Variety (Sep 1945)

Wedursday, September 1945 PICTURES S U. S. 'HANDS OFF' IN EUROPE Industrial Conmt Fix Key StimnlaDts M]\ PdOPEIi Te Prodnctioii, EmpIoyment-GoUen Washington, Sept, 4 -f Industnal and commefcjal films ■will Olio ot the nio'^t inipoitaiit siimularits to Tnaintenance;;. ot high, proftuctipn aiid lull ernployment in tilt; :hext .;fow years, . Department Ot Commereo . fi 1 m ! chief Nathan:. p. Golden ie\e<il Repoits reaching hini lioln toiiimCKial him prodiioei'^ iJidK.ito that business is allead^ showing keen iiitoiost m the pojjsi- .'WHtixHi ■.af/'iJ.ix,; ^■ ■ ;: " ■ Golden pioposed that buMiies- •gen't'l'allv consider use ot a series ol ii\\v:fi|.ms. which.' he outlined a.s lol- louN <1 I Tiain n." film lo\ sliop em- •pli.>yees:,; (2 v i (i,ims ;lc>; teach , salcsi \ loices about then pioducts and sell- i jiij> methods; U) films mstuictmi; le- I tailei-^s on the line points ot the piod- | Uet'and upon best selling methods \Mth whiciv to approach then cus- tomei'S: (4) films explainini; propei- service and repair methods for the ineroliandise. and (■')) a filni; dcsiKno.d to sliow consumers tlie merits ol the piodncl and create desire tor it. Poinlinij out that American cntcr- t.tinment hlm^ have long been lec- oQiuzeci as excellent , salesmen - ol Ameucan goods Golden holds that the industrial film can take advan-r tais? of the good-will created bv the cnlertamment him m foiemn mar- kffs. The industrial, film, he said, will ■ serve to exert direct selluis pi '■.sine He sufjsjP'ted diibbiiiK ol these niins: and added that arrange- nients may soon be campteted foi the showinsf of- commercial filmir in. U S. embasvsy pi ejection looms thioughout the world. British salesmen, incidentally, are giiinsj out armed with excellent sell- 11114 lilnis: Golden said, and Ameri- can tirnis would be rll-advised to i'4- lujie llu- potent advantage these films give the BiMti.shm world maiket 'competition, Tender Wrath Metro exploitation exec Bill .Ferguson got a letter last week, from a wi.tie'.offioial a.sking for a tieup 'on the .forthcqmiivg Metro picture, f'Qur Vines Have .T.en-V der Grapes. Fei 'iusoii sent him a letter ex- plaining that "Onr Vines' has nothing- to do with grapes.., Fer- . guson sarcastically suggested 'that he: cohlact ,201h-F.fl.x and see- what that company has m mind on ' Grapes ol Wrath." WB, 20TH DICKER WITH ROSS FEDERAL Warner.s and 20th-Fox are di.scus.s- ing a deal with Ro.ss Federal Service liiider. which they would -take a three-vear lease on the- checking ta- ciiities ot the organization. An early. Closing of negotiations IS anticipated, Ro-N Fedeial ot which Hatiy Ross foiniii diftli ibution exec, is piesi- dent. has branch officesm all ex- chaivge cehter.s. Though it I'ormerly cheeked percentage engagements for other di.siributing companies. Ross' now handU-.s only 20th-FoX and the pictures oi Vanguard (David O. SoUnick) ard Lester Cowan both of \\ hom release through United Aitisls It toimcrlv ased Ro.s.s Fedeial. but WB tor some years has.,mauT- taniea its own checking oigani/a- tioiv.- ,'■,■■',■,. - Yates Rep. Prez Under Merger Herbcit J Yates would becpme picsident ot Republic Pictures Coip il the proposed merger Of Consoli- dated Film Jndu.stries, Setay Co, and Republic Pictures i,s approved by .stockholders at the special meeting cailed tor Sept. 28. ^Proxy statement sent shareholders reveals that it is the intention tti name Yates head of tlie consolidated corporation (Bepub- lie Pictures Gorpi); with James R. Grainger as executive vice-president. ■Vales now is president of Consoli- dated tilm Industries and Republic PI'Odnetioils w-hile Grainger: is piresi- dent of Republic Pictures Corp., cur- rent di.stiibution, corporation ot the Rep setup, The proxy-statement also lisis Wal- tei L Titu's. Ji Waltei W Vincent and Edward L. Walton as to-be- voted vicepreisidenl.s, .wilh^ Herbert Yates. Jr., as treasurer and Joseph E. ItlcMahon. secretary. Proxy statement, ui revealing data lit tho.se to be directors and otficers i)t the consolidated company, stales that Yates lecencd $7.') O8O as re- muneration in 1944. while Grainger leceived $85 000 This iiiLome of course, was Irom artilialed Republic interests. - ■.'■■ . Dick de Rochemont Honored by France Richaid de Rochemont Maich of Time piodutel has been decoialod an oflrcer ot the Legion of Honor for his services to France, honor be?: mg bestowed at a dinner m Pari-s given bv the France Forever -Society, Of which he is president in the U. S. De Rochemont was geneial foi- eign managei for M of_T.Jiom_L934_ uulil the wa r started. He visited the Euiopean battlefields twice duiing the war, conterring with leaders of FILM STOCK TRADING SLUGGISH, SEC REPORTS . Philadelphia. Sept.-4, Activitym dim stocks was slug- gish dming the July ll-Ang, 10 pe- riod, according to .a report made- public last week by the Securities md txchange Commission Principal tran,saction reported was the .sale, ot 8.100 shares of Univer.sal Pictures Co. common stoek by Clill Woik Unix CI sal Citv Cal bung- ing hi.s total down to 1.900 shares. \l the same time Pieston Davie Wcstbuiv L I repoited holding 4 000 .shdies of Univers|il Jack L: Warner reported holding 205 000 shaies ol Wainei Biolhels ommon His ti ust added 1 800 sliare.s dui-ing ..the current period, bringin.g its 'tptWr to 3.800 share.s., Fiedeiitk I.^ Ehiman New YoiK, notified the SEC that he had added 2 000 shai es of Radio-Kcith-Oi pheum, making his total 3 OCO shaics |Domestic Users of Raw Film Allayed TIME FOI DEALS By Govt. Ikt End of Curb to Hit Them As a result ot experiences by sev- eral, American film company foreign chiefs who have iust icturned to this country from Euiope, U S maioi* turns diuing the coming months will keep "hands oil ' on distribution .deals with, nations on the: Continent. . Tiport. caiiie last week in the anr nouncement by Harrv Kosuier; east-: ei n icp loi Edwaid Small Piodut- tions, that he will loiego a tup to Euiope at'^his time He has been advised that such a tup before next spiing IS useless because ot language,, travel, tood and economic barrier.s. Besides. European nations and their leadei^ have enough headaches this winter to straighten out their own tconomac and -.ocial pioblems Hence, in the opinion ot many, during these months the U S ma- jors must get together and decide the!r-; united collrse in meeting. the; various, crise.s they know they wUl be up against in endeavoring to get their tilms plaved on European screens. Entire situation pivots upon the success 01 tailure of the U S, State Depti in current dealings with the French government deckings which got out of hand between, the U. S. tilni company reps and.french government otlicials, and which were renewed on.a diplomatic plane last week when General'de Gaulle and hIS entourage visited this country. Ina.smuch as relations vt'ith Great Britain, are -proEably now at the height ot amicability within the.film mdustrv, the maior country to be dealt with is France, since the satel- iile nations ol the Continent look to the French to lead the way. Quick Trips Anyway Of course, lact that those uist re- turned from Europe have . advisecl oiher film execs not to make over- seas jaunts at this time does not mean tliat key loreign department execs ot the major companies wiU not tind it necessary to make quick trips to Europe during the forthcom- ing winter, Walter Gould, United: Artists loreign manager, expects to inalve a quickie in October^ while PJiil Reisnian, RKO foreign distrib v.p., will go o.vfor .shortly, top. But they vvill go primarily to. Englandy and will travel to the Contincnl only. It alisoJutelvnecessary, : : However, the U. S. film companies; dehnilelv- have now handed the ball I to the State Dept If the lattei tails, it is possible tlit*t -American product won t go into Europe lor many months. , Actually, though, . U. S: 'dtploirraiK'TjaV enough ,"trading .ma- feria!," , irv caitTent. negOtiatioiiii with the French, to vyork out something othei than a just a stop-gap deal concerning the film industry. Neat Switch Chicago Sejit. 4 • It anybody needs any proof that the war is leally over, heie "''■'*■■' ■' ■'■':■■ ■ ■."■■.:>"-:V-'";''- '-''•■. tj|) to a few weeks ago a sign 111 the b.o. of .Tones Linick & Schaeter s Loop -McVickers the- atie lead 'Usheis Wanted Last week it wa^ changed to: Neat - Appearing UsheriS Wanted." \'{ ^■■'-''■r u; '. Eugene Zukor Out Of ■ Navy, --Back to Par Lt.: Cdr, Eugene :'Zukor, ;,w:ho -en ii:.st^e|T^n--r-the'^Na-\ty-i«i^^^^^ Peai4,-Harl}rtiv and.: ha.s:'bee,n in charge - of; film d.istribirtion 'f6i\ ,thii branc^^ nf service, was mustered out Thursr the Fienth imdeigiound on his lust i^j^v (30) in Washington and left the ti ip in i941. Par Backlog Down to 21 Principally as ic^ult of the pio- tracfed Hollywood strike, Para- niounfs backlog of pvodiict, which all along has been - substantially Idigei thtiii that ot other producers, has been reduced to 21 pictures These include some features thai were completed prior to the strike and also take in two which are now being prcrreleased, "Incendiary Blonde' and Lo\e Letteiv' At one time Pai had 30 pictures In the can awaiting lelcase. following dav, for Hollywood to re sunie production duties at the Par- amount studio. The son of'Adolph 'Zukor. ehair- man or the board ot Par. Lt. Zukor was a producer oii: the Par lot prior to entering the .service and some year.s before held various prjst.s at the homeottice. He was lormerly on the .Par board. ' HUMBERSTONE MEGS JOLY : . iftllv.vvood. Sept.. 4: Film biographv of Al Jolson is to be len.s'ed as a tinier tuneRlttv with Bruce Hiimberstone directing, Sidnev Skolskj .s pioducing foi Columbia. E Einfeld Cuntiiiiied Irom page 1 Johnston Pact To Be Set Sept. 15 Eiie Johnston head ot the U S Chamber of Commerce, ofricially be- comes president of the Motion Pic- ture Producers & Distributors Assn , this month on a five-yeai contiad at around $150,000 annually plus a virtually unlimited ; expen.se aci count. Will Hays, current and only othei prexy of MPPDA, stays on m. chairman of the as,sociation's board; a newly created po.sition. : Active direction and management of MPPDA will be in .Johnston s hands with Hay.s' new duties being m an advLsory capacity. Actual finalizing oC Johnston pact is expected to be announced on oi about Sept 15, when the MPPDA duectois meet in its quaiteily ses- sion Only minoi details remain to be adjusted, Hay.s arrived in N. Y. from the Coast, where J;ie"s. been for the last three monlh.s, last Sunday (2) and is cooperating m drawing up final papers: Among readjustments will be those of Hays' present contract: as MPPDA head This luns until the middle'of next March at~a $150,000 annual rate Hays has been in on all confabs regarding ,Iohnston's MPPDA prexy lob. Hays' Ies.ser role m. a.s.sociation afTairs. he says, has been his desire tor several vears; he merely wants to assist any new chiet. Johnston, is e'xpect.ed to divide his time between N. Y. and Washington., with, the torm€r: still remamm^ the key center of MPPDA activities However, the new chief plans to rcr vitalize the legislative and foreign- trade front of the picture industry as well a.s streamlnie public rela- tions activity. All three divisions long have been recogni/.ed bv .John- ston as prerequisite to a. vital trade association. ... • Washington, Sept 4 Controls ovei expoit ot law stock will piobdblv end thjs month, with the film manutacturels therealler- to.- detemiine indniduallv how thej will li-eaf their foreign and doine.stic cij.s<-:; toinet:,s. Pear, that relaxfitioii of con- : trol; might mean tough sledding;, for ■ domestic useis was pooh-poohed by , Wai Pioduclion Boaid and Fedeial: Fmoigcnci Admimsliation olficiaTs ■ dining a meeting Wednesday (29) Dioppmg of FEA conlioH leaves the Government with no legal means 01 holding down expoit^ ol lau ^tock: to the Argentine, Spain, or';ihy oilier ■ (.'ountry wherfc sueh cqiitrril. i,s geiier- ally beUevcd both desirable for po- litical leasons and vital it decent treatment loi Ilolljw'ood pix iv to be obtained The State Dept has failed 1 to. make this point, however. The Slate Dept last week m- jstnicted i.s Prague cmba.ssy to eort- I lei with the C^ech government con- cerning the treatment of U: S. pix in that couiitry The instruciion fol- lowed publication of terms bf an agi cement signed bv C/.,!cho.sloavkia and the USSR which a.ssure the Hus- sions 60% of the playing time m Czech theatres. GREENTHAL DICKERS ON INDIE PRODUCTION Monroe Greenthal, released last week from the Army, leave.s for thie Coast today (Wednesday) to- probe po.ssibilities of formation of a major independent production organiza- tion with a couple of Coast piodu'c- ers. Jle W'ould like to foim a setup whereby: the pictures would be made for United Artists release. Greenthal. a raajor in the: Army; formerly was:ad-publicity-exploita-- lion chief at UA and an aide:to Don- ald Nelson at the War Production Board before entcMng the armed ■lorces Some three year,s ago. Heflin Replaces Ladd In Bettv Button Pic Hollywood. Sept, 4i' Van Heflin will supplant Alan Ladd opposite Betty Hutton m 'Cati- tornia' (Par). Ladd went on suspension for,;r.^-.., fusing role and Heflin vvill, move • over from IWotro for spot as his fiivst chore since discharge from Army. actual startm the picture bu.sine.ss ujs with Vitdgijpli oflice boy and I, ig man Hi^ next step was to Fust National and thence tO: Warners with that nierger. He has had-no other picture association: ■It was while concentrating on Warner publicity that Eiiifeld jauncliid t twci ' exploi'tation; cam-: ■paigns vyhiC'h':rank ,»7th; th:e,.finest I u' indii>,tiy has known, one being 1 ,,aided by mam as the toughest a.ssigiiment ever handed a film pub- licity department. The.se_two cam.- paign.s were- l:()i".~~42nd ; Street' and 'iVIidsunvmer Nights Dream.'' In the ease .of "-I'iiid ..Stl'eet'': it was Ein feJd's ' tiiin.s-contirieiital sfiecial tram Hint jirovoked its own blizzard, ol publicitv, ahead and back. a.s it rolled from: coast to coa.st. But it was "Dieam' that Was the tough one legardless ot its mciit, and it was well done. So tough was ''Dream • i uied that at the time "Vauetv" asked opposi- tion publicity men what thev would do it ,handed' a Shake.spearean fan- ta.sy. All replk'Q, "We'd faint." Ein- feld. die', hut ..recoverecl in time. : It was nine years agb that Eintc;Ul came, ti) the: Coast for Warner.s, where he. efitablished. himselt as . an ace botii ol that"compaiiy and the industry. The ptirling is amicable. : $1,302,000,000 ASSETS FOR PICTURE INDUSTRY Washington, Sept. 4. Pix industry assets of over $1,302.- OOO.OaO were reported bv tlje U. S. Treasury last Thursday (;J0) for the n^(,.l veai l')42 with 2 .^,5<) ftini^ claiming .profits in that year and 1:073 reporting no proht. Companies which showed a profit reported re- (CiDls of $1,119,4:15,000 and the othcis leportcd receipts ot $73 130 000 Cost ol operationsi exclusive of sal ai If s I en,tii,_ iJi.a_Lui£niUlc.e_laxes depreciation etc was reckoned al about $000,000,000 with total riedut- tioiis set at $1 027 000 000 Capital assets vveie shown as betlei than $307 000 00) with land listed sepa- 1 ateiy ss woi th $i 70.ooo ooo B's Necessary to Develop Talent, Connors Stresses . Chicago.: Seol: 4: Importance of continuing to turn out B pix. despite all the hollers lor "bettei Hollywood piodutt was stiesscd bv Tom ConnQi'- 20lh-Fox vecpee over distribution, at a dis- trict sales confab heie last week. B's are necessary, Connors said at a press conference, in order to de- velop new writers, diiettois actors etc. - Trade Mark ItcKliilcriid rOIJNWOn BT SIMK Sir.VKIiMAN I'ilbliithcrl IVhrklr l>.v. VARIIC'I'Y. Inc. Ski tiilv^eriniui, I'riisiiliMit II Wpni <Cth SL, New. Turk N. sDnscitn-rioN AnniiAi.. ...tio I'oic-iBn... ,111 KltiKle CoDlen.. .2i Cenn Vol 159 tCgl No 13 INDEX Bills 48 Chattel . 45 Film Reviews ..,. 15 Foieign . 18 House Reviews .. ,, . 47 Inside Radio—,-;—; -32 Legitimate .48 Literati "il 'Wilton Bails 2 Music 35 i\e\v Acts 47 Night Club Reviews 44 Obituaiy ... . ... 51 Oichestras , .. 35 Pictuies ■ 3 Radio 24 Radio Reviews .26 Flank Scully 2 Telev lS,ion .. 34 Vaudeville 44 i»Aii.t VAK inL* (Published In Ilonytvooil b> Dallr V.iilPly. l.ta ) $10 • Ymr—»ll I'Or»lien