Variety (Dec 1942)

PICTURES Wedncsdajt December 23, 1912 Selznicks 'Oscar' Pitch For BriiKh 'In Whkli We Serve Picture (UA) Hollywood, Dec. 22. Pi'otG.<;t against early clo.siiii; ol CMli-ics for tbe Oscar derby was filed with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by David O. Selznick, acting as owner-member of United Artists, which is handling the American release of the British- made picture, 'In Which We Serve.' Academy announced on Dec. 7 th;i: pictures up for nomination must open for a week's public run in Los An- geles prior to Dec. 31. Sel7jiick jjointed out that United Artists might have been able to And a deluxe house to show picture if lufTicienl warning of the switch in closing lime had been given. Un- derstood he suggested the English- made film should have a chance to compete with Hollywood product, if only as friendly gesture to Great Britain. Ill a wire to the Academy presi- dent, David O. Selznick chargeil the awards' body,.placed certain pro- ducers and artists at a disadvantage by moving up the deadline for elig- Ibles. Selznick stated his objections were based on the late date at which ■ change in rules was made, giving eligible for Academy award con- sideration. Selznick advocated changing the amended rules to their original form. If the original rule Is now unfair, he added, the Acad- emy, is 'pleading guilty to grave in- justices in former years.' Selznick further stated that if the Academy does not choose to reiii- •tate former rules, then in fairness any change should be deferred for one year so that producers and artists would not be penalized by the lateness of the change. Macgowan's Six Stirring Hollywood. Dec. 22. In addition to 'Jane Eyre,' now practically ready (or lensing, Ken- neth Macgowan has Ave stories in various stages of preparation on his production schedule at 20th-Fox. Pictures are 'Mr. Bullfinch Takes a Walk," 'Happy Land,' 'Stars and Stripes Forever,' The Story of Dr. Bethune' and an untitled yarn by Albert Shelby Levino on a war theme, still a secret COLUMBU'S 13-WEEK NET UP 50€ TO 312G 6 MAJORS POOLING TO BUY WESTERN COSTUME Hollywood, Dec. 22. Six major studios are formin.q a pool to purchase the Western Cos- tu le Co. to keep Intact the large stock of period and other costumes owned by the company. Joseph Schnitzer, head of Western, recently suffered a heart attack, and is re- tiring from bi:siness, Industry figured it would be loser If the vast stocks assembled over a period of years were sold piecemeal at auction. Comi^anies pooling for the purchase are Warners, 20th-Fox. RKO, Columbia, Universal. and Re- public. |Daiighter,16,of AIRosen Dies of Pozzliiig Ailment The second New York film man within a month to experience the death of a daughter is Al Rosen, manager of Loew's State on Broad- way, whose 16-year-old girl. Avis, passed away Thursday noon il7) as result of a mysterious brain ailment. John E. McDermott ,in charge of the accoimting department at Para- mount, lost his daughter, known professionally as Grace Vaughn. 20. In the . Boston Cocoanut Grove fire Nov. 28. Mi.ss Rosen's Illness started with a cold, then followed a fever of 106 and a fatal coma. Brain and other specialists were called in, with scrum obtained from the Police De- partment as a last resort. It was thought a fall In the gymnasium may have been responsible but doc- tors dispelled this theory since she had apparently not hurt herself in the fall. Miss Rosen, who would have been 17 this coming February, was at- tending a girls school in N. Y. A few weeks ago she had been offered • model's spot on the Coast by N.T.G. (Nils T. Granlund) but she had no interest in the offer. Funeral services were held Sun- day (20) at Riverside Memorial Chapel, N. Y. ' Surviving are her father, mother and grandmother. Twiee HenMcd Hollywood, Dec. 22. John Garradine and Dean Jaggcr ^erc signed by Monogram to play double villainy as co-stars in the chiller picture, 'No Escape.' Filming starts Jan. 4 with King Bros, producing and Harold Young directing. Columbia Pictures net profit (or the first 13 weeks o( the company's fiscal year ending last Sept. 26 was $312,000, which is $50,000 Increase over the $262,000. shown (or cor- responding period last year. Although operating profit o( Columbia rose to $989,000 (or this fiscal year (roih $311,000 m the ilrsi 13 weeks ending on Sept 27. 1941, provision (or Federal income and excess profits taxes pared the net profit. Company wrote ort $677,000 for both income and excess profits taxes or more than six times greater than the $109.Q00 in the first 13 weeks of 1941 fiscal year. COLUMBIA PICTURES EARNINGS • 1930-42 1930 $1,295,958 1931 560.869 1932 574,292 1933 740.241 1934 1.008,834 1935 1,815.267 1936 1,568.816 1937 1.317.771 1938 183.393 1939 2,047 1940 512.185 1941 552.744- 1942 1,611,659 (By Quarters for Fiscal Year Ended Jnnc 27, 194$) First Second Third Fourth Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter $261,705 $470,044 $204,200 $669,709 (By Quarters (or Fiscal Tear Ending In June, 1943) First Second Third Fourth Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter $312,00 Busy Mr. Baerwitz Hollywood, Dec. 22. Metro handed Sam Baerwitz a three-way credit as producer, di- rector and writer on the Our Gang musical, 'Calling All Kids,* which goes into production this week. Not content with his three jobs, Baerwitz wrote lyrics (or 'Our Fa- vorite Stars' and 'A Salute to the Army, Navy and Marines,' to be sung in the short. LOCATION HOPS WAR CASUALTY Hollywood, Dec. 32. Long location treks by rail are out, except in (eatures directly concerned with war morale in cooperation with the Government, according to pro- ducers who once sent crews all over the country to film sequences in legitimate local backgrounds. Uni- versal's 'We've Never Been Licked' (Walter Wanger) is a morale story, based on the training of Army o(- flcers at College Station, Tex., but the cast and crew on the return trip I \yiA»\i k\ ^' '( ^ ikm»,:iiiS^W<iie!it y t £ iAm'J''>. ir-P-^-'A-Iand and Fred Wil- groups. A illm company can't hire No Cuss Words Allowed id M.O.T.S IVIarines' Either, But A^eal Pends Hollywood, Dec. 22. All of Hunt Stromberg's produc- tions (or United Artists release until the end o( 1945 wUl be flhned at General Service Studios, under a new contract with Benedict Bogeaus, president of the rental lot. Other UA producers renting space at the OS studio are Edward Small, Charles R. Rogers, Alexander Korda and Arnold Preasburger. METRO UPS SIX SHORTS PILOTS, ADDS SIX MORE Hollywood. Dec. 22. Metro has signed six new shorts directors in recent weeks. They are Walter Hart, Bert Glazer. Gunther Fritsch. Cy Endfleld, Harold Daniels and Michael Audley. New pilots were appointed to All vacancies caused by the uppage of Jules Das'in, Allen Kenward, George Indies' Sonndies, First Since Music Union Tabu Two indie, production outfits com- pleted a batch of soundies this week for the film jukeboxes. These are the first soundies made since the American Federation of Muscians ban on recordings, transcriptions and sound tracks. John Graham did a group of six. using sound tracks of the Louis Jordan and Victor Young Orchs that were shipped on from Chicago. Since Young ■ has been on the Coast for some time, and Jordan left Chicago before the AFM record- ing ban, the producer had no qualms about using the sound tracks, i.e.. they preceded the tabu. The Jordon combo were screened sans their in- struments for four of these shorts while the Harvest Moon Lindy Hoppers and a couple of other acts were u.sed to animate the Victor Young music. Meanwhile LOL Productions, Inc.. did a group of 10 soundies. using vocalists, choral groups and non- union musical instruments. Two of the shorts were calypso, two used the Borrah Minnevitch Harmonica Rascals, others used The Heatwaves, a vocal group, the Marian Lawrence Dancers, Serge DeCarlo, a baUet dancer, and group doing a number of polkas. All the accompaniment was provided by non-union instru- mentations. special trains any more, Studio location managers admit they arc frustrated on mass hauling for the (lLir;',tion. From now on, the distant backgrounds will be handled hy the process and special effects dt'partmcni.s in the studios. Philly Indies Resolve To Shut Down Mondays For Gen'l Gmserration Philadelphia, Dec. 22. Philly ind-.es yesterday rec- ommended that all theatres in the U. S. clo.se on Monday of each week for the duration. The action would conserve fuel, e.ssential services, manpower and critical material, the re.solution adopted by a meet- ing of most of the leading indies, pointed out. The meeting was sponsored by independent theatre owners of eastern Pennsylvania and the com- mittee of 38 at the Broadwood ho- tel. More than 80 operators rep- resenting upwards of 200 theatres at- tended. The resolution, presented by David Barrist, pa.ssed without a dissenting vote. Harriet had advocated that the exhibs petition the Government to ask the nation's theatres to shut- down on Mondays, but the con- sensus of the meeting was for thea- tre-owners to agree to such a move without the need for Government action. PALS m PEEn. Hollywood, Dec. 22. Kay Aldrlch and Allan Lane are the new clifThanger tops in Repub- lic's forthcoming chapter play, 'Daredevils of the West' Serial Is a combination of hoss riding adventures with a wartime background, galloping early in January. Good War News ^ Continued from pare T dated Film Industries (Republic) preferred also advanced fractionally to near the year's peak of $9. Loew's. always bellwether of amusement group, soared several points during the week to approach its previous high of $40.75. Para- mount common hovered around the year's best price of $17.50 with sub- i^tantial gains on the two big trad- ing sessions. Par preferred scored sensational advances to near the 1942 peak of $123.75. RKO common made a new high at $3.87^4 with much better than the usual frac- tional gains. Both 20th-Fox common and pre- ferred were strong, the latter coming closest to its year's top. Universal preferred, on the big board, equalled its 1942 peak at $161. U common raced ahead $2 into new high ground at $35 per share while the certifi- cates of Universal common advanced more than $1 to $9.12Vi. Warner Bros, common also was a strong performer, pushing up in heavy dealings (which made it one of the most active stocks on the N. Y. Stock Exchange) to best price of year at $8.37'4. Warner's pre- ferred also was stout being close to its best 1942 level of $80.75. Tech- nicolor also stiffened to within the best level of year while Monogram, ordinarily inactive, was pushed up to $1, highest quotation of 1942. cox t<. feature statu.s. ROYSTERS' ACCIDENT Netro Circuit Exec and Wife Skid In Their Car H.nrry . Roysler, in ch.irge of op- eration of the Nelco circuit of up- state New York theatres for Para- mount, and Mrs. Roy.ster, arc in the Cold Springs ho.-^pitnl al Cold Springs. N. Y.. as re.nilt of an'acci- dent Monday c21) when their car skidded and struck a tree near that town. ^ While Roystcr suffered no visible damage, he is under observation to determine whether there were any internal injuries as result of the crash. Hi.s wife su.slaincd a frac- tured ankle and cuts about the face. The Roysters were en route to N. Y. from Poughkecpsie when the accident occurred. Operator ol Netco was coming down to attend a War Activities Committee meeting. Film Moveover — Continued from page T money-jammed pockets has created a reverse position on playoff .since film clears faster in N. V. now than it does in various other parts of the country. It was generally I he op- po.sile before. However, in N. Y. il- .self pictures are frequently, held up for some time in spite of the many first-run theatres in existence. N. Y. does not have any moveover houses, where a picture shifts from a fir.st-run to another theatre with- out any lap.se of time between. While in the past, subsequent-run operators have squawked long and loudly against moveover engage- ments on the ground that they were .second-runs under another name, the distributors have never done anything about it. Now. with move-' over houses starting to disappear from the .scene, the second-run thea- tre is nearer to the pictures he has bought except where the initial run extends the engagement further than it otherwise would have done. As it is, subsequent runs have been complaining houses up front are holding film so long it's worn out by the time they get It. March of Time and Time. Inc., carried its fight to have the ordered eliminations of the PCA left in 'We Are the Marines,' feature production being released by 20th-Fox, directly to the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors Assn. directors last week. Loiils de Rochemont, pro- ducer of M. of T., and legal staff of Time, appeared before the directors at the regular December session last Thursday <17), but the directorate took no action pending actual inspec- tion of 'Marines.' Directors were supposed to look at the picture over the weekend and convene in ad- journed session Monday i21), but this session was not held for lack of quorum. M. of T. had given previous notice that it was going to appeal the dele- tions ordered by the PCA. Conten- tion of T!m« spokesmen before the directors was that the swear-words deleted is typical marine language employed at the battlefront and es- sential to the faithful reproduction of factual material in the film. "Charles Freoe. MPPD.\ vice-pres- ident and coun.sel, giving the PCA side of the story, backed up the eliminations, pointing out the precedent which would be estab- lished if such words as 'baslard.s.' 'hell' and 'damn' were permitted to go through in this production. His contention was that such swear words were not essential. But the main thesis he presented was that if these swear words and cxpre.ssions were allowed to go through in 'Marines,' succeeding productions would strive for harsher cursing. Once the bars are let down,'the sky might become the limit' he claimed. The MPPDA directorate will rule on 'Marines' ns soon as the different directors have seen the picture. Un- * less a .special exception is made on the film, the PCA code would have to be modified or tempered in order to allow the picture to go through intact with the banned wordage. There has been some' talk of allow- ing certain leeway in PCA handling of future pictures where ballefront scenes appear to call for vivid curs- ing, but thus far there has been little inkling that the code will he ] modified in any way. The special treatment for wartime stories might i)e considered, but the theory that there should be no lessening of the guards on screen morals appears to have the usual backing among in- dustry leaders. At one of the forthcoming ad- journed meetings of the MPPDA directorate, the budget for 1943 is scheduled to come up for approval. It also is likely that several angles or" the public relations campaign may come up for final approval. Par's Shift In Mpls. Minneapolis, Dec. 22. Policy change by Paramount cir- cuit Involving two loop theatres here will permit more pictures to 'break' weekly and probably be available sooner for neighborhood and suburban situations. The Cen- tury, now used mainly for extended runs of pictures, which play the State first, will house only first- runs henceforth. The Lyric will be the extended run theatre in its place. Latter house has been operated un- der subsequent run policy. No pro- vision is made for bringing pictures back downtown for a second rim. Total number of loop first-run houses, with the Centui^'s inclusion, will be six, the others being the State, Orpheum, World, Gopher and Aster, all of them In a Paramount circuit pool. JONES TAGGED BY U FOR FOUR MUSICALS Hollywood, Dec. 22. Universal signed Allan Jones for a fourth filmusical in addition to the three-picture deal recently fin- ished. New pact calls for a co- starrer with Kitty Carlisle in 'Cross Your Fingers,' slated to start early next month with Howard Benedict producing. Jones has just completed 'When Johnny Comes Home,' lo be rclca.sed New Year's. This is the Phil Spi- talny film. The two other films under his three-picture pact were 'Rhythm of the Islands' and 'Moon- light In Havana.' The Effect on Effects Hollywood. Dec. 22. Committee to draft rules to gov- ern special effects for this year's Academy Award was announced by Walter Wanger, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.' Chairman of the new group is Farciot Edouart. Other members are Lionel Banks, McClurc Capp's. John Cosgrove, John Fulton. Arnold Gillespie, Byron Haskin, Russell Kim- ball. Harry Leonard; Louis Mcscnkop. Fred Sersen, Hal Shaw, James Stewart, Vernon Walker and S. J. Tur ininf*