Variety (Sep 1933)

VARIETY PICT Tuesday, September 5, I933 FAn Buying, After Decentralization Works Out Nicely-Slap to Die-Hards Current film buying, according to some onlookers, Is handing a slap to those die-hards who affected to be- lieve that without the mass buying power of the huge chains, the book- ing season would be one of severe headaches to the territorial manag- ers, partners and others to whom the booking power has been dele- gated by the decentralization sys- tem. . It was the argument that a -small group of houses could not arrive at prices even approximating the rent- als of the past. Proponents of the new deal point out that booking Is going ahead smoothly, rapidly and with much less friction than in the past; that films are realizinir rentals .commensurate with the importance of th6 pictures to the theatres ne- gotiating and that. they are costing these houses little, if any, more than previous prices'. There has been no recourse to the .*hbme office to swing deals through the magnitude of film buys. Terri- torial managers ar& buying film for what tt's worth to them, and fram- ing their own deals as successfully as in the past.* There is the added advantage that the terms and film .choices are determined by the needs of the particular'theatre groups in- stead of the national deals made by the general salesmanagera. New bookings are being rnade on a territorial basis to meet local con- ditions. Even to the former chains themselves it is a squarer deal thail -any particular house or group of houses 'enjoyed previously. It is a return to a time tried sys- "tem which is wo'rking surprisingly well, it is pointed out, and the sys- tem of booking by tens instead of huhdreds id yielding just as good prices to both th6 house operator and the-film producer. .Incidentally, it is bringing more salesmen back into ' the job and ag9,jln establlshins^ an intimate con- tact instead of a, long-difitance dic- tation that Is also' working toward better results all around. LOUIS COHEN HOLDS OVER Remains as Realty Head With RKO But Can Handle Private Deals In a new arrangement agreed upon between RKO and Louis Cohen, the latter while engaged in building a private. real estate prac- tice, on his own account in the the- atre field will continue to act for RKO. Cohen's resignation became effective Friday (1) but the RKO people have asked him to remain indefinitely. Cohen's status at RKO is on a Selznick Estate Up Lios Angeles, Sept. 4. Petition for letters of administra- tion in the estate of Lewis J. Selz- nick is on file In Superior court by Zack Lamar Cobb, acting in behalf of Mary "Winik, creditor. Extent of the property or its nature is de- clared unknown by the petitioner. Decedent, who died Feb. 10, 1933, left. David Selznick and Myron Sllznick, sons, and Florence A. Selznick, daughter, as heirs. Hearing on the petition was set for Sept. 19. Saal's 6 Features Witl Be Made East; One with D. Frobmaa Further stimulation of proiduction in the east will be lent by plans of Bill Saal to make a half dozen fea- tures at a New York studio this fall and winter. He is now nego- tiating for a suitable plant. Among tl. 3 pictures Saal has pro- grrammed Is one which he will pro- duce in ajsociation with Daniel Frohman. The Saal-Frohman com- bination will do an original by Evelyn Pierce. Tills will be second on the sched- ule. First is to be 'Drums in the Night,' voodoo thriller, on which Saal will send an expedition to Ja- maica, West Indies, for location shots. Starts in three weeks. Talent from the local., eastern stage will be used by Saal in his eastern-produced pictures. Distribution outlet will be settled later. AMPA NOW PLANNING SERIOUS TRADE STUFF The A. M. P. A., never more than a lunching gag, may in future se- riously concern itself with business matters pertaining to advertising. Association of Motion Picture Ad- vertisers originally was to take It- self seriously but never did. Now, with John C. Flinn as the new president, representative strength Is coming the AMPA way. Charlie EInfeld and Howard Dletz haVe both promised to take an ac- tive interest in the organization. Paul Gulick is also back into the picture. FRANCES DEE who gave such a sensational per- formance In "THE SILVER CORD," that she was immediately sierned for leading roles in four pic- tures at R-K-O. The first, "HEAD- JLINE SHOOTERS" and the second, "LITTLE WOMEN.'; TWO others to follows. BABE RUTH SQUAWKS ON NO SUGAR FOR SHORT Babe Ruth has sued Paramount Pictures on- a short, 'Bughouse Movies,' In which he is used for a laugh. Short was Jerked from the Rialto, New York, after three days pending settlement of the suit. In the short Ruth Is shown hit- ting a baseball, which then travels around the world. Comedy results from the comments of folks in Rus- sia, China, Iceland, etc., who see the ball traveling by. Ruth claims, though he doesn't appear more than half a minute, that use of his phiz In a short makes it a picture and not a newsreel, and he there- fore is entitled to salary. Short has been troublesome to Paramount before^ It was made and rejected by the New York home ofilce, whi(ih didn't like the id^a involved. Arthur Mayer, operating the Ri- alto, happened to see it. Asked to show it and did." In the Rialto short proved a wow, getting as much comment as the feature, with - the result Par decided to make a whole series like it. Then came the Ruth suit. Studios Worked Sunday Hollywood, Sept. 4. Major studios had .their compa- nies working all day Sunday (3) and last night, with Metro leading in work, having nine companies shooting. Due to holiday. transac* for clients, outside of • RKO. However, as head of the RKO. real estate division, Cohen will continue to spend a substan- tial part of. his time at RKO and on RKO business. The new deal looks advantageous to both sides, as Cohen is re- garded in th€» industry as the most expert In his realty line. The swift progress of the RKO. reorganization is muchly credited to Cohen. He joined RKO around September, 1932, upon invitation. At the time he was connected with Pox West Coast and he came over to RKO with the consent of Sidney R. Kent, Fox president. Cohen formerly was with F-WC, also under Harold Franklin, when the latter first took charge of that circuit after leaving Paramount. Prioriy Cohen was with Par. While with F-WC under the Franklin administration. Universal asked for Cohen's services to help clean up that picture company's theatre situation, which was badly muddled. i;t was figured that the Job .would take two years, but Co- hen cJeared the situation in about six .months. Paramount has sought Cohen's services since his resignation was reported, but he elected to stay with RKO. Writer West Released Hollywood, Sept. 4. Nathaniel West, irecently given a w'riiin^f permit by Columbia, has been released at Viis own request. HOWARD J. GREEN Who lias been clicking with a number of smash screen plays, among which arc included "BLESSED EVENT," "I AM A. FUGITIVE" and "MORNING GLORY," Katharine Hepburn's outstanding starring vehicle. In collaboration with Alnsworth Morgan, he has just completed "MAN OF TWO WORLDS," which RKO predicts will be the sensation of the season. Mr. Gvcon'.s past efforts have resulted In a new contract with RKO, as Associate Producer and Director. Film Shorts for NRA Shown Few Previewed on Coast—1,000 Prints for. Each 8 Cols for Mnsic Hall Columbia has concluded a deal with RKO for a selection of 8 from the Columbia program to go into the Radio City Music Hall. The Columbia deal practically fills the required quota of product necessary for the M. H. this coming season. AdditlonaUy, the Music Hall is dommltted to its own RKO program besides a selection of 22 from the Fox Program. Looks as if Par Let Crit-N. Y. Theatres Sale Go by Oefant Auction by the Criterlon-Loew's New York theatre property, in the heart of Times Square, under fore- jslosure proceedings by the City Bank. Farmers' Trust Co. may be expected shortly. Paramount, against whom suit was brought on a mortr gage held by the bank, has allowed its answer to default and, from all indications, will let the property go. The bank holds a mortgage for $4,000,000. which it seeks to forisclose. lieceivers for collection of rent's on the property are, Dooling & Dow- ling. Efforts have been made to ef- fect a sale of the property privately in satisfaction of the mortgage but without success. A few years ago when Par dream- ed" of building a theatre on the site larger than the old Roxy, then big- gest in the world. Par bought up numerous parcels on 44th and 46th streets, behind the Criterion and Ngw York theatres, in some cases paying stiff prices to get the footage desired. STRIKE WABBLES AS BREAKERS REPLACED Hollywood, Sept. 4. lATSE strike has passed into oblivion. With increased production this week the strikers are continuing to be given preference In new Jobs with studios daily dropping a num- ber of strikebreakers who went into the lots and do not hold cards In either lATSE or IBEW. With union crafts going Into a 36-hour week Sept. 1, in conformity with the New York agreement of several weeks ago, even more Jobs are being opened, all of which are to be given to strikers. All craftsmen- except soundmen are being hired through IBEW. Soundmen are being engaged direct but in most cases are going back at greatly reduced wages Inasmuch as this class is not engaged through IBEW and therefore does not profit by the • agreement with the union that wage scales must not be af- fected during the life of the agree- ment with that group. Hollywood, S6pt. 4, First series of NRA propaganda shorts made by the motion picture Ifldustry, aa its contribution to the NRA camjf^algn, was previewed at Paramount studio Saturday (2). only the Warner, Paramount, Fox, Metro and Radio efforts were exhibited. Columbia, Universal and United Artist contributions were not ready, for showing. Pictures will be distributed one each week for eight weeks starting Sept. 10. National Screen Service will handle the distribution. Each short will be issued in 1,000 prints. NRA committee headed by John C' FlInn, expects tlie series of eight shorts when, completed will have $'1,000 showings throughout the country. 'WHAT AMERICA NEEDS' EdgiaTr Kennedy and Virgihia Sale Radio Pictures Five Mins. Edgar Kennedy, a tramp, asks for food at the home of Virginia Sale. She suggests he chop wood. Getting a look at the wood. pile, Kennedy explains that the tramps have a code and that he can only chop so much wood In order nqt to Interfere with the opportunities of his brother tramps in accordance with the bums' code. Idea is written and directed by Thomas Atkins. Built for laughs, it is doubtful of selling. NtlA. . 'MOTHER'S HELPER' El Brendel, Zasu Pitts, Esther Fox Six mins. El Brendel tries to explain in a Weber and Fieldlan manner how his working only 40 hours weekly will give another man employment. When- his wife, Zaeu Pitts,■••^fl/int^ to know if the NRA affects .Wotise* wives, Brendel explains he has at- tended to that and brings In the hot looking Esther Muir, explaining that in the future she'll take'fcare of half of Miss Pitts' wifely duties. Miss Pitts conks Brendell for the fadeout. Hokey. Directed by Hamilton McFaddeh. Written by B. G. Do Sylva. 1 Bullet Wounds 3 in Labor Unions' Mess Minneapolis, Sept. 4. After his plea of not guilty, the grand jury here has held Nicholas De Paull, local booth operator, on a charge of shooting a bullet into the home of Bert Carlisle, business agent for the independent union of booth operators, and wounding three per- sons. De Pauli is out on $2,600 bail With trial set for Sept. 10. The shooting is said to be the out- growth of labor trouble, Carlisle was sitting at home with his wife and his eight-year-old daughter when the bullet was fired through the window. It wounded Carlisle on the wrist, struck his wife on the chin end flattened against the living room wall, causing pieces of flying lead to strike the child's cheek. The independent union of booth operators and the union affliliatcd with the A. F. L. are at war hero, with the orgartizatio'ns picketin.g showhouscs ai^ainftt each other. 'GIVE ME A JOB' Jinimy Durante Seven Mins. Short's title Is the title ^ of the Rogers and Hart number sung by Jimmy Dyrante. . Lyrics .are. the familiar smart writing of the team well done by the Schnozzola. While humorous, they do not detract from the fact that everyone addressed by Durante' can help. Setting is a meeting hall -with Durante singing the number to the assemblage. Directed by Zlon Myers. NRA FEATURETTE Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland Paramount- Six Mins. Mary Boland in her dumbest manner tries to get Charles Ruggles to pronounce 'nra.' Ruggles at- nifles, fails in his effort with Miss Boland still .demanding the correct pronunciation on the fadeout. Humorous. 'THE ROAD IS 6PEN AGAIN' Dick Powell, Alan Dinehart, Charles Middlfeton, Samuel Hi Warner. 12 mins. Powell is a young composer try- ing to write music for an NRA song. Visions of Lincoln, Washington and Wilson appear over the piano to ad- vise him. Each tells of his. fftorta to guide America and adniit that President Roosevelt is on'the'right track. 'I'l'.. Powell, through their- ihspitallon, writes the number, 'The. Rortd Is Open Again'. He sings a verse and a chorus, steps, to the front of the curtain and invites the audience to Join him. Picture dissolves into a series of industrial scenes throughout' the Country with the chorus of the song superimposed on the scenes. Number, by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal, is a stirring march which could become the themQ.so'^S of the NRA. Alfred Green directed. Metro, U Swap Scripts Hollywood, Sept' ••• Following a patching up of di ferences betwtctcn Metro and I'ni- versal, whereby Universal ex- changes H. Rider HagRard's 'She' for Metro's 'Candlelight,' UnlvorHal has decided to use the Metro ,s<M-ipt as developed by Ruth Cummings, with minor changes.