Variety (December 1950)

PICTURES P^fHETY Wednesday^ December 6 , 1950 ‘Solomon’s Mrnes’ Ist in Nov. B.O., ‘Eve’ 2d, ‘Grande’ 3d, ‘Guerrilla’ 4tli Variety’s boxoftice compilation- lor November shows “King Solo- mon’s Mines’^ (M-Q) an easy win^ ner, according to biz reports from correspondents in 24 key cities. American production, made main- ly on location in South Africa^ is winding up the month with nearly $900,000 total gross. This is all the more phenomenal in view of the fact that' the film was only put om playdates to any extent the last two weeks of the month, It was .first both vyeeks. “All About Eve’’ (20th) just man- aged to nose out “Hip Grande” (Rep) for second honors. However, •‘Grande’’ actually came through with more big and socko sessions than“EvC,” but it did not have the advantage of ina.ior circuit af- filiations. “Eve” was third ha- tioha.lly in October. “Grande” was first one week, fourth another and fifth the initial | stanza out in the keys. The John Wiiyne starrer also was among the top 10. boxolTice vvinners the fourth, week pf Npvember. “American Guerrilla” ,(20th) pushed up to fourth Spot largely because of Tyrone Power’s popu- larity. Fifth place money went to “Breakthrough” (WB) while “.Let’s Dance” (Par) was sixth. Both are new in the past month. “To Please a Lady” (M-G), which wound up 12th in October, its first Val Parnell (Mtinpging Pirector of Moss' Bmpires, Ltd.) 'who^bperate Europe's chain of live fhearres, which includes the London j^allbdium, doesn't think much of that Ole Debbil TV in re- lation to stogc shows as he ob- serves “ Wh&Can (i Television Cahinet ? an editorial feature in the upcoming 45th Anniversary ISUmber of November’s Big 10 1. “Solomon’s Mines” (M-G). 2, “All About Eve” (20th). 3“Rio (jrrande” (Rep). 4. “American Guerrilla” (20th). 5. “Breakthrough” (WB). 6. “Let’s Dance” (Par). 7. “To Please Lady” iM-G). ,8. “The Jackpot” (20th). 9. “West Point Story” (WB). 10. “I’ll Get By” (20th). Theatre B%. Hit Now Exists at 11 Toronto, Dec. 5. A Federal government order ; banning the use of steel for con- : struction use in the Gahadian j amusement field \yas announced ■ over the weekend, The order will become effective Jan; 1, according to Federal Trade Minister C. D. Howe. ' The move follows that of the : U. S. under both cPuntries’ joint j economic and defense planning. ' Banned construction will include theatres, nightclubs, cocktail bars, sports arenas and bowling alleys, In the film field, the three big chains had virtually completed their inijnediate' building plans after a splurge of unprecedented. Maurice Bergman urgei Let^s Mobilize the Kibitzers 4r * ★ on* of fhe many •ditorldl fnaturai in th« forthcoming : 45th Anniversary ISitniher of P^IETY but, captured seventh posi- and management of UhiversaL ' their 1,500-seater in Edmonton and. ’hile “The Jackpot’^ (20th)\They are all said to be in coi'n^. R li200-seater in Moncton. With I activity, but Famous Players-Ca- ■ nadian currently has two theares Gomplete harmony is under.slood under construction and, according to exist now among the three ma--to Jules Wolfe, director, has suf- jor groups who figure in ownership ficient steel to meet the needs of. month tion w was eighth. The James Stcvvart ; plete agreement on the series bf^lhe site acquired Famous also had comedy so far has been uneven and , exec changes, which included nam- plans in; the blueprint stage for a not grabbing the tall coin antici-; ing of Alfred E,. Daff as director of ; l.GOOrseater in Hamilton, patcd. i world Sales recently, and culminat-j Meanwhile, with only the press “West Point Story”' (WB), just ed in Charles J. Feldman’s appoint- : interpretation of the banning or- ‘ starting out, took in enough on two ment as domestic sales manager ; der, prospective builders of new weeks to grab ninth position, la.st week. | theatres and their legal dopart- Tenth place goes to “I’ll Get By” j The three major interests in^' events were in communication with (20th), which was 11th the previ- ; volved in U are headed by J. Ar-Sovernnient heads in Ot- pus month. , thur Rank, Leo Runnerup pix in November ; Goetz and Nate J. Blumberg. Rank largely comprise some productions , is the biggest single stockholder, just going out into tlie keys and a ; with about 15% of the company’s few spotty film.s. “Tripoli” (Par), > shares, while Spitz and Goetz to- (Continued on page 20) j gether have around 13%, which —-——— ! makes them second biggest. Blum- ' berg actually owns no U stock, ac- cording to the last pibxy state- ment, but holds warrants for 31,900 ' shares at $10 (current market is around $9.50), which would repre- sent about 3%. While the balance of stockhold- ings and management control . is somewhat delicate, giving rise to recumng reports of intramural stress, Uie political situation cur- rently is authoWtatiyely reported to be completely stable. Last man- ifestation of actual strife i.s said to Spitz-William ' for actual copies of the new (Continued on page 20) Realart Deal Included In U’s $1,500,000 Net During the Past Year Part of the estimated $1,500,000 profit with which Universal wound up the year ending last Oct. 31, was represented by income re- ceived under the company’s reissue deal with Realart. Latter arrange- ment is working out exceptionally well for U, giving it an income of better than $100,000 a month for the last few months of the fiscal year. It is expected to increase still farther. U made the deal with Realart in 1947, receiving $3,250,000 against a percentage. There was a recoup- ment arrangement by which the re- issue outfit wasn’t to begin paying the percentage until it had recov- ered its advance payment. The. ad- vance was completely recouped in the middle of this year and the per- centages thereupon began to go to U. Reissues included in the deal in- clude all U product from the 1933- 34 to the 1945-46 seasons. Realart is headed by Budd Rogers, who is a director of U, Tncidentally, U earned* an estimated $2,500,000 gross before taxes, which includes the income from Realart, during the last fiscal year. Flock of Young Actors Eligible If Uncle Sam | Extends Its Draft Calls! Hollywood, Dec. 5. i Richard Long, Universal-Inlerna- j lional contract player, reports for ; military service Dec.; 12, but the ! film studios, as a whole, wont be j well supplied with actors if the ! Government extends its draft calls for men between the ages of 18 ' and. 26. | Lineup of thesps in that cate- j have disappeared with departure 1®“^ at. Metro includes Vic of J.'Cheever Cowdin, Charles Carleton Carpenter, Richard Hollywood, Dec. 5. Warners denied charges that it was slowing production over holi- day period, in a special statement issued after AFL Film Council pro- tested layofl: notices given many of lot’s personnel. Sltudio said “it is not shutting down . as Ghristmas holidays approach.” Council said that Warners’ claim that four pictures would roll be- tween Dec. 14 and Jan. 8 was mis- leading. Studio countered that “un- til council can prove that those scheduled pictures have not been started within that period, the stu- dio considers the AFL statement harmful and da.magihg.” Warners said , that two pix now shooting will,be finished by Christ- mas, but two others are expected to start before holiday and another two by Jan. 8. Studio added “it is our hope at all times to employ as many people as production re- quires. It is not our intention to shirk responsibility of operating our studios, nor will we. assign its operation to others. Continued. from page 3 Anderson, Marshall Thompson, Ma- rip Lan^a, Robert Sherwood and Jonathan Colt, U-I, in addition to Long, has Tony Curtis, James Best and Rock Hudson. Twentieth-Fox has Robert Wagoer, Jeffrey Hunt- j er, Craig Hill and Robert F. Pat- ton. Columbia has Scotty Beckett, Jerome Courtland and John Derek. | Paramount has Jerry Lewis, and j Samuel Goldwyn has Farley! Granger. United Artists Theatres reports net income of $614,383 for the year ended last Aug 31, compared with a profit of $905,414 for the pre- vious year, / Under the company’s bookkeep- ing system, the net profit includes undistributed earnings of. partially- owned, subsidiaries. «When the rev- enue is received, it is applied to the current year’s operation. UAT actually had a net loss of $166,117 for the year ended last Aug. 31. However, its share of income of partially-owned firms amounted to $780,500, bringing the combined total net to $614,383. UAT balance sheet .shows current as,sets at $1,619,517, including cash of $1,154, 749. Current liabilities are listed at $1,284,765. Debt includes •« 4% promissory note for $3,500,- 000, plus a bank Joan of $750,000 3%. Prutzman, Joseph H. Seidelmah, et at, from the board last year. Rank arid Spitz have both been (Continued on page 8) Stands In Way of UA Venture Wi^ Fairbanks-Niyen Group of Egyptian financiers ap- pears standing in the way of the newly projected production-dis- tribution deal linking United Art- ists with partners Douglas Fair- banks, Jr., and David Niveri. The two had entered tentative agree- ments with the Egj'^ptian syndicate to produce a series of five films, with the lattei* to provide part of the financing and to obtain distri-. bution rights in Europe and the Near East. . UA subsequently came up with '^-ep for 's^all since'’, m His what Fairbanks and Niven regard- chores at Columbia are still un- ed as a bettei-offer. T:he distrib defined, but he will serve on the proposed to put up a portion of i^ administrative staff in the home- j blocked^ earnings ^ iiv_ England, j office sales department. Prior to J where the Fairbanks^Niven team I joining Small, Koslner was on the1 staff of the Office of War Informa-1 tion and before that represented j Walter Wanger in the east. Small distributes through C^olum- ! bia. In addition to watching do- mestic and foreign sales on his product, his New York office, reps KELLY SEEN SALES REP FOR EDWARD SMALL Arthur W. Kelly reportedly will take over sales representation for Ed>vard, Small with the switch by Hairy Kosiner to Columbia at the end of this year. Kelly is former exec v.p. of United Artists and reps J I Charles Chaplin on sales. K6.siner has served as - eastern for would operate. This called world-wide rights to UA, UA still is willirig to go along if the Egyptiari group will bow out Of the picture. Feeling is that the latter might regard as binding a few oral agreements said to have Ijeen made by Fairbanks. Unless ; Monogram on several'nix'iru'-i-r he can free himself from the en- ^ tanglement, UA may be expected to drop the whole idea. leasing through UA. Swerling-Bartlett Collab Jo Swerling has collaborated With Sy Bartlett on a film original Amigo. Spencer Tracy is reading j tiori, which hr.d been set for last SEG Hearing Delayed Hearing by the National Labor Relations Board on Screen Em- ployees Guild s questioned jurisdicr it now, with the idea of starring in it. Swerling fs also due to write, “The Life of Haris Christian Art- dersert for Samuel Goldwyii. I argument. Wednesday (29), has been post- poned to Dec. 11. i Ppstporiement was permitted to' give SEG time for preparation of! has found that it is only the be- ginning. All rights to some of the pix it wants are owned by the studios, and they offer no problem, How- ever, it is found that many impor- tant films are snarled up by the fact that actors, producer^, direc- tors or writers have percentages or other continuing rights. Also that contracts with individuals and guilds naturally make no mention of usage of the film on a pay-as- you-see TV system, so that literally hundreds of clearances must be obtained if Zenith is to shunt off potential lawsuits. . Problem is even more compli- cated by the fact that the con- tracts of each studio vary, so Mc- Donald’s men can’t even follow a pattern in greenUghting the tracks. Difficulty would be considerably simplified if Zenith were satisfied with minor product, but both it and the film companies are in agreement that to make a fair test there should be a fair selection of pix. As a result, Zenith has not even given the. pic companies b delivery date bn the product it desires-^or actually even indicated specifically what films It wants. They’re ready to service the product, however, for the test of the t\dllingness of 200 Chi subscribers to ‘brder” mo- tiori pictures which will be sent into their home receivers at the cost of $1 per showing. Meanwhile, Zenith paid out $7(),- 000 to Illinois Bell Telephone to equip the 300 homes for the test and to set up the .separate switch- board^ which will handle the sub- scription calls. Separate phone lines were lun into each home. Zenith personnel will man the central board arid the company Will also handle the necessary book- keeping and billing. The entire Phone vision operation is set up in its own leased building in the North Side Lake View exchange area where the test will be con- ducted* • New excess profits tax goinf through the Congressional hopper is being viewed with considerable favor by the major film coiripanies, since it means that unless there’s a surprise upturn in business they Will not be subject to the new levy. Provision which saves the big producers, distributors and exhibs from having another healthy chunk of coin taken out of their slu’ihking earnings is that the base period for figuring excess profits is any three years from 1946 to 1949 inclusive. That gives the firms the option—which they’ll, of course, take—of using the hig 1946- 47-48 years as their base. Since profits have diminished considerably ifrom those years, it is obvious that an “excess” over what was earned then is urilikely. Should grosses take . a surprise bounce, sending them up above early postwar levels, filmites would be more than glad to pay the ex- tra tax which would go along with such a windfall. ' ^ ' The bill was slated to go through the House yesterday (Tuesday). Seriate finance committee is hold- irig hearings on a companion measure this week. When passed, there will have to be a compro- mise made. House bill is retroactive to July li 1950. It fixes the point at which the excess profits levy takes hold at 85(:o of average earnings for the three years. A 75% tax is charged against the overage. A 45i(’o bite (present is 38%) is put on any- thing below that, with a $25,000 minimum credit allowed. . There is also a ceiling of 67?(f on com- bined normal, surtax and excess profits tax. No provision has been specifical- ly made, as had been requested by Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Assn, of America prez, for frozen foreign funds Which are received by the U. S. companies in years subsequent to the date they were actually earned. In other words, the firms do not want to pay ex- cess profits on any bundle of coin they inay happen to get from abroad after the new levy becomes effective,although the money was actually earned earlier. It is be- lieved in Washington, that a pro- vision for this contingency will be made. Johnston, who was to testify be- fore the Senate committee today, has requested postponement to Friday. If that’s impossible, he’ll file a brief. L. A. to N. V. Marina Berti James Burkett Janis Carter Joan Davis Helen Deutsch Jose Ferrer Frank Fontaine Howard Freeman Jack Haley Van Johnson William Keighley Perry Lieber Norman Lloyd Diana Lynn Joseph H. Moskowitz Gail Patrick Havid E. Rose Andy .Russell Della Russell Robert Vogel N. Y. to L. A. Goodriiah Ace Irving Berlin Eddie Cantor Hume Cronyn Jules Goldstone Mrs. Samuel Goldwyn Al Lichtman Frank Loesser Al Palca Spyros. Skouras J. Arthur Warner N, Y, to Eurbjj^ Frances Derry Alec Finlay Rita Andre Finlay Tamriias,Fisher Robert Helpmann Gilbert Miller Samuel Selsky Robert Wilson Europe to N. Y. Anna N^gle Max Shulman Clifton Webb Herbert Wilcox Michael WUding