Variety (Aug 1943)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, August 4, 1913 20th's Block-of-3 Tees Off New Selling Season; Conventioneers to Chi, LA. That ZOlh-Fox is leading off its 1043-44 selling season with a block of three features and ■'will'.promise exhibitors a maximum of 40 pie- lures highlighted the first two days of the eastern regional' meeting, which winds up today (Wednesday:). Second regional session opens to- morrow- (Thursday") in Chicago, with the third r such confab-slated to start Aug. 11 in Los Angeles. Actual' lineup of product for coming season will; not be officially announced un- til the Coast-/meeting, but it was previously revealed that there will be a minimum of 36 and maximum iif 40 features, -with the r.om|ian.v upping its budget about 30'i to an till-time high of $41,000,000, Fact that 20th-Fox has slashed ihc number o f -shorts from 52 to 40. number set for. '43-44.'. is.-bcliFCT-tTTo- insure the company's ability to. (urn - out at least. 40 features fin; next season. There will be 20 cartoon shorts and 'March of Time' once per month, besides about the same align- ment of brief; featuretlos as, in ihc current season. Huddle on shorts occupied bulk of first day's session. Selling already has bc.min on ..the initial block* 'Bomber's Moon.' "Heaven Can Wait' and 'Holy .Matri- mony.* Such procedure is in line with '20tli-Fox policy of always start- ing sales oh next season's lineup by Aug. 1. Company has not sci.-policy ns to number, of features per group "O (Continued on page 21). Hurry! Hurry! Hollywood, Aug. 3'. Universal is rushing The Strange.' Death of Adplph Hitler' through the editing' rooms to beat the gun on any sudden turn . ■iif affairs on the European front. Stiui'0 execs arc .bustling to get the lilm on Hie market before anything" happens to Adolf—not tli'iil (hey wish him any bad luck, too soon. Brown Follows Johnson As Spitz-Goetz Producer ' Hollywood. Aug. 3. " Clarence^ -Brmvtr signed—as - pro- ducer-director with' the William Goclz-Lco - Spitz International Pic- tures, moving into his new job when he winds :iip his 1 current chore, 'White Cliffs, of! Dover,' at Metro. Nonnally Johnson checked out . of 2()'.h-Fox last week to join the hew- organization as an executive' ducer. Goclz and Spitz switched from temporary offices in - Beverly ; Hills to establish quarter's on the Samuel Goldwyn i"t and signed Jack Mul- eahy as publicity chief. Several Actor-Soldiers Set for Moss Hart's Show .Lt. Bill Holdcn, Lt; ric. Rhodes. Lt. Tim Holt, Sgt. Edmund O'Brien and Pfc. Arthur Kennedy are ihc latest additions to the cast of. the Army Air Force show, which Moss Hart is writing for an early Novem- ber opening on Broadway. ' Hart, who will also produce and direct, lias completed the first act of the drama with music. Lt. Irving P. Lazar leaves this week for another' talent-scouting jaunt to ■the.Coast, while Lt. Ben Lancli.s. also in nn the show's administration in behalf of the ' Army Air Forte, is presently, on a • similar mission through the southern air bases. John Brights' Play East, 'Citizen Paine'Pic West While the Shuberts arc' readying to put his new play,.'-Over Here.' into production soon, with Elia Kazan'as eo-producer and. director, . John Bright left for the. Coast last week- end to work on the fUmization of . Howard.Fast's 'Citizen rPaine.' -Lat- ter is being made by Frank 'TutHe as an ,' independent production for United Artists 'distribution. In addition to 'Over. Here.' Kazan will Stage Cheryl Crawford's pro- duction of 'One. Man's Venus.'-and will also do a play for Max Gordon. Latter is being bankrolled by 20th- Fox, Broadway and Hollywood Scout Catholic U. Show Washington. Aug.. 3. Script , scouts for Warners, Metro. Universal; Paramount and. Theatre Guild were in Washington last .week io catch 'Stranger at the Gate,' new dramatic production of Catholic Uni- versity. Play, written by Patricia Treadwell. now.. a WAC 'captain, deals with the .daughter of a U. S. senator. Gal cari't find love in war- lime Washington, , but finally gets herself, an artist down Mexico;way. Most of the selling is laid here. Catholic U. student dramatic, group is highly thought of in professional' circles, and its productions are Usu- ally scouted by Broadway. Should the current story be ; bought for the ,big time, it would not be the first. 'Art and Prudence," recent produc- tion, is now being whipped into, shape for professional time .by Michael Myerbcrg, under the new title, 'Star Dust.' Father Gilbert Hartke han- dles the student thcalto at Catholic University. It will cost money to Uejeat. Germany, Japan and Italy. Our government calls on you io help now. Buy war savings bonds or stamps today. Buy them every day if you can. But bun them on a regular basis. Hollywood Runaround By Radie Harris Pascal Ties to Bronston Hollywood. Aug.; 3. Ernest Pascal inked a two-way contract with Samuel Broiislon Pro- ductions as producer-writer, calling for two pictures annually, the next three years. Currently, Pascal is. in New York to buy screen rights to. several novels. His most, recent job for the Bronston company was ..." the script on 'Jack London.' Soph's Cinema Yen Hollywood,-Aug. . ..Sophie Tucker is mulling a return to pictures in Three Cheers for the Boys,' to be produced, by ,Charles K. Feldhian with George' Raft in the top;role; - Actress has not appeared on.'the screen -since, she played iir ' road- way Melody' at Metro several years ago; ■ ' RENEE'S LEGIT DEBUT Heriee Carroll; the hatcheck girl at Sardi's, has been signed to play hcr : nelt in Alex- Cohen's .forthcoming production of 'Bright Lights.' by - Norman Anthony; described as : a . 'calvacade.of the American .theatre over the past two decades.' 'Lights' is skedded for a Broadway opening early in' September and will feature James Barton, Smith & Dale and Frances Williams. 'DOUGHBOY' JOE FIELDS Top's Playwrights Oyer Past Couple of Seasons on Royalties, I'tc Rights Gals Move Into Exec Film Jobs Hollywood, Fornixes -are' taking advantage of the shortage of manpower, .not only in acting, but in the various guilds that make up the motion picture -.in- dustry'. In many of the unions the femaie of the species is more num- erous than the male, and is making her authority felt in elections to of- fice, once an exclusive, masculine privilege.; President of the Screen Writers Guild is. Mary C, McCall. Jr., in ad- dition to lending her feminine intui- tion in an advisory capacity to the War Manpower Commission. Screen Writers are also represented on their Executive Board by Margaret Rob- erts, Jane Muffin and Gladys Leh- man. Screen Office Employees' Guild is approximately 75% on the distaff side and recently drafted Margaret Bennett aS president.'lor a second' term although she asked for retirement. Most of the Guild of- ficials arc femmcs, including 25 of the 37 members of the executive board. About 25"; of the members of. the Screen Publicists Guild belong to the gentler gender,. many, of them wives of press agents now working for Uncle Sam, and there is a strong influx of gals into the Society of Motion Picture Film. Editors. There is tajk of enlisting female help .as lamp operators, laborers and other studio jobs as the manpower dimin- ishes. TheV're now calling. Joe Fields The Doughboy,' and with good rea*- son.. . He's probably topped any other playwright on royalties and picture rights over the past couple of sea- sons. With three companies cur- rently playing 'The Doughgirls,' Which he scripted solo, the film rights have fetched $250,000 from Warners, while the picture bids for 'Junior Miss.' which he scripted.with Jerome Chodorov from Sally Ben- son's New Yorker mag pieces, have gone to Mary Pickford' for $410,000. 'My Sister Eileen,' which Fields and Chodorov adapted from Ruth McKenncy's New Yorker series, also helped to pile up the riches. Latter was one of, the top grossers on Brbadway for a couple seasons and made $1,000,000 net,'profits for Columbia via its filmization. WBV Record Roster Hollywood, Aug. 3. Conlraclce list at Warners' studio is lhe longest .in history. Amongst earnces listed arc. 19 stars, 43 featured players, 31 off-lot stars ;on one picture, deals, 15 direc- tors, :ifi writers, 12 producers, and four composers.'. G. F. Holds Kate Smith For Another 3 Years Kate Smith's contract has been ex- tended for three years under the terms of a new pact signed with Gen- eral Foods. Miss Smith's contracts with G. F. have been for three years each since the' start, with options' falling due at the end of each scasorr, when the old pact still has two years to run. Young Back to Legit Hollywood, Aug. 3. ' • ljlack to, .the, stage goes Roland Young as sooji as he finishes.his cur- rent chore hi 'Standing Room Only' at Paramount. . Actor has a legit commitment in 'Another Love Story.' slated for a tryout in New . Haven, Conn.; late in September. 'ROME REVOLTS' Hollywood, Aug. 5. • First, film reaction to the down- fall of Benito Mussolini is 'Rome Revolts.' to be produced by Jack Schwarz for PRC. Shoaling .•.-tarts as soon as scriptcrs can whip the story 'together. ♦:♦♦■♦-»+-»■» ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦«>> M * % ♦♦♦«♦♦♦♦♦♦> M « » ♦ ♦ « | THE BERLE-ESG POINT X By Milton Berle ■'♦■■ . ■ : -' '-. ... 4-H-4~»-»»+ V * «♦♦♦«♦♦♦«♦< MM M M ♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ;. ♦ ♦ ;lfear. about the.-■WAC who was put in (he guardhouse. She thought K.P. meant Keep Petting. ; Definition premarriage: When bushels of kisses are reduced to little pecks. ' What started out to lit Hitler's Era Is turning out In he Hitler's Error. Wi(/i colleges being token over by tlie tinny it looks like the only re- muhitiiy Jorm ol higher education will be the. c/iiii proyrums on the radio. Hollywood, Aug. 3. Dolly Sisters are being researched- by 20th Century-Fox in the hope of blowing them for a Betty rable.-Alice Faye co-starrer.. ..Ezra Stone, who will be among the missing in the overseas company of "This Is the Army, 1 is an enlistment at the Ofticers'. Candidate School.,. .Tom Powers, at the Hollywood; Athletic Club; is Warner-testing.. . with Bonnie Edwards exiled here, Her N. Y. apartment at the Novarro won't be minus glamor;' Wendy Barrie moved in yesterday... Georgie Jessel, asked to comment on the Chaplin-O'Neill nuptials, retorted, '50-year-olds who, many Lni Andrews, shouldn't throw stones.' . ; '".'■; Bolter's Comeback Ray Bolger, Who was spanked out loud, by Richard Rodgers and others for closing 'By Jupiter' In the midst of a successful. run, reddened Hie faces of his critics when they learned that Mr. B is now In Australia. . In Hollywood, on an alleged holiday to consider several Important pic- ture deals, Bolger, sans' fanfare; .flew; overseas to entertain the boys for at long as his dancing feet hold out. It was for this voluntary chore Hut Bolger left 'Jupiter.' '.'■'. Moyle-ing. Along ; Warner ros. screen izaf ion of the 'Lire of George Gershwin.'.will scrap most of Cliffo rd O dets' personalized p ortra it of Gershwin and will, em-' phasize the - Howard "Kocli 'sToryTTn'e,' giorilyirig - liisl^tiiisic, ,7Zo*.ma\~wfi3>~ has' given the flnal; veto to "One Mali's Venus,' may decide her ;kismei' is MCismet'. at Metro, , .Lee Strassberg's wife, Paula, is Tallulah Bankhead's secretary-companion at the Beverly-Wilsliire...Harry Carey has a new play for the fall.., if Sam Goldwyn will loan her, Jack Warner would like Constance Dowling for the role played by Thelma Schnee in 'The Corn Is Green'.. .memo to Dorothy arid Herb Fields: Margo is » Wal- dorf-Astoria arrival... Eve" AbbOt^ who forgot about her career when she became Mrs. Kcenan Wynn, may remember it for David ' SelznickV,. Dorothy Tree.is plnying hostess to Eleanor Lynn, Vvhile her grooiri, Morris Helprin, is in North Africa.. .Bianca and Jimmie Stroock's 17-year-old, Jerry, may skip her 'freshman year at Syracuse to be a Metro starlet:.'. Jules Levey wants a 'name' feinme lead for the 'Hairy Ape,'; so that he can give the title role'"to. aiv unknown'.. .Nat Karsbn is dickering with. Lou Alter to scort the Guy Bdlion-Eddie Davis musical, 'Ankles Aweigh'. . . .hot everyone in Hollywood, is marrying babies—the Bert Lahrs are having one, come September.. .Patsy Ruth MiUer's 'The Windy Hill'- will be the next Brentwood Players attraction...it can happen, herej Ralph. Forbes is the house guest of-his ex-motheiviri-iaw, Tillie Chatterlon..; most of Frank Sinatra's 'acting' part in 'Higjicr and Higher' has been scissored. , ' ■ 'Invasion Bond Purchasing Spreads Natlly After Start in Del Theatres Still Waiting for Vaude To Come Back at Palace An employment agency got calls last week from upper N. Y. n.abes for doormen who know;"something about show biz as potential trainees for managerial jobs. Head of agency, who had ;been a ., former booker, .remembered gang of - ex- vaudcrs who congregate daily near the Palace, N. Y.. former ace Vaude spot. He figured the $25 and $3(1 jobs would be a bonanza for the idleis. ' Agency 'man-sent his sec to lip off the boys and bring them back, ready for work. Within a few. minutes the gal- came back and tplcl the boss. "No ice. They prefer to remain under the Palace, marquee until vaudeville comes back.' Justa Trouble Maker Hollywood,-Aug. .. Ousting of Mussolini in Italy caused an unexpected rewrite, job at Paramouiit. where' 'Ministry of Fear' is being revamped to keep up with the front page. Picture, in work four weeks, dealt largely with Axis activities iii Al- geria. Much of the action and dia- log, particularly references to Mus- solini;' are now d; > I. : —Detroit; Aug. . ■'Invasion Bond', idea-, which- troit theatres had up their sleeves ready to spring with the first landing : of troops' on the approaches of Europe, spread out from here on a national basis and is . credited with a strong boost to War Bond sales. Idea, originated in the offices (if United Detroit Theatres, gp.t enlhusi- asiri of the Treasury behind- it and was adopted swiftly by thoa'irc-' groups all over the' U. S. House, here were ready for the invasion.' and within, a few, hours after (IV American forces .landed on Sicily, the houses were urging the public via trailers and lobby posters to sup' port the.long-heralded day with 'In- vasion Bond Buying.' Chicago trailer firm which prepared the "Invasion Bond' material turned out scores of additional, ones after the calls from theatres outside Michigan were re- ferred to them. The program not only caught Ihe fancy of theatres but. the Vcteiaiis of Foreign Wars will launch -a.-.-nn- tional bond sale patterned on the 'Invasion' material used by' the houses. Full reports are not in on the early weeks but many houses have reported doubled sales on use of the optimistic note in selling. Bert Block's New Deal Bertram Block, 20th-Fox eastern story editor, has been given a new long-term pact, according to Joseph Moskowitz, eastern 'representative, of the studio.. Block joined the company in'June, 1041. RADIO BIRD MAKES GOOD ' ! Rafflcs,' the bird who gave Fred Allen. Hint now notorious; .'bird' on his radio program last season, has made good. . Parrot; along with its owner. Mrs. Carvcth Wells, will do a film short, it'll-bc for cither Parumounl or Sol Lesser: us Edwards' Radio Birthday Hollywood, Aug. 3. . Bedridden Gus Edwards, invalided for past few years, ..will have a birthday celebration Aug, 18, via broadcast, from Long Beach Base Ferry .Command. Oh broadcast, to cheer Edwards, will be such former proteges as Eddie Cantor, Eddie Buzzell, George Jessel and Jack. Wciner, ■ Hazel Scott Due Back At N.Y. Cafe After 3 Pix .Hazel Scott returns from the Const this week and goes back into Cafe Society, Uptown, N. Y. nilery. Aug. 9. The colored boogie-woogie pianist, who completed three pictures while oil the Coast, .remains at the east side nilery spot untirSept. 20. when Ahe's due; back in Hollywood for a role in the George Gershwin biog, Rhapsody in Blue.' Kraft Sisters, Hindu danre dun. Cafe Society fixtures for the past H months, bow but of the spot, next week, when they go into the Sa'iiwr. var, Montreal: nitery. Golden Gate! Quartet »ls<>■ .-wound up a run last weekend and leaves for the Coast under .a Par picture .; commitment. They'll be replaced by Kenneth Spencer, 'the colored! bari- tone, who moves up from Cafe Sii- cicty Downtown. ; GOES OVERBOARD IN CAR EvansVille, Ind:. Aug. 3, Edward Jacob Moskowitz. SO, H"'- alre manager, drowned in.Cannellon. Ind., July '30, when his car plunged off a ferryboat into the Ohio river. • , Witnesses said the brakes appar- ently failed ns Moskowitz drove down an incline to the ferry.