Variety (Jan 1948)

RAAIO Mrsic lEmiO IN RADIO PEACE MOVE? ; Amus. Stocks Off 257 Mlon <5. ,v Amusement stocks hit the skids in 1947 alter spectacularly rocketing t^' in price during the war years. Official computations of the New York •. f Stock Exchange discloses that all entertainment stocks listed on the . exchaoge tobogganed a total of $257;716,843 in the year just ended, • Quoted on the big board are the seven film majors (United Artists •■ e3i;(:epted), Reptiblic, the radio networks, record ■companie.s. etc. ; •: Market VSflue of amusement stocks as of close of business on Dec. 31 . was $66,909,714, against $525,626,557 for the year before. Average price of amusement stocks dropped to $16.27 per share compared to $23.01 - at the end of 1946. Film Admissions i To Hold Current ; Pacje,UJS. Reveals . >v; Washington, Jan. 13. A levelingjotl.at the nation's box- ■ offices, which will keep admissions ",#t .-Aflrproximately .the present "rate .'fot>-the next year and one-half, is forecast in the U. S. budget- for the '. fiscal year: beginning July 1, 1948. ! Budget was sent to Congress yester- ' day (12) by President Truman. ,It indicates continuing high vol- ume use of motion pictures and radio ' in government activity, ho slash in the 2D%''- admissions tax, and a $tepped«up foreign information serv- ice; The budget also asks a small iticrease next year for the operation of the Federal Communications Com- mission. In the official prediction of tax receipts, the budget message esti- mated that Uncle Sam would receive $360,000,000 from the 20% bite On all admissions during the current 1948 fiscal year ending June 30. (Continued on page 24) Petrillo on Television Radio broadcasters in New Yorlc had a chance to sit in on, the House labor- committee's hearings on the Arnprican Federatiori of Musicians yesterday (Tuesday) through the medium of television. Hearings, in which National Assn. of Broadcast- ers prexy Justin Miller took the st-.nd were broadcast by WMAL- TV. Evening Star outlet in Wash- i.igton, and piped to N. Y. over the Bell System's coaxial cable, where they were" aired by WCBS-TV (CBS). WtVIAL-TV. and WCBS-W wiU also ■cover the proceedings next Monday (19) and Tuesday, when AFM prexy' James C. Petrillo is ex- pected to' take the stand High Costs Force French Production Of Fifans to Standstill Paris, Jan. 13. Film production here has now come to all but a standstill. Promise o£ the early postwar period that Paris would soon become a flourish-. Ing production center, providing most, of the films required for the (Continued on page 2) B£RLIN-KRASNA TUNER FORB'WAYrROD.BYR-H Hollywood, Jan. 13. Irving Berlin and Norman Krasna , are working on "Stars on" My Shoulders," a new musical comedy slated.for early summer production by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, 2d. Berlin has 10 tunes ready and Krasna has finished the first draft of llie book. Krasna gets equal billing, with a hot royalty deal. Understood the main character is ex-general and the story line is said to be "Lady for a Day" in reverse. Rodgers and Hammerstsin are the producers of Berlin's mu.sieal smash, "Annie Get Your Gun," and of Krasna's straight comedy dick, "John Loves Mary." Winter Olympics Chifl Burns Yanb The international fracas over who's going to lens this year's Olym- pic games is at the boiling point again over a new dispute revolving around the winter matches. Ameri- can newsreel companies, still hop- ping mad over reports, yet undenied, that J. Arthur Rank has copped the exclusive franchise for the summer games, have been told that only French and Swiss cameramen will be permitted to film the winter sports, set to go in Switzerland Jan. 30. The five Yank newsreel outfits have promptly advised their Paris reps to file protest at the freezeout action and to, demand the reasons (Continued on page 69) GULLS NlttTIG OF James C. Petrillo wants to talk business with the networks. He's asked for a meeting with web chief- tains, and they're scheduled to get together tomorrow (Thurs.) in New, York. Petrillo's overture is inter- preted to mean that he's not anxious for a strike and, wants to talk .terms. Among the network brass there's an increasing conviction that there won't be any strike of musicians; that, come Fob. 1 and the expiration of the present contract, the musi- cians will continue working without a new pact until a final settlement has been reached. Just what the terms of settlement will be is anybody's guess; but net- work spoliesmen are certain that, when it comes to yielding on terms, it will be Petrillo and not the webs. . The attitude of the networks at the moment is not to give.-in o,n demands for more money, which Petrillo wants, along with, the as- surance that the networks will use more men. What they do pi-omise is the potential of additional em- ployment, particularly through tele- vision, when and if Petrillo is ready to talk video and FM deals. And on the basis ot network strat- egy, any deal for a future contract will also involve FM and tele. On the former, the webs want duplica- tion on their own terms. As far as they're concerned, ■ the music goes (Continued on page 69) Curtsy to Grant: Pic Now *Cary and Bishop's Wife' Samuel Goldwyn is experiment- ing with changing the title of "The Bishop's Wife" to "Gary and the Bishop's Wife." Switch is a curtsy to Gary Grant, one of the stars. Some potential theatregoers appar- ently thought the original tag con- noted a religious film rather than a comedy, and Goldwyn forces feared it might be hurting business of the Grant-Loretta • Young.-David Nlven- starrer. New title haf; been tried in sorAc New York newspaper advertising for the run at the Astor theatre on Broadway. Results were considered successful. Whether the switch will be permanently made on a national basis, Tiowever, will be determined by results of the Woods theatre opeiiinc! in Chicago Monday (12), for which .all billing used the "Gary and the Bishopis W,i£e" label. Peck, Russell Faves With 'Agreement' To Win Oscar Derby Reno, Jan. 1,3.- ; Winteivbook on Hollywood's Oscar Derby went to the post at the Mapes hotel here with prices on the lead- ing, entries. Here they are: Best Actor—Gregory Peek, even money; William Powell, 2-1; Ronald Colman, 6-1; John Garfield, 6-1, . Best Actress — Rosalind Russefi; 9-5; Loretta Young, 2-1; Deborah Kerr, 4-1; Irene Dunne. J-K . Best Picture—"Gentleman's Agree- ment," 8-5; "Life With Father," 2-1; "Mourning Becomes Klectra," •^1; "A Double Life," 8-1. Best Director—Elia Kazan. 9-S; George Cukor. 3-1: John Ford, ^-1; George S. Kaufman, 5-1. Best Supporting Actor — Edmund Gwenn, 2-1; Richard Widmat'k, 7-5; Finlay Currie, 2-1; Sidney Green- street, 6-1. Best Supporj,ing Actress — Celeste Holm, 2-1; Ma'rjorie Main, 2-1; Ethel Barrymore.' 4-1; Anne Revere, 5-1. Mex Stations Beamii^ of Extremist Propaganda to U.S. Stirs J^rotests Phil Silvers'9G Tele Television's'fitst big comedy show, which will star Phil Silvers, is cur- rently being prepped for an early preem under sponsorship of Ameri- can Tobacco Co. (Luckies). ' Show, as yet untitled, is being set by the Foote, Cone & Belding ad agency and the .Music Corp of America, Tentative plans call for Silvers to be surrounded by an all-star cast, with a total weekly budget' of some .$9,000. Show will probably be aired Sunday nights, only night that "High Button Shoes." Silvers' Broadway legiter, does not have a performance. Lisa Kirk, featured smger in the Broadway production of ''Allegro," has been mentioned as the femme star for the show. NBC Video Sps Major Fdm Pact In the first-major move to break down the barrier against television set up by Hollywood film producers, NBC yesterday- (Tuesday) signed a five-year deal with Jerry- Fairbanks Productions calling for Fairbanks to make any and all films that may be required by the web. Major. Holly wood produeers have been flirting with tele broadcasters for the last several months but -tlsfeir I overtures to date have gone no I further lhan the reported offering of their newsreels for video trans- mission. Fact that NBC, among the leaders in the tele industry, has now signed with Fairbanks, it's believed, may well prod some of the top Hollywood stu-ilios to get into the video business immediately, or else take a qhance'on getting left out in the col<? in what could well mean a lucrative sideline to their regular activities. Move is seen as a major step by NBC in paving the way for its future network operations. Production of (Continued on page 46) Tops of the Tops '' Bciail DLili Selicr ■ : . ^Ballerina" Retail Sliect Music Seller "Ballerina" "Most JBequeslea" Disk "Ballerina" ■ Seller on Coin Machines "Baller'na" B.itish Sheet Seller 'Apple, Blossom Wedding" Paris 'Verdoux' Stumped By Namesake Bank Clerk Paris, Jan. 13. Charles Chaplin's ''Monsieur Ver- doux" is scheduled for release here Friday (16),-but a bank dark named Henri Vefdbux—'a very uncommon name here-^has retained an attorney to .seek an injunction to halt exhibi- tion of the film pending changes. I£ alterations are not made, Ver- doux claims he will sue for damages, charging the picture not only is an invasion of his privacy but also de- fames his character. Film's distrib- utor. United Artists, -as yet is un- decided whether to comply with the clerk's demands. Meanwhile, Verdoux's colleagues are now nicknaming him "Landru," which is the name of the guillotined original Bluebeard who inspired the Chaplin pictute, ■ Washington, Jan. 13., Both the FCC and the State De- partment are mulling strong pro- tests from Friends of Democracjr, Inc. a'gainst the practice of "eirtrem-* i3ts" who are' banned frSm the air in this- country .signing up wjth powerful Mexican stations' to beam their propaganda at the U. S. from the other side pf the border. In letters to the FCC and to Sec- retary of State George Maishall, L. M. Birkheaji of the Friends of D?- mocrr.cy, has urged action to stol* broar'oaSts of a half-d02en allegedly "Fasc-ist-minded". ■ Fnndamentalisfc preachers from the Mex stations. Tlie Friends have also protested air- ing of commentator Upton Close fiom two 15D-kiIowatt transmitters in northern Alexieo. F?ct is th^f FCC; which had no power to keep Qither Close or the Fundamentalists off the U..S. ether, ha-? even less authority over Mejt racii.) operations. Under a present "gqntlpmen's agreement" running through '48, both Mescico and thie U. S. agree to protect each others sionils across the border. The Friends' letter to Marshall su'trests he call attention of the Mexic'cin government to the fact that a'l oE tiio.'-.e operator we're dropped from U. S. stations and are merely usirg this back-dcor method to booties so-called "Un-American" • philosophies into this country, . Should t-he Secretary follow through on this request he may find to his embarrassment that several owners (Continued on page 46> , Pix in Taveras, Dualed With Video, Sparks Exhib Gripes • , Newark. Jan. IS. Exhibs' latest migraine, a fast .-piead in the booking of 16xn, fea- 'lures into taverns'and bars to enter- tain elbow-benders, is now sparking hypoad opposition from theatre groups. Tagging the n6w gjmmiqk as a thiheat. New Jersey Alli^ mulled countersteps in a membcr- the Newark Athletic Club. Action on the part of the Theatre Owners of America has already been asked by complaining D. C. theatremen. Plx playing in bars first caught ott (Continued cn page Tl) BAROLFEdTsKJCCK; CANADA LEE MAY RIDE / Boston, .Tan. 13. New stanza on', WNAC and 'Vankte network turns up one ot pioneer radio personalities irt B. A. Rolfe, who took a mike Saturday (11) as a modified ■disk jock. . Program, -a halt ■ hour slot, is billed as "At Home with, B. A, Rolfe," originating in the re- tired showman's home in Mansfield, Mass;, 30 miles out of town. Starting as a piccolo player in his tatbei's band at the age of six. Bolts was a circus and vaude performelT: (Continued cn page 71)