Variety (Jun 1943)

Wcdneadaj, Jnae 2. 1943 Australia WD Release aitOOO In One Block to U. S. Fib Funs The $3,100,000 which the Au- flinlinn government last January agreed lo release to American dis- tribuiors in the current year will be icniiite<l in one block, according to word received In N. Y. last week. The variiius U. S. film companies now aie attempting allocate the lotal among themi^clves so it can be re- milted at once to N. Y.. In recesit years, the Aussie gov- ernment has divided the unfrozen coin into, two or three payments. Remittance, representing a pcr- ceniiige of all revenue obtained by American distributors in Australia during 1943 (fiscal year ends in Feb- ruary, IM"!). does not mean there will be anv additional unfreezing in Anzac territory. U. S. distribs esti- mate, even after receipt of the $3,- 100.000, there will still be $4,000,000 or more still frozen in Australia for the current year. Also that upwards of $6,000,000 additional American distrib revenue still remains im- pounded Down Under. While American distributors are optimistic over the early receipt of all currently frozen coin in New Zealand and India, thus far no ac- tion has been taken. Even so, both New Zealand and India have re- mitted proportionately more than Australia. Foreign managers antici- pate complete unfreeze in both countries and free flow In the future, as recently done by Great Britain. McNutt s Retake On Fdms, Ra£o Washington, June \. The film and radio industries, as well as others in the essential group, were informed Monday (31) by Paul V. McNutt, chairman of the War Manpower Commission, that by the end of this ^ear they will lose half the men of draft age who now hold occupational deferments. Only about 1,500,000 in all so-called ■essential' Industries will escape the armed forces, he added. To make the transition easier, McNutt advised qll employers to file manning tables and replacement schedules If they have not already done so. Earlier, McNutt said the drafting of fathers might not begin quite as soon as originally pre- dicted, because the navy has lowered its physical quaU&cations, especially eyesight requirements. WPB CUPS STRINGS ON FIUI CLIPPINGS Washington, June 1 Film Division of the War ProduC' tion Board has brought film dippings of less than 100 feet under its con trol. Short ends have been bought most' ly by .<imall.<it>idiQi> and lehnratoj^ies for production of trailers. In line with new regulations, authority purchase film clippings will now have to be obtained from the WPB, N.LNATHANSONDIESAT 57; COLORFUL CAREER A pioneer In theatre operation as ..ell as distribution in Canada, and one of the industry's most colorful figures, Nathan L. Nathanson died at his home in Toronto last Thurs- day (27) at the age of 57. He had been ill for several months and re- cently returned from Florida when is condition became grave. Having numerous interests outside of theatre circuits and Empire-Uni- versal, Ltd., Canadian distributmg agency for Universal and Republic above the border, Nathanson was a ery rich man, and is reputed to have been backed on various ven- tures he developed by I-ord Beaver- brook of England. In addition to miscellaneous In- terests, including the lumber indus- try, Nathanson at the time of his death headed General Theatres Corp., Ltd., and the Odeon Thea- '.re.s of Canada, circuits which he built up during his presidency of Famous Players-Canadian (Par- controlled) and subsequent to his resignation from FP-C. His son, Paul, now In the Army, has been active in the management of- the theatre circuits which spread across Canada, and also In Empire-Univer- sal. Nathanson formerly also con- trolled Regal Films, which distrib- uted for Metro In Canada but in 1041 was taken over by Loew's, Inc. Nathanson also was a governor of Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and chairman of Its finance committee. He was president of FP-C from 1916 until 1929, and again from 1933 un- til 1941, Stories at the time were that he came close to being selected as president of Paramount Pictures on the company's reorganization. Tiff With Paramoant It was during that reorganization when Nathanson was reelected president of FP-C under a profit- sharing deal Involving the operation of over 300 theatres. When he re- signed In IMl imder fire-as result (Continued on page 54) Jory in N.Y. Disagrees On SOOGISMwWlike' Gapee Gapes Washington, Juna 1. Glamor guys and gals. It seems, are all in your point of view, Lorelta Young came to Wash- ington last week and was fol- lowed down the street by gaping admirers. One day she came down in the hotel elevator with John L, Lewis, the labor leader, and rec- ognized him. 'I just couldn't stop staring at him,' she confessed to a friend later. '( had heard so much about him. I wish I had had the nerve to step over and speak to .him.' High Play Prices Force M-G Mive ToPnUidiedFict Hollywood, June 1. Mviro is building up a heavy backlog of published novels as film material, largely because .of the high asking prices on screen rights to stage plays. Currently in various .ctages of preparation on the lot are 13 books,' old and new. List includes 'Dragon Seed,' by Pearl Buck; They Were Expends able,' by W. L. WhiU; 'Centervllle Ghost,' by Oscar Wilde; 'See Here, Private Hargrove.' by Cpl. Marion Hargrove; 'Honeyboy,' by Daniel Paskman; 'Mrs. Parkington,' by Louis Bromfleld: 'Drivin' Woman,' by Elizabeth Pickett Chevalier Memo to a Flying Squad,' by Fred- erick Hazlitt Brennan; The An- nfiited.' by Clyde Brion Davis; "The Sun Is My Undoing,' by Marguerite Steen; 'Valley of Decision,* by Mar- cia Davenport; 'Two Women,' by Maxcenne Van der Mersch, and 'If Winter Comes,' by ASM Hutchinson. Win. Goldman Refuses To Be Unseated in PliiDy Philadelphia, June 1. William Goldman recently pur- chased approximately 1,000 new chairs from Heywood-Wakefleld for the Karlton, which he takes over from the Stanley-Warner circuit later this month. The chair firm notified him that it would be impos- sible to ship the seats from their Wisconsin plant in time for his open- ing because of rail priorities, etc. Goldman took the initiative and chartered a boat to take the chairs across the Great Lakes. At Ohio, they will be transferred to a Pennsy freight and shipped here. They'll arrive in ample time to be Installed before he takes over. Tha ' $300,000 damage action of Adrlana Casalottl and Harry Stock' well, the voices of 'Snow White* and Prince Charming' in the Walt DiS' ney film, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' (RKO) wiU have to be tried again, according to a New York supreme court Jury that disagreed after deliberating for seven hours last week. Disagreement was an nounced Wednesday (26) by Justice Felix Benvcnga upon opening sealed verdict returned the day be fore at conclusion of the week-long trial. Doth'-Mtss-CiiSv.'lottl-»fld Sto.*kw«l} sued Walt Disney Productions, Ltd and RCA (Victor), charging that their voices reproduced on disc rec ords was a violation of an -oral agreement They claim that under their contract their voices were to be used only for the picture. Miss Caselotti sought $200,000 damages and Stockwell $100,000. Boretz Asks WB for 25G Charges Theft of Pic Title Warner Bros,, Inc., was named defendant in a $25,000 damage action filed in N. Y. federal court Wednes day (28) by Allen BoreU, play Wright, who alleges the title of his play, "The Hard Way,' was infringed by Warners' The Hard Way.' According to the complaint, the plaintiff wrote his play in 1940, rC' ceived numerous oilers for the film rights. Including one from Warners, but had rejected them. Good Neighbor Stvff Hollywo(>d, June 1. Mexican government is giving Cecil B. DeMiUe full cooperation In the preparation of 'Rurales,' a story of the exploits of the constabulary south of the border. Picture folIov(fs The Story of Dr, Wassell* at Par- amount Script of 'Rurales' Is under way by a battery of writers, Jeanie MacPher- son, (j^harjes B^nett and Alan LeMay. Plenty Bnsj at RKO Hollywood, June 1 Editing staff at RKO Is up to its ears in celluloid, with five features and five shorts in the cutting process at the same time. Features are The Fallen Sparrow 'A Lady Takes a Chance,' 'The Fal con In Danger,' 'Mexican Spitfire Blessed Event' and The Sky's the Limit' Shorts are three Edgar Ken nedy two-reelers and Army training films. ♦ ♦« M « MMMMM I» M M $»$lt»»»>»» M >»>$$ nM >»» Lefty's NotiU By Joe LauriOf Jr. INVASION' STORIES HAVE PIX BUNCH WARY Flock of yarns dealing with the in- vasion of Europe are making rounds in Hollywood and New York film production departments. New stories on fall publishers' lUts, now being scanned by story departments, also show a large proportton of invasion material. Studio heads, for th« time being, are allergic to stories of this type because of unpredictable ttim which events may take. Production topper for a na]or stu- dio last week stated that the only thing cerUin was that the time and place for the attack on Hitler's 'Fort- ress Europe' Is uncertain. 'We might make a picture showing an invasion via Italy, and by the time it's on the market the invasion may be under way—but throtigh Greece, Turkey, Spain, France, Holland, Nor way—who knows? Number of pieces submitted are rated tempting in quality. Coolacres, Cat., June 1. Dear Joe: ' Here is one for the book. You can call it 'A VaudevUUan's Ttagedy,* or an 'O.Henry of the Two-a-Day.' Do you remembor James J. Morton, who billed himself as the 'Boy Comic' He was the first Master of Cere- monies; a great monologist and comedian. There was another fellow called Morton, James C. Morton—they were not related, James C. Morton was also a very clever fellow; used to be Morton and Moore. Later James C. did an act with his talented family. Well, Big Jim (J.) would get very sore if you lever mixed him up with James C. In fact, he spent thousands of dollars advertising and always would say in the ads: 'James J.' (not C). Well time fugltied and both James J. and James C. Morton went 'Up- stairs.' Now I get a letter from Jim Thornton's widow '(who, by the way, is preparing a scenario about the life of Jim, which should be a pip). Sha tells me that the Catholic Actor's Guild put a monument over James J. Morton's grave and it reads, JAMES C. MORTON. I've heard of wrong billing that could be corrected the next day, but brother this is permanent Ml bet both Jims are having a swell laugh over it 'Upstairs.' While on the subject did you know that when Aaron Hoffman was dy- ing, Henry (Squidgelum) Lewis propped him up in bed and sad, "There Ernie, now you're In a better position,* end Ernie said, 'Yeah, but I'm gonna flop just the same.' And in a few minutes the king of all gag writ- ers went 'Upstairs.* Another Incident comes to mind. It was when Arthur Rigby, the great minstrel, was dying in his home town of Paterson, N. J. A local priest came to give him the last rites. Rigby . asked for Father Leonard of St Malachy's Church (The greasepaint church we called it). The local priest said that he could do it just as well and that It was all the same. And Rigby sed, 'Yeah, Father, but Father Leonard could firepiroof me better.' : Of course you know the one about the comic who lost his wife and a friend of his said, 'I saw you at the funeral parlors and you sure were broken tip. I never saw a man cry and carry on like you did.* And the comic sed, "That was nothing! You should have caught me at the gravel' Those Old Mansgers Mercer Templeton (of the famous Templeton Brothers) and I were talk- ing about some of the old vaudeville managers and the funny things they'd pull on the acts. He told me about Henry Lubelski (brother of Tbny), who was the manager of The Novelty theatre in Denver. He had a curUIn with a big N.G. on it and if he thought an act was bad he'd drop that curtain on him. On the first show he would line up all the actors on the sUge and make a speech to the audience, telling them that he paid the highest prices for acts In the city. Then he would prove it by paying off the acts In front of the audience, telling them what each one got. Of course, he would add plenty to the regular salary. When the acts went off stage he would get the coin back. One week an acrobat, who got $100 more than his contract called for, re- fused to return the dough and Henry was stuck. I remember when me and Aggie played Mahanoy City, Pa., one time. We were on for about five minutes before we got a big belly laugh. The manager, who was a 'newey,' ran down the aisle and yelled to us, 'Stop!' Then he turned to the audience and sed, 'That's the kind of acta you're gonna get here all the time.' Then he turned to us and sed, 'Go ahead.' We never got an> other laugh. Been reading where the show 'Oklahoma' U a terrific hit in N. Y, muslo by Dick Rodgers and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammersteln, 2d. Oscar takes after his grandfather. The old man made a bet once that he could write the lyries. book and music worthy of a Broadway production In 24 hours. It was to be judged by five Broadway producers. Old Osear wrote the show in 34 hours and called It The Kohlnoor Diamond,' Two ef the produMrs voted 'Yes* and two voted 'No.* George W. Lederer gave the finrf No,' so Hammersteln lost the bet I wonder why someonedoesn't' ""^ picture about the lUe^of Oscar Hammersteln. He was one of the ''S business outoide of Bamum. Well, I see where my pal George Jessel wrote a book. Years ago actora would have cigars named after them, now actors are writing bookSL i guess It's easier to write a book than to smoke those cigars. ft|z Your pal, Le/ty. '..-Xeast'-Stoc^Bevi-~—— Hollywood, June 1. Metro bought 'Noon to Midnight' lale of an Army nurse, by Marion Parsonnet. Warners acquired Donald Culross Peattie's biography of John James Audubon, the naturalist. Harrison Howell sold 'Bataan to Japan' to King Brothers for Mono gram release. Scott R. Dunlap bought 'Outlaws of Stampede Pass,' by Johnston Mc- Culley. Paramount purchased 'Ready, Willing and 4-F,' by Brian Marlowe, Walter Colmes sold 'Trocadero,' musical with nitery background, to PRC Pictures. Bnt on the Wacky Side Hollywood, June 1. Femme romantic lead In 'Crazy Hou.^e,' the forthcoming Olscn & Johnson zany film at Universal, goes to Martha O'Driscoll, playing oppo site Patric Knowles. Olsen & Johnson are due here this week to start preparations for the picture, .slated to roll about June 20. George Hale, dance director, has checked into the lot to work on chorus numbers. Scott Amoiig WildcaU Hollywofid, Jbne I n»piihilic siKnerl iMartha Scott for the femme lend in the oil Add pic- ture, 'War of the Wildcats,' playing oppo.*iie John Wayne. Filmiiii! '.tartK June 15 on location in-ur BukfrrfcfitW, with Albert Rogell l/Codu'ing, CoL GHettes No. African Be to Invrove the Flow of Ariny Pix StifitCiitnwts Hollywood, June 1.. Gale Sondergaard drew new pact at UniversaL . Frank Gabrielson Inked writer ticket at 20th.Fox. Helen O'Hara's player contract re- newed by Metro.; Jane Kean, former Powers model, signed by Republic. Dorothy Lamour's option picked up by Paramount Bunny Walters' player ticket re- newed by Metro. Jo Eisinger signed scripting pact at 20th-Fox. Fred MacMurray's option lifted by Paramount Eleanor Parker's player option hoisted by Warners. Karen De Wolfs writer option lifted by Columbia. Slgne Hasso handed new player ticket at Metro. Bob Alda drew actor pact at Warners, Norman Reilly Raine signed script- ing contract with Walter Wanger, Richard Waring, of the Broadway stage, drew an acting ticket at War- ners. Joan Mortimer drew player con- tract at Paramount Waahlqgton, June 1. Col. Melvln X. OiUette, former head of the Army's Astoria ttudiiv has arrived in North Africa to im* prove flow pf fUmi coming from there, War dept. offldala nld last Wednesday (ft). His duUet have not yet been annoimced by the Overseas Command tmder whose jurisdiction he will be, but it is un- derstood he will head all pie-making by the ground forces, and will not control making of films by the Air Forces. Gillette wlU probably also handle picture taking when the American forces move north to Invade Europ* from Africa. Reports here ere that U Gillette does the job of coordinating overseas picture-taking that the Army Is looking tor, he wiU swap .lis coloners eagles for the star of a brigadier general. Gillette came to Washington im- mediately after the shakeup in the Army Pictorial Section that moved him out of Astoria. He spent some weeks here In studying angles of the new assignment before being moved offshore. Gillette is an old-time Army of- ficer who has been Interested In' films for the past 19-20 years. He worked in Hollywood for two years as one of the five officers sent there to study the picture business under the sponsorship of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.