Variety (Feb 1939)

Wedneadaf, Vthtawey U 1939 PICTURES VARmtY U. S. INDIES MX BYITAIY Although several independent pro- duction-distribution companies have been approached in New York duxr tog the last two weeks by the Italian envoy regarding possible shipment of product in Italy; no indie firm thus tax has agreed to distribute under the new Italian monopoly de- cree. This was regarded in the trade as an obvious circuitious attempt to break down the solid front main- ttijqed to date by U. S. major com- panies against the nationalization of . film distribution In Italy* Itlonogram, Republic and Grand National are reported to have been 'those approached, and their refusals have been indicative of the coopera- tive spirit existing in U. S. currently on the ItaliaB situation, . Spokesmen for . the indies ex- pressed doubt as. to the amount of money .they might receive or the merit of any guarantee once they be- gan shipping pictures into Italy. )The majors pulled out of Italy Dec. 31 when the decree controlling all foreign distribution became ef- fective. Hxey contended they were forced out by the terms of the de- cree, flat rental terms fixed by the Italian government making it im- ptofltable-to operate in that coimtry. Nazi Beef on M. of T/s Vefogee' Short in Mont'l; French Put Ban On Also Montreal^ Jah. 31. The Refugee,' March of Time short, was pulled after showing at the Capitol several days last week, following complaints from Nazi sources received by the Board of Censors of the Province of Quebec that film was propaganda. Censors had o.k.'d film previously but took another gander following protests and then sent the short back to the theatre in tinie for regular showings. No further scissoring of 'The Refu- gee' reported aside from any dele- tions which may have been made prior granting of original okay.. French Ban on 'Befngee' Pio Paris, Jan. 31. Orders from Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet are believed to have caused the ban of the March of Time film, The Refugee,' in France. Film was taken out of circulation in this country last week. French authori- ties had attempted to delete objec- tionable portions of the film, accord- tog to Richard De Rochemont, Euro^ Pean matiager for M. of T„ but then notified him that the film could not De shown in France. Picture deals with refugees from Germany, China and Spain, especial- V from the first named, and also re- fers to Hitler. n^'^ reason for the withdrawal of wie flbn is believed to have been the ?5lY^°n^«nt's desire to nix the possi- e °' i'lcreased popular sympathy iZ. ^P^°ish refugees with the show- tog of the film. ♦1, 1.100 theatres are showing TO« film throughout Great Britain in Its original form. Sdwyn Shores Off As M-G Producer widi Pair Hollywood, Jan. 31. ivTr^^ Selwyn, recently added to Z? ™o producer stafif, makes his wSng ^^^^ two pictures ,.f^s* *o go Is "Maiden Voyage,' wattiring Robert Young. Second is Kid Irom Texas,' with Denijls ^fi^eefe and Ruth Hussey heading Doping the Jubilee Plans for a Golden Jubilee celebration, in honor of 50 years of the motion picture in this country, probably will not be taken up by the industry until April or. May. Idea would be to get the Gold- en Jubilee—^patterned after the Greatest Picture-Year idea, but executed in a different manner, with a different setup—under ■ way during the summer, with the actual campaign breaking just as the new. season product is being released^ Hearst^s Adv. Stant Hollywood, Jani. 31. Hearst's L. A. Exstminer is go- ing to town with a special edition on the Golden'Jubilee of motion pictures, hitting the newsstands in March. Bally is being built up by. a raid on studio publicity .depigments, foUowed^by a inop- plng-up squad of ad salesmen! Cainpaign Is .patterned after the New Year's drive of the L- A. Times, which put a fast one over, on the Hearst men. BREN LEAYES ROA(% MAY JOINRKO Hollywood, Jan. 31. Milton Bren left Hal Roach last week after two and half years as executive vice-president' 'in charge of production. A settlement has been effected on his contract, which had four years to run. Bren i^ nego- tiathig for an RKO productioh berth. Vacated post is not being ^ed, as Roach is assuming those duties.' All production halts for three months oa the Hal Roach lot, after completion of 'Capt. Fury' about March 6. Letdown is the result of a switch in the production schedule, which advances 'Water G3T)sies' to a spot on the current year's sked and sets 'Housekeeper's Daughter' back to the 1039-40 slate. 'Daughter' was due to roll imme- diately after 'Fury,' but Murray Sil- verstone. United Artists operating head, pointed out that 'Gypsies' had already been sold in many spots. Pic- ture will require about 12 weeks of preparation before hitting the cam- eras. NOW IT'S FEB. 10 FOR THE RKO REORG OKAY Confirmation of the RKO reor- ganization plan will not take place at least until Feb. '.0 it was de- cided last week by N. Y. Federal Judge William Bondy at a brief hearing at which John J'. iStover, representing the chief opponent to the reorganization plan, sought an extension of date of confirmation. Judge Bondy has already set Feb. 4 as the final day for v/ithdrawals to consents to the plan. Col. Hamil- ton C. Rickaby, counsel for the Atlas Corp., principal proponents of the plan which was signed last week by the court, consented to an adjourn- ment of the next hearing from Feb. 7 to Feb. 10 at 3:30 p. m. -As one of the attorneys said, It (the plan) will be confirmed at that time, but the Lord knows what Stover will do.' Judge Bondy's at- titude in the matter is that every- body should have his say in the mat- ter and that he wished to make cer- tain on final confirmation in every proper way in ,order to avoid a pos- sible reversal on appeal.' N. Y. Federal Judge William Bondy yesterday (Tuesday) authorized Irv- ing Trust Co., as trustee of the old RKO Corp., to engage the acCoimting firm of Price, Waterhouse & Co., to audit the books of the old concern for the fiscal year of 1033. The accoimtants are also hired to make a detailed report and consoli- dated statement of RKO and its sub- sids for that period. TO BAT THURS, Giving the Anti-Film Indus- try Monopoly l^uit. His Personal Attention —^ Not Superseding Thurman Ar- nold, However—Murphy Strong for the Indies Slverstbne in HoOywood Denies London Report that Teddy CanrV TALENT SWAPPING Washington, Jan. 31. Vital announcement, concerning the Federal anti-trust suit against the majors is set for. later this week, causing conjecture whether the .bat'- tUng parties have reached some com- mon ground and strengthening ru- mors that a consent decree, is not far off.. Attorney General Frank. Mur phy. is diie to-discuss the, status of the unit at his Thursday (2) press conference. Personal supervision of the. drive against the picture companies has been one of the first developments since Murphy took the helm last New Year's Day. Former Michigan governor is^ determined to crack dowii and Insists upon sweeping- re- lief for independent theatre owners. While not supplanting assistant at- tomey general Thurman Arnold, the new cabinet member dived in en thusiastically and has summoned a detachment of the industry lawyers to his sanctum for more direct con fereijces. .Last week .on, his' ;^ip. to New York he is understod to have talked with the Government staff aS well as the defense battery in re- gard to the consent decree possibili ties. With the D. of J, tight-lipped, ob servers hear Mxirphy is. hopeful of winning a compromise without .ex-r pensive courtrodn^ forensics atd de- spite the industry's assertions it can- not yiel4 the concession (jlemanded* Chief stumblmg block is the divorce- ment issue,, with Murphy insisting there must be relief for the indies from the competition of producer- controlled house?. An understanding Is said to have been reached on one of the points which drew loud wails—swapping of talent Details vague, but pipeline reports have the majors agreeing to change their, habits in the way of loaning stars and directors. Govern- ment insists the eight principal stu- dios have so much raw material tied up that indie producers have been unable to get a toe-hold. The progress on the block-booking question is imknown here, although Murphy is represented as determined to get broadscale concessions for the benefit of the indies who have ap- plied strong pressure to him. Hinted he will not be satisfied with the pro- posals advanced by the committee working on the self-regulation plan. After All Hollywood-, Jan, 31. Gus Edwards -has-asked Uni- versal to drOp the proposed title, •After SeHool Days,' for Its forthcoming Deanna Durbin pic- ture. Title, he declares, is too much like his own 'School Days,' sold to Warners for the screen. PATHE PROXIES SLOW, DELAYING RECAP PLAN Proxies of stockholders sought for approval on the revised capital set- up of Pathe Film are coming in slowly, according to check this week. Although only 662/3% of the total common stock is necessary to pass the revised capital plan, proxies thus far have appeared in disappoint- ing numbers, being even slower than when asked on the original liquida- tion plan, defeated because 80% to- tal was not obtained. Main point of Pathe Film recap plan is to make present corporation a holding company and set up a new corporation to handle the lab- oratory business. Some Pathe stock- holders have indicated they did not consider the new plan as satisfying as the old, but admit its possibilities. Pathe owns about 66,000 shares of Monogram stock to date, this owner- ship assuring printing biz from Mono. Company also has option to buy an additional nimiber Of shares in Monogram. u wm ki, 13 FUFROM Hollywood, Jan. 31. - Heaviest feature program -in ye^s, calUng for 24 majorrbudget pictures, was mapped out for the 1939^0 siea? son at Universal after a . series of studio huddles . headed by. Nate Blumberg, president, and J. Clxeever Cbwdin, board chairman. Features are divided into two classes, 13 do.uble-A's, running from $600,000. up;, and .11 A'fi, budgeted around the $500,000 mark, plan also calls for some 20 smaller budgeters, four serials and six -^^resterns.' Newi slate does not Include Danielle. Darrleux, although the stu- dio has a large investment in 'Rio,' prepared with her in mind, i'rench actress doe.s noi like Hollywood, and her husband, Henri Decoin, likes it even less. 'Rio' may be used as a starrer-for Marlene DietriclL. Studio plans picture deals with top names, including Edward G, Robinson, Cary Grant; Douglas Fair- banks, Jr„ Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer, -in addition to a number. of leading directors. BALABAN AND OTHER PAR EXECS IN MIAMI Barney Balaban left Saturday (28) for Miami, purportedly on a vacation,, and will not return to New York for three or four weeks, under plans. At the same time, J. B. Cr. Frawley, . comptroller of .exchanges, also went south. Stanton L. Griffis, recently. bacK from Florida, where he holidayed on his yacht, niay re- turn there before Balaban and Fraw- ley pull stakes. Two Of Par's largest- operators, Marty Mullin and Sam Pinanski, now alsci in Miami, are expected to re- main about three weeks. Tracy Bar- ham, Par's Ohio operator, reached New York Monday (30) to confer with Leon Netter and other h.o. the- atre executives. He comes in often for a few days at a time. Rep ]Sm 'Conquest^ To Tune of $900,000 Holl3rwood,'Jan. 31. Republic loosened the bankroll after early rushes of 'Man of Con- quest' 9nd added $150,000 to the orig- inal budget of $750,000. Picture, starring Richard Dix with Gail Patrick in the femme lead, has another month before the cameras. ■ Paul with Small Hollywood, Jd^. 31, Val Piaul, former studio manager for Universal, johied Edward Small as production manager, succeeding Joe Nadel, resigned. First assignment is VThe Man in the Iron Mask.' London; Jan. Arthur W« Kelly may take ov^ the sole managing directorship of the United Artists Corp., Ltd., Brit- ish sales organization of the Ameri- can UA, according to local Inside, Hip may succeed Teddy Carr; and Georgip Archibald, present joint managing directors, who assumed complet« control of- British" sales after Mxuray Silverstone's elevaiioh to g&oHivsX managership of the parent company and transfer to N. Y. headquarters. . According to • unofficial report, Carr is planning to resign his posit and become sales head in England of another American major flhn compaqy> Should. Kelly succeed Carr, Arcjiibald will most likely rfr- tain another UA' pfost, possibly; that 0^ managing director of United- Art- ists Export, Ltd. Kelly is awaiting arrival of Silver- stone in London, with latter sched- uled to sail from America on Feb. 10. Silverstone Says Hollywood, Jpn. 31, When report from London regard- ing^ rumored resignation of Teddy* Carr was referred hiere to Miirray Silverstonej he stated that he had not heard of Carr's impending resig- nation and indicated that Carfs <;6h- ttact was of .indefinite duration. Carr would have to give, one-year ziotlcf of any Intention to resign. Silverstone. expressed satisfaction with Carr's ability .and. value to United Artists, and If Carr doe? leave UA it will hot be because of lack of Effort on part of the com- pany to hold him. With regard %q possibility of Kefly taking over th# British managiftg" directorship, Sil* vprstone refused to credit the movel, • Kelly is the .v.p. of tTA In charge of foreign sales. Silverstone is remaining here for the time being to confer with John Hay Whitney, due here ^from New Orleans- where his plane was grounded last Sunday (29). Purposo is a final conference with Whitney on renewal of Selznlck-International releasing contract with tJA. Trad* Mart^ Retrlotttred FOUNDED BT 'SIME SILVERMAN PobllHlied tVeekIr by VARIETY, Inc. ^ SI<J Sllvennttti, Prenldent 164 Wegt 46th Street. New Yo.r h City SUBSCRIPTION Annual |10 PpreJgn..... til. Single Copies .,26 Cent* Vol 133 30 No. 8 INDEX Burlesque 54 Bills ■ ,..46-47 Chatter 53 Dance Bands 36-3^ Exploitation 20 15 Years Ago 42 Film Booking Chart...... 16 Film Reviews 13 Forum 55 House Reviews ♦,. .44-45 Inside—Legit 50 Inside—^Music 36 Inside—^Pictures 18 Inside—Radio 27 International News 11 Joe Laurie 6 Legitimate 48-51 Literati 52 Music 36-39 New Acts 47 Night Clubs 41-43 Obituary 54 Outdoors 55 Pictures 2-20 Radio 21-35 Radio—InternationsI 25 Radio Reviews 26 Radio—Showmanship 31 Unit Review 47 Vaudeville ..41-43