Variety (Dec 1940)

20 PICTURES Wednesday, Peccniber 2$, 1940; F6rN.Y.; Pittsburgh, Dec. 24. : Variety Club, iasitest-grbwing. and probably biggest o?'ganlzation, of showmen in the co^ntiy.i will havie tents in N*w York, -Chicago,- iios Angeles, Holly wood: aind San Fran- cisco some time after the .first of the year, accotding to John hJ. Harris, national prexy and one 6f group's original 11 fo unders. Ao(diti6n o f those charters will increase. toiai xtr 29, where it will probably 5tand. Echo Qf ehaih Gang'Pic W Ga. iudKc's WB . Georgia, .courts or appeals has. grantedi Judge Vivian Stan.leyi menriV ber of Georgia Prisori and Parole Gpmmisslohi right to . imend his petitibn in. ..a $100,CIOO - ^sUit ;against Wai-her. Brps.^ Inc., . and other, film firms " and indivi duals : he '' mat Film Reviisw sContiiiiied from .p«ii:c U; FILM fiO OKI N<^ C«A R T OLD BILL AND SON :claims libeled him in the . Him'. :" ! Am a Fugitive Firom,. a Chain Gang,' based normally.'' U, would . undoubtedly stand them in line. .' • . \. Picture iis a sort -if 'Lambeth Walk' treatment in ..khiaki, . lavish with Cockney. humor, types and dia- log to wow thiem this.sidie. ; Yet, in that same itiakfeup it .constitutes dif- ficult fare to forecast as perceptible UiS.: entertainment. In its. sidelight oh typical ;Britishers reacting, in typical fashion, to war, its "aify, slap-- happy .viewing .of troop-life under these- actual conditions, Americans hiay And much in it :for a chuckle. The Bairnsfathet-Dalrymple-Wim ifFor in/prmqtion. of theatre drlfl- film exchange fhopkera VARiET.v "presents complete chart o/7cAture r«l^ dU the An'iericah distributing cp^ pdnie* /pf the c^^^ periods Date 0/ rewictos as Ciuen. .in yA^vej^ and Ahe of priruii dre- intlvAed.) ; ■ \. COFTJRIGHT, iMO. VarIETt; INC. AL^ H<v to iTj/p* -Abbreviations; . M:^Afeloarama;' Cr-GoTfteii/; CD-r-Comedij Pramd; W—Westeriiii D--b^^ Drama: MU—Musical. Figures herewith review and runninj; time. I According to Harris,./both Ne^\v . pn book by .Robert E. Burns York and, Chicago have been begging lor' organization for some time, but Variety Clubs didn't feel they want- ed the big fry in until organization was firmly, established, \yhich it is now. In NeW York,,, three ;groiii>s have petitioned for a charter, one of them the 25-Ye^r Club of motion picture men (Picture Pioneers), and inasmuch as the; next , tent will be No. 25, there's a strong chance that that group will :form the'nucleus of the Manhattan .tent/ jalthough .mem- bership, of course, wpp't be limited to men with qiiartei: Pf a .century iii the biz, which it is now. ■ . Harris, with the backing at the na- tional officers' slate oi Variety Clubs, will go to bPth New York, and Chi himself around m.iddle of January to make arrangements, outline purpb.ses of club to various gro.upE, and get the ball rolling. Then in March, he and Bob P'DpnrieU, Pf Texa^ arid long active in Variety..Club affairs; will head for the Coast, to line up three tents in the -west. . In L,' A- two are to be Prganized, one. for mo- tion picture people and the other for managers, film exchange men, etc. San Francisco ..groups have been sending queries about a tent for months now; and it is another spot listed for organization on the expan;- sion list. Harris and O'Dpnnell expect to be back in time for the annual, convenr tion in Atlantic-City around .last of March and will then lay their plans and proposals for. new tents before the national body. In addition to being a top social group among people in thie theatre biz. Variety Clubs have also become probably greatest chai*ity-.working fn-ganization in shOwitien activities. Various tents consistently raise around $500,000 annually ifbr distri-: bution among -the needy in their- re spective territories and expect to double that amount in 1941.- Charity work is one of specific reguireinents. Charter of Des Moines (la.) tent,wais recently revoked for failure to do its chare Variety Club was founded here in 1927. At that tiine, a ::group of v 11 showmen used to. meet every- a.m. in downtown Childs for a late snack. One day, one of them discovered a foundling in the lobby of the Sheri dan Square theatre and the group decided to adopt it< Then and there they organized the Variety Club, 'Heart of Show Business,' to act as waifs collective 'father.' Since then. Tent No. 1, the parent Pittsburgh club, has 'adopted' at least half dozen orphans, and all of them have, eventually found their way into good homes, with a Variety (Glub endow ment for them when they come of (Bge, Aniiendment alleged film niade it appear, the fugitive Cplayed by Paul Muni)' was hot guilty' of the offense in: Georgia for'',which he .wis .epiKi victed,- arid., that his character was above reprpacli; contrary to conten- tion of prison and - parbie board. Further alleged film portrayed mem- bers of commission as 'cruel,, brutal and vengeful representatives; of a barbarous chaingang system.'' Ap- pellate..court judges ruled; Ca>se gpes back to Fulton county (Gai) superior > court to be tried oh its. mtfrits/; St. Lop's Aiiiblilance Fund .St. Louis, Dec. 24. St Louis Variety Club is solicitr Ing rftinds from employees of jtibre than 100 houses in the burg and aid jacent St. Louis: County and several hundred more employed in local film exchanges ; tb buy- motor am- bulances for Gr6at Britain. A . cPm mittee headed by- Lou Ahsell,. Fr6d Wehrfen.beri, Harry.. A,. Arthur, Jr., chief biarker of the club, ahd.Gecirge L. Wie^and is; conductihg the drive. To date funds cpllected, are; suffi- cient but for two: attibulances, goal •et is three. .Each :msichine, of American manufacture, costs about 11,250. Warners* -Destiny' Setup , Hollywopdi . Dec, . i4^ Same directpi"-wrtter-cas^ combi- nation utilised by'WW In 'Flight From, tjestihy' goes into a new pie ture,' 'One Hour of Glory,' Pn the iamfe lot Directpr is Vincent " Shermkn, ■creen playwright is ; Ralph' Blpck and principals in. the cast ;. are Nearly unanimpus approval oll Uni- versal's tender plan fot the first prcr ferred stock, recently voted by the directors, has been received by the U home ofiice froiri all types of pre- ferred shareholderSi it .was reported this week. Voluntary expressions peris screenplay, m. depicting the early period of the war from, its putr; break to British . troops in France; hai itself fallen yictinj to the, .un- certainty .which followed and pre- sumably in. operaltipn at tirhe .of .film's making; Result, is a rather iabrupt termination' -to the -yarni,.: an up-in-the-air:fadeo,ut tieihg. no- ehds. In .view of picture's'l6hgth\ this is uhiEortunate and .made more'notice able^ Ian Dalrymple's direction is cred itable. Unhurried, .liberally sprinkled with laughs i& taie ariDund the fa- mous ':G{irtoon character- met with another war but unable tp convince anyone; ■ he's "Tlttecessary* Morland Giraham: dresses tble with bily sim plicity ta rec)*eate the: lovable char-, acter: .pictured [ by Britishers evef y- whei^e, undejplayirig it' discrimi-', riately.. - His Tlip pup of a son, an easy ; pa'Tti. earns, credit for John :iMilis . iri ' giving it . more than script supplied. Mary Glare., in for opening reels ailorie,: turns in some of ; her finest tirouping ias an. embittered' wife, and mother taking anotheir war oh the chini' In for love interest, Rene Ray should see added, palls ori her serv- ices a^ result of' charming work here. A click bit from Reriee Hous- ton, as the blase comedienne come to entertain the boys! reveals her anew a."! a cagey performer. . Nich- olas Phipps does an outstaridihg job with a. breezy, bubbling officious BBC air-reporter, over thefe to wax .what it's all about for the folks .back home; So it goes, right down the i-ogter, for excellent playing. Back- ground of the picture-cails for little in way of setting: • French. village and troop ;siteis ..are authehticiiliy caught. ' Camera chore .of > Geoirges some . entertainment.: Holloway Settles St t.' Stilke, Renews lAT^ from these stockholders were that the tender proposltioh, for which the j Permal is in-line with film's whole directorate voted-$i,()DO,pO.O was the most logical way of handling the preference issue on which; no divi- dends had been paid for some time.' Universal hopes to retire the bulk of; its first iareferred, presently out- standing, viai this tender proposition, with the • exact amount .hot known until after all tenders have been' acted on during the next month;; Stockholders who notified thehPme office of their bkay of\the proposition felt -that it was the best thing that could be .done under i>resent circum- stances.' , Wall . Street brokerage houses also reported many inquiries regarding details; of the tender pro- posal. The dissenting voices were. Samuel I. Posen and J.'D. Penick, directors, who submitted a protest memo tP the tender plan last week. Both direc-. tors, however,' had . voted fPr ■ the tender proposition at the directorate session, it was stated at the Universal home office. St. Louis, Dec, 24. Renewal pf a contract last week between lATSE, Local i^o. 143, and Henry Hblloway, owner and opera^ tor Of the. Gem, ioverland. and Bev- erly, subsequent run houses in St Louis County, ended a labor dispute that closed the three places for two days. Robert Thbmsen,: business agent for Local No. 143, said the new pact is the same as thait which expired Sept/1 last. , According to linipn execs, the op erator at the Beverly was locked out and in retaliation the union 'pulled the operators at the other two.houses while the. feature films were in prog, ress of; being shown. . Second in the', series of ^ in the Uriited Artists sales' depart- ment came last week with the switch. of Haskell Masters froni managing director: of the cbnipany's Canadian setup to wiest)ern division mknager of UA's domestip sales, organization. H(e. replaces ; Jack Schlaifer,: ."ivhp be- comes : , special . representative, dhaniges become effective .Jah.. 1, ;The Iilasters .shift has been' in the; wind:, for spmie time; .: In addition, UA has shuffled the districts that Masters and . Harry Gpid, who continues in charge of the. eastern division, will toinmand. One ot' the changes has bieen tp aipppiht Arthur Silverstone, Who .has beeiv> special h;Pk sales department assis- tant^ since returning from-'England, at the; beginning: of the' war, a dis- 'trict man'ager..- He'll handle Phjla-. deiphja; and Waishingtbni Heading the three other, divisions in the ^east' are Charles Stern (New York, New Haven arid. Boston), Bert ITiomas Mitchell, Geraldine Fn'; '»r aid, Jeffrey Lynn, Mpnjl Maris. and j Stearh (Pittsburgh,; Cleveland; Cin > —Sanies. Stephenson. .: • .| ciiinati, ■ Indianapolis- and Buffalo); and Hugh Owen (Charlotte, . Atlanta NeW .Qrleahs.and.Dallas). ■' - WestCTrt districts will bie headied by Irving Schlaink (Chicago; .Milwau kee, ■Minneapolis),. J< S- Ambrose (P>naba, Kansas City, St. Louis),':Beri Fish (Denver;: Salt Lake City, Los :Arigeles, San Francisco and Seattle) and S, (Jlazer (Canada). .. Jack Golhar;: former district man ager :fpr. Chicago,; Petroit; St. Louis iand other .cities, has' beien hamjed. by ■ Mastefs as hi& spebial field represen tative. ■ ■'■- .; Arthur 'W; Kelly, v;p. In charge of 'sales, in announcing the changes ■also said, that UA's.'playdate departr ment:. .will ■ bie. aUgihented -with per sonnel He said that further appoint hients lypuld be niade" to..: branch managerships from among- the sales men by division in^lnagers. No put side persphnei will be brought in First miajbi; switch in the UA .sales .organization came a couple of months aigo; with appointment of Kelly as g<eneral salesmanager, post which hM been ^yabant. Present changes are. believed to be all the iiiajbr onies to be made imnieciiately. j.:. WEEK OF \RELEASE-^ll/8/«t Bltt^t Sweet (M.b) H/Za MV Take Me 9ack.to Oklahoma CMonb) W Arise My Love (Pair) .10'23 ' - . . D TojoMany Girls (RKO) 10/9: :. : Ml) Friemuy Ntig mnmi' (Reu) . n/i3 -—r . . ' c Trail:Blazers CRcti). -l(/30 :: The; Mark of Zorro (20th). ll.'C Sandy Gets Her Man (U) i I /13 Pony Post (U) 12/18 W East of the Riven (WB) liO/SO . RD .W -J. Ma«iDonald-N, Eddy ': M T. Rlttet-S. Anderson : luv. .C. ColhcrfrR. Miltiina : W L. Ball-R. Qarlson : —V-^ - W C ttVcr - B rofe-ahd-Elvlry- W M R, Llvinestoh-B. Steele : D. 93 T. Power-L. Darnell - C 65 \S. ErwIh-U.' Merkel' 73 .J. M. Browh-F. Khiglif. J. Garfleld-B. Marshall WEE& OF: RELEA'st^—11/15/40; Beyond the- Sacramento-^Col) ; Gallant Sons (M-G), -11/13 - Phantom of Chinatown (Mono) Three Men from Texas (Par) Mexican .Spitfire Out West (RKO) Melody Ranch. (Rep) Street of Memories (20th) 7/3 One ,Night in'the Tropics: (U)' South of Suez (WB) 12/25 •■:■..;: W y, '.B/.Elllatt-E.' Keyes.. ■ • ■ ■ : 75 .J..C<>oper-J. Preisser; . P 62 K, Luke- L; Long ■ W. . B. Boyd«-R. Hayden ia/30 . C 76 L. Velez-L. Errol . : W G. Autry-J. Durante D Roberts-G. Kibbee 11/6 . MU 82 : A. Jiones-V. Bruce . '. D 86 . G, Brent-G. Fltzeeraid WEEK' OF RELEASE^ll/22/40 Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (Col) . 12/18 Escape: to Glory (Col) 11/20. . . Little Nelly Kelly (MrG) 11/20 West of Pinto Basin-(Mono) You*U Find Out (RKO) 11/20 Texas Terrors (Rep) 11'2C ; YonthV Wlll Be :Served (20Ui) . . il/20 Meet the Wildcat (U) 10/30 The Lohe; VoyaRe Home (UA) : 10/30 The Letter, (WB)' li/20 M 66 w. WiUtalm-F, Rohlnson . M. 7Uf p, O'Brien-C. Bennett: : MU ■ 96 ; J. Garland-G. Murphy W ; 60 : R;, Corrlean-J.; Klne ■ ■ MU 95 K. Kyser-B. Karlofl W 57 D. Barry,-J: Duncan C 68 J. Withers-R; Conway D '61 M. Lihdsay-R. Bellamy D 103 ; J. Wayne-^T. MitcheU D - ;95 , B. Davls-H.: Marshall . . WEEK OF RELEASE^il/99/4« EUery Queeh-^Master DetccUve (Col) 12/25 D . 6(( Dr. Klldate's Crisis. (Mr^G). ; 12/4: D 73 Remedy for Riches (RKO) CD . 67 ' Meet, the Missus (Rep) : . 12/18 . C Tin. Pan A Iley .(20th) 11. 27 HU 92 The Bank Dick (U) . 12/4 . C 69 Blackout .(UA) . D Lady with the Red Hair (WB) 11/13 D .; 7,8 R;: Bellamy-M. Lindsay L..Barrymore-L.. Ayres. . J. Kerstaolt-D. Lovett:. R. Karns-R, Donnelly: ^A. Faye-J. Oakle W. C. Flelds-F. PanebArh C.. Veldt-V. Hobsoa M. Hopklns-C. Rains ' ' . WEEK OF RELEASE—12/6/40 Great Plane- Robbery (Col) :. 11/20 M 55 Thunderteg Frontier (Col) 9/18 : . W 59 G<» West (M>G) 12/18 C 79 Chainber of Horrors (Mono) M A Night at Earl Carroll's (Par) 11/2« MU 62 Border Legion (Rep) 11/27 W M The Fargo Kid (RKO) .; . W 63 Charter Pilot <2Mh) l2/2a ' ' : ; ■ CD T« Margie (U) 9/18 C 58 She Couldn't; Say .No rWB) C 4. Holt-V. Lester: . C. SUrxett-L Meredith . Marx Bros.-J. Carroll G. Malo-L. Banks K. Mnrray-R; HObart.. R, Rogers-G. Hayes. . T. Holt-J. Dnnnmohd L: Bari-L. Nolan . . T. Brown-N: Grey: R. Pryor.-E. Arden WEEK OF RELEASE—12/13/40 Pride of the Bowery (Mono) ' D Comrade X (M-G) 12/11 M 87 Texas Rangers Ride. Again (Par) ' 11/0 WD . 61; Mysterious Dr. Satan (Rep) 11/20 M Murder: Over New York (ZOth) 12/4. M ;65 Tna of the Vigilantes (U) 12/11 W 79 FUght From Destiny (WB> D L. Gorcey-B. Jordan - C. Gable-H. Lamarr . Jf..H6ward-E. Drew E. Ciannelli-R. WUcbx ;S. Toler-M. Weaver F. .Toae-B. Ctrawford \ T. nSltcheU-J. Lynn WEEK' OF RELEASE-^12/20/4i. Phantom submarine (Col) M Her First Rbniance (Mono). D No. No, Nanette (RKO) 12/25 MU Behind the :News: (Rep) 12/25 D Lone Star Raider (Rep) 12/18 W Jeniile (20th) CD Give Us Wings (U) 11/13 M Here Comes Navy (WB) (reissue) 7/24/34 D A. Loutse-Bj; Brand 77 E. FeUowis-W. Evans 96 A. NeaglerR. Carlson ' 74 L. Nolan!-D. Davenport 57 B, Livlngston-B. Steel« . 78 :, V. MiUer-D. Bowdon 60 W. Ford-V. Jory 88 J. caghey-P. O'Brien WEEK OF RELEASE—^12/27/40 The Wildcat of : Tucson <cbl) W Keeping Company (M-G) : ' C Rolling Home to Texas (Mono) W Love Thy Neighbor (Par) 12/25 C Kitty Fbyle (RKO) .12/18 D Bowery Boy (Rep) ■ D Chad Hanna-(20th) 12/18. D The Invisible Woman (U) . M Thief of Bagdad (UA). .10/16- D 105 Sajita Fe Trail (WB> 12/18 W 110 North West Mounted Police (Par) 10/23 M: i'Ht B. Eillott-E. Yoiing . A. Rutherford-J. Shelton T. Kltter 8i jr. Benhy-M. Martin 86- G. nbgers-D. Morgan D. O'Kcefe-L. Campbell: H. Fbnda-L. Darnell J. Barrymore-J. Howard C. Veldt-J. Duprez E. Flynrt-O. de: HaviUaiid. G.Cooper-M.Carroll 86 WEEK OF RELEASE—1/3/41 This. Thing Called Love: <Col) 12/25 C Flight Command (M-G) 12/18 ^ W You're. Oiit of Luck (Mono) ^ D Trair<tf the Silver'S?urs (Mbnb) W Secbnd Chorus (Par) 12/4 '. MU Gopvoy. (BKOy ^ 6/2«/; ': M. Hudson's .Bay (2dtia R/25: : D Lucky Devils (U) ' ?^ M Where. Did -Ydu Get That Glrir (U).: . C : Son of Monte Crlstit (UA) 12/4 , . ... B Four Mothers. (WB) ; D . 92 113 84 9i 64; 102 87 R. Ruisell-M.. Douglas R. Taylbr-R; Hussey. ' ' F.-.Dar'ro .. .R, Corrigan-M, Terhun*. F. Astalre-P. Goddard : C; Broi.ok-J, Campbell. . P. Murtl-G. Tlfefney R; Arleh'-A. Devlne ; H. Parrish-E. QuIUan L. Haywardi^J. Bennett Lane SIsters-C. Rains WEEK OF RELEASE-rt/10/41 Pinto Kid (Col) Maisie Was a Lady (M-G) Doomed Caravan (Par) - Wyoniing Wildcat (Rep) Little Men (RKO) 12/4 M. Shayiie, Private Detective (20th)- San Francisco Docks (U) Case bf the Black Parrot (WB) 12/25 W C. Starrett-L. Ciirrie C A;Sothern-L. Ayres \. W w: Bbyd^R; Hayden. W .D. Barry-Duncan d; 84 K/FrapCisTJ. Oakle D 77 L, Nolan-M. Weaver . D ' 65 B. Meredithirl. Hervey. M.. ' W. Lundlgan-M. Wrixon Wt:EK OF RELEASE—1/17/41 The Face Behind the Mask (Col) PhiladelpUa Story (M>-G) 11/27:; Victory (Far) 12/18 Let's. Make Music. (RKO) ; 12/12. Roblnhood of the PecOs. (Rep) Romance of-the. Rio Graiide (20th) Six Lessons from Madame LaZOhga Honeymoon for Three (WB) (U) D ^ P. Lorre-E. Keyes D . ill ML Uepburn-^C; Graht D 77 F. March-B. Field MU 82 3, crosby-^E.Rlsdoh W .' ;. R. Bogers-M.'Reynolds W. :. C. Romero-P. Morlson C ' L. Velez-H. Parrlsh: C G. Brent-J. Wynian ' WEEK OF RELEAiSE—1/24/41'. The Wild Man of Bornieo (M-lG) / CD- Life With Henry (Par) . . C The Saint in Palht Springs-<RKO) D Tall, Dark and Handsome (20th) . M. Back Street (D) D High Sierra; (WB) D . F. Morgan-B. Burke . i. Cooper-L. Ernst : G. Sanders-W. Barrio : C. Romero-M. Berle .; C. Boyer-M. Sullavan H. Bbgart-I. Lnpino.: