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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1955)
TWO MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Thursday, January 13, 1955 Bob Mitchum Fired From Picture Filming for Dunking Co-Worker Sausalito, Calif. (U.R) Movie bad boy Robert Mitchum was fired yesterday from the picture "Blood Alley" for dunking a 250-pound co-worker in the icy waters of San Francisco Bay. His dismissal came after he refused to apologize for "creat ing disagreements among the production staff' and after he was first given an opportunity to resign from the cast. The firing was announced by Bob Fellows, co-producer with actor John Wayne of the Warner Bros, movie. It followed a closed door 45-minute session between Fellows after receiving a letter from "Blood Alley" director William Wellman citing .the dousing artd other "disagree ments" between Mitchum and the production staff, Wellman," in his letter, had recommended "some disciplin ary" action be taken against the he-man movie hero "for delay- in? production" on the $2,500, 000 picture. But as they sat out the "wait ing period" in their quarters at the swank Bermuda Palms motel in San Rafael near here the principals in the real-life incident disclaimed that any body was slugged, shoved, or doused in the Bay. Principals Silent George Coleman, the hefty "Blood Alley" company trans portation manager who was reported to have been shoved into the bay by Mitchum. had a single, terse comment: "Nobody shoved me." Mitchum, questioned by the press in his room where he was found in bed wearing blue and white striped shorts and sipping on a glass of red wine, said: "Me push anybody? Who told you that?" Mitchum said that the inci dent, which he termed "horse play, all began when a ferry boat being used in the shooting of the war story became lost in heavy bay fog. After spending several hours "kidding around" on a barge tied to Angel Island off the coast of Sausalito, Mitchum said he suggested to Coleman when shooting was finally called off that he get a bus and run the company into San Francisco. Coleman, he said, declined be cause "it would cost 25 bucks." Went Into Drink Mitchum, said that he then offered to pay the $25 himself and as he was boarding, via a gangplank, a launch to take him to shore he turned and told the others to "Hold that man on the barge." And as far as Mitchum is concerned, that was the end of the incident. But witnesses said it progressed further, with Coleman finally going in the drink. They say that as Coleman started to follow Mitchum, who weighs 215 himself, up the gangplank the actor started bounding the plank. And as Coleman began teetering on the board, Mitchum raced back and gave him a healthy shove, with Coleman tumbling into 12 feet of cold water. , Wellman, who said he elicited a promise from the "playful" Mitchum prior to leaving Holly wood that he would "behave on set" during the filming of the picture, then upbraided Mitchum publicly and in front of some 150 Chinese extras, co-star Lauren Bacall and the produc tion staff. Hells Canyon Brief Deadline Extended Washington U.R) Examiner William J. Costello yesterday extended until Feb. 4 the dead line to file answering briefs by all parties in the Federal Power Commission's Hells Canyon case. The answering briefs had been due Jan. 10. However, this was suspended by the examiner and the commission, when an attor ney for interests seeking a single high federal dam at Hells Canyon asked the FPC to deny applications of the Idaho Power Co. for a license to build three low dams on the Snake river. First briefs on the Hells Can yon hearing were filed Nov. 24. The answering briefs now will be due Feb. 4, with a final brief from Idaho Power due Feb. 21. Mitchum's Firing Climaxes Years of Pranks, Troubles Hollywood (U.R) Robert Mitchum's firing at Sausalito, Calif., for pushing a fellow worker into San Francisco Bay climaxed years of his behind the scene pranks and troubles. He often set up a bar in his dressing room. Fist Fight with Soldier . Mitchum had a fist fight with a soldier three years ago on a movie location at Camp Carson, Colo. The actor claimed the GI needled him into the fight, and Mitchum was released by au thorities. He hit world headlines when Bank Announces Personnel Changes Chester Irish, who has b'een with the Medford branch of the First National bank for the past 11 years, has been promoted to commercial loan officer, C. E. Hedberg, bank manager, an nounced today. Irish has served the local branch in various pos itions, and more recently was an installment credit loan offic er. Lowell Edwards, an employee at the bank for eight years, will take Irish's former position, and Orth Miller is being promoted from a field representative to the position formerly filled by Edwards. Irish will replace W. H. Pratt, who has been with the Medford branch for the past two years as assistant manager. He is leav ing the bank Jan. 15, and has accepted a position in the admin istrative department of the First Western Bank and Trust comp any, San Francisco. He will be an assistant vice-president. O&C Timber Safes Top All Records During 1954 Portland (U.R) O&C tim ber sales during 1954 topped all records for volume, stumpage value and prices received, ac cording to a Bureau of Land Management report. The report listed 519 timber sales during the calendar year, foT a total of S15,845,833 and averaging $21.76 per thousand feet. An estimated 728,254,000 board feet were sold. he was convicted in 1949 on a charge of smoking marijuana. He served a 60-day county jail sentence. - Most of Mitchum's set antics were regarded as harmless and seldom delayed production. He constantly teased his co-workers and staged practical jokes. But sometimes there was property damage. Salty Language Mitchum delights in shocking reporters, set visitors and his co-stars with his salty language. Often he will bring a saxophone or trumpet to work and practice loudly. For "Night of The Hunter," another recent picture, he booted Shelley Winters in the behind because, co-workers said, "she wouldn't settle down to work." A.C.JAMES LEONARD DUSENBURY Operators of new Texaco station at Kings Hwy. and Stewart Clerk's Receipts Total $53,459.47 Receipts in the Jackson coun ty clerk's office for 1954 totaled $53,459.47, according to Mrs. Bereth Hopkins, county clerk. The receipts were for the cal endar year. The office's fiscal year budget, ending next June 30, totals $50,877.70, or $2,581 less than last year's receipt. The 1954 receipts were re ceived by the two divisions, with recording, $22,838.82 and clerk's department, $30,620.65. Under the latter, dog licenses returned $7,258.58 and marriage licenses $1,323. Of the total receipts, $45,503. 72 was retained in the county treasury, and the balance turned over to the state treasurer and earmarked on a percentage bas is for salaries for the circuit judge and district attorney, with a small percentage to the law library, As of Jan. 1, the office had handled $88,914.15 in child sup port and alimony payments for 283 cases. HOPE FOR FUTURE Providence, R. I. (U.R) A newsman trying to reach the attorney general's office dialed the wrong number. "Is this the attorney general's office? . he asked the secretary. "Not yet," she replied. t CONGER -MORRIS Funeral Director Announce tht opening of ASHLAND MORTUARY (Branch) 4th and C Streets Telephone 9-1531 Ashland Gordon C. Hays MANAGER I, - OFFICE OF DEPUTY CORONER Opening Scheduled For New Station Grand opening of a new Tex aco service station at the inter section of Stewart ave. and Kings highway will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Sat urday, it was announced today. Proprietors of the station are A. C. James, the owner, and Leonard Dusenbury, lube and tire specialist. ' Gifts, refreshments and favors will be given out during the two day opening, which is being held with the cooperation of Ken Teter, Texaco distributor here. Prizes will include tires, gaso line, lube jobs and others. From John Day James came here from John Day, Ore., where he owned a Marshall-Wells hardware store. Prior to that he operated a Tex aco station in Eugene. He and his wife and two daughters mov ed here recently. He has 'had more than 25 years experience in service station arid automo tive business. Dusenbury, a native of Med ford, has had 15 years exper ience in the business. He oper ated a Texaco station in Cres cent City, Calif., for five years, and more recently . was with Dick Kaye's Texaco service sta tion on Court st, and with a sta tion at Ninth st. and Central ave. He and his wife and daughter live in Medford. Veterans' Pensions Eligibility Rule Told Veterans and widows receiv ing non-service connected pen sions should promptly report any increase in income which make them ineligible for the VA (pensions, according to Charles Holbrook, county ser vice officer. ' By prompt reporting,- th e beneficiary will not be penalized retroactively, even though he will cease to receive further pension payments, the officer said. To be entitled to non - service connected pension, the income limitation of a veteran or widow without dependants is $1,400 an nually; with dependants, it is $2,700. Holbrook emphasized the im portance of the tightened regu lations and urged any recipients to contact his office at the court house, third floor, for aid in the matter. One of Nation's Most Wanted Men Caught Los Angeles -(U.R) Walter James Wilkinson, 30, one of the nation's 10 most wanted men, today was arrested on federal charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on charges of armed robbery, burglary and kidnaping in New York State. Wilkinson, posing as a bus boy under the name of Walter Rogers, was arrested last night by six FBI agents who quietly surrounded his room in the base ment of the exclusive Fox Hills Country Club in nearby Culver City. The suspect did not resist ar rest although a loaded .32 cali ber automatic rested within arm's reach in a suitcase on the top of his bed. The FBI said it found Wilkin son because an alert citizen, who was not identified by the agency, recognized the fugitive from a widely publicized photograph and notified the FBI. New Family Arrives At Central Point Central Point Mr. and Mrs. Davis R. Offutt and their three daughters arrived recently in the valley. On Jan. 1 they as sumed ownership of the Ross motel at Central Point. The family for the past five years lived in South America where Offutt was employed as an alootriral nfinfi for 9 ! time with American Smelting company, and also for the Beth lehem Steel firm. He is a mem ber of the American Electrical Engineers institute and is a Mon tana school of Mines graduate. They lived in Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela. The daughters are Rena "Mary, 9. who is attending Central Point Grade school; and twin girls. Cleresse and Chesesse, who are 5 years old. The motel sale was handled through the Med ford Realty company offices. New Zealand has more than two and a half cattle for each of its 2,088.000 people. Its sheep outnumber her people almost YlVz to one. Northwest Building Sets All-Time Mark Portland U.R) Construction in the Pacific Northwest during 1954 reached an all-time high doilarwise, according to incom plete figures compiled by Equi table Savings and Loan Associa tion from building permits of 47 cities. Permit valuations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia were $336,422,597, the partial compilation showed. This is nearly two and one half mil lion dollars above the 1950 rec ord. The association said the major boom was in the state of Washington. Nineteen reporting municipal ities in Oregon reported 85,449, 974, which is 44 per cent better than last year. Talen! Councilmen On Fire Committee Talent Two - Talent city councilmen were appointed last week by Mayor Keith Thoreson J to a committee to reorganize the Talent Volunteer Fire de partment, according to Record er Nona McAbee. 1 Named were Leo Jacobs and James C. Henry. Other commit tee appointments for 1955 by Thoreson were Jacobs and Clar ence W. Cooper' Jr., finance; Wayne Reichstein and Henry, streets, and Richard Bradford and Rudy Conner, water. Conner was also reelected council chairman. Department heads reappointed included Jim Perdue, water superintendent, and John Baldwin, police chief. The meeting was the first of the new year for the group. Henry and Cooper are . new councilmen and' the other four were reelected. Thoreson is be ginning his second term as mayor. Boy Scouts Troop 8 Members of Boy Scout Troop 8 will meet Saturday, Jan. 15, at 8:30 a.m. at their meeting hall for a hike to the Girl Scout day camp and return by 2 p.m. At a meeting Jan. 11, the members discussed a board' of review for Tuesday, Jan. 18, and a "snow coming" also was discussed for sometime in February or March. Gene Harvey, Scribe. Winter China & Glass SALE Some Patterns of Fostoria Syracuse Miscellaneous Lines PRICED TO CLEAR ; DONT MISS THESE BARGAINS! 2nd Floor at Sw em s 217 East Main Medford, Oregon A CITY APPLIANCE for SYLVANIA TV WITH HALO LIGHT CITY APPLIANCE, INC. 127 No. Central Opposite Penney's - Ph. 3-5743 To Buy or Sell Use Trib,une Classified Ads WouYJf bank for ihesel 3 3 Thrift Dept. Specials for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday OUR ENTIRE STOCK OF Fashion Jewelry ft. i wff r4 V.'W W (MM a i- ? l? I "rnngs OO 0 Bracelets 0 0 Pir,s 0 8 Featuring striking Rhinestones, Pearl and Tailored Designs. Plus lots of other glittering pieces. BATHROOM CABINETS Single strength window glass mir ror. Spot-welded steel cabinet with baked-on white enamel fin ish. Two welded-in steel shelves. TEA TOWELS DUSTERS Linen finish. Multi-striped. 13'2x25 inch. EACH LIMIT 5 FEATHER Made of genuine feathers. Plastic handle. About 13 in. long. iriHFfc'S dm W jT ALUMINUM t M: If Pie Tins J I Made of pure rust proof aluminum. 1 't I Eakes evenly. Cleans easily. 9 in. size. - I . ' W ALUMINUM if f Colander Pan 1 1 The multi-purpose colander pan. The . I A I modern successor to the old style col- I f j I ander. Cooks, drains and steams all I 1 I in the same utensil. I vfi I PANTS W I Greasers A I I Press trousers on your clothesline. No J f I ironing. Made of flat steel. Adult and f I i t I I. tnnuren s sizes. J (jf k Pair (3)C Jf K V
