Variety (December 1950)

Wednesday, December 27, 1950 P^^IEIY PiCTITRES 7 W6 Eyes Freelancers as Studio Scribes Fall Short on Originals Hollywood, Dec. 26. ^ Wariiers Bros.’ pres€?nt drive for original stories from sources out- side the studio reportedly has re- cultcd from disapppmtment fit ef- iorls to develop such yarns on the jpt WB has been parcelling out weekly bhecks to scribes hired spe- cifica 11V for the purpose and work- ing within the studio’s confines. it is understood that production toppers have agreed that scriveners working on that basis have not turned out the eKpected quantity, of satisfactory niaterial., Writers, in turn, have expressed the opin- ion that good originals cannot be expected when the scripter is sub- ject to page-by-page discussion analvsis by the story department and the prospective producer. Resuit has been the move by the studio to get freelancers to work on the outside. Lot is reportedly willing to give Option money on Ideas it thinks miight develop in this way. It is particularly look- ing for yarns from this source for all its mole players, U.S, Appeals Court Affirms Nix of Suit Vs. WB, D.C. Chain Washington, Dec. 26. U. S. court of appeals last week affirmed the district court’s action In throwing out a damage suit against Warner Bros: and the Kogod-Burka nabe chain. The Federal court had ruled that the agreement originally entered into by the three parties was a viola- tion of the antitrust laws and that therefore the damage suit, by Kass Realty Co., could have no standing in the courts. Case dates back to 1945, When K-B bought a site to build a the- atre in Washington. About that time. Stanley Co. of America, wholly ow’ned subsidiary of War- ners. made a deal for Kass Realty Co. to build a theatre three blocks away and lease this to Warners. K-B promptly sued to enjoin War- ners'. A private settlement was worked out whereby, Stanley would drop Its project and take a half-interest in the K-B theatre. To recom-? pense Kass for cancelling its con- tract with Warners, the parties agreed Stanley and K-B would designate a site for another theatre within two years. Kass would build this theatre. If they failed to designate a site in that time, then they would pay Kass $100,000 damages. K-B and Warners failed to agree on a location for the hew theatre and Kass Realty demanded its money. Meantime, K-B brought suit against Warners foi^ the latter to relinquish its half interest in tlie theatre on the grounds that Warners had to unload theatre properties as a result of the Su- prme,Court ruling in the Big Five antitrust case. The appellate court agreed with the trial court that all actions— the K-B and Warner joint opera- tions of the new theatre, and the deal with Kass-^were illegal. Await Briefs In Par-Partman Suit ; Los Angeles, Dec. 26. Hearing of Paramount’s suit to Giisi Partman Corp. from the down- town Paramount theatre came to a clo.se in Federal court and was taken Under advisement by Judge Harry C. Westover. Jurist ordered hoih sides to file their briefs by Foh. 15: ■ • : After that the court will take up 1 arlman’s damage suit against Par- amount, accusing that company of "iiiiiiQiuing product. May Make 3 in London London, Dec. 26. \\ arners may be making three mins 1 a Britain next year if cur-r H'ni plans mature. First, an- uunced some months back, will ‘Master of Ballantrae,” the R. pCvcnson classic which will e lollowed by the summer pro- tuciion of '‘Where’s Charley?” MiUTing Ray Bolger. p, * reported that the next *'i'i Huncaster film will be lensed m ixHain. Title is “The Crimson *irale.'' Wilby-Kineey Prei 'R.B.wnby Exploins Why H» It Fed lip On Problem Pix^, Minimises IFF, Accents Building Up Our 40-60 Million Fank ■ ft: An Inttreitliig Editorial Opinion (li tho Forthcoming 45th Anniversary Humber of P^rIety OVT NEXT WEEK Arch Oboler was disclosed this week as having put his recently completed feature, “Five,” into* the can for $72,000 William H. Weln- traub, New York ad agency exec, who gets billing as associate pro- ducer, reportedly was instrumental in raising most of the coin. Finan- cing was on a limited partnership basis, similar to a Broadway legiter, with about 30 angels involved, Unusual pic was shot entirely on Obcler’s ranch in the Santa Monica hills of California. It concerns the only five people left on earth as a result of radioactive dust from an atomic explosion being blown across the world. Oboler, who is credited as pro- ducer, director and writer, arrives in New York from the Coast next Tuesday (2) to set up a distribution deal. Oboler and a number of others involved drew no fees for their work on the film, but have taken deferments. Resort to legit-financing methods resulted from the producer’s in- ability to find coin for it after he wrote it in 1948. It was consid- ered too fantastic at the time. He had previously written a radio play, in which Bette Davis starred, along somewhat the same idea in 1939. Among the current angels are Don Quinn, writer on the “Fibber McGee and Molly” radio show; Charles Revson, cosmetics manu- facturer (Revlon); Dr. Meyer Perl- stein, authority on spastic paralysis; Harry Salter, bandleader, and Al- bert Checio, N.*Y. restaurateur. One of the elements of the low production budget was the fact that the cast, of course, consists only of five people. They are played by William Phipps, Susan Douglas, Janies Anderson, Charles Lampkin and Earl Lee, Swanson Cavalcade Continued' from page 3 in a month or so as part of the Museum’s regular two-a-day pro- gram of old pix. It’s to be included in “Great Actresses of the Past” series. ' First clip is from “The Danger Girl,” in which Miss Swansoh ap^ Reared in 1916 for Mack Sennett. Next is “Male and. Female,” pro- duced by Cecil B. DeMille in 1919. Then “Queen Kelly,’’ made by Miss Swanson independehtly in 1928 and never released in this country. Other sequences are from “The TrespasstSIr” (1929), “What a Widow” (1930), “Perfect Understanding” with Laurence Olivier (1933), “Music In the Air^’ (1934) and “Father Takes a Wife” (1941). Griffith has been anxious to use a portion of “Sadie Thompson,” which Miss Swansoii produced in- dependently ih 1928 and Which the Museum exec feels is a noteworthy example of her work. However, the actress sold her prints, along with all rights to the film, to Jo- seph Schenck for a remake in 1932 under the original title of the Somerset Maugham story from which it was adapted, '‘Rain.’* Miss Swanson over the years has contributed prints of most of her pix to the Museum, but hasn’t one of “Sadie” because of the Schenck sale. A print coiild be made up, but the film library hasn’t the coin at the moment to float it. Wage Demands Continued from page 5 Youngstein will prove any more effective. Similar moves reportedly are planned at Columbia, 20th-Fox and other firms, all largely based on the combination of upped living costs and the wage curbs. Also on record with a request for salary boosts is the Colosseum of JVlotion Picture Salesmen. Out- fit sent its appeal to distrib sales chiefs. Successful in its action for in- creased salaries this past week was the International Alliance of The- atrical Stage Employees, as bar- gaining agent for personnel. . at film company branches in the field. New accord reached with eight dis- tribs and National Screen Service provides for a $4 weekly wage hike for all lA members at the ex- changes. Among the few industry labor organizations not seeking addi- tional remunerationL are the mo- tion picture projectionists around the country. lA chief Richard Walsh recently reported the booth- men, for the most part, are satis- fied with their present scales and are not likely to be coming up with new demands. Number of guilds and unions at the Coast studios are underway with programs for minimum-scale hikes, living cost increases and peiirions, which obviously are threatened by the likely wage con- trols. Largest of the studio groups is. the AFL Film Council, which com- prises 20,000 workers in affiliated unions. Producers recently turned down their move for salary in- creases but how, the Council is planning to launch negotiations for pensions and group^nsurance programs. An increase in minimum wages for its members is one of the three major demands of the Screen Writers Guild in its move for a new basic agreement with the studios. Screen Actors Guild also is un- derstood to have mapped bids for wage hikes, especially for lowr bracket and bit players. Paramonnt Bd. OK of 5W,l)IIH&e ‘Purchase of Own ^ock’Spars (limb New Canadian 450-Seater Edmonton, Alta. New 450-seat Avalon in Beverly, an Edmontoii suburb, opened by N. T. Ruptash and D. Kubalik. House has air-coqditioning and a private viewing room for the man- ager and guests. Floridian Showman Mitchell Wolf Details Sonie of the Opposition Facing an Exhibitor Today (Mejont He Must Sell Harder) One of the Many Editerjol Features in the 45tk Anniversary Number of PSniEfr OUT NEXT WEEK Hollywood, Dec. 26. Stanley Kramer Co. is about ready to sign a deal whereby the indie unit will produce a number of features for Columbia release. Understood the agreement calls for a minimum of threp and a maxi- mum of six films a year. One point of discussion is the studio where the films will be made. It will probably wind up with the shooting done on the Co- lumbia lot, although the expense will be higher than that on the rental lot on which the outfit has been working. Both sides have agreed to distri- bution fees at 25%. Special Navy Screenings Of ‘Operation Pacific’ The U. S. Navy is giving a special screening of Warners’ “Operation Pacific” at its New London, Conn., submarine base Jan. 9. Idea is to give newspapermen some back- ground on submarine operations. Special train has been chartered to make the trip to and from the base. All guests will be first to be cleared by the Navy for security purposes^ Hollywood, Dec. 26. Darryl Zanuck hoisted the judget on “Take Care of My Little Girl’- and added scenes in- i^olving John Lite! and Marjorie Crosland . . . Metro assigned Keefe Braselle and Richard Anderson to ;op roles with Walter Pidgeon in ‘The Bradley Mason Story,” start- ing in January with Robert ThOm- jen producing . . . Marilyn Erskine signed a term pact at Metro, with ‘The Family Man” as her first film jffort ... Eddie Prinz shifts from W^arners to Paramount to handle ;he dance sequence in “That’s My Boy” for Hat Wallis . . , Andre Chariot plays a French doctor in 'Here Comes the Groom” at Para- mount . . . John Russell checked in at Republic for a role in “Fight- ing U. S. Coast Guard.” Ventura Pjpoductions registered ‘Fifty-Four-Forty or Fight,” a tale the pioneer northwest, with the MPAA title bureau . , . Next film role for Peter Graves will be in ‘Fort. Defense,” to be produced by Frank Melford for Ventura . . . Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” will start shoot- ing Jan. 22 at Sarasota; Fla.j on a 30-day location schedule, after which the troupe Will return to the Paramount lot.. . . Lee J. Cobb, currently in “Sirocco” at Colum- bia, will remain on that lot to play John Derek’s father in “The Se- cret’’ . . . Joel McCrea made .a brief appearance as a guest star, play- ing himself , in UPS “Hollywood Story.” . : “Lefty Farrell’ is the new tag on “Two of a Kind” at Columbia. , . . Steve Cochran plays an ex- convict in “Tomorrow Is Another Day,” “after playing a criminal in “Storm Warning” and a prisoner in “The Story of Folsom” . . . Les Goodwins will write and direct the next Wally Brown-Jack Kirkwood comedy short for producer George Biison at RWO . . . A. I. Bezzerides will script “Ten Tall Men,” the forthcoming Burt Lancaster starrer for Columbia release . . . Para- mount assigned Harry Tugend to produce '‘The Road to Hollywood.” co-starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope . . . Metro borrowed William Demarest from Paramount for a comedy role in “The Strip.” Fay and Michael Kanin sold their screenplay, “How High Is Up?,” to 20th-Fox for $85,000 . . . Lucille Ball withdrew from the elephant girl role in “The Greatest Show on Earth” because of im- pending motherhood . , . Eagle Lion reconditioned three sound stages, with Nat Holt’s “Fort Sav- age” as the first tenant. . . Thelma Ritter’s player option picked up by 20th-FOx : . . Anna Q. Nilsson plays a seamstress in “Show Boat” at Metro . . . Anita Loos and Rich- ard Sale drew new contracts at 20th-Fox and were assigned as writer and director on “The Hus- band Who Rah Away” . . . 20th- Fox registered “Song of Hiawatha” for production next year . . . Nick Castle assigned as dance di- rector on Metro’s “The . Strip,” starring Mickey Rooney. Edward Nassour pmd $15,000 for screen rights to “The Black Grandee,” costume story authored by Johnston McCulley . . . Tony Martin bicycled last week between Paramount and RKO for exteriors and interiors in “Two Tickets to Broadway”: . . . Stephen Chase drew a featured spot in “When Worlds Collide” at Paramount . . . Hal Wallis bought “Good Boy/’ screenplay by Cy Howard, as co- starrer for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis . . . Lauren Bacall signed a one-picture-a-year deal with 2()th- Fox . . . “Here Comes Tomorrow” is the final tag on the Lou Schor production to be filmed in con- junction with Joseph Justman at Motion Picture Center . . . Charles Drake signed for a support role in the Howard Christie production, “The Golden Horde,” at Ui. f Action by the Paramount board last Thursday (21) authorizing purchase of up to 500,000 shares of the major’s own stock at $21.50 per share had an immediate spur- ring influence on the issue. Par, which opened at 2014 on Thursday, closed at 21% for a gain of i%. Issue climbed another quarter, point on Friday, closing at 21%. Stock held to the same price. yesterday (Tues.). Actual bid for the shares was placed on the N. Y. Stock Exchange on Friday and was in line with the Par policy of shrinking the capitall** zation structure. The" offer is sub- ject to withdrawal at any time, and in any event will be withdrawn on Jan.l9 at the latest. Between Jan. 1 and; Sept. 30* 1950, Par* purchased 645,768 *.of its shares at an aggregate cost 'Of $13,- 379 , 419 . Portion of the funds for these acquisitions came from a $9,- 000,000 borrowing from Prudential Life Insurance Co. in the form of a $7,000,000 mortgage on th^ film’s homeoffice building, in N. Y. and a $2,000,000 note. , ^ To cover the new stock pur- chases, Par has entered a 1 ew and separate loan agreement with Pru- dential in the amount of $15,000,- 000, to be repaid over a 15-year span with interest on unpaid bal- ances payable at the rate of 3%% per annum. Par is required to make payments of $150,000 each quarter commencing March 1, 1951. Provisional Paymeht Deal provides that the major, un- der certain conditions, may prepay air or any portion of the loan prior to Dec. 31, 1951, without payment of any premiums. Optional pre- payments also are allowed, in some cases without premium and " in other cases with premium of 1%, 2% or-3%, as the case may be. Special letter sent to stockhold- ers by prexy Barney Balabaii, ad- vising them of the 500,000-share bid, was accompanied by a con- solidated balance sheet and profit- and-loss statement for the nine months ended last Sept. 30. As pre- viously reported, company had a profit for the period of $4,571,112. Dividends, at the rate of $1.50 per share, amounted to $4,224,947, leav- ing an earned $urplus of $346,165. Firm, at the end of the nine- hionth period, had total current as- sets of $65,591j707, against total current liabilities of $9,416,080. As- sets included $19,488,376 in cash and Government securities, and $38,820,614 in film and other in- ventories. Par’s heavy stock holdings in Allen B. DuMont Laboratories con- tinue on the books at $164,000, rep- resepting the amount of original investment. Actually, Par figures the market value of the DuMont shares is above $10,000,000. DuMont divvy of 50c per shar? recently voted will make Par’s fourth quarter the best of the year, Balaban noted in his letter. As Boxoffice Drterrent Voiced by B&K Exec Chicago, Dec. 26. A Balaban; & Katz spokesman blamed nation-wide installment buy- ing as one of his circuit’s top op- ponents in 1950. In regarding B&K’s: business downswing last year, he charged the public with purehasihg teevee sets and other luxury items without reconnoitering its bank balance. The buck that formerly went for the theatre ticket each week is now being used to meet obligations of credit buy- ing, he said. , Circuit spokesman cited the re- cent report by the U. S. Treasury Department that more Class E bonds are being turned back for cash than at any time in recent years. Most of the demand for coin, he said, stems ffom panicky buying, particularly of video sets, and especially after the 10% tax announcement by the Government last year. B&K topper opined that pros- pects loom better for 1951, pro- vided quality of picts impro\es. “As long as we have good pictures,” he said, “there’s nothing that can stand in the Way.” Circuit biggie concurred, however, that pix have been better in 1950 than during B&K’s big year in 1946, over which a 30% decline has been registered Hast year.