Variety (Oct 1944)

PICTURES Wednesday, October 4, 1944 Survey Shows 288 Pix Released By 9 Distribs in '43-44; 4-Year Decline By ROY CHARTIEB ♦ The nine major distributors, in- cluding Republic, forced exhibitors 1o get along on. the smallest number ©f features in history during the 1943- 44 season just ended and be- lieved likely, with what advance in- formation on plans is available, that they will* not step up releases for 1944- 45. In fact, it is not unlikely there will be a further holdout on product, it is feared in buying cir- cles. .';',; ■■ '.:';. .'.;••; .-;■ A survey for the entire 1943-44 season shows, that the nine distri- butors, made only 288 pictures avail- able, just about', ~50 r ,k less than Were placed on release before the 1 war when the enthV group is considered and prior to the decree for the Big Five just four .,years back. The cur- tailment on releases has been grad- ual since then but at the same time rather sharp when it is'considered that for many seasons up to .five years ago from 500 to 600 features were delivered every 12 months from September to September. In the ease of 20tb-Fox, it was from . August to August, , The 288 pictures provided the market during the 1943-44 film year represents , ah average of only 32 pictures per company and points up the. difficulties: of many exhibitors when they need a lot of product but, due to competitive buying, can- not get access to more than-twq pro- grams. It is particularly . distressing ! for theatres playing double bills and j making three or four changes I; weekly..' This, in; turn, has forced! the buying of a lot of reissues and I scouring around to all exchanges for anything in the vaults which could i be repeated. In many cases, dur- ing the past season the. repeats were within' less than three months after | the picture had been- played, off.; Of the 288 features delivered dur- ing the 1943-44 semester (these not] including Westerns and reissues),; a new. low for itself was struck by Warner Bros., which dropped to only 19 releases over i-the entire twelve-month period. WB had de- creased sharply the previous sea- ' son when it held its schedule.to but 23. United Artists provided 18 pic- tures during the '43-44 season,With inclusion of "Since You Went Away"! which has just started rolling, but this figure is understandable since UA, unlike other companies, has not had a backlog from which to pick releases. WB has a big one, so has 1 Paramount, In the case of Par, the company furnished 31 pictures during the past season, same as for 1942-43 but. ZOth-Fox dropped to only 27. and Metro holed out on the year with 84. Among the nine distributors Uni- versal. Columbia and Republic have sought lo maintain supply in con- formity with that of pre-war times. HKQ, among decree companies, is on top lor '43-44 with 40 features. The companies, listed in alphabet- ical order, and the number of pic- tures 1 hey released in 1943-44. are: Studio Contracts Hollywood. Oct. .3. Emil Kuri. set decorator, Van, Anne Wighton, writer, W. Wilder. Arthur Pierson, dialog dir., 20lh. Hugh Cumming's, dialog dir:, 20th. Webb Smith, writer, George Pal. Beverly Thompson, actress, Par. Wanda Hendrix, actress, Warners. Sons of Pioneers, singers, Republic. Celia Travers, actress, Metro,, Roy: Chaiislor, writer. Universal. Sonny Tufts, renewed. Paramount. Marjorie Reynolds, renewed. Par. Mary Anderson, optioned, 20th. James Millicaii, actor, Paramount. Jerry. Warner, writer. Universal. J. Hunter, moppet, 'W. ■ R, Frank. June Harris, actress, Paramount. Ackerman New ParIntT Publicity Chief; Deane On Foreign Censorship Preparing for postwar advertising- publicity-exploitation throughout the world when markets reopen, John W. Hicks. Jr.,; president of Par- amount. International, has set up the post of director of 1 publicity-adver- tising for PI, with Paul E. Acker- man of the department named to fill if.. :, .". ';:•'•' .;"'■ Ackerman has been in charge of foreign publicity for Par for the past four, years and with the department 10 years. In line with postwar, activity since - it Will, go in for more adaptation for foreign markets. Albert Deane, who's had charge of foreign censor- ing and pre-production work in N. Y., was named manager of Par's Inter- national censorship and editing de- partment. Relieves him of super- vising homeoM'ice foreign ad-pub- licity. Par a m o u n t International News and Paramounteer, two com- pany house organs," which Deane had done for some time, will remain in his charge. '• ■ "•••''.-'..:. JERRY WAYNE Singing Star of Ed Wynn Show For Borden's Friday Xiles, 7 P. M; "on the Blue, W-.J55 j "Jei'ry- \V"ayiie,T: handsome young; curly-haired .singer . . .i about Hie best looking' o.C '.'•] the crooners, and sings wil.li eonlldpm'^." "•■ " '- .-; K.\ KI. >i*ll:««.V, New York l'6«ti . J'orsoiml AlttliiijcrlHeilt DELL PETERS . Si I I'irih *>■».,-New Yi.rk flly • . Puhlletty, UiTHIK I'INB . Geking Into St. Louis Hospital; Improving W. C. Geiiring, 20th-Fox western sales manager, on his-way to 1he Coast., was forced to enter a liosnital in St, ; Louis because af serious ttomach ailment: He had p alined io be in Hollywood this week, but in-' Ktaii went into the Barnes hospital lor treatment over the weekend. His condition, was reported much Improved, yesterday iTucs.) ..; I Cantor Out of llosp Hollywood. Oct. 3. . Eddie Cantor .was rcleiiscd' from | Cedars of. Lebanon today after, hav- t ing ..been hospitalized for several ■ days.. Comedian went.to hospital tor rest and treatment'of a slight strep throat infection, -. . Bill Elliott is. recovering from an appendectomy at St. Joseph's' hospi- tal, Burbank; Western scar's condi- tion reported highly favorable and progressing well enough to return home end of this week. U.S. SUIT AGAINST SCHINE ON AGAIN . ■ Buffalo, Oct. 3. The Government's anti-trust suit against Schine Theatres, Inc., was resumed here with practically the entire week given over to the intro- duction of various exhibits and the testimony of witnesses identifying the same. Decision by Judge John Knight on Schine's application to sell four Kentucky and W, Virginia theatres to A. Charles Haymaif of Niagara Falls, which was ,to have been, an- nounced at this week's hearings, was again adjourned - following further extended arguments by Robert Wright appearing' for the Govern- ment against the sale and Judge Willard McKay for the . Schine. in- terests. . Presiding Judge knight has an- nounced that hereafter hearings will begin promptly on Tuesday morn- ings- and continue through Friday afternoons for several weeks in an attempt to make speedier progress, . Schine Hotel Buy ..'■ Albany, Oct. 3. Sale Of the . Albany Hotel Corp., owner of the Ten Eyck, to the Schine interests of Gloversville has been '.formally approved via an order signed by Federal Judge Stephen W. Brennan.. : This followed rejection by- Judge Brennan of a claim by United Hotels Corp. lor S55.000 un- der a 10-year management contract, the jurist ruling that the agreement could not stand because it was inked by the same officers and directors of both companies at a time when AHC was in financial -difficulties- and prospects for future profitable busi- ness; were not-bright. N Y. to L A, Tom Connors, Michael 'Curtis.-'. Joe G laser William Goetz. Hal Home; Charles Hoffman, Georgie Joy. . - - Julie Medlock. Lionel C. Moise. Edmund Reek. Charles Schlailcr. Arthur Schwartz.'.' . Spyros Sftottnis., Leo Spitz. ' Leo Townsend. Odd Angle Crops Up in Film Theft Recent growth in the theft of film reached a unique slant during the past week when a man came into one of the N. Y. exchanges with a single reel, wrapped in newspaper, and offered equally as unique a deal if the branch boss was interested. He had a reel which he left at the exchange for screening, with deal being that, if they were interested, he could supply the other five reels to go with it. Presumption is that a reel of the other five was left at other points, probably outside of N. y;,- with the thought that if the particular N. -Y. exchange he con- tacted wasn't interested, perhaps one of the others would be and, thus, he could pick his deal. An examination of the single spool left in N. Y; showed it was from a Spanish-made but picture couldn't be identified. Matter was reported to the Hays of- fice. ' '.-' .'.', While stealing of positive prints has been going on for years, it has of more recent date become rampant, especially so far as shorts are con- cerned. Juvenile delinquents are blamed to a considerable extent, and exhibitors, as well as projectionists, are being warned not to leave the cans in lobbies or anywhere else be- fore closing w-here they might be grabbed. ,,, ... ,-; ,_ . Oldtimers ■ recall a case where thieves stole an entire serial by pick- ing up various' chapters in different exchange territories; until they had completed the serial. In another in- stance, where , an independent pro- ducer was releasing through a major company and paying for the prints himself, he heard a report that a print of his picture was being shown in Mexico, though he had no record ol' any dale there. A check, was made of. every print on the picture throughout the United States and it was found that .'the total ordered could be accounted for. Assumptidn there was that someone in- the lab doing the printing on the picture had run off an additional positive and bootlegged it. But mystery was never cleared .up. \s , . L A, to N Y. Maurice Bergman, Jack Bregman. Benedict Bogeaus. Joseph Calloia, Bill , Carter. • Lester Cowan. George Dembow. G. Harrison Echols. Johnny Fisher, Jack Goldstein. • Russell Holmali. "'-.:'' Harold .'-Hopper. Leo Kateher. , ■', Mervyn LeRoy. 't'ni'l" 1 LcscrmatTT Leonard L. Levinsoiv. . Pat O'Brien. Dave Siegel. Richard Whorf. : \ John Wild berg. Robert S. Wolff. Cliff Work. NancyWymaii. Herbert J. Yates. ■ 1 WB Splits Its Foreign; Hummel Over Europe, Cohen, Latin-Am., Australasia WB Cutters Shear 11 Pix ; Hollywood, Oct. 3. Cutting room at Warners is .work- ing in high gear, with 11 editors shearing as many features, some in final treatment and some still shoot- ing. - ,'. , Films in the wihdup process are "Christmas in Connecticut,'! "Holly-, wood Canteen," "Strangers j,n Our Midst," "Roughly Speaking," "The Corn Is Green" and -"Objective,; Burma." Currently shooting are"Of Human Bondage," "Pillar to Post," "Nobody Lives Forever," "God Is My Co-Pilot" and '-San Antonio." Canada (Except in B.C.) Can Light Up, But Now Can't Get Bulbs or Men Ottawa, Oct! 3. Top worry of exhibs across Canada tonight tl), except in British Colum- bia, is shortage of manpower and electric light bulbs, because tonight, for the first time in more than two years, theatres can throw all' tHe juice they have into marquees, signs, windows, : displays,, etc., With lifting of Govt, wartime ban on such use of electric power as conservation measure. Ban still goes in B.C. During the two-year blackout: a lot of exhibs forgot to save the bulbs from the marquees, signs: and other electrical displays, and no\v they find bulbs are among the. scarcest items. Neon tubing, in many cases, was taken down from theatre fronts and signs and now the exhibs want it up again in a hurry and can't get the men to do it. Result is that many Can. theatres go into their preem light-up week sans signs, fulllnarquee lighting or display effects. Under Govt, ban, a few lights were allowed on mar- quees, but most of the bulbs were in- active, so taken out. but jiot stored. Other houses let marquees and signs deteriorate and will have to : paint or, in some places, rebuild, before lights can go on again. Still others covered signs With lettering on wall- board or wood which will have to be torn down. Word of ban lifting came only a. few days ago which accounts for many exhibs being caught with their bulbs down. * Warners made a sweeping realign, ment of its foreign department last jveek as a result of the resignation orHoTSerTScnTess as foreign general manager earlier in the week. No new foreign sales chief was named. Joseph S, Hummel, present foreign sales manager, who had been second in command to Schless, was givea full charge of Continental Europe all Scandinavian countries, Africa' Palestine and Syria. Wolfe Cohen! now Canadian general manager, was placed in charge of Latin-Americas including Mexico, Australasia and Far East. Max Milder, Warners' managing director in Great Britain, stays ««.' head of company activities in that market, working .' directly under Harry M. Warner, as in the past. Later in week Ralph Clark, for. merly Warner Bros, managing' direc- tor in Australasia, was, appointed to the Canadian top spot vacated . by Cohen. Clark left Australia .a coiiple of years ago and has been attached to the domestic sales department in N.Y. recently. He originally was ' with old First National in the U.S., going to Australia when FN merged with »Warners. Hummel is slated to leave for Paris, where he will lvadquai'ter; as soon as conditions in France will permit. LENA HORNE BLOWS B.O. CLARION CALL IN DEI Detroit, Oct. 3. The Battle of Lena Home's ghost currently ...is being fought out on Adams avenue here. Three weeks ago the dusky film star was set in for a persona! ap- pearance at the Downtown where she ,cracked house figures with'sur- prising biz. • - - :" ;.'. The reprise is being fought out. this week in shadowland, A block away from the Downtown, the Adams this week has come tip with "Stormy Weather," a Horne picture which previously had played Der troit at the Paradise, which caters to Negro biz. and not a great run.' The Adams reversed the usual pro- cedure by bringing the pic down- 1 town into a first-run house, ' However, the Downtown did not give, up the Home ghost lightly. . . It tacked onto its current bill of ■'Port of 40 Thieves," plus Hal Mclnly're's' Orchestra, plus the local Marion Hut- ton—and. is liberally advertising-^ another Horne shoi't, "Boogie Woogie Dreams." The short was made With Teddy Wilson's orch. : ';•-":';'- '.';.■: Both houses, on early figures, are cashing in this. week on the Horne repeats.^' ;..'-.,'-'-;'.'',\.-.-- : "-' Rep Indie Prod. Unit Gathering Momentum ; ' Hollywood, Oct. 3. Addition-of the Walter Colmes feature, "Johnny Comes Home." to Howard Sheehan's unit at Republic makes it one of the heaviest produc- tion outfits on the lot. Program consists of "Daring Holi- day," to. be produced by Joseph Bercholz, "Jealousy,", by, Gustav Machaty, "The Great Flamarion." by William Wilder, "The Big Showoff" by Sydney M. Williams, and a new scries of "Tugboat Annie" pictures to be made by James S. Buiketl. CARL YORK OF PAR REPORTS ON NORSE PIX Showing of all German jiewsreels had been stopped in Finland when he left there last week and likely all Nazi screen fare has been halted in that country by now, according to Carl York, Pai'amount's managing director tor all Scandinavian coun- tries, York is here from headquar- ters in Stockholm, his first visit to. the U. S. in 10 years. He said thai theatres had halted running all German newsreels two days befors he left Finland, American companies have , been showing pictures right along in Fin- land even though Nazi films also were playing in some spots. Returns; of normalcy there in the near fuluro will mean much to the Sandinavian market for U, S. companies since, York stated, the revenue from Fin- land and Sweden represents about two-thirds of all that American dis- tributors get out of Scandinavia. Describing Sweden as a good mar- ket for American product, York slated that virtually all the screen fare, they see is native product and from the U. S. Native competition is strong but it always has been, h« said. About 55 features per year plus lots of shorts and newsreels are made in Sweden how compared with only about 33 before the war. There are 2,000 theatres there but . the regulation banning about 80*i of American films to those under 18 years' hurts, being .especially re- flected in eliminating all matinees. While Norway and Denmark now are lost to U. S. distribs; he was hopeful that they might be restored io American fare soon. The theatres mostly are in firstclass shape in Nor- way, but operated by Germans. The Nazis seized American product avail- able in^b'Oth of these countries when they took over. York will confer '--with John W. Hicks, foreign chief, while in. (hii. U; S.. expecting to be here about a month. He came direct from'-Stock- holm'by plane in two days." Greater Union '43 Net $443,332 Despite Taxes Sydney, Sept. 1. Greater UnioB Theatres, under di- rection of Norman B. Rydge, turned in net profit of $443,332 for 1943 as compared with $427,564 in previous year. Dividends, of ' 124% were granted topr holding units of Wests, . Spencers, Greater J. D. Williams and Amalgamated Pictures ..Year's tax payments, including some wartime tcompaiiy) tax for 1939-40, 1940 ; 41 and 1D41-42, to- talled $298,280 but did;tiot cover the whole liability for those years. - Re- serves for taxation as of Dec. 31, '43, amounted to $1,156,472. Included in the profit setup was $102,398 from British Empire Films, managed' by Gordon Ellis, and $19,892 from Cine- sound, under direction of Ken Hall. Credit balances of the group to last December' were: Greater Union, $875,992; B.E.F., $178,244; Cinesound, $49,908. ; /r