Bar Israel Location for New Columbia Film in Fear of Arab Boycott

Eddie Cantor's "rake My Life'

NEW YORK, (JTA) — A
World War II commando film,
"Bitter Victory," has been shot
in Libya for Columbia Pictures
which turned down plans for
an Israeli filming because of
fear of an Arab boycott, Variety
magazine reported this week.
Finally filmed as a French
movie, on location in Libya
"Bitter Victory" was made in
the absence of its producer Paul
Graetz. Graetz, a Jew, was re-
fused entry in Libya unless he
chose to falsify his Jewishness,
a proposal he rejected ; accord-
ing to the Variety report.

Story of Noted Entertainer
Who Became Great Humanitarian

Graetz and director Nicholas
Ray originally planned "Bitter
Victory" for Israel where the
desert location was considered
perfect. Told Columbia had re-
jected the location out of fear
of an Egyptian boycott, Graetz
offered to make up for the an-
ticipated revenue loss.
The film company said, how-
ever, that Egypt and the other
Arab states might boycott all
Columbia pictures and the com-
pany would not take the risk,
according to the commercial en-
tertainment newsweekly.
Variety reported that Music

Tunisian Jews Given Assurances of Equality

Eddie and Ida When
They Were Married

"Take My Life" by Eddie
Cantor, written together with
Jane Kesner Ardmore, pub-
lished by Doubleday & Co. (575
Madison, NY 22), is more than
an autobiography. It is an ac-
count of life on Broadway and
in Hollywood and contains a
series of sketches of stage,
screen and radio notables.
The very human Eddie Can-
tor emerges from this story,
told in the first person by the
eminent actor who, in recent
. years, was a campaigner for
great causes.
. He idolizes his wife Ida,
traces their love from the days
when he had no money and no
fame. He tells the story at the
height of their glory, of their
loss of their accumulated wealth
in the 1929 depression and his
regaining of financial status
with the income from his book
"Caught Short."
Eddie relates his experiences
in behalf of many worthy
movements, how he was re-
sponsible for suggesting the
title "March of Dimes" to
President Roosevelt for the
campaign to aid those stricken
with polio; his efforts in behalf
of Israel; - his work for Israel
Bonds , etc.
* * *
Cantor's life story makes very
touching references to his
grandmother, Esther Kantro-
witz, to the sacrifices she made
to bring him up when he was
orphaned, to his personal
gratitude for her love.
There are lengthy accounts
of his love affair with Ida, of
the activities of their five
daughters and their happy home
life.
He speaks with affection of
Al Jolson, reveals the great
actor's ability to hold an audi-
ence and his major love: the
audience.
Flo Ziegfeld, Will Rogers, Bill
Fields, George Jessel and others
pass in review for the reader.
* *
There are accounts of inter-
marriage. He was friendly with
Irving Berlin. When the latter's
marriage to Ellin Mackay was
announced he was questioned
about it by Jewish newspapers
and Cantor told them: "I be-
lieve and have believed all my
life that the most important re-
ligion is love. These people
have that, therefore they have
everything."
Later on, he wrote about the
marriage of his daughter Janet
to Bob Gari. He and Ida ap-
proved and Eddie writes in
"Take My Life": "He's Italian,
and Janet's become a fine
Italian cook and an excellent
housekeeper."
* * *
A high tribute is paid by Eddie
to the late Al Smith. He praises
Jack Benny's generosity, re-
' lates how the comedian per-
mitted him to fill in a $25,000
figure into a blank check when
funds were needed for Israel.
There also are the stories of
his build-up of Harry Einstein
as Parkyakarkus and of the
naming of Bert Gordon as "The
Mad Russian."
An interesting account is

Mr. and Mrs. Eddie
Cantor at Present

given of Arthur Baer's deep
interest in Israel, of the battle
Cantor conducted in Israel's
behalf, of his open letter to
Dulles published as a full-page
ad in the New York Times.
There are scores of other in-
teresting accounts of Eddie's
work for Jewry, the help he
gave to actors, his friendships
and his devotions. They help
to make "Take My Life" .a most
interesting account of the life
of a charming entertainer who
became known also as a
humanitarian.

LONDON, (JTA) — Tunisia
does not differentiate in any
manner as between- Jews and
any other citizens, and Jews
there will continue to "enjoy
fullest rights," Tunisian Am-
bassador Taieb Salim, this week
assured a delegation of repre-
sentatives of Agudath Avodah.
The delegation called on
Salim to express its desire for
greater cooperation between the
Jewish religious community
here and in North Africa.
The Ambassador assured the
delegation that he would rec-
ommend to his government that
yeshiva students in Tunisia be
permitted to accept invita-
tions to study in like institutions
of learning in this country.
In a statement issued by the
delegation after the conference

ANOTHER FIRST

Corp, of America asked one of
its Paris representatives -to deny
his Jewishness to get into Libya
and the representative refused
but several Columbia account-
ants did go, including one Jew
who obtained his visa by repre-
senting himself as a Catholic.
Commenting on his inability
to enter Libya as a Jew, Graetz
said he was tempted to put an
English-sound track on the
French film, "Nuit et Brouil-
lard," dealing with Nazi concen-
tration camps, to send it to
Columbia officials to look at.
"Then, perhaps, they will un-
derstand why I drew the line,"
Graetz said.

with the Ambassador, the mem-
bers of the Agudah declared:
"It is understood that Tunisia
does not intend to join the Arab
League. The Ambassador point-
ed out to us that his govern-
ment protested most strongly
at Egypt's recent interference
with Tunisian Jews resident in
that country. These Tunisian
Jews in Egypt have been ex-
tended full protection of the Tu-
nisian government, and if they
wish to return to Tunisia, will
be extended a warm welcome.

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