Variety (Dec 1942)

Wednesday, December t, 1942 PICTURES T CURB ON DUALS UP TO U. S. Sngle Pix on Sundays, Duals Rest Of the Week, Click In Milwaukee Milwaukee, Dec. 1. Single features on Sundays to get the holiday turnover and doubles during the week is the new policy adopted by the Fox downtown the- atres. It -was tried out lour weeks ago with the inauguration of Sunday openings, clicked at once and has been consistently profitable ever since, so what was started as an ex- periment now is the established practice. Wisconsin, Palace and Strand now play their ace feature, to- gether with selected shorts, on Sunday, making up a show that runs about two hours and 15 min- ule.s. enabling them to give several additional performances on the day, then on Monday the houses return to the double feature policy, eliminat- inj, most of the Sunday shorts and putting in the secondary feature. New ivolicy with Sunday prices adds a coupla grand to the day's gross, without affecting the week- day business, so the Increased take is just so much added to the week's gross. A few squi.wks have come from the barjiain hunters, but any stay- aways on this account are compen- sated for by patrons who prefer single feature shows and make it a point to attend on Sunday on that ac-!'junt. An the Sunday stay- aways come during the week, so houses don't lose any customers, but on the contrary gain additional ones. Sunday policy also is looked upon as readying patrons for the day when all houses will be forced to return to a solo policy. BVayites Go 'G-String' Hollywood, Nov. 30. Hunt Stromberg's 'G-String Mur- ders,' for United Artists, will have a sprinkling of Broadwayites in the production. Pinkie Lee, from "Wine, Women and Song,' Eddie Gordon, radio performer, and Joe Piatt, stage designer, have arrived for their first film work here. New cast addition is Victoria Faust from cast of stage hit, 'Cry Havoc' She's the wife of George Gruskin of the William Morris Agency. MERETIliKlNON'T First Day TUiN THE THICK' Regulation Would Have to Come From WPB or OES, Rather Than OWI, to Which Mellett !• Attached —Gradual Dual Elimina- tion Foreseen Due to Stock and Manpower Shortages ANTI-TRUST STATUS PhiUy Film Forum Concerned About Duals and Morals Philadelphia, Dec. 1. The Philadelphia Motion Picture Forum, at its meeting last week, urged the suspension of double fea- tures for (he duration as a measure to conserve film and other vitally- needed war materials. The forum la composed of representatives of Fewer Fans But More Cash Cues Upped Admish Minneapolis, Dec. 1. Exhibitor circles, considering an- other raise in admission prices, de- clare the boost would be justified not only because of advancing costs, but also because there are fewer people to draw from and those few have more money to spend for en- tertainment. It's declared here that an admis- sion price boost is particularly in order in the smaller towns hurt the most by wartime population dislo- cations. Those people still remaining in the towns are better situated financially than for many years and can afford to pay higher theatre ad- missions which would offset the volume losses at the boxoffice. a«- cording to this line of reasoning. There is also much agitation for the raising of children's prices (Continued on page 26) s Gas Rationing Fails to Dent Studio Normalcy; Big Test Yet to Come Just Couldn't Stay Away Hollywood, Dec. 1. Rosemary Lane returned from Broadway to play her first film role in two years as romantic femme lead in the Judy Canova-Joe E. Brown comedy. 'Chatterbox,' at Republic. Picture went into production yes- terday (Mon.) with Joseph Santley directing and Albert J. Cohen pro- ducing. Belief continues in the trade that all the pleas of exhibitor organiza- tions and Government officials will not curb double features. Complete, immediate stoppage of duals would have to come via Government decree and various officials have already expressed themselves loath to end dualling via a directive. Such a regulation would have to come from the War Production Board or the Office of Economic Stabilization rather than the Office of War Infor- mation to which Lowell Mellett is attached. However, it appears as if single billing is gradually being achieved anyway as a result of cur- tailment in material and manpower availability in all branches of the in- dustry. While those who believe single fcature.<; are requisite would like to afTecl the elimination of duals them- selves, they see no chance for this. Admitting that they don't like to have the federal government do it, these solo-feature advocates see no other alternative. These exhibitors and distributors have tried for 12 to 15 years to bring about the death of double-features, without success. Not generally known is that U. S. anti-trust laws have prevented ex- hibitors from installing single- feature bills, even when desired. The Interstate case, which went to the U. S. Supreme Court, Is interpreted as forbidding any universal agree- ment to oust twin bills. And univer- (Continued on page 26) Coast s tome And Get Me Attitude With Gas Patrons studio heads were confronted with a new problem last week as advance reports indicated that some studio workers, including film stars, were adopting a 'come and get me if you need me' attitude in an- ticipation of gas rationing -which was extended to the Coast yester- day (Tues.). In many cases workers claimed that the limited allowance, with the Hollywood distances to be consid- ered, would be virtually all used up by just going to the studios and re- turning home. Though not of major proportions, this development, which appears likely to be speedily adjusted, added to the various wartime dif- ficulties already hampering produc- tion. Transportation pools, where not already in effect, are being dis- cussed. Possibility is that studio busses may be used by some of the majors to roimd up personnel in the morning and return them to homes after work. of the .-ipeakers was Judge I J. mm/ ^ m ^ ^ organiza One of the .-ipeakers was Judge I Stephen S. Jackson of the Children's! Court. N. Y.. who asked that women pay more attention to the protection of their 'movie-going' children.' 'In wartime there are evidences of moral laxity and moral break- down invading even the entertain- ment field.' he said. Judge Jackson criticized theJSov- ernment 'for its growing confrol of the motion picture industry,' and asked the women to make an effort to fight against any 'further Gov- ernment controlled motion pictures.' Lanfield Directs Hope In let's Face It' Pic Hollywood. Dec. 1. Paramount assigned Sidney Lan- field to direct the next Bob Hope starrer. 'Let s Face It.' slated to roll early this month. Fred Kohlmar is. associate pro- ducer under general supervision of B. G. De Sylva. Harry Tugend is winding up his job on the script. WB'i African Footage Hollywood. Dec. 1. Warners is putting on its own North Africjn drive to reach the film market first with a two-reeler on the Allied invasion "the Mediter- ranean front. Title is 'Our African Front,' foot- age of which is being shipped by trans-Atlantic plane to Burbank. Film will b' edited by Gordon Hol- lingshead as soon as it arrives. 44 Show Business Los Angeles, Dec. 1. First day's gas rationing left no harmful effects on studio normalcy. Most cars are rolling with nearly full tank; and it's still too early to tell effects o( transportation diffi- culties on studio workers. Only a few 'solated cases of tardiness but not enough to affect normal pursuit of studio business. Figured in Los Angeles County that approximately half of l.lTS.noO car owners will have to get along with basic 'A' ration books, which allow for 240 miles monthly. Sup- plemental rationing for holders of 'B books is limited in most cases to 64 additional gallons for three n,onlhs period regardless of milage stipulated in supplemental appeal. All rulings on actors have become problems for individual boards, with many ruling:> conflicting. Thea- tre biz Monday night was generally normal all around with matinees also little affected. Real test will come later in the week, when first cou- pons are cashed at filling stations. 30,000 Workers Hit Film industry leaders are plenty worried over the situation created by. gas rationing and Its effect on the 30,000 studio workers. A meeting of studio managers and heads of unions and Guilds was called today (1) to draft a system for handling transpor- tation problems. Studio heads admit the situation Is acute, with 58% of the regular studio employees consuming more mileage monthly between their studios and homes than the supplementary 'B' book allows for. Average for a round trip has been pegged at 18 miles daily. Certification to ration boards for supplemental supplies to workers will be authorized by an established industry unit of management and labor. A one-day test will be made by the transportation unit in order to gauge the mileage covered on a cus- tomary work trip. Drivers will be rechecked carefully against figures in their 'questionnaire. LA. At War THEME OF THE 37th ANNIVERSARY NUMBER of To Be Published Late In December USUAL ADVERTISING RATES PREVAIL Special Exploitation Advantages Reservations and Copy May Be Sent to Any Variety Office NEW YORK 154 W. 46th SL HOLLYWOOD 1708 No. Vine SL CHICAGO 54 W. Rqnclolph SL LONDON 8 St. Martin's PL HAvilhwiliriatf II To Offset Gas Curb Los Angeles, Dec. 1. With neighborhood trade expected to flourish as result of gas rationing extension to the Coast, chain opera- tors are testing various nabe sites as day-daters with deluxers. Fox-We.»t Coast, for instance. Is teaming the Ritz in the densely- populated Wilshire district with the State-Chinese, while Warners has bracketed the Wiltern, also located on Wilshire Boulevard, with the Downtown and Hollywood. Para- mount is said to be eyeing an indie nabe house for a first-run tie-up with its downtown and HoUywqod first runs. Result.s of the new first runs will be watched closely and if biz falls below anticipation switches will be made to other houses such as War- ners' Beverly in Beverly Hills and the Fox-West Coast deluxe pair in Westwood. If biz holds up in down- town and Hollywood area the whole setup may be revised. Meanwhile receipts of all houses are being closely scanned for what might offer a solution to the ever-changing shift of patronage. Paramounl's two theatres are only houses to report abnormal Monday trade due to attraction, 'Road to Morocco.' which is proving b. o. bonanza. Theatre operators figure it is too early to tell the effects of gas ra- tioning because of the as yet full tanks, but in another 10 days it will begin to shape up and the drift be- come fairly definite.