Variety (Apr 1949)

WeJneflday, April 6, 1949 s ^ NABES TO DISPLACE DOWNTOWN? Nassers Talk Seflii^ UAs Overseas Setup to Raise Coin for Parent Co. There may be a divorcement of ♦ united Artists' international sales organization from the domestic dis- tribution company if Nasser broth- ers succeed in their present efforts to buy UA. Nassers, it is under- stood, have been negotiating for nle to a third party of UA's for- eign setup jtor a cash sum which they could apply to the coin they would pay for the company. • Among those with whom the Nassers reputedly have been deal- ing on the sale of the foreign branches is Jacques Grinieff, in- ternational film financier who has been at various times tied up with Serge Semenenlco, v.p. of the First National Bank of Boston. There were also some negotiations, which have already fallen through, for sale of the Canadian distribution setup to the N. L. Nathanson in- •terests. | • price tallied of for the overseas] "setup, it is reported, is araund $1,- 900,000. According to these re-1 ports, thi.s would supplement the $3;500,000 in cash which the Nas- sers have available toward the $5,- 400,000, which owners Mai-y Pick- ford and Charles Chaplin want for the company. In addition, Sam Wiesenthal, Nasser's rep, who returned to the Coa&t from New York last Satur- day (2) after several weeks in New Ybuk. is understood to have nego*- Mated a deal by which Nassers would get $500,000 in cash from DeLuxc Laboratories to apply to- ward thie purchase price. Deal is said to have been arranged via fiastman Kodak/ from which De* Luxe buys stock. In return for the loan, DeLuxe is to get a 10-year contract from the Nassers' for printing of all pictures made oh their General Service lot. In other circles it was said that the Nassers have on hand all tire coin they need, but are making ef- forts to cut down the amount of cash necessary to swing the deal. (Continued on page 24) Reagan's Dicker For Par's 15 in Va. Hivs Negotiations of Charles M. Reagan, erstwhile Paramount dis- trib veepee, for a controlling in- terest in the Paramount-affiliated Dominion (Hunter - Perry) circuit have reportedly fallen througli. Reason for the breakdown in nego* tiations is undisclosed. Under* stood , that Reagan was dickering for Par's cut in chain which repre- sents 51% of the stock. ; Dominion circuit consists of 15 houses in Virginia. Reagan, it is said, is'intent on acquiring a cir- cuit and will continue pursuing that end. VICE 1SI RUNS Almost complete abolitioi:. of the present system of exclusive down- town first-runs is seen in trade cir- cles as certain within the next five I jFactional Interests in Fix bidustry Cramp D. C Assault on Brit Quota to 10 years. There has been a - ,.. . I rapidly growing impetus for the plan of' simultaneous initial .play^ dates in a series of key neighbor- hood houses in each city as a profit- able substitute • for the midtown first-run. $2,500,000 Budget For 8 New Coast Drive-Ins Hollywood, April 5. Pacific Drive-In Theatres is gambling around $2,500,000 in new construction that it will snare hefty business from regular film tion Picture Association, picked up houses, Firm expects to have 20 support from the indies and from Washington, April 5. Film 'ndustry drive for Govern^ ment aid in bucking the 40% Brit- ish pix quota has begun to lose much of its steam here, as the split interest between the picture biz segments comes to the surface. ' Drive, which started out less than a fortnight ago with strong behind, the-scenes pu-sh from ■ -Mo- Scheme has worked out well in | opcn-air theatres in operation by|studij labor. MPAA Maps Plans For Anglo-U.S. Film Meet *WorstIsOver Say Pix Bankers In Industry 0.0. Top execs of two New York banks handling considerabVi fllw*: bia agreed this week tliat , "the clouds over the' film; industry have bl'ovVh away soniewhat aiid a little of the silver lining is peeking through.'' Bankers are Alex Afd- rey, exec v.p. of the Bankers Trust Co., and Alan C. Abeel, V;p. of tlie Guaranty Trust. "The Wofst seems to be oyer for the film industry,", Ardrey^ said. "The period of peak production costs is now biehihd us, the low point in domestic grd'sses is past and, with the Economic Goopera- j tion Administration now showing 1 results abroad. I think we are much closer than we were , six months or a year ago, to cpnver- "tibility of frozen currencies" ^ Abeel declared that I it was not only in the figures, but in the geift- eral attitude of confidence return- ing to the industry that he saW j reason for at least limited opti- Discussion of the tack to be mism. In addition,, he pointed out. taken by tile American delegation! (Continued on page 25) to the Anglo-U.S. Joint Film ————-— Council is expected to consume much of the session of the direc- tors of the Motion Picture Assn. of America in New York this week. Meeting of Barney Balaban, Nicho-j las M. Schenck and MPAA chief' Eric Johnston with the British delegation is slated for Washington April 21-23. MPAA directorate will convene tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday to lay plans and decide on attitude of the American reps. Board meet will follow the annual conclave of the membership of the MPAA, which is scheduled for tomorrow. All present directors are expected to be reelected at that time. Johnston is due in New York tomorrow to preside at the meet- ings, Los Angeles, Toronto and a few other territories and distribs are eyeing it with great interest in their present search for increased returns on their product. With di- vorcement a-fait accompli for two companies, and believed in the cards for the other three, producer-: di.^tribs are looking «n' the nabc i day-and-^dates from; a new aspect i Al Mchtman has been giving the ; plan a Workout in his talks to ex- hibs in his current tour to up i 20th-Fox's rentals. Lichtman's 1 pitch is that the producers must get! more coin and that a revision of j traditional distribution and exhibi- tion forms must be considered.. He I is suggesting the simultaneous | first-run bookings as one way. : 1 David O. Selznick used the i scheme for playing ofl: his "Duel i in the Sun" and Walt Disney re- summer. Eight drive-ins, with a car ca- pacity of about 7,200, now are be- ing built, the $2,500,000 figure in- cluding cost of sites and equip- ment. ■ • • 20th Shifts Exec ToPhOlywithEye ToUpFh-stRuns Philadelphia, April 5. Acting to eliminate the 28-day clearance between downtown show- cehtly employed a version of it in [ case theatres und the nabe circuits, MPA, mainly representing the I majors, was out: to break the 40% quota, it soft-pedaled the iced coin- issue. However, when Roy E. Brewer of lATSE, and- Ken Thompson, of ' Screen Actors Guild, came to' vVaslvington, they made clear that their prime interest was the em- ployment of studio technicians and : actors. , What was hm-ting' their people worst of all, they told mem- I hers of Congress and Government ■ officials, was the coin freeze. In. [ order to get some use from this money, they explained, the studios I were now making films in Europe I which resulted in lessening em- {ployment opportunities in Holly- ■ vvood. I' Also in town to talk up (iovern- I ment help has been GoVi . Ellis (Continued on page 25) . ■ New York for "So Dear to ■ My i bring some of the nabes up *n„«-i„f' I nnmc oc Ranlr'e Heart." Both found it fairly sue- ^° ^ day-and-date opening position ■ yUdllCl LUUIIU nallH 5 With the first runs. 20th-Fox yester-1 oJii illO T'l /• day (Mon.) moved assistant eastern I OQ DeSt U,a. tllni (irOSSer division manager Howard Minsky [ cessful, although both :admitted they favored it only for certain type pictures. As Lichtman points out and I ^i""?"" '}'.^ 'J'''"?''*^'^^ ^^^^^V"""*"'^ Sebnick had previously stated, all ' Philadelphia to supervise the the economic logic is on tlie side i I"-'°J'"^''- of the nabe day-and-dates. No manufacturer of toothpast or au- (Continued on page 22) • Young Bankrolling McGuinness Indie? Hollywood. April 5. James K. McGuinness, ^former editor-in-chief on the Metro lot, is setting up his bwn indie produc- tion outfit, understood to be bank- rolled by Robert R. Young, tlie Plan, if it works successfully, will completely revolutionize the play-dating situation now existing in Philly. . Other ma.ior companies are expected to .keep a close eye on 20th to determine whether they should follow suit; Move was taken by 20th. sales veepee Andy W. Smith, Jr., in the face of vehement protests bounded by Philly exhibs when he first broached the plan to them at a meeting here last week. Smith and 20th veepee Al Licht- (Goniiiuiud on page 18) Griffis' UN Post Wa.shington. April 5. With both "Hamlet" and "The Red Shoes" clocking ofT heavy U.S. returns for J. Arthur Ranlt, the British producer ^now sees the possibility of a third big grosser adding to his take in "Quartet," filmization of four sliort stories by W. Somerset Maugham. In its opening week at the SuttoUj N. Y.j "Quartet" piled up $17,700, by far the top take for the 555-seat house. Sutton, an ofl'-Broadway theatre, had a previous ■ record of $14,000 racked up by; RKO's Mex-ihade "The Pearl," with an Anglo im-. port. Rank's "I Know Where I Am Going." in second spot on a $13^400. grtss. railroad man, currently connected, Stanton Griffis reported to Pres- with Eagle Lion and Pathe in-I ident Truman yesterday- (4) on his dustries. I .iob as head of United Nations Re- McGuinness plans to make four ] He/ for Palestine Refugees. He is , I to six pictures in the next year. I on leave as Ambassador to Egypt | 'annie; at $1,500,000, mg's cheapest musical TIT i woii}\\ooa, Apiii .o. I g^jj^g ^jjj ^ jjjj^^g while working on the relief chore. ,^ed ^rSrVfe^d Tt^'Ml^ro I t^^.yl^}^.^9-^^Jl \ .1'^^ J^^^^^^^J^^^.. his own funds. Releasing deals;are i.for Palnv Beach Wednesday for a pending. vacation.'*,' ^ Goldwyns East Next duced by will -.be the Judy Garland starrer, "Annie Get Your Gun," with a budget whittled to $1,500,000. which includes $600,000 to Irving Berlin and Dorothy and Herbert Fields for score and book. Another recent Berlin musical at Metro, ".Easter Paji-ade," was brought in foi- .'62.300,- 000, the cost including Berlin's $600,000 for that stint. Saving on "Arinie" will be made by cutting numbers not directly concerned 1 uct are helping, improve the na- i "Mother Is Freshman" (20th), "The with the story line. Meanwhile. t\\o , Uonal biz tone this stanza. 'Several'i Bribe" (M-Gi, "Red Shoes" (EL), features, "Scene of the Crime'' and | soi-e economic spots and usual I "Portrait of .Tennic" (SRO) and however. I "Ma and Pa Kettle" (U). Last- National Boxoffice Survex^ New, Stronger Pix Up Biz—'Set-Up,' 'Ball Came,' j 'Beal,' 'Pacific,' 'Door' Five Stroiigfcst I Reversion to more seasonable! VForce of Evil" (M-GK elaborate production ! weather and additional stout prod-, Strongest runneivup pictures are Tr«.(lB Mark Reglntorcd .H"<,|'.\Din) BY S1MI5 SU.VKUMAN rullllAllrll Wfifklj' by VARIICTY. ItlCi Sid Hiiverm.i'n, T'rpniclcnf 154 Weat 4Gt,h Kt., .\ew Yorli 19. N I llnU.vwnoa 38 es31 Yiicisn Kti'eet WflNlilnxton 4 1202 Nalioiiiil Press Ruilt11n( ClhloaKO 1 ■ .»C0 .No MiPhtSHn Av». i.oti<iuii wrs • St. Martiti'."< 1»1.. Tiaralgar 8q. si':Rsci!ir"noN Annual.. ...SIO ' Foreign . v.lll .SingV Copies. ..25 Cente I "Border Incident," were brouglit in i downbeat diiring Lent '[under the ,$700,000 mark, while' continue to hurt. Week on 'Roseanna' Bally "Tension" and "side street■' arc ' Sweeping release of "The Set Samuel Goldwyn is due in New ' aimed at the same figure. \ Up" iRKO) ahead oi "The Cham Vork next Wednesday (13), accom panied by lils wife. Producer will be ea.st a week or 10 days, super- vising, plans for regional preems in Louisville and the Kentuckj-Wcst Virginia mountain country of his forthcdming ^'Roseanna McCoy;!' Goldwyn then returns to the the Coast tomorrow (Thursday). Coast for sneaks of the pic and, i He'lI be accompanied by v.p. Nate about the end of April, is planning i Spingold, withwhom he and Mrs. to go to England to see "The ; Cohn f.loan Ponyi guested in P;ilin Elusive Pimpernel," in the produc- j Beafli. Cohn has been east lor Ihe tion of which he has. been part-1 pa«t 10 days, Harry Cohn Back West Accomped by Spingold Harry Cohn, Columbia ■ proxy, trains out of New Yoi*k to return to named, not in. many larger keys so i far, shows considerable future', promise. "Johnny Bolinda"-"Sierra j Madrc'' (WB) is doing particularly well on basiS'Of Academy laurels; I "Little Women" (M-Gt, which ; clicked at N.Y. Mu.sic Hall; is i pion" (UA>, despite Lehteh ih- ; flucncc. is paying off by pushing this figlit opus into top position nationally. Playing in some 13 Iccy Cities covericd by Variety this I standout currently in Philly. "Mr. weeic, it is' grossing more than : Belvbdere Goes To College" (20thi. $245,000 with most spots reporting , due in Roxy soon, is aco newcomer nice to fancy or terrific trade, [ ih Baltimore where Sock. "The i T.vjpical is N.Y. where it is giving Fan" (20tl-i) shapes only fairly good iiter^Criteriott; its iJestr "Jigsaw"^ (tJA)^: Inwhthi'^v::.-";, ^- vv-.:, .tis.slito ih;.iUA? i "Ball Game" (M-G). now oxit in "Walking HilLs" (Col) is doing more 'sitiiatidfls, is a strong secdndj j hie in Seattle. "Siren of At-: nered with Sir Alexander Korda. Col topper attended a board j an, improvement over last wed^^^ Goldwyn contractee David Niven, 'meeting of the company Monday ' 10"rMi place, "Nick Beal far ! c.. , Red Sta lion liLi mild yho stars in "Pimpernel," arrives! (4) which was described as "nni- is showing enough to land thi.^d in K,\ looms big in T^^ m New York tomorrow and flies tine." It was the second monllily I PO^'t'O" with "Canadian J'acil.c Wake of Red Witch (Rep) is Vol. 174 e^a.''" No. 4 INDEX Bills 54 Chatter 62 Film Reviews 8 House Reviews .i.ii.... . -55 Inside Legit ^...... i w.... SG' Inside Pictures . Inside Radio , Inside Television International ... Legitimate . ..... Literati Music . , . . ..... New Acts , . .;... right out for England for added scenes. Joan Evans, another Gold- wyn pactee and star of "McCoy W due in New York Saturdav "Wiike Of Red Witch' dVi'-pctornte'meerirsuc^^^^ fourth. "Knock On Arty accs in Portland, with ! Ml^ich he p«sen" is! Door" (Col., first last session, is sion, "Bad Boy" (Mono) is not so; . ..v Slered h chlv unusu-.l I winding up with fifth money xvhilc , good in Cleve. "Shot Jesse James" i , .„.„.„„y"^9^ spingold vfn\e'"in"'the Coast "El Paso". (Par) is sixth from, top 1 (SGi disappointing in Providence, i for two weeks with her pai'ents., about two weeks looking at no^^ . 9"^""S '» * ^ig Nine fims^^^^^ ma« nrodnci and olannine ad-miblicity m this ov.lor: "Joan ot Arc" (RKOi. (Complete Bo.i;oftice Reports playwright Dale Eunson and mag I product and planning ad-publicit. wrrter Kathei<ine Albert. ^campaigns. "family Honeytnooa" tUJ and.i 071 Pages 12-13) '.241 ,;,,-37.' 1.T .... 56 61 .... 40 54 Nisjhl Club Reviews .52 Obituaries . 63 Orchestras 40 Pictures ; 3 Radio ■ 27 Radio Reviews .......... 33 Records ;. . . ... ...... .. . . 40 Frank Scully 61 Television 31 Television Reviews ...:.. 32 Vaudeville . ..... >..... 48 nAll.V VAniTJTTc (Publisliod In Hollywood bjr Dally Variety, I.dl.) |1D k 7ear—.fao. E'areiEn