Variety (Oct 1938)

Wednesday, October 5, 1938 PICTURES VARIETY RADIO DECLARES SELF Newsreels Get Collegiate OK, But No Commercializing Grid Picts Annual fall headache tor five :pewsreels, coverage of college and university football games, this sea- son is presenting new difficulties in the form of agreements that a num- ber of larger institutions are insist- ing the newsreels companies sign be- fore permitting games to be photo- graphed. Apparently having won their battle to gain admission for gridiron games as a matter of news coverage, new agreements which have been signed with little argu- ment insist that football footage be used, in newsreels exclusively. This means that none of colorful grid stadium and crowds spectacles, obtained by newsreel affiliates, can • be employed in feature productions. It also will prevent gridiron scenes In colleges concerned from being put ■out as commercial reels. Practice of majors with newsreels ' of their own has been to devote certain football background material to use in features and sometimes in shorts. Idea of selling extra footage to commehcial advertisers, as was done last week, especially in the south and southwest^ is a new wrin- kle. However, newsreel executives * thus far have not hesitated in sig- nj.turing pacts to keep aU film ma- trial in newsreels themselves because many feel that colleges may have been justified in complaint, particu- larly if the commercial reel idea de- veloped on a big scale. Newsreel companies have been able so far this.season to ward off direct supervision by universities or commercializing reel coverage for the monetary gain of colleges in- volved. Even at Minnesota where, last season, the school authorities tried to force the five reels to take only the footage supplied by a local Minneapolis camera outfit, the free- dom of the newsreels has prevailed. Plan has been abandoned at the Gopher school, with five reels back on job covering as they see fit. Executives In charge of neewsreels at N. Y. think this freedom of ac- tion is justified, not only because the companies treat it as news material sought by sports world, but also because the news weekly outfits do innumerable favors for hundreds of colleges and universities during the grid season. Estimated this week that these favors in the form of local coverage only for a limited area of accounts will cost the newsreels about $20,000 this year. Long a practice of newsreel com- panies to make special subjects of gridiron contests, rated big locally, in order to furnish timely. material for release in territor- affected by the game. This means having the film developed in smaller key cities at vastly increased cost. With what promises to be the biggest gridiron season ever just about to get into full swing, the number of these locally important football battles probably will increase this year. World Series Newsreels will be represented by about 12 cameramen, editors, techni- cians, sound men and narrators in covering the world's series baseball games this year. Probably be larger crew for opening contest in Chi- cago today (Wednesday), but 12-14 workers will handle remaining as- signments both in N. Y. and Chi- cago in series to pick world baseball champion. Reels were so certain that Chi Cubs would be picked as National League champs that even after the second victory by Cubs in crucial se.ies with Pirates, Sept 28, arrange- ments were being made for coverage in the Illinois metropolis. BUGGIES BACK IN U. S. Wesley Ruggles, in from Europe, >vill leave for the Coast within a week to prepare for the production of^. 'Invitation ^to Happiness,' for which Paramount obtained Irene Dunne, He arrived Monday (3). Claude Binyon, his writer col- laborator, flew east to meet the director and returns with him. Finny Romance After seeing Paramount's 'Spawn of the North,' Truman Talley, Fox Movietone head was asked by friends to describe the picture. 'It's a story about a couple of salmon,' he replied, 'They meet in Alaska, are ma'rried in the Columbia river and honey- moon in Lindy's window.' When 3 Stooges Meet Mer Trio It s a Near-War What came close to being a stooge- elimination brawl Monday (3) in McGinnis' restaurant on Broadway will probably wind up, instead, in the civil courts. Howard, Fine and Howard (The Three Stooges), iden- tified with Columbia shorts, mixed it up with Garner, Wolf and Hakins, from vaude, who've been billing themselves as the 'Original Three Stooges.' No blood was drawn. Matter first came to light a couple of weeks ago, when Howard, Fine and Howard wired. Garner, Wolf and Hakins, then playing the AUentown Fair, AUentown, Pa., that legal steps would be taken if they did not im- mediately 'cease and desist' from the original stooge billing. When the acts met in MoGinnis,' however, it looked as though the matter was to be talcen out of the hands of at- torneys—for the time being. Howard (Moe), Fine (Larry) and Howard (Shemp) started in vaude as stooges for the late Ted Healy. 14 PLAYERS OFF RKO ROSTER; 3 NEW ONES Hollywood, Oct. 4. Revised roster at RKO reveals 14 players were dropped at contract expiration during the past month. Checking off lot were Milton Berle, Jack Arnold, Willie Best, Harry Campbell, William Corson, Mitzi Green, Miriam Hopkins, Cecil Kella- way, Ann Miller, Jack Oakie, Park- yakarkas, Joe Penner and Frank Thomas. Three newcomers are Eddie Can- tor, Douglas Corrigan and Lorna Lynn. Mitzi Green goes to New York for a stage play, and Kellaway returns to legit in Australia. Charnas WL1 Probably Remain on the Coast Harry Charnas, formerly in theatre operation for Warner Bros, and more recently assistant to Grad Sears, v.p. over sales at the home office, will probably remain on the Coast permanently. He went out a few weeks at the behest of Harry M. Warner to handle confidential matters for Warner and the studio, as well as function some- what in the role of an investigator. Lesser Benches Gehrig Hollywood, Oct. 4. Lou Gehrig is no longer a contract player in the films. Yankee base- ball star's option was allowed to lapse at Principal Productions. Sol Lesser is producing only moppet pix this year. Gehrig made one Principal pic- ture, 'Rawhide,' for 20th-Fox re- lease. FOR THE FUTURE Feels It Has Plenty to Offer to the Film Biz—Sees the Present Drive as a Per- manent Thing MPTOA Conclave Also hviting Allied; Gen 1 Industry Co-op Move QUESTIONNAIRING Though intention is still unan- nounced, the National Association of Broadcasters' survey of film cover- age on radio stations is taking on a new interpretation. At first thought to be the forerunner of a film-radio battle, on the, old competitive score, and later a weapon to battle for a share of film industry's drive fund, it's now seen as a build-up for fu- ture use of radio as an advertising medium by films. Confidential questionnaire has been submitted to about 400 stations from coast to coast asking how much coin and time are devoted to ' coverage of moving pictures. Everything from interviews to indirect mentions, re- views, comment and contests is be- ing garnered. Though unconfirmed, it's stated that, even stations not be- longing to the NAB are being queried in order to make the sur- vey complete. Thought is that the present film fund, when exhausted, will be re- newed. Observers regard such a setup as being unlikely to be aban- doned, but that it wiU be more or less permanent. This' being the case, radio wants some of that film ex- ploitation coin. To this end, current NAB survey will probably be followed by an- other .to., complete the pictur^e for presentation to film powers ps an inducement rather than an argu- ment. Though a slice of present monies is sought, opinion is that it goes deeper, and that a diplomatic campaign, with full facts for back- ing up, will ultimately persuade the film biz that radio has something to offer, and has already done plenty for films. Weeklies Ask for Pic Coin Campaign of New York state weekly and small town daily papers for a share in the 'Motion Pictures Greatest Year* advertising melon is in full swing, following the annual Newspaper Institute meeting at Cornell University, attended by some 200 publishers. A resolution addressed to the pic- ture industry was unanimously adopted at the institute, the pub- lishers urging that weekly papers share in the campaign. It pointed out that 8,400 of the 16,000 pic the- atres in the country are in communi- ties of less than 10.000 population, and that about $20,000,000 is spent in these communities each year for film entertainment. Second series of advertisements to go into daily newspapers in the Pictures' Greatest Year campaign started appearing yesterday (Tues- day) and also will be spotted in to- day and tomorrow. They deal ex- clusively with the $250,000 Movie Quiz contest which thus far has bieen the highlight of the drive. Officially announced that these ads will go into newsoapers 'only in those towns where the theatres are co-operating in the national cam- paign and contest.' These situations are few which means that the ad- vertising schedule is much the same as the original one stressing insti- tutional aspects of campaign. 'Brotherly Love' Act Philadelphia, Oct. 4. First programming aim of Roger Clipp, new g.m. of WFIL, is four audience-participating shows a week from the main auditorium of the Manufacturers Club. Plans half- hour broadcast from the big audi- torium every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. To expected squawks from theatre men, Clipp replied: 'We will hold all of our shows before 9:30 p. m., so we Unshielded Hollywood, Oct. 4. Film industry has a Lost Bat- talion—^hundreds of execs who lost their jobs as honorary po- lice captains and lieutenants. Mayor Bowron has ordered the Los Angeles police shields re-designed, making the honor- ary badges null and Void, and reducing the studio biggies to ordinary citizens. RobL Wyler s French Remake Idea; In H wood Robert Wyler, brother of William Wyler, Hollywood director, is ne- gotiating a plan for remiaking French features in English for showing' ini America. Actual production prob- ably will be on the Coast. Wyler has several French stories, many of which already have been made in France, which he would make in the U. S. Wyler has discussed various phases of the plan with both foreign language distributors and other companies in the last two weeks. The first of 20 French and Eng- lish pictures which John E. Otter- son's company, Tri-National, will distribute in this country, 'Peg of Old Drury' (British-made), will go into the Plaza, N. Y., Tuesday (11). Picture was made in England by Herbert Wilcox with Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Anna Nagle in the top roles. MARION GERING PLANS 2 FILMS IN THE EAST Marion Gering, film director, and Raymond Friedgeh, producer also with Hollywood rep, have joined forces in a producing venture in the east. Script is about ready for the first of two proposed pictures, tenta- tively set to go before cameras early in 1939. Prelim budgets, set at $300,- 000 per film. John Doran, 12 years with the old Paramount studios at Astoria, has been named production chief, with Ted Henkel, musical director and composer, assigned to do the musical scores. Friedgen will bring in Elliott Fisher from Hollywood to act as his assistant producer. Original idea is to use as much Coast film talent as possible. Abner J. Rubien represents the new company, Alice Brady Held By Pic in Work; P.A.'s Off Hollywood, Oct. 4. Alice Brady called off her per- sonals tour which was to start in Washington, D. C, Oct. 21. She's being held at Roach studio for 'It's Spring Again.' will aid theatre business rather than hurt it. Our shows will be over in plenty of time to allow visitors to patronize other forms of entertain- ment, and, in fact, will bring them into town.' Move is part of a general desire of Clipp for more local shows. He has assi<»ned Joe Connelly, p.a„ to spend half his time setting specials. In an- other innovation he has banned all record shov/s except latie at night. Daily afternoon participating disc programs, presided over by Jack Steck, were eliminated beginning yesterday. In the hope of getting action on trade practices, industry problem^ of the moment and reaching a bet* ter understanding of relations be- tween all branches, the Motion Pic- ture Theatre Owners of America is turning its forthconriing convention into an industry-wide conclave, with the doors open to rival exhibitor associations as well as company executives. Among other things, the MPTOA is anxious to be heard, being willing to listen also, and to that end is urging leaders in pro- duction, distribution, theatre op- eration, advertising and other branches to be on hand in repre- sentative numbers. Abram F. Meyers and his leaders in Allied States assn., the heads of the Independent Theatre Owners assn., the Independent Theatrs Own- ers of Ohio whose P. J. Wood stampeded the playdate strike against Paramoimt last year, and other groups are invited to look in on this year's MPTOA convention under its open-door policy. Ed Kuykendall, president of the MPTOA, has always believed that his organization, which takes in af- filiated chains and theatres, should pull with Allied and others for the common good of the Industry, father than recognize rivalry. A merger of. these two largest indie bodies (MPTOA and Allied), if not a co- operative alliance and understand- ing, could result from the Oklahoma City get-together, which starts Oct. 30 and will be in session four days. Invitations have already gone out to heads of production, distribution and other branches of major pro- ducer-distributor activity, .while Morris Loewenstein, head of the Oklahoma theatre owners group, is personally urging MPTOA njembers and others to make the convention. He writes that the convention will be devoted to the analysis and de- cisions of the problems of the mo- tion picture world and believes that this year's convention (the 18th), will be MPTOA's biggest and best. 'Alexander^ Opemng Is Sentimental Occasion For Irving Berlin in London London, Oct. 4. •Alexander's Ragtime Band' opened Friday (30) at the Regal, to a mar- velous reception. Acclaim forced Irving Berlin to personally sing the theme song from the rostrum and the entire audience Joined him in the refrain. Berlin, Saul H. Bornsteln, g.m. of Berlin, Inc., and Francis Gilbert, their attorney, sailed for New York directly after, leaving Saturday (1), accompanied by Louis Dreyfus, the London showman and music pub- lisher. There's still no technical settle- ment of Bert Feldman's claim against the 20th-Fox film, and there's no likelihood Feldman, British mu- sic pub, will do anything until the U. S. publishers get back to New York and work out some amicable arrangement. Clearance of some of the old Ber- lin song copyrights, dating back to when Feldman represented the now defunct Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co. in England, is the basis of the tiffing over the clearance of the lo- cal copyrights on these old numbers. For a time there was a. threat of in- terfering with, the filmusical's Lon- don premiereN but that was averted. WITHOUT A SONG Hollywood, Oct. 4. 'Ambush,' Gladys Swarthout'a songless picture, got under way at Paramount Kurt Neumann directing with Lloyd Nolan in the male lead. Ernest Truex and Williain Zrair- ley are in supporting roles.