Variety (May 1946)

Wcdneaday, May 15, 1946 J^RiEfr flCTURES 'LEASING' SCREEN RIGHTS ONLY Bh-Fox Shutter on ? Pix Marks Zanuck Victory in a Lingering Tiff Announcement last week by 20th-t FOx lliat it would discontinue the making of B pictures signalizes a victory for production chief Darryl F Zanuck in a running battle that has gone on for severer years with top brass in the cast. Zanuck has been adamant that the BOlh-Fox trademark should be at- tached to nothing but top A produc- tions and the company should In no •way be associated with lesser films. The N. Y. toppers, taking a business- man's attitude, contended that the B\s are necessary to spread the over- head or the studio and the distribu- tion setup and thus reduce per-pic- ture costs. II was also felt that the secondary product is vital to maximum 20th- Fox profits in double-feature terri- tories, where there is a strong de- mand tot B's to fill the bottom of dual bills, and the distribs who can provide them can influence the sale pi lop product. Studio once before eliminated the low-budgeters.. That was during the msl two years of the war, when fcanuck was absent, serving in the Army. It was during this period that Bryan Voy, who had Joined the stu- dio production staff in 1941. was given full sway. Foy's rep had been made as a B picture specialist. Victory by Zanuck in the (Continued on page 16) long Blueprint Film, Radio, Press Co-op Coordinated action by film, radio and newspaper industries to. promote international freedom ot communi- cation was blueprinted last night (Tuesday) at a. dinner in New York sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union; Glen Allvine, Mo- tion Picture Association press chief, repped MPA prexy Eric Johnston; Walton Anient, of Pathe News, and Richard de Rochemerit, of March of Time, spoke for the newsreels; A. D. Willard, jr., exec v.p. of the Na- tional Association of Broadcasters, (or the radio industry; and Francis Colt deWolf, chief of the Telecom- munications Division, for the State Department. There- were also repre- sentatives of all the major networks, the press associations and the vari- ous newspaper organizations, includ- ing the American Newspaper Guild. Objections of the coordinated ac- tion are (1) abolition of political censorship. (2) freedom of travel and (3) access to sources, of news. It is proposed to work, as far as pos- sible, through the framework of the Commission of Human Rights of the Economic and Social Council of the' United Nations. Johnston put before, the Commis- sion' Monday (13) a pitch for placing films on the same level as the printed and spoken word, in inter- national freedom of communication. He stressed the universality of pic- lures in remarks read to the Com- mission by his assistant, Edward L. Roddan. Already potent In the dissemina- tion of news and information, films will increase one hundred-fold in importance in this field within a decade. Johnston prophesied. "The motion picture." he added, "is in no sense a substitute for press and radio. Rather it is the instrument j which must be employed for provid- y . .... . . . ,. _ ing a background of understanding " addition-to a bankrol , George » « f th ilUe| . pl:e iaUon J. Schacfer's Equity Capital Corp. | , „ expects to offer indie producers stu- | 0( cl " ■ cve " dio space. Schaefer is negotiating a i lease on a new lot near Hollywood. Prime 'Spring' for Jlldv on which he expects to 'have-three T , , /*„ ^ 'Slagcs completed within three months. Work on the stages is .said to be past the point where Govern- ment building restrictions will seri- ously delay them. Split between Schaefer and Ar- thur Greene. Chi financier, has..re- sulted in Schaefer lining up new coin from a Wall street investment house for Equity. Schaefer is grins 'j It alone, rather than accept Greene's i flitancial aid, it is said, so that he | lias complete control liiinselt of • Equity deals.. - i ^ William Stephens, who produced j "Dr. Christian" series and other ' llnis, has joined Schaefer as pro- ; duct-ion adviser. I FBI's Crackdown On 'Hot' 16m Pix Rivals A Hollywood Meller Story of the way the FBI cracked down on the black market in Him pix. which'rivalled many of Holly- wood's top cloak-and-dagger .stories with its use of marked money, "front men." etc., was revealed this week by Eric Haight, prexy of Films Inc. Haight. along with Joseph Stein of the Copyright Protection Bureau; was one of the chief aides to the FBI. in breaking up the $1,000,000 ring and in the arrest of the nine men charged with dealing in. the under-the-counter sales. ■ Films, Inc., first got wind of the black market in February, 1945. At that lime, one of FI's district sales- men reported that a potential cus- tomer, solicited to rent one ot the majors' lllms distributed by FI, dis- closed that he'd run the picture only (Continued on page 26) BarcEft on a Bicycle Nelson Barclift leaves June' 1 for the Coast to start at RKO on his dance-director stint; day after N. Y, opening of Orson Welles' "Around ih» World," for which Barclift staged the dances, Latter, recently out of Army, staged dances for "This Is the Army," and danced the Vera Zorina role in the Irving Berlin GI musical for four years. ALL THIS COIN AND STUDIO SPACE TOO? Instead of Irene Dunne Hollywood. May 14. "Day Before Spring." recently bought by Metro for Irene Dunne, is now being angled for a Judy Gar- land starrer. A new score by Frank I.oesscr and Johnny Green was writ- ten, expressly Tor Miss Garland's style. duly tune from the original score by Alan Lcrner and Fred Loc-we; will be the title song. Metro financed the original John C. Wilson Broadway production. GEN'L WITHIN 1 YEARS By HEBB GOLDEN Complete changeover to the sys- tem of film companies leasing screen rights to literary properties from their authors for.a limited period— instead of the traditional method of. acquiring stories via outright buys- is predicted within six months to two years by an executive of the powerful Authors' League of Amer- ica. The switch is bound to have a revolutionary effect on film produc- tion, sinCe it. includes all sorts of lilevary material from best-selling books to radio scripts to screen orig- inals. Rumblings of the desire of writers to maintain control of their works have been heard in the past month from New York'to Hollywood and last week Luise Sillcox, exec secre- tary of the Authors' League, re- vealed that a . major drive in that direction is about to get under way on all fronts. League includes the Screen Writers' Guild, Dramatists'' Guild, Radio Writers' Guild and Authors' Guild. With its membership num- bering every writer of potentially important screen material in the country, through one. or the other of its' subsids, the League expects to experience only a moderately tough battle in achieving the revo- lution it is seeking, once the drive is in full swing. Period for which writers will lease rights to a company will hinge, at first, on individual negotiations, it is \» (Continued on page 24) UA Owners Seek National Figure To Dominate Co. and End Their Squabbles; Raftery Wants Out Dietz's Coast Huddles Howard Dietz, Metro veepee over ad-publicity, planed to the Coast yesterday (Tuesday) for a three- week session of confabs with studio execs re publicity campaigns on Me- tro's forthcoming product. Dietz will line up the campaigns with Howard Strickling, M-G studio publicity head, who returned to Culver City last week from an Ari- zona vacation, French Loan Sans Pix Tie-Blum Washington, May 14. Hint that the French hope to get their loan without commitments af- fecting the export ot our pix was given yesterday (13) by former French Premier Leon Blum. Ad- dressing a luncheon of overseas wri- ters here, Blum said the loan deal was virtually set. He declared that the U. S. had avoided imposing any political or other conditions in the dickering, al- though the final plans yet remain to be worked out. He said an agree- ment in principle has been reached. Enterprise Tops East on Distrib Negotiations are . understood in progress this week on a- release deal for David Loew-Charles Einfeld's Enterprise Productions. Loew ar- rived east Sunday (12) for the talks, accompanied by his attorney, David Tannenbaum. Discussions are scheduled, to take place with Matty Fox, prez of United World Pictures, and Edward C. Raftery, United Artists topper. Universal is. also understood to be a possibility for Enterprise release, Loew stressed Monday (13) that there was also still a likelihood that Enterprise would set up a distribu- tion organization of its own, similar to the project contemplated by Samuel Goldwyn. This possibility was considered unlikely in the trade, however. Enterprise execs have had a number of huddles with Gold- wyn on joining, him, but there has been no decision reached and the likelihood appears slim at the mo- ment. Loew and Tannenbaum plan re- turning to the Coast next Sunday (19). ♦ An important national figure to succeed Edward C. Raftery as presi- dent of United Artists is understood being.sought by the company's own- ers. Whether or not he's grounded in the picture business they don't •feel important under the circum- stances, as the post could be move or less as a front man and as a dominant and respected enough figure to settle the recurring squab- bles among the three owners. He'll step down. Raftery told Varjety yesterday (Tuesday),' if a successor can be lined up before the stockholders' annual meeting. Con- clave was originally slated for next Tuesday (21) but has been post- poned until June 11, Raftery said, to allow further time to. explore possibilities Ipr the job. "I've been very anxious to return to my law practice," the UA prexy. stated, "and if I can get. buck, I will." Raftery is a member of the firm of O'Brien, Driscoll & Raftery. which handles UA's legal business. He. was drafted into the UA presidency dur- . ing 1941, although continuing his as- sociation with the law firm. Ar- rangement was made by which the retainer paid by UA to the O'Brien firm included Raftery's salary. Den- nis F. O'Brien, senior member, has been suffering declining health, which is one of the reasons precipi- tating Raftery's desire to get back to the firm. Because Raftery, through his legal tieup with jUA affairs will be con- stantly available, owners feel that an important national figure might well replace him, "whether . or. not (Continued on page 22) Rathvon East for Conv. N: Peter Rathvon, RKO prexy and studio chief, is expected in New York from the Coast lor the com- pany's annual sales convention July 1. Mrs. Rathvon, now in the east, remains in.N. Y. until her husband's arrival. National Boxoffice Survey Current Golden Dozen Paced by 'Kitty,' 'Corner,' 'Gilda,' 'Dahlia,' Trunk,' 'Postman,' 'Outlaw' A. stanza, strike or Goldwyn Gal Goes Legit Pittsburgh, May 14. Virginia Belmont, one of five Gold- wyn Girls on tour plugging Danny. Kaye picture. "Kid 1 From Brooklyn." said last week during quintet's stop- over in Pittsburgh that she would go into the new Al Rosen show-. "Mary Had a Little," as soon as she got back to the Coast later this month. "Mary," which will star Edmund' Lowe, goes into rehearsal in June and several Coast dates are planned before the piece heads eastward. Lolly Under Knife I Hollywood. May 14. { Louella O. Parsons went under ' surgery today (Tuesday) at Good 1 Samarilan hospital with Dr. John Flick-, of Philadelphia, and Dr. John Jones performing the surgery. Columnist has been in hospital a month under the care of her physi- cian. Dr. Verne R. Mason, preparing lor the operation. 'BARNABT ON B'WAY Hollywood. May 14. Columbia Pictures will finance the Edward Chodorov dramatization of the Crockett Johnson comic strip, "Bmnaby." No New York producer set yet. Boxoffice pace quickened during the past week, with the truce in the coal strike helping biz materially this session. Los Angeles still is feeling -the current streetcar walk- out, but several films are bucking Ihe trend to do well. There's small change in list ot leaders, first 12. about in order named, being "Kitty" (Par). "Dark Corner'' (20th), "Gilda" (Col). "Blur Dahlia" (Par), "Saratoga Trunk" (WBi, "Postman Rings Twice" (M- G). "Ziegrcld Follies" (M-G), "The Outlaw" (UA). "Her Kind of Man" iWBi. "Devotion" (WB). 'Dragon- wyck" i20th> and "Tomorrow Is Forever" (RKO). Last four are not in the really big money, last two being fairly well played out in key. flrstruns. "Devo- tion" is doing better this stanza than recently but not getting tall coin. "Man" looks only average in L. A., moderate in Philadelphia and so-so in Cincinnati.; but holding up very good al $50,000 in second N. Y. week. '•Outlaw" is out gunning- for 000 in sixth L no strike. ■ . "Postman." newcomer to go out into keys, looks sock on basis of N. Y. and' L. A, showings. In con- trast. "Dark Corner" is spotty, be- ing average in K. C, dull in L. A. but nice in Baltimore and Philly. It's taking a strong stagebill headed by George Jessel to land $90,000 for this film at the big N. Y. Roxy. Other new entries include "Bad- man's Territory" (RKO), strong in Bulla lo and San Francisco; "So Goes My Love" (U>. bright in Louis- ville. Chicago and N. Y.: and "Heart- beat" (RKO), big on N. Y. prcem. 'Virginian" (Par.). 'Thi:: Day 1 Forward" (RKO). "Bandit of Sher- wood Forest" 'Col) and "Road To Utopia" (Par) look hearing end of most key dales from their showing,-; this week. • "Wife of Monte Cristo" (PRC; again chips in with some six dales, doingwell in all. "Little Giant" <Ui looks snappy in St. Louis, Omaha and N. Y. this stanza. "Spiral Stair- case" (RKOJ. with huge biz in L. A. (records in two houses), is good to strong in several other cities being m BROADWAY'READY TO GO AT WB SEPT. 10 Hollywood, May 14. Warners will greenlight "Mr. Broadway" (the saga of Sime and Variety) i on Sept. 10, with Hum- phrey Bogart understood to have in- side track on the title role. Richard Brooks yesterday (13) turned over finished screenplay to producer Jerry Wald. real wampum, showing now in five i played this week. "Diary of Cham keys and eight theatres. Jane Russell] bcrmaid" (UA). showing in only two starrer is leader in St. Louis. In- cities, doesn't shape so well cur dianapolis and Louisville, being smash in all three. It also is great $20,000 in K. C;, and still slout $38.- renlly. (Complete'.-Film Boxoffice Reports. Paycs 12-13.) l Trade Mark ItCRlalorcd FOUNDED BT SIMIi SIL.VEnM.AN 1-ut.lMinl Wmkl} l>j VAH1ETT, Inc. Sid Sllvci-innn. FreHldonl l.-.l Went IGlh St.. New TorL 15. N. T. SUBSCRIPTION Annual 110 Foreign...... Ill Single Coplan .26 Ccn'.e Vol. 162 1M No. 10 INDEX Bills ....62 Chatter 71 Film Reviews ; 8 Foreign 16 House Reviews (ill Inside Legit 64 Inside Music 56. Inside Orchestra* ....' 56 Inside Pictures 26 Inside Radio ...... ...... 42 Legitimate . . 64 Literati ..... 69 Millon Bcrle ... r 2 Music . 50 New Acts 02 Night Club Reviews CO -Obituary .... 70 Orchestras 50 Pictures 3 Plays Abroad 66 Radio ■ . 27 Radio Reviews ..-...' 34 Recommended Records .... 50 Frank Scully 6» Television •• 35 Vaudeville - • • ■ • 58 l»,\ii.ir VAHIfO (I'ubMnlifd In Hollywood bj Mail? varlrly. l.ul.l 110 • Tearr-*!: Foreign