Variety (Jan 1932)

VARiEt? Pi C T HR C S Tuesday, January ;S, 1932" "i bdv^i as J^H^^ Of Fihi Trade-^ttmg Up HBmself After LeavmgP P as General Connsd Coincident wltli the resignation of Elelt John LudTieh, one of the in- corporators of.; Paramount-Publlz, develops the first step in an inner Judiciary system for producers and their contract people. The general counsel for P-P .for the past 20 years already has the assurance of leading producer factors of their confidence in him as a Judge-arbi- trator of singular distinction. One of the first cases for the sew court flndis Ludyigh ready to' pass Judgment on'a dispute'.between the organization from whicli he resigned Jan. 1 and a former contract execu- tive, ^lierein al siim ot,iii«turIy a htUf inilUon^ls .'Involved.. The'lawyer for the.def«^dcufkt,ha6'already'express^ his wllIingneSB for his client to abide by the ruling. of., th? recent attorney, for' the defendant. As singular .a situation as the job Itself, liUdylgii itersonalljrV. reveals tiiat had. he been put of . Paramount last-fall the case at issue peyer would haye neared civil litigation; His past affiliation, Iiudvlgh . has, been assured, will in no.way.cayae ' highest ezecutivas In , tlie industry to regard any of his rullngs.as ar- bitrator as biasedt. , ' Instead of- the months-.and .yeafs that are-attendant .upoo: 'the usual case' in the open courts, plus mount- ing costs,-and^ most of all.^publlcity injury to .>either: party'regardIe.^s of which, way the decision goes, Lud' vigh's plan ia to render, a decision and file It in the New -Tork County '- Clerk's office at a miniihum of seven dayb after tMth parties have pre- sented their case. featuring In . the Importance of the Industry's, court Is that all pro- ceedings Will be strictly Btar-cham- bered; meaning no publicity either way unless agreeable to both sides. Reports Beports' concerning Ludvlgh's withdrawal froin F-P were nnmer' Oils but non9 touched on the Inner court system, revealed by the law yer in an Ihteryiew the day his. ' resignation became ettective. Among the reports, some of which are stin ill clrciilatton, are:' New money In ParamovntitPublix is demanding a 'new line-up of exj^c utlves and Ludvlgh Is the first of the original line to go. ' Xiiidvlgh refnsed to take the seo' ond cut Just .efTected. by.'Paramount because of 'indications *that a third will be introduced before long. Instead of'resigning heatedly and suddenly as was surmised inside, Ludvlgh stated he made iinown his intention to sever relations last fall Paramount was Just a client at the start and for its first 11 years so far as he was concerned, the lawyer revealed. Then, as It grew he increased his time devoted to Its interests, even to the moving of his headquarters do'wntown next to the Paramount ofllces on 6th avenue, until nine years ago Ludvigh coH' centrated as general counsel of P-P- That he is weary of 'having the responsibility of an entire organ izatlon on my shoulders' and that he feels he ie equipped to function as an intermediary and geherdl, con- sultant for the entire industry coni pose a summary of Lfidveigh's 'final decision to execute original 'inten tlons. During the last few years Iiud- vlgh has had a staff of 15 lawyers under hiiii, Each man he describes as being responsible for 95% of his Job, the other 6% reverting to the boss. Those 6-per-cents mounted up into a lot of trouble and more time than he felt it was necessary to subscribe at this time In life, the lawyer also said of himself. As to relations with Paramount- Publlx they will continue to be com merdal as 'Well as cordial. Lvd vigh baa been asked by P-P to handle certain important matters of .the organization as outside counsel -To this he has agreed. His pfflces will be at 1450 Broadway. liOuIs Swartz succeeds Ludvlgh as P-P's chief attorney. A coast report was denied at - the Columbia, offices by one of the officers who stated he 'vyouldn't - have . minded If it were true, It mentioned a deal to buy out the present'^ Colum- bia partners, Joe Brandt and the two .Cohn brothers. . Joe Schnttaer, Bill LeBaron and Chiarlle .Rogers were men- tioned as the, possible pur- chasers. 'Rogers Is In NeW Totk and S^h'nltzer Is on his way. l«Bar6ii may show tip ahortly. All 'Were recent rivals of Cwve Selznick .ln 'the Radio studio on .the coast. .' Rogers has announced he's' thrpiigh 'witii Fathe, because of Its : ^° merger ' with ^Radlo'; Schhltzer is likewise out and; I.eBa!ron, it is said, may'settle his / ;conteact with' • Radio through making three pictures in''.he''unit way-for itr , with . the different hieads leaving the Radlq ' studio, -^thei. iour-way «peratloh it looked to. he due' for'will .automatically ' end. ^an' at $2 CHMii After viewing the first print east of 'Man I Killed,' first non-musical made for Paramount by Ernst Lu- bitsch, Publlx made reservation for it at the Criterion, New Tork, for a (2 run. It will, follow the incum- bent, 'Explorers of the World' (Ras- pin), probably in three weeks. For some time advance Publlx bookings have had 'Man I Killed' on the RivoU-Rlalto run Ust Balderston Trying John Li. Baldereton, writer and former "World' man, will try writ- ing for . pictures under a short' termer with Metro. .. He has been signed for 10 weeks with options. CHEVAUEft CONCERT TOUfT starts Feb. 80 «t it. Leult—Winds Up In New York , Maurice ^GtieTalier starts a con- cert ,tour under the direction of Chat-ies Diillngham, Feb. 20, at St. Iiouis.. He Is Itooked Into Chicago Jan. 24 for a-week. Two and three days are llst^ for Indianapolis, Co- lumbus, Deitrolt, Boston. Pbiladel-' 'phla, BaltiiAbre; and 'Washington. The. tour will'finish-in New Tork,: with a'two-week engagement, prob- ably at the Fulton. Chevalier will be aided by Jacques Fray and Marie Braglottl. Maro Iiachman is In advance, with John H. , Potter the manager. INDIECmOF 4RAW0m? Hollywood, Jan. 4. ' Combine, of tlie four ex-ezecis'of .Radio—Charles R. Rogers,Joseph X .Schnitzer, William IicBaron and Louis A. Bareckyf—for Independent prodnctlon, IS'looked'for aS'next. '- . Bnggestibh: 4n the Official BKO- Rogera~ statement that the-woiind- up'.produetlbii 'chief might- take a unit on "the coast' Is not' considered sttlously here. As an Indie 'for Radio release It looks'likelier. - Schnitzer's departure to'talk With Hirain Brov^n suggestS ':he''S''gor- ing back-, to -wash up, as.he'a under four weeics'notice. . Sarecky has Just'signed with Co- lumbia as an associate producer. LeBarpn is ' stUl on the Radio' lot, with tlie balance of his contract yet to be settled. Charles E. Sullivan is in as David 6, Selznlck's business aide, strictly exec, and not In on Radio produc- tion as when' teamed with E. B. Derr. at Pathe. Hiram S.. Brown Is expected to return to the coast shortly for an- other look at the studio.. Harris* New Duties HoHjrwood, Jan. 4. ' Although itbbert Harris will carry the title Of associate producer at Paramount, his duties will be those of exec asst to B, P. Schulberg.. Same title is also celrried by AI Kaufman. Hughes May Appeal Code Decision On Coast to Hays FuD Board East jtioliyviropd. Fat SooUard Oat Fat Scollard left Radio Pictures Saturday. He had been a hold over of the . Pathe merger and was' known as a Joe Kennedy appointee, dating back to FBO, Los Angeles, Jan. 4. First adverse ruling by a secret board of judges, composed of pro- ducer heads working'In conjunction with the Hays Production Code ma- chine, will be appealed to the entire Hays board of directors in New York. Howard Hughes refuses to accept the condemnation of his entire pro- duction, 'Cock o' the Air,' within the past few days "by the.-Hollywood judges. He will be the first Hays member, since the organization was formed, to seek the ruling of Its di- rectorate. ■ ' ' That Hughes alms to teat not only the code but the dictatorial powers of the organization. In whicii he pays dues, is inferred inside to be one of the reasons for this major step. Heard inside also are reports credited Hughes that the Hays or- ganization would freeze him out, and, despite he Is a member, would minimize his opportunities for suc- cess as a producer in the film in- dustry. Hughes is reported to' havp volced. hls beliefs. Warned That, contrary to attempting or considering any Injury to Hughes, filmdom'e overseers warned him three specific tinies during the four months required to make 'Alr"^ and urged him to abandon further con- sideration of. the story as adapted, are points that doubtless will fea- ture in the Hays reply to the Hughes charges when they come up on appeal. In New Tork. The same situation was under- gpne between the organization and Hughes' on 'Scarface,' it is- dcclaredi Then calling the producer-judges into session, was not necessary be- cause Hughes, before that extreme measure was resorted to, agreed to remake portions of the 'Scarface' picture. Confidence that Hughes wil) abide by the decision of the Haye direc- torate, which is the highebt court for the code, is expressed. That Hughes should ignore such a ruling would mean little chance of United Artists releasing the rejected Sub- ject OP • any 'pt the represeiitative companies or - tliedtres . considering it, and would confine its run to in- dependent^/in states without censor bodies. 'This was made^ clearly un- derstood by responsible parties, it is said. in New York Ho-ward Hughes return to New York was to again consult with the New Tork State -Censoring Board over its objections to another of the Hughes talkers, this , time 'Cock o' th' Air.' The other Hughes picture jammed with the same board is 'Scar Face,' Hughes has 11,400,000 now tied up In censored films he is attempting to release. The 'Air' picture cost $600,000 to produce and 'Scar Face' $800,000. Along with $600,000 Hughes spent for production cost for 'The Age for Love,' now on release, the oil man has sewed up $2,000,000 in three talkers. The Hughes pictures are to be released through United Artists. Brown Due West Hiram Brown, of RKO, may leave for the company's Hollywood studio In about two weeks. His ^tay away is Indefinite. Briefly rewritten exIHicta from "VaplttyV Hollywood .Qulletln, printed each Friday in Hollywood, and placed ao'• wrapper upbn the reoulaii weekly "Variety." ' ■ " "^.z ' The Bulletin does not olrculate other than on the Paelfie Slope. Newe from the Dallies in Loo-Angele* will bo found-in-that cuetofflan department, * 1st Rms OD Broadway <SubJect to Change) Week Jan. 8 Paramcunt — 'This Biestless Age' (Far.) Rexy-^'SteppIng 61 s t e r b* (Fox). CapHol—"Mata Had' (Metro) (2nd -wk.').' ■ i ; RI'vdIt—'Jekyll and Hyde' (Par.) <2nd.wk.).: v. Strand—"Taxi' (WB). Mayfalr-r'Clrl of the iEUo' (Radio). Winter Garden—^'Manhattan Parade' (WB) (Srd wk.). RiaHo—Tonight or Never" (UA) (4th. wk.). of Week Jan. 16 Paramount—'Two Kinds ■ 'Women'' (Par.). Roxy—Dance Team' (Fox)'. . . Capitol—"West of Broadway* (Metro). . Rivoli—'J«!kyll anS Hyde'" (Par) (Srd wk.). Mayfali^'Prestige' (Pathe). .Winter .'Garden-^'Union De- pot' CWB) (14). Rialto — "Forbidden* (Col.) (14). ' ■ liooklng like ■clieolreQjn& what'< was Inttoded nr muBlcand reh^^ - - sal halls are being uded as wrlterrfi '' offices at Fox Movietone' City< Seventeen 'writers and readers ar« grouped in one room, with head readers on raised platforms. Cur> rent shortage of room has four and five'writers creating .per office,. Stock SKrlnkage Suit Shrinkage In value of stock of thd Van Beuren Coi-p. from a repre- , scnted $40 per. .share to (6 caused . Jesse Qoldburg to sue the company; ''^ for 117,000. He liad a year's con' '''>i tract for services'at'$200 per week--- ?knd 600.shares of stock. Sum' sued '"' '' or represents the difference lit book .value over current price ofi - the stock. Strange Faces ' Three unfamiliar faces will hit th« screen in Paramount's 'Dancers in - the Dork': . Saih lBrlcker, flve^yeiirs a-prop boy "waiting for his chance;. Altterta Vaughn, . former star for ' some time Invisible, and William. ' ' Halllgan, ex-legit, who has been • ' writing at Radio. • $2 Pictures 'Arrowsmithi' (UA) (Gaiety) (5th wk.). ' 'Explorers' (Raspin) (Cri- terion) (4th wk.). 'Hell Divers' (Metro) (Astor) (Srd wk.)v Foreign Fllme 'Zwel' Menscheh' (Cicero). (German) . (Little Carnegie) (3rd wk.). 'Secrets of Orient' (Ufa) (Europa) (2nd inrk,). 'KJeine Seinteneprung' (Ufa)' (Ufa-Cosmopolitan) (2nd 'Wk.). No Palhe Shorts Hollywood, Jan, 4. Chic Sale short to be completed in the next two weeks at Radio will wash up the studio's two-reel pro- gram for the year. Future shorts policy awaits the next confab migration of RKO execs. Expectation is that all shorts hereia.fter will carry the Radio trademark. Lew Llpton, ex-comedy chief for Pathe, goes off the . payroll Feb. 1. 13th Visoal Test . The visual education try in Cam- bridge, Mass., which Monday dailies in some Instances front-paged, is the 13th test of its kind. . Western Eliectrfc, although con- tributing two of its subjects, .was declared not to be in back of it. Test is understood by educator fol- lowers in the industry to be mainly- Harvard's idea. ARTHUR-MARCO EAST Producer on Rexy—Fox Theatre Head May Be East, Indef. ' Hollywood,' Jan. 4. Hari'y Arthur and Mike Marco leave for New Toric Thursday .<7) with Marco to stay several weeks supervising the Roxy. Miss Fanchon ai'rlved from Eu- rope today (4) and will get to work with Marco staging a Fanchon and Marco special 10th anniversary show. Arthur's plans are for' a couple of week's in east looking over the- atres, but indications here seem to point to his staying there indef, Erickeon a Begnlat Hollywood, Jan. 4. Carl' Erickson has been pro- moted from reading to writing at the Warner studio, following the acceptance of his 'Competition' as Chic Sale's next vehicle. Erickson's first assignment as an official author will be to turn out another stoi-y for Sale. '-■ Default judgment against Charlea H. Christie for $11,527 oh a per> sonal note given Fr^ M. Scott at Pensacola, Fla., In 1926. Bicycling Charges of bicycling five Tiddisli talkers on the coast while holding rights only.for Ohio and western Pennsylvania are .made against Jo- seph Finger of I'miMrt'^Ilm Co., by Joseph Seiden of Judea Films. LAt- ter,-asking injunction and damages, also names Fred Miller, owner of the. California theatre where the films were sho'wn last week. B. & C.'s 'Fraser' 'The Second Mrs. Fraser' is Belas- co & Curran's pick to follow 'Grand Hotel.' Grace George and A. W« Mathews will be brought out for the> coast production. -Fox Efficiency Fox's production efficiency. is working already, with 'Silent Wit-, ness* and 'First Cabin' in tlie can in 16 and 14 working days respectively. Studio's average last year was 24 days. H. G. Wells' Invisible Man,' beine scripted for U by Garrett Port, will star Boris Karloff under Robert - Florey's direction. U to W. B. Universal let-outB are yralkin^, over the back lot to Warners. Betty Davis is the latest hitch-on with WB, starting In "Rich Are Always With Us.' George Brent did it pre- viously. Warners has borrowed Ann Dvorak from Caddo for . 'Rich Are Always With Us,' and, has Dorothy : Burgess for 'Love on a Budget.' KGFJ-Union Oke KGFJ settled its dispute with the musicians' union and the station > agraih has a band. Paul Flnsteln's -ii 13-piece combo. Brilant Set Arthur M. Erllant got a writing termer with Paramount, which also - bought his play, 'Clara Deane,' for ■ Wynne Gibson. Brilant used to be a ;. Par ;).a. in the east. L. A. Off 'Vanities' That $12,000 guarantee Earl Car- ,,. roll wants for 'Vanities' kills it for the Los Angeles theatre. , Joe Leo, > William Fox's bro-in-law, ts sUU ., L.isettled on house policy. Universal wants Gene Fowler's /. 'Shoe the Wild Mare' but screen rights must be cleared through thO '' ' • (Continued on page 40) Moss' Fihn Reopening, hot May Try Stage Fare Again Reopening the house Thursday (31) for straight pictures, B. S. Moss will determine on a permanent pol- • ley for the Broadway in the next week or two. It will call for stage I ^ ; attractions in some form or other.,., plus film. House has been dark after a, fruitless attempt to make a go of pictures and stage shows. Upon relighting the house the scale Is 25 and 60c for four -shorts and a Pathe . feature, 'The Big Shot.' No news- reel, Columbia's entire output, and prints available from Tiffany and RKO-Pathe will be the film .service. Joe Riflkin, lately with Educa- tional-Tiffany, has joined Moss in charge of publicity and advertising.