Variety (Dec 1942)

VedncBdayt December 83, 1942 PICTUBBa 7 Pathe's Raw Fdm Credit of 12.00I1000 Feet Due to M.OI Red's Shift to 20th Raw stock situation affecting news- reels remains obscure though Indl- caUons last week were that only 100 feet instead at 150 would be cut from each semi-weekly edition of approxi- mately 850 feet. The smaUer cut is regarded likely as a result of Lowell Melletfs offer to provide 50 feet per issue (500 feet per week for all reels) from Office of War Informa- tion stock to the reels. A reduction in the number of prints per issue, currently around 350, is also believed likely since the owl stock offered would not be suf- ficient to maintain bookings on the current level. Pathe has opposed a general 12% cut in newsreel length because this reel is generally shorter than the others, usually running from 700 to 725 feet as compared with 850 to 900 feet. Pathe, on the other hand, has some 12,000,000 feet of stock available as a result of the March of Time switch to 20th-Fox. M. O. T. failed to re- ceive an okay from the War Produc- tion Board to transfer its raw stock allocation from RKO to 20th when it changed distribs. As a result, Pathe has the 12,000,000-foot allot- ment which could be used to main- tain the reel's usual lepgth. Twentieth-Fox, meantime, had been trying to have March of Time classifications as a newsreel for raw stock allocation purposes. This ap- plication was denied and the later WPB ruling placing newsreels under the same raw stock limitations as features makes it necessary for 20th to divert footage for M. O. T. from its feature and Movietone alloca- tions. Under proposed plans the Ave reels would agree not to exceed 750 feet in length, instead of 850 or BOO feet. No plan for joint Industry or Government operation has been ap- proved for the time being. CHARGE flXTRirCKERS REMISS ON DELIVERIES San Francisco, Dec. 22. Local distributor.s have filed com- plaints v/tih the State Railroad Com- mission against film truckers, de- claring laxity in delivery and dis- rupting theatre schedules for two months. Commission is placing spot- ters at various points to determine If | truckers are re.'iponsible for time i losses. Stale body has power to take away truckers' franchise for failure to live up to agreements. 'Daddies' Dusted Off By WB for Leslie Hollywood, Dec. 22. Warners assigned Joan Leslie to play the star role in 'Daddies,' orig- inated on the stage by Jeanne Eagels as a David Belasco production. John Lk Hobble's legit script will be modernized for the screen with a war background by Gertrude Purcell. PAR HAS 12,000 CONTRACTS TO DATE Selling three blocks of five each, a total of 15 pictures. Paramount last week hit a new record of get- ting 1,975 contracts, according to Neil F. Agnew, v.p. over distribu- tion. This places the total number of contracts on current season's (1942-43) film at over 12,000, while for the same period last year the number of deals were 6,233. Par's fourth -block of film, also five pictures, will not be offered for sale until after the first of the year. RKO's first three groups this sea- son, numbering 15, hqve been bought under circuit deals by Wil- by-Kincey, covering the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee, and Alabama; the Lucas St Jenkins string in Georgia; Malco, operating in west- ern Tennessee and Arkansas; and the Par circuit in the Miami zone. Nat Levy, eastern division sales head for RKO, and Dave Prince, southeastern district manager for the company, closed the deals with the southern circuits. THEM INTO 1ST-RUNS In Tightly-Controlled Circuit Keys Continued Engage- ments Are Decreasing Due to Need for Greater Outlet for New Pictures—Move- over Policy Long an Exhib Beef Producers Switching From 1 Studio To Another Argue WPB ShouIdNot Penalize Them on Raw Fdm Quotas SUB-RUNS MOVE UP Moveover. houses are decreasing in number, especially in key situa- tions where film is becoming badly blocked due to gradual extension of runs since t'ne war began, plus lack of enough theatres to provide suffi- cient outlet for the product of all distributors. Operators who devised the so- called moveover policy, causing a cry of protest among subsequent runs, are now making first-runs out of such houses in order to play pictures that are becoming backed up and, in some cases, suffer from laclc of timeliness, inability to get dates over holidays and advance advertising which has lost its sting. Least Felt io N. T. The problem on blocked films is least felt In a city like New York where most distributors have their own showcases but in various large keys where a single circuit has virtual control of runs and policy, it has become a fight for bookers trying to get time. The situation is keenest in such cities as Detroit, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Chicago and Pittsburgh, where defense industry has made it po^ible for the better films to play exceptionally long en- gagements. Even lesser film goes much farther in such zones and elsewhere than formerly. Thus, not only are majors backed up on dates in scores of situations but so are the secondary distributors. Condition resultant upon war and (Continued on page 16) Rep. Reissuing 8 Autrys While Sgt. Is ill Service Hollywood, Dec. 22. Republic is reissuing eight Sgt. I Gene Autry pictures next year while the cowboy star is in the Army. Subjects were selected from the most popular Autry has made since first galloping on the screen seven years ago. Beginning Jan. 15, a tii - <ts will go out at 6-week interval? GOODWARNEWS HYPOS AMUS. STOCKS Improved news from various war fronts stimulated the stock market last week with a whole string of motion picture stocks' pushing up to new highs of year as others hit new levels for recent weeks. Thursday was the banner day, film shares boasting gains of SOc to $1.50, in- creased interest in stock shares bringing two 1,000,000-share days In succession. New talk of inflation re- sulted from the shakeup in the OPA. this also helping the bullish trend. Advances by film company stocks extended all down the line from Columbia Pictures to Warner Bros. Former neared its 1942 peak at $11.25 with indications that the im- proved first quarter (of fiscal year) net profit would push the shares to new levels for the year. Consoli- (Continued on page 16) Raw Film Freeze Extended Pending New WPB Ration Washington, Dec. 22. Pending issuance of a new order making effective the proposed fur- ther cut in allocation of film to mo- tion picture producers and distribu- tors the War Production Board has extended its freeze order on film stocks in the hands of manufacturers to Dee. 31. The new fllrr allocation order which will put into effect a reduc- tion of 12 >4 to 30 percent of the film available to producers and distribu- tors in 1941, is expected to be issued any day. Under the present order the producers and distributors are receiving 10 to 24 percent of the film they had available in 1941. The extension order was the second one issued since the original order, L-178, was issued. The pre- (19)"^ extension expired Saturday ' Kudos and ScalHons Hollywood, Dec. 22. Cary Grant and Rosalind Bus- sell were awarded golden apples by Hollywood Women's Press Club as the most co-operative film actor and actress of 1942. Crabapples voted to George San- ders and Jean Arthur as 'most un- co-operative". ^^Shotv Business At War" THEME OF THE 37th ANNIVERSARY NUMBER of To Be Published Soon USUAL ADVERTISING RATES PREVAIL Special Exploitation Advantages Reservations and Copy May Be Wired to Any Variefy Office NEW YORK 154 W. 46th St HOLLYWOOD 1708 No. Vine St CHICAGO 54 W. Rcmdolph St LONDON 8 SL Martin's PL strong opposition has developed against that phase of the War Pro- duction Board film allocation system whereby producers switchirtj from one studio to another can be de- prived of celluloid. Under current regulations, it is pointed out by top industry execs, a producer changing releasing outlet.s is deprived of nor> mal film allotments. Independent producers arc thus, in one way, in- advertently frozen to distribs while those iiot tied up with any major are at a disadvantage in setting up releases. Controversy has arisen regarding the classification to be given to in- dependent producers under the raw stock allocation methods. Conten- tion is that independents should not be deprived of bargaining powers in making releasing deals with any of the II major distribs recognized by the War Production Board fir raw film allocation purposes. Independ- ents are now largely dependent uprn the distribs for stock. Precedent set in the War Produc- tion Board's refusal to allow March of Time to transfer its raw stock al- location from Pathe to 20th-Foj(, when distribution was transferred to the latter, has focused additional at- tention on the problem. Some formula is under considera- tion, from accounts, whereby inde- pendent producers would be able to obtain celluloid tor production in cases where a distrib cannot make stock available without penalizing one of the producers already on the lot. A number of distribs, however, argue against giving independent producers a specific classification for raw stock allocation, claiming that where a producer cannot effect a release the quality of the product must be considered such that it does not warrant stock allocation. Indications are that the status of - the independent producer insofar as raw stock is concerned will be clari- fied before long, with some adjust- ment likely so that producers switch- ing distribs will not be left on the outside. COL CLOSING BIGGEST YEAR; 26 PIX READY Hollywood. Dec. 22. With 17 features in the backlog and nine more in various stages of pro- duction, Columbia is winding up the - heaviest year in its history. In addition to those in cold stor- age, now in work are 'Destroyer-,' 'Boy From Stalingrad.' 'Broadway Daddies,' 'Frontier Fury.' and a .still untitled George Stevens production. 5'.iB!8bed-.bi»tore the lenses huL stilL. in the cutting rooms are 'Murder In Times Square.' 'Revilie With Bever- ly,' 'Riding West." 'After Midnight With Boston Blackie' and 'Suicide Range.' Technicolor Spreads Work Week to 40 Honrs Hollywood. Dec. 22. Technicolor made the first move in the motion picture industry to extend the work week by increas- ing from 36 to 40 hours. Members of Film Techniciatvs Local 683 okayed the deal when it became apparent that the union would have to issue a great many additional work permits if it did not agree to the extra hours. Technicians, now on a five-day basis, will receive four hours addi- tional pay per week, without over- time. Majority of the workers fa- vored the extra four hours, rather than insist on a continuation of the 36-hour week, which would have made more permit men necessary.-