Variety (Jan 1942)

PICTURES Thirty-sixth P^i^fj Anntvenarf Jannaiy 7, 1942 Films and Radio to Rid Americans Of False Complacency About Axis Major war mission during the com- ing monlhs tOr the nation's two trump cards of propaganda on the domestic front, films and radio, will be to keep the people of the United States cognizant of the fact that they are in a war.- That's the opinion of the Government's public rela- tions experts, many of them them- selves recruited from films and radio. It is felt that the greatest dan- ger to the United States at present is complacency—the same com placency that overtook England dur- ing the first winter of the war, -when enemy armies sat on opposite sides of-the Maginot line and scarce ly a shot was fired. The ordinary Englishmaii then wasn't acutely conscious of the hostilities, as Goer- ing's bombers so sadly made him later, and the war began taking sec ond place in his thoughts. As a result, production did not Increase as fast as it should have; air raid wardens and other vol- unteer workers who had joined up with the declaration of war re signed in droves because of lack of activity and. resultant lack of en thusiasm, and the people began to get the dangerous idea that they ■were* safe. ■ That's what must be avoided In the United States, the Government Ipels. It's recognized that in months to come, unless some highly un- foreseen disaster sets the enemy down on the soil of continental United SUtcs, aU the fighting will be on the other side of Ibe At- lantic and halfway out in the Pa- cific. This distance, and the novelty of war wearing-off, will create a false sense of security and complacency Keep 'Era On Their Toes To forestall that, to keep the peo- ple of the U. S, fully aware of the dangers that beset them, to keep them exerting their lull energjr at their machines and plows, is the job that the coterie of the film and radio men in the Government service and the execs with whom they are con .suiting are laying out for the two media. Those plans are bound to make ■ significant change in the produc- tion, programs of, films and radio and In what type of entertainment America will see and hear in the lulure. . Even *ow is it being said by some Tepoi;ters touring the country that -this is beginning to seem like a war not between the United States and the Axis, but between New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and the Axis. That's ah exaggeration, of course, but it does make clear that ■ It is in the coastal cities, closest tp the danger, that are the more cogni- zant of it Industrial areas,Nlike De troit, are also -well aware of the war, but the fact remains that " great portion of the country has been almost unaffected by the hostilities and will continue to be so unaf- fected, for months to come, FUms-Sadlos Constant Task It will be the duty of films and tadio,. by Inspirational and clever reminder productions, to keep every part of the country, no mat "ter liow remote, constantly hep "to the effort needed. Films and radio have already done an excelleat job, It is said, of selling America as place worth defending; the task now Is to activate the citizenry to actu- ally doing something to defend it. ^ Radio, through licensing pro H visions of the Federal Communica H tions Commission, is already closely ^ controlled by the Government, air though freedom of individual opera- tion is allowed. Fit^ step to greater Government activl^ in regard to motion pictures was taken two weeks ago with the President's appoint- ment of Lowell Mellett as Coor- dinator of Films. As the President stated In making the appointment, he Vants no cen Eorsbip.' however, be also said Tvin be Mellett's du^ to 'consult with . and advise motion picture producers of ways and means In which they ' can most usefully serve in the na- tional «ffort.' . Inasmuch as it has already been decided how films 'can most usefully serve,' Mellett's task Is laid out for htm. All be needs to figure now— and it's nothing simple—is the jnechanics of-creating the aware- ness in the people that is sought. . Films which - will achieve this aim must be scripted, and they must be entertaining. ... Now Hearing Things. Pasadena, Jan. 4. Upton Sinclair, far-seeing novelist who has been viewing spectres for years, Is now hear- ing strange sounds on his home radio set. Noises are not only 'strange, but suspicious,' he in- formed the local police, who are straining their official ears for code messages to the enemy. They are wondering whether It is flfth-columnist work or static. Rowiand's 'Commandos' William Rowland, who has for- merly turned out features in the east, will make The Commandos' at the Fox studios, N. V., based on a story written by Stedman Coles and Irwin Shapiro. Picture will in- clude some actual scenes of raids made by the British foraging fight- ers. Rowland has been making the 'In- ternational Forum' shorts for Co- lumbia during the past year. U^. Ukase Gronnding Private Planes a Boon To Film Producers BURTON AND SAYELL RESIGN FROM PAR, N. Y. Charles Burton, in charge -of the construction and maintenance de- partment for Paramount with head- quarters at the home office, and Leon Sav.ell, who has handled the affairs of J. H. Cooper, Par partner, also at the h.o., both resigned dur- ing the past week. In both cases they have plans which will be offi- cially announced later. A registered engineer and archi- tect. Burton may go back in busi- ness for himself as a theatre: con- struction and designing specialist. He was in that field on his own seven years ago before joining Paramount, with offices in Miami and Asheville, N. C, and operated mostly among independent exhibitors. . He also has several offers to join important circuits, as well as engineering .pro- posals on , defense work. Burton win be succeeded by his assistant at the Par home office, Richard Perkins, who formerly was stationed in England on Par theatre construc- tion-and maintenance.. A successor is not planned to Sa- vell for the time being, with his work probably - to be parceled out among others at the h.o. Formerly in charge of accounting for the Wilby-Kincey circuit, Savell was brougE£"lnto the h.o. more than a year ago to handle affairs for the Cooper-Par theatres located in Ne- braska, Oklahoma and Colorado, There are no definite reports con- cerning his - plans. Resignations of Burton and Savell followed that of Harry Kalcheim, in charge, of the Par stage-book- ing department. Kalcheim, who may shift to the Coast, states that his plans are hot yet set Hollywood, Jan. 4. War hasn't been all on the debit side for picture producers. The military, ukase grounding private planes and more stringent regula- tions against flying too low have proved a boon to picture makers, especially those in the Valley. Unrestricted air traffic has cost the studios sums running well into six figures for spoiled takes end de- lays due to motor hums getting on the sound recorders. Hardest hit were Universal, War- ners and Republic, owing to their proximity to the air fields. Pro- ducers are now free to schedule out- door production without interruption from plane noises. Red balloons, which floated over locations to warn aircraft away, have been hauled down lest they serve a more ominous purpose. Ranches in the Valley, where west- erns and action pictures are made, can now figure budgets and shoot- ing time -more accurately.- [ ♦♦♦ M » M » M » MMMMM »»» MMMM »»» MM * MM »»- [Hollywood Through a Bomb Shelter : : By Milton Berle ^ « «»«♦♦♦♦♦>«<♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦« MM >«»^ MiHea Bnl« 'Aviation Cavakade' Preem B. B. Kreisler, Universal short subjects chief, puUed out for Cin clnnatl Saturday (3), to set preem of 'Cavalcade of Aviation' at Keith's, Dayton, O. Preem for the aviation short, Jan 9, was set for Dayton because it's the Wright Bros, home town. WB to Fibn Exploits Of Air Ace, Onetime Usher Hollywood, Jan. 4. Story of Lieut. Boyd Wagner, America's ace Army flyer in the Philippines', is the basis of 'Pitts- burgh Pilot,' to be produced by War- ners, Wagner was once an usher in a WB film house in the Pittsburgh zone. Ronald Reagan and Joan I,eslie are slafed for the lead roles. 'Bambi' Key Test Rons Walt Disney's 'Bambi' Is scheduled for spotting at road shbw prices in four key situations starting around Easter. Picture will opeh In New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and one other Eastern city for a run, with general release held off until next fall. UBS. CASUSO, nt.'S SPOT Hollywood, Jan. 4. Yvonne Caruso, wife of Enrico Caruso, Jr., son of the famous tenor, has joined the John Beverly Holly wood Radio Playhouse, Inc., She is in the talent department Mrs. Caruso is a pianist and a dra matic soprano. . Hollywood, Jan. 4. Sirens in the NUlht: Blackouts and war conditions have had no effect on anyone in Hollywood . . . especially the juvenile actors who can take It on the chin . . . why shouldn't they, most of them have two others to fall back on . .. There's one organization in Hollywood that's very much perturbed over the existing conditions . . . That's Chapter 68 of the Amalgamated Order of Loyal O) Hollywood Wolves.. .During the first blackout 800 members of the group were ordered off the streets during the blackout because of the gleam in their eyel... Billy, the Midget is probably the one person who isn't worried .about air'raids He carries his own tMimb-shelter in his vest pocket . . . it's a -pork-pie thimble with pleats in the back (which can also be used on Sundays). . .When the blackout sirens wailed the first time, I was working late at 20th Century. Fox...I rushed home, still wearing my heavy-tan makeup . . . Four times I was pulled out of my car by cops and token to the local FBI offices and registered as an alien Jap . . . does anybody want to buy a makeup kit cheap? ... In the Still of the Night: Everyone ^in Hollywood is trying to outdo each other in erecting elaborate bomb-shelters ... Of course, my mother outdid all others—rshe had one made out of mink! , . . My bomb-shelter is built so deep in the ground six gophers are picketing me for dispossessing them. One actor out here put his bomb<-'shelter to good use ,. . He ran around yelling, 'Air Raid,' and his mother-in-law made a bee-line for the under- ground shelter—and,, he hasn't let her out since! , , . Bob Hope has a bomb- shelter that has the best communicating system in town ... his writers send their jokes to him via carrier gopher! ... Blackouts in the Moonlight: Airlines were worried about blackouts caus- ing their radio beams to be cut off so that no landings could be made at Hollywood ... I solved the problem by getting the airlines to hire three guys to stand at Lockheed and eat nothing but onions . . . Now the planes come in on an onion beam! . . . My brother (the one who trains Christmas seals) has made a. fortune since blackouts . . . There was a shortage of flashlight<;, so he sold his whole collection of glowworms . . . There's a certain radio comedian who has a novel innovation ... He carries a neon joke-book with him during air-raid alerts so that he can ad-lib during blackouts . .. Understand that the Japs in Japan have 'alerts' too .. . every night they have yellow-outs! ... ~ ' Funny how fast we learn to do something ... On the first alarm I painted all the windows in my house black and slept for five days ... Two hundred actors working for a quickie producer were the only ones who weren't bothered by the blackout . . . after all, they're used to getting paid off in the dark . . . Laird Cregar.and I were caught in the crowded lobby of the Hollywood-Plaza hotel during a blackout . . . X,aird accidentally put his. hand in somebody else's pocket . . . Suddenly the man turned around and said, 'Oh, no you don't That's my racket ... Blackout Notes in My Black Book: Several of filmland's glamour boys who inhabit night clubs constantly have been appointed Air Raid Wardens and are on duty nightly . . . this is the first fresh air they've had in years! ... A quickie producer took advantage of the movement of troops through Hollywood frojn Camp Roberts to the Pacific Coast-... he mounted several cameras at vantage points and shot a 10-reel epic titled, 'Jeep, But You're Swell!' ;, , And, a certain delicatessen out here is serving a special type of herring for blackout'nites . . . When you stick your fork in it the bones light up! .., Three shyster lawyers are In a frenzy and fit to be tied .... by accident they chased six Army ambulances that were going on maneuvers^dr. 10 straight days before they realized their mistake! Sudden thought: Presi- dent Roosevelt's speech denouncing the Nipponese was one ot-ine greatest pieces of Jap-panning I've ever heard! . . . A-certain actot-out here has a unique bomb-shelter in which he stores his liquor . , . now, he keeps run- ning t<j his shelter—alert or no alert! ... , ' SLOGAN: ;BUT A BOND AND BE' S THE BUND.' UA Meets to Fmafize Divorcement Of Co. Management From Ownership - To -aur frfends, the exhlbltort, the erllici, the public SEASON'S GREETINGS Bud Abbott and Lou Costello United -Artists^ stockholders met yesterday (Tuesday) to finalize steps taken at^ a meeting three weeks ago to separate management and owner- ship of the company. Yesterday's gathering was a continuation of the earlier meeting, called so that the stockholders could ratify by-law amendments which were proposed last month and drawn up in legal form In the meantime. Edward C. Raftery, UA prez, planed from New York to the (^oast Friday night (2) to attend the get- together. Laudy Lawrence, v.p. and coordinator of company activities, flew out on-Sunday (4). Arthur W. Kelly, v.p. in charge of financing, Is expected to go to the Coast later in the week. All three officers of the. company will be working on financ- ing while west. Report that Charles Chaplin has dissolved his own producing com- pany to work through United Art- ists Productions in the future was denied by Raftery before he left for the Coast He-explained that Chap- lin ' dissolved his corporation for other purposes, which had no con- nection with UAP. UA's distribut- ing contracts have always been with Chaplin personally and not with his corporation, so that dissolution of the corporation will have no bear- ing on the relationship. UAP's Fnnotlon UAP will be maintained for the present solely as a financing agency, Raftery said. Producing Idea was shelved to prevent any possibility of trouble after UA producers ex- pressed fear that the distributing company might push UAP pictures to the detriment of theirs, UA prexy stated. Work on 'G-String Murders,' fllml- zatlon of Gypsy Rose Lee's best- seller, is currently at a standstill, said Raftery. That was to be UAP's opener, with Ben Hecht writing, di- recting and producing. Raftery ex- plained that the deal is set but no starting date for production is fixed. Raftery said that UA has no deal on with Murray Silverstone and/or Hal Wallis either for distribution or ' for them -to- buy, Into the company. Understanding exists with Silver- stone, he affirmed, by which UA execs will sit down with him and talk over a deal when he has financ- ing dfrranged and a unit set up. [Silverstone and Wallis, Warner Bros._ exec producer, have been re- ported huddling on a producing part- nership, .with-Jhe-Jdea-.ot. becoming- -one-fifth owners 6f UA.-] Wallis Not Leaving? Hollywood, Jan. 4. Hal Wallis is remaining with War- ners and not tieing in with Murray Silverstone as producer-owner in United Artists, according to report making WB studio rounds. It is understood Wallis, whose present contract has six months to go, had assured top Warner execs he does not contemplate a deal else- where and is considering signing a new seven-year contract proffered him to continue as head of studio production operations. 20th Holds Power Hollywood, Jan. 4. Tyrone Power, whose current op- tion does not expire until Feb. 28, has been renewed by 20th-Fox. Pickup is good for the next two years.