Variety (Mar 1943)

^te^MfMlay. March 24, 194t USSSIETr PICTUBBS 29 Power Maub Ptts Ittjpk jkafres On Fritz on Biggest RO Ni^t (Sat) Indianapolis, Jklarch 23. 0<iu-iuo\vn Alin houses were filled to C!i|):ic'iiy hiTe Saturday niRht (20>, wlicii teri'ilic explosions in an under- eniiind cable conduit disrupted elec- trir service on the AC circuits for twii iiiui H huir hours. The explo- siur:s, liciicved lo have been caubcd hy uii uccunuiliition of gas, occun-ed at 8:.10 p.m.. when theslricai trade u-iis at Ha helRht, House llRhts, de- pondoiu nil DC current, were avuil- ,iblc. bill niiii'quvo lights and projec- tion bouMi.;; were completely blacked Ulll. Siraiulil lilm huu.se.-: were hit tintil 11 \). m. Bill Elder, manaiier of L<ii'w'.<. I'eiiiii'iert that approximately 5UU rofuiuls and comeback tickel.< were (liven customers who wouldn't . wait. The «reat majority, however. rciiiaiiK-d in their scats uiitil electric ' service was restored. Operation was re.'-'unied :il \\-M p. m. and continued iinlil 1:1') Siindiiy morning. The Ciivlv. in the middle of it.^ piclurc at the lime the lights went oiili hurriedly rounded up Lucky Milliii'lor's band and Eupix>rtin{; acts and put (in iu-t st;iKe show within halt an hoiii'. Keith's also rushed il.s vauiiovi'U- into action tO' keep the cu.-itoniers quiet. Local radio .ilation.s were -off tl'.e air. and many downtown buildinRs. i i,j,„c<, ,„ .,iimulale community gar bvitation to Comedy Supplemental to the regular trade screenings for exhibitors in all its exchange territories, Metro will hold .special invitation .showings of 'Human Comedy' in ai branch cen- tei« April ti to l.r GuMts will in- clude civic, social and industrial leader!:, local press and radio repre- sentatives and community leaders. In several of the key cities where the cuITu screenings will be held Metro has taken over legit theatres. Special advertising campaign, to tie in with the invitation showings has been worked out by Metro for newspapers in each of the 31 ex- change keys. REP SHOOTS WOKKS ON ROY ROGERS PIX Hollywood. March 23. Republic Is upping the budgets on all future Roy Rogers westerns to $390,000 or more, with $200,000 ear- marked annually for national adver- tising and an additional 8100,000 set aside for promniion and newspaper ads in key cities where the buckaroo pictures will be shown. To aid the buildup, Rogers will make three tours of one month each, starting May 1, Aug. 2 and Oct. 1, and covering the northwest, midwest and New England states. RKO Theatres to Award $10,000 in War Bonds To Victory Gardeners RKO will award approximately $10,000 in War Bond.s and Stamps to ainaleiir Victory gardenei'.'t. ac- cordin;; li> E. L. Alperson, general manaiivr of the circuit, in a contest entirely depciident on AC current, in- | cludin:; several hotels, were in total i eelpise. EnKli^h's theatre, playin^s 'Junior Mis.-;,' was unalTected. deiiing activitic' Theatres will conduct their own fair and conie.^l, seltiii;; up local rutc.<. Around S4.500 of the total price coin is being set aside for RKO hon.<cs in the metropolitan Mew York area. Garden publication editors and other authoriiic.x are being recruited lu ."^crve a.s jud;;(us. UNRELEASED NOVE TO SELZNICK FOR $30,000 Hollywood, March 23. David O. Sclznick last week pur-1 cha.scd the screen rights to 'Sinre I OATU'C NET PRAlin' You Went Away," novel by Margaicl fcvlll iJ llbl I ItVlll In '42, {10,600,000 Buell Wilder, slated for June pub lication by Whittlesey House, at re- ported price oC $30,000. Selznick al-o en;ta»;ed the author fur 10 weeks to work on ihe screen treatment. Ladies Home Journal is also pub- lishing the novel in the June issue. Republic acquired screen rights lo Kurt Siodmak's novel, 'Donovan's Brain.' George Raft bought an untitled original by Rowland Brown, possibly ^or his own independent production. Paul Gallico sold his mag serial, 'Romance of Henry Menafee,' to Metro. Several important legit entries are Consolidiited net profit of 20lh-Fux for 1942 was $10,600,000 according to a company estimate made yesterday (Tuesday). This compares with $4,921,920 con.^iolidatcd net in 1941, beiiiK ofler oil charges and provision for Federal taxes in both instances. This represents $3.30 per common share as against $2.03 a year age. 20th-Fox estimated its fourth quar^ ter consolidated net profit at S3.300.- 000 a.s compared with $3,372,762 in the final quarter of 1941 and $3,065,- 109 in the third. 1942 quarter. Outlay for Federal taxes nearly holding attention of major nim com-j "-eK'*'' during 1942 company esti J . .u I inatuig provision for all Federal ' I taxation at $7,460,000 of which pany play department toppers week. Among them are 'Kiss and Tell.' 'Men in Shadow,' 'Oklahoma' (for- merly 'Green Grow the Lilacs'), which opened in Boston last week, and 'Dancing in the Streets,* Vinton Freedley musical with Mary Martin, which 0|>encd in Boston last night (Tuesday). Reported that Columbia Pictures has a piece of 'Oklahoma.' 20th-Fox bought Dodd's Diar.v' and a companion piece. 'Through Embassy Eye.s.' writ- ten by Martha Dodd, daughter of the former U. S. Aml>assador to Ger- many. Yarns will be combined into one picture. Peler Milne and Jack Rubin .sold an untitled story to Universal for an Andrews Sisters film. Paramount purchased 'Muiislry of Fear.' novel by Graham Greene. 'Amba.s.sador ! likely will mid-April. $2,010,000 is for excess profits taxes. In 1U41. it paid $2,273,000. Statement by 20th-Fox also placed consolidated earnings of Nktional Theati-es, in which it owns a 42''<'' interest, at $3,300,000 as against $2,397,246 in 1941. Company bene- fitted to the extent of $7.56.000 a.s a result of $1 divvy declared by Na- tional in the fourth 1942 quarter. Complete 1042 financial .statement go to stockholders in ire Hollywood, March 23. Chillers get h heavy play on the RKO production schedule. Three harrowing horrors have been added following the smash biz by The Cat People.' New gooseflesh stories, now in the writing mill, are 'Curse of the Cat People,' 'The Amorous Ghost' and 'The Screaming SkulL' LeRoy Directs Xnrie' After Lewin Relieved Hollywood. March 23. Albert Lewin resigned as director of 'Madame Curie' at Metro and was replaced by Mcrvyn LeRoy after two weeks of shooting. Footage already shot will remain in the picture. Con- troversy was about the handling of the central character, played by Griser Garson, and the general tenor of the story, based on the discovery of radium. Lewin stepped out after • confer- ence with Sidney Franklin, and Ed- ward J. Mannix. Understood he will be given another director chore on the same lot. Star of the picture was not Involved in the' argument. 20th Digs Own River Bed for Ifemadette' Hollywood. March 23. Engineers at 20ih-Fox are digging ail ai'tinciul stream on the back lot which once served as a water hole on a golf course. When compTcled. it will be a section of the River Gave as background for numerous se- quences in the forthcoming picture, 'Song of Bernadeite.' Studio is constructing its own river to obviate the necessity of lo- cation trips, dilTicult under wartime conditions. Digging and pipe-laying will cost about $23,000. chiefly for labor, with no new materials in volved. Production is budgeted near $2,000,000. Prepare To Battle Continued (rom pate • should make the D. of J. conscious of the present system's weaknesses. The average cxhib favors the prin- ciple of arbitration and feels that it has been administered well by the American Arbitration A-ssn. but that the provisions and machinery, as set up by the decree, are unsatisfactory. So far the D. of J. has not con- tacted distribs with respect to the decree from Nov. 20 on but by that date one of three things must l>e done: 1. Continue the decree perma- nently, with possible modifications, or accept a substitute trade practices code. 2. Declaration by the D. of J. that the decree has been a failure and proceed with the anti-trust suit against the live companies who signed the decree for the three-year trial period. 3. Drop the suit against the so- called Big Five, permitting the dis- tribs signatory to the decree to do business along the same lines as they did prior to it: also to acquire thea- tres without Ihe restrictions impo.scd by the decree. Continue Small Bluvkn Even if the decree becomes a thing of the past this fall, it is predicted in major sales circles that consent distributors v.-uuld probably continue .selling film .singly or in small groups, with nil product so-cened before be- ing ofTei-ed to exhibs. They have found this system highly satisfactory in spite of the added co.sLs of selling. Monogi-am. planning 24 features for next season < 1943-44). has just an- nounced it will sell three blocks of eight each. Under the .so-called 'e.scape clause' of the decree the Big Five were not obliged this season to restrict blocks to no mni-e than five each or to screen the pictures first. However. Par, RKO, WB and 20lh have been sticking lo groups no larger than Ave, while Metro has so tar this sea- son sold one bunch of 12, another of 10 and a third of five. In all cases. Ihc.decres distribs have been screen- ing everything prior to sale. The 'escape clause' of the decree provides that it the Government did not .succeed in bringing the Little Three (Universal, United Artists and Columbia) under the decree by Juiie 1 last, then the Big Five would be relieved on 1942-43 product, starting Sept. 1, 1942, of holding blocks down :o five,and trade.showing the films. Local 306 (o M bdns for Wjq;e B( If WLB Obys 10% Hike Ry Majors Wi $7^*48,000 Net Western Electric earned only $7, 348,000 in 1942, despite a +4'-; in crease in total sales over the pi-C' vious year. Profit compares with $16,428,000 in 1941. W. E. showed $1.26 per share of capital stock as against $3.07 in 1941. Corporation paid only $1 in dividends in the past year as compared with S3 for 1941. Figures rclea>cd thi.s. week show total sales for past year as $.'iS3.282,00Or or 33^;. ahead ut pre- vious peak year of 1929. Besides higher 0|>crating costs, additional outlay for plants and ma- terial. Western Electric provision for taxes amounted to $74,642,000 ns against $57,010,000 in 1041. Sales to government Increased during the year, unfilled orders for U. S. total- ing $936,142,000 on last Dec. 31.- Wash. State Repeals Amos. Tax, but Cities Win Like^ Make Uvy Seattle. March 23. The state admission tax on amuse- ments was repealed by the recent Washington state legislature, and the preemption of the state to levy such a tax canceled. This throws the right to tax back to cities and counties, in this pai-- ticular field. The tax was Ic on every 20c admish or fraction. In Seattle It's a certainty the city coun- cil will levy a license tax the equal of the relinquished state tax. Othor cities, all needing funds, will doubt- less do likewise. Lo.ss of gasoline lax money to cities, due lo gas rationing and de- creased use of cars, together with influx of more population, is double- barreled reason for city's wanting the amu.A'nent tax dough. H. M. Hone, secretary of Allied Exhibitors of Washington, was lob- byist for theatres at Olympia. * Having applied to the War Labor Board for a 10% Increase from major chains operating in tha Grealcr New York area, basing its claim on. increased costs in living. Local 306, Moving Picture Machine Operators of N. Y., will later seek the same boost from the independent exhibitor.s. > However, before doing this, th« union plans waiting to see what ac- tion the WLB will lake on its peti- tion for 10'. more, re>;aidle>s oT existing contracts, from Loew's. RKO. Warner, Paramount: Skouruj and Randfurce circuits, which are in Ihe so-called major scale group. Local 306 has been pre.s.sing fi>r action from the WLB, but reported that, although it was one of the ftr.st to file for lncrea.ses with the N'.' V. rrgional office of the WLB. other cases subsequently brought have been given preference Believe lhat this may be due to the urgency of the other ca.scs. AI.<o. undei'slood there are about 7.000 caves before the N. Y. WLB office awaitinn. de- cision at present. Should 306 obtain approval of • lO'i boost in salary from the major.s, this would establish a precedent under increa.sed-costs-of-Iiving pro- visions of the Wage Stabili;:ation Act and thus a similar increase from tha indie exhibs may become automatic. The indies are grouped under the long-term contract held with tha Independent Theatre Ownei'.$ Assn. BERGEN, KYSER LINKED IN MUSICAL AT PAR Hollywood, March 23. Paramount is lining up a fllmUsi- cal, 'Keep 'Em Singing.' as a co- starrer for Edgar Bergen and Kay Kyscr. Allan Dwan will produce and di- rect, from a story by Ralph Spence. Chmese Word for It Becomes Fihn Title Hollywood. March 23. 'Cling Ho,' battlecry of the Second Marine Raider Battalion at Guadal- canal, is the title of a featiu-e to be made by Walter Wanger. glorifying Uncle Sam's Leathernecks. It is an old Chinese term, meanint; 'work togiither.* Picture will be made for Univer- sal on a high budget, with the ap- proval of Brig. Gen. Robert L. Denig, in charge of public relations for the Marine Corps. Disney's Latin Snrpriser POSTPONE SUNDAY PIX IN CANADA FOR TROOPS Ottawa .March 23. Defense minister Col. Ralston hai 'postponed' plans for opening com- mercial picture houses on Sundays for troops. Ralston had previously planned an 'experiment' in Halifa.x, Ottawa. Edmonton and Winnipeg to provide Sunday screenings for troops as a morale booster, but ha has told the Lord's Day Allianca that he would hold off until tha churches take stock of their Sabbath recreational facilities. . Religious groups for some tima have been blasting at the possibility of Sunday pix, claiming they pro- vided enough entertainment in church halls and similar places tor the troops on Sundays. Church Asks Sun. PIx In Pa. Harrlsburg, Pa., March 23. Pennsylvania Icgislatoi-s. up to their necks 'in protests against pas- sage of legislation which w.)ul(l lesalize Sunday pix for vil'.licis. this week received a request from a chiiiTh group, urging the pa.'sage of ll.ie le^iishilion ut once. Further- mo)-e. the communication urged \if elii<.'ion of war workei-s in the bill. Tile resolution, adopted by tha congregation of the Fir..it Unitarian church of Harrisburg. was .sent to the .senate, where memlMifs are con- sidering leijislalion lo permit Sunday pix within ;i 13-mile radiu.-' ul serv- icemen's bases. Hollywood. March 23. Mexico and Cuba will furni.sh backgi'ounds for the next Walt Dis- ney feature cartoon. 'Surprise Pack- age' devoted to the bctlemicnt of | * Brokerage Union, CIO, in Wall Phiel Leaves SOPEG William Piiiel, organizer of tha Congres.. of Indu.-^trial Organizations, who has bi-eii lery active in lirinc up wliile-collar help of film home- ofliccs anil exrhangcv for the Screen Oriice & Professional Employeea Guild. I)a> .shifted to Local 06. Bank* understanding between the Uniled States and the Latin American coun- tries. Mary Blair, art specialist on the Latin American scene, left for Ha- vana to gather data for the sequence on that territory. Disney himself is now.in Mexico City recording na- tive music for the picture. street. That union has around 2.009 members. A succes.-or to PhicI at SOPF.O has not as yet been cho.sen. "Hia union, with contracts covering most homeofflce whlte-collarites, has yet to negotiate agreements with Par and with the 20th-Fox. Metro and United Arti.sts exchanges in (4. Y. CLEVELAND NEWS "The Vanities lias a suffi; ciency of girls and solid com* edy. It is one of Earl Carroll's best productions." PETER BELLAMY. The greatest trade-mark in show business CLEVELAND PRESS "We rate this Vanities tlie best stage hWi the Palace has had in the past year. Fast mov- ing, entertaining and lovely." OMAR RANNEY. Tmendoiis grosses everywh^ PAUCE THEATRE, Clev^lanil, this week. COLONIAL^ Dayton, next week