Variety (Sep 1942)

Wednesdajr, September^ t, 1942 PICTURES 29 Shorts for hogram Values Gain New Stature With Conservati( With the Government seeking con- servation of numerous materiala needed by film producers, the future of shprts is looking up for the 1942- 43 season. The U. S. conservation program for war needs not only is causing some reduction In number of features announced by many companies but It also is gradually prompting more and more producers to turn out longer features. Both are figured assets for the short. At least it looms as an opening wedge for enhancing the value of shorts and their popularity. In line with such conditions, sev- eral majors are planning to give the shorts subjects better selling. And for the first time in some 10 to 13 years, the one, two and three reel picture promises to be less an in- dustry stepchild than in recent seasons. While many companies will have fewer features to sell, giving addi- tional playing time to shorts, hint by several distributors that they may be sold on their merit, rather than as a lever to swhig feature- product deals, is a promising de- velopment. Tendency to gear the short subject more to popular ap- peal rather than just so much screen playing time also is In the cards at several studios. Understood that several companies are mulling the idea of new musical and comedy series to supplant the almost docu- mentary subjects included as a 'must' on the lineups. Belter 'ProVt^ Ground' Gradual transition from minor 'B' features to strong shorts also looms at several studios, according to latest Information. It has been the contention of several shorts pro- ducers for a long time that a worth- while feature of two and three reels provides a better 'proving ground' for new, yoimg talent than the weakle features. The strong short is more likely to sell an audience on a player's merit than a blab secondary feature because the patron's impression generally is bad of the whole feature, these produc- ers say. Fact that such pictures as *Mrs. Miniver,' 'Pride of Yankees,' 'Eagle Squadron,' 'This Above AU/ 'Yankee boodle Dandy' and 'Tales of Man- hattan' have gone into normal dual Bpots sans a second feature has fiven shorts a tremenduous boost. ,horts have been used instead of the familiar secondary feature. 4'hey have benefited not only from additional playdates but have cashed in on the extended runs, the exhibi- tor keeping on a stronfrshort rather than switching when the feature has stood up. Possibility of three-reel shorts filling the void where a 'B' feature is not desired also is being tested U's theory is that sue!-, type of short will go well even in single-bill ter- ritory ttecause It enables the exhlb to advertise it as «>mething extra rather than just 'added shorts.' For dual territory, the company figures such a short plus a couple of one- reelers will make up for a second feature. Moray's Beport \ Norman Moray, Warner Bros, shorts sales chief, returned to N. Y. recently from a slxmonth swing around the country expressing op- tomism over the outlook for briefles in 1942-43. Warners will have the same number (including Victory subjects sold at regular prices) as in 1941-4?. Chief difference in the lineup will be tendency to stress musicals and lighter fare. For Instance, Qie com- pany will have 12 Broadway Brevi- ties two-reelers and six Technicolor Specials, also two reels each. Lineup calls for 10 band shorts, 12 Looney Tune cartoons and 26 other cartoon comedies. Of the 86 shorts in the program, novelty and sports sub- jects comprise remainder. Following a survey of several weeks in typical key spots of the U.S., Bernie Kreisler, Universal short feature manager, has returned to N. Y. convinced there is a real mar- ket open for 30-minute shorts even in double-feature territory. He cited the number of initial pacts slgna- liiicd for U s 'streamliners' as indica- tion that these three-reelers are \\iiiUcd bv exhibitors. •■'ox's Hypo; Also More Color Manner in which 20th-Fox will ■''■ic.vs its shorts program for 1942-43 onioh:isize<i at the start of the ' I'lci n ic..;ional sales confab in N.V. last week when A. W. Smith, Jr, eastern sales manager, announced that 90% of short subjects in com- ing season would be in color. Of the 20 Terry cartoons, 20 will be in color. Four Magic Carpet subjects wjl be in black and white, but four shorts edited from the Thaw expedi- tion through India, Asia and Persia will be in color. Shorts program of 20th-Fox also will be bolstered by the addition of one March of Time issue each month, being the first time the M. of T. has ever been released by any company excepting RKO. Also re- vealed that Movietone has a crew in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska filing two subjects in color. The number of shorts 20th-Fox will release in the coming season varies little from 1941-42, excepting there are more two-reelers since the addition of the March of Time. Heretofore, the company has han- dled one-reelers almost exclusively in recent years. Metro Wont Cot Metro won't reduce the total num- ber of shorts in 1942-43, as compared with the past season, despite consid' erable yen at the Coast to cut down and make this additional footage available for longer features. Idea was geared on the idea that this might represent a saving in the total amount of footage used on features, since the shorts total would be ab- sorbed by more attention to feature pictures. Understood that top executives felt that the trend in the industry is towards single-feature bills, and that it would not be wise to curtail short feature production at a time when the company would be called on to supply additional shorts on each show. MINOCO BULLISH Jack Barry's Busy Sohedalc Joins Co. -Wlsbar Jack Barry, president of Minoco Productions, announced over the weekend that productions on 40 mU' sical shorts was starting immedi- ately in the Bronx, N. Y., studios, and that Frank Wisbar, continental director of 'Maedchen in Uniform,' had been signed to a term contract to produce a series of feature- length pictures beginning Sept. 28. Among those appearing in the shorts now under way are Luba MaUna, Gracie Barrle, Ruth Clayton, Philip Rover, Frank Paris and Marl- onettes, the Music Makers, Lela Moore, Victor Trio, Frank Penaro, Louise Stewart, Nita Norman, Jackie Gately, the Smoothies, Gaye Dixon, Ginger Dulo, Chuck Palmer, Tom Emer^n and others. mm. general manager ~xor as man's Hop-a-Ijong Cassidy Produc- tions at Paramount, has joined Mi- noco as production manager. Also added to the staff are George Wieb- ber, earner^, who will work on fea- ture-length productions, and William Salter, former Par scenic designer. Salter replaces Oscar Yerg, who joined the Army. Baroness Vera Von Langenn, for- mer UFA star, has been signed for the first feature' production to be made by Minoco. Barry stated that Minoco has stopped all Hollywood production and is no longer on the Fine Arts lot on the Coast. Minoco production schedules will not be affected by the government film freezing order, aa- cording to Barry, because of Its aon- tracts for distribution with oom- panies already Included in the gov- ernment list of approved distrlbs. Freeze 'er Up, Joe Hollywood, Sept. 1. Monogram goes in for winter sports next month with 'Sliver Skates,' an ice spectacle co-starring Belita. Lindsley Parsons production fea- tures Ted Fio Kilo's band. Eugene Turner is signed as Belita's skating partner and Frick & F*rack will do their comedy turn. HIRUMAN v$. AQFA Saaraa Show-Ca«ae Ordar te |3H,M« SbU A motion to show cause why an order should not be made directing General Aniline & Film Corp. through an executive. Albert E. Marshall, to produce corporate minutes, ledgers, records, etc., for inspection by George A. Hirliman, indie producer, was filed in N. Y. supreme court by Justice Samuel Null Friday (28). Hirliman is seek- ing $300,000 in damages against Gen- eral Aniline, AGFA Ansco Corp. and AGFA Raw Film Corp. Charges against the defendents allege a breach of guarantees in the sale of defective film used by Hirli- man in production; gross negligence in manufacturing, selecting 9hd handling of merchandise and fraudu- lent representation; during negotia- tions for the purchase. Geo. Skonras, Phillips, Netter, Weitman 4-Man Board Over Rivoli, N. Y. Establishment of an operating committee of four to run the Rivoli, N.Y., consisting of two from Par and two representing the United Artists Theatre circuit, follows a deal under which Par has acquired a 50% ini- terest In the theatre. Agreement is reported to run for 10 years but car- ries a turnback provision under a clause which would permit Par to withdraw under certain conditions. Understood while Par will provide the Rlv with any product it has available, the deal carries no guar- antee of a fixed number of films from this distributor yearly. 'Wake Island* (Par) reopened the Riv last night (Tuesday) on a premiere ben- efit for the Red Cross. Prior to Par's reorganization when the company's theatre circuit was Icnown as Publix it had a half-in- terest in the Riv and itself operated the house. At the same time Publix also had the old Riv and the former Criterion. Four-man operating board on the Riv under the UA-Par deal consists of George Skouras and William T. Phillips for the UA Theatre chahi and, for Par, Leon D. Netter, home- office theatre executive, and Bob Weitman, managing director of the N.Y. Par. Skouras, who also heads the Eastern Skouras circuit of around 09 houses, has operated the Rivoli for Joe Schenck, Phillips and flther owners. Circuit never had any connection with UA, the dis- tributing company. It has theatres in other cities also. Saroyan! Eight 'A' productions are slated to roll at Metro in September, start- ing with the William Saroyan script, "The Human Comedy,' starring Mic- key Rooney. Others on the starting list are 'Du Barry Was a Lady,' 'Cabin in the Sky,' 'Assignment In Brittany,' 'Three Hearts for Julia,' 'Private Miss Jones,' 'Salute to the Marines' and •Nothing Ventured.' Exhibs Favor Fewer Pix fotiia' Tinui Fewer Prints a$ Solution to Raw Fib Serials in Hghtiiig Mood Hollywood, Sept. 1. Republic goes warlike in its new cliflhanger schedule, with two new chapter plays devoted to military adventures. 'Rogers of the U. S. Rangers,' an- nounced as a super-special, deals with American commandos. Yankee flyers in China are depicted in 'Sky Dragons.' LA. HOUSE WINS PLEA FOR PAR, RKO, W6 PIX Paramount, RKO and Warner Bros, have been ordered by the Appeals Board to make-their pictures avail- able to the Lakeview, Lakeview, lA, a suburb of New Orleans, on a run to be designated by them and upon terms and conditions that are not calculated to defeat the some-run section of the consent decree. The Lakeview, built at a-cost of $75,000, was opened last January. One of the principal reasons for dif- ficulty in obtaining films was due to the building of a theatre in Lake- view by the United llieatres chain of New Orleans. Prior to' the open- ing of the UT house the Lakeview was still denied pictures. Appeal Beverses Clearsnee The General Stark theatre, Ben- nington, Vt, loses the clearance it formerly enjoyed over the Colonial at Manchester Depot, Vt, 20 miles distant, under a decision of the Ap- peal Board of the American Arbi- tration Assn. Formerly the Benn- ington house, operated by the B. B. Theatrical Corp., obtained - pictures of Metro and RKO, only distributors named in the complaint, prior to their availability to the other the- atre. Frank M. Deane, operating the Colonial, Manchester Depot, also sought day-and-date availability on Metro and RKO product with the Paramount and Grand, Rutland, but the Appeal Board ruled against this by setting the clearance at one day. It formerly had been 14. ' It was Rutland Enterjft'ises, Inc., operating the two Rutland houses, which. brought the appeal, asking dismissal of the award made by the local Boston arbitrator who had ruled tkat the Manchester Depot house should get Metro product im- mediately after it had played either Bennington or Rutland, whichever was last, but that the waiting period should not be more than 14 days after availability to first-run the- atres in Rutland. The Boston arbi- trator had dismissed the complaint •l hpin g r^v - erf A Flickers and Fleas Hollywood, Sept. 1. Jaye Martin, who made his film debut in 'Something to Shout About' at Columbia, treks back to Broadway on completion of the picture next week. Singing actor has been signed to play opposite Ethel Merman in the forthcoming Cole Porter stage show, stUl untiUed. Detroit, Sept. 1. Concensus among showmen here seems to be that, with the reduction in film stock, the best method of coping with the situation lies in the reduction of the number of pixa made rather than In any slashing of the number of prints. Admitting that it is strictly on the exhibitor's side, the argument is based oh the fact that the profits still will have to come with showings and that at the present time the print situation is none too good. That viewpoint was coupled with a new indication that Detroit, which has been solidly double-feature for years, finally would be able to make the breakaway to solo bills. Several attempts have been made here, but a lack of faith among exhibitors has resulted in such moves being short- lived. However, under the pressure of necessity, as well as the patriotic urge, it Is felt that the switch-over can finally be made. Another factor in its favor is that the city's picture-goers, employed by the himdred thousand in the war plants, haven't the time they form- erly did to spend in the pix ho'uses and would welcome shorter'Sbills. While the public here long has ex- pressed itself in ballots as favoring solo pictures, in fact it didn't work out that way. The double-bill houses still topped single-feature competi- tors. However, the war has changed that, too, and even with the current double features, plenty of mechanics figure they need sleep more than four hours of screen fare, and slip out of the theatres early. In favoring fewer pictures being made in Hollywood, the exhibitors figure that it would mean an em- phasis on quality which would also help on a national transition to single bills. The reason that they favor no reduction in the number of prints is based on the point that such a plan would bolster the first- runs and major chains and hurt the smaller houses which would be pushed farther back on runs. Cou- pling a reduction In the number of prints with the present-govern- mental restrictions on film deliv- eries, it was argued here, would mean extremely late dates and dif- ficulties for the smaller houses al- ready having a tougher time surviv- ing tlie war. Local opinion also was solid on the slashing of screen credits, dne exhibitor here quipping, 'There's going to be so many unknowns in the pictures by the end bf the war credits won't mean anything any- how.' Pittsburgh Columnist Urges Pix Crix To Men Up for Duration of War TITLE CHANGES Hollywuou, Sept. 1. 'In Old Coney Island' is new tag on 'Coney Island' at 20th-Fox. 'Clear For Action.' formerly 'Cargo of Innocents.' switched to 'Men o' War' at Metro. Pittsburgh, Sept. 1. Once a critic herself, Florence Fisher Parry, who now confines her journalistic activities to writing a daily column, 'I Dara Say,' in the Pittsburgh Press, put the blast on the local reviev.-c: j last week for their continuing stern reviews of pix, calling on them to 'soften up' for the duration. Mrs. Parry's baiting Isn't new; year ago she tore the Broadway aisle-sitters apart for panning a couple of plays she liked and praising several she thought were n.g. Lady's latest remarks were result of critical reception received by Walter Wanger picture. 'Eagle Squadron.' Wrote Mrs. Parry: 'Ask yourself, dear critic, before you think of pronouncing judgment i on a motion pictura that deals at all directly of this war: How would I feel about this movie of the Ma- rines If my son or brother were in it? How would this picture about Bataan, Tripoli or Britain's night pa- trol affect me if one of mine were in this war? It's a good prescription these days for critics. Of course, it may make you sappy; it may play havoc with your cool, critical cen- ters, but it'll be good for the box- office and better still, gopd for your soul as well.' Couple of weeks ago. In one of her 'I Dare Say' columns, Mrs. Parry also tied the can on Dorothy Thompson for kicking Major Lynn Farnol, the former film publicist. In the pants re that Mitchel Field boner. Mrs. Par- ry's son, David Parry, once worked for Fnrnol. 'Bedroom Diplomat' Sets. Record With'Art of Love' All-time run record has just been set locally at Art Cinema, tiny downtown first-run theatre, by unit film program of 'Art of Love' and 'Bedroom Diplomat,' with short sub- ject labeled 'Birth of Life.' BiU went into lU 18th week on Saturday (29), breaking former mark rung up two summers ago there by 'The^ Burning Question,' which ran for' 17 weekar Art Cinema Is operated by Gabe Rubin, young local ahowman who also controls distribution rights in this territory to the three pictures. Rubin, getting ready to go into the Army, will turn Art Cinema over to his brother, 'Doc' Rubin, for the duration. Par Wins Stockholders' Suit on Browne-Bioif Coin A minority stockholder suit against Paramount Pictures in N. Y. federal court was formally dismissed last week by Judge John Bright. The complaining two stockholders, Lil- lian Ratner and G. Arthur Peck, had been seeking to reimburse Paramount corporate funds with $100,000 through the company's offi- cers and directors who allegedly used the amount to bribe ex-labor heads, Willie Bioff and George E. Browne. Judge John Bright had previously rendered an opinion granting a mo- tion for dismissal by Par on the grounds the case had already been settled tn the supraxc court trial In- volving identical issues by other stockholders, with a resulting deeU sion in favor of Paramount by Jus- tice Carroll C. Walter.