Variety (Aug 1932)

Tueadaj/ August 30, 1932' ES rABBsrr And EDiot on fkmsak Hollywood, Aug. 29. Arriving here in next few days, 7at Casey, producer labor repre- sentative, and William Slltott, pres- ident of I. A. T, S. wlU go into conference Immediately witb union officials and producers to Iron out existing labor situation. Two Issues are up for settlement, the demands of the 11 .unions in the Federated Crafts ifof a minimum wage scale and overtime wages, and the stiU existing soundmen's trou- ble with Columbia, Roach, Metro- politan and Tiffany. Casey and Bl - liott are expected also to be in on the final arralnging of studio work- ing iichediiles for all crafts, under the proposed adoption of the Ho;over Btagger plan. Today (29) was deadline for the Federated Crafts demands, but no trouble was anticipated at any stu- dios, with union o£Bcials saying there can be no occasion for protest until the end of the week, when workers get their wages. It will . then be learned whether or not stu- dios Intend to live up to provisions of the new ultlmatem. Producers have refrained from discussing situation, awaiting ar- rival of Casey and Elliott, at which time it is expected a truce will be declared, for probable, negotiations. Soundmen's differences grew out of institution of this cratfs mini- mum scale for Independents and majors not signatory to the basic agreement. Question to be settled is whether Columbia, Roach, Metro- politan and Tiffany, members of the Producers' association, but not sig- natory to the agreement, can be considered as part of the pact. De^te intimatmii, Fed. Members Report for Work L.OS Angeles, Aug. 29. Members of the Federated Motion Pictures Studio Crafts, who Issued ~an . ultimatum to the producers 10 days ago effective today (29), went to work this morning despite the deadline! and the failure of pro- ducers to recognize their ulti- matum. Crafts, including 11 unions, wanted an eight-hour day and pay tor overtime. Likely that a meeting may take placebefore .the arrival of Pat Casey between union -heads and iVictor Clark, labor contact for th<j producers. Federation asked mem- bers :.of lATSE if they would re- main neutral should trouble take place, or deal be negotiated, reply being that they would. Seven Goldsmiths for Distribution by Steiner Hollywood, Aug. 29. Of seven pictures scheduled by iGoldsmith Productions for Indie distribution by William Stelner, one has been previewed ,one Is in prep- aration ,and Ave others have been labeled. Titles of melodrama group an- nounced by Ken Goldsmith, prez, follow: .'Out of Singapore,' with Noah Beery, George Walsh, Monta- sue liOve, Miriam Seegar, Dorothy burgess and James Aubrey; 'Unde- sirable/ 'Sin Cargo,' 'Midnight Shadows,' 'Angel Sins,? 'Speed Mon- ster' and Invisible Power/ I EASTI3K INDIE'S 'HOTEL' Now eastern producing company, Screcncraft, has completed 'Hotel _ Varieties' with Hal Skeliy, Olive Borden and Jackie Jordan, Jr., seven-year-old son of Jack Jordan, indie vaude agent. Picture was made at the Fox studio, New York. Itis the first full length made there in some time. Lipton's Metro Return Hollywood, Aui?. 29. liew liipton, away from Metro's writing staff for two years, returns this week. He will do an original. W-W Takes 'Jarnegan' World Wide has closed for 'Jar- negan/ the Jim Tuliy novel and one of the f?r3t on Hollywood M it was In the old days. Proposed for quick shooting. 5 Days Ahead Minneapolis, Aug. 2^. State theatre (Publix), has inaugurated a new policy of presenting Saturday midnight previews flye days ahead of the start of thei film's regular en-> gagement at the house. Stunt is claimed effective as a stimulant. PoUjx to Tarn RhroE Ofer to U. A. For Par's Bmfit ' Deal by which United Artists re- linquishes its 50% interest in the Rialto and takes over the Rlvblt 100% from Publix, has been closed. It becomes effective with the end of the current l^ave Me Tonight* (Par) run. at the Riv, UA going into house entlr^y on own with 'Mr. Robinson Crusoe/ That will be in two or three weeks. In letting the RivoU go to UA, Publix is of the opinion thai It can do'^ as well with. certain run type pictures by playing them at the Paramount on week stays or hold- overs the isame as Metro spots its best at the Capitol. That will hold for Publix- only on excess pictures for which there is no room at the Rialto. Ralph Stltt. Publix's publiclty-ad director at the Rivoli, will prob- ably switch to the Rialto though not officially notified of that. Pub- lix asked . Lou Ismith, Rialto, to tako an out oif town assignment, offering Chicago, but he turned it down. UA may take Smith for the RivoU on acquiring house. Lios Angeles, Aug. 39. Publix will turn back this week to United Artists the United Ar- tists theatre here. House has been dark slnc^ March. U. A. will reopen and operate It- self. Company originally took the house over at ^e dissolution of the FWC-Unlted Artists popUiig ar- rangement with Paramount, at the time getting a 60% Interest. House will now play United Ar- tists product exclusively first run and will also obtain a selected group of Paramount pictures. Hany and Max Ascher As; B&K Managers Chicago, Aug. 29; Harry Ascher, one of the.brothers, has gone to work for Balaban and Katz as manager of the Maryland. Max Ascher, who has been 111, may also become & B&K manager. The Aschers a^ well regarded as operators here, Iiavlng headed their own circuit. Harry Beaumont, their former general manager, is at the Avalon. Shorts of States Release will shortly begin on a series of shorts, 'Seeing the United States by States/ There will be 48 in the group, one for each state, Producer is Picture Classics, indie. Shorts will be marketed on the state rights plan. FAB'S CRICKET SHOBT Hollywood, Aug. 29. Paramount has a one rceler of a cricket match between the Austra- lian cricketers and a team com- posed of picture men. Among the men in the Aim lineup are H. B. Warner, Boris Karloff, C. Aubrey Smith and Claude King. Idea is to give the short general world distribution. MOBE FOOTBALL Hollywood, Aug. 29. Norman Sper will use 18 mem- bers of the 1932 U.C.I*A. football squad in his second James Gleason sport short, 'Football,' starting this week. Gleaaon both direct^ and is starred in this series. U'« Prison Yarn Start Hollywood, Aug. 29. •Laughter in Hell/ Jim Tully's chain gang story, goes into produc- tion at'Universal this Week. "Eddie Cahn is directing. Barhrf Coast Vans Hollywood, Aug. 29. Warners has bought 'Common Ground,' a <3erald Beaumont story of Barbary Coast daya. Paramount is also working on a yarn of the same type with Mae West in mind for the ^ncipal' role. Screoi Names at Los Angeles, Aug. 29. Sudden habit of picture stars to attend and cut up . at marathon dances and similar events, with fans flocking to glimpse their favs, has circuit and indie exhlbs in a turbu- lent frame of mind. Theatres in the Santa Monica diatrlct, where present dahcathon Is being staged, have been hit and squawks are even heard from downtown houses too. Managers are considering protest- ing to the Producers' Association, on the ground that picture names should be restrained from partici- pating in opposition events, partic- ularly In cases where their attend- ance Is advertised In advance, i Coast chatter writers have been making much ado over film stars' Interest In current marathon, pub- lishing names dally of those at- tending, and occasionally advising their readers of stars who contem- plate attending on a specified date. Boom in Staples Covers Reafiani^ Yesterday^s IV'kes 3alea. HIsb.Low. em Am. S«at.. 1% 100 Con. P...i a% 209 Do pf.... SH 1.800 EbsL K... 60 52,100 Loew 30^ 300 Do pf... 7«. 100 M-Q-M pf. 19'^ 80 Orpli.- pf. IS 23,100 Por-P ..... 816 1.900'Pnthe . 1 1.100 Patbe A.. 4% 110.900 RCA 10>A HMO RKO . OH 200 Shub ..... % CO Unlv, pf.. M 7,900 W.: B.„.. v8% BONDS ♦5,000 Gen. Thr. 2.000 lioew ... 18,000 Par-P-M.. 15.000 Par-P ... 1.000 RKO .... 3,000 W. B 6% «m 45 42 Bl CURB 200 a«n. T. pf. H 1.700 Tech. ..i. HVa SOO Trand-U . . 2 3% C% •B8 34U 78 19W 11 7% % 414 0^4 <H4 M. 34 3K B 88% 43 41 81 sm H .2 Net liast.chfre. 1% +1% 1% + H «H - % S8 -1% 34H -IH 78 +2 12 + % 7V4 -H 1 414 10 + Ml OM, + S3 88%- ?^ 44 .— % 41 -1% 81 32 + 14 n + 14 8 ■ Cobb. Exhibs Meet On Ardmr's Uent For Exchaye Rons O'DONNELL TAKES OVER All SOUTH FOR PDBUX Entire south And southwest will become one division In Publix Sat- urday <3) with R. J. O'Donnell In charge. O'Donnell has been handling the Texas territory and southwest as divisional director, i>ut wltli the re- cent Paschall partnersihlp over the Dent string, and a new se^ap for the Arieona Rickards ft Nace houses, his division was reduced to 60 theatres. Taking over Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida,. North and South Carolina and Virginia gives O'Don- nel an additional 150 theatres. This part of the south and Atlantic sea- board has been under Dave Cbatkln. Latter continues to handle Penn- sylvania, West Virginia, parts of New York and New England. With the coalition of the entire south under O'Donnell, setup will remain the same with Kmest Mor- rison, the division manager at Atlanta. Gaston Doreau widens his activity as O'Donnell's divisional film buyer, taking on booking for the acquired states. New Haven. Aug. 29. Connecticut picture house owners have scheduled a meeting here to- morrow night (30) to discuss action to be taken regarding the attempt of Harry Arthur to contract with film companies for exclusive runs of pictures. Previous conference In Waterbury between Conn. M.P.O., represented by John Sirica, . of Waterbury; Abraham Pishman, of New Haven, and Arthur Theatres^ represented by Hairy Arthur and Atty. A. H Welsman, resulted in no progress. Second and third run exhlbs claim Arthur's attempted action would cause them to go dark. Scenes of World War Being Prepped by Clifton liOB Angeles, Aug. 29. Elmer Ciifton. Is preparing.a.five- reer camera record of exploits of Capt. F. E. JKleinschmldt' on the^ German-Russ front in the war. It' will bo released under title, 'War Debt*).' . ' • Climax of picture Is to be a spec- tacie showing the burning of Drest- llteway, city of 60,000. Film will be ready Oct. t. Weir Casady, Suicide San Francisco, Aug. 29. Weir Casady, 50, formerly theatre operator with Ackerman Harris, and also with Charlie Thall, committed suicide in Oakland last week be- cause of ill health. He shot him- self. A brother. Ward Casady, manages the Lorin, Berkeley. Fox Dentil^ R Y. Indie Shidids By Renting Out Its 10th Ave. Stages Fox is denting Indto studio activ- ity in the east imder a policy re- cently adopted whereby the Indie maker can produce features at the Fox New Tork plant. Flrist of the Indie producers to utiiiee the Fox offer is. Screen Craft. Latter firm has signed to produce 10 features on the Movietone stage. First of these features is near com- pletion. Fox entrance Into the Indie rental field will probably be the only move of its kind by a major com- pany in the east. As personnel has to be kept on hand. In order to meet the requirements of the newsreel, there are many hours when thiis group is inactive. Hence, the idea was evolved to cash In on economic possibiUties of the plant. Paramount will not follow feUlt with Its Astoria studio because, ex- ecutives declare, the overhead would be too great for an Indie to bear. Newsreel Interior fiaciUties of Paramount and Paths are admitted- ly not as complete or on as big a scale as those maintained b^ Fox- HcaraL - .' Par Holds Hathaway Hollywood, Aug. 29. Heiiry Hathaway, brought over from Metro to direct 'Heritage of the Desert' at Paramount, Is being held over for 'Wild Horse Mesa.' Hathaway Is under contract to M-G to produce a feature In India, but this studio Is holding off pro- duction on this one until next sprini;. Before going to M-G, Hath- away was an assistant director at Par, By AL GREASON A world boom In staples yester^ day (Monday), provided a strong spot in the stock tnarket whlclt early bird speculators were prompt to use for proAt taking. Cotton was up to 10 cents a pound, a ne\r jump of $2 a bale on top of Satur- da.y's climb 6f $2,50. W^ieat ad- vanced about a cent a bushel and' held the gain to the close. Wool and rubber also climbed sensation- ally, in movements which were in- terpreted as representing a rush of world buying. This was the first tangible numl- festatioh of commodity recovery and speculators grasped a chance to take profits on the crest of the wave. After going throxigh the day. with levels about unchanged, tho list sold oft rather, sharply in th» last hour,. with volume around. 4,000,000. Picture stock leaders took a con- siderable amount of selling, but were able to absorb it well. Ijoew's maintained quotations between 36 aind 36 most of the day, while Ir- regularity developed elsewhere la the list: In the last hour the new- film leader gave way gradually t«> close at 35%, about on the day** bottom. P'aramount came out 'in rather smaller volume, bulk of transactions close to d, but slipped to 7^ in tho last few nilnutes. These two Issues were entitled to a rest anyhow, after .their steady march from July Iowa. £veh a setback of fair proportions (Continued on page 23) MOYIETONE TOPS NEWS REEU WnH 5 SCOOPS The standing of newsreels fl>r August, baaed on showings at tho Embassy a:nd "Translux; finds fV)Z In the lead with five scoops, Paths next with three and Paramount aad Universal with one each. Since the Translux changed tt* policy, fewer news clips are belnjg used, the program being geared to accommodate an average of threo short subjects weekly, Pathe Is usliig more and more of Its own ms- terlal In the house. Universal bss been reduced to a point where Its trademark no longer gets slgnators credit with Pathe and Paramount. The chart: Fox-Hearst Opening of Ottawa trade conCw. ence. First ride on 8th ave. subway. Crown Prince Wllhelm's talkm. debut. Plccard's take-off. Earhart completing U, 0. fligilk Paths Roosevelt-Ely. MolUson. Iowa farmers' fight. Paramount . BBF In Johnstown. - Universal Good times campaign. WB's Servanto Pic ^- Hollywood, Aug. Sli Figured as another 'Grand Hotat,* Warners will make 'Employes^ Entrance,' story of servants! alds-sC a metropolitan hotel. Ceuit and director not asslgna^L CONWAY MEGS 'PIG BOATS' Hollywood, Aug. 29. Production starts on 'Pig Boats' (Metro), Sept, 3, v/lth Jack Conway directing. Kobert Montgomery Is In the top spot with Jiminy Durante and Er- nest Torrence In cast. Silver Leaving Van Beurien Milton Silver Is through with Van Beuren as advertising and pub- licity director as of Sept; 1. Sliver was handling special work for 'BHng 'Em Back Alive.' hcorporatHMis California flacramento, Aug, M, Granada Tbeatres, Inc. Cltr Of Al- hambra. Capital utock t.OOO shan^. three subscribed.' C, A!, Ferrr, M, b Perry, L. C. Brown. Pormlts to sell stock issued to: Eddie Cantor Entorin-liies, Inc.. tlon picture productions. - Capital lO.OM shares no par. Permitted to Issue tOO. Unique Theatre Oorp>onitlon.' Theatra operating. Capital 1,000 shares no Permitted to Issue 300. Judgments Charlefl It. Dlilinffliani; National CMr Bank: f394,98G and $124,.'}23. IIuDibort J. lYtsazr; F, Klernan aaA othBr.s; $701. Abe K. Peshkln and T4th St. Iniwn ment Co.; Mcenan Coal Co,; 1104. . Bankruptcies Metro Outdoor Advertlslnv Corp., IC Park Row (voluntary); without aeheO- ulce. Corp., outdoor advertlalaK. IS Park Row (voluntary); without ulea.