Variety (Nov 1943)

Wednesday,." November 3, 1943 PftRIETY PICTURES 6 For Reissues; M-G Unshelves 10 VVi extra pictures thrown on* (lie reissue counters'just a week ago. indications are thai this is only the . beginning and that the market may become flooded with pictures thai dale back several seasons. Although it is selling an initial "lft*:4-44 block of 12 pictures, Metro ur'iiig the past week hopped on the reissue bandwagon with no less than 10 |iix':most 6f them of comparative^ ]y recent vintage. They include 'The Big ; Store- and 'Come Live With £le.' which were released in 1941; Third Finger.. Left : Hand.' 'North- west''. Passage; 1 ' 'Go West.' 'Flight Command' and 'Escape.' which; were marketed in 1940. and 'Love Crazy.' 'Billy the Kid'- and 'A Christmas ■■Carol'.' which are older. Believed that the 10 reissues, wilh new prints ti> be run oft where necessary to All demands, establishes a new high.lor any company. Not selling the pic- tures same as . new featur.es. .Metro prefers to lag them re-releases rather than reissues. 7 wool; ago. Columbia added' (wo ni.Yre reissues to its list for a -total of four so Tar. while Warners put out tun aiidiiionals [or a similar total; phis, six- ick Foran singing- west- erns; previously '.announced. ..-. Another reissue will be 'Snow 'Into'. (Disney) which RKO plans makin available around the holi- days. In 'add it ion'to. Hie reissues, an un- i eecdentcd number of repeat book- ings are comiii inlo the exchanges IhiYiughuul the country. $80,000 GETS RID OF IfVVVf Minneapolis. Nov. 2. lit addition to taking over the lease ■of the -^.OOO-seal- Minnesota, the Paramount circuit here also .will pay- $R0.000 to the bankrupt company-that formerly'' Owned the house, in .settl'e- iiieiil or the $1,000,000 damage suit brought by' the latter against the chain and major iilm distributors charging conspiracy to deprive the . showhouseof screen .product. The rtca-l already has been accepted by the former arid-'present owners of the .theatre; but also must have the ■ -approval of the federal court. It is assumed that this approval will he forthcoming. Payment of the S80.000 was crcd in spilu of the fact that the circuit and film distributors con'sidored. the ami-trust action ■entirely without . merit." -according to John J. Fricdl. Dinah Among Sourdoughs Holly wood, Nov. 2. Dinah Shore draws the featured vocal spot in 'Belle of the Yukon.' first production by International Pictures, slated to start early in Feb- ruary with William Goelz producing and William Setter directing. ■ . Gypsy Rose Lee and Randolph Scott are cast for the top dramatic roles. RK0, N.Y., Sets 3d Film men are watching the. new RKO policy of booking package re- issues, for this activity may indi- cate a trend toward replacing. 'B film fare with old but strong fea- tures. RKO has started its third re -issue package through the metro-. po]ilan circuit, of .60 houses in Man hallan nd Brooklyn. This' makes three in a row for RKO. which pre- viously booked "Rains Came' and •Under Two Flags' out of 20th-Fox, aiid 'Happened One Night' and 'Lost Horizon.' from Columbia.' The ■-.third deal..': however, was made With a new reissue firm. Film! Classics. Inc.. which supplied 'Star | Is Born' and 'Made for Each Other.'i The fact that RKO has. booked its i third package is reported due. to.! good grosses by first two. ■ | New policy is reversal of former) RKO habit- of booking 'fluffs' for its Tuesday-Wednesday '-.'shows. Film Classics, Inc.. furnished 25 prints, which will lake two weeks to play circuit: The RKO deal is the first big one swung, by Film Classics, inc. Firm is in business four-five, months, and is headed by Irvin Shapiro; formerly of World Pictures and Yecently an. independent producer with William Rowland and. George Hirlimam A second package deal wilh RKO is in the discussion stage. SMART HANDLING BY SAXT0N DURING FIRE ■ Baltimore. Nov. 2. Fire which broke out at height of Sat. <30) p. m. hour at Grand Five and Ton store directly across Loew s rc- Tartii' ispules: and to avoid 'lime-Vnnsum- j b(ll w:ls or r s( >i considerably by good ing litigation.' he explained in » !' nand | m ,{.bv-Win. K. SaxloW.Locw-V 'plc-idi-nt of the chain.- It \ya- dc-' ( Cel , UM . y . nicked into the dav's i sued to lease the theatre -froo of all '. cci ^ foi . .fho Adyendires- or Tan y MORI KRUSKEX Film production costs this year's output at the 20lli-Fox studios are reported- soaring to $40,000,000, highest in the history of the com- pany. It's around 20";. more than Spyros- Skouras, 20th-Fox piexy, openly estimated at the time' that Joseph M. Schenck was given a new term: pact, and about on a par .with the budget for any top major com- pany. For the total studio output for 1M2-43 20th-Fox execs then fig- ured on a budget of around $26,000.- 000 for that year. Some 27 films on the current 20lh sche'dule represent cosl of approximately $36,000,000. Four . major companies — 20th, Metro. Paramount and-Warners—are spending.an estimated $145,000,000 on current schedules. .Warners amor- tized 'around $24,000,000. for 24 pic- tures during. 1942-43. with two Or three of these negatives not in the 'A' category. With all WB product designated for high budgets ' this year, the total cost for about the same number Of pictures as last year, 24,- will run . to around $30,000:000, Saiatoga 'Trunk! alone is calculated at $3,000,000 negative cost. Metro, maintaining a-large list of contract players, and Paramount, with its costly filmusicals and sev- eral S2.000.000:$3,00p.000 negatives in other types of product, continue to represent'top studio budgets. From accounts, cost of B product has gone up from around $8,000 daily to S10.000-S12.000 per day. varying with studio and stories involved; Figures based on poi>day-eost'broken down in relation to number Of days consumed in shooting do not include, scripting costs ' : Cost ot 'A' pictures at some stu- dios is now figured at rate of $1,500 p.cr hour of shooting tiine. exclusive of talent, irection and 'script charges. Universal, RKO and Columbia, de- spile increased costs, have nonethe^ less managed to maintain . relatively lower pci'-picfUre budgets. RKO. ex- clusive of its independent producers, is unlikely to go. over the $16,000,000 mark-for its 1943-44 schedule. Samuel Goldwyn, among indepen- dent producers, lias some $4,000,000 tied up in 'The North Stai' : and the Danny Kaye filhuisicai; Typifying current costs is.the Harry Sherman' production. 'Buffalo'Bill.', being made at. 20th. It's understood coming in at around $1,700,000. In Coastal Cities, Where Patrons Who's Afraid of Blondes? Hollywood. Nov. 2. Paramount picked Arluro de Cor- doba to lake over- the job refused by Brian i)onl.evy ast'co-slarwitli Betty-' Hutloh in 'Incendiary..Blonde.'" Picture. . based on the career of Texas Guinaii. went into work yesterday iMo.n.i .on location in Tucson', ri/... With George' Marshal) directing. statement to the pres.- manager. Slopped from selling in 'hen-the theatre will .br- reopened I fn)nl b o.. Saxlon set up a card table Willi.lirsl-run films, relieving a nrst-1 ^ cashiel . al n, e -back- entrance of run jam here /depends on the length i „ 1C - „ 1Cil(r( , anri wi | n ( h e help or or tune it lakes f or- court approval , b:ivke vs .steered a gi.ocllv crowd aivt^u, put: ii in readiness, says !in)U , ld;l , )c co ,. ne , foi . b oth the On Friedl. liny and the upstairs Valencia lo- cated in the. same.-building', 'Fortunate., direction oi the wind against the voluminous smoke, kept', the customers inside the theatre ig- noranl of the doings Outside wh'ch Ja>terl three .-hours,'-, irand store building was .practically gniled. Bacher Goes From Flag Waving to Steel at 20th . Hollywood-. Nov.- ill Biiclier's second chore as Iilm producer al 20th-Kox. will. l>e 'To-.U'r iit Slec!.'.based oil a■-novel! st.H -'un- published..', by .lo.-i-|)hii;c. l,awiTi;ci'. First , aciivr'- •''production schedule, is ' •.• aiid■ Stripes lM>r- ever.' now. iii picpai'iilioii. BUDD HEADS WB DRIVE Riilpl- W. -udd. ,pe.rs')imel director (if Warner, rns: at the lioiiicoll'ii'C Hpllywoiid. Nov. . ; : has been appointedT companyt-Vytji--" Colufi,liiiiV 'Gone Are the Days' • inai. to handle .tlir' 'alioiM;.' War ^ originally slated as a jack Mo.s- P' o- : Fund drive Tor .\\'ai r.crs. d'liction. has been shirtcd i" Sol■ Sn' 1 -'•'' Adoljiii./..iilsm' i- nalionai clianiisan ^el'.-, schedule. " '. -. -. i lor the- motion picture 'ciiVi>ioi' on Ross recently look over the pro- ! th -drive, whin-.San; insdeV. ro'olc- liicliou reins on ;Mr. Winkle G(jc< in : iyn civevut npenilor. u in eliai ge .lor 1 War,' relihgiiished by HarOk] l lojd.- the N. V. territory. • '-.';-,' New Loews Co. to Handle Foreign Djstrib, Theatres I.'icw's. Inc. i Metro 1 now has a ncv. corporal ion .to carry on foreign . disti'i'nilioii and theatre- business. | Now rorporalion is Locw's Inlerna- ti'ira! Corp. . It. doesn't altei: the ; presr.nl foreign.deparlnio.nl s,ctup. I .' New company is headed by M.or- J - A. Spring, listed as president:-j lli-iiry ' Krceke, treasurof. and ; ;Jo.M'ph o>thal. secretary. This is: . H e group-that has headed the Loew- : Metro' foreign, department since; .-Arthur Loew, -.p. and foregiii s(il(;s •a:i ig"i-.v entered the U. S.. Arniy ■ ; p'e /'I. year.- ago. Major Loew is-; 01. leave or absence, without pay.-' !>u' still retains Jiis . rormcf tillc. 'Days' Go to. Siegel LIBSON'S ESTATE SGO.OnO In Bequests—Col. Frudenfcld Confers Willi RKO F.xecs Cincinnaii. Nov. . Beqne.-ts to charities and relatives, including' in-trust annuities, .lake i SliO OOO from the iiiiestiinated estate ! or Isaac ilkei' Libson. Whose will j was fried Thursday .(281 in Probate Court. A pioneer rriidwest exhibitor and v:p.. arid genera! ifuinagc.r of RK tin-all (••• . in Cinciniiali and Dayton. - for the. past decade. Lib- son Micciiiiiljed lo a- heart attack Oct 24 : ai.liis home here, lie was Gti. Linsoii's will place's his cn'iire es- tate in' tl.ic hands of' trustees, who finally'aii' to tiirn .il into Federal. s:,i'c and .municipal bonds. .islri- oiilion of the residue,i.s to be made; ;n lira year.- to his son.'-Sat. Holierl -I. -I.'ii).«»ii.- 2:). and a daiiglilcr.Mrs. 'barilla .Lib.ion Fislier.^25. of Cincin- iiali. The •£ ill '-> a. exei-uted in 'N'oyein- iier. l!»;i!j C)ilr-bequest, ol S2.0(l0 is to Hi-l'-ii Kfirch!.. tli.en -hi- s»ci riai'y a.id now :l.e widow of his oioihcr. Am- .ii). 'i:i. .- ~ : . . Col. Ai ■!i■ 11' Frii'd'.-iilC-ld. v.-i.o was ii«si>l<n:!' !o I.ib.-on since ID.'t..'!. is in N'ew Yni'k for a conference wilh Rl\6 .T';u;;n/(> exec-, some (If whom i.v.II ii.'f..:'i.. will: hini' Tliur-d:iy ■ 41. Under Brownout .roadway enjoyed its first relaxa- lion Jronv the Army-ordered diinciut in )4'months Monday (1) wlien"the brownoui v went into 'effect''until 10 p. in. Theatre marquee's, hotel signs, electric ads. etc.. blazed as in -pre- war, days, bringing- thousands of Times Square .wanderers to the ligh ted thorough fare. : Fact that Monday eve was also j night before election; known in these 1 parts to have been the scene of many 1 hectic evenings in the' past', had 'something to do wilh gelling peo- ple -downtown, and the combo of lighted streets and electioneers who had full holidays Tuesday had a curious cM'eci upon biz. Film houses were packed, registering belter biz all day Monday i-l) than the same da.v ot the week, before. But. many other, establishments "along the street complained that it .was tiie worst '.Monday . in ..-months, and wished they had the dimoul all night long. Theory '. -that a lighted street is conducive to sightseers and window-shoppers, whereas during .(Continued on page 41 j . The new. so-called 'bro\vnoul' reg- ulations' on lighting for the entire country , may not'have any 'appre- ciable effect- one-way or another' ' the downtown-areas of larger cities, in the opinion of theatre ..operators'.-., but il's expected that it very prob- ably -will, aid neighborhood business hi. previously afTeclecf dimoul zohoe through the provision for. more street illumination. In some .of the nabe areas in Greater N. Y. and other c'oasial cities, sliects have been so dark un- der', inio.ul regulations! that man' folks have not wanted to : be oh Ihetn at iiighl. especially; tor late shows thai dump their 'patrons .-at'; Midnight -pr later. Dangers dr acci- dents, niugglngs and robbings have deterred'attendance. 'However, for earlier,shows, under the new regulations, outdoor light- ing, ol -marquees, store fronts, etc., tvill.be permitted.'from- 8 to 10 p.m. at this time of Hie year but intensity of the lighting- must be decreased. This; according to llieatremcii. will be Jefl to their, discretion, wilh in- spectors to ciieck : and the proper -amount arrived at after experiii'ieut. No daytime marquee or plhei" out- door lighting will'be perinilied. This will nol be.niissed so much nllhough daylinie marquees, going full blast, attract attention trbm some distance. ('Continued on page 181 Salven Gets Hoist Hollywood. Nov. ' . -. - Parjtn'iiiiil. lipped Kddir SalWi. to a 'ine.'-'o. dim Hi after live yeai s as ai: a-fistai',! ;t'i Cecil ;-.\lille; . •jr.-: i-lioii- i- '.Mississippi Magic' Tr Ti'i'Mi.ii'oi'ir t-wo-reeVr piod icc'l •}/.'. l;-.o Il...n SIX DISNEY CARTOONS TO GET RUSS TOUCH Hollywood. Nov, 2. - Walt isncy , signed Leonid Kin- skey. Russian-born actor, and play- wright: to translate six cartoons inlo Russian, al the request of Mikhail Kolotozov, Soviet, film'representative in the.Americas. Kinskey is re-w riling'lyrics, nar- ration and dialog on ;Baihhi.' lo be followed by a similar job on ','aludos Amjgos.' Conliacl al.-o calls, for the translalion of four shoris. Story of Penicillin On Auster's Slate at 20th Hollyw'ood. Nov. 2. Islin Aii.-icr■ draws tlii'cp pictures on his production slate at SOIh-Fox.. beginning with '.Stranger On (he lllgliway,' . j).-yrliological ri.order . mystery, .ici ipted. by Kr-kinc Cald- well. ■' - ' -I.-.". '.-■-' . : Olhei; tv.o.. >iiJT ontiik-'l. are a story on.tlie M'-V-ly disi ovifred -.'■ura- tiv'c. ijciiicilliiii and a" tale about th new diilii-.- pcrrornicd by file Mili- ; liny f'ol-ci'- branch or the Army. Scouting Flicka's Foal : - , . I lolly wood.-Nov. 2. ■ VVinie l.-.r.-i- breeder'*: are phc- nagliiig with stallion.- and mares \<> arrange bli'.-^ed events on -tud rai'in,- Shorlly aflei Ian. I. the universal ..birthday or evevy .thoioughnred' .-tei.'(l. 20.ih-'I''ox'. ..'.-.I'lltjinn-jl- equine. ' scout- arourd l:.e ricarb.v iancln - io -i:;i a f-ial lo be boil •-yilhif;. the . i.i'.x 1 Hi;day,. ' . ' •. , .i d.":i-r v.- ll be set at: liirl'r, ..a'mpppi't loii'-iii "Pie.Son ol Flicl'.ii: ,.a sequel to '.My "r.end Fl.cka.':.v. ilh Robert a.-.-lei . prpdiir-iug. Loui- Kiiig diiecling aii'l .Roddy McDoVall i p';'iru-1!.<' boy I'ol"; COWAN SEEKS HECHT TO ADAPT PYLE TOME Lester Cowan; currently , east for huddles with Ernie Pyle on the lihni'/.alipn of the war correspondent'!! .'Here Is Your War,' with Pyle serv- ing as a technical'adviser prior his return to Italy, says he's dicker-, ing with■ Ben Hech,l to do the screen adaptation and is also seeking Elliott Nugent to direct the film version of ''Tomorrow' the World,' Nugent directed the stage play, current at the •Barryniore: N. Y.-'- ' The Pyle film will go into produc-; tion about Jan: l and has been biid- \ geted at approximately $1,500,000, say.s. thc indie producer. He further disclosed that the Kim .will include, under terms jot the p icl made wiih Pyle, a number of U, S. war corre- spondents who. figure prominently in- the tome and -with whom Cowan, while east, is negotiating. Film wil| ; probably be called 'Yank' and- will • lie made in -cooperation wilh the War Dept., wilh - chief emphasis oil the [-infantry ground, forces who, says Cowan, have been virtually . neg- Ici ted lo date in American p: -. To - portray I'yle cliaracler.. Cowaii says lie's lining up a name star of the 'homespun-Will. Rogers type' in keop- ! ing with the (!oi respondeiil's loin i aiid reqiie-l.'.."■ ; "fimiorrow the World.' says Coy. an, ■ will probably be -hooting >iuiuHaiii-- - ou.-ly with 'Yank' and; i.- budgeted at SI.ODO.OOO. Financing of both ])ix is .all set. lie adds, wilh I'»(<•(( Arti.-H ■ fii.sti'Vbut'rng.- :' N. Y. Canteen Designers Ask $15,000 From Film 'crecii crcdii ''for .ll-eiV, designs of the -nriginal Stage Poor Canteen, the ba.-,eincni ol Ihe 4 41 >; St. Iheair., N. \., i.v the has:.- of a-'SISiOOIJ"ciai'm- by flmilini' Rocln- ai,r( Peggy Clar ugain.-l the Au:('i |r ai. Theatre Wing, Ii:i-;. : a.nd Sol I>.-.-i-r. who made the Iilm .version. While Harry Horiier ; got scenic cred|i tor 'Stage Door, Canti-i'ii.' M. -e- Roche and v,Cl:uk did nol.' Tin-y peir.i{jin'd .Li'.-sei: ; who argued -thai .(' hi- y.e:i- to do ll-al, Il;c ; i-<- v : '»!-;l'i be no i",d o!'.,i: he'd ha\:(:' to .sVi-i'i'ii-c-.rd:: -liie' won-.in 'Aho (Ir.-iUi.'-u -.' " '■ 'I'.i'ru iv>sli'-ieV a|)l'OI:-. (•!<:. > v ' ■ . 'I'l.i; .\'i;W n. -I'.i'd I,..- malic: ' • an execulKo hriaid ii i".'l|:i^ 'ai''V a $a()0 -eiiU'iucn: lo each li.ay- end II.e en- l ie n'n'li'i. Trim, :l ii-.dicaiioiiS: