The Hollywood Reporter (Jan-Jun 1933)

Vol. XII. No. 39. Price lOc. TODAYS FILM NEWS TODAY Friday, Janufafy 6. 1933 SlCCCOCrCOC loss IN 32 Only Two Companies In U, S, And Three In Foreign Fields Showed Profits During 1932 ^^M^mmm^^ • "NO author writing for a motion picture studio should be under contract and assured of a weekly salary, regardless of the type of work he turns out!" This is the declaration of B. P. Schulberg, who is producing a series of eight motion pictures for Paramount. "The writer is not the type of person who can do his best work unless he is driven to it," Schulberg asserted. "The writer works hardest and best when his ambition and his dreams spur his efforts. This especially is true of the original story writer and the adaptor. • 'When I first started in pictures it ■ 'as as an original story writer. I receive^ fifty dollars for a one-reel story and turned out two or three acceptable ones each week. One of the studios signed me to a contract to supply one-reelers, paying me a weekly salary. My output dropped to one a week and that came only under stress. "Any fair-minded writer will admit that his work suffers to some degree when he is under contract. This degree varies according to the individual. "It is this human trait that I am combatting when I select the writers to do my stories. Many of them are not under studio contract. Many of them are, but only because so many of the good writers are under contract. • "Florence Ryerson, who writes novels in collaboration with her husband, Colin Clements, is not under contract, and she and Brian Marlow turned out an exceptionally fine adaptation and screen play on 'The Crime of the Century," which I am producing. Equa'ly as fine work has been turned in by freelancers at other studios. "Given a free-lance and a contract writer of equal natural talent I would rather have the free-lance writer do an original story for me. However, under the present system, it must not be forgotten that most of the cream of writing talent is under contract. "One studio could not immediately put all its writers on a system of rewards unless the other studios did so. Otherwise the writers would hasten to the place where they would be guaranteed an income." HSocia Lights To Pick Roxy Films New York.— A com mittee of six society leaders. including Mrs. Oliver Harriman, Mrs. Kermit Roosevelt and Mrs. M arshall Field, has been or ganized to advise on the selection of pic tures for the old Roxy AH Theatre W Warner Picture At MCM's N.Y.Capitol New York. — Warner Brothers have set a deal bv which their production of "Employees' Entrance," featuring Warren William, will play the Capitol in Manhattan and the Metropolitan in Brooklyn, both Loew houses, the week beginning January 20. "Lawyer Map," another Warner feature, moves from the Hollywood TTneatre to the Warner next Monday. Tiger Cub* Bought By Joe Schnitzer The Paul Schofield-Luther Reed original. "Tiger Cub," has been purchased by Joseph Schnitzer to be used as his next picture for release through Radio. McCallum Leaving CoL Hugh McCallum. for four years at Columbia as private secretary to Harry Cohn, has resigned and will go on an extended vacation. New York. — Profits in the world of motion pictures, as pertaining to the major operators, production, distribution and exhibition, went far past the vanishing point during 1932. with better than $100,000,000 being lost in the efforts to fashion entertainment for the public. There were but five companies throughout the world which reported profits for their operations, three of them in Europe and the remaining two here in America. There were more than 71 companies making pictures throughout the world which went to the wall during the past twelve months. Only Loew's Incorporated, and Columbia in this country were able to show profits during 1932, both because of no heavy burdens in theatre leases and operations. Loew's string of theatres was built long before the high peaks of '28, '29. '30 came in. (Continued on page 4) Claudette Colbert Loaned To Small The Edward Small Reliance Pictures Company, which will make a series of pictures for United Artists release, has borrowed the services of Claudette Colbert from Paramount for the production of "I Cover The Waterfront." James Cruze will direct, with production starting in about ten days. •FRISCO JEXI¥Y' A MAY FORCE PAPERS TO CEI^SOR Arthur Hornblow East And Then To Europe A violent storm of protest was unleashed yesterday as a result of the large advertisement in the dailies for the opening of "Frisco Jenny" at the Warner Hollywood and Downtown Theatres. Individuals and representatives of various civic organizations claimed the copy was vulgar, immoral and highly sensational, and several contended the city should have censorship of pictures if such films are now permitted to be exhibited. The newspaper offices were on the receiving end of numerous complaints, but officials of the Hays office bore (Continued on page 3) Arthur Hornblow leaves here Saturday to join Mrs. Hornblow in New York. They sail the following Saturday on the Italian line for Genoa, thence to Paris. London and back to New York to meet Sam Goldwyn and go over production plans for the Goldwyn pictures for 1933-34. Eph Asher Laid Up E. M. Asher, Universal associate producer, is home with a severe cold. Paramount Costs Will Be Lowered New York. — The main reason for Emanuel Cohen's Eastern visit is to discuss production costs with the finance committee of the organization. It is understood that Paramount's costs, while fair for the product it has been turning out. are far above what the finance committee wants. Cohen will be asked, it is thought, to suggest ways and means of cutting production budgets to get the picture costs with all overheads down to an average of $225,000 for the new program. Lou Sarecky Succeeds Ben Pivar At Columbia Louis Sarecky has been appointed by Columbia to succeed Ben Pivar as associate producer of the outdoor action pictures for that company. Sarecky's group will not include the westerns made by Columbia. He recently supervised the Wheeler-Woolsey feature comedy, "So This Is Africa." 'Son Daughter' Gets Only Week At Capitol New York. — The MGM production of "Son Daughter" will not be held over for a second week at the Capitol. and "Strange interlude" succeeds it there today. U' After Kept Wife' Through Bob Wyler. Universal is dickering with Gene Towne and Graham Baker for their recently completed stage play. "Kept Wife," which Wyler wants to direct. Goldstone Returning Phil Goldstone, producer of Majestic Pictures, returns from New York tomorrow, and is slated to start two features within three weeks. E Warren William )000< TERM CONTRACT WARNER BROS. /vw\ MANAGEMENT Wm. Morris Agency