Variety (Aug 1938)

iC..«lncsJay. August 3, 1939 PICTURES VARIETY % TrhColored Durning Process Ready For Marketing; Oaim 30-40% Saving Hollywood, Aug, 2 Dunningcolor, a revolutionary ihSue proposition that may up- el the tinted ■ film business, will !hr.rtlv be offered Hollywood picture It will hit the market fc.r ..n»itv use at a cost 61 apprpxi- ; 30% to 40% under what the tfos are now paying lor tinted "uMitince out of the experlmenUl sUge,1nd already in generaruse for ad film purposes, Dunningcolor will probably be exhibited publicly jhortly after the .first of the year It's the brainchild of Carroll and Dodge Dunning,, father and son, re- spectively, and founders of the Dun- ning Process COi Dunning, Sr., has been working on qblor film for more tlian21 years. Stime of the arguments advanced by the Duhnings in behalf of their tint system, in addition to the low cost eleriient, include; . \ 1. It will bie orfcred production; companies under a license plan on a ' rovalty basis at a fraction of a cent j per foot.' - . I 2. Filming will be done by pro-1 ducers own camera crews and with their oWn camera.s. 3. - Negatives will be develpped and prints made- in producers' own laboratories.. 4. Jjab. equipment now in use for blacic and white films can be utilized, ith a few inexpensive changes, for the processing of the color, product 5. Rushes can be readied, over- right, as is now the case with ordi- nary film^ O^n Season For Tax Liens On Film Folks Just to Make Sure Hoil.vwood,. Aug. 2. Four technical advisors are working . on • Paramount's. 'Es- cape From Yesterday'■ under Alfred E. Green's direction. Akin TamirolT is advising ini Russian; Richard Talmage is handling fights; "Tom Nichol-, son teaching proper prison be- havior, and. Major Phillip kieffer is in charge of cavalry tactics. TOT HO' NEXT FOR UOYD VIA PAR Hollywood, Aug. 2. Income tax collector declared open season on 1937 arrears in the picttirc colony and brought down a fine bag of celebs with a volley of tax liens. Among the victims were: Busby Berkeley, $19,818; A. Edward Suther- land, $12,327; Walter Catltett, $6,482; Stepin Fetchet, $1,432; Carmel Myers Blum, $5,481; William Dieterle, W,703; Constance Collier, $2,263; Sam Jalle, $1,644; Erik .Rhodes, $1,465; James Dunn. $2,608; Bob Steele, »1,294; Dashiel Hammett, $2,107; William B. Hawks, $3,845; Luli Desti, Jl.nO; Max Steiner, $4,329; Harold •L Davis, $2,597; and Vi Bradley, $1,369. Uncle Sam al!!o filed a lien of ♦61,659 on Barbara SUnwyck's 1937 income, claiming additional Uxes. £arl Carroll, as. head of 'Murder in tne.Vanities.' Inc., was asked to pay ?<.o22 for 1934-35. Holly wood. Aug. 2. Harold Lloyd's next job as pro- ducer and star is 'What Ho,' a .be.st seller by Richard Connell, , On his recent New York visit,. Lloyd signed a contract to release the fllin through Paramount. Story is localed in Eng- land,. but: whether he will film it there or in Hollywood has not been, decided. Paramount has $122,500. invested in the book, taking it over from Emanuel Cohen, who had bought it; for around $40,000 before he split with the- studio. . Balancie of, the mone.v was spent on adaptations to suit Gary Cooper, for whom Cohen purchased it. Lloyd is putting his writers to work on the tale next week and hopes to, start sliooting in the fall. Coincidontally, Connell wrote the novel with i-loyd iii mind. Indie Chains Already Con- trol Film Baying and Theatre Operation* in Certain Territorie*—Gov't Victory Would Heighten Their Influence, Trade Foresees N. W. Allied Sounding Legislative Candidates on Minn. Divorcement Law; Will Support Those Favorable POINT FOR DEFENSE O'Dahiel Film Hollywood, Aug. 2. Gcne .Au.lry breaks into mu- sical-, politics in his next pic-; ture, 'Hillbilly Governor..' Story is based on the singing campaign of W. Lee Q'Daniel, successful gubernatorial candi- date in Texas. EARLY CHAPLIN PICS COMBINED AS FEATURE Max Winslow/Jack Curtis Merge With Crawford Agency Hollywood, Aug. 2.. Max Winslow, who abdicated a production post at Columbia, last Januai-y goes into' the agency busi- ness with Jack Curtis. They will combine their interests with Bobby Crawford, under the firm name of Crawford, Winslow & Curtis. Win- slow is v.p. also of Irving Berlin, Inc. At Columbia WjnstoW was re- sponsible for the studio making its first Grace Moore pict\ii-p, 'One Night of Love.' He will handle writers for concern. , Ciu'tis. who wa.c on his own here and prior to that a. New Yoi-k agent in the firm of Curtis & Allen and also prominent a.<! a legit producer, will handle tlie talent and directors with Crawford, who also was promi- nent in song;«p1d doing generail sell- ing. New additions to the firm buy but the interest held by Lou Clayton in the agency. I ^ Hollywood, Aiig. 2. s'f'-ted yesterday (Mon.) in we Fred Futter lab on the modern-. iMtion of four of Charley Chaplin's eauy two-reelers. to be combined as a leaturc-length comedy—without ^n«Plins blessing. P^"*?* are the only early pictures n"'"'"!, not buy up.. Fuller "wns all the righU and is re-issuing {f„. ''w'?'"a*''"> with sound as 'I o,"?* H'm When,' to take advantage tur«* "'.^ent popularity of old pic- « Film is being rushed for the iuinmer market. Evans, Col Part Hollywood. Aus. 2. Juliu.' E\-an.< checks off the Colum- bia lot ibmoiiow (Wed.) after can- cellin,? his contract because of ss- sigiiment arguriients. . Originally slated for a producer spot. Evans has been aiding Kverett Riikin for the past few months in a talent search for 'Golden Boy.' Peniier,RK0 Tiffing Joi T> Hollywood. Aug. 2. 'M. r. '"''y leave RKO after . *''-Doodle .Kicks Oft.' avX?"""-' tift-.ing With the studio a new contract. ERICKSEN'S EXEC f OST Hollywood, Aug. 2. , C. E. Erickscn fills the newly i created job of businc-is manager and tioasuier at the Walter Wangcr sludio. Meanwhile, he will continue as Pendiiig further developments in the Government's anti-trust action agairist ?!1 niajor cojnpanies, plus in- dividua,!s, and the filing of an an- swer, diic Aug. 16, great and possibly dangerou.? control of buying power among independents is, seen by :the trade shpuld. divorcement of theatre operation from producer-distributors 'je forced. This would ultimately result in theatre monopolies in many sections of the country, it is cpn? tended, and cculd 'lead to a fai- worse situation than now exists, in the end probably making it incumbent on the government to break; up any kind Of chain, no matter how controlled, if competition that is corripletcly free shall be P.ciiieved. It is not unlikely, according to be- lief in sdme fllrh circliss, that one of Ihe strongest points the defendants in the U. S. anti-trUst case will;,raise will concern the question of possible Franken.stein indie circuits. Out of around 18,000 theatres, the producer distributors control, operate or have an interest in only 2,400 of these. Par has around 1,150, twice as strong a.s any other numerically, but many cf these theatres are only owned 50% or less by Par and are operated by interests owning the balance .of control. Warner Bros, has slightly over 500 houiscs. National (Fox-West Coast) around 520, RKO, 125, and Loew's, 120. Powerful Indie Chain*. ' A point raised in connection with the compiaint of the Government seeking divorcement of retailing by wholesalers in pictures is that at present there are numerous very po\yerful independent circuits capa-' ble of the same monopolistic prac- tices as charged against distributor- controlled theatre operations. Some of them have their territories well sewed up, making it possible that an outsider would'find , it ho easier to get into those territories or given town.s, than if producer-contrqlled theatres were there. Distributors also find that, some of these circuits, in view of their size and the man- ner in which they blanket certain territories, are no simpler to sell than chains controlled by brother dislri!)s. if as ecsy. Very often they are hnrdcr to sell at desired terms. Some of the larSer circuits, power- ful, in their respective zones, with approxirriate nimiber of theatres they contain, are the Grillith chain: in. the s;)uthweEt, 95; Cooperative thEalr.\<; of Michigan. 85: Martin the afres in the southeast, 35;, Randfoice in the New York ai-ea, 45; Brandt Bros,. ^I'-.-ia in Metropolitan N. Y., 45f; Prudsnlial Playhcuses, on Long ,I.-;land mtrsiiy. 35: Waller Reade cir- cuit, :iO; Feibcr-Shea,-45; Schine cir- ciift i.T ui;<tale New York, 55; Wil- iiier & Vincent. 20; Lfnilcd Artists circuit, ,40: Theatrical Managois of Indiana a:id kenlucky, 20; Ro,se cir- cuit in the Chicago area, 25; Chaflt:s Mor.sc in New England. 20; Mann A: Wiabh Ihca'.rcs on the Pacific Coast, ?0: F.. M. Loew of New England. 30; Golden State Realty 4: Theatre, Co.. ;;(); Dickinson circuit of the midwest. 20 a:id,lh2 Durkce'circuit in Mary- land, 20. There are man.v lesser circuits controllin?4 from 15 to 20 thcalio-,, soma of thsm well fortified in their pai ticular zonss. Many of the chain.": which have minor affiiialions with large majors, such as the \y. Bultcrfield chain ill Michigan .Tnd the Comeiford cir- NOTHER LOAN, Nate Blumberg, president- of Vnl- versal, is negotiating , an additional loan of around $2,000,000 from the Irving. Trust Co., This cola is in addition to $1,000,000 obtained by J. Cheever Cowdin from Charles lA. Woolf and , Arthur Rank', of General Film Distributors, while he was in Eiirope, as well as ,$500,000 said to, haye been; seciired from an- bther New York bank this week. Figured that these funds will en- able U to go through with its whole season's prograrh, besides paying 6(T a number of vital commitments, such as the $250,000 currently due Bank of, America on the Coast. $290,000 Earnings For 27,500 Jobs Hollywot/d, Aug. 2. Extras had another big month in Jiily, drawing $290,000 in checks for 27,5()0 jobs. Marked third consecu- tive bumper month and pu.shed total for past 90 days to around $1,000,000, Placements for May; June and July totals 77,431 and, figuring on average of $10.50 daily per head, cost to pro- ducers was $340,000. Added to this amount, coin paid out to supes re- ceiving Calls aside from those put i thfough central casting ran up total I ti around $1,000,000. . I August and September also loom 1 as prosperous riionths for rriob. Minneapolis, Any;. 2. Northwest Allied's campaign'f,n- ili-» enactment of a Minncspta theatre divorcement law similar to the pim held valid by Fedei'al Court in iVorth-Dakota got under way when' President W. A. StcfTcs mailed a re- quest ttf every legislative candidata . at the Noverriber election to make ' known his stand on the proposed measure. Those who promise to vote for the divorcement law will have the support of independent,ex- hibitors in their communities in the coming, campaign, Sleflfes asserts. Stefl'es' move answers the question of whethi^r the Minnesota inde- pendent exhibitors would 'lay , oft'-, divorcement, legislation pending the outcome of Parampuht's appeal of the North Dakota case to the U. S. supreme court and.the Government's, ahli-trust suit filed in New York, which has as one of its chief ob- jectives., the separation of film pip- ducing and theatre pper.ation.s. In deciding to go ahead with thj theatre, divorcement fight in Min-. ncsota. Northwest Allied is in- fluenced by thie belief that the U. S. supreme court will aflirnrl the lower court's findings in the North Dakota case and considerable : time will elapse before there's a conclusion of the, anti-trust stiit. Indie leaders also feel that the very fact that the Government has filed suit will help them put the. law over jn MinnejiPta. However, Northwest 'Allied lead- ers-admit they have a tough batlle ahead. With approximately 80 the- atres in. this state valued well ihi.o the millions of dollars, Parambutit has a heavy stxike and is prepared to fight to the last ditch to hold on to its investment. It, is anticipated that every ertort, will be, put forth combat the iegislsition. At the last , session of the Min- nesota legislature, the divorcement bill perished in committee. North- west Allied's big job this time again will be to get it but of the commit- tee Onto the floor. Slcffes derides the declaration that some of his more prominent mem- bers, as weir as some of the , smaller- fry. among the independent exhibi-^ tors, are anything but entirel.f pleased over the North Dakota divorcement and Government's aiiii- trust suit, but, instead, are appre- hensive, that there may be disrup- tion of the industry with adver'-a repercussions for them. A. J. Balaban Retaming To Europe, This Time On New Talent Hoot I SHEARER OUT OF'WIND' Chicago. Aug. 2, j After almost a year back home iii Chicago, A. J. Balaban is retiirnin? nilC TA CAMC CAIlAWifC"' '^"'■"P'^ with his fainily. Due to HUE lU rAlia aljUATVhj'.sail carly next week. However, in-• 1 stead of'going to iSwitzerland, Baki- Hollywood, Aug. 2. ban this time .will visit IjOnd'jii, who. e he intends to scout viuds Norma Shearer notified Metro .she an,; picture talent: Will not play the part of Scarlett ! while Balaban his not yet v/oikfil. O'Hara m David Selznick's 'Cons ; g^y representation deal, it ■'. with the,Wind.' lundeistood here that he will m>:t Withdrawal wa.=; prompted by lei-■ u^-ciy tie in with the William M )i- ters from fans .saying she is un.suit-; i.j,^ office ',o handle acts that U'l- able f.;r the p.ii t. Mar-^aret Siillivf.n ' ;.ovcrs across the sia. For the past ycai' here. ulabaa ; has, devoted himself to hi-; pirtu. 'i • theatre enterprises v.'ith h :> )n-;Mi- - PI'S, and particularly with lii j ii;,-/ i iiui'tho'idc Esquire. looms currently as strongest candi- date. unit 3.KI business manager- of the''^"'l in Pennsylvania and Nsiw York; Soufflus Fairbai,k.-= unit at Uniloil n,o vulually in the lud.e '.•la;s,Com. Arti.it,s. V(.'J).'.i:ni>»'' ori pi^i 5") Mayer Passing Up N. Y. for Saratoga 'G^^d^Oiibert Hollywood: Au?. 2. ' So ,Hc Givos Pics CJo-By r. luis B. Mayer is pa.^sing up New' H.ill.ywrjud, Al:,:j. 2 York, for Saratoga .Springs, t-'riink i With seven monlll.v to uo;. illr Orsatli and Dr. Ellis Jones are acr Gilbert obtained u rcl nsc f'l'.-im h- companying him. j r«KD coiitract to go bad: in;o Ir;;;!.;. He wijl inpcl witli A'lP Long an;l . Cumic leaves for Broadway as ,-' Don. Cameron, who vy ill opei ale hi:>!; , ht finishes 'Mr. Doodle Kicks brecdina farm, tiicre. They plai-. t'l for;a ml" in Ihe le^ilcr. 'CliO'.'k , b'jy couple .ji' d.'izcn yeyi'liiigs. V'Hi,'