Variety (Feb 1938)

Wednesday, VARiETY : : Back of the $16q,006 .4 pi lis. • ihj unction, V accounting an4 the •usuat .relie£(a tionjs, • btowght ;t(j^ Larry -Danpour; indi^: film .produceir; : aigiaihst iioth; Century-Fox Film Corp; is a fine point; of; theatrical law;': salt hinges .o.ri V Ziith's:. receht^^^^r ;■.'Second ■Hoheynibdn.V . Darmour alleges that .'the 1930,rriease>o£ a film titlM Second . Hpheymoori' (prpduced by Continehtal Talking^ Pictures-CorpJ of ;which; he- was an. officer , arid,di- rector) is : being infringed "xipon, justice .Peter Schmuck in Ni Y. Su- preme court today (Wednesday) will ..Jiear \ihe:/Arguments; adcept b ~atfdTTrp:bab"lyTreserve'niBicm^ .'usual manner. f.' ■ ' '■ •' •■ . . While Mrs been .long established ; that: none xan, copyight;.; the English ; language, it's. something, else? again 'When:.the; element of unfair .trade cprripetition- arises.- In this •ihstahcp^ Darmour' dharges that 2pth's. iisage, 'OV- the sarhe> title, ;'.Sedphd Hohey- ' hiobn/ .depi:ives. him p ^tjhe quiet and ' .^peaceful enjpymerit' of ihis. previous venture.. \ ■: Darmpur's aliegations that .Ituby- M. Ay res' original: stbry^ first lishcd ..and copyrighted. ■ . England irl 1918; and ..published.: in America . in 1922,' are exterisiyiely attacked by : Edwin Pi: Kilrbe, Vt.tprney fpir 2pth^ , Fox,. and' Julian .T.V Abeles,: special cPpyright^p'OunseV .fpr the. film:; com- .jiahy?;which makes^m ■ ;pf ' tHe;- -facti^.thait:the, /necessary : • *simultah.ebu$ copyright.V in England and' America . has;, .been, violated, fhrpUgh. legal, technicality.: . - '' , FurthBrmor.e< .from trade ■ iview- . ppiht, a flock .pit- afEidavits. by Wil-; iia'rh . C. M Franklyn ^jUrider- WPpd.-: eastern story editpr .for 2PtH; Charles E. McCarthyj . Ligiph ,^ son,, copyright- attorhey;, Stiyros P. Slcouras/: Dan: Michalove, Leon Net- Meiv Clayton' Bond,. John ; D. Clark, .Jacob : Sichelmari; > Miltoh Rpssfeld.: tort Cox, Wilfred. J. Eadie,; et al. set forth .that: the 193^^ 'Second: Honey/: . iyidoti' film .was;; allegedly • a .quickie; that^it £[6t $10 tp: $25 per day rentals; ■. that several impoftant theatre bbok- \ \ rs -either .never heard of the Cbh-' -7-tinental "T('Darnrour)HpT6duct^^ or ; iiever. played it; that yABiETY's:; - view,; submitted in evidence, in Jan. 14, 1931, . issue, dismissed the; film .lightly.-, as only gpPd for the second . half pf dualerSV etc. . :^-rr-Gonipti;ollei^^1y:ilfred--^^ '' .2pth-Fox,. elaborates;, that .'Honey rnoPrt': cost 20thrFpx Film $432,168.79 . in; negative cPst; .plus $4,266 in roy aities fpr use of recording apparatuis; plus $708.15 for dupe negative;- plus $85,000 additipnal fpr .positive; ■ prints:, etc/. / DiriectPr pf advertising and: publicityi./Charles E, McCarthy, ' supplernents that with figures that the •advertising accessories bri this :ieim' cost 20th-Fpx $n,943.95, and , that assistant; newspaper; ;and. trade .paper advertisihg .came to $30,00)5. -: - or $47,943.95,in. all. V' • While story; editor UhderWbPd f or ■ 20th-Fo3c ;paid . Philip Wylie /$5,000 :^ .for. his Red Book-'mag stpry, rfrom Whence:thei :"film was made, the Ruby . M. Ayres rijghts..went for -.50 ppunds ^ or !$25p. ;Annexed table also ppints L-lip -soriie , figures . on pther; screen - right vaiiieis,'. as culled fi^om ..the afti; ■' -:-daVits;:: ■ ^ 'r .(Paid Ijy Fox or 2.0th-Fox Filvi) 'The . Man Who Came, : : V - Bacli' (silent and . : sburtd)::;.. ,. ; . .^1^,750 : ^Seventh Heaven' (silent;: • ; and sound) ; . 20(),00Q: •'Li^htnin* .' (silent; ; and.. • V - : -? sound) . .,.-, '. . -r 156,500 'The Fool' (silent only) 150,000 'Return of Peter "Grimm' . (silent and sound).., 130.000 'The Music Master' . :' : (silent, only) ......:..... 120,000; _JIs-Zat-Sp?i_(silent-arid- Judy GarlaridV 25c Tap For Autographs in N. 0. . ■: New Orleans, Feb. 1. Judy: Garlarid made autograph hounds - come acrpss with 25c each for heiv signature when. she .was be- : scigcd at ' reception at City Hal hei- hbnpr. She collected $102,25' .which she - turned oyer to the local ; committee- Pf -11116^ d^ for an in- fantile paralysis ; fouhdation, .in cp- :operali;on with President Rposevelt ..'; At breakfast in her honor given by "Jimmy Briant, Metro . jnanagct" and Walter: Dunn, M-G praiser, for scribes, she also made: the press, gang dish out a, quarter a head for the foundation. This Was one time the press, gang had to pay fpr a meal to which they had been invited. sibund) :.....,.•. . .iiPO.pOO 'Cavalcade' (silient ; arid . sound) :;v..".. ;,\ .: lOOjOOO 'Les Crbis■::-de.; Bois' :.--;..:,; - :CWobderi Crosses') ■ . : .; (silent .arid sound); •: 'A .Cpnnecticut Yankee.' \; > .-; at k i n g Ahhur's • Court' -: (stl^rif"..- and ■ ' sound) . . ... . .; V,.;V:. 76,600 'Daddy.t Long Legs' ^ : : (silent.and sound);.; . 70,()00 'Rebec.c^: Pf Sunnybrpok . ; Farm* ( s i l.e rit- and .sound) . . . .i>.:. . . 67,500 ; 'Tess.: o f. t h e Storrit . ' ■ 'Country'-, (silent and-.: sound) . v., .. 62,500; Sorfie Past -Years' Buys; - " . (Noi 20th Century-Fox) ■. ; 'Rbom Service' i.; . . .$255,000; 'You Can't ' Take , It . ; wiUi;Ybii' ..;..... ...-. 225,000 ♦star Wagoa^..... ., 100,000 •Exeursjpn' ..; i, v,. . A.. lOO^OOP .'Having Won d e r f u 1' . Tinie': ..,..;;,85,000 Search for New^ Bipod Cost Majors $5,25O,06d in '36 —Talent DepU. Pruned '- :''-pr.. Droppedv- MEAGRE RETURNS f • HollywoPd, Feb, 1. Effieiency.'lids,'shippe.d ill to t.b^^^ by Wall sfreeters to" plug leaks in studio treais.uries, .have drawn th^ curtain pn- the golden era Pf talen t PAR, M-G TALKS London, Jan. 26. Alex Korda. Was .shy: on nggotia- tions lor release piitside^'Uriited: Art- ists when the press boys'grilled-hini oh his •'return f rom the ;y. S. Ad- riiiitted discussipns in New York, but refused comment as to whether Para- mount arid Metro were the interested U,A. deal is. riiever likely tp come up again,- he said, but his; relations .With the cPmpany remairi''as.;is-^for th^ present, anyway. ■ : Korda headed the boys off with a production . program pf. 15 pictures at Denham this; year, at an aggregate cost of nearly $10,000,000; for which he. avers finance; is all set. Three or four will be in TcchnicPlPr, arid.thc prpgrarii includes -The; Fpur .Feath ers,' 'Lawrence of .Arabia,'; 'Bicycle for Two,' 'Kind's Messenger' (by R C. Sheriff, with aivEmpirp .Airways li^ackgrpund)v a:Russian Baliet^s in cplpV, and . Robert iSherWopd musical, prbbably . ,w^th;^.m bj Irving Berlin. . ■;;-■:,:,.;':■;; Warners* 0Qpd Deed "';-■; ; : " Hollywood,- Feb. 1. Janet . Kay : Chapman, ■ 5, v/as handed a. termer ..by Warners studio execs after 'they viewed^ the ' first da3^'s";i-ushes pfi.- -liittle - Lady Luck.' YPungsler, called - to Director John ■iFar.roW! '.: attention; by, . a pal who knew the family's ^circumstarices,' is making debut. f --;;-'•■'- . .Her' la ther . : .j obi ess' ■ and her ■ mbthei" ciilicaUy ill.. Pact provides [bivsiarting salary ' of $10.0:-\vcekli;; Cline Rolls Penner ' -■; .-:;; / Hollywood, Feb. 1. .PJCO; has ■ bbrVowcd Edward ■ Gline from:. Pririeipal ■- tp: ■ di^ec.t: 'Rbllirig Stones.' which features Joe Periher. Ciinef- has ah-eady checked in >a studio for confabs with Paul ;yawit? and Bert Garnet, who are doing the script!: ' • . N. Y. Censors' scouting. . picture, industry's, erst-f while army of transcontinental and trans-Atlantic '; cushion-riders .'. lias been- pruried to the ''■ cprie/. arid ..those fortunate :e.n.bugh to contiriue on the; payroll are operatirig under tiiShtly- budgeted . • arid clPsely-scarined - ex- pense sheets; arid witii d.efiriite oi*ders tb produce actual' oame. ;pbssibilities, or else. ^ - ■ - Will Hays'\aririual:. report - pn^^^ the, accorhplishments of the Motion. Pic- ture Producers and Distributors of ' America last March, in which he -re- vealed that the; search for new faces ■ had cost the majbr companies; total of $5,250,000 during 1936, caused'the; eyes of the flnaricial group to pop. It was months before , nprmal. vision was restored to the shel^el:dolerTOUt'- ei^Si but when thipy were finished seeing ;red they' set into motioh. the survey , that: :resulted in the .figiira live slaughter of more ;than^80^o 6t the talent tourik arriiy. lHit,; toi3. -was persbrinei of New Vork,-X arid Hbllywood talerit,;testing- bureaus, as well as trainirigvschools -ma inside studio >yalls. ' ,-. , y^hile the fprthcbminig Hays state rii6rit,'rco.Yering the 1937; perib,d, will show ohiy.a slight/decline ;frbm the figures ;.pf; the previous 12 mbhths,; indications are that the/ amourit for 1938 ^yill hit the lowest point.in thie iistPry. ; of the . business. ■. "This, is due to the fact that the real scissor-: ing -did riot get under- way-until last December, but once started..it gained momentum'at-cyclorii e^Vpaoev-Ani at the, savings already effected, cx- ecutiyes of the celluloid plants are. wondering why they never th.b^^ of it themselves. In the past talent.-rscputirig has heen_tops^on_thil4ist^oi_siudicuJj.ei- partmcntal'. wastrels," results;:never having come anywhere near. balanc- ing the tremendous., dollar outgo. "Talker moguls are as eager for new screen phizzes as .they ever have been, but frprn now ori :thcy intend to reach but for quality rather than quantity. * Metro Cuts the Least . Metro stands ■p;ut ih the.'van .of jts rivals 'in apprppnations for player siearching. andi: while it is doing- less slashing/ than .any of the: othcrs,^^^ also : i's :withdrawin.!; :frpm ~tJie field pf the Uhkriowri arid untried. Besides the staff Working: under its talent de- partment chief .Bill Grady, scouring riiteries,-little theatX'es,::radlo station and ; the. Broadway : lag it .houses, Metrb- .maintains. a! sooarate grand opera divisipri under Mary Garden, while .-.'Lou-is . /p.; ■ Mayei', ; pe'r'sbnally looks 'em pver on his Manhattan, arid European; tbiirsi ; On; his ^ recent Eu rpisean: vacation studio clvief - pa.sscd but cbritracts/tb-'iOi aHVof them puf- stariding artisl.s in their, .native lands. '.. While Metro's, trackless train-test- ing studio, which' h-is tra-vcrsed;'tliio U. 'S. arid Canada for' seveirai.'.years has .'neyer: paid out from, the .purely talentTroundup.;a.ng]c.;-:it - is a money maker frorii th" s.tandpoi.ht- [at >xiilpi - tation. .and fb;r; that ;rcai;oh/will cpn- -tinue\fo'r a Avhilc-ibn.^er; / /.■ :. -.• - - .Parariiqurit -has f'eeted. iis -talent sear'ching.;for'ce tb;: fp'iii'r'pei'sb.n ;Pf .therri \vbrkihg-/6u> of the.'studio arid.- • twice . ..yearly - taking/; aj;'-saving, ar'^Urtd thfe'cbl 1 pTe/ a nr) shou'cas'e:the-, atre circle, w.itlr s.topovci's-- ", New York and ' Chicain to insnoct; t.he nitery, radio arid ■'legi';. li.-<ts.- Com- nanY ;hc;s clit from five: and six tests daily, tp .one or two. the blUk ot these -:.;-(Gpritlnucd pn pase 25) : Honie GrbWn Hollywood, Feb. 1. ; Metro execs apparently iu'e • of ia: riiirid that -hidden talent runs, rampant among : the./sUi-; ;;.dio^s st^ribs; When Ppte /Smith. and DaVe .Gould sent out calls for dancers and lopkers, front : office ordered; -search of the premises. So far rip discov- eries, but every Underwood pburider-is having ^be — tb-'the/tape.-^^^^^ registered.. ■•:/":'-; ' •--'i-"■•;":;-"•.;■ .,•'-:/" "Two or -three players have made the grade trough the secr rPtarial stint at other plants'. Hollywood, Feb. 1, Universal studio executives are ex- pected to complete the balance ;pf their- 1937r38 prpduct befpre the. dosQ pf the prpductioii year in mid-. April, 'Three A's and six; B's are riow being reiadied foi* the cameras as ■ the final stint/urider' the -SS-p schedule. -i-v•■-"->.:■ ■:"/:: '■■ / 'The Rage of Paris/' which . wili haive Buddy £)e;.Sy}v'a as producer and marie the American debut of Danielle Darrieux, will get the starlr ing' signal. Feb/ 7..; . ' ■■■ Adolphe Menjpu ■ has;vi3.eeri inked by Universal for' a featured spot; :in^ John M Stahl's jnext/ prpdlictipn, tempprarily labeled 'A Letter of In- troductioh.' • Picture; Wiil have Ii-ene Dunne .as stars ., ;•; -: ..; ; Tb cash, in ■ pii Alice firady's ;peri formairice in 'In/Old Chicagb,-' Uni- versal/ has upped froriri $250,000 to $400^000 - its --budget- - biv-^Goodbye- Broadway,* which co-features . the actress with Charles Winninger. Pic-: ture had been before cameras for a week: when studio executives reached theiir decisiPn to splurge; >duc.ing/: ^ STAGE TOPS IN FILM ':--'- ..'■; Albany, Feb. 1, ;/ Tlie Board ,of Regents, at their next ./regular ; mie'etirig - !". Albany Feb. 11-12, are expected,- in the . new role as. reviewers of fllriis denied licenses by the State' Education De- iiartincnt's.Picttire'.piyiSipp, tp wat'chi the ■spi'eening. pf at least two;;feature:i•/ p which appeal.s hay ? been entered. These ..are 'Remdus,' French-made •• picture telling; a story', of. sex iriipo- tency and sex. frustration and 'Noc- turrib,' ' tale of prQstitqtiori and in- ;fideiity;v 'Reriipus- -./ titled 'Whirl-; . pbpl'■'■ .: the EngH^^ ■ftTitted/; to-the :Picture Division-:^Pr^' licensing. • ' . . Despite . .riewspape.t • stories: that -; •Birth of a Baby,' thetrohgly-eri- doi-ised film.Whose rejection .by Ed^^ catipn/^. .Comrivissioiier \ Frank ;P. Graves is believed to have been a: • factor • ih' /the ■ Regents' decision • tP \ take ,Pver. the rpvieWirig, assighriient frprn Dr. Graves in brder to saye; embairrassment, will be seen by the bbard, this is deemed very, unlikely. The Regents are siaid to halve: aU. ■ ready taken' a gander at 'Birth,*; prbc|uced by /Sarii Citrbn for the'. American Coririniittee on Maternal.;. Welfare, 535 Fifth. Avenue, N^w-v Yorki It bears the stamp pf approval, pC. Jdpzen-odd . influential medical, hospital arid nursing. associations, . Reviewed by; the -Picture piyisiori Pri : July 12, 1937, it drew thumbs - d 0 vy n- from Director. Irwin Esriiibnd two days later. . - ...■ ■: • : .:' Cprhmissibnet Graves uphold Es* mond Nov, 26, in- an ppiriipri which granted that the picture riiight have ^ 'value for .clinical purposes' but that ' itV 'preseritation, in. my bpiriion,.: to .; audi on CCS at places of public amuse- ment .is stopped by the education law.'; .A new appeal was made. to the Regents Dec. 31 by Dr. Philip F. Wiliiaitis,: assistant professor of ob-./ stetrics at :Uriiversity bf Pennsylfi : vani , and Dr. George Kosriiack, chairman: of the medical board of the New York Maternity Center Asso- ciation/ acting Pn behalf of the AGM W—■ Hollywood,. Feb. 1. Shoiild Metro, now in pPle posi- tion, win out in the bidding for film '. rights tp John Steinbeck's stage hit. 'Of Mice arid Men,' Waillace Fprd and' Broderlck Crawford will be brought to the Coast to portray the same roles they created on Broad- way, Norman Krasna would draw the producer assigriment, ;;/; While Warners/, is eager to grab off the play fpr James Cagney, Metro has tppped the offei-s of the Burbank ci\bWd. as 'well .as those of two bthcr, major stUdips. •/;■.. Warners' 27 Stars Hollywood. Feb. 1. Recent • Sr.'ltch ' The Regents on Jan. :8 .changed -:•/ ■ nu.lb .245' tp provide that they, or a cbriimittce of them, should handle •appealsV .instead .of. Dr. Graves. An '■ Tappeai-tPrihe-AppeUate-pivision^^ to the Court of. Appeals, on a split /dcci.sion by/the lower court,.can still be made from the rullrig of the Regents. ' The Brooklyn Legion of record opinion and. a^jalnst the new appeal for pubiic exhibition of 'Birth.' Producer and ;. cPmrnittee claim purpose bf the film .■ is/to educate arid enlighten prospec- tive parents..,: - :''-'-'- • ' Review application for 'Remous* was first made by Kurt. Laemmle ort /: Aug. 26, 1936; denied. Sept 11, with su.ngeslipns of chariges in sequences arid sentences,; to make/: picture;/ . licenseable, .Following eha^ applicatibh for review wais.inade by Arthur Mayer arid Joseoh ' B.urstyn, Paramount Building,. New York. With changes indicated,, picture was ;• .licensed .-Noy.-- 20,;'K^^^ :'Ma-yer, arid'- : B.iiiiot.yri, ;rocords : /'. / .file / at : the . <Kivication Department show, also ap- .V plied for: a license for En.'jlish ver- sifiii called;'.Whirlpbbl,','^.P . .si('in■Stated that a^.eyiev' showed the :- rE-n'j;J''?!iH •-";.'."... :.. contained • part* Vnlimino.te.d/in ;the VFrerirh:print, :Li- Warnprs star list V/as boosted - to. .' .cotise th.ereforb^deriied, Nb^ .1;^'^T. / 27 when studio. executives accorded CI a lined ..producer.: hid stip'iilated. .top;.billing' to. 'Hugh Herbert;/Wayne ' . when first liccri.sp :.was .granted th'at - ,Mprr)a'and, Ariita/'Louise,^! i,*.--- rvi chari.'jo'.s:; wbuld-^be- made> except currently'.workihg- in- .'(lipid 'D.iggcr.sY.elimi^'^^^ .-Stiiijge.sted, ^ /: ; . ;. ;- bf./.Paris/;' Morri.s. is awaitihg '.as.-Jigiiv j: :/Iri■■fprrni,..-the appeal.toJ.th.e 'Rbgenti.. hierit, and Miss • Loui.se is oh/lpaiV to'/ i>? • fr.bin/.'abtipn .of'/K Esmond Metro for 'Marie Antoinette.' ; - Studio's . featured player contiains . 77 names,: - .'Bess/Meredyth . has, checked Tri on the ■ Warner lot, bringing!, that com- pany'S active.;writer:, list, 'iip:/ to 60, She/.has .been , assigned tp devcl.ip a story- for'.'Kay Francis,:' BLii.-bank Studio now has 18'diroctorS ahd iii.x . :assoclate prpduccrs' under bonli-act. y i'n- re C.I I s.in.g'- a--1 icdrisp.. -In -rpal i ty,:. it is' rb.^lcpvJ.ia.ri.-'ai5iJeo-hirQrn' hi. ::ac.ttori in -. / in?.-- colli? 1-11 to charis^cf:,'- '■ Hays, St. John,; / ,Al).l'atn.spiV-.v'& .-•Schuln^.a'ri,; attorneys fO'- ■■appplj'ints, ' submit . that wnrld-/ lvidc>.::b^l'iib.it.iori; ..shoWs the '-film's Tricot/ -t/nvv- firrii al.^o/lnys stress on .. Si'i^.i/oii -/30/)/;pf; the- Ty'iff .taW/ of .: 4630.M'hidh.;.fprb,ids/critrjr .'■ /• ■ .(.Continued on page 27) : - ■