Variety (June 1942)

PIGTUBE8 Wednesday, Ji^e 3, 1942 Blumberg Expresses Faith in Films Wartime Responsibilities at U Conv. Nate Blumberg, Universal prexy, yesterday (Tuesday) appraised war- time conditions facing the film in- dustry as *a challenge to our in- genuity, and we will adjust our- selves to any new challenges.' Blumberg told the delegates to the U sales convention at the Waldorl- Asioria hotel, New York, that 'De- spite any restrictions which the Gov- ernment may be called upon to im- pose on the industry I am certain that it would And ways and means of fully meeting its responsibilities In the total war effort.' Universal head expressed confi- dence that that industry would be able to carry on in good shape de- spite all obstacles due to wartime restrictions and added, 'Our busi- ness has always been able to cope with emergencies.' Start SelUnc Pronto Universal plans to start selling 1942-43 product immediately follow- ing the sales convention which opened yesterday (Tuesday) at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, New York, for four dayisl During huddles com- pany heads will likely announce con- summation of deals with one or two new producers. Walter Wanger, whose 'Eagle Squadron' is being re- leased on the 1941-42 schedule, with 'Arabian Nights' slated for the 1942- 43 selling season, is understood plan- ning to make one or two more for re- lease through Universal during the coming year. He was in Washington, Monday (1) and due back in N..Y. yesterday. Jules Levey (Mayfair), who produced 'HcUzapoppin' and "Pardon My Sarong" for U; release during 1941-42, has several story properties on hand and will ^Iso con- tribute to the company output for 1942-43. ■ William Scully, v.p. and general manager, teed off proceedings yes- terday with a welcome to the dele- gates and a review of the company's 1941-42 activities. He also an- nounced the winners of the $15,000 Scully Anniversary drive which ended'. May 10, with~t}ie winning branch getting ' $2,500 in prize money. . Among those scheduled to address the convention yesterday besides Nate Blumberg, U prexy, were Wil- liam 'J. Heineman, assistant general sales manager, F. J. A. McCarthy, southern division manager, Fred (Continued on page 24) Tlieatrcs Experiment With New Paints, Etc Becaise of the Dimont Theatre operators along the At- lantic coast where dimout regula- tions are in effect dre experlment- . Ing with various kinds of paint and devices as a means of making mar- quees pa^y visible without the use of light Latter is also being used In various ways, including so-called black light and purple which do not cast a glow. Many theatres are whitening;' their marquees so that they may be seen to some extent, brihging out the lettering - a little more sharply, while others are using lighting over lobby entrances that is shielded by the marquee canopies but. can ^ be ■een from across the street One circuit operating In the Greater N. Y. area has .put up mar- quee panel stripis across the top of the lobby entrance, using dlmlnl^ed Ughti while in some other cases op- erators are using spots to throw a light inward to lobby displays, easels, etc. - Whitening the background of mar- quees is helping a'lot at night, while the use of luminous paint and letter- ing that stands out In the moonlight Is fui-ther contributing to ways and means of eye-jatching. The Hollywood, where 'Yankee Doodle Dandy* opened a run Satur- day (30) has a marquee and upright sign of special white paint and glass fixtures which provides much vlsi- :bi!lty without the use Of electricity. Paramount has whitened its mar- quee and is using lettering treated with luminous paint, while at the ' Astor underneath the- marquee the house is using a purple filter which throws no glow t)t light upward. Oddly enough, two grind houses that' have always had whiteback- gfotmded marquees are-the Central and New Yor^ units In th? Brandt Bros-.thain. Flyiiig on the Hoof Hollywood, June 2. Fred Astaire mixes dancing with aviation in his next starrer at RKO, 'Look Out Below,' tale of an Army flyer on furlough. James Kem and S. K Lauren are doing the screenplay for. production by David Hempstead. METRO JUST cm FIND 4-YIL-OLD IMARGAREr Metro has spent more than $5,000 in time and expenses of talent de- partments on both coasts in its effort to find a four-year-old "girl for the title part in 'Journey for Margaret' Studio is preparing to drpp the picture temporarily if it can't locate a kid within the next week or so. . Hunt war. originally a quiet affair, but publicity was resorted to later in hopes of turning up a child that way. Thousands of pictures were re- ceived in N. Y. and on the Coast* and talent scouts made a number^ of dis-. tant trips to interview possibilities. Difficulty is that the kid must be attractive but not pretty, must be thin and emaciated looking, must be quite an actress'and must be able to learn at least 10 lines at a time. Hollywood, June 2. Lucille Minor's minor oontract with -Metro approved by Supreme Court ■ June Haver drew player ticket at 20th-Fox. Ann Richards, Australian actress, signed by Metro. i:(orothy Morris handed minor pact by Metro. Hans Dreler renewed as chief of Paramount's art department Isobel Elsom Inked. player con- tract at Columbia. Aubrey Mather inked player pact at 20th-Fox. Edmund O'Brien's contract pur- chased by Universal from RKO. Jack Otterson's art director option lifted by Universal. Sabu's player contract with Uni- versal approved In court Lou Breslow inked writer pact at Columbia. Hershoh Holds Over As Relief Fund Prexy Hollywood, June 2. Jean Hersholt will remain presi- dent of Motion Picture Relief Fund for another year.' Present prexy nominated without opposition for the election to be held June 28. Others on the imopposed slate are Miry McCall,' Jr, first vice-presi dent; Irving PIchel, second v.p. Walter Wanger, third v.pi; Luclle Gleason, fourth v.p.; George Bag- nail, treasurer,: and WUma Bashor, secretary. PAR'S DIXIE POWWOW H.O. 'Theatre Execs' AtUotie Haddle with WUby, Lneas and Jenkins Austin C. Keough, v.p. and general counsel for Pafamount, Leonard H. Goldenson, head of the company' theatre department, and Montague F GoWthorpe, theatre comptroller, left Monday (1) for Atlanta to be met there by Leon Nettef, In charge of southern operations from the home office. Conferences with .Bob WIlby, Bill Jenkins and Arthur Lucas, partners, as weU as others on various matters will include discussion of' the anti- trust suit against the Lucas tt Jen- kins circuit, as well as a permanent partnership with this string of the- atres covering various houses in the Atlanta territory. Latter has been hanging fire a long time. Withers Pacted by Rep: ; i Hollywood, June- 2. Jane Withers, who grew up from moppethood for eight years at 20th- Fox, is shifting to Republic under a three-year contract calling for three pictures annually at $25,000 each, a total of $225,000." First imder the new pact Is 'John, ny Doughboy,' slated to start in July with John H. Auer as director. Meanwhile, she plays theatre dates in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and does a bit of campaigning in the east for War Bonds. Stadio Contracts For Deah OF Cohnnbia Hollywoqd,/June 2. Two All-Amerlcan football players graduate this month from college Into pictures, both heading for the Columbia studio. Bruce Smith, halfback, will play himself In 'Smith of Minnesota,' and Frankle Albert, quarterback, wiU star in "The Spirit of Stanford.' PRIORITIES HIT MEPK BOOM Boom in film jukebox business, which last year loomed as junior rival for part of the estimated $60,- 000,000 annual music box machine take. Is hitting the skids as a result of wartime restrictions on new coin machines. Expansion of briefle production and distribution and machine manu- facturing and servicing was based on anticipation of much wider coverage than Is now possible. With approxi- mately 3,400 film jukers currently operating, the flow of product, which was geared to reach distribution in 10,000 machines of more e'ventually, has become sharply restricted. Total take for briefle producers from 3,400 machines has been around $15,000 weekly, for which' dime jukers must be supplied with eight new subjects a week. With cost of negatives and distribution approximately- $8,000^ balance of $7,000 left for production of eight new subjects weekly is now inadequate. . Shortage of subjects for jdkers, h^ leached point where many machines are now repeating material less than two or three months old. fAlMn^- tlve of supplying t\vb or three new subjects for use with five oldies is considered useless. NOW IT COMES WITH A SUSH Hollywood, June 2. 'Once Upon a Honeymoon,' co- starring Ginger Rogers and Cary •Grant, gets the gun from Leo Mc- Carey this week, making a total of four RKO starters In 10 days, fol- Jowing a five-week production liill, during which The Big Street' was the only major iUm in work. - Three other starters were 'AH For Fim,' 'The Navy Comes Through' and 'Sweet or Hot' Coslow's Soundies Bed Unknown To Jack Barry's Mhioco 'While Sam Coslow, producer of R.C.M. Productions, haS' been moved up to have charge of all production for Soimdies Distribution Corp. of America, according to a statement released in Chicago by Gordon B, Mills, president of coitapany making musical 'soundies' for jukepix ma- chines, Mlnoco Productions still holds a contract to make films |for Soundies running through next Oc tober. Jack Barry, president of Minoco, in N. Y. yesterday (Tues- day), stated he had not been in- formed of ,any change and that his company, iwhich had made two- thirds of all fflms used In coin m&- chines, would continuie prbdubtion Of pictures for jukepix machines as well as other shorts. Statement from Soundies In Chi- cago stated that 150 films for juke- boxes would be produced on the Coast, under the new Coslow present plans and about 200 others in N. Y. and Chicago, though not Explained definitely on the New York setup, Understood in N. Y. that the realign, ment of production represents an economy move In line with .diffl culties experienced in getting inatC' rial to manufacture the machines under wartime conditions. Accord ing to Mills, the new plan calls for the release or a new, program of 'soundies' weekly, consisting of six different subjects. Minoco has turned out 384 films for coin machines thus far, and under Its contract with Soundies It has a' right to produce both for that company and other jukepix machines. Mlnoco's principal interest is In other screen productions, according to Barry. Company holds a two-year lease on the old Edison plant In the Bronx and plans continuing iull- scale . operations even If ]uke pic- tures ire curtailed. Diehard Anli-Perceiitage Indw Relents Id M|il&, Reaches Accord Witli WE ED KUYKENDALL PANS UPPED PK RENTALS Referring to It as the 'Infamous consent decree selling system,' Ed Kuykendall, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, in a lengthy bulletin mailed to mem- bers yesterday .(Tuesday), stated that the distributors have received a big, artificial boost in film prices this season. He adds that the high rentals demanded and secured 'evi- dently surprised many exhibitors and possibly some" distributors.'- A staunch enemy of the decree, Kuykendall goes on to lament that the excessive and needless' increase in distribution' expense imposed by the new method' of -selling is more than covered by the exaction of higher prices for product to the ex- tent of greatly increased profits in spite of lost foreign markets.' Kuykendall also points out that other serious problems, not related to the decree, are developing .as re- sult of war conditions and will prob- ably get rapidly worse as the war effort tightens. ' Stating many small country towns are faced with .a desperate problem primarily due to a. shift in popula-' tlon, the I^TOA president warns that hidebound and blind adherence to. precedent in th^ situations by the distributors will force the exhib out. of business. "The distributors must adjust their demands to fit the changed 'condi- tions, in these spots,' Kuykendall as- serts, 'or they will wind up .getting no revenue at all from these towns and with the responsibility . of de- priving the people in these small towns. of ihotion picture entertain- ment at the time when it is most needed. 'The .distributors must pay atten- tion, and not turn a deaf ear to ex- hibitors who justly demand adjust- ments In these distress situations. 'The acid test of necessity -for adjust- ment Is the actual business done at the box office of the particular the- atre, whatever the. theoretical rea- sons may be.' The verified returns on the distributor's own percentage pic- tures Is one conclusive indication of this. If the need Is genuine, no sit- uation should be difficult to analyze by anyone who wants to be fair and just.' Kuykendall also takes issue with high percentage films and weekend dates and, in this connection, poses the question: 'Should the top price picture be required to stand on its own feet earn Its own right to preferred play- dates, and not be exhibited at a loss to get other product for exhibition?' MPTOA head also discusses need for greater organization among ex- hibitors, reciprocal cooperation be- tween organizations, collaboration between, representative state exhib associations, termination of impor- tant sections of the consent decree, the UMPI substitute proposals, principles of conciliation and me- diation, which Kuykendall believes are worth trying, Minneapolis, June 2. Another prominent anti-pe^rcent- age diehard Twin City independent exhibitor, Sol G. Lebedol(,.h)|ia fallen hy the wayside and joined most of the otiiers of the group by buying Warners''pix on percentage. Con- tracts have been signed by him for his two de luxe neighborhood houses, the 'Brynwood and Home- wood. He was the last to capitulate. The sole independents outside the Warner Brothers' fold now—and ex- pected' to remain there—are W. R. Frank, co-owner of ong of the terri- tory's largest and most prosperous independent circuits and himself a Hollywood producer, Sol Fisher, owner of two local neighborhood houses, and Max Torodor, who has one nabe theatre here. All the holdouts are outspoken percentage, foes, although they've bought Metro on perc«fntage deals. Recent-year history has been made by Warner Brothers here in con- sequence of its being the first and only company, aside from M-G-M, able to put over a percentage deal in the Twin City independents' area. 'York' Does OK , Some of the Twin City independ- ent exhibitors are protesting be- cause Warners has demanded a SSe admission for 'Sergeant York' in-the independent Minneapolis and St Paul neighborhood houses which have had to play the picture from two to four months after the Para- mount-afflllated circuit loop and up- town houses. They claim It's . 'un- fair' and 'sets a bad precedent'.and that It also creates bad will among their patrons. A number of these with Warner, contracts are holding off playing the picture until July when it will be available for pre- sentation at their regular admission scale. However, the Twin City independ- ent neighborhood theatres that have -played and are playing "York* «t the advanced 55c admisidon have been doing fine business. Moreover, it's declared that there has been no customer resistance to or complaints against the higher scale for this one picture. In the dowiitown theatres, too, the advanced price failed to .encounter any adverse reaction. It's reported. Patriotic Reasons May K.O. WB Nat'l Convention Though reported giving thought to the holding of a national sales con- vention, Warner Bros, may not do so for two reasons, it is understood. These are (1), that It may not be considered patriotic at this time to spend the money required aiid bring men to one point from all over the country, and (2) the transportation probiem.'involved. None of the other majors under the consent decree has givien considera- tion to national sales meetings. 'Best Foot' Deal Tri|»s, Cohnnbia Backs Out On Another Abbott Dicker Burned because George Abbott al- legedly reneged on a deal to sell It the screen rights to his 'Best Foot Forward,' Columbia has reportedly withdrawn financing promised him for another Broadway legiter. Abbott was set to da 'Count Me In,' musical recently presented by Catholic Uni- versity in Washington, with Col .to put up the entire bankroll, of around $60,000. 'Forward,' currently In Its 35th week at the Barrymore, N. Y.) was virtually set to go to Lester Cowan for Columbia release for $100,000 when Hunt Stromberg and Metro both started to evince inter- est in It a couple weeks ago. De- spite the fact that signatures were all but on the line. Col ' charges, Abbott backed out of the deal when it appeared likely he could get more coin for the rights. Abbott explained yesterday (Tues- day) that the authors of 'Forward' objected to the Cowan deal when Metro offered a larger price. Metro has now completed negotiations with Cowan to pay him for the trouble caused by collapse of his negotiations for the purchase. 'That will clear the way for Abbott to sell to Metro, and It appeared likely yesterday that a deal probably would be consummat- ed at $135,000 or $150,000. 'Count Me In' legit rights are owned by Cowan. It was written by Walter Kerr and Leo Brady and has songs by Ann Ronell, who is Cowan's wife. If It Is to reach Broadway this summer it will be with someone other than Abbott as produc^i Ford Diie Back Fiom S. A. Charles Ford, formerly editor of Universal newsreel until he went to Republic as a westerns producer, is due back In the U, S. shortly from South America where he has been making production material for Mon- ogram. . Ford may wind up a producer on the Mono lot in Hollywood..