Variety (Dec 1942)

16 PICTURES WeAicadftj, December .2, 1942 Scare-'Em Technique Inaugurated By Theatres as a Curh to Vandalism wartime shortage of replacement for damages. Some exhibitors report that minor defacement of walls and seats has been followed by destruction of valu- able equipment. In a few cases the managers have been able to call in police protection, and in other in- . ^ J, . , 1 ^ .u I .-lances the prices of admission have ^'^''.•y^^'".^''.t'"-l'i'".!rl^° I*?.! been raised to adult size to keep ihe A moderated reign of terror is re- ported being practiced by various theatres which are having trouble with kids who crash theatres, cause disturbances inside and, in numerous vays, destroy property. Idea seem- ingly is to strike fear Into the hearts •xtcnl that those who are kicked out of theatres will not return them- selves, also spreading the alarm among others. Sonic of the managers have gotten j to fed up with the kid crashers and | vandals, as well as boys who skip , K-hool. that they are on occasion | TOURhins them lip a little and, in oll-er way.', trying to scare them. An incrcas'imly large number of j kids are reported to be skipping | school, but it is difficult for managers to single out those who should be in (chool, not only because of difficulty In guessing their ages these days, but also because the staggered scho-)! system on classes now has them out at various odd hours. Policy followed religiously by the better-operated theatres is to evict kids under 16 from the theatres, giv- 't\ig' tticiA refunds on admisisons, where it is obvious that they are be- low 16 years. Thai's not easy to tell, however, an instance being cited vhcre a downtown New York theatre one day rounded up around 90 kids In the audience for ejection from the theatre, only to learn that around "half of them were not ot school age. Two girls in the group achially were mothers. Kids, unaccompanied by parents, are now forbidden to attend theatres having matrons on duty, ex- cept between 3 and B p. m. When kids are caught crashing the doors, the managers are treating them sternly. Also, with a view to discouraging crashing or other nui- sances, managers are holding kids in their offices or elsewhere, meantime summoning a cop, whether an ar- reft is to be made or not After in- structing an aide to get that cop on the corner—'the tough one*—man- agers or assistants meantime question the kids, taking down their pedigree, name, address, school, church, etc This taking tif a record has the tend- ency to scare the kids, since they naturally believe their folks, church and school are going to hear about it. When an arrest is not advised, managers threaten that if the kids ever return to the theatre to make trouble or try to crash the exit doors, the next time they might go out on a stretcher. Odd part of it, according to man- agers, is that a lot of kids who seem to come from good families and are dre.'sed well are among those who try to crash the doors. However, the aoot-'uiters still prevail. youngsters out. Youthful rampages arc scaring away the elderly custom- ers, who don't enjoy being pusheo around by boyish, and sometimes ^(iilish. roughnecks. Operators are l.-.king up the problem with the The- atre Defense Bureau for concerted protective action. Films to Soldiers j Continued from page 6 ^sfs Advance Production Chart Hollywood, Dec. 1. Studios nre iiioi'iiig iheir proditctfoiis along at a brisk pace. Eacli is trying to set tip a backlog t)iac ti>ill take cnre of any slack tcliich Tiiny occur due to the itiipend- ing 25% slash in rnti--/iliu stock u<hic)i the Gouernmeiit Jias scheduled (o inke effect at the turn oj the year. Leading the Hollywood brigade in films stored on the shelves au-aiting release are Uiitucrsal, United Artists and Warners, u-itli a bncklog-o/ 18 films for Universal and 16 each for the others. Paramount, Columbia, 20th-f'ox follow closely with 10, 10, niid 12 Victures ready for release. Leaders in films already distributed on (lie '42-'43 schedule are RKO icith 20; Metro, 20; Columbia, 22, and 20th-Fox, 23. Paramount, RKO, Metro, Universal and Aepublic are the busiest lots U'irli up to si.v pro- ductions in tvork. Columbia League Club, N. Y., yesterday (Tues- day) was sponsored by Will Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers tc Distributors of Amer- ica, in honor of Hazen. Hays him- self did the inviting. In addition to himself and Hazen, those attending were Nicholas M. Schenck, president, and J. Robert Rubin, v.-p. and legal counsel, of Metro; Barney Balaban, president, Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board, and Austin C. Keough, v.-p. and legal head, of Paramount; Spyros Skouras, president, W. C. Michel, v.-pi, and Richard W. Dwight, attorney, of 20th-Fox; Jack Cohn, v.-p. of Columbia; Ned El Depinet, president of RKO Distribut- ing Corp.; John J. O'Connor, assist- ant to the president, and Charles D. Prutzman, general counsel, repre- senting Universal; Arthur W. Kelly, v.-p. and Paul O'Brien, counsel, for United Artists; Robert Perkins, gen- eral counsel for Warner Bros.; Earl W. Hammons, producer; George Borchwick, treasurer, Joseph I. Breen, Production Code Administra- tor, and Carl E. Miliken, secretary, all of the Hays office; T. K. Steven- son, president, and Walter L. Brown counsel, of ERPI; Frank T. Zinn, assistant general counsel for RCA; Maurice B. Benjamin, counsel for various studios on the Coast; and Loyd Wright, president of Society of Independent Motion Picture Pro- ducers and counsel, also, for several studios. Hazen had as his personal guest Sgt Harold Berkowitz, former War- ner attorney now in active service. Four-month course which Hazen took in Army organization and pro ccdure was at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leaven worth, Kan.' He leaves for the Coast the end of this week or early next to make a report there to studio heads and other executives. CrnisarKhip Anewf Toronto, Dec. 1. With deputation headed by Jud.^^e Hawley Mott of the Family Court, bluenose group has proposed to City Council here that stage and screen censorship be revived in Toronto in order to combat juvenile delinquen- cy. It's one of those proposals that comes up periodically and is filed away. The decision regarding the rc- establlshment of a stage censor bor.rd now rests with the Police Commi.e- sion, which abandoned censorship in 1934 be('au.se, for several seasons pre- vious, there had been no complaints end it was thought flnancially advis- able to discontinue the services of a group of old-time newspapermen who were knicking the city coffers for $2,100 per annum apiece. What might pass here now as theatrical censorship rests with the Morality Squad, and there have been no squawks in years with the single ex- ception some time ago of 'Sailor Be- ware,' which was closed after two performances at the Victoria, In their proposal to the City Coun- cil regarding censorship of pictures reformers forgot that this falls with- in Provincial rather than civic juris- diction and that their suggested su- pervision of films is already covered In the higher political bracket. LOUIS KAUFMAN AIDE TO TRIAL IN NEWARK Oo the Coast, Too Los Angeles, Dec. 1 Exhibs in this town are going in;o also asked that First Assistant Prose Newark, Dec. 1 Trial of James (Shortly) Fleming on an Indictment charging false promise of employment was started here yesterday (30) before Essex County Common Pleas Judge Van Riper and a Jury. Fleming testified ill a Chancery Court case last June that for 15 or 20 years, while serv in^ as'b-ergeaitt-at-aims of Local 244, Motion Picture Operators' Union, he had collected money from members and prospective members for Louis Kaufman, business agent. He said at that time that the money was for Kaufman personally, not for the union treasury. Involved before Chancery was a suit by six members of the local to oust. Kaufman and fellow officers and appoint a receiver. The suit is 11 pending. As the trial in Common Pleas opened here yesterday. Judge Van Riper denied two preli.-ninary mo lions by James Henry, counsel for Fleming. Henry sought to have the indictment quashed on the ground it did not conform to the statute. He huddles for mutual protection against the youthful hoodlums, who once Here noisy pests, but have turned to outright vandalism in the film houses. Trouble is increased by the cutor Fox .elect which count he v\ould proceed on, the one charging a false promise to procure employ mcnt, or one charging a false agree men I to fry to procure a job. Pictures in cuttinc room or awaitinj; I'Clasc: COMMANDOS SfRIKE AT DAWN, formerly COM- MANDOS COME AT DAWN, drama; prod., Lester Cowan; dir.. Ll. Commander John Farrow; no writing credits: camera. William Mcllor. Cast: Paul Muni. Anna Lee, Edmund Gwcnn. Ray Collins, Alex Knox, Rose- mary De Camp. CITY WITHOUT MEN, drama; prods., B. P. Schul- berg and Samuel Bronston; dir., Sidney Salkow; no writing credits; camera, Phil Tannura. Cast: Linda Darnell, Claire Trevor, Doris Dudley, Leslie Brooks, Michael Dupne. MURDEB IN TIMES SQUARE, my&tery; prod., Col- bert Clark; dir.. Lew Landers; no writing credits; cam- era, Al O'Connell. Cast: Marguerite Chapman, Edmund Lowe, Sidney Blackmer, Douglas Leavitt, Blanche Yurka, John Litel, Gerald Mohr, George McKay. Frank Sully, William Wright, Esther Dale, Bruce Bennett, Veda Ann Borg. Ed Laughton, Al Hill, Wilbur Mack. Lynton Brent, Dale Foster. Alice Grayson, Wilson Benge, Frank O'Connor. ROBIN HOOD OF THE RANGE, western; prod.. Jack Fier: dir.. William Berke; story and screenplay, Betty Burbridge; camera, Benjamin Kline. Cast: Kay Harris. Arthur Hunnicutt, Charles Starrett, Kenneth MacDonald, Douglas Drake, Hal Price, Ed Peil, Sr., Frank LaRuc, Bud Osborne, Stanley Brown. SILVER CITY RAIDERS, western; prod., Leon darsha; dir.. William Berke; story and screenplay, Ed Earl Repp; camera, Benjamin Kline. Cast: Russell Hayden, Bob Wills. Dub "Taylor, Alma Carroll, Paul Sutton. Luther Wills, Jack Ingram, Edmund Cobb, Art Mix. NO PLACE FOR A LADY, drama; prod., Ralph Cohn; dir., James Hogan; story and screenplay, Eric Taylor; camera, James S. Brown. Cast: William Gar- gan, Margaret Lindsay, Phyllis Brooks, Dick Purcell, Jerome Cowan, Edward Norris, James Burke, Frank Thomas, Thomas Jackson, Tom Dugan, Doris Lloyd, Ralph Sanford, William Hunter, Chester Clute. DEADLINE GUNS, western; prod.. Leon Barsha; dir.. William Berke; no writing credits: camera un- assigned. Cast: Russell Hayden, Bob Wills and His Boys, Shirley Patterson, Walter 'Dub' Taylor, Stanley Brown, Jack Kirk, Tristram Coffin. Jack Rockwell, Robert Kortman, Dick Botiller, Jack Montgomery. JUNIOR ARMY, drama; prod.. Colbert Clark: dir. Lew Landers; screen play, Paul Gangelin; story, Albert Bein; camera. Charles Schoenbaum. Cast: Freddie Bar- tholomew, Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall, Boyd Davis, William Blees, Richard Noyes. Joseph Crehan. Don Bcddoe, Charles Lind. Billy Lechner, Peter Lawford. Robert O. Davis. PRAIRIE THUNDER, western; prod., Leon Barsha; dir., William Berke: screen play, Fred Myton; stor^. Ed Earl Repp and J. Benton Cheney; camera. Benjamin Kline. Cast: Russell Hayden, Bob Wills. Dub Taylor. Lucille Lambert. John Merton. John Maxwell. Jack Kirk. Edmund Cobb, Ernie Adams. ON!? DANGEROUS NIGHT, drama; prod.. David Chatkin: dir.. Michael Gordon; no writing credits; cam- era. L. W. O'Connell. Cast: Michael Lanyard, Jamison. Sidnel Shaw. Eve, Dickens. Inspector Crane. LET'S HAVE FOG, formerly LAUGH YOUR BLUES AWAY, comedy-drama; prod.. Jack Fler; dir., Charles Barton; story and screenplay, Harry Sauber; additional dialog. Ned Dandy; camera, Philip Tannura. Cast: Jinx Falkenburg, Bert Gordon, Douglass Drake. Isobel Elsom, George Lessey, Vivien Oakland, Dick Elliott, Phyllis Kennedy. Robert Greig. RIDERS OF THE NORTHWEST MOUNTED, for- -n»T\y RIDERS OF THE ROYAL MOUNTED, western; prod., Leon Barsha; dir., William Berke; screenplay, Fred Myton; camera, Benjamin Kline. Cast: Russell Hayden. Bob Wills, Dub Taylor, Adele Mara, Dick Cur- tis. Richard Bailey. Jack Ingruni, Leon McAjultiTe, Ver- non Steele. BAIL TO THE RANGERS, western; prod.. Jack Fier: dir., William Berke; story and screenplay, Gerald Geraghty; camera, Benjamin Kline. Cast: Charles Starrett, Arthur Hunnicutt, Robert Owen Aicbec.Lota Archer. Norman Willis, Lloyd Bridges. Ted Adams, Ernie Adams, Tom London, Davidson Clark, Jack Kirk. • ........ Colombia PIx to Prodnctlon MEBRY-GO-BOUND, drama; prod., dir., George Stevens; no writing credits; camera, Theodore Tetzlaff. Cast; Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Cobum, George Reed, Kathleen O'Malley, Sally Cairnes, Stan- ley Clements, Fred Johnson, Kay Linaker. Betii Beaton, Nancy Gay, Mary Treen, Betty McMahan, Gladys Blake, Bertha Priestly. Diedra Vale, Peggy Car- roll, Sugar Geise, Robert Hall, Pat Lane, Richard Gaines, Kitty McHugh. Ann Doran, Harrison Greene, Robert McKenzle, Frank Sully. WYOMING HURRICANE, western; prod., Leon Barsha; dir.. William Berke; no writing credits; camera, Benjamin Kline. Cast: Russell Hayden, Bob Wills and his boys, Shirley Patterson. Dub Taylor, Leon Mc AulifTe, Cotton Thompson. J. R. Bernard, Gene Ash lock. Paul Sutton. DESTROYER, drama; prod., Lou Edelman; dir., Wil liam A. Sciter; no writing credits; camera, Franz Planer. Casl: Edward G. Robin.son, Glenn Ford. Mar- guerite Chapman, Regis Toomcy, Edgar Buchanan, Craig Woods, Frank Sully. SUICIDE RANGE, western; prod.. Leon Barsha; dir., William Berke; no writing credits; camera. George Meehan. Cast: Ru.s.scll Hoyden, Bob Wills, Dub Tay- lor. Leon McAulifTe, Cotton Thomp.son, Luther Wills. J. R. Bernard, Gene A.shlock. Nick Thompson. Black ic Whiteford, Ted Mapcs, Herman Hack, George Fl.ske Metro rroiul^eJ Com- '<{-'4a pirlnl . . 50 20 Slioot- Idv 16 Ntiu Ciillliiic To ma Fcatnres 50 20 16 5 9 Pictures in cutting room or awaiting releu.-e: THE MAN ON AMERICA'S CONSCIENCE, histor- ical drama; prod., J. Walter Ruben; dir.. William Diclerle; no writing credit:;; camera, Harold Itosson. Cast: Van Heflin, Ruth Hussey Lionel Banymorc, Mar- jorie Main. SKYWAY TO GLORY, air drama; prod.. B. F. Zeid- man; dir., George Sidney; no writing crcdit.s camera, Paul Vogel. Cast: /ranchol Tone, Marcia Hunt. CLEAR FOR ACTION, navy drama; co-protl., Robert Z. Leonard and O. O. Dull; dir., Robert ^. Leonard; no writing credits; camera, Charles Rosher. Cast: Robert Taylor, Charles Laughton, Brian Don evy. Walter Brennan. PRESENTING LILY MARS, drama; prod., Joe Pasterntk; dir., Norman Taurog; no writing credits; camera, unass^ned. Cast: Judy Garland, Richard Carlson, Fay Bainter, Spring Byington. Ray Mac- Donald. DU BARRY WAS A LADY, musical in Technicolor; prod., Arthur Freed; dir, Roy Del Ruth; no writing credits; camera, Karl Freund. Cast: Red Skelton, Lu- cille Ball, Rags Ragland, Virginia O'Brien. Zero Mos- tel. Gene Kelly. Tommy Dorsey and Band. Donald Meek, Douglas Dumbrille, George Givot. SALUTE TO THE MARINES, drama; Technicolor: prod., John Considine, Jr.; dir., S. Sylvan Simon; no writing credits; camera, Duke Green and Charles Schoenbaum. Cast: Wallace Beery, Fay Bainter, Wil- liam Lundigan, Marilyn Maxwell, Keye Luke, Jim Da> vis, Don Curtis, Ray Collins, Mark Daniels, Fritx Leiber, Noah Berry, Jr., Russell Orleason. LASSIE COME HOME, drama, in Technicolor; prod., Sam Marx; dir., Fred Wilcox; no writing credits; cam- era, Len Smith. Cast: Roddy MacDowall, Edmund Gwen, Reginald Owen, Dame May Whitty, Ben Webster, Donald Crisp, Nigel Bruce, Elsa Lancaster. Lassie. CABIN IN THE SKY, all Negro musical; Arthur Freed; dir., Vincent Minnelli; no writing credits; cam- era, Les Wagoner. Cast: Ethel Waters. Lena Home, Rex Ingram, Eddie 'Rochester* Anderson, Duke Elling- ton and band, Louis Armstrong, Kenneth Sioencer. Buck and. Bubbles, Moke and Poke. THE HUMAN COMEDY, comedy-drama: dir., Clar- ence Brown; no writing credits: camera, Harry Strad- ling Cast: Mickey Rooney, Frank Morgan. Van Johnson, Fay Bahiter. Donna Reed. Dorothy Morris. Marsha Hunt, Gene Kelly. Henry O'Neill, Richard Quirl, James Craig, Darryl Hickman, Batry Nelson. Ann Ayres. Rita Quigley. ASSIGNMENT TO BRITTANY, war film: dir.. Jack Conway; no writing credits; camera, Charles Rosher. Cast: Jean Pierre Aumont, Slgne Hasso, Reginald Owen. Susan Peters. Richard Whorf, Margaret wych- erly, George Coulouris, Darryl Hickman, John Emery. THREE HEARTS FOB JUUA, comedy drama; prod., John Considine, Jr.; dir., Richard 'Thorpe: no writing credits; camera, George Folsey. Cast: Reginald Owen, Marta Linden, Jacqueline White, Ann Richards, Rus- sell Gleason, Melvyn Douglas, Ann Sothern, Felix Bres- sart, Lee Bowman. Richard Ainley. NOTHING VENTURED, comedy drama; prod., Pan- dro Berman; dir., Wesley Ruggles; no writing credits; camera. Hal Rosson. Cast: Lana "Turner. Robert Yoimg, Walter Brennan. E^igene Pallette, Dame May Whiter, Pamela Blake, Howard Freeman, Millard Mitchell, Ward Bond. HALF-PINT KID, drama; prod., Irving Starr; dir., Charles Riesner; no writing credits; camera. Walter Lundin. Cast: Bobby Readick. William Gargan. Horace McNally, Frank Craven, Jay Ward. THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION, drama; prod., B. F. Zeldman; dir., Eddie Biizzell; no writing credits; cam- era, Charles Lawton. Cast: Virginia Weidler. Edward Arnold, Ann Ayars, John Carroll, Marta Linden, and guest star William Powell. Metro Fix In FrodncUon DR. GILLESBIE'il PRISON STORJT, . melodrama; dir., Willis Goldbeck; no writing credits; camera, Charles Lawton. Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Van John- son. Donna Reed, Keye Luke, Marilyn Maxwells John Craven, Alma Kruger. Walter Kingsford, Marie Blake, Nell Craig, Nat Pendleton. I DOOD IT, comedy-musical; prod.. Jack Cummings; dir., . Vincent Minnelli; no witting credits; camera, (Charles Rosher. Cast: Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, Jimmy Dorsey and-band.-— MB. JUSTICE GOES HUNTING, drama; prod.. Robert Sisk; dlc.JRoi.Aiw.land:. no writing credits; camera, Robert Wagner. Cast: Frank Morgan, Richard Carlson; Jean Rogers, Porter Hall, Robert Barrat, Donald Mac- Bride, Irving Bacon. ABOVE SUSPICION, drama; prod., Victor S^ille: dir., Richard Thori>e; no writing credits; camera, Robert Planck. Cast: Joan Crawford. Fred MacMurray, Basil Rathbone, Conrad Veldt, Reginald Owen. PRIVATE MISS JONES, drama in Technicolor: prod., Joseph Pasternak; dir., George Sidney; no writing credits: camera, George Folsey. Cast: Kathryn Gray- son. Gene Kelly, Jose Iturbi, Mary Astor, John Boles, Dick Simmons. PntnilanI Cam- Shoot- '4r-4S pletcd Ins Featnres 31 It 1 Westerns 16 4 • Now CultlDC T* s* 2 n 0 IS 29 Totals 50 18 1 2 Pictures in cutting room or awaiting release: LITTLE MOBSTERS, drama; prod.. Sam ICatzman; asso. prod.. Barney Sarecky; dir., Wallace Fox: screen play, Gerald Schnilzer; camera. Mack Slcnglcr. Cast: (Continued on page 18)