Variety (Sep 1935)

Wednesday, September 11^ 1935 PICYMRES VARIETY 306-AUIED MERGER LOOMS Chi Palace Nixes Diamond Jim' H. a Despite Wow 1st m Gross Chicago, Sept 10. One of the worst jama in the his- tory of the RKO-Universal tie-up here occurred last week when RKO iseher al manager Ndte H. Blum berg ordered the Universal jjlcture, 'Dia- mond Jim/ Out of the RKO Palace after one week despite the fact that the picture la eetlmated to have finished to better than $27,000, big- gest gross the house has seen in months. 'Diamond Jim' was pushed out because of the insistence of the RKQ-Radlo distributing organiza- tion for the house for the national simultaneous opening of 'Top Hat' (Radio). Officials of both RKO and Universal urged Blumberg not to yank a picture which was doing such profitable biz. WANGER SPREADS ON SCRIBS, 14 NEW HIGH Hollywood, Sept. 10. Walter Wanger went on a writers spree last week, adding four to bring his stafC to a new high of 14. Scriveners added are Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, her husband, who were brought over from Paramount to write additional 4i^log for the Sylvia Sidney picture, •J^^ary Burns, Fugitive;' Adele Gom- mandlni, assigned to scrip on Bra- zen,' and Dore Schary, who will do treatment on 'Her Master's Voice." 'bream' Not Going Into Center; 7$c Vaudfilm Deal between Warner Bros, aiid Rockefeller-Radio City to reopen the Center, N. T., aa a picture house with 'Midsummer Night's Dream* on a two-a-day basis, is reported oft. 'Dream' Into the house at a $2 top was nulled during the past week. This leaves 'Dream' going iitto WB's Hollywood on Broadway Oci. 9, simultaneous with its premieres in Lpndon, Paris, Ronie anid Buenos Aires the same day.. . Center -is scheduled to go Into a picture and stage show policy Oct. 2 at. a probable 76c top. Exact na- ture of the stage shov.'s' has not yet been decided, nor Is It known which, picture will be the opener. Once before the Center played pictures and stage shows, for a time dropping stage shows in favor of a straight picture policy. It housed 'Great Waltz' last season. 'Waltz* goes out Saturday (14). Denver Lass Lands Hollywood, Sept. 10. Adrienne Marden autoed in from Denver last week to start her term deal with Paramount. Pla,yer, tabbed by Paramount scouts while playing ingenue roles with Elltch stock company, is slated to dfaw a part in 'Millions In the Air' as her flist under contract. BIP's Talent Hunt Hollywood, Sept. 10. Arthur Woods, director of Brit- ish International Prod., in on his first visit to oily wood, is lining up talent for his next picture, an un- titled musical spectacle. Has been conferring with BuddV Rogers, who will handle a lead spot. MONTGOMERY'S PLAY iiOn returning from a European ybcatlon in about a month, D.bugl- laas Montgomery will go Into a ,plaj*. Montgomery sailed last Wodnes,- day (4). I -4- ikes Wendy's Work Hollywood, Sept. 10. Impressed by her work In 'Big Broadcast,' previewed yesterday (Monday), Paramount handed Wendy Barrlc the load in 'Millions in the Air.' Hall on Par Tuner Hollywood, Sept. 10. Alexander Hall will direct 'Song Of the Night' for Paramount. Pic ture will have Jap Kiepura and Giladys Swarthout in'top roles.. Feature Is down for production btart. on Sept. 23, with William Le Baron handling the fllmuslcal. EXHIB'S SUIT VS. PAR MUST GO TO TRIAL St. Louis, Sept. A deniurrer of the Paramount Pictures Dist. Co., Inc., seeking dismissal of the suit filed against it last February by the Abraham lilhcoln Amus. Co., which op- erated a theatre In the Odeon building, recently destroyed by flrfe, was overruled by U. S. Dis- trict Judge Davis on Saturday (7). The suit seeks $6,750 damages al- leging plaintiff was forced to close theatre Dec. 12, 1934, because of inability to get first-run films from par under a contract. Defendant company contended suit failed to state a cause of action in its de- murrer. Under a contract with Para- mount the Lincoln company opened Its theatre on Nov. 2, 1934i and had gross receipts- totaling $4,184 In the first four .weeks, it was said. The contract with.Parar mount, entered the previous Au- gust, was for a year's supply of films of certain classlflcatlon3, ac- cording to the petition,' Conway Closes *Life,* Van Dyke to 'Rose Marie' Hollywood, Sept. 10. Jack Conway stepped in to take over direction of the Joan Crawford starrer at Metro, 'I Live My Life, replacing W. S. Van Dyke to clean up the last four day^ of the picture. Switch was necessary tcf' allow Van Dyke time for preparations and casting of the. fllmusical, 'Rose Marie,' v.hlch got before the came- ras Mondiy (9) at location near Lake Tahoe. Unit will return to the studio In about four weeks. PAR-FWC IMPASSE Subsequent Run Bookings In L, A., S. F. Not Set Los Angeles, Sept. 10. Subsequent run. bookings on the new Paramount product are held up here and in Frisco due to Inability of Fox West Coast and Par to get together on a product buy. Outside competitive spots are also being denied dates until pictures a.re set with the circuit. Films held up are 'Every Night at Eight,' 'Annapolis Farewell,' 'Here Comes Cookie.' Out of town houses are also penalized by sales Impasse. Paramount only major -Uneup not contracted by West Coast. L. A, exchange is under orders to set no bookings until the chain deal is dL-jposed of. WB's Curwood Remakes Hollywood, Sept. 10, Warners will make J. O. Cur- wood's 'God's Country' and 'The Woman' with Bette Davis and George Brent in leads. Film rights "acquired -through WB's Cosn:iopplltan tleup. PAE'S 'FLOBIDA SPECIAL' Hollywood, Sept. lO. Clarence Buddlngton Kelland's Satevepost serial, 'Recreation Car," has been purchased by Paramount, it will be retltled 'Florida Special, Arthur .Hotnblow produces. Actiort of the yarn takes place on a Florida bound train. Brandt-306 Truce-r-Means Working Agreement ' Be- tween the Two, and Prob able Ultinutte Alliance NEGOTIATIONS . The New York Operators (Local 306)-Allied Operators merger, which was looked for a month ago, when the RKO-Loew-Skouras circuits sought t6 push 306 Into a position on arbitrary 41% salary cuts In booths, now looms for the future with Hurry Brandt and 306 having reached a truce. Monday night (9). A week ago it was deemed 100% cold. While the truce reached points tho way to a working^ agreement between 306 and Allied, with nego- tiations to work out its provisions, expectation is that the two unions will, combine at some, later date. Frank Tichenor, publisher, ap- pointed mediator in union troubles by New York's Mayor La(3uardla several months ago,, when cross picketing brought complaints from theatre operators, is declared ,to have been instrumental In getMtig- Brandt together with Joseph D. Basson, president of 306, and will bei in charge -of negotiations looking to an agreement consequent. upon th^, armistice reached Monday night (9). All picketing ended that night with both sides agreeable to peace par- leying. .While neither side Is Issuing any statements. It- is .said that one of the provisions of the peace pact will be agreement 'that 306 will not at- tempt to win over any of the booths occupied: by Allied operators and vice versa. Allied ops are In the (Continued on page 24) Fox-WC, Metro Sneak Up On L. A. Zoning with 'Seas' Hollywood, Sept. 10. < Metro" and Pox-West Coast are taking a poke at the recently In- augiirated zoning agreement on prb- tclion by allowing 'CBina Seas' to go into the subsequent run houses 10 days ahead of the protection time. Picture opens at the. Wilshire 12 days after it closes on its Chinese- State first run. Ten days after the Wilshire closing, it goes into 12 naborhood houses. Protection is 21 days in the first Instance and 31 days in the case of the nabes. Pathe Stockholder Comm. Awaits Hilbert Decision Organization of a committee of common stockholders of Pathe Is in progress. Purpose of this commit- tee will be to advise Pathe share- holders to withhold' their consent to the .^presently proposed reorganiza- tion plan of that company, until the court, action by Ben Hilbert, a stockholder, now pending before the Appellate Division of the N, Y. Supreme Court, Is disposed of. Hubert's suit is not expected to be tried until the October session. In the meantime, however, a motion by Pat C.ajsey to examine cer in Pathe ofl^clals before trial, is. pend- ing before N. Y. Supreme Court, Justice Charles B. McLaughJjln. This motion is to be heard on Sept. 16. FRED METZLEB TO 20-FOX Hollywood, Sept. 10. Resigning as Fox-West Coast treasurer, which po.<iitlon he held for three years, Fred L. Metzler swings over to 20th-Fox studio in the same capacity, succeeding George Bagnall, George Topper, circuit's chief ac- countant for 10 years, gets Metz- ler's spot. Warners on Studio Construction Spree, udget $500,000 for Theatre, Stages Stenched Pickets The latest in labor circles is the stencH-bombliig of pickets. A couple New York Opera- tor (Lockl 306) boys carry- ing the signs In front of the Liberty^ on 42nd street, were stench-bombed during the past, week, someone tossing one of the smeller-uppers into th^m as they paraded up and down in front of the theater. P'ickets were driven out of ,8, tailor shop when want- ing to g^t their suits dry- cleaihed a.nd burled the..i in- stead. TECHNICOLOR'S $500,000 ENGLISH LABORATORY ollywood, Sept. 10. Erection of a new $500,000 Tech- nicolor plant adjoining London Films plant at Denham, England, wlIlT-be under the supervision of Frank R. Gates, v.p. and plant man ager of Technicolor, who departs shortly fqr England. Plant, to be put into operation in nine months, will have a capacity -of 2,000,000 feet. Now on the ground is Arthur Ball, v.p. and heiad technical expert of the color company, who is super- vising plans and early construction of the British laboratory. Pruden- tial Insurance Co. of England will handle the financing in addition to having 60% interest in the. opera- tion of the conipanyi which is to be-known as Technicolor, Ltd. Chairman of board is Dr. Herbert T.. Kalmus, with operating control resting' w' h the piarent company, which aldo has ah interest in the enterprise. Half of London Films' next sea- son's output will be tinted* nine al- ready being scheduled.^ Plant will also handle color work for other producers on continent. Setting, Shelving Hollywood, Sept. 10. Fred Stone, Henry Fonda a.nd Elizabeth Patterson'lire, set for the leads in 'Feud,' Walter Wanger re- make of 'Trail of the Lonesome Pine,' paramount release. Picture will probably start in three weeks. 'Pastry Baker's Wife,' for which Par wanted to borrow Edward G. Robinson, is still up in the air and headed for the shelf. Studio dis- satisfled with story. 'The Baby Market,' halted when Barbara Stanwyck declined to go through with deal, claiming story not for her, Isl believed permanent- ly shelved. D'Arrast's Par Remake Hollywood, Sept. 10. Harry D'Arrast Is negotiating with Paramount for a remake of 'Laughter' made seven years ago. iStudio wants the director for 'The New Divorce,' obtained by Par from Warners Iri a trade for 'Doctor Socratei9' (Muni). WALUS AIDE OPTIONED Hollywood, Sept. 10, Warners has picked up another year's option on Walter McEwen, assistant to Hal Wallls, stretching hia tenure to sixth,year. Started as a reader and became story editor before moving in as Wallls' right bower. GOLDEN FBOD. BOSS Hollywood, Sept, 10. Max Golden has been installed ah production manager at tho 20tli Contury-Fox studio on Western ^ventie. ' Lefty Huff is hew studio manager ollywood, Sept. 10. Warners Is starting Its studio ex- pansion program with an additional $500,O0C budgeted, Adding jobs for another l,BpO to the 5,000 now- em- ployed oh the Burbank lot building program. Previously a $2,000,000 pr6gram had been under way. Highlight 6£ new Work Is a 1,600- seat theatre on the lot, matching facilities with country's ismactest de luxe houses but specially designed as part of studio's production facili- ties. Studio theatre will have % ^pros- cenium 100 ft. wide and 90 ft.' high with , a 100-ft. d^ep stage and special concealed camera spots every 40! feet of this stage on both sides, plus special arrangements for cameras In the auditorium. Active construction on the vast improvement program is being done mostly at night; with workmen rushing three new stages, a 6-8tory executive office building and a modern crafts building to replace the old back lot. Expressing the conviction- that their expansion plans are not only an Imprbvemeht of production fa- cilities but a challenge to calslmity howlers, Harry M. Warner, In a statement announcing the additional work just before leaving for N. Y. last week, said the company is not waiting for prosperity to round the corner, but is hurrying it along and believes the industry In general should do the saine. Five new stages and an air con- ditioning plant will be constructed immediately on the 20th-Fox West- wood lot for total expenditure of $1,260,000. Joseph M. Schehck returned from the east last week with okay for the appropriation to provide necessary space for the heavy productiofi pro.- gram outlined by the company for the coming six months. LASKY STAFF ffiOVES INTO UA LOT SPACE Hollywood, Sept, 10. Jesse Lasky unit took formal pos- session of a group of offices on the United Artists lot Saturday (7). Producer's staff moving in In- cluded Phil Friedman, executive as- sistant to Lasky; 'Maurice Hanline» story editor; Randolph Rogers, pro- ducer's assistant; Max Parker, art director, and Line Quarberg, direc- tor of publicity. 'Siiark Island' First for Ford Direction at 20-Foi Hollywood, Sept. 10. First assignment for John Ford on his new 20th Century-Fox contract will be the direction of 'Shark Is- land/ story based on .the biography of Dr. S. A, Mudd, civil war surgeon, who wa:s accused of being an ac- complice in the murder of Lincoln. Fredrlc March will be starred. Hawks Pilots 'Ceiling 0' Hollywood, Sept, 10. - Howard Hawks will direct 'Ceiling Zero' for Warners, with James Cagney and Pat O'Brien in top brace for the screening of the Frank Wead play, Hawks came over from Samuel Goldwyn where he has just finished 'Barbary Coast.' Lennon Ups to Scrib Hollywood, Sept, 10. Tom Lennon, Ih the Radio studio publicity department for more than a year, Joins the rank.f of scenurists on the lot this week, ^ Hl.s first a.islgnhient will be to -script 'Thp Wild West,' next Wheel- er and Wolsey story*