Variety (Oct 1943)

PiGTURES Wednesday, October 6, 1943 Studio Contracts the. face of .criticism that thc4 ■ Avas being stint , to important iniluflry .people with cplistniclive. aiKl vital suBtloslions. 1^0 offer ■ the I^Mioiial Enterlainroent - Industry; Council -.has revamped .its entire structure. . MeetmR last week (28) sit the Astor "hotel in the first gel-.; together of the council since its or- ganizational powwows ■ Jurtf. NElCidclefiates put through a reso- lution proposed by Florence Miivs-. ton, of . the .Scveen Actor's .Guild; \vhich; in feffect; terminates the'co-; ordinatiiig committee with a resiricr ti.ve rftembership comprised of: either one or two - members of the various organizations identified with NEIG. . In' its: place, will t>e a Coordinating : setup; composed of;the entire council rejiresentation. A previous resolu- tion that.the coordinating cOmmfttee. .be. dissolved, with only-the- council to .function in the future, was wUhV- drawn following stroivg protest rcg: istered by Solly .Pernick, the- dele- gate from the International Alliance of TheatricaV'Stage Employees; re- suiting in- the alternative motion for [ a 'co.brdinatirig committee .Of "all NEI.C's merhbcr.'ihip and anyone; else from .show biz anxious to pitch in and do .' It was passed liiiani- mOUSly', ; . ,;■ ' .Revision of the. NEIC structure followed pointed ci'ilicism that as a closed group many of thbsfe identi- fied with' NEIC having constri^ctive' ideas in the overall show .biz pro- gram, to help speed the victory were anxfoiis to work with the commjttee and attend sessions," Sut found themselves exdiided from su.ch par-^ ticipatiqn: - Alan Corelli, of Theatre Authority, in particular waxed/hot on the subject of. exclusion,. .' ing it as ridiculous lhat 'he's been work- ing harid- in hand with the Treasury Dept; on the.Thircl War Loan drive, ;NEIC's principal objective fpir :the past month, while he^'s been obliged to content himself with receiving mailed reports: from the coordinating committee NEIC's aclrievemenU. .. Sauter'sj Contenlipin . '; Contention by. James.. Sauter, NIEC's. coordinator, who presided at the'session in.the absence of council chairman George J. Schaefer, • cur- rently on the Coast, was that 'siiice NEIC is hot ah autonOrp'ous body'but ■ is merely trying to exchange ideas for the-betterment of the country, the .proposal that the ' coordinating committce.be expanded to' comprise the entire council membership iis the only democratic one.' With the assertion by Sauter that 'the job Of show business; is just starting,' the council set in motion plans for a: huge prqgrarh aimed at reaching into the; hospitals to enter- tain the thousands of wounded being .shij>ped home. It was pointed out by Sauter. that in one diay alone, 2,100 such troops arrived at Halloran hospital, Stftten Island.' 'It's a jot) we've got to. do for many years to come. It's a real challenge'to NEIC, and we won't let them doWn.' Accornplishments of the entertain- ment industry iji the war effort since inception of the. council four months ago ivas reviewed at the session, par ticularly in its pitch to put over the wai- loan campaign; The Hollyvvopd Caravan came in for special com mendation. James Reilly, of the League of N. Y. Theatres^; di.sclo.<ied that out pf Ih'e series pf legit bpnd ' matinees, whith teed off Monday (5), was expected;to come sales tP- taling $l,'i,opb.ObO. Equity repprted 13 shows lined up fpr Army camps, with. AFRA likewise repprting a heavy schedule - pf radio - talent en- l.istecl lor USO-Camp Shows,: w-hich will be chanhelcd into both; hospitals arid military bases.' 'Every resolu- tion promulgated' by ,;NEIC since: its inception is bcifig carried- through,' said Sduter.: , Coimcil is now. concentrating on the - Pledge Rally to be staged the night of Oct: 13 at. 11:30 at the Win- ter Garden.'N..Y.. when a'service flag with. 100.000 blu6 stars, repre- senting show biz people in the armed forces, will'be dcdicalcd .(gold stars; ■wgll exceed 3,"), thoiigh exact number is .still being checked); the forth- coming.. National - War Fund, \vhen:. the industry as; a whole will help stimulate publii intei-est, particular- ly in : ■view of the fact thiit USO- Cartip Show's will derive its apprij- prialions' from the iund;-and the War Labori (jhest pageant a;t Madison Square Garden Nov. 9. -Reported tha:t-casl.s of 12" Broadway produc-;. tions .'h.nve already, pledged partici- pation, in additions to the- vai^ious unibns', etC; ' , :. ;Show biz. will also' lake , part, in RKO Home-Office Execs Fairew^^ ; Leon GpUlbcrg, newly appointed RKQ studio manager w'hp; leaves for; Ih^ C:oast next Monday (11 ),;is guest at a; lunchepn in , his hpnqr i being- tendered '.by RKCD' executives 'and-; Other mernbers Oif- ;the .homepflice' staff at the Hptel. Astor, N. ., to- day.^ (\yednesday).. ; -Among those attending arc-N.'Pcler Rathvon,^ Richard G. Patlersoh. Jr., Ned E. Dcpihet, Malcolm Kingsberg. Edward L. Alperson, Fred UUman,; Robert Mochrie, (^rdon 'Ypungman,; J. Miller Walker, A.;e. Rebch, Al Dawson, William H. Clar . Harold J.; Mirisch/. : S.. ; Marret McCorniickv Harry Mandcl, Sol Schwartz, Louis Goldbergs James M, Brennan, Charles B..; McDonald, H. R! Emdc. Majoi- L. E. Thqnipson, L^on j. Bamberger, and A. A. Schubart. - :IIoHywoo.d. Oct. .B. '- IIcrberi Kline inkeid-wriler pact at Rkb. ■" ■ Irene: Malining's • player -option lifted by Warners... ' Betty; Walker's riiinor coiitract with , Paramount iapproved by court. . . Jeanne Newport.: hapded. player ticket by Charles R. Rogers; . Ed Lucky .signed by Piiie-Thpmas as soutid and muiiic editor.^ • Garlelon W. Alsop,- radio 'director, inked producer pact at Republic: ' - Mildred'; Gaye's player option picked.'up.by 20th-FOXi; .' , . MeWyn; Levy sighed by 20lh-Fox as scrip(er. .,: V Edna Mae Joiies reiiev/ed -by 20lhr Fox. ■■[:' ■:.'. • Merrill tong-s actor option picked up by 20th-Fox. ;• Robert E. Kent renewed as waiter by RKO. ' . Ecfwiird Buchanan's option; picked up by (Columbia. Lynil .derrick's opliOii' lifted; by Columbia. ;: Hciiry Levin, dialog diiector, re- newed by Columbia;; ;borothy. Maioney's playie.r option hpisted by RKC).. .. ■ , Bob Haymes' uctpi- ticket renewed' I by :Cviunibia;; ' ; ' RAI15 ftirr 97 VADMC' -M'Ko" Rosen renewed as com'- IxyLLO yVi Ci ;InIVniJip.oser-arraiJgcr at Uni^^ ■ .' . Hollywood, Od, 5 I He.rmes Pai), dance dire'cior, signefd Writiiig miU on the Republic iot by; 20th-Fox. is stepped iip. to a new high, with 32' scribes'germinatinjg drama fpr 27 features : pn the remainder of -Ihe 1943-44 production. Srograni. ; Gping .through the literary^ lathes' are- 'Gay, Blade,'. 'The Mphstcr and the Lady,* 'Hepcat. Madness,' 'Brazil,' Rpsie the Riveter,' |Wide Open House,' .'A tfuy. Cpuld (bhange,' 'At- lanllc City,' 'FOr Wpmen Only',' 'The Man FrOih ;Frisco,' 'Gphv.py tp; Mal- ta,' 'Silent Partners,' ..'The jwagic Stairtjase,' 'Jamboree.' .'Our Street;' 'East; of Iowa," 'Women Of the Air,; 'Claptain Arrierica,' yistol Packih' Mama,^ ''^"'^'^•■* —t -.r-.L- REP'S TYPE FOUNDRY Filni Chiefs, Aldrjch To Discuss Industry's War ted Cooperii^^ Heads of;all major film cothpanieS: ai-e '.scheduled to meet, with' Win-, thropi, W. Aldrich, Chase National Bank -board chairman, at; the latter's office, in New' ' York 'toniprrpw (Thursday) tp d-'-cus.s' industry, par- ticipatipn jn the $125,000,000 Natipnal Yellpw Rpse ^if Texas," 'The i War Fund, campaign ; started Men- Cpwbpy.and the Senydrita,:'Rhythm 1 day (4), Revels,' 'The Spng of Jesse' James,' I -Picture tpppers at last meeting dis- t\yp untitled Don Birry gallopers, ciissed. prpblem arising frpm direct two: John Paul Reveres and . a Mai-.y contributions to various community Lee starrer, -still nameless in the ' chest drives. Wartime; prosperity literary, cauldron.' Zukor Need Not Disclose AU His Rooks to Byrens Adolph Zukor,. won a partial vic- tory last \yeek in N. y. -federal,court, when Jiidge Alfred C. 'Coxe ruled oiit 'six out of feven items demanded by Berny 'Byrisns. Lps 'Angeles in- surance broker, in the latter's suit tP ' recpvei':' $,69,930 1 fOr ; services .rendered.as financial advisor. Byren's alleges that, under- an agreemeht;made: with Zukor,; he was to receive; 10% of all savings result- ing frpm ;a .siirvey, of the;film execU' tive's financial problem^. . In order- to put Zukor's aiffairs .in. orde^' he made a study; of : all of the Zukor's holdings and saved him $699,300.^ He' charges that on]y $1,000 was pai Zukor denies that any agreement was made, admits that Byrens 'did make a survey of his holdings and thnt-the $l,006;was the full payment lor services rendered. had soujght to examiiie-the filrh executive, hi.si books and records and olhoV matter, but Judge :G:oxe held that;tlie insurance broker could exarhine' Zukor oiily bh' correspon- dence, between, them. , Waiter . ' Beck, . attorney ' Zukor, opposed the grantiiig p£ Byrens' derhands. -He aVgued that ;the grarltihg.Of. the demands by the court, would involve a complete di.';- clcsure of Zukor's affairs: lo the grtze and inspection. ol the phrintifl. wh'o would thus be - afforded aii oppor-' iuriity, to'build lip his ca,s.e.'. Detroit's $2,000,000 Film Suit Goes to Bat in Nov. Detroit, Oct: 5. Kicking; around oh the fringe of the courts fpr nearly 10 years, phe pf the -film. industry's biggc.st suits invplvihg elaiiins on distfibutiPri prpbably will cpmc to; trial here in November. Motions which indicate a speedy hearing in the matter Were filed last:week In Circuit Court with early- November ; indicated' as the trial, date for the suit for $2,000,000. The cases are filed on, behalf of the James Cruze Productions with L. A. Young and the Lay Improvc- ineht Co., each defendants to the ex- tent of $i;000,000. The suit arises oiit of an agreement made.in 1930 in which It is charged: on Cruze's be- half that the .former Tiffany Pro- ductions, with which Young was as- sociated, topk pyer the di.stributi'on pf 10 features: Ampng thOse in- cluded in the grpup were 'Cpmmand Performance,' 'Hell Bound' and 'She Got 'What She Wanted.' The claims are based oh sums which it Is charged are due in final settlement ,of the agreement with the matter involved, and the - legal action pending on them since 1933 Both defendants obtained an ad- journment in the new acti;dn-to per- mit them to take depositions with indications that the trial would be 'has re.sulted in unusually large dpna I tipns frpm the film industry tp riu- I merous cpmmunity .chests. At recent )Tate pf cpntribution, and With in- creased -demands frorn' local- cam-, paign ; workers,, picture industry would be fac^d: with a tap o£.$l,000,- 000 annually :fpr cprnmunityi chest drivtis alpne.; While cpntributipns ccntiniie large during current ;iush peripd, spme cpnipany heads fpresee diffioulties if unable to maintain the current dona- tions .should business decline. - Meantime; varipus. industry agen- cies.- such; as the; War Activities Cpmr' mittee and. United Theatrical War Activities. CPiTimittee,'are lining up sufipprt for the National: War Fund campaigh- with talent. THREE NEW BRANCHES IN ACADEMY LINEUP Hollywood, Oct. 5. Academy of Motion picture Arts and Sciences created three new branches—music, short subjects and public relations—to; be represented respectively by Nat-W. Finston, Pete iSmith and .'John LeRoy Johnston on the board of governors. : Other new members Of the .board, elected at the annual medtirig, are- Edward Arnold, Fay Bainter and Jean , Hershoil, actors; Charles Brackctt; Mary C. McCall, Jr;, and- ready for the court within a month ' Sc.toiv L Miller; writer.s; Wjilt Disney, : : —■' • ' ■ ■ y. Frank Freeman and E. J. Man- LAKE'S 'BLONDIE' ESCAPE • "'^' P''°''"<;<^>'S!- Howard OHawk?, ij„n, J ,-. - .Mervyn LcRoy and Sam Wood. di- ■ „,,.'HP'-ywood, Ocl. 0, i,rectors, and FarcioL Eduai't,-.Byron i^eo^^^&hi^^^^"''" ^"H " i Ha^kih and Thomas MouUon,- .scT icpueve Horn his Blondie series for ences ' a :-lead; . Columbia:.s 'Wedding Guest.' :, ■' : He'.s been playing exclusively . in: '^lohdie': ix for past four years. the War Fund 'Tribute to Gallantry' pageant written, by Ben Hechl,,"ld be staged at Msidisori -Square -Garden Oct. 15, with the suggestion advanced that similar pageants be put on' in. key cities, with name stars." Proposal, that NEIC .put itiiclf 6» ,i-eeprd as.coiidemning Jimhiy Fldler for his jibe at the soldjer ciist: of ■This Is the Army'.was tabled, it be- ing the -general cOnscns'iis that siich a move would not be' in keeping with the' spirit of the.organizatiori; Coun- cil unahirhou.sly vpted a resplulipn extending kudoes to : Chairman Schaefer for his work on behalf of NEIC and the war effort in general. Bergen and Charlie In Two Films for Rogers Hollywood. Oct. 5. -Ed.wr;Bergen and Charlie McCJar- thy . will collaborate on- a twO-pic- turo. dcai; with Charles R. Rogers, producing fpr United Arlisis release, fOi-; the co.rping year.; ; . irst of .the films , will be 'It's Greai, to 9e'Young",',h mu.sical based; on' the work of ypunfisters in the harvest; fields, far fiOm. lumber camps or .-iawniills, to which McCar- thy is, alleigic. Second will be 'Great Gabbo." a new version: of the, old Ben Hecht story; written originally, in 1928,. .when McCarthy- was , an acorn. Cop Shoots TheatreCrasher As DetrcHt Wars on Juve Hoodlums ENGLEWOdD, N J, INDIE'S $1,800^00 TRUST SUIT ;;;; -; . 'Ne;\vai;k..Oet. 5. ; Charging .violation of the Sherman anti-trust act. the Camrel Corp. pf Englewpodj N. J.y filed suit for $1,600,000 in jederal court last week against Skoqras theatres. Stanley Co. of America. Locv/'s Theatre &. Realty Gorp.' and :Union ;Hi11 Corp.. Each of the four defendants is being sued for $450,000. Cainriel charges the picture com- panies with eliminating competilipn in Jersey City," Bayo'nne, Hobokcii and Union City. Complainant; al- leges that in.' those cities flisl'run pictures were withheld from' picture theatre, operatprs except in those houses controlled by the cicfendantis. Garnrel also asks a restraint agaipsl continuance of alleged 'withholding. Buckner Tied Up at WB, Ethel Levey Trial Oct. 26 Warner Bros. Pictures, defendant in the $500,000 damage action insti- tuted, by Ethel Levey, first wife of the l^te" George M. Cohan on Mon- day (4) obtained an adjournment of; the triar until Oct. 26, from'N. Y Federal Judge John: C. Knox. The suit involve.s- Jh6 alleged unlawful pprlrayal pf herself in the WB's film 'Yankee Dppdie Dandy.' The ac- lre.-;s. .charges (hat her rights of privacy-:have been invaded. Judge Knox gianted the adjourn- meht, .after WB's'attorney had sub- mitted .the affidavit of Robert H. Buckner, writer Pf the script pf 'Dandy,' that.he could 'not be present until after Qct, 2.r becau.sc .presently engaged in producing a film for Warners oh ihe Coast. + - ' Detroit. Oct. 5. GoLilinuing their toughness with young hoodlum's here who prey on theatres, the police last week shot ari 18-year-old gate-crasher Carmello Serro, 18, dodged past the ticket taker at the Bijou, in the downtown area, and when police were .summoned tied from the house through an alley; exit. The police- man; who gave chase shot him .twice in the abdomen and when Serro was taken tp the, hpspital fingerprints sh'owed that he had two prevlbXi's - arrests. However, homicide detectives .have called the cop bri' the carpet, al- though it was indicated that he was ailing in line of-duty since the thea- tres here have posted signs -that gate-crashing is a Federal offenser- failure: .to pay the Government amiisement tax—and that the youth failed to halt when ordered. Al.sb Serving to head off any pub- lie, pi-btest here was the attitude of the Detroit press, which has been playing up - juvenile delinquency,. Which poihted out that special police had - been assigned to the theatre beat for drastic measures' and that . earlier in the same week two youths had made' an attempt to hold up a downtown house. .'Th^ reference was to an attempted daylight robbery of ibc'Michigan, United Detroit chain's-; loop flagship, which was foiled when Jarhc.s, Malohey, assistant manager, refused to turn over the money \o the-;pair who; invaded his office ind ran out to all the policei-; The pair, both of whoin were armed) fled. The ' attempted holdup took: place only the day before Serro - was; shpt.. • ,-Juvenile delinqiiency -is under' heavy 'attack frpm the local pves.s at : the pi-esent time aiid; pul-siale.; Michigan, also is increasing its curbsi; Where the usual curfew laws being pas.sed by most cities have been 10 p.m., Holland,: Mich., . last week dropped il.s curfew to'9:30 p.m. ail under .10. 4 From Finney Coming Up - ■; Hollywood. Oct. B. - ' Edward Finney bought fo.ur slOries to be produced ihdcpendchtly;at the RKO'-Pathe studio for release outlets IP be arr<inged later. • .;: fp\ir stPl-ie-s wei-e'written in wli'ple or in part by John P. McCarthy. Waller Anthpiiy coDabprated pn 'The Good Sin' and; The 'Voice in the Fog' and McCarthy wrote ypio on 'When- I Come ,iBack'>nd .'Today. Tonight ahd-TonioryOw.' V Heap Big Chief Kane - :; Hollywood. Oct. -:'Robert Kane draws production hod pn 'Sioux C.ity.' pioncer story .shelved I last , spring and noW ' undergoing a ■ rewrite job at 20th-Fox. I - Other features on Kant'^ .slate are I 'Flare Path,' -Saiute Ip a Lady.', The Suliivans' eur-rently in. work niid an untitled adventure yarn: by-Laurence Stallings. Boston Zoot'Riot . Boston, Oct; 6'. •After' a couple' of months of com- parative quiet along the theatre: fipnt'.a new wave of 'incidents' cul- minated in a near-riot at the RKO Bostpn tPday when a cpuple Of col- ored zooters pitched into an ' usher who h.nd requested silence. • Two ushers and twp cops were severely beaten up before the . ar- rival of a riot squad cpnsisttng of" cops, shore patrpl and mlp.'s iprolfe : up the melee, which took place in, the mezzanine. . : Affair might have gone by more or less unnoticed by the audience except that one of the rioters,; when nabbed by cops, tossed what ap- peared to be a sort of vocal epileptic fit. The resiiltant pandemonium startled the. audience and caused a stampede to the scene of the riot. The incident was the Arst serious one in .several months, although the number, of instances of vandalism, wanton destruction of slOt machines, and defacement of theatre property ■remains high! All downtown houses are npw, cpvcred constantly by cops and service police.:as a precautioiv and to bolster the authority of the ushers, who are chiefly youngsters, on part-time.; This l\as. held down, boisterousness, but hasn'.t inalerially reduced destructiveness. CHAPLIN STUDIO TAKES IN'CURLY'ON RENTAL Hollywood, Oct. 5. ;Cary Grant aiid: Janet Blair I'iioved into.the Charles Chaplin studios for a; few days of sequences In the Co- luii-ibia production,' 'Curly;', directed by Al Hali, . It will not become a habit, accord- ing to Alfred Reeves, Chaplin's, gen-; eval n-ianager, who declared the lot . 'will be retained for Chaplin pictures . and hot thrown open generally tO. outside producers. - Lord High Executioners Hollywood, Oct. . Editing rooms' at Parampurtt -are .siiilDping; celluloid more inditstrinus- Jy. than at. any, previous.; time this year, with nine feikures undergoing the barbering pl'ocess; . Films are, 'Lady: in th^ Dark.' 'The ; Houi--,^^ Bcfpris; Dnwh,' 'Ministry of' Fear.' 'And the Angels Sing,' •Stand- ing Room Only,' 'Hail the Con-; qucring Hero/ 'Minesweeper,' 'Tiiii-' ber Queen' and 'Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout.'