Variety (Aug 1938)

RADIO SGREEN PRICE 15/ Publlatasd, Weakljr at 1S4 Wesr 4«th Stmt. Naw York, N. T., by VarUtr loa Annual •abacrtptlon; ft SInsU coplii, ts c<tnta. Entand aa ncoad-olau mattar Dacambar Zl, DOS: at ttaa Poit Ottlca at 'Naw Fork, N. 7., nndat tb* act ef Uarch I, lii*. COFTKIUUT, 193a, BT TABIETT, INC. ALL BIGHTS BESERVED. yol. 131 No. 8 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1938 56 PAGES fiOnSUIT MAY FORCE OUT Hollywood, Aug. 2. Picture execs, sizing up the situa- tion loliowing Government's anti- trust action against the industry, are forecasting Elimination or modifica- tion of block-booking as a part setr tlement of suit; Important bearing on fate of double bills is also con- tingent on the faction. Execs point out that such a course would result In fewer B pictures being produced, which would call for : an adjustment of duals. One studio head said divorcement of producer- distributor-exhibitor phases of biz, as demanded by U. S,, might call forth from the industry a plan to modify block booking. Meeting with . failure,. there: would be no alterna- tive but to eliminate it entirely. Although Will Hays is holding dally conferences with film heads, a plan of settlement is expected to be worked put in the east.at meeting of reps for producers, distributors and exhibitors and their attorneys when official sclf-regulatibn confabs get under way. Accent on Youth Hollywood, Aug. 2. For 10 minutes Gregory Rat- ofl rehearsed Joan Carol, five, in a line for a scene in The ■Dawn's Early Light.' -Before the camera, the moppet re- peated it exactly as Ratofltold her—'but I, dunt like it oat- meal.' Ratoft gave up and told her. to say it in English. Sdt Harry Lander^ At 78, Thinks Air Season Too Short Sir Harry Lauder is currently re- cuperating in a Glasgow, Scotland, nursing home from a broken hip, and may come to America in the fall for a big radio show. William Murray of the Morris agency visited the Scotsman on the proposition and Interested the 78-year-old comedian greatly in the idea. Lauder, however, asked Murray what this new radio business meant; how long was the season, etc.,. and was told it usually ran from October to May and could mean 26 to 30 .Weeks. To which Lauder somewhat wryly exclaimed, That's not enough.' 300 OAKLIES .KILL INDPLS. BLUE LAW . Indianapolis, Aug. 2, At a special session of the state legislature. Senators Harvey J. Post and Raymond C. Sohl introduced a DUl to outlaw Sunday pictures and Baseball games. Notice that the bill would be put before the House Drought a delegation from the A.^so- ciated Theatre Owner.<! of Indiana to wwn to protest. Each of the loc 1 downtown thea- tres contributed 300 passes to be dis- tributed among the lav makers as a conciliatory gesture. As a result the Diu was killed in committee. While ine baseball parks did not come ^^''h any Oaklics, they bcnc- nted by the theatres' gesture. EXPO LOOSENS UP BANKROLLS FORLEGIT F Expected that with the arrival of New York World's Fair of 1939, next Spring, the coming season will find more outside coin available to legit producers. Outsiders figure that angeling will be less risky with the onrush of visiting firemen to the metropolis. Girly shows, musicals and revues are expected to be especially popu- lar, and. several will start rolling during February for the Fair influx. George White is flickering with the New York World's Fair for produc- tion of a musical revue on the fair grounds in March. Site of the show has not been set yet, but White would have the only official girl show on the grounds, it's reported. Producer got in from the Coast this week to dicker with directors of the International Casino, N. Y. Lat- ter deal fell through, after which White made the Fair connection. Billy Rose's '39 Fair spec , will be a 'cavalcade' idea. Can't 'Spark' to Whelan, Actress Walks on 'Joke' Hollywood, Aug. 2 Because she felt that she couldn't 'spark' to her leading , man, Michael Whelan, and that she was dubious of the results in being directed by Ricardo Cortez in his initial megging venture, Phyllis .Brooks refused the femme lead in 'A Very Practical Joke' at 20th-Fox. and was immedi ately suspended. Replacement will be made without any delay in production. Miss Brooks later denied the studio's reasons for her walk, dcclar ing that she was di.ssatisfted with the part in the picture at this time, which she claims is a crucial point in her career. Sell Intangible Shadows, but Some of 'Em Handle Film Deals in Excess of $500,- 000 Annually—Pave the Way jpor Rapid Motion Picture Distribution EXHIBITOR SQUAWKS Dame Goes Wrong Hollywood, Aiig: 2. Inspired by and hoping to cash in on the Douglas Corrigan fliKht. Warners is rushing through an air yarn tagged 'Dublin By Mistake.' However, it will be a femme who flics the wrong way, with Kay Fr.ih- cis tabbed for the part. Bryan Foy will produce. By JOHN C. FLINN Youngstowh, O., Aug. 2. It was raining. Entrance, to the theatre's office was on the side street, in the path of the blow. A knock, and a long, damp wait. A voice, 'Are you a film salesman'?' 'No.' 'Then come in." "They tell many funny stories about the film salesmen and their custom- ers, the operators of picture thear tres. Of all the varied, strange and queer functions which comprise the gamut of industry . employment, toughest job in the business is selling pictures. But they're boys with , a sense of humor. They have to be. Crossing the main highways in an automobile pointed in a general east by rior'east direction from Holly- wood, with New York as the event- ual goal, one does not escape the un- mistakable evidence that the motion picture as a form of art expression is firmly fused into the commercial and cultural lite of the nation. The inroad may not be as deep or as per- suasive as the radio, but there's a theatre in evcfry town and village and numerous representation in the larger cities; The surprising fact is how rapidly the films are being distributed in the smaller places. Advertising is no- ticed billing engagements of latest Hollywood product in houses in rural .spots, many of which now seem to be getting their releases as fast as the, major key city first run.s. It is evidence of the increased number of feature prints in circulation and the speeding up of rental collections. It also is the result ot the intensive job in cUstribution which the film sales- men arc performing. The film salesman, who Is incoun- tcrcd in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, i.s a uniqUc individual. He is a development of the picture business; no other American entcrpri.sc has pro- duced his equal in barter and trade His merchandise is inlahgible shad- ows, compressed within a seasonal announcement book published by the producer-distributor for whom he works and augmented by trade ad- verli.-sing and news releases. He is, in fact,, the personification of the business side of the industry, an en- thusiast over coming attractions, a I harbinger of cvowd.s at the box-office, a .sympathetic con.soler of yesterday's di.sappointing gross. In financial tcrm.s, M is not unu.sual for a good, salesman in a live, popu- (Contiriucd on page 2) Coast Racetracks Jockey Show Biz M Merchants Out of $60^000 Some Imagination With the Government suit against the film comipianies oc- cupying the limelight last week, a couple of. Broadway legit mainagers were discussing the picture business. • 'Imagine if we . had block- booking in the theatre,' re- marked one. *A house would have to take "The Three Waltzes' to get Ed Wynn.' AIR CENSOR LOOMING IN ENGLAND London, Aug. 2. Pokenoses are at last to get their way with the British Biroadcasting Corp. and it is. now likely an of- ficial, censor will be appointed to okay or blue pencil ail programs. Folks with nervous minds have been anxious over freedom permitted in variety broadcasts, and fear, unless checked, it Inight have contaminat- ing influence on children. Reason is believed to be partly due to influence of Lord Clarendon, now censor of stage plays" in his capacity as Lord Chamberlain. Wa.s formerly chairman of governors ot BBC, and it is thought, is ready for his department to act in similar capacity for all radio material. Pro-- posal is for every program and every talk to be put under microscope be- fore being aired, with no item per- mitted to go into the mike until it has been rubber-stamped. Corp, formerly had its own close censorship system, particularly on variety material, with long list of proscribed gags presented to every performer when' he signed on the dotted line. List tended to get so tppheavy and. out of hand, BBC eventually decided to cut it out. leaving to the comedians' di.icretion what they said or hot. Any IcndDncy to blueness or other unwanted mute- rial meant no more dates. Hollywood, Aug. 2. This sector is afflicted with an overdose of horse racing, according to theatre operators, who hfeve watched hearty .$55,000,000. diinhped into the betting machines since the first of the year, with a prospect of- $5,000,000 more going the same ; way before summer is over. Hollywood Park, which recently closed its first meeting, registered a tote handle of $16,500,000 for 33 days, exclusive of one charity program. Santa Anita, which opened the 1938 racing season, handled more than $38,000,000 for 56 regular dates, not counting two specials. Bing Crosby's track at: Del Mar opened last Friday (29) with a 25-day schedule and an- ticipates handling $5,000,000. This $60,000,000, more or loss, rep- resents only a part of the actual money tossed into the horse game. Admission ranges . from $1.10 to $5.50, with frequently 50,000 to CO.OOO crowding the park, making the gate big enough to pay the purses. Added to that are the bars, res- taurants and hot doggeries, which do a huge business. With 20,000 to 30,000 auto.s paying rent for a few hours' siesta, the parking concession also runs . into big figures. Then, too, there's the bookies' staggering intake. To date, the merchants arc doing the heaviest kicking. Direct vic- tims of the sudden switch in the (Continued on page 21). Princess Starhembnrg Returning to Screen In French Prodaction Princess .Starhemburg of Austria, nee Nora Gregor of German and Hollywood films, is slated for a screen comeback! She signed in Paris last week to make 'Elizabeth of Aus- tria' in two versions, French and Gorman. Forrcster-Parant Films will produce. Following her marria'te to the Austrian noblerhan, Miss Gregor re- tired profes'sionally. Traveiing 10,000 Miles Just to Light a Musical Par Prcvicw.s Crosby Pic | At Crooner's Race Track i Hollywood, Aug. 2. Outdoor preview of Paramount'^ \ 'Sin;; You Sinners' at Bing Crbsby'is I Del Mar racetrack, 90 miles to the I south, i.s slated late this .week. After the screening, NBC will put on a half-hour airshow from the spot on ! a tran.scontinental hookup. ( Picture will be shown on a .screen erected in front ot the' grandslancl, It is.the first of a series of 0|)i;ri-:iir . provicw.s planned during the 2j-'J,iy racing season. i Rare assignment ha.s bocn given Clark Robin.son, stage dircct')r and designer, to go to Aucldnnd, New r.ealand, just to do tho li^htini; for a musical. Show is one prorUiccd by Harry Howard, known ns 'irollywood Hotel Revue.' and (jpeiis at Fullers, in Auckland, AUU. 27. Lighting job will probahl.v tnke only one or tv/o d.nys at most. I{obin.son w;i.s at the Knxy Ihcatr for man.v years ancl ;it the flnrlio City Mu.sic liall. With tiis ,family, he. de- parted Friday (29) for Vancouver, fiorii v.'hcj'C lie sails for Ncv/ Y.L-u'.un'i.