Variety (Dec 1936)

VAKwrv Wedii«8d!ly,'Dec^i^r 2, 1936 May Not Attencl After AH —Awaits Hays Return frbm Abroad^Other industries Ma^^ Also ignore ,Majbr Berry'i Confab . While action on AK^heihier t>r hot the Hays o^ffice will send r<epresentatives to the loii^coimiQg NRA. (Couiicil o( Industrial ' Beiepvw) ftartey irt .Washington Virill be delayed until .Will Hays returns iro Europe on Dec. lli thus fat Haysians and repre*- sehtatiyes. of the film, industry havie indicat*^ . they jare not overly ehthtisl- astic : about. proispcict \of.. being used as souhdiiie poai^ for the forthcom- iiig'.tjQngre^,' .'. ,: With many indications ;^hat most initustrles inaj^ just ignore tlie Major Georg0 L. Berry ; parley/ in the na- tion's capital, it seemis uhlilcely that major producers, , distributoirs and ;exhibitors would care to participate in discussions oyer minimum wages, maximum <hoiirs and collective bar* gaining. Belief J$ growing aimoiig industry cMeftains th^ jcctivis .of these llietiember sMsioiiiis in Washington wiU tKi to serve fts sort :'A >teiirii)g cpnunittee is brii^ vticuititim wages, maximiuni hours and collective bargaining. to. the' at- tention o|,Gongrei».; ' if thiit is^ these meetings, the nuijor studios txA db- trjbutors as well a9 affilto theatre 'tircuit& cfui tie^ UtUe objeet In at- tending. Tieawn Is that these ' branches of the'business alreajiy are employing all three. Belief with many leaders is that the NRA principles and its opereition .arejweU enough known to legislators tor J^em. to fratpe any legislation along the lines' of a re-ni.odeled Blue Bird^ Hence, they consider these parleys, this month will be repeti- tious and a Ayaste, of time to impor- tant pictures and theatre executives.. Although numerous . other indus- tries hive neithei' accepted noi de- cUhed th6 invitation .to attend the forthcoming Washington confabs, ac- tual decisioii of the Hays organiza- tion will.avifait Will Hays* return. At that time the reaction of film-leaders will be known and a' defnite, coiiirse of action can be mapi>ed. ' There seems littl.e doubt but. thai numerous features of the old l^RA w«iul|^ .be .advocated' for revival b; the "^ajtgir portion of the picture bu&ihessr t>i(it any yoivntary set-MP and this .sessions as, outlined by Berry for WMfaiAgton this itaonth aire rated as beiiig unessential by'film leaders thiis far j]|tervlewed. S^l^ter;^i$ts:|U^ . Hollywood, b*c.. 1; Harry Salpeter, story editor at Re- public for a mibnth, resigned Nov: 28 to dievote more time to mag writ- ing;' ■■ SeHd VAR/EtY for bne Year To jGitiy anil iStatie V '• • • • « • • • . '• « . « i • • •■ •. • •'. • • • . ." . , ^ , , <J'le«ie Dtlnt n«me) ' Street • •••flee .City, and Stat€ Regulat SiibsGription Rates for Qrie Year ;v>^»:%t3^ $6.00 iVaxiety: and I)aily Variety....... :Jjil2'06 renew my own subsjcnption {Reitexvals tvitl be fnterfd to bcght whpi present s^ibscrip- V Signed (Pleas« print nniiie) ' S'frppf- . . . . . , , , . , , . , , ,.,,,,», . i . , , ,'t i » « i • * • t • i . • . , .City anti .State. • e a •'«'•«.«•'•«'4 St. Louis, Dec. 1. Opening of WiU Itogers theatre, 750-seat. liabe, Jast week, making eighth such type of house to go into operation; Ini ^ city proper during past year^ eniphasizes fact that first run houses are floding more cohipejtish. every day. Scattered in residential districts th^ following houses are prospering; Avalbh, Varsi^r Nor- side, ApbllOt Circle, > Studio and Temple.. Aionbunicements haVe been made that in additibn to St Lopis Amus. Co/s string of, 22 nabes» those oper- ated by Fried Wehreinberg and thie AjoseU Bro^ tmd other iiidie bpeir- atoxjs, plans have Vectn ..made: for erection of 22 n^re in. St; iKiuis .that would add 21,7$0 seats and cost . $3,- 100,000. Checkup of announcement bf plu^ for houses in >Asterh Mis- sbuirjl and , Souttiern -DUhbis show :that 17 new ho^S . have , been planned at a cost of $500,000. With improyinig conditions it is expected that those With ^timid'cash are likely to take fling in exhibition field. hull's lipid HoJIyvEdodj Pec. JVal Paul's Universai contract as, associate produicer, from which he Was reb^t^ upped tb become pro- duction head of the studio, >yas scrapped laist. yireeic ih favor of a new paict. Contract contained boost ir^ salary. CAGNEY FHH HURRIED FOR XMAS RELEASING ilbllywbod-.E|ec. 1. trpping his cutting sta.tt to .five; Douglas MacLean is* rushirig / reat. Giiy,'. James Giagney starrer: for Grand National, in order to meet the: Dec. .25. release date.. Picture was: canned last week oh . its 26-day shooting sked. .'Russell Schoejigarih- heads the ■cutters with Marlin Skives -supervis- ing the scoring.' Under: his Grand National deal, Richard A. Bowland will make four pictures this season, pihd a corre- sponding number next, - Rowland probably will headquar- ter oh the Educational lot where he, made his last two. films for Para- mount release. MOSS-(»ARNASlliA¥I£I CiailRION^ N; GO The Criterion, N. ., recently opened by Hariy Charnas and B. S. lyioss, may change, hands; Both are declared disposed tb make a deal. Moss and Charnas are Interested 50% each In the Criterioni which is under lease for 20 years. Charnas is said to have obtained the money to swing his end of the partnership from Harry M. Warner, his btbther- in-law. Crit has; been havinig difficulty in obtaining desirable product. . When: Charnas :was in charge of the operation of Warner Bros.' Greater New York Aheatrfes, he fre- quentiiy approved the sale^ iaway from the Strand, K. Y„ of WB prod- uct wanted by the Masic Hall, Roxy, Pair«mount and other houses. Now that Charnas is himaeU operating a house, the Criterion, which ^must depend <>h:aeilraw9ys to som^ extwit, he is bblng frbzen< but on: pictures. ^)^ith the Crit the last to be given cohsideratibh ori product by the majbr distribtitors. Despte tn^ i Hollywood, Dec, 1, . .Despite an appendi condition Necessitating :use of ice packs be- tween sessions oh the set. Ruby Keeler Worked last week at War^ ners in ah attempt to >yash up •Ready, Wiiliiig and Able.* Actress probably will ioidergo %n operation later. Parkei^Caiiipliieil Resign HoUyWbod, t)ec. 1, Dorothy Packer and Alan Camp- bell will remain on the Coast this winter after having received a con- tract from. David d. Selznick. Neighboirs wiU feed the co\n(s and pigs on tiieir. eastern farm, while fecrivehers do their chbresi JOOSS BAII^'S Pl€r Jooss, Biallet lays over in Los Angeies for three weeks iafteir its engagements on Pec. 8, 11 and 12, and . may test for a picture. Seyeral stiidios are ickei^ing, ■ wanting the group for a specialty in one of the numerous biographical :maestro pic- tures up Jfor shooting directly. ' Looks Set for hi^^ llollywood,.. bec; i Screen rights tb a recently pub- lished novel, 'Siisanah of the Moun- ties,V have, been taken by iZOth-Fbx. Shirley Temple will be stirred. Production is planned for Spring after ihoppet completes 'Heidi' and 'Wee Willie Winkie.* ■ Book was Buthoired by Muriel and Merril Dianisoh. Metro^i M^yar Pla3f; . iHoUy wood^ Bee 1. 'The Silent Night,' in Hun- garian verse by Eugene Heltai^ has been acquired by Metro and is being traiisliated for possible stage as: well as scirteen prbdubtion here.'. ^It's a: romahtic comedy of thellSth century.- OL* DOC BOMANiCE Hollywood, , . Henry Koster will direct ' ^Pre- scripUon for Roniance,' which ilbseph Pasternak will produce at Universal. Kbster and Pasternak turned out ♦Three Smart Girls.'- Tentative cast includes Jane Wyatt, Miscba Auer» Alice Bjady aiid Larry Blake. ' 'v" ■ • ■ i Minneapolis, Dec. 1. Possibility that all RKO properties in Minneapolis and St Paul niay turned over for operation to the Northwest-Paramount c i r c u i t iri- ci^eased considerably With the visit here of Nate Blumberg; general the- atre manager of HKO, and Mort Singer to look oyer ^e houses in the Twin Cities. several months ago RKO turned over its two theatres iii St. Paul to the Northwest-Par^amount-circuit for operation, and it is now reported that : ti»e same op«rating setup has bieen discussed "With John Friedl, heiad of Paramourit in this territoryi for the takeover Of Mort Singer cir- cuit's Hennepin here, and tlie Orpheum^s 7th Street, which is now being operated by Billy Elson on ah indiyidual deal. The Elson contract expires'.this. January.. aibuM Friedl iget these two houses, it Would mean that North- west-Paramount ; wo have com- plete and absolute control of the firstrrun situation in Minneapolis, ^topping the present terrific COAipeti- tibn between the Sihger^s Hennepin -and the Northwest-Paramount houses in the downtown sector. : Also understood that should Elson be removed from the TVfajStreeLsitU- ation that RKO will seek tb ma for it by getting him set in a new oper6tIin'g situation;- Columbus, -beCi Ohio^s play-datei law will hot come up tor' final , tbisting bf its constitu- tionality probably until March l. Legal lights on both sides now see^ agreed tha^ preliminary icmisheii may develop on Jan. 30 and oth^r teiefis will coiijte into court in Febru<: ary but the caise will hot acttiaily go io trial before March 1 at the earliest This is the action in which Ri{;p Distributing Corp. has sought an iii>.^ iiUicticin against the state- attorney^ general to. restrain, him from ienforc*' ing the play-date statute enacted not long :jB|go. IHb picture :coihpahy is basing : its case on the girounds that' the Ohio law isi unconstitutional.:. OCher large film distribiiting cbm> panics operating ih the state aie deeply interested in the outeome'ot the case and ha.d jrepresentativeS' here last month when initial briefs, were, flled^,; A> F.. Myers, counsel ifor^Allied, also waS. in couirt EVANS MAY FOREUO B'WAY FOR FIX Maurice EvaiiSf iBritish aetor^ im- ported hy . Max Gordon for the Napoleon role in the already folded 'Sti Helena/ is considerinig a Itolly-' wood offer Instead of remaining with Gordon for latter*S jprc^sed: 'Rich- •'fu?d'IT play. Actor, has, had an offer frbm Sam Goldwyn and others since, his suc^ cess in the little corporal role. Says everything is'Up the- ir now but will decide ^i^thin fi couple of weeks.. Aead V^m^rs R^eBact Real Parts in S-I Pictinre Hollywood,, pec;, Winners of Academy bf Motion Pic- Arts and Sciences awards in Vdis and 1932, < respectively, Jsonet Gay'', nor: and Fredric March, last week, reenaeted the Acad awards dinner of last year m the Selzniclc-Ihterna- tiohal ipicture of Hbliywood' profes- sional life, 'A Star Is Borh.' Miss .Gaynbr Used the same statuette she .won ior her impersona- tion. ' ; ■ Two t^jew theatre' Companies an- nounced' accumulatibn dividends Oh preferred stocics this week. Marcus Loew's Theatres declared $1.^5' a6' cunulatioh divy on 7% preference issue, payable Dec. 15. Loew's London Theatres announced declaration of It^c on its 7% pre- feried, payable same date. Sttitt«riiig Puzzle Pk ^ Hbllywbbd, Dec. 1. Widi' WiiUam Clemens directing, Bryan Foy WiU put 'The iCacse ^f *« Stuttering %ishbp' into production Uiis Week.. Script of .puzzler: was completed; by Don ]^ah and Kenneth Gamete their third collaboration in the last thi«e months at Wafhers. Poii^lai Anchors cit M-Q Holly wood, Dec. 1. Favorable reaction to his chore i 'Captains Cburageous*; prompted Metro to give, a contract, to Melvyn-^ Xjoiiglas., IJpdn cbmpietibn of - his role; in the film Douglas goes to Broadway for the lead in Ben Hecht's play Quihto and'Return;'; ELEANOR rOWEtL'S HOURS Eleanor Powell is'at her home In Westchester Cbtinty, Ni Y; confined to bed Mceiipihg f rom a dental op^ eration; Dancer last week under- went some probing around her ws- .: dom-teeth, and was ordered to bed- ; f<>ipJO days. ^ ^Hericonflhement is strictly" on »•