Variety (August 1950)

■ PICTURES Syndicate Dickers for B’way House To Show Tri- Special house showing tri-dimen- sional pix may be in operation on Broadway before the end of the year. Syndicate which this week acquired control of the Cinerama process is currently negotiating for a Times Square showcase. •New group is headed by Hazard E Reeves, prez of Reeves Sound Studios, N. Y. They have bought out the interests of Laurence S. Rockefeller and Time, Inc. Fred Waller, who invented the process, will be chairman of the new board; Reeves, prez, and W.. French Gith- ens, former partner in the Embassy Newsreel chain, exec v.p. ( Reeves refused Monday (7) to,; disclose the name of the house for | which he’s negotiating, but said' the group was prepared to spend $°5,000 remodeling it to put in the giant screen and the three projec- tion booths required for Cinerama. It will also make sufficient prod- uct in the process to provide a iy 2 -to^ 2 -hour show. Hope is, Reeves said, that the public will flock to the b.o. -in suf- fi^ent number to make, this test- run profitable. If so, i,t will be followed by the opening of similar houses to exploit the hew process in various cities. Eventually, it is hoped, the demonstrations will force . Hollywood - and the nation s exhibs into universal use of the Cinerama technique. . Hundreds of ihdustrites have trekked to Oyster Bay, U I., dur- ing the past six months to view demonstrations of the process in an indoor tennis court building converted by Waller into a lab. Most of them have been more im- pressed with the multi-directional sound which is a part of the proc- ess than by the image itself. Picture is not actually three-di- mensional, but gives something of i that effect by the simultaneous pro- jection on a giant, curved screen of images from three machines. These join at the edges to provide What is known as “peripheral vision.” While the effect is not as star- tling as that of the new Polaroid process, it has the advantage of re- (Continued on page 22) Fast Traveler Columbia’s “B” specialist, Sam katzman, switched desti- nations last week. In June he registered with the Motion Pic- ture Assn, the title “Space Ship to Jupiter.” Last week he changed it to “Space Ship to Mars,” He’s in the “Mars” line be- hind Paramount, which holds “Ship That Sailed to Mars” (registered way back in 1934) and Argosy, which owns “Road to Mars” (registered 1947). Wilmington, Del., Aug, 8. DuPont prices on nitrate raw- stock have been boosted an aver- age '5.3% in action taken by the compahy yesterday (Monday). Up- ping of the tab is attributed by DuPont to increased costs of pro- duction. It is believed to be the first repercussion in the film indus- try to climbing prices stemming from the Korean war crisis. Hiked prices will not coyer safe- ty (acetate) rawstock, Which re- mains unchanged. Almost all fea- ture prints are now manufactured In acetate, With the price slightly higher than that of nitrate. Under the boost, nitrate release positive will sell for $11.50 per thousand feet instead of $11*. Ni- trate sound rawstock is raised to $14.50 per thousand feet from a previous price T of $13. Boost is effective on all ship- ments as of yesterday. Forum for exhibs and Holly- wood’s creative talent to trade ideas may be created out of the board of Cinema Productions, Inc. Latter is the new exhib-financed company for lensing of novelty pix. Initialer will be produced for it by Lester Cowan in Polaroid’s third- dimensional process. Decision to widen the Usefulness of CPI by melding ideas of the- atremen and production people was broached and tentatively okayed at an organizational meet- ing of the shareholders in New York Monday (7). It will be ac- complished by inviting producers, players, directors and other Hol- ly woodites to serve as board mem- bers. Plan evolved out of the recent Coast trip by M. A. Lightman, prez of CPI. The Memphis circuit op- erator confabbed with more than 30 people, including producers, argents and exhibs, during his three-day stay and reported on his findings at Monday’s conclave. Hope of the exhib group is to keep various of its members circulating to the Coast on similar trips for idea-trading to supplement the en- larged board plan. In formal confirmation of previ (Continued on page 24) Pic Titters Kept Busy As War Gives ’Em Ideas War continued a fruitful source of ideas for film stories, it was in- dicated by potion Picture Ass’n of America title registration re- ports during the past week. Sam Katzman Staked claim to “Jeeps in the Sky” and “Flying Jeeps” for a yarn about the tiny planes that do artillery spotting. Pic would be niade for Columbia release. Col also registered “Pentagon.” Albert Jay Cohen registered “In- vasion,” while RKO dut its brand on “Hiroshima, U> S, A.,” “The XJ. S O. Story,” “U;S.q; Troupe,” “The Rebirth of U.S.O,” and “Special Services,” Columbia latched on to “Back to Korea,7 opt stands be- hind a flock of previous “Korea” title registrations, including Chris- tina’s “First • Battalion in Korea” (July 24), Samuel Goldwyn’s “Date- line Korea” (July 26), Wallis- Hazen’s “Korea” (Juiy 14), Repub- lic’s “Flying Tigers of Korea” (July 17) and David O, Selznick’s “South Korea,” “Korea” and “Crisis in Korea” (June 28)> Republic registered a reissue of “The Marines Have Landed,” orig- inally released in 1936 and Dus- met-Moore Productions asked, ex- clusivity on “Formosa Guarded Island.’* In Distri Albert Margolies and Max J. Rosenberg have formed a partner- ship for distribution of foreign and perhaps some specialized domestic product. New outfit will have headquarters in New York, where Rosenberg has been an indie dis- trib of art pix for a number of years. ■ Margolies is ' former GaUmont and United Artists publicity chief. More recently he has been han- dling Hackwork in England for ■Warner Bros, production there, and has long been publicity aide to .Alfred Hitchcock. New distrib firm’s initial release will be’“The-Blue Angel” German film which brought Marlene Diet- rich to stardom. It was originally released in the U. S. by Paramount in 1930. Margolies and Rosenberg acquired it from the Alien Prop- erty Custodian, who had vested it during the war as German-owned, Release date has been set for Sept. 15 . "Robinson' Profit Assured Film’s Sundry Backers The chances of a flock of film- ites, mostly employees of Eagle Lion Classics, extracting their in- vestment plus a profit out of “The Jackie Robinson Story,” filmiza- tion of the life of the Negro Dodger ballplayer, now looks to be a sure thing. In its first seven-eight Weeks of general release, “Robin- son’’ has passed the $200,000 mark on rentals. Film needs $375,000- $400,000 gross take before it starts paying off its ELC investors, “Robinson” has done a middling business in big cities but is sack- ing up substantial returns in smaller towns. Strangely enough, film is doing much better in lo- cales where no big league base- ball teams have their homes. ELC-ers figure that fans who have had little or no chance to see Rob- inson: in the flesh are flocking to the flickeries. Another surprise twist is that the pic is, doing better in the south than in many spots in Yankee-lahd. Film brought in close to $50.- 000 last week. In a first of its kind, over 50 employees of ELC put up from $500 to $10,000 as second money in the film, which was pro- duced by ELC sales veepee Wil- liam J. Heinemap. Detroit, Aug. 8. Problems pertaining to collec- tive bargaining in the motion pic- ture industry in light of-boxoffice recessions and organizational and jurisdictional problems in the tele- vision industry are expected to top the agenda at the International Al- liance of Theatrical Employees biannual convention here Aug. 14- 18, Those matters aire expected to highlight the report of Richard F, Walsh, IATSE president. The re- port will be made to the 1,100 dele- gates from all parts of the U. S. and Canada either Tuesday (15) or Wednesday. Although Walsh’s report has not been made available, it probably will have something to say spe- cifically in regard to the jurisdic- tional problems between IATSE and the National Assn; of Broad- cast Engineers and Technicians in the television field. Walsh also is expected to report On. IATSE polit- ical activity in an effort to obtain repeal of the Taft-Hartley Law. General executive board, which Went into a huddle Monday (7) that will continue all this week, is work- ing on recommendations for col- lective bargaining and organizing policies. Recommendations will be given to the delegates tomorrow (9) or Thursday. SEE SPG BD. BUDGET Hollywood, Aug. 8, Executive board of Screen Pub- licists Guild has set up a balanced budget which will prevent a dues increase. It will be presented to membership at . Aug. 15 meeting. Plan includes sharp reduction in overhead, including employment of part-time business manager at sal- ary greatly reduced from that formerly paid Milton Gottlieb. Al- so provides that manager won’t get contract but must be reelected an- nually. If plan is Okayed, execu- tive board will select business man- ager from several current candi- dates and submit name for ap- proval. Dorothy Abbott Eddie Albert Art Arthur Shirley Ballard Barbara Bel Geddes William Bergen Betsy Blair Roy Brewer Janis Garter Owen Crump Linda Darnell Howard Dietz Peggy Dow Errol Flynn L. A. to N. Y. Frank Fontaine Barbara Freking Greorge Gruskin Russell Holman Arthur Hornblow, Jr Jerry Horwin Milt Kaufman Arthur Kennedy Douglas Kennedy Mona Knox Ike Levy Mara Lynn Richard -Maibaum Jerry Pickman : Fred Polangin Hal E. Roach Mark Robson A1 Rogell Sigmund Romberg Bubbles Schinasi J. Myer Schine Ann Sheridan Helen Strauss Margaret Sullavan Kenneth Thomson Dmitri Tiomkin Max Wilk Wednesday, August 9, 1950 Central Sifts Extras Hollywood, Aug. 8. Roster of film extras is going through its annual sifting process at the hands of Central Casting, eliminating atmosphere players whose records during the last 12 months show no appreciable work or earnings; Annual’ revision is. part of Cen- tral’s regular policy. Idea: is to spread the work among employable extras and drop the names Of occasional extras who are often unavailable when called. First meeting on a possible wage hike for United Artists* homeoffice whitecollarites, following UA’s exec realignment, is scheduled for today (Wed.) between C. J. (Pat) Scollard, new UA. exec veepee, and. Russell MosS, exec veepee Of the employees’ union. Union, Local H-63 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, last week evoked a wage offer by Universal to forestall a threatened walkout at that company, but is delaying inking Of a new pact in an effort to make the pay boost retroactive to August, 1949, expira- tion date Of the previous contract. Further huddles between com- pany and union chiefs on both the UA and U contracts will await the return of IA execs from the Inter- national union’s convention in De- troit, scheduled for Aug. 13 (Sun- day) to 18. iA prez Richard L. Walsh and other union toppers left over the weekend for Detroit for preliminary exec board huddles. Moss is slated to train out tomor- row (Thurs.). Spokesmen for H-63 declared there have been no recent layoffs at U, but confirmed their intention to press for the retroactive clause in the Contract. While specifics on the wage boost were not revealed, it’s believed to be based on the new contract inked by the union with Warners recently, which called for a 7% hike. WB pay raise was made retroactive for sev- eral months. Washington, Aug. 8. Motion pictures, broadcasting and radio communications are in- cluded In a list of essential activi- ties compiled >by the Commerce Dept, last week to provide basic Criteria for deferment of reservists in Civilian occupation, Deferment policy, according to, a directive of the Defense Dept, provides that the reservist “must be engaged in a critical occupation necessary to a highly essential activity and he Will be deferred only until he can be satisfactorily replaced in that occupation. A deiay in call to ac- tive duty may not be considered as an indefinite exemption from military service.” : Initial deferments of reservists in critical occupations in.'essential activities may not exceed a period of six months and no extension may be for more than that time. In all cases, deferments will be on an individual basis ‘‘and may be terminated at any time because of overriding military considerations.” Deferments for dependency are not included in the criteria, “in- asmuch as members of reserve components are liable to call to active duty in time of need. Their status, therefore, is different, from that of men called to service under the Selective Service Act. How- ever, it is the policy of the mili- tary departments to give considera- tion to hardship cases.” The policy applies to Army, Navy and Air Force reserves and National Guardsmen. Motion picture category, as listed by Commerce, includes “es- tablishments producing and distri- (Coiitinued on page 20) TK TO PLAY BIGGER ROLE IN‘VOICE’SETUP Washington, Aug. 8. Motion pictures Will play a big role in the expanded “Voice of America” program recommended last week by a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Com- mittee. Of the $64,000,0Q0 voted by the subcommittee (the State Department had asked for $82,000- 000), $11,017,000 will go to the In- ternational Motion Picture Divi- sion, in addition to the regular budget of $2,450,000 for the 1951 fiscal year. Transcript of hearings held a few weeks ago, made public Fri- day (4) by the subcommittee, re- veals detailed plans of the “Voice” for greater use of films. Alicia Alonzo Charlyne Baker Anne Barlow Virginia Barnes Joseph Bastien Kurt Baum Jack Beaber Eric Braun William Brooks Kelly Brown Mrs, Jack Buchanan Mary Burr Edward Caton Lucia Chase Thomas B. Costain Michael Delaroff Scott Douglas ; Thornton Freeland Peter Gladke Paul Godkin Irma Grant Ferde Grofe Milton Berle Carl Fisher Ava Gardner Boh Goldstein Benn\W. Levy Roy Allen Leon Bibb Edward Brinkman Sibol Cain Herbert Coleman Warren Coleman Yvonne Coleman William Dillard Ken Emery Ken Englund Lynn Farnol La Verne French John Garth, 3d William Greaves Charles Grunwell Sheila Guyse l Mabel Hart N. Y. to Europe Jan Hollar Ruth Hunter William Inglis Nora Kaye Sidney Kingsley Ruth Ann Koesun John Kriza Harry Kopf Lillian Lanese Joseph Levine Michael Lland Barbara Lloyd Paula Lloyd Vernon Lusby Enrique Martinez Burton McEvilly J. P. McEvoy Allyri McLerie Ralph McWilliams Seymour Milbert Isabel Mirrow James Mitchell Europe to N. Y. Frederick Lonsdale Don McNeill Jo Mielziner Mack Millar Milton Shubert N. Y. to L. A. Van Hawley Peg Hiilias Anne Humphrey Joseph James ' Gertrude Jeannette Mark Kramer * Peter Levathes Maurice Levine Alma Lillie Elen Longone Paul Mario Inez Matthews Julian Mayfield Rphert McFerrin Moses McMarr June McMechen Arthur Miller Mary Ellen Moylan Fernand Nault Charles Payne C. C. Philippe Liane Plane Lila Popper Shirley Rich Dimitri Romanoff Frederic Schaffen Robert C. Schhitzer Dorothy Scott Alexander Smallens Joan Smith John R. Tunis Norma Vance Angela Velez King Vidor Tamara Venmar Jenny Workman Igor Youskevitch Darryl F. Zanuck Frank Sinatra Ed Sullivan John Wiidberg Iva Withers John Morley Van Prince George Rees Judson Rees Frank Roane Ben Rosenberg Arthur Schwartz Jerome Shaw Gloria Smith Christine Spencer John W. Stanley Constance Stokes Joseph Thead Clyde Turner Edward Wallersteln ... J. Arthhr Warner Lucretia West