Variety (Jul 1947)

10 •VARIETY'S' tOMDON OFFICB 9 St. Martin's Plnee, Xrafalmc Bquar* 'tetVokeStillEhMbPeron'sMen But Radio Belgrano Remains Shut Montevideo, June 27. A fortnight after a "Ghost Voice" sppeared on Argentine Radio Bel- grano's wavelength to shout "Muera Peron" ("Death to Peron") during an otticial government broadcast bid- ding farewell to the Senora de Peron, on the eve of her departure for Europe, an investigating com- mission is still probing into the inci- dent. Radio Belgrano wavelength is still silent, while its studios and transmitting station are shuttered Und under police suveillance. The investigating committee has made only a few guarded statements ' and, as other broadcasters immedi- ately surmised, it was discovered that the "interference" had been managed entirely by tapping Bel- grano's telephone cables from trans- mitter to studio. The spot where the tap was made has been identified^ and according to insiders the com- mission has every proof that none of the station, operators or personnel is in any way implicated. ., Notwithstanding this, all efforts by station operator Jaime Yarikelevich or by the Assn. of Argentine Broad- casters to get the station. reopened have met with a complete stymie. Maintenance of the shuttering is be- lieved to stem direct from General • Peron himself, and Yankelevich's ef- forts to interview him have been blocked eacii time, Situation is mystifying those in the industry who believed that the ■ Yankelevich outlet counted on spe- cial protection in Presidential cir- cles; especially from Senora de Peron. The latter was contacted the day after the incident, as she was ebout to board the special plane sent by Franco to waft h^ to his do- main; but she is understood to haye shrugged her shoulders and refused id help out the outlet on which she broadcast all the propaganda pro- grams which sold the Peron regime to the masses. . Blame Fascists A fact which is understood to be • held . against Yankeleviph is that about 12 months ago the Telephone Thurston Pix Ban May Go Up to Parliament London, June 24. James Carreras of Exclusive Films is making official protest to the Cine- matograph Exhibitors Assn. on tlie ban of the film, "There Is No Es- cape," starring Stanley Thurston, ex- convict and jail-breaker. Carreras states film is based on Thurston's life and has police ap- proval and points a "crime doesn't pay" moral. He claims Thurston is so good that he's booked for a new nonrcrime production. ' If exhibitors enforce ban, the fight will be taken before Parliament as unfair persecution of reformed con- VXCti'' Three Stages'For 'Dud' in Britain London, June 24. Pathe Pictures Ltd. has created a new "Three Stage" release plan to exploit "Duel in the Sun" in Britain. First stage, already accom- plished, is getting over title of filnv through pre-release advertising and press and -radio publicity. Second stage is recruitment of 5,000,000 salesmen for the film by showing it to this number of persons as quickly as possible and, preferably, in as many different places ^ possible away from their homes and picture houses where they habitually see films. :, Holiday resort day-and-daters, ex- tended runs playing to transit au- diences, and return engagements throughout the summer not only suit the requirements of Stage :Two ex- actly, but, are also more e'asily booked than in the key . inland' cities serving respective secondary areas, etc. A series of holiday dates Next Fall to Determme Whether So. Africa Will Get Commercial Rjidio Johannesburg, June 24, Position in regard to commercial radio in South Africa (where radio, government-controlled, isn't spon- sored) should be clarified around September or October. It's expected that the report of the Commission of Enquiry on broadcasting services will be out then. There's conjec- ture, of course, whether the recom- mendations made will be adopted, and it's possible that the matter may have to be debated lii Parliament before a final decision is taken. Final evidence in Johannesburg will be taken in July 1, when one of the- principal witnesses before the. committee will be Major Caprara, director general of South Africa Broadcasting Corp. There's been a great deal of criticism of SABC, much of it from artists, and it's understood' SABC will be given chance to answer all complaints. Meantime the South Africa audi- ence for RadiO' Mozambique^Portu- guese East Africa station which is the only commercial broadcast set- up in southern Africa—is growing steadily. . Reqent survey showed 42% of South Africa's listeners tune sets in on Mozambique Sundays, when local material is pretty heavy, and Mozambique gives them a light program of variety. Because of the Sunday sinecure, Mozambique until recently had been neglecting weekday programs aimed at the South, Africa market. In "re- cent weeks, however, largely due to efforts of Mozambique's South Africa representatives, Daveilport & Meyer, station- is beaming week- night programs in, from 6 p.m. till midnight, with marked effect, Week- day listening' to Mozambique in South Africa is now rated at 8%, and growing. ^tl B.O. Seen Rising Due to Fihnm' Dubbed Product; Loew s Kz Up 30% CO. proposed that he should have all 'J^ti^lfrsS'T^rn^ 'Ses^rt telephone cables to his transmitting plant piped down for greater secur- ity; but, rather than face the con- siderable outlay involved, he decided to leave them as is. Radio insiders consider that even had Radio* Bel- grano arranged to protect its cables, : it would have been very .difficult to ' prevent a tapping incident' of this kind. . The Alianza squads (a Fascist or- ganization), who are believed to be responsible for the incident, have their men in every important gov- ernment department, and as the radio outlets have had to submit de- tailed plans of all their installations to several of these departments, it would not be at all difficult for the Fascists to pick out strategic points . for tapping or any other sabotage. The Broadcasters' Assn. has put in several petitions on behalf of its aS' sociate member, and other station operators are extremely jittery, as they feel that what has happened to Belgrano might easily happen to any one o£ them, and they are powerless - to prevent it, PAR RESUMES EXHIB IN MEXICO WITH TO EACH' Mexico City, July 1. Paramount has resumed exhibi- tion, in Mexico, after suspension since early this year. This was at tributed to a paucity of firstrun cinemas here, and houses available having no circuit backup, because of other companies heavy bookings. Par's "To Each His Own," titled in Mexico, "Lagrimas de Una Madre' ("A Mother's Tears"), is at Trans liUx's swank Prado here. Piq is playing to maximum high admittance nick here of $5 (MeX.). Prado is allowed that nick because it seats only 900. Ceiling for other No, 1 first-runs is $4 (MeXi) during the first week of a pic. houses begins July 6. Stage 'Three is to precede general release in the fall with a vast con- current showing of "Diiel" in every British inland city with a popula- tion of 100,000 or over (about 40) to which the majority of the "sales- men" will have recently returned from holiday spots. These cities and all rail and bus terminals and high- ways .leading into these towns will be ettieotively covered by "Duel',' ad- vertising. . Decision to release "Duel" in three separate "stages'^ instead of the usual "pipeline" method was reached after exhaustive surveys and consultations to determine the best means o£ fully exploiting the -film's appeal, says William Erbb, London Selznick rep- resentative.: "The new plan was especially cre- ated to overcome the two main ob- stacles -confronting big pictures in Britain today. These are limited playing time and restricted facilities for advertising and general exploita- tion. We claim the success 'of the Pathe plan will enable more exhibit- ors to make more money from show- ing 'Duel' than they normally make from two or three ordinary films, while the largest potential British audience LS able to see it at no in- crease in admission prices and, at the same time, permitting Selzniqk a fair return on hisiinvestment in the picture." BUCHAREST B.O.S BOOM VIA GARDEN CINEMAS Bucharest, June 24. With five film houses now using open-air garden theatres adjacent to their eites, exhibitors in this Rumanian capital feel that they've hit upon a solution to the warm weather b.o. doldrums. - Currently using outdoor setups are the Luxor, Regal, Giaconda, Eforia and Ex- celsior. Scarcity of airconditioning equip- ment prompted such a step. Al Fresco arenas are surrounded with an abundance of flowering plants and vines. Houses all use - product furnished by the American Motion Picture Export Assn. Mex Producers Slow Down To Avoid Financial Rocks Mexico City, July 1. Mexican film producers are trim- ming their sails for rough finanqial weather ahead. Only 60 features are slated for production here during the coming yearr-and—the-a.verage. cost will be around 400,000 pesos, compared with 700,000 during 1945-46. > Currently three productions are in work here, following settlement of the recent labor troubles. They are "Una Adventura en la Noche," toy Raul de Anda Productions; "La Casa de la Tro'ya," by Panamerican, and "La Sin Ventura," by Filmcx. RnssNockCzedi^ OnUlFavoredPH Hollywood, July 1. Russia has done some fancy ma- neuvering - to keep U. S. pi?( from exhibition in Czechoslovakia, ac- cording to Word received by 20th- Pox execs from overseas sources, tinder Soviet edict, Czech govern- ment has been forced to show 60% Russian-made films. As a result, U. S. State Dept. carefully selected its percentage, headed by such films as 20th-Fox's "Wilson" and RlfO's Abe Lincoln in Illinois." Customers flocked to these pix in such numbers, it's reported, that films ran overtime, and Russian product did little business. Theatre managers had to begin showing American pix at midnight to get in under Russian edict. Result was, commissars issued another edict compelling Czechs to make all their own pix with Russian money; super vision -and talent, in attempt to eliminate all foreign product from country. Pre-airconditioning, in the silent film era in America, many theatres shifted exhibition to their roofs, utilizing camp stools for chairs. There was no acoustical problem as with soundpix today. Stan Miller's M-G Post Stanley Miller shqved Off by clip per Monday night'(30) for Cairo 'where, he will become assistant to the general mana'g er, : George Chasanas, of the Egypt-Middle East sales division for Metro. A former captain In public rela- tion.s; with headquarters ih Rome, Millei-'s knowledge of languages and the territory, following a period ct home^office training, got him the .Cairo appointments ii-,,' Francis to Exploit London,' June 21. Jack Francis has been appointed chief of the exploitation department of David O. Selznick and joins the or- ganization June 23. Has been connected with the in- dustry since 1919 and held positions of publicity manager for the Albany Ward Circuit, divisional publicity and exploitation manager for P. C. T. and Gaumont-British (latter in charge of the whole of the Greater London theatres) and lor the past ■12 years exploitation manager for United Artists. Old Familiar Story Dublin,- June 27. Vaude troupers and others are finding accommodations nn increas ingly difiicult problem in Dublin— now overflowing with tourists from Britain seeking r,elaxation and un- rationed steaks. With more dough available from tourists than theatricals, rooming- house keepers are turning away trouper trade. Pery on London Prowl For Aussie Production Sydney, June 24. Nick Pery, Columbia chief in Australia, is due to visit London, shortly in connection with pix pro- duction set for here. Columbia made "Smithy" ("Pacific Adven- ture"), bere last year, and is mulling ^ ^ec50i,cl,5r|pducti.9n nj^e^ JP^ry^., Current London Shows (Figure shows weeks 0/ run) ; London, July 1. "Aiinle Get Tour Gun," Gol's'm (4) "Bird Seller," Palace (5). "Bless the Bride," Adelphia (10) "Born Yesterday," Garrick (23). "Boys On Brown," Duchess (1). "Cluttcrbuck," Wyndham (44). "Eagle TWO Heads," Globe (20). "Edward My Son," Majesty's (6). "Ever Since Paradise," New (4). "Here ThefCj" Palladium (13). "Jane," Aldwycb (22). "Life With Father," Savoy (4),. ''Man Ministry," Comedy (26). "Noose," Saville (2). "Now Barabbas," Vaudeville (17). "Off the Record," AppoUo (4). : •'Ok;lahoma!", Drury Lane (9). ■'Perchance to Dream,"'Hipp (115). "Piccadilly Hayrlde," Wales (16). "Power and Glory," Fortune (38). "Present Laughter," Haym'kt (11). "Proudly Present," Yorks (9). "Sleeping Clergyman," Crit. (2). ■'Sweetest Lowest," Ambass. (61). "Together Again," Vic Pala'Ce (11). "Under Counter," Phoenix (83). "Winslow Boy," Lyric (58). "Worm's View," Whitehall (fl). THRIFT WAVE CUTS 10% OF BEGIAN RADIO STJtFF Brussels,'June IS, Heavy protests that the Institut National de Radiodiffusion has been operating on a clumsily drawn bud get has resulted in a 10% reduction in INR's staff. Announcement to this effect was recently made in the House of Deputies by Achille Van Acker, Socialist communications minister and former Prime Minister. With the paring of INR personnel) it's estimated that the official, state governed broadcasting station will effect savings of some 11,000,000 francs. Commenting upon what it calls ''The Abuses of the INR," the Roman Catholic daily, La Libre Bel' giqu^; charged that the INR has been spending the "enormous" sum Of 150,000,000 francs a year. Of this amount only 22,000,000 francs was allotted to actual broadeasting, the rest going to clerical expenses, it was charged, S e V era! "foolish expenditure*' items are cited in particular by La Libre Belgique. It's reported th^t one "evocation" of Christopher Go lumbus cost 239,000 francs, and a director is said to have given a private reception costing another 60,000 francs. The Roman Catholic deputy, M. Loos, also protested what he termed the INR's "dictatorial njpnopoly" preventing the operation of private stations. Belgian law prohibits the Ameri can system of sponsored programs However a half dozen private sta- tions which formerly broadcast sponsored publicity programs have not been allowed to resume activity after the liberation, These independ- ents have issued a'formal protest in which they beefed strongly against the state monopoly in broadcast- 'ing,' ■ Prior to Van Acker's announce ment, other budgetary cuts had been made whereby INR and the Belg- ische Nationale Radio Omroep (Flemish Broadcast) were forced to dismiss outside, broadcasters, soloists and actors. Other repercussions d.e veloped when the Belgian senate In- creased the yearly listener tax from 78 to 144 francs. It was argued that taxpaying listeners were not getting value received for their coin, since, it was alleged, most of the State r^dio budget was diverted to feed an army of, clerks. .) I l- 'l IV /' £,(,»/< SI r ; ,• J, ';.: •f Loew's International grosses in Mexico have Increased more than over last year, much of which attributable : to the fact thai Loew's now dubs its entire film pro- ; gram for that country, according to ^ Carlos Niebla, M-G managing direc- . tor there. Company is still not bene-; flting 100% fro m its du bbing, hnw- e^jpr, because of the mixed policy forced on exhibitors through' the half-hearted Way the other majors use dubbed pix in Mexico. In New York lor a short visit, ; Niebla declared that overall busi- ness in Mexico would "increase tremendously" if all companies dubbed their product. Most of them, he declared, offered both titled and : dubbed versions, usually pushing the former kind more because of the high cost of synchronization. Since much of the Mex populace can't read film advertising, much less the titled pictures, Hetro has no way Of advertisirife the fact that its films are dubbed. Best that Metro has-< b^en able to do is set an all-Spanish policy in some houses by dualing its product only with native films. Explaining the recent halt in Mex production, Niebla said that the : banks had shut down on loans to anything but agricultural enter- prises because of threatening infla- . tion, shuttering the Mex studios for about 30 days. Producers have; now found private capital for backing, ; though, and have managed to cut their costs considerably. Top-sal- aried stars, for example, agreed to a, 25% wage cut. Technical crews, al- though not consenting to lower wages, agreed to step up their work enough to effect a 25% savings for producers. After many financial "adventurers'* had pushed yearly production of native prodi/ct in Mexico to about 120 films, the figures has now lew eled off at about 50-60 a year. As a result, Mfex producers feel they need no protection as far as obtaining sufficient playing time is concerned, Niebla said, so that there's hardly a possibility of any quota restrictions for U. S. product. British product, he declared, has -caught on consid- erably in the key city first runs, much the same as in the U. S. N« Theatre Buys Loew's is not contemplating buy- ing or building any theatres ii» Mexico because it has sufficient out-: lets fo* all its product. American, distribs are never bothered by cen- sorship troubles In Me?cico, accord-' ing to Niebla, because the Mexican constitution bans any kind of blue- nose activity. Production code has been established by native producers in association with the Mexican gov- ernment to guard against any in- fringement on morals. Once a film has gone through the ringer In the U. S.j however, it seldom faces any difficulty in Mexico, he said. British Film Briefs London,' July 1. Robert Donat has acquired film rights to James Bridie's pla.y, "A Sleeping Clergyman," which he r«- vived £(t the Criterion,: June IB, ap- pearing in the leading role .,. When; Ealing Studios starts work on Its Technicolor screening of Helen Simpson's best-seller, "Saraband for Dead Lovers," J>art of the exteriors will be shot in Blenheim Park, which surrounds Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Other scenes are being set in Prague. Stewart Granger, Francoise Uosay, Joan Greenwood, , Bennls Price have main parts. i Rita Hayworth to' make ' per- sonal appearance at world pre- miere of "Down to Earth," Colum- bia's Technicolor musical, which is set for July 21 at the London Gau- mont theatre in aid of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Assn. ■ ■■■■ Alliance's new production, "They Made Me a Fugitive," which is be- ing released through Warners, had a special performance at Warner theatre June 27 for Scotland Yard officials, special investigation chiefs, crime reporters and others inter- ested in combating gang operations here and black market activities. Sally Gray and Trevor Howard are supported by Griffith Jones in the cast.'-: • ■ . .■.',.•■