Variety (Sep 1942)

18 mTERNATIONAL •VABIETI'S' LUMUOM OHIVB t Bt. MarllB't Place. Tnif«lf»r 8q—r« British Exhib Assn. Airs Grievance Vs. 20th-Fox on Rental 'Squeeze' London, Sept. 20. The Cinematograph Exhibitors As.sn. has seat all its members a bulletin devoted entirely to airing its grievance against 20th-Fox on an alleged rental squeeze. The bul- letin explains what prompted the CEA to advise exhibs to cancel Mo- vietone newsreel and to refuse to book 'March of Time,' both of which 2Cth is distributing. Reaction in the trade here is that 2Clh-Fox is being made the fall guy fo'. a more generally widespread op- position to one-day bookings because nearly all American distributors have explained to exhibs that sin- gle-day playdates are no longer ac- ceptable. The distribs pointed out to exhibitors that they will have to p^ay features longer than in the past because there will be fewer feature pictures to go around with the Aim conservation ordered by the U. S. government. The bulletin quotes from a letter sent purportedly by one of 20th-Fo:: exchange managers as follows: The company has adopted a new pclicy whereby they are not pre- pared to take flat rentals on any of our super productiohst so I am afraid unless you are prepared to change your policy, our business re- lationship must be severed...It is a general instruction put into fo; : by our new international manager who is now in England.' This bulletin was issued only after the- so-called 'Ginger Committee' of the CEA decided to act. This fol- lowed an effort to contact Francis Harley, 20th-Fox managing di- rector in Britain. A confab finally was arranged with Harley and also with Laudy Lawrence, company's foreign sales chief, here on a visit. The committee claims Lawrence high-hatted the members 'as if we were a lot of schoolboys,* one stated later. Subsequently,' Lawrence checked out, apparently leaving V": situation for Harley to handle. The CEA bulletin asks 'Why the squeeze' of the new 20th-Fox sales plan. It tilen claims 'No answer other than greed.. .Renters (dis- tributors) grosses have reached to- tals they never dreamed possible at thi outbreak of the war.. .^hls proi. perity seems to worry some of the renters, who want even more phe- nomenal returns.... Who is Laudy Lawrence? Why does fie; not return home and leave Harley to carry on the former policy which yielded 2Uth-Fox such phenomenal returns ...The current estimate of 20th- Fox annual grass is £3.000,000 (about $12,000,000), an unbelievable figure a year or two ago." UA Convention — contlnaed from page S overset . markets have been dis- sipated by domestic operations. The aggressive steps being taken to make the domestic departments of UA self-supporting are, said Kelly, 'A major facelifting Job, with Grad Sears, production v.p., and Carl Leserman. general sales manager, due for the credit.' The Par picture which will be dis- tributed by UA include 'I Married a Witch,' 'Crystal Ball,' 'Out of the Frying Pan,' two Harry Sherman srcciaU, including "American Em- pire," and six Hopalong Cassidy westerns. Th.e 10 Par pictures UA will release next year will include nme Sherman productions. Selinick Sticks as Predoecr Regardless of the David..O. Selz- nick deal with Paramount, the pro- ducer remains latched to bis 10-year production pact with UA. This goes despite any deal tor his story prop- erties or even if he sells, his stock in UA. Harry Sherman is understood to be negotiating a contract as a UA pro- ducer which will be effective after 1043 and will probably be announced before the convention, concludes on Wednesday (30). N. A. Thompson, sales controller for many years at UA, has retired, will be succeeded by Charles M. Steele, supervisor of exchange op- erations, who will handle the con- troller chores in addition to his own work. The conclave was attended by 200 home office execs, district and branch managers and salesmen. Among the speakers and representa- tives on hand were Hunt Stromberg, Major Hal Roach, Bert Stearn, Harry Gold, David Loew, Harry Shevnan, Dick Dickson and John Grierson, Teddy Carr, UA managing director in Great Britain, who clippered in for the meet, Lowell Calvert, now east- ern rep for Hunt Stromberg (he used to be Selznick's), Seymour Poe, representing the Loew-Lewin unit, Louis Heyman for Sol Lesser, Steve Pallos for Alexander Korda, and Henry Brash, repping Arnold Press- burger. New Selllnf Policy A complete change in selling policy will mark United Artists' ac tivltles for this coming year. UA will sell 15-16 features along with Hopalong Cassidy's and Hal Roach streamliners' in one single block. Heretofore UA has made separate deals for each of its pictures. Grad Sears, vice president in charge of distribution, at UA, this morning told 'Variety' that, 'there would be no useless maneuvers with regard to stories and properties or productions for which the independ ent UA producers have not as yet arranged their financing.' Sales policy and merchandising will be concerned only with those pictures assured of delivery. This would include three Stromberg pro- ductions, 'Aircraft is Missing,' and 'Jacare' which will be sold in one block along with the Sherman and Roach pictures. The James Cagney Jack Benny, Samuel Bron.ston and other pictures, will be sold, if, as and when produced, either singly or in block depending on Iheir comple- tion dates. < The mainstay and .support of the UA distribution system during the coming six months will be Para- mount product. Apart from the I Sherman westerns and three border- Spt* nwn;Vaiirl0 ITnitc ^ f"*""'" from Par it is be- oeiS UWn'Vauae UnilSjijeved the independent productions Hunter Returns Safely By Boat to Aussie Harry Hunter, Paramounfs man- aging director in Australia, has ar- rived safely in Sydney, according to word received by the homeoHice. He made the trip by boat Hunter came to the U. S. early this year for homeofllce hyddles. He also established his family in the U. S. while here. VIVIEN LEIGH SIGNED FOR BRITISH PICTURE London, Sept. 29. Two Cities Fihn Co. ha.-; signa tu: ed Vivien Leigh for a feature film with a Yugoslavian background Shooting is scheduled to begin some- time in November. Deal was ."-et largely via London Hollywood cables between the film company and David Selznick, to whom Miss Leigh is under conlrdct StoU Circuit (England) 250,000 Shares h Met-Bradford Bought By Ranii London, Sept. 29. Arthur Rank has purchased 250,000 non-voting shares in Metropolitan it Bradford Trust' from Associated Brit- Isl- Pictures Corp. for a reputed $1,800,000. These shares were purchased by John Maxwell for Associated British foi $3,000,000. Deal represents sub- stantial buy in GaumontrBrltish Ig^ Rank since Metropolitan Sc Bradford is the Gaumont-British holding cor- poration. Mex Govt Molls Domestic Tourism As Bak for War Loss of American Trade Bond Drive's Strong Finish Continued from page 4 Mexico City, Sept. 22. Hotel and nitery biz being not so good throughout Mexico, owing to the sharp slump in American tour- ism, the federal tourist department has figured out a scheme that prom ises to give these spots at least a Merry Christmas and perhaps a good sendofT for 1943 as well. Alarmed by the prospect that most of these spots face shuttering, the department is completing details of a plan which, it expects, will All the gap. Program is for a bigger stimula-' tion of domestic tourism, induce- ment tor residents of provincial towns to flock to the metropolis and for the metropolitans to take trips to the towns. Fairs, fiestas and other entertainment, much of it free, paid for by the federal and other govern- ments, and new low bargain trans- portation rates, to and from, feature this plan. The department intends to initiate it for the prolonged Mexi- can Christmas season, a fiesta that gets going around Dec. 12, Guada- lupe Day, in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the national saint. It runs well into January. Proposition will also, the sponsors believe, re- lief depression among- showfolk by giving them work at the fairs, fiestas, etc. Since Pearl Harbor, Mexican hotels and niteries have suffered considerably, as. their best custom- ers, the Americans, aren't coming to Mexico in anywhere near the num- bers as formerly. I Par's Slant || L^^» Continued from page S ^^^J September drive would achieve its goal. Series of rallies were held In N. Y. last week to spur bond sales. Ed Sullivan sold $45,000 in War Bonds at the Paramount theatre, N. Y., starting a rush when season passes lo the house were offered with each $1,000 bond purchased. About 12 passes were given in addition to 30 albums of Andrews Sisters record- ings. Other bond rallies In the New York sector included one under the Russian banner last Thursday (24) when the entire stage show from the State theatre participated. A Wall Street rally was held Friday (2S) afternoon, a Czechoslovakian rally Friday night, a midnight rally at the Metropolitan, Brooklyn, with the entire Paramount stage show; Greek rally Sunday (27) night with the Par stage show, Harry Brandt reported $1,000,000 in advance sales for the Madison Square rally mid- night Wednesday (30). Barney Balaban, Nicholas M, Schenck, Louis B. Mayer and other Industry toppers gave up all other business to pitch during the closing hours of the drive. Tee Macabre? New York City's Park CommiS' sioner Robert Moses nixed the use of the 'three coffins' in today's (Wed.) Central Park War Bond rally. The coffins, labeled Hitler, Hirohtto and Mussolini, had been used in sundry midtown bond rallies for the last four weeks. Despite their effectiveness and with no reason other than 'he ob- jected to their use' the Park Com- missioner cancelled them out of the rally. Joe Led Man-Bltcs-Dog Joe Lee, manager of the Brooklyn Paramount (Si Fabian), last Friday (25) bought space in Brooklyn and Greenpoint papers to advertise the Friday midnight show at Loew's Metropolitan, an opposition house. Occasion was The appearance of some 40 performers in connection with the War Bond sales rally held at the Met. Mosque last night (Monday), mark- ing the pic's New Jersey precm, realized more than $3,000,000 in bond sales and pushed Essex County well over its Sept quota of $11,000,000. Admittance to the theatre was by purchase of a bond of any denomin- ation, and the de luxe 3,865-seater was cramed to the doors. House was sold out as early as last week. New Jersey Is now well ahead in its Sept. motion picture war bond drive and will have little difTiculty in meeting iU $30,250,000 quota. Big Sales In Small Cinemas Chicago, Sept. 29. Remar^cable angle on war bond drive in Chicago area is achieve- ments of small neighborhood houses where, without pretentious shows of star names, amounts of $150,000 to $400,000 in bonds have been sold at a single show. Houses like the Atlantic Theatre on the West side of Chicago, Teatro Del Lago in No Man's Land, and the Forest Theatre in Forest Park, have staged bond shows with just an m.c, and one or two run-of-the-mill acts, and sold tremendous amounts of war bonds and stamps. ni. Over the Top 'Back 'em up American bond show,' on all (Chicago and down stcte stations last night, with i galaxy of radio stage stars, netted $360,000 with 23 downstate stations net yet reporting. Half million total is expected to be rai.<:ed. Figures not yet available, but Illinois is over the top on the September bond drive. Lamoar Sells 8MG Bonds Indianapolis, Sept. 29. Dorothy Lamour rang up a total of $800,000 in war bond sales at a rally in Cadle Tabernacle here last week (25), appearing before an au- dience of 8,000 who had bou(!ht a $100 war bond each for a scat. More than $265,000 additional had been pledged previously in connection with the rally, sponsored by the War savings staff and the War Activities Committee of the motion picture in- Veronica's Wound Stripe Cniarleston, S. C, Sept. 29. Veronica Lake has qualified for World War 2 'wound stripe.' Star appeared at war bond rally here with forehead band- aged—result of wound suffered when she fell against a jeep at a previous bond raUy. dusti?. Miss Lamour also was given an annual pledge for $5,500,000 in war bonds by a group of Indianapolis industrial leaders -at a dinner im- mediately preceding her appearance at the Tabernacle. The film star sold bond.-: totalling $1,000,000 in appearances nt Kokomo, La Porte and llafayette. Ind.. Thurs- day, Sept. 24. Acts from Indianapolis ihc:itres and radio stations joined Miss La- mour in the rally at the Tabernacle. Those appearing included Jack Hilli- ard. Cookie Bowers, Catherine West- field, Pat Henning, Woody Herman, Art Berry, Harry Bason, the Hay- makers and Frank Parrish. KGO's $.t,M«,000 Sale San Francisco, Sept. 29. KGO's 'Bond Wagon' posted a new record when it rolled inio liu^ming Mission District and sold $9l!836 in war bonds and stamps to pocket- book-heavy workers who live in that territory. Mission sale boosted station's total bond figure to-date to slightly over $1,000,000, with more to come as the "Bond Wagon' makes its weekly visit to some neighborhood, pre- senting a three-hour show, half an hour of which is broadca.";!. and auctioning off merchandise donated by di.strict managers. London. Sept. 18. For first time in history of StoU circuit, the company is lining up its own vaudeville units. Units are presented by Prince Littler, managing director of Stoll's, with first show to be headed by Nervo and Knox, who have been loafing, turning down several offers to work since they appeared in pantomime at Stoll's. Kingsway. Supporting them are Dehaven and Page, Sherkot and Betty Driver. Show opens at the Opera House, Leicester, middle October, and toun, sticks till late December when N & K are due to .ttar in pantomime at London Coliseum. BRITAIN TAKES 'MIDWAY' British Government has made a deal to distribute 'Battle of Midway In England on a commercial basis. Picture will be handled through the agency of the British Informa- tion Ministry. wont materialize until late in the .•celling season. For 1942-43 Sherman is scheduled to deliver eight Hopalong plus three outdoor ."specials which added to the three Par features total 14 pics. He is also counted on for at least 8 outdoor pictures for 1943-44 includ- ing three specials ;.nd is mull- ing a Yukon yarn with Mae West. For the re.'it. UA owner-members continue apathetic to production Charles Chaplin has two scripts com- pleted, including 'Lady Killer' in which he would star, but sio far has taken no steps toward production. Sir Alexander Korda doesn't promise to become active this year Cagney has plans for two but hasn't gotten .started yet. Benny's unit looks promising for one or two pic- tures within the next 12 months. The Arthur Lyons quartet and other units remain embryonic properties. Hal Roach plans four 'streamliners' in addition to the eight currently in release. since it calls for a variety of charac- ter parts which could be found only on a major lot. Even at Paramoun't It may be found necessary to borrow outside players for some of the roles. Ticklish religious motif might of course, be an ideal subject for Cecil B. DeMiUe. who has managed to steer a safe course on similar proj- ects in the past. Paramounfs interest in Selznick's talent contracts centers mainly on Joan Fontaine and Alfred Hitchcock. Miss Fontaine would be regarded as a major asset for whom the studio would be able to shop around for important vehicles. Hitchcock made one picture for Paramount in Eng- land, 'Jamaica Inn,' with Charles Laughton. which was not a winner. Ingrid Bergman is regarded largely as a gamble,.much depending on how well 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' turns out. Cast opposite Gary Cooper, chances are that Miss Berg man will click. Vivien Leigh, also under contract to Selznick, is considered a valuable talent acquisition despite the fact that she is in England and may stay there for the duration. Believed that Paramount would find means for starring her In production over there. Netler's See's Pep Talk The Sidney Liptzen Foundation, a charitable organization which has no connection whatever with show business, has contributed $5,000 to thp purchase of bonds which will be credited to the film industry Sep- tember drive. It all came about when Rose Mirrel, private secretai tT Leon D. Netter. Paramount thea- ti-i; executive at the homeofflce, and a member of the Foundation, put on a bondbuying pep talk before a meeting of the organization last week. She got subscriptions 'o $5,000 in bonds to be purchased through Par. Check was received yesterday (Tuesday) and turned over to Par to cover the bonds. Rogers Gingers Bond Sales San Antonio, Sept. 29. Ginger Upgers visited this city as a member of the Hollywood 'Stars Over America' in the current Sejl- tember 'Salute to Dur Heroes' billion dollar bond drive on Wednesday (23). It was estimated that $57,000 was pledged at the evening rally and $27,000 at an afternoon one held by workers of Duncan Field. Included In the program was Captain Roscoe Ates, film comedian, now of the United States Air Corps, who fie in from Houston to participate. 'Dandy' $3,000,900 Preem Newark, Sept 29. The Commando performance of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' at the Canada's 5th War Loan Montreal. Sept. 29. Finance Minister Ilsley fired the opening gun in Canada's fifth War Loan recently, announing the third Victory Loan to be opened Oct. 19 would have an oljjective of $750,000,000. Th^s objective is $150,000,000 higher than that set for the Victory Loans of June 1941 and February 1942. The first and second Victory Loans— each for $600,000,000—the J.nnuary 1940, $20(1,000,000 War Loan and the September 1940, $300,000,000 War Loan, all were oversubscribed. Buy a Bond, Free Admish Minneapolis, Sept. 29. War bond purchases alone entitled the public to admission to the world premiere of Columbia's 'Smith of Minnesota,' the football picture built about the exploits of the former University of Minnesota ail-Ameri- can halfback, and in which he him- self appears. The premiefe occin-red at Fairbault, Minn., Smith's home, and resulted in the sale of $15,000 of bonds. Bruce Smith himself wasn't present for the premiere, as he's now at Great Lakes Naval Training Station and a member of its foot- ball team, which was in Ann Arbor, Mich., at the time. The audience, however, included members of his family and many of the .stale's nota- bles. Sock In Australia Brisbane, Australia, Aug. 15. 'Claudia' is a big legit click here under the combined auspices of Dave Martin and WlUiamson-Tait. Terry Walker has the lead role.