Variety (Jul 1938)

12 •T»R1ETT*S' T.«Nr6S OVFIfK. « SI.' MHrOn'K I'jHrr. Tn«falKUr SMUur* IMTORMAtldKAL NEWS Cmbta Adtlrf'Mt TARIRTT, IONDOU Trl«ph<iB« Trniple BNr M41-a04t ' Kilroe of 20th-Fox Leads Move To Revise the U. S. Copyright Because of strong, senliment that the Berne Gonventipn on Copyright is not as effective as it should be, and In order to prepare a plan ol iininca- tion for universal copyright without prejudice, fllms. radio, music and the publishing trade, as well as others, are cooperating in a study otj the situation. Leading spirit in the move- ment is Attorney Edwin P. Kilroe, copyright lawyer and e.\pert for 20th Century-Fox. First meeting for thi.« purpose was held Thursday H), with a" the groups represented, at the LoeW Me- morial Library. Columbia University. The session was under auspices of the American National Committee oh International Co-o{)eratioh, of which Edith Ware is secretary. . • This organization ■ meeting was Etrictly for general discussions. Included amohe the film industry representatives were Kilroe, Gabriel L. H.es.s, general attorney for the Hays Office, and Robert W. Perkins, counsel for Warners'; These three form a sub-conimittee under Perkins. It was decided at the nieeting that representatives all industries who ■were in attendance should formulate suggestions for new copyright legis- lation to Prof. James T. Shptwell, Co- lumbia University authority, for analysis, and that lirtiire meetings shall be called by Prot. Shotwell. Kilroe, chief copyright expert of the film trade,, is also chairman of the Hays office copyright committee Others on this committee are James S. Polk, Paramount; D. O. Decker, Lioew's; Adolph Schimel, Universal; Robert J. Danri. RKO; Harold S. Bareford, Warners'; Benjamin.' Pep- per, United Artists; arid Irving Mo- ross, Columbia. All are attorneys. Additional to the film group; tho.se attending the meeting at Columbia University were: Miss Luise Sillcbx and John Elliott, Authors League of America; Michael J. Flynn, Wage , Earners Protective Association; John W. Paine, general manager, and Attorney . Herman Finkelstein, American Society of Composers, Authors & -Publishers Frederic G. Meicher, chairman copy- right committee,. Book Publishers Bureau; George Lucas ' and Marvin Pierce, chairman of copyright conri- mittee. Book Publishers Association (magazines); Sydney M. Kaye, Na- tional Association of Broadcasters; Robert C. Binkley and Richard Man- ning, scholarship, A copyright convention called for Brussels in 1940 makes it impera- tive that American creative forces consummate some action this winter. In order to be prepared for the pos- sibility of joining the Berne conven- tion. The biggest disparity i« the fact that the lives of copyrights abroad exceed the 28 yiears (plus 28 more years' renewal) in the U; S. Thus, works that are in the public domain 5n America are royally-protected abroad. Thus. also, any new revi- sion that might extend the lite of a copyright could thrpw some 5.000,- 000 works, now in th.; public domain, into the royalty classification,, ac- cording to Kilroe's estimate. On the other hand, the Berne copy- right union has certain advantages. Authors of all classes have urged joining, but the major hurdle now Is this bothersome clause: 'The ex tent of protection as well as the means of redress secured by the au thor to safeguard his rights shall be governed exclusively by the,laws of the country where prolectibn is claimed,' Today, with Hitlcri.^m alone as one factor, it's obvious whitl non 'Aryans' of other nations could ex pect in Auslro-Gcermnny. The Americans will uiKc an .\inmis takable clause that would brook no discrimination on any racial, re liglous other groundf, once the U. S. conforms to an inteinaliorial copyright Irculy 61 such ywecpinu scope. Univ. Honors Gheon Quebec, July 12. Henri Gheon, French draiYiatist who authored 'Le Myslere de la Messe,'. was given a doctorate letters from Laval University here last week. In recognition of his cohlribulion towards a better undet.standing of religious principles thrpuijli his play. Anglo Tax Lift Loses; Simon Probes Situation London, July Some action on the entertainment tax was hinted at by Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon when House of Commons was debating the Finance Bill. Minister is dissatisfied with present methods, and has un- dertaken to study situation, particu- larly on flesh shows.- .He was.con- vinced, the.-tax was not one which should automatically continue Ifom year to year, and he was agreeable to any effective action which rtiight assist the theatre. A. P: Herbert moved the tax should terminate this year, flaying the tax on receipts without reference to profit or' loss. Remission woiild save many shows, which would have to clcse at a loss after state toll had been levied. Simon's assurance satisfied Her- bert, but motion, deemed to satisfy labor opposition, was defeated, Ipl- 115. ROWLAND TO MAKE 6 SPANISH PDtRKO DEAL Production activity in the east this coming season will include .s)x Spanish films to be. made by Wil- liam Rowland, who has dosed a fcohtract with RRO for release in the foreign market." Rowland Will budget his pictures at $100,000 to $150,000 each and starts production Aug. 10 in Astoria, L. I., where all will be made. Deal for RKO release was closed with Phil Reisman, foreign head of the company, after Reisnrian had madi; a personal survey of the Span- ish market. Magyar hoduction Up After Many Months of Sb^ Aussie Loop Asks Diyidend Cut; 1 Slices West's, Ltd., Sydney, June 25. a unit, of Greater SOCK AUSSIE BIZ CUBA VOTES 560,000 TO AD) FILM COMPANY Havaria,.July 12. The Cubaii government has voted $60,000 to Peliculas. Cubanas, to be given after its initial picture; 'Suce- dio eh la Habana.V is officially re- leased. ■ Film premiered last week at the Radio Cine here.. Peliculas Cubanas now is s>idoting its second production. Oscar Zayas, moi^ey man :0f company .and editor of rightist daily here; while in New York recently purchased $50,000 \yorth of equipment. . .' Sydney, June 25. There's a strong lineup playing right now. MSiiagers looking tp mat trade iricreases now that nights are weak due to cricket broadcasts., - 'Snow White* (RKO) splendid, with,'Mad About Music' (U) swing- ing into fourth, .week pn slight ease. 'Bluebeard's Eijghth Wife' iPar) okay and 'Cloistered' (BEF) still strong. •Dinner at RiU' ,<G.^B) folded with 'Broken Melody' (BEF) replacing. 'Gbldwyn Follies' (UA) weak. 'Yank at Oxford* (M-G) igqod, with 'Test Pilot* (M-G) okay, too. 'Gold is Where You Find It' (WB), skidded replaced by 'Four, Men and Prayer' .(20th). 'Hollywood Hotel* (WB) can't hopie for much. Metro made play for biz with 'Merrily We Live' arid 'Judge Hardy's Children.' 'Good- bye Broadway* (U) and 'Wide Open Faces* (Col) okay. Unidn, has recommended'a cut In the dividend and Union "Theatres, Vic- toria, has reduced its preferred divi- detjd from 3% to 2%. West's reported profit of $17,040. as against $20,140 last year. Divvy dis- Iributipn of iy4% has been recom- mended, as against 2^4% previously. No dividends were: received from Greater Union or its other associates, whole income eoming ftorn rent and interest in theatre holdings. UnionTheatres, a separate one from G; U, t;, has reported a profit of $40,630. It controls the State the- atre, Melbourne, which is ph lea-iie to Greater Union. Profit was ex- plained as about the same as last year, cut in divvy being deemed ad- visable to safeguard shareholders' interests. BIZ LAG MAY FORCE VICTORIA ADMISH UP Melbourne, June 25.; Cricket hurting the b.o. 'Blue- beard's Eighth Wife' (Par) looks a cinch. Metro brought in, 'Marie Walewska* . ('Cohquest') for try. Others include 'Stage Door' (RKO), •Perfect Specimen* (WB), 'Make a Wish* (RKO) and 'Live, Love and Learn* (M-G). 'Victoria the Great' (RKO) and 'Keep Fit' (BEF). Doing extremely well. Melbourne, June 25. ' Exhibitors throughput Victoria may .be fprced to boost their .ad- mission prices soon. Harold Holt. Exhibitors Assn. secretary, isaid that the film industry has. been hard hit by rising costs In.the'last two years, with the loss during the recent in- fantile, pvalysis outbreak being iut- ther reason for boosting prices. Recently was pointed out that American distributors have been, in- creasing film rentals and that , thus far the exhibitors have taken the boost .without lifting admission scales. ■ Hpyts, in ■ Sydney, has Increased admissions already in major spots. tiiidegarile's Busy Sked London. July 5. Hildegarde. who has just clicked at the Berkeley hotel, where -she is. iiii for four, weeks, is trying to get through 12 weeks work in one month. Besides the Berkeley, .the plays one week at the Savoy hotel, one at the Paramount theatre, another at the Tr'ocadero, and one show eacji .at the Isle of Wight and Butlin's CamPi Clapton. All in the same month. Then gpes fpr a week at Ostende and Knbcke, and pne at Le Toiiquet. She and her manager. Anno Sosenko, sail for New York Aug. 3. Auckland, June 25. No complaints here from mainagers playing the Yankee product within Auckland, Wellington, . Christchurch and DUnedih, List shows 'Mad About Music* (U), 'Buccaneer* (Par )i I'll Take Romance* (Ciol), 'Maytime' (M-G), 'Portia on Trial* (BEF), Topper*- (M-G), 'Big Broadcast' (Par), 'Nothing Sacred" (UA), 'Last, Gangster* (M-G), 'Stage Door' (RKO) and 'The Laidy Escapes' (20th), 'MaritzaVGets Good Reception in London London. July J 2. 'Maritza,' 15 - year - old. musical which opened July 6 at the Palace, definitely dated but warmly received here. Dialog and lyrics jazzed up with clever company and artistic produc- tion. • . lAnd Life. Bums On,' dranra by Richard George and Virginia Isham, bowed al the Arts theatre Sunday (10). Play is well written but un convincing and unlikely to reach the cbmmei-cial stage. 'No i3ky So Blue,* .skedde'd (o close at ths Savoy Saturday <9), waj re prievCd by the company, which agreed to temporarily play without salary. Joe Jackson, Cass Daley Click in London Vaude London, July 12, Newcomer, to the Palladium, Joe Jackson, was splendidly received .here in. opening this w'eek; Cass Daley, after three weeks' provincial tryout, also w6nt pver. - Budapest, July 2. Lpcal . production, .stagnant .for : months, is. graditally beginning to look up. 'Pentek RezI,* Harmonia pr.oduction. Is now under way at Hunnia Studios, .with Laszio . directing. Ida Turair and: Antal Pager are the leads. Only other pic. ture now In the making is 'Borc.ia in Ameirica,* screen version of one-time stage success, in which Sari Fedak was, starred., ; Picture got big! boost when 'Borcsa' company crossed th Atlantic for a week's shooting in New. York, unprecedented' in the an- nals of Huiigarian films. Nothing definite about further pro- ductions, but plans are under fpot anyway; Janos Smolka has resigned as general manager of Budapest Films, which he founded less than a year-ago and Is trying to get to- gether a company on the United, Artists pattern. If the plan ,succecd.<:,, first production of Magyar UA is, to be Janos Vaszary's,'Life Is Beaiitir ful.' Author will direct, with him. self and leading couple, Imre Raoay and. Mitzl Eirdelyi, also'in oh the. ' financial side. Budapest Films means to go in for bigger, better and fewer films, with 'Janos 'Vitez,* classic folk tale,.which was one, of this country's greatest stage hits, first its schedule. Lull in. production, caused by cau- tion pf capitalistsi who have political misgivings as to the future, may be revived by • arrangement to . which eight imjpprtant independent theali'es- have agreed^ They propose, to ad- vance $50,000 to local producers, con- sidered sufficient to get production started again. Theatres impose, con-' dition of maintaining a higher stand- ard. Average cost of $18r$20,000 pier picture will be increased a few thousand. Agreement is sppnsored by 'Ministry . of Interior.. The eight theatres have also agreed tp import- fewer and better pictures. . Prpspects point to about 12 .to 14 pictures being made locally during the coming year, to last year's 35i ■ favorable figure considering the re- cent stahdkill. Wqrblers Complain (Continued from page 1) MAUROIS TO WRITE SCENARIO ON ED VII Paris, July 5. Andre Maurois, recently elected to the French Academy, -will write the scenario fpr a film based Pn the life of King Edward VII of England. Prpductipn was first scheduled fpr this fair but Marcel' i'Herbier, the director, has a full schedule so work is not expected to start before, next Connie Boswell, Sylvia Froos, Martha jtaye, Irene, Beasley, et al. Sandmen aver that the fact a girl is up in frpnt of a bunch ofmuggs makes her look 10 times as gopd. They name, as graduates pf bands: Gertrudie Niesen, Neila GpPdclle, Virginia Verrill, Benay :Venuta, Dpr- Pthy Lampur, Andrews Sisters, Ella Logan, Adele Girard, Freddye Gib- .son, Leah Ray (ex-t»hil Harris band). Rosemary and Priscilla t.ane (with Fred Waring), Ramona (Whiteman). Mildred Bailey (also Whiteman, now cp-maestroette with Red Nprvp,' her hu.sband), Gracie Barrie.; et al 'BOr MANAGEMENT IN LONDON WRANGLE . London, July .. Trouble has brewed between the producers of 'Golden Boy,* at the St. James, and the American cast. Money w.as put up by Lillian Emerson, with O'Bryen, Linnet' tc Dunfee, local agents, pulling a management fee and percentage of the profits. . Just when it looked like show was .set for a run, after a slow start, cast maintained arrangements called for it to return to New York end of Au- gust, as it has commitment to appear in new show on Broadway. Management claims no such ar- rangement is embodied in the con- tract, as it's figured the money could net have been gotten back in the short run. Group Theatre in- New Yprk has been trying during the past week to arrange for a new company to cpn» Ampng the current crop of sinKing - , , .-. - , .^„ij femmes with the more important tmue its London production of Gold- Snider Due b N. Y. U. S. Backing Sought For Bard Memoriai London, July 5. National appeal is to be launched shortly throughout United Kinndom for fupds tb create a William Shakespeare. Foundation building on Bankside, Southwark,' on soulh side of the Thames. Organizers recitPii on obtaining, substantial share of back- ing from United States. - . Prbpositicin is for erectipn o( rep- lica of priginal Globe . theatre, in which many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed,, tpgether \yilh Shakespearean library and pther amenities. Lepn S. (Sam) Snider, pf the SniderrDean theatre circuit in Aus- tralia, is, due . in New ..Yprk from Europe late this week or eaiiy next. He's been in England most of the lime since leaving from N.' Y. about two mbriths ago. Snider will nriake additional deals for his chain before leaving for home in Sydney. en Boy.' Show I:; a hit, but company is contracted for a three months road tpiit in the U. S. starting Labor Day. and must return Aug; 22. Efforts are being made toward signing Frances Lederer, Betty Fiir- : bands who may yet step out on their I own are Deanne Janis (with Frank jTrambauer on the Coast), Judy' i Stair (back with Hal Kemp, and previou.sly with, Vallee and While- man); Martha Tilton (Bennv Good- -. . - uw i. ' ^:^,.,A \n man), Bea Wain (Larry tlinlon), i "^rV'^rilf n%^Hn?H;,^^^^^^ Edylhe WrightVYtommy . Dor..ey), | "^« ^oast production of the show. Linda Lee, Nan Wyhn, Dolly Dawn .(George Hall). Of the colored song,5trcf.<!es, the oiilstander of course-is Maxine Sul- livan but she came to attention more or Ie.<:s on her own, although backed by a band at the Onyx Club (N. V.) Current London Shows (With Dates When Opened) 'Fi r n(.1i 1. ■:in. Mex Actor Union Wins Fight Vs. iPic Operative Mexico City, July 12.. Actors* row, which was .started to pievcnt the; few remaining local stage houses going cinema, has ended with, a pact made with the thespians' -union by owners of the. old Teatro Lirico, a revue hbujie, .whereby the union is to run the theatre -for ilesh shows most of the time. Owners retain option to exhibit pictui'es whenever .show biz- is sP where her swinging of Scotch (oik L.-. songs attracted national attention.' XVKhout Tenfs.' CrUfHon- find Margaret,' Wyni11i-.ini> Nt.v. •n..i.i.ii'ji WIfp.' Glohc-ynv. '.'3. "17. In her case, an ofay orchcstrator, i ... V'''' ''^ oirV ■ Vtetori. Claude Thprnhill, aisp figures pi'pmi- '-"^'"f .sii.nrii.' I.ittle-Jon. Sfi. '•'"' nently: Ella Fitzgerald with Chick '^^t^'tliy'^l'i^^l^^^Z,:^-. Webb, Billie Holiday with Teddv im. "ik. ; Wilson and Artie Shaw's bands, otT I ¥»J«M»•.•T^'••»^'.•^J.«•. '•'• and on (the latter a while band) and June Richmond are among the,oOicr Harlem prominenLs. Girls contend that in order, to rate importantly with the big bands they miist be posses.sed of a basic vocal style;' else they'd, not aualify, and. in addition, they mu.st worry about arrangements, clothes, and even publicity to insure their value.' ul bad that a change is held necessary. ^the -payofi is niggardly.' '■I llc.(-K Delight.' Apollo-.Mai-i-li . ,'I'oiKoii l't:n,' riayhouac—.A lii'Il ' •Willi 0;in.' Prim-es—April i:i. '•'i". , 'Uiiii.nnii Hliliro,'..Str.in(l^..\pi'll -". *.•>•. V.liHsli.i'K 'J-olllel.' Snvlllp.-.Mii.v •l'i./i|i|p (,r Our ClBss,' .vcn-T.Miiy '• •AiiiKiiU-yon.' Uyrlc-M«y 17,, •:!!'■ •Miiiipy Dpiurn!).' AOeliihl-r^.Mny 1.!', '(iliirlnnM .Mornlnf?,' Diichrpji-M^y '.*.'Pi'lntr .Meeting.^ Amljnssadurs-. .M;i> ■Sc Sl;y ,So Blue.' S.ivoy—jiiiif ■I.ui-K W'ltf.' Alilwych-.IiiHi! III. ■ri.iiinllriine.' IlaymHrket- .Iim»- If- •'•iililni Hoy." St. Jnmes-Juht '.MHril'w.r rnlKce.-July B. •Ana l.il* Durns On,^ Arla-J«ly