Variety (Aug 1936)

VARIETY PICTORES Wei^eaday, August 5 RADIO SEEN AS PATSY TO fXPLAIN POOR aNEMA GROSSES OVER SUMMER Rtjidio Has Klolre Gi^use :to Wpny iTi^^ Heavy H6^3rwooid^ l^ducttoIi: M^ Stars Uliayaiiabic» for Aiir^ Dafe& Badio add advertising agencies in the east, mulling tlie film squawlc against pictiire stars on the air, now tajcie the position that radio has done plenty for the film adjunct, even unto exploitation of mediocr.e film entjertainments. Badio states that the sununer :being: a slack -: season any- wa^, plus the fact that the dearth of strdhg pictures was ilnusually acute, this probably caused- some exhibitors to jflngefrpolnt at something—any- thing. • Hence, radio. This despite that films in the past wooed radio fop the ...ballyhoo values, such as' disfc platters of the stars' voices with' the; audible trailers and other fprms of exploitation.. ,'itadio, .if anything, is reaUy cpny c'erjued about the miajor- coHipanias?: general intentions to up production scl^ules." This- would 'preate-a Teal 'problem. Already it's, do&e it iQ the pasit thr<>ugh pencUledrm talent sud- denly being called away from radio into f ilni worlE. 'Whether on location ot iin vHoUyivood^^ome studios and "soiiiiB' stars-wont entertain any supr pleihentary radio brpadca$ting while . ihaking a picture, IV'i a cue froitl the Ed^e Cantor idea of not fueling he «aji dp iusticiTtd Tiis fadio .prograins . on^ he starts film production. . the . studios are to maintain top prodiiction jscbedules ^during. the fall vdA winter it SviU liinit- the stellar ,and featured p^rso'nii^lvdonsidera'bly, to the • degree; thpy^^ml^t, prefer to iaice vacatio^^-' bel^j^ip..;. shootings, rather than t^ke' ptx /ahy 'oth^ tigbments vlii tee etheli ' ' ' Pix Meet on Radio ' , Exhibit J'ilci , •; . . Jios-Angelesv Aug; 4, . Tull picttire^names .off "the "ai*' is the lament of ih& bbftrd'^of^diiriectors of the Indepdndenit Q^eatre Ownc^rs of -Southern Calif6'miei' itncT 'Arizbiia, 200 . strong,; outUjOitid'.; lii .resolution, sent to Coast studios and.newsp^atieVs- sponsbring picture- n^imes . 6'n^ the ether. ■ Other resolutions * * frOrti-. siiiiiiar bodies throughout the IJati6n^are ex- pected to follow Califofi^l^a-enUy to choke off broadcastinj^ ''iacsXpf '^^t cross-country, by personaUti$$ under contract to picture studioii . Copies of tee local resolution.,were (Continued, on page-$4>j Hollywood, Aug. 4, Definite cognizance of ex- hibitor protest against picture names on radio was takeii by the Producers' Association at a ■ meeting Monday (a). Although • no ■ Tesoljation - was adopted. to c)irtail'tee practice, a commit-.' tee will, be.-appointed teis week •to meet wite radio represente- .'.tivcsvtor a soljition of the prob- lem.: It's itidi^tedrthat a change in tee' j^ij0tmy''s basic player cort- ,-.tract ."inay result which, -would 1 prohibit airing of film stalr$ un- less appear^ce is construed as • anrexploitaiiott aid for- a-pic- .ture juid -.enhanc.es the' player's, value at tee .1)ox oifice,. Understood ai.flood of exhibr itor mail' into the' Hays 'oflicel the pa^t feW .weeks, is. respop- . sible for the producers' actibn. Expected, that radio -will be . represeanti^d by hetwork, and agency production heads. - WAHart WiUIam S. Hart's requpst teat United Artists be compelled to pay him interest on tee $85,000 whibh was awiarded him' by a jui7 last April In his $500,000 action for breach of contract -was denied by N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Fbilip J. McCook Friday (31). Hart's at- torneys sought.tb collect over $53,060 interest which they figured 'was due on the -195,000, covering a period from November^ 1925, to last April. In .denying tee request Justice McCook held that it would be a matter of speculMion oii-the part of the cbiurt to attempt to detennide an amdtmt of interest, if any, due the cowboy star, in view of; conflicting dates intrbduced at tee trial of tee action. - MORE UIOVERSAL FILM STUDIO REAUGNMENTS GakMQuit JliOfway Trad© Mftrk IfeKlatered ^UNbftD BT .SIMD SFLVI^RMAN ViitiOihed yiriMj by VARIBTY. Incl . ... . Sid Sllv^rmun, President. ■ • • 164 West 46th Street, New Torh City Aionual...... .'to , FprelKti.,.,... .)7 single Copies, i .".'."inr.. .V, ;'.16 'Cents Vol; i2H No. 8 - mpEX Advance ftfoduction Cihart .21 Bills..-.........' .,y, ,"4.,.. 51 Burlesque',..;..,..,..'.... - 54 Chatter •'.«,,.,,,,. - 52 Concert . ..\ ,,; 47 Exploitation ' . 19 )5 and 50 Years Ago.48 Film Reviews .16-17 House Reviews ...- 50 Inside—^Legit 42 Inside Music 41 Inside—Pictures 6 Inside—Radio 30 International News 12-13 legitimate 42-46 Literati 27 Music . 39-41 llTews from the Dailies... 53 lilite Clubs 48 (iibituary . 54 Outdoors 55 Pictiures 2-29 Radio 30-38 Radio—Reports 34 Radio—New Busines,"; 36 Radio—Showmanship .... 35 Tithes Square 53 Vaudeville 48-49 " ■-Hollywood, Aug. 4. Charles R. Rogers, is expected to intercede in behailf of William J, Fender, his fbrmer. aide^ who re- signed as Universal studio manager last weekend;.!oliowihg heated argu-. meht. with/'William Koenig, execu- tive -studio head. '.Koenig is said'to have demanded Fender's resignation, "latter complying;. Archie H^ll,' dismissed .at. U five : weeks ago ^uriiig a Ibt cleanuj^, is returning there ais teiihiniqal advisor. -Hail, who had been .with U for 23 ye^s, was oldestjempiloyee in length loijservice with company. ' Rogers has appointed Charles Bea- jhclh as scenario a](^d story: editor for ! both'%ast and westi-i. ^tty Roberts, : heretofore handling ..department a^ istudio; becomes assistant to -Beahan, while £jsa Newber^er continues in charge'.'of. New York. \ .Hollywood, Au£. 4. ' Time- was 'when no self-respecting l^ew York chorine would ' leave Broadway to go .on' tour,'noi matter what lndu<%menfs might be held out by the le^t produeers. ' Novir Hollywood gals sire refjising to go east for teeatfical jobs, even when i]%n-t>lad coiltrdcts are'offered them. . Mack Miller, N, Y, jpress. agent, here trying to line up sho^. girls to take east, met wite slim results Oteer showmen have even found it tough to induce {girls to go to San Diego (135 miles soute) to take $60 a week jobs at the Fair. Gals would rateer^ take' a. chaiice in Hollywood and miss a few meals, wite the hope. teat some prbduper may get a load of what, they've got and give them a film break. New York, and even San Diego, are too far from the magnetic celluloid for them.- ' - - •R. H* jCqchrane/ president of Unl v«jqsatr, returned. to N. % Monday ,(3) from-European cruise lasting six weeks,," He' -was accompanied by his TVtfe and'.son,. Robert, Jr., his first extensive' vapation in a number of years.:'^' •; > '--'M-. ; ■ London' Rl^prter^ :Fq^^^ A$ Sioic|||blde^^ Step In Debentu're^S^a&Tdfeirs of^^ tee U.C.P. Publishing do,; LW^ .jp^^^ receiver, in on the ' iohditf ; Steporter. This was the film trade, daily publi,shed by W. R. Wllkersbn,. .who also pub- lishes the Holiywoad-v-.•Reporter, Frank' Tilley, 'loeal-^'film' publicist, was )managing 'edi'for._. . ■ • ' London Reporter i'lispended .pub lication July 29 aAd. .Was irtjnlediate- ly put Into liquidation. / < Ferry's Weil London,-'July 26- Lou Holtz was want^,: b^. Max Schach to do a film, four weeks guar antee at $5,000 per. Felix Fetry woiild only grant permission on con- dition that Schach bought tlie Blm rights of Ferry's new show, due ^at the Adelphi and in which Holtz is to sta-. No deal. On . the Wagon Hollywood,'Aug. 4, The growing station Wwagoli meteod of transbbttetloh : has perc<tlnted to Hollywbod. imd now.te'e picture bunch is woii- ^erlng.who will b,iSi the first \6 show up ,at'a preiniere in a. Rolls JRoyce station wagon. '. in ,tee east, ajrdund tee fiush- Ibuabfit'N^vr- Voiflt and peajfV CoJtoipctlctit sectors, tee ybung-. sters' pile intotee :Station .- VtragoQs to attiend roadKoUses, eten ■ tuftd some haivje even made cross-country hops' teat way, but if s still more or less of a new thing out here. ' PAR HAS Sydney and Fonda Will Star in Walt Wanger's Initial Italian Film V. Hollywood, Aug. 4. waiter Wanger's first production in Iliily next spring will co--star Syl- via Sidney and Henry Fonda. "Waii- ger bltought pair, togeteer first in Trail qf tbe Lonesome Pine,*-and now pliihs to use them in Three Time Loser.'. Lattec is from 'an orig by Gene 'Towne and^^raham Baker. Picttire slatefl for' &eipt»-1 start, with ko director ^iSsignSdi' ■ . "Warners loaned Frank Bbr zage td "Waiiger to direct 'History Is Made at .Nigm,' producer's • second for United Artists release. ' Towne and Baker, also did the original; Charlies Boyer 'is "iset 'to star. iRreseht starting date is Ocf l COLDWtN PUNS TWO MUSICALS THIS FALL ifollywood, Aiig, 4; Production .of two miisiidals priori to Jan. 1 is plaii'of Samuel Crbldwyn, One' vfOX be^ 'Goidivyn FolliesJ'.; Former , will be an all-stef . revue, George Haight' is ' working on the book musical. HABE HELUNGER ON COAST • . . Hollywooa. Aug. 4. Marx Bellinger . planed jn today (Tuesd:>y) for a story conference at 20th-Fy'£ on his original, 'Six Girls and Leslh.' i,egit produ.cin(g,activity by Para- mowt -similar to that which It in- dulged through Charles . Frohnian some, years ago is a possibility Isut depends on the . change of attitude among picture concerns to the new Dramatists' GuUd contract. Adolph' Zukor, who made tee bid deals -with the Froliman Office ^nd is said to favor reneiyed legit pjo« ducti^n by Par,. is waiting to bee whett\the situation will be before making any moves. :j Unde^- the old alliances^ Par ijad the leases on tee. Lyceum and jjm-. pire.. Bflite went . out with bank- ruptcy. Pa^r making no effort to hiDld onto tee houses. Company still o-yims the Frohman film, right^ but has not pfoduc^ plays through it <for some years, y Wite flhn cqmpanie? resenting ^he netv Dramatist Guild contract,] an agreement amd^g the majors -was reached to stey out of the legit fi^ld,- including the backing of any shaws. Should Par go thi;.ough with thid it would break the \agreement, -with Other companies pr<^bably follo-wSng suit. . .... FIRST OLYMPIC SHOTS DUE W ON Watt and Opleman Made ; PiUl Fledged Directors / . .Hollywood,' Aug. 4; Another assistant director g^ts promotion to full-fledged rank. Bud- dy Coleman, assistant .to' Franlc Capra at Columbia, draws his first, '(bross Fire,' featuring Charles Ster- rett and .Mary JBlake. •. . After riine,v.xeSrs as .assistant di- rector to Lewis iVKlestone, Nate Watt has been given directorial assign- ment at Paramount.. He'is-slated to do 'Hopalong Cassidy Retur'ris." next William Boyd- starrer by Harry Sherman for Par release. First newsreel pictures of actual Olympic Qami^s competition iinay, reach teis country.'bn Zep Hinl^en* burg, 'due i»..'N'.',.Y. liext Saturday. Tniti.al .'shots iwere .takeh Simday (2). of three. ' Americans ' winning high jump,' tee',first .-Jheats' in several dash(!Sr.'aAd' oteer .field eventsii If teese jrieiafc'hed '^^tis, after b!e|ing. dawied .ilieire by plane, in' tiiri^. to make- a' Mbnday or Tuesday boat, some newsreel executives in N;', Y. believe. first prints may come:: by steamship. Inability of representatives , of U. S.. film companies to make <Son-' nections wite fast liners, howe'jrer, prompted several to take a chance on expediting' shipment by usingitee Zep,. which figures to make tee ^Ip in about 48 hours. 'j Preliminary views of tee- t)ljjn- pics befbre. the . contests actually ■started reached N. Y. Monday'iKS) ,via thf. Normandie. German newsreel firms or o"per-. ating companies on German soil jare supplying coverage for U.- S. neWs- reelers. I .. Per Picture for 3 fix at M-Fox; Goldwyn's Release MacLean's Unit Set Hollywood, Aug. 4. The Douglas MacLean production unit for Grand National took quar- ters today (Tuesday) at the RKO- Pathe studios. Start first week in September on initial picture, '23% Hours Leave.' . Hollywood, Aug.-4. Eddie Cantor and' Sam Croldwyn have .agreed to disagree as of last Saturday (1), and papers are now being prepared whereby he will go into the 26th C!entury-Fox fold to make three features in the next two, years. For this work, it is imder- stqod, he -will draw a. total of $1,- 006,006. This is highest individual price that any company has con- tracted .wite a star per . picture, as amount for each is ^333,333.33. During past week attorneys for Cantor and Gold-wyn conferi-ed 'on the matter of a release. CToldwyn, it is said, felt that as loiig as Cantor was dissatisfied) and he himself is ill,- that an - amicable settlement should be brought about of their contractual relations. Ihlendel Silber- berg. Judge Isaac Pacht and Milton M.. Black represented Cantor, and Creorge W. Cohen of Loeb, Walker 3i Loeb,. handled the Goldwyn end. Neither of the principals attended thef .sessions between attorneys, as Cantoir was in San Diego making pelfspn&l appearances, and Goldwyn is - cbiiyalescing in his Bey Hills home. It is understood that the settlement provides.-teat Cantor take over for hiinself lyever. Say Die,' the Willie Collier, fjay which Goldwyn bought in 1934;; and .'which he wanted Can- tor to db ids his ilext pic. Also, Cantor is to :reimbtir5e''Coldwyn for wbat- eyer money has been expended on Writing and pteliniinary expenses of his . next pic assignment. This amount is unascerteihabl^, but likely to run around $25,000. Cantor came into town' on Satur- day to sign the papers and then pro- ceeded, to San Francisco where he is to appear at the Golden Gate next week. George. Jessel;~who was at the Goldwyn . studio writing a story based on the life of Cantor, .went off the producer's payroll with the set- tlement of the star's contract. • Understood that papers for the deal with 20th-Fox are being pre- pared and will be signed on the.ar- rival here of Abe Bermaii, New York attorney for Cantor, from Europe within a few days. - Cantor would start on the 20th contract, around Sept. 1, prior to which he. would do several weeks of personal appearances and rear- range his radio schedule so that it would not interfere with pic mak- ing. 20th-Fox is reported to have story already in hand for Cantor to make and will probably take 'Never Say Die' off his hands as part of its contractual.^eal With the comedian. Cantor has been making pix for Gold-wyn since 1929, his first being •Whoopee,' and they were an annual , event, with Cantor, though making expensive films, being a profitable employee for Goldwyn, • -' • • •■ SAILINGS Aug. 1ft (San Francisco to Mel- bourne) Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Doyle, Walter Hutchinson (Monterey). ; Aug. 1? (New York to London) George Stone (QUeen Mary). < Aug. 5 cNew York to London) Dr. Henry Moskowitz (Aquitania). '• Au?. 5 (London to New Y<vk) Andre . Robert, Jean (Toupan, Sen, Murphv and Mrs. Murphy (Be i de Fran-'e); ■ , , Aug, 5. (New York to London) Mr. ah4....Mrs. Fred Astaire, Peggy Hop-. kins Joyce Laura LaPIaiite, Mr. and Mrs. A J. M«Cosker, Ethel Merman, Alec :W«ugh, Leon Lebnidoff, tiur- ton lloijnes, Mr. and Mrs. Sam ^ck- man,- Jr... Sidney Solomon, Robert Ritchie, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Roth (Normandie). Aug.' 5. (London to New York) Fred Perry (Queen Mary). Aug. 5 (London to New. York) Mr, and Mrs. Clifford Fischer, Anda Glenn, Mr. and Mrs. Kamei;ov, Lbuis Bliuhenthal Dreana (Be de' France). Aug. 1 (Quebec to Londoh) JeSse Lasky, Edward Alperson (Empress of Britain). ■ Aug. 1. (New York to Havre) Mr. and Mis. Joseph Bonnet, Patricia Bowman (Champlain). Aug. 1 (New York to London) Howarfl Lindsay, Russell Crouse (Transylvania). July 29 (New York to London) Theresa Helburn,. William FiteJson (Queen Mary). • July 29 (London to New York) Lee Shubert (fTormandie). ! ARRIVALS Virginia Pine, Mr. and Mrei James J. WaUter. Ruth Draper,'Gfertrude Robins'.m Smith. Lucienne Dfelforge, Sylvia Beach',. Robert H, -Cochrane, Mary„phjlbiti, Mr. and. Mrs. Floyd Odium, Kichard Collet.' John Hay I'Whitiipy,- Dwight. Fiske, Angna 'Enters,