Variety (Sep 1933)

Tuesday* September 5, 1933 PICTURES VARfETY 5 Business Men Become Know-It-All When Tying Up with Show Houses San Francisco, Sept, 4. Theatre manaerers around here . are steering clear oC any future tie- WP3 with merchants or manufactur- ers, because every time a non- showman business exec steps into a theatre he becomes a biff shot. ,; Such,.h(LS been the case with sev- eral Frisco houses that have made exploitation deals wtih clothiers, real estate firms, auto dealers, brewers, etc. As soon as a nierchant gets his display In a theatre lobby he starts Iianging around the house", giving orders like an army general, crash- ing the gate for a multitude of friends and putting his feet on the desk like an old-time buddy. He peeps at the record of receipts, ad- vises the p.a. how to draw up his ads, and the manager how to run fhe house. He pans the acts, the orchestra—everything but his own product. Concrete example is a local the- atre, which recently tied up with a brewery to give free beer in the lobby In exchange for puUenty ad.- vertlsing and publicity. Brewery ekecs were around the theatre more than they were in their own office and ushers had a tough time clear- ing out the biggies and their friends •when closing at midnight. ^, Payoff came when one of the big- Ijgies suggested to the manager that litha-t second act was pretty bad, and .why didn't he cancel it. Loads of Execs More execs than just plain employees now around the theatres. Under the NRA, $35 a week makes an exec. The exec title now goes for numerous assistant managers who were assistant managfers heretofore. In some of the circuit houses the assistants worked 14 to 16 hours a day and drew $30 or $32.50. Now they're getting $35, still working 14 to 16 hours. Kent Tripping Lasky Abroad to Ease Out Of H'wood Environs •V. $6,Q00 WKLY. FOR ADS OF RADIO Cim E H. Advertising budget for the 100 or so RKO houses around the countr-y, in the aggregate, will run slightly over $2,500,000 this coming year, according to ofllcial talk. This budget is stated alteady as ap- proved and is what the house will spend in newspaper space. Includes Radio City where the Music Hall's expenditure -on ad- vertising alone is expected to run betwen $300,000 and $350,000 for the year or close to $6,000 weekly. 4 Neighborhood Houses Proposed for Minn. Hollywood, Sept. 4. Believing that too close .confine- ment to Hollywood puts a blinder on good picture judgment and re- duces the production vision to single track perspective, Sidney Kent will send Jesse Lasky abroad as soon as Winfield Sheehan returns from his European trip. Fox's prexy says both execs will return bet- .ter .producers.' Commenting on probable affect of NRA; Kent predicted that theatre business should respond within a few months, and that when it does producers will find audiences much more selective as to quality, the depresh having taught them to shop for their amusement fare. He expressed satisfaction with Fox's progress during the past sea- son, and quoted the new season's average cost at around $200,000 per pic, with studio stressing the build- ing of new names. RKO'S PRODUCT DEALS MAY INCLUDE SKOURAS RKO has discussed preliminaries on a product deal with the Skourases for all Fox houses and shortly will get into conference with Jack , Sullivan, film buyer, who's now in New York. Meanwhile, RKO has closed with W. S. Butterfleld for the Colonel's Miohlgan string; "with R. B. Grif- fith for latter's large chain in the Minneapolis, Sept. 4. FOUF-44>6k'^«M9>VX(k..;;nbr -y ^ O TWte> Ma»L^^,;^s,y^, a«»'gtK! fe»»!. tion or planned, saying confidence in * better times ahead is not lacking here. All are neighborhood houses. Min- nesota Amusement corporation, Pub- lix Northwest circuit in receiver- ship, has applied for a license for a $100,000 1,000-seat uptown theatre ■which it will build in one of the leading neighborhood sections. Jt owns the lots. Another permit is being sought by W. R. Frank, owner of a circuit of large uptown theatres, to construct .'an $80,000 1,000-seat theatre in the south central neighborhood section. Last year he completed and opened the 1,000-seat Boulevard theatre, neighborhood house that represented *100,000. W. A. Tuscany Is seeking a permit to erect a $75,000 theatre at 42-13 Nicollet avenue, uptown business section. Tlie application has been opposed in the city council and the latter body will hold a hearing on it. Harry Diokerman, owner of the Alhambra, neighborhooder, is build- ing a $50,000 uptown showhouse on the site of the former Emerson. It will seat 500. In addition, the deluxe Minnesota (Publix) and Lyceum (independent), will be reopened shortly. Hays Returns East Hollywood, Sept. 4. Will Hays terminates his coast visit tomorrow (5) when he departs for New York. HITIEII EFFECT FELT mi Pictures Still Leading Over Radio as World-Wide En- tertainment — Foreign Market in Ups and Downs :—Germany Heavy Loser —England Gains By Wolfe Kaufmaii Current yearly resume of difficul- ties around the world is worse than usual. It shows chaos; a world's screen thaii .is not only nervous but seriously ill in many , spots; a world's stage that seems at mo- ments to be breathing its lasft And yet, through it all, is always a glimmer—^faint at 'times, but there nevertheless—of light. There's al- ways a mention of 'around the cor- ner.' The world's stage was dominated during the past year, and for the first time in history, by an individ- ual. Germany's brown-shirted Mr. Hitler and his -eictlvities stand out like thorns in a perusal of the year's activities. And thorns is a good word because the activities tell only of troubles and headaches and heartaches. On June 15, 1932, a bit over a year ago, the first Hitler item appeared in Varibttt. It was a short para- graph tucked away in an Incon- spicuous corner of the page. Wasn't' worth any more then because no one anywhere could have dreamt what it would lead to, or how quickly."" That 1932 item told of the Nazis busting up a legit show, 'Waterloo Bridge,' written by the American, Robert Sherwood. Figured, then, that it was the act of r. bunch of hoodlums. Like the Royalists in Paris who break up a. show or a meeting now and then. But the Nazis just, happened, some months later, to become powerful, and they broke up more than a legit show. Hitler Hurts Hitler In a way, from a purely selfish American standpoint, maybe show business ought to be grateful to Hit- ler. Germany was making terrific strides throughout the world before the coming of the Nazi regime. Ger- (Contlnued on page 29) Successor to Will Hays as 'Czar' May Come Through NRA Action; Capital Believes Matter AH Set HalFs Sub Good When Mordaunt Hall, the New York 'Times' touchy critic, was away on vacation his assistant, Andre Senn- wald, did the honors. So many letters came in commending the Hall substi- tute on his reviews, handling of news, etc., that the 'Times' gave him a raise in pay. Boost amounted to exactly 38.88%, and Sennwald is now in Spain enjoying his vacation. DUPING PLANT NEAR COLONY IjOS Angeles, Sept. 4. Understood that the authorities have uncovered' a print duping plant, within 10 miles of Hollywood, which has been costing producers many* thousands of dollars a year. Arrests are expected. Plant is understood to have been working in cahoots with a small theatre in the San Fernando Valley district. It was traced through the recent duping of a fight picture. Report is that the dupers have operated on major releases for for- eign distribution. Distribs' branch officies, particularly in Australasia, have reported that it has not been uncommon for duped prints to be played in that territory a month be- fore official release of a picture. ^ •■ Roxy s 'Sateveposf Break S. li. 'Roxy' Rothafel is the sub- ject of an interview planned for the 'Saturday Evening Post.' He was interviewed .by a 'Post' staff member, Boyden Sparks, who's turning out a special yarn on the Music Hall boss. working on buys with Publix.-Shea, Product has also been closed for by Feld-Chatkln for Akron and Youngstown, O. Jules Levy was in Detroit last week on the Butterfleld contract, while the Publix-Shea deal for Buffalo is being handled in New York. Both Mike Shea and Vincent McFaul, Publix partners out there, came into town to work out a buy with Eddie McEvoy, RKO's eastern- Canadian sales manager, represent- ing the distributor. Chain deals with both RKO and Famous Players-Canadian were previously closed by RKO. CLEAN INSIDE AND OUT That's the Program for Washington Houses During Code Hearings Keep Washington clean, picture code week. This word is being gen- erally released among industry channels. Only the nicest subjects, or those about which there can not be the peradventure of a doubt, are to be booked. And the advertising in the capital papers Is to be sim- ilarly pious. Quietly, in other words, filmdom is prepared to give Washington marquees an Easter front so that, at least, no one at the hearing be- fore Deputy Administrator Rosen- blatt may crook a finger toward a window as evidence. Washington, Sept, 4. A change is expected in the of- ficial lineup of the Motion Picture Producers' and Distributors' Asso- ciation with the adoption of a film code under the NRA. It's said of- ficialdom here has suggested look- ing for a successor to Will Hays as president of the MPPDA, The successor may be a non-showman. So far as known, the man is al- ready picked, hilt his identity is held under cover. Hays, under present plans will step down or up to the post of chairman of the board of the association. The hiatter came up only the past week and it is authoritatively hand- ed that the matter is set. It's not a far cry that the Ad- ministration may select a super- visor for the film biz under the NRA. code whose authority will super- sede that of Hays, and likely that in this fashion the change will first occur. However," that's only con- jecture, ..with details on how come everytlilng, so far. In the dark. Walker Declined It is known that Frank Walker could have had the Job, if he willed. Walker has nixed anything like that for himself. His present posi- tion as .executive secretary of the President's super cabinet Is much more Important than anything the Industry could offer him. Mention of Walker recalls recent accounts during the Paramount bankruptcy turmoil, of an effort laid to Will' Hays to secure a domlnatine position in Paramount for Waljter, cither as president or as a trustee. Walker nixed both items. Otterson of Western Electric was Interested in the. move also, backing Walker for a trusteeship in Par. The angle on that from the Hays' standpoint, was that such a Par ap- pointment would have eliminated the possibility of Walker moving into Hays' own Job as MPPDA head. Hays was Postmaster General in President Harding's cabinet, when he received the Invitation pf the film industry to be Its leader. The MPPDA was organl:;ed and Hays became the president at a salary of $100,000. It was raised later. He also had been chairman of the Re- publican National Committee at the time and wielded strong political influence.' Hays holds a contract with the MPPDA which has until 1936 to jlftL ' '^ salary is« stated presently tobe ai-dund $200,000 or $260,000 a year. Including traveling expenses. This Is guaranteed separately and Individually by each company on behalf of the MPPDA. CLAUDETTE COLBERT After appearing In many stage .succes.ses In New York and rjon"li>n, became a featured player and then a star for Pjiramount. Her more recent starring vehlcle.s wore "SIfJN OF THE CIIOS.S," "I COVER TUB WATERFRONT" and "TirRF/IO COUNIORIOD MOO.V." Miss olbert's current relca-se for Paramount i.s "THlO TORCH. KlN';j:il," which proml.ses to be one of her moftt ambitioiiH offorts Exclusivo Management SCHUUBERG & FELDMAN, M TICKET TAXES FORCE UP B.O. SCALES Cincinnati, Sept. 4. Upped box office scales at the pic- ture houses caused consistent pro- testations from Sept. 1 when the new Ohio state 10% tax on all the- atre admissions' went Into effect. Because of the extra surcharge on all tickets from 11c on, on top of the 10% Government levy above 41c, all theatres were forced to re- vise their soalcs upward. This didn't meet with the fans' approval. English-Made to Compete JFoIlywoofl, Hept. 4. Fox will entor the dome.'jtlc mar- ket with a DritiKh-madft picture storring Herbert Mar.sliall in com- petition with Poxamount, which has the JOn;;liMh pliyor under current '•on tract. Ff:aturc> i.s 'I Woh a Hi)y, made by )}»itiHh-Oaiimont and now being ("liU'fl to fit American fll.stribuHon by Jiili.'ia Jolin.son.