Variety (Feb 1945)

PICTURES Wednesday, February 7* 1945 Prelim Setup for French Pix Biz Forecasts Central Govt. Control Preliminary steps toward rogula-*- tion of the French film industry, under latest measures adopted by French government, place all na- tive production under . a licensing system controlled by the Direction Generate de la Cinematographic Francnise, recently set up. Producers intending to make a -picture roust first obtain a license from the DGCF and the nsubmit for approval their ■creenplay, list of technical staff, cast, the proposed budget and fin- ancing details. This step is one of many reportedly taken to eliminate "collaborationist" themes or Nazi- Fascist sympathizers from the French film industry. French authorities are taking special precautions on pictures about the resistance movement. A special permit will be required for such films. A commission will ■ examine all details and decide if the financial backers are reliable. Cast of "un- derground" films must include only those who . were members of' the Maquis. In order to work, everyone connected in any way with the film industry in France must have a special card called the "Professional Identification Card." These cards are issued by the Committee of-ProV fcssional Organization, now a branch of the DGCF, and which is empow- ered to decide all industry questions.: A professional group (similar to guilds in the U. S. film business) has been established among the French producers called the Syndicat Fran- caise des Producteurs de Films. It will handle all professional prob lems connected with production and distribution. Another group called the Syndicat des Techniciens de la Production Cinematographique, in existence before the war, is now taking on increased importance. The board of this group is confronted with two major problems, selection of those to whom professional cards are to be granted and a collective contract with the producers. A writers guild, called the Syndicate of Screen Writers, also has .been or ganized. A ' new distrib organization will handle distribution problems while a special department has been es- tablished to handle export and im portation of films. Pictures now barred from France are: (a) Those of enemy origin; (b) pictures and documentaries with any anti-French nationalistic point of view, and Nazi, Fascist, and Vichy ite propaganda pictures; (c) pictures released through the Alliance Cine- matographique Europeenne. Tobis, Comptoir General du Format Reduit and pictures of Continental Europe produced by the Nazis. Strong market for American films in France (rentals are running about four times as high as pie war, as previously reported in "Va H riety") is likely to continue for. K long period as a result of raw Aim ^ -shortages, lack of studio facilities, etc., needed for French production Another reason, of course, is the "hunger" for U. S. product. Total footage of screen programs cannot exceed 11.500 feet, and must Include only one feature. 600G Damage Action Dropped on British Pix The $CO0.00O damage action brought by John N. Ruff in, film producer, against Columbia Pictures, for al* leged conspiracy to evade the Brit- ish quota laws, was marked off the N. Y. supreme court calendar, last week when court learned that Ruffin had recently died. RufTin, producer of an English film, "Governor Bradford, - ' charged that Columbia improperly acquired his dim and violated the British quota laws by registering the film with the British Board of Trade, stating .that Associated Independent Producers of Great Britain, Ltd., was the producer. Ruflin had charged that Columbia misrepre- sented and tricked the British Board of Trade as to ownership of the film. N Y. SALESMEN MEET MONDAY ON UNIONIZING A"meeting of N. Y. film salesmen will be held next Monday night (12), when it's planned to set up a per- manent organization,' choose a name and elect a standing slate of officers preparatory • to moving ahead on unionization. Date was decided, upon at a meeting of the temporary r exec- utive committee last Saturday (3), attended by the attorney :for! the sellers, Jacob Left. It is probable that Motion. Picture Salesmen's Guild will be the name for the organization. Pending recog- nition arid negotiation, it will be necessary to- hold elections to de- termine if a majority exists'for col- lective bargaining purposes. Pro- cedure would be an election In each exchange among the salesmen em ployed, following by presentation of demands if the union gets the nod.. Intention Is to set up an executive board of one member each from the 12 N. Y. exchanges employing sales- men so that all would ■ have repre- sentation. . SEATTLE RACKET* Femme Usher Bllki Two Theatres As Employe* Seattle, Feb. 6. Here's a new racket that's gypped two local theatres. A gal got a job as an usher. In a few. days she was known to the other employees. Then she stepped up to the b.o. and said the manager wanted, say, $100. It's given her. She starts walking, and keeps walk- ing. . The game worked twice in a row here the past few: days. At the Tclenews theatre she got $70, and at the. Green Parrot, $100. The "she" is believed, from descriptions, to be the same gal. Pix Toppers In Race for Oscars 2d Bntterfield House Bums; Other Theatre Fires Detroit, Feb. 6. • For the second time in two weeks, the Butterfleld Circuit has lost a house through fire. Last week the circuit's 800-seat Center theatre in South Haven was burned to the ground. Blaze started in the . base- ment early in the morning. The circuit owns the only other house In town, the 300-seat Model. Two weeks ago the chain lost'its Westtown theatre in Bay City. There will be no rebuilding at this time, it was said, because of the wartime restrictions. The circuit now has only 122 houses. , Hollywood, Feb. 6. Nominations for Oscars by ' the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. Sciences were maae here last Saturday (3),. and 9,000 members of the film industry will vote'shortly to select winners, who will receive the awards on the stage of Grau- man's Chinese theatre March 15. Those named for top performance by an actor are: Bing Crosby, In "Going My Way"; Barry Fitzgerald, same picture; Cary Grant, for his role in "None But the Lonely Heart," and Alexander Knox, in "Wilson." Actress: Ingrid Bergman, fpr "Gas- light"; Claudette Colbert, "Since You We/it Away"; Bette Davis, "Mr. Skeffington"; Greer Garson, "Mrs. Parkington," and Barbara Stanwyck, "Double Indemnity." Top Alms: "Going My Way" and "Double ' Indemnity," both Para- mount; "Gaslight,". Metro; "Since You Went Away," Selznick Interna tiorial, and "Wilson," 20th-Fox. Best performance by supporting actor: . Hume Cronyn, "Seventh Cross"-; Barry Fitzgerald, "Going My Way"; Claude Rains, "Mr. Skeffing ton"; Clifton Webb, "Laura"; Monty Woolley, "Since You Went Away." Best actress in a supporting role: Ethel Barrymore, in "None But the Lonely Heart"; Jennifer Jones, in Since You Went Away": Angela Lansbury, in "Gaslight"'; Aline Mac Mahon, in . "Dragon Seed," and Agnes Moorehead, for "Mrs.. Park- ington." Best director of the year: Billy Wilder, "Double Indemnity"; Leo McCarey, "Going My Way"; Otto Preminger, "Laura"; Alfred Hitch- cock, "Lifeboat,' and Henry King, Wilson." PK WORKERS TO SPLIT $6,000,000 IN RETRO .. Hollywood,' Feb. 6, Jeckpot of $6,000,000 in retroactive wages will be divided among 20,000 studio workers, as soon as the War Labor Board signs the okay. Some technicians and artists will draw as high as $1,500 apiece. Wage tilts were arranged last April at . a labor meeting in New York and recently, approved at WLB regional hearings in' Hollywood. Many of the raises are retroactive to Jan. 1, 1943. ; ' Film Groups Seek To Make Coast Tele Center Hollywood, Feb. 6. : In an effort to overcome ad vantages New York is currently enjoying because of availability Of equipment, an affiliated committee of television, representing 11 film guilds and unions, plans immediate establishment of a" lobby for tele vision in Hollywood. In that way, it is hoped to make the. Coast the center of television activities. • Rep/s BorzageDeal , Paves Way for Others Republic's deal for a separate pro- duction unit on the lot by director- producer Frank Borzage is one of a - series now In the process of negotia- tion, according to Herbert J. Yates, Republic's chieftain. . Anjdo tin cement -of other similar skate vill be inad* shortly. Bischoff Adieus CoL Hollywood, Feb. 6. Sftm Bischoff, Columbia producer since 1942, has checked: off the lot and is negotiating for a new align ment with a major studio. This makes the second ^producer lost by Columbia in recent weeks. Victor SavUle, ^who recently com pleted "Tonight and. Every Night,' is now in New York preparing to, return to England. — : -u Kill Montana Tax Bill Helena, Mont., Feb. 6. Adopting an adverse committee re port, the Montana House of Repre- sentatives last Wednesday (31) killed a bill which would have im- posed a chain tax on theatres, tax ing them on. the basis of the num ber of operating sites rather than on gross income as at present. lefty Writes a Letter' By Joe Laurie, Jr. ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦> mm ♦♦I I M M I I S«» Coolacres, Cal. Dear Joe: I see where the noted and able columnist for King Features, Benjamin de Casseres, devoted one of his entire Grade A columns to the memories of Joel's Bohemia, which was a cafe on 41st street, near Seventh avenue. He told, how our mutual friend, "Bugs" Baer, had also written a column about Joel's, which put Ben in a reminiscing mood 1 , and so he recalled the time he and Sinclair Lewis saw "Bugs" throw two Scotch highballs into his chili-con-carnc, consumed the whole delectable mess and pro- nounced it "good." Knowing "Bugs" pretty well, I doubt if he could even say "good" when he is at the stage where he mixes Scotch and chili- con-carne! Now if lie used chili as a chaser for Scotch, then he might have been able to say "good," or a facsimile, because my pal "Bugs" is a virile man! Well, what I was gonna say is that "Bugs" Baer and Ben de Casseres also put me in a reminiscing mood. If they got a,column out of Joel's, why can't I? Joel's was as wellknown as Jack's. It was a poor man's Rector's.-' It was' opened about 1900 by Joel Rinaldo, who was a New Yorker, but who worked oh the old Chicago Dispatch as a general reporter. He came back ' ^o New York about 1900 and opened Joel's, a rendezvous'for cartoonists, newspapermen, press agents/actors, etc. The Bluebloods of the Fourth Estate gathered there and stayed until the bluoblood ran red! Beer was a nickel a glass at the bar and a dime at the table. ' If you didn't have the price you could tab Joel, for it. Nobody ever thought of highballs in those days. Either you drank beer or "neat" whiskey at 20c shot.' You.: could, knock'off Ave for a buck and that would start you swinging for another buck's worth, By that time the gals started drifting from the piano and helped you knock off a couple of more. Marie Connors tickled the Ivories from about 7 p.m. until she and the piano were tired.: Clara La Belle, who was a singer, got married and quit. She came back later—a swell gal. Remember Babe? She left, and* when she came back a parade of Lesbians followed her, but Joel soon put the flit gun on them! Joel wrote a book, became very literary and. brought up some of the Greenwich Village highbrows, and for awhife they ran the place. It was during those days, they tell me, that O. Henry could be found sitting in a dark corner over near the. window, always quiet, always, observing—and always drinking. In another corner would, be Carlos de Far/iaro, one of the great cartoonists, whom Ben mentions but whom I didn't know. Carlos would 1 hold court in Joel's with a dozen or more swarthy-corhplexioned Mexicans who were seeking the overthrow of Diaz as president of Mexico. It was De Farnaro who started a wave of cartooning in . the New York newspapers. He also wrote a book which brought about his arrest and his imprisonment for libel, and so Joel's got the name of being the home of the Mexican revolution in America! Joel immediately put in as his "special" dish hot tamales and chili, it helped carry out the idea of it being the Mexican headquarters tor the out-of-towners and sightseers. TELEVISION ON AGENDA OF NAT'L THEATRES Hollywood, Feb. 6. National Theatres launched its annual three-day conference of divi- sion presidents and homeoffice execs here yes'tcrday <5), devoting the day to reviewing the past year's **s1ated ,, for'tod^'i?f!s^ »Tu of product deals, film playoffs, etc. while tomorrow will be given over 'to circuit guests, discussions of tele- vision as it applies to future theatre operation, and the status of a Na- tional Theatres investigation into the possibility of establishing a cir- .cuit in Mexico. - ' Presiding at the meetings is Charles P. Skouras, NT president; Guest speakers tomorrow (7) will be Spyros Skouras, head of 20th-Fox films, and George Skouras; Otto Koegel, 20th-Fox attorney, who will discuss the consent decree' and re- cent anti-trust court decisions, and Ben Kalmenson, Warners sales chief. Among National Theatres presi- dents attending are: F. H. (Rick) Ricketson. Jr., Elmer Rhoden, Har- old Fitzgerald and Frank L. New- man. Others include: Dan Micha- love, NT y.p. in N. Y.; George Bow- ser, Fox-West Coast general man- ager; Andy Krappman, Southern California division supervisor; B. V. Sturdivant, from northern Califor- nia, and homeoffice execs and de- partment heads. | No Copping | But this was all before my time and before the time when Joel pulled down the little platform that graced the middle of the place and cut off the backroom from the front. Then, if you didn't have a girl with you you were not permitted to pass beyond the bandstand, for Joel didn't want the boys to try any copping. The walls of Joel's were lined with original cartoons from the pens of the greatest cartoonists and newspaper artists of that day. It was the first meeting place of the famous "Cheese Club," and a picture on the wall showed where Dave Warfleld was made a mem- ber. On the wall, as you came up the steps, Joel had a sign reading, "To the profession.. While on the road I will care for money sent me." And many a little chorus girl sent along a deuce or maybe a fin a week so that when summer came she would have enough to carry her over until she got another job. If the money would run out she'd end up entertain- ing in the place, until she Anally got a job. Night after night an impromptu cabaret was presented, and it was far better than the average show in the nightclubs. today. You would be entertaining "the family." You would try to make the great "Tad" laugh, or Tom McNamara, the creator of "Skinny Shaner" or Harry Hershfleld, the great humorist and creator of "Desperate Desmond"; or try to get a smile from Hey wood Broun, Frank O'Malley, Eddie Pidgedn, Smatter-Pop Payne, Eddie Corbett, Tom Hanley and dozens of Others who just don't come to mind. Jimmy Hussey, George Whiting, Harry Breen, Ren Shields, Junie McCree, were just a few of the great entertainers who would get up anc? do ad lib stuff that made it air worthwhile. Us young fellow* would listen with open ears to the great newspaper adventures told by the tops of their racket. Practical jokes, laughs, never a dull moment at Joel's! In the sub-cellar the linotypers and type stickers would hold weekly parties of sauerkraut, spareribs and beer spreads. They would get to- gelher about 2 a.m., when the paper was put to bed, under sidewalk,level, with a piano playing and not a sound reaching the street.. One of the entertainers at Joel's for. a long stretch was Walter De Soata, who later became harpist for Paul Whiteman. He was a feature at Joel's for years "Miwaya-talked about the..stock market, quoting prices, telling what k would go up and what'would go down. I believe he ended up just with his harp, - The last time I saw Joel was when I went to see him about seven years ago. I had the saloon bug then and figured the old Joel's spot would be just the place. Tom McNamara and I saw him sitting in the empty store, reading.' It kinda broke your heart to see the bare walls, the rmpty store, with a small light burning. Looking at it one would never believe that this dingy place was the gathering spot for the greats and near-greats of the newspaper and theatrical worlds! But. Joel was there, neat and pros- perous-looking as ever. We sat down and warmed over our memories. We tried to recapture some of the smart repartee that was shot out. like cannons at you in the old days—but the. same words that got wows just didn't seem to fit in this empty store. 1 didn't open the saloon. Instead, I'went into radio, putting heads on old jokes'instead of on beer. Yes, sir, when they pulled the switch in 1925 —putting out the light on the sign of the green snake skooting around the name of Joel's—it marked the passing of a landmark of the old Broadway night life, and of song and laughter that came from the throats of men and gals who knew how to sing and laugh! Sez,. Lefty. JESSEL'S SIXTH 'DATE' * V . Hollywood, Feb. 6. . Sixth pictui;e. on George Jessel's production slate at 20th-Fox is "Late Date," scripted by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. Others assigned to Jessel are "The Dolly Sisters," now shooting, and "Doll Face," "Kitten On the Keys," "O. Henry" and. "Two Arabian Knight*," . Studio Contracts Hollywood, Feb. 8. Barbara Britton, actress, Par. Margaret Belie, actress, 20th-Fox. Don Barry, actor, Rep. "■ Marilyne Hansen, actress, Metro. Jane Ball, actress, 20th. Vivian Blaine, actress, 20th. . Dick' Shaw, actor, 20th-Fox. Angna Enters, writer, renewed, M. Julie London, actress, Universal. Abby Berlin, director, Columbia. Richard Dix, renewed, Columbia. Julie Gibson, actress, Paramount. Michel Kraike, prod., ren'd, Col. Rickl Van Dusen, actress, 20th. Ellen Hall, actress, 20th-Fox. Harry Keiner, writer, 20th-Fox. Martha Stewart, singer, '20th-Fox. Short-Term Prods. Hit By Cal. Jobless Tax Sacramento, Feb. 6. One-shot film producers are hit by amendment to unemployment in- surance act passed by legislature here. ^ Any employer is immediately sub- ject to act if he has four or more employes on any one day during cal- endar quarter, and if his payroll exceeds $3,000 during that quarter. ■Producers previously could com- plete their operations in .less than 20 weeks in any. year. They could thus avoid unemployment insurance tax, leaving their employes without protection, even though they were working. ,