Variety (Aug 1947)

MISCELLANY P&RIETY Wednesday, August 6, 1947 No Serious Difficulties on Taxes For Amus. Industry Seen by U. S. h Washington. Aug. 5. While there is considerable over- lapping between the states and cities and the Federal government in the Held of amusement taxation, it pro- -vidus no serious conflict which would require early action to straighten out. This is the conclusion of a Treasury tax study of Federal-state tax relations. If this yardstick should be adopted by Congress in its plan to overhaul the Federal tax structure, it might indicate there would be no speedy change in the 20% federal tax bite. "All factors considered," said the report issued Sunday (3), "there are no compelling reasons for an imme- diate coordination effort in the field of amusement taxations. Due to the fact that interstate commerce is not a consideration, states and munici- palities are able to administer this group of taxes with reasonable suc- cess." ''The expanding use of admissions lax at the local level this far has Treated no special problems. In only » few cases are city and state amuse- ment taxes overlapping. Of the cities, only those in Alabama, Mis- souri and West Virginia overlap state taxes and in the case of Mis- souri cities the tax is of limited ap- plication." The Treasury figures show that 21 states now have admissions taxes, in- cluding those states where the bite is part of "a statewide general sales tax, generally only 2%. In addition, £9 cities have been applying an ad- missions tax. This does not include the states such as New York, which recently authorized cities to collect an admissions levy. The Federal Government instituted its first 10% bite on admissions in 1917, changing to 20% in 1943. In most years three have been exemp- tions. These have varied from 5c. in 1917 to $3 in 1928. Since 1941, there has been no exemption. The pre-war Federal yields were fairly small. In 1940, for instance, the tax brought in only $21,900,000. In fiscal 1946, the return to the gov- ernment was $415,000,000, including the bite on nightclub checks. The first state amusement tax was levied by Connecticut in 1921 and was set at only 50% of the Federal tax, then 10% and with a 10 cent ex- emption. . Sports Shorts There were over 31,000 in at- tendance at Jamaica track Sat- urday (2), getaway day, before the races switched to Saratoga, it being a 30% increase over the daily average at the Long Is- land pony park during July. " When the game at the Yankee Stadium was postponed last Thursday (31) because of "threatening weather," it was the first time in baseball history for such an alibi, and frontoffice was panned plenty. Busloads of youngsters, who brought their lunches, were disappointed, not understanding how the game could be called off despite bright sunshine, although it had been cloudy in the- morning. Under- stood the move was made to con- serve the team's pitchers, three crack Yankee flingers . ailing. Still, the replacement hurlers are doing plenty okay, and the team is away out in front in the American League. • 268th WEEK! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1947" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cal. Coming soon, the most unusual picture ever made. KEN MUR- RAY'S Production, "BILL AND COO," in Tmcolo'r. A Republic re- lease. OK Tax In 7 Ohio Cities Akron, Aug. 5. Officials of seven northwestern Ohio cities have voted to recommend to their respective city councils the enactment of uniform ordinances for a 3% admission tax without any ex- emptions. The state admissions tax is due to expire Oct. 1. Towns affected are Fostoria, Fre- mont, Findlay, Tiffin, Mansfield, Van. Wert and Bucyrus. Betty Grable Tops Skouras, Her Boss, By 43G in Salary Philadelphia, Aug. 5. Betty Grable collected $299,333 from 20th-Fox in -1946, topping by $43,411 the $255,922 income of her boss, Spyros P. SkourasT president of the company, according to the cor- poration's annual report to the Se- curities and Exchange Commission. The report, which,- as in all in- comes listed by the SEC, represents the gross sum before payment of taxes, also revealed that Charles P. Skouras* president of National The- atres, may receive $846,695 from Na- tional Theatres Amus. Co., Inc., a subsidiary, pending settlement of a stockholders' suit. The report showed the base salaity of Charles P. Skouras as $135,000. , Other gross enumerations re- ported to the SEC included those of the following RKO executives: N. Peter Rathvon, president, $104,540; I Ned . E. Depinet, vice- chairman of the board, $105,010, and Malcolm Kingsberg, vice-president, $71,260. BVay Columnists to Be Unbilled Collabers On Film Rap at New York Hollywood, Aug. 5. Broadway columnists next week will receive a questionnaire on which they're asked to enumerate the 20 most objectionable features of living in New York. Results of the poll will be used' in Screen Plays' "So This Is New York," based on Ring Lardner's "The Big Town," filming to attack the old Manhattan premise that anything outside of New York is strictly alfalfa. Script, now being prepped by Herbert Baker and Carl Foreman, is con- cerned strictly with the novel thesis that New York isn't even a great place to visit, let alone live. Sharp-tongued Henry Morgan, the cynical ether satirist who lampoons radio commercials, will be chief protagonist of the cynical Lardner philosophy that "everybody on (.Continued on page 38) Shelby, O., 3% Tax Shelby, O., Aug. 5. City Council of Shelby is expected to enact a 3% admissions tax, as rec- ommended by Mayor Frank C. Long. ipley to Sea Gary Grant to England For Korda Pic Talks Cary Grant sailed for England Friday (1) to finalize his British film deal with Sir Alexander Korda. Actor declared that both he and Korda have two untitled stories in mind, but his filmmaking in Britain probably won't begin until next Jan- uary. He plans to stay abroad for two or three weeks, then is due for Hollywood assignment in an Eric Hodgins yarn, "Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream Home," at RKO upon his return. Korda deal originally was to' have been consummated last spring, Grant said, but was held up my his stint in Samuel Goldwyn's "Bishop's Wife." Published last year by Simon & Schuster, "Mr. Blanding" was bought by RKO early this year. It's a humorous story about a fellow who expects to buy a house for a modest price, but eventually finds himself paying considerably more. Riggs, Cut in Car Mishap, Nixes Radio Reunion Date Pittsburgh, Aug. 5. Tommy Riggs, radio star who's been spending some time here with his mother, was pain ully injured last week in.an auto crack-up just a short time before he was scheduled to make a guest appearance before the local Radio and Television Club. He came out of the collision with two badly cut eyes and a gash in his nose which required four stitches to close. Riggs was taken to a hospital immediately but was able Hollywood, Aug. 5. to return home a short time later. Alf Kjellin, Swedish film and stage j The accident, of course, canceled out star inked by David O. Selznick, j his date at the RTC. debuts with one of the top roles in Appearance was to have also been the Jennifer Jones starrer, "Tender | a sentimental anniversary, since it Is the Night." Picture, based on an \ would have been almost 10 years to F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, rolls early the day that Riggs, following a long next year. | career in local radio first as half of Kjellin, accompanied by his wife | the team of Riggs & Moke and later and four-year-old son, has already i as a single with his mythical doll, arrived in New York on board the j Betty Lou. got his first biglime break Gripsholm. Ion the old Rudy Vallee show. Albany, Aug. 5. Robert L. Ripley will sail his Chi- nese junk, the Mon Lei, up the Hud- ton river to Albany Friday (8), where he will do the weekly net- work broadcast from the boat or the Ten Eyck hotel. He will ad- dress the Rotary Club, hold a press reception, and -make a personal ap- pearance at the Palace theatre. Sat- urday the "Believe It Or Not" cre- ator will be honored by Saratoga Springs on "Ripley Day," and will appear with Sophie Tucker at the Piping Rock club. i Ripley, whose Albany area dates are being publicized by Hearst's Times-Union, will take the ship back to New York, with the winner of the local "Believe It Or Not," on Sunday. Hudson River valley may- ors have been invited to go aboard the junk at Albany. , TRANSCRIPTION SHOW FOR ORSON WELLES , No timewaster is Orson Welles. Simultaneously with reports from London that it is likely he will act in and direct a play there, word has been received from Hollywood that a deal is about to" be closed by which he'll do a series of three-half-hour transcriptions a week for U. S. sta- tions. London arrangement is for Welles possibly to do the legiter under the banner of C. B. Cochran, with ft- | nancial backing by Sir Alexander j Korda, for whom Welles is to pro- | duce, write, direct and act in a film. iPlay is being set for late fall or early winter with the picture to be made in London next summer. Welles is now in London huddling (Continued on page 45) State Dept. Info Div. Takes Belt in Under Congress Cuts; Benton to Stay On Washington, Aug. 5. State's international information division will be cutting its clo.lh to match its reduced pocketbook, Asst. Secretary of State William Benton declared at a press conference last Thursday (1), but disclosed that his operation had .ome off much better than the public generally realized. Benton, incidentally, killed off re- ports that he intends to quit by as- serting that he would stick around as long as he could do a job. In ad- dition to stepped up broadcasts to Russia, the State Dept. will inaugu- rate programs in Arabic and Turkish, beginning in October. Programs in less critical areas will be reduced to provide the necessary funds. Benton said he was confident that when some 80 Congressmen, includ- ing a special committee of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs commit- tees, get back from their interna- tional junkets this summer, the "Voice of America" would win much greater support on Capitol Hill. In accordance with the necessary cuts, Benton is reorganizing Mis set- up as follows: 1. Office o'' International Informa- tion and Cultural Affairs (OIC) be- comes the Office of Information and Educational Exchange (OIE).' > Latter is the title in the Mundt bill which authorizes the Benton office as a permanent agency of the State Dept. 2. The 10 operating divisions of OIC will be reduced to four under OIE. Tre separated press, publica- tions and motion picture divisions will become a new press and films division. International Broadcasting Division will continue unchanged. 3. The Washington and New York staffs will be reduced from 1,013 to 649 persons. The overseas staff will drop from 1.813 to 897. Offices have already been closed in 10 countries. Benton's overall operation got $20,000,000, or 60% of the $34,000,000 asked. One of the biggest reductions was in motion pictures which dropped from $2,700,000 last year to only- $400,000 this year. "Voices of America" broadcasting got $6,200,000 against $7,800,000 requested. Benton got virtually all he asked for UNESCO -and special projects to Latin America. Lillie-Buchanan Set For New Chariot Revue The new Andre Chariot revue is now set to revive with two of its onetime stars, Beatrice Lillie and Jack Buchanan, with Gertrude Law- rence definitely not to be in it. Revue will open in Boston Oct. 13. | Odd factor is fact that musical will j be put together in Britain, where it will be tried out for a couple of I weeks, then brought to the U. S. | Revue will bring over several new ' British players unknown in America. Kjellin's DOS Debut Warners Skeds Biog Of Seabiscuit, Turf Champ Hollywood, Aug. 5. Seabiscuit's racing career will be filmed by Warners. Rights to the story of the late turf champion were acquired by Jack L. Warner from C. S. Howard, its former owner. Picture, to be titled "The Story of Seabiscuit," will be made in Tech- nicolor and directed by David But-' ' ler, who piloted the heavy-grossing , horse film, "Kentucky." Understood : Sea Sovereign, one. of Seabiscuit's progeny, will play " his sire on the screen. Europe to N. Y. David Farrar Emerson Foote Lerrence Macgrath Peggy Phillips David A. Smart Bob Terridge Robert Weait STRIKE BALLOT MAILED TO MEMBERS OF SAG Hollywood, Aug. 5. Ballot containing two questions, ratify or strike, was mailed to 9,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild yesterday (Mon.), accompanied by a detailed summary of the proposed one-year contract with the motion picture producers. Questions on the ballot are: 1— Shall the revised basic agree- ment of 1947 be ratified? 2— Shall the board of directors of Screen Actors Guild be empowered to call a strike at such time as it sees fit against any producer who does not sign the revised basic agreement of 1947 on or before Aug. 22, 1947? Deadline for the return of the ballots to the SAG office is mid- night, Aug. 14. State Law Places New Curbs On NX Kid Actors New law, passed during the re- 'cent session of the New York State Legislature at Albany, places various restrictions on the employment of minors in radio, television and films effective Sept. 1. Somewhat similar regulations have applied to legit and vaude for years. The statute differentiates' between cities of more than 1,000.000 popula- tion (New York City is the only such) and smaller cities and towns.' In New York, permission for the employment of performers under 16 years old must be obtained from a representative of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children and from the Mayor's office. How- ever, it's understood that the Mayor may waitfe the formality as far as his office is concerned. In all cases, application must be made at least 48 hours in advance, and various details about the performance'must be supplied in writing. Henry Jaffe, attorney for the American Federation of Radio Art- ists," is trying to arrange with the SFCC representative for a standard procedure to handle the situation. It's figured that in the ense of run- ning parts in a radio series, it may be possible to have a blanket permit for a period of several weeks. Also, in the case of frequently-employed performers, the routine may be simplified. However, it isn't clear as yet whether, in the case of a spon- sored program, the network or ad agency would make the application. In the case of sustaining shows, of course, the network or station would have the task. The law does not ap- ply to broadcasts originating in churches or schools, or to studio con- testants in audience participation programs. In the case of cities and towns of less than 1,000,000 population, th« State Education Commission will set up procedures with local mayors or school boards. As far as is known, the various picture companies have made no plans for operating under the new regulations. It's figured each com- pany will do so more oi' less inde- pendently, probably in cooperation with the eastern office of the Screen Actors' Guild. Sues Birdwell for 16G Hollywood, Aug. 5. Press anient Russell Birdwell is being sued for $16,700 on money allegedly borrowed from actress Venita Varden Oakie. Suit Was instituted through attorqey S. Schwartzberg for I. Ginsberg, who claims the debt has been assigned to him. Plaintiff reported $800 of the debt has been paid and that Birdwell had acknowledged the debt. Schwartz- berg also claimed that Birdwell notified his client last month that he was working for Charles Chaplin at a good salary but that his income after taxes is only $150 weekly. Birdwell had no comment. N. Y. to Europe Judith Abbott Jack Buchanan Virginia Field" Carl Fisher Max Gordon Cary Grant . David Jones Beatrice Lillie Frederick Lonsdale John Nathan William S. Paley Samuel Schneider Eleanor Stnber Elizabeth Taylor Jack Train L. A. to N. Y. Neil Agnew Lou Astor George Bagnall William Brennan Buddy Clark Buddy Coleman Luther Davis Bruce Dodge James Dunn Ed Gerlich Ben Goetz Paul Graetz Sid Grauman Jacques Grinieff Mary Harris Mark Hellinger Elia Kazan' Arthur W. Kelly Milton Kramer Paul N. Lazarus, Jr. Lester Lewis Al Lichtman Philip Loeb Carmen Miranda Maria Montez Joseph H. Moskowitz Gregory Peck William Pizor Victor Saville Gradwell L. Sears Dave Sebastian Harry Sherman Taddi Sherman Norman Siegal Frank Sinatra Donald Ogden Slew; , t Herbert Stothart Dave Sussman Ben Washer Jacqueline White Billy Wilder Carey Wilson N. Y. to L. A. Robert S. Benjamin Rene Clair Paul Denis Lynn Fariiol Arnold Grant Bob Hussey Harold Mirish Dudley Nichols Ruth Reynolds Jack Rieger Sam Shaytn Leonard Spigelgas? Arnold Stang Helen Tamiris