Variety (May 1950)

4 PICTURES May % ! Consensus among filmites is that4* the industry won a great public relations victory last week in getting Senator Edwin C. J ohnson to call off the scheduled May 15 hearings in Washington on his bill for Federal licensing of him peo- ple and compahies. Feat was ac- complished in a three-^hour session with the Colorado solon by 1:4 top pictures exOcs. Even if the industry had conoe . out perfect technicaily id the hearr ings, they would have been a bad blow from a public relations vieyr- point, in the opinion of trade ob- servers. Wide press and radio; coverage which had been planned for the hearings would have un- doubtedly given the : piaj^, as nidst . hewsWorthy, to ainy scandal that could be pinned On Hollywood,- rather than on descriptions of the industry’s efforts to keep its house in order. Company and Motion Picture Assn, of America toppers who met with johnsoh at MPAA headquar- ters in the capital; did pot make any specific promise as to changes to be made in the: industry’s self- reguiatory advertising code. There appears to be no doubt nOw, how- e; er,. that a new clause will be in- serted to prevent exploitation in ad copy of persdnal misconduct by players or other personnel. That apparently will suit the seriatbr, and he’ll hold his dogs off long enough to see how it works. Purpose of the* Washington meeting, planned by MPAA prez Eric Johnston, was to give the in- dustry chiefs ah opportunity in di- rect talk with Johnsoh to explore his basic objections. It was quickly discdvered that they boiled down to advertising that exploited mis- (Continued on page 18) Trend toward science-fiction pix appears to be in the offing. The Itarry Bates ; short story, ^‘Farewell to the Mastef,^’ Which concerns a space ship irom'another planet landing in Washington, has been picked up by 20th-Fox. Rob- ert L. Lippert’s “Rocketship XM” preems at the Criterion, N. Y., May 30, and Eagle Lion is readying a Swedish atomic thriller, ‘’One Mim ute to ;12,’‘ for release soon. Julian Blausteih will produce 20th-s Bates yarn^ Anne; Baxter will have the femme lead. Lipper pic; originally was titled “Rocket- ship to the Moon.” Osa Masseh, John Emery and Hugh O’Brian top the Cast, Kurt Neumann produced and directed. “One Minute to 12” Was turned out. by ■ Syensk; Filmindustri at the Nc^bel Institute outside: Stockholm, according to Riidolph Carlson, holder of the U. S. distribution rights, Avho set the release deal with Eagle Lion. Dubbing, current- ly being done.in New York, is ex- pected to be conipleted Within three weeks. Lars Hanson and Gunnel Brostrom are the princi- pals. Interesting sidelight on “One Minute” is that Carlson was . grant- ed special dispensation by the Mo- tion Picture Assn, bf America’s board Of directors to use the origi- iial Swedish title of “the Gates of HelL” Use of the word “hell” is frowned upon by the MPAlA’s Title Registration Bureau. Curiously, however, after Carlson got the grcenlight he decided to call the pic by the “Gne Minute” label; Howard Mihsky, who resigned sud- denly last week as 2bth-Fox’s mid- east division manager, is understood to have taken the step as a prelude: to going into exhibition. He is a liephew of; Warner. Bros. cU’Cuit ch ief If airy tf^al min e. •Vlinsky’s request to leave caught 20th so short that no decision had been made up to yesterday (Tues- day) on a. replacement. He’ll wind up this weekend. He headquar- tered In PhllJy, covering the Philly, Washington and jPittsbUrgh ex- changes. i\Iin<jky has been With 20th since 1942 e.xcept for one year with the filfonrai theatre chain. He’s been a(iid>^ait manager for about a year. | Quick Switieh Switch in title of a short sub- jeef registered by Warner 3ros» with the Motion Picture Assn, of America Wst week; ’ " ^ “Leghoni-Swaggled” .(March #2, 1949) to “LeghOrn-Swog* , gled” (April 25, 1950). . Prelude to a bow-out of the Jap- anese market by the Motion Pic- ture Export Assn, is seeii in gov- ernmental actibhi last week ending MPEA’« rolel as exclusive distrib of U. S. "^product. It is expected that with indie producer^and un- doubtedly sonie of MPEA’s own member compahies-^gping into Japan on their own, the majdr’s co-op distrib orgahization will fold its Jap activities;^ : ; Order .which; came down from General MacAtthur’s .headquarters in Yokohama last Week repre- sented a viCtoTy for the Society of Independent Mbtioh Picture Pro- ducers, SIMpP prexy Ellis G, Arnall and . cOtinsel Robeii; j. Rubin have been in communica- tion-for months with Mac Arthur’s headquarters, with the Supreme Coinniand Anicfi Powers and the Defense Dept, in Washingtoii. Walt Disney and Saniuel Gold- wyn wili be first of the indies into* Japan. They have had a rep, Alex Caplan, there for several months prepplng the way. He has made a deal with the Daiei Motion Pic- ture Cp.; headed by M, Nagata, to distribute the Disney and Goldwyn films. Nagata for; some time has been handling merchandising of Disney commercial products. Mon'- bgraih also recently ’made a deal with a Nipponese distrib. • \ Yokohama ruling last week pro- vided that henceforth foreign com- panies m ay bring into Japan in any one calendar year up to the max- itnum number of pictures imported from the particular country during^ any year between 1931 and 1941. SIMPP has 'also been making a fight . for equitable and hbn-dis- criminatory convertibility of cbiti earned in Japan. It is understood to have good reason.to belieye that SCAP will open the way to SiMPP members sharing in the converti- bility pool provided by the U. S. government. Society is likewise claim * victory in Germany, where the State Dept., through the office of the High Commissioner, has taken steps to xeView the present system of issuing import licenses. There has been an ov.erall allocation of 150 permits, with only 10 to the indies, which has had them squawk- ing. Mochrie Comnieiitator For KKO Ballyhoo Pic A unique supplement to its press book—a 15-minute film with RKO sales chief Robert Mochrie as com- mentator—has been made by March of Time for its ‘’Goldeh Twenties;” Short,: produbed and narrated in MOT mantier, is a filmed account of celebrity night exploitation stunt at the Astor^ N. Y;, with a parade of hames head- ed, by Michael Arlen, Buddy Rog-- ers, Shirley Booth and Freddy Bar- tholomew and a Goiden Twenties fashion show, topped by a Charles- ton-contest. Pic ties up with detailed ihstniC- tions in; the RKO press book, Mochrie, bn the seteen, urges ex- hibs to duplicate tire fashioh show and Chai'leston cont^t in other situations. Prints are noW being sent to all RKO exchaiigos. Lloyd Reissue Holly wood, May 2. . Harold Lloyd, plarining reissue Of another of early sound features this fall, is currently mulling either “Welcontc Danger” or “Cat’s Paw.” 'v. ;v; : He reissued “Movie Crazy” through Motion Pictures Sales COrp. last year. The Agnew-Casa- nave outfit also will handle hew reissue, 4?.- Joseph fL Hwn, indie prodilcilon partner of Ha) WaiUia and former Warner Bros. v.p. and cotmielv reflected tht opinion of tpaiiy other: vet fllmitei thia week in. bxpMsiiuf aiiiazime the censor-inviting material theyTe viewing oh TT these days. They can’t quite see why the tele broadcasters, with the experience of the film industry during the past SQ years as a clear example should he paving, “a sure path” for the blue-nosers, ; - , ? ;t r^, *' Strapped under the production code they : were as a self^protective measure in 1930 and a lot of state and municipal' censorship, the picture people don't understand why individual , tele broadcasters won’t take the hint, Hazeh, who pays more than average attention to TV for obvjous professionai reakohs, expressed surprise this week at “cleavage” (on Which the film industry has already Wrestled the cehsors), swish routines, off-cplpr remarks and extra-abbreviated tights of femme terpers^—all o| which he said he Witnessed in one weekend of viewing. Martin jQhiison WidoV . la FHni Odd Osa Johnson, widow of explorer Martin Johnson, hat inked with Mid-Century Pictures Corp, which gives the firm worldwide distribu^ tion rights to some Six Johnson* adventure pictures. These include ‘’I Faced Deaths" “Safari/' “Head- Hunters,” “Canhibal Land,” “Jun- gle Mysteries'' and “Wild Jungle .Man.”,; - Sextet of filihs reportedly were never, before released since they were part: of.U block of 24 pix which were tied Up in litigation of Johnson’s estate. .Variety Fiirn Distributors, headed- by Amerigo Beneflhoi will handle foreign * dis- tribution of the; six films, accord- ing ttf; Mid-Century pres Julius ;Le;viue^' Mrs, Johnson, Levine revealed in New York last Week, is prepar- ing another expedition into the African jungles. She’s going again | the first week in June and.expects ] to be away about a; year, in her first safari since 1940i Mfs; John- son will also shoot 'several films for Mid-Century; : Hoblitzdk toFihiChi^^ Dallas, May 2. Appeal for a conference of pro: ducer-distribs, to clear the way tbr a systematic productioii of trailers, for television, has been voiced py Karl Hoblitzelle, head of Interstate circuit, in letters sent to a group of company , prexies and sales chiefs. Asking for fast action by Holly wood On the question,. Hoblit- zelie . declares that the objections raised to TV trailerizing “may have some fignieht of substance/but cer- tainly they are not substaritial enough to offer any really formid- able hurdles;” . Detailing efforts made so far by Interstate to win over the majors, Hoblitzelle’s letter states: “At every turn we: met resistance and apathy, the commoh hxcuse being that (James C;) Petrillb wouldn’t ap- prove the use of the music-^r that certain contracts would not permit the Hollywood stars to ap- pear on television.” In answer, the letter suggests that “if you can’t make a deal with PetriUo, then you could use world domain incidefital music. Voice and action are the important things.” “The producers own the stars' contracts and they can be amended to permit these trailers to show on television, I dare say, without too much trouble,” Hoblitzelle says with reference to the second bb- j * 'lyn,:;';;. Interstate is spending several, hundred dollars weekly on “very crude and ineffective trailers,” cir- cuit operator sayS. “If we could oriiy present .a trailer in sound and- mqtion, similar to our regular ad- vance trailers, it would multiply manyfold the effectiveness of this form of advertising.” Hoblitzelle tags as “a complete fallacy” the argument that to advertise on TV will encourage and hasten its growth. Copies of the letter have been sent to Spyrps Skouras, Ned Depi- net, Nate Blumberg, William Rodgers, Ab® Montague, Ben Kal- menson and Y. Frank Freeman. Col's ‘No Songs' TraUer For the first eight days of the current run of “No Sad Songs for Me” at Radio City Music Hall, :Golumbia has thrown $9,800 into the widest use yet of TV trailers over metropolitan New York het- works. Special trailers played on evefyone of Gotham’s six channels: Sonie 27 : separate uses were made of the six TV trailers. Col plans a repnse of the stunt * in Detroit and Philadelphia. MPSC GETS *CAUGHr Motion Picture; Sales Corp. will handle U. S. distribution of the French-made/ Fernahdel stairer, “Caught in the Foreign Legion.” MPSG closed the deal with Sam, Nathanson, sales , rep of Bellon- Ffouike International Productions. Europe to N« Y, William Autelt Madge Elliott ' Georges Lourau Richard Ney CyfilRitchard ApriFsffig 101 1. “Cindef^lla" (RKO). .2,“Cheapcr by Dozen” (20th).- 3. “Riding High” (Par). 4. “TbirJ Man” (SRO). 5. “Wabash Avenue” (26th). ; 6. “Francis” (U). “Yellow Uab Man” r:.(M-Li)..' ■: ^ ; 8. ^^Rosie O’Grady” (WB). 9, “Samson-Delilah’' (Par). 10. “Kettles to Town” (U).; Stiff in ^biim Malcdlin Kbigsberg, RKO the- atre topper who ekited liis post last week, intends sticking with exhibi- tion if the fight proposition comes along. Erstwhile RKQ-er said, fol- lowing his resignation, that he; has •not yet looked over any other chain than RKO With an eye toward pur- chase but he would be interested if the package looked good. Kings- berg heads a syndicate which has been seeking to buy stock control of RKQ theatres from Howard Hughes^ On Wednesday (26), the dayi that Kihgsberg and the RKO manage- ment decided to call it quits, the ex-theatre chief made one more offer to Hughes for his interest in the circuit. Kingsberg refused to say whether he had raised the ante iii his latest proposal. Asked whether the coin proffered Was his own of that of a syndicate, Kings- herg .$aid “I'm not a multi-ihilllon- aife.” His break with . RKO came sud- denly. Kingsberg disclaimed re- ports of friction between, hiniself and RKO’s dominant stockholder. While he refused to give the reason (Continued on page 15) L. A. to N. Y. Mildred Bailey Lee Bowman James S. Burkett Jerry Colonna Richard Conte Paul Douglas ^ William Eythe Fred Finldehoffe Dave Garber Henry Ginsberg William Goetz Nat Goldstone Bernafd Goodwin FfedGuiol Jack Haley : Mitchell Hamilbufg Di8k: Haymes Paul Henfeld Jean Hersholt. Jerry Horwin /Howie Horwitz John Huston Bietty Hutton Robert Kerth Barbara. Lawrence Paul N^ Lazarus, Jr: Jeannette MacDonald George McCall Janis Paige William Pine Carroll Puciatd Hal Roach, Jr, Miklos Rozsa Joseph Schilckraiit Charles P. Skouras Ed Smithson Sidney Strotz Diniitri Tiomkin Waiter Tyler Walter White, Jr. Ralph Winters Ed Wolpln . Adolph Zukor ■ Sustained strengGi that started late in March carried “Cinderella” (RKO) through to No; 1 spot ih the national boxofflee sweepstakes last month; : Reports from Variety' correspondents ifi; 22 tepfesenta- tive key cities show the Walt Dis- ney film a close winner after Wind- ing up second In March with a photo-fiilish. “Gindefella” finished two weeks in firsts position, was third another week and landed fifth money the other round during ■^April.’'' While “Cheaper by Dozen” (201 h) registered- some remarkably; big money in two weeks, it .managed' to finish Only bhce ln> first position, and one ronnd It showed only in; one city. Its heavybbin .total was helped by some unusuallyv big ses/- siohs at the N; T. i Roxy; In fact, Clifton Webb comedy cwas so close- ly pressed by “Riding High’’ (Par) , late in the month that ;it:came, close to losing but for. second spot. The; Bing Crosby starrer cantered (c an easy third despite. sbme . uneven, returns immediately after being launched. It straightened out and. ^ was roaring ahead as the mbnlh closed. Crosby tuff comedy land- ed first coin one week out of the four. : “Third Man” (SRO) was foiu4h best on the month’s sho\ying after Hinting earlier promise of going higher. The pic, made overseas, really did not get foiling until late I in April. Fifth position Was cap- tured by “Wabash Avenue” (26Hi), although Betty Grable starrer was a bit spotty at the outset. “Francis” (tl), champion in March, wound Up Sixth, despite few (Continued on page 17)" N, Y. to Europe Donii Arden , William Bacher Robert Bfeen Alfired W. Crown Marquis & Marquise de Cuevas Marjorie & Sherman Ewing Ron Fletcher Mrs. Marie Fox Max Gordon Jascha Heifetz Arthur Hornblow Morgan Hudgins. Sol Hurok Dorle Jarmel Nat Karson Gene Kelly Deborah Kerr Jacques KOpfstein Dorothy Lamour r Lawrence Langner Myrna Loy C. E. W. Mackintosh Eddie Mannix . Arntina Marshall Harry Mears Dimitri Mitfopbuios Paul Muni Sandbf Purges j. Arthur Rank Phil Reisman Norton V; Ritchey Andre Sarriit Dario Soria JosOph Szigeti Maggie Teyte : Glenn E. Wallichs Lucile Watson Doreen Wilson Iva Withers Robert Wolff Sam Zimbalist Wv Y. to U A. Val Arms ? Milton Bender Rbry Clamefescu Lelahd Hayward Van Johnson Ghekla Kalia-Bey tTohh Larkin Brunl Lobel Abe Meyer Grad Sears Victor Young