Variety (May 1936)

62 VARIETY Wednesday, May 13, 1936 Writers (Continued lrQm<,page 3) wUhout hysteria. These are sojne of th^ reasons "why any talk be- tween us would be useless.' Pbscal to Kpe.hig. 'Ain answering your o/nclial. atti- tude expressed In teleerain althovgh. cannot believe jit l8.. UkeWlse ryour; privatQ! opinion. ..In regard to your Inabtlity to xecondle 'my' speeches, airtlcles and activities with desire tb promotfe.;^eace 'may i point' out that th6 Guild constantly hks sought only piekceful settlenient with pro- ducers of writer abuses. Ill there Is ■war today producers have declared *T0u" say I "have forced light on producers. This is obvxousiy rlaicu- . lous.- The; Guild has merely- sought' to consoHdate enough strength in uniform writer body to induce, pro-' ducers to meet with us and adjust, all dlfterences on a feaspnabie basis. It is not fault of Guild that produ- cers never, admitted sufch tlilhg as Guild existed until. we- found siif- fliffeffi'strength to lead them, to at- tack lis Instead of meeting us; across a. table. '. 'Of- course a fight of any -nature means only loss'to this . industry.' 'We hav«=not sought aiuch a fight'. On the contrary the fact that produ- cers refuse .to' deal' peacefully with any group until it ia strong , enough to frighten them into llglitlng It to thje detriment of themselves and lis Is not bur .choice. Toiir reference- to closed shop betrays an unfortu- nate and easily corrected'ignorance of .w'hat thj Guild seeks and has sotight for the .past threfe years. Apparently your..inf6rmatiori- of my ■spfeeches,. articles and activities la ndt sUfBcient tp grant you even the smallest understanding of what the Guild and i as. its responsible head stand iot. We have sought , power 'and. c :ntrol not of industry but of our own members. Without them we have known we could never have reached poaition. of being dealt with reaaonably or tk^t all by" these wllp control this busin^ess. 'As to swinging cliibs nobody started swinging until producers in iKst.few days tried by coetclDn and intimidation to destroy .a dein^cifatlc body of writers formed to ' Stand upon.their simple rights.' A number of writers on ydlir lot wnose hon esty Is uniiuestldnable told .ipe you said you would be- deiightea tp 'sit down -with 'Guild board and , tail; 6ur differences. .1 was ..delighted, phoned you repea,tedly without re suit and then sent you xtiy wire. Of coarse .1 can understand what liag prompted your coihplete reversal of attitude and word. •But in answer to the attit(i<3e which ypu have now been . Induced to adopt' may .1 point out that the Scr'een, Writers Guild is not. how and. has- jiever proposed a closed shop. The ^Screen Writers-^Gulld has never sought power or "control of the picture business. You in your heart know tliese things' to b.e ' true as well as I. do. it Is democratic law; of country that empipyec<i have legal right to brganlize and seek rpcoB nitlonV Under 'the law it is illegai for employers to ..coerce threaten and. intimidate their employees! wjien they are merely seeking to exer else . ,a" democratic and- American' right. The last tht'ee daya -have pre sented spectacle of emplpxer Iptlml- 'datlon of' employee In' wojcn .uome '.employers, at least. 'wlir..'i)e held moi*ally responsible for hitting be low the belt and for atteaiptrng- to destroy /forever'- the self , respect-: of diecent people.- Do ihfese- producers think their writers- ai-e able t6 .write honestly If they are not allowed 'to live honestly?. Again in the name-of justice and 900 isclreeh writers I ask you ifor is 15 -little' minutes o^ your time.' Decision to accept, resignations wac reached Thursday night.(7), at meeting, of executive- boaird. H<)w>- ever, It will apply pnly to-withdraw- ing members who are paid up. Qth- 61*8 must square accounts before they will be given their release. . To thl, latter group attention will be called to Article 14 In the by- laws, which reads: 'Any inember'ln good standing, and not in avreava of dues, assessments or other indebt- jcdness to the Guild niay resign at any time without prejudice. No such resignation shall reU&ve" Hie mom- bei* from the obligation.^ of any contract theretofore signed.' All pull-outs, will be aakpd tn •rea'I again' that portion of the con- ti'act dated April 6, 1933, signed by members -kt time of their appllcaT tlon for membership- It reads; 'No . resilfnation or expulsion from th6 Guild or cessation of .membership' .therein by operation of law or,the provisions of the by-laws or other- vrise -.shall release the. undersigned, from the provisions hereof. iExcept that at the. option of tiie Guild upon such resfgnatlbn i-xpulslon or: cessatipn of membership or at any time' thereafter thei Guild may, by written- notice to the undersigned (but only with the written assent of' JB-%' of the signatories hereto) declare him no longer a party to this agreements Although Pascal stated at tl>e meeting, there was no evidence of contract-breaching' under provision of Article . 12,. it was announced :.at 20th-Fox that Allen' Rlvkin and liconard Praskin, both Guild miem- bers (Riykin; formerly bn the! board), ha signed'flVe-year contracts with yearly options., Eailler ln the Week Darryl Za,'nuck, 20th-Fox produc- tion, chief, announced that he would offer pacts' beyond the 1938 deadline to test the strength of Article 12. Signing of' the two writers was takeh as proof that unity was lack- ing in" the* defense of iihe contentious clause. At Frlda'''''S meeting, Marc, Con- nelly, speaking. fOr 'he Authors League, . declared that the Screen Writer^ Guild first' proposed the amalgamation plan and that despite defections in the .ranks cf the film 'writers he believed .that the AL, Would welconiei the Screen branch into the coll'ictive fold. in explaining his acceptance of a five-year c6ht^ac1^ n;t Universal, Morrie Ryskind said ;that the deal had been " pending for many weeks, that'it called for only two years as a writer with the rerhialning three solely as a producer, "Various constructions have been placed by "those watching the fight from the sldelliies on the Guild's action in abandoning the highly controversial Article 12 of the cdn- stitiltlon. Writers defend :.'etreat as a strategical deliverance from a troublesome situation. Others talce an opposite viewpoint, see in the move a defeat on an important front. . 92^ Actives oh Ha'n^ . Meeting of directorate last Fri- day (8),-which Voted '12' out of the setup', -Avas attended by 92 active riiemberS.. Moot clause proscribed signing of. writer contracts beyo .1 May, ld38. oard udvlsed members 'to make immediate appilcatiOn for membership in- Authors League, holding thai-body's coveliant offers full protection in that direction once it is put into effect. ' I N^ew Orgahizatioh • New-writer organlziition ■ is being p.vshed by formei:- Guild. membiers; >Ylth' Herinkn J. MajiklCwIcz and WllUam Slavens McNuft active en- rolling tnitenibe'rs , amOng the top scribs . working in msijor studios. Reported- that application for a .charter Is now ...being drawn and organization setup in the process of formulation; 'Understood that charter members .will .pledge their "svi'ppoi't by con-; trlbiiting lip to $500 each to under- write the=-;new body. Rupert Hughes, who blew the Guild with statement that 'dictatorship was' being- estab llshed.by the .Guild utterly income' ' patlble 'with principles-- of. liberty'. eq.uality. ahd .Atnerioanisni,' will- be asked, to- head* the new- scenarist group. Charge Producer Coercion Charge that producers- are iislhg threats and coercion to force reslg- nationsi from the Guild was aired at meeting.^ One studio exec wa& »<.•- cused of',«xcorlatin«7.the Guild Jind Its members, adding- that thei-e coiild. be np charge of blacklist hurled . at hlnx as 'it -was all done over the,telephone.'. Checkup of Guild's reputed mom* berahip-. of 'in excess of 900 shows 148: members- working at major studios; according' to Pascal, ,-Full roster,of •vvrlters lists.. 348. Metro has heaviest personnel with. 80; Paramount.. 68; 20th-iFo*, 43;. War- ners, 39; Republic. 30; Radio, 28; Universal;. 27; Colt^mbia, 21, ithd' 'United' Artists' group, ii. .82 Rc3ignatijg>ns- . Up to' gatui-da.v- ^("i) )'..a'.H6, foilo^vJuff resignations-, numberliis.iji2, were.re? ceived at, oiflces of Screen Writers Guild: ;;Olh-Fo.v; S'onyo l;.(;v^e.n, B6asj -Mfered.vtli, EthuiinJ X. L'j'vvv. Jr.,. He'le'ii I'^ogaii, .^"os&pft Koffnion, Saul Ellclnti, Pii.ul Birger, Siimuel I'Jngel, H«l I-iiHB,. S; Ct. Uuncnn, ICenMelh Eni-t, .W-Ullm Conscilnijitv, Gene Markey. La- miir 'rrolti, Gene Fowler, Hejir.v Lehniiiin. .Chnrle.M Ken.vpn, Milton Sperling, Ho.wsr'd lilU.s's^mlih. Rotert. IClllK, Frances Hyiiind, l.ou Uiesldu. Mnrk. Ktlly, i.'y B«i-.letc, M. Clay AilnniH, >lnrr}» Fried, Kntherine- .Scol;i, Sanili Y, Mnfoh. lUidlu: Joseph Fields.' C"luinbi(i; I.'(t\viii'd J, Cireen. . I'araniount: Don ' Hnrtinan, MnrRUerite noliorts, Frank Wutler, Wllllom Rnnkln, Sam. Coaiov.'. - Wal'Je:'.-:?!- ■yoilng. Piiul Soiiofiel J. , K. J,anp:ton, Jock .Cunningh-am,. Gei-alil (.'eniglity. Pcittel-son McKutt, Vli-- gliila Vnn Up;). Irene Fr<«ncls. ''\Vinrner3; Aftlhony Coldew y, Georg* ErJc-lier, Earl. Feltori, Hugh CUmmlngs, Veter Milne, fl'oni-Rped, Ent-l Bnldwln, T..ucl Ward, wnilniti-,Tnoob?, I.lly vHaywhrd.-Har- (>ia nuckley,. WIllJBui tTllman. ■ t'nlversnli Jauiefi Seymour, Cbnr.les Gray* aon, Jnmeii £dv\arct Grant, Robert Presnell, Jerry Stackhelm, Horace McCoy, Ben. Mark- uon. Durla Malloy. Metro: Robert Hopkins, Joseph Mnhkle- wlcz, Manuel Sett, Oe<>7se Oppenhelmer, Sid Silvers, W. Aainaworth Morgan, Stephen M. Avery. Jules Furthman, l>eon Gordon, Carey 'Wilfloo, Richard Schayer, Winijn Slavens McNutt, Lew Llpton, How- ard Emmctt Rogers, Jamea Kevin McGulnr ncss, John T..ee^^ Mahln, Bert Kalmar. Republic: Ahn-Harolde, Free .Lance:. Rupert Huj;he$. de Basil (Continued from page 57) Colonel wince, 'disinherited' is the word -the Colonel- finds most dis- tasteful of all. "The only inheritance he's "got, he says,, he got from pi- aghileff —by buying Dlaghlleff's scenery and costumes ahd, by. sp doing, acquiring - along with them and thereafter perpetuating hlniself, the traditions of the great Russian Ballet " Rene lum's, ballet troupe was ceded the M. C. title. Blum used to be a director of the Monte Carlo op- eretta ■when the Colonel first brought his troupe'..to Monte Carlo. Blum was so enchanted with it and the busi- ness it was doing, he begged leave to become the, Colonel's partmer, and, for a; consideration, the Col- onel took him on. Well, then . came the depresh, the receipts dived, so the Colonel bought him' out for a half a; million francs; in the papers, dissolving their partnevshlp, the Colonel says, lum forfeited all rights to the title. So now, golpg it on his own, the Colonel brings his troupe to Amerlcel, finally meets with treniendous success — where- upon tive title 'Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo' seems to exert: an irresistible fascination upoii Monsieur Blum once more.. Well, just let him try to bring over a troupe of his own with that *Monte Carlo' billing^ just let him try, says the Colonel, look- ing inscrutable yet full of redresses up his slbeveS. Lower Case, Anyhovy As a matter of fact, at the begin- ning of this season Col. de Basil notified" his manager; Mr. Hurok, that next season he was going to drop the 'Monte Carlo' part in his title and henceforth call if plain. 'Colonel de Basil's' Ballet Russe.' So with this change in view, the Size of type, in which thC: 'Monte Carlo! was printed steadily dimin- ished while -the 'Colonel, de Ba-oU' grew and grew. E;ut hoAV he shall retain the 'Monte Carlo' he most .certainly shall, just because of ^11 this coiitro'versy. ' islnherlted,' ? Bah! The Colonel and his 'Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo' sailed away last Saturday. They play Barcelona next, and Jiine 15 they open a 12 weeks' guaranteed engagement a^ the Co'vent Garden, London. Last year they 'were, booked for four Wie'eks there, stayed 17., Same stpri' in. America: first season. 20 weeks; second, 2.4; this'last, 28. he Col- onel -explains his progressively .longp.r engggftmentg, %yith their de- ■llghtfuUy Increasing grosses, thus: ' First", timei Americans regarded' the Ballet R,usse as one does one's first 'look at an. elephant. Its unique. Second season, this is soinething worth serious attention. It seems to have an educational meaning. (And also during the .second season a lot Of'books oh the Russian Ballet were brought out, which didn't hurt.) But in this third season just ended, the Ballet has -left a trail of ballet- omanes all over the country. Tliere are even in America now people who fdllow the Billet Russe from place to place, the way some baseball fans travel with their, fa vprite team. Now they can distin guish the performers, .respond to the nuances, b^gin to understand the finesses. They can even tell Avhen a thing is good and when it's bad. America Will Love It In the seasons to come, .says the Colonel,. America -yvill love the Bal- ;l&t more, and still more, for it biters .pot--only .fine dfincijig but great music;. .Justj'as one rejoices in and ..discovers ijew meaiiings a,nd un- guessed.' depths in a sympiiony the more often pne hears it, sr* does the ballet develop, nfew Interest and ap peal each succeeding time it's s^en, lift says. The Colonel has met the same re- .sponse in the provlhces as in X(i\v Toi-k.. The premiere here is al\va>s heady with society person.s: If there are any: snobs In Kalaniay^oo, they're at the premiere there. TliC rest of the run is thronged with good plain culture-seeking Americans, for. says the Colonel! de^p in the heai'ts of the American people there la hid- , den rhythm -and an" understanding of and yearning for art and music, .^fter al^, hfe .ttaks, what, ave Amerir cans. Jjul; a tnixture- of European natlohallfiesT W. EDWIN, CLIFFORD W. Edwin Clifford, 64, who, with Edward ;W. Rowland, produced dra- matic show for more than 30 years, died May ID at the hom6 of his sis- ter in Hollywood aftei; i long ill- ness.. A native of Oshkpsh, deceased and Rowland operated out of Chi- ,cago. "Their roadshow hit was 'Oyer .Niagara Falls.' They followed this with 'The Rossry,' which netted them around ll.OOp.OPO. 'Divorce Question.' the firSt play by William. Anthony McGuire, Was also a heavy Woney-maker for them. - Firm spe- clilized In mellers and iluring the late .'90s were the outstanding pro- ducers.of legit' attractions. One of his two surviving sisters, Mrs. Henry Schroeder, is the -yii'ife of the former audltor-nianager here for Oliver Moroscb. Funeral serv- ioes held In Los Angeles May 12, EUGENE Z. WEIDNER Eugene Z, Weidner, 58, director of the Ringgold and Rajah temple (jsiirine) bands, Reading, Pa.; died suddenly at. his home of a hea.rt attack. Weidner and. John Philip Sbiisa were warm personal friends. SoUsa died here March 5, 1932, In his hotel an hour after a dinner given him by Weidner, city ofllclals and the Ring gold Band, The latter, organized before the Civil War, its early mem bers serving, in the Union Army, had invited Spusa to be its guest con- ductcr at its 80th anniverBary con- cert the next afternoon. at a Jonesboro hospital May 2 after an illness of three mpiiths. He had owned the Palace, Em- pire, Liberty and Strand with Will Mack o and Eli Collins until they were acquired by MaicP theatres Inc.t. ' Surviving are his widow and one daughter. RICHARD THORNTON Richard ' 'thprhton, 56, veteran actor, died Mayv 9 in the City hos- pital. New Tork. Death was caused by a heart attack. He bias been on the stage for years-w4th Mrs.-^Leslie Carter, Mildred Holland, Lillian Riussell and others. His body was claimed by his niece, Cecelia Donohiie,. of Tarrytown. iHARRY VOLKS Harry Volks, old-time vaude and legit actor, died of complications May 6 a,t Morrisania Hospital, New York. He was a partner in the act of West ahd 'Volks and for two sea- sons a metnbei" of the cast of 'Abie's Irish Rose.' FREDERICK A. CHURCH Frederick A. <?hurch, 68, general manager, of Playland" Park, Rye. Beach, died in the Witness chair during a damage suit against the park May 11 ail White Plalnst N; T. WILLIAM INGERSOLL William Ingersoll, "76, stage an^ screen actor for more than a half century,, died May 7 in Los AngeieS of acUte indigestion. Actor's first professional engagement was with Boston Museum company in the eai'ly '80s. He later appeared. with Nat Goodwin, DeWolf Hopper and w^as with Mrs. Fiske on her last tour in 'Becky Sharp.' Deceased went to the Coast , last Junie with 'The Last Legion' and re- mained for picture work. The widow, Mab Ingersoll, also of the stage, and a daughter survive. EVERETT j; CHAPPELL^ Everett J. Chappelle,: 32, musician, died in Hollywood, May'6, heart at- tack. He was member of . .Musicians local, 47, APM, playing at radio sta- tion KFWB. The widow survives. EDWARD LAURILLARD Edward LauriUard, 66, prominent English manager and producer, died May 7 In Hax'bor hospital. New York. Details In the legit section. WILLIAM S. CLARKE William S, Clarke, 79, who started his theatrical career ir 1873 "as ad- vertising agent for Miner's Bowery theatre, died in New York May 7. He was later nianager Of that thea- tre, and the People's, also a Miner house. He had also managed Wald- man's theatre, Newark and the Gaiety, Washlngtoli. Hf is survived by his widow, two, sons and daughter. TOM MARKS Tom Marks, 81, Canadian actor who got his start with the Buffalo Bill shows (not the Wild West), died at Christy's Lake, Ont., May 10. He was advance man for the Cody-Buntline dramatic tours and wa.s"-- called back to play comedy when the, regular comedian was taken 'ill. Later he turned his at- tention to vaudeville and had played practically every pitch in Canada. MARY WOOD Mary 'V\^opdi'~83, nationally known club, woman, child ■\velfare worker, political organizer, lawyer and author, who during the World War served in a Washington 'doUar-a-year' job as censor of mo- tion pictures sent to France for the entertainment of the A. E. F., died at her home in New Lebanon Cen- ter, N. Y., May 7, after a- short ill- ness.. SUE ALRiC Sue Alric was killed when her rope broke Irt a breakaway, at Kit- chener, Can., last week. Details in the Outdooi'S section. GEORGE W. LUNDGREN George AV. Lundgren, 55, Para- mount studio eniploye, died May 4 in Hollywood of. heart attack. Mother, 53, of Charlie Morrison died May 7 in Hollis, L. I. Mother of Gvetchen.Messer, Para- mount, publicist, died May 7 in Portland, Me. Lusitania ELIZABETH LENTON Mrs. Elizabeth Linton, former Shakespearlaiv actress, motlier of Olive Lentoj' of. London, Australia and New York, died April 22 at Columbus Hospital, New York> of heart disease and complication. Interment took place April 25 In FernclifEe cea-ptery, Ardsley, N. Y. On; othei- daughtei-, Jessie, survives. '.A. BILL CANTON BUI Canton. 30, di«?d at th Stinitaviuni, May 2. He was a forhiei- employee of the Warner ' " and a Warner Club Member, He leaves a mother, twp sisters and a brother whp reside in Brppk- lyn, N. Y. JOE POWERS joe Powers. l50, 'man&ger of the Liberty at- jonesboro, Ar died (Continued from page 1) Also asked 50% of net receipts from production of newsreels. One major production company offered to play ball but only on the ^stipulation that no money would be paid the Scottish firm until picture executives were convinced that un- derwater shots Would be successful. While the Scottish Films Produc- tions advanced glowing accounts of the minimum number of lights tliat • would be needed for such tricky shotSj. the. American producers con- tinued to maintain a 'skow-me' atti- tude. Fact that this year a Tritonia div- ing dress has been perfected and that a one-man submarine cuP 9*^ bell has been invented for use i'i depths below 2,000 feet, lends au- thenticity to iatatemcnts that the salvaging operations this summer may reach the ultimate goal. -By taking ■ advantage of these , modern deep-sea devices, the picture ofH-. Cials felt that there 'W'as no question about obtaining necessary deep- water scenes, it being only a matter of whether such shots would be photographically good. Picture ,comi)anies in the U. S. were approached from the angle that such a feature picture con- st. UCted around the sinking of the Lusitania would hold added interest for bally purposes in that the ac- tual salvaging should establish once and for all if the big liner cai'i'iea munitions, as claimed by GennanV' Since the ship's sinki.ig is genern y recarded as havlnp: figured vitally in'America's feclSiop to enter f"^ World "Vl'ar, this point would tops in a feature picture for exploi- tation, the Scottish company con- tends. However, the. hitch I'eR*^^*!' ing. photography makes radio loom as a •most certain beL