Variety (Jun 1938)

Wednesday, June 1, 1938 PICTURES VARIETY Muzak Stricdy Musical And No Theatrkal or Radio Angles, Waddill Catchings Explains ■ Muzak (wired radio) will remain ripiarily a system of furnishing canned music for homes, cafes, res- , ., according to present plans. Recently acquired by War- ner Bros.; there will be no expansion via ^ arner theatres, or any other. So states Waddill Catchings, active head before and since the W^ take- over. Qn question'of the switch of "own- ership to Warners, Catchings says the Oovernmeni: favored; the sale .of Muzak to a firm dealing' in enfertain- itient. North American Utilities of Ohio was permitted to control up to conclusion of the experimental stage. Little value for theatres Is. seen in the usS of the wire-canned, music. Problem of making it financially available to masses (also see no big coin future in class consumption as at present) is being'worked on. At present it costs $25 monthly in homes due -to use of individual telephone vires as against original plan of us- ing utility wires or already occupied ' telephone wires as with original ex- periments in Cleveland four years 'ego. On possi ilities of national ex- pansion and commerciailizihg Its product Muzak is yery vague. Noth- ing will be done outside New: York until it's perfected locally and some arrangement made whereby cost is ithin reach of larger numbers. ittle or no likelihood of advertise ing commercials to homes is seen. That branch would be li ited to stores, using music with inter ittent commercial announcements. Present setup will not be alterefd to include dramatization or variety type ^recordings despite the WB tie- VP and . its resources. Will remain strictly musical. However, a greater selection is aspired to with dial sys- teni of tuning in choice of several • type% as against present method of predetermined selection. Cleveland trials were on dial basis since North American used its own wires, and thus afforded opportunity for change • of programs with a flnger-flick. Catchings says there is no real 'contract with the American.Federa- tion of Musicians. Ticket in force is with the New York local only but was never signed by the union after Muzak signatured. Not considered necessary since Muzak had and is . already observing everything de • manded in the contract and has al- ways refused to replace live musi cians of go into a spot wliich could accommodate same. This angle riiay partly account for attitude of Muzak on theatre e.\pansion. Just a Softy Hollywood, May 31. The face that stopped 10,000 punches in the ring is too sym- pathetic to suit Hollywood' di- rectors. That , was the reason given at Universal for not casting Maxie Rpsenbloom in a tough miig role in 'Walls of San Quentin.' EXPLAINS THE NEELYBILL TO FM. j.F.Gilleltal Metro kt CartMn Directdr Hollywood, May 31. Btr.-ton F. Gilletr, former Hearst ' syndicate cartoonist) has been ap- pointed cartoon director at Metro. For the last five years he had been with Wall Disiiey. Studio recently signed Milt Gross as st,ory head of the cartoon unit, ofter Harry Her.<:hficld settled his con- tract and went back to New York. Washington, May 31 The Senate's passage of the Neely bill is imderstood to have surprised even President Roosevelt, who is known to be sympathetic towards the nim industry, and cognizant of its aches and pains. Although confirmation is imob- tainable, it's understood that F, D. R mentioned, his surprise at passage of the Neely measure during the recent White.- House visit of Joseph M, Schenck, chairman of the board of 20th Century-Fox. Schenck- spent about two hours with the President recently. Schenck, It is understood, discussed the evils to the trade at large, in herent in the provisions of the Neely measure arid, among other matters, discussed the slump iii b.o. grosses and the rising cost of production, in all of which the President is reported having shown great interest. Schenck, it is said, had explained that the Neely bill, far from aiding the business, Would cause it uiitold damage and contribute to unemploy- ment, a b.o. sUimp and a decided skid on operations. Smaller producers might find it impossible to continue under the Neely bill, and small cir cuits miglit be forced out of business, Hollywood, May 31. Unmarried love angle, approved in script by the Hays offlce, is given as the. reason for the delayed release of Metro's 'Seven Seas,' ready since April 1. Studio officials decreed against its showing while the Neely bill was up for consideration by Congress TITANIC TRAGEDY TO BE DONE BY SELZNICK DIVES FOR PIX Jobs Wi tildes Theatre Chains Alone May Be Hit Under Federal Wages-Hours BE Which Looks Certain to Go Through After ing rind- Par, Warners Tutor Tyros on Lot—iBill Grady's Slant GRADS KEPT BUSY Hollywood, May 31. Despite slashing of studio payrolls, and weeding out ot dead timber in recent months, talent departments have remained 'virtually untouched by the swinging axe. They stand out as one bright spot on ah other-; wise somber horizon when producers look back over series of weak pic- tures, falling b.o, and general pub- ic apathy. Actually in some cases the talent directors have been, given more monetary leeway and allowed to hypo their departments. Latest example is at Warners where Frank Beckwith, talent direc- tor, has been given enough coin to construct a complete, legit little the-r atre with ail appurtenances for use of the stock school. Theatre will be ready for use within a week. As one talent, director put it, 'There are two things studios must have, depression or not-r-they are stories and people to play in them.' Riesult is talent schools have Come under more critical eyes and stock players been, looked upon with more sympathy in the past few months than in many years. The majors have more stock school plaj'ers be fore cameras than in a decade. The means by which they got there differ widely, however. In general there appear to be three divisions of thought in breakiiig iii new faces for camera work. Falling into the first category are the stock schools of Paramount and Warners. Each has a definite group of young players being trained in the fundamentals of picture work The emphasis on certain courses is (Continued on page 32) Wanger's Farley Biog Hollywood, May 31. plion on the film rights to the uiograpl'.y ot Postmaster Csncral James A. Farley has been brought by alter Wanger. American ma?- av.ine paid $12.'i.000 for the publish- i'>S riRhls to the life story, to ap- pear in serial form this fall. Several producers had bbsn didc- eiin'j! for the lilm ri hts during tli? P.ij'l two rauMllis. Hollywood, May 31 'Titanic,' based on one of the sea's greatest tragedie."!, is being rushed into production by David O. Selz- nick for late summer rele?ise. Pic-, ture has passed through the research stage and will be turned over to the writers this week. Release outlet will not be decided until Selznick has reached a definite understanding with United Artists. His pre.sent commitments to that company will be-fulfilled with the completion of 'The Young in Heart' and "Made for Each Other.' Harmon Back on B'way Sidney Harmon, who just com- pleted a term a.s a.ssociat'e producer at Paramount, will remain on the Coajt for one month before return- ing to New York legit. lie plans to line up a Hollywood ca.st for .<ilinw '(joins My Way,* to be produced on roacluay nc.-ct fall. Ain't the Type Hollywood, May 31. 'Prince' Mike Romanoff, cast by 20th-Fox . to play himself in 'Ellis Island,' kicked because it made him look like a phoney. Now he& replaced by Gregory RatofT because the studio did not think he looked phoney enough to play himself, PARBRISTLING WITH23P1X IN WORK Hollywood, May 31. With the start of 'Paris Honey- rhoon' today (Tuesday),' Paramount has a total of 23 pictures in the shooting^ editing or final stages of production. Still in the shooting stage are 'Give Me a Sailor/ 'Men With Wings,' 'Spawn of the North,' 'If I Were King,' 'Artists and Models Abiroad,' 'Bulldog Drummond in' Africa' and The Return of the Fox.' Seven features, are .in various phases of editing. First to be re- leased will be 'You and Me.' Aimed for midsummer release are "Tropic Holiday,' 'The Texans,' 'Prison Farm' and 'Booloo.' Finishing touches are being put on 'Professor Beware,' 'Pride of the West' and 'Sing You Sinners.' . Getting ready for June production are 'Zaza,' "The Arkansas Traveler,' 'Campus' Confessions,' 'Sons of the Legion,' "Touchdown, Ar ' and 'The Mysterious Rider.' 'Letty Lynton Victors Don t Think $587,000 Award Vs. Metro Enough The $387,000 which Gordon Auchincloss special master, recom- mended to N. Y. Federal Judge John C. Knox be paid to Edward Sheldon and Mrs. Margaret Ayer Barnes, as the net profit on Metro's picture, 'Letty Lynton,' which was declared by the court to have been pirated from the authors' play, 'Dishonored Lady,' is much too small. In fact the amount is just peanuts to them. Mrs. Barnes and Sheldon so informed the court last week , in a long petition giving their reasons why they be- lieve the amount .set by the special master was inadequate and based on estimates of production costs which they claim are far from right. Auchincloss was named by .Judge Knox following his awarding of judgment in favor ot the authors and against Metro Pictures Corp., lioew's. Inc., and the Culver Exporting Co., the latter the foreign distributing sub.sid of Metro. The court had directed the special master to de- termine the net profits n^ade on the picture to which the Uvo plaintiffs | were entitled. Mrs. Barne.i and Sheldon figure the : picture grossed at least $2,000,000 j and the profits after all c.^cpcnses, should be considerably hicjhcr than I the amount decided upon by the' special master. In their piote.st petilion to the court, the aUlhorN m'll otily specilic- ally object to distribiilin.i; Qxpcnse.i , being c!iai-;;ed to M<7M I'lt-'lurcs' Corp., instc:id of the disti ibulin? oul- j fit (Avhy tlii.s piolr'st !■; not made, rlcari. but l!i"y s(nijv.lc ai the pay- ment of siilarii-s to J.nn Cra-.vtpr ,, and Robert Montgomery, stars ot the picture, for idle time they put in during the production of the fllm. The two Protestants list the following production items; declaring the amounts charged to overhead for each and on which the special master based his findings as exhorbitant and beyond all reason. Departmental, editorial, cutting, stock talent scenario, lighting deparlr mcht, publicity, musicians, construc- tion supervision, studio, legal, me- dicinal, city, county and state taxes, miscellaneous unclassified -expenses, rejected continuity charges, song.';, home office, experimental work, sal- aries of unijscd or idle artists, prop- erly department, mechanical, art de- partment, sound department, auto and trucking department, executive department and depreciation. The special master had (l.ted the produc- tion cost at $317,075. The petitioners contend Auchin- closs had reached his final figure by using 45 pictures as a basis for ar- riving at costs ot di.slribution instead ot CO pictures which the corporation produced for the year. Frankli 'Chips' In Hollywood, May 31. Sidney Franklin is due back fioin New York tomorrow (Wednesday) for conferences with Metro .■;lufiio head.-;, on his he.xt directorial job. "Goodbye Mr. Chips.' Piclure. -.slarrifii; R.)hi;i t D'inaf.' v.-ill be Uliiicd j'd nifl. ii i'-i of stiirt uiidv •idod. Washington, May 31. Federal regulation ot wages and hours looks certain, with Ibng-argued Black-Connery-Norton bill now in conference and Administration's Congressional chieftains cracking the whip to iron but disagreements be- fore adjournment. Fight over dif- feretitiols in both pay and workuig tirne for southerners is the - chief problem, but probably will be .solved by granting li ited cohcessi ns. Aside from making sure that em- ployment of child actors is not barred,, the House last week passed the bill withoiit any material alter- ations of interest to the lilni business. In latest form, the escalator previa sions will force producers arid dis- tributors to shorten hours and raise wage's of lowest-paid help. Effect on exhibitors is problematical, since re- tailing is oiitside the pale, but theatr chains are regarded as almost cer- tain to be considered 'in conimevce,' and hence subject to government po- licing. The 'Shirley Temple Amendmenr The 'Shirley Temple Amendment* was adopted without fuss except for a couple of jibes—later deleted from the transcript of debate—at Repre- sentative Charles Kramer, the .self- designated legislative defender of the film business. House Labor Com- mittee accepted the clause which .>ays child labor ban docs not hit kids in theatrical and film production after Representative Donald OTooIe, New York Democrat, ribbed the An- geleno about voting to kill the legis- lation last December. What the filial version of the b^ll will look like is a complete mystcryl With the southerners yelping about: destructive effect on their Industrici of uniform working standards, fore- casts' are impossible. The draft aj)'- provcd by the House by a margin of better than 3-1, third complete re- writing job' in: a . year, provides tor gradual , hour-shortening and pay boosts until a $10 per week envelope would be. minimum pay at the end of three years. Starting from, 2.')C level, wages would rise 5c annually until the 40c base is reached in tli9 fourth year, while workweek would be sliced from 44 to 42 to 40 in yearly reductions. $250,000 IM Sait Vs. WincheU et Al; Louise Henry's {6,G00 Walter WincheU has been nt.i'eii in a $250,000 libel suit in N. Y. su- preme court by Marjorie French 7,arb-Mizzi, siste/ in-law ot Jol< Jacob Astor, it was learned Thurs- day (26), when Justice Cotillo gi-ant- ed a motion directing the columnist and co-defendants, N. Y. Daily Mir- ror, Inc., and King Fodtuic.*: tn iul init to examination before trial. Plaintiff complains V/inchell ri i- culed her and injured her rep in hia column of May 3, 19.')7, when ha v.'rote "Marjie French. . jolm .Tacb Aster's .^is-in-law, and .1. ,Wil!:in vv'll marry in a month, lie was n'cii- lioncd in her divorce fi'iin Krii. Zarbmizzi, whoc/er In i.s." WincheU states that in the e\ (if libel suits, per hi.-; cjnlraot. !!'« 1 irror and the syndicate solely responsible: not he, IiOuisc Henry, w o has ^).^•>M in 'licliircs since ISSl, wr.s iiw:ri -| -I :i ;'i()000 jmlKment list-wool: by .iiii-y 'lefore N. Y. supreme cnnrl Ju -.'"m f'crdin.'incl Pjcnin in a libri .5^-:'.•n l)roti':ht .i';ainst th • N. Y. I'o.-l. SI' h;irl sued for $.")0U.OOI). The con 1 n- orvcd (lo(.'i.';ion r> the P.).". '■; yi-o"-'^ '.0 s'^t ns'dn Ihe ver('lcl as r-"'' '> o. Henry rf!ni)'-.ir.;-..'d !'• • i'-wsnannr .subsiilu'ed li"r pi^ilo in irc.l for |V'->l,r:.T-I'l'-" II -ii' v '""' "r fdrinertinn with H"." 111! " " tiralion from her hu;bjiij.