Variety (Jun 1938)

•TARIETV'B' MNDOIf OFnCB, S St, MMtln'n rii><», TfUfMlgar B«imra mTERNATIONAL NEWS CaM* Aildrvu: VARIRTT. LONDON TelvpUoaa Tauple Bnr MII-BMC G-B Talent Contest in England Exits After Vaude Unions Lodge Protests London, Bl£. talent spotting contest prgah- ired by Gaumont-Brltish in conjunc- tion with the British Broadcasting Corp. was called oft after protests, by Variety "Airtists Federation and other similar labor unions. .Unions are said to have been scared that contest would add to overcrowding oi profession., .Decision, meant immediate cancel- lation of public ruditions in ,120 the- atres throughout the Kingdom, with successful; local competitors going up for semi-finals at Ave, key spots, thence passing to the final at Domiri- ■ It theatre, London. ,The six ,events were, due to be aired by B.B.C. Ob- jective was spotting new talent suitr able for broadcasting, though G-B was prepared to offer stage deals to selected contestants. Aside from union protests, plan roused considerable controversy in picture business, exhlbs particularly opposing it on the ground it was re- diculous for a theatre.circuit to or- ganize such a 'racket' with the pur- pose of discovering radio talent;—one. Of the strongest forms of opposition theatres have to meet. 'MORNING'OK IN LONDON PREEM London, May, 30. , lorioua orning,*' a modern Bpiritu.al drama, which opened at the Duchess theatre Thursday (28), Utilizes Saint; John and sign of the cross citations. A dignified play, it was well received, but unlikely to ■ be a success! , At the Fortune theatre, 'Land of My Fathers,' which opened Satur day (28), is a formless play about unemployed Welsh miners. Seems unlikely to'take. Two plays were tried out Sunday (29), This Is -My Life' at the Phoeni , and 'Suomi| at the Cam- bridge. Neither is « serious can- didate, for success. Ken McLaglen Bankrupt London, May 24. Petition in bankruptcy has been filed by Kenneth McLaglen, brother of the HoUyvyood star, Y'ctor,, after Several unsuccessful ventures into film production. McLaglen has beeii featured in piic- tures -here. He's also been on the stage, earned his livelihood as a profcissional boxer and a tavern pperator; Sydney Paper Hits Anzac Pic Control By U. S. in Circuits' Advertismg War MEDIATION IN LONDON ROW 'SNOW WHITE' PLANNED FOR 60-MINUTE SHOW London, May 24, artin Sabine's imosa Produc- tions, Ltd., is producing RKO's 'Snow bite and the Seven Dwarfs' 'in per- son' for a stage production rimning 00 minutes, opening the Lewishani Hippodrome June 6. It's planned to extend the show to a full evetiing's entertainment. Adaptation is by Harold Simpson, with special music by Hans May. Bor ganny troupe has been engaged to ■play the midgets. There will be a ballel by Graham Payne, Paggy Rhys ill play Snow White and Bruce I'fax the prince. ookings have been arranged by ntcrnational Film Advisers, Ltd.. Current London Shows illi Dales When, Opened) 'I'l- WKIiout Te.irs." Crllci-i . Ml!. _''';*|»J"^o and STavgarol,' WyiiUliinna—Feb. Mr'iiisi^tn.7?itf>r.' Aliu'vch—.Tono, 2!t, (.;i',ir>k,' Ci.ilniv—.v'piir. jii. MT. •l:.ilpr.il ,, win-.' l-.lolin-.Nov. 'j:!. MT. >|.^_uinl My Olil," Vlclorlu IMlati!- '.Viin Sliarn.' r.illli>—.Tnn. Sa. rin r',iiiii..iy—j.-oii, HI. ms, lor a Iloslo ,' SI, .Sliiitiira-ltiinli , May 24, While both sides are ready to talk i the projecti strike situa- tion, conciliation move thus far is slowed up by desire of each party to have its o^yn Way. London section of Cinematograph Exhibi- tors' Assn. claims it will meet with the Electrical Trades Union through the preseht Joint Coiiciliati bard machinery,, conditional on .the men being able to return to work. Trades uhi ich never has recognized the conciliation board, was willing to perrnit this plan for settling the dispute but subsequent meetings of union members revealed thiait the E.T.U. wanted the exhibs' organiza- tion to be more conciliatory. Projectionists demanded guarantee that their union be officially recog- nized in advance and that there be no vlcti ization. They sought im- mediate talks on. a 48Thour week. Exhibitors might agree to discuss the 48-hour week, it is reported, be- cause it commits them to nothing, but they doubtlessly will combat recognition of the E.T.U., main point of current dispute. On victimizar tion demand, the exhibs are said to be committed to discrimination against strikers held guilty of sabo- tage in booths before they walked out. For exhibitors at the present time, the most dangerous part of the im- passe is that the city is now imder the jurisdiction of a pro-labor Lon- don County council, which it is said might lean towards the E.T.U. cause. Because the council is the licensing I authorit-y for most theatres cpn- : cerncd, exhibitors obviously must ] watch their step and see that the i .stalemate is not broken up agaiiiist them. Meantime. E.T.U. members are holding together more against re- turning to work, and National A.ssn. of Theatre Employees, members of which sta.ycd at their posts or re- placed strikers: is not presenting its former solid front. More powerful labor groups said to be supporting E.T.U. Exhi , Distrib Groups Pledge Peace After Dif- ferences to War on Pic- Lag — Talk of Rais- ing Fund to Aid Impetus PROBLEM PARLEYS London, May 24, Dawning on minds of responsible individuals in pictures is that some- thing must be done soon about lag of public interest in the screeti as its main source of entertainment. View is, in fact, rapidly superseding all current differences of opinion, be- tween exhibs and distribs. Never has the business here been so dull as at this time, which makes it tactically disastrous for both sides to put up a mutual hate act-^and they have suddenly tumbled to the fact. Result is all differences' have been patched up, grading issue, which pi-ecipitated flght, has been suspended by Kinematograph Rent- ers' Society (distribs), arid,hew se- ries of meetings with Cinematograph Exhibitors' Assn, was timed to begin .today. Offlcialiy, object of these talks will be to find agreement on basic issue of film hire, together with; allied problems, like doubling of Class A product in one program, and pver- long bills generally. What, however, is expected quickly to emerge is ne cessity for concerted action to stimu late public interest in the theatres, for which mo.yes have been aiming over several years. Scheme, for instance, was dis- cus.sed by C. E. A. at an annual- con- vention, , but members lost heart when , they realized each ight be expected to contribute to a propa- ganda fund. Now, it's believed ma- jor exhib interests: may be prepared to raise the' nucleus of a fund, but will expect other sections of the trade—,distribs- and producers — to contribute their share towards the general expenses. Pressure to this end is likely to be put upon K. R. S. representatives at their resunujd roundtable talks with C. E. A„ as it is widely appreciated agreements on film hire arid related subjects have little or no value if the box office continues to remain under the weather. C. E. A. president, Ken Nyman, is reported personally keen on such a vcnlmrc. and it is assumed major cir- cuits, like Gaumont-British, A.ssocl- ated Britisli and Odeon, would not lag in support of a national cam- paign. How to convince the.distribs ] and, through them, the producers, is the main question, though unofficial feelers already indicate these, sec- tions would not bo averse, to talking turkey on a general proposition. Me Would'na Pay London, May 20. It needed a Scot to discover, logical grounds for protesting against a proposal of Cinemato- graph Exhibitors Ass'n. to hold a monthly meeting of its. Gen- eral Council, in a conference chamber at the,Empire Exhibi- tion, Glasgow. If they decided to go through ..with it, grumbled a member of the Scottish branch, it meant the delegates would have to pay for admi -ion to the exhibition grounds in order to attend. COUNCIL'S AIDES SEEN AIRED Sydney. May 14. resenUllon ot writ ta Labor Daily by Dally Telegraph, clntm- In; $60,000 dfiin»ees, has brou;ht temporary hall to attacks on pic- ture Interests by the latter news- paper. Labor Dally came ta rescue of film Interests and took a- healthy slap at the Telegraph, resulting In Issuanre of writ. HARRY RICHMAN CLICKS AT palladium; LONDON London, May 24. Appointment, of Sir Frederick Whyte as chairman of the Films Council, under the new quota act, is considered a step towards re- vealing, to the industry who will be its controllers during the' 10-year life of the law. Oliver Stanley, head of the Board of . Trade, con- tinues to withhold additional info about the' composition of this im- portant body. He's not to be, blamed entirely, .it's held, because he has been ill and many individuals have, been reluctant to accept bids to serve on the council. The trade nominees, including four from exhibitors, two,each .from dis- Iributprs, producers and labor,, have long since been submitted to the board of trade. More or less corn- plete darknes.s„ however, surrounds, the 10 independent (outside of film biz) members to be named. Inner circles in the trade are said to think that members ot the old Advisory Committee under the 1927 Act, members of the Lord Moyne commission, whosfe work formed the basis of the hew (juola law, and Parliament members, who sat on. the committee shaping up .the final wording of the' set, will provide those indie nominees. Some who .served in one of these capacities al- ready have indicated they would not serve. Wliyle was selected apparently be- cause of his diplomatic and adminiii- trative experience. He was po- litical adviser to nationalist China in 1929-32. Before that, he was president of the legislative assembly ot Indiai U. S. Co. Resumes Paving Way to Japan Exports. End Film Embargo London, May 31. ; Harry Richman opened, at Palla- dium yesterday CO). He's doubling Mi Giro'.s, ith. Bar and E.-ile.s, and Si Marion and Madclaine Kailccn. ' .■\ll splendidly received. Cnpps also clicks at th F.m •■ ' At least one major U. S. company resumed regular shipment of pictures into Japan last week arid it i.s likely j that others will follow suit. Hays ot- , fice had nO word of any pact signed j with the Japanese government rcla- , live either to ban lifting on coin, ' tbrmely stymied in Japan, or the one against entrance of foreign pictures into that counlry. Consequently, the trade believes that individual pacts by different companies inay have been made or are being ne;;otialcd. For tactical rca,son.s, no menti ing iTiade of the Company volvod right now. ShipmcnLs by one i :ij!ir con,'ili- I luted tlic llrst regular batch of Hliiis I to go into Japan since last Septem- I bci-; Another company recently I pushed a ,couple of pictures' through j and may ship in others with the set- up apparently changed. American distributors had sent in about 2.'i0 features in the 12 montlis prior to ! japancse official government em- bargo afjainst foreign productions. Thou,i!h not revealed, thus far, il'.s understood that the removal Of the ban on pictures includes ban lift on collected On lilm rentals, but within Japan for several With the major circuits, includi Greater Union, Hoyts, Snider-Deari and Carrdll-Musgrpvc, dropping ad- vertising in the Daily Telegraph be- cause' of increase in rales, the hcw's- paper is starting to blast the picture business. Special articles have been running slapping U. S. interests for their alleged domination of the local film field. New advertisi te is about $4 per inch, agai $2 formerly charged. Telegraph men claim boost in rate is fair, because publicatiba has doubled its circulation. Hoyts has been singled put in lat- est blasts because of ^th-Fox finan- cial holdings in circuit. It's indi- cated, that somebody is tipping pfl the paper pn what' dirt to' sjiill. All the old argumentii about the 'Arrieri- can octopus,' bleedings of the Aus- tralian public and allegations that, the local industry is controlled from New York, have been revived, Greater Union, having no "Ameri- can fihance and being a strictly Aus- tralian .company, however, is being attacked with the explanation that better pictures for less can be ob- tai od in neighborhood theatres, thi hitting two city theatres here. Telegraph, in one story, sai 'They-get you coming and-going... Wall Street financiers control the majority of the important picture theatres in New Sputh Wales. They are squeezing the last, penny put p(, the independent theatre owner. They- are strangling the 100% Australian- owned -thejitre groups.Thcy are low- ering the standard of your motion picture entertainment, yet they are demanding higher prices for fil rental and public admi 'ion,..' The trade is ndering how much the Americans will stand before re- taliati Specific status is that U. S, pictures, are wanted today Jn Aus- tralia, no other country having been able to provide entertainment in the same cla.s.s as that from the U. S., according to box office return;;.. The British were given an oppor-: tunity to take some of the local trade away from Americans. An all-Brit- ish ch in has been tried, not only by Stuart F.- Doyle when he headed Greater Union,- but by others. In each instance their policy and plans failed, and a switch back to U. S.. films was made. Australian pictures, w/iat few there are, do not meun b.n. in ace .spots. This leaves the American pictures the .sole draw. To stop them would mean a nvajority of the theatre? throughout the Antipodes would be forced to shutter. If theatres should shut down on a big scale, thousand-S of Australians would be thrown out of work. Reprcsenlatives of major company foreign departments view the squab- ble with the Morning Telegraph, Sydney rieiVspaper. as purely a local fight. ost of them consider it some-^ thing that could be adequately hnn- dl(:d by officials of U, S. companies in Australia. 'BALALAIKA' FOR PARIS INANGLO-fRENCHDEAL London. May 23. Diiwnv Bo.-^Idi- . head of As.so- cialcfl Bnli.-fh 'rhcatres; Eric Masch- Avitz and Jack Davis :ivo just coni- pletcd (leal v,-ili,i inirice Lehmann, director of Hie Chalalcl, and Faycr, he;i<\ of ill'; M'ii;ador, to proc"-:':e 'Balalaik-i' ili Paris at the Mogc 'ori VVillianiclz i.-: already adapting! ij'iisic' wliieli is due lo be ('"• early in Soleriibcr. Deal wa.s si 'i-"- lurnc'l on the dciKisiliir.; of 2,000,0j fr.-iiir-;; by llio Ki enOliniL'il.