Variety (Sep 1932)

vxgmiv VIX'T « WES Tuesday, September 6, 1932 Federation Only Gets Partial on Call Against Par; ! Plan Stagger System, Fox Next Hollywood,. Sept. 6. • Walkout of "members of the Scenic ' Artiste 'Union from Paramount is believed the opening gun in a gen- eral strike against all major com ' panles of the 11 locals, representing 18. crafts,"afflliated With the Fed erated Motion Picture Studio Crafts. Workers involved in this first strike are scenic artists, set design . ere, make-up artists, draftsmen and hairdressers. Studio' was -not held up by the walkout ' replacing' with non-union workers, and in the case of hair dressers by. calling in .girls from local, beauty shops. . 'The unions failed to muster full strength in the expected withdrawal of 300 from Paramount Friday night ■ (2)... Many ignored orders to quit and others who complied with the : order reported for work again Sat- urday.-. .V-.' Union officials, however, maintain that "about 200 are out with Para- mount officials claiming 'only about •60." ; .; ■ . No halt in production -with the • jobs being filled immediately. Six assistant' directors and two, script : clerks who went out later, returned. : These people were expelled front the union by telegraph on Saturday* ' Studio* In Turn DON EDDY RESIGNS Quits Radio Sept. 10-^Eekelt sumea Hi« Studio duties As- 6. Hollywood, Sept. -. Resignation of Don Eddy as Radio studio publicity director was handed to R. F. Sisk, home office advertising ana publicity chief, prior to the tatter's .departure for the east. Eddy leaves Sept. 10 with Eddy Eckels, handling .'Studio advertising, moving up.V Perry Lieber, Eddy's assistant will be in charge of ex- ploitation. ■'■ ' ; Eddy is .negotiating- with another major studio. ■-, Studio Painter Invents Flexible Frosted Screen For Process Cameraing Hollywood, Sept 5. New type of frosted screen "for use in process photography : has neen invented toy Sidney Sanders, assist- ant-head of Radio studio's paint de- - . . , x , . -. . .-partment Thecellophane-like ma- Unions Intend a stagger systern of . terlft i to fl ^ xible and not subject to strikes ,again6^ the big lots unless bre6ka ^ e# as ^ &laBS scree ns now the present, difficulties are. Ironed j £ ' Cojjt reported to be 60% out. : Under present plans Fox is r? "!;: n next; this studio having been notl- '«»?«»* fled that unless an answer is re- Radio has used the screen for ceiyed on the demands made, all showing a previously filmed back- members of the crafts will not re-J ground for a current picture and Political Worries Hollywood, Sept B, Columbia is considering ton- ing down "Washington Merry- <3o-Round' aftey ■viewing the assemblfed print.' ' Scene causing the most con- cern is where the body of a lynched politician is thrown .on the Capitol steps'. ' D1STRIBS LOOK TO SAL ES RUSH Estimating that only-40% of sell;- ing is* completed, distributors are preparing for rush business between now and- -Election Day • (Nov. 8). Deadlock on the hew rental season, distribs figure, will 'be broken by exhibitors themselves. ; While the present selling season Is the . latest In Industry's annals, diBtrlbs hold that the belatedness J(s teaching them a new sales psy- chology. They claim that with con" siderable of their own product ready for release they are in a position to talk, boxofflce with the exhib rither than send their salesmen out vouch- ing for what announcements con- tain- . Exhibitors are finding little or no hold-over product because , of the lateness of the season, distribs claim, and say . the late' selling is also hurting double; featuring. Sales heads Interviewed laughingly ob- serve that they are able now to Bet a good price 'for any kind of film/ the exhib being interested simply in getting enough footage to meet the dual policy. 1 .. Au& &&% Above lily tor 3 Keys, ) And Under Same Month of '31 GIVE UP W. G. Shuberts rXecJaim B'way 8tand—4W Runs After the Hollywood Warner Bros. 'will go out of the Winter Garden,' New York,'by Dec. 31", this year, theatre reverting to the Shuberts from whom WB had a five-year lease. Although WB will get but of the Garden, it is improbable that vacat- ing will see the company re- open the Warner, unlesB It's decided to again try' a' second ruh policy" there.' ':'. .; . , • •Pictures playing the Hollywood^ will play second run at the-Strand; following .the Veserved seat .show- lngs. port to the studio tomorrow (Tues- :; day J. , Other studios- to be similar- ', ly treated' at ..two, and three-day. in : tervals. is the plan. | ; '. Only $1 was involved in t the initial ' action against •Paramount Strike w.as. ..called, as a result of the en- gaging" of a scenic artist for one day's work, for which hie was paid $15. Union 'officials stated this was $1 under the new scale instituted as of Aug. 29 but which to - date none of' the producers have recog- nized. Two days previously the federa Fox and other studios are Interested In the development Vernon Walker, of the' camera department, aided SanderB in perfecting the screen. SMALL CALLS OFF HIS STORY ON N Y. MAYOR Authors Charge Fraud In Joyce-Selaiick Sale Hollywood, Sept. 6. Claiming 12,250, • additional . due them from the sale of 'International tioV'ha)te^th%^sUtfting ot7apicturel Houso ,' to Pa 5 am A ount ' £* u at Columbia when an effort was made to put an assistant' director. And script clerk to work at a week- and L. E. Helfltz, authors, filed Bult in Superior court Thursday (1) against Joyce & Selznick, Inc., ly salary considered by their union charging fraud and deceit. Nick below scale. I Carter, a J-S employee, was also .. Producers Meeting , named in the suit. So .far .the producers have shown \ ■ Agency, the ' complaint alleges, . & tendency to play a waiting game told the authors that $750 was the "in this.brush with the unions. First,1 highest bid ireceiv'ed and advised '. official, recognition;, of threatened them to take it. Claim is that this 'trouble was a meetingFriday .(2) Ibid was made by a dummy of the .. of various production heads at the company and that, the agency cold Hays' office attended by F>»ed Beet-..[the fctory to Paramount for $3,000 ; son and Victor Clarke, .)*4)or con . tact, of that body. . Decision was!tb . await, developments. . None of the unions, involved: a,re .' affiliated with.' the five locals jof" . the lATSE or the carpenters or.etee triciians who ar<9 signatory to. the | $50 a Week for Hays' 4-Yr-OW Kid Players Los Angeles, Sept. 6. . ■ .-■ ... . + , . . .„„ i Picture contractsi of two children tttt^ ^ with Jack Hays, shorts producer, two years to run UTSE also has. ^ - Superior court approval a year's contract with the inde- | Geor g!J e smith/four-and-a-half, has a two year contract- at' $60 a week with a minimum of five weeks'a year guaranteed pendents. These unions have , dje- elared neutrality in the present sft uatlon Current mbtup wjth the Federated . unions follow* a notification three Shirley Temple, four, has a simi- weeks'ago that on and after Aug. lar document.;' Both stipulate that 29. a minimum wage scale for 'all Hays Is to get, 60% of., ail oyer their locals would ce in effect -with- prcyi- contracted wage' in case 'of loans to .. skhs also for time and a half for | other studios overtime over eight hours a day. While producers failed to anWer, _ . , t»4 ■ w j**. a. these demands, unions wer» wait- UppOSlSIl XTX; lUreait tO ing until the present week's pjay -D^^u a-. *M*~-~ r envelopes were in to show whether ivOaCIl On JnOOfe JLaNUI rx not the studios lived up to the Hollywood, Sept. 5. demands. That the Paramount and studios borrowing Dickie Moore Columbia matters broke during the from R oach in the future, must give previous week was due to the^ en- the Roa<Jn Btudlo and 0ur GanK gaging of help, not then working I credit on ^^0! D g a nd title cards Youngster is currently in Bryan iFoy's "Cauliflower Alley.' Credit will read: 'Courtesy of the Hal Roaoh Studio and Our Gang Comedies.' «t the studios. Fox Ed Sells Par Hollywood, Sept. 6. The assistant story editor at Fox | has sold a yarn to Paramount. Stanley Garvey dashed off 'Body- I guard 'in odd moments and Par has | takon it for George Raft. V SUED ON ATTACHMENT Lob Angeles, Sept 6 In an attempt to collect $118 claimed due it from George Regas Reliance Collection agency has filed suits in the municipal court against Universal, where the actor is em ployed. Holy wood, Sept. 6. Agency placed an attachment Arthur Rothafel, son of Roxy, is against Regas' salary to satisfy now on the Radio scenario staff and judgment. Studio, it Is charged, Working on 'The Web,' horror story, failed, to deduct amount covered in It's his first writing assignment. | the action. Young Roxy Writing Hollywood, Sept. 4. Edward Small has shelved 'Mayor Harding of New York,' which was to have been Edmund Lowe's first for Reliance. Instead he will do Coyer\the Waterfront' Decision to abandon 'Harding' was prompted by adverse comment against Colum- bia's 'Night Mayor.' Jack Jones and Lew Foster are adapting 'Waterfront' Max Miller, who wrote the book, will advise on the treatment but not actually work on the story since he is under con tract to Columbia. Dan Totheroh is doing the script of 'Style,' In which Reliance will star Lilyan Tasnman. Drops Panther Contest To Sign Par Contract ' , Hollywood, Sept 5, Margaret Fltzpatrlck, • winner Of Paramount's Panther Woman con test in Birmingham, Ala., has been giyen a three month contract by the v 'studio. As campaign is still on, she was asked to .drop out before signing, studio fearing a possible kickback from other, entrants. She'll get a hew name. Dyenlnirg, Teiui, £780 Pop* Spot For 'Cabin' Debat Warner-Bros. la planning to give 'Cabin in the Cotton,', print of whicfi has just .arrived in New York, its world premier in Dyevsburg, .Tenh. h a town of-8,780 population on Oct S. It will go into the Francis, a 400- seat house, and be heavily cam-; palgn«d as an Official rather than a hideaway 1 opening. • It's probably, the smallest town for a world premier ever picked, but was chosen by Warners in hopes of national notice. Dyersburg Is the home town of Harry . HaiTisoh Krowl, author of 'Cabin in Cotton,' who will be oh hand for the Francis opening, along with Dorpthy-Jordan, Henry B. Walthall and : Be'tte Davis, of the cast, all of whom come, from Tennessee arid will make personal appearances. Meanwhile, at the home office WB is preparing two separate and distinct advertising campaigns on 'Cabin,' one fpr' the south, another for the north. ■■ Fllmdom's major key city box of* flees at least reached the cornef fof August aided by punch product be« sides certain concentrated stage ef^ forts. New York, Chicago and Loo! Angeles, combined, were up 6.47%) over July. Compared to the sama' month In 1931, the August grosser . for this summer are off 11.2%. . Biggest upturn took place .on thai Coasts where the Los Angeles den luxe situation topped all others for] increase by jumping 24.6% 'In Au^ gust over July. Chicago was unj 2%; while New York dipped blight^ New York .Is ,6.1%-under August! of 5931,. Chicago Is down 4 14.9% oni the' same comparison,., and L. A. la 18.1% oft. •: ••••'. ; . This, trio of centers showed com* binetl major house totals of $1,107,* 300 for the past month. For Augusti of last year the income for the same] -spots was $1,247,700, according' to •Variety's' weekly estimates. Indie Producers Boost Entry Fee to $1,500 . Hollywood, Sept 5.. Independent Producers' Associa- tion is playing hard .to. get in the holdouts who failed to join the or- ganization at its inception. Mem- bers have voted to boost the- In- itiation fee from. $50 to. $1,500, and set. $250 as the price for producers just entering the field. Former stay-outs are the target of the move. These men now want to benefit by the closed sh'op pact between the Indies and the IATSE negotiated by Sam Wolf, organiza- tion attorney, and Trem Cam CELLUIODING LONDON WAX MUSEE AS WB PIC Warner Bros, is searching the! field for, vaudeville 'talent for 'Thei Wa^. Museum,' -yvhidh it will pro-i duce* with Mrae. Toussardfs famousj wax^ museum, London, in mind* Lionel Atwill has iju'st' been chosen! to play'the lead.; Vaude artists, and acts are. Want* ed for tableau and posing parts, with acceptance to depend largely, on. tests for stillness stamina. In doing /Wax Museum,' Warners' is in hopes of developing a" hew type cycle. Picture is- intended as 1 , a thriller, but away from 'the' norror] angle.-' v ■. . i.- 1 .--- Tom Keene Horse Operas Set $10,000 Badge*Hike Hollywood, Sept. 6. ' Radio, Is. Jilting the .budget ori each of, the Tom Keene westerns from $36,000, to ,$45,000..-. Storiesl come in for a share of the extrai 10 grand. Studio has purchased two. maga*.. zinc- stories as future material for; Keene. Yarns . are 'Behind ''the*. Rodeo,' by .Kenneth Perkins; and •Land of the Six Shooter,' by F; P, Pierce.. Donald Lee has been engaged tdj sceharlze the first, and Jack Jung* neyer the Becond. 'Rodeo' will be: released as *Wild Stallion.' Metro's Oakie Nibble Hollywood, Sept. 5. Metro Is trying to borrow Jack Oakie : from Paramount for -'Pig Boats.' New 8mm. Film as Standard Size For Both Professional and Amateur A standard width film for profes- sional and amateur the world over will be realized within the next two years if experiments, reported to be well in advance between Fox and Eastman, are successful; New. width is less than one-fourth of that now used in the theatre and half the dimension popular with the ama- teur.' ; Camera and projection machine for the new 8mm. size can be car- ried in one arm. According to ex- perlmentative shots the tiny film can be shown on a regular theatre screen with all of the definition realized from standard proportions. Blowing up such a small slice of film to professional dimensions is questioned by technicians not di- rectly connected with the experi- ments. At Fox, however, it IS as- serted that the departure Is made possible largely, by special highly sensitized film stock and by an ex- traordinary lense In the projector. The claim is made that the. en- larged projection is not spotty, as would be expected from the grain in the film. Biggest saving would be realized fo.r the industry in distribution, features on such dimension lending themselves to match-box compact- ness. Cost of raw film is now 4c per foot while the abbreviated edi- tion would cut this to, a fraction of a penny. Other doubts manifested on the outside concern the durability of such small .film. This also is an- swered by Foxites who say that the smaller the film is, the easier it is to handle. Queried about the reason for Eastman being, interested in a size which would cut proportionately its revenue'from the picture industry, Foxites hold that the film manu- facturer sees a chance for greater return from a field which would lnolude and. sustain the Interest of the amateur. Barthelmess, Doug, Jr., May Be Added to '42d St.* Warner Bros, are figuring on^udd* Ing Richard Barthelmess and Doug^. las Fairbanks, Jr., to the, already imposing name /cast for '42nd Street.' Company has cabled Bar- thelmess, who's on vacation in Stockholm, Sweden, Inquiring if he can get back ih time. In . order that . Fairbanks may ap-n pear. In '42nd Street,'- he wiU prob-* ably,be forced to.work.in both that and 'Parachute* at the sarite time. 42nd Street' is ready to go intd production now. This film will be, Ruby (Jolson) Keeler'a first for WB. Maybe Retake^ and Added Scenes for 'Venus* . Hollywood, Sept '6. Paramount has. called an exed conference for tomorrow (Tuesr day) to decide whether or not re* takes and added scenes will be made on 'Blonde Venus,' Marlene Dietrich starrer. Discussion follows a preview last week. *-<^ Revive'Pier 13* Hollywood, Sept. B. Raoul Walsh will direct the re* juvcriated 'Pier 13,' which . Fox started last winter with Bill How- ard directing. Howard spent several weeks in New York getting atmosphere stuff, but picture was called off when he returned.