Variety (Sep 1942)

Wedneidty* Septeoibcr 2, 1942 2llth Net Triples 1941 umm For 26 Weeks Showing an improvement of $882, 144 in the second quarter over cor responding period of 1641, 20th-Fox reported net profit of $2,1B0,894 for the 26 weeks ending last June 27. This is nearly three times the net profit of $861,278 reported by the company in the first 26 weeks of 1641. Strong profit showing was made despite setting a^ide a reserve 13,100,000 for foreign assets and pro viding $1,250,000 for Federal income taxes. 20th-Fox gross income amounted to $26,067,061. for the six month period this year. Second quarter's net profit was $1,346,333 compared with only $4S7,' 186 profit in the second quarter of 1641. It als6 represents a healthy increase over the first quarter profit this year, which was $841,561. 20th- Fox gured its Federal income taxes at an estimated tax rate of 50% for 1042 but noted that the corpora tion is not liable for excess profits tax on earnings under tax legisla- tion proposed thus far. Company's profit for the 26 weeks this year is figured as equal to 86c per common share as against lie in corresponding six months last year Of this, the second quarter profit is equivalent to 58c on the common It was only .7c on the common in the 1641 second quarter. Usual 37Kc quarterly dividend on the preferred stock was declared by the 20th-Fox directors last week, No action was taken on the common shares. Company paid 25c on the common stock the last quarter, representing the only divvy on these shares thus far in 1642. Preferred dividend is payable Sept. 30 to stockholders o( record at close of business Sept. IS. 20th-Fex Earnings 1935-42 Net profit except as'notfd (*) deficit. 1935 $3,060,135 1936 7,722,655 1637 8,617,114 1838 7,252,467 1836 4,663,006 1840 •517,336 1841 4,921,826 (1641 bv Qtiarters) First Second Third Fourth Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter $404,086 $457,186 $687,886 $3,372,762 (1642 by Quarters) First Second Third Fourth Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter $841,561 $1,346,330 Abbott-Costello Get New Writer for Films Jack Barnett iias been signed by Bud Abbott , and Lou Costello to write special material for their forthcoming pictures. He left for Hollywood yesterday (Tuesday) to start on his first as- signment for the comedy team. John Grant continues as A. & C.'s regular writer, for both pix and radio. Rei« on Hitler Pic Hollywood, Sept. 1. Iriving Reis draws the director iob on 'Hitler's Children,' Edward A. Golden production at RKO. Picture is based on 'Education for Death,' novel by Gregor Ziemer, who spent 10 years in Germany studying Nazi methods. EARL CARROLL opens his new theatre-Res- taurant in Chicago, Thurs- day Evening, Sept. 24lh. It is being built in the MORRISON HOTEL, at Madison and Clark, in the very heart of the Loop. A duplicate of the world- famous Earl Carroll Thea- tre - Restaurant in Holly- wood, now playing its fourth fabulous year in that glamorous city. A Reminder of War? Film booker for one of the eastern camp theatres la getting fed up with the arguments being handed out by salesmen when they come around to sell their pictures. The booker, a woman, is particularly irked when the peddlers, having a war film, try to sell it on the ground it's the kind of thing that stirs war-con- sciousness. She wants to know if anyone other than the soldiers seeing these films at their camp playhouse need to be made war- minded. Boys in camp, in this booker's opinion, want the lighter enter- tainment anyway. Keyed 'Smoke Scare' As Attempt to Ignite Northampton Theatre Northampton, Mass., Sept. 1 What was previously described as a 'smoke scare' at the Calvin thea- tre about midnight on Thursday (27), has since been revealed as deliberate attempt to fire thy show house. Fire Chief Thomas W. Hurley an nounced that during an intensive in vestigation he and Lieut. James L. Loomis of the state fire marshal ofTice had discovered a popcorn box in which a handkerchief and lighted cigaret had been stuffed. The box had been covered by a seat cover and dropped behind a seat in the balcony. Employees late Thursday smelled smoke in the theatre and called the Are department. Finding no trace of fire, the department-dismissed the call as a 'smoke scare,' though the chief promised a thorough investiga tion. Fingerprirfts are being sought on the box by state poli'ce and plans have been set for a routine inspec tion of the theatre at the end of the night show to guard against any further attempts to burn the house Lack of oxygen apparently saved the house. Chief Hurley said. EXTORTION PLOT FIASCOS Harry Henderson Tbreatened, Innocent Yonth Gets Hurt But Cleveland, Sept. 1. Trap laid by detective to catch an extortionist who demanded $5,000 from Harry E. Henderson, manager of the Lorain-Fulton nabe theatre, turned into a fiasco when an inr^o cent young man was accidentally shot at the decoy scene. John Andrew Katt. 21. l athe-work- er, became the unintentional victim He was wounded in the right leg. after cops found him near hiding place of the planted package sup posed to contain the ransom. The atre manager had received two let ters threatening the life of his 18- year-old daughter if he didn't deposit $5,000 in small bills in a small pack, age behind a voting booth in a field Dicks instead made up a dummy package equipped with an alarm bell then hid in nearby bushes. When Katt came walking up the dark path police quickly surrounded him and n the melee one cop. uncocking his revolver, carelessly binged him. in the leg. There were a number of red faces when the youth's story, that he was merely walking home after visiting his nearby girl-friend, was substan- tiated by her parents. Besides hav- ng his honesty vouched for by em ployees and neighbors, the lathe worker also backed up his claim of being innocent by passing a lie-de- tector test satisfactorily. Police guard has been placed around movie exhibitor's daughter. Selznick Tags Hobson Hollywood, Sept. 1. David O. Selznick added Valeria Hobson, British film star, to his con- tract list via transatlantic cable, and mmediately loaned her out to Metro (or an English-made picture. Actress, now in London, will play opposite Robert Donat in 'Saboteur's Aeenl' before leaving (or Hollywood. Colbert as Army Nurse Hollywood, Sept. 1. Claudette Colbert becomes an Army nurse in 'So Proudly We Hail,' Paramount picture backgrounded in Bataan and Corregidor. Filming starts early next, month, with Mark Sandrich producing and irecting. Par's Rangers Win Hollywood, Sept. 1. Race for the registry of the film title, 'American Rangers,' finished with Paramount getting the nod from the Hays office. Picture, based on the recent ex- ploits of American troops in the landing at Dieppe, France, will be produced by Walter McEwen. Gnttman and Mann Vice Field and Dale in NW; More 'Militant' Stance Minneapolis, Sept. 1. Twin City members of the North- west Allied want a more militant policy on the part of the organiza- tion. Such attitude was backed up by the vote today against roundtable and other confabs with distributors to iron out differences. Instead they demand national and state legisla- tion, appeals to the Department of Justice, and, if necessary, recourse Jo the law courts as a meains of ob- taining 'relief from high film rent- au-, percentage pictures, etc. Donald Guttman and Ted Mann were elected as Minneapolis and St. Paul Northwest Allied governors, re- spectively, succeeding Harold Field and Howard Dale, who refused re- election. Guttman is g.m. of the Dickerman indie circuit and Mann is a chain owner. A demand will be made on 20th- Fox to deliver "Tales,of Manhattan' on the current contract, as allegedly agreed. Heeding independent de- mands. Paramount and Universal have agreed to deliver 'Wake Island' and 'Eagle Squadron' on their 1941- 42 contracts, it was announced. Both are flat rentals in the Twin Cities. Paramount, however, was assailed for demanding 50% (or 'Holiday Inn' in this territory. $5 Earning Expectancy On U's Common Certifs Increased tempo and diversifica- tion o( buying in Universal common certificates, listed on the N.Y. Curb Exchange, in the past week is at tributed in financial circles to the belief that U certificates will earn $5 apiece in the fiscal year ending next October. The company showed around $4.55 per certificate in the previous fiscal year, and the higher net expected in the current fiscal year despite heavier taxes is back of recent buying at $7. At first this renewed activity in the common certificates, representing Universal Corp., was attributed to reports that corporate simplification plans, long in making, had been worked out. However, this was de. nied with the statement that the tax bill threat in 1942 preoludes imme- diate establishment of corporate sim. pliflcation. It is known that officials of Universal have been anxious to bring this at>out at the earliest pos- sible date, and did take a stride In that direction by bringing in a large block of 8% preferred shares about 18 months ago. Once the threat o( too heavy taxa. tion is out o( the way. Universal is understood to be in a position to carry the simplification through to conclusion. This would include, it is reported, retiring of all 8% pre- ferred and wiping out the remain- "ng common shares, latter represent- ing Universal pictures, the operating corporation. There are only about 20.000 shares of this common now in Ihe hands of the public, approximat. ng 92% of the common being in the hands of the corporation. Principal holders of dbmmon certificates, which represent Universal Corp., the holding company, are held by com- pany executives, it is reported. Universal's financial statement for the first three quarters of the fiscal year is due in about three weeks. It should compare (avorably with the previou.<; fiscal year despite huge tax writeoffs. PICTURES ss Rep Stirs With Six Hollywood, Sept. 1. Republic's September production of six features gets under way to- morrow I Wed.) with the Roy Rog- ers western .'special. "Heart of the Golden We.st,' leading off. Other starters on the month's slate are "Eleven Were Brave," "Hit Parade of 1943," "G-Men vs. the Black Dra- gon.' 'Sundown Kid' and an untitled whodunit Pars 12 Westerns For DA Release In Unique Turnover; Raw Fihn Angle WPB Halts New Theatre Buffalo, Sept. 1. Permission to complete the pro posed picture theatre on the old Tech (Schubert) theatre site has been refused to the Massachusetts Life Insurance Co. by W.P.B. The decision, which was on appeal to Washington, stops work on the proj- ect for the duration. House is under lease by the Shea- Par local chain. WB CLASSES P.A.'S VIA SPG CONTRACT Warners is classifying its publicily- advertising-exploitation workers in accordance with the various group- ings and minimum wage scales called for by the Screen Publicists Guild contract on which settlement was reached recently. Contract calls (or a minimum of $45 in the lowest bracket, as with other majors who signed up with SPG some months ago. ' Retroactive pay under the Warner deal will go back to May 15 last, while severance pay scales up to a total of six weeks. While other major homeoffices set- tled with SPG last spring, Warners held out until the matter reached the U. S. Conciliation Service of the War Labor Board. If details are worked out satisfac- torily. United Artists will acquire the rights to 12 westerns from Para- mount, as well as possibly a regular release from Par, already completed, which UA could use handily at this time. Under a two-year deal, the six westerns which Harry Sherman, under contract to Par, has already completed for this season, would be immediately turned over to UA. with six more to be made for the 1943-44 season a year from now. Not indicated what the extra pic- ture, from among those in the regu- lar feature category already com- pleted by Par, may be In the event one is Included in the final deal made. Understood deal would em- brace a cash consideration from UA, amount not indicated, and that it may be signatured at any minute, but is dependent on UA's ability to raUe the money required. Factors on Par's side which are believed to have entered into the unusual transaction include realiza- tion of a quick profit on westerns already in the can; conservation of raw-stock so that there will exist a larger supply for printing of regular features: and relieving the distribu- tion department of the burden of also selling westerns. Under a deal to turn over six westerns this year and six next sea- son to UA, Paramount would step out of the horse-opera field. It would not make any additional west- erns for itself, it is understood. Acquisition of the westerns by U.^ would mark the first time that this distributor has dealt in this type of feature product New York Theatres BRO. FRin.*Y. SKIT. * HUMPHREY BOGART la WUMT Br«. Ji>-eii»pliil SeauIlM "ACROSS THE PACmC" In Person DICK JURGENS- ASO HI8 ORCHKHTRA Aim I.ynn. Rotm ii Vaajra WalUr MIIMB 5^d.u.«d STRAND r7'r'8t. SAI.UTB IN SKn-KMBBH! tay a baad Ur mry MllMr'i ua la wnlM PARAMOUNT PRESENTS 'WAKE ISLAND' With BRIAN OONLEVY MACOONALD CAREY ROBERT PRESTON RI VOLI Broadway and 49th Street JAMES CAGNEY As George M. Cohan in Tankee Doodle Dandy" Warner Bros. Succeaa HOLLYWOOD THEATRE *ll Sun R«m«m4 — JmlM Daily, l-.49.l:49 Air C«i4lli«a«d. B'war, Sid «t CI. 7-SM3. SALUTE I>- BBPTEHBER ! ■iw a kM4 Ut mnr mMit'i taa la Mnrin RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL "TALK OF THE TOWN" Spectacular Stag* Production* The Mighty Story of Today—The pe PIPER riua a Bic B n Y V 1*^ Ave, 8luK« Show n V A I fi 0911, gt. LOEW'8 STATE "«r HELD OVER 2ad BIO WEEK OrMr Oanon Walter ridceon In M-O-M'a Hit '.MBS. MINIVBB' TlH Fllia Tkat Ta»> tta Tta BHt Pit. twu •( AN TIM. IN PERSON FOR tad HIT WEHK KD SVI.I.IVAN aiK DAILY NEWS HARVEST MOON DANCE WINNERS Plua • Mar S(a«e Sliair HELD OVER—M 810 WEEK! CLARK GABLE LANA TURNER They're Dynamite in M-C-M's "SOMEWHERE I'LL FIND YOU" CAPITOL SlttST. PALACE « WAY S, 17'). s : :<taHM 'i'emormw ' tVAI.T niSNKV'N "BAMBI" —and— "Berlin Correspondent" VIricliilii (•llmor«) - llnna Andrrwa Col. Hails Setter Hollywood. Sept. 1. Columbia is retaining William A. Seiter to. direct 'Destroyer,' Edward G. Aobinson starrer to be produced by Lou Edelman. Seiter recently completed 'You Were Never Lovelier' on the Same lot, 'BRILLIANT—A HIT'—Aa«criM, J<un.-Aa. 50c $1 & $1.50 Sat. Nlfhh Oaly SOt. It I2.M Plin Tai Nonla Kenla It Anbvt M. Wlru prtvnl A NEW MDSICAI. ICETRAVAnANZA STARS ON ICE CENTER THEATRE, Rttluhlltr Ctatcr CO. 9-5474 Amerlea'a Only Ice Tlwatn ttf.. lad. Sua. >:40 Mali. W«<.,8<t. aa^ Saa. Mall Ordtrf Promptly Flll^—Eitra Pnrfi.: Thurt., S<al. 1 A Mat. C En., Stat 7 SAMUEL SOLOWVN PRESENTS GARY COOPER in THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (TiM Ufa tt In Sthrli) RtlMMd Tbraatli RKO-RUIa PUtwn. laa. Air ACFOR S'vay Papular Pricat €tala4 "•JIVFR 4 4511, HMaliki Sham Caallauaui Pnlaraaaiaa