Variety (Dec 1937)

^cdnesday^ Decemb^ir i> 193 VARIETY 25 ;;V V Hollywopdj NbV; M Following c(mi»laihtis ol A play- that many booking iageiits -are giving nbthing ih return for 10% tiifi they collect, Screen Actoris'Guild is mapfHing caihpaign to eliminate tiii-, deslrajbles. . SAB board of directors is cohsiderlng proposa'. to circulate questionnaire ^amohg inembei<s,. iask- ing eabh to give name >f hi^^^^ or her ageirti length of contract^ fee paid and jobs secured thfough i^gency. QiiestipnnSires would be \ analyzed aiid where: agent was foimci itb'be lix iri securing-w^ for player or otherwise : violatinig contract provi- sions; action would be takeh^ • .' Several 'players :.have complained t(> SAG they had: to secure th6ir Qwn fiim tontracts iarid yet the agent has alvi^ays stepped in to collect his 10^. bthers saijr .they'have, .lost wojrk: be-: ' cause: agent:failed to- contact. casting direbtors in . their . behalf* \ BieportS: ■ also -haive. been, circpla^^^ some agents haVe been collecting In: excess of io% fee, . althouigh latter figure was named in original eontrac^^^^ . ' . • : ■■■•■■'■^ C<mfeir:.';On-Keyiisipn- ..jpreiiminary plaiis. for reVisibh .of cbnstitutipn.; pf ■ ■. Assbciated ' Actbrs and 'Artists of. Atnenca. were dis- cussed here at conference betyreeh Kenneth Thomsbti, executive ' Secre-' ta ly pf Screen Actors Giiild^; and ,Mi's; v Emily Holt, '■■executive secrt ta ry. of. American. Pederatio.n 'Radio Artists. Lawrence . cPunsel: for SAGi ;abd ::H^ Jaffe, . altoi-riey-. fbr^; A,FRA:,and-^'A Guild..^^iusicai^: Artiste, sat. in bn sesV :"-sibns. :'.'.:.^- r'-..-^'-^:- :•■'■ ■' ; ' Wiige pact and >wbrking cohditibris for Society .of Motion Picture Art iDirectors anid :Script Glerks Guild '■ ,: beiriig negotiated by Pat^^ . producer labor- cbritabt; 'and comn^ tees headed by. Attprriey Felix Cuft- iningham/ of Motion Picture Interior Ijecprii- tQt"s will be resumed this week. .. ., JPseph V.: M^ of international Ordey Hod GiirrierSj >Buildrng and Common Laborer of America, has irrived. heire to direct : Xlghtf of Sttidio - trtllitjr ..Employbsj Lotai 724> for jurisdiction over stii- ,dio lafaprers. : ■tioally swailpwed by International Aliiarice ; pf Theatric^ Staged ^'^E^ , plbyes'When 'iatte^^ ^l^'SS ■iB gr'it^ cards^ W laborers.' Fi^^ will, be planned >this week at conference : between .Moifeischie, .Joseph Marshall* international y. p., and .L, C. Helm,; business representative of Local 724. V GuIldV First. 0^^ SAG won decision in fifst case to be. submitted to aifbitratiori owhbn board handed down declsipn Award- ing. William :G,. Murata verdict fbr '$104:56 against: Advbhture Serials of dalifpi-niav-^i.--. :; ;: Producer : had ':refUsed ' W Guild; scale tb; actor for work dbne ph June 21i 22, 23, 3d; - claiming he vwas. enigagbd and was at vWbrk -wheri SAG cpntrabts with producers be- : came effective June .1. Case was pre- sented to afbitratibn board by Nate EdWards: and John Dates, JrV V Arbitration', board :Was composed of Russell Hicks, SAG; R. H; Burn- side, Americaii Arbitratipn Aisbcia- tioa; and Al Herman of producers^ ■ BERGER^S. V : ' . . Minneap.Qlis. 'NoVi 50. : , The appiica;tion :b£ Berime B6rger*s ; ;Brai nerd ■ Amuse.' CP. for .'a niandar. toi'y injurictibri to cpmpel Cpluinbia' •tb ,dfcli ver 'Lost Hplriipn* ^ under • a :'. l!936'-37 cpntract has been taken un- ■ ■: .del- Sidvisemerit by Judge H, D. Mpnt- gomery in .^district-cpUrt,. f^^^ j' presentiation pf. argurnients.; . . Berger is .aittackirigrthe validity bf ,. ; a blause ' iri the contriact permitting :^^^G6Iumbia^b-^ ause it:roadghpweid tbe picture. :He :: claims he. purchased, the. entire Col product on th^ r^^ tl>at .it, , .wou W j.nciad:e..t^ si)bcial;— It iipt- bnlj^; wgs delivered,- but .was :. soldj.avviiy fi-brri him. to ian oppPsitibn ;/exhibitor ; as \part ;o£ the.- 193T-38. •product; he .says.' V.-.?-v ■ . .\.:."'V ' .: \ :': ;'.. : y Hollj^bbd, NbyVJlO.;;.. \ P.acl callih's.ibr $50:mihimtim fbr a ..: 'MMipw .week, w accepted, by the .'-iSgnotCici-k:'•.Guild.':; '^■T>\/ -'-:''y};: ' Vote • taken: ori agreement t'e'Vbti'-'. _^ted'w.it}v p^^pduccr$.:.. :-' • '. . • .'v".-, WIUIAM S; HART suit VS. UA THROWN OUT ,' The isuit of William S, Hart and his sister,:Mary, to recover $185,000 col- lected by United Artists, Iijc;, on the Hart picture, 'tumbleweeds' Was dis- missed ':. yesterday .CTuesday) . by N. Y; Federal Judge John W. Clancy who decided the Harts had. no. cause of lactfon. The plaintiffs, claimed they were entitled to any:;mbney UA had taken . in on. the ; distribution of the picture becauise they, the Harts; had Ibst abbut $300,000 in the production; Judge Clancy, agreed .with Edward C. Raftery, counsel for UA, thiat the corporation could not be considered as a partner bf the Harts and Were under no. obligation' to turn ' over money [ received in' piayiheiit for, .its .work as distributor.- : The-'i prigihai . suit of • the ' Harts based on the same- picture deal and under which,. the Harts derhiand $500,000 from United is pending a retrial in the N. ;supreiine; c^^ The Appellate Diyiision last summer reversed the. lower Cbuft which: had grahted the > Harts • .yerdict : bf $85,dpo. - . . : • ■-'■'-■;... Aii^ lint It Save^ Bevan's Hollywood, N:oy.; 30. ' Billy iBevan, pldtime screen comic, has' installed.: an antique;, wind' ma- chiirl- of the Sort formerly used in silent pictures :fbr visual stprni ef- fepts, at: his' citrus grove near Es- cbndidb, ai a ~ device to foil the chill winter blasts that spell V ruin to orange; and lempn "crbps: occasionally in California. ■.' '-' '':' ■-:; in . Ikst season's , jrecbrd fre^ Be- yan .saved the major: pbrtloh of; hiS crop With his Wind-makihg device, which is nothing-more than, an air- plane propeller hitched to a gasoline mbtor.. .He's got a bigger one. this; yeai*: placed; atop a knoll; ■whence it blows warmer "air." down -irito" thb: lower and coldei;. altitudes. In. aictiiai operation the devibe has. lifted, iem- perature eight degrees in danger spots, which under riprmal conditions is sufficient tb rout the fr'ee;5e denion. On that Dallas Appeal John Moroney, counsel fpr the In- terstate Circuit; and George Wright,- special'counsel, in the anti-trust suit against the theatre chain; are .in New York. -■•■■'•'.V-'-.--.': '■ ■ ' They are hbre to work with Para- mount attorneys and its chief counsel Thomas Di. Thacher,; a former federal judge in N. Y., on the appeal by In- terstate :frorn thait recent. decision against the chain; in Dallas, :. Goldman, Ex-rWB, Now ; : In Opposition to Chain ^r i ^:':-:: ' York, Pa., Nov. 30. New Goldman Hiway hiere. open- ing Thanksgiving Day, gives this city its Second house;in.opppsiiibn io th^ one-time Warner .Bros, mbhbpbly. It represents BUi Goldman^ first' .ni.ajor fling■ against really tbiigh .cprnpetish. To date the former.'WB .zoner has been .building ' vei;'y^ cautiously;.. .aCr quiring houses- for the .most p Srnallcr ■ ..cbhvmunities; and:" staying away fi-pirii'^ the ceiiler of the ring. . 'r Ph i ladel ph ia. Nov. 23.. .. Novvs theatre;.:latest - link /in'.; Wil- liam Goldn\ah cii-cuit, bpehbd Nov. 20. . Midrcity..spQt;: will, cxh.ib .newst reels;'\;siiortSi. March :of Time.V carr ■t.boii.v .ti^'ayelog.s'-.and. .science'-;i5.ix in. bne-hoqr shows, continuous from 10 a. . CrOldttvuV ' formerly ' :.h6adcd Warner chui'ii here, 'r iy-. \ , The Stuarts Have K :.]■■ v.V-';'.:.Hollywobd,.Nov, 30;.. •: Pa.ramou iit has assigned Stuart Palmer. '' to write an ; original' for: Stuart Walker. \ly ..•: C ■•. ' ;;;■.; '; ; Harold Hurley . wil| . produce:, the ye.t:untitled: .feature, ';.'.' '' FINAL HEARMG ON RKO REORG SET FOR DEC. 21 : Pinal . hearing" on .the proposed RKO reorganization plan has been set for Dec. ; 21 by. Federal Judge "William Bbndy at which time bp^ pbn'ents to the plan, if any, must show, cause why it should not be approved. The judge last week di- rected that creditors or; stbpk'hold- ers who desire: to: withdraw their consents- or to enter protests' must do so ba or before Dec. 16. ' .'/-At. a hearing last: \vreek attorneys for the Atlas Corp, proponents, of the briginial plan, with the approval bf Rockefeller Center; agreed to ac- cept the plan's offer . of 460,000 shares of new common stock instead of ■ 500,000 shares in " settlemeht .of their claim. The attorneys alsb. rec- ommended that stockhplders; instead of general creditors have prior right to subscribe to the new stock issues. Intent on erous Precedent ■.:'-: Philadelphia, Nov. 30. . Suit against four major producers and the Warner-circuit to force them to reduce .the .clearance ptbtectioh now accorded his WB-owrjed - bppb- sish was brought . by a smaU' indie exhibitpr . ' , FedbraV district \ court here Friday (26). Indie charges ex- changes and WB with ^conibinirig -.in restraint of -trade, ih. giving :hiS;;cpm>; petiSh a 28-day clearance byervhim* He :9laimS this .' prbtectioh ." • exces- sive and; if hbt imihbdiately 'reduced .with drive him put of business-. ■ : r Ekhib; is Mel .Roft^p Amuse; \COi; W operates thP eoOr seat barbyv theatre, : . ..Suburban Philly.l:. :;Oppositibn- ' is the- Parker theatre, a blPck :aiway. Injunc-tion is sought agaihs,t RKO, Universal, - 2ath- Fox,.. Unitbd A : Wari?er Brbs, Circuit :Managem.ent:'Corpi and War-, ner Bros, Theatres, inc. .. In a brief filed by his atorriey, Moiris 3Vexler,. exhib. admits he. lias signed contracts granting the 28-day cleai:ance tp the pairkei*., But he now contends this is; unfair arid excessive,; :and:asks the court' to. invalidate the agreement undier the Sherman-anti- trust acti. so that his- house can play pix one 'week attkr the Parker.:.: Brief states that by: the time films reach thb. Darby and; other .small in- die houses they are so 'piitiiipded' that exhibs must put on double feat- ures bi: games to attrabt patrons. Darby repeats all Parker runs on the, majors.. . Gets first ..runs 'iil territpVy only on indie piirbductl . Pro- ducers concerned are neutral in the right it being entirely immaterral tb them when the lDarby plays their pix. They are willing to adjust clearance if Warners, will let them out-of the corner, '■>'■'>.>■■■ ... ' Warners claim Koff's 15c admish and fact he has games in his ho.use necessitate - present clearance;. ai*- rangement. Exhib, however^: says.he has been after the circuit for twb years to raise their prices so he could raise his, maintaining present nickel differential.. He cited that levy was tilted .recently at his behest; He also pointed - out: numerous other indie houses in. similar cpmpetitiye sitiia- tions which aire getting normal seven-day clearance* -.' -Newirk.- Trust Suit . iQuemos ; Theatre Co. oi New Jer- sey filed a $3,250,iD0b;- damage; suit against major prpducer-distribu.tor companies yesterday (Tues.) . in fedr eral; • cbiiirt. :at; N^^ .char.gingf liipribpoly; .' distribution of. .filrhs-. Action brought under.;prbV.isibn.s .of Sherman ^ailti-trUstv: act and;;Ciayton act named Warner ...Brbs., 20th-Fpx, iparamo.unV.Vnited ArtlstSf'y^^ Columbia.. Loew, ;Grand. 'Nalibnal and other ; .distributors; 'supplyi.iig •product ill .Ilia t area: Although some_ exhibitors in the Philadelphia territory may have been under the impression that the suit instituted -by Paramount duiring the recent ; pliaydate strike Was . being, dropped; as. result of the settlement reached there, Par has. np -intehtion of forgetting about the - actipn. Suit involves: fop many issues' of a danger- ous ; character to be dropped, it is pbihted out; . '[ :':.'". '..v. . : 0n appeal ~at present before thfe Circuit Court of Appeals, a decision may be handed dowii within a week. Should it be an adver.se ruling, jPar Will attempt \ .appeal: to the .Supreme Court in. order to safeguard. . against, what ai:i^ regarded dangerous; precedents. ;. '\ - The suit is bf impbrtance--not Pnly to Par . but: to the, entire indu-stry sit\Ce,' if the. decision Of the Ibwer court were upheld, the way is clearly opened. to ^estab^: :h■ment . Of similar precedents- in other- parts, pf the country..at any; time. ' Aside: frPm the fact that all of the boycotting:: Philadelphia exhibitors have not: yet signed: up. with :.Par, followirig the peace pact,; the de-r ciisibn in ' the par: suit, as npw stand- ing, virtually gives exhibitors . the' right to . combine, in PhiladelphiaV . •} in Other " parts of the .country. / ; ;Par has; no'quarrels with'bihibitors WhP engaged' in the thr^^^^^ . boycott, . including those Who haven't negotiated v Jcontractis as. yet Its determinatipn pnx the- siiit:' ; mbre- .With ; a view ^tb. protecting itself 'ligaihst: the possibility: bf dangerbus precedent. Par executives feel that the adverse- decisipn' of the lower courts was npt reached on. the facts nor through any familiarity With picr ture contracts and film selling. . ■ Defendants; ' the suit are the Unit .1 Motion Picture Thea^^ ers of Philadelphia, iO; of its officers, 13. other indies and 15 operating companies. '."'; '■■ -> . ^v Plaintiff charges trouble in'gel.tmg. first :;-and secoii'd- ruh- ..pictm shoWrrig- . arid, that' defendants .con-' spired .-to .-prevent- the- cbiTij)^^ other independent exhibitors in . that section from .securing pr;6duct... :-., Quemos jast .year'tbp.k the ■M(j.s<'i.uc. Newark, runder a :10rypar: .icaise -;i'rid has siricb lost.pbs-session :b.r the hou-sd* b.e.cause'-of alleged inability: product; Myron •:Robin.spiv.'; fbi:moi'. Philly ExKibs Peeved; . < Philadelphia, Nov. 30 Aithough they feel the Pariamount strike is. over and thejir'ye wbri; a vic- tbry,. ;eihibs ; here-: are resentfill; at learning that the compan/is gbing to press the; Suit it started, a-^ainst them liast July. • ■. ;'. -".; ■ , Most member's of United Mbtion. Picture Theatrb Owners, which con- ducted the date and. buying boycott, were;: of the impression that the §bl- tlenient with: Par i.ncluded an ' ijree- ^nverit that;,, all .litigatiPn;; would ;bfi dropped. / - y But William A, Schnad.er,; par's counsel here, tbld . Variety: 'We are absblu^teiy hot - going to drbp\ the suit-btpught. against the exhibitors;" The suit fs going to be pushed: to the limit There was no undcr.s'ahding whatspever ih the final settlement that the • court fight would be; dropped. "We. are going tp cbritiriue bur' attempt to obtain an' iiij unction to restrain the exhibitors from com- bining in restraint, of trade. Although he didn't sit.in with Par execs on the final settlement, cyen Dave Barrist, chairman of the UPMTO 'War Board' believed the terms included an understanding that liticatibn.-would be discontinued. Leweri Pi?:or, UMPTO prez, cbn- rif rhcd. ; yesterday,-. hpwever; that there was no such agreement. Otto Krauisc,. assf.staht to Ben Colder, ,UMpTp :cOunsel.( .. 'was; also under ■ the; impression, that the legal end - of the boycbtt .wiis to^^^ H6 sa id G6i,dor's; olticc. cbtvtcrnp]atqd no further actlori.-;- ", .. • .'..';. v - : -'Info r.mt?d. of; this, • Schna dcr .'.1>a id; ^tJ^ifQ^•t'llfU)•lely, it's, rjot up to them, whelhei;. ().iv:nat''lh(iy''Il take any .f ur- ther aclioi.v.- They're (the ;dcfendahts ill; tSisv'suit :.aiui tbcy'il h^'vo :;l6 ap- ncai -' •■ ■' ';■ -' '■''. : ' "RKO. executive, -was prcsidefit or Iho Mb.sque company, ^v' ^■.•.' ' , Complaint claims the foliowiitg damages .were .siiistaihed; ' LpSs o'f ;:prbfits thea.tre^ eiairhed:'dunng- the. year;- .$'5(),p.00.'.' ' ■.libss' pf .hnpney invented, itic'l.u<ii.M-£,' .;;- All UiyiPTO oaic'ial :declared, 'As far ' iwc'rc iibnccvrnotJ :the o:ycy. ,ai.\d; wc won. a splendid, .victory:. Par<irn()un t .-h;i.s- : nothih.i; to f{«iih and CTO^thinx^- to ' I'pSif;■ VI (7.ih e Court pt Al)|5Qa!.S;:-:i.iph()'ids^ op-iiiioh. Iht'y will-ha v'e a: d.bOblc "dc.-: -1 cat'starnj u, . IhoiYi'-i|j the. facej-and -wi.11 ii't ye- tiio cxhiljitViirs a 'powerful- clUl'y to.:hnUI fiyoK th'.'ii).' ■ ■' ' ■■-.:;-' ;.: UPll PT.p ; cx'.Qc;;; .saw V" Par's^ :pi>n? prey.eht ,^exhibitbrs from organ in the future, but; they feel Par will lose - much more in gopd 'will than ■ it wilt gain if -it continues.' 'going af- ter' its .'cuSto'rhers.' -y/ r; Defendants in the^^Uit ar'^uiyiPTb^ < 10 of its bfficcrs, 13; Other, indie ex- hibs and 15 house operating -coni- panics. - Nanipd in the. bill of /com-: .plaint, J>ut£offiLjisL^ pthei-; leaders iit various parts of thie country. They include all ih ).'e -who attended the rneeting at the Hotel. Carltbri , in Washington, J line 29 tb get the; str ike undcr way, - .'. . ,. Par.:brought. the suit;July 30 be- fore .Judge OJiyci- B. :biekinson in -Federal d.istrict court.,; . It asked a -.tempprary ;in j unction : to :stcm .. off pi'ckptihg • - w h j c h:: UMP'TO ; had skedded to start on Aug..2, Injuncr tiort was granted, but following fur- ther . argument;: Judge. DickinsPn. threw the-whole case out bn;Sept 8, .elairnirig lack of. JuL-isdicti'on'.^^;. .On - Sept, 15. eircuit- Court of Appeals gran ted Pa r the r ight- to: appeal the lowfbr^v court.-Case '. ^was. .argued-O.ct^-ti and has been-,pending since. .:; -■ -;:: .--. -.-'r ':' Goldwyh-Kprda^ .(Gontihued - from page 3); bbihg :arraiTgPd . through ■ Lawrbnce: Stbrn. .& Cb.Jrbf . Chicago;-.: W : did financirig for ;jBalabah^ &; Kafz, and:: who. . would .handle . for. ' thbm. - To bolster this theory'i^ understanding that they have a group pf indie pro- ducers a:nd directors: whb are deSirr ous^bf' cbming. into such a Setup, with- financing by; the company. . Butli Sides Hedging"' : ;That , Alexander .: Korda-Sainuel Gbldwyh pabt rnay. not be finalized.; .Both side.-ar'p.'-reported, hedging. . .:' Also, new elements..may enter the ; picture for control of United Artists should'-ihe pact be; rescinded'.. .;;Thi5? rtcw'Rrpup might include Dr. A; H. Giannini, who would .step Out if. and when' ' the present; / korda-Goldwyn agrbement is jRnalizod. If Doc Giari-■■ hin I' steps put ; and the KPrda-GoId- wy.n ;pact; stands; Murray Sii^^^ wPiild become prexy. - ; There is ' .(sharehbldcrs'' meeting slated today. (Wed.) :.br tomorrpw . (Thurs,),. haying .been ppstponed a cbupl.e bf times, now; It is ;pp.ssibl(B that/bci Giannini. may have;the op-; pprtuhity -, then: to^idbclaro . himself.; Aisp,■ it may .be;known then wether , the pact stands pr hbt. ' . ; , ; ■ ■ ' ; ■ it. the .present, piact sitan the partners ■;ai'e';conf.i:ontcd riouS.. prbblerh of ': woirkiiig;, c',ii)ital. It is understood that; Korda and Goldwyn have their individual plans afoot to cbnquer ,this item, ; ; .■:.::/'', Prpbleins . The; principal problems cbiifroht- ing the partners . (1)- raising Wbrkihg: capital; (2]» taxes; (3) prod- uct supply, ■;;.' .;,. • It is held questionable Whether Korda and;. Goldwyn, between., the twb, can furni-ih sufficient product tb meet the overhead bbii^ations under that $10,000;o66 pact. ' ;;.■ -. , -' .• ? ; ta wyerS are not y ci ready to b fTer ah 'ppiriion (jri: whether that deal can- escape taxci^ here ior rin; England, or Whcther;--the deal - will entail double taxes.".;- -:. ;'"'■;; .'y; ;■. The. ;que.sti,on .; of;- ^irpduc't ::'sii'pi)ly,; sufficient, fb .ijnng in ihcbmc to;coyer 'obligations on tailed, by -the. dc'al. ' niade-acute by; tiic immi^^ uce'bf;:Dayc Se'l:«;nick. •:-Po.s.sib]y;-;s Selznick^ha.s-vStiij; t.w(j niiris to deiiver ■to ;IJ;yA:.; t.he,partners ;jTii;'{)-it.get, iyy\ t"h(i~1rhjt yean,:burTihereal!to:i; :it-'s". a- sc;ribui> .:pirbljlcn); ' '.;; ';,-" - .' Obt.airiing;' afid;itip.trfil ... -pro'thicprs /niijht' cntiiil fi'na'iidii,:^; i.(p6ii.;Ui(!;;i'art :of-:lLfv-:A:^a(i.d-.^tiiat:'b^riiti^ tipn dirice ;.mp!-c -ol lAAiiyUxivi,':iii\(.yi\g\\, .Woi'lti.ng ('•;lpil;il.. - ■.'.- -"• ;■;; Dearina's ,Choir Backup isliiri.s; fbr '.'bfjerating:;-expeh!5cS, ':$50,- ooo; -. . •■•■;■ .;.■■;'■■^\'. ;. . •; ■■ ^ : :Iiainagi;s' .'|>y reason of- lo.s.s bf the. lease atld' fho .i-i^;ht.s therpUncI6!•; $ 1;-, n.'j.oOf).. ■■. V. \.' : Vi.L'una -•H:)y.v i:ii--)n\ iKH'.' :'!.ii' :• -'ir ihrou:!h :'l|io::.rotii.i''l,iy.- hM'.-i ;l)('cir I. -i;- .(Mcd: |(^;; l')rov.itlo..-lxvrl^^ ..f()i.'.' QiVi Vf rjiiii;'3.'Mn'd Abtn'il .Mii'^iici' .poainih .l>i.n-bi(v.starrer, y .. :^ ; - Oi'','- Varisj iii-<t .Sirti.-l.;iy -.('2B V ^it Uif :Eii)S.'An^olc.s Philhjirmoijic. ;• 3 '