Variety (Dec 1938)

RADIO Published'Weekly at.lB4.tVeflt.46th Street, New Tork, tT. T., by Variety, Inc. Annual Bubflcrlptlon, |10. dln'sle ooplei i5 cents. Entered ai oecond-clasa matter December 22, 1905, at the Ppflt Oftlce at KeW.York,' N. T;, undW the act oC Uarcb 9;- 1879. OOPTBIGHT 1038, BT TABIETT.llNC. AtAj BIGHTS . BESEBTED. Vol. 132 No. 13 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7,1938 56 PAGES WELD 'Decency and Kindred Film Bodies Rapped at Natl Teachers Confab St. Louis, Dec. 6, The Legion ot Decency and similar j^yganlzatiohs were rapped as ham- pering the development of motion pictures into one ot the' greatest and most influential arts of all time last week by Prof. Ernest Bernbaum of the University of Illinois, at a con- yehtlon here of the National Coun- cil of Teachers of English, Prof. jBernbaum, who conducts a course in motion picture appreciation in addi- tion to his English work, said he was an addict of good films and that he was concerned with helping to Improve them and make them more •dult. 'The future possibilities of the pic- ture industry are glorious,' the Prqf. •aid, but will achieve that objective «nly if it is continuously and justly judged and enlightened by intelli- gent and fair-minded criticism. Dis- cussing unsound, ways of talking and writing about films. Prof. Bernbaum •aid. 'The Legion of Decency and •imilar organizations ask only 'Is there anything morally objectionable iA this picture? Does it show a leg? Does it utter a damn? Does It dis- close that babies are begotten and liorn? Does it betray the fact that •Icohol, sex and hatreds of many kinds are powerful forces in life as It actually is? Ti'hese groups ask, *Does .the film (Contimied on page 36) Leni RiefenstaU StiH Getting Film Business' Bnishoff Hollywood, Dec. 6. Leni Riefenstahl remained pub- Itcity-shy since the studios put a quietus on her attempt to garner i^Mce by visiting the film plants, on the heels of the anti-Nazi group in Hollywood suggesting that folks forget about her, and after Phil Selznick nixed a party of 16 in her honor at his night spot. The German consulate, of course, denies the chill is being given Hit- ler's film front, but the studios sent out statements to the effect she was non-persona at their plants. In the meantime Miss'Riefenstahl has been sightseeing around, visit- ing museums, etc., and hobnobbing with society that the German con- ■ulate' has been digging up for her entertainment. Though she an- nounced she would get bit of Palm Springs sunshine no reservation has been made fbr her ,at the desert resort which^ currently,. .i;s heayily populated by picture folks. So far as Hollywood is concerned she is just another tourist whom It is too. busy to show -around or be seen with. Cool to.N»!d Iflx Leni Riefenstahl is not expected to get far with efforts to interest American companies in her Olympic (Continued on page 55) JOLSON PIC COMEBACK IN 'SQUARE' AT 20-FOX Hollywood, Dec. 0. Three-star picture, 'Rose of .Wash- ington Square,' rolls at 20th-Fox Dec. 19 with l^^rone Power, Al Jol- son and Alice Faye in the top spots. It marks Jolson's return to the screen after an aosence of several years. Film Is high-budget musical on the order pf 'Alexander's Ragtime Band,' but not a sequel. This was the film Irving Berlin was to score, but now won't. He's due out here this week on another film deal. Roy Del Ruth will direct from a screen play by Nunnally Johnson. CAFE SOCIETY GRABSABin EARLY Hit musicals and other-Broadway clicks are giving the cafe-society bunch a reverse-twist, by breaking up leisurely dining-dancing habits, Now they're coming, early for din- ner and scramming out pronto in order not to miss the rise of the curtain. In former months there was even talk that legit would have to set back its curtains to 9:30-10 p.m., possibly, if the Continental-style diners were to be gotten! into Times Squai^e from their east side eateries. Now the class hotels and cafes are plugging 'express theatre dinners,' with headwaiters further fortified with exact time-tables of just what time each curtain rises, as a. means of expediting the cafe bunch into the theatres. Certain die-hard spots,- which are empty at 8:30, but which formerly started filling up around 9 p.m. with fashionable late diners, .now. find themselves full at around 7:15 and empty at 8:30. Result is that the cafe divertissement, usually sched- uled for 9:15-9:30, now finds itself performing to sparse crowds. McCormack's Farewell London, Dec. .6... Having, made his farewell, appear- ance in concert, John McCoi^mack is planning to turn impresaripA Together with Frank Cooper, Lon- don concert singer's agent, the Irish tenor plans a world toxu: of British artists. AGCORO m PIK Celluloid Ambassadors to Cement Economic' and Political Ties Between North and Sou^h Ameripa —U. S. Gov't Sugfifests Spanish and Portuguese Versions URGE NEW MARKETS Washington, Dec. 6. Celluloid ambassadors of good will were suggested last week as means of strengthening ecpnpmic and politi- cal , ties with South and' Central American republics.! Without com- peting with private enterprise, Federal authorities contemplate using the cinema as part of .a broad pro- gram which would create a strong bloc to defend democracy in the Western Hemisphere. A similar use of radio for Pan- American amity Is further detailed on page 35. Cooperation of the commercially- minded film units Is anticipated, but the ambitious scheme advanced last week by President Roosevelt's inter- d^partlni^ntal. coihmittee confined its discussion of the possible use of the cinema' to government-sponsored activities. Production and distribu- tion of. special educational reels was the concrete recommendation. Asking $176,500 appropriation to finance the film'gobd-will maneuvers, the White House, advisors sketched the outlines of a general campaign of culture swapping that embodies radio (Continued on page 15) HEFUGEE' BENEFITS GIVEN CAREFUL 0: 0. The Welfare Department of New York City and the Theatre Author- ity are investigating a heavy crop of self-appointed refugee committees which have sprung up almost over- night during the past month. There's some doubt as to the true purpose of many fancily labeled groups who haye set themselves up for the al- leged purpose of. aiding European refugees. Monies collected through benefit performances, radio appeals and other forms of solicitation are get- ting careful scrutiny. Christian Committee for Jewish Refugees is lining up group of five benefit shows to be presented simul- taneously at five different locations in New York on Dec. 15. Benefits will all be paid shows. Combination entertainment-dances will be offered at the Hunt's Point Palace, Bronx; Audubon b^llroomf upper Broadway, Manhattan; Acad- emy of Music, Brooklyn; Bronx Win- ter Garden and the Riverside Plaza, Manhattan. 6 Top Loew-Hetro Execs Received 31f, of Ae Net Profits io 1934-3? WMCA STAFF MEMBERS WEAR CApOUC GARB Engineers and announcers of sta- tioi» WJiliBA* New Yorl^ who wiU handle special religious, service at St. Xavier's church tomorrow (Thursday), will wear religious'vest- ments during ceremony. Staflmen used will be CathoUcs. Solemn pontifical , vespers service celebrates 75th anniversary of St. Xavler Alumni Sodaiily. SEE GOOD M SEASON THIS WINIR Night club bookers expect Florida to bie okay this season, in view of gene;ral conditions and an antlci- pate(i} ic9^J(^J!{ up on the gambling sifuation,''^ Soijc^c^.ear^ hQ.okings set so iar In- clu.diS iiJoel tiowis.at the Continental, Miami Beach/^'opening Jan. 25; Dwight Fisk^^;^ the Drums, in Coral Gablei, new r class spot which cost ;Emile .Ma}eJ!f9Qli,'$70,000 to build, and seatd. only ISOv Ramon and Rehita open the spot Dec. 15; Peggy Fears and Lupe Velez come in later, along with Fiske. George Cotter now has the Beach and Tennis, Miami Beach, and will play, names as will Jack Dempsey's Vandierbilt hotel, M.B., this winter. Royal Palm, Miami, may have Harry Richman later in the wiiiter, ^ der pending on commitments to his new New York spot, the Road to Manda- lay, which preems Dec. 15. Six top executives In Loew's, lap,, received 31% of the bet profits of the cotrporatioii and its affiliate, Metro, durinf the i)eriod from 19H to 1937, While th^ common stock- holders got 59% of the earnings, ac- cording to testimony given yesterday (Tuesday) in the accdimting suit brought against 11 of the Loew- Metro officers and directors^ The officials. wh6 ^ihared tn these huge salaries and bonuses Were Louis B. Mayer, Nicholas M. Schenck, David .Bernstein, the late Irving G. Thal- b&rg (whose estate, through his wife, Norma Shearer, is named a defendant), j. Robert Rubin and Arthur Loew, Accordihg to the testimony brought out through Ber- nard J. Reiss, plaintiffs' accountant, the six received a total of $12,819,- 000, while the. stockholders got .$21,- 611,000. The * company's profits lor the period amounted to approjd- mately $50,000,000. Reiss was the first wittiiess to iake the stand ^ince the trial started last Wednesday (30) hi New, York Su- (Continued on page 6) typns, N. Y. Cokmni^, Barred from Shabert Theatres; An Old Gag Shuberts have embarked on- an- other newspaper scrap, ciurrent tow dealing with Leonard Lyons, Broad- way columnist for the New York Post, who has been barred from Shubert theatres. Lee Shubert Is said to have vio- lently opposed Lyons' attending the premiere of 'Great Lady,' which Dwight Deere Wiman and Jack del Bondio presented at the Majestic, a Shubert house, last week. Columnist did not appear at the opening and (Continued, on page 55) In Danee Tempo ZU Horn i4 CCmmm Blltmore Hotel, Mew Yovk Phil Spitalny and his AH Girl Orchestra Llmiteil Engagement CONCLUDING N DEC. .14