Variety (Apr 1935)

VAKlETt PMCT April 3v^^^ . Wit}ynf)st stocks slipping back in yesterday's (T u e s d ay) ttadlrig, amusements held steady 'of galhed - sorhe ground^ Lbew'is contmpn was' strong all day, getting "up to 36%,, (inly fractionally away ; from the year'3 high. Technicolor went to a new top at 19%. Others, were prac- tically unchanged from' the prevl- ous day. imprbvemerit sentiment despite legislative uncertalntieB which con- tinued In, Washington kept the atock mkrket on:.an .evei? : kee) .af^eV".^an attempt to force rail shares down on> Tuesday C'26).. This ■betterment wa? quite generally reflected ip tl^e Amusement (Sroup, although with' a few weak : spota. Result- was that ■ the group, averages closed at ?5%; for a galnl of 0.35 of a point, ' Amusement avecages tipped - 26% before meeting niuch resistance. Low point wais 24 which was en-, countered early In the week. YqI- ume for the group was the lowest since eoirly in. February but the ac-. tlbri "placed' these .12'representative igaiirs n.hnut v m ldw av. between ttie tops bf late January and the closing prices which prevailed: late In Feb- ruary arid the first . week of Marcl\. . Market Monday acted as though tracers were hopeful that the Su- preme Court, would 'hand ■ dowh a favorable ruling, relative to the paymenVof pb^islpns by- the rarllroad comoanies. .Aided by a big show of strength In Loew's preferred,, the common; of this company also attracted coh- ■ 6ia,erabl6 atterihph by its steady awd (Continued, on page. 29) NEWSREELERl $1,824,562 Gives Par €orp. 100^ Control of Olympia Another step, to\y?up4 reorgai>iia- tipn of ParaniiouiTt's l^ew- England theatres has been approved by Fbd^ eral Judge Coxe in N. Y. authoriz- ing the Par trustees to satisfy a clalnii of Olymplia Theatre stock- holders in return for a block ot stock lii Olympia held by the Old Colony Trust Co., ,; BostPn, as der ppsitpry 'pending; completion of the bid purchasb contract. Under, the ,jCoxe order,- the Par tr\isteeis. pay; a blatm;of, ^1,82^,562 in full .oh delivery, tp "the;: truatee^: by an" Olyinpia theatre , cbniinittiee . of $2,234.; share's of conimon apd 6,609 shares of preferred of Olympia, rep- resenting 32% of the stocjc of; that cbnxpahy.: This will give Paramount complete cdntrol. of ;the Olymiita subsidiary Mn (:onsumma,tipn ot< the agreement of July 16, 1926, under which Famous Players-Laaky agreed tb 'bny- the. bhain from- Nathan Hi ^braon ana ilLax Shoolman. Effprts'of the Cairieramen's Union to i>ut more V men . tb^- - work' : thrbugh a stricter, interpretatilon of what constitutes working hours or : by trimming the. present 40rhbar ; week thus far ha.B met with.-failure although two confabEj of union reMeseri tatlve a and; hewsreel xshie^- . tains haVe been held. Tbei. moVe for improved working houra . aiid pos- : slbly additional employment for the news'reel cameramen yraM Instigated by W. P. Farhsworth,. deputy aid- , mlnistrator of the picture bode. ' . After the inltiai session, when the; union reps put in their bid for ad- ditional men on the payrolls, and the ne'trsreel. coQlpaniea countered by charging that working cohdltions aiid wkges are at u high peak al- ' ready, Faimsworth suggested that each side designate two dele- gates and ^attempt to formulate aii equitable :piari.. ■ ; But even -after the prolonged meeting MondC|,y- (.1) n& satlgfactbry solution seemed likely for some time to come.'; Crux of present situia.tipn ;ls;; the, deflhltibri of whiait are work- ing hpur,s for newsreel camera-men. As presently constituted, the news- reel grinders work 40 hours weekly over an 18-week period. The big conflict is regarding what are waitr Insf hours. Company repre;3entatlve3 feel that out-of-town cameramen should not Include in their wprking hour week the time spent in their, offices when, riot out on assignment Gonteritibn Is that the; camera boys are not actually working in this ihstance. The union cpriceptiori is the. pppoV; - —Bite,—bftged-onT^the-tfaeory tliat It-^g- tihie jost to them whether on assigri- riient or not.. " '■■ ■;■■; ■.• ; - , A. J. Richard, editor of Paramount —i-rieivareelr^-and-Jack-^imellyT^dit^r of Pathe News, are representing the newsreel companies while 0, .V. Johnson, secretary of the Camera- men'g Union, and W. H. Straftbrd, Chicago, union representative,, are presenting the unlori; side. , - Hew Post; Par li ,v Warriera arid, 'Parariiourit; want Arthyr ■; Mayer, i operator oit the Rialtp on Brbadway,. TJhe RlaU soon to be razeiaL to inake: way. for an office structure and a new the- atre probably, seating';arpund 800, w:Hl :lea,ve Mayer .free. He will probably go Par. . > : Ma^yer. to operate .Warners! three houses ori Broadway; is the WB ideia. .Harry. ChiarnaB, present bp erafor of these houses, is to be ele vated-to-another-postHh-the^com pany sobn.- . ^^' V ' ;- BNva]r Cros^ickethig TKeafare Mgrs. . TJieaitre operators -in the Times Square Y.) district are squawk- ing loudly oyer heavy - picketing done by the rivaJ motion picture operator unions, Allied and Em Plre Staite. .'The recent upheaval in Harlem isn't helping - matters. ; Where.'theatreB are using 806 (A.P.I1.) bperatprs. cross-picketing continues by ;Bmi;>lr6 State or Al lied, or both, and vice versa. ; Exhibitor's along 42rid Street arb kicking the mOBt.- .i)ent in. business here is blamed on the Republic (burlesk) which has had; extra cops on duty for days and has checked in with; three -calls for the patrbl wagon in the past week. Theatre management phoned the police claiming that; hundreds were dolnjg a snake dance in front pf the Re public. Eight arrests were made on this occasion, last week. Farley Reportis, Ducks Hollywood, April 2. Prank Farley, story scout for Pariampunt . abroad; left here for New York after :ia week's confer;, e^ices with Ernst Ijubitsch on stPry requlrenients; of' the : company for the coming year, and outlook- of the Eurcwean literary field. York for a short turning to London. tlnie before. re- Air (^narieS Cut ■ . ^ Film Teeth at Univ. J ; Honywood.i April 2.; Dorothy Page and Jbhri 'King, __bolji_jchefi tci'day (Mondayj for term contracts, will probably cut their film eye teeth in ,'Slng Me a .Love Song/ ; Miss Page, signed^ by U after wlrir. ring tlie national Paul Whiteriian -audition contost,--planed' iri'^ frorii ;Ch^cagb, wli'ore she has beS'A-on' the ^alr. '.-icing has-been warblingAi^?^I^ the Ben Bet^fe orchestri-■.' ■jvii,' It's Excelsior Pics Now Hollywoodi April 2. Because of conflict of title. Pre- mier Pictures, recently prganlzed. by LesU'tf: Sinimonds and; Slg^ Neufeld, becbmes OSxcelsior Pictures. , Company- is in : prbduption with 'Hell Brea,kg Loose,': first of a serlear of nine actloriers co-storririg Oulnn Wllliama and Sally Blane; and di- rected by Sam Neufeld. ; ; Hollyw;ooc!, April 2. Ten . thousand dollars In boniis a.wards in recently closed; Fbx; "Weist Coast business drly^s iaelng: disr tj-Ibuted. by - Charles^kouraB. ': Managers ih. the/(^estferft aifea Tftre also meieting in /Operatlopy confer finfeb this week.. YefterdayV Prices ^400 m 6,200 ,0(300 1,400 8,000 200 .600 GolV Pict'.. 41 .•46?4 Con. r, pf 1T?4 :16% Bast. K,.,121 - 120% Fox-A...., Gen. El... 2S?& .XlTi X.oe\T . .-^ '. Par. c\tB.. Patli^ A.: RCA ..... RICO ..... asvi MVt 2H . 2.V4 12'A 11% .4% i% u. m 1% ... 2% : 2%. CURB ,;.»10\ 18% BONDS - Loew .,.,104% 104% Phr-F-Ii .. 7114 71H Do. ctt». 71% . 7IH P»r-Pub .i 72% 72 Do, c«a. 72^ 72% W.B. ..... 00 80 7»300 Te«b: <,{ba s.ooo 8,000 87.000 28,000; ,1.00 0 .■• Nejir IMJS high. : ■ Net Last.'cbee. 22 .-;% 33%+ ft ■ 2%- 11% ; . . 4%:- % Vh ■ :■ :3%+ % 104%^ % 71%+%, 71% ^ % 72 • V .. ; Hollywbod, April 2. penyer ru«i;ig tha,t fllm;&xhlbltion- n ot In liitur t C-at e comm CTce Ib ex- pected to precipltatb a Wide open split; between' westeni. Independent exhibitors and tlie-KRA. Air is blue with threats or thrbwing oyer re- strictions In a bljg. way.;; Los Angeles exhibB.ai'e prepa^ to: Initiate bank nightsi; coin give- aways, twb-fpr-one / admissions, crbckery nlSlits. and,-Pther "lyres to hop up the b.p. ■■ SEE A. J.BALABAN AS LOEW'S cm EXECUTIVE •Chicago, April 2. . ;if and when Lbew.'s goes through with its proposed theatre buildtlrg intentionis In Chicago, A. J. Balaban probably'fviU be the operating head ATrrffdvanc«~tiffderm'nairi^^^^ effect, Is understood; to have been reached. Balaba;n is at present residing In California withJiis^famlly. , . fwayPartooksM / During the, past week ' .thb sltua tibn has insproved regaxdiiur bond holders', approval of the Broadway ParamountvBldg. and Theatres set tliement,' as part Of the Paramount Publlx reorganizaition plan. It . ts -now indicated that. the ettectiye majority pf ■ cpnsents of Broadway -PiEtr. bondhbldbrs will be had so ae not to Jeopardize ^e Pararinount- Publlx reorganization plan. However, fTtro phases' of the P-B plan Btill; tb be ironed are those concerned with the underwriting of the plan, and that which pertains to the Balaban & Katz r funding iagreemeht with the First Natibniol Bank of ChIca,go. iind whibh con ditlons that Bt^ K c&nnot pay divi- dends while, the new, refunding bonds are outstanding, v , U A. TON. Y. Bob Glllham.: Horace McCoy. Lbuls Sbbel. ■ , .Dr. Leo Michel, Jack Cohri. David Loew: . Jack Moss. Max Golden. • . John Curtis. Al Frledlander. ■^TjracB^wrkstfiir Merle Oberon, Abe MbWtagub, ■ Ben S. Cohen. ; ■ —WilMarit-Fis ke. Nicholas Luddihgtbn. Heriry Hobart . , Will Rogers; : Irving; Asher. Laura La Plarite.. . i5prothy Fields;:, : Frank Farley." ■ King Charriey. Vlctbr; BarayellA, Hoot dibson. Louis. Hyriian. .' Johnny Murray.' Ferde Grofe. Simeon GJbst MAJor Albert Warner. .'iGrad-'Seara. '"\[ Atidy ;^niith., ;; ; Marlehe Dietrich, ^ . -Birlp, Pbrimler..• Paul kohfier. ' Lupita Ttfyan . ■.. • ^ While a U. S. district;, cdu'rt Judge has "ruled that the Harry Huffman lottery case (Denver);, is oiitside tbb FJlm Code's Jurisdiction, the re- straint of trade, or ;mbriopoTs^ angle, yet has to be settled In court Thii latter slant was raised by government legal lights-when the action w^ carried to higher; courts by the Blue -Eag'lbr Pederalr attorneys a^ that the Huffman theatre group held a monopoly, on flret runs. Decislori in the Huffhiari, case bn the .lottery charges is regarded in. Code Authority circles as hissed largely on Jiidjge J. F.: Symes' ruling that the. .Colorado NRA law was uncoristitutibnai; Since the court held ' exhibition of films to l>e an. intra-statb business, the decliaratiori of th» state law as .ilnconstitutional practicSlly iautbmatically ruled out the cas* Qn;.the'lottery-alliegatibns; .:;; ; Huflmari was charged with operating a. lottery In giviiig aWay .aiito- riiobiles, and is stJill doing so under a teihpprarr InJunctipn granted by the court of appeals. Since ihany^ higher. courts recently have ruled against the Blue Eagle, when sblely Intra-state operations. were, shown prevalent,; the Denver decision is not regjarded as ipartlcularly upsetting by codistsin New York. . Fear that there might: be some bppositibn ,)^o' cbhflrmatiori of; 181 execu- tpry, bbntracts ;ex^ting with P^^ pribr to' barikruptoy and rieyei" dlsat? ITrmeii, ' Including many /^strlbutlon fiianchisb.. c6ptr?icts, . pro up- grounded; .The ehtire 181. documents, got the ofnbial okay seal Monday afterripon (1) without any opposition. No star ;or executive cohti'acts .were included in-the-batch:'. ■/■ '''/-'^ V Grist of the T'eorgariizatloh mill also includes'serylce-of■ papers by :tli<l» Par trustees fpir the dissbliiiflon of Blwo'pd Ariitjs. .Corp. and; lii cbnnebtlbrt therewith, an agreement , with Biaramourit Enterprises, :piorida 'aUbsfd 6t Par. Hearing, is scheduled before. Special Master ; John E, Joyce for Wednesday .■ (8),;;.■^■.;'^. . r..'■ [./,^ ..■:..■.;..; ;,-■.■;.;■. ;;.■•: ..■;.; .; ; --^hrough-Hsonfldentlal^anftelB-RKO-ha^B;^^ trailer stunt recently inaugurated at the Paranipunt, N. Y„ with' someone; spieling froni the stJige on the corinilng iattracUon. Idea; thb suggestion of Jack vMcInierney, wab ^triied but at thb:l<i.- Y. Par about six weeks -ago arid is being/retained thbr'ei Par intelligenbe . sburtes: claim tliit RKO not prily reproduced the serise of, the: Ide^'for; Its theatre managers but Included the full: cbpy,' as written, which .par used as a -spiel in &dvatric« of 'Ruggles'i RKO.also included; a laugh record Idea connection.with human trailer which, however, the Par did not usb, as planned, due-to; mechanical difficulties, - . Iri RKO theatre quarters it's denied the .human triiler-idea was. picked up-and sent Out to: .riianagers. ■ ., • Another step aga^lnst the-pass evil Is being taken by Faramburit as ; a result of abuse;; New rule is to: be put into effect tirider which trlji!; passes. Issued for one performance, will riot be given thosei people wlTc^ hold annuals for the Paramount, N. Y'.,':or other Bar bouses. .■ '■ ' AUhbugh having ia, pass good for .once a weeky.'many holders ask f^^^ additional cufCos, checkupi showing that some are ovierdoing it ' Par used to Issue a card, annual, good for, more than orice a week, but on keeiilrig a; record foumfthat the iouse was taking ia bad be^^^ troni some of the rion-payees. ..'.'; Response to the Jimriiy Fldler-Tangee film survey over NBC to de- -termine- among-listeners Tthe- best-picture-^ .and- outstanding- screieh fprma-nces of the .past year,' exceeded expectations of the sponsors; j ; When the canvass was started there ^ was little; hlbpe of rec^fv^g mpi*4V- than 6;00.0 rivalled replies, iriasmuch as 'thoise who ^puticlpated ''recelv^i!^ riothlng for their pains other than to see th'elr .favprites brev^ed; 'W lists closed last week almost 26,000 Votes' .were counted. /'Claudett* Colbert, Clark; Gablb and director Frank Capra^. all for 'it Happened Oxif Night,' were the winners. . Invitation guests' to ^the 'Go Into 'Tour Dance' (WB) preview at the Strand, N. Y.; midnight Monday (1) almost thought it was on April FooPs gag when the doora were shut. Late arrivals oouldri't get lift despite flashinff invitations. None oC.the house.staff niade an effort'te' explain; ; Since the preview;was for exhibs, press, etc., the| squawks to the theatre pei:sonnel:!apprpached riotous proportions, but the outdoor lobby doorf^ remiaihed barred arid lateicpmers were , turried away. Mlsrepresehtatioh- In cross-pickefirig. in Greater New York; is one bt\. the mistakes made by the Empire State operators' union. It discovered. When the . Edjoniac Ariauaement Co„ independent, baled it into; bpuri during the past week, .''■"■■;■' ;^.'. ' ■ :.- It was ruled that the Empire signs.carried by Its pickets, while they may be accurate In the precise wprding, are designed \tO coriyey ,the ■ iriipresslon that the plaintiff (Edjoniac) Is employing non-unio^ labor. .Empire was restrairied from picketing with such pr a,ny similar signs^ Slfice the Btudios perforce make exceptions ori their ariti-cpmniorclal adyertislng, policy, especially When a big cigisrle. Lux or kindred type of natiorial advertiser cpriies along with' an Imposing tleup, the dlstribt axe ribw capitalizing on it in advance, ; .; Pairampunt, for its 'Priyate Wprlds,| his l« its press book a-bullder- upper in connection with Old Gold's campaiign Iri 46 newspapers on behailf of' Claudette Cblbfert and the film. "While the aids are already released (schedule was March'11-18) this Is ; emphasl?ed as desirable advance ;ballyhoo.\:^ ■■; ■ '■;'_;.■ Lloyd Bacon brought in In Callcnte'.. (WB) last week a-ftor- three riiOntha . and one day of shbpting; This; approaches some, kind; of al record for a lot thatXurns 'eri\ out in four to six Weeks. ' Busby Berk-*^ eley's production numbers are said to have .been responsible for ■pa:r< iSf^e marathon. Believed to be the longiest .any WB star has' been, held on one pic-' ture iri some tiriie. It's a lavish Dolores Del Rib musical. New York pperatbrs' unio n, . Local 806; intei^jsried at the Bijou, N . T» on 46th street, which ^lays cartoons and shorts. Operator was . one b* union's own memberB. Jack Garei A few months ago .Qa^^ at the Bijou, took bver ppbratlori from Willie KurtZj ribw;; associated With :th6'Criterion. .■.;■■■■■ ■■ / ■ ' - Grare has stepped Put as Operator and new corporation has been formed to run the BiJoui House recently closed doWri fpr a few days and then reopened;.; .■■.■■"-'■■■ ■;■■■.■:■■;";:':,■•.' Hbyle club, pedigreed poker flendii of Hollywood, inherit -their. leader from New York - sect of the pastebbard pastimbrs with the arrival of; H6ward Benedict to take oyer Radio's ad and 'publicity department. Benedict is head man of the club now, succeeding. preyious rpyaly fluBhers Peter Tougheyi and Mannio SCfT. Wild western ineinbe.rs ar-» Marc. Connelly, Morrje Rysklnd, Edward G. Robinson, Arthur Kober/Bbt/' Harris arid Mannie Seff. *;' .. ' ^Academy- i3- endejtvbtlrig—to- give- f^^ -to - assistant, <ll*-. rec^prs; Following the plan to print the work of this craft In the mbntW^ Academy bulletin, organization has asked prbduction cbrapanles to glvf credit to the assistarits in publicity emahating from the studlbs'and- ha* retiuested that the;. second riien be Included in: the preview credits. o^ pictdres.;. -'■ .■..-';. "■'.' ■. .;•- :;;... ,' ';■.■■ ■:■ '/:•' '-^'-t'-/' Universal l5LianArg,s3lhg Poe Slemprial, gocleties to get Impressions «f Ppe faris as tQ; how they; think 'Thb Raven' •should be done in pictures. (Continued on iiage; 14)