Variety (Sep 1942)

Wednesday, September 23, 1942 PICTURES 21 Inside Stuff-Rctures Walter Wanger, one ot the speakers in a 'Town Hall of the Air' dis- cussion on 'Is America All-Out For War?', via the Blue network, and WKLN from Richmond, Va., was asked by a woman in the audience whether Hollywood and Its stars would be willing to have their incomes sharply limited? The producer replied: 'I think members of the Holly- wood community have proved they are willing to do anything to win the war. I wonder whether the public fully realizes the amount of sacrifice the stars have made for these Victory Bond drives and the like. After taxes and living expenses are computed—it's quite a mathematical prob- lem—they will be lucky to have even the cash for the face amount of the taxes. •We would like to make much more serious pictures, if only the public would accept them,' added the producer, He previously had declared that the people of the United States had for 20 years 'regimented' themselves Into escapism and had lived in more or less of a fool's paradise, taking no account of America's inescapable position in world affairs. New high in union activities was reached last week when a delegation from the office workers' union at a major company homeolTice marched Into the president's office and demanded a hearing. The prexy saw them and the union group laid down its demands. Sintfe it was not yet the noon lunch hour, the company president told them o(T in no uncertain terms. First, he said he would never discuss union matters on company time. Secondly, he saw no reason for holding open house for any group during office hours when he was attending to vital company affairs. 'Thirdly, he stated bluntly he desired the entire bunch to take themselves elsewhere, but pronto. They went. Sam Coslow is starting production of jukebox soundies on the Fine Arts lot in Hollywood, his R. C. M, Productions having signed to headquarter the unit there for the next 12 months. •. Coslow's program calls for the production of 260 Soundies, 24 Government shorts for the Office of War Information and a feature-length musical. Coslow, Major James Roose- velt and Fred Mills are the principal stockholders in R. C. M. Coslow and Ben Hersh. R. C. M. production manager, also have a financial inter- est in the Lum 'n' Abner series for RKO and are handling the details of placing the third in the series into production while Jack Votion, who formerly produced, is in the Army. The N. Y. News yesterday (Tues.), in citing the nervous coUapse of sun- dry femme stars currently on bond tours, gave the picture business a left- handed pat. At the same time the News again plugged .its pet drive for a national lottery as a more expedient means to raise emergency funds for the government. From the film industry viewpoint, the News editorial came at an inop- porlune moment since it's no secret that the hoped-for 'billion in September' now looms disappointingly, and the picture business needs every bit of press and morale cooperation from all concerned. Producer Sam Goldwyn outsmarted himself in trying to freshen up •The Real Glory' for reissue. He asked Lowell Mellett of OWI to get Manuel Quecon, president of the Philippines, to write a foreword for the picture. Quezon was ill, but sent a commission to catch it at a preview. The board ot three sat through it and burned up. Claimed it was unfair to the Morros and put the Mohammedan religion in a false light. Recom- Riended that the reissue be shelved indefinitely, or not issued until the Blobal war was a memory. Mellett conveyed the request to producer Goldwyn and the picture was placed upon the shelf. Capt. Barney Oldfleld, Nebraska Journal (Lincoln, Neb.) film critic and newscaster, before coming a paratroopist, and one-time 'Variety' corra- ipondent, is still maintaining his predilection for marathon flfms. Oldfield (nade Ripley as the champ moviegoer, having seen more than 500 pictures ^very 3'ear for five years, and even while in the Army last year hie knocked off 261 pix. He sees the weekly five film changes at the campi. Oldfield came to New York on a quickie visit and may do an INS series on paratroopists, with U. S. Army approval. Shortage of civilian craftsmen in the Hollywood studios may result In the use of enlisted men for technical jobs on Government fllm^. So many technical workers have left the picture industry for defense factories and armed services that there is a serious lack of personnel to make training shorts for use in Army camps and Naval stations. If the shortage grows more stringent it is understood that former film craftsmen now in uni- form may be assigned to military training pictures. Hollywood can lay aside tho.se biographies of General Billy Mitchell be- cause they will never gel by the Munitions Building on Constitution ave- nue. War Department has no powers of censorship, but it has to okay all scripts where the Army or military facilities are used. Producers realize ^his and will not attempt to sugar up the General Mitchell scenario, and the controversial truth would never get a green light in Washington. Under the circumstances Hollywood will forget about this biography until the whistles blow announcing the next armistice. ■ Warren William has ceased to be the 'Lone Wolf in his series of mystery tales at Columbia. Actor continues to play the top role but the lupine aspect has been dropped from the titles. Studio figured that in- clusion of the Lone Wolf with the title on every marquee would eat up • lot of unnecessary electricity and make the handle too unhandy. First change under the new policy is 'One Dangerous Night," originally known ■s "The Lone Wolf Goes to a Party.' Cliffhangers, once aimed at adventure-loving males, are taking a detour 'at Republic with the idea of entertaining the femme element of the population, which grows dominant in film houses as more and more boys march away to war. More romance and not so many hairbreadth escapes Is the new formula in the studio's next chapter plays, 'Daredevils of the West' and 'G-Men vs. the Black Dragon,' now being re-wrillen with ac- cents on the softer touches that will appeal to femme customers. William Jerters, president of the Union Pacific railroad, recently ap- pointed U. S. rubber czar, is credited by many with pulling off the biggest aim premiere ballyhoo on record when Cecil B. DeMille's 'Union Pacific' Was shown in Omaha. In addition to flock of stars, six parades, three days of celebration and premiere showing in three theatres, JelTers had things so organized that more than 200,000 visitors poured into town. In order to help fill programs in single feature theatres. 'United We Stand,' Movietone documentary feature being released by 201h-Fox, pres- jently is being made available in two sized versions. Besides the full- length version, a tabloid edition running about 38 minutes also has been cut from the original. One of first theatre chains to book the new ver- sion of 'United" is Warner Bros. Theatres. United Press dispatch from Chungking recounts how Butterfly Wu. l-hina's No. 1 film star, and her millionaire husband. Pan Yu-Sheng, posed ^ beggars with eight children to escape Jap-held Hongkong, to make their way into free China. Miss Wu gave her best performance as a b«- "^aegled beggar to make good her escape. CAPITOL, HAUFAX, ROBBED OF $5,236 St. John, N. B., Sept. 22. Thieves are increasing their atten- tion to theatres, and providing an- other major problem for exhibitors. A break into the Halifax Capitol netted the intruders $5,236. A num- ber of other burglaries have In- volved losses of from $100 to $2,000. At the Capitol (Famous Players- Canadian) and a deluxe house of comparatively recent origin, a steel door into the building was smashed through and then the top of the safe was chiseled off. Three breaks into the Regent, St. John, were fruitless for the thieves participating. The safe stood up to a terrific battering from hammers, axe, torch, sledge, chisel, etc. The marauders had to 'be satisfied with $5 in nickels and some candy from a vending machine, Three entrances in the early morning or at the final show, at the Mayfair, St. John, were futile for what appeared to be a lonester in each case. One young man was nabbed in the act ot break- ing into the office. Safes in theatres at a number of spots have been moved away in trucks or cars and broken open in woodlands several miles off. Documents only valuable to the theatres have been torn up or thrown away. norida Showmen Masterminding Winters Outlook Under theUmout Although severe dimouts along the coastline are a drawback, a tough winter up north, coupled with short- age of fuel, may bring Florida a bet- ter season this year than it had last, in the opinion of Frank Rogers, president of the All-Florida circuit of close to 100 theatres. Majority control of the chain, blanketing the entire state except for Miami and Miami Beach, is held by Paramount. Rogers and other All-Florida ex- ecutives are in New York to discuss operating plans, policies, discuss the product outlook and go over other matters. The others are B. B. Gar- ner, general, manager; Fred Kent, general counsel, and Marion Talley, treasurer. Business in Florida last winter was disappointing, not only for theatres but other enterprises, with Miami among other resort spots not getting the play that was expected. Rogers pointed out that while last fall they had looked tgr a good season, they were fooled. He cited an instance where the All-Florida circuit spent a lot of money putting a St. Augus- tine house into good condition and then didn't even open it because the general outlook was so discouraging. With some houses remaining closed throughout the winter, others were added to the list last spring and early summer, sending the total to over 20. Just how many will b* in operation this winter is hard to tell now, Rogers pointing out that it's still difficult to prophesy what conditions will be. Dimouls, War, Etc. Dimouts along the Florida coast actually amount to a blackout so far as that state is concerned, Rogers stated. He declared, also, that no one can appear on any beach after ■ 6 p.m. and that the authorities are very strict concerning any visible lights, the driving of an auto over IS miles an hour and other regula- tions. This vitally affects business but there are other problems facing the Florida operator. In former years, as Rogers pointed out, there was always a certain amount of building and redecoratioa during the summer. The payrolls that were kept going on construction over the out-of-season months al- ways redounded to the benefit ot the theatres but now there is no build- ing. Also, Rogers noted, construc- tion men have gone away to defense industries. The Bridge that Joined Sight and Sound! Kot 0i>er, but through a light valve bridge, sound is put on film. As the tiny ribbons vibrate open and shut at amazing spSed, they let through raj'3 of light which record the range of sound—from whisper to thunderclap. 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