Variety (Sep 1942)

WedncBday, September 9, 1942 MORE THAN THEIR SHABEl The motion picture industry is rolling up a record of service in behalf of the U. S. Treasury for which much credit is due, not only to the industry toppers and name stars who are. in- dividually siphoning off millions of dollars from the spending public into Uncle Sam's pocket, but to thousands of obscure theatre operators in every part of the country. In many territories bond sales in theatres are averaging yuyo of the gross business. In others the sale of war bonds and stamps ha$ equalled normal receipts while in a few case» the sale of bonds has far exceeded normal gross business. There are instances where theatres with normal receipts of $2,000 or $3,000 weekly are selling $10,000 and more in bonds during the same period. The 'bonds while you wait' policy, placed in effect la.st week, helped theatres considerably in making sales since it did away with the necessity for making special trips to banks and po.st- offices to get the certificates. The bond selling procedure, now reduced to a simple formula where a theatregoer signs his name, pays his money and walks away with a bond has un- doubtedly made it easier for showmen to help the Treasury. Repatriate TeOs of Japs 'Purifyii^' Its Show Biz From Western Influences By W. R. WILLS (Former 'Variety' correspondent in Japan, recentiv repatriated to the V. S. on the exchange ship Crips- holm.) The once care-free and fun-loving public of Japan no longer is per- mitted to indulge in fun for fun's sake. Their entertainment is no longer dished out to them with the gay and colorful flourishes which formerly placed Jap productions in tha top flight of theatrical craft. Mow, all is regimented under the watchful eye of the military with the single aim of making the people war-conscious and, more particu- larly, Axis-conscious. Not only has the military entirely revamped all foreign-style entertainment, but they have also completely overhauled purely Jap-style diversions to such an extent that they can hardly be recognized. The actual puriAcation of the en- tertainment field started back in 1939, when rigid control of dance halls prevented unaccompanied women from attending those places. It wasn't long after that the lid was clamped down completely and all these so-called 'Western dens of in- iquity' were made a thing of the past. This, for a time, brought into popularity hundreds of private dance schools, but they were short-lived, for dancing, even in private homes, was placed on the forbidden list. The Takaradzuka Girls' Opera (revue), probably suffered the heavi- est from the untrained and uncouth hands of the military. Always patronized by the younger moderns because of its spectacular produc- tions and the foreign flavor of lines and music, it was given a thorough going-over, and when it emerged looked like a full-fledged propaganda organ of the War Office. All shows had, as the main theme, the 'East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere' and the superiority of the Japs over the white race, never failing to em- phasize the Japs' God-given right to leadership over .all people. In pro- ducing these purely military shows the army did, however, dispense with one Tarakadzuka tradition. For the first time male roles were handled by men. This gave an op- portunity to occasionally introduce personal appearances of war heroes, who invariably painted vivid pic- tures of the wonderful benefits being showered on the conquered popula- tions by a Ijenevolent Japan. With the opening of hostilities with the United States, the Takarad- zuka shows again suffered heavily because of the policy of eliminating all American music, which had, in the past, formed the backbone of these productions. Instead, they used mostly Nazi and Fascist tunes, but occasionally dressed up Ameri- (Continued on page 18) Works Both Ways f ILM GlPil^S BEEF AT DEMANDS Hollyw&od Charges Valua- tions on Important Story Properties Way Out of Line—Point to Skyrocket- ing Prices Since 'GWTW' — Reasonable Purchases Only When Story Editors .'Work Alone and Work Fast' SERLIN'S $500,000 Hollywood, Sept. 8. While other branches of the film industry are substituting femmes for males to ease the wartime drain on manpower, there is a current demand for script boys to replace script gals on various locations. Under Government restric- tions, all-male production crews are required on pictures filmed in military areas. Another rea- son for the change is the heavy schedule of rugged productions In the wildwood, more suited to the he-man physique. Para- mount has started a training course for boy script clerks. Help Wanted Ads ForTlieatreMgrs. And Reporters Detroit, Sept. 8. Just to show how lough it is get- ting to be, newspaper want-ads here now include 'theatre managers." ^ Detroit has lost plenty of theatre men who have gone into service with a few others drained off through the impressive wages being earned in the defense plants. It was one of the first cities where the theatres started boosting the femme employees into the executive posts. However, that hasn't filled the bill completely and now the theatres have started to in- sert help wanted ads for managers. Outfits which are doing it are using the cloak of box numbers but it is no great secret that several of the bigger chains here have been partic- ularly hard hit by the managerial shortage. Another newcomer in the 'Help Wanted' columns are ads for news- paper reporters. One of the oddities on that situation is that the news- papers whose columns are currently advertising the shortage of report- ers are in negotiation with the American Newspaper Guild on new contracts, slightly embarrassing. Annabella's Comeback Hollywood, Sept. 8. Annabella. wife of Tyrone Power, returns to the screen for the first time since 1939 in a Commando story, 'Project 47.' at 20lh-Fox. Bryan Foy produces and Louis King directs. Major film companies report that literary brokers and agents have be: come so tough to do business with that it is now virtually Impossible to buy the screen rights to any 'im- portant' book for much less than $75,000 to $100,000. Steadily increasing asking prices, for plays as well as new books, which culminated in a new high last week, when Oscar Serlin offered to sell the screen rights to 'Life With Father' for $500,000, plus a percent- age, have been noted ever since Da- vid O. Selznick paid $50,000 for Mar- garet Mitchell's 'Gone With the Wind.' More recently 'Reap the Wild Wind,' Saturday Eve Post serial, was bought by Paramount for $22,500. It is estimated the picture will gross $4,000,000 or better. Previous to Selznick's $28,000,000 grosser, picture, company story de- partments had comparatively easy sailing, especially when buying un- published novels from proof read- ings. Since 'Gone With the Wind' literary agents and their clients have been thinking in astronomical figures and scrutinizing every yarn from the angle that it may turn out to be an- other 'GWTW.' Story department heads point out that the value of a book obviously cannot be determined on eventual picture grosses, because so much de- pends on the marquee value of the stars, the production budget and the direction placed behind it. Rights to less Important books are still being purchased for around $15,- 000 to $20,000. But in case of prop- erties of proven stage or l>ook value, contention is that authors are de- manding prices which would allow pruduuer-distributors only a small percentage for making and selling the film versions of their stories. Currently in the higher-priced cat- egory is Ruth Mitchell's book, being offered in the form of'a 70-page out- line prior to completion, at around $100,000.' Ann Segher's 'Seventh Cross' is being offered at $5.0,000 plus a percentage based on book sales. Metro, David O. Selznick and 20th- Fox are in the bidding for Dawn Powell's 'Time to Be Born,' reputedly a thinly veiled story on the career of Clare Boothe Luce. £uil(l Rules Against Actors Waiving Pay or Cut-Rating for Charity Picts That Pbmtiye Chant Hollywood, Sept. 8. Helen Morgan's life story will be filmed at Warners under the title, 'Melancholy Baby,' throu^ a story deal with the late actress' mother, engineered by Mark Hellinger, who will produce. Charles Hoffman is working on the screenplay, slated for late fall pro- duction. Jolson in Debuf As London Actor, But for U.S. Khaki .Ixtndon, Aug. 25. Al Jolson, in a Churchillian zipper overall of khaki, worked last night (Aug. 24) in the ballroom of a local town house before a crowd of American soldiers for upwards of an hour, sandwiching the latest Ameri- can funny stories between a dozen of his more famous songs. While he was doing his stufT, Merle Ober- on, Frank McHugh and Allen Jen- kins, who had arrived in London with him by Clipper the previous evening, were being interviewed by a gang of reporters of both sexes at a press cocktail party given in their honor at the Dorchester hotel. Although Jolson made no refer- ence to it, for 30 years or more Lon- don managers have been trying to persuade him to appear before an English audience, but he has stead- fastly refused. So this was, in fact, his London debut But the crowd was 100% American, and Jolson has yet to face an English audience professionally. Hollywood Sept. 8. Free or bargain-price appearances in motion pictures were banned in a new rule adopted by the Screen Actors Guild. Action follows a similar rule in which the Guild pro* hibits actors from making free ra- dio appearances. Rule provides 'It shall constitute conduct unbecoming a member ol the Guild for any member to ap- pear in any motion picture pro- duction wiUiout compensation or for any compensation substantially- below the member's usual motioa picture salary.'' Sole exception to the rule is tha case of Government training shorts where the Guild permits actors to work for the nominal minimum. Violators are subject to suspension, preventing them from obtaining film work. The new rule," it was explained, 'has been made necessary by nu- merous recent projects calling upon actors to donate their screen serv- ices. The sponsors of these projects make an appeal on the basis of pa- triotism by allocating a part or all of the net earnings of the pictures to charity. Some of these projects are entirely of a charitable nature. Others have elements of commer- cial sponsorship. 'Every free actor on the screen displaces a paid actor. Every pic- ture made with free talent displaces a picture made with paid talent Every individual and group in America is being asked to make sac- rifices, but no group is being asked to sacrifice its livelihood. The screen is the film actor's livelihood.' MAYOR OF UNALASKA TO MANAGE THEATRE Seattle, Sept. 8. Mayor John Fletcher, who was there when the Japs attacked Dutch Harbor and who crashed the front page when he recently landed in Seattle from Unalaska, where he was mayoring and also operating and owning the town's lone picture thea- tre, has been hired by Hamrick- Evergreen Theatres to manage some local theatre, as may be necessary in the near future. Fletcher was engaged and then given two months' leave of absence, Herb Sobbotka of Hamrick-Ever- green announced, so he could tour the nation in the bond drive. Men being lost for war duties makes chain operators anticipate the future, as indicated by this advance engage- ment of Fletcher. He's experienced as' a showman, as he operated the Unalaska theatre for 12 years, until closed. Pro Brass Bandsmen Fmd S. A. Am Competish Too Tongh; Ask Relief Philjidelphia, Sept. 8. Union brass bands are finding it hard to compete with the amateurs in Philly—especially the am bands which feature flashy uniforms and strutting gal drum majors with the abbreviated costumes and ohboy gams. Result is the union bands- men are calling on the treasury of Local 77, American Federation of Musicians, to advance them enough coin to buy 'neat and attractive' uni- forms so that they can get some parade engagements. The local received a petition from one brass band asking for the ad- vance of money to buy at least 25 uniforms. The request for the loan was referred to the local's exec com- mittee. WANT LEGIT JUVE AS LEAGUE BASEBALL UMP Gil Stratton. juvenile lead in 'Best Fcot Forward,' which opened a road tour Sunday night (6) in Chicago, has been offered a regular baseball um- piring job for next season with the International League. He's long planned to be a baseball ump, but probably won't be able to take it bPcau.se he plans to go into the Army Ail Force in about three weeks. Several weeks ago Stratl«n um- pired behind the t>late at a benefit game at Ruppert stadium, Newark, between teams representing the Qi:antico Marine Base and the Nor- folk Navy Base. Stratton's co-um- pives were Babe Ruth and Larry MacPhail. COBURN'S LEGIT ITCH, REVIVES MARQUIS PLAY Hollywood, Sept. S. Charles Coburn, nostalgic for Broadway after five years in fllms, is organizing a cQmpany to stage the old Don Marquis play, 'Master of th« Revels.' Plan is to open the play in Los Angeles this fall with a local cast and move east. Trade Marit Rcslntcreil FOUNDED DY 8IME SILVERMAN rnbllalied n'Mkljr bjr VARIETY. Inr. Sid Bllvorman. PreiiJdcnt. 1S4 West 4l!tta Street, Now Vorlt. .V. T. SUDSCnil'TlO.N Annual tio I.-orelKn Ill SInBlo CopleR 20 (.'enlo Vol. 148 120 No. 1 INDEX Bills 40 Chatter 45 Concert-Opera .... 30 Exploitation 15 Film Reviews 8 House Reviews 38 Inside—Legit 42 Inside—Orchestra.-: 31 Inside—Radio 26 International 18 Legitimate 41 Literati 44 Music 34 New Acts ;;9 Night Club Revi .-Wj Obituaries 4G Orchestras 31 Pictures 5 Radio 23 Radio Reviews 28 Vaudeville 35 War Activities 4 0,\II.V V.tnlKTV (PubllBbod In Hnllywood by Dally Variety. Lid.) 110 a year—|i: forpiRn