Variety (Dec 1944)

Wednesday. December tO, 1944 PICTURES PK COIN FOR LEGIT UP TO 600G $35M000 Outlay Possible At 20th for'4546; 32 Films Due Darryi F. Zanuck, Spyros Skouras- and other 20th-Fox topperi hud(ll«d last week In N.Y. on budgets and schedules for 1949-46 output, which may involve a production cost of around $35,000,000. While no final decision was reached, it's understood that 20th plans around 32 pictures for next season, wilh_scveral smaller-budget films to be included. Fox sal^s execs feel that some lower-cost pictures should be pro- duced in order to service double- feature theatres that woiild other- wise book product from other dis- tribs. Firm alms to retain as much of the available playing time as pos- sible as a hedge against the time when the market will be prepared to absorb a greater quantity of films. Last year 20th eliminated virtually all low-budget films, but despite that, at a meeting of National The- atres operating partners and divi- sion managers opinion was strongly in favor of continuing the smaller budgeters. Administrative execs also con- tended that a program consisting, entirely of "A" product placed too large a proportion of the studio overhead on too small a number of pictures. Crush Nail Fix Washington, Dec. 10. Darryl F. Zanuck visited the White House last Thursday (14) to explain his plan to crush the Nazi film industry, to prevent its lase for fascist propaganda. Zanuck huddled at length with Harry Hopkins on the subject, and he also discussed the matter with OWI boss Elmer Davis. The Zanuck scheme was first -un- veiled iu New York at the Ameri- can Nobel Anniversary Committer dinner. ' Zanuck On Coast Hollywood, Dec. 10. Darryl F. Zanuck is due in. today (19) for pressing conferences at 20th-Fox studio, thereby missing "Winged Victory" preem at Roxy, N. Y., tomorrow (20); which he planned to catch. Will see preem here Dec. 27. Burns Mantle (TIm Dtan of Drama CrMei) •Um Sem* Uogra^leal L«w4«wa "Thi$ Deanittg Bu»inei»" la 39Ih Anniversary Edition Van Upp Becomes CoL Exec Vfoi Hollywood, Dec. 19. Virginia Van Upp was elevated to executive producer at Columbia and will assume charge of all high- budget production on the lot after Jan. J. New exec is the Brst woman to hold so high a post since the ad- vent of sound in the motion picture industry. Miss Van Upp had a varied career in picture's, as secretary, actress and film cutter, before making her mark as a screen writer at Paramount. Moving to Columbia two years ago as associate producer-writer, she wrote "Some Call It Love," "Cover Girl" and "The Impatient Years," doubling as associate producer on the last-mentioned film. Her first chore as full producer was "Together Again," co-starring Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer and Charles Coburn. As executive producer. Miss Van Upp succeeds Sidney Buchman, who recently stepped out to organize his own unit for the production of "Over 21" on a sharing basis. Happy Chandler Plugs H'wood War Work In Talk Before the Senate Washington, Dec. 19. Plug for the war job of pix was glveniin the Senate yesterday (18) by Senator Albert B. (Happy) Chandler (D., Ky.) who cut in on the. debate on confirmation of the State Department nominees to tell his colleagues of Hollywood's war work. Chandler praised the training shorts and other films made by the* mdustry and emphasized that new features - are usually presented to GI's abroad before they are seen in thk country. He paid special tribute Ui Warner Bros, for the $7,000,000 it has raised through "This Is the Army" for Army Emergency Relief, and in- serted i-i the Congressional Record the written report made by Harry Warner to General George C. Mar- shall recently, when he turned over we seventh mlUion dollar at the Pentagon Bldg, Nick Schendc't VacMh Nicholas M. Schenck, Loew'e v^J leaves N. Y. for a three-week ^^^""Pn we«h ioUowlng White House tea yesterday (Tties.1 With the President, confer- 'tog on this years March of Dimes orive. ■ He is stoted to malfa » trip to the Coast ayound Jttj. tt. 2illEPLIiySSEI TO BOOST TOTAL Major film company stake in Broadway play production financing for 1944-45 may reach close to $600,- 000 before long, with current total of some 17 such ventures increasing to 19 if 20th-Fox goes into the sched- uled production of "Liliom" and '"Firebrand," as reported. Fox owns the film rights to both of these pieces but may back the stage versions nonetheless. Mean- lime, 20th, through its purchase of the film rights to the published novel, "A Bell for Adano," for $100.- 000, finds itself with a literary prop- erty now worth considerably more owing to the exploitation value ac- cruing from the play. . Metro has so far proved the heaviest investor in legit financing, with commitments of some $350,000 for "Bloomer Girl," "Soldier's Wife," "Violet," "Streets Are Guarded" and "Be Good, Sweet Maid" ("Violet" and "Streets" recently closed.) Paramount . has approximately $140,000 tied up in "Sadie Thomp- son," "Sing Out, Sweet Land," "Per- fect Marriage," "Star in the Win- dow." Par also holds a financial in- terest in "Red, Hot and Blue" from a previous season. Fox coin figures m "The Late George Apley," but company was not obliged to fulfill its' commitment since no call money was required. Producer releasing through United Artists is understood interested in "Central Park," which Mike Todd is producing; Columbia had coin in "While the Sun Shines"; BKO is fi- nancing "Sex Is Ours," plus a new Edward Chodorov play,, and has a small piece- of Tim Whelan's sched- uled production of "Dinner For Three." 4-5% Raw Stock Cut Due to Come In 1st Quarter of 1945, D. C. Hears PAR'S BACKLOG OF 24 PIX LARGEST AMONG MAJORS still the largest backlog in the business, the number of Paramount pictures completed but awaiting re- lease stands at 24, including "French- man's Creek" which has had pre- release dating in selected spots and Is current at the Rivoli, N. Y. Others ^Include four new pictures which have bieen set for Par's third block this season, with this number approximating half of the product that will be released bjr Par on the whole season of 1944-45, taking com- pany up to Sept. 1 next. At present Par has Ave pictures in production, while three addition- als are in active preparation.' Late Senator J. P.. Harris Honored in Pitt Last Wk. Pittsburgh, Dec. 19. A new portrait of the late Senator John P. Harris, pioneer showman and founder of the nickelodeon, was dedicated here last week at the Wil- liam Perin hotel, with Gdvernor Martin' of Pennsylvania serving as the principal speaker for the occa- sion, which marks the 70th anniver- sary of the Pittsburgh Chamber, of Commerce. The Harris portrait will hang in a gallery of Pittsburgh Builders, which is to include oils of Andrew Carnegie,' Henry C. Frick, Henry J. Heinz, Andrew W, Mellon, George Westinghouse and others. Theatre chain ' which late Senator Harris founded is now being car- ried on by his son, John H. Harris, and, his brother, Frank J. Harris. Kord* West Dec. 24 Sir .Alexander Korda plans to leave, N, Y. for the Coast around Dec. 24. Korda is now reported getting around 350,000 itounda (ar<Hind ,400,000) annuaUy from rentals on nl«BHW of bit Did Metuics. State Dept Huddle On Teace' Rims Washington, Dec. 19. State Department officials huddled here yesterday (18) and today with War Activities Committee^ officials. OWI spokesmen and reps of the various Government agencies mak- ing motion pictures, on problems- concerning films in which State De- partment is interested. One of the subjects was the pic- ture State wants Walt Disney to do on world peace. This would be pushed internationally. Another matter was a proposed "Report to the Nation" by Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius on the progress of a world peace organiza- tion. Latter idea, for a one-reeler, got the green light from the State Dept. - Meetings here followed the re cent New York, sessions which State Department had with magazine edi tors to push articles on the subject of world peace. All this is in lin^ with, the new trend whereby State Department is showing ever-increas- ing interest in the use of films to spread ideas. . ' "Whal's in a Name, Eh?" By SIDNEY SK0L5KY Hov* a Laaqh WlHi TM« Vat Hollywood Celamntft In Forthcomleq 39lh Anniversary Issue f ■» Washington, Dec. 19. Another 4 or 5% taw stock cut for Hollywood is probably due for the first quarter of 1945, according to authoritative reports here. The way it shapes up at present, the class B producers, Monogram, Republic and PRC, which have come off easier in the past than the class A users of. 35 mm. stock, would suffer the big- gest bite, but everybody would get some cut below present quotas. Production of raw film is now at an all-time peak, but has been un- able to keep pace with the demand. Situation is very similar to that in cigarcts, where production is also tops but demand is even higher. Sears Talks Deal For Spitz-Goetz Hollywood, Dec. 19. Grad Sears, United Artists v.p. in charge of distribution, is huddling with William Goetz and Leo Spitz on a deal to release' four of the pair's new International pictures scheduled. Spitz-Goetz, currently releasing tour Ihrougli RKO on their first deal with that dislrib, have so far made no further arrangements for their forthcoming product. They may continue to release through RKO, although no decision will be made until the conclusion of the parleys \Yith UA. Sears is also confabbing with Howard Hughes and Preston Sturgcs regarding a releasing deal for this unit. Sturges, who quit Paramount, was dickering to return to that studio as head of his own indie unit but recent changes in admin- istrative policy on the Par lot may well eliminate this plan. UA execs plan to resume talks with Henry Henigson, Hughes- Sturges rep in N.Y., later this month'. Publicist Irr Yergio To Aide TriIIii« at WB Irving, Yergin, publicity exec in Warners' N.Y. publicity'department, under Mort Blumenstock, shifts to Burbank Jan, 1 in the production dept. He becomes executive aide to Steve Trilling, who is Jack L. Warner's chief lieutenant. In effect' Yergin replaces Martin Jurow, talent scout, who has since shifted over to Hal WalUs* new indie letup. Harry Cohn East Dec. 29 Hollywood, Dec. 19. Hatty Cohh, Columbia prexy. heads for New York Dec. 2d, . Cohn will be east thre* of four Weeks attending to con^any's an- nual meeting lud^ to we new Broad- OLIVIA DE HAVniAND GOES BACK TO WORK .Hollywood, Dec, 10. Olivia de Havilland, idle for more than a year because of contract liti- gation with Warners,. retume to work under a one-picture deal at Paramount as co-star in "The Well Groomed Bride," with Ray Milland and' Dennis OXeefe, starting early next month. Actress recently won a decision in the Court of Appeals confirming a verdict by Superior Court Judge Charles Burnell that Warners had no right to claim her serviced after the seven-year period of her con- tract. Studio denianded an exten- sion of 25 weeks because of the time consumed by suspensions in the course of seven years. Signing of the actress, in the face of possibility that the case may be taken to the California supreme court, reverses the previous stand, of major film companies that no Interest be ex- hibited in signing players who have legal difficulties with another lot.' Geo. Skoiiras Back George Skoura?,, who vvas dropi>ed behind the Greek and . German lines under American diplomatic, auspices, flew back to this coimU'y yesterday (19). . After being in the interior of Greece for over a^ year, .he is flying to Washington pronto to meet with brothers Spyros, 20th-Fbx prfexy, and Charles, National Theatres head. Cur- rently in the Capital on March of Dimes biz. . Charles Skoirfas will remain In the east over Mie Xmas holidays to visit, with Kfo ton «t the V. S. MUliary AcadeiQlr. WMt Point -■ Set Emereency Meet Emergency meeting of major film company reps was called early this week in Washington in connection with another crisis in the raw filfh stock supply, but session was later postponed until after the holidays. Distributors fear that, as a result of the continuing requisitions for large quantities of raw film by the Armed forces and other Government agencies, another, reduction in allot- ments fo rentcrtainmcnt film produc- tion may be imposed. • Distribution rep.> were slated to huddle with War Production Board officials in an effort to avoid any drastic cut in' supplies. Any further dislocation of the current distribution schedules, al- ready hampered by limited film sup- plies, would disrupt the normal flow of product to theatres, Recording to distribution heads. CLERGYMEN'S SACRIFICE TOP BUDGETER FOR WB Hollwood, Dec. 19. Warners will make a high-budget picture on its newly acquired story, "Four Men Of God," based on the self-sacrifice of two Protestant min- isters, a Catholic priest and a rabbi who gave up their lifebelts and their lives to save four soldiers on a sinking U. S. transport.' Lou Edel- ' men will produce, starting early next year. Same story forms the basis of an independent production "The Four C^aplain^," slated for early filmins by Max K'mg. lETY Troilv Mark n«RliilarcA FouNOBn BY si.Mr; eii.VKnMAN rablliiliftl Wttiay br V.IBIRTT.. Irfe (jia {tllvcmmn. Prpslilcnt IC« Wfal <Clli SI.. Kcw rorh 19. N. T eoH.'sonii'Tio.N Anniipl. 110 C''oi'rlBn 111 SInKia Conle* 25 renti> Vol. 157 tCS^ai^ No. 2 Merry ClirlKtmaii ~- INDEX Bills 37 Chatter ,..43 Film Reviews 8. House Reviews 3S! Inside .iegit :.... .42 Inside Music ..i.....' >.33 Inside Orchestras .: 33 Inside Pictures . i .-..... .15 Joe Laurie 9 'Legitimate ,.. .30 Literati 42 Music ,80. New Acts .....34 Night Club Reviews.........36 Obituary ,.43 Orchestras- ^ .30 Pictures ....^.3 Radio ... ..10 Radio Reviews 28 Frank Scully 2 Vaudeville S4 War AcUvltlss ~ UAIU VAklMt . . 'il'ubltilMrt In ttollywocMl hf DAIIr \'«Hat>-. Lid.)