Variety (Sep 1939)

18 VARIETY PICTURES Wetliiesday, September 6, 1939 Bioff Credited Contlnaed from page 5 ^ Peace pact was announced and im- mediately ratified, at a mass meeting of the Four A's on Sunday night at the Hollywood Legion stadium. More than 5,000 rank and file members 6t various affiliates attended the f?et- together presided over by Lawrence Tlbbett Ralph Morgan, SAG prez, ac- quainted the mob with the agree- ment, which was greeted with wild cheering. 'I am profoundly grateful and pro- foundly happy," Morgan,declnred. '^o announce to you, especially in I'ght of the tragedy t)iat has just slvwck the world. . that there wili le no strike in this industry.' He then outlined variou-, ?ttempts made' to arrange a peace settlement that would be acceptable. to the ac- tors, of running up against a 'stone wall' at the Atlantic City se.ssions when an sppeal was made to the AFL exec council, and of failure to negotiatj ac agreement with Browne at two New York conferences. Other officials of the SAG, EdWard Arnold, Thomas Free-Baron Smith and Larry Steers, also spoke briefly on the set- tlement. Peace parleys which ended the threat to the industry were started When the AFL suggested to Kenneth .Thomson, executive secretary of the SAG; that the one man who might be able to work out an agreement was Bioff. Thomson met John P. Gatelee and Frank Stickling, lATSE representa- tives, at a downtown restaurant Sat- urday evening (2) and Ralph Morgan was called in. After a lengthy dis- cussion, the fotir went to call on Bioff at his Canoga Park farm. Con- fab lasted until 5 ajn. Sunday morn- ing with a tentative agreement reached. Browne was phoned in New York and he promptly okayed the agree- ment and authorized Gatelee to sign it. Text was then wired to New York for approval of Four A's board, which was given. A hurried meet- ing of the SAG board and other Four A's executives on the Coast was then called for Sunday afternoon. Their approval was also given and Thom- son signed for the actors, bringing an end to the controversy. FILM BOOKING CHART fFor iii/<Jri)iation 0/ tlicotre and film exchange bookers, Vahietv prcseiitj a coxiplete chan of fenttiT* relewj alt the American disCributitia companies for the current quarterly period. Dale of reviews as given in Vaiultt and the runniiii; time of prints are included.) coi'yukjiit. n* VAHirry, inc. ai.i. rkshts bmerveu PJ ol ExhihS'Code .continued froni pace S_ RcT. In Var.— II«tI«w<iI ' In VKrtctJ M—MeliHlroiuB: C—Cuni«l;i Kc) U T»» Abbrtvlatlant t'l>—C'oni«Iy-l»r«nm; W—W'Mtrro: D—Dranin; R. T.—RiinnlfiK .Mu—Mu>!<:al belter feeling for both the distribvil- ois and exhibitors. Thos. E. Orr, (Amusement Enterprises, Inc.) WEEK OF RELEASE 6/23/39 6/30/39 7/7/39 7/14/39 7/21, 39 7/28. 39 8/4/39 8 11 '39 8/18 39 '8/25 39 9/1/39 Staeebands' Bad Press Favorable press which was ex- pected by the lATSE in its battle with the AAAA did not materialize. Fact is, those publications and commen- tators who did not adopt a strictly neutral attitude in which they mere- ly asked that-the strife be brought to an end,'were generally strong in their condemnation of the stage- hands. Grips have had 'fairly good press breaks in the past and expected a repetition on the basis that they are poor laborers fighting $5,000-a-week actors. But it didn't work out that way this time, with a large portion of public and press admitting they saw no reason why mechanical em- ployes should dominate actors. Westbrook Pegler, in his syndi- cated column, was by far the mo.>:l outspoken. He wrote, in part: 'If the stage actors and presently those of the screen decided that they must strike next week to check the attempts of the stagehands' union to take them over and stick them up for an income tax . . . that will be a benign disaster worth enduring for the good it will do. This strike . . . will inform the public of the effront- ery of the stagehands' union and re- veal one of the most important rea- sons why the stage has almost ceased to be.' That reason is the .<;tagehands' union and one result of its rapacity and bulldozing arrogance is unem- ployment of actors, which has . re- sulted in demands ... for Govern- ment funds to revive the drama fo that it may be led up an alley and clouted over the skull again by the stagehands. The current scrap . . . can become an enormous brawl . . . and for no other reason than the invas^Jon of one union's field by another union greedy for power and dues.' • : Pegler used the lA-AAAA battle! as column fodder again yesterday, (Tuesday), changing his tone some-1 what in regards to nitery perform-1 ; ers. He called them 'lily-handed: g ^2 39 hams. . .who get by on'gall in the, ' modern version of the backroom and of' whom it cannot be said they , are actors.' ' He then held that the actors will, be throwing down the public inter- est if, in the interest of union har- mony, they refuse to divulfe what they claimed to know,', during the recent conflict, o( 'conditions (brought about by the lA), which, if they did not overspeak Ihem.selve.s, are criminal/ 9/8 39 Rev. In Var. 6/21 0/7 7/5 3/22 6/21 3/24 TITLE 9 15 39 9 29 39 6/28 6/28 7/5 7/12 7/12 7/26 6/14 6/1 4 7/5 6/14 7/12 6/28 11/16 8/9 7/5 8/16 7/5 7/12 7/S 7/5 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/12 8/23 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/19 6/21 8/23 5/17 8/23 7/26 8/2 6/21 8/9 8'9 9/6 8/23 8/2 8/16 8/16 6/28 TlfPE Co. TALENT CLOUDS OVER KUHOi'E MAISIE GRAND JURY SECRETS HERITAGE OF DESERT FIVE CAAIE B.\CK GIRL FROM BROOKLYN KID FROM KOKOMO D CD M W M CD C_ PARENTS ON TRIAL D GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS CD STSONGBR THAN OCEiRE CB BULLDOG DRUMUOND'S BRIDE M WYOMING OUTLAW W SAINT IN LONDON M STUNT VILOT D UOQSE OF REAR M TIMBER STAMPEDE W IT COOm HAPPEN T O T OO C D A WOMAN IS THE JUi>GE M ON BORROWED TIME D MAN ABOUT TOWN C CAREER CD MICKEY, TBB SID ' CD MOTO TAKES VACATION M FORGOTTEN WOMAN M UCLL'S KITCHEN D 9/6 8/30 8/34 9/6 8/36 9/6 8/30 8/9 8/2 8/16 8/30 8/23 8/23 8/16 •?/26 8/23 8/16 8/23 B/30 THE BIAN FROM SUNDOWN THET ALL CO»IE OUT MILLION DOLLAR LEGS SHE MARRIED A COP SECOND FIDDLE UNEXPECTED FATHER WATERFRONT W CD C CD MU C _M BLONDIE TAKES VACATION C' A. HARDY GETS SPRING FEVER CD WAY DOWN SOUTH THE MAGNIFICENT FRAUD NEWS IS MADE AT NIGHT 1 STOLE A MILLION WINTER CARNIVAL DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS BEHIND PRISON GATES GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS ISLAND OF LOST MEN THE SPELLBINDER COLORADO SUNSET SUS.ANNAH OF MOUNTIES THE COWBOY QUARTERBACK CD O D M C CO "M CD D CD W CD C Col M-G par Par RKO 2«th WB Col Col M-G Par Rep RKO Mono U RKO 20th Col M-G Par RKO Rep 20tb U WB Col M-G Par Rep 20th U WB Col M-G RKO Par zetb U UA JVB_ Col "M-G Par RKO Rep 20tb WB L. Olivier-V. Hobson R. Youne-Ann Sothern J. Howard-G. Patrick D. Woods-E. Venabic C. M«rris-W. Barrlc A. Fayc-W. Baxtcr-Trcadier W. M0rrl3-J.«M0B^L-I-.O'Brt»ii J. Parker-f, Downs J. Blondell-M. DoorUN W. PIdeeon-V. Brncc-I. Chase J. Howard-H. Anrel-H.B.Warncr Three McsqnItcers G. Sanders-S. Gray J. Trent-M. Reynolds W. Gargan-I. Hervey G. O'Brlen-M. Reynolds G. Stuart-S. Erwin-J. Gale R. Hudson-O. Krugrer-Incscort L.Barrymorc-B.Bondl-U. Mcrlcel J. Benny-D. Lamour-E. Arnold A. Shirley-E. Ellls-J. Archer B. Csbot-B. Byrd-T. Ryan P. Lmm-T. Flcld-L. Atwill S.G«rie-D.Brlgi[:S-E. Ardcn Dead End KMs-R. Rcacan C. SUrrctt-L Meredith R. Johnson-T. N«al B.GrabIe-lJIartley-D.O'Connor V. Ueyan-S. Parber T. Power-Heale-Vallce Baby Ssndy-Aaer D. O'Keefe D. Morgan-G. Dickson P. SlnKlet«n-A. Lake L. Stone-M. Rooney-C. Parker' B. Breen-A. Mowbray A. TamiroS-L. Nolan-M. Boland P. Fostcr-L. Barl-R. Glcason G. Ratt-C. Trevor A. Sheridan-R. Carlson Lane Sisters-J. GarHeld-G. Page B, Donlevy-J. Wells-P. r=x R. Dohat-G. 3arson A. M. Wone-J. C. Naish-E. Blorc L. Tracy-B. Rcad-P. Knowles G. Autrv-S. Burnelte S. Tcmplc-R. Scott-M. Lockwood B. Wheeler-M. Wilson R. Scott-R. Bellamy-F. Dec R. YounfT-F. Rlce-F. Craven M.Boland-C.Rngfles-X.Mathews G. Rogers-p. Niven J.GIeas'n-L.GIeas'ji-H.Davenporl L. Darnell-1. Ellison-A. Sothern J. Clements-J. Daprer P. O'Briea-A, Sheridan B. KarMT-C . WHh e^re R. Taylar-H. Lanarr MovlU-W. Hull- '. Baldwin Ten Rttter ■.Boriis-B. Hay ward-J. Allen Tttret Mesqulteers-P. Isley R. Sarrat-N. Beery, Jr.- J. Withers-L. Carrlllo-M. Wearer C. Boyer-I. Donne L.Hayw'rd-J.Bennelt-W.WilllBm 1. Wyniari-A. J e nk in s C. S(arrett-L Meredith L. Ayres-A. Loulse-T. Brown jr. Randall-T. Carroll T. RlUer-H. Priee-C. B. Wood V. Hobbs-B. Karnes W. Boyd-R. Hayden-G. Hayes G. Aalry-S. BumcUc-G. Hayes C. LoBbard-G. Wlthers-K. Fran S. Tracy-N. Kclly-R. Greene J. Helfctz-J. McCrea-A. Leeds L> Howard-I. Berfrman-E. Best 1. Cagney-G. Raft E. Fellows-D. Pelcraon J. GarUnd-F. MorgaB-B. Lahr F. Darro-r>. Porcell-L. Elliott B. Crosby-L.<tempbe!l-N.Sparbs B. Machay-R. Hudson-G.Barbicr J. Pronty Byin«(on-K. Howell Dead End Kids J. RIch-H. O'Neill Fred Stone-Konga N.Shearer-J.Crawford-R.RussclI L. Overman-R. Paige-V. Dale A. Lane-L. Hayes-R. BarraU B. Rogers-G. Haycs-A. BaMwin P.Rcgan-J.Parker-Col.R.Turner B. Rathbone-N. Brure-f. Lnpino G. Jean-R. Cummlngs-A. Gray R. Arlen-A. Devine B. Davls-M. HopkiBS^. Rreol B^tanwyck-AJkleoJoo-W.Helden F. Morsan-A. Morris-.<i-H. Hull W. Boyd-R. Hayden-B. Moran S. Tolcr-C. Remero-P. Moore G. O'Brlcn-L. Tovar T.McLaglen-S.Eilers-B.FKzger'd J. Cooper-F. Bartholomew J. M. Brewn-B. Baker-F. Knight B. Granvllle-J. Lltel R.T. 93 n t!8 73 75 _90_ 5« 90 77 58 77 70 65 72 _ "«9 95 82 78 C8 «5 M 83 _ 58 «8 C4 C« 87 77 _eo 88 «2 75 72 78 91 107 63 110 63 M 58 77 .14 32 ' 70 CI 80 71 SI l.'tO 82 _70_ 91 63 «e 87 SC 65 63 no _60 78 60 60 74 57 70 100 120 _»2_ 55 10« 90 62 61 86 132 67 58 66 60 T.S 87 62 ~98 65 72 59 72 5C Should Offer Code Anyway San Francisco. Editor, Variety: In regard to the Government's re- jection of the proposed film indus- try's code of fair trade practices, which includes voluntary arbitra- tion, I am at a loss to understand why the (Jpvernment rejected this cotle. White it is true that it does not contain everything the exhibitors wanted or are.enttUed to, it is the feeling of our Association that this proposed code was a step in the right direction and would enable the ex- hibitors and distributors to proceed In an orderly manner to work out their difficulties without resorting to law or courts.. Naturally, the abandonment of the code vitally affects the exhibitors, who were in favor of it. As far as the small exhibitor is concerned, the most vital parts of the code per- tained to the 20% cancellation, forc- ing of shorts, trailers and newsreels and above all voluntary arbitration. In my opinion the distributors should proceed to offer this code to anyone who wishes to accept it as a volun- tary proposition between exhibitor and distributor. This would show good faith on the part of the distrib- utors and would offer a measure cf relief to the exhibitors. I person- ally am of the opinion that failing to provide some form of fair trade practice code will only result in fur- ther legislation. Exhibitors as a whole are not going to wait lor the years it takes to settle the Govcrn- mont's anti-trust suits. 1 still feel that this industry can work out its O'wn problem."; i( both parties wish to be fair. Failing Ihi.s our own legislatures arc our only recourse. H. V. Hari'Ci;. Pref.. Ind. Theatre Owners o( No. Ciil. L, Turner-R. Carlson-L. Bowman J. Tfent-M. Stone-M. ReynoMs G. Cooper-R. Mill^nd-R. PresUin J. Penner-B. Grabte M. Loy-T. Po\vcr-G. Brent J. Dowiis-M. Carllsle-C. Moore .1. Carficld-r. I^ne W, Beery-C. Morris-V. Grey • J. E. BrownrM. Rayr-E. BIor» G. Rogers-W. Connolly-E. Elliron J. Rogcrs-W. Frawley S. Gurie-n. K(>thh*:ne-V. Mcl.agltn G. DIckson-D. Morg.?n- F. Stone A Sothero-F. Tonc-V. Crev ~ C. Blckford-B. MacLane . BlacMarray-Carroll-Joneg R. Grccne-R. Di;:-B. Joyce D. Durb'n-E. Pnllcltc-L. Howard Neagle-Ollver-Sanderg G. Fitzgerald-J. Lynn 114 65 8X K2 57 Ind. 'Insincere' Move Madison, Editor, Variety: In reference to the abandonment ot the code, it was just another in- .sincere move on the part ot the dis- tributors and producers. It was never meant to be of any value to the in- dependent theatre operator, so why ■don't you print your own individual reactions to this fake code of ethics which you know was born bcicause of Governmental investigation. Since 1908, I have had every ti ick ot the industry tried on me—The F.ntents Co., General Film, franchise deals, protection and clearance, threats of producer or distributor competition, score charges, blind checking, forcing of news, trailers and shorts; deliberate lifting of bot- tom programmers into top alloca- tions; hits produced and sold in one year taken out and resold at a higher price in the next year; score charges of $1S0X)0 in a town of 6,000, and a file full cr broken distributor prom- ises. In all this time I have paid and played out my deals, payments have been in advance, yet today I do not have enough credit to have a oiie- .sheet shipped me on open account. The present cyclone of legislation was generated by the very people who are trying to beat the Govern- ment's'charge of unfair business eth- ics. Any one In this busine.ss only a few weeks would know that it is screwy. No other busine.ss in this country could survive if run like this one. No other business pays prince- ly .salaries to incompetents, even though they be relatives. No other business supports such wa.ste. No other business deals with their cus- tomers with less honesty, knowing .ind having experienced, I see no benefit possible with the co<lc in question. From all this it would seem that I have a very narrow viewpoint. 1 am narrow when it comes to dishonecty; that is why dishonest businc.s,s ethics called a code is not a loss when abandoned. F. H. Johnson. (Madison Theatre Co.) Wants No U. S. Policeinaq Morris, III. Editor, Variety: There has been so much turmoil, .so much litigation in our industry in the past'two or three years that I .im very reluctant to make a stalc- I'ocnt of any kind concerning oUr in- dustry, except to .say that I am of the firm opinion that' the less Govern- • nentnl regulation, any industry li.is. uic healthier will be Ih.-.l industry. F. W. >ln(/er,soii. (Anderson Theatre Circuit. >