Variety (Sep 1935)

12 •VASIBTT'S' LONDON OFFIOB, • St. MartlB'i PUic«, Trafalgar Sqnare INTERNATIONAL NEWS T«Iepb«M TtoBple Bar t$tt-BMt teble AddteMt VABIETT, LONDOK Agents Want Exclusive Booidng Deal; Re^ious Question Berlin, Aug. 31. With 90% of all blgr-tiine book- ings In Gunman vaude handled through Xondon and Paris agentsj local group is registering a strong iprotest with the nev^ly created Nazi org of vaude actors. Now see their chance to cut out this foreign com- petition. All labor permits for foreign acts booked in Germany are: to go ex cluslvely through German agents instead of through big time man agers as heretofore. This would automatically, force these managers to book foreign talent through the home agents only, they contend. Up to now, German bookers, be cause of lack of coiinebtlon, were unable procure such foreign talent as needed by leading houses like Scala and Wihterga'rten, Berlin Another angle is an alleged klck- - back to' German managers because . of thCL 10% commissibn allowed for elgn agents here, while the comniis slon for German agents lis set at 6%. . Jewish question in foreign book- ing is- also tackled by the new Nazi org. In future all applications for foreign labor, permits must state the _religion of performer, another new rule; enabling the Nazi group to refuse per its on religious grounds.. Sydney Qaota Almost Set to Start; Victoria Aboot to Follow Suit Sydney, Aug. 21. Qqota Advisory .^oard held its first nieeting last week to formulate plans under which the local quota Will operate. Board comprises F. W. Marks, chialrmah; Creswell O'Reilly, and E. Harkness. Board will meet again in two or three weeks, when the quota, will come Into active operation. First pic completed, under the quota is 'The Bells,' which Harry Southwell produced for Film Play- ers at Clnesound. Pic carries no known marquee names for overseas trade. Other producers are sitting tight wiaitlng for the quota to come into force. French Fox Cutting Down Its Overhead Paris, Sept. Slashing at overhead in Fox French distrlbutlou organization has already yielded economies of about $70,000 a year and the slasheris are still going strong. They may find half as much again to ciit. Meanwhile dlsmissai of unneces- sary employees^ has led to rumors In French circles that Fox, tired of putting money Into French branch Instead of taking It out, is going to be shul^-dbwn here. This has been publicly denied, but rumor persists. Part of expehsiye-lboklng quar ters in the Marlgnan building on the Champs Elysees will be sublet, how- ever, if a tenant can be found; 'Decei?ers' Off D^pite In the Money Because Luce, Greenwood Walk London, Sept. 10. 'Gay Deceivers,' Lee Ephralm show which had an Indifferent run at the Gaiety theatre and was trans- ferred to the Coliseum five weeks ago, closes In a fortnight. Show iias been doing sufficiently well to warrant resumption of full salary to principals, who had been under a 20% cut, with closure at tributed to Claire Luce, one of the leads, leaving the cast to go to Russia. Stoll's arrangement with Ephralm calls for no change In the cast, but he was prevailed - upon to let the show stay on condition Glna Malo take the Luce role. Things looked pretty smooth when Charlotte Greenwood decided to quit, claiming she needs a holiday before going td Hollywood. Hence the finale, de- spite show is In the money. Melbourne, Aug. 21. Victorian government is Just .about set to pass a quota law' on lines similar to N. S. "Wales. Fight Is on, however^ concerning a pro- posed 25% right of rejection. In- dustry wants this out and may be successful. F. W. Thring (Efftee) is still un- decided whether to nriove to N. S. Wales or stay put here. Thring has . Jumped out of the legit and pic pro- ducing field and is In the exhibiting end. Stuart Doyle, Clnesound, def- initely stated that his organization will produce plx in. Melbourne in the very near future. SWITZERLAND STUDIES PIC, NEWSREEL QUOTAS Berne, iSept. a.' Quota Is threatened by the Swiss Government on foreign films im- ported to this yodiel territory. Beriie authorities haye sent out a ques- tionhafre to all In the trade to sound out opinion on the subject, and ask- ing exhibs how many fllrhs are needed yearly for programs. Heavy lax on projection of for- eign films is understood to be con- templated, proceeds to be used for development of the Industry to make Swiss fil and to export them all over thie world. Gov't llkewlFe is reported trylnp to figure out means of making newsreels operating In this terri- tory carry a minimum, footage of Swiss subjects in exported reels. Object: propaganda. Guitry's Tryout Paris, Sept. 3. New .Saoha Cultry play, 'End oC World,' win liave a trial opening at Vllleiicuvo.-.sur-Lot, small town, as inauguviitlon of a OOO-seat theafro built and endowed by the widow of Georges Lcyguc«!,- nm.qn.ate and min- ister. Playhouse is built on site of city rlson, torn down to ninlce room for HRING FRENCH HELP NO CINCH, FOX LEARNS Paris, Sept. 3. . When is a newsreel employee a newspaperman? That is the issue of a row in Which the local Fox Movietone News is Involved through firing of P. Comte, Frenchman, whom it employed as a writer of titles and commentary. Recent law L'lves journalists the right to one month's pay per year of employment, as indemnity, plus other favored treatment, when they are dropped. Comte asserts that as a title writer he's a Journalist, and claims tiie benefit of this law. Ben Mlgglns, Fox hewsreel's man- ager for Europe, replies that no such precedent will be established if he can help It^ so a legal show- down seems inevitable. Several lawsuits have resulted here' recently from conflict between American firms' desire to fire people ad lib and French laws designed for protection of employees.'"Paramount News got In when It fired Its French editor, A. Sozio, an American citi- zen, and the row between David SouhamI, once manager of Par's French subsidiary, who also was let out.Ms still to be settled In or out of court. 'NOTHEE PARIS CINEMA Paris, Sept. 3. Still putting up new film spots In Paris, despite toughness of ijlz for existing houses. New 2,000-3cater is going up bh Rue Avron, In fa:- east nabe, and at the same time an old hou.se, couple of hundred yards away, is giving itiself a complete rrnovatlon to meet the cpmpetlsh. NEW ANZAC PIC CO. Sydney, Aug. **Soiitlicrn Xatlbnai Plot., Ltd., has recently been formed to malce pix ;;»om original local yarns. John .\ppleton. will be director .-ind su- Devvlsbr. Other officers Include Harold King and Bobbie Hunt. No lineup as to actors, studio, or wlien activities will commence. We Want Jobs Paris, Sept. 3. Unemployed of Epinay, Paris suburb where Tobls has its French studio, marched en- masse on. the studio last week and demanded jobs as extras. Studio autbflrlties only suc- ceeded In chasing ttiem when they explained that there is lots of unemployment among the professional extras already- Jobless, nevertheless, made lot of noise, Interfering tempo- rarily with production. No Paper in Berlin For Shiw iir, Nazis Order Matz Arrest Berlin, Cbhflscatlon of Das Frogramm, German show mag of 34 years ex- istence, by the Secret State Police, has resulted In great consternation among vaudevllians, managers and agents In Central Europe, all de pending on Its information, route list and ads. Substitute sheet was promised by newly founded artists' organization, btit has not material Ized. Meanwhile a new paper. Organ, is being published In Zurich, Switzer land; with aimllar make-up as Programm containing Its entire route list of acts and agents' ad- dresses, as formerly printed by Programm, for ,years its outstand ing feature. New Nazi organization, badly alarmed, over this rival sheet, has demanded Immediate arrest of Pro gramm editor A. Matz, who alleg edly is exercising control of the Zurich paper, from Berlin and is supplying it with lists'and cuts, as >yell as financial aid. Warrant for his arrest is but (M Fischer Bidding for Moidin, Paris, If Pathe-Natan PuDs Oot GFFA REORG STILL UPSET; TARGE WALKS Paris, Sept. 1. Mysterious upsets are going on in the Gauihont-Franco Film-A->bert reorganization, with the latest un- explained development being the withdrawal of General Targe from the board of directors. Targe was the government's .I'ep supervising liquidation before the new board was n^iiic*!- Georges Ricou, former manager of the Opera- Comlque, is carrying ■ on the current business of GFFA as manager, temporarily. He also rep- resents tlTe government. Stockholders of the company are convoked for a special meeting next week, but a general clearing up of the situation Is not expected at that time, for the agenda includes only a suppression of the double voting rights of B stock, unification of the two types of stock and revision of the. charter to bring it in accord with the law. Emperor of Ethiopia Orders Sound Outfits Berlin, Sept. 1. Klangfll , Germany's leading firm of sound apparatus,, has shipped four talker outfits to the Emperor of Ethiopia by Royal Command. En- tire country, although much larger in area than Germany, has only; 26 filni houses. Capital city, Addis Ababa, with a population of oyer 200,000, has three cinemas. Most films shown are in the French language. Elde- son of the emperor. Prince Makommen, is an enthusiastic film fan. Military authorities, too, are get- ting Interested in talkers and. choose such flims as they consider good for 'atmosphere' In rousing the popula- tion to patriotism. '39 Steps' Pre-Releases London, Sept. 10. 'Thirty-nine Steps* (G-B) is the first picture ever accorded four West End prcr-release.s. Picture, played four weeks at the •Vew Gallery, then nine at the Marble Arch Pavilion. One week followed at the Dominion and now the picture goes Into the Capitol for a run. Indie Exhibitors Win Hungarian Ass'n Fight Budapest, Aug. 31 After a big fight In the Hungarian Exhibitors' Asso., enhanced by stormy meetings,' press campaigns, and duels, former president Kalman Balogh has resigned aiid Gabriel Bornemlssza' takeii Iiis place. Issue at stake was the email ex- hibitors' resistance against the at- tempts of t^tvan Gero,. owner of six Iniportant Budapest picture . the- atres, to enlarge his chain and dic- tate to them In the matter of dis- tributing and release of pictures Former president. Balogh, allied witii Gero, was pro-trust, but the small exhibitors won and elected a new president who, it appears, is all in favor of the indie exhib Interests. More Bids Stan Esdaile-Clore Deal For London Picly London^ Sept. 10^ The Esdaile-Clore deal to acquire the Piccadilly theatre for vaudeville is temporarily cold. Understood proposal was for one year at $1,000 weekly with an option to purchase for $400,000. : House is in the hands of an offi- cial receiver, with all offers' subject to confirmation by court. Story of the deal broke before this conflrma tion. Which resulted in several bet ter offers, including ono from Payne, Jenniri^s and KllUck. The court Is sitting again Friday (13), when all sealed offers sub mitted will be opened and the best one. accepted. Esdalle-Clore's proposed vaude- ville policy for the house, due to start Sept. 29, Is now postponed Indef. INT'L PLAY LINEUP SET FOR THE HAGUE The Hague, Aug. 31. Hofstad Tooneel, leading legit co. In Holland, which Is the only group which has weathered the ; storm here and was able to maintain pay- ment of its actorSi has lined up its program of new plays for the com- ing season^ Rather an international bag. From Austria will come 'Ping Pong' by Hans Jaray and 'Enger Unter Uns' (Angel Under Us') by Frantlsek Langer; from France 'Le Bonheur' ('Joy') by Henri Bernstein, 'Do ml sol' by Paul Geral.dy; 'Rouge' ('Red') by Henri Duvernols and 'T' Avalt un Prisonnler' ('There Once Was a_ Prisoner') by Jean Anioulih; from Hungary Molnar's 'Das Un- bekannte Maedchen' ('The Un- known Girl'); from England 'Village Wooing' by G. B. Shaw, 'Can the Leopard?.' by Ronald Jeans and John van Druten's 'Behold Wc Live'; from Germany 'Das Blaue vpm Himmel' ('The Blue from Heaven') by Hans Chlumijerg and Erich Ebermayer's 'Sonne fuer Renate' ('Son for Renate') and from America' 'Gentlemen' by Sid- ney Phillips. No new Dutch plays are billed. London Phoenix Sold London, Sept. 1. The Phoenix theatre, on (jharlng Cross Road, which was built for Sidney Bernstein and conducted as a legit house, afterwards trylnjg various other policies, InQluding continuous variety and revues, has been sold. It will be operated by Louis J. Seymour as a combination of films and vaudeville. House will continue to be avail- able for trade shows In the morn- ings. FEENCH KIX EUSS PIC Paris, Sept, 1. French film censor refuses to pass 'Chapaev,' Soviet picture showing violent episodes of Russian civil war. French as sensitive about aiming of street rioting. Picture, however, has been shown privately in a number of meetings in France. Paria, Sept 1. Moulin Rouge, famous Paris the- atre, may return to' revues under Amerlca:n auspices In the spring. Cllftbrd Fischer, who is now In .New- York with ia, French troupe at the French (^aslno niay take oyer tho Moulin for one of his. productions. Moulin is stUI under contract to Pathe-Natan, which last seasoii used it for a while as a vaudefllih house andi when that flopped, for a dual film prograiii. This season Pathe is iii a janri, and it cannot y^t be told whether it will hold the contract: House might thus fall back to the corp. formed by the Foucret family, owners, Fisi;her has an in with the Foucrets througrh Georges Boironskl, his aide, who put on shows this spring at the Ambas- sadeurs, which nitery Is .now run by the Foucret scion. Fischer and the Foucrets have been dickering. In case Natan pulls out.. Other pla,ns for Fischer to break into Paris production is with 'Three Men on a Horse,' French rights to" which he owns. Adaptation to the show heis been finished by M. de Latraz,'and'Bpronskl is now dicker- ing with several theatres for pro- duction. It is now evident that Pathe- Natan will iiaye to drop the Four- nier chain of theatres, which formed one of the main bases of Its theia,tre- operktlng subsidiary, the Socletie de Grance. Fourhler is already tak- ing over the houses, to operate it- self next season, although on what basis Is liot yet known. Fournler houses include somia of the. biggest and best In the Pathei chain, including the Empire, but not the Moulin Rouge. Pathe jiist can't fulfill the contract by which it took them over. Includes lairge nabe cinemas such as the Royal, Bai-bes, St. Marcel and Lutetia, and the vaude houses Boblne and A. B. C. Latter two, however, were turned bve?" by Pathe on a sub-deal to MItty Goldin and Rottemberg, who, so far, are slated to continue opera- tion. Pathe concern, under M. Pioton, judicial o,dmlnistrator, will start the «;ason with the Moulin Rouge, Marlgnan and the other houses w:hlch it pi^eviously operated out-' side of the Fournler deal. Hungarians Make Up Own Titles and Ban U; S. Gangster Films Budapest, Sept. 10. Censors here have gone on an- other rampage against gangster films, with four American pictures- getting the axe. Pics banned are Mark of the Vampire' (MG), 'Public Hero No. 1' (MG), 'Chicago, 1935' (WB) and 'Stream Seandal' (WB). Warners In New York didn't rec- ognize the titles of the two pictures mentioned, but thinks It probable that the first is 'G Men' and the second 'The Upper World.' MEMO'S TWICKENHAM PRODUCT FOR U. K. London, Sept. 10. Sani Eckpian,^ Jr., head of Metro in England, is on the verge of clos- ing a contract with Twlcken^iam Films to release the latter's entire product In the United Kingdom. Deal comprises about 15 pictures annually. Those In course of pro- duction now are a remake of 'Brok- en Blossoms,' a remak^ of 'Private Secretary,' a Jack Hylton pic, and a film wound around Flanagan and. Allen, local faves. Deal Includes the abandonment of Twickenham's Idea of "establishing Us own distribution organization. Withers in 'Dwelling' London, Sept. 1. Margaret Wlthcr.s has been en- gaged to appear in Alice Camp- bell's new play, 'Two ,Share a Dwell- ing,' now in rehearsal. This is the |)lay which Crete Mosheim and Helen Haye are in. Piece will be produced by Leontine Sagan in Glasgow, befoi-e comfhg to the West End.