Variety (June 1932)

4 VARIETY r 1€T«B ES TaesAay^ Jnne 7, 1932 Finandng, Goldstone Goses Purse Hollywood, June 6. Shaky condition ol the indie field, In which he already has $1,600,000 Invested, is PhH <5oldstone's reason for shutting his checkbook to free- lance producers. Unless a. picture Is scld iiefore It starts, in future Goldstone will not be^ Interested In flnariclng. Further, be won't discount any more pro-' ducer or exchange paper, he says, feeling that soine 11 his million and a half in recent indie pictures Is not as secure as It appeared sev- eral -months ago. Five pictures to have gone into work the past and present week have been called; off and although this has been ittrltouted to labor difficulties, real Teason Is the cool- ing of Goldstone as a source. Financier, who has bankrolled 62 Indie pictures since Jan. 1, bellies that the entire, complexion of the state rights market has changed in the past months Poor rental prices, aind plenty of'product to pick from, along /1th bad business among tl)e ^all theatres are .responsible; he says. ., Goldstone says the real 2ow down on his diange of b^rt is thabdlrec- tors are asking^too much, that they "expect cameramen's wages. AYtESWORTH TO COAST m Tm ETHM m M. H. Ayieswprth left New York Friday (3) for a trip to IjOS An- geles, on the ethet end of his two presidential occupations. NBC. and RKO. While in Hollywood if or two or three days the pres of NBC may drop in to see the studio oiC Radio Pictures (RKO), but this is not positively set. While westward bound Ayles- worth will stop off at Chicago for a'day. or so, .also at Drake College In the' middle' west' At Drake, founded by his' father, Mr. Ayles- worth will make an address.. AkostaBomb : Several people in United Artists' New York pfflce. notably. Sadie Feuerstein, private sec to Al Licht- inan, narrowly escaped asphyxia- tion or burns when a bottle of acid, dropped from above, landed on the window sin of Llchtman's outer of- fice, spattering in all directions. Fumes and acid spray damaged deskSj ceiling, file cabinets, etc. B. 0. SLASHES NO CURE FOR BIZ TJ^HMAli THRU WH PERSONAI^^TW TOUGH Pittsburgh, June 6. Lllyaii Taahman,, ..after pulling dpwn more newspaper space here, tjian any other, screen star to hit town this year,, cltised her tour at the Stanley and headed back for the coast. She Is due ait the FN studios June 14 for a part in 'Reviolt.' Miss Tashman's Paramount con- tract recently expired and. she's now free-lancing. Also says she's through with personals—they're too tcugh. The slashing of admission prices is not the cure for the anemia suf- fered by . the nation's boxofflcea today, state the leading operators. Condiisioii is .that lessening of the scales has not Increased, the traffic past the toll gates. So certain is Fublix that price cuts is not thei solution, following experiments* extending over more than a year, and taking In drastic slashes In many spots, that the cir- cuit has discoirtlnued the practice further except ^ few minor spots where other factors figure. Where big price cuts have been effected without resulti houses may be closed down fbr awhile, reopen- ing at old scales for a fresh start, chain attempting to inject life into the boxofilces through other means. Still Shopping During tho post six months, scores' of reductions In scale have'been or- dered by Publlx, from biggest of keys down to tank towns. . "The other circuits have silso' used the, knife extensively. Among the conclusions drawn already is that the public, though cutting,down on mass attendance, number of shows weekly, etc., is still patrcnizlng -.. the shopped-for pictures heavily. .Anything that's different, suggesting matetlal and Academy Drops Wonder, Who'll Preacli Refigion Hollywood, June 6. Academy hag dropped its former pilot, Dr. Clinton Wunder, who re-* cently has been drawing salary as an advisor. Previously he was'ex ecutive ijaanaser. a post' now filled by Lest^ Cowan. ' Wunder's •whole, time will nq'w be devoted to the institute'of Religion and Philosophy, under whose aus- pices he is lecturing and preaching. Ginsberg Hops In from Hollywood in 31 Hours From Cal. lo N. T., in 31 hours. Including -a • stopover In Chicago,. la considered a., record for flying pic ture executives. It was set the past weekend' by Harry Glnsberff, Hal Roach production manager. Ginsberg left Hollywood Satur day (4) at 4 a. m. and arrl'ved ln Manhattan Sunday at 1:30 p. m. He will return to the Coast by air next week end. Ginsberg Is here to work out final details in Roach's '32'33 production for Metro release. ■ . • Attention, Dailies IjOS Angeles, June 6. Figuring the. publicity given the Greta Garbo-Metro nego- tiations In the daily papers did more than a heavy advertis- ing campaign could possibly do, Loew's S ate here^ opened Garbo's 'As Ton Desire Me' without any increased bally, or upped ad budget. P-P NOT INTERESTED IN CANADA CHAIN SALE Publlx has not discussed any deal with N. Li. Nathanson. former op- erator of the Famous-Canadian string, reacquireG ..by Paramount two years ago, nor, according to a high official of the circuit, has a direct offer been made them. Rcr ports from Canada were that Na- thanson is . willing to pay $6,0OC;O00 for the Canadian chain, but that Paramount Publlx has set Its figure at. $12,000,006. This offer and figure, are. not con- firmed by the Publlx home office, which says that, if Nathanson is desirous of. buying the 'F-C houses, he lias not made that desire known in New York. Intimation is. that P-P is not anxious to sell Its approximate 200 houses a,bove the border to anyone. That~unit, next 'to Balaban & Xatz. la 'the most pirofltable In the entire Publix organization, from Informa- tiph.. Canadian resentment aigalnst American ownershlp-o|.eratlon of properties in the Domihlpn 'whlcli, originally, at the. suggestion of Adplph Zukor, resulted in' turning baclc the houses, continues to exist, but with business Indicating It is not reflected seriOySly at the box- offices of the string. From Canadian sources cloise to Nathanson, informatidn Is that Na- thanson seems to be progressing closer to tbe point where a deal of some kind >111 "be -ultimately reached with Publlx. Nathanson is said to have Lord Beaverbrooii be- hind him on the financing of a pos-. sible deal. MBS. FEMBEBTON LEAVES Hollywood, June 6. Mrs. Brock Peniberton, wife of the legit producer, has been re- leased at Radio as head of the studio's cosjtume designing depart- Bignt. She left today (Monday); for New York, going by M?ay of the Canal. . ' Lorette Dellma, recently brought treatment away froni the common J from the east, succeeds to . the run of talkers; igets a'play. . | berth. Pooling Idea on IKstribotion Next Move on Tap for Mutual Ecoi WELTZENKOBN'S BBEAX Los Angeles, June 6.. Louis Weltzcnkom' secured re- lease of his, Paramount paycheck, attached by Irma May Weitzen- korA, In a suit for a separate main- tenance of $1,000 a month. Paramount writer Is now waiting to learn' whether he must pay temporary alimony; Matter is Under submlssioh. . ■ The pocling policy as a general expedient In the film industry'is concerted move for economy, with the pools set for stars, and theatres, now has reached distribution. Ti.is Is conceded the niost .knotty merger problem of all among the major coinpanies. : Practical possibilities ' for $aving millions of dollars are seen in the eliminati i of present ■dupllcation.B and wasted efforts In handling the print after.lt leaves the studio Cut- ting 'room; , Shaping ikp as one of the most important consolidations in the scales' merger plan Is that of shlp- bing of Aim, paper, accessories, etc.. from a central • source .in each key city where there are exchanges. There are ..ow 7,000,000 shipments yearly. If a saving of only 10c ai unit could be realliEed In this phase of exchange work it would mean a reduction : of the industry's carry- ing overhead of approximately $1,000,000. Tl.e dime figure, how- ever. Is •tonceded decidedly lower than that anticipated when work on the plan is complete. Survey First Because distribution never. ha.<? been consolidated on-any large scale In any part of the world, the Indus- try, before it can^adopt a mergcri scales' policy .or anything like it. has deckled to make an exhaustive survey. This research is being made chiefly to arrive at what approxl- iriate cost per unit (one print, itf (Continued on page 12) . , Even Sand in Sdmoz's Eyes Didn't Deter the Doughty M-G-M Golfers Hollywood, June 6. Hugh Moore of the electrical de- partment won the Metro-Goldwyri- tournamentat Lakeside. Sunday (5), with, gross 84 and . net . 66. Jake Mllsteln, manager of the Los' An- gele- exchange, and Carl SchlUlnger, prop department, tied 'for second with grosses of 92 and nets of 68. jimmy Durante 'won bis foursome with 134 gross; Chuck Relsner sec- ond with 154;. Joe Coiin, production manager, 156, and Ed Brophy, 164. Firing of . re\olver throwing sand in their eyes and all tlie other Hollywood tricks couldn't hold Schnozzle back. There were 268 entries, the first starting off at six in the morning With lanterns, and last one in afternoon. The seventh annual motion, pic- ture tennis tournament at the Los Angeles tennis club was won by Harry McKee, singles; Oliver H. P. Garrett and Bob Coke doubles. Mrs. Lou RoSsbn and Bob Coke won the mixed doubles. Epidemic of Mvidaal State Tax Measures on Heels of U. S. Stance CANAVAN RESIGNS Pubiix'. Labor Cdntactee. Balks At Layoff William F. Canavan artd Publlx have, parted company, tho former president of - the LA.T.S.S. handing in his resignation after a brie;f in4 cumbency with the chain's as a labor contact executive under Sam Dembbw, Jr. The resignation went In when Canavan wae asked to take a three months' leave, of absence without pay until Septeniber when new union contracts are negotiated. He lyas on the payroll at $20,000 yearly, but without a contract. Har^y Sherniaif, under contract which has iaome ,time yet to go; remaisa as director of special re- lations In charge of labor matters fqir the.chain. Canavan. joined Publix shortly after the flr;;t o£ the year at the reported .invitation ot the ciiain. ° For sonle time Canavan's health has beenndne .too gpcd. I. A. IS WORK AT Columbus, June 6. . Work at any price, and any, wais the keynote of the Slst Biennial Convention of the lA^SK which got under way heire today. Speakers at the opening sessions eniphaslzed the need for full cooperation vfltti. own- ers and theatre operators Iti isalary slashes at ttie present time, taking the stand. thAt work for litUe pay Is far better than no work at alL Full harmony of all delegates was practically demanded. by : Pres. William Elliott, ot. Cincinnati. Lflical houses which. only last \^eek instituted cots for all union work- era Were not condemned (at least in public) contrary to earlier plans. The entire session was baaed on the Idea that 'work and only work comes first at' this time. The con- vention brought more^ than 4,000 persons to town Including the 1,200 delegates. At the wlndup of the Monday ses- sionSi committees were named to go into various phases^ of the pres- ent and proposed agreements with owners with the idea that any new scale plans will be practically voluntary by the union men. In this .way alone can they keep any theatres open in these days and re- tain the .jobs they were told. Elliott, who is running for re- election as president, will be op- posed by iSeorge Brown, of Chicago, ^ vice-president, witii a real battle in sight for the major office. Nomina- tions are up Thursday. Legislation regarding union op- eration is the principal item, to be taken up at the meeting, Sec- Treas. Fred J. Dempsey, of Boston, announced coon after headquarters had been established at Memorial hall here. . Dempsey, with Pres. William C. Elliott, of Cincinnal, and John P. Nick of St Louis,, first Y. p., have been here a full week assisting at the. various district sessions. District sessions of .the d^egates hinged mostly on l>uslness condi^ .tlons in varioiis areas, with recent salary cuts bein^ prominent In the discussions. Joan's Jonah Breaks. Hollywood, June 6. Joan Bennett, recently out of a plaster oa!5t after a hip injury, sj»"aine.: ber ankle over the week- end while .stepping out of her car. She will be on crutches several weeks more. SCHUIBEBO SAILING WEST Hollywood, June 6. Rounding out his vacation by a possible trip home through the Canal, B. F. Schulberg will be back at Paramount by July 1. Emanuel Cohen, who. has occupied Schul- berg's office in he exec's absence, says he will then go east. Only two pictures are now in work at Par. " . Barreito's Answer Hollywood, June 6. piye Selznick has wired. Larry Barret'to, author, for an option on 'Indiscreet Years' and for a iJrlce on his services. Barretto, In Ne'w York, • -wired back 'Sorry I can't come to Hollywood; my cat is sick.' An epidemic of state boxofflc^ taxes is reported developliig vrltb, Wasbls,'ton's approval of a Fodcral admission tax. Summer secslons ot variouis leglplat.'.res are being callcdr and certain, states, including Loulsir.na, are said to, be drafting e|>ecial film measures of their own* The Jersey legislature on Wednes^ day (8) of this week -will vote on sl 6% measure arranged on a sliding scale so that the boxofflce will pa9| ic ouj; of thefiarst 25c taken in oni each ticket. CoekinesB C9stly The cocky attitude of exhibltop lobbyists is blamed for the Jersey, tax attitude. When it appeared fairly certain that Jersey would overlook the film theatres, local In^^ die leaders caused blurbs^ to be pubt > llsiied in regional papers boastiner that 'exhibitor power* defeated the tax. The. legislature at that tim« 'was only in recess. When . It re^ convened lawniakers tvere in pos^ session of the article. < Massachusetts,, also, is ; slated shortly, to vote on a 10% t^ix on the gross. The governor Is credited With bavlng insisted that this form of tax be reconsidered. kftef the assembly had voted against It. This 'would put Massachusetts lii a class_with South Carolina, which iB known^s the worst theatre state in the union. "The same kind of a tax has. been in effect in S. ior over five years. Today only 50 the- atres are reported operating In this state. With a new Federal tax added it Is feared that Cairolina be«: fore the year is but will be film dark except for the cheapest grind houses. - WARNERS DEPRECATE RECEn^mP StilTS Calling appii<»itions for receiver* ship, of which there have been three in,"the past'few months, a 'racket,' high executives for Warner Broth' ers declare; their organization is financially sound. Petition by Harry Koplar, third of its kind since about the first ot the year, wias filed last Thur.3day (2)4 In view of tf^e fact that the U. & District Coxu-t sidjourna for the summer within the next two weeks WB execs expressed the belief that this apjpllcatlon will not came be^ fore the court earlier thani next Oc* to.ber.. . The application by Koiilar, St; Louis exhibitor who is. a Warner stockholder, caine only four days before WB had a chance to appear in c^urt an''d answ:er the second petition. The liearing In the second case was scheduled for yes-: terday (Monday) at Wllrhlngton.: . 'Wilmington, June 6. Supreme Court dismissed a re-* celvershlp suit of M. V. Newcastle; stockholder, against Warner Bros, today. Newcastle lawyers had agi'eed to. withdraw it was unders'tood, Tbiit' came In today asking to amend their original CDmplalnt. .; . This was denied by the court and the motion to 'idisiniss was there- upon moved by counsel. Jane ^ovakV Notes ' Los Angeles, June 6; Jane Novak.; and Chester Ben- nett are being, sued for $8,342 by! A'. N. Kemp, receiver for the Guar-t anty Buiidihg and Loan Ass'n. Amount is balance on notes for $10,000 signed by Miss. Novak in Marchi 1929, and guaranteed by Bennett.' ioahing dubahte Hollywood, June 6. Providing the part is approved by Metro,;that company will loan Jim- my Durante to' Paramount "lorj 'Piiantom President.' Metro is not yet ready with 'Turn to Jthe Right,' in which It planned to use Schnozzle. FAB TESIS ATHLETE Hollj wood, June 6. Hei-man Brlx, athlete, has been given a screen test by Paramount. He holds the world's record for the shot putt. Wanted for 'Sign of the Cross* and hot for tossing.