Variety (Jul 1944)

Treasury Lists Over $75,000 Salaries Washington, July 18/ :'■ M. Warner, $182,000; Jack L, Warner, Pictures still lead the . country in [ $182,000: Sarin Wood, $157,199. • ■:■ Some other earnings listed: ■number of : top money earners ^ L Co]urabia Broadening System- cording'to: the annual, report-made j William S. Paley. $185,820. • public yesterday- by - the,. Treasury ■ Radio Corp. . of America.—David Department Report lists persons j-Sarnoft $100,900. . • • ■ „> „.„ • ••• i„ f Hurok Attractions. Inc.—Marian : who,were paid $7a,000 or more in; Anderson, $95,502. salaries, bonuses, and; commissions: Hearst Consolidated Publications from a . single employer during the: calendar year 1942, or during a fiscal I O no year running from 1942 to 1943: | Hearst Publications. Inc Treasury includes only a partial Randolph Hearst,. $100,000. report on the film industry. Missing! Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, Inc.—Gray & Gray, $97,- 1B5, ■'.- : " v ~- '- Pulitzer Publishing Co. (St. Louis) —Joseph Pulitzer, $232,231:.; American Weekly, Inc.—Mortimer Berkowitz, $120,825. .' Hearst Magazines, Inc.—Richard E. Berlin. $156,009. , King Features, Inc.—George Mc- Manus. $106,975; Robert X. Ripley, William Randolph Heart, $100, William are the names for Metro, Universal RKO, Columbia and one or . two other studios. A Treasury spokes- man explained that their reports were sent in too late for inclusion in the current listing, but that a sup- plemental list will be issued'in the next few months which will include i them. v! '.'-.'-•'■'.•. V: j The Treasury announcements are , provided under a law ofCongress. | $113,602: Murat Cheung. $124,738. and only cover. those who make $75,000 or more from a single em- ployer. Thus, if a, picture star earned $50,000 apiece from each of two studios, his name would not be included under the weird law. Like- wise, if he made $75,000 from one studio and $50,000 from another, only the larger figure would be Sid Fleisher's Sudden 'Top Income for 1943 FILM EDITORS VOTE TO ALLY WITH IATSE Hollywood. July 18. ; After voting to suspend by-law vc- quiring 75'i- affirmation on affilia- tions and also a special ballot meet- ing. Society of Motion Picture Film Editors approved affiliation with. IATSE by a vote of 446 to 119 at a regular meeting fast night. Ballot was rushed through in order to get charter backing because of produc- ers' reaction to new contract asked for by editors and cutters'. Editors will be given autonomous charter and. it is planned, closed shop oyer all cutters in' industry. Deal was handled by Carl Cooper. IA v.p., and" Arthur Hilton, repre- sentative of editors.. Union members total 766. and 685 were present at balloting. With granting of charter. IA will now have 12 crafts of industry in its fold with nearly 10,000 members. Sidney R..Fleisher, arbiter of sales of film rights to Broadway shows and counsel, for : the Dramatists made public by the Treasury. Radio I Guild, found himself internationally earnings for stars are hot included | limelighted Monday (17) when a since they are based on a different | Washington report- placed him as,the type contract and are not required to be made public. ; The companies and big earners reported; Fox West Coast Agency Corp.— Charles P. Skouas, $132,501). ; Samuel Goldwyn, Inc., Ltd.—Gary Cooper, $247,397; Bob Hope, $100,000. National Theatres Amusement Co. —Charles P. Skouras, $130,589; Spy- ros'P. Skouras. $84,810. Hal Roach Studios, Inc.—William E. Bendix. $77,616. '.' Paramount Pictures, Inc.-—Charles Brackett, $90,900; Frank R. Butler. $86,950: Rene Clair, $84,317: Clau- dette Colbert. $360,000; Bing Crosby, $336,111: Buddy DeSylva, $313,517; Y.'F.ra'hk- Freeman. $130,000; Henry Ginsberg. $114,375; Paulettc God- dard: S152.500: Edward H. Griffith nation's highest-salaried man. He had explained to .the Treasury De- partment that the earnings credited to. him were vastly exaggerated and the money wasn't his anyhow. Dis- regarding his explanation, the Treas- ury in its-'first edition of income list- ings for 1943 placed Fleisher on top and the Washington bureaus of the ailies announced him as "a new- comer among the 'nation's biggest earners." replacing Louis B. Mayer of Metro, for the time being at least. Fleisher was reported having re- ceived some $645,000. "It was money paid him by 20th-Fox for picture rights but : only remained in his possession over night, since the coin, was immediately remitted by him to the authors whose show-rights had been bought by the film outfit. Don Jacocks Resigns As WB N, J. Mgr. To Go on Own; Other Exchange Briefs PRCs New Budget Policy; Elect Fromkess Prez Hollywood, July 18. New policy at PRC. starting with the. Stuart Erwin starrer, "At the Post:'' calls for a flexible budget, lo- be; determined by possibilities of the film as. it.shows in the daily rushes. "Leon Fromkess and other com- pany execs decided to use the same plan on other important pictures, raising budgets and extending the shooting time as the film goes along, but keeping within, reason.; • . '.' Two vet. showmen, without previ- ous picture experience, have been signed by Fromkess as associate pro- ducers on the hillbilly musical. "I'm from Arkansas." Newcomers are Irving Vershel, former vaude player . and ballroom operator, and E. H, Kit-inert, former producer of short stage -musicals for Paramount Pub- iix. '•:'' :-.-.-' '. ■ ,•'■-. ■'•-'... ; '. •■ . Don Jacocks, New Jersey zone man- ager for Warner Bros., has resigned to enter the exhibition field on his own following conclusion of a deal for the acquisition of the five Mass- achusetts theatres formerly operated by Joe LevinsOh, who died several month« ago, He will takj control of the circuit Aug. 1. Houses include three in Quir cy. Mass. and two in Brookline. Frank Damis...for 10 years film buyer for the Warner N. J. houses and also assistant zone manager, suc- ceeds Jacocks. He has been with WB 15 years, originally in the h.o. booking department. ' V Jacocks. veteran in theatre opera- tion and buying, has been with War- ners 15 years. Prior to that he was associated with Spyros Skouras when Skouras operated a group of New Jersey and Pennsylvania theatres for Paramount. He also .was with Charles P. Skouras for a time in op- erating capacities with Fox-West Coast.- : -: : :.'.. •:'-.'■ '.-•■• •-,'.'"•:.''.-■■.■•• who heads the Sail Francisco - ex- change, arrived-.Monday (17),while L.eroy Bickel. Dallas branch mana-; ger, and Jack Revillc, over the Okla- homa City exchange, get into N. Y. next Monday (24). The following week W. E. "Doc" Banford. Chicago, and Bob Workman; Minneapolis, are due for h.o. talks, .while on Aug.,7 Herman Ripps, Albany., and; Ralph Maw, BufTalo, r will arrive for a week's visit., ■ • •'-:,'•. M.P. Associates' Boiid Buy Motion Picture Associates, N. Y., orignally organized only for men en- gaged in selling of film but later ex- panded to include exhibitors and executives of homeofl'ice circuits, purchased $5,000 in bonds which brings its overall total since the war to $20,000. according to Morris San- ders, sales manager for 20th-Fox in the N Y. exchange, who's president. Sanders also reveals that as result of an arrangement made with the American Theatre Wing, a .total'of 35 MPA members, exhibitors as well as film sellers, are now on regular duty ■at the Stage boor Canteen, N. Y. He has just sent, out. ail appeal; asking for additional volunteers. So. Cal. Theatre Ops Organize , Los Angeles, July 18. Southern California Theatre Own- ers Association, new organization ot circuit and individual theatre opera- tors., has adopted a constitution and bylaws and will hold its first election of officers here July 26. '•'-'• Object of.SCTOA. according to Al- bert J. Law, organizer, is !'to deal with problems common to all exhib- itors and "to provide a medium through which views of all exhib- itors, large and small, can be prop- erly expressed." . •: .. '■•'■■;.' $91 379- Bob Hope, $148,333: Dorothy Under the terms of the Guild's basic Lamour. $127,416: Austin C. Ktfough,. I contract all money for picture rights $78,000- James Mitchell Leisen. $145.- must clear through, the attorney and 884; Fred McMurray, $347,333: Fred ' ric March. $100,000; George Marshall. $131,708; Joel McCrea. $90,000; Ray Milland. $130,166; Victor F. Moore, $103,125; Ginger Rogers. $245,000 n that way subterfuge is eliminated. Curious angle to Fleisher's "fame" was that he had told 20th it was wrong to report payment to him. be- cause the money actually belonged Mark R. Sandrich, $1-12,000; Preston I to the authors. Other picture firms Sturges. $229,000; Franchot Tone $121,000; Harry Tugend. $119,250 Sam Wood, $111,625; Adolph Zukor $104,000. 20th - Fox Cor p.—Don Ameche $194,500; Joan Bennett, $81,904: Jack report such payments to writers but had they followed suit on 20th's idea. Fleisher would have been put down as having gotten $1,800,000. Last .year's income reports for 1942 had Mayer taking down $946,745 and if Fromkess tipped to Prei Leon Fromkess was elected presi- dent and Kenneth M. Young. Pathe Lab executive, chairman of the board Of PRC Pictures. Inc., PRC Produc- tions, Inc.. and PRC Studios Corp.. at a meeting Of the directors in N. Y. Friday (14). Arthur B. Johnson was named secretary ' and treasurer. Fromkess, v.p., succeeds O. Henry B.ri.ggs in presidency of company.. Leo .1. McCarthy continues as gen- eral sales manager and Roberto D. Socas as foreign sales manager. Mc- Carthy has just appointed R. George Flejtman his assistant. : -. . : . Fromkess leaves for the Coast to- morrow (Thursday) to put into effect I an expanded production schedule based upon extra budget appropria- tions recently' voted for that purpose. ■ Dollinger Steps Down Jqseph J. Siccardi. who operates the Liberty. Plainfield, N. J., was elected president of Associated The- atres of New Jersey, buying-booking organization, at a meeting held last week, when Irving Dollinger. direc- tor of Allied Theatre Owners of N.J., retired from the post after six years of service. Dollinger was giveh title of honorary president. Other officers elected: Jack Unger, Mayfair. Hillside.. N. J.. v.p.: Sidney Seligman. Embassy, Newark, treas- urer: and Max Rothman, Alvin. Gut- tenberg. N. J. secretary. The organization, which buys and books for 21 independently-owned theatres in New Jersey, recently ap- pointed Jack Mettzer in charge of all buying for the combine. Offices are maintained in N." Y. for the negotia- tion of deals. Benny. $125,000: Milton Berle. $82.- he approximates as much for 1943 Fleisher would fade as heaviest 500: Thomas J. Connors, $108,073:, Irving CummingS. $138,666; Sidney .sugar man - . R." Fleisher. $645,000; Henry Fonda, $167,625; Bryan Foy, $169,000; Jean I Alexis . Gabin. $100,000; William] Goelz. $155,700; Betty Grable, $92,-I 375: Henry Hathaway, $145,888: Ben Hollywood. July18 Hecht. $141,500: Sonja Henic. $100.- Pomeroy-Brandeis agency hied a 000: Nunnally H. Johnson. $182,000;' claim with the Serpen Actors Guild .Robert T. Kane. $104,000; Henry charging Jean-Wallace, actress wife King. $135,833; William Koenig. of Franchot Tone, with breach of Agents Sue Jean Wallace $85,500: Walter. R. Lang, $141,166:' William Le Baron, $156,000; Ernest Lubitsch. $138,000; Archie L. Mayo. $119,425: Carmen Miranda. $83,750: Thomas Mitchell, $128,269; Alfred Newman. $78,000: Jack Oakie.. $135.- 208: William Perlberg, $101,400: Tyrone Power. $162,872; Cesar Ro- mero,. $95,125: Movrie' Ryskind. $81.- SWi: Spyros Skouras. $174,576; John M. Stall]. $80.500;> Joseph Swerling. $126,500: Gene Tierhey. $75,850; agency contract. Agents ask 10% of actress' salary during a seven-year optional contract with 20th-Fox.. starting May 29, this year;. . : - ' .' :. : -. '•:■.•..- Col's Blair Pact Holds Janet Blair's player contract with Columbia remains unbroken, under a ruling by Judge; Joseph W. Vickers in Superior: Court. ; Actress had sued to dissolve the with the studio, of which she was unaware; when she signed the con- tract;- -. '• ■.:■"■;■' .'' ■''•■•-• j'"v- Lamar Trqtti. $101,250; '-William A: pact. "■ charging her: late manager, Wellman. $155,000: Sol. M. Wurtzel. 1 Alex Holdeh. had a. side agreement ,$114,756: Darryl M. Zanuck, $175:100. " United Artists Corp.—Gradwell L. Sears, $130,000. ; Vitagraph, Vine—S. Charles' Ein- fold. $130,000. . Warnev Bros. Circuit Management Corp.—I. J. Hoffman, $80 461. Waiher Bros, Pictures. Inc.—Lloyd Bacon. $128,333: Joseph Bombard. $131,500; Henry Blanke, $121,500: | Humphrey Bogaft; $114,125; David : Butler. .:' $156,875: Michael Curliz. I Selznick's 'Sincfe' At Regular N. Y. Cap B O. Although the announceo merchan- dising plan for "Since YOU Went Away" calls for an increase of 50% in admission pricOs down the line to last runs, the David O. Selznicfc;pic- ture, .will play the Capitol. N. Y„ opening - tomorrow (Thursday )■: at regular scales which range from 60c. to $1.20. Buyers have not as yet been told what the sales terms will be but reported that it .will be 50%. Loew s made its deal for "Since-' sometime ago and signed the Gene Krupa band for a stageshow that will run 20 minutes. : Picture, run- ning two hours and 51 minutes, will hold the turnover to four .shows daily with house opening at 9:30 a.rtu Melroiles on the Lam Buitus Bishop. Jr., southern dis- trict manager for Metro, and Bryan Stoner, in charge of the company's Pittsburgh branch, due in N. Y. Aug. 14 " for homeoffice confabs in line with a policy to bring men in from the' field for sales and other discus- I Sam Gardner. Salt Lake City ex- j. change head, left Friday (14) for N.Y. ■after having spent a week, with h.o.. [ execs, while Lou Amacher', Portland branch manager, pulled out Saturday (15i. . Maurice Saffle. manager of the Seattle- olficenmrl- L, C. Wingham. Ray Moon's Pr«.-.c ." Ray Moon,, .branch manager i for 20th-Fox in N, Y;. which on a recent sales drive came out on top for the first time in the history of the com- pany, has personally covered nearly all of . the theatres in the territory served by this exchange, with a view; to studying the type of theatre, .its condition and the quality of the sec- tions in which located. . With 20th-Fox as N, Y. branch manager for shortly over a year, first time in the east, he decided to look over the theatres first hand so as to be guided on deals, and probably is the , first in his position in«N. Y. to know his territory personally rather than leave the matter to salesmen. Moon, while backed by wide dis- tribution experience, also knows the other side of the fence, having been one of the organizers ot Cooperative Theatres of Michigan; which pur- Chases film tor over 100 theatres. Shinbach's Post Columbus. July. 18. Jerry Shinbach. formerly city su- pervisor of RKO houses in Cincin- nati, named to similar post in Co- lumbus, replacing i;. Harry Sehrei- ber, recently moved to Chicago as divisional manager there. Shinbach formerly owned and managed three nouses in South Bend. Ind.. from 1933 to 1940. and was also manager ot 51st St. theatre in Cleveland be- fore going to Cincinnati: Harry Simons, formerly asst. at the Palace, and acting manager of RKO houses here until Shinbach's appointment, becomes the manager of the RKO Grand. ; Weshner's Angelus Chore Angelus Productions, indie unit re- leasing through United Artists, has appointed Dave "Skip" Weshner as producer rep and advertising-pub- licity consultant. '.■"•.' >."•".':" Weshner's first assignment for An- gelus will be "Summer Storm." which goes into release shortly. Seymour Nebenzal, -Angelus exec who has been in N. Y. discussing dis- tribution details with Ua officials; is scheduled to leave for the Coast this week. . - . Studio Contracts $193,152: Bette Davis. $220,000: Oliv ia ' bv 20th-Fox Hollywood, July 18. Lyi'in Ban- renewed by 20th-Fox. Lejahd'FulIci, art director, signed De Havilland. $79,916: Errol Flynn $175,000; Leo Forbstein, $78,000 Jules Garfield. $79,125; Benjamin F Glazcr,: $86,000-: .'Cary Grant, $100;- 000; Howard Hawks, $107,500:-Mark HeUinger, $156,000: . Sam Hellman $78,000:' Paul Henreid. $105,937: Wal- l€r Huston. 5118.333; Jesse L. -Lasky Miriam Franklin, actress, renewed by Para'mount. . .-•'.-' Ann Richards inked bv Hal B. Wall is - ' ' v.. i Gloria Jeaiv optioned by Universal: - EriiL-st. Palmer, / cameraman. re> iH-wc'd by.20th-Fox: ;• .: ' Roy Acuft"and: hi.- Smokey Moun- Sr,. $91,266; Ida Lupino. $.142,750: S. lain Boys.signed by Republic Schneider. $78,000; Ann 'Sheridan."'. Douglas- Morrow: actor, hiked py. 582.333: Max Stciner.. $85,800: Pam.ll Internaliona'l. Walsh. $123,750: Hal B. Wallis. S208.- Tom London dre\V -player pact at "00; Albert Warner, $104,000: Hnrry Republic. ; . , - - - '.'- -, .•: , Reelect Par Slate Following recent annual meeting, at. session of Paramount board of djr rectors on Thursday (13 i.-all officers were re-elected for another year. They arc Adolph Zukor. chairman of the board: Barney Balaban. presi- dent; Stanton Griffis. chairman of exec committee; Y. Frank Freeman, v.p. over production; Austin C. Keough. v.p. and general counsel: Charles.M. Reagan, v.p. oyer sales: John W. Hicks. Jr., v.p. in charge of foreign operations; Henry 'Ginsberg; v.p. and general manager of the Studio: Leonard H. Goldensoh. v.p, over theatre operations: Walter B. Cok'ell. treasurer; Fred Mohrhardt. comptroller; Keough also as secre- tary., with Norman Collyer. Jacob Karp .^nd Frank Meyer as asMstant .secretaries. - • ~ /. , NEGULESCO'S NEXT ,J ,,: Hollywood, Juh 18. -.fi-ai'i-i Negulesco. draws director chores at. Warners on "Nobody'Lives Forevei'." based on a screenplay bv W. R. Burnr-U. ; , .' ', : -> : - Filmin'fi starts early in-'August, with ..John Garfield starring and Robert Buekncr producing - Bill Brenner Succeeds To McLeod's Metro Post William G, Brenner, supervisor of Metro's checking department, and also handling sales personnel work in the field for the company, succeeds Jack S. McLeod in charge of ex- change operations. McLeod died July 4 in the Arizona wreck of Santa Fe - C hief .. < . , • With Metro for eight years. Bren- ner started in the business with the old General Film Co. in .Philadelphia in the poster department and as an assistant boofcer, later shifting to Uriiversat's N. Y. exchange in charge of shipping records and thep to Sam Goldwyn in 1918 as an accountant:' He subsequently, w;as ' with, the old Robertsorf-Cole in various capacities and Warner Bros.' theatres in the Newark zone in buying, oi advertis- ing-publicity accessories, v. '. Iii .addition to management--of ex-; Ohiinge operations, for the time be- ing'-' Bl-.t\Hiier will cohlimie - super- vision oi t'-.e checking and sales, per- sonnel, duties. . UA Sales Meet ■ Fli'S-t ol a. series of combined ■ United. Artists district sales meetings, wiil be held in New-York. July 21-22 at :the Warwick hotel,' UA district and- bva'nch managers . and salesmen ■from .New York- and Boston will at- tend, with a. western combined meet- ing scheduled later,. .Carl LeKTtnan. U.A. general sales manager, will be the principal speak- el- on Friday i21). LOU GOLDING TO G.M. FABIAN'S W.&V. HOUSES Lou Golding. division manager for.-, the-Fabian circuit in -Albany since 1935, has . been appointed general manager -for the Wilrner & Vincent- chain Of 24 theatres'-in Virginia.a'nd Pennsylvania in which Si Fabian re- cently acquired a 5.0";. interest.. . Golding,Who was previously with RKO and ,F. F. Proctor Theatres, will, make Jiis headquarters in either New - York and Harrisburg.. Pa., but will not move . his .family from Al- bany.for the present..'- ,' Saul Ullman succeeds Golding. in •Albany. Ullman. formerly Sche.net-> . tady, it. Y; city manager for Fabian, is being succeeded by ..Guy- Gra ves, Dore Schary Closes 5-Yr. Vanguard Pact Hollywood, Jiily 18 Dore Schary. -ctirreut.ly reruperat- ing from illness., signed a new: con-, .tract with Vanguard FilniS.- calling .for' five years as producer and I writer. •• ■.-. -. First chore, wheii. he- re-turns to ! work, will' -be ."lloildini.". which he recently sci ceriplayecl, v WB'S VIDEO STATION Washington. July 18. Warner Bros. hu> filed. with FCC for a construction permit to build a television station in Hollywood;.; Station would operate in the 60,000 to 72.000 kilo band.