Italy,. 
Dave Lewis is with him. 

John Wayne in for a few weeks 
before going to Libya for exteriors 
of his next pic, opposite Sophia 
Loren, “Legend of The Lost” (UA). 

Eyen the Grand Guignol Theatre 
has given in to current strip tease 
craze with one. of its one-acters : in 
new show called “L’Ecole De Strip 
Tease.” 

Sir Laurence Olivier and Lady 
Vivien Leigh are to do two Shake¬ 
spearean plays in English here at 
the Comedie-Francaise next April 
with the Old Vic Co. . 

Albert Willemetz and Sean Le 
Seyeux are completing an all-Ne¬ 
gro operetta set for mounting next 
season. It's called “Cens Ans 
Apres,” being takeoff on “The 
Three Musketeers.” 

Pierre Brasseur leaves the hit 
Jean Anouilh play, “Ornifle,” for 
a pic, Rene Clair’s “Porte De 
Lilas”; will be replaced by Jean 
Martinelli who moves over from 
another Anouilh hit, “Pauvre 
Ritos.” 


Pfissmfr 
London - 

(Terriple Bar 5041/9952) 

Donald Peers opened a Cabaret 
season at the. Cafe de Paris this 
week. 

John Gielgud signed by- Otto 
Preminger to play, the Earl of War¬ 
wick in his British production of 
“Saint Joan.” 

John Davis headed an executive 
and star contingent which went to 
Hamburg for opening of a new 
Rank theatre*' 

The Dassies joined cast of 
“United Notions,” filling the spot 
vacated by Pinky Lee, who returns 
home this week. 

Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy, part¬ 
ners in Anglo Amalgamated Film 
Distributors, joined board of Mer¬ 
ton Park Studios. 

Earl Mountbatten guest of honor 
at a dinner for Royal Naval Film 
Corp., hosted by the Kinema- 
TograpTPRenters "Society,'" 

, Princess Margaret attending gala 
preem of “Anastasia” at the Carl¬ 
ton Feb, 21; take will go to the In¬ 
valid Children’s Aid Assn. 

Roger Moore, inked for a Colum¬ 
bia long-termer, assigned lead in 
the “Ivanhoe” telepix series, to be 
filmed in Britain by Screen Gems. 

Anthony Downing named pub¬ 
licity controller for J. Arthur Rank 
Overseas Distribs., succeeding 
Geoffrey Martin, who will be 
Ranks ad-publicity topper in N.Y. 

Bill Eliscu returned to N.Y. over 
the weekend "after twomonth stay 
working on the OSS telepix series. 
He’s due back before end of the 
year. 

F. Errol* new parliamentary 'sec¬ 
retary to the Board of Trade, was 
honor guest at Monday’s (10) an¬ 
nual dinner of London branch of 
CEA at the Savoy. 

Variety Club held its annual 
Christmas lunch yesterday (Tues.) 
when Tommy Trinder received 
gifts brought by members for dis¬ 
tribution among hospitals and chil¬ 
dren’s homes. 


Frankfurt 

By Hazel Guild 

(24 Rheinstrasse; 776751) 

“Diary of Anna Frank” has so 
far played in IT German cities, 
with rare .acclaim, 

20th-Fox seeking Maria Schell 
for lead in “Fraulein;” which 
Henry Koster is directing next 
year. 

American Negro singer William 
Warfield opening his German con¬ 
cert tour at Tuebingen with an 
evening of lieder songs. 

“Camille” being revived in the 
Josefstadt Theatre, presented by 
the Stuttgart Schauspielhaus with 
film actress Hilde-Krahl in lead. 

Enno Dugend doing new music 
for Leo Mittler’s production of 
Ferenc Molnar’s “LiliOm,” due 
shortly at Duesseldorf Schauspiel¬ 
haus. 

Peter Ustinov and wife, actress 
Suzanne Cloutier, in Duesseldorf 
for first German showing of his 
comedy,-“Romanoff and Juliet,” at 
the Schauspielhaus. 

CBS^TV correspondent Clete 
Roberts, from Hollywood, in town 
briefly, after having covered 10,000 
miles a week for last three weeks, 
filming the wars in Egypt and 
Hungary and interviewing UN po¬ 
lice forces, in Naples enroute to 
Egypt. Carrying cameraman Tex 
Zeigler and 500 pounds of film and 
sound equipment with him, he’s 
been rushing filmed shows back 
for presentation within 48 hours 
after the events occurred. 



By Irene Velissariou 
(Tinou ,44 St. 614515.) - 

Carmen ,I>’Ortega an(l'iMwsa*f?^ 
at the Rock tavern. ' 

Alfred Alaria. Argentine, Ballet 
at the Asteria hightfcluV V : s .—- 

Byron Kolassi? off l td Russia to 
give 12 recitals in several towns 
there. 

Dancer Robert Saragas will 
appear at Kentrikon Theatre next 
week. 

A Paris floorshow is sharing 
billings with a local orch at the 
Blue Fox. 

Eloise Polk will be soloist at the 
next Athens State Symphony Sun¬ 
day concert. 

Georges Foundas, Greek screen 
actor suffered minor injury to his 
back while shooting on location at 
Messolongui for his new ‘ Greek 
film. 

William Warfield, American'bar- 
itone, soloist of Athens State 
Symphony in its first winter con¬ 
cert at Orpheus Theatre. 

Jules Dassin with Jean Servais, 
Nicole Berger and Melina Mercouri 
off to Paris to complete interior 
studio work of his picture, “Christ 
Recrucified,” shot on Crete Island. 

Latest American releases in¬ 
clude: “Harder They Fall” (Col), 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” (UA), 
“Artists* and Models” (Par) “Sere¬ 
nade” (M-G) “Unguarded Moment” 
(U), “Scarlet Hour” (Par) “Picnic” 
(Col). 



By Les Rees 


Theatre-in-Round offering ’ “Bad 
Seed.” 

- Four Coins into Hotel Radisson 
Flame Room. 

Joe E. Brown in town to promote 
his new book. 

“Peter Pan” on tap at Edyth 
Bush Little Theatre. 

Singing Boys of Norway at Ly¬ 
ceum for concert this week. 

Nineteenth annual locally pro¬ 
duced “Ice Carnival,” skating 
show, at Arena. 

Hamline “U” Theatre presenting 
“The Trial of Jonah,” German ex¬ 
perimental drama. 

John K. Sherman, Minneapolis 
Star drama-music critic, back on 
job after recovering from major 
surgery. 

Morrie Steinman, manager of 
75-year old Dancing Gordons, nit- 
ery act, recovering from heart at¬ 
tack in St. Paul Miller hospital. 

Bennie Berger and Lowell Kap¬ 
lan, lessee, and house manager of 
local Lyceum, in New York this 
week attending meeting, of legit 
people to consider touring situa¬ 
tion. 



By Alan Jarlson 

Zsa Zsa Gabor- bows at El 
Rancho, Vegas, Jan. 23 in a new 
act being designed for Eli Basse. 

Eddie Peabody vacashes from his 
Hacienda banjo stool to spend the 
Yule holidays with family in Madi¬ 
son, Wis. 

NBC’s Bill Leyden dictated a 
wedding memo to Girl Friday Sue 
Coss in Vegas ceremonies at the 
Riviera last Friday (7). 

• Desert Inn operators have just 
purchased the Harbor Island Spa, 
plush .Miami Beach health resort. 
Td accommodate Vegas losers? 

. It’s 15 con$ecutive one-nights 
later and Desert Inn maestro Carl¬ 
ton Hayes and orch are back from 
their yearly “Show of Shows” tour 
through Texas. n . • 

Hickman Benson, a desk clerk at 
El Rancho Vegas, leased the 200 
vacant rooms at the defunct Mou¬ 
lin Rouge so he can sublet them to 
crowded Vegas spas for the New 
Year’s holiday. In Vegas, you’ve 
got to have a gimmick. 

When Helen Wood vacated her 
role with .Liberace at the Riviera 
to wing back to N.Y., she shoved 
238 lbs. of luggage onto the air¬ 
liner—second only in local history 
to Eartha Kitt, who toted 500 lbs. 
of excess baggage during her last 
Vegas sojourn.. 

Dorothy Dandridge stopped off 
for a couple of hours the other 
midnight before, heading on to 
Hollywood and final studio shots 
for “Island In The Sun.” Sepia 
thrush heads for London in three 
weeks to launch* her annual nitery 
tour of the Continent. 

Week of Dec. 17-23 finds Jack 
Carter held over at the New Fron¬ 
tier. But balance of show ■still has 
to be filled with likely prospects 
either Georgia Gibbs, Guy Mitchell 


Wednesday, December 12, 1956 


or Dorothy Lamour. Delta Rhythm 
B&ys will round out the bill, play¬ 
ing one stanza of four weeks they 
owe the Venus Room. & ■ 

Sands celebrates its fpurth anni 
next 'weekend* with’ a black-tie 
poddy. Among the celebs RSVPing 
—Desi & Lucy Arnaz, Esther & 
Ben Gage, the James Masons, Joan 
Caulfield, Clark Gable, Kim No¬ 
vak, Jack Lemmon, David Niven 
and Terry Moore, The anni show 
will star Danny Thomas, Franks 
Sinatra and Jerry Lewis—for one 
shot only. 

Amsterdam 

By Hans Saaltink 

(121 Pythagorasstraat ; 

Amsterdam 6) 

Hoofdstad Operette produced 
“Die Lustige Witwe.” 

“Richard III” (Par) scored suc¬ 
cess at the Alhambra. _ 

Rotterdam's Ton eel will' play 
Moliere’s “Le. Bourgeois Gentil- 
homme” Jan. 1. 

Haagse Comedie produced Bel¬ 
gian playwright Paul Willems’ 
"’Skin of the Bear.” 

Dutch singer Johnny Jordaan 
received golden record to mark 
millionth record sold. 

Friedrich Duerrenmatt’s tragi¬ 
comedy, “Visit of the Old Lady,” is 
produced by the Group Theatre, 
with Willy Haak. 

City Board of The Hague voted 
a $6,800 subsidy to the Ballet Der 
Lage Landen, and $26,000 .subsidy 
to Netherlands Ballet. 

Jean Anouilh’s plays, “Pauvre 
Bitos” and “Valse Des Toreadors,” 
will be produced by the Haagse 
Comedie and the Rotterdams 
Toneel. 

Alexander * Smallens conducted 
“Faust” with the Netherlands 
Opera in Holland. He also will 
prepare preem of Chaikovsky’s 
’Pique Dame.” 

Miami Beach 

. By Lary Solloway 

Arthur Godfrey again featured 
speaker at annual Thoroughbred 
Racing Assn, dinner. 

Si Cohen, 3VB pubrelations, 
headquartering at the Roney-Plaza 
while checking the area. 

The Miami Opera Guild Opened 
the “formal” ball season with 
annual soiree at the Americana. 

Bing Crosby, Phil Harris and the 
Ben Gaineses skied to Havana for 
the annual golf tournment there 
and look-see around the booming 
Cubano capital. 

Joni James and Tony AcquaVlva 
honeymooning at the Eden Roc, 
where she recently played date. 
The Bill (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyds 
also guesting at the swankery. 


Hollywood 


RKO studio operations manager: 
Ray Klune to Florida for huddles 
with Tom O’Neil. 

Hollywood Women’s IPress Club 
named Deborah Kerr and Charlton 
Heston as the Most Cooperative 
Actress and Actor of year. 

Jackie Coogan returned from 
emseeing a telethon in Portland. 

Harold Hecht back at his desk 
after a quick trek to London. 

Margaret Padula, veteran stage 
actress and nitery performer in 
Hollywood, had her left leg ampu¬ 
tated at Mt. Sinai hospital. 

Eddie Rio, former AGVA chief 
on Coast and later entertainment 
head at the Royal Nevada, Las 
Vegas, opening a personal manage¬ 
ment office. 


Santiago 


“Gone With Wind” (M-G-M) 
back again at the Metro and Las 
Lilas. 

Los Cuatro Hermanos Silva, gui¬ 
tar quartet, off to Colombia and 
New York. 

Dante Leone orch at the Wal¬ 
dorf. with warblers Ketta del Roy 
and Chiquito Pomar. 

Los Chavales, Spanish duo, and 
Jorge Rios, Chilean songster, at 
the boite of the Vina del Mar gam¬ 
bling casino. 

Lucho Cordobax scripting and’ 
producing “El Chico Meneses” 
(The Menses Kid) three time week¬ 
ly on Radio Mineria. 

Gustavo Campana, radio scripter, 
to replace Rene Hurtado when he 
retires from posts of director of 
national theatre department of 
University of Chile. 

Raul Santa Maria moved from 
managership of Radio Sociedad 
Nacional de Agricultura to public 
relations director for local RCA 
Victor fabricating plant. 


Chicago 

Tianist Trod Kaz -opens Jerry - 
Gales and Martin Allen’s new SRO 
Club Friday night (14). 

Agent Dick Hoffman back at 
work at Paul N[arr agency after 
layoff caused by Alness. 

Barrister Jimmy O’Keefe in Jty.Y, 
this week for confabs on settle¬ 
ment of Tommy Dorsey’s estate. 

American Heart Assn, handed a 
Citation to former NBC board 
chairman Sylvester (Pat) Weaver 
at its annual board meeting here 
last Saturday (8). 

WBBM-TV telecasting preem 
hoopla ' of “Seven Wonders of 
World” which opens tonight (Wed.) 
at the Palace. Lowell Thomas will 
appear on telecast to be emceed 
by Howard Milter. 


By Glenn Trump 

Betty B. at Piano Bar of Hill 
Hotel’s Ron-D-Voo Room. 

Bill Miskell, local theatre exec, 
named veepee of Omaha Safety 
Council. 

Mai Dunn’s Orch. into Joe Mai* 
ec’s Peony Park over the past 
weekend. 

Ivan Fuldauer, of Metro’s Chi¬ 
cago office, in to plug “Teahouse 
of August Moon.” 

Louis Palmer Jr., and Louis T» 
Carnazzo, both Omahans, filed ar¬ 
ticles of incorporation for a nitery. 
Palmer’s. 

Don Jewell, manager of Lin¬ 
coln’s new Pershing Memorial 
Aud, seeking a show for his grand 
opening in March. 


Boston 


By Guy Livingston 

Boston City Council passed ordi¬ 
nance taxing juke boxes $50. 

Gina Lollobrigida in for Hun¬ 
garian Relief Fund benefit at Sher¬ 
aton Plaza. 

Gerry Mulligan Quartet ’'and 
Mort Sahl .current at George 
Wein’s Storyv'ille. 

Eddie Fisher booked for Blin- 
strub’s March 11-17; Mills Brothers 
moved from that date to March 
25-31. 

James MacArthur, Harvard 
freshman, off to Mexico to spend 
Christmas with his mother, Helen 
Hayes, at uncle’s home. 

Siobhan McKenna gives her 
first one-woman show in U.S., “An 
Afternoon with the Irish Poets,” 
in Sanders Theatre at Harvard 
Sunday (16). 

Jan Peerce, Mimi Benzell and 
Luther Adler booked for third an¬ 
nual Greater Boston Chanukah 
Festival for Israel at Boston Ger-. 
den, Dec. 23. 


Pittsburgh 

By Hal V. Cohen 

Reese and Davis back at Holiday 
House for Second time in less than 
six months. 

Dorothy Girard to work for Len- 
nie Martin on special promotion 
for Kossol Sisters. 

Jo Ann Tolley and dancers 
Bobbye Priest and A1 Fosse at An¬ 
kara with Dr. Giovanni. 

Dave Crantz emcee and co-pro¬ 
ducer of show for Pittsburgh Sym¬ 
phony’s ribbing Yule party. 

Genii Prior plans to go out as a 
Single with her present partner- 
husband, Danii, as her manager. 

Palm Springs 

By Alice Scully 

Ella Fitzgerald followed Lillian 
Roth into ChiChi’s. House being 
enlarged to seat 5Q0. 

Ray Corliss managing new KDES 
for Cameron interests, which own 
Desert Sun and Cameron Center. 

Jane Russell pitching for Waifs. 

Walt Disney building a new home 
for himself and the missus at 
Smoke Tree. 


Scotland . 

By Gordon Irving' 

Regal Cinema in Ayr shuttered 
and will reopen as dancery. 

Hymie Zahl, British agent, to 
Glasgow to o.o. the Christmas 
shows. 

Mundy & Earle, mijfning duo, 
set for “Good Old Days” tv show 
Dec. 26. 

Lex McLean set as comedian for 
winter show at Tivoli Theatre, 
Aberdeen. 

* .Brisk booking for “King and 
I,” opening for short stint at * 
King's, Glasgow, Dec. 17. 

George Crockatt named mana¬ 
ger of Orient Cinema, Ayr, in 
place of the late J. B. Hawke. 

Micheline Presle, French film 
actress, made personal to launch 
French Film Week at Cameo, Edin¬ 
burgh. 

Stewart Cruikshank, Howard .& 
Wyndham boss, to Glasgow and 
Edinburgh to o.o. pantomime 
openings. 

“Robinson Crusoe” pantomime 
tee-ed off at Theatre Royal, Glas¬ 
gow. Harry Gordon and Jack 
Radcliffe are starred. 

Special performances of Bus 
Stop” (20th) staged at. La Scala, 
Glasgow, by Sir Alex King to ben¬ 
efit Hungarian Relief Fund. 

John Gregson, Michael Powell, 
Emeric Pressburger and April Ol- 
rich planing to Glasgow for char¬ 
ity preem of “Battle of River 
Plate.” 



x3J.4jt. 


Wtdtmda?* December 12, 1956 



JACK COHN 

Jack Cohn, 67, co-founder and 
exec vicepresident of Columbia 
Pictures, died at Midtown Hospital 
in New York last Saturday (8). 
Details in film section. 


tOUIS A. HANDMAN 

Louis A. Handman, 62, composer 
of pop songs and a vaudeville pi~ 
anist, died Dec. 9 in New York. 

A self-taught musician, he be¬ 
came a professional pianist at 17. 
After a brief vaude tour in Aus¬ 
tralia in a two-man act, he re¬ 
turned to the U. S', end enlisted in 
the Army in World War I. In 1920 
he played piaho for publishing 
houses and began co mpo sing with 
“Give Me a Smile and a Kiss.” He 
continued cleffing and working as 
accompanist for vaude singers, 
among them Marion. Harris, and 
Clark Bergman. 

With his wife, vocalist Florrle 
Levere, Handman toured the U. S. 
and Europe and had been a head¬ 
liner with his wife, oxt the RKO 
circuit, -playing the Palace and 
other major houses. Among his 
many songs are “Are You Lone¬ 
some Tonight?.” “Blue,” “My 
Sweetie Went Away.” “Bye, Bye 
Baby,” “Was It Bain, "Don’t Ever 
Change,” “Me and the Moon,” “I 
Can’t Get the One I. Want” and 
“Puddin’ Head Jones.” 

Last year, Handman and his wife 


Creek, Alta., he started his career 
as a newsman as a cub for the 
Toronto Star. 

Halton drew the attention of H. 
C. Hindmarsh, the Star’s fahulous 
m.e., with a series of “Alice in 
Wonderland” political satires, 
which he wrote and threw in the 
basket. One of them was rescued 
and published, and from then on 
Halton was in. He later was a war 
correspondent and authored a 
book, “Ten Years to Alamein.” 

His younger brother, Seth Hal¬ 
ton, publishes the Victoria, B.C., 
Colonist.' 



received a citation from Secretary 
of Defense Charles E. Wilsoii as 
members of the ASCAP troupe 
who toured military installations 
abroad. Services today (Wed.) at 
Riverside Chapel, N. Y. 

Wife, two brothers and three sis¬ 
ters survive. 


MALCOLM LEE BEGGS 

Malcolm Lee Beggs, 49, actor- 
director appearing in the road com¬ 
pany of “No Time for Sergeants, 
was .beaten to death Dec. 10 in an 
apparent robbery attempt, alleged¬ 
ly by two youths, in his Chicago 
hotel room. Beggs’ last Broadway 
appearance was in “Mr. Wonder¬ 
ful” which he left last spring to 
join the touring “Sergeants.” His 
other New York and touring cred¬ 
its included “Arsenic and Old 
Lace,” “Up In Central Park,’’ 
“Seventh Heaven” and “The 
Vamp.” He also appeared in sev¬ 
eral network television dramatic 
shows. 

As a director, Beggs staged sum¬ 
mer musicals at the Asbury Park 
<N.J.) Neptune Music Circus, the 
Louisville Amphitheatre and In¬ 
dianapolis Qivic Operettas. Ear¬ 
lier, he had his own stock compa¬ 
nies in several Nefc England cities. 

Beggs, who started his acting ca- 


IN MEMORIAM 

EDWARD B„ MARKS 

1865 . 1945 


HENRY FILLMORE 

Henry i Fillmore, 75,. composer 
of more than' ~40(T marches" and - !or- 
mer Cincinnati band leader and 
music publisher, died Dec. 7 in 
Miami, where he- made his home 
since 1936. In • recent years he 
headed the U. of Miami music de¬ 
partment. -His most popular piece 
was “Lassus Trombone.” 

He was president of the 77-year- 
old Fillmore Music House, Cin¬ 
cinnati publishing and instrument 
firm, untjl 1951 when it was ab¬ 
sorbed by the Carl Fischer Co. 
Fillmore’s Concert Band was a fix¬ 
ture for years in the Cincinnati 
area. In its final stage the band 
featured Mike, hound dog soloist. 


a heart attack Nov. 25 in that city. 
After working on several dailies in 
Pitt, she quit to do publicity for 
old Alvin Theatre, a legit house 
operated by the Shuberts, in the 
early ’twenties. Later she was p.a. 
for the old George Sharp Company 
at the old Pitt for years. 

Survivors include a cousin. Peg 
Lanagar, Pittsburgh booking-agent. 

ALLEN R. ROWE 
Allen R. (Doc) Rowe, 71, onetime 
pianist on the old Orpheum and 
Pantages circuits, died Dec. 2 In 
San Jose, Cal. A graduate of 
Northwestern U. Medical School, 
he was a doctor but .never prac¬ 
ticed—preferring music to medi¬ 
cine. For the last 12 years, until 
ill health forced his retirement in 
September, he had been secretary 
of San Jose\ Local 153, AFM. 

Surviving are a son and daugh¬ 
ter. 


died in Chicago, Nov. 31. Survived 
by two daughters. 


James W. Rust, 60, a charter 
member of Local 16169, Film Ex¬ 
change Employes, died Nov. 27 in 
St. Louis. 


STETSON 

Stetson Woodrow, 60, hat juggler 
billed as Stetson “The Mad Hatter,” 
died Nov. 19 in Barcelona after an 
illness of several months. A native 
of England, he had been in show 
biz for 45 years. Specializing^ in 
hat juggling, he adopted the name 
of Stetson some 30 years ago while 
touring Australia. 

Stetson, who also trouped in the 
U.S., the United Kingdom andj 
Europe, retired from the stage five 
years ago to act as agent-manager 
for his son, Peter Woodrow, also a 
juggler. He travelled to Spain to 
be with his daughter, Patricia Dor, 
during her engagement at Teatro 
Comico, Barcelona. 


HARRY F. BACHMAN 

Harry F. Bachman, 53, president 
of the Circle Theatre Corp., died 
Nov. 8 in Westgate, Md. He en¬ 
tered the film industry in the early 
1920’s, with Educational Films. 
Subsequently, he managed Warner 
Bros, theatres in Hagerstown and 
Baltimore. About 15 years ago, he 
became manager of the Circle 
Theatre, Washington, and was 
named prexy of the firm in 1952. 

Bachman ^vas a member of the 
board of governors of the D.C. 
Variety Club and secretary-treas¬ 
urer of the Washington division of 
MPTOA. 


DAVID POOLE 

David Poole, 70, ventriloquist, 
famed in English vauderies for 
over 40 years, died of a heart at¬ 
tack Nov. 26 in Morecambe, Eng. 
He was best known for his “school¬ 
room” scene with dummy “Johnnie 
Green.” . 

His wife was Bessie Butt, serio 
and solo dancer. He retired after 
the end of World War II, selling 
his act to Nelson Lloyd, who still 
presents it in vaude. 


DR. ARTHUR LANGE 
Dr. Arthur Lange, 67, composer, 
conductor and arranger who had 
directed the Santa Monica Sym¬ 
phony Orchestra since 1947, died 
Dec. 7 in Washington, 

He had headed the music depart¬ 
ments of Metro. 20th-Fox, -RKO- 
Pathe and Universal-International. 
His film credits include thq early 
Shirley Temple films, “The Great 
Ziegfeld,” “Cavalcade” and “The 
Great Victor Herbert.” 


HUNTLEY GQRDON 
Huntley Gordop, leading man in 
silent pix, died of a heart attack 
Dec. 7 in ‘Hollywood. Starting his 
screen career with Vitagraph and 
old Metro, he was active for years, 
appearing at the majority of 
studios before he returned in the 
late '30s. 

' For 14 years Gordon was talent 
head of Motion Picture Relief 
Fund’s radio show, and at the time 
of his death he was studio contact 
for MPRF. 

His wife survives. 


reer at the age of five, came from a 
show business family. His father, 
Lee Bate's, was a pioneer film di¬ 
rector, and his mother; Doris Sin¬ 
gleton, who survives, was a legit 
actress. 


PAUL W. KESTEN 

Paul W. Kesten, 58i who made 
CBS and radio history as promo¬ 
tion director and ultimately as ex¬ 
ecutive vicepresident of that net¬ 
work, died Dec. 4 in Great Barring¬ 
ton, Mass* He retired from radio 
in 1946 and had. operated as a 
freelance consultant, having been 
a prime 'mover in the original 
financing and inauguration of Cine¬ 
rama by the Lowell Thomas syn¬ 
dicate. 

Long in poor health due to a 
little-known malfunctioning of the 
respiratory system (not tubercu¬ 
losis), he was increasingly inactive, 
though maintaining an office at the 
Lombardy Hotel, N. Y.. He re¬ 
mained a CBS consultant on annual 
retainer. 

Further details in the radio-tv 
section. 


MATTHEW HALTON 
Matthew Halton, 52, chief Euro¬ 
pean correspondent for the Cana¬ 
dian Broadcasting ’Corp. since 
1945, died Dec. 3 in London after 
undergoing a stomach operation 


HANS BARTH 
Hans Barth, 59, pianist, harpsi¬ 
chordist. composer of more than 50 
published works and inventor of a 
quarter-tone piano, died Dec. 8 in 
Jacksonville, Fla. 

Barth was a teacher at the Jack¬ 
sonville College of Music. He made 
numerous concert appearances 
both in Europe aiid the U. S., and 
for five years, was chief soloist of 
the Philadelphia Orchestra while 
Leopold Stokowski was its conduc¬ 
tor. His wife survives. 


. JAMES W. EVANS ** 
James W. Evans, 69, theatrical 
producer before becoming postmas¬ 
ter of Fairhaven, Mass., some 20 
years ago, died of a heart attack 
Dec. 9 in Marion, Mass. He was 
stricken while attending a testi¬ 
monial dinner in his honor. 

Evans’ musical troupes toured 
eastern seaboard cities as well as 
Nova Scotia. He had five shows 
running at one time. One of his 
discoveries Was‘said to have been 1 
Ray Bolger, who broke Into show 
business in one of Evans’ troupes. 

* GEORGE F. HILL 
George F. Hill, 77> film pioneer, 
died Dec. 1 in Tynemouth, Eng. 
He was brother-in-law of the late 
George Black, London impresario. 

Survived by daughter and two 
sons, one of latter being Laurence 
Hill, assistant to Val Parnell. 


HELEN W. DONNELLY 
Helen W. Donnelly, 70, longtime 
newspaperwoman and theatreal- 


JACK MARLOW 
John J. Belmont, 74, vaude ma¬ 
gician who was billed as Jack Mar¬ 
low, died Dec. 4 in Washington, 
D.C. He became interested' ' in 
magic when he travelled in France 
with his father, John Jules Bel¬ 
mont, an opera singer. 

Belmont, who worked with 
Houdini, Blacksfone and Thurston, 
appeared in his own act on several 
circuits. 


KATE E. BROADHEAD 
Kate Elizabeth Broadhead, 76, 
former director of the Tower 
Theatre Company, Blackpool, Eng., 
died Nov. 26 in that city. 

Her father, the late W. H. Broad¬ 
head, was founder and head of a 
theatrical circuit and also a direc¬ 
tor of the Tower Company. 


Mother, of Fernando de Fuentes, 
Mexican producer-director died re¬ 
cently in Mexico City following a 
prolonged illness. 


Widow, 86 r of theatrical agent 
Reuben Cohen, died Dec. 2 in San 
Francisco. 


John Dunlop, 69, chairman of 
Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre Society, 
died Dec. 1 in Largs, Scotland. 


Alfred H. Gee, 78, ventriloquist, 
died recently in Southport, Eng. 


MARRIAGES 

Adelaide Fassio to Donald Casey. 
Baltimore, Dec. 1. He’s an actor 
and board member of the Baltimore 
Civic Theatre; bride is costume de¬ 
signer with the same group. ' 

Opal* Scott to. A1 Maynard, Las 
Vegas, Dec. 1. He’s ABC purchas¬ 
ing agent in Hollywood. 

Jennifer Mary Bruges to Gareth 
Ulric Van Den Bogaerde, Edin¬ 
burgh, Dec. 1. Bride is former 
ballerina; he’s a film editor and 
brother of English film actor Dirk 
Bogarde. 

Patricia Vincent tb Gene Bland 
Las Vegas, Nov. 30, Bride’s a secre¬ 
tary at the Warner Bros, exchange 
in Los Angeles; he’s a musician. 

Araceli Alarcon to Roberto Viv- 
anco Rocha, Puebla, Mexico, Dec. 
1. Bride is daughter of Mexican, 
film ipagnate Gabriel Alarcon. 

Diana Lynn to Mort Hall, 
Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 7. Bride’s 
an.“actress; he’s head of KLAC. 
Los Angeles. 

Norma I. Pretsch to Charles 
Stewart, San Antonio, Nov. 30. 
He’s announcer and newscaster on 
staff .of KITE in that city; 

Jdin De K«yser to, Alexander R, 
Barron, New York, Dec. 2. Bride 
is a member of the Theatre Guild 
subscription department; he’s gen¬ 
eral-manager for legit producers 
Alexander H. Cohen and Ralph 
Alswang. 

Mavis Hedges to Richard Payne, 
Oldham, Eng., recently. Bride’s a 
former chorine; he’s a stage hyp¬ 
notist. 

Peggy Acheson to Jack Konzal. 
Boston, Nov. 28. She’s a singer; 
he’s a dancer. 


JEAN STEPHENS 
Jean Stephens, 30, actress, died 
Dec. 4 in William?, Ariz., of inju¬ 
ries sustained in an auto accident. 
She and her husband. Bob Davis, 
were en route east for holidays. 
Her husband survives. 


ELMER E. BENESCH 
Elmer E. Benesch, 59, former 
Chicago theatre owner and an ex¬ 
hibitor for 25 years, died Dec. 7 
in Elmwood Park, Ill. - 
Surviving are his wife, son and 
daughter. 


Curtis Ashy (Curt) Jones, ; 
former motion picture comedian, 
stunt man and vaude performer, 
died recently in Winchester, Ill. 
He retired in 1950 after serving as 
projectionist in several St. Louis 
theatres. 


Ernest Eisfeldt, 76, onetime ad¬ 
vance man for the Ringling Bros, 
and Barnum & Bailey Circus, died 
Dec, 4 in Youngstown, O. Surviv¬ 
ing are his wife and a btother. 


Angelo Diodati, 62, a projection¬ 
ist in • Pittsburgh for the last 40 
years and since 1937 on the Penn 
Theatre staff there, died of a heart 
attack Nov. 30 in Pitt. ■ 


Mother, 77, of Chester H. Lauek, 
the Lum of the “Lum and Abner” 
comedy team, died Nov. 30 in 
Mena, Ark. 


Father of Bill Roberts, house 
manager of the Pittsburgh Play¬ 
house, died Dec. 2 in Washington, 
Pa. 


Henry Oscar Jones, 82, retired 
exhibitor, died recently in Alva, 
Tex. Surviving is his son, Homer, 
also an exhib. 


Dorsey H. Looney, 47, manager 
of the Roxie Theatre, *Munday, 
Tex., died there recently. His wife 
and son survive. 


Father, 56, of Yolanda Montes 
(Tongolele), Mexican-American spe¬ 
cialty dancer, died Nov. 22 in 
Mexico City. 


- -—- —« _ , Harry T. Mitchell, 63, retired J. 

some months ago. Born In Pincher 1 pressagent in Pittsburgh, died of I Walter Thompson vicepresident, 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hill, son, 
Burbank, Cal., Dec. 3, Father is 
veepee of Gross-Krasne Produc¬ 

tions. 

Mr. and. Mrs. Robert Shutan, 

sob, Hollywood, Dec. 2. 'Father is 
an attorney; mother is the former 
Janice Dillon, singer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Negri, 

daughter, Pittsburgh, Dec. 3. Fa¬ 
ther’s with Deuces Wild jazz 
combo. 

Mr. and Mrs. Artie Spector, 

daughter, Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Fa¬ 
ther’s an entertainer. - 

Mr. and Mrs. William Sackheim, 
son, Lcs Angeles, Dec. 6. Father 
is a tv producer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Mackenzie, 
daughter, Greenock, Scotland, 
Dec. 1. 

Mr. and Mrs. Don Gibson, daugh¬ 
ter, Chicago, Dec. 6. Father is 
folk singer and musician. * 

Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Dean, son, 
Campwood, Tex., recently. Father 
is owner of the Nueces Theatre in 
that city. 

Mr. and Mrs. William Dempsey, 
daughter, Redwood City, Cal., Dec. 
4. Father is program manager of 
KPIX, San Francisco. 


Politicking on TV 

Continued from page 1 

meeting the people closeup and of 
“telecasts and broadcasts at given 
points,” is* necessary. Either one, 
alone, is not sufficient, he declared. 
Congressman O’Brien had spoken 
Of the long-used and popular cam¬ 
paign trains and of the more recent 
campaign planes. 

Referring to the fact that in the 
recent pre-election period he had 
made one only televised talk, 
O’Brien remarked, “I felt that I 
would have done better with card 
tricks.” To which Hagerty re¬ 
sponded that in view of O’Brien’s 
sweeping victory—on the Demo¬ 
cratic ticket—in the Albany-Tray 
area, and in previous campaigns, 
while President Eisenhower, ji Re¬ 
publican, triumphed in the same 
section, the lawmaker-telecaster 
was something of a magician. 


19 ' 


Scimoz Fete 

■■ Continued from page Z aaj 
F. Skouras, Jake Starr, M. O. 
Straqsberg, Joseph R. Vogel, Frank 
C. Walker, Richard F. 'WalshyTMal. 
Albert Warner, Herbert J. Yates, 
Max Youngstein and Sam Zim- 
balist. 

Charities benefiting from the 
event, aside from the JTG, include 
the Motion Picture Relief Fund, 
Negro Actors Guild, Catholic Ac¬ 
tors Guild, Episcopal Actors Guild, 
Yiddish Theatrical Alliance, Actors 
Fund of America, Will Rogers Me¬ 
morial Hospital, and the welfare 
funds of the American Guild of 
Variety Artists and the American 
.Federation of Television -& Radio 
Artists. 

Harry E. Gould is general chair¬ 
man of the dinner; Harry Brandt is 
dinner coordinator. 


Texas ‘Studio City 9 

.s™ Continued from page I 
and recording. Estimated cost; 
$ 10 , 000 , 000 . 

A nine story office building will 
house producers, script writers, 
fillm distributors and others. The 
building will also contain a private 
club. Other structures in the proj¬ 
ect will be an auditorium-coliseum 
for a sound stage, as well as for 
local Civic activities, such'as horse 
shows, stock shows and other large 
events. 

Labs for the processing of black 
and white and color stock, cutting 
rooms and other technical depart¬ 
ments are in blueprint plus* re¬ 
hearsal halls and recording studios. 
Werner predicts 300 to 500 persons , 
will be employed full time at the 
center and peak employment could 
reach 2,000 during film operations. 

Texas International Productions 
is a closed corporation and no 
slock is available^ Werner said. 
Kenyon Brown is prez of the cor¬ 
poration; Werner, veepee; Frank 
j. Mi ler, secretary-treasurer; Alon¬ 
zo Baker, S. O. Samuelson, Fred 
G. Johnston, all members of the 
board. Jimmie Fidler of Holly¬ 
wood is the board chairman. 

Shooting has already begun on 
the "first production, “Johnnie 
Ringo,” in the Fairview ranch loca- 
tio« About 100 area residents have 
been hired to work as extras and 
with speaking parts. John Carpen¬ 
ter is producer and director of the 
film, and will also star in the pic as 
“John Ringo.” Carpenter has made 
other westerns, some through 
United Artists release, acting as 
writer-director-producer and star, 
under the name of John Forbes. 
Elaine Walker, of Hollywood, is 
the femme star of the pic. 

Sets on the ranch have been con¬ 
structed to represent Dallas, Fort 
Worth, Midland and Tucson, Ariz., 
in the 1880’s. The new company 
plans to continue with a series of 
“Johnny Ringo” films for tv and 
Carpenter will use the title role 
name permanently. 


Calypso Next 

. Continued from i>age 1 
out. The present fad is giving way 
to calypso music, recent polls on 
record sales show.” He likened 
Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra, as 
“having ridden the crest of the mu- 
ical phase of the time into national 
popularity,” and that “it remains 
to be seen what happens in the 
case qf Presley.” 

He also stated that Presley's ges¬ 
ticulations “have no immoral influ¬ 
ence.” “These teenagers are hyp¬ 
notized by the beat of the music, 
as were their parents and grand¬ 
parents by the popular musical 
beats during the phrases of the 
past two generations.” 

Fr. O’Connor said he thinks the 
teen trend now is toward more 
singers of the Harry Beiafonte type 
and the musical beat of the West 
Indies. Another indication that 
rock 'n’ roll is getting “square” is 
the number of orchs which have 
started recording other types of 
music, he pointed out. 

“They have seen the change in 
the tempo of the teenager, which 
they knew was “coming.” He 
traced the origin of rock ?n’ roll 
to hillbilly music, which he said 
started to gain in popularity after 
World War II. 









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SYDNEY NEWS— 
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VoL 205 No. 3 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1956 - PRICE 25 CENTS 




+ 


Reveal U. S. Navy Slant on Films: 
Streamlined & Peacetime Operations 


Cops Can’t ‘Clean Up’ Monti Boites; 
Raids Give ‘Exotics’ Ecstatic Hypo 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. -f 

Because the U.S.' Navy was un¬ 
able to furnish the type of coop¬ 
eration needed, 20th-Fox has 
dropped its contemplated “Brandy 
for Heroes,” planned as a Cinema- 
Scope story about the Navy in 
World War II in the South Pacific. 

A studio source acknowledges the 
Navy didn't like certain parts of 
the treatment submitted to it, but 
contends this had nothing to do 
with the studio decision to shelve 
“Brandy,” saying revisions deemed 
necessary by the Navy could have 
been made easily. 

“Heroes,” based on an original 
by Harry Haislip, retired Navy 
captain, dealt with surface squad- 
Ton ( s in World War II in the South 
Pacific, specifically with the battle 
for the Marshall Islands. 

“It was impossible to get the 
physical production for a wartime 
picture of this type, at the present 
time from the Navy. The picture 
called for wartime battleships and 
equipment Which today are, in 
many instances, obsolete. The 
Navy is not interested at the pres¬ 
ent time in wartime stories; they 
prefer to emphasize the new, 
streamlined Navy and present 
peacetime conditions-. The Navy is 
interested in such pictures mainly 
as they help recruiting for the 
Navy. We couldn’t get the kind of 
cooperation needed for such a film. 

, “There was some criticism of 
the story, but these points could 
have been worked out with no 
trouble; they were minor in na¬ 
ture. But mainly the project fell 
through because the physical facili¬ 
ties needed for such a story don’t 
even exist today. The Navy would 
have to get such ships out of moth¬ 
balls,” added the studio source. 

David Weisbart had been hand¬ 
ed production reins on the project 


Two Convicts, Ex-Tooters, 
Flee While on Disk ‘Date’ 
At Houston Radio Station 

Houston, Dec. 18. 

Two .sidemen who dropped their 
horns and hotfooted out of a radio 
recording session here Thursday 
(13), are still being hunted by po¬ 
lice of several, states. The men, 
trombonist Robert O. McDonnell, 
28, and saxophonist Paul E. Myre, 
25, were both maximum security 
prisoners from Ramsey Prison 
Farm. They escaped 1 from station 
KPRC where with other- members 
of prison'band they were to record 
for weekly “Behind Prison Walls.!’ 

Asst,* Warden’W; F. Green said 
both men are dangerous and prob¬ 
ably armed by how^McDonnell was 
serving 50 ’ years for armed rob¬ 
bery, Myre five years on .the'same 
charge. A search by bloodhounds 
m and around North Houston and 
Baytown failed to turn up their 
trail. 

One of the guards^ assigned to 
(Continued on page 79) 


Maxwell Anderson Scripts 
Go to Library of Congress 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

Collection of Maxwell Ander¬ 
son’s manuscripts have been donat¬ 
ed to the Library of Congress. 

Included are the originals of 24 
plays, among which are his best 
known, prize-winning works; the 
manuscript of his 1925 volume of 
poetry, “You Who Have Dreams”; 
several unpublished poems; and 
unpublished interviews during 
World Was H, including one with 
General Dwight Eisenhower. 

4-Day Xmas Hits 
Hotel Party Biz, 
Bat Resorts SRO 

Hotels in all large cities are 
finding that the Christmas party 
business is off considerably from 
last year. Timing of Christmas 
and N6w Year's Day, both of which 
fall on Tuesdays, has caused most 
firms to declare a four-day holiday 
weekend starting the preceding 
Friday. 

Consequently, with a four-day 
weekend, many are getting an early 
start to various vacation spots. For 
example, the. borscht belt hotels 
are getting a heavier than usual 
slice of holiday business, and sell¬ 
outs are expected in many of the 
inns operating during the winter 
months. 

The downbeat of the Christmas 
party business represents^ terrific 
loss for the various hostels. It’s 
not only a matter of losing the 
catering business this year, but 
some hotels are fearful that It 
might start a precedent for suc¬ 
ceeding years. Many firms have 
long reported these annual shin- 
(Continued on page 23) 


Jessel’s Show Biz Spiels 

George Jessel is being set for 
the spiel circuit at $1,000 nightly 
on a route being set up by Harry 
D. Squires, Jessel will discourse 
on “50‘ YCfrS of Entertainment in 
America”* • using the lectern as * a 
base of his.operations with the aid 
of a pianist, .Jessel will do 60 dates 
for Squires. 

Under the gab blueprint plotted 
by the .comic,.Jre’H recall the greats 
.of the .the^frp, When speaking of 
Sam Bernard, .David Warfield,. Ed¬ 
die C.antor,. George M. Cohan or 
A1 Jolson, he’ll talk* and/on sing in 
the manner of those performers. 

Cantor,' some time ago, essayed 
a series of one-man concert-lecture 
series. 


By HY HOLLINGER 

In recent months exhibitors 
have clamored for film fare that 
would appeal to teenage audiences 
whom they regard as their best 
customers. They called for pic¬ 
tures with built-in teen appeal; 
that is„ product. based on subjects 
that arouse the interest of the 
youngsters. In this category, rock 
’n’ roll figures prominently. Now 
that many theatres have had an 
opportunity to display some of the 
so-called teen features, they’re 
wondering if it’s worthwhile. 

On the basis of recent experi¬ 
ence, many theatremen are doing 
some serious soul-searching and 
are asking themselves if the “mon¬ 
ster” they’ve created is a good 
thing after all. In their appraisal 
of the situation, their thoughts are 
somewhat schizoid. 

• On the other hand, the teen 
films, many of them obvious “quick¬ 
ies” and “cheapies” made to take 
advantage of the market demand, 
succeed in fulfilling a theatreman’s 
prime purpose — bringing custom¬ 
ers to the boxoffice. The returns 
aren’t sensational, hut when 
weighed realistically, they’re supe- 
(Continued on page 20) 

WelkGetsNodOn 
Ike’s Inaugural 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Lawrence Welk has been asked 
to headline the President’s In¬ 
augural Ball in Washington Jan. 21 
and will fly to the nation’s capital 
for the date if the necessary televi¬ 
sion details can' be“*worked out. 
Welk would take the entire troupe 
east for the show. 

Present plans call for a kine¬ 
scope of the usual Monday night 
“Lawrence Welk Top Tunes and 
New Talent” show on ABC-TV 
since the program conflicts with 
the ball time and could not be done 
live. Welk will do. his regular Sat¬ 
urday night ABC-TV’ show, cancel 
his usual Sunday night Aragon 
Ballroom appearance, and fly east 
over the weekend. 


Evangelist’s R&R Theme 

Dumfries, Scot., Dec. 18. 

Rev. John Wesley White, 

U S. evangelist, currently cru¬ 
sading here, arrived in town at 
same time as rock ’n’ roll juves 
were rioting in a local cinema.. 

While out advertising his 4 
meetings, he ran intor a bunch 
of the juves. One of them jok-. 
ingly asked if he had anything 
to do With rock ’n’ roll. 

“Yes, sir!” said Rev. White, 
over his microphone. “On 
Christ the Solid Rock I stand,” 
and “When the Roll is called 
up yonder, I'll be there.” 


------f 

3-Network AM-TV Xmas 
Pitch for Magyar Relief 

The radio and tv networks of 
CBS, ABC and NBC are banding 
together Xmas Day to do a spec¬ 
tacular splash from New York’s 
Ziegfeld Theatre in behalf of Hun¬ 
garian refugee relief. 0 . 

Fred Coe will produce the show, 
to be seen^and heard between 6-7 
p.m., Dec. 25. It will feature per¬ 
formers from every legit show on 
Broadway, a spokesman disclosed 
last night (Tues.). 


Murrow’sMltnne 


Coup in Interview 



One of the biggest journalistic 
beats in television history or for 
that matter in any news media in 
recent years is being scored today 
(Wed.) by Ed Murroiv and a “See 
It Now” crew, who are filming an 
exclusive interview with Chou En- 
lai, premier of Communist China. 
Interyiew is taking place in Ran¬ 
goon, during Chou’s 10-day visit 
to Burma. 

It will be the first time Chou 
will, be seen. qn television; also the 
first time an American journalist 
has gotten an Exclusive interview 
with the Chinese Communist boss. 
A U.S. State Dept, ban exists on 
travel by U.S. newsmen to China, 
but since Chou- is in Rangoon, 
there’s nothing to prevent Murrow 
ofrom interviewing him there. 

Murrow flew to Rangoon Satur¬ 
day (15) with cameraman Bill Mc¬ 
Clure to join a. “See .I,t.Npw!’.crew 
which has been stationed there 
since.. August dpipg.a study .Qf the 
neutralist, nations for the regular 
“Se? It Now” show for February. 
The interview was set up by Bur- 
(Continued'on page 23) 


Horoscope on Records 

The* horoscbpfe’ faddists '\rill be, 
getting their, forecast kicks on rec¬ 
ords via* a* new pt'o'J.dcV being 
launched by ABC-Paramount. Disk- 
ery has set up a Hotdscope Records 
subsid label for a one-LP-a-month 
release. TheOLP, which will re¬ 
tail at $1.98, will feature new 
[ horoscopes coveriftg each month of 
the year with every new release. 

I The forecasts 'are being prepped 
by astrologer Zoltan S. Mason. 
Roger Carlin will produce the 
series. First LP will be in the 
stores Jan. 15., 


By MAX NEWTON 

Montreal, Dec. 18. 

There’s no biz like the strip biz 
as far as a number of Montreal 
cafe operators are concerned, with 
regular police raids doing little 
more than hold up their shows for 
a few hours. Such delaying tactics 
were pointed up last week when a 
vice squad -moved in on the New 
Orleans Cafe in the east end and 
hustled five of the “specialty 
dancers” off to police, cells for 
alleged indecent performances. 

Within two hours, manager Eddie 
Paprini had rounded up exotics 
from various saloons around town 
and the show went on to the usual 
capacity house. The “subs” were 
only used for one session. By mid¬ 
night, bail had been posted for the 
five and they continued with the 
regular offering, but * this time 
wearing more beads and subduing 
their motions. 

Police arrested the girls the 
night after four officers “caught” 
the show. They charged that the 
clothing was too schnty, the gyra¬ 
tions too suggestive and that there 
was too much mixing with the cus¬ 
tomers between performances. 

The number of joynts featuring 
strippers (mainly in Montreal’s 
east end).that have mushroomed, 
over the past year or so have 
proved a goldmine for some cafe 
owners. A great many of the girls 
are local and a regular circuit has 
been established with the “talent” 
working Montreal, a couple of 
northern Quebec towns and vari¬ 
ous border cities in the U.S. The 
(Continued on page 79) 


Hungarian Relief Plea 
Backfires on Sullivan; 
‘Don’t Buy Mercury Cars’ 

Dallas, Dec. 18. 

Ed Sullivan’s suggestion on his 
CBS-TV ' show* * Sunday (9), that 
business firms forego ^annual 
Christmas'parties and donate the 
money to the Hungarian Relief 
Fund, brought results in Texas—- 
and it also backfired. 

Dean Jennings, American Guild 
of Variety Artists organizer here 
for Texas and Oklahoma, received 
protests from several talent agents 
about cancellations on holiday 
shows. Except in the case of firm, 
Signed, contacts., sets may not be 
paid. Jennings wired Sullivan, ap¬ 
prising .him qf. thq Texas response 
to the relief fund appeal and the 
nixed deals; also, he said he was 
certain Sullivan hadn’t realized the 
import of his suggestion—that it 
would kill seasonal employment 
for some acts who, with lean 
months behind, depended upon 
heavy holiday bookings to carry 
them for possibly leaner days. 

Comic Candy Candido, one of 
i (Continued on page 23) 








MISOOXANY 


What D’ya Do for Hotel Encore? 


By ABEL GREEN 

A Florida "Teturser^cspeclally 
after five years—is overwhelmed toy 
the opulence and the “built-up’’ de¬ 
velopment of Miami Beach which, 
'where formerly 40th St, was con¬ 
sidered “way uptown ” now finds 
■the new plusheries well into the 90s 
and even above the 100th blocks. 
A first-time gander at the two top 
“last year’s hotels”—the Fontaine¬ 
bleau and Eden Roc—and now the 
450-room Americana (Tisch-operat- 
ed and owned), which is “this 
year’s hotel,” makes even ,the na¬ 
tive realize why. the foreign'botel- 
lersrwere - ■ almost- st un n ed -toy -the- 
Florida splendor. 

Only recently, two top hotel men, 
Armando Armanni, managing di¬ 
rector of Rome’s deluxe Exce’sior, 
and Max Blouet, ditto at Paris’ 
George V, both wellknown to Amer¬ 
ican VIPs touring abroad, re¬ 
marked to this reporter that “Flor¬ 
ida, puts, the hotel traditions of Eu¬ 
rope in all its yesteryear and mod¬ 
ern splendor to shame.” 

On a show biz front, since these 
plush establishments are basic 
show biz on their} own, the manage¬ 
ments have a common complaint— 
“Television is murdering us on sal¬ 
aries,” 

Point is that, because of tv, and 
since video is the crossroads of; 
(Continued on page 22) 

CBS Pays $1,500,000 
For %% Interest In 
Mike Todd Enterprises 

Hollywood, Dec. 18.- 

CBS paid $1,500,000 for 8% of 
Michael Todd Co., producers of 
“Around the World 80 Days.” The 
Todd company also is involved in 
ether theatre and production plans. 

Todd left the Coast Sunday night 
for Chicago to set up plans for 
$300,000 alterations of the Selwyn 
and Harris theatres where “World” 
opens in February, 


MIGHT EMBARRASS? 

Hungarian Aftermath Cancels East 
Berlin’s ’TUI Ulenspiegel* 

Premiere of the film “Till Ulen-. 
spiegel," coproduction between 
East Germany (DEFA) and France, 
has been postponed indefinitely in: 
East Berlin. DEFA cited as reason : 
star Gerard Philipe unavailability. 
to attend the opening. More like¬ 
ly Philipe’s protest against the East 
German (Commie) stand towards! 
the Hungarian situation is involved. 

-West—* Berlin—observers-.doubt- 

“Ulenspiegel” will ever have a gala 
opening since authorities don’t find 
the current political situation suit¬ 
able. 

Film deals with oppression and 
fight for freedom. 

Bronx Insurance Broker 
Promotes Tito Gobbi Of 
LaScala Into a Fliv 

Philadelphia*, Dec ; 18. 

Legal action looms in the sudden 
cancellation of the Tito Gobbi con¬ 
cert, skedded for the Academy of 
Music (Dec. 11). The Italian bari¬ 
tone and his accompanist, Leo 
Taubmap, were present, but Acad-, 
emy manager Mason •• called off 
the program when the boxoffice 
advance showed only 100 tickets 
sold and about $300 in the till. 

It was one of the few times in 
the 100-year-old history of the con¬ 
cert hall that a.program has been 
called off on such short notice. 
Gobbi, the leading baritone of the 
LaScala, Milax, flew in from Mon¬ 
treal to play the date. Mario J. 
Petti, Bronx insurance man, was 
the impresario. 

The confusion was heightened 
by the appearance of some 300 con- 
cert-goerg who milled outside the 
Academy, some of them unwilling 
(Continued on page 79) 



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mi&AA i 


. Durante in ‘Concert’ 

Jimmy Durable is going into 
—are ypu ready!?—the /concert 
field. The McCoy—concert 
halls and kindred auditoriums 
of musical culture. 

Directly after his March 19 
stint at the Chez Paree, Chi¬ 
cago, he. has. 10 one-nighters 
' lined up jin April, culminating 
in Louisville, at $5,000 i crack. 
That’s his take -for the baste 
unit—Eddie Jackson, Jules j 
Buffano, and Jack Both, be¬ 
sides himself. The promoters ■ 
furnish everything else—the ! 
six chicks with whom Dur¬ 
ante usually, clowns, the sup¬ 
porting acts, the advertising, 
travel expenses, etc. 

:RevoIutmisJ.G, 
Far Tourist Biz; 
Strikes Also Hurt 

.. - The -tourist - business has been 
thrown into dislocation by strikes, 
wars and revolutions. Several 
cruises, in the Mediterranean have 
: been called off because of the 
Egyptian difficulties, and at least 
one series of cruises- have been 
called off in the West Indies be¬ 
cause of a strike of engineers in 
Le Havre. 

The French strike has forced 
cancellation* of the five cruises to 
the West Indies slated for the 
! Flandre. Most of the business has 
transferred to the Nassau and 
other boats plying that route. 

. James Grady had been booking the 
talent for the Flandre. Also likely 
to be cancelled because of the 
strike is the cruise season of the 
lie de France. Question of* whether 
(Continued on page 18) 

Many Originals . 
In Israeli Legit 

Tel-Aviv, Dec. 11. 
The crop of original Israeli plays 
has not been too important in re¬ 
cent years, and only a few have 
reached Europe and the U.S. Best 
of them has been the characteristic 
drama by young playwright Moshe 
Shamir, called “He Walked in the 
Fields,” presented by the Chamber 
Theatre many years ago. It was re¬ 
vived for the group’s appearance at 
this year’s Paris International Fes¬ 
tival, and now is drawing full 
houses at its house here. Current 
season opened with all the local 
theatres preeming hew Israeli 
plays. 

Israel’s veteran Habimah Thea¬ 
tre is drawing capacity crowds with 
Aharon Meged’s comedy, “I. Like 
Mike.” This concerns the prob¬ 
lems of family and group conflicts 
where love for pioneer work and 
(Continued on page 22) 

CONSCIENCE VS. ART 

Confused But Still Playing USSR 
-—Montand Tells Press 

Paris, Dec. 18. 

Brutal Soviet suppression of the 
Hungarian revolt has caused a good 
deal of soul searching among Com¬ 
munist sympathizers in showbiz 
here. Yves Montand, fop singer- 
actor, was skedded for a tour of 
Russia and the satellites, but called 
it off after. Hungary, Now, he’s 
changed his mind again and is 
going. 

He explained it all in an open 
letter to the press. Letter actually 
was addressed to M. Obratzov, di¬ 
rector of Moscow’s Marionette The-! 
atre. In it, Montand expressed his 
anguish over the events In Hun¬ 
gary, which has confused many 
Frenchmen sympathetic to the 
Soviet Union. 

But, he went on, while the Peace 
Movement, in which he’s active, 
may be unsure of its attitude, it’s 
as militantly inclined as ever 
against the war in Algeria and the 
Suez events. Montand said that 
Peace Movement members, despite 
their personal views, are pledged 
against a recurrence of the cold 
war and against a possibility of a 
new war. Therefore, he ex¬ 
plained, he was taking the trip and 
was hopeful of encouraging fur¬ 
ther cultural interchanges as a 
contribution to the consolidation of 
ipeace. . 


^Wednesday, 1956 


6 Unique & Extraordinary * 


It is fitting that, in a'elosely knit 
business like show biz, for all its 
farflung tentacles and global ap¬ 
peal, there should be a repetitive 
frequency that, with the timetable 
and ’the calendar, accentuates some 
unique disa and data. The retro* 
specthowever is nothing as static 
as statistics on the sands 'of time 
might sound. The Forest Lawn or 
.Campbell’s approach instead, only 
tends to point up some hard-fact 
realities. 

For example, the death recently 
of attorney Tobias A. Keppler at 
71. The Gotham barrister had a 
longtime and lucrative general 
practise but so.f.ar as_show business, 
was concerned he probably set a 
precedent in arguing for a down¬ 
graded billing for an actor. 

In this case it was Gallagher 
& Shean. In defending them 
against the Shuberts, Keppler 
contended that they were not 
“unique and extraordinary” and, in 
no time, that legal phrase became 
a show' biz stock phrase, much as 
77B, divorcement, diversification, 
capital gain, and kindred terms 
have cropped up in later years. 

In an industry renowned for its 
self-aggrandizement, Ed Gallagher 
& A1 Shean found themselves 
pleading almost nondescript values 
—or rather lack of values. This 
was due to the fact they had fa¬ 
vored the Ziegfeld “Follies” over a 
Shubert bid. .In defending them¬ 
selves against the Shuberts* claim 
for their “unique and extraordi¬ 
nary” audience acclaim, due chief¬ 
ly. to a doggerel of the times; titled 
“Mister Gallagher and Mister 
Shean”—Incidentally written by 
Bryan Foy, eldest of the “7 Little 
Foys,” and now a vet Hollywood 
producer—G&S claimed the con¬ 
trary. Attorney Keppler success¬ 
fully defended them on that score. 

Or take the passing of Isham 
Jones, the Pennsylvania miner 
(Russ Morgan is another from the 
same belt and with the same tal¬ 
ents) who wrote some of the best 
foxtrot ballads in collaboration 
with Gus Kahn. Their “I’ll See 
You In My Dreams” became a fa¬ 
vorite signoff song, and still is. 
For a long time Ben Bernie’s signa¬ 
ture song, “Au Revoir, Pleasant 
Dreams,” enjoyed that vogue, in 
close competition with “Three 
O’clock In The Morning” and 
“Good Night Ladies.” But to this 
day “I’ll See You In My Dreams” 
is a stock signoff cue at "country 
club dances, hotels, ballrooms and 
wherever there is social dancing. 

Another item: Mike Todd will 
remake “Hot Mikado” in Todd-AO. 
This is a far cry from Todd’s 
“Flame Dancer” on a Chicago mid¬ 
way to the jazz version of Gilbert & 
Sullivan and through a succession 
of clicks; capped of course by 
“Around The World 1 In 80 Days”— 
in Todd-AO. 

Item: William H. Goodheart Jr. 
made tv sales veepee of NBC-TV. 
This is the same Billy Goodheart 
who founded MCA with Jules C. 
Stein and his brother, the late Wil¬ 
liam H. (Billy) Stein. Still loyal to 
the band vogue, it was Goodheart 
who revived “Morning Bandstand” 


at NBC, both AM and tv, when he 
came out of retirement. 

Item: Decca’s import of Deutsche 
Grammophon Gesellschaft’a Poly- 
dor version«of “When The White 
Lilies Bloom Again” as done by 
Helmuth Zaccharias on DDG’s 
Polydor label. Same tune was one 
of Jack Hylton’s standouts at the 
famed Salle Pleyel, in Paris—the 
Carnegie Hall of the French capital 
—when the Hylton orchestra gave 
a “symphonic syncopated” recital 
there. It was as daring as Paul 
Whiteman's jazz concert at Aeolian 
Hall in 1924 when he introduced 
Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue.” 
Today. Hylton is a top London legit 
producer. 

Item: Thurgood Marshall, succes¬ 
sor to the late Walter White as 
spokesman for the National Assn, 
for the Advancement of Colored 
People, is apparently not the ardent 
reader of Variety as was White. He 
lauds this paper for its spotlighting 
of the minimized opportunities by 
color talent on American television. 
From Bert Williams to Bojangles 
Bill Robinson, from Williams & 
Walker to Bessie Smith and up to 
today’s Lena Hqme, Nat King Cole, 
Dorothy Dahdridge, Pearl Bailey, 
Satchmo, Dizzy, et al., the trade has 
known, over the years, that Variety 
has always stood on the principle 
that there are no frontiers or bar¬ 
riers on talent. 

Item: Kate Smith marked an¬ 
other anniversary on Armistice 
(pardon, Veterans’) Day of her first 
introduction of “God Bless Amer¬ 
ica,” a song'which in its 1938 set¬ 
ting was - “right” for the times. 
When originally written in 1917 for 
Sgt. Berlin’s World War I soldier 
show, “Yip Yip Yaphank,” he 
yanked it because it wasn’t at¬ 
tuned to the times and was deemed 
maudlin. Like “I’ll See You In 
My Dreams,” a pop which became 
a “standard” by happenstance, 
this is true of “America” as it is 
true, also, of Berlin’s “A Pretty 
Girl Is Like-"A Melody,” “Easter 
Parade,” “No Business Like Show 
Business” and “White Christmas.” 
“Girl” was written as an incidental 
around a gorgeous set of costumes 
that Ziegfeld had in his 1919 “Fol¬ 
lies” and, unexpectedly, has since 
become a theme song for fashion 
parades, be_auty contests, etc. 
“Show Business” was also a throw¬ 
away song in “Annie- Get Your 
Gun” and has become the “theme 
song” of the entire amusement in¬ 
dustry. ’The Xmas 'and Easter 
songs have become seasonal stand¬ 
ards. “Easter Parade” is cited by 
Berlin as coming from his 1924 
“Music Box Revue” which got 
roundly panned as “his most un¬ 
distinguished! score” Berlin could 
only agree—excepting that both 
the critics and he just didn’t'know 
“because, in the final analysis, ’it's 
the public that decides.” 

Item: the Lucky Strike Hit Pa¬ 
rade telenactments of the lyrics in 
the- top pops. This is the 1956 elec¬ 
tronic version of the turn-of-the- 
century “ill. slides”—those quaint 
illustrated stereopticon monstrosi¬ 
ties invariably accompanied by a 
(Continued on page 23) 


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' Syd SUverman, President 

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London WC2 

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SUBSCRIPTION Annual. 910; Foreign, )ll; Single Copies, 25 Cents " 
ABEL GREEN, Editor 


Volume 205 <^gg^> 120 M 

MERRY CHRISTMAS*" 

INDEX 

.. 70 I Music . 


Bills . 70 

Chatter . 78 

Concert, Opera . 76 

Film Reviews . 6 

Frank Scully . 77 

House Reviews . 70 

Inside Music . 58 

Inside Radio TV 44 

International . 14 

Legitimate . 71 

Literati .. 77 


New Acts . 70 

Night Club Reviews. 68 

Obituaries .. 79 

Pictures. 3 

Radio ... 24 

Radio Reviews. 44 

Record Reviews .. 52 

Television. 24 

Television Reviews . 35 

TV Films . 39 

Vaudeville . 64 


DAILY VARIE i V 

(Published in Hollywood by Daily Variety. Ltd.) 
•15 a year. $20 Foreign. * 






































Ifofoegdirf, December 19, 1956 


\ .. 


m 




wetmm t 


+ 


♦ 


N.Y, Rally Against Tax Ruling 

Accountants, tax experts, lawyers and business representatives , 
of incorporated" individuals in show business are organizing in 
Gotham with the hope of staving off the new Internal Revenue 
• Bureau regulation relating to ‘‘personal service" income taxation. 
Jules Lefkowitz, specialist in tax matters, called a meeting of his 
colleagues in the east last Friday (14) when the conclusion was 
reached that individuals' involved in live television production are 
the ones most vulnerable to the measure. 

Further meetings are anticipated for the purpose of seeking to 
block the impost. 

Meanwhile, the owners of United Artists are breathing easier. 
All film-makers on the UA roster have individual corporate setups 
and it had been feared that they might be affected. However, the 
conviction now is that the UA-ites are off the ‘‘personal service" 
tax hook.. 


Hollywood’s One Screaming Voice 
Against Tax Blow at Performers;' 


Fear More ‘Runaway Production’ 


Hollywood, Dec. 18, + 

Newly formed motion picture 
industry committee meets Wednes¬ 
day to map next step in all out 
drive against proposed tax changes. 
Local group hopes to join with 
eastern group for joint assault on 
proposal which would wipe out 
personal services corporations. 

Proposed change in tax regula¬ 
tions may force removal of motion 
picture production to Europe, the 
newly-foftned motion picture in¬ 
dustry committee reported over 
the weekend in a telegram asking 
the U.S. Commissioner of Internal 
Revenue for a public hearing at 
which to protest the scheduled 
regulations which would, in effect, 
wipe out personal service corpora¬ 
tions. 

. Committee, formed as a result of 
emergency meetings held here last 
week, is headed by John L. Dales 
of the Screen Actors Guild. Sig¬ 
natories to the telegram, as mem¬ 
bers of the committee, were the 
Guild, Association of Motion Pic¬ 
ture Producers, Society of Inde¬ 
pendent Motion Picture Producers, 
Hollywood AFL Film Council, 
Artists Managers Guild, Alliance 
of Television Film Producers, 
Writers Guild of America West, 
and the Screen Directors Guild. 

“Adoption of the proposed regu¬ 
lations," the protest telegram con¬ 
tended, “is likely to raise serious 
problems for independent motion 
picture companies." And, the wire 
continued, “the adoption of said 
regulations will tend to retard mo¬ 
tion* picture production in the U.S. 
and may cause the removal of 
much of it to foreign countries." 

Committee also pointed out in 
the telegram that the proposal con- 
(Continued on page 23) 

ROCKEFELLER FRONTING 
* FOR JAPAN‘FETE' 

John D. Rockefeller, 3rd, Japan 
Society prexy’, and Masayuki Tani, 
the Japanese Ambassador to the 
U. S., head the ocoperating com¬ 
mittee for the Japanese film week 
in New York Jan. 20 through. 25. 
Event is sponsored by the Motion 
Picture Assn, of Japan. 

Six Japanese features and six 
Shorts will be shown, with a dozen 
Japanese industry personalities* 
coming from Tokyo to attend the 
f est.. 


METRO'S LIVELY DECEMBER 


Puts Its Fifth Production Before 
Cameras at Studio 


Hollywood, Dec, 18. 

Metro hit a several years’ De¬ 
cember record yesterday (Mon.) 
with start of “Man on Fire," giv¬ 
ing studio a total of five films 
currently before the cameras. Com¬ 
pany last year had only three pix 
in work during 12th month. 

Balance include “The Seventh 
Vow," “Silk Stockings," “Gun 
Glory" arid “This Could Be the 
Night." 


Rita Hayworth, back in the 
States from Europe, left New 
York for the Coast yesterday 
(Tues.). Actress is to report to Co¬ 
lumbia for a “Pal Joey" starring 
role. - 


Veteran Seripter of 'Oarers' 

Frank Gruber 

who should know about 
those things 
has his own ideas on 

The Indestructable 

Western 

* * * 

one of the many editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51 st Anniversary Number 

of 

y&RIETY 

\ 

Canadian Periodicals 
Resent Brush They Get 
From. U.S. Film Firms 

Canadian film industry is, doing a 
burn over the alleged stepchild 
treatment.it is given by the United 
States picture companies. Above- 
the-border tradesters are beefing 
that the U. S. outfits draw 7% of 
their entire domestic revenue from 
Canada but leave a disproportion¬ 
ately small amount of money in 
that country. 

Roger Lewis, United Artists na¬ 
tional ad-pub director, this week 
saidothat during a study of the Ca-‘ 
nadian market he heard the same 
complaint from exhibitors, publish¬ 
ers and reps of producers and dis¬ 
tributors. The Yanks, he as told, 
spend inadequate sums in backing 
their releases in Canada. This ob¬ 
tains, they charge, with the daily 
papers as well as the Canadian 
magazines, radio and television. 

The Canadians, Lewis related, 
believe that the U. S. distribs go 
out of their way to assist film indus- 
(Continued on page 18) 

SAM HERSH FROM VIDEO 
SETS PAIR WITH REGAL 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Sam Hersh, who produces religi- 
oso films for television under the 
Family Films banner, is seguing 
into the theatrical field. He has a 
deal to make two features, “Hell’s 
Our Destination" and “Uncle 
Charlie," for Regal Films. Regal 
is the outfit making 25 low-budget 
pictures for 20th-Fox release and 
the two from Hersh will be among 
these. . . 

Producer also is talking another 
releasing pact with United Artists. 


Maguire Bronx Studio Boss 

Veteran industryite Charles Ma¬ 
guire Sr. has been appointed studio 
manager of the Gold Medal Stu¬ 
dios (formerly Biograph) in the 
Bronx. Studio is operated by for¬ 
mer Paramount sales, chief Alfred 
Schwalberg and Martin H. Poll. 

Maguire spent 14 years directing 
training and morale films, for the 
U. S. Army Signal Corps before re¬ 
turning to the industry. He served 
as, prpduction manager on Sam 
Spipgel's “End As a Man/* 




By GENE ARNEEL 

Film industry alarm over pro¬ 
posed and drastic new taxcollector 
“interpretations" on personal ser¬ 
vice corporations Is being answered 
in the East by^ auditors and busi¬ 
ness administrators who say, in ef¬ 
fect, there’s many a way around 
Robinson’s barn. In certain in¬ 
stances the new ground rules 
might work hardships. The key 
to open the door of tax shelter 
may be “diversification.". In short, 
companies with more than dust the 
“personal services" of stars as as¬ 
sets can keep their income in the 
ordinary tax rates'" ahC'.‘notf "geF 
socked for the confiscatory per¬ 
sonal rates. 

Apparently any setup which 
“looks like" attempted evasion by 
an individual of the steeply rising, 
tax rates on high income may feel 
a crackdown. It is suggested in 
Gotham that the most .vulnerable 
companies may be those dealing 
in live television organizations, 
where the personal service factor 
would seem clearer. In that event, 
taxation might further favor filmed 
video, increasing a trend in tv 
broadcasting already deplored by 
Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff. 

A threat remains^that Bureau 
agents might try to make the new 
ruling applicable to persons en¬ 
gaged in theatrical and tv produc¬ 
tions. But experts in tax matters 
are convinced that, via diversifica¬ 
tion, the law is on the side of the 
film-makers. - , - - ’ . - 

Jules 'Lefkowitz of Lefkowitz, 
Berke, Parker & Freedman, tax 
specialist who is prominent in show 
business matters, stated this week 
that the “personal service" aspect 
of the new regulation represents 
the “out" for stars, producers, 
writers and others who operate 
under their own corporate ban¬ 
ners, so far as pictures are con¬ 
cerned. Their income is “rental 
(Continued on page 10) 


Pressnre Bauer to Omit Balloting 
By Hometown Germans Timed With 


Next Berlin 


Globetrotter 

Richard Mealand 

now back in tht U. S. after a 
sabbatical abroad 
gives it the French title about - 
the more things change etc. 
tn a contrasting piece titled 

Plus Ca Change 

* * * 

.another •dltorlal feature - Tn . 

the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

Pfi&IETY 

Ed Zabel Heads Bel-Air; 
Producing Company Has 
12-Picture Deal at UA 

Bel-Air Productions this week 
will reveal reorganization plans, 
that find Edwin. F. Zabel as the 
new president, and an operational 
expansion that will cover the financ¬ 
ing and packaging of productions 
with outside producers. 

Zabel, who retired recently as 
veepee and general manager of Fox 
West Coast Theatres, will bring his 
exhibition-distribution experience 
to the company as new president 
with reins over Bel-Air’s business 
operations. Setup will permit Aub¬ 
rey Schenck, veepee and executive 
producer, and Howard W. K0dh, : 
veepee and producer-director, to 
devote more time to the expanded 
production plans of the outfit. Un- 
(Continued on page 20) 


IntL Film Festival 

- International Federation of Film 
Producer Assns., with the full 
backing of the American com¬ 
panies, is pressing the Berlin film 
festival to drop the local GeniiMB 
public vote from its plans in 1957. 

Alfred Bauer, festival director, 
said in N.Y. last week that he 
would fight to retain the home¬ 
town vote and that, if necessary, 
he would be '’willing to create a 
supervisory committee to see that 
the results are “on the level.” He 
pointed-nut; "further, that-the pub¬ 
lic balloting was introed at the sug¬ 
gestion of an American.’ Oscar 
Martay, now with Columbia but 
then film officer for the U.S. Mili¬ 
tary Government, 

The TFPA has informed Berlin 
that, unless the public vote i? 
dropped, it ,can't give recognition 
to the festival next year. The fact 
that the Motion Picture Export 
Assn., a vital factor in the Berlin 
success story, supports this posi¬ 
tion is seen forcing Bauer’s hands. 

In his conversations with MPEA 
execs, Bauer sounded them out on 
the possibility of an “unofficial"; 
public vote in conjunction with the 
festival. He got no definite reac¬ 
tion. During the past two years, 
German films have topped the pub¬ 
lic vote at the Berlin fest. 

While determined to , keep the 
public balloting, Bauer disclosed 
that the Berlin jury in 1957 would 
be expanded from seven to 11 
members; also that the number of 
feature entries will be restricted 
to a maximum of two from each 
country. “We’ve had too many 
films on past occasions,” he noted. 
v . (Continued on page 20) 


BANKS GET $3,000,000 
BACK FROM COLUMBIA 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Pre-Yule Sloughs Biz; ‘Commandments’ New Champ, 
‘Wonders’ 2d, ‘Giant’ 3d, ‘Curucu’ 4th 


Most exhibitors around the coun¬ 
try are experiencing the pre- 
Christmas blues in the current ses¬ 
sion, always the worst each year 
for film theatres. Downbeat this 
year is on a par with recent years, 
but no worse, and in a few scat- 
ered key, cities covered by Variety 
a bit better. Many exhibs are 
launching new product the middle 
of this week. They are so des¬ 
perate for pictures to fill in cur-f 
rently that this is reflected by 60 
different pix now playing. 

Despite all obstacles, “Ten Com¬ 
mandments” (Par) continues stand¬ 
out in every r ^y where playing this 
week. It is taking over Jjrst place 
by a healthy margin whereas it 
had been running second to 
“Giant" (WB) previously. “Seven 
Wonders of World"’ (Cinerama) is 
pushing up to second position, 

“Giant" is dipping to third spot 
after being No. 1 far six consecu¬ 
tive weeks. It is 100% extended- 
run in all 14 key spots, but not 
as big as in previous sessions in 
some cities. 

“Curucu’’-“Mole People," the 
Universal combo, is finishing 
fourth, with a majority of engage¬ 
ments nice to solid. “Julie" (M-G), 


Holidaying Studios 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Metro, Warners and Univer¬ 
sal are only studios remaining 
open both holiday Mondays. 
Paramount, 20th, RKO, Re¬ 
public (and Revue Produc¬ 
tions) will be closed both Mon¬ 
days to give employes four-day 
weekends. 

Allied Artists will close Dec. 
24 but open D£c? 31. Columbia 
will be open Dec. 24 until 
I p.m., all day Dec. 31. 


I fourth a week ago? is landing fifth 
money. 

“Oklahoma" (Magna) is winding 
up sixth. • “Girl He Left Behind" 
(WB), new to any extent this week, 
is capturing seventh position. 
“Rock( Rock, Rock" (Indie) is fin¬ 
ishing eighth. “Man From Del Rio" 
(UA) and “Death of Scoundrel’’ 
(RKO) round out the Top 10 list 
in that order. 

“Lust For Life" (M-G), “Love 
Me Tender" (20th) and “Friendly 
Persuasion" (AA) are the runner- 
up pictures. 

New product launched during 
the present session showing real 
promise include “Anastasia" (20th), 
“The Rainmaker" (Par) and “Hol¬ 
lywood Or Bust” (Par).- First- 
named is heading for a great open¬ 
ing round at the N.Y. Roxy despite 
the -time it was opened. Same ap¬ 
plies to “Rainmaker,." which is 
smash on teeoff frame, at N.Y. As- 
tor. “Hollywood" is rated good in 
Cleveland on initial playdate.. 

Also new, “Dance With Me, 
Henry" (UA) is fair in Frisco but 
dull in L.A. Also comparatively 
rfew, “Teahouse of August Moon" 
(M-G) continues fine on longruns 
in L.A., Chi. and N.Y. It is ter¬ 
rific in third week at N.Y. Music 
Hall. 

] “Odongo" (Col), another newie, 
is disappointingly mild in most lo¬ 
cations. “Oklahoma" (20th), the 
C’Scope version, is good in Detroit 
and okay in Minneapolis. “Between 
Heaven and Hell" (20th) is nice in 
Cincy. 

“Ship That Died of Shame” 
(Cont) is okay in Philly. “Rififi" 
(UMPO) looms slick in Boston. 

“Everything But Truth" (U) 
shapes fair *in Toronto. “Blonde 
Sinner" (AA) looks fast in Boston. 
*fLa Strada" (T-L) continues good 
in N.Y. • 

' ( Complete,. Boxoffice Reports on 
* .. Pages 8-9) 


Columbia has reduced its bank 
borrowing to $15,000,000 with a 
recent payment of $3,000,000. Loan 
was given by First National Bank 
of Boston, National Trust & Sav¬ 
ings, Bank of America, Chase Man¬ 
hattan and Bankers Trust Co. 

However. Screen Gems. Col’^ 
television subsidiary, has borrowed 
$5,000,000 for First of Boston, and 
this is guaranteed by Col. Money 
was taken on a 4% interest rate 
and is to be repaid in three tyears. 


SAME ROLE-DIFF VERSIONS 

Dorothy Dandridge Finds Self In 
Curious Predicament 


. Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Right in the middle of a legal 
tangle over proposed film versions 
of Prosper Merimee’s century-old 
story, “Tomango," is Dorothy 
Dandridge. Both outfits planning 
the film want her for the lead. 

Actress signed a contract some 
months ago to star in the film for 
the French outfit, Les Fils Du Cy¬ 
clops, which planned both English 
and French versions, Cyclops sub¬ 
sequently signed Curt Jergens to 
co-star. 

Now, Miss Dandridge's manager, 
Earl Mills, has been notified by 
screenwriter Milton Holmes that 
Holmes and William Dieterle reg¬ 
istered the property two years ago. 

Holmes reported that legal ac¬ 
tion will be taken against Jl.ee and 
Tammy Gold, writers of the French 
screenplay, oh the* grounds that 
they had access to his fiiatferial and 
overheard him discussing a deal 
with Miss Dandridge for the film. 
If the French firm goes ahead, he 
indicated, an attempt will be made 
to block U.S. or English showings, 
and Holmes asked Miss Dandridge 
to pull out of the rival version in 
favor of the one he will make with 
Dieterle. 

Mills said yesterday he has 
asked the French film makers to 
respond to Holmes' allegations, but 
added, “one thing is certain. Miss 
Dandridge will riot make any pic¬ 
ture that is held up from, release 
I in England or the U.S." 




PICTURES 


Wednesday, December 19, 195$ .. 


Dissidents Couldn’t Run L6e\v , s From Wall St. And 
Know It—New Angles Include Ben Javits 


Indications are that Wall Street 
groups and dissident stockholders 
are willing to forego a proxy fight 
for the control of Loew’s in return 
for solid stockholder representa¬ 
tion on the hoard of directors. It’s 
understood that, if they’re unable 
to achieve this aim, a proxy row 
will result. 

This approach is based on two 
considerations’—(1) the inability of 
the various dissident groups to 
combine and (2) the lack of a re¬ 
sponsible non - management - con- 
^nected candidate to run the com¬ 
pany. Relating to the latter fac¬ 
tor, an importantly placed Wall St. 
spokesman said: “Suppose we take 
over Loew’s. Who’s going to run 
the company? We don’t have such 
a person and we can*t run the busi¬ 
ness from Wall Street.” 

Another point favoring the pres¬ 
ent Loew’s management is the po¬ 
sition being taken by the Lehman 
Bros.-Lazard Freres banking group. 
Although this faction, controlling 
more than 1,000,000 shares, is the 
most powerful individual dissident 
group, it Is “doing nothing” to un¬ 
seat the management. According 
to a spokesman for this group, the 
banking firms have as yet made no 
decision what move they will take 
prior to the annual stockholders' 
meeting on Feb. 28. 

So far, the spokesman said, Leh¬ 
man and Lazard have not been ap¬ 
proached by any. other dissident 
groups, and the position they Will 
take if they are solicited, will de¬ 
pend on “who they are, what they 
have to offer, and what plans they 
have.” The spokesman ’ said his 
faction has taken no. position in 
relation tp the ability and policy 
of Loew’s prexy Joseph R. Vogel. 
“We hope he is the right man to 
run the company, but we have no 
reason to believe he is or he isn’t/' 
he declared. At-any rate, he indi¬ 
cated that his faction, hasn’t s'old 
any of its Loew’s stock and that it 
believes that it is. a '“great com¬ 
pany. with great assets and there is 
a great opportunity at Loew’s.” 

Ben Javits' Role 

Taking a role, meanwhile, in the 
behind-the-scenes maneuvers re¬ 
lating to Loew’s future is attorney 
Ben Javits, brother of N.Yr Sena¬ 
tor-elect Jacob .Javits. .'Although 
Javits refuses to clarify his posi¬ 
tion or whom he represents, re¬ 
sponsible Wall St. sources insist 
he’s in the picture to some degree. 
All Javits would admit is that he 
has stock in Loew’s and^hat “you 
have to go through channels in 
these matters.’.’ He said he. would 
haye an announcement, when he’s 
ready to. reveal his positiop. 

It’s known, however, that Javits 
represents Joseph. Tomlinson, 
Canadian contractor who owns 
some 200,000 shares. It’s under¬ 
stood that Tomlinson i$ willing to 
invent $275,000 for a proxy fight 
and that Javits is attempting to or¬ 
ganize a dissident committee. 

Wall St. firm of Sutro Bros. & Co., 
is becoming more prominent in the 
Loew’s situation. It is said to have 
purchased 85,000 shares of Loew’s 
at $19 for an unidentified buyer. 
Of course, the same buyer or buy¬ 
ers could be assembling shares 
through other brokerage houses as 
well. One report is that "Sutro is 
fronting for Walter D‘ FlorSheimer, 
described as a German' refugee 
•who Is said to be interested in ac¬ 
quiring Loew’s foreign holdings. 
It’s reported that “the understand" 
ing at Sutro is that its client will 
engage in a proxy fight unless 
given board representation. 


. Ex-IV Packager 

Rev, Malcolm Boyd 

whose'/forthcoming book, 
"Crisis Ih Communications: 

A Christian Examination of the 
Mass. Media,” 

Will bo published by Doubleday 
in February 
has written a treatise 

When ts a Film 
Religious? 

w . * 

another editorial feature In 
the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

pj&RiEfr 


° ThauVl£,400 Shares 

Benjamin Thau, Loew’s v.p. 
and newly-named studio ad¬ 
ministrative head, owns 15,400 
shares of that company’s com¬ 
mon stock. He bought a block 
of 4,000 shares within the past 
couple of weeks. 

On the Selling side is Dore 
Schary, until recently Loew’s 
production chief: He unloaded 
an additional 9,100 shares, re¬ 
ducing his holdings to 34,900 
shares. 



Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

After its big spurt of activity dur¬ 
ing the past year under the new 
O’Neil-O’Shea regime, RKO Pic¬ 
tures will be on r a “gone fishing” 
basis during the first half of 1957. 
Economies by the executive echelon 
at a recent Palm Beach, Florida, 
session now go into effect. Even 
heads of departments are being 
axed in wholesale payroll curtail¬ 
ment. At the 1958 peak RKO stu¬ 
dio employed 2,000 persons. 

There is revived speculation that 
RKO- may sell its Gower St. lot 
and base all future operations at 
Culver City. 

Richard Mahn, head of the labor 
relations, departs Jan. i2. Don 
Thompson, head of grips depart¬ 
ment, Walter Daniels, production 
manager, and. Marty Martin, boss 
of special effects, are moving to 
RKO Pathe. 

General manpower cutback, now 
underway on mass scale, expected 
continue for next feW weeks as 
final touches are put to films shot 
recently. / 

, Only four films slated to go so 
far in 1957: Dozier denied rumors 
of complete shutdown, 'pointed to 
O'Shea ‘ announcement that the 
four films will cost $10,000,000. 


Danes Nominate‘QuivitsQ’ 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

First entry in the Foreign Lan¬ 
guage film competition for the up¬ 
coming Academy Awards is “Qui- 
vitoQ,” a Danish production, pro¬ 
duced by A/S Nordisk Films Komr 
pagni. It was submitted by the 
Danish film industry after all that 
country’s pix were screened for a 
.special committee repping all 
||facets of Danish production. 

^Under rules adopted by the Aca¬ 
demy in September, foreign films 
may be entered in competition 
without having been shown in Los 
Angeles. 


i MANYPECpJE PRIZE IT : 

• . «.► '• • 

Tact—Minnesota Governor’s Re 
Presley-^Theme of Editorial 

• Minneapolis, pec. 18. 

Minnesota Gov. O. A, Freeman 
answered a 11-year-old gfrl^s let¬ 
ter asking his opinion of Elvis 
Presley by saying “he is certainly 
a very unusual showman and. ap¬ 
parently appeals to many people.” 

In an editorial, the Minneapolis 
Tribune congratulated the gover¬ 
nor on his “notably-diplomatic let¬ 
ter." 

“Bravo, Mr. Governor. We have 
never seen a public Official walk 
so • deftly over eggs”—more in 
same vein, them “By the way; 
what’s you’r opinion of that gen¬ 
tleman musician who performs 
with a candelabra. on his grand 
piano?” —- : - 

When queried by the Tribune, 
the 11-year-old girl said she was 
“satisfied” Mth the governor’s're¬ 
ply to her letter. She had told 
the governor in her letter she her¬ 
self “loves” Elvis. 


TeleVoz (Mexico) Sues On 
$15,000 Note; Involves UA 
’Sitting Bull’ & W. R. Frank 

Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

Cinematografica TeleVoz, a 
Mexican firm, filed suit in Federal 
Court against W. R. Frank and 
United Artists, seeking an account¬ 
ing pf profits on ''Sitting Bull” and 
recovery on a $15,000 note. 

Firm contends it advanced the 
money to Frank on a note which 
has not been paid and also in¬ 
vested in the film and contributed 
physical facilities and services in 
exchange for'a promised 15% of 
the profits, which: has not been 
paid. Producers’ share Of the film 
thus far, the litigation declared, is 
.in excess of $800,000. 


N. Y. to L. A. 

William Bendix 
Julian Burton 
Laraine Day 
Leo Durocher 
Rita Hayworth 
George Jessel 
Herman Levin 
Alan W. Livingston 
Wallace A. Ross 
Joseph R. Vogel • 

John K. West 

L A. to N. Y. 

Irving P. Lazar 
Gregory Peck : 

Anthony ; Perkins 
Fred Robbins 
Leslie Stevens 
George Stine 
William Wyler 

N. Y. to Europe 

Rosanno Brazzi 
Michel Emer 
• Joyce Grenfell 
^ Frank Kassler 
Kurt Raps 
Carmen Sevilla 
Peter Stone 

Europe to N. Y, 

Hazel Guild ~ 

Robert F. Hawkins 


New York Sound Track 






With 1956 coming to a close , exhibitor organizations are remind¬ 
ing. their members to include legislators—localfState and national — 
on their 1957 free pass lists, 

In line with Robert Samoff’a statement about maintaining televi¬ 
sion's "vitality’’with live programming, It’s learned that NBC is the 
only important telecaster which hasn’t angled for the Paramount back¬ 
log . ..Siobhan McKenna's announced intentions’ ol making a “Saint 
Joan” film* should be interesting to Otto Preminger. He holds the 
screen rights to the Shaw property for the next 12 years and Js now 
in London at work on the picturization. 

Michael Redgrave has been cast by Joseph L. Manklewicz to play the 
key role of Fooler, the British correspondent, in the filming of “The 
Quiet American.” Redgrave • leaves for Saigon Feb. 3, immediately 
after his stint in the tv spectacular, “Ruggles of Red Cap” . . , Quote 
from Elia Kazan: “Isn’t it about time someone at the MPAA or the 
companies came to the defense of Geoffrey Shurlock, the Code Ad¬ 
ministrator?” . . . U. S. distribs authorizing charity shows abroad for 
Hungarian relief . . . The Italian “La Strada,” dubbed into English^ 
j-headinff for^irenit dams ne^t TCarTn'FayatelV/ Anpdrt, the MPEA’s 
London topper, checked into Manhattan for a Christmas holiday. 

“Bed of Grass,” produced in Greece by Gregg Tallas, is being held 
up by U. S. Customs, which is objecting to a beauty contest winner 
in a bathing scene. It will he cut . . . Mike Mindlin off to Saigon to 
supervise production publicity on Joseph MankieWicz'. “Quiet) 
American.” 

20th-Fox has in mind a biopic on George Bernard Shaw . . . Alex¬ 
ander Paal, keeping pace with the headlines, registered “Inside Hun¬ 
gary” with MPAA’s title registration bureau _ r » , Edward A. Golden* 
whose “Hitler’s Children” of some years back proved a klondike, now 
wants to produce a picture called ‘‘Stalin’s Children" ... George Welt-’ 
ner and Jerry Pickman are onceovering the new pictures on the Para¬ 
mount lot . . . Hans Richter's quaintly titled “8x8," new surrealist 
comedy, set for unveiling at the Fifth Avenue Cinema next March. 
Producer is quoted as saying: “The picture is based on a chess game 
as a point of departure and chess symbolizes the eternal i conflict among 
and within men. Maybe that’s why it has fascinated us; for over 2,000 
years.’’ 

Jack Cardiff in Rome to confer with John Wayne and Heiiry Hath¬ 
away before leaving for Lybia to inspect the location sites for “Legion 
of the Last.” .. . Hal Wallis has signed N; Richard Nash to convert his 
play, “Girls of Summer,” for the screen. Nash performed the same 
task for Wallis on “The Rainmaker” . .. Indie producer Robert J. Gur¬ 
ney Jr, who was robbed in Miami by a jewel thief disguised as a war 
hero is usiiig the incident for an original screenplay . . . Orren Pic¬ 
tures ,of which Joseph Omstein is president, has booked “Are We 
Civilized?” into the Embassy Theatre . . . Universal holding a special 
midnight showing of “The Great Man” tomorrow (Thurs.) at thfc Sutton 
Theatres for actors currently appearing in Broadway shows ... Metro's 
“The Barretts of Wimpole Street” snagged Parent’s mag’s special merit 
award. ... 

. For Actors .Studio-benefiting, premiere of “Baby Doll” at Victoria 
last night (Tues.) Mutual’s film gossip merchant, Martin Starr acted as 
emcee . . . ANTA is getting in on the Hungarian relief activities via a 
special office and has made Marcella Cisney the director. ■" 

Ted Allan, Montreal playwright whose “Double Image” (In collab 
with Roger Macdougall) is a London hit, says he’s sold film rights, but 
won’t say to whom or for how much. He also says that, besides sell¬ 
ing six tv plays in London he’s been promised production of two of his 
earlier stagers, “The Moneymakers” (done in Toronto a few years ago) 
and “Legend of the Baskets.” Latter, in a tv version, was cancelled 
off Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s “General Motors Theatre” two years 
ago at the last minute because the sponsor thought it too (implicitly) 
critical .of, capitalism. Allan is in Ottawa rounding up a Canadian 
cast for a fourth,(brand-new, play he also hopes to have done in London. 

Gene JFdwler Jr., will direct "Pulse e of the Sea ” to be filmed in 
Acapulco .. . 20th-Fpx acquired screen rights to “Small Women," au¬ 
thored by Alan Burgess . . . Jess Kimmel resigned as head of Uni¬ 
versal's Talent Workshop .... Allied Artists bought Reginald Rose's 
screenplay, “Dind" . . . Jacques. Bergerac draws male lead in ”Les • 

Girls” at 20th-Fbx_ " 

Mia Copping, whose apparent mission in ^ life is to attend film com¬ 
pany stockholder meetings and ask embarrassing questions of manage¬ 
ment, generally thought to have inspired “Solid‘Gold Cadillac," the 
George S. Kaufman-Howard Teichmann play picturized by . Col . . . 
Anthony Perkins, now doing the publicity rounds in town, will have 
a starring role in five upcoming Paramount pictures . . . RKO sales 
brass went to Philly for the Eddie Fisher testimonial.. . Samuel Taylor 
and UA execs in huddles anent his “Monte Carlo Story.” And Aristotle 
Onassis, owner of that casino, was at El Morocco with Judy G&rlarftl 
and Sid Luft... Leon Roth is Coast publicity coordinator for Brother¬ 
hood Week. 

Coast backers of a Golden Jubilee film industry celebration haven’t 
been heard from in Gotham for a month. The plan, when first intro¬ 
duced, had a number of enthusiastic rooters at the studios . . . Theo¬ 
dore Bikel, co-founder of the Israel Chamber Theatre, went west for 
an acting assignment at Metro . . . William Wyler and Gregory Peck 
set March 15 as starting date for their joint production of “Thieges 
Market.” The UA release is to he lensed in Madrid. 


Needed: Depletion Allowance For Talent 


: By JOE SCHOENFELD: 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

The 'Internal Revenue Bureau’s proposed new 
amendments to the 1954 Tax Code are so patently 
discriminatory against show business corporations 
that they.are a clear call to the industry’s variou$ 
segments to mass in opposition: Now is the time 
for’objections to be registered—in fact, the time is 
uncomfortably short — but they should be voiced 
with the strength of a united front rather than the 
individual protests of netwoks, lawyers, actors and 
so forth. - 

There’s hardly a facet of the motion picture and 
television industries that will not be sorely affected 
should the new regulations become part of the Tax 
Code. So stringent are the penalties on corpora¬ 
tions dependent chiefly on the personal services of 
their major stockholders, scores of such setups in 
the theatrical film and video fields will he taxed out 
of existence. Apart from the great financial strain 
and unemployment that will result is the fact that 
personal creativeness will be heavily penalized and 
stifled. 

The regulations aim to tax many independent 
corporations as personal holding companies,' choking 
off with extreme finality the incentive many people 
have to go into, business for themselves. If they 
are to get no niore out of their work than highly 
taxable ordinary income, what purpose is there for 
them to expend their energy, thought and inven¬ 


tiveness in their own businesses if their income is 
to-be no greater than when working for somebody 
else on straight salary?* A dress salesman can leave 
his employer and form his own manufacturing cor¬ 
poration,, his gift for salesmanship as probably his 
;chief asset;* and his business structure will stand up 
under the Tax Code. On the other hand, an actor, 
producer, director or writer, even though havinjg 
the ability to organize and finance a corporation, 
would he taxed on a personal holding company basis 
under the new tax regulations. 

It’s truly ironic that taxation is discriminatory 
against people in show business—and other forms of 
short-term high income endeavor—when In all fair¬ 
ness it should be the other way around. Rather 
than further penalize creative people, it would seem 
the Government could,be concerned with ways and 
means to set up a “depletion allowance” for the 
waning high income years of those involved. If it 
can be done for an oil well or a mine that's figured 
eventually to' drop off in output, why not an actor, 
Writer, director, et al., whdse resources likewise 
diminish with the years? - - ~ 

Show business has never put up a . united front 
in Washington in its own behalf. If ever there was 
a time : that this was necessary, it’s now; if ever 
there was a time that showfolk who aided and 
abetted this or that party’s campaigns had the right 
..to request a sympathetic ear, it’s in he instance of 
the proposed new tax regulations. 


Anderson Ends With Par 

Maxwell (Mack) Anderson, pro¬ 
motion coordinator for “Ten Com¬ 
mandments” for the past year, this 
week left the Paramount post to 
return to the vicepresidency of 
Allied Public Relations Associates. 
He had taken leave of the latter 
job to handle the “Command¬ 
ments” special assignment under 
Jerry Piekman, Par’s ad-pub v.p. 

Anderson’s spot at Par will be 
absorbed by Par staffers. 


Attorney 

Ephraim S. London 

who Is an. axpurt on such matters 
Is .of the opinion 

Censorship Humiliates 
Adults by Evoking' 

Child 9 s Mentdlity 

* * * 

_another, editorial feature 

In the upcoming 

* 51st Anniversary Number 

of 

PfoRIETY 



We&aeg&OV December 19; 1956 


PRMEFf 


FICWRES 


Hollywood; Dec. 18, 

A. new concept in picture-making is being tried, out by Hall Bart¬ 
lett, in meeting the plight of the medium-budget producer, up 
against production of the toughest type of film to put together. 
This is the group faced with price limitations, yet still must make 
a bid for'‘A” playing time. “ 

Indie, who projects three pictures next year under his Hall 
Bartlett Productions and another, “The Promoter,” in association 
with Ernest Borgnine, under the BB&W banner, is basing his for¬ 
mula upon a finding of analyst Albert Sindlinger. This consists 
of recognition of where the big market is and going after it. Sind¬ 
linger's figures show this to be (1) the predominance of youthful 
audiences, hence the youth market; and (2) subjects interesting to 
women. ’ ° 

“Audiences • crave excitement more than ever,” according to 
Bartlett, “they won’t accept dull pictures. This excitement in a 
film will hit both Sindlinger’s prescribed markets.” 

Barlett already is beaming his next picture, “Flight into Danger,” 
set to roll Feb. 15, for the youthful theatre-goers. In line with 
this, he has shifted the age range of the three leading characters; 

_ changed the two romanLkJead5 T frQiiLlheinlate_!3.0s to. lheir.J2.Qs,. 
and an established doctor of 60 to a young physician of 26, just 
starting practice. 

He also has “re-phrased” the treatment of “Promoters” and made 
the three leading figures younger, as well as adding a new femme 
character about 20 years old. Bartlett, whose deal with Borgnine 
calls for one picture annually for five years, has visions of groom¬ 
ing actor to take the character spot vacated by the death of Wal¬ 
lace Beery. 


An Old Showbonter Eyes Hollywood 


By CAPT. BILLY BRYANT 

Hollywood, Dec. 4. 

As I recently stood on the cor¬ 
ner of Hollywood and Vine, in Hol¬ 
lywood, California, observing the 
surroundings, I couldn’t help but 
re-utter thff famous, words of Rip 
Van Winkle after his sleep of 20 
years in the Catskill Mountains. 
“Is dot da village of falling vater? 
My,, how it has changed since yes¬ 
terday!” Because Hollywod and 
Vine, theatrically, has become as 
colorless as Moxley, Kentucky, a 
cow-path landing that we played 
with our show boat, on the Ken¬ 
tucky Rifrer, that consisted of a 
general store, one house and a 
hand-powered ferry boat that 
crossed the river at that point. 

Even the beloved Jimmy Du¬ 
rante, who recently made a person¬ 
al appearance at this popular cross¬ 
roads, failed to completely stop the 
traffic or lull the atmosphere of 
business as usual. There was a 
time, when approaching this fa¬ 
mous landmark, it was a cue to 
slow up and search each approach¬ 
ing figure and the soda fountain at 
the corner drug store for a glimpse 
of some familiar celebrity such as 
Bob Hope, or Betty Grable, but 
now instead, we are carried along 
in a mad rush by a group of un¬ 
concerned individuals in a fast 
growing industrial city. 

The town of Burbank has also 
undergone radical changes. There, 
it was customary to walk or drive 
•lowly past Warner Bros, mam- 
(Continued on page 18) 


Crosby as Runyon? 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Universal is dickering with 
Bing Crosby for title role in 
proposed Damon Runyon bio- 
pic. 

He expressed interest in 
outline shown him* but said 
will await full screenplay be¬ 
fore making final decision. 


Quick Playoff, 
That’s The Rub, 
Thinks Joe Floyd 

Bal Harbour, Fla., Dec. 18. 
The quick playoff of pictures on 
a national basis and not television 
per se is preventing the recupera- 
ton of the nation's boxoffices, ac¬ 
cording to Joe Floyd, an executive 
whose interests cover both fields. 

. Here for the NBC convention, 
Floyd, president of KRLO-TV, 
Sioux Falls, S.D., an NBC affiliate, 
as well as a theatre circuit execu¬ 
tive, is of the opinion that the dis¬ 
continued on page 10) 


Drire-Ins Regret 
Tinting Decline 

Minneapolis, Dec. 18. 

Present Hollywood trend away 
from color and> back to black and 
white is a bad break for drive-in 
theatres, according to Reno Wilk, 
Triangle Otudoor Theatres’ circuit 
general manager. Wilk notes that 
as of early November, 1956, with 
269 seals issued, only 116 were 
for tinters. 

“Color pictures are ozoners’ 
bread and butter,” says Wilk. “Pa¬ 
trons much prefer them—they in¬ 
variably do the best business for 
the outdoor theatres. They show 
up much better on the outdoor 
screens than the black and white 
films. During the last season, I 
believe we didn’t play more than 
six pictures other than in color.” 


Wolfe Cohen Adds; Braid 

, Warper Bros. • board of directors 
Monday (17) elected Wolfe Cohen, 
president of Warner Bros. Pictures 
International, a v.p. of Warner 
Bros. Pictures. 

Board also declared a dividend 
of 30c per share on the common 
stock payable Feb. 5, 1957, to 
stockholders of record Jan. 18, 
1957. 

Cohen joined WB in 1925 as. 
branch manager in St. John, Can¬ 
ada. He's in charge of all WB 
foreign operations, outside the Iron 
and Bamboo curtains. 


Reich’s Allianz 
Muek Troubled 


• Berlin, Dec. 13. 

Allianz Film, one of Western 
Germany’s top distributing outfits, 
is neck-deep in problems. Com¬ 
pany is said to have extended itself 
too much in backing production. 

Several groups are now reported 
trying to take over Allianz and its 
production as part of an'effort to 
salvage at least some of the coin 
due. 

As a result of the Alliafiz dilem¬ 
ma, a number of the outfit’s part¬ 
ners find themselves in a critical 
position, notably the Mosaik Film, 
one of Berlin’s leading printing 
and dubbing plants. Allianz has 
been a prime customer of Mosaik, 
as have the American companies. 

There have been hints here that 
the UFA has been trying to move 
in on the Mosaik setup. However, 
the * American distribs lire said 
firmly opposed to this and have 
threatened to transfer their dub¬ 
bing activities to* Western Germany 
if Mosaik changes hands. The Mo¬ 
tion Picture Export Assn.’s extraor¬ 
dinary and unexplained addiction 
to Mosaik has been duly noted. It’s 
a fact, however, that the lab does a 
topnotch dubbing job on the Amer¬ 
ican pictures. 

Mosaik also has found sympathy 
on the pact of the local authorities 
which are eager to save the plant, 
since it provides employment to 
many Berliners. Outfit has about 
450 steady employees on its pay¬ 
roll, plus some 300 freelancers. 

The financial collapse Of Allianz 
can be compared to that of Na¬ 
tional Film, also once a . top Ger¬ 
man distributing unit, which went 
bankrupt in 1952. Some observers 
see in the Allianz case the signs of. 
crisis in the German industry.. In 
Germany, the distribs finance pro¬ 
duction up to 80%. 


A $13,000,000 Picture Must Create 
Its Own Showmanship Precedents; 
That’s Course op ‘Commandments’ 


Am-Par Puts One in Can 1 

Hollywood, Dec, 18. 

. New Am-Par Pictures, pro¬ 
ducing unit of the theatre-net¬ 
work Corp., will seek distrib 
deal as soon as it finishes a 
couple of features, prexy Irv¬ 
ing Levin said. 

First film, “Beginning Of 
The End,” was finished Mon- 
—,day_(12Lat cost of-$300J)00, 


‘Art’ Theatres No 
Longer Set Aprt 
-Ilya Lopert 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Quality pictures, and those films 
which appeal to the more discrim¬ 
inating adult audiences, have been 
classified as “art house product” 
by exhibitors, but art houses are a 
thing of the past—and the distribu¬ 
tion setup which had been labeled 
“The Art Circuit” is gradually dis¬ 
appearing from the U.S. exhibition 
scene, declared Ilya Lopert. 

The vet importer of foreign fea¬ 
tures'came here from Gotham for 
local special one-week opening of 
“The Red Balloon” and “The Lost 
Continent” at the Egyptian The¬ 
atre. 

Today, many such pix termed as 
‘.‘arty,” are playing choice firstrun 
houses throughout the country. 
According to Lopert,, exhibs Who 
once ignored foreign films with, 
names unfamiliar to America, Will! 
now book such films. Whether due 
to shortage.of product, or the fact- 
exhibs are finally realizing that it’s 
how pix are sold, American film- 
goers are now able to see types 
of foreign films denied them in 
past. 

Lopert believes the type of film 
isn’t what counts, it’s the way it's 
sold to the public. “Boxoffice re¬ 
turns aren’t built up on saturation 
bookings,” he declares, “but films 
(Continued on page 7) 


TWICE FIRE-DESTROYED 


Probe Under Way In Bsownsboro, 
Texas, Repeat Disaster 


Brownsboro, Tex., Dec. 18. 

An investigation is under way 
here in a fire which destroyed the 
Rex Theatre here; The loss was 
estimated at $35,000. The house is 
owned ' and operated by Bennie 
Tompkins. 

The building was engulfed by 
flames when the fire was discov¬ 
ered. The blaze was battled by 
local volunteers and units of the 
Tyler fire department. 

It was the second- time within 
two years that the theatre had 
been destroyed by fire. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shprtly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunsat Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ava. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
• St. Martin's Plata 
Trafalgar Square 


Paramount’s top execs are find¬ 
ing the sale of a $13;000,000 picture 
is no easy matter. There simply 
are no guideposts directing the way 
to the most effective marketing of 
Cecil B. DeMille’s “Ton Command¬ 
ments” and Par, as a* result, is try¬ 
ing various approaches. 

With the Intermission bringing 
each performance to four hours. 
Par is out to learn the answers to 
questions .anent how many per¬ 
formances should-be given—daily 
and how many seats should be sold 
on a reservation basis. And these 
answers seem to vary with each 
theatre. 

Commandments” is playing only 
eight situations \t present. But 
new dates are being added week to 
week and the Biblical epic will be 
in wide circulation by next March. 
Par wants to make certain it has 
the right answers by that time, 
obviously. 

Three different policies have 
been tried so far. First is the 
straight two-a-day with all seats re¬ 
served. Second, two-a-day with the 
matinee tickets sold in advance to 
the capacity of the house but 
with seats unreserved, and with the 
evening performance on a hard 
ticket basis. Third, . continuous 
showing from 10 a*m. to 6 p.m. and 
reserved seats at night, excepting 
weekends and holidays when all 
seats are reserved throughout the 
day. 

Unique situation involves the 
Century Theatre, Buffalo, where 
“Commandments” opens Dec. 21. 
This house has an 1,100-seat bal¬ 
cony which would be difficult to 
sell on reservation. While orch¬ 
estra seats will be reserved, the bal¬ 
cony locations will not. 

Runs of “Commandments” have 
been potent so far, with one ex¬ 
ception. In relation to other situa¬ 
tions, business at the RKO Keith’s 
Theatre, Washington, has- been soft. 
Opening week brought a near-capa¬ 
city $30^000 but the second week 
fell to $21,000, at which point it ap¬ 
pears to be leveling off. Advance 
sale in D.C. is-only $1,600, whereas 
the advahee is $177,000 in New 
York, $43,000 in Chicago and $30,- 
000 in Los Angeles. At N.Y.’a 
Criterion, the balcony is sold out 
through March and mail orders ara 
coming in for next June. 

Reason for the less-than-smash 
showing in D.C. is being attributed 
to a couple of downbeat press not¬ 
ices. 

In Detroit; a morning presenta-’ 
tion of “Commandments” was 
given but dropped*after a few days. 
Business was good but union de¬ 
mands reportedly made the extra 
showing economically unsound. 

Extended Pact 
Up For Fabian 

Stanley Warner stockholders at 
the company’s annual meeting in 
Wilmington, Del., on Jan. 10 will 
be asked to approve an extension 
of the employment agreement with 
Fabian Enterprises The. for the 
services of £. H. (Si) Fabian and 
Samuel Rosen, president and ex¬ 
ecutive v.p. of SW respectively. 

Under the original contract for 
the services of Fabian and Rosen, 
signed March 2,1953. it was agreed 
that Fabian Enterprises would re¬ 
ceive $3,000 per week plus sc per¬ 
centage of the annual profits under 
the following conditions: (1) no 
percentage of the first $2,500,000, 
(3) 5% of the next $2,500,000, (3) 
V/t% of such consolidated net 
profits in excess of $5,000,000. In 
an amendment datfcd Jan. 19, 1954, 
the total amount to be paid to Fa¬ 
bian Enterprises in any fiscal year 
for the services of Fabian and Ro¬ 
sen was limited to $500,000. 

The pact expired on Aug. 31 and 
the* board of directors extended 
the contract for an additional pe¬ 
riod of three years from Aug. 26, 
1956 to Aug. 29, 1956. The stock¬ 
holders are now being asked to ap¬ 
prove the action of the board. 

Fabian Enterprises owns 328,106 
shares of SW stock, or about 15%. 
The capital stock of Fabian Enter¬ 
prises is owned by Fabian Securi¬ 
ties Inc., whose stock in turn if 
(Continued on page 10) 







nun REVIEWS 


. Wednesday, December. 19,-1956 


.. .Anastasia 

(C'SCOPE-COLOR) ’ 

Fosh screen treatment of high¬ 
ly intriguing play about the 
Czar's daughter. With Ingrid 
Bergman and..Yul Bryhner, . 
this is a winner all the way, 

20th-Fox relcave of. Buddy Adler pro¬ 
duction. Stars Ingrid Bergman, Yul 
Brynner, Helen Hayes; ' features Akim 
£amiroff. Martita Hunt, Felix Aylmer, 
Sacha Pitoeff, Ivan Desny, Natalie Scha¬ 
fer, Gregoire Gromoff. Directed by Ana- 
tole Litvak; screenplay, Arthur Laurents, 
from - the Marcelle Maurctte play, adapted 
by Guy Bolton; camera (DeLuxe Color), 
Jack Hildyavd; .mus)Ci Alfred Newmans' 
art directors, Ahdrei Andrejew and Bill- 
Andrews; editor, Bert Bates.'Previewed 
in N.Y. Dec. 10, *56. Running time, 105 
MINS. 


Bounine .....: Yul Brynner 

Empress ....Helen Hayes 

Chernov . Akim. Tamiroff 

Baroness von Livenbaum.... Martita Hunt 

Russian Chamberlain.Felix Aylmer 

Fetrovin .. Sacha IMtoeff 

S ince Paul .. Ivan Desny 

ssenskaia ..... • Natajie Schafer, 

Stepan .. Gregory Gromoff 

lhados ... Karel Stepanek 

Marusla .. Ina de la Haye 

Maxime ..Catherine Kath 

-Blonde Lady- ................. Hy Hazell 

Countess Baranova ...... - • Olga .Valery 

Xenia .. Tamara Shayne 

Grischa .... Peter SalUs 

Schischkin ..... Polycarpc Pavlov 

i— - 

Now that the - legit hit' “Anas¬ 
tasia” has been transferred to the 
screen 1 by 20th-Fox, ; It becomes 
painfully evident how much both 
Hollywood and Ingrid. Bergman 
have missed via the 'severing of 
their relationships some seven 
Jrears ago, 

For “Anastasia” is a wonderfully 
. .moving and entertaining motion 
picture from start to finish, and 
the major credit inevitably must go 
to Miss Bergman who turns in one 
of the great performances of the 
year. Parenthetically it is fair to 
add that, since living in Europe, 
Miss. Bergman hasn’t done such 
outstanding work. 

Yet the picture is by no means 
♦‘all Bergman.” Yul Brynh'er as 
General Bounine, the tough Russian 
exile, etches a strong and convinc¬ 
ing portrait that stands up perfect¬ 
ly to Miss Bergman’s Anastasia, 
and Helen Hayes has great dignity 
as the Empress, living both in the 
present and the past. These per¬ 
formances, under the sensitive and 
Imaginative direction of Anatole 
Litvak—here also doing his best 
work in years—turn “Anastasia” 
into one of those rare films that 
should appeal strongly on all.levels.. 
If ever a picture had the ear- 
marks of a boxoffice winner, this: 
fa it. 

Story basically is the one from 
the French of Marcelle Maurette 
adapted by Guy Bolton. New ro¬ 
mantic angle has ~been introduced, 
however, and it’s an asset since it’s 
handled with restraint. Brynner 
and a group of conspirators arc 
'Working in Paris -to produce an 
Anastasia whd might help them 
Collect the * £ 10,000,000 deposited 
In England . by the ; C2ar’s family. 
Brynner keeps the destitute Miss 
Bergman from suicide, then grooms 
her to play Anastasia’s part. She 
bears an amazing resemblance to 
the Czar’s youngest daughter who 
was supposed* td have been killed- 
by the Reds ini' 1918. 

Desperate to forget the past, 
Miss Bergman first resists, then 
begins to recover her regal bear-, 
ing—and her memories. She is 
presented to Russian society in 
Paris, and some are convinced of 
her identity. Only the Dowager 
Empress, living in Copenhagen, can 
make the final identification. She 
is finally convinced to meet Miss 
Bergman, and recognizes her by 
her nervous cough. Film ends on 
a note of uncertainty re the Anas¬ 
tasia angle, but finds Brynner and 
Miss Bergman pairing off. It’s an 
effective finis, • even without • a 
clinch. 

Director Litvak and producer 
Buddy Adler have Imbued the 
story with realistic, settings rang¬ 
ing from a dingy cellar to the lush, 
plush interiors of the palace in 
Copenhagen. They’ve* also thrown 
In some effective location shots 
both in Paris and in Denmark. But 
the backgrounds merely help ac¬ 
centuate the sock story which 
Arthur Laurents has intelligently 
adapted to the screen. The whole 
Anastasia tale is fantastic enough. 
Here, the mystery is cleverly^and 
tastefully exploited for top values. 

Miss Bergman’s Anastasia is one 
of those acting marvels that come 
along only once in a long, long 
while. She is moving and tortured 
as the woman struggling for ah 
identity; delightful as, under Bryn- 
ner’s guidance, she regains assur¬ 
ance; beautiful and captivating in 
the final phase, when her love for 
Brynner outweighs the struggle for 
recognition. There isn’t a false 
note in this performance and it es¬ 
tablishes Miss Bergman as what 
she has always been—one of the 
world’s most talented and person¬ 
able actresses. 

Her transition from a worn, des¬ 
perate woman looking every bit of 
60 to the well-groomed, beautiful 
girl that is Anastasia is completely 


believable. ^ She look* stunning in 
a variety of attractive gdwns. 

Brynner,’ the calculating Bounine 
who comes to love Anastasia in the 
end . for Herself rather than her 
potential Inheritance, is ideally 
cast. MisS Hayes plays her diffi¬ 
cult role to perfection. The recog¬ 
nition scene between her and Miss 
Bergman is an emotional high- 
point th&t deserves special men¬ 
tion. 

Supporting performances, are all. 
tops. *. Martita Hunt lutroes well- 
modulated humor as a lady-in-, 
waiting; : Ivan Deshy looks hand¬ 
some as Prince Paul who almost 
marries Anastasia; Akim Tamiroff 
and Sacha Pitoeff as Brynner’s co- 
conspirators overplay it to just the 
right eifent and are gtfod for some 
hearty laughs. -Felix Aylmer plays 
the doubting Russian duke to the 
hilt and Natalie Schafer does well 
In her brief role v 

Litvak has wisely concentrated 
on Miss Bergman and he knows 
how to balance his picture-to keep 
it from becoming over-dramatic. 
“Anastasia 0 has many light touches 
and they are well handled. Sets 
and costumes are’ elaborate and the 
DeLuxe color of this Cinemascope 
tinter is unusually bright and Clear, 
a definite asset. 

“Anastasia” is as bright a* Christ¬ 
mas offering as exhibs could wish 
for. It’s also Hollywood picture¬ 
making at its best Mijss Bergman 
couldn’t have wished a better Ve¬ 
hicle to make her comeback. She 
was once one of America’s most 
popula r.. actresses. - ‘’Anastasia” 
promises to restore her to that, 
stature. . Hift. 

Ride the High Irqin 

Poor soap opera originally 

lensed for tv; a programmer. 

Hollywood, Dec, 7. 

Columbia release of William Self pro¬ 
duction. Stars Don Taylor, Sally Forrest, 
Raymond Burr; features Lisa Golm, Otto 
Waldis, Nestor Paiva, Mae-Clarke, Mau¬ 
rice Marsac, Robert Johnson. Directed by 
Don Weis. , Screenplay, Milton Gelman; 
camera;-Joe* Novak; editor, Joseph Gluck; 
music,-Melvyn Lenard. Previewed Nov.- 
29, *56. Running time, 73 MINS: 

Hugo. Danielchlk .... Don Taylor 

Elise Vanders.. Sally Forrest 

Zlggy Moline . Raymond Burr 

Mfs. Danielchlk .............. Lisa Golm 

Yanusz Danielchlk ....Otto Waldis 

. Yardboss. ... .Nestor Paiva 

Mrs. Vanders ... Mae Clarke 

Maurice .Maurice- Marsac 

Porter .. Robert Johnson. 

Originally filmed for television,. 
.“Ride the High Iron” didn’t get 
far along. the. electronic track—in 
fact, it. never left the station. Now 


Noel Meadow 

who hoi boon around tho 
picture business 
(foreign and domestic) 
hot his own concept of a 

Film Fiction 
. JQieiianary. . 

* h * . 

ariother oditortal feature in 
■ tho upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 


>%RIETY 


it turns up as a theatrical release 
under the Columbia banner as a 
programmer booking. 

Screenplay by Milton Gelman 
follows a trite soap opera story 
path, but with male sufferers‘rath¬ 
er than distaff weepers. Move¬ 
ment. doesn’t haye the freedom of 
the usual motion picture, undoubt¬ 
edly due to-the tv origin, and 
scenes are mostly stagey and talky 
as directed by Don Weis. The Wil¬ 
liam Self production has only 
ordinary values in both entertain¬ 
ment quality and physical furbish- 
ments. 

Don Taylor, Sally Forrest and 
Raymond Burr costar in the turgid 
drama and do the best possible 
with impossible roles. Taylor Is 
the son of a poor immigrant rail¬ 
road worker' who looks down on 
such a grubby life and wants to 
travel, in . society. Burr is a high- 
powered public relations man, also 
a sn,ob and bitterly hurt because 
society doesn’t accept -him as an 
equal. Miss Forrest is the poor 
little rfch girl whose escapades are 
kept out of the papers by Burr. 
Taylor goes to work for Burr to 
wet nurse Miss Forrest and, to no 
one’s surprise,* they fall in love. 
Potboiler ending has Taylor ad¬ 
mitting . his poor beginning and 
Miss . Forrest is a brick about the 
whole thing, 

. Lisa Golm and Otto Waldis play 
Taylor’s parents with broad, heart¬ 
rending performances. ' .Nestor 
Paiva, the rail. yard boss; Mae 
Clarke, the giddy mother of Miss- 
Forrest, Maurice Marsac, snobbish 
head waiter, and Robert .Johnson 
complete .the cast. Joe Novak 
lensed in stock style, and the other 
technical credits are of the same- 
order. , . . Brog 


King niul Four Queens 

(C’SCOPJE—COLQR) 


..Paris, Dec. 18. 

La Terraur Das Damas (The Terror 
With Wbmen) (FRENCH). Gaumont re¬ 
lease. of :Medlttersnneef Fllm-Eminente 
production. Stars . Noel-Noel; features 
Jacqueline Paghol, Jacqueline Gauthier, 
Yves Robert, Noel Roquevert; Suzet Mais. 
Directed by Jean Boyer. Screenplay, Rene 
Barjavel from story, "Ce Cochon De 
Morin/* bf Guy De Maupassant; camera. 
Charier Suin; editor. - Christian Gaudin. 
At Aubert-Palace, Paris. Running;.time, 
95 MINS. 

~ Lightweight tgle is a natural 
vehicle for Noel-Npfel as it details 
how an inoffensive; small town 
character is mistaken for a sex 
maniac after a heavy night’s drink¬ 
ing in Paris. Remainder of pic de¬ 
tails his try to placate the husband 
of the woman he was supposed to 
have bothered. It makes a local bet 
for regular consumption but lacks 
theKbite of Satire needed for U.S. 
arty house chances, * Its risque 
treatment could make this an ex¬ 
ploitation gamble. 

Noel-Noel gives some fine nu¬ 
ances to the timid soul while Yves 
Robert is an' asset as a cynical 
skirt chaser. Femmes are well done 
by Jacqueline Gauthier and Jac¬ 
queline Pagnol. Director Jean 
Boyer has given this a placid 
mounting that lacks the necessary 
pacing to make this as good as a 
comedy as it could have been. 
Technical credits are okay. Current 
craze of the striptease is also 
brought in and it is the drunken 
remembrance of a stripper which 
brings on Morin’s attempt to molest 
a stranger and all the complica¬ 
tions. Mosk. 

„ Le Pay* D'OU Ja Viens (The Country I 
Come From) (FRENCH—COLOR—SONGS). 
Cocinor release of CLM-Clement Duhour 
production. Stars Gilbert Beeaud, Fran- 
coise Arnoul; features ClaUde Brasseur, 
Madedeine Lebeau, Gabriello. Directed by 
Marcel Came. Screenplay, Jacques Em¬ 
manuel, Marcel Atehard, Carne; camera 
(Technicolor), Philippe Agostini; music, 
Beeaud; editor, Paulette Robert. At Biar¬ 
ritz, Paris. Running time, 100 MINS. 

This tinter is a showcase for first 
film appearance of one of the top 
singing stars here, Gilbert Beeaud. 
Diverting, fable-like pic spins a 
tale of a stranger who comes into 
a small town, Christmas Eve, to 
right some romantic difficulties 
and then exits singing.' Clever hand 
of^ director Marcel Carne keeps 
this flimsy plot from being' too 
sentimental. Although it lacks L a 


poetic quality to Slant this for U.S. 
arties, it does have enough enter¬ 
tainment facets. .. 

The man ^ho comes from no¬ 
where arrives In town to find he is 
a dead ringef for a local pianist, 
timid soul in love, with a pert* 
little* waitress but afraid to show ft. 
The double proceeds to pass him¬ 
self off as guardian angel and as-, 
sistant of Santa Claus to the mop 1 - 
pet* brother and sister of the 
waitress. r ;. * 

Beeaud acquits himself well in 
his dual role,. his sudden forays 
into his bombastic songs growing 
in acceptance. Franchise Arnoul is 
pert, strong headed as the waitress 
while the supporting cast is ade¬ 
quate. Film has a fine color layout, 
with production values helping 
make this beguiling, However, this 
is lightweight, at best, and will 
have to be handled accordingly.. 

Mosk. 

Vienna. Dec. 18. 

_ NJf!*** v* ,s Aerger mil d*r Ll«be 

(Nothing But Trouble With Love) (GER¬ 
MAN). Sascha Fllm-Omnia Munich re¬ 
lease o£ Heinrich Bauer-Wiener MundUs 
Film Co. production. Stars. Victor de 
Kjowa; features, Winnie Markup Walter 
Giller, Sonja Ziemann, Helmi Marelch, 
Beppo Brem, Liesl Karlstadt, Ursula Her- 
lung, Lucie Neudecker (from play, "The 
Concert,** by Herrrtan Bahr). Directed by 
Thomas Engel. Screenplay by Paul Hel- 
wig and Heinz Oskar Wuttig; camera, 
Johann Mutala; settings, Leo Metzen- 
bauer; costumes, Margarethe Volters. At 
Fliecer Kino, Vienna. Running time, 90 

. Herman Bahr’s much played 
comedy. “The Concert,” has been 
successfully turned into a* film via 
this We'st German-Austrian copro¬ 
duction. 

i Victor de Kowa plays, the role of 
the music professor, who invites a 
married pupil to a mountain climb¬ 
ing party, with complications de¬ 
veloped from jealousy of the hus¬ 
band. Kowa has made his. role one 
of the best in the play. 

The two femmes, Winnie Markus 
and Sonja Ziemann, shine in their 
best in the well-conceived jealous 
scenes. The West. German come¬ 
dians, Walter Giller and Beppo 
Brehm, add the necessary humor. 

Direction by Thomas Engel is 
well done. Setting by Leo Metzen- 
bauer are fine. Camerawork by 
Johann Matula. deserves praise for 
the strong scenes. * Mads.' 


Weak script makes • Clark 

Gable and Eleanor Barker 

vehicle average outdeorer; for - 

regular situations only. 

United Artists release .of a. Russ-Field- 
.Gahco Production. .Produced by. David 
Hempstead. Stars Clark Gable, Eleanor 
Parker and Jo Van EleeL Features.Jean 
Willes,, Barbara Nichols,. SH.rAJShane,_Dl.--. 
-re cte ~t>y" fi a OUT Walsh'. Screenplay., Mar¬ 
garet Fifts* .Richard. Alan Simmons ,from 
a story by Alias Fitts. Camera, - Lucien 
Ballard; editor, DaVid.. Brotherton; music. 
Alex North. Previewed-Dec. 10, SO* Run¬ 
ning time, 83 MINS. 

Dan Hkhoe . Clark Gable 

Sabina . .. Eleanor Parker 

Ma- McDadg .. Jo Van Fleet* 

Ruby .. Jean, willes 

Birdie . Barbara Nichols 

Oralie ...... Sara Shane 

Sheriff Larrabee .. . Roy Roberts 

• Padre .. Arthur Shields 

'Bartender .. Jay C, Fllppen 

A good basic idea has been mal¬ 
treated in “The King and Four 

Queens,” and the result is a fea¬ 
ture only a cut above program 
fare. Presence of Clark Gable and 
Eleanor Parker Improve box-office 
chances, particularly with hefty 
exploitation of the basic situation, 
which finds Gable as the only man 
in a comihunity with four beauties. 

Margaret Fitts and Richard Alan 
Simmons screenplayed Miss Fitts’ 
story about a dashing adventurer 
who connives his way into an aban¬ 
doned town held only by. five 
women; the mother and the wives 
of the McDades, a gang of four 
bankrobbers and thieves. Three of- 
the gang are known to have , per¬ 
ished in a last-ditch fight after 
stealing $100,000 in gold, but no 
one knows which of the brothers 
escaped. Gable makes all the ex¬ 
pected passes until he finds the 
gold and departs with. Eleanor Par¬ 
ker, who has only posed as a Mc- 
Dade widow in order to find the 
loot. A sheriff’s posse prevents 
them from keeping anything but 
$5,000 as a reward but the pair of 
connivers eventually ride off into 
the sunset, apparently to live sus¬ 
piciously of each other ever after. 

Gable Is comfortably at home in 
roles like this and has no difficulty 
with the part. However, the charac¬ 
terization is sometimes physically 
unbelievable, Eleanor Parker man¬ 
ages to get some Conviction Into a 
role not convincingly written. Je&n 
Willes, Barbara Nichols and Sara 
, .Shane look good and register well 
a$ the McDade brides but the tal¬ 
ents of Jo Van Fleet are wasted In 
the. role of the elder McDade al¬ 
though she often manages to lift 
. the stock character above the niche 
. into which it Was written. 

On the technical side, there Is 
excellent camera -work by Luqien 
Ballard and a fitting background 
score by Alex North. Costumes by 
Renie heighten the visual impact 
of. the girls and the editing by 
Louis R. Loeffler and sound work 
by Jack Solomon are above par. 

~ Kap. 

Pepote 

(SPANISH-ITALIAN) 
o Rome, Dec. II. 

UMPO release of an ENIC-Chamartln- 
Falco# Film production. Stars . PabUto 

C^lvo, Antonio Vico; features Jur n Calvo, 
Walter Chiarl, C^rlo Campanini. Directed 
, by Ladislao Vajda. Screenplay,' Vajda, 
Fondl, Lazio, Korneir; camera, Enrique 
Guerrer: music, Roman Vlad. At Alcyone, 
Rome. Running time, 95 MINS. 

Pepote ... Pablito Calvo 

Jacinto .;.. Antonio Vico 

This a fine commercial followup 
production for Pablito Calvo, who 
has zoomed to European fame on 
the strength of his “Marcelino,- 

Pan y Vino.” released in the U. S. 
as “Marcelino.” Though it’s an 
entertaining, sometimes appealing 
item/on its own, it is -not quite as 
strong as its predecessor. n4 ‘Pepote” 
may have to depend largely on 
Calvos following for strong re¬ 
turns. 

Story told Is that bf a broken- 
down bullfighter'*and his nephew, 
Calvo, who spend a day trying to 
rustle up enough money to hire a 
toreador’s costume for a third- 
rate fight to be held that night. 
The amusing moments alternate 
with the pathetic ones as both 
work for the needed coin, until 
Calvo (Pepote) comes through, ar¬ 
ranges for the costume, takes 
Jacinto to the fight, but is unable 
to see it himself. 

And just as well, as it turns into 
a . pathetic parody of a corrida, 
with clowns purposely taking over 
the fight until rain brings all to a 
-tragic head. Final scenes give the 
film stature. 

Thesping by the boy, Calvo! Is 
always winning, and Antonio Vico 
registers strongly as the broken- 
down bullfihter. Others are most¬ 
ly bit parts, but backing is able 
. and colorful. Paolo Stoppa - con¬ 
tributes a good, cameo .as a coun¬ 
terfeiter. 

Direction bv Ladislao Vajda is 
fine In- individual scenes though 
sometimes intercutting of. se¬ 
quences is annoying. Enrique 
Guerrer’s camera makes the most 
of its settings, with good blending 
of studio, and location shots ap- 
q/JTPnt.. Technical credits are all 
good. * Hawk. 


Fnll elLife . 

Fresh' imi# appealing* comedy 

with Judy Holliday and her 

Italo-Catholle relations, one of 

them Met Opera’s Baccaloni. 

Adult fare; good b.o. 

Columbia Tel«»*<r 0 f Fred Kohlmar p ro . 
ductlon. Sftr* Judy Holliday, Rlehavrt 
Conte; feature* Salvatore BaSoif 
Esther Mlncldttl, Jde DeSantis. siiv£ 
-MinelettL —Directed -by ^-RichSrd Quine 
Screenplay, John Fante. based on his own 
novel;-camera, Charles Lawton Jr.; editor 
Charles Nelson; . music, George Dunning’ 

5K''r« 1 Hi. N,V : D “- *• ^ 

Papa Rocco .Salvatore Baccaloni 

Mama Rocco Esther Minciotti 

Father Gondolfa .......... Joe DcSanii* 

•Toe Mtito .. Silvio Minciotti 

Carla .. Penny Santon 

Me. Jameson . Arthur Lovejov 

Mrs. Jameson. ..a . Eleanor Audlov 

Nora Gregory Trudy Marshall 

John Gregory .. A ,.. Walter Conrad 

Dr. Atchison . Sam Gilman 

A wholly satisfying switch from 
the routine, “Full of Life” is prob¬ 
ably the most aptly-titled picture 
of the year. Also, one of the most 
surprising. It’s, replete with good 
humor although the story situa¬ 
tions would not ordinarily suggest 
comedy. Commercial sizeup: Not a 
big picture in terms Of production 
scope but a good grosser; the en¬ 
tertainment values will see to~ that. 
* “Life” concerns a young woman 
in the final month of pregnancy, a 
real character of a, father-in-law 
who wants her to turn Catholic, 
her husband’s trepidations about 
marriage by a priest after seven 
years of justice of the peace-sanc¬ 
tioned wedlock, etc. 

Beguiling is the naturalness with 
which these people behave, and 
real is the material. It all actually 
happened this way, or So it seems. 

“Life” is refreshing, should 
mean a gobd time for anyone. It 
may require some heavy promo¬ 
tional backing because of its differ¬ 
ent approach but once the word of 
mouth is around about its high- 
humor content, there -should be 
plenty of public response. 

At the outset, Judy Holliday is 
married into a family of Italian 
Catholics. She’s on the homestretch 
toward motherhood (which serves 
as the peg for much comic busi¬ 
ness) and husband, Richard Conte, 
is a writer .running low on cash. 
When heavy-weight .(note the ma¬ 
ternity clothes) Miss Holliday falls 
through thetermite-ridden kitchen 
floor of their L. A. home. Conte’s 
father, Salvatore Baccaloni, a 
bricklayer, is called in to do the 
repair, job. 

From- th^n on, Fred Kohlmar’s 
unpretentiously but fittingly laid 
out production is a series of inci¬ 
dents leading up to the birth of the 
baby, with papa-in-law in,the dom¬ 
inant position. New to films, -Bac- 
fcaloni, who ; -is the -Metropolitan 
Opera basso, plays the part of the 
earthy, domineering, vino-drinking 
meddler with gusto. He’-s a natural 
for the part, funny to watch and 
steals much of the play from Miss 
Holliday and Contq. 

Although asked only to mend the 
kitchen, Baccolonl is bent.on. build¬ 
ing an. unneeded, oversized fire¬ 
place, wonders why tho couple 
hasn't given him more grandchil¬ 
dren, can’t dig at all Conte’s talk 
abbut planned parenthood, navi¬ 
gates the way to the wedding by a 
priest, ahd tries to have Miss Holli- 
day join the church. 

‘ Miss Holliday, much less demon¬ 
strative, Is appealing-as ever and 
her professional skill shows 
through all the way. She can in¬ 
flect a word to give It more mean¬ 
ing and her smile is a message in 
itself. Hers is toned-down playing 
and it gets across with fine comedy 
effect. The scene in which the ob¬ 
viously enclente wife, dressed in a 
wedding gown, is rushed to the 
hospital after the marriage cere¬ 
mony makes for a laugh-getting 
highlight.- And it’s with remark¬ 
able tenderness that Miss Holliday 
explains that she’s never had any 
religious affiliation and it would 
be unfair to both herself and the 
church if she suddenly were to be¬ 
come a Catholic. 

Conte is & .likeable husband and 
no slouch, either, in handling hu¬ 
morous situations. He registers 
just fine in trying to put up with 
the boss mannerisms of his father. 

in gratifying the pregnancy-caused 

whims of his wife, and, best of all, 
expressing alarm about going to 
confession after a seven - year 
hiatus. 

Esther Minciotti Offers a color¬ 
ful characterization as Baccoloni's 
wife, a signora typed in tradition, 
handling her household chores 
while papa gulps the vino but 
everyonce in a while falling into a 
faint in sort of a mischievous way. 
Joe DeSantis is Father Gonflolfo 
and gives the role of the priest 
both understanding and warmth. 
Silvio Minciotti and Penny Santon 
are comnetert in subordinate snots. 

In'fashioning a.screenplay from 
his own novel, John Fante sketched 


















































7 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 r PtjfWE'f'Y 


FILM "REVIEWS 


genuine character# involved in 
amusing, beli^veable situations. 
The talk, about pregnancy*, etc*, is 
handled in fine, taste but probably 
would not be' understandable to 
moppets. Under - Richard Kline’s 
direction, the film unfolds so real- 
like that the audience is given the 
feeling of eavesdropping on the 
family nextdoor, 

George Denning’s music, con¬ 
ducted by Morris Stoloff, is an ace 
contribution* accenting the , Napoli 
flavor of the picture. Camera, edit¬ 
ing and other credits all good. 

Gene. 


Rattle Hymn 

(C’SCOPE-COLOJl) 


Heart-warming story of Col. 
Dean Hess, mgn-of-God, and 
Korean orphans, plus war ac¬ 
tion. Good family-type film 
with rood b.o. outlook. 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Universal releaae of Ross Hunter pro¬ 
duction. Stare Rock Hudson, Anna Kashfl, 
Dan Duryea, Don DeFore, Martha Hyer. 
Jock Mahoney; featurea Alan Hale, Garl 
Renton Reid, Richard: Loo, James Ed¬ 
wards, Phil Ahn. Directed by Douglas 
' SJrk. Screenplay, Charles Grayson, Vin¬ 
cent B, Evans; camera (Technicolor), 
Russell Motty; .editor, Russell Schoen- 
garth; music, Frank Skinner; -technical 
advisor. Col. Dean Hess. Previewed Dec. 
9, *90. Running time, 10f MINS. 

Dean Hess' ....... r... I.. Rock Hudson 

Mary Hess .... Martha Hyer 

Sgt. Herman .. Dan Duryea 

Captr. Skidmore ..Don DeFore 

Miss Yang ...'. Anna Kashfi 

Major Moore ..Jock Mahoney 

Mess Sergeant ... Alan Hale 

Deacon Edwards ...... Carl Benton Reid 

General Kim .. Rlch»rd Loo 

Lieut. Maples.James Edwards 

Old Man . .. Phil Ahn 

Gen. Timberldge.Bartlett Robinson 

Lieut. Holiis . Simon Scott 

Korean Official. Teru Shlmada 

Major Harrison.,.. ..Carleton Young 

Chu ... Jung Kyoo Pyo 

Cupt. Reardon.. Art Miilan 

Navy Lieutenant .. WlUlam Hudapn 

Sentry ....Paul Sorensen 


The inspirational story of a 
young clergyman i a neatly Inte¬ 
grated with fighter pilot action in 
“Battle Hymn.” Film is an attrac¬ 
tive’offering, with particular family 
audience appeal and good boxoffice 
chances. Rock Hudson, as Col. 
Dean . Hess, the minister whose 
story is told, heads the excellent 
cast and his name provides extra 
marquee weight for the playdates. 

Perhaps best known of Hess's 
* deeds Were his efforts in behalf of 
the Korean children left orphans 
and homeless In the wake of the 
late fighting in that country. This 
is well-used in the Ross Hunter 
production as a heart-warming 
phase. Additionally it Serves for 
story suspense and as a basis for 
the quite good air action that finds 
a minister at the . controls of a 
fighter, plane. 

Douglas Slrk’s direction and the 
< screenplay by Charles ' Grayson 
and Vincent B. Evans stirs com¬ 
passion and sympathy for the per- 
s6nal cross Col. Hess had to bear 
after accidentally bombing a Ger¬ 
man orphanage during his fight¬ 
ing days in World War II. This 
incident comes to light via' flash¬ 
back to establish his need to again 
‘ give up his.pulpit for pilot wings 
and go to Korea with the Air Force. 
In Korea he finds himself via the 
1,000 t or more orphans he cares for 
and air-lifts to safety. On Cheju 
Island there is. a permanent insti¬ 
tution still , caring for Korea’s 
homeless children, a group of 
which were flown to Hollywood to 
0 appear in the picture. : While 
quite a bit that gets on the screen 
may seem typical motion picture 
fiction, Hess served as technical 
advisor to assure that fact pre* 
domiffhtes. 

Hudson does one of his better 
performances in capturing the Hess I 
personality and character. Martha 
Hyer plays Mrs. Hess, the wife-who i 
waits and worries at home, with a 
gracious, winning appeal, although 
femme emphasis more naturally 
falls to Anna Kashfi, very effective * 
as Miss Wong, a true Korean hero¬ 
ine who literally gave her life to 
aid Hess' work with the orphans. 

Dan Duryea, casting off his 
usual heavy character, adds a neat 
touch of tightnesses a happy-go- 
lucky Air Force sergeant stationed 
in Korea with Col. Hess’ outfit. 
Don; DeFore. Jock Mahoney, Alan 
. Hale, James Edwards and other 
members of the outfit come 
through strongly, bolstering the en¬ 
tertainment all down the line. Carl 
Benton Reid, is good as a church 
deacon. Phil Ahn stands out as an 
old Korean who works with the 
orphans. Jung’ Kyoo Pyo, one of 
the children brought oyer from 
Korea, captures the heart. 

Russell Metty’s Cinemascope 
Photography in Technicolor and 
the special lensing by Clifford 
Stine to*p the lineup of good tech¬ 
nical credits, which include Rus¬ 
sell Schbengarth’s editing, the art 
direction by Alexander Golitzen 
and Emerich* Nickolson, and the 
set decorations by Russell Gausman 
and Oliver; Emert, and the Frank 
Skinner music, supervised by Jo¬ 
seph Gershenson. Brog, 


Slander 

Exposure of the newsstand 
scandal Sheet racket. Sock ex¬ 
ploitation angles, with Van 
Johnson, Ann Blyth, Steve 
Cochran for marquee. 


Metro release of Armand Deutsch pro¬ 
duction. Stars Van .Johnson, Ann Blyth, 
Steve Cochran; features Marjorie. Ram¬ 
beau; Richard Eyer, Harold J. Stone,. 
Philip "Coolldse, Lurerte "Tuttle, Lewis 
Martin. Directed by Roy Rowland. Screen¬ 
play, Jerome Wejdman from Harry ,W. 
Junkin' story; .«amera/ Harold J. Marzo- 
ratl; editor, Gedrtfe Boemler; music,' Jeff 
Alexander. Previewed' In N.Y, Dec. 0, *58. 
Running 'time, SJ .MINS. 

Scott Ethan Martin..Van Johnson 

Connie Martin ... •. • Ann Blyth 

H. Rv Manley .? .. • Steve* Cochran 

Mrs. Manley.Marjorie Rambeau 

Joey Martin.*.. • Richard Eyer 

Seth Jackson .. Harold J. Stone 

Homer Crowley .PhUip Coolldge 

Mrs. Doyle ..... Lurene Tuttle 

Charles Orrin Sterling,.Lewis Martin 


This film hits back against the 
vicious gutter mags catering to the 
public's thirst for sensationalism 
and operating just on the brink, of 
the libel *laws. Metro’s “Scandal” 
tackles the job Of exposing the “ex¬ 
posure racket”' anil in the doing 
achieves ' that difficult blend of 
message and entertainment that is 
vital If a. story such as this is to 
be put over. 

W’ell-endowed with b.o. . names— 
to wit Van Johnson, Ann Byth and 
Steve Cochran—and not lacking in 
guts and the willingness to call a 
spade a spade, pic should prove a 
popular entry. Subject is certainly 
hot enough to rouse audience inter¬ 
est, and the treatment is straight- 
from-the shoulder. 

It makes it plain that the pious 
search for “truth” on the part of 
the scandal sheets is nothing more 
than a thinly veiled stunt to build 
circulation, conducted cynically 
and without any regard for the 
lives that are ruined in the process. 
Pic plot also hints at the sick men¬ 
tality of the people who publish tne 
scandal mags and who go scroung¬ 
ing in' the- muck for the necessary 
material. 

Few will be in doubt that scrlpter 
Jerome” Weidman’s shafts are di¬ 
rected at one particular publisher. 

“Scandal” has performer John¬ 
son and wife (Miss Blyth) rising 
the ladder to success; He’s about 
to be signed- to a tv contract when 
Cochran, publisher of a big scandal 
mag, threatens to run a layout on 
Johnson r telling of * a. prison term 
he served for armed robbery in his 
teens. There’s a blackmail angle, 
with Cochran- offering to trade the 
story against info on a w.k- Broad¬ 
way star. Behind if all is the neces¬ 
sity for Cochran to put out a run¬ 
away newsstand seller, or close 
shop, 

Johnson refuses to trade, the 
story runs, lie’s fired off his job 
and his kid — Richard Eyer — is 
killed in an accident, running 
away from other boys teasing him 
about his father. Johnson then goes 
on tv to tell his story and to warn 
the public against buying the 
“poison” distributed by Cophran. 
Latter is killed by his own mother, 
Marjorie Rambeau. 

Director Roy Rowland has gotten 
convincing performances from his 
payers and the film has some 
genuinely touching moments. Some 
of its situations, are contrived, and 
the shooting of Cochran has slight¬ 
ly ludicrous overtones. Also, the 
message is rather plainly spelled 
out< and might have been handled 
with.more restraint. 

Cochran as H. R. Manley, the 
publisher, does a competent job as 
an actor, but the characterization 
isn’t always well written. It is made 
quite plain, however, that he's a 
sick man suffering from a power 
complex, a fellow out to fight the 
world, petty and spiteful under the 
sleek veneer of the “truth cru¬ 
sader.” 

Jbhnson wisely underplays in a 
difficult role. Miss Blyth iS a weak 
link in the cast. Miss Rambeau as 
Cochran’s mother has dignity and 
turns in. a sock performance. 
Harold J. Stone as Johnson’s agent 
is a find. He etches a strong por¬ 
trayal that registers, Eyer a$ the 
kid is fresh and appealing. 

Rowland's megging keeps the 
story in movement despite a gener¬ 
ous dose of dialog. Weidman’s 
script is mostly intelligent and 
forthright, if on the preachy side. 
Jeff Alexander’s music helps create 
the mood and George Boemler’s 
editing is okay. Lensing by Harold 
J. Marzorati is beyond reproach 
and is a distinct asset. 

Chances are that “Scandal” isn’t 
going to change anything. But in 
exposing the ugliness of the men 
and the thinking that goes into the 
gutter mags — and in making it 
plain that the public must share 
part of the responsibility—it de¬ 
serves beaucoup attention. Hift. 


Dr. Alfred Bauer, director pf tjie 
Berlin film rest, working on a 
“guide” to the postwar German 
film industry. 


Vsf Hollywood tyoducor 

Pete Smith 

who should know all qboat It 
rovlows why 

Shorts Were Great 
Schooling' 

* * *■ 

one of tho many editorial features 
In the upcoming » 

■ Slsl Anniversary Number 

of 

yATilETY 


Cpnasfa De Coentos 
Mexicanos 
(Basket of'Mexican Tales) 
(MEXICAN C’SCOPE-COLOR) 


Mexico City, Dec. 11. 

Columbia release of a Jose .Kohn pro¬ 
duction. Stars Maria Felix, Pedro Arman- 
darir, ■ Arturo de Cordoba, Lorraine 
Chanel, Marl Blanchard, Ja,ck Kelly; fea¬ 
tures Jbrge Martinez- de Hoyos, Directed 
by Julio Bracho. Screenplay and adapta¬ 
tion, Juan de la Cabada from the book 
by B. Traven;. camera (Pathecolor), 
Gabriel Figueroa; editor, Gloria Shoemann, 
music, Lan Adomian.' At Cine Mexico, 
Mexico City. Mex. Running time, ff MINS. 
Plefre Duval .. .. Arturo de Cordoba 
Lorraine Arnaud (Duval) 

Lorraine Chanel< 

Don Alfredo . Miguel Angel Ferriz 

Alberto Duval. Julio Montcrde 

Sr. Qchoa ... Rafael Alcaede 

Luisa Bravo .... Maria Felix 

Carlos Cosio . Pedro Armandariz 

Aunt Maria Consuelo Guerrero de Luna 

Grandmother . Emma Roldan 

Gladys Winthrop .Marl Blanchard 

Eddie Winthrop . Jack Kelly 

The Indian-Jorge Martinez de . Hoyos 


It will take more than a basket- 
full of top south-of-the-border 
names and the obvious heavy coin 
involved, to push this triple vig¬ 
nette compilation into . the inter¬ 
national smash class. In Latin 
language situations it may be one 
of the year’s top grossers due to 
its heavy-draw cast. However, for 
U. S. consumption it is merely an¬ 
other triptych of tales whose only 
tie is their Mexican locale. Taken 
from a series of short stories by 
the author • tit * “Sierra Madre,” 
heavy handed direction of Julio 
Bracho fails to make effervescent 
amusement of the frothily dia¬ 
logued screenplay by Juan de la 
Cabada. Ah English language ver¬ 
sion, not being shown here, was 
directed by the pic's producer, 
Jose Kohn and will be marketed 
in the non-Spanish speaking world. 

Yarns involved are all played in 
a pseudo satiric vein and attempt 
to display the foibles of modern 
Mexico in its . various locales and 
social stratum. First, starring 1 
Arturo de Cordoba and Lorraine 
Chanel, sketches an unhappily 
married Couple who take a few 
days separation to smooth out 
their problems. 

Second parable, starring Maria 
Felix and Pedro Armandariz, takes 
place in the . northern ranching 
country and plays on a taming of 
the shrew theme. Felix is an un- 
corraled, U. S. educated local 
senorita, so modern that it hurts. 
Armandariz, a tough, masculine 
rancher, sets his sights on her and 
eventually marries and domesti¬ 
cates the spitfire. In the process, 
and in disturbingly brUtal, but 
.humorously intended sequence, La 
Felix refuses to server him his cof-; 
fee, so. he shoots his cat and par¬ 
rot as they also make no effort to 
supply his needs. He is . about to 
knock off his hor'se and perhaps 
his wife, when she in self defense 
heads out to get his java and make 
like a frau. r 

-Third fable stars Jack Kelly and 
Mari Blanchard, with Jorge Mar-J 
tinez de Hoyos featured. Latter 
steals the entire* show as an ar¬ 
tistic but lackadaslcal Indian 
basketwe&ver who refuses to be 
browbeaten by a couple of not so 
sharp Yarjkee tourist slickers. 

Other thesping honors are pretty 
well divided between the stars, 
with Lorraine Chanel, though mis¬ 
cast agewise, 'coming across tops 
as the one error wife to Arturo de 
Cordoba’s suavely erring and 
erred against spouse. La Felix 
and Armandariz romp through 
their sexful duet in a gleeful and 
professional manner. Jack Kelly 
and Mari Blanchard handle them¬ 
selves with unassuming modesty 
and are* physically attractive as 
the “gringo” money grubbers. 
Numerous minor characterizations 
throughout the film are also well 
portrayed with Consuelo Guerrero 
de Luna and Emma Roldan as two 
old pixalates giving Felix and Ar¬ 
mandariz a real run for their 


money. 

Sets by Edward Fitzgerald are 
standard and lensing by Gabriel 
Figueroa seems spotty with some 
scenes definitely Delow his usual 
high quality, possibly due to the 
print shown here. Score by Lan 
Adomian is excellent but cannot 
do more than accentuate the light¬ 
ness that the film should have had, 
but didn’t. Mayen 


The Girl Help It 

(C'SCOPE-MU SIC-COLOR); 

Tom Ewell in. engaging Tock 
and roll comedy, certain to be 
a teenage success, with cor¬ 
responding good b.o. prospects, 
“Introduces” Jayne Mansfield. 


- ! Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

20th-Fpx release. of .Frahk T/»shlin pro¬ 
duction; . directed by. Tashlin. Stars Tom 
Ewell, Jayne Mansfield. Edmond O'Brien; 

g aist stars Julie London. * Ray Anthony, 
arry Gordon; features Henry Jones, 
John Emery^ Juanita Fat* Domino, 

The Flatters, Little Richard and his bind, 
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps, The 
Treniers, Eddie Fontaine,' The Chuckles, 
Abbey Lincoln, Johnny Olehn, Nino 
Tempo, Eddie Cochran. Screenplay, Tash¬ 
lin and-Herbert Baker; camera (De Luxe 
Color), Leon Sham^oy; editor, >James B« 
Clark; score,. Lionel Newman; new songs, 
Bobby Troup. Previewed Dec, 14, *96. 
Running time, M MINS. 


Thii Miller ... 
Jerri Jordan: .. 
Mjurdock 
Julie London . 
Ray Anthony , 
Barry Gordon 


.. Tom EweU 
. Jayne Mansfield 
, Edmond O'Brien 
. Harself 
.Himself 
Himself 


Mousle ........ Henry Jones 


Wheeler . . ... 

Hilda—Mall . 

Fata Domino ... 

The Platters . 

Little Richard Band . 

Gene Vincent Blue Caps.. 

The. Treniers ... 

Eddie Fontaine . 

The Chuckles . 

Abbey Lincoln .. 

Johnny Olenn .. 

Nino Tempo .. 

Eddie Cochran ..... 


John Emery 
Juanita Moore 
.. Himself 
.'. Themselves 
.. Themselves 
.. .Themselves 
..' Themselves 
Himself 
.. Themselves 

. Herhelf 

__ Himself 

.. Himself 

..... Himself 


While there are a number of rock 
and roll features currently plying 
the market, “The Girl Can’t Help 
It” is the first de luxe version to 
make release. It is an hilarious 
comedy with a beat, and the young¬ 
er set should take to it like a 
double chocolate malt with cheese¬ 
burger. Business prospects are 
firstrate in regular situations. 

Oil the surface, it appears that 
producer director - s.cripter Frank 
Tashlin concentrated on creating 
fun for the juniors; a chore that 
he completes to a tee. However, 
the • suspicion lurks that he also 
poked some fun at the current 
dance beat craze apd the artists 
who deliver it.. Thus, Charleston- 
age oldsters can delight in the 
ribbing and enjoy the show, too. 
There are so many sight gags and 
physical bits of business, including 
Jayne Mansfield and a couple Of 
milk bottles, that males of any age 
will get the entertainment message. 

Herbert Baker collaborated with 
Tashlin on the script, and the pair 
delivers bountifully with dialog 
and situations for a big laugh pay¬ 
off under Tashlin’s especially sharp 
direction. Pilot is no more than a 
gag peg, although it has the neces- 
1 sary story value to carry through 
with the required support. Basi¬ 
cally, it tells how a wealthy 
hasbeen. gangster hires a , has- 
been agent' to make an entertain¬ 
ment name'out of the former’s girl 
friend. The fun’s in. the viewing, 
•nOt the telling, as it’s the manner 
in which the show: has been put 
together that makes it entertaining. 

Miss Mansfield doesn’t . disap¬ 
point as the sexpot who just wants 
to be a successful wife and mother, 
not a glamor queen. *, She’s physi¬ 
cally equipped for the role, and 
also is competent in sparkin.g con-, 
siderable ofthefun. Nature was 
so much more bountiful with her 
than with Marilyn Monroe that it 
seems Miss Mansfield should have 
left MM with, her voice. However, 
the vocal imitation could have been 
just another part: of the fun-poking 
indulged in. 

. Edmond O’Brien, rarely seen in 
comedy,, is” completely delightful 
as the hammy ex-gangster who 
thinks his position demands that 
his girl be a star name. In totalling 
the assets of the film, his perform¬ 
ance ranks right on top as a major 
factor in the entertainment. Tom 
EweU scores mightily as the has^ 
been agent who is haunted by the 
memory* of Julie London, another 
girl whom he had pushed to reluc- ■ 
tant stardom. With Miss Mansfield 
and O’Brien, he makes it a funny 
caper for the ticketbuyer. 

. Talent abounds elsewhere, too, 
in those with story roles, such as 
Henry Jones, very amusing as 
O’Brien’s handyman; John Emery, 
a rival jukebox king, and Juanita 
Moore, Miss Mansfield’s maid. 
Musical talent, mostly of the r&r 
variety, is tops in its field, the list 
reading like a special performance 
bash. Not r&r, but good of voice 
and sensational in appearance, is 
Abbey Lincoln singing “Spread tne 
Word” while Benny Carter’s oiv 
chestra backstops. Fats Domino 
and band with “Blue Monday”; 
Little Richard with “The Girl Can’t 
Help It” and others; The Platters 
on ’‘The Great Pretender”; Gene 
Vincent and the Blue, Caps; The 
Treniers, Eddie- Fontaine, The 
Chuckles, Johnny Olenn and band; 
Nino Tempo and Eddie Cochran 
are among the rock-and-rollets 
purveying the beat that qualifies 
the film for the teenagers. 

Miss London, appearing only in 
spirit, is heard on her click disc, 
!'Cry Me a River.” Little Barry 
Gordon doesn’t sing at all; he sells 
newspapers. Ray Anthony arid band 
beat out a situation tune, “Rock 
Around the Rock Pile,” cleffed by 


Bobby Troup, who also wrote tha 
title; number. Lionel Newmaq, 
functioned firstrate on supervising 
and conducting^the music. 

Physically; the film has a quality 
look, with Leon, Shamroy's Cinema¬ 
scope lensing in De Luxe Color . 
displaying the vaiueo for top re¬ 
turns. Art direction and settings, 
and unusually good costunring of 
Misses Mansfield, London and 
Lincoln are other strong credits. 

Brog ♦ 


Westward Ha the. 
Wagons 

(C-SCOPE—SONGS—COLOR) 

Walt Disney tin stride with a 
' strong entry for the outdoor 
market; Fess' Parker name will 
help. 


Hollywood, Dec.,>18. 

Buena Vista release oi a Bill Walsh 
production. Stars Fess Barker, Kathleen 
Crowley, Jeff York; features David gal¬ 
lery, Sebastian Cab, t, George Itee.es. 
Directed by William Beaudine; second 
unic director, Yakima Canult; screenplay, 
Tom BlackburA; based on- Mary Jan* 
Carr novel; camera (Technicolor), Charles 
Boyle; editor. Cotton Warburton; music, 
George Bruns. Previewed Dec. 14, *56. 
Running time. US MINS. 

John •'Doc" Grayson.. . Fess Parker 

Laura Thompson .Kathleen Crowley 

Hank Breckentidge ._ Jeff York 


Dan Thompson . 
Bissonefcte ...... 

James Stephen .... 

Bobo - Stephen. 

Mrs. Stephen 


,. David StoUery 
Sebastian Cabot 
.. George Reeves 
; Doreen Tracey 
Barbara Wooded 


Wolf’s Brother .John War Eagle 

Jerry Stephen .. Cubby O'Brien 

Jim Stephen.. Tommy Col* 

Spencer Armitage.Leslie. Bradley 

“Obie" Foster .Morgan woodward 

Many Stars . Iron Eyes Cody 

Little Thunder . Anthony Numkena 

Myra Thompson.Karen Pendleton 

Ruth Benjamin . Jane Lidded 

Ed Bcnjamitv . Jon Lock* 

Tom Foster . Brand Stirling 


Walt Disney’s latest excursion 
into the live-action feature realm 
is a story of the Oregon Trail, fol¬ 
lowing a wagon train plagued by 
hostile Indians. * CinemaScope 
treatment allows a vast panorama 
against which to limn the simple, 
yet: stirring, narrative, and there’s 
the marquee lure of Fess Parker 
for the younger trade particularly. 
Technicolor film should rack up 
good grosses as a showmanly entry 
for the outdoor market. 

. Strong emphasis is placed upon 
the Redskin element to give the 
Bill Walsh- production a flavor of 
excitement. Specially well staged 
is an attack on the wagon train by 
a band of warlike Pawnees, and 
the . later threat of the Sious pre¬ 
venting the train from leaving 
Fort Laramie, where it stops,, for a 
few days’ respite, constitutes, a ma¬ 
jor plot device. Parker warbles 
three numbers rich with frontier 
•flavor, and -pic includes^ two other 
songs : effectively presented. 

Parker, co-stars with . Kathleen 
Crowley, member of the train, and 
Jeff York, vet Indian scout, in the 
Tom Blackburn screenplay, based 
upon the Mary Jane Carr novel of 
the same title. As a prairie doctor, 
also a scout leading the train west¬ 
ward, be is. instrumental in gaining 
the friendship of the Sioux chief, 
after saving his young, son’s life 
when the ministrations of the 
tribe's medicine man proved fruit¬ 
less. Feature is accorded a homely 
touch by director William Beau¬ 
dine, with Yakima Canutt as sec¬ 
ond unit director responsible for 
the fast-moving Pawnee battle. 

Parker delivers a his usual easy 
characterization, and makes . the 
most of his three songs, best of 
-which is “The Ballad of John Col¬ 
ter,” followed by the novelty 
“Wringle Wrangle” and “I-m Lone¬ 
ly My Darlin’.” Miss Crowley is 
nice in an undemanding, role as 
the romantic interest, and York is 
properly rugged as the hulking 
scout John, War Eagle is strongly 
cast as the Sioux chief, Iron Eyes 
Cody scores as medicine man, and 
Sebastion Cabot is a Semi-Heavy. 

Charles Boyle’s color photogra¬ 
phy -heads’...tip' the above-standard 
technical credits, and Cotton War- 
burton’s.'editing is attuned to the 
subject. Whit 


Arl Theatres 

Continued from page 5 — 

which play long runs, and have 
chance to be sold and exploited.” 

Lopert feels each film must be 
treated delicately and carefully. 
“The public is cautious in buying 
its entertainment today, and thus 
must be convinced.” 

The key to the entire situation, 
Lopert claims, is that a film can 
gross more in 2,000 playdates to¬ 
day than it ever did in 16,000 play¬ 
dates when Hollywood’s production 
volume was at its peak, aiid when 
there was no competition from 
television. 

“If you only needed 2,000 play¬ 
dates to give a greater gross than 
ever before,” he says, “then it fol¬ 
lows that a proper campaign and 
selling. approach to these proper 
houses will suply greater and 
greater grosses. There is no sky 
for the properly presented product 
in today’s market.” 
































































PICTURE CROSSES 


LA. Lagging; Dance With Me’ Dull 
SC, life’ Fair (G, ‘Conanandmeiits’ 
Bright $22,000, 5th„ ‘Moon’ 17G, 4th 


Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

Pre-Christmas slump is Hilling 
firstrun theatre biz here this ses¬ 
sion with only a couple of excep¬ 
tions. All new bills are way below 
par, even for this usual dull period. 

A couple of exceptions to the 
trend are “Teahouse of ' August 
Moon,” with a good $17,000 in 
fourth frame aUPantages, and “Ten 
Commandments,” which is being 
uppfed to a neat $22,000 via special 
morning matinee. 

“Secrets of Life” is just fair 
$6,000 in first stanza at Fine Arts. 
“Secrets of Reef” is rated slow 
$7,500 in ti\ree houses. Thin $6,500 
looms for Academy - qualifying 
week for “Lost Continent”-“Red 
Balloon” at Egyptian. Others are 
just as slow. 

, “Oklahoma” ended its longrun 
of nearly a year at United Artists 
tonight (Tues.). The first Todd- 
AQ feature has been at this theatre 
since last Dec. 24, or a run of 51 
weeks and four days. - Theatre also- 
will shutter with closing of pic, to 
be available for packagers of' stage- 
shows for time being. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1.25- 
$1.50) — “Secrets of Life” (BV). 
Fair. $6*000. Last week, “Lust for 
Life” (M-G) (12th wk-6 days), 

$3,100. 

Hillstreet, Hawaii, W i 11 e r n 
(JEtKO - G&S - SW) (2,752; 1,106; 

2,344; 80-$l,25) — “Don’t Knock 
Rock” (Col) and “Rumble On 
Docks” (Col). Light $13,000. Last 
week, Hillstreet, “War and Peace” 
(Par) (3d wk), $3,900; others in 
units. 

Orpheum, Vogue, Uptown (Met- 
ropolitan-FWC) (2,213; 885; 1,715; 
80-$1.25)—“Dance With Me Henry” 
(UA) and “Brass Legend” (UA). 
Dull $9,000. Last week, Orpheum 
with Wiltem, - New Fox, “Every¬ 
thing But Truth” (U) and “Light 
Touch” (U), $8,000. 

State, Iris, El Rey (UATC-FWC) 
(2,404; 816; 861; 80-$ 1.25)—“Secrets 
of Reef” (Cont) and “Ship That 
Died of Shame” (Cont). Slow 
$7,500. Last week, State, Iris with 
Uptown, “Man Beast” (Indie) and 
(Continued on' page 20) 

.Truth’ Light $7,000 In 
Slow Mpls; ‘Odongo’ 5G, 
’Wonders’ Big 12G, 20 th 

Minneapolis, Dec. 18. 

Traditionally the worst boxoffice 
week of year, the one before 
Christmas, finds only, a trio of Loop 
newcomers preeming this stanza. 
“Everything But the Truth” tops 
the fresh entries and because of 
Tim Hovey’s cast presence is get¬ 
ting attention from vacationing 
youngsters. Otherwise it’s the 
20th stanza for “Seven Wonders of 
World” while “ “Julie” and “Okla¬ 
homa” are racking up a fifth and 
fourth, respectively. “Julie” is 
okay. “The Girl He Left Behind” 
shapes satisfactory in second week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (S-W) (1,150; $1.75- 

$2.65)—“Seven Wonders” (Cine¬ 
rama) (20th wk). Still going 
strong, adverse seasonal influences 
not being so destructive as .feared. 
Good $12,000. Last'"week, $13,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 85-90)— 
“Julie” (M-G) (5th wk). Satisfac¬ 
tory $3,000. “Great American Pas¬ 
time” (M-G) opened Monday (17)’. 
Last week, $4,200. 

Lyric (Par) (1,000: 85-90)—“Girl 
He Left Behind” (WB) (2d wk). All 
right $4,500. Last week, $7,000. 

Radio City (Par) (4.100; 85-90)— 
“Everything But Truth” (U). Im¬ 
presses as smart bit of booking for 
particular period. Tim Hovey at¬ 
tracting the small fry and Die is 
well liked. Moderate $7,000, 
stacks up as all right considering 
the various b.o. handicaps. Last 
week, “Giant” (WB) (5th wk), 
$9,000 at 90c-$1.50 scale. 

RKO Orpheum (RKO)„(2,800; 75- 
90»—“Odongo” (Col). Light $5,000. 
Last week, “Death of Scoundrel” 
(RKO) split with “River of No Re¬ 
turn” (20th) and “Broken Lance” 
(20th) (reissues). $3,500. 

RKO, Pan (RKO) (1,800; 75-90)— 
“Port Afrique” (Col) and “White 
Squaw” (Col). Slow $4,000. Last 
week, “Love .Me Tender” (20th) 
(3d wk), $4,500. . 

State (Par) (2,300: 90-$1.50)— 
“Oklahoma” (20th) (£th wk). Bat¬ 
tling the adverse seasonal influ¬ 
ence nobly. Oke $7,000. Last 
week, $9,200. 

World (Mann) (400; 75-$1.20)— 
“Tempest in Flesh” (Indie) (2d wk). 
Fairly good $3,000. Last week, 
$4,100. 


Broadway Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 

This Weew.$559,300 .. 

(Based on 22 theatres) 

Last Year .$579,300 

(Based on 23 theatres) ' 

Friendly’ Lusty 
. $14,000, St. Loo 

St. Louis, Dec. 18. 

With natives indulging in an 
all-out Xmas buying. spree, biz at 
top cinemas here this week is in 
the deepest doldrums -Weather is 
seasonable so it can’t be blamed 
for the slump. “Friendly Persua¬ 
sion,” with upped scale, is landing 
the heaviest coin with a neat total 
in prospect at the St. Louis. “Re¬ 
prisal” shapes slow at Loew’s while 
most holdovers are hitting bottom. 
Even “Seven Wonders of World” 
is sagging to a mild figure this 
week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (Indie) (1,400; $1.20- 
$2.40) — “Seven Wonders Of 
World” (Cinerama) (34th wk). Mild 
$5,000. Last week, $5,200. 

Esquire. (Indie) (1,400; 75-90)— 
“Tonight’s The Night” (AA). Fair 
$4,000. Last week, “Lust For Life” 
(M-G) (3d wk), $3,500. 

Fox (F&M) (5,000; 51-75)—“Hol¬ 
lywood Or Bust” (Par) arid “Great 
Day In Morning” (RKO). Opened 
today (Tues.). Last week, “Teen¬ 
age Rebel” (20th) and “Tension 
Table Rock” (RKO), fair $11,500. 

Lodw’s (Loew) (3,211; 50-85)— 
“Reprisal” (Col) and “Port 
Afrique” (Col). Slow $7,000. Last 
Week, “Sharkfighters” (UA) and 
“Beast Hollow Mountain” (UA), 
$4,500. 

Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 51-75)— 
“Teenage Rebel” (20th) and “Ten¬ 
sion Table Rock” (RKO). Opened 
today (Tues.). Last week, “Rock, 
Rock, Rock” and “Jail Busters” 
(AA) (2d*wk), dull $4,000. ' 

Orpheum (Loew) (1,914; 50-85)— 
“Sharkfighters” (UA) and “Beast 
Of Holly Mountain” (UA) (m.o.). 
Mild $4,000. Last week, “Power 
And Prize” (M-G) and “Murder On 
Approval” (RKO), $4,500. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1,000; 
90)—“Doctor In House” (Rep) and 
“Doctor At Sea” (Rep) (2d wk). 
Oke $1,500 after $2,000 in first. 

: Richmond (St. L. Amus) (400; 
$1.10) — “Love Is Splendored 
Thing” (20th) and “Coins In Foun¬ 
tain” 120th) (reissues). Fair $1,600. 
Last week, “on Giovanni” (Indie) 
(3d wk), $1,000. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) (4,000; 
75-90) — “Friendly Persuasion” 
(AA). Neat $14,000 for Gary Coop¬ 
er pic. Last week, "Giant” (WB) 
(6th wk), $7,500. 

Shady Oak (St. L. Amus.) (800; 
$1.10)—“Rebecca” (20th) (2d wk). 
Good $2,000 following $,2500 ini¬ 
tial session. 


Pffisn&Ft 


‘Wonders’ Big $11,000, 
Buff; ‘Peace’ OK 9G 

Buffalo, Dec. 18. 

Trade is generally offish this 
week. “Giant” is still fine in sixth 
week at Paramount. “Seven Won¬ 
ders of World” continues big in 
16th round at Teck. “War and 
Peace” shapes okay in seventh 
Century session. Elsewhere tak¬ 
ings are mild to sjow. 

Estimates for This Week 

Buffalo (Loew) 1 (3,000; 60-85)-— 
“Julie” (M-G) and “These Wilder 
Years” (M-G) (2d wk). Slow $8,- 
000. Last week, $18,400. ✓ 

Paramount (Par) (3,000; 90- 

$1.50)—“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). 
Still fine at $9,000. Last week, 
$11,300, 

Center (Par) (2,000; 50-80)— 

“Death of Scoundrel” (RKO) and 
“Man in Vault” (Indie). Soft $8,- 
500. Last week, “Runaway Daugh¬ 
ters” (AIP) and “Shake, Rattle, 
Rock” (AIP) (9 days), $13,000. 

Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 50-80)— 
“Cfi* ;*on Rivet”-(AA) arid “Strange 
Intruder” (Indie). Mild $7,500. 
Last week, “Port Afrique” (Col) 
and “Miami Expose” (Col), $7,000. 

Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 90- 
$1.25)—“War and Peace” (Par) 
(7th wk). Okay $9,000 in 10 days. 
“Ten Commandments” (Par) opens 
Dec. 21. 

Teck (Cinema Products) (1,200; 
- $1.20-$2i40) — “Seven Wonders” 
(Cinerama) (16th wk). Big $11,000. 
Last week, $13,000. 


Ten CY Mighty 
$26,000, Philly 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


Cincy Oke; ‘Rock’-'ScandaT Big $7,000, 
‘Carl’ 8G, “Wonders’ Fine 9G, 28th 


Philadelphia, Dec. 18. 

Biz picture here is unchanged 
from the past week, with three 
days of rain over weekend added 
to the usual Christmas let-down. 
It all spells a very sluggish stanza. 
“Ten Commandments” is the real 
standout, with a terrific take in 
fourth week at Randolph. “Giant” 
is rated stout in sixth round at 
Mastbaum. and “Oklahoma” looms 
good in 16th session at Midtown. 
“Seven Wonders of World” like¬ 
wise is lively in 34th frame at 
Boyd. But elsewhbre takings are 
slim to just okay. 

Estimates for This Week . 

Arcadia (S&S) (526: 99-S1.80)— 
“Opnosite Sex” (M-G) (7th wk). 
Marking time at $4,000. Last 
wepk, $4,800. 

Boyd (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 
“Seven Wonders of World” (Cine¬ 
rama) (34th wk). Nice $10,500. 
Last week. $11,000, 

Fox (20th) (2.250: 55-SI.50)— 
“Stagecoach to Fury” (20th) and 
“Massacre” (20th). Drab • $6,000. 
Last week, “Love Me Tender” 
(20t.h) (3d wk). $9,000. 

Goldman (Goldman) (1.250: 65- 
$1.35)—“Seventh Cavalry” (Col). 
Small $7,00Q. Last week. “First 
Traveling Saleslady” (RKO), $5,- 
000 . - 

Green Hill (Serena) (750: 75- 
$1.25) (closed Synd-ys) _ “Ship 
That Died of Shame” (Cont) (3d 
wk). Oke $2,300. Last week, 
$2 700 

Mastbaum (SW) (4.370: 90-$1.80) 
—“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). Stout 
$14,000. Last week. $17,000. 

Midtow s n (Goldman) (1.000; 
$1.20-$2.40) — “Oklahoma” (Mag¬ 
na) (16th wk). Good $7,500. Last 
week, $9,000. 

Randolph (Goldman) (2,250; 
$1.40-$2.75) — “Ten Command- 
continued on page 20) 


Del Pre-Xmas Holds Up; Ten CY 
Great $25,060, ‘Carucu’-‘Mole’ Hot 18G 


Detroit, Dec. 18. 

Three pictures downtown are 
successfully combatting pre-holi¬ 
day season doldrums , currently, 
while others are hit rather hard. 
The three are “Ten Command¬ 
ments,” great in fourth'week at 
the Madison, “Giant,” heading still 
big in sixth round at t^e Michigan 
and “Curucu”-“Mole People” com¬ 
bo which looks stout in first ses¬ 
sion at Broadway-Capitol. “Piri- 
occhio” shapes slow at the Fox. 
“Girl Left Behind” looms only fair 
at the Palms. Even “Seven Won¬ 
ders of World” is below normal al¬ 
though still good for 27th week at 
Music Hall. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; 90- 

$1.25) — “Pinocchio” (RKO) (reis- 
sus) and “Daniel Boone Trail 
Blazer” (Rep). Slow $10,000. Last 
week, “Love Me Tender” (20th) 
and “Desperadoes in Town” (20th) 
$11,500 in third week. 

Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 


90-$l.50)—“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). 
Big $16,000, Last„week, $21,500. 

Palms (UD) (2,961; 90-$1.25)— 
“Girl Left Behind” (WB) and 
“Wetbacks”. (UA). Fair $10,000. 
Last week, “Seventh' Cavalry” 
(Col) and “Port Afrique” (Col), 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Madison (UD) (1,900; $1.25- 

$2.75) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (4th wk). Great $25,000. Last 
week, $32,000. 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500; 
90-$1.25)—“Mole People” (U) and 
“Curuchu, Beast of Amazon” (U). 
Splendid $18,000. Last week, “Ten¬ 
sion at Table Rock” (RKQ) and 
“Man in Vault” (Indie), $8,000. 

United Artists (UA) (1,668; 90- 
$1.?5) — “Oklahoma” (20th) (7th 
wk). C’Scope version is down to 
$7,600. Last week, $8,600. 

Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 90- 

$1.25)—“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Oke 
$10,000. Last week, $13,500. 

Music Mall (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1.205; $1.20-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders” (Cinerama) (27th wk). 
Fine $16,000. Last week* $18,400. 


Key City Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 

This Weew.$2,147,200 

(Based on* 23 cities and 230 
theatres, chiefly first runs, in - 
eluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Sairie Week 

Last Year .$1,918,200 

(Based on 22 cities and 206 
theatres.) 

‘Rock, Rock’Iran 
$15,000, Toronto 

Toronto, Dec. 18. 
With Xmas- shopping hurting, 
biz is generally in doldrums cur¬ 
rently. Major newcomers, mostly 
are light, and include “Tension at 
Table Rock*’ and “Port Afrique.” 
Also new, “Rock, Rock, Rock” 
looms nice. “Ten Commandments” 
in fourth frame is topping city. 
“Lust for Life” in sixth stanza is 
holding nicely. 

Estimates for This Week 
Carlton, Colony, Fairlawn (Rank) 
(2,518; 839; 1,165; 60-$l) — “Port 
Afrique” (Col) and “The Wild One” 
(Col). Oke' $15,000. Last week, 
“Sharkfighters” (UA), $14,000. 

Christie, Hland (Rank) (877; 
1,357; 75-$l)—“Long <Arm” (Rank) 
<2d Me). Holding at $6,000. Last 
week, $8,000. 

Downton, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State, Westwood (Taylor) (1,054; 
995; 698; 694; 994; 50-75)—“Rock, 
Rock, Rock” (Indie) and “Three 
Outlaws” (Indie). Nice $15,000. 
Last week, “Huk” (UA) and “Flight 
to Hong Kong” (UA),. $13,000. 

Imperial (FP) (3,344; 60-$1.10)— 
“Tension at Table Rock” (RKO). 
Light $10,000. Last week, “Girl 
He Left Behind” (WB), $11,000. 

Loew’s (Loew) (2,098; 60-$l) — 
“Julie” (M-G) (2d wk). Fine $9,500. 
Last wee£ $13,000. 

Shea’s (FP) (2,375; 60-$l)— “Love 
Me Tender” (20th) (3d wk). Lean 
$7,000. Last week, $12,000. 

Tivoli *(FP) (995;- $1.50-$2) — 
“Oklahoma” (Magna) (34th wk). 
Fancy $7,000. Last week, same. 

Town (Taylor) (695; 60-$l) — 
“Lust for Life” (M-G) (6th wk). 
Good $4,500. Last week, $5,000. 

University (FP) (1,556; $1.75- 
$2.50) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (4th wk>. Hep $15,000. Last 
week, $18,000. 

Uptown (Loew) (2,098; 60-$l)— 
“Everything But Truth” (U) (2d 
wk). Fair $5,500. Last week, 
$7,500. * 

’Wonders’Big $25,000 
In 4th Frisco Round? 
‘Giant’Tall 12G, 7th 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 
Pre-Christmas trade currently Is 
quiet, with reissues filling in at 
several spots until arrival of Dec. 
25 upbeat. “Giant” still is big in e 
seventh week while “Seven Won¬ 
ders of World” continues smash in 
fourth stanza at Orpheum. Final 
(43d) round of “Oklahoma” is do¬ 
ing very well at Coronet. Most 
newcomers range from fair ter 
thin. “Brute Force”-“Naked City,” 
combo of oldies, however, shapes 
okay. 

Estimates for This Week 
Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 80-$l) 
—“Brute Force” (U) and “Naked 
City” (U) (reissues). Okay $8,000. 
Last week, “Tension Table Rock” 
(RKO) and “Man Is Armed” (Rep), 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Fox (FWC) (4,651; $1.25-$1.50)— 
“Man Beast” (Indie) .and “Prehis¬ 
toric Women” (Indie) (reissue). 
Dull $7,200 in 6 days. Last week, 
“Rock, Rock, Rock” (DCA) and 
“Three Outlaws” (Indie), $8,500. 

Warfield (Loew) (2,656; 65-90)— 
“Woman’s Devotion”* (Rep) and 
“Scandal, Inc.” (Rep). Thin $5,500. 
Last week, “Everything But Truth” 
(U), $9,000. 

Paramount (Par) (2,646; $1,25- 
$1.50)—“Giant” (WB) (7th wk). 
Dandy $12,000. Last week, $14,- 
500. 

St. Francis (Par) (1,400; $1-$1.25V 
—“Reprisal” (Col) and “Ten Tall 
Men” (Col) (reissue). Fair $9,000. 
Last week, “Runaway Daughters” 
(Indie) and “Shake, Rattle, Rock” 
(Indie), $11,000. 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre 
Calif.) (1,458; $1.75-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders of World” (Cinerama) (4th 
(Continued on page 20) 


Cincinnati, ptfe. 18. 

Favorable grosses for this Yule* 
approach stanza are shaping at 
many major houses. Of two new 
bills, “Girl He Left Behind,” barely 
okay at the Palace, while “Rock, 
Rock, Rock” at the Grand looks 
nice. “Giant” maintains leadership 
for the fifth and final week at the 
flagship Albee. Second round of 
“Between Heaven and Hell” stacks 
up swell for Keith’s. “Seven Won¬ 
ders of Wprld” is on bottom rung 
of engagement but ahead of Cine¬ 
rama second edition at comparable 
stage. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (3,100; 90-$1.50)— 
“.Giant’.’ 4WB) -(-&th- wlch-Exiting to" 
okay $8,500 while continuing to top 
the town for fifth straight week. 
l,ast week, $10,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp) 
(1,376; $L20-$2.65)—“Seven Won* 
ders of World” (Cinerama) (28th 
wk). Lowest of engagement, 
$9,000, but ahead of “Holiday” pre- 
Xmas week last year. Last week, 
$11,500. 

Grand (RKO) (1,400; 75-$1.10)— 
“Rock, Rock, Rock” (DCA) and 
“Scandal Inc.” (Rep). Good $7,000. 
Last week, “Love Me Tender” 
(20th) (3d wk), at $1,25 top, $5,000. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25)— 
“Between Heaveri and Hell” (20th) 
(2d wk). Eight days, swell $7,500. 
Bowed with $9,500. 

Palace (RKO) (2,600; 75-$1.10)— 
“Girl He Left Behind” (WB). Just 
okay $8,000. Last week, “Oklahoma” 
(20th) (4th wk), at 90-$1.50 scale, 
$7,500. 

‘Cuiucii’ Okay at $7,000, 
Prov.; ‘Mao Rio’ Mild 
9G,‘Rock’Slight 4G 

Providence, Dec. 18. 

Plenty of prospective patrons 
downtown but most of them are in¬ 
tent on Christmas shopping and 
they are avoiding the cinema. 
Loew’s State is topper with “Man 
From Del Rio” but only mild. RKO 
Albee has “Curucu, Beast of Am¬ 
azon” and “Mole People” and do¬ 
ing okay. “Rock Around Clock” is 
dull at Strand. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 60-80)— 
“Curucu” (U) and “Mole People” 
(U). Okay $7,000 or near. Last 
week, “Girl He Lelft Behind” 
(WB) and “Deadliest Sin” (AA), 
$6,500. 

Majestic (Fey) (2,200; 65-80)— 
—“Blonde Sinner” (AA) and 
“Young Guns” (AA). Moderate 
$5,000. Last week, “Giant” (WB) 
(4th wk), $9,500. 

State (Loew) (3,200; 60-85)— 
“Man From Del Rio” (UA) and 
“Flight to Honk Kong” (UA). 
Mild $9,000 or less. Last week, 
“Black Sheep” (UA) and* “Creep¬ 
ing Unknown” (U), $6,500. 

Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 60-85) 
—“Rock Around Clock” (Col) and 
“The Wild One” (Col). Slow 
I $4,000. Last week, “Canyon 
River” (AA) and “Strange Intru¬ 
der” (AA), $5,500. 

‘Hollywood’ Good 17G, 
Cleve.; ‘Ten C’s’ 20G 

Cleveland, Dec. 18. 

Cinema boxoffice is holding 
-fairly consistently against pre- 
Yule distractions. “Hollywood or 
Bust” shapes good at State while 
“Love Me Tender” is rated okay 
at the Allen. “Ten Commandments’ 
still is great in fifth session at the 
Ohio. “This Is Cinerama” also 
shapes smash in fifth at Palace, 
Trade elswhere is not much. 

Estimates for This Week 

Allen (3,000; 75-$1.25) — “Love 
Me Tender” (20th). Okay $16,000. 
Holds. Last wepk, “Giant” (WB) 
(6th wk), $13,000 in 9 days. 

Hipp (Telem’t) (3,700; 75-$l) — 
“Desperados In Town” (20th) and 
“Stagecoach To Fury” (20th). Light 
$10,000. Last-weekT “Curucu” «U) 
and “Mole People” (U), $20,000. t 

Ohio (Loew) (1,244; $1.25-$2.50) 
—“Ten Commandments’’ (Par) (5th 
wk). Big $20,000. Last week, d 
$ 21 , 000 . 

Palace (S-W) (1,485; $1.25-$2.40 
— ‘This Is Cinerama” (Cinbrama) 
(5th wk). Great $25,000 after $30,- 
600 in fourth. 

State (Loew) (3,500; 70-$l) -* 
“Hollywood or*JBust” (Par). Good 
$17,000 in 10 days. Stays. Last 
weeh, “Everything But the Truth 
(U), $7,000. 

Stillman (Loew) (2,700; 75-$D— 
i “Man From Del Rio” (UA). So-so 
i $5,000. Last week, “Oklahoma 
(20th) (5th wk), $10,000 in 9 days. 






9 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 




PICTURE CROSSES 


‘Wonders’ Terrific $68,000 in Chi 
Despite Pre-Xmas, , Curucn’-‘Mok’ 

.SockJG, ‘Comraandments’Tall 36G 


Chicago, Dec. 18. 4- 

Usual pre-Xmas slump is aggra¬ 
vated by. lack of major openers In 
the Loop this week. 

However, one bright spot is 
"Seven Wonders of World" surging 
to wow $68,000 in 19 days' at Palace. 
Also, “Curucu, Beast of Amazon" 
and "Mole People" combo is sturdy 
$16,000 at Roosevelt on opener. 
Art house also show little heft. 
"Murder om-Approval" billed with 
"Brain Machine" looms weak.$5,500 
at Grand. 

"Ten Commandments" continues 
loftjHto -fourth' weefirstr McVTck'ers7 
"Teahouse of August Moon" is 
holding relatively well at the 
V/oods in fourth round, "Love Me 
Tender," also in fourth;*is dragging 
bottom at the Oriental. 

"Julie" is sagging in Third 
United Artists frame. ^"Giant" at 
the Chicago looks slower but com¬ 
paratively okay in its eighth stanza. 
"Girl -He—Left Behind" is feeble 
for second stanza at State-Lake. 

Estimates for This Week ' 

Carnegie (H&E Balaban) (480; 
95) — "Life of Emile Zola" (WB) 
and "Petrified Forest" (reissues). 
Tidy $3,000. Last week, "Fruits of 
Summer” (Indie) (3d wk), $2,500. 

Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 98-$1.80) 
—"Giant" (WB) (8th wk). Good 
$20,000. Last week, $27,000. 

Grand (Indie) (1,200; 98-$1.25)— 
"Murder on Approval" (RKO)and 
"Brain Machine" (RKO). Light 
$5,500: Last week, "Violent Years" 
(Indie) and "Calling Homicide" 
(AA), $6,500. 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25)— 
"Death of Scoundrel" (RKO) (2d 
wk). Slender $5,000. Last week, 
$7,000. , 

McVickers (JL&S) 0,580; $1.25- 
$3.30) — "Ten Commandments". 
(Par) (4th wk). Bangup $36,000. 
Last week $45,000. 

Monroe (Indie) (1,000; 67-87) — 
"Fuggitive From Chain ^ Gang" 
(WB) and "Oklahoma Kief' (WB) 
(reissues). Mild $3,500. Last week 
"Reprisal" (Col) and "White 
Squaw" (Col), $4,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25) 
—"Love Me Tender" (20th) (4th 
wk). Slender $12,000. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Palace (Indie) (1,484; $1.25- 

$3.40) — "Seven Wonders" (Cine¬ 
rama). Great $68,000 in 10 days. 
Last week, "Cine Holiday" (Cine¬ 
rama) (77th wk), $32,000. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-95)— 
"Curucu," (U) and "Mole People" 
(U). Terrific $16,000. • Last week 
"Runaway Daughters" (Indie) and 
"Shake, Rattle and^ Rock" (Indie), 
$16,000. 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 98- 
$1.25) — "Girl He Left Behind" 
(WB) (2d wk). NSG $10,000. Last 
week $13,000. 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; $1.25) 
"Rebecca" (20th) (reissue) (2d wk). 
Sturdy $3,000. Last week, $4,500. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 98- 
$1.50) — "Julie" (M-GM3d wk). 
Oke $14,000. Last week $16,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 90- 
$1.50) — "Teahouse August Moon” 
(M-G) (4th wk). Fine $24,000. Last 
week $32,000: 

World (Indie) (430; 98)—"Seven 
Little Sins" (Kingsley) (3d wk). 
Oke $2,500. Last week $3,000. 

Ziegfeld (Davis) (430; 98) — 
"Grand Maneuver" (UMPO) (5th 
wk). Tame $2,500. Last week 
$3,000. 


IOC'S’ LOUD $18,000, 
D,C. ACE; ‘GIANT’ 12G 

Washington, Dec. 18. 
Main stem b.o. is suffering from 
the perennial pre-Yule blues. Two 
newcomers made their bows, and 
both shape mild. "Odongo" at 
Trans-Lux is very weak. Sturdiest 
holdover is "Ten Commandments," 
in fourth session at RKO Keith’s. 
Bolstered by a new daytime grind 
policy at lower scale, De Mille 
opus continues bright. "Giant" 
still is okay in two spots for seventh 
week. Everything else is down. 
Estimates for This Week 
Ambassador (SW) (1,490; 90- 
$1.50) — "Giant" (WB) (7th wk). 
Good $4,500. Last week,"$6,000. 

4 Capitol (Loew) (3,434; 70-90) — 
Julie" (M-G) T2d wk). Sluggish 
$9,000. after $14,000 opener. Moves. 

, Columbia (Loew) (1,174; 70-90)— 
, ght to Hong Kong" (UA) and 
Rebel in Town" (UA) (2d wk). 
Slight $4,000 after $6,000 in first. 
Dupont (Lopert) (372; 90-$1.15)— 
Secrets of Life" (BV) (6th wk). 
Slow $2,500 in final 9 days. Last 
Week, $3,000. 

.Keith’s (RKO) (1,859; $1.25- 

^•75) — “Ten Commandments" 
(Continued on page 20) 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross. estimates as re¬ 
ported herewith from the vari¬ 
ous key cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib¬ 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figugps are net in¬ 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however,, as indicated, 
..include tbe-lL JSr-wQUfieme&fc— 
tax. i 


Cinerama Okay 
K.C. Leader 

Kansas City, Dec. 18. . 

Shopping season is making deep 
cuts in first-run trade here. Takes 
are lightweight all around.'with 
"Curucu" and "Mole People” in 
four Fox Midwest houses. "Rock, 
Rock, Rock" at Midland, and 
"Odongo" at the Roxy as principal 
newcomers. Weather is uncoopera¬ 
tive, too. "This Is .Cinerama" 
shapes as standout with okay take 
in 27th week at the Missouri. 

Estimates for This Week 

Midland (Loew) (3,500; 60-80)— 
"Rock, Rock, Rock" (Indie) and 
"Cha, Cha, Boom" (Col). Drab 
$4,500. Last week. "Man from Del 
Rio” (UA) and "Flight To Hong. 
Kong" (UA), $5,500. 

Missouri (SW) (1,194; $1.20-$2)— 
"This Is Cinerama" (Cinerama) 
((27th wk). To new low at $7,500. 
Last week, $9,000. 

Paramount (Tri-States) (1,900; 
75-90)—"Unconquered" (Par) (re¬ 
issue) and "Brldey Murphy” (Par). 
Thin $4,500. Last week, "Giant" 
(WB) (5th wk) $6,000, closing one 
of biggest runs in house history. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 75-90) — 
"Odongo" (Col) and "Uranium 
Boom" (Col). Mild $3,500. Last 
week, "Tension Table Rock" (RKO) 
and "This Way Out” (RKO). same. 

Tower (Fox Midwest) (1,400; 90? 
$2)—Currently dark. Last week, 
"Oklahoma" (Magna) (8th wk) bare 
$3,000, and closed disappointing 
run here. 

Uptown, Esquire, Fairway, Gra¬ 
nada (Fox Midwest) (2,043; 820; 
700; 1,217; 75-90) — "Curucu" (U) 
and "Mole People" (U). So-so $10,- 
000 in 6 days, but considered to 
have some strength against the 
season. Last week, "Shake, Rattle, 
Rock" (AIP) and "Runaway Daugh¬ 
ters" (AIP), $9,000. 


‘Runaway’-'Shake’ Fat 
9G, Seattle ; ‘Giant’ 8G 

Seattle, Dec. 18. 

"Runaway Daughters" paired 
with "Shake, Rattle,*Rock" shapes 
big at Coliseum this stanza. 
"Giant" still is sturdy in fifth Mu¬ 
sic Hall round while "This Is Cin¬ 
erama" looks good in 18th frame 
at Paramount. But elsewhere, biz 
is way off currently with a few 
exceptions. 

Estimates for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 
$1.50-$2) —‘"Oklahoma" (Magna) 
(7th wk). Moderate $6,000. Last 
week, $7,700. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,870; 95- 
$1.25)—"Runaway Daughters" (In¬ 
die) and "Shake, Rattle, Rock") 
(Indie). Lusty $9,000 or over. Last 
week, "Reprisal" (Col) and "7th 
Cavalry" (Col), $6,500. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,300; 
$1-$1.50)—"Between Heaven, Hell" 
(20th) and "Desperados in Town" 
(20th) (2d wk). Fair $5,500. Last 
week, $7,100. 

Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 90- 
$1.25) — "friendly Persuasion" 
(AA) (6th wk). Oke $3,500. Last 
week, $4,200. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,200; 
$1.25-$1.50)—"Giant" (WB) (5th 
wk). Fast $8,000. Last week, $11.- 
500. 

Orplieum (Hamrick) (2,700; 90- 
$1.25)—"Everything But Truth" 
(U) and "Showdown at Abilene" 
(U). Lean $5,000. Last week, 
"Woman’s Devotion" (Rep) and 
"Scandal Inc." (Rep). $2,500 in 3 
days only because of stage book¬ 
ings. 

Paramount (SW) (1,282; $1.20- 
$2.45)—"This Is Cinerama" (Cin¬ 
erama) (18th wk). Good $7,000. 
Last week, $7,800. 


‘Rebel’ Potent $11,000, 
Denver; ‘Girl’ Fair 12G 

Denver, Dec. 18. 

"Teenage Rebel" at the Centre 
and "Girl He Left Behind" at the 
Denver are running neck-’n’-neck 
currently but "Rebel" is standout 
with a solid week.' Latter is only 
fair. "Mail From Del Rio" shapes 
okay at Paramount. "Oklahoma" 
fs fairish at Tabor in ninth week 
but stays on. 

Estimates for This Week 

Centre (Fox) (1,247; 70-$1.25)— 
"Teenage Rebel" (20th). Nice 
$11,000. Holds. Last Week, 
"Friendly Persuasion" (AA) (4th 
wk), $7,000. 

Denham (Cockrill) (1,428; 70-90) 
—"Mountain" (Par) (2d wk). Okay 
$6,000. Last week, $10,000. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 70-90)— 
"Girl He Left Behind". (WB). .and. 
"River Changes" (WB). Fair $12,- 
000 or near. Last week, "7th Cava¬ 
lry" (Col) and "He Laughed Last" 
(Col), $8,000. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 70-90)— 
"Port Afrique" (Col) and "White 
Squaw" (Col). Thin $5,000. Last 
week, "Shake, Rattle, Rock" (AIP) 
and “Runaway" Daughters” (AIP), 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200; 70- 
90)—:"Man from Del Rio” (UA) and 
"Flight Hong Kong" (UA)., Okay 
$9,000. Last week, "Giant" (WB) 
(5th wk), $10,500. 

Tabor (Fox) (903; $l-$2)—"Okla¬ 
homa" (Magna) (9th wk). Fairish 
$5,500. 'Stays on. ' Last week, 
$6,500. 

Vogue (Sher-Shulman) (442; 70- 
90) — "Riviera" (Indie). Good 
$1,500. Continues. - Last * week, 
"Snow Is Black" (indie) (4th wk), 
$ 1 , 200 . 


‘Curucu’ Lively 
$7,000 in L’viHe 

Louisville, Dec. 18. 

Per usual, biz is on the -dull side 
as Christmas approaches. One 
bright spot is the Kentucky, where 
"Curucu" and "Mole People” 
combo shapes hefty. "Giant” in 
5th stanza at the Mary Anderson, is 
rated okay. "Oklahoma," in 17th 
week at the Brown, pace slacken¬ 
ing, and will wind long run at end 
of year. "Odongo" at the United 
Artists shapes especially dull. 

Eestmates for This Week 

Brown (Fourth Avenue-United 
Artists) (1,000; 90-$2)—"Oklahoma" 
(Magna) (17th wk). Fair $6,000 
after last week’s $7,000. 

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-85) 
—"Curucu" (U) and "Mole People" 
(U). Hefty $7,000. Last week, 
"Raw Edge" (U) and "Calling 
Homicide" (AA), same. 

Loew’s (United Artists! (3,000; 
50-85)—"Odongo" (Col) And "Re¬ 
prisal" (Col). Dull $4,500, Last 
week, "Julie" (M-G) and "These 
Wilder Years" (M-G), $7,000. 

Mary Anderson (Switow) (1,000; 
85-$l.25)—"Giant" (WB) (5th wk). 
Satisfactory $7,000. Last week, 
$9,000. 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 
50-85)—"Tension at Table Rock" 
(RKO) and "Man In Vault" (Indie). 
Slow $8,000. Last week, "Fantasia" 
(BV) (reissue), $11,000. 

Indpls. Slumps Albeit 
‘Okla Hep $8,000,15th; 
‘Killers’-W OK 6iG 

n Indianapolis, Dec. 18. 

Show biz is suffering usual pre- 
Christmas slump here this stanza, 
most first-runs riding: along with 
holdovers or reissues. Major new 
entry, "Run For Sun," looms mod¬ 
erate at Loew’s. "Giant," in fifth 
and last week at Indiana, and "Ok¬ 
lahoma," in 15th stanza at Lyric, 
are okay for time of year. "Kill¬ 
ers” paired with "Sleeping City" 
looms at the Circle. 

Estimates for This Week 

Circle (Cockrill-Doll) (2,800;’ 50- 
85)—“Killers" (U) and "Sleeping 
City" (U) (reissues). Okay $6,500. 
Last week, "Everything But Truth" 
(U) and "Raw Edge" (U), $7,000. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 90-$1.25)— 
"Giant" (WB) (5th wk). Neat $8,- 
000 after $9,000 fourth stanza. 

Keith’s (C-D) (1,300; 50-85)— 
"Rock, Rock, Rock" (Indie) and 
"Please Murder Me" (Indie). Fair 
$6,000. Last week, "Friendly Per¬ 
suasion" (UA) (4th wk), $5,000. 

Loew’s (Loew) (2,427; 50-80)— 
"Run far Sun" (UA) and “Boss" 
(UA). Mild $7,000. "Last week, 
"Lust For Life" (M-G) and "Rebel 
in Town" (UA), $6,000. 

Lyric (C-D) (850; $1.25-$2.20)—* 
"Oklahoma" (Magna) (15th wk). 
Nice $8,000. Last week, $9,000. 


NX: ‘Anastasia’ 1D5G GrandDuchess, 
‘Rainmaker’ Strong 30G, Giant’ 900G 
In 9, Most Others in Pre-Santa Nap 


It’s the week -before Christmas, 
and most Broadway exhibitors will 
be glad when its over—and busi¬ 
ness can get back into normal 
stride.' Gloom envelops numerous 
first-runs but there is a highly en¬ 
couraging sign found in two new 
pictures, both launched during the 
rainstorms last week. Both, doing 
amazingly well, are "Anastasia” 
and "Rainmaker." The rain Thurs¬ 
day night, all-day Friday and part 
of Saturday added to the handicap 
of the Xmas shopping_cpxripetition,- 

"Anastasia” with a Yiiletidfe 
stageshow is heading for a great 
$105,000 in first week at the Roxy. 
"Rainmaker" looks to come close 
to a wow $30,000 at the Astor on 
Initial session. "Huk" is not doing 
too badly opening round with 
$8,500 at the Globe. 

Still b.o. champion is "Teahouse 
of August Moon" with the annual 
Christmas stageshow at the Music 
Hall. A terrific. $171,000, greatest 
of the engagement, looms for cur¬ 
rent (3d) stanza, with a boost, of 
course, from 5-show Saturday, 
same as the previous week. 

"Solid Gold Cadillac" held with 
good $12,500 in eighth week at the 
Victoria, where "Baby Doll" opens 
its regular run today. Pic was 
given an elaborate preem last 
night (Tues.). "Julie” was „ okay 
$14,500 in fourth session at the 
State, where "Hollywood, or Bust" 
preems Saturday (22). 

Other openings „ this week in¬ 
clude "Bundle of Joy” at Caoitol 
tonight (Wed.), "King and Four 
Queens" on Friday (21) at the May- 
fair, and "Wrong Man" next Sat¬ 
urday at the Paramount. 

"Seven Wonders, of World" 
dipped sharply last Week but still 
was socko with- $41,600 for 36th 
stanza at the Warner. It’s now in 
the 37th week. "Around World in 
80 Days" looks to hit $34,000, 
which is capacity for 10 perform¬ 
ances, in current (9th) session at 
the Rivoli. “Ten Commandments" 
is heading for great $50,000 this 
(6th) round at the Criterion. 

Elsewhere, biz is dragging bot¬ 
tom, the pre-Yule lull even clip¬ 
ping the arty theatres. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$2)— 
"Rainmaker" (Par). Soaring to 
smash $30,000 or near for first 
week ending today (Wed.). Pic 
opened with preem night of Dec. 
12, regular run starting on follow¬ 
ing day. In ahead. "Mountain” 
(Par) (4th wk), $9,000. 

Little Carneeie . (L. Carnegie) 
(550: $1.25-$1.80)—"Wee Geordie" 
(Arthur) (11th wk). The 10th frame 
ended Sunday (16) was good $6,- 
300. The ninth was $7,100. Stays 
on indef. 

Baronet (Reade) (430: $1.25- 

$1.80)—"Snow Was Black" (Cont) 
(10th wk). Ninth week ended Sun¬ 
day (16) wds okay $3,400. Eighth 
was $4,200. "Don Giovanni" Un- 
die) opens Dec. 26. 

Capitol (Loew) (4.820: $l-$2.50) 
—"Bundle of Joy" (RKO). Opens 
tonight (Wed.) with elaborate spe¬ 
cial preem. Last week, "Opposite 
Sex" (M-G) (5th wk-6 days), was 
light $11,000 or near. Fourth was 
$13,000. 

Criterion (Moss) (1,671; $1.80- 
$3.30) — "Ten Commandments" 
(Par) (6th wk). Current stanza end¬ 
ing tomorrow (Thurs.) is heading 
for great $50,000. Fifth was $51.- 
500. Continues indef, slight dip 
obviously being caused by pre- 
Xmas lull. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.80) 
—"Marcelino” (UMPO) (9th wk). 
Eighth Session completed Mondav 
(17) was okay $6,200. Seventh 
was $6,500. "Pantaloons" (UMPO) 
opens Dec. 25. 

55th St. Playhouse (B-F) (300; 
$1.25-$1.50 — “Vitteloni" (ATP- 
Janus) (9th wk). Eighth frame fin¬ 
ished Monday (17) was good $3,- 
100. Seventh was $4,100. 

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50) 
—"Huk" (UA). First week wind¬ 
ing tomorrow (Thurs.) looks like 
okay $8,500 or close. In ahead, 
"Teenage Rebel" (20th) (4th wk), 
$5,000. "Zarak" (Col) opens next. 

Guild (Guild) (45(J; $1-$1.75)— 
"Magnificent Seven" (Col) (5th 
wk). Fourth round ended Sunday 
(16) was nice $7,000. Third was 
$9,000. 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1.736; 79- 

$1.80) — "Oklahoma" (20th) (7th 
wk). C’Scone version is heading 
for light $6,500 in week endin® to¬ 
morrow (Thurs.). Sixth was $7,000. 
"King and Four Queens" (UA) is 
due in Friday (21). 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592: 95- 
$1.80)—"Rebecca" (20th) (reissue) 
(5th wk). Fourth session ended 
yesterday (Tues.) was modest $3,- 


000. Third was $4,000. "La 
Sorciere" (Ellis) opens Dec. 27. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,665; $1- 
$2)—"Love Me Tender" (20tK) (5th 
wk). Current week ending today 
(Wed.) looks to dip to light $17,000 
or' near. Fourth was $20,000. 
"Wrong Man" (WB). opens ‘Dec. 22. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80)—"Silent World" (Col) (13th. 
wk). 'The 12th week ended Sun¬ 
day (16) was $6,000. The 11th 
stanza was $6,300. 

- Radio eity Music " Hall (Rocke¬ 
fellers) (6,200; 95-$2.85) — "Tea¬ 
house of August Moon" (M-G) with 
annual Christmas sthgeshow (3d 
wk). Present session winding up 
today (Wed.) is heading for wow 
$171,000 or close. This includes a 
5-show Saturday as in second 
stanza which was $168,000. Stays 
on indef, with lines getting longer 
each succeeding weAk. 

Rivoli (UAT) (1.545; $1.25-$3.50) 
—"Around World in 80 Days’* 
tTodd-AO) (9*h wk). Present round 
ending next Friday (21) likely will 
hit $34,000? which is capacity for 
10 performances. Last week was 
same. Now selling tickets to 
Easter. 

Plaza. (Brecher) (525: $1.50-$2)— 
"Lust For Life”*(M-G) (14th wk). 
The 13th stanza ‘ended Monday 
(17) was solid $9,100. The 12th 
week, was $10,400. Stays indef. 

Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5,717; $1.25- 
$2.50) — "Anastasia” (20th) with 
Xmas stageshow. Initial week end¬ 
ing tomorrow (Thurs.) is heading 
for mighty $105,000. In ahead, 
"Giant" (WB) with stageshow (9th 
wk), $56,500, and winding run with 
close to $900,000 gross. 

State (Loew) (3,450; 78-$175)— 
"Julie" (M-G) (5th wk). Fourth 
session^ • completed last night 
(Tues.) was okay $14,500 or close. 
Third was $17,000. “Hollywood or 
Bust" (Par) opens Dec. 22. 

Sutton (R&B) (561; 95-$1.75)— 
"Secrets of Life" (BV) (5th wk). 
Fourth round finished Monday (17) 
was okay $7,000. Third was $8,300. 
"Great Man" (U) is due in next. 

Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; $1- 
$1.50)—"La Strada" • (T-L) (23d 

wk). The 22d week concluded Sun¬ 
day (16) was lively $6,600. The 
21st was $7,600. Stays on indef. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 50- 
$2)—"Baby Doll" (WB). Opened 
with a special preem last night 
(Tues.). Regular run starts today 
(Wed.). In ahead, "Solid Gold 
Cadillac" (Col) (8th wk), was good 
$12,500 in 646 days. Seventh was 
$14,500, for a very hefty engage¬ 
ment here. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600; 
$1.20-$3.50)—“Seven Wonders of 
World" (Cinerama) (37th wk). The 
36th round finished Saturday (15) 
was $41,600, smash for this season 
of year, and helped naturally by 
juvenile morning matinees. Last 
week (35th), was $48,400. 

Hub Builds; ‘Rock, Rock’ 
Nice $21,000, Ten C’s’ 
Slick $20,000 in 4tb 

Boston, Dec. 18. 

Although in'middle of tradition¬ 
al Xmas slump, Hub trade is doing 
fairly well compared to last week, 
with four new^ entries in. "Rock, 
Rock, Rock" at Paramount and 
Fenway shapes nice. "Man From 
Del Rio" day-dating the State and 
Orpheum is rated okay. "Death of 
Scoundrel" at the Memorial looms 
bright. Holdovers are pulling 
strtng with top coin going to "Ten 
Commandments" in fifth round at 
Astor. "Giant" is holding fine sev¬ 
enth frame at the Metropolitan. 
"Rififi" picked up to go top pre¬ 
ceding week in its sixth session at 
the Beacon. "Oklahoma" is hold¬ 
ing strong in 15th week at the 
Saxon. "Seven Wonders of World" 
is sturdy in 17th frame at Cine¬ 
rama. 

Estimates for ThiS'Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1,372; $1.90-$2.75) 
—"Ten Commandments" (Par) (5th 
wk). Fourth week ended yesterday 
(Mon.) was sock $20,000. Last 
week, $24,000. 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (678; 
90-$1.25) — “Rififi" (UMPO) (6th 
wk), Fifth week ended yesterday 
(Mon.) was slick $9,000. Last week, 
ditto. 

Cinerama (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1,354; $1.25-$2.65)—"Seven 
Wonders of World" (Cinerama) 
(17th wk). Neat $17,000. Last 
week, same. 

Exeter (IndieMl,200; 60-$1.25)— 
"Richard III” (Lopert) (6th wk). 
Good $4,500. Last week, $5,500. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373;; 60-90)— 
(Continued on page 20) 



riCTCBES 


WwLntgday, December 19, 1956 


SHlIRlOQf’S INTERPRETATION' EASED; 
CODE IS <A) HADE EXPLICIT (B) WIDENED 


to Mock Tax Shelter: INvehify 


i Continued from pace 3 ; 


"They've opened the door, but ‘ 
not wide enough to. do more than 
just put a small foot into it.” 

This remark by a showman last 
week adequately summarized the 
reaction to the Motion Picture 
Assn, of America revise of its Code 
text! While several of the absolute 
taboos -were dropped .and made 
"permissive” within the bounds of 
good taste, language of the docu¬ 
ment elsewhere was actually, tight¬ 
ened in various degrees. 

There were two lines of thought 
regarding .the changes. One held 
the new Code represented a sig¬ 
nificant step forward,- if for no oth- 
er- reason than -t-hotMt -signified a- 
willingness on the part of the in¬ 
dustry to recognize that the docu¬ 
mented badly needed up-dating. 

Another, while _ welcoming the 
elimination of absolute restrictions, 
argued ,that nothing really very 
significant had been; done and that, 
as long as the changes were being 
considered, they might as well 
have gone a Jot further than they 
did, ! q 

There is a third, and somewhat 
extreme, reaction from those who 
take the position that no Code is 
needed in the first place. Elmer 
Rice of the American Civil Liber¬ 
ties Union’s censorship unit noted: 

‘This is no- revision. It’s 
merely' a gesture in the direc¬ 
tion of those who think the 
Code is. obsolete. The changes 
made are trivial.” 

Still missing is the reaction ‘ of 
the Catholics via the National Le¬ 
gion of Decency. That body has 
been one of -the sharpest critics 
of the "lax” enforcement of the 
Code. It’s noted, however, that 
Martin Quigley, the • tradepaper 
•publisher and heretofore considered 
a Catholic liaison, on film matters, 
was invited. to*"advise”. on the Code 
revamp, ostensibly because it was 
he who, with- Father Daniel Lord, 
of the Jesuits, originally drafted 
the Code. v,,. • 

Those whp have studied the Code 
revise have coqie to the conclusion 
that, if anything, the new docu¬ 
ment tosses'the problem to. ah even 
greater extent, than heretofore into 
the lap of Geoffrey Shurlock, the. 
Code administrator. There is no 
question that, more than ever, the. 
future course of the Code will de¬ 
pend on the way in which he inter¬ 
prets its provisions. 

Easing The Job 
At the same time, , too little at¬ 
tention- has been paid to a com- 
3 .ent by MPA A prexy Eric John¬ 
ston during the press, powwow last 
week. Johnston noted that among 
the reasons for the Code revise 
was a desire to spell out certain 
sections more precisely so as to 
reduce the amount of interpreta¬ 
tion needed from the Code admin¬ 
istrator. He added that, in his opin¬ 
ion, the revise would make Shur- 
lock’s job easier. 

It’s been pointed out that, while 
• on one hand it’s desirable to give 
the Code head as much leeway as 
possible, on the other there is a 
danger in this since he is obviously 
susceptible to pressures from all 
sides. Also, while Shurlock has a 
reputation of being of a liberal 
mind, he may not be there forever, 
and a new interpretation would de¬ 
pend largely on the personality of 
his successor. 

Shurlock is an Episcopalian. 
Jack Vizzard, the second in com¬ 
mand at the Code office, is a Cath¬ 
olic. Actually, it was .Vizzard who 
passed the Elia Kazan film, "Baby 
Doll,” rousing new Legion wrath 
against the Code. Shurlock was in 
Europe at the time.. 

Strong support for the Code 
changes came last week from Ellis 
Arnall, Society of Independent Mo¬ 
tion Picture Producers prexy. 
While holding that the indies 
should have been consulted and 
"should have a lot to say in the 
promulgation, application and pol¬ 
icy of the Code,” Arnall endorsed 
the revise as "a good job” and 
opined that it made the document 
"contemporaneous with the times 
in which we live.” 

SIMPP’S primary interest, he 
said, was for the Code to protect 
th s industry and to "keep it from 
falling into public disfavor.” He 
added that it was "the best insur¬ 
ance we can have.” 

From Kazan came the comment 
that there had been "some slight 
gains” as the result of the Code 
modification. He, too, noted the 


‘importance of the companies will¬ 
ingness to "undertake any changes 
at all.” 

At the exhibition end, Richard 
Brandt of Trans-Lux called the 
change "a step iri the right direc¬ 
tion” but qualified it with "if they 
do this same kind of job every 
couple of years,” He stressed the 
need for a liberal interpretation 
and for flexibility'. 

Johnston last week said that the 
Code study committee would be 
retained and that he didn’t consid¬ 
er the new document as "the ulti¬ 
mate.” » 

New Code language, .while in. 
i" :y'instanceb"”m6re precise than 
before, also leaves .obvious loop¬ 
holes. For instance, it urges that 
certain offensive words, such as 
kike, nigger, wop, etc. "should be 
avoided.” There appears to be a 
difference of opinion whether this 
amounts to a prohibition, or wheth¬ 
er their permitted use depends oh 
circumstances. 

Question also is asked whether, 
under the new regulation, a picture 
like "Man With the Golden Arm” 
could get a seal. Opinion is thaL 
even though the taboos against 
dope themes has been lifted, a very 
broad interpretation would have to 
be applied for the film to rate Code 
approval. 


r Tag an LoDo’s 
'Woman of Rome’ 


Gina Lollobrig^da as, first,. \a 
nude model and, second, a high- 
class prostie, got the back of the 
hand from the Legion of Decency 
this week. That’s the way the ac- 
tress is cast in "Woman of Rome,” 
a Popti-DeLaurentiis Italian ex¬ 
port, and the Catholic reviewing 
organization posted a “C” rating. . 

"Woman” is condemned*, ruled 
the' Legion, because "the immoral 
atmosphere in which the theme of 
this picture is developed is replete.' 
with suggestive situations, dialog* 
and costuming. " Furthermore, its 
subject matter is highly question¬ 
able for entertainment motion pic¬ 
ture purposes.” 

Film is being distributed in the 
United States by Distributors Corp. 
■of America. 

On the Legion’s “B” list—"mor¬ 
ally objectionable in part for all”, 
•—is Paramount’s "The Rainmak¬ 
er.” Legion said it objects because 
the Hal Wallis production "reflects 
the acceptability of divorce” and 
because of its "suggestive se¬ 
quences.” 

LESS HYPOCRISY NOW 

Code Revision Hailed In Boston 
Herald Editorial 

Boston, Dec. 18. . 

The Boston Herald, which has been 
taken keen interest of late in all 
matters connected with films, 
hailed the amending of the moral 
code as "a long overdue move” in 
an editorial, "Policing the Screen,” 
Thursday (13). 

‘‘For the first time in a quarter 
of a century the Anverican film in¬ 
dustry has amended its moral 
code,” the editorial stated. "The 
long overdue move will be hailed 
by anyone who cares about the 
movies as a mature, expressive art. 
A more favorable climate has been 
established for the serious and sen¬ 
sitive film. 

"It has been evident to most 
adults that there is much in films 
that does not square with a per¬ 
sonal observation of life; that the 
code often has had the effect of in¬ 
directly advancing the principles it 
sought to suppress. A dubious 
lady, for example, presented in the 
guise of a vague painted ‘hostess,’ 
obviously attains more glamor than 
she would in drab realism; the dou¬ 
ble meaning has a more salacious 
echo than the explosive vulgar¬ 
ism. 

"A major weakness of the code 
has been its hpyocritical treatment 
of the obvious. 


Herbert Yates of Republic in di¬ 
rect contact with the Italians on' 
the possibility of Rep's taking over 
the IFE product. 


Catholic War Vets Wire 
Warners: WH Give Your 
Baby boil a Bad Name’ 

Catholic War Vets outfit, iri a 
wire to Warner Bros., has promised 
to do "all in its ppwer” to see that 
release of "Baby Doll” by the dis: 
tributor "will result in a financial 
fiasco for the company coffers and 
a grievous moral blow to Warners’ 
reputation with the American pub¬ 
lic.” 

Pix such as "Baby Doll” can gq 
a long way towards damaging “the 
moral fibre of the Nation,” the vets 
said. • 

"Baby Doll” has a Production 
Code seal, but was condemned by 
the Catholic L.egiori of Decency. 
None of the Vets have as yet seeri 
the picture. - 
: 

Code Revise May 
Cue Return Of 
United Artists 

j 1 United Artists, - which resigned 
from the Motion Picture Assn, of 
America because of Production 
Code conflicts, is now giving new 
thought to returning to the trade 
association fold. UA’s owner-man- 
agbment group regards the revi¬ 
sions made in the Code last week 
as "certainly an ’improvement,” ac¬ 
cording to a spokesman. 

But while the company is "great-, 
ly encouraged” by the Code re¬ 
write, there still are some reserva¬ 
tions. UA feels that the appeals 
board setup, which was unchanged, 
is objectionable, that it has in past 
and can* continue to work to the 
detriment of the indie distributor. 

Appeals board is comprised sim¬ 
ply of the presidents of the MPAA 
member companies. Thus, . UA’s 
competitors are the ones having'the 
final voice on whether a UA .pic-, 
ture is to okayed or rejected by 
the Code. 

Th'is type of operation may be 
changed at some future date but, 
contrary to expectations, it was 
given no attention by the MPAA 
board last week. 

Still, because of the newly re¬ 
laxed provisions Of the industry 
set of moral standards, UA is ac¬ 
tively considering MPAA member¬ 
ship again. Company bowed out 
last year when its. "Man with the 
Golden Arm,” an Otto Preminger 
production, was refused Code ap¬ 
proval. This film, incidentally, pos¬ 
sibly could be given a seal under 
the "new” Code but this is academ¬ 
ic since "Arm” already has played 
out its theatrical run. It could be 
an issue only if there’s a decision 
to release the picture later. 

Although not an MPAA mem¬ 
ber, UA nonetheless has continued 
payment of membership dues. 

Publicists in New Vows 

Loew’s International’s three-man 
publicity department voted to dis¬ 
affiliate with the Sign, Pictorial,. 
& Display Union, Local 230, AFL- 
CIO. 

Following a National Labor Re¬ 
lations Board election, the 'trio 
selected the N.Y. Screen Publicists 
Guild as its bargaining agent. 

New York University’% 

Prof. Robert Gessner 

discourses on 

Live Celluloid Versus 
Dead Electronics 

(A Drama In Three Acts With A 
Shavian Preface) 


another editorial feature 
In the upcoming- 
51 st Anniversary Number 
of 

Pfi-RIETY 


income” in that exhibitors and 
telecasters of their filmed shows 
pay rental fees to show their 
material. „ 

Exhibs and telecasters are not 
paying for the "personal services” 
of the individuals, per se, but 
rather for the license to use their 
copyrighted works, said Lefkowitz. 
Others immediately concerned with 
the matter are in uniform agree¬ 
ment. 

Important Angle 

The distinction is of grave im¬ 
portance. Under the new regula¬ 
tion, "personal service” companies 
can be taxed at the corporate rate 
of 52% and, after that, 75% on the 
first $2,000 and 85% over $2,000. 
Thus, “the stars arid others who 
have formed their own companies 
as a means of building assets with 
the expectation that these assets 
would be subject only to the cor¬ 
porate tax, and then the capital 
gains levies, might haye found the 
Government taking about 90% of 
their income, instead. This is what 
was feared last week. 

But, as. Lefkowitz points out, It’s 
not the case because the "rental 
income” basis of their operations 
cannot legally be interpreted as 
"personal service.” 

On the basis of comments from 
others in the CPA field, there 
might^be some grey matter—that 
is, instances where the standing of 
the individuals is not clearly de¬ 
finable so far as application of the 
tax is concerned. Significantly, 
persons who have organized their 
own outfits and are aligned with 
United Artists appear 100% "safe.” 

TJA’s Position 

Under the UA modus operand!, 
the individual actually creates his 
property. UA guarantees bank 
money, but it is the individual 
who borrows it and goes about 
putting together the pieces of hfs 
picture—the talent, story, etc. His 
role is regarded definitely as not 
"personal service,” but that of- a^ 
creator of a copyrighted work for 
which he receives rental income. 

Open to interpretation are cases 
where the individual, even though 
he has his own company, receives 
his production money from a ma¬ 
jor studio and that studio to large 
extent causes the pictures to be 
'produced. Treasury men might 
.have to "pierce the veil” of such 
operations. - They might try to es¬ 
tablish that in such instances the 
individual’s ‘ personal company is 
receiving money simply for that 
individaul’s personal services. 

As for those associated with UA, 
a precedental bulletin was promul¬ 
gated, in 1954 which establishes the 
"rental income” protection of those 
who put their own picture togeth¬ 
er. Internal Revenue Bulletin, 
while not identifying the case in¬ 
volved, ruled that a "taxpayer,” 
having acquired all rights to a pic¬ 
ture except distribution and ex¬ 
hibition rights, relied upon rentals 
for more thaji 50% of his income, 
and as such was subject only to the 
regular corporate income tax rate 
and not "personal service” imposts. 

This same interpretative bulle¬ 
tin, it would appear, protects all in¬ 
dividuals in the picture business. 
But in case the T-Men try some of 
their "piercing of the veil” manu- 
vers, the UA-type, film-makers 
would not be vulnerable at all, 
while the "personal service” com¬ 
panies which do no more than pro¬ 
vide the services of a star might 
have a fight on their hands. 

Technicalities 

This all works similarly in tv. 
The most vulnerable, it’s felt, are 
those in live shows where the in¬ 
dividuals are paid for their imme¬ 
diate services; no rental income is 
involved except in kine re-sffow- 
ings. Significance here is that 
nearly all major live performers 
in tv have corporate. setups and 
might be nicked for the "personal 
service” Bureau. bite. It would 
hardly pay them to work, for gross 
income of, say, $500,000 annually, 
would be pared down to around 
$50,000. And the Caesars,- Glea- 
-sons, Sinatras, et al., live high. 

If the regulation goes through, 
there still could be a loophole 
available to them, though. They 
could escape the "personal service” 
identification if their "personal 
service” companies derive at least 
20% of their income from sources 
! other than the individual. If Glea¬ 
son Enterprises, for example, can 
I gross 20% of its entire gross from 


endeavors in the music field, and 
where Gleason’s personal services 
are not immediately involved, the 
outfit would be out of the "per¬ 
sonal services” category. - 

The foregoing all were related 
by experts in the tax field. These 
are the facts as. they ^ were ex¬ 
pressed by the specialises. Other 
considerations are the so-called 
unfairness and discriminatory na¬ 
ture of the IRB regulation and 
whether IRB indeed has the pouter 
to legislate such matters into law. 

As for the unfairness, Lefko¬ 
witz reports he obtained a ruling 
this year which freed one of his 
tv clients from the "personal serv¬ 
ice” measure. He has other clients 
in. identical situations, Still, they 
don’t have such a specific ruling 
to fall back on. Outside of the 
legalistics, it’s just illogical that 
one person could escape the heavy 
tax rap while others in the same 
circumstain.es could not, he points 
out, ^ • 

Too Fast Playoff 

Continued from page 5 -- 

tributors are sending their pictures 
down to the hinterlands too fast. 
He urges slower liquidation of im¬ 
portant pictures. 

Floyd feels that the day-and-dat- 
ing of pictures in hundreds of com¬ 
munities.at the same time as Broad¬ 
way is a serious error. “Why rush 
to get in and out of Sioux Falls, 
or Ogden, or San Francisco for 
matter?, Floyd asks. "My towns¬ 
people—and I with them—had our 
tongues hanging out for the new 
Lincolns and the new wall-hung 
refrigerators to come to our town; 
but as for ‘War and Peace.’ ‘Okla¬ 
homa,’ and ‘The Ten Command¬ 
ments,* they had their runs be¬ 
fore Aunt Emma could write from 
Chicago to be . sure to* see them. 
The tourfst visiting New York has 
no need'to include a movie on his 
theatre list. In fact, he frequent¬ 
ly can boast to the subway con¬ 
ductor that the big ones play his 
town before their Broadway or 
Hollywood premieres.” 

, Floyd feels that the exceptional 
pictures should be as hard to see 
as, for example, "My Fair Lady.” 
"Say you had to travel to New York 
to see it. And that* after a month 
or so, the news broke that the 
picture was about to. open in Chi¬ 
cago; and a few weeks later Dallas 
had it, and so on. Brother, the 
theatres in Evansville, USA, would 
soon be besieged by patrons want¬ 
ing to see it too.” 

. Floyd acknowledges that film 
[liquidation would be slowed, but 
he stresses that it would be "fat¬ 
ter.” He points that national pub¬ 
licity would once again have build¬ 
up value and "not be stale news 
or no news.” He. asserts that the 
"penetration rather than satura¬ 
tion” plan of distribution also 
would solve the problem of high 
color print costs now necessary to 
take care of multiple bookings. 


Fabian Pact 

= Continued from page 5 ■ * 

owned by members of the Fabian 
and Rosen families. 

In the fiscal year ended Aug. 25, 
1958, Fabian Enterprises received 
$320,055.30 for the services of Fa¬ 
bian and Rosen. V.p. and general 
manager Harry M. Kalmine, for 
the same period, received $94,400 
as did Nathaniel Lapkin, recently 
named first v.p. and a director. 
Maurice A. Silver, Pittsburgh zone 
manager, received $54,300. 

Three directors are to be elected 
at the annual meeting. The board 
has nominated Fabian, Rosen, and 
Lapkin for reelection for terms of 
two years. Kalmfne, Silver, and 
Dr. Charles F. McKhann were 
elected directors at the last annual 
meeting for a term of two years 
expiring Jan. 9, 1958. 

Proxy statement, sent to stock¬ 
holders last week, revc that 
Lapkin owns 11,241 shares of the 
company’s stock, Kalmine and Sil- 
ver 500 each, and McKhann 900. 

It’s disclosed in the proxy state¬ 
ment that the company’s certificate 
of incorporation does not require 
stockholder agreement of the new 
contract with Fabian. Enterprises, 
but that the board, as a matter of 
policy, has decided to 'submit it 
for stockhdlder approval. 



TOilnegday* December 19, 1956 1 _ PftjSTETr _ PICTURES 11 


+ 


f 


Schaefer Sees Legit ‘Freer’ Thair Pk 


‘Forbidandlfon Attract’—HmerTtice; 


George J. Schrfefer takes the position that changes made in the 
production Code are inadequate. The former RKO president,'who 
now is business representative for indie producers (he's currently 
handling Russ-Field’s "King and Four Queens"), stated this week 
that th£ Code should be run on a classification basis. He wants 
individual pictures labeled as being suitable for either adults only 
or for the entire family. 

Schaefer insists it’s illogical for certain play properties, for ex¬ 
ample, to be freely available to legit theatre audiences but denied 
to motion picture patrons. "Mature" themes could be fashioned for 
the screen, said Schaefer, if there were a special adult classifica¬ 
tion. 

On another subject, the exec reasoned Jhat the picture, company..... 
sal^s-of--ba€ldogs-to-televi^iorr~is nLffTdersrandable in the light of 
stockholder pressure for the liquidation of such assets. The back- 
number films have become unsuitable for the theatrical market, 
reissues being at their lowest ebbr The public won't pay to see old 
product in theatres and exhibitors refuse to book it, he added. 


Bartlesville ‘Electronic Theatre 


Interests’ 20th, WB, Columbia 


Warner Bros., Columbia and+ 
20 th-Fox have shown a definite in¬ 
terest in the "electronic home the¬ 
atre" test planned by Video In¬ 
dependent Theatres in Bartles¬ 
ville, Okla. 

There are indications that Metro, 
which wasn't contacted by Video, 
also would go along. 

Exec of one of the companies 
said last week that the Bartlesville 
test was "extremely interesting" 
and he added: "I don't see what 
we’d lose in cooperating to find out 
just how far such a thing could 
go," •" 

Video plans to invest $250,000 in 
the Bartlesville project which in¬ 
volves the wiring up of some 4,000 
homes that already have television. 
Over this closed circuit, new fea¬ 
tures films would be run contin¬ 
uously. Setowners would pay $0.50 
a month for the privilege of tuning, 
in at their convenience. 

One of the problems would be 
the presentation of Cinemascope 
films since, to get them on the air, 
they would have to be unsqueezed. 
That’s an expensive and laborious 
process, which pays off only on a 
mass basis. 


Of Denmark & Spain 

Independent Film Producers Ex¬ 
port Assn, has made deals in Spain 
and Denmark and also has tenta¬ 
tive arrangements to sell pix to 
Poland and Czechoslovakia, Ellis 
G. Arnall, prexy of the Society of 
Independent Motion Picture Pro¬ 
ducers Assn., reported in Gotham 
last week. 

Arnall said the Iron Curtain 
country deals were conditioned on 
U S. Information Agency and State 
Dept, approval of convertibility 
guarantees. Latter mean that the 
U.S, Government takes the local 
currency and pays dollars in New 
York at the standard—or slightly 
better than standard—rate. Such 
Programs are in effect in Turkey r 
Yugoslavia and Vietnam, Arnalx 
pointed out. 

He said that the indies may have 
a deal also in Hungary, but report¬ 
ed that the Export Assn.'s Jack 
Lamont had been refused an entry 
vl $a to Russia. 

In Spain and Denmark, the in- 
Jjes are selling in tne face of a 

boycott’' of these countries by the 
^embers of the Motion Picture- 
Export Assn. 


RKO THEATRES DEAL 
ON KEITH, CLEVELAN 

’ RKO Theatres unloaded one i 
j smost expensive properties th 
with the sale of its Keil 
gliding, Cleveland, for $4,300,00 
are real estate operato: 
Samuel Silk and William Halperi 
® ntails the exhibition coi: 
£j ys 21-year lease-back of tl 
in ff e Theatre * which is house 
n J h . e 21-story building. Pala< 
tlZ, s , being rented by Cinerau 
tlu d.ugh RKO. 

<nioii? 0Siti0n of real assets, fr 
bS tly taken back on a rent 
diX , a Sowing trend In tl 
Plc tore industry. 


Texas Town Film-Less 

Winnsboro, Tex., Dec. 18. 

State Theatre here has been 
shuttered upon-orders received 
from W. B. McLendon, head of 
the Tristate Theatre Circuit. 
This leaves the city without a 
motion picture theatre for the 
first time in more than a quar¬ 
ter of a century. 

Circuit said the closing was 
caused- by a lack of patron¬ 
age. 


Kefauver Pleased 
By Code Revamp 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

The revisions in the Motion Pic¬ 
ture Production Code are in line 
with recommendations, last March, 
by the Senate Subcommittee to In¬ 
vestigate Juvenile Delinquency. 
This is pointed out by Senator 
Estes Kefauver (D., TennA, sub¬ 
committee chairman, in a statement 
commending the MPAA for its code 
changes. 

"One of our major recommenda¬ 
tions/' said Kefauver, "was the re¬ 
laxing of those sections of the Code 
that previously had been forbidden 
and were not In keeping with .the 
social changes that have transpired 
since it was written. 

"Subjects jsuch as narcotic addic¬ 
tion, kidnapping and other social 
problems can now he handled by 
producers, provided they are done 
with restraint, discretion and all 
the other safeguards inherent in 
the code. The provisions in the pre¬ 
vious code tended to weaken the 
whole structure of self-regulation 
by the industry, because of the in¬ 
dignation of producers who were 
aware of the apparent inequities of 
them. v 

"H is hoped that this increased 
flexibility in terms of story con¬ 
tent will bring a greater maturity 
to the screen in performing its 
function as a medium^ of mass com¬ 
munication." 

RIPPS, SUSSE GET 
NEW METRO POSTS 

Herman L. Ripps has been named 
west, coast division sales manager 
for Metro. He succeeds George A. 
Hickey who will retire Dec. 31. 

Ripps, currently assistant east¬ 
ern division sales manager with 
headquarters in New York, will 
move to Los Angeles to take up 
his new assignment early in Jan¬ 
uary. 

Metro has also named Edward R. 
Susse Albany branch manager ef¬ 
fective Jan. 4. He succeeds Jack 
Goldberg who is retiring after a 
25-year association with M-G in 
various sales posts. 


Leo Pillott, formerly 20th-Fox, 
now at Paramount coordinating all 
promotional activity for Y. Frank 
Freeman Jr.'s "Omar Khayyam" for 
release in April 1957. 


Talk Again Heard on the Value Of 
U.S. ‘Adults Only’ Film Category 


T LIGHTNING 

What price word of mouth? 

That's ‘ the question Warner 
Brothers was askiifg itself this 
week in the wake of Cardinal 
Spellman’s ’ unprecedented blast 
Sunday (16) against the Elia Ka¬ 
zan picture, "Baby, Doll." The ..at:, 
tack by a Prince of the Church has 
many people believing that Catho¬ 
lics are determined to make a test 
case out of the pic. 

The Cardinal, speaking from the 
pulpiF^of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 
Manhattan, denounced "Baby Doll" 
as a picture which, in theme and 
advertising, constituted "a con¬ 
temptuous defiance of the natural 
law" and he charged that "the 
conscienceless venal attitude” of 
the film constituted "a definite 
corruptive moral* influence" on the 
American public. 

He warned Catholics to stay 
away from the picture "at the pain 
of sin." 

The. Cardinal further took the 
occasion to take a slap at the "so- 
called self-regulatory system of the 
Motion Picture Assn, of America." 
He said he was acting both as "a 
loyal citizen" in defense of Amer¬ 
ica and in his capacity as Arch¬ 
bishop of New' York. 

"Baby Doll" has been con¬ 
demned by the Catholic Na¬ 
tional Legion of Decency. 
However, it has a seal of ap¬ 
proval from the Production 
Code and has been passed i 
without a cut by the New York j 
State censor. j 

In reply to the Cardinal, Kazan 
disagreed that his picture was "im¬ 
moral" and said he was "outraged 
by the charge that it ^unpatri¬ 
otic." He recorded his impression; 
that the Cardinal hadn’t personally 
seen the picture himself and 
stated: 

"In this country judgments on 
matters of thought and taste are i 
not handed down ironclad from 
an imchallengable authority. Peo¬ 
ple see for themselves and finally 
judge for themselves. That is as 
it should be. It's our tradition and 
our practice. In the court of pub¬ 
lic opinion, I'll take my chances." 

Scripter Tennessee Williams, on 
whose short play, "27 Wagonloads 
of Cotton/' the film is based, said 
in Key West, he couldn't believe 
the Roman Catholic Church "is not 
larger in heart and mind than 
those who set themselves up as 
censors of a medium of expression 
that reaches all sections and parts 
of our country and extends the 
world over." 

From the film trade association, 
as from Warner Bros., there was 
only silence; Latter feels Kazan 
should do the talking since it’s his 
Newtown Productions which pro¬ 
duced the. film. "Baby Doll" had 
a gala preem at the Victoria Thea¬ 
tre, N.Y., last night (Tues.). It 
was an Actors Studio benefit. 

Big question in the trade now is 
whether the issues raised by the 
Legion and by the Cardinal will 
help or hurt "Baby Doll.’.’ Warners 
feels strongly that the "must see" 
and curiosity appeal of the attrac¬ 
tion has been strengthened, and 
that the number of patrons that 
will stay away due to the Cardi¬ 
nal’s restrictions will be small. 

Cardinal Spellman himself al¬ 
luded to this with the comment; 

"Since these degrading pic - 
tures stimulate immorality and 
crime, they must he com 
demned. It has been suggested 
that this action on my part 
ioill induce many people to 
view this picture and thus 
make it a material success. 

If this be the case, it will be 
indictment of those who defy 
God's law and contribute to 
corruption in America /' 

The last time the Church took 
such a violent stand against a pic¬ 
ture was in the instance of the 
Italian "The Miracle," which, how¬ 
ever, had a Catholic theme. It was 
"The Miracle" which' eventually 
served as the test case which 
knocked most of the pins from 
under state censorship via the Su¬ 
preme Court decision on prior 
restraint in the film field. 

It's figured in the trade that this 
Catholic campaign against "Baby 


Quote The Warden 

_ Hollywood,. Dec—18.. 

Broadway actor Ed Platt won 
the role of San Quentin War¬ 
den Harley O. Teets in Met¬ 
ro’s "The House of Numbers" 
after the warden declined to 
appear in the film. Many 
scenes of which will be shot 
in the prison. 

The warden declined, com¬ 
menting, "I am not the type." 


DeLuxe Lab Exec 
Sees Tint Return 

First half of 1957 will see a new 
Hollywood swing towards color, 
notes Alan E. Freedman, head of 
DeLuxe Laboratories. Plant is a 
20th-Fox subsid. 

Freedman said the 1956 produc¬ 
tion accent on black-and-white had 
"hurt" the labs, but he expressed 
confidence that the new year 
would see color coming into its 
own again. Orders, for the first 
six months of 1957 equalled those 
of the comparable period in 1955, 
he reported. 


EXHIBS BEEF OVER 
NEWSREEL PLUGGING 

Publicizing of forthcoming films 
in newsreels, via the reporting of 
the premiere events, is meeting 
opposition from many exhibitors. 
Chief complaint is that many thea¬ 
tres showing the reel may find that 
the picture will be booked at. a 
competing theatre or, in the case 
of nabe or smalltown theatres, the 
picture fnay not 'be available for 
shoeing for at least a year after 
the showing of the glamor pre¬ 
miere. 

Some theatres which oppose the 
use of the free advertising in news¬ 
reels have come up with a solution. 
They insist that their newsreel 
contracts contain a clause that 
they will qot pay for any reel that 
includes advertising. One exhibi¬ 
tor, it’s reported, plays the reel 
anyway, leaves out the plug mate¬ 
rial, but does not pay for it. 


Doll" could definitely hurt the film 
in some sections. However, runs 
the counter argument, the publicity 
on the picture has been terrific 
and it has had a buildup unprece¬ 
dented in recent years* "Not since 
‘Gone With the Wind’ have people 
talked as much about a picture or 
has so much material about it ap¬ 
peared in the papers and the mag¬ 
azines," noted one exec. 

At WB, this publicity bounty is, 
of course, welcomed, but some fear 
it could backfire and stimulate a 
“moral crusade" which might not 
necessarily be restricted to Catho¬ 
lics. So far, says WB, the circuits 
are sticking to their guns and there 
have been no booking * cancella¬ 
tions. Most of the big chains, 
which in the past have shied away 
from “condemned" pix, are said 
to be booking the film. There is 
no question, however, that Catholic 
pressure on the local level, for 
exhibs not to play the picture,,will 
be great in the wake of Spellman's 
exhortation. 

Observers feel the ultimate re¬ 
sults of "Baby Doll" will give an 
interesting indication of just how 
much the organized Catholic cam¬ 
paign against a film can or cannot 
affect the b.o. They note that, 
with "The Moon Is Blue," the 
Catholics brought a lot of pressure 
to bear. However, the picture col¬ 
lected a solid $3,000,000 domestic 
gross. 


Expected upsurge in the treat¬ 
ment of "mature" themes in films 
has once again raised the question 
of .a rating system for pictures.. 

Proposal has been batted around 
for years with plenty of pro and 
con arguments, but has never been 
tried, mostly ‘because exhibitors 
take a strong stand against it. 

Motion Picture Assn, of Amer¬ 
ica president Eric Johnston last 
week opined that “a rating system 
will never work in this country." 
He was replying to a question on 
whether the MPAA had consid¬ 
ered changing its Code procedure 
to make allowance for the fact that 
it is difficult to approve pix on a 
juvenile and adult leveL simultane¬ 
ously. 

Code originators were apparent¬ 
ly aware of this problem. Code 
notes- that limiting patronage to 
"Adults Only" is only "partially ef¬ 
fective/' but goes on to say: "Ma- 
turer minds may easily understand 
and accept without harm subject 
matter in plots which do younger 
people positive haTm." It notes 
that, if special houses catering, ex¬ 
clusively to adults were ever 
created (this was written,' after all, 
in 1930) they would then "afford 
'an outlet . . . for pictures unsuit¬ 
able for general distribution but 
permissible for exhibitions to a 
restricted audience." 

Strong, voices have been raised 
in the past in support of some sort 
of.system that would* differentiate 
between the acceptability of pix. 
Dr. Hugh Flick, formerly the N.Y. 
censor, frequently called for a 
grading method. 

Abroad, many countries have 
adopted it effectively. That’s in 
line, too, with increasing foreign 
concern over juvenile delin¬ 
quency. Germany is trying to pass 
a law to ’‘protect" its youth, and 
Japan has acted on voluntary self¬ 
censorship amidst outbreaks of juve 
delinquency. In Britain, the rat¬ 
ing method is in effect, and in On¬ 
tario, Canada, "restricted admis¬ 
sions" have been enforced for sev¬ 
eral years now. 

In the States, the industry has 
shied away from the "adult" rat¬ 
ing tag because it’s felt that this 
might deprive the theatres of their 
most active patronage. Warner 
.Bros, used the "For Adults Only" 
slug in its ads on “The Bad Seed," 
but a line is drawn between this 
approach and a legislative move 
which would make house liable to 
prosecution if they admit young¬ 
sters. 

The American Civil Liberties 
Union, which favors the elimina¬ 
tion of all restrictions, takes the 
view that a rating system would be 
as bad as censorship, or the Code. 
"Forbid and you attract," ” noted 
Elmer Rice, head of the ACLU cen¬ 
sorship affiliate. "Give people 
power, and they’ll exercise it ac¬ 
cording to their own standards 
and prejudices. It’s up to the par¬ 
ents to see that their children stay 
away from films they consider 
harmful." 

ACLU opposes all prior re¬ 
straints. "We prefer the court of 
public opinion, to the courts," 
said Rice. "In the long run, if 
you have no restraints, you’d have 
greater freedom. You can always 
rely on the people’s good sense." 
It’s in this context that the ACLU 
would like to see tha Production 
Code abolished as a form of prior 
restraint. 


‘Girls’Prize: Paris Trip 


Universal is offering four trips 
to Paris and 100 other prizes in 
a promotional contest in connec¬ 
tion with the release of "Four 
Girls in Town." 

Contest is part of a tie-up with 
the Standard Garment Co., a divi¬ 
sion of Fruit of the Loom, and will 
involve department stores. Sunday 
supplements reaching 65 cities will 
be used to announce the contest. 











Universal proudly announces tkc WORLD PREMIERE 
February Mtk in Marietta, Ohio; Koine town of Col. Dean Hess 
Territorial openings immediately folio wind. 


Universal-International presents 



tl 


^'tten by CHARLES GRAYSON and VINCENT B. EVANS Produced by ROSS HUNTER CINEMASCOPE technicolor 







M UnTEBJfAllONAl. 

West Bid Biz Marks Time Pre-Yule 
But ‘Peace’ Sockeroo $13,700,3d; 
‘Best lliiiigs’ Big 8^G, Plate’ 10G 


London, Dec. 11, 

Although the annual pre-Christ¬ 
mas slump is now being felt 
around first-run situations, a num* 
ber of sturdy entries are cohtinu-: 
lng at a healthy pace. The best 
business, however, is being re¬ 
ported mainly by the holdovers. 

The oqq exception is “Best 
Things in Life Are Free,” which 
hit a stout $9,800 in its'first-Carl¬ 
ton frame and is big $8,500 in 
second. “Tiger in Smoke” did a 
fair $4,800 in third round at Lei¬ 
cester Square Theatre. “Dance 
With Me, Henry” shapes mild. 
$4,500 in second week at London 
Pavilion. “Up in World” is head¬ 
ing for a modest $5,500 at the 
Gaumont. 

At the Odeon, Leicester Square, 
“Battle of Biver Platte” looks big 
$10,000 in sixth sesh. “Oklahoma” 
is headed for a good $6,200 in its 
sixth frame at the Odeon, Marble 
Arch, after eight-week run irf Lei¬ 
cester Square. “War and Peace” 
finished its third Plaza week with 
a smash $13,700. “Moby Dick” 
looks good at $7,500 in fifth 
Warner frame. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Carlton (20th) (1,128; 70-$1.70)-— 
“Best Things in Life Free” (20th) 
(2d wk). Big $8,500 or near. First 
was $9,800. “Three Men in Boat” 
(IFD) preems Dec. 20. 

Casino (Indie) (1,337; 70-$2.15)— 
“Cinerama Holiday” (Robin) (42d 
wk). Boff $15,000. 

Empire (M-G) (3,099; 55-$1.70)— 
“Stars in Eyes” (BL). Poor $3,300. 
“High Society” (M-G) follows Dec. 
13. 

Gaumont (CMA) (1,500; 50-$1.70) 
—“Up in World” (Rank). Mild $5,- 
600 or near. 

Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) 
(1,376; 50-$1.70) — “Tiger in 

Smoke” (Rank) (3d wk). Fair $4,000 
or near. Second was $4,200. 
“Checkpoint” (Rank) follows Dec. 
13. • 

.London Pavilion (UA) (1,217; 
50-$l.70)—“Dance With Me Henry” 
(UA) and “Man From Del Rio” 
(UA) (2d wk). Mild $4,500. Open¬ 
er was $6,400. “Godzilla” (Eros) 
opens Dec. 14. 

Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) 
(2,200; 50-$1.70)—“Battle of River 
Plate” (Rank) (6th wk). Big $10,000 
or near. Fifth was $11,000. “Span¬ 
ish Gardener” (Rank) bows Dec. 20. 

Odeon, Marble Arch (CMA) 
(2,200; 50-$1.70) — “Oklahoma” 

(RKO) (6th wk). Good $6,200. Fifth 
was $6,700. 

Plaza (Par) (1,902; 95-$2.50)— 
“War and Peace” (ABP) (3d wk). 
Smash $13,700. 

Rialto (20th) (592; 50-$1.30)— 
“King and I” (20th) (10th wk). 
Stout $4,300. Last, week, $4,700. 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) opens 
Dec. 13. 

Ritz (M-G) (432; 50-$1.30)— 

“Guys and Dolls” (M-G) (5th wk). 
Stout $3,600. 

Studio One (APT) (600; 30-$1.20) 
—“Moby Dick” (WB) (5th wk). Fair 
$2,500, same ✓as previous week. 
“Davy Crockett and River Pirates” 
(Disney) follows Dec. 13. 

Warner (WB) (1,785; 50-$1.70)— 
“Moby Dick” (WB) (5th wk). Good 
$7,500 or near. Last week, $8,900. 
“Brink of Hell” (WB) preems 
Dec. 20. 


Thomas New Manager Of 
Ranh Film Distributors 

London, Dec. 11. 

Fred L. Thomas, who last week 
resigned the managing editorship 
of Today’s Cinema, has been 
named general manager of J. 
Arthur Rank Film Distributors. He 
starts his new position immediately. 

Thomas, who had been a director 
of the Cinema Press for the last 
10 years, prior to the war, was 1 
publicity director for Western 
Electric, Paramount and 20th-Fox 
until he enlisted in the RAF. 


Essoldo Buys Cinema - 

South port, Eng., Dec. 11. 

Garrick Theatre here has been 
sold to the Essoldo Cinema cir¬ 
cuit. 

It will be equipped to show films, 
but the policy of stageshows will 
continue for the time being. 


- 'Vanity* Pakistan Cornspondmt 

A. Ghaffar 

has authored a roundup on 

Six Studios and - 
Censors Active in 
0 New Pakistan 


one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 
51st Anniversary Number 
of 

PSMSfr 

Legit Fest For 
Dublin in 1957 

Dublin, Dec. 11, 

An International Theatre Festi¬ 
val is being skedded here for next 
spring, backed by Bord Failte 
Eireann (tourist setup) with Bren¬ 
dan Smith, prexy of the Acting 
Academy and Brendan Smith Pro¬ 
ductions, as director. ’ Fest will be 
bankrolled by public subscription 
here and to some extent by the 
tourist organization. Smith, who 
is also associated with sponsored 
radio productions, directed St. 
Patrick’s Pageant for the Ireland 
at Home Festival this year. 

Smith has listed 14 top-ranking 
companies with which he is in con¬ 
tact, from New York City Ballet to 
the Comedie Francaise, for the two- 
week fete. Jean Rouvet, director 
of Theatre Natiohale Populaire, 
-arrived from Paris this week for 
talks with Smith,. 

American National Theatre and 
Academy is being invited to make 
a drama contribution while the 
Dublin Grand Opera Society will 
present a season of Italian opera. 
Irish companies, including the Ab¬ 
bey, Globe and Longford Produc¬ 
tions, have agreed to co-operate. 

President of the Irish Folk 
Dance Society, Lily Comerford, 
confirmed that an International 
Folk Dance Festival will be held at 
the same time with groups from 
Portugal, Sweden, France, Austria, 
England already set, and likely 
America. 

As trjmming for the fest, it was 
announced that a non-competitive 
film festival was being planned, 
but this has come under sharp fire 
from Dermot Breen who organized 
the International Film Festival in 
Cork this year and hopes to run 
again*' in ’57. 

Short on Nazi Camps 
Bought by German Co. 

Berlin, Dec. 11. 

The film, “Nuit et Brouillard” 
(Night and Fog), French docu¬ 
mentary short about the Nazi con¬ 
centration camps, has been de¬ 
clared “particularly valuable” by 
the West German Film Classifica¬ 
tion Board. It also has been made 
available for West German tele. 
Pic had its official local preem re¬ 
cently at the Filmbuehne Wien. It 
has had 16 matinee performances 
so far and will still be shown 
throughout the month of Decem¬ 
ber at this cinema. 

German distributor for “Brou¬ 
illard” is Rebus E'ilm (Berlin). 
Ferdinand Buttkus, head of Rebus, 
said this film has to fulfill an impor¬ 
tant mission in Germany and, 
knowing that, he took it because 
hone of the big German distribs 
apparently wanted to buy it. Butt¬ 
kus paid the French producer 
$2,400 for the 30-minute document¬ 
ary. As film is a mixture of color 
and black and white, it cost him 
a total of about $7,000, including 
prints. 

The Federal Press Office, Inci¬ 
dentally, has (for non-trade pur¬ 
poses) also bought this short from 
its French producer for about 
$6,000 for gratis showings within 
church, party, school and other 
private circles. 


Sponsor For Revival 

Of Yienna Operetta 

Vlenna,oDec. 11* 
For the first time in decades, a 
sponsor turned up for a revival of 
a Vienna operetta. State Theatre 
(Volksopera) offered a $4,000 first 
prize and the Martha Oil Com¬ 
pany the .second and third prizes 
at $1,000 each. 

Jury consists of experts in the 
concert field, among them Profe- 
sor Hubert Mariscbka and director 
Marcel Prawy. 


Paris, Dec. 18* 

Although gas rationing is mak¬ 
ing Paris proper more picturesque 
again, with the ^number of autos in 
action notably reduced, it is begin¬ 
ning to be felt in the various sec¬ 
tor.*: of film biz. Exhibition is the 
first to be hurt. While labs may 
have difficulties soon in keeping 
going, production is the least both¬ 
ered so far, though outskirt studio 
setups, location shooting and 
equipment transference may soon 
be troubled. 

Exhibs have been hardest hit, 
midweek attendance taking the 
greatest beating with declines of 
30% to 50% already noted at the 
Paris boxoffiee, in key city and 
provincial situations. Traveling 
film units are most affected with 
gasoline output cut way down. 

Firstrun Champs-Elysees district, 
with subtitled pix, usually appeal¬ 
ing to the more monied classes, 
seems to be badly hit, with film- 
goers still not ready to face the 
subways and buses. Key cities are 
even worse hit with their houses 
in the center of town and away 
from the residential'districts. Re¬ 
duction of normal tourists also is 
hurting Champs Elysees biz; The 
other reason given for the sagging 
b.o. is the world tension, leading 
to some hoarding of vital goods 
depleting normal entertainment 
funds. Most key cities follow the 
Paris results but some have noted 
an increase in Sunday filmgoing.. 

Other .facets of show biz also 
have been hurt. Theatre trade also 
is suffering while the niteries are 
hardest hit, especially the myriads 
of smaller boites. Even video set 
sales have not risen to make for 
recreational aspects for crowds 
who seem to be staying at home. 
Cafes seem more crowded than 
ever. However, the legit biz. decline 
is nowhere catastrophic, with good 
entries still getting them out, and 
the weaker sisters suffering most! 


Anglo-Amalgamated Pix 
Exec Dne Soon in U.S. 

London, Dec. 18. 

Nat Cohen, partner 4n Anglo- 
Amalgamated Film D i s t r i b s,, 
leaves London Dec. 28 on his an¬ 
nual trip to the U.S. to negotiate 
new Anglo-American co-produc¬ 
tion deals as well as to acquire a 
further batch of Hollywood prod¬ 
uct. 

Cohen, who completes his year 
of office this month as Chief Bark¬ 
er of the London Variety Club 
tent, will stay in New York until 
Jan. 6, before heading for the 
Coast. He will return to N.Y. on 
Jan. 22 for about one week before 
planing back to London. 


Feldkamp Buys ‘Water’ 

London, Dec. 11* 
Fred Feldkamp’s new produc¬ 
tion company, formed when he 
quit his managing directorship of 
Dragon Films earlier this year, has 
bought the rights of an original 
story titled ‘^The Man Across The 
Water.” He’s negotiating release 
through a major distributor. 

Feldkamp has been in France 
fjr the last three months with 
Nicholas Phipps who’s scripting a 
comedy which will be the second 
feature on his 1957 schedule. Feld¬ 
kamp hopes to be in N.Y. for the 
opening of “The Silken Affair” in 
January. * 


Other Foreign News 
on Page 16 


**VAItl«TY'S« LONDON OFI*|C» 

I |t, Marlin'! H«w, Trafilgir tqur» 




To Curb Import of U. S. Telefilms 


'VarfufyV Frankfort Gorrfspontloht 

Hazel Guild 

dutails with groat Interest 

Show Biss’s 
Deutschland . 
Differences 

v , > * * 7 ' 

another «ditprlal feature • 

In the upcoming , 

51st Anniversary 'Number """ 

of 

P’Sriety 


New Arg. Film Law 
Expected Jan. 1 

Buenos Aires, Dec. 11. 

Latest forecast on the long- 
awaited Film Law here sets Jan. 1 
as the date for presidential signa¬ 
ture. And so everything now just 
drags along in anticipation of 
either blows or benefits for a dy¬ 
ing-duck industry. Meantime, 
while the major studios are vir? 
tually shuttered, independent pro¬ 
ducers are fairly active, highlight¬ 
ing a contrast between the so- 
called loafers who battened on 
state finance ,and the active work¬ 
ers, mostly returned exiles, who 
feel that the chance has come to 
build up a clean, vital picture in¬ 
dustry. 

The independents are risking 
their own hard-won capital, chiefly 
earned in legit enterprises, and are 
recruiting new types of players 
from the student or middle-class 
sectors of the population, especially 
among British and other foreign 
colonies. There are few Americans 
available. These have a higher IQ, 
more healthy backgrounds and 
have command of several lan¬ 
guages. Latter angle can be use¬ 
ful in making pix for the foreign 
market. I 

Most prominent among these 
new producers. is Francisco Pet- 
rone, whose legit production of 
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.hit the 
1956 boxoffiee jackpot. He is pro¬ 
viding the coin for one picture now 
rolling at San Miguel Studios, with 
, another in preparation. 

The idle producers expect State 
subsidies from the Film Law or a 
boxoffiee tax to finance them. 
Most of them are sitting tight on 
their ill-gotten gains * from the 
Peron era. Most are getting out 
to spread stories in Mexico, Vene¬ 
zuela or Spain of how badly they 
have been abused. Some are sus¬ 
pected of planning to join the ex¬ 
dictator in Caracas, where he has 
a $20 million ranch. Hugo del Car- 
ril, who was relying on Film-Law 
finance to make “Esta Tierra es 
Mia” (This Land Is Mine) in Janu¬ 
ary, has had to back out and is 
booking himself for a tango-war¬ 
bling tour through Latin-America. 

Hilton May Take Over 
Four Waikiki Hotels 

Honolulu, Dec. 11, 

Hilton chain has been confer¬ 
ring with Matson Navigation Co. 
execs about the possible takeover 
'of Matson’s four Waikiki hotels, 
the Royal Hawaiian, Moana, Surf- 
Rider and Princess Kaiulani. Mat- 
son spokesman refused to confirm 
the report that the four resorts 
would be sold for about $30,000,- 
000 . 

Hilton reportedly is anxious to 
take over the hotels on a lease 
basis. Long established Haleku- 
lani hotel, operated by Kimball 
family, is on the market. Asking 
price is in excess of $6,000,000. 


Rank Opens Havana Branch 

London, Dec. 11. 

Following up on their plans to 
extend distribution^ activities in 
Central and South America, the J. 
Arthur. Rank Organization has an¬ 
nounced the opening of its own 
'branch in Havana, Cuba. 

In charge of the office will be 
Ralph Alexander, recently ap¬ 
pointed manager. 


By HAROLD MYERS 
• ■ London, Dec. 11. 

There’s a growing fear here that 
the British government may , be 
obliged to clamp down on the im¬ 
portation of American telefilms as 
part of its general campaign to stem 
the dollar drain, 

Telepix imports from the U. S. 
have been running at around 
$3,500,000 a yeAr. The volume has 
been restricted because of the op- 
, eration of the voluntary import 
quota, which permits an average 
of one hour a day screen time for 

for eig n programs._ 

' ’ Trade insiders, Mio are closely 
concerned with the situation and 
are anxiously watching develop¬ 
ments, believe that if the govern¬ 
ment is compelled to act it would 
impose a further restriction on im¬ 
ports, rather than freeze the earnr 
ings of the Yank tv companies. 
Previous experience of blocking re¬ 
mittances has taught the govern¬ 
ment an elementary economic les¬ 
son: while they’re easing the situ¬ 
ation for the time being, they’re 
building up an enormous dollar 
debt that has to be liquidated in 
the future. 

Rather than get involved in such 
an operation again, it would seem 
likely that it would prefer to take 
more drastic action, hoping it 
would be on -a short-term basis 
only. The Chancellor of the Ex¬ 
chequer gave no hint of any Im¬ 
port restrictions when he made his 
crisis report to the House of Com¬ 
mons last week, but it’s accepted 
he was giving only a general out¬ 
line, rather than making a detailed 
statement of action. Treasury ad¬ 
visers will how be getting down to 
a direct probe of the dollar situa¬ 
tion with a brief to ease the situ¬ 
ation. 

Feature films, which are protect¬ 
ed by the Anglo-American Film 
Agreement, are unaffected by the 
dollar crisis. Their present pact, 
which permits remittance of $17,- 
000,000 annually, runs until next 
September. 

D’Oyly Carte Features 
Yule Amusement List 
In London’s West End 

London, Dec. 11. 

A Gilbert & Sullivan engagement 
is a feature of the Christmas enter¬ 
tainment lineup In' the West End 
this year. Other Yuletide offerings 
include two pantomimes, threa 
arena shows, a ballet and a num¬ 
ber of special moppet presenta¬ 
tions. 

The G & S season, presented by 
the D’Oyly Carte Opera Co. for the 
first at Christmas time for 23 years, 
opened at the Prince’s Theatre last 
night with “Ruddigore.” The en¬ 
gagement will continue until next* 
March with a repertoire including 
“Gondoliers,” “Mikado,” “Trial By 
Jury” and “Patience.” 

The season’s two pantos will be 
“Aladdin” at the Palladium and 
“Dick Whittington” at the Palace. 
Norman Wisdom stars in the for¬ 
mer and George Fromby takes the 
lead in the latter. 

Bertram Mills Circus returns to 
Olympia Dec. 19, and Tom Arn¬ 
old's Festival Circus opens at Har- 
ringay three days later. This year's 
solitary skating show, “Cinderella 
on Ice,” starring Gloria Nord, will 
be presented at the Empire Pool, 
Wembley. 

The London Festival Ballet Co. 
will share the Stoll Theatre with 
“Noddy in Toyland,” and at the 
Hippodrome “The Dave King 
Show” will run concurrently with 
another children’s matinee play, 
“The Famous Five.” There’ll be 
a similar arrangement at the Coli¬ 
seum, where “The Pajama Game’* 
will share the theatre with “Where 
the Rainbow Ends,” with Anton 
Dolin and Alicia Markova. “Fam¬ 
ily Fun,” another children’s show, 
will fill matinee time at the Adel- 
phi. 

Janette Scott plays the title role 
in “Peter Pan” at the Scala, and 
at the Prince of Wales “The Billy 
Cotton and Archie Andrews Christ¬ 
mas Show” opens Dec. 24. 

Three other pantos starring top 
names are to be presented at su¬ 
burban theatres, Patricia Burke and 
Terry Scott in “Robin Hood,” Ar¬ 
thur Askey in “Humpty Dumpty, 
and Jimmy Wheeler in “Goody Two 
Shoes.” 



Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


THE 








m>i 


in 


The 


flesh and flame 

- Marl e! 

Hottest Western 






Q^lark Qable • £lejinorParker 





THEJ\ 
and FOUR l 

COLOR by DeLuxe 




GnemaScOPEE 


wnhJEAN WILLES 
BARBARA NICHOLS 
SARA SHANE 


yoj/kxfi 


Raoul Walsh 


Executive Producer ROBERT WATERFIELD • Produced by DAVID HEMPSTEAD • Screenplay by MARGARET FITTS and RICHARD ALAN SIMMONS 
Based on a story by MARGARET FITTS • Music composed and conducted by Alex North • A RUSS-FIELDGABCO Production 











16 


INTERNATIONAL 


'VARIITY'*' LONDON OFPICB 
I It. Mrtln'i Pl«c«i Trafalgar Igwrl 


Arg. Public, Press Aroused by Aita’s 
Closing of lst-Run Opera for 3 Days 


Buenos Aires, Dec, 11. 

Despite the severe criticism, 
which fell on his head from all 
sides when he shuttered over 60 
cinemas recently, for violation of 
the Protection Law, Entertainment 
Board chief Aita has done it again 
and shuttered the deluxe, first-run 
Opera from Monday to Wednesday 
of last week. This merely ag¬ 
gravated the theaitre shortage and 
enraged the press and public. 
Newspapers intimated that Aita 
should publish the list of native 
pix available, feeling certain it 
would show that none would justify 
this action. 

The trouble is that the native 
producers are not all anxious to 
get their pictures released because 
they think that by waiting for emer¬ 
gence of the new Film Law, they 
may be able to grab better play- 
dates at the peak period of 1957, 
possibly in March or April. 

Loew’s Metro, for „ instance, was 
able to follow up its first release of 
‘Interrupted Melody,” with “The 
Swan,” instead of interspersing a 
native opus, because only' two lo¬ 
cally-made productions were offer¬ 
ed for release, and negotiations 
with the producers bogged down 
on details, the Metro now Will be 
able to continue with the “Swan” 
likely until late in December un¬ 
less some native producer makes a 
bid. 

Shuttering of the Opera.... and 
Aita’s obstinacy in upholding the 
Peron-made Protection Law has 
only accentuated the deed for a 
new Film Law. Many ask whether 
Aita wouldn’t be more sensible in 
fining the theatres, instead of clos¬ 
ing them and angering the public. 
Patrons already find there isn’t 
enough seating capacity in the city 
to care for their needs. 

The municipality here 1*3 acted 
wisely and authorized cinemas to 
have their boxofflees open from 8 
in the morning until 11 p.m. All 
sorts of curbs too formerly were 
put on advance booking. The 
crush for entertainment is so great 
that lines start forming long be¬ 
fore starting time. The 8 a.m. 
opening means working people can 
buy their stubs in advance before 
or after working hours, and this 
should cut down the length of the 
lines. Move was resisted by ticket- 
sellers, who hate working so early. 

The public has welcomed the 
innovation and most theatres are 
sold out before noon, particularly 
in wiew of the many good foreign 
pix x playing. 

Distribution office staffs are ne¬ 
gotiating wage increases and even 
the new Metro usherettes (inaugu¬ 
rated Oct. 11) are demanding a 
higher pay. Unless the Commerce 
Ministry comes through on a pledge 
to revise admission scales, exhibi¬ 
tors will find it difficult to meet 
these increased costs even though 
business is uniformly good. Man¬ 
agement of the Versailles Theatre 
has decided to reconvert to films 
after two years as a legit house. 

MEX FILM INDUSTRY 
OBSERVES 25TH ANNI 

Mexico City,.-Dec. 11. 

In a combined fiesta sedate 
mood, Mexico’s top film^Austty 
leaders and stars have -oj^pfed up 
observance here of 25 years of lo¬ 
cally-made sound pix. Special 
guests for the six day celebrations 
included film personalities from 
France—Jean Marais. Micheline 
Presle, Barbara Laage and Cannes 
Festival director, Favre Lebre. 
From West Germany came Maria 
Schell, O. W. Fischer and Berlin 
Festival chief, Dr. Alfred Bauer 
while Italy sent Rossana Podesta 
and scripter, Cesare Zavatini. 

The U.S. is repped by Jeffrey 
Hunter, Jeff Chandler, Bella Darvi, 
Ann Francis and Elaine Stewart. 
Not aimed as a major sales confer¬ 
ence similar to the European film 
fests, the local celebration was 
meant more as an interfamily af¬ 
fair with local exhibs participating 
in showing mainly Mexican pre-re¬ 
lease product, an all industry Miss 
Mexican Cine contest, memorial 
services for local deceased idol, 
Jorge Negrete, plus numerous 
small banquets. 

Invitees were also given a tour 
of local studios plus a banquet by 
the Variety Club of Mexico and the 
local producers’ association. 


Dancigers Sets Frfesh 
Mex-Franco Pic Deal 

Mexico City, Dec. 11. 

Producer Oscar Dancigers has 
announced that he is preppinfe a 
new Mex-Franco production which 
will be len'sed here and in France 
during the coming year. Film will 
be megged by Luis Bunu^l, who 
recently . completed another 
French-Mexican Co-prod for Dan¬ 
cigers, “Death in This Garden,” 
which was shot here and cut in 
Paris. 

Surrounding the whole new proj¬ 
ect with secrecy, neither Bunuel 
nor Dancigers would make any 
further statement regarding their 
plans other than "that the pic will 
have six top Gallic, and local names 
and likely will be the most expen¬ 
sive film ever made in local stu¬ 
dios. Dancigers. now is co-produc¬ 
ing .“Conquest” in conjunction 
with Ben Bogeaus at Churubusco 
Studios here. 

Berlin Film Fest Told 
To Drop Public Poll If 
/ It Wants‘A’Rating 

" London, Dec. 11. 

The Berlin Film Festival authori¬ 
ties have been told to drop their 
public poll and to leave the awards 
to a decision of an international 
jury. This was one of the major 
decisions on festival polity taken 
at the Paris meet of administrative 
council of the International Fed¬ 
eration of Film Producers. 

When the annual Berlin fest was 
introduced after the war, it in¬ 
augurated a public voting system 
in a bid to be different frpm 
Cannes and Venice. This yd&r, 
however, it was elevated to “A” 
festival status and although obliged 
to have a jury, also retained .the 
original poll. 

In the 1955 and 1956 public 
awards, top position was given to a 
German-made picture, and this led 
the- Variety reporter, covering the 
festival, to observe there was a 
growing feeling among several 
delegations that the Vote was “hon¬ 
estly” rigged. This was done ap¬ 
parently by means of packing the 
theatres with studio employees 
and friends, all brjefed to vote the 
film excellent. Dr. A. Bauer, the 
festival director, subsequently chal¬ 
lenged the charge, averring it was 
“absolutely impossible to influence 
the * public vote.” 

British Producer Plans 
Three Films in 1957 

London, Dec. 11. 

Recently formed production 
company, Palmeira Films, has 
three features lined up for com¬ 
pletion before the end of 1957. 
The first, “I.D.B.” has been writ¬ 
ten by Wolf Mankowitz. It’s a story 
about illegal diamond buying. 

The second will be a comedy, 
based in London, called “East End- 
West End.” Third will have an all- 
African cast and be titled “Town¬ 
ship Rock.” The three company di¬ 
rectors are Mark Lynford, William 
Lowenthal from Rhodesia and 
South African Abel Shaban. 



London, Dec. 11. 

Cinemascope provided the solu¬ 
tion to the navy’s problem of show¬ 
ing pictures in confined spaces, 
said Earl Mountbatten, president 
of Royal Naval Film Corp., at a 
dinner to members of the board 
of the Admiralty, hosted by the 
Kinematograph Renters Society. 
He explained that in earlier days 
legs used to be of importance and 
sailors got peeved when they were 
cut off the screen. Now, with such 
stars as Marilyn Monroe and Anita 
Ekberg, visual interest had gone' 
up. 

Mountbatten added it was in¬ 
tended to equip the fleet for all 
new screen techniques. Express¬ 
ing the appreciation of the men 
at sea for the regular supply of 
films, he added that navy co-opera¬ 
tion in British production was a 
gesture of gratitude and not a form 
of publicity. 


USfelEfr 


English Singing Star 

For ’57 Summer Show 

. Glasgow, Dec. 11. 

David Hughes, English singing 
star, is paeted to appear in the 
1957 r edition of Howard & Wynd- 
ham’s longrunning Summer revue, 
“Five-Past Eight,” t at the Alham¬ 
bra Theatre here, from next May. 
He will jje costarred with comedi¬ 
ans Jimmy Logan and Stanley Bax¬ 
ter. 

Booking means a new departure 
for the Howard & Wyndham group 
in pacting a tofc pop singer for its 
annual Scot stint. Hughes .sang 
as an unknown in the same show at 
the King’s Theatre,. Glasgow, a 
number of years ago. Dick Hurran, 
London megger, will produce the 
1957 “Five-Past Eighty” 

Swedish Impresario 
Lars Schmidt Extending 
Into London, Continent 

London, Dec. 18, 

Lars Schmidt, Sweden’s biggest 
independent legit manager, who 
has Swedish editions of more than 
120 U.' S. shows since 1940, is ex¬ 
panding his managerial activity to 
London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna. 

His first continental production, 
a French translation of “Cat on d 
Hot Tin Roof,” staged by Peter 
Brook, opened iri Paris last week. 
Schmidt hopes to follow that with 
a production of ”A View from the 
Bridge,” which Brook also staged 
in London. 

The impresario has also arranged 
with London producer Toby Row¬ 
land for a West End presentation 
of “Janus,” in which they will be 
equal partners. That will be fol¬ 
lowed by another joint production, 
“Le Voyageur sans Bagages” by 
Anouilh, translated by John 
Whiting. 

Schmidt’s German and Austrian 
operation is to be based on the 
importation of American musicals, 
starting with “Aripie Get Your 
Gun,” to open in February at the 
Vienna Volks Opera and subse¬ 
quently play Munich, Hamburg, 
Frankfurt and Berlin. 

That will be followed by “Call 
Me Madam,” probably opening its 
tour in Munich. A German version 
of “Can-Can” will be next, Schmidt 
figures on doing each of these 
musicals on an investment of about 
$12,500. They’ll all be replicas of 
the original Broadway presenta¬ 
tions and his directors and 
choreographers have already made 
extensive notes on the productions. 

Ealing To Make 5 Pix 
in ’57 Under M-G Pact 

London, Dec. 11. 

Ealing Films* under- its longterm 
distribution cbntract with Metro, 
plan to lens five .productions dur¬ 
ing 1957. First to start rolling will 
be “Davy,” starring gomedian Har¬ 
ry Secombe. 

Early in April, work will begin 
on “Dunkirk,” with Peter Finch 
in the lead,* and “Barnacle Bill,” 
with Alec Guinness. Other produc¬ 
tion plans embrace “Jacaranda 
Tree,” and “Nowhere To Go.” 

Cochran Set to Make 
U.S.-German Co-Prod. 

Frankfurt, Dec. 11. 

Hollywood actor turned produc¬ 
er, Steve Cochran, plans a co-pro¬ 
duction with West Germany as 
soon as his first co-production with 
Italy is completed. Scheduled to 
wind shooting this month is his 
Italian film, “II Crido,” made by 
his own firm, Robert Alexander 
Productions. Second film planned 
by group is “Heads or Tails,” with 
Hans Jacoby, v who wrote recent 
King Brothers pic, “Carnival 
Story,” for RKO release, both .Ger¬ 
man and American versions. 

Cochran and crew are expected 
in Germany Dec. 25 to begin shoot¬ 
ing early in 1957, with location 
work here, Munich and Hamburg. 
Cochran plans to finance the Eu¬ 
ropean productions without help 
from the American distributors. 


It Had To Happen 

Edinburgh, Dec. 11. 

It just had to happen in 
good olde British pantomime. 

The traditional Dame 
(played by a male) in “Queen 
of Hearts” pantomime at the 
Palladium Theatre here sports 
a Liberace hat. It has a can¬ 
delabra with lights on it. 


Billion ThnesABillion-Tol 

«* t . ‘ 
Honolulu, Dec, 11, 

KPOA’s $30,000 contest to name the week’s 30 top tunes in cor¬ 
rect order has precipitated a dispute between the Honolulu Better 
Business Bureau and the station. 

Don Billam-Walker, BBB manager, claims “the world will come 
to an end before K.POA has to pay that $30^000.” Odds..againstany» 
body winning are 265,250,000,006,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1, 
Billam-Walker says. That’s one chance in 26544 neufillions (a bil¬ 
lion times a billion times a billion). 

“If everybody on earth sent to KPOA a billion times a billion 
times a billion answers, then there is a possibility that KPQA 
might have to award the $30,000 prize,” BBB chief said. “The 
mathematical odds stacked against contestants . .. Jeads one to be¬ 
lieve that the $30,000 could be construed as sucker Bait.” 

Letter from BBB to Fin Hollinger, station manager, asked that 
contest either be discontinued immediately or terms revised. 
Billam-Walker also asked these questions: Where is the $30,000? 
Who are trustees of the prize fund? Who is the certified public 
accounting firm handling the contest? Who are the persons who 
have won $300 alternate awards for naming top 10 songs in correct 
* order? Who are the persons whom station claims have named as 
many as 28 of the 30 tunes in order? 

Hollinger, meanwhile, accuses Billam-Walker of “sensationalism” 
in airing the charges, which received front page attention in local 
dailies. 

• - • ^ . 


British Pix Industry 

Protests Ad Slur 

London, Dec. 11. 

The British picture industry has 
protested to the Newspaper Propri¬ 
etors Assn, about a fullpage adver¬ 
tisement for a beverage in a Lon¬ 
don evening paper, with a main 
plug angle featuring a woman 
asleep in what appeared to be a 
theatre seat, backed by an exit 
sign. The copy explained that be¬ 
fore’ she took the beverage she 
used to fall asleep at the theatre 
and toss about in bed, but since be¬ 
ing enlightened by a friend, she 
slept both \n bed and at the the¬ 
atre. 

The NPA has reported the com¬ 
plaint to the advertising agents. 

Paris Legit Directors 
Huddle in Effort To 
Learn Why Plays Flop 

Paris, Dec. 11. 

More than 30 of the 50 Parisian 
legit theatre directors met here to 
discuss the status of the legit stage 
in Paris, and have set UP a list of 
probable weaknesses, having noth¬ 
ing to do with the plays or players.. 
It is felt that the play is not only 
the thing but that the commercial 
aspect has certain faults that have 
to be corrected to receive the' biz a 
hit demands. Groups decided that 
there are four main difficulties 
which need study. They have also 
drawn up a questionnaire for the 
average theatregoer totfget an idea 
of any of their complaints. 

One flaw listed is that three 
groups bring in the main money, 
places in which get reduced rates 
via cultural or youth orgs, those 
who buy ducats at the boxoffice 
and those who frequent agencies 
and pay 25% more. It was felt 
that this condition created an un¬ 
favorable . situation, with patrons 
conscious of the price discrepancy 
which exists. Second fault cited is 
the payoff, by agencies, for the best 
ducats, thereby making it difficult 
for people to get a good ticket for a 
hit. 

Another flaw is the many road 
tours, with the leading players. 
These have caused a b.o, dip in hin¬ 
terland patrons since they can now 
see the hits within a season after 
Paris. Lucrative road biz has even 
led to smash hits being pulled at 
the height of a run to fill tour 
dates. 

Problem of the 9 o’clock curtain 
was a fourth plaint. Many feel this 
is late for a start. Tipping, hat- 
check cost, etc. also are patron 
grievances. Directors are only 
studying these findings. However, 
it looks to be a long time before 
anything is done, and * meanwhile 
the overly prolific legit season goes 
on here with three or four open¬ 
ings per week. 


Saroyan Play \n Germany 

Darmstadt, Dec. 11. 

Set to have its first showing, in 
Germany is.the new play by Amer¬ 
ican author William Saroyan, “The 
Cave Dweller.” 

“It’s due to open at the Landes 
theatre here this month, with Gus¬ 
tav Rudolf Seliner directing. 


London, Dec, 18. 

The widespread shuttering of 
picture theatres throughout Great 
Britain is causing serious concern 
to the government and is almost 
certain to lead to some relief in 
admission tax in the next budget. 
The extent of the concession likely 
to be made will probably fall far 
short of the trade demand for a 
$56,000,000 cut in the incidence of 
the duty, in view of the critical 
economic and international situa¬ 
tion. But ^ it will probably give 
substantial aid to the small inde¬ 
pendent theatre operator. 

-The decision of the Motion Pic¬ 
ture Assn, in agreeing to for.ego 
the right to convert additional in¬ 
come pcerum? to Yank comDPmes 
from tax relief, is considered lo- 
callv to be a vital factor in de¬ 
ciding government policy. Eric 
J^hnsto^’s'lettpr. se^ direct to the' 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, re¬ 
moves one of the basic arguments 
used bv political advisers who have 
protected that any tax concession 
v/ouM add to the nation’s dollar 
strain. 

The clearest indication that the 
Treasury intends to meet the in¬ 
dustry’s representations comes 
from a close reading of the new 
all-embracing Films B ; ll, which 
provides for a $10,500,000 annual 
subsidy for the Eady Fund. Even 
the most rigorous and conventional 
Treasury economists recognize that 
mary theatres would be unable to 
meet their statutory commitments 
unless substantial relief is forth¬ 
coming. 

Earlier this year the industry 
was united in a claim to the gov¬ 
ernment for relief on a similar 
scale, but its rejection by the' Chan¬ 
cellor o f the Exchequer was accom¬ 
panied by a promise to review the 
entire structure of admissions 
duty. That survey ^is now under 
Way and a full report will be made 
early in next year. In-'the mean¬ 
time, the all-industry tax commit¬ 
tee is finalizing its case to the 
Treasurv and personal renresenta- 
tions will be made by a top trade 
delegation well ahead of the'Easter 
budget. 

The industry is seeking a 50% 
cut in the present level of admis¬ 
sion duties and although few in¬ 
siders are sufficiently- optimistic 
to believe that their claim will be 
accepted unreservedly, there is 
mounting opinion in favor of a rea¬ 
sonable measure of relief. 

20TH-FOX FINDS ‘KING’ 
EXTENDED-RUN CLICKS 

London, Dec. 11. 

A report on the 20th-Fox releas¬ 
ing pattern for “King and I,” which 
some- exhibitors protested was dis¬ 
turbing the accepted book-ng sys¬ 
tem, was given last week by James 
F. Pattinson, the company’s local 
topper. 20th-Fox had insisted on 
extended playdates on its first Lon¬ 
don release, which began Oct. 8. 

Of 25 theatres, which booked the 
film for a minimum twoweek en¬ 
gagement, Pattinson claims that 11 
played to more money in the sec¬ 
ond Week than in the first. The 
Granada, Hounslow, did so well in 
its fourth week that the house re¬ 
quested retention for a fifth. 



Wednesday, December 19, 1956 






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Wednsydgy, December 19, 1956 


IS 


PICTURES 


Dollar Take-Out Curbs in Orient 


Japan, Philippines and India all Complicate 
Position of American Film Distributors 


American companies are current¬ 
ly engaged in concentrated efforts 
to thaw a large chunk of blocked 
coin in Japan, but no further loan 
to the Japanese Government is con¬ 
templated. 

According to Irving Maas, Mo¬ 
tion Picture Export Assn, rep for 
the Far East, some 3,000,000,000 
yen (about $9,000,000) will have 
accumulated to the credit of the 
U. S. outfits by the end of the Jap¬ 
anese fiscal year which winds up 
at the end of March. Sum has ac¬ 
crued over an 18 months' period. 

It is in addition to the $13,000,- 
000 which the American distribs 
took out and/or loaned to the 
Japanese last year. “Official” re¬ 
mittances from Japan run to $9,- 
000,000 a year for all imports, 
U. S. gets about $7,000,000 to 
$8,000,000 of this total. 

Maas said the MPEA argument 
with Japanese now was that the 
country was in an economic posi¬ 
tion to remit the dollars owed to 
the American companies. 

Meanwhile, there are two other 
troublespots in the Far East. In 
the Philippines, while the quota 
problem 1 has been averted, MPEA 
refuses to accept remittances which 
have been cut to one-third. Amer¬ 
icans are hopeful that the monetary 
board will offer relief. “The way 
things stand, we can’t pay our 
bills.” Some 10,000,000 pesos ($5,- 
000,000 at the official rate) are 
blocked in the Philippines, but the 
currency is very soft. 

Other Hard Blows 

Maas felt that chances were very 
slim for the MPEA members to 
pull out of the Philippines, where 
an import duty also is threatened. 
In contrast, however, a much 
tougher line is being taken with 
India, which still wants to increase 
the import duty on film 100%, i.e., 
to 5 Vz per foot or about $1,100 
per feature. 

MPEA prexy Eric Johnston is 
due to see the Indian Ambassador, 
and he also expects to talk with 
Indian Prime Minister Nehru (now 
in the U. S.) about the prob¬ 
lem. India’s Finance Minister has 
been contacted and has agreed to 
listen to the American case. 

India is a comparatively small 
market for Hollywood. Withdrawal 
of the American films would affect 
only a handful of theatres in the 
key cities. Of all of the world’s 
markets, the Americans achieve the 
least penetration in India, and their 
net from that market is very small. 
Because of this lack of penetra¬ 
tion, the American bargaining po¬ 
sition in India is weak. 


Odeon Court Order 
Holds Up C’Special 
‘Oklahoma (20th) 

Toronto, Dec. 18. 

On the eve of Famous Players 
(Canadian) plans to launch the 
Cinemascope version of “Oklaho¬ 
ma” in eight trans-Canada major 
dates, Odeon Theatres (Canada), 
Ltd., has secured an interim in¬ 
junction from the Supreme Court 
restraining 20th Century-Fox from 
releasing ‘.‘Oklahoma” to anyone 
other than the Odeon key spots, 
this including Arthur Hank's show¬ 
case, the 2,518-seater Carlton In 
Toronto. The restraining order 
will be argued this week in Toronto 
for a Supreme Court hearing, with 
latter’s decision to follow on which 
exhibitor has subsequent release of 
the film. 

Trade issue involves the split on 
20th-Century Cinemascope prod¬ 
uct, presumably settled this year, 
whereby Famous Players (Cana¬ 
dian) was to get two-thirds of 
20 th’s widescreen releases, with 
Odeon to get the other third; with 
conflict now over “Oklahoma.” The 
money-making Magna production 
of “Oklahoma” is currently in its 
34th week at the Tivoli (FP), Toron¬ 
to, at $1.50-$2, this the only Cana¬ 
dian outlet for the ’ Todd-AO 
process. 


Marc Spiegel, MPEA’s Continen¬ 
tal topper, due in today (Wed.) on 
the America. 


VAN DRUTEN CLAIMS $91,666 


Script for 'First Love* Brings Suit 
Vs. Hecht-Lancaster 

Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

John van Druten filed suit for 
$91,666 against Hecht-Lancaster in 
Superior Court here, charging the 
money was due for his script, “First 
Love.” Complaint said the produc¬ 
tion firm had agreed to pay a total 
of $105,000 for the story but sub¬ 
sequently rejected the script de¬ 
spite a signed contract. 

Harold Hecht, in a subsequent 
statement, said there was a con¬ 
troversy between the firm and van 
Druten as to whether the writer 
had “rendered his services prop¬ 
erly and in good faith under the 
terms of his contract It is* the 
contention of this company that he 
did not.” 


DeMiDe Ui 
B.O. in 8 Houses; 
$425,000 Advance 

Cecil B. DeMille’s “Ten Com¬ 
mandments” in its first eight thea¬ 
tre dates so far has racked up a 
boxoffice gross of $1,200,000 and 
>an additional $425,000 is commit¬ 
ted via advance sales. 

Here’s the boxscore: Criterion, 
New York, six weeks, $320,000; 
learner Beverly, Los Angeles, five 
weeks, $170,000; Loew’s Ohio, 
Cleveland,, five^weeks, $125,000; 
McVickers, Chicago, four weeks, 
$150,000; Randolph, Philadelphia, 
four weeks, $125,000; Astor, Bos¬ 
ton, four weeks, $105,000; Keith’s, 
Washington, four weeks, $90,000, 
and the Madison, Detroit,- four 
weeks, $115,000. 

The epic thus, to date, is raking 
in the tremendous money required 
to get over the top—that is, recoup 3 
the production costs and theatre, 
print and ad expenses. But it also 
appears- clear that, potent as it is, 
“Commandments” is not going to 
wind up with an ultimate $100,000,- 
000 gross as had been predicted 
originally by Paramount studio 
chief Y. Frank Freeman. 

The first returns indicate a final 
tally below, that level but it’s im¬ 
possible to crystal ball a specific 
figure at this time. 

Heartening to Par is the consis¬ 
tency of the “Commandments” b.o. 
behavior at most situations. The 
gross each week has* been unusually 
close to the take of the previous 
week which, of course, will , mean 
exceptionally long runs. 


‘Goof* of 1956’ 

Minneapolis, Dec. 18. 

Joining the ranki of various 
publications which are select¬ 
ing the year’s top 10 of this 
and that currently, the U. pf 
Minnesota Daily, the student 
newspaper, has included' 
Marilyn Monroe, Mervyn Le- 
Hoy and Elvfs Presley among 
its choices of the "10 Top 
Goofs of 1956.” 

Goofers also include Sir 
Anthony Eden, Nikita Krush¬ 
chev, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gamel. 
Abdel Nasser, Drew Pearson, 
Harry Truman, and Ellen Bor¬ 
den Stevenson. - 


Teahouse’ As 
Miliion-Grosser 
At Radio City 

“Teahouse of the August Moon,” 
Metro’s 103rd picture to play the 
Radio City Music Hall, N.Y., since 
1938, is expected to be the com¬ 
pany’s Hth film to chalk up a $1,- 
000,000 gross at the Rockefeller 
showcase. Currently in its third 
week, “Teahouse” has already hit 
the $500,000 mark. Since it will 
continue its run during the peak 
holiday stanza, the picture is rated 
a cinch to reach the seven-figure 
paydirt. 

Other M-G films which have 
racked up a $1,000,000 or more at 
the Hall include “Random Har¬ 
vest,” “Valley of Decision,” “Mrs. 
Miniver,” “Showboat,” “Ivanhoe,” 
“The Bandwagon,” “The Great 
Caruso,” “Seven Brides for Seven 
Brothers,” “Love Me or Leave,” 
and ‘‘High Society.” 

Metro’s longtime romance with 
the Hall will continue after “Tea¬ 
house.” “The Barretts of Whim- 
pole Street” is scheduled to follow. 



Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Metro is calling a halt, at least 
temporarily, to its cartoon out¬ 
put, pending an evaluation of the 
department. Studio now has 12 
cartoons in process but has no 
plans for any more. 

Metro now has a two-year-back¬ 
log of the briefies v and those now in 
work will be added to the “Tom 
and Jerry,” “Droopie” and “Spike 
and Tyke” series. They will take 
Six to eight months to complete. 

Cartoon producers Joseph Bar- 
bera and William Hanna are work¬ 
ing under contracts that expire 
next Spring. They have not, how¬ 
ever, been notified, of any plan to 
terminate their services. 


Frank Kassler (Continental Dis¬ 
tribs) off to Europe to gander 
product. . 


Capital Gains Fatten Dividends 


National Theatres Gain of 88c a Share on Roxy Sale 
Plus 11c on Other Properties 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Real estate sales, including 
Roxy, N. Y„ gave National Thea¬ 
tres several capital gains, jumping 
earnings to $4,648,057, equal to 
$1.72 per common share for fiscal 
year ended Sept. 25. Previous fis¬ 
cal year’s earnings were $2,886,008, 
equivalent to $1.04 per share. 

Prexy Elmer C. Rhoden?* report 
said Roxy sale'netted capital, gain 
of $2,371,000 or.. 88c-a share after 
taxes, while sale of other theatres 
and real estate represented 21c a 
share. Previous year’s capital gains 
represented 11c a share. 

Total gross Income was off to $59,- 
707,251 compared with $61,692,043 
with “severe shortage of suitable 
attractions” most important factor. 
Public interest unabated, he said, 
“obvious market exists if produc¬ 
ers can meet and satisfy^ entertain¬ 
ment desire of public.” 

Long term debt was cut by $4,- 
342,000 while paying 12Vfcc quar¬ 
terly dividend, adding $3,589,000 


to working capital. Still looking 
for suitable diversification oppor¬ 
tunities, NT has started initial pro¬ 
duction in three-strip Cinemiracle 
process* tentatively titled “Cine- 
miracle Adventure” for fall 1957 
release. , • 



Taking a satisfied look back¬ 
wards, Technicolor last week re¬ 
ported its Hollywood plant had 
processed no less than 5,006000,000 
feet , of color release prints since 
It started operating. 

Greatest amount of footage was 
struck from the “Gone With the 
Wind” negative from which Techni 
made dye transfer prints running 
to some 41,000,000 feet of film. 

The 5,000,000,000 feet, said the 
lab, would be sufficient to keep a 
projector running continuously for 
105 years. 



tries in countries where there are 
trade restrictions. And while they 
gravitate to the sore point areas, 
they give Canada the brush for the 
reason that Canada is an “easy mar¬ 
ket.” 

The TJA exec was told flatly that 
the Yanks doubtless would be more 
concerned with the Dominion in-, 
dustry if the Canadian government 
were to impose some sort of trade 
or monetary barriers. The industry- 
ites said they prbbably could in¬ 
fluence, action of this sort but are 
disinclined to do so. 

American distribs, with the once- 
in-a-while exception, of Universal, 
do not advertise iii McLean’s or 
other Canadian periodicals for the 
reason they reach the Canadian 
-public-riu Llfe, Look, etc. The Ca¬ 
nadians, having a nationalistic bent, 
want their native publications sup¬ 
ported. 

It’s common knowledge on the 
American side that Canada is less 
of a problem to the U. S. distribu¬ 
tors than even the U. SI itself. 
There rarely are rows over trade 
practices and court suits are spo¬ 
radic. American picture are dis¬ 
tributed without any restrictions 
above the border and the money 
flows out freely. 


Lewis, Krashen on Trip 

Toronto,* Dec. 18. 

Making his first inspection visit 
to Canada since his appointment as 
advertising and promotion head of 
United Artists, -Roger Lewis con¬ 
ferred here with Canadian chain 
chiefs and claimed he had picked 
up some ideas on independent ex¬ 
hibition. During his Torpnto visit, 
he had conferences with J. J. Fitz- 
gibbon, president of Famous Play¬ 
ers (Canadian? 1 , which operates 
some 600 theatres across the Do¬ 
minion; Frank Fisher, general man- 
agger of Odeon Theatres (Canada) 
Ltd., which has 160 coast-to-coast 
houses; and Nat Taylor, president 
of 20th Century Theatres, which 
has a chain of some 80 houses in 
Ontario. 

Lewis was introduced by Mori 
Krushen, former Canadian, now 
UA exploitation chief. 


' Revolutions N.G. 

SS—; Continue# from page 2 jaia 

the Caronia will go through with 
its cruise season is also being de¬ 
bated. 

However, the West Indies trade 
continues lively despite the can¬ 
cellations of these sailings. The 
ship’s presently on the run have 
picked up all the passengers that 
had bought passage on the Flandre. 
For example, Nat Abramson, head 
of the WOR Artist Bureau, has six 
sailings set for next Saturday (22). 
The Maasdam, Conte Biancamono, 
Mauretania, Corinthia, .Homeric 
and the Baturnia are going on the 
West Indies and South America 
run. Acts on these trips include 
Georgie Price, Jackie Heller, A1 
Bernie,, Noro Morales orch, Rigo- 
letto Bros, and others. Dave Bines, 
producer at the Palace Theatre, 
will travel on the Mauretania to 
stage the shows. 

The o Mediterranean * cruise busi¬ 
ness as well as cruises elsewhere 
have been hit tremendously by the 
Egyptian situation. Several ships 
have been taken off their runs to 
stand by in case.of emergencies. 
La Marsellais is one of the craft 
ordered to hang around its French 
home port. The American Export 
Line, however, is going to sail the 
Constitution on 60-day Mediter¬ 
ranean cruise. 

The difficulties in Haiti, where 
the Magloire administration was 
overthrown, and the abortive rev¬ 
olution in Cuba aren’t, expected to 
cut into tourist trade. s 

It’s anticipated that normal 
travel will be depleted by the cur¬ 
rent difficulties in Egypt, Poland 
and Hungary. Middle Europe travel 
Is out* in most instances and. the 
Egyptian* turmoil has cause# severe 
restrictions on auto travel 
throughout Europe. Americans who 
rent a car while travelling there 
will rebel at the current 79c per 
gallon for gas, and even if they’re 
willing to pay the tab, gas is dif¬ 
ficult to get. 


' Celebrity International Films 
Ino. has' been authorized to, con¬ 
duct a motion picture producer 
business in New York, with capital 
stock of $50,000* $250 par value. 
Directors are; Hefiry R. and Sylvia 
Arias and Martin Gottlieb. Jame 
Brothers filing attorneys. 


Acad Withdraws 
Derby Squawks; 
Natl Prize Off 

Green-lighted by the Academy 
of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, 
the projected “Oscar Sweepstakes” 
expectedly will be placed in opera¬ 
tion in January* but without the 
originally-intended kingsized na¬ 
tional award. As mapped by a 
subcommittee of the Motion Pic¬ 
ture Assn, of America* the program 
calls for the .public to guess, in 
advance, the Oscar winners. Letter¬ 
writing will break the ties. 

In addition to regional prizes to 
be paid for or promoted by exhib¬ 
itors, the first idea was to have a 
grand award, such as a completely 
furnished house. But there’s in¬ 
sufficient time to work out the de¬ 
tails of this and as a consequence 
only the regional prizes will be 
given. 

Alfred Tamarin, United Artists* 
assistant national ad-pub director, 
explained the ramifications of the 
project to the Acad board of direc¬ 
tors in Hollywood over the past 
weekend. The Board, which earlier 
had objections to the plan, decided 
fo go along with the idea. 

Tamarin is due back in Manhat> 
tan tomorrow (Thurs.). 


Cap!. Billy Bryant 

SSSmSS Continued from pare 5 

moth studios with wide-eyed won¬ 
derment and an inquisitive feeling 
of what was taking place behind 
those mysterious walls. We even 
lingered at the pearby drug store 
to view the pictures of the stars 
that grace the walls of that estab¬ 
lishment hoping to see a framed 
movie star. Now we are swallowed 
up in a frantic rat race of automo¬ 
biles on their way to nearby Lock¬ 
heed airplane plant. 

The freeways (boulevards) have 
succeeded in bringing Los An¬ 
geles and Hollywood closer to¬ 
gether, saving time. That is, if 
you can turn off at an exit without 
tearing off a fender or getting fea¬ 
ture billing in the obituary column. 

I have met any number of old 
time show boat troupers out here. 
Most of them are managing apart¬ 
ment buildings. The former ro¬ 
mantic leading man now acts as a 
maintenance man, and his ingenue 
wife takes care of the rents and 
linens. • They tell you that Holly¬ 
wood is a lovely place to visit If 
you are an actor, but rough if you 
are at liberty. 

Los Angeles is the end of the 
line for the legitimate theatre. 
Billboards that were once covered 
with flashy paper of such attrac¬ 
tions as, “Blackstone the Magi¬ 
cian,” “Abie’s Irish* Rose” and 
“Blossom Time” now sell the 
beauty and convenience of Forest 
Lawn Cemetery. 

TV Makes 'Neighbors* 

The dark sun glasses that once 
concealed the identity of the stars 
seems to be fast disappearing. At 
the Hollywood market where the 
stars come down out of the hills to 
do their shopping on Saturday, I 
am told, they are seldom asked for 
their autograph's. • There was a 
certain mystery about a motion 
picture that glorified 4 the personal 
appearance of an actor but since 
tv has come into the house, they 
now look upon them as a next door 
neighbor. 

Hollywood stars seem to have 
holed up and seek seclusion more 
than ever. Yet, at the first outcry 
for help, they rise in a body to 
answer the call such *as: When a 
friendly newsboy, Johnny Bicill- 
ano, recently had a heart attack, 
he was rushed to the Holly wood- 
Leland hospital by his theatrical 
friends and such notables as, A1 
Jarvis, Jack Benny, Yvonne Do 
Carlo, Mickey Rooney, Spike Jones 
and dozens of others who carried 
on at Johnny’s corner at Hollywood 
Blvd. and Wilcox Avenue selling 
papers and collecting donations to 
[ the amount of one thousand dollars 
for the ailing one, which was about 
the biggest thing I have ever heard 
of in show business. 

Understand, this is all a back- 
woods showman’s conception of 
Hollywood and you know showmen 
are not responsible. I guess maybe 
Gregory Peck, Gary Cooper, Kirk 
Douglas and others don’t have to 
be identified at the local bank 
when cashing a check. 















s 





22 PICTURES 


P&mErhr 




KIRK DOUGLAS‘ON DUTY’ 
WHEft FILMED—DISNEY 


To Clear Via ‘ 


Assn, f' 


Mtotion Picture Export 
boani yesterday (Tues.). was. asked 
to ratify a tentative agreement 
under which American films in 
Japan would be submitted a locally 
administered system' of. .“self-con¬ 
trol.” . ' 

Situation was outlined to the 
board by Irving Maas, the iVTPEA’s 
Far Eastern supervisor, who last, 
week returned, from . Tokyo, U.S. 
outfits have long refused to become 
a part of voluntary censorship in 
Japan, but the pressure for them 
to do so has risen steadily. 

Setup which, even without Amer¬ 
ican participation, . is already a 
reality, eliminates one prime Amer¬ 
ican objection, i.e. self-control 
dominated and. administered by 
the Japaneses, industry. . It shapes 
up as follows: 

. An independent and autono¬ 
mous five-member board is es¬ 
tablished under Seiichiro 
Takahashi, a former professor 
of economics, president of the 
Academy of Arts and chief of 
the National Museum, Maas 
considers his choice a happy 
one. 

Represented on this already 
functioning board. are the 
Japanese feature producers . 
with two members, Shorts pro¬ 
ducers with one rep, importers 
(other than Americans), one 
member and—provided MPEA 
goes along — the American 
companies, with one member. 
Cost of setting up the board is . 
put at 15,000,000 yen plus 
screening fees. 

It’s stressed that, under the 
Japanese constitution, the Amer¬ 
ican companies cannot be forced to 
join this setup; nor can they .be 
forced, to submit their features. 

Japanese originally wanted to 
establish a Code patterned after 
the American example. However, 
it was dominated by the native 
industry. Furthermore, the U.S. 
firms argued, there was ho need to 
submit their pix again since they 
already carried a Code seal. 
MPEA then countered with a pro¬ 
posal that it set up its own. re¬ 
viewer to look at American im¬ 
ports that might possibly offend 
the Japanese. 

“Blackboard Jungle” and “House 
of Bamboo” considerably aroused 
the Japanese industry and public 
and added fuel to the juvenile de¬ 
linquency controversy. There 
were various other proposals, and 
finally the independent screening 
board was -established. 

It’s been pointed out that the 
American position re censorship in 
Japan isn’t wholly consistent inas¬ 
much as, in theory at least, foreign 
films must get a Chde seal to enjoy 
wide circulation in American 
houses. 


ASK WHITECOLLARITES 
UP UNION DUES 30% 

A 30% hike in the quarterly dues 
of members of the Homeoffice Em¬ 
ployees Union, Local H-63, has 
been proposed by the executive 
board of the International Alliance 
of Theatrical Stage Employees affil¬ 
iate. According to a pitch made to 
the membership, at a general meet¬ 
ing last week, the extra coin is re¬ 
quired to make up for . the loss of 
revenue brought about by a de¬ 
crease in the union’s rolls. 

Because of economic conditions 
in the motion picture industry, 
some 250 Local H-63 members, 
mostly white collar clerical help, 
have been dropped from the pay¬ 
rolls of the film companies, the 
union’s executives disclosed. The 
layoffs took place over the course 
of several years. 

The proposal for the increase in 
dues payments was not greeted 
with enthusiasm by the member¬ 
ship. According to reports, speak¬ 
ers who opposed the proposal re¬ 
ceived substantially more applause 
than the union officials who advo¬ 
cated the boost. However no action 
on the matter was taken. It was 
discovered after debate had begun 
that a quorum was not present. As 
a result, the proposal was tabled to 
the next general membership meet¬ 
ing. 

The new schedule of quarterly 
dues advanced by the executive 
board is as follows: For weekly sal¬ 
aries up to $49.99 the dues for the 
quarter would be $5.75;. $50 to 
;?Y).99, $7; $80 to $99.99. $8; $100 
to $129.99, $9; $130 and above, $10. 


OLYMPICS MW: 
FEATURE 4 SHORTS 

' ; London, Dec, 18. J 

A full-length color! feature and 
two featurets have been produced 
from material filmed during the 
Olympic Games in Melbourne in 
addition to the standard newsreel 
and. television coverage. The Rus¬ 
sians will additionally be making 
their own color feature from film. 
supplied from the same source. 

The full-length color feature, | 
which has been lensed in the Afga 
process on wide screen, will be 
titled “Rendezvous in Melbourne” 
and is now being readied for world 
release in the. New Year, This will 
not be a straight coverage of the 
Olyfhpic contests, but will cover 
the event in story form as viewed 
by six participants in the games. 
The two featurets, each of which 
runs about an hour, will be shown 
in Britain and Japan. They’ll each 
spotlight different personalities 
and will^ of course, put a different 
emphasis on the material used. The 
British pic, entitled “Melbourne 
Olympiad,” is being distributed by 
Renown Pictures, by arrangement 
with Regent Film Distribs. It has 
been written, and directed by Ian 
K. Barnes and narration is by Rob¬ 
ert Beatty, Eamonn Andrews and 
Nancy Spain. 

The entire Melbourne footage 
was the result of a deal made with 
the Olympic Games Committee by 
Fremantle Overseas Radio & Tele¬ 
vision, which gives the promoters 
a continuous participation. Paul 
Talbot, the Fremantle topper, who 
came in from Melbourne last week 
to finalize production and distri¬ 
bution arrangements^ returned to 
New York last night (Mon.). 


Hollywood, Dec., 18. 

..'In a 20-page answer to the;$415,- 
000 suit brought against him by 
Kirk Dortglas, Walt Disney last 
week countered that the actor him¬ 
self suggested the taking of the 
film footage 1 'that set off . the court 
row! Douglas charts that Disney, 
photographed him and his children 
riding - a. model train! at Disney’S 
home, which film was later ^hown 
on the Disneyland television; show 
and this represents “invasion of 
privacy.” . 

Disney further answered the ac¬ 
tor: only purpose of the filming 
was to exploit 1 “20,000 Leagues 
Under the Sea” and, in being pho¬ 
tographed, Douglas “was engaged 
in performance of his duties” in ac¬ 
cordance with the terms of his con¬ 
tract. Douglas starred in “Leagues.” 

Late last month Superior Court. 
Judge Leon T. David denied the de¬ 
fendant’s motion i to dismiss the 
suit. Jurist opined that actors 
aren't “goldfish,” and have some 
rights of privacy, Gunther Less¬ 
ing, Disney attorney, had *a com¬ 
ment about that. If this opinion 
is to stand, stated Lessing, it would 
carry with it elements of a new 
right of privacy lender which news¬ 
papers might be required to obtain 
a prominent person’s approval be¬ 
fore printing anything about him. 


BACKUS PLAYS PUBLICIST 


Late Clarence Locan Fondly 
Recalled in Chaney Riopic ( 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Jim Backus, currently portray¬ 
ing the late Clarence Locan, real- 
life, press agent of Lon Chaney in 
Universal’s biopic of the actor, 
“Man of a Thousand Faces,” has 
applied for honorary membership 
to the Hollywood Publicists Assn. 

In a letter to prexy Don 
Boutyette, Backus points out it’s 
the first time a Hollywood pub¬ 
licist ever has been shown in a 
“favorable and sympathetic” light 
on the screen. 


>♦♦♦♦♦♦++< 




Briefs from Lots 






Hollywood, Dec. 18.. | 

Otto Preminger signed Sir John 
Gielgud for the role of Dunois in 
hia indie, “Saint Joan” and set 
Richard Todd .to: succeed Richard 
Burton as the Earl of Warwick . . . 
Herman Moffman will direct “The 
Mystery of Misty Creek” for pro¬ 
ducer Nicholas Nayfack at Metro. 

. . . John Monks Jr. will script the 
William McGiven hovel “The Seven 
File” for Richard Widmark’s Heath 
Productions . . . John. Carroll’s 
Clarion Productions bought “The 
Break in the Circle,” an original 
screenplay by David Lord . . . Hal 
Wallis picked up his option on 
Paul Nathan, associate producer on 
“The Rainmaker,” for. another year. 

. . . Tudor Owen became the 72d 
actor signed for a speaking role in 
Irwin Allen’s Cambridge Produc¬ 
tion “The Story of ’ Mankind” at 
Warners, There will be 90 speak¬ 
ing parts in all.. . 20th-Fox picked 
up its option on composer Leigh 
Harline who has beeri with the 
studio since 1949 . . . Richard 
Boone re-activating “The Devil’s 
Footprint,” an original by Lucien 
Agniel, in view of the Hungarian 
situation which the story line par¬ 
allels. 

20th loaned Robert Stack to 
Universal to co-star in “Pylon” * . . 
Goleen Gray set as femme lead 
opposite John Beal in “Mark of the 
Vampire/* Jules Levey - Arthur 
Gardner production for United 
Artists . . . Director William Well¬ 
man hunting another military story 
in which to use, as a unit, the 20 
new thesps cast in “Lafayette 
Escadrille” at Warners ... Lindsley 
Parsons and his associate, John H. 
Burrows, will make “Rio Bravo,” 
“Desperate Women,” “The Incred¬ 
ible Yanqui” and “Jack Slade in 
Montana” for Allied Artists release 
during 1957 . . . Burt Styler and 
Al Lewin, who have, been writing 
the “Life of Riley”'* vidpic show, 
checked in at U to develop an 
original teen-age screenplay . . . 
Jack Kelly and Mari Blanchard will 
co-star in “The She-Devil” for 
for Regal Films . . . 20th picked 
up its option on producer David 
Weisbart. 

Yul Brynner withdrew as direc¬ 
tor of Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Buc¬ 
caneer” and will confine his efforts 
to starring in the picture . . . Jack 
Carson signed for one of the top 
roles in U’s “Pylon” . . . Jack Kelly 
joined the cast of “The She Devil” 
for Regal Films . . . John Horton 


assigned as producer of “Runaway 
Bomber”, at tf ........ John .Meredyth 

Lucas arid Dwight Brooks. bought 
“And Never a Day Shall End” for 
indie production . . . Jack Palance 
formed his own company, Cody 
Production's, add will star in its 
first picture; “Pistolero” . . . First 
feature slated for the new Commu¬ 
nications Corporation will be “The 
Big Firecracker,’’ based on a yarn 
by Robert* Smith .. . Robert Roark 
organized Brigadier Pictures start¬ 
ing January with “Duel Street.”. 

Columbia Pictures attains an all- 
time employment .peak this week 
with 2;5i8 on the studio payroll.. . 
Joseph L. MankieWicz signed Audie 
Murphy for the title role in “The 
Quiet American” for United Artists 
release . . . Scott R. DUnlap will 
produce “New Day At Sundown” 
for Allied. Artists . . , Kenneth 
Herts bought Alfred Neumann’s 
“Strange Conquest” for production 
in Peru,. . . Kirk Douglas signed 
to star in “The Golden Triangle,” 
first picture to be filmed by As¬ 
sociated Artists Productions . . . 
Burt Lancaster, Sir Laurence 
Olivier and Montgomery Clift draw 
top roles in Hecht-Lhncaster’s “The 
Devil’s Disciple” .. . Jackie Coogan 
bought film rights to “The Parson 
and the Apache,’’ mag story, for 
indie filming ... Mimi Aguglia and 
Argentina Brunetti, mother and 
daughter in real life, play mother 
and daughter in “The Brothers 
Rico” at Columbia. 

Martin Rackin took over producer 
tion reins on “The Helen Morgan 
Story” at Warners so Richard 
Whorf could devote full time to 
getting “Bombers B-52” before the 
cameras , . . 20th-Fox picked up its 
option on Lili Gentle for another 
| year and set her for a role in 
“Bernadine” . . . Columbia cast 
contractee Kathryn Grant in “The 
Brothers Rico,” William Goetz pro¬ 
duction. . . Associates and Aldrich 
signed Habited Welles to script 
John O’Hara’s short story “Now 
We Know” for lensing next sum¬ 
mer . . i William Wyler will direct 
“Thieves Market” and will co¬ 
produce with Gregory Peck in a 
joint deal with the latter’s Melville 
Productions . . . Thom Conroy, 
dialog coach on the Hecht-Hill- 
Lancaster “Sweet Smell of Success,” 
also will play a featured role in the 
Burt Lancaster-Tony Curtis starrer. 
. . .Francis X. Bushman will play 
Moses in Irwin Allen’s Cambridge 
Production of “The Story of Mari- 
I kind;” 


, We4nesday, December 19* 1956 


Quickie Appraisal of Miami Beach 


Continued from: page 2 "j 


any worthwhile talent, the in-per- 
spning stars seem to have no ceil¬ 
ings. on their values. 

Harry Mufson at the > Eden Roe, 
Ben Novaick, bonifaqe of the Foil-, 
tainebleau and Preston R. (Bob) 
Tisch of the Americana all have the 
same complaint-nsalaries. Nonethe¬ 
less, Milton Berle at,$17,500;. Jerry 
Lewis at $25,000 and Xavier Cu-- 
gat at $15,000. are respectively 
booked attractions at these. three 
top. spots. • * 

All take the position that “if 
we don’t do it, we’ll be accused 
of deglamorizing our operations.” 
None concedes that the lush en¬ 
vironment of their hotels is liter¬ 
ally built-in glamor. That goes for 
the Tisches at their new Ameri¬ 
cana, which has Cugat bowing-in 
this week. 

The! NBC 30th anni shindig at 
the Americana gave the Florida 
resort an automatic showmanship 
glamor of special proportions. The 
show biz bunch had enough time to 
case the joints, from’ Murray 
Franklin’s al fresco bistro (in the 
Club. 18 tradition) to Harry the 
Hipster’s jive joint. In between 
there were any assortment of top 
eateries and niteries. 

A Broadwayfarer is very much 
at home since many of the Gotl^ 
arti spots’ key personnel are pretty 
well ensconced in Miami Beach and 
its outer reaches into Bel Harbour 
which, for instance, is the official 
postoffice for the Americana, be¬ 
ing just above the MB line. Bonardi, 
from the old Ben Marden’s Riviera, 
runs the niteries at the Americana; 
Angelo, from the Versailles, is a 
key man; and the other staffers 
in other spots are similar ex-21, 
Stork, etc., greeters. 

Hal Boyle, of the AP, is doing a 
story on Mrs- Al Tisch, mother of 
the clan operating. hotels in At¬ 
lantic City, Miami Beach, and else¬ 
where, quoting her that the entire 
$10,000,000 investment is 100% 
family invested. The ground site 
was a $1,200,000 buy from Arnold 
S. Kirkeby. 

At the formal dinner for NBC 
prexy Robert W. Sarnoff,. Floridans- 
Governor LeRoy Collins, with an 
awareness of the- Florida versus 
California rivalry, especially as 
dramatized within show biz, 

I cracked that Hollywood . is in 
“Calif.” and he suggested that the 
initials spell a clarion call- to all 
Coastites -to "come and live in 
Florida.” 

On, the shows caught, Celeste 
Holm is the finale of the one-week- 
ers at the Eden Roc whose Pom¬ 
peii Cafe, incidentally, Is one of 
the nicest * hotel saloons extant. 
Songstress heads for Havana’s Na- 
cional and, thence the Coast, with 
a probable picture in sight! Harry 
Befafonte succeeds for two weeks. 
At the nearby Fontainebleau Ho¬ 
tel’s cafe-room, called La Ronde, 
also a very attractive bistro, Larry 
Parks & Betty Garrett were doing 
okay backed by the Sacasas and Al 
Navarro bands. With Holm was 
Rickie Layne and “Velvel,” the 
only Jewish ventriloquial dummy, 
a somewhat ribald performer and 
perhaps overboard even if the cli¬ 
mate” is right for his naughty dia¬ 
lectics. Laine should watch himself 
on the smut; he doesn’t need it. The 
idea and execution are basically 
funny enough. At the Americana, 
another Broadway lammister, Val 
Olman, is the maestro, and at the 
next-door Balmoral there is Sonny 
Kendis, ex-Stork. 

Footnotes td the NBC 30th anni 
party: Groucho Marx not only had 
daughter Melinda but Eden (Mrs. 
Marx) on the tv gala . . . Gina Lol- 
lobrigida stole the press. Her remi¬ 
niscence .of Howard Hughes’ con¬ 
tract offer was the fact “he only 
sent me one plane ticket; also, he 
didn’t want to make movies, he 
wanted to play.” Italian star’s, hus¬ 
band-manager, Dr. Stofac, is her 
interpreter although she under¬ 
stands enough English . . . Nick 
Kenny, Hy Gardner, BEn Gross, 
Jack O’Brian, Larry Wolters, Bob 
Jennings <Thne) among other ra¬ 
dio-tv editors on the scene. Gard¬ 
ner did personals on the ’local 
mikes; also Nick Kenny, with Bea 
Kalmus, pitching “A Penny for 
Kenny,” for the National Jewish 
Asthmatic Hospital (Denver) to 
which he is very partial Since its 
fine work for one of the Kenny 
grandchildren, a five-year-old little 
girl . . . MCA NBC-TV sales veeplee 
William R. Goodheart Jr. got the 
news of a new grandchild while on 
convention; their fifth, but the 
first'boy. 

VAhiETY automatically got a 


great .leadership in the Cabana 
Belt, among the NBC affiliates, 
personalities, ct al., but the biggest 
bombshell was that tax K. O. story 
that .streamered R. 1. Eddie Fisher 
wondered. The Robert Sterlings 
(Ann Jeffreys)-were nonplussed be¬ 
cause they have anew video prop¬ 
erty which they planned setting up 
for. tv. and pictures. Barroter- 
turned - agent - packager - producer 
Martin Goodman had a thought 
about limiting ownership by the 
star ,to 24%. and farming the 
pseudq-“control” xi out to the star’s 
managers, reps,-relatives, et al. 

. GAG’s Tommy Rockwell has his 
ideas (Perry Como is his client and 
the Como show was keyed to the 
NBC 30th anni convention), and as 
for the crooner he wasn't talking. 
Groucho Marx was grousing be¬ 
cause “I only saw the sun through 
a keyhole, what with all these re¬ 
hearsals, and what do I need it 
for?” Leo Durocher got gin-clob¬ 
bered, ahd columnist Louis Sobol 
mopped up per usual. Jack 
O'Brien’s wife got -bitten by a man 
o’, war—as the starfish indigenous 
to the Florida surf is called—and 
almost went into shock because of 
the pain. Robbing with sand is 
the curative, and Jinx Falkenburg 
wanted to know why the hotels 
don’t issue instructions at ocean- 
side because, while not poisonous, 
it’s painful. Alan W. Livingston 
was also bitten but had presence 
of mind to rub with the sand, but 
for a time was also unnerved. The 
cabana boys have instructions not 
to administer first aid nor make 
with the Dr. Kildare bit—for legal 
reasons—yet there seems to be 
little forethodght because the man 
o’war is quite common. 

General Sarnoff’s yacht, appro- 
priotely called the Electron, was a 
special treat all its own, to 
the VIPs he had invited aboard 
for k cruise, because of its 
amazing gadgets. The RCA board 
chairman figured that “with Frank 
(Folsom) minding the store I’ll 
stay on a feW days,” meaning 
until this weekend, to a Palm 
Beach detour, but Mrs. Sarnoff 
hurried home because of the Xmas 
week rush. 



Continued from' pace t 


idealism clash with an easy life. 
Play, was not given much pjraise by 
the crix when it opened, but the 
public goes for it. And the theatre 
has* taken it all over the country, 
playing to full houses everywhere. 

The Chamber Theatre is present¬ 
ing a play by a hitherto unknown 
author, Yoram Matmor. The He¬ 
brew’ title means “An Ordinary 
Play.” As is, the play is neither 
very original nor very unusual. It 
vShows young men and women who 
have helped build a new country 
but having^achieved their first goal 
have bedome aimless. The play 
was produced by the Chamber 
Theatre’s founder-director, Joseph 
Millo. 

A light note is struck by the third 
repertory group in Israel, the 
Ohel which is staging a musical 
comedy, “5:5; or Tit for Tat.” 
Though not without flaws, this is 
one of the' funniest shows in town. 
It is written and directed in the 
tradition of an army farce. A mili¬ 
tary company is invited to spend 
some days off at a farmers’ village 
near its base. But life is not easy 
for the soldiers because the farm¬ 
ers are in dire need of helping 
hands and exploit the boys till 
the soldiers hit upon a grand idea. 
They offer the old farmers an “ex¬ 
change program” and take them 
to their military camps. There, 
they change clothes and leave. The 
commander mistakes the clumsy 
farmers for real soldiers and drives 
them off for military training. The 
boys meanwhile, go back to the 
farms and have a real holiday with 
the farmers’ pretty daughters. 
Gideon Shemer directs while Yo- 
hanan Zarai and Zvi Glaser conduct 
the lively score. Rika Zarai a* 
farmers’ girl, Dahlia, sings most of 
the songs. 

The Ohel* w.hich is a theatre 
sponsored.by the Israeli Labor Fed¬ 
eration, also has created an Arabic 
theatre , groups playing to enthusi¬ 
astic audiences, in such Arab towns 
in Israel as Ramleh, Nazareth, and 
others. The'first play is “Kais wa 
Leila,” Onfe in two acts by Achmea 
Shawki; an Egyptian author. 


Wcdnetday' December 19, 1956 


PICTURES 


MurrowGoup 

.—— g Continued from page 1 - 

meise ex-prime minister and elder 
statesman U Nu; 

Footage is expected back in N.Y. 
by Sunday (23) and can be pro¬ 
cessed and edited in . a matter of 
hours, permitting a showing as 
early as Mo<fliay. ..CBS-TV hasn't 
set a date and time for the^how 
yet,, though it's virtually certain 
that the film /won't be relegated to 
“See It Nqw'$” usual 5 p.m. slot 
every fourth Sunday. 

Chou' speaks excellent English, 
and it's likely that lie'll do some 
of his talking in English, though 
he may speak though an interpre¬ 
ter. as well; The interview was set* 
up through U Nu, who is a friend, 
of Murrow's and coproducer Fred 
Friendly, having appeared on “See 
It Now” aiid on Murrow's “Person 
to Person” when he was in- the 
XJ.S. on a state visit. When Murrow 
and Friendly heard U Nu was vis- . 
iting Pieping some time back, they 
got a message through to him to 
ask Chou for the interview. U Nu. 
relayed the message and Chou said 
yes, setting it for his Burmese visit 
because of the State. Dept, restric¬ 
tion. Chou is the third key head 
of state interviewed by “See It 
Now” in the past year, but is far 
and away the most important and 
certainly the most inaccessible. 
The others were Egypt’s Col. Nas¬ 
ser and Israel’s David Ben-Gurion, 
both of whom were interviewed 
twice. 

Last week, “See It Now” got 
-hold of another hot subject for its 
January . show, the desegregation 
problem as reflected in the situa¬ 
tion in Clinton, Tenn. The desegre¬ 
gation story, filmed in Clinton last 
week after the disorderly element 
in the town was hauled into jail 
by the federal court in Knoxville, 
will be shown Jan. 6. and will be 
titled' “Clinton and the Law: A 
Study in Segregation." Martin Bar¬ 
nett and Eco Rossi were the cam¬ 
eramen and Arthur Morse the on- 
the-spot reporter. Murrow and 
Friendly have been wanting to do 
a show on desegregation for some 
time, but they wanted a clinical 
analysis of the forces preventing 
orderly integration. In light pf the 
events .in Clinton last, week, they 
felt they had : It and went ahead 
with the project. j 

Backfires on Sullivan 

Continued from pace 1 

cancelled acts, was more emphatic. 
He wrote Sullivan a letter, headed 
“Stranded in Texas,", with copies 
going • to Walter Winch ell, Steve 
Allen and LoUella Parsons. Text 
as follows: 

^ ''Mr. Furr, of the Furr Super 
arkets . of. Lpbbock, Texas, en¬ 
gaged me, five other acts and a 12- 
piece orchestra for a show presen¬ 
tation, Dec. 10 through Dec. 14. I 
flew from Los Angeles to Lubbock 
on Dec. 10 to appear on this show 
—only to learn that Mr. Furr had 
listened to your tv show Sunday 
night and, as you requested, can¬ 
celled all of his Christmas shows 
and donated the money to the Hun¬ 
garian Relief Fund. So, that let 
myself and five other acts, togeth-. 
er with the 12-piece orchestra, out 
of five days’ work. 

“I hope you don’t mind, Mr. Sul¬ 
livan, but I have four children— 
with three cars in my family. And 
on the back of each one of my old 
cars I’m placing a sign that will 
read: 'DON’T BUY A MERCURY 
FOR CHRISTMAS — INSTEAD, 
SEND THE MONEY TO THE AC¬ 
TORS' RELIEF FUND.’" 

“P. S.—Where can I send my 
grocery bill this week?” 


WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

BESTSELLERS? 

SEE PAGE'63 

New York Theatre 


-RADIO CITY MUSIC HUL- 

Rockefellct Center 

MARIO!) BRANDO • GLENN FORD 
MACHIKO KF0 

stirrini in tlMMScm Mtf MfTflOCBtOR in 

“THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON" 

AM M-G-M PICTURE 
and THE MUSIC HALTS CREAT CHRISTMAS SHOW 


Exhib’s Tax Jailing 

Chicago r Dec. 18. . 

Apollo theatre owner, John 
M. Krafcisin was sentenced to 
three months in county jail 
and fined $5,000 by Federal 
District Judge William J. 
Campbell last week. 

Guilty of evasion of $7,579 
in 1949 inc.ome*taxes and 
$439 theatre admission taxes 
between 1949 and 1952. 

Coast Screams 

Continued from pair* 3 

flicts with sections of the Internal 
Revenue Code and with the deci¬ 
sion in a far-reaching tax case 
brought against* Internal Revenue. 
Said the committee: 

“The proposed regulation is 
inconsistent with administra¬ 
tive rulings which were issued 
to taxpayers until recently, 
with the result that corpora¬ 
tions receiving such rulings 
and others which relied on es¬ 
tablished administrative prac- * 
tice without obtaining rulings 
through no* fault of their own 
will be placed at a serious dis¬ 
advantage.” 

Committee was created at a four- 
hour meeting held last Wednesday 
night at which plans were mapped 
for the industry’s campaign to 
halt implementation of the pro¬ 
posed regulations. 

A similar committee, it’s under¬ 
stood, has been formed' in New 
York and the two will join forces 
shortly to map the overall cam¬ 
paign. 


EXHIBS NOW TOLD THEY WON PLENTY 
OF NOTHING VIA LOAN ELIGIBILITY' 


4-Day Xmas 

Continued from pace 1 

digs as an annual nuisance. Some 
years ago, the soirees moved from 
the offices to hotels because of the 
damage by drinks and tippling. 

What parties are booked are set 
for Friday night (21), and there 
are sdme for Monday (24). How¬ 
ever, many firms that spent heavily 
for the holiday brawls are out of 
the market. Many companies felt 
that they are getting the same em¬ 
ployee goodwill by creating the 
four-day holiday. 

Because of this situation, act and 
musician employment will also be 
off this year. The club date book¬ 
ers haven’t been getting as many 
calls this season, and they antici¬ 
pate no pickup within the next few 
days." 


‘Unique’ 


Continued from pact 2 SmmSSm 

robust songlugger who inveighed 
the captive nickleodeon audiences 
to “sing with me.” 

Item: speaking Of the year-end 
seasonal observations, to the 
Variety staffers that’s one of the 
most exacting nose-to-the-grind- 
stone milestones per annum. It’s 
Ann! time—period. That means 
cutting out lots of the fall-going- 
into-winter social hoopla because 
the preparations for the Ann!—it’s 
our 51st Anniversary—call, for 
much extracurricular digging, re¬ 
searching, writing, editing. 


Ken Wingo Travels For. 
Picture Research Council 
Contacting Theatre; Men 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Kenneth Wingo leaves Holly¬ 
wood next month to launch a new 
exhibitor-service program for the 
Motion Picture Research Council. 
He’ll be on the road about eight 
months annually, helping exhibs 
solve various problems of exhibi¬ 
tion. 

Wingo, who has already made 
two brief test trips to Northern 
California and one to New York, 
will be the first of several roving 
experts Research „ hopes. to send 
out. He reported “extremely favor¬ 
able” reaction to his initial treks, 
i Technical director William Kel¬ 
ley, outlining Wingo’s duties, re¬ 
ported that since divorcement there 
has .been a serious loss of liaison 
between the nation’s theatres and 
the production wing of the industry 
and the new program is designed to t 
help fill this gap and assist exhibs' 
in getting the most out of their 
equipment. “We have the produc¬ 
tion knowledge, the . facilities of- 
new developments and understand 
the problems of projection,” direc¬ 
tor said. “Some few film companies 
have had their own field men to 
look in on exhibitors, for servicing 
of their own projection product, 
but this will be a broader applica¬ 
tion.” 

Move is based, he pointed out, 
on many requests from' exhibs since 
the intro of all the new technical 
processes, who want to know what 
Hollywood is thinking of and 
knowledge available. It also will 
be a two-way program—producers 
also will get some first-hand inkling 
of the exhibs’ problems and try to 
meet them beforehand. It will be 
a good will gesture that is expect¬ 
ed to pay off in closer affiliation 
between exhibition and production. 

In disclosing some of the' prob¬ 
lems he's already encountered dur¬ 
ing his previous trips, Wingo, who 
came to the Council from 12 years 
of experience with a chemical firm 
as a sales engineer, said his policy 
will be to drop in on as many 
exhibs as possible and render them 
on-the-spot service. The majority 
of theatremen, he noted, have prob-. 
lems they can’t solve via corre¬ 
spondence, and the majority wel¬ 
comed him with open arms, particu¬ 
larly when they learned it was for- 
free. 

Most frequent problem faced by 
exhibs, according to Wingo,. is the 
matter of films being out of focus. 
Others consist of buckling film; 
dirty screens and portholes, caused 
by smoking; unmatched carbons; 
screen brightness; patched and 
damaged screens; uneven screens; 
hit spots, and high ambient light. 


Terrace Film'#, Inc. has been 
chartered to conduct a motion pic¬ 
ture business in New York, with 
capital stock of 100 shares, no par 
value. Jacob L. Gross is a direc¬ 
tor and filing attorney. 


Chinese Can Be Sold 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

It was a Japanese-made film, 
but exhib Maury Schwarz tried 
to sell it to Frisco’s 50*000 
Chinese. 

So Schwarz got the city’s 
oldest .Chinese daily, The 
Chinese -World, to review 
“Most Noble JLady,” advertised 
in the paper and did better- 
than-average business—$2,500 
on the week—at his 400-seat 
Bridge, 0 

Film, story of the eighth 
century founder of Chinese 
opera, drew both Chinese and 
Japanese. Schwarz’s only com¬ 
ment: 

“I was afraid the Chinese 
wouldn’t come because It was 
made in Japan, and the Jap¬ 
anese wouldn’t come because it 
was about Chinese. I guess 
the war’s over.” 

Aussie Circuit Taps Capt 
Auten for Global Survey 
Of Theatres, TV, Pix Prod. 

Capt. Harold Auten, for years 
U. S. representative for Greater 
Union Theatres, is being sent 
around the world by Norman B. 
Rydge, chairman of the company, 
on a study of cinema, television 
and film production conditions. 
Auten leave? N. Y. next week for 
the Coast where he will visit the 
Paramount, Universal and Colum¬ 
bia studios prior to shoving off for 
Australia on New Year’s day. He 
is due in Sydney, headquarters of 
Greater Union, Jan. 11. 

Rydge, who has visited N. Y. and 
the coast many times, is understood 
to have selected Auten for this 
long trek because of his long con¬ 
tact with American and British 
film business. Besides his film and 
tv activities, Rydge owns several 
hotels and stores in Sydney arid 
operates Rydge’s Journal, counter¬ 
part of the Wall Street Journal. 

Auten goes from Sydney to 
Singapore, where he will huddle 
with Run Run Shaw, executive of 
Shaw Bros. Theatres, there. He 
will spend four days in Rome be¬ 
fore heading for London, In Great 
Britain^ metropolis, he will be 
hosted 'by the Savage Club, ven¬ 
erable organization of London 
around Feb. 16. Auten, who is 
well known in London, pioneered 
in setting- British product in the 
U. S. He returns to N. Y. about 
Feb. 19. 

Majestic, Providence to SW 

Providence, JL»ec. . 18. 
Stanley Warner Management 
Corp. takes over management of 
the 2,200-seater Majestic Theatre 
tomorrow (19). The sale marked 
the passing of the last of Edward 
M.,>,Fay's theatre holdings here. 

At one time Fay owned the Fay, 
vaude-pic house; the Carlton and 
Majestic. 


Advises Film Biz: Obtain TV Stations 


Growing affinity between the motion picture in¬ 
dustry and television was stressed last week by 
Ellis G. Arnell, prexy of the Society of Independent 
Motion Picture Producers. He called on the picture 
biz to take a more aggressive interest in the acquisi¬ 
tion of local tv stations. 

Arnall said motion pictures and tv were primarily 
the* same, both dealing with visual entertainment, 
and that he had never understood those who had- 
tried to separate the media. It was in the light of 
that attitude, he said, that the indies had sold their 
films to tv, and also had supported subscription 
television. 

“If you have product to sell, sell it anywhere you 
can,” he observed. 

Noting tv's largescale use of film. Arnall said he 
found it “galling” that in some instances Holly¬ 
wood’s Production Code had prohibited material for 
the theatres that was okay for tv Code ought to be 
the same for both, he opined. 

Calling television “actually just another form of 
motion picture exhibition,” Arnall said: “An in¬ 
creased interest in television stations by our indus¬ 
try would give the motion picture industry a greater 
degree of control over this vast medium of motion 
picture exhibition. Producers, distributors and ex¬ 
hibitors will find it to be to their ultimate welfare 
to manifest a greater degree of interest in television 


station’s as well as in the conventional methods of 
producing, distributing and exhibiting motion pic¬ 
tures.” 

He added that such an interest would serve to 
stabilize picture production and would result in 
more consistent employment in Hollywood. Arnall 
cited the fact that the film biz has controlling or 
minority interests in 47 stations. This he compared 
to the newspaper industry, which has an interest in 
more than 139 stations. 

“Our industry should not sit idly by and permit 
the newspaper industry ... to control and dominate 
this medium which properly belongs to the enter¬ 
tainment industry rather than to the newspaper in¬ 
dustry. We should aggressively and determinedly 
move to prevent television from complete domina¬ 
tion and control by certain segments of business in¬ 
terests which cannot serve the general public or 
television hearly so well as the motion picture indus¬ 
try,” he declared. 

Arnall said SIMPP now Jiad 38 members. He re¬ 
ported that the org was negotiating with the Screen 
Actors Guild re the" proceeds from any future sale 
of post-1948 pix to tv, and said that the Actors Guild 
was demanding *50% of the take. Since some of the 
indie films due on tv never fully recouped In the 
theati Oeir producers would actually lose money 
under i ich an arrangement, he held. 


Theatre Owners of America is 
sparking a move for revision of 
the loan requirements of the Small 
Business Administration so that 
theatres can take advantage of the 
government agency’s services. Al¬ 
though the Administration, via a 
recommendation from the Senate 
Small Business Subcommittee, has 
made theatres eligible for loans, 
it’s felt that the tight rules and 
strict requirements make it nigh 
impossible* for theatres to obtain 
loans. 

According to Philip F. Harling, 
who heads the TOA committee in¬ 
vestigating the possibility of such 
loans, the nation’s theatres “won 
their greatest Pyrrhic victory” 
when they were made eligible to 
appeal to the SBA. “After fight¬ 
ing so hard to become recognized 
as an essential industry in the 
American economic system and as 
a necessary influence for the gen¬ 
eral benefit and welfare of the 
community,” Harling declared, “the 
letdown, awakening, and realization 
of the Tack of benefits or help 
that could be obtained from the 
Small Business Administration was 
shocking and astounding.” 

As a result, TOA will make the 
following recommendations: 

(1) That in order to help the na¬ 
tional economy the agency revise 
its rules to permit it to grant regu¬ 
lar mortgage loans up to 20 years 
to qualified exhibitors. 

(2) That it be permitted to make 
such loans according to established 
methods and formulas used by 
lending institutions. 

(3) That the maximum sum that 
may be loaned for such mortgage 
purposes shall be $2,000,000 on any 
one theatre property. 

(4) That the SBA secure proper 
legislation in order to enable It to 
increase the revolving fund. 

(5) That proper legislation be 
enacted at the request of the SBA 
whereby the policy board would 
guarantee for a fee a mortgage 
loan by an independent, qualified 
lending institution. 

(6) . That the SBA seek proper 
legislative authority to guararitee 
mortgage loarts. 

(7) That the SBA revise its rules 
requiring a statement of inability 
. to obtain private financing as a 
condition precedent to filing an ap¬ 
plication for a mortgage loan. 

Sausage-Grinder Films 
Past Tense—Parsons 

The era of ►mass production of 
films is over, according to Ltnds- 
ley Parsons, who in past has made 
as many as 21 features in one year. 
“The day of sausage-grinder pro¬ 
duction is long pa?t,” he said in 
New York this week. “Today, in 
order to get the most out of a 
picture’s potential, you can’t afford 
to make more than one at a time.” 

Parsons, who’s on his way to 
. Honduras to make “The Incredi¬ 
ble Yariqui,” started out as a press 
agent for Monogram 25 years ago 
and became a producer for that 
company (now Allied Artists) in 
1940. He feels the film-maker 
should be on the set constantly in¬ 
stead of “sitting back in the ivory 
tower and letting everyone else do 
the wqrk.” It’s the producer’s job, 
in the interest of economy and ef¬ 
ficiency, to be on hand for con¬ 
sultations with the director, writ¬ 
ers, stars and technical crew. 
“The shirt-sleeve producer can 
help effect economies behind the 
camera, cut re-takes, to a minimum 
by constant knowledge of the script 
and the progress of shooting, and 
generally spark the entire opera¬ 
tion,” according to Parsons. 

Producer recently completed 
“Dragoon Wells Massacre,” Cin¬ 
emascope entry, for AA. He 
leaves for Honduras today (Wed.' 

'Baby’ on Interstate 

Dallas, Dec. 18. 

Warner Bros.’ “C”-rated feature. 
‘Baby Doll,” will open here at the 
Majestic Theatre on New Year’s 
Day. Interstate Circuit previously 
played “The Moon Is Blue,” also 
“C”-rated by Catholics. 

Interstate officials said here tha* 
the film’s advertising, as is usua: 
for controversial films, will be 
marked “adults only.” 


24 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


P&RIETY 


Wednesday, December 19,1956 


ABC Radio Preps Flock of Changes 
In Morning & Evening Schedule 


ABC Radio plans changes in-f 
both part of the ayem and evening 
program blocks as well as in the 
network news lineup. Suggestions 
have been made to the network’s 
eight-man affiliates advisory com¬ 
mittee along with a revised plan 
for co-operative sales. 

These are the first efforts to 
effect major ABC Radio changes 
since the advent of the Leonard 
Goldenson regime several weeks 
ago. Plans lay particular stress on 
making co-op sales more appetizing 
to affiliated stations by reportedly 
fixing the network’s share in co-op 
shows at 7 1 /6% of the revenue from 
local sale of such shows. Until now, 
revenue has occasionally been as 
low as 7%, but more often closer 
to 10% for the web, it’s reported. 

Martin Agronsky, who does an 
8 ayem network news strip, is also 
going to do the quarter-hour night¬ 
time dommentary at 7:15, the time 
now held by Quincy Howe. Howe 
will be retained, but no new time 
period has been yet found for him. 
Move will take place in early Feb¬ 
ruary. 

Also at night, network program¬ 
ming staff has blueprinted a res¬ 
taurant interview sesh fronted by 
Louis Sobel, Hearst syndicated 
columnist. Time picked for show, 
described a “hard-hitting news in¬ 
terview from the Eden Roc Res¬ 
taurant in New Yopk,” is scheduled 
for 9:30 to 9:55 Monday through 
Friday. “Best Bands of the Land” 
will be moved into the 9 to 9:30 
slot, as a result. 

Meantime. ABC Radio is nego¬ 
tiating with Art Henley, producer 
of “Make Up Your Mind,” to put 
the former CBS Radio paneler in 
as a quarter-hour cross-boarder at 
11:15 ayem. Jack Paar, now at 
11:15, will definitely be moved for¬ 
ward to 11, with some, resulting 
changes in his format. Paar, now 
heard in a studio one-man show, 
will move to his Westchester home, 
for a regular remote. With Paar 
in the new format will be his wife 
and daughter, plus musician-come¬ 
dian Jose Melis, who appeared with 
the star on his former CBS-TV air¬ 
ings. “Make Up Your Mind,” will 
probably be emceed bp George 
Skinner, who now does a local 
show for WABC, tfie ABC New 
York flag. 

ABC advised the affiliate advis¬ 
ory committee, it’s said, that co¬ 
opping “entertainment” programs 
has been little more than a head¬ 
ache, Very few non-news shows 
remain on any of the networks as 
(Continued on page 50) 


ABC-TV’s ‘Hey, Look* 

CBS-TV* is still top Trendex 
network by far, but the latest 
December Trendex tally shows 
the marked advances ABC-TV 
is making. 

In directly competitive 
Trendex markets, ABC-TV 
leads CBS-TV by 11 half-hours 
and NBC-TV by 14. The ABC 
shows which lead both net¬ 
works are the two Lawrence 
Welk shows, “Cheyenne,” “Wy¬ 
att Earp,” “Broken Arrow,” 
“pisneyland,” “Jim Bowie,” 
and “Rin Tin Tin,” 


Bulova Cutback 
On Gleason Show; 
$2,500,00(1 Trim 

Jackie Gleason, who’s been tak¬ 
ing it on the chin in his rating 
I battle with Perry Como since re¬ 
turning to an hour live format this 
season, received his first sponsor¬ 
ship blow this week when Bulova 
notified CBS-TV that it would cut 
back to alternate weeks after the 
first of the year. Bu-lova currently 
has a half-hour every week, but 
will cut back to one-fourth spon¬ 
sorship, with Old Gold - retaining 
its every-week exposure. 

Effect of the -move is to cut 
Bulova’s annual outlay on the 
show by $2,500,d00, shaving it from 
$6,000,000 to $3,500,000. Purpose 
of the move is to preserve intact 
the Bulova station break schedule, 
on which the watch company 
spends $4,500,000 annually. Under 
Bulova’s deal on the Gleason show, 
it had the privilege of withdrawing 
after the first 13 weeks, in spite of 
the 39-week duration of the con¬ 
tract. Rather than give up the show 
entirely, Bulova and McCann- 
Erickson decided to cut to the 
skip-week status. 

Meanwhile, McCann-Erickson is 
trying to line up an advertiser who 
would absorb the alternate week 
which Bulova will surrender. 
Agency is working with CBS on 
prospective clients, but hasn’t 
come up with any yet. 


Quick-as-a-Flash 
ABC-AM $4,600,008 

ABC Radio has raked in approxi¬ 
mately $4,600,000 in the last three 
weeks, adding substantially to the 
overall rise in network radio bill¬ 
ings. Within a week after piling 
up a gross of $2,500,000 in new 
and renewed business, the network 
accumulated another $2,100,000 in 
pacts. 

ABC’s a.m. lineup drew $1,100,- 
000 in the past seven days. During 
the same period, AFL-CIO okayed 
a year’s renewal on two nighttime 
news strips. Union is paying $1,- 
000,000 in 1957' for the quarter- 
hour Edward P. Morgan and five- 
minute John W. Vandercook 
stanzas. 

Bristol-Myers, Ex-Lax and Life 
Savers-Beach Nut bought into the 
ABC Radio morning block. All were 
renewals, but Grant Co. of Chicago 
(formerly d-Con) is taking 10 five- 
minute segments a week in a com¬ 
bination of “My True Story,” 
“When a Girl Marries” and “Whis¬ 
pering Streets” in February; Sterl¬ 
ing Drug has Monday-Wednesday- 
Friday five-minute segs on “True 
Story”; Dromedary is taking the 
same show Tuesdays and Thursdays 
for five minutes, plus “Girl Mar¬ 
ries” and “Whispering Streets” 
twice weekly. (This is a revision 
of Dromedary’s 1956 contract, al¬ 
though no coin increase has been 
made by the sponsor.) 

More renewals are Atlantis Sales 
of Rochester, two segs of “My 
True Story,” add Drackett Co., four 
segs of “Don McNeill’s Breakfast 
Club.” 



SAMMY KAYE 

Columbia Records—currently 
“FADED ROSES”. 

“I’M THROUGH WITH LOVE” 
Albums 

•'WHAT. MAKES SAMMY SWING” 
“MY FAIR LADY (For DANCING)” 
Album Just Recorded 
Sammy Kaye Swings and Sways 
BELLS ARE RINGING 
(For Dancing) 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL 


WPIX IN THREE-YEAR 
PACT WITH YANKEES 

WPIX, N. Y., has inked a new 
three-year contract with the New 
York Yankees, providing for the 
telecasting of all home games and 
some selected road games. Picking 
up the tab for the Yank games will 
be R, J. Reynolds and Ballantine. 

The New York Daily News indie 
also will be telecasting all the 
home games of the Giants, under 
its four year pact with that, ball 
club, making WPIX the heaviest 
scheduled baseball station, in the 
New York market. 

Sports casting for the Yank 
games will be Phil Rizzuto, Mel 
Allen and Red Barber. 


Hal March Bows Out Of 
Geo. M. Cohan Spec Role 

Hal March withdrew from the 
role of George M. Cohan in the 
May 11 NBC-TV musical spectacu¬ 
lar based on Cohan’s life and spon¬ 
sored as the first of three such 
specs by Swift. March, in explain¬ 
ing his withdrawal, said he’d never 
danced professionally and that to 
learn Cohan’s style would require 
more time than March can give. 
Jose Ferrer was originally set for 
the role but he was obliged to bow 
out because of a picture commit¬ 
ment. 

Probably a factor in March’s de¬ 
cision, though he didn’t say so, was 
his stint in “High Button Shoes” 
recently, where he took something 
of a beating from the critics be¬ 
cause of the dancing involved. 
Showcase Productions, which will 
produce the show for Swift, hasn’t 
set a replacement yet. j 


‘Can Do’Out,‘21’In 
As‘Lucy’Competition; 
Revlon Gets a Release 

NBC-TV's changing Monday at 

9 opppsite-“Lucy” picture under¬ 
goes another change Jan. 14 when 
the web moves its Wednesday, 
night “Twenty-One” quizzer into 
the slot as a replacement for the 
current but shortlived “Can Do,” 
which Revlon is cancelling after* a 
six-week run. NBC, it’s under¬ 
stood, will let Revlon out of the 
remainder of its 13-week cycle and 
will also pay off Joe Cates, the 
show’s creator, for the remainder 
of his 13-week commitment. 

In moving “Twenty-One” to the 
Monday time slot from its Wednes¬ 
day 10:30 post. Pharmaceuticals 
Inc. will stay with the show as 
sponsor. Drug outfit is willing to 
brave the “Lucy” competition in 
•favor of its current Wednesday 
post because of the improved sta¬ 
tion lineup it would get as com¬ 
pared with its current station op¬ 
tion time slotting. Quizzer has 
been moving up rapidly in the rat¬ 
ing department (see this week’s 
Trendex scores). 

Cates, incidentally, got back 
from a Bermuda vacation last week 
(his first in three years) only to 
get the news of the cancellation. 
He said he had a firm 13-week deal 
and had lined up such remote guest 
stunts as Willy Mays from Yankee 
Stadium trying to pole five out of 

10 pitched balls into the Stands, a 
Bob Hope putting stunt from The 
Coast, Rory Calhoun and Debbie 
Reynolds & Eddie Fisher in vari¬ 
ous stunts. 

ABC Sound & Sight 

In Year-End Recap 

ABC Radio and ABC-TV will 
each do a special year-old round¬ 
up of news highlights on Sunday 
(30). Both shows are titled “News- 
year—1956.” 

John Daly, ABC veep and the 
network’s ’ chief newscaster, will 
narrate the tv version, from 5:30 
to 6 p.m. Radio edition will be car¬ 
ried from 7:05 to 8. The two shows 
will be produced in collaboration 
with Newsweek mag. Highlights 
will be the same but each program 
will be separately produced. 


60% of Farms Now Hare TV 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

The speed with which tv came to the farm was reflected in a 
Census Bureau report last week which showed that one-third of 
the nation’s farmers acquired receivers during the four-year period 
from 1950 to 1954. 

The report, based on The 1'954 Census of Agriculture, showed 
that the number of sets on farms rose from 154,000 in 1950 to 
1,698,000 in 1954 or from less than 3% to 35.5%. Measured in 
terms of farms with electricity, the ratio increased from 3.2% to 
38.2%. ' - 

(Probably about 60% of farm families now' have television. A 
sample survey by the Census Bureau last February showed 53% 
of rural-farm households with receivers, compared to 42% in June 
of 1955). 

Television registered the largest gain in equipment installation 
on farms during the period, according to the report which in¬ 
cludes such items as tractors, trucks, home freezers, running water, 
telephones and electricity. 

Highest tv-saturation on farms in 1954 was in New Jersey with 
83.7%, followed by Rhode Inland with 79.1%, Massachusetts with 
70.4%, Ohio with 67.2% and Maryland with 66.6%. 

Lowest saturation was in Wyoming with 8.5%, followed by 
Montana with 10.2% and Nevada with 10.8%. 

The 1954 Census of Agriculture was the first farm census to ob¬ 
tain data on tv. Comparable data for 1950 were taken in a Census 
of Housing. ^ 

The 1954 census di‘d not include radio. The last farm census in 
which radios were counted was in 1945. 


CindereDa a $50,1)1)0 Shoe-In 


Dallas Couple, Heavily in Debt, Find KLIF’s 
Moola Before Midnight 


MBS Veepee 

HERBERT C. RICE 

in his special article cautions 

Don’t Go Away — 
There’s More 
* * * 

another editorial feature in 
the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P'S'RIETY 


Here's a Warning 

Recently proposed (but not 
yet effective) new taxcollector 
interpretation on star-domi¬ 
nated corporations, and their 
proper tax rates, has caused 
widespread alarm in the film 
industry. ~ 

Further study suggests that 
television, and other amuse¬ 
ment media, may have setups 
which are facing big unex¬ 
pected tax liabilities. 

For a detailed story on the 
situation see streamer story 
this issue, Page 3. 


Simon Siegel As 
ABCs Chanceflor 
Of the Exchequer 

Simon B. Siegel, a key man'in 
the Paramount Theatres picture 
and a behind-the-scenes power at 
ABC, is taking an active role in 
the network. He’s going to be top 
financial man on the network side 
of American Broadcasting-Para¬ 
mount Theatres, it’s understood. 

Siegel replaces ABC veep and 
controller Harold Morgan, who left 
last week for a top spot at Mc¬ 
Cann-Erickson. Siegel bears the 
title of AB-PT treasurer and has 
theoretically been over Morgan 
since the merger of Paramount 
T satres and ABC in 1953. Morgan 
did the actual financial work, while 
Siegel remained chiefly as a close 
adviser to Leonard Goldenson, 
AB-PT prexy. Siegel won’t take 
Morgan’s title, but he is now be¬ 
ing listed.in network documents as 
“ABC treasurer.” 

Accompanying the {ictivitation of 
Siegel at ABC are two moves in 
keeping with bossman Goldenson’s 
plan to build “in-depth” depart¬ 
ments throughout the network. 
Michael Boland $nd J. Russell 
Gavin have been named assistant 
treasurers of ABC. With these men, 
plus Jay Rabinovitz, who hals no 
title but is acting as the tv net- 
work’s business manager, and 
Stephen Riddleberger,. the ABC 
radio -business boss, there will be 
a four-man executive group under 
Siegel. 

Boland has been with the ABC 
cost control group since 1955. 
Gavin has been icMef accountant 
at ABC since 1954, before which 
he was an NBC accountant. 


Olds’ Sugar Bowl Buy 

Oldsmobile signed this week for 
the New Year's Day entire cover¬ 
age of the Sugar Bowl football 
game in New Orleans over both 
ABC-TV and ABC-Radio. Overall 
cost of 'the one-shot package is 
approximated at $200,000. 

Game will be Tennessee versus 
Baylor, D. P. Brother- negotiated 
the pact 


Dallas, Dec. 18. 

The jackpot in radio giveaways 
was struck by a Dallas lathe oper¬ 
ator who fpund a $50,000 check 
hidden by KLIF, the treasure be¬ 
ing the prize in the station’s con¬ 
test. To add to the suspense, the 
loot, for which clues were broad¬ 
cast daily, was found on the last 
day the check was valued at $50,- 
000. One of the contest rules was 
that at midnight, Dec. 9, the value 
of the check' would drop from $50,- 
000 to $500. 

The lucky man was Ben Spawn 
of Dallas, a former Air Force 
pilot. 

This is the way it happened. 
Mrs. Spawn had been listening all 
week to twice-daily clues given by 
KLIF. Seven hours before the mid¬ 
night deadline, Mrs. Spawn sug¬ 
gested to her husband, “Let’s go 
find that check. I know where it 
is.” Humoring her whim, the for¬ 
mer pilot, accompanied by his 
spouse, began looking for the 
largesse. During the search, Mrs. 
Spawn lost a pair of shoes in the 
sand of a vacant lot/ Just as the 
light or day was fading, Spawn 
spotted a slip of paper in a soft- 
drink bottle at the base of a tree 
on a vacant lot. Holding it up to 
the light of an approaching auto¬ 
mobile, he could read a “five” and 
lots of “zeroes.” It was enough. 
With less than seven* hours left 
before the check would have been 
worth only $500, he hailed a police 
escort of two squad cars and sped 
to the radio station where KLIF 
(Continued on page 50) 


WB Dickers TV 
HeDinger Series 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Deal is being negotiated for 
Warner Bros, tv to acquire the 
Mark Hellinger teleseries based on 
collection of ; Hellinger stories. If 
deal jells, series will go into pro¬ 
duction the'first week in January. 

Charles Weintraub and Jack En* 
tratter own the Hellinger tv rights, 
and are negotiating the deal with 
Jack' Warner Jr. and William T. 
Orr of WB. 

Rod Amateau, director of the 
Burns & Allen show, would direct 
some of the Hellinger vidpix dur¬ 
ing the B&A production .hiatus, 
and would receive a participation. 


CBS-TV’S ‘BIG TOP’ 

STAYS AS SUSTAINER 

CBS-TV will continue to carry 
“Big Top” as a sustainer after Seal- 
test bows out of its longterm spon¬ 
sorship pact with the Jan. 12 show. 
The web still hasn’t been able to 
find a replacement for Sealtest but 
is proceeding on the assumption 
it can round one up. 

Show continues in its Saturday 
noon-to-l-^slot out of Philadelphia* 
with Jack Sterling as emcee. 









W ednesday, December 19, 1956 



RADIO-TELEVISION 


NBC’S ‘I’LL CRY TOMORROW’ 


Gen. Sarnoff & The Two Bobs 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Gen. David Sariioff went on a “candor spree” and unburdened 
himself before the NBC affiliates as to the status of the two Bobs— 
Robert W. and Khitner, setting at rest, among other thing?, rumors 
that have been floating around in recent weeks. He said there was 
no intention of moving Bob Sarnoff upstairs and out of the net¬ 
work prexy slot and put himself on record that he was proud of 
the job his son was doing. “And Bob's happy, too,” he added. 
“As I am, he's convinced that -we’ve now got the strongest and • 
most skillful organization, at least since the days of Niles Tram¬ 
mell.” Don't, hold against Bob, he implored, simply because he 
didn't come up the messenger boy way. 

He denied that Kiritner, who moves in on Jan. 1 as an exec 
veepee, is being groomed to take over command, asserting that the 
ex-ABC president was brought in with the unanimous approval of 
the entire executive staff because “he’s a dynamic piece df man¬ 
power, and they’re hard to come by these days.” -Otherwise, he 
said, Kintner is on his own and takes his place along with the 
others. 

He also said that to be the best of his knowledge, “and I should 
know,” there were no more changes contemplated in the network 
administrative structure. 

The General went over a lot of the ground previously covered 
in Rdbert W.'s address to the convention, dwelling in particular 
on the live vs. film aspects of programming and appealed to the 
station operators not to turn the medium into a “national motion 
picture screen.” “If you do, he warned, you will be forgetting your 
responsibility and obligation to the' American public.” 

Trouble Looms If NBC-TV Moves 
7:45 News into Station Time 


RESOUNDING HII 

By GEORGE ROSEN 
Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Nobody, but nobody, went away 
mad when NBC brought down the 
solid gold curtain on its 30th anni 
convention hoopla at the plush new 
Americana Hotel here. Picking up 
a tab in excess of $200,000, NBC 
spread out the red carpet for its 
key personnel, plus the combined 
radio-television affiliate family 
(whose only expense was the round- 
trip fare) for a four-day roundelay 
that was tops in NBC’s history of 
sociability, affability and hospital¬ 
ity. 

It was, in brief, a convention that 
outstripped in opulence and spirit 
all previous NBC-inspired frolics, 
cued to the “fun in the sun” 30th 
anni theme. There were only a 
few surface rumblings and one had 
to probe real deeply if he were in¬ 
terested enough to search for 
areas of serious apprehension or 
discontent. Not that the affiliates 
haven’t got troubles. It was sim¬ 
ply a case of holding everything in 
abeyance (at least until the affili- 


Plan But Mils More Concerned 
Over SarnoiTs Pix Repudiation 


That’s What They Said 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Although most of the NBC 
brass stopped at the Ameri¬ 
cana during the convention, 
they were saying, one of the 
headliners, J. Fred Muggs, 
checked in at a * little-known 
' but ultra-exclusive hotel—the 
“San, Simian.” ' 

NBC-TV to Eddie 
& Debbie: Don’t 
Play CBS Time’ 


Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

NBC got all the desired atten¬ 
tion (and Page 1 headlines) it 
craved in its revelation that the 
network was coming to the aid of 
the educational tv stations with a 
$300,000 program hotfoot. It was 
the prestige clincher of the con¬ 
vention for Bob Sarnoff, a gesture 
that won wide praise in educa¬ 
tional circles as the impetus to 
really get the cause of'educational 
tv rolling. With proper pressures 
applied, general assumption now is 
that, like NBC, others will fall in 
line with appropriate financial- 
program assists to finally bring 
educational tv in America out of 
its longtime slough. 

Sarnoff clicked with the public 
on this phase of his convention 
address; the affiliates, who prefer 
.to talk about the commercial 
phases of television, were more 


Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 4-- 

NBC-TV has finally decided to n m . 

scrap its 7:30 to 8 news and music Affiliates ftlf 1 llblltC 
strips. Network prexy Robert W. * * 

Sarnoff told the affiliate members Tn Mrc \ovnnff Tnn 

here that starting in the fall “or "“»* MIUOII, 100 

perhaps even earlier” the new pro- Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

gramming command under Manie Luncheon honoring Gen. David 
Sacks would inaugurate a new pat- Sarnoff at the NBC 30th anniver- 
tern of programming along the sary celebration here turned out to 
lines of both CBS and ABC. How- be a dual tribute, 
ever he did not reveal what shows In addition to the presentation 


I liMA haven t got troubles. It was sim- Miami Beach, Dec. 18. More NBC Convention News 

into otauon lime *** a„ d D e b . - o „^ 34 

ate executive committee sits down bie Reynolds, among the flock of ^.v, r.~ ..■ tsttj m 

with the.NBCcelebs in attendance at the 30th concerned over Sarnoff’s live pro- 

ffihatesPayTnbute -ifw gotta? ry “ anni , N H BC . hoop ! a hare - were R in h f t ra ”f-®vLb!f u that 

_ „ * „ * row” Rut ac far ac th#» Miami structed by network prexy Bob It was inevitable that this would 

To Mrs. Sarnoff, Too ® arnoff a " d program ch “ 

io everyone conceded that NBC Manie Sacks to cancel out their tion For pvprv affiliate mpmhpr 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. aphipvpH a masterful ctrnlrp in wn. , , , . , . , uon - r or ever y amnaie memDer 

Luncheon honoring Gen. David eratine goodwill 8 scheduled brace of guest appear- who was willing to champion Sar- 

imoff at the NBC 30th anniver- ‘ _ . ances on CBS-TV shows. They al- hoff’s cause for live shows, there 

ry celebration here turned out to Top 10 Tantnims ready had been lined up to appear were maybe two who were more 

s a dual tribute. . Here and there, but more or less both on “What’s e My Line” and inclined to take the position:. 

In addition to the presentation off the record, one could detect “I’ve Got a Secret” for some pro- “Don’t make too many demands on 


ever he did not reveal what shows In addition to the presentation off the record, one could detect “I’ve Got a Secret” for some pro- “Don’t make too many demands on 

would go into the Monday-through- of a plaque to the General, to signs of alarm over NBC's also-ran motion mileage on their new RKO us; give us our day with the fea- 

Friday time periods and there was whom, in the words of key affiliate status on the top-rated nighttime pic release, “Bundle of Joy.” tures. If the backlogs produce 

speculation as to whether these exec Harold Hough, “so many owe shows with the rival CBS ? clean NBC’s “surface” explanation the ratings and the billings, let us 

would be half-hour shows (the CBS so much,” Mrs. Sarnoff was also sweep of the Top 10 Nielsens even was, “WKy should we permit an have our fling with them for the 

way) or expanding to a full hour paid high tribute, particularly for occasioning some kidding-on-the- NBC contract star to make an ap- next couple of years.” While noth- 

7:30 to 8:30 policy which has her contributions to public welfare, square byplay. Some were appre- pearance on CBS when the latter mg’ definite was resolved at the 

brought some rewarding rating pay- In presenting a scroll and brace- hensive over NBC’s determined bid makes it a point of keeping its convention'on this score, the gap 
offs to ABC. There’s a strong pos- let to'Mrs. Sarnoff, Jack Harris, to perpetuate the live network into stars off our network.” However, in philosophies may reach even 

sibility that both 30-minute and, 0 f KPRC, Houston, announced that toe fringe hours (as with “To- the NBC-to-Fisher edict is seen as more widening proportions in corn- 

hour shows will be used under the flip mmhino/i mHift imri + A ipvieipti night”), when the stations would the opening gun in a new iiitra- ing weeks (particularly if the af¬ 

filiates don’t like the network’s 


revised concept. 


affiliate membership was endowing rather ride the pix-on-tv local mural rivalry between the two net 


Also to be resolved Is the new a bed at the New York Infirmary gravy train. There was some con- works which may bring to 'an end new version of “Tonight” which 
- (Continued on page 34) in honor of the woman who has de- c ^rn, too, over the new radio news qot only the current guestar ex- preems next month) It’s a safe 


Mils Don’t Like 
Hope’s Cnffo Plugs 

Miami Beach, Dec, 18. 

Those Bob Hope cuffo plugs have 
once more come in for affiliate cen¬ 
sure. In fact, the station operators 
want NBC to do something pronto 
about it, claiming that they’re get¬ 
ting out of hand. 

It’s a ticklish situation all 
around. The network itself isn’t 
happy about the comic’s penchant 
for tossing off those gratis commer¬ 
cials (for which allegedly his writ¬ 
ers pick up some, fancy extra loot). 
NBC prexy Bob Sarnoff 1 ’g/ banquet 
address parenthetically (but in no 
uncertain terms) alluded to thejn. 
Hope’s % sponsor, Chevrolet, feels 
the same way about it and has 
hinted occasionally at a cease &» 
desist. 

But as ? far at, Hope is concerned, 
it’s a case of “take me the way I 
am or not at all.” Neither NBC nor 
Chevy is in a position to do any¬ 
thing about it for the simple rea¬ 
son that Hope’s been delivering up 
the most consistent high ratings 
on the network. 

But the affiliates still think some¬ 
thing should be done. 


CBS to NBC: Nice Going 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Hundreds of telegrams of con¬ 
gratulations were received by NBC 
here as it celebrated its 30th anni. 
Among those read were from 
President Eisenhower, Winston 
Churchill, Herbert Hoover, FCC 
Chairman George McConnaughey; 
ken. Lyndon Johnson and from the 
Senate Interstate Commerce Com¬ 
mission. 

And there was one other—per- 
h«'iP6 the most complimentary of 
the lot. It was from Frank Stan¬ 
ton, president of CBS. 


voted many years to advancing the programming venture calling on changes-but also end the friendly conclusion there will be plenty of 


wprk of the institution. 


(Continued on page 48) 


(Continued on page 34) 


OUT SOON! 


51st Anniversary Number 


Forms closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 34 
184 W. 46ft 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
4404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
412 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin’s Place 
Trafalgar Square 


post-convention braintrusting and 
brainwashing on the issue, prior to 
“showdown” meeting of the affili¬ 
ates executive committee and the 
network brass in the next few 
weeks. 

Sarnoff’s announcement that the 
network in 1957 will provide the 
first live programming Over to be 
produced expressly for educational 
tv stations on a national basis won 
wide commendation, notably in 
educator circles. The specialized 
educational programs to the na¬ 
tion’s 22-non-commercial educa¬ 
tional stations will be produced 
in the NBC studies and furnished 
live over the network lines. NBC 
has committed itself to the tune 
(Continued on page 48) 


Hy Gardner Gets 
N.Y. Tonight’Nod 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Hy Gardner will hold down the 
fort on the New York end of the 
three-city “Tonight” origination 
under the 'show’s new format 
which preems Jan. 1‘5, NBC’s af¬ 
filiates were informed here. Irv 
Kupcinet will be the Chi-berthed 
columnist. The Hollywood column¬ 
ist-emcee has yet to be chosen, al¬ 
though a decision is expected to 
be forthcoming in the next few 
days. A total of 35 Coast column¬ 
ists already have been auditioned, 
with kinnies being rushed east on 
an almost daily basis for inspection 
by prexy Bob Sarnoff and program 
topper Manie Sacks. 

Mike Wallace was also consid¬ 
ered to share the N.Y. job along 
with Gardner, but these plans, fell 
through. 

The new “Tonight,” with its 
round-robin of N.Y.-Chi-L.A. pick¬ 
ups, represents the network's 
“live” answer to the rival station? 

(Continued on page 34) 








26 KAPIO-TELE VISION 


usm 


Wtfeeijiy, December 19, 1956 


Tricks V Treats’ Pave Way For 
Pribram Payoffs in local n’ Live’ 


By ART WOODSTONE f 


Since there are few local live 
shows surviving video’s rigors, Joe | 
Franklin contends that station tal¬ 
ent has to pay more and lfiore at¬ 
tention to “business,” whether 
merchandising or * other special 
gimmicks, to attract advertisers. 
Local live doesn’t pull much audi¬ 
ence on the average, and most sta¬ 
tions seem to feel reruns of fea¬ 
tures and half-hour pix are 
cheaper and bettei* daytime pro¬ 
gramming. Finding special lures 
for sponsors is important to 
nighttime live shows, too, since new 
feature films are the current rage. 

There are very few live pro¬ 
grams locally in the seven-station 
metropolitan New York tv market, 
and a sponsor sellout is rare. 
Franklin, who hosts a 1 to 1:30 
p.m. stanza ,on WABC-TV, ABC 
flagship, is SRO. He’s been in that 
rarified state • since Oct: 1, and 
Monday (17) he expanded to an 
hour to accommodate more* bank- 
rollers. Another usually SRO is 
“Tex and Jinx,” hour afternooner 
on WRCA-TV, the NBC key. 

Franklin attributes the full spon¬ 
sorship mainly to his extra-curricu¬ 
lar functions for local sponsors, 
who buy 50% of the show. His 
modus operandi is to do extensive 
promoting. Canada Dry, sponsor-’ 
ing the first quarter-hour of his 
“Memory Lane” (which exhibits 
old film footage and plays vintage 
records mixed with interviews), 
gets a daily plug from local restau¬ 
rateurs instead of the usual 
straight commercial. Franklin 
lines up the restaurant contacts for 
the sponsor. This helps build good 
will and new biz among eatires. 

Additionally, Franklin guaran¬ 
tees sponsors, if they take more 
Than three spots per week, 2,000 
point-of-sale streamers. Point-of- 
sale merchandising is expensive, 
and most stations have retrenched 
because of it. The emcee main¬ 
tains two private legmen to sup¬ 
plement the WABC merchandising 
staff in distributing point-of-sale 
material. 

Tex McCrary and ’Jinx Falken- 
burg on WRCA exemplify the per¬ 
sonal appearance approach to at¬ 
tracting sponsors. They do even 
more than Franklin, making a 
flock of “in persons” at grocery 
(Continued on page 50) 


Frank Sinatra To 
Roll ’Em at Night 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Frank Sinatra feels that he 
works more effectively at night, 
which cues his disclosure that he 
plans to film his upcoming ABC-TV 
series on a 7 p.m.-3 a.m. schedule. 
“There’s no rule that I have to 
work days,” he states. 

(Such shooting will up at least a 
portion of his labor costs. IA Cam¬ 
eraman’s Local 659 commented 
that according to its basic pact, all 
shooting between 8 p.m.-l a.m. 
draws a 10% night premium, and 
between 1 a.m.-6 a.m., a 20% per¬ 
cent premium.) 

Lensing on the “Frank Sinatra 
Show” " (present tentative title) 
commences in June, for fall ABC- 
TV airing. Once shooting gets un¬ 
derway, the produccr-actor-singer 
plans to film one and a half to one 
and three-quarters shows weekly. 
Sinatra will finish 12 teleplays, 
then shoot a theatrical feature be¬ 
fore resuming telepix production. 

More details are now available 
on the format of the show. It’s been 
disclosed that Sinatra will divide 
the show among musical, dramatic 
and comedy episodes. However, 
dramatic portions will be divided 
between segments based on a cen¬ 
tral character, which will star 
Sinatra, and 'an anthology series, 
which heTl merely hgst. 

Musical segments v will revolve 
around standard tunes, primarily. 
However, episodes will be so con¬ 
structed as to permit subbing of 
current pops, as required. 

Meanwhile, Sinatra is organizing 
three, units, each with a director 
and writer (or single director- 
writer), to deal with different cate¬ 
gories. Units will be under charge 
of one overall producer, it was 
learned. 


OG Cancels Camel 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

It “doesn’t take much to trig¬ 
ger off an ad man. Long part 
of the outdoor decor of Las 
Vegas’ Sahara Hotel is a repli¬ 
ca of a camel and three men. 

Nick Keeseley, tv head of 
Lenrten & Newell ad agency, 
repping Old Gofd bigs, is about 
to bow “Fabulous Las Vegas” 
on KNXT here, to emanate 
live from the Sahara Jan. 5. 
Said he, when he spotted the 
display, “The camel has gotta 
go; the wise men can stay.” 

Writers Guild Settles 
$1,000,000 Suit Vs. NBC 
In Snarl Over Scribes 

Law suitin-excess of $1,000,000 
by the Writers of Guild of America 
East against NBC was settled out 
of court this week. Simultaneously, 
formal charges before the National 
Labor Relations Board, concerning 
alleged interference, restraint and 
coercion by the network and the 
National Assn, of Broadcast Engi¬ 
neers and Technicians, were with¬ 
drawn. 

Suit and the NLRB complaint 
were based on a Guild contention 
that during the Democratic Na¬ 
tional Convention in Chicago NBC 
paid to enroll three WGA news- 
writers in NABET, without first 
consulting the seribes involved. 
The WGA-NBC writers arrived in 
Chicago to find NABET member¬ 
ship cards on their desks. WGA 
charged that this undermined its 
power to represent writers the 
moment they left their" usual base 
of operations. 

In the NBC-WGA settlement, the 
network conceded that it had made 
a payment to NABET in settlement 
of a grievance, adding that “it was 
not its intention or understanding 
that such payment would either, di- 
[rectly or indirectly form a basis 
for NABET membership of any 
| staff radio and tv pewswriters from 
N. Y. C.” NBC concluded by say¬ 
ing that WGA was at no time a 
party to the NBC action or was the 
Guild ever, aware of it until the 
cards were left on the writers’ 
temporary Chi desks. 

Actually, what WGA was driving 
for was a clarification by NBC that 
no Guild member, regardless of 
where he travels, will be subject„to» 
the control, of another union be¬ 
cause of temporary relocation for 
the network. WGA is formal bar¬ 
gaining agent for network news 
scribes in New York. 

NBC GETS OKAY ON 
WEST HARTFORD UHF 

NBC-TV last week officially took 
over ownership of its second UHF 
station and seventh o&o when the 
FCC gave the final okay on trans¬ 
fer of WKNB-TV in West Hart¬ 
ford, Conn. The Channel 30 trans¬ 
fer took place while the NBC brass 
was in Miami for the 30th anni cele¬ 
bration, and staff veep Joseph Hef- 
fernan represented the network in 
the transfer from New Britain 
Broadcasting to NBC. 1 

Transfer had been held up briefly 
by the FCC in the wake of the 
Government antitrust suit against 
the web, but the greenlight was 
flashed last week. 

Delbert Mann Preps 
ABC-TV Hr. Drama Pilot 

ABC-TV will be shooting two 
pilots for 1957-’58 shows in the 
next few days. Big entry is a filmed 
pilot, directed by Delbert Mann, 
for next season’s ABC dramatic 
60-minuter. Other pilot will be a 
new one for the Jan Sterling 
“Publicity Girl” series iniated last 
season.” 

Network will retain production 
control of the hour dramatic 
show, most of which will be live, .a 
couple of which will be filmed. 
Hour will be a meller. 

It’s expected that Mann; who di¬ 
rected “Speaking of Murder,” 
which opens on Broadway tonight 
(WedJ will direct the majority of 
the ABC hour live dramas. 



KLZ—RAD, 10 STAR 

DALE MORGAN 

If you want to s-11 it in Denver— 
sell with Morgan on KLZ. Morgan’s 
special knowhow with commercials 
gets fast action.. /-sure-fire • results. 
His morning show on KLZ, Monday 
thru Saturday is TOP-RATED in 
the Denver market. 


Ronson Cutback on 
‘Playhouse’. Poses 
An Interim’ Snarl 

Only a couple of weeks after the 
CBS-TV “Playhouse 90” achieved 
SRO status, it has run into spon¬ 
sorship problems. Ronson, one of 
the show’s charter bankrollers, has 
asked CBS to allow it to drop out 
of the show completely for the 
first 13 weeks of 1957, due to the 
traditional first-quartep seasonal 
slack in its sales. 

It’s not likely that CBS will 
accede to the request, although it 
is attempting to find a shortterm 
bankroller to fill in for Ronson. At 
the same / time, Norman, Craig & 
k Kummel, Ronson’s agency, is look¬ 
ing for a substitute to take over 
the seven alternate-week half-hours 
to which Ronson is committed dur¬ 
ing the first quarter. 

Ronson has already cut back in 
its sponsorship oh the segment, 
going from a half-hour every week 
to a half-hour alternate weeks ef¬ 
fective the first of the year. The 
alternate-week cutback, however, 
bas been absorbed by Bristol- 
Myers, which is expanding from 
alternate-week to every-week sta¬ 
tus at that time. Situation came 
about through Ronson’s contract, 
which called for weekly sponsor¬ 
ship for the first 13 weeks and 
alternate-week 1 bankrolling there¬ 
after. At the same time, Bristol- 
Myers had an option to increase 
its sponsorship from alternate- 
_week to every-week after the first 
cycle, which it exercised when 
Ronson cut back. However, Ronson 
now wants out on its alternate- 
week situation as well for the first 
quarter of the year only. 

Ronson every-week clause for its 
first 13-week cycle was designed, 
of course, to take advantage of its 
hot pre-Christmas market. How¬ 
ever, after- Christmas, its lighter- 
shaver market falls off sharply, 
explaining the alternate-week deal 
and its current request for a com¬ 
plete hiatus. If CBS or NC&K 
can’t find someone to take over 
the time, however, Ronsop will 
have to stay in. 


Bob Wallace doing a 10-minute 
late-night news roundup for Shell 
Oil and five-minute “In the Press 
Box” sports segue for Brylcreem, 
over WCDA-TV, Albany. 


New York Herald Tribuno Columnist 

Hy Gardner 

recaps what a pseudo-Quii Kid 
taxldriver (N. Y. brand) 
thinks about TV 

in an amusing, biting piece titled 

‘From a Usual Reliable 

Source 9 

* * * 

one of the many bright editorial 
features in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P^RIETY 


‘Trial By TV’ Aired Again 

, San Diego, Dec* 18. 

Another hassle surrounding television coverage of court trials 
erupted last week here when a Superior Court Judge threatened 
to cite KFMB-TV newsman Harold Keen for contempt for inter¬ 
viewing two kidnapping trial witnesses after they had already 
testified and been excused by the court. 

Threatened contempt citation was delivered in court by Judge 
John A. Hewicker, presiding over the Ruth Latham kidnapping- 
attempted murder case. Judge Hewicker told Keen, who does a 
nightly interview*show called “People in the News,” that he would 
be cited if he interviewed any more witnesses in the case. 

George Whitney, v.p.-general manager of Wrather-Alvarez 
Broadcasting Co., owners of KFMB-TV, said the station and legal 
counsel of the NARTB are launching an “intensive study to detert 
mine whether infringement of constitutional privileges is in¬ 
volved.” Whitney said that “little or no legal precedent has been 
established to determine the right to interview witnesses who have 
testified and have been excused from a trial. . . Shall a judge have 
the power to tell us whom we may or may not interview? . . . Thor¬ 
ough reserach is now being made as to the rights of television 
under the freedom of the press provision of the U.S. Constitution 
to report trials in this manner without intuit with the judi¬ 
cial process. 


WGA’ers Yen Ad Agencies in Saddle 

Vs. Webs; Replay Coin As One Issue 

- : - + 


Borax loves ‘Valley’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 18.. 

“Death Valley Days” series has 
been renewed by Pacific Coast 
Borax Co., which is bankrolling 40 
more telefilms, budget involved be¬ 
ing around $1,200,000. 

Buck McGowan is producer ,of 
the series for McGowan Produc¬ 
tions. 

Paulu’s Savvy Tome 
Of Factual Info On 
British Broadcasting 

By RC BERT J. LANDRY 

There are 457 pages and a treas¬ 
ure trove of factual data in the 
volume, “British’ Broadcasting,” 
written by Burton PaAlu which 
finally gives the bibliography pf 
broadcasting an authoritative work 
by an American on the air-folk¬ 
ways of the tight little island. 
Such a work will be of much use¬ 
fulness to those seeking carefully- 
checked-at-the-source material on 
Britain. It is gratuitous to add that 
somebody should have written, or 
a Foundation should have ar¬ 
ranged, such a tome 15 years ago. 

Paulu is the longtime manager 
of radio KUOM of the U. of Minne¬ 
sota and that institution’s press at, 
Minneapolis has published the 
book, priced at $6. The panorama 
is from earliest radio to the cur¬ 
rent situation in television with 
“competition” for the first time. 

Complete with index, appendixes 
and - references and written In 
scholarly style but with a Jucid 
prose colored by occasional well- 
modulated humor, “British Broad¬ 
casting” has enough of the behind 
scenes feeling to make the reader 
sense what it was like at the BBC 
when that latterday Oliver Crom¬ 
well of stern morality, Sir John 
Reith, ruled with imperious arro¬ 
gance, quick to boot out any staffer 
so unfortunate as to be involved 
in divorce. °No matter if the inno¬ 
cent party was penalized. Broad¬ 
casters had to be above even taint 
by reflection. Reith considered 
himself justified in querying ap¬ 
plicants for employment at BBC: 
“Do you accept the fundamental 
teachings of Jesus Christ?” 

Reith sought to prevent outside 
activities by his staff. They might 
(Continued on page 30) 


L.I.CBS-C0L PLANT 

sold to realtor: 

CBS finally disposed of its CBS- 
Columbia plant in Long Island City 
last week, selling it to realty op¬ 
erator Frederick Brown. Sale of 
the square-block plant is the final 
step in the disposition of all of 
CBS’ radio-tv manufacturing prop¬ 
erties and Wipes the slate clean on 
that operation. 

Sale price wasn’t disclosed, but 
in its reports to stockholders, CBS 
declared it anticipated a loss in 
the disposition of the plant of about 
9c per share, which with over 7,- 
000,000 shares outstanding would 
bring the loss on the sale to ap¬ 
proximately $650,000. Earlier, CBS 
announced losses in the dissolution 
of the subsidiary of 35c a share, 
or approximately $2,450,000. 


A belief expressed in Writers 
Guild of America ranks is that tv 
writers have more to gain than lose 
if advertising agencies are success¬ 
ful in wresting control of program¬ 
ming from networks. This vfew is 
at wide variance with the objection 
of many writers recently to what 
they regard as- “censorship” by 
agencies and sponsors. However, 
the new attitude is based on a feel¬ 
ing that dealing* directly with 
agencies is economically sounder 
for writers than dealing with net¬ 
work producers. 

As to story cofttent, the networks 
are thought to be more liberal than 
commission houses. But, seen as 
a serious fault of network-pro¬ 
duced shows is most of them de¬ 
mand that writers give one-year to 
two-year exclusivity on replay* 
This is not usually true of agencies. 

A network, as WGA sees it, tries 
to “protect” its stories by demand¬ 
ing rerun rights and thereby freez¬ 
ing out rival webs. Networks have 
been given the right in the WGA 
contract to retain rerun rights for 
p.year from the date of the script’s 
delivery, only proviso being that it 
must be produced within 26 weeks 
of delivery. And simply by paying 
1 (1% to the authoi? the network 
keeps the option for two years. 

WGA feels it would be alright if 
the networks reran more of the 
scripts they have under option but 
the incideftce of replay is very 
slight—only a few in the last sev¬ 
eral years, from among all the live 
shows produced. Guild seeks a 
single-right clause whereby the 
writer can peddle the script on the 
open market after its video rurt, 
ThSf includes legit and motion pic¬ 
ture resales, now precluded for 
two years. By that time excite¬ 
ment, if any, has worn off the video 
showing. 

On the other hand, J. Walter 
(Continued on page 50) . 


AFTRA Walkout 
Looms jn Frisco 

* San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

AFTRA’S Frisco local is on verge 
of striking agaihst the four most 
important indie radio stations in 
the area and already has strike 
sanction from the Alameda County 
Labor Council to walk out on 
KLX^ Oakland, and KROW, Oak¬ 
land. Strike sanction from the 
San Francisco Labor Council is 
.being sought now against KYA and 
KSFO here. 

At stake, according to the local’s 
executive secretary, Bruce Poyer, 
are raises and pension fund per¬ 
centages for announcers at all four 
outlets. AFTRA is seeking a $15 
pAy hike, from current $150 weekly 
scale, for 17 announcers at the 
stations, plus 5% in a package for 
creation of pension fund. Old con¬ 
tract expired Oct. 31. Best man¬ 
agement offer so far has been $5. 

Strike would affect some 18 to 
20 AFTRA freelancers who also 
work for the four stations, includ¬ 
ing, strangely enough, KLX gen¬ 
eral manager Bud Foster and 
program director Bill Laws. Fosjter 
and Laws are both “talent,” belong 
to AFTRA, but Foster has prom¬ 
ised that in case of a walkout he 
would not go oh the air., 


Wednesday, December %% -195tf v £_ ; _ PffiSfWFV _ RAlftd-TEfaGVtSliOilV ; 27 


rf 


¥ 


The Week’s Trendex 

CBS-TV continued its strong domination of Sunday nights on the 
week's Trendex line, in spite of an NBC spec lineup that had 
Greer Garson topping a star cast in “The Little Foxes" at 7:30-9 
and Dinah Shore with her Sunday "Chevy Show at 9 to -10. Jack 
Benny topped the Hallmark production of “Foxes" in the first 
half-hour, 23.1 to 16.3 (8.6 for ABC’s “Amateur Hour"), while in 
the final hour Ed Sullivan nearly doubled the “Foxeif' rating, °34.5 
to 17.7, with ABC showing a 6.1 for the second half of “Amateur" 
and a 2.0 for “Press Conference." The overall “Foxes" average on 
the 90 minutes was 18.4. 

At 9 to 10, Dinah averaged out to a 22.3, with ABC’s “Omnibus" 
averaging to 4.2. But CBS’ “General Eleetrie Theatre"-hit-a 24.7 
and “Hitchcock Presents” a 25.8 to down Dinah, whose half-hour 
standings were 23,2 and 21.4. On Saturday night, Perry Como, 
originating out of Miami, increased his spread over Jackie Gleason 
to the widest margin yet, hitting a 28.7 to Gleason’s 21.9 and ABC's 
“Famous Film Festival's" 4.6. On Sunday, incidentally, CBS 
preemed two afternoon shows, “Mama," which scored 9.9 vs. 'NBC’s 
“Topper" score of 0.6, and “The Boing-Boing Show," which hit an 
H.7 vs. “Captain Gallant’s" 8.9 on NBC. - 

Earlier in the week, “Playhouse 90’s" “Sincerely Willis Wayde" 
got beaten by Tennessee Ernie Ford but topped “Lux Video Thea¬ 
tre." Scoreboard Tvas 20.2 for Ernie and 16.8 for “Lux," as against 
a 90-minute average of 19.4 for “90." Earlier Thursday, the NBC 
combo of “Dragnet" and “People's Choice" topped CBS* “Shower 
of Stars" with.a 24.0 and 21,4 compared with “Shower’s" 20/5. ABC 
upped its ratings that night, scoring a 6.9 with “Circus Time" at 
8:30, a 10.4 for “Wire Service" at 9 and a 13.0 for “Wire Service" 
at 9:30. 

Victor Borge outraced the competition in his Tuesday night 9-10 
spec outing on CBS, averaging a 23.9. The NBC competition was 
Jane Wyman with a 14.8 and the first, half of “Armstrong Circle 
Theatre" with a 12.9, while ABC’s “Broken Arrow" hit 19.3 and 
Cavalcade Theatre" 11.8. Interesting Wednesday night rating was 
that of “Twenty-One," soon to shift to Mondays on NBC, which in 
a six-city Trendex hit a 19.5, compared with “U.S. Steel Hour’s" 
19.6 on the full 15-city line. __ 


Harpo Still a Mum-Act 


Won’t Tjdk for Money or to Horses, So 'Playhouse 
90 9 Must Rewrite ‘Snowshoes’ 


Harpo Marx pulled his dumb Act 
last week and as a result the CBS- 
TV “Playhouse 90" staff is in for 
some heavy rewrites on the Jan. 3 
production of “Snowshoes," an 
original comedy by Bob Barbash. 

“Playhouse" producer Martin 
Manulis has signed Marx to play 
the' partner of Barry Sullivan as 
owners of a racehorse after which 
the comedy is titled. It was a 
speaking part, hut Marx put his 
foot down on that, declaring that 
there' isn’t enough money “any¬ 
where in show business to make 
me talk." 

So Stu Erwin, who had been 
lined up in the featured cast, along 
with Marilyn Maxwell, Wallace 
Ford and John Carradine, was 
given Harpo’s part, and now Manu¬ 
lis, Barbash & Co. are. trying to 
write in a special non-speaking role 
for Harpo, with the probability 
that they’ll so work it that he’ll 
play himself. Barbash, inciden¬ 
tally, is new to. television—he's the 
operator of Regal Travel Centre 
in downtown Manhattan. 

CBS Radios Take 
Tea & See 300G’ 

CBS R, io continued its sales 
spurt this week with the inking of 
two more daytime contracts, one 
of them a 52-(veek renewal, 
amounting to gross revenues of 
$410,000. Renewal was the major 
coin deal, with Thomas Llpton Co. 
shelling out $300,000 gross fo* a 
year’s repacting on its alternate- 
week pattern on “Ma Perkins." 
Lipton picks up five seven-and-one- 
half-minute segments every other 
week on the soaper. Deal was set 
via Young & Rubicam. 

Accounting for less coin, $110,- 
000 gross, but significant because 
Jf its absence from network radio 
ior some time, is a 13-week pact 
with Listerine, out of the Lambert 
g Feasley agency* The Lambert 
£harmfccal brand will sponsor 
nve seven-and-a-half-minute seg¬ 
ments a week in daytime over 13 
"eeks starting Jan. 7. 


Gagman 

Eddie Davis 

<teprlset a cavalcade of personal 
humor In a bright place 

The Joke’s On Me 

* * * 

one of the many editorial feature* 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 


NBC, ABC Dicker 
Bmg Crosby Deal 
AsCBSTieU 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 
B4qg Crosby is exiting his long¬ 
time CBS Radio berth Dec. 28, 
upon expiration of his contract 
with the network, and he’s already 
begun talks with ABC and NBC 
anent both/ a radio show and pos¬ 
sible television deals as well. His 
pact with CBS-TV ended earlier. 

Crosby said he hopes to reacti¬ 
vate his radio segment on ABC or 
NBC after the first of the year. 
“We might get some action on NBC 
Or ABC. They’re talking about it," 
he said. “As for tv, I’m going to 
wait and see what they come up 
with. But I wouldn’t care to do 
riiore than one show because they 
just couldn’t afford it." 

One factor in the ankling of his 
CBS radio show is the fact that it 
had trouble landing sponsors. A 
CBS spokesman said the reason for 
that stemmed from the high cost 
of the flve-a-week package. CBS is 
trying to arrange for the “Amos 
V Andy Music Hall," which runs 
back-to-back with Crosby as a 15- 
minute strip, to expand to a half- 
hour when Crosby goes off. The 
current Crosby strip segment has 
been on the network for nearly the 
past three years. Prior to that, he 
had a half-hour show for some five, 
or more years. He started on CBS 
(Continued on page 50) 


T 

FOR PRIME TIME 

For the first time in television, 
a Class AA network rate is being 
propounded for prime, evening 
hours between 8 and 10. The new 
rate is being prepared by CBS-TV 
for its Rate Card No. 13, due to be 
published the first or -second week 
in January, and it will place pre- 
miuni time charges on the new A A 
block,\as distinct from current 
Class A charges in network time 
between 7:30 and 8 and 10 to 11. 

Extent of the increase in AA 
time over the current A rates isn’t 
known yet, and in fact the entire 
project is of an extreme hush-hush 
nature. Inquiries about the new 
rate brought denials all the way 
down the line, from CBS prez 
Frank Stanton and sales v.p. Wil¬ 
liam Hylan. However, it’s been 
learned that the new rate has been 
thoroughly worked over and appar¬ 
ently has gotten a policy-level 
okay. 

The AA classification is brand- 
new to networking, though it is a 
standard category on station rate 
cards. The AA station rate applies 
to prime evening time periods, but 
in effect has application only to 
adjacencies, since the time periods 
covered in the AA classification are 
network option periods and net¬ 
work programs are carried in those 
periods, making them by and large 
unavailable to station sponsors. 

The new classification would 
take advantage of the fact that de¬ 
spite the designation of 7:30 to 
10:30 (usually 11 p.m.) as prime 
evening time, the concentration of 
viewing tends to centre about the 
8 to 10 hours, with the 7:30 and 
10 p.m. hours in relation to 8-iO 
taking the form of “fringe" time. 
On a competitive basis, the action 
may prove a benefit to NBC and 
particularly ABC. Latter tradition¬ 
ally has benefltted from SRO situ¬ 
ations on the other webs and even 
from higher time charges on the 
others. Should the AA classifica¬ 
tion prove too rich for many spon¬ 
sors, they conceivably could look 
to ABC and NBC for their time 
purchase. 

Alcoa Balks, Hallmark 
Switches to Wed. Slot 
For Season’s Windup 

“Hallmark Hall of Fame" will 
switch from its Sunday night spec 
berth to Wednesday for its sixth 
and final show of the. .season in 
mid-April. It will preempt “Father 
Knows Best" and “Kraft Television 
Theatre" on that date to take over 
the 8:30 to 10 spot. Property isn’t 
set yet, but producer-director 
George Schaefer said he'd like to 
wind the season with a Shakes¬ 
pearean work. 

Reason for the switch is Hall¬ 
mark’s peculiar rotating Sunday 
status, wherein it is doing three 
shows this season in the 7:30 to 9 
berth and was scheduled to do the 
other three at 9 to 10:30. However, 
Alcoa, which normally occupies the 
alternate-week 9 to 10 period, in¬ 
sisted there be no more than two 
preemptions of its time during the 
season, necessitating the shift to 
Wednesday. 



BeVt, Harry & Salk 

Bert and Harry Piel, Piel 
Bee r’s animated pitchmen 
(otherwise known as Bob & 
Ray) are now selling polio vac¬ 
cine to the public. New York 
City Health Department bor¬ 
rowed the “beer ambassadors" 
to do a 20-second animated 
telefilm blurb urging all New 
Yorkers under 40 to get vac¬ 
cinated. 

Ed Graham, who conceived 
and writes the Bert - Harry 
spots. Young & Rubicam ar¬ 
tist Jack Sidebotham and UPA 
did the Salk shot spiel—along 
with (Bob) Elliott and (Ray) 
Goulding. Dr. Leona Baum¬ 
gartner, Health Commissioner, 
is partying the crew this after¬ 
noon (Wed.) at her downtown 
office. 


Some Radical Changes on Tap For 
Nielsen’s Network Radio Ratings; 
Explore Changes in TV Tallies 


| Hollywood Scriptcr 

Lou Derman 

delves Into the magic of Univac 
with on amusing piece 

Situation Wanted 

* * * 

another editorial feature 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P'Sriety 

Chrysler Ad'Head 
Ask Single TV 
Rating Service 

Chicago, Dec. 18. 

Richard Forbes, advertising di¬ 
rector of Chrysler Corp. which is 
currently underwriting five night¬ 
time network tv shows, warned 
yesterday that television must 
develop single comprehensive in¬ 
dustry-wide rating service to pro¬ 
vide an accurate circulation yard¬ 
stick for time and program costs. 
He spoke before the Broadcast Ad¬ 
vertising Club. 

Advertising exec said that while 
the present rating services are do¬ 
ing a “fine job’’ under circum¬ 
stances, they aren’t offering the 
kind of evaluation that television 
as big business deserves. Draw¬ 
ing an anology with the publish¬ 
ing field, he said the networks 
also control the editorial content 
of their medium and have respon¬ 
sibility for devising industry-wide 
audience measurement machinery. 

Such a single research effort 
could be the cheapest insurance 
ever purchased and the first step 
toward charges for tv time and tal¬ 
ent commensurate with audience 
reached," Forbes asserted. 

Warner-Lambert To 
Share Sinatra Show 
With $2,800,000 Tab 

Warner-Lambert has put in a 
$2,800,000 order for alternate weeks 
on the ABC-TV Frank Sinatra 
showcase slated for the fall. Deal 
has not been firmed yet, because of 
the possibility of product conflicts. 

Warner-Lambert deal also calls 
for co-sponsorship of the two Sina¬ 
tra specs, one of which will kick off * 
the season for the Thursday night 
show. L&M bought the shows 
from the network and has final 
okay on the alternate bankroller. 

It’s, understood that the deal was 
negotiated by Helen Guy, the only 
woman on the ABC sales staff. It 
includes 26 half-hour shows. 


Vinton Freedley Jr. To 
TV Dept. Inc. as Veep 

Vinton Freedley Jr., former na¬ 
tional sales manager of NBC Radio, 
has joined TV Dept. Inc. as a v.p. 
and member of the board. TV 
Dept, is a new servicing outfit, af¬ 
filiated with Motion Picture Ad¬ 
vertising Service of New Orleans 
and Minot TV in N. Y. Company 
is headed by William Deering. 

Freedley, before his NBC sales 
stint, was an account exec at 
BBD&O and Fo6to, Cone & Beld- 
ing. 


A proposal to radically alter the 
reporting of ratings for network 
radio is being explored by A. C. 
Nielsen and the four radio nets. 
Also being explored are suggested 
changes of Nielsen reporting of tv 
ratings, but it is understood that 
the tv proposals are far less of a 
departure from current practices 
than those recommended for radio. 

The heart of the radio proposal 
is to shift from the present prac¬ 
tice of rating individual shows and 
individual periods to rendering cu¬ 
mulative ratings on the total num- 
of homes delivered, as well as 
different homes delivered, by a 
particular show taking the number 
of times the show is aired weekly 
into consideration. Additionally, 
the proposed new Nielsen Radio 
Index would tabulate the cumula¬ 
tive audience ourchased by a spon¬ 
sor. who bought segments In a va- 
rielv of shows. 

The suggested changes, which 
h,?ve be^n the subject of talks be¬ 
tween Nielsen execs and net of¬ 
ficials for the past two weeks, are 
aimed to meet the changed condi¬ 
tions in radio broadcasting, condi¬ 
tions marked by sponsors not buy¬ 
ing particular show's, but different 
segments in a multiplicity of 
show's. 

A decision on the proposed radio 
changes is exoected sometime after 
the first of the year. To be put 
into effect, agreement among the 
four radio nets would bo required, 
unless for example, the remaining 
three nets. w r ere willing by them¬ 
selves to foot the bill. Also Niel¬ 
sen would require an okay from its 
agencies, advertisers clients, but 
that is seen as no major hurdle if 
nets give the plan the go-ahead. 

Nielsen, under the nrojected new 
program, is reportedly raising . Its 
rates about 15% to the radio nets. 

New Features 

Here are the chief features of 
the proDosed NRI service: 

All reportable programs to be 
included without regard to spon¬ 
sor-agency subscriber status, (un¬ 
der the present setup Nielsen re¬ 
serves the right to withhold 20% 
of program ratings in its NRI re¬ 
port.) 

Four-week 'cumulative audience 
by program and sponsor segments. 

Four-week cumulative audience 
by networks, by sponsors, with the 
segments of the latter all com¬ 
bined. 

Full network audiences based on 
fou t-- week cumulative. 

As to the frequency of national 
NRI reports, the proposal calls for 
the same number of weeks record¬ 
ed as at present, that is 48 per 
year. However, 12 reports will be 
issued per year, each based on four 
measured weeks, instead of 24 re¬ 
ports, each based on two weeks. 
In effect, there will be 12 measure- 
(Continued on page 50) 

Van Rooten New 
N.Y.AFTRAPrez 

Luis Van Rooten is unopposed 
for presidency of the New York 
local of American Federation of 
Television & Radio Artists. In 
nominations handed in late last 
w'eek, the Coalition slate went en¬ 
tirely unopposed—despite previ¬ 
ous talk that local AFTRA would 
not countenance an unopposed 
election — and the forthcoming 
membership vote will only be a 
formality. 

Charles Collingwood, incumbent 
prexy, chose not to run again as 
an independent. In addition to 
Van Rooten, Alan Buntz, Leon 
Janney, Conrad Nagel, Cliff Nor¬ 
ton and Dick Stark will be elected 
veeps. Rae MacGregor gets the 
secretary’s job and Travis Johnson 
becomes treasurer. Middle-of- 
Road posted no candidates, though 
it supports Coalitionite Janney. 



I 


Wtjfrmduyt Pccjcmbtr 19,1956 




IT FIGURES ! 

From the latest Nielsen (first report for November) come 
the dimensions of CBS Badio’s network leadership today . 
Top-rated program in all radio was u Election Beturns” 
on CBS Badio-wMch led the next network by 38% l 
In the listings for Saturdays , all ten top-rated daytime 
programs are on CBS Badiol And weekdays ... 
43 of the first 43 are on the CBS Badio Network! 



Wechte^day,' pecfemfcer 















$0 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


PfiiKti&Fr 


"Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


Steps Up a Unique Contribution 


Armed with a mandate from the4j== 


Veterans Aomini^'ratlon, knowing 
from personal experience the need, 
the Veterans Hospital Radio Guild 
plans a broad expansion of its ac- 
tivitdes for 1957. * , 

The VHRG. members of which 
are really ambassadors of the en¬ 
tertainment industry currently 
services 43 hospitals, nine of which 
via persona] visits from VHRG vol¬ 
unteers. The immediate goal, in 
response to a VA request, is to ex¬ 
tend volunteer unit service to 16 
additional VA hospitals, and script 
kit service to 20 more VA hospitals. 
The ultimate goal is to service all 
of the 174 VA hospitals in the U. S. 
and Dossessions with volunteer 
VHRG units. 

For a show biz industry activity 
that has won Congressional recog¬ 
nition and a warm endorsement 
from the VA—as well as the en¬ 
thusiastic participation of hun¬ 
dreds of VA patients—the VHRG 
has received relatively little pub¬ 
licity. In years past, when its 
scope was more limited, perhaps 
that factor was unimportant. At its 
inception in 1948, the organization 
just serviced Halloran Hospital. 
That is a far cry from the expand¬ 
ed goal of today of servicing every 
VA hosptial in the country. To do 
that volunteers from every section 
of the country are needed, as well 
as funds to buy microphones, tape 
recorders, scripts, props, sheet 
music, etc. 

, At the heart of the VHRG pro¬ 
gram is the slogan of helping the 
patients help themselves. Rather 
than bringing “spectator entertain¬ 
ment" to passive or non-partici- 
v pating audiences, VHRG teaches 
hospitalized vets to create their 
own entertainment. With the as¬ 
sistance of professional teams, 
drawn from many facets of show 
biz ranging from broadcasting to 
ad’ agency personnel, patients are 
invited to tape a recorded show. 
The taped show is then played over 
the “hospital bedside network." via 
earphones or loudspeakers. For a 
very simple idea, it has very bene¬ 
ficial results. Participating pa¬ 
tients in the show get a kick out 
of playing roles ranging from a 
“heavy to a vocalizing deejay. 
There always is an attempt to get 
as many patients as possible to par¬ 
ticipate in the going on and when 
the climate is favorable, commu¬ 
nity singing is held. And the “hos¬ 
pital network" airing gives the 
whole thing a local flavor, a tang 
all its own. 

Currently, teams composed of 
from eight to 12 volunteers are 
visiting the following VA hospitals 
once a week: Brooklyn, Manhattan, 
Kingsbridge, -Montrose, Castle- 
point, Northport, N. Y.; East 
Orange and Lyons, N. J., and Bos¬ 
ton, Mass. The remaining 35 hos¬ 
pitals services are via script kits. 

The VHRG has many success 
stories to tell, the tale of a para¬ 
plegic who upon leaving the hos¬ 
pital became a professional deejay, 
the story of a singer, now doing 
nitery dates, who began vocalizing 
as a patient at the “bedside net¬ 
work." These examoles, though 
are typical, the VHRG as an or¬ 
ganization shies away from at¬ 
tempting to make pros out of those 
patients participating in its pro¬ 
gram. The organizations’ big suc¬ 
cess story is that a great many 
servicemen are reminded weekly 
by show biz people that the world 
outside has not forgotten them, 
and that these ambassadorial teams 
fro mthe industry are on hand to 
help them in entertaining them¬ 
selves. 

And for those hospitals for which 
volunteer manpower is not avail¬ 
able, VHRG sends out kits consist¬ 
ing of scripts, directions on how to 
use them, sheet music, etc. But 
perhaps in 1957, with additional 
volunteers and new chapters else¬ 
where in the. country, as well as 
fresh money,* ex-servicemen will 
have the extra stimulation of visits. 


British B’casting 

; Continued from page 26 


not review books or direct letters 
to the editors or lecture or indulge 
in amateur theatricals. It was. of 
course, unthinkable that any BBC 
talent should also be heard on con¬ 
tinental stations such as Luxem¬ 
bourg, Normandie, Eire. x I 

Paulu rpports the magnificent* 
absurdity of the Lambert-Levita 
case of 1936. The editor of the 
BBC . publication, The Listener, 
amused himself with a description 
of a Talking Mongoose which was 
clairvoyant, able to read minds, 
identify motor cars, had killed 118 
rabbits but refrained from doing 
so out of season, and so on. Lam¬ 
bert sued Sir Cecil Levita for 
slander because latter told BBC 
superiors that Lambert actually 
believed in the Talking Mongoose. 

Such a court action—possible 
only under British libel laws—and 
a verdict of $30,000 damages would 
have been unique if standing in 
isolation but it became involved 
with attempts to “intimidate” the 
BBC employe because Sir Cecil 
was a personal chum of the BBC 
chairman (not Reith). There was 
a frightful howl throughout the 
United Kingdom. 

Also fascinating this side are de¬ 
tails as reprised by Paulu of the 
bitter debate which preceded com¬ 
mercial tv. In that America was, 
to say the least, the much-cited 
“horrible example" used by oppo-i 
i_*;nts in Parliament. 

With so much material in hand 
it is perhaps quibbling (critic-like 
propensity) to regret the absence 
of a profile of Harry Towers (Tow¬ 
ers of London, of course), that 
amazing office boy-that-was of 
Radio Normandie’s English lan¬ 
guage concessionaires. He has 
since become a world marketeer 
.of British programs. This stunning 
career of young enterprise has 
never been adequately analyzed. 
Paulu’s knowledge of the pre- 
World War II period is necessarily 
derived only from sources. Nor 
does he refer to that delightful 
music hall spoof of the period, 
“We’re Frightfully BBC." 

The sheer labor involved in 
Paulu ’s “British Broadcasting" 
(possible only thanks to a Full- 
bright grant) cannot, however, but 
command great respect. Paulu 
writes well, marshals his facts in 
a way that proves his intellectual 
disciplines. He has organized the 
text to keep the up-to-date condi¬ 
tions foremost. As he should. Stu¬ 
dents will.be enchanted. In which 
regard not the least arresting data 
is Paulu’s description of the BBC’s 
Training Courses — all-important 
there since not one British univer¬ 
sity (until Bristol, just now be¬ 
ginning) has ever condescended to 
teach theatrical, much less broad¬ 
casting, arts. 


ABC Banking onKidpic 
Lead-JntoHypo ’Mickey’ 

Foremost on ABC-TV’s daytime 
agenda foir next fall is the blue¬ 
print of a half-hour kidpic variety 
stanza. Network aims at slotting 
jl- crossrlhe-board at _4U30 r back-to- 
back with “Mickey Mouse Club.” 

ABC is not yet at the point where 
it is seeking talent for the kid strip, 
but intentions are to call up a name 
star to head the casft. Show is cal¬ 
culated to help build the lead-in 
to “Mickey," which is Relatively 
weaker in the Urst half-hour. 

Though the network, would like 
to latch on to, some live daytime 
programming next season, if it in¬ 
tends to segue into “MMC” with al 
new offering, celluloid figures to 
get the nod because it is the only 
means of maintaining the 4:30 .to .6 
block. Live could not be cleared 
uniformly around the country in 
the pre-“Mickey" time. 

Plans to do a liVe variety show,, 
first giving it a tryout on one of 
the webs o&o’s outside New York, 
have been postponed indefinitely. 
That this does not rule it ,out, how¬ 
ever. 



2 Educ’l TV’ers Okayed 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

Outstanding authorizations for 
noncommercial educational tv sta¬ 
tions rose to 46 last week when 
the FCC issued permits for ETV 
outlets in Salt Lake City and Des 
Moines. 

Utah station will be operated by 
the U. of Utah. The school system 
of Des Moines will run the Iowa 
outlet. 


New Ch. 8 & Affil 
Lineup in Port. 

Portland, Ore., Dec. 18. 
KGW-TV, Portland’s fourth tv 
‘station, went on the air last week 
after two days of dry run. The 
new Ch. 8 has grabbed off some 
of the top people from other tv 
and radio stations. 

The preem makes a big change 
in the entire-radio-tv picture here 
as networks have been shuffled 
high and low. Effective yesterday 
(Mon.), KGW-TV and KGW-AM 
are^the ABC affiliates. KLOR-TV 
was the ABC outlet, but is now 
indie. KGW-AM was the NBC 
outlet here for many years. 

Little KGON in nearby Oregon 
City Has taken on NBC after many 
indies here turned down the deal. 
KPTV continues on Ch. 27 as a 
TJHF setup still fighting for Ch. 3. 
Portia ndt’s first channel also re¬ 
mains as the NBC-TV affiliate. Ch. 
6 , KOIN-TV, continues as CBS out¬ 
let. . Ditto KOIN-AM. Westing- 
house KEX is indie, having turned 
over the ABC network to KGW. 
After all the hassles, the scorecard 
now reads: 

(TV) * 

KPTV Ch. 27 (UHF)—NBC 
KOIN Ch. 6 (VHF)— CBS 
KLOR Ch. 12 (VHF)—None 
KGW-TV Ch. 8 (VHF)—ABC 

(RADIO) 

KGW—ABC 
KOIN—CBS* 

KGON—NBC 
KEX—Indie 
KPOJ—Mutual 

There are no other changes in 
indie stations. 

Storer’s Ch. 27 continues "its 
fight for Ch. 3 and a VHF berth. 

The new Ch. 8 is owned by the 
KING-TV outfit; in Seattle. 


KNOK Fetches 300G 

Fort Worth, Dec. J 18. 

John Flood Jr., prez of Associ¬ 
ated Broadcasters, Inc., has an¬ 
nounced that he has sold KNOK 
here to John Kluge of Washington,’ 
D. C., for $300,000. 

Flood, John R. Pipes -and George 
<3. McGown bought the station in 
1953 lor $150,000. 


Chase Bank's WPIX Buys 

Chase Manhattan Bank has 
bought WPIX’s, N. Y., “4:55 News" 
and “Nightcap News," featuring 
Kevin Kennedy and John Tillman, 
effective Jan. 2. .. 

Both shows are slotted cross-the- 
board, with five minutes alloted to 
the afternoon show and 15 minutes 
to the evening wrap-up Complete 
sponsorship of the two news fea¬ 
tures puts an SRO on all WPIX 
news programs. 


ituiali, James T. Aubrey Jr. 

A dark-horse won the coveted program chieftancy at ABC-TV. 
James T. Aubrey Jr. is leaving as general manager of the CBS 
owned & operated KNXT, Los Angeles, and as manager of CBS 
network programming jn Hollywood to fill the job vacated recently 
by Robert Lewine, who has switched to NBC-TV. 

Aubrey becomes ABC-TV’s boss of talent and programs and“ v 
will receive a vicepresidency at the American Boradcasting-Para- 
mount Theatres board meeting in January. He has already joined 
ABC-TV under veep Oliver Treyz. Aubrey, who has been man¬ 
ager of KNXT since 1952 and manager of CBS Coast programming 
since last June, beat out a batch of high-priced agency program¬ 
mers for the job. 

"Appointment of Aubrey is in line with AB-PT prexy Leonard 
Goldenson’s accent on Hollywood telefilms. It is believed that 
Aubrey, because of his years in Hollywood, will be helpful to 
Goldenson in making deals with Coast producers. „ . 

As manager of network programming for CBS-TV in Hollywood, 
Aubrey was under Coast veep Al Scalpone and Guy della Cioppa 
(ex-CBS Radio), director of CBS-TV’s Coast programming. Tom 
McDermott of Benton & Bowles; Dave Levy of Young & Rubicam, 
and Phil Cohen of Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles all were 
believed in the running for the Lewine vacancy. 


IN NEW YORK CITY ... 

Wally Stark, formerly with Grey Advertising, joined traffic dept, at 
WRCA and WRCA-TV . . . Phil Silvers received special award from 
AmVets World War II veterans organization . . . CBS newsreelmen 
Larry Racies and Charles Beckman opened a new business, a custom 
hi-fi shop they’re calling Hi-Fi HQ . . . Al Perlmutter, manager of spe¬ 
cial projects for WRCA news & special events, engaged to Priscilla 
Strauss of Boston ... Bobby Scott set for CBS-TV “Good-Morning" 
Dec. 27 . . John Henry Faulk celebrated his fifth anni with WCBS 

Monday -(17) . . . Holly Shivley, head timebuyer and business. mgr. 
of the Chicago offfce, and Allen G. Bishop, account exec and market¬ 
ing staffer, upped to v.p. at Ruthrauff & Ryan , . . Robert Rafelson, 
jusf out of; the Army where he was mews editor of the Far Eastern 
Network of Armed Forces Radio & Television# service, joined CBS 
Radio as a copywriter in program promotion ... Mil* 0 ** Berle was a 
“surprise” guest on WRCA-TV’s “Punchline" last week, teaming with 
Gene Baylos in a “This Is Your Life" take off . . . Bill Leonard, still 
convalescing from a heart attack, picked up an added assignment pend¬ 
ing his'return to CBS the first of February—he’ll handle all the Pan 
American commercials for “See It Now" . . . WRCA-TV’s Ray Forrest 
won award of merit from the N. Y. WMCA for his “Children’s Thea¬ 
tre” ... Sir Cedric Hardwicke signed for “Producers’ Showcase" of¬ 
fering of “Mayerling” Feb. 4 . . . Walter Latzko, writer for the Jack 
Sterling waker-upper on WCBS, andjhis wife Margie, formerly of The 
Chordettes, take a belatett honeymq^n (after two years), with a trip to 
Central and South America on Jan, 9 . . . Kajar the Magician booked 
on “Captain Kangaroo", Saturday (22) and on “Home" Dec. 27, and 
also appears on the Sylvania commercials on “The Buccaneers” . . . 
Harry Hess, former supervisor of broadcast film operations at CBS-TV, 
joined Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample as administrative asst, to Norman 
Mathews, v.p. in charge of radio-tv commercial production . . . Frank¬ 
lin C. Ellis, financial analyist in the NBC controller’s office, named to 
new post of mgr. of business affairs for California National Produc¬ 
tions . . . Allen Swift, who does most of the voices in the Terrytoons 
cartoons, also writing several scripts for the new Terrytoon cartoon 
series, “Tom Terrific,” to be featured on “Captain Kangaroo” series 
next year . . . Betty Mandeville sneaked a week’s vacation in Miami 
between producing-directing chores on “FBI in Peace & War” on CBS 
Radio . . . Jay Barney commuting between his regular CBS Radio 
“Romance of Helen Trent" stint and the out-of-town tryout of 
“Eugenia,” with Tallulah Bankhead . . . Joyce Grenfell, British mono- 
l'ogist who guested on the Ed Sullivan show last Sunday (9), returned 
to London Saturday (15) on the Queen Mary. 

Warren Oates featured in Friday’s (21) NBC-TV “Big Story." in “Re¬ 
union" by Gail Ingram . . . N.Y. branch of Screen Actors Guild elected 
Norman MdcKaye prexy; Philip Foster, Bob Fitzsimmons, Tom Shirley 
and William Keene, v.p.’s; Hazel Mack, treasurer, and Joseph Bell, sec¬ 
retary . . . Peter Pool is newly formed Ivy Network Corp.’s first gen. 
mgr., assisted by biz manager Alan Lazarus and sales chief Robert 
Zeiger; Outfit is nine years old, but officially became a Connecticut 
corp. this, month ... A. Altaf, director of school broadcasts for Radio 
Pakistan, hit New York Monday (17) for two-week study of American 
educational broadcasting at WNYC, city-owned station . . . John, T. 
Clayton is becoming director of WHLI (L.I.,) pubaffairs dept. . . , Rob¬ 
ert Dozier, back from H’wood after adapting his own tv original, “The 
Young Stranger," for motion pic . . . Ron Manders into station services 
at Radio Ad Bureau . . . Don Ameche*, currently rehearsing “Holiday 
Lovers" legiter, on “Person to Person” this Friday (21). 

Saphire Films, producers of “Robin Hood," “Sir Lancelot" and “The 
Buccaneers,” has opened a N.Y. office under playwright Peggy Phillips 
who will function as American story editor . . . Though the Presiden¬ 
tial inaugural is still a month away, MBS news and special events 
director John D. Whitmore is shuttling between N.Y. and D.C. setting 
up broadcast coverage plans . . . Allison Hayes has been signed for a 
featured part in Screen Gems’ “Here*Comes the Showboat” ... A major 
portion of Mutual’s pre-Yyle programming will be presentation of top 
college and highschool choral groups in seasonal music. Kicked off 
Monday (17), the presentations are aired in the 3:30 to 4 p.m. segment 
of “Lots of Muslp” feature. 

Reserve Officers Assn, of the U. S. awarded the CBS-TV “Playhouse 
90” series its Distinguished Service Citation for the production of 
“Forbidden Area,” with exec v.p. Hubbell Robinson accepting the 
award for producer Martin Manulis, writer Pat Frank and the spon¬ 
sors . . . Mel Allen signed to do the NBC-TV Rose Bowl commentary 
for the sixth straight year . . . Sammy Kaye and orch to the Breakers 
in Palm Beach, so he’s taped his ABC “Sunday Serenade” shows in 
advance through March . . . Teresa Brewer guests on Perry Como 
show Dec. 29 . . . Jane Pickens and Maurice Evans serenaded 300 
handicapped children with Christmas carols yesterday (Tues.) at Beek- 
man Downtown Hosp. 

, Martin Codel back at Television Digest desk after 14 weeks. Just 
back from Europe recuperating from grave illness . . . Rin Tin Tin and 
Lee Aaker, his partner in adventure, will appear as special guests on 
the “Tennessee Ernie Ford" Christmas show tomorrow (20) . . . Martin 
Starr, Hollywood commentator for MBS, will devote his entire “Here’s 
Hollywood” broadcast today (19) to an Eddie Fisher interview taped at 
Grossingers* Hotel, where a press preview was staged for the enter¬ 
tainer appearing in RKO’s “Bundle of Joy." Starr, keeping busy, em¬ 
ceed the world premiere festivities for the opening of “Baby Doll" 
Yesterday (18) at Broadway’s Victoria Theatre. 

Robert Q. Lewis did a Santa Claus stint at Macy’s last week and 
taped his Christmas Eve-radio show at the department store . . . Geno 
Sultan, who just wound an emceeing job in New Orleans, set an NBC- 
TV’s “Modern Romances” through Dec. 28 . . . Gabe Dell switching 
from niteries back to dramatics for a stint in “Armstrong Circle. Thea¬ 
tre” Dec. 25 in “Deep Freeze" . . . Maurice Evans guests on CBS 
Radio’s “Right to Happiness” Dec. 24 to .read Henry Van Dyk’e “The 
Other Wise Man” . . . Harry Landon, sales v.p. at Olmsted Sound 
Studios, named chairman of the Volunteer Radio & Television Commit¬ 
tee of the Greater New York Fund . . . Tony Perkins makes-his first 
singing appearance on CBS Radio’s “Wpolworth Hour” Sunday (23) . . . 
Ron Cochran, who never gets home before 12:15 a.m. except on Sun-, 
days because of his MCBS-TV “Late NewS,” is getting the Christmas 
weekend off, wjith Doug Edwards and George Bryan subbing him for 
three nights; Ned Calmer and Bob Hite spell him the same nights on 
“Seven O’clock Report” . . . William Hallahan moved from network 
operations at CBS-TV to the post of program services representative, 
acting as liaison with agencies and outside producers; he replaces John 
Bolton, who resigned . . . Karl Swenson into CBS Radio’s “Second 
Mrs. Burton” and Charles Montalban into same web’s “Road of Life"; 
Montalban is current in the oflHBroadway production of “Mr. Candido.*’ 

IN HOLLYWOOD . . . 

NBC’s Robert Kintner sqnning at Phoenix before going to work Jan. 
2 . . . Despite that his agency lost its fattpst account (L. A. Soap) this 
year, Raymond R. Morgag bonused his 52 employes with $35,000 in 
holiday cash • . . Ken Niles, emcee, and Don Isham, veteran organist, 
are running on the rail as Ralph Edwards' choice on the reactivation 
of “Truth Or Consequence" a$ an NBC daytime strip ... If given his 
choice of any tv show for next season, Young & Rubicam’s coast vee- 
pee, Walter Bunker, would pick “Lucy” all over again. Agency has a 
client on the comedy leader, in fact it has clients on 25 of the net- 
continued on page 44) 



RADIO-TELEVISION 


SI 


Wednesday, December. 19» 1956 


vxmeFr 


TIME (INC.) MARCHES ON IN TV 


TV’s 60% Program Mortality 

Network television’s mortality rate is overwhelming, and along 
agency row the prediction for the current season is that the high 
rate of change will probably be increased because of the great 
number of mediocre shows to hit the three networks. In the 11 
months until November of this year, according to agency figures, 
there has been a 60% turnover in programs. 

In 1955, there were 91 network stanzas, 74 at night and 17 day. 
Of that total, there were only 29 night and seven daytime shows 
which held over until last November. Three-year mortality rate 
(shows dating from the end of the 1952-'53 season) is 68%, with a 
total of only 26% shows, including five daytimers, remaining from 
the 81 then on the air. 

- - -■*- - ' _ __ ___ , - i , — 

Disk Jocks Austria-Bound 


Prep National Drive for Hungary Relief; Stations 
Throughout Country Rally to Cause 

- 1 _ 4 --=- 


Sponsors More & More in Favor 

Of Qnkkie Preemptions on TV 

-!--4 


A group of eight American dee- 
jajhs from the National Council of 
Disk Jockeys for Public Service 
has left for Austria as a prelude to 
a national drive by the org's 1,500 
members in "support of displaced 
juves from Hungary. Group, 
headed by Murray Kaufman of 
New York, and accompanied by 
Allan Wilson of The Advertising 
Council, returns Friday (21) after 
a five-day trip. 

Deejay on-the-air drive will be to 
enlist the support of U. S. teen¬ 
agers in sending CARE packages 
to displaced Hungarian children 
and in “helping Integrate Hun¬ 
garian teenagers in their own com¬ 
munities." 

Transportation for the eight gab¬ 
bers is being provided by the In¬ 
ternational Committee for Euro¬ 
pean Migration. Recorded inter¬ 
views, motion pictures and other 
broadcast material will be collected 
by the eight during the trip. It 
will be offered for distribution by 
the memebrship of the National 
Council of Disk Jockeys. 


Cleve. Hops Aboard 

Cleveland, Dec. 18. 

With Cleveland boasting the 
largest Hungarian community in 
the U. S., KYW and KYW-TV, the 
Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. 
outlets here, have hopped bn the 
Hungarian refugee situation from : 
every angle. The radio outlet has 
turned over all its facilities to 
serve as the communications arm 
of the Hungarian refugee resettle¬ 
ment program here, while the tv 
station scored a major coup with 
exclusive films from Vienna of the 
arrival there of a Cleveland-spon¬ 
sored “mercy flight." 

On the radio side, the station 
has worked out arrangements with 
(Continued on page 50) 

NABET Victor 
In KOBY Strike 

San Francisco* Dec. 18. 

E 1 e v e n-week NABET strike 
against pops radio station KOBY, 
formerly longhair KEAR, ended 
last Saturday (15) night with vic¬ 
tory for the union. 

Five announcers and engineers, 
who had been picketing the 10,000- 
watt station since before David M. 
Segal took over and changed call 
letters to KOBY, will be hired by 
Segal’s organization. 

Walkout originally had been 
against Stephen A. Cisler, who 
leased the independent outlet to 
Segal’s Mid-America Broadcasters, 
Inc. 

NABET international rep Robert 
Lenihan said five other Segal em¬ 
ployees at station would be taken 
into union shop and other workers 
would probably return to other 
Segal stati&ns in Denver and 
Greenville, Miss. 

Lenihan also said a KOBY dam¬ 
age suit against the union would 
be dropped “with prejudice’’— 
meaning it can’t be. reopened. 

Two-year contract sets wages at 
the “area rate,” $150 a week for 
announcers and engineers, with 
announcers also getting a fees 
scale. Cisler had been paying $125, 
and Segal had been paying about 
the same or a little less. 


You Can Be Sure . • . 

NBC Radio received a re¬ 
quest yesterday (Tues.) from 
an independent Boston radio 
station for a feed of Indian 
Prime Minister Nehru’s speech 
last night. Web normally 
grants such requests, and did 
so in this case but not with¬ 
out a gleam of triumph. 

Station waeTWBZ, the West¬ 
inghouse Broadcasting Co. 
outlet in Boston which disaf¬ 
filiated from NBC in August. 


You Can’t Picket 
Station m Advance 
Of Trouble: NLRB 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

Picketing of $ radio station un¬ 
der construction in order to farce 
an agreement with a union for fu¬ 
ture engineering employees was. 
held unfair labor practice in an 
intermediate report issued today 
(Tues.) by a trial examiner of the 
National Labor Relations Board. 

The report recommended that 
the IBEW “cease and desist" from 
interfering with construction of 
station WGEE in Indianapolis in 
order to require Rollins Broad¬ 
casting, Inc.,-owners, to recognize 
it as the bargaining representative 
of the engineers. 

Although the picketing was 
stopped last August, the examiner 
found that the union should not 
be exonerated “for the simple rea¬ 
son . . . that the original purpose 
of the picketing was to cause" the 
contractor “to cease rendering 
service to Rollins and by such tac¬ 
tics coerce and force Rollins, to 
sign a collective bargaining con¬ 
tract with it." 

Rollins, a subsidiary of John W. 
Rollins Associates of Wilmington, 
Del., operates stations WBEE in 
Harvey, Ill.; WPTZ (TV) in Platts- 
burg, N.Y.; WNJR in Newark, N.J.; 
WAMS in Wilmington, Del.; WRAP 
in Norfolk, Va.; and WJWL in 
Georgetown, Del. 

Parent company is engaged in 
other enterprises, including auto¬ 
mobile fleet leasing and cattle rais¬ 
ing. John W. Rollins is lieutenant 
governor of Delaware. 


Danny Kaye’s ‘Secret Life’ 
A BBC-TV Xmas Spread 

London, Dec. 18. 

Most Important spot of the year 
on BBC television is being reserved 
for “Secret Life of Danny Kaye," 
the 90-minute film the comedian 
m^de in collaboration with CBS 
in his world travels as a roving 
ambassador for the State Dept, 
in Washington. Film is being held 
back until Christmas day so it can 
be shown immediately following 
the Queen’s annual message to the 
Empire. 

Kaye has been invited by the 
Britfch' government t6 fly to Lon¬ 
don fot a personal appearance with 


DICKERS BITNER 

$17,000,000 DEAL 

\ 

Time, Inc., already the owner of 
three television stations, is seek¬ 
ing to build a midwest television 
empire through a deal being nego¬ 
tiated with Harry Bitner’s Con¬ 
solidated Television & Radio Broad¬ 
casters, Inc., to take over three 
of the Bitner properties for a re¬ 
ported $17,000*000. It’s virtually 
the same deal Crowell-Collier made 
With Bitner but subsequently 
backed out of because of financing 
problems '(reflected in the weekend 
announcement that C-C will discon¬ 
tinue publication of Collier’s and 
the Woman’s Home Companion 
next month). 

In negotiating for the Bitner 
properties, Time is seeking tp par- 
lay its dominance in the magazine 
field into a similar kingpin status 
in television, within the prescribed 
FCC limits on station ownership, 
of course. It’s a particular irony 
that a publishing competitor’s fi- | 
nancial problems, namely Crowell- i 
Collier’s, should provide Time with ] 
the opportunity to expand its di¬ 
versified interests. 

Should the deal go through, 
Time would have to drop one of its 
three stations, with the likelihood 
that KOB-TV in Albuquerque will 
be the choice. Time owns only 
50% of the KOB stations, with for¬ 
mer FCC chairman Wayne Coy 
bolding the other half. Time owns 
KOA-TY (and AM) in Denver out¬ 
right and holds 80% of the stock 
of KTVT in Salt Lake City (with 
KLYD-AM), the other-20% owned 
by the prez Ben Larson. More- j 
Over, the Denver and Salt Lake 
City operations are highly profit¬ 
able, while Albuquerque is just be¬ 
ginning to pile up profits, though 
well in the black. 

The Bitner deal involves three 
of the four Consolidated proper¬ 
ties. They are WFBM-TV (& AM), 
Indianapolis; WTCN-TV (& AM), 
Minneapolis and WOOD-TV (& 
AM), Grand Rapids. One Bitner 
property is not involved, WFDF, 
Flint, Mich., which is a purely radio 
operation. -Time, while dickering for 
the sister radio stations involved 
in tv acquisitions, apparently isn’t 
interested in acquiring any solo 
radio operations. It was for all the 
Bitner properties, including WFpF, 
that Crowell-Collier had agreed to 
pay $17,000,000, but before the 
transfer could be effected, C-C 
prez Paul Smith called off the deal, 
claiming financing arrangements 
had fallen through. 


Bertha Brainard’s Name 
GremlinedOut of NBC 
Article by Johnstone 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

As a consistent “cover-to-cover" 
reader (and occasional contributor) 
rarely have I found typos in your 
efficiently edited weekly. Thus, 
only because of its nostalgic im¬ 
portance do I call your -attention 
and that of your readers - to a 
“dropped- line” in my by-lined 
piece on the early days at NBC in 
the last (Dec. 12) issue. 

In the third paragraph, in which 
is listed the* names of those NBC 
pioneers since passed on and t‘o 
whom the article is dedicated, my 
original copy read As follows: “. . . 
Charles (Pope) Poponoe, WJZ’s for¬ 
mer manager and NBC’s first treas¬ 
urer; Bertha Brainard, WJZ pro¬ 
gram charter, who soon became 
(Continued on, page 50) 

BAUER-BLACK’S 200G 
FOR 2 ABC-TV SLOTS 

Chicago, Dec. 18. 

Bauer & Black has staked out a 
$200,000 participation claim on 
ABC-TV’s “Afternoon Film Festi¬ 
val” and the Thursday night “Cir¬ 
cus Time” for next year. B&B 
ordered 29 insertions on the day¬ 
time filmer, starting April 1, and 
10 spots on the’ circus show, start¬ 
ing Feb. 2. 

Agency is Leo Burnett. 


Variations on a Theme 

Television is saturated with 
Charles Dickens’ “A Christ¬ 
mas Carol" this week, with no 
less than two network-versions 
of the classic plus a widely: 
syndicated film version on the 
air. 

One network version is the 
“Cliinax’’ film starring Fredric 
March, shot three years ago 
and repeated each year since 
on the CBS-TV dramatic skein. 
That’s scheduled tomorrow 
(Thurs.). Another, brand new, 
is' the Theatrical Enterprises 
musical adaptation (Fred Soie 1 - 
man & Janice Torre, music & 
lvrics) titled “Stingiest Man in 
Town," scheduled to bow 
Sunday T23) on “Alcoa Hov v ” ! 
on NBC-TV. Stars Basil Ra*h- | 
-bone, Vic Damone, Patrice 
Munsel, Johnny Desmond and 
the Four Lads. The pic ver- 
s ; on is the British film star¬ 
ring Alistair Sim, which in 
N. Y. is playing an all-week 
ruii on WOR-TV and is on in 
other markets where Associ¬ 
ated Artists Productions, the 
distrib, has it sold. 

Butler Says Both 
Parties Used TV, 
Radio Too Much 

Washington, Deck 18. 

A Congressional Committee was 
told yesterday that there was too 
much campaigning via tv during 
the recent national elections. 

Testifying before a House Com¬ 
mittee to investigate campaign ex¬ 
penditures, Democratic National 
Committee Chairman Paul M. But¬ 
ler said both major parties used too 
mueft^tv and radio time in behalf 
of their candidates. The result, 
he said, was that the public got 
fed up with political broadcasts. 

Butler recommended that Con¬ 
gress put an overall ceiling of 
$10,000,000 on campaign spending 
by each party instead of the 
$3,000,000 limit on each national 
committee. 

James McDevitt, co-director of 
the AFL-CIO Committee on Politi¬ 
cal Education, suggested that Con¬ 
gress consider requiring broadcast 
stations to provide some free time 
to candidates. 

Rep. Richard Simpson (R.-Pa.), 
Chairman of the Republican Con¬ 
gressional Campaign Committee, 
advocated lowering the limit on in¬ 
dividual contributions to candi¬ 
dates for national office from 
$5,000 to $3,000. 

“The vastly Improved methods 
of mass communications, the pros¬ 
perous andw expanding population 
in America today," said Simpson, 
“have outmoded the,,legal restric¬ 
tions controlling our elections.” 


WCBS-TV’S NEW YEAR’S 
CHOCK FULL O’MONEY 

Chock Full O’Nuts, which spon¬ 
sored last year’s New Year’s Eve 
show on WCBS-TV, N. Y.. has re¬ 
turned to the CBS-TV flagship with 
an order for the final segment of 
this year’s show. Station is now 
SRO, with Clairol sponsoring- Guy 
Lombardo from the Roosevelt Ho¬ 
tel and Bob Trout in a Times 
Square pickup from 11:15 to 12:15, 
and Chock Full O’Nuts paying the 
tab on the Vincent Lopez remote 
from the Taft Grill at 12:15 to 1. 

Not on the slate this year, unlike 
last, is Jean Martin, singer who’s 
a^o the wife of Chock Full O’Nuts 
boss William Black. Until now, 
she had been featured in every lo¬ 
cal segment sponsored by the res¬ 
taurant chain-coffee manufacturer. 
Grey Advertising handled the busi¬ 
ness. 


Pattern of quickie “preemption” 
sponsorship deals in television is 
on the upgrade. Under the new 
pattern, shortterm advertisers buy 
in on established shows, taking over 
a specified period of weeks from 
the regular bankrcdlnr,.wlio-may re¬ 
linquish it for a variety of reasons 
but by and large to ease strained 
budgets. 

Latest to come in under the new 
pattern is J. B. Williams Co. for its 
shaving preparations. Williams will 
preempt Amana on three of the lat¬ 
ter’s alternate-week dates on’ the 
Phil Silvers show. Williams, via 
J. Walter Thompson, is taking over 
the Jan. 15 and 29 and Feb. 12, 
with R. J. Reynolds undisturbed as 
the regular alternate-week occu¬ 
pant. The Williams buy involves a 
cute twist, by the way—it’s ad¬ 
vertising its Electric Shave prep¬ 
aration and Aqua Velva prepara¬ 
tion, presumably to take advantage 
of the^ post-Christmas market of 
new electric shaver recipients. 

Similarly, Ford is taking over 
two of General Foods’ “I Love 
Lucy” dates during January under 
its new pattern of quickie inser¬ 
tions. Earlier, it had arranged for 
a similar pair of dates on GF’s 
“December Eride” setup. In this 
latter case, it’s a definite instance 
of budget relief for the yielding 
sponsor. General Foods has sought 
to get alternace sponsors on several 
of its shows, and in fact succeeded 
in bringing in Ford to share “Zane 
Grey Theatre’’ on a regular basis. 
With some other stanzas, however, 
it was less successful, and so the 
Ford quickies on “Lucy” and 
“Bride" turn out to be a breather 
for GF. 

The shortterm pattern isn’t en¬ 
tirely new— General Mills for the 
past few seasons has been preempt¬ 
ing B. F. Goodrich for an eight- 
week fall span on “Burns & Allen,” 
for example, and other similar ar¬ 
rangements have been made over 
the years. But in line with today’s 
increasing costs, the pattern ap¬ 
pears to have been accelerated. 

Storer to Crack 
Philly TV Market 

Philadelphia, Dec. 18. 

Paul F. Harron, president of 
WPFH, the Wilmington, Del. tv 
station which was moving in on the 
Philadelphia market* as Channel 
12, has been sold to the Storer 
Broadcasting Co., of Miami Beach. 

Delivery of the stock has not 
been made pending approval of the 
FCC, but announcement of the 
sale made during the NBC meeting 
in Florida came as a shock to local 
broadcasting circles. 

Harron acquired the Delaware 
tv station in 1955. purchasing the 
stock of WDEL-TV, Wilmington, 
for a reported $3,712,500. He 
changed the call letters, using his 
own initials for the new setup. The 
Wilmington studios were trans¬ 
ferred just recently to midtown 
Philly, in the new City Center’s 
Suburban Station Bldg. 

Even more recent was an appli¬ 
cation made to set up the WPFH 
transmitter near Bridgeton, in 
South Jersey. , This move would 
permit the WPFH signal to blanket 
most of the Philadelphia area. It 
would also have left Delaware as 
the only state in the union without 
a tv station. 

Stqrer CoT’Owns seven tv stations 
and a similar number of radio sta¬ 
tions. It is the largest independent 
radio and tv owner and operator in 
the nation. Harron also operates 
radio stations WIBG and WIBG- 
FM, in Philadelphia. 


Wooley’s Gov’t Slot 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

Jack Wooley, CBS sales manager 
in Los Angeles, was named last 
week as Special Assistant for Pub¬ 
lic Affairs to the Secretary of the 
Navy. 

A native of Salina, Kan., Wooley 
is a lieutenant commander in the 
Naval Reserve. 




S3 




Wednesday, December 19, 1956 



In its first week on the air 
“THE PRICE IS RIGHT” 
pulled 315,000 pieces of mail. 
In the second, 544,000. 


/ 


















Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


PRuieFy 


ss 


Total mail pull for two weeks: 

859,000. With figures soaring fo^* 
the third week it looks as though 

“THE PRICE IS RIGHT” is a new 

o 

daytime hit for NBC Television. 

This immediate? response shows 
the tremendous drawing power of 
Goodson-Todman’s captivating new 
quiz starring Bill Cullen as MC. 
Variety says “This takes the prize. 
Looks like a good bet to draw 
at-home houSe-frau attention.” 

“THE PRICE IS RIGHT” (it is right, 
incidentally) moves to 11-11:30 am 
Monday-Friday starting December 31. 
Call your NBC Television Network 
sales representative now to find 
out how this hit in the making 

cgilhffirHh ill!iniPink'*^ ittmi 
yAJLI. CT fydsJi. 1# |J> iMLJ»AJ.JLAig%i J»'ljyS» 

NBC TELEVISION NETWORK 

A SERVICE OF RCA 


34 


RADIO-TELEVISION 




Vednwday, Dtctwher 19, 1956 


NBC Stars Vie With Miami Beach - 
Son as Originatkms Get Spotlight 


By LAKY SOLLOWAY 

Miami Beach, Dec. 16. 

The trio of NBC features brought 
along for telecasting during the 
80th anniversary meet of the net¬ 
work, topped, month-long series, of 
emanations from the area which 
added up to a million-dollar value 
In free promotion for the resort as 
it embarked on what is already 
fondly looked forward to be the 
“biggest season ever.” Combo of 
the “Today” and “Tonight” series 
through the five-day period, topped 
by the Como show, also served to 
point up Miami Beach and its en¬ 
virons as a near-perfect setting 
for live beamings, given the right 
weather which, this time out, came 
up to expectations. 

Dave Garroway and his company 
started the promotional binge, 
backgrounds utilized encompassing' 
the perimeter of resorts around 
Miami Beaeh, winding into the cen¬ 
ter, at the Americana, to be first 
group to test the facilities built-in 
for such purpose by the owners, the 
Tisch freres, who obviously, are 
pitching for more of same in the 
future. The wiring and cable com¬ 
plications formerly encountered 
were eliminated, leading to smooth 
lensing and uninterrupted con¬ 
tinuity for the series of sports, 
show biz and other guesters who 
appeared. With the sun beaming 
brightly, the two-hour session 
moved quickly, despite plethora, of 
commercials which came up-some- 
times too frequently for continued 
viewer interest. ' Withal, intro of 
such notables as Leo Durocher, 
Robert Samoff, champ golfers and 
acts working around the Beach 
cafes, contained enough eye-and- 
ear appeal to maintairrhold oh the 
auditors. 

Looking a bit heavier around the 
waist under the sharp light of the 
morning sun, Garroway, per usual, 
kept things moving at an easy pace 
and plussed values with his under¬ 
played approach* which, in itself, 
serves as a solid peg to heighten 
interest in the personalities he's 
introing. 

‘Tonight’ 

Steve Allen and his crew faced 
up with production problems in the 
format that calls for variety dur¬ 
ing his midnight sessions, came 
through with diversified assort¬ 
ment of oddments and standards 
expected, to make his trip of tele¬ 
casts consistently diverting. First 
two shows were set in and around 
the huge Fontainebleau, The writ¬ 
ing and production staff rate kudoes 
for imaginative script and fast 
camera switches to cover the doings 
around the vast pool-cabana layout 
with colorful facets called for in 
such a setting played at proper in¬ 
tervals to break the flow of single 
and tandem, performers worked 
into the 90 airtime minutes.. 

Some of the Allen attempts at 
taking in all the scene around fell 
short, thanks to technical difficul¬ 
ties, such as a Marine group mak¬ 
ing a landing on the beach—the 
lighting here wasn’t up to the 
needs of so panoramic a scene" 
Withal, when he moved gpolside or 
the cameras entered the Fontaine- 
bleu proper for a series of inter¬ 
views and, Andy Williams singing in 
a small sports car driving around 
the reaches of the lobby, the striv¬ 
ing for atmospheric background 
paid off in spades. Final program 
from the Americana was a full-lit 
thing that caught all the facets 
striven for—the towering new 
building, the oceanside, where Al¬ 
len came in for a helicopter-borne 
entrance, through to the scannings 
of a blimp flying overhead under 
the Miami moon and spelling out 
“Steve—hi-ho.” The acts came off 
in top shape, viz:—the Novelites 
hitting with full impact as they 
worked out their zany music-come¬ 
dy routines. Another resounding 
laugh spot came when three par- 
rots Allen had been trying to get to 
talcing, came to hammy life when 
he brought on winner of femme 
golf tournament for prize .presenta¬ 
tion and the birds got into the act 
to yak-yak up a load of laughs with 
their antics. Regulars on the show 
were in good form, to prop up any 
sagging moments. Big winner—the 
Miamis, from the continuing plugs. 

‘Perry Como Show’ 

Climaxer to the week’s activities, 
and played out before the assera- 
blied top NBC brass and affiliate- 
owners in the grand ballroom of 
the Americana, the Como affair 
turned lip a load of talent with the 


script handing Groucho Mara the 
longest time-on load. In character 
he was tossing the quips in abun¬ 
dance and in one early sequence, 
looked and sounded like the 
Groucho of musicomedy days as he 
led the chorus and singers through 
a lively song-dance staging. Spoof 
on his own programmer with 
daughter Melinda and Como lacked 1 1 
the sharp lines necessary for lift 
into higher laugh brackets. He didt| 
better when on with Gina Lollo- 
brigida, but Como found himself 
doing the heavy work in a dueting 
sequence with the Italian sex-sym¬ 
bol. The cameras didn’t catch the 
sultry looks associated with the 
film star, who seemed ill-at-ease in 
the singing assignment. Credit 
Como with carrying the segment 
to a fairly.''successful conclusion. 

For the rest, Johnnie Ray in- 
troed his latest platter for RCA- 
with a solid assist from the choral 
group; Jo Stafford made for an at¬ 
tractive, assured songstress .who 
served up her tunes with aplomb 
and, in teamup with Ray and Conm 
supplied the high ranging notes to 
bring the harmonics a solid blind¬ 
ing. Another teaming for Como 
with Melinda Marx added a cute 
touch. He was off and sailing solo 
in the Como patteren with medley 
of tunes from 1926 in dedication to 
the 30th anni celebration. Finale 
had prexy Robert Sarnoff on for 
brief interchange with Como which 
was effective leading to Wheel-on 
of a towering birthday cake and 
gathering in background of assem¬ 
bled RCA-NBC talent for brief- 
join in, among them Eddie Fisher, 
Debbie Reynolds, Leo Durocher 
and Laraine Day, Jinx Falkenburg, 
Vaughn Monroe, Bill Bendix, Ann 
Jeffreys, and Bob, Sterling; again 
the big winner, impact wise, the 
Americana and Miami Beach. 


NBC Radio’s New 
Hot Line Operation 
Cues M3 Reefs 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Despite the virtual unanimous 
acceptance received from affiliates 
by. NBC Radio chieftain Joe Col- 
ligan on his recent swing around 
the country in extolling the virtues 
of the network’s * projected “Hot 
Line Operation” (five minutes of 
news on the hour for 17 hours a 
day), the all-important question of 
clearances isn’t fully resolved by 
a long shot. With Bristol-Myers 
already in camp to the sponsorship 
tune of $2,100,000 and with the 
(Continued on page 43) 


NBC Affiliates fleet 
6 to Exec Committee 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Six new members of the NBC- 
TV Affiliates Executive Committee 
were elected during the special 
four-day convention here. As am- 
nouheed by Walter J. Damm, of 
WTMJ, Milwaukee, chairman of 
the committe, they are; 

Ralph Evans, executive veepee 
of WOC-TV, Davenport; Ewing p. 
Kelly, president and general man¬ 
ager of KCRA-TV, Sacramento; 
John H. DeWitt, president of WSM, 
Nashville; Joe H. Bryant, president 
of KCKD-TV, Lubbock, Tex.; Joe 
Floyd, president of KELO-TV, 
Sioux Falls, S. D., andvHarold Es¬ 
sex, veepee and general manager 
of WSJA-TV, Winston-Salem, N. C. 

In addition to Damm, other of¬ 
ficers of the committee include Ed 
Wheeler of WWJ^TV, Detroit, and 
Lawrence (Buddy) Rogers of 
WSAZ-TV, Huntington, W. Va. 

‘Wells Fargo’ To 
Sub ‘Stanley.’; Set 
‘Blondie’ for Fri 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

NBC prexy Robert W. Sarnoff, 
who promised the affiliates here, 
"We’ve got the team to climb back 
to No. 1 position'on audience and 
billings,” conceded that, in pre¬ 
miering 11 new shows this season, 
the network -“made mistakes.” 
(Actually, of the 11 shows, there 
wasn’t a resounding click in the 
lot.) Sarnoff also indicated that 
the situation would be remedied 
pronto, with a flock of new shows 
in the works. He didn’t indicate 
what these are. 

Two of them, however, are pretty 
well set. It’s known that program 
topper Manie Sacks is planning to 
install an MCA package, “Wells 
Fargo,” in the Monday evening 
8:30 period when “Stanley” gets 
the heave. And going into the 
Friday at 8 period (when “Life of 
Riley” shifts to the 8:3b time now 
occupied by Walter Winchell) will 
be a Hal Roach-William Morris 
package, “Blondie.” Both are 
filmed entries. 

Toni is pulling out of the Mon¬ 
day time when “Stanley” goes. No 
new sponsor has been lined up for 
“Wells Fargo.” And it looks like 
Toni and Carter will share the tab 
on “Blondie.” 

“Blondie” package, incidentally, 
had been sold once before — to 
Wesson Oil and Sunkisf—on the 
Vitapix “web,” with which Roach 
is associated. Deal failed tp come 
off when sponsors changed their 
minds, reportedly because of poor, 
clearances from Vitapix member 
stations. 



Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

Following are excerpts of some 
of the more important issues 
touched on by NBC prexy Robert 
W. Sarnoff in his address to the 
network affiliates: 

At the 30-year mark, network 
radio Is finding the bedrock of es¬ 
sential service and is beginning a 
modest rebound—turning from the 
the things that television can do 
better, focusing on the -things it 
can do best. 

In the camp of one radio net¬ 
work, at least, there is no inten¬ 
tion of hoisting the white flag. We 
have plunged upstream, against the 
current, to find new types of audi¬ 
ence and advertiser service. At 
long last I believe, we are ap¬ 
proaching a base on which our 
radio operation can not only be 
maintained, but can grow in stature. 
as an important public service. I 
am encouraged to say this because 
of the solid support our new pro¬ 
posals have received from our radio 
affiliates. Together we are under¬ 
writing a determined campaign to 
restore network radio’s usefulness 
and strength. 


It is ironic that a service of such 
value and potential, with such an 
outstanding track record over 30 
years, should find itself so little 
understood at the time of its great¬ 
est success. In part, I think, this 


stems from its enormous complex¬ 
ity and the widely conflicting pres¬ 
sures brought to bear on it. One 
head deals with sponsors and agen¬ 
cies, with talent and agents, with 
outside'producers and film groups. 
A second hand deals with hundreds 
of stations, managed by rugged in¬ 
dividualists; a third-’With Govern¬ 
ment officials. A fourth hand deals 
with the press, and, above all, with 
a sensitive public that can, in turn, 
be warm, irascible, enthusiastic or 
plain, <j° wnrl flht angry. Pretty 
soon you run out of hands. 


Networks To Blame, Too 
Jimmy Durante once -said that 
“everybody wants to get into the 
act.” He mttst have been thinking 
of networks in the year 1956 when 
he said it. Congressional investi¬ 
gations, inquiries by public a gen. 
cies, demands by other television 
Interests, have come faster than 
free plugs on a Bob Hope Show. 

I am not sending out distress sig¬ 
nals when I make this statement. 
A communications service of such 
enormous importance, entering so 
deeply into the daily life of the 
people, naturally, attracts public 
and official attention. Much of 1 the 
hub-bub, in fact, can probably be 
traced to our own doorstep—for I 
suspect we networks have failed to 
convey a proper understanding of 
(Continued on page 43) 


SMing Down a Bannister 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 

One t>f the major treats of the.entire NBC conventions came out 
of left field (though not unexpectedly to those who has seen him in 
action before). It was the toastmastering by the network jovial 
and genial stations relations chief, Harry Bannister. It was one of 
the genuine bits of inspired verbiage that parlayed wit and erudi¬ 
tion to a fine art. If it weren’t for the strictly intra-mural context, 
it would rate as boff on-the-air entertainment. 

Bannister’s tribute to Niles Trammell in reminiscing on the days 
when Trammell was president of NBC and he, Bannister, was an 
affiliate number, was gem-studded humor. And anticipating the 
day, as forecast by Gov. Leroy Collins, when Florida would emerge 
a few years hence as the eighth state in the- union, Bannister en¬ 
visioned a return of the convention to Florida “if only to put NBC 
in the Top 10.” 


‘I’ll Cry Tomorrow’ 

, Continued from pace 25 
the stations to forfeit five-minutes 
every hour on the hour 17 hours a 
day (cutting into lucrative loeal 
billings). And others, despite the 
protestations of prexy Robert W. 
Sarnoff and board chairman David 
Sarnoff that “at long last we’ve 
got our finest, most skillful organ¬ 
ization of manpower,” expressing 
anxieties over the continuing pat¬ 
tern of reshuffling within the net¬ 
work company. ^ 

But whatever the sub-surface 
dismays, everyone complied with 
the “let’s have fun” order of the 
convention. And even the most die¬ 
hard malcontent was more than 
willing to play along with it when 
Gen. Sarnoff himself went into ac¬ 
tion (immediately preceding the 
closed session of the affiliates) and 
in one of his classic ad lib jobs 
which combined extreme candor 
, and friendliness with a “hard fast 
|^ook” at things, won over complete¬ 
ly the affiliates in assemblage. As 
the man who put them into tele¬ 
vision in the first place and as the 
“daddy of the American electronic 
system,” Gen. Sarnoff again had 
them in the palm of his hand. 

Sarnoff’s ‘Manie’s Men’ 

By the same token it was con¬ 
ceded that, with the convention 
out of the way, and with a return 
to realities, ‘the affils, through 
their exec committee representa¬ 
tion, will still seek some answers 
to their questions—notably about 
programming. For that matter, 
prexy Sarnoff already has given 
assurance to the affiliates that 
“Manie’s Men” have already gone 
into swift action in response to 
queries: 

“What goes with our network 
programming and what do we have 
to do to get a rating?” If nothing 
else came out of NBC’s^nni hoopla 
here, the Manie Sacks & Co. pro¬ 
gramming hierachy’s decision to 
“get tough, pronto” and knock off 
everything that doesn’t meet net¬ 
work standards helped to allevi¬ 
ate some of the Affiliate apprehen¬ 
sion. 

From Cabana No. 1 at the plush 
Americana Hotel, where Sacks and 
his program cohorts (Mort Werner, 
Bob Lewine, Nat Wolff, Alan Liv¬ 
ingston, Bob Levitt, etc.) held forth 
each morning (and with Leo 
Durocher, incidentally, sitting in 
on all high executive sessions), 
came forth the assurances to affili¬ 
ates that, whether the sponsors 
liked it or not, the network would 
no'longer countenance mediocrity, 
no matter how high the cancella¬ 
tion toll. Backing up Sacks’ asser¬ 
tion were assurances by both Sr. 
and Jr. Sarnoff throughout the 
convention that “with our present 
organization we’ll recapture the 
No. 1 position.” 

Immediate concentration will be 
on Mondays and-Fridays. “Stan¬ 
ley,” the Buddy Kackett situation 
comedy series, will fall a victim to 
this new “get tough” policy. Show 
is scheduled to "fade in March. 
Also a Monday night casualty is the 
“Can Do” (opposite “Lucy”) series. 
Already lopped from the Friday 
sequencing is the Walter Winchell 
8:30 p.m. variety show. NBC says 
“he won’t be back.” 

In view of the clean CBS sweep 
on the latest Top 10 Nielsens and 
the overall supremacy of the rival 
network In the area of half-hour 
programming, it wasn’t surprising 
that the affiliates in attendance at 
the convention showed some con* 
cern over the plight of NBC’s tele 
vision programming. On the whole 
however, there was a general ac¬ 
ceptance of “Manie’s Men” as a 
step in the right direction toward 
a repatterning of the network 
schedules. Now they're waiting for 
the results. 


Sarnoff Won’t 
Take Antitrust 
Rap Lying Down 

Miami Beach, Dec. 18. 
Gen. David Sarnoff told the NBC 
affiliates here he has no* intention 
of taking the Justice Dept.’s anti¬ 
trust rap lying down and charac¬ 
terized the Government action in 
the NBC - Westinghouse station 
swap as symbolic of the “extraor¬ 
dinary attention” being -given to 
television-radio networks by the 
Congressional probers/ 

“We have no intention of com- 
pomising our situation,” said Sar¬ 
noff, adding that RCA was hardly 
a stranger to lawsuits and would 
know how to handle itself. He min¬ 
imized the personal aspects of an 
RCA “pushing little Westinghouse 
around” and expressed bewilder¬ 
ment that the whole forces of the 
U.S. Government should be brought 
to bear on a transaction that had 
been spread out on the records 
with only one dissenting FCC vote. 

Sarnoff wondered at the Govern¬ 
ment effort to ventilate and inves¬ 
tigate all things connected with 
broadcasting, suggesting, “could 
they be seeking legislation to bring 
solace to the have-nots and the 
johnny come-latelies?” 


NBC’s 7:45 News 

-— Continued from pace 25 
time slot for the present 7:45 to 
8 Chet Huntley-David Brinkley 
‘NBC News” segments, which will 
be moved up ahead, as CBS did 
when it switched to half-hour 
shows. This has already raised the 
serious question of moving in on 
station option time, and since the 
affiliates are clamoring to recap¬ 
ture some time periods so that they 
can make .hay with film, NBC’s 
problem may be anything but easy. 
If NBC bids for time in the 7 to 
7:30 area (probably the most lucra¬ 
tive half-hour for local syndicated 
pix) there will be trouble. 

The 7:30 to 7:45 musical strips 
pose less of a problem and will un¬ 
doubtedly be ditched completely. 
Eddie Fisher’s Coca-Cola show goes 
off in March. Dinah Shore’s one- 
a-week showcase will probably be 
scrapped, since she’s already play¬ 
ing “spec time” for her Chevrolet 
sponsor. Ditto for the Monday 7 :30 
Nat King Cole songajog. 


Hy Gardner 

—.» Continued from page 25 

utilizing the late night periods for 
feature films, with prexy Sarnoff 
appealing to the affiliates to sup¬ 
port the network’s champion of 
live programming as opposed to 
those stations carrying the torch 
for features. 

Not all the affiliates, by a long 
shot, were agreed that the new 
“Tonight” formula as replacement 
for the Steve Allen show was tho 
desired showcase in terms of fetch¬ 
ing a rating, but apparently they’re 
willing to go along with it and 
give it the good old college try. 
Generally, it was the sentiment 
among most of the affils that in 
time the impact of the features 
will be dissipated; that stations 
will welcome a return to. live pro¬ 
gramming and “perhaps, who 
knows, this one might turn the 
trick.” But by the same token, the 
impression was unmistakable here 
that unless the new show turns the 
trick NBC will have a lot of ex¬ 
plaining to do. 




Wednesday; ftecemV 19, 1956 




TELEVISION REVIEWS 35 


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Dinah Shore Chevy Show 

Dinah Shore still maintains a 
perfect, record-this year. So far, 
her video exhibits have been all 
hits and no errors and the singer 
now looms as one of the variety 
strongpoints on the NBC spectrum. 

Miss, Shore got some excellent 
assists in productioh and cast, with 
Donald O'Connor, Roy Rogers & 
Dale' Evans, Dizzy Dean and mop¬ 
pet. Evelyn Rudie in support. It’s 
an unusual kind of lineup for a 
Show with some semblance of a 
script, but the various elements 
jelled into a delightful pattern. 

Miss Shore was in an’ out of the 
proceedings with her Usually 
charming mien and strong singing. 
There was 6he one sequence in 
which she went heavy, during the 
somewhat overproduced “I Can 
Dream.” But otherwise, she pro¬ 
vided the light and deft touch 
that’s distinguished hpr previous 
efforts this season. Miss Shore en¬ 
livened all the major numbers, 
with one of the best a “Schnizle- 
bank” effort with the' cast seeming¬ 
ly having a ball in its execution. 

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, the 
cowboy couple, contributed on 
easy note to the session. The pair 
sang . engagingly, made with the 
banter, and fitted in with the gen¬ 
eral light tone of the proceedings. 
Even Dizzy Dean came off well, 
with Miss Shore working especial¬ 
ly hard to make him shape up. 
Evelyn Rudie, who did the Eloise 
characterization, is an affable brat. 
With her front teeth missing, she 
looked especially cute. She ought 
to keep them from growing back. 

Donald O’Connor is an extreme¬ 
ly capable performer. He’s funny, 
sings well, and taps with the best 
of them. In the latter'department, 
he showed that this type of danc¬ 
ing stilLhas areas that are fresh 
and original. There were soriYe 
moments of flamenco adaptation 
that had an arty and yet a com¬ 
mercial motif. ’ 

The Skylarks (5) were- the utility 
group of the show who showed up 
well in their own spots and in sup¬ 
porting roles. Jose. 


Playhouse 90 

“Playhouse 90” gave novelist 
John P. Marquand a rough going- 
over last Thursday (13). Its pro¬ 
duction of Marquand’s “Sincerely, 
Willis Wayde” was one of the worst 
of the season, from every stand¬ 
point—adaptation, acting, direc¬ 
tion. It .was a rambling 9(T min¬ 
utes that lacked pace, polish and, 
most of all, credibility. 

Of all its faults, “Wayde” prob¬ 
ably suffered most in the thesping 
department. Given a sprinkling of 
good performances in the lesser 
roles—namely those of Charles 
Bickford as the mill family patri¬ 
arch and Wayde’s benefactor, Ed- 
mon Ryan as Bickford’s well-mean¬ 
ing son, Howard Smith as a tough 
businessman, Katherine Squire 
and Walter Abel as Wayde’s par¬ 
ents and Jane Darwell as a shrewd 
lady who lures Wayde into his first 
false step—the acting where it 
counted most, in the three princi¬ 
pal roles, was just downright bad. 

Peter Lawford, in a laudable try 
at a serious role, so managed to 
overact as to make his stint a cari¬ 
cature instead of a characteriza¬ 
tion. Lawford’s trouble was that 
he overdid it—mugging and shift¬ 
ing his eyes and shouting to the 
point where the character had lit¬ 
tle meaning and little conviction. 
As for the other two key charac¬ 
ters, Jeff Donnell as his wife-of- 
convenience and Sarah Churchill 
as his unrequited love, their acting 
was sophomoric, if that’s not too 
generous a term. Miss Donnell got 
all tangled up in an attempt at a 
Boston accent and never quite got 
over it, and Miss Churchill spoke 
her lines as if she were audition¬ 
ing for a highschool play. 

Frank Gilroy’s adaptation was 
more sinned against than sinning, 
but still had its basic faults. It 
tended to be too sketchy, with rath¬ 
er abrupt transitions in time and 
virtually no attempt at anything 
beyond superficial cnaracerizations. 
Director Vincent J. Donehue may 
have had worse nights but they 
aren’t easily recalled—the produc¬ 
tion seemed to gallop away from 
him in all directions. Chan. 


Eye On New York 

When a boy is sent on a man’s 
errand, it is 'basic x that he be 
judged as a boy doing a man’s 
work. As a substitute last Satur¬ 
day (15) for the ailing Bill Leon¬ 
ard, the WCBS-TV (N. Y.) public 
affairs department sent in 12-year- 
old Raymond Duke for a boy’s-eye- 
view of Christmas In New York on 
the CBS-TV “Eye on New York.” 
It was a fine premise. Then the 
masterminds spoiled it by supply¬ 
ing “adult” lines and covering nar¬ 
rative that did not fall felicitously 
frwn the lips of a 12-year-old. 

Young Duke is clean-cut, seem¬ 


ingly intelligent speaks well—and 
haltingly enough to be "natural.” 
Su-why not give, him hishead and 
allow spontaneity. to reign uncon¬ 
fined; or if necessary to have him 
take to the Teleprompter at cer¬ 
tain intervals, give him text that 
would seem natural'for one of his 
year$. No, the station apparently 
did .not Wish to do that; it would' 
be too risky. Risky for whom? 
Since this was a quasi-stunt, view¬ 
ers would be expected to be liberal 
in judgment. 

The session was> a mixture of the 
New York panorama (Xmas win¬ 
dows in the stores, etc,), on film, 
and live interviews. The interviews 
at least showed Raymond “at 
work” as a reporter, complete with 
black eyeglasses, trench coat, rain 
hat, notebook, pencil. (The last 
two appurtenances were-superflu¬ 
ous, but harmless.) He chatted 
with a couple of “pro” kids of the 
New York City Center’s ballet 
company, with w k. terpser Melissa 
Hayden making it a cozy foursome, 
though Miss Hayden answered too; 
many questions that should have 
been answered by her charges. 
Overall, this was good. In the end¬ 
up, the boy reporter interviewed 
artist Ludwig Bemelman at .the 
Hammer Galleries, another pleas¬ 
ant if sometimes awkward and 
stilted segment. 

Any kudos merited by the stanza 
would be earned by Raymond 
Duke as an individual and not to 
the station, which had a fine op¬ 
portunity to score and missed the 
bus. Trau. 


The People’s Choice 

Slotted against the second half 
of “Climax,” one of the season’s 
hottest rated shows, is more to be 
pitied than envied but Irv Brecher 
and his little band of players have 
braved it without flinching and 
week in and out they regale the 
home lookers with story line com¬ 
edy of the homey type. In its 
second year for Borden and Proc¬ 
ter & Gamble the results have been 
encouraging enough to assure a 
Jan. 1 renewal. 

Brecher, creator and producer of 
the NBC-TV series, likes to take oc¬ 
casional turn at directing to give 
Jackie Cooper, the play’s star, a 
breather, and on last Thursday’s 
episode he took the rudder. It 
would be not to know his other 
talents that he hasn’t a 'hand in 
the writing with Bob Fisher and 
Alan. Lipscott and on this outing 
he must have reasoned that Cooper 
had romanced Pat Breslin long 
enough so up to the altar for them. 
It proved a gay and hilarious excur¬ 
sion into the complications that be¬ 
set the newlyweds, who were fated 
to start their honeymoon in jail. 
There was a slot machine in the 
bridal suite so this must be Vegas. 
When the jackpot failed to pay off, 
Cooper wrecked the place and the 
justice of the peace who married 
them also put them behind bars. 

Cooper is a brisk mimic who gets 
his laughs from the situations and 
lines created by the writers. His 
onetime-girl-friend-now-wife, Pat 
Breslin, is a good balance for him 
and agreeably competent. Mar¬ 
garet Irving, Paul Maxey, James 
Bell and Tom Browne Henry ably 
abet the stars but the show’s big¬ 
gest laugh-getter is Cleo, the bas¬ 
set hound, whose droopy eyes and 
floppy ears would be sufficient to 
raise howls without the punch 
lines spoken for him. Cleo is not 
a talking dog. 

Show had a rippling pace and 
Brecher didn’t have to strain for 
laughs. They were there without 
pressing or the aid of a laugh track. 
McCadden films the series and 
should be turning them out for 
some time. Against lighter com¬ 
petition, “People’s Choice” would 
be well into the payoff slot. 


Omnibus 

Helen Hayes dominated the dra¬ 
matic portion of “Omnibus” on 
ABC-TV Sunday (16), appearing, in 
two different playlets. She did her 
usual, highly competent job, but 
the vehicles weren’t very solid. Re¬ 
mainder of the program was taken 
up by an interview with the famliy 
of Sandor Szabo, w.k. Hungarian 
stage and screen thesp, who es¬ 
caped from Budapest. 

First play in which Miss Hayes 
appeared was a repeat of William 
Saroyan’s “The Christmas Tie,” a 
whimsical little tale that seemed 
to make a rather fuzzy point. Ray 
Boyle and Iggie Wolfington were 
featured in support of Miss Hayes 
as the tie salesman and the floor¬ 
walker respectively. As the little 
old lady With a penchant for shop¬ 
lifting 'Miss Hayes turned in a well- 
modulated and sensitive perform¬ 
ance. 

The second play was “Drug 
Store: Sunday Noon,” adpated by 
Horton Footer from a Robert Hut- 
(Continued on page 48) 


THE BOINGBOING SHOW 
With Bill Gobdwin, narrator 
Exec. Producer: Stephen Bosustow 
Producer; Robert Canno 
30 Mins., Sun.; 5:30 p.m. 

CBS-TV, from New York (color) 

Gerald McBoing-Boing, a de¬ 
lightful cartoon character who has 
an Academy. Award to his credit, 
made his tv debut Sunday (16) in 
a half-hour. color film series via 
CBS-TV, Gerald, an imaginary 
moppet who can’t talk except to 
croak “boing-boing,” perhaps is as 
familiar to film theatre patrons as 
“Popeye” or “Mickey Mouse.” But 
whereas most cartoon characters 
have an appeal limited to juvenile 
audiences, Gerald not only can 
count on the youngsters as his fans 
but adults as well. 

For Gerald, who was created by 
United Productions of America, is 
a boy physically—yet mentally he 
can be frightfully adult. In this 
new series, produced by UPA Pic¬ 
tures in association with CBS Tele¬ 
vision, he’s the emcee of several 
shorts and also stars in one film 
on his own. Of course, since our, 
boy speaks only in sound effects. 
Bill Goodwin helps out as narrator. 

Unreeled for the initialer were 
a quartet of whimsical clips well 
worth any viewer’s time. These 
included “A Horse of Course,” 
“The Invisible.Mustache of Raoul 
Dufy,” “Miserable Pack of Wolves” 
and “Gerald McBoing-Boing.” Re¬ 
grettably the series has no sponsor. 
Hence, the' net tossed in a half- 
dozeii-odd spot announcements 
plugging every CBS-TV show from 
Jack Benny tq Captain Kangaroo. 

Withal, the cartoons were first- 
rate in black-and-white. In color 
they must have been fabulous. 
Goodwin’s narration admirably 
followed the films’ light vein and 
the musical score also gave the 
clips a lift. Gilb. 

Circus’ Program Publisher 
On Why Big Show Folded; 
Mike Wallace’s Hot Guests 

Mike Wallace’s no-holds-barred 
“Night Beat” session on WABD, 
N. Y., continues to be one of the 
most provocative and interesting 
sessions on the air, with every 
night providing some new sur¬ 
prises. He had 'em a’plenty in the 
show biz field last week, what with 
a two-in-a-row appearance by Siob- 
han McKenna on Tuesday and 
Wednesday (11-12), on the latter 
day to square herself on some re¬ 
marks interpreted as having anti- 
Semitic overtones the night before, 
and an apologia for John Ringling 
North on Thursday (13) by Harry 
Dube, longtime circuser who’s been 
in charge of the printed programs 
for Ringling Bros, and Barnum & 
Bailey. 

i The Dube interview was a par¬ 
ticularly provocative one, with 
Wallace pinning him down time 
after time and Dube neatly defend¬ 
ing his viewpoint and his boss. 
Topic under discussion, of course, 
was the folding of the tented cir¬ 
cus and the new plan for arena 
stands, and Wallace proceeded on 
the question of how much of the 
blame North himself must take for 
the tent show’s demise. Quoting 
extensively from Life magazine, 
from Fred Woltman in the N. Y. 
World-Telegram & Sun and from 
Variety, Wallace pushed at the 
matters of the 1944 Hartford fire, 
the emphasis on “Hollywood-type” 
productions instead of the stand¬ 
ard thrill-acts, on North’s alleged 
yen for alcohol, the possibility that 
today’s entertainment - staturated 
public may no longer want the cir¬ 
cus, and a quote by former circus 
pressagent Bev Kelley (in Variety) 
that “amateurs” ruined the circus. 

Dube rather skillfully defended 
his viewpoint that the folding of 
the tents was a matter of economic 
necessity created by circumstances 
beyond the control of the circus 
itself, mainly the railroading prob¬ 
lem, wherein the roads charge out¬ 
rageous prices for short hauls— 
not to make a profit (they can't at 
any price, said Dube) but simply 
to discourage the business. Dube 
maintained that there are over 100 
arenas that can hold the circus and 
that this “revolutionary” new plan 
avoids problems like weather, time¬ 
tables, etc. He said North likes to 
drink but he has never seen him 
drunk; that he can't think of 
any “amateurs” North brought 
into the circus except “one who 
was brought in but didn’t like the 
circus business and left,” that he 
“wouldn’t be surprised” if Kelley 
were back with the circus next 
year; and that the Hartford fire 
was in no wise responsible for the 
demise of the tent show because 
the $5,000,000 in claims were paid 
(Continued on page 48) 


VICTOR BORGE 
With Buddy Bregnftn Orch 
Producer: Jerome Shaw 
Director: Robert Mulligan 
60 Mins., Tues. (ID, 9 p.m. 
SHULTON 

CBS-TV, from New York 

CWesley) . 

Victor-Borge'sT'Second start~Trr~a 
one-man' spec was as successful as 
his first. Barge, who ran several 
seasons in a onO-manner in New 
York, seems to be able to translate 
the zany, in-person quality to the 
homescreens. Borge is a superior 
comedian, an excellent pianist, and 
is able td combine both skills into 
a superb blend of entertainment. 

Borge's show at this session was 
somewhat in the same pattern as 
his first in his series.. He ingra¬ 
tiated himself easily with the view¬ 
ers and from there on in he alter¬ 
nated pianistics and the spoken 
word for top results. 

Of course, he had some slight as¬ 
sistance. There was huge sym¬ 
phony orch conducted . by Buddy 
Bregman, which fell right into the 
groove with Borge. The arrange¬ 
ments sounded almost like impro¬ 
visations, hnd for a while there was 
a rich musical background when a 
serioso note was needed. Another 
aide-de-Borge came from a small, 
unbilled dog who ran under the 
piano and out again. Otherwise, 
it was Borge’s show completely. 

The front-man reprised his pho¬ 
netic punctuation bit which still 
retains its comedic values; /and for 
his major serious effort he and the 
orch performed a recitation with 
musical background of the poem, 
“A Child's Grace,” by Ernest Clax- 
ton, for which Borge wrote the 
background. 

The Borge presentations are 
probably the simplest specs on the 
spectrum, yet, from current and 
past performances, probably the 
most effective, Jose. 


TASTE TIME 

With Kathy Maguire Cody, others 
30 Mins.; Mon,-thru-Fri., 2 p.m. 
PARTICIPATING 
WRGB-TV, Schenectady 

“Taste Time” differs from many 
menucasts, not so much in the for¬ 
mat as in the appearance and per¬ 
sonality of its “chef,” Kathy Ma¬ 
guire Cody. Daughter of Freddie 
Maguire, former major league 
star infielder and now a scout for 
the Boston Red Sox, she is youth¬ 
ful, petite, photogenic, refined and 
smartly dressed. The recently 
married Mrs. Cody does not look 
like a cook, with her apronless 
garb. However,, she trained in 
home economics at a Massachu¬ 
setts college and seems to have a 
sound knowledge of food and its 
preparation. 

Several pre-Christmas stanzas 
had more than usual interest ar.d 
visual impact. Two of them 
brought, on John R Treadway, 
boniface at Williams Inn and asst, 
managing director of Treadway 
Inns, and Cliff Ingham, chef of 
Williams Inn, as guests. An old 
English traditional dinner was the 
piece-de-resistance, it being a lip- 
smacker and a pictorial delight, if 
rather complicated for home serv¬ 
ing. 

The Traveling Trolibadours sang 
“Twelve Days of Christmas” on 
the first origination. Mrs. Cody 
displayed unusual flexibility and 
video knowhow in the handling^ of 
her guests. One of her faults, no¬ 
ticeable breath intake (exaggerated 
perhaps by a diaphragm mike), 
was in evidence. Another is the 
smacking of lips. At times, Mrs. 
Cody watches the cameras too ob¬ 
viously, and occasionally she 
thinks out loud. Voice is small 
but clear; accent is Bostonian. 
Spot commercials include filmed 
stuff which she could be sharper. 

Jaeo. 


Foreign TV Reviews 


DO YOU TRUST YOUR WIFE? 
With Bob Monkhouse, Denis Good¬ 
win 

Producer: John Irwin 
Director: Colin Clews 
30 Mins., Tues. 7:30 p.m. 
Associated Television, London 
Apart from overlong interviews 
with contestants, which tend to 
slow down the show, but supply 
emefee Bo-b Monkhouse with wise¬ 
crack material, there were very 
few dull spots during the program. 
One of them, however, was pro¬ 
vided, in the show caught, by Den¬ 
is Goodwin-, Monkhouse’s partner 
in scriptwriting and comedy, who 
made a brief, but still too long, ap¬ 
pearance to conduct a viewer’s 
matrimonial advice section to solve 
crazy marital problems. To the 
winner went a prize of $14 for sup¬ 
plying the solution on how to get 
husbands out of bed in the morn¬ 
ing. Goodwin's uneasy tv person¬ 
ality marred what waj otherwise 
a good comedy offering. 

The program, of course, has its 
origin in an American show of the 
(Continued on pagt 48) 


THE LITTLE FOXE$ 

(Hallmark Hall of Fame) * T 
With Greer Garson, Franchot Tone, 

Sidney Blackmer, E. G. Marshall, 

Eileen Heckart, Peter Kelley, 
. Mildred Trares, Lauren Gilbert, 

others 

Execu Producer: Mildred Freed AJ- 

Producer - Director: George 

Schaefer 

Writer; Lillian Heilman 
Adaptation: Robert Hartung 
90 Mins., Sun. (16), 7:30 p.m, 
HALLMARK CARDS 
NBC-TV, from New York 

(Foote, Cone & Belding) 

Lillian Heilman’s opus of the 
decadent South, done on the stage 
and screen, came to tv Sunday (16), 
offering many electrifying mo¬ 
ments and slices of honest tragedy, 
but for reasons of casting missed 
being the solid, hair-raising drama 
and social commentary of the stage 
or screenplay. 

Greer Garson as Regina Gid- 
dens, the bitter, powerrhungry, un¬ 
scrupulous woman, did not have 
the needed authority and subtlety 
for the role. Miss Garson, whose 
screen roles usually have been the 
“good woman” type found in 
“Goodbye Mr. Chips” and “Mrs. 
Miniver,” struggled valiantly to 
meet the challenge o£* portraying 
the woman of consummate evil and 
design, the woman finally who 
must live alone with her sins. But 
there was too much theatricality in 
her interpretation of the role, too 
much overacting, where subtlety 
and incisiveness were needed. The 
Southern dialect didn’t seem to 
come naturally to her either. 

Franchot Tone as her sick hus¬ 
band, aware of her evil and the 
dishopesty of their mode of living, 
gave a topnotch performance, even 
if at times he appeared too studied 
in his role. Sidney Blackmer as 
the smooth, brainy brother Ben, 
was excellent, while the other 
brother in that ill-fated family, Os¬ 
car, portrayed by E. G. Marshall, 
became too frenetic at times. 

Eileen Heckart, as Birdie, a sis¬ 
ter-in-law, gave the play heart, for 
in human terms she told the mean¬ 
ing of a sensitive, good hearted in¬ 
dividual, albeit immature, who is 
caught in the vortex of an uncon¬ 
scionable, money-grubbing family. 
Her’s was a most moving scene 
when she attempts to warn and 
protect Miss Garson’s young 
daughter from her own weak- 
willed, brutal son. Her son was 
played to uneven effect by Peter 
Kelley, while Mildred Trares was 
competent - as the daughter. 

Robert Hartung deserves credit 
for keeping all the bite in the tv 
adaptation of the script. Producer- 
director George Schaefer managed 
to realize a good deal of the poten¬ 
tials "of the play, which still wears 
well with time. It was done on 
Broadway in 1939, with Tallulah 
Bankhead starred as Regina, and 
on the screen in 1941, with Bette 
Davis in the title role. 

The settings by Otis Riggs and 
Noel Taylor, as seen in black-and- 
white—(it was telecast in compati¬ 
ble color)—filled the bill nicely. 
Despite its shortcomings, the Hall¬ 
mark Hall of Fame with the “Lit¬ 
tle Foxes” and Shaw’s “Man and 
Superman,” is dishing out some of 
the most exciting, adult, top level 
tv dramas of the season. Horo. 


MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY 
TELETHON 

With Julius La Rosa, John Reed 
• King, Eugenie Baird, Fran Alli¬ 
son, “Pops” Wakefield Orch. (12), 
others 

Producer: Jules Baker 
Director: Edward Callahan 
1080 Mins.: Sat. (15), 10 p.m. 
KMGM-TV, Minneapolis 
KMGM-TV and all those partici¬ 
pating in this 18-hour telethon did 
themselves proud in putting on a 
good show and raising a substantial 
sum for a very worthy cause—the 
fight against muscular dystrophy. 
Imported performers and those 
from niteries here and localites 
provided firstrate entertainment 
over the air from the Minneapolis 
municipal Auditorium stage. 

Julius La Rosa and Eugenie 
Baird sang in their best form and 
that spelled topdrawer melodics. 

Emcee John Reed King and 
others told the muscular dystrophy 
story graphically and King in a 
gentle, good-hpmored but none the 
less persuasive and effective fashion 
directed appeals for pledges. Fran 
Allison’s skillful interviews of the 
disease’s victims .were moving. 
Richard Webb (“Captain Mid¬ 
night”) eloquently enlisted finan¬ 
cial contributions and furnished 
diversion for the small fry. All of 
the notables responded personally 
to telephone calls to them. Batteries 
of volunteer operators took the 
telephoned pledges. 

In its entirely the proceedings 
bespoke the sincerity of the efforts 
to combat a dreaded malady. 

Rees . 



PtS&WFr 


Wednesday, Peecmkr 19« 1956 




Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


Pfa&lETr 


The story’s 
the same 
everywhere... 





m Minneapolis. ^ 






ON KMGM-TV 


HJLGrTSJL 

A SERVICE OP 
LOEW S INCORPORATED 


Write, wire or phone 

Charles C. Barry, Vice-President, 1540 Broadway, New York 


LEO’S ON 
TOP FROM 
COAST TO 
COASTS 


The sensational MGM-TV success story has made trade 
headlines and station history from L.A. to N.Y. No matter 
where you put the M-G-M features, they skyrocket ratings 
right up to the skies. 

In Minneapolis-St. Paul all the odds were against the 
MG-M features coming up with a top rating. They were 
programmed on an independent channel—against top net¬ 
work competition—and in a time-slot with a previous rating 
history of only 2.4 (Nov. ARB). 

Nevertheless, on December 8th, when KMGM-TV kicked 
off with Clark Gable and Lana Turner in "Honky-Tonk", the 
average Trendex was 25.3 — topping the second station by 
more than ten points! Average share: 48.8%. 

If you are statistic-minded, this is about equal to all three 
pi the competing stations combined. And if you're billing¬ 
conscious, it means that now is the time to make inquiry 
about the availability of the M-G-M library in your area. 





38 


TV-FILMS 




, ydneaday,, December, 1% 1956 


J^RIETY - ARB Gity-By-City Syndicated Film Chart 


,_ \XBJRTY^ 4ceeh^jclmr.t-i4jdXy-hy-city 

tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bur¬ 
eau on a monthly basis. Cities tvill be rotated each week, with the 10 top- 
rated film shows listed in each case, and their competition shown opposite. 
All ratings are furnished by ARB, based on the latest reports• 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa¬ 
tion about film in each market, which can be used by distributors , agencies, 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market* Attention should be paid to time—day and 


l _ time fac tors « si nce sets-in-use and audience composition vary a ccording to 

time slot, i.e., a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low rating, may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor* 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market. Abbre¬ 
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv), adventure; (Ch), children’s% 
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical; 
(Mysl), mystery; (Q), quiz; (Sp), sports; (W), western; (Worn), 
women’s. Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta¬ 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are VHF* Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national sponsor for whom the film is, aired. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 
AND TYPE 


STATION DISTRIB. 


DAY AND NOVEMBER SHARE SETS IN I TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

TIME RATING (%) USE I PROGRAM $TA. RATING 


NEW YORK 


Approx. Set Count —4^525,000 


Stations- 


WCBS (2), WRCA (4), WARD (5), WARC <7), 
- WOR (9), WPIX (11), WATV (13) 


1. Highway Patrol (Adv) 


S. Guy Lombardo (Mus) 


6. Rhelngold Theatre (Dr) .WRCA 

7. Victory at Sea (Doc) .WPIX 

8. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv).... WPIX 



... Mon. 7:00-7:30 ...... 

.. 18.9 . 

i... 4517. . 

. Ziv . 

... Fri. 7:00-7:30 .. ; 

. .13.5 . 

.... 39.3. 


.. Thurso 7;00-7:30 .... 

..11.7 . 

.... 28.0. 

.McC-E. 

... Wed; 7:00-7:30 . 

. .Ili3. 

_,32.8. 

.Screen Gems... 

; .. Tues. 7:00-7:30 . 

..10.6 . 

_30.1 .. 


...Mon. 10:30-11:00 .... 

..10.3 . 

.... 20.7.. 

. NBC . 

.. .Sun. 7:30-8:00 . 

.. 8.3..... 

_ 15.5.. 

. MCA . 

_ Sun. 6:00-6:30 .’..... 

.. 8.2 . 

.... 23.1 .. 

. ABC. . 

...Sat. 6:30-7:00. . 

.. 8.2.,... 

.... 33.2.. 


... Mon.-Sat. 6:30-7:00 . 

.. 7.3 . 

!... 27.8.. 


41.4 

34.3 

41.8 

34.4 

35.2 

49.8 

53.6 

35.6 

24.7 

26.2 


Early Show; Rain or Shine.. WCBS 
J CBS News—D. Edwards.. WCBS 

Three Star News ..WPIX 

Early Show; Rain or Shine.. WCBS 
CBS News—D. Edwards.. WCBS 
Early Show; Rain, or Shine. .WCBS 
CBS News—D. Edwards.. WCBS 
Early Show; Rain or Shine. . WCBS 
• CBS News—D. Edwards.. WCBS 
Early Show; Rain or Shine.. WCBS 
CBS News—D. Edwards.. WCBS 


Studio Qne .WCBS 

Private Secretary .WCBS 

Air Power ....WCBS 

Vincent Lopez .WCBS 

Looney Tunes . WABD 

Sheena of the Jungle (S)... WPIX 

Early Show (M-F).WCBS 


5.8 

5.5 

5.5 

5.5 

5.8 
10.1 

8.6 

7.6 

7.8 
7.6 
6.5 

15.2 

23.9 

11.4 

4.2 

4.2 

8.2 

6.4 


CHICAGO - Approx. Set Count— 2,900,000 Stations —WBBM (2), WNBQ (5), WBKB (7), WGN (9) 


1. Secret Journal (Dr) .WNBQ. 

2. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) WNBQ. 

3. City Detective (Myst) .WGN....;. 

4. Superman (Adv) .WGN... *.. 

_MCA. 

.■...Ziv . 


.. Sat. 10:00-10:30 . 
.. Sat. 10:30-11:00 . 
...Fri. 9:30-10:00 .. 
...Fri. 6:00-6:30 ... 

5. San Francisco Beat (Dr)... 

6. Annie Oakley (W) . 

7. Studio 57 (Dr) . 

. ..WGN. 

.. .WBBM ..,. 
... WBKB. 

_CBS. 

.... MCA. ..... 


.. Tues. 9:00-9:30 ,. 
.. Sat. 5:30-6:00 . .. 

.. .Tues. 10:00-10:30 

8. Buffalo Bill, Jr. (W). 

.. .wgn;.. 



.. Thurs. 6:00-6:30 

9. Federal Men (Myst) .. 

10. Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

. . WBKB. 

.. .WGNT. 

.... MCA. 

.... Flamingo.. 


...Fri. 10:30-11:00 . 

, ..Tues. 6:00-6:30 . 


. 30.4 . 

.... 60.5 . 

_ 50.3 

Family Theatre . 

.WGN .. 

.?... 7.6 

. 22.4 . 

.... 52,2..... 

.... 42.9 

Waterfront . 

.WBBM 


. 14.3 . 

_23.4. 

... 61.2 

Person to Person.«... 

.WBBM 

T , r t 34 9 

.13.5. 

.... 48.0....'. 

... 28.1 


WBBM 

6 .1 




CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.WBBM 


.... . .12.7 . 

.... 18.7 . 

_ 68.2 

$64,000 Question . 

.WBBM 


. 12.6 . 

.... 49.5 . 

.... 26.4 

Frontier Playhouse . 

.WGN .. 

. 6.4 

. 12.5 . 

_ 28.2 . 

.... 44.3 

Standard News Roundup .. 

.WBBM 





Report From Israel . 

.WBBM 


. 12.4 . 

.... 38.6..... 

.... 32.1 

News — J. Bentley . 

.WBBM 





CBS News — D. Edwards. 

.WBBM 


. 12.1 . 

.... 35.7..... 

_ 34.0 

Community Playhouse .... 

.WGN .. 


.12.0. 

.... 41.2. 

_29.1 

Kukla, Fran & Ollie. 

.WBKB 

. . 8.9 




CBS News — D. Edwards. 

.WBBM 

...... 6.7 




News*-J. Daly .. 

.WBKB 

. 6.7 


LOS ANGELES 


Approx . Set Count-r-2, 313,000 


KNXT < 2 >’ KRCA <*>• KTLA < 5 >* KABC < 7 >* 

Motions —_KHJ (9), KTTV (II), KCOP (13) 


1. Annie Oakley (W) . 

KABC. . . ,. 

.. .. . CBS. 

.. Thurs. 6:00-6:30 ... 

... .14.9. 

.... 39.4. 

.... 37.8 

Report; Stout; Sports. 

.KNXT ... 

.... 6.5 








CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.KNXT 

_8.7 

2. Search for Adventure (Adv).. 

KCOP. 


.. .Thurs. 7:00-7:30 .. 

; . . . 14.7-. 

.... 27.4. 

.... 53.7 

Popeye the Sailor. 

.KTLA ... 

... .11.0 








Name That Tune. 

.KNXT ... 

_16.3 

3. San Francisco Beat (Dr)..... 

.KTTV. 

.CBS. 

.. Sat. 9:30-10:00 _ 

_13.5. 

_26.4. 

.... 51.1 


KRCA 

12 6 

4. Buffalo Bill, Jr. (W)... 

.KABC.:... 

.CBS. 

.. Fri. 6:00-6:30 . 

...13.0. 

.... 33.7. 

.... 38.6 

Report; Stout; Sports. 

.KNXT 

.... 4.7 








CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.KNXT ... 

_7.7 

5. Susie (Com) . 

.KTTV. 

.TPA. 

..Sat. 8:00-8:30 ..... 

....12.6. 

.... 19.6. 

.... 64.4 

Perry Como .. 

. KRCA .. 

_22.5 

6. Jungle Jim (Adv). 

KTTV. 

.... .Screen Gems... 

...Mon. 6:00-6:30 _ 

....12.1. 

.... 30.2..;,. 

.... 40.1 

Report; Stout; Sports. 

.KNXT ... 

.... 9.0 








CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.KNXT ... 

_10.2 

7. Life With Father (Com). 

. KNXT. 

.....CBS .. 

.. Fri. 7:00-7:30 .... 

...120. 

....22,9. 

.... 52.3 

Cavalcade of Sports. 

. KRCA .. 

... .15.0 

7. Confidential File (Doc). 

KTTV. 


.. Sun. 9:30-10:00 ... 

.... 12.0. 

. 21.0. 

.... 57.1 

Alfred Hitchcock . 

.KNXT ... 

_32.2 

9. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) 

KTTV. 

.Ziv . 

.. Mon. 8:00-8:30 .... 

. .. .11.7. 

.... 16.8. 

.... 69.8! 

Producer's Showcase . 

. KRCA .. 

_23.8 

10. Life of Riley (Com). 

.KTTV. 

.NBC.. 

...Mon. 8:30-9:00 _ 

... .11.5. 

.... 16.5..... 

.... 69.6 

Producer's Showcase . 

. KRCA .. 

...25.5 


CLEVELAND Approx . Set Count —1,900,000 Stations —KYW (3), WEWS (5), WJW (8) 


1. Highway Patrol (Adv) .WJW... 

2. Range Rider (W) .. WEWS. 

3. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv) ...KYW... 

4. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) KYW... 

5. Crunch & Des (Adv)....KYW... 

6. Annie Oakley (W) .WJW... 

7. Badge 714 (Myst).WJW.. . 

8. Sheriff of Cochise (W) .KYW... 


9. Six: O’clock Adventure (Adv) KYW 
(Sheena of the Jungle) 


10. Racket Squad (Myst) .KYW. 


.. .Ziv . 

.Tues. 10:30-11:00 . 

..25.5. 

. 70.1. 

.... 36.4* 

Slenderella Playhouse .... 

.KYW . 

.. CBS. 

.Sun. 7:00-7:30 . 

..22.1. 

. 50.0. 

.... 44.3 

Passport to Danger . 

.KYW . 

. .MCA. .. 


..21.1. 


.... 32.8 

Stories of the Century..... 

.WEWS 

. .Ziv .. 


. .19.4. 


.... 34.6 

San Francisco Beat. 

.WJW . 

. ,NBC. 


. ,19.2. 

. 54.1. 

.... 35 5 

Man Called X . 

WJW 

. .CBS. 


. .17.5. 

. 50.1. 

.... 34.9 

Gene Autry •. 

. WEWS 

..NBC. 

.Fri.. 7:00-7:30 . 

. .17.1. 

. 41.1. 

.... 41.6 

Legionnaire .... 

.WEWS 

. .NTA. 


. .16.9. 

. 34.1. 

.... 49:6 

What’s My Line. 

.WJW . 

. .ABC. 

...M-F 6:00-6:30 . 

. .16.8. 

.. 58 3. 

. 28 8 


WEWS 






Late Matinee (T). . . 

.WJW . 






News Parade (T) . 

.WJW . 






News Highlights (M-F).. 

.WEWS 






‘ CBS News—D. Edwards 







(M-F) . 

.WJW . 






Gene Autry (W). 

.WEWS 






Three Musketeers (T)... 

.WEWS 






Cowboy G-Men (F). 

.WEWS 

. . .ABC.___ 

.Sat. 7:00-7:30 . 

. .16.6 

. 39.8 ... 

. 41.8 

Death Valley Days. 

.WJW . 


. 6.4 
. 11.2 
. 6.2 
.10.4 
. 10.1 
.14.0 
.12.7 
.26.2 
10.7 
. 3.9 


o.x 

7.6 

9.1 

8.4 

15.6 


ATLANTA _ Approx. Set Count —565,000 _ Stations —WSB (2), WAGA (5), WLW-A (11) 


1. Badge 714 (Myst) . 

2. Superman (Adv) . 

.WSB. 

.WSB. 

.... NBC . 

-Flamingo. 

... Men. 7:00-7:30 ... 

, ...Wed. 7:00-7:30 ... 

3. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) 

4. Amos ’n’ Andy (Com)... 

4. Jungle Jim (Adv) .. 

WAGA. 

• WAGA. 

• WLW-A.... 

.. .<. Ziv . 

....CBS. 

.... Screen Gems .. 

... Tues. 7:00-7:30 .. 
... Thurs. 7:00-7:30 . 

. Mon 6-30-7 00 

6. Susie (Com) .. 

7. Man Called X (Myst). 

8. Sheena of the Junrie (Adv) . 

.WSB . 

WAGA..... 
WLW-A. ... 

.... TPA'.;. 

_Ziv . 

.... ABC.. 

... Mon. 7:30-8:00 ... 
... Sun. 7:00-7:30 ... 
... Thurs. 6-30-7:00 1. 

9. Highway Patrol (Adv) . 

10. Waterfront (Adv) . 

WAGA..... 

• WAGA.,... 

.... Ziv ... 

....MCA..... 

... Fri. 7:30-8:00 ... 
....Fri. 7:00-7:30 .... 


. .30.4. 

.... 71.6. 

.... 42T4 

Rosemary Clooney . 

.WAGA ... 

... 7.8 

. .29.1. 

.... 70.3. 

_41.4 

Assignment Atlanta; 






Weather . 

.WLW-A . 

... 6.1 




News—J. Daly . 

.WLW-A . 

... 6.8 

. .22.8. 

.... 62.1. 

.... 36.7 

Search for Adventure. 

.WSB .... 

... 9.0 

. .22.0. 

.... 48.8. 

/... 45.1 

Lone Ranger . 

.wstf .... 

...16.7 

. . 22.0. 

.... 69.6. 

_31.fi 


WSB 

.. 3.7 




Weather; Sports; News.. 

.WAGA .. 

!.. 3.7. 




CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.WAGA .. 

... 8.1 

,. .21.1. 

_43.8. 

_48.1 

Robin Hood ... 

. WAGA .. 

,. .22.1 

.. 19.8. 

.... 43.7. 

.... 45.3 

You Asked For It. 

. WLW-A . 

.. .15.2 

.. 18.6 

_ 62.2. 

.... 29.9 

Sports; News ............ 

. WAGA .. 

,.. 6.1 




CBS News—D. Edwards. 

.WAGA ... 

... 5.7 

. 17.8. 

.... 36.2..... 

49.3 

Rin Tin Tin.... 

. WLWsA , 

.. .20.3 

,..17.4. 

.. 44.9. 

.... 38.7 

Great' GildetslCeve . 

.WSB .... 

...13.8 









































































































































































































































































































































































Wednesday, I^eember 19, 1956 _ t^KiEflT. 


TV-FILMS ID 


VIDPIX INDIES VS. ‘OUTSIDERS’ 


4 


4 


Everything’s ‘Honky’ Dory in Chi 

What is believed to be the highest rating ever scored by a fea¬ 
ture film was racked up in Chicago Saturday (15) night by “Honky 
Tonk," the Clark Gable, Lana Turner starrer. It <lrew a 42.4 
Trendex for the 10 to midnight period over CBS' o&o WBBM-TV, 
which opened its Metro programming with “Honky Tonk/’ 

In New York/the highest of th£ initial Metro theatricals, the 
first, “Command Decision," also starring Clark Gable, pulled a 
28.4 Trendex over WCBS-TV. In Los Angeles, an ARB of 28.8 
was struck by tlie .opener “Command Decision" over KTTV's 
“Colgate’s Theatre/' 

WBBM's 42.3 trounced all competition, drawing a 76.7% of tne 
share of audience, with a 55.3% of the sets in use. WGN-TV, 
which had Columbia’s theatrical, “A Night to Remember," in the 
same period, struck a 4.6 Trendex. WNBQ, with “Dr. Hudson's 
Secret Journal," “Science Fiction Theatre," and “Championship 
Bowling," in the 10 to midnight period drew a 7.9, while the ABC 
affiliate WBKB hit a 2.0, with the “Teddy Phillip Show/' “Half- 
Hour Theatre" and the beginning of its RKO feature._ 


Ziv Effects 865 ‘Marriages’ in ’56 
Of Co-Sponsors on Telefilms 


The dramatic growth of co-spon-* 
sorsh$ deals on syndicated prod¬ 
uct is reflected in a year-end Ziv 
report, which shows that Ziv sales 
execs arranged no less than 865 
telefilm “marriages" between non¬ 
competing advertisers during 1956. 

Coming in on the co-sponsorship 
pattern for Ziv shows were 1,180 
different sponsors. It was esti¬ 
mated that the co-sponsored Ziv 
shows over the course of the year 
represented a gross total of over 
$22,000,000 in time and program 
billings. 

Sales v.p. M. J. Rifkin, comment¬ 
ing bn the development, said that 
“by closely coordinating our nat¬ 
ional sales force and syndicated 
sales force, we have increased our 
total number of co-sponsorship 
deals in the past three years from 
a total of 535 to today’s ffgure of 
865—a growth of 62%." 

The Ziv parings range from 
single market*? such as Watertown, 
N. .Y., to national-level co-sponsor- 
ships in 50 or more markets. A 
good example of' b large co-spon¬ 
sorship deal on the Ziv list is the 
recent purchase of “Men of Annap¬ 
olis" by Carnation Milk and Fuller 
Paint for West CoaSt markets. 

At the time of the sale, Ziv 
execs learned both firms were in¬ 
terested in the show, and that their 
target markets were very similar. 
In fact, each sponsor sought the 
show for more than 8b% Of the 
markets on the other client’s list. 
In the left-over markets, Carna¬ 
tion and Ziv arranged co-sponsor¬ 
ships in some, and Fuller Pain is 
currently pairing off with other 
advertisers in the remainder. Re¬ 
sult, every major West Coast mar¬ 
ket. js lined up for . the show. 

Co-sponsorship “marriages" be¬ 
tween related products as dairies 
and bakeries, auto dealers and 
finance companies, supermarkets 
and trading stamps can and do 
occur with Ziv shows. But, more 
basically, the Ziv pattern is to 
serve two top accounts whose 
products may be unrelated, but 
who are anxious to Teach a similar 
audience. 

WABD Buys 60 In 
2d WB-AAP Sale 

WABD, DuMont tv station in 
New York, has bought its second 
group of 60 Warner Bros, pictures 
from Associated Artists Produc¬ 
tions. Sometime in January, the 
station will begin a flrstrun fea¬ 
ture film program Saturday nights, 
in addition to the one slated Sun¬ 
days. 

Purchase is another step in 
WAB’s expansion plans for feature 
film, with Wednesday night being 
the likely place for further full- 
lengthers. Station is one of the 
approximately 40 tv’ers interested 
m banding to buy the Paramount 
or Universal libraries. 

New feature slot will run from 
7 Saturday night until 1 ayem Sun¬ 
day with each pic in three contin¬ 
uous showings. WABD's Sunday 
showings of Warner pix are at 3 
add again at 9 #.m. ■ ' 


M.D.-LL.D PUB S£RV 


Dynamic Films Offers Series Of 
Six to Stations 


A new series of six half-hour epi¬ 
sodes dealing with the professional 
relationship between doctors and 
lawyers, produced by Dynamic 
Films, will be made available for 
telecasting as a public service. 

Presented by pharmaceutical 
manufacturer William S, Merrill 
Co., the first of the series is “The 
Medical Witness," premiered re¬ 
cently at the American Medical 
Assrt. meet in Seattle. Prints of 
the film are available from either 
the AMA or the American Bar 
Assn. Second of the series will be 
“Imputed Malpractice," dealing 
with the necessity of cooperation 
between the two professions. 

Guild’s $1,138,000 
Record for Not.; 
Lotsa ‘Grief’ (40) 

An alltime record month of 
$1,138,000 gross was chalked up by 
Guild Films in November, ending 
the company’s fiscal year. Previ¬ 
ous high was $1,222,000 in sales 
during March, 1955. 

'Biggest chunk of the sales gross 
comes from the 40-market buy of 
“Captain Grief" by D-X Sunray 
Oil. It does not include later sales 
in Houston and Dallas. A heavy 
coin return was also made by the 
syndicator through the November 
sale of a'library package of rerun 
half-hour pix to the Triangle tv 
stations. All five stations in the 
chain bought “Duffy’s Tavern," 
“Flash Gordon" and “Janet Dean." 
Four of the stations took *Lib- 
erace,” “Molly" and “Sherlock 
Holmes." First group of three 
•and “Holmes" were recently turned 
over to Guild by the Matty Fox in¬ 
terests in return for a large, block 
of Guild shares. 

The $1,138,000 includes sales of 
Guild cartoon and rerun feature 
film product. All told, sales were 
completed that month in over 100 
markets. . 

CBS Newsfilm’s Special 
On Hungary in Revolt’ 

CBS Newsfilm is distributing 
free to its subscribers a 15-minute 
filmed special titled “Hungary in 
Revolt." It’s a condensed wrapup 
of all CBS News footage of the 
Hungarian "situation, with Douglas 
Edwards as narrator. 

Show goes, to all CBS Newsfilm 
subscribers, including those in 12 
foreign countries,. Stations may 
program the film as many times as 
they wish, and also may make it 
available for public screenings by 
schools, efubs, Hungarian relief 
j organizations, and other commu¬ 
nity groups. 


GO-PROD. DEALS 


Chi Piggy-Backing’ Backlog in Big 
Natl Spot Spree; Tall Mpls. Trendex 

----4 By FARRELL DAVISSON 


By MURRAY HOROWITZ 

With one lone exception, major 
or prospective producer-distribu¬ 
tors of networked telefilmed series 
are-skeptical of-the-potential com¬ 
petition from agencies and/or 
clients moving into the field of 
telefilm production,, a move stem¬ 
ming from agency, client dissatis¬ 
faction with current tv program¬ 
ming. Tfie sole exception is Rob¬ 
ert Manby, v.p. of RKO Teleradio 
Pictures, who says that his com¬ 
pany, now in the throes of plan¬ 
ning tv production, would welcome 
co-production deals with an agency 
or client for a skein. 

Others are highly dubious of ac¬ 
tivities as Young & Rubicam’s 
pilot filming of “Rob Roy" in Eng¬ 
land at a cost 6f $40,000, Procter 
& Gamble’s overtures to indies to 
help finance telefilm projects, and 
the rumblings in such agencies as 
Ted Bates and BBD&O in similar* 
directions. The agency-client moves 
are mainly interpreted as a pres¬ 
sure play against the networks, 
with the customers incensed at the 
calibre and costs of,this season’s 
crop of networked shows, although 
the major producer-distributors, as 
outside suppliers of webbed skeins, 
also feel burned by the attack. Most 
of the major telefilm outfits—the 
indies in this case, as opposed to 
the network - conceived - and - pro¬ 
duced shows—say that if and when, 
agency and/or client, gets into the 
business there will be less fault¬ 
finding, But that stage won’t 
even be reached, they go on to 
predict, for a variety of reasons, 
chiefly because telefilm production 
is too hazardous, too specialized 
and too expensive for either client 
i or agency to undertake on any 
substantial scale. 

Manby the ‘Maverick’ 

Teleradio’s Manby, the sole 
“maverick" in the group, and mem¬ 
ber of the management team steer¬ 
ing RKO's planned telefilm pro¬ 
duction, contends agencies and 
clients, in effect, already control 
programming, with their power to 
buy or reject particular shows. 
Why shouldn't RKO welcome a co¬ 
production deal with them, or co¬ 
financing, he asks, maintaining 
that it’s better to have the cus¬ 
tomer work with you from the 
start, rather than make unilateral 
decisions on the merits of a prop¬ 
erty only to find later that it 
can't be sold. Of course, the final 
“jury, as with any show biz enter¬ 
prise, is the public, and agency- 
client participation in production 
or financing is no blanket insur¬ 
ance for a click, popular skein. Yet 
the pooling of brains and resources, 
although RKO Teleradio needs no 

(Continued on page 50) 


Kroger’s 22-City Buy 
Of Major’s Holy Night’ 

“Holy Night," half-hour telefilm 
dramatization of the birth of Jesus, 
distributed by Major Television 
Productions, has been booked by 
stations in 22 markets for Sunday 
(23) telecasting. 

Kroger Groceries, yia Ralph 
Jones Advertising^Agency, is spon¬ 
soring the telefilm in the 22 cities, 
among them will be Cleveland, 
Cincinnati, Louisville, Richmond, 
Nashville and Youngstown. 

Major Television also is distrib¬ 
uting during the Christmas season 
“Child of Bethlehem," a Cathe¬ 
dral-produced half-hour film; and’ 
“The Life of Jesus," a one-hour 
feature, narrated by Judith An¬ 
derson. 

Another syndicated Christmas 
package—the four films being dis¬ 
tributed by Trans-Lux Television— 
has been booked by more than 35 
stations, with <20 more bookings an¬ 
ticipated within the next few days.- 
The films were produced by En¬ 
cyclopedia Britannica. 


/More TV Film Flews 
On Page 46 \ 


Ziv’s Zippy Bank Coin 

The number of banks, finance 
companies and insurance firms 
sponsoring Ziv syndicated telefilms' 
is steadily increasing. In the past 
year alone, according to a Ziv 
study, there was a 25% gain in 
that field for Ziv shows, a remark¬ 
able gain wlien compared to the 
general rise of 50% of such Ziv 
telefilm sponsorship which occur¬ 
red since 1952. 

The progress in the field is said 
to stem from the large number of 
renewals, coupled with the new 
financial houses signing up for the 
shows. Nearly half of the busi¬ 
ness Ziv does with banks in over 
45 markets is repeat business. 
Multi-market sponsorship is an¬ 
other important trend, with such 
firms as Household Finance and 
Nationwide Insurance Co. signing 
for Ziv shows in a number of dif¬ 
ferent cities. 

Split-Week Policy 
On Films Garners 
CKLW-TV Payoff 

Basing its cinematic tv unreel¬ 
ing* on the operations of a neigh¬ 
borhood theatre, CKLW-TV, in the 
Windsor-Detroit market, finds the 
plan paying off in terms of ratings 
and sponsorship coin. So says 
Campbell Ritchie, station opera¬ 
tions manager, in N.Y. for confabs 
with film distributors and RKO 
Teleradio execs. 

The RKO Teleradio o&o has a 
split-week change of bill for its 
six-day slotting of the ex-theatri¬ 
cals, culled from National Telefilm 
Associates’ 20th-Fox and Selznick 
packages. It opens on Sunday 
from 4 to 5:30 p.m. with a new 
pic playing the same Sunday the¬ 
atrical Monday and Tuesday nights 
from 7:30 to 9, changing its bill 
Wednesday and riding through 
with the same time slot to Friday, 
picking up with another new fea¬ 
ture on Sunday after a hiatus on 
Saturday. The reason for the Sat¬ 
urday hiatus is the telecasting of 
football and hockey games that 
night. 

Ratingwise, Pulse November rat¬ 
ings gave “Spiral Staircase" on 
Sunday a 8.9, Monday a 12.6, and 
Tuesday, a 17.6. With “Wing and 
a Prayer" coming in Wednesday, 
it got a 19.7 on that day, a 20.5 
on Thursday and a 20.9 on Friday. 
CKLW-TV is the only RKO o&o 
which has adopted the split-week 
formula for its “Million-Dollar 
Movie" unreeling. 

The show, as other “MDM" pack¬ 
ages, is sold on multiple-stripped 
basis, with sponsors inkling for a 
minimum of a 13-week period. 

(Continued on page 48) 

GUY THAYER TO G-K 
AS NEW EXEC VEEPEE 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

New exec v.p. of Gross-Krasne 
Inc. is Guy Thayer Jr., who shifts 
over from an 11-year stint with Ro¬ 
land Reed Productions. As first 
assignment, he flies over to Lon¬ 
don shortly to set up theatrical 
film distrib for G-K there. 

Additionally. Thayer will take 
on some of Phil Krasne’s adminis¬ 
trative duties, to leave Krasne free 
to set tv distrib policy. Jack Gross, 
Krasne, Thayer and Don Hyde also 
will prepare tv properties for film¬ 
ing, with Hyde continuing as pro¬ 
ducer on the “O. Henry" series. 
Operations of California Studio, 
leased by G-K, will continue under 
Mickey Gross’ management. 

Meanwhile, Arthur Pearson will 
take over Thayer’s former duties 
at Roland Reed, which will con¬ 
tinue to headquarter at California 
Studios. 


Chicago, Dec. 18. 

Sales strategists at the three Chi¬ 
cago tele stations giving the big 
play to feature films are_keeping 
an'anxious Tinger on the pulse of 
national spot advertising. It’s con¬ 
ceded there isn’t enough local coin 
around to fully underwrite the ex¬ 
pensive firstrun features and any 
significant slackening of national 
biz could spell trouble. 

The competition has never been 
keener for the national accounts, 
with WBBM-TV and WBKB selling 
big blocks of their virginal product 
strips as spot carriers. And just 
a few weeks back WGN-TV opened 
Tip its Thursday night at 10 feature 
as a lure for national biz. Hereto¬ 
fore, WGN-TV’s prime 10 o’clock 
showcase has been sponsored cross- 
the-board by hometown advertisers. 

This accelerated pitch for na¬ 
tional patronage, undoubtedly 
dittoed in other markets swept up 
in the film flood, comes at the 
windup of a year that has seen a 
tapering off of such coin during 
the past sixmonths. It’s pointed 
out that spot ad budgets are no¬ 
toriously elastic and usually the 
first lopped off when retrenchment 
is called for. That’s why the *57 
national spot trend will be watched 
with considerable apprehension. 

So far, initial reactions from 
agencies With national accounts to 
the Windy City film offerings has 
been fairly bullish., WBBM-TV, 
which got off to the latest start in 
the selling derby with its Metro 
bundle debuting last Saturday (15) 
night, has roped in 14-different ad¬ 
vertisers for its weeknight “Late • 
Show." Most of these are national 
spenders. 

Columbia station, however, has 
yet to set a term sponsorship deal 
for its Saturday night at 10 “Best 
of MGM” display which carries a ' 
$3,500 pricetag for half-hour seg¬ 
ments. Preem entry last week, 
“Honky Tonk," was bankrolled on 
(Continued on page 48) 


Alan Ladd Preps 
l Telepix Series 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Two telefilm projects of Alan 
Ladd’s Jaguar Productions are bub¬ 
bling on the burners, with reac¬ 
tivation of the Jaguar vidpix oper¬ 
ation to occur on his return from 
abroad. 

One is an Air Force series based 
on an idea by mag writer Richard 
Hubler, revolving around the Stra¬ 
tegic Air Command. Other is the 
previouly-disclosed televersion of 
Ladd’s former radio series, “Box 
13." for which he’s been, testing 
male leads. Ron Randall, also just 
back from Europe, is understood to 
be a leading contender. 

Meanwhile, Ladd has two the¬ 
atrical pix slated to roll for Warn¬ 
er Bros, release next year, “Deep 
Six" and “Off the City Streets." 
Also, he will ready “The Big 
Land," already filmed, for Warners 
release next year, all under the 
Jagu*.r label. 

‘WHIRLYBIRDS’ IN 
16 MORE MARKETS 

CBS Television Film Sales has 
sold its new Desilu - produced 
“Whirlybirds" series in an addi¬ 
tional 16 markets during the past 
week, bringing the total on the 
show up to 83. Of the 16 new 
cities, Continental Oil has picked 
up eight to add to its original re¬ 
gional purchase of 39 markets. 

Other sales include a two-market 
deal with Westinghouse Broadcast¬ 
ing for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh 
and WBZ-TV in Boston, and a sale 
to WPIX in N. Y. Series was also 
sold to the Nickl-Silver Battery 
Co. for the state of Oregon, to. 
WTVN in Columbus and to a Tulsa - 
grocery chain. 



UfatiEfr 



EXCLUSIVE CAPITOL RECORDING ARTISTS 
Latest Releases 

I WANT TO UNGER” - “CRAZY ARMS 
A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS” - “SILVER BELLS 

Representation: 

WALTER WECHSLER 

pat McDermott 

Directional Public Relations — Personal Management 






I 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


PftMEfr 


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42 


TV-FILMS 


PfastEMFr 


Wednesday, PeccniBer 1^ 1956 



FILM 



-VARfflTYV-wecTely chart T -based^-on-ratin^e-furnished- by - American- Research-Bu¬ 
reau’s latest reports, on feature films and their competition covers 120 cities. Each 
week, the 10 top-rated features in a particular city will be rotated. 

Factors which would assist distributors, agencies, stations and advertisers in 
determining the effectiveness of a feature show in m*specific market have been 
included in this Variety chart. Listed, below is such pertinent information regarding 
features as their stars, release year, original production company and the present 
distributor, included wherever possible along with the title. Attention should be paid 
to such factors as the time and day, the high and low ratings for the measured' 


feature -period-~and sh are o f audience-,- sincc^hese-factors reflect- the effectbenessr 
of the feature, and audience composition, i.e. a late show at 11:15“.p.m, would hardly 
have any children viewers, but its share of audience may reflect dominance in that 
time period. In the cities where stations sell their feature programming on a multi- 
stripped basis utilizing the same theatrical throughout the week, a total rating for the 
total number of showings for the week i$ given, the total rating not taking into account 
the duplicated homes factor. Barring unscheduled switches in titles, the listed, features 
for the particularly rated theatrical filmed show are as accurate as could be ascer¬ 
tained from a. multiplicity of station and other data. 


BALTIMORE ; 


TOP 10 TITLES AND OTHER DATA 

TIME SLOT 

ARB 

RATING 

1. PORTRAIT OF JENNY— 

Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotton; 

1949 Selznick Studio NT A 

First Run Theatre 

Sat., Nov. 10 
11:00*12:15 a.m. 
WMAR 

21.3 

2. ALASKA PATROL— 

Richard Travis, Helen Westcott; 1949; 
Film Classics; M & A Alexander 

Ford Film Playhouse 
Fri., Nov, 9 
10:30-12:00 a.m,' 
WAAM 

14.5 

8. HOME IN OKLAHOMA— 

Roy Rogers, Dale Evans; 1946; 
Republic; MCA-TV 

Park Circle Theatre 
Wed., Nov. 14 
11:00-12:30 a.m. 
WAAM 

6.8 

4. UP IN MABEL’S ROOM— 

Dennis O'Keefe, Marjorie Reynolds; 
1944; United Artists; TPA 

Nocturne Movies 

Tues., Nov. 13 
11:00-12:30 a.m. 
WAAM 

6.0 

5. MAN FROM PLANET X— 

Robert Clark, Margaret Field; 1951; 
United Artists; Associated Artists 
Productions 

Million Dollar Movie 
Sun., Nov. 11 
11:15-12:45 a.m. 
WBAL 

5.8 * 

5. THE GREAT JESSE JAMES RAID- 
Torn Neal, Willard Parker; 

1953; Lippert;. Tele-Pictures 

Sunday Playhouse 

Sun., Nov. 11 
1:00-3:30 p.m. 
WAAM 

5.8 

7. TONIGHT AT 8:30— 

Kay Walsh, Stanley Holloway; 1952; 

J. Arthur Rank; ABC-TV Net 

Famous Film Festival 
Sat., Nov. 10 
7:30-9:00 p.m. 
WAAM 

4.7 

8. BILLY THE KID RETURNS— 

Roy Rogers, Mary Hart; 1938; 

Republic; MCA-TV 

Nocturne Movies 

Mon., Nov. 10 
11:30-1:00 a.m. 
WAAM 

3.3. 

9. COUNTERFEITERS— 

Lon Chaney, Jr., John Sutton; 

1948; 20th Century Fox; TPA 

Nocturne Movies 

Sun., Nov. 1J. 
11:30-1:00 a.m. 
WAAM 

3.1 

10. COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO— 

Robert Donat; 1934; United Artists; 
TPA 

Diamond Theatre 
Thurs., Nov. 8 
11:30-1:00 a.m. 
WAAM 

2.6 

CLEVELAND 



1. TOO LATE FOR TEARS— 

Lizabeth Scott, Dan DeFore; 1949; 
United Artists; Atlantic Television 

Home Theatre 

Sat., Nov. 10 
11:05-1:00 a.m. 

KYW 

15.6 

2. GUILT OF JANET AMES— 

Rosalind Russell, Melvin Douglas; 

1941; Columbia; Screen Gems 

Premiere Theatre 

Sat., Nov. 10 
11:15-12:55 a.m. 

WJW 

10.6 

3. DANGEROUS YEARS— 

William Halop, Ann Todd; 1948; 

20th Century Fox; Screen Gems 

1 O’clock Playhouse 
Suh., Nov. 11 
1:00-2:25 p.m. 

KYW 

9.6. 

4. THE LONG SEARCH— 

George Nader, Anita Bjork; 1953; 
Produced by Joseph Auerbach of 
Sweden; NTA 

Showcase Theatre 

Fri., Nov. 9 
11:30-1:00 a.m. 

WJW 

9.2 

- m 

5. PENNY SERENADE— 

Irene'Dunne, Cary Grant; 1941; 
Columbia; Screen Gems o 

Nite Owl Theatre 

Sun., Nov. 11 
11:15-1:30 a.m. 

WJW 

7.5 ' 

6. TWIN BEDS— 

Joan Bennett, George Brent; 

1942; Edward Small; TPA 

Nite Owl Theatre 

Mon., Nov. 12 
11:30-1:00 a.m. 

WJW 

6.1 

7. TONIGHT AT 8:30— 

Kay Walsh, Stanley Holloway; 1952; 

J. Arthur Rank; ABC-TV Net 

Famous Film Festival 
Sat., Nov. 10 
7:30-9:00 p.m. 

WEWS 

5.8 

8. PARDON MY PAST— 

Fred MacMurray, Marguerite 
„ Chapman; 1945; Columbia; ‘Screen. 
Gems 

Million Dollar Matinee 
Sun., Nov. 11 
.1:00-2:30 p.m. 

WJW 

5.5 

8. LAND AND THE MOB-~ 

Ida Lupino, Fay Bainter; 1939; 
Columbia; Screen Gems 

Nite Owl Theatre 
Thurs., Nov. 8 
11:30-12:45 a.m. 

/ WJW 

5.5 

18. JOHNNY-ON-THE SPOT— 

Ronald Howard; Produced by Edwin J. 

1 • Fatfceyt&f Britain; NTA 

Late Show 

1 Tues., Nov. 13 

* ll:0542:30 ! a.m; J 

* *weWs-a 

5.3 




SHARE OF 

NOVEMBER, 1956 


ARB 

HIGH 

LOW 

AUDIENCE 

TOP COMPETING SHOWS 


* RATING 

23.3 

16.7 

85.0 

Finals; forecast; Sports 

Town & Country Jamboree.... 

WBAL 

WAAM 


17.3 

8.5 

39.3 

Person to Person . 

Finals; Weather; Sports. 

Tonight’s Newsreel. 

Tonight . .. 

.WMAR 
.WBAL 
. WBAL 
.WBAL 

..12.1 

. 7.2 

8.2 

5.5 

40.7 

Finals; Weather; Sports. 

.WBAL 





Tonight's Newsreel.. 

Tonight .. 

.WBAL 

.WBAL- 


6.4 

5.5 

i 

41.7 

Finals; Weather; Sports. 

Tonight’s Newsreel. 

Tonight. .. 

.WBAL 
. WBAL 
.WBAL 

. 3.4 

7.3 

3.3 

47.9 

Highway Patrol. 

Nocturne Movies—Counter¬ 
feiters . 

.WMAR 

.WAAM 


7.0 

5.2 

18.7 

Why Fly . 

This Changing World..... 

Football Preview. 

Pro-Football . 

WBAL 

.WMAR 

.WMAR 

WMAR 


6.4 

3.6 

72.2 

Buccaneers .. 

Jackie Gleason... 

WMAR 

WMAR 

.35.0 

3.6 

2.4 

44.0 

, Tonight . 

WBAL , 


3.3 

2.7 

36.4 

Million Dollar Movie—Man 
From Planet X. 

.WBAL . 


3.0 

1.8 

31.7 

Tonight . 

.WBAL . 



22.4 

10.7 

53.4 


<? 

. WJW 

....14.0 

Premiere Theatre—Guilt of 
Janet Ames . 

..WJW 

....10.6 

12.3 

8.8 

38.7 

Home Theatre—Too Late 

..KYW ,.... 

....14.7 

10.4 

9.1 

49.4 

Polka Parade. 

Million Dollar Matinee— 

. Pardon My Past . .. 

..WEWS .... 

..WJW ..... 

.... 9.4 

.... 5.3 

10.4 

7.1 

50.0 

Late Show—Stage Door 
Canteen .... 

. WEWS .... 

.... 4.4 


8.1 

6.5 

67.4 

Round the World. .WEWS .., 

x Sunday Night' Feature Evi¬ 
dence For Hire .KYW ... 

Note: No competing programs 
telecast from 12:30-1:30 a.m. 

..... 3.1 

8.1 

4.5 

53.9 

Tonight .. 

Feature Film—Man Against 
The Sun ... 

KYW ... 

KYW ... 

.. 4.2 

. 1.0 

6.2 

5.5 

9.9 

People Are Funny.. 

Perry domo ..... 

KYW ... 
.KYW ... 


6.2 

4.9 

28.3 

i 

Polka Parade. 

1 O’clock Playhouse—Dan- 
gerous Years. i. 

WEWS ., 

KYW ..... 

. 9.8 

6.2 

4.5 

41.7 

Tonight .. 

.KYW ... 


6.2 

4.5 

33.3 

Sohio News; Sports Final...,. 
Report From Israel.......... 

Tonight --; *,...-. 

‘Nlte^Owl Theatre. .. ■*. 

.WJW ... 
.WJW ... 
.KYW. 
WJW ... 

...... 12.0 

. 5.8 

........ 4.4- 

-4.1- 



















































































RADIO-TELEVISION 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


vmmet 


43 


Highigbts of Samoff Address 

Continued IrQm p»gP ''84 &*+***—mmmiXm—E 


what we are and how we.operate 
to three ’basic .groups: the public, 
ther Oovermnentr-and- the press; 

However, I believe that who seek 
to evaluate the network service, 
or criticize it, have a responsibility 
to understand this complex opera¬ 
tion before arriving at judgments. 
Many of the ready-made opinions 
about networks come from those 
with, only a surface knowledge of 
their, operations. Let me. illus¬ 
trate: 

Periodically a hue and cry arises 
because good shows on competing 
networks are slotted opposite one 
another. As a result the public 
cannot see both. This is usually 
described as an advanced form of 
network executive, imbecility. It is 
a form that I expect will continue. 
Competition is.rour life blood.' A 
show placed at a specific time can 
influence' audience acceptance of 
preceding and succeeding shows. 
The success of an entire evening’s 
schedule might well hinge on the 
placement of one show. As long 
as I am President of NBC, we will 
fight the competition’s best with 
our. best. I Suspect that Frank Stan¬ 
ton and Leonard Goldenson share 
this view. 

That UN Coverage 

Another type of complaint— 
again traceable to lack of under¬ 
standing of the business—relates to 
the Public Alfairs area. In Au¬ 
gust the networks were criticized 
for excessive coverage of the po¬ 
litical conventions when the cam¬ 
eras stayed live from gavel to 
gavel. In November, the networks 
were criticized for lack of com¬ 
plete live United Nations coverage 
during a serious international crisis 
when great news stories were 
erupting in Moscow, Budapest, Port 
Said, Tel Aviv. We did not can¬ 
cel commercial shows to cover the 
UN sessions in their entirety. I 
thought then, and I think now, 
that our News Department made 
a correct decision. With the intri¬ 
cate mechanism of networking, you 
cannot cut in and cut out of regu¬ 
lar shows, particularly filmed ones, 
to capture undetermined moments 
of high drama. True, you can wash 
out an entire evening’s schedule. 
You can ride through hours of pro¬ 
cedural involvements, technicali¬ 
ties, often uninteresting speeches, 
to seize the nuggets of decision; 
but if you do, you lose the vast 
majority of your national audience 
and we are a national medium 
which programs for the national 
audience, not just for the selected 
few. We retain the same right as 
the newspaper to exercise our best 
editorial judgment on the coverage 
of a story. Like the newspaper 
or the wire service, we spend what¬ 
ever is necessary to get our men 
and equipment where the news is 
breaking and to open circuits to 
those places. We are interested in 
the comprehensive news picture 
.and we think the majority of our 
' audience is. 

On Govt. Probes 

The past year has seen a wave 
of investigations questioning func¬ 
tions inherent In the network sys¬ 
tem. Our operating practices have 
also been under a drumfire of at¬ 
tack by outside interests. If these 
basic practices .were prohibited, 
networking itself would cease to 
exist. A great deal of valu# would 
disappear from American broad¬ 
casting. 

Yet, I am confident this will not 
happen, for there is really only one 
issue: will the public be hurt or 
helped' if. the network system is 
dismantled? When all the facts 
are weighed on the scales of pub¬ 
lic interest, I am sure the balance 
will be heavily in favor of the 
present network structure. But 
the Congressional and FCC studies 
demonstrate that it is not only im¬ 
portant for broadcasting’s con¬ 
tributions to be recognized, it is 
even more important that the 
operation of this complex business 
be understood. If the current in¬ 
vestigations produce that one re¬ 
sult, they will be well worth all the 
time and labor invested by the 
government agencies and the net¬ 
works themselves. 

Invasion of Films 

And while we seek to explain 
ourselves to governmental bodies 
and other external groups, we must 
also evaluate a new factor devel¬ 
oping within the industry, itself— 
the film invasion. It could change 
the entire character and scope of 
television If it is hot thoughtfully' 
assessed by broadcasters in long¬ 


range terms. Itmay seem to open 
a smooth and easy road; but it 
could be a"short"road with a" dead 
end. 

The flood of film comes from two 
sources which are beginning to 
conflict with one another: first, the 
backlog of Hollywood features now 
being released in quantity to tele¬ 
vision; second, the mounting stock¬ 
pile of syndicated films, produced 
or television in the Hollywood lots 
hat once served the nation’s mo¬ 
tion picture, theatres. Together, 
they- are creating enormous pres¬ 
sures on our industry. 

Insofar as the broadcaster is con¬ 
cerned, the price tag on feature 
packages almost compels him to 
play each film.over and over again 
in order to recoup his costs, 1 These 
package?# of course, include some 
fine pictures which promise good 
first-play ridings. But what about 
all the grade B, C and D films in 
the package? How much audience 
will they hold when they have been 
run, and rerun, and run again? And 
if most broadcasters take that 
route, where will the industry be 
when the end of the road is 
reached two or three years from 
now? Or will television by then 
have surrendered itself to the Hol¬ 
lywood film-makers as its main 
source of new product? 

Today, television broadcasting is 
at a crossroads: one fork has color 
signposts and points to program¬ 
ming created for the medium it¬ 
self, with emphasis on live service. 
The other fork follows a detour to 
a reservoir of motion picture film, 
built up over the past 20 years. 

At NBC we have carefully 
weighed the alternatives for the 
network and our owned stations. 
We have decided that television’s 
future rests along the route we now 
chart. We shall continue, our em- 
.phasis on live television, on fresh 
new programs designed for the me¬ 
dium, and on the development of 
color. We believe this is the Way 
to maintain television's momentum 
and vitality. 

I think every network affiliate 
should reflect on the likely, results 
of loading' schedules with feature 
films—particularly if use of- this 
temporary product leads .to dis¬ 
placement of network programs. 
If such a trend .results in curtail¬ 
ing the networks’,access to the air, 
they will*be deprived of the re¬ 
sources and the opportunities to 
move ahead in creative program¬ 
ming. Not only will * entertain¬ 
ment shows be affected, but also 
cultural and Informational pro¬ 
grams that are part of the board 
network service, and that are not 
offered by any other program serv¬ 
ice. Ultimately, the Hollywood 
movie makers might replace their 
former 40,000 theatrical outlets 
with the nation’s 40 million or 
more television sets. If they do, 
television as a communications 
service will ride a tobaggan of 
decline. 


NBC ‘Hot Line’ 

■5S Continued from page 34 

likelihood of a. second bankroller 
within the next two weeks, NBC 
hopes to get rolling on the ambi¬ 
tious spot radio project on Jan. 
14. But Bristol-Myers must have 
an answer by Jan. 4 as to whether 
sufficient stations are going along. 

With station reps already regis¬ 
tering a blast at the plan, some of 
the affiliate members at the Miami 
Beach convention made no bones 
(off the record, of course) about 
their displeasure over the NBC 
move-in. It means breaking up 
their long established advertising 
patterns, in. some cases yanking 
off or shifting local clients Who 
have been identified with the same 
period for years. They don’t feel 
it’s right for NBC, from whom,* they 
complain, they get little enough in 
radio revenue as it is, to move in 
and recapture their lucrative news 
time segments and, despite the co¬ 
op aspects of the venture permit¬ 
ting for local news cut-ins, they’re 
dubious about how much national- 
local news you can dispense. 

On the other hand, there were 
affiliates, among them key men, 
who saw in the “Hot Line Opera¬ 
tion" a chance for NBC to regain 
some of its lost glory and coin 
in radio and were particularly im¬ 
pressed by the promotional, mer- 
chandising -and other supplement¬ 


ary plusses Colligan & Co. have 
evolved. 

Colligan made a frank and per¬ 
suasive appeal to the affiliates for 
support in the project Nothing 
official emerged from the cori- 
cention itself but, despite th£ un¬ 
dercurrents of restlessness and ap- 
preherisions, It‘Ws generally an¬ 
ticipated that NBG will muster 
more than enough support to get 
it off the ground. 


MitcheD to Berth 
On Coast for ABC 


John Mitchell, Leonard Golden- 
son’s right-hand man and ABC’s 
“roving veep,” is going to settle 
permanently on Coast early next 
year. It's understood that Mitchell, 
who once bossed the ABC o&o’s in 
Chicago and New York before, lie 
became a veep in charge of ABC- 
TV, will ultimately take over the 
entire Coast operation of both ABC 
Radio and ABC-TV, but for a start¬ 
er he’ll step in as topper of KGO 
radio and tv, in San Francisco. 

Since the chances of increasing 
network revenue before the start' 
of next season are considered 
slight, it’s felt that Goldenson 
wants a key man to work instead 
on building up the o&o setups in 
L. A. and Frisco. Future-status of 
James Connolly, vicepresident in 
charge of KGO in Frisco, is in 
doubt. Mitchell is certain to move 
in os No. 1 man there. 

Earl Hudson, the veep In charge 
pf KABC-and-tv, L, A., recently 
recovered from an illness. That 
plus his near-retirement age indi¬ 
cate that Mitchell will take over 
there before too long. Mitchell’s 
position over the four Frisco and 
L. A. ABC stations will put them 
under one umbrella. Theoretically, 
Hudson has been* in charge of both 
cities, but it is said that Connolly 
has been operating independently 
of L. A. 

Mitchell did not want to con¬ 
tinue as veep in charge of ABC-TV 
after the shakeup three months ago 
which removed Robert Kintner as 
president of the overall network 
setup. Mitchell is a longtime 
Paramount Theatres executive and 
in high favor with the Goldenson 
regime at ABC. 


Lawrence’s Exit From 
Cal Nat for FA-Jaffe 
As Program-Herder 

Bill Lawrence, for the past three 
years production manager and lat¬ 
terly eastern program development 
director for California National 
Productions and its Kagran Corp. 
and NBC Film Division predeces¬ 
sors, has exited the NBC telefilm 
subsidiary to return to the Cbast. 
He’s joining Famous Artists Asso¬ 
ciates (comprising the newly 
merged. Famous Artists and Jaffe 
agencies) in an exec capacity in 
the tv department. 

Sam Jaffe, one of the agency’s 
toppers, said in N.Y. last week that 
Lawrence’s new duties haven’t 
been fixed yet, but understood he 
will be in charge of development 
of all new tv packages and pro¬ 
grams. Lawrence, vet Hollywood 
film and tele producer, joined the 
NBC Film Division three years ago 
as successor to Stan Osgood, new 
head of Paramount’s telefilm stu¬ 
dio operation on the Coast. 


Amer. Home Products In 
Toni’s Place on 'Friends’ 

American Home Products is mov¬ 
ing into the sponsorship picture on 
the Wednesday night “Arthur God¬ 
frey & Friends" after the first of 
of the year. Through Young & 
Rubicam, it is picking up the 
alternate-week half-hour being va¬ 
cated in a couple of weeks by Toni. 

Meanwhile, CBS-Columbia is re¬ 
turning to the Wednesday night 
Godfrey stanza for a two-weeks- 
only Christmas push. The CBS 
subsid gave up its regular spon¬ 
sorship in the series at start of 
last summer when it decided to 
move out of the radio-tv Set man¬ 
ufacturing business, but it still has 
a heavy stake in hi-fi and phono¬ 
graph. manufacturing. The CBS- 
Columbla sponsorship will fill in 
the gap between Toni’s exit and 
American Home's preem. Other 
sponsors of the Godfrey stanza are 
Kellogg, Bristol-Myers .and Pills- 
bury. 


Fond for Republics Documentary 
Cnffo Telefilm on Race Relations 


Half a Loaf .... Janet 

Janet Murrow will do her 
first television stint Friday 
(21) as substitute for- husband 
Ed Murrow on “Person to 
Person.” With Murrow in Ran¬ 
goon for his “See It Now" 
show, Mrs. Murrow will occu¬ 
py the customary chair and 
interview Don Ameche and 
model Suzy Parker, both orig¬ 
inating in New York. 

Mrs. Murrow, active in char¬ 
ity work, was recently voted 
second place in a Good House¬ 
keeping poll on “women we’d 
like to read more about,” in 
the face of the fact that she 
wasn’t even listed'on the bal¬ 
lot and all her votes were 
write-ins. Moreover, “P to P" * 
producers John Aaron and 
Jesse Zousmer state that the 
most persistent requests by 
viewers is for a show on the 
Murrows themselves, so that 
the selection of Mrs. Murrow 
is a fulfillment of part of that 
request, since Murrow himself 
is adamant in his refusal for 
a “P to P" on the Murrows. 


Dinah Shorn Troupe’s 
10-City Goodwill Tour, 
Also to Sing for Ike 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Dinah Shore embarks on a 10- 
city goodwill tour next month, the 
day after she does her next Chevy 
Show from New York. With her on 
the trek will be her entire troupe 
including the Skylarks and Harry 
Zimmerman, producer-director Bob 
Banner, Ticker Freeman and others 
who will help the singer do her 
regular Thursday night shows from 
New York, Nashville, St. Paul and 
Dallas, during the four weeks she 
will be away from her Hollywood 
originations. NBC and Chevrolet 
will underwrite the cost of the out- 
of-town orginations. 

Tour, planned early this year, 
will have Miss Shore and the 
troupe performing for charities in 
various cities. Among the organiza¬ 
tions to benefit will be March of 
Dimes, the Heart Fund, the Variety 
Clubs Rosalia Foundling Homeland 
others. 

Among highlights of the goodwill 
trek will be Miss Shore’s appear¬ 
ance ' as guest singer with Eugene 
Ormandy and the Philadelphia 
Symphony at a benefit performance 
commemorating the 100th anniver¬ 
sary of the Symphony. She will 
also sing before President Eisen¬ 
hower and top Washington dignita¬ 
ries at the Alfalfa Club’s annual 
dinner on the eve of the President’s 
inauguration. Date marks the first 
time in the long history of the 
club that an entertainer has been 
invited to do a return appearance. 

* She will also star in this year’s 
St. Paul Winter Carnival and Ten¬ 
nessee Is proclaiming Dinah Shore 
days during her trek to Nashville.. 

Singer does the Chevy show out 
of New York Jan.* 13. First bene¬ 
fit will be in Boston Jan. 15 for 
the March of Dimes. Other dates 
include Jan. 22-23-24, Nashville for 
the March of Dimes; Jan. 25, Pitts¬ 
burgh for Rosalia Foundlings 
Home; Jan. 27, Cincinnati, March 
of Dimes; Feb. 3, Waukegan, March 
of Dimes; and Feb. 4-5-6-'/ dates in 
Chicago, Fort Worth and Dallas, 
exact benefits still to be arranged. 


.* ‘'Hollywood,*'Dec!' 18! 

Current project of the newsfilm 
service of the Fund for the Re¬ 
public, which studies civil liberties 
field under a Ford Foundation 
grant, is a 40-minute documentary 
telefilm on race relations, for re¬ 
lease early next year. It will be 
offered free of charge to both nets 
and indie stations, but FFR has no 
plans to buy time fore ailing if 
the film is not picked up. Since 
the prints will be in 16m, it will 
not be suitable for general theatri¬ 
cal release, but the Fund has no ob¬ 
jections to such release. 

The newsfilm service, headed- by 
ex-NBC staffer George Martin, has 
been in operation since Sept., 1955, 
under a $200,000 grant. FFR top¬ 
pers will study renewal next May. 

Martin stresses that the opera¬ 
tion is not in competition with or¬ 
dinary news channels. “Generally, 
we check with the nets to see if 
they're going to cover a story," he 
explained. “If not, we ask if they 
want us to cover." 

So far, the non-profit, public 
service FFR project has supplied 
footage on some 65 stories since 
the start of operations, mainly in 
the currently hot topic of civil lib¬ 
erties—race relations. “We’ve had 
very good acceptance of our ma¬ 
terial," Martin comments. “We’ve 
covered for all the nets and for 
most of the major tv newsreel serv¬ 
ices." 

Acceptance has been wider 
among indie stations, without the 
broader news facilities of the nets, 
according to Martin. “We cover 
civil liberty stories when the sta¬ 
tions or the nets haven't, available 
manpower. If there are two sides, 
we try to cover both." 

Among such stories have been 
various aspects of the Montgomery, 
Ala., bus strike; Calif, church loy¬ 
alty oath; the exclusion of news 
coverage of a San Jose, Calif., mur¬ 
der trial by the judge; and the re¬ 
cent National Assn, for the Ad¬ 
vancement of Colored People con¬ 
vention in Los Angeles. 

Martin underlines that the ma¬ 
terial is offered with absolutely ho 
strings attached. “We have abso¬ 
lutely no political axes to grind. 
We can’t take sides. We’re an edu¬ 
cational, non-profit foundation, not 
a propaganda organization." 

On occasion, the newsfilm proj¬ 
ect has supplied radio tapes to AM 
stations. Last such was a summary 
of the report on blacklisting in the 
entertainment field, edited by John 
Cogley. 

The newsfilm Operation is a pro¬ 
fessional one, states Martin, 
manned by established newswriters 
and calling in professional cam¬ 
eramen, as required. FFR main¬ 
tains two offices for the project, 
in Hollywood and N. Y. Martin, 
who has won two Southern Cali¬ 
fornia Radio-Tv News Club awards, 
is overall head, with Herbert Ber¬ 
nard, formerly with “Paul Coates 
Confidential File," his assistant 
here. Mrs. Ruth Knopf Marcinak is 
director of the N. Y. office. Addi¬ 
tionally, special writers, such as 
Marcia Legere, ex-Mutual net, and 
Jim Peck, are called in for special 
assignments. 

Clips are supplied either with 
dubbed in commentary, or with ac¬ 
companying fact sheets, for station 
commentators. “The stations have 
no obligation to use our material," 
Martin notes. “It stands or falls 
on its merits as a news story.” 


KTTV’S DICK MOORE 
TAPPED FOR BOARD 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

KTTV prexy-general manager 
Richard A. Moore has been upped 
to the directors board of parent 
L.A. Times-Mirror Co., which con¬ 
trols .75% of the station. Moore 
was elected to the vacancy left by 
the death of T. B. Cosgrove. 

Meanwhile, minority stockholder, 
Loew’s Inc., got recognition on the 
KTTV board, with Loew’s-Metro's 
Charles C. Barry and M-G exec 
Saul N. Rittenberg appointed di¬ 
rectors over the weekend. Metro 
got 25% interest In the deal which 
gave the. Studio’s backlog to the 
station for local airing. 


AHP’s New Sponsorship 
Pattern on Doug Edwards 

American Home Products is 
shifting its sponsorship on “Doug¬ 
las Edwards With the News’’ to 
achieve greater coverage on the 
CBS-TV strip. No change in total 
sponsorship is involved, but instead 
of sponsoring the entire quarter- 
hour three days a week, American 
Home will sponsor two full quar¬ 
ter-hours and split its remaining 
15 minutes into an alternate-week 
pattern for two other days. 

Under the new setup, the spon¬ 
sor keeps its Monday and Thursday 
full sponsorship intact. But instead 
of sponsoring every Tuesday, it 
will cut back to alternate Tuesdays 
and in addition pick up alternate 
Wednesdays. New pattern will 
hold till further notice, that is, un¬ 
til CBS-TV picks up another spon- 
sor for 4>n* or more of the open 
days. 





44 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


PBszIEFy 


Wednesday, December, 19» 1956 


From the Production Centres 

Continued from page 30 ' 1 

works' 160 shows . . . McCann-Erickson's Hal Rorke in town from 
Chicago to talk Walt Disney out of some space at his amusement park 
for Pablum . . . NBC’s Lloyd Yoder fraternizing with old friends while 
awaiting the Rose Bowl kickoff . . . Metro’s Charles (Bud) Barry named 
to board of directors of KTTV, indie 25% owned by Loew’s . . . Ex- 
NBC’ite Fred Wile back from two-month swing of Europe, says that 
trans-Atlantic live tv is much closer than most realize. He arid “Pat" 
Weaver met abroad but their reported plans for foreign production is 
still “classified" with them . . . Art Linkletter had a rpal scare when a 
woman leaped on stage to dress him down for “exploiting" the kids. 

IN LONDON ... 

Associated TV's “Sunday Night At The London Palladium," was 
beamed from the Prince of Wales Theatre on Sunday (16), because of 
rehearsals for the Palladium pantomime . . . Highlights from Metro 
filmusicals will be featured on BBC-TV on Sat. Dec. 29, in a program 
titled “S-op, Look and Listen" . . . Peter Butterworth and his wife 
Janet Brown will team up in a new ABC-TV advertising program to be 
called “Holiday Magazine." The show has its first airing on Sat. Dec. 
29, and will run for five weeks . . . Pat Boone to appear on Associated 
TV op Dec. 30 and New Year’s Day . . . BBC-TV will network the cabaret 
from the Lido night spot, Paris, over the Eurovision link on Saturday 
(22) ... A kinescope of next year’s Aflademy Award celebrations is 
again to be networked by BBC-TV. The arrangement was set up by 
the Motion Picture Associate- 

IN CHICAGO . . . 

Charles Davies, ex-Crosley Broadcasting, added to WGN-TV’s N.Y. 
national sales office . .". The Kansas Sunflower Network and the Iowa 
Tall Corn Network signed for second edition of Nielson’s Coverage 
Service . . . Don McNeill's business partner Ralph Bergsten and wife 
left for a three-week vacation in Mexico . . . Lulu Belle & Scotty of 
WLS’ National Barn Dance guesting tomorow (Thurs.) night on ABC- 
TV’s “Ozark Jubilee" . . . WGN program manager Bruce Dennis has 
set the fifth in series of Big 10 community parties for.Jan. 22 at 
Proviso Township High School in co-op with Stone Park Assn. for 
Neighborhood Kids . . . Charles A. Stevens has renewed its Sunday 
night WMAQ newscast for the 22d year. Frayn (IWfrs. Clifton) Utley 
works the show . . . Dick (Two Ton) Baker replaced by Chuck Bill as 
host of WBKB's afternooh “Adventure Time.” Baker bow'ed out to 
make a round of personal appearances ... Lloyd Norlin new music 
director at Wildirig Studios . . . Ethel Davis, WGN’s post-midnight dee- 
jay, pacted for another two years . . . Jack Drees calling the shots on 
13-week series of Big 10 basketball telecasts on a special network for 
Standard Ofl . . . WGN-TV to telecast a preview of the Chicago Auto 
Show Jan. 5 with Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd and Howard Dorsey 
handling the interviews. 

IN S4N FRANCISCO . . . 

That FCC pre-hearing conference on transfer of KEAR from long¬ 
hair to crewcut pops operation has been delayed to Jan. 4, thus giving 
the lawyers more time to dig the legalisms of the case . . . Del Court- j 
ney of KSFO was one of the six deejays who took off for Australia to 
Interview Hungarian refugees—if these well-qualified gents are going 
to poke into the refugee situation, it seems only right that John Foster 
Dulles get a deejay show . . . Patty Pritchard took over the singing 
chores from Barbara McRitchie (awaiting motherhood) for KGO-TV's 
“Calo Pet Exchange" . . .George W. Stratton, late of KEAR and KID, 
Idaho Falls, named merchandising and ad director for A. W. Lloyd 
Inc. . . . Gene Autry’s about to produce a tv series based on incidents 
along Frisco’s old Barbary Coast. Probably wants to keep a close eye 
on his newly-acquired KSFO, too . . . KCBS doing a remote of the 
Alex Duchin orch, from Fisherman’s Wharf, three nights a week. 
First danceband remote in years around Frisco . . . KGO’s Bill Adams 
got an NATRFD “Certificate of Award" for 10 years of farm radio¬ 
casts . . . KSAN’s putting on old films in the late afternoon to try to 
attract UHF customers. Idea is boss Bob McLaughlin's 

IN WASHINGTON ... 

WRC femmecaster Patty Cavin is first woman in the country to cop 
the Hamilton Time award for “distinguished service to her local com¬ 
munity, state and nation." “Salute" series for which la Cavin won 
award, has already received recognition from Pentagon sources and 
won a spot on NBC web . . . Stan Barclay, James Gustafson and Jack- 
son Lowe have joined sales staff of indie station WOL . . . Griffing Ban*, 
croft, CBS newsman, assigned as permanent moderator to web’s radio 
public affairs show, “Leading Question," with Nancy Hahschman con¬ 
tinuing as producer . . , Martin Calle, formerly of WHAS-TV, Louis¬ 
ville, Ky., and WLW-TV, Cincinnati, named sales manager for WTTG 
. . . British Labor leader Hugh Gaitskell, who appeared on a recent 
“Press Conference" (ABC) show filmed in London, skedded for a 
“Face the Nation" (CBS) stint Jan. 13 during his visit to U. S. 
for Dec.. 23-24-25 

IN BOSTON . . 

Bob Clayton, WHDH disk jock, flew to Austria Sunday (16) with reps 
of National Council of Disk Jockeys for Public Service to nab eyewit¬ 
ness stories from Hungarian refugees . . . WNAC-TV new accounts 
inked this frame: Colgate-Palmolive; Cushman Baking for “Steve 
Donovan"; Friend Brothers; B. T. Babbitt; and renewals include Con¬ 
tinental Baking; Colgate for “Bob- Cummings Show" alternate Sun¬ 
days; Sterling Drug, Jordan Marsh Co.; P. Lorillard and Philip Morris 
... On WNAC radio, Duncan MacDonald is new food and home editor 
of “Yankee Magazine" . . . KiWi Polish inked for 8 a.m. edition Yankee 
network news Mondays; Whitehall Pharnucal Co. on Yankee weather¬ 
man; Daggett’s Chocolates for spots, and Pan American Coffee Bureau 
. . . Fourth annual award for exceptional service to farm safety pre¬ 
sented to WHDH farm director Joe Kelly by Nat’l Safety Council 
Merchant’s National Bank of Boston sponsoring “Allan Jackson and 
the News" on new time, 6 p.m. cross-board on WEEI . . . Bill St. Clair, 
WEEI vocalist, back from Hollywood where he did a shot on Lawrence 
Welk show . . . WBZ-WBZA has skedded 12 different Xmas programs 

IN MINNEAPOLIS ... 

Cedric Adams, WCCO-AM-TV, started another six-a-week afternoon 
newscast show, giving him a record high of 36 sponsored prograrris per 
week on video-audio. Another WCCO luminary, Bob DeHaven, adding 
another show, is on air 25 times a week . . . KMGM-TV’s dystrophy 
telethon last weekend included Julius LaRosa, DeMarco Sisters, 
Eugenie Baird, Richard Webb and John Reed King. Bob Stone re¬ 
signed as Metro exploiteer out of Minneapolis to head station’s newly 
established public relations dept. . . . KSTP’s veteran artist Jerry Can¬ 
non in Veterans hospital after heart attack . S. Fred Worthington re¬ 
signed from KSTP news dept, to join WFLA, Tampa, Fla., as tv and 


radio news director , . . WCCO-TV’s “Johnny 44" (Jack Hastings) 
featured personality at the Mayor's Christmas Party iii St. Paul . . < 
Jerry Roshold, 14-year news field veteran, an addition to WCCO Radio 
staff as writer-producer . . . Since it dropped rock Jn' roll, WMIN, 
now calling itself “the Voice of Better Music," claims 90% gain in list¬ 
eners, based on a research company's figures . . . Twin Cities' first 
educational tv station, KTCA, now scheduled to present film programs 
by next May and live shows by the fall of 1957. _ j 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Stan Anderson leaves radio-tv post at the Cleveland Press to take 
over the movie beat vacated by Omar Ranney who becomes general 
manager of Northern Ohio Opera Co. replacing resigned H. J. Miskell. 
New radio-tv editor for the J>ress is Jim Frankel, former longhair and 
record columnist . . . WHK’s' Tom Brown and his Jazz Ohio Band tour¬ 
ing niteries . . . KYW’s Big Wilson asking listeners to assist in finding 
gift for his canary “Fido" ... WERE disker Bill Randle skedded for 
half-hour weekly return on WEWS variety show . . . AFTRA in “free¬ 
lance code" talks with John McClay, KYW, and Ben Wickam, WJW-TV, 
reps for station and agency observers Stu Buchanan, Robert Gibbons 
John Cremer, Bruce Stauderman ... Cecilian Evans pacted for GE 
eonm.tr>. Jg 

quarters . . . Bob Smiley gets third year renewal for his WGAR “Jour¬ 
ney into Melody" on Sundays . . . KYW cameraman Ralph Mayher's 
Auricon suffered $1,000 damages in back wash of plane . . . Joseph 
Epperson, WEWS, named vice president in charge of Scripps-Howard 
engineering ... WHK’s Bill Gordon emceed annual meeting of Cleve¬ 
land independent Auto Dealers . . . WDOK’s Ronnie Barrett will emcee 
Eastlake Junior Hi dance. 

IN DETROIT ... 

Storer Broadcasting, which operates WJBK-TV and radio here, has 
given equipment valued in excess of $43,000 to WTVS-TV, Detroit’s 
educational tv station . . . WWJ-TV has scheduled eight special holi¬ 
day season programs, four of them to be telecast from remote loca¬ 
tions . . . WJBK-TV and WWJ-TV have announced their basketball 
coverage plans with the former carrying Big Ten games while the 
latter will screen National Basketball Assn, cage contests . . . Sonny 
Eliot’s weather-casting contest on WWJ-TV drew a flock of entries, 
with viewers asked to' predict official temperature, relative humidity 
and wind velocity for 6:15 p.m. on a given day. Tele set and barom¬ 
eters j^ere prizes. 

IN PITTSBURGH . . . 

Tad Reeves, new manager of KDKA-TV, has bought a home in Mt. 
Lebanon and will move his family here from Columbus, O., shortly 
. . . James Trittipo, graduate in stage design from Carnegie Tech Drama 
School, has resigned from ABC-TV staff in N.Y. to freelance ... Be¬ 
cause of local interest, KDKA-TV and WSTV-TV are taking telecast of 
’Gator Bowl game betwen Pitt arid Georgia Tech from CBS on Dec. 29 
. . . WWSW has decided not to change deejay Dave Shellanberger’s 
name as station originally planned . . . Headline acts at Copa being 
booked regularly for guest shots on Baron Elliott’s weekly “Stardust 
Melodies" program over KDKA-TV Thursday nights. Sarah Vaughan 
set for this week’s . . . Dusty Brown, who withdrew from ECZ Ranch 
Gals tv strip several months ago to have a baby, has rejoined the troupe 
. . . Brian McDonald, emcee of “Amateur Hour," is latest local tv per¬ 
sonality to join the contact-lens fraternity. 

IN PHILADELPHIA ... 

WFIL Sports Director Tom Moorehead, exiting station after' 15 
years, to'be co-partner in World Sports, Inc., which owns and manages 
world heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson .. . Art Raymond hosts new 
late night disk and gab* session on WPEN . . . Alan Scott, WRCV-TV 
star, debuts two programs, a half-hour early morning pop and show 
tune session and a 10-minute late night Interview spot . . . Bell Tele¬ 
phone sponsors “Spirit of Christmas" on WRCV-TV for second year 
. . . A1 Gibbons, former Atlantic City newspaper ad exec, has joined 
the WPFH sales staff . . . Marvin’s Burak’s deejay stanza aired through 
WJMJ has been taken out of the Broad St. window until the days get 
longer. Station is licensed for daytime hours only . . . Joe Behar, 
WRCV-TV producer-director, resigning after six and a half years. 

IN PORTLAND, ORE ... 

In Portland, Ore. KGW-TV became the town’s fourth channel (8) 
when it hits the airways Mon. (17) . .. Doug Meeker, floor director for 
KOIN-TV, is acting at the Civic Theatre . .'. Frank Riorden, boss of 
KPTV,. is in Miami at a Storer B’casting biz sesh. Phylis Ivers, Rior- 
den’s sec’y, also active as head of the Oregon Ad Club publicity com¬ 
mittee . .. James A. Mount, prexy of Ore. State B'casters Assn., joined 
the staff of Pacific National Ad Agency . . . H. Richard Seller has 
elected Charles J. Thompson a*& account service boss . . ; J. J. Weiner 
agency in Frisco will handle the Blitz Weinhard Beer campaign . . . 
Jantzen will increase its ad budget 18% in '57. 


Inside Stuff—Radio-TV 

William Esty agency last week reported the best year in the agency’s 
24-year history, signed James J. Houlahan to a new long term pact as 
president-general manager and increased the board from three to 11 
directors. New directors are exec v.p. George I. Chatfield, v.p.-creative 
director William Strosahil, assistant-to-the-president Dr. W. H. Wul- 
feck, v.p.-media planning director John H, Peace, v.p.-account exec 
(ex-tv director) Sam Northcross, v.p.-merchandising director William L. 
Young, v.p.-account supervisor W. P. Booth and v.p.-research director 
George MacGovern. Esty reported its billings have inerreased 143% 
over the last 10 years. Northcross, incidentally, though nominally out 
of the television department, continues to work closely with Mitchell 
(Mickey) Johnson, v.p. in charge of tv and'a onetime Northcross aide. 


Voice of America is providing strong radio, television and newsreel 
coverage of Prime Minister Nehru's visit for use in India and other 
areas of the Far East. 

It has set up point-to-point radio transmission In Hindi and English 
from Washington to New Delhi, India. Ten minutes in English and 10 
minutes in Hindi give the daily news of the visit. This is recorded 
at New Delhi by All-India Radio and then put out over its 26-station 
network. The broadcasts will* also include recorded excerpts from 
Nehru’s speeches. The special radio transmission is in addition to 
USlA’s regular broadcasts to India, which come to 20 hours and 45 
minutes weekly. 

In addition, USIA is taping fully Nehru's speeches and all important 
events in which he participates. Tapes are being flown to India for 
use over the network. ' Filmed “highlights of the visit are being used 
in American newsreels shown overseas. Film clips are being made 
available to stations in Thailand, Manila and Tokyo, There is no tv 
in India. 

Working Press of the Nation, annual directory published by the Na¬ 
tional Research Bureau, is expanding the work to a third volume this 
year, adding contracts on all radio and television programs in terms 
of placement of stories and features. As in the past, newspapers and 
magazines will be covered in separate volumes. 



THE UNICEF CTORY 
With Celeste Holm, Bing Crosby, 
Greer Garson, Brandon de 
“ Wilde, Audrey Hepburn, Charles 
Boyer, Ava Gardner, Peter Law- 
ford, Claudette Colbert, Danny 
Kaye 

Producer-Writer: Jeff Sparks 
30 Mins., Wed. (12), 9:30 p.m. 
WRCA, New York (transcribed) ’ 
Top show biz personalities lent 
their talent for this broadcast, de¬ 
dicated to the 10th anniversary of 
UNICEF, the organization devoted 
to aiding children and mothers 
throughout the world. Produced 
and written by Jeff Sparks of the 
UN radio division, and aired over 
NBC Radio on Dec. 11 and over 
‘TftTTTiijrs Tufr 
days later, the half-hour fell' 
short of its potential. 

Unfortunately, Sparks fell into 
the .trap of offering too many 
vignettes, and complicated the 
stanza with an oversupply of sta¬ 
tistics. The result was that one 
vignette blurred into another, and 
-while an overall impression of 
UNICEF's good work was given 
and the worldwide need for such 
work sketched, It did not hit a top 
dramatic level. With such talent 
at its disposal, it would have been 
better to dramatize just one of the 
accomplishments of UNICEF, a 
method which may have given the 
half-hour more dramatic punch. 

The format found each of the 
10 stars, representing each year in 
UNICEF's history, telling one in¬ 
cident in the organizatibn’s global 
activties. Kaye’s contribution was 
taken from “The Secret Life of 
Danny Kaye" telecast. Despite its 
faults, the program had many mov¬ 
ing moments, dealing as it did with 
UNICEF's campaign to aid the sick, 
the undernourished, without J re- 
gard to national boundaries. 

Horo. 


LEW DANIS SHOW 
Producer: Danis 
60 Mins., Wed., 11 p.m.' 

WVNJ, from Rochelle Park, NJ. 

The “Lew Danis Show,” launch¬ 
ed recently over WVNJ, Newark, is 
another of the many restaurant 
interview stanzas populating met¬ 
ropolitan New York radio'. The 
Danis hour caught (12) appeared 
to be a poor man’s edition of 
WOR’s “Luncheon at Sardi’s." It 
emanated from the Blue Swan Inn, 
Rochelle Park, in northern New 
Jersey, and like the “Sardi" show 
hosted by Bill Slater, there is a 
hausfrau guest (in this case, “Our 
Lady Fair") accompanying Danis 
on his gab rounds. Show also has 
it3 share of guest colloquies, With 
society dancemaster Lester Lanin 
and thrush Rosalind Paige among 
interviewees when heard. 

Danis once emceed WATV’s 
Newark “Italian Feature Theatre," 
and on his new radio stanza he 
seemed to have a definite following 
in the room from among the north 
Jersey Italian audience. Host's 
talk, spelled by occasional disks, 
was directed largely at the 
femmes. Danis has a disconcer¬ 
tingly precise way of articulating, 
a fact which seems to occupy his 
thoughts more than what he says. 


Radio Followup 


Jack Sterling Show 
Back in the postwar days, al¬ 
most every rt talk man" brought 
into New ^York by CBS for a 
“buildup" caused the ballyhoo 
boys to hail the subject as the lad- 
inrwaiting to Arthur Godfrey. One 
of the first of these, if not the 
first, was Jack Sterling. Godfrey 
is still at his game, nationally; 
Sterling is at the top of his, local¬ 
ly; he's had much network sight- 
sound exposure and still serves as 
the colorful “ladees & gentlemen" 
ringmaster of the longtime CBS- 
TV moppet menu, “Big Top." He's 
become a Connecticut sqriire, with 
a roomful of progeny and a wife 
who always rates his kudos; pub¬ 
licly. Being a father of many, 
births also get into the act. These 
homely references are expected of 
a waker-upper, in this case the 
eye-opener running 5:30 to 9 on 
WCBS, N. Y., a longie that has just 
gone into its ninth year with the 
same old lad-in-waiting who’s 
carved out his very own niche. 

In one household. Sterling gets 
tuned-in about at 7:25, since the 
alarm is set for 7:20, and rides 
through until the finish. As things 
go in a tv city of a tv era, these 93 
minutes or so represent the big¬ 
gest daily chunk of uninterrupted 
radio for one listener’s ears. 

The “routine" of Sterling's show 
cannot be improved and doesn't 
need “tampering." Some house- 
(Continued on page 48) 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


frfift/BTr 





TELEVISION S U B S I D I flwl 0 


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PICTURES CORP. 


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CALHOUN-ORSATTI ENf| 
RANCH PARTY PRODUd| 
WILDLIFE ADVENTURE C( 
WILLIAM GOETZ PRODUi 


to our present rol 
- pro! 

BISCHOFF-DIAMOND CORP.V 
BRYAN FOY PRODUCTION^ 
CAVALIER PRQDUCTI ojtff| | 

OOOPSON-TOPMAN^ ^M 
HERBERT B. LEONARD^Bm 


IIPiT 

ii|i|p*pducing associates 

W.T-wfcyAx 0 




Here Comes The Showboat" 


amr 


Ranch Part/' 


Smm 

'0L . "Johnny Wildlife" 

|||! . . "The Book of Books" 

diHstanding independent 
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|l4 M* * , ® eor 9 e Sanders Mystery Theatre* 

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MC^a^S^Adventures of Rin Tin.Tin" 


LANCERS PRODUCTIONS, INC. ......... "The 77th Bengal Lancers" 

NORBERT PRODUCTIONS , INC. .. "Circus Boy" 

HARRY SAUBER PRODUCTIONS . ........ j "The Shape, The Face and The Brain" 

"Shore Leave" 







TV-FILMS 


.. Vpjnewfajy iWaaiifte*: iij idisS .... 


O’Seas Cinema Outlets Cue Splendex 
. Budget Rise on ‘5 Star’ to $3,000,0(1 


Marie WUson Series BOB CINABER’S UPPED 
Rolls at McCaiHeo STATUS AT CAL NAT 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Budget of first entertainment 
venture of Splendex Productions, 
industrial and financial firm which, 
has just entered the tv field, has 
been upped from original $1,600,- 
000 to nearly $3,000,000 for the 
first 39. Technicolored stanzas, ac¬ 
cording to jprexy Charles Wick. 

Part . of the Splendex payoff 
scheme is to distrib the half-hour 
telepix theatrically abroad, one 

personality format, of the series, 
says Wick. Frances Langford is 
one of stars set, and Splendex is 
dickering with Betty Grable and 
Harry James, Jane -Powell, Van 
Johnson and Johnnie Ray for other 
rotating host spots. David Rose’s 
28-piece orch is backing the musi¬ 
cal segments, which Wick expects 
will transcend language barriers. 

Upped budget reflects Wick’s 
determination to make the series 
a quality offering. “In today’s 
market, high quality is of the es¬ 
sence. Eventually, great names 
and great music Will pay off.” 

Wick, who produced “Fabian of 
Scotland Yard” series in Britain, 
feels that Britain, Germany, 
France, Japan and Italy are the 
biggest potential revenue sources 
for such theatrical release. These, 
he contends, will make up the dif¬ 
ference between U.S. tv revenues, 
which he estimates at approxi¬ 
mately $2,000,000, and the $3,000,- 
000 nut: 

Already, two nets are claimed 
to be sharing strong interest in 
the “Five Star Show,” but Wick 
and his associates have thumbed 
down financing offers. “We don’t 
want network participation on a 
speculative basis,” he states. “We 
prefer to do our talking after they 
can • see our product.” 

As for his timing in investing 
$3,000,000 in indie telepix produc¬ 
tion, when feature pix have been 
assuming a dominant role in to¬ 
day’s tv picture, Wick feels that 
“something fresh and different 
will give us a favorable momen¬ 
tum. And after the big pictures 
are gone, what’s left in the back¬ 
logs? Features still haven’t 
knocked off the big names on tv.” 

Wick, ex-William Morris agent, 
confirms that he reps a group of 
financiers and industrialists which 
has hitherto de&lt in such diverse 
products and services as liquor, 
toys, heavy machinery and con¬ 
struction. 


Lager’s Upstate N. Y. Buy 
Of Outdoorsy Tintpix 

Genesee Beer & Ale has pur- 
chased i the quarter-hour “Field & 
Stream” telefilm series, distrib¬ 
uted by Louis de Rochemont Asso¬ 
ciates, for eight upstate New York 
markets. 

Markets are Buffalo, Syracuse, 
Rochester, Binghamton, Utica, Wa- 

tady. New York City is not in¬ 
cluded since Genesee is not dis¬ 
tributed in the N. Y. metropolitan 
area. 

The 13 quarter-hours, written 
and directed by Robert McCahon 
of the Rochemont Company, are in 
color. Colorcasting of the series 
on stations equipped for such film 
projection is under discussion be¬ 
tween de Rochemont execs and cli¬ 
ent representatives, although the 
present Genesee contract calls for 
Black-and-white prints. 

WATVMakin’ Like 
Meteor on ‘Star’ 

Moving slowly toward SRO since 
Oct. 1, WATV’s (Newark) “All-Star 
Movie,” comprising 20th-Fox fea¬ 
tures, has eight of the'10 participa¬ 
tions taken. Seventh and eighth 
participating bankrollers signed 
on last week, and so did another 
sponsor adjacent to the 16-times- 
weekly telecast. 

Vanity Fair Tissues and West 
Disinfectants bought into “All- 
Star.” Swanee Tissues has taken 
adjacencies. All begin the first 
week in January. Plus the six 
other regular bankrollers, the 20th- 
Fox showings have drawn a total 
of five spot adjacency advertisers, 
including Swanee. 

Meantime Breyer’s Ice Cream 
has renewed its quarter-hour of 
WATV’s afternoon “Junior Frol- 


Set 'Chan 1 Directors 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Sidney Salkow and Felix Feist 
have been set by exec producer 
Leon Fromkess to direct the new 
TPA telefilm “Charlie Chan” se¬ 
ries, to topline J. Carroll Naish. 

Pair will alternate directorial 
assignments. 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Shooting started over the week¬ 
end on Marie Wilson’s new tele¬ 
film series, which McCadden is 
filming for CBS-TV. Todd Griffin 
has been set for the male lead in 
the series. 

Miss Wilson’s husband, Bob Fal¬ 
lon, is co-pi;oducing with McCad¬ 
den prexy George Burns, and Rod 
Amateau is directing the initialler, 

U.S. Wide Open, 
--lapMjrieFlir- 
A Major Coup 

Guild Films has grossed a shade 
over $1,000,000 in three months on 
syndication of the “Captain Grief” 
telefilmer through deals in only 
half of the country’s potential sales 
areas. It’s estimated that the series 
will take in another $500,000 to 
$750,000 in the remaining half of 
the country,- which, includes the 
entire eastern sector and almost 
every tv market except L.A. and 
Frisco. 

Company has sold the half-hour 
in most markets west of Steuben¬ 
ville, O., save for Chicago and St. 
Louis, and has made a deal for 
Houston and Dallas, with options 
on several other Texas markets. 
Through three regional deals, lat¬ 
est being the 40-market D-X Sun- 
ray oil pact, and several station 
sales, the syndicator is sold in 80 
Cities to-date. Boston, Philly, Bal¬ 
timore, Washington, Cincinnati, 
and all other cities up and down 
the east coast, are still unsold. 
Guild has been asking agencies for 
a weekly minimum ot $ 3,500 net 
in New York and $2,200 net in 
Chi, these being near-record or 
record prices for a syndicated 
series. 

Guild has announced that the 39 
films in the series, which launch in 
February in the markets where the 
show is sold,-will cost a total of 
over $1,900,000. 

'tom Swift' Rights 

„ Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Film rights to the “Tom Swift” 
and “Tom Swift Jr.” stories have 
been acquired by Ziv-TV producer- 
director Herbert L. Strock and 
Barry Kirk. 

Strock and Kirk are prepping 
“Swift” as an Indie tv series, with 
Strock to produce-direct. Gold- 
stone-Tobias agency is packaging. 



Just a few minutes under the Hanovia Health Lamp give him a Bermuda “glow” and more "healthful, 
more beneficial body-building ultraviolet rays than he’d get from several hours of summer Sunshine. 



Martin Block Enjoys Summer 
“Sunshine” At His Studio Mike 


Bob Cinader has been Upped to 
the new post of director of pro¬ 
gram planning' 'and development 
nt California National Productions. 
Cinader, who joined the NBC sub- 
sidary in September as staff assist¬ 
ant to v.p.-general manager Bob; 
Levitt after five, years with the 
William ' "Morris tv department, 
takes charge of all programming. ; 
activities with the outfit'. 

Under the new setup, Cinader 
becomes overall programming , 
head,, in charge of operations on; 
both coasts. Previously, Levitt 
took direct charge, with Bill Law¬ 
rence heading up the eastern oper¬ 
ation* as director of program devel- 
-opmetrt—and—N fr& TV—network- - 
factotum Tom Sarnoff incharge bn 
the Coast. Lawrence exited Cali¬ 
fornia National last week to join 
Famous Artists Associates (see 
separate story), with the new set¬ 
up^ stemming in part from his res¬ 
ignation. 

More KDKA-TV Entries 
Take the Long Count To 
Make Way for Features 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

An additional axe of local pro¬ 
gramming has just been announced 
by KDKA-TV and, as in recent 
lopping, the time will be giyen 
over to another feature film, in 
this case the 20th-Fox lineup West- 
inghouse recently acquired. New 
series will be called “The Big Ad¬ 
venture” and airs from 5 to 7 p.m. 
beginning Jan. 14. 

Shows being eliminated include 
Buzz Aston and Bill Hinds daily 
half-hour variety strip, which has 
been on the station for more than 
four years; Carl Ide's 6:30 News; 
Hank Stohl’s “Nickelodeon” and 
the oldest tv feature locally, the 
10-minute “Pitt Parade,” a film 
record of news events here which 
has been a package of Packaged 
Programs Inc. 

Ten minutes of weather and 
news will be inserted near the end 
of the “Adventure” picture, which 
gets Stohl as a local host. 

Less than a month ago, KDKA- 
TV dropped several local shows in 
the 1-2:30 p.m. slots to put on “The 
Big Movie,” also a daily feature 
film. 

When new switch takes effect 
middle of next month, Ch. 2 will 
be down to under 15 hours of regu¬ 
larly scheduled local programs per 
week. “Big Adventure” film each 
day will be preceded by shorts 
from the “Bugs Bunny”-“Daffy 
Duck”-“TWeetife" library. 

RKO Pathe Shatters 
N. Y. Prod. .Operations 

RKO Pathe will shutter its pro¬ 
duction operations in New York 
in order to consolidate all produc¬ 
tion activities at its Culver City 
plant in Los Angeles, Shift will in¬ 
volve clbsing of the RKO Teleradio- 
Pictures subsid’s 106th St. studios, 
but won’t affect the homeoffice 
operation, which remains in N.Y. 

Subsid has been active in the 
filming of industrial pix, telefilm 
series and Commercials. 


Vidfilm Producers Elect 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

New officers of the Alliance of 
TV Film Producers are prexy John 
Zinn of Jack,Chert ok Productions; 
v.p., Maurice (Babe) Unger, Ziv- 
TV Programs; secretary, Jack Find- 
later, Revue Productions; and 
treasurer, Maurice Morton, Mc¬ 
Cadden Corp. 

On the exec committee are Hal 
Roach Jr., of Hal Roach Studios; 
Armand L. Schaefer, Flying A 
Productions; and Rudy Abel, Rob- 
beft Maxwell Associates. 


NTA s $225,000 
first Qtr. Profit; 
$1,500,080 “Rocket’ 


National Telefilm Associate* 
raked in a record first-quarter net 
profit of $225,619 for the three 
months ended Oct. 31, NTA prez 
Ely Landau, told the company’s 
annual stockholders’ .meeting last 
week. The act came ' to 35c a 
common share And represented a 
273% increase over the $60,531, 
or 9c_ a share/ for the first fiscal 
ctuartgr, Jast-^ear.- Moreov^ J.i r-st* - 
quarter earnings-came to 51% of 
total 1956 fiscal year net income of 
$441,877. 

Sales for the first quarter ran 
189% ahead of the corresponding 
period last year, totaling $3,040,- 
783, as against $1,050,832, First- 
quarter sales . also totaled. more 
than half of all sales during the 
past fiscal year, which involved a 
total of $5,793,975 in contracts 
written. Film rentals, representing 
billings collected, gained 177% and 
totaled $1,832,897, as against $660,- 
995 in . the first quarter of last 
year. 

Package has been set with 
WCAU-TV, Philadelphia; KFSD- 
TV, San Diego; WTVT, Miami; 
WJAR-TV, Providence; KHQ-TV, 
Spokane; WBNS-TV, Columbus; 
WHTN-TV, Huntington, W. Va.; 
WBEN-TV, Buffalo; WMCT-TV, 
Memphis; KTNT-TV, Tacoma; 
KJEO-TV, Fresno; WTVH-TV, 
Peoria; WRAL-TV, Raleigh; WGBI- 
TV, Scranton; WKNB-TV, West 
Hartford, Conn., and KTVH-TV, 
Hutchinson, Kan. In New York, 
there’s no deal yet, but both 
WCBS-TV (which has the NTA 
package of 52 earlier 20th re¬ 
leases) are bidding. 

Lineup of new 20th product in¬ 
cludes “Laura,” “Bell for Adano," 
“Under Two Flags,” “Jane Eyre,” 
“Snake Pit,” “This- Above All,” 
“House of Rothschild” and “In Old 
Chicago.” Out of the Rainbow 
Productions films, “Trio” and “En¬ 
core” are included, 
r The company has piled up a 
gross of over $1,500,000 on its new 
“Rocket 86” package comprising 78 
of its newly-acquired 20th-Fox pic¬ 
tures plus eight others, including 
some of the Rainbpw Productions 
features acquired earlier „ from 
Paramount. Gross was achieved 
in the past two weeks on the basis 
of 16 major station sales. 

Sales represent the first income 
from NTA’s $29,250,000 deal with 
20th under which it gets five-to- 
seven-year leaseholds on five 
separate packages of 78 films each. 
Initial gross of $1,500,000 repre¬ 
sents about 25% of what NTA'will 
pay for the first package of 78 
films, $5,850,000. NTA 



WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

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SEE PAGE 63 


artin Block has the 


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Be sure you get Hanovia, used and 
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relieve strains, leave you rested and 
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# Get your Hanovia Model 65—de- 
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FREE: Valuable brochure "Magic of 
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• PHONE Circle 6-9100 • 



















ehrlieh 


W«4seid«Tf Peeewber 19» 1959 



Cyru« Eaton 


Mary Robert* 
Rinehart 


Clifton Fadiman 


Dnche&*of 

Windsor 


Herman Hickman 


Jerry Lewis 


*To all the Person to Person Guests, 


Edward R. Murrow 


John A. Aaron 


Jesse Zousmer 
the Person to Person Staff 


the CBS Technicians 


9. J err y Lewi* f° r helping out.' 
CONGRATULATIONS 


ON THE DECEMBER TRENDEX 


The Joseph Katz Company 
for 

American Oil Company " 


Campbell-Mithun, Inc. 
for 

Harnto Brewing Company 


Young and Rubicam, Inc. 
for 

Life Magazine 















48 


RADIO~TELE VISION 




Wednesday^ December 19, 1956 


Tele Followups 

; Continued from page 35 


chinson short story. It was a sharp 
change of pace'for MiSs Hayes who 
here played a superficially hard 
and disillusioned woman who final¬ 
ly makes a gesture designed' to 
show that there is compassion un¬ 
derneath. Miss Hayes carried off 
the difficult rple well, even though 
the part seemed overwritten. 

In supporting roles, Jacqueline 
Scott was appealing. Enid Markey, 
Phil Abbott and Elizabeth Watts 
did well in smaller parts. It’s 
questionable whether this slice 
from life was worthy of Miss 
Hayes’ talents. 

- T-he^-interview- -with the -Szaho.v 
conducted by Alistair Cooke with 
the aid gf interpreters, reflected 
the courage of the Hungarians who 
revolted against the Reds. There 
were times when it was awkward 
and even embarrassing. The Szabos 
have two boys. One ran away one 
night and, by bycicle and train, 
crossed the border. The disappear¬ 
ance apparently didn’t bother his 
parents too much, at least not 
judging by Sunday’s show. They 
were reunited with him more or 
less by accident. 

Doing dramatic vignettes, inter¬ 
views and even' recitation in a for¬ 
eign language can become confus¬ 
ing. There were times on “Omni¬ 
bus” Sunday when, everyone 
seemed to talk at the same time, 
resulting in a bable of voices. Also, 
it must 'be said fairly, that nothing 
very extraordinary was divulged 
by the Szabors. In fact, their story 
seemed, at times, a little incon¬ 
sistent. Viewers must have asked 
themselves, for instance, how it 
was that the Russians gave the ac-> 
tor a travel permit to go near the 
border when, shortly before that, 
the Szabors had to hide out in 
their cellar, fearing arrest. 

It should be noted in passing, in¬ 
cidentally, that Mrs. Szabor is a 
most attractive woman. Cooke ne¬ 
gotiated his chores in the accus¬ 
tomed suave manner, but somehow 
didn’t seem quite on the ball when 
it came to tossing questions at the 
Szabors. Miss Hayes also got in 
on the q. & a. game at the end, 
combining a spirited mannerism 
with inconsequential questions. 

Hift. 


Cross-Canada Hit Parade 

Winnipeg • telecast its first big 
show Dec. 13, over Canadian Broad¬ 
casting Corp.’s network. It was 
“Cross-Canada Hit Parade,” trans¬ 
planted for the night from Toronto, 
whence it. emanates every Wednes¬ 
day at &30 p.m. Winnipeg techni¬ 
cians were used, and a d.j. from ra¬ 
dio station CKX in nearby Brandon 
predicted “Namely You” as a fu¬ 
ture hit. 

Show sponsored by Standard 
Brands and Procter & Gamble, 
was staged in Winnipeg Civic Audi¬ 
torium, and sparkled on the pra¬ 
iries as it usually does in the east. 
Canadian sales reports are used, 
but this Hit Parade’s toppers run 
pretty much the same as U.S. faves. 
Production numbers are seven of 
the first 10—in this case omitting 
3, 8 and 9—plus the “future hit” 
and an encore. Latter was “Anda¬ 
lusia” from 1940, noting that it 
was a hit again last year, different¬ 
ly lyricized and rhythmed, as “The 
Breeze and I.” Austin Willis cap¬ 
ably emceed. 

All the production ideas were 
- fresh, with two standouts for “Hey 
Jealous Lover 110) and “Blueberry 
Hill” (7). Former had two pairs of 
fencers doing deadpan duels for 
handsome, sexily-gowned Negro 
singer Phyllis Marshall. As the 
song ended they all coup-de-graced 


each other and fell dead. Pixie¬ 
faced Joyce Hahn, with Dutch 
bangs and long dark curls, sang 
the latter, uniformed as leader of 
a pack of Brownies (jr. girl scouts) 
out blueberryirig. Ended with a 
pack of Wolf Cubs (jr. boy scouts) 
appearing and making for the 
Brownies. 

Another nifty had Miss Hahn’s 
co-star Wally Koster as a Fuller 
Brush salesman trying to find out 
what was behind the “Green 
Door” (1), which finally opened to 
disgorge several kids who swarmed 
all over him. Then mama ap¬ 
peared and hung out a “Measles” 
sign. . “JusT~Walkirf~Tfi "the Rain” 
(4) was nonchalantly sung and 
danced in sunshine with strawhats 
and canes. Other hits produced: 
“Singin’ the Blues” (2) by Miss 
Marshall; “True Love” (5) by Miss 
Hahn; “Cindy Oh Cindy” (6) by 
Adam Timoon. 

Terpers Alan and Blanche Lund 
were standout in support, with the 
Hit Parade Dancers aiding neatly. 
Stan Harris zingily produced, with 
writer responsible for slick gags 
screen-credited too fast to catch his 
name. Allan McFee’s relaxed 
manner and pleasant voice took 
much of the curge off the hard¬ 
sell product plugs. Card. 


CKLW-TV 

Continued from page 39 . 

With 10 possible sponsors, the 
“MDM” format is sold out, with 
eight of the 10 sponsors being na¬ 
tional accounts. With ratings go¬ 
ing up, CKLW-TV has raised the 
cost of participation from $700 per 
week to $900 weekly and plans to 
hike the tab to $990 beginning the 
first of the year. 

The split-week change of bill, 
according to operations manager 
Ritchie, also allows the station to 
replay the same cinematic slotted 
in the early part of the week at a 
later date for a Wednesday- 
through-Friday showcasing, with¬ 
out too much dissipation of the 
initial strength of the feature.. For 
example, “Hudson’s Bay,”* which 
which was shown Sunday-through- 
Tuesday, in a few months will be 
shown at the latter part of the 
Uteek, garnering viewers whose 
cinematic habits may lean toward 
Friday night. The format calls 
for a firstrun feature, though, at 
least for one part of the week, 


Foreign TV Reviews 

Continued from page 35 ^;—^ 

same name. It falls within the 
popular category of quiz, panel and 
giveaway shows; and although the 
prizes offered are of comparative 
modest value, it’s the type of en¬ 
tertainment that finds wide accep¬ 
tance in the British market. 

Bary. 


MY WIFE’S SISTER 
With Eleanor Summerfield, Helen 
Christie, Martin Wyldeck, others 
Director: Henry Kaplan 
Writer: Reuben Ship 
30 Mins., Tues. (11), 9 p.m. 
Granada TV -Network, from Man¬ 
chester 

This is a domestic comedy series 
with its full share of slapstick and 
highly improbable situations con¬ 
cerning a .household of two hare¬ 
brained femmes and a short-tem¬ 


pered husband. Eleanor Summer- 
field plays the dizzy sister-in-law 
who, resident with her sister and 
brother-in-law, weekly involves-the 
trio in crazy mixups -and trouble. 
The series is a British counterpart 
of similar American import shows. 

In the program caught, Miss 
Summerfield’s bouncy personality 
and tomboyish manner kept the 
pace up through numerous rough 
spots. But there was plenty of hu¬ 
mor and fun supplied by cream 
pies being squashed on unsuspect¬ 
ing faces, gimmick tables collaps¬ 
ing and other stock slapstick rou¬ 
tines. Production* was adequate, 
and as a situation comedy, the 
show rated fairly good entertain¬ 
ment. Bary. 


Mike Wallace 

— Continued from page 35 —— 
off by 1950 and because ’45, ’46 and 
’47 were the- greatest years in the 
big top’s history. 

Other questions included a query 
about the report that clown Em¬ 
mett Kelly was drawing down only 
$160 a week, to which Dube Replied 
in nearly brutal terms that if the 
report were correct, that’s all 
Kelly deserves, because “where 
else could he work?” Kelly, he 
said, was only a “bag of clothes 
and greasepaint:” As to his pull¬ 
ing down $2,000 on an appearance 
on the Ed Sullivan show after the 
news of the foldo, Dube said all 
Sullivan wanted was a symbol of 
the circus, hot Kelly, as a talent.-As 
to the AGVA competitive circus in 
Boston, Dube said it lost $30,000 in 
four days, but was unwilling to 
state where the money came from, 
though he professed he knew. 
(AGVA was supported in its strike 
against the circus by the teamsters’ 
union.—Editor’s Note.) 

Re Miss McKenna, her Tuesday 
appearance .whs a straight inter¬ 
view, but in the course of her dis¬ 
cussion of economics in Ireland, 
she made what was construed as 
remarks about the Jewish commu¬ 
nity in that country which created 
quite a stir. Next night she was 
back, with Wallace reading from a 
transcript and the actress explain¬ 
ing more fQlly that she felt that 
the enterprising Jewish population 
should spread their industry 
throughout the country. Instead of 
concentrating it in Dublin and 
Cork. In a closing statement, she 
said, “I’m about as anti-Semitic as 
the chief rabbi of Israel, who also 
comes from Dublin,” and said the 
Irish have always felt closeness 
and sympathy for any oppressed 
people. From this spot, she 
seemed sincere and truly upset by 
the stir. 

Other show biz-literati inter¬ 
views (Turing the week: H. V. Kal- 
tenborn plugging his new book, “It 
Seems Like Yesterday” (Putnam), 
defending himself against Wallace’s 
reminder of quotes and observa¬ 
tions on Kaltenborn’s mistakes 
over the years. Also, New York 
Post editor James Wechsler dis¬ 
cussing “McCarthyism” and free¬ 
dom of the press with reference to 
Congressional investigating com¬ 
mittees and their attacks on the 
Post and the New York Times. 
Latter was a less interesting ses¬ 
sion, mainly because Wallace was 
so sympathetic as^to avoid em¬ 
barrassing questions. Chian. 





Beats network shows including: 

DISNEYLAND . . . JACK BENNY . . . GEORGE 
GOBEL . . . DRAGNET. . . LORETTA YOUNG . . . 
JACKIE GLEASON . . . AND MANY OTHERS. 


NOTHING TURNS ON 
THE HEAT LIKE 
A ZIV PRODUCTION! 



■ ■!■■■! I, II* 1 . 1 ■M.JJ ,JL.-... 

Chi Piggy-Backing 

— — Continued from page 39 . 

a one-shot deal by Standard Oil of 
Indiana. 

WBKB set aside the first half- 
hour of its RKO “Movietime USA” 
at 10 four nights weekly as a 
spot vehicle at $600 per. All but 
four of the 16 availabilities are 
presently filled at that price,- 
. WGN-TV has seven of the 10 
spotd occupied on its Thursday 
night feature, with such national 
clients as Marlboro and Carnation 
Milk. -Station has expanded its 
N. Y. sales office in a stepped-up 
campaign for non-local business. 
There are now- three tv salesmen 
working the Madison Ave. sector 
for WGN-TV. 

Aside from the reliance on out¬ 
side coin for the premium firstrun 
programming, there’s also a need 
to snag national money for the 
daytime rerun strips which are 
geared exclusively as spot hoppers. 


Metro Pix Click 
Minneapolis, Dec. 18. 

Based on Trendex ratings, 
KMGM-TV here claims exception¬ 
ally large audiences for the first, 
pair of its crop of 727 pre-1948’ 
Metro movies, the Clark Gable- 
Laiia Turner “Honky Tonk” and 
the Joan Crawford-Fred MacMur- 
ray “Above Suspicion,” shown at 9 
p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 8-9, re¬ 
spectively. The station engaged 
Trendex to make the survey. 

For Saturday night the Trendex 
figures were 25.3; for Sunday 
night, 19.5. A further breakdown 
indicated, according to KMGM-TV, 
that 48% of the Saturday night 
video viewers were tuned to the 
old films, while the remainder was 
watching on the Twin Cities’ other 
three tv stations. 

KMGM-TV claimed a 43% share 
of audience during “Suspicion” 
when opposition shows included, 
among others, the “$64,000 Chal¬ 
lenge,” the Alfred Hitchcock 
drama, the Loretta Young playlet, 
the oldie pic “Ox-Bow Incident,” 
“Celebrity Playhouse,” Ford The¬ 
atre, a Charles Boyer drama and 
KSTP-TV news and weather. 

Charles Winchell and Harry H. 
Weiss, United Paramount Theatres 
and RKO Theatres circuits heads 
here, didn’t feel that the televising 
of the Metro pictures hurt weekend 
business at their Twin Cities’ the¬ 
atres. While they point out it’s 
virtually impossible, of course, to 
determine with any certain degree 
the impact that the tv programs, 
marking the launching here of the 
Metro oldies with their big%name 
stars, had on their six Minneapolis 
and St. Paul theatres’ grosses, they 
regarded the weekend business as 
“normal” considering adverse sea¬ 
sonal influences and attractions. 
And they believe little or no box- 
office damage was done and doubt 
that the total video audience was 
appreciably larger than usual, If 

lartfAr nf all 

At the outset, KMGM-TV, tn 
which Metro-TV now owns a 25% 
Interest and which “took away” the 
local Metro exchange’s exploiteer, 
Bob Stone, will show the studio’s 
pix only on Saturday and Sunday 
nights. 

Initial backlog was preceded by 
a grant and exploitation campaign. 
The station, the only one of the 
four here sans network affiliation 
and which doesn’t go on the air 
| until 3 p.m. weekdays, is showing 
trailers of future Metro product 
frequently. There was participat¬ 
ing sponsorship for the first ones. 


NBC’s Educ’l Plan 

Continued from page 25 

of $300,000 for the programs, pro¬ 
duction facilities and personnel, 
under the supervision of Ed Stan¬ 
ley of the public affairs division. 
Programs will' be telecast during 
the afternoon time period which, 
does' not conflict with the regular' 
schedule and will, be kinescoped 
for repeat broadcast or subsequent 
classroom use. 

NBC will contribute three half- 
hour presentations each week, with 
instruction in mathematics, the 
humanities and government. . In 
addition, there will be two addi¬ 
tional shows to be furnished by 
the Educational Television and 
Radio Centre at Ann Arbor, which 
has received funds for the pur¬ 
pose from the Ford Foundation. 
Thus the educational shows will 
get a cross-the-board slotting, ex¬ 
tending through 26 weeks in 1957, 
beginning in March for 13 weeks 
and resuming in October for an 
additional 13-week period. 


WNYCAnnexes’ 
Canadian Web 

Canadian Broadcasting Corp. will 
have a New York “affiliate” as of 
tonight (Wed.) when WNYC, the 
city-owned radio station, starts a 
regular weekly schedule of live 
pickups from the network. Every 
Wednesday the local station will 
turn the switch on for from two 
to Three hours of CBC musical and 
dramatic presentations. 

' Shows will emanate from Mont¬ 
real, Toronto, Quebec City, Otta¬ 
wa and elsewhere in Canada. Most 
of the CBCa9ts will be heard in 
New York between 8 and 11 p.m. 

Tonight WNYC will air a full 
performance of Massenet’s opera, 
“WCrther,” from Montreal. Next 
week, CBC will do a Xmas special, 
“Round Dance for Christmas,” be¬ 
tween 8:30 and 10, plus a recital 
from 10:30 to 11. On Jan. 2, CBC 
will feed WNYC the Mendelssohn 
Choir of Toronto in Handel’s 
“Messiah.” 


Radio Followup 

= Continued from page 44 

holds rate the weather reports as 
No. 1. These come as frequently 
as they should. The leading pace- 
changer and actual centerpiece is, 
of course, traditional disk jockey¬ 
ing. Anyone interested in the top 
current pops and standards will 
get it, along with Sterling’s silver 
tongue. The network and the local 
cut in all aroifrid him for the hot 
news, and thus he can c o ool off. 
This just about covers the soup to 
the nuts, but there's some bouilla¬ 
baisse. This comes in the guise of 
live musicians. There are five of 
’em—Mary Osborne’s guitar, Tyree 
Glenn’s trombone and vibes, Andy 
Fitz’s clarinet and sax, Buddy 
Jones* string bass and Tony Aless* 
piano. They are also alive, not 
only in the tooting dept, but as 
evidenced in the fact that Sterling 
carries intramural laughs with 
him; the musicians yock at his 
jokes. Apparently that is specified 
in the AFM contract. Sterling has 
a sort of joketelling and cornpone 
satire session; some of it is pretty 
good. This segment is a kind of 
author’s privilege which shouldn’t 
be denied. Give a kid a lollipop 
and he’ll do his homework. 

The conferencier’s money-boys 
are a mile long. At the moment 
the participating sponsors range 
between 35-40, Monday-through- 
Saturday. No wonder he can say 
“good morning” so cheerfully. 
John Newhouse is the exec produ¬ 
cer, Ken Regen is the director. 

Trail. 


Eddie ft Debbie 

/ 

— Continued from page 25 

cross-plugging and references that 
have been cropping up of late. 

(Only exception NBC will “tol¬ 
erate” is Fisher's appearance. on 
the Eddie Cantor “At 65” hour 
tribute which goes into the Jackie 
Gleason CBS slot on Jan.* 12, 
but this is predicated on the close 
Fisher-Cantor ties and as an in¬ 
tegral part of the format.) 

Apparently even ABC is in on 
the newest “let’s keep our stars to 
ourselves” policy, as evidenced in 
the recent pullout of Frank Si¬ 
natra from a guest stint on the 
Walter Winchell variety segment 
on NBC after he had signed his 
exclusive deal with ABC. 


Hartford — Ernest H. Peterson, 
local sales rep fgr WTIC, has been 
named general chairman of the 
third annual Advertising Awards 
Contest conducted by the Adver¬ 
tising Club of Hartford. 


WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

BESTSELLERS? 

SEE PAGE 63 



ON EVERY CHANNEL V! 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 


3 W.it 6ltl St., N.Y.C..T*!. PL. 7-3100 





Vednexfay, DecenJber 19, 1956 




49 


“Outstanding Comedy Show of the Year ” 

ik ERNIE KOVACS show 

Co-starring EDIE ADAMS 

The 


SYLVANIA 
| AWARD 

m 1956 

and Sylvania Citations to 


Writers 


Director 


BARRY SHEAR 


ERNIE KOVACS 
REX LARDNER 
DEKE HAYWARD 
MIKE MARMER 


Producer 


PERRY CROSS 


to the newspaper TV Editors, Critics , Judges , and to Sylvania 

OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE 

and 


JACK COFFEY'S 

Technical crew 

BILL WENDELL 
HENRY LASCOE 
AL KELLEY 
PETER HANLEY 
BARBRA 

JAMES BRUCK 
FRED FOLLETT 
ROBERT HARZ 

and their Century Stage Crews 

HARRY SOSNICK 

and his Orchestra 

BOB HAMILTON 

and the Hamilton Dancers 

MARIE CORRELL 

Assistant to Perry Cross 


To: SHIRLEY MELLNER 

Assistant to Ernie Kovacs 

To: DICK GILLESPIE 

Associate Director 

To: BOB GRIFFIN 

Props 

To: WALTER SLOVIK 

Graphic Arts 

To: GEORGE FIALA 

Makeup 

To: GUY KENT 

ROBERT FLETCHER 
BRICE SEVIER 

Costumes 

To: HERB ANDREWS 
BURR SMIDT 

Art Directors 

To: HUGH BRANIGAN 
HENRY SHENSKY 

Unit Managers 




so RADIO-TELE V1S1QX _ PftfZTETY 


; Volnegday, December 19, 1956 


Disk Jocks Austria-Bound 


Continued -from page 31 


the Cleveland Hungarian Society 
and the Red Cross to acjt as con¬ 
tact between Americans of Hun¬ 
garian descent and the incoming 
refugees who may be relatives or 
friends. Station will preempt all 
programs with important an¬ 
nouncements, and moreover has 
scheduled two shows daily to an¬ 
nounce names of incoming refu¬ 
gees and their known relations and 
benefactors in the Cleveland area, 
which expects 3,000 refugees in the 
next few weeks. Station will also 
act as a clearing house for benefac¬ 
tors who wish to help the Hun¬ 
garians. 

On the ^television side, the sta¬ 
tion had a surprise in store for the 
dignitaries on the Cleveland Mercy 
Flight, sponsored by the Cleveland 
Press, the local Red Cross chapter 
and the Pan American Airways, 
when they stepped off the plane in 
Vienna last week. First words 
they heard were, “Step this way 
for pictures. I represent Station 
KYW, Cleveland.” 

Statement came from an Ameri- 
can Telenews cameraman stationed 
in Vienna. KYW-TV, a few days 
earlier had made arrangements 
with INS-Telenews for coverage of 
the arrival of the flight, which 
brought money and 15,000 pieces of 
new clothing to the Hungarian ref- 



Smokestacks have always been 
a symbol of activity in our Ohio 
River Valley. They came to us 
first aboard the picturesque 
stemwheelers that opened this 
region to phenomenal growth. 
They stayed to multiply and mul* 
tiply above busy mills and fac¬ 
tories whose industrial worth to- 
day — in the Huntington- 
Charleston heart alone — ex¬ 
ceeds one billion dollars! 


ugees. Film was flown back to the 
U. S. and put on the air last Thurs¬ 
day (13), with pictures of the 
flight’s departure from Cleveland 
having been shown earlier. 


Philly’s ‘Hungary’ ’56 
Philadelphia, Dec. 18. 

As a contribution to a charitable 
cause, Lloyd E. Yoder, NBC veep 
and general manager of WRCV, 
WRCV-TV, has launched a two- 
week nightly series of live local 
color programs called “Hungary 
1956,” for the American Red Cross 
Hungarian Relief. 

In order to give a first hand re¬ 
port on why contributions are need¬ 
ed Taylor Grant, the' session's news 
analyst, director Dennis Kane, lens- 
man Ralph Lopatin, and engineer 
Bill Hoffman, all WRCV-TV staff¬ 
ers, have filmed on-the-spot scenes 
of Hungarians fleeing Communist 
rule. Through the cooperation of 
the Military Air Transport Service 
and the State Dept., the foursome 
left Fri. (14) and returned Sun. 
(16). 

The major portion of the film 
footage shot in Austria will be used 
as the basis for a “wrap-up” session 
(22), as the finale to this special 
series. 

About three times during his 
show. Grant gives phone number to 
be used for call-in pledges. In 
first week of appeal the Red Cross 
without tv realized $6,000 locally. 
After three telecasts, additional 
contributions totaled $12,000. 


Bertha Brainard 

Continued from nacre 31 a 

known to the entire (broadcast) in¬ 
dustry for her brains and charm.” 

The line dropped was that be¬ 
tween “Poponoe” and “urogram 
charter/’ thus eliminating “Pope’s" 
titte and the name of a grand.lady, 
the first member of her sex in the 
broadcast industry to demonstrate 
that brains and charm are not ex¬ 
clusively reserved to males alone. 
Bertha, shortly before her retire-! 
ment from NBC, became the truly 
devoted and love-y wife ..of a for¬ 
mer NBC announcer who even be¬ 
fore their marriage had won his 
spurs as an executive at Marschalk 
& Pratt—Curt Peterson. 

The mere mention of this item, 
I know, will bring a tug at the 
heartstrings of the many, many 
many friends of Curt and Bertha, 
for all of us well realize that they 
deserved a much longer life to¬ 
gether. Her untimely passing 
brought tears and heartaches to 
many who, behind desks and be¬ 
fore mikes throughout the country 
eyen today have “B. B.” to thank 
for having helped them up the 
broadcast ladder. 

Thanks for allowing me to again 
pay tribute to her memory. 

G, W. (Johnny) Johnstone. 



Nowhere in America is there 
such a panorama of business un¬ 
der full steam as in the 100-plus 
counties served by the four-state 
span of WSAZ-TV. Here, live 
nearly a million families with an¬ 
nual buying power close to four 
billion dollars — a symbol of 
booming productivity making 
this America’s 23rd TV market. 
Your advertising cuts a smart 
bow wave when you consign it 
to WSAZ-TV, only TV station 
covering the whole area. Any 
Katz office can write the ticket. 



WSAZ, Huntington & WGKV, Charleston 
LAWRENCE H. ROGERS, PRESIDENT 
Represented by The Katz Agency 


Continued from page 37 ■ , 

ments of four-week cumulative au- 
.dience per year. Currently, Niel¬ 
sen has six four-week cumulative 
audience measurements per year, 
reporting on whichTis not included 
in the NRI report, but available to 
subscribers on a delayed basis. It 
takes a net from two to six weeks 
to get the requested cumulative 
measurement figures, a period con¬ 
sidered by some net officials as too 
long when a “hot” deal is being 
negotiated. 

If adopted by the nets and Niel¬ 
sen, the new cumulative measure¬ 
ment yardstick also is expected to 
be applied to local radio stations 
for, as one Nielsen official put it, 
the same principles apparenfy ap¬ 
ply locally. 

Here’s how the NRI book would 
look under the' proposed changes. 
Under the heading of “Cumulative 
Audience—by Programs,” let’s say 
Hawaiian Pineapple and Swift & 
Co. were listed as sponsors of 
“House Party,” a CBS show. 
“House Party,” still following the 
hypothetical example, aired each 
week Friday afternoon, would show 
the following in formation: The 
Nielsen total “In-Home Audience” 
and the Nielsen average audience 
per broadcast, multiplied by the 
total number of broadcasts per 
month, giving the total homes the 
broadcast delivered. That would be 
followed by a cumulative figure, 
showing the pumber of different ! 

S* . v ' '■ 


homes the broadcast reached dur¬ 
ing the course of the four-yreek 
period. The same practice would 
be followed for. Monday-thyough- 
Frtday'shows, ns well as programs 
such as “Monitor,” which would be 
divided into different time seg¬ 
ments. 

.Another phase of the proposed 
new NRI report would come under 
the heading of “Cumulative Audi- 
ence-by-Sponsors.” for instance, if 
Chevrolet-General Motors bought 
a block of programming on CBS, 
listed would be the various pro¬ 
grams in the block, the number of 
stations carrying each program, 
the number of broadcasts during 
the four week period, the homes 
reached by the broadcasts, dupli¬ 
cated and unduplicated. • 

Gone will be the 0.9’s, the 1.2’s, 
the 4.3’s type of ratings for'a partic¬ 
ular show in a particular time seg¬ 
ment. Now what is believed to be 
the total impact of radio buying 
would be measured under the pro¬ 
posals. 


WGA’ers Yen 

• Continued from page 26 

Thompson, which produces “Kraft 
Theatre” on NBC-TV,Js not inter¬ 
ested in rerun rights. Rights re¬ 
vert to the scripter 60 days after 
the performance. Reason for the 
difference, a writer remarked, is 
that JWT is only interested in its 
own program and “Pot in keeping 
material from rivals. 

And, however, liberal about cen¬ 
sorship the networks may be com¬ 
pared to agencies, writers feel that 
the agencies have the last. word 
regardless of who produces, even 
though it’s not easy on the surface 
to tell who acted as~censor. At it 
is today, networks pass the buck 
and so do agencies. Assertion is 
that if agencies take control, there 
will be no more “shadow boxing,” 
with WGA always able to fix the 
blame, whether the union can do 
anything about it or not. 


ABC Radio 

■ Continued from pare 24 ^ 

co-op sales ventures. ABC recently 
axed “Grand Central Station,” 
which was one of that ilk. 

* Evidently, stations feel that they 
can gain more revenue from 
strictly local offerings; therefore 
they place spots in their own 
shows bypassing the network’s co¬ 
op. This is with the exception of 
the news and commentary shows, 
which are still of value to affili¬ 
ates. The straight 7V£% return to 
the network for supplying, these 
shows will, it is hoped, give sta¬ 
tions more incentive to back co¬ 
operatives. 


Cinderella 

—— Continued from pare 24 —— 

! manager Bill Morgan identified 
the find. 

The check was hidden at 3 in the 
morning the day the contest be¬ 
gan, by Ben Harris, a local insur¬ 
ance exec. He alone knew the 
whereabouts* of the check, and he 
wrote the clues that were broad¬ 
cast. Harris has no connection with 
KLlF. 

’Spawn, a lathe operator for a 
plastering company, who admits to 
being in debt for about $17,000, 
has no problems about spending 
the money. It’s estimated that he 
will get to keep about $32,000, after 
taxes, enough to pay off the fam¬ 
ily mortgage—and to replace the 
shoes lost by Mrs. Spawn on the 
hunt. 


Bing Crosby 

■ Continued from pare 27 

Radio back in 1930, later moving 
to NBC and ABC but returning to 
CBS. 

Crosby currently is busy in pic¬ 
ture work, starring in “Man on 
Fire” for Sol C. Siegel at Metro. 
He’s being paged for Mackinlay 
Kantor’s story about the Boy 
Scouts, “Upon My Honor,” at RKO, 
but hasn’t decided whether to ac¬ 
cept the role. He just' rejected a 1 
starring stint in “Can Can” at 
20th-Fox, feeling the role wasn’t 
right for him. 


Greensboro, N. C. — The FCC 
has been sent an application from 
Ralph D. Epperson, of WPAQ, 
Mount Airy, N.C., for a new station 
at Williamsburg, Va., on 740 kilo¬ 
cycles, 500 watts daytime. 


Vidpix Indies 

Continued from passe 39 

outside financing, hast its merits, 
Manby argues. 

As to threatened competition if 
agencies or clients go to it alone, 
Manby asks, what difference is it 
to RKO if the telefilm subsld must 
compete with Y&R. Screen Gems 
or any other outfit? Compete it 
must and “if you’re a good enough 
producer, you’ll win odt.” “Some¬ 
where producers have been re* 
miss,” he adds, what with all the 
dissatisfaction voiced. 

’Quickie’ Partners 

Most current major outside sup¬ 
pliers of networked skeins—and 
the roster includes Screen Gems, 
Official Films, Television Pro¬ 
grams of America, MCA, 20th- 
Fox’s TCF, Warners, as well as 
others—take another tack. Why 
should they co-produce with an 
agency or client, they argue, taking 
in a partner if the pilot is success¬ 
ful, only to find the partner gone 
if the pilot does not meet with 
client or agency acceptance. They 
would rather stick to the current 
practice of not tieing themselves 
down to a particular agency or 
client, a practice which allows 
them freedom to peddle the pilot 
to a multiplicity of outlets. 

As to co-financing from agency 
or clients, the major indies find it 
no problem to obtain money for 
filming, having established a line 
of credit with banks, before the 
current tight money situation set 
iii, as well as possessing money 
resources of their own. Most would 
rather gamble with the financing 
of a pilot which has the potential 
of hitting the jackpot with a na¬ 
tionally-sponsored networked show, 
than share in the pilot financing, 
only to find later, that because a 
client or agency put up $25,000 for 
pilot financing, they have a part¬ 
ner divvying up multi-million-dol- 
lar returns if the show hits. If the 
pilot is a failure, they argue, it’s 
true they would lose less money, 
but with a major agency or client 
rejection, who would buy the skein 
for network exposure? 

’Go Ahead, Son* 

Regarding agency or client en¬ 
try into telefilm production on 
their own, the major indies ac¬ 
knowledge that there’s nothing to 
stop them. Besides the feeling 
that agencies and clients will find 
it too specialized, expensive and 
hazardous, there are other nega¬ 
tive considerations. One major in¬ 
die feels that Y&R with its experi¬ 
mental “Rob Roy” pilot may be 
giving up the project because of 
the havoc in client relations in¬ 
herent in the move. 

If “Rob Roy,” as a Y&R-pro- 
duced series, were sold to one of 
its clients and scored a success, 
there would be / screams of “fa¬ 
voritism” in the" Y&R house, its 
pointed out. On the other hand, a 
flop would reflect on Y&R. 

.The P&G move to finance indies 
also was given the onceover by the 
major indies, who maintained, at 
the most, that it only would at¬ 
tract what they termed “fringe” 
producers. Established producers, 
the indies contend, can find financ¬ 
ing elsewhere, as witness Screen 
Genis’ $2,500,000 fund for financ¬ 
ing indies releasing through the 
Columbia subsid, and be free to 
peddle their pilot in the open 
market. 

To sum up, with the exception of 
RKO Teleradio, the major indies, 
to put it mildly, are not putting 
out the welcome mat to. the pro¬ 
posed entrance of agencies and/or 
clients In the field, as well as 
questioning the feasibility of 
agency-client proposals. 


Maggio's Coast Job 

Joe Maggio has been named to 
the newly-set post of promotion- 
press info manager for ABC-TV 
western division, from previous 
publicist chores. 

Jay Rosenberg goes into Mag- 
gio’s former spot. 


SINATRA, DISNEY PART 
OF ABC’S SPEC FUTURE 

Because Liggett & Myers is com¬ 
mitted to sponsorship of at least 
part of the two 60-minute Frank 
Sinatra specials next season, ABC- 
TV, which long has talked about 
and never accomplished a “spec¬ 
tacular took,” is definitely on its 
way. ~Besides the two Sinatras, web 
is certain to do a pair by Walt Dis¬ 
ney, one at Christmas and the other 
at Easter. 

All four shows wiH be live. It’s 
understood that the network plans 
approximately six other live one- 
shot stanzas for the 1957-58 season. 
Web has not decided whether Dis¬ 
ney’s* holiday telecasts will be 60 or 
90 minutes. A network spokesman 
said that the Sinatra specs are open 
for co-sponsorship with L&M. 


Tricks’n’Treats 

■— -■ Continued from page 26 i 

and department stores and before 
manufacturing groups. 

Ted Steele, WOR-TV, has two 
afternoon shows, one for juves, 
the other for teeners, and he’s gen¬ 
erally 90% sold during the three 
hours he’s on daily. He, too, has 
a large junket sked and does some 
point-of-purchase work in behalf 
of bankrollers, e.g., a job for Flagg 
Shoes recently. 

WPIX, the Daily News station, 
has few weekday live shows out¬ 
side of the emcee portions of its 
cartoon shows, but it has four 
weekend live stanzas which sustain 
themselves through a variety of 
on-the-air promotions for spon¬ 
sors. With the possible exception 
of Shari Lewis’ Saturday puppet 
show, the WPIX live weekenders 
make special promotional tieups 
with manufacturers for bread & 
butter. 

Of course, there are the news, 
weather and sports staples in the 
live local program field, but sta¬ 
tions think of them more as pub¬ 
lic services than as out-and-out 
moneymakers. 

Video’s live local personality 
; stanza surviving strictly on the 
basis of performance is a rarity. 
WABD has Mike Wallace’s “Night 
Beat,” which competes directly 
against strong feature film fare. 
This and WRCA-TV’s “Hy Gard¬ 
ner Calling” thrive on controver¬ 
sial interviews, and they attract a 
1 substantial New York following. 


WABC-TV’s Chase Coin 

Chase Manhattan Bank has taken 
a hefty chunk of the WABC-TV, 
New York, local lfneup beginning 
Jan. 2. Through Cunningham & 
Walsh, the bank has bought George 
Hamilton Combs’ “Newseope” 
cross-the-board from 11 to 11:05 
ayem>, and has also taken Janet 
Tyler, “The Weather Girl,” Mon¬ 
days and Thursdays from 6:55 to 7 
p.m. Third Chase buy is participa¬ 
tions on Joe Franklin’s “Memory 
Lane.” 

Milium (coat linings) is return¬ 
ing to sponsor Miss Tyler on 
Wednesdays and Fridays as of Jan. 
•16. Mary Chess perfumery will 
make the weather show SRO with 
a Tuesday buy. 


WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

BESTSELLERS? 

SEE PAGE 63 


GIRL WANTED 

Young girl familiar with TV commer¬ 
cial field interested in becoming an 
agents assistant with reputable thea¬ 
trical agency. 

PHONE Plaza 7-6284 



-ASSIGNEE’S SALE- 

Entire Estimated $60,000 Stock of Famed 

"WARDROBE HOUSE" 

7768 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, California 
MUST BE SOLD TO SATISFY CREDITORS I 
COSTUMES AND ACCESSORIES OF EVERY TYPE 
Period Wear — Uniforms —- Shoes —- Badges —. Suits — Dresses, etc. 
Shop Open For Inspection Dally 9 to 5 
SEE ITl MAKE OFFERS TO 

DAVID BLONDER, Assignee For Benefiit of Credifors 

608 South Hill Street, — HO. &I424X — Los Angeles 14. California 








Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


PfiniEfr 


MUSIC 51 


Coast Local 47 Sweeps Out Petrillo 
Supporters; Eliot Daniel New Prez 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Dissident Coast musicians threw 
the incumbent local 47 adminis¬ 
tration out of office in a recQrd 
balloting yesterday (Mon.) in an 
obvious, but officially unexpressed, 
disavowal of AFM prexy James C.» 
petrillo policies. Voice of the 
Membership Ticket, outgrowth of 
the rebel group which openly re¬ 
volted against Petrillo last Febru¬ 
ary, scored a triumphant two-to- 
one victory in an election seen as 
a test of Petrillo’s strength among 
the working professional musicians. 

Eliot Daniel, 46-year-old com¬ 
poser-conductor who has been writ¬ 
ing for “I Love Lucy,” was named 
president with 3,806 votes to 1,817 
for incumbent John te Groen, seek¬ 
ing re-election, sweeping entire 
VOM ticket into office. Group cap¬ 
tured every office, including trus¬ 
tees, board of director, trial board 
and delegates to the AFM conven¬ 
tion. 

Elected with Daniel to top -posi¬ 
tions were John Tranchitella, vee- 
pee; Max Herman, who defeated 
incumbent Maury Paul, recording 
secretary; and Warren Baker, who 
triumphed over incumbent G. R. 
Hennon, for financial secretary. 
Margin in all cases hovered around 
two-to-one with some minor varia¬ 
tions occasioned by personal popu¬ 
larity of individuals. Hennon at¬ 
tained the highest mark of any ad¬ 
ministration candidate, getting 
2,080 votes in his unsuccessful bid 
for re-election. - 

A total of 5,630 votes were cast 
in the three-hour balloting, includ¬ 
ing 1,160 absentees. Union's pre¬ 
cious record 4,028 vote was in 1048 
when no absentees were permitted. 

Indicative of the schism within 
the local’s ranks was the full slate 
of candidates presented by both 
sides in the fray and the undis¬ 
closed but admittedly hefty ex- 
(Continued on page 62) 


1-Niters Were Never Like 
This: Thailand King Joins 
BG in Palace Jam-boree 

By HAL DAVIS 

Bangkok, Dec. 18. 

Amporn Palace, in Bangkok, in¬ 
stituted a one-nightronly policy of 
concert jazz and dance .music, with 
the Benny Goodman band, fol¬ 
lowed by the “Friday Night Seven” 
dixie group of Thailand’s King 
Phumipol Aduldej, who led on 
saxophone and clarinet. 

Goodman flew .9,000 miles to 
make the date, arriving just. in 
time for the Command. Perform¬ 
ance. Attendance was heavy,. but 
limited to members and friends, of 
the Royal Family.. The band was 
received individually before . the 
performance by the King. and 
Queen. 

Goodman began the proceedings 
with “Bugle Call Rag,” and then 
went through his familiar library 
of standards, as white-jacketed 
servants scurriedi between the rows 
of musicians with a constant* flow 
of cooling libations. Acoustics 
were fine, in the* high-ceilinged, 
centuries-old Entertainment Room 
of the Palace. Dotty Reid, blonde 
band vocalist, received an excellent 
hand for her “Angels Sing,” and 
“S’Wonderful.” 

Goodman’s trio, with Hank Jones 
on piano, and Mousey Alexander 
(Continued on page 60) 


Petrillo Not Surprised 

Saying victory of dissidents 
on the Coast was “no sur¬ 
prise,” AFM prexy James C. 
Petrillo said he “will work 
with these elected officials on 
all matters for the union’s 
good.” He stated victory of 
the new local 47 leadership on 
the “temporary dominance of 
a philosophy which teaches 
that a minority of musicians 
can better their own working 
conditions at the expense of 
all other musicians.” 

. According to Petrillo, the 
real significance of the Coast 
elections was that it has given 
encouragement to those who 
are attacking the Music Per¬ 
formance Trust Funds. 


DORIS DAY, ORMANDY 
AS COL’S JAN. ‘BOM’ 

Columbia Records has set al¬ 
bums by Doris Day and the! Phila¬ 
delphia Orchestra under the direc¬ 
tion of Eugene Ormandy as, the 
“Buy of the Month” for January. 
The “Buy of the Month” campaign*- 
which started out. as a summer 
promotion, offers .a regular 12-inch 
LP album at a special $2.98 price. 

Miss Day’s set, for the pop buy, 
is tagged. “Day By Day,” while the 
Philly -breh’s, for the classical 
field, is ‘‘The Great .Melodies of 
Tchaikovsky.” 


Big 3 Buying 
major Interest’ 
In Brit FD&H 


London, Dec. 18. 

The Big Three Music combine 
of the U. S. is on the verge of 
wrapping up a deal to purchase a 
“major interest” in the topranking 
British publishing firm, Francis, 
Day & Hunter. Mickey Scopp, Big 
Three chief who was here with at¬ 
torney Julian T. Abeles to handle 
the deal, planed back to the U. S. 
last weekend while Abeles remains 
for a few more days to finalize the 
transaction. 

Fred Day, managing director of 
the Francis, Day & Hunter setup, 
will continue in his present post 
along with the rest of the exec 
staff, including Ray Thackeray, ad¬ 
ministration chief; and Jack Den¬ 
ton, who is in charge of operations 
on the Continent. It’s planned, 
however, to augment th^ FD&H 
(Continued on page 60) 


WANT STATUS QUO RCA’s ‘One World for its’ Plan 

To Get a §«ess-SH*p Sendoff 


The move by the American So¬ 
ciety of Composers, Authors & 
Publishers to set up a preliminary 
conference with the jukebox indus¬ 
try 4o discuss Proposed amend¬ 
ments to the Copyright Act has 
run into a stone wall. The Music 
Operators op America, representing 
the juke ops nationally, has flatly 
turned down the proposal to hold 
any bargaining talks about the 
Copyright Act amendments under 
which the coin machine, exemption 
from paying licensing fees would 
be removed. 

MOA nrexy George A. Miller 
and general counse 1 Sidney N. 
Levine notified Sen. Joseph O'Ma¬ 
honey, chairman of the Senate. 
Subcommittee on Patents, Trade¬ 
marks & Copvrights, that they do 
hot “contemolate industry suicide” 
by agreeing in any way to the pay¬ 
ment of Iicers ; ng fees to ASCAP 
or other performing rights socie¬ 
ties. 0 The senator, who is sponsor¬ 
ing a bill to amend the 1909 Copy¬ 
right Act. had suggested, to both 
ASCAP and thb juke industry that 
they compromise their difference's. 
ASCAP, therefore, has invited the 
MOA leader to a discussion confer¬ 
ence. 

The juke association leaders 
told the senator that “compromise 
implies mutual adjustment of dif¬ 
ferences to the ultimate benefit of 
both parties, but hardly the self- 
destruction which our -industry 
would visit upon itself-by making 
any one-sided concessions. The 
performance rights societies have 
nothing to offer us, nothing to com¬ 
promise and nothing to sacrifice. 
There is no benefit or boon that 
they can confer upon us.” 

Conceding that they are putting 
themselves in the pdsition of 
“mulehard diehards for refusing to 
sit down and adjust any differ¬ 
ences,” the coin machine spokes¬ 
men reiterated their contention 
that any amendment to the Copy¬ 
right Act to remove the juke ex¬ 
emption would be “quickly trans¬ 
lated into payment of millions of 
dollars ip royalties to our already 
(Continued on page 60) 


Here's a Warning 

Recently proposed (but not 
yet effective) new taxcollector 
interpretation on Star-domi¬ 
nated corporations, and their 
proper tax rates, ‘has caused 
widespread alarm in the film 
industry. 

Further stpdy suggests that 
television, and other amuse¬ 
ment media, may have setups 
which are facing big unex¬ 
pected tax liabilities. 

For a detailed story on the 
situation see streamer story 
this issue, Page 3. 


ABC-Par’s ‘Come 
Into My Parlor 
Name-Bait Try 

ABC-Paramount is warming up 
for the 1957 season by pitching for 
the big disk names. Label execs 
are ready to talk contracts and 
guarantees with name diskers who 
want to jump their present wax 
ties. 

Diskery, which was launched a 
little over a year ago, has been 
pruning its roster during the past 
several months to make room for 
the biggies, if they come. Company 
execs feel that they now need wax 
marquee lures to lead the roster 
and to help build billings for the 
’57 season. 

. To attract the star diskers, the 
ABC-Par execs.say they’ll offer top 
guarantees for longterm deals. One 
exec stressed that the company will 
go as high as $250,000 on a five- 
year pact for the right name. 

For the past couple of months 
pEfie diskery has been billing close 
to $200,000 a month which should 
bring the ’56 tally to over $2,- 
000,000. Label toppers are fore¬ 
casting a $3,000,000 year for 1957. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ava. 


LONDON. W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


RCA Victor’s plan for simultane¬ 
ous global release of single rec¬ 
ords viU kick off next May or 
Ju: e, according to W. W. (Bill) 
Bullock, chief of the Victor singles 
divirion, ard Joe Carlton, pop 
artists & repertoire chief. Both re¬ 
turned ecently from a four-week 
o.o. of RCA’s affiliates in England 
and cn the Continent. The kickoff 
date h^s been timed for a month 
after Y'ctor’s switch in England 
from affixation with EMI (Electric 
& Musical Industries) to British 
Decca: 

Carlton said the .first number 
designed for global release will 
likely be an instrumental where 
arguage barriers will play no fac¬ 
tor. lie said that in the event of a 
hit release, the advantage of simul¬ 
taneous release in all the major 
markets* of the world would be re¬ 
flected . in immediately bigger 
sales. Bui ock had earlier set his 
sights on a 5,000,000 world sale as 
nothing* extraordinary once the 
program starts rolling. 

At the present time, the foreign 
diskers just sit back and wait for 
hits to develop in the U.S. before 
they jump on the tune. In many 
cases, the foreign diskers are far 
behind the demand for a specific 
number since, through various 
commercial broadcast channels and 
the Armed Forces Radio Network 
in Europe, the public hears the 
American hits long„before they are 
(Continued on page 62) 


O’Seas PubsNix Airing 
Of‘Fair Lady’on AFN 
But Album Sells Hoi 

Hoechst, Dec. 11. 

Vic Damone lost out on his 
chance to be a major disk-click on 
American Forces Network here 
with the recent ban slapped on 
the “My Fair Lady” album. Da- 
mone’s “On the Street Where You 
Live,” a single from the score, was 
on its way to top the European 
net’s request list when the Sept. 
10 cable arrived from AFRS in 
Hollywood that all music from 
“My Fair Lady” was immediately 
restricted from AFN airing. *. 

This has long been one of the 
major gripes of the American 
servicemen in Europe. When Brit¬ 
ish publishers buy options on an 
American musical, they restrict the 
playing of the music in any area 
where the British public might 
hear it and get tired of it before 
the show opens in England. As a 
result, songs from the top musicals 
on Broadway are banned for AFN 
playing, even though the AFN net 
is supported by the U. S. Govern¬ 
ment to entertain American serv¬ 
icemen and their families abroad, 
and the English listeners are listen¬ 
ing only because they prefer it to 
their own British broadcasts. 

In spite of the pulling of the al¬ 
bum off the air, the top album on 
sale in the Armed Forces ex¬ 
changes is currently “My Fair 
Lady,” and they are way behind on 
requests for it. 


RCA’S CAMDEN SETS 
ALBUM DRIVE FOR’57 

Camden Records, RCA’s line of 
low-priced disks, is launching a 
new promotion drive starting next 
year in behalf of its catalog. Focus 
of the campaign will be a special 
album each month which will be 
given an extrai* push via display 
racks being made available to 
dealers. 

T First album to be spotlighted 
will be a newly recorded package 
by Johnny Guarnieri and his com¬ 
bo. Upcoming is an Arturo Tosca¬ 
nini album which will have a four- 
color jacket, a departure for Cam- 
dem. Another change in the label’s 
LP releases will be the inclusion' 
of specially written liner notes in 
place of the simple catalog listings 
now used. 





f&Xtiwv a 


Wednesday, ttecemfiei* t9j 195$ 


Jocks, Jokes and Disks 


-By MIKE GROSS 


Toni Arden: “Without .Love”- 
“Little by Little” (Decca). Toni 
Arden has had disk tries with Co¬ 
lumbia and RCA Victor hut noth¬ 
ing seemed to work. Everything 
apparently is working for her in 
“Without Love,” her first for Dec¬ 
ca. Song is a cover of -a Clyde 
McPhatter (Atlantic) side but she 
gives it strong pop values and belts 
it with force ana emotiop. A nat¬ 
ural for Spins all over. She also 
does a standout job h* “Little By 
Little/’ which everybody' seems to 
be cutting. 

Vic Damone: -“Long Before I 
Knew You”-“You Stepped Out Of 
A Dream”'(Columbia). “Long Be¬ 
fore I Knew You/’ showtune out 
of “Bells Are Ringing,”‘shapes as 
Vic Damone’s second legitune click 
of the year. (He scored earlier 
with “On The Street Where You 
Live” from “My Fair Lady.”) 


tal that makes for. good juke 
fodder. ... 

*Lew Douglas Orch: “Levi, Lulla- 
by”-“Th'e Hour of Love” (Bally). 
“Levi Lullaby” is the kind of in¬ 
strumental that the teenage terp 
set should go for in a\hjfe y^ay. Its 
danceable rhythmic! values * are 
spotlighted with a sure touch by 
-Lew Douglas and his tootlers. Re¬ 
verse is a fair ballad sld,e in which 
Douglas gets some help from a 
vocal chorus. 

: Micki Mario; “Little By Little”- 1 
<‘It All* Started' With' Your Kiss” : 
(ABC-Paramount). There’s a lot of 
disk action ori> “Little By- Little” 
and Micki Mario stands a good 
chance to pick up a good share of 
the play. She’s got a sock rhythmic 
sense that’s tailormade for this 
rockin’ beat. She alsp gets across 
some good vocal lickS in “It All 
Started With .A ..Kiss” and rates 




Best Bets 


TOM ARDEN ;.. .*. ... ...... WITHOUT LOVE 

■" ( Decca) .... Little- by ".Little 

VIC DAMONE ...,.. . LONG BEFORE I KNEW YOU 

' ,( Cplitiribia ) .. .. . You Stepped Out of. a Dream 

SAMMY DAVIS JR. . . . DANGEROUS: 

(Decca) .i . .All About Love 


PATTI PAGE. 

(Mercury) . 


REPEAT AFTER ME 

. .Learnin' My Latin. 


“Knew, You” is in the class ballad 
groove and crooner’s romantic han¬ 
dling gives it a hot spinning po¬ 
tential. His workover of the oldie, 
“You Stepped Out Of A Dream,” 
makes for easy listening. 

Sammy Davis Jr.: “Dangerous?’- 
“All About Love” (Decca). Sammy 
Davis Jr. has been on the verge of 
a breakthrough slice for some 
time now and “Dangerous” looks 
like the one that could ptill him 
over the top.' It’s a well-construct¬ 
ed ballad affair with topnotch 
rhythmic qualities and Davis gives 
it one of his best readings. “All 
About Love,” a breezy offering 
from the RKO pic, “Bundle of 
Joy,” also -gets a nice going-over. 

Patti Page: “Repeat After Me”- 
“Learnin’ My Latin” (Mercury). 
“Repeat After Me,” originally 
etched by Patti Page for the Mer¬ 
cury album, “Manhattan Tower,” 
has a stepout chance as a pop sin¬ 
gle. It’s one of the top songs from 
the Gordon Jenkins’ score and 
Miss Page gives it the kind of 
multi-tracked readings that seldom 
miss. “Learnin’ My Latin,” also 
from the album, is a light-hearted 
effort that doesn’t stand up so well 
out of the score. 

Les Paul-Mary Ford: “Cinco 
Robles” - Ro-Ro Robinson” (Capi¬ 
tol). There’s some of the “Vaya 
Con Dios” flavor in “Cinco Ro¬ 
bles,” enough to get this side on 
to. the dee jay and coin machine 
tables. The south-of-the-border is 
neatly' projected by Paul’s guitar 
and Miss Ford’s pipes. “Ro-Ro 
Robinson” is a whirling instrument 


deejay attention for the handling. 

The Sabres: “Crystal”-“Pity Me” 
(RCA .Victor). “Crystal” is an at¬ 
tractive musical piece that given an 
added glimmer' by The Sabres’ 
pleasing harmony styling. It makes 
for good programming material 
becau^ of its easy-to-take quality. 
“Pity Me,” on the other hand, is 
just an average entry that’ll have, 
to fight for exposure. 

Holly Twins: “The Tender Age”- 
“I Want Elvis Presley For Christ¬ 
mas” (Liberty). The Holly Twins 
have a lively item in “The Tender 
Age.” It’s pegged right at the teen¬ 
age disk market and the Hollys 
give it a sharp vocal'sendoff. Bot¬ 
tom deck is “I Want Elvis‘Presley 
For Christmas.” ’Nuff said. 

Bill . Lawrence Orch: “Dream 
Boat Serenade”-“Didja Didja Do” 
(Stylecraft). With the help of a 
pleasant vocal by Lynne Richards, 
the Bill Lawrence orch has a highly 
listenable side in “Dream Boat 
Serenade.” It’s grooved along 
melodic and romantic lines and 
will appeal to many. Neither Law¬ 
rence or Miss Richards'are as effec¬ 
tive on “Didja Didja Do,” a so-so 
rhythm entry. 

x Pat The Cat & His Kittens: 
“Jesse Jagnes”-“The Bareback Rid¬ 
er” (Bulfseye), The story of Jesse 
James, which has already been 
captured in folk ballad, is again 
on the song block but this time 
with a rowdy rock ’n’ roll version. 
It’s fine fodder for those who dig 
the beat. “Bareback Rider” is a 
flashy high-riding piece. 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hia 

• CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
(Exclusively on Coral) 

273th Consecutive Week 
Aragon Ballroom—Opean Park, Cal. 
.ABC-TV-—Sat. 9-10 ,P. M. E.S.T. 
Sporisoi'ed by 
Dodge Deal era of America 
ABC-TV Mon.'9:30-10:30 p.m. EST 
Sponsored by 

Dodge and Plymouth Dealers of 
• . America » . 


Longhair Reviews 


The final phase of the Mozart 
bicentennial celebration this year 
is being .marked with several out¬ 
standing LP disks from the Mozart 
repertory. On the RCA Victor la¬ 
bel Wanda Landowska, emerging 
out of retirement after many years, 
contributes four piano sonatas, the 
Rondo* in A Minor and Country 
Dances with a demonstration of 
flawless technique and, more im¬ 
portantly, of a sensitive artistry 
that seems to be perfectly attuned 
to the Remands of ^Mozart. 

For Columbia Records, Robert 
Casadesus also plays four Mozart 
sonatas ^overlapping with the Mad¬ 
ame Landowska set only on Sonata 
No. 13) with grace, skill and a wide 
tonal keyboard range. Also on Co¬ 
lumbia, Casadesus is soloist on Mo¬ 
zart piano Concerto No. 12 and, 
together with his wife, Gaby, per¬ 
forms the Concerto in E-Flat Maj.or 
For Two. Pianos with the Columbia 
Symphony Orchestra conducted by 
George Szell. 

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2, 
(MGM). This early symphony by 
the Russian master is given a 
melodic, yet controlled interpreta¬ 
tion by the Philharmonic Orches¬ 
tra of Hamburg under Arthur Win- 
ograd’s baton. Also included on 
the disk is Mussorgsky’s “Night On 
Bald Mountain.” 

Rachmaninoff: Plano Concerto 
No. 2 (Angel). One of the most 
popular pieces in the classical cata¬ 
log receives a sweeping, romantic 
rendition by the young Russian pi¬ 
anist, Eugene Malinin, as soloist 
with the Philharmonia Orchestra 
conducted by Otto Ackerman. Mal¬ 
inin, on the same record. 


Columbia Records has launched 
its 1956-57 original Broadway cast 
set season with “Li’l Abner” and 
•“Bells Are Ringing.” Both tuners 
look like they’ve settled- down in 
• Gotham for a good run, iso it ap¬ 
pears . that Goddard Lieberson & 
Co. will do well on the shellac 
sales rub-ofE. * _ ' * . . < 
“Sells” stands up as the stronger 
■of the. two in the i wax workover. 
The score by Adolph Green-Betty 
Comden, (lyrics), and Jule Styne 
! (music) is brighter and more 
varied. And star Judy Holliday 
comes through as a savvy recorder. 
Her treatment of “The Party’s 
Over,” for example, is an indica¬ 
tion that she’s learned her vocal 
lessons well. It’s a heart-warming 
item. In the rundown of the com¬ 
edy songs and ballads', it appears 
that the lyricists were more imag¬ 
inative than the composer but the 
cast led by Sydney Chaplin and 
Eddie Lawrence (on loan from 
Coral), make it all a gay musical 
affair. “Abner” has a workmanlike' 
Score by Johnny Mercer (lyrics) 
and Gene De Paul (music), but it’s 
mostly earthbouncj and reaches 
musicomedy peaks rarely. One of 
those instances is - Stubby Kaye’s 
(on loan from Sunset Records) ex¬ 
uberant romp through Jubilation 
T. Cornpone. Edith Adams and 
Peter Palmer do okay on such bal-* 
lads as “Namely You” and “Love 
In A Home.” Lieberson produced 
’em both with a sure ear for wax 
values. ■ ■ , 

Hermione Gingold: “La Gingold” 
(Dolphin). British comedienne 
Hermione Gingold opens her wax 
package with “This is the voice of 
Hermione Gingold, coming to you 
on wax in your own home. Isn’t 
civilization ghastly?” From then 
on it becomes a happy shellac 
romp of a dozen special material 
numbers. La Gingold has lots of 


wit and style and although some 
of the numbers get a bit too pre- 
clous, she carries ’em over in slick 
styling mannerisms that range 
-from operatic to lowdown blues. 
Buster Davis rates a nod for his 
conducting and arranging. 

Morgana King: -“For* You, For 
Me, For. Evermore!’. «(EmArcy). 
Starting out as -a protegee of the 
hepsters Morgana King is begin¬ 
ning to spread out her song styling 
for wider appeal.. Although she’s 
stiff got that jazz flavor; it’s, deli¬ 
vered with such taste and under¬ 
standing that she could easily move 
into the pop scene without losing 
any of her initial fans. Her broad 
singing scope is evidenced in this, 
her second. LP effort. Here, she 
takes off on a flock of evergreens 
that range in^mood from; the lively 
“It’s Delovely” • to the romantic 
title song. Her lyric interpretation 
is top-grade, as are the arrange- 
ments^and orch backing by Richard 
Hayman. . 

, Eddie Lawrence: “The Old Philo¬ 
sopher” (Coral). Getting comedy 
to stick on wax is one of the 
toughest jobs in the disk biz. Eddie 
Lawrence, however, seems to* have 
found the 'formula? He’s already 
scored in the singles field and this 
set,, which includes his previous 
pop releases as well as a couple of 
nCw bits, should get him oft to a 
good, start in the album field. .For 
those who bypassed the singles, 
this set reprises such rib-tickling 
items as “The Old Philosopher,” 
“The New Philosopher” and the 
classic “Old, Old Vienna.” 1 Bdst 
thing about Lawrence’s material* is 
that it stands up after repeat play, 

DECCA SIGNS FAY MORELY 

Decca Records has added thrush 
Fay Morely to its roster, r 

The Decca disks will mark her 
first time on wax. 


P^-RIETY 


10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines 


¥ nw tQ\ j Crosby & Kelly'. 

LOVE (8) .. < Tn „ 0 nninoll 


1. SINGING THE BLUES (7) ... Guy Mitchell . ..Columbia 

2. LOVE ME TENDER (9 ... Elvis Presley . Victor 

3. THE GREEN DOOR (11) . Jim Lowe . Dot 

i trttit i nvp j Crosby & Kelly' . Capitol 

4. TRUE LOVE (8) ..| jane Powell . Verve 

5. HEY, JEALOUS LOVER (2) .■. Frank Sinatra .. Capitol 

6. ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY (2) .. Jerry Lewis .. Decca 

7. GARDEN OF EDEN (2) ....... Joe Valino .. ... .Vik 

8. CINDY, OH CINDY (6) .'.. 

9. A ROSE AND A BABY RUTH (1). ; . George Hamilton 4 th.. .ABC-Par 

10. JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN (13) . Johnnie Ray . Columbia 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman t 
Director. Alphabetically listed. *Legit musical. ‘(Film. .'ftTV. 

Survey Week of Dec. 7-13, 1956 

Anastasia—f“ Anastasia” ..... Feist, 

Baby. Doll—f “Baby Doll” ...Remick 

. Banana Boat Song ...Marks-B 

, Christmas Is A Cornin’ .., Hub 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .. .Marks-B 

Friendly Persuasion—t“Frlendly Persuasion” .Feist ■' 

, Green Door ....*.i. Trinity 

Hey, Jealous Lover .Barton 

I Could Have Danced All Night—*“My Fair Lady”.. Chappell’ 

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.. St, Nicholas 

I’ve Grown Accustomed—*“My Fair Lady”.Chappell 

Just In Time—*“Bells Are Ringing”....Stratford 

Just Walking In The Rain.Golden West 

Long Before I Knew You—*“Bells Are Ringing” ... Stratford 

Love In A Home—+“Li’l Abner” .. Commander ’ 

Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender”.Presley 

Mama From The Train.Remick 

Money Tree .Frank 

Mutual Admiration Society—* “Happy Hunting” ... . Chappell 

My Last Night In Rome .Famous 

On The Street Where Ybu Live—*“My Fair Lady”.. Chappell 

Party’s Over—*“Bells Are Ringing”....Stratford 

Petticoats Of Portugal.Christopher 

Rudolph The Red-Noued Reindeer ...St. Nicholas 

Silver Bells ...Paramount 

Singing The Blues. * .Acuff-R 

Sleigh Ride .Mills 

Star You Wished Upon Last Night.Robbins 

True Love—t“High Society” ..Buxton Hill 

Winter Wonderland .. BVC, 


5. HEY, jfeALOUS LOVER (2) 

6. ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY (2) 

7. GARDEN OF EDEN (2). 

8. CINDY, OH CINDY (6) . 


Top 30 Songs on TV 


Second Croup 


BLUEBERRY HILL 


FRIENDLY PERSUASION 


Fats Domino . Imperial 

J Pat Boone . Dot 

) Four Aces .Decca 


SLOW WALK ... \ Bill Doggett .. King 

I Sil Austin .. Mercury 

LOVE ME ... v .....,. Elvis Presley . Vidor 

RUDY’S ROCK ...... Bill Haley's Comets . Decca 

TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS . J Don Rondo . Jubilee 


NIGHT LIGHTS 
MAMA FROM THE TRAIN. 

AUCTIONEER . 

DON’T BE CRUEL. 


j Morgan & Williams . Kapp 

Nat (King) Cole . Capitol 

Patti Page . Mercury 

Leroy Vandyke * . Dot 

EIvis Presley . Victor 


(Figures in parentheses indicafe number of weeks song has been in the Top 10 J 

♦4♦♦♦♦♦♦!*♦•♦♦♦ 444*44 +4-4-4~4+* ♦ ♦ y *+++++ 4-M-4 


(More In Case of Ties) 

Baby’s First Christmas .Chatham 

Cactus Christmas Tree ...;. Vernon 

Canadian Sunset..Meridian 

Cincho Robles .Warman 

Cindy, Oh Cindy.,. . ..Marks-B 

Don’t Be Cruel .. Presley-S 

Friendly Persuasion—t“Friendly persuasion”.Feist 

Green Door .Trinity 

Hey, Jealous Lover...Barton 

Hound Dog .......Presley-L 

I Cry More ...Famous 

I Don’t Know Enough About You.. Porgle 

I Just Slipped Away From My Wedding.Morris 

Just Walking In The Rain ...Golden West 

Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender”.. Presley 

Married I Can Always Get—fl“Manhattan Tower”.. Leeds 

Money Tree .. .. Frank 

Moonlight Love .. Elkan-V 

Mutual Admiration Society—*“Happy Hunting”.... Chappell 

Nuttin’ for Christmas .. Jungnickel 

Petticoats Of Portugal .. Christopher 

Roger Boom.^. . .Reis 

Rudolph The Red-Nosed' Reindeer .St. Nicholas 

Silver Bells . ....Paramount 

Singing The Blues ...;.Acuff-R 

Sleigh Ride .......’.Mills 

True Love—Society” ...Buxton Hill 

Two Different Worlds .Princess 

Whatever Will Be, Will Be—i “Man Who Knew” ... Artists 

Winter Wonderland ...BVC • 

You Broke Your Promise Mr. Sandman.Stardust 

You’ll Never, Never Know I Care . Personality 















































































































Wednesday, December 19, 1956 . 


PfailETf 


MUSIC 


M 


DOT DISKERY’S BOLD PERIOD 


¥ -.- 4 


: Shell-Game on Song-Selling 

A music' bia con racket is catching the publishing boys oft guard. 

Some publishers are falling prey to shifty cleffers who are ped¬ 
dling; the same song more than 6nce and getting an Advance each 
time,' . 

All the writer does is make slight lyric or melody changes; in 
the tune. .. 

It’s- not until one of the versions gets a wax workover that the 
other publishers discover they’ve been taken. _ ' 


How Come He Sells Records: Hampton 


By MIKE GROSS 

"’Give me some more magnetism” 
is Lionel Hampton’s answer to the 
U. S. musical envoys overseas 
who’ve : been claiming .that the 
riots at his European concerts are 
doing the cause of American jazz 
no good... 

The complaints from America’s 
“goodwill” musicians, who seem to 
be displaying plenty of ill-will as 
far as each other's musical'merits 
are concerned, have ranged from 
“Hampton is using magnetism in¬ 
stead of jazz” and “Hampton is 
playing rock ’n’ roll and not Jazz.” 

According to Hampton, who re¬ 
turned from an eight-week tour of 
England and the Continent last! 
week (12); it’s just a matter of 
rival performers - trying to detract 
from those who'are doing business. 
He cited Elvis Presley as an ex¬ 
ample. . “That - man ain’t sayin’ 
nothin’,” Hampton said he’s heard 
some musicians say of. Presley. “As 
far as I’m concerned,” he added, 
“man that sells that rogny records 
must be' saying something- to some¬ 
body.” 

Re rock ’n* roll, Hampton said 
that it’s now Europe's label for 
anything with a:beat. “I’m playing 
jazz with a big band beat,” he said, 
“and we’re creating a new interest 
for jazz over there.” He also pointed j 
out that-the audiences have demon- j 
strated that they want the big band 
sound and the cool small combos 
have been having trouble pulling 
in the crowds. 

“Rock ’n’ roll,” he explained, “is 
part of jazz with a few minor riffs 
added and even here in the U. S., 
people who have been knocking 
rock ’n’’roll have been putting it 
into their music.” 

He attributes the European con¬ 
cert riots to the temper of the 
times there and not the tempo of 
the music. “The constant threat 
of war and the depression,” he 
said, “have made the kids highly 
emotional and they look anywhere 
for the* slightest reason to ex¬ 
plode.” . He explained that the 
Amsterdam riot flared up during 
his straight jazz treatment of “How 
High the.Moon” and not during any 
so-called, rock ’n’ roll tune. 

The ripts, however, haven’t hurt 
his appeal for 'the European man¬ 
agers. He’s slotted for a return 
next August with tours pencilled in 
lor Germany, Belgium, Hblland, 
Spain arid North Africa. The' trek 
is expected to run until March, 
1958. 

Without any U. S. recording 
company ties, Hampton has been 
able to freelance disk deals over¬ 
seas. He's already recorded for 
RCA Victor in Spain, due for re¬ 
lease in-U. S. under the title of 
“Flamenco Jazz,” Philips in Hol¬ 
land, and for such French labels 
as Vogue, Barclay and Book So¬ 
ciety. 

PHILLIPS’OPTION ON 
PETER MAURICE CO. 

London, Dec. 18. 

: Jimmy Phillips is exercising his 
option to obtain complete control 
of the Peter Maurice Music Co. 
and its various subsidiaries. 

: Under the. terms of the Articles 
of Association, he must be given 
the first .refusal on the stock held 
by Peter Koch.. de Gooreynd, the 
Belgian tycoon who trades as Peter 
Maurice.- De Gooreynd’s holdings 
amount fo about CO % of the share 
capital. 


Vef British Music Publisher 

. John Abbott - 

eppllet klmielf clinically ta tadoy’f - 
AnyU'AmcWctn a^ralcal •# 

Records and Music 

ana af Ilia many a4ftarl«l features 
ta tka upcamlnf 

Si st Anniversary dumber 

•t . 

UfaUEfY 


Dorsey’s 5-Year 
Pact With MCA 

Jimmy Dorsey has signed a five- 
year deal with Music Corp. of 
America. Larry Barnett; MCA 
veep in charge of the band and act 
dept, inked for the agency. It’s 
the first time in several years that 
Dorsey has been affiliated with an 
agency. The band is managed by 
Tino Barzie and Vince Carbone, 
who also worked on the bookings. 
Until recently, it was batoned by 
Jimmy Dorsey in conjunction with 
his late brother Tommy. 

Dorsey will wind up at the Stat- 
ler, N. Y., Jan. 3, after which he 
will take a three-week vacation in 
Palm Springs before going on tour. 
Outfit will be re-formed for the 
junket. 


ASCAP RANKS GET 2D 
CHANCE TO BEEF JAN. 3 

In response to demands from the 
ranks, ASCAP has called a special 
membership meeting for Jan. 3 at 
the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, N. Y. 
Session is a continuation of the 
meeting held at the Waldorf Nov. 
13 when it was claimed that not 
enough time was allotted for dis¬ 
cussion from the floor. 

Critics of the ASCAP operation 
are expected to dominate the floor 
with major beefs revolving around 
the Society’s “weighted” vote, the 
seniority setup and the recent se¬ 
ries of revisions in the payoff for¬ 
mula affecting themes, background 
music, cues, etc., as well as per¬ 
formance values for plugs on sus¬ 
taining network radio shows. . 

Onward & Upward With 
’Rock Around the Clock’ 

“Rock Around Tlie Clock,”, one 
of the earliest and biggest of the 
rock ’n’ roll hits via the Bill Haley 
slice for Decca Records, is setting 
some sort of a record for usage in 
films. It already has appeared in ! 
two regular films as the title song | 
for a Columbia Pictures production i 
and themesong of M-G’s “Black- j 
I board Jungle.” In addition, it has j 
bqen used in two Japanese films,; 
one Mexican and an Army training ; 
film. 


Now “Rock Around The Clock” 

,, is being- used in M-G’s “10,000 Bed-; 
Phillips' already owns almost, rooms,” starring Dean Martin and ; 
40' h of the company stock and j Anna s -Maria Alberghetti. Song was 
^ ill have..a. .virtual 100% ownership j .written anti published by. James E. '. 
Vthen 'the deal goes through. j Myers of Philadelphia. ‘ I 


f 


l 



By MIKE KAPLAN 

Hollywood; Dec. 18. 

Dot Records, which bos achieved 
the; status Of-a.major label in three 
years of hectic activity, expects to 
achieve a 14,flOO;0OO record volume 
for the 1956 fiscal year and is 
pointing for doubled output next 
year. At the present rate, prexy 
Randy Wood reported, the firm wiU ; 
sell 2,000,000 ; Single records'll 
January.-'. '; . *: : j-. . 

As part of its buRddp, Dot: hopes' 
to release 100 albums during 1957,. 
more than double the 1956 output. 
Many of these will be .a part of the- 
firm’s planned “Celebrity Series,” 
for which Suchi film names as 
Charlton HertoU Arid Tab Hunter 
already have been signed. Heston 
will do biblical readings as his ini¬ 
tial Dot venture. Hunter ’will be 
introduced as a singer. The Heston 
album, tied to his role of Moses in 
“The Ten Commandments,’ will be 
a prestige package for the label 
and will carry a $10 retail price, 
the biggest thing the indie has yet 
attempted. 

Until now. Dot has been largely 
a one-man operation. It was started 
by Wood in 1951 as a hobby and 
he released half a dozen records a 
year for the first two years. In 
October, 1955, he began to devote 
full time to the operation, discov¬ 
ering and developing new talent, 
like Pat Boone, to zoom the label 
to the;stature of a major firm. Last 
summer, he moved the outfit’s op¬ 
eration from Gallatin, Tenn., to 
(Continued on page 58) 


Atty. Seeks AFM 
Depositions From 
Petrillo, Others 

Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

Legal steps to t^ke the deposi¬ 
tion of James Caesar Petrillo in 
the multi - million - dollar lawsuits 
filed against; the AFM by Coast 
musicians were taken over the 
weekend by attorney Harold Fend- 
ler. Attorney filed a notice for a 
commission to take the deposition 
in New York, along with those of 
Samuel Rosenbaum, trustee of the 
controversial Music Performance 
Trust Fund, and AFM secretary 
Leo Cluesman. 

Decision to seek the depositions, 
it was understood, followed repu¬ 
diation of an agreement under 
which the plaintiffs had been told 
they would have access to neces¬ 
sary documents outlining the num¬ 
ber and extent of the Federation 
contracts with co-defendants. One 
of the cases lists recording com¬ 
panies as co-defendants, the other 
lists film studios and firms which 
specialize in the television dis¬ 
tribution of films. 

Request for the depositions will 
be-argued tomorrow (Wed.). Mean¬ 
while Superior Judge John Ford 
continued in effect a temporary or¬ 
der restraining the recording com¬ 
panies from paying to the Trust 
Fund the contested 21% of musi¬ 
cians’ salaries which the plaintiffs 
(Continued on page 60) 


Vet Musicologist 

Sigmund Spaeth 

details why he thinks 

Music Has Only 

Scratched Its Market 

* * * 

one of the many editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P / K‘riety 


Fred Libby, Insurance Carrier, Saps 
750G Lie! Suit Vs. Coast 47’s ‘Antis* 


Songsmlfh-Humerltt, 

Harry Ruby 

hurls lh» II* (cud Ismi flmsit 
•very time) 

■- In «n amusing place tilled 

You. Can 9 1 Stop a Tidal 
travel With a Tennis 
Racquet 

a . a ' 

•nether bright edlterlel feature 
in the epcemlng 

Slsi Anniversary Number 

•f 

UfiniEfr 

Decca Vs. Mecca 
In Sait on ‘Name’ 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

Decca Records sued Mecca Rec¬ 
ords, of Frisco, last week, charg¬ 
ing trademark infringement and 
claiming Mecca was “competing 
unfairly.” Suit was filed ip Fed¬ 
eral district court by attorney 
Arlington C. White. \ 

Decca asked the court to enjoin 
Mecca from using name, asked an 
accounting of Mecca’s profits, 
treble damages and “deliveiy for 
! destruction” of all Mecca records, 
labels, price lists and ad matter. 

Mecca is operated by Tom 
Spinoza, who .also has another rec¬ 
ord label. Cavalier, a pair of small 
music publishing firms and a rec¬ 
ord distributing outfit, Dexter Dis¬ 
tributing Co. Mecca recently scored 
a mid-hit with a Jimmy De&n mu¬ 
sic album. 

RCA QUICK ON DRAW 
IN MERMAN‘HUNTING’ 


Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

Campaign literature in the hot¬ 
ly-contested AFM Local 47 elec¬ 
tion prompted a $750,000 libel suit 
in Superior Court h^rc against for- 
mer local veepee Cecii F. Read and 
all members of the anti-administra¬ 
tion “Voice of the Membership” 
ticket. Action was brought by 
Fred Libby, prexy of JVIusicians 
Hospital and Life Plan Inc., which 
handles the hospital and life; in¬ 
surance group plan subscribed to 
by Local 47 members. 

. Action is based on the final 
piece of VOM literature which 
asked a series of questions, begin¬ 
ning with, “why” the incumbent 
administration switched the insur¬ 
ance plan to a new company, at 
higher, premiums, and with a resul¬ 
tant $100,000 commission. 

Complaint Contends that far 
from earning $10Q,000 in commis¬ 
sions, the change of carriers cost 
Libby • substantial sum of money. 
In addition, he alleges, he has car¬ 
ried permiums and personally paid 
hospital bills for Local 47 to the 
extent that he has $20,090 out¬ 
standing on his books. The de¬ 
fendants’ literature, he adds, has 
caused him irreparable damage. 

Policies in the plan, for which 
Libby .has been the agent, origin¬ 
ally were carried with Constitu¬ 
tion Life. They were changed 
about a year ago to two other firms, 
with Libby continuing as the agent 
and forming Musicians Hospital 
and Life Plan Inc., a Nevada cor¬ 
poration, to handle the business. 
Libby's offices Were in the Mu¬ 
sicians Union building until a few 
months ago. when he moved to the 
Capitol Records tower. 

Named defendants in the action, 
in addition to Read, described as a 
behind-the-scenes manipulator of 
the ticket, were Max Herman, can¬ 
didate for recording secretary; 
Eliot Daniel, candidate for presi¬ 
dent; John Tranchitella, candidate 
for v.p.; Warren Barker, candidate 
for financial r^cretary; and all of 
the candidates for board of. direc¬ 
tors, trustee positions and trial 
board. 


,RCA Victor stepped on the gas 
last week for a rush release of the 
“Happy’Hunting” original cast al¬ 
bum set to the market 72 hours 
after recording it. Victor cut the 
show three days after the Ethel 
Merman starrer opened on Broad¬ 
way Dec. 6, in an all-day session 
at Webster Hall, N. Y., conducted 
by Ed Welker, pop album artists 
& repertoire head. Pressings for 
national distribution were made at 
Victor plants in Rockaway, N. J., 
Indianapolis and Hollywood. 

In addition to Miss Merman, 
album features ^ernando Lamas. 
Virginia ‘ Gibson, Gordon Polk/ a 
34-voice chorus and Jay Blackton’s 
.orch. 


Singer Joe Valino And 
Aides in Criminal Rap 

Philadelphia, Dec. 18. 
Jpe Valino, 27, VIK disker en¬ 
meshed in the vice probe net here, 
was found guilty with two others 
of abortion and conspiracy to com¬ 
mit abortion in a jury trial here 
(13). , 

The complainant was Marian 
Lorraine Melet, 20. a model and 
one of the key witnesses in the 
vice investigation. Miss Melet de¬ 
scribed Valino as her “boyfriend.” 
The singer’s defense was that the 
model had tried , to make him the 
victim of a shakedown. 

Also held were Valino’s publicity 
representative, Nicholas A. Busillo. 
35. and Mrs. Rachel White. 43. The 
state contended that Busillo had 
j driven Miss Melet to the White 
i home, where the alleged abortion 
j took place. 

I All throe were released in bail 
; and the judge deferred pending 
!,motions for a ne.w trial. , 


LYLE THAYER, EX-MCA 
& MGR., NOW CAP EXEC 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Lyle Thayer, longtime Music 
Corp. of America band and act rep 
on the Coast, has shuttered the 
personal management firm he has 
operated for the last nine years 
and moved into the newly-created 
position of administrative assistant 
at Capitol Records. Daniel C. Bon- 
bright, label’s administration and 
finance v.p., said Thayer will be 
concerned with the negotiation 
artist and show contracts and re¬ 
lated activities He will report to 
Joe Zerga, executive staff assistant 
of Capitol. 

Thayer was with .MCA for 14 
years, prior to opening his own 
management firm. He opened the 
MCA office in San Francisco and 
remained there for four years be- 
for moving to agency’s Beverly 
Hills office where he was attached 
to Kay Kyser and his orch as a 
special assignment. 

Eddie Condon May Tour 
Britain in Band Swap 

London, Dec. 18. 

A new Anglo-U.S. band exchange 
deal is in the closing stages for a 
mid-January 14-day tour of this 
country by the Eddie Condon band, 
with the Ronnie Scott band at the 
other end of the swap. 

If the arrangements work out, 
the Condon outfit will do a British 
tour with the Humphrey Lyttelton 
band. Handling the London side 
of negotiations is Harold Davison, 
who’s been responsible for past 
Anglo-U.S. band deals, and hos an 
extensive exchange program lined 
up for 1957, * r v -* ■ 




Top Record Talent on d Tn 


54 


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Wedtoiday, December 19,. 1956 


Master? 


RCA VICTOR 
RECORD BULLETIN 




America’s favorite speed... AB BPM 


rcaVictor PH 

















56 


MUSIC 


P&RIEfY 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


Used to Be Thanksgiving, Now Its 
Xmas Ere Before DJ. s Santa Teeoff 


Christmas, 1958, hais turned into 
a big spinning headache for. the 
disk companies. Problem stems 
from the disk jockeys’ virtual 
blackout on the programming of 
new seasonal singles until about 
two weeks before the Yule holiday* 

Heretofore, the diskers had been 
screaming about- the arbitrary 
Thanksgiving Day kickoff date for 
spinning Xmas platters, claiming 
that a four-week exposure span 
wasn’t long enough to get a new 
Yule tune off the ground. With the 
time element sliced to a mere two- 
- week~ span; -the—companies—are 
squawking that the deejays are fur¬ 
ther hampering their chances to 
break through with a seasonal 
click. 

Although the disk companies 
and publishers have been proceed¬ 
ing with caution in the past few 
years on introducing new Xmas 
tunes, they still feel that when, 
they get a new one off, the deejays 
should play ball by giving it a 
spinning chance. With only a two- 
week pre-Xmas whirl this year, the 
diskeries already feel that they’re 
stuck with their new Santa-pegged 
items. 

Of the flock of Christmas plat¬ 
ters released this year, only Harry 
Belafonte’s “Mary’s Boy Child” 
(RCA Victor) seems to be overcom¬ 
ing the spinning hurdle. It's al¬ 
ready emerged as a top program¬ 
ming bet in several key areas. In- 
dustryites claim, however, that the 
disk is getting the play, no so 
much for its seasonal mood as for 
the recent emergence of Belafonte 
as a cljck single seller and the cur¬ 
rent revival of the calypso beat. 


GARY CROSBY SET FOR 
BUSY AFNSCHEDULE 

Hoechst, Germany, Dec. 11. 

With Private Gary Crosby as the 
newest addition to the staff of 
American Forces^ Network, head¬ 
quartered here, and with 18 months 
| of his Army tour in Europe still to 
go, the AFN staff Is keeping him 
busy with new shows. Crosby 
started .his own..j&pecial..C^rislmas- 
show on Dec. 10, five nights a week 
through the holidays. He’ll sing 
and chat, arid have musical accom¬ 
paniment from the German trio, 
the Walter Pons Group, who per¬ 
form regularly at the top hotel in 
Frankfurt, the Frankfurter Hof, 
and who have, recorded with 
Phillips., 

Crosby , is currently, also in a 
producing slot, putting out “Mu¬ 
sic in the Air,” an hour-long disk 
jockey show six nights a week. 
Also, after the first of thq, year, 
he'll do another local show, a .15- 
.minute program Tuesdays and 
Thursdays consisting of platters 
and chatter and some live singing. 


Disk Jocks on KQV, Pitt, 

To Just Spin ’Em, Not Pick 
’Em, in New Music Policy 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

In a shift in policy, KQV has 
taken' the selection of records out 
of the hands of its disk jockeys and 
placed that job with head of the 
program department, John ' Gibbs. 
At the same time, radio station has 
laid down a music policy with the 
emphasis on known artists and se¬ 
lections. Rock ’n’ roll has been 
banned entirely except on A1 No¬ 
bel’s Saturday afternoon platter 
show, which has a big teenage 
audience. 

Even titles of the shows deejays 
preside over have been changed. 
The Jim Westover wake-up pro¬ 
gram becomes “Contact” and the 
accent will be on bright music 
while' the Nobel sessions in the 
afternoon have been re-tagged 
“Showcase.” The Westover stanzas 
will be broken up by frequent Alan 
Boal newscasts along with special 
service features like time signals, 
weather information and road con¬ 
ditions. Nobel will continue to 
bring in Jack Henry and Pie Tray- 
nor for news and sports reports. 


Jack Gold’s Paris Label 

Jack Gold, songwriter and man¬ 
ager of the indie label, Pilgrim 
Records, has set up his own disk- 
ery, Paris Records. Both companies 
will use the same distrib outlets. 

For the Paris label, Gold has 
signed the Four Esquires, the 
G-Clefs, Rosemary June and the 
Mel-O-Dots. 


Decca Now Pushing 
’Dealer Aid’ Catalogs 

As part of its “deal.er aid" serv¬ 
ice, Decca* Records will issue two 
complete catalogs next year con¬ 
taining complete disk listings in 
various.. a^tvi?£.-Of-|. 

music, name of artist and record 
number. 

First catalog will be available in 
January and the second in June. 
In addition, there will be supple¬ 
ments issued in March and Octo¬ 
ber, Decca salesmen are offering 
subscriptions for the catalog serv¬ 
ice to dealers at the present time. 


Lou Levy to Brit. 

Lou Levy, Leeds Music topper, 
planed to England last week for 
huddles with Sal Chiantia and 
Cyril Simon, execs of Levy’s Brit¬ 
ish Leeds firm. 

He’s due back next week. 


Jazzster s Sotto Voce Soundtrack 


Coast Names Get Np Billing in Decca’s 
Set From ‘Rock* Film 


CHI BALIR000M OPS 
GET AFM SCALE HIKE 

*' Chicago, Dec. 18. 

Chi ballroom operators, if they 
maintain their same hours of op¬ 
eration, will be hit with a tilt .of 
about 15% in the cost of bands as 
a result-of the new minimum scale 
put into effect this week by the 
|-A:mericarr Petteratioirr~of -IVIustcians 
Local 10, Class A ballroom scale 
went from $22 to $25 per man for 
a three hour set, with overtime 
upped from $2.50 to $3 per half 
hour. 

Most Chi ballrooms operate 
Wednesday, Friday and” Sunday 
from 8:30 p.m. to. 12:30 a.m.; and 
from 8:30 to 2 a.m. Saturday, mak¬ 
ing a total of 5t£ hours overtime 
per week. The Aragon, which op¬ 
erates ' longer hours, is expected 
to cut down the dancing hours to 
save some of the overtime tap. 
Same is true of some of the 
smaller terperies, but the bigger 
rooms are expected to maintain 
the previous overtime schedule. 


Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

Group of top Cdast jazz names 
are heard, sans billing, in the 
Decca soundtrack album of. the 
Universal-International film “Rock, 
Prety Baby!” Package is the first 
soundtracking on disks of the 
score from an under-$500,000 film, 
since diskeries normally are reluc¬ 
tant to expend the time and energy 
needed for such packages on any¬ 
thing but a major production. 

- - -Album- ineiudes • -Tfi- 

tunes in the film, TO of them in¬ 
strumentals by Henry , Maricini. 
Score also includes tunes by Bill 
Carey and Mancini. and by Bobby 
Troup, Rod McKuen and Phil Tu- 
minello, with a title song by Sonny 
Burke. Northern Music, UI sub- 
sid, is publishing. 

Tunes .are played by a combo 
made up of Barney Kessel, guitar; 
Robert Bain, bass guitar; Nick Pa- 
tool, drums; Gil Bernal, tenor sax; 
Wally Milford, baritone sax, and 
Jimmy Rowles, piano, with Red 
Norvo on vibes, Mike Pacheco on 
bongo and Dom Frontiere on accor¬ 
dion joining on few- of the num¬ 
bers. * 


Victor Pacts Komack, 

Alex North for Sets 

Hollywood, Dec. 18. 

RCA-Victor has signed comic 
Jimmy Komack and he’ll cut his 
first album for the label early next 
month. Komack currently is at El 
Rancho Vegas, Las Vegas. Disk 
package, to be tagged “Inside Me,” 
will consist largely of Komack’s 
original material. 

Also signed by the label wqs 
composer-conductor Alex North, 
who will cut his first package early 
next year. Material will include 
his original -compositions. Victor 
recently acquired the soundtrack 
album from “The Rainmaker,” for 
which North composed the score. 


Mrs. Bobby Dieterle 

To Lib on the Coast 

Bobby Dieterle, who exits her 
exec post.with Cadence Records at 
the first of the year, will join the 
Coast indie, Liberty Records, later 
in January. She’ll helm the sales 
and production department. 

Mrs. Dieterle is also expected to 
direct Liberty’s activities in its 
relations with its distributors. 
She’ll also make her home on the 
Coast, joining her husband, Kwrt 
Dieterle, a ,studio arranger-cdm- 
poser. 


RETAIL DISK AND ALBUM BEST SELLERS 


Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based on reports ob 
tained from leading stores h 
19 cities and showing' com¬ 
parative sales rating tot tnis 
and last week. 


National ° 

Rating 
This Last 

wk. wk. Artist, Label, Title 


1 

1 

GUY MITCHELL (Columbia) 

“Singing the Slues" . kC .. . 

... 1 

3 

1 

1 

1 

3 

1 

3 

2 

4 

2 

1 

X 

1 

1 

5 

2 

1 

6 169 

2. 

2 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Vidor) 

“Love Me Tender". .. 

.. 2 



2 

2 

2 

2 


5 


I 

2 

3 

8 

3 

6 

1 

2 

1 123 

3 

3 

JIM LOWE (Dot) 

“The Green Door” . 

.. 3 

4 

2 

3 


5 

3 

9 

3 

10 

4 

3 

-7 

4 

9 

2 


4 

2 110 

4 

4 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol) 

“True Love" .. 

5 * 

2 

4 

5 

4 

1 

6 

10 



3 

6 


7 

7 - 


6 

7 

3 89 

5 

6 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) 

“Just Walking in the Rain” ... 

4 


- 



4 

5 

4 

4 


8 

4 

2 





3 

7 65 

6 

5 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial) 

“Blueberry Hill".\ 

.. 6 


3 


5 


4 

8 

6 

7 


5 

9 


4 

10 

7 

.. 

5 64 

7 

17 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Love Me"... . 

9 

1 

6 




9 


1 








5 


.. 35 

8 

8 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4TH (ABC-Par) 
“A Rose and^a Baby Ruth" .. 

8 

9 

5 


6 


7 





9 


10 

5 




9« 31 

9 

9 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol) 

“Hey, Jealous Lover” . 

7 


9 




10 


9 



10 




4 

3 


.. 25 

10 

7 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

“Don’t Be Cruel".:. 


7 




7 

8 





8 

5*- 






8 23 

11 

10 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

“Friendly Persuasion".. 





7 

6 


_ 7 

10 _ 


10 

7 





.. 


10 20 

12 

23 

LAVERN BAKER (Atlantic) 

“Jim Dandy" . 








1 


2 









.. 19 

13 

25 

PATIENCE & PRUDENCE (Liberty) 
“Gonna Get Along Without You Now" .. 


10 

8 



8 










1 



.. 17 

14A_ 


FRANKIE LAINE (Columbia) 
“Moonlight Gambler" . 




8 






5 



6 




9 


..* 16 

14B 


JERRY LEWIS (Decca) 

“Rock-a-Bye Your Baby” . 













4 


10 

3 



..." 16 

14C 


JOE VALINO (Vik) 

“Garden of Eden?’ ; . . . .. 











7 



5 




5 

.. 16 

17 

13 

VINCE MARTIN (Glory) 

“Cindy, Oh Cindy” ... 





9 

9 



7 





6 





.. 13 

18 

21 

IVORY JOE HUNTER (Atlantic) 

“Since I Met You, Baby" . 


5 













6 




.. 11 

19_ 


CLARENCE HENRY .(Argo) 

.. “Ain’t Got No Home" . 










1 









«... 10 

20A 

10 

BILL DOGGETT (King) 

“Honky Tonk" . 





10 








8 





_6 

9 

2 0B 


PATTI PAGE (Mercury) 

“Mama from the Train” .... 


6 















10 

8 

.. 9 

20C 

18 

HARRY BELAFONTE (Victor) 

“Jamaica Farewell". . 




10 

3 














.. 9 


23A 


PAT BOONE (Dot) 
“Anastasia” . 


23B 12 


EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 
“Cindy, Oh Cindy" 


10 


SIL AUSTIN (Mercury) 

25 “Slow Walk”. 


. .. 7 . 



.. .. 10 


.. .. 5 

1 

2 

3 

4 

a 

6 

1 7 

8 

9 

10 

ELVIS ‘ 

_ CALYPSO 

MY FAIR LADY 

KING AND 1 

EDDY DUCHIN 

OKLAHOMAI 

JERRY LEWIS 

HIGH SOCIETY 

GIANT 

ELVIS PRESLEY 

Elvis Presley 7 

Horry Belafonte 

Broadway Cast 

Film Soundtrack 

STORY 

Film Soundtrack 

Film SoundlYack 

JUST SINGS 

1 

Film Soundtrack 

Film Soundtrack 

Elvis Presley 


Victor 

, . 

Capitol 


Capitol 

Jerry Lewis 



Victor 

Victor 

LPM 1248 

Columbia 

W 740 

Decca 

SAO 595 

Decca 

Capitol 

Capitol 

LPM 1254 

LPM 1382 

EPA 1248 

OL 5090 

EAP 740 

DL 8289 : 

SDM 595 

i DL 8410 

.YY 750 

W 773 

EPB 1254 



























































THE NEW^WBIG THREE 
SONG SENSATION 
FROM THE 
MOTION PICTURE 
TRIUMPH 



SMASH RECORDS 
ALREADY HITTING 
TOP-SELLER LISTS/ 

(Listed alphabetically:) 

PAT BOONE 


LEROY HOLMES 

MOM 

THE JONES BOYS 

' LIBERTY • 

GUY LOMBARDO 


CAPITOL 





Boston Jukeboxes Fight $50 Fee; 

See Court Test on Tax Legality 


Boston, Dec. 18. 

Fight is on to repeal the $50 
license fee on jukeboxes in Boston. 
The Music Operators Association 
of Mass. Inc., through its general 
counsel, Jacob Levy, said. There 
is every reason to expect that un¬ 
less this $50 tax is. repealed its 
legality will be tested in the 
courts." 

He pointed Qut that the. $50 tax 
on music machines ‘‘by its language 
derives its authority from a statute 
enabling the city to charge for li¬ 
cence Hie -charge 

cannot legally exceed , the reason¬ 
able cost of supervision and con¬ 
trol, In private places Of business 
to which the public is invited the 
need for municipal supervision of 
the use of music machines has nev¬ 
er been regarded as necessary. 
Certainly if there be any need for 
such supervision, it is only nomi¬ 
nal, and therefore the cost thereof 
can only : be ^lominal. 

‘‘Hence, t<T impose a $50 tax per 
year on the maintenance of each 
radio, television and mechanical 
reproducer of music on the prem¬ 
ises of a private business estab¬ 
lishment is unwarranted and a di¬ 
rect violation of the statute from 
which the licensing power flows. 
That the city needs more revenue 
is. undeniable; but that it must 
raise its revenue only by lawful 
means is equally certain. Financial 
necessity -does not legalize an oth¬ 
erwise illegal and excessive license 
fee." . 

The $50 fee for jukeboxes, 
passed in an ordinance by the city 
council, became effective Dec. 1. 
Any new locations opened by ops 
this month will have to pay $50 for 
the balance of this year plus $50 
for 1957. Besides the new $50 fee 
on jukes, there are the $50 city 
and $50 state Sunday license fee, 
also a $10 Federal tax, making eacn 
location subject to $160 per year 
for playing a juke box. 

While Boston previously has 
never had a fee or tax on juke¬ 
boxes, surrounding’cities and towns 
have imposed them in the last year. 
Saugas has a $75 - fee; • Somerville. 
$30; Watertown, $25, and Cam¬ 
bridge, $10. « 

Marcus to Zephyr 

Irving Marcus has joined Zephyr 
Records, indie Coast label formed 
earlier this year by Geordie Hor- 
mel, as v.p. and sales manager. 

Marcus was. formerly with King 
Records and other indie diSkerijes. 


Heaven-Scent 

Dolphin Records, Double- 
day’s disk subsid, is taking a 
leaf from Columbia Records 
in smelling up an album re- 1 
lease, Accompanying Dol¬ 
phin’s package of satirical 
songs . by British .comedienne. 
Hermione Gingold is a sachet 
of garlic chicly tagged “Eau.de 
Garlique." 

Last season, Columbia seen t- 

_ed jip ijts_ Marlene Dietrich j 

“Cafe De Paris" package with 
an expensive pe rfume. _ 

John Greene, Station Op 
Of Durham, N.C., Tees Off 
Joy Label; McWain in NX 

A new indie label, Joy. Records, 
has been launched by John C. 
Greene Jr„ owner of WSRC, Dur¬ 
ham, N. C. Diskery’s homeoffice 
will be in Durham but production 
and recording activities will be 
handled from a NeW York branch 
headed by the label’s general man¬ 
ager, Wes McWain. 

the Joy platters will* be pressed 
and shipped by RCA Victor from 
buses in New York, Indianapolis 
and Hollywood. Kickoff disk is a 
coupling of “It’s Christmas Time 
Again" and “Chrlstnias Night" cut 
by Irv Kostal’s orch and chorus. 

In addition to his WSRC opera¬ 
tion, Greene will expand his radio 
activities next spring with the 
opening of a new station in Wil¬ 
mington, N. C. He formerly owned 
WKMT, Kings Mountain, . and 
WNNC, Newton, N. C. 

McWain is currently a Mutual 
Broadcasting System producer and 
a pop tune composer. 

Greenmail on Col Sales 

David Greenman has moved into 
. the Columbia Records sales orbit 
as assistant pop singles sales man¬ 
ager. The department is helmed 
by Dick Linke. - 

Since 1953, Greenman has been a 
salesman for Times-Columbla, 
Col's New York distrib. Before 
that he had been T-C’s I'ecprd pro¬ 
motion contactman. He will work 
with Linke on the various promo¬ 
tional elements, of single sales. 


Decca’s Big ‘Raid’ 

The contractual roads seemed to 
lead to Decca last week. • In the 
inking roundup were Richard 
Hayes, from ABC-Paramount; TOni 
Arden, who previously etched for 
Columbia and RCA Victor, and 
Kay Armen a one-time MGM art¬ 
ist. 

Miss Arden’s Decca initialer, a 
coupling of “Without Love" and 
“Little By Little," Was rushed into 
the market late last week. Ses-, 
sions for Miss Armen and Hayes 
are being lined up. 

OTTO NOT SO CRAZY; 
BIOPIC IN GERMANY 

- -; —Frankfurt,-Dec.-ll^ . 

Making films of the life-stories 
of famous musicians and singers is 
old hat in America, but making 
one about the life; of a famous 
recording artist who’s alive is dis¬ 
tinctly new hat Jn Germany. 

Man to be so biofilmed is Der 
Schraege Otto, known in the States 
as Decca recording star Crazy Otto, 
famed for his broken-down-piano 
style of playing. 

Film, now shooting in Benin’s 
Templehof production studio, is a 
Berolina color pic titled “Per 
Schraege Otto," and script was 
written by Gustav Kampendonk, 
with Geza von, Czifra directing. 

Stars include Fritz Schulz- 
Reichel, which is the square handle 
of Berlin pianist Crazy Otto, and 
Germaine Damar, Walter Giller 
and Willy Fritsch, with special mu¬ 
sic composed by Michael Jary—a 
strange twist, because Crazy Otto j 
has himself written scores for j 
other films, although not for his 
own. 

Allianz is set to release the pic 
in Germany on its schedule next 
year. 

'Still Blowing 

London, Dec. 18. 

Gene Afnmons, American jazz 
tenor-sax player . and* bandleader, 
can share with Mark Twain^the 
unusual experience of being, re¬ 
ported dead while^he is still alive! 

Reports published in the British 
and French musical papers .an¬ 
nounced that he had died suddenly 
at the age of 31, but they have now 
been contradicted. 

^The news came to Britain in a 
press , release from New York 
sources,, and one of the French 
periodical! which carried the story 
even went so far as to say that 
Ammons had collapsed . during a 
concert and died immediately! 


Wednesday, ^December 19, 1956 


Inside Staff—Music 

: Decca’s Christmas album, “A Christmas Sing With Bipg/’ which was 
taken from a Bing Crosby CBS broadcast last year, willVbe repeated 
again this Christmas eve with the playing of the platter over the radio 
network. Insurance Co. of North America is bankrolling the show, as 
it did la«t year when it was live. 

Decca’s subsid, Coral Records, is also getting a hefty air plug for 
one of its new albums, “Children’s Holiday," on the Arthur Godfrey 
CBS-TV Dec. 26 Show. Stanza will be framed around the album’s 
songs which Were cut by the McGuire Sisters. 

... -—- s 

Bullseye Records ,indie firm headed by Woody Hinderling, has tied 
up with the 2Qth-Fox pic, “The True Story of Jesse James," to promote 
its rock ’n’ roll side, “Jesse James," etched by Pat The Cat & His 
Kittens. The disk will be released this week.in the five cities where 
20th plans to preem the film. Arrangements are being made with 
deejays in St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines and Minneapolis 
for special screenings. Pic company will also supply theatres where 
the film is showing with copies of the Bullseye platter. Pic stars 
Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter and Hope Lange. 

Veteran funesmith Henry I. Marshall, \vlio is recuperating from a 
stroke suffered last August, is literally enjoying some “rocking chair" 
song activity on his standards. The Andrews Sisters recently sliced 
Marshall’s “I Want To Linger" for Capitol and now Miss Joy on Kapp 
Records has cut “Somebody’s Wrong," a 1926 number, which Marshall 
wrote for Sophie Tucker. Marshall, now 73 years old, lives in Scotch 
Plains, N.J. 

. Eddie Lawrence, comic who is currently appearing in the Broadway 
tuner, “The Bells Are Ringing," has adapted his Coral Records’ com¬ 
edy disk,. “The Old Philosopher," in a series of plugs for the Nash 
Rambler car line. Geyer agency, which arranged for the Lawrence 
commercials, said the comic’s ‘.‘philosophic" sales pitch will be used 
for other prodlucts as well, fn the musical, incidentally, Lawrenct 
portrays a president of a disk company. 

“Memories Are Made of This," a big hit for Dean Martin on Capitol 
Records earlier this year, is now coming back into the U.S. market via 
its overseas Polydor Records’ version, “Heimweh," which has been 
the klltinie German pop hit with a sale of over 1,000,000. Decca ig 
releasing the Polydor disk with the artist billed as Freddy, the same 
as in Germany. _ 


A GREAT NEW ALBUM! GREAT NEW SONGS! 

WALT DISNEY'S 

WESTWARD HO THE WAGONS! 


St.rnng FESS PARKER with th. Original Cart 


SIDE ONE 

MUSIC FROM THE 
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE 

SOUND TRACK 

Composed and Conducted 
by George Bruns 


lltiil //A if'- 

liestnani jjo 

the II utfons! 



SIDE TWO 

POPULAR SELECTIONS 
FROM THE SCORE OF THE 

MOTION PICTURE 

Conducted by Camarata 



WDL-4008 

SINGLES from th* SCORE of tha MOTION PICTURE 
F-39 WRINGLE WRANGLE - FESS PARKER with MUSIC BY CAMARATA 

E/W WRINGLE WRANGLE—ln,tnim«Mal V.r>lon 

F-44 WESTWARD HO THE WAGONS! i/w western HOE-DOWN 
ORCHESTRA and CHOIR Conducted by Camarata 

F-45 PIONEER’S PRAYER |/W U THE BALLAD OF JOHN COLTER 
FE$S PARKER with Music by Camarata 


For th. KIDDIES in Colorful Art SI.gvg — Compl.t. Lyrics on Sl.«v* 

F-43 WRINGLE WRANGLE and THE BAlfLAD OF JOHN COLTER 

A* sung by FESS PARKER in th. Motion Picture 


4— Continued from pace 53 --- 

take over the former Capitol Rec¬ 
ords* homeoffice as a base. 

Label, which started the Tennes¬ 
see Drifters and Johnnie Maddox 
as the ^original talent, now has 75 
artists under contract, and Wood 
is in the midst of a major drive 
to line up new- names. 

As a part of the growth of the 
firm, .Dot now is on the hunt for 
its own recording studios and ex¬ 
pects to close a deal within the 
next few months; It will, however, 
make its facilities available to 
other independents, creating, in. ef¬ 
fect, a custom services department 
such as .those developed by other 
majors. Dot also plans ultimately 
to operate its own distribution fa¬ 
cilities Around The country. In line 
With this move, the diskery will 
open the first factory-owned, dis¬ 
tributorship in New Orleans, Jan. 
10, with E.,E. “Bubber" Johnson 
in charge. It wilt handle Dot; 
Loudon and four or five inde¬ 
pendent labels. Until now. Dot 
distribution in New Orleans has 
been handled by Roberson Sales 
Co. 

W*o6d credits Billy Vaughn's 
work as the label’s musical direc¬ 
tor with a good part of the com¬ 
pany’s success, ' pointing to' 
Vaughn’s skill as an arranger. 
Prexy himself, however, is gener¬ 
ally credited With the Dot “sound," 
a full-bodied tone that even in the 
early days distinguished Dot. offer¬ 
ings from those of other indie 
labels. His . concentration on this 
aspect, as well as artists & reper-. 
tbire work, stems frdm his own 
background as an electronics ex¬ 
pert. 

Dot is the first postwar “one-man 
company" to achieve success in the 
disk field. In the same period of 
tjme, better than 200 other one- 
I’ man operation shave been launched 
but few, if any, have 'risen above 
the “odd-label" designation. 

Dot currently has “Green Door" 
close to the 2,000,000 mark, with 
the sales pace indicating it will 
hit 3,000,000,’ and Pat Boone's 
“Friendly Persuasion” and “Ana¬ 
stasia" steaming for 'the 1,000,000 
level.. Boone, incidentally, was 
personally discovered by Wood, 
who has the young singer under 
personal contract. 

Wood hopes in the next year to. 
develop the label’s Catalog and 
begin dipping into the classical, 
soundtrack and original cast al¬ 
bum fields. 



DISNEYIANd 


KMU 


BURBANK. CALIFORNIA 


: Flair-X Sprees on Sets 

Flair-X, Lee Tully’s recently 
launched indie label, is stepping 
up its album release schedule with 
four new packages ready. 

The sets are “Latin Dance 
Time," “Latin Songs To Inspire 
Lousy Covers," “Love Scenes Star¬ 
ring You and I" and. “Greenwich 
Village Jazz," 


Frisco Columnist Raps 
White Tooters for Nixing 
Merger With Negro Local 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

Columnist Ralph J. .Gleason, of 
The Chronicle, took Musicians Lo¬ 
cal 6 to task In the morning daily’s 
editorial page for failure' to vote 
consolidation with Negro Local 669 
week before last. 

Gleason noted that “mixed 
groups appear everywhere" and 
that “jazz clubs, theatres, record¬ 
ing studios accept musicians, by 
and large, on their ability and their 
drawing power and not on their 
color." He. pointed out there are 
Still “occasional" cases of.discrimi¬ 
nation^ then went on to note con¬ 
tributions American musical am¬ 
bassadors, such as Louis Arm¬ 
strong, Lionel Hampton and Dizzy 
Gillespie have^made to world un¬ 
derstanding. 

Gleason continued: “That is 
why it is all the morg depressing 
that last week, In a vote to amal¬ 
gamate the Negro and white locals 
of the American Federation of 
Musicians in San Francisco, the 
white local saw fit to reject the 
proposal. It hardly seems neces¬ 
sary* to point out how utterly out 
of step with history this action 
wad, and that amalgamation is in¬ 
evitable, if only when the CIO and 
AFL themselves amalgamated. 

* l ‘The action has been taken now 
and it id something to be regretted. 
Unless musicians open their eyes 
as well as their ears, music will 
lose its place as a force for human 
rights." 

S. F. Nixes Dancefiall Bid 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

Frisco’s Board of Permit Appeals 
has turned down the application of 
Benny Ford, boxing and wrestling 
promoter, for a dancehall permit at 
his San Francisco Gardens. This 
kills off Ford’d proposal to bring in 
big bands on nights when the large 
arena has no fights or wrestling 
booked. 

Poliqe contention that permit 
might create a juvenile problem at 
the pavilion was up held.. 

A Great Seasonal So ng 

NAT "KING" COLE'S 

“TAKE ME BACK 
TO TOYLAND” 


WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

BESTSELLERS? 

SEE PAGE 63 







S9 


Wednesday, ■ December 19, 1956 





Senator Joseph C. O’Mahoney, Chairman of the Senate 
Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Trademarks and 
Copyrights, in making public Senate Document 155 last 
week stated: ‘‘THE DOCUMENT . ; IS. DESIGNED TO 

HELP ALL INVOLVED IN THE CONTROVERSY TO FIND 
A COMPROMISE PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION BY 
THE SUBCOMMITTEE DURING THE NEXT SESSION OF 
CONGRESS.” 


In keeping with the spirit of the Senator’s statement, 
the members of the American Society of Composers,- 
Authors and Publishers wish to extend an invitation to 
the Juke Box Operators of America to meet for a discus¬ 
sion of this problem -in the hope of finding a mutually 
satisfactory solution. 


Our representatives are prepared to meet immedi¬ 
ately with representatives! of the Juke Box Industry and 
such individuals or grQ^s '^^^^ ^'inteiVsted, at a 


<r 




President ... 


r 


AMERICAN SOCIETY OP COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS 
675 Madison Avenue, New York 22, New York 





Wednesday* Becfcinbar }9, 1956 




RETAIL SHEET BEST 


EHrasBl 

gggjgiJM 


New York 

The trying- Caepar-Belle Fen- 


The Irving Caepar-Belle Fen- 
stock tune, “Crystal,” waxed by 


The Sabres on RCA Victor, goes 
into George White's show at the 
Riviera, Las Vegas, Dec. 25 , . . 
Don Elliott Quartet began a week’s 
engagement at Bakers Lounge, De¬ 
troit, yesterday (Tues.) . . . Thrush 
Judy Gayc switched her handle to 
Judy Scott .. . . Bobby Scott cur¬ 
rently at Cy Coleman’s Playroom 
. . . The Mello-Larks set for the 
Black Orchid, Chicago, for four 
weeks beginning Jan. 17. 

Roseland Ballroom held its 5,000 
dance contest Sunday (Ifil. 
Trombonist Tyree Glenn pacted to 
a 10-year deal by the Embers. 
He’ll also record six albums from 
the room . . . Donald Rann 'initi¬ 
ating a disk popularity poll 
throughout the U. S. Sixth Fleet. 
He’s stationed on the U.S.S. Sal¬ 
em, flagship of the fleet . . . 
Jack Green, Willard Alexander 
veepee, hitting England, France 
and Germany to discuss European, 
tour of Glenn Miller orch under 
Ray McKinley’s defection . . . The 
Pad, new Greenwich Village jazz 
club, featuring a special "Jazz for 
Santa” matinee Dec. 29 . . . Doro¬ 
thy Olsen, RCA Victor pactee, hit¬ 
ting the road to plug latest release, 
"Peewee the Kiwi Bird” . . . Ray 
Gilbert penning a night 'club act 
for Frances Wayne. 

The Larry Spier office is notify¬ 
ing its Yule gift list this season 
that a donation has been given in 
their name to the N. Y. Heart 
Assn, in memory of the music 
firm’s founder, Larry Spier, who 
-died of ar heart attack several 
weeks ago ... Billy Marshall fronts 
the Meyer Davis orch at the open¬ 
ing of Palm Beach’s Everglades 
Club on New Vear’s Eve. 

Irwin Zucker, Coast-based disk 
promotion man. into New York 
this week for Yule holidays . . . 
A1 Hibbler set for the Apollo The¬ 
atre Dec. 28 . . . Buddy De Franco 
into Birdland Jan. 10. 


Music and will publish his own 
stuff . . . 88er Brandie Brandon, 
current at the El Dorado, etching 
some sides for Crystal . . . Lew 
Quadling, tunesmith and longtime 
Lawrence- Welk arranger, has 
signed a two-year deal with Coral 
Records to front his own band for 
disks. 


‘P&Rikfr ■ 


Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
11 cities arid Showing com • 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 

* ASCAP t BM1 


333 

i; •? 
ill 


London 

Ted Heath-band booked for the 
sixth year running to play at Chel¬ 
sea Arts Ball at Royal Alberf Hall 
on New Year’s Eve * ... Songstress 
AnrtfShelton 1*rtonr~Britisfr- pic~ 
ture houses, covering many towns 
she’s not visited before . . . Saxist- 
leader Johnnie Gray offered con¬ 
tract for himself and band to make 
a rock ’n’ roll picture in Germany 
next March . . . Blues singer Beryl 
Bryden back from her tour of Den¬ 
mark . . . Chris Barber Skiffle 
Group inked for a 15-week series 
on Radio Luxembourg starting next 
month . . . Songstress Leigh Madi¬ 
son signed to play opposite come¬ 
dian-singer Dave King in his BBC- 
TV series . . . Jugoslavian singer 
•Maria Kova lined up for tv airing 
. . . Leader Michael Freedman has 
formed a 21-pjece all-femme orch 
for tv, radio and recording dates 
... The Platters vocal group are 
scheduled to start their British 
tour on Sunday, March 17 . . . 
Louis Armstrong guest of honor at 
a banquet given him by the British 
musical profession last night 
(Tues.), at which about 50 band¬ 
leaders and top jazz musicians 
were present. 


% .4 g 
1 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


Title and Publisher 


t I « 

ill 


i f J i 


1 3 I 

M tt) O 


r~ 


~*Tnie Lov«f (Buxton Hill)...; r~ 


“F 

-1 

■ 2- 

2 

2 

5 

2 

s 

■-1- 

-5- 

-9Z 

2 

3. 

j Singing the Blues (Acuff-R). 

2 

9 

2 

4 

1 

1 

2 

3 

2 

2 

3 

90 

3 

1 

tLove Me Tender (Presley). 

1 

10 

4 

1 

4 

3 

1 

1 

1 

3 

8 

84 

4 

4 

1 Walking in the Rain (Golden West). 

4 


7 

3 

9 


6 

4 

6 

6 

2 

52 

5 

6 

*Blueberry Hill (Chappell). 

* 8 


5 

7 

3 

6 

4 

9 

4 

4 


49 

6 

7 

^Friendly Persuasion (Feist).____ 


3 

3 

5 

6 

9 

7 

8 

10 

7 


41 

7 

5 

1 The Green Door (Trinity).. 

5 


8 

6 


10 

3 

5 

3 

9 

10 

40 

8 

8 

tCindy, Oh Cindy (Marks-B). 

7 

8 

9 

10 

5 

7 


6 

7 

”5“ 


35 

9 

13 

♦Mama from the Train (Remick).... 


5 



10 

4 

8 

.. 

/. 



17 

10 

9 

*You Belong to Me (BCV). 




8 


5 


7 



9 

15 

11A 

11 

*Hey, Jealous Lover (Barton). 





8 


9 


8 

8 


11 

11B 

10 

1 Two Different Worlds (Princess)... 

9 

_6_ 




8 


10 




11 

11C" 


* White Christmas (Berlin) -.. 



10 





., 

,. 


1 

11 

14A 

14 ^'Whatever Will Be (Artists)-..... 


4 


9 



10 




.. 

10 

14B~ 

14 

’♦Mutual Admiration Society (Chappell) 


2 







.. 

10 


10 


Ally Seeks 


; Continued .from, page 53 ; 


Hollywood 

Fred Strauss, manager of . the 
Crew Cuts, in N.Y. checking future 
bookings . . . Jimmy Wakely set to 
host a multiple sclerosis telethon 
in Evansville, Ind.. . David Rose 
has signed Johnnie Mann to handle 
vocal arrangements and group 
chores for the new musical vidpix 
series Charlie Wicks of Splendex 
Productions is working on . . . 
Decca will release the Morris Sto- 
loff disking of George Dunning’s 
themer for Columbia’s "Full of 
Life” to coincide with the Christ¬ 
mas Day preem of the film . . . 
Percy Brice, new drummer in 
George Shearing’s Quintet, current 
at Zardi’s . . * Lee Raymond re-? 
placed wade Butt as ieauer oi '} a 
Dream Weavers on Decca . . . Ar¬ 
ranger Bill Reynolds.has a role in 
Metro’s "This Could Be the Night” 
. . . Clessa Williams, vocalist at 
Palm Springs Ranch Club, inked 
by Liberty Records. 

Shorty Rogers founded Margin 


Chicago 

Billy Taylor trio into London 
House here Feb. 6 for four weeks 
. . . George Rank orch into Mel- 
lody Mill Ballroom, Chi, Jan. 2 for 
13 weeks . . . Commodores (4) 
signed for Muehlebach Hotel, 
Kansas City, Mo.,, Feb. 1 for two 
weeks. 


Scotland 

Frank Weir orch, with new vo¬ 
calist, David Fontaine, opening 
Christmas Eve at Playhouse; Glas¬ 
gow, where Joe Loss orch has been 
featured'for past 17 holiday sea¬ 
sons . . . Jimmy Young heading 
vaude at Edinburgh . . . Howard 
Lockhart doing dee jay spot in BBC 
Scot wavelength New Year’s Eve. 
, . . Nat Gonella, English trum¬ 
peter, playing nitery stint at Pic¬ 
cadilly Chib, Glasgow . J . Johnnie 
Ray topping local bestselling disks’ 
list with "Just Walkin’ in the 


Rain” on Philips label; Frankie 
Laine second with "A Woman in 


Love,” same label. 


I NOW... 

AND ALL THROUGH 
THE WINTER SEASON 


Leroy Anderson's 

Sleigh 

Ride 



Pittsburgh 

Lenny Martin band booked for 
New Year's Eve at .Fort Ligonier 
Hotel. . i Wild bill Davis trio held 
over again at the Flamingo on 
Wylie Avenue . . . Jimmy Spaniel 
outfit back into the Jacktown Hotel 
until after the first of the year . * . 
Jimmy Smith, organist, opened run 
at the Hurricane . * . Joe Pape’s 
band, which works weekends at 
Mona Lisa Lounge, playing Hep- 
penstahl company’s annual Christ¬ 
mas party for the fifth straight 
yepr ... Josephine Davis at the 
piano and organ in the Diamond 
Room for dinner and late music 
since the downtown spdt dropped 
floor shows . . . Staflldy-Warner 
Theatres’ office staff Signed Jack 
Mahon’s trio for its holiday get- 
together at Park-Schenley on Fri¬ 
day . . . Bill Landy new vocalist 
with Walter Gable orch at Ankara, 
replacing A1 Nobel. 


DUKE ELLINGTON 


contend is actually a pay hike di¬ 
verted to the Trust Fund. He also 
issued a temporary restraining or¬ 
der against a limited number ol 
the defendants halting payment to 
the Trust Fund of the so-called re¬ 
scoring fees" on old pix to televi¬ 
sion. These fees, averaging $25 per 
musician, were paid directly to the 
musicians until last June, when 
they were diverted to the Trust 
Fund. 

Diversion of promised pay hikes 
from recording musicians to the 
Music Performance* Trust Fund on 
an apparent threat of a record ban 
was reported by Raines B. Conk-, 
ling, former prexy of Columbia 
Records, in a deposition taken 
here for the $1,737,900 damage suit 
filed against the American Federa¬ 
tion of Musicians and 84 diskeried 
by Coast musicians. A similar ac¬ 
tion has begn filed by another 
group of musicians over the pay¬ 
ment to the Trust Fund of scor¬ 
ing fees and revenue royalties in 
connection with the television re¬ 
lease of old theatrical films. 

Conkling’s deposition, first to be 
taken in the complicated litigation, 
backed contentions- of. Coast mu¬ 
sicians that they had been de¬ 
prived of promised pay hikes in 
order to fatten the coffers of the 
Trust Fund. Former Columbia 
topper participated in the Record 
Industry Association of America 
negotiations with Petrillo two years 
ago which led to a new contract 
under which a scale hike of 10% 
for the first two years and 21% for 
the next three years was nego-. 
tiated. But the coin, although 
added to the diskers' cost of mu¬ 
sicians, was ordered paid direct to 
the Trust Fund Instead of to the 
individual musicians. 

Conkling’s recollection, accord¬ 
ing to the deposition, is that the 
terms finally agreed to by the re¬ 
cording companies represented the 
AFM’s "minimum” demands. A1 
though Conkling did not elaborate, 
the rejection of "minimum” de¬ 
mands in 1948 led to the "no con¬ 
tract” situation under which there 
was no recording in the U.S. for 
a year. 


King’s own group. After an hour 
of duets with the Kihg, Goodman 
left the stand. The King then 
picked up his new clarihet and 
played "Memories of You” in honor 
pf his guest musician. Reception of 
the whole band was overwhelm¬ 
ing. Goodman opened the follow¬ 
ing (night in the Thailand Fair as 
leading .traffic builder for the 
American exhibit. Ambassador 
Max Bishop and Undersecretary of 
Commerce Walter Williams at¬ 
tended th£ first performance of the 
ANTA-State Department sponsored 
tour. All attendance records were 
broken, and dancing broke out in 
a spontaneous demonstration. 

Band plays two shows a night, 

| free, at the exhibit, in an outdoor 
setting hard by. one of Bangkok’s 
famed Klongs—or canals. 


would increase the cost of the 
100,000,00 records the operators 
purchase annually,” 

Sen. O’Mahoney attempted to 
effect a compromise last February 
but failed. The juke leaders said 
that “it can hardly be imagined 
that any new private conference 
between the parties would be very 
fruitful.” — 

The MOA spokesmen said that 
efforts to amend the Copyright Act 
to the coin machine industry’s 
detriment have been going on for 
the past 30 years, but Congress 
"time after time refused to do so 
much as change a word in this por¬ 
tion of the statute after, numerous 
hearings.” • ^ 


Big Three 


; Continued from page 51 ; 


staff to step up professional and 
exploitation activity. 

The FD&H buy-in of the Big 
Three, which is jointly owned by 
Loew’s and 20th Century-Fox film 
companies, represents the second 
major English deal for the com¬ 
pany in the last two years. Togeth¬ 
er with the Big Three’s buy-out of 
B. Feldman Music last year, the 
present deal gives the Big Three a 
commanding position in the world 
copyright market. Both B. Feld¬ 
man and FD&H have important 
affiliates all over the Continent. 
FD&H, Incidentally, also has a 
part interest in the B. Feldman op¬ 
eration as well as Robbins Music 
Ltd., which was set up here a few 
years ago by the Big Three. 


Josef ovits’ Tunes 

Pianist ^Teri Josefovits is back 
in the cleffing groove. Composer 
recently set "Sha Sha $ha” (lyrics 
by Morrie Allen of Universal-In¬ 
ternational) TWith Bregman, Vocco 
& Conn and also placed "The Next 
To The Last” (lyrics by Mann 
Curtis and Arthur Berman) with 
Southern Music. 

Southern, incidentally, Is launch¬ 
ing a drive on Josef ovits* "My 
Faith,” on which he collabbed with 
Andy Razaf. Tune Was initially 
copyrighted in 1951. Razaf is now 
invalided on the Coast. Josefovits 
expects to get back on the in- 
person circuit in the near future. 


■’* A Solid Hit' * 


ASCAP 


Continued from page 51 ; 


Thailand 


and his famous orchestra 
Starting Dee. 19 (THREE WEEKS) 
BLUE NOTE, Chicago 


; Continued from page 51 ; 


hard-pressed industry in exchange 
for which we would receive zero, 
nothing, a complete void.” 

The MOA leaders said that a 
suggestion has been made to in¬ 
crease the mechanical royalty on 
records to benefit the songwriter 
directly. (At the present time, the 
royalty is limited to a statutory 
maximum of 2c. per side which is 
split between writer and publish¬ 
er.) "Our industry,” the MOA top¬ 
pers, said, "has voiced no opposi¬ 
tion to this proposal, although it 


THE STAR 
YOU WISHED 
* UPON * 
LAST NIGHT 


ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION 


WHO MAKES 

SOUNDTRACK 

BESTSELLERS? 


SEE PAGE 63 


COLUMBIA RECORDS 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 

JOE GLASER, Pres. 

New York ; Chicago I Hollywood 


PL 9-4600 | 203 No. Wabash | 8619 Sun<cl Blvd. 


on‘drums, was never better. After 
50 minutes, the King sent in a re¬ 
quest for "Lazy River.” The band 
then concluded with the national 
anthems of both Thailand and the 
U. S. A brief presentation perioa 
followed with the King and Queen 
presenting each member of the 
band with a royally crested cigar¬ 
ette case. Goodman then proved 
to be an astute diplomat as he 
brought out a duplicate of his 
Selmer clarinet as his gift to the 
King. i : 

After supper, the Goodman band 
came back to the Theatre Room, 
and joined in a jam session with 
the "Friday Night Seven,” the 


THE HIT OF THE WEEK 

J0NI JAMES 
WHITE CHRISTMAS 


I LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS 




m I 

Mi 






































Wednped^y, December 19, 1956 



THIS PERFORMANCE OF “MY FAIR LADY” PLAYED 
TO AN EMPTY HOUSE... BUT MILUONS HAVE 
HEARD IT ON COLUMBIA! YEAR AFTER YEAR, 

HIT AFTER HIT, THE FINEST OFFERINGS ON BROADWAY 
REACH BY FAR THEIR LARGEST AUDIENCE THROUGH 
ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS ON COLUMBIA! RECORDS. 








62 MUSIC 


Mercury-Starday 
LinkUp for C&W 

Chicago, Dec. 18. 

Arrangements for the issuance 
and distribution.of a new country 
& western series have been com¬ 
pleted by Mercury Records and 
Starday Records. 

Pappy Daily .of Starday will be 
in charge of C&W artists & reper¬ 
toire to be released under a Mer- 
cury-Starday label. Don Pierce 
will move the Starday offices from 
Los Angeles to Nashville and take 
—cvue^^roicoJtiQii^JiD.d. _§a]es_for the 
new series to be dlstriBufecT ’ 
through Mercury outlets. 

Irving Green, Mercury prexy, 
says' agreement becomes effective 
January 1. 

AFM 'Ins’ Win in Pitt; 

Prexy Davis Unopposed 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

Hal Davis, president, and Nick 
Hagarty, secretary - treasurer, 
neither of whom was opposed, 
were returned to office by Local 
60 of Musicians Union. . Only 
officer who had opposition was 
James Comoroda, vicepresicfient, 
and he was also reelected, winning 
out handily over Johnny Marino. 

New board of directors will be 
made up of Julian Drob, Herbert 
Osgood, Nuncy Dilanni, Hamilton 
Whitlinger, Ira Wilson and George 
Wilkens. Hagarty and Wilkens 
were named delegates to the na¬ 
tional convention and Mike Higley 
and Wilson will represent Local 60 
on the Central Labor Union. 

Ft. Wayne Puts 1:30 

Curfew on Dancing 

Fort Wayne, Ind., Dec. 18. 

Public dancing after 1:30 a.m. 
has been banned in Fort Wayne. 
The edict, issued by Police Chief 
Mitchell Cleveland and Prosecutor . 
Glen Beams, was particularly di¬ 
rected at dancehalls, which; have 
been operating from midnight to 
4 a.m. in the past. ; 

A city ordinance states, “All 
public dances shall be discontinued 
and all public dancehalls shall be 
closed on or before the hour of 
1:30 a.m. and remain closed until 
the hour of 7 a.m.” The officials 
promised strict enforcement* point¬ 
ing out that “late hour” dancing in 
recent months has resulted in nu¬ 
merous fights which required po¬ 
lice attention. Violators are liable 
to a fine up to $300 for each 
offense. 


Scoreboard 

OF 

TOP TALENT AND TUNES 

Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
I *Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

■' as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE : The current^ompbrative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical systefn comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu¬ 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de¬ 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail 
disks) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music j. 


TALENT 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


ARTIST AND LABEL 


[Love Me Tender 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) .. ] Love Me 

.. I Don’t Be Cruel 

GUY MITCHELL .(Columbia) ...... Singing The Blues * 

JIM LOWE (Dot) ... The Green Door 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol).. True Love 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) ... I ...Just Walking In The Rain 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial).. | Blueberry Hill 

v ^ /Dreamboat Comes Home 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4th (ABC-Par). A Rose And A Baby Ruth 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol).\. Hey, Jealous Lover 


PAT BOONE (Dot) 


JERRY LEWIS (Dec*a) 


(Friendly Persuasion 
/Anastasia 

Rock-A-Bye Youf Baby 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week-Week 


' TUNES 

(•ASCAP. tBMI) 


PUBLISHER 


Shep Fields orch will.he among 9 9 -HLx, JLA1 

the headline attractions at the 1957 1A ♦ - orici? a ^ 

Houston National Automobile Show 10 • • AJ 

to be held at the Sam Houston ———-i———— 
Coliseum in Houston Jari. 26 to n n « .■ u 

w?u go to^two 1 charitable Donegan-PIus-Basketball 

Bo?s s, ciub. ry Actlvltles and variety For U.S. on British Swa 


fSINGING THE BLUES ..-...». Acuff-R 

fLOVE ME TENDER ...Presley, 

•TRUE LOVE..... Buxton Hill 

fTHE GREEN DOOR ...’... Trinity 

f JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN...Golden West 

•BLUEBERRY HILL... Chappell 

•FRIENDLY PERSUASION ....... Feist 

fCINDY, OH CINDY .Marks-B 

•HEY, JEALOUS LOVER ...... Barton 

fA ROSE AND A BABY RUTH ...\Bentley- 


Wedhesday, December 19, 1956- 


ssmsss Continued from page 51 ■ 

available commercially. The lai 
represents lost sales. 

Carlton tagged the program as 
“One World for Hits” and urger 
that the whole industry adopt* the 
international perspective. Publish 
«rs, for instance, may now* have t< 
guarantee that a number will b< 
cleared for worldwide exploit’atior 
before a U.S.' disk company de¬ 
cides to record it. All of the for 
eign disk affiliates, moreover, wil 
have to be drawn Into the coopera 
I tive effort. 

Bullock, Carlton and Pat Ken 
hedy, who is liaison between the 
Victor disk division and RCA In 
terna tional, st ated that the globa! 
"program v/HTTfe "a f^s^aynstreei 
between the American company 
and the foreign affiliates. Victor 
for instance, is planning a buildup 
for two Continental artists, Lys 
Assia and .Vico Torriani, who will 
be released here on songs done ir 
English. 

Victor, on the other hand, is 
pushing promotion of its U.S 
artists overseas via personal ap¬ 
pearances. The Ames Bros., Jaye P 
Morgan and Billy Eckstine are 
being lined up for overseas tours 
Eddie Fisher is also likely to.gc 
overseas to plug both his Victoi 
disks and his RKO film, “Bundle 
of Joy.” According to the Victoi 
execs, the impact of a personal 
appearance in Europe, England 
especially, is felt in increased sales 
impact for a couple of years. 

The Victor execs declare that 
the 45 rpm. .speed for pops is 
rapidly taking 3 dominant positior 
in Europe. In France and Spain, 
the production of 78 rpm disks has 
ended* while in England it is de- 
dining. All jukeboxes in Europe 
use the 45 speed. 

Victor’s global release plan 
which also will be used in the 
package field-, is one facet of the 
RCA program of establishing its 
own monogram in all countries, 
Starting next April, when British 
Decca starts releasing Victor disks 
in England, the RCA logotype will 
be used on Victor disks in virtually 
every market. 

Larry Kanage, Victor v.p. and 
general manager of the disk opera- 
I tion, said that global release oi 
disks has “exciting possibilities oi 
bringing the world closer together 
I and will permit the record indus¬ 
try to play an increasingly im¬ 
portant role in creating more 
understanding among, different 
peoples.” 


ni _ D An 1r A dt n ll ketball team, has been in London 

Dnegan-rlUS-DaSKetDail and put forward an idea for Done- 
n no n 1 C O S an to tour for & x weeks from the 
for U.U. on Bnnsll Swap; end of March as an attraction with 
_ . -o the Globetrotters. Donegan and 

London, D.ec. lo. - j ------- 


a wonderful 
seasonal song 

STYNE AND CAHN'S 


Coast Local 

Continued from page 51 ; 


. i*i . , . . „ „ llf - „ group would play during the inter- penses 0 n either side for mailing 

A slick project has .been put for- V al at the arenas where the Globe- . . 

ward ior Lonnie Donegan & His trotters are booked for their bas- p an< J other appurtenances of 

Skiffle .Grbup to tour 'the U. S. on ketball engagements. a scale political battle, 

an exchange basis with Bill Haley Saperstein and the Lew & Leslie Local’s simmering internal dis- 
& His Comets. Haley is scheduled Grade agency here are currently Pdte broke out into the open last 
to appear here in February and negotiating permission from .the Fe b- 27 when angry members “sus- 
negotiations have been proceeding respective unions. pended” president Johq te Groen 

for a suitable swap on tfae father ■--—-__ at one of the biggest meetings in 

side of the Atlantic. J PpaWT Trifli Stpvpnq local histor y- Cecil F - Read, Local 

The big click of “Rock Aland Kee, ® Cl L,eWn * f veepee and leader of the dissi- 

Line” disk in America and Bifitain Composer Guild Prexy dent group which had been bat- 
has put guitarist-singer Lonnie s Hollywood, Dec. 18. * ^? Us A c Pa fj orn ? an c^ Trust 


a full scale political battle. 
Local’s simmering internal dis- 


Reelect Leith Stevens 


pended” president Johij te Groen 
at one of the biggest meetings in 
local history. Cecil F. Read, Local 
47 veepee and leader of the dissi- 


Composer Guild Prexy dent group which had been bat- 

. * * I iUiv iv/rd BM } M «...m_i 


Fredericks to Mills 

. On Tunesmith Pad 

. Mills Music has wrapped up 
Marc Fredericks to an exclusive 
writing deal. In addition to com¬ 
posing, Fredericks also operates as 
a pianist, arranger and conductor 
His initial showcasing is on the 
Eclipse Records’ release of “Blue 
Jean Rhapsody” and “Isle of Ro¬ 
mance.” 

LOOK our FOR . . . 

BSBY 

DOUIs'i 


Hollywood, Dee. 18. . SS^Jg^SSSSL?^ XT T ^ “ 


lias XlWJjyWUUU, JJCU. AO. x|__- j_,, I 

Donegan into the No. 1 position Reelection of Leith Stevens as p“ f n r 7 u n r 

CAHN as the possible exchange leader. president of the Composers & JXSj* ( K BIG RECOGDS 

MUSIC Now, Abe Saperstein, who con- Lyricists Guild of America was an- M ^ 1 w D ” ItCvUIWO 


Now, Abe Saperstein, who con- Lyricists Guild of America was an- n / JS’ 

trols the Harlem Globetrotters, bas- nounced by the CLG board of di- fS 

. . - , ■ and 0 t recording t0 secretary^' 

<1 ■■ wSESSJ* ! J’J 1 M Paul but the votes were over-ruled 

yisions-^ulld reps eompeseVs and g l ®3 1 *, ed ^t tStelakVeSd 

}j ri o C nd tS dtfk^IndURtriM 6 film ’ tadi °" subsequently was expelled for a 
tv and disk industries. year and the ot h erg for one day 

Other officers are Winston each but the conflict, instead of 


BMl-pinUp'rt# 

. NOON AND NIGHT 


Georgia Gibbs 


Recorded by 


■ 

■ 

i 

n 


.Mercury 


Published By 

kahl music co* 


. tv and disk industries. TeaHud t^ e ^Lrs for one daj 

Other officers are Winston each but the conflict, instead of 
Sharpies, Walter Schumann and simmering down, mushroomed into 
David Terry, veepees; Jerry Liv- the formation of the Voice of the 
ingston, secretary-treasurer, and Membership party to oppose the 
Ben Ludlow, assistant secretary- incumbents. 

treasurer. Sharpies, Terry and —- i ■ ■■ ■ 

Ludlow are from the eastern sec¬ 
tion, the others" from the western. 


Mills Subsid Gets Tango 

B. F. Wood Music, Mills subsid, 
has acquired the publication rights 
to the German click, “Tango in 
the Rain” (Tango Im Regen). 

Tune, originally published by 
Teoton-Verlag of Munich, was 
written by Lotar Olias and Ralph 
Mario Siegel, 



‘ REMICK MUSIC CORP.^«" 

WHO MAKES 
SOUNDTRACK 
BEST SELLERS? 

SEE PAGE 63 


America's-'Fastest 
Selling^Records! 













































64 


VAUDEVILLE 




Wednesday, December I9y 1956 ’ 


DaDas-urbia, Texas’ Largest, Dry; 
Metropolis Not Me cted—Yet 


. By BILL BARKER 

Dallas, Dec, 18. 

Suburban Oak Cliff was voted 
bone-dry Saturday (15) by a nar¬ 
row margin of 1,720 votes out of 
32,526 ballots. Area is Texas’ larg¬ 
est, Precinct 7, with 90 square 
miles, and 'its 215,000 comprises 
more than one-third of Dallas’ pop¬ 
ulation. 

There were 58,508 qualified vot¬ 
ers for the beer election. Liquor 
was banned on March 17, 1883; a 

-special—-election_approved_beer 

sales in August, 1933. New dry 
area, with metropolitan Dallas, 
previously was surrounded by 13 
dry municipalities. Now only Dal¬ 
las proper, Precinct 1, is totally 
wet, with liquor stores, taverns arid 
private clubs flourishing. 

Oak Cliff’s finances have been 
stymied since, four irionths ago, 
the town’s Civic Loyalty League, 
chairmanned by a Baptist pastor, 
Dr. Buel R. Crouch, drew support 
from 150 evangelical churches and 
retained Texas Alcohol - Narcotic 
Education Inc., of Austin; a tax- 
free corporation of “paid, profes¬ 
sional prohibitionists,” to carry 
out what the wets termed a cru¬ 
sade for “creeping prohibition,” 
TANE Inc. promoters were defeat¬ 
ed seven months ago in four Texas 
Panhandle cities, more recently in 
Fort Worth, Arlington and Austin. 
On Dec. 8 Waco stayed with beer. 
Texas State Pension News of Waco, 
official organ of the Texas United 
Pension Assn., charged that TANE 
first wanted precincts, then whole 
counties—“then they’ll want state¬ 
wide prohibition.” Wet proponerits. 
Oak Cliff Committee for Legal 
Control, were headed by an ex- 
Dallas mayor and several w. k. Oak 
Cliff restaurateurs and home-build¬ 
ers. Best-known mid-Oak Cliff res¬ 
taurant owner, a wet committee¬ 
man, received numerous phone- 
calls from drys, threatening to boy¬ 
cott his western-styled “Smoke¬ 
house” if he kept his name on the 
legal control list. 

Baptist and Methodist church 
heads, spearheading many dry ral¬ 
lies, stated they didn’t care about 
the downtown Dallas situation!; 
they just wanted to, dry up uax 
Cliff, which they insisted was a 
“residential area.” This despite the 
fact that the 90-square-mile area is 
split by a solid. 20-block area of 
business firms, adjacent streets 
with multiple businesses and a 
dozen outlying, modern shopping 
centers. The 20-block commercial 
area alone grossed $58,000,000 In 
1955 sales. 

Dry victory affects 532 “on-and- 
off premises” beer licensees, in¬ 
cluding restaurants, deluxe loung¬ 
es, taverns, drive-in grocers and 
supermarkets. Some 400 licensees 
are lounge and tavern owners who 
will have to close in about 30 days. 

Check by Variety showed that 
four months ago, before rumblings 
of a dry election, mid-Oak Cliff’s 
four toniest lounges were using 
live talent—organist, pianist or 
small combos. Seven outlying dine- 
or-dance* spots were playing sin¬ 
gles, trios, and one Fort Worth pike 
dancery, Green Gables, had a five- 
piece dixieland outfit. 

Last week’s pre-election check 
showed only three brew outlets 
using live talent. Les Alraon, who 
has a $17,500 investment in his 
swank South Room Louge in mid- 
Oak Cliff, said he couldn’t engage 
talent on the spectre of a dryup. 
Further, he gambled in refusing to 
renew a record shop’s lease next 
door to his lounge five months ago, 
and lost that rent. For the past 
two weeks he had a- sign in the 
vacant space, reading: “Vote wet 
Dec. 15 or your building may be 
vacant, too!” Almon coined a slo¬ 
gan beamed at the drys: “Now 
Dallas picks up the cash, and Oak 
Cliffs picks up the cans.” 

Mull A r action Phases 
'■A ‘Chicagoland.Fair’ 

Chicago, Dec. 18. 

The Chicago Assn, of Commerce 
& Industry is sponsoring a “Chl- 
cagoland Fair” to be held June 28 
to July 14 at Navy Pier. Extent of 
name talent to be used in conjunc¬ 
tion with industrial Exhibits and 
in the planned theatre will be de¬ 
termined by Jan. 15. 

Helen Tieken Geraghty is in 
charge, of tdlent and Harshe-Rot- 
man handles publicity. 


Pennies from Haydon, 
Or Hildy Gushing 


Tulsa, Dec. 18. 

Hildegarde literally struck oil in 
Oklahoma couple of weeks ago 
when a well in which she’s one of 
the principal owners came in at 
an initial rate of 110 barrels an 
hour. It is her first venture in 
this field. 

The well has been named Hilde¬ 
garde'No. T~Rayd~dri, after tire” 
chanteuse and Grover Haydon, the 
owner o£ the property on which 
the oil is located. 


Salisbury Beach 
Faces Arid Future 
In Drinking Ban 

Salisbury Beach, Mass., Dec. 18. 

This town, with its lush night 
club strip> goes bone dry Jan. 1. 
They’ll be burying the bottle on 
New Year’s Eve. The spot will be 
dry as far as sale of liquor is con¬ 
cerned for the next two years. 

Judge Jesse W. Morton in Salem 
Superior Court Thursday (13) 
voided a recount which would have 
retained package stores. By his 
own count, the Judge found 776 
votes against package stores and 
770 in favor. 

The" vote at the state election to 
ban the sale of liquor by the drink 
was overwhelming. The vote on 
package stores was 778-776 and a 
recount was held. The new count 
was reported 770 in favor and 762 
opposed, but Franklin S. Felch, 
who led the dry campaign, ap¬ 
pealed to the courts. 

Night club ops with big stakes 
are hard put to find an answer to 
the problem .they now have. The 
Frolics, l^O-seate* with big name 
policy fpr the past six years, the 
Bowery, also using names; and 
some 40 spots selling liquor ap¬ 
pear to have been struck a death 
blow. 

Francis D. Mulcahy, owner of 
_the Frolics, says it will open in 
the spring on a limited basis. Two 
possibilities are being explored: 
(l)j.a deal in^which customers can 
bring their own liquor with spot 
serving set-ups, and (2) the bring¬ 
ing in of package musical come¬ 
dies for a night club straw hat 
combo*. The 42 members of the 
Salisbury Retail Liquor Assn, face 
drastic losses after Dec. 31, the end 
of a multi-million dollar biz. 

Montreal Show Biz And 
All Who Played There 
Mourn Ben Gravitz, 73 

Montreal, Dec. 18. 

Anyone in show biz who has 
ever played Montreal lost a good 
friend last week (12), when Ben ] 
Gravitz died at the age of 73. Al¬ 
though he knew and was known 
to thousands of theatre, vaude and 
nitery entertainers, he had no di¬ 
rect connection with the theatrical 
world. He ran a restaurant, a deli-. 
cates*sen. As Lindy’s is to New 
York, Ben’s is to Montreal. 

Born in Lithuania, Gravitz came* 
to Canada in 1898 and opened his 
first delicatessen in Montreal’s feast 
end in 1910. Later, he moved to 
midtown and it was this modest 
eatery that became the meeting 
place for anyone connected with 
- entertainment. 

No matter the hour, Gravitz was 
always around and his slight, re¬ 
tiring figure could usually * be 
found behind the counter or even 
Waiting on table. In recent years, 
a much larger Ben’s went up on 
an opposite corner to cope with ex¬ 
panding business. Both restaurants 
are simply decorated, almost to the 
point of being sparse, except for 
the hundreds of personally auto¬ 
graphed photos to Ben from per¬ 
formers who have played Montreal. 
The pix form an interesting rec¬ 
ord for more than two decades of 
Montreal’s show life. Ben is sur¬ 
vived by his wife, three sons, Al, 
Irving and Sollie, and a daughter, i 
Gertrude. - j 


Fox Theatre, Det, Books 
‘Xmas Rock VRoll Show 

Detroit, Dec. 18. 

For the first time in 15 years, 
the 5,000-seat Fox Theatre will try 
a stageshow between Christmas, and 
New Year’s. It’ll be an all rock ’n’ 
roll session with Guy Mitchell 
heading the stage rockers and 
Jayne Mansfield’s “The Girl Can’t 
Help It” (20th) being the screen 
attraction. 

Fox manager Bob Bothwell said 
that beside Mitchell, Ivory Joe 
Hunter, The Chuckles, Della Reese, 
Jean Chapel, Bunny Paul, The 
Nitecaps, Bobby Lewis, and The 
Royal Jokers will appear on stage. 


Show a Click Lineup 
Of Disk; Vaude Names 


Chicago, Dec. 18. 

For top quality packaging; plan¬ 
ning and production the periodic 
revues which Frank J. Darling, In¬ 
ternational Brotherhood of Electri¬ 
cal Workers Local 10 prexy, pre¬ 
sents to the union membership are 
unique in Chi show biz. The latest 
cabaret style presentation, runs 10 
days and costs nearly $76,000. It 
is a direct descendent of the one 
act vaude and band shows staged 
10 years ago by Darling to deflect 
union membership from what he 
recognized as attempts at Commu¬ 
nist infiltration. Next year’s run 
will be extended if possible to pub¬ 
lic performances for the benefit of 
local charities. 

Tony Bennett climaxes the two 
and a quarter hour show with a 
number of old hits, including some 
associated with himself. He gets 
good response on the calls for 
audience singing and plenty of 
spontaneous clap and tap accom¬ 
paniment from crowd. Winds up 
strong with “Sing, You Sinners” 
and brings crowd participation into 
finale of holiday songs. 

* Johnny Bachemin whose classy 
staging and choreos add extra cyl¬ 
inders to the show appears for an 
interpretive footing of “The Man 
With the Golden Arm” to a big 
hand. He g$ts excellent support 
from the Darling Dancers who per¬ 
form as if they’d worked together 
for months rather, than weeks. 

Dick Shawn’s singing impres¬ 
sions are tops. His takeoffs on ro¬ 
manticized epics build a suspense 
as great as the serious Hollywood 
style he apes. Unfortunately he 
breaks the delicate audience ten¬ 
sion between laughter and tears by 
prolonging the act. A little trim¬ 
ming could make this act stronger. 

Singer June Valli’s song styling 
is an appealing attraction. Her im¬ 
personations of other femme vo¬ 
calists also earn a strong response. 
Freshness and originality in de¬ 
signing his trained dog act set off 
Bob Williams’ facile comic talent. 

Joe Chester & Mary Linden 
team with the Darling Dancers and 
Singers for a highpoint, “A Thou¬ 
sand and One Nights.” The limita¬ 
tions of the small stage are neatly 
overcome ‘by fine staging^lighting 
and choreographic work but the 
audio suffers in spots where the 
principal singers are handicapped 
by the acoustics. Nevertheless an 
impressive turn both by principals 
and support. 

The clowning of The Happy 
Jesters’ fast moving song routines 
are show stealers with a nimble 
seven foot mainstay and guitar. 
Trio’s takeoffs on. vocalists are 
backed by good sound effects. 

Veteran Gus Van opens the show 
with a medley that warms up the 
audience. • His “My Music Man” 
routine is a solid piece of show¬ 
manship. . 

The Lou Brieese orch rounds out 
the topnotch show from start to 
finish with real finesse. Leva. 


From Canada Comes 

PAUL A. GARDNER’S 

profile on a "boy Paderewski" 
who grew older (much older!) 
as evidenced in the piece 
titled 

"65 Years at the 

Keyboard 

* * * 

one of the bright editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

P'&RIETY 


The Sands’ Gargantuan Giveaway 


By ALAN JARLSON 


Cuba’s Montmartre, Site 
Of Killing, Gets Govt. Okay 

.^Havana, Dec. 18. 

The Cuban government has lift¬ 
ed its ban on the Montmartre 
nightclub. The nitery is planning 
to reopen about Dec. 20, in time 
for the Christmas and New Year’s 
season. Rehearsal of a new show 
has already begun. 

Montmartre was clbsed. two 
months ago when the chief of 
Cuba’s military' intelligence serv¬ 
ice was_ assassinated there. T he 
killers have not yeFTieen'caught". 
Following the attack, the govern¬ 
ment has assigned six plainclothes- 
men to each of the city’s big nit- 
eries. These are in addition to 
the regular guards maintained by 
the casinos. 

AGYA Move Vs. 
MH Chorus Now 
In Judges Lap 

The N. Y. Supreme Court, last 
week okayed a brief injunction to 
prevent the American Guild of 
Variety Artists from ordering the 
dismissal of several members of 
the Radio City Music Hall Chorus 
Employees Assn. However, court 
ordered the issue to trial the fol¬ 
lowing morning (14). 

Justice William McGivern found 
for Eric Hutson, president of the 
indie chorus union, who filed on 
behalf of the chorus. At the same 
time, the court dismissed Hutson’s 
plea to deny AGVA’s move to halt 
the injunction hearing. 

AGVA had ordered Hutson, to¬ 
gether with two officers of the in¬ 
die union to trial for 'dual unionism 
in maintaining membership in the 
organization which is seeking to 
secede from AGA and go into busi¬ 
ness for itself. The 109 members 
of the various Music Hall choruses 
are said to be members of the or¬ 
ganization. Union's, executive board 
found the three members guilty 
and notified Radio City to dismiss 
them as per terms of the agree¬ 
ment in effect between the union 
and Radio City. Theatre then 
sought to arbitrate the clause and 
the indie outfit sought to enjoin 
the union from proceeding with 
its schedule of hearings of various 
members of the MH chorus. 


Houston ‘Surrounded By 
Assassins’ as Precincts 
Vote Dry: Niteries Weep 

Houston, Dec. 18. 

A drive led by Protestant minis¬ 
ters to dry up Harris County, and 
Houston's nitelife along with it, 
notched closer to victory last week 
when voters in Justice Precinct 3 
(includes Baytown), plus munici¬ 
pality of Deer Park, voted to out¬ 
law sales of alcoholic beverages. 

Woodie Mints, local chief of 
State Liquor Control Board, said in 
addition to prohibiting all sales in 
package stores and cafes, election 
puts serioup crimp in practice of 
“bring your ’* own” at niteries. 
(State law now prohibits sale of 
mixed drinks.) 

“It’s legal to possess one quart 
of whiskey and 24 12-ounce bot¬ 
tles of beer for your own con¬ 
sumption,” Mints informed. “But 
anything over that—in your home, 
private club, or .public place—is 
prima facie evidence that it is for 
sale in dry areas.” 

Estimated 500 to 700 license 
holders will be affected when the 
law is invoked 30 days following 
routine approval of election re¬ 
sults by Harris County Commis¬ 
sioners Court. Not all holders 
have package stores or cafes; many 
sell beer only in restaurants. 

In Precinct 3 with 80,000 resi¬ 
dents, a 50-vote shift to the wets 
could have blocked prohibition 
move. Drys polled 7,292; wets 
7,197. Success for drys was third 
in area since June, when Passa- 
dena,' an independent city adjoin¬ 
ing Houston went dry. Houston 
Post said ministers plan more elec¬ 
tions for remainder of Harirs 
County in the spring. 


Las Vegas, Dec. 18, 
The Sands Hotel observed its 
fourth anniversary last week-end 
.(15-16). And in the instant it 
took the., celebrants to blow out 
the birthday candles, all of the 
hoopla - inspired, show - biz-larded 
excitement conjured in past years 
to gravitate international attention 
to this neon-hued oasis suddenly 
became distant memories. For 
here, simply enough, was a party 
to end all parties. 

The bash started shortly after 
midnight Friday when some 640 
cereb~guests; -dolled up -in minks 
and blackties, glued themselves to 
bonded booze and a show headed 
up by Danny Thomas, Frank Sina¬ 
tra and Jerry Lewis. The guests— 
who included VIPs and stars from 
H’wood, cattlemen and oilmen from 
Texas, playwrights and financiers 
from Gotham, and just about any¬ 
body who could wangle one of 
those mammoth 8x10 invitations— 


Sands, Las Vegas 

Sands Hotel's Fourth Anni¬ 
versary Show, starring Danny 
Thomas, Frank Sinatra and 
Jerry Lewis, with, Judy Scott, 
Bob DeVoye Trio/ Chuck Nel¬ 
son, Cop a Girls (12 Antonio 
Morelli Orch (14); by invita¬ 
tion only. 


were imported at a total cost to the 
Sands of $100,000. But as hosts 
Col. Jake Freedman and Jack En- 
tratter pointed out, there was an 
obvious target motivating this stag¬ 
gering outlay; glamour and excite¬ 
ment which, with a little luck, 
might be parlayed into a bundle of 
chips favoring the house; not to 
mention the headlines that, with a 
little less luck, might be grabbed 
off to point up rather significantly 
that Vegas, or at least the Sands, 
is far from dead. 

Some 12 hours after the blowout 
got underway, however, Gal Luck 
in the casino was casting her pro¬ 
verbial smile on the players. At 
this hour, the poddy was well on 
its way towards costing the Sands 
a cool half-million bux. But, as 
Entratter pointed put in typically 
„ eloquent Las Vegas parlance, “So 
" what? Since the Sands opened in 
1952, we’ve laid out $35,040,000— 
an average of $24,000 a day—to 
operate all phases of the Sands. 
So what if it costs us a few more 
bucks Ou? grand opening cost a 
bundle too, although judging from 
the action at the tables this is 
liable to cost us even more.” 

Old Bdan Percentage 

The 1952 ribbon-snipping bit saw 
the Sands drop $280,000 on the 
long green tables. However, as 
age would have it with most things, 
even a gambling saloon can get 
^better with years. Having circled 
the clock from the Friday midnight 
kickoff, the Sands had overcome 
the critical point in the casino, re¬ 
couping most of its losses. The 
score at the 24th hour stood “only” 
$125,000 in the red. But, as En¬ 
tratter intoned, “So what?” 

The Sands .has easily become 
the factor to which most natives 
look to as the reason for the boom 
that skyrocketed Las Vegas to that 
now w.k. fame. In reward, the 
Sands has been able to count its 
earnings with the knowledge that 
it is among the three major money¬ 
makers (the Desert Inn and the 
Sahara being the other two) on 
the Las Vegas Strip. 

The blue-ribbon performance 
staged in the Copa Room for the 
(Continued on page 66) 

Library’s Top 10’Jfie As 
Bldg.; Udder One for Cows 

Raleigh, N.C., Dec. 18. 

Raleigh's State Fair Arena tied 
for 10th place when a panel of na¬ 
tionally known architects voted on 
“The most significant building in 
the past 100 years of architecture 
in America.” 

Editors of Architectural Record, 
a professional magazine for arch¬ 
itects arid engineers ptiblished in 
New York, asked a panel of 100 
architects and historians to name 
the most significant buildings. 

Raleigh’s famed Cow Palace tied 
with the Boston Public Library for 
10th honors. The arena building 
was designed by the late Matthew 
Nowicki, who was head of the 
Dept, of Architecture at State Col¬ 
lege, and William Deitrick, Ra¬ 
leigh architect. 




Wednesday, December .19, 1956 




VAUDEVILLE 65 


JERSEY MOSQUE’S 500G YEAR 


New Year’s Ere Biz Starting Sow As 
N.Y. Niteries Hold Line at $25 Top 


New Year’s Eve business in New +■ 
York is a slow starter this sea- ‘ 
son. Although prices are on the 
same level as last season, there 
are fewer reservations this year, 
but bulk of the niteries anticipate 
a complete sellout by the big night. 

Thlsy ear’s big problem will-nec¬ 
essarily be a pitch aimed at out- 
of-town trade. Hotels are expect¬ 
ing a heavy influx because many 
will have a four-day weekend in 
which to holiday. The innkeepers 
and nitery ops expect to make a 
heavy pitch for that business to 
offset the loss of trade that is like¬ 
ly to result from New Yorkers tak¬ 
ing to the hills or othe Tesorts dur¬ 
ing this period. 

The top price in New York is 
likely to be the $25 being asked 
by the Latin Quarter and several 
of the hotels. At other spots in¬ 
cluding the Park Sheraton, there 
will be open house policies. In 
most cafes, price will be deter¬ 
mined by location, with ringside, of 
course, paying the top tabs. 

One of the uncertainties this year 
is the business that will be done on 
the preceding Saturday night (29). 
The bonifaces feel that it’s too 
much to expect two or three sell¬ 
outs that evening, and still find a 
segment of the population willing 
to shell’ out the top Eve prices, 
especially with Christmas shopping 
just out of the way. 


Shamrock’s $15 Tab 

Houston, Dec. 18. 

The ’Shamrock Hilton here has 
set its line-up for the New Year’s 
Eve show with the tab at $15 per 
person plus tax. 

Paul Neighbors orch will play 
for dancing with the floor show 
to include Peggy King, the Three 
Galanes, Stantno & Peddie, and 
the five DeMarco Sisters. 


AGENCY ASSNS. TALKING 
ABOUT AMALGAMATION 

More amalgamations loom in 
agency association ranks. Artists 
Representatives Assn, is now dis¬ 
cussing a tiein with the Theatrical 
Agents of New England. ARA also 
reports an influx of applications 
from the Pittsburgh area, report¬ 
edly one of the hottest areas for 
club dates. , 

Eddie Elkort, ARA prexy, says 
these applications are a result of 
a long period devoid of strife be¬ 
tween ARA and the American 
Guild of Variety Artists. Elkort 
says that the good relations be¬ 
tween both outfits is currently 
sparking the interest from the 
other orgs and indies. 


Vegas Nitery Scouts 
Frisco for Showgirls 

San Francisco, Dec. 18. 

Renee Molnar, line captain and 
producer for El Rancho Vegas, Las 
Vegas, checked into Frisco last 
week hunting for showgirls after 
futile search in Hollywood and 
Reno. Miss Molnar said she want¬ 
ed to pay $125 a week for six- 
nights-a-week jobs, but had no 
luck, primarily because television 
has sewed up the top dancers. 

“The best ones can make $300 to 
$500 a week on TV,” she said, “and 
only have to go on the air twice a 
week. In addition, two pictures are 
being made in Hollywood requir¬ 
ing 60 girls apiece.” Result was 
that she advertised in Frisco dai¬ 
lies, made her pitch on radio in 
an effort to get talent. 


Here's a Warning 

Recently proposed (but not' 
yet effective) new taxcollector 
interpretation on star-domi¬ 
nated corporations, and their 
proper tax - rates, “has “caused - 
widespread alarm in the film 
industry. 

Eurther study suggests that 
television, and other amuse¬ 
ment media, may have setups 
which are facing big unex¬ 
pected tax liabilities. 

For a detailed story on the 
situation see streamer story 
this issue, Page 3. 


Exits Post After 32 Yrs.; 
Waged War Vs. Exotics 

Boston, Dec. 18. 

Mary E. Driscoll, 76, colorful 
chairman of the Boston Licensing 
Board, whose ultimatums on strip¬ 
pers, niteries, gambling and Hub 
night life in general have made 
headlines for 32 years, resigned 
her post last week. Clarence R. 
Elam, executive secretary to the 
Governor’s Council was named 
chairman of the board to succeed 
Miss Driscoll by outgoing Gov¬ 
ernor Christian A. Herter, who is 
to become Under-Secretary of 
State. 

Elam takes over his new post 
Jan. 3. IV^ss Driscolji will continue 
to serve the licensing commission 
as a special consultant. She will 
be recompensed on a fee basis, said 
the governor, but added it is high¬ 
ly unlikely this compensation could 
equal the $9,000 salary she is being 
paid as board chairman. It was 
only a few months ago that Herter 
named the board chairman to an¬ 
other six-year term. At that time 
it was reported she was. appointed 
with proviso that she quit the job 
before the year’s end to allow Her¬ 
ter to name her successor. 

Asked the reason Miss Driscoll 
(Continued on page 66) 


I 

IT SRO PUCE 


Television may 1 have further 
kayoed vaude, crippled film exhib¬ 
itors, and hurt legit, but the 
Mosque Theatre in Newark, N. J„ 
rolls along year after year with a 
minimum -of 125bookings running 
the gamut, from longhair to jazz 
to college graduation ceremonies. 
Theatre, a 3,365-seater of excep¬ 
tional acoustics, has been the only 
“live” attraction location in Newark 
for the last dozen years and the 
home of WATV and WAAT for the 
last nine years. 

M. S. “Moe” Hanellip, manager 
of the Mosque, figures the box- 
office will have handled about $500,- 
000, in 1956, for the various at¬ 
tractions that book the theatre. 
Single ’biggest grosser this year 
was the Carabinieri Band, from 
Italy, which surprised everyone by 
doing capacity twice within three 
weeks for a gross of better than 
$19,000 at a $3.60 top. Attractions 
usually play one show per season 
and, also usually do their totalling 
in black ink; to do capacity in two 
appearances really had the local 
promoters gasping. 

NBC Opera, doing “Madame But- 
(Continued on page 66) 


KAYE-GRECO COMBO 
UNDER NEGOTIATION 

London, Dec. 18. 

Harold Fielding hopes to clinch 
a deal with Danny Kaye and Span¬ 
ish dancer Jose Greco for them to 
appear as a double attraction on 
the same bill. Kaye, it was stated, 
had said he would like to do a 
show with Greco, himself doing 
one half of the program and Greco 
and his Spanish Dance company, 
the other. 

A spokesman for the Fielding 
agehcy said the main difficulty in 
the tie-up was Kaye’s heavy ad¬ 
vance program. Greco, is at the 
moment touring Britain with his 
dancers, and opens a three-week 
Christmas season at the Royal Fes¬ 
tival Hall, London next Monday 
(24). 


Famous Artists Seeks to Expand 
By Absorbing Going Concerns 


Ice Troupers Convert 

To Bladeless Hoofing 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

With Ankara dropping ice shows 
until next May, FhiT Richards, "who 
produces and stars in the rink re¬ 
vues there, and his line Of four 
girls have organized a dance act 
.(skateless) and are working club 
dates and banquets during the holi¬ 
day season. Richards and the gals 
intend to keep going until local 
nitery resumes the icers again 
after Easter. 

They got the idea couple of 
months ago when the ice machines 
failed af Ankara and the entire 
cast did a show on the regular 
floor. 


AGVA to Protest Berle’s 
'Chasing’ of Other Acts 
From Stages at Benefits 

Milton Berle became a contro¬ 
versial show biz figure on the bene¬ 
fit circuit on Sunday (16), with ac¬ 
tion expected from the American 
Guild of Variety Artists. Comedian 
had the distinction of being the 
only perforiper who walked on 
stage during another’s perform¬ 
ance, virtually telling him to get 
off so that he could go on. 

At the Actors Temple benefit at 
the Majestic Theatre, N.Y., that 
evening, Berle and an entourage 
that included the Metropolitan 
Sextet, Betty George, and his 
brother, Frank, reported at the 
stage. Since Berle didn’t want to 
open the show, Buddy Hackett con¬ 
sented to the warmup. After a pe¬ 
riod in which Hackett was getting 
strong laughs, Berle. walked on the 
stage and Hackett walked off. 

Jackie Bright, president of AGVA, 
who witnessed the event at the 
Majestic, declared that he would 
write Berle a “strong” note pro¬ 
testing against this breach of pro¬ 
fessional etiquette. 


Allentown Fair’s 50G 

Allentown, Pa., Dec. 18. 

The -Allentown Fair made a 
profit of $49,815 this year, an in¬ 
crease of $9,496 over 1955. Gate 
receipts were higher by $12,445. 

The income at the fair was re¬ 
ported at $196,885, and expenses at 
$147,069. 

Frank Hausman, an Allentown 
contractor, has been elected presi¬ 
dent of the fair to succeed Howard. 
Singmaster, who did not seek re¬ 
jection. 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Co py and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 21^ 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


Famous Artists Associates, new 
firm recently created by the 
merger of the Jaffe and Famous 
Artists Agencies, is seeking to go 
into all show business fields in a 
large way. The new firm is hoping 
to attain the status of the big three 
during the fortheoming-annumr by 
acquiring properties and firms. • 

FAA, prexied by Sam Jaffe with 
Charles Feldman in the board 
chairman spot, has already started 
negotiations with a number of 
firms; Included are Baum-Newborn 
and Milton Goldman in New York. 
Acquisition or working arrange¬ 
ments with these offices would 
give the outfit entree in legit, nit¬ 
eries and television in the east. 
Negotiations are reportedly on for 
a literary, agency as well. 

It’s recalled that Music Corp. of 
America during its growing days 
not only, took over several firms, 
but also bought up contracts of 
individual performers. With 
enough' biggies on their roster, 
MCA accomplished the major 
phase of its expansion program. 
General Artists Corp. similarly 
went into an enlarged setup with 
its acquisition of the George A. 
Hamid office, and is now the larg¬ 
est outdoor agency in the country. 

Acquisition of the Baum-New¬ 
born office, or agreement to some 
mutual operation with each outfit 
retaining its own identity, is re¬ 
garded as the "first important step 
for FAA. The B-M operation was 
recently cited by Actors Equity 
Assn, as the office that has made 
the most placements in the legit 
rield during the past year. Legit 
has already been regarded as. a 
major showcasing that funnels its 
discoveries into films, and video. 

It’.s seen that when an individual 
agent makes a deal with FAA, the 
individual percenter will go in as 
an employee. However, the ad¬ 
vantage is likely to lie in the fact 
that by joining forces with an of¬ 
fice with major aspirations, per¬ 
former on the upbeat is less likely 
to be weaned away by one of the 
big three. With representation in 
major cities and strength in aU 
fields, especially films and video, 
the indie is likely to envision the 
prospect of jnaking some of this 
talent building pay off to a greater 
degres. 


JERRY LEWIS PACTED 
FOR FAST L.V. REPEAT 

Je*ry Lewis has been signed for 
a quick repeat at the Sands-Hotel, 
Las Vegas. Boniface Jack Entrat- 
ter had the week of Jan. 21, open, 
and got Lewis to come in. Lewis 
is current at the Sands. Comic 
has also been set for the Copaca- 
bana, N. Y., in June, which will 
be his first cafe date in the N. Y. 
area. 

Lewis is also contracted for the 
Chez Paree, Chicago, Dec. 27. He’s 
slated for an NBC-TV spec, Jan. 
19. He is set for the Fontaine¬ 
bleau, Miami Beach, after the 
Sands date. He goes into the Pal¬ 
ace, N. Y., Feb. 7 for four weeks 
and options. 

In all these dates, Lewis will 
have singer Judy Scott in his cast. 
Lewis caught Miss Scott at the 
Copacabana Lounge, N. Y., and 
pacted her to a longterm deal. 

ice Follies’ Fat 85G 
In 8 Days, New Haven 

New Haven, Dec. 18. 

Eight-day stand of “Ice Follies” 
at the Arena, which ended Sunday 
(16), pulled the usual hefty busi¬ 
ness, getting approximately $32,000 
through the turnstiles for an esti¬ 
mated heavy $85,000,__ 

“Follies” tour to date has been 
under last season due to the drop 
in receipts in cities where they ap¬ 
peared for the first ^ime. Surpris¬ 
ingly good grosses marked the Chi¬ 
cago stand, with 16,000 capacity at 
virtually every performance. 

On Saturday (15), “Follies” did 
three shows here, the first time 
locally that more than two ice per¬ 
formances were played in one day. 



66 


VAVBGV1UJS 


PXkIET? 


Wednesday^ December 19, 1956 


Mosque’s 500G Year 


; Continued from page 65 ; 


terfly” with a scale of $2 and $4 did 
about $9,000 and needed every 
buck since it bad a heavy nut; it 
'■was also one of the few “sing” at¬ 
tractions that used a Public Ad¬ 
dress setup. 

Longhairs’ Long B.O. 

Vienna Philharmonic, with seats 
at $3.60 and $1'.80, grossed, better 
than $7,000. RoyaP Danish Ballet 
at a $4.80 top toasted itself with 
better than $7,500 at the winddvy. 
And even the Fujiwara Opera 
troupe, from Japan, doing “The 
Mikado,” came away with more 
than $6,000 for"Itsfsolo show. 

This longhair type of attraction 
is a yearly subscription affair rim 
by the Griffith Foundation, en¬ 
dowed by the local music store 
tycoon, and books 20-25 shows per 
season. The perennial favorites 
•and top grossers are the Boston 
and Philadelphia Symphony orches¬ 
tras, which always notch $8,000 or 
better at the wickets. The Piano 
Series, built around such eternal 
favorites as Rubinstein and Horo¬ 
witz, are also good for top takes. 

This year the piano series of 
four concerts had to do with lesser 
luminaries of the ivories and gros¬ 
ses were down a bit. Nevertheless, 
pianist Lympany plus the Little 
Symphony Orchestra, batoned by 
Tom Scherman, attracted a good 
house that shelled out $5,100. 

Other SRO’s in the Griffith 
Foundation series are the Paul 
Gregory legiters of novelty treat¬ 
ment such as “The Court Martial 
Scene from Caine Mutiny” and the 
“Don Juan” reading by Charles 
Laughton, Sir Cecil Hardwick & Co. 
For an even dpca de-plus-two-years 


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SERENA 



WHEN IN BOSTON 

ft's the 

HOTEL AVERY 

Avtry & Washington Sts. 

Every room newly decorated. 
Air conditioned rooms available. 

The Home of Show Folk 


these Griffith longhair attractions 
have been prime favorites of the 
burghers of North Jersey. 

Staple Lures 

Other longterm favorites of the 
local cognoscenti, this time in the 
bop & beat department, are the 
Birdland Show, in fifth year, which 
presents a gleaning of the head¬ 
liners, seen each year at the New 
York nitery of that name and, at 
a $3.75 top grosses between $7,500 
and $8,500. Likewise the Jazz Phil¬ 
harmonic, a Norman Granz produc¬ 
tion, now in its 10th year, will pull 
about $8,000 into , the till. 

As result of the success of these 
standard attractions, the freelance 
promoters come in with about two 
dozen attractions each year. Some 
make money and then pour this 
and more down the drain by repeat¬ 
ing the attraction too soon; others 
never get off the ground because 
they lack the basic savvy required 
to make the gamble payoff. 

“Every show,” says Mosque man¬ 
ager Hanellin, “needs a good at¬ 
traction, a good press, good prbmo- 
tion and lots of good luck. For 
every Royal Danish Ballet that 
does big at the b.o., there are three 
nationality dance groups that never 
cover their expenses. And invari¬ 
ably these groups—even though 
artistically capable—have not won 
their critical accolades, have no 
publicity value, and are aimed at 
a local or regional minority racial 
group.” 

Mosque charges $500 a night for 
weekday bookings and $600 for 
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; 
all deals being for the four walls 
only. 

Even Labor Unions 

Other money-makers for the the¬ 
atre, and steady customers too, are 
a half dozen local labor unions 
which rent the theatre—to Stage a 
big name vaude show—and the Ter¬ 
race Room, downstairs, to give 
their members a dinner and danc¬ 
ing. These are private affairs but 
a solid dollar earner for the the¬ 
atre and also keep the vaude book¬ 
ers in bread & butter. 

Another sleeper in the reVenue- 
earner-corner of the Mosque are 
the dance school shows. These al¬ 
ways pack the house, with parents 
of the students, of course, but 
where one school flourished five 
years ago there are eight such 
rentals this year; and each one is 
guaranteed revenue. 

Other non-theatrical attractions 
using the Mosque are the Newark 
College of Engineering graduation 
ceremonies, the New Jersey State 
Board of Regents for its CPA ex¬ 
aminations—a three day event— 
closed circuit television, auto sales 
meetings for dealers, local new 
product display shows for dealers 
and/or public, and sales and staff 
meetings for a fistful of blue chip 
corporations that want to make a 
personal pitch to their entire or¬ 
ganization. 

Out^f an average of 125 nights 
in the year in which the theatre is 
booked, about 80 will be theatrical 
events and the balance will be in 
the private nonprofit function zone. 

One offbeat bit of theatrical 
booking and the Louis Armstrong 
orch playing the Mosque on Friday 
(14) Night for an indie promoter. 
House is scaled from 90c to $3 and, 
as of the night before the^ show, 
every top-priced ducat was sold 
and a $6,000 sellout was. tli£ fore¬ 
cast. Payoff had the entrepreneur 
tying up with a local wholesale- 
retail butcher to sponsor the show 
and share the basic nut. 

So the three-sheet billing out 
front reads “Tantleef Beef Co., 
Inc., presents Louis Armstrong.” 



Latest ABC-PAR Record a VARIETY BEST BET 

The Music Goes Round and Round 
b/w I'll Be Worthy of You 

CAB CALLOWAY 

Opening December 22 

COTTON CLUB, Miami Beach 

Mgr. BILL MITTLER, 1619 Broadway, New York 


HILARIOUS 


MARGE CAMERON 

* Currently, TOWN CASINO, Buffalo 

Personal Management: BILL FOSTER, 16,$0 Broadway, New York 


Toronto, Dec. 18. 

Charles Stephenson, who toured 
the vaude circuits some years ago 
in an act called Stevens & The 
Primrose Sisters, is seeking the 
whereabouts of his, son, Howard 
Stevens, a pianist, who is either 
working alone or with his wife, 
comedienne Candy Stevens. He's 
being sought in connection with an 
urgent family matter. 

Stephenson is living at 737 Ger- 
rard St. East, Toronto. 


Jack Arthur’s 


CNE Victory; 
U.S. Nantes OK 


—Toronto, Dec. 18. 

Greenlight to sign up up pronto 
a U. S. headliner for next sum¬ 
mer’s night grandstand show has 
been given by the board of direc¬ 
tors of the'Canadian National Ex¬ 
hibition here to Jack Arthur, pro¬ 
ducer for the past five years of the 
24,000-seater grandstand spectacle. 

Arthur is currently in touch \vith 
a score of names for the top -spot 
on boxoffice draw, but refuses any 
comment on their identity. Known 
however, that he is negotiating 
with the likes of Bob Hope and 
Jack Benny, , from the top of his 
list. 

Decision of the CNE directorate 
follows a drop of some $70,000 in 
revenue this fall on . the night 
show, though it was a financial 
click despite two nights of rain. 

On their capitulation to vocifer¬ 
ous minorities that last Septem¬ 
ber’s grandstand show be all-Cana¬ 
dian or British—the show later 
headed by “Mr. Pastry” (William 
Heame), English comedian—the 
businessmen members of the CNE 
directorate have now decided to 
leave engagement of talent and di¬ 
rection- to an acknowledged show¬ 
man and will not interfere. Inter¬ 
rupted policy is to put up the 
money for a production that has 
hitherto shown a heftier profit in 
the past through the headlining of 
a U. S. entertainer, with the direc¬ 
torate dropping this season's policy 
of nationalistic pressure. This 
means that the non-talkative Jack 
Arthur has won a professional vie- 
tory for show biz. 


Judy’s Laryngitis Dips 
Her to 3 Pfs. at Palace 

Judy Garland missed four week¬ 
end performances at _the Palace 
Theatre, N. Y., over Saturday and 
Sunday (15-16), giving her a . total 
of three shows for the week. Gross 
wasn't disclosed. 

Miss Garland has been suffering 
from laryngitis for several weeks 
and hasn’t been able to shake it 
off. It’s hoped that she’ll be able 
to recover during her week’s vaca- 
ton starting today (19). When she 
resumes, on Dec. 26, Smith & Dale 
will replace Pompoff, Thedy & 
Family.. Miss Garland stays until 
Jan. 8, with eight-act vaude grind 
resuming until Feb. 6. Jerry Lewis 
opens Feb. 7 for four weeks. 


Hub Licensing 

—— Continued from page 65 

has been made a consultant, Herter 
explained “she has given many 
years of faithful service, but sojme- 
how there has been a foul-up on 
her retirement and as a result she 
will get a pension of $140 a month 
and that is all.” He said Mayor 
John B. Hynes is perfectly agree¬ 
able to spending the city’s money 
to pay Miss Driscoll a fee in ex¬ 
cess of her pension. 

The Boston Licensing Board is 
responsible for the issuance of 
[.more than 11,000 licenses annually 
in-Boston. Mis's Driscoll was first 
appointed a member of the board 
in 1924 by Gbv. Channing Cox. She 
was the first woman ever named 
to it. Since that time she has been 
reappointed by Democratic and 
Republican governors and has been 
chairman since 1938. 

In the last two years, Miss Dris¬ 
coll waged constant vigilance on 
strippers, exotic dangers, oriental 
dancers, prosties ana gambling in 
Hub night spots. She frequently 
made personal investigations mak¬ 
ing the rounds of clubs to see for 
herself at first hand type of en¬ 
tertainment being offered, . 


Sands' Gargantuan Giveaway 


Continued from paw 64 


occasion was as 5 sock a show as one 
could expect to find, or hope to 
find, anywhere. It was a two-hour 
affair, prefaced by the Jerry Lewis 
starrer that opened hero a fort¬ 
night or so ago. All of the sup¬ 
porting acts turned in ebullient 
performances; the Copa Girls fol¬ 
lowed their usual sensuous course 
charted by choreographers Bob Gil¬ 
bert and Renee Stewart, while 
vocally steered by the robust voice 
of Chuck Nelson; the Bob DeVoye 
Trio exhibiting loads of class in 
their slickly designed adagio terps; 
and Judy Scott, although mugging 
rather excessively, scoring good re¬ 
sponse with her lusty trillings. 

Jerry Lewis Makes Good 

The most significant aspect to 
the whole show was Jerry Lewis 
himself. Since opening night'(29), 
when he failed to solidly establish 
himself as a single, Lewis showed 
up before this crowd as a mature 
performer who will have no trou¬ 
ble scoring on his projected lone- 
wolf tour. He has notably tem¬ 
pered the panze touches, while gen¬ 
erally tightening up his sequences 
to form a swift continuity of funny 
biz. Sinatra, although in husky 
voice, commanded the usual re¬ 
sponse as he pyramided his w.k. 
repertoire of late-hour vocal philos¬ 
ophy into 15 minutes of lush enter¬ 
tainment. In short, Sinatra—who 
owns a bit of the Sands—sang for 
his supper. 

The unparalleled (even in Ve¬ 
gas) sight of three headliners on 
one bill was rounded out by Danny 
Thomas, who, by virtue of the fact 
that he opened the Sands and has 
played the anniversary shows since, 
has earned himself the dub of 
“Papa of the Sands,” The Thomas- 
isms were never sharper honed thah 
they were during the Saturday 
ayem toast to the posh bistro. 
Thomas kibitzed, clowned and told 
stories that ignited roof-shaking 
yocks. The capper to (Jie whole 
shindig {the midnight blacktie pod¬ 
dy, that is) was the penultimate 
show of Thomas, Sinatra and Lew¬ 
is lined up on stage, trading snap¬ 
pers and cutting a huge cake 
moulded to* form a star. This 
evoked from Lewis, “They prom¬ 
ised us a six-pointed star, but that 
Italian had to show up and ruin 
it all.” 

The celebration developed a 
hitch, however, that caused disap¬ 
pointment to some 1,200 persons 
who lined up at the entrance to 
the Copa Room expecting to catch 
a repeat performance of Thomas, 
Sinatra & Lewis. A “late, late” 
show, toplining the trio, had been 
advertised’ in the newspapers. This 
finale had been scheduled for the 
uninvited public, and was a key 
reason that saw a veritable flood¬ 
gate of humanity spring open to 
inundate the resort. But, for that 
last show (which finally got under¬ 
way about 4 a.m. Saturday) neither 
Sinatra nor Thomas showed up on¬ 
stage. 

Sinatra’s Larynx 

Sinatra, it was reported, was 
foced to retire because of laryn¬ 
gitis, and he sat-the late one out 
at the bar, while Thomas failed to 
appear altogether because, it was 
explained by Entratter, “two com¬ 
edy acts without a singer in be¬ 
tween is a tough spot and not good 
showmanship,” However, Saturday 
night the show went on, apparently 
to appease the much ired public 
(and to keep the hoopla churned 
up) with the marquee co-lining 
Thomas and Lewis. 

The Sands event literally drained 
the other spas dotting the Las 
Vegas Strip of any potential Fri¬ 
day night customers. A Christmas 
benefit (starring most of the town’s 
acts) at the New Frontier was 
played to an audience of white 
tablecloths because everyone fol¬ 
lowed the crowd to the Sands. 

Who WASN'T There 

Leading the celebs into the 
Sands was a rather impressive list 


of Hollywood who’s whos, includ¬ 
ing Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, 
Jayne Mansfield, Esther Williams 
& Ben Gage, Loretta Young, Ray 
Anthony &. Mamie Van Doren, 
Jack Lemmon, Peter Lorre, Mar¬ 
lene Dietrich and Kim Novak. La 
Dietrich’s visit to town followed 
on the heels of a letter from 
AGVA to the Tropicana Hotel that 
advised the recently completed 
multi-million-dollar - resort that if 
it didn’t execute its contract with 
Miss Dietrich by Dec. 27, the ho¬ 
tel’s owners would fall heir to a 
$75,000 lien. The contract, inked 
several months ago by Monte Pro- 
ser, pages Miss Dietrich to a three- 
week engagement at $25,000 per 
starting Dec. 20. A clause in the 
pact gave the hotel a latitude of 
seven days 'Cither way, but there 
was no clause voiding the contract 
should the hotel fail to open be¬ 
tween Dec, 13 and Dec. 27. How 
eve.', it was learned that George 
Wood of William Morris Agency, 
who also was named on the guest 
list, is negotiating with the Sahara 
that would give the hotel Mis* 
Deitrich’s services for three years. 
The Tropicana holds a two-year 
contract with the actress, and now 
has been given the opportunity of 
releasing Miss Deitrich in return 
for a release of the pending lien. 

Lost: Mink Jacket 
Also joining the gang that cer¬ 
tainly was all there, were Harry 
Cohn, Columbia, the Nate Blum- 
bergs, the Abe Lastfogels, Irving 
Lazar, Michael Curtiz, Charles (not 
King) Vidor, Marvin Schenck, Jo- 
nie Tapps, Charles Wqjntraub, 
Jimmy McHugh, Jimmy Van Hue- 
sen, and the Freddie Finklehoffs. 
The latter, incidentally, were the 
only ones to show up (among the 
VIPs) sans formal dinner dress— 
the mink and dinner jacket was 
lost enroute from Gotham. 



Conducting the Holiday 
Show 


WILL OSBORNE 

at tha fabulous 

HARRAH’S CLUB 

Lake Tahoe, Nev. 

Mgt.: MILTON DEUTSCH 


MOSS ,Tomo 5 o photos 

FOR ELVIS PRESLEY 

PHOTOS e» low as 1c tech 
Writ* for samples, prices. 

MOSS PHOTO SERVICE 

350 W. 50th 8t„ N.Y. 19, N.Y 
PLAZA 7-3520 

Since 35, Serving America's Stars 


WAND HALL 

and LEONARDO 

Ventriloquist, Juggling, Knife Throwing 
Held Over 

SHOBAR SUPPER CLUB 
Orlando, Fla. 




RAJAH RABOID 

Entertaining in Japan 

JANUARY 16TH 
7745 NOREMAC AVE. 

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. 











Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


tsSSStefr 


VAUDEVILLE 


Budapest Circus Nixes Iberian Bids; Teipo ’ s 3 ®!i l> ™ fit , 

State Fair of Texas, in its 

Many Ads Left Hostages in Hungary i'SCsHSO 


Lisbon, Dec. 18. * 

Circus impresarios Covoes of 
Lisbon, Carcelle of Madrid and Fei- 
joo of Barcelona have made a firm 
bid to the components of the Buda¬ 
pest Circus (120 in personnel)' for 
a sixmonth stay in the Peninsula 
Iberica but, as a complete entity, 
they have been refused. While 
6 ome of the acts are not willing 
to return to Hungary in the present 
circumstances, others who have 
their families there want to go 
back at all costs. 

The Budapest Circus obtained a 
special permission from the Span¬ 
ish government for a limited stay 
in Barcelona prior to a Christ¬ 
mas engagement^ Brussels. It was 
during the stay of the circus in 
Barcelona that Covoes, Feijoo and 
Carcelle saw the general manager 
Koslegi Karoly, to offer the troupe 
“professional asylum” in Spain and 
Portugal under special permission, 
since the two countries have no 
diplomatic relations with Hungary. 
Some of the artists agreed, but it 
is evident that the financial value 
of the troupe lies in the fact that 
it is the circus from Budapest and 
not in the individual artists, as 
good as they are. Hence the deal 
fell through. 

The company will appear in Bel¬ 
gian city and then, circumstances 
permitting, some of the artists will 
go back and others will find en¬ 
gagements in this side of the cur¬ 
tain’s arenas.- Causing much com¬ 
ment, and perhaps the-best anti¬ 
communist propaganda in the cir¬ 
cus milieu is the fact that, contrary 
to a long established tradition, the 
circus acts from Budapest didn’t 
travel as family entities but, ap¬ 
parently on purpose and for ob¬ 
vious reasons, these families were 
split with only the components or 
elements of an act being sent 
abroad. In this way every per¬ 
former left some hostages in Hun¬ 
gary. 


Ottawa’s Deep-Freeze 
As Winter Takes Over 

Ottawa, Dec. 18. 

Ottawa is in its annual nitery 
doldrums now, with, the winter 
shuttering of the Chaudiere Club’s 
Hose Room tonight (Tues.). The 
Gatineau Club closed for the cold 
season a week ago. 

Chaudiere’s closer fare, held for 
a Sunday (16) benefit for the Hull 
Humane Society, had the Rover 
Boys (4), Hal. Haig and the Doro¬ 
thy Kramer’Dancers (5), with the 
Harry Pozy orch ( 8 ). 

Still operating with°weekly show 
switches is the Fairmount Club, 
currently billing Bob Ruby, Nor¬ 
man Lane, Valerie Star and Johnny 
Brown and Gerry Burgess band. 
The intimate Circus Lounge of the 
Ottawa House hotel is holding over 
Lurlean Hunter and Karl du Ples- 
sis with Champ Champagne’s trio. 

BUSIEST AUDITORIUM 

San Antonio 52-Event Month 
Tops For Nation 

San Antonio, Dec. 18. 

San Antonio's' Municipal Audito¬ 
rium was the busiest city audito¬ 
rium in the nation during Novem¬ 
ber. 

A report received from the In¬ 
ternational Association of Audi¬ 
torium Managers showed that 52 
events in the local auditorium out¬ 
numbered the 40 hosted by the 
runner-up, the Detroit auditorium. 

But despite all this activity Sol 
Wolf, manager, reported audito¬ 
rium revenues for that month were 
down from those of November, 
1955. Rental fees the past month 
totaled $4,249 against $4,745 a year 
ago while concession revenues 
were $3,999 as compared with 
$5,014 for November, 1955, accord- I 
ing to Wolf. ^ | 


Dallas, Dec. 18. 

State Fair of Texas, in its an¬ 
nual 16-day run, Oct. 6-21, showed 
an estimated $363,000 profit from 
its record-breaking attendance of 
2,672,253. Exact expo earnings 
won’t be known until the close of 
the fiscal year on Dec. 31. 

General admission, for years at 
60c each, was upped to 75c. for the 
1956 run, but attendance was well 
above last year’s 2,611,271. 

Pix Off, Cafes Up 
In U.S. Tax Pot; 
lst-Qtr. Total Dqis 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

Admissions tax collections for 
the first quarter of the Federal 
fiscal year (July 1-Sept; 30) were 
slightly below those for the same 
three months o£1955, although most 
other excises were on the upbeat. 

Internal Revenue Service dis¬ 
closes that the 10 % admission tax 
(now limited to tickets costing more 
than 90c) yielded only $26,451,000, 
compared with $26,889,000 for the 
same quarter of previous fiscal 
year. Motion pictures, formerly the 
biggest contributor to the admis¬ 
sion tax, has become a relatively 
minor factor since most flickers 
keep prices at 90c or under. 

The 20% bite on nitery tabs 
brought in $10,394,000 during the 
quarter, a gain over the $10,330,000 
for the previous year. Increases 
showed also for the license fees on 
bowling alleys, pool tables, coin 
operated amusement devices and 
slot machines. 

The biggest decline for the three 
months showed up in the manufac¬ 
turers’ excise on radio and tv sets, 
phonographs and parts. The yield 
was $26,602,000, almost $7,000,000 
behind the figure fpr the same 
three months of 1955. No explana¬ 
tion Was given for, this sharp dive. 
Contrastingly, there were gains in 
the manufacturers’ excise tax yield 
from the sale of phonograph rec¬ 
ords and musical instruments. 


Tiff May Snag Phillips’ N. Y. G-String 
As AGVA Raps BAAs 1-Man Rule 


Vaude, Cafe Dates 


New York 


4- War between two affiliates of the 
Associated Actors and Artistes of 
America may hit the preem of the 
first burlesque show in New York 
- for many years, slated for the Co¬ 
lumbia Theatre downtown, Dec. 
26. Difficulties between the Bur- 


Abbey Lincoln making her N.Y. lesque Artists Assn, and the Amer- 
bow at Village Vanguard tomorrow lean Guild of Variety Artists is 
(Thurs.) . . . Golden Gate Quartet threatening to boil over into a 
will play their first N.Y. ^ate in hassle that might make it difficult 
some years at the Apollo, Dec. 26. f or the house to open. 


Singers, recently returned from a 


AGVA has declared that it will 


l 0ne r^ h n CUrr |«Tric2 not permit any «£ its members to 

kay pbys ? weeklt the Ambassa- mnr h ° US h °? era t or 

dor Athletic Club, Salt Lake City, ph i Ilips> /ho is also 

Jan. 14 . . . Betty & Jane Kean, fol- executive secretary of BAA, signs 
lowing their current session at the a agreement with 

Latin Quarter here, move to the AGVA. AGVA national adminis- 
Morite Carlo, Miami Beach, to- trator Jackie Bright has accused 
morrow (Thurs.) . . . Evelyn Knight the BAA of being a One-man or- 
into the Radisson, Minneapolis, ganization with no officers and, 
March 14. according to the per-capita tax paid 

- into the 4A’s, lacking in sufficient 

, membership to cover the field. 

Hollywood Bright also says that Phillips, in 

Ella Fitzgerald opened at Zardi’s “ s . du f al capaeity would be in po 
Jazzland yesterday (18) . . . Joe m8 K e an agre ®! 

Cozo, blind accordionist at the . Wlt ^ himself. However, if 

Plymouth House, holds over eight Phillips must call upon AGVA tal- 
weeks . . . Georgia Gibbs, Jack ent, Bright insists upon a deal with 
Carter and the Maxwells open in his union, with bond to be posted 
the Venus Room of the New Fron- and welfare payments made, 
tier Hotel, Las Vegas, Dec. 17 for Bright’s pronunciamento is a 
one week . . . The Ben Blue troupe result of a running tiff between 
entertained for the Oakland Trib- both unions. Some time ago, Phil- 
une Monday (17.) at the Civic Audi- ii ps preferred charges with the 
torium. 4A’s against AGVA, claiming inva- 

sion of his jurisdiction. A hearing 
was rece ntly begun in the parent 
Ulicago union’s council with AGVA intro- 


Chicago 


Robert Clary goes into the ducing a motion for an investiga- 


Black Orchid here Feb. 14-21 . 


tion into BAA to see if there was 


Helen Traubel into the Palmer any “organization” behind Phil- 
House here Dec. 27-Jan. 23 . . . lips. 

Maxie Rosenbloom opens in the --. 

Flamingo Lounge, Chi, Dec. 27 for 

two weeks . Pat Moran booked Texas Drive-In Sets 

for eight days at the Peacock _ _ . 

Alley, St. Louis, Jan. 11 . . . Lur- -Vaud.e bhOW Series 

lean Hunter, opening at Black Or- Hmutnn tw ift 

chid, Chi, Dec. 27 for three weeks, - t - 

will dnuhlp at auto chow in Chi- J ac k Haver is setting a senes of 
cago Amphitheatre 1 Jan. 4-13 .. . X, au de shows at his Epsom Drive-In 
Signed to Chez Paree, Chi, for ™heatre here. ... 

Jan. 16-29 are Roberta Sherwood, He has plans for an “amateur 
Myron Cohen, The Escorts . . . night” staged every Monday, min- 
Three Suns into Chase Hotel, St. strel shows and girl shows planned 


Louis, Dec. 24 for four weeks. 


I for the spring. 


THE 


DUNHILLS 


ART STANLEY and BOB ROBERTS 
—take pride in introducing their 

new partner WALTER LONG 


Currently Appearing 1 ■■ 

with MILTON BERLE 

Ben Maksik's 

TOWN and COUNTRY CLUB, N.Y. 

January 17th (2 weeks ) 

EDEN ROC, Miami Beach 

February 20th (4 weeks 1 

EL RANCHO, Las Vegas 


Exclusive Management: 

JACK LENNY, Lenny-Debin, Inc., 

119 West 57th Street/ New York City 


JUdson 2-0270 
















68 IVICHT ClUJB ttKVIBWS 


P^RiE’hr 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


nil Clii’a* Palm Springs 

• ‘ Palm Springs, >Dec. 11. 
Hildegarde (2)Buddy Lester, 
Migal Twins, Bill Alexander Orch 
(7)*. 


Hildegarde' In her first appear¬ 
ance in the Village had a ball in. 
the new Chi Chi and. looked as if 
she had stepped out of a solid gold' 
Cadillac with costume and long 
gloves to matchr * 

House was split by two baiiquets 
early in the evening. The Shriners 
nearly filled their half ; and the 
Dfemos celebrating a victory din¬ 
ner for Judge D. S. Saund, the 
native of India Who beat Jackie 
Cochran Odlum for Congress, were • 
packed like subway. • peasants in 
their section of the house. Folding 
curtain .separated the groups till 
show time,' when the Demos joined 
the Shriners, a mighty easy way to 
join the Masonic playboys. 

Nitery still lacks rugs on the 
floor but elsewhere delighted. the 
eyes of audience, which ran over 
500. The. “Incomparable” is in for 
eight days- and on the night caught 
gave a .long and ingratiating, show,, 
finishing on a medley of old d avor- 
ites including “April In Paris," the 
last time she saw the French cap¬ 
ital, and the darling she loves, 
.beaucoup.. . She also resurrected 
“Wunder Bar" , to show she could 
..sing German ,as well as French, 
though in,the latter case she 1 pro¬ 
nounces Paris in Milwaukee 
French which makes it come out 
“Pair.TJs.” 

She went off her normal course 
to sing “Little Bit Of Luck”, from 
“My Fair Lady” and' the result 
could hardly be said to represent 
competition for the Broadway hit. 
Still, she is a superb gal when it 
comes to showmanship and the 
Shriners doffed their fezzes to her 
and the Demos gave her a heart¬ 
warming hand. Martin Freed, who 
used to accompany A1 Jolson and 
before that Helen Morgan, han¬ 
dled the orch during her numbers. 

Buddy Lester, an old favorite 
around Chi Chi’s, was spruced up 
too by the huge crowd.. His hat 
tricks got funny because he 
showed they were getting a bore 
to him too. His African trek, in-^ 
terlarded with imitations, warmed 
up the crowd for his finale; the 
comet comedy bit~ in which a 
member of Bill Alexander’s 'band 
seems to top him till Lester goes 
all-out for a smash finish. 

The Migal Twins, billed as ^“tel¬ 
evision’s great young dancers,” 
turn out to be chiefly acrobats 
in dinner clothes. Okay for an 
opening act. 

Hildegarde is in at $3,000 a 
week, and though the cover may 
have handled the pro rata bill for 
this night, it looks as if the valiant 
Irwin Schuman is trying still to be 
headman among those reporting 
capital losses. Next week Helen 
Traubel, and that one too costs 
money. Scul 


FontaineBifleau, US. B’cBi 

Miami Beach, Dec. 15. 
Betty Garrett & Larry Parks, 
Gene Allen, Page & Bray, Murray 
Schlamm, Sacasas Orch; ^tbO^ 
minimum (food and beverage).. 


Pre-holiday package, in for nine 
days to allow shift from Tuesday to 
stronger-patron-pull Thursday 
nights during season, is an in-and- 
out affair with heaviest mitt-spark- 
ers the teeoffers. Page Bray, 
holdovers. 

Topliners Betty Garrett & Larry 
Parks are new faces to cafegoers in 
this area, and, on this first outing 
in the La Ronde, add up as a pleas¬ 
ant, .handsome couple who set a 
chatty air to the book of duetings 
and brief terps contained in their 
stint. 

The routining provides full play 
on the Warmer aspects of their hus¬ 
band-wife relationship in bits lead¬ 
ing to the duetings which comprise 
the ipajor portion of their act; a 
wise staging which concentrates on 
upbeat harmonics to cover the lim¬ 
ited vocal range. On the har¬ 
mony, trie duo apply know-how to 
the delivery adroitly covering 
range limitations with showmanly 
display on a Vincent Youmans 
medley, vaude-type boy-girl con¬ 
cept and arrangement on “Lazy 
River" that winds from deliberate 
tempo to driving beat for the mitt- 
grabber. Workin of a soft-shoe 
(well handled) and segment on 
chairs add terp changes of price 
smoothly and effectively. Finale is 
workover of “Anything You Can 
Do, I Can Do Better/’ for warm 
bowoff. 

Page & Bray again mark up the 
show-stop notches in the initialer 
slot. They’re a lithe, coordinated 
team who spur the table-pounding 
with one-hand overhead balancing, 
whirlwind spins and bodyhplds that 
bring them into ‘the sock team 
bracket. 

Gene Allen, handed another try 
at La Ronde audiences, comes 
back, with the same weak material 
that leaves the tablers unmoved 
until he hits his “little boy’s” bed¬ 


time story routine—a’ la vintage ra¬ 
dio’s Tommy Riggs. - Winds With 
a spoof on male fashion show mod$ 
els, a> bit .which,Jias possibilities, 
once it’s paced, and.punched; up; as 
is, he needs a stronger set of 
early lines. Sacasas and his crew 
showback ably, with Murray 
.Schlamm handling the m.c. assign¬ 
ment in g ood s tyle._• Lary. 


Statler-Hilton, Dallas 

Dallas, Dec. 14. 

Fran Warren, ' Bob Cross• Orch 
(12); $2-$2.50 Cover. ■ *'• ’ 

lt!s reunion time again for Fran 
Warren. Songstress was a fave 
Here in -Danny Kaye’s revue dur¬ 
ing the 1952 holiday season at State 
Fair Aud during Cotton Bowl. 
Week. She gained more supporters 
at the same spot in “Pajama Game” 
during the 1955 Texas State Fair. 
Now, recently out of the “Pajama” 
lead in New York, she’s spending 
Christmas here again with a two* 
'frame nitery date. 

.. Miss ^Warren whetted both eye: 
and ear appeal at her Thursday (13) 
opening, making heavy use'of .old¬ 
ies and evergreens in a Versatile 
30-minute vocal display. “Back in 
Your Own Back. Yard” and “Mak¬ 
ing'Whoopee” are followed by her 
bread & butter tune, “Sunday. 
Kind of Love.” Medley of four 
w.k. ' standards are pertly piped 
ahead of. a fine voicing of “Hey, 
There,” almost a trademark tune 
for her. Well-Stacked looker In¬ 
cludes the verse in a nostalgic, 
room-quieting “Lover, Where Can 
You Be?’’ and then romps with, 
a handmike, belting “Just One of 
Those Things” while strolling the 
stage. Sock clincher is “Slaughter 
on 10th Avenue,” in., which Miss. 
Warren unveils special -lyrics by 
Don George. The Richard Rodg-. 
ers tune is a show-stopper, and a 
begoff for her. 

-Bob Cross orch gives top show¬ 
backing, especially for “Slaughter.” 
Maestro, on cello, has his longhair 
string quintet playing seasonal mu¬ 
sic for early tablers. Show finales. 
Dec. 26, with Henny Youngman and 
Chiquita & Johnson due Dec. 27 
for two frames. Bark. 


Aiiiato’s, Portland, Ore. 

Portland Ore., Dec. 11. 
Shecky Greene, The Boginos (5): 
Coup de-Villes (5), Herman Jobel- 
man Orch (6), Kokalani & Buddy 
Fo; no minimum, $1.50 cover. 


The unpredictable Shecky 
Greene is back at this plush nitery 
after an absence of one year and 
everyone is happy as result. The 
bigleaguer invaded the Pacific 
Northwest-for the first time last 
year, and after opening nite here 
looms to draw big for the next 14 
davs despite the usual pre-holiday 
lull. 

This stocky comic is strictly ma¬ 
jor all the way. For over 30 min¬ 
utes he slams out fresh, dynamic 
material in a style all his own. His 
timing and. delivery are terrific 
and he makes the best of every¬ 
thing in his stint. He can take 
off on a tangent, if need be, and 
get back to where he was. He has 
ap, outstanding sense for audience 
situations and works everyone to 
the hilt, delivers gags and stories 
in many dialects, demonstrates a 
neat set of pipes, and has a mil¬ 
lion gimmicks. 

The youngster has the customers 
in his palm from the time he en¬ 
ters the elevated stage until he 
graciously begs off with plenty of. 
palm-whacking still ringing 30^ 
minutes later. He works in a con-' 
fident, well disciplined manner 
that gets bellylaughs all the way, 
and his pitch is extremely glean 
whens necessary, aS was the case 
opening night. A big table of teen¬ 
agers loved him. Tablers get big 
yocksfout of his audifehce partici¬ 
pation. In short, a great comic 
loaded with entertainment. _ 

The breathtaking Bo&inos (5) are 
in the deuce spot and prove to be 
a tough aet to follow. Three guys 
and two gals, holdovers from last 
week, please with lightning risley 
stuff. They gamer solid niitting 
for their foot juggling. Boginos 
sell big and grab gasps from ring- 
siders with their twisting, spinning 
antics. Comedy bit is inserted 
when customers are brought up 
for free ride and get feel of foot¬ 
work. 

The Coup de Villes are winners 
of a “Mr. Talent” contest. Five Ne¬ 
gro youngsters give out with some 
fine harmonizing, with good pipes 
individually. Knock out four pop 
tunes for good returns. Kokolani 
& Buddy Fo work their guitar, 
piano and tune stuff in the lounge. 
Herman Jobelman and his house 
crew play a fine show and get the 
dancers on the floor throughout the 
evening. Layout closes Dec. 24. 

Feve. 


Y©r&alltes>m Y. 

Dick 'Haymes, Cy Coleman Trio, 
Salvatore Gioer Orch, Panchilo 
Orch ; $5 minimum. 

Dick. Haymes is- a paradox. He 
has the basic elements for a clicko 
cafe turn, but- he dissipates all'the 
plusses with an unimaginative and 
-sometime lackadaisical approach. 

The voice is there and so is-the 
looks, both strong magnets, but he 
fails tq take, advantage of the at¬ 
tributes’, He comes oh like a band 
singer who’s ' had too many one- 
nigh ters under his belt. The de¬ 
livery is ' mechanical* and unin¬ 
spired, making 40 minutes seem 
like a long, long time. ’ 

This is no difficult obstacle for 
Haymes to hurdle. All that’s need¬ 
ed is a bit. more spark and enthu¬ 
siasm to insure a crowd wrap-up. 
The aud is with him, especially 
when he does such identify ers as 
“It, Might As Well Be Spring” of 
“Little White Lies” and he could 
get ’em.all the way if he just, 
showed them that he cared. 

As it stands now, his close to a 
dozqn r tune -songalog lacks the- ex¬ 
citement necessary to carry-a cafe 
crconer over the top, 

Haymes gets a standout musical 
assist. from Cy Coleman’s group, 
doubling, from ' Coleman’s own 
Playroom. hangout on West 58th 
£t.* Salvatore Gioe’s orch comes 
in for a special assist when a rich 
musical backing is in order. 

Gioe also keeps the terpers hap¬ 
py and the mambo. bugs get a 
chance to get in' their licks when 
Panchito takes over. Gros. 


Ellen Roc, Miami Beaeh 

Miami Beach, Dec. 16. 
Celeste. Holm, Rickie Layne & 
Velvel, Mambo Aces (2), Henry 
Tobias, Mai Malkin Orch; $4.50-$6 
minimum (food and leverage). 


Celeste Holm, who was one of 
the group of smart femme acts- 
which played, the Balmoral Hotel 
here several seasons back, to down- 
beat results stemming from awk¬ 
ward setup of the room, came back 
for another try. This time she’s in 
the plush Cafe Pompeii, a much 
more suitable showcase for her 
suavely handled special material. 
Results: biz and aud impact augurs 
return date in the futures book of 
the Eden Roc. 

Miss Holm’s act is a specially 
tailored affair, bespeaking careful 
attention to cleffings and lyrics 
that allow full play* her predilec¬ 
tions for tongue-in-cheek spoof¬ 
ings, viz: the difficulties of chang¬ 
ing a man’s ways once he takes the 
Lohengrin bait; woes of a Parisi- 
enne who takes up with a stateside 
tv addict; medley of comedy bits 
on saloon torchaiiters. Chanee-of- 
pace dept, is ditto on the aud-click 
meter, the straight chansons adept¬ 
ly phrased and sold and, on the 
off-trail side, “When I’m a Stow¬ 
away” typifying adroit handling 
for the big sell. Summary: heavy 
palm payoff. 

Rickie Layne with his garment- 
centre-accented carp enter-product, 
Velvel in the precede, work up a 
good measure of laughs, with play 
on proper use of names and word- 
age. Strongest laugh N provoker is 
the workover of tablers when 
laughs come too slowly; at times 
the pace is too deliberate, but over¬ 
all the stint averages out a pleas¬ 
ant session with enough aud reac¬ 
tion to . prime a good load of lock 
returns. 

Mambo Aces, held for a second 
week, kick up a hip-swiqg storm 
with their versions of Latin beats 
in all shakes, shapes and tempos, to 
provide refreshing departure from 
standard ballroomology teams. 
Henry Tobias, the ASCAPer, is 
back for his second season as show 
conferencier and applies smooth 
intros to tie things together. Mai 
Malkin, with each show, mark up 
kudos for apt show and dance 
music. 

Show closes Thursday (20) to 
make way for Harry Belafonte, 
who starts two-week runs for name 
lineups. Lary. 


El Chico, W. Y. 

Rosita Rios, Ciro Rimac Trio, 
Mercedes & Albano, Danny Verzos 
Quartet; $4 minimum. 


Booking of Ciro Rimac into El 
Chico is probably a record-setter 
in delayed return engagements. 
The dancer previously played the 
spot about 29 years ago. Appear¬ 
ing with him on the current stand 
are two young femme partners, 
who obviously weren't handy oh 
his last outing. Present at that 
time, though, was Benito Collada, 
owner of the operation since its 
inception 31 years ago. 

Rimac’s reunion with Collada 
and El Chico is a pleasant one. 
The booking, however, is slightly 
Offbeat in that it’s grooved along 
more popular lines than the usual 
traditional Spanish entertainment 
offered. It's not likely that the 
steady clientele built up through 
the years will object to the fancy 


stepping: dished ’Out* by Rimac arid 
the distaffers. - * > 

Terps offered by* the trio‘take 
in* the merengue, samba and cha- 
cha > while Rimac hits top stride 
with his ■ expert tangoing. •: Some 
singing* is also thrown. in; but it’s 
the-dancing that counts. -Also in 
the show, tagged “Fiesta. In Rio,” 
are Mexcedes & . Albano,-.who take, 
carp of the • flamenco footwork. 
Their heel-and-toe maneuvering is 
good. ^ 

Lively .musicalizing is proyided 
by . the Danny .Varzos Quartet, 
while Rosita Rios, Collada’s wife, 
continues to emcee in a personable 
manner. < .Jess, 


Eddys% Jtt. C, 

, Kansas City, Dec. 14. 
Connee Boswell, George Hop¬ 
kins, Tony DiPardo Orch (8); $1- 
$1.50 cover. 


Holiday session is a nine-day 
stretch for this bill, as Eddy s’ 
closes for a few days at Christmas 
time. For the short session) the 
club has a show with a punch in 
the sprightly young comedian, 
George Hopkins, and indefatigable 
songstress, Connee Boswell. Open¬ 
ing show was overboard at 65 min¬ 
utes, but... sure to settle down 
around '50 Which shotild give it a 
real lift as a pre-holiday treat. 
Both turns in the room fbr the first 
time, and acquitting themselves 
first rate. 

Hopkins lad shows a good deal 
of versatility in ’ telling a story 
okay, singing with more than or¬ 
dinary talent and carrying off im¬ 
pressions with good comedy touch. 
He makes the opening pace strong, 
lets it lag in some by-play with the 
customers, and picks )t up for a 
strong finish. He loses little time 
in getting into long list of impres¬ 
sions, of song interpretations via 
Cole Porter, Gilbert & • Sullivan, 
Bill Haley and others, has some; 
choice laughs in a bit about Tarzan 
and the chimp, and follows with 
vocal impressions. This builds 
through Varighn Monroe and Elvis 
Presley to a combo of Billy Daniels 
and Walter Brennan, high point of 
the turn,' and roundly applauded. 
Closer leads to a session of whack¬ 
ing . out some hot licks on the 
drums and tossing out the last 
laughs, also well received. 

Connee Boswell puts punch into 
her turn, reeling off nine numbers 
in fine style and building to a solid 
close. She opens brightly with 
! “Let a Sfnile BJJ Your Umbrella,” 
and' changes pace with a mambo 
version of “This Can’t Be Love,” 
from her just released Decca al¬ 
bum. There’s “Ooh, That Kiss” and 
“Begin the Beguine” on the peppy 
side, “True Love” and “La Vie En 
Rose” in full ballad arrangements, 
“Que Serra, Serra” for audience 
participation, “Some of These 
Days” in Sophie Tucker fashion,, 
and a rousing finish with “When 
the Saints Go Marching In.” There 
was an extra moment of interest 
in this one as she was gifted with 
a cake for her 21st wedding anni¬ 
versary during the turn. 

Eddys’ closes ' temporarily after 
the Dec. 22 show, and reopens with 
a new bill on Dec. 26. Quin. 


Bliitstrub’s, Boston 

Boston, Dec. 13. 

Jones Boys (4), Lola Dobritch, 
Duquaines (2), M&rkeys (3), Moro- 
Landis Line (10), Stewart Rose, 
$2.50 minimum. 


Xmas parties and the Jones Boys 
are packing ’em in for boniface 
Stanley Blinstrub this holiday sea¬ 
son. The four youngsters are re¬ 
peating after winning in an early 
engagement here in September. 
The well-rounded layout gives with 
everything from spirituals to rock 
’n’ roll, #nd on night caught (13) 
they were hot with the customers, 
nabbing three returns. The four 
are Wayrie Hoff, Rex Dennis, Nor¬ 
man Dial, Fred Smith. 

Moro-Landls line of lovelies are 
slick in dance routines dressed as 
Santa, backed by holiday music 
and vocals by Stewart Rose and 
singing waitresses. Second turn is 
an oriental motif terp. Lola Dob- 
ritch thrills the aud with toe 
dances on the high tight wire, 
rides a bike, no-hands, back and 
forth for big returris and clinches 
riding high unicycle on the wire 
for heavy mitting, 

Duquaines, slick dance act, exe¬ 
cute some fancy ballroom turns 
and segue into blues bit for torrid 
boogie number and then go into 
series of spins and twirls for solid 
returns. Merkeys,. three zany con¬ 
tortionists on parallel bars, strut 
around stage in weird positions for 
boffola laughs, swing from the 
bars like monkeys, and wrap up 
with a triple swinging routine 
which gets them off to a smash 
score. Mike Gaylord cuts the show 
in slick fashion; Lou Weir is pleas¬ 
ing in the organ interludes. Jones 
Boys end Sunday (16). Balance of 
show holds through Dec.’ 23. Hi- 
lites opened Monday (17). Guy. 


" Plaza Hotels IV. Y. 

Annie Cordy (with Roland Gran- 
ier), Ted Straeter Ofch, Mark 
Monte’s Continentals; $3 cover 
opening night. r 

the French are the first with the 
skirt and ^Annie Cordy is gonna be 
alright as a Earis-to-TJ. S. entry. 
Nothing as authoritative as killing 
'em 1 ht debut and then maybe wind¬ 
ing up on the Duluth time. No not 
that; Miss Cordy didn’t slay ’em 
in the Persian Room but she’s a 
•femme who can build. That meas¬ 
ures a better potential in the ulti¬ 
mate' payoffs. 

•A Parisian by way of Brussels, 
when,sheds-French she-is not very 
French; meaning not too overboard 
on the Gallic’ groovings; but when 
she is Anglaise she is fairly torrid. 
No glamour puss, none of that 
come-hither about her, she has a 
sufficient comeliness on the floor. 
She doesn’t need the glam face or 
style, since she plies the laff route 
more than the thrush stuff. ' The 
pipes are serviceable, though per¬ 
haps belying her reputed status as 
a vocal stylist abroad. 

Miss Cordy also has an okay sex- 
terior which she doesn’t further- 
exploit; nor does she have the need 
for that accent, as per her comedic 
flair. Still, there must be some 
curves somewhere, but Miss Cordy 
isn’t pressing the point and that 
rose-colored gown, in good taste 
but perhaps excessive in the yard¬ 
age, would hide those possible 
assets. She does a little lifting near 
the outset, just as a bit of a teaser, 
that’s all. 

A lot of the Frenchified stuff, 
mccoy or mchooey, seems overdone 
by many another. Miss Cordy re¬ 
flected this by awareness in 
satiric vein of what a key Ameri¬ 
can branch-town of the U. S.—New 
York, tlyft is—seems to expect 
from the usually safe-and-Seine 
imports. Apparently she wouldn’t 
be razzled-dazzled into an overload 
of conscious-Gallic, figuring that 
she should stand or fall on her 
comedy. 

She’s an above-par raiser of the 
risibilities, better and even superi¬ 
or in characterizations and impres¬ 
sions than when fronting the more 
conventional forms of eomedic at¬ 
tacks. In fact, her extra-extended 
one-woman sketch, yclept “Impre¬ 
sario,” is a wallop in its deft acting 
that, is mated to■ versatility and 
range in application to a mixture 
of girls-girls-girls with its striking 
series of “auditions” for a talent 
agent. It comes at the finale and is 
obviously her chef-doeuvre that 
she whips into a large winner be¬ 
cause of the undoubted affinity be¬ 
tween percenters regardless of 
language. Thus the barrier, if any 
existed, is not only hurdled but a 
matter of huzzahs for the impact 
she builds. 

Miss Cordy also Is very lively 
and with a built-in eye-twinkle, 
though nothing of the impudence 
here. She’s what generally passes 
for a hoyden—an overworked 
word; rowdy in moderation but not 
dowdy like rriost purveying this 
style. Okay, too, on “F.leur de Pa- 
pillion,” distilled in the dixie beat, 
but only of passing grade in a vi¬ 
gnette on a girl at an Apache ball 
meetin’ up with a muscular fellow 
who is a flop on the physique when 
he removes his jacket. This may 
have had more peppery connota¬ 
tions in the “Paris original.” 

Her rock ’n’ roll quickie is a 
throwaway, strictly a latching-o:i 
to the current Presley-pash, and 
her “Leon” drunk bit seems exag¬ 
gerated although innocuously so. 
These are just pickoffs. Overall, 
the impression persists that Miss 
Cordy, while she may have what 
she and her principals regard as a 
“finished” act, would be more fin¬ 
ished when* she uses a scissor lib¬ 
erally for excision of unimaginative 
material and puts the hypo on the 
legs and lively stuff,' more espe¬ 
cially the one-woman skits, and 
gallery of impressions. An impres¬ 
sion likewise persists that Miss 
Cordy’s set-pieces are even better 
attuned to the musicomedy and re¬ 
vue style, which would be in keep¬ 
ing with a good part of her old 
world background. 

Because she is a savvy mime, no 
impresario would hurt himself if 
he inserted her in revue, and she s 
ripe for the classier cafes and 
video, of course. This just about 
rounds her out on the show biz cir¬ 
cuits, considering her click calibre 
on records (Capitol, etc.) and her 
French film stints. 

Her conductor, Roland Granier, 
tackles the act-bgcking from the 
piano for a slick and cue-perfect 
assist. Ted Straeter’s crew takes 
these cues well, with the Persian 
maestro and Mark Monte's Conti¬ 
nentals supplying the customer 
beats. Lillian Roth is due Jan. 9. 

Trau. 




Wednesday December 19, 1956 


NIGHT CLUB, REVIEWS 


Hotel Pierre* N. Y. 

Dornan Bros, (2), Galena , Stan¬ 
ley Melba Orch under direction of 
Joseph Sudy, Alan Logan ' Orch; 
convert $ 242 . 50 . 

Holiday show for the Pierre’s 
Cotillion Room is a mixture of com¬ 
edy hoke and Continental charm, 
The comedies are in the hands of 
the Dornan freres, third-timers 
here, while mono-monickered Gal¬ 
ena, in her first Gotham stand, 
gives out with the chansons. It 
adds up to an okay romp, for the 
seasonal revelers. . ' 

The Dornans are a friendly pair 
of funsters who seem incongruous 
in this chic setting but the cover 
crowd falls easily for their simple 
shenanigans. They do a little sing¬ 
ing, a little dancing and a lot of 
playing with the ringsiders. It’s 
the latter bit that gets ’em the best 
reaction. 

In the aud participation segment, 
the boys get five volunteers from 
the crowd to assist with a musical 
backipg on maracas and bongo. 
Once on stage, the Dornans have 
’em act like: dummies by throwing 
voices into their exaggerated lip 
movements. Outlandish hats top 
the visual appeal. It works out 
into a solid laugh-provoking bit 
all-around and wraps up the show 
for the Dornans. Another volun¬ 
teer does a "shadow” assist a la 
Ted-Lewis, also good for yocks. 

The boys work without a mishap 
through a long turn of props and 
aud participants. It is all a credit 
their nitery floor savvy. 

Rusk'-accented Galena gets the 
show off to an ear-appealing start 
«she’s okay on the eyes, too) with 
a songbag that ranges from the ro¬ 
mantic showtuncr, "I Could Have 
Danced All Night,” to the frisky 
pop, "I Can’t Rock ’n’ Roll To Save 
My Soul.” She’s a belter with a 
fine lyric understanding, even 
though she has trouble with the 
"th” sound, but it adds to her 
charm. She builds all the way 
through such tunes as "Golden 
Earrinys,” "Autumn Leaves” and a 
special material bit that blends 
Italian and French folk songs. 
Windup, a surefire clincher, has 
her waltzing, jitterbhgging and 
mamboing with ringsiders. Jt gets 
her oil to hefty mitt. 

For the terpster, there’s "Stan¬ 
ley Melba’s crew,, under the direc¬ 
tion of Joseph Sudy, who incident¬ 
ally, does a standout job on back¬ 
ing, and the Alan Logan crew with 
Sue Coleman on the vocals. 

Gros. 

Colony Club, Hallow 

Dallas, Dec. 14. 

Joaquin Garay, Candy Barr, Bill 
richer Orch (5); $1.50 cover. 

Spanish comedian-singer Joaquin 
Garay, absent from the local scene 
four years, has improved his mate¬ 
rial and perfected his timing—so 
much so that his top 40-minute 
stint includes more comedy than 
songs. Still, he’s a great belter for 
a littl$ fellow. Off fast with "Gay 
Ranchero” in Spanish' and English, 
he tosses off some rapidfire risque 
mots, before overdoing this seg¬ 
ment, he neatly voices Spanish 
lyrics to "You Belong to My 
Heart.” Returning to comedy, 
handsome guy inserts a long sesh 
of animated, throwaway gags, and 
keeps the ringsiders in a rollicking 
mood. Great finale is a calypsoing 
"Woman Is Smarter Than Man.” 

Candy Barr, bosomy exotic and 
a three-year local fave at the Col¬ 
ony, does a 10 -minute terping and 
peeling sesh for big mitting. Bill 
Tieber quintet furnishes able back¬ 
ing at showtome and keeps the 
floor full at dance time. 

Garay winds here Dec. 23, Next 
day. Edith Dahl and the Royal 
Rockets come in, with Miss Barr a 
holdover. Bark. 

IVofpl Mon< blooms X.O. 

New Orleans, Dec. 13. 

Quintetto Allegro (5), Helene 
Aimee, Los Latinos, Nick Stuart 
Orch ( 8 ); $2.50 minimum. 

The plush new Swan Room re- 
opond ( 12 ) in this hostelry’s recent¬ 
ly completed nine-story annex with 
all the glitter and excitement of a 
Hollywood premiere. In capacity 
audience at unveiling were pix 
stars Robert Mitchum and Leo 
('arrillo, the Pancho of "Cisco Kid” 
tv series, longtime friends of own¬ 
er Frank Monteleone. 

A £roup of topflight performers 
merge talents with a versatile mu¬ 
sical crew fronted by Nick Stuart, 
former‘screen actor turned baton- 
oor and emcee. 

Quintetto Allegro, top r billed, 
Jiu'*ge Continental charm, novelty 
and sly humor info their well* 
paced stint. Versatility is keynote 
( >f the classically trained five. Each 
member plays several instruments 
«ok 1 sings, in addition to having a 
one sense of comedy, all of which 
combine into an offering that leaps 
tahh'holders palm-happy. , 

Quintetto has an unlimited rep¬ 


ertoire. Out never know? what (to 
expect from the Italos. One mo¬ 
ment they ere spoofing e classical 
"string ensemble in the best selon 
manner, and the .next they’re all 
ganging up on one piano or sing¬ 
ing solos, duets or In chorus. 
There’s plenty of showmanship in 
this aggregation. 

Helene Aimee, tall, green-eyed 
blonde with a wide range of assets, 
turns in a singing stint that finds 
a highly receptive audience. Her 
voice is well trained and she hits 
the high notes with striking clar- 
, Ity. This colorful singer belts 
in several languages and accomps 
herself on guitar. The looker was 
called back for several encores. 

Stuart’s band of eight sidemen 
sounds fuller than many larger 
crews. They dish out a smart brand 
of rhythm that keeps the floor 
jammed during the dance sessions. 
It’s a well-^hc_arsciL-groujQ:-that. 
plays a judicious mixture o£ nostal¬ 
gic tunes, pop favorites and pulsat¬ 
ing rhythms. The arrangements are 
slotted to draw a clear melodic 
contour over a strong rhythm base. 
Band alternates on stand with Los 
Latinos, a bclo\v-th e-border quar¬ 
tet expert in .swaying rhythms. 
Show runs until Dec. 24. Liuz. 

Crescendo, Houston 

Houston, Dec. 12. 

The 4 Winds, Al De Jonghe & 
Chimps, Jose Ortiz Orch (5); $3 
minimum Sat. 

The slow pre-holiday biz at Club 
Crescendo ought to get a boost 
from this balanced, sprightly offer¬ 
ing. House was only one-third full, 
opening night but Al De Jonghe 
and his* anthropoids ( 8 ) plus one 
spaniel-type pooch got plenty of 
laffs and good mitts with antics. 
Big hands also for Four Winds, a 
relatively new groupin the circuit 
(all the lads are fresh out of Ohio 
U.) but due for bigger play if they 
continue to click with fancy foot¬ 
work and clever presentation.. 

De Jonghe opens his act with pa¬ 
rade of chimps dressed in organdy 
baby dresses, conducts them 
through yock-brioging game of 
leap-frog to "I Got Rhythm.” 
Feature is largest chimp, Madame 
Fifi, who gives hep "impression” 
of mambo drummer, circus acro¬ 
bat, etc., and finales with "imper¬ 
sonation” of Elvis Presley. De- 
Jonghe puts on early show for 
kids. 

Amid the current rash of four¬ 
somes, the Winds manage distinct 
style, though a little weak in the 
sound department. Opening, "It’s 
a Good Day,” is as fresh as mint. 
Rhythm & blues treatment of 
"Baby” and effective arrangement 
of "Begin the Beguioe” follow. 
They also do version of "Birth of 
Rock and Roll” which makes, hill¬ 
billy original fortunately unrecog¬ 
nizable. Group’s first recording for 
Vik, "Colorado Moon,” rates good 
reaction, and ditto for "Guys and 
Dolls.” 

Weakest spot in presentation is 
chorized approach to "You’ll Never 
Walk Alone.” Group sounds weak 
in low registers; they ought to 
steer clear of this style of fare un¬ 
til ready. Bass Ted Pritchard 
closes act with polished tophat and 
tap routine to "Lullaby of Broad¬ 
way.” Tenor John Marino acts as 
me. Jose Ortiz orch is competent 
on the support. 

Four Winds and DeJonghe bow 
out Monday (17); Estelle Sloan solo 
terps bows in for two weeks, clos¬ 
ing with New Year’s Eve. 

L© Itiil»an IKIoii. X. Y. 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Except for the introduction of 
| Irwin Corey, who replaced Don 
I Adams, Le Ruban Bleu is offering 
! the same show as on previous ses- 

■ sion. It includes Lola, Fisher. 

■ Cincy & Lindy, and the Vorsatones. 

; This is Corey’s 10th appearance 
j at the eastside spot and despite his 

numerous outings in the room he 
never wears out his 'welcome. Al¬ 
though Corey has never received 
widespread public acclaim, he’s a 
comedian’s comedian and a per¬ 
former who goes over big with the 
sophisticates. Donning his usual 
professorial robe, he dishes out his 
non-sequiter lessons with the ap¬ 
lomb of a^topnolch thesp. He’s an 
actor more than a comic and his 
panto bits, although familiar, are 
pure gems. His opening panto- 
I mime appears a little long for those 
i who have seen it before, but it 
j rates solid lalfs with new Corey- 
I ites. 

| Combo of Corey and the three 
| other acts gives Le Bleu a stand- 
; out show/ Cindy & Lindy are a 
' fresh.-appealing singing duo; Lola 
j Fisher, who' understudies Julie 
[Andrews in "My Fair Lady,” rates 
fa nice reception with a tab version 
| of the hit legiter; and the Versa- 
< tones are a’catchy calypso trio. 

J* The Norman PaVis Trio, per 
j usual,, provides excellent -show- 
I'backirig, and Don Carey is fine ; in 
: his m.e. and entr’acte piano ehor,es< 
i 1 'HbtU 


Lida de Part* 

Paris, Dec. 18. 

.- Pierre-Louis Guerin and Rene 
Fraday present a revue in two 
parts, u C’Est Magnifiqueh” with 
George & Bert Bernard, Marvin 
Roy (2), Nitwits (10), Erich Brenn, 
Harrison & Fisher, Trianas ( 6 ), 
Margie Lee A Michael Meehan, 
Guy Severyns, Marion Conrad, 
Fichtner Tyroliens ( 8 ), Bluebell 
Girls (16), Lido Dancers (4), Lido 
Models (8), Pierre Delvincourt 
Orch (24), Dancing Waters; staged 
by Guerin, Fraday ; costumes, Fol- 
co, Fost; decors, Fost; music, Henri 
Betti, J. P. Landreau, J. Brienne; ; 
lyrics, Andre Hornez ; choreogra¬ 
phy, Ponn Arden; $6.50 minimum.' 

Pierre-Louis Guerin and Rene 
Fraday have done it again. How¬ 
ever, this statement cpuld be dou- 
-ble-prcmgedr" - Tftey"~Tiave • again “ 
blended sumptuosity in taste, ele¬ 
gance and invention in spectacle 
and production numbers with a 
fine showcasing of well selected 
specialty acts. New and even more 
grandiose special effects ahd me? 
chanical opulence have been 
added. 

They have outdone themselves 
for the 10 th annl of this, world 
famed boite, but some questions 
can be lodged. Is their policy of 
putting production before any star 
or show-slanted personality the 
correct thing? Should they.try to. 
change a formula that has had this 
boite packed nightly for years? 

The answers embody the atti¬ 
tude towards this new spec. Grant¬ 
ed that the Bluebell Girls (16) have 
rarely been lovelier, more electric 
In their terp sessions or more 
tastefully and regally gowned, and 
the collection of acts has laugh 
and offbeat values; but the added 
pinch of eroticism, entailing more 
complex mechanical changes, have 
bundled some of these top acts to¬ 
gether, making for a first part that 
is solid in laugh and- audience-tak¬ 
ing quality, but it leads to a slight 
falling off in the production num¬ 
bers that follow. Using the dance 
team of Harrison & Fisher in a 
version of "Amphytrion,” brought 
up to ’57. does not quite work out 
since it depends on a more coher¬ 
ent formula which is not present 
in a starless show. The team can 
not make their subtle dance story 
of the female and the visit of a 
Greek God infectious or tightly 
knit enough in relation the general 
tenor of the show. 

They are perhaps right in claim- 
staking the Lido lure on spectacle 
rather than the vagaries and costs 
of a star name which could entail 
a lingo difficulty to a club which 
plays host to the world. As is, the 
present entry has superlative qual¬ 
ities; it is racy, dynamic and the 
type of thing that is appealing to 
those wanting the ultra in cabaret. 
Munificence is here at reasonable 
rates, and though it is admitted 
that Guerin and Fraday are right 
again, change is still a permanent 
thing in show biz and should be 
thought of and utilized. 

Geared to run foz' two years this 
time, with some probable later 
changes of acts, it is the genre of 
spec easily bearing multi-viewing 
hy the annual tourists who usually 
make the Lido a mecca must. Beau- 
coup moola must have been spent 
on the daring, technical innovation 
and sheer richness which market 
this still the top cabaret show of 
its kind in the world. 

Show begins brightly as the Lido 
Models (8) parade by in their un¬ 
dressed magnificence and are then 
followed by the zesty, zinging terp 
intro of the Bluebell Girls (16) and 
the male Lido Dancers (4), who 
translate Donn Arden’s savvy, spe¬ 
cial choreography into eyecatching 
groupings and movements. Guy 
Severyns handles the emcee vocal 
chores deftly and with crescendo 
tones. Then Marvin Roy (2), aided 
by a looker, gives a light touch 
as he does an excellent magico act 
using self-lighting bulbs for the 
offbeat effects. Chandeliers are 
brought out of scarves and -multi¬ 
tudes of little bulbs, lit, leave his 
mouth in a long chain. 

Then the first big production 
number has the company in tyrol 
outfits; and the Fichtner Tyroliens 
(8) are a group of virile male danc¬ 
ers who do the country male dance 
of sparring and gymnastics with 
abundant action and strength that 
make the male Lido dance group' 
seem somewhat vaporous in retro¬ 
spect. Into this charming country 
atmosphere flash the ice-skate rou¬ 
tines of Margie Lee & Michael 
j Meehan, airy and graceful as they 
make ice chips fly. Miss Lee also 
doubles well, in straight terp 
chores. 

Erich Brenn. the East German 
juggler, brings on rapidity and 
i audience-catching ■ gasps as he 
; keeps three bowls spinning on thin 
wooden sticks as he’ also spins, 
seven plates continuously on a 
table and has time to put 12 eggs 
.•[•into 12 glasses by knocking out a 
'f Supporting 'glass- panel between 


them. It is the kind of act that 
gets audience emotion participa¬ 
tion and is tops. 

If possible, this is even gone one 
better by the hilarious new num¬ 
ber of George & Bert Bernard, 
back to the scenes of their begin¬ 
nings 10 years ago. Perfection in 
record mime allows this pair,' 
dressed in dirndles, to pull out all 
stops on inventive interp of such 
numbers as "Hungarian Rhap¬ 
sody," stuttering Mel Blancbft, 
"Rose Marie’’ and others that 
bring great Laugh'S and thunderous 
applause for their flawless num¬ 
ber. Then comes the Greek bit 
which uncorks the mechanical 
highlight of the affair. The Lido 
was once a swimming pool, still 
intact under the raised floor which 
holds the show. Now uncovered, 
the pool is unveiled, via a large in? 
dined mirror, which disgorges the 
-Rude-lovdies;-..;... '— 

Marian Conrad uses her un¬ 
clothed, well rippled body for the 
most erotic bit of the evening as 
she cavorts with a satyr and they 
both finally fall into the pool in 
an embrace: ' Somewhat Folies- 
Bergere in tone, it gets an added 
lift and significance via perfectly 
■controlled cabaret facets. Trianas 
( 6 ) ; , rightly held over, exhibit a fire 
and flair that gives the right edge 
to the Hlspano dance successfully 
transcribed for cabaret needs. Nit¬ 
wits (10), a zariy Anglo music hall 
act, find their place here in risibly 
made up characters who go through 
a mock recital good for yocks and 
easily accepted, due to uncanny 
showmanship and timing, into this 
svelte show. There is always a 
place for the lowdown humorists 
who avoid vulgarity or obvious¬ 
ness. ^ . 

Second part brings back the 
Dancing Waters for fine -effect, 
fireworks, and a new glass runway 
that holds the girls above the 
heads of the crowds to fill out an 
imaginative show that is still an 
honor to nitery show biz and loqks 
to be hanging up that old n SRO 
sign for some time to come. A 
, slight reshuffling of acts, so as not 
. to give everything away at once, 
either making Harrison & 'Fisher 
pure specialty or more skillfully 
worked into the numbers, will 
smooth this out for even greater 
appeal, if possible. Showmanship, 
expense and much talent have 
built this into an eye-enhancing 
annual delight, but a .grain of more 
personal feeling,, via a personality, 
may give it an even greater aura. 
Costumes and decors are adroit 
and tasteful, music adequately 
backs the affair and it all adds up 
to hep collaboration. Mosk. 

Bradford Roof* Boston 

Boston, Dec. 14. 

Ken Barry, Judy Valentine, Ellis 
& Winters, Harry De Angelis Orch 
(5), Zarde Bros. (3); $2-$3 mini¬ 
mum. 

Ken Barry, in for his second ap¬ 
pearance this season for Al Taxier, 
gags it up for the Xmas party, 
trade wijth a Will Rogersish com¬ 
edy style and works his w.k. hat 
bit for solid returns. Big hit of the 
current layout, which opened Wed¬ 
nesday (12) and exits Tuesday (18), 
night is local thrush Judy Valen¬ 
tine, who, comes through in a boff 
half-hour song sesh that wraps up I 
the room and hushes the Xrpas 
party celebrants. Night caught, 
Friday (14), she had to beg off 
after three encores. 

The canary, w.k. here through 
radio and MGM disks, is a petite 
brunet looker with a lilting little- 
girl voice and has added a puppet 
carbon of herself to her act. Open¬ 
ing with special material, "A Smile 
And a Ribbon,” in which she car¬ 
ries a mike buried in a big bou¬ 
quet, she nabs immediate atten¬ 
tion. Handsomely got up in a white 
lace gown with pink roses, she’s 
the essence of simplicity and. girl¬ 
ishness and has great aud appeal. 
She takes "I’m Old Fashioned,” 
another special material number, 
for ultimate, nabbing strong re¬ 
sponse with a wistful appeal in her 
piping that goes straight to aud’s 
midriff. For switch in pace, she 
does compelling carbons of Rose 
Murphy, Helen Kane and Eartha 
Kitt, and bows off to solid rounds. 
Called back, she brings on the hand* 
puppet, working it in cute fashion 
with "Hi Lili” and wrap-up, "She 
Was Five.” 

Ellis & Winters, polished terp 
team, get off some much okay ball¬ 
room numbers, go in for fancy 
spins and twirls for heavy mitts. 
Blonde youth and brunet looker 
win with cute bit to "Pretty Baby.” 
Harry De Angelis batons the show 
with a crisp beat and Zarde Bros, 
trio weave melodic music in the 
dance interludes. 

Xmas parties are keeping the 
roof spot crowded and sellouts are 
ahead through week preceding hol- 
,, iday.. Billy. Kclly, Hub comic who’s 
| been playing around the country, 
j opens for his first Boston date in 
! soipe tirrib Wednesday (19). 

’ Guy. 


$t. Heglf* New. York 

Connie Towers, Milt Shaw Sc Ray 
Bari Orchs; $ 1 . 50 -$ 2.50 cover. 

Connie Towers, of the regular 
retinue of entertainers at this Pi¬ 
erre Bultinck hostelry, had. a..diffi-_ 
cult *Hme" getting started with this 
return engagement In the Maison¬ 
ette Room. Plagued by laryngitis 
the opening night. Miss Towers 
then took off for three nights to 
rest her pipes, and returned Mon¬ 
day (17), perhaps a trifle too early 
to be at her pest. However, the 
sole indication that not all was at 
its best was the fact that her air 
intake became audible at times, 
and her phrasing just wasn’t right. 

Otherwise, Miss Towers has a 
charming cafe act, quite suitable 
for the Maisonette trade. She’s a 
personable andeatable. ptejrformjer.-, 
wfid has an act to which a great 
deal of* thought has been given. 
She has a fairly big voice that 
sounds as if it were weaned on the 
classics. She weaves pop and long¬ 
hair in a logical manner and her 
catalog contains some good Ideas 
in giving * fresh facade to w.k. 
tunes. 

Miss Towers has a nostalgic mix¬ 
ture that includes a session with a 
simulated bouncing ball, a. good 
treatment of "Continental” inter¬ 
larding the taped voice of the 
video performer of that sobriquet • 
helping out, a mixture of "Un bel : 
di” and "Many Splendored Thing," 
and other groupings that make 
sense and continue interest. 

Despite the handicap of her ail¬ 
ment, the. statuesque blonde ends 
up on the plus side, with the Milt 
Shaw orch lending strong support. 
The Ray Bari Latin ensemble pro¬ 
vides gay periods of below-border 
rhythmics. Jose. 

The Village, S. F. 

. San Francisco, Dec. 13. 

Beatrice Kay, Nick Lucas, Joy 
Healy Dancers ( 6 ), Joe Kirchen, 
Leon Radsliffe Orch ( 8 ); $l,50-$2 
cover. 

Beatrice Kay and Nick Lucas 
both can sell a song, as they proved 
again here (for the ninth time). 

Miss Kay, who was burned out 
of v this nightclub in a fire 18 
months ago, comes on with a wise¬ 
crack about that fire, and quickly 
moves into a trio of real oldies. 
"You Made Me What I Am Today, 
"Rufus Rastus Brown” arid "Bird 
in a Gilded Cage.” Next come "I 
Don't Care" and a sock version of 
"Ace in the Hole,” followed by 
"Maybe,” her own satiric version 
of "Old Black Magic,” "Piano Roll 
Blues,” "Oceana Roll” and,-finally, 
"Ballin’ the Jiack.” ^ 

Singer is day ’90ish and has a 
fine line of flip gab which goes 
over big with the customers. They 
go for her cracks about her age 
and her patter about 30-year-old 
numbers, accompanied, as they 
are, by a bit of the charleston. 
Her bit runs 35 minutes. 

Nick Lucas is more of the same, 
a little less adept, a little more 
hammy, perhaps, but surprisingly 
engaging. He plunks his guitar 
and warbles a bunch of romantic 
ballads, including "Whatever Will 
Be Will Be,” "My Blue Heaven” 
"Margie,” "Mexicali Rose” and 
"I’ll Get By.” The voice, isn’t so ? 
sure as it once may have been, butr~ 
he still has appeal and when he 
lets fly with "Tiptoe through the 
Tulips” the whole crowd’s with 
him. 

Joy Healy line looks pretty well 
rehearsed and, with emcee Joe 
Kirchen, does nicely. Leon Rad¬ 
sliffe orch is good. Show runs till 
Christmas. Stef. 

Seven Sens, Omaha 

Omaha, Dec. 16. 

Mickey Shaughnessy, Sam Fraser 
Trio; 50c cover weekdays, $1 Sat. 

Considerably slimmer due to his 
latest whirl before the Hollywood 
cameras, Mickey Shaughnessy is 
back for the third time at down¬ 
town Omaha’s lone nitery boasting 
entertainment. If past perfor¬ 
mances mean anything, he should 
stem the usual pre-Xmas slump. 

Comic, whose mugging is not un¬ 
like of Red Skelton, opens with a 
“My Blue Heaven” takeoff and fol¬ 
lows with some clever and topical 
Yule gift gags. Remainder of his 
45 -minute stint consists largely of 
taking Presley over the hurdles, 
which scored chiefly because the 
rock ’n’ roller’s “Love Me Tender” 
was at a nearby cinema. * 

Only complaint on the Shaugh¬ 
nessy act was his concluding song, 
seriously done. Funsters should 
stick to their forte. Trump. 

Jackie Rae, who has his own 
weekly half-hour variety show on 
CBC-TV, and comedian Frank 
Peppiatt have bought the Corsair, 
a Toronto entertainment tavern 
which reopened Dec. 10 as the 
Stage Do dr. 



70 


PSS&Eft 


Wednesday* December 19, 1950 ' • 



Roxy, N. Y. 

Robert C. Bothafel presentation, 
"Wide Wide World Holiday”'with 
Three Bruises, Paula Newland, Bu- 
ford Jasper, Mae Edwards, Roxy- 
ettes, Manuel Del Toro, Bob Bouch¬ 
er Orch; choreography, Anolyn Ar¬ 
den; sets, Bruno Maine; "Anasta¬ 
sia” (20th), reviewed in current 
issue of Variety. 

The Roxy’s miniature ice specs 
have been “extra added” to the 
fare offered at the theatre since 
the policy was revived about a year 
ago. Under the Robert ȣ. Rothafel 
regime, there’s been a marked ex¬ 
pansion of- activity -in -all--direc¬ 
tions. as is evidenced with the 
show. 

Rothafel has recruited an out¬ 
side act for this display, the Three 
Bruises, who have toured with the 
major leers. This group, doing 
their usual scrubwoman turns, still 
get the yocks at this emporium and 
give the layout added strength. 

Another strongpoint is an inno¬ 
vation iritroed by Rothafel, a Spec- 
tacolor curtain, developed in con¬ 
junction with the Eastman Kodak 
labs. It’s a giant color transparen¬ 
cy, which made an impressive 
backdrop during the Japanese se¬ 
quence. 

The show has a filmed, sequence 
of Dave Garroway, conferencier on 
the NBC-TV “Wide, Wide World, ’ 
introing the Roxy show, and his 
taped commentary occurs off and 
on during the proceedings. It’s a 
gimmick that ties together the lay¬ 
out and provides good continuity. 

The earlier segment is devoted 
to WWW’s “Christmas. USA ” with 
the windup being a 24-femme pin- 
wheel formation which, while get¬ 
ting applause, seems to have all 
hut lost its original impact. There’s 
hardly an icer on display that 
doesii’t use this formation with the 
tiny girl trying to catch up to the 
line. The solo voices, Paula New¬ 
land and Buford Jasper, do well in 
this session, and blades terping by 
Manuel Toro and Mae Edwards 
come off well. I 

However, it’s the Japanese scene 
that provides a charming and col¬ 
orful climax to the show. This sec¬ 
tion has the appearance of a 
“budget be hanged” attitude, with 
tasteful and lavish costumes, a 
cute commentary in the ancient 
Nipponese style of play-acting, and 
of course, the Spectacolor set, 
which provides a fine closer. 

Bob Boucher showbacks with his 
usual precision. ^ Jose. 

L’Olympfea, Paris 

Paris, Dec. 18. 

Gilbert Becaud „ Moustache 
R 'n* R Orch (9) with Mac-Kac; 
Hanna Ahroni, Carsony & Twin 
Bros., Tres Diamantes, Mathilde 
Casadessus, Helmut Gunther, Jean 
Harold , Bedonis (3), Pierre Car- 
tiers; $2 top. 


of rock ’n’ roll and it remains only 
that, but MacKac has a drive that 
makes.Ms. zany lyricklng stand out 
from the general derivative con¬ 
fusion. More music is supplied by 
Latino guitar-singing trio Tres 
Diamantes. Good vocalling gets 
this group a big reaction. 

Adding the house touch are 
Carsony & Twin Bros., whose ele¬ 
gant acroing is a classy act that 
can fit in everywhere. One-finger 
stands, effortless hand-to-handing 
and a smooth rhythm rate him 
thunderous applause. Just winding 
a year’s stint at the Lido, trio 
heads stateside soon. Helmut 
Gunther has a rapid juggling spot 
wblch .winds Jn a fine gimmick ..of 
upping seven vases, linked by 
sausage-like holders, on his head 
to make this a fine sight act. 
Bedonis (3) are an average roller 
skating entry with goodlooks scor¬ 
ing rather than activities. 

Jean Harold adds an offbeat bit 
in slides of known personalities 
put into strange places by super¬ 
imposed photography. Known 
heads on famed paintings also are 
risible and a dry aecomp patter 
makes this a unique entry. Pierre 
Cartier's smart magico act laced 
with dry, humorous talk, rounds 
out the bill well. Mask. 


Empire, Glusgow 

Glasgow* Dec. 18. 

Tom Arnold presentation of 
"We’re Joking,” vaude-revue with 
Chic Murray (& Maidie), Duncan 
Macrae, Jack Anthony, Robert Wil¬ 
son, Alex Don, Dick & Dot Remy, 
George Clarkson & Gail Leslie, 
Will Starr, Gordon MacKenzie, 
Berthy Ricardo, Tammas Fisher, 
Terry Fearis, Pete Martin, Jimmy 
Fletcher, Joan Davis Dancers (19); 
dances staged by Joan Davis; pro¬ 
duced by Charles Henry. 


Gilbert Becaud brings his fren¬ 
etically accomped songalog back to 
this house for what looks like a 
good session with a big turnout 
from the younger set. Becaud, 
though not making for swooning or 
cultism, gets a .fevered reaction 
from the youth in his overstated, 
exuberant antics. Catching, rau¬ 
cous voice, mannerisms, and a way 
of hammering the piano or wan¬ 
dering around stage, make him a 
sort of spokesman for youth here. 
Sheer verve and exhibitionisms 
are countered by more dramatico 
ballads, and his more polished 
showmanship now welds this into 
a more cohesive turn. 

Some new catchy, self-cleffed 
numbers, plus his-way with arro¬ 
gance, zest and activity indicate 
he may be ready for a second 
chance for U.S. eyes and ears 
where more savvy showcasing 
could make him another important 
entry in the Gallic singer popular¬ 
ity wave now on stateside. Sur¬ 
rounding show has some weak 
spots, but with enough top spe¬ 
cialty acts to make this a good bill. 
It winds Dec. 28. 

In contrast to Becaud’s bombast, 
Israeli singer Hanna Ahroni gets 
her drive from a heady, four-ac- 
tave voice. She takes a stance and 
brings the rafters ringing in a. fine 
selection of folksongs, lullabies 
and a rousing army marcher. 
Garbed, iiv a native costume, she 
could do with a more toned-down 
outfit, but she shapes as an unusual 
vocal novelty for U.S. 

Mathilde Casadessus does a pat¬ 
ter and femme singer interp that 
lacks needed material to make it 
taking or funny. Big femme stays 
on too long and is strictly for 
locals. 


Vaude layout at No. 1 Scot vau- 
dery, geared for holiday trade, and 
running to end of January, fea¬ 
tures leading Auld Lang Syne 
comedians In Crazy-gang style of 
show. Comics work in solo spots 
and as a gang, overall result being 
lively, offbeat fun fodder. 

George Clarkson & Gail Leslie 
fill the dance slotting skilfully on 
last show biz date here before 
going to Canada. Terry - FeariS, 
newcomer, is sprightly soubret 
with s.s. and has potential in vaude 
and video. 

Dick & Dot Remy, U.S. brother- 
sister act, score with acro-contor- 
tionist comedy. Buxom blonde wins 
yocks with imitation of helicopter, 
while male registers with his croco¬ 
dile crawl and roller skating on 
hands. 

As a gang. Chic Murray, Duncan 
Macrae, Jack Anthony and Alex, 
Don, plus singer Robert Wilson, 
make initial five-star impact 
garbed in fawn duffle coats and 
bowler hats. Also score in bell¬ 
ringing scene borrowed Jrom Lon¬ 
don’s Crazy Gang. At show caught, 
a railway carriage scene, with in- 
out farce, needed tidying-up, but 
has lotsa humor potential. 

Robert Wilson clicks with fave 
Scot tunes, notably “Scotland the 
Brave” and “Northern Lights of 
Old Aberdeen.” Working excel¬ 
lently throughout show, and not 
afraid to essa^ comedy with good 
results, he also appears with mem¬ 
bers of his own White Heather 
group, accordionist Will Starr, zany 
violinist Alex Don, tenor Gordon 
MacKenzie and pianist Tammas 
Fisher. 

Jack Anthony invites aud par¬ 
ticipation for amusing question¬ 
time comedy item, with stooges 
around the vaudery. Duncan Mac¬ 
rae, legit actor essaying comedy, 
falters with a fireman sketch that’s 
indigo-tinged and is out-of-taste in 
holiday show for family audiences. 
Alex Don registers strongest with 
crazy instrumentalism and quaint 
bottom-protruding walk. 

Chic Murray, in pre-finale slot¬ 
ting, chatters aimlessly in deadpan 
style, then seats himself at organ 
and sings “The Day Mexico Gave 
Up the Rhumba to Do the Rock ’n’ 
Roll.” He’s joined near end of act 
by partner Maidie with her accor¬ 
dion. 

Bertha Ricardo aids in scenes 
and appears (with Terry Fearis and 
Gail Leslie) in trio song, “Is Any¬ 
body Looking for a Wife?” Pete 
Martin rotund comedian, and 
Jimmy Fletcher are useful comedy 
stooges. 

Slick precision dancing by line 
of 19 Joan Davis Dancers is stand¬ 
out of show’s non-comedy side. 
Charles Henry produces with pace 
that could be stepped up in second 
segment. As is, layout is solid na- 


Itobino* Parlf 

Paris, bee. 18. 

Suzy Delair ,• Marcel Amoht, ■ El 
wardos (5),' Goleuu & Rita / Rima 
Rudina, Miss Malta & Fernando, 
Andre Aubert, Gil & Mil, Jit Bops 
(4), Tommy Burke & Partners (4); 
$1.75 top . 

A crisp spate of acts bowls this 
neatly packaged nabe-slanted house j 
show along. Enough specialty acts, 
comico and offbeaters, laced with! 
aero stints, abound to make this 
satisfying. Only drawback is the 
unevenness of the headliner’s num¬ 
ber. Suzy Delair comes back after 
long time film-making and seems 
to have lost contact with current 
song trends; and, without the cori- 
summate showmanship, her old- 
timer aspects do little to right her 
entry. .Show is.Jn tilLtbe end-of 
December. 

Soubrettish, Miss Delair looks 
good and still possesses the Gallic 
operetta insouciant flair, but on 
house boards much of this seems 
arch and too mannered. An over¬ 
dose of sentimental lowlife ballads, 
clothed in tatters, are also unre¬ 
warding, but she hits freshness, 
oddly enough, in a medley of old 
tunes where she can shake and 
trill. Miss Delair’s thesp backing 
is an asset, but a new songalog and 
less emphasis on her soap operaish 
tactics will help. 

Taking the real show spotlight is 
Marcel Amont, a young singer-im¬ 
pressionist whose hep material, 
timing and thesp knowhow build 
his act into a solid morsel that 
labels him a lad with a fine future 
in films, .stage and vaude here. He 
could be a U.S. vaude and video 
bet on his obvious talents which 
could be easily put to Anglo dit¬ 
ties, for his forte is in his inven¬ 
tive underlining of his parodies. 

Elwardos (5) give a bright aero 
varnish in hopping up and dawn a 
staircase on one hand and indulg¬ 
ing' in eyecatching mass gymnas¬ 
tics, making this a fine opener. Jif 
Bops (4) are an amateurish hop 
dancehall group who have never 
completely mastered the essential¬ 
ly U.S. terp aspect. Okay locally, 
but that is all. 

Golem & Rita do a magico act 
with audience participation that is 
rapid and pleasant and always a 
good mystico bit. Gil & Mil are 
up & coming song stylists. Their 
impressions of Sunday drivers and 
laggard musketeers are underlined 
by good comic sense and material, 
and they look to become a regular 
act in the Gallic circuits with more 
limited possibilities for the U.S. 
Miss Malta & Fernando uncork a 
fine canine act as the hounds go 
through a series of human inter¬ 
pretations and cavort and caper to 
obvious audience relishment. Al¬ 
ways a good filler, this. 

Rima Rudina adds a slick violin 
bit to the show. Side by side with 
her fine medleying are comic cap¬ 
ers and takeoffs on U.S, square 
dances, made hep by an impish 
personality that tags her as fine 
house fare and she’s In for mitts. 
Andre Aubert is a good mimic but 
never passes into the interpreta¬ 
tion field, due to ordinary material. 
This remains strictly for the 
French. Tommy Burke Sc Partners 
(3) are a fast-paced group from 
Down Under with solid hand-to- 
handing by Burke of his two sons, 
and then a risley bit for a spinning 
finale. Hokumy in spots, this still 
has that zesty aura for good house 
reactions. Mosk. 


Music Hall (R) 20 
Lillian Murphy 
Ed PoweU 
Eleanor Relna 


MELBOURNE 
Tivoli JT) 24 
Max Reddy 
Bob Bromley 
Leon Cortez 
Heather Horwood 
Nancy Rassmussen 
Dalrays 

Alw-ya-Leekl^- 

Barbara Angell 
Frank Ward 
Daniel Davey 

SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 24 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF DECEMBER 19 

Nutntrals In connection with bills below Indicate opening day of show 
whether full or split week 

Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit! (I) Independent! (L) Loew; (M)Moss; 

‘ (P) Paramouht; (R) RKO; (*> itoll; <T> Tivoli; (W)'Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 


Muriel Ives 
Suzanne Shaute 
Molitta & Wicons 
Mill's Chimps 


Mister Kelly's 
Jackie Cain Sc 
Roy Krai 
Maya Angelou 
Harry Slotta^ .O) 


AUSTRALIA 


Gordon Chater 
Jenny Howard 
Jack O'Dowd 
Sadler 2 
Peggy Mortimer 
Edna Busse 
Ray Hartley 
. Flat Tops 
| George Nichols 

PERTH 
Capitol (T) 24 


BRITAIN 


COVENTRY 
Hippodrome (I) 17 
Jewel it Warriss 
Tommy Cooper 
Jill Day 
Ken Dodd 
Arthur Worsley 
Latona 
Graham 

Graham Sc Chadel 
CamUleri 
Rene Strange 
George MltcneU Co. 
EDINBURGH 
Empire (M) 17 
Robert Earl 
Jeffrey Lenner 
Desmond Lane 

2 Botandos 

3 Deuces 
Ray Alan 
Janie Marden 
3 Martinis 

FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (Mi 17 
Tony Cromble Co. 
Maxine Daniels 
Don Fox 
Billie Wyner 
Jerry Harris 
Ross St Howitt 
McKennas 
Bob Andrews 

OLASOOW _ 
Empire <M) 17 
Jack Anthony 
Duncan Macrae 
Murray St Maidie 
Robert Wilson 


Alex Don 
D St' D Remy 
Clarkson Sc Leslie 
WiU Starr 
Bertha Ricardo 
BeUes Sc Beaux 
LONDON 

Hippodrome (M> 17 
Shani Wallis 
Andrea Dancers 
Jones St, Arnold 
Los Gatos 
Jimmy Lee 

NOTTINGHAM 
Bmplro CM) 17 
Beatrice Reading 
Crawford 3 
Johnny Leroy 
Dowle Sc Kane 
Joan Hinde 
Miki Sc Griff 
AAV SheUey 
PRINCE OF WALKS 
(M) 17 

Lonnie Donegan 
Anne Shelton 
Bonar Colleano 
Freddie Sales 
Clifford Stanton 
3 Ariston 
Ren&ld St Rudy 
Dickie Dawson * 

Paul St Pet* Page 
Elizabeth St Collins 
VICTORIA 
False* (M> 17 
Naughton St Gold 
Bud Flanagan 
Nervo St Knox 
Eddie Gray 


Ambassador Hotel 
Crew Cuts 
Orrin Tucker Ore 
Bar of Music 
Mae Williams 
Oscar Cartier 
Felix De Cola 
Jerry Linden Oro 

-v - Bandbox- 

Billy Gray 
Leo Diamond 
Bert Gordon 
Eddie LeRoy 
Short Twins 
Carol Shannon 
Dodie Drake 
Bob Barley Trio 
Clro's 
Frances Faya 
Trio Dasslo 


Cabaret Bills 


.NEW YORK CITY 



Moustache R ’n’ R Orch (9),.- , . . ,,, 

coiffed with derbies and high-hats tive comedy fodder for holiday cus- 
give a noisy Gallic approximation 1 tomers in festive mood. Gord . 


DONALD PEERS 
Songs 
26 Mins. 

Cafe de Paris, London 

At the peak of his career as a 
vaude and radio star, Donald Peers 
left for an Australian tour and has 
only just returned from two-and-a- 
half years Down Under, to try his 
hand as a cabaret entertainer. He 
has the advantage in making his 
debut in London’s plush Cafe de 
Paris. 

Peers unquestionably has a fine 
voice, but that asset alone is not 
enough to insure success in the 
nitery medium. His songalog is re¬ 
stricted to standard pops, but he 
adds nothing to them by his out¬ 
moded technique. The act is old- 
fashioned and can have only limit¬ 
ed appeal. 

It’s not just that fashions have 
changed in the two-and-a-half 
years the star’s been away from 
London; it needs a dramatic re¬ 
vamping to give it new life and ap¬ 
peal. Topical items in the routine 
are “Woman In Love,” “Go Home 
and Tell Your Mother.” “Walking 
My Baby Back Home, and “Bab¬ 
bling Brook,” which has been the 
star’s theme song for many years. 

Myro* 


Ben Be!.’ 

Tony Sc Eddl* 
Neighbor* 

Jorie Remit* 

Jimmie Daniels 
Three Flame* 

Bruce Kirby 
Warren Vaughan 
Blue Angel 
T C.Jones 
Bea Arthur 
WIU Holt 
Martha Davis 
Sc Spouse 
Jimmy Lyons 9 
Csmeo 

Teddy Wilson „ 
Barbara Carroll 
Chardat 

Anny Kapitanny 
Lili 

Bela Babal Ore 
Tiber Rakossy 
BUI Yedla 
Dick Marta 
Chateau Madrid 
Rudy Adamo 
Deronde Sc Jose 
Rene 

A1 Castellanos Oro 
Luis Ortiz Ore 
Copacabane 
Jimmy Durante 
Karen Chandler 
Cerncys' 

June Allyn 
Tony Reynolds 
Jackie Metcalf 
Nora Bristow 
Michael Durso Oro 
Frank Marti Oro 
Duplex 
Serena Shaw 
Rudy De Saxe 
Alvaro Dalmar 
NO. 1 Fifth Av* 
Bob Downey 
Harold Fonvills 
Hotel Ambassador 
Chauncey Gray Ore 
Jani Sarkozi 
Gypsies 

Quintero Rhumbas 
Hotel Biltmors 
Russ Morgan Ore 
Sande WiUiams Ore 
The Charmers 
Hotel Plsrre 
Galena 

Dornan Bros. 
Stanley Melba Oro 
Alan Logan Ore 
Joan Bishop 
Joseph Sudy 
Hotel ‘Roosevelt 
Guy Ifembardo 
Hotel Taft 
Vincent Lopez Oro 
Hotel St. Regis 
Connie Towers 


MUt "Shaw Oro 
Ray Bari Ore 
Hotal Statlsr 
TAJ Dorsey Oro 
Latin Quarter 
AUen St DeWood 
Jesters 
Trio Cottas 
Nancl Crompton 
Syncopated Waters 
Lucienne Sc Ashour 
Lynn Christie 
Dorothy Vernon 
Jo Lombardi Oro 
“ Harlowe Ore 
Hotel Flasa 
Annie Cprdy 
Ted. Straeter 
Mark Monto 
La Reuban Bleu 
Lola Fisher 
Irwin Corey 
Cindy Sc Lindy 
Norman Paris 3 
Harry Noble 
Park Sheraton 
Jose Melis- 
Spark Thurman 
Town A Country 
Milton Berle 
Dunhllls 
Betty Georg* 

Stan Fisher 
Metropolitan 0. 
'Vrzzir Troupe 
Burnell Dancers 
Ned Harvey Oro 
Pupi Campo Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Dolores Dauphin* 
Leonid Lugovsky 
Eugene & Sonya 
Andrei Hamshay 
Versailles 
Dick Haymes 
Salvatore Gloe Ore 
Panchito Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Vicki Autler 
Dolores Perry 
Ernest Schoen Oro 
Harold Sandler 
Paul Mann 
Village Barn 
Belle Carroll 
Johnny Gilbert 
Jack WaUace 
Danny Davis Oro 
Larry McMahon 
Piute Pete 
Irving Harris 
Village Vanguard 
Barbara Lea 
Abbey Lincoln 
C Williams Trio 
Waldorf-Astoria 
Vic Damone 
Emil Colerrihn Oro 
Mischa Borr Ore 


Marx Sc Frlgo 
Frank dTlome 
Palmar House 
"Hey Day" 

Paul Hartman 
B1U Tabbert 


LOS ANGELES 


Geri Galian Ore 
Felix Martinique Ore 
Crescendo 
Paul Gilbert 
AprU Ames 
Ray-Toland Oro 
Interlude 
Sy 1 via Syms 
H-Babasin Qttr 


Allan Jones 
Frankie Sands Trio 
Paul Hebert Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
De Castro Sis (3) 
Three Reberies 
Wlere Bros. (3> 
Statlsr Hofei 
Rudy VaUee 
Eddy Bergman Ore 


LAS VEGAS 


Desert Inn 
Billy Daniels 
Cathy Bosic 
Paul Gilbert 
Caribbean* 

Bonita IT Andrea 
Elroy Peace 
Art Johnson 
Donn Arden Dncrs 
Carlton Hayes Oro 


Smart Affairs *0T 
Larry Steele 
Leonard Bros. 
Fouchee Dancers 
Rose Hardaway 
Willio Louis 
Flash Gordon 
Sir Lionel Becklet 
Lon Fontaine 
Beige Beauts 
cky Henry Ore 
El Cortes 
Rusty Lane 
Bobby Plnkue 
Herby Barri* 

Mack Pearson 
CirqUettes 
Sterling Young Ore 
El Rancho Vega* 
Lisa Kirk • 

Jimmy Komack 
Warner , 

El Rancho Ore 
Renee Molnar Dncrs 
Flamingo 
Ink Spots 
Brenda Lee 
Archie Robbins 
Flamingocttes 
Lou Basil Ore 


Tony Romano 
Daryl Harper Show 
Bruce Davis 
New Frontier 
Jack Carter 
Georgia Gibbs 
The Lancers 
Venus Starlets 
Garwood Van Ore 
Rtvlara 

“Frolics of *57" 
Ldberace 
Jean Fenn 
Geo. Llberace Sym¬ 
phony Ore. 
Riviera Dancers 
Ray Sinatra Oro 


Genie Stone 
Cortez St Boyer 
4 Gems 

Sammy Blank Ore 
Golden Nugget 
Sons of Golden 
West 

Hank Penny 
Sue Thompson 
Freddie Masters 
Sextette 
Hsdsnda 
Joe Graxdon 


Milltown Revisited* 
Abbott St Costello 
SaHarem Dncrs 
Cee Davidson Oro 


Jerry Lewis 
Devoy Trio 
Cop* Girls 
Antonio Morelll Ore 
Clark Bros.' 

Morgan Bros. 

Four Voices 
Rounders 
Ernie Ross Trio 
Showboat 
Oscar Cartier 
Tere Sheehan 
Qarr Nelson 
Showboat Girls 
Mike Werner Oro 
Silver sileeer 
French Folic** 

Hank Henry 
Artie James 
Sparky Kayo 
Cliff St Judy Ferro 
Mae Dennison 
Jimmie Cavanaugh 
Slipperettes 
G. Redman Oro 
Thunderbtrd 
Carl Ravazza 
Nip Nelson 
Cordalins 
Barney Rawlings 
Thunderbtrd Dm 
A! Jahns Ore 
Dukea of Dixieland 


tcra 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


Americana 
f'Xavier Cugat 
Abbe Lane 
Cugat Revuo 
Dave Lester Ore 
BaU A -Chain 
Billie Holiday 
Australian Jazz 4 
Harry the Hipster 
Chris Connor 
Lee Konitz 
Blue Notes 
Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Gina Valente 
Guy Rennie 
Harvey Bell 
Phyllis Arnold 
Jules De Salvo 
Chateau 
Peter Woods 
Luke Salem 
Rick AUen 
San Kanez Ore 
Cotton Club 
Cab CaUoway 
Lonnie Sattln 
Sallie Blair 
Jimmy Tyler Ore 
Norma Miller Dcrs 
Oriole* 

George Kirby 
Eden Roc 
Harry Belafonte 
MUlard Thomas 
Angle Sc Margo 
Mai Malkin Ore 
Chuey Reyes Qrc 
Fontalneblsau 
Peter Lind Hayes - 
Mary Healy 
The Toppers 
Step Bros. 

A1 Navarro Ore 
Sacasas Ore 
Golden Gats 
Marion Powers 
Fletcher Peck Trio 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Brick Bros. St 
Mr. Murphy 
Art Mooney Oro 
Buddy Walker 
Rey Mambo Ore 


Latin Quarter 
Jerry Lester 
.Helen Wood 
Iziegfeld FolUes 
** Leon A Eddie'* 
Can-Can Girls 
Toni' Rave 
Terry Rich 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid 

Leo de Lyon 
Tune Tattlers (4) 
Blue Angel 
"Calypso Extrava¬ 
ganza" 

Princess AblUa 
King Christian 
Lord Rafael 
Lady Angelia 
Lady Margaret 
Lady Jeanne 
Lord Carlton 
Emperor Sago 
King Rudolph 
A1 D'Lacy Ore 
Blue Not* 
Duke Ellington 
Chez Pare* 
Vagabonds (4) 
Dunhllls (3) 

Babe Pier 
Ronnie Eastman 


Elisa Jayne 
Ted Flo Rlto Ore 
Cloister Inn 
A1 Belletto (0) 

Lucy Reed 

Conrad Hilton 
“Comics-On-Ice" 

D. Arnold St Marjl 
The Boyerp 
Lilian Renee 
Paul Duke 
George Simpson 
Paul Gibbon 
J. Melendez St I 
Maxfield 
Virginia SeUera 
John Keston 
Boulevar-Dears St 
Boulevar-Dons 
F. Masters Ore 
London House 
Toshlko (3) 

Ahmad Jamal (3) 


Atoms 

Murray Franklin'* 
Roy Sedley 
Anne Marie 
Murray Franklin 
BUly MltcheU 
Luke Salem 
Eddie Bernard 
Nautilus 
Holly Warren 
Del Breece 
Syd Stanley Ore 
Sans Soucl Hotal 
Myron Cohen 
Sammy Walsh 
Freddy Calo Oro 
Sevllt* 

CharUe Farrell 
Mickey Gentil* 
Tommy Ryan 
Johnny Silver* Ore 
Rey Mambo Ofb 
Saxony 
Ruth Wallis 
Malagon Sister* 
Frankie Scott 
CharUe Splvak Oro 
Roney Plat* 

Jan Winters 
Linda Bishop 
Juliette Robbins 
Serge Valdez Ore 
5 O'clock 
Flash Lalne 
Siska 

Tommy Raft 
Parisian Rev 
Thunderblrd 
The Kentones 
Rip Taylor 
Libby Dean 
Hal De Clcclo 
Versailles 
Alan Gale 
The Haggetts 
Teddy King Ore 


HAVANA 


sans Soucl 
Diahann Carrol 
Elaine Demlng 
Sonia Calero 
Victor Alvarez 
Daida Q 
Ortega Ore 
Nacional 

LilO 

Rivero 5 
Ving Merlin 
Ana Nevada 
Magic Violins 


W. Reyes Oro 
Tropicsna 
Gloria St Rolando 
Harmonics 
Miguel Herero 
CarmeUta Vasque* 
Carmela Reyes 
Rufflnos 
Elsa Marval 
Ramon Calzadilla 
Paulina Alverez 
S Suarea Orq 
A Romeu Orq 


RENO 


Mardl Gras 

The Jesters 
Lewis St Sanchez 
Mapts Skyreem 
Dick Contino 
Wonder Bros. 
Skylets 


Ed Fitzpatrick Oro 
Rlvorsld* 

Spike Jones 
Starlets 

Don Dellair ^ 

BUI Clifford Or* 



WedneecUy, December 19, 1956. 




LEGITIMATE 


71 


Misses Yesteryears ‘Author! Author!’ 


Edward Kook Also Advocates Curtain Calls for Key 
Technicians of Legit 


By HOBE MORRISON 

Remember when authors used to 
take opening-night curtain calls? 
How about going back to that, and 
also having directors, designers 
and other creative and technical 
personnel take a bow? 

That’s the suggestion of Edward 
Kook, president of Century Light¬ 
ing Co. and an incurable romantic 
about the theatre. “It would bring 
back a fine custom to have the au- 
_thor take- a- eurt-ain--call -at-~the 
opening," he says. “It would also 
add a stirring element to the show 
if the scenic and. costume design¬ 
ers, the choreographer, composer 
and everyone else who has made a 
contribution received^recognition. 

“Even the stage crew, or at least 
the department heads who have an 
important creative function, should 
get that tangible citation from the 
audience. The’ morale effect would 
be enormously stimulating, and the 
audience would love it. After all, 
the curtain call is a thrilling part 
of the show. Why not make the 
most of it?" 

Having the key members of the 
backstage staff take curtain calls 
should not be limited to opening 
nights. Kook believes. “They are 
a vital element in the show, com¬ 
parable to the actors," he argues, 
“so why shouldn’t they have the rec¬ 
ognition they deserve? Just imagine 
the psychological effect of giving 
an electrician that well-earned 
tribute It would enhance his pride 
in his work, and he'd become not 
just an expert technician, but an 
artist. 

“I’m convinced that it would 
also not only add a nice touch to 
(Continued on page 74» 


Starlight theatre, K.C., 
Dropped $61,437 in ’56; 
Ticket Sale Up for’57 

Kansas City, Dec. 18. 

Starlight Theatre, summer oper¬ 
ation of musicals al fresco in 
Swope Park, wound up the 1956 
season with a $61,437 operating 
loss, largest in the theatre’s six- 
year history. The deficit had been 
forecast at the close of the 10-pro¬ 
duction season early in September, 
and • the exact figures were an-, 
nounced last week at the annual 
meeting of association members 
and guarantors. * ] 

The red figures showed up de¬ 
spite a record breaking week with 
Gisele MacKenzie in “Annie Get 
Your Gun." The previous high 
deficit had been $44,622 in 1954, 
while the 1955 loss was $13,544, 
comparatively light for the civic- 
backed project, w 

A decline in ticket sales and con¬ 
stantly increasing costs were rea¬ 
sons given for the growing loss. 
The annual report said ticket sales 
for 1956 amounted to $497,948, 
against $561,310 in 1955. This was 
in the face of a 37% increase in 
chorus pay, 15% increases to stage¬ 
hands and stage crafts and mu¬ 
sicians. 

As secondary competitive factors 
the board cited a gain in the num¬ 
ber of air-conditioned homes (keep¬ 
ing more persons indoors during 
the blistering hot summer), major 
league baseball with many night 
games (although games were not 
aired Sunday nights), television 
spectaculars and more drivein film 
theatres. 

William E. Kemp, former mayor, 
was elected president of the associ¬ 
ation, succeeding Frank H. Spink. 
Other officers: JR. Crosby Kemper, 
re-elected vice-president; Cliff C. 
Jones Jr., boosted from secretary 
to second vice-president; Kenneth 
G. Gillespie, secretary; and Paul 
E. Conner, re-elected treasurer. 

Since its • inception the theatre 
has borrowed about $90,000 from 
its guarantors, over 700 civic and 
business organizations and in¬ 
dividuals. Deficits and borrowings 
have come in the face of major 
plant improvements which have 
greatly increased the facility and 
comfort of the theatre. 

Outlook for 1957 is better than 
forecast at this time a year ago. 
Ticket sales already total $105,000, 
and an earlier ticket drive is get¬ 
ting underway with George Gold¬ 
man, jeweler, and Don Davis, tv 
exeq, in charge. 


‘Middle’ Distributes 50% 
Profit on $100,000 Ante 

Backers of “Middle of the Night" 
hav^ 7 received 50% profit thus far 
on their $100,000 investment. That 
represents their half of the total 
distribution to date on the Joshua 
Logan production, currently in its 
38th week at the ANTA Theatre, 
N. Y. 

The Paddy Chayefsky drama 
resumed operations last Aug. .27 
after a summer layoff. Biz in recent 
months has been upbeat, with th'e 
show hitting several capacity 
weeks. Television appearances by 
the show’s star, Edward G. Robin¬ 
son, plus the showcasing of a scene 
from the comedy-drama on CBS- 
TV’s “Ed Sullivan Show," are con¬ 
sidered important factors in creat¬ 
ing the bullish situation. 

The film rights to the property 
have been purchased by Columbia 
Fictures for ‘$100,000, with the 
Broadway company getting a per¬ 
centage of the film profits, if any. 

‘Sergeants’ Pays 
$120,(100 Dividend 

“No Time for Sergeants" has 
given a Christmas present to the 
backers. The Maurice Evans-Em- 
mett Rogers operation has paid a 
holiday dividend of $120,000, bring¬ 
ing the total profit distribution 
thus far to $620,000. On the basis 
of the regular 50-50 deal between 
the backers and the management, 
that’s a 310% return on the 
$100,000 investment. 

As of a Nov. 17 accounting, the 
total net profit was $682,325, in¬ 
cluding $502,411 from the original 
Broadway production, $84,923 from 
the touring company and $94,991 in 
miscellaneous revenue and in¬ 
come from the sale of the film 
rights to Warner Bros. The audit 
also listed a reserve fund of 
$60,000. . 

The New York company is cur¬ 
rently in its 62d week at the Alvin 
Theatre, while the > touring fac¬ 
simile Is in Its 15th week at the 
Erlanger Theatre, Chicago. A Brit¬ 
ish edition is in its 17th week at 
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Lbndon. 


Here’s a Warning 

Recently proposed (but not 
yet effective) new taxqollector 
interpretation on star-domi-. 
nated corporations, and their 
proper tax rates, has caused 
widespread alarm in the film 
industry. 

"Further study suggests that 
television, and other amuse¬ 
ment media, may have \ setups 
which are facing big unex¬ 
pected tax liabilities. 

For a detailed story on the 
x situation see streamer story 
this issue, Page 3. 


Agencies Boost 


To Regular 15% 

The longstanding 5% weekly 
discount allowed by ad agencies on 
Broadway legit advertising is on 
the way out. It’s understood the 
major agencies are proposing a 
straight 15% commission instead of 
the 10% now in effect that would 
automatically eliminate the 5% 
discount. 

At l'east one outfit, Blaine- 
Thompson, has already sent out a 
form , letter stating the discount 
would be dropped at the end of 
December. That followed a recent 
meet with the League of N. Y. The¬ 
atres. The firm atttributes the ac¬ 
tion to rising operational costs, ex¬ 
plaining that the necessity for the 
hike “has been apparent to us for 
the past five years.” 

The upping of commissions 
comes in the wake of a series of 
rate increases by the newspapers 
over.the last several years. Agen¬ 
cies connected with legit,, besides 
Blaine-Thompson include Buchan- 
(Continued on page 74) 


N. Y. Theatre League, Road Mgrs. 

Set Up Rival Boohing Agencies 


SKED LONDON 'YANKEES' 


Musical Due March 28, Forcing 
- ’Pajama’ to Tour 


London, Dec. vl8. 

The London production of 
“Damn Yankees" is--due to open 
March 28 at the Coliseum. The 
musical will replace “Pajama 
Game," which \yill by then have 
run about 16 months. 

Jerome Whyte, who arrived 
from New York last Thursday (7) 
fixed the date with Prince Littler, 
who owns the ttfeatre and is asso¬ 
ciated in the management of both 
shows. 


Extend Pitlbchry (Scot.) 
Legit Season for 1957 

Pitlochry, Scot., Dec. 11. 

The 1957 season of Scotland’s 
local semi-tent “Theatre in the 
Hills,” seventh in series, will be 
longest yet staged. It will open 
April 20 and last for five and a 
half months, winding Oct. 5. 

The opening play will b^ “The 
Last Trump,” by James Bridie. 
Also set is a premiere^R. F. Del- 
derfield’s- “The-' Mayerling- Affair," 
plus a revival of J. M. Synge’s 
“The Playboy of tl\e Western 
World." Also set are “Rookery 
Nook,” by Ben Travers; “Where 
Stars Walk," by Michael Mac-Li- 
ammoir, and “The Scandalous Af¬ 
fair of Mr. Kettle and Mrs. Moon," 
by J. B. Priestley. 


Off-Bway’s Got 
Preem Problems 


Off-Broadway still has growing 
pains. Conflicting opening dates 
are now the big problem. Althougn 
some off-Broadway shows have 
been crossing themselves up by 
preeming at the same time, it’s the 
Main Stem competition that really 
hurts. 

A Broadway opening automatic¬ 
ally gets firststringer priority, 
which makes it rough on shows- 
that have been counting on that 
coverage. When the conflict is rele¬ 
gated to off-Broadway, the critics’ 
‘play selection isn’t usually as def¬ 
inite. Nevertheless, it still stacks 
up as a frustrating situation. 

Unlike Broadway, where shows 
register opening dates with the 
League of N. Y. Theatres, off- 
Broadway premiere preem sched¬ 
uling is a free-for-all npatter. Illus¬ 
trating the conflicts that do occur 
is the situation involving two forth¬ 
coming off-Broadway shows, “River 
Line" *and “Volpone" and the in- 
c ning Broadway production of 
“Small War on Murray Hill." 

“Volpone," which'goes into the 
Rooftop Theatre, was originally 
scheduled to open in December, 
but moved the date back to Jan. 3, 
while “River," originally slated to 
preem Jan. 7 at the Carnegie Haii 
(Continued on page 74) 


The League of New York 
Theatres and an organization 
of road theatre managers are ac¬ 
celerating nlans to get separate 
booking offices opened by early 
January. Hastening the moves is 
the United Booking Office’s deci¬ 
sion to fold Dec. 29, leaving tour¬ 
ing shows without an active book¬ 
ing agency. 

The UBO, which has dominated 
the legit booking field since its 
formation in 1932 by the Shubert 
and Erlanger interests, had to be 
liquidated by the end of the cur-_ 
rent season under the terms of ' a 
Government consent decree. The 
organization has been running for- 
sale ads, but there have apparent¬ 
ly been no takers. Marcus Hei- 
man, the agency’s president, has 
expressed the opinion that “no¬ 
body wanted to buy a business that 
was operating under a consent de¬ 
cree.” 

| It’s understood the asking price 
i for the agency is $190,000. A pur- 
j chaser would get the $140,000 re- 
jportedly.in the UBO bank account 
j and intangible assets priced at $40,- 
: 000. However, the buyer would 
' also presumably acquire any pend- 
j ing legal claims against the agency; 

: A petition to dissolve the opera- 
' tion any time after Dec. 3 was 
given Federal-court approval Nov. 
9. 

Meanwhile’, as anticipated, the 
out-of-town theatre managers 
(Continued -on page 74) 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 





Forms dosing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

/ 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St, 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


German Stage in Crisis; 

Bonn Official Praises 
Amateur Theatre in U.S. 

New Orleans', Dec. 18. 

German and all other theatres 
in Europe are in a period of crisis 
today, according to Dr. Bruno E. 
Werner, cultural attache of the em¬ 
bassy of the Federal Republic of 
West Germany and an art and the* 
atre critic for 30 years. 

Dr. Werner, here to visit the 
Tulane U. department of theatre . 
and speech, declared that Germany 
sadly 13‘cks an amateur theatre 
such as that in the U.S. He sin¬ 
gled out»*American college and 
university drama as the thing that 
impresses him most. 

“To see the enthusiasm of these 
young people, serving without 
money compensation and with lit¬ 
tle credit, is remarkable,” he 
commented. He compared German 
stage to Greek theatre, each lo¬ 
cality having a drama group with 
its own repertoire. He added that 
the theatres have always been en¬ 
dowed, and the governments which 
endowed them have through the 
years suppressed them. 


1ILWAUKEE TUNETENT 
' LISTS $77,854 DEBTS 

Milwaukee, Dec. 18. 

The Melody Circus Theatre, 
which folded here last summer af¬ 
ter a brief, disastrous run, has filed 
a bankruptcy petition in the local 
Circuit Court, listing liabilities of 
$77,854 and assets of $21,313. 

Among the liabilities are $9,361 
due cast members, $13,757 payable 
in admissions and withholding tax 
and $54,736 in other claims. In 
addition, $16,753 is sought by a 
local construction building firm for 
construction of the defunct thea¬ 
tre’s nylon tent. However, Melody 
Circus Theatre has filed a counter¬ 
suit for $50,000, claiming that im¬ 
proper erection of the canvastop 
caused its collapse during a storm. 


Stratford (Ont.) Fest 
Dropped $24,760 in 1956 

Stratford, Ont., Dec. 18. 
The loss on operations at the 
Shakespeare- Festival here last 
summer was $24,760. Gross busi¬ 
ness for the legit and music series 
jumped to $475,486, an increase of 
$11,000 over the preceding semes¬ 
ter. Conversely, the profit for 
legit dropped $20,000 from the 
1955 take to $152,487, while the 
music take, $25,716, was $8,000 less 
than last year. (Figures on the 
film and art segments of the Fes¬ 
tival have not been released.) 

More than half of the $1,500,000 
required for the new hardtop the¬ 
atre, now being built, has been 
raised. 




72 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


USnmft 


Shows Abroad 


Who Cares? 

London, Dec. 14. 

Basil Dean presentation of a drama in 
three acts, by Leo Lehman. Stars Alec 
Clunes, Valerie Taylor, Denholm Elliott. 
Staged by Dean; decor. Disley Jones. At 
Fortune Theatre, London? Dec. 13, 58; 

$2.20 top. 

Prof. Peterson . Alec Clunes 

j G. _*.. Peter Sallis 

Felicia . Valerie Taylor 

Stefan . Denholm Elliott 

Bubbles . Catherine Feller 


Interesting situations and intelli¬ 
gent characters do not necessarily 
add up to good entertainment. 
“Who Cares?” has provocative 
ideas, but lacks, cohesion and the 
story fans out to deal with widely, 
divergent issues. The moderate 
overhead may enable it to run for a 
while, but it’s doubtful prospect to 
. stay, the course.. . 

It’s hard to tell whether Leo 
Lehman has written an academic 
treatise on the subject of freedom, 
or whether he’s concerned with the 
question of feminine frustration. 
The plot deals in equal measure 
with both questions, treating them 
separately and distinctly. The 
theories are expounded, often with 
interesting dialog but little regard 
to theatrical form. 

The story involves a university 
professor who awaits the arrival of 
a recently discovered ancient 
manuscript being smuggled from a 
Communist country in Central Eu¬ 
rope. The messenger is the son of 
the man who found the document 
and who had been tortured in a 
Nazi concentration camp, and sub¬ 
sequently . died while undergoing 
forced labor. 

From there the story goes its 
two separate ways. It provides an 
essay in frustration by the profes¬ 
sor’s wife, who shamelessly makes 
a pass at the boy who brought the 
manuscript and becomes jealous 
when she sees their visitor in a 
friendly huddle with her step¬ 
daughter. The freedom debate be¬ 
tween the professor and the young 
refugee is occasionally stimulating, 
but too often vague.. 

The cast of five is admirably 
chosen and the play has been sen¬ 
sitively staged by producer Basil 
Dean. Alec Clunes’ portrayal of 
the professor is a litlte fussy, but 
sincere. Valerie- Taylor gives a 
moving study in the difficult role 
of the wife and. Denholm Elliottt, 
as the refugee, contributes a per¬ 
formance of noteworthy integrity. 

Catherine Feller makes a de¬ 
lightful showing as the professor’s 
daughter and Peter Sallis nicely 
fills a smaller part as an academic 
colleague. • Myro. 


Mrs. Gibbons 9 Boys 

London, Dec. 12. 

James P. Sherwood presentation of a 
comedy in three acts, by Will Gllckman 
and Joseph Stein. Stars Mary Kerridge, 
Avice Landone, Eric House. George 
Margo. Staged by Hugh Goldie; decor, 
Hal Henshaw. At Westminster Theatre, 
London. .Dec. 11, '56; $2 top. 

Myra Hood . Mary Kerridge 

Mrs. Gibbons . Avice Landone 

Rudy Gibbons . Brian Weske 

Mr. Rausch . Cyril 

Coles David 

Lester MacMichaels. Eric House 

Woodrow W. Grupp.... George Roderick 
Rodla Gibbons .... Frederick Jaeger 
Francis X. Gibbons .... Lee Montague 
Ernie Warner ... George J^argo 


Shaps 

Kelly 


This comedy by Will Glickman 
and Joseph Stein will probably do 
considerably better in London than 
it did on Broadway seven years 
ago. Its opening on the eve of the 
Christmas holidays is hardly a 
help, however, and nor is its off¬ 
beat location -in Westminister. 
Nevertheless, with a modest operat¬ 
ing cost, it should hold for a rea¬ 
sonable engagement. 

One basic comedy situation is ex¬ 
tended over three acts and it’s 
something to the credit of the 
writers that they’re able to sus¬ 
tain the interest and the humor. 
There are some hilarious dialog 
passages and there’s also evi¬ 
dence of straining for effect. The 
situation compels the authors to 
slide down the/Slope from high 
comedy to obvious farce. 

Avice Landone gives a standout 
portrayal as the mother with an 
unbounding, faith in her three sons, 
one a juvenile delinquent and the 
others serving long prison sen¬ 
tences. This, indeed, is an exten- 
son of the basic theme of mother- 
love to the point of absurdity and 
the actress’ natural charm and tal¬ 
ent prevents the character from 
seeming unduly preposterous. 

The mother’s slow realization 
that her boys are not really inno¬ 
cent vicitims of society, but out¬ 
right crooks is treated with the 
minimum of tenderness. The 
scene in which she persuades them 
that the honorable thing to do is to 
return to goal, borders on the far- 
cial. 

The show is given virile presenta¬ 
tion by Hugh Goldie’s staging and 
the cast responds with maximum 
support. Eric House impresses as 


the meek suitor and Mary Kerridge 
does her best as Mrs. Gibbons’ 
spinster sister. George Margo 
plays tbe tough escapee broadly for 
laughs and Frederick Jaeger and 
Lee Montague portray the criminal 
brothers in similar vein. Hal Hen- 
shaw’s apartment setting suits re¬ 
quirements. Myro. 


The ( onntry Wife 

London, Dec. 14. 

English Stage Co. Ltd. presentation of 
comedy in three acts (10 scenes), by Wil¬ 
liam Wycherley. Stars Diana Churchill, 
Laurence Harvey. Staged by George De- 
vine. At Royal Court Theatre, London, 
Dec. 12, '56; $2.10. 

Mr. Horner . Laurence Harvey 

Lady Fidget . Diana Churchill 

Sir Jasper Fidget. Esme Percy 

Mr. Pinchwife . George Devine 

Mrs. Pinchwife . Joan Plowright 

Mr. Sparkish . John Moffatt 

Alithea Maureen Qoinncy 

Mrs. Squeamish"'.'...,. Moyra Fr-«er' 

Lady Squeamish.Margerv C-Jr’icmt* 

Lucy . .•. Jill ShoweP 

Mr. Harcourt . . Alan B~tes 

Mrs. Fidget. Sheila Ballantine 

Quack .:. Nigel D-'vennort 

Parson . Brian Hankins 

This sparkling 17th century com¬ 
edy retains much of its original 
bawdy appeal, and owing a lot to 
the skilled casting, its less lurid 
passages fail to bore a modern pub¬ 
lic. With a wraithlike attempt at 
-dividing the scenes, it manages to 
capture some of the atmosohere 
that a more -generously staged pro¬ 
duction would emphasize. On Us 
reputation it should prove a profit¬ 
able draw over the holiday season. 

Lawrence Harvey neatly alter¬ 
nates simpering indifference and 
ardent wenching as the lecherous 
Horner. Diana Churchill makes a 
good foil as one of his early vic¬ 
tims. The cuckolded husbands are 
all well characterized, being suit¬ 
ably matched by their femme coun¬ 
terparts. Hit of the evening is 
Joan Plowright, a recruit from the 
Old Vic, who scores in the title 
role with roguish gusto. Direc¬ 
tion lacks some of the leisure of the 
period, but underlines the broad¬ 
ness of the dialog. Clem., 


Is the Priest at Home? 

Glasgow, Nov. 28. 

Citizens Theatre production of comedy- 
drama in three acts, by Joseph Tomelty. 
Staged by Richard Mathews; setting, Nevil 
Dickin. At Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, 
Nov. 26, '56; $1 top. 

Father Malan . William Sherwood 

An American .Peter Stuart-Smith 

McLaughlin .Dermot Kelly 

Marona . . Shela Ward 

Perpetua O'Kane .Ellen Macintosh 

Mrs. Ballafer . Irene Gunters 

McNulty. James N-irn 

O'Grady . John Grieve 

Miss Bradley. Joan Scott 

Mr. Ballafer . O’Donovan Shiell 

Davy McAlea .Harry Walker 


A mild, talky little play about 
village life in northern Ireland, “Is 
the Priest at Home?” holds atten¬ 
tion for local audiences, but isn't 
a likely prospect for major presen¬ 
tation. It depends on rich charac¬ 
terizations, and the humor and 
philosphy of its homespun dialog, 
but is overlong and repetitious. 

Dermot Kelly, a guest player 
from Ireland, is standout as the 
new priest’s chief aide and village 
factotum. Wearing a flowing cleri¬ 
cal coat and a mournful expression, 
he scores with the author's witty 
comments on villagers, priests, 
Irishmen and life in general. 

Shela - Ward, another Irish im- 
portee, registers as an inquisitive 
housekeeper, William Sherwood is 
effective as the priest, and there 
are convincing supporting per¬ 
formances by Ellen Macintosh and 
Irene Sunters.: Richard Mathews' 
staging can’t overcome the scripts 
garrulousness. Gord. 


Oli Men, Oil Women 

Glasgow, Dec. 5. 

Michael Argy (for Ar-Gi-Ra Produc¬ 
tions) presentation of comedy in three 
acts, by Edward Chodorov. Stars Eunice 
Gayson, Pliil Brown, Charles Chaplin Jr.: 
features' Olaf Pooley. Staged by Basil 
Ashmore; settings, John Dinsdale. At 
King’s Theatre. Glasgow, Dec. 4, '56; $1.20 
top. 

Miss Tacher. Ursula Hanrey 

Alan Coles.Olaf Pooley 

Grant Cobbler.Charles Chaplin Jr. 

Myra Hagerman*. . Eunice Gayson 

Dr. Kraus . Geoffrey Rose 

Mildred Turner.Margaret Anderson 

Arthur Turner. Phil Brown 

Steward .Brian Lawson 


Edward Chodorov’s comedy, a 
Broadway hit three seasons ago', is 
given ^ successful English version 
here on a tuneup tour prior to its 
London opening. An interesting 
cast, including English tv personal¬ 
ity Eunice Gayson and Charles 
Chaplin Jr., both good for mar¬ 
quee draw, plays the show with 
dash, translating the antic about 
psychiatry_ into almost surrealist 
farce. 

The fact that psychoanalysis is 
not nearly the pop cult here as it 
is in the U.S.A. doesn’t detract 
from audience enjoyment, and the 
play gets a strong local aud reac¬ 
tion, mainly in second act. Mod¬ 
ernistic decor by John Dinsdale 
plus slinky femme costumes, add 
to the gaiety. Play’s witty mo- 


Light Refreshment 

Nick Mayo, producer-direc¬ 
tor of “Best House in Naples,” 
which .Was a fast flop on 
Broadway last October, tossed- 
a party at his home a few 
nights ago for the show’s back¬ 
ers. The occasion was high¬ 
lighted by the distribution of 
the unused portion of the coin 
invested in the production. It 
came to $5,000, representing 
25% of the 20% overcall. 

The total backer contribu¬ 
tion, including overcall, was 
$ 120 , 000 . 


ments make up for occasional talk- 
iness. 

Phil Brown is a standout as the 
film and stage actor who hits the 
bottle, recites Ibsen • and makes a 
pass at the psychiatrist’s pretty fi¬ 
ancee. Miss Gayson, hitherto best 
known for musical roles and as a 
tv panellist, proves gay and buoy¬ 
ant as the fiancee, and shows good 
acting potential for comedy and 
films. Chaplin, whose mannerisms 
rouse memories" of his father's 
miming, is a bustling screwball of a 
patient always on the spot for a 
quick and amusing rebound. 

Margaret 'Anderson, who looks 
not unlike English actress Anna 
N e a g 1 e, copes skillfully with 
lengthy speeches as the actor’s 
chattering wife, who wants to find 
herself “necessary.” Olaf Pooley Is 
a suave psychiatrist, who is eventu¬ 
ally put on the spot and proves 
human after all. Geoffrey Rose, 
as the elderly maestro of psyco¬ 
analysis, has an exaggerated make¬ 
up. 

The John Dinsdale settings 
achieve ultra-modernistic bright¬ 
ness. Femme costumes, particu¬ 
larly those worn by Miss Gayson 
and Miss Anderson, captivate the 
femme customers, and Basil Ash¬ 
more’s maintains a properly brisk 
pace. Gord. 


L 9 Or El La Faille 

(Gold and Straw) 

Paris, Nov. 22. 

Parisys production of comedy in three 
acts, "by Barillet and Gredy. Directed by 
Jacques Charon; scttlne. Knoll. At Michel 
Theatre, Paris. Nov,. 20, *50. 

T’hierr.v . T -cques Francois 

Ceraldlne . Francoise Fabian 

Chauffeur . Henry Charrett 

5 a6ul .*.Henri Cremioux 

Cora . Parisys 


“Gold and Straw,” latest item 
by collaborators Barillet and 
Gredy, authors of two of the big¬ 
gest post-war Parisian hits, “Le 
Don d’Adele” (Adele’s Gift) and 
“Ami-Ami” (Best of Friends), fills 
a gap in the present Paris season. 
It is the only new laugh show to 
open this year and, as Paris play¬ 
goers are anxious to forget their 
troubles, it is in clover. 

“Gold” seems written to order 
for economic production, having 
but one set, five characters (of 
which only four are important) 
and skimpy plot. .Staging at 800- 
seater Michel (managed by Mile. 
Parisys who has lead role) should 
have been for peanuts and with 
800 seats in nightly demand, it 
looks set for a long stay. 

Barillet and Gredy have adorned 
a simple narrative with slick situ¬ 
ations and bright if not brilliant 
dialog. The yarn involves a young 
couple living beyond their means 
in a big. new apartment building. 
After scheming to be divorced and 
make profitable remarriages, they 
are reunited when their middle- 
aged respective spouses-to-be meet 
and go' off together. 

The authors know how to deck 
out such a trivial conceit, and load 
the lines with tobical references 
and fair jokes. The best perform¬ 
ances are by veteran Henry Cre- 
mieux as a spry sugar-daddy and 
Parisys as faded music-hall 
belle. 

Francoise Fabian scores as an 
avaricious wife, but Jacques Fran¬ 
cois. a good straight actor, lacks 
lightness of touch in a comic as¬ 
signment bordering on farce. 
Jacques Charon, of Comedie-Fran- 
oaise, hqs done a nifty directorial 
job, but the ultra-modern apart¬ 
ment setting appears to have cost 
all of $1. Curt. 


Neil Shaffner 

reviews the American scene of 

Tent Reps in the V. S . 

* * * 

one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 
51 st Anniversary Number 
of 

Pfi&IETY 


Shows Out of Town 


Small War on Murray 
Hill 

New Haven, Dec. 12. 

Playwrights* Co. production of comedy 
in two acts, by Robert E. Sherwood. Stars 
Jan Sterling, Leo Genn; features Daniel 
Massey, Stefan, Schnabel, Patricia Bos* 
worth, Francis Compton, Nicholas Joy, 
Joseph Holland. Staged by Garson Kanin; 
scenery, Boris Aronson; costumes, Irene 
Sharoff. At Shubert Theatre, Dec, 12, '56; 
$4.50 top. 

Lt. Beckenham . Daniel Massey 

Maj. Clove . Nicholas Joy 

Orderly ... Paler Foy 

Sentry . Bill Becker 

Sam Pieters .. Harry Sheppard 

Gen. Howe .. Leo Genn 

Hawley . WilUam Strange 

Hessian ..... Michael Lewis 

Gen. Von Donop.Stefan Schnabel 

Robert Murray.. Joseph Holland 

Mary Murray .. Jan Sterling 

Daisy . Jonelle Allen 

Ned Lindley . Nicholas Probst 

SuSan Lindley ....... Patricia Bosworth 

Sgt. Galway . Elliott Sullivan 

Corp. Mullet . Allan Stevenson 

Amelie . . Vlnnette Carroll 

Samuel Judah . Francis Compton 

Mrs. Torpen .. Sally Walker 

Abigail Torpen . Susan Oliver 

John . George Francis 

Cora . . Sharon Porter 

Soldiers.Warner LeRoy. Leo Bloom 

Girl .. Jan Jarrett 

Boy . Marc Sullivan 


Robert Sherwood's last play is 
clearly not his greatest. It Is, how¬ 
ever, a brightly presented piece of 
stagecraft that may entertain on 
the basis of its performances and 
overall production, if not on the 
strength of its story values. 

" By coincidence, perhaps, Sher¬ 
wood’s first play, “Road To Rome,” 
and his final work, “Murray Hill,” 
both concern conquering warriors 
who encounter attractive females 
blandishments as detours on the 
road to victory. In the present 
instance* the comely mistress of a 
Manhattan homestead in Revolu¬ 
tionary War days, finds herself 
acting as hostess to British Gen. 
Howe in his campaign to obliterate 
Colonial Gen. Putnam from the 
island. "Through expert use of her 
wiles, including overnight accom¬ 
modations, she manages to delay 
Howe’s actiops until Putnam has 
reassembled his battered forces 
and is able to carry on the struggle. 

A capable cast gives the script 
a good performance. Jan Sterling 
fits the Colonial charmer ro’e 
n ; cely, both visually and dramati¬ 
cally. Leo Genn has ample polish 
as the British gentleman-warrior 
and he scores from a personable 
angle. 

Supporting roles get good treat¬ 
ment from Daniel Massey as a not- 
too-bright Redcoat staff officer, 
Stefan Schnabel as a blustering 
Hessian general, Nicholas Joy as 
another staff officer, Patricia Bos¬ 
worth 'as the heroine's appealihg 
sister, Francis Compton as a re¬ 
laxed Colonial banker and Joseph 
Holland as a Tory. 

A handsome interior-exterior 
setting shows a Murray Hill house 
and grounds, with a cook-house 
against a hill. Sound effects are 
used prominently* with distant 
gunfire and approaching horsemen. 
Also, an ingenious map-curtain, 
with transient lights, spots move¬ 
ments of Colonial troops between 
scenes. A beautiful succession of 
feminine apparel parades through¬ 
out. 

Staging has emphasized the tra¬ 
ditional charm- of the Briton as 
opposed to the professional bull¬ 
like tactics of the Hession, also the 
suavity of a genteel woman who 
sacrifices herself in a patriotic 
cause. Bone. 


Every Bed Is Narrow 

Toronto, Dec. 12. 

Murray & Donald Davis production of 
comedy in Jwo acts (six scenes), by Mary 
Jukes. Stars Ann Maorrlsh, Christopher 
Wiggins. Staged by Herbert Whittaker; 
setting, Marie Day; costumes, Judy Pey¬ 
ton Ward; lighting, Cecil Hornstein. At 
Crest Theatre, Toronto, Dec. 12, '50; $3 
top. 

Dodie Drainie ... Corinne Orr 

Eleanor McCall . Cosette Lee 

Bruce Wickson . Chris Wiggins 

Zena Drainie . Ann Morrish 

Frank Verhoff. George Luscombe 

Policemen J-»mes Pearce, Ian Thomson, 
Michael Pearson, Orest Ulan 

Chief of. Police .Godfrey Jackman 

Donald Burns . James Doohan 

Radio Announcer . Walter Bowles 


“Every Bed Is Narrow” not only 
has a sexy title, but its comedy 
theme is original, dealing with two 
bank robbers who hide out in a 
suburban home and do a double 
hoMup by frightening a cornel y 
widow into compliance with the 
crime. It’s Mary Jukes’ first pro¬ 
duced play and it also marks the 
first appearance on this side of the 
Atlantic of Ann Morrish, an accom¬ 
plished English actress without 
Shaftesbury accent. • 

The boudoir title could suggest 
a spicy farce, but the piece is 
played for straight comedy despite 
an otherwise grisly plot 'stemming 
from a bank holdup. That one of 
the bandits is a charming son of an 
English cleric and his colleague is 
a deeze-doze-dem guy adds up to 
contrasting comedy and romantic 
values. 

Although its finale needs tight¬ 
ening. “Every Bed Is Narrow” is 
notable for its laugh-lines and sit¬ 


uations. Miss Morrish, whose ap¬ 
pearance suggests Deborah Kerr 
is outstanding as the merry, not- 
so-zany widow. Chris Wiggins is 
suitably cavalier as the tall, blond 
bandit who never packs a rod, and 
Cosette Lee is properly imperious 
as the socialite sister-in-law. 

'James Doohan and George Lus¬ 
combe are efficient in their respec¬ 
tive caricatures of the big business¬ 
man and the shoulder-holstered 
thug, while Corinne Orr is an en¬ 
gaging teenager. Herbert Whit¬ 
taker has done a splendid job of 
directing, and Marie Day has de¬ 
signed a neat drawing-room set. 

It’s an entertaining comedy. 

McStay. 

Casting Director Baker 
(Please! Not an Agent) 
Changes Name to ‘Word’ 

0 New York. 

Editor^ Variety: ' 

My name is Charles Baker and I 
am the casting director for “Happy 
Hunting,” but I am not the Charles 
Baker who heads the legit depart¬ 
ment at the William Morris agency. 
Two people with the satne name 
understandably cause confusion, 
especially in this business, but the 
Baker at the William Morris office 
is not a “buyer and peddler of tal¬ 
ent at the same time,” as indicated 
in the story iif last week’s Variety. 

To clarify the record, I have 
worked exclusively as* casting direc¬ 
tor for Jo Mielziner since last Janu¬ 
ary. May I take this opportunity 
to make public my apology for the 
confusion of names (my middle in¬ 
itial, “W,” was inadvertently omit¬ 
ted from the listing in the Playbill 
for “Happy Hunting”). Charlie 
Baker (the William Morris one) 
and I conducted “Happy Hunting” 
casting business last summer satis¬ 
factorily and pleasantly—but from 
different sides of the “fence.” 

For my own sake professionally, 
to avoid future misunderstanding, 
and in deference to the Charles 
Baker who got here first (the one 
at William Morris), I have chosen 
to use an old family name and be 
known henceforth as Word Baker. 
Word (for the first time) Baker, 
(Casting Director, 

Jo Mielziner Productions). 

(This should also clarify confu¬ 
sion on the part of Actors Equity, 
which informed Variety that 
Charles Baker was not' taking 
agent's commissions on performers 
cast in “Happy Hunting ” and that, 
therefore , no infraction of its rules 
was involved. — Ed.) 


My Fair Lady (tour): Ann Roger* 
Charles Victor, Hugh Dempster. 

Chalk Garden (tour): Cathleen Nesbitt. 

Hidden River: Roger DeKoven, Jack 
Bittner. 

Liza: Rain Winslow. 

Matchmaker: Judith Cargill. (replaced 
Christine Thomas). 

Tunnel of Love: .Scott McKay, Sylvia 
Daneel, Nancy Olson. 

Orpheus Descending: Maureen Staple- 
ton, Lois Smith, Robert Loggia. 

Small War on Murray Hill: Francis 
Compton, Harry Sheppard, Nick Prob6t, 
Nicholas Joy. 

Clearing In the Woods: Lin McCarthy, 
Tom Hatcher, PerneU Roberts, Ann Pear¬ 
son, SybU White, Barbara Meyers, Onslo 
Stevens. 

Waltz of the Toreadors: Merief Forbes 
Mildred Natwlck, John Abbott, William 
Hansen. John Stewart, Louise Kirtland. 
Sudie Bond, Mary Grace Canfield, Frieda 
Altman. 

Good as Gold: Julcen Compton. 

Holiday for Lovers: Audrey Christie, 
Georee Matthews. Thomas Cnrlin. Car¬ 
men Mathews, Sandra Church, Ann Flood, 
Renee Paul, 

Zlegfeld Follies: Vlng Merlin & hi* 
"Violin Beauties." 

OFF-BROADWAY 

Purple Dust: Stephen Elliott, Stefon 
Gierasch, Bette Joan Hcnrltze, Kathleen 
Murray, Daniel Reed, Robert Gelrlnger. 
Harry Bannister. Mary Welch, Alvin Ep¬ 
stein, C-’sey Waters, Sandy Kenyon, Paul 
Shyre, P. J. Kelly. 

Good Womah of Setzuap: Jerry Stiller, 
WlUiam Myers, Byrne Plvert, Marvin 
Paone, Nancy Quint. William Gronnel, 
Zero Mostel (replaced Michael Strong). 

Eagle Has Two Hoads: Jo Anne Valller, 
Clement Fowler (succeeds Charles Tyner), 
Iver Flschman, Earle Jones.. 

River Line: Beatrice Straight. Peter 
Cookson, Gene Lyons, Hilda Vauglm. 
Zohra Alton, Michael Evans, Tom Martin, 
Reuben Singer. 

Volonne: T -net W:>rd. Bram Nosscn, 
Karl Lukas, Lance Cunard, Arthur Malet, 
Robert Blackburn. 

Take a Giant Steo: Dorothy Butts (suc¬ 
ceeds Anita Ctrplani). . 

Lyslstrata (ELT): Walter Adams. Art 
Alisi. Ann Amourl, Richard Ashe. Arlene 
Avrll, John Cnstello,- Lisa Chapman. 
Marry Helen Crain, Natalie Craveth. 
Louis D'Almelda, Jack Delmont.e, BJU 
DuFrene. Alan Furlan, Edward Iw* 1 ' 
Arthur Hammer, Patrick Hines, Anobeia 
Holt, Antoinette Hurwltz. Shirley Judson, 
Kathleen Kerr, Joanna MerlJn, Margaret 
Miller, Dina Pnlsner, Lillian Prince. Man¬ 
uel Ramos, Leslie Reed, M. F. Rohel, 
Susan Rov. Helen Scourby, Henry Shave, 
Elsyne Shlpm-n, Helen Tholn, .Tames Van 
Wnrt, Vicky Vargas, Frank Vohs, Ja» c 
White. 

U.S.A.: Loe Philips. Rave Allen. Nor* 
man Rosen, Charles Aldm&n, Saaa 
Thompson. 

' Maggie (YMHA): Jo Wilder. George 
Goynes. Paula Lawrence. James BrodericK, 
Frank Maxwell, Leon Janney. 




















































































'Wednesday, December- 19, 1956 


IS&Rmfr 


LEGITIMATE 


73 


Legit Bits 


Gilbert Miller planed to Jamaica 
over the weekend for his annual 
Christmas holiday vacation. 

Production staff fdr Ruth Drap¬ 
er's one-woman show at Playhouse, 
N. Y., beginning next Tuesday (25); 
includes Edward A. Blatt, company 
manager; Gerald O’Brien, stage 
manager, and Joe Lustig, press- 
agent. 

Helen Richards succeeds Mau¬ 
rice Turet as pressagent for the 
touring “Pajama Game.” 

Bella (Mrs. Paul) Muni had a 
heart attack last week,- her second 
within a couple of months. 

Zina Bethune, moppet in “Hap¬ 
py Fella” has left the show to 
dance the juve’lead in the City 
Center production of “Nutcracker 
Suite,” beginning next Saturday 
( 22 ).. 

Rermit Bloomgarden returned 
to New York from Jamaica over 
the weekend. 

“Infernal Machine,” directed by 
actress Mildred Dunnock, is being 
presented by the Barnard College 
Drama Workshop at the Minor 
Latham Playhouse, N. Y., through 
next Friday (21). 

Wallace Garland, head of Broad¬ 
way Angels, Inc., which was 
charged with irregularities in the 
sale of $400,000 stock by the N. Y. 
State Attorney General, has agreed 
to a N. Y., State court injunction 
permanently barring-him from se¬ 
curity dealings in the state. 

Vince McKnight will be com¬ 
pany manager for the “Fanny” 
road tour, which starts next Tues¬ 
day (25) in Boston. 

Howard Newman is drumbeater 
for “Sin of Pat Muldoon.” 

Julian Olney, of the Paul Greg¬ 
ory office, is in New York from 
Hollywood to arrange touring itin¬ 
eraries for upcoming Gregory pro¬ 
ductions. 

Alexander Robert Barron, gen¬ 
eral manager for producers Alex¬ 
ander H. Cohen and Ralph Als- 
wang, and Joan De Keyser, of the 
Theatre Guild subscription depart¬ 
ment, are honeymooning id Eu¬ 
rope. 

Former vocalist Ethel Shutta, 
a local resident, will costar with 
Broadway and Hollywood actor 
Neil Hamilton in a production of 
“ \nniversary Waltz” opening next 
Tuesday night (25) at the Alley 
Theatre, Houston. 

Former Broadway singer-actress 
Joan Roberts will star in “Dinner 
for Three,” a comedy with music 
based on the Carl Sloboda play, 
“Tea for Three,” to be presented 
next week at the Playhouse Thea¬ 
tre, Houston, with Keith Kirby as 
leading man. The show has been 
adapted by Herbert Kramer, Play¬ 
house director, who will play one 
of the leads. 

Verge! Cook, wife of actor Ar¬ 
thur Storch, has left the cast of 
“Middle of the Night” to have a 
child. Marilyn Clark has taken 
over her role. 

Monroe B. Hack announces plans 
for a Broadway production this 
season of Milton Kramer's play, 
“The Lawyer,” with John Frederic 
Killen as stager. ' 

Production staff for “Small War 
on Murray Hill” includes Ben Ros¬ 
enberg, company manager; Walter 
Neal, production stage - manager, 
and Porter Van Zandt, stage man¬ 
ager. 

Betsy Holland has been appoint¬ 
ed production assistant for “But 
Not For Marriage.” 

Hume Cronyn is contemplating 
bringing the William Wright-Al- 
bert Beich dramatization of Edwin 
Corle's novel, “Three Ways to Mec¬ 
ca,” to Broadway next season fol¬ 
lowing a break-in on the strawhat 
circuit. The property, which he 
and/or his actress-wife, Jessica 
Tandy, may appear in, is tentative¬ 
ly tagged “Oliver Walling.” 

“Subway in the Sky,” a new play 
by Ian Main, is scheduled for Lon¬ 
don production by Peter Saunders, 
with Zachary Scott and Margaret 
Lockwood as costars. Murray Mac¬ 
Donald will direct., 

George Banyai, general manager 
for producer Gilbert Miller, left 
for Europe last Friday (14) for a 
three-week o.o. of the London- 
Paris legit scene. 

Norman Maibaum and James 
Awe will be general manager and 
production coordinator, respective¬ 
ly, for the Carmen Capalbo-Stan- 
ley Chase play series at the Bijou 
Theatre, JNT. Y. Set as production 
stage manager and stage manager, 
respectively, for the opening show, 
“Potting Shed,” are Gene Perlowin 
and Rome Smith. 

Actress-dancer Eileen O’Dare Is 
setting up residence in a recently- 
purchased Florida home and keep¬ 
ing her New York apartment for 
trips to town. 

Production staff for “Holiday for 
Lovers” includes Joe Roth, general 
manager; Leonard Auerbach, pro¬ 
duction stage manager, and Wil- 
\ ham Dodds, stage manager. 

. Production staff for “A Clearing 
m the Woods” includes Leonard 
t icld, company manager; Bill Ross, 


production stage manager, and 
Leonard Patrick, stage manager. 

‘Hamlet,” with Siobhan McKen¬ 
na appearing alone in the title role, 
will be the third in the special 
matinee series being presented by 
the Greater New York Chapter of 
the American National Theatre & 
Academy at the Theatre de Lys, 
N^Y. The offering, which will be 
staged by Henry Hewes, drama 
critic for the The Saturday Review, 
is scheduled for mid-January pres¬ 
entation. The other parts in the 
play will be on record. 

Jule Styne plans bringing “Min¬ 
nie,” the legituner version of Puc¬ 
cini’s opera, “The Girl of the 
Golden, West,” to Broadway next 
September. Richard Baldridge, 
adapting the libretto from Robert 
Lawrence's translation, may dou¬ 
ble as director. Herbert Greene 
will supervise the choral work, 
while the music will probably be 
arranged by Robert Russell Ben¬ 
nett. 

Sandor Szabo, a member of the 
Budapest Theatre, who recently 
arrived in New York after fleeing 
from Hungary, has been given res¬ 
ident alien status by Actors Equity. 

Oscar S. Lerman has optioned 
“Cupid Wears a Mustache,” a 
musicomedy based on th life of in¬ 
terior decorator - designer James 
Mont, for Broadway* production 
next season. The book is being 
written by Sam Gutworth and 
pressagent Eddie Jaffe. 

The Actors’ Fund of America’s 
second annual “Salute to Broad¬ 
way” luncheon will be held Friday 
(21) at the Sheraton Astor Hotel, 
N. Y. > 

Susan Lovell exited the cast to 
the touring “Damn Yankees, cur¬ 
rently at the Shubert, Chicago. 
Sally Brown replaced. Rosemary 
Kuhlman taking a 10-day leave 
from the same company to appear 
on NBC-TV’s Xmas Eve telecast of 
“Amahl and the Night Visitors. 

Jeffrey Lynn and Beverly Law¬ 
rence signed as leads for Jules 
Pfeiffer's revival of “Anniversary 
Waltz,” opening Dec. 30 at the 
Blackstone, Chicago. Others in the 
cast include Warren JJerlinger, 
Mary Lee Dearring, Virginia Mor¬ 
gan and Helen Martin. 

Joe Magee, of the William Mor¬ 
ris Agency’s legit department, in 
Harkness Pavilion, N. Y., for a 
checkup. 

Hollis Alpert, author and film 
critic^for The Saturday Review, is 
heading a new off-Broadway group, 
Stage Society, which plans pre¬ 
senting a double bill of- George 
Bernard Shaw's “Great Catherine” 
and “O’Flaherty, V. C.” next Feb¬ 
ruary at an undesignated house. 

“The Girl on the Via Flaminia,” 
the first production of the Reper¬ 
tory Workshop, a non-profit group 
formed by actress Joan Davenport, 
preemed last night (Tues.) at the 
Bleecker St. Theatre, N. Y., with 
seven other plays and musicals 
skedded to follow through March. 
The project is being supervised by 
an executive committee including 
Miss Davenport; sports promoter 
and Artists Enterprises founder 
Irving Abramson, Mark Lenard 
and Jimson Slaven., Abramson will 
handle the business details. 

Anthony Palma, having deferred 
his planned production of Stephen 
Phillips' “Paolo and Francesca,” is 
now contemplating a February off- 
Broadway presentation of his own 
play, “There Is No End.” 

Tv-film scripter David Swift is 
working on a legit adaptation of 
Alberto Moravia’s novel, “Fancy 
Dress Party.” 

New candidates for membership 
in The Lambs include professionals 
Sol Hurok, Phil Foster, Charles L. 
Hohman and Garson Kanin. 

Actress Joan Castle, back in 
New York from Ireland after play¬ 
ing the lead in Edward Lindsay 
Hogg’s “Golden Link” at the Gate 
Theatre, Dublin, is agenting the 
play for Broadway production. 

A' revival of “And So To Bed,” 
with Eugenie Leontovich as direc¬ 
tor and star, is slated for February 
production at the Pasadena (Cal.) 
Playhouse, with a cross-country 
move to Broadway contemplated. 

The 'Palm Springs (Cal.) Play¬ 
house, sponsored by the Palm 
Springs Playhouse Guild, with 
Herb Rogers as producer, begins 
its ninth season Jan. 15 with 
“Roomful .of Roses.” 

The upcoming “My Fair Lady” 
national company has been booked 
for a 24-performance stand, Oct. 
5-20, at the State Fair Auditorium, 
Dallas, prior to hitting Chicago for 
an indefinite run. 

“Children Don’t Forget,” Z. Lib- 
in’s Jewish folk play, directed by 
Menachem Rubin, will be present 
ed by the Theatre Ensemble Group 
on Saturdays and Sundays only be¬ 
ginning Dec. 22. 

Cantor-singer Moishe Oysher, 
his actress-sister Freidele, and her 
12-year-old daughter, Marilyn, will 
appear together for the first time 


Harold Myers 

chief of ‘Variety* London Bureau 
analytes the 

London Legit Battles 
vs. 

Censor And Dullness 


. another editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 


y&RIETY 


in “The Rich Get Richer,” a new 
Yiddish revue by Ben Bonus, to be 
given a Dec. 29-30 showcasing at 
the Roosevelt Theatre, N. Y., to be 
followed by a New Year’s Eve 
stand, at the Brooklyn Academy of 
Music. Bonus will also appear in 
the production with Mina Bern and 
others. 

Jess Beers and Muriel Stein are-| 
set and cbst.ume designer, respec¬ 
tively. for the forthcoming Open 
Stage production of “Shadow 
Years.” 

Lee Philips, currently appearing 
in “Middle of the Night,” and Bob¬ 
bie Sfchrader, who’s been doing tv 
and publicity work, will be married 
next Sunday (23). 

Blevins Davis, recently associ¬ 
ated with Robert Breen in the re¬ 
vival of “Porgy and Bess,” costume 
designer Edith Lutyens and scenic- 
industrial designer Norman Bel 
Geddes have formed a partnership 
for the production of plays and 
films. 

Edward Choate, Albert H. Rosen 
and Huntington Hartford are plan¬ 
ning a musical version of “L’Aig- 
lon” as a vehicle for Shirley Mac- 
Laine, who’s currently costarring 
in their touring production of “The 
Sleeping Prince.” 

Elisabeth Marton, New York rep 
for foreign dramatists, has joined 
agent Peter Witt's newly-estab¬ 
lished literary department. 

Myron McCormick has extended 
his contract with the Broadway 
production of “No Time for Ser¬ 
geants” through August, 1958. 

An 18-week tour of “Can-Can,” 
under the production auspicies of] 
Manny Davis and George Lipton, 
is scheduled to begin Dec. 25 at 
the Nixon Theatre, Pittsburgh. 

Felicia Sorel will stage the danc¬ 
ing in Marc Connelly's “Hunter’s 
Moon,” a new version of his “There 
Are Two Points.” 


Off-Broadway Shows 


Nine By Six 

Robert Porterfield production of nine 
scenes from the classics. Staged variously 
by Del Close, Jerry. Hardin, Graham Jar¬ 
vis and Richard McKenzie; lighting, Albin 
Aukerlund; masks and costume plates, 
Maryanna EL’lott. At Open Stage, N. Y., 
Dec.’ 4, ,'56; admlsion by contribution. 

Cast: Annette Hunt, Del Close, Richard 
McKenzie, Mitch Ryan, ' Jerry Hardin, 
Marcie Hubert. 


Touring Shows 


(Dec. 


17-30/ 

(Jeffrey 


Lynn)— 


Anniversary Waltx 

Blackstone, Chi (30). * 

Boy Friend —Bushnell Aud., Hartford 
(17-20); Vet. Mem. Aud., Hartford (21-22); 
Shubert, Phlliy (26-29). 

Can-Can— Nixon, Pitt. (25-29). 

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Thomas Gomez, 
Marjorie Steele, Alex Nicol)—Nixonr Pitt. 
(17-22); Forrest. Philly (24-29). 

Chalk Garden (Judith Anderson)— 
Memorial Aud., L’viUe (17-19); Hartman, 
Col. (20-22); Hanna, Cleve. (25-29). 

Clearing In the Woods - (tryout) (Kim 
Stanley)—Walnut, Philly (26-29). 

Damn Yankees (2d Co.) (Bobby Clark)— 
Shilbert, Chi (17-29). 

Desk Set (Shirley Booth)—Curran, S.F. 
(17-29). 

Eugenia (tryout) (Tallulah Bankhead)— 
Shubert, New Haven (19-22); Plymouth, 
Boston (26-29). 

Fanny (Italo Tajo, Billy Gilbert)—Shu¬ 
bert, Boston (25-29). 

Great Sebastians i(Alfred Lunt, Lynn 
Fontanne)—Biltmore, L,A.. (17-29). " 

Hatful of Rain (Vivian Blaine)—Ameri¬ 
can, St. L. (17-22): Alcazar, S.F. (26-29). 

Inherit the Wind (2d Co.) (Melvyn 
Douglas)—Shubert. Boston (17-22); Na¬ 
tional, Wash. (24-29). 

Janus (Joan Bennett, Donald Cook, 
Romney Brent — Alcazar,. S.F. (17-22); 
Hartford, L.A. (26-29). 

Lark (Julie Harris)—National, Wash. 
(17-22). - 

No Time W Sergeants (2d Co,)—Erlan- 
ger, Chi (17-29). 

Pa|ama Game (Larry Douglas, Buster 
West, Betty O’Neil)—Victory, Dayton 
(17-22); Memorial Aud., L'ville (25*29). 

Sleeping Prince (Francis Lederer, Shir¬ 
ley MacLaine, Hermione ’ Glngold) — 
Lobero, Santa Barbara (17-19); Geary, 
S.F. (27-29). 

Small War on Murray Hill (tryout) 
(Jan Sterling, Leo Genn)—Colonial, Bos¬ 
ton (17-29). 

Waltz of the Toreadors (tryout) (Ralph 
Richardson)—Royal Alexandra, Toronto 
(20-29). 

Witness for the Prosecution —Harris, 
Chi (17-29). 


Freshness in the theatre can do 
much to compensate for the omis¬ 
sions of immaturity. In “9 by 6,” 
appropriately subtitled “A Cry of 
Players,” Robert Porterfield has 
brought to off - Broadway four 
young actors and two young ac¬ 
tresses to do nine scenes from the¬ 
atrical staples, beginning with 
Sophocles “Antigone” and pro¬ 
ceeding chronologically to Arthur 
Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.” 
Thanks to the energies, personali¬ 
ties and budding talents of the 
group, “9 to 6” becomes a lively, 
addition to the local minor league 
season. 

The company are Barter Theatre 
players, and they have toured the 
show through the Virginian circuit 
of one-night stands prior to this 
N. Y. incursio#. Barter being the 
first and only State-subsidized the¬ 
atre in the country, hinterland Vir¬ 
ginia can congratulate itself if this 
is the level of entertainment its 
legislature has made possible. 

Whether prompted by economy, 
the exigencies of trouping, or just 
good taste, simplicity is the key¬ 
note of the staging. The perform¬ 
ers work on a ihree-sided bare 
stage before black drapes. All the 
'company wear open-throated pas¬ 
tel blue oxford shirts, the men 
black trousers and dark sneakers, 
the women black skirts and flats. 
With very few props, the acting 
has t^> be all. 

“Antigone,” the opener, is steep 
for the company, and attractive 
Annette Hunt’s strong vocal attack 
seems excessive for Open Stage’s 
diminutive facilities. A rough- 
house “Commedia Dell’Arte” fol¬ 
lows, with a bawdy plot for two 
men to woo each other, each think¬ 
ing the other a woman. Then 
comes a perceptive moving excerpt 
from “Everyman” that sets a 
standard from which the company 
rarely lapses. 

A well-written but uncredited 
commentary, a sort of painless his¬ 
tory of theatre, is spoken between 
each scene, period and setting are 
described, and colorful costume 
plates are shown. Jerry Hardin 
narrates with smiling assurance, 
and he has also smartly directed 
scenes from Moliere’s “Tartuffe” 
and Otway’s “Venice Preserved,” 
while as an actor, he reveals a 
spry comedy sense. 

Mareie Hubert appears five 
times, twice seriously and thrice 
in comedy, a challenge in ver¬ 
satility. She’s an. actress of much 
potential, her airy style in the 
Molieref for example, being nicely 
contrasted with the sobriety of 
Turgeniev’s “Month in the Coun¬ 
try.” . 

Del Close’s staging of “Every¬ 
man,” the Turgeniev, and a wildly 
slapstick “Punch and Judy,” tend 
to irf&icate this as his stronger tal¬ 
ent. Mitch Ryan is an intense 2c- 
tor who is honestly simple as 
Everyman and a violent Biff in 
“Salesman,” while Richard Mc¬ 
Kenzie obviously enjoys cavorting 
as character man. The early Amer¬ 
ican comedy, “The Contrast,” gets 
witty staging by Graham Jarvis, 
really making it “9 to 7.” 

Each year Robert Porterfield’s 
.Barter ^Theatre presents to' a dis¬ 
tinguished Broadway actor and ac¬ 
tress a' Virginia ham- and “a plat¬ 
ter to eat it off of.” Happily 
there’s little trace of that com¬ 
modity in this off-Broadway in¬ 
vasion of The* Theatre of the 
Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Geor. 


works wonders. This is 24 centuries 
later, of course, but never under¬ 
estimate the power of a woman. 

‘Lysistrata” is the first in ELT’s 
Director’s Invitational series, Ta¬ 
mara Geva being guest stager. 
Although primarily a dancer- 
actress, Miss Geva has known what 
she wanted in her production, and 
where acting strength is sufficient 
to meet her demands, she has 
aroused gusty vigor. 

Whether this “Lysistrata” is Miss 
Geva’s or Jane White’s in the title 
role may be a question, but cer¬ 
tainly it can be put down as good 
collaboration. Miss White’s hand¬ 
some poise, her deep, .scornful 
voice, her graceful plasticity are 
omnipresent, and without her this 
would be a considerably less invig¬ 
orating revival. 

From Miss White’s discipline to 
the outrageous mugging in some 
other parts is an infinite distance, 
so credit Miss Geva with achieving 
unity. Helpfully with it, however, 
are Kathleen Kerr, whose trick 
with a sexy line is consistently 
funny, Liza Chapman as a Spartan 
wife who could sub as a Notre 
Dame tackle, Alan Furlan, as Ly- 
sistrata’s sex-lorn husband, Natalie 
Craveth, as a prettily yenning 
Athenian wench, and Art Alisi, 
who sadly wants a young lady, any 
young lady. 

There’s no restraint evident, the 
bawdiness of Gilbert Seldes’ trans¬ 
lation being italicized rather than 
controlled* As a case in point, the 
Spartan Envoy’s initial entrance 
may incite shock, getting the em¬ 
barrassed giggle rather than the 
yock, but the ancient Greeks prob- - 
ably howled. In an anachronistic 
windup, Miss Geva brings on a 
bongo drummer and some modern 
dancers who bring the affair to a 
orgiastic close. Geor. 


Curator of the Theatre Collection 
of the New York-Public Library 

George Freedley 

recalls some memorable 

Theatrical Lives in 
Print 


one of the editorial features 
in the upcoming 
51st Anniversary Number 
of 

PfisziEfr 


Eagle Has Two Heads 

Venture Productions revival of tragedy 
in three acts by Jean Cocteau, translated 
and adapted by Stanley Bosworth and 
Miles Dickson. Staged by Dickson; set¬ 
tings, Jonah Kinigstein; costumes, Lee 
Moore; lighting, Allan Saunders. At 
Actors Playhouse, N.Y., Dec. 13, ’56; $2.40 
top. 

‘Cast: Iver Fischman, Jo Anne Vallier, 
Colleen Dewhurst, Antony Vorno, Earle 
Jones, Clement Fowler. 


Lysistrata 

Equity Library Theatre revival of com¬ 
edy in two acts by Aristophanes, as 
translated and adapted by Gilbert Seldes. 
Staged by Tamara Geva: setting, Ted 
Moore; costumes, Lee Pilcher: lighting, 
Richard Barr. • At Lenox Hill Playhouse, 
N.Y., Dec. 12, ’56; admission by contribu¬ 
tion. 

Cast: Jane White, M. G. Robel, Lee L=tt- 
son, Margaret Millet, Helen Thain, Kath¬ 
leen Kerr, Shirley Judson. Ann Amouri, 
Mary Helen Crain, Joanna Merlin, Natalie 
Craveth, Liza Chapman, Dina Paisner, 
Susan Roy. Helen Scourbv. Vicky Vargas, 
Anabela Holt. Arthur Hammer, Frank 
Vohs, Jack ' Delmorite, Richard Ashe, 
Patrick Hines, Manuel Ramos, Edward 
Hall, Alan Furlan, Bill de Frene, James 
Van Wart, Louis d’Almeida. Art Alisi, 
Henry Shane., Arlene Avril, Leslie Reed, 
Walter Adams, Ron Stratton, Vincent 
Lynne. 


The bacchanalia in East 70th St. 
is Equity Library Theatre’s revival 
of “Lysistrata,” an early, and still 
hard-to-beat, suggestion on how to 
stop wars. According to Aristopha¬ 
nes, the Greek ladies had a couple 
of words for it, and to their war¬ 
rior husbands it was “No sex, boys, 
until you knock off this war non¬ 
sense,” In Aristoph’s whimsy it 


Colleen Dewhurst, actress, is the 
saving grace of Venture Produc¬ 
tions revival of “The Eagle Has 
Two Heads” at the Actors Play¬ 
house. This is Miss Dewhurst’s 
fourth off-Broadway foray in five 
months, her work as Shakespeare’s 
shrew, as Queeji of the Goths in 
“Titus Andronicus,” and as Ca¬ 
mille, having netted her critical • 
kudos. Her considerable talent is 
not enough, however, to rescue 
Jean Cocteau’s long tragedy from 
the cardinal theatrical sin of bore¬ 
dom. 

This is not a reflection on Miss 
Dewhurst, as even the redoubtable 
Tallulah Bankhead netted only 29 
performances uptown in another 
translation of the same *play in 
1947. There may be something 
profound, in Cocteau’s windiness 
about a Queen who falls in love 
with her intended assassin, but by 
the end of the first of three long 
acts the weary spectator can only 
wish the young man would get on 
with the job. 

If, as some say, Cocteau was 
only working for theatricalism, 
again thank goodness for Miss 
Dewhurst. As the Queen, she has 
regal presence'and command, she 
speaks with clarity and intriguing 
inflection, and she gives indication 
that with capable direction she 
could make even this muted drama 
seem more worthy. As it is, her 
first-act 20-minute monolog, in 
\vhich she berates the assassin for 
his failure, is the evening’s unin¬ 
tended climax. 

The directionless staging has 
been provided by co-producer, co¬ 
adaptor Miles Dickson, who has 
also allowed -some sloppy stage 
management. Jonah Kinigstein 
has helped offset this by designing 
a couple of spaciously ornate sets, 
including an impressive staircase 
for the principals to fall down in 
their joint death scene. 

As the poet-assassin, Anthony 
Vorno is alternately neatly groomed 
or ruffled-haired. As Queen’s at¬ 
tendant, Jo Anne Vallier’s concept 
of royalty is to speak with pseudo 
hauteur Over her left shoulder. 
Clement Fowler prowls in from 
time to time as a sleuth. And as 
an officer, Iver Fischman tries des¬ 
perately hard not to be heard, so 
badly does he apparently feel 
about matters. Earle Jones is 
lucky; he plays a mute. Geor. 

Renovate Lyceum, Mpls. 

Minneapolis, Dec, 18. 

The Lyceum Theatre, local legit 
spot, is getting a $900,000 renovat¬ 
ing and redecorating job. 

Bennie Berger owns and oper¬ 
ates the house* 



EEGITIftSATK 


74 


PtiO&EfY _ Wednesday, December 19, 1956 1 


Misses Yesterday’s Author! Author! 


Continued from.pace 71 


the performance for the audience, 
"but would also-Increase their, ap¬ 
preciation of. some of. the marvel¬ 
ous effects they now take for grant¬ 
ed, or. overlook entirely.. We’ve 
all become too matter-of-fact, too 
literal, too jaded about the theatre. 
We’ve lost much of- .the sense of 
excitement and- of magic ,we used 
to haVe-^-and we’re poorer for it. 
So is the theatre.” 

Besides being president 1 of the 
lighting firm. Kook founded and 
heads : the Arts of the Theatre 
Foundation; which awards play- 
writing fellowships and otherwise 
seeks to stimulate the creative 
stage.. He is also a prolific invester 
in Broadway productions and, in¬ 
formally a friend, counsellor and 
inspiration to numerous authors, 
directors) designers and practically 
anyone else associated with .legit. 

■ Unlike most veterans of the 
Shubert Alley, environs, he makes 
no effort to hide the fact that lie’s 
hopelessly stage-struck. As a 
business man, with a proven ability 
to negotiate a deal, perhaps he 
doesn’t have to assume the more or 
less standard cloak of Broadway 

cynicism. 

As a lighting expert, Kook nat¬ 
urally stresses tlie importance of 
theatrical design, of new trends in 
scenery, new developments in cos¬ 
tuming and, of course, of tech¬ 
niques in lighting. He’believes that 
the contemporary theatre tends to 
over-stress heavy, realistic scenery, 


but he bolds the novel theory that 
unimaginative playwrights and tra¬ 
dition-bound producers are more 
to blame than designers. 

“Designers are artists, and it’s 
a truism that as any. creative artist 
develops he'tends more and more 
to . slmnlify. Our best designers, 
and I believe we have the* most 
gifted, designers jn the world, are 
constantly trying. to simplify their 
creations, to reach and stir the 
audiences’ imagination,” ■ he ex¬ 
plains. • 

“Lighting is - an integral, bril¬ 
liantly expressive element in the 
illusion of the theatre* and We’re 
in our infancy in knowledge about 
it and usd of it. Our stage elec¬ 
tricians are artists, in many cases 
contributing more to the per¬ 
formance thpn the actors do. 

“It’s time they received recogni¬ 
tion for it. *ft’s time everyone who 
contributes to a performance, re¬ 
ceived recognition. Maybe, in the 
case of authors, directors and de¬ 
signers, that’s only possible on 
opening nights. 

“But in any case, everyone who 
deserves it should receive recogni¬ 
tion. It would stimulate them to 
more creative work and woukl 
thereby improve the quality of the 
performance-. And it would give 
the audience a thrilling, addition 
to the show.” 


Bill Fields has succeeded Leo 
Freedman as pressagent on “Hap¬ 
py Hunting.” 


;/-n 



SUE CARSON undor Personal Management of GUS LAMPE 


Anything for Ail; 

Under the low-budget condi¬ 
tions of off-Broadway, most 
talent has to supplement legit 
income by taking outside jobs 
for real eating money. .It's 
standard practice to double 
during the day as clerks) wait¬ 
ers, soda-jerks, models, etc. 

Nat Garsen, a playwright al¬ 
ready ekeing out a non-living 
as stage manager for “Me 
Candido,” at the Greenwich. 
Mews Theatre, is pulling dov ,rs 
real coin as a whiskers-raiser 
and reaper. He grows the 
bushy beard on his own time, 
but as one of the demonstra¬ 
tors for the Remington electric 
razor tv-film commercials, he 
gets paid for shaving' it off. 


Barbizon-Plaza Rates 
Dff-B’way Despite Size 

New York. 

■Editor, Variety: 

Why does. Variety list “Shoe¬ 
string ’57” as being off-Broadway? 
It’s my understanding that off- 
Broadway productions are those in 
theatre of 299 capaoity or less. 
Also, off-Broadway people work for 
a lesser scale. 

Aren’t the “Shoestring” perform¬ 
ers getting full Equity scale? The 
Barbizon-Plaza Theatre, inciden¬ 
tally, has a capacity of something 
like 550, about the size of the Bi¬ 
jou, which is considered on Broad¬ 
way; Frank Schueger. 

(Although the Barbizon-Plaza 
seating capacity exceeds the 300. 
limit, it's listed , as off-Broadway 
because of its location outside the 
Times Square area. Eqiixty also 
has a special contract for the house, 
requiring: a higher wage scale than 
the regular off-Broadway mini¬ 
mum. — Ed.) * 


Booking Agencies 

Continued from pace 71 

formed their own booking organiz¬ 
ation during a two-day meeting in 
New York last week. Representa¬ 
tives of theatres in more than 32 
cities were involved in the estab¬ 
lishment of the new organization, 
tagged the Legitimate Independent 
Theatres of North America. 

In setting, up their own office, 
the road managers rejected an in¬ 
vitation from the League of N.Y. 
Theatres to join its recently-form¬ 
ed Independent Booking Office. 
The League, nevertheless, is going 
ahead with its project. It’s be¬ 
lieved unlikely that other major 
agencies will attempt to enter the 
field. 

However, indications are that 
the Shuberts, who have booked 
their shows and road theatres 
through UBO, will book, their own 
theatres, including key spots in 
Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and 
Ctiicinatti. -Ditto for Heiman who 
has theatres in Boston, Chicago and 
Los Angeles. 

Ernest Rawley, manager .of the 
Royal Alexandra Theatre, has re-< 
signed that post to become general 
manager and secretary of LITNA. 
Edwin De Rocher, treasurer of the 
Toronto house since 1941, has suc¬ 
ceeded Rawley as manager, with 
his former post now open. Raw- 
ley planed into New York yester¬ 
day (Tues.) to set up the office, 
which will probably be located in 
the Paramount Building. He re¬ 
turns to Toronto today (Wed.) and 
is due back here Jan. 1, with the of¬ 
fice scheduled to open the follow* 
ing day. 

The League is rushing through 
its plans to get rolling, having held 
a meeting last Monday (17.) with 
another slated for next Friday (21). 
An accountant was brought in yes¬ 
terday to o.o. road records of the 
past few seasons for the League 
project. 

Incidentally, it’s felt that the 
IBO and LITNA. will eventually 
have to work'out some sort of ar¬ 
rangement to circumvent, duplicate 
bookings and facilitate the chan¬ 
neling of touring shows. 

Besides Rawley, other LITNA 
i officers appointed last week were 
I Paul B e i s m a n (American, St. 

I Louis), president; Jay Homick 
I (Shubert, Washington), chairman 
of the board; James Nederlander 
(Riviera, Detroit), vice president, 
and Milton Krantz (Hanna, Cleve¬ 
land), treasurer. 

These officers, together with 
Maurice H. Bailey (Shubert, New 
Haven) and John Roberts (Civic, 
New Orleans), comprise the board 
of directors.- ■ * * • r 


Recasting of Directors 
Is Becoming a Routine 

Switching directory during pre- 
Broadway tryouts is becoming com¬ 
monplace this season. 

The latest show to undergo a 
stager shift is “Uncle Willie,” with 
Robert Douglas replacing Sidney 
Walters. The Mehaisha Skqljnik- 
starrer, produced by Albert Lewis 
& Samuer>Schulman, in association 
with I. B. Joselow, opens. tomor¬ 
row (Thurs.) at the Golden Thea- 
! tre, N. Y. , 

The “Willie” directorial spot, in¬ 
cidentally, was originally , assigned 
to Edward Chodorov, who withdrew. 
before the comedy went into pro¬ 
duction. Other shows hit with 
stager changes this semester in¬ 
clude the flops, “Sixth Finger in a 
Five ‘Finger Glove” and “Best 
House in Naples,” and the current 
Broadway entry, “Happiest Million¬ 
aire." 

On two of those, “Naples” and 
“Millionaire,” the producers took 
over the directorial reigns. Nick 
Mayo replaced Claude Dauphin on 
the former, while Howard Erskine 
and Joseph Hayes succeeded Guth¬ 
rie McCUntic on the latter. The 
“Finger” change had John Holden 
replacing Harald Bromley. 

HOLIDAY THEATRE, N.Y. 
TO FRONT ON 47THST. 

The Shuberts are apparently de¬ 
termined to make the Holiday 
Theatre, N. Y., pay off—one way 
or another. They’re converting its 
Broadway front into store space 
and switching the entrance to 47th 
Street. It’s understood the shop 
rental will .be $16,000 yearly. 

The theatre, which was leased to 
Michael Rose for 10 years and 
used by him as a film and legit 
showcase for three-and-a-half 
years, recently reverted to the 
Shuberts. Under Rose’s manage¬ 
ment, the house played a few flop 
shows, but was .dark most of last 
season and has not had a tenant 
thus far this semester. 

TIte only remaining legit thea¬ 
tres with Broadway fronts are .the 
Broadway and Winter Garden, both 
Shubert operations. 

H’wood’s Ritz Theatre 
Drops Piets for Legit 

Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 

The Ritz Theatre, Fox West 
Coast first-run house on Wilshire 
Boulevard, becomes a legiter Dec. 
27 with the Iodal bow of Randolph 
Hale’s production of “Anniversary 
Waltz,” starring Russell Nype and 
Marjorie Lord. Show closed in San 
Francisco last week after 13 
months in and around the Bay 
City. 

The house, a 1,330-seater, will 
be scaled to a $3.85 top, which will 
permit a $32,000 weekly gross. 
“Waltz” marks Hale’s debut on the 
local scene. He now runs the Alca¬ 
zar in San Francisco. He has taken 
a three-month lease on the Ritz, 
with options to extend the tenancy 
indefinitely. 


Held in K.C. Theft 

Kansas City, Dec. 18. 

Police last week picked up Lee 
Albert Stamps, 45, in connection 
with the theft last Sept. 28 of 
$3,388 from a safe in the Starlight 
Theatre Assn, office. 

Stamps was released on bond of 
$3,000, pending a preliminary hear¬ 
ing Jan. 15. 


Off-B’way Preems 

— - Continued from page 71 
Playhouse, advanced its opening 
to the same date. With a conflict 
already in existence, “War” moved 
its scheduled Jan. 16 preem at the 
Barrymore Theatre forward to 
Jan. 3 also. As a result, “Volpone” 
and “River” have changed their 
debut dates again, this time to 
Jan. 2. 

Another off-Broadway entry that 
was almost caught in a similar 
conflict with a Broadway show is 
“Purple Dust,” which preems Dec. 
27 at the Cherry Lane Theatre. 
“Protective. Custody” was sched¬ 
uled to come into town on that 
date, but folded during its pre- 
Broadway tour. In that instance, 
Brooks Atkinson, N. Y. Times crit- 
is, had reportedly planned to cover 
the off-Broadway presentation of 
the O'Casey drama rather than the 
Broadway meller starring Faye 
Emerson. 


OFFER $1STUDE RATE 
ON PITT. SOBSCRIPTKIN 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

. In .effort to build up the local 
subscription list, the Theatre 
Guild and American Theatre So¬ 
ciety are experimenting with a Stu¬ 
dent Guild open to high school 
juniors and seniors and'college stu¬ 
dents. They’re offering a series of 
six plays at $1 each, and the. Nixon 
Theatre is making 500 seats avail¬ 
able for the project for the first 
three nights of 'the week. 

Guild has to work on the project 
without the. complete cooperation 
of public and parochial school 
heads, inasmuch as at* least a 
couple of the scheduled subscrip¬ 
tion plays, particularly “Cat On a 
Hot Tin Roof” and “Hatful of 
Rain,” are figured unlikely to en¬ 
list support on that academic level. 

This is believed to be the first 
city outside of New York where 
the reduced subscription rates are 
being offered to . students. If it’s 
successful here, tl\e plan will be 
extended elsewhere. 


Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. 

The Pittsburgh Playhouse will 
produce a British musical, “Love 
from Judy,” in February as its 
200 th show. 

: The tuner, which had a 14-month 
run in London, is based on the old 
Jean Webster comedy, “Daddy 
Long Legs.’’ 


Ad Agencies 

Continued from page 71 

ah Co., Joseph Burstin Co., Clifford 
Strohl, Donahue-Coe, Foote, Cone 
Ac Belding, Kayton-Spiero, Shor- 
lane-Benet Co., Lawrence Weiner 
& Associates and Entertainment 
Advertising Co. 

Under a recent consent decree 
ending a Government monopoly 
suit, ad agencies are forbidden 
from agreements to set commis¬ 
sions. Previously, the firms serv¬ 
icing legit accounts made an ex¬ 
ception in charging 10% commis¬ 
sion on such business. The prevail¬ 
ing rate for other accounts was al¬ 
ways 15% by agreement of all 
leading agencies. 

Although the firms now handling 
legit accounts are understood to 
be going along on the boost to the 
15% commission, there’s specula¬ 
tion In show biz-ad circles whether 
other agencies may try to grab 
some of the business by offering 
j reduced rates. 

} The ad budget for most Broad- 
i way shows ordinarily runs about 
$800-$l,000 a week for straight 
plays, $1,200-$1,500 for musicals. 
On that basis, the higher commis¬ 
sion would increase ad costs 
around $2,000-$2,500 a year for a 
straight show and $3,000-$4,000 for 
a musical, provided the same 
amount of lineage were used. 



In the heart of Chicago’s. Loop 
naar tha Chicago, Harris, Salwyn and 
Brlangar Theatres, ahd adfacent to 
all talavlslon stations, It's the 

RANCROFT HOTEL . 

19 W. Randolph St, FRanklln 2-4740' 
Special Ratas for Show Folk 
Rooms and Kitchanattos 



Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


■ t&RiBTr 


LEGITIMATE 75 


Slump Sloughs Qii; Yankees’ $30,190, 
‘Sergeants’ $2iUOO, ‘Witness’ $7,700 


Chicago, Dec; 18.’ 

, Loop legit biz continued in a 
seasonal slump last week, com¬ 
pounded by the winter’s first ma¬ 
jor snowstorm. 

“Anniversary Waltz’* .opens at 
the Black$tone f Dec. 30, for a run; 

. “Janus,” Harris, Feb. 4, .four 
weeks,, on subscription; the Old 
Vic Co., Blackstone, Feb, 11, for 
two Weeks, and “Matchmaker,” 
Harris, March 4, four weeks,. on 
subscription. 

Estimates for Last Week 
Damn Yankees, Shubert (MC) 
(7th wk) .($5.50; 2,100; $58,000) 


“Hatful of Rain,?’ starring Vivian 
Blaine, grossed a moderate $16,500 
last week at the 2,000-seat Shu¬ 
bert Theatre here, at a $3.06 top. 
Business- was surprisingly brisk 
considering the traditional pre- 
Yule slowdown and - the fact that | 
the play deals with the unappetiz¬ 
ing, subject of dope addiction. 

—f 77 ^4-^c^-^booMTir .T^ “€h alk' 


100; previous week, $37,600. 

No Time for Sergeants, Erlanger 
(C) '(14th wk) ($4.95; 1,335; $35,- 
495). Over $26,100; previous week, 
$27,700. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Harris (D) (12th wk) ($4.95; 1,000; 
$29,347). Nearly $7,700; previous 
week, $9,500. 

Miscellaneous 

Month in the Country, Stude- 
baker. Stock revival finales next 
Sunday (23), to be followed by 
“The Immoralist.” 


lark’ $31200, D.C.; 
‘Custody’ Closes 

Washington, Dec. 18. 

A week of mixed reception for 
legit in Washington saw a tryout 
go down the drain and an old timer 
shatter a pre-Christmas house rec¬ 
ord. “Protective Custody,” star¬ 
ring Faye Emerson, cancelled out 
its second week at the Shubert, 
folding after the initial tuneup 
stanza. 

In contrast, Julie Harris, in “The 
Lark” took Washington by storm. 
On the basis of its first week’s 
gross and its advance for this week, 
it’s a cinch to break the National 
Theatre house record for the fort¬ 
night period before Christmas. 

Estimates for Last Week 
Protective Custody, Shubert (D) 
(1st wk) ($3.85; 1,518; $3.85; $31,- 
500) (Faye Emerson). Pathetic $3,- 
500 for seven performances, open¬ 
ing Tuesday night ( 11 ). Cancelled 
the second- week and shuttered 
here. • • 

The Lark, National (D) ( 1 st wk) 
($4.40;. $4.95; 1,800; $37,500) (Julie 
Harris). This version pf the Joan 
of Arc story is going great guns in 
its final stanza. Drew a sock $32,- 
200 , despite the pre-holiday, dol¬ 
drums and should do even better 
this weeki Folds here next Satur¬ 
day^), ending the tour, as the 
star needs a rest. “Inherit; the 
Wind” follows this Immediately, 
opening next Monday (24) for a 
three-weeks stand at the National 
Theatre. 


Frisco in Pre-Xmas Dip; 
Shirley 19iG, ’Janus’ 9G 

- San Francisco, Dec. J 8 . 

The pre-Christmas lull has set 
in,-with both “Desk Set” at the 
Curjran and “Janus’* at the Alcazar 
taking big-drops. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Desk Set, Curran (4th wk) ($4.40- 
$4.95; 1,752; $44,000) (Shirley 

Booth). , Fair $19,500 (includes 
tax); previous week, $26,500; closes 
Jan. 5. 

Janus, Alcazar (4th wk) ($4.40; 
1,14?; $29,000) (Joan Bennett, Don¬ 
ald Cook, ‘Romney Brent). Poor 
$9,000; previous week, $13,000. 

‘Cat’ Hot $33,800, Balto, 
Beating Pre-Yule Rap 

Baltimore, Dec. 18. 

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” defied 
pre-Christmas tradition here with 
a fancy * $33,800 gross at Ford’s 
here last Week. Subscription com¬ 
mission cut the take below the 
$43,000 capacity potential. 

^ Judith Anderson - and Cathleen 
Nesbitt in “Chalk Carden” relights 
Ford’s the week of Jan. .7, with 
Inherit the Wind” set for Jan. .14. 

‘Friend’ Boyish $21,300 
On Repeat in Toronto 

.. ‘ Toronto, Dec. 18. 

Boy Friend,” playing a return 
date at the Royal Alexandra last 
week,, chalked up a modest $21,300. 
The 1,525-seat houSe was scaled to 
a $4.95 top for the toUring tuner, 
with the potential capacity $29,000. 

A novel schedule of .no matinees, 
but two shows Friday and Satur¬ 
day nights apparently; didn’t help, 
as receipts were /light. at 'the early 
performances.^ „ ; 


‘Rain’ Gets Fair $16,500. 
Oh Full Week in Cincy 

Cincinnati, Dec. 18. 


’Success’ $16,000in Del, 


Detroit, Dec. 18.- 
“Will Success,. Spoil Rock Hun¬ 
ter,” starring Eddie Bracken, got a 
good.$16,000 gross at the Shubert 
last week. Theatre parties by vari¬ 
ous groups- were responsible for 
$7,000 of the total/The 2,050-seat 
house was scaled at $3 top, .with a 
potential capacity of, $ 28 , 000 . 

Eoth the Shubert and the 1,482- 
seat Cass are now dark : over the 
holidays, with the next opening in 
sight Jan. 14, when “Cat on a Hot 
Tin Roof” relights the Shubert. 


Inherit’ 


Garden,” starring Judith Ander¬ 
son, due Dec. 31 at the Shubert at 
a $5.65 top for the preem and 
$4.52 the rest of the week. 


Louts $23,400 (7), 
‘Prince’ 15G.LA. 

Los Angeles, Dec. 18. 
“Great Sebastians” is the only 
legit entry in Los Angeles this 
week, follovving the departure of 
“Sleeping Prince” after an un¬ 
profitable three-week stand. The 
town perks next week with “Can- 
Can” opening at the small Civic 
Playhouse, _Monday (24); “Janus” 
rekindling the Huntington Hart¬ 
ford, Wednesday (26) and “Anni¬ 
versary Waltz” bowing Thursday 
(27) to convert the Ritz, flrstrrun 
film house to a legit operation. 
“Man With a Golden Arm” opens 
the same night at the tiny Ivar 
Theatre. 

Estimates for Last Week 
Great Sebastians, Biltmore (1st 
wk) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne). 
($4.40; 1,636; $37,000). Good $23,- 
400 on seven performances; "weak 
in the balcony. 

Sleeping Prince, Huntington 
Hartford (3d wk) ($3.85; 1,024; $26,- 
000) (Francis Lederer, Shirley Mac- 
Laine, Hermione Gingold). Almost 
$15,000 for the windup stanza. 

’Chalk’ Healthy $16,300 
On Solo-Week in Pitt 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 18. - 
“Chalk Garden,” starring Judith 
Anderson, pulled a nice $16,300 at 
1,750-seat Nixon Theatre hpre last 
week, at a $4.20 top Weeknights 
and $4.80 Friday and Saturday. 
Show got off to a slow start, and 
built slowly since word-of-mouth 
wasn’t too good. -Although critics 
were enthusiastic, the public 
seemed, puzzled by the off-beat 
Enid Bagnold play. 

Nixon i currently - has its third 
subscription, “Cat On a Hot Tin 
Roof,” and gets the Manny Davis 
production of “Can-Can” next 
Tuesday (25) for a fortnight. Cole 
Porter musical begins its new tour 
here. 


British Shows 

(Figures denote opening dates) 

LONDON 

Boy Frltnd, Wyndham'n <12-1-53). 

Chalk Cardan, Haymarket (4-11-56). 
Diary Anno Frank, Phoenix (11-29-56). 
Doctor In Houio, Vic. Pal. (7-30-56). 
Double Imago, Savoy- (11-14-56). 

D'Oyly Carlo, Prince’s (12-3-56). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). 

Fanny, Drury Lane (1M5-56). 

For Amusement Only, Apollo (6-5-50). 
House by Lake, York's (5-9-56). 

Kismet, StoU (4-20-55). 

La Misanthrope, Palace (11-14-56). 
Mousetrap, Ambassadors (1*1-23-52). 

Mrs. Gibbons' Boys, Westmin. (12-11-56). 
Now Crjzy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-18-56). 
No Time Sgts., Her Maj. (8-23-50). 
Nude With Violin, Globe (11-7-56). 
Faiaroa Game, Coliseum (10-13-55). 

P aintlff In Hat, St. Mart. (10-11-56). 
Plume do ma Tante, Garrick (11-3-55). 
Reluctant Dob, Cambridge (5-24-55) 
Ronaud-Barrault Co., Palace (11-12-56). 
Repertory, Old Vic (9-7-55). 

Romanoff & Juliet, PiccadUly (5-17-50). 
Rosalind# Fuller* Arts (10-8-56). 

Sailor Beware, Strand (2-16*55). 

Salad Days, VaudeviUe (8-5-54). 

South Sea Bubble, Lyric (4-25-56). 
Towards Zero, St. James's (9-4-56). 
Touch of Fear, Aldwych (12-5-56). 
Under Milk Wood, New (9-20-56). 

United Notions, Adelpht (11-28-56). 

View From Bridge, Comedy (10-11-36). 
Waltz of Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-56). 
Way of World, Saville (12-6-56). 

Who Caros, Fortune (12-13-58). 

Zero Hours, St. James’s (9-4-56). 

SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
Bride A Bachelor, Duchess (12-19-56). 
Ticket of Leave Man, Arts (12-20-58). 
Grab Me a Gondola, Lyric (12-26-56). 

^ Closed Last Week 

Rainmaker, St. Mart. (5-31-56). 


ON TOUR 

Fol-de-Rols 
Girl Called Sadie 
King and 1 ' 

Ktfmet 
Little Hut 

Rock 'n' Roll Murder 


‘Murder’ 8G. Hub 

Boston, Dec. 18. 

Legit is in the pre-Christmas 
slide, with only two shows on the 
boards this week. One new entry, 
“Small War on Murray Hill” 
opened at the Colonial last night 
(Mon.) on subscription. 

Christmas week will be the big¬ 
gest for legit here in years, with 
three entries. They are “Fanny” at 
the Shubert, Deci 25, for three 
weeks;. “Eugenia,’* a tryout, the 
same night at the Plymouth, and 
“Waltz of the Toreadors,” also a 
tryout, Dec. 31 at the Colonial. 

“Speaking of Murder” exited for 
New York last Saturday (15) after 
a two-week tuneup. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Inherit the Wind, Shubert (D) 
(2d wk) ($4.95-$4.40; 1,717; $35,000) 
(Melvyn Douglas). The tourer 
racked up- a robust $32,000; exits 
town next Saturday ( 22 ). 

Speaking of Murder, Plymouth 
(D). (2d wk) ($3.85-$3.30; 1.241; 
$29,880). The tryout drew a tepid 
$8,000 and exited Saturday (15) for 
New York. 


’WILLIE’ OKAY $17,900 
ON HOLDOVER, PHILLY 

Philadelphia, Dec. 12. 
Pre-holiday doldrums has closed 
all local playhouses this week for 
the .first- time this season. Activity 
resumes'next week with the return, 
engagement of “Cat on. a Hot Tin 
Roof*” .Forrest, two weeks*‘open¬ 
ing Dec. 24; a repeat visit of “Boy 
Friend/’ Shubert, 10 days starting 
Dec. 26, and the tryout run of 
“Clearing in the Woods,” Walnut, 
10 days, opening the same night. 

Estimate for Last Week - 
Uncle Willie, Locust (C) (2d wk) 
($4.20; 1,560;. $30,000) (Menasha 
Skulnick). Comedy tryout of racial 
tensions In the Bronx around the 
start of the century, depending 
solely on- star power; nearly $17,- 
900; previous week, $16,100/moved 
out Saturday (15) for New York. 


‘Small War’ $13,500 (5> 
InHew Haven Debut 

New Haven, Dec. 18. 

“Small War . on Murray Hill,” 
posthumous comedy - drama by 
Robert E. Sherwood, drew a mild 
$13,500 in a five - performance 
breakin last Wednesday-Saturday 
(12-15) at the 1,650-seat Shubert 
Theatre here at a $4.50 top. Jan 
Sterling and Leo Genn are co- 
Starred in the Playwrights Co. pro¬ 
duction. 

The house gets another brCak- 
in tomorrow night (Wed.), with 
the opening of “Eugenia,” star¬ 
ring Tallulah Bankhead, playing ;: 
through Saturday (22). Other book¬ 
ings at the Shubert include break- 
ins of “Hidden River,” Jan. 26; 
“Tunnel of Love,” Jan. 9-12, and 
“Visit to a Small Planet,” Jan. 
16-19. 


SCHEDULED N Y. OPENINGS 

(Theatres indicated if set) 

Saint Joan, Coronet (12-25). 

Ruth Draper, Playhouse (12-25). 

Troilus & Cresslda, Wlnt. Card. (12-26). 
Small War, Barrymore (1-3). 

Clearing in Woods, Belasco (1-9). 
Waiting for Godot (1-11). 

Wal*z,of Toreadors. Oronet (1-17). 
Hidden River (wk. 1-20). 

Catch Falling Star (1-24). 

Eugenia, Ambassador (1-29). 

Potting Shed,:?Bijou (1-29). 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Wint. Card. (1-30). 
Visit SmMI Planet. Booth (2-6). 

Tunnel of Love, Plymouth, (2-13). 
Holiday for Lovers (2-14). 

Hole In Head, Plymouth (2-28). 

Zlegfeld Follies, Wint. Card (2-28). 
Orpheus Descending (3-21). 

Foolin' Ourselves (4-1). 

First Gentleman (4-11). 

New Girl In Town (5-8). 


OFF-BROADWAY 

Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12-27). 
Shhh, Chanin (12-29). 

Volpone, Rooftop (1-2). 

River Line, Carnegie Hall (1-2). 
Twelfth Night, St. Ignatius (1-4). 
Shadow Years, Open Stage (1-8). 
Easter, 4th St, (1-15). ^ 

Measure for Measure, Phoenix (1-22). 
Taming of the Shrew, Phoenix (2-20). 
Duchess of Malfl, Phoenix (3-19). 


Fefla’ 52G, ‘Candide’ 43G, Muni 20G, 
‘Barbara’ $34,211, ‘Separate’ $29,300 


Broadway was hit hard last week, 
The traditional pre-Christmas ; slide 
gained momentum, knocking the ' 
bottom from under most shows. 
The downbeat situation is expect¬ 
ed to be more drastic this week, 
with a pickup anticipated Christr 
mas eve. 

Holding'in the capacity lineup 
were “Auntie Marne,” “Bells Are 
Ringing,” “Happy Hunting,’! “Ln 
Abner! “Lbng~Day’s'X 6 urriey* Into 
Night” and “My Fair Lady.” 
There were no openings. Closers 
were, “Mister Roberts” at the City 
Center and “Fanny,” which goes 
on tour. 

Esimates for Last Week 

Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue). 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op¬ 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number,.of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of seats, capacity gross and s'ars. 
Price includes 10% Federal and 
5% City tax, but grosses are net ; 
i.e., exclusive of. tax. 

Apple Cart, Plymouth (C) (9th 
wk; 68 ; $5.75; 1,062; $34,000). (Mau¬ 
rice Evans). Closes Feb. 2, to tour. 
Previous week, $20 y 700; last week, 
almost $16,300. 

Auntie Marne, Broadhurst (C) 
(7th wk; 53- $6.9Qr$5.75; 1,182; $43,- 
000) (Rosalind Russell). Previous 
week, $43,500; last week, same. 

Bells Are Ringing, Shubert (MC) 
(3d wk; .'20; $7.50; 1,453; $55,039) 
(Judy Holliday). Previous week, 
$55,500; last week, same. 

Candide, Beck (MC) (2d wk; 17; 
$8.05; 1,280; $52,000). Previous 

week, $44,000; last week, almost 
over $43,000. 

Cranks, Bijou (3d wk; 24; $5,75; 
603; $19,000). Previous week, 

$8,100; last week, almost $8,700. 
Closes Jan. 12 . 

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) 
(85th wk; 676; $8.05; 1,297; $50,- 
573)* previous week, $42,100; last 
week, oyer $31,809. 

Diary of Anne Frank, Curt (D) 
(63d> wit; 501; $5.75; 1,036; $28,854) 
(Joseph Sehildkraut). Previous 
week -$18,400; last week, almost 
$15,200:’ 

Girls; of Summer, Longacre (D) 
(4th. wk; 32; $5.75; 1,101; $29,3.78) 
(Shelley Winters). Previous week, 
$19,000{ . last week, almost $19,600. 

Happiest Millionaire, Lyceum 
(C) (4th wk; 31; $5175; 995; $25,000) 
(Walter/Pidgeon). Previous week, 
$23,700/:last week, nearly $20,300. 

Happy Hunting, Majestic (MC) 
(2d wk; 12; $8.05; 1,625; $69,989) 
(Ethipl Merman). Previous week, 
$45,600-for first four performances 
and one preview; last week, $70,- 
322, / believed to be a Broadway 
record. 

Inherit the Wind, National (D) 
(74th wk; 590; $5.75-$4.60; JL,162; 
$32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous 
week, $22,500; last week, nearly 
$ 20 , 000 , 

Li?l Abner, St. James (MC) (5th 
wk; 36; $8.05; 1,028; $58,100). Pre¬ 
vious week, .$57,200; last week, 
almost $57,500, with theatre party 
commissions cutting into the ca¬ 
pacity take. 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 
Helen Jfoyes (l$fcf®th;wkr 34; $6.90; 
1,039; %0$00j'; • (Fredric March, 
Fior^neeJ^dt;idj^e) r ’;Pr^vious week, 
$30,100% last /Sgipe. 

LOUd i Red Patrick^Ambassador 
(C) (11th wk; 85; $5.75; 1,155; $36,^ 
500) (Arthur Kennedy, David 
Wayne): Close§ next Saturday ( 22 ). 
Previous week, $14,400; last week, 
over $10,400. Kennedy has - re¬ 
sumed his role after being out ill 
two weeks; 

Major Barbara, Morosco (C) (7th 
wk; 55; $6.90; 94$ $37,500) (Charles 
Laughton, Burgess Meredith. 
Giynis Johns, Eli Wallach, Cornelia 
Ot’’s Skinner). Previous week, $37,- 
300; last week, over $34,200. 

Matchmaker, Booth (C) (54th wk; 
432; $5.75; 766; $25,000). (Ruth 
Gordon, Eileen Herlie, Lofinn 
Smith); Can remain here until 
Feb. 2. Previous week, $17,000; 
last week, over $15,200. 

Middle of the Night, ANT A (D) 
(37th wk; 293; $5.75; 1,185; $39,- 
116) (Edward G. Robinson). Pre¬ 
vious week, $32,900; last week, al¬ 
most $27,800. 

Most Happy Fella, Imperial 
(MD) (33d wk; 260; $7.50; 1,427; 
$57,875). Previous week, $58,400; 
last week, nearly $52,000. 

Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) 
(39th wk; 303; $7.50-$6.90: 1,900; 
$71,000). Previous week, $37,000; 
last week, over $27,000. 

My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MC) 
(40th wk; 315; $8.05; 1.551; $67,- 


696) <Rex Harrison, Julie An- 
drews>.‘ Previous week, $68,700; 
last week, same. 

New Faces, Barrymore (R) (27th 
wk; 212; $7.50-$6,90; $38,577). 

Closes next Saturday (22). Previous 
week, , $18,900; last week,. nearly 
$14,600. 

No Time for Sergeants, Alvin 
(C) “ (61st wk; 484; $5.75-84.60; 

1.3?1l_ $38. 500). Previous_week,- 

$34,000; last week, almost $28,700. 

Old Vic Co.,- Winter Garden 
(Repertory) ( 8 th wk; 63; $5.75; 
1,494; $45,000). Previous week 
$29,000 on “Romeo and Juliet” 
and “Macbeth”; last ,week, almost 
$32,600 on same- twp shows. 

Reluctant Debutante, Miller (C) 
(10th wk; 78; $5.75; 946; $2?.100) 
(Adrienne Allen, Wilfred Hyde 
White). Previous week, $19,600; 
last week, nearly $12,800. 

Separate Tables, Music Box (D) 
( 8 th wk; 60; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021) 
(Eric Portman, Margaret Leigh¬ 
ton). Previous week, $31,200; last 
week, nearly $29,300. 

Sleeping Prince, Coronet (C) 
(7th wk; 52; $6.90; 1,001; $36,500) 
(Michael Redgrave, Barbara Bel 
Geddes). Closes next Saturday 
(22). Previous week, $25,900; last 
week, over $22,400. 

. Closed Last Week 

Fanny, Belasco (MD) (111th 
wk; 884; $7.50; 1.037; $36,000) 

(Italo Tajo, Billy . Gilbert). Pre¬ 
vious week, $23,100 on twofers; last 
week, over $24,000 on twofers. 
Closed last Sunday (16), to tour, 
with over $700,000 profit on its 
$275,000 investment. 

Mister Roberts, City Center (C) 
(2d wk; 15: $3.80; 3,090; $45,000) 
(Charlton Heston). Previous week, 
$2^,800 for first seven perform¬ 
ances and one preview; last week, 
almost $23,900, Ended its limited 
two-week stand last Sunday (16), 
winding up the. three-play N. Y. 
City Center Theatre Co. drama 
series. 

Opening This Week 

Good Woman of Setzuan, Phoe¬ 
nix (D) ($3 85; 1,150; $25,000). Play, 
with music i-by .Bertolt Brecht, 
adapted by Eric Bentley, present¬ 
ed by the Phoenix Theatre (T. Ed¬ 
ward Hambleton & Norris Hough¬ 
ton) as the third offering in its 
fourth stock season. Opened last 
night (Tues.).. . 

Sneaking of Murder, Royale (D) 
($5.75; 994; $29,000) (Brenda de 
Banzie, Estelle Winwood, Lome 
Greene). Play by Audrey & Wil¬ 
liam Roos, presented by Courtney 
Burr & Burgess Meredith; produc¬ 
tion financed at 080,000. cost about 
$55,000 to bring in, and can. break 
even at around $17,000 gross. 
ODens tonight (Wed.). 

Uncle Willie, Golden (C) ($5.75; 
800: $24,000) (Menasha Skulnik). 
Comedy by Julie Berns & Irving 
Elman, presented by Albert Lewis 
& Samuel Schulman (in association 
with I. B. Joselow); production fi¬ 
nanced at $100,000, cost about $85.- 
000 to bring in, and can break 
even at around $16 000 gross. 
Opens tomorrow night (Thurs.). 


OFF-B’WAY SHOWS 
Eagle Has Two Heads,. Actors 
Plavhouse (12-13-56). 

' Hamlet,-St. Tgnatin.s Church (10- 
27-56); closes Dec. 30/ 

Icemgn Cometh, Circle-in-Square 
(5-8-56). 

Me v Caridido, Greenwich Mews 
(10-15-56). 

Misanthrope, Theatre East (11- 
12-56). - 

Shoestring ’57, Barbizbn -Plaza 
(11-5-56). 

Take a Giant Step, Jan Hus (9- 
22-56). 

Thor, With Angeles. B’wav Con¬ 
gregational Church (10-14-56). 

Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9- 
20-55). 

Closed Last Week 
Arms & Man, Downtown (10-1- 

56). 

Lady From the Sea, “Tempo 
(12-4). 

Sable Brush, Royal (11-27-56). 


Posable $ Q 2,£ftO 
In 8-Show Snlit-Week 

Bloomington. Tnd., Dec. 18. 

The touring “Pajama Game” 
drew a fair $32,600 gross in an 
eight-performance split last week, 
despite the traditional pre-Christ¬ 
mas slump. The musical grossed 
$18,000 in five oerformanoes Mon¬ 
day - through - Thursday < 10-13) at 
the Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, 
at a $4.40 top, and added $14,600 
Friday-Saturday (14-15) at the In¬ 
diana U. Auditorium here. 

The show is playing the current 
week at the Victory Dayton. 


76 


CONCERTS' 


p> mnm 


Wednesday, December 19, 1956 


If in English, Opines NBCs Adler 


By converting opera’ into a-f- 
“show,” without losing any of the 1 
artistic values, it can be made pala¬ 
table for the mass audience, Peter 
Herman Adler, musical director of 
the NBC Opera Co., said in Man¬ 
hattan last week. 

Outfit recently (8) wound up its 
first annual tour .in Newark after 
an eight-week, 47-city and 54-per¬ 
formance jaunt featuring English- 
language productions of “Madam 
Butterfly” and “Marriage of Fig¬ 
aro.” 

Second:toQr;"in t957, is ah-ead; 

In the works via the Judson, 
O’Neill & Judd Columbia concert 
bureau. Jaunt is skedded for eight 
or nine weeks next October and 
will add a third opera, “La Travi- 
ata,” which gets its tv treatment 
in March on the NBC Television 
Opera Theatre. About the same 
number of cities will be covered. 

Adler, a vet in the campaign to 
popularize opera, felt that the NBC 
tour was a hefty contribution to 
“the cause” .and that it definitely 
prepared the groundwork for fur¬ 
ther opera expansion in the U.S. 
“Heavy grand opera is too. expen¬ 
sive for much expansion,” he noted. 
He added that the august Metro¬ 
politan Opera couldn’t very well 
switch to opera in English as long 
as it employs a roster of interna¬ 
tional stars. 

“The Met’s size is in the way, 
and then, too, the artists it uses— 
even Americans — are by back¬ 
ground and training not easily 
adaptable to singing in English 
versions,” he held. Adler said spe¬ 
cial training was needed to sing 
opera in English, but acknowl¬ 
edged' that there were some operas 
that simply didn’t lend themselves 
to English translation. “If" the 
translation isn’t tops, and the sing¬ 
ers aren’t well coached, then the 
results may be doubtful,” he said. 

Secret of popularizing opera in 
the U.S; was to make it a “show,” 
Adler maintained. “It’s a question 
of the singers looking their parts 
and singing understandably,” he 
said. I 

Actually, the NBC Opera is hav- 
its teething troubles, partly be¬ 
cause it has yet to develop, a roster 
of “stars” on which it can call. 
Unit has had an invite to tour 
abroad, but Adler felt that such a 
jaunt would be premature. Also, 
Metro’s 16m department has shown 
some preliminary interest in the 
possible distribution'of opera kine¬ 
scopes theatrically abroad. How¬ 
ever, the pictorial and sound qual¬ 
ities aren’t good enough. 

Adler reported that the NBC 
tour’s reception in the various 
cities . was enthusiastic, and he 
„ noted that the performances were 
scaled at popular prices. NBC 
took, a financial walloping on thfis 
venture, but it was expected and 
is being written off as a public 
service. Most of the loss went into 
the mounting of the two produc¬ 
tions. Tour itself nearly hit the 
break-even point. That was quite 
a feat, Since the company num¬ 
bered nearly 100 and included a 
40-piece orch. There was a total 
of 45 different bookings in the 
eight-week period. 

NBC Opera now is ensconced in 
its own quarters, with ample re¬ 
hearsal hall.s etc. Singers which 
Adler thinks might be developed 
get free coaching in voice and dra¬ 
matics. . Adler is confident that the 
future will see some outstanding 
new voices originating from his 
outfit. 


Gueden to Columbia 

Columbia Management 
which is in the process of fat¬ 
tening up its roster of talent 
will have soprano Hilda Gue¬ 
den of the Met Opera after the 
spring of 1957. 

She’S currently with Sol Hu- 
rok. * 


rllsraeliBalkAt 
Nazi-Tied Mask 
Of R. Strauss 


Tel Aviv, Dec. 18. 

History, in a curious way, is re¬ 
peating itself here, with the Israeli 
Government banning a perform¬ 
ance of Richard Strauss' /“Don 
Juan” from a program of the Is¬ 
rael Philharmonic. Strauss is iden¬ 
tified here with the Nazis. 

In Nazi Germany, works of Jew¬ 
ish composers were banned. 

Israeli audiences are by no 
means unanimous in their reaction 
to the Strauss dictum. When the 
letter from the Ministry of Educa¬ 
tion & Culture was read during an 
intermission of the * concert where 
‘Don Juan” had beemskedded, peo¬ 
ple hissed and booed. Piece had 
been included following a poll last 
year which established that 80% of 
the music-loving public favored in¬ 
cluding compositions of Strauss 
and Richard Wagner in the Phil¬ 
harmonic programs. 

The Ministry’s decision came 
after a press campaign and the 
smearing of swastikas on posters 
announcing the concert. Letter 
told the orch it was free to fix its 
own programs, but “advised” it to 
drop “Don Juan.” 

Two other events of interest 
marked the Philharmonic’s sub¬ 
scription series. One was the per¬ 
formance of a new work by Israeli 
Ben-Haim, taking the form of three 
symphonic movements. Another 
was the appearance of several 
y.oung Israeli soloists with the or¬ 
chestra. They are Rina Braver- 
mann. Israeli-born pianist, and Zvi 
Harel-Warschauer, Berlin-born Is¬ 
raeli cellist. The Ben-Haim work 
presents three different aspects of 
David, the singer of Psalms. It was 
commissioned by the Koussevitzky 
Foundation. 

Israeli Philharmonic’s series is 
led by Georg Singer. 


RITA STREICH U.S. 
DEBUT IN HOLLYWOOD 

Rita Streich, top coloratura in 
Europe, will make her U. S. debut 
at the Hollywood Bowl this sum¬ 
mer, instead of waiting until the 
regular concert season. Diva is 
pacted for Aug. 15 and interrupts 
her Salzburg engagements to fly 
here for the single date. She’s due 
back on the Continent immediately 
after her trans-Atlantic hegira. 

Wynn Rocamara, managing di¬ 
rector of the Bowl, closed the deal 
while ih New York on his annual 
talent prowl. ‘ Miss Streich already 
has a substantial public here due 
to many records which have- had 
critical raves. 


Gaston Elcus, former violinist 
with the Boston Symphony, has 
been named as an associate artist 
on the music staff of Dartmouth 
College. 


Spanish Choir Booking 

Spain's Agrupacion Coral de 
Camera de Pamplona Choir, which 
has toured extensively in Europe 
and twice in South America, comes 
to the United States next fall via 
Concert Associates Inc. 

Group, which will be the first 
Spanish choir to be heard in U. S., 
consists of 16 voices (8 male; 8 
female) under the direction of 
Luis Morondo. U. S.-Canada tour 
is set for October, November, De¬ 
cember, and will follow group’s 
third South American trek. 


CLEVELAND'S OPERA MAN 


Critic 


Ootar Jtjumfry to Handle 
Met’s Visit 


Omar Ranney, drama editor and 
critic of Cleveland Press, will man¬ 
age the 1957 season of the Metro¬ 
politan Opera in Cleveland. Ran¬ 
ney resigned his drama post to take 
over the job held by H. J. Miskell, 
who had managed the Cleveland 
seasons since 1927. Miskell re¬ 
mains as advisory consultant. 

Stan Anderson, present radio-tv 
ed, moves into Ranney’s vacated 
spot, and Jim Frankel, music and 
art editor, will become the radio-tv 
critic. Frankel’s successor still is 
being weighed. The changes go 
into effect January 1. 


. . I on-iuiuc auu ivjlib. 111 private 

e^eland--M<^^per^:Und-Js_U^ 


one of most important on the 
spring tour. The company plays in 
the mammoth Public Hall, seating 
nearly 9,000. Under the manage¬ 
ment of Miskell, the underwriting 
guarantors never were called upon 
to pay a single penny. The opera¬ 
tion showed a substantial profit 
over the years and though there 
were occasional seasons in the red, 
the losses were always paid for out 
of surplus, cash reserves. Eight 
performances are scheduled, and 
pull a gross close to $250,000 for 
the single wdek. 


Prague Symph 
Okayed for US. 

With the State Department re¬ 
portedly taking a favorable view 
of the arrangement, the Czech 
Philharmonic of Prague will make 
its first American tour in the 
spring of 1958 in a 35-city tour. 
The 100-member orch, under the 
baton of Karel Ancerl, will be the 
first such “Iron Curtain” outfit to 
be heard in the U.S. 

Booking of the symphonic or¬ 
ganization was confirmed by cable 
between Andre Mertens, v.p. of 
Columbia Artists Management, and 
Dr. Vilem Pospisil, acting as of¬ 
ficial rep of the Czech Philhar¬ 
monic. The 60-year-old orch, inci¬ 
dentally, is already known to 
American audiences via its Decca 
Gold Label recordings. 

STRATFORD, CANADA TO 
IMPORT BRITTEN OPERA 

Stratford, Ont., Dec. 18. 

- Britain’s English Opera Group 
will make its initial North Ameri¬ 
can appearance next summer at the 
local Music Festival, run in con¬ 
junction with the Shakespearean 
drama series. The 10-year-old 
company will present eight per¬ 
formances of Benjamin Britten’s 
adaptation of Henry James’ “The 
Turn of the Screw.” , 

It’ll be the first performance of 
the opera on this side of the At¬ 
lantic. Britten will conduct, with 
Peter Pears in the lead role. Also 
scheduled for next summer is a 
continuation - of the jazz concerts 
launched last season. Takidg over 
as Music Administrator for the 
1957 season will be Gordon Joce¬ 
lyn, who was assistant to former 
director Louis Applebaum, since 
the inauguration of the (Music Fes¬ 
tival in 1954, 

The music program is scheduled 
to get underway July 31 and con¬ 
tinue through Sept. 4. 


REVIEWS 


Chicago Opera Ballet ' 

Ruth Page’s Chicago Opera Bal¬ 
let interrupted its hejira in the 
provinces to come* in for a one- 
night stand Sunday night (16) at 
the Brooklyn Academy of Music. 
The terpers, booked byKurtWein- 
hold’s division of-Columbia Artists 
Management and publicized by Co¬ 
lumbia veepee Humphrey Doulens, 
have been on the road about four 
weeks, now take a holiday recess 
and in early January resume tour 
until the end of March. „ 

This is a small, but handsomely 
outfitted company. Its stars are 
Majorie Tallchief and George 
Skibine' (Mr. and Mrs. in private 


At performance caught, Skibine 
was absent, due to a leg injury, 
with Kenneth Johnson dancing In 
his place. There were other cast 
changes. Therein lies the news 
and the strength of this company. 
It has alternates in virtually all 
the ©arts, and the dancers are 
excellent. 

Miss Tallchief displayed style, 
authority and grace and technical 
skill, handling leads in both bal¬ 
lets, “Revenge” a choreographic 
version of Verdi’s “II Trovatore” 
and “The Merry Widow” to Lehar’s 
lilting score. This was a physique¬ 
taxing assignment, but she was 
fresh and engaging at the final 
curtain. In looks, she strongly re¬ 
sembles her sister. Maria Tail- 
chief, who has made a name for 
herself with the New York City 
Ballet, here and abroad. (Maria 
was in-the audience; indeed the 
house was full of dancers.) 

Ruth Page choreographed both 
ballets, which are the entire reper¬ 
toire of the company. Settings 
apd costumes are assets. . Designer 
Rolf Gerard was employed for 
“Widow.” The troupe sells for 
$2,000 to $2,400, depending on hall 
capacity. Wien. 


Anclor Foltles 

Pianist Andor Foldes, who of¬ 
fered a Beethoven sonata recital at 
Carnegie Hall last week (5), pro¬ 
ceeds going for the rebuilding of 
the Beethoven Hall in Bonn, de¬ 
serves a good deal of credit for 
keeping his program clear of 
standard works. The only excep¬ 
tion was the Pathetique (Op. 13), 
which he gave, a powerful reading. 

Foldes and Beethoven go well 
together. He is not primarily, a 
technician—in fact he has a tend¬ 
ency to slur his runs, particularly 
at their encP—and perhaps Bee¬ 
thoven requires a darker tempera¬ 
ment, but Foldes still brought to 
the sonatas a lyrical, content!-* 
plative quality that captured the 
listener. 

Most effectively played of the 
sonatas was the Op. 109 in E 
Major, which rumbled and sang 
as per tradition. The Pathetique 
was authoritative byt could have 
stood better phrasing and greater 
contrasts, particularly in the last 
movement. Opening also seemed 
lacking in force. It was still, how¬ 
ever, a very enjoyable reading. 

The Op. 79 was pure delight, 
with the Andante a tonal joy. In 
the Op. 31, No. 2, Foldes coaxed 
fine sound out of his piano. Allegro 
in the first movement suffered 
from • some sloppiness. The Op. 
10, No. 2, charming and lightheart¬ 
ed, got a most competent treat¬ 
ment from Foldes. In all, Bee¬ 
thoven got his due in the recital 
by a pianist whose past talents 
have most conspicuously shone in 
more modern music, notably Bar- 
tok.. . Hift. 


Despite EUenviOe Bank Closing 
Music Festival Budgets $200,000 


Empire State Music Festival, 
which opened a year ago at its 
tent theatre in Ellenville, N. Y., 
plans a five-week season for the 
summer of 1957 at the same show¬ 
case despite the financial problems 
currently facing most citizens of 
that Catskill monntain resort. Situ¬ 
ation arose when Ellenville’s Home 
National Bank was closed Dec. 4 
by federal authorities after short¬ 
ages of $1,200,000 were discovered. 

Although Ellenville is the fest’s 
greatest single contributor with 
about $50,000 in subscriptions, 
general manager Frank Forest as¬ 
serted that “our budget calls for 
an expenditure of approximately 
$200,000.”* This means, he added, 
that “music lovers outside the im¬ 


mediate Ellenville area have been 
supporting us as well, and we are 
hoping to widen the area of con¬ 
tributions for this non-profit proj¬ 
ect in the years ahead.” 

Scheduled as highlights of the 
Festival’s upcoming summer stand 
are Leopold Stokowski and the 
“Royal Danish Ballet.” Latter, 
which is booked by Columbia Art¬ 
ists Management, comprises a 
group of eight featured soloists. 

Robert Zeller, an American con¬ 
ductor, shares-artistic direction of 
the project with Royal Danish bal¬ 
lerina Inge Sand. 

Aside from the Ellenville en¬ 
gagement, the dancers will also ap¬ 
pear at various other music and 
dance festivals throughout the 
U. S. 


Vienna Philharmonic 

Maybe They were tired after 
what must have been an exhaust¬ 
ing U.S. tour; or maybe it was the 
conductor, Andre Cluytens. At any 
rate, the renowned Vienna Phil¬ 
harmonic Orchestra wasn’t in top 
form last week (7) on the next-to« 
the-last stopover before heading 
for home. 

Carnegie Hall was a solid sellout 
for the concert with a something 
less than imaginative program— 
Hayden’s Symphony No. 96 (The 
Miracle), Richard Strauss' “Death 
and Transfiguration”' and the 
Brahms Fourth. Haydn was played 
with a light heart but in rather 
pedestrian style, as if it were 
something the orchestra had done 
once too often. The styling was 
precise but cold. Only in the final 
Vivace movement did it come 
alive. 

Orchestra fared better in the 
“Transfiguration,” with its rich 
contrasts, ranging from absolute 
pianissimos to crashing climaxes. 
The broad, following passages got 
their due and yet the work wasn't 
over-dramatized as is sometimes 
the temptation with Strauss. The 
Brahms Fourth got a solid veading 
that reached occasional Stirring 


Debut Stirs 
Symph Hassle 

Sub rosa negotiations to maneu¬ 
ver George Solti, internationally, 
celebrated maestro, into guest con¬ 
ducting spot with the New York 
Philharmonic-Symphony have an¬ 
gered board members and adminis¬ 
trative director, Jerry Tobbin, 
topper at the Symphony of the Air. 

The ex-NBC orch had engaged 
Solti for its April 11 Carnegie 
Hall concert and it was under- 
stooff-that -thls-w as to -he-dris-New- 
York debut. Symph so advertised 
in the dailies, on its mailing pieces 
and on a huge poster which has 
been outside Carnegie all season. 
Solti was one of a trio of world- 
famed batonists who had never 
been on a Manhattan podium, 
others being Josef Krips and Igor 
Mafkevitch. The three-man pack¬ 
age deal was negotiated by Her¬ 
bert Barrett and Siegfried Hearst, 
who were partnered at the time. 

Recently, Hearst and Barrett 
split, and Hearst is pacting Solti 
to appear with the Philharmonic, 
prior to his Symphony of the Air 
engagement. Death of Guido Can- 
telli in plane crash provided the 
open dates on the Philharmonic 
sked which opened the door for 
Solti. Though the ex-NBC sidemen 
realize the Philharmonic is an all- 
important date, they say an agree¬ 
ment should be adhered to and 
point out that Solti and Hearst 
were jubilant to accept their book; 
ing as it provided a much-needed 
showcasing for the conductor. 
Solti has had an international rep¬ 
utation for a number of years and 
has had an extensive exposure on 
imported records, too, but he still 
lacked the New York press notices 
that are needed to promote a 
symph leader’s career. 


heights.. Final movement particu¬ 
larly showed off the orch to best 
advantage. 

Cluytens is a Frenchman with 
quite a reputation in Europe. This 
was his first appearance in N. Y. 
He is' a thorough craftsman, but 
possibly without the spark that’s 
needed to cue the weary Vienna 
Philharmonic into a great perform¬ 
ance. Hift. 


LicU Albanese was a velvet- 
voiced, highly satisfying Japanese 
in the Met’s first ‘ r Madama But¬ 
terfly” of the season (8) and overall 
the production was distinguished. 
For once the conductor* Dimitri 
Mitropoulos, achieved, the opera’s 
need, musical accompaniment, and 
not symphonic interpretation. This 
time there was no trench warfare. 

Daniele Barioni, one of the 
youngest members of . the Met, 
justifies his presence vocally as 
the cad naval lieutenant but ex¬ 
poses his inexperience when shif“ 
ting weight repeatedly just^before 
bracing for high notes. Very black¬ 
haired and quite nice-looking in his 
Whites, he was plausibly naval— 
provided you mean the Italian 
Navy. 

Clifford Harvuot made the U.S. 
Consular Services seem very at¬ 
tractive with his fine baritone. 

Land. 


Leonard. Bernstein, Dec. 13; Was 
the N.Y. Philharmonic’s new boy 
disadvantaged by taking over a 
program selected by the ill-fated 
Guido Cantelli? The question need 
not be labored, though an affirma¬ 
tive guess is suggested as to the 
final item, Ravel’s “La Valse,” 
which Bernstein interpreted with 
American frenzy rather than Gallic 
wit, and with heavy volume. Stra¬ 
vinsky’s 1 “Nightingale” (such a 
noisy bird!) had fine moments and 
was an audience favorite, but it 
was strange, cobwebby music. 

Soloist, a 10-time repeater in as 
many years, was the Czech pianist, 
Rudolf Firkusny. Mozart’s C Minor 
Concerto* 24 was the evenings 
peak, a subdued kind of virtuosity 
that would probably please sym¬ 
phony lovers in any burg. 

Land. 


Ellen Wilson Meibes gave a song 
recital at N.Y.’s Carnegie Recital 
Hall (6) in a voice wobbly and off 
pitch most of the time. Her inter¬ 
pretation of German lieder ana 
Mozart arias Is coy and her diction 
not clear in any of the three lan* 
guages in which she choscT to sing* 
Small audience which half 
the hall applauded vigorously, but 
some left at Intermission. The out¬ 
standing and truly excellent fea¬ 
ture of the concert was Rudolpn 
Schaar's sensitive and most expert 
accompaniment. Gotti . 



Wednesday* D*^rolw 1 % 1956 


PfiMETsr 


mtfjiati 


Literati 


‘World's Greatest Showman' 
p. T. Barnum, who has heon ex¬ 
tensively recorded in various bios, 
now is served up royally fop small 
fry in ‘The World's Greatest Show¬ 
man” by J. Bryan, III (Random 
House; $1.50). Tome is No. 64 in 
the publishers' Landmark series for 
juves. Author, a specialist in circus 
lore, has done a scholarly job, yet 
has managed to produce a joyful 
yarn for kids, who will appreciate 
the initiative and Yankee shrewd¬ 
ness of the great . P. T. - 
There are excellent illustrations 
and a workable index of a type sb 
often lacking in adult lion-fiction 
items. Down. 

H^per^lns^Agraln. 

In what’s generally regarded as 
one of the most important lega¬ 
tions in the boolc publishing field 
in recent years, a $600,000 suit 
brought in. 1950 by Toledo- book 
dealer Edwin M. Reid against 
Harper & Brothers received a final 
kayo this week when the U.S. 
Supreme Court refused to review 
the case. Reid claimed Harper 
violated the Robinson-Patman Act 
by charging him higher prices than 
such wholesalers as American | 
News Co. and Baker & Taylor were 
billed. 

High court’s denial of Reid’s 
application for a writ of certiorari 
came after the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for the Second Circuit last 
July had unanimously affirmed a 
judgment in favor of the Harper 
firm following a three weeks trial 
before N.Y. Federal Judge Edmund 
L. Palmieri and a jury. In success¬ 
fully defending the action, Harper 
argued that Reid was not a com¬ 
petitor of the American News and 
similar distributors. Moreover, the 
publisher contended that it was 
justified in selling Reid^at higher 
prices because it cost more to do 
business w^th him than with the 
wholesalers. 

Reid’s case, according to Horace 
S. Manges, of Weil, Gotshal & 
Manges, counsel for Harper, was 
the first to be tried, of a series of 
more than 30 actions which the 
Toledo dealer brought against top 
book publishers. Claims in these 
suits are estimated-to involve total 
damages of more than $10,000,000. 
They’re still pending in Toledo 
Federal Court. Repping Reid in 
the Harper action .were former 
Judge Thurman Arnold and his 
partner, Norman Diamond, of the 
Washington law firm of Arnold, 
Fortas & Porter. 

The Collier's Debacle j 

Having given up the ghost, many! 
of the 2,400 staffers of the sus- 

§ ended ^Collier’s and ‘Woman’s 
[ome Companion have been but¬ 
tonholing executives at Toots 
Shor’s, “the Crowell-Collier club¬ 
house/' asking for jobs. Employ¬ 
ees of the two mags were turned 
down in a plea-over the weekend 
for a two-week reprieve to raise 
$10,000,000 capital to sustain the 
publications. J. Patrick Lannan, 
chairman of C-C exec committee, 
said Collier’s needed an immediate 
$2,000,000 in cash. 

As of yesterday (TUes.), staffers 
had begun efforts to get some sev¬ 
erance from C-C management. The 
2,400 were told Friday (15) night 
not to return Monday. Most .of the- 
employees had little forewarning. 
C-C board promised to meet today 
(Wed.) with employee reps with 
regard to demands over severance. 

When the announcement was 
made that the two mags would be 
suspended, C-C disclosed that com¬ 
bined they lost $7,500,000 this year 
and would fold after the Jan. 4 
issues now on the presses. In addi¬ 
tion to severance, employees seek. 
Pay for accumulated vacation time. 
When American was closed last 
August, C-C paid the jobless a 
l week’s severance for ea£h six 
months of service, plus accumu¬ 
lated vacation time pay. Some of 
the Collier’s-Woman’s Home Com¬ 
panion orbiteers had 20 and 30 
years service. 

First rumor on thtf closings came 
about two weeks ago. Decision 
was not made until Friday, how- 
e , Ve r. In the six previous days, ad 
staff went out and sold $2,000,000 
m advertising for next year, Prexy 
Paul c. Smith told nobody nothin’. 

Collier’s demise has flooded the 
jjarket with 2,400 “available” 
staffers at. one time. Only other 
June in recent history .that' the 
journalistic market was flooded 


“Th« most txcltfng and 
Intimate work about 
bullfighting «v«r to 
appear in English.” 

Newsweek 


Hi Arruza with Conrad 

$4.30 H.M.Co. 


was when the Brooklyn Eagle-did 
a foldo, letting some 600 staffers 
go. . ' ' 

Who's Got Boston Post's Presses? 

Question of who bought the 
presses owned by the suspended 
Boston Post, purchased from the 
N.Y. Daily News, and stored in a 
Newton Upper Falls (Mass.)'ware¬ 
house, is becoming quite a mystery. 
At the public auction, Tuesday (11), 
a James Ryan, who said he re¬ 
presented the firm of Ryan ‘Assoc¬ 
iates, industrial consultants with 
offices in the Empire State Bldg., 
New York, bought the 14 Goss high 
speed presses for $310,000. He 
said he^_was. Jiot_at_libeiiy. to. dis¬ 
cuss what he would do with the 
presses and that he could not dis¬ 
close whether he purchased the 
equipment for himself pr repre¬ 
sented another. 

Ryan was unknown to the reps 
of printing press companies, news¬ 
paper mechanical reps and salvage 
men present at the auction. A 
check of the Empire State Bldg, 
tenants revealed no Ryan Associ¬ 
ates. The only Ryan Associates lo¬ 
cated in New York turned out to 
be ah advertising agency where no 
one had ever heard of James Ryan. 
The purchases were paid for by 
the winning bidder with a certi¬ 
fied check for 25% of the pur¬ 
chase price said to have been 
drawn on the Irying Trust Co. 

The mysterious Ryan gave rise 
to a rumor that the N.Y. Daily 
News may have bought the presses 
back themselves.^ It was under¬ 
stood that the Manhattan newspa¬ 
per had indicated they would have 
liked to get the presses back. 

The presses, set up for tabloid- 
type publication, attracted five 
original bidders, including two sal¬ 
vage firms. The presses were ap¬ 
praised for $279,000. The bidding 
settled down to a two-way fight 
between the Hearst Corp., repre¬ 
sented by Eugene Mueller, me¬ 
chanical superintendent for the 
newspaper chain, and the unknown 
Ryan. Mueller dropped out with 
a final bid of $309,000. The sale 
was ordered by the trustees for 
reorganization of the Boston Post 
Publishing Co. 

Jessyca Russell, Girl Sentry 

Jessyca Russell Gaver, wife of 
the UP's Jack Gaver, is back from 
a three-week Government-accredit¬ 
ed'tour of U.S. military bases in 
Germany. 

Her observations, Including that 
as the first femme correspondent to 
tafte part in a night patrol on the 
border separating east and west 
Germany, will be noted in a series 
of magazine articles and for the 
UP. 

Blum’s 12th Annual 

“Theatre World, 1955-6,” com¬ 
piled by Dafiiel Blum (Greenberg; 
$5), is 12th in this series of year¬ 
books. Current Issue shows that 
Blum still offers most complete re¬ 
cap of season' on Broadway, off 
Broadway, and for the road. Data 
and pictures suffer somewhat in 
present tome due to what seems 
to be an offset printing process that 
blurs the photos and reduces much 
of the typography to a size that de¬ 
fies successful perusal without a 
magnifying glass. Blum continues 
citing “promising personalities,” 
this year choosing Andy Griffith, 
Anthony Franciosa, Susan Stras- 
berg, Jayne Mansfield, Richard 
Davalos, Sarah Marshall, Laurence 
Harvey, Earle Hyman, Gaby Rodg¬ 
ers, Diane Cileqto, A1 Hedison, 
John Michael King, Susan Johnson 
and Fritz Weaver. 

Book’s usual departments ob¬ 
tain, including Blum’s custom of 
publishing bios and photos of many 
of the theatre’s “unknowns.” 

Robo. 

‘Negro In America' 

Show biz gets next-to-closing in 
a magnificent do-it-yourself tribute 
entitled “A Pictorial History of the 
Negro In America,” by Langston 
Hughes and Milton Meltzer (Crown, 
N. Y.; $5.95). Packed with. 1,000 
illustrations, It traces the race’s 
story from slavery to second class 
citizenship, with a few uplifting 
examples of those who transcended 
even Jim Crow. 

The book is a must for those who 
have the slightest sympathy with 
a united America where all men 
are equal before the law and In the 
ballot box. 

That the race’s emergence to 
some measure of equality could be 
traced to Harlem, Greenwich Vil¬ 
lage and Broadway Is a tribute to 
New Yorkers, for it was in show 
biz where people like Charles Gil- 
[ pin in Eugene O’Neill’s "Emperor 
Jones” and Richard B. Harrison in 
Marc Connelly’s “Green Pastures” 
came to know what acclaim meant, 
I regardless of race, color or .pre^ 


vious condition pf servitude. It 
was in Greenwich village, too, that 
Paul Robeson was cast opposite 
Mary Blair, ..a white • actress, in 
“All God’s Chillun Got Wings.” 

'■ Though most of the present-day 
Negro stars are recognized, the aif- 
thors seem to have missed Eddie 
Anderson (Rochester), Jim Europe 
and a few others. Scul. 

‘Center Ring’ OK Circus Tome 

“Center Ring” by Robert Lewis 
Taylor (Doubleday; $3.50) is one of 
the better sawdust tomes of recent 
vintage because it relates some ex¬ 
cellent tales about top circus per¬ 
sonalities that have’an authentic 
ring. 

Actually, it’s a collection of ar¬ 
ticles that the author prepared for 
the New Yorker magazine.' Due to 
that, it suffers from .poor timing 
because they were written when 
Ringlings was still on the road— 
and -the book so'ufias' as though'the' 
“Big One” were continuing that 
policy. 

While the author leaves no 
doubt he is a rabid circus fan, he 
also tells both sides of the story. 
Such as the time Tom Mix fell off 
his horse twice^during a matinee; 
the amazing constitution John 
Ringling North has for the gay life; 
the saucer-lipped Ubangis, who 
stufck pins in a wax image of the 
doctor Who sent them to the circus 
from Africa — with deadly effec¬ 
tiveness; and many others. 

Another interesting Ubangi story 
concerns vet bandmaster Merle 
Evans when the saucer-lips were 
ready to leave the circus. A 
dowager of the tribe, seven times 
a widow, had fallen in love with 
him. With help, she had scrawled 
“I love you” on a shingle, and had 
fashioned him an amulet of wire, 
v/hich he how keeps on the mantel 
of his Sarasota home. The woman 
also offered to kiss him goodby— 
but he settled for a friendly and— 
on his side, at least—unimpas¬ 
sioned handshake. Trump. 

Assignment, 40 Years Later 

Maurice King McDougall, 74, 
who died in an Ottawa hospital 
Dec. 8, served in Mesopotamia with 
the Camel Corps in World War I 
and wrote a novel, “In the Shadow 
of the Mosque,” which was later 
filmed in Hollywood under that ti¬ 
tle. Born near Ottawa, he worked 
for a St. Louis brewer, sold lumber 
in Latvia and did Red Cross work 
in Poland before turning to news¬ 
paper work. 

For years he had been Ottawa 
correspondent for the Christian 
Science Monitor and, as relief man, 
for the Times of London. He was 
known in the press gallery as 
“Scoop” McDougall for having 
taken 40 years to turn in one as¬ 
signment. Austin Cross, now a 
veteran columnist on the Ottawa 
Citizen and then editor of the Ot¬ 
tawa Collegiate Institute magazine, 
asked him in 1903 for a piece for 
the 60th anniversary issue. In 
1943, McDougall turned it in, for 
the centenary issue. 

Deadly Parallel 

Publishers Bouregy & Curl are 
making every effort to recall a mys¬ 
tery novel by Anthony Hodgson, 
which allegedly is an almost “word 
for word copy” of “Tender to Dan¬ 
ger,” written by Eliot Reed and 
published by Doubleday in 1951. 

Hodgson’s “The Golden* Ballast” 
first appeared Oct. 15 under the 
Bouregy & Curl banner, and, ac¬ 
cording to Doubleday which exon¬ 
erates B&C completely, the re¬ 
ported plagiarism was uncovered 
by Anthony Boucher, N.Y. Times 
reviewer. B&C are trying to lo¬ 
cate Hodgson in British Columbia, 
tylt with no success. Hodgson has 
a second manuscript with the pub¬ 
lisher, having arrived prior to the 
“unmasking” of the first. j 

- 

Ralph Ginzburg’s Shift 

Ralph Ginzburg, circulation pro-.-] 
motion manager at Look for the 
past three years, will join Esquire 
the first of the year as articles edi¬ 
tor. Editorial side isn’t new to 
Ginzburg; he was a newspaperman 
in N. Y. and Washington, was with 
NBC’s merchandising department 
and was a copywriter with the erst¬ 
while William H. Weintraub 
agency before joining Look. 

. Ginzburg replaces Len Robinson 
on Esquire. Robinson was slated 
to shift to Collier’s, but the mag 
folded over the weekend. 

CHATTER 

Gypsy Rose Lee’s deadline on 
her autobiog which Harper’s will 
publish this spring is Dec. 23. and 
she hopes to just make it. 

Everett B. Morris, yachting edi¬ 
tor of the N.Y. Herald Tribune for 
the last 20 years, joined Motor 
Boating mag as associate editor. 

Westchester News Publishing 
Corp., Westchester County, has 
changed its capital stock from 250 
shares, no par value, to 1,750 
shares of preferred at $1 par val¬ 
ue, and 250 shares of no par value. 
Hays, Sklar & Herzberg, N. Y. C., 
filing attorneys. 


SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK 


By Frank Scully 


, Hollywood, IJec. 18. 

Whatever became of that society for the prevention of useless Christ¬ 
mas gifts? It looked as if it were “going over the top” (a phrase of 
the period) in fine style around 1915 and. then suddenly the movement 
collapsed.. 

Had it succeeded, Hollywood’s annual buttering up of the press would 
never have reached the mountainous proportions it enjoys today, the 
town’s Santa Claus Lane never would have been repaved to ease the 
bumps of stars on parade, Santa Claus Village near Lake Arrowhead 
might sever have been put on a grind policy, a town in the middle west 
would have kept its own name instead of cluttering up the mails with 
convivial characters wanting their season’s greetings to be mailed .from 
Santa Claus, Ind., and “A Christmas Carol” might finally have been 
heaved off the air as more dated than a palm tree. 

But the movement failed. Two wars buried its temperate protesta¬ 
tions so completely that by now useless gift-giving has reached an all- 
-tim e hi gh, Lbave.-heen_iiL.-the. Homes of. Holly wood -columnists-where— 
gifts have cluttered the places to the point where the hostess could hard¬ 
ly find the run to make a tom-&-jerry for those less favored. Half the 
stuff had no^artistic or utilitarian value and would be received in an 
orphanage with something less than whoops of joy. 

Santa’s Showoffs 

Years ago. some of the peddlers of Hollywood birdseed used to run 
a column listing these'tokens of love from the stars, but by now it has 
got around that such exhibitionism only compounded the felony in the 
eyes of their readers. 

Others, to show a measure of proof that such largesse could not pos¬ 
sibly corrupt them, have run columns suggesting gifts that stars might 
send each other. I suppose this year it will be suggested that E. 
Presley receive an electric hair-clipper from R. Vallee, D. Dors a set of 
blank plates from the lensman her spouse tossed into her pool, C. B. 
DeMille a round-robin letter from all guys named Moses, M. Monroe 
an Arab burnoose for the next time she attends a royal reception, and 
so on. 

Though some may believe this gift-giving stems from the Three Kings 
who brought .their treasures and laid them at . the crib of the Infant 
Jesus, it actually stems from the Roman era. Saturnalia was a feast 
the Romans celebrated in mid-December. It was featured by the giv¬ 
ing of gifts, burning of candles and the sort of merrymaking that ends 
in a self-limiting disease known as a hangover. 

The Krauts in the middle ages with their yule logs and wassail bowls 
seemed to be continuing this pagan practice. The Saxons transported 
it to England, adding holly and mistletoe (a parasite really that has 
killed thousands of good trees, from oaks to junipers). Mistletoe con¬ 
tinues for the labial privileges that go with the noxious weed. The 
Norsemen probably introduced the Christmas tree which now clutters 
every corner-lot in the land at a dollar a foot until Christmas Eve 
when college kids turned merchants throw them at latecomers for 
peanuts. 

Impatiente being an American characteristic, many people can’t wait 
till Christmas to get the feast behind them. Some put up their trees . 
shortly after Thanksgiving and become so tired of them that they are 
ready to toss them to the flames the moment Christmas Day is over. 

Restraint Pays Off 

Here again restraint pays off. Early buyers pay fantastic prices for 
the evergreens, whereas those who wait till Christmas Eve to buy and 
decorate their trees and plan not to take them down till Twelfth Night 
’are exceptionally well-favored. We looked at a tree las.t year a week 
before Christmas. It was a beauty. The price was $30, a price I us¬ 
ually associate with the purchase of a lumber' yard. 

By Christmas Eve the tree was still unsold. I asked the boss what he 
wanted for it at that late hour. “Nothing,” he said, “only get it out of 
here! I insisted on' paying him a dollar. Still feeling like a louse, 

I tipped the boy who stuck it in the station wagon another dollar. We 
had to cut five feet off to get it in the living room. • 

As a counter measure tor these pagan practices; groups here and there 
are reviving Nativity plays. These began in the 13th Century. In Cali¬ 
fornia, Mr; and Mrs* Herbert Wilcoxon stage the most authentic of these 
in a Santa Monica theatre. Unpolluted by the profit motive, everybody 
works for free and there is no admission charge. It doesn’t always 
happen that way, but these are beautiful people and they stage a beau¬ 
tiful play. They even write a longhand note of thanks for a good 
notice. Just how'charitable can you get? 

A First for St. Francis 

Supplementing these Nativity plays practically every church erects 
a tableau of the birth of Christianity. St. Francis introduced the creche 
ill Assisi at about the same time Nativity plays were born. They all 
follow formula, the Christ-child in a crib in a manger,, surrounded by 
domestic animals, shepherds and the Three Wise Men bearing gifts. 
Some of the tableaux are. lifesized and show a great deal of artistic 
talent. Some are assembled outdoors, but most are In miniature at side 
altars of churches. 

The sending of Christmas cards, a biz which has grown tremendously 
in a century, ha§ now become the postoffice’s main hope of finishing 
the fisfcal year in the black. They urge that the cards be sent early 
and as first-class mail, though most of them contain nothing personal 
beyond a signature, and frequently that is printed. 

Unbelievers string along with the practice, usually picking out pro¬ 
ductions which say “Holiday Greetings.” Some ribald characters de¬ 
press receivers even further by sending out comic Christmas cards. 

Hollywood 'stars usually buy hundreds of cards designed for the 
Motion Picture' Country Home and have their secretaries mail them 
out en masse'to fheir fans and the press, which aren’t necessarily the 
• same people. 

Some friends, tired of trotting around for gifts that they realize would * 
be useless to the recipient, settle for a nice card and a check. This is a 
patepial compromise favored by many grownup children who *are far 
from home. I favor it myself, especially if it includes me. 

The festive season usually finds me lower than the Salton Sea, ex¬ 
hausted and .full of aches and pains. On one occasion, however, when 
I was picking crumbs from the counterpane, a small package arrived 
Christmas Day by special delivery from Miami, Fla. 

Thank You, Sliding Billy Watson! 

Its sender was Howard Hurwith, one time a vaude hoofer in the $750- 
a-week bracket under the name of Ken Howard. He was so bogged 
down with agents, however, that he owed himself money at the end of 
each week. He got an offer to peddle insurance with a weekly guaran¬ 
tee of $25. 

“Take it,” said Sliding Billy Watson, “if no agent is involved.” 

Hurwith did and is now a big man in Lloyds, chairman of banks 
and all that sort of thing. 

He and a group were fanning at Miami when my name came up, and, 
for a novelty, not unfavorably. They decided to send me a gold wrist 
watch and the one they picked must have set Hurwith back 300 
smackers, plus- tax. He had it engraved, “To One Of God’s Nobelmen— 
Frank Scully.” 

That’s the way the engraver spelled “nobleman,” and any year, such 
as this one, when no Nobel prize is awarded in some category, I byoadly 
hint that I won it but the committee asked me to keep their choice 
sub rosa because of the international sitaution. 

I hope whoever inherits it, continues the legend, if for no other 
reason than to assure the long-shot players that you actually can now 
and then get something for nothing. 

And mdy you this Christmas get something you don’t deserve, too! 


CHATTER 


7« 


The Eossano -Brazzis returned to 
Europe Monday (17) on the S.S. 
United States. 

William Gaxton is the “fall guy” 
at the next Circus Saints & Sin¬ 
ners lunch Dec. 27. 

Hollywood literati agent Irving 
Paul Lazar due in this weekend en 
route to Europe on client huddles 
abroad. - . . 

Universal sending out Sal Mineo, 
John Saxon and Luana Patten on 
a four-week tour to attract teen¬ 
agers for “Rock, Pretty Baby.” 

.Group of fashion models will 
serve as ushers, for the “Bundle of 
Joy” preem at the Capitol tonight 
(Wed.), a benefit for Hungarian re¬ 
fugee relief. . 

Irma Lerna (Variety) recuping 
from a gallbladder operation at St. 
Luke's "Hospital,~lT3tli -St; &-Mora- 
ingside Ave., where she will be for 
at least 10 days. 

Maria Gambarelli, after some 
ballyhoo touring in Italy cities on 
behalf of a couple of coproduc¬ 
tions she made abroad, back from 
Rome in time for the holidays. 

A1 Fox (Rockwell &) in Gold- 
water Memorial Hospital (Ward 
B-14), Welfare Island 17, N.Y., 
would like to hear from old vaude 
friends. Has been bedded for some 
time there. 

Nat Abramson, head of the WOR 
Artists Bureau who chairmanned 
this year’s annual Actors’ Temple 
benefit Sunday (16) at the Majes¬ 
tic Theatre, presented with a 
plaque for his efforts on behalf of 
the synagogue. 

Mayor Robert F. Wagner was 
main speaker at the Waldorf- 
Astoria Monday (17) during the 
$lQ0-plate Founders Dinner to 
raise coin toward $250,000 in re¬ 
search fellowships in the Memorial 
Foundation at the City of Hope 
National Medical Center. 

Variety correspondents from 
Frankfurt (Hazel Guild), Paris 
(Gene Moskowitz) and" Rome (Rob- I 
ert F. Hawkins) converging on the 
homeoffice , this and next week. 
Miss Guild (Mrs. Rolf Stroth) 
wants her baby born on U.S. soil; 
her attorney-husband, a German 
national, due over in January for 
some sightseeing. Bob Hawkins’ 
Spanish wife arrives this week on 
an immigrant’s quota, and Mosk is 
over to see his family. 


Miami Beach 

By Lary Solloway 
(1755 Calais Dr.; UNion 5-5389) 

Kitty Kallen at the Americana 
while filming series of commercials 
for Alcoa’s tv’ers. 

Helen Forrest added starter in 
Vagabonds first show of season at 
their club, Dec. 27.* 

Confidential Mag publisher Bob 
Harrison back at Eden Roc; one of 
his frequent trips here.. 

Irving Berlin back in town and 
dividing dining time between the 
Embers and Joe’s Stone Crabs. 

Bea Kalmus back at Gondolier 
Room in the DiLido for her mid¬ 
night gabfest via WMIE this winter 

GAC’s Tom Rockwell spent the 
week with Perry Como, commuting 
between Fontainebleau and Ameri¬ 
cana hotels. 

Jerry Lester and Helen Woods 
ton Lou Walters’ version of Zieg- 
feld Follies” at his Latin Quarter 
on Palm Island. 

Harry Belafonte at Eden Roc' 
-and Peter Lind Hayes with Mary 
Healy at Fontainebleau, both open¬ 
ing Friday (21) night. 

The Earl Wilsons planed in from 
Hilton Hotel opening in Mexico 
City to attend NBC’s 30th anni 
events at the Americana last week¬ 
end. 

Cotton Club, Latin Quarter and 
Golden Gate added starters on the 
cafe circuit this week. Hotel spots 
readied their big - names roster 
kickoff for the weekend. 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 rue Huchette; Odeon 4944) 

In spite of troubles in the Near 
East, Gallic pix are still being dis¬ 
tributed there but have to go by 
way of Ethiopia, Kenya and An¬ 
kara. 

Max Ophuls to Munich to direct 
his own new version of “Marriage 
of Figaro” on the stage;; then re¬ 
turns here for a new pic, “Modi¬ 
gliani.” 

Although the circus may be fad¬ 
ing some in the U.S., no less than 
four will hold forth here for the, 
holidays. Des Sports and the Fes-' 
tival Mondiale in a big top, 

Robert Favre Le Bret, Cannes 
Film Fest prexy, off to Mexico and 
the U.S. on his annual pie and per¬ 
sonality trek for invites to the 
Cannes Fest which unspools next 
May 2-17. 

Gallic pix “Gervaise,” of Reqe 
Clement, and Robert Bresson’s 
“Un Condamile ‘ A Mort S’Est 
Echappe” (A Condemned Man Es¬ 
caped) have been picked by 
Jacques Flaud to serve as candi-, 


dates for foreign film Oscar-Jn H9I1 
lywood next year* 

Gallic newsreels using inserts to 
tell public that there are no scenes 
of the present. Olympics in Mel¬ 
bourne handy because of the Aus¬ 
tralian Committee insistence on 
its own exclusive pic on the affair. 
In lieu of this, past Olympiad mon¬ 
tages are used or old shots of pres¬ 
ent winners. 


By Les Rees 

Carabinieri Band of Rome here 
for concert. 

“Born Yesterday” next Theatre- 
in-Round’s offering. 

Bobby Lord back at Flame nit¬ 
ery for return date. 

Maxene Andrews of sister sing¬ 
ing trio here to visit ailing uncle. 
- Minnesota U had musical “On 
the* Town” as its homecoming 
show. 

Under new .ownership, Vic’s nit- 
ery eliminating floor entertain¬ 
ment. 

Local Fox Quartette back at 
Hotel Radisson Flame Room for 
second time. 

George Grim devoted his entire 
Minneapolis Morning Tribune col¬ 
umn to plea for support of legit 
theatre. 


Palm Springs 

By Alice Scully 

Jim Ameche added to KDES 
deejays. 

The Mel Ferrers laying off at 
La Qiunta. / 

Bing Crosby around after long 
coffee break. , 

Lillian Roth and Bert bought a 
place at Deep Well. 

Richard L. Tobin, Ring Lardner’s 
nephew, in for lecture. 

Claudette Colbert .leased a Las 
Palmas estate for the winter. 

Mac Hutchens has quit as m.e. 
of Desert Sun to return to St. Louis 
Globe Democrat. 

L. Wolfe Gilbert showing his 
“Without Rhyme or Reason” 
around without r. or r. 

Percy Whiteside has pulled out 
of The Villager, glossy mag, now 
owned by the Ryan interests. 

Earle C. Anthony gave a building 
to UC at Berkeley to house the 
Pelican, campus comic mag he 
started 53 years ago. 

With every eatery and hotel sing¬ 
ing blues over poor biz, Springs, 
new Cameron center eatery, de¬ 
signed by Bill Cody, opens with a 
$600,000 nut. 


Munich 

By Karin Thimm 

The State’s Residenz theatre came 
out. with Goethe’s “Faust” first 
part, directed by Fritz Kortner. 

Last American film preems here 
include “Man Who Knew Too 
Much” (Par), “Moby Dick” (WB) 
and “Bus Stop” (20th). 

Eddie Constantine arrived here 
from Paris to synchronize his role 
in “Folies Bergere” since he knows 
German quite well. He also will 
sing his songs in German. 

A big jazz concert for low prices 
was arranged by the Munich even¬ 
ing daily, Abendzeitung, for teen¬ 
agers here, who had complained 
of the high prices at the usual con¬ 
certs. 

The municipal theatre Kammer- 
spiell shows Jean-Paul Sartre’s 
play, “Le Diable et Le Bon Dieu” 
(The Devil and the Good God), after 
having cancelled Sartre’s satiric 
play, “Nekrassow.” In this Sartre 
show a new actor of the Kammer- 
spiele, Hanns Messemer, won the 
praise of all crix as one of the best 
actors ever seen here. Paris agent 
Betty Stern came to . Munich just 
to see Messemer. 


Santiago 

Santiago del Campo ' launched 
“Pomaire.” literary and arts mag. 

Marques de Cuevas Ballet aired 
to Lima. qt 

IFT Jewish Theatre group of 
Buenos Aires at the Antonio 
Varas. 

Fire destroyed United Press of¬ 
fice which moved to lush quarters 
in Hotel Carrera temporarily. 

Catholic University of Valpa¬ 
raiso imported experimental tv 
equipment for electronic school. 

Julita Pou back home after 
three-year warbling tour in France, 
Turkey, Sweden, Denmark and 
Spain. 

Enrique Castro Farias snagged 
contract with Peruvian Govern¬ 
ment to film documentary, “Peru¬ 
vian Coastline,” 

Peruvian Government mulling 
participation financially in Lester 
Cowan’s and Enrique Campos' film 
project, “Bolivar.” 

“Human. Tribunal” show on 
Radio (Sociedad Nacional de 
Mineria with jury consisting of 
Eduardo Barrios, writer; Dr, Ro¬ 
berto Sarah, physician; Father 
Eduardo del Rio; Mario Migliario, 
an attorney, and Geqrgiana 
Durand* 




London 

* (Temple Bat 5041/9952) ' 

Maurice King here for confabs 
With RKO-Radio before going on 
tq, Turkey. 

Indie distributor Ben Rose left 
for South Africa over the weekend 
to make a distribution survey;’" 

David O. Selznick and Jennifer 
Jones had a brief stopover in Lon¬ 
don before returning to N. Y. 

• Muriel Smith stars in the Covent 
Garden production of “Carmen,” 
which opened last Monday (17). 

Patricia Webb to take over lead 
in “The Boy Friend” when Ann 
Rogers ^leaves for N. Y. next year. 

National and trade paper editors 
are to be guests at Variety Club’s 
annual press lunch tomorrow 
(Thurs.). 

Paramount International prexy 
George Weltner In city for talks 
with' Fred Hutchinson and' other 
Par execs. 

Rod Steigqr due in early next 
year to star in “Across the Bridge,” 
which John Stafford will produce 
for Rank release. 

Patric Doonan last week cele¬ 
brated his thousandth performance 
in “The • Mousetrap.” He’s not 
missed a single show since he took 
over the part from Richard Atten¬ 
borough in 1954. 

Joan Hovis, who appeared in the 
London production of*“Plain and 
Fancy,” sailed for N. Y. on the 
Flandre last week. Alfred Drake’ 
and Dirk Bogarde also sailed for 
N. Y. aboard the Mauretania. 

Cecil Madden, assistant tv con¬ 
troller of BBC-TV, hosted a lunch 
to film publicists to express appre¬ 
ciation for. their co-operation in 
the past year, particularly in rela¬ 
tion to the weekly “Picture Pa¬ 
rade” series. 

Eartha Kitt due next week to 
star in “Accused” at Associated 
British Elstree Studios. Film is 
sponsored by the Board of Foreign 
Missions of the Presbyterian 
Church in the U.S. and on comple¬ 
tion will be dubbed in 17 lan¬ 
guages. 


Rome 

By Robert F. Hawkins 

(Archimede 145; Tel 800211) . 

Betsy Blair finished her stint on 
“II Grido” and flew to Paris. 

John Wayne expected in town 
this month fo prep for starring role 
in Batjac’s “Legend of the Lost.” 

Joseph L. Mankiewicz testing ac¬ 
tresses here for role in his upcom¬ 
ing “Quiet American,” slated to 
roll in Indo-China early next year. 

Maria Schell off to Ceylon for 
vacation before returning to Rome 
mid-January to star in “The White 
Nights,” modern-day adaptation of 
the Dostoievski novel. 

Carlos Thompson, recently busy 
in German pic work, has been 
signed by Carlo Ponti for “II Sole 
Giallo,” pic which Giuseppe Ben- 
nati will direct early next year in 
and out of Hong Kong. 

“London Calling North Pole,” 
the espionage pic which was halted 
near completion by the failure of 
Minerva Films, has been completed 
and will be prepped for release. 
Dawn Addams and Ktirt Jurgens 
are among the stars of this pic 
v/hich was directed by Duilio Co- 
letti. 


"Cleveland 

By Glenn C. Pullen 

Penny Singleton at Alpine Vil¬ 
lage on 10-day contract. 

Pittsburgh’s Jackie Heller at 
Zephy Room, succeeding Florian 
Zabach. 

Clint Noble, band booker, formed 
new eight piece dance orch for 
Hotel Cleveland’s Bronze Room. 

A1 Diamond, of Grossman Music 
Cp. here, now a grandfather with 
daughter Mrs. Norton London and 
baby daughter doing okay. 

Sarah Vaughan at Cotton Club 
for six days, her second date at 
this hot jazz spot, which inked 
Dizzie Gillespie unit for Dec. 31 
week. 

Legit Hanna staying dark until 
“Chalk Anderson,” with Judith 
Anderson and Audrey Ridgewell, 
pinchhitting for ill Ruth Chatter- 
ton, checks in Dec. 25. Eddie 
Bracken in “Will Success Spoil 
Rock Hunter” underlined for week 
Dec. 31. 


Frankfurt 

By' Hazel Guild 

(24 Rheinstrasse; 776751) 

Don Cossacks Choir due in for a 
series of concerts in Germany be¬ 
ginning in January. 

Stage director Leo Mittler direc¬ 
ting “Fledermaus” for its New 
Year’s Eve opening at the City 
Opera House here, with George 
Solti conducting. 

Another German actress Is 
headed for Hollywood, Annemarie 
Dueringer being the latest to be 
pacted by Universal. 

“My ’Sister, and I, translated 
h\to German, bpiiig dbne by Sued- 


Vednwday,, December 19, 1956 

... . . . 11 1 . ■„ 


deutsche Rundfunk (South German 
Radio) for airing over the whole 
German net this *week/ / 

Don Murray, star of “Bus Stop,” 
and his bride Hope Lange, are 
celebrating a delayed honeymoon 
in Europe, and are due here during 
the run of the film at city’s Metro 
im Schwan. 

Allied Artists granted an “out¬ 
standing” tag for its new film, 
“Crime in Streets” which it is re¬ 
leasing in Germany through Allianz. 
Designation, from the Film Classi¬ 
fication Board, means the film thea¬ 
tres playing the pic are eligible 
for a tax reduction This is unusual 
for this film because the tag is 
rarely given to'crime pix* 


Milan 


By Gino Gario 

Russian Mosejeff Folklore Danc¬ 
ers are hot coming" to Italy: ~ 

General manager of Venice op¬ 
era house, Virgilio Mortari, here to 
line up winter op^ra season at his 
theatre. 

Opera House in Bologna will 
present” L’Aiglon,” a new opera 
by Honegger-Ibert based on the 
play by Rostand. 

Censor has forbidden presenta¬ 
tion of new play, “The Governess,” 
by Vitaliano Brancati. It was be¬ 
ing rehearsed by the "*legit reper¬ 
tory company, now appearing at 
Odeon Theatre in “A Hatful of 
Rain.” 

Milan is rapidly becoming pight- 
life conscious. There are now 11 
nightclubs presenting floorshows 
and 10 houses with dance floor and 
two orchs opened until two in the 
morning; that’s three times as 
many as last year. 

Philadelphia 

By Jerry Gaghan 

After two-year absence, Buddy 
de Franco is back at Pep’s Musical 
Bar. 


Hollywood 


Dorothy Lamour in town for the 
holidays. 

Gary Cooper in town after sev¬ 
eral months abroad. 

Frank King returned from a two- 
week trek of Europe. 

M&rgee Phillips, of KBIG, re¬ 
covering from surgery, 

Cleo Moore returned from a six- 
week cross-country tour. 

Herman Hoffman checks out of 
Metro director pact Jan. 5. 

William Dozier back in town 
after RKO policy huddles in Palm 
Beach, Fla. 

F. Hugh Herbert will produce 
the Show for ninth annual Screen¬ 
writer Awards dinner. 

George A. Hickey retiring as 
Metro’s western 'sales manager 
after 40 years with the company. 

Director Anthony Mann goes to 
London—Jan^ S—ta spearhead. Eu¬ 
ropean promotion campaign of 
“Men in War.” 


By Florence S. Lowe 

John Secondari, author of 
“Three Coins in Fountain,” a re¬ 
cent visitor. 

Department of . Commerce film 
chief Nathan Golden and frau va¬ 
cationing in Florida. 

Revival of Moliere’s “Tartuffe” 
current at Arena Stage, with “The 
Prisoner” next on schedule. 

Boston Symphony drew an SRO 
crowd, including many Embassy 
Row reps, to its Thursday (13) 
night concert. 

Loew manager Joel Margolis 
produced a special Christmas show 
as intermission attraction for final 
grid game of Washington Redskins. 

MPA A prexy Eric Johnston and 
Mrs. Johnston off to ther Spokane, 
Wash., home Dec. 19 after attend¬ 
ing Secretary of State Dulles’ din¬ 
ner honoring visiting India’s 
Prime Minister Nehru. 


Sue Schary, niece of former 
Metro production boss Dore 
Schary, making her nitery debut at 
the Capri. 

Bill Huff, vet director of Phila¬ 
delphia Forum (concert presenta¬ 
tions), will retire at the end of 
this season. 

Eddie Fisher and Debbie Rey¬ 
nolds feted by the Variety Cluo, 
Tent 13 at a luncheon in the Bel- 
levue-Stratford this week. 

State Liquor Control Board 
handed a 10-day suspension to Lo¬ 
cal 77 (Musicians Union) headquar¬ 
ters for sales to non-members. 

Brazilian soprano Sarita Gloria 
gave free concert at University 
Museum last week, sponsored by 
the Pan American Association. 

Eugene Ormandy, conductor of 
Philadelphia Orch and a native of 
Hungary, appointed head of Hun¬ 
garian relief drive by the local Red 
Cross chapter. 

Sammy Davis Jr. will star in the 
Christmas Festival of the Cotil¬ 
lion Society (28) in Convention 
Hall. Also featured Will be Leon 
Danielon and Gertrude Tyven of 
the Ballet Russe. 


Chicago 

Singer Peggy Taft joins the Fred 
Kaz Trio at the newly opened SRO 
Club. 

William Morris veep Lou Mind- 
ling recovering from a bout with 
the mumps. 

Frank York Orch will again 
tootle for Gov. William Stratton’s 
inaugural ball Jan. 14. 

Maxie Rosenbloom and Joan 
Wilson opening at the Flamingo 
Vodvil' Lounge Dec. 27. 

South Side’s Regal Theatre try¬ 
ing stage shows again with Pearl 
Bailey topping the bill opening 
Dec. 28. 

Jules Pfeiffer produced the 
Bonds for Israel Hanukah festival 
at the International Amphitheatre 
Sunday night (16). 

Sun-Times columnist Irv Kup- 
cinet joining Bob Hope’s troupe 
departing today (Wed.) for Alaska 
to -entertain the GIs at the out¬ 
posts. * 


KansasCity 


Amsterdam 

Concertgebouw Orchestre is 
$300,000 in the red. City of Am¬ 
sterdam will cover $170,000 of this 
total, remainder to be taken via a 
government subsidy. 

Netherlands Opera Ballet opened 
its season,with the integral per¬ 
formance of “Giselle,” and old bal¬ 
lets, Francoise Adret’s “Claire” 
and Lifar's “Suite En Blanc.” 

New Year’s Day at the Amster¬ 
dam Municipal Theatre is the day 
that “Gyjsbracht Van Amstel” is 
performed. This year the tradi¬ 
tional play will be with Ellen 
Vogel Jn the Badeloch role and in 
a new production by Nederlandse 
Comedie. 


Pittsburgh 


By John Quinn 

Connee Boswell and Harry 
Leedy go back to N. Y. after clos¬ 
ing stand at Eddys' Restaurant 
Dec. 22. 

Don Roth Trio closes its fifth 
stand at the Kansas City Club to 
make a New Orleans date Jan. 1; 
Bob Summers crew takes over at 
the club the same day. 

Philharmonic Orch planning a 
play for younger patronage- by put¬ 
ting pop concerts back on sched¬ 
ule for some Sunday afternoons 
during balance of winter starting 
Jan. 1. 

Resident Theatre chalked up 
over $1,000 profit with “Anniver¬ 
sary Waltz.” Radio-tv actors Bill 
Yearout and Kay Greenberg were 
in leads. It's first time the little 
theatre turned a profit in a long¬ 
time. 


By Hal V. Cohen 

Vic Damone inked for 10 days at 
Twin Coaches beginning Jan. 11. 

Ankara gets annual Variety Club 
banquet this year instead of Penn- 
Sheraton Hotel. 

Copa has Sarah Vaughan this 
week and Steve Gibson’s Redcaps 
come back New Year’s. 

George Murray, who managed 
Casino for five years, back this 
week as featured comic. 

Additional, delays encountered 
by New Nixon and nitery won’t 
open until after first of year. 


Frankfurt 

“Courier of the Czar,” a French- 
Italian - Yugoslavian - German co¬ 
production starring German actor. 
Curd Juergens, due to roll in Paris 
this month. Allianz will release it 
in Germany for Christmas, 

Robert Siodmak copped first 
prize for the best direction with 
his German CCC film, “Die Ratten” 
(The Rats), and star. Maria Schell 
picked as best actress for same 
.film, at First International Film 
•Festiyal in Manila. . . ' 


. Boston 

By Guy Livingston 

Belmonts, terp team, top show 
at Steuben’s. 

Hub thrush Nancy McDonald 
back from singing stints in Mont¬ 
real. 

Sam Marcus re-elected head of 
local Musician’s Union and Gus 
Fischer re-named secretary. 

Comic Billy Kelly opens at Al 
Taxier’s Bradford Roof Wednesday 
(19) marking first date at home for 
this native in some time. 

Legit has Xmas and New Year’s 
Eve openings in Hub this season 
for first time in years. “Fanny 
preems at Shubert Christmas night 
and “Waltz of Toreadors” opens 
New Year's Eve at Colonial. 

Hub newspaper writers getting a 
chance to appear On stage as jurors 
in “Inherit the Wind,” current at 
Shubert, through efforts of 
Flynn, show’s p.a, So ‘ far, Alan 
Frazer of the American and Rudy 
Elie of the Herald have taken turns 
,as supers in the dury box* * 



Vcdnadiy, December 19, 1956 


79 


PGBSlEfr 


OBITUARIES 


E. A. DUPONT 

E. A. Dupont, 64, retired screen 
director, died Dec. 12 in Holly¬ 
wood after a long siege of cancer. 
Former newsman. in Berlin, he 
joined the film industry as a writer 
shortly after the first World War,, 
and later became a director for 
the UFA studios in Germany. In 
1925 he was signed by Carl La- 
emmle, then chief of Uniyersal. 

His outstanding picture was the 
Emil Jannings starrer, “Variety.” 
which was released in this country 
by Paramount and acclaimed one of 
the top pictures of all time. 
Among other notable films direct¬ 
ed by Dupont were “Atlantic,” 
“Ladies Must Love,” “The Bishop 
Misbehaves,” “Forgotten Faces” 
and “A Son Comes Home.” 

A sister survives. 

MICHAEL J.ROCHE 

Michael J. Roche, 56, general 
manager of the corporate Advertis¬ 
ing Services Division of Lever 
Bros. Co., died Dec. 13 ih New 
Rochelle, N. Y. 

He served with the giant soap 
company for more than 36 years, 
32 of them in the advertising field. 
He joined its accounting depart¬ 
ment in 1920. In 1934, he was re¬ 
sponsible for the start of the Lux 
Radio Theatre.” Other radio pro¬ 
grams which were sponsored by 
Lever under Roche’s supervision 
were “Ted and Jane,” “Big Sis¬ 
ter,” “Dr. Susan,” “Aunt Jenny,' 
“Mayor of the Town,” “Charlie 
Chan,” “Boston Blackie” and 
“Bright Horizons.” 

Wife, son, mother, brother and 
five sisters survive. 

FRED S. KOGOD 

Fred S. Kogod, 57, president of 
the K-B Theatres in the Washing¬ 
ton, D. C., area, died there Dec. 13. 
His circuit consisted of seven de 
luxe nabes, some of which have 
played first runs in the past cofaple 
of years, and a drive-in. 

Kogod, who. came to this country 
at the age of 14 from Poland, ac- 
quired'his first theatre in 1924 with 
Max Burka. He pioneered the de¬ 
velopment of shopping centers 


STANISLAS BEM 

Stanislas Bern, 68, San Francisco 
cellist, ensemble leader and teach¬ 
er, died of a heart attack Dec. 9 
in Berkeley, Cal. A native of 
Warsaw, he studied in Belgium, 
played in Paris and went, to San 
Francisco 41 years ago, where he 
married his volinist wife, Eugenia. 

He played with-the San Fran¬ 
cisco Symphony for years, organ¬ 
ized his own Bern’s Little Sym¬ 
phony and participated, with his 
wife, in the Bem-Schorr-Bem Trio 
which played the first music over 
radio station KFRC, Frisco, in 
1924. 

Besides his widow, he leaves a 
daughter. .. 

MARTHA HOLCROFT 

Martha Holcroft, 98, vaude per¬ 
former, died Nov. 26 in Halifax, 
Eng. She toured the English mu¬ 
sic halls with her husband and 
daughter in a sharpshooting act, 
“The Three Dreadnoughts.” 

She and her husband, better 
known in vaude world as Major 
Charles, began their sharpshooting 
act in 1680. Their daughter, known 
as Little Lillian, joined the act in 
later years, and the family toured 
the world until the death of Major 
Charles (Charles William Holcroft) 
in April, 1928. 

Survived by her daughter, now 
Mrs. Lillian Wayman. 


lecturer, author and critic, died at 
his home near London, Dec. 18 af¬ 
ter a long illness; He -waa best* 
known for his book, “Miracle of the 
Movies,” a- pre-war publication 
which became a standard popular 
reference work for motion picture 
history. Formerly a script writer 
for Fox-British, he lectured under 
auspices of the British Film In¬ 
stitute and was a reviewer for 
British trade and fan publications. 

Survived by his wife.- 

SCOTT SANDERS 

Scott Sanders, 72, English char¬ 
acter comedian and vaude per¬ 
former, died Nov. 26 in Purley, 
En#. He was best known for his 
comedy sketches, “The Old Knife 
Grinder” and “The Old Actor.” 

Prior to 1914 Sanders trouped 
as Ted Le Roy, working an act 
with a juve threesome known as 
the “Three Clever Kidlets.” His 
was a familiar turn in Australia, 
N* w Zealand, South Africa and the 
U.S. 


BOB OLIN 

Bob Olin, 48, restaurateur, film 
actor and radio personality, died 
Dec. 16 in New York. He won the 
light-heavyweight boxing title in 
1934, defeating Maxie Rosenbloom, 
but lost his crown the • following 
year and in 1939 retired from the 
ring. 

After his active fighting days 
Olin did a sports feature on radio, 
appeared in films and five years 
ago, with Jay Roberts, opened the 
Olin-on-the Park Restaurant in the 
Mayflower Hotel. 

Two brothers and a sister survive. 


PAULA MARSHALL 

Paula Marshall, 28, singer, was 
killed Dec. 9 in an auto crash near 


In Mcmoriam 

JOHN HYDE 


His Sons 


around his suburban houses. In 
each theatre, he installed a chil¬ 
dren’s room, a glassed-in room 
where children or private parties 
could watch the show in privacy, 
without disturbing the rest of the 
audience. 

He is survived by bis wife, moth¬ 
er, three brothers, one sister and 
four daughters. 

WILLIE SOLAR 

Willie Solar, about 65, a vet 
vaude and cafe performer, died in 
New York Dec. 15 of a heart at¬ 
tack. He had recently resumed 
working after a layoff of some 
time, and was In a cafe on the 
lower east side and doubling on 
club dates at the time of his death. 

Solar originated the “Abba 
Dabba” song which some years 
ago erupted into a hit. He resent¬ 
ed the fact that having made the 
number famous on the theatre cir¬ 
cuits, others made recordings 
which reaped the greater financial 
benefit. 

Solar performed throughout the 
world. In pre-World War I he was 
a hit at the London Hippodrome. 
In the U.S. he toured the major 
circuits. Some years ago, he was 
in a longrunning revue at the now 
defunct Billy Rose's Diamond 
Horseshoe, N.Y., and was a feature 
of “Sammy’s Bowery Follies” on 
the skid-row street of that name. 

Survived by his wife. 

WHITFORD KANE 

Whitford Kane, 75, Irish-born 
character actor on the stage for 
more than 50.years, died Dec. 17 
in New* York. 

Kane ‘ was best known' for his 
Portrayal of the First Gravedigger 
in “Hamlet.” He appeared in the 
foie in 23 different productions, 
including those with Jojin Barry¬ 
more, Maurice Evans and Walter 
Hampden. He appeared in 56 
Broadway shows, the last being 
Sean O’Casey’s “Red Roses ' For 
Me,” in January. ■ 

, Last summer he appeared in 

King John,” “Measure for Meas- 
ure and “The Taming of the 
|hrew” during the American 
ohakespeaye Festival Theatre's 
second season in Stratford, Conn. 

fihns a * S ° WaS * n a num, ^ er °* 

His sister and brother survive. 


Huntingdon, Eng. She was driv¬ 
ing north to a pantomime engage¬ 
ment at Leeds, where she was to 
have played in “Cinderella” with 
David Nixon, her tv star husband. 
Nixon, who was following in an¬ 
other vehicle, found his wife’s car 
overturned on the roadside. 

A singer in many British shows, 
Miss Marshall was the first Eng¬ 
lish distaffer to entertain tropps in 
Korea. She married Nixon in 
April, 1952. 

Survived by husband and 15- 
months-old son. 


JOHNNY KERRISON 
Johnny Kerrison, 39, bandleader 
and film director, died in an auto 
crash Dec. 3 in Colombo, Ceylon, 
where he was working as assistant 
director for Sam Spiegel’s “Bridge 
on the River Kwai.” 

Well known as a batoner in Lon¬ 
don clubs and. restaurants, Kerri¬ 
son spent five years at the Cafe de 
Paris, London, and also played at 
the Dorchester Hotel, Isow’s and 
the Bagatelle Restaurants. 

His wife and son survive. 


died Dee. 13 In K.Ci A former pres¬ 
ident of the Independent Motion 
Picture Assn, of K.C., he' operated 
the Air-Dome Theatre at one time. 

He was a native of Poland. 

ERNST SEUTE 

Ernst Seute, 72, headwaiter and 
a vicepresident of Luchow’s Res¬ 
taurant in New York, died Dec. 15 
in N. Y. He had been with the 
restaurant since 1912 and a veepee 
since 1951. 

Wife survives. 


George Fontaine, 86, stepfather 
of actresses Joan Fontaine and 
Olivia de Havilland, died Dec. 7 
in San Jose, Cal. Surviving are his 
wife, mother of the two actresses, 
and a son, 

Ludwig Witte Is, 60, a violinist 
with the Metropolitan Opera or 1 - 
chestra for the last 13 years, died 
Dec. 13 in New York after a long 
illness. 


Louis J. (Jack) Leffman, 68, a 
grip at Paramount for 36 years, 
having joined the firm when it 
was Famous Players-Lasky, died in 
Hollywood Dec. 8, of complica¬ 
tions following several operations. 


RICHARD BUCK 

Richard Buck, 88, 'pop song¬ 
writer, died Dec. 10 in Philadel¬ 
phia. He wrote the lyrics for 
“Kentucky Babe,” “Dear Old Girl,” 
“Uncle WIP’s Lullaby” and “I 
Never Thought I’d Miss You As I 
Do.” For years he collaborated 
with Adam Geibel, blind organist, 
and Theodore Morse, pianist and 
violinist. 

Surviving are a daughter and 
stepdaughter. 


MAX ROSEN 
Max Rosen, 56, retired concert 
violinist, died Dec. 16 in New York. 
He made his debut at the Royal 
Opera House in Dresden. His New 
York debut was at Carnegie Hall 
in 1918, and he toured the U.S. for 
the next three years. He toured 
Europe from 1921-25, when he re¬ 
turned to the U.S. . 

Wife, daughter, sister and broth¬ 
er survive. 


John W. Munnell, 91, longtime 
manager of Waynesburg, Pa., 
Opera House, a regular stop for 
touring shows 'before World War 
I, died Dec. 3 in the Greene Coun¬ 
ty (Pa.) Memorial Hospital. 


Richard (Pat) McGee, a former 
owner of the Dixieland Amuse¬ 
ment Co., died recently in Tampa, 
Fla. His wife and two brothers 
survive. 


Claude B. Lartz, 68, a founder of 
the Sharon Herald Broadcasting 
Co., which placed radio, station 
WPIC, Sharon, Pa., on the air in 
1938, died Dec. 9 in that city. 


Convicts’ Disk ‘Date 1 

5SE2S- Continued from page 1 ssssa 

cover the 15-member band said he 
was behind the prisoners as they 
filed into -the KPRC building. Mc¬ 
Donnell and Myre made a right 
turn out of the line into the station 
coffee shop, parked* their horns and 
were off through the surrounding 
fields before the guard realized 
they were gone. 

They flagged down a telephone 
repair truck, threatening the driver 
with sharpened pieces of metal, 
and took the truck on a steeple¬ 
chase ride through the heart of the 
city. The convicts let the telephone 
man out unharmed and then aban¬ 
doned the truck on the northern 
limits of the city. 

Ironically, Warden Green had 
known through the prison grape¬ 
vine for several weeks that an es¬ 
cape was in the wind. But it was 
not until after the van carrying 
the hand had pulled out of the 
prison that he realized, two of its 
members were involved. 

Warden C. L. McAdams, after a 
hurried conference with his assist¬ 
ant, ordered two more guards to 
follow the van and forestall a pos¬ 
sible break. Travelling at 100 
m.p.Ji., the men arrived at KPRC 
just minutes after the convicts had 
made good their escape. 


Tilo Gobbi 


Fred G. Coffin, 63, pianist who 
played with orchs of several Akron 
theatres, died of a heart attack 
Dec. 9 in -that city. His wife sur¬ 
vives. 


Albert Rheinstrom, 91, legit 
manager for Charles Frohman, 
died Dec. 5 at the Percy Williams 
Home, East Islip, L. I. 


MRS. BEN BURKE 

Alice Mae Griffith Burke, 
widow of the late pioneer exhib¬ 
itor, Ben Burke, died Dec. 5 in 
Pittsburgh after a long illness. 
Her husband was the original part¬ 
ner with James B. Clark and Rich¬ 
ard A. Rowland, who operated the 
first theatre • circuit in Western 
Pennsylvania, Rowland & Clark 
Theatres. It was later sold to War¬ 
ner Bros, and then Stanley-Warner. 

Burke opened his first x film 
house in Columbus, O., in 1905, 
and last one he operated before 
his death two years ago was Jhe 
Capitol in Braddock, Pa. 


WILLIAM F. HALLISEY 

William F. Hallisey, 68, retired 
advertising manager of the Brock¬ 
ton Enterprise-Times, who toured 
Loew’s circuit as a tap dancer in 
his younger days, died Dec. 10 in 
Brockton, Mass., after suffering a 
heart attack. He retired in May 
after serving the paper for 50 
years. 

Surviving are his wife and a 
daughter. 


mrs. A. j. McCarthy 

Mrs. Anthony J. McCarthy, 74, 
who as the leading lady appeared 
at the Alcazar Theatre in Frisco’s 
first theatrical performance after 
the 1906 earthquake, died Dec. 13 
in San Francisco. 

Mrs. McCarthy costarred with 
Bert Lytell in a performance on 
St. Patrick’s Day, 1907, and retired 
from theatre soon after. 

She leaves a son and daughter. 


MRS. MONTE CARLO 

Mrs. Alma Sanders Carlo, 74, 
who with her husband, Monte 
Carlo, wrote the music for a num¬ 
ber of Broadway shows and pop 
songs, died Dec. 15 in New York. 

Among the Broadway shows for 
which she composed music were 
“Louisiana Lady,” “Tangerine,” 
“Chiffon Girl,” “Houseboat on the 
Styx,” “Elsie,” “Princess April,” 
“Bye Bye” and “Barbara.” Among 
her songs are “Little Town in the 
Ould County Down” and “That 
Tumble-Down Shack in Athlone.” 

BOBBY WALKER 

Stanley L. Raymond, 59, Minne¬ 
apolis radio and tv comedian who 
had been a member of the KSYP 
Sunset Valley Barn Dance troupe 
the past 16 years under the stage 
name of Bobby Walker, died of 
cancer Dec. 14 in Minneapolis. He 
had been a burlesque and musical 
comedy comedian and dancer most 
of his adult life. 

His wife survives. 


LESLIE WOOD 

Leslie Wood, 54, Scriptwriter, 


JOE HARDY 

“Pappy” Joe Hardy, 55, Ohio 
bandmaster whose real name was 
Joseph M. Hradisky, died Dec. 13 
in Cleveland. A violinist, he or¬ 
ganized a country-styled polka 
band that played on radio in Cleve¬ 
land and Youngstown, O., for years. 

Survived 'by wife, four sons, 
three daughters, four brothers and 
four sisters. 


Victor Anthony, 85, retired musi¬ 
cian who played trumpet for sev¬ 
eral years with. the Dallas Sym¬ 
phony Orch., died Dec. 10 in Dallas. 


Felix Appino, 61, former head- 
waiter and night manager of Sar- 
di’s Restaurant, died Dec. 12 in 
New York after a long illness. 


Continued from page 2 

to accept the cancellation. Unable 
to reach Petti, in New York, Mason 
called off the concert at 8 p.m. “It 
would have been a crime to try a 
recital with so bad a* house and an 
insult to the artist,” Mason de¬ 
clared. 

Baritone Gobbi strode out of the 
concert hall vowing he would nev¬ 
er return to Philadelphia. Impres¬ 
ario Petti arrived at 8:45, stating 
he had been delayed by a punc¬ 
tured tire. He declared he was 
“astounded” that the concert had 
been called off without his consent. 

Mason put much of the blame on 
Petti, calling him an "amateur.” 
“Gobbi was there ready to go on, 
but it would have been a dreadful 
thing to play to an audience like 
that. I thought it would be better 
for all to draw the curtain,” the 
Academy manager said. 


William Serrao, veteran theatre 
owner in New Kensington, Pa., 
died there -Dec. 10 after a long ill¬ 
ness. 


Mother, 105, of singer Big Bill 
Broonzy, -died recently in North 
Little Rock, Ark. 


Alessandro Alberini, 67, a voice 
teacher and former operatic bari¬ 
tone, died Dec. 13 in New York. 


Mother, 83, of singer Morton 
Downey, died Dec. 11 in Walling¬ 
ford, Conn. 


Wife of Hannen Swaffer, noted 
London columnist, died Dec. 10 in 
London. 


SAM ,W. DRISCOLL 
Sam Wallace Driscoll, 88, violin¬ 
ist and film actor, died Dec. 13 in 
Hollywood. Among pictures in 
which he appeared were “Mutiny 
on the Bounty” and “Treasure Is¬ 
land.” 

Surviving are his wife, daughter 
and sister. 


CLAUDE SPAETH 
Claude Spaeth, 55, manager of 
the Four Star Theatre in Los An¬ 
geles, died Dec. 9 of a heart at¬ 
tack. He had been a longtime 
house manager for both the United 
Artists and Fox West Coast Thea¬ 
tre chains. 

Wife and five children survive. 


ROBERT C: GARRED 
Robert C. (Bob) Garred, 41, an 
ABC radio newsman in Hollywood 
since 1950, died of 8 coronary oc¬ 
clusion Dec. 10 at Ardmore Air 
Force Base, Okla., where he had 
been on an assignment. 

Wife, two children and his par¬ 
ents survive. 


EMANUEL ROLSKY 
Emanuel Rolsky, 72, pioneer ex¬ 
hibitor in the Kansas City area, 


Percy Douglas Reeves, cinema 
director, died Nov. 30 in Birming¬ 
ham, Eng. 


MARRIAGES 

Jan . Park to Robert Carra, Dec. 
8, Chicago. Bride’s a vocalist at 
station WBBM there; he’s resident 
manager of the Bismarck Hotel. 

Zena Walker to Robert Urqu- 
hart, London; Dec. 15. Bride’s an 
actress; he’s a film actor. 

Phyllis M. Bishop to James T. 
Hanskat, Jacksonville, Fla., Dec. 
14. Bride is an actress and direc¬ 
tor of tv continuity at WMBR-TV, 
Jacksonville; he’s assistant floor 
director with same station. 


Husband, 54, of songwriter Lois 
Steele died Dec. 14 in Chicago. 


Monti Boites 

^ Continued from page 1 w—■— 

'striptease” label is .carefully 
avoided by all operators, but 
whether they are called “exotic,” 
interpretive,” or “specialty” the 
end result is the same and most of 
the rooms get away with much 
more than Margie Hart, Peaches or 
even Lili St. Cyr ever did at the 
now defunct Gayety Theatre. 

A low budget, no cover or mini¬ 
mum charge and a grind formula 
of almost continuous entertain¬ 
ment has meant solid returns for 
the owners of - these particular 
boites. 

The raid on the New Orleans is 
only one of several in the past few 
months. They have little effect in 
a “clean-up” sense. The resulting 
publicity, however, never does the 
cafe concerned any harm; and the 
newspaper stories of the court pro¬ 
ceedings when the presiding judge 
cross-examines a dancer about her 
“art” or asks a police officer to 
describe a performance usually, 
makes pretty hilarious reading. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Dave Murray, 
daughter, Minneapolis, Dec. 7. 
Father is former Pittsburgh tv 
newscaster, now supervisor of 
operations at KMGM in Twin City. 

Mr. arfd Mrs. Ted Nielson, son, 
Pittsburgh, Dec. 7. Father is pro¬ 
gram director at WQED. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stan Kaplan, 
daughter, Boston, Dec. 7. Father 
manages radio station WBMS. 

Mr. and Mrs. Milton Broudy, 
son, Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Father’s 
the son of late Dave Broudy, long¬ 
time conductor of pit orch at Stan¬ 
ley Theatre. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Santan- 
tonio, daughter, Hollywood, Nov. 
26. Mother is assistant to record 
exploiter Irwin Zucker. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis, 
daughter. North Hollywood, Cal., 
Dec, 10. Mother, Marilyn O’Con¬ 
nor, and father are thesps. 

Lieut, and Mrs. Harry Anger Jr., 
son, Alexandria, Va., Dec. 11. 
Father is son of the General Ar¬ 
tists Corp. v.p. 

Mr. and Mrs. I. H. Prinzmetal, 
daughter, Hollywood, Dec. 9. Fa¬ 
ther is attorney and manager of 
Gary Cooper. o 

Mr. and Mrs. Pete Thornton, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Dec. 14. 
Father’s publicity director of 
KDKA-TV. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crevarn, 
son, Brooklyn, Dec. 16. Father is 
with CBS-TV press information 
department. 

Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Tarr, son, 
New York, Nov. 4. Father is man¬ 
ager of RCA Victor’s syndicate 
disk sales. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mai Fitch, son, Dal¬ 
las, Dec. 12. Father is a singing 
pianist. 

Mr. and Mrs. Vic .Ghidalia, 
daughter, New York, recently. He’s 
with ABC publicity department. 





Wednesday, December 19, 1956 



3? 



‘ 

* iifl 

m 


0m - 

llSt x 


r*® ; 1 


MM7 BATE THIS 






FOR KILLING THE PEOPLE! 


“Unquestionably one of the best acts current 
on the cafe circuit. The Trio generates peak 
response... earn clamorous beg-off." 

—weekly VARIETY 

“Mary Kaye Trio had a wall-bulging* opening 
at the Crescendo. Business so big, the Trio 
with a percentage deal, will equal their Las 
Vegas salary." 

—ARMY ARCHERb, Doily Vorioty 

“Some smart TV producer should hustle down 
and sign up the Mary Kaye Trio before some 
other smart TV producer does. One of the slick* 
est acts in show business today." 

—JACK LAIT, JR., Lot. Angelos Examiner 

“They have something that will last long 
after rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and the 
cha cha cha will have passed on... Bordering 
on show business greatness." 

—HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 


“Great! If you’ll pardon my backbends I'll join 
the crowd and rave like ’crazy’ about this 
threesome that has everyone wondering why 
songs were never sung like this before." 

—MARILYN LEE, L. A. Examiner 

“You haven’t heard anything until you hear 
the Mary Kaye Trio." 

s —LOUELLA PARSONS, INS 

“Swing addicts go into a frenzy at the men¬ 
tion of the Mary Kaye Trio." 

—ALINE MOSSY, United Pren 

“At 2:30 A.M. the customers were still pound¬ 
ing their mitts." 

—MIKE CONNOLLY, Hollywood Reporter 

“Danger, wild raves ahead: If you haven’t 
caught the Mary Kaye.Trio, do yourself a favor. 
Be entertained as you haven’t been entertained 
in a long, long time." 

—HERS CAEN, San Francisco Examiner 

“Mary Kaye Trio are great." 

—HEDDA HOPPER, Lot Angelei Tlmei 


CURRENTLY THRU DECEMBER 31st 

HOTEL SAHARA, LAS VEDAS 

AND RE-SIGNED FOR 22 WEEKS IN 1957 


DECCA RECORDS 



Personal Management! BILL BURTON 


Public Relations! GLENN NOSE 







Exhibs’ $6,000,000 Bankroll As 
Production Credit Fond for UA 


CALYPSO CARIBE Dankd Schorr s ‘Cloak & Mike 

‘TflKFflVFR' KICK Saga on Covering Moscow Beat 


Group of independent exhibitors - 
and such major circuits as Stanley 
Warner, National Theatres, Loew’s 
and United Paramount are banding 
together to provide United Artists 
with a production fund that, could 
exceed $6,000,000. That is, bar¬ 
ring final-hour hitches that might 
develop and belngsubject to ap¬ 
proval of the directorates of the 
theatre outfits. 

If the deal goes through it* will 
represent the biggest amount of 
exhlb-originated financing for film- 
making in modern times. 

UA is in a strong product and 
money position with a lineup of 
new and important pictures that 
overshadows the programs at many 
of the major studios. v But the com¬ 
pany wants to ‘further expand its 
production pace with greater ac¬ 
cent on costlier pictures. 

An immediate- bankroll is needed 
to achieve this purpose, the com¬ 
pany preferring not to await the 
boxoifice returns from films now 
ready for release. Because of the 
Federal Reserve System's clamp- 
down on loans, in relation to de¬ 
posits, and the tight money market 
generally, banks have called a tem¬ 
porary halt On additional credit for 
UA. This is a development that 
had been anticipated and prompted 
the company’s owners to consider 
a public stock issue as a means o2 
broadening the financial base. It’s 
presumed that such outside par¬ 
ticipation in the ownership will be 
held up pending the outcome of 
the sought-after exhib financing. 

According to sources in exhibi¬ 
tion, UA approached the theatre 
outfits with the idea that each will 
ante a specific amount of money. 
If they all go along, the fund will 
be over $6,000,000. 

It’s understood that the revenue 
would be in the form of an ad¬ 
vance against future rentals. Ma¬ 
jor benefit to the participating 
tbeatremen would be the assur¬ 
ance of an enhanced product sup¬ 
ply. 

N.Y/s 3d Ave.‘El’Razing 
Blooms and Multiplies 
Krautland Bistro Belt 

The Yorkville area is becoming 
an increasingly important adjunct 
of the Manhattan nitery scene. A 
Pair of new cafes are-coming into 
the nabe as present- cafes are draw.- 
* n S a great number of diners away 
from the midtown area. 

The new operations coming in 
jre the Casanova,- to be operated by 
Max Loew, owner of the Viennese 
Lantern, and EberhaTd’s House of 
Vienna, both • to have entertain¬ 
ment policies. 

Growing importance of the up¬ 
per east side started With the re¬ 
moval of the Third Ave. ‘El’ from 
me area, which started the razing 
: ot much of the substandard hous- 
(Contlnued on page 42) 


‘Success’ for Frisco; 

First Film in 20 Years 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Joe Frisco has signed to appear 
in his first picture in 20 years. 
He’ll play an aging comedian bat¬ 
tling for survival in “Sweet Smell 
of Success’’ for Hecht-Hill-Lan- 
caster. 

Interest in Frisco has become in¬ 
tense as a result of the comic’s 
click appearance at the recent tes¬ 
timonial here for Walter Winchell. 
Deals also are being projected for 
rotes for him in the upcoming 
Helen Morgan and Jack Dempsey 
biopix. 

Frisco’s last screen assignment 
was in a Republic film. He played 
a gorilla. 

RCA’s 2d BUIkm 
Year; Net Loss On 
Color $6,900,000 

Announcing the second billion- 
dollar year in RCA’s history, board 
chairman David Sarnoff in a year- 
end statement this week also pre¬ 
dicted that the company will go; 
into the black on its color tele¬ 
vision manufacuring and sales op¬ 
erations in the second half of 1957.- 
Gen. Sarnoff said the net loss on 
color manufacturing and sales of 
sets and tubes amounted only to 
$6,900,000 on color sales of ap¬ 
proximator £f»3,000;0t)0. This, he 
said, “is a‘ reasonable ex¬ 

penditure to lay the foundation for j 
a business that promises Substan-! 
tial profits in the future.’’ | 

In achieving its second Nllion- 
dollar year, RCA reached a volume 
of $1,125,000,000, a 6% increase 
over 1955. Estimated profits after 
taxes are $40,000,000, equal to 
$2.60 per common share. This 
compares with $3.16 a share earned 
in 1955. Decrease in profit was "at¬ 
tributed to higher costs of labor 
and materials and the lower prices 
at which black-and-white sets and 
(Continued on page 55) 

Paramount’s $3,000,000 
Buyout of Dot Records 

. Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Deal is being, finalized for Para¬ 
mount Pictures to buy the fledgling 
“major” diskery Dot Records. No 
details have leaked thus far but 
it's reliably reported that purchase 
price is well in excess of $3,000,000 
for label formed five years ago. It, 
became active Only in the last three 
years. 

Deal apparently would follow 
pattern set by RKO’s purchase 
(Continued on page 55) 


By HERM SCHOENFELD 

The calypto beat, which has 
been pipking up momentum in the 
past few months, is now getting, a 
national showcasing in niteries, 
concert auditoriums, college halls 
and on disks. 

In addition to a flock of New 
York spots which are op a Carib¬ 
bean kick, cafes in Chicago, Phil¬ 
adelphia and Miami Beach are now 
spotlighting calypso music and tal¬ 
ent. Packaged shows are touring 
the top colleges, such as Yale and 
Princeton, and even hotels, Such 
as the Sheraton chain, are featur¬ 
ing calypso talent via the Talbot 
Bros., a sextet from the Bermudas. 

Although calypso has always haa 
a following in the U.S., the rapid 
spread of its popularity recently 
is held to be chiefly the work of 
Harry Belafonte. Via his nitery act 
and, more importantly, his RCA 
Victor disks, Belafonte has* given 
a tremendous hypo to calypso. An¬ 
other important factor has been 
the U.S. tourist influx in recent 
years into the Caribbean area 
where Yanks have become hep to 
that territory’s native music. 

Whether or not calypso overtakes 
rock ’n’ roll in the pop music mar¬ 
ket, it definitely won't be a more 
up-lifting influence. One of the 
chief characteristics of calypso, 
with its swinging improvise on 
Afro-Cuban and jazz them are 
the spicy lyrics to the sor . in 
fact, the lyrics used on soir?v ,p- 
so disks are rougher than the worse 
in the rock 'n’ roll genre. 

Harbinger of the calypso upbeat 
has been the series of concerts at 
Carnegie Hall’s Recital Hall in 
(Continued on page 42) 

‘Porgy’ to TV For 
112G; Two-Parter 

While negotiations haven’t been 
completed as yet, deal will be final¬ 
ized shortly for the long-promised 
transfer of “Porgy & Bess” (uncut 
and uncensored) to television. 
Since it will require about two- 
and-a-half-hours, it is now planned 
to do it as a two-parter on succes¬ 
sive nights, the first hour going 
into the Sunday night 9 to 10 peri¬ 
od (with Alcoa Goodyear dramatics 
preempted for the occasion) and 
the remaining 90-minutes as a 
Monday night 8 to 9:30 “Producers’ 
Showcase” presentation. 

As with the latter entry, Alcoa- 
Goodyear hour is also out of the 
Jaffe & Jaffe Showcase Produc¬ 
tions shop, thus resolving the 
“Porgy” slotting without difficulty. 
It would, of course, be the first 
two-parter since the inception of 
“Producers’ Showcase.” 

It’s understood Showcase Pro- 
(Continued on page 55) 1 


Dietrich Disks On 

’ The (Dot)ed Line 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Marlene Dietrich has signed a 
term contract with Dot Rec^ 
ord§ as result of a weekend plane 
trip. . En route to N. IF., she found 
Randy Wood, Dot proxy, as her 
seatmate. 

By time the plane landed in 
Gotham, she had agreed to begin 
recording for Dot, starting with 
some albums. She will also do sin¬ 
gles in an experiment by Wood to 
launch Dietrich in new field of 
vocalizing: 

Baylos Penalized 
Two-Thirds Pay 
For (Mo Plugs 

In a disciplinary action designed 
to end once and for all the practice 
of plugolas by performers* a New 
York television station last week 
threatened to dock over two-thirds 
of a comedian’s salary because he 
ignored .repeated warnings not to 
plug brand products on the air. 
The comic was Gene Baylos, who 
did a five-night stint for the week 
ending Dec. 14 on WRCA-JTV’s 
late-night “Punchline” show. 

The NBC flagship said it would 
deduct the cost of three 10-second 
spots from Baylos’ check for the 
three infractions „ he allegedly 
committed. Baylos was booked into 
the five-minute adlib comedy show 
at a $1,000 salary for the week. 
The cost of the three spots comes 
to $675, and the station, said that 
if it had charged him at the 20- 
second rate he would have owed 
(Continued on page 55) 


NAACP Vs. Blackface 
And Negro Portrayals 

» New Bedfqrd, Pec. 25. 

The' barring’ of minstrel shows 
in public schools because they 
“ridicule a racial group” has been 
requested ■ here' by’ the National 
Assn, for the Advancement of Col¬ 
ored People. , . 

• The New Bedford School Com¬ 
mittee said last week it would, 
study the request. The NAACP, 
represented by the Rev. Edward 
A. Halies, pAstor of the Union Bap¬ 
tist‘Church, also seeks to have the 
play, “Abraham Lincoln,” written 
by John Drinkwater, removed from 
the highschool reading list and the 
story, “Black Sambo,” from the 
primary grades list. 

Rev. Hailes said the association 
objects to some of the slafig in the 
Drinkwater book and the picture 
of Negro life in “Black Sambo,” 


\ By BOB CHANDLER 

Difficulties encountered by the 
two American broadcasting corre¬ 
spondents in Moscow, though still 
considerable, have eased off notice¬ 
ably in the past year and despite 
the coolness toward foreigners en¬ 
gendered-by the Hungarian and 
Egyptian crises, look to improve 
still further. That’s the word from 
CBS Moscow correspondent Daniel 
Schorr, who along with NBC’s Irv¬ 
ing R. Levine comprises the Ameri¬ 
can broadasting community in the 
Soviet Union. 

Schorr, in the U.S. till mid-Janu¬ 
ary when he returns to Russia (by 
way of Poland to cover the na¬ 
tional elections, he hopes), cites 
several areas in which the previ¬ 
ous operational and news gathering 
difficulties have improved. For 
one' thing, he himself started a 
practice which may result in the 
first series of regular press con¬ 
ferences with 5 a Soviet minister. 
The official is Foreign Minister 
Dmitri Shepilov (successor to 
Molotov), whose press officer told 
Schorr before he left for the U.S. 
that he’d try to arrange the con¬ 
ferences. 

As it is, Shepilov is talking to 
the press at virtually every recep¬ 
tion, a practice that started when 
Schorr approached him at a recep¬ 
tion after he took over from Molo¬ 
tov and asked if he might ask some 
questions. Shepilov said okay, and 
the entire foreign press corps gath¬ 
ered around. At the next recep¬ 
tion, Schorr did the same thing, 
until now it’s become a regular 
practice to give Shepilov one hour 
(Continued on page 46) 

TV Editors Ordered 
By Cleve. Bosses To 
Return Xmas Tintsets 

Cleveland, Dec. 25. 

Westinghouse’s Christmas gift of 
three color tv sets to the city’s 
three radio-tv editors was nixed 
by publishers who ordered scribes 
to return the sets. 

With the upbeat in colored tv 
for the holidays, Westinghouse sent 
the sets to the .homes of the scribes 
about two weeks before the holi¬ 
days. Shortly thereafter, Jim 
Frankel, Press; Maurice Van Me¬ 
tre, News, ‘ and George Condon, 
Plain Dealer, were told to return 
the sets by management on grounds 
it was “just too much.” . 

Publishers are now reported con¬ 
sidering purchase of a color tv 
set as “necessary tool” to the trade. 
Pundits, however, are wondering 
whether record editors must also 
return “free disks”; pay for their 
own lunches, and refuse to accept 
liquid handouts in bottles. 

Return-to-sender edict is second 
in tv history; first coming in 1948 
when sports editors were told to 
return to Bill Veeck, then owner 
of the Cleveland Indians, tv sets 
given as gifts. 








2 


MISCELLANY 


PftmWFr 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


TV in Decade Has Used Up 5,1 

Years of Literature: Mankiewicz 


The shrinking. market for .short +■ 
story writers will provide an an* 
swer to teleVJsj^itfs growing de¬ 
mand for scripters, in the Opinion 
of novelist-screenwriter-telescriptei* 
Don Mankiewicz, That demand 
by the television industry will be¬ 
come even* more insatiable in the 
next few years, Mankiewicz be¬ 
lieves, since “in 10 short years tele¬ 
vision has used up the literature 
of the past 5,000 years” and soon 
will have to provide entirely its 
own- material... and., find.. its new 
writers. 

But the thousands of short story 
writers whose market is being 
shrunken gradually will turn to 
television as a matter of econom¬ 
ics if nothing else. “Look how 
the tic'ion market has shrunk in 
the past few years. Collier’s and 
the Woman’s Home Companion 
folded, so did several others. Mc¬ 
Call’s and others have cut down on 
short stories. And the emphasis 
in the magazines today is on non¬ 
fiction. I don’t think that more 
than £0 short stories appear a 
month in all of the big magazines. 

“As for novels, the publishers 
would jurt as soon none passed 
over their desks. Their text-book 
business makes the money and they 
maintain a fiction department for 
prestige and out of a sense of lit¬ 
erary duty. If they get a 10,00.0 
sale on a novel, they’ve got a best¬ 
seller. 

“On the other hand, look at tele¬ 
vision. The script editors are like 
wild meji. There’s an insatiable 
need for scripts. Why any maga¬ 
zine editor could stock up a year’s 
supply of short stories in just one 
day. But the tv script editor is 
sometimes frantic in his search for 
scripts. He pleads with writers to 
get some work for him; -he asks 
friends whether they’ve heard of 
(Continued on page 53) 


N.Y. CITY CITATION TO 
HON. JAMES DURANTE 

Jimmy Durante hasn’t yet made 
up his mind whether he’ll don a 
cutaway and striped pants—er, 
trousers — this (Wed.) afternoon 
for the ceremonies at New York’s 
City Hall when Mayor Robert F. 
Wagner will present an official ci¬ 
tation of merit to the star. 

Personalities from all spheres 
will assist in the function which 
will honor the Schnoz not only 
for his show biz contributions'but 
also for his charitable and public 
service activities in N. Y. City. He’ll 
be given all-industry banquet un¬ 
der Jewish Theatrical Guild aus¬ 
pices—with proceeds to all chari¬ 
ties and guilds—March 17 at the 
Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y. 

Mayor Wagner’s -presentation 
will conclude that this “Official 
Citation to Jimmy Durante (is) 
for his distinguished career in 
show business that has brought 
joy to countless millions of people, 
and for his many worthwhile con¬ 
tributions on behalf of his fellow- 
man.” 


BRANDO'S BROADWAY YEN 


Actor’s New Corp. Also Buying 
Script He Authored 


Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Marlon Brando may return to 
Broadway next year in a broad ac¬ 
tivation, of his Pennebaker Produc¬ 
tions which also has feature film 
and television projects on its slate. 
Company will enter actual produc¬ 
tion when Brando returns from 
Japan, where he is starring in “Sa- 
yonara” for William Goetz. 

Pennebaker’s first effort will be 
a western epic, either “Burst of 
Vermilion,” which Brando wrote 
himself, or “Yellow Leg,”- which 
A. S. Fleischman is screenplaying 
from his own original, whichever 
is ready first will be put before the 
cameras first. 

In addition, Brando is hunting a 
suitable property which he can 
present, and star in, on Broadway, 
retaining subsequent film rights 
for Pennebaker. Firm, also is in¬ 
terested in tv and producer George 
Englund has developed a property 
entitled “The Contest” about the 
human race on trial for its life. It’s 
figured to be ready by the end of 
1957 and it’s anticipated there will 
be hefty network interest for "a 
“spectacular” since Brando has 
agreed to star in it. 

English-Speaking Actress 
Refugee From Hungary 
Plans American Career 

By FRED HIFT 

The Hungarian National Thealre 
in Budapest has been badly dam¬ 
aged by shells fired frorti Russian 
tanks, Eva Szorenyi, a leading Hun¬ 
garian stage and screen star, re¬ 
ported in Manhattan last week. 

Miss Szorenyi and her husband, 
Stephen Ormenyi, a top lighting 
technician, are refugees from Hun¬ 
gary and were flown to the States 
by the Catholic Welfare Services. 
Thejr and their three children 
cross'ed the Austrian frontier Nov. 
23 after a harrowing trip and “with 
nothing more than the shirts on 
our backs.” 

Miss Szorenyi and Ormenyi are 
part of a large group of Hungarian 
artists who have escaped from 
Budapest. Many art still in Vienna 
and other Austrian cities, living 
under very trying conditions. In 
Salzburg, Miss Szorenyi related, 
147 persons had to make their 
quarters in a single room since no 
other adequate facilities were 
available. 

The Hungarian actress, a blonde 
who speaks good English, said $he 
hoped to make a new career for 
herself in the States. In Budapest, 
her primary interest was with the 
stage. “I was in a couple of films,’ 
she reported, “but they didn’t 
(Continued on page 46) 


12/26 



Subscription Order Form 

Enclosed find check for $ 

Please send VARIETY for y*" s 

To .. 

(Please Print Name) 

Street ..... 

City.Zone.... State. 

Regular Subscription Rates 
One Year—>$10.00 Two Years—$18.00 

Canada and Foreign—$1 Additional Per Year 

PfiRIETY Inc. 

154 West 46th Street New York 36. N. Y. 


Havana Nightclub Boss 
Unmasked-as ’Raffles’ 

Havana, Dec. 25. 
The boss of one of" Havana’s 
nailer niteries was unmasked this 
week by Cuban-police as ^Inter¬ 
national Raffles, long-sought by the 
French gendarmes.' Paul Damien 
Mondoli was arrested by . Armando 
Sanchez Bretdl of the Investiga¬ 
tions Department, and held incom-- 
municado until he could be de¬ 
ported to France. 

Mondoli, who owns a Marseille 
cabaret, is charged with being a 
member of a gang which stole 
$600,000 worth of jewels from the 
wife of the Aga Khan near Cannes, 
France, in 1952. Over a period of 
months the Surete cracked the case 
and arrested all the robbers except 
Mondoli. Mondoli was tried in ab¬ 
sentia and sentenced to life im¬ 
prisonment. 

He was, however, travelling un¬ 
der various aliases through Europe 
and the Americas. He enaea up in 
Canada, and from there came to 
Cuba posing as Rolland Samuel, an 
Ottawa businessman. He took over 
control of Havana’s Las Vegas cab¬ 
aret and ran this until the Cuban 
police arrested him. 


Poles, Czechs 
Anxious to See 
Yank Features 

American film Industry must do 
everything possible to help sustain 
the tendency in Poland towards na¬ 
tional independence, Marc Spiegel, 
Continental topper for the Motion 
Picture Export Assn., said in 
Gotham last week. 

He reported that the Poles, like 
the Czechs, were most eager for 
American pictures and that every¬ 
thing should be done to facilitate 
their getting them. 

The Poles and the Czechs each 
have pre-selected 60 films from 
nine American companies and dia¬ 
log lists are being sent to Poland. 
The Czechs will get theirs with the 
actual screening prints. Four prints 
a week are to be dispatched. 

At that rate, said Spiegel, who 
toured behind the Iron Curtain 
with Eric Johnston recently, the 
(Continued on page 55) 


Yank Strippers, 

Go Home: Paris 

Paris, Dec. 25. 

Staid right-wing daily, Le Fi¬ 
garo, played up a front-page ar¬ 
ticle, by somebody labelled only as* 
Nicole, slamming Americans for 
having invented the striptease and 
wishing they would take it back. 
Although not going into straight 
biz fact that the peel helped the 
reeling nitery biz here and created 
a whole string of clubs devoted 
to it here, and that it has entered 
films, theatre arid even ballet, the 
story excoriates the strip. 

Nicole claimed the paradox, a 
very common thing in French show 
biz, that the 20th century is one 
of mass morality and individual 
disrobing. Then she rapped the 
U.S., .now giving the world lessons 
in collective morality, as the inven¬ 
tor of the striptease. 

She further opines that the U.S., 
a .puritan country and the first in 
the fight against prostitution, was 
(Continued on page 47) 


Worse Than Moscow 

Dallas, Dec. 25. 

_ Six Hungarian refugees in¬ 
terpreted a “cowboy and In¬ 
dians” movie as current condi¬ 
tions and said, “No, thanks,” 
to an offer to come to Dallas. 

Dick* McDonald, executive 
director of the Dallas Hungar¬ 
ian Freedom Committee, said 
he had been notified by Camp 
Kilmer, N.J., that six substi¬ 
tutions had been made in a 
list of 86 Hungarians slated to 
-come to Dallas after they were 
treated to a Western film. Wit¬ 
nessing scenes of fighting be-, 
tween cowboys and Indians of 
the Wild West era, the refu¬ 
gees believed jokes that such 
things still went on in Texas 
and asked to be sent else- 


Loflaky in Blackout 

American Fund for Israel Institutions, which is raising funds 
Jan. 7 at ar $100-plate Waldorf-Astoria dinner concert, contributes 
to The Israel Philharmonic, Inbal Ballet, Habimah and Ohel thea¬ 
tres. Participating at benefit will be 70 members of the N.Y. Phil¬ 
harmonic under Dimitri Mitropoulos, plus singers Robert Merrill 
and Jennie Tourel. Soprano is set foif a concert swing in Israel 
itself this spring, . 

Incidentally, just back from Israel is the French violinist, Zino 
Francescatti and his wife. They arrived there just as Israel troops 
i went into Egypt. Artist completed 15 concerts, * though advised 
, to flee .for safety. Violinist (not a Jqw5 played in blackouts. 
Audiences came on foot and walking single fiie for fear of Arab 
snipers, and the concerts were given in darkness. 

% 

|The Trade Which Trades ln Gagsj 


There are some 12,000 business 
.publications, weekly, monthly, bi¬ 
monthly, quarterly,, in tlie United 
States. Legion, too, are the number 
of trade directories and reference 
works of various kinds. All of 
which suggests very definitely that 
we are indeed a business-oriented 
civilization. (Oddly enough it is the 
“trade press” which, in the Soviet 
j Union, comes closest to being fac¬ 
tually realistic and free of party 
line propaganda). 

The point about trade papers is 
this: they are read for “use” and 
“insight” and current information. 
True, in the instance o* Variety, 
there is frequently a good deal of 
human interest involved for the 
show world is co-extensive with 
the world itself. What is more 
down-to-folkways level than the 
perennial theatre management 
problem of teenage vandals and 
rowdies? Such news, a regular 
strain in our issues, gives theatrical 
trade reporting a frame of refer¬ 
ence in terms of poliqe, school, 
family, church and psychological 
factors. 

By habit showfolk turn to 
Variety as a central source of vital 
data on their own way of life. 
Granted this is a less “personal¬ 
ized” profession than of yore, 
when many an actor had no mail¬ 
ing address other than this paper, 
and may have read nothing outside 
the trade. That was long before 
performers by the bushel started 
writing memoirs and before their 
private lives were put on televi¬ 
sion via Ed Murrow, Ralph Ed¬ 
wards, et al. 

Week in and week out through 
the year, the pulse-beat of the 
amusement trades are set forth in 
these pages without undue self- 
consciousness about any passing 
momentary phase in the health of 
the various “fabulous invalids” 
which constitute the business, 
though the term was coined to 
mean the legitimate theatre. But 
once a year, in the Anniversary 
Edition, Variety pauses to take a 
sharper more analytical look at 
the trends of the year which is 
expiring and the year which is just 
beginning. 

In recent years me Anni has 
been decorated with some famous 
byliners who join with the editors 
and reporters in the task of ap¬ 
praisal and prophecy. That quite a 
few of these pieces turn out to be 
extremely witty and delightful 


only establishes that gagging and 
spoofing runs congenitally in the 
chromosomes of the entertainment 
gentry. 

It’s only a short wait away now 
—the 51st Anniversary Edition, the 
first year in the second half-cen¬ 
tury, as we keep emphasizing. We’ll 
be back on the stands with the 
traditional Variety green overcoat 
after our one appearance in gold. 
(For our Jubilee last year we were 
described as mqre resplendent than 
Liberace). As with the Anniversary 
editions of the past, the vast com¬ 
pendium of text and special fea¬ 
tures is sold for tbe everyweek 
bargain price of 25c. 

Editorially we seldom allude to 
the paid advertising . side of the 
Anni but others have said it for us 
—not the least fascinating aspect 
of an Anni is the copy in the ads. 
The color and heart and humor 
of show biz shows through. 

Well, anyhow, this is a next-to- 
last trailer for the 51st-and a re¬ 
minder to those who rely on the 
newsstands: reserve a copy. The 
Anni has a habit of melting away 
fast and often being out-of-supply 
the second or third day out. 


MIKE TODD SET AS 
SILVERS GUESTAR 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Tv gets the battle of the century 
next month when the two glibbest 
show biz promoters—one real and 
one fictional—lock horns. 

Mike Todd will guest on the Phil 
Silvers’ “Sergeant Bilko” teleshow, 
in a segment to be filmed in New 
York. It will have Bilko trying to 
promote Todd, an acknowledged 
champion, for a contest tieup with 
“Around the World in 80 Days.” 


Friars’ Testimonial 
To Honor Jack Benny 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Friars Club will kudos Jack Ben¬ 
ny with a “Hundred Thousand Dol¬ 
lar Dinner” Feb. 14 at the Beverly 
Hilton Hotel, funds from the $100- 
a-plate banquet to go to the Los 
Angeles Heart Assn. 

Testimonial is for comedian's 
“real-life philanthropy and gener¬ 
ous contribution of his time, re¬ 
sources and talent to scores of 
humanitarian endeavors.” 



Trade Mark Registered 
FOUNDED IMS by SIMB SILVERMAN) Published Weekly by VARIETY. INC. 
Syd Silverman. President 

154 West 46th St.j New York 36, N. Y. JUdson 2-2700 
Hollywood 28 

6404 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood 0-1141 
Washington 4 

1292 National Press Building. STerling 3-3445 
Chicago 11 

612 No. Michigan Ave., DElaware 7-4984 
London WC2 

8 St. Martins PI.. Traf algar Sq., Temple Bar 5041 _ 

SUBSCRIPTION Annual, 810 ; Foreign, $11; Single Copies, 25 Cents 
ABEL, GREEN, Editor 


Volume 205 cgggg^» m Number 4 


HAPPY NEW YEAR 


Bills . 

Chatter . 

Circus Reviews 
Concert, Opera. 
Film Reviews.. 
House Reviews 
Inside Music 
Inside Radio TV 
International .. 
Legitimate .... 
Literati . 


INDEX 


46 

54 

42 

52 
6 

43 
38 
32 
14 
48 

53 


Music .... ?. 34 

New Acts . 47 

Night Club Reviews.45 

Obituaries . 55 

Pictures . 3 

Radio .21 

Radio Reviews.. 32 

.Record Reviews . 34 

Television. 21 

Television Reviews.27 

TV Films. 25 

Vaudeville . 42 


DAILY VARIETY 

(Published in Hollywood by Dal.y .Variety. Ltd.) 
815 a year. 820 Foreign. 
































P&klETr 


PICTURES 


s 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


CATHOLIC RULES UNUNIFORM 


Kazan’s Doll’ Called Pagan 


Am-Par Pictures Invites Advice 


Albany, Dec. 25. 

“No better commentary on the paganization of the Christmas 
spirit could be made than that Warner Brothers have chosen this 
Holy Season as the time for release of this perverted caricature 
of a ‘baby* in this dirty film, ‘Baby Doll.’." So The Evangelist, 
official weekly publication of the Albany Catholic Diocese, asserted 
Friday (21) in a front-page editorial. 

Saying that the producers of the„film and its release with the 
Production Code Seal of Approval is "a challenge to the forces 
of decency everywhere J , ’ .the„.editorial contended,. “If it is a finan¬ 
cial success at "the boxoffice, the floodgates of filth will be opened 
and the last vestige of refinement will go out of the movies." 

Stay away from "Baby Doll," if it comes to your theatres, sug¬ 
gested, the editorial. “It is a moral contamination. It will dirty 
you. A phone call voicing intelligent protest and joining in a boy¬ 
cott of the theatre in which this picture is shown will be effective 
championing of right." ._ 


Public Opinion Angles on Actresses 


Trade Rates Bergman (Anastasia’) and Baker 

(‘Baby Doll’) Artistically But Doubts Oscar Win 

± -:- 


Looking back over the year 1956, 
many industry execs in New York 
are inclined to the belief that the 
top femme performances in films 
during the year were given by In¬ 
grid Bergman in “Anastasia" and 
Carroll Baker in “Baby Doll." 

At the same time, question is 
raised whether, in the light of 
controversy surrounding both wom¬ 
en, the Academy of Motion Picture 
Arts & Sciences would hand an 
Oscar to either one. 

Miss Baker starred in a film 
which has come under severe crit¬ 
icism from Catholic quarters. Miss 
Bergman makes her comeback 
after a seven-year absence enforced 
—some say—by public opinion, or 
the fear of it, in the wake of her 
delayed marriage to-Italian direc¬ 
tor Roberto Rossellini. 

It’s no secret that some sales 
execs at 20th-Fox quite vigorously 
opposed the studio when it was 
first proposed to cast Miss Berg¬ 
man in “Anastasia." They feared 
a public reaction which might hurt 
the pic at the b.o. 

Opinion is divided as to what the 
Academy’s position will be. Many 
feel that, if the awards go to one 
of the two women, the clear im¬ 
plication will be that the Academy 
membership has taken a “pro" 
position In the debate, particularly 
where Miss Baker is involved. 

Others "hold that the Academy 
wouldn’t be interested in the film 
itself, but only in the merits of 
the performance and that therefore 
no endorsement of the picture 
would be Involved, though it may 
be read into it. 

KEITH, WASHINGTON 
SITE BOUGHT FOR HOTEL 

Washington, Dec. 25. 

RKO Theatres has sold its Keith 
Theatre building to local builder 
Morris Cafritz for $1,750,000 in an 
all-cash transaction. Property, 
which faces the Treasury Building, 
is improved with an eight-story 
office building in addition to the 
1,838-seat theatre. Cafritz plans to 
raze the existing structure in 1958 
and erect a 12-story air-conditioned 
hotel with stores. 

Meanwhile, RKO will continue 
to operate the house until notice 
of demolition is given. Property 
is assessed at $1,674,00. Deal was 
consummated through realty firm 
of John J. Reynolds Inc. 

Eckman Returning To 
Distribs; Leaving Metro 

London, Dec. 25. 

Sam Eckman Jr., will return to 
active distribution next year, when 
his present contract as chairman 
of Metro's British company expires. 
He is expected to take up a part- 
time appointment with a US m?mr 
company. Local reports indicate 
he will supervise its British pro¬ 
duction activities, with United 
Artists mentioned as the company 
concerned. 9 

Eckman gave the first hint that 
J new appointment was in the of- 
jjng when he spoke as honorary 
President of the Kinematograph 
Centers Society at a recent dinner 
10 the Royal Navy. 


CORNFIELD'S NEW STATUS 


Murray Silverstone Realigns 20th 
International Personnel 


Albert Cornfield will take over 
as supervisor of Continental Eu¬ 
rope, England and the Near and 
Middle East for 20th-Fox starting 
Jan. 1, 1957, Murray Silverstone, 
20th International prexy, said last 
week. 

John Lefebre, general sales man¬ 
ager for Continental Europe and 
the Near and Middle East, has been 
named managing director of the 
countries in these territories. His 
headquarters will remain in Paris. 

Oscar Lax, homeoffice rep in 
the Near and Middle East, becomes 
assistant to Lefebre, headquarter¬ 
ing in Paris. William Lampros suc¬ 
ceeds Lax as supervisor of the 
Near hnd Middle East. He’ll con¬ 
tinue as managing director for In¬ 
dia, Burma and Pakistan. 


JUDGE MAY MODIFY 
HIS ADELMAN DECREE 

Houston, Dec. 25. 

U.S. District Judge Lamar Cecil 
of Beaumont indicated he may 
modify a decree he handed down 
in August of last year in a suit 
brought by I. B. Adelman, owner 
of the Delman Theatres here, 
against 14 major film companies. 

The judge told lawyers repre¬ 
senting parties in the suit to pre¬ 
pare suggested modifications of 
the decree. He set a deadline of 
three weeks for submission of such 
suggestions. 

This action came after distribu¬ 
tor defendants filed a motion for 
an interpretation of the original 
decree. This decree enjoined the 
14 defendant companies from con¬ 
spiring with each other or with 
other persons to monopolize the 
first run or second run exhibition 
biz here.. 


FLOOD OF OLDIES 


46 Features Weekly On Twin Cities’ 
Stations 

-r fe 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

North Central Allied survey 
shows that the four Twin Cities' 
television stations are feeding 
video owners a total of 46 old the¬ 
atre feature pictures a week. 

There’s only one of the stations, 
KSTP (NBC), that’s refraining 
from going on the old movie 
“kick," ft’s presenting but two 
full-length features a week—late 
on Saturday and Sunday nights. 

KMGM-TV, sans any network af¬ 
filiation, leads the procession with 
21 a week. Metro Pictures now 
owns a 25% interest in this station, 
which recently acquired the MGM 
pre-1948 backlog. 

Local ABC outlet, WTCN-TV, 
presents 15 features a week, and 
WCCO-TV, CBS affiliate and also 
a highly successful operation, 
comes through with eight weekly, 
just having added one at 2 p.m. 
Sundays to replace professional 
football for the season. Its library 
includes the 20th-Fox oldies and 
there’s A late movie every night 
on this station. 


From Committee of Tbeatremen 

- - -f 



World congress of Catholic mo¬ 
tion pictures, due to start in Ha¬ 
vana, Cuba, Jan. 3 is expected to 
seek a formula for a more uniform 
rating system of films-thronghout 
the world. 

This is only one of many aspects 
which the Congress is expected to 
discuss, but it looms importantly 
at a time when (1) The American 
Legion of Decency is once again 
involved in a burst of activity and 
(2) the “Baby Doll" issue has high¬ 
lighted the different Catholic stand¬ 
ards that apply throughout the 
world. I 

Latest instance of this has come 
with the comments of the Rev. 
John A. Burke of Britain’s Roman 
Catholic Film Institute. The Rev. 
Burke said he couldn’t see why 
adult Catholics shouldn’t see “Baby 
Doll." By contrast, in Manhattan 
last week, Francis Cardinal Spell¬ 
man exhorted Catholics not to see 
the picture “on the pain of sin." 

Other Instances 

This is by no means the only 
example of Catholic authorities in 
different parts of the world taking 
a totally different and at times con¬ 
tradictory position re specific pic¬ 
tures. “Letters from My Windmill," 
which was condemned by the Le¬ 
gion in America, rated Catholic 
kudos in France. Similarly, where 
the Americans disapproved of 
“God Needs Men" (it was never 
rated, however), in France the pic¬ 
ture won Catholic acclaim. 

Conversely, whereas the Irish 
Legion pounced on “The Prisoner," 
the Legioh in America raised no 
objection to it whatever. 

Observers say that this situa¬ 
tion in the past has caused some 
embarrassment, particularly in the 
light of the w.k. eagerness of for¬ 
eign producers to make a gq of 
their films in the U.S. market. Lat¬ 
est import to feel the Legion’s “C” 
sting is the Italian “Woman of 
Rome." 

The Legion of Decency’s position 
in the U.S. is that Catholic rating 
bodies throughout the world tag 
pictures in the light of local condl- 
(Continued on page 45) 


Biz is inclined 4o be spotty 
around the country this week, since 
many theatres only benefitted from 
the holiday upbeat a few days in 
many cases. However, launching of 
strong, new product which is going 
big tips how much greater trade is 
going to be in next seven days. 

“10 Commandments" (Par) is 
holding in first place for second 
week in a row although closely 
pressed by some new fare. “Tea¬ 
house of August Moon" (M-G), just 
getting started out this stanza, is 
copping second spot. 

“Seven Wonders of World" 

I (Cinerama) is winding up third, 

| making the eighth session it has 
been up around the top. “Holly¬ 
wood Or Bust" (Par), new Martin- 
Lewis comedy, is capturing fourth 
money although out in release for 
first time this session. 

“Girl Can’t Help It" (20th), an¬ 
other newie, is landing in fifth 
place even though around for ini¬ 
tial time this week. It hints future 


Jerry Wald 

wonts to know 

Why Limit the 6 Sell ’ 
to Stars? 


* * * 


on* of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 
SI si Anniversary Number 

of 

I/Muety 


CULTURAL AUSPICES 


'Oedipus Rex’ Set for English- 
Speaking Union Debut 


“Oedipus Rex," Canadian-made 
filmization of the Sophocles trage¬ 
dy, will be given a premiere per¬ 
formance at the MacArthur The¬ 
atre, Washington, late in January 
under the sponsorship of the Eng¬ 
lish-Speaking Union. 

Irving Lesser is distributing the 
picture, which Leonid Kipnis pro¬ 
duced and Tyrone Guthrie directed 
out of Stratford, Ontario. 

TWO YANK THESPIANS 
AID ITALO REFUGEES 

Frankfurt, Dec. 18. 

A nice Christmas story is the 
true one of actor Don Murray (star 
of “Bus Stop") and his actress 
wife, Hope Lange, who are enjoy¬ 
ing a delayed honeymoon in Eu¬ 
rope. Pair, currently here for a 
brief stop in connection with the 
opening of “Bus Stop,” just arrived 
in the city from Italy, where they 
made arrangements with the Italian 
government to take care pf nearly 
3,000 refugees who have been in 
camps near Naples since the last 
wotld war. 

Murray had been working with 
refugees in Naples in 1953, and 
promised that if he ever succeed¬ 
ed as an actor, he’d return to help 
these stranded people. He and his 
wife have donated a portion of 
their annual income to buy land 
from the Italian government. The 
prbperty will be used as a perma¬ 
nent home for the refugees who 
are unable to emigrate to other 
countries. 

Murray is en route to Hollywood 
to start work on “Hatful of Rain," 
co-starring with Eva Marie Saint. 
While there, he will work to ob¬ 
tain sponsors for other refugees 
now in Italy who are able to come 
to the U.S. if they have proper 
backing. 


big potential. “King and 4 Queens” 
(UA), also a newcomer currently, 
is winding up in sixth position. It, 
too, promises bigger things in 
future. 

“Westward Ho Wagons" (BV) is 
seventh. It also is new. “Okla¬ 
homa" (Magna) is finishing eighth. 
“Curucu" U) will be ninth while 
“Rock, Rock, Rock" (Indie) rounds 
out the Top 10. 

Besides “Teahouse," “Wagons," 
“Hollywood" and “4 Queens," all of 
which will be heard addi¬ 
tionally in future weeks, several 
other pix were launched this stan- 
zp. “Baby Doll" (WB) Is landing 
a terrific take opening week at 
N. Y. Victoria despite opening in 
midst of pre-Yule downbeat. 

“Around World in 80 Days" 
(ToddrAO), which has been capac¬ 
ity in N. Y. Rivoli for 10 weeks 
running, preems in Baltimore with 
a wow session in prospect. In N.Y., 
it is landing a huge $50,800 in cur¬ 
rent (10th) week, extra shows 
swelling its capacity. 

“Anastasia" (20th), which is great 
in second week at N. Y. Roxy, 
shapes big in Washington and 
great in Chi. “Rainmaker" (Par) 
still socko in second round at N. Y. 
Astor. “Bundle of Joy" (RKO), 
okay in N. Y., is rated fast in 
K.C. “Wrong Man" (WB) started 
out smash opening week at N. Y, 
Paramount. 

“Death of Scoundrel" (RKO) 
shapse good in Boston and okay in 
St. Loo. “Oklahoma" (20th), 
C’Scope version, big in Detroit. 

“Secret of Reef" (Cont) looks 
good in Pitt. “La Strada" (T-L) 
shapes smash on very long run in 
N. Y. “Dance With Me Henry" 
(UA) Is mild in Minneapolis. 

(Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
Pages fQrUL , . . 


In a unique situation, a group of 
prominent exhibitors will have a 
large voice in production matters. 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres, which is now underway 
with a film-making program, has 
established a special committee of 
execs on the theatre end of the cor¬ 
poration who will serve as advisors 
on story selections and promotion 
policies for future AB-PT films. 

Irving Levin, president of the 
film subsidiary, which is named 
Am-Par Pictures, will hold the 
first meeting with the theatre 
group within the next few weeks 
for the purpose of mapping the 
specifics of the operation. 

Chairman of the exhib group Is 
Jerry Zigmond, western division 
manager of the AB-PT theatres, 
who headquarters in Los Angeles. 
Members are Louis J. Finske, 
head of Florida State Theatres; 
Norris Hadaway, ad-pub director 
of the Wilby Kincey circuit, Atlan¬ 
ta; Henry Plitt, head of Paramount 
Gulf Theatres, New Orleans; David 
Wallerstein, general manager of 
Balaban & Katz, Chicago, and Ray-> 
mond Willie, assistant general 
manager of Interstate Theatres, 
Dallas. 

Committee thus represents a 
cross section of the country and is 
intended to bring to the AB-PT 
pictures the benefit of exhibitor 
thinking and experience. 


Justice Slow To Render 

Dept, of Justice appears in an 
embarrassing position because 
United Paramount Theatres has 
embarked on a production pro¬ 
gram. Point is that both National 
Theatres and Stanley Warner also 
would like to engage in film-mak¬ 
ing without restrictions but are 
prevented from doing so by de¬ 
crees in the industry antitrust 
suit. 

In the case of Paramount Cir¬ 
cuit, its decree is silent on the 
matter of film production. In other 
words, the chain is free to make 
pictures and the D. of J. has no 
voice in the matter. Thus, in a 
sense, the decrees under which 
National and Stanley operate, are 
self-evidently discriminatory. 

Paramount has been in contact 
with the D. of J. for the purpose 
of apprising the Government of 
its endeavors in production. Circuit 
execs feel this is not actually nec¬ 
essary but it’s being done as a 
matter of courtesy. 

National and Stanley both have 
made the point that they’re entitled 
to the same privilege, production- 
wise, that UPT has but D. of J. 
is not, as yet, yielding. Only appar¬ 
ent reasoning for the Paramount 
circuit’s film-making freedom is 
that the chain and its former affili¬ 
ate, Paramount Pictures, were the 
first to accomplish divorcement. 

ADDED STATURE FOR 
SCHNEIDER AT COL 

Abe Schneider, veteran Colum¬ 
bia exec, is in line to become the 
company’s No. 1 man at the New 
York homeoffice, succeeding the 
late Jack Cohn. Col board expect¬ 
edly will meet within the next six 
weeks to appoint him to the post 
of exec v.p., which title Cohn had 
held. 

Six months ago, after having 
been offered the presidency of 
Loew’s, Schneider was given a new 
seven-year employment contract 
and elevated to the role of 1st v.p. 
For years the Col treasurer, heT5 
regarded as one of the top financial 
specialists in the industry. 

New appointment will give 
Schneider official supervision over 
all departments, making his second- 
in-command under president Harry 
Cohn and a member of the board 
of the Motion Picture Assn, of 
America. He had been Jack Cohn’s 
alternate on the MPAA board. 


World, Columbus art house, has 
installed wide-screen projection 
equipment and screen. House is 
owned and operated by Charles 
Sugarman. 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Trade Picks Up; ‘10 CV Again Tops, ‘Moon’ Second, 
‘Wonders’ 3d, ‘H’wood Bust,’ ‘Can’t Help’ Next 




PICTURES 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


M&smrr 


5 


CANADIAN STALKS METRO LION 


TOMLINSON OUT 
FOII BIS G1E 

The threat of a-proxy fight, hov- 
ering over Loew's for almost a 
year, became a reality last week 
when Joseph Tomlinson, a Canadi¬ 
an contractor and hotel magnate 
who claims • to control 250,000 
shares or 5% of the capitalization, 
launched a campaign to unseat the 
present management. Tomlinson, 
acting through his attorney, Ben 
Javjts, brother of U. S. Senator- 
elect Jacob Javits, began the task 
of organizing a proxy battle when 
the Loew's board turned down his 
demand for the “resignation of the 
five lesser employees of the board." 

Javits said prior to the Christ¬ 
mas holidays that a notification of 
the proxy fight will be filed with 
the Securities & Exchange Com¬ 
mission. Before the decision to em¬ 
bark on the fight, Javits had indi¬ 
cated that a proxy solicitation firm 
was standing by to recruit support 
for the Tomlinson faction. I 

The Tomlinson action came af¬ 
ter a sefies of conferences with 
Loew’s management team. Failing 
to receive assurance from the 
management that it would accede 
to his requests, Tomlinson called a 
press conference in Javits’ office 
on Wednesday (19) at which time 
he explained his position and re¬ 
leased the text of a four-page, 
single-spaced letter in which he 
had outlined his demands to Loew’s 
management. The Loew’s board 
met on the same day and by im¬ 
plication nixed the demands made 
by Tomlinson. Immediately there¬ 
after, Javits revealed that he had 
set in motion the machinery for a 
proxy fight. 

Names His ‘Victims.’ 

At the press confab, Tomlinson, 
who let Javits do most of the talk¬ 
ing, specifically demanded that 
Howard Dietz, Charles C. Mosko- 
witz, Charles Reagan, Ben Melni- 
ker, and George A. Brownell step 
down from their board of director 
posts “so that they can be replaced 
by capable American citizens, be¬ 
holden to no one, and truly repre¬ 
sentative of the shareholders.” 

In his letter to Loew’s, the 
Canadian noted that he had been 
told by Moskowitz that the studio 
was losing at the rate of $4,000,00 
a year, but that the loss was offset 
by other income of the type that? 
should be accruing rather than 
substituting for losses. Tomlinson’s 
letter further charged that the 
company has been operated In a 
way that seems to serve “special 
' interests of . the managers, their 
friends and their lackeys.” 

Moreover, the stinging letter 
contended that the “contamination 
of the operation under the influ¬ 
ence'of Schenck and his appoin¬ 
tees, has not been ended by 
Schenck’s resignation; his office is 
still there. The evil relationship 
is insidious and far-reaching 
throughout the company and per¬ 
sists. And the waste in production 
operation and inadequacy of its 
product are not terminated by 
Schary’s resignation. c So far-reach¬ 
ing within the company are the in¬ 
fluence and relationships of the 
discredited past management that 
only a new and sound directorate, 
Uncontaminated by misguided loy¬ 
alties and habit patterns, can hope 
to cope effectively with the prob¬ 
lem of cleaning house.” 

‘Time Consuming’ 

At the press conference, Javits, 
who said his family owns more 
than 1,000 shares of Loew’s stock, 
emphasized that Tomlinson was 
speaking for himself and that no 
stockholder committee exists. He 
expressed the hope that an agree¬ 
ment could be reached with the 
present management, but warned 
that if changes were not forthcom¬ 
ing, a proxy fight would result. 
Javits said that Tomlinson hoped 
that a proxy fight could be avoided 
because “they are time consuming 
and costly.” However, when 
Loew’s board turned down Tomlin¬ 
son’s demands, Javits proceeded at 
once with plans for the proxy bat¬ 
tle. 

Tomlinson, who says he’s the 
largest single stockholder, said in 
his letter that the “so-called 
(Continued on page 45) 


Veteran Saranac lake Correspondent 

Happy Benway 

details the evolution of the 
Adirondack rest-cure sanitarium 
In a warm treatise 
titled 

The Milk of Human 

Kindness 

* * ★ 

one of the editorial features 
in the upcoming 
51st Anniversary Number 
of 

P^ARIETY 


Harassed, Vogel 
Can Mord No 
‘Sentimentality’ 

A Loew’s spokesman said this 
week that prexy Joseph R. Vogel 
“will not be sentimental” in tar¬ 
rying out his announced inten¬ 
tion to eliminate a “sizeable num¬ 
ber of additional personnel” from 
the company by the end Of the 
year. With his back to the wall 
in face of a serious proxy fight, 
Vogel, of necessity, will have to be 
ruthless in cleaning house, it’s as- 
I serted. Many longtime executives 
are expecting the axe momentarily. 

Several heads are certain to 
roll on the Coast shortly. Vogel, 
who left for the Coast over the 
weekend, will probably reveal ad¬ 
ditional retirements and resigna¬ 
tions after he completes another 
study of the studio operation. 

It’s understood that several high¬ 
ly-placed executives, said to be act¬ 
ing in the interest of preserving 
the company, have expressed their 
willingness to submit their resign¬ 
ations if it will help the situation. 

Cuts are expected to take place 
in all aspects of Loew’s operation. 
In addition to the exit of longtime 
topper Nicholas M. Schenck and 
production chief Dore Schary, the 
pruning process is hitting the sales 
organization as well. 


Researching Tomlinson 
For Motivation Clue; 

He Declined Loew Bid 

In the face of the proxy fight 
launched by Joseph Tomlinson, 
Canadian contractor, against 
Loew’s, the present management 
is mapping plans to put up a de¬ 
termined counter , battle against 
what it considers a “raider” act ion . 

Among the plans of the manage¬ 
ment is a thorough investigation of 
the business activities of Tomlin¬ 
son. It’s understood that such a 
probe is already under way. In ad¬ 
dition, Loew's management will 
also retain a proxy solicitation firm 
to line up groups of stockholders 
who will support the management, 
The company has engaged former 
Federal Judge Simon H. Rifkind 
as special counsel for the proxy 
fight. 

Tomlinson’s blqnt action came 
as a blow to the Loew’s team in 
light of the fact that the new prexy, 
Joseph R. Vogel, in office less 
than 60 days, was endeavoring to 
“clean house” without impairing 
the company’s progress.* 

In nixing Tomlinson’s demands, 
the Loew’s board unanimously ex¬ 
pressed its confidence in Vogel’s 
leadership' and noted that Vogel 
had already implemented several 
of the suggestions made by Tomlin¬ 
son and his associates. It pointed 
out that former chieftain Nicholas 
M. Schenck and production topper 
Dore Schary had been disassoci¬ 
ated from active management. In 
addition, a statement issued after 
the board meeting on Wednesday 
(19) declared that Vogel would 
soon give a detailed program for 
Loew’s future. 

Vogel stressed that he was in 
favor of having “the fullest stock¬ 
holder expression and representa¬ 
tion in the management” and that 
i it had always been the intention of 
the company to have major repre¬ 
sentation on board of non-employ¬ 
ees. At the last stockholders meet¬ 
ing, it^was noted, seven non-com¬ 
pany members were elected and six 
management It was disclosed that 
Tomlinson had been offered a 
place on the board on several oc¬ 
casions. Tomlinson aknowledged 
that it had been “suggested” that 
he take a seat on the board, but 
he was vague in revealing why he 
had not accepted the offer. 


Harry Kurnitz 

has written an Interesting piece 
titled 

A Footnote to 
History 

cor How I Flopped Both with 
Farouk and Nasser) 

* * * 

another editprial feature 
In the upcoming « 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

USstlETY 

Lehman, Lazard 
Have No Taste For 
Loews Proxy War 

Indications are that Wall Street 
banking firms of Lehman Bros, and 
Lazard Freres as well as large bro¬ 
kerage houses will not support Jo¬ 
seph Tomlinson and Ben Javits in 
their efforts to unseat the manage¬ 
ment of Loew’s. 

The large firms, according to a 
senior partner of one of the most 
prominent brokerage offices, are 
traditionally opposed to engaging 
in proxy fights. In addition, there 
is a feeling that the Tomlinson-Jav¬ 
its program to “kick out” the man¬ 
agement team may seriously handi¬ 
cap the operation of the company. 
The dissident group has not come 
up with a program so far and has 
not indicated whom they hope to 
place in office to run the company. 

The position of the Saul Rogers- 
Lowenstein Foundation faction is 
still unclear. Previous to Tomlin¬ 
son’s disclosure of his position, this 
group has been the most vocal in 
denouncing the policies of the 
Loew’s management. However, 
Rogers, who appears to be the 
spokesman for his group, refused 
to indicate if an alliance would be 
made with Tomlinson and Javits. 



Reporters covering the Joseph 
Tomlinson and Ben Javits press 
conference at which they an¬ 
nounced their opposition to the 

Loew’s management - came*.away 

with the feeling that the pair 
showed a lack of knowledge about 
the affairs of Loew’s and the mo¬ 
tion picture industry as a whole. 

Throughout the conference, Tom¬ 
linson and Javits were vague, eva¬ 
sive and contradictory in answer¬ 
ing the questions of the large press 
turnout. Several financial writers 
from the leading N.Y. dailies 
showed obvious irritation at Jav.its* 
refusal to give concrete and spe¬ 
cific answers. 

Javits said a number of meetings 
had been held with the Loew’s 
management “without prejudice,” 
but he declined to disclose what 
had taken place or what demands 
of his client’s had been turned 
down. He refused to outline ex¬ 
cept in very general terms exactly 
what policies of the company his 
client opposed. 

In announcing that Tomlinson 
demanded the resignations of five 
“lesser employee members of the 
board,” Javits named v.p, and treas¬ 
urer Charles C. Moskowitz, pub-ad 
chief Howard Dietz, sales topper 
Charles Reagan, house counsel Ben 
Melniker, and pension fund super¬ 
visor Eugene Leake. Apprised that 
Leake had not been a member of 
the board for some time, Javits 
substituted the name of George A. 
Brownell, who is not a Loew’s em¬ 
ployee but a member of the com¬ 
pany’s longtime law firm, Davis, 
Polk, Wa’rdell, Sqnderland & 
Kiendl. 

Hedges 

Having introduced the name of 
Brownell, Javits appeared to hedge, 
implying that Brownell’s dismissal 
wasn’t as important as the others, 
especially Moskowitz and Diptz. 
Asked to reveal what Moskowitz 
and Dietz had done to hurt the 
company. Javits merely replied that 
they were following the line of 
Nicholas M. Schenck. He refused 
to say what the line was except 
that it was “no good.” 

Javits also disclosed that Rich¬ 
ard M. Crooks, of the brokerage 
firm of Thompson & McKinnon, 
who was named to the Loew’s 
board less than a month ago, had 
resigned. Javits admitted that 
Crooks was Tomlinson’s broker, 
but refused to state if he had been 
Tomlinson’s representative on the 
board of if the broker’s exit had 
any connection with Tomlinson’s 
action. 

Both Javits and Tomlinson were 
equally vague in stating what role 
Stanley Meyer was playing in their 
fight. Meyer, son-in-law of Uni¬ 
versal board chairman N. J. Blum- 
berg, a former theatreman, and 
once associated with Jack Webb in 
Mark VII Productions, was present 
at the press conference. All Javits 
would admit is that Meyer was a 
stockholder and was merely pres¬ 
ent as an “observer.” However, 
indications are that Meyer’s role 
is more than that. He attended 
the conferences which Tomlinson 
and Javits held with the Loew's 
management. One theory is that 
Tomlinson, if successful, will place 
Meyer in a key position in Loew’s. 

It’s understood that Meyer insti¬ 
gated the move to unseat the 
Loew’s management. Acting on his 
own, Meyer is reported to have 
come to N. Y. four months ago in 
an effort to interest Tomlinson in 
the action. At first, it’s said, the 
Canadian wasn’t sufficiently inter¬ 
ested, but when Meyer succeeded 
in gaining the support of Louis B. 
Mayer, Tomlinson agreed to chal¬ 
lenge the Loew’s management. 

Vogel, Loew Okay? 

In calling for the return of Louis 
B. Mayer as production head, 
Tomlinson emphasized that under 
| no circumstances would Mayer 
lend his services to the present 
management. However, J a v i t s 
strongly implied that Vogel and 
Arthur M. Loew might be retained- 
Tomlinson and Javits appeared un¬ 
aware. of the stockholder resent¬ 
ment against the settlement the 
company had made with Mayer, 
(Continued on page 45K ' 


OUT SOON! 

The 

51st Anniversary Number 

Of 



Forms dosing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may he sent to any Variety office 

NEW YORK 3* HOLLYWOOD 28 CHICAGO 11 LONDON, W. C. 2 

154 W. 46th St, 6404 Sunset 8lvd, 612 N. Michigan Ave. 8 St. Martin's Place 

Trafalgar Square 





6 


FILM REVIEWS 


psmepr 


Vediietdgyi December 


26, 1956 


Hon 9 t Knock the Rock 

(MUSIC) 

TOP rock W roll artists In 
tune-loaded juve story, prob¬ 
ably destined for substantial 
boxoffice response. 


Hollywood, Dec. 12. • 

Columbia release of a Sam Katzman. 
(Clover) Production. Stars Bill Haley and 
his comets, Alan Dale, Alan Freed. The 
Treniers, Little Richard, Dave Appell and 
his Applejacks; features Patricia Hardy, 
Fay Baker, Jana Lund, Gail Ganley, Pierre 
Watkin, George Cisar, Dick EUiott, 
Jovada and Jimmy. Ballard. Directed by 
Fred F. Sears. Screenplay, Robert E. 
Kent, James B. Gordon; Benjamin H, 
Kline; editor, Edwin Bryant, Paul Borof- 
*ky; music supervisors, Frr J v 10 

- 1 . 0 . Pri 5 - J 


___ /ed Karger, Ross 

Dr Maggio. Previewed at Columbia Stu¬ 
dios, . Hollywood, Dec. 10, *56. Running 
time, 85 MINS. 

Bill Haley .. Bill Haley 

Arnie Haines . Alan Dale 

Alan Freed .*.. Alan Freed 

The TrenierS ...... The Treniers 

Little Richard .Little Richard 

Dave Appell and His Applejacks 

Dave Appell and His Applejacks 

Frnnclne MacLaine....Patricia Hardy 

Arlene MacLaine . Fay Baker 

"lunny Everett . Jana Lund 

lollie Haines . Gail Ganley 

ayor George Bagley.Pierre Watkin 

..iayor Tom Everett .George Cisar 

Sheriff Cagle . Dick EUiott 


A collection of top rock ’n’ roll 
artists has been assembled by pro¬ 
ducer Sam Katzman for his second 
musical in the after-beat vein. 
Produced, as was “Rocl^ Around 
the Clock,” for under $500,000, it 
Is packed with talent and tunes 
designed to appeal strongly to the 
juvenile trade and Its prospects 
are bright on that reckoning. The 
R&R influence appears to be 
slightly on the wane, however, in¬ 
dicating that ‘'Don’t Knock the 
Rock” may not duplicate the 
smash box-office of “Rock Around 
the Clock,” but interest in the 
genre is still strong enough to -in¬ 
sure a profitable return on the 
Investment. 

Script by^ Robert E. Kent and 
James B. Gordon doesn’t stand too 
close inspection but it has been 
^wisely written so as not to get in 
the'way of the music. What there 
Is of the plot concerns the efforts 
of Alan Dale, a top R&R artist, to 
win over,the older generation to 
the acceptability of the music. He 
and his cohorts finally, make the 
grade after staging a program in 
which the elders are given a 
chance' to look backward and re¬ 
member what they rthemselves 
acted like when the Charleston 
and Black Bottom dances were the 
craze. 

Production by Katzman is on the 
skimpy side, but it’s a deficiency 
that won’t be minded by teen-age 
audiences since the producer wise¬ 
ly spent his money for such r&r 
talent as Bill Haley and his Com¬ 
ets (stars of “Rock Around the 
Clock”), The Treniers, Little Rich¬ 
ard, Dave Appell and his Apple- 
Jacks and R&R deejay-promoter- 
disker Alan Freed. They pour out 
a total, of 16 tunes, including such 
hits as “Hook, Line & Sinker” by 
Haley and “Tutti Frutti” and 
“Long Tall Sally” by Little Rich¬ 
ard. Fred F. Sears direction keeps 
the plot boiling effectively be¬ 
tween musical numbers which 
boast some effective teenage danc¬ 
ing routines staged and created by 
Earl Barton. Fred Karger, who 
shared music supervision chores 
with Ross DiMaggio, teamed' with 
Robert E. Kent to turn out the title 
tune, which could .catch on its field. 

Dale is in good voice and dis¬ 
plays an easy personality in the 
key role and Freed is believable 
as a R&R press agent. Others who 
register effectively in their parts 
are Patricia Hardy as the love in¬ 
terest, Fay Baker, as her columnist- 
mother who frowns on the beat 
and Jana Lund as a spoiled teen¬ 
ager who causes trouble. Kap. 


Man In the Vault 

(SONG) 


Confused melodrama about an 
honest - but - dnrab locksmith. 
Dim entertainment. 


Hollywood, Dec. 19. 

RKO release of Robert E. Morrison 
(Batjac) production. Stars William Camp¬ 
bell, Karen Sharpe, Anita Ekberg; fea¬ 
tures Berry Kroeger, Paul Fix, James 
Seay, Mike Mazfll-ki, Robert Keys. Direct¬ 
ed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Screenplay, 
Burt Kennedy; from Frank Gruber novel; 
camera, William H* Clothier; editor, 
Everett Sutherland; score, Henry Vars; 
song, Vars and By Dunham. Previewed 
Dec. 17, *56. Running time, 72 MINS. 

Tommy Dancer .William Campbell 

Betty Turner ...Karen Sharpe 

Flo Randall .Anita Ekberg 

Willis Trent ..Berry Kroeger 

Herbie .Paul Fix 

Paul De Camp .James Seay 

Louie ..... *. .Mike Mazurkl 

Earl Farraday .Robert Keys 

Pedro / .Gonzales Gonzales 

Trent's Girl Friend . Nancy Duke 

Singer.Vlvianne Lloyd 


“Man In the Vault” j s a routine, 
melodrama for programmer play- 
dates, where the so-so entertain¬ 
ment values will relegate it to the 
lowercase slot. / 

The Batjac feature, produced by 
Robert E. Morrison for RKO re¬ 
lease, falls in the crime thriller 
bracket but doesn’t have the sus¬ 
pense or action required for the 
classification. Story values in the 
script by Burt Kennedy from the 
Frank Gruber novel follow a for¬ 


mula lint and? leave a lot of loose 
ends dangling; Andrew V. McLag- 
len’s direction works up a' fair 
amount of tension in a couple of 
sequences but otherwise doesn’t 
rise above the script. 

William Campbell, poor but hon¬ 
est keymaker, heads the' cast-as a 
sucker who gets mixed up with 
Berry Kroeger, cheap hoodlum who 
plans to rob the safety deposit box 
of James Seay, crime brains of the 
town. Above threesome, along with 
Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Robert 
Keys, Gonzales Gonzales and Nan¬ 
cy Duke deliver stereotype per¬ 
formances as the confusing melo- 
dramatics unfold slowly. Scenes 
of Campbell in the bank vault has¬ 
tily making pass keys, and in a 
dark bowling alley dodging bullets 
and bowling balls are the only, time 
the footage manages to be sus¬ 
penseful. 

Karen Sharpe has the femme 
lead as a mixed-up rich girl. Her 
romantic scenes with Campbell oc¬ 
casionally have some meaning, but 
the screenplay is too lifeless to add 
support. Anita Ekberg’s cast pres¬ 
ence means no more than lobby 
and ad art possibilities. 

Lensing by William H. Clothier 
is extremely lowkey; in fact, pre¬ 
view print was so dark it looked 
like mostly night scenes. Henry 
Vars did the standard background 
score and also contributed a song, 
“Let The Chips Fall Where They 
May,” with By Dunham. Vivianne 
Lloyd sings it in a party sequence, 
but it means nothing. Brog. 


The Brass * Legend 

Sock western for rood payoff 
in program market. Video- 
built Hugh O’Brian name to 
help. 


, Hollywood, Dec. 11. 

United Artists release of a Herman 
Cohen production, presented by. Bob 
Goldstein Productions. Stars Hugh O'Brien 
Nancy Gates, Raymond Burr; costars, 
Reba Tassell, Donald McDonald; features 
Robert Burtod, Eddie Firestone, Willard 
Sage, Robert • Griffin.' Directed by Gerd 
Oswald. Screenplay, Don Martin; original 
story. George- Zuckerman, Jess Arnold; 
camera, Charles Van Enger; music. Paul 
Dunlap; editor. MarJ Fowler. Previewed 
Dec. 5. *56. Running time, 80 MINS. 

Sheriff Wade Adams.Hugh O'Brian 

Linda . Nancy Gates 

Tris Hatten . Raymond Burr 

Millie ... Reba TasseU 

Clay . Donald McDonald 

Gipson . Bob Burton 

Shorty . Eddie Firestone 

Tatum . Willard Sage 

Dock Ward .. Robert Griffin 

George Barlow .. Stacy Harris 

Cooper . Nbrman Leavitt 

Carl Barlow Dennis Cross 

Jackson . Russell Simpson 

Charlie . Michael ■ Garrett 

Earl Barlow .Jack Farmer 


“The Brass Legend” stirs up 
enough excitement to be a strong 
entry for the oater market. It has 
a slickly-developed plot- with bet- 
ter-than-average characters and an 
excellent cast to give .them mean¬ 
ing, as. well as deft and rugged 
treatment throughout. Film is one 
of the best. program westerns to 
come along in some time- and 
should be received as such. 

Name of Hugh O’Brian should 
considerably bolster its b.o. 
chances, on strength of actor’s high 
rating in the “Wyatt Earp” vidpix 
series. Under Gerd Oswald’s .driv¬ 
ing direction of the Don Martin 
script, the Herman Cohen produc¬ 
tion generates legitimate suspense 
and a hangup climax as O’Brian, 
a peace Officer, and Raymond*Burr, 
badman-killer, race toward each 
other on horseback in a deadly 
sixgun duel. 

Events stem from O’Brian’a post 
of an Arizona sheriff, after he cap¬ 
tures a notorious out law. Burr. 
One facet of plot hinges on his be¬ 
ing tipped off where to find bad- 
man by young brother of sheriff’s 
fiancee, and his attempt to keep 
lad's name out of case, knowing 
some of Burr’s friends will try to 
gun youngster down, which actual¬ 
ly happens when the father and 
town’s newspaper editor pppose 
him. In a realistic gunfighf, sheriff 
faces down three outlaws in a bar, 
killing two of them, and the third, 
taken to jail, is the means of Burr’s 
making his escape. Finale is fast 
and unusual. 

O’Brian socks over his quick- 
draw characterization easily and in 
a commanding fashion, and Burr is* 
tops as a ruthless outlaw. Nancy 
Gates in fiancee role has more to 
do than most western heroines, all 
to the good; Donald McDonald, Jier 
brother who worships O’Brian, de¬ 
livers a good account of himself; 
and Robert Burton scores as the 
father. Reba TasseU as Burr’s 
Mexican dancehall sweetie is a 
particular standout. Good support 
also is offered by Willard Sage, 
the editor; Eddie Firestone, who 
shoots the boy, thinking he’s doing 
Reba a good turn; and Stacy Har¬ 
ris, wounded outlaw who carries a 
derringer hidden in hiS boot heel, 
/the means by which Burr makes 
his escape. 

Technical credits are above par. 
Charles Van Enger’s camera work 
is fast, Mar;f Fowler’s editing 
tight, Paul Dunlap provides an at¬ 
mospheric music score and art di¬ 
rection by Leslie Thom»« blends 
well with the yarn. Whit. 


Stars In Your Eye# 

(BRITISH-CAMERASCOPE* 
^ COLOB) 

Lively musical of' outdated 
vdude acta making comeback 
through tv; depends for appeal 
on Pat Kirkwood, Bonar Col- 
lcano, Nat Jackley and Doro¬ 
thy Squires. 


London, Dec. 18. 

British Li6n release of Grand Alliance 
production. Stars Nat Jackley, Pat Kirk¬ 
wood and Bonar CoUeano; co-stars Doro¬ 
thy Squires; features Jack Jackson, Hu¬ 
bert 1 Greg g f Meier'"Tzelniker, Vera Day, 
Joan Sims. Jimmy Clitheroe. Directed by 
'Maurice Elveyj Screenplay, Talbot Roth- 
well from story by Francis MUler; cam¬ 
era, S. D. Onions; editor, Robert Jordan 
Hill; words and music by Jack Jackson, 
Hubert Gregg. C, W. Murphy. Will Let¬ 
ters. Hilda Lynn, David Lee, Edwin Ast- 
ley. Hazel Astley. Bert Elms, Malcolm 
Harvey, Don Pelosi, Leo Towers. At 
Hammer-Theatre, London. - Running time, 
96 MINS... 

Jimmy Knowles ..Nat Jackley 

Sally Bishop .. Pat Kirkwood 

David Laws.. Bonar Colleano 

Ann Hart.. Dorothy Squires 

Rigby. Jack Jackson 

Maureen Temple ... Vera Day 

Crawley Walters ......... Hubert Greggg 

Walters Secretary . Joan Sims 

Ronnie . Ernest . Clark 

Dicky .Gerald Harper 

Maxie Jago .... V v?.Meier Tzelniker 

Effie ....,. Gabrlelle Bruno 

Farrow .. Aubrey Dexter 

Grimes ..'. Roger Avon 

First Recruit.Sammy Curtis 

Second Recruit.Dennis Murray 

Sergeant . . Sonny Willis 

Night Club Proprietor. .Michael Melllnger 

Joey.. Jimmy Clitheroe 

ut - 

The plight of smalltime vaude 


acts, with the gradually decreasing 
opportunities for work, forms the 
subject of this Tobust, slapstick 
musical. “With a collection of known 
artists, a reasonably feasible plot is 
projected, which is marred by ,an 
anti-climax -which could easily be 
remedied. The story has been han¬ 
dled before from many angles, and 
reliance on its drawing power rests 
on the stars’ reputations. 


Pat Kirkwood and Nat Jackley 
play- a married couple of waning 
topliners who find, with the shut¬ 
tering of so many vaude houses, 
.they are likely to end on the scrap- 
heap. Their best friend, Bonar 
Colleano, is a songwriter who has 
taken to the. bottle since the split- 
up with his wife, now a famous 
cabaret singer. He is on the verge 
of selling a derelict suburban thea¬ 
tre left him by his father, but is 
persuaded by the other two to re¬ 
open it with a revue on the co-op¬ 
erative system with a bunch of 
other out-of-*work troupers. 


Unknown to him, his wife fi¬ 
nances the enterprise and the 
building is restored. A group of 
toughs kill the opening perform¬ 
ance, and the demolition squad 
is all* ready to take over for the 
new owners. A tv audition of one 
of.the sketches has aroused inter¬ 
est at BBG-and the whole show, is 
telecast from the theatre, brings 
ing fame, transfer of the entire 
show to tne West End, and recon¬ 
ciliation to the estranged couple. 


Many of the skits have the broad 
vulgarity of touring burlesque re¬ 
vues and circus clowning, and Pat 
Kirkwood’s numbers savor too 
much of the good old days for mod¬ 
ern appeal. Jackley‘s grotesque 
comedy should amuse and register 
best with provincial audiences. 
Colleano gives a straight, sym¬ 
pathetic performance as the re^ 
formed souse, with Dorothy 
Squires providing the glamor and 
torch singing as his ex-mate. Hu¬ 
bert Gregg scores, with a satirical 
impression of a radio program ar¬ 
ranger, and most of the supporting 
characters ring true. Clem. 


Zarak 

(C’SCOPE-SONG-COLOR) 
Mild Sex-and-sand potboiler. 


Hollywood, Dec. 21. 

Columbia release of Irving Allen, Albert 
R. Broccoli (Warwick) production. Stars 
Victor Mature, Michael wilding, Anita Ek¬ 
berg; features Bonar Colleano, Finlay Cur¬ 
rie* Bernard Miles, Frederick Valk, Eunice 
Gayson, Peter Illing, Eddie Byrne, Andre 
Moirell. Directed by Terence Young. 
Screenplay, Richard Maibaum; based on 
a story by A. J. Bevan; camera (Techni¬ 
color), John- Wilcox, Ted Moore, Cyril 
Knowles; editors, Alan Osbiston, Bert 
Rule; score,. William Alwyn; played by 
Sinfonia Of London; conducted by Muir 
Mathieson; song, "Climb Up the Wall," 
Auyar, Hosseim, Norman Gimbel; sung 
by Yana. Previewed Dec. 12, *56. Run¬ 
ning time, 94 MINS. 

Zarak Khan .Victor Mature 

Major Ingram ...Michael Wilding 

Salma .. Anita Ekberg 

Biri .. Bonar Colleano 

The Mullah .Finlay Currie 

Hassu ..... Bernard MUes 

Haji Khan .Frederick Valk 

Cathy .-.. Eunice Gayson 

Ahmad ...Peter Illing 

Kasim .;.Eddie Byrne 

Moor Larkin ......; .•Patrick-••MeGoohan 1 

Sergt. Higgins . ..Harold Goodwin 

Akbar . Alec Mango 

Youssuff . Oscar Qultak 

Chief Jalor .. .George 'Margo 

Flower Seller .Arnold Mane 

Young Officer .Conrad Phillips 


As a regulation sex-and-sand ad¬ 
venture potboiler, “Zarak” will 
help make up a formula bill shaped 
for the action trade. Lensed over¬ 
seas by Irving Allen and Albert 
R. Broccoli for their Warwick unit 
releasing domestically through 
Columbia, film Is a standard entry 
fortified (frith Such names as Vic¬ 


tor Mature, Michael Wilding and 
Anita Ekberg. 

A lot of razzle-dazzle action with 
horsemen dashing across vast 
plains and deserts, and scant cos¬ 
tuming to emphasize the voluptu¬ 
ous contours of Miss Ekberg are 
laid on thick, but still fail to veil 
the fact that the story by A. J. 
Bevan, scripted by Richard Mai¬ 
baum, is strictly formula stuff, and 
quite old-fashioned. . 

Terence Young’s direction most¬ 
ly emphasizes movement, with as¬ 
sists from associate directors/Ya¬ 
kima Canutt and John Gilling in 
the mass chase footage, but still 
accounts for an unreasonable num¬ 
ber of static scenes between the 
principals, none of whom seems tq 
have much feel for their charac¬ 
ters. 

With virtually no character real¬ 
ity to portray, the three stars turn 
in the type of performances that 
^re stock for such desert action 
plots. Bonar Colleano, Finlay Cur¬ 
rie, Bernard Miles, Frederick Valk, 
Eunice Gayson and others in the 
cast deliver in equally routine 
fashion. 

Visually, film achieves quite a 
pictorial sweep at times through 
the CinemaScope lensing in Tech¬ 
nicolor by John Wilcox. Ted Moore 
and Cyril Knowles. Other techni¬ 
cal credits are standard, including 
the booming William Alwyn score, 
conducted by Muir Mathieson and 
played by Sinfonia of London. 
“Climb Up the Wall,” a musical 
invitation to amor cleffed by Au¬ 
yar Hosseini and Norman Gimbel, 
is sung by Yana in a cafe sequence. 
l Brog. 


La Sorcler© 
(Tfie Sorceress) 
(FRENCH) 


Ellis Films release of Icna Productions 
fllm. Stars Marina Vlady, Maurice Ronet, 
Nicole Courcel; features Michel Etche- 
verry, Ulf Palme. Rune Llndstrom, Erik 
Hell. Ulla Lagnell, Eric Hellstrom. Nalma 
Wifstrand. Directed by Andre Michel. 
Screenplay, Jacques Companeez, based on 
Alexander Kouprine novel; camera, Mar¬ 
cel Grignon. Previewed In N.Y., Nov. 30, 
'56. Running time, 97 MINS. 


Alno.. Marina-Vlady 

Laurent... Maurice Ronet 

Kristina .Nicole Courcei 

Camoin.-.Michel Etcheverry 

Matti ...Ulf Palme 

The Pastor....Rune Llndstrom 

Pulllnen .Erik Hell 

Pastor's Wife.Ulla LagneU 

Erik . Eric Hellstrom 

Maina .Nalma Wifstrand 


A standout potential for the ar- 
ties, “La Sorciere” proves the 
French capacity for locationing 
abroad without either losing their 
own filmmaking flavor or ignoring 
the local atmosphere. Pic was shot 
in Sweden and the lensing makes 
the best of its opportunities, pro¬ 
viding a perfect setting for a 
strange an'd romantic story. 

Director Andre Michel takes his 
time in telling the offbeat yarn 
about a young French engineer 
who goes to Sweden to help build 
a road. He encounters and falls in 
love .with a. beautiful young girl 
who lives in the forest because the 
townspeople consider her a witch. 
Inevitably, the affair ends in trag¬ 
edy, but not before the fllm has 
provided audiences with many 
charming and frequently comic se¬ 
quences that blend in perfectly. 
Leo Lax produced. 

“La Sorciere” introes Marina 
Vlady, a young Frehch actress with 
stunning looks and plenty s.a. Her 
performance has the grace of a cat 
and her concept of the witch, which j 
she believes herself to be, is in¬ 
triguing in both its strength and 
its childish innocence. 

Opposite Miss Vlady, Maurice 
Ronet plays the engineer with in¬ 
tensity. He Is convincing in his 
efforts to befriend the girl and to 
overcome the language barrier. 
Their excursion into town together 
is hilarious. As Kristina, a Swedish 
landowner, Nicole Courcel com¬ 
bines a hard beauty with the sense 
of a woman running away from 
emotion. Smaller parts are well 
played by Michel Etcheverry, Ulf 
Palme, Rune Lindstrom as the pas¬ 
tor and Ulla Laghell as his wife. 

Marcel Grignon's camerawork is 
one of the pic’s great assets. It’s 
partly due tq him that the fllm 
takes oh, a semi-fairytale quality 
and a poetry of expression of 
movement that resolve themselves 
into the more earthy moments and 
the haunting climax. Scene of 
Ronet sinking into the swamp is 
terrifying in its realism. 

“La Sorciere” is the kind of 
French fllm that should appeal in 
the U.S. And it should focus sharp 
attention on Miss Vlady as a stand¬ 
out foreign star. The English titles 
do justice to the French dialog. 

Hift. 


. Be/hard Sholtz Harnesses Up 

Bernard Sholtz, who retired from 
RCA in 1954 after serving its thea¬ 
tre equipment division in various 
sales capacities since 1929, returns 
to the industry Jan. 1 when he 
joins Altec Service Co. as special 
sales rep. 

Sholtz will have a roving Com¬ 
mission to rep Altec throughout 
the U.S, 


Three Violent People 

(C0LOR—VISTAVlSKfN) 


tioh in in “A” western star¬ 
ring Charlton Heston, Anne 
Baxter and Gilbert Roland. 
An audience pleaser. 


Paramount release of a Hugh Brown 
production. Star* Charlton Heston,Arm« 
Baxter, Gilbert Roland. Co-stars Tom 
Tryon. Directed by Rudolph Mate. Screen- 
play by James Edward Grant based on 
a story by Leonard Prasklris and Barney 
Slater; camera (Technicolor), Loyal Grises; 
editor, Alma Macrorie; music, Walter 
Scharf. Previewed in N.Y. Dec. 14, '58. 
Running time, 100 MINS. 

Colt Saunders . Charlton Heston 

Lorna r . Anne Baxter 

Innocenclo . Gilbert Roland 

Cinch.... Tom Tryon 

Cable . Forrest Tucker 

Harrison ... Bruce. Bennett 

Ruby LaSalle . Elaine Strltch 

Yates ... Barton MacLane 

Lieut. Marr 1 ..Peter Hansen 

Massey . John Harmon 

Asuncion . Ross Bagdasarlan 

Rafael . Bobby Blake 

Pedro . Jameel Farah 

Luis . Leo Castillo 

Juan .. Don Devlin 

Carleton .. Raymond Greenleaf 

Carpetbagger. „ .. Roy Engel 

Maria •. Argentina JBrunetti 

Maid .. Ernestine.Wade 

Carpetbagger . Don Dunning 

Bartender. Paul Levitt 

One-legged Soldier . Robert Arthur 


' Part horsey, part soupy, a kind 
of woman’s western, ‘Three Vio¬ 
lent People” should divert most 
audiences. It has the marquee lure 
of Anne Baxter, Charlton. Heston 
and Gilbert Roland; of whom the 
first two are currently in Para¬ 
mount’s “10 Commandments.” 

Close scrutiny could turn up 
some loose ends story-wise. Miss 
Baxter’s conversion from a schem¬ 
ing demimonde of the Post-Civil 
War west Into a loving wife comes 
with slightly remarkable rapidity. 
The machinations of the land grab¬ 
bers come into and fage away from 
the story at the author's and film 
editor’s occasionally arbitrary ^con¬ 
venience. No matter. The general 
movement and characterization 
carry the viewer along. This one 
is elephant’s eye high above most 
westerns. 

The story opens trite: demobi¬ 
lized Confederate soldiers are be¬ 
ing taunted and abused by Yankee 
soldiers and carpetbaggers in 
Texas. The proud-as-sin captain, 
now mellowed from four years of 
war and retreating, holds his tem¬ 
per and his gunfire. All this has 
been seen so many times before. 
The tangent which refreshes the 
proceedings has to do with the 
precipitate marriage of the proud- 
as-sin Texan to the not-too-proud- 
to-sin fille de nuit. Of course, he 
doesn't know what she* was and; of 
course,, a member of the nasty oc¬ 
cupation army camp followers 
spots the gal and spills the chili 
beans all over the ranch porch. 

Rudolph Mate, directing for pro¬ 
ducer Hugh Browp, in VlstaVision 
and Technicolor, has thing? well 
in hand after the somewhat stereo¬ 
typed opening sequence which has 
Barton MacLane goading the bar¬ 
room louses agaihst the Uoble 
Rebs. Miss Baxter, trim stuff in a 
series of period costumes and 
matching millinery, has the requi¬ 
site sauciness combined with es¬ 
sential sincerity to make the wom¬ 
an’s part stand up. Her inter-re- 
latedness to ana with Charlton 
Heston, a rugged and believable 
characterization, gives the produc¬ 
tion its underpinning. 

Westerns., have surely had many 
a beguiling and lovable and sturdy- 
souled Mexican. . This one comes 
equipped with Gilbert Roland, a 
highly sentimental and fancy¬ 
speaking amigo. Together with his 
five bashful sons, this is a very 
real appeal for audiences and 
Roland was never more beautiful 
Mexican. Roland it is whose loyal- 
l ties and warmth build the human 
side which redeems “Three Violent 
People” from being just another 
giddyap. 

Early in the film, legit’s Elaine 
Stritch makes an acidy blondine 
madame arouse interest. Another 
arresting performance is "that of 
the one-armed brother of the Tex¬ 
an captain as interpreted by Tom 
Tryon,. a considerably "mixed up 
kid. The role has tt hint or two of 
stock caricature and yet some au¬ 
thentic dimension, the direction 
and performance in this < instance 
possibly outshining the script. 

Such reliable meanies-as Forrest 
Tucker, Bruce Bennett and John 
Harmon impress the critical eye 
with their know-how and there are 
a niimber of bits which throw 
flecks of character. 

Loyal Griggs' photography seems 
first class, With a nod for the spe¬ 
cial effects of John P. Futon and 
Farciot Edouart. There is a single 
song credited, “Un Momento,” by 
Mack David and Martita; Dont 
ask what it’s like. It got lost and 
came out hardly a strain. 

All in all, this is a well-produced 
entertainment as to which most 
customers won't quibbel. Ana 
pretty nice country out there m 
Texas when Anne Baxter’s around. 

Land. 







































































































Wednesday, Pec^m1>er 26, 195^ 


PICTURES 


*g %yg f? 


T 


REDS PROD PARIS ON U.S. PIX 


Mayer, Robin Settlements Interlocked 


Did Tomlinson Err Tactically in ‘Booming* Mayer 
After Criticizing Rubin Contract? 


%- 

Wall Street groups. Industry ob¬ 
servers, and Loew’s officials are 
of the opinion, that Joseph Tomlin¬ 
son, the Canadian contractor chal¬ 
lenging the Loew’s management, 
made a tactical error in calling for 
the return of Loufs B. Mayer to 
the production helm of the com¬ 
pany. By demanding the return of 
Mayer, it’s* felt that Tomlinson 
succeeded in losing tfte support of 
many stockholders who might 
have joined him in his fight against 
the present management. 

In addition to Mayer’s age (he’s 
90), it’s recalled that stockholders 
previously protested loudly the 
settlement the company ' made 
Mayer and there was a stockhold¬ 
ers’ suit. By introducing Mayer’s 
name, strategists argued, Tomlin¬ 
son Immediately discounted his 
own protest over the company’s 
settlement with J. Robert Rubin, 
who was closely allied with Mayer 
and. who received a settlement 
similiar to Mayer's. 

Loew’s present management will 
Use the Mayer issue as ammunition 
In fighting Tomlinson’s charges. It 
it expected, to point out that the 
studis'-s decline began during the 
last two years of Mayer’s regime. 
Additionally, the present manage¬ 
ment will note that it was Mayer 
who brought Dore Schary into the 
company and that Mayer was re¬ 
sponsible for the contract which 
eventually sdw Schary assuming 
the No. X studio post. * 

At his press conference, Tom¬ 
linson was somewhat-Vague in‘re¬ 
vealing exactly what role Mayer 
Would take in Loew's affairs if 
Tomlinson succeeds in his efforts. 
At first he said that Mayer had 
"agreed," which Tomlinson later 
changed to goffered," "to return 
with me to the management of the 
production division of this com¬ 
pany for sufficient time to make 
‘the lion roar’ again." He stressed 
that under no circumstances! 
would Mayer lend himself to the 
present management. 

Atlantic City’s Earle 
Ends White Elephant 
Career as Parkmg Lot 

Atlantic City, Dec, 18. 

The Earle Theatre, a white ele¬ 
phant since the 2,000-seat house 
was built in 1926 by the Stanley j 
Co. of America at a cost of $1,000,- 
OdO, is being demolished with the 
site to become a parking lot. Show 
place was unveiled by the late 
Jules Mastbaum on Nov. 6, 1026, 
with a policy of first-run films and 
vaude. 

House, however, became a de¬ 
pression casualty. From time to 
time it reopened as a legit theatre 
and upon occasion burlesque as 
well as. grand .opera were present¬ 
ed there. But none was success¬ 
ful. Stanley £o. sold the struc¬ 
ture in 1944 to the Southwestern 
Market Co., which still owns the 
property. 


Hank Plitt Installed 
As New Orleans Chief 

New Orleans, Dec. 25. 

Henry G. "Hank" Plitt, president 
of Paramount Gulf Theatres, was 
installed as Chief Barker of Variety 
Tent 45 here. Other officers are 
Harold F. Cohen, first assistant 
barker; George Nungesser, second 
assistant barker; Carl - Mabry, 
doughguy, and William Briant Jr., 
property master. 

Page *M. Baker, outgoing Chief 
Barker, was installing officer, .and 
George Hoover, international exec¬ 
utive director of Variety Interna¬ 
tional, was chief speaker. 

The local tent will be host to the 
international convention of the or¬ 
ganization next April 3-6. The 
club’s headquarters are among the 
most lavish anywhere. 


Publicist-Author 

William Ornstein 

■ discourses 

Hormones, Estrogens 
And Mix Well 
* * * 

another of the editorial features 
In. the vpeomlng 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

, P^filETY 


Small Town Wa3 
Against 50% On 
Big’ Features 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

Because of distributors’ "unrea¬ 
sonable and unconscionable" terms, 
most of territory’s small-town 
exhibitors will be > -unable to play 
most of the "finest" and best box- 
office pictures in current release, 
declares S. D. Kane, North Central 
Allied executive counsel. 

Pictures in question are "War 
and Peace," "Giant," "The King 
and I,” "Oklahoma" and "Friendly 
Persuasion." Even in .the smail 
towns, he says, the deals call for 
50% and no review. 

Many of the exhibitor squawks, 
"now rolling into NCA here," are 
directed principally against 
"Friendly Persuasion," which "is 
expected to . be a small-town ace 
despite its non-boxoffice title,” and 
"Oklahoma" which the theatreown- 
ctS Are also anxious to book, ac¬ 
cording to Kane. 

"The smali-town exhibitors tell 
us they just can't meet such terms 
and continue to exist,” asserts 
Kane. "They’re particularly angry 
at Allied Artists because, they 
point out, tfiey’ve been buying so 
many ‘dogs’ from the company and 
now are field up’ when a meritori¬ 
ous release ‘finally comes along’.’’ 


YOUTHS ANGER JUDGE 

Maximum Fines ($50) Against 
Theatre Peace-Breakers 


Somerville, Mass., Dec. 25. 

"Persons attending movies have 
a right to see the show without 
putting up with this type of dis¬ 
turbance," declared Judge Charles 
F Gadsby in Somerville District 
Court here recently in rebuke 
to two Somerville youths he gave 
maximum fines of $50 each. "Wild 
disturbance" occurred at the Capi¬ 
tol Theatre here. 

Paul Phelan, 19, and Michael 
Lastra, 17, charged with disturbing 
a public assembly, were given until 
Jan. 10 to pay the fines. "We’re 
going to stop this sort of thing 
right now," Judge Gadsby as¬ 
serted. 


Epaulets for Golden 


Herbert L. Golden, in charge of 
the amusement industries division 
of Bankers Trust Co., has been 
elected a vicepresident. He reps 
the bank in negotiating loans to 
theatrical and television film pro¬ 
ducers. 

Golden was a member of .the 
Variety editorial staff 14 years 
before turning "banker" in 1952. 
He was named an assistant v.p. in 
1952. I 



Holding that v the Crisis in the 
French motion picture industry has 
deepened, France’s Economic 
Council has come up with a series 
of recommendations, some of 
which seriously affect the interests 
of the American companies oper¬ 
ating in that country. 

The Council urged a stringent 
reduction in the number pf dubbed 
imports and stricter enforcement 
of the screen quota. It also called 
for an export policy based on 
"equitable and reciprocal ex¬ 
changes" to do away with "a shock- 
lack of proportion." 

Acting on a report from Mare 
.Spiegel, Continental manager for 
the Motion Picture Export Assn., 
proxy Eric Johnston has sent a 
letter to company toppers, advis¬ 
ing them of the serious situation 
being whipped up in France. Some 
of the anti-American agitation is 
attributed to the Communists. The 
clear implication is that, when a 
new Franco-American film agree¬ 
ment comes up for discussion, the 
MPEA will have a tough time. The 
current accord runs out in July. 

The American companies '"say 
that their current limit on dubbing 
licenses in' France—110 for the ten 
companies—represents rock bot¬ 
tom and that any cut would make 
it virtually uneconomical to oper¬ 
ate further in the French market. 

Commie Trick? 

The Economic Council, wfiich is¬ 
sued the report on the French in¬ 
dustry, is made up of industry, 
government and labor union reps. 
It acts as an advisory group to the 
government on policy matters per- 
tainng to industry. The film study 
was undertaken at the request of 
the C.G.T., a Communist-dominat¬ 
ed labor union. A subcommittee 
was appointed to survey the situa¬ 
tion. Its recommendations (in¬ 
cluding a high dubbing tax) were 
somewhat watered down by the full 
Council. 

The Council’s lengthy, 51-page 
report found that the Government's 
fiscal aid since 1948 hadn’t solved 
the French Industry’s basic prob¬ 
lems; that production. costs were 
out of line with receipts; that 
heavy taxation was affecting the 
health of the business; that the 
freezing of admission prices was 
causing a loss In receipts, etc. 

Coproduction was urged in the 
(Continued on page 18) 


On Production Code Will Coe 
United Artists’ Homecoming 


V#f Publicist 

Art Moger 

recalls 

Pictures Talked on 
Oct. 8, 1889 

(or, So What Is Now?) 

* * * 

another editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

51 st Anniversary Number 

of 

PfatlETY 


In 195616 Went 


At Universal 

* Universal’s acknowledged policy 
of promoting from within the 
ranks, a system instituted by sales 
v.p. Charles J. Feldman, who him¬ 
self rose to the top from within 
U's sales organization, saw the ele¬ 
vation of 16 company staffers dur¬ 
ing the past year. 

The promotion of F. J. A. Mc¬ 
Carthy to the post of assistant gen¬ 
eral sales manager from the post 
of southern and Canadian sales 
manager, topped the list and set 
Off a whole series of promotions. 
Henry H. Martin, district manager 
with headquarters in Dallas, was 
promoted to southern division man¬ 
ager; Robert _N. Wilkinson, branch 
manager in Dallas, wa’s elevated to 
district manager to replace Martin 
while Walter E. Armbruster, sales 
manager in Dallas^ was appointed 
branch manager. 

Other branch manager promo¬ 
tions were those of Thomas Dunn 
(Continued on page 18) 


Extra 15(0 Dates Not Worthwhile? 

Richard Davis Will Show French That With 5,000 
Bookings, ‘Rififi’ Derives 90% from Only 2,50fr 


An independent distributor said 
this week that he would garner 
5,000 dates for a French film, hut 
that he "wasn’4; excited about it." 

Richard Davis, president of 
United Motion Picture Organiza¬ 
tion, said his "Rififi," which has 
been dubbed into English, would 
get 5,000 bookings in the U.S., but 
that he would prove to the French 
that 90% of the revenue would 
come from only 2,500 dates. 

Davis has purchased "Rififi” out¬ 
right from the French producer 
Henri Berard for a sum said to run 
around $200,000. This is the. sec¬ 
ond time that he plunked down 
large coin for a flat buy. Earlier 
this year, he paid $220,000 to 
Georges Loureau for "Diaboliqiie t ” 
one of the biggest French moneys 
makers in the American market. 

Davisjsaid he would push for the 
widest possible distribution of "Ri¬ 
fifi,’’ partly to prove to the French 
that "their ‘distribution-in-depth’ 
business is nonsense." He said that 
the "depth" release of a French 
picture made sense from a propa¬ 
ganda and cultural point of view, 
but that—commercially—it had no 
merit. 

Indie feels strongly that, after 
servicing 2,500 dates, the income 
no longer justifies the expense of 
booking.the picture, 'sending the 


print, etc. This, says Davis, is a 
condition .that holds true of him 
as well as of the major companies, 
but isn't readily understood 
abroad. 

‘Rififi’ Uneven “ 

"Rififi" hasn’t. performed uni¬ 
formly well. Davis said that it 
would equal "Diabolique" gross, 
but only because of the larger 
number of bookings. 

In the New York metropolitan 
area alone, Davis booked "Rififi” 
into 550 houses, with another 150 
still to be played off. This, he 
held, was an unprecedented satu¬ 
ration booking for any picture, let 
alone an import. "Diabolique,” 
which wasn’t dubbed, played 410 
dates in the metropolitan New 
York and New Jersey areas. "Ri¬ 
fifi” played, the better part of the 
RKO circuit. It’ll earn around 
$300,000 in the N.Y. area alone. 

Davis said he’d represent Berard 
in the U.S. on his future product 
He emphasized the need for the 
French to orientate their thinking 
to the requirements of the Ameri¬ 
can .commercial market. Part of 
the solution, he thought, was the 
employment of American stars in 
French productions. Davis stressed 
the need for believability in the 
French films, i.e., the possibility for 
U.S. audiences to identify with the 
happenings on the screen. 


Next order of business for the 
Motion Picture Assn, of America 
is expansion of the a ppeals board 
or tue'ProducHdn Code.' When this 
is done, United Artists will return 
to MPAA membership. 

MPAA two weeks ago revised 
the provisions of the Code, but 
took no action on the makeup of 
the appeals board. This was inter¬ 
preted in some quarters as mean¬ 
ing the idea of changes had been 
dropped. 

Actually, however, the plan to 
overhaul the board is as much alive 
as ever and will be acted upon in 
the near future. Already approved 
by MPAA is the principle of add¬ 
ing independent producers and 
exhibitors to the Code board. This 
was recommended by the same 
subcommittee that drafted the 
changes in the Code’s do’s and 
don’ts. Not specified, though, was 
the numher of new board members 
to be .added. 

Key problem centers on the 
identity of persons to be added. 
As for the exhibitors, the job could 
represent one big migraine for the 
reason there would be no payoff 
as such, plus the suspicion that 
they might be accused of being 
“used” by the film companies. 
That is, some theatre execs already 
have expressed the fear that their 
colleagues might suspect them of' 
simply rubberstamping the vote of 
MPAA members. 

On the second count, a true rep¬ 
resentative of independent produc¬ 
ers is hard to come by. This par¬ 
ticularly is so in light of the fact 
that indie film-makers already are 
aligned with the major studios and 
the latter already have representa¬ 
tion, on the Code appeals board. 

. UA’s position, as expressed to 
MPAA president Eric A. Johnston 
again over the past week, is that 
under the present setup the com¬ 
pany’s own competitors decide 
whether one of its pictures is to 
be given Code approval or rejected. 
The indie distributor wants to go 
back into, the MPAA fold, but only 
on condition that the appeals 
board is no longer dominated by 
the other film companies. 

Civil Libertarians File 
Oji Behalf of the 23 
‘Poison’ in Hollywood 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Political blacklisting in the film 
industry constitutes "an unlawful 
conspiracy which is akin to fron¬ 
tier law,” the Southern California 
branch of the American Civil Lib¬ 
erties Union charged in a friend- 
of-the-court petition filed with the 
U. S. Supreme Court seeking a 
hearing for 23 Hollywood actors, 
writers, producers and directors 
who have waged an unsuccessful 
"blacklist” fight through the Cali¬ 
fornia courts. 

"The opportunity to earn a liv¬ 
ing,” the petition stated, "cannot 
be unjustly withheld without vio¬ 
lating Costitutional guarantees. 
The right to work is a human right, 
a personal right, a constitutional 
right.’.’ 

Plaintiffs have contended that 
they have been denied employment 
since 1947 for refusing to testify 
before the House un-American Ac¬ 
tivities Committee. Petition filed 
for ACLU by attorneys A. L. Wirin 
and-Hugh R. Mknas contends that 
such denial on the part of 19 film 
studio defendants constitutes use 
of industrial power to force em¬ 
ployees to forfeit rights guaran¬ 
teed . by the constitution and 
"serves as an unconstitutional prior 
restraint on freedom of speech, 
press and assembly.” " 

Two independent studios of 
blacklisting in films and radio-tv, 
the petition adds, reveal that "irre¬ 
spective of the motives for such 
conspiracies, the political blacklist 
reduces the most courageous voices 
to whispers, evokes abject recanta¬ 
tions from dissenters and silences 
| indefinitely the tinlid." . » 



FILM REVIEWS 


|km^ Knock the Bock 

(MUSIC) 

rock V roll artists In 
tune-loaded jnve story, prob¬ 
ably destined for substantia! 
boxoffice response. 

Hollywood...Dec. 12. - 

Columbia release of a Jam Katzman. 

( Clover) Production. Star* Bill Haley and 
iig comets, Alan Dale, Alan Freed. The 
Treniers, Little Richard, Dave Appell and 
his Applejacks; features Patricia Hardy, 
Fay Baker. Jana Lund, Gall Gartley, Pierre 
Watkin, George Cisar, Dick Elliott, 
Jovada and Jimmy Ballard. Directed by 
Fred F. Sears. Screenplay, Robert E. 
Kent, James B. Gordon; Benjamin H. 
Kline; editor, Edwin Bryant, Paul Borof- 
sky; music supervisors, Fred Karger, Ross 
Di Maggio. Previewed at Columbia Stu¬ 
dios, . Hollywood, Dec. 10, '56. Running 
time. t$ MINS. 

BUI Haley '.. Bill Haley 

Arnie Haines . Alan Dale 

Alan Freed ..*... Alan Freed 

The Treniers .;. The Treniers 

Little Richard.Little Richard 

Dave Appell and His Applejacks 

- -..Dave Appell and-fDe Applejacks- 

Francine MacLalne........Patricia Hardy 

Arlene MacLaine .. Fay Baker 

Sunny Everett .-Jana Lund 

Mollie Haines .. GaU Ganley 

Mayor George Bagley.Pierre Watkin 

Mayor Tom Everett.George Cisar 

Sheriff Cagle . Dick EUiott 

A collection of top rock ’n’ roll 
artists has been assembled by pro¬ 
ducer Sam Katzman for his second 
musical in the after-beat vein. 
Produced, as was "Rock Around 
the Clock," for under $500,000, it 
Is packed with talent and tunes 
designed to appeal strongly to the 
Juvenile trade and its prospects 
are bright on that reckoning. The 
R&R influence appears to be 
Slightly on the wane, however, in¬ 
dicating that ‘Don’t Knock the 
Rock” may not duplicate the 
smash box-office of "Rock Around 
the Clock," but interest in the 
genre is still strong enough to -in¬ 
sure a profitable return on the 
investment. 

Script by^ Robert E. Kent and 
James B. Gordon doesn’t stand too 
close inspection but it has been 
wisely written so as not to get in 
’the' way of the music. What there 
Is of the plot concerns the efforts 
of Alan Dale, a top R&R artist, to 
Win over Jhe older generation to 
the acceptability of the music. He 
and his cohorts finally, make the 
grade after staging a program in 
which the elders are given a 
chance'to look backward and re¬ 
member what they rthemselves 
acted like when the Charleston 
and Black Bottom dances were the 
craze. 

Production by Katzman is on the 
skimpy side, but it’s a deficiency 
that won’t be minded by teen-age 
audiences since the producer wise¬ 
ly spent his money for such r&r 
talent as Bill Haley and his Com¬ 
ets (stars . of "Rock Around the 
Clock"), The Treniers, Little Rich¬ 
ard, Dave Appell and his Apple- 
Jacks and R&R deej ay-promoter- 
disker Alan Freed. They pour out 
a total of 16 tunes, including such 
hits as' "Hook, Line & Sinker" by 
Haley and "Tutti Frutti” ana 
"Long Tall Sally” by Little Rich¬ 
ard. Fred F. Sears direction keeps 
the plot boiling effectively be¬ 
tween musical numbers which 
boast some effective teenage danc¬ 
ing routines staged and created toy 
Earl Barton. Fred Karger, who 
shared music supervision chores 
with Ross. DiMaggio, teamed- with 
Robert E. Kent to turn out the title 
tune, which could catch on its field. 

Dale is in good voice and dis¬ 
plays an easy personality in the 
key role and Freed is believable 
as a R&R press agent. Others who 
register effectively In their parts 
are Patricia Hardy as the love in¬ 
terest, Fay Baker as her columnist- 
mother who frowns on the beat 
and Jana Lund as a spoiled teen¬ 
ager who causes trouble. Kap. 

Man In the Vault 

(SONG) 

Confused melodrama about an 
honest - but - dumb locksmith. 
Dim entertainment. 

Hollywood, Dec. 19. 

RKO release of Robert E. Morrison 
(Batjac) production. Stars William Camp¬ 
bell, Karen Sharpe, Anita Ekberg; fea¬ 
tures Berry Kroeger, Paul Fix, James 
Seay, Mike Maztn-Jd, Robert Keys. Direct¬ 
ed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Screenplay, 
Burt Kennedy; from Frank Gruber novel; 
camera, William H. Clothier; editor, 
Everett Sutherland; score, Henry Vars; 
song, Vars and By Dunham. Previewed 
Dec. 17, '56. Running time, 72 MINS. 

Tommy Dancer ..William CampbeU 

Betty Turner .Karen Sharpe 

Flo,Randall . Anita Ekberg 

WilUff Trent . Berry Kroeger 

Herbie .Paul Fix 

Paul De Camp .. James Seay 

Louie . Mike Mazurki 

Earl Jlarraday . Robert Keys 

Pedro -t ..Gonzales Gonzales 

Trent s Girl Friend ... Nancy Duke 

Singer... Vivlanne Lloyd 

"Man In the ^ault” is a routine, 
melodrama for programmer play- 
dates, where the so-so entertain¬ 
ment values will relegate it to the 
lowercase slot. 

The Batjac feature, produced by 
Robert E. Morrison for RKO re¬ 
lease, falls in the crime thriller 
bracket but doesn’t have the sus¬ 
pense or action required for the 
classification. Story values in the 
script by Burt Kennedy from the 
Frank Gruber novel follow a for¬ 


mula lint and* leave a lot of loose 
ends dangling. Andrew V. McLag- 
len’s direction works up a fair 
amount of tension In a couple of 
sequences but otherwise doesn’t 
rise above the script. 

William Campbell, poor but hon¬ 
est keymaker, heads the cast-as a 
sucker who gets mlxed_ up with 
Berry Kroeger, cheap hoodlum who 
plans to yob the safety deposit box 
of James Seay, crime brains of the 
town. Above threesome, along with 
Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Robert 
Keys, Gonzales Gonzales and Nan¬ 
cy Duke deliver stereotype per¬ 
formances as the confusing melo- 
dramatics unfold slowly. Scenes 
of Campbell in the bank vault has¬ 
tily making pass keys, and in a 
dark bowling alley dodging bullets 
and bowling balls are the only, time 
the footage manages to be sus¬ 
penseful. . 

Karen Sharpe has the femme 
lead"' fisn a mixed-'erp rich girl-- -Her 
romantic scehes with Campbell oc¬ 
casionally have some meaning, but 
the screenplay is too lifeless to add 
support. Anita Ekberg’s cast pres¬ 
ence means no more than lobby 
and ad art possibilities. • , 

Lensing by William H. Clothier 
is extremely lowkey; in fact, pre¬ 
view print was so dark it looked 
| like mostly night scenes. Henry 
Vars did the standard backgrdund 
score and also contributed a song, 
"Let The Chips Fall Where They 
May,” with By Dunham. Vivlanne 
Lloyd sings it in a party sequence, 
but it means nothing. Brog . 

The Brass Legend 

Sock western for good payoff 

in program market. Video- 

built Hugh O’Briin name to 

help. 

Hollywood, Dec. IX. 

United Artists release of a Herman 
Cohen production, . presented by Bob 
Goldstein Productions. Stars Hugh O'Brien 
Nancy Gates, Raymond Burr; costars, 
Reba TasseU, Donald McDonald; features 
Robert Burton, Eddie Firestone, Willard 
Sage, Robert < Griffin. ■ Directed by Gerd 
Oswald. Screenplay, Don Martin; original 
story. George* Zuckerman, Jess Arnold; 
camera, Charles Van Enger; music. Paul 
Dunlap; editor. Marj Fowler. Previewed 
Dec. 5. '56. Running time, 10 MINS. 

Sheriff Wade Adams.. Hugh O'Brian 

Linda . Nancy Gates 

Trls Hatten . Raymond Burr 

Millie ... Reba TasseU 

Clay .. Donald McDonald 

Gipson . Bob Burton 

Shorty .. Eddie Firestone 

Tatum . Willard Sage 

Dock Ward . Robert Griffin 

George Barlow . Stacy Harris 

Cooper .. Norman Leavitt 

Carl Barlow Dennis Cross 

Jackson. Russell Simpson 

Charlie . Michael • Garrett 

Earl Barlow . Jaok Farmer 

"The Brass Legend” stirs up 
enough excitement to be a strong 
entry for the oater market. It has 
a slickly-developed plot- with bet- 
ter-than-average characters and an 
excellent cast to give them mean¬ 
ing, as well as deft and rugged 
treatment throughout. Film is one 
of the best. program westerns to 
come along in some time- and 
should be received as such. 

Name of Hugh O’Brian should 
considerably bolster its b.o. 
chances, on strength of actor’s high 
rating in the "Wyatt Earp" vidpix 
series. Under Gerd Oswald’s .driv¬ 
ing direction of the Don Martin 
script, the Herman Cohen produc¬ 
tion generates legitimate suspense 
and a hangup climax as O’Brian, 
a peace officer, and Raymond-Burr, 
badman-killer, race toward each 
other on horseback in a deadly 
sixgun duel. 

Events stem from O’Brian’a post 
of an Arizona sheriff, after he cap¬ 
tures a notorious out law, Burr. 
One facet of plot hinges on his be¬ 
ing tipped off where to find bad- 
man by young brother of sheriff’s 
fiancee, and his attempt to keep 
lad’s name out of case, knowing 
some of Burr’s friends will try to 
gun youngster down, which actual¬ 
ly happens when the father and 
town’s newspaper editor oppose 
him. In a realistic gunfight, sheriff 
faces down three outlaws in a bar, 
killing two of them, and the third, 
taken to jail, is the means of Burr’s 
making his escape. Finale is fast 
and unusual. 

O’Brian socks over his quick- 
draw characterization easily and in 
a commanding fashion, and Burr is* 
tops as a ruthless outlaw. Nancy 
Gates in fiancee role has more to 
do than most western heroines, all 
to the good; Donald McDonald, Jiej 
brother wbo worships O’Brian, de¬ 
livers a good account of himself; 
and Robert Burton scores as the 
father. Reba Tassell as Burr’s 
Mexican dancehall sweetie is a 
particular standout. Good support 
also is offered by Willard Sage, 
the editor; Eddie Firestone, who 
shoots the boy, thinking he’s doing 
Reba a good turn; and Stacy Har¬ 
ris, wounded outlaw who carries a 
derringer hidden in his boot heel, 
the means by which Burr makes 
his escape. 

Technical credits are above par. 
Charles Van Enger’s camera work 
is fast, Marj Fowler’s editing 
tight, Paul Dunlap provides an at¬ 
mospheric music score and art di¬ 
rection by Leslie Thoma«* blends 
well with the yarn. Whit 


PlSSlffFr 


Stars tu Your Eye# 

(BRITISH-CAMERASCOPE- 
^ COLOR) 

Lively musical of' outdated 
vaude acts making comeback 
through tv; depends for appeal 
on Pat Kirkwood, Bonar Col- 
leano, Nat Jackley and Doro¬ 
thy Squires. 

London, Dec. 18. • 

British Lid'h Release of Grand Alliance 
production. Stars Nat Jackley, Pat Kirk¬ 
wood and Bonar Colleano; ca-otars Doro¬ 
thy Squires; features Jack Jackson, Hu¬ 
bert Gregg; ?.!eier 'Tzelniker, Vera Day, 
Joan Sims. Jimmy CUtheroe. Directed by 
Maurice Elveyj Screenplay, Talbot Roth- 
well from story by Francis Miller; cam¬ 
era, S. D. Onions; editor, Robert Jordan 
Hill; words and music by Jack Jackson, 
Hubert Gregg, C. W. Murphy. W1U Let¬ 
ters, Hilda Lynn, David Lee, Edwin Ast* 
ley. Hazel Astley. Bert Elms, Malcolm 
Harvey, Don Pelosi, Leo Towers, At 
Hammer Theatre, London. Running time, 
96 MINS. . 

Jimmy Knowles ......... . Nat Jackley 


Wednesday^ Decfcmtoer 26, 1956 


David Laws... Bonar Colleano 

Ann Hart. Dorothy Squires 

Rigby. Jack Jackson 

Maureen Temple.. Vera Day 

Crawley Walters.. Hubert Greggg 

Walter's Secretary . Joan Sims 

Ronnie .. Ernest.Clark 

Dicky ..’. Gerald Harper 

Maxie Jago . .Meier Tzelniker 

Effie .... Gabrielle Brune 

Farrow. Aubrey Dexter 

Grimes .'. Roger Avon 

First Recruit .Sammy Curtis 

Second Recruit.. Dennis Murray 

Sergeant . Sonny Willis 

Night Club Proprietor. .Michael Melllnger 
Joey.....- Jimmy CUtheroe 

•* - 

The plight of smalltime vaude 
acts, with the gradually decreasing 
opportunities for work, forms the 
subject of this Tobust, slapstick 
musical. "With a collection of known 
artists, a reasonably feasible plot is 
projected, which is marred toy an 
anti-climax which could easily be 
| remedied. The story has been han¬ 
dled before from many angles, and 
reliance on its drawing power rests 
on the stars’ reputations. 

Pat Kirkwood and Nat Jackley 
play, a married couple of waning 
topliners who find, with the shut¬ 
tering of so maiiy vaude houses, j 
,they are likely to end on the scrap- i 
heap. Their best friend, Bonar 
Colleano, is a songwriter who has : 
taken to the. bottle since the split- 
up with his wife, now a famous 
cabaret singer. He is on the verge ' 
of selling a derelict suburban thea¬ 
tre left him by his father, but is 
persuaded by the other two to re¬ 
open it with a revue on the co-op¬ 
erative system with a bunch of 
other out-of-work troupers. 

Unknown to him, his wife fi¬ 
nances the enterprise and the 
building is restored. A group of 
toughs kill the opening perform¬ 
ance, and the demolition squad 
is all* ready to take over for the 
new owners. A tv audition of one 
of . the sketches has aroused inter¬ 
est at BBC-and the whole show is 
telecast from the theatre, bring-* 
ingfame, transfer of the entire 
show to the West End, and recon¬ 
ciliation to the estranged couple. 

Many of the skits have the broad 
vulgarity of touring burlesque re¬ 
vues and circus clowning, and Pat 
Kirkwood’s numbers savor too 
much of the good old days for mod¬ 
ern appeal. Jackley’s grotesque 
comedy should amuse and register.. 
best with provincial audiences. 
Colleano gives a straight, sym¬ 
pathetic performance as the re-.; 
formed souse, with Dorothy 
Squires providing the glamor and 
torch singing as his ex-mate. Hu¬ 
bert Gregg scores, with a satirical 
impression of a radio program ar¬ 
ranger, and most of the supporting 
characters ring true. Clem, 

Zarak 

(C’SCOPE-SONG-COLOR) 

Mild Sex-and-sand potboiler. 

Hollywood, Dec. 21. 

Columbia release of Irving Allen, Albert 
R. Broccoli (Warwick) production. Stars 
Victor Mature, Michael Wilding, Anita Ek¬ 
berg; features Bonar Colleano, Finlay Cur¬ 
rie* Bernard Miles, Frederick Valk. Eunice 
Gayson, Peter Illing, Eddie Byrne, Andre 
Morell. Directed by Terence Young. 
Screenplay, Richard Maibaum; baser! on 
a story by A. J. Sevan; camera (Techni¬ 
color). John Wilcox, Ted Moore, Cyril 
Knowles; editors, Alan Osbiston, Bert 
Rule; score,. William Alwytt; played by 
Slnfonia of London; conducted by Muir 
Mathiesoh; song, "Climb Up the WaU," 
Auyar, Hosseini, Norman Glmbel; sung 
by Yana. Previewed Dec. 12, '56. Run¬ 
ning time, 94 MINS. 

Zarak Khan .Victor Mature 

Major Ingram ..Michael Wilding 

Salma . Anita Ekberg 

Blri .Bonar CoUeano 

The Mullah ..Finlay Currie 

Hassu .Bernard Miles 

Hail Khan .....Frederick Valk 

Cathy . Eunice Gayson 

Ahmad ..Peter IUi»S 

Kasim .;..Eddie Byrne 

Moor Larkin .Patrick McGoohan 

Sergt. Higgins .....Harold Goodwin 

Akbar . Alec Mango 

Youssuff ...Oscar Qultak 

Chief Jalor .George'Margo 

Flower Seller .Arnold Mane 

Young Officer .Conrad Phillips 

As a regulation sex-and-sand ad¬ 
venture potboiler, "Zarak” will 
help make up a formula bill shaped 
for the action trade. Lensed over¬ 
seas by Irving Allen and Albert 
R. Broccoli for their Warwick unit 
releasing domestically through 
Columbia, film is a standard entry 
fortified With such names as Vic* 


tor Mature, Michael Wilding and 
Anita Ekberg. 

A lot of razzle-dazzle action with 
horsemen dashing across vast 
plains and deserts, and scant cos¬ 
tuming to emphasize the voluptu¬ 
ous contours of Miss Ekberg are 
laid on thick, but still fail to veil 
the fact that the story by A. J. 
Bevan, scripted by Richard Mai- 
barnn, is strictly formula stuff, and 
quite old-fashioned. . 

Terence Young’s direction most¬ 
ly emphasizes movement, with as¬ 
sists from associate directors/ Ya¬ 
kima Canutt and John Gilllng in 
the mass chase footage, but still 
accounts for an unreasonable num¬ 
ber of static scenes between the 
principals, none of whom seems tq 
have much feel for their charac-j 
ters. I 

With virtually no character real¬ 
ity to portray, the three stars turn 
in the type of performances that 
are stock . for- such desert action 
plots. Bonar Colleano, Finlay Cur¬ 
rie, Bernard Miles, Frederick Valk, 
Eunice Gayson and others iiv the 
cast deliver in equally routine 
fashion. 

Visually, film achieves quite a 
pictorial sweep at times through 
the Cinemascope lensing in Tech¬ 
nicolor by John Wilcox. Ted Moore 
and Cyril Knowles. Other techni¬ 
cal credits are standard, including 
the booming William Alwyn score, 
conducted by Muir Mathieson and 
played by Sinfonia of London. 
"Climb Up the Wall," a musical 
invitation to amor cleffed by Au¬ 
yar Hosseini and Norman Gimhel, 
is sung by Yana in a cafe sequence. 

Brog. 

La Sorciere 

(The Sorceress) 

(FRENCH) 

Ellis Films release of lent Productions 
film. Stars Marina Vlady, Maurice Ronet, 
Nicole Courcel; features Michel Etche- 
verry, Ulf Palme, Rune Lindstrom, Erik 
Hell, Ulla Lagnell, Eric Hellstrom, Nalma 
Wlfstrand. Directed by Andre Michel. 
Screenplay, Jacques Companeez, based on 
Alexander Kouprine -novel; camera, Mar¬ 
cel Grignon. Previewed In N.Y., NoV. 30, 
'56. Running time, 97 MINS. 

Alno...Marina* Vlady 

Laurent . Maurice Ronet 

Kristina .Nicole Courcel 

Camoln ....Michel Etcheverry 

Matti ..Ulf Palme 

The Pastor.Rune Llndstrom 

Pulllnen .Erik Hell 

Pastor's Wife..Ulla Lagnell 

Erik . Eric Hellstrom 

Maina. Naima Wlfstrand 

A standout potential for the ar- 
ties, "La Sorciere" proves the 
French capacity for locationing 
abroad without either losing their 
own filmmaking flavor or ignoring 
the local atmosphere. Pic was shot 
in Sweden and the lensing makes 
the best of its opportunities, pro¬ 
viding a perfect setting for a 
strange an'd romantic story. 

Director Andre Michel takes his 
time in telling the offbeat yarn 
about a young French engineer 
who goes to Sweden to help build 
a road. He encounters and falls in 
love with a. beautiful young girl 
who lives in the forest because the 
townspeople consider her a witch. 
Inevitably, the affair ends in trag¬ 
edy, but not before the film has 
provided audiences with many 
charming and frequently comic se¬ 
quences that blend In perfectly. 
Leo Lax produced. 

"La Sorciere" introes Marina 
Vlady, a young French actress with 
stunning looks and plenty s.a. Her 
performance has the grace of a cat 
and her concept of the witch, which 
she believes toersejf to be, is in¬ 
triguing in both its strength and 
Its childish innocence. 

Opposite Miss Vlady, Maurice 
Ronet plays the engineer with in¬ 
tensity. He is convincing in his 
efforts to befriend the girl and to 
overcome the language barrier. 
Their excursion into town together 
is hilarious. As Kristina, a Swedish 
landowner, Nicole Courcel com¬ 
bines a hard beauty with the sense 
of a woman running away from 
emotion. Smaller parts are well 
played by Michel Etcheverry, Ulf 
Palme, Rune Lindstrom as the pas¬ 
tor and Ulla Lagfiell as his wife. 

Marcel Grignon’s camerawork Is 
one of the pic’s great assets. It’s 
partly due tQ him that the film 
,takes on, a semi-fairytale quality 
and a poetry of expression of 
movement that resolve themselves 
into the more earthy moments and 
the haunting climax. Scene of 
Ronet sinking Into the swamp is 
terrifying in its realism. i 

"La Sorciere" is the kind of 
French film that should appeal in 
the U.S. And it should focus sharp 
attention on Miss Vlady as a stand¬ 
out foreign star. The English titles 
do Justice to the French dialog. 

Hift . 

. Bernard Sholtz Harnesses Up 

Bernard Sholtz, who retired from I 
RCA in 1954 after serving its thea¬ 
tre equipment division in various 
sales capacities since 1929, returns 
to the industry Jan. 1 when he | 
joins Altec Service Co. as special: 
sales rep. 

Sholtz will have a roving cbm* 
i mission to rep Altec throughout 
the U.S. 1 


Three Vhlent People 

(C0LOR —VISTA VlSKflffi 

Heart-tog and characteriza¬ 
tion in an "A” western star¬ 
ring Charlton Heston. Anne 

Baxter and Gilbert Roland. 

An audience pleaser. 

Paramount release of a* Hugh Brown 
proauction. Start Charlton Hertort, Amo 
B axter, GUbert Roland. Co-stars Tom 
Tryon. Directed by Rudolph Mate. Screen¬ 
play by James Edward Grant baaed on 
a story by Leonard Praskirts and Barney 
Slater; camera (Technicolor), Loyal Griggs; 
editor, Alma Macrorie; music, Walter 
Scharf. Previewed in N.Y, Dec. 14, '58. 
Running time, 100 MINS. 

Colt Saunders . Charlton Heston 

Lorna~*. . Anne Baxter 

Innoccnclo .. GUbert Roland 

Cinch ... , Tom Tryon 

Cable . Forrest Tucker 

Harrison . Bruce Bennett 

Ruby LaSalle . Elaine Stritch 

Yates .. Barton MacLane 

I4eut. Marr ..Peter Hansen 

Massey . John Harmon 

Asuncion ... Ross Bagdasarlan 

Rafael- .... Bobby -Blake 

Pedro ... Jameel Farah 

Luis . Leo Castillo 

Juan ;. Don Devlin 

Carleton .V. Raymond Greenleaf 

Carpetbagger.... Roy Engel 

Maria *..T. Argentina Brunetti 

Maid . Ernestine, Wade 

Carpetbagger .. Don Dunning 

Bartender... Paul Levitt 

One-legged Soldier . Robert Arthur 

' Part horsey, part soapy, a kind 
of woman's western, "Three Vio¬ 
lent People” Should divert most 
audiences, it has the marquee lure 
of Anne Baxter, Charlton. Heston 
and Gilbert Roland, of whom the 
first two are currently in Para¬ 
mount’s "10 Commahdments." 

Close scrutiny could turn up 
some loose , ends’Story-wise. Miss 
Baxter’s conversion from a schem¬ 
ing demimonde of the post-Civil 
War west into a loving wife comes 
with slightly remarkable rapidity. 
The machinations of the land grab¬ 
bers come into and fade away from 
the story at the author’s and film 
editor’s occasionally arbitrary ^con¬ 
venience. No matter. The general 
movement and characterization 
carry the viewer along. This one 
is elephant’s eye high above most 
westerns. 

The story opens trite; demobi¬ 
lized Confederate soldiers are be¬ 
ing taunted and abused by Yankee 
soldiers and carpetbaggers in 
Texas. The proud-as-sin captain, 
now mellowed from four years of 
war and retreating, holds his tem¬ 
per and his gunfire. All this has 
been seen so many times before. 
The tangent which refreshes the 
proceedings has to do with the 
precipitate marriage of the proud- 
as-sin Texan to the not-too-proud- 
to-sin fille de nuit. Of course, he 
doesn’t know what she'was and; of 
course,, a member of the nasty oc¬ 
cupation army camp -.followers 
spots the gal and spills the chill 
beans all over the ranch porch. 

Rudolph Mate, directing for pro¬ 
ducer Hugh Brown, in VistaVision- 
and Technicolor, has things well 
in hand after, the somewhat stereo¬ 
typed opening sequence which has 
Barton MacLane goading the bar¬ 
room louses agafost the noble 
Rebs. Miss Baxter, trim stuff in a 
series of period costumes and 
matching millinery, has the requi¬ 
site sauciness combined with es¬ 
sential sincerity to make the wom¬ 
an’s part stand up. Her inter-re- 
latedness to and with Charlton 
Heston, a rugged and believable 
characterization, gives the produc¬ 
tion its underpinning. 

Westema.bave surely had many 
a beguiling and lovable and sturdy- 
souled Mexican. .This one comes 
equipped, with Gilbert Roland, a 
highly sentimental and fancy¬ 
speaking amigo. Together with his 
five bashful sons, this is a very 
real appeal for audiences and 
Roland was never more beautiful 
Mexican. Roland it is whose loyal¬ 
ties and warmth build the human 
side which Redeems. "Three Violent 
People” from being Just another 
giddyap. 

Early in the film, legit’s Elaine 
Stritch makes an acidy blondine 
madame arouse interest. Another 
arresting performance is "that of 
the one-armed brother of the Tex¬ 
an captain as interpreted by Tom 
Tryon,. a considerably 'mixed up 
kid. The role has a hint or two of 
stock caricature and yet some au¬ 
thentic dimension, the direction 
and performance in this instance 
possibly outshining the script. 

Such reliable meanies-as Forrest 
Tucker, Bruce Bennett and John 
Harmon impress the critical eye 
with their know-how and there are 
a number of bits which throw 
flecks of character. 

Loyal Griggs’ photography seems 
first class, With a nod for the spe¬ 
cial effects of John P. Futon ana 
Farciot Edouart. There is a single 
song credited, "Un Momento," by 
Mack David and Martita; Dont 
ask what it’s like. It got lost ana 
came out hardly a strain. 

All in all, this is a well-produced 
entertainment as to which most 
customers won’t quibbel. Ana 
pretty nice country out there in 
Texas when Anne Baxter’s arouna. 

Land. 









































































































Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


PICTURES 


REDS PROD PARIS ON U.S.PIX 


Mayer, Rubin Settlements Interlocked 

Did Tomlinson Err Tactically in ‘Booming* Mayer 
After Criticizing Rubin Contract? 


Wall Street groups, Industry ob¬ 
servers, and Loew’s officials are 
of the opinion that Joseph Tomlin¬ 
son, the Canadian contractor chal- 
—longing-the --LoewV ltoanagementr 
made a tactical error in calling for 
the return of Louis B. Mayer to 
the production helm of the com¬ 
pany, By demanding the return of 
Mayer, it’s* felt that Tomlinson 
succeeded in losing t&e support of 
many stockholders who might 
have joined himin his fight against 
the present management. 

In addition to Mayer's age (he's 
70), it's recalled that stockholders 
previously protested loudly the 
settlement the company “ made 
Mayer and there was a stockhold¬ 
ers’ suit. By introducing Mayer’s 
name, strategists argued, Tomlin¬ 
son immediately discounted his 
own protest over the company’s 
settlement with J. Robert Rubin, 
who was closely allied with Mayer 
and. vvho received a settlement 
Similiar to Mayer's. 

Loew’s present management will 
Use the Mayer issue as ammunition 
in fighting Tomlinson's charges. It 
it expected, to point out that the 
studio's decline began during the 
last two years of Mayer's regime. 
Additionally, the present manage¬ 
ment will note that it was Mayer 
who brought Bore Schary into the 
company and that Moyer was re¬ 
sponsible for the contract which 
eventually sdw Schary assuming 
the No. 1 studio post. * 

At his press conference, Tom¬ 
linson was somewhat* Vague in're¬ 
vealing exactly what role Mayer 
would take in Loew’s affairs if 
Tomlinson succeeds in his efforts. 
At first he said that Mayer had 
•’agreed," which Tomlinson later 
changed to goffered," "to return 
with me to the management of the 
production division of this com¬ 
pany for sufficient time to make 
•the lion roar* again." He stressed 
that under no circumstances 
would Mayer lend himself to the 
present management. * 

Atlantic City's Earle 
Ends White Elephant 
Career as Parking Lot 

Atlantic City, Dec. 18. 
The Earle Theatre, a white ele¬ 
phant since the 2,000-seat house 
was built in 1926 by the Stanley 
Co. of America at a cost of $1,000,- 
000, is being demolished with the 
site to become a parking lot. Show 
place was unveiled by the late 
Jules Mastbaum on Nov. 6, 1926, 
with a policy of first-run films and 
vaude. 

House, however, became a de¬ 
pression casualty. From time to 
time it reopened as a legit theatre 
and upon occasion burlesque as 
well as. grand opera were present¬ 
ed there. But none was success¬ 
ful. Stanley £o. sold the struc¬ 
ture in 1944 to the Southwestern 
Market Co., which still owns the 
property. 

Rank Plitt Installed 
As New Orleans Chief 

New Orleans, Dec. 25. 
Henry G. “Hank" Plitt, president 
of Paramount Gulf Theatres, was 
installed as Chief Barker of Variety 
Teqt 45 here. Other officers are 
Harbld F. Cohen, first assistant 
barker; George Nungesser, second 
assistant barker; Carl Mabry, 
doughguy, and William Briant Jr., 
property master, 

Page ~M. Baker, outgoing Chief 
Barker, was installing officer, and 
George Hoover, international exec¬ 
utive director of Variety Interna¬ 
tional, was chief speaker. 

. The local tent will be host to the 
international convention of the or¬ 
ganization next April 3-6. The 
club’s headquarters, are among the 
most lavish anywhere* 


Publicht-Author 

William Ornstein 

_dl.COlir.ti..... 

Hormones, Estrogens 
And Mix Well 


another of tho editorial features 
In. the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

. P^RIETY 

Small Town Wail 
Against 58% On 
“Big’ Features 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

Because of distributors' "unrea¬ 
sonable and unconscionable" terms, 
most of territory’s small-town 
exhibitors will be sinable to play 
most of the "finest” and best box- 
qffice pictures in current release, 
declares S. D. Kane, North Central 
Allied executive counsel. 

Pictures in question are "War 
and Peace," “Giant," "The King 
and I,” "Oklahoma" and "Friendly 
Persuasion." Even in .the small 
towns, he says, the deals call for 
50% and no review. 

Many of the exhibitor squawks, 
"now'rolling into NCA here," are 
directed principally against 
"Friendly Persuasion,” which "is 
expected to be « small-town ace 
despite its non-boxoffice title," and 
"Oklahoma" which the theatreown- 
ers are also anxious to hook, ac¬ 
cording to Kane. 

"The small-town exhibitors tell 
us they just can’t meet such terms 
and continue to exist," asserts 
Kane. "They’re particularly angry 
at Allied Artists because, they 
point out, tfiey’ve been buying so 
many ‘dogs’ from the company and 
now are *held up’ when a meritori¬ 
ous release ‘finally comes along'." 

YOUTHS ANGER JUDGE 

Maximum Fines ($50) Against 
Theatre Peace-Breakers 

Somerville, Mass., Dec. 25. 

"Persons attending movies have 
a right to see the show without 
putting up with this type of dis- 
| turbance," declared Judge Charles 
F Gadsby in Somerville District 
Court here recently in rebuke 
to two Somerville youths he gave 
maximum fines of $50 each. "Wild 
disturbance’’ occurred at the Capi¬ 
tol Theatre here. 

Paul Phelan, 19, and Michael 
Lastra, 17, charged with disturbing 
a public assembly, were given until 
Jan. 10 to pay the fines. "We’re 
going to stop this sort of thing 
right now," Judge Gadsby as¬ 
serted. 


Epaulets for Golden 


Herbert L. Golden, in charge of 
the amusement industries division 
of Bankers Trust Co., has been 
elected a vicepresident. He. reps 
the bank in negotiating loans to 
theatrical and television film pro¬ 
ducers. 

Golden was a member of-the 
Variety editorial staff 14 years 
before turning "banker" in 1952. 
‘He was named an assistant v.p. in 
1952. 


Holding that x the crisis in the 
French motion picture industry has 
deepened, France’s Economic 
Council has come up with a series 
of recommendations, some of 
which seriously affect the interests 
of " the American companies oper¬ 
ating in that country. 

The Council urged a stringent 
reduction in the number pf dubbed 
imports and stricter enforcement 
of the screen quota. It also called 
for an export policy based on 
"equitable and reciprocal ex¬ 
changes" to do away with "a shock- 
lack of proportion." 

Acting on a report from Marc 
.Spiegel, Continental manager for 
the Motion Picture Export Assn., 
prexy Eric Johnston has sent a 
letter to company toppers, advis¬ 
ing them of the serious situation 
being whipped up in France. Some 
of the anti-American agitation is 
attributed to the Communists. The 
clear implication is that, when a 
new Franco-American film agree¬ 
ment comes up for discussion, the. 
MPEA will have a tough time. The 
j current accord runs out in July. 

The American companies ~say 
that their current limit on dubbing 
licenses in France—110 for the ten 
j companies—represents rock bbt- 
tom and that any cut would make 
it virtually uneconomical to oper¬ 
ate further in the French market. 

Commie Trick? 

The Economic Council, w(iich is¬ 
sued the report on the French in¬ 
dustry, is made up of industry, 
government and labor union reps. 
It acts as an advisory group to the 
government on policy matters per- 
tainng to industry. The film study 
was undertaken at the request of 
the C.G.T., a Communist-dominat¬ 
ed labor union. A subcommittee 
was appointed to survey the situa¬ 
tion. Its recommendations (in¬ 
cluding a high dubbing tax) were 
somewhat watered down by the full 
Council. 

The Council’s lengthy, 51-page 
report found that the Government’s 
fiscal aid since 1948 hadn’t solved 
the French industry’s basic prob¬ 
lems; that production costs were 
out of line with receipts; that 
heavy taxation was affecting the 
health of the business; that the 
freezing of admission prices was 
causing a loss in receipts, etc. 

Coproduction was urged in the 
(Continued on page 18) 


Broadening of Appeals Board 
On Production Code Will Cne 
United Artists’ Homecoming 


ArtTMoger ’ 

recalls 

Pictures Talked on 
Oct. 8 , 1889 

(or. So What Is Now?) 

* * * 

another editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

Z'AKIETY 

In 1956 16 Went 


At Universal 

• Universal’s acknowledged policy 
Of promoting from within the 
ranks, a system instituted by sales 
v.p. Charles J. Feldman, who him¬ 
self rose to the top from within 
U’s sales organization, saw the ele¬ 
vation of 16 company staffers dur¬ 
ing the past year. 

The promotion of F. J. A. Mc¬ 
Carthy to the post of assistant gen¬ 
eral sales manager from the post 
of southern and Canadian sales 
manager, topped the list and set 
Off a whole series of promotions. 
Henry H. Martin, district manager 
with headquarters in Dallas, was 
promoted to southern division man¬ 
ager; Robert _N. Wilkinson, branch 
manager in Dallas,, was elevated to 
district manager to replace Martin 
while Walter E. Armbruster, sales 
manager in Dallas) was appointed 
branch manager. 

Other branch manager promo¬ 
tions were those of Thomas Dunn 
(Continued on page 18) 


■ Next order of business for the 
Motion Picture Assn, of America 
-is_.expansion -of the-appeals board 
of the Production Code. When this 
is done, United Artists will return 
to MPAA membership, 

MPAA two weeks ago revised 
the provisions of the Code, but 
took no action on the makeup of 
the appeals hoard. This was inter¬ 
preted in some quarters as mean¬ 
ing the idea of changes had been 
dropped. 

Actually, however, the plan to 
overhaul the board is as-much alive 
as ever and will be acted upon in 
the near future. Already approved 
by MPAA, is the principle of add- 
ipg independent producers and 
exhibitors to the Code board. This 
was recommended by the same 
subcommittee that drafted the 
changes in the Code’s do’s and 
don’ts. Not specified, though, was 
the number of new hoard members 
to be .added. 

Key problem centers on the 
identity of persons to be added. 
As for the exhibitors, the job could 
represent one big migraine for th e 
reason there would be no payoff 
as such, plus the suspicioh that 
they might be accused of being 
"used" by the film companies. 
That is, some theatre execs already 
have expressed the fear that their 
colleagues might suspect them of 
simply rubberstamping the vote of 
MPAA members. 

On the second count, a true rep¬ 
resentative of independent produc¬ 
ers is hard to come by. This par¬ 
ticularly is so in light of the fact 
that indie film-makers already are 
aligned with the major studios and 
the latter already have representa¬ 
tion, on the Code appeals board. 

. UA’s position, as expressed to 
MPAA president Eric A. Johnston 
again over the . past week, is that 
under the present setup the com¬ 
pany’s otfn competitors decide 
whether one of its pictures is to 
be given Code approval or rejected. 
The indie distributor wants to go 
back into, the MPAA fold, but only 
on condition that the appeals 
board is no longer dominated by 
the other film companies. 

Civil Libertarians File 
On Behalf of the 23 


Extra 2J0 Dates Not Worthwhile? 


Richard Davis Will Show French That With 5,000 
j Bookings, ‘Rififi’ Derives 90% from Only 2,500, 


An Independent distributor said 
this week that he would garner 
5,000 dates for a French film, but 
that he "wasn’*t excited about it.” 

Richard Daivis, president of 
United Motion Picture Organiza¬ 
tion, said his "Rififl," which has 
been dubbed into English, would 
get 5,000 bookings in the U.S., but 
that he would prove to the French 
that 90% of the revenue would 
come from only 2,500 dates. 

Davis has purchased "Rififi" out¬ 
right from the French producer 
Henri Berard for a sum said to run 
around $200,000. This is the sec¬ 
ond time that he plunked down 
large coin for a flat buy. Earlier 
this year, he paid $220,000. to 
Georges Loureau for "Diabolique," 
one of the biggest French moneys 
makers in the American market. 

Davis .said he would push for the 
widest possible distribution of "Ri¬ 
fifi,’’ partly to prove to the French 
that "their ‘distribution-in-depth’ 
business is nonsense." He said that 
the "depth" release of a French 
picture made sense from a propa¬ 
ganda and cultural point of view, 
but that—commercially—it had no 
merit. 

Indie feels strongly that, after 
servicing 2,500 dates, the income 
, no longer justifies the expense of 
I booking . the picture, sending the 


print, etc. This, says Davis, is a 
condition that holds true of him 
as well as of the major companies, 
but isn’t readily understood 
abroad. 

•Rififi* Uneven' 

"Rififi" hasn’t performed uni¬ 
formly well. Davis said that it 
would equal "Diabolique" gross, 
but only because of the larger 
number of bookings. 

In the New York metropolitan 
area alone, Davis booked "Rififi" 
into 550 houses, with another 150 
still to be played off. This, he 
held, was an unprecedented satu¬ 
ration booking fot any picture, let 
alone an import. "Diabolique," 
which wasn’t dubbed, played 410 
dates in the metropolitan New 
York and New Jersey areas. "Ri¬ 
fifi" played, the better part of the 
RKO circuit. It’ll earn around 
$300,000 in the N.Y. area alone. 

Davis said he’d represent Berard 
in the U.S. on his future product. 
He emphasized the need for the 
French to orientate their thinking 
to the requirements of the Ameri¬ 
can .commercial market. Part of 
the solution, he thought, was the 
employment of American stars in 
French productions. Davis stressed 
the need for believability in the 
French films, i.e., the possibility for 
U.S. audiences to identify with the 
happenings on the screen. 


^ Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Political blacklisting in the film 
industry constitutes "an unlawful 
conspiracy which is akin to fron¬ 
tier law," the Southern California 
branch of the American Civil Lib¬ 
erties Union charged in a friend- 
of-the-court petition filed with the 
U. S. Supreme Court seeking a 
hearing for 23 Hollywood actors, 
writers, producers and directors 
who have waged an unsuccessful 
“blacklist" fight through the Cali¬ 
fornia courts. 

"The opportunity to earn a liv¬ 
ing,” the petition stated, "cannot 
be unjustly withheld without vio¬ 
lating Costitutional guarantees. 
The right to work is a human right, 
a personal right, a constitutional 
right.’! 

Plaintiffs have contended that 
they have been denied employment 
since 1947 for refusing to testify 
before the HouSe un-American Ac¬ 
tivities Committee. Petition filed 
for ACLU by attorneys A. L. Wirin 
and -Hugh R. Mhnas contends that 
such denial on the part of 19 film 
studio defendants constitutes use 
of industrial power to force em¬ 
ployees to forfeit rights guaran¬ 
teed* by the constitution and 
"serves as an unconstitutional prior 
restraint on freedom of speech, 
press and assembly." ** 

Two independent studios of 
blacklisting, in films and radio-tv, 
the petition adds, reveal that "irre¬ 
spective Of the motives for such 
conspiracies, the political blacklist 
reduces the most courageous voices 
to whispers, evokes abject recanta¬ 
tions from dissenters and silences 
indefinitely the timid." 


ZU2MS3 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


KEEP YOUR 
THE WRONG MAf 




A man in love-‘mistaken for 
his double--and wanted by the 
police! Somewhere, somewhere in. 
New York’s crowded streets, 
shadowed subways - - or the Stork- 
Club - - there must be the right man! 












WejMwUyi December 19W 


P'Mi/E'ff 


as« 


( Pre-release NowA 
N. Y. Paramount / 

OF HITCHCOCK’S FIRST HIT TAKEN FROM REAL-LIFE 
- HIS MOST SUSPENSEFUL HIT OF ALL! 


T 


i 




i 




W 


f EVERY TWIST AND TURN OF IT IS TRUE! 

this is the CHALLENGE 

WE MAKE TO MOVIE-GOERS: 






"ty If you don't believe fnat this weird and un - -;t] 

usual story actually happened, see the records 
of Queens County Court, N. Y. Apr. 21. 1953 
fife indictment *271/55. "The Bales trero Case" 4 


AfiTHONYQUAYLE • Screen Play by MAXWELL ANDERSON and ANGUS MacPHAIL 

MUSIC BY BERNARD HERRMANN * Directed by ALFRED HITCHCOCK 











PICTURE CROSSES 


L A. Perks; Can’t Help’ Hots; $26,500, 
‘4 Queens’ Fair 14G, ‘Rainmaker’ Fast 
12G. M&L Brisk 22G, ‘Brave’ 15G 


Los Angeles, Dec. 25. * 

With several big Xmas openers 
augmenting strong new bills bow- 
„ Ing pre-Yule, holiday biz is on a 
great upswing in current week. 
"Around World in 80 Days," al¬ 
though its week started Saturday 
(22), didn’t launch public showing 
until yesterday (Mon.), and^ looks 
like capacity week at Carthay Cir¬ 
cle. Other Christmas openers in¬ 
clude "Anastasia,” "Full Life" and 
"Written on Wind.” 

"Brave One" looms very strong 
$15,000 on first popscale frame at 
State. "Rainmaker" is rated good 
$12,000 at Four Star. "Bundle of 
Joy" looks, okay $15,000 at Egyp¬ 
tian. "Ten Commandments" is 
bouncing up^to big total in sixth 
Warner Beverly week. 

"Girl Can’t Help I*?* Is smart 
$26,500 in four houses while "Hol¬ 
lywood or Bust" looks good $22,- 
000 in two sites. "Teahouse of Au- j 
gust Moon” is solid $19,000 in fifth 
Pant ages round. "King and 4 
Queens" is medium at Fox Wil- 
shire. 

Estimates for This Week 

Four Star (UATC) (868; $1.25-' 
$1.80)—"Rainmaker” (Par). Good 
$12.0Q0 or close. Last week, "Brave 
One" (RKO) (8th wk-4 days), 
$2,300. 

Egyptian (UATC) (1,503; $1.25- 
$1.80)—"Bundle of Joy" (RKO). 
Okay $15^000 or near. Last weejc. 
"Lost Continent" (Tnd’e) and "Red 
Balloon" (Indie), $5,000. 

Fox Wilshlre (FWC) ■ ’(2,298: 
$1,25-$1.75)—"King and 4 Queens" 
<UA). Medium $14:000. Last week, 
"Friendly Persuasion" (AA) (7th 1 
wk-9 days), $6,900. 

State (UATC) (2.404; 8041.25)— 
"Brave One” (RKO) and "Man Is 
Armed" (Indie). Big $15,000 or 
over. Last week, with Iris, El Rey, 
"Secrets of Reef" (Indie) and "Ship 
Died Shame" (Indie), $8,000. 

Los An celes. Hollywood. El Rey, 
Loyola (FWC) (2.097; 756; 861; 
1.248: 90-31.50)—‘"Girl Can’t Help 
It" (20th) and "Black Whip" (20th). 
Smart $26,500. Last week, with 
Rite, without El Rey. "Rebecca" 
(20th) and "Third Man" (20th) (re¬ 
issues) (2d wk-4 days), $8,800. 

Orpheum. Hawaii (Metropolitan- 
G&S) (2,213; 1.106: 80 $1.25)— 

“Hollywood or Bust" (Par) and 
“White Squaw" (Col). Good $22,- 
000 for Martin and Lewis comedy. 
Last week. Orpheum with Vogue. 
tJDtown, "Dance With Me Henry" 
(UA) and "Brass Legend" (UA), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Hillstreet, New Fox, Uptown 
(RKO-FWC) (2,752; 965; 1.715; 80- 
$1.25)—"Silent World" (Col) and 
"Walk Crooked Mile" (Col) (reis¬ 
sue). Slim $6,000. Last week. Hill- 
street with Hawaii, Wiltem. 
"Don’t Knock Rock” (Col) and 
"Rumble On Docks" (Col), $12,600, 
plus $40,600 In two najses, eight 
drive-ins. 

Downtown Paramount, Iris 
(ABPT-FWC) (3,300; 816; 85-$1.25) 
—"Oklahoma Kid" (Indie) and 
"Bad Men of Missouri" (Indie) (re¬ 
issues). Dull $7,000. Last week. 
“D’Town Par. "Rock, Rock. Rock" 
(DCA) and "Roadhouse Girl" (In¬ 
die) (8 days), $7,700. 

Warner Downtown, Wiltern, 
Voerue (SW-FWC) (1,757; 2,344: 
885; 8041-25)—"This Island Earth” 
(U) and "Came From Outer Space" 
(U) (reissues). Thin $7,000. Last 
week, D’Town, "Julie" (M : G) and 
"Great American Pastime" (M-G) 
(2d wk), $6,100. 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631: $1.25- 
$1.50)—"Secrets of Life" (BV) (2d 
wk). Okay $5,000. Last week, 
$ 6 , 000 . 

Pantages (RKO) (2,812; $1.10- 
$1.75)—"Teahouse August Moon" 
(M-G) (5th wk). Solid $19,000. Last 
week, $17,600. 

Hollywood Paramount (F A M) 
(1,468; $1-$1.50)—"Death of Scoun¬ 
drel" (RKO) (5th wk). Only $2,000 
in 6 days. Last week, $2,900. ,. 

Warner Beverly (SW) (1^612; 
$1.50-$3.30) — "Ten Command-^ 
ments" (Par) (6th wk). Big $25,000. 
Last week, $21,800. 

Chinese (FWC) (1,908; $1.25- 
$2.40)—"Giant" (WB) (10th wk-5 
days). Strong $15,000 in 5 days. 
Last week, $16,600.. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) (1,364: 
$1.20-$2.65)—"Cine Holiday" (Cine¬ 
rama) (59th wk). Into current 
frame (Sunday (23) after fancy 
$13,500 last week. 11 


Broadway Grosses , 

Estimated Total Gross e 

This Week.$715,200 

(Based o\\ 22 theatres) 

Last Year .$767,700 

(Based on 22 theatres) 

M&L Hot $14,0(0, 
Pitt;‘Wagons’10G 

« Pittsburgh, Dec. 25. 

Golden Triangle breathing a sigh 
of relief with end of worst pre- 
Cliristmas trade in years. The two 
big holiday pictures, "Teahouse of 
August Moon" at Penn and "Writ¬ 
ten on Wind" at Fulton, aren’t 
opening until today, both houses 
going with short-run fillers. Stanley 
holdover of "Hollywood Or Bust" 
showing. a sharp pickup to solid 
take. Harris with "Westward Ho 
the Wagons" shapes stout. "Secrets 
of Reef" at Guild looms good. 

Estimates for This Week 
Fulton (Shea) (1,700: 65-99) — 

I "Black Whip" (20th) 'and "Women 
of Pitcairn Island” (20th). For six 
days lean $3,500. Last week, "Rock,' 
Rock, Rock’’ (DCA), $4,000. v 
Harris (Harris) (2,165; 65-99) — 
'v^estward Ho Wagons" (BV) and 
"Disneyland" (BV). Getting lot of 
kiddie trade and booked in for 10 
days, solid $10,000 or over. Last 
week, "Mole .People" (U) and 
"Curucu” (U), $4,000. 

Guild (Green) (500; 85-99) — 
"Secrets of Reef* (Cont). Good 
$2,500 or morg. Last week, 2nd of 
“Ship That Died of Shame" (Indie)* 

Penn (UA) ‘ (3,300; 65-99) 

"Power, and Prize” (M-G). In for 
just 4 days, and won’t do more than 
$4,00Q. Last week "The Mountain” 
(Par), $8,500. ‘ 

Squirrel Hill (SW) (900; 1 85-99)— 
"Secrets of Life” (BV). Open for 
mats during; holiday week and 
should help to better than nice 
$3,000. Last week, "Finger of 
Guilt" (RKO), $1,400. 

Stanley < (SW) (3,800; $5-99) — 
"Hollywood or Bust" (Par) (2d 
wk). Martin-Lewis pic should do 
big $14,000 on top of last week’s 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Warner- (SW) (1,365; $1.25-$2.40) 
^«"®® ven Wondprs" (Cinerama) 
(36th wk). Lot of extra shows in 
for holidays and good advance 
should shoot this one back to solid 
$14,000 or better. Last week, 
$7,000. 


PffiklWF? 


’Bust’ Boffo $9,000 In 
Omaha; *4 Queens’ Smash 
7G, ’Night’ Dim $5,000 

Omaha, Dec. 25. 

—Biz continued tiriagnatxtowntowtt- 
firstruns in the pre-Xmas days, al¬ 
though "Hollywood or Bust” looms 
socko at the Omaha, and will hold. 
"King and Four Queens" also is 
smash at the State for a newcomer. 
It’s slated for a second stanza. 
"Rock, Rock, Rock" is just fair at 
Brandeis while "Hold Back Night" 
looks light at Orpheum. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,000; 75-90)— 
"Rock, Rock, Rock" (Indie) and 
"Man Is Armed” (Rep). Fair $3,000. 
Last week, "Death a Scoundrel" 
(RKO) and "Mprder on Approval" 
(RKO), $2,500. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 75-90) 
—"Hollywood or Bust" (Par). Big 
$9,000. Last week, "Everything but 
Truth" (U) and "Fighting Trouble" 
(AA), $4,500 for 8 days. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 75- 
90)—‘‘Hold Back Night" (AA) and 
"Young Guns" (AA). Light $5,000 
in 5 days. Last week, "Mountain" 
(Par) and “Bridey Murphy'* (Par), 
$5,500. 

State (Goldberg) (860; 75-90)— 
"King and Four Queens" (UA). 
Smash $7,000. Last week, "Beasts 
of Amazon" (U) and "Mole People" 
(U), $4,000. 

H’wood Bust’ Big 
$10,000 in Prov, 

Providence, Dec. 25; 

"Hollywood or Bust’* is making 
it a merry Christmas for the 
Strand this week. Near, the top 
in coin is State’s “Westward Ho 
the Wagons/’ hut take is compara¬ 
tively modest. Majestic looks okav 
with "Halls of Montezuma:" RKO 
Albee is only just fair with "Rock 
Rock Rock/’ 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2.200; 60-85)— 
"Rock, Rock. Rock” (Indie) and 
"Postmark for Danger" (RKO). 
Just fair $5,500. Last week, 
"Curucu" (U) and "Mole People" 
(U). $6JOOO. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200: 60-85)— 
“Halls of Montezum” (20th) and 
“Crash Dive" (20th) (reissues). Oke 
$7,000. Last week. “Blonde Sin¬ 
ner" (AA) and “Young Guns" 
(AA), $5,000. 

State (toew) (3,200; 60-85)— 
“Westward Ho the Wagons” (BV) 
and “Men Sherwood Forest’* (In¬ 
die). Should rise nicely with 
school vacation for passable $10,- 
000. Last week, "Man From Del 
Rio" (UA) and “Flight to Hong 
Kong" (UA), $8,000. 

, Strand (.Silverman) (2,200; 60*85) 
—"Hollywood or Bust" (Par). A 
crowd pleaser and hoping for more 
than a big $10,000, Last week, 
"Rock Around Clock” (Col) and 
"Wild One" (Col), $4,000. 


Wednesday* DeceihBer 26, 1956 


Mpk Stalls fill Xmas; ‘Can’t Help’ 
Sock $20,0011 ‘Wonders’ Big 14G, 21st 


Hob Climbs; ‘Moon Great $59,000, 

M&L 19G, ‘Can’t Help’ Big 18G 


Boston, Dec. 25. 

Hub trade is zooming after pre- 
Xmas slump with vacationing 
youngsters lining up at wickets. 
Many of big pictures were held 
over for students returning to Bos¬ 
ton for study breaks. New champ 
is "Teahouse of August Moon" at 
State and Orpheum with a terrific 
take looming. "Girl Can’t Help 
It" is nice at the Metropolitan. 
"Hollywood ox Bust" shapes sock- 
eroo at Paramount and Fenway for 
Martin-Lewis pic. "Written On 
Wind" opens today (Christmas 
Day) at Memorial* 

Holdovers are in the chips with 
"Oklahoma” at the Saxon in 16th 
round getting big play. "Seven 
Wonders of World" looms great in 
18th week at the Cinerama. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1,372; $1.90-$2.75) 
—"Ten Commandments" (Par) (6th 
wk). Fifth week ended yesterday 
(Mon.) was socko $16,000. Last 
week, ditto. 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (678; 
9041.25)—"Rififi" (UMPO) (7th 
wk). Sixth week ended yesterday 
(Mon.) was fat $9,000. Last week, 
same. 

Cinerama (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1,354; $1.25-$2.65)—"Seven 
Wonders” (Cinerama) (18th wk)* 
Great $18,000. Last week, $17,000. 

Exeter (Indie) (1,200; 60-$1.25)— 
“Richard III” (Lopert) (7th wk). 
Oke $4,500. Last week, ditto. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373; 00-90)— 


“Hollywood or Bust" (Par) and 
"Yaqui Drums” (AA). Big $5,000. 
Last week, "Rock, Rock, Rock” (In¬ 
die) and "Woman’s Devotion” 
(Rep), $6,000. 

. Kenmore (Indie) (700; 85-$1.25)‘ 
—"Lust For Life” (M-G) (5th wk). 
Great $11,600. Last week, $11,000. 

Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 60-90)— 
"Written On Wind” fU). Opens 
today (Tues,). 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,357; 00- 
7541.10)—"Girl Can’t Help It” 
(20th) and ‘’Women of Pitcairn Is¬ 
land” (20th). Nice $18,000 or close. 
Last week, "Giant,” (WB) (7th wk), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Paramount (NET) (1,700; 60-90) 
—"Hollywood or Bust” (Par) and* 
"Yaqui Drums” (AA). Sock $14,- 
000 or near. Last week, "Rock, 
Rock, Rock" (Indie) and "Woman’s 
Devotion” (Rep), $11,000. 

Pilgrim (ATC) (1,000; 65-95)— 
Baclf to reissues. Last week, 
"Blonde Sinner" (AA) and "Young 
Guns" (AA), $7,500. 

Saxon (Saxon) (1,100; $L25- 

$2.20)—"Oklahoma" (Magna) (16th 
wk). Sizzlng $15,000. Last week, 
$16,000. 

Orpheum (Loew) (2,900; 90-$1.50) 
"Teahouse of August Moon" (M-G). 
Socko $35,00* Last week, "Man 
From Del Rio" (UA) and "Flight 
to Hong Kong" (UA), $13,000. 

State (Loew) (3,000; 9041.50)— 
"Teahouse of August Moon" (M-G). 
Great $24,000. Last week, "Man 
From Del Rio" (UA) and "Flight 
to Hong Kong" (UA), $7,000. 


Key City Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 
This Week ...... $2,122,900 

(Based on 16 cities and 168 
theatres , chiefly first runs , in¬ 
cluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Year .$2,985,200 

(Based on 19 cities and 204 
theatres.) 

OTood’Fast % 
Frisco,‘Girl’21G 

San Francisco, Dec, 25. 
Selected sports here this stanza 
find biz zooming with school being 
out currently. "Girl Can’t Help It" 
is rated strong at the Fox as well 
as throughout northern California. 
"King and Four Queens" looms 
great at the United Artists, and 
looks to have enough to hold. 
"Hollywood Or Bust" looms nice at 
Paramount. "Seven Wonders of 
World” at Orpheum and “Okla¬ 
homa” at Coronet are both doing 
fine. 

Estimates for This Week 
Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 80- 
$1)—“Two Years Before Mast” 
(Par) and “The Virginian’* (Par) 
(reissues). Dull $7,000 or less. Last 
week, “Brute Force” <U) and 
“Naked City" (reissues), $7,800. 

Fox (FWC) (4,651; $1.2541.50)— 
“The Girl Can’t Help It’ 7 (20th) 
and “Young Guns’’ (AA). Fine 
$21,000. Last week, “Man Beast" 
(Indie) and "Prehistoric Women" 
(Indie) (reissue), $7,200 in 6 days. 

Warfield (Loew) (2,656; 65-90)— 
“Great American Pastime.” (M-G) 
and “Daniel Boone Trail Blazer” 
(Rep). Drab $7,000. Last week, '“A 
Woman’s Devotion" (Rep) and 
“Scandal, Inc." (Rep), $6,200. 

Paramount (Par) (2,646; 9041)— 
"Hollywood or Bust” (Par) and 
“The White Squaw" (Col). Nice 
$19,000. Last week, “Giant" (W-B) 
(7th wk), $11,500. 

St Francis (Par) (1,400; $1-$1.25) 
—“The Oklahoma Kid" (Indie) and 
“Bad Men of Missouri” (Indie) (re¬ 
issues). , Good $8,000. Last week. 
‘‘Reprisal" (Col) and “Ten Tall 
Men" (Col) '(reissue), $9,000. 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre 
Calif.) (1,458; $1.75-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders" (Cinerama) (5th wk). 
Excellent $23,000. Last week, $24,- 
900. 

United Artists (No. Coast) (1,207; 
70-$l)—“King and Four Queens" 
(UA) and “Tomahawk Trail" (UA). 
Great $16,000. Last week, “Dance 
With Me Henry" (UA) and “The 
Brass Legend” (UA), $8,100. 

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1)— 
“Rififi” (Contf (10th wk). Big $3,- 
000. Last week, $2,800. 

Clay (Rosener) (400; $1)—"Pri¬ 
vate’s Progress" (Indie) (5th wk). 
Fine $1,700. Last week, $2,300. 

Vogue (S.F. Theatres) (377; $1) 
—"La Strada" (T-L) (16th wk). 
Okay $1,000. Last week, $1,200. 

Bridge (Schwarz) (396; $141.25) 
—"War and Peace" (Par) (5th wk). 
Oke $1,700. Last week, $1,700. 

Coronet (United California) (1,- 
250; $1.10-$2.75) — "Oklahoma" 

(Magna) (44ch wk). Big $11,500. 
Last week, $14,000. 

‘Can’t Help’ Smash 14G, 
Denver; ‘Queens’ $18,000 

Denver. Dec. 25. 
Outstanding here this stanza is 
“King and Four Queens," which is 
heading for a terrific take at Para¬ 
mount. It Is holding, naturally. 
“Hollywood or Bust" shapes great 
at Denham, and stays on. "Silent 
World" is doing jso well at the 
Aladdin that it is getting a second 
round. “Girl Can’t Help It" also is 
up there in* the chips with a fine 
week at the Denver. 

Estimates for This Week 
Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 70-90) — 
“Silent World" (Col). Fast $6,000. 
Holds. Last Week, on reissues. 

' Centre (Fox) (1,247; 7041.25)— 
“Teenage Hebei” (20th) (2d wk). 
Okay $7,500. Last week, $11,000. 

Denham (Cockrill) (1,248; 70-90) 
— “Hollywood or Bust” (Par). 
Great $12,000. Holds on. Last 
week, '‘Mountain” (Par) (2d wk), 
$ 6 , 000 . 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 70-90) <— 
“Girl Can’t Help It” (20th) and 
"Desperadoes Are In Town” (20th). 
Fine $14,000. Last week, "Girl He 
I (Continued on page 18) 


Minneapolis, Dec* 25. 
Helped by more favorable sea¬ 
sonable factors, of course, and 
stronger product, Christmas it 
counted upon to bring the usual 
sharp boxoffice upturn here, with 
new pix to help meet week’s take, 
A number of the fresh entries were 
to have beeq launched today (25) 
and tomorrow, Instead of the cus¬ 
tomary Wednesday, Thursday or 
Friday openings. Among the lat¬ 
ter are the Gopher’s "Teahouse of 
the August. Moon,” State’s "Friend¬ 
ly Persuasion” and the RKO Dr- 
pheum’s "Bundle of Joy.” Mean¬ 
while it’s the 2IstVand fifth weeks, 
respectively, for the lone hold¬ 
overs, "Seven Wonders of .World’* 
and "Oklahoma.” "Girl Can’t Help 
It” is smashed af Radio City* 
Estimates for This Week 
Century (S-W) (1,150; $1.75- 

$2.65)—"Seven Wonders of World** 
(Cinerama) (21st wk)* Back to nor- , 
malcy after. pre-Christmas relapse* 
Okay $14,000. Last week, $8,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 85-90)— 
"Great American Pastime'* (M-G). 
Thrown to the pre-Xmas wolves.‘ 
Poor $2,000 in 6 days. Last weelt 
"Julie” .(5th wk), $2,500 in 5 days. 

Lyric (Par) (1,000; 9540)—"Datic« 
With Me, Henry” (UA). First-Ab- 
bott-Costello opus in long time is 
getting some attention from vaca¬ 
tioning kids. Mild $3,000. Last 
week, "Girl He Left Behind" (WB) 
(2d wk), $4,000. ' , 

Radio City (Par) (4,100; 85-90)— 
"Girl Can’t Help It” (20th). Many 
teenagers going.for this with its 
rock-’n’-rollers plus Jayne Mans¬ 
field. And that seems enough. 
Socko $20,000. Last week, "Every¬ 
thing But f the Truth” <U>, $5,500. 

RKO Orpheum (RKO) (2,800; 75- 
90)—‘Miami Expose” (Col) and 
"Storm Center" (Col). Slow $4,500. 
Last week, "Odongo" (Col), $4,000. 

RKO Pan (RKO) (1,800) 75-90)— 
“1,000 Years From Now" (Indie) 
and “Invasion U.$,A." (Indie) (re* 
issues). Oldies just a before- 
Christmas sluff. Good $4,000. Last 
week, “Port Afrique” (Col) and 
"The White Squaw*’. (Col), $3,000. 

State (Par) .(2,300; 90-$1.50)— 
“Oklahoma" (20th) (5th wk). Fin¬ 
ishing a long, successfulriin. Okay 
$4,500. Last week, $6,500. 

World (Mann) (400; 75-$ 1.20)— 
“Secrets of Life" (BV). Fair $3,- 
000. Last week, “Tempest in 
Flesh" (Indie) (2d wk), $3,100. 
. . -- u — 

D.C. Soars; ‘Anastasia’ 
Potent 253, ‘Moon,’ Wow 
32G, ‘Girl Help’ Big 12G 

Washington, Dec. 25. 
Show biz generally is on the up¬ 
beat here as the Christmas-New 
Year week starts, thanks to the 
flood of attractive new fare released 
plus the end of the shopping pe¬ 
riod. Best of the newcomers are 
“Anastasia," big at Capitol; "Tea¬ 
house of August Moon,” giant at 
Palace; and "Girl Can’t Help It,’* 
smash at Columbia. “Silent World’* 
is also drawing well at the Dupont. 
“Cinerama Holiday” is winding up 
it^ marathon run tonight. “Seven 
Wonders of World” unveils Thurs¬ 
day night (27) with an invitation 
benefit for the American Red 
Cross, with proceeds earmarked to 
aid Hungarian refugees* 

Estimates for This Week 
Capitol (Loew) - (3,434; 8541.25) 
—“Anastasia” (20th). Handsom* 
$25,000 for opening stanza; holds. 
Last week, “Julie” (M-G) (2d wk), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Columbia (Loew) (1,174; 80* 
$1.25)—“Girl Can’t Help It” (20th). 
Smash $12,000. Last week, "Rock, 
Rock, Rock” (DCA), $0,000* 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 9041.13) 
—"Silent World” (Col). Fancy $8,- 
000. Last week, “Secrets of Life" 
(BV) (6th wk), $2,500 in 9 days, 
Keith’s (RKO) (1,859; $1.25* 

$2.75) — “Ten Commandments" 
(Par) (5th wk). Maintaining a nice 
$15,000 clip, thanks in large part 
to film’s change to grind policy ex¬ 
cept on weekends. Last week, $17,* 
000. Holds. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (456; 75- 
$1.15) —“Fantasia” (BV) (reissue) 
(6th wk). Okay $2,000 in final four 
days. Last week, $3,500. 

Palace (Loew) (2,360; 9041.50^ 
“Teahouse of August Moon” (M-G). 
Looks like tremendous $ 32 , 000 ; 
stays' on, natch. Last week, “Every¬ 
thing But Truth” (U), $8,500. 

Plaza T-L) (200; 90-$L35)-r 

“Lady Chatterley’s Lover” (Indie) 
(6th wk). Oke $2,000. Last week, 
same. ntt * 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 80-$1.25) 
—"Odongo” (Col). Pallid $2,700. 
Last week, $3,200. 

Warner (SW) (1,300; $1.2042.40 
—"Cinerama Holiday” (Cinerama) 
(64th-final wk). Okay $9,500. Last 
week, $9,000,. 1 ' 









Wednesday, December 26 , 1956 




PICTURE GROSSES 


11 


Chi Helped by Strong New Product; 
‘Ana stasia ’ Wow 45C. TTwood Bust’ 
Bangup 30G, ‘Wonders’ Great 34G 


Chicago, Dec. 25. ; 

Strong openers heralded the 
Christmas surge here this week 
with further big fare coming in 
Wednesday and Thursday (27). 

“Anastasia” made a strong open¬ 
ing at Oriental for what is .nor¬ 
mally one of slowest weekends in 
year. Should grab a smash $45,- 
000. Also bowing Friday (21) was' 
“Hollywood or Bust”* at State-Lake 
with a bangup $30,000 in initial 
week likely. tj , „ 

“Giant” wound up its ninth 
week with a pleasing take at the 
Chicago. “Teahouse of August 
Moon” continues through the holi¬ 
days at the Woods, winding its 
fifth round with a big $20,000 and 
likelihood of Dickup later. “Seven 
Wonders of World' f still is great in 
second Palace week. 

Christmas Day (Tues.) arrivals 
include “Written on Wind” at the 
United Artists, “Westward Ho. the 
Wagons” at the Roosevelt, “Silent 
World” at the Surf, “La Strada” 
at the World and “You Can't Run 
Away From It” at the Esquire. 
“Baby Doll” comes in. Thursday 
(27) at the Chicago. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carnegie (H&E Balaban) (480; 
95)—Subseauent-run. Last week, 
“Life of Zola” (WB) and “Petrified 
Forest” (WB) (reissues). $2,000. 

Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 98-$1.80) 
—“Giant” (WB) (9th wk). Good 
$30,000. Last week. $22,000. “Baby 
Doll” (WB) onen? Thursday (27). 

Esquire (H&E ^©alaban) (1,400; 
$1.25)—“You Can't Run Away 
From It” (Col). Opens Thursday 
(27). Last week, subseauent-run. 

Grand (Tndie) (1.200; 98-$1.25)— 
“Texas” (Col) and “Arizona” (Col). 
Oke $4,000 for first 4 days. “Sev¬ 
enth Cavalry” (Col) and “Rumble 
on' Docks” (Col) opens tomorrow 
(Wed.). 

Loop (Telem’t) (006; 90-$ 1.25)— 
“Death of Scoundrel” (RKO) (3d 
wk). Light $2.«no for last 4 days. 
Last week, $6,000, 

McVickers (.TL&S) (1,580; $1.25- 
$3.30) — “Ten Commandments” 
(Par) (5th wk). Great $33,000. 
Last week, $35,000. 

Monroe (Indie) (1.000; 67-87)— 
“High Sierra” (WB) and “Bad 
Men of Missouri” (WB> (reissues). 
Slow $3,000. Last week, “Fugitive 
From Cham Gang” (WB) and “Ok¬ 
lahoma Kid” (WB) (reissues), 
$4,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400: 98-$1.50) 
—“Anastasia” (20th). Impressive 
$45,000. Last week, “Love Me 
Tender” (?0th) (4th wk), $11,000. 

Palace (Indie) (1,484; $1.25-$3.40) 
—"Seven Wonders” (Cinerama) 
(2d wk>. Powerful $34,000. Pre¬ 
vious 10 days, $68,000. 

Roosevelf (B&K) (1.400; 65-95)— 
“Curucu” (U) and “Mole People” 
(U) (2d wk). Big $10,000 for 6 
days. Last week $16,000. “West¬ 
ward Ho. Wagons” (BV) and “Dis¬ 
neyland USA” (BV) open tomor¬ 
row (Wed.). 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 98- 

$1.25)—"Hollvwood or Bust” (Par). 
Potent $30,000. Last week. l ‘G»rl 
He Left Behind” (WB) (2d wk), 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; $1.*5> 
—“Rebedca” (UA) (reissue) (3d 
wk). So-m $1,500 in 3 days. Last 
week. $4,000. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700: 98- , 
$1.50)— 1 “Julie” (M-GV (4th wk—fij 
davs). Trim $12,000. Last week, 
$13,000. “Written on Wind” (U) 
opens tomorrow (Wed.). 

Woods (Essaness) ’ (1,206; 90- 

$1.50) — “Teahouse of August 
Moon” (M-G) (5th wk). Big $20,- 
000. Last week $24,000. 

„ World (Indie) (430; 98)—“Seven 
Little Sins” (Kingsley) (4th wk-3 
days). Sad $500. Last week, 
$2,000. “La Strada” (T-L) opens 
tomorrow (Wed.). * 

Ziegfeld (Daw's) (430; 98)—“In¬ 
timate Retati r ^;” (Indie) and 

Wench” (Tndie). Light $2,500. 
Last week, “Facts of Love” (Indie) 
and “Illicit Interlude” (Indie), 
$1,500. 



Nine percent business increase 
on its theatrical shorts in the U. S. 
and Canada is reported by Terry- 
toons, now a division of CBS Tele¬ 
vision Film-Sales. 

According to v.p. and general 
manager William M. Weiss, theat¬ 
re* 1 production at the company's 
Rochelle studios Is running 
BUI blast, with 13 Cinemascope 
cartoons in work for 20th-Fox re¬ 
lease. Several new cartoon char¬ 
acters will be introed on the 1957 
Ae i'iytoon sked. 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re¬ 
ported herewith from the vari¬ 
ous key 'cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib¬ 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in¬ 
come. 

The - parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


M&LSocko 11G, 
K.C.:Wagonsl4G 

Kansas City, Dec. 25. 

Big biz on the books for pictures 
in current session as houses launch 
new pix for the yearend holidays. 
Vying for top money are the Para¬ 
mount socko with “Hollywood or 
Bust” and Midland with “King and 
Four Queens,” which Is okay. 
“Bundle of Joy” looks fancy at 
Roxy. Four Fox Midwest firstruns 
are playing ‘'Westward the Wa¬ 
gons,” to fine results. Three Dick¬ 
inson houses are playing “La 
Strada.” Weather was mild early 
days, but then the rains came. 

Estimates for This Week 

Apollo, Brookside, Vista (Fox 
Midwest) (1,050; 1,081; 700; 75)— 
“1,000 Years from Now” (Indie) 
and “Invasion U.S.A.” (Indie). Six 
days, fair $4,500. 

Kimo, Gren, Dickinson' (Dickin¬ 
son) (504; 750; 700; 75-90)—“La 
Strada” (T-LV Opens today (25) 
at three houses play as a unit, a 
new setup. Last week; Kimo “Re¬ 
becca” (20th) (reissue). So-so $900. 
Glen, “Thunderstorm” (AA), fair 
$600, 10 days. 

Midland (Loew) (3,500; 60-80)— 
“King and Four Queens” (UA) and 
“Great American Pastime” (M-G), 
Nifty $9,000. Last week, “Rock, 
Rock, Rock” (Indie* and “Cha, Cha, 
Boom,” (Col), $4,500. 

Missouri (SW) (1,194; $1.20-$2)— 
“This Is Cinerama” (Cinerama) 
(28th wk). Fair $8,500, private par¬ 
ties helping. Last week, $7,500. 

Paramount (Tri-States) -(1,900; 
75-90)—“Hollywood or Bust” (Par). 
Sock $11,000 for Martin-Lewis pic; 
holds. Last week, “Unconquered” 
(Par) (reissue) and “Bridey Mur¬ 
phy” (Par), $5,000. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 75-90)— 
“Bundle of Joy” (RKO). Fancy 
$9,000; stays. Last week, “Odongo” 
(Col) and “Uranium Boom” (Col), 
$3,000 in 8 days. 

Uptown, Esquire, Fairway, Gran¬ 
ada (Fox Midwest) (2,043 ; 820; 700; 
1,217; 75-90)^—“Westward the Wa¬ 
gons” (BV) and “Disneyland 
U.S.A.” (BV). Smooth $14,000 or 
better. Last week. “Curucu”. (U) 
and “Mole People” (U), $9,000 in 
6 days. 

‘WAGONS’ TRIM $8,500, 
L’VILLE;‘GIANT’6G,6TH 

Louisville,* Dec. 25. 

Christmas Week is starting out 
slowly at local wickets, most 
houses are making no extra effort 
to overcome the pre-Yuletide 
slack, “Disneyland” with “West¬ 
ward Ho, the Wagons” at the 
Rialto is garnering some family 
trade. “Giant” is . still .good at 
Mary Anderson in sixth week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brown (Fourth Avenue-United 
Artists) (1,000; ' 90-$2) — “Okla¬ 
homa” (Magna) (18th wk). Mild 
$4,500. Winds up run Deo. 30. Last 
week, $6,000. 

Kentucky (Swltow) (1,000; 50-85) 
—“Shepherd of Hills” (Par) and 
“Trail Lonesome Pine” (Par) (re¬ 
issues). Fairish $4,500 in 5 days. 
Last week, “Curucu” (U) and 
“Mole People” (U), $7,000. 

Loew’s (United Artists) (3,0Q0, 
50-85)—“Rock, Rock, Rock” (DCA) 
and “Gamma People” (Col). Mod¬ 
erate $6,000 in 4 days. Last week, 
“Odongo” (Col) and “Reprisal” 
(Col), $4,500. “Teahouse August 
Moon” opens next. 

Mary Anderson (Switow) (1,000; 
85-$1.25)—“Giant” (WB) (6th wk). 
Looks to wind up profitable run at 
$6,000 after* last week’s $7,Q00. , 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 
50-85) — “Disneyland” (BV) and 
“Westward Ho, Wagons” (BV). 
Fairly good $8,500. Last week, 
“Tension Table Rock” (RKO) and 
“Man In Vault” (Indie), $8,000. 


‘H’wood Bust’ Trim 20G, 
Det.; ‘Curucu’ Crisp 10G, 
Ten C’s’Hot 24G, 5th 

Detroit, Dec. 25. 
This year is no exception as biz 
perks following pre-Christmas dip. 
“Hollywood or Bust” looks fine at 
the Michigan. “Seven Wonders of 
World” bounced back to great 
week. “T6n Commandments” stays 
strong in fifth week at the Madi¬ 
son “Curucu” with “Mole People” 
looks fast at Broadway-Capitol. 
Uniter Artists reopens with a ben¬ 
efit showing of “Around World in 
80 Days” which opens to the public 
Thursday (27). 

Estimates for This Week 
Fox (Foy-Detroit) (5,000; 90^$1:25) 
—“12 O’clock High” (20th) and 
“Crash Dive” (20th) (reissues). 
Slow $11,000. Last week, “Pinoc- 
chio” (RKO) (reissue) and “Daniel 
Boone Trail Blazer” (Rep), $9,700. 

Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 
90-$1.25)—“Hollywood or Bust’* 
(Par) and “Everything But Truth” 
(U). Fine $20,000 for Martin-Lewis 
pic. Last week, “Giant” (WB1, 
$16,000 in sixth week. 

Palms (UD) (90-$l.25)—“1,000 
Years from Now” (Indie) and “In¬ 
vasion USA” (Indie) ^reissues). Oke 
$12,000. Last week, “Girl Left Be¬ 
hind” (WB) and “Wetbacks” (UA), 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Madison (UD) (1,900; $1.25-$2.75) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par) (5th 
wk). Swell $24,000. Last week, 
$25,000. 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500; 
90-$1.25)—“Mole People” (U) and 
“Curucu” (U) (2d wk). Nice $10,000. 
Last week, $18,000. 

United Artists (UA) (1,668; 90- 
$1.25)—“Oklahoma” (20th) (7th 
wk). Final week in C’Scope version 
with $8,500 after 36 weeks here in 
Todd-AO. “Around World in 80 
Days” (Todd-AO) opens Thursday, 
(27). 

Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 90- 

$1.25)—“Julie” (M-G) (3d wk). 

Down to $5,000 for 4 days. Last 
week, $8,500. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc¬ 
tions) (1,205; $1.20-$2.65)—“Seven 
Wonders of World” (Cinerama) 
(28th wk). Great $26,200. Last 
week, $16,600. ° 

‘4 Queens’Fancy 
$15,000, St. Louis 

St. Louis, Dec. 25. 
End of Xmas spending is start¬ 
ing to hypo biz here at big houses 
after slow wicket activity for the 
last ..two weeks. “King and 4 
Queens” shapes as standout new¬ 
comer with a smooth session at 
Loew’s. “Westward Ho, the 
Wagons” looms good at Omheum 
while “Hollvwood or Bust.” new 
Martin and Lewis comedv. is head¬ 
ing for a repeat of its fine initial 
session at the Fox. “Friendly 
Persuasion” still is nice in second 
round at the St. Louis." Drop in 
mercury to freezing Monday (24) 
helped boxoffice activity. 

Estimates for This Week 
Ambassador (Tndie) (1,400: $1.20- 
$2.40)—“Seven Wonders of WorM” 
(Cinerama) (35th wk). Good $6,- 
000. Last week. $5,000. 

ESouire (Tndie) (1.400; 75-90)— 
“Tonight’s Night” -(A A) T2d wk). 
Mild $3,500 after $4,000 initial 
stand. 

Fox (F&M) .(51-75)—“Hollvwood 
or Bust” (Par) and “Great Dav in 
Morning” (RKO) (2d wk). Hold¬ 
over start*; Dec. 25. Last week, 
fine $14,000. 

Loew’s (Loew) (3,221: 50-85)— 
“King and Four Queens” (UA) and 
“Great American Pastime” (M-G). 
Neat $15 noo. Last week. “Re¬ 
prisal” (TT) and “Port Afrique” 
(Col). $6,500. 

Missouri (F&M—(3.500: 51-75)— 
“Killers” (U) and “Sleeping City” 
(U) (reissues). Okay $4,000. Last 
week “Rock. Rock, Pock” (Tndie) 
and “Jail Busters” (AA) (3d wk), 
$3,000. 

Orpheum (Loew) 0.914: 50-85)— 
“Westward Ho The Wagons” (BV). 
Good $8,500. Last week. “Shark- 
fighters” (UA) and “Beast Hollow 
Mountain” (TTA). $4,000. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1000: 
75-90) — “Death Of Scoundrel” 
(RKO). Oke $2,000. Last week, 
“Doctor In House” (Rep) and “Doc¬ 
tor At Sea” (Rep) (reissues) (2d 
wk). $1,500. 

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) (400: 
$1.10) — “Death Of Scoundrel” 
(RKO). Good $2,500. Last week. 
“Love Is Snlenttored Thing” (20th) 
and “3 Coins Tn Fountain” (20th) 
(reissues), $1,000. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) (4.000; 
90-SI.25)-—“F r \ e n d 1 v Perusa- 
sion” (AA) (2d wk). Nice $11,- 
000 following $12 O00 first stanaz. 

Shad.v Oak (St.. L. A'ims.) 
800- $1.10)—“Sorrots Of Life” 

(RV). Nice $2 500. Last week. 
‘♦RoWca” (20th) (reissue) (2d'wk), 
$2,000. 


B’way B.O. Up; ‘Doll’ Smash $51,000, 
‘Man’ Boff 34G, 4 Days, ‘Queens’ Hot 
27G, ‘80 Days’ Wham 


Current session at Broadway 
first-run theatres is reflecting the 
holiday week upbeat only to a 
lesser extent- becauce only a few 
totals take in Dec. 26 and sub¬ 
sequent days. Christmas Day 
(Tues.) itself followed the usual 

pattern of perking up only, at night __ 

for the most part. Thus, this.is alpear; holding, 
transition wdfek in that it takes 
in the part of the pre-Yule offish 1 
days and several that include the 
holiday upbeat. Real impact of 
vacationing students, out-of-town 
visitors and holiday crowds start 
to be felt in earnest today (Wed). 

Of course, almost anything 
would be an improvement over the 
competition offered by the Christ¬ 
mas buying which carried through 
with increased intensity until 
Saturday (22) night. Saturday was 
further hurt by the all day rain. 

Standout newcomer is “Baby 
Doll” at the Victoria, with a ter¬ 
rific $51,000 likely. This is re¬ 
markable in view of opening last 
Wednesday. The Catholic edict 
against attending seemingly helped 
rather than hurt. 

“Wrong Man,” with a smash 
$34,000 in four days, appears to be 
going places at the Paramount. 

“Hollywood Or Bust,” also new, 
started out ^ big. Another great 
newcomer is “King and Four 
Queens,” with a lofty $27,000 or 
over 'looming for first Mayfair 
stanza. 

" On the other hand, “Bundle of 
Joy” shapes only okay around $30,- 
000 at the Capitol opening ses¬ 
sion. Second week of “Anasasia” 
with Yuletide stageshow is soar¬ 
ing to wow $134,000 at the Roxy, 
beating initial round by $31,000. 

Biggest money still is going to 
“Teahouse of August. Moon” plus 
annual Xmas stageshow, with a 
mighty $175,000 in prospect for the 
fourth week at the Music Hall. 

First holdover stanza of “Rain¬ 
maker” looks to push to great $33,- 
000 or better at the Astor., 

The real solid continous stand¬ 
out is still “Around the World in 
80 Days,” still absolute capacity, 
and coming ..to its highest mark 
of run in current (10th) week at 
the Rivoli. It will get $50,800. 

This' added amount over the usual 
10-show capacity $34,000 comes 
from three extra matinees and 
three added morning shows. It’s 
the “Mv Fair Lady” ticket of the 
picture business. 

“Ten Commandments” is • soar¬ 
ing to a terrific $63,000 in seventh 
week at the Criterion, improve¬ 
ment, of course, being helped by 
extra, morning shows. “Seven 
Wonders of World” held at sock 
$37,800 in 37th round at the War¬ 
ner, with 30 performances -sched-’| 
uled for current (38th) session. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$2)— 

Rainmaker” (Par) (2d wk). Initial 
holdover stanza finishing today 
(Wed.) looks like great $33,000 or 
over. First week was $28,500. Stays 
indef, naturally. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 

(550; $1.25-$1.80)—“Wee Geordie” 

(Arthur.) (12th wk). The 11th week, 
concluded Sunday (23), fine $5,700; 

10th was $6,300. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; $1.25- 

$1.80):—“Don Giovanni” (Indie). 

Opens today (Wed.)., In ahead, 

“Snow Was Black” (Cont) (10th wk- 
9 days), picked up to fine $4,500 
after $3,400 in ninth week. 

Capitol (Loew) (4,820; $l-$2.50>— 

“Bundle of Joy” (RKO). Initial 
stanza finishing today (Wed.) looks 
just okay $30,000 or close. Holding. 

Opened with a special preem the 
night of Dec. 19. 

Criterion (Moss) (1,671; $1.80- 
$3.30)—“10 Commandments” (Par) 

(7th wk). Present round winding 
up. tomorrow (Thurs.) heading for 
terrific $63,000, near capacity. 

Extra morning shows starting Moh- 
day (24) helped to this high take. 

Sixth week was $47,000, lowest of 
run. Pic has $200,000 advance, and 
tickets are now sold into this 
spring. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.80) 

—“Pantaloons” (UMPO). Opened 
yesterday (Thurs.). *In ahead, 

“Marcelino” (UMPO) (9th wk), held 
at good $5,100 after $6,200 in 
eighth. 

55th St. Playhouse (B-F) (300; 

$1.25-$1.50) — “Vitelloni” (API- 
Janus) (10th wk). Ninth round 
completed Monday (24) was good 
$3,500; ninth was $3,200. 

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50) 

—“Zarak” (Col). Opens today 
(Wed.). Last ‘week, “Huk” (UA) (2d 
wk-5 days), comparatively better 
than opening week at good $8,500; 
first, $8,000. 

Guild (Guild). (450; $1-$1.75)— 

“Magnificent Seven” (Col) (6th 


wk). Fifth week finished, Sunday 
(23) to fine $6,000; fourth stanza ' 
$7,000. “Albert Schweitzer” (Indie) 
due in next, 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 79-$1.80) 
—“King and Four Queens” (UA). 
First session winding tomorrow 
(Thurs.) looks to hit big $27,000 or 


Normandie TTrans-Lux) (592; 95- 
$1.80)—“Rebecca” (20th) (reissue) 
(5th wk-8 days). Looks like fair 
$2,800 after same in fourth. “La 
Sorciere” (Ellis) opens tomorrow 
(Thurs.). 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,665; $1- 
$2)—“Wrong Man” (WB). First ses¬ 
sion opened last Saturday (22), 
with great $34,000 in first four 
days. In ahead, “Love Me Tender” 
(20th) (5th wk-9 days), $17,000 
after $15,000 for fourth regular 
week. 

Paris (Pathe) (568; 90-$1.80)— 
“Silent World” (Col) (14th wk). 
The 13th stanza finished Sunday 

(23) was good $5,000; 12th was 

$ 6 , 000 . 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke¬ 
fellers) (6,200; 95-$2.85) — “Tea¬ 

house of August Moon” (M-G) and 
annual Christmas stageshow (4th 
wk). Current session ending today 
(Wed.) looks to soar to mighty 
$175,000 with three extra-show 
days helping. Stays indef. Third 
week was $165,000, hurt a bit by 
Monday-Tuesday sag. All reserved 
seats for New Year’s Eve show 
sold out before Dec. 1. 

Rivoli (UAT) (1,545; $1.25-$3.50) 
—“Around World in 80 Days” 
(Todd-AO) (10th wk). Current ses¬ 
sion ending next Friday (28) looks 
socko $50,800, capacity; 3 extra 
matinees and 3 added morning 
shows helping. The ninth Week 
usual SRO (10 shows) hits $34,000. 

Plaza (Brecher) (525; $1.50-$2)— 
“Lust For Life” (M-G) (15th wk). 
The 14th round completed Monday 

(24) was lusty $9,000. The 13th 
week was $9,100. 

Roxy (Nat’l) (5.717; $1.25-$2.50) 
—“Anastasia” (20th) With Christ¬ 
mas stageshow (2d wk). First hold¬ 
over frame ending tomorrow 
(Thurs.) looks to reach wow $134,- 
000, bolstered, of course, by lifting 
of pre-Xmas pressure. First was 
$103,000. Holds indef. 

State (Loew) • (3,450: 78-$1.75)— 
“Hollywood or Bust” (Par). Opened 
big last Saturday (22) with en¬ 
couraging upbeat starting yester¬ 
day (Tues.). Holds of course. In 
ahead, “Julie” (M-G) (4th wk-10 
days), okay $15,000, but very nice 
run here. 

Sutton (R&B) (561: 95-$1.75) — 
“Secrets of Life” (BV) (6th wk). 
Fifth week ended Monday (24) was 
good $6,500; fifth stanza was 
$7,000. “Great Man” (U) scheduled 
to come in next. 

Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540: $1- 
$1.50)—“La Strada” (T-L) (24th 
wk). The 23d week completed Sun¬ 
day (23) was smash $8,000..,The 22d 
week was $6,600. Stays on. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1.060: 50-$2) 
—“Baby Doll” (WB) (2d wk). Ini¬ 
tial session ended last night (Tues.) 
terrific $51,000 or near. Teed off 
with special preem last Tuesday 
(18). Last week, “Solid Gold Cadil¬ 
lac” (Col) (8th wk), good $12,000 
in 6Vfe days and a great longrun. 

Warner (Cinerama) (1,600: $1.20- 
$3.50)—“Seven Wonders of World” 
(Cinerama) (38th wk). The 37th 
stanza ended Saturday (22) smash 
$37,800; 36th was $41,600. Current 
(38th) week will have 30 perform¬ 
ances. 


‘Teu C’s’ Terrif $28,000, 
Cincv: ‘Wagons’ Rugged 
12G, ‘ftueens’ Heu 10G 

Cincinnati, Dec. 25. 
Smash onening of “Ten Com¬ 
mandments” and holidav lift are 
brightening first-runs this week, 
with all new bills downtown. 
“Hollywood or Bust” shapes as 
okay at Albee while “Westward Ho 
the Wagons” at Keith’s is fancy. 
“King and Four Oueens” looms a 
winner at the Palace. “Seven 
Wonders of World” is rebounding 
from ore-Noel slump. 

Estim»*es for This Week 
Albee (RKO) (3.100: 75-$1.25)— 
“Hollvwood or Bust.” (Par). Good 
$12,000. Last week. “Giant” (WB) 
(5th wk). at 90-$L50 scale. $8,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp) (1.- 
376: $1 70-$2.65> — “Seven Won¬ 
ders” (Cinerama) (29th wk). Solid 
$15 000 after last week’s $9,500 
windun of nrp-Yuie dip. 

Grand (BKO) (1.400: $1.25-$2.75) 
—“Ten Commandments” (Par). 

(Continued on page 18) _ 



12 


UfiistETr 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 



“lose Ferrer and Universal have done themselves 
proud with a powerful drama...no punches pulled... 


adult, racy...Anyone who likes to get solidly entertained, 
and millions of people do, will find this film a richly 
satisfying evening..! ” motion picture herald 

“...holds strong emotional appeal...should Interest 
and entertain adult audiences., I” showmen's trade review 


and ED WYNN with JIISI-BACKUS • RUSS MORGAN • ROBERT FQULK 











14 


INTERNATIONAL 


KasheIty 


Fewer Big Grosses at French Film 
B.O. in ’55-’56 But Overall Take Holds 


jrans, u ec. jo. 

The 1955-1956 film season 
showed that if there were not as 
many films as in the previous year 
taking in over $300,000 at firstrun 
Paris and key city spots (Bordeaux, 
J,yon, Lille, Marseilles} Nancy, 
Strasbourg, Toulouse) there Were 
more pix getting better than $90,- 
000 compared to 1954-55 or 132 
to 99. Hence, this has evened up 
the score, making about the Same 
b.o. returns. However, rising pro¬ 
duction costs were not entirely 
balanced by hiked admission 
prices, which still makes special 
Film Aid Funds necessary until 
foreign i income can overcome this 
deficit. 

Of the 132 pix making over $90,- 
000 at French first-runs, 45% were 
French and 40% American, with 
the others spread among Gallic 
co-productions — Germany, Eng¬ 
land, Sweden, Spain. Of the 15 pix 
which topped the $300,000 mark, 
10 were French, three American 
and two Italian. 

There was an increase in color 
films among the big grossers, with 
about 50% tinters. The new big 
screen process pix were also upped 
to 38%. On distribution, the main 
top-grossing features were divided 
among 22 Gallic distrib outfits, 
seven U.S. companies and two An¬ 
glo setups. Check of the past foul 
years shows pix are in the costum¬ 
er or strictly entertainment cate¬ 
gory despite the emphasis here on 
quality production for overseas’ 
appeal. Comedy clicks included 
“Roman Holiday” (Par), Rene 
Clair’s “Les Belles De Nuit” and 
“To Catch a Thief” (Par). 

Toppers in receipts for the 1955- 
56 season at the first-runs were 
Rene Clair’s “Les Grandes Manou-' 
evres,” $732,000; “Le Monde De 
Silence,” $562,000; “Continent 
Perdu,” $546,000; “20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea” <BV), $486,000; ^To 
Catch A Thief” (Par), $468,000 and 
reissued “Gone With the Wind” 
(M-G), $459,000, via pop prices. 

Other Yank pix in the money 
Included “Lady and Tramp” (BV), 
“Vera Cruz” (UA), “Trouble With 
Harry” (Par), “Gold Rush” (UA) 
(reissue), “Bridges at .Toko-Ri” 
(Par), “Rose Tattoo” (Par), “Van¬ 
ishing Prairie” (BV), “Helen ol 
Troy” (WB). “We’re No Angels’’ 
(Par), “Desperate Hours” (Par) 
and “Summertime” 

In the $165,000 to $123,000 cate¬ 
gory were 15 other American films. 
U.S. films seem to be holding their 
own while the Gallic pix again de¬ 
note the truth of the old adage that 
a good French film will outgross a 
good foreign pic. 


French Producers Move 
Closer to Supplanting 
Centre Cinema’s Setup 

Paris, Dec. 18. 

At a special meeting of the Syn¬ 
dicate of Film Producers and Ex¬ 
porters, a report of Henri Frenay, 
nominal head of the Syndicate of 
Film Producers, took another swipe | 
at the powefrs of the governmental 
Centre Du Cinema though not 
specifying directly. 

Powwow was aimed at collecting 
the various syndicates in .all facets 
of film production into one body, 
via special reps. Also to discuss 
the moves necessary for better film 
amortization and making up a new 
Syndicate to rep primarily tjiose 
responsible for a full film program, 
the feature producers, short sub¬ 
ject makers and newsreel compa¬ 
nies. 

. What it boils down to is a de¬ 
mand to have, this new organiza¬ 
tion imbued with the powers neces¬ 
sary to insure the best film condi¬ 
tions and b.o. returns possible. 
This is now handled by the CNC. 
It is now felt this means less gov¬ 
ernmental censorship, right to 
charge what the market will bear 
over the presently frozen admish 
scale and the right to bring back 
double features where thought 
feasible. 

It was made clear that the gov¬ 
ernment shall still act as arbitrator 
in any intramural film arguments, 
and maintain various regulatory 
aspects of authority (visas for for¬ 
eign pix, checks on the b.o., for¬ 
eign film accords etc.). Although 
still not -evident in intentions oi 
desires, it emerges as another step 
in the industry determination to 
cut down the CNC to mainly an 
advisory body. 



To Make Pic for India 

Rome, Dec. 18. 

Roberto Rossellini has arrived in 
Bombay to begin four months of 
work on his new film, “The Land 
Donor,” which he is making at the 
invitation of the Indian government 
under the UNESCO program. The 
film will be an Italian-French co¬ 
production between Aniene Film 
of Rome and UGC of Paris. 

Upon completion of this film, 
Rossellini plans to visit China 
where he has an offer to do a pic. 
His wife, Ingrid Bergman, remains 
in Paris where she is starring in 
the French legiter, “Tea and Sym¬ 
pathy.” 


Rosy Xmas Report 
On French Fifans 

Paris,. Dec. 25. 

The governmental Centre Na¬ 
tional De La Cinematographic 
gave a fairly rosy picture of the 
current film industry setup in its 
holiday bulletin, and allayed the 
recent crisis complaints that set 
the whole industry up in arms. All 
this has been relaxed somewhat 
since producers have finally re¬ 
alized that things are not too bad 
after all. 

CNC, taking the first half of 
1956 as its base, showed that in 
that time almost as much was 
spent for the films as for- all of 
1955, and that the number of films 
made also went up 30%. Costs for 
’56 came to about $294,000 for the 
average Gallic pic and $636,000 per 
coproduction. Costs per film went 
up about 33% during the year and 
raised admission prices and grow¬ 
ing foreign income still could not 
completely amortize the film setup, 
and it called for a Film Fund bal¬ 
ance of $54,000,000. 

French overall take of the gross 
receipts is continually going up 
and still takes the greatest per¬ 
centage of any other big filmgoing 
•coujitry on the Continent. For the 
first half of this year, France had 
5l% of all the tickets sold going 
to its own films, and the U.S. take 
was down to about 31.7%. 

Although foreign marts are 
growing, they are still not doing it 
fast enough. The good showing 
this year of French films in the 
U.S. has the Galiic eye on that 
market. French are determined to 
get greater “depth” distrib there. 
Recent foraging of many U.S. ex¬ 
hibs here in taking pix for out¬ 
right dubbed usage in general sit¬ 
uations also has sparked Gallic 
hopes. Jacques Flaud, who heads 
the CNC, goes to the U.S. this 
month for a looksee of the situa¬ 
tion there. 


Sainval Sues Brasseur 
For Leaving Paris Hit 

Paris, Dec. 25. 

Claude. Sainval, director of the 
legit theatre Comedie Des Champs 
Elysees, is closing down his house, 
with the hit Jean Anhouilh play 
“Ornifle,” while he sues star Pierre 
Brasseur. He claims Brasseur an- 
kied the top role without sufficient 
warning or proper motivation. 
Sainval claims that the actor gave 
notice to leave the show to make a 
film, “Porte De Lilas,” with Rene 
Clair. 

Though Sainval took Jean Mar- 
tinelli to do the role, for he had 
filled in last season during Bras- 
seur’s vacation, he felt that the 
lack of the Brasseur name was too 
much of a detriment, and he de¬ 
cided to fold the play and bring 
court proceedings. Doing this dur¬ 
ing the lucrative holiday season is 
unheard of, and hints how deter¬ 
mined Sainval is. Court action 
takes place this week. Also named 
by Sainval is director Clair. 

Anouilh has another play, “Pau- 
vre Bitos,” running and probably 
feels he will get even more biz for 
it during the halt of “Ornifle.” 
Brasseur claims he was to leave 
the play in November but stayed 
on longer until a successor was 
chosen. Clair feels he is not in¬ 
volved. 


BCFC Sets Jap Distrib 

London, Dec. 18. 

Arrangements Jiave been made 
between the directors of the Brit¬ 
ish Commonwealth Film Corp., and 
N. Kawakita of TOWA Film Corp. 
for the distribution of a number of 
British pictures throughout Japan. 

The new agreement, which runs 
for several years, comes into oper¬ 
ation April 1, 1957. BCFC is oper¬ 
ated on behalf of the British Film 
Producers Assn. 


18 Itaio Films 
Currently In 
Prod.; 8 Away 

Rome, Dec. 18. 

. Eighteen Italian films are cur¬ 
rently in production, 10 being made 
in Italy and eight abroad. In some 
cases the latter are co-productions 
with • Spain or France. In addi¬ 
tion, there is the American film, 
“Boy On A Dolphin.” which Jean 
Negulesco is completing for 20th- 
Fox at Cinecitta. 

•Top Italian pix are “Souvenir 
d’ltalie,” first Italian film to be 
lensed' in 55m Technirama, now be¬ 
ing completed at Cinecitta with 
Vittorio DeSica and a group, of in¬ 
ternational starlets under the meg- 
ging of Antonio Pietrangeli, and 
“II Grido” IThe Cry), which Mi¬ 
chelangelo Antonioni is directing. 
Steve Cochran, Betsy Blair and 
Alida Valli are starred. It is cur¬ 
rently doing exteriors at Ferrara. 
Two other films are on location in 
Italy and the others are in process 
of camera work at three other 
Roman studios. 

Many Italian producers are try¬ 
ing to prepare their films now in 
anticipation of a possible jam for 
studio space in the spring when 
Figaro’s “The Quiet American” 
and Batjac’s “Legend of the Lost,” 
both for United Artists ? release: 
Selzhick’s “A Farewell to Arms” 
for 20th-Fox, and DeLaurentiis’ 
“The Sea Wall” for Columbia re¬ 
lease, all will be shooting here. 
with American players. 


<■ .Industry Honored At 
25th AnniObservance 

Mexico City, Dec. 25. 

All pioneers of the Mexican film 
| trade were singularly honored by 
local pix -business and fhe govern¬ 
ment on the 25th anni of the start 
of the industry here with the pro¬ 
duction of a talking pip in 1931. 
The survivor pioneers were award¬ 
ed gold medals and diplomas as 
well as special insigna atf a con¬ 
clave presided over by Labor Sec¬ 
retary Adolfo Lopez Mateos at the 
Cine Versalles here which the Na¬ 
tional Cinematographic Industry 
Workers Union (STIC) owns and 
operates. 

The medals and diplomas went 
to Alex Phillips, vet lenser; Cana¬ 
dian army signal corpsman of the 
first world war, Alfonso and Luis 
Sanchez Tello; Louis Garcia, 
Richardo Beltri, Regino Carlenas, 
Salvador Martinez, Sara Herrera, 
Martin Caballero, Luis G. Rubin, 
Antonio Peon, Ignacio Arboleda, 
:Agustin Perez and Aniceto- Ortega. 

Those given insignas were An¬ 
tonio Moreno and Lupita Tovar, 
director and star, respectively, of 
the talker “Santa” (Saintess), tale 
of a prostie by the late top novel¬ 
ist, Federico Gamboa. 

* Miss Tovar and Moreno were 
tendered a banquet over which 
Congressman Jorge Ferritis, chair¬ 
man of the National Cinemato¬ 
graphic Board, presided. 

Delfont Revue Set 

For Jan. 24 Preem 

London, Dec. 18. 

A new Bernard Delfont revue, 
“Champagne Punch,” opens at the 
Pigalle Restaurant, Piccadilly, on 
Jan. 24. The show follows “Pink 
Champagne,” which has run al¬ 
most a year, and closes Dec. 31. 
Between the closing of the current 
show and the preeming of the new 
one, there will be a three-week in¬ 
ternational cabaret season. 

Casting for the cabaret 1 season 
has not yet been completed, but 
spots already filled include Ameri¬ 
can illusionist Channing Pollock, 
the Three Kaye Sisters, and the 
1 Woolf Philips orch. 


'VARIITY'*' LONDON OPPICB 
I »t. Pliei< Tr«f«lg»r lquir» _ 

British SPCA Hans Parliamentary 
Airing of Squawks on Annual Acts 


Busman’s ’Holiday’ For 
Ford in Naval Reserves 

Honolulu, Dec. 18. 

It’s a busman’s “holiday” in 
Hawaii, for. John Ford. He volun¬ 
teered for 30 days active Naval 
Reserve duty to jnake a pilot film, 
first of a scheduled 20 reels of 30- 
minute pix designed to show sail¬ 
ors the traditions ef the naval ser¬ 
vice. 

Initial pic is being filmed aboard 
the submarine Queenfish at Pearl 
Harbor. C. JR. Eaton, who heads 
the navy’s combat camera group 
here, says his men are learning 
plenty from the vet director. 

CEA Still Fears 
Extended Dates 

London, Dec. 18. 

- The fear that extended-playing 
time could lead to widespread shut¬ 
tering of subsequent-run theatres, 
expressed at a joint meeting with 
distributors, was echoed ax last 
week’s, meeting of the general 
council of the Cinematograph Ex¬ 
hibitors Assn. Both parties have 
agreed to further talks in a bid to 
resolve the situation. 

An additional complication aris¬ 
ing from • the alteration of the 
standard booking pattern for the 
industry was also noted by exhib 
reps at the joint talks and support¬ 
ed by their own council members. 
That concerned the question of 
• quota relief which had already 
been upset in cases where theatres 
had altered their policy to book 
20th-Fox product on extended-play¬ 
ing terms. * At a CEA-KRS meet¬ 
ing it was suggested that this as¬ 
pect would have to be considered 
in the light of the new quota legis¬ 
lation. 

The current controversy stems 
from the 20th-Fox policy in de¬ 
manding extended engagements on 
the initial release of “King and I.” 
Although the distributors had put 
in evidence to show that* it had 
paid off, not only for themselves, 
but also for the theatres concerned, 
some exhibs are still tagging it a 
misguided policy, which, in the 
long run, would reduce total rev¬ 
enue, thereby automatically put¬ 
ting some theatres out of business 
and cutting grosses of distributors 
and producers. 

One exhib at the CEA council 
meeting claimed he had document¬ 
ary evidence which proved that 
where theatre shutterings had al¬ 
ready taken place, the patronage 
was not spread over the remaining 
picture houses. He argued that* 
exhibitors were entitled at all times 
to a say in how a film should be 
run and it was not seemly to allow 
distributors, individually or collec¬ 
tively, to lay down the pattern. 

It was pointed out by another 
delegate to the general council 
that it was not the circuits, but the 
indie theatres which were playing 
extepded-runs. The contracts ne¬ 
gotiated by the distribs required 
the consent of the exhibitor and 
those exhibs were doing what they 
considered to be right in their own 
interests. ^ 


More Harmony Between 
Two Mex Film Unions 

Mexico City, Dec. 18. 

The film labor unions, the Na¬ 
tional Cinematographic Industry 
Workers (STIC) and the Picture 
Production Workers > (STPC), are 
getting along better than , ever 
since their recent peace pact was 
inked. STIC has turned over ex¬ 
clusive rights to STPC to produce 
feature-length pix. Both unions 
had fought bitterly over that right. 
STIC now feels that it has enough 
to do making documentaries and 
shorts. 

Brass of both unions brand as 
“utterly without foundation” re¬ 
ports -that the two organizations 
will consolidate. The execs explain 
that they deem two separate 
unions best for the trade and its 
I labor members. 


London, Dec. 18. 

Some time in the not so distant 
future, the Royal Society for Pre¬ 
vention of Cruelty to Animals 
hopes to have, its beef against per¬ 
forming animal acts aired in Par¬ 
liament. If all goes well for them, 
such forms of entertainment will 
be either banned or strictly con¬ 
trolled. With the support of sev¬ 
eral members of Parliament, the 
Society feels it may press home 
its views strongly enough to 
change the pattern of circus en¬ 
tertainment and performing ani¬ 
mal acts on stage via a statutory 
ruling which would outlaw this 
form of entertainment. 

For many years, reports, facts, 
figures and other data have been 
collected by the Society's London 
headquarters, all contributing to 
a bulky dossier to support its view 
that it is wrong for animals to 
do anything which is unnatural 
from their normal way .of life. 

A Society spokesman stated his 
organization had been informed 
about cruel treatment and inade¬ 
quate quarters for the animals. 
So far, although it has kept close 
watch on the acts, the RSPCA has 
taken little action other than to 
make public appeals for the aboli¬ 
tion of entertainment provided by 
animals. However, it has been ac¬ 
tive on many occasions when it 
found that the animals were not 
being properly cared for or were 
confined in cages which were too 
small. Its action has resulted In 
many convictions. 

The Society’s latest appeal is in 
the form of illustrated ads in the 
London press showing a tiger sit¬ 
ting in a cage barely large enough 
to allow it to stand u£. 


Number of Yauk Films 
Played by Swiss In 
3 Mos. Down Slightly 

Zurich, Dec. 18. 

The first three months ending 
Nov. 30 in the Swiss film season 
show that the number of U.S. re¬ 
leases in the five key cities (Zur¬ 
ich, Basle, Berne, Geneva and 
Lausanne) are off slightly in favor 
of European product. The 185 
Yank releases totalled 256 weeks 
of playing time stand against 204 
European releases adding up to 
380 weeks. This indicates the lat¬ 
ter’s better holdover strength. 

Metro holds the top spot among 
American distribs with 34 releases, 
closely followed by 20th-Fox with 
31 pix; Next on the list are Co¬ 
lumbia, Warner Bros.,, Universal 
and Paramount. 

As in previous years, Gallic 
product paces European films re¬ 
leased in Switzerland with 101 pix. 
It is way ahead of its nearest com¬ 
petitor, Germany, with Italy and 
Britain next in that order. U.S. 
pix which fared well at the wickets 
so ‘far include “High Society” 
(M-G), “Man in Gray Flannel Suit” 
(20th) and “Rebel Without Cause” 
(WB). 

Cortines Tourist Fund Of 
$4,000,000 for Mexico 

Mexico City, Dec. 18. 

The, decree of President Adolfo 
Ruiz Cortines providing for a fund 
to guarantee and stimulate tour¬ 
ism, with the initial contribution 
by-the government of $4,000,000, 
has been enacted. The remainder 
of the fund will be provided by 
donations by state and municipal 
governments and private interests. 
The coin will be used to stimulate 
the development of existing tourist 
centers, provide new ones and 
otherwise boost the number of 
trippers to Mexico. 

The fund will be managed by 
the Nacional Financiers, the gov¬ 
ernment’s fiscal agency* It is be¬ 
ing counted on to make tourism 
more of a top industry down here. 

Though the number of tourists, 
mostly Americans, entering Mexico 
during the first nine months this 
year was 5% lower than during 
the same period of 1955, visitors 
this year were much better spend¬ 
ers, according to government 
sources. 

There were 407,539 visitors who 
had checked in this year up to last 
Sept. 30 and spent $341,573. This 
compares with 427,019 trippers ana 
$282,176 spent during the compa¬ 
rable 1955 period. 



Wednesday, December 26 , 195 6 


t^AlRIETY 


•m 


k...'r ..r 


DRAW! 


BOB GOLDSTEIN PRODUCTIONS 
presents 

Hugh 

O'briai 

NANCY GATES 
RAYMOND BURR 



TV's “Favorite 
Western Star of the 
Year"-Wyatt Earp 
blasts the screen 
with gun-hot fury! 


MM 






REBA TASSELL 


DONALD MACDONALD 

ROBERT BURTON • EDDIE FIRESTONE 

Injlnal Stay by GEORGE ZUCKERMAN and JESS ARNOLD • Screenplay by DON MARTIN 

Executive Producer BOB GOLDSTEIN * Produced by HERMAN COHEN * Directed by GERD OSWALD 



4U 

















Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


ISAnmfr 


17 



uiSk 


WITH CRITICS! 


“Highest rating” Daily News • “Ingrid Bergman’s performance' 
worthy of an Academy Award” New York Times • “An 
achievement!” Life Magazine • “Ingrid Bergman’s magnificent 
performance and her glowing beauty have inspired the 
enthusiasm of critics” Walter Winchell • “If Brynner isn’t 
nominated for an Academy Award there is no justice” 

Louella O. Parsons • “I’d like to nominate both Ingrid Bergman 
and Helen Hayes for Academy Awards” Hedda Hopper 


WITH EXHIBITORS! 

Biggest pre-Christmas openings ever! Watch, first dates in 
East —Roxy, New York; West —Chinese, Los Angeles; 

South —Three theatres, Miami; Midwest —Oriental, Chicago! 



20:" Century-Fox. 

INGRID 

BERGMAN 




YUL 

BRYNNER 

HELEN 

HAYES 



WITH THE PUBLIC! 


Anastasia 

COLOR by OE LUXE 

CinemaScop£ 

*-,th AKIM TAMIROFF ■ MARTHA HUNT • FELIX AYLMER 
Produced by Directed by 

BUDDY ADLER • ANATOLE LITVAK 

Screenplay by 

ARTHUR LAURENTS 







18 


PICTURES 




Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Standoffish Distrib Attitude On 
Allied’s Re-Warmed Arbitration 

Member companies of. the Motion 4 ' -—: ——————— 

Picture Assn, of America are adopt¬ 


ing a new, tough attitude toward 
Allied States, which through'the 
years has been “cross to 

bear.” 

Situation relates specifically to 
Allied’s new proposal for, an in¬ 
dustry arbitration system and the 
indicatfon that this exhibitor out¬ 
fit wants back, in the membership 
of the Council of Motion Picture 
Organizations.” 

Re arbitration, industry execs 
and^ lawyers spent years in trying 
to work out a unanimously accept¬ 
able formula for ironing out trade 
dispjutes. But the efforts added 
up to nothing accomplished when 
Allied finally walked away from 
the conference tables. Allied in¬ 
sisted on making film rentals arbi¬ 
trable and the companies felt they 
couldn’t give in on this point. 

Distributor sources this week 
said that despite Allied’s new pro¬ 
posal for an arbitration plan they’ll 
sho wno haste in starting another 
round of meetings. Before they do 
this ,the companies want proof that 
Allied is acting in “good faith.” 
Further, right at the start Allied 
will be called upon to agree to 
terms of paying for the arbitration 
system and to give ground on all 
areas where there have been ma¬ 
jor differences in past. 

In other words, the distribs feel 
any new meetings likely would 
amount to just so much wasted mo¬ 
tion unless there’s a clear under¬ 
standing that Allied, right at the 
start, will be in a ‘cooperative” 
mood. And this? it’s apparent, en¬ 
tails a film Allied commitment to 
pay its share of the arbitration j 
tfostsi 

So far as COMPO is concerned, j 
the film companies, who pick up 
the check for 50% of the opera¬ 
tional expenses, want similar “good 
faith” assurances from Allied. Be¬ 
cause of the veto power held by all 
COMPO members, Allied, if it is 
to resume its COMPO, membership, 
freely could block programs whioh j 
all other industry segments are - 
agreed on. Consequently, one mem¬ 
ber in a sense could dictate 
COMPO policy. . { 

The distribs want to make cer¬ 
tain that Allied will be more-con¬ 
formist and less dissident if the 
theatre association Rejoins COMPO. 


U.S. Tele Finally Set 

For GIs in Germany 

Wiesbaden, Dec. 18.' 

American television, long re¬ 
ported as due to come to entertain 
U.S. troops stationed in Europe, 
is finally on its way in. The United 
States Air Force in Europe, head¬ 
quartered here, has officially an¬ 
nounced that final negotiations 
have been completed between the 
U.S. and the German government, 
whieh had to give final okay and 
assign the operating frequencies. 
Tele in Germany is due to start 
at two stations early next year. 

One tv station will be at Birburg, 
to serve the surrounding cities like 
Spangdahlem where U.S. troops 
are stationed, and the other sta¬ 
tion will be at Landstuhl, to serve 
troops at Ramstein and Sembach as 
well. Both will be limited power 
stations. Shows can be received on 
standard U.S. tele sets with a’ spe¬ 
cial converter, which will be on 
sale- at Air Force exchanges in 
Germany. 

Most of the shows to be screened 
here will be kinescopes of big net¬ 
work shows from the United States. 
The stations will be manned by Air 
Force personnel and German tech¬ 
nicians. 

This now makes a total of four 
. tele stations operating for U.S. 
troops in Europe, the other two 
being at Wheelus Air Base in 
Libya and at_Dhahran, Saudi 
Arabia. 


Top Mex Exhib to Produce 

Mexico City, Dec. 18. 

Film business is currently so 
good in Mexico that Gabriel Alar¬ 
con, head of the Cadena de Oro 
(Golden ,Chain) circuit, has can¬ 
celled plans for a long business 
trip to Europe, to add production 
next year to his exhibit activities. 

He said he has $2,400,000 avail¬ 
able to produce pix during 1957. j 


Director Crowded Out 

Hollywood, Dec, 25. 

There have been closed sets 
ever since the picture busi¬ 
ness started, but Charles 
Schneer must be the first pro¬ 
ducer who couldn’t get onto his 
own set. 

Schneer is producing “Hell¬ 
cats of the Navy” for Colum¬ 
bia and the film has been lens- 
ing at San Diego Naval Train¬ 
ing Center, with much of the 
action centered in the con¬ 
ning tower of a submarine. 
Pic company was using the" 
sub Steelhead whose conning 
tower normally has a capac¬ 
ity of 16 men. Filming re¬ 
quires 18 members of cast 
and crew, plus camera and 
sound equipment. 

Unable to see what was go¬ 
ing on, Schneer finally had 
sound recorder Harry Foy set 
up a spare battery amplifier 
on the dock so that he could 
at least hear the progress of 
his production. 


Brit. Exbibs’ New 
Worry: Pix on TV 

Edinburgh, Dec. 18. 

The BBC will not be satisfied 
with the 20 films agreed for their 
tv service by the cinema trade, ac¬ 
cording to local exhib Jim Poole. 

“Before we know Where we are, 
there is the possibility of 120 films 
being released,” he told a meeting 
of exhibs here. “This is something 
which vitally affects the exhibitors’ 
interests. , 

“The price we will get per film 
I don’t know, but it has been haz¬ 
arded at $9,000. If films were put 
out on release, the return would be 
more than that.” 


Italy Honors Negulesco 

Rome, Dec. 18. 

Jean Negulesco, who has just 
completed shooting “Boy On A 
Dolphin” in Rome, was honored 
last night (ID at a dinner given 
him by the High Commission on 
Tourism, via a plaque lauding the 
impetus he gave Italian tourism 
with “Three Coins In Fountain.” 

The plaque was presented by 
Commissioner Vittorio Romani at a 
dinner attended by American press 
correspondents at the Hosteria 
dell’ Orso. 


Schenectady Sans Erie 

Albany, Dec. 25. 

Erie in Schenectady operated in 
recent years by Fabian Theatres, 
on lease from W. W. Farley and 
the Farley Estate, as a motion pic¬ 
ture theatre, with occasional road 
shows and local stage productions 
has been darkened, preparatory to 
demolishing for use of the site as 
a parking lot. 

Mayor Samuel S. Stratton had 
suggested that the city take over 
the 40-odd-year-old house and con¬ 
vert it into a municipal*audtorium. 
but a study committee advised 
against this, considering' the cost 
of acquisition and reconversion ex¬ 
cessive. 


San Francisco’s Critics 
Make like Themselves, 
Pick Year-End‘Bests’ 

San Francisco,. Dec. 25. 

Frisco Critics Council, composed 
of drama editors of five big Frisco 
area dailies; have named “Lust for 
Life” best film of the year with 
“Moby Dick” and “Baby Doll” run¬ 
ners-up. 

Award for best actress went to 
Carroll Baker (“Baby Doll”) and 
for best actor to Kirk Douglas 
(“Lust for Life”), with Paul New¬ 
man (“Somebody Up There Likes 
Me”) and Eli Wallach (“Baby 
Doll”) also considered. 

Other winners: 

Best musical—“The King and I”; 

Best actress in a musical—Deb¬ 
orah Kerr (“The King and I”); 

Best actor in a musical—Yul 
Brynner (“The King and I”); 

Best foreign film—“La Strada”; 

Best foreign film actress—Giul- 
ietta Massina (“La Strada”); 

Best foreign film actor—Jack 
Hawkins (“The Prisoner”). 

In the legit categories, “Inherit 
the Wind” was named best play, 
with “The Lark” runner-up. Julie 
Harris (“The Lark’) was named 
best actress and Melvyn Douglas 
(“Inherit the Wind) best actor. 

Best legit musical'was Frisco- 
Los Angeles Civic Light Opera’s 
“Rosalinda” and- best actress in a 
musical was Gretchen Wyler (“Silk 
Stockings”). Best actor in a musi¬ 
cal was Bobby Clark (“Damn Yan-, 
kees”), 

Marcel Marceau got an “honor¬ 
able mention” for his pantomirhe; 

Critics called “The Conqueror” 
the most disappointing film of the 
year and “Will Success Spoil Rock 
Hunter”? the most disappointing 
play. 

Frisco Examiner’s Hortense 
Morton Was elected council presi¬ 
dent. Other members are Bob 
Hall, Call-Bulletin; Paine Knicker¬ 
bocker, Chronicle; Emilia Hodel, 
News, and Teresa Loeb Conem 
Oakland Tribune, 


Picture Grosses 


DENVER 

(Continued from page 10) 

Left Behind” (WB) arid “River 
Changes” (WB), $11,000. 

Esquire (Fox) (742; 70-90)—“Ali 
Baba” (Indie). Good $3,000. Last 
week, on reissues. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 70-90)— 
“Rock, Rock, Rock” (DCA) and 
“Man Is Armed” (Rep). Mild 
$7,000. Last week, “Port Afrlque” 
(Col) and “White Squaw” (Col), 
$5,000. 

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200; 70- 
90)—“King and Four Queens” (UA) 
and “Running Target” (UA). Big 
$18,000 or over. Last week, “Man. 
from Del Rio” (UA) and “Flight to 
Hong Kong” (UA), $9,000. 

Tabor (Fox) (930; $1.25-$2) — ’ 
“Oklahoma” (Magna) (10th wk). 
Good $5,000. Last week, $5,500. 


. CINCINNATI 

(Continued from page 11) 
Smash $28,000 in sight for kickoff 
of long run. Charlton Heston, one 
of film’s starrers, personalled 
opening, night. Last week, “Rock, 
Rock, Rock” (DCA) and “Scandal, 
Inc.” (Rep), at 75-$1.10 scale, 
$7,500 for 8 days. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1,5(10; 75-$1.25)— 
“Westward Ho Wagons” (BV). 
Swell $12,000. Last week, ‘®e- 
tween Heaven and Hell” (20th) (2d 
wk), 8 days, $6,000. 

Palace (RKO) (2,600; 75-$1.25)— 
“King and Four Queens” (UA). 
Pleasing $10,000. Last tfeek, “Girl 
He Left Behind?. (WB), $7,500. 


Proposes Invidious Comparison 

[FILMS, WITH OR WITHOUT ‘PLUGS’] 

Columbus, Dec. 25. 

Interesting experiment to prove that the public prefers its pic¬ 
tures straight, uninterrupted by commercials^ and in a theatre, is 
suggested by Bob Wile, executive secretary of the Independent 
Theatre Owners of Ohio, in the organization’s current bulletin. 
For the proposed test it's recommended that two theatres in the 
same town play the same picture at the same time. 

One house can play it at regular admissions without any inter¬ 
ruptions, Wile advises, while the other can sell screen ads to mer¬ 
chants to be put on every 20 minutes between reels. No admission 
is to be charged, but the revenue from advertising is to be re¬ 
garded as offsetting the usual take at the wicket. 

/‘We believe that in most communities,” Wile declared, “a large 
fraction, if not a majority, would go’ to the theatre and pay for 
not having any interruptions rather than see the picture chopped 
up as it is on television.” 


ProsePoem on Well-Run House 1 

Life is good in the Turtle Bay section of New York. It’s the most 
relaxed section in Gotham, to be sure. But life is good mostly be* 
cause on the perimeter of the area lies the RICO 58th St. Theatre, 
on Third Ave. It doesn’t matter what’s playing; on a double fea¬ 
ture bill, there’s bound to be one winner. Very often both screen 
offerings rate a better than passing grade. It’s one of the least 
rowdy houses in the town, on a day—Saturday—when many nabe 
theatres cater to juveniles with good prospects of becoming de* 
linquents. The refurbished house is well policed, clean all over 
including the large rest rooms. An old theatre of the circuit, 
it is having a kind of renascence. Maybe not at the b.o. now— 
but it-will before long. 

On Saturday, this trade reporter is strictly a peasant. It’s won¬ 
derful. Want to know, why? They serve coffee in the lobby. Not 
just coffee but good cdffee, well brewed. With lots of sugar. Lots 
of napkins. Lots of whistle-clean, stirring spoons. Two young ladies 
do the honors. You can have one cup, say, on.the way in, another 
when the trailer is on, and a third at the blowoff. Of course, one 
has to like coffee. When one does, he is this peasant of a Saturday 
afternoon at the RKO 58th St, Trau. 


. Reds Prod Paris on U. S. Pix 

Continued from page 7 _ 


report, but only if “the absolute 
maintenance of the national char¬ 
acter of each coproduced film” is 
assured. Also, the Council called 
for the organizing of “a real and 
definite European market” to in¬ 
clude “only those countries that 
produce and buy films of a certain 
standard. It would progressively 
assure liberal circulation of firms, 
monies and of technical and art¬ 
istic personnel, on a reciprocal 
basis, including the diplomatic and 
financial conditions in practice.” 

The Council found that the por¬ 
tion of the French aid fund going 
to exhibition, was too high “and 
the present disproportion can only 
grow worse.” It noted that no aid 
should go to houses engaged pri¬ 
marily in showing “foreign” films; 
and it urged modification of the 
law which permits aid to all 
French film without distinction. 
Feeling was that it was necessary 
to avoid “certain new dispositions 
that would favor the production of 
‘foreign films’ made in France, 
contrary to the spirit of the law 
and the wishes of the Legislator.” 

Improvement 1 

The Council noted improvements 
in French exports but called them 
“still insufficient’’ It commented 
on the small receipts in countries 
with big productions, such as the 
U. S., Britain, Italy, India, Japan, 
Mexico, etc. 

“It is abnormal and unjust that 
certain foreign countries are able 
to make , enormous receipts in 
France and can repatriate them... 
while their market rejects all re¬ 
ciprocal exchange and remains 
closed to French pictures,” the 
Council held. It then went on to 
define a “rational” export policy 
for the French, based on recipro¬ 
cal exchanges. “New agreements 
to this effect should be-concluded 
in the immediate future,” it said. 

The Council recommended gov¬ 
ernment aid to French export com¬ 
panies trying to sell French films 
abroad. “For' example,” it said, 
“in regard to the American mar¬ 
ket, impenetrable to French films, 
particular encouragement should 
be given to the French companies 
who would attempt opening this 
market with a university circuit. 
If this circuit would, financially 
speaking, bring no immediate prof¬ 
it (the justification for special aid) 
it would at least create customers 
for French pictures later, say in 
five or ten years.” 

Another recommendation cov¬ 
ered aid to French companies seek¬ 
ing to lease showcase theatres in 
the U. S. “Part of the aid to ex* 
hibitors could very well he used 
for the creation of such theatres,” 
the report held. m 

Noting a tightness of production 
credits in France, the Council en¬ 
couraged an increase- in enterprise 
capital, with official credits rising 
from the current one billion francs 
to three billion. Justification for 
this would be investment increases 
since 1941. 

Another method proposed is the 
raising of the dubbing tax* on cer¬ 
tain dubbed Imports to 3,800,000 
fr., following the Italian pattern. 
However, foreign films would be 
exempt from this tax “in a number 
equal to the number of French 
films actually distributed in each 
country.” The Council figured 120 
imports would be affected, mean* 
ing that there would be an income 
of some-360,000,000 fr. 

Said the Council of the various 
proposed methods: “They would 
practically solve the problem of di¬ 
rectly financing our production. 
Distributors would no longer have 
to play the role of a production 
banker, which now weighs on 


them, and which is really not their 
role. Distribution expenses would 
be lowered, as well as financial in¬ 
terest expenses.” In another sec¬ 
tion of the report, the Council 
noted that distribution was “prac¬ 
tically excluded” from aid bene-, 
fits even though it showed ? re¬ 
duction in its receipts after the 
Imposition of the two percent addi- 
tionartax in 1948 and 11% in 1956. 

‘Pleased to Have 
Yon In States’ 

There is considerable gratifica¬ 
tion In .the film biz this week over 
the news from Washington that 
steps have been taken to help Brit¬ 
ain solve her financial crisis, via a 
$1,300,000,000 loan from the In¬ 
ternational Monetary Fund. 

Britain is the industry’s most im¬ 
portant foreign market.’ It’s good 
for something like $2$,000,000 a 
yeaf in actual remittances. Most of 
what else is earned comes out in 
one way or another. 

It had been feared that the crisis 
in Britain, which has seen the coun¬ 
try’s gold and dollar reserves go 
down'by $279,000,000, might seri¬ 
ously affect Hollywood remittances, 
possibly vfa special restrictions on 
the outflow of dollars. There is 
no question now that, whatever as¬ 
sistance is granted to the British, 
tho Suez crisis will have a strong 
negative effect on foreign market 
remittances in 1957. 

" Adding to the problem is the fact 
that British grosses, at least for 
U. S. pix, are down by something 
like 11%. 

What concerns the Americans, 
too, is the still-to-be-determined 
definition of what constitutes a 
“British” picture in the^ sense of 
its qualification for subsidy from 
the British Eady fund. The British 
Quota Act, now apparently to be 
extended to 1968 without much 
change, defines what is or isn’t a 
British film under the quota'. How* 
ever it’s up to the Board of Trade 
to fix regulations that will deter¬ 
mine a pic’s status for Eady coin. 

Some in Britain have argued that 
Eady money should be restricted to 
“pure” British films, i.e., those with 
no American money, in them at all. 


U’$ Up-From-Ranks 

Continued from page 7 ,— 3 

from New Orleans salesman to St. 
Louis branch manager and Richard 
Gfraff from Chicago sales manager 
to Detroit branch manager. 

Sales manager promotions were 
those of Orville Ray from Jackson¬ 
ville office manager; Herbert Mar¬ 
tinez from Chicago salesman; Sid¬ 
ney Whiteman from Atlanta sales¬ 
man; Albert Kilkmeyer from Cin¬ 
cinnati salesman, and Edward 
Elder from Dallas salesman. 

Promotions to salesmen were 
those of Ernest Ziegler from home- 
office auditor; Philip Stanton from 
Seattle booker; Robert Miller from 
Washington booker; Ronald Mul¬ 
len from Salt Lake City booker 
and Hugh McKee from Oklahoma 
City office manager. 


14 U.S. Pix On Mex Dates .In Nov. 

Mexico City, Dec. 18. 

Of the 30 pix released here dur¬ 
ing November, 14 were American 
and eight were Mexican-made. 

Six were French films, while one 
Spanish and one German sound’eq 
out the total. 



Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


19 


PSkieUt 


WHO WILL BE THE NEXT 


\> 


VICTIM OF THE 


MAGAZINES? 



BROADWAY « 
STAR WHO 1 
WAS ONCE 
A DRUG 
addicts 


Millions of people get secret thrills' from the lurid pages revealing 
past mistakes of popular idols. Here’s the FIRST inside story of 
how they operate! Who spills the first hint of crime or illicit love 
affairs in the lives of the great or near-great? How is the''research” 
carried on? How are good people forced to become "informers”? 
See it all revealed in "SLANDER” a sensational, hard-hitting, 
no - punches - pulled dramatic expose! Made by M-G-M with the 
frankness and fearlessness of their memorable "Blackboard Jungle”! 


M-G-M presents VAN JOHNSON • ANN BLYTH • STEVE COCHRAN in “SLANDER”- co-starring 
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Directed by Roy Rowland • Produced by Armand Deutsch 


(Available In Perspecta Stereophonic of 1 Channel Sound) 



20 


PICTURES 




Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Columbia Looms as Restorer of U.S. 


TOA Committees, 1957 


Bachelor Fond of Movies 


Competition in Mexican-Made Pix 


Mexican film distribution field tac¬ 
tile U. S. may become competitive 
again. 

Columbia Pictures, which pro¬ 
duced in Mexico, is mulling the 
possibility of handling its own 
product in the American market. 
Col finances between 15 and 18 
Mexican features a year. 

A Columbia exec admitted last 
week that there was a “good pos¬ 
sibility” that the company would 
set up a special sales unit for its 
Mexican product. However, in ad¬ 
dition to the Mexican pix from its 
own stable, it’d also distribute 
other Mex product. Company has 
quite a backlog of films that 
haven’t been seen in the U. S. yet. 

Distribution of the Mex fare in 
the States for the moment is in the 
hands of the Cimex org, a Mexican 
outfit that is semi-government con¬ 
trolled. 

There have been strong indica¬ 
tions of late that the personnel set¬ 
up at Azteca’ may be changed in 
the near future. It’s currently un¬ 
der Sam Seidelman, who headquar¬ 
ters on the Coast. Nat Llebeskind 


Rasch Heads Azteca 

Herman Rasch of Mexico 
City has been named as the 
new president of Azteca Films 
which distributes Mexican 
product in the U. S. 

He replaces Sam Seidelman 
who has been Azteca topper 
for about a year. It’s under¬ 
stood that the board of Cimex, 
the Mexican org which con¬ 
trols Azteca, sharply criticized 
Seidelman. Ankling with Sei¬ 
delman is Nat Liebeskind 
who’s been in charge pf the 
N. Y. office. 

Egon Klein, formerly of Az¬ 
teca in New York/left for the 
Coast Saturday (21) for hud¬ 
dles with Rasch. There’s a 
possibility that Klein may 
again take over for Azteca in 
Gotham. 

Job takes on new impor¬ 
tance in the light of the Co¬ 
lumbia Pictures plan to enter 
"Mex film distribution in the 
U. S. 


is in charge of 4he N. Y. office. 
Apart from the fact that changes 
appear in the wind, ,no one seems 
to know just what is contemplated. 

It’s understood that, .if Col goes 
through with its distribution plan, 
it’ll be within the domestic distri¬ 
bution framework.' Chances are 
it’ll take the same shape as the Col 
arrangement with Edward L. 
Kingsley, who heads the com¬ 
pany’s foreign film unit. 


$28.70 Per Performance 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

In a deal set With the local 
projectionists union, boothmen 
working on Mike Todd’s 
“Around the World in 80 Days” 
will receive $28.70 per per- 
. formance or $172 per week at 
the Carthay Circle. 

The chief operator will re- 
' ceive $25 per week over the 
$172 minimum. The theatre 
must employ a swing manfor 
any performances over 12 
weekly. . 


HURTFUL LEGISLATION 
DUE IN MINNESOTA 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

This territory’s exhibitors are 
warned in the current North Cen¬ 
tral Allied bulletin that when the 
Minnesota state legislature con¬ 
venes next month there’ll he efforts 
to enact legislation harmful to ex¬ 
hibition. 

Among the proposals to be 
pushed, it’s declared, are an en¬ 
abling act to permit local admis¬ 
sion taxes, daylight saving and film 
censorship. 

Exhibitors are urged .to talk to 
their legislators between now and 
New Year’s to ascertain their feel¬ 
ings regarding these matters. It’s-| 
pointed out that NCA “has staved 
off unfavorable legislation these 
many years because of the loyalty 
of its members.” 


Kid Beaten in Theatre, 
Father Collects $750 

Albany, Dec. 25. 

Another odd claim against an area 
theatre was settled when Supreme 
Court Justice Donald S. Taylor, of 
Troy, signed an order permitting 
the father of an 11-year-pld Water- 
vleit boy to accept $600 from Fast 
Theatres Inc., owner of Proctor’s, 
Troy, for injuries suffered when 
four older lads beat the .child in 
the men’s rest room In August of 
1955. The father was also allowed 
$150 for medical expenses, from 
the Fabian subsidiary. 

The boy’s attackers were taken 
into custody later and brought into 
Rensselaer County Children’s 
Court. 


Theatre Owners of America 
prexy Ernest G. Stellings has 
named the following standing com- 
l-mittees ior ,1957. 

Organization and membership—George 
G. Kerasotes, Walter L. Morris, Burton I. 
Jones, Art Adamson. 

Research—E. D. Martin, Nat Williams. 
Walter Reade Jr.. Albert M. Flckus. Tom 
James. Elmer C. Rhoden. 

COMPO—-Samuel Pinanski, Fat McGee. 

Theatre Television — S. H. Fabian. 
MitcheU Wolfson. John Balaban. 

National legislation—A. Julian Brylaw- 
ski, Philip Harling. 

State and local legislation—E. Lamar 
Sarra. Robert E. Bryant, Uulda McGinn. 

Film reviewing—H. F. Kincey. 

Labor relations—Duncan R. Kennedy, 
PhUip Harling. 

Drive-In theatres —. Horace Denning. 
Michael Redstone. Albert Forman, Jack 
Braunagel, Douglas Amos. 

Building and safety codes—Henry An¬ 
derson, J. J. Rosenfielfl. 

Concessions—Bert Nathan, B. S. Con* 
viser, Fred A. Danz, Sylan Myers, J. C. 
Hoover. 

Theatre equipment and accessories— 
Joseph J. Zaro, Lucien E. Pope, Edwin 
Gage; 

Public relations—John W. Keller 2d, 
Donald Schine, Emil Bernstecker, Ralph 
E. McClanahan. Thornton Sargent. 

Insurance—Arthur H. Lockwood, Gene 
Lutes, Jack Wallens, Morton C. Tune, 
Morton Thalhlmer Sr. 

Legal advisory counsel—Herman M. 
Levy. 

Star of the year award committee— 
Elmer C. Rhoden, Arthur Lockwood. R. J. 
O’DonneU, Nathan Greer, J. B..Schuyler, 
Herman Hunt. 

Representatives to COMPO executive 
committee^-Samuel Pinanski,. Elmer C. 
Rhoden, S. H. Fabian, E. D. Martin. Mor¬ 
ton Thalhlmer Sr.» Myron N. Blank. 

Showmanship committee—Sam Rosen. 
Henry G. Plitt, L. J. Williams, Hal Barnes, 
James W. Gaylord, Andrew J. Sullivan, 
Conrad Brady, Dave Jones, Seymour L. 
Morris. M. B. Smith. 

President's host cojnmittee—Fred A. 
Danz, Joseph C. Emma, Arthur Rosen, 
C. L. Patrick. Paul L. Krueger, John H. 
Rowley. 

Stamp plan committee—Walter L. Mar- 
rls, Dabid Kamsky, Harold Field. 

Foreign films—Walter Reade Jr., Myron 
N. Blank, E. D. Martin, Marvin Goldman, 
Walter L. Morrlg, Carl E. Anderson. 

Real estate, tax and evaluation—Morton 
Thalhlmer Sr., Philip Harling. 

According to Stellings, additional com¬ 
mittees for special projects and assign¬ 
ments will be named as required to carry 
out TOA's program. 

NOW 6,000 MEMBERS 
IN ENGINEERS SOCIETY 

Edward M. Warnecke, eastern 
regional membership chairman for 
the Society of Motion Picture and 
Television Engineers for the past 
two years, has been named national 
membership chairman for 1957-58. 
He’ll succeed John W. DuVall. 

Warnecke, whose appointment 
was disclosed by president-elect 
Barton Kreuzer, noted that SMPTE 
membership over the past two 
years had climbed about 20% and 
now'exceeds 6,000. 


Tour Friendship For Exhlbs a Myth’ 


V/. R. Frank Turns Verbal Steam Hose on Ben 
Kalmenson of Warner Bros. 


CALLS ELVIS PRESLEY 
BAD XMAS BOOKING 

Bennington, Vt., Dec. 25. 

Parent-Teachers Assn, for Ben¬ 
nington’s Elementary School pro¬ 
tested against the Christmas show¬ 
ing of “Love Me Tender” at the 
General Stark Theatre. It did not 
object to the screening of the Elvis 
Presley picture, bqt only to “what 
Presley represents on Christmas 
Day.” Parents conducted a letter 
campaign to protest the scheduled 
showing. Also objected to the ex¬ 
hibition of a western and 10 car¬ 
toons at the village’s' theatre, the 
morning of Dec. 27. 

John Harte, operating the Gen¬ 
eral Stark, conceded It might have 
been better to book a religious film 
for Christmas, but none was avail¬ 
able, he said. 


Jack L. Warner, recipient of the 
1957 Brotherhood Award of the 
National Conference tff Christians 
and Jews. Dinner is set for Jan. 
24 at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria. 


New Yurk Theatre 


— RIDIO CITT MUSIC HUl—I 

Rockefeller Center 

MARLON BRANDO - GLENN FORD 
MACNIKO KYO 

stirring in ClmnaSccpe acd METHOCOLOR in 

“THE TEAHOUSE BFTNE AUGUST MOON" 

' AN M-G-M PICTURE 
and IHE MUSIC HAll’S GREAT CHRISTMAS SHOW 


I Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

In an open letter to Ben Kal¬ 
menson, W. R. Frank, operating 
[a circuit of 11 theatres and. him¬ 
self an occasional Hollywood film 
producer, assails Warner Bros, for 
the allegedly “atrocious” situation 
that exists here in regard to the 
buying of film from it. 

Frank charges that Warner Bros, 
and some other companies are ap¬ 
proaching the problem of distribu¬ 
tion to Minneapolis and St. Paul 
neighborhood theatres like some 
of his in “a brazenly calloused 
manner,” demanding terms that 
the showhouses can’t meet find 
“procrastinating” on adjustments. 

In the letter Frank points out 
the critical situation facing most 
exhibitors and their difficulty in 
keeping going. He declares “we 
are continuing to operate our thea¬ 
tres and working in desperation to 
find some avenue of escape from 
the seemingly awful future that ap¬ 
parently is facing us.” 

Rapping Kalmenson, Frank de¬ 
clares “it seems to me that you 
are somewhat like the ostrich who 
puts his head in the sand think¬ 
ing he can escape the consequences 
of a bad situation around him.” 

“Can you give us any reasonable 
argument as to why, if we cannot 
pay the prices and percentages 
that you demand, that such fine 
theatres ajk - ours should go out of’ 
business?” asks Frank in the let¬ 
ter. “Wouldn’t it he to our mutual 
advantage if, instead, you used a 
little common sense and fairness 
;in your dealings with us to permit 


us to live with the hope that the 
future is worth more than the big¬ 
ger dbllar that you might receive 
as of the moment? 

Frank explains “we have some 
very fine theatre properties which 
we just cannot afford to close up 
and sell for a mere pittance.” He 
declares that “regardless of pursu¬ 
ing every^ avenue of what we feel 
is good management and working 
tirelessly on exploitation and 
other methods to Increase our 
business” and also keeping the 
houses in the best possible physi¬ 
cal condition the situation has be¬ 
come desperate. 

“Your professed friendship for 
the exhibitor (at least in our case) 
is certainly a myth,” asserts Frpnk* 
“We can only say It is obvious on 
any scrutlnizatlon you would care 
to make of our books that we can¬ 
not make profits on terms that you 
demand. And to ignore the facts 
and. demand the immediate dollar 
is just silly and ridiculous on your 
paFt.” 

Frank asserts in his case he’d 
certainly be willing to work on a 
sliding scale basis, “but, no, you 
must have your own way regard¬ 
less of whether the theatres are 
closed.” He points out the shut¬ 
tering of suburban and small-town 
theatres at an alarming rate due 
in large part to television. 

“We here believe that if all the 
conventional suburban theatres in 
the large cities are forced to close 
that this eventually ^ also would 
sound the death knell "of the down¬ 
town big city houses,” concludes 
Frank. 


• Waco, ^Tex., Dec. 25. 

George Washington Raborn, a 33 year-old bachelor who keeps 
track, has seen 6,822 movies since he was nine years of age. 

On Nov. 19 when he crossed the international date line en route 
to the Olympic games in Australia he ended a record of having 
seen at least one movie a day during 1956. He only viewed eight 
films during his two week stay in Australia. 

Despite the break in his consecutive record on the international 
date lines, Raborn has seen 441 movies so far in 1956 beating his 
old record of 402 in 1951. 


CEA Demands No Discrimination Vs. 

Yanks Making Bril Pix in England 

■ ». -—-—♦ 


Goldberg’s Rock ’n’ Roll 

Studio Films, taking cog¬ 
nizance of the story bn rock 
’n’ roll pix in last week’s issue 
of Variety, informs that it was 
the first in the field with its 
“Rock ’n* Roll Revue,” which 
to date has played some 2,500 
bookings and has also been sold 
widely abroad. Tinter stars 
Nat “King” Cole, Lionel 
Hampton, Dinah Washington 
and others. * 

Says Studio Films* Jack 
Goldberg: “We’re proud of the 
fact that not a single complaint 
has been made against the 
picture as a stimulant of 
delinquency.” He added that 
Studio was getting a lot Of 
re-bookings on the tuner. 

COMMERCIAL FILMS 
IN CANADIAN SCHOOLS 

Ottawa, Dec. 25. 

Canadian schools have • had 
showings of 827 sponsored motion 
pictures, reports Crawley Films 
Ltd. of Ottawa, Canada’s largest 
private film producers. Figures 
were compiled from Canadian Ed¬ 
ucation Assn, in nine provinces, 
and by Quebec’s Dept, of Educa¬ 
tion. 

There are 4,500 16-m. projec¬ 
tors and'4,000 filmstrip (slidefilm) 
projectors in 7,331 schools, with 
more than 800,000 screenings a 
year. 

Klein Theatres Ozoner 
Upstate May Be Curbed 

Albany, Dec. 25. 
Klein Theatres Inc., which won 
an Injunction from former Su¬ 
preme Court Justice Christopher J.. 
Heffernan, acting as official ref¬ 
eree, which restrained the Town of 
Bethlehem from interfering with 
the completion of a drive-in, still 
face a blue laws problem. Ozoner 
was started before the Town -Board 
amended its zoning law to prevent 
construction of outdoor theatres 
without special permits. Unless an 
exception is made, the ozoner re¬ 
portedly will not be able to operate 
after 11:30 p.m. week nights and 
after midnight on Sunday. 

Such a time limitation probably 
would make it impossible to screen 
double features, during part of the 
summer when daylight saving is in 
effect. The Klein family—Morris 
and""Raphael and their mother, 
Frieda—already operate drive-ins 
at Coxsackle and Hunter. 


WOMAN MANAGER WINS 


Mrs. Diane Gordon’s Trip To 
England 


Windup of Stanley Warner| 
Theatres’ “Operation Showman¬ 
ship” drive saw Mrs. Diane Gor¬ 
don, manager of the Oritani Thea¬ 
tre, Hackensack, N.J., carry off the 
grand national prize of a two-week 
all-expense 'vacation trip to Eng¬ 
land. She also copped a $350 U.S. 
bond for registering the best rec¬ 
ord of kiddie shows. 

Winners, who were disclosed last 
week by Stanley v.p.-general mana¬ 
ger Harry Kalmine, also include 
Irving Hillman, manager of the 
Roger Sherman Theatre, New 
Haven, as runnerup, and William 
Wyatt, Virginian Theatre, Charles¬ 
ton, W. Va., in third place. Former 
won a $1,000 bond, while a $750 
bond went to Wyatt. Number of 
other cash awards were distributed 
for “best” campaigns, promotions, 

I etc. 


London, Dec. 25. 

As the first trade body to meet 
since the publication of the gov¬ 
ernment’s comprehensive Films 
Bill, the Cinematograph Exhibitors 
Assn, has taken sides on one of 
the major controversial issues m 
the upcoming legislation, At its 
monthly session last week the asso¬ 
ciation insisted there must be no 
discrimination against American 
companies making British films in 
Britain. 

Pointing out that any such policy 
would limit the number of British 
pix available to exhibitors, it urged 
that a clause to this effect should 
be included in the bill and not left 
for subsequent decision by Board 
of Trade regulation. Latter course 
is proposed In the bill, which had 
its second reading in the House of 
Lords on Thursday (20). 

At this juncture the CEA has 
not publicly expressed any opinion 
on the government’s proposal to 
raise around $10,500,000 in the first 
year of the statutory Eady fund, 
but it noted the observations on 
the question of exemptions made 
by the parliamentary secretary to 
the Board of Trade, F. J. Errol, 
when he spoke earlier in the week 
at the annual dinner of its London 
branch. The minister explained he 
was aware of the concetti felt by 
smaller exhibs, and could assure 
them the government had decided 
in principle to an exemption 
scheme,.which' would have regard 
for the: ability of the smaller and 
less prosperous picture theatres 
to.„pfoy. The arrangement would be 
dealt with under new regulations, 
which the EOT would be empow¬ 
ered to make. 

The Other Main Points 

Two other main points made by 
the. CEA general council dealt with 
investigation of the books of dis¬ 
tributors And producers as well as 
those of exhibitors; and the exclu¬ 
sion . from the Eady levy, films 
shown pn tv. 

In more general observations on 
[ the proposal to extend the exist¬ 
ing Quota Act for a further 10 year 
i run, the CEA is to suggest the fol¬ 
lowing modifications: that the 
Quota be calculated over a full 
year and not in two half-yearly 
periods as at present; that the ex¬ 
emption figure should be raised to 
cover theatres whose, takings fall 
below $420 a week, instead of the 
present $280; that the system of 
measuring relief should be ad¬ 
justed to take into account bi- and 
tri-weekly changes of program, as 
well as competing situations; that 
relief should be extended to major 
circuits for theatres in competi¬ 
tion with at least two other first- 
run major circuit houses; that to 
avoid the necessity of blind book¬ 
ing, films should be trade shown 
at least eight weeks ahead of gen¬ 
eral release; and that old British 
pix, whose quota life has expired, 
should be eligible for quota book¬ 
ings as a supporting feature. 

Other trade associations are 
about to frame their policy on the 
new bill. The Kinematograph Rent¬ 
ers Society has called a special 
council meeting for Jan. 3, while 
the British Film Producers Assn, 
will consider the legislation at its 
monthly Executive Jan. 2. The leg¬ 
islation committee of the Assn, of 
Cine and Allied Technicians is 
meeting tonight (Tues.). 

It is anticipated that the main 
industry campaign on the bill will 
wait till the measure moves down 
to the House of Commons early 
next year. 


Edward L. RIssien, associate pro¬ 
ducer of Mark Steven Productions, 
planes to NY Sunday for talks with 
William Morris execs on videoza- 
tion of former Mutual radio series, 
“Mysterious Traveler,” .and Dr. 
Vincent Peale’s “Guidepost.” 



Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Pfo&IEfY 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


21 


EVEN NEXT SEASON IN TROUBLE 


Paley on ‘Record’: let’s Get Going’ 

CBS board chairman William S. Paley is so hopped up over the 
.potential df the network’s “Big Record” hour live entry that he 
doesn’t want to wait until next fall to get it launched. It was ini¬ 
tially planned for the ’57-58 semester, with a Saturday night slot¬ 
ting earmarked, but Paley, enthused over the teletranscription 
audition, has told program chieftain Hubbell Robinson he wants* 
to get going with It pronto. 

There’s one serious stalemate. There’s no 60-mii\ute availability 
right now and hone in the immediate offing. Show, which will 
probably be peddled to two or three sponsors, hasn’t been sold as 
yet, but agency-client interest is reportedly running high, so this 
is figured tp be po problem. 

“Big Record’s” basic premise is to bring on the top recording 
stars, with, of course, a variety of production furbelows, as with 
the audition show’s “Cinderelvis.” Show was put together by the 
network’s Lester Gottlieb. ' 


Schaefer’s Ideal Sponsor: Likes 
Adult Drama, Isn’t Rating-Happy 


Gedrge Schaefer, producer-direc-+ 
tor of the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” 
spectaculars on NBC-TV, finds 
himself in the enviable position oi 
having a sponsor who doesn’t mind 
a bit of controversy herq and there 
so long as it falls within the over¬ 
all scheme of bringing adaptations 
of proven Broadway properties to 
video. In fact, the insistence on the 
“adult drama” of the legit theatre 
as contrasted to some of video’s 
toned-down themes is a bankroller 
change of pace in itself. 

The advertising strategy behind 
the Hallmark approach is a unique 
one. Company does institutional 
advertising for greeting cards, and 
the feeling is that there is a special 
group of people who look Upon the 
sending of cards as undignified. 
This is also the group which hap¬ 
pens to have refined tastes in the 
theatre and in literature, the spon¬ 
sors believe, and by exposing them < 
to a high level of theatrics which 
may not have a broad mass appeal, 
they can also' expose them«to the 
“sell” on greeting cards. It also 
explains an indifference to ratings, 
since it’sr figured the specialized 
group is looking in. 

With this sort of sponsor back¬ 
ing, Schaefer is unperturbed about 
the hullabaloo over the season’s 
first entry, “Born Yesterday,” is 
also undisturbed over the not-so- 
good ratings on “Man and Super- 
. man” and cheerful about the pres¬ 
entation of a viperous drama like 
“The Little Foxes” just a week be¬ 
fore Christmas. He admits that 
“Born Yesterday” wasn’t a success, 
but unlike most, he doesn’t attrib¬ 
ute it to the casting of tylary Mar¬ 
tin in the original Judy Holliday 
role — although “anybody who’s 
(Continued on page 32) 


‘Gock’s Fri. Slot 
For Hazel Bishop 

Hazel Bishop has acquired the 
CBS-TV Friday,at 7:30 time period 
being vacated in February by Col¬ 
gate and “My Friend Flicka” and 
is moving its “Beat the Clock” into 
the spot. “Clock” is currently on 
Saturdays at 7 on CBS for Hazel 
Bishop, but the cosmetic outfit got 
two Saturday shows on CBS start¬ 
ing this week (22) when the Steve 
Dunne-emceed “You’re On Your 
Own” preemed in the 10:30 to 
11 p.m. period. Hence the desir¬ 
ability of a shift to another eve¬ 
ning. 

American Telephone & Tele¬ 
graph, among others, has been 
angling for the Friday time as a 
new slot for its “Telephone Time,” 
but apparently Hazel 'Bishop boss 
Ray Spector moved too fast for the 
telephone company. Hazel Bishop 
took over “Clock” in its 7 p.m. slot 
this fall, with the first Nielsen on 
the show on Sept. 22 rating it at 
little over a 10; latest- Nielsen, in 
comparison, gives it a 21.8. CBS- 
TV will remain in network service 
in the time period, and will offer 
several of its new properties for 
sale.- Whatever a sponsor picks 
will move into the time as a re¬ 
placement. Shift is scheduled for 
either Feb. 8 or 15, probably the 
former. 


Korman to Ashley-Steiner 

Tom Korman has joined the 
Ashley-Steiner office to work with 
Alden Schwimmer in the writer- 
producer-director area. 

He comes from the Grey agency, 
where he was an asst, producer. 


Major Agencies 
Swing Back To 
Network Radio 

Reflecting the upsurge of network 
radio, big agencies are again swing¬ 
ing into the network radio pic¬ 
ture, according to a survey made 
by Mutual’s research department. 

Using Nielsen ’55 and '56 reports 
for the last two weeks in October, 
the survey showed, for example, 
that Ted Bates jumped its commer¬ 
cial radio network time in behalf 
of its clients by 45%, while J. 
Walter Thompson agency—which 
had no radio network time in that 
period last year—moved to a top 
(Continued on page 33) 



By GEORGE ROSEN 

The television networks, particu¬ 
larly in the case of NBC and CBS, 
are so busy putting out the fires 
of the half-hour fiascos of the cur¬ 
rent season that they’ve got little 
or no time to devote to next sea¬ 
son’s program planning. This is 
an unprecedented situation that 
doesn't bode too well for the '57-58 
semester. 

Under ordinary circumstances, 
the networks at this time of the 
year would be deep in the throes 
of evolving their overall patterns 
and concepts and individual pro¬ 
gram-committments for the follow¬ 
ing season. It’s been traditional 
that by Feb. 1 every major project 
would be ready either for an¬ 
nouncement or well into the plan¬ 
ning stage. The months-in-advance 
scheduling is dictated by the eco¬ 
nomics of a medium that necessi¬ 
tates such early formulation of 
rosters and resolving of sponsor¬ 
ships. 

But so frantic is the day-to-day 
activity in the desperate effort to 
salvage some semblance of respec¬ 
tability and showmanship out of 
the current season that practically 
all the '57-58 masterminding has 
gone out the window. There aren’t 
that many creative thinkers— 
“planners-for-the-future” — on the 
network payrolls and it's a case of 
first things first. 

(Perhaps the lone exception is 
ABC, which, within its smaller 
framework, has come out of the 
present program season with con¬ 
siderably less anxieties and by mid- 
February will be ready to make 
its official “presentation” looking 
to next season and the “Leonard 
Goldenson era.”) 

All told, something like $60,000- 
000 has gone into new program¬ 
ming this season (figure repre¬ 
senting sponsors’ time-and-program 
commitments). With but a few 
exceptions, it’s all gone dqwn the 
drain in terms of permanent, quali¬ 
tative entries. No one’s concealing 
the fact that it’s been the most 
(Continued on page 33) 


$65,000,MO Loan to Pave Way 
ForABC-TV Expansion in Facilities, 
Personnel Etc.; Mebbe Early Tint 


, Ho Hum 

CBS again swept nine out 
of the Top 10 Trendex for De¬ 
cember,^ with Groucho Marx in 
seventh place giving NBC its 
only representation. Top 10, 
based on the one live broad¬ 
cast during the week of Dec. 
1-7, are as follows: " 

1. Ed Sullivan CBS 36.2 

2. I Love Lucy CBS 35.7 

3. Person To Person CBS 29.9 

4. Talent Scouts CBS 28.7 

5. $64,000 Question CBS 28.6 

6. Hitchcock Presents CBS 28.4 

7. You Bet Your Life NBC 27.9 

8. What’s My Line CBS 27.3 

9. I’ve Got A Secret CBS 26.7 

10. Jackie Gleason CBS 26.5 


What’s 1 Sponsor’s 
Poznan Is Its TV 
Alternate’s Meat 


Some weeks back Unit Four Pro¬ 
ductions, which packages the “Kai¬ 
ser Aluminum Hour” on NBC-TV, 
was rebuffed by the client’s agen¬ 
cy, Young & Rubicam, when it 
announced that it was sending di- 
rector-write'r George Roy Hill to 
Warsaw to prepare a script based 
on the Poznan trials. Y & R 
thought the “climate” wasn’t right 
for such an undertaking and the 
project was subsequently aband¬ 
oned. 

Now along comes Armstrong 
Cork, which shares the alternate 
Tuesday night 9:30 to 10:30 time 
period with Kaiser, with plans to 
dramatize the selfsame Poznan 
trials.. Alvin Boretz, via the Ash¬ 
ley-Steiner agency, is now at work 
' (Continued on page 32) 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 


Of 



Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail 

Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Avt. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin's Place 
Trafalgar Square 


American Broadcasting -.Para¬ 
mount Theatres has $27,766,000 to 
use toward expansion, most of 
which seems earmarked for the 
longrange buildup of ABC-TV. 
Coin will primarily go into a 
sorely-needed personnel expansion 
and into refurbishing and develop¬ 
ing Hollywood and New York net-’ 
work facilities. A reserve is being 
held for tint video, with a final 
decision on whether ABC-TV will 
enter it in 1957 to be made in 
February. 

In a letter to stockholders, top¬ 
per Leonard Goldenson said that 
a $60,000,000 loan had been swung, 
but it was learned that, with addi¬ 
tional loans, sum was $65,000,000, w 
a good portion of which is believed 
to have come from Metropolitan 
Life Insurance. Goldenson told in¬ 
vestors that $37,234,000 of the total 
is being used to pay back profits. 

It’s believed t](jat Goldenson and 
Oliver Treyz, head of the tv net¬ 
work, are planning a multi-million- 
dollar workout on one of the lots 
now being used’by ABC-TV, in 
Hollywood, in order to make room 
for live programs within the x next 
few years. Goldenson said that im¬ 
provements in the studio operation 
on both Coasts are in “preliminary 
analysis stages.” 

Analysis of color prospects, Gol¬ 
denson declared, will be concluded 
in February. But at the present 
the AB-PT boss is dubious about 
getting color on the road by 1957, 
because color sets sales are moving 
too slowly. Whether it comes next 
year or the year after, color, ac¬ 
cording to assurances from many 
ABC-TV sources, is absolute in the 
network's future. 

Swing To Live 

No question exists that the Gol- 
denson-Treyz team expects to ex¬ 
pand their live tv operations. The 
expansion and modernization of 
facilities on both Coasts' make that 
clear. Next season is not expected 
to see widespread move into live, 
since ABC-TV still has difficulty 
clearing sufficient stations to carry 
much more than filmed or kine- 
scoped programming. Yet with 
proper tv facilities, the network 
ho\>es to build gradually • and 
slowly toward live equality with 
CBS-TV and NBC-TV. 

While the personnel enlarge¬ 
ment is expected to cover all areas 
of the network operation, the 
greatest dearth of manpower exists 
in programming. Expectations are 
that Goldenson will support his 
new ABC-TV program and talent 
chief, James Aubrey Jr., with a 
larger staff. Since Aubrey doesn’t 
start at the network until this week 
—having only on Wednesday (19) 
night decided to leave KNXT, Hol- 
(Continued on page 32) 


ABC NBC Dicker 
For Mike Wallace 

Mike Wallace is reported to have 
held talks with ABC-TV and NBC- 
TV about a network talent con¬ 
tract. The tv emcee-newscaster 
last week was at ABC-TV, where 
it is believed he was offered a con¬ 
tract to handle the emcee chores of 
at least one network show next 
year, possibly more. 

Wallace has lately added to his 
reputation on the basis of “Night 
Beat,” an 11-to-midnight inter¬ 
view program on WABD, New 
York, where he also does a 7 p.m. 
news, strip. It's thought that a 
chief function he’d perform as an 
ABC talent would be in the pub- 
affairs section. NBC is seeking 
his services in much the same area, 
it was explained Wallace was also 
under consideration for the new 
“Tonight” show. 

WABD, a DuMont station, has a 
contract with Wallace, which will 
keep him doing both “Night Beat” 
and his early evening news. 







22 


RABIO-TELEVISION 


P^ntSTr 


VtJncaday, Peeemher 26, 1956 


•r — 

Show Biz Lay out—& Gambling, Too 


By DOROTHY HOLLOWAY - 
- Ciudad Trujillo, Dec. 25. 

The “Texas of the Caribbean,” as I 
Generalissimo Trujillo’s Domini- j 
can Republic likes to bill itself, can 
now boast a radio-tv operation 
which is bigger and more elaborate 
than any in this part of the globe 
and which, in several respects may 
be unique in the world. 

The air-conditioned, ultra-mod¬ 
ern Radio-TV Palace which houses 
La Voz Dominicans and already 
sprawls over two sides of a large 
city block on Avenida de Ciudad 
Miami is now adding another large 
wing for studios and radio class¬ 
room space. 

This outsize operation is the pet 
property of General J. Arismendi 
Trujillo Molina, younger brother of 
El Generalissimo, who activated 
his radio station 13 years ago and 
five years ago bulwarked it with an 
ultra-modern RCA-built tv plant. 

This is probably the only tv sta¬ 
tion anywhere that includes as part 
of its plant an outdoor theatre seat¬ 
ing 10.000 people, a film theatrfe 
with nightly showings, a concert 
hall, a penthouse night club and a 
plush gambling Casino. There are 
paid admissions to all except the 
Casino. The penthouse night club 
is rated by Dominicans one of the 
best in town since it features lo¬ 
cal and predominantly Latin tal¬ 
ent—much of it also seen on the tv 
screen. This is in contrast to the 
floorshows at the plushier hotels— 
Jaragua, El Paz, El Embajador-- 
which lean toward States-side and 
European performers. 

In addition, according to Senor 
Pedro Aybar, information director 
of La Voz, the station has its own 
ballet company, its own 55-piece 
orchestra and access to the services 
of nine other bands. 

To train talent for all its enter- 
(Continued on page 33) 

Tfliekey Mouse’ To 
Get TV Trimming 

ABC-TV’s 5 to 6 “Mickey Mouse 
Club” strip may be squeezed to a 
5:30 daily half-hour in April of 
•next year.’ National sponsorship 
of the juve telepixer has not 
matched that Of the 1955-’56 sea¬ 
son when the show was SRO. 

Since the beginning of this sea¬ 
son, ABC has collected 12 out of a 
possible 20 quarter-hour national 
bankrollers. As a result, it is said 
to* be making only a slight profit 
for the network. Moreover, first 
half-hour of the daily show is 
usually slower on ratings than the 
latter portion. 

Last week, an ABC spokesman 
disclosed that the web was plan¬ 
ning a half-hour telepic leadin to 
“Mickey.” A juve variety format, 
it may instead be done live at 5 
p.m. Previously, the network 
thought a live show would not suf¬ 
fice as a leadin since it couldn’t 
clear adjacent time slots to 
“Mickey” on all affiliates. How¬ 
ever, it is known that ABC-TV has 
been discussing a live stanza with 
Goodson and Todman.. 

Network, in an effort to con¬ 
struct a larger daytime lineup,.will 
work backwards from “Mickey” at 
5:30, instead of spotting web shows 
at non-adjacent times. 


? to PY Frisco Remote 

“Person to Person” will mark 
the new year, on Jan. 4, “with its 
first remote from San Francisco. 
Bagged for the Frisco half is 
Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 
with wife Catherine Vance Nimitz. 
They’ll be “talked to” by Ed Mur- 
row out of their Berkeley home. 


ABC-TV’s Drastic 
Thurs. Overhaul, 
Sinatra as Pivot 

ABC-TV is mapping a tentative 
blueprint of next season’s pro¬ 
gramming, and Thursday night 
plans seem to be of the most imme¬ 
diate concern. Sweeping changes 
are in store for that evening, all 
hinging around the 9 or 9:30 p.m. 
placement of the new Frank Sina¬ 
tra half hour. 

Friday is as much of a “problem 
night” as Thursday, but since both 
NBC-TV and CBS-TV are expected 
to make a major revamp of their 
shows to bolster Friday Nielsen’s, 
ABC-TV Is sitting tight for awhile. 
Saturday night and Monday night 
are probably in for extensive 
changing, but nothing definite is 
said to have been projected for 
those nights as yet. There’s noth¬ 
ing on Sunday plans either. Though 
minor changes are possible on 
ABC-TV’s Tuesday and Wednesday 
setups, these strong nights will be 
kept largely intact. 

If Sinatra takes Thursday at 9.'30 
for alternate sponsors Liggett & 
Myers and Warner-Lambert, it will 
allow room for a .new 60-minute 
variety show at 8:30, to be preced¬ 
ed at 8 by Lou Edelman’s half- 
hour telefilmer, “The Californians.” 
Joint sponsors could decide on 9 
for Sinatra, in which case the vari¬ 
ety show will start at 8. (Hour will 
(Continued on page 31) 



SAMMY KAYE 

Columbia Records—currently 
“I’M THROUGH WITH LOVE” 
Albums 

“WHAT MAKES SAMMY SWING” 
“MY FAIR LADY (For DANCING)” 
Show Score Just Released 
Sammy Kaye Swings and Sways 
BELLS ARE RINGING 
(FOR DANCING) 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL 


‘PRESS CONFERENCE’ 
GETS NEW SUN. SLOT 

“Pyess Conference” is moving 
from its current 8:30 Sunday berth 
on ABC-TV to 5:30 on the same 
network as of Sunday (30). Show, 
sponsored by Corn Products and 
produced and femceed by Martha 
Rountree, has proved a weak rat¬ 
ing lead-in to “Omnibus” at 9. 

Network is inserting “Ozark Ju¬ 
bilee,” a co-op sales venture; at 
8:30 on Sunday. “Jubilee” was ten¬ 
tatively scheduled for that spot 
before Corn Products made a com¬ 
mitment at the beginning of the 
season. 

The 5:30 to 6 time for “Confer¬ 
ence” is expected to give the news 
Interview a better opportunity to 
get followup coverage from the 
country’s Jailies. Many of the 
newssheets have their early edi¬ 
tions closed by the time “Confer¬ 
ence” is over at 9. 


‘What’s All This About 
TV 1st on Chou?’; NBC 
Recalls Its Own 2 Stints 

NBC’s Berlin corespondent, 
Gerhardt (Gerry) Stind't, who bud- 
dled with Gen. David Sarnoff in 
Miami Beach last week, briefing 
the RCA board chairman on the 
Hungarian situation, states that he 
“doesn’t doubt that Ed Murrow 
will do a fine job in interviewing 
Chou-En-lai” but points out that 

(1) this isn’t a “first” for CBS, and 

(2) that the Red China’s, premier 


Expensive Footage 

NBC-TV evened the score 
with Ed Murrow last week fol¬ 
lowing Murrow’s exclusive in¬ 
terview with Chinese Premier 
Chou En-lai—up to a point. 
Murrow got his 6,000 feet of 
interview with the Commie 
boss in Rangoon last Wednes- 
‘ day (19), and after consider¬ 
able pressure, Chou granted 
NBC’s Far East correspondent, 
Jim Robinson a filmed .inter¬ 
view the following day. 

Robinson shot his footage 
(ironically, using a Korean 
cameraman) and shipped it off 
to the U.S., where it arrived 
over the weekend. Trouble 
was, he only got about four 
minutes of^footage with Chou' 
—the camera broke down at 
that point and they couldn’t 
repair it. Chou sat patiently 
waiting for the repairs, but 
after they worked till mid¬ 
night without success, it was 
decided to call it a night. 


has been “done” twice before on 
tv, both times via NBC. 

The network’s Hongkong corre¬ 
spondent Jim Robinson covered 
Chou when he visited Burma re¬ 
cently and, talking in Chinese, he 
was in the official party shown 
greeting the Burmese prime min- 
(j^ontinued .on, p ; age 33) 


CBS Radio Press 
Slot to Steinberg 

Charles S. Steinberg, homeoffice 
publicity manager for Warner 
Bros., has been tapped to succeed 
George Crandall as publicity chief 
for CBS Radio. Steinberg, who’ll 
move over to CBS either .Jan. 8 or 
15, depending on when he can 
clear up his WB commitments, will 
assume the new title of director of 
audience promotion for CBS Radio, 
with this umbrella, title continuing 
to emphasize administrative re¬ 
sponsibility over the press infor¬ 
mation department but also Includ¬ 
ing other audience promotional 
areas. 

.Steinberg has been at Warners 
for the past 14 years, moving to 
the pic company from the Book-of- 
the-Month Club, where'he was ed¬ 
ucational director. Before his 
BOMC stint, he taught English and 
mass communications in secondary 
schools and colleges. He’s cur¬ 
rently under contract to Harper & 
Sons for a new book, “Public Re¬ 
lations and Mass Communications.” 
Incidentally, his move to CBS will 
reunite him with Sid Garfield, 
web’s exploitation director, who 
worked with him at Warners until 
1950. Garfield and his aide,'Phil 
Sterling, will operate separately 
from Steinberg, however, with both 
Garfield and Steinberg reporting 
(Continued on page 30) 


Sullivan Leads Nielsen Parade 

NBC-TV improved its position in the Top 10 Nielsen listings in 
the Nov. 11 report (two weeks ended Nov. 24) by placing two shows 
in the average audience category and four in the total audience. 
ABC scored with one in each, giving CBS five in the TA and seven 
in the AA. Ed Sullivan topped both lists. 

TOTAL AUDIENCE * AVERAGE AUDIENCE 

Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)... 55.3 Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)... 46.3 

I Love Lucy (QBS).40.9 

G. E. Theatre (CBS) .37.0 

Jack Benny Show (CBS)...36.9 
Jack & Beanstalk (NBC)... .36.3 
$64,000 Question (CBS).... 35 8 

Disneyland (ABC)..33.7 

Lineup, The (CBS). .,.32.7 

Perry Como Show (NBC1... 32.5 
I've Got A Secret (CBS).. .-.31.7 


Jack & Beanstalk (NBC)...46.3 
I Love Lucy (CBS).. *.,.. .44.0 

Disneyland (ABC).. 41.6 

G, E. Theatre (CBS).40.4 

Jack Benny Show (CBS»...39.2 

Chevy Show (NBC).,39.0 

Perry Como Show (NBC)...38.6 
$64;000 Question (CBS).... .38.4 
High Button Shoes (NBC)..38.1 


Godfrey Now Getting Ampex Repeat 
Treatment; Tape Almost Tiptop 


Judy’s Buick Spec 

Judy Garland, who did the first 
of the two shows for which she’s 
committed to CBS-TV for Ford 
Motors, is set to do her second for 
competing automaker, Buick. 
Miss Garland will do the show on 
Monday night, either Feb. 25 or 
March 4 from 9:30 to 11, preempt¬ 
ing “December Bride” and “Studio 
One.” 

Buick, via the Kudner agency, 
will pick up half the tab on the 
90-mimjte special, with Liggett & 
Myers probably to come in as co- 
SDonsor. Miss Garland was signed 
jtj a two-show deal by CBS-TV with 
the thought that she’d do' them 
both for Ford under the Saturday 
■ night “Ford Star Jubilee” banner. 
First was done for Ford, but Miss 
Garland was not required to do the 
second one for some time. Mean¬ 
while, Ford and CBS-TV earlier 
this season decided to go their 
separate ways. § 


HEINEMANN’S UPPED 
STATUS AT WRCA-TV 

George A. Heinemann, who 
moved to New York only four 
months ago to take over the pro¬ 
gramming reins- at RCA-TV, the 
NBC-TV Gotham flagship, has been 
upped to the post of director of 
program planning and development 
for NBC owned stations. Heine¬ 
mann, who replaces Jerry Danzig, 
who’s now v.p. in charge of pro¬ 
gramming for NBC Radio, reports 
to o&o veep Tom McFadden./ 

Heinemann was brought into 
N. Y. from Chicago, where he had 
been program manager of WNBQ 
since 1951 and director of program¬ 
ming for both WNBQ and its AM 
sister key, WMAQ, since 1953. He’ll 
continue to head up the WRCA-TV 
program department for the time 
being. 


executive Producer of 'Producer* 
Shewcaae' 

Mori Abrams 

thinks that tolovlslofn can take < 
lesson from Hollywood In 
promotion values, viz.. 

From Upbeat to 
Drumbeat 


one of the editorial features 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 
of 

PRrtety 


Jack Webb Not So 
Sore He Wants To 
Continue Drapet’ 

Hollywood, Dec, 25. 

Jack Webb, with 198 “Dragnet” 
vidfllms in the can, isn’t at all sure 
he wants to continue with his 
series, even though NBC-TV has 
ordered 78 more. 

Producer - director ? star of the 
show explained “I want to watch 
the ratings and see if the show 
holds up. We have the benefit Of 
three or four months in which we 
can see how it goes, and wouldn’t 
have to go into production until the 
first of August, if we decide to 
continue.” 

Webb noted the fact “Dragnet- 
is no longer in the top 10, saying 
it’s now arouhd 12th or 15th. 
“What’s the use of doing a show 
when it’s dying on the vine, with¬ 
out benefit of advertising?” he 
asked. “I’m the first to admit every 
‘Dragnet’ is not a good one, but 
our opposition, ‘Climax’—on CBS 
—doesn't have a consistently good 
one, -either. But they usually beat 
(Continued on page 33) 


CBS-TV is moving ahead rapidly 
in its development, of the Ampex 
video tape recorders for practical 
use, The network has been using 
the tapes for Coast repeats every 
night for the past three weeks on 
“Douglas Edwards With the News,** 
and this Monday (24) it began us¬ 
ing taped repeats on the Coast of 
“Arthur Godfrey’s' Talent Scouts.” 
As soon as “Talent Scouts” is prov¬ 
ing out satisfactorily, the network 
will start taping another show, and 
so the procedure will continue. 

Web Already has three of the 
Ampex prototype recorders on 
hand, two on the Coast and one 
which arrived in N.Y. last week. 
By April, the network expects de¬ 
livery of the seven production 
models, in addition to the five 
prototype machines which will 
have already arrived. Actual dis¬ 
position of all 12 machines hasn't 
been determined, but there’s no 
question but they’ll be used to 
vastly accelerate the conversion of 
Coast repeats from kinescope to 
tape. 

Big problem so far, according to 
engineering v.p. William Lodge, 
lies in the tape itself and not the 
machines. Imperfections in the 
tape have caused the bugs, and all 
three firms manufacturing the tape 
—Irish, Reevejs and Minnesota Min- * 
irig tc Mfg.—*are conducting exten¬ 
sive and Intensive research in an 
effort to secure greater control in 
the manufacturing, Lodge said. 
The rate of progress on rooting 
out the imperfections has been 
rapid —Lodge, while “refusing to 
predict , when all the kinks would 
be out, said that great progress 
has been made in the past two 
weeks alone. 

Lodge answered questions at a 
press showing of a closed-circuit 
transmission of “Art "Linkletter's 
House Party” on Thursday (20). 
Show was taped instantaneously 
with its live telecast" on the Coast, 
then the taped version was fed to 
N.Y. two hours later for the show¬ 
ing. Lodge said the big problems 
(Continued on page 33) 


Virginia Graham Axed 
In WARD’S Reshuffle 

Two live daytime stanzas on 
WABD, New York video outlet, are 
being axed. Longtimer Virginia 
Graham, who has a 3:30 to 4 haus- 
frau stanza, is being cancelled 
shortly to make way for a stripped- 
up version of “Beulah,” a tv film 
show. “Freddie the Fireman,” t 
daily show from noon to 1, has al¬ 
ready been dropped, with “Charlie 
Chan” features as a temporary re¬ 
placement. 

“Fireman’s” dancellation is 
hooked to what the station feels is 
an overabundance of kidvid. It has 
three other daily regulars for juves 
—a Sandy Becker ayem stanza and 
late-afterhoon “Captain Video.” 

WABD announced that it is go¬ 
ing to go in more heavily for the 
daylight stripping of telepix. In 
recent -wedks, it inserted “Mr. and 
Mrs. North” cross-the-board at 4:30 
and Gene Autry pix in the same 
Monday-through-Friday pattern at 
5:30. 


$1,000,1190 in New 
Biz to NBC Radio 

1 NBC Radio last week pulled In 
new business to the tune of $1,000,** 
000 net revenues through six sales 
for daytime and news programs, 
with two of the deals running 52 
weeks. 

On the 52-week list are Coldene, 
which via J. .-Walter Thompson 
purchased nightly participations in 
the web’s “News of the World,” 
and Ex-Lax, which through War¬ 
wick & Legler purchased eight an¬ 
nouncements pe& week in the 
web’s afternoon soaper block and 
eight announcements each week¬ 
end in “Monitor.” 

Listerine, via Lambert & Feas- 
ley, picked up 10 participations in 
“NBC Bandstand” and five in 
“Woman in My House” per week 
for a 13-week stand, while Olln- 
Mathieson Chemical Corp. took a 
six-week package of 10 weekend 
weather segments In “Monitor” to 
start next fall. RCA bought a 26- 
week campaign to sponsor the up¬ 
coming “Most Beautiful Voice in 
the World” program-contest and 
bought a weekend “Bob & Ray” 
schedule on “Monitor.” Sixth 
sponsor, name not disclosed, or¬ 
dered an eight-week campaign on 
“Bandstand,” “Monitor” and two 
soapers. ■ s 




















RADIO-TELEVISION 


Wednesday, Ifa&palkev 26, 1$5(S 


25 


NBC-TV SKIPS NIGHT SHIFT 


Perpetuating Awards Confusion 


FCCTs Annua] Report Bullish On 


There’s more than meets the eye in the fact that the* annual Look 
mag television awards for 1956 ‘Will be presented on the Ed Sul¬ 
livan show next Sunday (30). For one thing, it has been Sullivan, 
perhaps more than any other single television performer or pro¬ 
ducer, who has been demanding vociferously that the industry 
end the awards confusion and overlapping by creating a single 
awards structure. That’s the reason he was so powerful in his sup¬ 
port of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Emmy 
Awards duting the hassle that preceded the establishment of the 
N. Y. branch, in which he’s extremely active. Yet here’s a case of 
Sullivan giving the Look awards the industry’s highest-rated 
showcase. 

For another, it throws the spotlight on the behind-the-scenes has¬ 
sle at NBC and CBS of swapping contract talent as guest stars. 
Just last week, NBC laid it on the line to Eddie Fisher and Debbie 
Reynolds who wanted to make appearances on two CBS shows to 
plug their “Bundle of Joy’’ pic—nothing doing. In the face of a 
clampdown on guest shots on competing webs, comes the fact that 
a pair of NBC’s top talents—Perry Como and Sid Caesar—will 
be on hand for the award ceremony. They can’t very well avoid 
it, nor can NBC ask them not to appear to accept the awards, but 
nonetheless the situation has forced a contravention of policy which 
NBC is seeking to establish. Similarly, two top ABC people will 
appear, Walt Disney and Bishop Fulton Sheen. 

Out of the CBS camp, the winners include Phil Silvers, “Play¬ 
house 90,” Ed Murrow for “Person to Person’’ and “See It Now,” 
Gariy Moore and “I’ve Got a Secret’,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” 
I?^uhilee” production of “Caine Mutiny Court Mar¬ 
tial and the Sullivan show itself. Another winner is Red Grange, 
who docs the NBC-TV NCAA gridcasts with Lindsey Nelson. 


Time Marches In 


Takes Over Where Crowell-Collier Failed, With 
$18,750,000 Bitner Deal 


Time Inc. and Harry Bitner's j 
Consolidated Television Sc Radio 
Broadcasters concluded negotia¬ 
tions this week for a $15,750,000 
purchase by Time of three major 
Consolidated radio-tv properties— 
WFBM-AM-TV in Indianapolis, 
WTCN-AM-TV in Minneapolis and 
WOOD-AM-TV iri Grand Rapids. 
Consolidated board of directors ap¬ 
proved the deal and submitted the 
proposal to the stockholders. 

Deal, subject to approval by the 
FCC, does not include Consoli¬ 
dated’s radio-only property in 
Flint, Mich., WFDF, which ac¬ 
counts for the price differential 
between the Time deal and that 
completed earlier by Crowell-Col¬ 
lier .for $17,000,000. The Crowell- 
Collier deal fell through because 
the publishing company couldn’t 
raise adequate financing, and the 
Time negotiations commenced im¬ 
mediately after the collapse of the 
Collier purchase. 

Time already owns all or part of 
three radio-tv operations, KOB- 
AM-TV in Albuquerque,- KLZ-TV- 
AM in Denver and KTVT and 
KDYL in Salt Lake City. It will 
have to dispose of one of the tv 
properties to meet FCC station 
limit regulations, and while Time 
prexy Roy E. Larsen didn’t specify 
which one would be. dropped in 
(Continued on page 33) 


Trendex Tu Show 
Flow of Audience 

A host of new research features, 
Including a new “flow of audience” 
service which .will tell clients the 
percentage of audience for a pro¬ 
gram inherited from the previous 
“leadin’ 1 show, is being inaugu¬ 
rated by Trendex. In addition to 
the flow of audience service, Tren¬ 
dex is also offering special audi¬ 
ence composition features and spe¬ 
cial color tv surveys. At the same 
time, it is increasing its half-hour 
sample from 800 to 1,000 tv homes. 

The flow of audience service will 
obtain three categories of audi¬ 
ence—the leadin carryover; the 
“percent of audience obtained 
from competing networks” and the 
percent of audience from “sets 
off”—homes in which the set was 
turned on during the program. 
The special audience composition 
figures are in addition to Tren- 
dex’s regular three-times-a-year 
report, and will give clients actual 
ages and sex of vie were-of specific 
programs. The color purveys will 
be “quantitative” in nature cover¬ 
ing color homes, but will ; be pro¬ 
duced only on a special basis. 


- Veteran Composer 

Harry Sosnik 

rovtows the 

Recognition of Music 
in Video 


* * * 


another editorial feature 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

Z'finiETY 


Still Another 
Sponsor Wants 
Skip-Wk Relief 

Still another solo half-hour tele¬ 
vision bankroller has applied for 
alternate-week relief. Reynolds 
Metals, which has held down the 
Sunday 7:30 spot on NBC for the 
past few years as a single, has 
asked the network to find an al¬ 
ternate sponsor for Its current 
“Circus Boy.” , 

Webs of late have been going 
begging for that alternate bank- 
roller. Just last week, Bulova noti¬ 
fied CBS-TV it was cutting back 
to alternate-week half-hours on 
Jackie Gleason. Columbia has still 
failed to come up with a skip- 
weeker to share “Do You Trust 
Your Wife” with L&M Filters. At 
NBC, situation is as bad or worse. 
Helene Curtis will pull out of the 
Monday 8:30 spot when “Stanley” 
is dropped in . March, leaving 
American Tobacco without a com¬ 
panion sponsor, while the web is 
still trying to find a skip-weeker 
to share the tab with Toni on 
“Blondie,” which starts Jan. 4. 


AC Warms Up CB 

AC sparkplug division of Gen¬ 
eral Motors just added to the ABC 
coffers through purchase of the 
10-minute warmup to the Cotton 
Bowl game. At 1:45 New Year’s 
Day, warmup, like the game that 
follows, will be carried on both 
ABC Radio and' ABC-TV. 

Oldsmoblle last week bought the 
Sugar Eowl game proper. Both ac¬ 
counts were handled by the D. P. 
Brother agency.- Gabber for the 
warmup has not been chosen. 



A corollary to NBC-TV’s current 
Nielsen hunger-pangs, as reflected 
not only in the current rating re¬ 
turns but in the drastic program 
reshuffle promised by NBC prez 
Bob Sarnoff to the affiliates at the 
web’s 30th anniversary meeting in 
Miami last week, lies in the fact 
that the web no longer has a night 
it can call its own. 

Time was—and not too long ago 
—where in the competitive battle 
with CBS, the NBC forces were 
able to marshal complete domina¬ 
tion of a couple of nights a week 
—Tuesdays and Thursdays, for ex¬ 
ample. But the fact is that NBC 
is. now in the awkward position of 
playing second or third fiddle 
every night of the week—it doesn’t 
have a night where it lords it over 
the competition.. 

. In contrast,. CBS has surged 
ahead to take over unquestioned 
leadership of two nights and a 
slender topdog’ status on a third, 
while ABC, pushing its way up¬ 
ward, shares two nights with CBS 
and one with NBC. The seventh 
night is a standoff between NBC 
and Columbia. 

Sunday is a Columbia night all 
the way down the line, with Ed 
Sullivan as pivot but running from 
“Lassie” at 7 straight through to 
“What’s My Line” at 10:30. Mon¬ 
day is also all-CBS, again with a 
pivot in “I Love Lucy” but extend¬ 
ing from “Robin Hood” at 7:30 
right through "Studio One” at 10- 
11. Tuesday is a CBS-ABC spit, 
what with “Cheyenne” battling it 
out with “Name That Tune” and 
Phil Silvers at 7:30-8:30, “Wyatt 
Earp” and “Broken Arrow” giving 
ABC the nod through 9:30 and Red 
Skelton, “3564,000 ‘Question” and 
“Do You Trust Your Wife” solid 
for CBS through 11 p.m. 

On Wednesday, again it's an 
ABC-CBS split, with “Disneyland” 
topping everything through 8:30 
but a three-way race at 8:30-9, with 
CBS’ “Millionaire” and “I’ve Got a 
Secret” easily dominating 9-10 and 
“U. S. Steel Hour” and “20th-Fox 
Hour” keeping a lesser hold on 
10-11. Thursday shapes as NBC’s 
strongest night, with Groucho 
Marx and “Dragnet” generally 
dominating 8 to 9, but “People’s 
Choice” succumbing to "Climax” 
at 9. It’s been a hot race between 
NBC’s Tennessee Ernie and CBS’ 
“Playhouse 90” at 9:30, but “Play¬ 
house” has been taking the laurels 
away from “Lux Video Theatre” at 
10 - 11 . 

Friday’s virtually anybody’s 
night, but the latest returns give 
CBS a slight edge right through 
9:30, then a big edge with “Play¬ 
house of Stars” at 9:30, increasing 
with “Lineup” at 10 and achieving 
runaway proportions with “Person 
to Person” at 10:30. On Saturdays, 
“People Are Funny” and Perry 
Como have established NBC’s 
stake through 9, but ABC’s Law¬ 
rence Welk grabs off the laurels at 

9- 10, with NBC coming back with 
Gebrge Gobel and “Hit Parade” at 

10- 11, though CBS’ “Gunsmoke” is 
strong at 10-10:30. 


So What’s WNEW? 

A radio station just can’t go 
around making snow fall 
whenever it gets the urge. 
That’s the law. 

WNEW, the radio indie in 
Now York, wanted to make a 
snowfall for the natives. It 
was a promotion scheme 
dreamed up to correlate with 
the station’s frequent playing 
of the record, “White Christ¬ 
mas.” Station hired a private 
plane, bought a batch of dry 
Ice, and yesterday (Xmas Day) 
was going to have an expert 
“seed” the clouds to induce a 
snow. That was until WNEW 
lawyers said that the station 
would be liable to in excess of 
$5,000,000 in lawsuits for 
snarling traffte.and such. 

Anybody wanna buy some 
dry ice? 


TV’s Advances But Sees Need For 
More Fullblown Competitive System 


Mannie Manheim 

who makas annual studios of 
tolovlslon moros has discovered a 
new tv sect In a piece titled 

New Cult: The Credit 
v Watchers 

* * * 

one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

Variety 


Mann, Shaw, Swift 
‘Package’ Talents 
Bn Hour TV Shows 

Another example of the packag¬ 
ing of creative talents as contrast¬ 
ed with a specific property, is a 
new company, as yet unnamed, 
comprising Delbert Mann, ‘ David 
Shaw and David Swift. Trio,, 
repped by agent Herb Jaffe, are j 
offering their combined services 
as a production unit for a new 
series of ’ hfburlong melodramas un¬ 
der the umbrella title and theme 
of “Escape.” . 

Under the setup, Mann, hereto¬ 
fore identified solely as a director 
(an Oscar-winner in his pic trans¬ 
lation of “Marty”), will act as exec 
producer on the series and will 
limit his directing only to one or 
two shows, depending on his pic 
and legit commitments (h e 
preemed as a legit director last 
week with “Speaking of Murder”). 
Shaw would act as associate pro¬ 
ducer, script editor and writer, 
while Swift would also write and 
direct spme of the shows. 

Project is already in the negoti¬ 
ation stage at ABC-TV, as only 
partially reported last week, but 
Jaffe is also -presenting it at the 
other networks since no agreement 
has been reached at ABC. Deal 
would call for network financing of 
a pilot film, in return for which 
(Continued on page 33) 


‘Twenty-One Y Fat Wed. 
Rating, But New Truth’ 
Entry Trails Competish 

Long holiday weekend slowed 
down the Trendex returns this 
frame, with the weekend results 
not due in till later today (Wed.). 
But some significant returns were 
entered last week. “To Tell the 
Truth,” the new Goodson-Todman 
paneller which inherited Herb 
Shriner Tuesday slot on CBS-TV, 
must have also inherited Shriner’s 
audience, too, for it ran last, faring 
no better than an 11.3 to Jane Wy¬ 
man’s 18.9 (NBC) and “Broken Ar¬ 
row’s” 19.7 (ABC). 

The NBC Monday night situation 
vis-a-vis “I Love Lucy” grows more 
interesting as the Jan. 14 shift of 
"Twenty-One” to the opposite- 
“Lucy” spot draws near. The 
Barry Sc Enright quizzer last week 
hit its highest rating to date, a 20.1 
on a six-city Trendex line, easily 
outrating “U.S. Steel Hour,” which 
with the Grade Fields repeat of 
“The Old Lady Shows Her Medals,” 
rated only a 16.5 on the full 15-city 
lineup. .. . 

On Thursday, “Playhouse 90” with 
Nanette Fabray and Lew Ayres in 
"The Family Nobody Wanted” 
easily topped the NBC-TV competi¬ 
tion, with “Playhouse” averaging 
(Continued" On' page 31) 


Washington, Dec. 25. 

A “phenomenal” expansion in 
television service since the lifting 
of the freeze in 1952 when there 
were* only 108 stations on the air 
and 15,000,000 sets in use was 
shown in the FCC’s annual report 
for the fiscal year 1956 which was 
submitted to Congress over the 
week-end. 

By last July 1, the agency re¬ 
ported, there were over 500 com¬ 
mercial and educational tv stations 
in operation, serving nearly 300 
copimunities In U. S. and reaching 
more than 90% of the nation’s 
population. The number of sets in 
use was estimated at nearly 39,- 
000,000. 

The report cited estimates that 
around $15,000,Q00,00Q have been 
invested by the public in tv receiv¬ 
ing equipment and that expendi¬ 
tures for tv advertising, receivers 
and servicing exceeds $4,000,000,- 
000 a. year. 

While it is evident that the me¬ 
dium is now well established, the 
report declares, there is need for 
further expansion of service to 
achieve the Commission’s plans for 
“the full development of a nation¬ 
wide competitive system.” 

The objective, said the agency, 
is to provide for (a) at least one 
program service available to all 
parts of the country, (b) at jeast 
one station in the largest possible 
number of communities, and'(c) 
multiple services in as many areas 
as. possible to provide the public 
a choice of programs and “to facil- 
I itate competition among broad- 
(Continued on page 32) 


Set 6 Columnists 
For New Tonight’ 

Lineup of six columnists for the 
reformatted “Tonight” show was 
completed this week, with the 
breakdown calling for three to 
originate from New York, two from 
the Coast and one from Chi. The 
Gothamites are the INS’ Bob Con- 
sidine, the Post’s (and Post-Hall 
syndicated) Earl Wilson and the 
Herald-Tribune’s (also syndicated) 
Hy Gardner. 

On the Coast, the two entries 
are Vernon Scott, who covers Hoi-, 
lywood for United Press, and Paul 
Coates, L. A. Daily Mirror column¬ 
ist who also has done television 
work, locally and syndicated. Chi 
will be repped by the Sun-Times’ 
Irv Kupcinet. New format takes 
over Jan. 28. 

Concurrent with the change in 
format, NBC is launching a “char¬ 
ter client plan” for new sponsors 
coming into the refurbished seg¬ 
ment. Under the plan, the current 
rates and discounts remain the 
same but the charter clients will 
get one free participation for every 
three they purchase, with the free 
spots over and above the regular 
volume discounts. Plan runs from 
March 28 through May 31. 

PAUL STANLEY TO 
ALCOA-GOODYEAR 

Producers- directors off the Alcoa- 
Goodyear dramatic showcase on 
NBC-TV have been gravitating of 
late into the CBS programming 
domain. But this time a switch 
has-been effected with Paul Stan¬ 
ley, with a long list of CBS credits 
to his name, having just negoti¬ 
ated a deal to join Alcoa-Goodyear 
as a director. 

Previously identified with such 
CBS entries as “Danger,” “Ap¬ 
pointment With Adventure” and 
“Summer Studio One,” Stanley’s 
initial entry under the deal set 
by Alden Schwimmer of the Ash- 
ley-Steiner office is Agatha 
Christie’s “The Murder Is An¬ 
nounced,” which will be done next 
Sunday (30). 






24 


TV-FILMS 




Vtdacaday, Dwmher 26, 1956 


Mm£fy -ARB City-By-City Syndicated Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na» 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bur • 
eau on a monthly basis• Cities willdfe rotated each week, with the 10 top• 
rated film shows listed in each case, and their competition shown opposite, 
All ratings are furnished by ARB, based on the latest reports. ^ 

This VARIETY, chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa - 
tion about film in each market, which can be used by distributors, agencies, 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market. Attention should be paid to time—day and 


time factors, since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot, i.e., a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low rating, may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor* 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market, Abbre* 
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv), adventure; (Ch), children’s; 
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mu*), musical; 
(Myst), mystery; (Q), quiz;, (Sp), sports; (W), western; (Worn), 
women’s, Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the step 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are VHF, Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national sponsor for whom the film is aired. 




...- 

—.— 






1 1 ‘ ' 

TOP 10 PROGRAMS 



DAY AND 

NOVEMBER 

SHARI 

SETS IN 1 

TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 


AND TYPE 

STATION 

DISTRIB. 

TIME 

RATING 

(HI 

USE 1 

PROGRAM 

. STA. 

RATING 

BOSTON 

Approx . Set Cow/it-fl,395,000 




Stations —WBZ (4) 

, WNAC (7) 

1. Waterfront (Adv). 

. WNAC 

.MCA....... 

.Sun. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.29.9...., 

*... 68.4. 

.. 43.7 

Studio 57. 

WBZ ... 

.12.5 

2. Man Behind the Badge (Myst).WNAC 


.Sun. 10:30-11:00 ... 

.25.4- 


.. 33.1 

Liberace... 

WBZ ... 



.WNAC 


Fri. 6:30-7:00 ...., 

.23,4...., 

_66.9., 

.. 35.0 

Boston Movietime. t 

WBZ ... 

.10.11 

4. Western Marshal (W).,.. 

.WNAC , 

..... ... NBC..... 

Wed. 7:30-8:00 .... 

.21.4...., 

.... 53.7. 

.. 39.9 

Eddie Fishep. 

WBZ ... 

.14.0 






/ 


News—Huntley-Brinkley.. 

WBZ ... 


5. Studio 57 (Dr). 

. WBZ .. 

.MCA... 

.Tues. 10:30-11:00 . 

.20.3 .... 

.... 55.5.„ 

.. 36.6 

Secret Journal.. 

WNAC . 

.13.7 

6. Count of Monte Crlsto (Adv). 

.WNAC 

.TPA. 

Tues. 8:30-9:00 ... 

.20.2.... 

.... 39.0. 

.. 51.8 

Noah's Ark.. 

WBZ ... 

.29.0 

7. Ellery Queen (Myst) ^. 

.WNAC 


Fri. 10:30-11:00 .. 

.... .20.0...., 

.... 53.5. a 

.. 37.4 

Cavalcade of Sports. 

WBZ ... 

.16.3 








Sports; Big Playback. 

WBZ ... 

.11.4 

8. Annie Oakley (W). 

.WNAC 

.CBS. 

Sun. 5:00-5:30 .... 

.19.7.... 

_54.1. 

.. 36.4 

Wide Wide World 

WBZ ... 

.15.2 

9. Highway Patrol (Adv). 

.WBZ .. 


Wed. 10:30-11:00 . 

.....18.0.... 

.... 38.1. 

.. 47.2 

20th Century Fox.. 

WNAC . 

.26.5 

10. Wild Bill Hickok (W)........ 

.WNAC 


.Tues. 6:30-7:00 ... 

.... .17.6.... 

.... 60.6. 

.. 29.0 

Golden Playhouse. 

WBZ ... 

.7.7 








Boston Movietime. 

WBZ ... 

.....13.1 

WASHINGTON 


Approx. Set Count - 

—754,000 

Stations —WRC (4) 

, WTTG (5), WMAL (7) 

, WTOP (9) 

1. Eamar of the Jungle (Adv) .. 

. WTOP. 


Wed. 7:00-7:30 ... 

......19.8... 

.61.3...... 

...32.3 

Jim Gibbons; News—Rendell WMAL . 

.4.1 








News— 1 -John Daly. 

WMAL 

.6.7 

2. Superman (Adv) .. 

.WRC... 


.Tues. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.18.7.... 

..... 45.7. 

... 41.0 

Do You Trust Your Wife.. 

, WTOP . 

.15.3 

8. Highway; Patrol (Adv)....... 

.WTOP. 


Sat. 7:00-7:30 .... 

......18.1.... 

.44.1. 

... 41.1 

Studio 57. 

, WRC .. 

_ft ll 

4. Jungle Jim (Adv) .......... 

.WMAL. 


Wed. 6:00-6:30 ... 

.16.8.... 

.53.2. 

... 31.6 

Cisco Kid. 

. WTOP . 

MMVtl 

5. Wild Bill Hickok (W).... 

. WRC ... 


.Thurs. 7:00-7:30 .. 

.15.5 .... 

... .. 44.1. 

... 35.2 

Code 3.. 

, WTOP . 

.7.1 








News—John Daly ...... 

, WMAL 


0. Brave Eagle (W).. 

. WMAL. 

.CBS.. 

Fri. 6:00-6:30 .... 

.14.4.... 

...... 50.4. 

... 28.6 


. WRC .. 

.6.0 








. Cisco Kid. 

.WTOP . 


7. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv).... 

.WTOP. 


.Mon. 7:00-7:30 ... 

..14.0..., 

.43.6..,... 

... 32.1 

Foreign T.eglonnaire..., T t ^ 

, WRC .. 

.6.0 








News—John Daly.. 

.WMAL 

.0.8 

8. Annie Oakley (W). 

WTOP. 


, Fri. 7:00-7:30 ..,. 

.13.5 .... 

.39.1. 

_34.5 


.WTTG . 

.fi.fi 

9. Count of Monte Cristo (Adv). 

. WTOP. 


. Sat. 6:$0-7:00 .... 

.12.5.... 

.41.5. 

... 30.1 

Championship Bowling.... 

.WMAL 

. 8.2 

9. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv) 

.WMAL. 


Sun. 6:00-6:30 _ 

.12.5.... 


... 39.8 

Meet the Press.. 

.WRC .. 

.12.3 

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL 

Approx. Set Count - 

—515,000 

Stations —WCCO (4), KSTP (5), KMGM (9), WTCN (11) 

1. Stage 7 (Dr). 

. KSTP.. 

..;.TPA.... 

. Mon. 9:30-10:00 .. 

.20.2 . . , 

_ 38.7_ 

... 52.1 


. WCCO 

.... 17.3 

2. Celebrity Playhouse (Dr). 

. KSTP.. 


. Sun. 9:30-10:00 ... 

.18.8..! 


... 46.9 

Masterpiece Theatre. 

. WCCO . 

.....12.1 

8. Sheriff of Cochise (W). 

. WCCO. 


. Sat. 9:30-10:00 ... 

,., t 19 6 , 

3Q ft ... 

. 49 3 


KSTP 

24 1 

4. Highway Patrol (Adv)....... 

.KSTP.. 


. Fri. 10:30-11:00 .. 

.166 

_ 56 7 _ 

t .. 2fl 3 


. KMP t M 

_fi.3 








Showhouse . 

.WTCN . 

. 4.7 

5. I Led 3 Lives (Adv). 

.KSTP.. 


. Tues. 9:30-10:00 .. 

__ .156 . . . 

. 33 4 _ 

t .. 46 7 

Wrestling 

, WCCO . 

.23.3 

6. Wild Bill Hickok (W). 

. WCCO. 


. Sat. 5:30-6:00 .... 

.15.5... 


... 23.8 

Great Gildersleeve. 

.KSTP . 

.4.0 

7. Studio 57 (Dr). 

.KSTP.. 


.Wed. 9:30-10:00 .. 

.15 2 . . . 

_ 29 ft_ 

,. 52 ft 


. wdeo 

.17.5 

• 8. Search for Adventure (Adv).. 

. WTCN. 


, Mon. 9:30.-10:00 .. 

.13.1... 


... 52.1 

Stage 7 . 

.KSTP . 

.20.2 

9. City Detective (Myst). 

.KSTP., 


.Thurs. 10:30-11:00 

.12.8 ... 

r t ... 56 1 . t T , 

T 22 ft 


WTCN 

.4.1 

10. Mr.'District Attorney (Myst). 

.KSTP., 


. Wed. 10:30-11:00 . 

.12.8. .. 


... 20.1 

Tomorrow’s News; Weather. WCCO . 

. 6.6 








j Hollywood Playhouse . 

. WCCO . 

. 1.0 








1 Early Movie . 

. WTCN . 

. 1.0 

SEATTLE-TACOMA 


Approx. Set Count 

—500,000 

Stations - 

-KOMO (4), KING (5), KTNT (11), KTVW (13) 

1. Life of Riley (Co). 

.KING. 


. Thurs. 7:30-8:00 .. 

.40.2. ... 

.67.3. 

.... 59.8 

Dinah Shore ... 

. KOMO 

.8.9 








News—Huntley—Brinkley . 

. KOMO 

. 8.2 

2. Search for Adventure (Adv).. 

.KING. 


. Sat. 7:00-7:30 

, f f .. 3ft 2 , 

_ 64 ft _ 

,. 58 9 


, ktnt 

. 0.8 

3. Annie Oakley (W). 

. KING. 


. Fri. 6:00-6:30 

.33.5 ..., 


... 49.0 

Big News . 

.KTNT . 









CBS News-D. Edwards. 

.KTNT . 

. 7.6 

4. Highway Patrol (Adv) . 

.KOMO 


. Thurs. 7:00-7:30 ., 

.... 31 9 

55 4 . r 

57 g 


KING 

20.1 

5. Sheriff of Cochise (W). 

.KING. 


. Mon. 7:00-7:30 ... 

f .27 1 . .. 

. 48 3 ... r 

.. 56 2 


, KTNT 

. 15.2 

6 . Soldiers of Fortune (Adv).... 

.KING. 


.Mon. 6:00-6:30 ... 

. 25 7 .. 

...... 54 4 _ 

... 47 3 


KOMO 

. .13.3 

7. Superman (Adv). 

.KING. 


.Tues. 6:00-6:30 ... 

. 24 6 _ 

.. T T f 54 4 ..., 

. 45 2 


KOMO 

_ 13.3 

8 . Studio 57 (Dr) . ; . 

.KING. 


.Fri. 7:00-7:30 .... 

.23.3.... 


... 56.2 

Cavalcade of Sports. 

. KOMO 

.28.6 

9. Badge 714 (Myst) . 

.KING. 


. Sun. 6:00-6:30 

. 23.1..., 


... 46.5 

Air Power . .. . 

.KTNT . 

. 14.6 

10. Western Marshal (W) . ; 

.KING. 


. Wed. 6:00-6:30 ... 

. 22 . 2 ... 

_ 46.0..... 

..* 48.2 

My Little Margie. 

. KOMO 

. 14.8 

COLUMBUS 


Approx. Set Count 

—357,000 


Stations-— 

WLW-C (4), WTVN (6) 

, WBNS (10) 


1. Death Valley Days (W). 

.WBNS... 


. .McCann-Erickson. 

. Sun. 9:30-10:00 . 

. .35.4. 

.... 57.3. 

.... 61.8 

TV Playhouse. 

..WLW-C . 

....17.4 

2. Highway Patrol (Adv) 

.WBNS... 


. .Ziv. 

. Tues. 10:30-11:00 .... 

..29.7. 

.... 71.6. 

.... 41,5 

Wrestling . . 

. WTVN .. 

.... 6.4 

3. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv)... 

.WBNS... 


. .MCA. 

.Wed. 6:30-7:00 . 

..24.3. 

.... 76.9..... 

.... 31.6 

Meetin’ Time at Moores., 

..WLW-C . 

. 3.5 

4. Public Defender (Dr). 

..WBNS... 


. .Interstate. 

. Mon. 6:30-7:00 ..... 


77 0 

31-2 



3 ft 

4. Man Called X (Myst). 

.WBNS... 


. .Ziv. 

. Fri. 9:30-10:00 . 


. 44 8 

53 5 


WLW-C 

1 ft 9 

6 . Superman (Adv) . 

..WBNS... 


. .Flamingo.. 

. .Wed. 6:00-6:30 ...... 

. 20 5 , , 

. . 6 ft a . . t 

30.0 

FnvPiOn T.A0iAnn9irp 

WTVN 

x 6.1 

7. Sheriff of Cochise (W) . 

..WBNS... 


..NTA . 

. Thurs. 7:30-8:00 . 

. .19.3 .... 

.... 40.3 . 

.... 47.9 

T.rmp Pntigpr 

WTVN 

17.7 

8. Grand Ole Opry (Mus) . 

. .WBNS. .. 


. .Flamingo . 

.. Sat. 7:00-7:30 . 

.. 18.4 .... 

.... 45.3 . 

.... 40.7 

GnlH C!nn Thoati’o 

.. WLW-C 

16.0 

9. Crunch & Des (Adv) . 

.. WfeNS... 


. .NBC. .. ......... . 

. Tues. 7:30-8:00 ... .^. 

. .17.9 .... 

... aft 2 _ 

.... 54.0 

PnnfMpt 

WTVN 

28.3 

10. Sheena of the Jungle (Adv). 

, ’. WTVN .. „ 


. ABC . 

. Thurs. 6:00-6:30 . 

..17.1.... 

.... 50.7 . 

.... 33.7 

Annie Oakley .. 

..WBNS .. 

. 12.4 









































































































































































































































































































































































Wednesday* December 26, 1956 




TV-FILMS 23 


ERA OF THE ‘OFFBEAT’ DEALS 


+ 


+ 


20th TV’s Testing Program 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

As part of parent 20th-Fox’ new talent discovery and training 
program, TCF-TV has Inked four newcomers for telefilm parts— 
Michael Sargeant, Richard Gardner, Michael Galloway and Jane 
Liddell. 

Additionally, the four will be screentested for studio term pacts. 
TCF topper Irving Asher commented that the 20th tv subsid's vid- 
pix could serve as both a testing ground for feature film talent 
and a source of new telefilm talent. 

Testing program, budgeted at $1,000,000, is under personal 
supervision of 20th prexy Spyros Skouras and exec producer Buddy 
Adler. Second showcasing gets underway next month, with Ben 
—Bard-in charge of the program. 


Revlon Siphons $3,800,(11)0 Network 
Coin Into Features in 30 Markets 


Revlon, which is dropping out of 
NBC-TV’s "Can Do,” is switching 
Shortly after the first of the year 
to feature film in the nation’s top 
SO markets. Outlay will be in 
neighborhood of $3,000,000 over a 
26-week period, thus establishing 
the largest and costliest national 
spot lineup for features to date. 

A spokesman for Revlon said 
that the decision to boy features 
is based on the recent track record 
of the new-to-tv libraries, and that 
It eliminates the need to make 
costly experiments. “Can Do,” 
which has received poor critical 
treatment and low Nielsens in the 
few weeks its been aired) was said 
by the sponsor to cost $80,000 (time 
and programs) a week. 

Bevlon is not seeking the very 
top quality pix available. Instead, 
the bankroller is now negotiating 
once-weekly lineups with spot rep¬ 
resentatives on “moderately good 
pictures” from the main libraries, 
pn the theory that they’ll pull a 
neat cost-per-1,000 return. 

Revlon is understood to have 
had talks with Triangle stations 
over a Philadelphia buy of the 
\Varners and/or Metro product. It’s 
also discussing once-weekly expo¬ 
sure of Warners in Boston with 
WBZ-TV. Buys on KFJZ, Dallas; 
WGN, Chicago, are in the offing, 
as well. Only possible deviation 
from the scheme of buying less 
than the best is the talk of a buy 
into WCBS-TV’s (New York) late 
show on Saturday night at 11:15. 

In all cases, Revlon is thought 
to be seeking half-sponsorship of 
the once-weekly telecasts in all 30 
markets. This is seen as a pre¬ 
liminary step to expansion in na¬ 
tional spot pacts for features. 

Previous largest national feature 
film buy was by Bristol-Myers in 
eight major tv markets. The trade 
sees many indications that blue- 
chip bankrollers will be cutting 
more and more coin away from 
network purchases in order to en¬ 
ter feature films. It’s this belief 
that has cued purchase by large 
stations like WCBS-TV and WFIL- 
TV, Philly, and KTTV, in L.A., of 
the cream from available vaults. 


SG Merchandising 
On‘Boing,’‘Magoo’ 

Screen Gems will handle all 
merchandising of the name and 


634 Ice-Cream Scoops 

Some industrial tv films 
rack up quite a track record. 
Paraffined Carton Research 
Council did a color cartoon, 
“The Butcher, the Baker, the 
Ice Cream Maker,” which was 
played 634 times by 404 sta¬ 
tions in the U. S. and the 
territories. Council estimates 
22,500,000 viewers saw it in the 
10 months since it began. 

Cartoon is a promotion on 
behalf of pre-packaged ice 
cream. 


Ziv Earmarks 
$12,500,000 For 
’57 Telepix Pro A 

A stepped up telefilm production 
program of $12,600,000 for 1957 
has been mapped by Ziv, an outlay 
$4,500,000 higher than that of 1956. 

The 1957 production program 
will entail lensing of such current 
Ziv shows as “Men of Annapolis,” 
“West Point,” “Dr. Christian,” and 
“Highway Patrol” to fulfill current 
commitments. Additionally, a to¬ 
tal of 10 pilot films are on the 
drawing boards, or various stages 
. of planning both here and overseas. 

Going over the activities of 1956, 
Ziv prez John L. Sinn, listed the 
following highlights for the Organ¬ 
ization: 

In sales, gross dollar volume of 
1956 Ziv telefilm sales in all di¬ 
visions totalled 46% over compara¬ 
tive sales for 1955. Although gains 
were made in all categories, from 
Ziv’s entry into the network pic¬ 
ture with “West Point” to stepped 
up rerun activity, the most impor¬ 
tant gain was in the form of a 53% 
increase in regional deals on first- 
run properties. 

In the production end, aproxi- 
mately 55% of the total- telefilm 
footage was shot in color. 

The total number of clients in- 
- creased 27% to a high of 2,883, in¬ 
cluding all types from major na¬ 
tional advertisers to local clients. 

(Continued on page 32) 

GPC Series Ready For 

Presentation Feb. 1 


likeness of . “Gerald McBoing- 
Boing” and “Mr. Magoo” under 
terms of an exclusive pact with 
UPA, creators and producers of 
the animated cartoon characters. 

The Columbia Pictures subsid 
will solely license “McBoing- 
Boing” merchandise and will joint¬ 
ly control merchandising on the 
“Magoo” properties with UPA. Ad¬ 
ditionally, Screen Gems and UPA 
will merchandise the various 
characters seen during the past 
years in films released by UPA for 
theatres, films which had been dis¬ 
tributed by Columbia. 

CBS-TV, which premiered the 
“Mcboing-Boing” teleseries on 
Dec. 16, has exclusive merchant 
dislng rights to only hew char¬ 
acters introduced in the animated 
series, but not the central figure, 
Gferald McBoing-Boing. 


The first** three episodes of “Ex¬ 
clusive,” the series based on stories 
of the Overseas Press Club, to be 
distributed by ABC Film Syndica¬ 
tion, will be available for screen¬ 
ings by national advertisers and 
agencies about Feb. 1. 

The series, now being shot oh lo¬ 
cation in Europe by Derel Produc¬ 
ing Associates, is being produced 
by Bernard Luber. 


Benson’s Shift to TV 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Hugh Benson has been named 
assistant to Warner Bros, tv topper 
William T. Orr by Jack L. Warner, 
over the weekend, in expectation of 
upped telefilm activity next year. 

For past several months, Benson 
has been assistant to Steve Trill¬ 
ing, second in command at the 
Warners lot, and previously headed 
radio-tv department of studio’s 
publicity office. 


Chi Embroiled in Hot ReRgioso 
Hassle in TV Cancelling of ‘Luther 

-,---f 


FLOCK OF NEW 
SALES PATTERNS 

The sales techniques for selling 
film, be it features or telefilms, has 
assumed a variety, of patterns, with 
new approaches in the offing for 
1957. 

Syndicators and feature distribu¬ 
tors, always operating in a com¬ 
petitive situation, now accented by 
an influx of product, especially in 
the post-first-run field, have flexed 
their brains, sharpened their pen¬ 
cils, proposing “offbeat” deals to 
“hook” station and/or sponsor. 

While the “offbeat” deals remain 
in the minority—most film deals 
are still between the distributor 
and/or sponsor—they command at¬ 
tention for a number of them may 
point the way for tomorrow’s trans¬ 
actions. Many of the “offbeat” 

I approaches are not new, but they 
appear to be gaining momentum in 
recent months. 

Here are some examples, in the 
telefilm field: 

MQA-TV and Nestle have inked 
a multi-market deal involving a va¬ 
riety of MCA-TV subsequent run 
skeins, under which MCA-TV in¬ 
sures Nestle advertising participa¬ 
tion to a station buying the MCA- 
TV skeins. 

Another major telefilm distribu¬ 
tor currently is experimenting in a 
number of small markets with a 
“profit participation” scheme, un¬ 
der which the distributor shares in 
the spots attracted by subsequent 
run telefilms. 

The “gimmick” on the sale of the 
new “Crusader Rabbit” series in¬ 
cludes the station in divvying up 
the 5% merchandising licensing 
take with the station being offered 
one-quarter of the 5% distributor 
share. 

Then, there is the straight barter 
deal the most recent example in 
that sphere, c being Charles Antell, 
Inc. which, bought telefilms from 
a variety of sources, including Of¬ 
ficials Films and Interstate Televi¬ 
sion. More recently, Antell has 
made a deal with ABC Film Syndi¬ 
cation for “Code 3” in a number 
of markets. 

The barter deal, which has many 
variations, finds the advertiser 
trading the telefilm programming 
for spots on the station. The big¬ 
gest operator in that field has been 
Matty Fox, who has unloaded the 
RKO feature lbrary in a multiplici¬ 
ty of markets with International 
Latex taking the spots. Prior to 
his acquisition of the RKO library, 
Fox, utilizing the old Motion Pic¬ 
tures for Television Western li¬ 
brary, had picked up an estimated 
$7,000,000 in bartered time. He 
recently sold that bartered time 
(Continued on page 31) 

Dr. Goldsmith Named 

New Prexy of NTFC 

• Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith was 
elected president of the National 
Television Film Council for 1957. 

Other new officers include: Lou 
Feldman, exec v.p.; Sydney A. My¬ 
ers, exec secretary; Charles Car¬ 
penter, treasurer; Sally Perle, gen¬ 
eral secretary; Marvin Rothenberg, 
production v.p.; Saul Turrell, dis¬ 
tribution v.p.; Marshall Rothen, 
agencies v.p.; Stan Cole, member¬ 
ship v.p. Directors include: John 
J. Schneider; past prez; Ted 
Genoch, Steve Manning, Waldo 
Mayo, Don Widlund, Archie May¬ 
ers, Joe Dougherty, Bert Hecht, 
Mickey Rich, Peter Keane and 
Henry Grossman. 


Colossal ‘Movieland’ 

Old features still sell. Associated 
Artists Productions’ pre-backlog 
Warner Bros, library, “Movieland,” 
has been sold to five tv stations in 
a six-day span. In a couple of 
years, the distrib says that part or 
all of the 74-pic package was 
bought by 264 tv stations. 

Last week, KTVX,Tulsa; KIEM, 
Eureka, Calif.; KRBC, Abilene, 
Tex.; KID, Idaho Falls, and KHSL, 
Chico, Calif., bought the “Movie¬ 
land” group. 


Madison Ave. Dulles 

Manny Reiner, foreign sales 
chief for Television Programs 
of America, checked in last 
week after a five-week South 
American swing. He’s now 
covered two-thirds of the earth 
under TPA auspices, all within 
the space of five months, hav¬ 
ing racked up 45,000 air miles. 

In February, he leaves for 
a swing of Tokyo, the Pihlip- 
pines, Hong Kong and Aus¬ 
tralia, thus completing his " 
globe-circling sales mission as 
a new “first” in the vidpix 
“one world” sweepstakes. 

$21,420,000 Peak 
Production in ’57 
On Tap at Desilu 

By DAVE KAUFMAN 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 
Desilu Productions—the house 
that “Lucy” built—will hit a peak 
$21,420,000 in tv film production 
for 1957, including those series it 
films for other companies. Desi 
Arnaz, prexy-owner of the com¬ 
pany and star with Lucille Ball of 
the “I Love Lucy” series, also re¬ 
vealed here that Desilu’s own pro¬ 
duction (not embracing that of 
other firms) will hit a record $15,- 
645,000 next year. Desilu went into 
business six years ago with only 
one series — “Lucy” — and has 
mushroomed since to the top spot 
in Hollywood tv film today pro¬ 
duction-wise. 

On the production sked of Desi¬ 
lu are 26 segments of “Lucy,” still 
No.l in its sixth year on tv; 31 “De¬ 
cember Bride”; 39 “Sheriff of Co¬ 
chise”; 39 “Those Whiting Girls”; 
39 “Whirlybirds”; and six series to 
be filmed for National Telefilm As¬ 
sociates. . Arnaz said deal with 
NTA calls for a minimum of six 
new series, but that number may 
go up to 10 before the end of 1957. 

NTA product includes “Cochise,” 
already being syndicated in 152 
markets; “Official Detective”; ten¬ 
tatively-tagged “Rickey of the Is¬ 
lands,” about a young boy on Bor¬ 
neo, “a 12-year-old Tarzan,” ex¬ 
plains Arnaz; “Hell on Wheels,” an 
adventure-comedy series; “Rookie 
Cop,” comedy-drama. In addition 
Arnaz will produoe a series called 
“The Wildcatters,” possibly for 
NTA. and will do “The Last Mar¬ 
shal,” a western series for NTA. He 
also has an untitled property, a 
comedy series, which will star a 
girl about 10, and is negotiating 
for six more series. Arnaz and 
Bob Hodc are also discussing the 
possibility of Hope starring in a 
Desilu-produced vidfilm series. 

Desilu’s skyrocketing production 
is due in large part to its decision 
to enter the syndicated field this 
season, with “Cochise” its first 
such entry. Arnaz revealed that 
the John Bromfield starrer has al¬ 
ready made “a substantial profit” 
(Continued on page 33) 

Consolidation For 

Lang-Worth, Langlois 

Consolidation of Lang - Worth 
Feature Programs and Langlois 
Filmusic in expanded New York 
headquarters has been effected by 
John D. Langlois, recently elected 
prez of the Lang-Worth organiza¬ 
tion. 

Under the" new exec setup, C. O. 
Langlois Sr., becomes chairman of 
tthe board, and’ Cy Langlois Jr., 
continues as prez of Filmusic, 
while Hugh S. Allen Jr., becomes 
national sales manager, moving 
over from his post as head of West 
Coast operations. Allen’s spot will 
be taken by G. R. Jones on the 
Coast. 


Chicago, Dec. 25. 

Martin Luther, the spearhead of 
the 16th Century Reformation, may 
well emerge as television’s most 
controversial personality in the up¬ 
coming 57th year of the 20th cen- 
tury. 

The German namesake of the 
Luthuran Church who died 410 
years ago has already embroiled 
WGN-TV in the middle of one of 
the most sensitive community re¬ 
lations problems it has ever en¬ 
countered. And it’s expected the 
FCC and even Congressional voices 
will be heard from before the final 
chapter of the “new” Luther yarn 
is completed. 

In an attempt to avoid a con¬ 
troversy with one religious group, 
as reflected by protests from 
Catholics, WGN-TV last week 
abruptly cancelled the scheduled 
showing of the “Martin Luther’ 1 
biopic produced originally for the¬ 
atrical release by Louis de Roche- 
mont. Cancellation immediately 
touched off an aggressive counter¬ 
attack from major Protestant 
groups, highlighted by a complaint 
to- the FCC charging the station 
with acquiescing to censorship. 

The inter-faith wrangle, which 
also may involve the other three 
Chicago vidstations, can * be ex¬ 
pected to be echoed elsewhere 
around the country in the ensuing 
months. Lutheran Church Produc¬ 
tions which financed the filming of 
the picture plans to release it gen¬ 
erally to tv later this .spring. If 
picked Chicago as sort of a test 
market and closed a deal with 
WGN-TV some months back. 

So, aside from the local angles 
involved, the Protestants, and par- 
ticularly, the Lutherans are bend¬ 
ing every effort to forestall tin 
possibility that the WGN)-TV ban 
might set a “hands off” precedent 
for “Luther” on video generally, 
An “Action Committee,” comprised 
of representatives from the Church 
Federation of Greater Chicago and 
the Lutheran Council of Greater 
Chicago, has been organized to 
wage the campaign to get the pic¬ 
ture tv exposure here. 

The group, which is deferrinj 
any further protests until after the 
holidays, has a meeting scheduled 
with WGN veep and general man¬ 
ager Ward Quaal early next month, 
If, as expected, WGN-TV stands by 
its decision not to screen “Luther,’’ 
it’s understood the committee will 
then seek to get the film shown 
on one of the other three stations, 

Further complicating the “damn- 
(Continued on page 30) 

M-G Oldies Still 
Top Mpls. Ratings 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

On the second Sunday night out 
for the M-G oldies on tv here, 
“Johnny Eager,” starring Robert 
Taylor and Lana Turner, garrfered 
a 19.54 Trendex rating and 43.6 
audience share, according to Dan 
Menard, station manager. Picture 
was on from 9 to 11 p.m. 

At the same time, Trendex re¬ 
ports, KSTP-TV (NBC) racked up 
a 13.1 and 29.3 rating and audience 
share, respectively; WCCO-TV 
(CBS) 10.7 and 23.8, and WTCN 
(ABC), 1.5 and 3.3. They’re the oth¬ 
er three Twin Cities video sta¬ 
tions. 

Menard explains that through a 
“mixup” there was no Trendex 
survey for the second Saturday 
night of M-G oldies when “Com¬ 
mand Decision,” starring Clark 
Gable, was the tv offering. 

For the Saturday and Sunday 
nights when the Metro backlog or 
pre-1948 features was launched 
after a big and expensive ballyhoo, 
the ratings and audience shares 
were 25.3 and 48 and 19.5 and 43, 
respectively. 

Menard points out that his sta¬ 
tion now has national as well as 
local participating sponsors for the 
Saturday and Sunday night, . Metro 
showings. 





26 


TV-FILMS 


fr'fitelETr 


Wednesday,* December 2)S, 1956 


pmETY ARB FEATURE FILM CHART 


Variety's weekly chart, "based on ratings furnished by American Research Bu¬ 
reau’s latest reports, on feature films and their competition covers 120 cities. Each 
week, the lfr top-rated features in a particular city will be rotated. 

Factors which would assist distributors , agencies, stations and advertisers in 
determining the effectiveness of a feature show in a specific market have been 
included in this Variety chart. Listed below is such pertinent information regarding 
features as their stars, release year, original production company and the present 
distributor, included wherever possible along ioith the title. Attention should be paid 
to such factors as the time and day, the high and low ratings for the measured 


feature peHod and share of audiencS, since these factors -reflect the effectiveness 
of the feature, and audience composition, i,e. a late show at 11:15 p.m. would hardly 
have any children viewers, but its share of audience may reflect dominance in that 
time period. In the cities where stations sell their feature programming on a multi- 
stripped basis utilizing the same theatrical throughout the week, a total rating for the 
total number of showings for the week is given, the total rating not taking into account 
the duplicated homes factor. Barring unscheduled switches in titles, the listed features 
for the particularly rated theatrical filmed show are as accurate as could be ascer¬ 
tained from a multiplicity of station and other data. 


PHILADELPHIA 


TOP 10 TITLES AND OTHER DATA 

TIME SLOT 

ARB 

RATING 

HIGH 

LOW 

SHARE OF 
AUDIENCE 

NOVEMBER, 1956 

TOP COMPETING SHOWS 

- 

ARB 

rating 

1. THEY MET IN BOMBAY— 

Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell; 

1940; MGM; MGM-TV 

Hollywood’s Best 

Sun., Nov. 11 
5:00-6:30 p.m. 

WFIL* 

15.5 

16.1 

14.6 

45.7 

Wide Wide World.. 

World In Crisis. 

Air Power. 

.WRCV .. 
. WCAU . 

. WCAU 

.14.7 

2. THE BRIBE— 

Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner; 

1948; MGM; MGM-TV 

Hollywood’s Best 

Sat., Nov. 10 
7:30-9:00 p.m. 

WFIL 

14.7 

15.6 

13.8 

22.2 

People Are Funny. 

Perry Como. 

.WRCV ., 
.WRCV ., 

.20.4 

2. THE GLASS TOMB— 

John Ireland; 1955; Lippert; 
Tele-Pictures 

Ford Film Playhouse 
Sat., Nov. 10 
10:30-11:45 p.m. 

WFIL 

V 14.7 

^ 15.1 

14.1 

39.0 

Your Hit Parade. 

.WRCV .. 

... 30.0 

News; Sports Corner. 

.WCAU ., 
.WCAU .. 

... 9.9 








4. THE CHAMPION— 

Kirk Douglas,. Marilyn Maxwell, 

Arthur Kennedy; 1949; United 

Artists; Atlantic Television <» 

Stage “S” 

Tues., Nov. 13 
10:30-11:45 p.m. 

WFIL 

12.9 

13.3 

12.5 

35.7 

Golden Playhouse. 

News; Weather.. 

Sports Final; Movie.. 

Million Dollar Movie. 

.WCAU .. 
.WCAU .. 
. WCAU .. 
.WCAU .. 


6. HUDSON BAY— 

Paul Muni, Gene Tierney; 1941; 

20th Century Fox; NTA 

Hollywood’s Best 

Sun., Nov. 11 
2:00-3:40 p.m. 

WFIL 

11.3 

12.0 

9.0 

59.4 

Command Performance. 

Zoo Parade. . s .. 

.WCAU .. 
.WRCV .. 


6. WITHOUT LOVE— 

Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, 
Lucille Ball; 1944; 

MGM; MGM-TV' 

World’s Best Movies 

Fri., Nov. 9 
11:15-1:30 a.m. 

WFIL 

8.9 

11.0 

4.6 

51.1 

Sports Final; Million Dollar 
Movie ... 

.WCAU .. 

.8.1 

7. ROMANCE OF ROSY RIDGE— 

Van Johnson, Janet Leigh; 1946; 

MGM; MGM-TV 

World’s Best MovieS 
Mon., Nov. 12 
11:15-1:15 a.m. 

WFIL 

8.4 

9.5 

6.1 

49.4 

Sports Final; Million Dollar 
Movie ..... 

.WCAU .. 

. 7.3 

8. TEST PILOT— 

Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer 

Tracy; 1937; MGM; MGM-TV 

World’s Best Movies 
Wed., Nov. 14 > 
11:15-1:30 a.m. 

WFIL 

8.3 

12.0 

4.1 

52.6 

Sports Final; Million Dollar 
Movie . 

.WCAU .. 

. 5.8 

9. B. F.’s DAUGHTER— 

Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin; 

1947; MGM; MGM-TV 

World’s Best Movies 
Thurs., Nov. 8 
11:15-1:15 a.m. 

WFIL 

7.9 

10.0 

4.9 

47.3 

Sports Final; Million Dollar 
Movie .... 

.WCAU .. 


10. DARK WATERS— 

Favorite Film Pl’house 

5.3 

5.9 

4.6 

38.1 

Wild Bill Hickok. 

.WCAU .. 

.’8.9 

Merle Oberon, Franchot Tone; 

1944; United Artists; Guild 

Sun., Nov. 11 
12:30-2:00 p.m. 

WFIL 

Command Performnace. 

.WCAU .. 

.4.9 

CINCINNATI 









1. THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE— 

Gold Cup Theatre 

20.0 

22.2 

17.7 

« 

51.5 

Hi Kids . 

.WKRC .. 

.30.8 

Dorothy McGuire,- George Brent, 

Sat., Nov. 10 





The Hunter. 

.WKRC .. 

.80 

Rhonda Fleming; 1946; Selznick 

6:00-7:30 p.m. 





Beat the Clock. 

.WKRC .. 

. 17 7 

Studio; NTA 

WLW-T 








2. THE FOUNTAINHEAD— 

Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal; 

1949; Warner Brothers; 

Associated Artists Production 

^he Show 

Sat., Nov. 10 
11:15-1:00 a.m. 

WKRC 

11.9 

13.0 

9.8 

67.3 

College Football. 

Rinks Roundup. 

.WCPO .. 
.WLW-T . 


3. DUST BE MY DESTINY— 

John Garfield, Priscilla Lane; 

1939; Warner Brothers; 

Associated Artists Production 

Home Theatre 

Fri., Nov. 9 
11:15-1:00 a.m. 

WKRC 

9.4 

10.4 

8.5. 

68.6 

Theatre Tonight . 

Hollywood Theatre.. 

. WLW-T' . 
. WCPO .. 


4. SONG OF THE RANGE— 

Western Movie 

8.6 

9.5 

7.3 

48.8 

Championship Bowling.. 

.WKRC .. 

.8.9 

Jimmy Wakely; 1944; Republic; Guild 

Sun., Nov. 11 





Story of Wendy Hill..... 

, WKRC .. 

.3.2 


1:00-2:00 p.m. 

WLW-T 








5. I’M STILL ALIVE— 

Kent Taylor, Linda Hayes; 1940; 

RKO; C & C 

Movietime, U.S.A. 

Sun., Nov. 11 
2:00-3:30 p.m. 

WLW-T 

8.1 

8.9 

7.0 

32.0 

?ro-Football .. 

WKRC .. 

. 8.3 

6. ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC— 

Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey; 
1943; Warner Brothers; Associated 

Artists Production 

• The Show 

Wed., Nov. 14 
11:15-1:30 a.m. 

WKRC 

7.3 

10.1 

4.7 

78.4 

Theatre Tonight.WLW-T . 

Note: No competing programs 
telecast from 12:45-1:30 a.m. 

. 2.4 

7. HIGHWAY WEST— 

Arthur Kennedy, Brenda Marshall; 

1941; Warner Brothers; 

Associated Artists Production 

Home Theatre 

Mon., Nov. 12 
11:15-12:45 a.m. 

WKRC 

7.2 

7.6 

6.0 

m 

70.0 

Theatre Tonight . 

, WLW-T . 

.2.6 

8. MAN I LOVE— 

Ida Lupino, Robert Alda; 1946; 

Warner Brothers; Associated 

Artists Production 

Home Theatre 

Thurs., Nov 8 

6.0 

7.0 

5.1 

57.8 

Hollywood Theatre...... 

Tonight ...’. 

WCPO .. 
WLW-T . 

.3.5 

.4.1 

11:15-1:00 a.m. 

WKRC 








9. WINGS OF THE NAVY— 

Olivia De Havilland, George / 

Brent; 1939; Warner Brothers; 

Associated Artists Production 

Ladies Home Theatre 
Thurs., Nov. 8 

5:00-6:15 p.m. 

WKRC 

5.6 

* 6.0 

5.1 

16.2 

Mickey Mouse Club...... 

Range Rider . 

WCPO .. 
WLW-T . 

.19.6 

.11.7 

9. SENSATIONS OF 1945— 

Eleanor Powell, Dennis O’Keefe; 

. 1944; United Artists 

Admiral Theatre 

5.6 

5.7 

5.4 

22.7 

! ' V 

NCAA Football ...... 

WLW-T . 

. .. 17.9 

Sat., Nov. 10 

4: 00-5:00 p.m. 

, .;x; .T 1 flWCPQ/y J T^ ;• : - v.V 

.« , r#a „ 

r 

















































































Wednesday, December 26, 1956- 


Pjfc&iEfirr 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


27 




L-A.-1.A-A.A.A.A A A A A a 

F T ITT""? V ▼ V V ▼ 


► »»»< 


Tele Follow-Up Comment :l 




M-+-M 






TJ.S. Steel Hour . 

For as Jong as Grade Fields 
wants to play the title role, J. M. 
Barrie's “The Old Lady Shows Her 
Medals" will apparently be part 
of the tv repertory. Repeating last 
year's performance in the play on 
the “U. S. Steel Hour" Wednesday 
night (19) on CBS-T.V, the British 
actress again, skillfully dished up 
that measure of sentimentality and 
pathos that gives this piece its es¬ 
sential impact as a blend of humor 
ancl tear-jerking. 

As the male lead, Biff McGuire 
stepped into the role played last 
year with such virtuosity by Jackie 
Cooper. Invidious comparisons are 
unnecessary. McGuire played the 
young soldier very effectively, 
perhaps - pouring : -on—the Scottish 
brogue a bit too heavily, but cap¬ 
turing the essential romantic quali¬ 
ties of the part. The sequence in 
which, he proposes on bended knee 
that Miss Fields become his moth¬ 
er was undoubtedly the emotional 
high spot of the hour and Mc¬ 
Guire's performance succeeded in 
evoking the lumps in the throat. 
Can’t ask for anything more than 
that. 

The narrator, William Le Mas- 
sena, was new this year and, like 
Jerome Kilty last year, passed in 
and out of the action with urbane 
skill and tied this Robert Ander¬ 
son adaptation together by his 
adroit slotting in the script. The 
supporting roles of the biddies 
were superbly played by Moyna 
McGill, a repeat from last year’s 
cast, and Lucie Lancaster and Jo¬ 
sephine Brown. Ralph Butler, as 
the reverend, and John McLiam, 
as McGuire’s sidekick, also turned 
in competent performances. 

Herm. 


Phil Silvers Show 

One of,the best ads for thesping 
training on the strawhat circuit was 
Ed Sullivan’s appearance on the 
Phil Silvers stanza oni CBS-TV 
last Tuesday (18). Sullivan, who’s 
made some sporadic shots 'in the 
barns the past couple of summers, 
came through with flying colors 
playing a comedy role opposite 
Silvers. 

Of course, he was only playing 
himself, but it seems not an easy 
thing to do as evidenced by the 
performances of Mario Lewis (co¬ 
producer of the Ed Sullivan Show), 
John Wray (Sullivan’s director-^ 
choreographer) and Ray Bloch 
(Sullivan’s musical conductor), who 
were also playing themselves. Their 
talents lie strictly in production 
but their hamming it up added to 
the fun. 

The half-hour situation was a 
natural for solid laugns. fatoiy 
centered on the Sullivan show 
staffers attempt to put' on an all- 
Army show despite the interrup¬ 
tions, intrusions and general con¬ 
fusion caused by Sgt. Bilko (Silvers) 
who wants to sing "Granada” in a 
massive production. 

It made for a lot of general as 
well as inside yocks. Best of which 
was Sullivan’s distress upon hear¬ 
ing that his show racked up a 
Trendex count of 50 vs. the opposi¬ 
tion’s (unidentified) tally of 2. 4That 
2 bothered him. Gros. 


he'd been given lines In keeping 
with his own young age. Like the 
other youngsters, he suffered 
adult characterization by the au¬ 
thor, Director John Franken- 
heimer was remiss on this score 
also, as well as letting the story 
wander frequently. 

What lent /interest to the* pro¬ 
ceedings, despite its dramatic 
faults, was the heartwarming tale 
that was told, that of a young cou¬ 
ple, poor but rich in heart, who, 
without regard to a child’s race or 
background, adopted a large fam¬ 
ily. In the telling of the tale, the 
hardships of the parents were 
touched upon, the problems of ra¬ 
cial prejudices given the onceover, 
and if things got too sticky some¬ 
times, it w.as partially forgive able. 

Horo. 


Person to Person 

At times, that old "look in your 
own back yard” maxim makes lots 
of sense. It did last Friday (21) on 
“Person to Person” when with Ed 
Murrow in Rangoon filming a “See 
It Now” interview, Mrs. Murrow-, 
Janet by name, was prevailed upon 
by her husband and producers 
Jesse Zousmer and John Aaron to 
take over. Substitutes for Murrow 
during his overseas newsgathering 
jaunts have been a perennial prob¬ 
lem, but they shouldn’t be any 
more. 

For Mrs, Murrow is a goodlook¬ 
ing woman of considerable poise, 
charm and warmth. She’s also a 
good conversationalist and inter¬ 
viewer, and at the risk of starting 
a familv squabble, she may be 
more effective with some inter¬ 
views than her hubby. This seemed 
the case, for examole, with the sec¬ 
ond of her two visits, to the Don 
Ameches. where in the atmosphere 
of a warm and unostentatious fam¬ 
ily gathering, she unbent to the 
point of being a real visitor and 
one of the group, rather than a 
far-off and formalistic “tell us 
about yourself” interviewer. The 
visit with the Ameches, father, 
mother, three sons and two daugh¬ 
ters, was one of “P to P’s” best, 
simply because of the warmth, 
seeming spontaneity and absence 
.of any strain. Not too much show 
biz angles, exceot a port of nostal¬ 
gic yearning by Ameehe for the 
old easy and leisurely days of radio 
plus a plug for his new play. 

Mrs. Murrow didn’t fare as well 
in her first visit, to model Suzy 
Parker. Chalk it up to a little 
nervous tension for her television 
debut, plus the fact that she had 
only Miss Parker to work with, and 
began to run out of steam and 
questions after awhile. Possibly 
too, the conversation was too lim¬ 
ited in scope, restricting itself to. 
modeling, its plusses and disad¬ 
vantages. But Murrow need no 
longer worry about who’ll watch 
the store; it should remain all in 
the family from here on. Chan. 


Playhouse 90 

In keeping with the season, 
“Playhouse 90” took a sentimental 
journey Thursday (20) night, tell¬ 
ing the story of a real-life couple 
who adopted a brood of 12 kids. 
Starring were Nanette Fabray and 
Lew Ayres as the couple, with 
child star Tim Hovel topping the 
moppet cast. 

While the intentions of the play 
were laudable in harmony with the 
spirit of brotherhood, the excur¬ 
sion failed on a number of counts. 
The hour-and-half length was Trot 
given adequate support by the 
adaptation penned by George 
Bruce from the book by Helen 
Doss, titled the same as the tele- 
play “The Family Nobody Wanted.” 
The material, if tightened, could 
have been a more interesting 60- 
minute teleplay. The panoramic 
display offered by scripter Bruce, 
without any. depth In characteriza¬ 
tion, just didn’t hold up for 90 
minutes. 

Nanette Fabray, as the wife of a 
minister, intent upon having a 
family via adoption, evidenced, a 
good potential as a dramatic ac¬ 
tress, grasping and projecting sub¬ 
tleties in feeling and moods, but 
time and again she would fall) badk 
on stock mannerism, killing the ef¬ 
fect of a scene. Lew Ayres was his 
fine professional self as the divin¬ 
ity student and finally the minis¬ 
ter, lending the sorely needed at¬ 
mosphere of credibility to the pro¬ 
ceedings. 

( Tim Hovel, starred in Universal’s 
The Private War of Major 
Benson ’ and other films, made a 
manJ.v attempt at the role, but he 
would have been much better if 


Ed Sullivan Show 

With the Yuletide season rolling 
into its peak, Sunday’s (23) Ed Sul¬ 
livan Show via CBS-TV tossed in 
several turns with juvenile appeal, 
and also on hand for adult viewers 
was a guest list topped by Gracie 
Fields. Always in fine form, the 
British comedienne clicked handily 
with a couple of tunes before re¬ 
prising some of her lines from a 
recent stint in “The Old Lady 
Shows Her Medals.” An appropri¬ 
ate bow-off was her “God Bless 
You” hymnal. 

Victor Julian and his perform¬ 
ing dogs, who opened the layout, 
proved ideal moppet viewing. The 
canines, garbed to resemble little 
people, skipped rope and did the 
hula, among other feats. Mimic 
Kay Ballard dishad up a flock of 
impressions ranging from a fair 
one of Barbara Stanwyck to good 
ones of the two Judys—Holliday 
and Garland. 

Trio Cottas, an aero novelty 
which followed Miss Fields, proved 
“a complete change of pace” to use 
Sullivan’s own introductory phrase. 
Two males tossed a femme partner 
about in rapid spins, whirls and 
lifts. Novelty aspect was provided 
by several Great Danes who leaped 
through hoops held by the rotating 
girl. 

For the opera aficianados Dolo¬ 
res Wilson obliged with a lilting 
aria from “The Barber, of Seville.” 
Hungarian dance team of Kovachs 
8c Rabovsky scored nicely with a 
ballroom routine replete with lifts 
and spins. Gallic touch was pro¬ 
vided by the singing ensemble of 
Les Chanteurs de Paris in a brace 
of numbers while the Half Bros, 
were another turn in the juvenile 
Idiom what with their comic jug¬ 
gling atop unicycles. 

As per usual emcee Sullivan in¬ 
serted an Interview with a sports 
star. This time the interviewee was 
Bobby Morrow, “super athlete of 
(Continued on page 31) 


TO TELL THE TRUTH 

With Bud Collyer, emcee; Polly 

Bergen, John Cameron Swayze, 

Hildy Parks, Dick Van Dyke, 

panelists; guests 
Exec producer: Gil Fates 
Director; Franklin Heller 
30 Mins., Tues., 9 p.m. 
PHARMACEUTICALS INC. 
CBS-TV, from New York 
XEdward Kletter) 

Goodson-Todman appear to have 
another panel-quiz, winner in “To 
Tell the Truth” (originally titled 
"Nothing But the Truth” but 
changed because of beefs from 
Paramount, which had made a 
couple of films by that title). It's 
another in their guessing-game 
category, but the theme is simplici¬ 
ty in itself—three contestants ap¬ 
pear before the panel, each of 
whom* gives the same name and 
insists he’s the real thing; Panel, 
by cross-examination from a dos¬ 
sier of facts on the real person, 
must guess which of the three is 
telling the truth. 

Unfortunately, from this simple 
premise, Goodson - Todman have 
cluttered the show with unneces¬ 
sary-frills that tend to slow it up. 
When the guests are actually on 
the "stand,” jt moves at a tremen¬ 
dous and interesting clip. But it’s 
between the actual cross-examina¬ 
tion that things slow down to the 
point that though each cross-exam¬ 
ination period is limited to five 
minutes, only two games were 
completed. 

For one thing, too much time is 
consumed in the voting on the 
identity, what with an audience 
ballot (via buttoils on their seats) 
and an individual poll from each 
panel member. Too much time is 
taken to count the votes, then to 
recapitulate them. For another, the 
five-minute cross-examination pe¬ 
riod may be too long, for the guests 
themselves are interesting and a 
little post-game conversation with 
them (a la "What’s' My Line.”) is 
in order. 

In terms of heightening the in¬ 
teresting aspects of the cross-ex¬ 
amination, a switch in format 
might be in order. Under the 
present setup, each panel member 
gets 30 seconds to cask questions, 
then the ball is handed to the next 
paneller and so they rotate until 
the five minutes are up. Trouble 
is. they don’t get enough time to 
establish a line of questioning but 
all the shots are scattered. A min¬ 
ute for each might be more helpful. 
One other point—the real person 
must tell the truth, but the other 
two can lie. If the two impostors 
were also required to tell the truth, 
the game might be simpler. 

But despite its complications and 
shortcomings, some of which can 
probably be smoothed out in the 
next few weeks, “To Tell the 
Truth” is easy and fun to watch. 
The preem segment was especially 
so, since nobody on the panel 
guessed the real Cecil H. Under¬ 
wood (Governor-elect of W. Vir¬ 
ginia) in the first game, or Jean 
Hoffman (sportwriter and cartoon¬ 
ist—a lady) in the second. Even 
the audience gave their fewest 
votes to the real Underwood and 
Miss Hoffman. 

Bud Collyer handles his assign 
ment nicely, though sometimes 
getting involved in the explana¬ 
tions and recapitulations'. Of the 
panelists, John Cameron Swayze 
was the best, getting in a flurry of 
good tricky questions each time he 
cross-examined. "Truth” replaces 
the Herb Shriner show, which 
didn’t make it after eight weeks 
in the Tuesday night slot. “Truth” 
ought to wind up a permanent 
resident. Chan. 


THE WESTERN FIVE 
With Cammie Howard and The 
Western Five, Judy McNally, 
Stu- Sherwood, Oral Scheer 
Producer: Pierre Normandin 
30 Mins.; Wed., 7:30 p.m. 

CBOT, Ottawa * « 

Every schedule has its oater-tune 
session and Ottawa’s CBOT is no 
exception. The Western Five is a 
veteran radio show getting its sec¬ 
ond chance on television and doing 
somewhat~better than its brief air¬ 
ing last season. Improvement is 
mainly in production since the 
Five’s cowboy tunes have sounded 
the same for years: solid, unvaried 
beat, arrangements featuring 
Cammie Howard’s clarinet and gab 
and Gene Cloutier’s expert fidd¬ 
ling, backed by accordion, guitars 
and bass fiddle. Oral Scheer, a 
Western Five original, handles 
chant chores pleasantly. 

Newcomers to the stint this 
season are Judy McNally, a capable 
young thrush with okay pipes, and 
Stu Sherwood who handles an¬ 
nouncing chores and a bit of poetry 
reading in an “Old Timer” charac¬ 
ter. Give Judy some staging savvy 
and Sherwood stronger comedy 
lines and this show would get a lot 
more impact. Setting this session 
switches from the previous barn 
to a general store. 

The Western Five will never set 
television ahead much but it 
provides a nice half-hour watching 
Germ. 


SONJA HENIE SHOW 
With “Holiday on Ice,” Julius La 
Rosa, Jaye P. Morgan, Ernie 
Kovacs, Hayes Alan Jenkins, 
The Goofers, A1 Kelly, Art Link- 
letter, Buddy LaLonde, Harry 
Sosnik Orch. 

Producer: Perry Cross 
Director: Sid Smith 
Writer: Harvey Orkin 
90 Mins.; Sat., 8 p.m. 
OLDSMOBILE, RCA VICTOR, 
WHIRLPOOL-SEEGER CORP. 
NBC-TV from N.Y.„ 

(D. P. Brother Co., Kenyon & 
Eckhardt) 

The Saturday night NBC-TV 
spec had an impossibly long list of 
characters which seemed too much 
to give some of the elements a fair 
shake. The major accent was on 
Sonja Henie with the excellent pro¬ 
duction of the touring “Holiday on 
Ice” revue behind her. In addition, 
there were a couple of other top 
skaters, each given a little to do, 
and a lot of terra firma entertain.-, 
ment to provide greater variety. 

Miss Henie had the bulk of the 
time, which seemed a pity inas¬ 
much as there were some other 
skaters that could have given the 
blade sequences more than a series 
of mincing steps. Miss Henie did 
very few of the tricks that dis¬ 
tinguished her work in the past. 
She did some straight skating, and 
that which she’did gave little indi¬ 
cation of the easy and flowing 
grace inherent in this medium. 
The short chopping steps, late in 
her program became a poor peg 
even for studio applause. How¬ 
ever, the production around her 
was excellent and there were some 
fine assists on the deep-freeze. 
Hayes Alan Jenkins, Olympic win¬ 
ner. as yet hasn’t the professional 
feeling, but he is a practitioner of 
great promise. Buddy LaLonde 
gave an excellent exhibition of 
speed skating and barrel jumping. 
He looks like one of the best in 
this category. Miss Henie’s part¬ 
ner, Arnold Shoda, gave the Norse 
skater staunch support. 

Linjdetter made an affable 
emcee, and he aided the gaiety 
with learned discourse with A1 
Kelly, recognized as one of the 
geniuses in refrigeration engineer¬ 
ing. There was also a running gag 
that had Ernie Kovacs going in and 
but of the proceedings, but it 
seemed like a waste. Kovacs’ re¬ 
peat of his Nairobi Trio was a 
funny bit of business. 

The variety element? came in 
for a good share of the applause. 
Singers Jaye P. Morgan and Julius 
LaRosa came off well in their 
spots. Miss Morgan’s magnum opus 
"Money Tree” deleted the refer¬ 
ence to “next year’s Cadillacs” in 
deference to one of the sponsors, 
Oldsmobile. LaRosa’s finale, the 
rendition of “Holy Night” was rev¬ 
erent. Goofers made a lot of noise. 

Harry . Sosnik did an excellent 
job of show backing. Jose. 


MAMA 

With Peggy Wood, Judson Laire, 

Ruth Hammond, Dick Van Pat¬ 
ten, Toni Campbell, Marilyn 

Siegal, Gigi Gerow, others 
Producer: Carol Irwin 
Director: Don Richardson 
Writer: Turner Bullock 
30 Mins.; Sun., 5 p.m. 

CBS-TV (film) 

There’s a sustaining appeal in 
“Mama,” brought back by CBS 
after General Foods cancelled the 
series la'st year. The people pro¬ 
testing cancellation of the series' 
must have felt that the door had 
been closed on some old family 
friends. Now, on film rather than 
“live” in order to capture produc¬ 
tion values and exacting acting, as 
well as possible residual values, the 
series offers some heart warming 
moments. 

Judging from last Sunday’s (23) 
installment, the only serious weak¬ 
nesses in the skein appeared to be 
the failure of the script to tackle 
things of great moment to the 
family, and the pat resolution of 
problems offered. Better those 
weaknesses, though, than forcing 
situations which would be out of 
spirit with the series. 

Sunday’s episode, the second in 
the new season, told of how Mama 
was imposed upon by a spinster 
nursery school teacher, of how the 
Hansen home for two weeks was 
converted into a nursery school, 
dislocating Pappa and the family 
routine. Everything came out all 
right, as expected, and Mama rose 
to the occasion. 

Peggy Wood, the central Mama 
character, has her role down pat 
and the same Is true of pick Van 
Patten, the son, while Judson 
Laire, as Pappa, leans a hit toward 
mugging, a device not needed. 
Toni Campbell, the daughter Dag- 
mar, did not appear £ii Sunday’s 
episode. Ruth Hammond, as the 
spinster schoolteacher, was effec¬ 
tive. Director Don Richardson 
kept things moving at an okay clip, 
realizing the most out of the situ¬ 
ation. 

After a two-week hiatus, for 
CBS’ annual news roundup and a 
“Seef Is Now" program; '‘Mama” 
will return attain. Hnro. 


THE STINGIEST MAN IN TOWN 
With Vic Damone, Johnny Des¬ 
mond, Basil Rathbone, Patrice 
Miinsel, The Four Lads, Robert 
Weede, Martyn Green, Betty 
M a dig an, John McGiver, Robert 
Wright, Aide Frost, Dennis 
Kohler, Olive Dunbar, Bryan 
Herbert, Philippa Bevans, Ian 
Martin, Keith Harrington, Rich¬ 
ard Morse, Karol Ann Trauman, 
Karson Woods, iKarin Wolfe, 
John Heawood 
Producer: Joel Spector 
Dirrctor: Daniel Petrie 
Book and Lyrics: Janice Torre 
Music: Fred Spielman 
Orchestra: Camarata 
Choreographer: John Heawood 
ALCOA 

9ft Mins., Sun. (23), 9 p.m. 

NBC-TV, from New York (color) 

< Fuller 8c Smith & Ross ) 

Any resemblance that “The 
Stingiest Man In Town” has to 
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas 
Carol”, is-purely coincidental. The 
characters and the setting were 
there but the flavor of 'Dickens' 
perennial Yule story was missing 
in the musical transition. 

The youthful Theatrical Enter¬ 
prises, Inc., went overboard in as¬ 
sembling an all-star cast of singers 
and thesps to handle Janice Tor¬ 
re’s book arid lyric adaptation set 
to Fred Spielman’s music. Perhaps 
this is where they went wrong. For 
the overall came out something 
like an Ed Sullivan Show with a 
Christmas plot attached. 

Miss Torre’s rehash of the Dick¬ 
ens fable was sketchy and unmov¬ 
ing, and her lyrics seldom helped 
lift the story values. Sptelman’s 
melodies came off better, especial¬ 
ly in “An Qld Fashioned Christ¬ 
mas” “Golden Dreams” and 
“Birthday Party of The King.” 

Lining up key disk artists to top¬ 
line the cast may have been okay 
for the recording tieups but it 
didn’t work **too well when they 
were called pn to deliver the 
straight lines. Vic Damone, John¬ 
ny Desmond and Betty Madigan 
were uninspired thesps. And The 
Four Lads, as a singing Greek 
chorus, set the scenes in their pop 
vocal styling and Robert Weede 
had a big dramatic song reading of 
“I Wear A Chain.” 

In the pivotal role of Ebenezer 
Scrooge, Basil Rathbone had a 
tough assignment. He looked dis- 
helved and miserly enough but the 
characterization never • became 
meaningful. His patter-song styl¬ 
ing, though, had some charm. Mar¬ 
tyn Green, another top name in 
the cast, had little to do as 
Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Cratchit. 

Alcoa’s commercials never got 
in the way and the message from 
company’s topper I. W. Wilson was 
in keeDing with the season. The 
original cast album was given a 
neat plug at the close but with the 
company omitted. For the record, 
it’s a Columbia release. Gros. 


YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN 
With Steve Dunne, emcee; music 

conductor, Paul Taubman 
Producer: Tom Donovan 
Director: Howard Merrill 
30 Mins., Sat., 10:30 p.m. 

HAZEL BISHOP 
CBS-TV, from N.Y. 

(Raymond Spector) 

Once upon a Saturday 10:30 
television time there was the 
"Damon Runyon Theatre,” backed 
by beer (Budweiser). This johnny- 
one- joke on film was not consid¬ 
ered lively enough. Then came 
"High Finance,” no wiz as a quiz, 
backed by Mennen’s. Live, it was 
not considered lively enough and 
perhaps overly complicated, and 
not even a Dennis James could 
save it. NoW comes "You’re On 
Your Own,” a real beaut of a so- 
called quizzola, backed by Hazel 
Bishop. It’s out of the packaging 
treadmill of (Jack) Barry & (Dan) 
Enright and in a word, it’s terrible. 

“You’re On Your Own” is a piece 
of very shoddy merchandise. If it 
isn’t faked, that is, rehearsed, it 
may as well be because that's how 
the premiere—if that's the proper 
word—looked. The premiere was 
on Saturday (22) in the 10:30 p.m. 
time. That must be the most ex¬ 
pendable time in CBS Television. 
How else would a “Runyon” or a 
“Finance” get the nod? And now 
this one. Still, the worst segment 
of either of the predecessor shows 
could be termed classics-compared 
to the latest entry in the ill-fated 
slot. 

The contestants—if that’s what 
they were—were chosen on a tele¬ 
genic basis. The two girls were 
pretty-girls and the one boy was 
a pretty-boy—in military uniform 
yet. They did not even pretend to 
come on unprepared, or so it 
seemed. The idea seemed to be to 
muff the first ■question in order to 
lead up to the shenanigans. These 
shenanigans consisted of a load of 
reference books . on book shelves 
that the contestants could scurry 
to, to flip through then and there 
to spot the answers. Outside of 
these books of information, there 
was no focal point of interest, or, 
(Continued on nag* 31) 
















Wednesday, December £6, 1956 







fast! 




Ions of explosives blow up on a 


Brooklyn pier; violence flares in 
Eastern Europe; the Near East 
smolders.. .wherever news is hot, 
news film’s more than 250 camera 
correspondents around the world 
get the picture... and get it fast! 


And newsfilm (a product of CBS 
News) gets to audiences fast Flown 
to strategically-located processing 
centers, footage is expertly edited 
to exacting CBS News standards, 
then rushed directly to you: twelve. 
minutes a day of worldwide coverage 
available for local showing within 
hours after the events occurred. 


Ralph Renick, news director of WTVJ, 
Miami, three-time award winner 
for outstanding news operation, 
reports: “We consider newsfilm 
the best source for news outside 
our local area. Proof of its success 
with audiences is that all WTVJ 
news programs have attained ,higher 
ratings than their competing 
programs. Proof of its success with 
sponsors comes from 31 different 
advertisers who consider news 
their best vehicle on our station!” 


Whatever the New Year brings, if 
it’s news newsfilm will get it first 
,.. fast. It is the only television news 
service produced exclusively for 
television stations. And newsfilm 
is available to all stations. 


CBS TELEVISION 
FILM SALES, INC. 


New York, Chicago, Los Angeles , 
Detroit , Boston, San Francisco , 
St. Louis , Dallas , Atlanta. 

In Canada: S. W. Valdwell, Ltd . 




RADIO-TELEVISION 


Z'fiisiETr 


Wednesday, December 26 , 1955 


TV-Radio Production Centres 


IN NEW YORK CITY . . . 

Revamp in the Compton agency's casting department finds Jessica 
Maxwell exiting with Lucille Mrson, her associate; taking over . v . 


liteiary marts for a suitable property for William Wyler, who’d like 
another go at tv . .. Frank Ferrin had a deal for “Andy’s Gang” all but 
firmed when the negotiator passed on. Now he'll have to sell it 
all over again . . . Fred Wile, ex-NBC program chief in Hollywood* has 
several tv projects perking but he’ll have to go back to Madrid to ac¬ 
tivate them . . . Furth Ullntan will be NBC's producer of the Holly¬ 
wood cut-in to “Tonight . . . Jackson Stanley, who for many years 
'dreamed up gags and gimmicks for “People Are Funny/’ has turned 
to more dignified comedy and is propping a' spec or stage play based on 
John Keats’ “The Eve of St. Agnesi' 


FRANK WHITE’S SHIFT 
AT McC-ERICKSON 


Maxwell exiting with Lucille Mmon, ner associate, taking over . ; . 
Berme Leighton, pianist-conductor on CkS Rrdlo’s “Galen Drake 
Show,” booked into the Waldorf-Astoria’s Peacock Alley through May 
with a three-piece combo . . . Elaine Malbin and Constance Towers 
guest on “The Woolworth Hour” ‘Jan. 6 on CBS Radio . . . Cocktail 
party to promote the organization of the Alumni Assn, 'of the Profes¬ 
sional Children’s’School will be held.Friday (28) in the Beekman Room 
of the Beekman Towers, with Anita Gonzalez, Patti O’Neill, Charles 
Beilin and Arthur Anderson in charge ... W r RCA-TV exec producer 
Ted Nathanson celebrating 10 years in television this week . r . . Ed 
Lieberthp.% formerly program operations manager ior DuMont, ap¬ 
pointed to the same job at Barry & Enrgihl Productions . , . Paul 
Levitan, CBS director of special events, off to the Coast to set up the 
Tournament of Roses Parade coverage ... in huddles with Charles Col- 
liiigswood, Edgar Bergen and Shirley Thomas, but stops en route in 
Washington ior an official conference on the Presidential Inauguration 
coverage setup,, . . Charles Gussman, scripter of the CBS Radio “Road 
of Life” and other shows, takes over as writer of the CBS-TV “.Search 
for Tomorrow” at the end of the year, succeeding Irvin? Vandi?, 
writer on the show for the past five years . . . Hi’da Barnes, formerly 
with W. R. Simmons &, Associates, and James K. Harelsen, ex-Paul 
Raymer Co. in Chicago, joined Grey Advertising, Miss Barnes as a 
marketing and research project director, Harelson as a television pro¬ 
ducer in the radio-tv department . . . Frank Goodman office retained 
to handle pubrelatioris for Showcase Productions. Goodman will con¬ 
tinue to represent Max Liebman as well . . Actor Jimmy Yoham leaves 
for Miami for a 10-day visit home . . George Vicas, producer of CBS 
Radio’s “UDdale,” leaves Jan. 3 for Berlin and Stockholm to tape four 
shows for the pubaffairs series . . . Welles Haugen, recently ordered 
out of Moscow as N.Y. Times Correspondent, quit the Times to join 
NBC as*mid-East correspondent, replacing Wilson Hall, who returned 
to the U.S. because of illness . . . Harry Holcombe, newly cast in CBS- 
TV’s “Search for Tomorrow,” leaving the show to join the road com¬ 
pany of “No Time for Sergeants.” with Eric Dressier replacing him - • . 
Carol Tonry, receptionist at WCBS Radio, turned vocalist on two of the 
stations shows, doing a stint on the Lanny Ross show last Friday (21) 
and scheduled for the Jim Lowe show on Saturday (29). Lowe, inci¬ 
dentally. took off for hometown Springfield, Mo., after last Saturday’s 
show to spend the 'holidays with his parents. 

Coinjock (after a No. Carolina hamlet near where they duck shoot) 
A.Q. was formed a few days ago by a nine-man charter group, includ¬ 
ing five industry. VIP’s: John Hoagland and Bob Forman, BBDO .veeps; 
Sonny Werklin and Dave Sutton, stripers at MCA, and performer Jack 
Birch. Gonna do some fishin’ upstate New York in January . . Ted 
M. Shuster, former NBC’er, joins- Young Television, station reppery as 
salesman . . . Joe Silver appeared on last Friday’s (21) “Big Story” . . . 
“Le Grande Famiglia” (One Big Family) did its 5.000 chapter on Italo- 
lingo station WOV Xmas Day; show is produced in Italy . . . George 
Ball, former Director of Public Affairs for WHLI. Long Island radio 
indie, becomes Exec Secretary of the'Mid-Island Plaza Assn., a group 
of merchants in the new $40,000,000 shopping centre at Hicksville . . . 
Into Mike Wallace’s WABD “Night Beat”: Congressman Adam Clayton 
Powell, tonight (Wed.); Ernie Kovacs, tomorrow, and Fanny Hurst and 
Walter Slez?rk Friday . . . Robert Faselt has been transferred from Chi 
. to the local radio sales staff of Peters, Griffin, Woodward, and the rep 
houses is replacing him in Chi with William Kcup. . . . 

Kajar the Magician and"wife Jean Darling, the fprmer “Our Gang” 
child star, will leave tv behind for two months starting Feb. 7 when 
they light out for Africa on a vacation ... A host of Hollywood per¬ 
sonalities was spotlighted on MBS’ “Joyful Hour” Christmas show 
Sunday (23). including Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, as well as Dorothy 
Warrenskjold of the Metropolitan Opera . . . Gabriel Heatter, Fulton 
Lewis Jr., Basil Rathbone and Lawrence' Tibbett were utilized for 
readings from the Bible on Christmas Day by MBS . . . Kevin O'Mor¬ 
rison is playing Thelma Ritter's son in the U.S. Steel Show- teleplay 
“The Human Pattern” on Wednesday (2) . . . WPIX on Sunday (23) 
wrapped up its Olympic telefilm coverage with a two-and-a-half hour 
“Olympic Spectacular,” replaying all the episodes. In conjunction 
with the showing, the following New York athletes made personal ap¬ 
pearances on the “spec”: A1 Oeter gold medal winner in the discuss 
throw; Meredith Ellis, who, at 15, is the youngest athlete to appear in 
the Olympics; and Constance Darnowski, a hurdler . . . Mary Adams 
and Lewis Martin have been signed by Bryan Foy as permanent mem¬ 
bers of the cast, headed by Keith Andes, in the new series “Dr. Mike” 
being produced at Screen Gems. Tony Leader has been set by Screen 
Gems to direct “The Man Who Beat Lupd,” Louis Jourdan starrer for 
the “Ford Theatre.” Joseph Hoffman produces. 


IN CHICAGO . . . 


NBC-TV sales veep Edward Hilz logged in his 28th anniversary with 
the network this month . . . WGN v.p. Ward Quaal elected chairman 
of Michigan U’s Alumni Board Development Council . . . John Wiggins 
awarded his veepee stripes at Kastor & Sons agency . . . WBBM sports- 
writer Joe Diclil scanning the Broadway scene this week . . . Warren 
Johnson leaves Ruthrauff & Ryan after 19 years to join Warner & 
Todd Advertising in St. Louis as director of creative copy , . . John 
Mies new continuity director at WBBM. succeeding Art Thorsen now 
in charge of program development . . . Jack Brickliouse, who does the 
regular season WGN broadcast of the Chicago Bears, will ^york NBC- 
TV’s coverage of the pro’s ^championship playoff .Sunday (30). Vince 
Lloyd subs on WGN’s alrer . . . Howard Coleman, WNBQ’s color spe¬ 
cialist; Betty Ross West, Chi NBC supervisor of public affairs and edu¬ 
cation; George Heinemann, WRCA-TV,s N.Y,,..-.program manager, and 
Elmer Nichols, Chi ad-promotion manager of the RCA-Victor Distrib¬ 
uting Corp., make up the color tv panel at the Speech and Theatre 
Conference’s national' confab hero Friday (28) . , . Howard Stasen new 
radio salesman at the Katz rep firm 


Frank White, who’s been chair¬ 
man of the board of McCann-Erick- 
son International and a v.p. of par¬ 
ent McCann-Erickson, is shifting 
over to the parent agency to be¬ 
come senior v.p,, treasurer and 
chairman of the finance commit¬ 
tee. White joined the agency some 
three years ago, after leaving as 
prez of NBC, New post is designed 
to further utilize White’s financial 
background. 

Wilbert G. Stilson, whom White 
replaces in his new post, becomes 
exec v.p. in charge of corporate 
headquarters and! vice-chairman 
mf the operations committee. 
At McCann-Erickson International, 
successor to White as chairman is 
Robert E. ^lealy, who assumes the 
duties in addition to his regular 
chores as exec v.pu of the parent 
comnany. Edward R. Beach, prez 
of the international branch, takes 
over White’s operational duties. 


in boston . . . 


Chi ‘Luther’ Hassle 


WNAC-TV scored a first with sending of three-man staff to Austria 
to film “Hungarian Christmas, 1956.” In cooperation with CARE, the 
trio, Ed G.lman, photog; Jeff Forbes, producer-director; and Frank 
Luther, child entertainer; flew from Hub Sunday (23) for their base, 
Bristol Hotel, Vienna, to stage Xmas party for Hungarian youngsters. 
Trio comprises WNAC-TV’s public affairs team and project is first for 
Luther, new children’s program and public affairs cbnsultant at WNAC- 
TV ... In the party are D’Arcy Wilson, N. E. reg. mgr. CARE; and 
Gordon Converse, Christian Science Monitor . . . Louise Morgan,-host¬ 
ess of Channel 7’s Monday through Friday “Dear Homemaker” tele- I 
casts, named by Arlene Francis, national chairman Heart Committee 
of Women Broadcasting, to serve on committee which will include 
some 20 other outstanding broadcasters representing various regions of 
the country . v ,. New accounts inked by WNAC-TV this frame include: 
American Home Products Corp., Whitehall Pharmacal Co. Div., pro¬ 
moting Anacin; Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co., Minute Maid Corp. 


IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 


John Raleigh, WRCV news director, hospitalized for two weeks in 
Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital... Eagles’ star Eddie Bell doing daily sports- 
cast on WDAS . . . Kenny Strange, former WFIL-TV mail clerk, upped 
to cameraman .., WRCV’s Jack Pearce produced the Prisoners Concerts 
for the 21st consecutiye year (23) . * . WFIL-TV is only station 
to telecast start to finish coverage of the Mummers’ Parade (Jan. 
1). Schmidt Brewers sponsors event for seventh year. Phil Sheridan, 
Charles King and Bill Webber will do narration . , Gene and Joan 
Crane received award from the Council of Churches for the “Bless 
This House” segment of their WCAU-TV “Mr. and Mrs.” show . . . 
Vocalist Dick Lee inked for guest shot on '‘Caesar’s Hour” (5) . . . Bill 
Mayer, WRCV’s new morning personality, proems five-minute daily 
weather session “Almanac,” featuring chatty approach. 


IN DETROIT . . . 


A miniature, hand-operated phonograph, originally designed to be 
dropped behind enemy lines in World War II, is being used to carry 
WWJ’s message to timebuyers in principal cities concerning the sta¬ 
tion’s recently high fidelity reception equipment. One side of the rec¬ 
ord tells about reception quality, while the other is a special message 
for children on how to handle parents. Recordings were made by 
WWJ’s Pierre Paulin and Sonny Eliot. Listener spins the mniature 
turntable at 78 CSS (Coffee Stirring Speed) with a souvenir pencil en¬ 
closed . . . Natalie Ross replaces Betty Bahr, who is expecting, as one 
of the trio of “Miss Fairweathers” on WJBK-TV* weather forecasting 
spots . .. Royal Oak High School A Cappella Choir appeared on Myrtle 
Labbitt’s CKLW-TV show, the 19th consecutive Christmas program with 
Miss Labbitt on radio or tv . . . WJBK-TV’s “Detroit Speaks” public 
service program has inaugurated a new community project, focusing 
attention on Detroit’s traffic problems. 


Continued from page 25 ^ 
ed if we do, and damned if we 
don’t” dilemma Is the possibility 
the other three stations will be 
approached on a strictly business 
level. Robert Kendler, prexy of 
Community Builders sponsors of 
the time period in which “Luther” 
was slated for last. Friday night 
(21) on .WGN-TV, has expressed 
his willingness, and even eager¬ 
ness, to underwrite the picture on 
another outlet. This means the 
stations could not only be charged 
with boycotting the film but also 
of denying their facilities to a 
bona fide advertiser. 

(One of the incidental ironies of 
the situation is that WBKB earlier 
this year thought it had first call 
on the “Luther” pic, subsequently 
sold to WGN-TV.) 

That the Protestant leadership 
and constituency is seriously riled 
up over the issue is seen in the 
strongly worded complaint sent to 
the FCC. Statement charges that 
the banning ^of the film “consti¬ 
tutes an admission on the part of 
the television station involved that 
it is vulnerable to pressures which 
we are convinced, on the basis of 
Qur discussion with WGN, have 
been mobilized by the Roman 
Catholic Chhrch ” 

“Acquiescence by WGN to cen¬ 
sorship by any church group vio¬ 
lates the terms on which this im¬ 
portant station is authorized to 
broadcast in the public interest, 
convenience and necessity . . 
letter asserts. 


Steinberg 


IN SAN FRANCISCO 


IN HOLLYWOOD . . . 


KGFJ’s Bob. Barker can thank the fates that Ralph Edwards dialed 
his program while driving to his office. He just happened to tune in 
Barker’s audience participation program and was impressed with his 
work. Called in for a test he justified Edwards’ confidence and was 
signed to emcee the reactivated “Truth or Consequences” daytime 
strip on NBC. Don'Isham veteran coast organist, will be at the con¬ 
sole . . . Lou Snader is back on the tv scene after long absence with 
the sale of Korla Pandit’s organ series at KTLA . . . Parke Levy had 
the best gag Xmas card in the business. He wrote his friends: “I want 
you to know, that I’ve made a donation in your name to my wife” . . . 
William Phillipson, veepee of Showcase Productions, prowling the 


Is it a love affair between CBS and Gene Autry’s newly acquired 
KSFO? New KSFO general manager, Bill Shaw, is an ex-CBS exec, 
and mow he’s bringing Dick West from KNX, Los Angeles, to be 
KSFO’s sales manager, replacing Gary Garland. Meantime, Fred 
Ruick gets the KNX job—Ruick used to be a wheel at KCBC Frisco, 
when Arthur Hull Hayes, now CBS Radio boss, was the KCBS general 
manager . . . No, KPIX is not axing Bill Roddy, as some Frisco rumors, 
bad it—tv outlet ^ays it simply plans to hire a news editof, adds sta¬ 
tion and sponsor (Shell Oil) are very happy with Roddy . . . KQED 
went off the air for three weeks, grabbed conflderable newspaper 
space with spectacular movement of transmitting antenna from atop 
Mark Hopkins Hotel to higher ground on San Bruno Mountain. Sta¬ 
tion manager James Day made a deal with Frisco, area TV service 
j guilds to check televiewers equipment, offer free advice on what 
I charges, if any, are necessary 


S—» Continued from page 22 —- 
to the administrative v.p, over ad¬ 
vertising, promotion and press in¬ 
formation. 

That v.p. (s still to be selected. 
Jules Dundes, who had the post 
but was recently upped to v.p. over 
station administration, is holding 
down two jobs until he can come 
up with a successor to himself. It 
was Dundes who made the selec¬ 
tion of Steinberg, but he said that 
his own successor won’t be chosen 
until after the first of the year. 



SYNDICATED SHOW 
INATIANTA 


WGN’s Radio Rate Hike 


Washington — Perry Walders, 
veteran radio-tv sales exec, has re¬ 
turned to WGMS after an absence 
of six years. He resigned as gen¬ 
eral sales manager of WTTG-TV, 
to go back to the “Good Music Sta¬ 
tion” of which he was sales man¬ 


ager 1947-50. 


“I LED 3 LIVES” at 23.0 beats 

•Phil Silvers •This Is Your Life 

B i>. • Lux Video Theatre • Sid Caesar 
|| • l). S. Steel Hour • Jackie Gleason 

m§ and many others____ 


Chicago, Dec. 25. 

Bullish status of Chicago radio | 
is reflected in the new round of 
rate hikes going into effect on 
WGN next Tuesday (1). Per the 
current AM pattern, the boosts 
ranging up to 40% are nearly all 
in the daytime category. 

Basic Class A hourly rate from 
.6:30 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m. 
goes up to $520 from $450. Class 
B covering 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 
6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Monday through 
Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. 

I Sunday goes to $450 from $300. 
New Class C time after 10:30 
p.m. until 6:30 a.m. is pegged at 
$300 an hour. 


ARB, S«pUmb«r, 1956 


NOTHING TURNS ON THC HI AT UK( A 2!V PRODUCTION! 


I 


New Haven—Since WELI has 
gone independent, WNHC will be¬ 
come ABC Radfo’g local affiliate. 
Actually, until how, it was an odd 
setup for the network, since the tv 
side always had WNHC-TV as an 
affil. Radio tie for the Triangle 
station, is effective Jan* .7. • ’ > 



IVIftV DAY, ! 
ON (VIRY CHANNIt 


brooks 

COSTUMES 


» W«i* Mil IK H.Y.C.-W. n. 7-itOO 









Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


^SisfEfr 


radio-television 


^ag -. 111 ""s sasss . . ■ . ■■r . ffi . f w . " 1 --' i i. 11 ' ■ ■ ' . ■ - mark among tv money-raising ef- 

lIPJlIc Mike Wallace, the host, made all 

LIU Ul UIIUCUI. IICUIO his introductions succinct and 

• r*n'iitiiiufiii fin. lllllin -t meaningful. The many guests 

"-continued from page . . ... " . . . seemed aware of the value of 

. Hazel Bishop for a reported forefront, concluding deals on the keeping their pitches brief, and 

1,000,000. Ever-nimble Fox has |arner b^log wiOi the Triangte theg 

dded a new dimension to the bar- J" aiorcon f lde r a tion of such dells some drstrate entertatament. 

ter Held, in his deal with Interna- ha3 been AAP's participation in *“ th . e lo “8 segment seen, Hun- 

llonal Latex, under which he the spot buys slotted in the Warner farlan-American performers Ilona 
(ha res in the profits of the latter the ^^'^ s r a e Mned Wosh TOtl 

company. ■ • tormula for and Josh White Jr., Sammy Davis 

Before going further into new smaller markets. Jr., Michael Redgrave, Marlpn 

feature film selling approaches, with the situation as competitive Brando (on film), Orson Bean and 
mention should be made of the as ft i s , and with the film sales others, x including Leo Cherne, of 
bulk selling techniques adapted for specialist replacing the old “film the International Rescue Commit- 
"stripped” skeins. Here the accent peddler” in the field, the ever- tee, and N. Y. C. Mayor Robert F. 
is on low cost to station, with bulk expanding variety of sales tech- Wagner. Bean’s monolog, accom- 
selling and a faster liquidation for niciues seems set to mushroom. panied by his w.k. routine on mak- 
distributor. ing a paper eucaplyptus—for the 

1 m vaneuerj ■ ■■ ■ . occasion, changed to Xmas—tree, 

M-G In Vanguard «■***—■ Al ##■ was easy and funny. Davis did a 

In feature selling, Metro-TV has AR(J Thill'S- Sllllfflfl song from “Mr. Wonderful” and 

led the parade in the acquisition of viihiiiv several of his fine impressions, but 

station interest. Metro-TV now has — ■ Continued from page 22 ■ ■ -- of all the guests he was the only 

- 25 % interest in KTTV, Los An- .„ Ml , one who seemed taken with his 

^afanop^of^'r^inter 3 - ^e^aveTffetred an impree- 

1‘g” fn2s'b D o“g V h t r the A Ve h t e ro I Ti: uTlitwo/k etry, it will behoved 

k decis“v n es g t h he network a'^l ^ TdlTlS 


panied by his w.k. routine on mak¬ 
ing a paper eucaplyptus—for the 
occasion, changed to Xmas—tree, 
was easy and funny. Davis did a 
song from “Mr. Wonderful” and 
several of his fine impressions, but 
of all the guests he was the only 


^ rr sSu, soid co&-i ■=?= ==• 


(cision leaves the network a 9:3P and the actor’s own adlib com- 
ad-out choice. ments were excellent. Miss Gam 

Apart from the already known and Korvin, latter acting as in- 


ubsid Screen Gems and Associated Apart trom tne aireaay Known -hu i 

Artists Productions, handling the Sjnatra placement, big Thursday }*£{”$"• did a Pertinent 

warnpr lihrarv would like to climb night news concerns the possibility interview witn a recent escapee | 

Warner iiorary, wouia iiKe to cum d n ~ lntr from Hungary. Rita Gam canoed 


Warner iiDrary, wouia lixe to cump cancelling “The Lone Ranger” from Hungary. Rita Gam canned 

“ =!?«; k?-«.v*kk 

styurs-ar gvff&tsr mss 

in another area_that of nrofit P 16 s of General Mills, which ex iled Carolinian was most ap- 

«ar?ipfnation—AAP has been in the has the time optioned for next sea- p r0 priate. Lisa Ferraday ex- 

participation AAP has been in the son m j g ht help the we b build a Pressed her own and the feelings 

- larger share of adult audience as of Shelley Winters, whose throat 

lead-in to 8. While “Ranger” is do- left her in no condition to appear 

ing nearly 20 on the Nielsens, on the tv special. One of the best 

about two-and-half points lower portions was that with Josh White _ 

than last season, it has not met the and his son. White did a pleasing, I 

expectations for a large adult share “I Gave My Love a Cherry, and I 

of audience. Show was revised this l* 1 ® folk singers son, J. W. Jr., fol- I 

■BBS I seas ° n to*appeal more to grown- £X®%vkywart" Wind”*’ I 


ups, but adults comprise only 50% f 
of the total show audience. Iron- 



ically, last year “Ranger” got a 
slightly higher adult proportion— 


CBS Newsfilm donated a tele¬ 
film seg of about 25 minutes to 
“Salute,” Called “Hungary in Re- 


^“‘hoshowwa, not aimed par- v ^t wa Tdone wtth th'e web's 
ticularly at adults. usual attention to detail. wraDuing 


STACKS OF 


ucuiany at aauits. usual attention to detail, wrapping 

■ " i "— ' b up the history of the Hungarian 

revolt against Communism. Plau- 
•TufAiilif.fliiA* dits are deserved all around, since 

l>WOlllj”UIUp the local station provided the 

. #- Ain ~ 9 *_ proper background for all the per- 

-Continued from par* 23 s= {or £ ers both in the-unobtrusive 

out to 20.3 as against “Tennessee way it handled the cameras and in 
Ernie’s” 16.8 and “Lux Video Thea- the simple, helpful settings. Art. 
tre,” with a musical layout starring ■■■■■■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ 

Gordon MacRae, Jeanette MacDon- _ _ __ 

aid and Nelson Eddy, averaging to TaIa FaIIaWIIIIQ 
16.8 on the hour/ Earlier, though, rUIIUlIlip^ 

“Dragnet” topped “Climax,” 21.9 Continued from page 27 ^ mmmm 

to 20.6, with “Climafc” bouncing .. „ 

back in the second half-hour to top the y ear who won three gold 


Tele Followups 

= Continued from page 27 ; 


IJUVIUI^W • “People’s Choice,” 21.8 to 18.8. The I medals at the Olympics. Secret to 
ABC lineup through the evening copping these laurels, the tall 
Smokestacks have always been m. as ,? po /? r thir d. with “Circus Texan confided, was in “knowing 

.symbol o f activity in our Ohio Ie™1ce” hitting 6 0 andM ZZ o r . ela *.: ^f^nlnTuer 

River Valley. They.came to us hour and “Ozark Jubilee” scoring edltl0n of both Lincoln^and Mer 


first aboard the picturesque 6 - 3 - # UP ^ * rn^ 

itemwheelers that opened this- ■ ■■■ ■■■ = - 

region to phenomenal growth, Tala RoVieWS Steve Allen Show 

I hey stayed to multiply and mul- ■ w.w. Martha Raye was the brilliant 

My above busy mills and fac- — ■■■ continued from page 27 — highlight on Steve Allen’s show on 

lories whose industrial worth to- photographically speaking a center pa^omlm^^ 

day — in the Huntington- witl1 a depth and a sensitivity that 

Charleston heart alone - ex- list. confusion other- contrasted sharply.with.herusual 


| ceeds one billion dollars! 


-ne a piemora oi contusion otner- contrasted sharply with her usual 
[ ® e# broad comedy style. In a bit on 

The stand-up-and-be-measured Hollywood stardom, she did a 


i NftMrhxs— 4 k™ preliminary on each of the trio of superb Chaplinesque vignette. 

| ownere in America - is there competitors” is a quickie but Later in the show, she contributed 
| Wen a panoran)a of business un- in .ane version of “This Is Your another standout panto-routine, 
der full steam as in the lOO-nlnn L i! fe \ of which Hazel Bishop, that playing a lonely child in % well- 
i 8ieam ,n P lu ® shows original sponsor, is the conceived choreographic story, 

counties served by the four-state supplier of the largesse. Steve Comic Alan Youne also dished 
ipan Of WSAZ-TV. Here live the interrogator. The U pa blend of comedy and pathol 

i^i t .J. . , ones-really on their own are the a Santa rians «?keteh thit 

nearly a million families with an- viewers. If this is what America’s opened^ strongly but trailed away 
Huai buying power close to four wan !-> they de- j n t 0 a gush of some sticky senti- 

Mlion dollars — a svmbol of yif^? rs W11 mentality. The Christmas motif 

bnnm* j .. . ^ was very much in evidence on the 

ooming productivity making ^J e fl;?w 0r ft the ^J garet — show with Allen and juve singer 

lf»S America’s 23rd TV market. °„? ny J , d flick ^ r a ° un f. . .. Hickey Vera duetting a pop tune, 

Vl, , . . (Co-packager Dan Enright said “Can I Wait Up For Santa,” which 

»our advertising cuts a smart after the airing that the zoomer did not rank in the same league 


v ... Auo-pacKager uan j^nrignt saia "Can I Wait Up For Santa," which 

»our advertising cuts a smart after the airing that the zoomer did not rank in the same league 

ww wave when vnn rnneiem if lens g0 * out of kil ter several min- with the Vienna Boys Choir rendi- 

to WW7TO y . OU TS° nS ‘ g '? 11 Utes before the quizzee's start. He tion of some traditional carols from 
WJ5AZ.1V, only IV station said that all the “shots” were the United Nations. At the other 

Bering the whole area. Anv Predicated on the use of the lens end of the pole was another pau;, 

Kat? *• i l and ^ hat director Donovan thus of hillbilly juves, Larry and Lorrie 

^iz ottice can wnte the ticket, was forced into a virtual “ad lib” Collins, who delivered two rock ’n’ | 
of the play out.) Trau. roll numbers in a style that out- 


SALUTE TO HUNGARY 


roll numbers in a style that out- 
Fresleyed Elvis Presley. As one of 
the incidental features on this 


Channel, $ 


With Edward G. Robinson, Michael show, Allen presented some “man- 
Redgrave, Sammy Davis Jr., Rita on-the-street” interviews with a 
Gam, George Feyer, Josh White, flock of assorted bit players on the 
Ilona Massey, Charles Korvin, question of: “Do you believe in 
Orson Bean, Leo Cherne, Mayor Stinta Claus?” The biggest laugh 
Robert F. Wagner, Marion Bran- came from a takeoff on a mentally 
do, Bert Hirsch orch, others retarded case. How’s that for big 
Co-produoers: Betty Freedman, holiday yock? 

Jeremy Tarcher Dr. Norman Vincent Peale closed 

Director: H. Wesley Kenney the show with an inspirational talk 

90 Mms., Sun. (23), 1:30 on the meaning of Christmas, also 

WABD, New York lightly inveighing against the corn¬ 


el ^I/Vj I do, Bert Hirsch orch, others retarded case. How’s that for big 

HPOwSUl/ \l / Co-producers: Betty Freedman, holiday yock? 

HMHttMflHHI/ Jeremy Tarcher Dr. Norman Vincent Peale closed 

HBKSBSM/ Pi r ® c . tor: Wesley Kenney the show with an inspirational talk 

90 Mms., Sun. (23), 1:30 on the meaning of Christmas, also 

^^^GTGN-CHARLESTON^TvSf, WABD, New York lightly inveighing against the com- 

Simplicity and dignity marked mercialization of the holiday. That 
. “Salute to Hungary/’ which didn’t prevent Allen from making 

,^ S AZ,ikStLaatenAvriwr^i«L WABD, New York, put on Sunday a big plug for Dr. Peale’s new 
^Wrencf 3 roftp! pbcq St in cooperation with the Inter- book, “The Coming of the King,” 

HoDreRAn^v U ^ t v ITh bDENT national Rescue Committee. Fea- even bringing the tome Out for 
turlas.a. number of stars .in 90 h«s finalhandshake,witlithe^ergy* 
minutes, the£ program’ : wti® J) a’^hail- man. ^ 2Tmn. 


ASSOCIATED-REDIFFUSION 

LMIED 

Reasons for initial losses 
Company now well established 

- ■S, 

Mr. Spencer Wills reviews first accounts 


At a General Meeting of the Com- some extent be a matter of opinion, 
pany held on 18th December, 1956, but it is the view of your Board that 
the Chairman, Mr. J. Spencer Wills, our programmes are reasonably bal- 
in moving the adoption of the Re- anced. We have, for example, in 
port and Accounts for the year addition to the lighter form of en- 
ended 30 April, 1956, said— tertainment, provided, symphony 

"The first Accounts of the Com- concerts and are intending to pro- 
pany now before you, covering the vide more* we have provided high- 
period of some seventeen months est frade drama and have even, at 
from the date of the Company’s in- considerable cost, promoted high 
corporation to 30th April, 1956, show class productions on the stage of 
that during that period a loss of just Saville Theatre with a view to 
on two million pounds was sus- their being broadcast subsequently; 
tained. I believe I should be fail- have provided documentary and 
ing in my duty if I did not add that, discussion programmes which have 
during the following five months to received very, favourable comment 
30th September, there was a further £ rom many directions, and we are 
loss of approximately one and a ? ow proposing a series of schools 
quarter million pounds, making the broadcasts sometime next year, as 
total loss to that date nearly three. J^e m€ dium of television 

and a quarter million pounds. bas great and useful potentialities in 

T! (ro „ f „ TO „ , T ibis direction. The news on inde- 

supp ° s *' pendent television is provided by a 

Se m Tr^ e 1S »?^ ed aS5 

Amongst P K 

“vln W :i months ° f aU * he Pr °* 

ered by the Accounts; expenditure . . . . .. „ 

was abnormally high owing to the ,^ trl bute Is due to the Press, 
necessity to create an organization " s w® were new competitors for ad- 


supply of programmes for broad- ably have been expected that they 
casting from a date only ten months , be antagonistic towards us. 

after the incorporation of the Com- They, have, however, with one or 
pany and, notwithstanding the two impish exceptions, been very 
valued support given by many ad- HP!* ^s. My personal opinion is 
vertisers from the beginning, the that there will continue to be ample 
task of fully establishing independ- advertising for all media; that there 
ent television as a major advertis- ^ as /°°, rn »°L a . new *u e dium. The 
ing medium clearly could not be standard of living and the income 
accomplished within a few months. each family are so much higher. 
Furthermore, there was no other f he range of commodities which 
station in operation during the first “ ave . become a must is so much 
five months of our operation and greater, that suppliers need the abil-* 
only one other station during the to bring their wares more no- 
■, succeeding two months; in conse- ticeably and extensively before 
quence the sharing of programme consumers. 

costs through networking was se- "I have referred earlier to the 
verely limited. The next few very short time which was available 
months were still a period of build- in getting on the air by September, 
ing-up; the networking" arrange- 1955. Enormous problems, technical, 
ments were still not fully developed administrative and artistic, were in- 
and there was a decline in our ad- volved and it reflects very great 
vertisement revenue. credit on all concerned that the 

"Looked at in terms of profit and opening was possible on the planned 
loss, our first two years have there- dat f, an< * th at the service has been 
fore proved to be very unprofitable, continued so efficiently thereafter, 
such an experience is common in You will, I am sure, wish me to say 
the case of many new businesses a special word of thanks to our 
and In the case of our own particu- management and staff; they had to 
lar business it was bound to be par- work under great pressure and often 
ticularly so. Being first in the field, upder difficult conditions but by 
we have taken the major part in their energy and enthusiasm they 
the launching of independent tele- a p hie Yf + d .. w* 13 * many people had 
vision and have had to bear the thought to be impossible, 
very substantial financial burden in- . Independent Television News are 
volved in so doing. I think I can al ®p to be congratulated on the ex- 
xlow say, however, that our business cellence of the news programmes; 
is well and truly established, albeit they had pioneering problems sim- 
at a very high cost. There is, in my iL ar to our own and tackled them m 
view, no doubt that independent the same energetic and enthusiastic 
television is now established as a manner. 

major advertising medium, and our "Clearly we should not overlook 
present order book is an indication the part played by the Independent 
of the confidence which advertisers Television Authority and its staff; 
have in it. Without wishing to an- they too achieved the well nigh im- 
ticipate the results for the present possible and our thanks are due to/ 
year, I am able to say that we are them also. Whilst we do not always 
now currently operating at a profit see eye to eye on all matters, there 
and have made a small beginning is very close and cordial co-opera- 
to the formidable task of recouping tion between the Authority and our- 
the initial losses. selves at all levels, and I should like 

"I have already mentioned the to say how very much we appre- 
benefits which accrue from net- ciate lt - 

working arrangements. These ar- "We are also grateful to the Post 
rangements are, in my view, essen- Office who, although most of their 
tial to the success of the contractors work has been done on behalf of 
who now cover the main areas of the Independent Television Author- 
the country. Comprehensive net- ity, have done much for us direct 
working arrangements are now in and have been most helpful, 
force and we are grateful to the "Whilst we are rendering thanks 
other contractors concerned for to those’ to whom we consider them 
their co-operation. So far as new to be due, I would like to pay a 
and undeveloped areas are con- \ heartfelt tribute to you, the share- 
cerned, it is my belief that no new holders, for your courage in sup-, 
programme company can in itself porting a venture which, shackled 
nave any possible economic justifi- by innumerable statutory restrict* 
cation; it could only avoid insol- tions and given but.a short guaran- 
vency by taking practically all its tee of life, could only be regarded 
programmes on network from the as either a wild gamble or an act 
existing contractors. of faith, 

"We owe duties to many Interests "It would not be reasonable for 
—our viewers rank highest among us to expect that the Government 
them. Some of our critics say that which created us should so soon 
we have a duty to educate; to im- decide to extend the specified period 
prove the public taste. That I can- of our existence. It would be diffi- 
not accept. If an adult has the in- cult for them to find ah acceptable 
telligence to elect a Member of Par- reason for doing so. It is up to us 
liament to rule him in peace and to prove to the electors of whatever 
war, he has the Intelligence to elect Government is in existence in the 
what programme he wishes to see early 1960’s that they would miss us 
during his hours of leisure. Chil- and that we ought not to come to an 
dren—and I have two of my own— untimely end. In the 'meantime, 
should either be directed by their your Directors have the extremely 
parents or trusted by them. We do onerous. obligation, of trying to 
accept that we have a duty, in serv- amortize, over th£ brief Span of 
ing our viewers, to cater for a rea- eight years, the greater part of the 
sonable minority as well as for the large sum of your money which 
majority. No-one in his senses has been sunk in the enterprise, 
would, however, expect us to put “Finally, I should like to thank 
on a programme wanted only by a those advertisers who. also in an act 
small minority, at an hour at which of falthf supported us from the very 
the large majority expect to be beginning, when our audience was 
served; on i y one-sixth of the size it li to- 

"My opinion is that a surfeit of day. The experience since then In* 
any type of programme brings its dicates that that faith was fully Jus* 
own cure. A proper balance is es- tified and We look forward with con- 
sential to our continued existence, fldence to serving all advertisers in 
"Much has been said and written increasing measure and to our 
from time to time about this “bal- mutual advantage In the year* to 
ance" of the subject matter of in- come—and may they be many! 
dependent television .programmes. The Report and Accounts were 
What constitutes balance must to unanimously adopted. 











\Cedne»day, December 26, X956 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


3a 


Jack Webb Has Problems 


: Continued from page 22 ; 


to a place In the first 10 by a 
few points, and I think it's directly 
iue to CBS’ saturation advertising 
campaign for„Clini&x’Jn the Tren- 
Smc cities. When a show' not ac¬ 
claimed critically does better than 
a show acclaimed by the critics, 
something is wrong. 

“CBS is very smart to advertise 
their shows regularly in the news- 
oapers. NBC advertises spasmod¬ 
ically. but rarely on the half-hour 
Lows, which are- the backbone of 
a network. I compliment CBS’ Bill 
Paley for his foresight and intelli¬ 
gence in such saturation advertise 
log. 1 wouldn’t say that’s the en¬ 
tire reason why NBC is not in the 
first 10 while CBS dominates it, 
but it has a lot to do with it. Those 
big ads in the newspapers are im¬ 
pressive by the sheer fact they're 
there. The power of newspaper ad¬ 
vertising is so purposeful, so im¬ 
portant, that to overlook it you 
pnist take a back seat in the rat¬ 
ings. Out of good advertising comes 
good ratings, and out of good rat¬ 
ings come good programming. 

“Sherry TV, which owns ‘Drag¬ 
net,’ tested this by advertising with 
its own money for five weeks in 
Trendex cities, and'for that period 
our show clobbered ‘Climax.* The 
sixth week, we didn’t advertise, 
ind they won. I think this is con¬ 
crete proof of the importance of 



$$$$ 

WGAL’TV 

Lancaster, Penna. 
NBC and CBS 



3^ BILLION 

in retail sales 

America's 10th TV market— 
the Channel 8 Multi-City Mar- 
tot: 3 Vt million people, own¬ 
ing 917,320 TV sets, having 
on annual income of $5% bil- 
non, of which they spend $3% 
billion in retail stores. 



Multi-City Market 


Harrisburg 

York 

Hanover 

Gettysburg 

Chambersburg 

Waynesboro 

i Frederick 

Westminster 

Carlisle 

Sunbury 

Mjartinsburg 



STEINMAN STATION 
CLAIR McCOLLOUGH, Pres. 
^Presentative 

MEEKER company.inc, 


advertising. There is a renaissance 
in tv, with sponsors and some net¬ 
works as smart in their own way 
as movie, exhibitors are in adver¬ 
tising tfieir product. More and more 
tv advertising is following the 
movie pattern., Advertising the 
show is damned important. Some 
say by doing this you’re advertising 
but it’s necessary. CBS is brilliant 
in adopting this successful policy,” 
said Webb. 

‘‘Dragnet,” one of tv’s pioneer 
series, is in its sixth year on 
NBC-TV. 

Webb, meanwhile, is readying a 
feature film which he will produce, 
direct and star in for Warner Bros. 
James Lee Barrett, writer of the 
screenplay,, tentatively tagged 
’“Murder of a Sand Flea,” has gone 
to Parris Island for a “refresher 
course” on Marine Training, sub¬ 
ject of the film. 


going ahead as quickly as it can in 
converting from kinescope to tape 
on the Coast. 

N.Y. machine will be worked 
over and checked out, and then 
possibly sent out to the Coast. One 
part of the N.Y. procedure will be 
a training program on the machine 
for operating personnel. The Coast 
training.. operation. Js... com plete, he. 
said, and technicians who previ¬ 
ously “'were manning cameras, 
booms, etc., are now handling the 
Ampexes. Biggest training head¬ 
ache is not in teaching the opera¬ 
tion of the machine, which is 
fairly simple, but the maintenance, 
since there are over 200 separate 
tubes alone in the machine. 


Desilu 


Now York 
Chicago 


Los Angelos 
San Francisco 


Continued from page 25 

on its first run and is well in the 
black, also that the possibility now 
looms that the series may go net¬ 
work next season, with Socony 
sponsoring. It would probably be 
the first time a series began in 
syndication and wound up on a web. 

Faced with the problem of space, 
since hfs own Motion Picture Cen¬ 
tre is already at capacity, Amaz 
plans to shoot his overflow at RKO 
Pathe and on location. He said he 
has the largest editorial depart¬ 
ment staff in Hollywood, with 60 on 
the payroll. Desilu began with 12 
employes, now has 800. 

In addition to the Desilu-owned 
series, Desilu turns out. Danny 
Thomas show; “Wyatt Earp”; “Ad¬ 
ventures of Jim Bowie”; “DuPont 
Theatre”; filmed Red Skelton 
shows; “The Lineup”; “The Broth¬ 
ers” and “Date With the Angels,” 
for its overall total of $21,420,000, 
easily the top tv film production 
sked of apy company in Hollywood, 

Regarding Desilu’s link with 
NTA, Amaz didn’t disclose exact 
financial details of the tieup, but 
said “it’s about a 50-50 deal.” 

Company’s new entry, “Whirly- 
birds,” which goes into production 
next month, Is syndicated—for 
CBS-TV Film Sales. 


disastrous, expensive tv season on 
record. 

There’s one other significant as¬ 
pect to the current season. This 
was the year when the “radio pat¬ 
tern” boys had their day in tv— 
and blew it. It was the season that 
reembraced the half-hour patterns 
and conventional-type program¬ 
ming that were a hangover from 
the old radio days, and the great 
majority of them failed miserably, 
not only from the' standpoint of 
being pedestrian and uninspiring, 
but in falling apart on the cost- 
per-thousands chart. The meat-and- 
potato boys wound up in the soup. 
Conversely, the payoffs came out 
of the extended 60-minute and 90- 
minute form. Those Bob Hope and 
Dinah Shore Chevy ratings, the 
Top 10 Nielsen status of “Jack 
and the Beanstalk,” “High Button 
Shoes” and “Wizard of Oz”; the 
ratings garnered by the “Produc¬ 
ers’ Showcase” version of “The 
Letter” and the Trendex returns 
on “Playhouse 90,”. not only cre¬ 
ated most of the new season’s ex¬ 
citement, but also. emerged, as the 
M safe entries” in tv. 


Time Marches In 

S Continued from page 23 ess 

announcing the Bitner deal, the 
likeliest prospect is the KOB prop¬ 
erty in which Time owns only 50% 
(other half is held by former FCC 
chairman Wayne Coy). 

Larsen said the acquisition of 
the new stations is “a logical out¬ 
growth of Time Inc.’s long history 
and wide-ranging interest in radio 
television. Dating back to 1924, 
when Time, produced a news quiz 
program, the company has sought 
to impart its experience in the 
communication of ideas, words and 
pictures through the broadcasting 
medium.” 


Godfrey 

1 Continued from page 22 e= 

on, the tape itself are “dropouts,” 
little white flashes caused by im¬ 
perfections in the coating on the 
tape, either “valleys” or dust specs 
or scratches. He said it’s only a 
matter of time before the imper¬ 
fections are eliminated—any new 
emulsion process has its kinks "at 
the start, he said. 

Actually, Lodge, by his own ad¬ 
mission a conservative gent, ap¬ 
peared to be overly cautious in his 
evaluation of the tape thus far. 
To the reporters and the CBS 
execs present, the “dropouts” were 
a minor and hardly noticeable di¬ 
version, offering no more interfer¬ 
ence with the picture than one 
normally gets on a live pickup on 
his own set at home. At the same 
tiipe, the tape quality was of such 
excellence and sharpness that this 
reporter, at least, couldn’t tell it 
from a live telecast. 

Lodge agreed, but added that 
an engineer working with the tape 
could tell by its idiosyncrasies— 
the average viewer can’t tell the 
difference, however. Lodge said 
that even with the imperfections, 
the taped picture was far superior 
, to any kinescoping process yet 
achieved, and that’s why CBS is 


Next Season 

; Continued from page 21 ; 


Trujillo’s TV-Radio Set Up 


.Continued from page 22 ; 


Chou 


^2 Continued from page 22 si—^ 

ister. While Chou speaks English, 
because of the official state occa¬ 
sion he restricted himself to his 
native tongue, and NBC’s off¬ 
screen translation covered the lin¬ 
guistic problem. 

And in 1954, says Stlndt, he himr 
self did the tv (filmed) coverage of 
the Indo-Chinese conference in 
Geneva, and that was really a first 
for the Red Chinese statesman. 

Murrow’s CBS coverage will be 
in 100% in English, directly for 
the American video audience. 


Boston — H. Jeff Forbes joined 
WNAC-TV this frame as supervi¬ 
sor of special film projects. He 
was fprmerly president of Forbes 
& Associates, Inc., tv and picture 
consultants, Richmond, Va. 


prises La Voz also operates tuition- 
free schools in the Radio-TV Pal¬ 
ace,. for musicians, announcers, 
dancers*, radio-tv repairmen and 
even cosmeticians who operate an 
on-the-spot beauty salon for tal¬ 
ent. A plaque in the entrance says 
La Voz has 457 people on its regu¬ 
lar payroll. It is the acknowledged 
clearing house for youthful talent. 

On the air only from 5 to 10 p.m. 
weekdays and 4 to 10 p.m. week¬ 
ends, station is sold out with fat 
commercial accounts and is re¬ 
ported a highly profitable enter¬ 
prise in the Trujillo family com¬ 
plex. A rate card is not available. 

La Voz’ immediate goal is to ex¬ 
pand hours of tv operation. Color 
experimentation and local manu¬ 
facture of tv receivers still seem 
pretty far in the future. It seems 
to be anyone’s guess how many 
sets there are in the island. Senor 
Aybar put the figure at 15,000 for 
Ciudad Trujillo—a city of 250,000. 
Next largest concentration, he 
says, is in Santiago, a city of 70,000 
on the other side of the island. TV 
sets are imported from the States 
and come high—anywhere from 
$300 up to $800. 

No Union Troubles 

La Voz Domlnicana, of course, 
has no union problems. Salary fig 1 - 
ures quoted for musicians range as 
high as $700 a month while top an¬ 
nouncers take home from $500 to 
$1000 monthly. Blanca Ruso, the 
most popular ballerina in the sta¬ 
tion’s repertory company, makes 
$500 a month. 

Since Dominican viewers don’t 
have to worry about interference 
from other transmitters^ tv recep¬ 
tion is excellent. ; The caliber of 
the music, variety and culture 
shows is generally high. As might 
be expected, there are no free¬ 
wheeling political discussions or 
press conferences of the air. There 
are no soap operas either. Cowboy 
films and baseball both rate high 
with Dominicans and the Cisco Kid 
with Spanish "subtitles is a regu¬ 
lar feature. International news 
comes via the UP ticker, while lo¬ 
cal doings are collated by 200 
correspondents, throughout the Re¬ 
public—a healthy number in an 
area no larger than New Hamp¬ 
shire, Vermont and Rhode Island 
combined. 

On the uplift side, French and 
English classes are conducted 
twice weekly on tv and there Is a 
daily program for Catholics. One 
of the most popular shows appears 
at 7:40 p.ncL-r-Gane Llamando—a 
telephone quiz show in which cor¬ 
rect answers to questions on music, 
history dr art, win prizes ranging 
from Hines cold creams to Pabst 
ov Schlitz beer, White Horse 
whiskey or a radio set. Beer and 
liquor ads abound. In the line 
oi public service, La Voz plugs El 
Generalissimo’s International Fair 


for Peace and Progress and the 
weekly lottery. Live and film 
shows run about 50-50 in the sta¬ 
tion’s daily 300 minutes of- tv 
transmission. 

Station Manager Santamaria con¬ 
siders his biggest coup to date was 
a two-hour long live production by 
an all-Dominican troupe of the 
opera Cavaliera Rusticana, last Aug. 
1, to mark the station’s fifth anni¬ 
versary. He plans a similar pro¬ 
duction next year. El Generalis¬ 
simo makes wide use of his broth¬ 
er’s radio-tv for public appear¬ 
ances. 

During the summer months, one 
of the favorite pastimes of tv set 
owners is twirling the dials to pick 
up an occasional dim image from 
a U.S. station. 


Mann, Shaw, Swift 

Continued from page 23 

the web would receive a participa¬ 
tion in the series. Plan is to do 19 
live shows and 20 films. 

Emphasis in the package is on 
the availability of the creative tal¬ 
ent rather than on other factors, 
since there are no stars contem¬ 
plated for the series. Trend to¬ 
ward this type of operation has 
been accelerated in recent months. 
One early example'was the crea¬ 
tion of Unit Four Productions 
(Tony Miner, Fielder Cook, George 
Roy Hill and Franklin Schaffner) 
to produce “Kaiser Aluminum 
Hour.” Another was the Mildred 
Freed Alberg - George Schaefer 
teaming on “Hallmark Hall of 
Fame.” / 


Network Radio 

Continued from page 21 

position as a radio spender in Oc¬ 
tober of this year. 

Other top-drawer agencies reen¬ 
tering the network radio. picture 
on a grander style include Geoffrey 
Wade, which, incidentally, placed 
the big Miles Laboratories account 
on Mutual for ’57; Needham, Louis 
& Borby, Grey McCann-Erickson, 
Ruthrauff & Ryan, Walter F. Ben¬ 
nett, C. L. Miller, and Sullivan, 
Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles. 

Here is the analysis based on to¬ 
tal commercial, minutes per week 
bought on behalf of clients on net¬ 
work radio, using OctoberJ55 and 
'50 as the base: 

Ted Bates, 79 in ’56. compared 
to 54 the previous year; Geoffrey 
Wade, 51 this year, against 45 in 
’55; McCann-Erickson, 49 against 
20; and J. Walter Thompson, 52 
against nothing the previous year. 
The foregoing examples represent 
increased buying by other agencies 
as well. 


lotcl 


30 EXTRAVAGANZA MUSICAL PARADES 
IN GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOR 

"SPECTACULAR REVIEW'' 

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Ed Sullivan Eddie Foy, Jr. 

/ Peggy Lee Jimmy Dorsey 

and hundreds of stars that are making entertainment headlin^il"^ 
Top Songs, Hollywood’s most beautiful girls—gorgeous costumes 
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30 Sensational Programs...ranging front 17 to 20 minutes..* 
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60 West 55th Street • New York, N. Y. • PLoia 7-2100 







Jocks, Jukes and Disks 


•By HERM SCHOENFELD. 


Guy Mitchell: “Take Me Back 
Baby"-“Knee Deep In The Blues" 
(Columbia). Guy Mitchell has a 
potent followup to his current 
“Singin’ The Blues" smash in this 
coupling. Both are knee-deep in 
the rock 'n' roll groove with 
Mitchell belting in his own style 
with a powerful beat. “Take Me 
Back Baby" has the simpler idea 
and the stronger beat and so should 
have immediate impact in the juve 
market. • “Knee Deep In The 
Blues" is another solid rhythm 
tune with excellent chances. 

Kay Brown: “Pull Down De 
Shade”-“Four O'clock In The 
Morning Music" (Decca). Strong 
impetus to the developing calypso 
cycle should be given by “Pull 
Down De Shade," a tune with a 
clever lyric and typical Carib 
melody. Kay Brown projects this 
tune savvily and it could be a mop- 


You"-“It’s So Easy To Forget" 
(Columbia). The Four Lads are 
one of the slickest vocal combos 
around and their disk output has 
been consistently good. This is 
another coupling of fine tunes. 
“Who Needs You" is a flrstrate 
ballad with a lilting melodic line 
and a polished.lyric. “It's So Easy i 
To Forget" is another neat entry 
which the Four Lads build into big 
commercial potential. 

Eydie Gorme: “Climb Up The 
Wall"-“Uska Dara" (Coral). This is 
an exotic coupling. “Climb Up The 
Wall," from the Columbia pic, 
“Zarak," has an attractive Near' 
Eastern flavor with a lyric to 
match. It's a colorful production 
with Eydie Gorme furnishing a 
tiptop atmospheric vocal to corral 
the jock spins. On the flip, Miss 
Gorme, who is of Turkish extrac¬ 
tion, finally gets around to the 



Albrnn Reviews 


GUY MITCHELL. TAKE ME BACK BABY 

( Columbia ). Knee Deep In The Blues 

KAY BROWN ..PULL DOWN DE SHADE 

t Decca) . Four O’clock In the Morning Music 

HARRY BELAFONTE . .BANANA BOAT 

(RCA) .. Star-O 

BILLY VAUGHN ORCH ..PENNSYLVANIA WALTZ 

( Dot ) ..... Sugar Blues 

THE FOUR LADS . WHO NEEDS YOU 

( Columbia ) .It's So Easy To Forget 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hi* 

CHAMPAGNE MU8IC 
(Exclusively on Coral). 
THESAURUS TRANSCRIPTIONS 
279th Consecutive Week 
Aragon Ballroom—Ocean Park, Cal 
ABC-TV—Sat. 9-10 P. M. E.S.T, 
Sponsored by 
Dodge Dealers of America 
ABC-TV Mon, 9:30-10:80 p.m. EST 
Sponsored by 

Dodge and Plymouth Dealers of 
America 


British Pop Reviews 


up. Flip is a good torch item that 
rates jock attention. 

Harry Belafonte: “Banana Boat"- 
“Star-O" (RCA Victor). Looks like 
the pop market is in for a very 
heavy diet of bananas. Harry Bela¬ 
fonte now turns up with a “Banana 
Boat" song which is not to be con¬ 
fused with “The Banana Boat 
Song" which is clicking via <jThe 
Tarriers' version on the Glory 
label. Both tunes are in the calypso 
groove and probably derive from 
the same remote source. Belafonte, 
the most potent name in the calypso 
idiom, automatically will get plenty 
of play on his version, particularly 
since lie does it very effectively 
with choral support. “Star-O" is in 
the same genre. 

Billy Vaughn Orch: “Pennsyl¬ 
vania Waltz"-“Sugar Blues" (Dot). 
“Pennsylvania Waltz" -is one of 
those sweet entries in three-quarter 
time that periodically break 
through no matter what the pre¬ 
vailing beat. Billy Vaughn’s orch 
and chorus give it an attractive 
rendition. Wayne King’s orch also 
gives this song a potent workover 
with some colorful instrumenta¬ 
tion, a whistling chorus and a 
vocal by Elaine Rogers. Both ver¬ 
sions should pick up considerable 
spins. On the Dot flip, Vaughn 
reprises the tune that has long 
been identified with Clyde McCoy. 
The talking trumpet gimmick is 
the same. 

The Four Lads: “Who -Needs 


Turkish tune, “Uska Dara," which 
Eartha Kitt did a couple of years 
ago. For the Turkish market, Miss 
Gorme also does the lyrics in that 
language. 

The Ravens: “A Simple Prayer"- 
“Water Boy" (Argo). “A Simple 
Prayer" is a well-written religioso 
entry that could make it big in the 
pop market. The Ravens project it 
strongly, with the tenor lead get¬ 
ting strange effects by hitting top 
notes, against a rhythm back¬ 
ground. On the flip, the vocal 
combo gives the oldie, “Water 
Boy," an interesting slice. 

Eddy Arnold: “Good Lookin’ 
Blonde"-"A Dozen Hearts" (RCA 
Victor). Eddy Arnold comes up 
with one of his best sides in some 
time in “Good Lookin' Blonde." 
It's a catching country tune which 
Arnold delivers for maximum im¬ 
pact. Flip is a pleasing folk item 
tailormade for Arnold’s easy, effec¬ 
tive style. 

The Teardrops: “My Inspira- 
tion"-“Prayed For Love" (King). 
The Teardrops are a jumping rock 
'n' roll duo who deliver in typical 
broken-note style. Team does very 
nicely on up-tempoed “My Inspira¬ 
tion" and .also handle the slow 
ballad, “I Prayed For Love," in the 
expected groove for this genre. 

The Modernalres, “Noah"-‘T’m 
Ready to Love Again" (Coral). 
Theme of the NBC-TV series, 
“Noah’s Ark," has been converted 
(Continued on page 40) 


. Dorothy Squires: “Come Home 
To My Arms"-“Someone To Love" 
(Nixa). In ,the wake of “Lay Down 
Your Arms" comes a new song, 
written by Miss Squires, whose 
husky-voiced chanting should rate 
plenty of attention. “Come Home" 
already has the makings of a Brit¬ 
ish hit and could do well else¬ 
where. “Someone To Love" is a 
clever song, but not the Tight ma¬ 
terial for.this singer. Orch leader 
Tony Osborne gives standout back¬ 
ings. 

Lonnie Donegan: “Bring a Little 
Water ’ Sylvie"-“Dead Or Alive" 
(Nixa). Irish “hillbilly" Donegan 
comes up with another winner in 
“Sylvie," which swings like mad 
and has hit-written all over it. 
“Dead Or Alive" is more orthodox 
cowboy fare and makes an ade¬ 
quate coupling. • 

Edmund Hockridge: “By the 
Fountains of Rome"-“ITl Need 
| Your Love" (Nixa). Two British 
songs, two first-class performances. 
Canadian-born Hockridge has one 
| of the biggest voices in Britain to¬ 
day, and gives top-class readings of 
both these titles. “Fountains" in 
I particular rates attention. 

Martin Follows Arrow 

Crooner Alan Martin has joined 
the indie Arrow label after stints 
with Dot Records and ABC-Para¬ 
mount. Diskery plans to have Mar¬ 
tin's first release out sometime in 
January. ^ 

Arrow’s distribution is now be¬ 
ing set up nationally by prexy 
Herman Pollock. Len Wolfe is 
handling the promotion. 


As in the Broadway theatre, 
Ethel Merman takes full command 
of the RCA Victor original cast 
album of the current musical com¬ 
edy, “Happy Hunting." The Matt 
Dubey-Harold Karr scores comes 
alive with Miss Merman’s opener, 
“It’s Good to Be Here," which 
leads into the show's most rousing 
number, “Mutual Admiration So¬ 
ciety," delivered by Miss Merman 
and Virginia Gibson. In excellent 
vocal form, the show’s star also 
brings home a ballad, “This Is 
What I Call Love"; the Latin nov¬ 
elty, “New Fangled Tango" with 
Virginia Gibson and company; 
“The Game of Love," a fair ballad 
with commonplace ly*K*; “Mr. 
Livingston," okay novelty matefial; 
“Happy Hunting," the uptempo 
title number; and “I’m a Funny 
Dame." Fernando Lamas registers 
excellently on the fine ballad, 
“This Much I Know,” In a solo 
rendition and then a duetted re¬ 
prise with Miss Merman. Lamas, i 
with a delivery reminiscent of Ezio I 
Pinza particularly because of that 
foreign accent, also registers 
strongelv on “It’s Like a Beautiful 
Woman." Another of the strong 
pop numbers out of this score, 
“Irn," gets a cute workover by 
Miss Gibson and Gordon Polk who 
also handle “Don’t Tell Me," a 
clever item. “Wedding of the Year" 
is another smart number in a score 
that comes off very well in the disk 
edition. Jay Blackton maestroes. 

“Tom Sawyer," the video musi¬ 
cal version of Mark Twain's novel 
with score by Frank Lather, shapes 
up into a highly appealing Decca 
package, featuring the show’s cast, 
John Sharpe, Bennye Gatteys and 
Jimmy Boyd in the lead roles. 
Luther’s folkstyled score is sim¬ 
ple, tuneful and clever in an un¬ 
pretentious style that captures the 


essence of the book. Clar***.. 
Cooper handles the narrative 
ing effectively while Rose B^mpI 
ton has good turns, oh a couple of 
numbers. The choral ensemble 
The Song Spinners, furnished solid 
backing together with the orch 
under Ralph Norman Wilkinson’s 
baton. The disk set, ^incidental?v 
contains several songs which we™ 
apparently cut out of the video 
show, and the full score is worth 
hearing. * 11 

“Calypso," a Fiesta Record set, 
fits Into the emerging pop cycle. 
Performed by the Tower Islanders 
a Jamaican combo, this collection 
of songs has the freewheeling beat 
typical of thi* genre. The vocal de¬ 
livery. how«. .Trisr iim pafflcularir 

striking. 

Some very oldfashioned jazz 
turns -up on the Folkways label 
played by the “Six and Seven- 
Eighths String Band of New Or¬ 
leans." It's a guitar mandolin and 
bass ensemble that is part of the 
classic New Orleans tradition. \ 
set for the jazzophiles who want 
to fill in the historical gaps. 

Speaking a more modern lan¬ 
guage, Red Norvo on vibes heads a 
smooth jazz combo for Liberty 
Records In a set titled “Vibe-ra¬ 
tions." The music is cool and 
swinging with the cast of cats in- 
eluding Jack Montrose on reeds, 
Robert Drassln on flute; Bill Ko- 
sinski on English horn; Bill Dillard 
on guitar; Gene Wright on bass; 
and Bill Douglass on drums. 

Another topflight jazz set in 
“Two Degrees East-Three Degrees 
West,” a Pacific Jazz label release 
of slides by a quintet comprising 
John Lewis, Percy Heath, Bill Per¬ 
kins, Chleo Hamilton and Jim Hall. 
Quiet, well-mannered modern jazz 
sounds. Another interesting jazz set 
(Continued on page 40) 


V&THETY 


10 Best Sellers on Com Machines 


SINGING THE BLUES (8) . Guy Mitchell . Columbia 

LOVE ME TENDER (10) ... Elvis Presley .Victor 


ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY (3) . Jerry Lewis .Decca 

THE GREEN DOOR (12) .... Jim Lowe . Dot 

BLUEBERRY HILL (9) ... Fats Domino .. Imperial 

HEY, JEALOUS LOVfiR (3). Frank Sinatra . .Capitol 

C.NDY, OH -CINDY (7) .fe—'K 

true l-ove «)...} Snfpotfcu ' llv c v2™ 

A ROSE AND A BABY RUTH (2) . George Hamilton 4th.. .ABC-Par 

JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN (14).. Johnnie Ray . Columbia- 


Second Croup 


GARDEN OF EDEN...'. Joe Valino ..... Vik 

NIGHT LIGHTS .. Nat (King) Cole . Capitol 

banana boat song ....'.......:.{“ 7.7::.77.g™ 

AUCTIONEER ..... Leroy Vandyke ..Dot 

TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS . \ Don Rondo . Jubilee 

. . I Morgan & Williams _ Kapp 

MAMA FROM THE TRAIN..... Patti Page . Mercury 

MOONLIGHT GAMBLER .. Frankie Laine . Columbia 


BANANA BOAT SONG 


\ Fontane Sisters 
Tarriers ........ 


AUCTIONEER ...... Leroy Vandyke 


RUDY'S ROCK 


FRIENDLY PERSUASION 


SLOW WALK 


Bill Haley’s Comets ...... Decca 

l Pat Boone . Dot 

I Four Aces .Decca 

\ Bill Doggett ... King 

) Sil Austin . Mercury 


l Figures in parentheses indicate number oj weeks song has been in the Top 101 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs oj week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr: John Gray Peatman. 
Director. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical. iFilm. ti'TV. 

Survey Week of Dee. 14-20, 1956 

Anastasia—t“Anastasia" .. Feist 

Armen's Theme . Bourne 

Baby Doll—t“Baby Doll" .Remick 

Banana Boat Song . Marks-B 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .Marks-B 

Friendly Persuasion—1“Friendly Persuasion".Feist 

Hey, Jealous Lover. .Barton 

I Dreamed . Trinity 

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day .... St. Nicholas 

If I Had My Druthers—♦“Li'l Abner" .Commander 

Just In Time—♦“Bells Are Ringing",....Stratford 

Long Before I Knew You—♦“Bells Are Ringing" ... Stratford 

Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender"....Presley 

Mama From The Train..Remick 

. Money Tree ...Frank 

Mutual Admiration Society—*“Happy Hunting" .... Chappell 

My Last Night In Rome ....Famous 

New Fangled Tango—♦“Happy Hunting".Chappell 

Night Lights ..BVC 

Petticoats Of Portugal....Christopher 

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer .St. Nicholas 

Silver Bells .Paramount 

Singing The Blues.Acuff-R 

Sleigh Ride ...Mills 

Someone ’To Love—t“Bundle of Joy"...Audubon 

Star You Wished Upon Last Night .. Robbins 

Stingiest Man In Town—if “Stingiest Man" .Harms 

True Love—f“High Society” .Buxton Hill 

.Two Different Worlds ....... Princess 

Winter Wonderland.. BVC 

Top. 30 Songs on TV 

(More In Case of Ties) 

Banana Boat Song .Marks-B 

Blueberry Hill . . .Chappell 

Christmas Alphabet .... Budd 

Cindy, Oh Cindy .. Marks-B 

Friendly Persuasion—+“Friendly Persuasion"--.Feist 

Give Me Your Heart For Christmas.Fisher 

Gonna Get Along Without Ya. Now ..Kellem 

Green Door .Trinity 

Hey, Jealous Lover .Barton 

I Cry More .Famous 

I Dreamed .Trinity 

I Wanna Do More Than Whistle .Nutmeg 

Just Walking In The Rain.. Golden West 

Look Homeward Angel..Greta 

Love In A Home—t“Li’l Abner" .Commander 

Love Me Tender—t“Love Me Tender"..Presley 

Money Tree . . Frank 

Moonlight Love ...Elkan-V 

Night Before Christmas Song..St. Nicholas 

Night Lights ....BVCf 

Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody ..... Mills-W 

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer .St. Nicholas 

Singing The Blues .... '... Acuff-R 

Sleigh Ride ....Mills 

Star You Wished Upon Last Night..Robbins 

To The Ends Of The Earth . ... Winneton 

True Love—i“High Society"... .Buxton Hill 

Two Different Worlds .Princess 

' Winter Wonderland .BVC 

Wringle, Wrangle—f“Westward Ho The Wagons" . Disney 



























































































































Wednesday, December 26, 19$6 




MUSIC 


35 


DISK BIZ IN $300,000,000 CIRCLE 


For Combined FD&H and Robbins 


The close international liaison; 
between the Big Three (Robbins, 
Feist & Miller) music combine and 
the British Francis, Day & Hunter 
publishing firm has now been ce- 

two companies. In a deal set last 
week, the Big Three and FD&H 
have joined in a 50-50.partnership 
in a new holding company which 
will encompass all of their publish¬ 
ing operations in England. 

The new holding company will, 
in effect, be made up of the Big 
Three’s two British subsids, Rob¬ 
bins Music Ltd. (which in turn 
owns Leo Feist Ltd) and the re¬ 
cently acquired B, Feldman music 
company, in addition to the FD&H 
catalogs. The holding corporation , 
will represent the FD&H and Rob- j 
bins Ltd. holdings. . 

Fred Day At the Helm 
Fred Day, longtime head of the 
FD&H firm,* continues as chief of 
that outfit under the new setup. 

. The FD&H company was already 
closely allied with the Big Three 
in England via their partnerships 
In both the Robbins Ltd. and B. 
Feldman firms. The Big Three's 
purchase of additional values in 
the setup of the new overall part¬ 
nership was made by cash and 
stock payments to FD&H. The 
exec personnel of the holding cor¬ 
poration has not yet been set. Brit¬ 
ish approval of the deal, via that 
government's exchange control 
board, is expected in about two 
weeks. 

The deal was finalized last Wed¬ 
nesday (19)- in London-by U. S. at¬ 
torney Julian T. Abeles, represent¬ 
ing the Big Three, and Linklaters 
k Paines, for the Day interests. 
Mickey Scopp, Big Three v.p. and 
general manager, was also in Brit¬ 
ain to handle the deal, but planed 
home to the U. Ss- before the ac¬ 
tual inking. Abeles headed back 
to the U. S. immediately after the 
pact was locked up. At one stage 
it reached a stalemate on tech¬ 
nicalities. 

The deal will not affect the 
FD&H setup. ' In addition to Fred 
Day remaining as managing direc¬ 
tor, Ray Thackeray and Jack Den¬ 
ton will continue in their posts as 
administration head and Continen¬ 
tal chief, respectively, , 

Newport Jazz Festival 
Eyeing Plans for Site 

Boston, Dec. 25. 

George .Wein, director of the 
American Jazz Festival and opera¬ 
tor of Storyville here, has con¬ 
ferred with an architectural stu¬ 
dent from the U. of Virginia on de¬ 
signing a festival site for Newport, 
R-1. Wein said that Robert Ernest, 
jazz buff, wants to draw up plans 
for an “ideal” site with all facili¬ 
ties incorporated as a project for 
ms academic course. 

He got the okay of the Jazz Festi¬ 
val Corp. and has confabs skedded 
with Irving H. Beck, Newport city. 
Manager, Wein said. No money is 
involved and Ernest will have free 
vein imaginatively. 

Also working on a proposal for 
J site for Newport festivals is Ar¬ 
thur Leland, former city recreation 
supervisor, -who has drawn up a 
Plan for use of the quadrangle at 
jort Adams, if the spot can be lib- 
rate(1 from the Navy and devoted 
10 state or municipal use as a park. 


Veepeo of Kenyon A Eckhardt 

Hal Davis 

roprlsos fho whyforo of Benny 
Goodman's abortive trip into the 
lSIwV*V6Tgci~beifln’a 
piece titled 

No Jazz in the 
Kremlin 
* * * 

another bright editorial feature 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary IS umber 

of 

P^SziETY 


NameBandsHavin’ 
A Ball in Gotham 

The name bands will begin con¬ 
verging on the New York ballroom 
scene this weekend. The dance- 
band invasion tees off Friday (28) 
with the opening of Louis J. 
Brecker’s new Roseland Dance 
City and at the Arcadia, which is 
launching a name policy. 

Roseland preem will be head¬ 
lined by the Commanders, featur¬ 
ing Warren Covington, while Russ 
Morgan’s orch will take over the 
Arcadia. Both bands, incidentally, 
are Decca pactees. In line with the 
name policy, Arcadia manager Jack 
Petrili already has set the Billy 
May orch, batoned by Sam Dona¬ 
hue, for Jan. 8-13 and the Buddy 
Morrow orch for Jan. 15-27. 


Eddie Ames Solos 

Eddie Ames, lead voice in the 
Ames Bros, quartet, will make his 
bow as a. solo vocalist for RCA 
Victor. 

He’ll also continue to work with 
his brothers as a regular member 
of the group. 


TAKE UP lU 

Despite the spotty character of 
platter sales on the retail level 
during this holiday season, the 
disk industry is a cinch to top last 
year’s overall gross by a consid¬ 
erable margin. Major _c.pjpp^ny. 
execs' now' figure'th'aF the goal of 
a $300,000,000 gross, set early in 
1956, will be reached, if not ex¬ 
ceeded, once all the returns are 
in. That represents a rise of about 
$50,000,000, or 20% over last year’s 
disk biz gross on the retail level. 

The continuing upsurge a i the 
package business has been chiefly 
instrumental in lifting the disk 
biz to a record peak this year. The 
package output had been steadily 
going up since the introduction of 
the 33 and 45 rpm speeds some 
eight or nine years ago, but in 
1956, the stream turned into a 
torrent. Notable in the rise of the 
package business has been the 
stepped-up releases of the major 
companies and entry of numerous 
indie labels in the album phase 
of the market. 

Increase in the disk market has 
also been marked in the singles field 
where sales of individual hits have 
been reaching higher and higher 
marks. A couple of years ago, a 
million-seller was a smash and any 
platter hitting two or three mil¬ 
lion, like Patti Page’s “Tennessee 
Waltz,” was considered in the na¬ 
ture of a phenomenon. 

Nowadays, however, the 1,000,- 
000 seller, while not yet a run-of- 
the-mill event, is giving way to the 
multi-mililon seller. Tennessee 
(Continued on page 38) 


Yule Tunes’ Holey Stockings; Even 
Berlin CWkite Xmas’) Hit by ‘Nervous’ 
Prosperity and Taste’ Boomerang 


Santa, Please Send Drum 

Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 25. 

A jazzband here is without the 
services of its hot drummer. 

Harold Langford reported to po¬ 
lice that thieves took his $330 jazz 
drummer’s set while his car was 
parked and he was Xmas shopping. 

Police put it. down in their mu¬ 
sic cases, last of which in the area, 
was theft of an organ from in front' 
of the Hotel Statler in Boston a few 
months ago. 


RCA Victor Records Veepeo 


George R. Marek 

tracts tht evolution of 

Oh, Dem Golden 
Records! 


another bright editorial feature 
in the upcoming 

SIst Anniversary Number 

of 

PfoUETY 



To Go 2-Day Kick 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Hollywood Palladium, last ma¬ 
jor stronghold of name bands on 
a five-day-a-week basis in the coun¬ 
try, will give up the struggle late 
next month and try a weekend op¬ 
eration. Terpery, one, of the larg¬ 
est in the world, will hook name 
bands for Friday and Saturday 
only. 

Cutback to the two-day opera¬ 
tion comes only 18 months after 
the Palladium finally abandoned 
the full-week operation, which it 
inaugurated in 1940, to begin a 
five-night policy. Dwindling at¬ 
tendance and a growing apathy for 
dance music has cued the new 
trimming. 

Palladium is the latest of the big 
operations around the country to 
feel the impact of changing times. 
It has not played rock ’n’ roll, re¬ 
lying instead on the name band 
(Continued on page 38) 


OUT SOON! 


The 


51st Anniversary Number 

Of 



Forms dosing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


ay Patrol’ Theme 
Of London Label Disk 

J!*me music of “Highway Pa- 
,telefilm series has been re- 
dl d ? d u by Cyril Stapleton for Lon- 
J. el . marki hg the first, .tieup- 
Ino £ en Ziv an< * a ma j° r record- 
r A, m for a theme promotion, 
endon coupled it on the disk with 
ton ds of Madrid,” a i so by staple- 

na?^ L ! ewellyn Penned the origi- 
biL^way Patrol” theme, which 
*hS ess Music is publishing in 
striirv, m i usic » scoring it as an in¬ 
strumental march;. . ... 


Special exploitation advantages 

Copy and space reservations thay be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W. 46th St. 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Ave. 


LONDON. W. f. 2 
8 St. Martin's Placa 
Trafalgar Square 


Tin Pan Alley’s commercializa¬ 
tion of the Christmas holidays 
sharply, backfired ...Jthis-year. - Not 
only were no new Xmas hit devel¬ 
oped, but even the standard pop 
Christmas songs declined in sales, 
both sheet and disk-wise. 

Trade execs see this year’s 
Christmas as the payoff for the 
display of bad taste last year on 
wax. Because the rock ’n’ roll cy¬ 
cle was going full blast, the 1955 
Xmas items had such titles as “I 
Want A Rock ’n* Roll Christmas” 
and “Rock ’n* Roily Poly* Santa 
Claus” and other variations on the 
theme. None of the rock ’n’ roll 
items emerged as hits last year, but 
they nonetheless left a mark. 

Disk jockeys this year virtually 
nixed all new Christmas novelties, 
thus barring any tune in the cate¬ 
gory of such prior clicks as “All I 
Want For Christmas Is My Two 
Front Teeth,” “I Saw Mommy Kiss¬ 
ing Santa Claus” and “I Want Nut- 
tin’ For Christmas,” from ever see¬ 
ing the light of day. Not only that, 
but jockeys waited until the Christ¬ 
mas deadline of Dec. 15, rather 
than right after Thanksgiving, to 
start spinning Christmas tunes. 

Even Irving Berlin’s “Wffite 
Christmas,” which is the top 
Christmas pop of all time, felt a 
slight decline of 5% in sheet sales 
this year. Some of the other stand¬ 
ards dropped off considerably more 
and new songs barely moved at all. 
There are about 20 to 30 new 
Christmas tunes entering the mar¬ 
ket each year by way of sheet mu¬ 
sic that actually get circulated. 
Incidentally, “White Christmas,” 
which reached 10,456,174 last year 
on the Bing Crosby’s Decca disk 
alone, has some 200 different wax 
versions on over 125 different la¬ 
bels. Total sales on all versions is 
now around 20,000,000, with nobody 
even close to Crosby’s version, 
which should reach 11,QOO,000 this 
year. 

Some music execs blame the dip 
in Xmas music sales on the gen¬ 
eral economic picture at the end 
of this year, reflected in the stock 
market decline. Since music, espe¬ 
cially sheet music, is expendable, 
it’s among the first commodities 
to feel the pinch. " 

On the other hand, some of the 
straight Christmas hymns and pop 
religiosos on disks have gone up 
this year, indicating that there’s 
been a* shift in public taste away 
from the novelty and gimmick 
songs back -to a more reverent 
holiday spirit. Symptomatic of that 
fact is that Harry Belafonte’s 
“Mary’s Boy Child” has turned up 
as a strong seller this year, but 
by no means a runaway hit. The 
song is in a calypso beat strictly 
and tastefully religious in spirit. 

Another factor in the limiting 
of Christmas pop tunes is the fact 
that jockeys were varying their 
holiday programming fare with 
straight pop material. In prior 
years, disk jockey-shows tended to 
be loaded with Christmas songs 
while the pops went Into virtual 
hiatus. 


DGG’s Watch on Rhine 
For Gallic Jazzsters 

Berlin, Dec. 18. 

Polydor, pop label of Deutsche 
Grammophon Gesellschaft, this 
country’s top diskery, is accenting 
top French jazz musicians these 
days. Outfit has now Jack Dieval, 
Rene Thomas’ Quintet and Armand 
Gordon’s Ragtime Jazz Band on 
the local market. 

Among singers, Eddie Constan¬ 
tine (on Electrola label here) also 
holds one .of the leading spots. 
Just recently, Polydor brought the 
French version of “Memories Are 
Made Of This” (“Les souvenirs 
sont faits de ca,” sung by Georges 
Blanes, Polydor’s French star) on 
the local market. In France, Poly¬ 
dor Is operating under Polydor 
S. A. Paris, with Paul Durand act¬ 
ing as a&r man. France is one of 
the German diskery’s most lucra¬ 
tive foreign outlets. 



S6 MUSIC 


Wednesday, Dumber 26. 1956 


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Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


usssnm 


MUSIC 37 


Scoreboard 

OP 

TOP TftlEHT MD TUHES 

Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

i as PublLked in thoCurrent issue 

NOTE: Tho current comparative sales strength of the Artiste and Tunee listed hereunder fe 
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu¬ 
merated above. These findings Are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de¬ 
veloped from the ratio of points scored , two ways in the case of talent (coin machines t retail 
disks) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines . retail disks and retail sheet music). 


POSITIONS 
This List 
Week Week 


TALENT 

AKTIST AND LABEL TUNE 

GUY MITCHELL (Columbia)... Singing The Blues 

[Love Me Tender 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) .HLovtfMe 

(Don’t Be Cruel 

JBILOWE < Dot >.-{^The^r 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol). True Love 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial).rlKSttaes Home 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) ... Just Walking In The Rain 

JERRY LEWIS (Decca) . Rock-A-Bye Your Baby 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol)... Hey, Jealous Lover 

(Don't Forbid Me 

PAT BOONE (Dot)..-(Friendly Persuasion 

[Anastasia 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4th (ABC-Par). A Rose And A Baby Ruth 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 



TUNES 

(♦ASCAP. fBMI) 

TUNE PUBLISHES 

fSINGING THE BLUES .....•. Acuff-R 

(LOVE ME TENDER.Presley 

♦TRUE LOVE . Buxton Hill 

(THE GREEN DOOR. Trinity 

♦BLUEBERRY HILL. Chappell 

fJUST WALKING IN THE RAIN..Golden West 

fCINDY, OH CINDY...'.. Marks-B 

•HEY, JEALOUS LOVER *. Barton 

ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY. Mills-W 

•FRIENDLY PERSUASION. Feist 


RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS 


- PftRiErfr - 

Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
13 cities and showing com¬ 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week . 

• ASCAP t BM1 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


Title and, Publisher 


tSlnging the Blues (Acuff-R). 


♦True Love (Buxton Hill) 


3 

tLove Me Tender (Presley).. 

l io : 

4 , 

tWalking in Rain (Golden W.) 

4 .. 1 

5 

♦Blueberry Hill (Chappell).. 

OHH 


tT ho Green Poor (Trinity)... 
♦Friendly Persuasion (Feist). 


tClndy, Oh Cindy (Marks-B). 


♦Hey. Jealous Lover (Barton) 


tDifferent Worlds (Princess) 


♦Mutual Admiration (Chappell) 


♦Mama from Train (Remick) 


tLove Me (Hill & Range) 


♦Rudolph Reindeer (St. Nich.) 


♦Whatever Will Be (Artists) 



Folk Tones Dandy Seilers in Chi 
At 10% of Entire Plater Market 


"Boom’ Ballad Banned By 
WNEW-TNT ‘Too Real’ 


"The Ballad of Roger Boom,” a 
number by Bob Hilliard, has run 
into trouble on WNEW. The N.Y. 
station has banned the song, which 
tells the story of a man who ex¬ 
perimented with high explosives, 
because of its coincidental timing 
with-the recent dock explosion-and 
fire, at a Brooklyn pier. 

WNEW, along with other indies 
around the country, nixed a cou¬ 
ple of numbers prior to "Roger 
Boom.” One was the “Flying 
Saucer” disk, because of its simu¬ 
lation of actual news bulletins (a 
practice that has been frowned 
upon ever since Orson Welles’ pre- 
World War II “War of the Worlds” 
seare); and “A Rose and A Baby 
Ruth,” because it Involves a plug 
for the candy product. 

DISK RACK JOBBERS 

SETTING TRADE ASSN. 

* 

A trade association representing 
disk rack-jobbers in the supermar¬ 
ket and drugstore chains has beep 
organized by some of the leading 
operators in this field. 'Spearhead¬ 
ing the new outfit are such rack 
execs as Dave Handleman of De¬ 
troit, Abe, Levine of Boston and 
Willie Wolf of Newark. » 

Most of the rackjobbers handle 
disks along wilh other commodities 
that are sold through the syndicate 
outlets. There are about 7,000 
racks now in operation throughout 
the country. 

‘Growth of Music’ 

“The Growth of Music” by H. C. 
Colles (Oxford; $7), is a third edi¬ 
tion of the standard work first pub¬ 
lished *40 years ago. Revision for 
this volume is by Dr. Eric Blom, 
author and critic, who adds a chap¬ 
ter on 20th Century music. Tome 
traces European music from the 
rise of the troubadours. 

There are many references to 
opera scores, music for the dance 
and for theatre. Down. 


, By DAVE LEVADI 

Chicago, Dec. 23, 

One of the most marked Up¬ 
swings noted by disk dealers here 
is in folk music sales. Not counting 
Harry BelafontC’s RCA clicko 
pressings, folk records make up to 
10% or more of sales in record 
shops, depending on their location. 
Chiefly affected are the near north- 
side shops, located in arty neigh¬ 
borhoods of students and encom¬ 
passing offbeat niteries. With some 
exceptions, the Loop stores still 
don’t, do much business in this' line. 

Max Siegel’s diskery near the 
Gate of Horn folksong nitery, re¬ 
ports that folk and pop stuff great¬ 
ly outsell the classics, with the 
folkers making up 10% of the dol¬ 
lar take. Names like Bill Broonzy 
and Paul Clayton sell particularly 
well when they appear at the near¬ 
by nitery. Pete Seeger, Josh White 
and other established names do a 
strong, steady business but not the 
field recordings put out by Colum¬ 
bia and Folkways. 

The importance of store location 
is shown by the northside Lishon’s 
in contrast with its downtown 
store. The uptowners do a better 
than average 5% business in folk 
stuff, largely on small labels like 
Riverside, Electra, Stinson, Folk¬ 
ways and Dyer-Bennet, with folk 
music the fastest growing item 
handled while the Loop store does 
too small a volume to estimate any 
trends. Similarly with the Hudson- 
Ross outlets. Their Randolph St., 
store in the Loop recently discon¬ 
tinued Folkways records but the 
Wabash Ave^ store located near 
(Continued on page 40) 

Col Adds Own Branch 
In Balto; 5th o&o Co. 

Columbia Records will launch 
its fifth company-owned distribu¬ 
tion branch after the first of the 
year in the Baltimore area. The 
territory has 'been handled by the 
Joseph Zamoiski Co. 

Robert Beasley will head up 
Col’s , Balto branch as sales mana¬ 
ger. Members of the sales staff 
presently repping Col for Zamoiski 
will be retained by the new setup. 
They are Robert Green, Emil Zem- 
arel, Don Walters and Bernard 
Ferguson. 


Elvis, Tchaikovsky & O’Seas GI’s 

; Frankfurt, Dec. 18. 

Even in Europe, W'here American servicemen have never had a 
chance to see him in person or on television, Elvis the Pelvis, 
means big business—according to the latest look at the business 
done by the American Post Exchanges in Europe for the last three 
months. 

Presley is far. and away the winner on the pop song sales, with . 
two tunes on the Top 10, and his leading tune nearly double the 
sales volume of the second best. 

(Here’s how the bestselling records scored for the last 90 day* 
on the PX lists: 



ARTIST 

SONG—LABEL 

SALES 

i. 

Elvis Presley 

Hound Dog (RCA 

5,739 

2. 

Gogi Grant 

Wav ward Wind (Era) 

3,303 

3. 

Elvis Presley 

I Want You «RCA) 

3,246 

4. 

Platters 

My Prayer (Mercury) 

3,063 

5. 

Doris Day 

Whatever Will Be (Columbia) 

2,883 

6: 

Eddie Fisher 

St. Where You Live (RCA) ) 

2,617 


Vic Damone 

” ” ” ” (Columbia) J 

(Together) 

7. 

Fats Domino 

I’m in Love Again (Imperial) 

2,333 

8. 

Gene Vincent 

Be-Bop-a-Lulu (Capitol) 

2,258 , 

9. 

Chordettes 

Born to Be With You (Cadence) 

2,235 ; 

10. 

Pat Boone 

Long Tall Sally (Dot) • 

2,154 i 


On the longhair side, Tchaikovsky took all comers with 1-2-3 of 
the Top 10, and four of the 10 bestsellers being his compositions. 
He didn’t do as well as Presley, though, who had about a 10 to 1 
lead on pop records over the bestselling classic list. 

Here’s how the scoring ran on the classics for the last 90 days 
at the Post Exchanges in Europe: 


LABEL 

1. Mercury 

2. Columbia 

3. Columbia 

4. Columbia 

5. Columbia 


8. Columbia 


TITLE —ARTIST 
Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture 
(Dorati & Mpls. Symphony) 
Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker Suite 
(Kostelanetz Orch) 

Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake Ballet 
(Kostelanetz Orch) 

Offenbach, Gaite Parisienne 
(Ormandy & Fhila. Orch) 

Grofe, Grand Canyon Suite 
(Kostelanetz Orch> 

Classical Music for People 
k Who Hate Classical Music 
(Fiedler & Boston Pops Orch) 
Tchaikovsky, Concerto No, 1 
in B Flat Minor 
(Reiner & Chicago Symph Orch) 
. Rovel, Ports of Call ' 

(Ormandy & Phila. Orch) 
Respighi, The Pines of Rome 
(Toscanini & NBC Symoh Orch) 
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 
























































58 


MUSIC 




Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Combo Reviews 


JIMMY DORMAN TRIO 
Hotel Phillips, Kansas City 

Three lads who have been play¬ 
ing for leading bands and units in, 
this area now have a unit of their 
own with Jimmy Dorman at piano 
and organ as the lead man. He 
combines with Jack Randall on 
electric guitar and Irwin Manaday 
on string bass. The Phillips’ up¬ 
stairs cocktail lounge took them on 
for a two-week stand and quickly 
picked up the option to keep them 
at least six weeks, indicating their 
ready acceptance. 

Although they show some signs 
of being mewly-put -tegethery tr-io 
comes off with very acceptable 
tunes for both listening and danc¬ 
ing, which is a regular feature in 
the room. For that reason they 
stick closely to standards, hit parade 
and established showtunes, with a 
Latin tempo or two for variety. 
When the floor is not too busy they 
turn to the novelty type, and along 
the way each may toss in a solo 
vocal. They also double up on the 
chants in duo or trio, and feature 
each instrument, giving them a 
wide versatility. 

While he uses the organ often 
enough, Dorman keeps the empha¬ 
sis on piano, a good choice in this 
room of cozy proportions,” and as 
he probably expresses himself best 
on the piano. Requests are much 
in order, and hostess Lois Swaney, 


longtime vocalist in the room, joins 
in with a specialty now and then. 
The setup is in the groove for the 
spot which continues years in and 
year out with no minimum and no 
cover. Quin. 


JUAN MAKULA TRIO 
Cafe Picardy, Hotel Muelilebach 
Kansas City 

Making one of its occasional 
changes in its street-level dining 
room, Cafe Picardy, the Hotel 
Muehlebach has gone in for au¬ 
thentic gypsy music with this one. 
Juan Makula is on his first date in 
the.. “Myle” although he played the 
town a number of years ago at 
another leading dinner room. He’s 
a vet of the music biz, has batoned 
bigger units, but lately has been 
staying with the smaller groups. 

Group with Makula on violin and 
timbales, Otto Yedla on piano and 
Geza Duda on string bass has been 
together about five years, and has 
smoothness as result. They have 
a sizable portfolio of old country 
tunes giving them an extra varied 
selection, and they intersperse 
standards, musical comedy tunes 
and a considerable choice of Latins. 

With the international headline 
emphasis on things Hungarian, this 
is an especially choice booking, as 
the trio plainly shows the old world 
flavor in its rhythms. Format is 
dinner music through the week, 



(MM 

OF /^RECORD RATINGS 
BY THE TRADE PRESS 



Billboard 

Cash Box 

AM 1 LOSING YOU (R*nd<» 

JIM REEVES (Victor) 

BABY, BABY (Snapper) 

FRANKIE LYMON & TEENAGERS (Gee) 

BLUE MONDAY (Commodore) 

FATS DOMINO (Imperial) 

C&W 

Spotlight 

R&B 

Be*t Buy 

. Best Buy . 

C&W 

Bullseye 

R&B 

Sure Shot 

R&B 

Sure Shot 

BY'YOU, BY YOU, BY YOU 

(Trinity) 

JIM LOWE (Dot) 

Spotlight 

Sleeper of 
the Week 

DESERT SUNRISE (Hamblen) 

JAN AUGUST (Mercury) 

LARRY SONN (Coral) 

74 (Good) 

73(Good) 

B (Very Good) 

C 4-(Good) 

DESTINATION LOVE (Tiger) 

THE FOUR COINS (Epic) 

80(Excellent) 

Best Bet 

WYNONIE HARRIS (Atco) 

FLIRTANGO (E. B.Marks) 

BERNIE WAYNE ORCH. 

(ABC-Paramount) 

R&B 

Spotlight 

75 (Good) 

R&B 

Best Bet 

B (Very Good) 

1 FEEL THE BEAT (Wy> 

_ JIM LOWE (Dot) 

Spotlight 

Sleeper of 
the Week 

JIM DANDY (t'Moh) 

LAVERN BAKER (Atlantic) 

R&B 

Best Buy 

Sure Shot 

JUST A LOT OF SWEET TALK* 

(Dandelion) 

JIM EDWARD & MAXINE BROWN 

(Victor) 

C&W 

Best Buy 

C&W 

Bullseye 

LOVER'S TANGO (Simon House) x 

BILL FONTAINE (Unique) . 

75 (Good) 

B (Very Good) 

MOTHER MINE (Montdar.) 

JERRY VALE (Columbia) 

82(Excellent) 

Disk of 
the Week 

TIME OF THE YEAR (Ru.h) 

THE FOUR COINS (Epic) 

80( Excellent) 

B (Very Good) 

WE’RE GONNA ROCK TONIGHT 

(Snapper) 

THE THREE CHUCKLES (Vik) 

78 (Good) 

C-f (Good) 

YEARNING (*«-»•> 

JEANETTE HICKS A GEORGE JONES 
(Starday) 

C&W 

Spotlight 

1 C&W 

Bullseye 

YOU CAN’T CATCH ME <sn. P p..> 

CHUCK BERRY (Ch.u) 

YOU DON’T OWE ME A THING 

' ' (Acuff-Rose) 
JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) 

R&B 

Best Buy 

R&B 

Sleeper 

Disk of 
the Week 


Variety 


Very Good 


Very Good 


Excellent 


Good 


Very Good 


Very Good 


BROADCAST MUSIC. INC. 


589 FIFTH AVENUE 
NEW YORK 17 N Y 


9000 • TORONTO . MONTPEAl 


with dancing on Saturdays. Signs 
are that they will stay for a long 
spell. 5 Quin . 

TOSHIKO TRIO , 

London House, Chi 
, Toshiko Trio’s adventure into 
the academic realms of jazz is top 
phqjiday fare at the London House. 
Toshiko’s cool piano paces the trio 
with a searching but clean quality 
that marks the better influences of 
the progressives. 

Opener “Diablo’s Dance,” shows 
a technical dexterity used to subtle 
musical atjvantage. “Minor Mood” 
goes through some top-of-the-head 
rhythmic and harmonic twists with 
an organic wholeness and continui¬ 
ty of mood that the audience 
responds to with plaudits. 

The little lady in the Japanese 
costume brings some .solid support 
from drummer Gene Cherico and 
Jake Hanna on the bass when they 
loosen up on the blues. Novel pre¬ 
sentations of old standards “Winter 
Wonderland,” “It Could Happen to 
You” and “After You’ve Gone” are 
real crowd holders with plenty of 
imaginative and delicate effects. 

The group, playing its first ex¬ 
tended engagement, works well 
together. Superb musicianship and 
sophisticated manner win Toshiko’s 
audience to her challenging pre¬ 
sentations. Group represents the 
musical ideas growing out of the 
Boston area. All three are soon 
to return to their studies at the 
Berklee School of Music there. 
Leva. 


On the Upbeat 


New York 

Billy Taylor, will narrate the 
“Jazz For Santa” b,ash at The Pad, 
new Greenwich Village jazz spot, 
Saturday afternoon (29) . . . S. F. 
Moss, Moss Records prexy, back at 
his Gothan^ base after a deejay 
promotional'hop . . . Thrush Matti 
Marshall at Johnny’s Keyboard . . . 
Joe Loco’s mambo band into the 
Golden Slipper. Glen Cove, L. I., 
Jan. 8 ., . Roger Coleman opens at 
Bronzo’s Club, Worcester, Mass., 
today (Wed.) for one week . . . Bill 
Heyer set for a two-weeker at 
Palumbo’s, Philadelphia, starting 
Jan. 2 . . . Pianist Charlie Lord 
playing at the Melody Lounge, 
L. I. City, for the holiday season. 

Micki Mario, ABC - Paramount 
thrush, set for the upcoming “Zieg- 
feld Follies” . . . Alphonso, guitar¬ 
ist, joins the bill , at .Louis Petite, 
eastside eatery . . . George Shear¬ 
ing’s new. MGM album, “Cool. Ca¬ 
naries,” includes three original 
songs written with-his autobiogra¬ 
phy collabbrator Bill Hegner. 


Pittsburgh 

Red French, drummer in Casino 
pit otch, out of action for a few 
weeks because of an ear infection. 
. . . Next jazz concert at Mosque 
will include Ted Heath band, June 
Christy, A1 Hibbler and Eddie Hey- 
wood Trio. It comes in Feb. 13 
for two performances under spon¬ 
sorship of Nick Lomakin, local 
musician who runs a couple of 
do'wntown record stores, and Lenny 
Litman, oWner of the Copa nitery. 
Joe Saye, pianist, and his three¬ 
some began return engagement 
Xmas Eve at Midway Lounge on 
bill with holdover Babs Gonsalez. 
. . . Joan Trent is the new vocalist 
with Clyde Knight band . . . Eddie 
Fay combo signed for indef stay 
at Jill Kury’s Showcase in East 
Liberty ... Everett Haydn, organist 
in his fourth year at Dore’s, inked 
to another three-month stretch at 
East Liberty supper club. 


Disk Biz 


Cofttinued from page 35 asas 
Ernie Ford’s “18 Tons,” for in¬ 
stance, went over 2,000,000 in a few 
weeks last year. This year, Elvis 
Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” has al¬ 
ready cracked the 3,000,000 mark, 
while his “Love Me Tender” has 
gone over 2,000,000, Guy Mitchell’s 
“Singing The Blues” has passed 
1,500,000 and is still going strongly 
enough to make the 2,000,000 fig¬ 
ure with some to spare. 

Bigger sales on the individual 
hits bespeak a steadily widening 
market. As predicted by industry 
execs a few years ago, the genera¬ 
tion of kids born during the war 
are now entering the disk market 
by the millions and have created 
new economic frontiers for the in¬ 
dustry. 


Belafonte & Top ‘Banana’ 

Just as Elvis Presley swung into the spotlight late in 1955 to 
become 1956’s hottest disk personality, Harry Belafonte is renenV 
in & the pattern in the pop market late this year, with expectations’ 
of ® ® tiU bigger play in 1957. Judging from reaction of music 
publishers and songwriters, there is no personality, not even Pres- 
time Wh ° m they WOul< * rather have do their material at the present 

Belafonte is currently riding with two top hits, “Mary’s Bov 
Child” and “Jamaica Farewell,” a field in which he had not shown 
particular strength up to recently. However, Belafonte unlike 
Presley at his getaway, has been a consistently heavy album seller 
and has developed a wide disk audience which would be receptive 
to his single, releases on RCA Victor. 

Belafonte’s latest release, “Banana Boat,” is riding with advance 
dealer orders of over 100,000 before its actual release. “Banana 
Boat,” which was taken from Belafonte’s' calypso album where it 
was titled “Day-O,” has resulted in sorhe confusion with “The 
Banana Boat Song,” a different, version published by E. B. Marks 
Music. Belafonte is publishing his rendition. 


Inside Stuff—Music 

Julian T. Abeles’ flight home from London, where he had been al¬ 
most a" month handling the deal for the Big Three’s buy-in on Francis 
Day Sc Hunter, was a harrowing three-day saga of snafued arrange’ 
ments. The attorney, a frequent London-N.Y. tripper, always 
travels BOAC and still can’t understand why (1) the airline didn’t 
return the passengers to their West End hotels, considering the fog. 
bound London airport, and (2) subjected them to that grueling sit-up, 
14-hour night ride to Prestwick, Scotland, from whence they finally 
took off. Abeles started for N.Y. on Thursday, rode the rails most of 
the night apd the next day to Scotland, and finally took off Friday, 
arriving in New York on Saturday, after detours to Iceland and Mont¬ 
real. There was a possibility also of having to land in Philadelphia, 
instead of the International Airport in N.Y. City, because of the local 
inclement weather, but that was circumvented. 


Victor Saudek, veteran musician-conductor who moved from Pitts¬ 
burgh to San Diego last year, has come out of retirement in West 
Coast city to organize an ensemble which will present a series of cham. 
ber concerts at the San Diego Women's Clubhouse. That’s the same 
way. Saudek. got started in. Pitt in 1913 at the Twentieth Century-Club. 
Meanwhile, his wife, Evelyn Gardiner, who did a program here for 
years on KDKA radio, is teaching English and Journalism at nearby 
La Jolla H. S. | 

Saudek is the father of Robert Saudek, tv producer of “Omnibus” 
for Ford Foundation. 


Use of music to convey the progress of the plot while the dialog and 
action form a counterpoint is being attempted on “Man on the Prowl,” 
United Artists release produced and written by Art and Joe Napoleon. 
Script was shaped to let the music carry the story singlehanded in some 
cases and the score by Ernest Gold has been worked in as an integral 
part of the script. To score the picture, Gold is using an orch of 41 
pieces, including a piano to be played four hands by two pianists—prob¬ 
ably the first time it has been attempted for scoring purposes. 


A new concert career has opened up for Myrpn Florin, featured 
accordionist with Lawrence Welk, as a result of the success of the) 
Welk teleshows. Florin now is trekking around the country on one- 
nighters, having three nights weekly off from his Welk chores. Hi I 
plans to remain with Welk. Concerts are set for Tuesday, Wednesday] 
and Thursday nights, when the Welk outfit is neither at the Aragon 
Ballroom nor on tv. Florin is getting $1,000 nightly for the appear¬ 
ances. 


Peter Maurice, head of the British publishing firm under his own 
name, is an Englishman and not a Belgian, as stated in the Dec. 5 
issue of Variety, in a story about the likelihood of a sale 6f his music 
company. Maurice also denies being either a London broker or “bored 1 ' 
with the music business in which he has been actively engaged for the| 
past 27 years. 

. — — » ■ - - - ' - ■ - 


H’wood Palladium 

Continued from page 35 

attractions which have aiways been 
its forte. 

Since its opening Oct. 31, 1940, 
the Palladium has spent an esti¬ 
mated $9,000,000 on orch talent 
and has played all the top names 
of the music biz. In its own way, 
the Palladium was a sort of “Pal¬ 
ace Theatre” of the dance field 
and many w.k. bands sought un¬ 
successfully to obtain bookings, 
making the grade only after the 
Palladium management had be¬ 
come convinced that the crew 
merited the stand. 

During the time it was operating, 
on a full-week basis, the house 


utilized relief bands for Monday! 
nights with the name attraction on| 
the stand the other six nights. 


LOOK OUT FOR... 



REMICK MUSIC CORP,- 


AVAILABLE 

Man with txttnsiva oxptrienct-background: Booker for 
loading talont agencies^ Personal Manager, Road Man¬ 
ager and Company Manager for many name bands, in” 
strumental groups and package shows. Will relocate 
or travel. Interested in allied fields as well. 

Write BOX VV1221-56, Variety, 

154 West 46th* Street, New York 36, N. Y. 








Wednesday, December 26, 1956 







A great hour of network television, featuring 

HUGO WINTERHALTER, His Orchestra and Chorus (RCA Victor Records), 

EDDIE HEYWOOD (RCA Victor Records), TEDDI KING (RCA Victor Records), 
ANN GILBERT, (RCA “Groove” Records), THE NITECAPS (RCA “Groove” Records), 
DOROTHY'OLSEN (RCA Victor Records), EDDIE DANO(RCA“Vik” Records), 
HENRY “HOT LIPS” LEVINE (RCA Victor Records) 

I Produced by ROBERT MONTGOMERY, directed by PERRY LAFFERTY, production supervisor JOSEPH BAILEY. 


rcaVictor III 


AN ECA VICTOR TALENT SHOWCASE , 











MUSIC 


USSsffiTr 


Folk Tunes 

I Continued from page 37 ; 


_ I RETAIL DISK AND ALBUM REST SELLERS 


various colleges and music schools 
notes a sharp upswing in sales with 
A sufficient volume done to offer 
the following breakdown. 

Slowest sellers are LP’s using 
Standard folk material as a vehicle 
to* promote singers with no partic¬ 
ular reputation in the folk field. 
Best sellers are the choruses, ,Lu- 
boff Choir, De Paur Chorus and 
Wagner Chorale. These along with 
samplers put out by the smaller 
labels are often bought as gifts. 
The Burl Ives Christmas album on 
Becca and the Trapp -Family’s 
“Christmas on the Rhine” alburn 
on the same label were among the 
leading Christmas sellers here. 

Of the name artists, Seeger is 
the longterm favorite but a diver¬ 
sity in artists accompanies the in¬ 
crease in sales. Both Broonzy . and 
Mahalia Jackson sold increasingly 
in the last year and so has Dyer- 
Bennet since he’s been on his own 
album. It is not only the folk mu¬ 
sic cult that has increased but the 
general buying public is taking 
more of the stuff. 

Andrews-Edwards Records is a 
downtown shop whose folk music 
sales approach 5% of total volume. 
Here, local singerg like Bob Gib¬ 
son again make up a noticeable 
part of the platter sales. Calypso 
sales are small, but Belafonte, who 
draws to the pops purchasers, sells 
more than the purchases of the 
whole folk cult. 

Lowe’s discount store near the 
TJ. of Chicago has always been one 
of the larger sellers of folk mate¬ 
rial here. Here, too, sales have in¬ 
creased more than other category. 
Increases have been chiefly by See¬ 
ger and Dyer-Bennet with sam¬ 
plers by Riverside and Electra be¬ 
coming increasingly good sellers, 
the latter going to buyers not ex¬ 
clusively limited to the folk musfic 
field. Increases in the sale of art¬ 
ists appearing in town are also 
noted. 

It has been reported by a dis¬ 
tributor for several of the small 
companies that the biggest nation¬ 
wide increase in folk sales has 
taken place in college towns. 


NOW... 

AND ALL THROUGH 
THE WINTER SEASON 

Leroy Anderson's 

Sleigh 
Ride 


MILLS MUSIC 



a wonderful , 
seasonal song 

•TYNE AND CAHN'S 


m 



Wednesday, December 26 , 1956 


- UHtei&fr ' 

Survey oj retail dish best 
sellers based on reports ob¬ 
tained from leading stores in 
20 cities and showing com- 
p arative sales rating jor this 
and last week. 


National 
Rating 
This Last 

wk. wk. Artist, Label, Title 



g 3 s f 1 3 i 

g I I ! 5 3 £ 

g s w « eg” 

.9 **• w Cl c« 

§ I ft! g 3 I | 

3 i I £ I I ", 


S I M I » 



GUY (MITCHELL (Colombia) 

1 1 “Singing the Blues”. . 1 4 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

2 2 “Love Me Tender”.. 2 

JIM LOWE (Dot) 

3 3 “The Green Door”. 9 6 

CROSBY & KELLY (Capitol) 

4 4 “True Love”.. 5 2 

FAT DOMINO (Imperial) 

5 6 “Blueberry Hill”. 4 

JOHNNIE RAY (Columbia) 

6 5 “Just Walking in the Rain”.... 3 

FRANKIE LAINE (Columbia) 

7A 14 “Moonlight Gambler”... 

JERRY LEWIS (Decca) 

7B 14 “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby”. 3 

FRANK SINATRA (Capitol) 

9 9 “Hey, Jealous Lover”. 6 .. 

GEORGE HAMILTON 4TH (ABC-Par) 

10 8 “A Rose and a Baby Ruth”. 7 . > 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

11 7 “Love Me”. 8 1 

EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 

12 23 “Cindy, Oh Cindy”. 

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor) 

13A 10 “Don’t Be Cruel”. 7 

BILL DOGGETT (King) 

13B 20 “Honky Tank”... 10 .. 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

15 “Don’t Forbid Me”. 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

16A 11 “Friendly Persuasion”. 10 

LAVERN BAKERlAtlantic) 

16B 12 “Jim Dandy”.. 

BETTY JOHNSON (Bally) 

16C .. “I Dreamed”. 5 

VINCE MARTIN (Glory) 

19A 17 “Cindy, Oh Cindy”:. 

SONNY KNIGHT (Dot) 

19B .. “Confidential” .. .. .. 

PATIENCE & PRUDENCE (Liberty) 

21 13 “Gonna Get^Along Without You Now”. 

HARRY BELAFONTE (Vfctor) 

22A 20 “Jamaica Farewell”.. 

CLARENCE HENRY (Argo) 

22B 19 “Ain’t Got No Home”... 

SONNY JAMES (Capitol) 

22C. .. “Young Love”. 

PAT BOONE (Dot) 

25 23 “Anastasia” . 

i i 2 r s i 4 r 


MY FAIR LADY KING AND I . EDDY DUCHIN OKLAHOMAI JERRY LEWIS HIGH SOCIETY 


Elvis Presley Harry Belafonte Broadway Ca#t Film Soundtrack 


Victor 
LPM 1248 
EPA 1248 


Columbia 
OL 5090 


Capitol 
W 740 
EAP 740 


Film Soundtrack 


Decca 
DL 8289 


? ■■ - ■ The liner notes are an amusing 

H |e n ■ spoof on the type of strained lit- 

AIMim K6VI6WS erature frequently encountered on 
jazz albums. Also rating a strong 
.. Continued from page 34 — nod is “Jazz From the North 
_ . „ ** « . T .„i- Coast,” on the Zephyr label, show- 

Decca is College Goes to Jazzi, by casing the Bob Davis Quartet, a 
a prize-winning combo from West- combos from, of all places, Minne- 
lake College in Hollywood. An ex- apolis. 


Continued from page 34 ; 


cellent album on the Storyville 
CAHN la k e * * s “Duologue,” featuring Lee 
Wiley on Rodgers & Hart songs, 
MUSIC and Ellis Larkins’ on piano solos— 
a kind of two-for-one swing sale. 


The Composer of 

“CANADIAN SUNSET” and 
“SOFT SUMMER BREEZE” 

EDDIE HEYW00D 

(TRIO) 

Currently COMPOSER ROOM, New York 


Jocks, Jukes, Disks 

^ Continued from page 34 

into an interesting inspirational 
number. The Modernaires project 
it to the hilt with their smooth har¬ 
mony blends. “I’m Ready to Love 
Again” is back to the more usual 
pop groove, an uptempo number 
which the combo swings neatly. 

Bobby Brooks: “One Lonely 
Ring”-“Take Me” (Rainbow). Bobby 
Brooks registers as a promising 
entry in the male vocalist sweep- 
stakes with this pairing. “One 
Lonely Ring” is a good slow 
rhythm which he delivers with 


Film Soundtrack JUST SINGS fj|m Soondtratk Film Soundtrack B»h 
Capitol Jerry Lewis Victor 

SAO 595 Decca Capitol Capitol LpM 1254 

SDM 595 ’ DL 8410 W 750 W 773 EPB 1254 


deeptoned pipes in an offbeat ar- does okay by “Just Because of A 
rangement. Brooks also sells “Take Kiss” but it looks like “Bacon Fat 
Me” with an effective big ballad for the gravy, 
style. 

Penny Smith: “Love Me”-“Those 
Things We’ll Share” (Kahili). 

Penny Smith is a songstress with 
a good bluesy approach. “Love 
Me” is par for the rock ’n’ roll 
course with a simple lyric and 
repetitive rhythm figures in the 
background. “These Things We’ll 
Share” is a straight ballad also 
neatly turned by Miss Smith. 

Andre Williams: “Bacon Fat”- 
“Just Because of A Kiss” (Epic). 

“Bacon Fat” is a new kind of rock 
’n’ roll dish. Delivered in a Be$ 

Williams song - patter style by 
Andre Williams, who also authored 
the piece, side has an offbeat 
rhythmic quality that could catch 

on for a good return. Williams also I . 


A Solid Ballad Hit! 

EV'RY MYl 
OF 

MY LIFE 

MILLER MUSIC CORPORATION 


Exclusively RCA VICTOR Recordings 


1 I iRIDkllRHKIMlIIIII II I 
*n U ■ WXUUUWHMMHH.MWMMMMlr 


-V 

_- m\V 

\ t 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 

JOE GLASER, Pres. 

New York I Chicago I Hollywood 

74 5 5-rli Ave. PL. 9-4600 | 203 No. WabcMh | 8619 Sunicf Blvd. 


‘Plato’ Platters 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

The Three Girls—Jane Rus-' 
sell, Connie Haines and Beryl 
Davis—will cut a new 12-inch 
album of religious and “philo¬ 
sophical” standard material 
for Capitol early next month. 
All proceeds go to the WAIFS. 

Lyn Murray is orchestrating 
the tunes and the girl trio 
will be backed by a full orch. 


THE HIT OF THE WEEK 
LEROY HOLMES and His Orch. 
vocal by SHIRLEY YAMAGUCHI 
AUGUST MOON 

and 

ANASTASIA 

MGM 12392 K 12392 

















































































































ASCAP 


extends to all 


our friends in the Entertainment World Season’s 
Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy and 
Prosperous New Year! 

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS^AND PUBLISHERS 
575 Madison Avenue, New York. 22, New York 






42 VAIIDKmiE 


A. C.’s Poi for Hoi PoUoi 

Hotels Trying to Stir Up Off-Season Trade With 
Realistic Hawaiian f Caribbean, Etc., Parties 


Atlantic City, Dec. 25. 

As a strategic part of Atlantic 
City hotel’s package plan, Haddon 
Hall is promoting three weekend 
house parties early next year 
which Joseph I. McDonell, its v.p. 
and general manager, hopes’ will 
bring more than 5,000 guests for a 
winter holiday as an instance of 
what may be accomplished. 

Idea of the winter weekends is 
nof a new one as far as Haddon 
Hall is concerned, for McDonell 
has been staging them, at first as 
an experiment in a drive for new 
business, and then, when they paid 
off, as a regular attraction, for the 
past several years. Each year they 
grow more elaborate and from one 
Staged several years ago they have 
grown to three, the final one being 
offered for a first time next year, 
With the chances good they may 
run up to the time the spring con¬ 
vention whirl picks up in future 
years. 

The events, elaborately staged,, 
start on Ffriday afternoons and 
continue until late Sunday in Jan¬ 
uary, February and March dates, 
American plan prices ranging from 
$43 to $86 per couple. A Caribbean 
carnival will be staged Jan. 18-20; 
a Hawaiian-South Seas party Feb. 
8 to 10; and a Parisian party, the 
first for the hotel March 29 to 31. 
The entire floor of the hotel’s 
lounge and ballroom space will be 
decorated with long sketches of 
scenery designed by Cleon Throck¬ 
morton, Broadway stage designer, 
for the Caribbean Carnival. Streets, 
cafes and plazas of a mythical West 
Indies Island will be realistically 
created. There will even be a mar¬ 
ket place complete with live goats 
and chickens. Native women and 
pith - helmeted constabulary will 
mill about, it sez here. A genuine 
gangplank takes guests into the 
area where they enjoy food and 
drinks typical of the East Indies. 
Imported native bands and dancers 
will entertain in five separate cafes 
and native night clubs. 

For the Hawaiian-South Seas 
party, flowers and foods will be 
flown to Atlantic City from Hawaii. 
From Friday night Luau—a typical 
Hawaiian feast—until late Sunday, 
the party never ceases. Polynesian 
musicians from Hawaii, Samoa and 
Tahiti entertain in the three night 
clubs. Guests are offered poi, suck¬ 
ling pig, even octopus cooked in 
cocoanut milk. Throckmorton’s 
sets depict a complete native vil¬ 
lage where Polynesian natives in 
thatched huts cook their exotic 
foods over open fires. Orchid leis 
and flowers of many colors will fill 
the air with an aroma of the South 
Seas. Publicity, it’s wonderful. 

The Parisian party Weekend will 
take the guests on a tour of the 
Montmartre section of the French 
capital, from which entertainers 
will be imported. Gallic food and 
drinks will be featured. 

McDonell says that much of the 
success of the weekend events 
Stems from the fact that guests are 
encouraged, to wear summer for¬ 
mal attire—and they do. 


PUBLICITY STUNT COSTS 
’COPTER PILOT’S LIFE 

San Francisco, Dec. 25. 

Publicity stunt backfired, cost a 
helicopter pilot his life and re¬ 
sulted in a close call for soprano 
Mary Gray at Frisco’s Ferry Build¬ 
ing heliport last Thursday (20). 

Soprano flew from New York 
to Frisco Airport preparatory to 
singing in a Christmas Eve concert. 

From the airport she was flown 
in a helicopter to the. heliport, 
where photograpers wanted to snap 
her landing. 

'Copter, however, wasn’t in good 
position for landing pictures, and 
cameramen asked pilot to move 
it around a bit, so it would look 
like Miss Gray was just stepping 
out. Pilot Robert L. Walker took 
it up 50 or 60 feet when gust of 
wind caught it, blew it toward 
Ferry Building and turned it up¬ 
side down. 'Copter plunged straight 
into water before horrified gaze 
of Miss Gray, cameramen and local 
civic leaders. Pilot drowned. • 


Flip Coin for Dates 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 25. 

Two-biano team of Reid 
Jaynes & Bobby Cardillo, long 
featured here at Carlton 
House’s Town & Country 
Lounge, is being dissolved but 
.the room, recognizing draw of 
both keyboarders during their 
long stay, has found a way to 
hang on to them on a parttime 
basis. 

Jaynes & Cardillo have each 
been asked to organize a trio 
to work alternating four-week 
engagements at the spot. They 
flipped a coin to see who would . 
go in first; Jaynes won and will 
unveil his trio Jan, 7; Cardillo 
his on Feb. 4. 

Team closes at end of next 
week, result of management's 
desire to pep up the lounge 
a bit with something more 
than just straight piano music. 


Clary in for Troupe 

Hurt in Swiss Crash 

Minneapolis, Dec. 25. 

Injury of several members of the 
Trio Schmeed in an auto crash in 
their native Switzerland, the sec¬ 
ond such accident that has befallen 
them in recent years, is preventing 
them from returning for their sec¬ 
ond Hotel Radisson Flame Room 
engagement tomorrow (Wed.) 

Comedian-singer Robert Clary 
has been substituted and opens to¬ 
morrow. It’ll be his second visit 
to the tony room. He scored a hit 
last year. 


Vaude, Cafe Dates 


New York 

Jane Morgan has been signed for 
the Cotillion Room of the Pierre 
during March and also is slated for 
the Dec. 27 show at the Palace Ho¬ 
tel, Palm Beach . . . Terry Haven 
goes into the Monte Crlsto, Palm 
Beach, Jan. 25 . . . Julius Monk 
who closed the Downstairs room 
to give the cast a holiday rest, re¬ 
sumes operation today (Wed.) . . . 
Otis Clements has gone into 
Goldie’s, N. Y. 


Hollywood 

Songstress Judy Marsh opens a 
two-week engagement at Keyboard 
Supper Club today (Wed.) . , . 
Molses Vivanca, husband of Yma 
Sumac, back from Mexico City 
where he arranged details of her 
South American tour . . . Song¬ 
stress Ruth Olay wound up her six- 
week stand at the Ye Little Club 
with top business and is being 
paged for a return stint . . . Lisa 
Kirk opens at the Cocoanut Grove 
Jan. 9 for two weeks. 


Chicago 

Pompoff, Thedy & Family into 
Statler Hotel, Detroit, Feb. 11 for 
two weeks, then to the Cleveland 
Statler for two , . . Harding & 
Morse Revue into Congress Hotel, 
St. Louis, for two weeks, Feb. 11 
. , . Drake Hotel books Caprice 
Chantel Jan. 25 for four weeks 
. . . Northcrest Hotel, Ft. Wayne, 
brings Wayne Roland into the Em¬ 
bers Jan. 21 for two weeks along 
with Jo Ann Miller, to be followed 
by The Chuckles’ two-week stay 
Jan. 21 and Tune Tattlers for one 
week Feb. 4 ... Jo Mapes will be 
singing in the enlarged Gate of 
Horn starting Jan. 7. 


Kansas City 

Gene Austin heads for Dallas 
and the Key Club, opening a 10- 
day stand there Jan. 5 after closing 
a fortnight at the Terrace Grill 
here Jan. 3 . . . Jon & Sondra 
Steele also to Dallas, for nine 
days at the Cipango Club begin¬ 
ning Dec. 28, a spot they have 
played several times. I^air left K.C. 
last week to plug their new Fore¬ 
most label release, “Rich Folks a€ 
Texas’’ and “Hold Out Your Hand 
To the Lord,” in major cities along 
the way . . . George Hopkins heads 
east for dates in and around New 
York and Pittsburgh, following his 
10-day stand at Eddys’ Restaurant 
. . . Incoming bill in Terrace Grill 
of the Muehlebach will have song¬ 
stress Eileen Rodgers in a return 
date and comic Herbie Sells in for 
the first time. Bill op’ens Jan. 4 for 
fortnight. 


UfijSTETr 

D. C/S 100U BENEFIT, 
Hie MAGYARS DEC. 30 

Washington, Dec. 25. 

Victor Borge and Louis Arm¬ 
strong will head the entertainment 
Sunday (30) in the big “First Aid 
for Hungary” show to be held at 
Constitution Hall. 

Drive is to raise $100,000, with 
nearly $60,000 already in the (till. 
NBC is arranging for the talent 
and will telecast a small portion 
of the program. Among other tal¬ 
ent will be Steve Allen, who will 
cut in on the broadcast portion 
from'New York; Washington’s Na¬ 
tional Symphony Orchestra, and 
concert pianist Andor FoldesT Still 
other big names are to be added. 

This is the biggest theatrical 
benefit of its type ever attempted 
in Washington. Vice President and 
Mrs. Richard M. Nixon head the 
list of sponsors and former Presi¬ 
dent Herbert Hoover is honorary 
chapman of the event 


Krautland Bistros 

Continued from page 1 —^ 

ing. On these sites rose ultra-ex¬ 
pensive apartment developments, 
which brought in a lot of com¬ 
paratively prosperous residents. 

However, the new residents in 
the" area are believed to be only 
■adding to the present rate of pros¬ 
perity of the uptown niteries. Since 
the end of the war, the cafes there 
have been drawing from through¬ 
out the city. In some instances, 
price has been a lure, and again, 
the pattern of entertainment 
evolved, which is international in 
flavor, has been drawing a lot of 
language groups as well as amuse¬ 
ment seekers looking for a differ¬ 
ent type of amusement. 

The present major nitery occu¬ 
pants in that area are the Vien¬ 
nese Lantern and the Chardas, both 
of which are in fairly prosperous 
circumstances, Christmas shopping 
time notwithstanding. These spots 
are getting much of the Broadway 
trade. The Lantern even has a 
couple of headwaiters who used to 
be at Lindy’s as additional lure for 
the Broadway mob. 


Trinidado Tunes 

Continued from page 1 —— 

New York that have been running 
every Saturday night to sellout 
audiehces. Art D’Lugoff, who 
moved into the calypso field after 
promoting folk music concerts, has 
been clicking with the Carnegie 
Hall calypso shows since last 
spring, and his shows were instru¬ 
mental in sparking the vogue m 
such eastside spots as the Calypso 
Room and the Jamaica Room. 

Due to immigration and Amer¬ 
ican Federation of Musicians’ re¬ 
strictions, the supply of authentic 
calypso talent is limited, particu¬ 
larly steel band combos which use 
oil barrels as the basic instrument. 
Top names among the authentic 
calypso practitioners in the U.S. 
are Lord Kitchener and the Duke 
of Iron. 

Recently, D'Lugoff, via his Fes¬ 
tival Presentations agency, has 
been packaging calypso troupes as 
concert attractions for one-niters 
around the country. Comprising 
singers, .'dancers and instrumental 
combo, the packages are being sold 
to promoters in other cities for 
around $2,000 per night. Since 
calypso is still an unknown com¬ 
modity to some promoters, D'Lu- 
goff has put a. capsule show onto 
a 10-minute color film which is 
being used to sell the dubious. 


Bard of Brooklyn 

JO RANSON 

hot tom* further fine fulminotioils 
from Flatbush In a 
piece titled 

Who Called Brooklyn 
Brachycephalic ? 

* * * 

another bright editorial piece 
in the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

PSriety 


Wednesday, December 26. 1956 

■ . . ' ' 1 ' ■ ' !. 

. ‘ Circus Reviews 


Grand Cirque ’57, Paris 

Paris, Dec. 24. 

Vel D’Hiv Co, presents a circus 
in two parts, with the Burtons (2), 
Osados (5), Lothar, Elizabeth & 
Charles, Nocks (3), Willy Hagen- 
beck Bears, Addi Enders & Adolf 


ties. The"topnerV T handstand 
on the wire with the accompanv- 
ing juggling etc. In all.^S 
Cirque .should make for fine S. 
turns in a city still partial to cir- 


Althoff Horses, King Seals, Amar 
& Smart Elephants, Victor de 
Jonghe Chimpanzees, Ruddl Llata 
(4), Berardy (3), Kach Maht,. Aicar- 
di (4), Toly Berr f Novalis (5), 
Coco Sacha Co. (10); Les Petit 
Chanteurs A La Croix De Bois (30) 
-i with _ -Monseigneur Maillet, Tinos 
(3), Minivers (2)., Lynda <6 Con¬ 
stant, Esperanto (2), Mony Moren 
& Co. (3); Reverhos (3); mounted 
by Jerome Medrano, costumes, 
Jean Le Seyeux; music, Andre Mus¬ 
cat; at Palais ties Sports; $2 top. 


Vel D’Hiv Co. has brought to¬ 
gether an impressive array of for¬ 
eign and local circus numbers for 
a holiday show to run till late in 
January in a three-ring setup at 
the immense Palais Des Sports. 
Though at times there is a lack of 
bustle and clowns have little to do, 
all three rings are occupied often 
enough with acts that give a flow 
and rhythm. There are some ex¬ 
cellent numbers to make this an 
overall entertaining entry that 
should do well for the holidays and 
denotes that circus is far from 
moribund. There are also a flock 
of numbers worth an ogle by state¬ 
side vaude hunters* as well as a 
generally high level which makes 
this solid circus. 

After the traditional parade, 
marked by neat costuming, * the 
show opens with the Addi Enders 
& Adolf Althoff Horses cavorting 
in all rings, plus fine trick rid¬ 
ing to make this a bristling num¬ 
ber. The Burtons (2) take over the 
centre ring for an excellent acro- 
equilibriufn act. The dramatic 
shenanigans involved, plus the dex¬ 
terity and balance, make this boff 
circus and in for plenty mitting. 
Then all rings are filled by a raft 
of jugglers with the timing kept 
intact by a whistle. Berardy (3), 
Kach Maht, Aicardi (4), Toly Berr 
and Novalis (5) all display their 
fine professional showmanship to 
keep the eye flipping around. 

Nocks (3) mount three supple 
masts and sway and cavort atop 
them for a unique entry. Breaks 
are filled by Coco Sacha Co. (10), 
a group, of clowns who do not have 
much to do except flit about with 
the standard headgears, makeup 
and quick gags. Three do one num- 
bdf* with water cans, for okay 
yocks. Ruddi Llata (4) are a group 
of inventive Spanish clowns who 
bring their zaniness to a high slap¬ 
stick point for best laughs in show. 
First part of circus winds with a 
holiday group of choral songs by 
Les Petit Chanteurs A La Croix De 
Bois (30), led by Monseigneur 
Maillet. 

Animals are abundant. Willy 
Hagenbeck Bears do a tip-top num¬ 
ber with the wily mammals sliding 
down a chute, bicycling, etc., all 
handled with aplomb by Hagen¬ 
beck. King Seals are their usual 
show-stealing selves as they bal¬ 
ance, play instruments applaud 
themselves and gobble up fish for 
complete audience attention. Amar 
& Smart Elephants are .also always 
a fine staple act as they balance, 
dance and carry on. 

The show has not stinted on 
trapeze. Lothar swings perched on 
one foot while, nearby, Elizabeth & 
Charles each creep to the end of 
a precariously balanced ladder for 
their number. Both are smart and 
crisp. Os&dos (5) are three men 
and two women on a flying trap for, 
good flights and changeovers, with 
comedic relief by one who bungles 
things. 

Rings are also filled well by a 
group of perch acts. Tinos. (2) 
arabesque gracefully. Lynda & 
Constant also have a smooth, num¬ 
ber of a shapely girl twirling atop 
a rod held on her partner’s should¬ 
er. Minivers (2) add a motorcycle 
in a ring atop the shoulders of one 
as the other drives and spins in 
it. Molly Moren & Co. (3) bring 
some comedy to their smooth bit, 
and it is filled out by Esperanto (2) 
who make this a good eye-skim- 
ming number. 

In short, there is plenty of the 
drumroll and drama here,' plus 
sufficient variety to supply an okay 
circus feel. Jerome Medrano has 
developed a savvy'pacing but it is,' 
at times, drowned in the three-ring 
immensity. Costumes are good and 
music aids greatly as show winds 
with an always taking bit by Vic¬ 
tor De Jonghe Chimpanzees as the 
apes bring audience yocks, and a 
fine slackwire act in the Reverhos 
(3) as men balance on the thread 


r ,, . Paris, Dec. 24. 

Jerome Medrano presents a spe¬ 
cial circus bill in two parts 
4, Cirque De Noel” with Barios ( 4 )* 
F, Jackson Leopards, Williams Ele¬ 
phants, Airellys (2), Nadia Houcke 
Canova (2), Margot Edwards, Bully 
(4), Cappellini Chimpanzees An¬ 
tonio Platas, Manias Lilliputians ‘ 
(11), Arnoldos (2), Marcellys ( 3 )- 
at Cirque Medrano; $3 top. 


Jerome Medrano has pieced to¬ 
gether a lively circus bill at the 
Cirque Medrano to run, through 
January. It has enough flora and 
fun-na to lure holiday crowds look¬ 
ing for relaxation and thrills in 
this permanent one-ring house 
Giving up its housing of foreign 
circuses only for the Christmas 
weeks, it begins again in late Janu¬ 
ary with the Hispano Circo Es- 
pagnol. 

Carrying the butt of the funnery 
are the Barios, a sawdust family of 
three men and a girl whose zesty 
shenanigans unleash bellylaughs. 
Downright clownishness is propped 
up by excellent timing and inven¬ 
tiveness to make this laugh-laden 
and bigtime. 


Animals are well repped for the 
proper circusy aura, with Williams 
Elephants pushing carriages, flay¬ 
ing musical instruments, etc. F. 
Jackson Leopards purvey thrills as 
a muscled man, clad only in a 
leopardskin, puts the lithe beasts 
through their routines. Nadia 
Houcke displays class in her haute 
couture turn with a finely 
groomed, prancing horse. Cappel¬ 
lini Chimpanzees wind the animal 
entries with an always risible hu¬ 
man imitation by the uncanny 
charges. 

Manias Lilliputians (11) are a 
group of Spaniards who do dances 
and aero bits adequately. Not 
pointing up the size, this act 
gets somewhat overstated but the 
doll-like creatures are definitely 
circus and less time devoted to 
them might remove some sideshow 
aspects of their extended turn. 
Bully are a knockabout foursome 
with one in a large stomach getup 
which acts as a trampoline for the 
others, giving it enough originality 
to make for a good number. 


Antonio Platas is an agile jug¬ 
gler with some solid handling of 
six tennis rackets, balls, etc., to 
make this a fine entry for filler 
spots in U. S. situations. Canova, 
father and son, do a well-received 
perch act with the boy upping on 
pole held on father’s arms. This 
is also a good filler or opener. 
Margot Edwards does her juggling 
from a circling horse for good ef¬ 
fect. Airellys do the trapeze bit 
to good applause with man and 
woman taking turns holding the 
oth*r vrn mouth bits, for their t mro 
stuff. Arnoldos are a mixed duo 
doing hand-to-handing atop a 
board on a roller, and play on the 
edge of falling through the aero 
number. Though act is well regulat¬ 
ed the touch of comedy is lost, but 
it still remains an .okay sight turn, 
Marcellys are two men an a girl 
, in sailor suits doing a broad knock¬ 
down, pratfall number which 
though reminiscent of many others 
is always a good filler. Music is 
well handled by Jean Laporte Orch 
(12) and Marcellys and Loriot fill 
in with clown bits during equip¬ 
ment changevoers. 

Circus looks very much alive 
here with five in for the holidays, 
and two, Medrano and Cirque 
D’Hiver, staying on as per one-ring 
houses. If music hall type acts ana 
presentation have invaded these 
houses, they still maintain enough 
“nireus” to keep this fading branch 
of show biz going, Mosk. 


i 


2 Scotland Theatres 

Observe 50th Anni 

Edinburgh, Dec. 18. 

Two Scotland theatres cele¬ 
brated their 50th anniversaries. 

King’s Theatre here, one of the 
Howard & Wyndham chain, marked 
the anni with gala performance 
of “Cinderella,” the same panto¬ 
mime which launched the house m 


uo. , 

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, 
ntrolled by the Donald Bros., 
jo marked its 50th Wrthdayi 
irry “Gordon, Michael ^ Denison, 
argo Henderson and Aly Wilson 
ak part in radio program to ceie- 




Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


P45nETr 


VAUDEVILLE 43 


‘DON’T HAF’TA PLAY CASINO’ 


Gene Austin’s ‘Comeback Tine’ 

Kansas. City, Deq. 25. 

Singer Gene Austin has a heavy schedule ahead of him going 
into 1957. Here for a night club engagement in the Terrace Grill 
of the Hotel Muehlebach, Austin revealed he has upcoming a tv 
dramatic show, a film in the making, and a book in the back¬ 
ground. Meanwhile he is keeping up a string of nitery dates, 
following the Muehlebach, with the Key Club, Dallas/ 

Music is virtually completed for the story which will be pre¬ 
sented on the “Alcoa Hour” on NBC-TV Feb. 15. Story is a page 
from Austin’s life as a vaude headliner, recording star apd night 
' club performer, with incidental^mnsic. He has written the score 
entwining some of the hits with which he is identified with two 
new songs, “It May Be Too Late” and “What Do You Think. I’m 
Made Of?” 

Story outline has been set and arrangements made in Holly¬ 
wood for shooting of the picture dramatizing his career. Many 
details remain to be worked out on this, however, he said. The 
book, recently suggested by cartoonist Walt (Pogo) Kelly, has 
progressed to outline form. As an extra fillip, he’ll go to England 
in the springL.to re-do ,the,.tv show on BBC. _ * . 

NE Agents Hit Windfall With 
Chtmk of $7^00.008 Slalom Biz 

Boston, Dec. 18. *--- 

New England has a new winter I n i* n . 1AA/i 17 l A A- 


MIL. FLA. BET Deepfreeze Preems: Drew Pearson 
SANS ROULETTE ^ Arctic Capers’ at Thole; 

Bob Hope In a Rut; Alaska This Time 


recreation biz which has the Midajp Sadia Puts 100G Value On 

touch for Yankeeland’s ski season. f t tv* i n /i /i i will romp past the sky-high Las vwauun uunmeon » U u, «uu soname m brown tweed civvies, 

S&JffUK U^arDisIgSezCarCrask SMS A.S"M 

ftK’W.aS Ended Her Torso-Tossins U. rirSSi£rrS.SS: ££ZTSt%£i’Si!i& 

sk^DlantsfuilvetailDDed accord- Boston Doo 25 SfiTVil Kklifil Sf when they look over their books. Kaye, Ballard’s musfeompahist at 

ini to Council A fractured fourttTumba'r disk, £Z: a " d more h °“ here B °” YJ ‘ UslnS vibraharD 

and captures a major portion of sustained in a 1955 auto accident, 


B, MiarB°eachX 25 DOD IIOPC ill 8 l\Ul, AWS 

Per every annum, a plethora of ' _.+ jj y ^ 

Yuletide premieres crowded first- y 

weekend of the winter season here. Gooti Question -.^hute.Gre^and, -Dec. 

Hotel-cafes inaugurated their A1 Carrie in thn Originally dubbed Arctic Ca- 

"namp" atfractforui rune and flip Alex Barns reports in the pers” by producer-director Michael 

several independent^nteht clubl Toronto Globe & Mail that Sean O’Shea, this swiftly-paced, 

alJomtclrnd P for G afterdark attend Hildegarde (playing Toronto’s 90-minute musical package was re- 

also pitched for afterdark atten. Royal York Hotel New Year » s christened .“The S.O.B, Follies of 

x ■ * . _ , _ . „ Eve) is planning a tv show on 1957” at Thule after break-in per* 

Most notable aspect of the teeoff which she’d sing play and in-" formances at Goose Bay (Labra- 
period is the overabundance of op- terview ’ ^ dor) and Sondrestrom (Greenland) 

erations going this year, plus tal- ~ . iif • by impresario Pearson. Thera 

ent payoffs which are figured to He adds, But how can she wasn t a GI out front, from non¬ 
reach the $3,000,000 mark for acts Jhro'y roses ^nto everybody s corns to generals, who didn’t dig 

and music in the lushest year in living room. its meaning. 

this still-growing resort’s history. .~ — ♦u FO rr )win J? a war J rn welcome by 

The estimated figure will prob- „ a f pi - W. Ellfs ^“husband o°f finger 

ably go higher if stretchout weeks HOtelS W A, L I laVlDg Anita Ellis), the show got under¬ 
following end-March continue n . wa y wi * h the musical combo, The 

.crowded, as was very much indi- Morlrogg limg h) 1)6^1 Four imping Jacks (members of 

catea last year when top acts were 1 avnugt* * v w USAF Band, Bolling AFB, Wash., 

booked through April and into flap - Ian Hnlilriivnc D - c ) » setting the pace with a rock 

May. Currently, hoteliers are going 1/vL* Jail* I CU# I/U1U1 Ulllo ’n’ roll version of "Way Down Yon- 

ahead with castings for the longer Atlantic City, Dec. 25. der in New Orleans” and a latem- 

period. Thus, total dollar dig by Thi • t u. H f h€ £° ed rendition of “Thou Swell.” 

performers from Beach bonifaces va cati 0 n business^! neariy nil and hands ? me P er " 

will rnmn nnsf tho cirv-Wh T,p«i vacation ousiness is nearly nu, ana sonable in brown tweed civvies, 


By BREW PEARSON 


ski plants fullv eauipped accord- Boston Dec 25 when they look over their books. Kaye, Ballard’s musicompanist at 

ini ^"the N?wttnd’ Council A fractured fourttTumbfrdisk, £££ ^ More and more hotelmcn here toMrjBlU Using vibraharp 

thp nat?nTi’<f 4 ® ustaI " ed a 195 ® a yto- accident, The bigger indies among clubs of d^one of "wo things in the winter, Johnson), accordion (Dino Pozzo- 

th V ermont^eads^wfth fl-jo^ski ft ^nsZ ne « * eeptheir °“ al ctS^uS SS 

plants and two pf the region’s four Tighilt Sad|a, billed as Sadia, told (Continued on page 44) (many of them do the latter now) mariv lartro-r nrourc end rlinmnd 


new ski centres. New Hampshire 
has 11 such major areas, Connec¬ 
ticut six, Maine two big ones. The 
new Sugarloaf Mountain develop- 


a judge. She wants $100,000 for 
same. 

The Algerian exotic terper re¬ 
quested the 10bG In Boston Mu- 


ment at Kingfield in Maine opened nicipal Court Thursday (20). She 
f°r first time this year. Massachu- complained in‘ her suit that she is 
setts has several, and Rhode Is- no longer able . to entertain patrons 
land two. * at Club Zara. Hub’s oriental niterv. 


ivjuuuhucu uu vc ikc \iiiciiiy ui uiciu aiu uie wuci nun/ ______ ___ _, , , 

- -- Dlace^the* 1 conversion S *b^f S SoS » 

London Cafe de Paris S? as s0 pienSSabiut this'time of and strong 

Chief Sets U. S. Stars year Just after War II. A start has Lisa Ferraday. the sleek, chic 
, , _ 1R been made in this direction with chick from Hungary, whose legit- 

L.onaon, uec. i«. announcement that more hotels are film-video rep preceded her initial 

»nald Neville-Willing, general preparing to offer a “package plan” entrance, took over as femcee and 


Donald Neville-Willing, general preparing to offer a “package plan’ 
manager of the Cafe de Paris in of off-season rates plus entertain- 


of r>l„K _;a._ muiiQgti ui tuc uaic uc raiw it* ujl uu-scdsuiJ iatw pxu 

Hub bookers are picking up bemuse nf cnini 1 charge of talent booking, recently ment to lure revenue. solid mitt at every turn. Working" 

some biz sending shows up to the , spl ° e - returned from N.Y. with a lineup The problem is a major one, throughout the proceedings in* an 

ski resorts for weekend dates. Spe- w ac ^ urred . Aug ' -®» of stars for 1957. * with Florida now only a little more elegant Don Loner .wardrobe that 

cial snowtrains from North Sta- Among those already signed are than four hours away by air— ^ a 1 !„^ d f“ 1 t r ’ t ? is .! f °i° ke f r w , th 

tion in Boston take the Hub ski *5 ? an l bn 5 i f, e ^ !tll A a Sophie Tucker, who will open on which time will drop to little more genuinely sincere thanks for let-. 

contingents up on weekends. RlJr? nV r?riSfnaiiv en ^a5L S fh dy «»hf April i * and Zsa Zsa Gabor ’ who than two hours in a few years as 115 £> P 

—- . er ina J ly ’ Sadl f thought follows April 29. The cafe will jets replace present planes. Hotel- 

jrnj m i\ j j } s, 2?SS? hack, c j ose during the summer. The fall men hope that ^promotion of the Jx imDromntu^nrehpa^rfmam’ 

50 S a 8 Becaud S Decade S0 ^ r e X r nerMuTra $ yPReiser BT ? r H °^/ a f a i e ^ lan bo. .in^ShiSh P she^ wea bla d ck^ 

A I in n i C told the court that a recent mpdf’ ^rlene Dietrich is skedded to individual efforts will help keep tard and showcased a pair of blacks 

(In lnt I Cbanteur Scene; cal e^nSion ^disclosed shfsuf' play a f retu r n dat ®\? ub 1 je / ^ t t0 5 1 ™ the black for the threebad enmeshed gams, placed her in the 

vuuuivui wvvuv, cai examination disclosed she suf- commitments, and Noel Coward is months of the year, December No. 1 spot on the Dinuo parade 

W !• n • V\ 1 ( PAn^lniiA/l AM mama A C\ — — _l- n.t. ni_ _ ___t_ _•> v V \ * 


earned wolf-whistles, yocks and a 
solid mitt at every turm Working" 


The problem is a major one, throughout the proceedings in* an 
with Florida now only a little more elegant Don Loner wardrobe that 
than four hours away by air— was a dazzler, this looker with the 
which time will drop to little more genuinely sincere “thanks for let-; 

- a rITICf mo OOTTIO nOt*o tallAinc" on. 


’50’s as ‘Becaud’s Decade’ 


Toppling Paris Records 

Paris, Dec. 18. 

According to Bruno Coquatrix, 
director of the Olympia Music 
Hall, current headliner Gilbert Be¬ 
caud, the singer-cleffer, is break¬ 
ing all house records. He may 
even topple the alltime lead held 
by Edith Piaf. Becaud hit $18,0Q0 
in just three shows over the week¬ 
end, and he may well chalk up 
75,000 patrons in his three-week 
stint. At his height, two years ago, 
ho brought in 67,000 entries and 
then last year fell to 45,000. Be¬ 
caud *dld not regisfer In the States 
last year, a fact which, it is held, 
affected his work and led. to a lull 
here last year. 

Coquatrix also opines that Be¬ 
caud was pushed too fast by too 
much publicity, and his squalling 
fan club of uniformed young girls 
kept out the. more staid patronage. 
Now he is garnering smash reviews 
and even academicians,are flocking 
to see him. His fan club is now 
tabu at the house. 

Becaud has passed the house re¬ 
ceipts piled up this season by such 
touted stars as Eddie Constantine, 
Georges Brassens, Charles Trenet 
and Dario Moreno. He aims to re¬ 
deem himself in the U.S. and may 
be heading back there next season. 
Coquatrix feels that if the ’20s 
were more or less represented by 
Maurice Chevalier and the ’30s by 
Charlqs Trenet, the ’50s would go 
down’ as* the “decade of Becaud” 
insofar as he is the most symboli¬ 
cal of the youth and feeling of the 
times. 

Greta’s Magyar Party 

Greta Kellar, Viennese chan- 
teuse, is sponsoring a party at the 
Monsignore, N.Y., for the benefit 
pf Hungarian relief tomorrow 
(Thurs.). D.ucats are at $25. 

Roster of entertainers is sched¬ 
uled to include Victor Borge, Sal¬ 
vatore Baccalonni, Bobby Short, 
Amru Sani, Jean Wetzell. 


.(Continued on page 45) 


also dickering another cafe season, through February. 


OUT SOON! 


51st Anniversary Number 


Forms closing shortly 


Usual Advertising rates prevail 


Special exploitation advantages 


Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office 


NEW YORK 36 
154 W< 46th St, 


HOLLYWOOD 28 
6404 Sunset Blvd. 


CHICAGO 11 
612 N. Michigan Av«. 


LONDON, W. C. 2 
8 St. Martin’s Place 
Trafalgar Square 


She whammed over .her hostessing 
chores to repeated salvos of “more, 
more, more,” 

Baritone Jphri Modenos, winner 
of the 1956 American Theatre 
Wing Concert Award (he’s skedded 
for a Tbwn Hall debut recital Feb. 
10, ’57), scored big with the all¬ 
male audiences vn a Rodgers & 
Hammerstein medley, "Tempta¬ 
tion” (paired with Lisa Ferradav), 
"Every Day Is Ladies Day With 
Me” and a powerhouse rendition of 
"Night & Day.” For the latter, 
Modenos and Len Berge whipped 
up a set of tODical, local-interest 
lyrics that had the military bowled- 
over. The pintsized Mario Lanza 
(Continued on page 47) 

Nobody Walks Out On 
Walpole, Mass.. Show; 
One Inmate‘Held Over’ 

Walpole, Mass., Dec. 25. 

Group oif 28 musicians and enter¬ 
tainers, under' the leadership of 
"Smiley” Hart, rep of American 
Guild of Variety Artists irf Boston 
and Sam Marcus, head of the Hub 
tooters’ union, put on a Xmas show 
for inmates of Walpole State Pri¬ 
son. 

On the program were: chirp Ei¬ 
leen Rodgers, appearing at the Fro¬ 
lic, Revere; Buddy Thomas Dan¬ 
cers, Frolic; Freddie Ross, Show- 
bar; Timbers, Hurley’s; Cleo Shore, 
Arnold Dover, Tom Harty r Janet 
Sayers, Peyton & Raye, Johnny 
Richy, Lucky Lewis & Ted English, 
Joe Doris, Charley Slavin and the 
■ Larrabees. 

Show went off without a hitch 
until the troupe was leaving when 
Tom Harty, whose identity symbol 
stamped on his wrist washed ofl 
from perspiration, was detained at 
the prison gate. He was escorted 
back to the warden’s office where 
he was okayed and allowed to exit, 

"They liked me so well* they 
wanted to hold me over,” he 
quipped. 


VAUDEVILLE 


Don’t Hafta Play Casino 


Continued from page 43 ; 


period confined to helght-of-season 
tenure, usually closing with Hia¬ 
leah, in March. There are three 
this year: the Latjn Quarter, Cot¬ 
ton Club (old' Beachcomber) and 
Vagabonds—a pitifully small group 
as compared to the hotel lineup 
along the oceanfront from whom 
they must entice patrons to their 
across-town locations. 

It’s a tough row to hoe. Still, 
they’re going in for big productions 
(outside of the Vagabonds, who de¬ 
pend 1 on huge personal following to 
fill tltfeir mainland club). The big 
name attractions are being featured 
only in the posh hotel spots such as 
the Big 3, Fontainebleau, Eden Roc 
and Americana, and the smaller 
luxury inns such as the Sans Souci, 
Versailles. Lucerne, Saxony, Nau¬ 
tilus, Empress and Monte Carlo. 
Typical roundup of shows current 
would cover: 

The Americana 

“This years hotel” boasts a dou¬ 
ble-duty layout in the-Bal Masque 
and Medallion rooms. An ingenious 
sliding-dividing wall separates the 
two, the former for supper club 
activities and the latter as a formal 
dining room. The twp are com- 
‘bined when crowds run over the 
500 mark in attendance for show- 
times, as was the case premiere 
evening (19) when Xavier Cugat 
and Abbe Lane came back to the 
States from long tenure in Italy 
making films and tv-appearance, 
for return to the domestic cafe 
circuit. 

The Cugat stamp hasn’t changed 
too much, basic ingredients of his 
package including his usual big. 



IAN ARDEN 


OPENING Dec. 31 st 


HEADLINING 

BUNSTRUM’S 

BOSTON 


Booked by MCA 


PROFESSIONAL 
COMEDY MATERIAL 
for all Theatricals 

GLASONS FUN-MASTER 

The Original Show Biz Gag File 
' We Service the Stars 
35 Issues $25 — First 13 for $7 
Singly—ST.05 Each In Sequence 

• 3 Parody Books, per Bk.$10 • 

• 3 Blackout Books, per Bk-$25 • 

• Minstrel Budget .$25 • 

How to Master the Ceremonies 

$3 per Copy 

• "The Comedian" Monthly Service • 

$15 per Year (12 Issues) 

We Also Teach M.C.Mng end Comedy 
Let a Real Professional Train You 
NO C.O.D.'S 

BILLY GLASO N 
200 W. 54th St., N.Y.C. 19. Dept. V 
Circle 7-1130 


brassy band, trio of bongo-beaters 
to rev up the rumba rhythms; plus 
added acts such as Facundo Rivera 
quintet, Cubano imports who have 
played the poshier spots here. 
Their routining is in format seen 
before: mixed quartet of male and 
female hip-swingers and chanters. 
Material is in same steady hip- 
| swing beat, wearing thin after first 
two numbers. They’re held to 
minimum time, to keep pace tight. 

Estrelita & Raul provide the con¬ 
trast in setting up more disciplined 
Castilian castanet and heel-stomp 
terps, to earn first heavy mitting. 
Comic Jackie Kahane is oddment 
in. the Latino-theme .pattern, of the. 
rest, but does okay in a tough spot; 
he has to fight his way uphill on 
the laugh course. Abundance of 
fresh sounding material and 
smooth approach stand him in 
good stead. He’s a different comic 
for $iis area’s cafes, eschewing 
stanaup line-tossing gambit to 
work instead* over character ideas 
and special mater* al that, overall, 
garner him a good reaction. In a 
different framing, he would make 
a more solid impact; in this spot 
it adds up to an ill-advised book¬ 
ing. 

Entrance of Abbe Lane, the lo¬ 
cal girl who made good, brought 
fast indication of whom they’d 
come to see. Miss Lane quickly 
shows the maturing and experience 
acquired during her long stay in 
Italy. She’s, now very much the 
Continental chanteuse, with a book 
of international compos that serve 
well her sultry looks and de¬ 
meanor. Visual impact hits with 
walkon in hip-high-slit gown with 
cleavage to match. 

Her songalog, backed by trio of 
bongo-beaters, is a slick blending 
that allows for display of her much 
improved husky vocalistics, and for 
breakaways from mike to hip- 
weaves around the floor for tabler- 
ogling. It adds up to a steadily 
building mitt-rouser. Miss Lane 
can easily make it on her own in 
the class cafe circuit. 

Eden Roc 

Going on first weekend’s biz, 
Harry Belafonte’s return (for two 
weeks) to the Cafe Pojppeii, which 
he preemed for sellout initial stan¬ 
zas last year, same date—the folk- 
singer with the smooth cafe act will 
lead the rival pack again in draw 
appeal. First nights were jam- 
packed for two shows, a difficult 
feat in this show»loaded strip of 
oceanfront. Major portion of his 
act comprises the standard tune- 
tales he’s associated with, plus 
newest hit, “Jamaica Farewell,” 
and a driving “When The Saints 
Come Marching In.” What distin¬ 
guished the tall, handsome per-< 
former is the dynamic personality 
that can hold an aud of 700 at rapt 
attention. That he’s an established 
name is fully evidenced in the 
malleable quality he seems to in¬ 
duce in his hearers, to the point 
where they automatically heed any 
Belafonte command to partake in 
his calypso chants. 

Belafonte tends to depend on 
this powerful aud-command too 
much at times, becoming over- 
mannered in shuffling gait around 
stage-ringside, and during frequent 
pSuses which are part of his deliv¬ 
ery. Withal, they eat up every 
moment he’s oh, to wham encore 
demands and mitting for continued 
bows. 

Ted & Phyllis Rodriguez add 
class quality in the precede spot 
with smartly paced blend of latino 
and American ballomology. They're 
a spirited pair of terp exponents 
who eschew the adagio approach 
to concentrate on continued flowing 
grave of 'round-stage spins, feath¬ 
ery lifts and colorful patterns, 
building response on a rising note 
to climaxing lifts. Tongue-in-cheek 
treatment of intros to Charleston 
and other pop ideas adds to over¬ 
all values. Mai Malkin and his crew 
cut a difficult show in top manner, 
with Henry Tobias okay on the 
intro duties. 

Latin Quarter 

To meet the stiff competish of 
hotel-cafes, Lou Walters has 
brought in his version of “Ziegfeld 


Variety 

No Wonder—Ice, Too 

San Antonio, Dec. 25. 

The tariff at the Anacacho 
Room of the St. Anthony Hotel 
on New Year’s Eve will be $25 
per couple. This Includes a 
seven-course dinner, mixers 
and ice, souvenirs and noise- 
makers, and Federal tax and 
tips. 

Dick Barlow orch will play 
for dancing. 



RAJAH RABOID 

Entertaining in Japan 

JANUARY 16TH 
7745 NOREMAC AVE. 

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. 


Follies” an opulent production 
that boasts the most eye-appealing 
group of showgals and dancers he’s 
presented in several seasons, but¬ 
tressed by a balanced lineup of 
acts. Costuming by Freddie Wittop 
is dazzling and ingenious; the 
group stagings by Mme. Kamarova 
fluid and inventive, handling of the 
large cast, disciplined and inven¬ 
tive.* N 

Jerry Lester is on hand for the 
top—and comedy spot—to purvey 
the same act he’s displayed here¬ 
abouts at the Fontainebleau and 
other cafes in past year. Best yock- 
yielder is his blackout scene sati¬ 
rizing radio’s telephone giveaways; 
mugging and. timing making the 
sum tote a sock insert for .the early 
portion of the near-two-hour show. 

“Standout among the supporting 
%cts is Helen Wood, a lovely^ and 
toe-talepted ballerina who adds to 
impact with expertly handled song 
assignments in duetings with pro¬ 
duction juve Bob Kennedy. & Miss 
Wood is booked for the Broadway 
edition of “Ziegfeld Follies” and, 
going on this display, should do 
right well for herself with legit 
audience, 

George Matson, a young and 
clever pantomimic who played the 
Beach at a small intimery couple 
of years ago, is back after a click 
at the Lido in Paris for try at the 
biggeries, and score strongly with 
a diverse and different group of 
sound-tape-backed lampoons on 
divas, ballet dancers, etc. Lynn 
Christie adds her zingy looks to 
production lead spots; Vinguerlin 
and his trio of purty violin-pluckers 
fit into Walters’ scheme of things 
nicely. For the novelty breaks, 
Alphonse Berg is, back with his 
swift textile-drapings into gowns 
on live models to heavy femme 
approval; 4 the syncopated Dancing 
Waters, make for a bright inter¬ 
lude. Big item for aud participa¬ 
tion is Dominique with his faster- 
than-the-eye pickpocketry on-and- 
offstage to earn beaucoup returns. 

Finale is a dazzling one, a stand¬ 
out reprise on Ziegfeld hits and 
return of the show-beauts, perched 
on swings swaying high over ring¬ 
side tablers’ heads. It’s a word-of- 
mouth staging. The Debonairs. 
adeptly add dance-angles, to spell 
the parade of gals. The competish 
may be tough, but it’s obvious 
Walters is making his biggest pitch 
yet to get the vacationers to come 
over the causeway to his sumptuous 
spot on Palm Island. 

Sans Souci 

Myron Cohen pulled the Blue 
Sails Room of this mid-Beach 
hostel into the black last season 
via two 10-day stays that drew 
heavy patronage. He‘s skedded for 
three dates through this winter, 
staying with the spot despite bids 
from other hoteliers to play their 
clubs. The power of Cohen’s draw 
is always evidenced in return of 
the same^aces—and the continued 
stream of requests during his per¬ 
formances—for the yarns he’s iden¬ 
tified with. Thus, although bring¬ 
ing in new and yockful garment- 
centre characterizations, he sums 
up his giggle-lined mixture of little 
dress-industry tycoons ^troubles 
with reprise on the familiars, to 
continuing howls. Added laugh- 
factor is his sharp timing and 
effective trick of head-shakes to 
replace lines, and the hand-ges¬ 
tures which are integral parts of 
his delivery. 

On for oyer 40 minutes, Cohen 
has to come back for more. In this 
case working as a one-man show, 
the time element is of no concern 
to the operators; thtey let the aud 
set the Cohen duration and, at 
show caught, he would have kept 
him on through the night. 

Bom* Correspondent for the European 
Edition of the N.Y . Herald Tribune 

Saifi’l Steinman 

(who prefers to bill himself that way) 

finds Rome ain't what it mod to bt 
In his current findings as 

The Roman 
Rambler 


another editorial feature In 
the upcoming 

1 51st Anniversary Number 

P%R1ETY 


Wednesday, December 26, 19 56 

Inside Stuff-Vaudeville 

Herbert Wiere, one of the three Wiere Bros,, had been going from a 
hospital bed to his two shows "nightly at the Moulin Rouge, Hollywood 
for the first week. Wiere was stricken with a kidney hilment and 
ordered hospitalized but declined to go unless given permission to do 
his shows, He left the hospital nightly, Just before time for the 
first appearance of the act. Between shows, h$ had a hospital bed 
placed in his dressing room and with a nurse in attendance. 

Eddie Davidson was erroneously indicated as booker of the Palm 
Springs (Calif.) Chi Chi in a review of the club in a recent Variety 
Palm Springs spot is booked by Dave Branower, who has held the post 
for the last three years. 


Saranac Lake 

By Happy Benway 
Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 25. 

Harking -back 20 years with those 
who definitely regained' their 
health here: Monroe Coleman and 
Hazel Gladstone (now Mr, & Mrsj; 
he’s connected with a cancer re¬ 
search laboratory, she’s a practical 
nurse in Los* Angeles; Tommy (& 
Lawrence) Vicks alternates between 
a Boston business., and a New 
Hampshire summer resort; Chris 
Hagedorn, successful with a Long 
Island -auto business; Hugh Carney, 
manager of a CBS studio; Danny 
Murphy, ex-burlesque comic, m 
business in Miami; Alma Mon- 
teg ue, former burlesque soubret, 
In the advertising business in De¬ 
troit. 

Lucius P. Head, manager for the 
Fred T, McLenden Theatres, Union 
Spring, Ala., ended his o.o. and 
rest period to rate an all-plear to 
resume work. 

Thomas Scottl of Sheepshead 
Bay thrilled over the sneak visit 
from his family as a~holiday sur¬ 
prise. 

A carnation to Murray (8c Burns) 
Kissen, Joseph Vaughey and 
Charlie E. Hillyer for helping to 
make our coming New Year’s Party 
a reality. Bob (Mpllow-Larks) 
Smith and Alonzo Fisk will, act as 
emcees and put on the show. 

Joseph Shambaugh, Cincinnati 
film salesman, promoted to the 
ambulatory dept, with : an up for 
all meals and with limited privi¬ 
leges. He was recently appointed 
downtown shopper for the bed and 
gang also acts as assistant mailman. 

Among new arrivals showing up 
with top progress: Frank Healy, 
Joseph Hays, A. L. and Francis 
Franks (father and son), Arthur J. 
Slattery and Alonzo Fisk. 

Stella Hance, wife of John Hance 
of Pathe Film Laboratory, off to 
Peekskill, N.Y., for a 10-day fur¬ 
lough and oh. her return is skedded 
for surgery. 

Jack (& Hollis) Kenney, 83, con¬ 
valescing at 451 Grove St., Worces¬ 
ter, Mass. Nate (Benway &) Mulroy, 
is at Lakeland, Fla., trying to best 
arthritis. 

Alice Farley, in for a gabfest 
with Lee Klimicjc and to get a 
general o.o,, is an ex-Rogersite, 
class of ’50. 

Eugenie Reed, class of '54, 
planed in from Gotham for a week¬ 
end bedside visit with her husband, 
Otto Hayman, whose progress is 
of special mention. 

The Melody Lounge, which 
changed hands recently, is now 
the Lamp Post. New boniface offers 
live entertainment weekends. For¬ 
mer owner Don Stone is now in 
business in Miami. 

Arlene Fatta motored in from 
Glendale, N. Y., and registered for 
the general o.o. apd rest period. 
She is the daughter of Frank Fat¬ 
ta, freelance cameraman who ac¬ 
companied her. 

Ruth Cockrill, ex-Rogersite and 
a former staffer witfi the Film & 
Supply Co. of Charlotte, N.C., was 
recently floored by a virus in Jack¬ 
sonville, Fla„ where she is con¬ 
nected with Paramount. She was 
also one of the staff of the Will 
Rogers Research Laboratory here 
and resigned to go to Florida. 

Frank Healy, blackface comedian 
and ex-vaudevlllian of yesteryear, 
registered for the usual o.o. and 
checkup while enjoying the rest 
period. • 

Joseph (IATSE) Hays In from 
Culver City for the general rest 
and o.o. routine after a year’s stint 
in a California hospital. 

Ethel (IATSE) Jones, wardrobe 
mistress and vaudevilllan of the 
golden era, in for a checkup and 
aft.er three weeks, of rest left for 
Gotham where she will continue 
the cure. 

Write to those who are ill. 


Howard Miller Staging 
Chi Disk Name Show 

.Chicago*. Deer-25. 

Chi deejay Howard Miller is 
producing disk name show in Chi¬ 
cago Civic Opera House Jan. 12 
under title “The Howard Miller 
Show.” Tickets go for $2.50-$4.50 
for both afternoon and evening 
shows. 

Bill Will include Sll Austin, Pat 
Boone, The Diamonds, Sunny 
Gale, The Highlights, Betty John¬ 
son, Kalph Marterie, The Tarriers 
and Roger Williams. Miller will 
emcee. 


Whatever Happened to... 

Bobby Breen, Toronto-born 
onetime child singing star In 
films, Is back, as a rock ’n’ roll 
singer on the Reo label. 

“If The Night Could Tell” is 
*> his teeoff. 


HARBERS 


SAVOY HOTEL and 
STAR TIME TV 
Dec. 27th 
London, England 


DALE 



RAY R0MAINE 
and CLAIRE 

"Delightfully , 
Different” 1 
Now Appearing 

Club 

Rigat 

Barcelona, 

Spain 

Thank$ to 
A. TAVEL 

Pari* 


WHEN IN BOSTON 


HOTEL AVERY 

Avery & Washington Sts. 

Every room newly decorated. 
Air conditienad room* available. 

The Home of Show Folk 


MOSS L000,000 PHOTOS 

FOR ELVIS PRESLEY 

■ PHOTOS a* low at 1c each 
Write for templet, prices. 

MOSS PHOTO SERVICE 

350 W. 50th 8t„ N.Y. 19, N.Y 
PLAZA 7-3520 _ 

Since 35. Serving Americas Stars 


MERRY XMAS TO ALL 

WARD HALL and 
LEONARDO 

Versatile Novelty Artists 
Currently 

MIAMI CLUB DATES 



Lat.»t ABC-FAR R.cord a VARIETY BEST SET 

The Music Gees ttStfffir aiid Round 
b/w I'll Be Worthy of You 

CAB CALLOWAY 

CURRENTLY 

COTTON CLUB, Miami Beach 

Mgt. IILL Mimen. 1*1? Ireodway. New York 






























Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 


45 


Latin Quarter, N. Y. 

"he* Folies des Femmes,” pre¬ 
sented by Lou Walters; choreogra¬ 
phy and staging, Natalie Komerova; 
music and orchestrations, George 
Kameroff; costumes, Freddie Wit- 
top; with Allen & DeWood, Trio 
Cottas, Happy Jesters, Janine 
Caire, Lucienne & Ashour, Nanci 
Crompton, Beau Brummels, Syn¬ 
copated Waters, Jo Lombardi 
Orch; $6 minimum. 


Lou Walters’ popular mass nit- 
ery has a well-filled lineup for the 
holiday season, it runs nearly 90 
minutes and stresses comedy and 
pace. Show follows the long and 
successful pattern of elaborate 
production, longstemmed beauts, a 
batch of fresh acts and an import 
or two. Current layout has two 
turns recently on the Coast, and a 
fresh one from Vienna. All three 
go big here and go. far in making 
present show .click so well despite 
any big names. 

Allen & DeWood, making their 
first important eastern appearance, 
are a natural for the nitery cir¬ 
cuit. Allen does the mimicry, 
fancy dancing and downing^ while 
DeWood plays straight and concen¬ 
trates on warbling. Both work 
easily together at almost breath¬ 
taking gait. Pair score with the 
same material they’ve been using 
on the Coast, including imitations 
by Allen of Julius La Rosa, Don 
Cornell, Louis Armstrong and Lib- 
erace. Their “People in News” 
with Allen playing the returning 
Jap soldier and a Russian digni¬ 
tary, as usual provides a sock 
climax. Big hits here. 

Trio Cottas, adagio dancers, 
composed of two males and small 
femme, work with two Great Dane 
dogs (New Acts). Troupe wins 
plenty of applause via sheer nov¬ 
elty; Besides the usual daring toss¬ 
es of the .gal, the big canines get 
into the act by leaping over the 
femme as she is swung around 
pear the floor. 

The Happy Jesters, three vocal¬ 
ising males, copped nearly the 
greatest mltting of the layout (New 
Acts). Tall member of combo 
proves as much a clown with his 
mimicing and facial contortions as 
a, singer. Threesome is sure to 
make holiday visitors here happy, 
judging from the manner in which 
they ingratiated themselves at 
show caught. 

Up front in the new lineup the 
Beau Brummels carry on with 
their singing and terping, while 
Janine Caire, comely, bosomy war¬ 
bler, belts across several intrigu¬ 
ing numbers. Lucienne & Ashour, 
mixed Parisian Apache dance duo, 
come across solidly with their fa¬ 
miliar turn, several humorous 
twists helping. 

Nanci Crompton, a holdover, has 
more of her fast toe dancing to do 
in the present production, and 
again wins plaudits. Syncopated 
Waters continues a refreshing nov¬ 
elty, if seemingly a bit overboard 
on length. 

Jo Lombardi’s orch cuts the 
show in expert fashion and pro¬ 
vides music for the dancing, keep¬ 
ing the floor packed with patrons 
between shows. And then there 
are those Latin Quarter beauties, 
some 12 showgals and five dancers. 

Wear. 


hungry i, Frisco 

San Francisco, Dec, 19. 
Phil Leeds, Gateway Singers (4), 
Julie Tait, John Price and Ron 
Crotty; $1.25-$1.75 admission. 


Gentle-voiced Phil Leeds is quite 
a funny fellow, but the backbone 
of this basement hangout .of the 
eggheads is the Gateway Singers, 
an enormously talented quartet. 

Leeds Isn’t exactly a standup 
comic; he’s a slouchdown comic, 
literally. He purveys a fairly amus¬ 
ing, fairly subtle line which ignites 
slowly but well, sings a couple of 
funny songs, pitches a little sin¬ 
cerity at the customers and gen¬ 
erally acquits himself nicely. He’s 
on some 25 minutes, which isn’t too 
long, and seems to have all the 
standard hand and shoulder move¬ 
ments of the good comedian. The 
only trouble is, he seems to ■ lack 
comic invention, seems a little too 
Predictable. But this may be quib¬ 
bling. The customers like him fine 
end bring him back for more. 


About fhe Gateway Singers, a 
iJecca recording group, there can 
be no reservations. They come on 
with a thumping “Roving Gam¬ 
bler, and never let up through 
Ppor Boy,” “Sally, Don’t You 
Grieve,” “Erie Canal,” “Hold On,” 
Run, Come See Jerusalem,” “The 
J°x, a Mexican folksong and a 
calypso number. They use bass, 
banjo and guitar and between num- 
to® bass and banjo alternate 
With short, furiny patter. 

Gateways, articulate every 
word and it’s impossible to miss 
& Their woman singer has a 
full,- •deep'»voice'' that 'fnakesr'the 


mike superfluous and they are 
obviously perfectionists, judging 
from the way they’ve honed each 
number to sharp effect. Their 
transposition of keys would delight 
J. Ss Bach and it surely delighted 
their, audience, which held them 
for 40 minutes. 

Julie Tait is blonde and passable 
in such numbers as “Blue Room” 
and “Hooray for Love” and pianist 
John Price and bassist Ron Crotty 
are good. Stef. 


El Rancho, Las Vegas 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Las Vegas, Dec. 18. 

Lisa Kirk’s final fortnight on the 
El Rancho marquee was shared 
with Jimmie KOmack, whose Vegas 
debut is cued by the .exit of comic 
Morty Gunty. The change of bill¬ 
ing signals no changfc in lure, 
which is created solely by Mils 
Kirk’s presence in the Opera 
House. 

Komack’s act is not properly 
geared for Vegas. His light, off¬ 
beat banter and songs are far bet¬ 
ter suited for the intimate bistros, 
of which there are none here. He 
seemingly falls into ” the category 
of the new comics who are trying 
to etch a niche through youthful 
exuberance and New Yorkerish 
drollness. That may be okay at 
some spots, but leaves quite a bit 
to be desired among the Vegas de¬ 
votees who prefer to be tickled by 
the obvious. Komack nevertheless 
knows his craft and projects well 
verbally and vocally, and with a 
material rewrite might be able to 
hurdle the Vegas gates. 

Miss Kirk has not altered her 
smartly staged act, and for good 
reason, since it has set her up as a 
potential regular -to this belt. 
Stylish and loaded with class, Miss 
Kirk inspires tempestuous salvos 
from the outset that build to 
shouts for “more!” at the wrap-up. 

Renee Molnar Dancers continue 
to give the fellows plenty to glom 
in their two production numbers, 
while Dick Rice sets a zingy musi¬ 
cal background throughout. 

Alan. 


Old Roumanian, N. Y. 

Billy Vine, Lillian Hayes, Sadie 
Banks, Tony Franco, Boots Mc¬ 
Kenna Line (6), Joe LaPorte and 
Aquilla Orchs; $3.50 minimum. 


Jack Silverman and his longtime 
confrere Sadie Banks have col¬ 
lected a holiday bill at this ancient 
hospice that has sufficient strength 
to overcome the pre-Christmas 
slump. Combination of Billy Vine 
and Lillian Hayes has been pulling 
a consistent stream of business. 
Vine has a natural pull from his 
longterm show biz association, 
while Miss Hayes seemingly has 
developed a following that she’s 
able to take along from spot to 
spot. 

The net result of this layout is a 
brand of entertainment for a spot 
now more than 30 years old. As 
the lower eastside neighborhood 
has changed, so has the type of en¬ 
tertainment. Silverman relies to a 
greater extent on talent developed 
on Broadway, but it’s Miss Banks 
who remains the constant in this 
spot. The oldtimers still go for 
her durable brand of special mate¬ 
rial. This Sophie Tucker of Al¬ 
len St. still belts opt her disserta¬ 
tions for excellent effect. 

Vine knows this market as well 
as he does Broadway. 0 Here is sub¬ 
stantially the same audience that 
frequents the Catskill mountain 
belt, still one of the most import¬ 
ant summer circuits. A comedian 
that goes over here can probably 
get all of Charlie Rapp’s sylvan 
dates. Vine has long been gradu¬ 
ated from the hilltown loops and 
has made good in many of the up- 
towneries. His effectiveness is re¬ 
flected in the fact that he stayed 
on for more than 30 minutes and 
held the crowd excellently with 
some of his familiar bits such as 
the crying drunk, the Zero Mostel 
impression, and a good story as¬ 
sortment. 

Miss Hayes, who has worked this 
spot previously during important 
periods, is taking off in several di¬ 
rections and seems to be doing well 
in all. She’s now trying special 
.material effectively. She hasn’t 
abandoned her pop material, still 
the backbone of her turn, She 
makes good in the spot. 

The production by the Boots Mc¬ 
Kenna line goes off well. This is 
one of the better femme collec¬ 
tions recruited for this room* gals 
being lookers as well as good danc¬ 
ers, and fittingly costumed. . Tony 
Franco does the production sing¬ 
ing and takes on a brief spot in 
which he makes good. Joe LaPorte 
showbacks ably and Aquilla- pro.n 
•vfdes the> Latin?Incentive;; Jm-'■ 


PSssiEfr 

Tow it & Country, B’klyn 

Milton Berle, Betty George, Dun- 
hills (3 )., Stan Fisher, Metropolitan 
Sextet, Wazzan Troupe (8), Buster 
Burnell Dancers (19), Ned Har¬ 
vey Orch, La Playa Sextet; $6 min¬ 
imum. 


Milton Berle’s Town &' Country 
Club opening at the far end of 
Brooklyn recalls those early days 
of video when his Tuesday night 
appearances emptied the streets. 
On this Tuesday night (18) Berle 
must have emptied a lot of places, 
including many Broadway show biz 
hangouts. It was as distinguished 
a cafe opening as most held in the 
midtowneries and again stamped 
Berle as one of the pafe toppers. 

The appearance at the Ben Mak- 
sik spot marked Berle’s-first nitery 
date in this area in many years. 
Berle, who holds a Broadway rec¬ 
ord with his stand at Nicky Blair’s 
Carnival in the Capitol Hotel (now 
a “Y,” of all things), has seeming¬ 
ly increased his skill in the han¬ 
dling of the Broadway mob. 
There’s little waste motion and he 
dispenses as many laughs as caii 
be obtained during one floor stand. 

Berle’s cafe act is probably one 
of the most serviceable in nitery 
annals. The format that he de¬ 
veloped much earlier in his career 
and which did much to change the 
course of pioneer video, is still 
serving him well. Briefly, Berle 
takes several acts and ties them 
together into a cohesive revue. It’s 
a good trick, and not accomplish¬ 
able by the ordinary run of emcee. 

Berle’s retinue includes all the 
ingredients that used to make up 
a vaude show. From the aero open¬ 
ing of the Wazzan Troupe to the 
comedic signoff, it’s formatted 
along the sturdy entertainment 
values of the now almost defunct 
vaude revue, but modernized to ap¬ 
peal to the new audienges. 

The Wazzan Troupe start the 
proceedings and^the aero octet is 
soon joined by Berle. Betty 
George, who has been acting as 
foil for a lot of comics, makes a 
big impression in this spot as well. 
Of late, her singing has become 
nearly as important as her physical 
attributes and she can hold up in 
her own spot as well. 

Stan Fisher has foiled for Berle 
previously. Fisher, it happens, is 
a gifted musjcian, and he wields 
the harmonica with considerable 
knowhow. On his own, he renders 
“Roumanian Rhapsody” and with 
the Berle integrations, he runs 
through “Night & Day.” 

The biggest boffola comes with 
the Metropolitan Sextet, a group 
of classical voices who do the Sex¬ 
tet from “Lucia” and then, with 
Berle in his costume with blacked- 
ouj; teeth, the clowning hits the 
high spot of the evening. His 
clowning with this outfit recalls 
the classing Berle buffoonery with 
the Yost groups, and the laughs re¬ 
verberate solidly in this audi¬ 
torium. 

For added measure, Berle adds 
the Dunhills, an excellent dance 
team. Walter Long, former single, 
is now a member of this turn, hav¬ 
ing replaced Lou Spencer. The 
Dunhills entertain on their own for 
hot results and then with Berle 
become a quartet. 

Of course, an added by-product 
of all this clowning is the fact that 
the entire floorshow beomes a 
showcase for Berle’s all-around ef¬ 
forts. He is still a potent laugh- 
getter in virtually any personal ap¬ 
pearance medium. 

As for Maksik he seems to be 
playing this season smartly. At 
this point, he’s investing heavily in 
frontline entertainers. It’s made 
this 1,750-seater the showcase of 
the borough, and with a record of 
top names he can induce other 
prime acts into this remotery. 

The Buster Burnell line (10) did 
only one number at opening and 
that comes off well. Ned Harvey 
showbacks expertly in a show that 
has a multitude of cues. La Playa 
Sextet Latins it up effectively on 
the reliefs. Jose . 


Stntler Hotel, L. A. 

Los Angeles, Dec. 20. 
Morey Amsterdam, Luctlle & Ed¬ 
die Roberts, Lois Ray, Eddie Berg¬ 
man Orch (16); $2-$2.50 cover. 


This is a surprise holiday pack¬ 
age of entertainment for the Stat- 
ler Hotel, with the 70-minute lay¬ 
out engendering greater response 
than expected from the standard 
turns involved. It could stand 
some trimming, but the overall re¬ 
sults are topnotch and the room ap¬ 
pears to have found, in Morey Am¬ 
sterdam, a comic who really rings 
the bell with the visiting firemen 
who comprise the vast bulk of the 
audience. 

Not only does Amsterdam do 
better than the majority of comics 
who have worked the room but he 
has probably never showed to bet¬ 
ter personal advantage. He’s back 
in town with laugh-loaded material 
that provokes constant guffaws and 
Tmee-pounding.' A few moments 


of it are unnecessarily off-color 
and could be eliminated without 
hurting the pace. Bi the main, 
however, his zanyisms hit the mark. 
Much of it verges on the ridiculous 
and, truth to tell, a good deal of 
it is comball in nature. But he 
sells it so slickly that he never 
loses his audience, whether he’s 
kidding the vagaries of hotel guests 
or the old vaude days. He’s got an 
excellent gimmick in the device of 
playing straighitman for himself 
and it clicks solidly. 

Mentalists Lucille & Eddie Rob¬ 
erts haven’t changed their basic act 
in a good many years, but they 
prove again on this return date 
that they don’t need to. Their 
slick turn is still smash stuff, evok¬ 
ing open-mouthed admiration as he 
circulates around the room while 
she identifies articles he obtains 
from the customers, or reads let¬ 
ters. They’ve got it down to per¬ 
fection and the 25-minute rompMs 
enhanced by sly patter that pleases. 
There's no effort to be lofty-domed 
about it; they’re selling nothing but 
an entertainment stunt and they do 
it solidly. 

Tapper Lois Ray, a tall looker, 
opens strongly in her return date. 
But she’s on a trifle long for a Up 
effort, despite her attempts to vary 
it with specialized routines, includ¬ 
ing a Hollywood audition story 
done in dance and the inevitable 
“Hawaiian War Chant.” Some¬ 
thing’s gotta go. Show opened 
Dec. 20 for three weeks. 

Eddie Bergman orch continues 
to do a top job of backing and pro¬ 
viding the dance beat. Kap. 


Bine Angel, N. Y. 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Holiday layout at the Blue Angel 
comprises two new bookings and 
two holdovers, the latter being 
femme Impersonator T. C. Jones 
and Martha Davis & Spouse, with 
the newcomers Will Holt and Bea 
Arthur. It’s a solid layout overall, 
with each turn good to whammo. 

Holt is'S youthful goodlooking 
folk singer who accomps himself on 
guitar and possesses a good voice 
which he uses to advantage in 
creating the moods of his numbers. 
He can sing ’em soft and loud, 
varying the modulation and phras¬ 
ing within a specific number as 
well. Does nicely with “The Eagle 
and Me,” and a funny calypso 
number, but his “Sinner Man” 
spiritual delivery is too unvaried 
throughout. Kurt Weill’s “Bilbao” 
seems somewhat too sophisticated 
for the folker billing, but Holt’s 
windup about Boston's MTA gives 
him a solid sendoff. 

Holt’s chief problem at this point 
is a sort of schizophrenia — he’s 
billed as a folk singer and sings 
folk material, but in voice, appear¬ 
ance and accent he’s not the coun¬ 
try type. This was especially 
evident in the calypso and the 
spiritual, where he did them 
straight. The stamp of authenticity 
is missing, and it makes it tough 
for aif audience to accept him at 
face value, despite the allover 
vocal impression he makes. ' 

Bea Arthur, out of Broadway 
(she replaced Shirl Conway in 
“Plain and Fancy” on the Stem), 
is reviewed under New Acts. She’d 
formerly been caught in niteries 
as a straight singer, but has since 
switched to comedy, with this her 
first major appearance in the new 
role. •, 

Martha Davis & Spouse continue 
to rock ’em with a combination of 
pianistic fireworks, unusual ar¬ 
rangements, pleasant vocals and 
sly humor.- It’s a standout turn and 
probably unique in its class. T. C. 
Jones is the key attraction, and 
what makes his stint standout is 
not so much the material itself, or 
even the impersonations, but his 
amazing knack "of looking, sound¬ 
ing, and acting like a femme 
throughout. The smallest gesture 
or characteristic is feminine on¬ 
stage, and it’s tough to believe 
he’s really a man while he’s work¬ 
ing. And, despite the curiosity 
values, Jones also has a quick 
thrusting style of repartee in his 
asides to the audience that also 
register solidly. Jimmy Lyons Trio 
backs the show ably via individual 
piano or guitar accompaniment and 
provides pleasant intermission lis j 
tening. Chan. 


I00G for Lumbar 

issss Continued from page 43 aja 

fered a fractured-spine. Reiser ap-t 
peared Friday before Judge Elias 
F. Shamon to ask permission to 
raise the damages to $100,000. 

A Paris tooter, Tibi Benoit, Is 
also a plaintiff in the suit with 
Sadia. Benoit, a passenger in 
Sadia’s car, formerly played in the 
Club Zara orch. He is now in 
Paris. 

The attorney said X-rays and a 
doctor’s report have disclosed that 
a fractured lumbar disk will limit 
Sadia’s oriental dancing. - 


Tomlinson’s Hunt 

m Continued from page 5 

changes” which have taken place 
at Loew’s within the past 12 
months “have not changed any¬ 
thing basically.” He referred to 
the management as a “cabal” and 
declared that “so long as the 
Schenck, Mdskowitz and Dietz in¬ 
fluences remain,” the company 
could not achieve the changes ex¬ 
pected. * 

Tomlinson and Javits were par¬ 
ticularly bitter in their denuncia¬ 
tions of Moskowitz and Dietz. 
They' intimated that Arthur M. 
Loew, who succeeded Nicholas M. 
Schenck as prexy, and Joseph R. 
Vogel, who subsequently succeed¬ 
ed Loew, were frustrated in their 
effort to improve the company by 
those who followed the Schenck 
influence. At first, Javits said that 
Tomlinson would seek the com¬ 
plete dismissal of Moskowitz and 
Dietz, but later amended it to dis¬ 
missal from the parent company. 
He did not elaborate on this point, 
however. Javits indicated that if 
Tomlinson should succeed in his 
efforts that some of present man¬ 
agement, including Vogel, Loew 
and a number of outside members 
of the board, might be retained. . 


' Catholics 

— Continued from page 3 

tion and mores, and that Catholic 
praise in France and condemna¬ 
tion in the U.S. is not necessarily 
contradictory. The autonomy of 
each national Legion body is 
stressed. * 

Code Theme Up 

The relationship of the American 
film industry to the Church, in the 
light of recent severe Catholic crit¬ 
icism of Hollywood’s Production 
Code, is certain to be a subject of 
discussion at Havana. The only 
non-Catholic invited to the powwow 
is Arthur DeBra, the Motion Pic¬ 
ture Assn, of America’s community 
relations director. 

DeBra said before leaving last 
week; that he intended to state the 
industry’s position to the Congress. 
He couldn’t be pinned down on 
what precisely that position is. It 
is accepted, however, as a matter 
of good business and common 
sense, that Hollywood wants to 
cooperate o as much as possible with 
the Church which it recognizes as 
an influential factor and which ha$ 
the best-organized and most pow¬ 
erful voice among the American 
audience. 


Lack of Candor 

Continued from page 5 - ■ ■» 

Tomlinson, however, had de- 
nounuced a sifnilar settlement 
made with J. Robert Rubin. Tom¬ 
linson did not seem to know that 
the company’s decline started dur¬ 
ing the last two years of Mayer’s 
regime or that it was Mayer who 
had brought Dore Shary into the 
company. He was elaborate in his 
praise of the product that the com¬ 
pany made during the Mayer re¬ 
gime, but he did not take into con¬ 
sideration the changing aspect of 
the industry and what part tele¬ 
vision had played in the general 
decline of the motion picture in¬ 
dustry. 

Javits refused to outline his 
group’s program or whom he 
would suggest to replace those 
whose dismissal Tomlinson called 
for. Javits stressed the importance 
of having? more outside directors 
than company employees on the 
board. However, Vogel has taken 
the same position. 

Tomlinson and Javits appeared 
reluctant to name the former’s 
business interests, saying merely 
that they were varied and included 
road building and hotel manage¬ 
ment. Tomlinson revealed that 
he was born in the United States, 
that he moved to Canada and had 
become a Canadian citizen, and 
that he’s currently an American 
resident, living at Ft. Lauderdale, 
Fla. He’s 46 years old. 


Zanuck, Rossen Join ACT 

London, Dec. 18. 

Darryl F. Canuck and Robert 
Rossen have been made temporary 
members of the Assn, of Cine 
Technicians at the invitation of 
the union. 

They are, respectively, producer 
and director pf “Island in the Sun,” 
now being completed ' at- Elstree 
for 20th-Fotf reteaser * * ~'* • • 




46 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF DECEMBER 26 

Numerals In connection with bills below Indicate opening day of show ' 
whether full or split week 

Letter in parentheses Indicates circuit: (I) Independent; (L) Loew; (M) Moss; 
<P> Paramount; <R> RKO; (S) Stoll; <T> Tivoli; <W> Warner 


: NEW YORK CITY 


Music Hall (R) 27 
Lillian Murphy 
Ed Powell 
Eleanor Reino. 
Muriel Ives 
Suzanne Shaute 
Melitta & Wicons 
Mill's Chimps 


Palace (P) 26 
Judy Garland 
Smith & Dale 
G & F Szony* 
Vlan King 
Amin Bros. 

Paul Sydell 


AUSTRALIA 


MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 1 

Max. Reddy 
Bob JBromley 
Leon Cortez 
Heather Horwood 
Nancy Rassmussen 
Dalrays 
Alwyn Leckie 
Barbara Angell 
Frank Ward 
Daniel Davey 
SYDNEY 
. Tivoli (T) .1 
Gordon Chater 
Jenny Howard 
Jack O’Dowd 
Sadler 2 
Peggy Mortimer 
Edna Busse 


Ray Hartley 
Flat Tops 
George Nichols 
PERTH 
Capitol (T) 1 
Katherine Dunham 
Co. 

PRINCESS 
Melbourne (T) 1 

Lucky Grills 
Jan Carter 
Irene Bevans 
Jean Ross 
Frank ..Wilson.. 
Frank Lloyd 
The Balcombes 
Barry Balmer 
Colin Petersen 
Lisa Brionda 
James Doone 


BRITAIN 


COVENTRY 
Hippodrome (I) 24 

Jewel & Warriss 
Tommy Cooper 
Jill Day 
Ken Dodd 
Arthur Worsley 
Latona 
Graham 

Graham & Chadel 
Camilleri 
Rene Strange 
George Mitchell Co. 
EDINBURGH 
Empire (M) 24 
Robert ' Earl 
Jeffrey Lenner 
Desmond Lane 

2 Botandos 

3 Deuces 
Ray Alan 
Janie Marden 
3 Martinis 

FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (M) 24 
Tony Crombie Co. 
Maxine Daniels 
Don Fox 
Billie Wyner 
Jerry Harris 
Ross ft Howitt 
McKennas 
Bob Andrews 
. GLASGOW 
Empire (M) 24 
Jack Anthony 
Duncan Macrae 
Murray & Maidie 
Robert Wilson 


Alex Don 
D & D Remy 
Clarkson & Leslie 
Will Starr 
Bertha Ricardo 
Belles & Beaux 
LONDON 

Hippodrome (M) 24 
Shani Wallis 
Andrea Dancers 
Jones ft Arnold 
Los' Gatos ‘ 

Jimmy Lee 

NOTTINGHAM 
Empire (M) 24 
Beatrice Reading • 
Crawford 3- 
Johnny'Leroy 
Dowie ft Kane 
Joan Hinde 
Mikl ft Griff 
A & V Shelley 
PRINCE OF WALES 
(M) 24 

Lonnie Donegan 
Anne Shelton 
Bonar Colleano 
Freddie Sales 
Clifford Stanton 
$ Ariston 
Kenald ft Rudy 
Dickie Dawson 
Paul ft Peta Page 
Elizabeth & Collins 
VICTORIA 
Palace (M) 24 
Naughton ft Gold 
Bud Flanagan 
Nervo ft Knox 
Eddie Gray 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


Bon Soir 
Tony & Eddie 
Kaye Ballard 
Jimmie Daniels ? 
Three Flames 
Bruce Kirby 
Warren Vaughan 
. Blue - Angel '• 

T C Jones 
Bea Arthur 
Will Holt 
Martha Davis 
& Spouse 
Jimmy' Lyons 3 
Cameo 
Teddy Wilson 
Barbara Carroll 
Chardas 

Anny Kapitanny 
Lili 

Bela Baba) Ore 
Tibor Rakossy 
Bill Yedla 
Dick Marta 

Chateau Madrid 
Rudy Adamo 
Deronde & Jose 
Rene 

A) Castellanos Ore 
Luis Ortiz Ore 
Copacabana 
Jimmy Durante 
Karen Chandler 
Cemeys 
June Allyn 
Tony Reynolds 
Jackie Metcalf 
Nora Bristow 
Michael Durso Ore 
Fi*ank Marti Ore* 
Duplex 
Serena Shaw 
Rudy De Saxe 
Alvaro Palmar 
No. 1 Fifth Av# 
Bob Downey 
Harold Fonville 
Hotel Ambassador 
Chauncey Gray Ore 
Jani Sarkozj 
Gypsies 

Quintero Rhumbas 
Hotel Biltmore 
Russ Morgan Ore 
Sande Williams- Ore 
The Charmers 
Hotel Pierre 
Galena 

Dornan Bros. 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Alan Logan Oyc 
Joan Bishop 
Joseph Sudy 
Hotel Roosevelt 
Guy Lombardo 
Hotel Toft 
Vincent Lope-/ Ore 
Hotel St. Regis 
Connie Towers 


Milt Shaw Ore 
Ray Bari Ore 
Hotel Statler 
T & J Dorsey Ore 
Latin Quarter 
Allen & DeWood 
Jesters 
Trio Cottas 
Nancl Crompton 
Syncopated Waters 
Lucienne ft Ashour 
Lynn Christie 
Dorothy. Vernon 
Jo Lombardi Ore 
B Harlowe Ore 
. Hotel Plaza 
Annie Cordy 
Ted Straeter 
Mark -Monte 
Le Reuban Bleu 
Lola Fisher 
Irwin Corey 
Cindy & Lindy 
Normfcn Paris 3 
Harry Noble 
Park Sheraton 
Jose Melis 
Spark Thurman 
Town & Country 
Milton Berle 
Punhills 
Betty George 
Sian Fisher 
Metropolitan 6 
; V r Troupe. 
Burnell Dancers 
Ned Harvey Ore 
Pupl Campo Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Dolores Dauphine 
Leonid Lugovsky 
Eugene 1 & Sonya 
Andrei Hamshay 
Versailles 

Constance Bennett 
Salvatore Gioe Or< 
Panchi to Ore 
.’Viennese Lantern 
Vicki Autier 
Dolores Perry 
Ernest Schoen Ore 
Harold Sandler 
PauJ Mann 

Village Barn 
Belle Carroll - 
Johnny Gilbert 
Jack Wallace . 
Danny Davis Ore 
Larry McMahon' 
Piute Pete 
Irving Harris 
Village Vanguard 
Abbey ..Lincoln 
C Williams Trio 
Waldorf-Astoria 
Lena Horne 
Emil Coleman Ore 
Mi^cha Borr Ore 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid 
Larry Storch 
Johnnie Mathis 
Lurlean Hunter 
Blue Angel 
•‘Calypso Extrava¬ 
ganza" - 
Princess Abllia 
King Christian 
Lord Raf-.Ci 
Lady AngelJa 
Lady. Margaret 
Lady Jeanne 
Lctd Carlton 


Emperor Sago 
King Rudolph 
AJ D’Lacy Ore 
Blue N to 
Duke - Ellington 
Chez P.-'ree 
"Jerry Lewis Rev" 
Jerry Lewis 
Lou Brown 
Hay Tdanil 
Aivt'vv.ts (7) 

I v k I >hrigs 
Judy Scott 
Elisa Jayne 7 


Ted Fio Rito Ore 
Cloister Inn < 
AI Belletto (6) 

Lucy Reed 

Conrad Hilton 
‘Comics-On-Ice" 

D. Arnold & Marji 
The Boyer? 

Lilian Renee 
Paul Duke 
George Simpson 
Paul Gibben 
J. Melendez ft D 
Maxfield. . 
Virginia Sellers 
John Keston 
Boulevar-Dears ft 
Boulevar-Dons 


F, Mast^s Ore 
Drake Hotel 
Marguerita Sierra 
London House 
Toshiko (3) 

Ahmad Jamal (3) 
Faith Winthrop 
Mister Kelly's 
Jackie Cain ft 
Roy Krai 
Maya Angelou 
Harry Slottag (3) 
Marx ft Frigo 
Frank d'Rome 
Palmer House 
Helen Traubel 
Pompoff Thedy & 
Family 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hotel 
Connie Russell 
Orrin Tucker Ore 
Bar of Music 
Mae Williams 
Oscar Cartier 
Felix De Cola 
Jerry Linden Ore 
Bandbox 
Billy Gray 
Leo Diamond 
Bert Gordon 
Eddie LeRoy 
Short Twins 
Carol Shannon 
Dodie Drake 
Bailey Trio 
Clro's 
Frances Faye 
Trio Bassie 
Geri Galian Ore ' 


Felix Martinique Orr 
Crescendo 
Gail Robbins 
Marshall & Farrell 
Ray Toland Ore 
Interlude 
Sylvia Syms 
H Babasin Qtt. 

Mocambo 
Allan Jones 
Frankie Sands Trio 
Paul Hebert Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
De Castro Sis (3) 
Three Rebertes 
Wiere Bros. (3) 
Statler Hotel 
Morey Amsterdam 
L & E Roberts 
Lois Ray • 

Eddy BergmaD Orr 


LAS VEGAS 


Desert Inn 

Billy Daniels 
Cathy Bosic 
Paul Gilbert 
Caribbeans 
Benita D'Andyea 
.Elroy Peace 
Art Johnson 
Donn Arden Dncrs 
Carlton Hayes Ore 
Dunes 

Smart Affairs '57 
Larry Steele 
Leonard ’ Bros. 
Fouchee Dancers 
Rose Hardaway 
Willie Louis 
Flash Gordon 
Sir Lionel Becklee 
Lon Fontaine 
Beige Beauts 
Lucky Henry Ore 
El Cortez 
Rusty Lane 
Bobby Pinkus 
Herby Barrls 
Mack Pearson . 
Cirquettes 
Sterling Young Ore 
El Rancho Vegas 
Lisa Kirk 
Jimmy Komack 
Warner 
El Rancho Ore 
Renee Molnar Dncrs 
Flamingo 
Ink Spots 
Brenda Lee 
Archie Robbins 
TTlamingoettes 
Lou Basil Ore 
Fremont Hotel 
Genie Stone 
Cortez & Boyer 
4 Gom.s 

Sammy Blank Ore 
Golden Nugget 
Sons of Golden 
West 

Hank Penny 
Sue Thompson 
Freddie Masters 
! Sextette 
Hacienda 
Joe Graxdon 


Daryl Harper Show 
Bruce Davis 
NeW Frontier 
Jack Carter 
Georgia Gibbs 
The Lancers 
Venus Starlets 
Garwood Van Ore 
Riviera 

"Frolics of *57" 
Liberace 
Jean Fenn 
Geo. Liberace Sym 
phony Ore. 
Riviera Dancers 
Ray Sinatra Ore 
Sahara 

‘Milltown Revisited’ 
Abbott ft Costello 
SaHarem Dncrs 
Cee Davidson, Ore 
Sands 
Jerry Lewis 
Devoy Trio 
Copa Girls 
Antonio Morelli Or« 
Clark Bros. . 

Morgan Bros. 

Four Voices 
Rounders 
Ernie Ross Trio 
Showboat 
Oscar Cartier 
Tere Sheehan 
Garr . Nelson 
Showboat Girls 
Mike Werner Ore 
Silver Slipper 
French Folies 
Hank Henry 
Artie James 
Sparky Kaye 
Cliff ft Judy Ferri 
Mac Dennison 
Jimmie Cavanaugh 
Slipperettes 
G. Redman Ore 
Thuhderbird 
Carl Ravazza _ 

Nip Nelson • 
Cordalins 
Barney Rawlings 
Thunderbird Dncrs 
Al Jahns Ore 
Dukes of Dixieland 


MIAMI-MIAM1 BEACH 


Americana 

Xavier Cugat 
Abbe Lane 
Jackie Kahane 
Fecundo Riyera 5 
Cugat Revue ' 
Dave Lester Ore 
Ball & Chain 
Billie Holiday 
Australian Jazz 4 
Blue tyotes' 

Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Gina Valente 
Guy Rennie 
Harvey Bell ' 
Phyllis Arnold 
JuJei; De Salvo 
Chateau 
Peter Woods 
Luke Salem • 

Rick Allen 
San Kanez Ore 
Cotton Club 
Cab Calloway 
Lonnie Sattin 
Sallie Blair 
Jimmy Tyler Ore 
Norma Miller Dcrs 
Orioles 
Will Gaines 

De Lido • 
Pupi Campo Ore 
Bea Kalmus 
Paul Valentine 
The Tones (7) 
Gustavo Dancers 
Eden Roc 
Harry Belafonte 
Millard Thomas 
T & P Rodriguez 
Mai Malkin Ore 
Chuey Reyes Ore 
Empress 
Mickey 'Katz 
Holly Warren 
Mandy Campo Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Peter Lind Hayes 
Mary Healy •• 

The Toppers 
Step Bros. 

Al Navarro Ore 
Sacasas Ore 
Golden Gate 
Marion Powers 
Fletcher Peck Trio 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Brick Bros. & 

Mr. Murphy 
Art Mooney Ore 
Buddy Walker 
Rey Membo Ore 
Latin Quarter 
Terry Lester 
Ile’en Wood 
Bob Kennedy 
Dominique 
George Matson 
Vlng Merlin Strings 


Lynn Christie 
Ziegfeld Follies 
Leon A Eddie's 
Can-Can Girls 
Toni. Rave 
Terry 4 Rich 
Denise 
Atoma 

Monte Carlo 
Betty ft Jane Kean 
Rocky Cole 
Leonard Young 
Sid Tucker Ore 
Murray Franklin's 
Roy Sedley 
Don Rickies 
Linda Bishop 
Jackie Small. 
Murray Franklin 
Billy Mitchell 
Eddie Bernard 
Nautilus 
Gene Baylos 
Lillian Weiss 
Syd Stanley Ore 
Sans Soucl Hotel 
Myron Cohen 
Sammy Walsh 
Freddy Calo Ore 
Place Pigalle 
B .S Pully 
Dixie Evans 
French Follies 
Seville 

Charlie Farrell 
Mickey Gentile 
Tommy Ryan c 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Rey Mambo Ore 
Saxony. 

Ruth Wallis 
Malagon Sisters 
Frankie Scott 
Cortes Ore 

Roney Plaza 
Jan Winters 
Linda Bishop 
Juliette Robbins 
Serge Valdez Ore 
5 O'clock 

Slska 

Tommy Raft 
Al Golden 
Parisian Rev 
Thunderbird 
The Kentones 
Rip Taylor 
Libby Dean 
Hal De Ciccio 
Vagabonds 
Vagabonds 
Helen Forrest 
Babe Pier 
Frank Linale Ore 
Versailles 
Alan Gale 
The Haggetts 
Bill Shirley 
Arnold Dover 
Teddy King Ore 




HAVANA 


Bang Soucl 

Dlahann Carrol 
Elaine Demlng 
Sonia Calero 
Victor Alvarez 
Daida Q . 

Ortega Ore • 
Montmartre 
Blanquita Amaro 
Encole Bertolllni 
Alfredo Clericl 
Gondoliers 

Nacional 

Lilo 


Marianna 
W. Reyes Ore 
Tropicana 
Gloria ft Rolando 
Harmonics 
Miguel Herero 
Carmelita Vosquez 
Carmela Reyes 
Rufflnos 
Elsa Marval 
Ramon Calzadilla 
Paulitfa Alverez 
S Suarei Orq 
A Romeu Orq 


RENO 


Mardi Gras 

The Jesters 
Lewis ft Sanchez 
Mapes Skyroom 
Billy Eckstine 
Wilder Bros. 


Skylets 

Ed Fitzpatrick Ore 
Riverside 
Spike Jones 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford Oro 


Hungarian Actress 

— Continued from page 2 

think I was the stout peasant type 
which the Communists prefer as 
their heroines.” 

Miss Szorenyi is the first of the 
Hungarian artistjrefugees to be 
taken under the wing of the Mo¬ 
tion Picture Assn, of America. The 
companies have set up a special 
committee to aid Hungarian film 
people newly arrived in the States 
and to bring them to the attention 
of the talent heads in the East. 

Serving with the committee are 
Maurice Bergman of Universal, 
Boris Kaplan of Paramount and 
H&rry Rome of Columbia. 

Stephen Ormenyi, Miss Szoren- 
yi’s husband, for 12 years was tne 
head sound engineer at the Buda¬ 
pest Film studios and for eight 
years chief lighting and scenic 
technician in charge of all Buda¬ 
pest theatres. He said there are six 
studios in Budapest, but they have 
oldfashioned German and French 
equipment. The Hungarians used 
to produce close to 40 features a 
year. They’re now down to 10 to 
12 a year. 

No American plays were allowed 
at the National Theatre or any oth¬ 
er Hungarian theatre, Miss Szor¬ 
enyi said. However, the Ministry 
did authorize performances of 
“Pygmalion.” “The Hungarian au¬ 
diences stand in line to see classi¬ 
cal plays, but we played to empty 
seats when ,we appeared in Soviet 
or Hungarian propaganda plays,” 
the actress reported. She also said 
some Western films had of late 
been shown, but they ran for only 
a short while and were replaced 
with Russian. fare. 

Miss Szorenyi was the only wom¬ 
an representative in the Budapest 
workers’ revolutionary parliament. 
Her apartment was destroyed bV 
shell fire and, until they went into 
hiding in the cellar, the family 
lived in the kitchen. Near the fron¬ 
tier, they were detained by Hun¬ 
garian soldiers who later argued 
fervently with a Soviet officer who 
demanded that the entire group be 
taken back to Budapest as prison¬ 
ers. Families with children were 
eventually allowed to proceed to 
the nearest town, Gy or. 

“I gave the Hungarian soldier 
my word I would not cross the 
frontier, but would return to Buda¬ 
pest and to the National Theatre,” 
Miss Sz&renyi said, “but I don’t 
Think any one. can blame me for 
leaving the country.” Geza V. Bol- 
i vary offered her a job in Munich, 
and the Austrian tv service urged 
her to work for it in Vienna, but 
the actress said she wanted to come 
to the States “if for no other than 
the children’s sake.” 

Actress said most of the Hun¬ 
garian rebels had been led to be¬ 
lieve by foreign radio broadcasts 
that the West would come to their 
aid in the uprising. 


Academy & Campus 

Continued from page 4 

universities can do much in the 
way of developing creative talent 
for the future. 

Point two calls for the construc¬ 
tion of a permanent and a travel¬ 
ing motion picture museum depict¬ 
ing the development of films over 
the years, dramatizing the advent 
of sound, color and widescreen 
photography and showing how 
standards have been constantly 
raised. 

Point three would have one per¬ 
manent library established on the 
Coast to take the place of the 
studio libraries maintained by all 
companies. In the one central 
location would be written material 
on just about any subject that'film 
researchers are tracking down. 

No definite action was taken at 
the MPAA meeting on any part of 
the proposed Acad program but 
doubtless the mattet* will be looked 
into the future. 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Daniel Schorr’s ‘Cloak & Mike’ Saga 

Continued from page 1 --- 


with the ambassador hosting the 
reception and then draw him aside 
for an impromptu press confer¬ 
ence. Schorr suggested that instead 
of at receptions, where noise and 
other diversions exist, it might be 
better to have a regular weekly con¬ 
ference,. in the Kremlin, ap idea 
which received encouragement and 
is now under advisement. 

Doubling Into' Pictures 

Another area which shows some 
promise is the matter of perma¬ 
nent camera crews. Schorr takes 
his own pictures, without sound, 
ar.d he / admits “I’m not a very good 
cameraman—Levine is touch bet¬ 
ter, he studied photography.” He’s 
had camera crews come in on three 
occasions ,and is working toward 
the day when a crew can come in 
permanently. He hopes that will 
be accomplished by the time he 
returns. 

A third factor Is a new studio 
which the Russians have promised 
him and Levine. They even asked 
them to submit plans for the stu¬ 
dio, which is to be built for next 
summer's Youth Festival, but 
Schorr told them to go ahead and 
build it on regular studio prin¬ 
ciples similar to those used by Ra¬ 
dio Moscow. The Youth Festival 
is a mixed blessing, bv the way— 
Schorr and Levine have been given 
notice to move out of their hotels, 
presumably because of the need 
for hotel space, and to take apart¬ 
ments. Apartments would be okay 
except for the fact that they’re an 
hour and a half from the center of 
Moscow. 

The studio offer Is perhaps the 
brightest of all, because for the 
past 11 months, Schorr and Levine 
have been doing their broadcasts 
from, of all things, a telephone 
booth. That started last February, 
and there’s an interesting story at¬ 
tached to it. Levine had been in 
Moscow on a permanent visa all 
during the preceding fall, while 
Schorr had arrived in August on 
a one-week visa but hadjstayed in 
Moscow for three months without 
a visa because nobody had told him 
to go home—that is, the Russians 
while refusing to grant him a 
permanent visa also didn't insist 
that he leave. Finally, near the 
end of the year when he was due 
to return to the U.S. fot the CBS- 
Ty year-end-wrapup, he was 
granted permanent accredition. 

Meanwhile; during his non-visa 
status, he had been shipping tapes 
to N.Y. but had not been doing live 
broadcasts, and Levine had the 
only broadcast circuit. When he 
returned on a permanent basis in 
February, he began an "equal 
time” campaign. He told the Rus¬ 
sians, specifically the foreign sec¬ 
tion of Radio Moscow, that unlike' 
the Russians, the U.S. “has two 
competing networks,” and that he 
should have equal facilities. Fin¬ 
ally, with that Commie sense of 
justice, they told him that the sit¬ 
uation had ben “equalized”—they 
took away Levine’s circuit as well. 

Bouncing Sound 

That would have put them in 
hot water but for a lucky break. 
The press section of the Foreign 
Ministry, which up till then had ig¬ 
nored them and had dealt only 
with press correspondents, offered 
them its facilities. This consisted 
of a press room with eight tele¬ 
phone booths, and Schorr and Le¬ 
vine were left to pick out 15 min¬ 
utes apiece with which to transmit 
their copy. A “primitive micro¬ 
phone was installed,” Schorr re¬ 
calls, “and it was a wood and glass- 
enclosed booth with impossible 
acoustics. We tried to get N.Y. 
several times, and N.Y. came 
through fine but they couldn’t hear 
us. The sound was bouncing all 
over the place. 

“What I finally did—and Levine 
improvised a similar setup, was to 
take my big Russian fur coat and 
hood and cover-my head with it 
completely, so much so that I 
couldn’t, read my script, and while 
this kept the bounce down to the 
point where N.Y. could get a sig¬ 
nal, it still wasn’t a very satisfac¬ 
tory one. 

“Finally, we convinced them that 
this wouldn’t do, and we asked 
them to fix up the booth with some 
soundproofing material. They fti- 
stalled blue velour curtains, which 
incidentally is what is used in all 
the Moscow hotels, and that ..did 
the trick pretty well. But it was 
a funny sight—seven ordinary tele-, 
phone booths lined up and the, 
eighth looking like the royal phone 
booth.” 

Censorship problem Js one .tfraft 
i still plagues the correspondents, 


but even that lias eased consider¬ 
ably and hasn’t been harshened 
with the Hungarian situation. By 
and large it’s logical (that is, not 
capricious), and correspondents can 
expect that any story they’ve taken 
from the Mosow papers or other 
routine stuff can be gotten through 
without any trouble. 

“But while it’s not capricious, 
it’s also unpredictable,” says 
Schorr. It’s sometimes happened 
that all the correspondents rushed 
for the phones with a hot story, 
and after the first call got through 
the Russians cut off all the rest. 
There was another example in the 
case where Schorr handed in some 
copy recently that mentioned un¬ 
rest in the satellites arid the entire 
military problem,in that area— 
items which ordinarily are re¬ 
jected—but Schorr used them to 
build up a point on the new U.S. 
anproach to disarmament, and the 
Russians were willing to let the 
unfavorable stuff go through to 
get their propaganda point across. 

The waiting time on censored 
scripts is probably the roughest 
rap, says Schorr, since the wait 
from the time of submission can 
sometimes take hours. On routine 
stories, he sometimes has trans¬ 
mitted his uncensored carbpn and 
gotten away with it. Not* so on 
hot stories, however. Recently, 
when Schorr uncovered the fact 
that the Russians were planning to 
send “volunteers’’ to Egypt, he 
went bn the air with a wealth of 
detail. The censor had cut out 
military details in the story, Schorr 
decided to ignore the censor and 
read his original script. He was 
cut off. When he finished read¬ 
ing, not realizing he had been cut 
off, he found the other end of the 
line dead and asked the Russians 
if they would connect him again. 
They did,.and he explained to N.Y. 
that “I didn’t notice while I wat 
reading that I had given you ma¬ 
terial that was not approved. Where 
did I leave off? I’ll give you the 
approved material.” And, he fin¬ 
ished the censored story. 

Film Uncensored 

Strangely enough, Schorr and. 
Levine are allowed to send un¬ 
processed film out of the country. 
It’s shipped by Russian airlines to 
the nearest outside point, where it 
connects with U.S.-bound flights. 
In effect, then, the-film Is uncen¬ 
sored, although the correspondents 
aren’t allowed to photograph cer¬ 
tain objects like military installa¬ 
tions, dams, communications lines, 
canals, et al. Curiously, this free¬ 
dom doesn’t apply to still photo¬ 
graphs. 

As to the problem of newsgath- 
ering, it is a problem. There’s 
rarely official contact with Soviet 
officials, although the newsmen 
get the opportunity to talk to the 
top Commies at receptions, which 
now run at the rate of about two 
a week. Main sources are the 
Soviet newspapers and the diplo¬ 
matic corps. As to being able to 
call a Government official to check 
out a story, the only such source 
available is the press officer of the 
Foreign, Ministry, and he’s rarely 
helpful. As an example, Schorr 
cites the time when Malenkov was 
reported to be in Budapest. He 
called and asked whether the re¬ 
port could be confirmed or denied. 
The pres£ officer replied, “This is 
one of* those fantastic rumors 
which the bourgeois countries like 
to circulate.” When Schorr asked 
him whether this constituted a de¬ 
nial, he gave him the same reply. 
Similarly, when he asked him if 
it was -a confirmation, the press of¬ 
ficer told him he didn’t say that 
and again repeated the same “fan¬ 
tastic rumor” quote. Topper came 
when one of the correspondents 
tried to file that specific quota¬ 
tion. The censor killed it. 


See 94 Pix Completed 

In Mexico This Year 

Mexico City, Dec. 18. 

This will not be such a bad year 
and not nearly as low in quantity 
as filmites believed not so long ago 
in the matter of pic production. 
The Mexico Producers Assn, now 
estimates that the output will be 
94 films, since 10 pix now in work 
likely will be finished by New 
Year's Eve. , , .. 

The trade had about resigned it¬ 
self to a new low in recent year 3 
with less than 90 productions. The 
total will be surprising in view _ oi 
the delays, largely because of labor 
strife. , Production, last year was 
92/ with Americans' making eight. 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


REVIEWS 


47 


House Reviews 


Continued from page 43 


who can really sock over a song, 
was a decided hit. Had to beg off. 

Adolph (“Bells Are Ringing”) 
Green scored with his “Inspira¬ 
tion” comedy song, a revamped 
single that stemmed from his early 
days as one of The Revuers (Judy 
Holliday. Betty Comden & Alvin 
Hammer were the others). Without 
any musical backing, he worked 
hard and earned some hefty mitt- 
ing. Scoring a personal success 
here, Green, who hasn’t donned 
greasepaint since the legit musical 
“On The Town” (1945), was con¬ 
vinced maybe he. ought to recon¬ 
sider a return to the boards. 


Arctic Capers 

(THULE, GREENLAND) 

Drew Pearson's presentation of 
a musical revue produped and 
staged by Michael Sean O'Shea. 
Stars Lisa Ferraday, Ella Logan; 
features Adolph Green, Clara Ced- 
rone & Damian Mitchell, Siri, John 
Modenos, Hartford Agency Models 
(6), Four Jumping Jacks, Len 
Berge; costumes, Betty Metcalf (of 
Helena Rubinstein), Arlene Dahl 
Creations, Don Loper, Kathryn 
Kuhn, Elgee Bove, Dacee. At Thule 
Air Force Base Gymnasium, Dec ♦ 
10, '50; invitational audiences. 


Green brought on Siri, the 6’3” 
glamazon legit - cafe - tv showgirl 
whose combined Anita Ekberg- 
Marilyn Monroe-Jayne Mansfield 
charms were self-evident in a sil- 
yer-sprayed jersey space suit de¬ 
signed especially for her by Elgee 
Bove. Introed as “Miss Ice Cap of 
1957,” Siri proved to be anything 
but frigid in an hilarious patter- 
*ong duet devised by O’Shea. It 
was a “I Can't Get Started With 
You” parody that registered solid¬ 
ly. Whatever lyric was lost during 
their antics they made up for in 
spades via the sight laughs they 
garnered with their throwaway 
gags and animation. They romped 
off to a round of applause that was 
deafening. 


The stunning Hartford Models 
(Ina Balin, Blnnie Brogan, Dorothy 
Dollivar, Louise Manning, Elaine 
Milo, Nancy Meredith) paraded six 
pastel-hued Arlene Dahl Creations 
that consisted of negligees, night¬ 
gowns, nightcaps and matching 
slippers. La Ferraday handled the 
commentary backed by the Jump¬ 
ing Jacks and a melodic “Sleepy 
Time Gal” musical theme. Each 
model, a looker with the girl-next- 
door appeal, was introed individu¬ 
ally and called upon to identify, 
their hometowns. They were greet¬ 
ed with the expected wolfcalls and 
then some. Brooklyn and L. A. 
were well represented both by 
models and audience members 
alike. The Hartford babes furnished 
production value that went over¬ 
board on eye-appeal. They were 
merely sensational. 

In the .next-to-closing spot, Clara 
Cedrone & Damian Mitchell who 
played the NEAC (Northeast Air, 
Command) circuit last year, opened' 
big with an updated “Begat” and 
were the show's stoppers with their 
Mother” bit and vaude takeoffs 
on Burns & Allen, Ted Lewis, 
Helen Kane, etc. The hard-work¬ 
ing youngsters rolled the airmen 
in the improvised aisles with their 
tv number proving how hep the 
lonely GIs stationed at this remote 
outpost are on tv personalities (Ed 
Sullivan, Betty Furness, Elvis 
Presley) and commercials (the Coty 
pjfl. $64,000 Question, Carter's 
Little Liver Hills). Their terping 
Jn a special material soft-shoe rou¬ 
tine was a standout and earned 
tnem a tremendous ovation. Strict¬ 
ly major all the way, they had to 
yeg off despite insistent demands 
lor further encores. Two talented 
s ,y vho should have it made in 
xne bigleague in the very near fu¬ 
ture. 


Ella Logan's rousing opener, 
feel a Song Coming On,” put t 
SJtence in the palm of her hai 
JJd she held them throughoi 
inis pixie of Broadway” chose 
Irish Lullaby as her Yuletide i 
vonte and from the rapt attenti 
sne got it was apparent this < 
audience agreed it was the perf( 
„ c hant in an icebound ar 
780 miles south of the North Po 
Kathryn "Kuhn gown of r 
Sreen satin added the prop 
amount of seasonal flash and cob 
Jhe endeared herself to these a 
yen this trip as she did last ye 
winsome winner, she gracious 
Ji g 8cd off with plenty of pal; 
^hacking at the finish of her cli 

Game^' ake Me ° Ut T ° B 
t° °P en the finale were t 
Models in A fashion sho 
1 Tvrl °L €v euing gowns by Bel 
pio!S alf 9 f Helena Rubinste 
glamour furs by Peiser of N 
an 5 , glittering jewels 
i Napler - Dripping elegance, the 


high-fashion strollers wrapped it 
up with the entire cast onstage 
singing “We’ve Grown Accustomed 
To Your Face.” 

As presenter of the package, 
Pearson proved gawky and ill at 
ease. ,He may be hep with Wash¬ 
ington politicos but not with a bevy 
of Broadway beauts by his side. 
Special mention and thanks must 
go to the American Theatre Wing’s 
Michael Sean O’Shea for having 
cast, £tagedran<Lrehearsed this vol¬ 
unteer unit. His awareness of what 
military audiences want and ex¬ 
pect was proved by the reception 
this 1 show received everywhere it 
played. To top off this salute to 
O’Shea, it should be noted that the 
,chaplains at every base gave the 
production a 100% Grade-A en¬ 
dorsement for taste and talent. 


Hope Grins & Bears It 
By AL SCHARPER 
Anchorage, Alaska, Dec. 25. 

It’s, become a pattern. Each 
Yuletide season for the past three 
years, there’s plenty evidence of 
Hope along with faith and charity, 
in the spirit of the season. 

Two years ago, Bob Hope took 
a troupe to Greenland to entertain 
GIs stationed there; last year, Ice¬ 
land. On this journey to the out¬ 
posts of the Alaskan Defense Com¬ 
mand, Hope is filming his Dec. 28 
NBC-TV Chevy Show in addition 
to, ’tween times, mushing around 
the territory putting on informal 
snows for units of Air Force, In- 
I fantry, Navy. 

In the Hope, ensemb are Ginger 
Rogers, Mickey Mantle, Del Rubio 
Triplets, Hedda Hopper, Peggy 
King, Carol Morris (Miss Uni¬ 
verse), Jerry Colonna, vaude vets 
Milton Frome and Peter Leeds, 
plus Purdue U. Glee*Club, and Les 
Brown's band. 

It’s strictly a commercial ven¬ 
ture, the teleshow filming. But 
here, on the ground, the work 
Hope if Co. is doing to entertain 
the boys stationed on the alert all 
across America’s northernmost 
frontier facing Russia takes on 
larger importance! 

The show was to be telefilmed 
twice, Thursday (30) and the fol¬ 
lowing day. Emphasis is on the 
locale, of course, and on the mis¬ 
sion, and most of the Hope gags 
and byplay are shrewdly sound- 
boarded against the all-GI audi¬ 
ences assembled for each of the 
two series of takes. Producer Jack 
Hope and director Jack Shea 
winged back to Hollywood right 
after to edit the two versions and 
select the best. There’s a lavish 
Klondike saloon sequence in which 
Hope as a gold-finding sourdough 
(dressed in such furs Elyis Presley 
will know where to look if his 
houndog is missing), Miss Rogers 
as a dancehall doll and Colonna as 
a customer-clipping" barkeep ca¬ 
vort. It’s got plenty laughs and 
also Chi Sun-Times’ Irv Kupcinet 
and TV Guide columnist Dan Jen¬ 
kins doing bits. 

Mickey • Mantle, as an Army 
rookie, straights for Hope along 
with Charles Cooley, Leeds and 
Frome in a barracks routine. The 
Del Rubios warble and writhe 
through a song-and-dance, Miss 
Hopper intros them and also has 
another routine with the headman. 
Hope and Miss Rogers are later 
spliced in for a white-tie-and-bare- 
back hoofing routine, stepped off 
more for laughs than real leggery. 

Peggy King came down with 
laryngitis shortly after she stepped 
off the plane into the 10-below 
deepfreeze. She lipped her song, 
and will have to sync it later in 
Hollywood, if she gets back her 
piping power. 

As a show, standout is the stand¬ 
ard Hope monolog. The material 
played excellently against the G- 
eye-popping audience. Among the 
most warmly received Hope howl¬ 
ers were: “I always come to some 
long gone place like this around 
Christmas—saves buying presents 
. . . They call this a Unified Com¬ 
mand; that’s Pentagon language for 
the biggest dice game in the world 
. . . This weather. - Step outside 
and your face freezes. Looks like 
the whole territory is populated by 
Ed Sullivans . . . Army regulations 
are simple: wear your long under¬ 
wear and keep your trap shut . . . 
Three years ago Elvis Presley 
couldn’t spell Tennessee; now he 
owns it,” And Hope’s Pentagon 
definition, “a motel for generals,” 
even stirred a wide grin out of Lt. 
Gen. Frank A. Armstrong Jr., 
Alaskan Defense Commander, 
whose World War II exploits won 
him biopicturing in “Twelve 
O’clock High.” 

Hope’s at his best up here en¬ 
tertaining the farflung units, com- 
plexedly "spread as far north 4 as 
Nome. He hopes before return¬ 
ing to make Wales, where U.S. 
Forces sit poised just 16 miles 


PSntETY 


across the Bering Sea from a So¬ 
viet naval airfield on Big Diomida 
Isle. His jabs at Army redtape 
and at the brass not only evoke 
raucous response from the enlisted 
personnel, they get the brass itself 
to chuckling. There’s nostalgia, 
too, in Hope and Colonna, once 
warmed up, digging all the way 
back into their 1942 WW II rou¬ 
tines. 

In his trek two years ago to 
Greenland, Hope had Anita Ekberg 
in the troupe. Last year Diana 
Dors. This year there are no 
“busts.” Not the least effective are 
the personal contacting of the 
players. To Hedda Hopper’s 
credit, she invariably approaches 
the Negro groups. To put it 
bluntly, the Negro personnel ap¬ 
parently feel they can’t go crowd¬ 
ing around the young ofay femmes 
in troupe, so Miss Hopper heads 
for them and gradually bridges the i 
situation until a smartly, deftly! 
executed integration is achieved. 

Last' Friday (21), year’s shortest 
daylighted day, the sun was out 
four hours, 59 minutes, and Hope 
wasn’t exaggerating much when he, 
groaned through his parka, “1 
shaved three times this morning 
before I realized it wasn't me; a 
polar bear was sticking his head j 
through the window.” 


Paramount, B’klyn 

Alan Freed, G-Clefs, 3 Friends, 
Eddie Cooley & Dimples, The Dells, 
George Hamilton IV, Moonglows, 
Barbie Gaye, Teddy Randazzo, The 
Heartbeats, Mac Curtis, Shirley & 
Lee Sc Band, Jessie Belvln, Freddy 
Mitchell Band; *The Cruel Tower ” 
(AA). 

Alan Freed's visitations into 
Brooklyn at the holiday times of 
the year apparently disturb the 
serenity of this borough. At the 
same time, the Brooklyn Para¬ 
mount has a siege of business that 
winds into six figures for the en¬ 
gagement, with admissions this 
| trip starting at $2. 

This being the rock ’n* rollers 
umpteenth trip to Dodgertown, it 
does well to recall Freed’s first 
visit to this house a couple of 
years ago — the layout hasn’t 
changed appreciably. There are 
the same kind of groups, some 
with different names, and . a welter 
of sounds confusing to all but the 
most erudite teenagers with an un¬ 
erring ear for the different shades 
of eroticism expressed. 

At the same time, a few defi¬ 
nitions and values in and out of 
show business have changed with 
the advent of bock 'n* roll. Bookers 
used to talk of a thing called “con- 
fliction” in which two acts of the 
same type should either never be 
on the same bill or separated so 
widely that there would be no 
clash in the two acts. How wrong 
the oldtime bookers were to worry 
about such small matters! Group 
upon group Of the same kind is 
brought on in a continuous line¬ 
up, and the crowds eat it up. 

It also used to be that a quartet 
meant four people — remember? 
In the rock ’n* roll lexicon, it’s at 
least five and may go as high as 
nine or 10. Singles run as high as 
three people. Such conservatism 
in expression! 

In this edition of the Alan 
Freed show, he’s brought in a line¬ 
up of 12 acts. On the opening 
show, Freed expressed disappoint¬ 
ment in the fact that Screamin’ 
Jay Hawkins couldn’t get in on 
time for the preem. In the pres¬ 
entation, acts go on for one num¬ 
ber and sometimes as high as four. 
They are in and out, a quick bow 
and off. All acts gets the same 
terrific reception. The first few 
rows stand up and cheer, and the 
rest of the house applauds more 
conservatively. It’s difficult to 
showcase a turn in order to judge 
values. However, there were some 
changes of pace in George Hamil¬ 
ton IV, a college soph, whose hill¬ 
billy offerings have a strong beat. 
Sometimes an appealing folk qual¬ 
ity seeps through. Barbie Gaye, a 
14-year-old girl, works in a Pres- 
leyish manner, as does Teddy 
Randazzo, following immediately. 
Jessie Belvin has also been influ¬ 
enced in a variety of schools of 
thought on the subject. 

Of the ensembles, the Moon- 
glows 4 and the Heartbeats make 
the biggest impact. They stayed 
on longer than the usual group. Of 
the groups in the show, bill in¬ 
cluded the G.-Clefs, Three Friends, 
Eddie Cooley & Dimples, The 
Dells, and Shirley & Lee &; Band. 
Mac Curtis also did well in the 
blues department. Orchestral back¬ 
ing was by the Freddie Mitchell 
band. 

In all fairness, rock ’n’ roll is 
extremely hot boxoffice, with little 
signs of diminution, if the re¬ 
action at the Brooklyn Par is any 
criterion. And Freed has pro¬ 
gressed considerably in . his ^han¬ 
dling of the emcee role. He now 
has the ebi/Mence and the per¬ 
sonality of only a damp dishcloth. 

Jose. 


New Acts 


LOIS HUNT AND EARL 

WRIGHTSON 
Songs 
50 Mins. 

Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit 

Just for the record, the beautiful 
and well-educated voices of Lois 
Hunt, former Metropolitan Opera 
soprano, and baritone Earl Wright- 
son blend nicely. More to the point, 
the pair has integrated some sharp 
and brief chatter on various ro¬ 
mantic approaches with apt songs 
for a memorable but too-short 
medley consisting of “This Can’t 
Be Love,” “Where or When, - ” “You 
Do Something to Me” and “Show 
Me.” 

This extremely well-done bit 
occurs at the end of the act, after 
a good buildup of “You and the 
Night and the Music” and “Lover,” 
paired; Miss Hunt soloing with 
“Dancing in the Dark,” and then 
paired, “Shall We Dance?” and “I 
Could Have Danced All Night,” and 
a Wrightson solo, “Ain’t Necessari¬ 
ly So.” Separately, then paired, 
the duo does “September Song,” 
before launching the. romantic 
how-to-get-started medley. 

Then comes a terrific letdown 
with the inappropriate “Molly 
Malone” duet as an encore. This 
busts up the romantic atmosphere 
like only a fishmonger' could. 
Clearly, a replacement to sustain 
the mood they have built up would 
improve the act. Miss Hunt follows 
with another encore, a beautifully 
sung “Jewel Song.” The pair then 
duets “Young and Foolish,” with 
Wrightson following with “One 
Alone.” By this time the mood has 
reestablished and. they sustain it 
with five more encores before a 
begoff “Will You Remember?” 

The pair make a fine looking 
couple, showing plenty of savvy, 
musically and stagewise, and plain¬ 
ly are an asset to any class room. 

Tew . 


BEA ARTHUR - 
Comedy 
25 Mins. 

Blue Angel, N.Y. 

Bea Arthur was reviewed under 
New Acts in 1951 as a straight cafe 
singer. Since then, she’s worked 
off-Broadway and more recently 
done some Broadway revues and 
musical comedy. Sne’s now un¬ 
wrapped a new comedy routine in 
her first major stint under the new 
label. Her switch, from vocals to 
comedy is all to the good—she’s 
got a standout turn. 

Here’s a case—an unusual one at 
that—where the material is good 
enough to outshine the performer, 
not that Miss Arthur lacks any¬ 
thing in the way of timing, singing 
or overall delivery. She’s a rangy 
brunet with a husky voice and sad 
eyes who’s impressive both in a 
comic song and in varied monologs. 
But her material, particularly in 
two monologs, is excellent. In pne, 
she does a Schrafft’s coffee-klatch 
bit themed on the supposition that 
the gals talk about their babies 
with the same fervor they talk 
about clothes. In another, she rips 
a lady friend to shreds in a cocktail 
party conversation; this in verse 
yet-r-and good comic verse at that. 
-Her opener,. “I’m in Love With 
Sammy Sneaa,” and a quickie soap 
jingle routine, are the weakest 
parts of the act, but her saga of a 
great show biz lady is a fine bit 
of business. 

Not much weeding-out heeded, 
since she’s got the basic repertory. 
Fine entry for tv, and just about 
any vaude-nitery spottings, though 
still a supporting-type act in the 
bigger rooms. Chan. 


THE HAPPY JESTERS (3) 
Comedy, Singing 
15 Mins. 

Latin Quarter, N. Y;. 

Male threesome has taken the 
usual song trio and turned it into 
a click comedy turn. One lad 
strums the familiar guitar to keep 
the harmony going, and all three 
have good pipes. Tall one of outfit 
has a rubbery face, a falsetto and 
agile voice which makes him the 
clown of the crew. • 

Teeoff with “Surrender,” “Some¬ 
body Stole My Gal” and a couple 
of rock ’n’ roll type numbers. The 
outfit’s version of “Ole Gang of 
Mine” is something that’s never 
been heard before—it’s so differ¬ 
ent. Climax is a Presley takeoff 
that never becomes offensive while 
done at ripid clip. 

Instead of the usual staid col¬ 
lection of tunes often done by a 
male trio, this outfit keeps pro¬ 
ceedings rolling fast. The tall 
mugging member winds up with a 
Popeye imitation and a bouncing 
. number for great returns. The 
Happy Jesters are well-named, and 
should make many nitery mana¬ 
gers happy. i Wear. 


TRIO COTTAS 
Adagio Dancing 
9 Mins. 

Latin Quarter, N. Y. 

Two husky males and an attrac¬ 
tive miss plus two Great Dane dogs 
constitute this adagio act from 
Austria. Trio’s initial appearance 
in this country it has sufficient 
novelty and expert timing to place 
it ahead of standard adagio turns. 
Two men do the accepted twirls 
and tosses of the gal, and then 
bring the dogs into the perform¬ 
ance. 

The two large canines, with red 
rubbers on their paws to prevent 
anybody getting scratched as they 
leap around the femme, sit quietly 
in the background until cued to go 
into their act. One dog jumps over 
the girl’s body as she is being rap¬ 
idly swung around by her partner. 
This builds until' both Danes get 
into the leaping routine. Blowoff 
is when one dog jumps through a 
small hoop as it is held during an¬ 
other twirling sequence. 

Femme nlember of trio appears 
to turned almost inside out as she 
is lifted by the two males, bespeak¬ 
ing plenty for her contortionists 
skill. This act is tops for any nit¬ 
ery, presentation house or tv and 
in fact made their U.S. video debut 
on Ed Sullivan’s show this past 
weekend. . Wear. 


Yank Strippers 

SS5 Continued from pace 2 
the first to authorize a spectacle 
where the public pays to be pres¬ 
ent at the undressing of a woman. 
She feels that in America if a man 
does not have the right to sin in 
deed,'an entire audience may sin 
in thought Talking about the Chi¬ 
cago variety of public undressing, 
she maintains it is a sorry, brutal 
quest which leads the spectators to 
the dubious borderline where body 
activities resemble mental 
delirium. 

Asks French To Shun Strippers 

She winds by asking the French 
to give up patronizing this quest¬ 
ionable facet of entertainment. 
Perhaps she is foggy, on the early 
history of the nude in France, for, 
after its final acceptance because 
of student battles against bluenose 
law enforcement, there were such 
acts as a woman searching for 
veritable “ants in her pants,” and 
taking off clothing to look for the 
varmints, etc. Though it showed 
up from time to time in Pignalle 
flesh spots^ it was always felt su¬ 
perfluous because rampant nudity 
already was in the spotlight. 

In recent months, the French 
suddenly went for this more pack¬ 
aged version of the nude and Yank 
tourists made it a “must” here al¬ 
though it exists quite actively in 
various U.S. major cities. It brings 
people in here, and therefore is 
a saleable show biz item. 

Art- Buchwald had a bright re¬ 
ply to this article in his column 
in the Paris Herald Tribune. Buch¬ 
wald claims that the American 
male was a pure thing until the 
First World War when he had al¬ 
ready enthroned woman on a ped¬ 
estal alongside George Washington 
and Andrew Jackson. Came Paris, 
he forgot about baseball, apple pie 
and the farm, and began courses 
on the “Facts of Life.” Returning 
home he pulled the woman off the 
pedestal and having no other place 
to go, she went into burlesque. 

Buchwald’s Analysis 

Then Buchwald goes on with his 
tongue-in-cheek analysis saying 
that as the doughboys got older, 
and Paris wore off, burlesque 
hbuses were closed down, Gypsy 
Rose Lee began writing books and 
the talking picture took over. Soon 
the younger generation thought 
Minsky was a town in Russia. Came 
1949 in Paris, and hard times in 
the niteries. A Marshall Plan tip 
to club owners by a former dough¬ 
boy, pointed up that if nudes took 
their clothes off slowly, instead of 
| appearing immediately in birthday 
suits, it would prolong the show 
and cut down on personnel. It 
worked, biz zoomed and another 
show biz fad was on. Thus, the 
French were really responsible for 
the Americans adapting the strip 
in the first place and were now 
capitalizing on it 

Kidding aside there are more 
than 30 clubs now devoted to it 
here, a strong striptease union 
with girls making much more than 
the average chorine. And it looks 
to stay for some time yet because 
the clubs using the strip enjoying 
biz while other specialized and in- 
tcllectualized boites are doing 
sorrv trade. 



LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, December 26, 195 ft 


Shows on Broadway 


Uncle Willie 

Albert Lewis Sc Samuel Schulman (In 
association with I. B, Joselow) production 
of comedy in three acts, by Julie Berns 
and Irving Elman. Stars Menasha Skul- 
nilc; features Nita Talbot, Edith Fellows, 
John Connell, Arline Sax, Norman Feld, 
Martin Rudy. Staged by Robert Douglas; 
setting and lighting, Ralph Alswang; inci¬ 
dental music, Sol Kaplan; costumes, Guy 
Kent. At John Golden Theatre. N.Y., Dec. 
20, '56: $5.75 top ($6.90 opening). 

Uncle Willie. Menasha Skulnlk 

Leo .Norman, Feld 

Esther . Arline Sax 

Sheila ... Elaine Lynn 

Kathy . Eileen Merry 

Peggy ....-Kathy Dunn 

Charlie . John Connell 

Francey . Nita Talbot 

Mrs. Simon.Dorothy Raymond 

Ellen . Edith Fellows 

Sgt, McNamara . Martin Rudy 

Mr. Smith . Gaylord Mason 

The Victim . John Phelps 

Menasha Skulnik is a great man. 
He can take the most appalling 
stage hokum and, with his uncanny 
blend of guile and sincerity, make 
it at once funny and very touching. 
He’s a genuine’artist. 

But can even Skulnik put across 
anything quite as incredibly naive 
and amateurish as. for instance, 
“Abie’s Irish Rose*' would be to¬ 
day? The question is anything but 
academic, for “Uncle Willie” is, if 
not indistinguishable from Anne 
"Nichols’ hokefest, certainly its di¬ 
rect descendant. 

To call this Julie Berns-Irvlng 
Elman combake astonishing is to 
be conservative. It’s downright un¬ 
believable that such a welter of 
unabashed slapstick and sentimen¬ 
tality should reach the professional 
stage at all, let alone Broadway. 
But there it is, with Skulnik giving 
a remarkable performance and 
making it, if not convincing, at 
least disarming, frequently amus¬ 
ing and occasionally quite affect¬ 
ing. 

It’s probably too much to expect 
“Uncle Willie” to be a boxoffice 
hit. It may get a modest run, 
thanks to the star’s following from 
his many years on the Yiddish 
stage, plus his personal raves for 
this performance. But even Skul- 
nik, terrific entertainer that he is, 
can hardly carry such a preposter¬ 
ous play. 

“Uncle Willie” is scarcely a play 
at all, but rather a sort of clumsy 
Vaudeville show with a minor story 
thread and a succession of spots 
fqr the star to come out, talk to 
the audience, perform little inci¬ 
dents he has set up and periodi¬ 
cally give what appear to be his 
own monologs. The latter are a 
sort of fables in nonsense, and as 
presented by Skulnik, they are 
wonderful. 

There is, for example, his annec- 
dote about having once had a farm, 
with a hired hand, with whom he 
changed places every year, since 
neither could , afford to pay the 
other's wages any longer than that. 
“We made a living that’way,” he 
concludes with overwhelming logic. 
Other yarns involve the apart¬ 
ment building where the land¬ 
lord pays rent to the tenants, and 
the restaurant where he was once 
employed and where he made the 
most expensive pudding the owner 
had ever thrown out. 

Then there’s the moment when 
the policeman-neighbor proudly J 
escorts his wife and their new baby 
home from the hospital. As every¬ 
one crowds around to admire the! 
infant, Skulnik, with something of 
the appearance of a worried kan¬ 
garoo. notes that the child looks 
like him. “In fact,” he Observes 
candidly to the audience, “all new¬ 
born babies look like me.” 

There is also the vignette, cli¬ 
maxing the incredible scene in 
which the Irish-American family 
upstairs sings carols and has a 
Christmas tree In the window while 
the Polish-American family down¬ 
stairs has the eight-branch candle¬ 
stick in the window, and Skulnik 
tells an innocently bigoted little 
girl the story of Hanukkah. The 
youngster is enthralled and so is 
the audience—enthralled and obvi¬ 
ously moved. 

The star plays an open-hearted, 
sentimental, shrewd and resource¬ 
ful little Jewish peddler in the 
then-remote Bronx of the early 
1900’s. An incurable busybody, he 
gets all the things everybody 
needs (frequently, as he explains, 
before they know they need them), 
supplying wives or husbands, wed¬ 
ding dresses, burial plots and even 
salubrious circumstances. Ultimate¬ 
ly, of course, he contrives to bring 
down the curtain on happiness for 
everyone. 

The scripting is practically the 
ultimate In naivete and awkward¬ 
ness. That the comedy avoids occa¬ 
sional offensiveness ^and the seri¬ 
ousness doesn't lapse into bathos 
is due tp the artistry and person¬ 
ality of the star and the honest 
playing of the supporting cast. As 
far as Skulnik is concerned, the 
show reveals him as a likely bet 
for a major Broadway revue or as 
a solo act, probably for top-paying 
gambling-saloon dates. 

Among the supporting p ayers 
who emerge creditably are.Arline 


Sax as Uncle Willie’s sensitive 
niece, Norman Feld as her well- 
meaning husband, Edith Fellows as 
an excitable Irish-American police¬ 
man’s wife who is abnormally sus¬ 
picious of the motherless lady 
downstairs (if religious prejudice 
is involved It is left implicit), John 
Connell as a likeable cop, Nita Tal¬ 
bot as a loose-tongued mantrap, 
Martin Rudy as a bashful police 
sergeant with a small army of kids, 
and Elaine Lynn, Eileen Merry, 
Kathy Dunn and Dorothy R&ymond 
in small parts. „ - 

Robert Douglas* staging gives 
the star an agreeably free hand 
and is otherwise competent by 
stock standards, which is probably 
aboutall that can be expected con¬ 
sidering the preposterous script. 
Ralph Alswang has designed an ad¬ 
mirably plausible and playable set¬ 
ting of a two-family turn-of-the- 
century house, with a front yard 
and Bronx street, and Sol Kaplan 
has provided musical cues and Guy 
Kent has supplied the questionably 
dressy clothes. Hobe. 

Speaking of Murder 

Courtney Burr Sc Burges* Meredith pro¬ 
duction of melodrama in three act* (five 
scenes),- by Audrey and William Roos. 
Stars Brenda de Banzie, Estelle Wlnwood, 
Lome Greene; features Neva Patterson. 
Staged by Delbert Mann; setting and 
lighting, Frederick Fox; costumes, Alice 
Gibson. At Royale Theatre. N. Y., Dec. 
19. '56; $5.75 top ($7.50 opening). 

Ricky Ashton . ".Billy Quinn 

Janie Ashton .Virginia Gerry 

Connie Ashton .....Neva Patterson 

Charles Ashton . Lome Greene 

Annabelle Logan .Brenda de Banzie 

Mrs. Walworth .Estelle Wlnwood 

.MUdred.. Brook Byron 

Mitchell.Robert Mandan 

Apparently on the familiar 
theory that Broadway can use a 
good whodunit, Courtney Burr, and 
Burgess Meredith are offering a 
candidate to fill the vacancy left 
last spring by the departure of 
“Witness for the Prosecution.” 
Their, new show, “Speaking,of Mur¬ 
der,” is a suspense meller by Au¬ 
drey and William Roos. It has only 
an outside chance. 

There’s no mystery about the 
yarn, but only a question of wheth¬ 
er the bland murderess, having 
bumped off one victim, will suc¬ 
ceed in getting another. It’s a de¬ 
liberate concoction, uncomfortably 
slow-moving, and it assumes that 
the audience will accept as the 
leading man (he lacks sufficient 
dimension and is too inert to clas¬ 
sify as the hero) one of the most 
obtuse characters in cat-’n’-mouse 
fiction. 

Nevertheless, the long-drawn- 
out question of whether the hero¬ 
ine, trapped in a vault at stage 
rear, will get out alive, had some 
of the first-nighters in a nail-biting 
tizzy. Still, it remains to be seen* 
whether the public will pay Broad¬ 
way. prices for the- traditional sort 
of meller available free on home 
video screens. 

The key character of the piece 
is a purposefully cheerful, efficient 
housekeeper who, having disposed 
of one mistress by pushing her off 
a balcony, lures her master’s sec¬ 
ond wife into the air-tight, sound¬ 
proof vault, having cunningly 
planted evidence pinning guilt on 
the moppet son. The contrived 
twist ending leaves a flock of loose 
plot threads. 

Brenda de Banzie, Imported from.! 
London for the assignment, plays 
the homicidal demon *dth sinister 
amiability. Estelle Winwood, as a 
blackmailing neighbor momentar¬ 
ily repelled by the prospect of de¬ 
liberate murder, provid^TsuclL an 
amusing touch that the * play suf¬ 
fers by her second-act elimination. 

Lome Greene is suitably earnest 
as the husband who doesn’t know 
what it’s all about and there’s an 
attractive performance by Neva 
Patterson as the Hollywood actress- 
second wife who vaguely senses 
that something’s, wrong but lacks 
the gumption to speak up. Billy 
Quinn and Virginia Gerry are ac¬ 
ceptable urchins while Brook 
Byron and Robert Mandan are 
passable respectively as maid and 
detective. 

Delbert Mann’s staging is in the 
suspense pattern, including the 
usual bits of business intended to 
make an audience gasp. Frederick 
Fox has designed an atmospheric 
library setting that conforms to 
the odd specifications of the script, 
and Alice Gibson has designed 
adequate costumes. 

There could probably be an ab¬ 
sorbing, if traditional, picture in 
“Speaking of Murder,” and it’s an 
obvious vehicle for television. The 
only trouble is that it’s a bit rou¬ 
tine for Broadway. Hobe. 

“The Crystal Tree,” a new all- 
Negro musical, with music by Duke 
Ellington and book and lyrics by 
Doris Julian, is scheduled for 
Broadway production next April by 
Perry Watkins, who’ll also design 
the sets. Helen Tamiris will double 
as director-choreographer. 


V*t*r«i« Dramatht 

George Middleton 

kai a vary laformotlva place or or# 
Irish playwright who knew the 
valves of his dramatic property 
In an Informative piece titled 

Shaw's Royal 
Royalties 
* * * 

another editorial featura In 
up upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

PSttmfr 


Shows Abroad 


GREGORY: TO OFFER 2 
TROUPES OF‘RIVALRY’ 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 
Departing from his usual one 
company format, Paul Gregory is 
sending out two units of “The 
Rivalry,” based on the Lincoln- 
Douglas debates. Norman Corwin, 
who scripted, will direct both 
companies. * 

One-night and split-week book¬ 
ings are beipg set across the coun¬ 
try for both units. Casting is now 
in progress, with Agnes Moorehead 
set for one troupe. 

Gregory is producing in associa¬ 
tion with George Boroff, at whose 
tiny Circle Theatre here the script 
now is in tryout. 

Show Out of Town 


Eugenia 

New Haven, Dec. 19. 

John C. Wilson (in association with 
Theatre Corp. of America) production of 
comedy in three acts (six scenes), adapted 
by Randolph’ Carter from Henry James' 
novel, “The Europeans.'' Stars Tallulah 
Bankhead. Directed by Herbert Machlz; 
scenery, Oliver Smith; lighting. Peggy 
Clark; costumes. Miles White. At Shubert 
Theatre, Dec. 19, '56; $4.50 top. 

Gertrude Wentworth.Anne Meacham 

Charlotte Wentworth.Irma Hurley 

Rev. Brand ... Robert Duke 

Felix Da Costa .. Scott Merrill 

Eugenia . Tallulah Bankhead 

Mr. Wentworth.Reynolds Evans 

Robert Acton. Jay Barney 

Elizabeth Acton .June Hunt 

Clifford Wentworth . Tom Ellis 

Maria . Therese Quadri 

When the most impressive things 
about a production are the scenery 
and costumes, storm jyamings are 
out. “Eugenia,” openihg a tryout 
here, is visual treat but a story let¬ 
down. 

Stage directions call for a display 
of fireworks in the second act, but 
that’s the nearest this adaptation 
of Henry James' “Europeans” ever 
comes to excitement. The play laid 
in 1878 and its story is in the 
leisurely pace of that era. It’s going 
to take strong bootstrap tugging to- 
pull this one into the hit class. 

Events concern the vlsif of a 
European sister and. brother to 
their staid relatives in Boston. The 
sister, unhappily married to a 
minor German nobleman, has come 
to America with an eye to better¬ 
ing her lot.' The brother, a dilet¬ 
tante artist, wins the daughter of 
the well-fixed relatives. The sister 
almost snares a wealthy family 
friend. This slight plot is handled 
with grace and charm, with ap¬ 
propriately stilted characteriza¬ 
tions, but it all leaves something 
to be desired. 

As Tallulah Bankhead’s first 
stage vehicle In several seasons, 
“Eugenia” impresses as a horse- 
and-buggy conveyance. The actress 
handles assignment with customary 
proficiency, registering soundly 
with her familiar mannerisms when 
the script permits. There are too 
few solid scenes of sufficient 
challenge, Ijowever. 

Supporting performances hit a 
generally high level. Scott Merrill 
competently carries the major load 
as the young brother. Anne Mea¬ 
cham, as a repressed Bostonian 
wanting to “live,” and Irma Hurley, 
as her sedate sister, fit the roles 
neatly. 

Robert Duke, as a semi-stuffed 
shirt young clergyman, and Rey¬ 
nolds Evans, as the prim patriarch 
of the New Englanders, are well 
cast. Same comment, goes for Jay 
l Barney as a wealthy widower, June 
Hunt his attractive daughter and 
Tom Ellis as the youthful family 
lush. Therese Quadri makes an 
efficient French maid. 

A beautiful guest cottage inte¬ 
rior, with accompanying garden 
approach, has been provided by 
Oliver Smith, and Miles White’s 
fetching gowns almost glut 6n the 
market. The staging 1 of Herbert 
Machiz has heeded the niceties of 
this genteel production, bqt 
provides little stimulus, possibly 
because of a shortage of material. 

Bone* 


The Bride And The 
Bachelor 

London, Dec. 20. 

Peter launder* presentation of comedy 
In three acts (four scene*), by Ronald' 
Millar. Star* Cicely Courtneidge, Robert* 
son Hare, Naunton Wayne. Staged by 
Charles Hickman; decor. Michael Weight. 
At Duchess Theatre, London, Dec. 19, ^56; 
$2.35 top. 

Barbara Kilpatrick.Margaret McCourt 

Miss Bowden . Anna Turner 

Isabel Kilpatrick.Cicely Courtneidge • 

Serena Kilpatrick . Jill Raymond 

Blodwen Morgan-Jones.Viola Lyel ' 

Jason Kilpatrick.Robertson Hare 

Sir William .Naunton Wayne 

Joe Tllney .. Warren Stanhope 

Farce, tinged with Freud, makes 
an odd mixture in “The Bride and 
the.Bachelor’’ and only a top-rang¬ 
ing cast saves Ronald Millar’s piece 
from disaster. The b.o. lure of 
Cicely Courtneidge (in her first 
straight role), Robertson Hare and 
Naunton Wayne should carry the 
show for a while, but prospects 
thereafter seem limited, and the 
comedy is certainly not likely to 
cross the Atlantic. 

In some ways this is a blending 
of ^Blithe Spirit” with Oscar 
Wilde. There are visitations from 
the hereafter, and the heroine, 
played by Jill Raymond, had been 
dumped as a 'child on the doorstep, 
to be adopted by the couple por¬ 
trayed by Hare and Miss Court¬ 
neidge. The play opens on the eve 
of the girl’s marriage and a succes¬ 
sion of dreams have left her in an 
uncertain mood. 

How to resolve these doubts? 
The foster-mother unwittingly of-, 
fers up a prayer, which is answered 
by a visitation from a being who 
had, in fact, died two' days earlier 
and who turns out to be the bride’s 
real father. Thereafter, the author 
presents a succession of obvious 
gage based on the ghostly visitor, 
but the humor is contrived and the 
action rarely c6mes ’naturally. 

Charles Hickman has taken the 
only course by staging the play 
with a boisterousness and precise 
timing to get maximum results. 
Miss Courtneidge, not particularly 
well served by the author, fre¬ 
quently rises above her dialog, 
while Hare (who for once succeeds 
in keeping his pants on throughout 
the entire three acts) gives an 
otherwise characteristic perform¬ 
ance. 

Naunton Wayne is suitably non- 
chalent as' the ghostly visitor and 
there’s a. standout cameo by Viola 
Lyel as a Welsh housemaid doomed 
to spinsterhood. Miss Raymond, 
as the bride, and Margaret Mc¬ 
Court, as her precocious young 
sister who knows all the answers, 
lead the supporting cast. Myro. 

A Preselndere 
(Besidenthe Point) 

Rome, Dec. 17. 

Spettacoli Errepi (Remiglo Paone) pre«- 
antatlon of revue In two acts, by Nelli 
and Manglnl, with music by Carlo Alberto 
Rossi. Stars Totb, Franca May. Ehzo 
Turco. Yvonne Menard. Staging and 
choreography by Gisa Geert; settings, 
Artllio; costumes. Folco. At Slstna Thea¬ 
tre, Rome; $6.40 top. 

After a seven-year absence, dur¬ 
ing which he starred in a number 
of films, Toto has returned to the 
musical stage. The star, who is 
really the Neapolitan Prince De 
Curtis, is the top of Italian come¬ 
dian as a boxoffice draw. He need 
only appear onstage to get a laugh, 
which is fortunate in this instance, 
as “A Prescindere” is not lip to his 
standard. 

Along with Toto’s return, the 
show introduces Paris “Folies Ber- 
gere” star Yvonne Menard to Ital¬ 
ian audiences. She does not violate 
the Interdict against complete 
riudily, but does a brilliant strip" 
number as well as several dances, 
all getting her big applause. Other 
top clicks are registered by Mario 
Di Giglio, who does a number of 
impersonal impersonations (since 
it’s against the law to mimic people 
in here), and Franca Gandolfi, one 
of the rising soubrettes of the 
musical stage. 

Three American dancers, Leo 
Coleman, who was in “The Me*, 
dium” on Broadway, Tedd Barnett 
and Robert Curtis, are in and out 
of the many numbers, along with 
seven British terpers and seven tall 
showgirls, also British. Barnett, 
especially, comes up with a hit 
number in “Nottorno,” a sensuous 
shipboard scene, which may get 
attention from local censors. 

“Homage to Elvis Presley” 
brings the showgirls forth with 
Elvis dolls on sticks, while a danc¬ 
ing girl .named Jose Hargreaves is 
a smash in the first act finale en¬ 
titled “Where Rock and Roll Was 
Bom.” The fine pace of the last 
part of the first act is killed by 
several draggy pointless skits 'in 
the second. 

Show has drawn tepid jnotices, 
but the drawing power of the two 
top stars plus the holiday season 
assure it a solid run, Sam l. 


the Wax Doll 

Edinburgh, Dec. 12. 

of Great Britain) presentation o* dram. 

In thraa arta. >»v Alcvenrf,, d.ij At, 


Dee® 10?’ T5c e ?o a J.™ eRtre * *****6. 

Mr*. Darnley .. Marlllyn Gray 

Jenny Darnley.Mary Helen Donald 

Tom Darnley... Norman Fraser 

John Darnley ... Brian Carev 

Agnes Darnley.Christine Turnbull 

,gr. Forbes .. Michael Elder 

Mr*. Bateman .NeU Baflantyne 

Jackie Bateman.. Ronald Taylor 

Prof. Sardou .Roddy McMillan 

Camera Man ... Brian Mahoney 

James Farquharson... .^. Lawrence DalzeU 

Question of the legitimacy of 
faith-healing is cleverly and rea¬ 
sonably posed in this fairly grip- * 
ping drama preemed at Gateway 
Theatre for local consumption. 
Play, by Scot scribe Alexander 
Reid, holds despite repetitive mo¬ 
ments. 

Roddy McMillan, guest thesper, 
is strong in the earthy characteriza¬ 
tion of bluff Glasgow-Irish quack 
doctor turned stage hypnotist. 
After an auto crash near the Darn¬ 
ley household in mid-Scotland, he 
invokes “cosmic magnetism” in a 
histrionic session, and succeeds in 
getting the family’s crippled daugh¬ 
ter to walk. The actor’s portrayal 
of this rascally type is the standout 
of play. 

Brian Carey, by contrast, Is over¬ 
stiff, precise and artificial as the 
disbelieving father, forced to resign 
as president of the Society for 
Propagation of Rationalism, after 
giving the hypnotist a testimonial. 

Mary Helen Donald is suitably 
fragile as the crippled daughter 
who wAlks. Marlllyn Gray conquers 
her own youth ’to create an ade¬ 
quate picture , of' the fussy Mrs. 
Darnley. Among smaller bits, Nell 
Ballantyne- registers strongly as the 
mother of a cured boy, the latter 
naively played by juve actor 
Ronald Taylor. Pamela Bain’s 
minor part of a German maid 
merits praise. 

The Lennox Milne direction and 
Margaret Cunningham setting of a 
shabbily-furnished Scott living- 
room add to play’s local success. 

Gord. 

LEGIT STAGE HAS BEEN 
‘REVOLVING’FOR YEARS 

Woodstock, N. Y. 
Editor , Variety: 

In Inside Stuff Legit, there has 
been some discussion, . crediting 
Hassard Short with using the first 
revolving Stage. It was disputed 
by Arthur S. Wenzel of Los An-, 
geles who claims the first “for 
sure” revolving stage was used in 
1910 by Ye Liberty Stock Co., 
Oakland, Cal., for the play “On 
Trial.” 

In theatrical season of 1903- 
1904 I was engaged by Charles 
Frohman for a part In the play 
“Two Schools” starring Jameson 
. Lee Finney. In the cast were Ida 
Conquest, Mike Kennedy, Jessie 
BislSy, Ida Waterman and Elsie 
Ferguson. 

We played at the Madison 
Square Theatre, “not Garden,” be¬ 
tween Broadway and 6th Ave., on 
either West 24th or 25th St. That 
theatre had a revolving stage and 
the only advantage I could see, the 
stagehands gut two sets before the 
play and had more time to go to 
the basement to play cards during 
the performance since the players 
had to make their changes of cos¬ 
tumes, which of course took time. 

The Madison Square Theatre was 
old then and out of the district as 
most theatres eveir then had 
moved uptown. A few years after 
it was torn down. 

Of°course there were many re¬ 
volving platforms before that. To 
cite—Neil Burgess in “The Coun¬ 
ty Fair” with his revolving race¬ 
track scene with real horses, and 
B. F, Keith’s in Boston, revolving 
platform of Living Pictures, posed 
as statuary. 

I have no doubt that there have 
been revolving, stages before the 
Madison Square Theatre, In fact 
during the years of my theatrical 
life, I have seen the stage constant¬ 
ly revolving from melodrama to 
drawing rooms to detective and sex 
plays and that there will be a con¬ 
stant revolving. Gaston Bell , 

James Hammersteih, son l of Os¬ 
car Hammerstein 2d, and Barbara 
Wolferman have optioned Alan 
Harrington’s novel, “The Revela¬ 
tions of Dr. Modesto,” >yhich they 
plan to produce as a musical. ■ JN® 
adaptor or composer has been seu 
The duo also have “The Children s 
Comedy,” by Jan#s Leo Herliny 
and William Noble, on their pro¬ 
duction sked. 














































Wednesday, December 26, 1956 » 




LEGITIMATE 


49 


State Action Dne in Next Session 
To Legalize Show Tour Agencies 


Action to legalize‘the resale of 
legit tickets by show tour agencies 
Is expected to be taken by the New 
York State Legislature. 

An amendment to the present 
law, forbidding the peddling of 
- theatre tickets in connection with 
any other business, will probably 
he introduced during the 1957 leg¬ 
islative session convening Jan. 9. 
The matter has already been dis¬ 
cussed with the legislative assist¬ 
ant to Mayor Robert F. Wagner. 

Meanwhile, the N.Y. City License 
Commissioner, Bernard J. O’Cpn- 
nell is contemplating a Supreme 
Court action to enjoin tour packag¬ 
ing operations from handling legit 
tickets. The commissioner origi¬ 
nally brought criminal charges 
against two of the package setups, 
Theatre Trains & Planes and Paul 
Tausig A Son. 

The first of those cases, the ac¬ 
tion against Tausig, was tossed out 
of court last week on the ground 
that not enough evidence was pre¬ 
sented to support the charges 
against the firm. Basically, the 
claim against Tausig, TT&P and 
other theatre package agencies is 
that they’re operating without a 
broker’s license. They’re not per¬ 
mitted to get licenses, however, on 
the theory that the law prohibits 
ticket brokers from engaging in 
any other business, since that 
makes an accounting of the mark¬ 
up J the legal maximum is $1) Vir¬ 
tually impossible. 

With the Tausig case'dismissed, 
O’Connell feels that going after an 
injunction will probably be easier 
than again trying to substantiate 
criminal charges^ Therefore, it ap* 
(Continued on page 50) 


Levin Coasts for Gab 
On Tonring ‘Fair Lady’ 

Herman Levin, producer of “My 
Fair Lady,” planed last week to 
the Coastrfor about 10 days of hud¬ 
dles with Edwin Lester who will 
present the touring edition of the 
musical as a subscription offering 
for the Los Angeles and San Fran¬ 
cisco Civic Light Opera groups. 

The troupe, with Brian Aheme 
and Anne Rogers in the lead roles 
played on Broadway by Rex Har¬ 
rison and Julie Andrews, will play 
a 10-week engagement at the Phil¬ 
harmonic Auditorium, L. A., begin¬ 
ning April 29, and a six-week stand 
at the Opera House, S. F., starting 
July 8. The tour opens March 18 
at the Masonic Auditroum, Roches¬ 
ter. 


British Agog Over‘Ban’, 

Of ‘Pygmalion’ as Part 
Of Uly Fair Lady’ Deal 

A furor erupted in London last 
week over the recent cancellation 
of a production of “Pygmalion" at 
Scotland’s Pitlochry Festival. The 
London Evening Standard devoted 
a Page One editorial to the issue, 
while The Stage, a* British enter¬ 
tainment weekly, also gave the 
story a big play, quoting the secre¬ 
tary-general of the Society of 
Authors as stating, “There is no 
ban.” 

However, according to a man¬ 
agement representative of “My 
Fair Lady,” the Broadway musical 
adaptation of the Bernard Shaw 
comedy, the contract with the late 
writer’s estate calls for a world¬ 
wide ban on productions of the 
original play while “Lady” is 
running. 

The Standard’s argument was, 
“Who are these new censors' of 
the English stage?” The piece then 
named the Society of Authors, 
Shaw’s literary agents and the 
Public Trustee, as executor of the 
late playwright’s estate, as being 
in league with H. M. Tennent who’s 
scheduled to produce the tuner in 
London in about 18 months, as 
“seeking to safeguard their profits 
from competition—the justification 
for all restrictive practices.” 

The Standard piece claimed that 
the restriction is against the pub¬ 
lic interests and is a form of in¬ 
direct censorship. If any protec¬ 
tion were needed the story noted, 
it should be given to “Pygmalion”' 
rather than to a “secondhand ver¬ 
sion of it.” 

Others protesting the “ban” In¬ 
clude the Shaw Society and author 
Graham Greene, who in a letter to 
The London Times wrote, “May I 
appeal to all members of the So¬ 
ciety of Authors, who feel it de¬ 
plorable that a dead author’s work 
would be so casually banned from 
the stage to which he devoted his 
life, to express their feelings in 
acton by resigning from the So¬ 
ciety? Otherwise we become ac¬ 
complices in the affair.” 

. Following the protests, permis¬ 
sion was granted for a limited run 
of the play at the Pitlochry Fes¬ 
tival. However, the program had 
already been rearranged and it was 
also felt that because of the limi¬ 
tation would not be able to make 
« profit. 

However, despite the ban, the 
picture version of “Pygmalion" is 
still being shown on tv in the U.S. 
because of a situation involving a 
longterm contract, which preced- 
• ed the “Lady” agreement with the 
Shaw estate. “ 


Det.’s Riviera To 
Legit for lady’ 

Detroit, Dec. 25. 

The huge Riviera Theatre, an 
uptown local film showcase, is go¬ 
ing legit. The switch will take 
place March 25 when the na? 
tional company of “My Fair Lady” 
begins a three-week run as the in¬ 
augural booking. 

Scaled to a $6 top, the tuner will 
be able to gross over $100,000 
weekly on anticipated sellout busi¬ 
ness in the 2,700-seat house. 

The theatre has been taken over 
by the Nederlander Family, who 
operate the 2,050-seat Shubert 
Theatre here. It’s understood 
James Nederlander will concen¬ 
trate on the Riviera, which,, inci¬ 
dentally gives the town three legit 
houses. The third is the 1,482-seat 
Cass. 

Actually Nederlander acquired 
the theatre three years ago and 
since then has been operating it as 
a second-run film house, which 
he’ll continue to do in between 
legit bookings. 

The hefty potential take for 
“Lady” is being equalled by several 
other houses booked by the musi¬ 
cal. It’s estimated the tuner’s 
operating profit on a $100,000 gross 
would be about $25,000. 


Rent Fee for Strawhat 

Williamstown, Mass., Dec. 25. 

It’ll cost the Williamstown Bum¬ 
mer Theatre operation $2,300 to 
return to the Adams Memorial 
Theatre at Williams College next 
season. That’s the same rental fee 
charged the group when it first 
went into the location in 1955, 

The tab was reduced $1,000 last 
summer after* the production out¬ 
fit claimed a loss of $6,000 the pre¬ 
vious season. Another initial-year 
expense eliminated last year was a 
$1,000 payment to Cap & Bells, 
Inc., Williams drama group. 

_ i _ 

N Y. Ritz Is Sold: 
Holiday to Piets 

The Shubert-ovjned 600-seat 
Ritz Theatre, N. Y., under lease to 
the American Broadcasting Co., 
has been purchased by builder-real¬ 
ty investor Joseph P. Blitz. It’s the 
second Broadway theatre to be un¬ 
loaded by the legit clan this year 
under, the terms of a government 
consent decree. The other was the 
National, purchased by Harry 
Fromkes. 

Meanwhile, the Shuberts have 
apparently scrapped the plan, re¬ 
ported last week, to convert the 
Broadway front of the Holiday 
Theatre into store space and 
switch the entrance to 47th Street. 
The house, with a new marquee 
and boxoffice, has retained its 
Broadway front and late last week 
began a film policy. It’s now being 
called the Central. 

The theatre, which had been 
leased to Michael Rose for 10 
years and used by him as a pic and 
legit showcase for three-and-a-half 
years, recently reverted to the 
Shuberts. Regarding the theatre 
situation, legit producer Rita Allen 
and her husband, Milton Cassel, 
are shopping around for a Broad¬ 
way house. 


Legit Costs Are Still Going Up; 

B’way Ticket Prices Doing Ditto 


Tony Farrell Buys Inn 
For Strawhat Personnel 

Sacandaga, N.Y., Dec. 25, 
Anthony Brady Farrell, lessee- 
producer of the Sacandaga Sum¬ 
mer Theatre, has purchased High 
Rock Lodge, near the new 
strawhat, as a residence for actors 
and staff. Some of the hotel’s fa¬ 
cilities will be converted into re¬ 
hearsal . halls.. and classrooms for 
the apprentice school, conducted 
in conjunction with the theatre. 

Farrell’s lease on Heeswick Man¬ 
sion, used last season for the ac¬ 
tors’ residence and by the First 
Nighter’s Club (comprising stock¬ 
holders in Sacandaga Community 
Theatre), was terminated in Sep¬ 
tember. ' 


Open Script Library . 

* Amherst, Mass., Dec. 25. 

A play lending library for Mas¬ 
sachusetts residents is now in op¬ 
eration at the College of Agricul¬ 
ture, U. of Massachusetts. Plays 
are loaned only for examination 
and may not be used for perform¬ 
ances, Ruth Mclntire, extension 
recreation specialist, reports. 

Scripts for production must be 
obtained from the publishers. 


‘Faces’ Lost 185G; 
lark’ Broke Even 

“New Faces: of 1956,” which 
ended a 28-week Broadway run 
last Saturday (22). represents a 
deficit - of about $185,000 on a 
$225,000 investment. That’s based 
on $16,983 in recouped costs as of 
a Nov. .10 accounting, plus esti¬ 
mated losses on generally declin¬ 
ing grosses since then. 

The revue, presented by Leon¬ 
ard Sillman and John Roberts, in 
association with Yvette Schumer, 
cost $197,263 to open on Broadway. 
That included a $12,608 loss on a 
two-and-a-half-week tryout and 
$14,253 in pre-New York opening 
expenses. . 

Of the financing $210,510 was 
put up by 167 backers, while $14,- 
490 in bond money was borrowed^ 
from J. J. Sshubert. 

Another closer last Saturday 
night was “The Lark,” which ter¬ 
minated its post-Broadway road 
tour in Washington. At the time 
of its New York closing last June, 
the Kermit Bloomgarden production 
had an approximate $65,000 deficit 
on its $75,000 investment. It’s un¬ 
derstood that was recouped on the 
bullish hinterland hike. 

The Julie Harris-starrer began 
touring last August after a summer 
layoff. 


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Broadway is in the midst of an¬ 
other inflation spiral. With both 
production costs and operating ex¬ 
penses continuing to increase, box- 
office prices have taken new 
boosts. 

Tht cost producing a musical, 
which had soared to over $300,000 
about a year ago, has now zoomed 
above $400,000 for a major produc¬ 
tion. By contrast, it was possible 
to bring in a musical for less than 
$100,000 about 15 years ago. 

The situation is. comparable for. 
straight shows. The production 
cost far a multiple-set play is now 
up ta around $150,000 or more, 
while anything but the simplest 
one-setter will go over $100,000 
and may reach about $125,000, 
Only a year or so ago it was pos¬ 
sible to bring in a quality one-set¬ 
ter for under $100,000. In the pre¬ 
inflation days before World War 
II, it was figured extravagant if a 
play cost $50,000 to produce, and 
George Abbott did “Room .Service” 
in 1937 for only about $6,000. 

One of the tough factors in the 
skyrocketing of production costs 
is the tryout situation. Out-of- 
town theatregoers, like those on 
Broadway, tend to patronize only 
smash hits, with the consequence 
that unless a show has a built-in 
reputation, such as the stage ver¬ 
sion of the bestselling “Auntie 
Marne,” plus a star with major box- 
continued on page 50) 

She’s ‘Had It’ in Revues, 
Savs Hermione Gingold; 

. Plans Sticking to Legit 

San Francisco, Dec. 25. 

Hermione Gingold, here for the 
opening next Thursday (27) of 
“Sleeping Prince” at the Geary 
Theatre, is abandoning the revue 
field in which she has been a star 
in England and the U. S. “I’m ga¬ 
ins legit,” she says. 

The comedienne is committed ta 
one more revue. “Sticks and 
Stones,” which is tentatively slated 
for production on Broadway late 
this season. She starred in it dur¬ 
ing the tryouts last summer. “But 
that’s the last one,” the British ac¬ 
tress contends. “I've had it.” 

Not that there’s anything wrong 
with revues. Miss Gingold asserts. 
But life is a lot simpler in a play 
than in a revue. “This is living,” 
she exults. “The curtain goes up 
and you go out on stage and every¬ 
thing is working to make it easier. 
There are other people on stage 
and they have lines to read. The 
stage is fully dressed and the light¬ 
ing is perfect. 

“From now on, only plays for 
me. No more of this business of 
standing out in front of the curtain, 
working all alone for five minutes. 
I’m delighted to let someone else 
share the load. And I’m serious. 
“Please,” she cautions, “make sure 
producers find out.” 

The English actress, who’s co- 
starred with Francis Lederer and 
Shirley McLaine in the. Terence 
Rattigan comedy, in the role of the 
Prince Regent’s wife played on 
Broadway by Cathleen Nesbitt and 
in the original London productian 
by Martita Hunt, insists she’s on 
the level in deserting musical 
shows. It's recalled, however, that 
she’s addicted to deadpan spoofing. 

For example, Miss Gingold and 
Hermione Baddeley, another Brit¬ 
ish character-comedienne, have for 
years been waging a “feud.” One 
of the running gags of the ex¬ 
change is for either one of the ac¬ 
tresses to inform gullible inter¬ 
viewers that she’s the other’s 
daughter. Miss Gingold is also 
noted for her barbed ad-libs, in 
various of her revue appearances, 
at the expense of public figures. 


Boost for Ruth Burch 

Hollywood, Dec. 25. 

Ruth Burch, casting director for 
the last several years for the Som¬ 
brero Playhouse, Phoenix, has 
been named producer of the 14 
straight plays to be produced at 
the spot this season. Offerings 
will alternate with a series of mu¬ 
sicals to be - produced by Gene 
Mann. 

‘Sombrero is operated by Richard 
Charlton, now in New York as co- 
producer of the London revue, 
“Cranks.” 


LEGITIMATE 


50 


P^klEfY 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


legit Bits 


“The Fall of Barclay Bacon/' by 
Maurice Tobias, has been optioned 
for off-Broadway production this 
season by James McEwen, with 
George Mully-set to direct. 

Charles Forsythe, recently tour¬ 
ing in “The Lark," has been named 
associate editor of Teenage mag. 
He’s also slated to direct the 
Shakespearewrights upcoming off- 
Broadway production, of ?'‘Julius 
Caesar.” 

Legit - film designer Stewart 
Chaney is designing the window 
displays for the Hess Bros, depart¬ 
ment store In Allentown, Pa. 

Holloway Productions, Inc., a 
new off-Broadway group, has been 
formed by Jim Holloway. 

~A musicalized version of Donald 
Wilson's ‘‘My Six Convicts”, is 
planned for Broadway production 
next year by film director Nick 
Kay. 

“Enemies Don’t Send Flowers” 
and “A God Slept Here,” respec¬ 
tively written by Brazilian play¬ 
wrights Pedro Bloeh and Guil- 
herme Figueiredo, will be an In¬ 
ternational Players double-bill at 
the Provincetown Playhouse, N. Y., 
beginning Jan. 81. The Equity com¬ 
pany will be directed by John 
Fostini. 

“Most Happy Fella” will be giv¬ 
en the New Haven Railroad show 
train treatment Feb. 15. 

“One’s a Crowd,” by Eugene 
Raskin, a member of the New 
Dramatists, will be presented at 
Pennsylvania State U. for six week¬ 
ends beginning Feb. 22. 

Ruth Morley is designing the 
costumes for “River Line.” 

Lawrence Rothman, who was 
owner of the recently-razed Presi¬ 
dent Theatre, N. Y., has been ap¬ 
pointed entertainment editor of 
the American-Examiner, Anglo- 
Jewish weekly. 

Col. Eben C. Henson, producer 
of the Pioneer Playhouse produc¬ 
tions in Kentucky, will produce 
the Kentucky Education Assn.'s 
100th centennial pageant, which 
will be presented April 9-11 at 
Louisville’s new 20,000-seat State 
Fair .and Exposition Center. 

James S. Elliott is organizing the 
Louisiana Drama & Opera Co., 
Inc., to operate in La Place, La., 
on the Godchaux Sugar Plantation 
site recently acquired by Billy 
•Rose and William Zeckendorf. 

William Pitkin will design the 
scenery for “Potting Shed.” 

David White planes to Holly¬ 
wood tomorrow (Thurs.) night for 
his first film role in “Sweet Smell 
of Success.” His actress-wife, Mary 
Welch, opens in “Purple Dust” at 
the Cherry Lane Theatre. N. Y., 
the same evening. 

James Gelb and Melvin Bern¬ 
hardt are stage managing the two- 



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week Broadway run of “Saint 
Joan,” which opened last • night 
(Tues.) at the Coronet Theatre, 
with Siobhan McKenna as star. 

Luther Henderson will compose 
the score for the all-Negro musical, 
“The Crystal Tree.” Duke Elling¬ 
ton, who was originally slated to 
handle that assignment, has bowed 
out because of other commitments. 

-TOm Sand, who staged the Coco¬ 
nut Grove (Fla.) Playhouse produc¬ 
tion of “Teahouse of the August 
Moon,” dittoing on the Paper Mill 
Playhouse, Milburn, N. J., presen¬ 
tation of the comedy, which opens 
tonight (Wed.). 

Richard B. Shull and Jay Har- 
nick are stage managing “Pyrple 
Dust,” opening tomorrow (Thurs.) 
night at the Cherry Lane Theatre, 
N. Y. 

John Paul is production super¬ 
visor of “Waiting for Godot.” 

Sammy Sales will star in the 
Circle Theatre, Toronto, produc¬ 
tion of “Uncle Willie,” which opens 
tomorrow (Thurs.) night. Directing 
the comedy for the Equity opera¬ 
tion is - William Taylor, who per¬ 
formed the same< chore last year 
when the group presented “Will 
Success Spoil Rock Hunter.” 

• Theatrical attorney Walter Hofer 
is in Mt. Sinai Hospital, N. Y., re¬ 
covering from an operation, 

George Hamlin, executive secre¬ 
tary of the New Dramatists, will 
speak on “The Young Professional 
Playwright” at the annual confer¬ 
ence of the American Educational 
Theatre Assn, being held next Fri- 
day-Sunday (28-30) at the Conrad 
Hilton Hotel, Chicago. 

“Miss Isobel,” by Michel Plant 
and Denis Webb, has been op¬ 
tioned for contemplated Broadway 
production next spring by Leonard 
Sillman, who plans to co-produce 
the play with John Roberts, his 
partner on the just-closed produc¬ 
tion of “New Faces of 1956.” 

Alfred deXiagre Jr. has optioned 
Herman Wouk's new play, “Na¬ 
ture’s Way,” for Broadway produc¬ 
tion next fall. 

“Strategy of Murder,” a new 
comedy by Sonia Brown, is being 
produced by. Jack Present and 
Harry Zevin for a Los Angeles 
preem Jan. 14, with Judith Evelyn 
and Jay Robinson as leads. Wil¬ 
liam Eythe will direct and Rita 
Glover will do the sets. 

Henry Denker will direct his 
play, “O. O.,”. slated for a London 
bow in March by West End pro¬ 
ducer Stephen Mitchell. The title 
refers to the initials of the play’s 
central character, a Hollywood ac¬ 
tress, who’ll be portrayed by Yo- 
lande Donlan. Also set for the cast 
is Phil Brown. Denker*will plane 
to London tomorrow (Thurs.).. I 

Ezio Pinza was discharged last 
Friday (21) from the Greenwich 
(Conn.) Hospital, which he entered■ 
earlier in the month after suffer¬ 
ing a heart attack. 

Edward Choate and Huntington 
Hartford have added Charles 
O’Neal's “Praise House” to their 
production slate. 

“Mr. Dooley,” a new comedy by 
Maurice Dolbier, of the N. Y. Her¬ 
ald Tribune’s book review depart¬ 
ment, will be tested at the Lambs 
third-floor theatre in New York for 
six performances beginning Jan. 
22. In line with the club’s hew din¬ 
ing policy, ladies will be admitted 
into the theatre for the first time. 

Staff for the upcoming Roger L. 
Stevens-Oliver Smith production of 
“Clearing in the Woods” includes 
Joseph Anthony, director; Lenard 
Patrick, production stage manager, 
and Wozev Putterman, stage man¬ 
ager. 

Mark Carabel optioned “Darling 
I’m Yours,” new comedy by Fred 
and Elaine Sheviu, for production 
on the Coast. 

William Landis and Elizabeth 
Engrav, producers at the Down¬ 
town Theatre, N.Y., have obtained 
the rights for the first professional 
U.S. production of Shaw's “Ifi Good 
King Charles’ Golden Days.” 

“The Red Carpet” is the new 
title for George Gordon's new 
ply, formerly tagged “Old Lady;” 

John Osborne’s “Look Back in 
Anger,” originally presented in 
London, is tentatively slated for 
Broadway production next March 
by David Merrick, who has 
scrapped plans to produce the 
Walter Kerr-Jean Kerr-Joan Ford 
musical, “Goldilocks,” and the 
Joshua Logan-E. J. Kahn Jr. tuner 
version of the latter’s book, “The 
Merry Partners.” Merrick was to 
have co-produced the former with 
Jo Mielziner and the latter with 
Logan. 


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL—ESPECIALLY 

DON TAFT 

For Making Mo Go Logit — Opening at Booth Theatre 
9 with the Now Cyril Ritchards Show, "Visit to a Small Flanet” 

SIBYL, BOWAN 


Lavery Mulling Play 

On Colonial Virginia 

Scenarist-playwright Emmet 
Lavery, who was east last week to 
dedicate a new Poughkeepsie high- 
school named fqr his father, is cog¬ 
itating a legit play about the early 
years of such Colonial Virginia pa¬ 
triots as Washington, Jefferson and 
Patrick Henry. He is familiar with 
the subject, having scripted a his¬ 
torical film, “Williamsburg,” pro¬ 
duced for the Rockefellers and due 
for showing next April in two new 
theatres in the restored Colonial 
Virginia capital. 

,Layery's first play, “The First 
Legion” (Jesuits), in a new transla¬ 
tion by Stellio Lanzetta, opened 
recently at the Theatre La Chalet, 
Rome, with several actors from 
the original Italian edition of 
1937. The play was done on Broad¬ 
way in 1934-35. Lavery also auth¬ 
ored “The Magnificent Yankee,” a 
play about the late Justice Oliver 
Wendell Holmes, produced on< 
Broadway in 1945-46, with the late 
Louis Calhern as star. 


Time Limit’Took 
Loss of $35,6(8 

The Theatre Guild production of 
“Time Limit” last season lost $35,- 
668 on its $84,000 investment. Of 
the coin recovered, $36,000 repre¬ 
sented the production’s 40% share 
(less commissions) of a $100,000 
down payment on the Warner 
Bros, purchase of the film rights to 
the Henry Denker-Ralph Berkey 
drama. 

From April 14 through May 12, 
when the show closed, $6,807 was 
waived in author and director roy¬ 
alties and office expense. Cuts 
were.$4,510 for Denker & Berkey, 
$1,172 for stager Windsor Lewis 
and $1,125 in office charges. Re¬ 
imbursement of that coin will be 
made if the show eventually pays 
off. 

Amateur, stock and, foreign roy¬ 
alties, as of a June 17 accounting, 
totalled $3,960. The show, which 
racked up 127 performances at the 
Booth Theatre, N. Y., starred Ar¬ 
thur Kennedy. Despite generally 
favorable reviews, it never caught 
on with the playgoing public, pre¬ 
sumably because it dealt with tor¬ 
tures in North Korean prisoner of 
war camps. 

Norman Lloyd to Stage 
B’way ‘Hunting Stewart’ 

Ottawa, Dec. 25. 

Norman Lloyd is set to direct 
“Hunting Stewart,” comedy by 
Robertson Davies, to be produced 
on Broadway by Richard Charlton, 
possibly with Alex Guinness as 
star. The author, who recently re¬ 
turned from New York confabs 
with the producer and prospective 
stager, is revising the script to 
build up the leading role. 

A Davies novel, “Leaven of 
Malice,” is under option to Broad¬ 
way producer Joseph M. Hyman, 
who plans to have it dramatized 
for presentation next season. 

‘Lost Colony’ Had $4,921 
Operating Profit in ’56 

Manteo, N. C., Dec. 25. 

The “Lost Colony” pageant and 
its related operations showed a 
profit of $4,921 during the 1956 
season, the Roanoke Island Histori¬ 
cal Assn., sponsoring organization, 
has been told. R. E. Jordan, gen¬ 
eral manager of the “Lost Colony,” 
reported that the pageant itself 
showed a profit of $439, while the 
concession stands anjl sale of pro¬ 
grams brought in a profit of 
$4,482. The historical drama is pre¬ 
sented every summer in the Water¬ 
side amphitheatre. 

Total paid attendance this year 
was 42,201, compared to 33,991 last 
year. Total cash for tickets was 
$85,939, compared to $60,717 last 
year. Only one of the 56 scheduled 
performances was rained out. Jor¬ 
dan reported that a $50 donation 
and an allotment of $10,000 from 
the state increased the show’s total 
income above expenses to $14,971. 
At the end of the 1955 season the 
pageant showed an operating loss 
of $14,863. 

The 1957 season will open June 
29. 


Alex Robert Barron has been 
appointed general manager .for 
“First Gentleman.” * - 


‘Cat’Bores the Parisians 

Paris, Dec 25 

Tennessee Williams hit play of Broadway, “Cat On A Hot Tin 
Roof,” looks like a flop at the Theatre Antoine here. Translated 
as “La Chatte Sur Un Toit Brulant” (burning roof), the qualitv of 
the script has perhaps undergone strange chemical changes in 
translation and exportation. Adapted by Andre Obey and staged 
by Peter Brook, the one French, the other British, it is not verv 
Dixie or very convincing to Parisians. y 

Critics were nearly all adverse. “Bestiality in all its candor” 
was one comment. “Disgust and boredom deprived me of reac 
tion,” said another reviewer, he adding his opinion that the nlav 
was “a stupefying miasma of hideousness and obsession.” 

Williams has been represented heretofore on the Paris stage bv 
“Rose Tattoo,” Streetcar Named Desire” and “Summer and 
Smoke,” for modest engagements. Only his “Glass Menagerie” 
had the dimensions here of a smash, 

Parisians think Williams a prophet only for his own land 


‘Apple Cart’ Earns Back 
. Half of Its $75,000 Nut 

“Apple Cart,” currently in its 
11th week on Broadway, has earned 
back more than half of its $*£5,000 
investment. Biz for the Maurice 
Evans-starrer was- particularly 
strong during its first few weeks 
on Theatre Guild subscription. 

The Charles Adams-Joseph Neebe 
revival is slated to wind up Feb. 2 
at the Plymouth Theatre, N. Y., 
i then goes on tour, starting in 
Philly. 

— 

‘Pajama’ Profit Reaches 
$1,362,916 as of Nov. 24; 
Road Troupe Still Out 

“Pajama Game” had earned a 
two-company profit of $1,362,916 at 
the time of ifs Broadway closing 
last Nov. 24. Of that amount, $1,- 
275,000 had been distributed as of 
an audit covering the four weeks 
ending that date.- On the basis of 
the regular 50-50 profit split be¬ 
tween the backers and the manage¬ 
ment, that constitutes a -255% 
profit on the $250,000 investment. 

Giving the Frederick Brisson- 
Robert E. Griffith-Harold S. Prince 
dual venture its biggest income 
boost over the four-week. spread 
was revenue from the London 
presentation of the musical. That 
was increased $13,063 during the 
period. Operating profit on Broad¬ 
way totalled $3,583, with the show 
breakihg even on two of the weeks. 

The touring company dropped 
$805 on the four-week stretch, in¬ 
cluding a fortnight in Philadelphia, 
a sfanza In Wilmington and a split- 
frame in Akron and Columbus. The 
Broadway production, which 
starred Fran Warren during its 
final weeks, racked up 1,052 per¬ 
formances. Miss Warren, inci¬ 
dentally, was originally with the 
second company, which Is still on 
tour with Lari^y Douglas, Buster 
West and Betty O’Neil costarred. 


Tour Agencies 

ai—. Continued from pace 49 

pears that the remaining criminal 
action, against TT&P will be 
dropped. Also actively involved in 
trying to iron out the package 
problem, which involves a substan¬ 
tial chunk of the city's tourist 
business, is the N.Y, City Dept, of 
Commerce & Public Events. 

Besides his involvement with the 
package firms, O’Connell last week 
issued a new set of regulations 
designed to curb irregularities in 
the resale of tick6ts by theatre 
party agents. The regulations In¬ 
clude the following: , 

On sales of 10 or more tickets, 
theatres and licensed broker's .must 
verify that the purchasg is not be¬ 
ing made for the purposes of re¬ 
sale and must keep records of the 
transactions, together “ with the 
names and addresses of the bttSnsrs 
for one year. 

In purchasing tickets, a theatre 
party agent must present a signed 
contract with the organization 
sponsoring the benefit specifying 
the number of tickets required. 

All benefit tickets must be 
stamped on the reverse side with 
the names of the sponsoring group 
and the agent. 

The resale price of benefit tick¬ 
ets must be specified in the agent’s 
contract. 

All unused tickets must be re¬ 
turned to. the theatres, which may 
resell them on behalf of the organ¬ 
ization at regular* prices. 

Immediately after the theatre 
party takes place, the agent must 
file with the License Dept, a signed 
statement .accounting for the dis¬ 
position? of. all tickets, - I 



Surprise Profit 

“Tiger at the Gates,” crossing up 
the trade predictions that it would 
be too Highbrow for Broadway 
audienefes, made $7,630 profit on 
Its 28-week New York run last sea¬ 
son. The Christopher,Fry adapta¬ 
tion of Jean Giradoux’s Parisian 
dramatic success was a financial 
flop in London, where its run was 
cut after 14 weeks to accelerate a 
shift to Broadway. 

The transplanted entry, which 
had a $36,000 capitalization over¬ 
seas, was financed at $70,000 for 
its New York stand. Virtually all 
of the coin put up for the British 
production was lost. The U.S. in¬ 
vestment included $59,500 in ac¬ 
tual cash, plus $10,500 in uncon¬ 
tributed coin, representing an al¬ 
lowance as a bonus to the original 
investors in the overseas produc¬ 
tion. 

Of the profit taken in, $7,500 has 
been distributed, with the manage¬ 
ment and backers $haring equally. 
The play, presented In London by 
Broadway producer Robert L. Jo¬ 
seph, in partnership with British 
manager Stephen Mitchell, was 
billed in N. Y. as the Playwrights 
Co. (in association with Henry M. 
Margolis) presentation of Joseph’s 
production. 


Legit. Costs Up 

i Continued from pace 49 ; 


office draw, it’* almost certain to 
incur heavy losses on its tryout. 

But swollen production costs, 
serious as they have become, are 
only part of the tough economic 
situation for legit. Operating costs 
have risen and are continuing to 
rise at a more >or less comparable 
rate. It now requires a weekly 
gross of about $20,000 for the aver¬ 
age small-cast, one set straight play 
to break even. The necessary fig¬ 
ure for a musical has risen to ap¬ 
proximately $40,000. 

That represents an increase of 
around 10-15% in the last year and 
about 100% In the last 15-20 years. 
Even with the steady climb of box- 
office prices during the corre¬ 
sponding periods, the chance of re¬ 
couping the investment and the 
amount of potential profit have 
dwindled. The saving factor, in 
terms of number of production* 
has been the ready availability of 
investment financing. 

* The prevailing top for'musicals 
Is now $8.05, with only “Bells Are 
Ringing,” “Most Happy Fella” and 
“Mr. Wonderful” charging $7.50. 
That’s an increase of $1 over the 
general level of two years ago. 

The top for straight plays is now 
$5.75, with two getting $4.60 week- 
nights but the higher price Friday- 
Saturday nights, , balanced by a 
couple of others' upping the pre¬ 
vailing rate to $6.90 for the week¬ 
end evenings and two getting the 
latter figure every night. The 
straight-play scale is thus also ap¬ 
proximately $1 above the level of 
two years ago. 

Despite the unprecedented peak 
prices already in effect, there* 
some talk in the trade of still high¬ 
er scales for some of the sched¬ 
uled new shows. The theory 1* 
that price is a minor factor, at 
most, in today’s theatregoing. Most 
patrons are determined to see tne 
newest smash hits regardless oi 
b.o. rate,, it's figured, but aren t in¬ 
terested'in moderate successes at 
any price. 


“First- Stop to Nowhere, W 
dio-tv scripter Martin Ryerson, 
scheduled for tryout at the Gai 
jk Theatre, Fresno, Cal., with tne 
[thorJij - tlie' lead £gle.^ .. „. 





Wednctday, December 26, 1956 


JsS&h&Sy 


LEGITIMATE 


51 


Yule Hits Chi; ‘Sergeants’ $18,800, 
Tanks’ $20,800, Trosecution $6,400 


Chicago, Dec. 25. -f 

Loop receipts nosedived last 
week in the traditional pattern for 
the pre-Christmas stanza. A mid¬ 
week upturn is anticipated this 
session. 

“Anniversary Waltz” bows next 
Monday night (31) at the Black- 
stone for a run. “Janus” is due 
Jan. 28 at the Harris, for four 
weeks, on subscription; Old Vic 
Co., Blackstone, Feb. 11 for two 
weeks, and “Matchmaker,” Harris, 
March 4, four weeks, on subscrip¬ 
tion. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Damn Yankees, Shubert (MC) 
(8th wk) $5.50; 2,100; $58,000. 
(Bobby Clark). Off to $20,800; pre¬ 
vious week, $30,100. 

No Time for Sergeants, Erlangdr 
<C) (15th wk) ($4.95; 1,335; $35,- 
495). Skidded to $18,800; previous 
week, $26,100. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Harris (D) (13th wk) ($4.95; 1,000; 
$29,347). Down to $6,400; previous 
week, $7,700. 

Miscellaneous 

The Immoralist, Studebaker. 
Final stock revival of current se¬ 
ries opens tonight (Tues.), with 
Geraldine Page and Hurd Hatfield 
itarred. 


Tallulah $17,000 for 5 
In New Haven Break-In 

f New Haven, Dec. 25. 

“Eugenia,” breaking in with a 
five - performance stand at the 
1,650-seat Shubert Theatre here 
last Wednesday - Saturday (19-22), 
drew an okay $17,000 at a $4.50 
top. The advance sale Was an im¬ 
portant factor in the gross for the 
Tallulah Bankhead starrer. 

Future- Shubert include tryouts 
of “Hidden River,” Jan. 2-5; ^Tun¬ 
nel of Love,” Jan. 9-12; “Visit to a 
Small Planet,” Jan. 16-19; plus the 
touring “Fanny,” Jan. 21-26, and 
then the breakin of the revised 
“Ziegfeld Follies,” Feb. 2-9. 

‘Cball’ Passable $21,3(0, 



‘Janus’ $6,1 


San Francisco, Dec. 25. 

Fifth sessions of “Desk Set” at 
the Curran and “Janus” at the Al¬ 
cazar slid to pre-Christmas lows 
last week. “Hatful of Rain” opens 
at the Alcazar, tomorrow night 
(Wed.) and “Sleeping Prince” at 
the Gfeary, Thursday night (27). 
Estimates for Last Week 

Desk Set, Curran <5th wk) ($4.40- 
$4.95; 1,752; $44,000) (Shirley 

Booth). Thin $15,700; previous 
week, $19,500 (includes 10% tax); 
closes Jan. 5. 

Janus, Alcazar, (5th wk) ($4.40; 
1,147; $29,000) (Joan Bennett, Don¬ 
ald Cook, Romney Brent). Very 
bad $6,000; previous week, $9,000. 

Lunt-Fontanne OK 27G 
For Second LA. Frame 

Los Angeles, Dec. 25. 

Business picked up' last week 
for “Great Sebastians,” only major 
legit incumbent, and the tally for 
the Alfred Lunt-Lynn Fontanne 
fctarrer mounted to an okay $27,- 
000 for the second frame of a four- 
week stand at the 1,636-seat Bilt- 
more. 

Two major entries and two new¬ 
comers at small houses brighten 
the legit scene this week. “Can- 
Can” opens tonight (Tues.) at the 
400-seat Civic Playhouse; the tour¬ 
ing “Janus” relights the Hunting- 
ton Hartford tomorrow (Wed.) 
night; and Thursday (27) sees the 
start of “Anniversary Waltz” at the 
Ritz, newly Converted from a film 
house, and “Man With the Golden 
Arm” at the 400-seat Ivar. 


Columbus, Dee. 24. 

“Chalk Garden,” starring Judith 
Anderson, grossed a good $21,300 
last week in an eight-performance 
split between’ the Memorial Audi¬ 
torium, Louisville, and the Hart¬ 
man here. The Monday-Wednes- 
day (17-10) take for four shows at 
the former spot was $10,500, while 
another $10,800 was picked on the 
local Thursday-Saturday (20-22) 
stand. 

Top at the' 1,634-seat Hartman 
was $4.60, with all performances 
on subscription. “Cat on a Hot Tin 
Roof,” starring Thomas Gomez, 
Marjorie Steele and Alex Nicol, is 
next at the house for four sub¬ 
scription performances beginning 
Jan. 31. 


Coast ‘Prince’ Tepid 7G, 

4 Shows, Santa Barbara 

Santa Barbara, Dec. 24. 

‘ The coast production of “Sleep¬ 
ing Prince,” starring Francis Led- 
erer, Shirley MacLaine and Her- 
mione Gingold, grossed Sluggish 
$7,000 in four performances last 
Monday-Wednesday (17-19) at the 
Lobero Theatre here. 

The show began a one-week lay¬ 
off last Thursday (20) and resumes 
next Thursday (27) at the Geary, 
San Francisco. 


British Shows 

(Figures denote opening dates) 

LONDON 

Bey Friend, Wyndham'f (12-1-03). 

Bride S, Bachelor, Duchess (12*10-96). 
Chalk Garden, Haymarket (4-11-96). 
Diary Anna Frank# Phoenix (11-20-56). 
Doctor In Houpo, Vio. Pal. <7-30-96). 
Double Image, •*«— (11-14-56). * 

D'Oyly Carte, Pr*nc« s (12-3-56). 

Dry Rot. Whitehall (8-31-94). 

Fanny, Drury Lano (11-19-56). 

For Amusament Only. ApoUo (6-5-96). 
Mou«o by Lake, York'* (5-0-96). 

Kismet, StoU <4-20-55). 

Le Misanthrope, Palace (11-14-96). 
Mousetrap, Ambassadors (11-25-52). 

Mrs. Gibbons' Boys, Westmin. (12-11-96). 
Now Crazy Gang, Vic. Pa). (12-18-96). 
No Time Sgts., Her MaJ. (8-23-56). 

Nude With Violin, Globe (11-7-56). 
E?l*ma Game, Coliseum (10-13-59). 

P alntlff in Hat, st. Mart. (10-11-56). 
Plume do me Tante, Garrick (11-3-59). 
Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (9-24-95). 
Renaud-Berrault Co„ Palace (11-12-96). 
Repertory, Old Vlo (9-7-55). 

Romanoff A Juliet, Piccadilly (5-17-96). 
Rosalinda Fuller, Arts (1041-96). 

BaMor Beware, Strand (2-16-95). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-9-54). 

Ticket of Leave Men, Arts (12-20-56). 
Towards Zaro, St. James'! (0-4-56). 
Touch of Fear, Aldwycb (12-9-96). 
Under Milk Wood, New (0-20-96). 

United Notions, Adctehi (il-aa- 96 ). 

View From Bridge, Comedy (10-11-96). 

Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-96). 

Way of World, SavUle (12-6450). 

Who Ceres, Fortune (li-13-56). 

**ro Hours, fit, Jamofa (0-4-98). 

A u SCHEDULED. OPENINGS 
Drab Me a Gondola, Lyric (12-28-90). 

•«th 


Can-Can (tour): India Adame, Dick 
Smart, Erik Rhodes, Erie Brotheraon, 
Ronnie Cunningham. 

Waiting for Godot: Earle Hyman, Man- 
tan Moreland. Rex Ingram; Geoffrey 
Holder. 

Tunnel of Lovet Elisabeth Fraser, Elisa¬ 
beth Wilson. 

Good • As Gold: Roddy McDoweU, Paul 
Ford, Loretta Leversee, Juleen Compton. 

Potting Shod: Leueen MacGrath* Rob¬ 
ert Fleroyng. 

Visit to A Small Planet: Philip CooUdge. 
Sarah MarahaU, David J. Stewart, Conrad 
Janls. Cyril Rltchard, Eddla Mgyehoff, 
Sybil Bowman, Harry Worth. 

No Tima for Sergeants (touring com- 

R any); Harry Holcombe (replaced the late 
lalcolm Lea Beggs). 

Ziegfeld Fellies: Helen Wood, Jane 
Morgan. 

OFF-BROADWAY 
Taming, et the Shrew (Phoenix): Nina 
Foch. 

Me Candldo: Arthur Mercer, Lou Gil¬ 
bert. 

Shadow Yoart: Ruth Maynard, J. David 
Bowen, Lillian Prlneo. 

Children Don't Forgot (Yiddish): Shef- 
tol Zak. Rose (Shoshanko, Isidore Lipin- 
sky, Molshe Zaar, Ida Honlg, Jacob Zan- 

« er» Janet Pakewlch, David Dank, Ben 
lardash, Mcnachem Rubin. 

Thor# . Is No End: Bill Weston, Tom 
HoUand, Harry Pcckman, Chuck Gordon. 
Volpono: Vincent Gardenia, 

Climate of Eden (ELT): David Winters. 
Furple Dust: Mike Kellin (succeeding 
Daniel Reed), James Kenny, Alan Berg- 
uann. 

Easter: Phyllis Love, Muriel Kirkland, 
Michael Higgins. Joel Crothers. 

Measure for Measure (Phoenix): Hiram 
Sherman, Leon Janey, Nina Foch, Arnold 
Moat. 


Hatful’Mild $14,200 
On Single St. Loo Week 

St. Louis, Dec. 25. 

“Hatful of Rain,” starring Vivian 
Blaine, grossed a soggy $14,200 in 
the pre-Christmas slump last week 
at the 1,513-seat American Theatre 
here at a $3.92 top. 

Eddie Bracken, starring in “Will 
Success Spoil Rock Hunter,” with 
Roxanne Arlen and Jerome Kilty 
featured, opens tonight (Tues.) for 
an eight-performance stand at the 
house at a $3.92 top. Double per¬ 
formances are slated for Friday 
and Saturdays nights (28-29). 

Douglas $25,000, 
W $13,080, Hub 

Boston, Dec. 25. 

Three shows are on the local 
boards this week, two opening to¬ 
night (Tues,), the tryout “Eugenia,” 
it the Plymouth for three weeks, 
and the touring “Fanny” at the 
Shubert for two weeks. 

“Small War. on Murray Hill” 
opened last week to good reviews, 
although the majority of Hub cri¬ 
tics bemoaned its slightness. It 
plays through this week, then 
moves on to Broadway. “Waltz 
of the Toreadors” opens next Mon¬ 
day (31) at the Colonial. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Inherit the Wind, Shubert (D) 
(3d wk) ($4.95-$4.40; 1,717; $35,000) 
(Melvyn Douglas). Despite the 
pre-Christmas b.o. slump, the 
tourer pulled $25,000 and exited 
Saturday (22). 

Small 'War on Murray Hill, 

Colonial (C) (1st wk) <$4.40-$3.85; 
1,500; $36,000) (Jan Sterling, Leo 
Genn). Tryout got three favorable 
notices (Doyle, American; Hughes; 
Herald; Maloney, Traveler) and 
three fairs (Durgin, Globe; Melvin 
Monitor; Norton, Record). Nabbed 
a modest ‘ $13,000; continues this 
week, then proceeds to New York. 

‘Lark’ Smashing $32,500; 
Finales Tour in Wash, 

Washington, Dec. 25. 
Final week of the “Lark” soared 
to an amazing $32,500 gross for the 
doldrum week before Christmas. 
Playing the 1,600-seat National 
Theatre at a $4.40 top, with $4.95 
weekends. Julie Harris drew close 
to the $37,500 capacity for the 
theatre at this scale. Figure does 
not include an additional $4,630 
taken in Sunday night (16) at a 
special performance for the bene¬ 
fit of the Actors’ Fund. The local 
engagement ended the tour-for the 
Kermit Bloomgarden production. 

“Inherit the Wind” opened at 
the National last night (Monday) 
for a three-week stand. Bolstered 
by subscription sale, the advance 
on the booking amounted to 
$44,000. 


SCHEDULED N. Y. OPENINGS 

(Theatres indicated if set) 

Small War, Barrymore (1*3). 

Waiting for Go4at (1-11). 

Clearing In Weeds, Belaaco (1-lfl). 
Waltz ef Tereaders, Coronet (1-17). 
Hidden River (wk. 1-20). 

Catch Falling Star (1-24). 

Eugenia, Ambassador (1-30). 

Fotting Shad, Bijou (1-29). 
Renaud-Barrault Co., Wint. Card. (1-30), 
Visit Small Flanet, Booth (2-6). 

Tunnel ef Love, Plymouth (2-13). 
Holiday for Lovers (2-14). 

Hole In Head, Plymouth (2-28), 

Ziegfeld Follies, Wint. Gard (2-28). 
Strategy of Murder (3-18). 

Orpheus Descending (3-21). 

Foolin' Ourselves (4-1). N 

First Gentleman (4-11). 

New Girl In Town (5-8).- 


OFF-BROADWAY 

Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12-27). 
Shhn, Chanln (12-20). 

River Lina, Carnegie Hall (1-3). 
Twelfth Night, St. Ignatius (1-4). 
Volpono, Rooftop (1-7). 

Shadow Years, Open Stag* (14D. 
Easter, 4th St. (1-16). 

Measure for Measure, Phoenix (1-22). 
Double-Bill,' Provlncetown (1-31), 
Julius Caesar, St. Ignatius (2-1&. 
Taming ef the. threw, Phoenix (2-20). 
Duchess ef Malfl, Phoenix (3-19). 


Pre-Xmas Simp Clobbers B’way; 
‘Fella’ 45G, ‘Diary’ 14G, latch’ 13G, 
“Willie’ 15G (7), ‘Carl’‘Deb’ 10G 


‘Pajama’ Ragged $30,306' 
For Full Week, Dayton 

Dayton, Dec. 24. 
‘Pajama Game” starring Larry 
Douglas, Buster West and Betty 
O’Neil, grossed an inadequate. $30,- 
300 last week at the Victory Thea¬ 
tre here. 

The musical is current at the 
Memorial at the Memorial Audi¬ 
torium, Louisville. 

Tonring Shows 

(Dec. 24- Jan. 6 ) 

Anniversary Waltz (Jeffrey Lynn, Bev¬ 
erly Lawrence)—Blackstone. Chi (30-5). 

Boy Friend—Shubert, Phiily (26-5). 

Can-Can—Nixon, Pitt. (25-5). 

Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (Thomas Gomezr 
Marjorie Steele, Alex Nicol)—Forrest, 
Phiily (24-5). 

Chalk Garden (Judith Anderson)— 
Hanna, Cleve. (25-29): Shubert, Cincy (31- 
Bj Cathleen Nesbitt comes in as co-star). 

Clearing In the Woods (tryout) (Kim 
Stanley)—Walnut. Phiily (26-5). 

Damn Yankees (Bobby Clark)—Shubert. 
Chi (24-5). 

Desk fat (Shirley Booth)—Curran, S.F. 
(24-5). 

Eugenia (tryout) • (Tallulah Bankhead)— 
Plymouth, Boston (25-5). 

Fenny (Italo Tajo, Billy Gilbert)—Shu¬ 
bert, Boston (25-5). 

Groat Sebastians (Alfred Lunt, Lynn- 
Fontanne>-r-Biltmoro. L.A. (24-20); Curran, 
S.F, (31-5). 

Hatful of Rain (Vivian Blaine)—Alcazar, 
S,F. (26-5). 

Hidden River (tryout)—Shubert, New 
Haven (2-5). 

Inherit the Wind (2d Co.) (Melvyn 
Douglas)—National. Wash. (24-5). 

Janus (Joan Bennett, Donald Cook, 
Romney Brent)—Hartford, L.A. (26-5). 

No Time for Sergeants (2d Co.)—Erlan- 
fer, Chi (24-5). 

Pa|ama Game (Larry Douglas, Buster 
West, Betty O’Neil)—Mem. Aud., L’vIUe 
(25-20); Temple, Birmingham (31-5). 

Sleeping Prince (Francis Lederer, Shir¬ 
ley MacLaine, Hermione Gingold)—Geary, 
S.F. (27-5). 

Small War on- Murray Hill (tryout) (Jan 
Sterling, Leo Genn)—Colonial. Boston 
(24-29) (Reviewed in VARIETY, Dec. 19, 
' 96 ). 

Waltz of the Toreadors (tryout) (Ralph 
Richardson)—Royal Alexandra* Toronto 
24-20); Colonial, Boston (31-5). 

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (Eddie 
Bracken)—American, St.L. (25-29). 

Witness for the Prosecution—Harris, 
Chi (24*5). 


Broadway was battered last' 
week, with the annual pre-Christ¬ 
mas slump hitting the worst of a 
three-week decline. Business is ex¬ 
pected to pick up this week. 

Capacity entries last week in¬ 
cluded “Auntie Marne ” “Bells Are 
Ringing,” “Happy Hunting,” “Li'l 
Abner,” “Long Day’s Journey Into 
Night” and “My Fair Lady.” 

- Openings- - were - --Speaking—of- 
Murder,” “Uncle Willie” and 
“Good Woman of Setzuan ” the 
latter at the Phoenix Theatre. 
Estimates for Last Week 
Keysi C (Comedy)* D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Drama),' R (Revue), 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬ 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op¬ 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices , number 
of seats, capacity grgss and stars. 
Price includes • 10% Federal and 
5% City tax, but grosses are net; 
i.e.y exclusive of tax. 

Apple Cart, Plymouth (C) (10th 
wk; 76; $5.75; 1,062; $24,000) (Mau¬ 
rice Evans). Closes Feb. 2, to tour. 
Previous week, $16,300; last week, 
over $11,500. 

Auntie Marne, Broadhurst (C) 
(8th wk; 61;- $6.90-$5.75; 1,182; 
$43,000) (Rosalind Russell). Previ¬ 
ous week, $43,500; last week, al¬ 
most $43,600. 

Bells Are Ringing, Shubert (MC) 
(4th wk; 28; $7.50; 1,453; $55,V39) 
(Judy Holliday). Previous week, 
$55,500; last week, nearly $55,600. 

Candide, Beck (MC) (3d wk; 25; 
$8.05; 1,280; $52,000). Previous 

yveek, $43,000; last week, nearly 
$32,100. 

Cranks, Ilijou (4th wk; 32; $5.75; 
603; $19,000). Closes Jan. 12: Pre¬ 
vious week, $8,700; last week, 
under $4,000. Closes next Saturday 
(29). 

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) 
(86th wk; 684; $8.05; 1,297; $50,- 
573). Previous week, $31,800; last 
week, almost $28,600. 

Diary of Anne Frank, Cort (D) 
(64tb wk; 509; $5.75; 1,036; $28,854) 
(Joseph Schildkraut). Previous 
week, $15,200; last: week, nearly 
$14,000. 

Girls of Summer, Longacre (D) 
(5th wk; 40; $5.75; 1,101; $29,378) 
(Shelley Winters). Previous week, 
$19,600; last week, almost $9,000. 

Happiest Millionaire. Lyceum 
(C) (5th wk; 39; $5.75; £>3; $25,000) 
(Walter Pidgeon). Previous week, 
$20,300; ‘ last week, almost $17,300. 

Happy Hunting, Majestic' (MC) 
(3d wk; 20; $8.05; 1,625; $69,989) 
(Ethel Merman). Previous week, 
$70,322; last week, over $70;100. 

Inherit the Wind, National (D) 
(75th wk; 598; $5.75-$4.60{ 1,162; 
$32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous 
week, $20,000; last week, under 
$19,000. 

Li’l Abner, St. James (MC) (6th 
wk; 44; $8.05; 1,028; $58,100). Pre¬ 
vious Week, $57,500; last week, 
almost $57,300, with theatre party 
commissions cutting into the capac¬ 
ity take. 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 
Helen Hayes (D) (7th wk; 4Q; $6.90; 
1,039; $30,000) (Frederic* March, 
Florence Eldridge). Previous week, 
$30,100; last week, almost $30,200. 

. Major Barbara, Morosco, (C) (8th 
wk; 63; $6.90; 946; $37,500), (Charles 
Laughton, Burgess Meredith. Gly- 
nis Johns, Eli Wallach, Cornelia 
Otis Skinner). Previous week, 
$34,200; last week, almost $31,500. 

Matchmaker, Booth. (C) (55th 

wk; 440; $5.75; 766; $25,000). (Ruth 
Gordon, Eileen Herlie, Loring 
Smith). Can remain here until 
Feb. 2. previous week, $15,200; 
last week, almost $13,000. 

Middle of the Night, ANTA (D) 
(38th \yk; 301; $5.75; 1,185; $39,116) 
(Edward G. Robinson). Previous 
week, $27,800; last week, nearly 
$23,100. 

Most Happy Fellfi, Imperial (MD) 
(34th" wk; 268; $7.50; 1.427: $57.-* 
875). Previous week, $52,000; last 
week, almost $45,000. 

Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) 
(40th wk; 311; $7.50-$6.90; 1,900; 
$71,000). Previous week, $27,000; 
last week, over $21,800. 

My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MC) 
(41st wk; 323; $8.05; 1,551; $67,696) 
(Rex Harrison, Julie Andrew^). 
Previous. week, $68,700; last week, 
same. 

No Time For Sergeants, Alvin 
(C) (62d wk; 492; $5.75t$4.60; 1,331; 
$38,500), Previous week. $28,700; 
last week, over #$24,900. 

Old Vic Co., Winter Garden 
(Repertory)' (9th wk; 71; $5.75; 
1,494; $45,000). Previous week. 
$32,600 on “Romeo and Juliet” 
and “Macbeth”; last week, nearly 


$32,200 on “Macbeth” and “Rich¬ 
ard II.” 

Reluctant Debutante, Miller (C) 
(11th wk; 86; $5.75; 946; $27,100) 
(Adrienne Alien, Wilfred. Hyde 
White). Previous week, $12,800; 
last week, over $10,000. 

Separate Tables, Music Box (D) 
(9th wk; 68; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021) 
(Eric Portman, Margaret Leigh¬ 
ton).—Previous week, $29,300; last 
week, almost $28,900. 

Speaking of Murder, Royale (D) 
(1st wk; 5; $5.75; 994; $29,000) 
(Brenda de Banzie, Estelle Win- 
wood, Lome Greener Opened last 
Wednesday (19) to four favorable 
reviews (Atkinson, Times: Chap¬ 
man, News:,Kerr, Herald Tribune; 
McClain, Journal-American), two 
unfavorable (Coleman, Mirror* 
Donnelly, World - Telegram) and 
one inconclusive (Watts, Post); 
around $10,00fr for first five per¬ 
formances. 

Uncle Willie, Golden (C) (1st wk; 

4; $5.75; 800; $24,000). (Menasha 
Skulnik). Opened* last Thursday 
(20) one affirmative notice (Chap¬ 
man, News) and six pro-star, anti¬ 
play (Atkinson, Times; Coleman, 
Mirror; Donnelly, World-Telegram; 
Kerr, Herald - Tribune; McClain, 
Journal-American; Watts, Post); 
nearly $15,000 for first four per¬ 
formances and three previews. 

Miscellaneous 

* Good Woman of Setzuan, Phoe¬ 
nix (D) (1st wk; 8; $3.85; 1,150; 
$25,000). Opened Dec. 18 to two 
yes-no reviews (Atkinson, Times; 
McClain, Journal-American) and 
four pans (Chapman, News; Don¬ 
nelly, World Telegram; Kerr, Her¬ 
ald Tribune; Watts, Post); almost 
$10,900 for first eight performances. 

Closed Last Week 
Loud Red Patrick, Ambassador 

(C) (12th wk; 93; $5.75; 1.155; $36,* 
500) (Arthur- Kennedy, J5avid 
Wayne). Previous week, $10,400; 
last week, almost $6,100. Closed 
last Saturday (22) with an approxi¬ 
mate $20,000 deficit on its $75,000 
investment. 

New Faces, Barrymore (R) (28th 
wk; 220;-$7.50-«6.90: $38,577). Pre¬ 
vious week, $14,600; last week, 
around $10,000. Closed last Sat¬ 
urday (22) with an approximate 
$185,000 loss on a $225,000 invest- . 
merit (see separate story). 

Sleeping Prince, Coronet (C) 
(8th wk; 60; $6.90; 1,001; $36,500), 
(Michael Redgrave, Barbara. Bel 
Geddes). Previous week, $22,400; 
last week', nearly $23,700. Closed 
last Saturday (22) at an approxi¬ 
mate $25,000 loss. 

Opening This Week 
Saint Joan, Coronet (D) ($5.20; 
1,101; $35,000) (Siobhan McKenna). 
Cambridge Drama Festival revival 
of Bernard Shaw drama began a 
limited two-week run at the Coro¬ 
net last Monday (24) night, follow¬ 
ing a return stand at the Phoenix 
theatre, N.Y. 

Ruth . Draper, Playhouse ($4.60; 
994; $25,000). Miss Draper in her 
one-woman show began a limited 
four-week stand last nightlTues.). 

* Protective Custody, Ambassador 

(D) ($5.75; 1,155; $36,500). (Faye 
Emerson). Play by Howard Rich¬ 
ardson and William. Berney, pre¬ 
sented by Anderson Lawler (in as¬ 
sociation with Will Lester), produc¬ 
tion capitalized at $70,000, plus a 
reported $25,000 in additional fi¬ 
nancing. Cost around $100,000 to 
bring in and can break even at 
aroiind $18,000 gross. Opens next 
Friday (28). 


OFF-D’WAY SHOWS 

Eagle Has Two Heads, Actors. 
Playhouse (12-13-56), 

Hamlet, St. Ignatius Church (10- 
27-56); closes Dec. 30. 

Iceman Cometh, Circle-in-Square 
(5-8-56). ~ _ 

Me Candldo, Greenwich Mews 
(10-15-56). 

Misanthrope, Theatre East (11- 
12-56). 

Shoestring ’57, Barbizon - Plaza 
(11-5-56). 

Take a Giant Step, Jan Hus (9- 
22-56). 

Thor, With Angels, B’way Con¬ 
gregational Church (10-14-56). 

Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9- 
20-55) 


‘CAT’HEALTHY $29,000 
ON SINGLE WEEK, PUT 

Pittsburgh, Dec. 24, 
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” star¬ 
ring Thomas Gomez, Marjorie 
Steele and Alex Nicol, grossed a 
smooth $29,000 at the Nixon Thea¬ 
tre here last week. 

The Tennessee Williams drama 
is current at the Forrest Theatre, 
Philadelphia. 




52 


CONCERTS __ 

Ballet Theatre Bad to ‘New Works’ 


17-Yr. Old Co, Revises Setup—Rehearsals in Spiring 
Instead of Met Date—Refreshen for ’57-’58 


By JESS GROSS 

The Ballet Theatre, 17 years old, 
is embarking oa a revitalization 
program. This means getting back 
to its original aim of presenting 
new works with four slated for 
next season. It's, the first .time 
since the early ’40s that the count 
on preems has been that high. 

Playing, an important part in the 
organization’s plans is the use of 
off-Broadway as. a testing ground 
for the originals. The company, 
which has been retagged the Amer¬ 
ican Ballet Theatre, will preem the 
new entries next May on four suc¬ 
cessive Monday nights at the 
Proenix Theatre. The offerings 
will be part of a seven-week April- 
June rehearsal period. 

It’s estimated the lengthy tuneup 
time and the Phoenix presentations 
will cost about $50,000, while the 
tab on mounting the new ballets is 
expected to run around $75,000, 
for a total $125,000 outlay. A fund-' 
raising goal of $250,000--has been 
set, with the company hoping to 
pick up a large chunk .of that via 
a benefit performance Feb 10 at 
the Metropolitan Opera House, 
N. Y. Orchestra seats that night 
will be priced at $25. 

The occasion will mark the U. S. 
preem of “Winter’s Eve,’’ a new 
ballet by British choreographer 
Kenneth MacMillan. The music is 
Benjamin Britten’s “Variations on 
a Theme by Frank Bridge.’’ The 
sets are being designed by Nicholas 
Georgiadis who collaborated with 
MacMillan on three earlier ballets. 

The individual cost of the Phoe¬ 
nix shows, which will be pyt on 
in the workshop pattern of last 
year when the outfit took over the 
off-Broadway house for two nights, 
is figured at $1,400 per per¬ 
formance. Receipts are expected 
to cover that expense. The four 
performances, will be evenly split 
between the Ballet Workshop and 
the regular company. 

The seven-week rehearsal pro¬ 
gram marks the first time in about 
14 years that such an extensive 
warm-up period has been set and 
gives tthe company needed time to 
work on the new offerings. This, 
plus the availability of choreogra¬ 
phers and artists, is the revitalizing 
spark. Folding of the operation 
next April had been considered by 
co-director Lucia Chase because of 
the lack of new productions. 

The sparsity of original works 
also cued the cancellation of the 
company’s annual appearance at 
the Opera House next spring, with 
that time now being devoted to re¬ 
hearsal. Future plans for the or¬ 
ganization take in a two-year pe¬ 
riod beginning with the start of a 
cross-country tour Aug. 10 at the 
Greek Theatre, L. A; 

The^company will play the Hol¬ 
lywood showcase for three weeks 
and is expected back' in New, York 
by the end of February, 1958. The 



Stan 

FREEMAN 

Currently 

“HOME” Show 

NBC-TV 

Monday thru Friday 

Guest Soloist Dec. 31 
CINCINNATI ORCHESTRA 
‘ Direction/' 

MERCURY ARTISTS CORP. 
730 5th Ave., New York 19, N. Y. 
Concert Dir.: NatT Artists Corp. 
711 5tk Ave.. New York City 


troupe is then expected to go into 
another rehearsal period prior to 
a possible Met and/or tv bookings. 
Another European* tour under the 
auspices of % the State Department 
is also a possibility, beginning in 
May, 1958. 

The Group is currently in the 
final stages of a six-month' State 
Dept, sponsored European trek, 
which ends in Madrid. Prior to 
playing that city, the troupe will 
appear in Lisbon, where “Winter’s 
Eve’’ will have it world preem Jan. 
18i The company is due back in 
New York Feb. 6 and then takes 
off on a five-and-a-half-week U. S. 
tour Feb. 11. That was booked by 
Hurok. A new contract for next 
sason, however, has been set with 
Columbia Artists Corp. 

Besides “Winter’s Eve,” another 
new work skedded is Erik Bruhm’s 
“Festa,” with music by Rosini. 
Other choreographers who may be 
respresented next season include 
John Cranko, Agnes de Milled Her¬ 
bert Ross and Robert Joffrey. 
Heading the company again will be 
Nora Kaye, John Kriza, Bruhn, 
Lupe Serrano, Ruth Ann Koseun 
and Scott Douglas, now touring 
abroad with the company. 


Foldes Delays Trip For 
Hungarian Relief Concert 

Andres Foldes, the Hungarian- 
American pianist, has delayed his 
European concert tour in order to 
appear Dec. 30 at Constitution 
Hall, Washington in a $100 admis¬ 
sion benefit for Hungarian Relief. 
He will be the first half of the pro¬ 
gram, with Lizst’s E-Flat Concerto, 
which he recently recorded for 
Decca with the Berlin Philhar¬ 
monic, the disk being not yet re¬ 
leased. 

Second half of the Washington 
affair with the National Symphony 
will'include the Steve Allen show 
and, it is almost certain, Louis 
“Satchmo” Armstrong. 

Foldes will do 48 concerts from 
Finland to Portugal ending June 4. 
He will take his delayed departure 
by air Jan. 5. 


PROFESSIONAL ITALIAN 


Grocer, Concert; Impresario, Radio 
Personage—All One Guy 


Ottawa, Dec. 25. 

Johnny Lombardi, Toronto gro¬ 
cer who is partner in a film-distrib 
company, impresarios five concerts 
a year and runs two radio pro¬ 
grams, is profiled in Maclean's 
by Richard O'Hagan. All Lom¬ 
bardi's products, artists and radio 
music are Italian. Toronto has 
seven houses showing Italian films. 

For his first Italian Festival of 
Song last year, with artists im¬ 
ported from Italy, Lombardi sold 
out 2,750-seat Massey Hall for four 
nights. All 1,100 tickets were sold 
in his grocery, and 2,000 would-be 
purchasers were turned down. 

Lombardi, Toronto-born onetime 
dance-band trumpeter, started 
business with his war. service 
gratuities. His/‘ad agency” solicits 
sponsors, plans, writes and directs 
his three-hour Sunday show and 
one-hour daily show over CHUM, 
both daytime and live, lie’s now 
planning a one-hour, five-nights-a- 
week program as well. He recent¬ 
ly visited Italy for the first time. 

Call Miss Boris ‘Bossy* 

Winnipeg, Dec. 25. - 

A third member of Royal Win¬ 
nipeg Ballet has quit*in protest 
against New Yorker Ruthanna 
Boris’ “bossing.” Laurence Halden 
claims she has “cancelled practical¬ 
ly all ballets except her own and 
put American dancers principally 
hi male lead work.” 

Two others left a couple of 
months ago with similar com¬ 
plaints. 


Bamberg Symph to U.K. 

* Bamberg, Dec. 25. 

Bamberg (West Germany) sym¬ 
phony is set for its first concert 
tour of Great Britain. Symphony, 
under the direction of Joseph Keil- 
berth, is set to play in England 
from March 12 through March 26. 

Dates in London, Liverpool, 
Manchester and the provinces. 


MBsmFr 


REVIEWS 


La Pertefiole 


Revival of Jacques Offenbach 1868 work. 
English text, Maurice Valency. Sets, cos¬ 
tumes. Rolf Gerard. Staging, Cyril 
Ritchard. Conductor, Jean Morel. At Met 
Opera, Dec. 21, '56. s 

Don Andres ..Cyril Ritchard 

Don Pedro .Ralph Herbert 

Panatellas .Paul Franke 

Tarapote .Lorenzo Alvary 

La Ferichole .Patrice Munsel 

Paquillo ...Theodor Uppman 

Guadalena.Heidi Krall 

Estrella .Madelaine Chambers 

Virglnella . Rosalind- Elias 

First Notary .Charles Anthony 

Second Notary .Calvin Max-sh 

An Old Prisoner .Alessio De Paolis 

A Circus Juggler ........ Geoffrey Holder 

Nlnetta . Rose Byrum 

Frasquinella .......... Florence Holland 

Brambilla ...Dorothy Shawn 

Manuelita .Gladys Lansing 


Cyril Ritchard, no singer, sang 
Dec. 21 at the Metropolitan Opera. 
He also joined in the second act 
ballet as dancing partner of Mary 
Ellen Moylan, and he is no dancer. 
What Ritchard is, is not so easily 
defined. He has a special brand 
of high style hokum. He has superb 
stage presence and a kind of gravel- 
throated /speaking rythmn. He 
delights in strutting and prancing 
and in asides to the audience. Con¬ 
stantly the actor, he was unable to 
resist in his other role as director 
of “La Perichole” the opportunity 
to star himself at the opera house. 


There were, of course, members 
of the opera company in the cast. 
Notably Patrice Munsel as the 
street singer, Thedor Uppman as 
her lover and Alessio De Paolis as 
a highly fay prisoner in the Lima 
dungeon who had tunneled his way 
as far as the outer wall with only 
his little penknife—and was within 
another 12 years of freedom. 


This was all a lark. The lost 
Offenbach score, reconstructed 
from the parts, was occasionally 
very nostalgic and frequently me¬ 
lodic. The lyrics, about 50% in¬ 
telligible, were in English. Jean 
Morel, long with the N.Y. City 
Center Opera, was making his Met 
debut very competently although 
he and Miss Munsel had an ap¬ 
parent disagreement about one 
high note. 

Since there was singularly little 
singing of any distinction the pro¬ 
ceedings offered itself as a pre¬ 
musical comedy museum piece 
dressed up very handsomely by 
Rolf Gerard and allowing Ritchard 
to have the night of his life, sing¬ 
ing, dancing, clowning and- produc¬ 
ing an “opera.” The audience may 
not have had quite as much sheer 
delight but Ritchard has hundreds 
of tricks (including a witty little 
essay in the program) to disarm 
critics. He is, in short, such an 
engagingly naughty fellow that one 
doesn’t mind that his ego is some¬ 
times almost'indecently exposed. 

Land, 


IV. Y. City Ballet 

On the winter’s most bitter-cold 
(18) evening so far, with the middle 
aisle at the N.Y. City Center a 
tunnel of chill draughts (why must 
earlycomers be penalized by that 
open door?), the premiere pf the 
Ballet named for the house warmed 
things up immediately the portals 
were sealed and the curtain raised. 
Indeed, it is a wager without risk 
that this was the Center’s most 
thoroughly exciting and satisfying 
premiere of 1956-57. It would be 
hard to imagine anything at this 
house more yeasty and zesty than 
the present many-paced, many- 
talented array of dancers. 

Count it as evidence of the vigor 
in the company, its momentum and 
sound precepting that the opening 
night was such a hurricane of 
delight. For the dancers were only 
just back from a tiring tour of 
Europe and the Middle East. One 
of their prlma ballerinas, TanaquU 
LeClercq, was left behind in a 
Copenhagen hospital, struck down, 
with polio, and with head choreo¬ 
grapher George Balanchine at his 
wife’s bedside. Illness also re¬ 
moved Allegra Kent, necessitating 
several shifts for the premiere 
while the regular musical director, 
Leon Bar?in, was on leave, with 
Hugo * Fiorato in his stead. 

No matter all this. The four 


'Varhty'$' Hoot-Mon Correipondtnf 

Gordon Irving 

reviews how 

Yankee Tourists 
*Make 9 Edinburgh 
* * * 

one of the editorial features 
In the upcoming 

51st Anniversary Number 

of 

PRriety 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


Sascha Schneider’s Perpetual Motion 


Budapest Quartet Member a Promoter—As His Own 
Booker Calls Himself ‘Patricia 0 Taylor’ 


items'were accumulatively superb. 
Jerome Robbins’ 1935 showpiece, 
^Interplay," was a crashing opener 
for four couples. A balletmaster’s 
ballet, rooted in dancing school 
exercises* but with humor. * and 
gusR) added, this one showed again 
that Robbins’ imagination is as rich 
in stardust as the City Center's 
stage is thick with tights-dirtying 
floordust. 

To round out the first half there 
was the stately-but-riot-whoiTy- 
orthodox Balanchine version of 
“Swan Lake” wherein dream¬ 
legged Diana Adams was the lovely 
head bird and stellar-stemmed 
Andre Eglevsky the smitten prince. 
This ballet with its ever-beguiling 
Tchaikovsky score is a riot of grace¬ 
fulness arid dancer-exhibiting cho¬ 
reography. The two principals, the 
foursome, the threesome and all 
the other displays piled up techni¬ 
cal and virtuoso points, leaving the 
audience in no mood to quibble. 

Third was Melissa Hayden’s (and 
Jacques d’Amboise’s) study' in 
loneliness, “The Still Point,” 
heavy with pantomine and expres¬ 
sive slow gymnastics, a real change 
of pace. Here the dramatic ver¬ 
satility of Miss Hayden was con¬ 
vincingly set forth. Something 
more: by this time it was a re¬ 
iterated discovery that the orches¬ 
tra under the .visiting maestro, 
Fiorato, was the full artistic peer 
of the dynamic dancers. 

How. charged with energy, dis¬ 
cipline, skill and sheer terpsicho- 
rean with these hoofers were was 
finally demonstrated when the 
whole brigade went to with real 
yippee oq “Western Symphony.” 
There is rich amusement in the 
slapstick ballet which crescendos 
to an outpouring of individual and 
group abandon seldom viewed upon 
anjfc ballet stage. The happy fusion 
of Hershy Kay’s score and Balan¬ 
chine’s routines with the brilliant 
comicking of Melissa Hayden and 
Jacques d’Amboise would stop 
any musical comedy cold 'and be 
tire sensation of Broadway. The 
premiere audience at the Center 
did not fail to perceive and react 
with an enthusiasm reasonably 
commensurate with the magnificent 
fervor of the troupe. This was 
bravo stuff. Land. 


Alaril Quartet 

A new, talented and personable 
string quartet, the Alard Quartet 
made its first public* appearance in 
Town Hall (13). This string en¬ 
semble which won the National 
Federation of Music Clubs Young 
Artists Award is not as yet a per¬ 
fect group but Seymour Wakschal 
and Donald Hokins, violins; Arnold 
Magnes, viola — perhaps the best 
player in the ensemble — and 
George' Sicre, cello, are neverthe¬ 
less technically fine players. With 
more work they should be able to 
rate as a top American string en¬ 
semble comparable with the Ital¬ 
ians In this area. 

Program consisted of Haydn’s 
Quartet in B flat major op. 76 no. 4 
which was perhaps a little dry and 
lacking in ultimate finesse, Bee¬ 
thoven’s quartet no. 10 in E flat 
and the Bartok quartet op. 7 no. 1 
in which the players showed tech¬ 
nical and musical first rate playing 
and'Were able to communicate this 
work, which seemed closest to 
them,/ to the public with excep¬ 
tional style ana clarity. 

Wilmington College ia Ohio, 
where the players have the posi¬ 
tion of Quartet — in — Residence 
gives the opportunity to stay, and 
play, together until all their quali¬ 
ties be fully explored and ex¬ 
ploited. There is more than hope, 
as to a brilliant future for the 
Alard Quartet. Goth . 


Rococo Ensemble 

Rococo Ensemble, which is filling 
a schedule of some 30 concerts in 
the bucolic areas, made its New 
York bow at Carnegie Recital Hall 
Suriday evening (16). Composed of 
Robert Conant, harpsichordist with 
three string-playing accomplices 
(Charles Treger, violinist; Paul 
Doktor, violist, and Michael Kras- 
nopolsky, bull fiddler), the four¬ 
some presents a menu of agreeable, 
unexciting music. 

Doktor Is a standout in this 
troupe. One of the foremost viol¬ 
ists in the world, who has con- 
certized extensively here and 
abroad* he towers over his mates, 
even though he makes efforts to 
adjust his playing to their less 
meager tone and talents. The son 
of the late Karl Doktor of the old 
Busch Quartet, he carries on in 
tho finest traditions of music-mak¬ 
ing. One suspects the Rococo En¬ 
semble is tailored to his ideas, and 
it affords more opportunities for 


By. ELMER WIENER 

A serious musician who is also' 
very much of a hustling business¬ 
man on the side is Alexander 
(Sascha) Schneider, who is pres¬ 
ently earning his cakes as a mem¬ 
ber of the Budapest Quartet. As 
an organizer and booker of musi¬ 
cal attractions, ranging from solo 
performances up to international 
festivals, this is Schneider’s rec- 
ord: 

He came to the states as a mem¬ 
ber of the Budapesters, with whom 
he remained for 12 years (1932- 
44). He quit the Quartet to create 
the Albeneri Trio with the late 
Erich Itor Kahn, pianist, and Benar 
.Heifetz, ’cellist. The idea was 
Schneider’s and he also did the 
agenting of engagements, as he felt 
commercial concert managers could 
not properly sell such an ensemble. 
Concurrently, he also formed a 
team with Ralph Kirkpatrick, harp- 
sichordist, and the two toured to- 
gether, also on dates arranged by 
Schneider. 


Three years later, he quit th# 
Albereris to. form a new ensemble, 
yclept the New York Quartet, 
which included Mieczsylaw Hors- 
zowski, pianist; Milton Katims. vio¬ 
linist, and Frank Miller, ’cellist, in 
addition 4o himself. This foursome 
recorded for Mercury and later for 
Columbia, on pacts negotiated by 
Schneider, and toured the Schnei¬ 
der route. 


i Katims and Miller became more 
[interested in conducting than in 
playing, and when the former went 
to Seattle and the latter to Florida, 
the New York Quartet broke up. 
But Schneider had more ideas. He 
formed a string quartet to record 
all of the 83 (count ’em) quartets 
by Pupa Haydn, Despite occa¬ 
sional changes among his confed¬ 
erates, Schneider waxed some 50 
of the 83 before the Haydn Society 
recording firm folded. He ho* s 
to do the rest of them when 
company is re-actfvated with, a 
fresh bankroll. 

In “spare moments” over the 
years, Schneider has been active 
as a solo player and even an or¬ 
chestra leader. As a violinist, 
Schneider performed (and record¬ 
ed) all six of Bach’s solo suites. 
Generally he did them in two eve¬ 
nings, but on one occasion — in 
Toronto — he did all six in one 
night, a herculean task that would 
dent the stamina of a physical 
giant. * 

Most important, perhaps, of all 
of Schneider’s activities as an im¬ 
presario was his leadership in the 
annual Casals festival at Prades, 
France, which resulted from Casals’ 
refusing to play in countries which 
had diplomatic relations with 
Franco. Schneider in 1950 sold 
the idea to Casals and then set 
about assembling a gargantuan cast 
of international celebrities who 
made front-page news and got full- 
scale treatment in Life and other 
mass-circulation mags. A logical 
sequel is the forthcoming/ Casals' 
festival in Puerto Rico next spring, 
with Schneider very much in this 
picture,, too. On the future agenda 
are releases by Columbia Records 
of six Mozart piano concertl with 
Rudolf Serkln on the keyboard 
and with Schneider leading a hand¬ 
picked group of crack 802-ers. 

While Schneider was booking his 
succession of ensembles, letters 
went out over the sig of “Patricia 
Taylor.” This was the nomme-de- 
entrepeneur artificially formed, the 
Patricia being a variation on Kirk¬ 
patrick and the Taylor an Angli¬ 
cized version of Schneider’s own 
name. At least five or six distaffers 
operated as Schneider's puppet 
from his New York apartment, all 
date-digging under the Patricia 
Taylor, moniker. 

Monday night (24) at Carnegie 
Hall, Schneider was the generalis¬ 
simo of his second Christmas Eve 
midnight concert (all seats 50c). 
In the midst of all this, Schneider 
is occupied, rehearsing arid play - 
ing about 120 concerts a year with 
the Budapest Quartet, which he 
rejoined two years ago. ^ 


gements than would be ac- 
:d a solo violist of his impies- 
stature. For colleges, music 
: and the like, this isa unique 
ction, providing offbeat P 1 ° 

, done with taste and integnty. 



























Wednesday, December 26, 1956, 


* USa&iEfr 


LITERATI 


53 


Literati 


Masons’ ’Cats’ 

“Favorite Cat Stories of Pamela 
and James Mason” (Meaner; $5), 
illustrated by Gladys Emerson 
Cook, is an anthology of feline 
tales, obviously published to at¬ 
tract fans ofv cats and, theatre at 
yuletide. Book has a brief intro 
by the Masons, and contains 10 
well-chosen yarns, including one 
of the most anthologized of all 
tabby stories, Carl Van Vechten’s 
“Feathers” (1932). 

Also represented are Donald and 
Peggy Wood, Sophie Kerr and 
Mazo de la Roche. Down. 

FTC Vs. Pageant Press 

Pageant Press, one of the so- 
called “vanity” publishers in New 
York, has come under fire of the 
Federal Trade Commission for al¬ 
legedly misrepresenting iter serv¬ 
ices for authors who contract to 
get their books published by the 
company. FTC charged the firm 
advertised itself as recommended 
by a non-existent outfit, National 
Writers Society, as well as editors, 
authors and literary agents. 

Seth Richard, head of Pageant 
Press, said the FTC action was 
based on a two-year-old circular 
which he cut out when he took 
over the firm in 1954. 

The Journalistic Touch 

Tex (& Jinx) McCrary, whose 
public relations firm includes the 
N. Y. Herald Tribune as one of its 
clients, gave the Santa Claus greet¬ 
ings bit an intimate journalistic 
touch by photostating P. 1 of the 
paper to coincide with the date of 
the recipient’s birth. 

McCrary thus “datelines” the 
birthdate and year (presumably 
from Who’s Who and other 
sources) and, under the caption, 
“This Is Where You Came In,” the 
P. 1 of the old Trib coincides with 
the greeting, “On the day you were 
born, this is how the world looked 
. . .” Bill Safire, of McCrary’s of¬ 
fice, sparked the stunt. 

Admen-Authors 

Good Housekeeping mag last 
week distributed a total pf $5,000 
in prize money to winners in its 
short story contest for persons 
regularly employed in ad agencies. 
First prize of $2,'500 went to Jack 
Dillon, of Fuller, Smith & Ross. 

Runnerup was Stephen Birming¬ 
ham, of Doherty, Clifford, Steers 
& Shenfield, who copped $1,500. 
Third prize of $1,000 was awarded 
to Jane Trahey, of 425 Advertising 
Associates. 


New ’Jazz World’ 

Jazz World, new 50c monthly 
mag, has just hit the stands. Mag 
is directing as much of its appeal 
to the non-connoisseur as it is to 
the aficianado, being the first of 
the jazz mags to carry fiction on 
a regular basis. 

Publisher Chet Whltehorn states 
that the second edition, skedded 
for March, will be the “First An¬ 
nual Jazz Photo Issue.” 


taken to get “intention” to count 
In this issue. It contains a list of 
banned books and summarizes the 
laws against obscenity in other 
lands. Practically every author of 
note seems to have run into this 
law at some time, but the new ones 
keep trying to get by on literary 
merit. 

Judge Botein's novel is a thinly 
disguised version of a baddie and 
hangman’s friend. Called Edgar 
Bailey, he is utterly unscrupulous. 
The Judge was once an assistant 
D.A. and certainly knows what 
power and .publicity-hungry prose¬ 
cutors can do to louse up justice. 


Move,in re: Crowell-Collier 
Job hunting by 2,400 displaced 
staffers of Crowell-Collier Publish¬ 
ing still goes on.' And at the same 
time, the Federal government has 
begun an investigation into a 
$4,000,000 security transaction 

____ _ __ made by the company, which near- 

Weil written, it’s a -serious social ily .two .weeks ago suspended opera- 

j_i-___J_1 H-irwn #vP Wnmon’e 


document as well as a' good novel. 

Scul. 


TV and Book-Reading 

Television is making Mr. and 
Mrs. Citizen in Edinburgh read 
more informational books. Fiction 
is losing in popularity. Of 5,000,000 
books borrowed from city libraries 
itr one year, only one-third were 
fiction. 

Annual library report says “tele¬ 
vision is having an important in¬ 
fluence. Viewing time is borrowed 
from time formerly employed in 
relaxing, with the ever-popular 
detective, western, or romance, but 
informational programs in wide 
variety prompt readers to follow up 
new interests in their library 
shelves.” 

Filming of a book produces an 
avalanche of requests. The annual 
Edinburgh International Festival 
stimulates an interest in music, 
little-known plays and art. 


UP’s 1956 News Recordings 

“Calvacade of 1956,” a half-hour 
recorded show dramatizing the role 
of reporters getting news, has been 
prepared by United Press for dis¬ 
tribution on a complimentary basis 
to its radio station clients. The 
year-end news show highlights the 
freedom revolt in Hungary invasion 
of Egypt and occupation of the 
Suez by Britain and France, as well 
as other top events of 1956. 

Apart from the show, UP an¬ 
nounced that its correspondent 
Russell Jones, the only U.S. news¬ 
man in Budapest for a month dur¬ 
ing the height of the violence, has 
returned to the U.S. for a rest. 
He was expelled 1 by the Kadar 
government. He was accompanied 
by his wife, Martha, the former 
Baroness Von Sennyey. 


Observations on Clowning 
“Doubting Thomas” by Winston 
Brebner (Rinehart; $3), is a psy¬ 
chological novel about an ad agency 
exec who, pnce each year, dons the 
guise of a clown for a civic holiday. 
Chap eventually merges his identi¬ 
ty with the clown’s, with accom¬ 
panying dim outlook on conformity, 
etc. However primitive the basic 
premise, author makes excellent 
observations on clowning and the 
fine art of putting a clown charac¬ 
ter together. 

Brebner works for a Boston 
public relations firm. 

Rob. 


Lousing Up Justice 

Boys with the brief cases keep 
pulling out publishable scripts. 
Melvin M. Belli has come out with 
“Ready for the Plaintiff”* (Holt), 
Simon & Schuster's imprint is on 
Judge Bernard Botein’s novel, 
“The Prosecutor” and Macmillan 
has just published “Obscenity and 
the Law” by Norman’ St. John- 
Stevas. 

Belli’s bit probably will sell best 
as it deals with personal injury 
cases — everybody from Bonnie 
Buehler, who lost a leg and an arm 
when she tangled with a propeller 
of one of Conrad Hilton r s speed¬ 
boats on Lake Arrowhead and got 
a settlement of $265,000, to Mau¬ 
reen Connelly who got $95,000 for 
a i eg injury that took the champ 
0U i t i 9*. te nnis. It could also be 
called, “You, Too, Can Be Sued— 
Or Sue. Fascinating reading if 
you re judgment-proof. 

St. John-Stevas’ vol deals with 
authors chiefly who got hooked by 
English obscenity laws. It’s a 
scholarly and well-documented 
book and.shows how long it has 


figure for 30 years, driving John 
Galsworthy to leave one exhibit 
“with clenched fists and an angry, 
furious face” and Father Vaughan 
to blast that the statue of “Christ 
wore the appearance of an Asiatic- 
American or Hun-Jew.” The Suss- 
mans replied, “One is thankful 
that God in his mercy does not 
permit our anger to kindle his.” 

Book is full of clinchers. like 
this. Good reading for the Christ¬ 
mas holidays. Scul. 


Canadian Novel's 10G Contest 
Doubleday & Co., Doubleday 
Canada and William Collins’ Sons 
(of England) are offering a $10,000 
prize for a novel by a Canadian or 
by a non-national on an essentially 
Canadian topic. 

Contest closes April, 1958, with 
award winner to come from a 
board of Ralph Allen, editor of 
Macleans mag; John Beecroft, edi¬ 
tor-in-chief, Literary Guild; novel¬ 
ist Thomas B. Costain; George 
Nelson, Doubleday Canada veep, 
and correspondent* Lionel Shapiro. 

Tnt'l Theatre Annual’ 
“International Theatre Annual 
No. 1,” edited by Harold Hobson 
(Citadel; $5), attempts to cover 
world stages for the 1955-56 sea¬ 
son. Various ^writers contribute: 
Arthur Miller, Alan Schneider and 
John Beaufort for USA; Hobson 
and J. C. Trewin, among British 
writers; Dame Sybil Thorndike re¬ 
porting on a tour of the Antipodes; 
Charles Landstone, Israel; H. B. 
Richardson, Canada. Sam Wana- 
maker offers an article on Bert- 
hold Brecht, v 

Hobson nominates 'Samuel 
(“Godot”) Beckett as “dramatist of 
the year,” World premieres and 
theatrical' obits are listed. Book 
contains color frontispiece of 
Olivier ds Macbeth, and numerous 
black-and-white photos. 

In 174 pages, this ambitious 
tome hardly scratches the surface 
of the year’s dramatic activities 
around the world. For example, 
Latin America and the Orient are 
not represented, and many Euro¬ 
pean centers of stage activity are 
overlooked. Rodo . 

Pantheon's ’The Bridge’ 

“The Bridge,” a yearbook of 
Judaeo-Christian studies edited by 
John M. Oesterreicher (Pantheon; 
U3.95), looks headed for success as 
^m annual. This second volume 
continues to pitch for Jews and 
Christians in ah unbreakable fra¬ 
ternity. 

It’s a scholarly anthology but not 
too eggheadish. Neither is it all 
egg and no head. It contains 16 
extremely well written essays deal¬ 
ing with everything from “The Iron 
Curtain Over America” by John 
Beaty to an appraisal.of David Ep¬ 
stein’s autobiog by Cornelia and 
Irving Sussman. Epstein’s sculp¬ 
ture has made him a controversial 


tion of Collier’s and Woman’s 
Home Companion. 

Some 400 to 500 job openings 
were offered to CC ex-editorialists 
during the past week. Additionally, 
Look, which bought up the sub¬ 
scriptions and many of the Collier’s 
features, promised t® interview all 
the employees of the two mags 
regarding new jobs. With the 
deluge of journalistic talent loosed 
upon the town, several CC’ers were 
using Toots Shor’s list week to col¬ 
lar execs re new jobs. 

Securities & Exchange Commis¬ 
sion is o.o.’ing issuance and dis¬ 
tribution of debentures by Crowell- 
Collier which were not registered 
with SEC under “full-disclosure” 
provisions of the law.: Govern¬ 
ment spokesmen said that the in¬ 
vestigation bears no direct connec¬ 
tion with the decision to terminate 
operation of the two publications. 
However, an indirect tie is sus¬ 
pected since the securities were 
sold as part of the publishing 
house’s efforts to solve its financial 
problems in 1955 and 1956. 

SEC said that the debentures, 
changeable into common stock, 
Were allegedly preferred for “pri¬ 
vate” rather than “public” sale 
and hence were not registered un¬ 
der the applicable Federal law. 
Because the selling was done pri¬ 
vately and so many of the deben¬ 
tures were later converted into 
common stock in CC, the question 
arises whether the publisher was 
legally exempt from registering the 
transactions. Capper is that secu¬ 
rities purchasers, when the securi¬ 
ties are offered in violation regis¬ 
tration, are entitled to their money 
back, which would mean an ad¬ 
ditionally heavy burden on- the 
company which lost $7,500,000 this 
year. 

Another 'Matador’ Book 

“My Life as a Matador” by 
Carlos Arruza (Houghton, Mifflin; 
$4.50), is the autobiog of one of 
Mexico’s greatest bullfighters, who 
may emerge from his 3-year re¬ 
tirement to enact this story for 
Budd Boettieher, Hollywood direc¬ 
tor and former, matador, who plans 
to film the book. Arruza received 
an assist from Barnaby Conrad in 
preparing his memoirs. Conrad, 
also onetime bullfighter, now a San 
Francisco restaurateur and man of 
letters, translated Arruza’s work 
and helped provide the book’s ex¬ 
cellent illustrations. Conrad states 
in a preface that Arruza took a 
year, writing longhand, to complete 
his recollections. American dis¬ 
claims attempt to* force tome into 
the “as told to” category. It would 
seem he has been successful. 
Matador writes with simplicity; 
sometimes with naivete; but his 
descriptions of . bullring action 
obviously belong to a master of the 
blood-and-sand circuit. Rodo. 


Edward Goodman's 'Make Believe’ 
“Make Believe” by Edward Good¬ 
man (Scribners; $4.50), is an aca¬ 
demic dissertation on “the art of 
acting” by an author who formerly 
directed-the Washington Sq. Play¬ 
ers, and who, for many years, was 
instructor at the American Acade¬ 
my of Dramatic Arts. Book x ac¬ 
knowledges. debt to the late Charles 
Jehlinger, more than 60 years lead¬ 
ing instructor at the Academy. 
Text purports to contain many of 


Ex-'Variety' Correspondent 

Col. Barney Oldfield 

having just hatched a book hai 
his own Ideas on 
* * * 

Author 9 Anyone? 

another editorial feature In 
the upcoming 

51 st Anniversary Number 

of J' 

USXSIETY 


Jehlinger’s basic theories, which 
the master’s colleagues and pupils 
had long urged him to put into 
book form. 

Since there is room for an 
authoritative* tome on formalized 
methods of acting, in an era when 
ad lib practices have grown in¬ 
creasingly popular, it is a pity that 
Goodman’s book is a bit stiff and' 
prosaic. It had been rumored that 
this volume would blast the Actors’ 
Studio and its teachings. On the 
contrary, it salutes the Studio as 
a “substitute for a permanent com¬ 
pany” providing “its members con¬ 
tinuity of association and practice.” 
Kazan-actor Lee J. Cobb, is praised, 
via an Arthur Miller quote, for his 
Willy Loman in “Death of a Sales¬ 
man.” While Goodman hits at 
actors’^ inaudibility and lack of 
proper 4 stage deportment and dis¬ 
cipline, he seems disturbed by 
really only one example of “free” 
stagecraft—the sight of a player 
slamming through one of the in¬ 
visible doors in “Cat on a Hot Tin 
Roof.” 

Goodman devotes considerable 
space to one of his own former 
pupils, Katharine Cornell; and 
there are several photos of the 
actress in the book. Other Academy 
grads are roundly praised. 

Down. 


Scully's Dual Honors 

Frank Scully, Variety scrap- 
booker, received two honors last 
week. First he was tapped for 
Who’s Who and then he was 
knighted by the Pope as a special 
Christmas present. He received 
word through Bishop Charles 
Buddy of San Diego that His Holi¬ 
ness had elevated the author to the 
Order of St. Gregory, an honor 
reserved for civilians and the mil¬ 
itary who show signal or unsual 
Catholic action in their daily lives. 

Scully, once head of the Catholic 
Interracial Council in L.A., also 
authored “Blessed Mother Goose,” 
which was received in 1952 into the 
Vatican library with a special letter 
of praise. His “Cross My Heart,” 
published last year, is thought to 
have had something to do with his 
being singled out for papal knight¬ 
hood. 

That bus driver on New York’s 
Madison Ave. who carries one of 
Scully’s Scrapbook cols next to his 
dogtag should be especially pleased 
with this clip to add to his collec¬ 
tion. 


Nash’s Greeting Cards 
The humorous verse of Ogden 
Nash will appear on Christmas 
Hallmark Cards next year, marking 
Nash’s entry to the greeting card 
field. Plans also call for his work 
to appear on other than Christmas 
cards at a later date. 

Nash has been a regular contri¬ 
butor of humorous verse to na¬ 
tional mags since 1930 and is the 
author of 12 books that have sold 
more than 1,000,000 copies. 


Boston Post Reorg? 

Reorganization for the suspend¬ 
ed Boston Post is being talked of 
as mystery still surrounds the pur¬ 
chase of 15 of the Post’s presses at 
auction Dec. 11. James F. Ryan, 
the sotto voce New York industrial 
consultant, issued a statement 
through a law firm Dec. 17 that it 
is important that New England 
have a Democratic morning news¬ 
paper. At the time he bought the 
presses and other equipment for 
$310,000, he declined to reveal 
whether he was acting for himself 
or a client. A reorganization plan 
for the defunct Post is to be sub¬ 
mitted to the Federal court in Bos¬ 
ton before Jan. 15, he said. 

A full statement concerning the 
groups supporting the plan will be 
made if the court accepts the plan, 
Ryan, who gave Ryan Associated 
as his firm, declared. In the mean¬ 
time, rumors were rife that John 
Fox, ex-publisher of the Post, had 
turned the neatest trick of the 
year by buying back his yacht, 
“Ballerina,” through an agent fit 
the recent auction in Federal 
court, Boston, where an attorney 
bought the 100-foot luxury irraft 
for $22,000, declining to reveal his- 
client. * 


Harvard’s Aga Khan Chair 
Harvard University has estab¬ 
lished the Aga Khan professorship 
of Iranian^, a new post made pos¬ 
sible through endowment by the 
Aga Khan. The chair, devoted to 
the history and civilization of Iran, 
will have as its object “the preserv¬ 
ing and transmitting to future gen¬ 
erations of knowledge of the rich 
heritage of the Iranian past.” 

At the same time, Sadruddin Aga 
Khan, his son, a graduate student 
at Harvard, established Ism^ili 
Community fellowships for stu¬ 
dents pursuing Middle Eastern 
studies at Harvard, for which mem¬ 
bers of the Ismaili community—of 
which* the Aga Khan is religious 
leader—will be given preference. 

The new Aga Khan professorship 
is the first established at Harvard, 


from abroad since 1819. Benjamin 
Thompson, the Massachusetts-born 
Count Rumford of Great Britain, 
created the Rumford professorship 
of physics in that year. Harvard’s 
President Nathan M. Pusey said 
the sentiment of the Aga Khan and 
his son in fostering “the growth of 
understanding between the East 
and the West is one we all deeply 
share. 


CHATTER" 

Milton Krims to Austria to in¬ 
terview Hungarian, refugees for 
Air Force Magazine. 

Isabel Moore, editor of Macfad- 
den Publications’ Photoplay mag, 
resigning as of Jan. 1 to return to 
freelance writing. No successor 
has been named as yet. 

Philip Wittenberg, better known 
in show biz as an expert on copy¬ 
right law, is rushing to meet a 
deadline for a book on Corliss La- 
mont, for Horizon Press. It will 
be in the nature of a documentary 
history. 

Dan Wallace, director of Ottawa 
Press Club and former secretary 
and producer with the National 
Film Board, appointed executive 
secretary to Rt. Hon. Louis St. 
Laurent, Prime * Minister of Can¬ 
ada. Wallace was latterly chief 
secretary of the Federal. Depart¬ 
ment of National Defense. 


Don Mankiewicz 

— Continued from page 2 j . 

any new scripts. He knows that if 
tomorrow is his deadline, he must 
have a script, any script. 

A Matter of Economics 

“The professional writers doing 
short stories sooner or later are 
going to turn to television—in fact, 
many of them have already. It’s 
simply a matter of economics for 
them. They can’t make a living 
out of the magazine field because 
the market is disappearing and 
they can’t place as much as they 
used to. And television needs 
"them desperately, and as time goes 
on will need them even more, and 
will pay the kind of prices that 
makes a changeover attractive. 

“Of course, most of these people 
are "hacks—and I don’t mean that 
in any derogatory sense. They are 
professional craftsmen who can 
turn out pleasant and acceptable 
work. Not especially distinguished, 
but how many plays are there of 
the past 20 years that are distin¬ 
guished? In fact, it’s the undis¬ 
tinguished from which the distin¬ 
guished is distinguished. 

“It won’t be difficult for these 
professionals to learn how to write 
for television, provided they’ve got 
the ability to tell a story dramati¬ 
cally. There are plenty of books 
on the subject, and, in fact, writing 
for television is an easier form 
than short story writing itself.” 

Long-Distance Scripting 

Mankiewicz is currently writing 
(with Larry Marcus) the “On 
Trial” series for the Collier Young- 
Joseph Gotten Fordyce Productions, 
and he’s one of the few (possibly 
the only) writer of a series who’s 
doing his scripts 3,000 miles from 
the scene of production. He lives 
in N.Y. and doesn’t visit the Coast 
except for a summer screenwrit¬ 
ing stint at Metro. Otherwise he 
mails his scripts and conducts all 
script conferences by mail. 

“Saves a lot of fruitless argu¬ 
ment,” he observes of the method. 
“If I were out there today, I’d 
probably be. spending the entire 
day iq s a; frantic discussion. This 
way I can do my writing and make 
whatever changes are necessary by 
mall. Anyway, we haven’t had any 
trouble yet.” . . 

He does defend the desire of 
screenwriters to have a more ac¬ 
tive role in production, however. 
The difference is a matter of time 
—with the time and budgets in¬ 
volved in a screenplay, the direc¬ 
tor can'easily change a scene or 
sequence he doesn’t feet plays 
right, and the writer ought to be 
on hand to defend his work. In 
television, however, the pressures 
of time and budgets are such that 
the director pretty much has to 
stick to what the writer has given 
him. 

Mankiewicz’s deal “On Trial” is 
an unusual one, as Well. The prop¬ 
erty belongs to Landmark Enter¬ 
prises, a company set up by him¬ 
self, Marcus and some other peo¬ 
ple. They created and copywrited 
the idea, and then leased the prop¬ 
erty to Fordyce. Any production 
profits belong to Fordyce, but the 
Landmark owners get a royalty 
.from Fordyce. The deal also spe¬ 
cifies that Mankiewicz and Marcus 
must be hired to write all the 
scripts for the series. 


54 


CHATTER 



Robert S. Benjamin, United Art¬ 
ists board chairman, back .after a 
week west. 

Minette and Jerry Pickman be¬ 
came parents of a girl, bom Sun¬ 
day (23) at Rockway* Beach Hos¬ 
pital, * 

French songsmith Michel Emer 
rushed back to Paris on two film 
assignments after quickieing here 
to huddle with Edith Piaf for whom 
he is a prolific contributor to her 
song repertoire. 

While Betty (Mrs. Marc) Spiegel 
Is visiting her family in Ohio for 
Xmas, the Continental rep for the 
MPAA is on a quickie to Acapulco, 
thence back here this weekend 
before heading for the Coast. 

Russell V. Downing, president of 
Radio City Music Hall, and Rube 
Jackter, Columbia Pictures' assist¬ 
ant general sales manager, head 
the film industry’s participation in 
the Boy Scouts’ annual drive, 

Ethel Gilbert, prima at Bill’s Gay 
90s, flew to San Diego to spend 
Xmas with her son, Dennis Marks, 
Lt. (jg) in the Navy, who expects 
to be through with the service in 
June. Miss Gilbert continued her 
art studies in Paris all last summer 
and expects to have a one-woman 
show this spring keyed to her world 
travels. 

Jack Forrester, w.k. in show biz 
(former dancing juvenile with 
Mistinguett, et al„ but latterly 
an industrialist, headquartered in 
Paris), due in this weekend en 
route to Hollywood for Tex Feld¬ 
man’s New Year’s eve party at 
Romanoff’s. Frank Ryan, head of 
World Commerce, of which For¬ 
rester is the Paris head, accomps 
him. 

George Freedley, curator of the 
Theatre Collection of the N. Y. 
Public Library, president of the 
Theatre Library Assn, and secre¬ 
tary of the N. Y. Drama Critics 
Circle, flies to Chicago Thursday 
to receive the first annual award 
for “considerable contribution to 
the Educational Theatre” from 
Theta Alpha Phi, the national 
honorary dramatic fraternity, at 
the luncheon of the American 
Educational Theatre Assn, on Fri¬ 
day (28). 


Fairbanks, Alaska 

By Ricardo Brown 

The Top Hat Club now features 
two specialties, homemade bread 
and dancer Lee Ankerette, “The 
Girl With the Green Hair.” 

Songstress Beverly Knox goes 
Stateside after six months of spot¬ 
light in Alaska. She worked the 
Diamond Horseshoe and Flame 
Lounge here. 

Don Bullock (KFAR-TV news 
editor) doubled in* brass at Santa 
but was identified by small fry as 
TV’s Deputy Dan, his usual role 
for kiddies outside Christmas sea¬ 
son. 

City police will wink at 1 a.m. 
curfew for city night spots New 
Year’s Eve. Later closing—3 or 4 
a.m.—gjves city fleshspots a chance 
to compete for GI dollar with all- 
night honking outside city limits. 

Night spot owners complained 
that mid-December’s 40-below- 
zero weather puts the skids on 
business. Yet two new clubs 
opened, the Shangri-La and 
Rinkel’s Roost, both on Cushman 
St.*.the main stem. 

Plush Idle Hour Country Club 
at Lake Spenard near Anchorage 
destroyed by fire. Owners Mr. and 
Mrs. W. F. Fultz estimated loss at 
$170,000. Mandrake the Magician 
was treated for burns after ‘ at¬ 
tempt to save his magic tools. 

Bob Hope brought Christmas 
cheer to the military in Alaska, 
trouping at Air Force bases near 
Fairbanks and Anchorage. Ginger 
Rogers, baseball’s triple crown 
king Mickey Mantle, Vocalist 
Peggy King, Jerry Colonna and 
Les Brown’s orch glittered through 
the ice fog. 

Elvis Presley caused small stam¬ 
pede at Point Barrow on the Arc¬ 
tic Ocean—farthest north com¬ 
munity on the continent. Rumor 
reached there that he was appear¬ 
ing iq person in Fairbanks and 
Eskimo girls rushed Wien Alaska 
Airline office for plane tickets. 
Airline offifcials, spiked the rumor 
and girls trudged home. Presley’s 
“Love Me Tender” (20th) broke all 
midweek attendance records at 
New Empress despite lack of Point 
Barrow fans. 

Another culture club has been 
added to Fairbanks-^-the Farthest 
North Art Guild Inc. It’s an off¬ 
shoot of the original Art Guild 
here which split when the presi¬ 
dent was punched in the nose in 
argument over classification of art 
work. Mrs. Patricja Kniffen 

claimed her pastel was a “paint¬ 

ing.” (It was a pastel.) Her hus¬ 
band punched the club president 

In the nose and the Kniffens 

branched out and incorported the 
old name. The original group 
rallied to call themselves the 


Fairbanks Gallery Group and pre¬ 
sented the city’s first Beaux Arts 
Ball. Mrs. Kniffen was not in¬ 
vited. 


Paris. 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 Rue Huchette; Odeon 4944) 

“War and Peace” (Par) opening 
in two smaller Champs-Elysees 
houses to big biz at raised entrance 
fees. 

Now Jules Dassln is announcing 
he will do a film version of DOs- 
toievski’s “Brothers Karamozov” 
with Brigitte Bardot. 

This season’s receipts (1956) of 
the State subsidized legit houses 
of th£ Comedie-Francaise (2) went 
up 30% over last year’s take. 

Jean Marais to star in a Gallic 
legit version at the Sarah Bern-, 
fiardt Theatre of G. B. Shaw’s 
“Caesar and Cleopatra” next 
month. 

Mel Ferrer due back to direct an 
American pic here. To be produced 
by Edwin Knopf, “Black Virgin of 
Qolden Mountain” will be an indie 
venture. 

Louis Delluc prize, handed out 
by critics, for the most unusual pic 
of the year, wept to a 30-minute 
short, “The Red Ballon,” of Albert 
Lamorisse. 

Rene Clement to Siam where he 
will make “The Sea Wall” for Dino 
De Laurentiis, with Sylvana Man-' 
gano, Anthony Perkins, Peter Law- 
ford and Jo Van Fleet. 

Yves Montand leaves for Russia 
on * his singing tour with wife 
Simone Signoret. His decision to 
go led to unpopularity here, and a 
bon voyage radio recital was aban¬ 
doned. 

Gas shortage leading to gags 
here with comic Fernand Raynaud 
going around town on roller skates, 
and Jacques Tati, who donated his 
breakaway bicycle of “Jour de 
Fete” pic to the Peugot museum 
and got a car in return, wrote to 
the museum to return his bike. 

Marcel Pagnol will make a series 
of films with the Comedie-Fran¬ 
caise in which most *of the C-F 
classical rep will be canned. To 
be done in entirety with C-F actors, 
they will be made in color with 
costs shared by C-F and Pagnol’s 
pic company, Societe Nouvelles 
Mediterannee. To be made prima¬ 
rily for schools, some will also be 
distributed commercially. Pagnol 
will adapt and direct. 


Miami Beach 

By Lary Solloway 

(Union 5-5389 ) 

Nat Hiken arrived at the Roney 
Plaza for Xmas-New Years’ vacash. 

Irving Berlin spending time in 
the sun here and in Palm Beach. 

Lucerne Hotel installing a Latin 
revue imported by booker Selma 
Marlowe Harris from Havana, for 
mid-January. 

Chico Marx opened at Coconut 
Grove Playhouse Monday (24) for 
two-week run in “Fifth Season.” 
Victor Borge follows. 

Roberta Sherwood home for the 
holidays with husband Don Lan- 
ning and three sons. She’ll head 
back to the cafe circuit post-New 
Years via Chi’s Chez Paree. 

. Lou Irwin at the Fontainebleau 
for next four weeks what with 
.clients Peter Lind Hayes and Mary 
Healy current in the La Ronde, and 
the Ritz Bros due in Jan. 15. 

The Monte Carlo back to former 
owner Moe Browarnik (free Of 
agent Buddy Allen) and reinstal¬ 
ling shows in the Roulette Room 
with Betty and Jane Kean featured. 

ASCAPers in tQwn: Abner Silver 
at the DiLido for the holidays; Pat 
Ballard and his wife in art apart¬ 
ment for* the winter; Benny Davis, 
who reopened his Pinetree Drive 
manse (he’s overseeing the Cotton 
Club production for which he 
wrote the score). 



By Jerry Gaghan 

Eight soloists of Royal Dutch 
Ballet will perform at Robin Hood 
Dell this summer. 

Carmen Amaya and her company 
of dancers, vocalists and musicians 
set for the Apademy of Music 
Jan. 7. 

Jack Benny will be violin soloist 
with the Philadelphia Orch, Jan. 
17, in special benefit for the Israel 
Philharmonic. 

Pianist Rudolph Serkin took up 
winter residence here^as result of 
his association with the Curtis In¬ 
stitute of Music. 

Izzy Bushkoff sold his N s ew Town 
Tavern, Delair, New Jersfey, to a 
quartet of new operators, includ¬ 
ing Nick Petite, the original owner. 

The Chico Hamilton Quintet off 
to the Coast; will be featured in 
Hecht-Lancaster production, 
“Sweet Smell of Success.” Group’s 
cellist Fred Katz is writirifc pic’s 
score. 


PftfstETr t 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


London 

(Temple Bar 5041/9952) 

Milo Sabo prepping a screen ver¬ 
sion of Turgenev’s “Torrents of 
Spring.” 

Kenneth More signed for a 
sevenpicture deal by the Rank Or¬ 
ganization over the next five years. 

Kenneth Winckles presided at 
first of series of reunions for mem¬ 
bers of CMA’s 25-year-old club. 

Elleston Trevor has just com¬ 
pleted his first play “’fhe Laby¬ 
rinth,” which Eric Glass is agent¬ 
ing. 

David Kingsley, managing direc¬ 
tor of the National Film Finance 
Corp., to be interviewed on air by 
Lindsay Anderson. 

Tyrone Power, who starred last 
weekend with Mai Zetterling in a 
BBC-TV production of “Miss Ju¬ 
lie,” is to do a BBC disk program 
next week. 

Jack Hylton to do a televersion 
of the George Posford-Bemard 
Grun musical, “Balalaika,” and 
will follow with a production of 
“Good Night, Vienna.” 

Bill Batchelor took over the pub¬ 
licity assignment for Otto Pre¬ 
minger’s “Saint Joan,” which was 
relinquished last week by the Les¬ 
lie Frewin Organization. 

John Woolf, the Romulus top¬ 
per, is spending Christmas on- the 
Atlantic. He sailed for N.Y. on the 
Independence, and goes on to the 
Coast for a threeweek stay. 

Peter Ustinov temporarily out 
of the cast of “Romanoff and Ju¬ 
liet” because of a back injury. On 
the first night he was out of the 
show, the Queen saw his under¬ 
study, David Hurst, in the star 
role. 


Berlin 

By Hans Hoehn 
(760264) 

Renaissance Theatre’s director, 
Kurt Raeck, celebrating 10th anni 
at this house. 

Within a few months, Jerboa 
(British soldier cinema in town) is 
showing “Rock Around Clock” 
(Col) for third time. 

Paul Hindemith will conduct his 
own oratorio, “Das Unaufhoerli- 
che” (The' Incessant), at High 
School of Music Jan. 3. 

• Several top film companies here 
have decided' not to send Xmas 
cards this year and to turn over 
the coin saved to the Hungarian 
Aid Program. 

“It’s Never Too Late” is next for 
Komoedie am Kurfuerstendamm. 
Comedy by Felicity Douglas has 
been given the German title “Die 
Liebe Familie” (Dear Family). 

Following feature pix have been 
declared valuable by the West Ger¬ 
man classification board: “Crime 
In the Street” (AA), “Prize of the 
Nations” (German) and “Richard 
III” (London). 

Freddy (Quinn), top singing star 
of Polydor Records, whose “Heim- 
weh” (“Memories Are Made Of 
This”) platter toppSd'the 1,000,000 
mark will have lead in forthcoming 
musical made by Melodie Film. 

Dr. Alfred Bauer, head of the 
annual Berlin Film Festival, 
planed to Mexico upon invitation 
of the Mexican film producers and 
distributors to take part in festivi¬ 
ties on the occasion of the 25th 
anni of Mexican talking pix. 


By Jay Mallin 

“Roomful of Roses” at Hubert de 
Blanck salon. 

Chela Castro In “Seven Year 
Itch” at Marti Theatre. 

Censorship clamped on radio 
during recent uprising. 

Waiters' union protesting con¬ 
tinued closure of Montmartre. 

Herb Copelan to install Cine¬ 
rama in Radiocentro early next 
year. 

Habanero, New Yorker-style 
English mag, to begin publication 
here soon. 


Mexico City 

By Pete Mayer 
(Tel: 189000, Tlalpan- 264) 

Andy Russell got a Uruguayan 
video-nitery offer of $4,000 weekly. 

Ramon Navarro to produce his 
first film at Tepeyac Studios in 
January. 

Local legit actors getting a mini¬ 
mum pay raise to $4.80 per per¬ 
formance. 

Film star Jorge Nistral returning 
here from Spain for only one pic 
next year. 

Jack Dietz and Frank Melford’s 
“Black Scorpion” shooting at T v e- 
peyac Studios. 

George Brent in to film 16 tv 
shows with producer-director Is¬ 
mael Rodriguez. 

Xavier Rojas prepping a per¬ 
formance of “Maya,” with Maria 
Douglas starring. 

Ynvg Sumac to make a film here 
while appearing at swank Ver¬ 
sailles nitery. 

Dolores del Rio fiestaing cast 


and . crew of her recently, com¬ 
pleted “Middle Tone.” 

Bandleader-pianist Juan Garcia 
Esquivel making pic debut in 
“Crazy for Rock 'n’ Roll.” 

[ Local students petioning Mexi¬ 
can Producers Assn, prexy Mario 
Zacarias for a filmed biog of top 
Mex musician Julian Carillo. 

Miguel Aceves Mejia setting up 
his own producing outfit. Star 
plans five features next year, 

RKO’s local chief Michael Havas, 
after four years here, leaving this 
week for new Disney post in Paris. 

Ray Milland, Debra Paget and 
Anthony Quinn here to appear in 
the Dancigers-Bogeahs coproduc¬ 
tion, “Conquest.” 

Julian Soler directing his two 
older brothers, Fernando and Do¬ 
mingo, in “When Mexico Sings” at 
Cliurubusco Studios. 


Rome 

Cubby Broccoli and Mrs. in for 
visit. 

Pat De Cicco here before mak¬ 
ing for a vacation in Sorrento. 

May Britt, Swedish star who 
clicked in Italian films, signed 
long-termer with 20th-Fox. 

,Pearl Primus dancing troupe, 
here since outbreak of Midd.? East 
hostilities, about to leave for 
Rome. 

Bruce Cabot signed by Joe Man- 
kiewicz for first Americn film 
since coming to Rome. He will 
appear in “The Quiet American,” 
which begins in Saigon before 
moving here. 

Anna Magnani and Silvana Man- 
gano featured at annual Christmas 
Ball of Overseas School of Rome 
at Grand Hotel Dec. 15. Funds are 
used for the American school, larg¬ 
est of its kind here. 

John Wayne and Jim Henaghan 
in confab about first shooting of 
“Legend of the Lost” in Tripoli 
Jan. 2 with Henry Hathaway. So¬ 
phia Loren and Rossano Brazzi 
will be ready on date set. 


Ireland 

By Maxwell Sweeney 

(22 Farney Pk . Dublin 684506) 

Par has trimmed its office force 
in Dublin. 

Warbler Jackie Lee in from Lon¬ 
don for charity show. 

Leo Donnelly named manager 
for Radio Eireann Symphony Orch. 

“Cell 2425” (Col) okayed for 
showing by censor after severe 
scissoring. 

Michael Craig and Barbara Bates 
planed in for Variety Tent 41 Ball 
at Metropole, Dublin. 

University authorities nixed 
playwright Brendan Behan, who 
authored “The Square Fella,” as 
chairman for Gaelic Society de¬ 
bate. 

Two Irish plays, J. M. Synge’s 
“Playboy of Western World” and 
Michael MacLiammoir’s “Where 
Stars Walk,” skedded for Pitlochry 
(Scot) Festival next April. 


Cleveland 

By Glenn C. Pullen 

Blackburn Twins playing one- 
weeker at A1 and Jack Naiman’s 
Zephyr Room. 

Judith Anderson in “Chalk Gar¬ 
den” reopened the dark Hanna on 
Christmas Eve. 

Joey Adams as guest-star made 
eighth anni party of local Jewish 
Community Centers a sock sellout. 

Bandmaster Henry George of 
Cabin Club, who manages Jackie 
Jocko, got nitery singer a Vik Rec¬ 
ords contract. 

Frank S. Stevens, actor at Cleve¬ 
land Play House, and bride, the 
former Margaret Wheeler, assist¬ 
ant treasurer at theatre, back from 
honeymoon. 

Bill Randle, of Station WERE, 
built a seven-hour radio show 
around Erroll Garner in person 
and his disk hits during pianist’s 
Cotton Club visit. Dee jay donated 
tapes of program to Congressional 
Library, Voice of America and 
Armed Forces of Radio Service. 


Scotland 

By Gordon Irving 

(Glasgow: Kelvin 1590) 
•Johnny Victory heading Christ¬ 
mas show at Palladium, Edinburgh. 

Henry Gray named as new an¬ 
nouncer on Scot BBC. 

“Guys and Dolls” skedded for 
Scotland early ih 1957. 

Dickie Hurran, ace London meg¬ 
ger, to Glasgow to o.o. top panto¬ 
mime openings. 

Hymie Zahl, English tenper- 
center, moving around Scot Christ¬ 
mas preems before planing to 
Paris for more show biz. . 

Jimmy Logan and two juve play¬ 
ers, Gillian Barber and Leslie Rob¬ 
ertson, big click in “Babes in 
Wood” at Alhambra, Glasgow. 

“King and I” (20th) returning to 
Glasgow for Christmas run at Re¬ 
gent. Pic broke records on nine- 
week stint recently at La Scala. 


Hollywood 

Dorothy Kirsten in'from N.Y. 
Jack L. Warner back from N.Y. 
Lillian Roth bought a home in 
Palm Springs. 

Patricia Medina planed to Europe 
for a month. , 


F. Hugh Herbert.and Mark Rob- 
son arrived from London. 

Ann Kramer re-injured her ailini 
back in a tumble at home. * « 
Norbert E, Auerbach in from 
Paris for sales huddles at Colum¬ 
bia. 


James R, Grainger elected to 
directorate of King Bros. Produc¬ 
tions. 


John Ford returned from Hawaii 
where he made service film for 
U.S. Navy. 

Helen Ferguson hobbling around 
on crutches after tearing a nerve 
in her ankle. 

• Seymour Poe here for week of 
confabs with Bel-Air execs and 
Edward Small. 


associate producer on the Friedkin 
and Fine unit, ankled Metro; he’s 
Dore Schary’s nephew. 

Alex Goudevitch, Fred Howard. 
Jack Moyles and Jim Mars were 
elected to the board of directors 
of the Hollywood AFTRA. 

Vet ASCAPer L. Wolfe Gilbert 
will be honored with a testimonial 
at the Vagabond’s House, Los An¬ 
geles, Jan. 3 to * mark recent pub¬ 
lication of his book, “Without 
Rhyme or Reason.” 


Chicago 


AFM prez James Petrlllo hosted 
annual party for blind musicians 
and families at the Sheraton-Black- 
stone Christmas Day. * 

Dr.Uy News col imnist Tony Weit- 
zg_ taking a holiday hiatus from 
the sheet but remaining in town to 
work his WBBM shows. 

Herman Gittelson and Russ Kirk- 
Patrick, co-owners of the Embers, 
closing a deal to take over Arthur 
M. Wirtz’s shuttered Cameo res¬ 
taurant. 

Chicago's offbeat Gate of Horn, 
which has been drawing overflows 
of the folk music cult on weekends, 
is expanding its floor space, seat¬ 
ing capacity and lounge facilities. 

Harry Holcombe, who left his 
radio director post at Grant Ad¬ 
vertising to resume his acting 
career in New York, back in Chi¬ 
cago in cast of touring “No Time 
for Sergeants” in role played by 
the late Malcolm Beggs. 


Boston 

By Guy Livingston 

Esquires current at Blinstrub's. 

Billy Kelly current at the Brad¬ 
ford Roof. 

Chirp Cathy 'Johnson current at 
the Mayfair. 

Tallulah Bankhead to open in 
“Eugenia,” new legiter at the 
Plymouth. 

Elliot Norton, drama .critic Bos¬ 
ton Daily Record, writing series on 
legit greats daily. 

Teddi King opens at Storyville 
Christmas Eve for a week marking 
first return in two years at the jazz 
spot. 

< WNAC-TV sent three-man team 
to Austria to make film, “Hun¬ 
garian Christmas, 1956,” in coop¬ 
eration with CARE. 

‘ Jan Peerce, Mimi Benzell and 
Luther Adler in for third annual 
Greater Boston Chanukah Festival 
for Israel at Boston Garden Sun¬ 
day (23). 

Music reps, disk singers and 
phonograph ops attended big Xmas v 
party at which new Rock-Ola 200 
juke box unveiled Friday (21) at 
Associated Amusements. 


Pittsburgh 


By Hal V. Cohen 

Meercy Braff, AMPTO secretary, 
to Miami Beach for two weeks. 

Danii and Genii Prior come back 
to the Ankara Jan. 7 with Jackie 
Heller. 

Benny Litman has George Ham¬ 
ilton IV booked for a Copa return 
in June. 

Magico Paddy Beach touring the 
Army “hardship circuit” in France 
for several weeks. 

George Murphy will be principal 
speaker at annual Variety Club 
banquet in February, , 

Stepin Fetchit opened twoweek 
engagement Monday night at 
downtown ASA. Club. 

Patsy Shaw back at Holiday 
House for a fortnight; second 
booking there this year. 

Enright manager Bill Hock s son, 
Lt. Bob Hock, home on leave be¬ 
fore departing for Korea. 

Sally Stfrr Cary, former stage 
and screen actress, plans to come 
back to Pittsburgh to make hei 
home in the spring. 

Four local girls home with Can 
Can” at Nixon are Marion Coben, 
Florence Collins, Nora Ann Reho 
and Judith, Dunford, 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


55 


OBITUARIES 


GEORGE FRANK 
George Frank, veteran theatrical 
agent, died Dec. 20 of a malignancy 
at Motion Picture Country House 
on the Coast. Born-Sofranski, he 
had been in show business for 
nearly 50 of his 60 yfears. 

Frank started his stage career as 
a juggler in vaudeville and later 
became a 'booker for Lof.w’s in 
New York. He came to*Hollywood 
30 years ago as an agent with the 
late Maurice Small and then estab¬ 
lished his own agency in partner¬ 
ship with Scotty Dunlay. Among 
the stars he brought to pictures 
from other fields were Don Ame- 
che, i Clara Bow, James Cagney, 
Carmen Miranda, Peggy Shannon, 
Alan Jenkins, Joan Blondell and 
Lowell Sherman. Recently he 
turned out a series of musical 
shorts in Mexico for television. 
His wife and two sons survive. 


12 years ago. he headed the.South 
End Amusement Co., which oper¬ 
ated several nabes. 

Survived by two brothers and 
two sisters. 


ARTHUR J. SILVERSTONE 

Arthur J. Silverstone, 54, assist¬ 
ant general sales manager for 20th- 
Fox died Dec. 22 in New York 
after a lengthy illness. A veteran 
of 35 years in the film industry, 
he had concentrated on the sales 
end of the business, 

Silverstone had been with United 
Artists in England before he joined 
20th. He served the latter firm in 
England, and had* been managing 
director of sales in Canada, and 
eastern division' sales manager. 

Survived by his wife, daughter, 
a son, four sisters and three 
brothers. 


FREDERICK A. MUSCHENHEIM 

Frederick A. Muschenheim, 85, 
one of the founders r.r.d builders 
of the Hotel Astor In New York 
(now the Sheraton-Astor), died 
Dec. 18 in Hampton Bays, L. I. He 
was associated with the Astor for 
50 years from the date of its open¬ 
ing in 1904. 

On the death of his 'brother, Wil¬ 
liam, in 1918, Muschenheim as¬ 
sumed full direction of the hotel, 
which was leased from the Astor 
family. He relinquished some of 
his managerial duties in the late 
1930s, when a corporation "was 
formed for the hotel, but he was 
president of the company until 
1944 and chairman until he retired 
in 1954. 

Wife, two sons and daughter 
survive. 


RALPH PINCUSL 

Ralph Pincus, 82, veteran Frisco 
showman, died in San Rafael, Cal., 
Dec. 18. A. native of Frisco, he 
started in the boxoffice of the old 
Baldwin, Frisco, and subsequently 
he worked in, managed or owned 
such Frisco houses as the Old Wig¬ 
wam, Columbia, Van Ness, Novelty 
and others. 

After the Frisco fire and quake 
Pincus organized a temporary tent 
theatre and then slowly rebuilt his 
own fortunes. He foresaw the 
growth of motion pictures and 
opened the original Portola Thea¬ 
tre in Frisco, the city’s first “film 
palace.” 

He leaves four nephews and two 
nieces. . 


THAIS LAWTON 

Thais Lawton, 78, an actress for 
45 years, died in New York Dec. 
18 after a long illness. She retired 
from the Broadway stage 16 years 
ago. 

Miss Lawton made her N. Y. de¬ 
but in 1900 in “Lost River.” After¬ 
ward she joined the James O’Neill 
company and played Mercedes in 
his production of “The Count of 
Monte Cristo.” Her credits also in¬ 
clude “School for Scandal,” “Royal 
Virgin,” “Times Have Changed,” 
“Birthright,” "Going Gay” and 
“Love in My Fashion.” Her last 
appearance was in the 1940 pro¬ 
duction of “Romantic Mr. Dickens.” 


GODFREY LUDLOW 

Godfrey Ludlow, 64, concert and 
radio violinist, died Dec. 21 in New 
York of a heart attack. He was one 
of the first violinists to broadcast 
from a radio station in London in 
1923 prior to emigrating to the 
U.S. 

Born in Sydney, Australia, Lud¬ 
low studied in Prague, Vienna and 
performed before royalty on sev¬ 
eral occasions. He appeared with 
the Queens Hall Orchestra, Lon¬ 
don and toured Europe with Nellie 
Melba. During the war, he toured 
with USQ Camp shows. 

Survived by wife, a son and 
daughter. 


TT HALL BAETZ 

Hall Baetz, 56, with Fox Inti 
Mountain Theatres for 25 yea 
and until recently the chain's D( 
yer district manager, died Dec. 
in Seattle following a heart attai 
He was manager of the Monta 
district for Fox Inter-Mounti 
before being upped to the Dem 
job. 

F r °m Denver Baetz went to S 
attle to manage the Sterling thi 
tl ’ es - Born in st. Louis, he attei 
^Washington U. before join! 

Surviving are his-wife, two so 
, and two daughters. 

SYLVESTER H. GROVE 

Sylvester H. Grove, 73, fom 
^y^r of a chain of film hous 
dmd Dec. 19 in Louisville, He v 
“ J h ® W. C. Fields Minstrel Sh 
cast that toured the country so] 
40 years ago. 

, A native of Louisville, in p 
J ears he had been active in an 


J M **au wwvil JUi i 

teur theatre groups. ap. singer 
Until his retirement a 


actor. 


KNOWLES ENTRIKIN 
Knowles Entrikin, 65, playwright 
and director, died Dec. 22 at Shrub 
Oak, N. Y„ after a lengthy illness. 
He was the author of ,J Seed of the 
Brute,” produced on Broadway in 
1926, and “The Small Timers” pro¬ 
duced in 1925. He had also directed 
the Scarborough (N.Y.), Players. • 
Entrikin produced and directed a 
revival of “The Streets of New 
York” in 1931, and had also helmed 
“The Bride the Sun Shines On.” In 
addition he did some radio produc¬ 
tion and direction. 

Survived by two sisters. 


MARION KERRY 

Marion Kerby, 79, retired Broad¬ 
way actress and collector and sing¬ 
er of folk music, died Dec. 18 in 
Hollywood. * 

Miss Kerby’s stage career began 
in the early 1900s and continued 
into the 20s v She played the role 
of Nana, the absinthe drinker, in 
the original 1922 Broadway pro¬ 
duction of “Seventh Heaven.” Dur¬ 
ing the last 25 years she was a 
singer and collector of Negro spir¬ 
ituals and Kentucky mountain 
songs. 

Her brother survives. 


BILLY RUSSELL 
Billy Russell, Northeast England 
comedian, died recently in Ealing, 
London. He appeared in many 
touring revues and in vaude. But 
of late he had gone into films, 
working on the production side at 
Ealing Studios and with Associated 
British Pictures. 

Ri/ssell, who had a strong facial 
resemblance to Adolf Hitler, was 
much in demand during World 
War II whenever a caricature of 
the German leader was required 
for film purposes. 


ROSE BERRY (GARDEN) 
Rose Garden, 73, longtime 
vaudevillian known also as Rose 
Berry, died Dec. 12 in Hollywood 
after a lengthy illness. As a single 
under the Berry name, she toured 
the Orient and Australia exten¬ 
sively during early part of the 
century. She took over the Gar¬ 
den name when she wed Walter 
Laddie, and as Laddie & Garden 
teamed from 1922 to 1933 on such 
circuits as Keith-Albee, Pantages 
and Loew’s. 

Husband survives. 


EDDIE ACUFF 

Eddie Acuff, 48, veteran western 
actor and comic, died Dec. 17 of a 
heart attack in Hollywood. A 
screen actor since 1935, he had ap¬ 
peared in scores of films including 
many of the “Blondie” series at 
Columbia, but had been inactive 
for the last few years due to poor 
.health. 

His wife and mother survive. 


ROBERT C. WOOD 

Robert C. Wood, 46, national 
sales director of the Storer Broad¬ 
casting Co., died Dec. 19 In New 
York. He had, been with Storer 
since 1951. Prior to that, he was 
commercial program sales director 
for radio station WOR, N. Y. 

Wife, son and brother-survive. 

Charles A. Rogers,. 58, screen 
writer, was killed in an automoile 
accident Dec. 20 in Hollywood. He 
wrote and directed many Laqrel & 
Gardy comedies after arrival from 
England 20 years ago. 

Surviving are his widow, Irma; 
and two daughters. 


Mrs. Margaret E. Grady, wife of 
Billy Grady, former talent execu¬ 
tive at Metro, died Dec. 20 In Bev¬ 
erly Hills, Cal. In addition to her 
husband, she 16 survived by a son, 
Billy Grady Jr., screen producer 
at UI. 


Harry L. Klayman, 42, musician, 
died in San .Antonio Dec. 19 fol¬ 


lowing. a heart attack. He played 
tronibdne > (vi'th the San Antonio 


PtSfeiEfir 


Symphony Orchestra for the past 
14 years. 


Possibility of film purchases has 
been listed from 10 to 40. 


Father, 53, of actresses Gloria 
Leachman and Claiborne Cary, 
died Dec. 17 in Des Moines follow¬ 
ing a six-month illness. > Also sur¬ 
viving are his wife, another daugh¬ 
ter, a sister and three brothers. 


Herbert S. Parkhouse, 53, com¬ 
mercial artist at Columbia Pic¬ 
tures, died Dec. 18 in Hollywood. 
His wife and two brothers survive. 


Gertrude E. McDowell, 75, studio 
designer, died Dec. 18. in Holly¬ 
wood. Surviving are four broth¬ 
ers. 


Paul M. Sullivan, 59, longtime 
theatrical agent died Dec. 19 in 
Concord, N.H. 


Brother of nitery operator-com¬ 
edian Billy Gray died Dec. 19 in 
Hollywood. 


Thomas William Goodison, 73, 
manager for 43 years of Empire 
Cinema, Denaby, Yorkshire, Eng., 
died there recently. 


Father, 77, of W. L. Chilly) Mayo, 
musician and bandleader, died 
Dec. 16 in Dallas. 


Father of the late Arthur Bron¬ 
son, Variety staffer, died Dec. 20 
in Philadelphia of a heart ailment. 


RCA’s 2d Billion 

— Continued from page 1 ; 

tubes were sold In a “highly com¬ 
petitive market.” Government 
business accounted for about 20% 
of RCA’s revenue, and some 
$60,000,000 was spent on improve¬ 
ments and facilities expansion. 

Surveying the color field, Gen. 
Sarnoff stated that RCA’s goal for 
1957 is to produce and sell 250,000 
sets, to double the number of color 
shows on the. air, to attract spon¬ 
sors to color programs and to en¬ 
courage others to enter the color 
field. “Barring unforeseen . cir¬ 
cumstances,” he said, “we expect, 
on this volume, to earn, during the 
second half of 1957, a modest profit 
on the color sets and color tubes 
we selL Thereafter, profits from 
operations in all branches of color 
tv should be substantial.” 

Hits at Critics 

Attacking statements during the 
year by pjeople “whose objective is 
to retard the progress of color tele¬ 
vision in order to serve their short¬ 
term purposes,” Gen. Sarnoff ob¬ 
served that “although it is unusual 
for a private corporation engaged 
in a highly competitive enterprise 
to disclose figures relating to a new 
segment of its business, I feel, 
nevertheless, that the interests of 
RCA stockholders, and the indus¬ 
try generally, would be construc¬ 
tively served if the record of the 
actual facts of the situation were 
made public.” 

RCA’s 21-inch color set was in¬ 
troduced in the fall of 1955, and a 
small quantity was produced and 
sold that year; the “major portion” 
was sold In 1956. To date, sales 
and delivery of the 21-inch sets 
has totaled 102,000, and these plus 
sales and picture tubes and com¬ 
ponents and equipment reached 
$58,000,000. “After accounting for 
this year’s costs of color develop¬ 
ments and Improvements, the ex¬ 
tra costs of training personnel, of 
advertising and promotion cam¬ 
paigns involved In launching a new 
product'and service, and the costs 
of providing color programs on the 
air, the net loss (after Federal 
taxes) of all RCA color activities 
for 1956 amounted to approxi¬ 
mately $6,900,000.” 

Gen. Sarnoff said he was releas¬ 
ing the figures to counter reports 
of “arguments in some quarters 
that it will be years before color 
can reach the stage of profitable 
operations” and “some other irre¬ 
sponsible statements” that in 
launching color, “RCA has, this 
year, poured untold millions of dol¬ 
lars Into this undertaking.” 


Poles, Czechs 

SS^mmi Continued from page 2 bs 

Polish and Czech deals should be 
finalized within the next 15 weeks. 
The local selection committees In 
the respective countries consist of 
leading journalists, directors, art¬ 
ists and reps of the various film 
monoplles. 

Just how many films the two 
countries will buy from the MPEA 
remains uncertain and depends on 
whether payment will be in dollars 
or in local curreAcy, Latter case 
. would involve convertibility guar¬ 
antees from the U. S. Goyeminent. 


Spiegel wouldn’t specify the ex¬ 
pected take from the Soviet orbit. 
However, the deals have been said 
to run as high as $1,600,000. 

In East Germany, negotiations 
for a deal continue. Question of 
whether or not the zone will take 
films already dubbed in the West 
remains. The East Germans prefer 
to do the dubbing themselves.- A 
precedent for this was set when 
United Artists, acting on its own, 
sold “Marty” and “Not As a 
Stranger” that way. Spiegel said 
the East Germans had promised 
full American supervision of the 
new dubbed negative to check any 
misleading translations. 

Spiegel said the Suez crisis had 
created problems for the American 
industrv in Europe, where receipts 
generally have been off. He frit 
that the expanding trade with the 
East could make up for part of the 
loss. 

Next four months in France are 
“crucial,” Soiegel held, in that they 
will establish the full effects of the 
Suez crisis. He reported that, in 
the ffrst year of tbp Franeo-Amer- 
lean film deal, which ended last 
July, receipts of the 10 American 
companies were off four percent. 
For the first five months of the sec¬ 
ond year, ending in December, re- 
ceiDts had climbed 10^6 over the 
comparable period in 1955. “Then 
came Suez, and overnight receipts 
dropped, particularly in the vital 
Paris area,” he said. 

For 1957, the industry “is still In 
good shape” In Europe, Spiegel 
felt. Belgian business is holding 
its own, but Dutch receipts are 
down five percent. In both coun¬ 
tries, German oictures have made 
inroads.. MPEA this year also is 
losing the revenue in Spain and 
Denmark, which MPEA is boycot¬ 
ting. 

Regarding his Iron Curtain trip, 
Soiegel said he was struck how the 
idea of commercial reciprocity had 
permeated Soviet thinking. “It’s 
the Bible of Moscow.” he said, “and 
it echoes in all the Red countries.” 
It was the demand for reciorocity 
that torpedoed an MPEA deal in 
Russia. However, Spiegel felt that 
another approach may come some¬ 
time next year. 


Dot Records 

Continued from page 1 j—.. 

earlier this year of 25% of Unique 
Records." 

Randy Wood, former Gallatin, 
Tenn., radio store owner who start- 
■ ed Dot, flew east over the weekend 
for huddles with Par prexy, Bar¬ 
ney Balaban, returning to the 
Coast Monday morning. Under¬ 
stood final details will be worked 
out so necessary papers can be 
signed shortly after the new year. 

It’s* believed Dot would become 
a wholly-owned subsidiary with 
Wood remaining as prexy and ar¬ 
tists & repertory chief of Dot and 
becoming veepee of Paramount ki 
addition. He would thus continue 
to operate Dot with complete au¬ 
tonomy. 


Baylos Penalized ' 

, Continued from page 1 

the station $325. A spokesman 
said the $675 would be deducted 
from his check, due to he mailed 
this week. 

According to the outlet, Baylos 
started the plugs his first night on 
the air, when he did a pitch for 
Smirnoff’s Vodka.- He was warned 
against a repetition, but the sec¬ 
ond night, Dec. 11, was a rainy one 
so Baylos did a pitch for Reindeer 
Boots (rainboots). The third night, 
he plugged Early Times bourbon, 
the station claimed. Station said it 
hoped to set a precedent by the 
action. 

If WRCA-TV should go through 
with its threat, the action would 
‘ “pose several precedental questions. 
There’s the matter of its legal right 
to withhold part of his salary, a 
point on* which the outlet itself 
isn't sure. There’s also the atti¬ 
tude of AFTRA to consider, though 
there’s no indication yet-that the. 
union has taken up the matter. 
There’s also 'the question of the 
agency commission, since Baylos 
was booked on the show by the Wil¬ 
liam Morris office. Does Morris 
collect 10% of $1,000 or 10% of 
the $325 which Baylos would ac¬ 
tually receive. As of now, nobody’s 
making a move until they see 
whether WRCA-TV actually goes 
through with its threat when it 
sends out the check. 


MARRIAGES 

Clare Bidtfall to Ro Cook, 
Frampton, Eng., Dec. 15. Both are 
circus artistes. 

Beryl Raymond to Dick Francis, 
Newcastle, Eng., Dec. 5. Bride’s a 
dancer; he’s a vocalist. 

, Bursa Russell to Joel Spivak, 
Tenafly, N. J., Dec. 15. He’s an 
announcer-dee jay at WPTR in Al¬ 
bany, .and son of bandleader Char¬ 
lie Spivak. 

Lois Rubin to Lou Seiler, Pitts¬ 
burgh, Dec. 10. Bride’s a dancer; 
he’s a comedian. 

Barbara Schrader to Lee Philips, 
New York, Dec. 23. Bride is for¬ 
mer production assistant, Talent 
Associates, Inc.; he’s featured play¬ 
er in “Middle of the Night” on 
Broadway. 

.Suzanne Gerber to Bernie Eis- 
mann, Dec. 23, New York. CBS 
newsman' (now back in the home- 
office on the national desk) met 
his bride in Jerusalem, where he 
was stationed for the network; she 
is non-pro. 

Carol Nancy Lee to Stanley Fel- 
lerman, Mount Vernon, N. Y., Dec. 
21. Groom is the son of Max Fel- 
lerman, vicepresident and general 
manager of Lopert Films. 

Brunhilda Ruiz to John Wilson, 
New York, Dec. 15. Both are danc¬ 
ers with the Robert Joffrey Thea¬ 
tre Ballet. 

Noella Peloquin to Arthur Fitz¬ 
gerald, New York, Dec. 21. Bride 
is* a singer in “Happy Hunting.” 

Corey Scott to Burns W. Lee, 
Palos Verdes, Cal., Dec. 21. He’s 
an indie publicist. 

Suzanne Pierce to Don Sher¬ 
wood, Reno, Dec. 16. He’s a San 
Francisco deejay and tv emcee. 

Eva Vanicek to Diego Michelotti, 
RoJtte, Italy, Dec. 15. Both are film 
players. 

Giovanna Randozzo to v Mario 
Natale, Palermo. Italy, Dec. 15. 
He’s p.r„ chief for Venice Film 
Festival. 


BIRfHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Robinson, son, 
Bradford, Eng., recently. He’s a 
danceband musician. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Fleer, daugh¬ 
ter, Hollywood, Dec, 17. Father is 
ap actor. ' 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nellis, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Dec. 15. Fa¬ 
ther’s a little theatre actor-direc¬ 
tor; mother’s an actress. 

Mr. and Mrs. Sid Feller, son, 
New York, Dec. 16. Father is art¬ 
ists & repertoire director at ABC- 
Paramount Records. 

Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Van Poz- 
nak, daughter. New York, Dec. 19. 
Mother is the former Joan Gilbert, 
tv singer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Rothbard, 
son, Philadelphia, Dec. 15. Mother 
is dancer Debbie Winston; father 
is a talent agent. 

Mr. and Mrs, Harry Flair, daugh¬ 
ter, Dec. 17, Hollywood. Mother 
is former opera singer Theresa 
O’Neil; father is an actor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mel Gordon, son, 
Hollywood, Dec. 15. Father is an 
exec with Gordon Music, owned 
by Dave (Gordon, the child’s grand¬ 
father. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Pluta, 
daughter, New York, Dec. 15. Fa¬ 
ther is an actor; mother is actress 
Nancy Wells. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Garfein, 
daughter, New York, Dec. 21. 
Mother is film actress Carroll 
Baker, currently in “Baby Doll”; 
father is a legit and film director. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Pickman, 
daughter, Dec. 23, N. Y. Father is 
ad-pub veepee of Paramount Pic¬ 
tures. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Bucci, son, 
Stamford, Conn., Dec. 20. Mother 
is Peggy Phillips, story editor for 
Sapphire Films and a legit press- 
agent; father is a composer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mantell, daugh¬ 
ter, Hollywood, Nov. 16. Father 
and mother are thesps. 

Mr. and Mrs. Alvie Yandell, son, 
Houston, recently. Father is a 
member of the staff there of 
KPRC-TV. 

Mr. and Mrs. Dean Martin, 
daughter, Santa Monica, Cal., Dec. 
20. Father is singer-film star. 

Mr. and Mrs. Terence Maples, 
son, Hollywood, Dec. 19. Father is 
a tv writer; mother is a former 
story analyst at 20th-Fox. 


‘Porgy’lo TV 

S —■■ Continued from page 1 
ductions is paying $112,000 for the 
tv rights alone, the coin going to 
the Gershwin estate and others in¬ 
volved in the successful and long- 
running legit venture. Show will 
be brought in as a complete trled- 
and-tested package, as in the case 
of Mary Martin’s “Peter Pan,” and 
it’s planned as the initial entry for 
the ’57-’58 semester, immediately 
on the heels of a 12-week “Porgy” 
tour of the summer tent theatres. 
All the top fave^ of “Porgy,” in¬ 
cluding Cab Calloway recreating 
his Sportin’ Life role, will be as¬ 
signed to the two-part tv’er. 


56 


THEATRICAL 

EHTERPRISES 


p mtitm - 


THANK YOU 

ALCOA and its agency 
Fuller and Smith & Ross 
for 

THE STINGIEST MAN IN TOWN 


Wednesday, December 26, 1956 


/ 


THANK YOU 

Fred Spielman ' 

Janice Torre 
for a 

MAGNIFICIENT WORK 


THANK YOU 

NBC-TV 

Columbia Records 
for , . 

YOUR WONDERFUL COOPERATION 


„ THANK YOU 

Vic Damone y Johnny Desmond , Four Ldds 
Patrice Munsel f Basil Rathbone y Robert Weede 
and 

Martyn Green y Betty Madigan y Robert Wright 
Alice Frost y John McGiver 

And all the other members of our outstanding cast 
, for 

A GREAT PERFORMANCE 


AND A SPECIAL VOTE OF THANKS 


to 

Daniel Petrie ... Director 

John Heawood . Choreographer 

Camarata . Musical Director and Conductor 

Kim Swados .. Scenic Designer 

Motley .... Costume Designer 

Jerry Packer . •'Choral Director 


and to all of the members 
of our GREAT Crew, 



i 

JOEL 

SPECTOR 















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National Audio Conservation Center 


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HISTORY 



A search of the records of the United States Copyright Office 
has determined that this work is in the public domain.