Variety (May 1941)

PIGTU1IE8 Tcdnesdaj* Maj 28, 1941 Metro Forms Fdms Corp. To Distribute Own Rx in Canada An upshot of the friction which resulted In the Famous Players- Canadian shakeup and the resigna- tion of N. L. Nathanson, president, Is a deal already closed by Metro under which it will distribute its own pictures in Canada for the first time. Henry Nathanson, brother of N. L. Nathanson, was in New Yorlc dur- ing the past week on the deal, which in addition, to the Nathanspn. inter- ests involves Paramount and others. Up to now Metro films have been distributed in Canada by Regal Films, Ltd., which will in all prob- ability be dissolved. A new com- pany is lieing formed, to be known as Regal Film Corp., Ltd., which will take the place of the other company. It will be wholly-owned by Metro and will start distributing through the nevy channel June 1. In making this move, Metro takes over all the physical properties and employees of Regal Films, Ltd. Henry Nathanson, general manager of that company will occupy the same post in the new. one l>eing formed by Metro. Paramount, through Famous Play- ers-Canadian, is understood to have been the biggest stockholder in Regal Films, Ltd., smaller Interests being held by N. L. Nathanson and others In Canada. Money involved in the Metro- Regal deal is not mentioned. Metro becomes the sixth Amerl- cdQ major to distribute its own pic- tures above the border, others be- ing Paramount, Warners, United Artists, RKO and 20th-Fox. Colum- bia, Universal and Republic go through channels not owned by them. U and Rep distribute through Empire, In which N. L. Nathanson has a substantial Interest. - Lot FoO of Genhis Hollywood, May 27. Warners added eight writers to its staff in the last week to keep up with i the demand for new production, i Scriveners on the Burbank lot now 'number 61, of whom 23 ase under I term contract They are working on 33 stories,.. ' So many writers are working on future pictures for 20th-Fox that the studio can't find desk room for them. Fifty scribes are doing their stuff on the lot and five more are pound- ing their typewriters at home. Fred Meyers May Try ProiL End If and When Joining U; O'Connor in N.Y. TOM MIX REUCS UNDER HAMMER ONTHE COAST When and if John J. O'Connor and Fred Meyers Join Universal, the lat- ter, who was in charge of film buy- ing-booking for RKO, may go to the Coast in a production capacity, or possibly as a producer. He is said to have been anxious for some time to try his hand in the film-making branch. Though not active, following their decent resignations, It is said that, pending actual joining of U, both O'Connor and Meyers are still on the RKO payroU. They are reported to have had contracts and thus are be- ing paid although out of the com- pany and the jobs they held. Believed that O'Connor will go into U as executive assistant to Blumberg, If a deal Is ultimately .closed, headquartering in New York. Matty Fox who holds such a post Is expecting to be called into the Army. ' Should Know'Em By Now Hollywood, BIa7 For the fourth fuocMaivo tlmt Arthur Lubin is slated to direct Ab- bott and CosteUo. Picturt is "Ride 'Em Cowboy,' galloplnji Juno 0 at Universal. Alex Gottlieb will produce, and the Andrews Sisters supply the rhythm. PAYCHECKS FOR 6,000 ON 11 WBPIX Hollywood, May 27. New high in summer employment at Warners is assured by 11 new pic- tures slated to start within three weeks. Around 6,000 workers will draw pay checks during the hot months. New films are They Died With Their Boots On,' 'Background to Dapger,' 'One Foot In Heaven,' 'Hot Nocturne,' 'All Through the Night," 'Kings Row,' 'Knight of Malta,' 'Rhapsody in Blue,' 'Shadows on Their Wingp,' "The Gay Sisters' and 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' Canada's 20% Tax Idea Worries UJS. Fdmers; Hope for Some Relief 2Ws Cosdy Yiflage Hollywood, May 27. It Is costing 20th-Fox an additional $10,000 to the Initial $110,000 to re- pair bridges and roads to Its syn- thetic Welsh village of Brent's Crags in the Mallbu mountains for the pic- ture, 'How Green Was My Valley.' Early spring rains washed out the approaches. Picture gets under way June 0, with Darryl Zanuck produc- ing personally and John Ford direct- ing. Maj. Hollywood, May 27. Tony I escaped a sale down the river, but Tony U and 10 other horses went to the auction block in the disposition of> the remnants of Tom Mixls estate on his olif Van Nuys.(Calif.) ranch. First Tony, a particular pet of the late western star, was deeded to his attorney, with the provision that he was to be nurtured for the_rest_ of "his ES; lii' addition' to 'tHie^Eofses, the sale included several old Mexican beds, measuring 12 by 14 feet, and a lot of ancient saddles and weapons gathered during Mix's film career. Auction, sparsely attended, was conducted at the old ranch house on a 17-acre area. Mix'^died last year In an automobile crash, leaving only a small portion .of the fortime he made in pictures. . At one time he was the. highest salaried' actor in Hollywood. Writer's 'Ziegf eM Girl' Snit Agamst Loew's Mary Elizabeth Young, known as Bettie MacDonald, filed suit Monday I (26) In N.' Y, federal court against' Loew's, Inc., claiming plagiarism in 'Ziegfeld Girl,' of her original story, also called 'Ziegfeld Girl.' An in- jimction, accounting of profits and damages are asked. < PlaintiS wrote her story in 1932 -and It was'published' in the" Airieri- can Weekly In 1933. The story was submitted to Loew's in 1936, but re- ' jected. Besides the use of the same : title and Ideas In the film, plaintiff 'points out'that one of the charac- ters portrayed by James Stuart i was called Gilbert Young, the name . of Miss Young's brother, and one of the characters In her book. More Coin for B's At RKO; Schaefer Orders Qnickies Off the Lot Hollywood, May 27. ' No more quickies are going out of RKO,^ imder a new budget system arranged by George J. Schaef er, president, who has ordered a general raise in appropriations for B pro- ductions to meet the quality de- manded by the new block-pf-five system, required^ by the consent de- cree. First to feel the financial upbuild are 'Lord Epping Sees a Ghost,' 'Parachute Battalion' and The Ma- rines Are Ready.' • Bowes in FoO Exit From N.Y.-Cap; House To Operate AD Sonmier Report that the Capitol, N. Y., would close down for a portion of the summer, following resignation of Major Edward Bowes, as nian- aging director, which becomes effec- tive June 1, is denied by C. C. Mos- kowitz, Loew's top theatre exec. He states this will not happen, nor has there been any thought of shutter- ing for a week or two to permit re- decoration, renovation or repairs. ' House has had some poor weeks this spring, but currently is doing okay business with 'Woman's Face' and follows that with the well-re- garded 'Iiove Crazy.' It Is the show- window for Metro pictures. Bowes, managing director of the Capitol since its opening In 1919, steps out completely with all final authority of operation resting with Moskowitz and Joe Vogel, of Loew's. They have virtually been in charge of the Capitol all along, with Her- man Landwehr at the theatre as house manager. Landwehr remains in charge of the theatre, according to Moskowitz. As m.d., Bowes drew $25,000 a year. As part owner of the Cap with Messmpre Kendall, who built it. Ma- jor Bciwes Is assertedly bowing out because of the 'many demands made upon him by other interests. Includ- ing radio. The Sunday broadcasts by the Capitol Family were ended following, last Sunday's (25) airing, this being the 964th consecutive weekly appearance on the air. Towers Models' Fihned As Musical hy WB HoU^oodites Aid Greek .. ., - Hollywood, May. 27.- - Ann'Sheridan and the 'Navy Blues' sextet go into Technicolor in 'Powers Models,' a musical to be produced by Warners. Event . Jul .Springfield Springfield, M^ss., May .27. Alvino Rey's° orchestra and the King Sisters split honors with Rose- mary Lane, Gail Patrick and Cesar Major company attorneys and tax experts huddled last Friday (23) ot the Hays office to seek means of ob- taining relief from the 20% admis- sion tex on Canadian piotion picture theatres, placed in effect this month. Because the 20% tax likely will hurt grosses In Canada, American distrlb- iitors are anxious to obtain some modification of the present taxation. While the discriminatory angle has been brouglit up during discussions in Canada film circles, U. S. picture company attorneys are searching for some loophole whereliy they can contest the additional taxation.' Un- derstood that the double tax angle may be probed because the 20% dominion tax on tickets 'is in addi- tion to the prevailing provincial tax varying from 6% to 15%% in all provinces excepting Saskatehewan and Ontario. In Ontario, where the 15%% tax prevails (it's called of- ficially a surtax), this means that Quebec theatre patrons will be pay- ing more than 35% tax on each ticket, which is estimated as greater than in any part of the world in- cluding the British Isles under cur- rent wartime conditions. Officials in the Canadian film busi- ness interested in obtaining relief from this heavy ' additional burden have pointed out to government of- ficials of Canada that the picture In- dustry'is the source of revenue for numerous tax^ and services in con- nection with raising funds for the War Service drives. Also that the film business has proved a vast me- dium for morale building. - They fail to see how the 20% tex will raise the added revenue sought because total gross business is boimd ° (Continued on page 20) GOLDENSON OFF FOR INTERSTATE CONCLAVE ■ . - —; tr f Voldeinar Vetluguln, associate edl- | Romero in a personal appearance, tor of Red Book, author of the yarn, is he?e working with Everett Free- man on the screen story; Mix's Bank Honse St. Louis, May 27. Tom Mix's, daughter, Tomaslna, will keep her father's motorized bunk house equipped with sleeping quarters, bathroom and tables. It has been gathering dust in a down- town-fire engine house for the last eight months. It will' not be Included In the rest of Mix's assets sold at auction in Hollywood, as the screen sUr's executors have not informed Fire Chief Larry Comoyer to that effect. The fire chief said that Mix's for- mer wife, Mrs. Victoria Mix, in a re- cent visit here, told him that her daughter was Keeping the bunk house for 'sentlmentel reasons.' 'When Mix' concluded his 'St liOuis Cavalcade' engagement, here last September he asked Chief Comoyer to garage the bunk house for about a week. Mix was killed in a motor accident about two'weeks later, and the motor carriage has been In the parage s]nce. FOX THEATRES REPORT Onoe $36,000,000 Empire, In Llqnlda- tion. Okays %% Dividend Studio Contracts Farewell to the Bams Hollywood, May 27. Otto Kruger reports this week at Columbia for one of the top roles in Tonight Belongs to Us,' a Gregory Ratoff production, • Plpture role means that Kruger Is giving up the idea-of going east for strawhatters ithis- summer. He is 'lalso dickering for the father role In the 'Aldrich Family' radio show.' Fox Theatres Corp., in liquidation, had a net operating profit of $10,645 in 1040 and will have a possible I profit of $10,000 in 1941, final report .of Milton C. Welsman, Kenneth P. jSteinrelch and Leopold Porrino, j trustees, disclosed Ui N. Y, supreme I court The report was approved by Justice Felix Benvenga, who dis- charged the trustees. ' Final allowances of $2,500 were made to Stelnreich, $1,875 to Weis- man, and'$628 to Porino. Fox Thea- tres was also authorized to sell property held by it in the Bronx, the asses^ value of which is $8,000. This consists of a loft and remains of an office building. A dividend of was authorized to be paid creditors. Attorneys Hirson and Bertini were given $6,000 for their services, ) Assets now totel $168,278, aU that remains of an estate valued at $35,- 000,000 a decade ago. The trustees were appointed to liquidate the as- sets of the company by former Judge Iilartin T. Manton on Feb. 24, 1939. - and also the Greek ambassador to the U. S., to gross an estimated $5,500 at $1.50 at the Greek war relief ball at the Municipal Auditorium Wednesday (21). The hall was mob- bed. ' Romero stole the show during the day, his 'Cisco Kid' bringing out hundreds ot youngsters. He oblig- ingly ran through a bit of it for two tots who 'crashed' his hotel room early in the evening. The visit Leonard H. Goldenson, in charge of all Par theatre operations, left Sunday night (25) for Galveston, Tex., to attend the three-day, con- vention of the Interstete and 'Texas Consolidated circuits sterting yester- day (Tues.). He goes from there to the Coast to look in on the annual powwow of the Motion Picture The- atre Owners of America, of which he is a director representing affili- ated circuits. Leaving New York the end of this week, Sam DemI>ow, Jr., operating , associate td 'Gol'densbh," w'iU go to " Minneapolis to contact Par opera- tions there, thence also going out to the MPTOA convention. Both Par execs will return about June 15. He'H Fmd Out What Happens to His Scripts Lane and Miss Patrick, and they i Hollywood, May 27. Robert Stack's option picked up by Universal. Stanley Clements* moppet con- tract extended.by 20th-Fox. Bill Castle, dialog director, re- optioned by Clolumbla. MacDonald Carey inked player pact with Paramount. Elaine Morey's player option ex- ercised by Universal. I traveled to Hartford to meet them Ray Collins inked player contract i ''"th Mayor Roger L. Putnam and i at RKO. I officials of the Greek War Relief so- Gene de Paul penned songwriter ciety. Following the interview. Miss ticket at Universal. 1 Patrick and Romero visited Loew's Stanley Brown drew option lift as Po'' theatre, where Miss Patrick Columbia actor. i took a look at 'Love Crazy,' in which Don Raye contracted as tunesiiiith appears with William Powell Hollywood, May 27. George Brlcker, who has written 34 produced scripta in seven years without having anything to say about their production, obtained a w7s"'fiist VNew England tot Ui^ ' Jrom hU writing Job at Co- lumbia to become an associate pro- spent Thursday (22) touring the vi- l*. Monogram, where he can ginjty_ watch his own ideas developed on The three stars were Interviewed, j . . , . . v over WMAS by George Freeman,' .J"""*«r ^7 Appointment' is his Loew's Poli manager here, who had ^ Productwn. He wrote It him- traveled to Hartford to meet them * ^ ^ \yhat happens to a tale after it leaves the typewriter. • His latest writing job ody Man.' at Columbia was 'Mel- Double Hop-Alonger Hollywood, May 27. Eleanor Stewart plays a double- header in the Harry Sherman pic- ture, Timber Wolves,' the first time any femme has played twice In the Bill Boyd 'Hopaloug Cassidy' series. Id the space of sevep years there have been 36 different .fetnme' leads in 36 pictures. by Universal. Lloyd Bridges' actor option hoisted by Columbia. Karen De WolTs pact renewed for a year at Columbia. Ted Thomas, dialog director, drew option lift at. Columbia. Lucille Prumbs signed to write contract at Paramount Ann Miller- closed two-picture-a- year deal with Columbia. Maria Montez drew renewal at Universal. Eva Gabor drew a player contract at Paramount . Betty Jane Rhodes, radio singer, sighed by Paramount. Charles (Buddy) Rogers' option lifted by RKO. The Merry Macs inked , a deal for two pictures annually for seven years at Universal. Hans Dreler, 15 years with Para- niount, sigtied .new contract as bead <t the art. department and Myrna Loy. \ 'Smileage' Books Again? 'Smlleage' books, prevalent in last world war, may be revived. Admis- sion books sold to parenta who give them to soldiers in camp. Proceeds used to defray costa of operation of cantonment theatres and booking live entertainment Simon's Metro Triple Hollywood, May 27. Metro handed two more director assignments to S. Sylvan Simon in addition to his present job on 'New York Heartbeat' New .pictures are 'Eight Girls in a Boat' an Edgar Selwyn production, and 'Keeping Married,' to be pro- duced by Sanl Marx. Wobber Sets N.Y. Meet . At Waldorf, July 9-11 Twentieth Century-Fox will hold Its annual sales convention at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, on July 9, 10 and 11, accordbig to an armouncement by Herman Wobber, (General Sales' Manager. - Approximately 350 district man- agers, branch managers, salesmen and' bookers ot the company's 37 branch offices in the United States and Canada will attend a three-day meeting. Mary Lee . Stars in 4 ' Hbllywood, May 27. ■ Mary Lee, Republica's moppet singer,, moves out of the C^ene Autry westerns to star in four pictures on next season's program. Films are - 'Oh, Susanna,' 'Sierra Sue,' 'Pride ot the Circus' and 'Peck's Bad GlrL'