Variety (Nov 1938)

SCREEN STAGE Irtistic and 'Creative Managers Hay Form Still Another Legit Assn Fof^atioti;^, ot a' new Broadway ptoduc^. Qjngaiilzatioo, to include various playi^igit, actor and di- rector.-maoagersr. wa? silts^ested last w^ek. Idea is that such' managers hav.e.a different viewpoint and dif- ierent interests from those of the League of New York Theatres and would form a. more cohesive group. Figured the producers who have stayed out of the League ' would likely join the new organization. Suggestion is based on the theory that the 'creative* or 'firtistic' man- agers (as differentiated from the purely commercial producers) would find their interests better served in a group such as that proposed. In this connection it is pointed out that the League is composed primarily of theatre-owners rather than pro- ducers, the latter having come over coinparatively recently from the old producing IVIanagers* Assn. Aihong the possible advantages of • playwright, actor and director- manager organization would be a united stand on various questions wWch now find the.'creative' man- agements ^ acting separately. Also suggested the group rqight work out a co-operative setup, for keeping ac- counts and reducing production and executive overhead. Figured the outfit might likewise act in unison to obtain better terms, on various kindH of deals and contracts, and could, possibly work out a system of storage and an accurate index (Continued on page 12) SUNDAY NIGHT 'GUESTS' CUT IN ON fm ACTS Balcony Comic It happened during the mid- night rebroadcast of Fred Allen's show last w6ek for Bristol-Myerst. Portland Hptfa had just approached the mike with a 'Hello, Mr. "Allen' and received the customary 'Hello,- Portland,* when a drunk in the studio's balcony yelled, 'HeUo, Portland. I'm from Portland too.' As the ushers made a rush for the interrupter Allen quick- ly wisecracked into the rnike, •That's the first time -that a heckler was heard from coast- to-coast.' EPICURE TRADE WOOED BY NEW PALLADIUM Sunday night guest appearances of natpe talent at New York niteries is causing agents and .bookers to flay the practice as unfair competi- tion. There's talk of taking up the situation with the various talent unions, beefers claiming that cuflo appearances are displacing paid per- formers, directly and indirectly hurt- ing business, and ultimately threat- ening to put talent employment in a spot. Boys regard idea in same light as the cuffo benefit, something which ultimately comes from .the actor's pocket anyway. They state that per- formers are robbing themselves by making such appearances in guise of doing their pals a favor. In reality, as complained, it's high pressure from agents and bookers who handle namers and who arrange the guest- Ings. Cry is that If any one of them wanted to get such names for a one- show appearance they would have to pay a fancy price. This is especially true of the club date bookers who handle one-nite .shows. Here, they point out, is the very same performer working for a free meal. Indirectly, th<^. stont also cuts in by unfairly a^jtra^Hing business away from spots otljer agents handle. Re- sult is that shows or salaries are cut for the working acts to offset undue draw of offenders. Kurt Robitschek will make a bid for the epicure, trade with a 9!30. p.m. curtain for late, diners at his three-a-day straight vauder^ the New York PaUr.dium, Which op.ehs Nov. 21. Opening bill is set, scale fixed and writers and directors as- signed. Only obstacle stiU in the way is unionization of the house, either Equity „€8fc,A)merican Federa- tion, of Actors. Backers have been holding off until this question is settled. Two-hour show will bow at 3,7 and 9:30 p.m. The first half will be strictly vaudeville. Latter portion will be a revuesque afterpiece. Cham;eover Is to get it out of Equity (Continued on page 12) DUE-BILLERS OUT ON A LIMB VIA '39 FAIR New York's due-bill brokers are already feeling the pinch of th« forthcoming World's Fair. Boys have been hit pretty hard by gradual nar- rowing down of possible deals and see little hope for future. Hotels, restaurants and niteries are not renewing old deals or making any new ones. All rates are com- mencing the expected upward climb and wampum peddlprs can't get into any picture. There's nothing at all for them at the Fair itself. Hotels are beginning to let leases expire, wanting only short stay guests at higher rates, Non-e^cpired due bills are being recalled and bought UP by inns themselves. It's reported that American Railway Ex- press is now buying up rooms and offering high-priced guarantees, an- other adverse factor. VS. 3tr|ite|[i9t5 Taking Cogni- zance of That Sunday Night Broadcast—Dram- atizes^ yiyidly-*-t3i[e Lack of Common Sense Should a Real Air Att;aok Ever Occur—Anti-Radio Press Overplayed It, for Its Own Reasons ELUOTT'S ANGLES Near-hysteria broke out all over the United States Sunday (30) night as result of a fanciful invasion-from- Mars story by H. G, Wells which was broadcast over the Columbia Broadcastini^ System in the form of news flashes.. One immediate effect oif the strange behavior of the popu- lace was to fpcus attention on va- rious social and military implica- tions.- Persons close to the national de- fense branch of the Federal govern- ment expressed the view that be- sides revealing a jum^..js^^te of nerves, brought on,by tfie war clouds over Europe- and Asia, th^ episode drove home how .little prepared the nation is to cope with an abrupt ertiergency. Thus, it is being pointed out, Co- (Continued on page 28) Convict Enters Play In Contest, but Love Scene Gets Scissors Cries for author will go unan- swered if bad boy No. 59727, of San Quentin Prison, wins the play con- test being run by Allied Authors of New York, Convict A. Manford Knothe has submitted a four-titled manuscript for consideration in the contest, which carries a $2^0 prize for winner. Play is variously titled 'Human In- terest,' 'Beyond Hollywood Is Broad- way,' 'Golden Saturday' and 'Horse- play a la Hollywood.' It's in three acts and six scenes. Manuscript contains an explana- tion for a missing part in the first act. Inmate states that due to rigid censorship by the officials of San Quentin, part of the script was de- leted. It was a love scene and may have been considered rough,' he states. SOBIS DUKE'S SCBEEK TEST Hollywood, Nov. 1. Doris Duke Cromwell, the heiress, took a screen test at Metro, emoting opposite Phil Terry in a scene from 'Mad Living.' She is being considered for Edgar Selwyn's next production. Move This Wk. to Heal Bmy^H'wood Breach; Dramatists Want Fihn B.il 25c With this issue of Variety, Its sale price becomes 25c. ,. Kie increase is not by choice. Pubjyishing costs niakQ it neces- sary. U RUSHING OUT FDJi Hollywood, Nov. 1. To capitalize on the air hysteria and attendant front page breaks all over the country, Univiersal is readying quick release; of the 'Buck' Sogers' serial based on an Incident similar to Orson Welles' C^S blroad- caist. A strong a^lvance campaign for the picture Is assured as wire serv- ices and picture mags besieged the studio for stiUa of the mythical (Continued on page 20) 2D-HAii7wOOOSHOES, STARS' CURLS SELL BIG London, Nov. 1. Second-hand shoes claimed to have been worn by Hollywood film stars and probably used only once or twice during the making of one picture, according to retail shoe merchants here, are being sold in the poorer districts at prices rang- ing from $1,25 to $3. The British shoe trade Is alarmed at this new form of competition (Continued on page 61) Determined effort to heal tha Broadway-Hollywood breach is be-* ing made this week. Representa- tives of the major film companies and the Dramatists Guild are cur- rently holding a series of confabs to reach a general agreement to permit the ire-ientry of picture coin into legit production. Studio spokes- men are also Invited to attend the annual Dramatists Guild meeting next Monday *'(7) at the Lincoln hotel, N. Y., to present their .View- point on the question. Fact that- such a bid has been extended is re- garded as significant, since no such action has ever been taken in the past. Specific matter under disciission U said to be the plan first proposed by John Wharton, theatrical attor- ney, and studied for the last year by film ofilcials and Guild reps. Be- lieved the scheme has been almost entirely worked out and that it will now be submitted to the Guild membership for approval. Idea of the,preliminary rheetings this week is to bring about an understanding between Guild leaders and the film (Continued on page IS) EX-teELD GIRLS ADMIT GROWING IIP The Ziegfeld Girls Club decided to modify the name of the organization, and the 'girls' has been<<4ropped. As one of the former 'glorified' girls with a sense of humor explained it, few members who appeared in the 'Follies' have retained much sem- blance to their appearance of those seasons. Club, which Is functioning along beneficial lines, will conduct a cock- tail party at the Maisonette Russe, St. Regis hotel, N. Y., next Sunday from four to six o'clock. Beryl Halley, one of the club's leaders, was operated on for ap- pendicitis recently but has recov- ered. DON'T FAIL TO SEE the PARAMOUNT SHORT in color ''MOMENTS OF CHARM'' with PHIL SPITALNY and his ALL GIRL ORCHESTRA