Variety (December 1943)

Wednesday,, December 8, 1943 PICTURES 8 Indie Exhibs Argue Their Profits Pointing to the fabulous returns* being reported by producer-distribu- tor companies and the fancy rentals asked this year down the line, even from the smaller companies, inde- pendent, exhibitors are taking the position that their profits.should av- erage no less (ran 10% and, under present conditions, should be nearer 15';. They are also beginning to cru- sade for a higher profit .allowance against rentals on percentage deals where the point system is employed and the week is broken down into playing units based on weekly over- head. Some demands as high as 50% or the rental figure under the point system are being, made. Exhibs point out that while they may show a good profit on certain pictures, they take a licking '-orr-oth- ers.'.' nd are subject to seasonal trends, weather' conditions and other factors that affect their business and the. divestments they have.. More- over, the slender profit that .many make', they claim, does not take into consideration the. depreciation of their properties, among other things, let alone the uncertainties of" the future so far. as operational matters are concerned as well as product quality. . Admitted, however, that an aver age' of 15*;, profit, is reasonable. No Horror on Sat. '-. Toronto, Dec'. 7. Showing of 'horror' films to. juve audiences at Saturday mat- inees has been banned in Canada as the result of numerous com- plaints from civic groups,..an-; hounced Col. John A. Cooper, president. Canadian Motion- Pic- ture Distributors' Association. However, youngsters will be. able to get around the ban by. seeing such films earlier in the week. . H wood 0.0.s Air RKO Meets to Discuss Refund of $9,500,000 Loan for Keith Chain RKO Corp. board of. directors, met last Monday (6> at the New York homeoffice to discuss plans for .re- funding a loan of around $9,500,000 for the B. F. Keith chain of some 16 theatres. Deal, which has been un- der consideration for some time.- may be closed within the next week or two. with the First National Bank of Boston handling the transaction.. B. F. Keith first mortgage bonds how bear, f^om 4%- to v 4Vi"! interest. Under the refunding'plan the cost of carrying the loan would • be re- duced to 3-3',<i%. Also coming up before the RKO board for approval Monday was the RKO Christmas bonus to theatre, ex- change and homeoffice employees. Understood that the bonus will .amount to approximately $60:000 and will cover theatre and exchange em- ployees earning up to $25 and home- office employees earning up to $60. Provision was not included in the plan submitted for bonuses to for- eign or studio employees, action in those departments being subject to local decisions. Top-ranking radio shows are more arid more getting the o.o. from pic-' ture companies, with the idea of pulling shows' with high Crossleys before the cameras., Most recent program lo get a film offer is Phil Baker's 'Take It or Leave It,'' on CBS for Eveisha'rp. Al Rogell, Re- public' producer, is/currently in New York making final arrangements on the deal. 'Can You Top This?' program .fea- turing Senator Ford, Joe Laurie. Jr., Harry Hcrshfield and Peter Donald, recently turned down an offer 'from Warners; •Brewster Boy,' Chicago juve. program, has had numerous of- fers 'from top companies. 'National Barn Dance.' is in production at Paramount, and 'Duffy's Tavern" (Ed Gardner), produced by Jack Skir- ball: will be released through the same company. Charles R. Rogers.' indie producer, has set 'One Man's Family!' the Carl- ton Morse program, as his next re- lease through United Artists. Morse and Eleanor Gri in .are:'doing the adaptations for the screen. RKO re- cently put; out 'The Great Gilder?' slccve,' starring Hal Peary, who created the .character on the air. 'Information Please' has been seen in short, form several times. Colum- bia released 'Crime Doctor,' pic using same title as network show, this summer; Newest wrinkle in the radio-pix ticup.is the setting up of established film fare for'radio audiences,. with 'Mrs. Miniver' now being heard in serial form- on CBS. There's also interest in doing a radio version of William Saroyan's 'Human Comedy.' likewise in serial fashion. s ua mock up Again On Coast; Mary Pickford s Demands Because of the big: backlogs that are being built up by certain pro-, during companies, real varia- tion in dating, the pre-releaslng of product well in advance of national release and the uncertainty as to availability of picture*, are combin- ing- to create havoc in the mapping of campaigns designed to lend, mer- chandising aid to film. With the same suddenness that pictures are pulled off schedules, dis- tributors are shoving out productions just as fast. Very often the pub- licity .and advcrlbing forces have not had a /chance to go to work on pictures suddenly made available, while they have concentrated on others that are without 'wanting taken off schedules and -perhaps--hold back for many months. Stars, directors and others in pic- tures' that have come off the as- sembly line, are-frequently in N. Y. on visits or business but nothing, can be done with them on interviews and the like designed to exploit the pic-, ture with which associated because it isn't known whether that picture Will be released, shortly or a year from now. Olic'of-the. majors held- a certain top feature, with star names, for 18 months after comple- tion. ; Even after films .have been given a national release date, the value of national publicity breaks.and adver- tising has become greatly .decimated because a picture niay clear in one territory at an early date but not in another until much later. As re- sult, national publicity and advertis- ing lose .much of-their value for the theatre. What' complicates the situation greatly for the publicity-advertising -department* '- the necessity for long-range '/planning'- on campaigns and deadlines of national publica- tions, that are away in advance. Just Ain't Any Hollywood,. Dec. 7. Toughest job in the production of 'The Man From Frisco' at Re- public is to find a leisurely shi' yard. ';. Script demands a small boat building plant of pre-war Yin- ; lage to compare with the current . rate of production; but air the yard* on the Pacific Coast grown bigger and busier. Spyros Skouras. 20th-Fox proxy, may consummate a deal for the pic- ture rights to Moss'-Wart's- 'Winged Victory'.today (Wed.), on basis of a S1,000,000 cash down payment ,to the Army, plus a percentage over $2,000.- 000 whereby: virtually ail profits would be turned over to the AVmy Emergency Relief Fund.' Hart is scheduled to. meet with Skouras today. . . Though several other companies, notably Warner Bros, and Interna- tional Pictures (William Gocf/.-Loo Spitz) have been bidding strongly for the . properly,- it understood that 20th-Fox is ready lo meet and top all offers for. the picture., A somewhat similar deal was made .by Warner tos. for 'This Is the Army,'. which now looks to net Army Emergency Relief some $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. .Sale of Sir Alexander Korda's in- terest in United Artists, which han come up for consideration .several 1 times during the past year, is again being mulled by the owner-memben and executives of UA currently on the Coast. .Matter was again sched- uled to come for discussion yester- day(Tucs,). . United Artists has not yet pur- chased Kbrda's stock but, as reported seyeral times during the past year,, has been negotiating. Most important problem confront-' inn I.:;- : owner-members- at the moment is Mary Pickfo'rd's demand for a'change in the structure of the corporation. Miss Pickford wants to eliminate that provision whereby there must be. unanimous approval by all the owner-members before stock can be bought or sold or other company changes made. ; Another problem being threshed out in . current deliberations is the David O. Selznick-Charles. Chaplin situation. Ed Raftcry and Grad Sears .were reported bedded with colds last Monday (6), as is Carl Lesermaii in the east, but meetings were .sched- uled to be resumed yesterday after-, noon. PAR LOADED WITH NINE FILMS GOING Hollywood, Dec. ". Nine productions will crowd Para- mount's facilities- to capacity'.this week with the addition of The Road to Utopia' and 'Gambler's Choice." Seven more arc before the cam- eras an nine in various stages of i editing, including three in Techni color. - LOEWS $4 DIVVY THIS YEAR DOUBLE OF 1942 Year-end extra melon-slicing for Loewls. Inc.. common stockholders brought total payments on these shares to $4 this year as contrasted to $2 regular usually paid annually. •Loew's directorate cut an extra.divi- dend, melon of.Sl.50 plus the usual: quartciiy 50 c divvy .'at the meeting last week. These declarations are in -line with expectations in Wall Street since Loews policy is always to be ultra conservative oh divvy distribu- tions. ollv llie regular ah extra .-are payable Dec 31 to-.stockholders of record at close, of business Dec. 17. Locw's had paid thicc 'quarterly dividends of 50c each" previously plus one extra divvy: of 50c. FILMS GET OK IN DELINQUENCY PROBE Bucking Motorbikes Too Risky, Riders Ask Raise Washington. Dec:-7. Motion pictures appear virtually, certain Of coming through with a clean bill ot health in the current investigation on child delinquency by the Special Senate subcommittee on. Wartime Health and Education. Committee heard about pictures from several witnesses- last -week and. presumably, will also hear testimony .on radio programs before it winds up its study. Dame May Whitty. 78-year-old M-G-M player, proved the chiel spokesman for pictures, with Made- line. Carroll also scheduled to give testimony. Also on the list of wit ncsscs-was Frank Donovan, writer director for RKO-Paihe. 'The motion ! picture industry.' Dame Willy said, 'is keenly aware (Continued on page 42V 2 tensers Killed In Gilbert BattleTBut Marines Got 'Story* Washington, Dec. 7. Ncwsreel shots of the fighting on Tarawa and Mak.in Islands were de- scribed here last week by Elmer Davis as 'knockouts.' The OWI di- rector also congratulated Navy pub- lic relations for. the swift job of fly- ing the films to this country, calling it 'one of the best done by any gov- ernment department since the war began.-' The Tarawa battle was filmed by a crew of 15 officers and men. of the Second Marine Division's pho- tographic section under the direction of Capt. Charles ' Louis ■ Hayward. former screen actor, and husband of Ida Lupirio. Two lenscrs were killed, a third was wounded, and much equipment wns lost in the surf before, the men could reach the is- land. Pictures included 900 stills and 5,000 feet of color motion pic- tures: STAGE TRAINING FOR PAR'S YOUNG PLAYERS Holly wood.; Dec. 7. . Paramount Is going into the little theatre 'movement as a private en- terprise to 'develop its own players and its own dramatic properties. Eddie .Bracken, who still lias hankering for the stage, will star in the first production, 'What a Life,' supported by stock players and any- body rise around the lot with dra- matic ambitions. Studio is.negotiat- ing -for' the. lease of a Hollywood house/for its showcase drama, which will be ope:*, to the general public. 20th Toppers Back East Spyros Skouras. 20th-Fox .prexy; Tom Conners, y.p. in charge- of dis- tribution, and Hal Hornc. advertis- ing-publicity director,' are back in New York from the Coast. Wjiile in Hollywood they huddled with Joseph M. Schcnck, executive studio-huad, and Darryj F. Zanuck, v.p. in charge of production. Oscars Will Get Public 0.0. During the Awards Hollywood, ec. 7. General public, at least 7 of thein, will sit in foil .first time at Oscar award . ceremonies of the! "Hollywood. Dec. 7. j Academy of Motion Picture Arts and i Riders of bucking motorbikes are \. Sciences. .Fete will be held Marc),:! Moving t.h,«. .-Tood \ ■ 2 at Grauman's Chinese theatre ■:«' o n ,rv : -equipped with 2,048 seats..of which'^ a dp instead of the custom.,. 1.348 will be reserved for .members Slfi.aO check. of film industry. i Motorbikers insist their puddle-. Due to wartime probloi s. the lumping feats id high speed .ire ever awards will bt handed out. sans dm- i'mure -hazardous than those ol ner, for the first time in 1C years. I broncho.blisters. Spencer Tracy to Play Doolittle in '30 Seconds' Ilollywuriil. Metro picked Spencer Tracy to play- the role of Jimmy D:>r>lilllo in the screen version <>i C:m)I Ted Law- sol.'s best-seller. --Thirty Se:;C'!v3> Over Tnkyu.' Sam. Zimb:ii;:-i i-- 'shl.-o 1-) produce, .with Me'ivyn Lcrny a-/'itcvlor. 'Pilebuck' to Sutherland SINATRA'S ANNOUNCER SCRIPTS ONE FOR HIM Ken Dolmar. annouhced of 'Your, Hit Parade: for Lucky Strike. "h:i>- written a stage comedy for Frank t Sinatia. singer of tl'ip program.: Lat-. j or" has read the script and likes ii: 1 but isn't interested in .a ]pgil..lv.--ign- mont at the prnXeni time; so h'? Ii ^ | , asked Dclmai; to submit the pluy to: I RKO for pos.iibli'''adaptation, >\* a ! picture. 'SinalVa i.-- under coiiir-acl l» . ] that studio. : I Play deal.' with the radio businc-.-. It is untitled.' ' i Tr.-irto MnrU KokIhi r»r.-il i-oi'.\i>i:o jty sime Hii.vr.ii.\iAX I'lihlUlir.l Wi-ckly lijr VAHIKTV, Inr. Si.I Sllvcrninn, PrcHl.Jfii.1 ir.l Wcsl 4C.th St., New York 10. N. t SUDSXinH'TION 'Anniml 110 - Foreign:. . .Ill ^iii^l.t C(H>Iub. .-.... 25 Cenlii 'Vol." 152 ,130 No. 13 Ed(.i:(: oi rector chore Uirv t'j be dKciioi s for. II j !'«:: ■(in '1- i;i(|i.' 0>lU'! di- 1 pic- fro- IV O'Brie.". the ' pl ijdi:ct:i!-.. I'mX ' starling Jan. 4. (i: /. • the li-'n-ck:' Mr- y Te.neci. >ia. re'case.- '. In 'ii-;. !iiz-d the play-; VM' lop role. Cold Mikes 'n Hot Times '•'-;! SMK-iale - reins on -*-Ka<i,« || Rcve^' at Univeij-al were hynrlod t--j j| Wad-on WiUoii. : : .|! P.cture. df.'uiiu'^ will: " '-mik'e a-l- T venlure. ' in a rludio*,. .bii'i Hi.- cair.- ' jl eras Ian-. Ihi, nioiitl,. with .Slj.i'Un ' ,1 'Davis doing the script. . I i INDEX Bills ;.. Chatter .-,.. . . . ....... Film Reviews II nise Review. ..;.,. Insiiie -Legit . : Inside -Radio Legitimate' ...... Literati - ' M-^ic New Act>: ...-.,.;■. Xigi.t Cliibs,. ....... .Nil; 1 ' Club O-ji 6iri"icMra's- ... ... ■. • I'i.'.nr'- t-iclio Ri;views,; ■ t'liil Review."... .... Vii::devi!! .:.'..:..'. 42 ■ 4 " 8 19 .44 43 4'j 34 :/j 4.J 4C, •y ■ V\ . 2G . 40 . 39 DMt.V VAKIKTV • Cl' i In >l"M>-" -'-'I . \ <:\ \'(ill-!ly. Mil./ ■ II'. ii yenr—112 fnioicn