Variety (May 1941)

Wednesday, Maj 14, 1941 MISGELLANT SCRIPTER AVERAGE $80 WK. Writers GuOd Demanding Three Times Minimum Offered by Studio Heads Hollywood, May 13. - Although the Producers and Screen Writers GuUd continued their contract huddles today (Tues.), the Guild has called a special meet- ing for Monday (19) to sound out the sentiment of the membership on the advisabiUty of calling e strike if their demands are 'not reasonably met.' Shop stewards, who have been canvassing the working writers, say the scriveners mean business this time, and that they are certain to order a stoppage of work if the Pro- ducers try to shove them around. Counter-proposals have been sub- mitted to the Guilders by the com- pany representatives, but It has been Indicated that most of these do not meet the writer demands. The Pro- ducers offered a minimum wage of 450 per week, with the Guild insist- ing on three times that amount. A showdown on negotiations be- tween the two groups is expected- after the executive board has had an opportunity to discuss the situa- tion with the membership. A symposium on the economic and ' creative problems of writers will be a feature of the Authors League of America Conference to be held under the sponsorship of the SWG' May 23-24 at the University of Cali- fornia ct Los Angeles. Special em- phasis will be laid on the problems of scriveners employed in the mo- ' lion picture and radio fields. A lineup of prominent speakers is now being arranged. Radio Writers Guild at a meeting, yestetday (Monday) voted full sup- port to the Screen Writers C^uild of a strike is called. 'Resolution adopted expressed full sympathy with the demands and "conditions of the scribes and oflet'ed complete cooperation. Nix Nazi Pic Ads San Francisco, May 13. First instance of newspaper censorship of propaganda ads in this area cropped up this week with refusal of the Berkeley (Calif.) Gazette to accept copy on "Blitzkrieg in the West,' Nazi propaganda flick. War reels have been booked into the Franklin, Oakland and the Ti- voli, San Francisco. Previously played the Princess, last remaining Deutsches show- case in the west. AU BUT PRO-NAZI RAG IN BA HAH DOUG, JR. Buenos Aires, May 13. £1 Pampero, principal Nazi propa- ganda organ here; took up the at- tack begun last week by German- financed papers in other South American countries against Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., on the actor-good- willer's arrival in Buenos Aires yes- terday (Monday). Fairbanks, ap- pointed to a . cultural mission in Latin-America by President Roose- velt, came here from Rio for a three-weeks' stay. Hollywoodite got a large and cor- (Continued on page 55) Earl Carroll Denies He And Schnoz Are Feudin' Eddie Bracken Will Sub For Bob Bums on Kraft; Amecbe in Crosby Spot Eddie Bracken replaces Bob Burns when the latter goes off the 'Kraft Music Hair program for the sum- mer. He'll be co-starred with Bon Ameche, who will sub for Bing Crosby, and will probably remain with the show when Crosby returns in the fall. It'll be his first major radio series. Contract is for three years. Young character comedian, signed with Paramount, gets his first star billing on the screen in his next picture for the studio, "The Fleet's In,' scheduled to start shooting about July 1. He'll be the only star in the film, with Betty Hutton and Cass Daley featured. Bracken is cur- rently personaling at Paramount, N. Y., and in the film 'Reaching for the Sun,' at the same house. He re- turns to the Coast as soon as he closes the present engagement, prob- ably next week. Mrs. Bracken, the legit actress Connie Nickerson, who was severely Injured 'in an auto accident on the Coast last fall, accompanied the ac- tor east. FOR 400 SCRIBS Heavy Drop Attributed to Studio Blackout of Term Deals — Most Jobs on a Weekly Basis —300 idle Despite Production Boom AGENTS HIT Hollywood, May 13. Film writers are currently enjoy- ing a business boom, resulting from heavy preparations for 1941-42 pro- duction plans, which will aid con- siderably in bringing up the average of their yearly earnings. Latter have shown a big drop-oS during the past year, largely due to the fact that term contracts for picture' scribblers have reached a new low. Falling off of term pacts, accord- (Continued on page 20) Senator Wheelers Newsreel Hlfar Propaganda Charges Anew; H wood Producers Disavow 'Warmongering' Defense Payoff Miami, May 13. To hypo sales of Government defense bonds, station WKAT, Miami Beach, began yesterday (Monday) to pay off all contest and quiz program winners in de- fense stamps instead of cash. Frank Katzenstine, owner of the station, hopes other stations and sponsors will adopt the idea. WKAT is an NBC Blue outlet. COLPEMBERTON WORKING OUT LEGIT DEAL TOMMY FARR HEADS BRITISH VAUDE REVUE Hollywood, May 13. Earl Carroll says that he and Jimmy Durante are 'the best of friends' and denies a report from San Francisco that the showman and comedian were at odds over a bit the Schnoz is due to use at the opening this week there of ■ Stairway to the Stars, night spot formerly the Em- bassy. Carroll also said there is no deal with Durante about appearing in the former's forthcoming new Holly- wood cafe show. Durante was in the current Holly- wood Carroll show, going to New York because of his father's death. Upon returning to the Coast he did not resume at the nitery. London, May 13. Toipmy Farr, one-time contender for the world's heavyweight boxing championship, has built a vaude act around himself. It's set for a hefty road schedule. Labeled 'Keep Punching,' it uses the Gordon Ray Girls for dressing. A Welshman, Farr has done some warbling for discs and on personals. It's his first time out with a unit. He was accepted for duty with Royal Air Force at outset of war, but was nixed because of eye trouble. Phyllis Brooks West Phyllis Brooks, RKO contract player, who has been in two New York legiters during the past season, . returns to Hollywood this week. She has no definite assignment yet. Femme started the season in 'Panama HatUe,' B. G. DeSylvia mu- sical, which she left to join 'Night Before Christmas,' Paramount-back- ed comedy. Latter did a quick fold. Pittsburgh Singer Joins Gene Autry Enterprises . Pittsburgh, May 13. Tiny' Ellen Sutton, 240 pound, 17 year-old Pittsburgh singer who' has been on Brian McDonald's • Wilkens Amateur Hour over WJAS, has been set to go with Gene Autry; A student at Allegheny High School, girl ac- companied Autry to New York for his network show week ago Sunday (4) and while there auditioned for Wrigley and CBS officials, who put their stamp of approval on her. Miss Sutton wiU ' appear with Autry on his weekly 'Melody Ranch' programs and is also scheduled to get a build-up in Autry's Republic pix. Autry's been scouting around for some one to replace Mary Lee, who's going to be starred in a series of her own at Republic. . 20TH HOLDS FOBDE Hollywood, May 13, Darryl Zanuck signed Eugene Forde to a director contract at 20th Deal is' set between Brock Pemberton and Columbia Pictures whereby the latter would finance tryouts in summer stock and pro- duction next season if shows are deemed to be Broadway possibilities. Little money would be required for the tryouts, but in the event the ma- terial looks favorable, financing of regular production would proceed without further huddling between the manager and the film end. Columbia has been eyeing legit for some time, but has rarely partici- pated. It was not represented on Broadway this season.. Paramount is a particlp^t in 'Lady in the Dark' (Alvin) and was also in on 'The Night Before Christmas,' which closerf swiftly in the red. Metro wholly backed 'Mr. and Mrs. North,' still playing (Belasco) and will sim- ilarly finance 'We Fought at Arques.' Other picture companies have ex- hibited little interest in backing shows, some saying the Dramatists Guild conditions are still not ac- ceptable. 15 Original Berlin Songs in Holiday'; Deal on 10^ Basis Irving Berlin will have 15 original songs In 'Holiday Inn' which Mark Sandrich will produce-direct for Paramount with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire co-starred. Instead of being a Berliniana cavalacade, as first intentiohed, the only oldie will be 'Easter Parade' and, instead, the 15 new songs will comprise the score. Berlin's deal with Par is a straight 10%-of-the-gross, no guarantee, by Berlin's explicit preference. In fact, the deal was only signatured by the tunesmith the past week when he (Continued on page 18) Band Managers Settle $390,000 Suit Against Buddy Rogers, Pickford Breach of contract suit against Buddy Rogers and Mary Pickford, preferred by ^rthur Michaud and Jim Peppe, has been settled out of court Suit asked $300,000 from Rogers and Miss Pickford charging the ex-bandleader abrogated a 10- year managerial agreement with Michaud and Peppe. Amount of set- tlement was not' revealed. Miss Pickford was named co-defendant in the action because she allegedly in- duced Rogers to breach the contract Settlement was worked out after the plaintiffs lost a motion for a summary judgment, which was de- nied them by Judge Murray Hul- bert in N. Y. federal court. Case was to have gone to trial May 21. Lee Eastman, attorney for Michaud and Peppe, worked out settlement. SWANSON, MENJOU MAY BE REUNITED BY RKO Hollywood, May 13. Gloria Swanson and Adolphe Men- jou will'be>co-starred at RKO if a suitable story can be found within a reasonable time. Studio has op- tions on both. . They once were topliners at Para- mount although they never were teamed. 'GREAT LETTERS?' Frank Sulllvan-DIck Maney Epistles In Book Form Ribbing letters that have made their way back and forth in the press between Frank Sullivan and Dick Maney may be enlarged upon and become a small-sized Simon & Schuster volume. Pubs have- been talking to the pair about it. ■ Sullivan is holder of a small piece of 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' and Maney is p.a. for the legiter. Series of letters started in Varictt with Sullivan giving Maney instructions on how to behave, inasmuch as he now bore the Sullivan colors, and his actions would reflect on his em- ployer. Pair are slated to guest on 'Infor- mation Please' Friday (16) night 'Hattie' for McLeod Legislation to force newsreels to give "equal footage to proponents of both sides of any controversial ques- tion is planned by Senator Burton K. Wheeler, he revealed last week, Montancn has frequently criticized the reels. An isolationist, he claims they have 'propagandized' to 'push America into war.' Bill he promised to - introduce in Congress would force newsreels to give equal treatment to pros and cons as the Federal Communications Act forces broadcasting stations to do. Measure admittedly would have small chance of getting . through Congress now. Wheeler announced his intention in speaking at Ann Arbor, Mich. He was commenting on a study (printed in last week's Varisttt) made by College Men for Defense First, anti- war group, in which it was pointed out that of some 575 newsreel cllpi on war and defense in the past three months, only seven gave the Iso- lationist side. 'The study made by College Men for Defense First' Wheeler stated, 'simply corroborates the charges made by opponents of war that th* newsreels are being made to propa- (Continued on page 42) CAPRA, RISKIN AFTER CHAPLIN FOR FANTASY Hollywood, May 13. Frank Capra. and Robert Rlskin, who have not signed with any studio to date, central^ to reports, er« dickering with Charlie Chaplin to play'the title role in 'The Flying Yorkshlreman,' a fantastic story which has nothing to do with th* current war. Rights to the yarn belong to Frank Lloyd, with whom the Capra-Rlskln combo expects to reach an agrees ment this week. Chaplin compact is still in the offing. Ragland to Coast Rags Ragland, comic in 'Panama Hattie," and ink?d by Metro, left New York, Sunday (11), for the Coast First assignment may be 'New York Story' or 'Honky Tonk.' He'll later repeat his legit role in the screen version of "Hattie.* Red Marshall is vicelng Ragland in 'Hattie.' Al Altman of Metro also made a test last week of Florence Mc- Michael, who was in the cast of 'Out Fox. Pact goes into effect after he fin . , ' Ishes 'The Dead Take No Bows' on of the Frying Pan,' recently closed I that lot. ' leelter, Hollywood, Mcy 6. Norman McLeod inked a director contract at Metro, with 'Panama Hattie' as his first assignment Pilot is currently in New York, ogling the stage play. 20TH'S BETSY BLAIE TEST Betsy Blair, whom William Saroyan signed for the lead in his 'The Beautiful People' after gander- Ing her In a 45th street N. Y., bistro, has been option by 20th-Fox. Femme's total experience before Saroyan saw her saunter into the spot' was in a bit dancing role in 'Panama Hattie,' which she left to Join 'People.' Trad* Mark R«icl*t«r*d FOUNDED BT SIUE SILVERMAN Fobllnhed WMklr bj VARIETT, Ut. Bid Silverman, Proaldant Ut Wot 4llth Street, New Tork, N. 1. INDEX Band Reviews 42 Band Routes 40 Bills 48 Chatter 53 Exploitation 8 Film Reviews 16 Forum .' 55 House Reviews... 48 Inside—Legit 50 Inside—Orchestras 41 Inside—Pictures 20 International News.. .■ 14 Literati 92 Legitimate 49 Music 42 Night Clubs 44 Night Club Reviews 47 Obituary 54 Orchestras 37^ Pictures 4" Radio 21 Radio Markets 35 Radio Reviews 32 Unit Review 47 Vaudeville 44 DAILT VABIBTS (Publlehed In Hollywood \>j Dally Variety, Ltd.) ♦ 10 a year—$12 foreign