Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Boost Other Unions; Two More Admitted Atlantic City — Future wage increase demands are “in the lap of the gods,” producers told representatives of three unions upon granting ten per cent wage increases to electrical, teamster and carpenter workers at the one-day parley at the Ritz Carlton here. The hike becomes effective immediately on the fourth year of the fiveyear basic pact which expires in the spring of 1941. The International Brotherhood of Plasterers and International Brotherhood of Laborers were accepted into the pact, thereby gaining a closed shop for this type of worker. The American Federation of Musicians declined to join in the pay increase demands, indicating a desire for adjudication of the unemployment problem among members. Labor representatives present: William Hutcheson, William Caste and J. B. Cambiano for the carpenters; Dan Tracy and A1 Speede, electricians; Joseph Tuohy and J. Gillespie, teamsters; Joseph Weber, musicians, and Frank Carothers and Joseph Marshall. For the producers: Nicholas M. Schenck, Harry D. Buckley, George J. Schaefer, Leo Spitz, Joseph Hazen, Austin Keough, W. C. Michel, Adolph Schimel, Leonard Picker, Fred Pelton and Pat Casey. Expect Trailer in 6.000 Houses Hollywood — Warner is servicing exhibitors with a special two-minute trailer called “The Spirit of Christmas" without charge. Already it has been booked by about 3,500 houses with an expectancy figure of 6,000. Rosemary and Priscilla Lane, Lola Lane, Gale Page and May Robson do a very brief scene in it from "Four Wives." Miss Robson, by effective and largely indirect selling, plugs the film which, by no accident, is Warner's Christmas release. It's a good trailer job — and it's for nothing. — K. Study Ways of Combatting Mexican Labor Troubles New York — Labor troubles are recurring in Mexico, causing distributors added difficulty. The situation is deemed important enough for consideration by foreign managers who met at the Hays office during the week. Ways and means of combatting the current problem were discussed. Certain union leaders, it is understood, are demanding more control over film workers. Distributor representatives feel the demands are an arbitrary encroachment upon the powers of management. "Lynton'' Case Goes To Highest Court Washington — Final chapter in the plagiarism litigation over “Letty Lynton” will be written by the United States supreme court. Consenting to hear the issues, on the plea of Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayer Barnes, authors of the play, “Dishonored Lady,” which they contend was infringed, the court at the same time rejected a similar appeal filed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, other party to the suit. Both contestants claimed the second circuit court of appeals had erred, the authors challenging its decision awarding the film company 80 per cent of the profits and an additional $922,141 as part of the overhead, and the company contending that the court should have reversed the findings as well as the decision of the district court and should have recognized limitations of the copyright laws as, it was claimed, is provided for in the statute. Basis of the case, the court was told, is the play, for the film rights to which M-G-M was negotiating when a novel based on the same theme was published in England. The authors asked $30,000 for the right to film the play, but M-G-M secured the picture rights to the novel for $3,500. The authors contend that the film plagiarized the play and in that contention were supported by the lower court. The fight now is over the allocation of the profits from the picture. Mayo in East New York — Archie L. Mayo, the director, is here from Hollywood. He traveled east by car and, in accordance with a practice of his, discussed product trends with exhibitors across the country. Arthur Gottlieb of Du Art Laboratories made the trip with the director. Mayo goes to Havana for the holidays and reports for work in Hollywood on February 7. "Gone With the Wind" If and When New York — It's becoming a problem over at M-G-M headquarters and according to some executives the various pending suits are actually beginning to interfere with the company's business. Now that all attention is being focused on "Gone With the Wind," William F. Rodgers, general sales manager; Tom Connors, eastern sales manager, and E. K. (Ted) O'Shea were asked to be on hand in two different cities where anti-trust suits are before the courts. The two spots are Baltimore, where the Westway case got under way Thursday, and Boston, where the defense began putting on its witnesses as the plaintiffs finished their presentation. Attorneys for the distributor promised to have the men available, if and when. "There may be more important things than havin’ a whole town for a friend, but . • . I don't know what they are. I MAIN STREET LAWYER’ with EDWARD ELLIS • ANITA LOUISE HAROLD HUBER ‘ROBERT BALDWIN • BEVERLY ROBERTS A Republic Picture 20 BOXOFFICE : : December 9, 1939