Variety (May 1937)

Wednesday, May 5, J937 PICTURES VARIETY 1 FORCING 1936-37 (This table shoMis the status of ail the national distributors, tvith respect to their feature releasesi, other tha.n westtirns and action iilrtis- sold iii smes, as of May 1, wjnbh mdrfced the end 6f the ihifd quarter of the current season. Any interruiption o/ p'rodtictipn would seriously delay t?icas.e», whicli at present are running viqre:than a month.behind schedule due to early season studio' delays caused by illness of mariy- stars and featured players, and to HoUywxtqcL's '^ iiiter-weather.) Salancie Actually- Released to1>e rele. Distributor Will deliver to May i. by July 31 Columbia 40 24 Gaiimoht- 24 Orahd Nationail 29 Metro Par •. •■ ^ • • t i • EKO-Radio R^publip tjniteci Artisjs ...>.,...; . Universal ^. ^.'.' • • •■• • •.•... •■ W9r«er?s 483 285 15 11 16 11 12 22 13 11 9 10 17 148 • Does not incUide westerris and acti icturis. sold in-series. STRIKE MAY BE ABREAKFOR FOREIGN FIX Any extended continuance of Jabor trouble on : the : Coast would prove a :bbon to; British ahd foreign production. That is.'the opinion held by industry leaders,- who admit that U. is. distributors naturally would seek film products from other na- tions to maintain the stream of pic- tures into theatres. , Some picture company officials fbi'ssee the reopening of studios in Englartd which recently were closed. 'Whea Thief Meets Thief/ made by Criterion Films, Ltd., firm iri \v ich Doug Fairbanks, Jr. is inter- ested, has been received by United Artist^. Will be released June 4, Fairbanks, Jr. and Valerie Hobson top the cast. Ji, MacFarland, formerly top flack at the Music Hall, N. Y., has joined UA to exploit Criterion start- ing with Thief.' W IN CASTING'S CORNER ON COIN PLEA Hollywood, May 4. Recirds of Central Casting for last year show that of 242,000 calls for extras and bit players, only .27,000 .were above the $10 bracket, accord- to the Scr^ien Actors Guild, ich is supporting pleas of the small fry for more money. Of the 242,000 total, 62,000 calls were for $7.50 each, 71,000 for $10, and 27,000 for $15. 1 Walks, Goldwyn Balks; Puts 3 in Work H^oliywood, .May .4. Two film luhiinai-ies showed differ- ent attitudes toward the union when ^lissa Landi refused to pass; the picket lines at:Metro and Sam Gold- Wyn reversed that stand to stairt pro- ayction on three filrhs to cost about 53.500.000. .Miss Landi landed the bulldog editions this morning ( aay) With :lier declaration. She is under contract to Metro but is not working: at present. Goldwyn move: marks first ti'mei in nis career' that he lias had a trio 01 pics in the works simultaneously.: *Hms are 'Hurrican6,"Stella Dallas," and 'Dead End.' ..Samuel Goldwyn's fllmlrig of Dead *'"d got .going Monday (3), with ^^^':^'a Sidney, Wendy Barrie, Joel ^tcCrea and Humphrey Bogart in leads. Si 'tough ki from the New Jfork' stage play cast arrived last inursday (29) to take the same roles Jnay enacted in^'the play. They are "Illy Halop, Huntz Hall, Bernard ' «n.sley, Bobby Jot-dan, Leo Gourcey »«a Gabriel Dell. Carpenters Ordered To Cross Picket Lines While Furore of Hollywood Situation Lasts, Film Book- ers Resurrectinfl^ Shorts, Etc;; to Round Out Bills FEAR SHORTAGE Hollywood, May 4. An order the picket lines was io car- penters at a meeting May 2 in Hollywood American Legion sta- dium. A strike vote was speedily tabled when it was explained that such acti.ipn required the sanction of the Ihterhatiohal executive board of liniteid;. Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. Members were reminded that they they are under a flve-yeai: tudio basic agree- ment sighed Avith producers by their local and the International officers. The meeting was enlivened by de- mands of many members seeking affiliation with one of the established central unions. Members differed, with some virahting lATSE connec- tion, while others soughT The newer CIO hookup. UTHE EFFECT ON FIX SO FAR Hollywood, May 4. Craft union walkout is having lit- tle effect on production arid major studios report .no curtailment or slackening of work on pictures now before the lenses. All plants are far enough ahead on the season's prod-' uct to ..coast long, for a couple of weeks if necessary without worry. Most of the major plant execs antici- pated the union move and arranged their schedules accordingly to avoid any imniediate difficulty. ^ The absence of makeup workers is putting^ minor actors on their,, own for the grease; applications. Sinte most makeup, artists are under con- tract to the stu ■ , legal heads served notice on them to fulfill the terms of-.tbe obligations and; cross picket llrijs for work. . re now concentrating on pri players and those used rin closeu leitting the lesser lights attend themselves. Picketing .is being carried on in a desultory fashi , ith not more, than 50 at any one studio, Metro drew the heaviest ^complement of paradcrs; due to the .attendance of the convention mob. There- are oiily about 25 at the other plants and nohe is attempting to stop workers. Pick-, ets are wearing armbands with let- terings FMPC (Federated Moti ■ - ture Crafts). NYB's PhUIy Music Peace iladelphia. May 4. Battle between Warner Bros, and musicians' local, growing out of hurry-up agreement drawn after pit- boys walkout last fall, wa-s settled in musicians' favor last week.. Agreed circuit cannpt pull band iiom Fo.v during sumnier and must pay local scale in nabes. Meetirtfi was held with Jo.seph N. Weber, pro/, of Musicians' International ('28), interruption of feature prb- ducti in the Hollywood stii ios caused by labor troubles, or any other reason, would seriously and imrnediately affect .the nation's mp- ti icture theatres, it was declared this, week by heads of distrrbution departments and operators of affili- ated and -independent circuits. "There is practically no reserve.'Of feature films on which distributors arid exhibitors could rely iri the everit that production were suspend- ed for any protracted, period. It never has been the policy of any of the major corhpanies to tie up lai'ge inVestriients in completed, but iin- released, pictures. Of the large.r studi , only Warners and '20th Century-Fox have completed their full quota of pictures for this sea- son's release" schedules, which ex- pire on July 31. Not all pf these, of course, have been shipped to the: film exchanges and any general diis- turbance in Hollywood might retard, it is said, the flow of positive, prints from the laboratories to the branch distribution offices. First reaction to arty slowing up In delivery of films to theatres, would be the immediate cessatiori of double billing in'thousands of houses, it is saidi Somie of the. major circuits this season adopted the dual jprogram policy iri all situations ,with the re- sult that .a condition of shortage pf pictures has prevailed in. scores of territories ever since last fall. Distributipn managers already have sent circular letters to their branches to obtain analyses of. unplayed business on short subjects. A re- turn to single features immediately v/ould stimulate the booking of car- .toons, short comedies and trkvel films. Hundreds of prints of shorts have been in film exchanges for mpnths without any active circula- tion. 33% Tet to Go A. survey of the various distribu- tors reveals that whereas three- fourths Of the i-eleasing sea.";on has passed, there remain actually one- third of the total pictures contracted for eJfhi itiPn awiiiting release dur- ing the rtext three months. Early (Continued on page 46) Mere 135 Out, Casey Insists; Cites Producer Labor Dealings as Fair Painters' Demands Hollywood, May 4. , :• Painters have arinpunced new wage scale arid working conditions asked, for in their demands io stu- dibs.- "They seek an increase of from $7 to $8 for day men, $9 for night shift after 6 p. m., $9 for shift after midnight, and $10 for crews before 6 a.:m. lipping, alsp asked for sign y/riters, marblers, grainers and alrgun men. They are now earning from $8 to $10 daily and seek another $1. Grpiips are also asking for a 12-hour notice on cancellation of calls and an agreerrient for ^Workers tobchired -through ai union' hiring-hall iristead of direct calls to home?. lA Theatre Drive May Be Coincidental With H 'wood Campaign Drive of the International Alliarice of Theatrical Stage Employes to or- ganize!, .theatires not. now unionized may be made cpiricidental with strike moves on the Coasts Should any drive of the lATSE prpve inci- dental with drives in Hollywood, or be timed with action taken on the. Cpast, the strike threat would bo- cotTie national and afTect not only the ^source ot supply of film but the retail point as well. The lA is going forward with plans tp orjganize the various workers in, theatres, of all descriptioris, includ- ing legit, preparatory to dernandihg recognition and after that, negotia- tiptis for contract? with the various locals to be set up. While in the studiPs the. unions which are signa- tory to the five-year basic agreement and earlier this .spring obtained 10% increases rnay not Walk out With, others in sympathy, in the ihealros there is little doubt that siich .sym- pathetic striking wouldn't occur since the operators and stage hatids Eire chartered by the I A. 33 IN WORK AS WALKOUT CAME Hollywood, May. 4. Major studios affected by the strike had 33 pictures in work when the call came for the walkout Fri- day (.^0). ^ Metro had five features and one short, including 'Madiarrie Walewska,' *The Firefly,' ^Saratoga,' 'Vouni Be Married by Noon' and 'Broadway Melody of 1937;' Paramount had eight in produc- tion. 'Angel' has 20. days to feo; 'Souls at Sea' (added Scenes); ^Last Train From Madrid,' a week to gO; 'Exclusive,' three weeksj 'Artists and Models,' three to four weeks; 'Easy Living,,' four weeks; 'Forlorn River,' two Sveeks, and 'Wild Money,,' three weeks. Samuel Goldwyn's. , tella Dallas' had been three weeks in production, arid 'Dead End' and 'Hurricane' were ready to roll Monday. Columbia had 'Once a Hero,' a week to go; 'Taxi War,' 10 days to go, and 'Professional Juror' three weeks to go. At 20th- ;Fpx *YPu Can't Have Everything* and 'Armored taxi' were in: work. Selznick-Internatlorial had *The Pris- prier of Zerida' ith four weeks to go. Larry Darmour has three weeks' shooting on 'Black Torrent' for'Co- lumbia relea.se while Hal Roach had nearly wound Op 'Topper.' U Pair in Work At Universal .'West Bound Lim- ited' and *Lpve In a Bungalpw* were in work, the former on location at Santa Cruz with a week to go be- fore returning to the studio; 'Bunga- low' was scheduled ir) wind up next Wednesday. U had skedcid '100 Men and a Girl' to start this week with six weeks' shooting schedule, and 'Channel Crossing.' due to roll for four weeks starting next Thursday (6). ■ • • Warner.s had si in work in- clu ing 'Varsity show,' 'Mr. Todd Takes the Air,' 'Life of Emile Zola,* 'That Certain Woman,' ' ngle Shoot ev'. arid .. Gentleman After. Mid night'; also three set to start'hext week; 'First Lady,' Kay Francis .starrer; Perfect Specimen' nd 'Alcatraz.' SUE'S Walkout Hollywood, May 4. tility Employees Local 24, with a reputed membership of 1,700, called a.walkout at its meeting Sun day night (2), and ordered workers to report for ickel duty at 5 a. m Monday (.3). Strike vole, sai be a three-to- one cleci.sion, was ordet;ed, by Joseph Marshall, internationat Vice Vesi dent Pat Casey refused it recognition' and a union shpp. .Walkout of- the slationai-y en- gineers, culinary workers, boiler- nriakers arid welders was announced by FMPC after lost ot;the members had been off their jobs, sirice Satur- day (it, Strikers refused to cross pjckcl line established by painters, makeup artists, hair dressers and scenic artists. Hollywood, May 4. Pat Ca.sey, producers contact, said at noon Tuesday that one- third of th« 200 strikers, othfl« than painters, had returned,: to w6rl(. He said the .lATSE omdals are not aoMriff as;a hirlnr arency but'are .carrying out an an- iiounc«d plan in a membeirBhlp drive. Casey said 150 moil have been hired to replace' walkouts. In reply to reports ■ current that strikers would ally ' with the Committee for Indus- trial Orranlnation,, Casey said the John L. Lewis outfit cpuld :not do any damage here as the .five chief crafts heeded for stu-.; dio production are in the studio basic agreement. Producers claimed that not more than 200 workers responded to the strike orders at the nine major studios. Pat Casey, producer labor contact, i.ssued the following statement after receivi reports from productioii . managers: 'Our check-up with the^ major studios ]ndieate.s that not more than 200 persons responded to the strike orders. 'Production In all studios Js pro- ceeding as usual and none of the studios Is planning any curtailment of existing work schedules because of strike conditions. 'The situation is not regarded asi critical and I believe that we shall reach a reasonable and sensible so- lution of the difficulties. At the most, not more than 1,500 of thQ more than 40,000 studio workers are involved in the present dispute; 'No questions relating to wageii or yprking conditions have been submitted to me. 'The producers are not taking an arbitary position by any inean.s, and it should be obvious to all concerned that neither side can take such a position successfully. Explaininfi the Situation 'In order that the general public, as well as members of the unions (Continued on page 23) FptiNDPip nr snyr i silvkrman riilillHlietl,Weekly hy VAItlKTV. Inc. .Sl() Slivcrmon. Prcnldent 154 Went <flth Street, Now Vork City INDEX Burlcsciue Chatter Concert ., Dance Tours.,......... Exploitciti 15 Years Film . Fil Forum' ............. House Itcviewis In.side—Legit Inside—rMusic Inside—Pictures iri.side-- ic) International International Lcfiiti ifi.te Literati Music New Acts',-. ........ .. News fi'om the Dailies. Nitc lu.bs ............, Obituary Outdoors. Pictures Radio_ ..,..;........... Radio—Pacific Notes. .. Radio Reviews....,.,, Radio Shownmiiship... , iSport.s ., . ,\ ........ ^ Units u Vaudeville Women ,12- 49 .'sa 00 5B 44 4U 20 Ki «» -51 56 44 21 35 •13 57. -.50 .58 ..43-45 51 . 6jl ., 48 (12 (H £5-27 ...28-''2 . 30 3« . 42 . (52 5i . 4IJ.48 4