Variety (Dec 1940)

Y^edneeAajt Deceinber 25, 1940 A Cnsis Involving Rotary, Clergy The Lafayette; Sufferii branch ot the Skouras chalh, was open again •today but there was ho peace in {IglA for the feud between the fllrh- louse and Warner Bros.Rockland County Board of Supervisors, the fiuilern viilage board, local clergy, Itbtary oGIub and . business ihen all Jjad a hand in the sound and fury tes^a^iHj-last Tiifsday from War aers*. failure to deliver ' .-on'schedule.-'; ' Herman Starr, special Skouras y^p, ordered :tlie.theatre cloised after the' BiBtte Davis pic didn't Show lip and the padlock stayed on three days until the. next; booked fihn ar- ■■: rlved.^ Jtfanagemeht. had contracted for «rhe Letter* to start the same day (19 at the Rockland in Nyack and '. the Broadway in Haverstraw,- two W Others ill Skouras chain, and when pic didh'i arrive j^t Avis claimed an attempl is bein^ made to > force'^^Jbe LafayettiB to ,5h^ tures s^vfih: days after they finish K'ayihg iirttyft WarnieriBros/ Fablah, Peterson, II>;^., 12 niiles away.; - Contract wltlvNWarners, according \ to l*fayette manag^etit, eails, for ■ runs to begin, seven as^ys following iheh: regular showing in^ew York, All three': Skouras theatires have built .a rep by . showing niiore Asfllmtf Jhan most suburban houses.. -Bobm- own' was recently shoWn coihci^ dent witii'its Broadway opieriihg, in N, Y. and ;'Tin Pan Alley' arid ?»i;orthwest Mounted Police* Were Jxhiblted locally: while still, playing rst run: houses on Broadway. Erising of "The Letter'^ cajised. the Lafayette to close for; the first time Ci its histbry. . The housie, briginally (tarted as a community' theatre Ijy prominent locals ■' including the late . Senator Royal S. Copeland,. had been operated bjr the Skbiirases without interruption for four, years. ; Mayor Steps In Immediately after the^theatre was ordered closed, the fireworks began. Mayor August Temple of , Suffern (pop;' 3,900) callea a special riieet- fog of the village: board to consider tne 'crisis/ Lafayette management.took, a paiid 8x10 ad in The Journal-News, Nyack daily, anndimcing the closing end iayinig: • ■ .'Bette Dayis in .'The Letter* was icheduied: to play at . this theatre. ■The picture is contracted for arid . available for. showinjg but the dis- iributor refuses deliv(Sry.. .forcing the theatre to close down.' Business men Were qui(ik to com- plain against WarrierSi sayinff that a pi^ocedure allowing the .Patersbri nou.se to show plx before the La- fayette would be disastrous to their business and Suflerri would lo^e its standing as' a first'run business and (iommercial town. They pointed out that people who have been coming to SufTern froni the town's environs ybuld have to go elsewhere to see : Arst riiri pictures, and consequently . would not frequerit the town's shop- : ping areas. ^ This .is typical of fre- . quent squawks where' a town has to Wait for pictures. ■ ' Meanwhile a;large sign posted in front of the Lafayette sayiiig 'Closfed-- ,. tauaed, them tb .do new handsprrngs, of, wrath. They inspired ;the yinaige . board, at its special riieetin'gi tb pass: two resolutions of prptest;.-. Also ■ of ten: done, inspired by exhibs: thefhi .•./ selves..- ' • ■■■ : Tublio- 'Interest - .. Text of one Of the resblutioris sets > .iorthv that the theatre has for many .years served the cbmnitinity in peVr, .:■ Initting. Villkge residents tb view mb- . tioti pictures coijiciderit: w.ith theatres In neighboring comniunities iSnd that the^udden action by War.hers has re- • suited in ''Inconvenience and detri- inem to the local residents.'' ' .-.It points' but. thit if .the 'Liifayette; : playhouse Is forced irito a secondary ftositiori in the courity.rit will deprive bcal merchants of trade which has heen established ! bver T period bf •■.'years,',- " ■- : The; resolUti'oh 'cbnbludes that 'the '. . atttiniiijt tb. deprive this community and it's residents of its^ privilege... be hereby bonderimed as Unfair ahd . dlscrlminatbryv*v ' )■ '. Certified copies bf iresolutiori were -- aent to Warners. . • . ■ .,V '/ ■Slarr, the Skouras riian. appeared the following day at a meeting bf the _ county board of supervisors, which ' i\Varner*' Stimce ■Understood orii Warner author-. Ity ; that; the .PaHani Pitersori, : N. J,v has Always had a week'i protection over the Lalayiette, Suflerni N. Y„ but; that It :ha9 often -been- waived; with result-, : thie Skouras circuit entered a squawk when the cieairarice Was taken on .'l;ne. ijett.er; Burned through not getting •Letter* "day-aind-date witii Patera son, the. Skourases clbsed down their 'Suffern' hbUse for. three days, Stirring up .the town. .. . .' "ITiis Js the type of complaint that Will prbbably reach-arbitra-. r tiori under" the consent decree, during thie coming year. B.O. • . .Mirineapblii, Dec. 24. Despite the fact that business for most spots has been.had on a com- parative basis, there'll be^ .sohie rais- ing' of . admissions hereabbuts. after first of the. new year., it's hoped that^'^^fficient of a boxoffice im- prbvem^ will ensue to justify the tuts;; The Homewood, de luxe inde- pendent' rieighbop^bd house here, which dropped fronK25 to 15c> will up to 20c. \ A numberNsf other inde- penderit theatres Which lotttered their scales fi-om 28c to 20c will Tejurn to the former figure. Exhibitors who reduced their mission, prices assert, that the ex> pected stimulus in patronage didn't result-^at least nbt to the necessary extent. The general feeling now is that it isn't priniarily a matter of scale;: but of weather, employmenj« general business conditions - 4nd' product. ; Pa/ Ailied*s Stand . . First organizational stand amon^ exbibitors against increased admis- sion prices on certain pictures; as de- sired and requested by the distribu- tors, has, been taken by the Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Penrisyivania.' In ; a Tftemorandum sent out . by Fred j. Herrington, secretary of this Unit in thie Allied States Assn., pro- ducer, companies and others have been advised of the resolution. DieUy 'Little Men' Contest The $15,000 contest for the best advertising - publicity » exploitatlbri campaigns on 'Little Men' has been set back to April 15 due to postpone- ment of national release of the. pic-, ture, now Jan, 10. . 'A. .total Of 369 diflferent'prizes are included; jn the $15,000 to be awarded; finally passed .8 resblutlori- embody-; ing the .nbw much-aired charges. ' Starr .<aid,a-bad situation had; been created by Watnersi action.. ■ .While the thieatre ,wbuld; reopen - and slib.w pictures of Other . companies, . the problerh wbuld. arise againi; within; i short. time - Wheri the/.Lafayette has booked another film frprii- Warners.. . 'I feel if Aye don't atbp this menace ;ail the picture .concerns \viil ask' for the .'same..terms,* Starr-stated; pre- dicting spread:of.the:-'meriace* to the other Skouras houses.': Local';ministers ;said their piece; i.h a telegram to 'Wairriers: ;.. • ; . '• ^We - desire, tb' register- biir protest against any action- bf : yoUr coiripahy; calculiated tb injure . the quality .of picturies shown at the Lafayette the- ati-e;' or damage :the. legltiriiate busi- ness In tere.st.s of bur cbmriiuriity.'. N.cxt day lhe.;SulTerri Rptairy Club sejit. a similar' telegram. . . Assorted; individual squawlcis were also, made. ■ ..Immediately .after the- . theatre closed, Fred Lichtmian, manager of the Lafayette, siald ertiployees of the theatre, Including all union help, were standing by. They will receive their regular salaries, according to Lichtman. PICTURES 21 OMAHA ■ XCbntlnued from p^ige 11) 'Argentine Nights* .. (U),. pretty ^ g Brandels (Mort Singer) (1,500; -10- 25-35-40)—'Here Cbmes Navy' (WB) (reissue) arid 'Won't Talk' (Col). Light. $5:500. - Last week,. .'Blondie Cupid* (Col) arid' 'Lone;- Wolf - Date': (Col), thin $5,000. Omaha (Tristates) (2*000; 10-30-40) -Tr'Loriesome Pine'. (Par) (reissue) and : 'Thanks Meriibry' ; (-Par) (reis- sue). Fair $6.(300,;^ New bill break- ing Christhias day includes 'Flight Command' (.M-CJ) and - ^Christmas July' (Par). - Last Week, 'Westerner' (UA) and^Dancing Diriie' :(Par). fair $ff.800. ■,• ■ : ;st»te (aoldberg) (90(j; 10-20-25)— •Angels Broadway'. (Cbl): and 'Blori- Jie'; \; Trbuble' (Col),, split ^ with .'S.trlke..Up. Band' (M-GD. and 'Ri'ver'^ End' (WB). A 'little under average at. $700..; Last v/eek,' 'Next Time Love; (U^ and MobrJight Sona ta' (Select), split with 'Fugitive' (U), 'Leather Pushers' (U),. and 'Laddie' (RKO), fair. $800;: V town (Goldberg) .(1,500; iO-20-25) —'Frontier; Vengeance' (Rep);: 'What They Wanted' (RKO),;. and 'Money and Women' (WB), triple, split with ^"Prai^ie. Schooner* (Col);: 'Can't Escape' (Cap), and ;:'Wagon Trairi' (RKO), •Nurse Cavell' (RKO). Light $600. Last week, 'Men Against Sky' (RKO), 'Hit Parade* (Rep) and 'Hired Wife' (U), split with 'Mexi- can Rose' (Rep), 'Beyond Tomorrow' (RKO) and 'Durango Kid'dCol), 'Lion Wings' <irA),: .'Hell's Kitchen' (WB). slow $600. -' V . Avenue.^ Military ^ Diirid'iee .((Irold- berg) (950; 300j .600; 25) --:-; 'Angels Broadway' . (Col), 'Blondie Trbubie'; (GOD, split with 'Striice Up Band' (M-G), 'River's End' (WB). Light $1,000. Last week, 'Next Time Love' (U)';: 'Moonlight Sonata' (Select), ispllt with 'Fugitive' (U), 'Laddie' (RKO) and 'Meet Missus' (Rep), fair KANSAS CITY • (Coritinued from- page.9> previous, with the exception -bf the Newman which brings m Gab Calr loway for four days Of stage bfll with feature. . tistlinates for This Week ^ Esquire and Uptown (Fox Mid- west) (820. arid 2,043; 10-28-44)—'Hit Parade', (Rep). Gives way- after ■^hort week to 'Hudson Bay* (20th> today (Tuesday). .Slow g<^ing at jcombhied $4,2(j0. ; Last week, ''Vigi- lantes' (U) .day and date hi both houses did as: well as can be ex- pected, $5,800, . SsMidlaiid (Loew's). (4,101; 10-28-44) —^Escape Glbrx' (UA) arid 'Kilda're's Crisi^ (M-G). Five-day run tardy $5,000; Ntast week, 'Go West' (M-G) and 'Galiaqt Sons' (M-G), mediurii play at $6;50(K \ Newman (P^mount): (l;900; 10- 28-44)—'Night. Ekri Carroll's' (Par) and 'World iri Flarii^' (Par). . Five days very light $3,800^. Last week, 'Reuters' (WB), played^'Ssix days to murky ; $5,000. Cab Calloway and barid opened Monday (23)^with 'Christmas July' (Par) at raised^ad- mish; , . ■ • \ brpheum (RKO) (1,500;: 10-28-44 —Red Hairr (WB) and 'Here Gomes Navy' (WB) (re-issue). . Taking a licking from the shoppers. Six days- $3,900. Last week, 'East of River* (WB) and 'Dreaming Loud' (RKO), ; light $5,000. . Tower (Jollee) (2,110; 10-30)— 'Youth Served' (20th) and vaude, in- cludirig annual kiddie revue.; Will go through a fair week inclUdirig Christmas Day to $5,000, Under usual take. . La'st week, 'Charter Pilot' (20th) and stage, good $6,000.; ,; ••: • Hollywood, Dee. 24. ^ ;; ;Equity will be asked tb riiove in'oi» thi: American GuHt' of 'Variety Art- ists and assuhie jurisdiction over nitery and yaudeVllle, accordlriig^ to reports, making the. roiinds. VPro-. poiial Is.understbod .to have beiin dis- cussed at; l^briday nightts (23) meet-i' ing ' bf_ 'the ; Screen . ActoVs ' Guild board,; Word being grapeVined SAG Would, give full collabor'a tlori iand aid in firiancirig a shift in authority.. .'; Attorney -Laureribe Beilenson re- cently returned f rorii New York con- fabs with: Paul . Eiulzell, ; but' the Etiuity head is not particularly; re- sponsive to the Overture due. to add- ed:; burden; and •• outlay to rer SUscitate; ACJ'VA and;' properly or- ganize its;functions;'• The L. A. chapter of the American Guild of 'Variety Artists has appbint- ed a committee' to. seek better pay .*nd: worklrig; conditions for Negro performers.; AGVA 'bfAciiUs ;claim that : certain clubs and nlieries are- chiseling bn:;miriiriium wage scales, aijd 'th^t working, co.ndltioiis; for the Negrb performers are not; , par with those of white members. -: Coast -Idea According tb actor. Uriiori sburc^is iri New York, the suggestibni. that Equity ishould take over operation of AG'VA, under an arrangement, sbme- what Uk«' the Equity-iGhbrus Equity setui3,_origInated on tiie Coast: 'Un-; derstbbd here that Dullzell, Equity's executive-secretaryj did not frown on the idea, but merely indicated he wanted tinrie ; to cbrislder it. .-Pro-; pbsal ;has' apparently nbt been re- vealed to AGVA ofificlals or the riiembership, so it's not knowri what their, attitude;would be.. It Is explained here that the Sug-. gested plan would; .be intended to bolster AGYA's ; admittedly , shaky financial situation, with the various affiliate unions sharing the iriiriiedi- ate expenses arid Equity actually op- erating the setup. Purely from financial necessity, the •AG'VA oilTi- cials; and inembership might be forced to accept such a plan if Equity and the other uri ions were to agree on. it. However, until AGVA's contract with. the vaudeville circuits has';been in operatibn for a. longer period, no one can tell whether It will solve the union's. monetary problems, as has been hoped.- One ofTicial of the Associated Actors: & Artistes of America (pa- nt organization of all the perform- er/^lH^ons^. said yesterday (Tuesday) that iriv his opinion there is little lUtelihooasOf -tlie. suggested plan be- ing adopted>>^i don't ;think you can push several ihmisand actors around and make them jUke it,* he assertedi 'Nbt and still clainKyou're: running a dembcratic unibn, yoinsari*! 1 doubt if the AG'VA members will, agree to acbept 4 status similar to. Chorus Ecjuity, which would give them no ' voice iri governing their own afr fairs. The whole situation niust be \ given intensive. study before any such drastic decision Is reached.* ,stallatlon~Services, were In charge of..: Aubrey; Blaiir, AFL organizer, and Marvin Hart, official oif the Central ' Labbr Council. ; : The'Sound Techhlciaris Local 69'S: of the Iriterriatibnai Alliance Of Th«> atrlcal' Stage Employees has author* - i2ed a fiat assessment per man that la '. expected to raise; $30,000 to take carii. of- current debts,..etc. ..The first half of the aissessriient is payable J^n; 1. and; the sebond halt March 1~ A com* riiittee ^isb has i>een appointed to . seek a settlement witht Harold V; Smith, 69!i. business representative, who clainvs groUp owes hinivapproxi* riiately; $33,000 Ih; back salary, flii. has olTfired to' accept $9,S(H) in settle-: riieritt plus a four-year coriti-act ex« terision. His present contract- ha» two years and 10; months to . run. • Several membership groups in th« lA'TSE are circulating undercover positions asking, the International to . take over the 10 studio;.locals. W>th • marly of.' thie. unions bankrupt and , of fleers ; bf . t)thers fighting ambrig- theriiselvesV; the mem.bets claim It will be iriipbssible tb negotiate wages ind imiproyed .workirig conditions without the active.Support of the In- ternational, . .'- AFL Joins ..la Dirlye; .The Ai'L;.has Jbined. a drive by the Scr^eri Gartbonlsts Guild to or- . ganize the 70O workers at Walt bisi ney studio. A petitlori'has been filed with the National Labor; Relatioris Board, . claiming that a majority bf the workers; already ar-je ; affiliated' with the GUild. Drive is, being di- rected by. Aubrey Blair, Herbert.Sor- rell,' business'representative of Movr- irig Pictufe Painters Local; 644; arid William Llttlejohn, preXy of the SCG.-; .-■ Conferences between, the Produ- ceria and the Screen Actors Guild on wage tilts arid improved conditions for extras, day players and freelance actors have been recessed until after Jan. 1. The Guild is a-sking that the . stipend for bit players be raised from $25. tb $40 or $50 a day in order to discourage companies from, calling extras on $8.25 and $11 tickets and then giving them bit work to do. The current practice at many studios is to call extras ori an. $8.25 or $11 check, then give them a part and ad- just the check. The eJctras are' not carried at the day. rate between dia- log shots, and, it is contended, under- cut the Wage scale of the day player. Pay' players also are seeking a; limit of twb hours' free tiriie for in- terviews and fittings, with freelancers ■seeking a similar limit and. an in- creas.ln the Weekly miniinum. The Affiliated Property Graftsmbii Local 44 of the IAtSE is distributing $1,000 to bririg Christmas cheeir to needy members who are temporai-liy financially embarrassed.. Similar ac- tion is planned., by other studi Guilds and unions. ^ Negotiatioris.'. are In. progress , on setting Up rf. theatre .in ;the ..Tiriies Square 'area to shoW dbcunientary; pictures exclusively. Plan- has the backing of the;American Film Ceh-, ter, ■ dbcunientary; clearing . hbUse which Is endowed by the Rockefeller Fpuridatibn.-.' ' ' ' ' ■; "Theatr^e. riow being; .sought ;• is a small' brie off bf Bi*oadway'in. the upper 4&S.-; Plan is to operate jUst as the riewsreel theatres: do, grinding-a show bf;abbut one hour or little more; for a 25c adrriish. . Pol-tcchhic theatre in London has becn Tunning, successfully oh a- similar pbiicy fbr: a number of. years. ; • Harold McCr'acken, author and ex- plorer and himself a maker of dpcu- meritaries, is,ptez of the outfit which will; run. the new; house, American I Filrii Center, a central agency, for , irifbrrnatibn aboiit documentaries and ! ai d to. docU'rrien lary makers, will, pro- | vlde;;no financial baekihg. but will iKandle. bookings and direct pro- I grahis. Other CQast Labor Matters Discussed ...... Hollywood, Dec. 24. ; Los Angeles Printing Trade."! Coun- cil is threatciiing a national ■ boycbtt pf picture .theatres,: with the possi- bility • bf picket lirieS ; being • estab- lish f^d If the nriajor companies refuse; their demand that all studio prihtjrig carry the uriiori label.;; The Council ■ has already authorized its officers to; put on the unfair list any .studio not RKO Simplifies sst'ontlniieil'from page s— companies and joirttly-pwncd com- pany,, as well as mixtures of all . or part of these. Only ou'tflte; listed; as subsids': are those wii'bh are: more, than 50% owned ;, by the parent company. ; .*■': "TWo-- Opera:t.l.hg.;..Cos,.. Directly ' under Radio;-Keith^t)r-. pheum Corp;; the holding company,: are bperating ; companies-. , RKO.- Radip, tiie. picture . Droducirig and :, distributing outfit, arid ,RKO Pathe, newsreel .company. X ■Top holding unit alsb controls Or- puy pn me uma.i: u.^t -t"^ ""V ^ Keith -Albee- Orpheum Corp;.; demand for sneerfv action on the re- I ^Tcuii, nrvy; rroeipr Corp., S'^liaJ'S''£Se" to pI. 1^"? V^u-iou^tii^r v^eviUe^nj; the- Casev : Producer labor contact bv r.perating . outfits. Subsjds in^ gS^S S,'gS.b?lSnJ^ • southern Ben Rubin, formerly with' Mctra ^^^"y :Corp. Toledo Theatres &: Really Co.. Orph.eum iana, RKO Theatre- has joined the AGVA staff here, and i^'r * r j. .'.wiir work- Underr Kenneth' Ho-WCTd; !.+'?«"r;«'VO^<>*. ind AGVA iiiternatioriat -fepreStentatI'vW..---rgWn« C.W:...?'-New ^f^J-"^.- A move to increase the AGVA-I'^^^^^^J^JI^.^"^ the ;Cleveiand Mip. minimum for .cluij date.s;.from $8;50 J Po<?rome Co. ,to $10 will be made Ihls. Mveck atv.a; conference with bfflciais of the Agents. As.sbclalibri, AG.VA al.so will ask for"' elimination .of the $6 'mini- mum currently charged for houses:; that have hb admission, charge. Cha;rter fo.r .Coametlola'ns. The American Federation of Labor has ih.stalled a' charter here for Coast 'co;srnetic workier.s', A 'memborship drive Is planiied for Jan. 1. : The;in-. Present compl icated . corpbrate structure is naturally.nbl the result; of: design; but has been historical in its; development; As one coriipany bought :theiatii'es ..'of Another,, or took over shares of; them, it ber came more convenien i. to set up new ;co;rporatlbhs .tb hold; iea'ses' and con- tracts. This went on and on until it; pyramided into the present puz- zling''situation. ; -