Variety (Jul 1939)

iTcdneaday, July S. 1939 PICTURES VARIETY BOXOFFICE SLANT ON B'S WB-National Hieatres Product Breach Kicouraghig New Buildii^ By hdies m Opposition to F-WC The building of new houses and remodeling of those now existing Is encouraged via the National Thea- tres (Fox) situation as result of the availability of Warner product, caused by the open breach between WB and the Skouras-operated chain. In all probability the Warner or- ganization will attempt to Influence building against National In any •pot that it can aind, If the WB-Na- tional Theatres break continues be- yond this season, it is not improb- able that Warners Itself may invade iome of the cities and towna in which the NT circuit operates. Warners has several theatres on Hie Pacific Slope where, about 10 years ago, it began construction of a circuit to combat Fox-West Coast, but stopped after conditions became unfavorable for further expansion. Though the status quo on theatre acquisition is supposed to be main- tained under the U. S. anti-trust suit against majors, Warners might be conceded to have justification for going deeper into National territory In view of the present situation. The circuit has 11 houses in Cali- fornia,, one in Oregon .and 12 in Wisconsin—states in which the Na- tional outfit operates. In addition to reports that sev- eral new Independent theatres are planned in the southern California territory, where Fox-West Coast is powerful, a new house is being built In Jacksonville, lU. P. 'W. Dickson, who has already bought the War- ner product for 1939-40, will build In opposition to National in that town, erecting a l,900-5eBter. Among those assured of Warner pictures who will remodel houses is J. Pennington, of Topeka, Kansas, who will modernize his two houses In that situation. During the past week IS addi- tional deals with indies in National territory were closed under the supervision of Ben Kalmenson, east- ern division sales manager, and W. E. Callaway, Pacific Coast district manager. Kalmenson returned to New York Monday (3) after spend- ing five weeks on the Coast setting up deals In that territory following the WB-National schism. Deals are also being closed in the midwest away Xrom National. Warners Selling Away From Fox-Wisconsin Milwaukee, July 4. The Warner-Fox West Coast break has had a tremendous effect on WB product sales in Wisconsin, Warners has a direct outlet for Its first run product in the southern part of the Btate, but Fox-Wisconsin controls all first runs throughout Greater Wis- consin. , Bob Smith, WB district manager here, states, 'We are selling Warner product in all situations where a partnership with Fox-Wisconsin is Involved if the partner has equal buying power. The partner, of course, is buying under the same formula we offered Fox. Fox has only two competitive spots In the state—Manitowoc and Watertown— and they are already sewed up. L. Roy Pierce, right-hand man to Harold J. Fitzgerald, Fox-Wisconsin Prexy, said: 'Most of our film con- tracts are handled through the New York office, but we can't afford to pay Warners' present asking price, and if they won't negotiate with us, and the independents are willing to pay, I guess they'll have to get it. II Grad Sears (Warner general sales manager) can get the money he's asking tot the Warner pioduct, he is certainly a good man." Brandts Add Chaloner, N. T. Chaloner theatre on 9th ave., N. X, recently purchased by WUliam Girden, realty operator, from the ba.iks, has been leased to the Brandt (Continued on page 16) No Barter Hollywood, July 4. Universal wanted to borrow Bob Livingstone from Republia for the title role In it* Lon« Ranger serial. Republic said, 'Sure, we'll swap him for Deanna Durbin.' Deal la off. MERGING W6-FN UNITS IN BRITAIN London, July 4. Major executive changes in War- ner Bros, foreign and European fields are likely to follow the merg- ing here of the First National and Warner Bros, distributing organiza- tions, which for some years have been operated as individual and sep- arate units. Consolidation is said to boost Rob- ert Schless, company's European rep- resentative, into the top spot abroad. Unverified, but reported in the film trade, it is said that Schless may suc- ceed to the general management of foreign representatives aiding Sam E. Morris, v.p. in charge of foreign, in the New York home ofCce. Max Milder, of the British WB forces, would succeed Schless, and David Griffiths, now in charge of FN, would head the combined office here; according to understanding. Milder Is booked for an early trip to New York. Sam Morris was among the first of the foreign sales chiefs to place fu- ture values on the Sout'.. American market, and sails July 28 to make a thorough personal survey of the field. Chances are likely he will defer his trip until after the arrival In N. Y. of Milder. RKO FURTHER REAUGNS ITS SALES DISTRICTS For greater efficiency, RKO has realigned its various sales districts, now numbering eight with creation of a new one to cover a portion of the northwest and midwest. As a re- sult of the shifting of branches, Jules Levy has placed Detroit and Indi- anapolis in the district under Walter Branson, who headquarters at Chi- cago. Thus these two exchange ter- ritories now become a part of the western - southern division under Cresson E. Smith. Nat Levy, district mgr. at Detroit is being shifted to Philadelphia and will have Philly, Cincinnati, Cleve- land, Pittsburgh and Washington un- der his charge, these branches being part of the eastern Canadian division of E, L. McEvoy. Buffalo, which has been under Levy from Detroit, under the switch swings Into the district handled by J. H. (Herb) Maclntyre, who has all of New England, plus Albany, and headquarters at Boston. New northwestern district, to which L. E. Goldhammer was appointed, takes in Minneapolis, Des Moines, Omaha and Sioux Falls. Wl'S ARMY PIC Hollywood, July 4. Olivia de Haviland co-stars with George Brent In 'Eyes of the Army,' slated for late summer production at Warners. > Lieut. BernarB Ray, authority on military aircraft, is working on the script INSIDE STUFF ON LOW ByOGFT PIX Keepers of the B'c Have Plenty of Wrinkles to Keep the Production Nut Down —Ingenious Twists on Physical Investiture, Ac- timi Plots, Scripts, Etc DOMESTIC TRADE ONLY By BOB MOAK Hollywood, July 4. The play-date's the thing. That's giving the Bard's old'saw a new twist but makers of B pic- tures on the Hollywood back lots twist more than a mere aphorism to keep production costs low in the six-figure bracket. No magician ever had a fuller hag of tricks than the B boys who know every short cut there is to know. They're got a 10c store standby for every colos- sal gimmick. Shakespeare's tip about play itself, however, isn't exactly laughed off by those who grind out 'modest' budjget fare. Only too impressively have they had hammered home to them in past year the fact that in order to garner needed number of bookings to cover nut and net they've first got to find a script—a good one, at that! 'We've got to make up in story what we can't afford in way of mar- quee names,' agree those responsible for programmers emerging from major plants! Including 20th-Fox's Sol Wurtzel, Warners' Bryan Foy, Paramount's Harold Hurley, RKO's Lee Marcus and Metro's Joe Cohn, There are some other points, also, on which B maestros see orb to orb, just as there are still more on which they strongly disagree, Wurtzel, for instance. Is convinced that aside from series features and B specials—pix rating slightly above- average financial ' allotments—that domestic comedy dramas are best suited to the smaller cost brackets. Foy, on other hand, argues that ac- tion, which he considers as ^ much an international language as music, is tops. Both will tell you that well« made mystery dramas are surefire. Search After New Ideas Search for plots with a hreath of newness is No. 1 problem for all program moguls. Wurtzel main- tahis a staff of experienced writers, who construct scripts around ideas supplied by himself and his asso- ciate producers. It has been a long time since he has purchased an original or noveL Foy gets part of his yarns by same means, but he also weaves some around basic threads of material previously filmed, or scripts shelved through- out the years by his company's A producers for one reason or another. Hurley, Cohn artd Marcus purchase most of their tales In the open mar- ket . Wurtzel goes on theory he gets nearer perfect script by expending funds, used by others for story buys. In salaries to his own writers for development of screen plays. •By saving original story cost, we have a greater leeway in matter of writing and rewriting until we get what we want' he declares. He added that vehicles requiring expen- sive location jaunts are beyond reach of B builders. 'Equally important to script is cast and direction,' he observes, 'be- cause we are unable to assimilate salaries of stellar personalities and must use extraordinary care in picking players for ability alone. We cannot afford to experiment with directors of unknown quality. I either. We have to know before we start the cameras that we are going to have a good picture when we get through, for retakes and added scenes are beyond our means. Should we occasionally slip up in our calculations, that's our hard luck.' Wurtzel, Foy and Hurley refuse (Continued on page 20) Peremptory Intermission for All 135 Min. Shows Seen as a Likely Means to Fmally End Chi Duals Deanna's 'Command' Hollywood, July 4. Deanna Durbin will sing next season in London at a 'command' performance for a hospital char- ity event • Her parents sail next week to complete the arrangements. MISS DURBIN'S NEW $975, CONFRAa Hollywood, July 4. Deanna Durbin's new Universal contract, first minor pact under the new 'Jackie Coogan law,' calls for $975,000 over a period of five years. Document is up before Superior Judge Emmett H. Wilson for official recognition. New law sets aside 50% of a minor's earnings after allowances for taxes, maintenance, education, agency commissions and.attorney fees. Miss Durbin's father and Judge Wilson an working out a schedule for her care and training. Contract calls for three pictures a year, with a $40,000 bonus for each completed film in addition to her weekly salary. Pact is retroactive to September, 1938, and runs until Oct 18, 1943. AUTRY, WITHERS ON ONE PIC 20 F0X DEAL Holljrwood, July 4. Gene Autry has signed a one-pIC' ture deal to co-star with Jane With- ers In 'Jubilo' at 20th-Fox. Picture Is sagebrusher's first away from the Republic lot where his new contract permits him to do outside pictures. Cameras grind about Sept 10 when Autry retumi from his tour of England. Moe Siegel, Republlo prexy, leaves for New York Sunday (9) to huddle with Herbert J. Yates be- fore the! latter leaves for England with Autry. Sol Siegel, producer, treks east- ward at the same time to book tal- ent for 'Hit Parade of 1940,' first of his four pictures for Republic's 1939-40 program. Aotry's Foreign P. A.S H. J. Yates, Gene Autry and Champion, Autry's horse, sail for Europe on July 23 for a personal appearance tour, now being set by William Saal, special representative for Republic. The horse is travelling de luxe in a special trailer. Tour will last one month In the principal cities of England and France. 'Storm' for SnDaTan Chicago, July 4. Elimination of double features, which has been the aim and hope of the Independent exhibitors of Chicago for the past two years, may finally be brought about by the state legislature. That body is on the verge of putting through a bill which would almost automatically kill duals by ordering an intermis- sion on all shows which run longer than l35 minutes. This act already okayed by the senate, states that, 'In the interest of the public healEh,' all theatrical per- formances which run longer than two hours and 15 minutes shall have a 15-mlnute intermission at the con- clusion of the first two hours and 19 minutes, and tliat there shall be • 10-mInute intermission every hour beyond that period. This is looked upon as a stir^re means of breaklhg down double features since it would mean th« halting of a picture in nearly every instance in order to comply with the proposed regulations. Andrews Renewed By Dole; Complicates Deal For Hollywood Film Andrews Sisters, current at the Broadway Paramotmt are stsrmled on a couple of picture bids "by their renewal on the Dole Pineapple (Phil Baker) show which switches ' to a Wednesday spot starting tonight (5). Femnie trio has a Par and Metro fllmmuslcal offer. ifSlywood, July 4, Margaret Sullavan's next starrer .tt Metro is 'Mortal Storm,', based on Phyllis Bottome's novel. Shooting starts within six weeks, with Sidney Franklin as producer. Phil Rosen at U Hollywood, July 4; Universal has signed Phil Rosen tf. direct one pictui'e, with options for two more. First assignment is '$1,000,000 Racket'. Hollywood, July 4. Jack Kapp, prez of Decca Records, which has the Andrews Sisters ex- clusively under contract has wired Lou Levy about a dicker from Nate Blumberg for a Universal film. Sam Wood's 3d Moye in 24 Yrs^' Directs for Goldwyn Hollywood, July 4. Sam Wood inked s director con- tract with Samuel Goldwyn after 14 years with Metro. First job'under the new pact Is Haffles,' starring Olivia de Eav&land and David Nlven. Wood was at Paramount 10 years before he joined Metro. His move to the Goldwyn lot Is his third in 24 years. f Agent Saes Chatterton Los Angeles, July 4. Ruth Chatterton was sued for $8,525 in superior court by the Feld< man-Blum Corp. over an agency contract made in 1936. Agency asks 10% of the $65,250 the actress has earned since then and an additional $2,000, which It contends was a loan. Badlo Serial Miss Chatterton made her debut Monday (3) In a daytime serial, 'Big Sister' (Lever Bros.) over CBS. It's for a series with the film actress playing herself in a script plot which has the program's regular characters meeting her in a Hollywood back- ground. Hurry Back, Una Hollywood, July 4. Warners sent a hurry-up call to England for .Una O'Connor, British character actress, for a part in 'We Are Not Alone,' Paul Muni starrer rolling next week. She was ordered to report here pronto.