Variety (Sep 1946)

Wednesday, September 18, 1946 ZAfilETY PICTURES 3 COLUISION IN DECREE BIDDING? Eric Johnstm Hopes to Create Film Accord With USSR While Abroad . An effort to bridge the gap be- -t- tween Russia and the United States, —at least so far as Alms are con^ cerned—is the principal object be- hind the European tour on which Eric Johnston will embark next Monday (23). Motion Picture Asso- ciation prexy stressed in NeiV York last week the belief that the grow- ing bitterness of feeling between the . U. S. and the Soviet can be allevi- ated by a jnore concentrated effort at- mutual understanding of prob- i'lems-. •. Johnston has made no effort to obtain a visa for entry into Russia. Members of his immediate start would not bo a bit surprised to see him end up there, however, for if the Russians indicate any desire at all for his presence while he's abroad he'll be quick to take up their invitation. It was recalled that on his la.st trip abroad he had a foin- hour interview with Marshal Stalin —one of the longest such interviews on record—and he apparently got along very well with the Soviet chief of state. Problems Present plans Call for the MPA topper's tour to take him into most of the Russian satellite countries and it is in tliese that he hopes to do the induiStry most good—unless actually invited into . Russia—in reaching an understanding and ac- cord with the Soviets. He feels that much of the bogeyman that has been built up around the European com- munists is propaganda and poppy- cock that they are hardheaded busi- nessmen with whom an accord on films can be reached if a realistic at^ titude is taken. By discussions with leaders in such countries as Poland, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria and. Finland, Johnston hopes to pave the way to understanding and trade that will mean increased showing of American pictures. Problems that Johnston will take up in Europe were discussed at (Continued on page 22) Pat Casey Not Retiring, Coast Labor Remains The Same—Johnston With no prospect of retiring Pal Casey in the near future as studio labor liaison in Hollywood, Eric Johnston has reportedly abandoned —for the time being, at least—his scheme of naming a Coast labor rep to serve under his command. Mo- tion Picture Association prexy, who has long desired to have his own man on the Hollywood labor scene, fears that the setting up of any such rep would breed a jurisdictional dispute on the employer .side. And so, with the producers already up to their ears in jurisdictional strife among the : unions, Johnston has temporarily given up the "idea. Casey has served for many years as studio labor contact, with his sal- ary paid jointly by the major, and some minor, producers. He works entirely independently of Johnston, who last spring indicated he would like to see Casey retired in favor of a younger man, with knowledge of modern labor techniques, and who would be under MPA command. The idea of departing burned Casey and he made it dear he wasn't ready to think of it yet. Issue, since that time, has been dormant. Johnston now has a labor expert on his staff in Washingtqn. He's Edward Cheyfitz, formerly a CIO exec in Ohio. Hayworth, Col Talk Pact Hollywood, Sept. 17. Rita Hay worth and Columbia are talking a new starring contract, al- though the actress' current contract has about three years to run. New pact is understood to carry a heavy boost in salary. SAG Yens for U.S. Break on Taxes Hollywood, Sept. 17. A taxation plan for the:alleviation ot the "inequitable" income tax situation, as it applies currently to actors, has been submitted to mail referendum vote by Screen Actors Guild members. Originally proposed by William Holden, resoultion points out income of actors fluctuates great ly from year to year, unlike incomes of other salaried groups. "Present tax format is inequitable to actors," it is stated, "because the latter group may earn a small income for several years, but will carry the full brunt of heavy taxation for a single year of high income." Among officers installe* at the CHiiRGE mm IN 01 GOllliE Collusion between competing ex- hibs'to defeat Metro's recently-in- augurated plan of experimenting with competitive bidding for pic- tures in strictly competitive areas is giving the company some unfore- seen difficulties in making the sys- tem work, it was revealed this week. Since news of the experimental tryouts was first disclosed; exhibs in such situations, recognizing that they might be next on the list as guinea pigs for the tests, have got- ten together to talk things over in an effort to make certain neither of them forced the bidding too high. Metro is expanding the tests gradu- ally in situations that fall under its definition of competitive spots and exhibs usually have no advance knowledge until they're notified by a Metro branch manager that a cer- tain film is available for bidding. One instance of such collusion was disclosed between an indie ex- hib and the manager of a house owned and operated by one of the major chains. Indie exhib had bought Metro product on an exclu- sive first-run basis for several years but the product, under the system, was now to be offered to the other house as well. Latter needed more pictures to meet his thrice-weekly program changes but didn't want the (Continued on page 22) Wanger-Roach Set to Return to UA; Co. Also Mulls Enterprise Distrib Gets It Dead Right Los Angeles, Sept. 17. Seeking to get the "dramatic feel," Vincent Sherman, director of "The Unfaithful" at Warners, served voluntarily on a coroner's jury in a killing case. Sherman wasn't satisfied with the jury scene in the film script, and wanted to got the real lowdown. U.S. Famine Pic Showing Snagged Government films which have been slowed down to a distribution standstill since; V-J day by a string of snags have currently sailed into another. With no official pix reach- ing tl. S. theatres for the past year, "Message on Famine," first to secure approval of exhibitor organizations after sizable revamping, has been stalled on its releasing schedule be- cause of a near breakdown in nego- tiations between American Theatres Assn. and the Motion Picture Assn., which are aimed to pick a major company for handling distribution. "Famine," which depends on timely ime MAY 19, 1873—SEPT. 22, 1933 last Guild meeting was Robert Montgomery, succeeding George Murphy as prexy of SAG. Also in- stalled were Franchot Tone, Dick Powell and Ronald Reagan, first, sec- ond and third vice-prexies respec- tively; Paul Harvey, recording sec- retary; Anne Revere, treasurer. Surplus of $592,061.40 was reported i $47t>,328.13 is invested' ih U. S. b'onds. SCREEN ACTORS GUILD THREATENS TO QUIT AFL Hollywood, Sept. 17. Screen Actors Guild is mulling the 'idea of pulling out of the American Federation of Labor unle.ss that or- ganization puts a stop to jurisdic- tional disputes in the film studios. I'he union sent a sharp telegram to WilUam Green^ AFL prexy, de- manding that studio labor disputes be "settled in some Intelligent JUSTICE DEPT. PROBES MAJORS' CHECKING CO. Investigation of operations of Confidential Reports, Inc. by the Department of Justice, with a view towards a possible antitrust suit against the checking outfit was re- vealed in Washington Tuesday (17) by Wendell Berge, assistant Attorney General. Rumor of an impending anti-trust suit against CR have been circulatins; in the trade for some time and was definitely hinted at during the New England convention of Allied exhibitors by Nathan R. Yamins, convention chairman, yes- terday (Tues.). CR, which had been organized .several months ago as a cooperative venture by a group of distributors, now covers checking activities for all the majors with the exception of Metro. Broakup'of CR on the charge of monopoly violations would force inajor companies into a system of individual checking. In the past, numerous squawks have come from exhibitors protesting the checking metliods of CR but what relation exhibitor pressure had upon the initiation of the D of J investigation is not known. , Dr. Isidor Lubin, head of CR/ denied having any knowledge either of the current investigation or any impending legal action against the company. "It's news to me," he declared when aslced to comment on tlie D of J checkup. PEARSON'S PIC BIT Drew Pearson, newspaper colum- nist and radio commentator, hat! been tapped for a bit role in a 20th- Fox film to play himself. He leaves for Hollywood in a few months. i Capitol Film, Chij Fire Kills One Man, Injures Two in Mystery Blaze Chicago, Sept. 17. Che man was burned to death, two per.sons were injured and a wo- man was re.scued by ladder in a fire Tuesday aftei-noon (17) in offices of the Capitol Film Co. on Chicago's film row. Dense fumes from burn- ing film also drove 50 other tenants of the six-story building into the streets. Fatality was the building engineer Tony Lesberg whase body was found at bottom of an elevator shaft. His clothing had apparently (Continued on page 53) playing for its effectiveness, was planned to hit the.screens ear^sr this month. Jamblock on "Famine," it is re- ported, is the insistence of majors that they be paid for distrib ex- penses in. handling Government pix. Since exhibs would be paying no license fees in running oft' prints, demands of distribs can only be met by the Government footing the bill. During hostilities, majors distributed official films via the War Activities Committee without charge to the 'Government. Further reason for delay, accord- ing to reports, is feeling among MPA officials that the Government should have cleared its films through that organization in addition to (Continued on page 53) National Boxoffice Survey Biz Dips in Many Keys — 'Notorious/ 'Beaucaire,' *Cleo/ ^Mexico,' 'Sleep' Top Golden Dozen Several kej' cities covered by VAniETY hit an air pocket on box- office front this week, with con- tinued strikes, holdovers and end of vacation season blamed. The man- ner in which biz is tumbling for holdover product has some exhibi- tors wondering. There are more pic- tures currently fighting it out lor top business?, too. than in recent sessions. There is small changf from last week in the race for first spot among the fli-st 12 this stanza, "Notorious" (RKO) edging out "Bcaucaire"' (Par) for top coin. Former is in nine cities while "Bcaucaire" is current in 11 keys, "Caesar and Cleopatra" (UA) is still thij-d. "Holiday in Mexico" (M-G> forged ahead this round to fourth slot. . Others in the Golden Dozen, in order o( biz and spots played, are "Big . Sleep" (WB), "Canyon Pas- sage" (U), "Searching Wind" (Par), "The Killers" (U). "Centennial Sitmmer" (20th), "Claudia and David" (20th), "Martha Ivers" (Par), and "Two Guys from Milwaukee" <WB). "Easy To Wed" (M-G), fairly well played out in the keys, just missed the first 12. Many new films went on release In keys this round,_with ''Thrill of Brazil" (Col), "Three Little Girls in Blue" (20th), "Crack-Up" (RKO), "Rendezvous With Annie" (Rep), and "If I'm Lucky" (20th) hinting the best promise. "Girl.s in Blue" looks to do liusky .'$.30,000 in Phila- delphia, where outstanding. "Lucky," which opens in N, Y.,,this frame, is doing nicely in Baltimore. "Home Sweet Homicide" (20th), which preemea at ■ Roxy, N. Y., doesn't shape up big on basis of biz done at that house despite, strong stage bill. Crix also tossed it around. "Scandal in Paris"' (UA), only fair in N. .V., is rated nice in Boston. "They Were Sistei-s" (U) was just moderate in Cincinnati, James Mason, male star of film, ap- parently not being so well known there. . "Courage of. Lassie" (M^G) is showing up well in four spots. "Young Widow" (UA), which has been on release tor .sometime, spurted with additional bookings possibly prompted by withdrawal of code seal on "Tlie Outlaw," first Jane Ru!5i--ell starrer. "Widow" is nice in two cities and steady in a third, (.Covwlete Boxoffice Reports on Pages 8-9.) United Artists^ board at its meet- ing in ;New York yesterday (Tues- day) okayed . relea.se deals with Walter Wanger and Hal Roach. Both are for long terms and include an arrangement for sharing of the Roach studios by Wanger. Latter still has three pictures to turn in to Universal under his pact with that company before returning to UA, which he left several years back to go to U. Also on the agend^i of the meet- ing was discussion of deal that lis- tribution chief Grad Sears is re- poried to have broupht back from the Coast over the weeltond on acquisition of Enterprise product bv UA. It is understood that ivas touched on only Mghtl.Vi howevei-. m view of the pending a&reements-^vith Wanger and Roach that required okay. Board meeting, \vh\ch had oeen postponed from the previous week to allow for Soars' return, lasted well into the evening without com- pletion of its entire agenda. It will be continued next Tuesday (24). Among subjects thai e.scaped discus- sion were possibility of rejoining the Motion Picture Association; action to be taken regarding the revocation by the MPA of the Production Code seal from "The Outlaw,": and a flood of other relatively minor matters. First picture from Wanger is ex- . (Continued on page 20) DANNY KAYE ALSO PLANS JOINING INDIE RANKS That indie production bug has bit- ten Danny Kaye and. the comic is currently casting^about for partners ' to join with him in a unit to make / their own pictures. With cnly one more film to appear in under his present pact with Samuel Goldwyn,' Kaye has been talking to various writers, directors and producers on his idea of their getting together and organizing a package unit to go it. alone. Goldwyn story department is cur- rently sleuthing for a yarn for Kaye's final pic that will give him a role entirely different from any he's played. His latest film, "Secret Life of Walter Mitty," now winding up production* is also said to present the comic in a considerably different type part from any he has previously played. Trade Mark ticgisitcrcd FOUNHBH by SIMB SII.,Vl5^.MA^ ruhllithcil W«(-kl> b.T VABIETY. Inc. Sl<i Silverman President IG4 Wcsl 4Cth St., Kew ToFli 19, N. T suBsruif'Tiou Annual.., $10 Corelsn . .,|H Single Copies;. :.... .i.,.».. ,26 Cor,ls Vol. 101 it^^"" No. 2 INDEX Bills . 48 Chatter .55 Film Reviews .......... i..' 16 Foreign i .. 12 George Frazier ... ......; 40 House Reviews ............ 49 Inside Legit 52 Inside Music .............. 44 Inside'Pictures 20 Ligitimate . ......9:....... 50 Literati ................ 5,3 Inside Radio :......... .. . .. 36 Milton Berle ....... .. 2 Music 39 New Acts . 49 Night Club Reviews 48 Obituary . t'.. . i.......... 54 Orchestras .... . : '....... 39 Pictures 3 Pre-Production News 5 Radio '. . .............. 23 Radio Reviews i, . ;. 20 Frank Scully .... 53 Television ;........30 Unit Review 48 Vaudeville — . ^..,.....,.,. 46 D.^il.y V.AKIK'CX tPublfnIiea In Ildllywcoa by Dally Variety, ua.) . $10 a Year—$12 PorelCn