Variety (March 1944)

PICTURES Wednesday^ March 1, 19-14 Age'-'Guilty Parents' Sex Dual Causes Church-Politico Upheaval In Omaha; K. of C. Akron Beef Fails Omaha Feb. 29 Censorship problem here exploded .into ;'.a:; top|hpt-f,o-handle Vsiftwatiori' u'ith:'. name's being' iCfilifccl ■.aiidv';a(^ri-,' KipniouS diseu.ssipti laii' aroitiid 'siht!^. Mayor Dan BuUcr had Ridpii D. Goldberg in' ■; :cpuvf' vfor exhibiu'ns "Teen Age"; and "Guilty Parents.", Goldberg showed the two subjects at his Arbor, nabe, arid the mayor had him brought into com Ion the ground the. piotuyes,were uiifit f.ir.. ■chiidrien' to see. Goldberg held that the mayor and city had no right to an est him until courts had passed on picture So Judge io-ster Palmci ot munici- pal Court jrrulled •the case for a week, then tossed it back smoking with the remaik that the city welfare board was in - charge' "and .'whttfe th^ women' for their WatchJulhess,''he; ■cpuldnH. "tujdertake. to vmafceJanjfVd^^ '^cisiori: on- the: case.'.■' ' ■ i ■ ■ Last Friday r257TTciyor Uutler as sailed Palriier -saying -hfe'ought; nbt .tp run for reelection; Mrs. J. C. Tighe,; chairman of the Catholic Legion of Decency, issued a statement Satur- day declaring that Judge, Palmer "sidestepped his* judicial responsi- bihty" in refusing to rule on the picture indecency charge. ■ Palmer freed Goldberg on. the charge, saying; he didn't want to oe- come a one-man ■ censor of movies for the people of Omaha and that such matters belong to the welfare; board created right after the "To- bacco Boad" incident; After reading Mayor Butler's state- nient that "Palmer ; should ; not be; reelected," :the judge, . said, 'The .mayor now severely criticizes me for not assuming, the same role that he was forced by public opitiion to re- linquish." t Mrsi Tighe backed up .'the mayor with, "Judge Palmer is merely try- ing to pass to the welfare board, his own respphsibility.: for :■ which think he was elected." She said the welfare- board is a regulatory body and must depend.'upon the courts for enforcement of therlaw. 1st Arrests of Parents In Delinquency Drive Indianapolis, Feb 29 ' - First arrests ;;under the.:bity> nevv,, curfijw; law. l-.o'.ding parents rcT. sponsible when unaccompanied ciiil- dien under 15 are found on the streets after 10 o'clock at night, were made this week Three fathers, w hose sons had started out to go to a show together and were caught loitering near a downtown penny arcade, were fined $1 and cosls, with the latter suspended. Maximum fine under the law is $10, Two molhers ariaigned in court the next day were ordered to reappear, with, their chil- dien March 14 Pii y Prosecutor Hear.v Coombs su„'gested linquency- vicinity. an investigation of de factors in the arcade's 3 More of Pine-Thomas' 7 Par Pix Yet to Be Made Co.rni tttd to deliver seven pic^ tubes' ip 'Pai-^iount' tlijs 44», Bill Pnie, uho's partner is 'Wil- liam C. Thomas, states that only lliroe more have to be made, and that i'''ey will be in the can in time for release before the season ends Aug 31 Tlie Piiic-Thomas pioducing team, how in .\. Y., has had three released .so far, while a fourth, "Navy Way," is now on sale and will shortly be made .ivf liable to exhibitois. It is bcJiiK gj\cn a special premiere at the Great Lakes Naval station r^ar Chicago on March 24. Pine and Thomas proceed on to Hollywood from there, but Pme will return later to Chicago for the opening there in one of the Balaban & Katz houses. Stmio and Union Execs East For Despite K. of C. Protests, Akron OK's Hygiene Film Akron, O., Feb. 29. Despite efforts by the Alcron Coun- cil No. 547 of the Knights of Co- lumbus to ban the showing of the film "Dust to Dust" in the Liberty, Akron, law director Roy E; Browne, who viewed the film and lecture on hygiene by Howard Russell Cox* given with: the film," said the city would take no action. The K. of C. passed a resolution charging that the picture was "not of a moral, educational, amusing, or harmless character," but was "peril- ous and dangerous to the boys and girls of the community, and is apt to cause a great, increase m i uvenile delinquency." The group asked Mayor. Charles E. Slusser to stop the further showing of' the "ob jectionable, pic- ture." In addition to this, the or- ganization's council lodged formal protest with Gov. John W. Brieker and the state board of film censors, : which had approved the flIiH. ■ Mayor Slusser assigned Law Di- ^rectorvBrownc to see the show, and ytie. latter .sdid, ^'Thi s film abo.ut ■as tar as you woula want « to ii> r frankne.>-s, but I think it is a good thing. The police department has no legal right to close the show. Of course, it is a good thing ttiat the shows are not presented to mixed audiences, but I see nothing jn the film or 'the .*slk,.;feive»*. ia.^. a- strai^t-': f01 ward m«nuer, that IS^year-old boys and girls should not know about." He poiiiH.'d out tliat' ihe.. Mm ] had been'«ppI*ved^.by/the;. S^te 'De-'l par'.n-.ent of ./BSucatiOn: and Wtlinir:! prominent i6J3g^nl2ati©te5Bd,in«^ ■ uals. '.;.' ■'.■'.■:^': ;'..•';•.. . ';■"'■•■.! Stiffer Taxes For All Detroit Show Biz Are Proposed Detroit, Feb. 29. Stiffer license rates are in prospect for the show business here following Mayor Jeffries' acceptance of City Controller Charles Oakman's fee in- creases. Following a study of meth- ods to increase city revenues. Oak- man proposed a program which calls for approximately doubling former rates. ;:./- New fee setup shovifs pic->cnt lates of $25 for regular picture houses, $40 for those with vaudeville, and $100 for stage shows would be upped to a straight .seat basts to ^5 for 1 to 500. i seats, $50 for 501 to 1,000 seats, $75 for 1.000 to 2,000 seats, and $1,50 for houses, pver 2,000 seats.. Parking lots tax. in conjunction with theatres would be $5 to $15 tor less than 25 cars up to '^40 for lots holding more than 50 cars. Legitimate theatre rates go from $100 to $150, cabaret fees increase from $50 to $110, and dance halls from $25 to $50. Bate on open-air; concerts and motion pictun^ would mciease from $15 a montti to $30, Fee on circuses was upped from $330 to S500 daily. The new license setup is not aimed; at- the amusemenit .buslniess alone but' pai I of program to increase rates lor more than lOO city-regulated busi- nesses, industries and stores. Labor Parleys Hollywood, Feb. 29. Several studio executives and union chiefs trained east over the week-end to producer ^ labor wage negotiations slated for New York opening March 6. » Victor H. Clark and Pat Casey left Friday, followed by Fred Pelton Tuesday (291, while other studio executives leave this week.. ,- : Film labor groups are sending Harold V. r Smith, Herbert . Aller, L C. Helm and II C Rohrback, who leave today, and John Martin and Nerval Crutcher are leaving tomor- row. Herbert Sorrell will go later in week. Studio unions repi-csented are sound technicians, Iiitemational Pho- tographei'S;iStuidJO TJtiKty Erhptoyeesi film technicians and moving picture painters..■.■ New Admish Tax (Apr. 1) a Problem; Theatres Try to Avoid Uneven Admish Burton Holmes Spiels Now 100% With Films St, Louis, Feb. 29. For the (list time in the many yeais he has 'jecn making p. a. in this burg. Burton Holmes, 74-year- old fraveloguer, last week showed lOO^J pix of his travels. The tinlcd' slides .tlTftt; iiave ;.ioeen a: part' pf'.,his routine for many years,., were iimi.ss',; iii^ .and 'in . their stead teclinicoWred- Sim replaced them; Holmes last week stalled his 51st year on the plattoim m the mid,ile west cucurt, and has struck a bonanra duiing the cuirent season. . ■: Walter F.vpiset, Holincs' manager, said the, traveloguerJiung lip his: a)];.; time banner season subscription in Chicago with $5,300 being laid on ;thB;.line. ,;,HiS:; fi«t'p;a.'at the .Hfeh^ ^^.. ■Kicl';,auditp.vi\im;' here las t ...^ neared . the :SRb . mark, Hpliivei?' .Still jnaintains. a .$,1; top ;iii :the .midwest.. Joan Gets Furious ':•■ .,': ;■■'';' ,I-Cio%wij^d,' HVb; .2S.. '■ ■; , . Ferh'mc;',leE'd ''Mi *Mantat1aia'- iPiijir,s;'' goes to Joan Leslie as «oon as she ■; winds ;iJp;:ll3W:eut'S?ej^t''A«^^^ derqlla Jowcs" at Wanicrs. ;■,, '.iid'w.a.i'd.:)8^«t. GUIOL PACTS WITH UA FOR FEATURETTE UNIT Hollywood, Peb 39. Fred Guiol, tonnerly associated with Hal Roach studios as producer- clirector-writer,; has set. 'up his own production Unit;', to : make four fear .turetes,something,like the ' old Roach;' .■.';Sl;rea.mJihfers, '.|Pr . release through United Artiits on the 1944- <5 program. Fir^t of the films, de signed to ru n T0^t»-50 minutes, will be a comedy7 '"Danser-^Men On Leave,"' scripted by Tedwell. Chapman' and Edward Seabrook.. ,.:.;' ' . HOifER RESIGNS WPB, BORROUGHS, AIDE, UP Washington, Feb. 29; Harold Hopper resigned last week-, end as cSaief of the motion pictuie section; ^. tSe WPEl, biit. 'will con- tinue to'.sert«.as consultant He Will be succeeded by Eimcoln V. Bur- ■roUgliiSi ..w}»o .'lias been,-iais assistant. ■. ' ■ Hopper wemt to. New York for a few days on personal business, but will be here tlie latter part of the week to wind up his aiflairs before' goiiig to the ..Cja^ He,operates'.th;e .Cinenaa' /Meireain!^ Co., in .Holly- .wjopd,! wljiich saij»pHes .s<ets"'.'anid..,props' for the sljudios. ISA XO BECOME ^ TASTE '■ -:-.v.''ffpi|ST^bd^^ ;, ' Ida- Lupftio, Warmet'..;.'iB}'*S. sljaiv.h'as -:fi:I,ed .an applacatipn for;'0v''S..;C').tizfin .'ship papeics.; : .■■ 'v ;.'V' ?;;'She' 'is :® >Bs#iSh sub.ic-ct and is mai'ri'ed to ;E»life.IJay\va actor now an otlicer in the iVIarinos AdkHf's flarmoiiiea Out Of Andy Stone's "Sensatbis' ,;;':■'■ .HoiljTiywJd,' Feb, 29; '', ;. 'JLarpy;. Adicr.; stepped ■ out (if the specially cast in Andrew Stone'? .pictMre,. '.''Sfe.osatioiis .fflt','i944,^.'.-«itfer.;.a; iSiy^i^reeniftM' -alijfetjt'. ■ iae ■. 'niii.ran<er ■,'of feiaiwrin^ iiis'.lfeiriino»^^ ; KliinMig' 'g«i^:'\'(oin.-';wailiii ■:..'p3cwty'' <bI .sj>eciali3es' but .itt^^;|iAlwtt*M}'Oa«^^ .Pro- ajiiGtaow Vw'iiill',teie,..(^fese»!|.. tey.'.'U.Wited AikiStS,:'V;;'.'''.'■•■'■.;.';■'::''•':'.':■'":;' .«' Alban.?, N. Y. Feb. 33. ';.i'-'?SSriHiiiaB'<. tftie 'Beiiteii .■'fijm'jjt.©t3>,h^aiit^&^^ j^&^A!'' .fepiiblicay'J, ch.a& couiMy. ;;''., '■'■ ;'.'.;.:'/;"' .;'■.■ ''-rr/- ■ ' He teoad'PjJ' a;.:dplesatwii:,&hi.:ch :pi'c-;■ semcd ■; 'to ; .■O.pv^.eoio.r .,..Th'c>ni'a,s" ■.■W.y. ®e'>\*y '''.;ii'i; .^Siba.nj' ■ .iasi ^'pek .. .an'., .*.mc".")f!in fifig w.hich. iiung iii Con- yen'tioii'. Hall,'., whctse.. ..&e'»?'ej;.' "vviis iiominafod; ■ '■..:'.'..■ s;'] Bobbyssx t§ Urgnette Trade Is N. T. Par's Span Pioving that a theatre does not always ,;bec.pnne ■ typed,; although the Paramount, N. Y, has often been dubbed the home of the jitterbugs and bobby socks, Bob Weitman, managing director, points to the ma- 4ia-iw4^tiaiciweS^pa4*'i^^ house -on its purrenf show, ''La;dy- ;in Dark" and Xavic;- Ctiigat. With the :,iit.terp6s sta-ying;;away, the N. Y, .Par, ,is.; playing to .a, .large: arripunt of . car- nage tiade patrons and to a ma- :,j«r'il^.;.';'ot..'.:,'S>M '.";.illll. 'ages, "but 'iSolifeiv tll!M!»e,liiia . ''lijie 'jiimiti^Bjiilly.. clajss;' ;''. A'' n^biiA ■ sJwvcs ','{t|jat■ last. siMnm'et wiien ' litairrjr;J)ai)iii«s ...plaj^d' ittle! ■ ithe'T aire, ^ thet/osit - Tii.'d^ .S'<(Swm^ ^'''vdep&rt'':. .mcrat'.'' 'was .. .'lipad.td vwith '■ ;^tesRtes', ;BPrk'-pie ..'hatsi c.olliegiate .'pi'ijes,;; nn-' laiiifed.; sis'*ateii.s..' a b'd" bShervSimiter. ax.-.^ .itfcl'es. .'SioIM: '^Siii iJbe present, engage- 'inopj.-,; ft'ows«e; is .,hi)l'd Jmjg.' .in; its . lost. and foMWd,'. ..'dic.tsi'' W ■ malacca walldinig' 'sticilt.SjV.^igliil.'^^ pairs ipS ;''0j5er« .^lasses',' 'tliree .■ ;3prgn«li'es,' i'wir ,' iteolttes;'. .;?!: sijielling '"sajt5,;'.a- teoMe; *!■'.■ Iperifniijiiie.''..^^^ iiconlin^tottwri''' 'tick«fe^ to;pt*o'nxVdfe;®'na''4 .rfighfly^ higHwtv-7;-:;'■■':^;^'■:.■'■;..■■..■ ■..'■. ' ,';.:': New Tax Skeds Need Not Mean Destroying . Old Printed Tickets Washmgton Feb. 29 ■ TlieatreS .and other amvusemcnls with large' stoCk.s. of 'tickets on hand WiU .not have; tp; 'discard tlVehi \vhert the. higher. adraissiohs. ta.X:,;go;es.; into, eflect Apul 1. Bureau of Internal Revenue has .set up a ruling which Will prevent the waste of ducats whose face car- iies the old JO*", tax, iheieby sav- ing' showmen from an unnecessary expense 1. The old tickets may be used un- til liiey are all gone, no matter how, long >t takes, providing the face of the tickets are over-.stamped \Mth the new higher tax. (The rates must be shown-on the Ucket "under the law ) 2 For a short time after April 1 it will be all nghl lor showmen to use the old tickets without rubber- stamping them, providing" they get permission of the local Collectors of Internal. Revenue. The local col- lectors are authorized by Washing- ton, to Rive such approval for '"a rea- sonable time," but peuni.s.>-ion must be obtained. Theatres are in a quandary as how to work out admission scale sched- ules in accordance with the in- creased tax which goes into eflect April 1, the problem being aggia- vated by the fact that the a\eiMge opeiator wants to remain at even flguies rather than sell tickets on which penny-change is requiredi Range of. scales will probably in- cline, however, in ordei not to di.s- turb the net to the theatre on pi iccs. In addition to the fact that odd- cent admissions complicate book-: keeping and deductions for tax, pennies are now scarce and the- atres, where they are required, are having trouble getting a sufficient amount. Also; the use of pennies slows' up trade at the boxoflice in handhng the coppers that come m or must be pas.sed out m making change. Further, the steel pennies now in circulation cause coiisider- <lble confusion and mistakes since they look like dimes. The new admissions tax, double the late now exi.stinff^ but difleung as to fractions, calls foi Ic on eveiy 5c admission or maior Iraction thereof, whereas the present levy is Ic on each 10c or any fraction. In .seeking to come out in admi.s-; sions units of five or 10c, theatre managers and others find that the new tax schedule makes this im- possible unless they sacrifice;''by. getting into major fractions of a nickel That occuis principally wheie a theatre would lUve to charge 35c, TSc or .1^1, as many hou.ses do.m: the. larger cities. In-■ other wolds, in these cases a the- atre mu.st sacrifice Ic of - adini.s.sion to itself in order to come out at .m even figure, the maior Jiaction cost- ing them that: one penny. On various other admissions, it can be worked out evenly, such aS 21c admission and 4c tax lor a total of 25c, or 50c and 10c tax to come out at 60. In N. Y as well as else.- where, although most theatres tiy io avoid odd-cent admission chaiges, there are some .so-called price changes where a 44c or other even: scales are employed. This may in- (Continued on page 18) RODGERS AND AARON ON COAST BEFORE CHI MEET in 'chaj^e of distributioii, ..is. On tlie Coast, accompanied by Edwin W. Aaron, cucuit sales head of the company, to huddle at the Metro studio on production and sales mat- 'tCrs/ . . . I. :■:';■■■'.. • ' : ■ .''.„■':..' ,;llpdgers remain.s West, .until a cb.u-' ple. of days before the Metro busi-' npss-salps n-ieeting Jn.Chicago .March Il7;l5„ wliile. Aflrbn is .slated to leave ;Mai:'ch, 4 .{or penver and .Kansas' City on ciicuil deal discussions pi loi to going to Chicago. Runyon-s-Irish Eyes' In 20th Quint of Opuses ./■'■'::;.''.. Hol'v.vcod. Feb'' 29. .Kwe;. h'igh'-biKl'get productions arc .an:'Wiqirk'at ,2iQl*i.-Fox'.. this wecfc tlje;j»art'.iit' nii;^;: .E;j-^ Jiig," Damon Runyon producing and tlregwy'.Ria.t'o'fil:'; dn-ecting.' ''.■.'.!'■.'■'■■ .. .0Mwirs:'in. '.hfg!li''.S!i,wciiar: Sraekets .are. -•Kf.fi 'tiJ- 'thc' Kihgadm;'"..' ",Sv?e«:t ;and, ; i<o\y .-S3Pwi3i'^ '.-*w.ing' ■ aad'/'-'^^^ Pra.vt:'"" aiui ••WilMin.'' :' Pin EXHIB PINCHED FOR SHOWING SPICY FILMS Pittsburgh, Feb 23. Morris Rubin, operator of the tiny Art Cinema theatre, was arrested last Thursday night 124) and the two "adults only" pictures he was show- ing; "Virgins of Bali'' and 'The Sin of Nora Moran," confi.scated on the' grounds that they were spicier than the censors allow. Lieut: Andrew W. Hudock, state policeman, made the: arrest and ordered the double bill stopped after Mrs. Nancy; Gard; an inspector for Ihe State Censor Boaid, City Detective William Hjuls and a state trooper had sat through a showing of both films. ' Mis. Gard charged that "Vhains of Ball" had not been approved by the Penn-sylvania'; ;Gensd,rs',' a eliminations", had not been made jn . Nora Moian." . Art Cinema; which iiacl ''Kings' of.; the Ring" scheduled to open Satui- day (26), advanced the opening a day. Raid on "'Virgins" and "Nora Mcii-an-^oo k plaue afler pretures 1 beeen playing the 290-sojter for one day short of five weeks. Rubin, who has been running the h(mse since ;hig bi^Pfhcribv/hoi', Sgt. GiTbc Rubin, .went into l:ie service .year and a half ago, wiSJ gel a heal- ing before Alderman Patrick Cawley tomorrow <Wed.), Postwar' Thesp Pact ■ ;'.. ■ .■ ;„.:■:':; ';!^KnWs^ad.^fW . .'Mjj,tei' ■ ..'iBifJy',:.;.»'''SrflJi^ : sviiss: flyer^V'a'wJ "'^wri^^ '''^31.; Loiiik 'Ciirffifi'Slji.' fffaft^^■f^EP.^Wia;s:,.j;^.ga^.e^^^ ;1|h■e.'.^vc>fi■^i?''l(d^'■'ta'^.a^J ;';»^^ b'y: "Hu-ni: -Si'rOMbPi'i!.''.;./;.;.,.'.;;' :'.:';"' ,.; '.'■: ' -. .C^ofS.i'af.'t.'.-.hiic'fim'fes '; ■cffco'li'vc.'' aficr, fhc'"dwi'fili'oii.:" ■ I.:' Oater Tandem for Clark .""' .' r':'. Hpll.vwood. Feb. 29 '■: .GMtocrt. Gtei'ik; p0lM,4^tea pj-cdiiWr' i,s'sa#ol.ili.ji;g 'l'\\'iP..:'bi»nch'o'.';'pie't«r« :(or' ©arly'. sipj-iiTg .g^H'OftiW^^ .''.-',.:.:■■."' '. '".;'.., '.'.Iteltos ^are .••I'hc-Fi^mistg.;.Mjiii^hali ot :;Snid«!; ;«t": 'eM ■: ' '^Tl* :.'Ertjiin«,.oi: MWoraitilt*.'^' '■.. :' . ;:. '"^,'^'- ;■. ';:■:': ''- ■' Frijoles for Talcon' \.' '.' '■' } ':.''''^:W<5,il^v?(»d. Fy? 'SS-:' |, .'''.WiJTfeffi;.8«'ute;cliif^.i**fl^ j :pi!.'a';,6tve-'|5jctn'!'t;:;(;i<j!" ' i.'J'aT.cpn lin. Jvj'ex.j'r.'o.':."' I. ■ ;'33 iirKij,;;.: M'f'nl'ly... ' W-i'Kh.' f :ij;,./trKv.'^ I pppiisi te;'. Tpin'' ti'jtt',v;iy 'America' Into Asbr; JI Following ?vt Ha^?e' ; /'America,,'! one of .ifetro's .cpstiieist, .prod«Ct|ipp'Sj:.i5.'.''schc4^^^ ■■- ':tlje;'Ast$r .w6at^t'J<tev(/.'';^arfc, -fo'ir.'k ': ,:t'iin':rpH<j:^Mng .''''fjS^ Hargrove." ;;'.'"^''V'. -■;';' ■;'.:;'' .j'. v ■' '. :>'.HargpPV6^'.te.'^atied.'i^ '■ .21;, ''foJtowt^iajg ■''.''liifebtiafc'' '■;■■..":.', ■,''.;'.:"':.'': ' Lassie's Pooch for Simony /'; ■''';:;■'.' ■.':■' .: ItoJlywood, Feb:;,^,'.' .;:. Metro: 'afeigned:.:..S, ;'^ylva3i^ . .Jo.';'.d.!r'ec't'. "Sk)n of vag.'^iie,''' .:".a '"'ise^jiie':... . .. , .,-..;;to;''';''tksie.;'.iCo'infr.'''. {^^^ : 'siaating':'.' l',S0; t3if«;t..;"The'! 3Vp?-i3' t.?with'.;Safe Mai's: !i^..}3r(S&Ceit.', / ■1 .i.ny;.s'l.e)-j'..j'.8,r,'v,. I. ' 'Staon^ r'ec.ii.j)'tly.;':i5fflo^^^ a.'terig,;;: :!-'M'i')rn©d''. Je&tfi {.'lofflhout'.'job!' ■as-..di'f©c!Wr .''W»,':'::S«»ng'«ii'' ' rip'.'rt'nime.^lcjiji:,:)hK';, ppeiv:":Rba^''■.'iof"; '!2hj&TeS:"'''ft.:' hllpgbrsf