Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

AFL Demands a 10% Hike for 35,000 Under Strike Threat Hollywood’s troubled labor picture turned ominously darker when the lATSE served notice on producers that unless a 10 per cent wage increase was granted to 35,000 craft union members bj^ 2:30 o’clock on Monday, a mass strike would start in full force Tuesday morning. The ultimatum was made by representatives of the AFL, parent body of lA, after a meeting with producers. The only AFL craft not directly involved is the painters’, whose members are conducting a lone wolf fight for a 15 per cent wage increase. They have decided to withhold action on their demands for a salary boost until December 5, when producer-labor parleys are scheduled to open in the east. Three talent guilds — actors, writers and directors — also are not involved. The latest turn in the labor picture follows a 10 per cent wage increase granted recently to 12,000 lA studio workers and a subsequent request by producers that the hike be rescinded by the unions on the basis that the additional expense would prove “ruinous” to the industry. The ultimatum for a more comprehensive wage hike under threat of a mass strike is the union’s answer. The labor contingent is being represented by William Bioff, former lATSE Pacific Coast supervisor, and Meyer Lewis, AFL organizer from northern California. Guiding light of producer negotiators is E. J. Mannix. SAG bases its refusal to participate on the grounds the discussion is “an issue between the unions concerned and the producers.” Both the SDG and SWG pointed out their producer contracts contain clauses prohibiting them from entering any labor negotiations which do not directly affect their status. Publicists Demand Showdown On Closed Shop Agreement Another crisis faced producers when the Screen Publicists Guild declared it must have an immediate answer to its pointblank request that producers sign the longpending closed shop agreement. SPG members flatly refused to consider a suggestion by the producers that action on the contract be postponed. Agreement was to have become effective October 9. Publicists scheduled a membership meet Casey Delays Trip In Union Threat Pat Casey, head of the producers association labor contact division, has postponed his trip east under the lATSE strike threat for huddles with E. J. Mannix, head of the producers' negotiating committee, and Fred Pelton, labor counselor. Pelton is taking over Casey's duties here, the latter hereafter to confine himself to the New York Hays office. ing for November 15 at which further action, should producers refuse to sign, was to be mapped. It has been disclosed that the SPG president. Bill Edwards, has conferred with CIO representatives concerning affiliation with that organization. SAG to Prosecute Demands For Extra Film Players In the near future the Screen Actors Guild will present to the producer-Guild negotiating committee demands for a readjustment of wage scales and working conditions for extra players. Demands will be based upon answers to questionnaires which have been mailed to Class B members during the past several weeks. Meantime, Ed Helm, a Class B member, filed suit in superior court demanding that lower-bracket players be given a vote in SAG affairs. A demurrer was filed by Laurence Beilenson, Guild counsel, contending Helm’s suit failed to state a cause of action. Representatives of white-collar workers on the major lots have decided to make a survey to determine whether the rankand-file wish to seek AFL or CIO affiliation or to remain neutral. Paramount and Warner desk employes already hold working agreements with their respective studios. Major Production Upward With 43 Films in Work Production pace in the major studios showed a slight gain over the previous week, a tabulation revealing 43 films in work, including 11 new starts. Columbia gunned “Double in Diamonds” and “Daughters of Today” and finished “Music in My Heart” to emerge with a four-picture total. Three went into work at M-G-M — “Arouse and Beware,” “New Moon” and “Young Tom Edison” — while “Broadway Melody of 1940” went into the cutting room. Eight are in production at the Culver City plant, a seasonal record. Monogram has one in production. Paramount launched “The Way of All Flesh” and “The Man From Bar 20” to up its total to seven. RKO Radio registers six in work, having started “Irene” and “The Primrose Path.” Republic’s total dwindled to two with the completion of “South of the Border” and “Money to Burn.” Twentieth Century-Fox is filming three, having sent “The Bluebird” to the cutting room. Edward Small started “My Son, My Son” and Samuel Goldwyn gunned “The Westerner,” both for United Artists, and giving UA a total of seven in work. With the windup of camera work on “The Invisible Man Returns,” Universal’s total dropped to three. Only two are in production at Warner, “The Fighting 69th” having hit the finish line. Send Labor s Demands To N. Y. Heads Producers have submitted to New York executives labor's demands ior a blanket 10 per cent wage boost for all AFL crafts, save the painters — who are holding out for 15 per cent — and lA's refusal to rescind a similar increase made recently to 12,000 studio workers. The labor contingent has set November 20 as the deadline for a reply, threatening a general strike if the demands are not met. Hooves Pound Away Other Headaches There may be a war abroad and labor troubles at home, but neither is going to interfere with Hollywood’s enthusiastic participation — both as spectators and stable operators — in the sixth racing season at Santa Anita, opening December 30 and running 41 days through March 9, 1940. Although the starting date is nearly six weeks away, film colony devotees of the “sport of kings” already are reserving space at the track for their thoroughbreds, and the opening of the season will see most of the familiar Hollywood colors — in addition to a few new ones — well represented. Louis B. Mayer, for example, has one of the most powerful stables, of which 15 horses are already in training. Harry M. Warner possesses a string of two-year-olds. William Goetz of 20th Century Fox owns a select stable. William LeBaron, Paramount executive, is still touting his favorite “Brown Jade.” Reducing the number in his stable, Columbia’s Harry Cohn still has a number of useful performers in readiness. S. J. Briskin of RKO Radio, Bing Crosby, Barbara Stanwyck, Zeppo Marx, Spencer Tracy, Joe E. Brown, George Raft, A1 Jolson, Don Ameche, Mervyn LeRoy, Raoul Walsh, Robert Riskin, Myron Selznick, Scenarist Ethel Hill, John Cromwell, David Butler, J. Walter Ruben and 'Virginia Bruce, John W. Considine jr., Frank Lloyd, Cinematographer Norman Brodine, A1 Green, Walter Connolly, Clark Gable, Constance Bennett, Oliver Hardy and other screen notables all have thoroughbreds in training. Lowe-McLaglen Feature For Columbia Release Venturing into the independent production field, Rowland Brown has secured a Columbia release for “Back in France,” an original by himself, in which he will co-star Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen. Brown will produce on the Selznick International lot, getting under way late in January. Litvak on "'Villa on the Hill" With cameras to turn in December, Warner has assigned Anatole Litvak to direct “Villa on the Hill,” based on a story by W. Somerset Maugham. 30 BOXOFnCE :: November 18, 1939