Variety (Dec 1937)

VARIEtX Fociised Oil Metr^^ moun^ iJity |)tf on Any Ka^io Prb^ gi^kms-^R ^ ^ ^^^^^ . MounU • rieseiVtittent -a g a i n s t radio,--;. ; oppositipn' to. pictures, especially when, film tiuleiit or scenes . ifrbrn. new. or .corning .relM are- broadcast, (not .prily^ reach'^)>6y- . V<?otting fcirm.irii^^^^^ .beginning: to , awaken major pro- . .dUcebrdistributors to. the fact, that perhaps they are : wrong in-:catering to radio.' Highet:^^^^ :.against . tjie radio thing has . set- in ; toUowiiig Al^tro's debut ohV the ;. air reiiently with its-own show, pltis; plins of WaiTne^s, id /put itself on the; fether ^ Although. Metrd: a may' ., not be .so frightened is; yet Pyer ex- hibitor determinaition to' flght air competition,; Paramouht iis one' Cbm- pany that' ha^ decided to. take ;heed of. th^ radio, broadcasting;- problenL ; It . haiis .decided- hot to -go .on the &iip ^.Ut'is in a pp^^ . some of its stars; , that is differehi ii^Dm that; of other TOm of Psifr's tal.entrinc^MdingrBihg 'Cro by, . Jack Benny, Bob . Burns .and others,-came', to Par f rom the' iair; ■ . Par may ^be vsen^ s.ales feature of avoiding the $ir itr ."self since'exiiibitors-are .'be ;get so burned oyeif.. the .matter .that, they may any day-t^ke. drastic meas- ures dgiainst studios aidiiig. and abiet-' ting the ether, in 'many 'i)a)c'ts of the , cbuhtry/ exhibs are ■ squawking^ to Metro 'that it. ii, huirting business; .at ,. 'the.theatres;-': ■'■'V '.'^.'.'v .'' .'■ ■.■/: ■ :V^'- '■ Ohib's Squawks . One. action, beii^ iaken:is the dat^ ing: of Metro p^ pictures Thursdays, day JAetrp. 'gbes ph the air; Oiit in the' QhiO. territbry ;.where:. such ttctipn is being. leveled kgainst Metrp, the.. ; Independent ■ Theatre . Gwn^rsi. Associatiph ;. pf ; thJit ■ stat^ ^claims ■;i:hat .;business : ^suffering Thursdays .ftbirt^^ra^ and has asked . 'inemtieiis. tP. -retjovt.. gcpsses pni that • Pete Wood, bhip exhibjitor leadery holds t ha t / £tudipr'sponsored ait- shows. are bpuhd to prpve ^..disag'^^ irous to theatre attpndancej He. says; : *FrPm exjpiriehce," every. 'eXMbitoi' Sws .What .the. Suiiiday .air. prp'- grams have .:dpne to his attendance oh -that night. Now, -with Thursday night.>taken .up froni; eight to; nine ■with' Rudy- ;yal.lee,. nin6. to ten ' with the MGM; air, show arid Bing Grpsby and Bob iiirns from lO to 11, the iri- dne Ekhib^iB Vieiw* : ':A' GhicagO: :«XhibitPr,' in Fo^- rum this. w<M(k,.VPices his atti^ . tuplfe and -..that:: of other .exhibs, oii-the radior.opppsition;. - :- His letteit- is Pn Page 63^ ' dustry is doing Its . share to ericour- ■age! peppie.. to -st^Bor 'athpnie.' :';■ . 'In hp , othet isusiness: does ...the seller .-; demand .; and receive peak prices for. - his- prpdupt oh' the one hand,; and then;.' on' the; pther, "tiakc some actioii . which.will. k^p. .tus- tomers>aWay.. if otn . the \retailer, ; But thi$ iis ■ jUst what MG^ doing to the exhibitpr with its air show.- ; ■ Renewpd; action by. the;. Picturje Theatre 6wrters .of' Aniericai with J;E.:X. ;kuykehdaU^^^ m^ mined: against; air .\cbmpetitlon; than ever beifore ■' is: not', unlikely sipitp .of .the - y/^alter Virtceht • committee, which last summer, yirtualiy^hite'- washed . the iria^ top executive . of a distributirig/; com? pany,';Itepublic.' : •.S\.'';;: . BERLIN'S BUSY WEEK, FINISHES SEVEN . ;. HoITy wpod, Novi 30. ;. Seven :sphgs 'compieiied and turned iii. within seven days, is. the la test record, of fev«^red creation from the pert 61 Irving Berlin^ ,\ ; V •' / :Ditties are all for the next. Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers picture at l|adi&, ?Carefree,' and: we^e :batted Pff by: the coinposer - at Phbenixv Ariz. Titles are 'i liTsed To Be Color Blind,' 'Change' Piiftners,' 'The Night Is Filled With; Miisic/ 'What the Well- Dressed Man Will Wear,^; 'Let's Make the Most of Our I5ream,V •Carefree' and 'You Can Be:My :Cave Man.' HAYS CHECK ON At 20-Fox for Withers : > ; ; Ppliy Wpod, NpV. 30> Next Jane 'Withers: starrer for 20th-F6x yNiXl be 'Little Gypsy,' origi nal and screenplay by Bobert Eilig and Heleiit Epgari,' to' be directed by. H. Bruce Humberstone' and prpducied under , tlie 3bl. M. ;\Vurtz^ '■ Featured will be lavrr.ah Minevitch and ;his;: harriipnica ' band.. Sidney; Clsro is ciefring;;thi:ee tunes for the pict , which is slated ; .to roll Dec."isr--;-' ' Hollywood, Nov. 30. . Air ;g6ssipefs and their leggers from .now on will have to flash .Hays office; catds : before - they are ad- mitted; and /giv^n' V;pf: the ^lot. Credentials were ma iled' put: Monday (29 to. 3b) sp-callied > air reporter.s^ Jimmie: Fidlef bpa^ls .the iargest staff with five. . . ; v' :' ■ Means pf keeping'check Pn .dirt dishers.will be determined at a meetr ing next vireek of studio me^^ t6 hold;, rein; Ph the news runhers, presided over by 'Tom Pettey of .the Hays office. .;'.:'■ . Holly wood, Nov, 80; Louis K. Sidney will limit preview dranaatizations of Metro films to a quickie id-minute capsule pn- the Maxwell House programs. This is a compromise . from the. original idea to drop previews altogether. Shidio has not been fond of the ineyitiible' coniparlspns with 'Holly- wood . Hotel' ;which also ; previews; forthcoming filin releases. . : First Metro picture to get the capsule- treatment. is 'You're Only Young Once' on this I'hursday's (2) broadcast. .': . ■: V Metro is' understodd to be paying its players for air appearances on a basis pf one's week's salary,' George Jessel' has undertaken com- plete editing . of the show and. will also dish up the emcee's script in addition ;tP advising ph production. Kenneth MTKeDiia In JACK WARNER'S ^25,000 OFFER TO CAPT EYSTON W. S. Morris Fins $55,000 Case Vs. Union Cinemas ■.. ';■' :. ;.;• ; London, .Nov. 20. : W. Southan Mprrls, formerly gen- eral manager- of Union Gi hemas, >ras:^ av4irded. $55;pp0; damages: by^ jury in the : High Coiirt today ' a claim av.aih.st; the. company for Wrongful dicmipsal. . .0aimed that|:; f^^ . acqiusilipn of his ciircuit .■by .lUmonj hi was appointed .'general manager for five years, at $20,000 a. year, but. after :ret.urhir\g from. a bu^ to; America he:-Was; Suddenly; sum- marily discharged. :[ ' - E)efense ;• con'teridied' ..Mori'is ' -.liad nr^lected ■ the.- cpmpany'ss' b'u'sincsS: 'firici devoled his'-time" to liis own 1 ri- tercsts. ^:' '.'.- , - i HONEST INJtJNS, PFD. ■ . Ddtrdit,'Nov. 30. :Chm'pa)gn to stop, 'phoney: Indians', ill films and'-on'stage is being rnnppcdl —b .v ' Chlcl' F i'ed-E tt aNyaficshiItT-^idci- . of '*Ii'j.hi.i>an' lndian.v£)efens.e,^Ass'n ■. S:> i'ar;.has;about ;360. fellow Indians erivoJ led;-and hopes toorganize all of. . Miuhiijah-:.; 9,000 -red meh^ for the (Iriyc, io be- W:?i.tied. tlii:6ugh eduGar^^ tioii-aiid\lcgii!lation.- -'• ■; ; '■'•■. Salt i,ake City,. l^oy.; 30. ^ Besieged . by ; professional''" PfEers since he drove .ah . Engliish racing automobile at 31L42 m.p.h. to estab- lish : a new; world's record, Capt. George Eyston of England, < has planed to HollyWoojd to confer with Jack L. Warner, v;p. in charge of production; of Warners. Warner re- portedly lias offered Capt. Eyston $25,000 for a film depicting the de- velopment of automobile "racing. The captain,. who established h is record on Utah's Bonneville salt flats, commenting on Warner's offer ^told VA.RiETy,- 'He'll (Warner) jolly well call the; bally offer off " when he sees my face.' ■ Barney Oldfleld, former race driver - himself, offered' EystonJ^15,- 000 for 10 state fair pia.'sin'thfmid- west next fall. ; FoilPwihg his confab wjth Warner, Capt. Eyston will return hei'e to asr setnble his racing cars for sliipment to.England. V - .:•' RKQ In^s 'Buster' Brown ''' si Paul; Nov. 30. ■; .Add 'anotherV MirihesPta^^^ Holly wood's firmament.: ;,.;!;' V; 1^^^^^ get a;celluloid break is 'Rii<;trr' Rrnwn, ..sail of Stan, Brown ;Wh0. once .managed the Lor- ing,. Garrick' and Strand houses <S la.n;; ere a tc'd tii e:. idea ; of. ■; d ress iii g the;' .MiA'^f?apPli^^ lioliday dccoralions).. .. ^ : • ; v; '.• ' -.■■' Buster;' Has. ' 'landed' .i.i'h.;,'■GingOr Rogers' 'Hayihg a vWondei-ful;; TTime.' ,a'nd,: as- result; of his work i'n that flicker hais ...snaggc'd. hiliitfeIf riii RK.0 contract and; ;livarid: new ';moniker, Kivk.Windsor;V :•'. .- Kenheth MaeKehna has resigned from Equity; council siince :becoming eastern story editPt fpr .;Metvb-Gpld- wynrJilayer.: E can hp Ipnger devote the time .to the asso- ciatipn's affairs. Former aetor-man- iager was a- stickler as far as attend- ance at the Weekly council sessions Aveht Successor will be appointed by. the cpUncil to; ;act until, the.^ah- nual;electiOn next spring. ::: • . Miriam Hpwell, of. the Leland Hey ward agency, is .mentioned get-, ting the eastern story head job with Samuel Goldwyn. Beatrice Kaufman held the post, but withdrew several months a^o. Since;', then. Several per- sons have been temporarily assigned to the desk. They are expected to reniain, with'Miss Howell in charge. S' Stripped of parliamentary verbiage, proposed liew English , quota iiW is bitterly opposed by Americaii companies on two outstanding frpntsi . One: is .the dlvpiced .(or separate) quota provision, and the other is "the Films Commission,, with its viewing committee to pass on entertainment; value: thpugh a film has lived, up to other quota, qualifications. Conimission was okayed by standing cpmi^ittee this' - week. * . Divorced quota prevents diistributors: (U. S. companies) from getting rentals on thein frprti exhibitprs because latter^can't use them on/their quotas. "■ -' .■■■. '■■•-,■ ' ■ >.■:'.■.•■■.■,.':.•■;'''■ V ..-■;■■. Filiti interests here oppose the divorced quota scheni<^ because it (1) virtually kills any market lor distributor quota credit pictvi.res, (2) because even in the first year it :mearis; that f^ fifth feature sent to Great Britain for distributiPn, one production must-be shelved, at a cost of at least $75,000, (3) because this $75;000 for each fifth ' feature must be written off as almost total loss for the company' : bpeiratioh in England (if 50 films are released in England, it means 1750,000 loss). ^ ■-■ ■-;.. •' ■'■ - •'--. ■ ■ ■'■•- ■ ■. -v-^-^;-;. Films Commission, with its reviewing test proviso,, is opposed be- cause (1) a feature approved as to quota; requirements can be kept; but of the quota setup if the reviewers deem it riot measuring up in ehtertainrnent value, (2) because it would place the Ainerician miarket in Great Britain at the meircy of the Commission, (3) because it would;.. difficult to finance pictures for quota credit if any such reviewing body was able to kill it for quota, distribution. ; •:' In milder: fashiPn, U. S. companies are against numeirpus; res.tric- ' tions proposed thus far in the new measure including the qvibta per- centage which; goes from approximately 20% thie ;flrst year: to 25*4, . this second year and the cost proviso which means a minimum outlay; of $75,000 per quota credit picture. "They are disappointed .over. the; failure to. allow two. quota ciredit films fpr double this; expenditure arid three when features tost triple this amount. :..;.:-,..-:■ By joe l^inricj-; and Garbo Are No. 1 Headache to Philly J^gs- Philadelphi ; No^. 30. ; Garbo has developed into AtlNo. 1 call for ah aspirin ;arpund;city' desks of Philly rags. Ever since Stokowski returned to tpwri, surrounded with an aura of a .Stpki-Garbo amour, re- ports have been contiriuous that the Swedish femme is. in the. city. Np desk believes it, but- ;each time it must/Carefully check to keep some- body from haying a scoop hung on his optic.*;; ' ;■: :.'■'■■;;; .■ ■ ' "\ ; Last'authentic. word': had the;: I- warina-be-al6rie - gal at last' Friday's Philly Orch dpncert, which :w;as con-; ducted by blond miaestro. .-.-; ■ ; ■■ . ';■ '•'■■•;-;.: ' .•,■....■■'■ '-:^'.-'- - ; Cbplacres, Cal,, Nov.- 30.} Deaf :Jroe:— v '..-'■/' :,;.:-';■,;-."- ;V ■ .- •:'■ - ' ■ ■;-■ /■.'- :;y';''..'.";. "-;-'.-/':' ;•'■ •Well, Alharikisgiyirig isoyer and me and Aggie "hadTft swetlHinrier—'Vtc,"''^ Florence;- Freddy .and Beulah returried frorn their honeymPdn in time to have their "Thanksgiving dinner , with us arid Aggie did a swell job. I..prio-;; moted the turkey from Bdattis, the; meat man. 1 give him some fast talk ; about what a good ad it would be to start oft the newly wed; with food from: his shop, so he came through with a bigger arid better turkey than any that rhe. and Aggie Used to play in through the Sduth. We ha<| to ;, buy the: fixings but that didn't ampurit to much. I tell yoii,; when you v have your bWn hut and a dinned prepared right you begin to realize what . ydu've . missed alV the- y around. We've beea , paek.iri' and.unpackin*' trunks arid keisters for; long tirn^ and we don't ;' regret any Pf it, but when you hit the spot in life when you gotta replace; ; old parts., like teeth' and eyes, arid a miniature .road, map ;is^^ s^ fojcm;;under the ch^ been knocicirig around and trying'td; Cpax belly laughs outt^; towns like Yoiirigs- tPwri. , And when you Shove your legs imd.er ah almost-paid-for table and , pack in a load of; groceries like Aggie can-tix up,; it rhakes you think the : yokels have the ;right idea, even if they;- can't dp a time-step. . The - kids were swelU. •;They told. Us all about their; trip to Holly Wood'- ; It wasn^t much of a kick ior yic and Flo ;because!;they.'ve: been arpuhd ;but to hear Frpddy and Beulah, who never riiade a; loijger trip than to'end-of. the backyard to get a load of wppd,. it-was a treat; They even; got a: kick - putta: looking, at s^^ actresses, and when a waiter wpiUd tell; ■em tiiat-joari Crawford or.'Glar^^^ the ijoint oiice, Freddy would ■;: "take a knife or spoon to^^kihda remember the place by.. They came home. ' with enough stuff to start a catering; place; ;t^^ tell 'em it wasn't the yight thing to dP because it's like stealing. I had to kick Aggie uncier; the table a few tirries to keep her from getting xip and sh'Pwing them the; different"" towels we collected on and after pur: hpneymddh,-; You .kripWi ' Aggie can handle gin fairly well .but when it cpmes/tb brandy, it's iop;. rich, a;-mixture for her erigine. . .'"'. ' ; ."The town turned out to: welcoinethie; newly Weds. ■: A lot of the youhger folks yelled advice;.to them that tiiey musta .read in Whiz Bang or Bally-: hob, but it was all in fun. We all marched Up tp their new home. It's; a two-family house and the. girls' tossed who should live upstairs, and Beulah. lost. The Mayor cut the ribbons at the door;arid made a hice-^ speech. :Both apartments are; furnished exactly alike arid I. tpld the ;gals: to' be sure to wear differerit kirhonas so the; boys Wont riiake any. mistakes. It got a good laugh frPnn the crowd. 'Vic talked to me about putting Flo . iri.the boxoffice, but' I told, him to wait uhtiL th.e first of the year, I don't want to puli;it sudden like on Aggie. But I figure a" Swell looker' like: ■. Flo may be able; to draw business- I knpw, the pictures we get don't, ■ Speaking about pictures, they .«ent me a; Christrnas picture this;weck, so I advertised it as a 'pre-release.'and put a sign in.the .iPbby, 'We are. always first. Come and isee Xmas, Weeks ahead of any other town.' It wasn't ai' bad. picture-^phe; guy • who came in on; a pass .s{iid;;he - eh joyed ■ it. Only had;.brie Walk-out, that Was.-riie. ; I: will say.;d.ne ■thirig^this pic- ; ture didnt*^:disappoiiit any P 'ceived; a half; dozen^th^ee-^^^^^ excharige I never did; business with, so I wrote themVa .letter; aski^ what i shPuld db. \yith "them;^ --Arid ; they wrote me; back saying, that .1 had bette.r/play. the pictures; and . sny ■the.pbstage of sendiiig the posters back. •: . Business_is away pff,. I' guess people are staiting; tp save their dough for. .Christmas^ ; We have enough; troubles with the high schools running ar^^^ teur shpWs^. the churches runriirig .-Bingo;Nights;and ripw coiries Saj^ita .C^laus.; .; ;jt:'s;:been "going on- "for years $o i ;gues's therp's riothirig" i)^ can do about it-;';..' :.''-';v'..'-^' ';:.;'■. -.;; .'■-.;;■'':■■•'■-■ -' ;- ■.;.;' -;;: '. ■■..'■>'-_■.--■' '■ (3.iye ;bi»r .best tb-.^ arid ;girls;and;tell: 'erii maybe television.w/ill. soon; be;'here arid ;gi\;e u3:iaU SEZ ':■:['■ V:;-■ ■• ■-. . . . "•-';'■ ;:■. - ■ Youi: pal, . . ';,-; v.'> .•. : -Lefty, FlaireiipOver McLaglen; .:■.;■'' . London, Nov. 19. . t Efforts of. an East- Side eatery; oWjier to :icapitalize on the ■visit of yictor McLaglen to his estafaiisliment bacliflred tiiis- week when the 1^ Communist .. party threatened .; to sina-sh -the windows in the; place and boycott .-'it. ;iwranagcr' had placed a full-size pic of-the star iri' the wiri- 'Tiiries tor. Gruen's Yarn Hollywogd,; Nov. 30. dow,;lioping ';t.o; draw,biz. Co'nrimuriist^i clairiied McLaglefi;-be- James- Gi-ueh .ha^ set to. \vrit<; Ibngf tpva ;Fascist •orgariis?atibni Actor an ;briginal rriusical.;y.ai-ri at.'lWetvb. [denied it, asserting he belprigs to no ; Laurence Schwab. wilt handle as;! pai'ty. Eatery prop quickly yanked his'-:first ;prodUc£r;-a.s;pjgrimc.nt^^^^^ the .^'pi'cture-. itx'orn .the window. ! - ..; ; P,S.—Jeff Keene of Philadelphia, pez*. 'If wealth, dbesri't riiake a rnan witty, it does ;blirid others, to his stupidity.' ./'.v; . ■'; '• : :: ' ■; Hbllywodcij Nbv. 30, ;; Republic h'aiipped; its prdcluctidn;: 'Loaveriwprthv ^ formerly : ta-g g e d ^iPj^ijs&rifFa rm/ in i to tl ^ p 'A' plai $10,000 tacked: onto the, budget. Yarn is a novel hy Dr. Louis Berg ;.sCripped 'b.y' Sidney.;Siylkow an^d^^^ Fen ton from Adclp, ' Buiilingtori's .screen ;tteatmen.t. ] Hcrn^ari ; Sehlom; produces." .-: - '■•■; ■ ■ ';.:\ ■■ ■ '■■ M-G takes Shbtwell ■■ ;.: V'.'V Chicago- Nov. ■30..;; ■: .Hudsdri.■^ SiKb^iweU,'; iiinde^^^^ Chicago ';*You . Can't Tnke.It . Willi; YoiiVCDnip£i:ny, tb;;,leaye tills -t-iix>--pictiare - a .ssign ^^^cnl■ wiiich, b <*s^ been set by lhe;"VViliia'm Morris ;of- flce.' ; -.^■;;';■ /;•' . ;•/. ■'. ^ '-"v, '^^ Jjl-G contract canie frorh .• look- over; of ;;^isj|jot.W*'i.i's'^ - AVa . ■. j^tep; ■iie£t,i:-riwde:'spme;ti;mc-.:a'gd.V ;