Variety (Oct 1937)

VASIETT PICTURES Wediiesday, October 6, 1937 NLR6 Given Statistics on Millions Of Feet of Film and Total Production Expenditures; Jurisdictional Fight Hollywood, Oct.J5. The huge consumption of ftlm in Hollywood was disclosed by Edward Blackburn, vice president of Jules Brulatour, Incl, exclxisive. agent on the Coast- for Eastman Kodak Co., at a hearing before the National L.abor Relations Board. The figures were, brought out to prove that film companies are engaged in interstate commerce. Other enormous expendi- tiu:es for out-of-state purchases by the picture companies was also divulged. . ■ - Blackburn said that the studios got a special price but that no con- tracts were signed either way. He testified that the weekly consump- tion of filni is now 8,000,000 feet and that the high for any week was 12,000,000 feet. The average con- sumption is' about 4,000,000 feet weekly. Top. purchaser for the year was Metro with approximately 10,000,000 feet of negative film and 155,000,000 feet of positive film bought An ad- ditional 7,500,000 feet of Canadian film is also bought . |. Although objections were entered after each item of purchase by the attorneys for the producers and screen writers, they were overruled by. the examinei'. Another day will be devoted to the expenditures and then the writers, and studio execs will be . summoned to ascertain the status of a screen writer. MG's $S3.«0e,000 Tear Drive by the NLRB to strengthen •its claim to jurisdiction over film workers through the introduction of- income and expenditure of the com panics started with the disclosure that Mietro '■ spent • 'approximately $33,000,000' on film production dur- ing the last fiscal year. Figures were given by Nicholas Nasrfack, Metro executive, after attorneys for the producers had fought vainly in an effort to block such testimony. " Objections were overruled by Ex- aminer William R. Ringer, who said they might be used by the board in its effort to show tfaie'fil^n companies are engaged in interstate business^ MUton H. Schwartz, . cotmsel for Metro, and Walter TuUer, attorney for'Paramount claimed such testi- mony embodied 'trade secrets'' and had no direct or indirect bearing on commerce. Alfred Wright attorney fof 20th-Fox, concurred in the ob- jections. Nayfack: said there was no way to determine the gross income of Metro because all funds for production .were supplied by Loew's, Inc., of New York. Walsh indicated dn effort would be made to secure these figures from other Metro executives or from Loew's, Inc. Percy R. Guth, auditor for Walter Wahger, testified the company spent $3,500,000 on film production last year, and additional - $333,000' for scenarists, and received $703,000 gross income in percentages from United Artists, which releases Wanger .productions. He said all equipinent and studio space is rented from United Artists Studio Corp. Guth testified Wanger made six full-length features during ' that period and no shorts. He said only two of the pictures had been re- leased when the figures were com- piled. Paid When They Work Wanger executive said no writers are now employed by his company, that two still are under contract, but that they are paid only when (Continued on page 23) GRINDE'S U FEATURE GLORIFYING GRINDERS HoUjrwood, Oct 5. Nick Grinde, recently returned from China, where he eyewitnesscd the worif of newsreel cameramen on the war front has been picked to direct Republic's film heroizing the grinders. Script has been completed by Wellyn Totman and picture goes into production tomorrow (Wednes- day) with Armand Schaefer in the producer spot - Tag, 'Crashing the Front Page,' has been abandoned and the studio is looking for a new title. use Team, Boy Scouts Go SAG For Pix Work Hollywood, Oct. 5. Claim was that Guild shop .ar- rangement doesn't keep amdteurs out of extra ranks, and was no pro- tection for pros, last week saw U.S.C. football team and rooting section take out Guild cards so they could work in pix, A L, A. Boy Scout troop did the same for an appearance in Tex. Ritter film at Grand National. While Guild sanctions these tem- porary memberships under current setup, opposish in extra ranks feels these calls belonged to .pros, and that grldders or boy scouts can be gotten out of Central (Tasting regis- tration lists as well as any other type players. Recent membership meeting did little to assuage feelings of revolter^ within extras' ranks. Many were heard to state that same steamroller methods had been used as in Senior Guild meetings last May, and no progress ' had been made. Guild heads" outlined gains made by them, but many extras felt they had been arbitrary about recognizing or re- fusing to recognize those who wanted floor. One extra, after the meeting, stated, 'They're evading the issue. The question is seeing to it that work is more evenly divided; 10% raises don't mean a thing if you only work a day a month. It's just as easy to starve oh a $8.25 check as on a $7.50 one.' lATSE- officials who had no sym- pathy with this element during SAG settlement last sprirtg are now giving extras all atten'.ion since SAG gave lATSE the brushoff. Anyway It Makes Good Bal^ Stunt for 'Zenda' Hollywood, Oct. 5. Hollywood and Culver City cham- bers of commerce will bury the hatchet in the forecourt of the- Chinese theatre here as ballyhoo for 'Prisoner of Zenda' film opening ar- ranged by Russ Birdwell. ' Stunt is the outgrowth of much front page publicity over Culver City's threat to usurp the name of Hollywood. FOX THEATRES SHOW$3W5a7 RED-RECTR Fox Theatres Corp. is in the red for a total of $39,575,297, according to a financial statement filed in Fed- eral Court N. Y., yesterday (Tues- day) by Milton C. Weisman, receiver for thie corporation. Since going into the receiver's hands, in 19^2, claims totaling $28,284,741 have been settled for $5,838,858, according to the report .Claims still pending amount to $6,948,623. The receiver places a book value of $4,561,281 on the Corp.'s present assets and liabilities at $7,022,979. For the period covering Dec. 31,1936, to Juiie 30, 1937, the corporation sus- tained ft, net loss of $13,249.' The report states that cash on hand as of June 30. amounted to $541,747. Weismani also revealed that the total book value of assets of the cor- poration since he was appointed re- ceiver amounted to $17,182,877, which were disposed of for $3,233,984, for a loss of $13,948,892. JOE LOUIS FILM Colored Cliaihpicn Guaranteed lOG for His End' M. B. Sbanberg, former theatre / chain owner in the midwest, is behind the Edwin S. Shanberg (brother)-Lew Colder . venture in connection with an auto"biographicaI film of Joe Louis' life, with the col- ored fighter starred. Primed for the Dixie houses, Martin Finkelstein the general sales manager, It will be a seven-reeler, story and cast being lined- up in, Hollywood now for start within three weeks. Louis gets a- 'percentage; he is guaranteed $10,000 for the film cho.te against the cut Ready Made Pic Tes!$ Hollywood, Oct 5. Fred Newmeyer has signed with Screen Tests, Inc., to direct all tests for the company. Outfit was organized by J. Henry Kruse; cameraman, as a service to casting offices and agents. Incorporations CALIFORNIA Sacramento. f.4>t«l4jii-l{«sr(or Tli«Htr«ii, jim-., I.. A.; .s(oi-l;, $23,000, none Kub.scrlbetl, I Jli-fti'tor.'-: Diivia €ioi-<Ion, D. Acctor, Jj. Hector, JUaroltl Ulass. Certificate of amended copy chansing muni! «ir Hiillniit Cooler Agency, I* A, county, to Hnllnin Vooltj Agency, Inc., .uiMl S. U««k'(r« tllman. .\<1v<>n()ii'e Sfrlais ot ritliforaliv: motion Iilctiive proOuctton; Cftpltal stock, 2,CO0 yliiMc.>!, imr $10; permitted to Insue 600 " ' Robei't MInt2, Louis OHIO Canton. >l<<KiHlry fl'lt^atres, Inc., has been In- coiijorulfd ur Culuinbiis, to operate a ,(liiiififs N'llc.i. Tl\e concern has been KHitiied peniiLsslon to Issue ?50,000 worth <if ;!U>cU. liH'orimralors: (leorfre Dells, -A. <;. (•(wi.'Jimif, lifitn of .StcubcnvHlo, and Anyi'lo AlcN, of Kast I.lVerpdoL iiid hl.liel WpLss. Radio Press Agent Taplinger Heads WB Coast PubEcity Robert S. Taplinger, N. Y. radio p.a., takes oyer the complete west- ern publicity setup of Warner Bros, gnd all subsids, in a freak, three-way job of films, radio and music pub- licity on Nov. 1. He replaces Eddie Selzer, who- has been moved' up to a production berth. Deal made by Jack Warner an:i S. Charles Einfeld, before former sailed for Europe last 'week, calls for exclusive, use,, o^.the ^T?^plinger name, as'wiell 5^^hi£'i(fei:yices. Re- ported that' WB' paid specially to take name of firm' which has been sold for $22,000 io Tom Fizdale, Chi- cago radio publicist,"formerly asso- ciated with' Earle Ferris. ■ Newly created 'Job'<will have Tap- linger working in close association with studio head Hal Wallis and national director of advertising and publicity, Einfeld. He will head- quarter in Hollywood. Einfeld is currently en route to the Coast Einfeld has been commuting be- tween both coasts and this time plans an extended stay west to o.o. the new WB product and also to set up a new pub dept. at the Burbank studio when he gets in tomorrow (Thursday). Preparatory to the shakeup, Frank Selzer has been/ promoted to pro- duction under Bryan Foy. Selzer is from the east as is Arthur W. Eddy (ex-Film Daily, N. Y.), who is slated for studio publicity berth on trade contacts. Eddy leaves by motor for the Coast next week. He was 12 years on the trade daily. Warners Mulls Book On Behind.>Radio-Scenes Chicago, Oct 5. Warner Bros, has taken picture rights on Morrie Lowell's book on behind the scenes in radio, and plans to make a short from it using 'Hit Parade,' WLS Barn Dance, and NBC Farm and Home Hour as talent. Lowell i.s an NBC producer here. Tom Cochrane, Par s Manager In Orient for 17 Years, Back in U. S. On Veit; Reviews Sino-Jap Pix Biz PIX STILL HUDDUNG ON DALLAS DECISION •After several hours of discussion Monday (4) at the Hays office, legal representatiyeia from majors reached no decision on what to do regarding the adverse court decision at Dallas against the Interstate Circuit and 10 major producers-distributors. A wide divergence of opinion marked the confab as to what concerted move should be taken in seeking re- lief from the opinion. Major attor- neys • will : meet again . tomorrow (Thurs.) in an effort to reach some decision. Plenty of . tim,e is available in which to map a new course of ^ctibn because up until yesterday (Tues.) afternoon ,the decree had not even been entered. Produdtioh-distribu- tion companies will have about 60 days from date ttie decree Is en- tered to make an appeal along the several lines open to follow. ENCOHE FOR 'ARSENE' Hollywood,! Oct 5. James K. McGujnness has been assigned at Metro to polish up- the script of 'The Return of Arsene Lupin,' which has, been in the —*h- balls for several nionths. (liDniore at A.F.L Conv. Will Stress lA's Toaching' Hollywood, Oct 5. Frank Gillmore Monday night (4) told a joint meeting of Equity and AFRA that he is going to the A. F. L. convention in Denver to in- vestigate reports that the lATSE is planning encroachment of jurisdic- tion of the Screen Actors Guild. Gillmore said, 'I don't tbihk lA means to poach, and I use word poach advisedly, but I intend to look into these rumors.' Samoff Says Tele Costs Win Be Quite Staggering at first While David Sarnoff, head of Radio Corp., following his visit to England, where he studied television developments, canie out officially in favor of private enterprise rather than, government subsidy taking care of IT. .S. television, the enormous cost of even two or three hours daily of television broadcasting continued to worry American experts in televiz- ing. Samoff:-said that 'in due time^ ,we shall find practical answers to the practical problems that now be- set the difficult road of the pioneer in television.'. He also pointed out that the range of the RCA television transmitter on the Empire State building is approximately the same as that of the British Broadcasting Corp. in London. Aside from the competition with radio, television authorities now claim that the biggest handicap towards any regular schedule of televized broadcasts,. if only on two or three hours'daily, is the enormous cost of preparing and presenting a flawless program, including tt^lent, precise direction, • etc. There are some in the radio-television and pic- ture fields who believe that the use Of dated feature films will prove the answer to the initial perfect tele- vision sponsored prosframs. By employing feature film.s, out of circulation for four or more yei;rs, some in the two industries figure they might be obtained at a cost of as low as $3,000. Figure • that any- thing comparable to this would cost about 30 times that amount and then might riot prove satisfactory. Other- wise, best authorities are inclined to believe that early televized brocd- casts will be of such makeshift cr 1- ibre that they will be accepted only from the riovelty angle. 6-B Statement Thurs. London, Oct 5. Gaumont-British will release its- financial statement Thursday (i) next By DAVE TBEPP Seattle, Oct 5. Uncertainty as to the future marks the film situation in the Orient due to China-Japanese warfare, accord- ing to Tom D. Cochrane, for the past 17 years. mianagcE .for Paramount Pictures Cor^. in Japan, China and Philippine Islands. - Latest develop, ment that has th6 Americans dis- tribs about stymied is the ban against all importations of foreign films, effective at least until Jan. 1, and maybe longer. . And from then on there are big gobs of doubt as to what will be. what. Cochrane reached Seattle Thurs- day evening on the President Grant, which carried some 450 passengers, one-third of whom were first class, these' including about 60 refugee children and their mothers. Most are wives of Navy men, who stayed in the Orient He left a few hours later on the Milwaukee for the east and will report to the homei offices- in New York on the situation. Cochrane has been in Japan and the Orient on his last trip since May. He sailed fro|n Tokyo on Sept. 19, and when he left there was consid- erable furore among film distribu- tors. ' He hadn't hopped over to Shang- hai since the outbreaks there early in August. In fact it is difficult to make such a journey at this time. 'Jim Perkins, the Par manager for China; was in Hong Kong when the trouble broke out, and unlike many others, he was. trying to get into Shanghai while otheris were getting out. His boat from Hong Kong to Shanghai was halted at the river and continued on to Tokyo. From there he boarded a French steamer, but at 4 a.m, was routed, out, with the statement that only French na- tionals could travel on the ship. Later he managed to cross' on a Japanese boati safely to reach Shanghai and the missus. Situation confronting all American distributor]; i$ that stocks are never large, and while some product was rushed in prior to the earlier re- ports, that imports would be cur- tailed, there is hardly enough to last until first of the year. Exhibs, among whom there are no AmeH-' cans, in Japan, will depend more and more on Japanese-made pictures. There are frbm 20-30 companief making about 400 features a year, these cienterifig in Tokyo and Kyoto. The Finance department has stopped money going out of the country, which further complicates things. Must Conserve Product The home office has asked the- atres to eliminate duals and tHple biUs, and now by necessity, due to none too' plentiful product being available, is backing up this request Business has" been very good in Japan .this year, with attendance large. In China business ha^ been fair. Theatres were forced to close in Shanghai and later in Nanking, as well as some other key cities. There is no interference in the in- terior, but revenue from there is negligible, he says. Hong Kong, British, possession, is undisturbed, while Canton has been running shows, but outlook is dark, there. From Manila Cochrane brought a bright picture, as 'business is good at all times.' Many refugees have swelled the population. F. C. Henry is manager in the Philippines for Par. He was recruited from the purser service of the Dollar Line for this job. J. W. Piper, Japan mana- Scv for Par, is in charge of the Par clTices in Tokyo during the absence of Cochrane, who plans returning to Tohyo cbout Dec. 20. His wife is now there. . Duties have been increased on fllm imports, for in addition to the usual (Continued on page 15) 'Aicatraz' Oki Submitting a print of 'Aicatraz T3l:nd' to the Dept of Justice before setting release, Warners has betn asked to make -three eliminations of slight importance dealing with prison technicalities, but the title is okay. WB is spotting the pict"'-<^ in the Strand, N. Y.,' Oct 13.