Variety (Sep 1933)

12 •VAttrart'S' iookdok ovirac^ 8 St. Marttn'8 PIao«. Trafalgar Bqiiar« FOREICN OaMo AddreMJ TATOVIT, 1X>ND0N» Teleplione Temple Bar 6041-6042 British Losing Grip on Australian Market, Bad Pictures Alone to Blame Sydney, Aug. 10. British pictures are losingr their igrip of the Australian market. Some little time ago product from the eold country obtained such a hold of the local market that the Ameri- can interests here became worried. Owing to the very inferior grade of l>ictures recently released in this country bearing the British trade- mark, the hold has gradually weak ened: ' British producers had the Aus tralian field practically to them selves, but failed to maintain their advantage. This hold was strongly noticeable during the recent film var between G.T. and the Ameri- cans. Good British pictures will al ways rull big money here, but for Australia they must be up to the standard of American production Australians desire British product, but such product must be fully up to expectations. Where Angels Fear . Reported that a group compris- ing a money-lender, radio manager, tailor, and a company manager is seeking 30,000 pounds- to float a company. for the production of locally-made pictures. Stated that tf successful, a British director will be brought across to handle the (Continued on page 52) India's De Luxer Ready Bombay, Aug. 5. The new Regal at Wellington Fountain, Bombay, owned by Globe Theatres, Ltd. (Framji Sidhwa and K. A. Kooka, managing directors), will not only be the largest cinema In India but the most up to date in appointments w^en it opens in Sep- tember. The Regal will have the largest seating capacity yet provided at any cinema in India, 1,250. The large operating room will carry three projectors and two sets of record relaying apparatus. The possibility of future develop- ments has not been overlooked. The screen and all apparatus have been made adaptable to the new extra •wide film, if and when It comes to India, and the stage is capable of a full show. Globe. Theatres, Ltd., own also the Globe theatre, Cal- cutta; Capitol, Bombay, and other progressive cinemas in Bangalore^ Rangoon and elsewhere. Thring, Indie^ Acquires Fuller Melbourne Spot Melbourne, Aug. 10. F. T. Thring has added the Prin- cess to his string, taking over that Ifelbourne house from Fuller's cir- cuit. The Fullers relinquished It as be- ing too far uptown but okay for Thring's purpose of making It a legit or variety house. The Fullers Btlll have four cinemas here. Sound Film in Greece Awaits Trade Revival Washington, Sept. 4. Government report just received from Greece reveals a typical world situation, except that here there is no sign of an upturn. Last January there were about 125 motion picture theatres throughout Greece, 75% of which were wired for sound. Since then the. situation has not changed appreciably, ex- cept for the closing down of several theatres owing to poor business. Those still remaining unwired are all small provincial houses, ranging in seating capacity from 150 to 350. It is doubtful whether most of these theatres will ever be wired for sound, both because they are un- suitable for permanent sound In- stallations and because they are usually operated by persons who cannot afford to purchase even the cheapest sound equplment. About three quarters of the 95 theatres that are wired use cheap sound equipment, assembled locally from parts Imported from abroad or built in Greece. The quality of this equipment is generall.-.unsatis- factory, but its low price constitutes an attractive Inducement for the owners of small theatres. Undoubtedly, a replacement de- mand for better equipment will (V3ntually develop, but not. before business conditions become a little more encouraging. Budapest Ousting Ufas, Other Imports Balance Shortage of Germans Budapest, Aug. 24. Kamara theatre, with largely Jewish patronage, used to use sec- ond run product after .Ufa theatre, owned by the German Ufa company. They have ditched Ufa product and made arrangements with MGM's Budapest house, Radius theatre and also with Royal theatres for the joint Importation of pictures. Dearth of German product seems pretty well made up for. Distrib- utors have procured such a prom- ising stock of first-rate American, British, French, Czech and Austrian pictures that Germany' will not be missed' much. The Royal circuit, group of six important first-runs, separate from Omnia and Corso, which will in fu- ture conduct their buying policy and advertising jointly. Royal has ac- quired the Orion theatre, which will reopen as the Casino. Istvan Geroe Is managing the entire lot. Hirror,' 'Water Front' Are Donsed in French Hollywood, Sept. 4. •Kiss Before the Mirror' (Univers- al) and 1 Cover the Water Front' (United Artists) have been dubbed with French dialog tot release In the French market. Dubbing was done in Paris by Moe Sackln and Eugene De° Rue, latter a former Metro assistant director In the for- eign department. Other pictures dubbed In French by Sackln and. De Rue are 'A Night of the Garter* (UA), ^Peter Voss, MlUionalse/ and 'Carnival.' Latter two are independents. Sackln, former Hollywood agent, is due here this month for a visit. Leicester Square Quits Vaude hoiit For D. A. Pictures London Show World London, Aug. 26. Jack Buchanan Invited the repor- ters to the Savoy yesterday (26) to announce he would convert his Leicester Square Into a picture house, Sept. 27. The policy of the house will be pre-releases for United Artists' pic- tures and one of Its producing units here—^British & Dominions. Mur- ray Sllvterstone, managing direc- tor for United Artists here, Inter- posed the statement this 'would be the &-st West End theatre for the showing of independent British productions, meaning Independent British productions releasing through United Artists. Asked if the Leicester Square's continuous vaudeville had proved profitable, Buchanan replied it had. Pressed as to why he was switching over, he was vague. The Lelcestef" Square was taken over by Harry Foster for Buchanan, Jan. 23. To date It has made a profit of 140,000, after $2,500 per week for rent and other charges. Although owning most of the orT dinary shares, Buchanan had leased the house to Sir Walter Gibbons for five years, and with the Gibbons re- gime going overboard after two and a half years, the houise reverted to Buchanan. The first picture will be Bucha- nans production made by British & Dominions and based on the mu- sical show he produced at the Hip- podrome five years ago. Second will be Henry the Eighth,' London Films Corp. picture released hy United Artists. The releasing ar-- rangement understood to be on a 50/50 basis. Meanwhile, Harry Foster, who has been convinced continuous variety pays In the West End, is looking for another house, and Is casting glances at the Piccadilly and the Phoenix, both in "the hands of receivers, who would probably welcbme a proposition. London, Aug. 26. Moss Empires is likely to get a fat bahkroll from the newly formed London Transport company, which comprises the 'buses and under- grounds. The Leicester Square tube sta- tion is ■ under reconstruction and the company wants to use part of the Hippodrome property. Under- stood Moss' has firm offer from the railway company of $100,000, Incurable Rita John, former actress, who inherited $300,000 and began to dabble in shows, has lost $150,000 in her first venture, musical, 'Jolly Roger.' Show, which had a heavy cast, including George Rob^y, and ran for 14 weeks, and with the. excep- tion of one week, it lost consistently. Despite the heavy losses Miss John is not yet cured, and is now lining up a new show In the West End. Song Plug Penalty The first 'punishment' meted out for paid song plugging under the new arrangement between the B.B.C. and the music publishers of Eng- land, wais the banning for Six months of a singer. The publishers report to Variety that the new arrangement" is func- tioning satlafactorily. The pro- grams, according to them, are prac- tically the same as when they paid. They say they formerly paid to plug numbers that were sufficiently pop- ular, to demand their being.rendered anyway and that the boosting of a noor one didn't help sales any. 'Vhich means thoy are getting the same ^e^ognition in broadcasting as they did before, without any financial outlay. Pavilion London Pavilion continues to give small time acts a break in the West End, with John Southern claiming he is doing better than when he was getting names. Current bill (week 22) is typically small-timey, with not a name to draw them In, Only name attraction is Peter Godfrey, who comperes. Godfrey is a highbrow actor who created the now defunct Gate theatre, special- izing in uncensored plays. Leicester Sq. Leicester Sq., week Aug. 21, has two acts direct from Palladium, and Judging by their reception it's ap- parent this house has a regular cli entele. Carr Brothers and Betty and Betty Jane Cooper and the Lathrop Brothers, the two acts un der review, both score splendidly. Aunt Jemima, in her second week, is doing evert better than last. Of the locals, Dorothy Lawson, a 12 year-old singer, is the outstander. Claire Ruane and Alan Martin with the femme carrying the burden of the comedy, could be funnier, If they got an act. The Five Magnets have a pleasing offering of song dance and instrumental playing Business not so forte. Get Miller's Four Gilbert Miller will by the lall have at least four showf running in the We.*?! End. There is little doubt •Chri.stopher Bean' is good for six (Continued on page 80) Fox Has Fritz Lai^ to Direct Lilian Harvey Returning to Continent for Film Under Pommer's Supervision Producer Defies Writer Guild on Its Authority Hollywood, Sept. 4.. First case to be handled by the Screen Writers' Guild commission on conciliation and arbitration, that of Adele Bufflngton against M. H, Hoffman, producer, ■ hit a snag when the producer refused to recognize the Guild's authority to act. Hoffman declared he would Ignore any findings of the arbitration committee until it could show that at least 50% of the 'producers rec- ognize the scenarist organization. It is' expected that the Guild's board of directors will attempt to get Hoffman and Allied pictures de- clared 'unfair' at a membership meeting Sept. 6. If this Is done no Guild member will be allowed to work for Hoffman In view of the members' membership contracts with the Guild. Miss Bufflngton claims she was not fully paid for an original' story. LUNTS MAY DO LONDON PIECE BLDMEY CLAIMS London, Aug. 26. A. C. Blumenthal sailed on the 'Majestic,' Aug. 23, taking with him the American rights to 'Fresh Fields' and 'Eight Bells,' both cur- rently In the West-End and both doing good business. Blumenthal Is also one of the several Americans claiming the rights to 'Richard of Bordeaux.' Fact Is, although there have been several offers from America, the rights have not yet been disposed of. It is more than likely Lynne Fon- tanne and Alfred Lunt will acquire the American rights when they get over here shortly, to star them- selves in the show on Broadway upon their return home. Bermuda Sees Upturn Hamilton, Bermuda, Sept. 1. Expectations from tourist season on up-swlng, as Frascati hotel re- opens (28) after being dark almost 18 months. No word about Hamilton hotel, closed almost a year now, but may open again this winter. George North resident mgr. Frascati. STNA BEUMEB DIES Brussels, Aug. 22. Dyna Beumer, Belgian soprano, died at Rixensart, aged 76. Forty years ago she was the rage of the European concert platform and would have made her mark in opera but for the fact that she was lame. Mme. Beumer was the possessor of many Belgian and foreign decora- tions. m iiiii Lilian Hai'vey,' Fox's new star Im- port, goes back to Europe for a Fox picture there as soon as her next In Hollywood Is finished. It'll put her back to work under Eric Pommer,- her formgr Ufa boss, but In Paris instead of Berlin, Picture will be made in French and English versions. Miss Harvey talks French. Idea Is not to let the Europeans forget her, she being the current biggest b. o. attraction on' the Continent. Fox Is going ahead rapidly on its Continental production thing, latest move being to engage Fritfc.Lang," one of the biggest German directors. He was bounced by Hitler. Pox has .assigned him to meg the first Pom- .mer production, 'Liliom,' from the Molnar play. It's a two-version affair In English and French and will get a big production with Pom- mer supervising Lang. Immediately after it's finished Pommer will start his second pic- ture, 'Crying Young Man.' It will star Henry Garat, Frenchman whom Fox used in Hollywood. Garat goes back to Hollywood--when that's fin- ished. The Harvey film will be the third. Fred Bacos has begun work on his second straight French picture for Fox, 'Couchette Number Three,' with Charles Boyer, who was in Hollywood. In Berlin Fox has started produc* tlon of a German picture, 'Adven- ture of Love,' with Louis Graveure, concert and opera star. Idea is to make four pictures only in Germany, not any too expensive. WARNER BAXTER Fox Film Corp. Mexico Has Production Boon for Xmas Trade Mexico City, Sept. 1 Production is booming in Mex- ico's Hollywood which consists of half a dozen picture making en- terprises all with headquarters here. Pioneer of the group, the National M. P. Production Co., has begun shooting 'El Heroe de Na- cozarl' ('The Hero of NacozarI')» railroad drama, with Roman Pe- reda, Spanish actor, who has played in several Hollywood made Spanish features. Is arranging to follow with another. Hispanic-Mexican Cine Co., Mex- ico's newest, has started work on a talker version of this country's standard comedy, 'Chucho tho Bum,' while Eco Films will begin work soon on 'Cleniencia,' drama« and Aspa Films is arranging to un- dertake a feature production of 12 reels, all due for tho Christmas trade. Chaplin's Namesake St. John, N. B., Sept. 4, Charlie Chaplin is selling Charlie Chaplin films in St. John. The ap- pointment has been made of Charles S. Chaplin, formerly of Toronto, as manager of the St. John exhange of the United Art- ists Film Corporation. This exchange covers ^a wide ter- ritory embracing pa.-t of the Prov- ince of Quebec, and all of the prov- inces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and the island colonies of Newfound- land, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, Demcrara, Dominica, in the West Indies group. Gerald M. Hoyt, who had been manager of the United Artists ex- change at St. John, has been named sales manager and will spend most of his time on the road, with Chap- lin remaining in the exchange. He has been in exchange work for severial years in Toronto, Paris Athena List Paris, Aug. 26. Mme. Regine Le Quere, directress of the Theatre d'Art. Athena an- nounces four new plays during the coming'season. 'Casanova', by Louis Desl.andres, will open the last week in Septem- ber to bo followed later on by 'Gaa- pard', authored by Suzanne Tlfcissier in collaboration with Paul Sentc- nac; 'Le Mulct de Moktnr', by Oc- tave CharpcntiCr and 'L'Appvonti- Mentcur", by Jacques Chavvcy,