Variety (Feb 1938)

12 : X«l«'i»lMme Tcniplit. Uar 8041'S|I>I2 Now, Ibdlts like-Ameluca^ liere would do .aii abput-facie-oh . the qijeStion,;;oi\iiidiiig 1p;m^^ tion, It will be Recalled that seV^ra months t)ef<M:e ;the^l!few S6uth.::W^ qiibta Wais.airiendedi tp.n^^ able/ U.' S, •prpiduciiiigrdiistributing • comiDaiiies-furnfed 3; deaf ear. to prp-: posals. to aid pictm-e making .Hei-e.V; There ' no; chiahQ^ pf getting arouh4 Hhe wprd • 'acquir<! —it irieahs, buyr producei 'in Ny .South Wiales/^ el^e. : Consequentjy,; two : ; . :; three hidjor distrihutPrs. (IJ Sv) are :cpn- slderirig .: resurrecting.. - project \yhereby . tlifey; woulcl make pictures in cPniuhctiP.n With local studios qt)' ioasis of ■ (ipHar-for-dollar . fihanciiig.;. ; Latest, ip^ormatipn. is :.that ..pne ihpx-e major- firm^ .are going : a^^ ■with negotiations for production with the- Argossy production, unit... Idea would be. for; the- one.. two fea-^ ttu-esI needed fay ieaeh major disr tribut'or. ;nii^ht fae : handled through • epBnie.i pooling, arrahgenient';^ with either Argossy or aoy, other produc- tion unit capable offurn able facilities.- . ■ ' , GlatericjB - Badger,. .who came - oiiit' tar National and Columbia tp make •Rahgle :F£iver,' has: not done anpther picture,. Ai;gpssy has been trying tp iget started; fpr spmetinie but .itisiif- Hcierit. flhances always pirbVed' the stumbling block./: . Understariiding. here}is that if the U. S. home' pffides or; prpdacihg healds. bkay the; idea, techniciahs;- and possibly :pne; or twp^minpr .stjtfs may be brought here. fPr principal roles in the filnls. . [ Because ■ .pf the" guar- anteed sum that' must he; paid for. such Australian-made - pictures .by. distributprs, present ihclihatipn, is tp prpdiice them sufficiently strpng .tp secure ;i:eturns frbm shbwihgs.' outr • side of this^^-couijtry; CiheSpund:..;will contihue prpduc- Ingi .accpr.dihg .to .:Nprman B. ilydge, being , the :pnly .unit that'si. rdmaihed active despite earlier; Ibss. and ;withr out ; beneftt v Pfy quota. IVCpmple^^ * Tall-Tii t ib ers.^-^VCT&vand^ Lugg ie rs,' Kightc^ Old i^oy ■'^: ^Lpndprv Feb/2. .;;, ■ '■ Aiihrey Sniith, sighed by Her-, bert .Wilcox tovplay Sir Wiliiam Hamilton': in his fprthcoinrling ;TechhibplpJr prGductipn ;Pf 'Lady.; .Hahiiltpri,^ with Ahnsl N^agi.e a?. Lord ^jTelSon'iSi light p- :ioye, ^tip-■ II iated the contract: should - not ■ interfere with his'attehdaneevat the cricfcef games. Actbr, a great: rooter- fpr the Ejhglish hatipnal. piastimel. is .due. 'hei:"6 ;in April, ahd hppqs tb take ih;-the . -test matches' between Engliahd and Australia, /high-; ..ispptis. Pf the; cricketing M dar, and, has b^en v asisured by. cable firPm Wilcax .'.studio cdlls; wilt hpt debar hihi ^^ ing.--.';;';•■■/ ■■■/■•''.V-' : ■< and .'Brpken Melbdy.':, Now has pro ducti6h\under way: bh. 'Rofabery :Un- der Arms/ .. Technicians .ail .sot; for this /unit. lyith . chaiice that HolIy:r wood ; player^ may; be imported ;for new-ischeduie.; V-^;''v'•'■ RejpbHed ;ais6 that Universal will aid Charles Chauvel to. g6 ifresh start pn a ■prpductibh - planned ihpnths,His pictures have .been dis-. ti-ibuted :by:U iri the past. Cbmmoh- "Wealth Prbductions. ah indie, .has finished 'Typhoon Treasure,': while . New; 'Era. a Melbourne firrhi. has completed 'The: Avenger' and will do ahotheh .Natipnal. which; has not done anything, since .'Rangle Itiver,' is cbiinted on tp enter active, produc-; Ing sPori under the,: qtipta. Arthiir Loew is expected to spend some, fpu^ weieks in this' territory "When .he arrives ;iri April, Probably . will get first-hand khpwledge pf how Metra. will fit into, the ;prpductipn picture under N. ;Sputh Wales qupta end Pther. threatened q ubta; measures. Look . like a- big^year far ;lobal producers, .but- the exact ; situatioh :will be better; knovvn late;. in;March v/heh U: S. compahics must, revbal their pla'ns;ahd intentions under the qupta law, ,•: ;Iiondpri, Feb. 1.. . House, of ^^ L tekihg . the :ini tiative in a new. :eitterhpt .to regul^ite: Sunday opening bit; picture theatres: throughout the United . Kingdpm> Mbtipn hjis beeni tabled fpr: discus- sipn this w;eek; l It urges geneiral Sunday;;shbws, be legalized thrpughT put the. six.-winter nSbnths, With; an amendmient to apply such a law tb the entire;year.;..;; ■■■■.".vv- ;'■■•■ .;;■•;./-■ .; .Under existing law- local iuthbrir ti^s are emp.bwered to permit or- re- fuse iacilities in their -owh / areas, hVi t '?t\^ y a ftfir a • ^ umbersom^ process of testing;; public;jopiiiibn. by means of ..a '' baUpty . ih.^. cpnsequehce, maiiy irregularities exist ^ Wherbby halls in one district remain dark over Suh- day$/while others ; wthin - a mile; or two are permitted,to open. Extreme cases are khpwn. whei-e; houses pii phe side pf-\ a ;street ; nniay ;;bpeh but^ thpse ph the - bppbsite.: sidfe/must.. re- main clps'ed.' : -•:;■--: . . Further :ifregularity ; exists ;;vhder the system whereby; Sunday, shows are. permitted, i'f 'a :per,cehtag6 of the box-office receipts be given to char- ily^ ; In thfe- London area ialpne the iet fixed by Londph CpUnty,:;CoUhcil $500,000 ;each .year .as ain ' aggr-e- gate, minimunVr each theatre's cqrjtrji;. biitioir being decided by the; ;Ciner, matograph Exh ibitprs'; Assri..;;;.. Some districts are mpre.-fprturiate, oiily a ; hoitiihal: percentage being requ i red.;' But at BrightPn the: exhibs; complain that,/.although they former- ly enjoyed. Sundaiy facilitit^s; free.; of. ailvpenalties,' passing' bf ;the Sunday Entertainments Aet. in 1932 inspired Ihe Town Gouricil to demand a fee of; $25,000 per anhum from; tlie comr biried- takings of . all ' the theatres 'there \ Ih; N^w Yprk yesterday (Tueisdn y) Ijt was ;'indiGated by severai Tniajor . cPmp;ahies that thiey might wait:until after; 20th-Fpx outliries. its plans \in^ ^er the; nev^:;;N.;;Sputh Wales qubt^; ' befpre. making /any... mpves tbvvard prpductipn in. Australia,.; Dbcisipn pf this ;diist'i"ibutp;r prpbabiy will figure in. plans bf ;severai 'majprs since 20th Fpx ,;rei)resentatives ' are familiar with; Aussie cpnditibhs:ah a definite .repprt on latest develpp riients shprtly. Such repprt pii ;thte; New Sbuth Wales situatien>will be fbrthcpming frpm Clay Hake, aide tp W. J. Hutch- ihspn. Hake .sailed frbni the, Cpast : last-week 'to/size;up-the-;ou^^ suggest :aligriment ;6n production in Sydney either by Australian prpdUc eris or U. S. units. . Wilcox to Neagle Lady HamSton ; . - Londpn, Feb.: 2. ; Herbert --WiiGe?c / ahhbuhces Lady Harniltbn j)s.;the ijiext character tb be tackled - by Anna " Neagle,^ in a screen yei'siprt pf the romance with; Lord Nelson. Aims to do the pic- ture, ..■ Technicolor, incPrpbrating. spectacular sequehces such, as; the. Napoleonic wars and battle ; of Trafalgar. Script is b.y. eharles de Grahdcourt and Miles .Malleson, who ' did the 'Victoria the' Great' job; ahd has al- ready/rbdeiyed; the okay of the Hays office.;. . . .'...;..: .■' First shooting diate is April 13^ With , Wilcok. direicting. m iergarten; Rdlinp'S MEX PIC . Holly wood. Feb, 8.. . .' Gilbert Rblarid is off for Mexico City to top 'native cast in picture to be made by Aztec Films, 'scheduled for a March IS Start. Cpncern V is now dickering for Movita, currently doing nnmie role in Monogram's 'Rose of the Rio Grande,* for the femme lead. / ;■'; •..-,; London, Feb. 2; Jack. Taylpr, one bf . the biggest prbvihcial -revue producersi Who has been staging mamnibth .revues at the Opera House, Blabkpbpl, fpr'the last four years, has Issued a writ /against the;/Blackpool; Tpwer W den Corp. claimihg $250,000 damages ''■ Taylbr,:"was QU§ted.,:thisjyear, .:Aviti^ the ■ company- producing its own show, and he/claims h^ has ,a con- tract , Which is binding, providing each yearls; grosses. db .nbt fall bielbw the ; preceding yeiv.; To date/ he clAims to have lived up to ..his ;con-; tract." . ■■.;■;'.■.■ ".';■■•■:■■.■,.'■;.■■••'/ :Meiln\yh lie, V Taylor- ha.?.; leased th^ Hippodronie, Blackpool,; With a lih^ up comprising Sandy Powell, Doug- las Wakefield and stooges, Nat Gb- riellja and his/ Georgians, .Norman Evans, the MunrPe Brbthers,. Karihia, :Vadio arid Hertz, 'Three Jowers and Anton Dolin. and a troupe of 34 gals. • Buenos Aires, Feb. 2. . .; Frantic battle • resulted last. week ill.; Buenbs/Aires.'when/the .ibcal prPr ductiori, '^re§ A^ eh Paris* ClThree, Arigehtiries ; I^aris.'), Was baniieid :;frbm ;;th.e Mbnumerttai"the;- atre■ -by;; Senator: Mattias Sanbhez Sprphdp, president biE the National. Cultural: Board. " ;/; ./■. .:'.; • .: In a letter to the Secretary: bf Jus- :tice: /and Public Instructibh;.; Dr. Jpi-ge de ia, Torre,; Senatbr Sorpndo stated; that the film which had been released/ a <ew- days before, was in- sulting to legitimate Argentine; na- tional feelings. Secretary upheld the senator's appeal and Dr. Soron- do, accompanied by. the direptor Of the ; Argentirie ; Filrn Institute, . Dr: Carlos Pessario, called on the chief of-the police -and i the-chief ; p£ t^ crimihai. investigation ,depa^ Policemen went to .. the / Monu-: mental and • demanded the • reels, this was flatly refused by the- pro-; prietbrs of the cinema. Dr. Enrique Susi ■ chairman of the .boar(1; of ^iii^to^s^pf^I^am^rtbr^^i^msrthe^cbmr pany .which produced the pic, de-: mahded to see .the. search; .warrarit signed by a judge. Police then ;with- drew and the; .pic; was shown twice to packed. houses. Atteni pis w ere theh rriade to. shut- er the theatre, but no special mu- nicipal- order; fpr the clbsihg cpuld; 36 pbtained., Publicity attached ;tp the; i 11 cideijt drew, large' crpwds. tb the cinema.; Detachment pf pplice was kept; irt the neighbbrhppd pf the Mpniimental .during the evening in readiness to close dbWh the place ahd/prphibit ; the- ..performance at a moment's notice.. But nothing fur- ther happiened until Sunday (30), when police tried / tb; .barricade the entrance of tlie cinema. Result was that only few. dpzen people could secretly get in and; see the pic. Maur agement; of the MPnumental then gave' ;Shp\vs;-with the dpprS pf the cinema 'thrpwn wide epen; and with Ipudspfeakers. installed in the bal- cony, for the benefit bf passersby. Who collected.' round the entrances until they were ordered to move on by the police. ^ : :" Dn Susini then cbuntered. by hririgihg ;criiT)ihal actipris against Dr. Sanchez Sprondp and General Vaccarezza, chief pf thjBv ; pplice. whom lie accuse;d pf abuise, pf au- thprily. -; Affair, -was/; settled; yester- day ;(1X when erders : Were ,: issued ■that;the picture ceUld be: showh,;but that, . the- title;, had; to. be. changed, Picture wi/1 run under; the title 'Tres Ahciadqs eh Paris'- I'Three Janimed in- Paris/), ' • Angle■ of / ihe .affair; Is. .that/.Dr.^ Serobdo, ;whp nixed the p^icture,- had praised it 10 tJays before . when ;it had been shown at the Luniiton of- fices.-•-/'■./ ;■ ■; •;'■ • ■•' . ;■; /' / ;'■ /-'■ Metro'$ Extehsive William Melniker, head of 'Loew- Metro foreign theatre;. departnierit.; planes for .Sab. ..Paulo,; Bi^azil,; next Saturday . (12) ;to pqrfeet; details ori opening of new |30.0^,00p. picture the- atre there March 15. .The new Metro thb'atr.e-, is'. l,50Qvseater. • -; Melriikcr,. ■will; stop eff . ■;;.. San. . Juan,;; Puerto Ricbr^vwhere .MG /so^ cori- struction pn.' 'new l,2p0-seat thea- trb./'; ■'•"■.;; •■ •.^;; / V • ./• ;■ • New; cinema hp.use in-Bombay./In-^ dJa,/ pirpbabiy ■ Wi.U;/bp opened the; middle of May,;.arid Meiriili.er plans going;. there., if; schedule -; permits. .The; Metro theatre, in Bombay/.Will be mianaged by: Ben.iGbhen, pi^esently hbusie manager at the College, New Haven, Cohen ' heads for; .his ..new post:March 2, ' ; /.•' ..;•.'-. > ';..;- . Paris,; Feb; 1. /Tunision;; censors" have vetoed the .slibw.iiig ot. 'Lies, Honimes sans Nbm' -i(;Namere.ss-Men-) ,-:Frrench/vcK the Fbreign Legibri^ in Tunis. ; ^ Pic ■met with agreemeht: ;iri Casa- blanca arid . is' being 'shown in that part • bf French • colonies in Africa, however; -'- ■ ; ' v-;' ■ -/•. The Hague, Feb. 1. Dutch Board bf Censors banned 33 feature.s, one short, one trailer and phe-newsrecl during 1937. Of the 33 ni.ved features, 21 were of American origin. .. '■;■■■ ;V-;/■;/;• .;•■;; . . . .Number of banned pictures is about the iame as in i936r ■.; ■■'■■••r; . - . . Londori, -Jan./2iG, . ; With theatre and. exhibitor -. terests plotting combined discussion of broadcast competition,; George Black hais .■scotphed; the >vhole cam- paign : before• ';it '; ■starts.: Just; an- nounced he has ready-/an lirider- .standing; with the .:British-;:Broad* , casting Corp. regardirig relays -frbm stages of: theatres; under': his; control. As Black is responsible for the di- rection ' Of the ; London. - Paliadium, HplbPrn; Empire; .arid key variety theatres on the biggest cham jn the U.k.,; broadcast- .authbrities ;haye all they ■ warit • without •a single squawfc - . ;Exhibitors, -fpUpwirig;the/ severe knock they received / night/ of, the Royal Commahd/;Performarice . an subsequerit extensive broadcasts with topline bills frphi .Gaumont./State/and other/; theati-es; had agreed; ambrig themselves to disregard; offers from B,B;C. for hookups. West End legit managers haye: not ;been so faist, a regular; weekly . broadcast feature being : excerpts from curi-eht. play hits, which shows np signs of /abating. - Purpose bf / combined parleys is supposed to be art aigreemerit- by all .affected; interests Whereby ./ they would jointly' spurn all- B.B.Ci bver-- tures, so that in no case would thea- tre business be threatened by broad- casts from bther theatre.s. ,But Black holding the biggest ;eritert,aiiimerit; ;circuit put ,of Which agreement^ the whole plan falls fiat and stubborn- ness by allied theatre groups will only: amount to spiting themselves. /'M«janWhile, ,. Black; has already cbme to terms with B.B-C. regarding a series pf six. brbadcasts frpm the "Stage 'pf the HplbPrn Empire, in which variety stars will dp service ever the air.. He claims the pub- licity value bf such tieUpis:far overr tops .any :dpubtful siackeninjg'bf busi- ness during 'the actual' tran.smissipn: it Davka to U. S.; P.A.'s with Own Fix ": Budapest; Jari; 31. ;; Margit Dayka, star of the . Hun-: gariari-rivade 'Bride of Tprotzkb;' has been :Sighed;for;a p.a. tour of Amer- ican; hoUses with; foreign film. .poli- cies. Stage appeirances; wiil \accpm- pahyj.sci:eenirigs.of .;her bwiV pictur^^ //Miss Dayka Will be abroad fpr several ;Weeks and is the secbrid^ H gariah film ;actress to maike./such - a :toUr. /Irene: ;A.i3ai recently guested .at the; RIodern Playhpuse, N. Y. ■.■/■/- '•• : Hollywood, Feb. 8. StcVe/'Szekeiy iahd; his wife,. Irene Agai, Hungarian film director and actress,' respectively,' arrived here after tburing with their Hungarian film;, 'Help, I Inheriteil/ : Pair- hope to make picture deal •here.-' - ■.■,'•/■ /:;/: . ; ■ /;' • Londori, Fcb;-li ' West.End theatre interests are sudr- denly ' waking to; the; fabt they ar ' a,llowing business - to slip through. /; their fingers and letting their opip.o- ;■ si'tibn/ get' away.;'Wi;th'"lt;';.SIm.U.l.tahe-..' : ous probes have been started by the- .r; atre managers on three.sUbjepts; they think :call for .a check: . lirbadcasts •_;'-..' from their, stages,: doubling by; stars; / who do fiini wbrk by day arid; stage work by night, and the 'privilege ' ticket* system. ; - -■;/.'./''; .; • ;'/ :.: ; First item was the; subject.: of a v joint conference, last night',; Whea . West End and provincial legit inter- ,. ests, together with exhibitbr and dis- ;, tributpr joterests,;/4icus5ed^4^ blow 'isuffered by all ' through ; the broadcast - of the Rbyal Command •; variety; program last fall and through picking up of ;top-iine variety bills by ^ . British Br.badcasting; Cbrp; Np fin.^!il:' ' / coriclhSibn:Was. reached: bodies;b^ / pledged to. meet again,;; But /it '\ '\\. : felt an agreem'eht niay be reached ; . among ;all bri lirriits ; permis^^^ hooking lip shows ; to th?' national network,/ :further pbssibility- beiiig ; B.B.C. will step down in respect bf future Royal Cbmriiand . shows .con-:; ditipnally oil theatre interests; -club-;. / ^ bing. together ..with donation tb Va- / >- riety Artists' Benevolent FUnd, which would at least ;be equivalen't of a ; :. hrbadcastirig fee4^5,()00 last: tim;e.;^^^ :; . Studio and; stage doublings discusf ; sions were provoked by-the brder;is;- ' / sued by H. M.: Tenhent, Ltd., to per- / formers in 'Robert's Wife' at the '. Globe arid 'George and Margaret' at. ;■ Wyndham's, that filming would;not; be permitted tb: artists appearing in: •■: these shows.. -View is :that pjayers,;- after spending the day; at fi 1 m stu- dios, are;, nibt;; fresh for .their stage'' parts in the evenihg. Other manage- ments are/|oinihg in/discussions 'to/:- .• consider the pbissibility of general ; - preventive action. .; Many players .exjiress /qualified agreement, but It ; is held unlikely any watertight; rule can possibly bcrenforced; • :; ■ ■ ^ ./ ■ '' :Pr.ivilege-, ticket system istarted . ;. here four years ago when West/End theatre business was -pretty low. / /;; Started by Victor Payne ■: and C.: Egertpn Killick, scheme i'S; to enroll members frorii the public at.; Annual: subscripUpn of ;iS2c. Su erjs would be ;ehtitled to •tWp-forTbrie.. ; , tickets at theatres cobiierating.; Thea- ': tres .then pay 10% to the ticket reg- ister. ;-. •' - .\ •• •;.;;-' .. • ■;■'-/ v./;: //. ■ •It:'is. claimed 100,000 theatregoers • are on the;iist and that;;buSine.ss suf- ;fers at houses off the. •register, diie; to the public waiting fpr shows to becoriie available at tWorfor- -.;;.; terms.' . Already' several /manage- ments are setting notice bh, boards ;: ;■ outside their theatres that the. shows; ; Will at no.time 'be. available vat two^; fbr-pne rates. Object; pf current talks is tb/plan further restrictive / action.. '■' ■/;:; ' /: ; ;Represen.titives: of the "Theatrical : / Managers Assn., the Society of West End "Theatre,Managers, the Assn.- 6t Touring and • Producing.' .Managers, . ■ Entertainments Protectipri, P.rpvinr cial Entertaiinment Proprietors, ;.. Managers Assn., the Assn. of Reper-; ' ' tory Theatres, Cinematograph Ex- ; hibitors Assn. and Kinematograph Renters Society, attended the: meet- ing last week. ■;;-■ .':•'■■ George Black, head of General / Theatres; Cbrp.,. which gives the arir ;-• nual Royal Command. Performarice ■ : at the Palladium, and who respon- / sible for; the broadcasting of-vaude- vilie acts from the Holbprn.EhiPAr^ was' riot preisent. ; •'- WR Plans Await Quota Settlemieiii, Ash .■/ ' London, Feb. 8. X: Trving Asher is back from the / U. but has indicated that Warher- First Na:tional production .plans >; : Avbuld not be set until the final fbnn ; pf the new quota is known, ,/ . / ;. ;■ :> Tentatively outlined propbsition wbuld be io . brinig over ohe bi- 't\yo American stars/fbr-work in Tedding- :, ton productions. Idea would be/that the: l>resehce of .U. S. - favprite -in a,';'. British-made; film . would tend to. heighten its bpx office possibilitie."?. / iri :;Annierica and outside of United /; Kingdom. At the sam? time it would /: serve to introduce English actbrs lb Vank and wbrld audiences. '