Variety (Jun 1945)

Wi'Anrsriay. June 6, 1915. PftftlETY PICTURES S U. S. PIX IN 'NEW DEALS' ABROAD Ed Raftery Wants to Bow Out As UA Prez in Sept. and Return to His Law Hollywood. June 5. Ed Raftery, president of United Aii'VK will present his resignation to the company's board of directors when they meet again in Septem- ber- He wants to abdicate from the post, and return to private practice w ith the law firm O'Brien, Driscoll & Raftery. in N. Y. For past six months he.s been looking for an opportunity to tender his resignation, but due to the illness or Gradwell Sears, distribution v.p,. has held it lip. Sears is expected to assume active charge of the business shortly.- .' -;•,.'-" 'Raftery went into the UA job fol- lO'.vjng the resignation of Murray Silverstonc! since no other person whose name was .presented to mem- ber-owners was acceptable. He had been handling UA corporate matters for his law firm since inception of the company, as well as the personal 'affair*' of- Mary Pick ford. When drafted tor the presidency of the company, Raftery felt that the job would be temporary, and he would soon again be able to resume his law oflice'work, But with noth- ing enveloping, find .Capt. Dennis F. O'Brioil, head-of the linn, in semi- •'vcliretjnent from practice. Raftery .feels that ho must shortly, return to the law firm. •Both Arthur F. Driscoll and" Raft- ery are nephews of O'Brien, who founded the lirm with Moses L. Mai-, vensky more than 30 years ago. Raftery has been with the outfit 25 years. Me reportedly told.Coast eon- fidants recently that he hoped to gel the eonsorit of UA pw'neis to gel out Of the. presidency by September, bill that he would handle the corporation legal matters through his linn's of- fice as heretofore. FELDMAN-BLUM TAKE OVER SEtZNICK AGCY. Hollywood. June 5. Takeover of Selzniek agency and its clients will probably be consum- mated within a few days, pending windup of final - negotiations witli Famous Artists Corp. Under pro- posed setup Famous will' receive 50"i of net proceeds with equal balance to be distributed among heirs of My- ron Serznick's estate. •Waitasement-of-arouhd-MtO- clients- is involved in transactions as well as New York and London office* of the Selzniek Co. It. is provided in the negotiations that personnel of Famous Artists should complement Selzniek staffs in administration of the firm's business and representa- tion of its clients. Famous would also place its own reps in N. Y. and London offices to work with present Selzniek staffs. Parties to the transact ion. Which would take over operation of the Selzniek business, include, besides Famous Artists, Charles K. Feliman Corp.. Feldman-Blum Corp.. Charles K. Feldman. Ralph Blum. Jack Gor- dean. William Dover and .Minna Wallis. With consummation of deal. Selzniek building in Bevery Hills would be vacated immediately and either be. disposed of by the estate or blueprinted for enlargement to accommodate commercial firms. Previously James Saphier and Tom Fizdale entered into art ar- rangement for the takeover of the Sejzuick agency certain factors were alleged to militate against success- ful operation. Severance papers were drawn and Saphier and Fizdale withdrew from the operation. Hodiak'i Woes Hollywood. June 5. John Hodiak wound up his work in "The Harvey Girls'-' at Metro without any. appetite for dining in railroad restaurants. During, the filming he sus- tained two broken ribs, a sly on his eye and a case of mumps. WPB Loosens Up On 35 mm. Film Washington. June 5. WPB is allocating a total of 622.-, 180.000 feet of. 35 mm. "film during the third quarter! Of this, Hollywood will receive a direct grant of 271.000.000 feet! which is 10,000.000 feet better than for the "current quarter and 5.000.000 feet more than during the first quarter of the year. In addition, the studios ! will have 74.100.000 feet of Army | and' - Navy film credits for prints made available to the armed forces, which is the largest amount thus far. The newsreels have been awarded 56,860,000 feet, the most they have had in a year.' The so-called "Class C" producers have boon allotted 8.100.000 feet, the (Continued on page.8) TALENT GROUP INTO INDIE PRODUCTION Hollywood. June 5. Augmenting the deal between principals for "Diary of a Chamber- maid." Benedict Bogeaus. Lewis Milestone. Paillette Goddard. Bur- gess Meredith and Jean Renoir drew tip papers over the weekend in Palm Springs for a new producing organization. Quartet.' minus Mile- stone, set a deal early last week for -Diary." but latest move will be to form a production corporation to make films, with "Diary" as the in- itial picture for the company. Mere- dith will co-produce with Bogeaus as well as be featured in the film. .'.Milestone, and .Miss Goddard.have, commitments with 20lh-Fox and Paramount respectively but will as- sociate themselves exclusively with the new company as soon as current pacts expire. Title of new firm not selected as yet. LIKE BRITISH? American film execs are nego- tiating with French government of- ficials' for a quota .arrangement for V. S. films exported to France similar to the British quota system applying to U. S. distributors. Heads of major U, S. film com- pany foreign departments currently in France have been negotiating through the U. S. Embassy in Paris with several French ministries in an effort to set up quota and ex- change agreements for American producer-distributors. One of the objectives is the re- tention of t he —p ue^ wa iL_n u rrieri cal. quota of approxiinately 90 American films semi-annually. Another aim is to secure use of rentals accruing to U. S. distribs in France (which must now be deposited in blocked ac- count) for, among other things, pro- duction of quota films in France if the British quota plan is adopted. While the film industry has been placed in the Ministry of Informa- tion division of the French govern- ment, ramifications are such that negotiations must be conducted through the Ministry of Finance (.re- garding remittances of funds to the U. S.i and an internal affairs office, as well as the MOI. " • The British quota pattern, if adopted, would obviously prove beneficial'to French film production particularly at this time. Under such a plan . U. S. distribs would either produce quota films in France or buy such films there. In either case the sterile, blocked funds of U. S. companies would be put to (Continued on page 28) Ranks Associates Say U. S. Pix Deals Offered; May Link Up With Producer Later But Deny Plan to Operate Here Hopper Leaves Metro; Will Finance Indies Hollywood. June 5. Harold Hopper. Metro studio exec for a year, resigned to reenter pri- vate business. Before joining the Culver City organization he was an executive in the motion picture, di- vision of the War Production Board. Hopper will divide his time be- tween financing independent motion picture enterprises and functioning as president - Of the Motion Picture Society for the Americas, WB Gives Siege! Full Meg Hollywood., June 5. ■ Warners upped Don Siegel. shorts, director, to full directorship, with "The Verdict" slated as.his first full- length feature. '.-.'-. i' Picture is based on the old Israel Zangwill whodunit. "The Big Bow- Mystery." '■' ■£-.'.,' RKO's 'Body Snatchers' Now OK for 'Adults Only' Chicago. June. 5. Ban imposed hj Chi police motion picture censor board last month on RKO's "Body SnatehersI','was lilted last week, following appeal of local exchange to Police Commissioner James Allrnah: with pie opening as dualer with "Brighton Slrangler" (also RKO) at the Loop Grand Wednesday t30ii Both are in on an "Adults Only" pass...however. Also pinked during )Jay was Republic'* -yampire's- Ghost..''.-. deemed V too | scary for kids by the board. Board's rejects on Monogram's j "Dilliiiger" and PRC's "Crime,-; Inc..' meanwhile, s'till sl:ind.. as do pink on RKO's "Zombies on Broadway and Columbia's "Kiss and Tell." with | ] exchange execs in. there pitching with Allmah ;to switch these dec.i- I'Sittns also. Board also tnihiiunceil 'that billy 16 cuts were made in the | 82 pix (1)20.000 feet of film i review..';! during 'the. month. . Video, Films Will Play R41I, Says Tele Chief - Hollywood; June 5. Motion pictures and video will travel hand in hand after the war, according to Ralph B. Austrian, ex- ecutive veepee of the RKO Televi- sion Corp.. in an address titled "Film and Television." delivered at the forum of the Affiliated Committee lor Television. He declared: "I am a firm believer that, when all the cards are down, motion pic- ture film will carry 60-70"-;- of all manufactured television entertain- ment," Agnew Due Back Soon Neil Agnow, spies- veepee fir David O. Selzniek. is due \yj-.U from London and Paris next month. : From England he will survey France, etc. Skirball to Indie Prod. Old Hammerstein Musico i Hollywood. June 5 ! Jack Skirball closed a de-.il u-ilh ; |.Oscar Hammer.sU'in 2d yv-tero >.v ; I whereby the lailer will collaborate | I with Bruce Manning on tin-'•screen-: ! play "French Town," new tag .tor ; ; "SutVny River." | It's an plrl operetta by H;.minoi*- i stein an'.'l Sigmi'l-d ' lini.ivi.Tg which I had an itl-futod leg'.l run.. .'■' j Spyros Skouras Back Spyros P. Skouras. 20thrFox preVSy. planed into . New; York last Siinday_ -l3>, following extended . sta\ iifBng- lan.d and Europe! * He speeded uo return in order to meet J.' Arthur Rank, who arrived in N, Y, frorti Canada- on Monday i4,i. Greek Relief 1'l.e'a .;. , '';• Washington, June 5; Spyros Skouras. 20th-F,->x , prcsi- idertt', made , a plea last week, by cable to Henry .1/Kaiser, chairman of the United National Clothing Col- lection.: for.clothing for the. suffering Greek..people.. ''•• 'Pointing out that .1.400 G're.-k. vil- hi>VfS have buen burned to the ground. Skouri.s "said lis could find iki words to describe the appallin'. ctufd'tiiwi, "Pioijfe wyhj. .--L-.-ping in c:i\cs. A ctii'irter mi'iion rcl'tlio-."- .ire homs'lcs. Clo'tH'p.'i a'lolf, d ih.-s^ un.'o'.'iunale men.' worn: h and ••h>'d i n will tillcyi-i'e Icri.ihle sul- .ering," his n v cs:-agv. said. Colorful Goldwyn HollyV'Ood. June 5. Samuel Goldwyn continues - tiiiter-minded in "The Kid From Brooklyn." his fourth consecu- tive technicolor production in two years and a half. Producer's last black -and- 'whiter was "The North Star." Weltner Seen As Hicks Successor While no announcement is ex- pected to be made for several days by Barney Balaban. Paramount prexy. as to a successor to the late John W. Hicks. Jr.. several foreign department toppers have been men- tioned as likely to head Paramount International, post Hicks held when he died las) week. George Weltner. assistant to Hicks for years and currently v.p.. is a logical choice. He's been familiar with homeoflice details for a long time. David Rose, managing director in Great Britain, who arrived in N. Y. this week, is regarded as. next in command and appears likely to be- come vice-president, stationed in the U. S.. if he can be persuaded to re- main in N. Y.- Rose stayed on the job in London throughout the worst days of the blitz, and probably would like to be in charge of all Par operations there now that the shooting is over. A. L. Pratehctt. James E. Perkins and Robert Schless, Par International division managers named in recent promo- tions, also rate in about the order named in any realignments. . ,.- Vladimir Lissim New RKO G.M. in Europe Vladimir. Lissim. RKO homeolTi"C foreign department exec, is slated to .head., up. European distribution _fpr. RKO with headquarters in Paris Phil Reisman. RKO v.p. in charge of distribution, is planning to make the appointment shortly. No successor 1)38 . until. now been appointed to Reginald' Armour, former European general manager for RKO..' Lissim was assistant . European g.ni. under Reginald Armour. A French attorney "and authority on international law! Lissim lectured at the University of Pari*-. In recent years he has been working out of the RKO home office in N..Y. Lissim is scheduled to leave shortly for Paris where he will headquarter and likely handle Near East and . Far East distribution as. well as European. Pascal and Soskin's Pix Costs Too Rich for Kank Re.--ign:.ti( n of Gabriel Pascal and. Paul Soskin from the Independent Producers. Lid., affiliated with J. Arthur R'ink. K in .lin-' v. th Raillt'i- vtew that cost of Brtli.-h film pro- duction must be brought down. -. '■ Pascal'.directed. "Ciiesar -?nd C.lco- putra-." while Soskin has not made it lilm for the' company s\&zk "D-.ar Octopus." about two yaM» ago. .. "C-.ies;ii" reputt-dly ost around .Jt.000.000. although Rank declined to give -ah estimate, of the cost when questioned in ,N. Y. Monday ( 4 i ; U.S. film production interests have in recent months approached J. Arthur Rank. British film leader, who arrived in N.'Y. oh Monday (4) from Canada, looking to an affilia- tion, according to close business as- sociates of Rank's. Numerous pro- posals involving, various phases, of .motion picture operation have been submitted to Rank, either directly or indirectly. One. of the purposes of Rank's visit to the United States, it is understood, is to get first-hand imorm-atioirToir^ATiTel-iOmT-opeVatior'S - before planning any future commit- ments. David O. Selzniek, always interna- tionally-minded, recently told- inti- mates that one of the main reasons for his trip cast from Hollywood was to talk with Rank. However. Rank slated Monday (♦> that he is not planning to prodi-ce films in the U. S. He admitted, how- ever, that he may eventually become associated with some Americaft pro- ducer here, although he "has no definite, plans as yet."" Production execs now with Rank in England told "Variety" they fait that an effective method for mer- chandizing Rank's product would be to include a substantial number of American piotli.res—S lo 12 hi each block of 30. Whether Rank will find it expedient to adopt such a proce- dure may depend on the results-of .:'• ■' (Continued on page 28) PAR PAYING OFF % BONDS IN ADVANCE Paramount took further strides in its move towards strong financial, position by authorizing the immedi- ate pre-paymcnt of money necessary to effect the present retirement of $1,250,000 .worth of outstanding 3% debentures. Bonds would be re- tired at par. They arc due -1952 to 195B. Prepayment is in anlicioation of future sinking fund obligations. Based on 1944 earnings the sink- ing fund paid May 15 this year was $475,000. It is estimated that the prepayment JvML coyer sinking furid_ obligations payable in 10*6. 1947 and part of the 1948 obligation. Julius Goodman's Estate Chicago. June 5, t.'ii'» left by Julius Go-ichnan. ble <'ii-<iv.Ticr of Goodman - Harrison thertre ciivuit. who died . April 25 is 'c'st'in:il".d hi *i50'jiOO. G-ll's li'f nabe liouses continue uiid-'r oAi-iation of L. 11. Harrison. Gooclnit-tl.'- partner. 'I'r'Mfl* MltH<,.tt(*lsl*it*'t*f) KiM'M>KI> KV SH1K KlkVWIiJI AS i*uhlliilM-|j *»>fW> l.y t AKfKIV. !»<• .si.il Sri.-r.iinii, t'r-!*Wli'iu I.V1 VVomi 46lli Si . N'W Villi, If S. V A lihlM l. SI hi: U t '*hi!>» aiius('i!ll'T">N ' $|1| -l'*l»l fix" Vol, 153 No. 15 irMi>i:x ii.\ii,v t as: I'.i v •(f'ui.iiKiifir/iii in.it. ^ •«•»'• t.inllv »aifcty. i w| i .' $I'i ,a Yc.'ir 5!V t-.n-un