Variety (Sep 1942)

22 PICTURES Wednesday, September 23, 1942 20th-Fox s 4( Pictures for M-43 Despite Product Jam and Backlog FoUowine prolonged deliberalion over next season's production sched- ule, with top company execs at one time considering cutting the studio slate to 35 or 36 pictures for 1942-43, 20th-Fox has decided to turn out 46 pictures (in addition to 'Young Mr. Pit> ■ mnAe in England), according *p William Goetz, vice - president in charge of 20th studios who returned to Hollywood last Friday (18). Top number of pictures considered at any time for the coming ^ear was 52. Whether 20th will release all pic- tures made this year remains questionable, company execs having repeatedly stated it was impossible to foretell what conditions might be six months from now. Studio will have 35 or 36 films completed by March and, depending on holdover power, these may be considered sufficient for 1942-43 release. Raw film allocation later this season may *also be a factor in the releasing schedule. After the production budget was first presented to the board of di- rectors early this summer, 20th execs stated that even if all the pic- tiu-es scheduled were produced they would not necessarily all be re- leased during the single season. Some question also arose a few weeks ago as to the adviseability of going into immediate production of some 12 story properties, despite that some of these were topical and would deteriorate if held over for next year. Jam in bookings which followed later, with' extended runs in key situations holding up product for the subsequents, was pointed up by some of the toppers at 20th in support of their contention that a smaller re- leasing schedule including more high- budget product would be enough to keep both distribution forces and theatres supplied with a full sea- son's screen fodder. Overhead Argument against cutting down on number of releases at 2Dth was that overhead charges on the remaining productions would automatically be increased so that. high-budgeters would have to sell at still higher levels to offset the upped cost of studio operation. Where studio over- head may now run approximately 30% on around 50 pictures a re- duction of 14 or 15 Dictures would raise normal overhead charges to around 40%. Reduced studio activities were also predicated to some extent on raw film stock availability. Based on the order issued last week by the War Production Board, under which 20th will cut down on celluloid by ap- proximately 22%% as compared with last year, Goetz said that the cut from the original estimate of 52 pic- tures was believed sufficient to meet the reduced stock allotment. Goetz added that it would not be necessary to cut running time on films arbi- trarily, since the elimination of six pictures from the schedule would leave sufficient footage to allow for normal running time based on in dividual production requirements. RKO Theatres Sign With Pablicists For lO^RetroactiyeHike Following several months of negotiation, RKO Service Corp., theatre subsidiary of RKO, has signed a contract with the Screen Publicists Guild to cover publicity and advertising workers in the the- atre department of the company. Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., president of the SPG, signed for the imion, Malcolm Kingsberg, executive v.-p. of RKO in charge of theatre opera- tions, for RKO. Agreement provides for a 10% in- crease retroactive to May 30 last, maintenance of membership, a 70% shop at all times and severance pay ranging to a total of 12 weeks pay efter 10 years of service. SPG members of the RKO Serv- ice unit have agreed to pleciKe 50% of the retroactive pay to the pur- chase of war bonds during the in- dustry's September drive. Having been certified as collective bargaining agency for the theatre publicists of Loew's. SPG is con- tinuing negotiations with that com- pany. TEST SUIT ON SUNDAY PIX IN JACKSON, MISS. Jackson, Miss., Sept. 22. After several months during which motion pictures were shown in Jack- son regularly on* Sundays, without police interference, suits were filed Friday (18) against the Kennington- Saenger Corp., which operates four theatres, and four other in- dependent playhouses. All were brought in the name of the district and county attorneys. The Kennington suit asked for revocation of the corporation's franchise on the ground that it al- legedly had been violating the state Sunday amusement law. Some of the petitions will be heard this week, others will be heard in No- vember. The Kenningtop-Saenger Theatres advertised the usual Sunday shows in Jackson newspapers Friday (18) and Saturday (19). 306 STILL W( EMPIRE BOOTH OPERATORS On top of a letter received by its members from Local 306, Moving Picture Machine Operators of N. Y., citing „ the circumstances leading to a breakdown of recent merger ne- gotiations, the Empire State union has taken stem measures designed to muzzle the projectionists under its banner. The N. Y.-chartered imion, long a thorn in the side of 306, which Is affiliated with the American Federa- tion of Labor, has placed an order into effect which calls for the imme- diate expulsion of any of its mem- bers who reveal anything pertain- ing to the union or its activities. This Includes anything said to newspaper men. At the same time, Abe Kindler, president of Empire, is reported to have been given the power to re- move any operator from the job now held or switch any of them from one theatre to another regardless of any difference in scale paid. Em- pire holds the booths in around 75 theatres in N. Y., Brooklyn and Long Island. Seething over failure of 306 to ef- fect a merger with Empire, latter arbitrarily breaking off negotiations, Herman Gelber, president, has ap- pealed to all members of Empire to invite him to the next membership meeting 'to give me the opportunity of addressing you in person and an- swer any questions which may be uppermost in your minds.' In his lengthy letter to Empire men in which he reviews the 306- Emp situation, Gelber has the fol- lowing to say, in part: 'Let it be perfectly clear at the outset that not everybody is eager for a solution to this problem. There are interests and individuals who gain from dual unionism. It is in the larger interest of the motion picture operators of the City of New York, however, that exhibitors should not be able to play one union against the other. 'Father Boland. chairman of New York State Labor Relations Board, finally took a hand in the negotia- tions. A number of conferences were held. Only three points at that time were left open: '1. Whether 306 would guarantee membership to members of Empire within six months after application. '2. Whether the initiation fees into 306 for Empire members instead of being $500 .should be S200. '3. Whether members of Empire who were clearly discharged be cause of discrimination against them by the employers for activi lies favoring absorption of Empire by 306 would be immediately ad- milted to membership in 306 with out wailing the six-month period. 'While Local 306 wa.s considering these three final points which had been referred to as ob.?lacles to- wards eflecting the plan of absorp lion, the olliceis of Empire sent EXTRA JOBS SLUMP, $168,000 UNDER JULY Hollywood, Sept. 22. Job placements for the month of August did a nosedive, according to Central Casting Corp., which reports gross earnings of $220,000, a drop of $168,000 from July. It was slightly less by $100,000 than the wages passed out in August, 1941. Only 736 calls were sent out for atmosphere players, chiefly in mob and street scenes, in August, as against 3,033 for the preceding month. INDIESMAKING MANY FILMS Independent film producers and small laboratories formerly tumine out commercial films are rushing into production of Government pictures for morale, informative or training purposes, with result that many of those threatened with extinction by the War Production Board order eliminating raw film shipments for advertising purposes are in a better position than previously. That various branches of the Gov- ernment need film iii quantity,. and of a calibre sufficient to make U. S. contracts of prime desirability. Is perhaps best indicated In the large volume of ceUuloid being turned out by the Walt Disney studios, whicb to a major extent is now devoted to Government film production. Aside from firms such as Wilding, which formerly bandied commercial pix and are now turning out training films for the Office of Civilian De- fense, producers of jukebox shorts are also shooting Government sub- jects. With cancellation of the commer- cial pictures scheduled at ISinoco studios In the east, production of war shorts and other types of film q>on- sored for informative purposes has been lined up. From the west coast, Sam Coslow reports that his new program will Include 24 shorts , for the Office of War Information in ad- dition to 260 jukebox Soundies and the third of the series of Lum & Ab- ner pictures for RKO. Jack Votion, former producer of the series. Is in the Army. While Minoco has given up pro- duction on the Coast, Coslow stated last week that his R.C.M. Produc- tions, Inc., had signed an agreement which will headquarter production of his Soundies at the Fine Arts Studio in Hollywood. Major James Roosevelt, Fred Mills and Coslow own this firm. ALTERNATE SKOURAS AND RKO OPERATION Under a unique arrangement RKO and the Skouras circuit will al- ternate in the operation of the Mid- way, Forest Hills, L. I., a 2,200- ser.ter which opens tonight (Wed- nesday) with a benefit performance for the Red Cross, playing 'Desper- ate Journey* (WB). RKO is to oper- ate the theatre for two years, then it will go to the operation of the Skouras circuit, headed by George Skouras, for two years. The Skouras chain presently has the Forest Hills theatre, Forest Hills. Completion of the theatre was held up for some time due to priori- ties. word to Father Boland that all ne- gotiations would be broken off. 'What makes it doubly hard now is the fact that we apparently have no authorized representatives of Empire to deal with at present in negotiations towards this end. "The members of Local 306 have nothing to gain individually from the proposed merger except what every motion picture operator in New York City would gain from the benefits of one union. We sincerely desire to accomplish this. 'We believe that if the members of Empire are as ready and willing to do it, it can be done. But it requires the cooperation of the members of both unions. Where there's a will, there is a way.' In asking that he be Invited to a meeting of the membership, Gelber suggests that if possible members may authorize the selection of a few representatives with authority to proceed to work out plans for what he calls 'a solution of our com- mon problem.' Shortage of Labor Hits Everything From Chorines to Automatic Candy M-G ADDS 4 TO ^42-43 FIRST BLOCK OF EIGHT Already having started selling a block of eight pictures for 1942-43 release, while other decree com- panies are offering only five at a time, Metro has added four more to its initial group for a total of 12 and has advised all exchanges that the one or two cancellation policy would apply. Accounts which have closed for the eight are not obligated to add the four new pictures to the list but may do so with the same cancella- tion figuring. There is no separate elimination on the four if bought alone. William F. Rodgers, general sales manager for Metro, denies that the company is designating the pictures which may be cancellable either out of the first group of. eight or the en- larged block of li. Some buyers are erroneously of the opinion that such instructions had gone out, one of the largest circuit users of film having said that he was given the impression by one of the Metro branch managers that if he wanted to cancel anything it would have to be specified pictures. The quartet added to the original eight Metro films are 'For Me and My Gal,' 'Eyes in the Night,' 'Omaha Trail' and "White Cargo,' all of which have been tradeshown. L0EWM6RS.NIX UNION TIEUP INKY. Managers and assistant managers of Loew's metropolitan New York theatres have voted against certiflca- ti<m of two different unions seeking bargaining agency rights. Local 266 of the Building Service Employees (AFL) and the Exhibitioji, Enter- tainment Employees National Union (unaffiliated). Former received 18 votes at an NLRB election held last week, the latter 32, while 106 eligibles cast votes against either union. 'I am deeply gratified by Ihis vote of confidence in the management and policies of Loew's theatres', C. C. Moskowitz, Loew's v.-p., stated after the election. Trade Troubles Make CoDTentMHi Necessary, Wisc.-MicL Indies Fee) Milwaukee, Sept 22. Although the Independent Theatre Protective Association of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan originally fig- ured on dropping its annual con- vention at least for this year—to save rubber, gas, and do its bit in reducing other transportation as becoming wartime conduct—it now hts been decided that the plight of many exhibs calls for action now more than at any other time. Hence, a general confab has been called for Sept 30-Oct. 1 at the Hotel Schroeder here, with 'Let the Lit- tle Guy Live' as its central theme. Shortage of product, film prices and percentage deals and the exodus of population from the smaller towns to the war industrial centres combine to create a situation such as the showmen have not had to face before, and their demand for action has reached a belligerent stage. This wartime convention, limited to two days, will offer several de- partures from practices in previous years. To get a full turnout for the opening sessions, the annual banquet will be held on the first day when all routine' business will be taken up. This year's convention will have no exhibits, the various dealers in by-products of show business, who in other years financed an annual cocktail party, having nothing to sell, what with priorities and all, and grimly convinced war is all Sherman said it was. Detroit, Sept 22. Attempts to plug up the man- power shortages with women is no cinch in this area where estimates are that close to another 100,000 women will be in war work before the end of the year. Theatre, night club and other salaries in the amuse, ment end can't stack up with the wages, nor the appeal, of war work. The shortage of chorines now has hit the burlesque houses with the last theatre here without projection equipment, the Empress, installing it to substitute shadows for strippers. The other two burley houses here have been using pix along with their stage stuff but the Empress has been going along for the past five years with straight stage shows. How- ever, Joseph Ellul, now finds too many girls have been drained off by the arsenals and has to dub in film bills to keep his house in the running. The law also slapped down on Arthur Harr, who runs the Strath- moor Recreation Center, because he tried to hire fenome pin setters for his bowling alley. Result was that State investigators blew up and got a warrant charging him with violat- ing the child labor laws and also with putting girls in too hazardous work.' The bad feature in that is that the State and local authorities now have started a drive and are looking closely into the age and working conditions of girls who have been substituted for males in other places. Gal ushers are coming under scrutiny in the theatres with the of- ficials indicating that they don't want the young ones in such work, particularly in the evening hours, llie older ones can't be got because most of them already have fitted themselves into jobs in the arsenals. Industry here is paying big money to the gals with the unions seeing there is no difference in pay for women performing the same work as men. On top of that the big plants here realize that they will have to depend more upon women as the war goes along and not only has set high wage standards for them but have established training schools. Waitresses have been walk- ing out of restaurants and niteries, clubs and theatres can't get lines nor ushers and even when they do up wages they can't compete with the patriotic urge to do war work. What makes plenty of them de- pressed is that the labor shortage in the amusement world comes right in the middle of a boom and there's nothing to be done about it. What's more, performers and musicians, some of whom have been trying to do a double shift, have been abandoning show biz for the all-out war effort. Even Candy Coonlcrs San Francisco, Sept 22. Shortage of male help, along with tire rationing, is bringing a switch- over from automatic machines to candy counters in the peddling of candy in local theatres. West Coast Automatic Candy Co., which services most of the circuits hereabouts on a percentage basis, is replacing ma- chines with the counters, staffed by girls, wherever possible, because counters can be stocked for two weeks in advance, whereas the ma- chines need'service twice a week. Girls for the counters arc easier to find than men to drive the service trucks and tires to put on the trucks. Mark Ailing, assistant mgr. RKO Golden Gate, transferred to Denver Fcmme Manager Oakland, Cal.. Sept. 22. Appointment of Teresa M. Callerl as manager of the Roxie marks first time a downtown theatre has been placed in the hands of a woman. Miss Calleri, originally private sec- retary to Clarence Laws, co-partner with Joe Blumenfeld in the Roxie and Esquire, has been doing pub-> licity for the two houses for several years. William E. Chamberlain, veteran concert impresario in the Bay area, has taken over active management of the Berkeley for Laws-Blumen- feld. He will work it in conjunction with his concert presentations. Chamberlain previously dabbled in foreign films at the Campus in Berkeley on rental from Fox West- Coast. STORY BUYS Hollywood, Sept. 22. 20th-Fox purchased 'Bomber's Moon,' magazine yarn by Leonard Lee.