Variety (April 1953)

INTERNATIONAL 'VARIETY'*' LONDON OFFICE | tt. Martin's Plsca, Trafalgar Squara Mexican Producers May Seek Gov’t The Hungarian-film industry Is n 1 m * SiSSs is.,-0 Wage Freeze to Bolster Pic Trade December, it was announced by the Hungarian Embassy here. The embassy reported that: London, April 21. ; a new attempt to induce the Austrian on Pix Junket British government to revise its m . /•— ttc dollar allocation for Hollywood films is to be made in the fall when Ausiumi im a ia “Many thousands of people have —..... „ m AtnArira for ITSIS visited the special cinema in Buda- dollar allocation for Hollywood IQ Ainenw f ur uo pest equipped for showing of three- film*! i«! to be made in the fall when Vienna, April 28.* dimensional pictures, to see the films is to ne maae Ernst Hauesserman, film and £ilmg “Walk in the Zoo,” “Artists’ the Anglo-American monetary pact theatre 0 ffi cer of the U.S. Mission E X ™minat?on’’ and “May Day, comes up fbr renewal. This is re- £o Austria, left for the U.S. to 1952 .” There is no information vealed in the annual report of Brit- supervise production of a docu- bere ' on w hat process is being used Ish Actors Equity, which will be mentary titled An A u st nanSees in that country, sattuwasa ** r Admitting frankly that the gov be ‘ rger> cameraman, whose back- ernment rejected then: P r 0P° sa Jf ground in addition to lensing many last year, the Equity report ob- ■ stwai . films includes camera last year, the. Equity report ud- ° twar films includes camera serves that the revised agreement ^ Qrk . big _ t i me Nazi productions, resulted in a negligible saving of p r j nc i pa i actor in the proposed dollars. The thespers representa. docum P ntary is Josef Meinrad. tions were made via the fiinrin- D ring Hauesserman’s absence dustry Employees’ Council which , j McCarthy, acting as special met the Board of Trade prexy, and ’ £ the g tate Department, is to advocated a three-point policy de- vienna on an investigation of signed to 0 it dollar expenditures, g ec t;j on activities, expand British production and to secure more efficient exhibition of available films. While stressing the importance of the Eady Fund, the prolongation of which has been advocated by the government, the Equity review re- fers to .the Italian scheme for a discriminatory tax which it urges the Board of Trade prexy to ex- amine. Equity has now obtained a The Hague,. April 21. full account .of the scheme which rp be xiutch Motion Picture The- is being studied. 4 tr<> Acen is nonsiderine a direct Holland’s • 9m ir Tax In TV Setup London; April 28. An all-industry deputation is meeting the government’s televi- sion advisory committee tomorrow (Wed.) to state the trade’s de- mands under its sponsored TV. It has already submitted a blueprint the Board of Trade prexy to ex- ~ ^ ^s proposals up for discussion, amine. Equity has now obtained a The Hague, April 21. The f 1 I^ri nd ^ S l ry t rnm ptUV W TV is beinTSudied the seheme WlUCh The Dutch Motion Picture.The- ^‘opXis e^ded it should have Is being studied. -atre Assn, is considering a direct an equal right with other indus- 1 approach to the national govern-, tries to use the new medium. It ment over the annoying entertain- is urging, therefore, that the film ment tax headache. For years, the- b iz should be allowed to operate atre .ovmers have complained about its own'transmitting stations and “discrimination” against them. £ba£ the current embargo on big While legit houses,carnivals and screen reception should be washed circuses pay about 20% entertain- out ment tax, film houses are usually j n earlier overtures, the indus- Dublin Anril 21 socked 35% of gross proceeds. The £ry bas explained that it would _ r T 1 L’ Trich Patron u naturally has to Pay, and yant to use theatrical TV fqr the Gaelic ^League, powerful Irish the higher b.o. prices have result- s Cree ning of outstanding public nationahst ^organization,^ has^de- ed in lower attendance. events and also for closed circuit rnanded that the Irish government Meantime, situation is doubly transmissions from a central stu- P. an complicated because taxes are set dio. That the government is un- tion of Queen EhzabeUi in by municipalities, not by the na- easy at the former proposal was tional government. In smaller made clear in the White Paper last A i ,w! e n towns, the lone cinema owner us- year which gave the go-ahead sig- ually can get the town fathers to nal for sponsored TV. It was vha<1 lower the tax.. But in medium- feared that the industry might ihitni4 sized communities and bigger cities, seek to outbid .the British Broad- ihould the concerted efforts of exhibitors casting Corp. on top ranking fllmS sh0Uld have not availed. - sporting events, and thus deny noi ne screened, . ■ ■ The national government even home viewers their right to parti- All newsreel companies planned ba n advocated a 45% tax, with cipate. to send in reels Of the ceremonies off if cultural films were The White Paper suggested that while a date had been set for J. screened. Since 1952 the national an accommodation could be Arthur Ranks color feature. But government has kept hands off. reached if proper.safeguards were now the industry is in a dither p ara <joxically, the film house own- agreed, but suggested that the regarding bookings. Exhibs have ers now wan t the government to trade help by providing more fea- had trouble before and the early ge t interested again. ture films. That avenue was ex- warning on this is regarded asindi- \— — plored and quickly closed in the cation that Ihere will be substan- A. AHxnJiim Praam latter part of last year when Brit- tial opposition to the showings. yU 66 H Att 611 fllll£ II C€m i s h producers were told that the Under the censorship laws, the if* > <v* ^ ceiling price for a firstclass, corn- government cant stop films from- |)[ |)|(| flC S KlM flCHrY paratively new, feature film would coming into country, but the jus- v ■ ■■ nn J in the repinn of sanno; Knnw. Stereo Sound May Be Rented British Exhibs London, April 28. Stereophonic spund may be made available to British exhibitors on a rental basis, according to Eugene S. Gregg, president-of Westrex, in a statement made on his arrival in London last week. . He warned, however, that equipment com- panies hardly could be expected to carry what was likely to be a colossal burden, although they would readily help to the best of their ability. Although firm details of costs are not available, Gregg reckoned that a multi-channel sound installation might run from $ 8,000 to $15,000. For a proper installation, however, there would have to be a complete survey of each theatre. Dublin, April 21. tice £'Vo”3tSd'‘a‘tolaI in * that undir existing cohditions on screenings K.theyfeel the films The Queen is to attend a gma wbit m t bo( f k the prod . might l ead to disorder s. _ ^“Void^lM^yT Thl «ct o^ny d.strihutor who scn f t V 1 v J C l Tyrone Guthrie production is being ^V, Lanedon Invades Scot staged in honor of the Coronation. W UUU 5 UVU *11 *uuvo uvvi 6 th _ Old Vic’S biggest Taking part in tomorrows con- Territnrv With Iceshow production since its reopening two will be the leaders of the four lerniory min lieuiuw P ears back having a cas ? of 60 a nd trade associations repping produc- Glasgow, April 21. requiring more than 200 costumes. distributors, exhibitors and Claude Langdon, ice show im- it will run for eight weeks. other film makers. There is gen- presario, and creator of ice pan- The four principal roles are unanimity of principle al- tomimes at London’s Empress Hall, P i aye d by Alexander Knox as though some divergence of thought is extending his activities to Scot- wolsey, Leo Genn as Buckingham, on questions of detail, land. He will stage the ice revue, p au i Rogers as Henry and Gwen _ _, ^ _ •Tee Time,” at Paisley Ice Rink, Ffrangcon Davies as Katherine. Pat Ide Group Buys near here, May 18 for about seven Tanya Moiseiwitsch has designed Qavilla fm* weeks. Produced by Eve Bradfield, the costumes and scenery. . OttYUie IOr ^DDU,UUU show will star leading ice skating immediately after the preem, London, April 21 . players, including 13-year-old Doug- Guthrie and Miss Moiseiwitsch will Patrick Ide, press agent at the las Chapman, youngest professional i eave for Canada, for pro- Old Vic theatre, is the head of a ice star in Britain. Others in com- auction of “Richard the Third” and syndicate which has bought the pany of 150 are the Two Balcombes, “All’s Well That Ends Well’* for Saville Theatre at a price report- and Beryl & Bobo. the Stratford (Ontario)* Shake- edly $550,000. The Saville, Lon- London, April 28. ture films. That avenue was ex- plored and quickly closed in the latter part of last year when Brit- ish producers were told that the > ceiling price for a firstclass, com- paratively hew, feature film would be in the region of $3,000. Know- Saville for $550,000 London, April 21 . Patrick Ide, press agent at the and Beryl & Bobo. the Stratford Decision of Langdon to invade SP A are Festival the Scot market with ice shows is" * • : significant in view of. Tom Arnold’s j j nr A1TMA c* until now monopoly of this field. Wayite feigned Arnold stages a big Coronation ice For ‘Crest of \ spectacle at Murrayfield Ice Rink, t Edinburgh, in July, transferring it _ A J?^! ^estival. don’s newest theatre, is currently a- : housing Emile Littler’s British mu- WhvtiA ftitrnprl sical » “ L °V e From Judy,” which vv ay lie oigiteu Is eX p ec t e d to run through this For Crest of Wave year. «xv luuiiajuvAu xvaaixv, T onrinB Anr*l 91 I Subsequently, Ide and his asso- Edinburgh, in July, transferring it Fr dd Wflvn p whn nlavA the ciates ma y g0 into direct manage- Btsxsaat au SSsSHhS y “Crest of the Wave,” which is _ . T n .. n iti j based on the current legit hit, Jack Anthony for Panto Brit, bands to Ireland ^eagulls Oyer Sorrento." Gene Glasgow, April 21 . T . ,, . Dublin, April 21 . Kelly will star. Tom Arnold, British impresario, Irelands tax-free terperies are Wayne has been granted tern- signed Scot comic Jack Anthony currently providing a bonanza for porary leave of absence from the for Jiis 1953-54 pantomime at the English name bands although lm- Drury Lane show to go on location Alhambra here. He will join Alec ported bands can’t work here with- with the unit next month. He will Finlay, Robert Wilson and Duncan out a license from Federation of be out of the cast for a fortnight, Macrae in “Old King Cole” Harrv Irish Musicians. Bands have fol- after which he will return to com- Gordon, longtime Dame corbie in rowings here through their British plete his current -contract. He this production, moves south to Broadcasting Corp. airings. definitely ankles the show June 13. northeast England leaving Dame Eric Winstone and Harry Roy During Wayne’s 12 months in role to legit actor Macrae both have outfits here at present London,'he made his cabaret debut Finlay planes out in May on a and, Geraldo brings his orch over with an engagement at the Berke- world trek including Korea Ma- fromJBcn^sh^.j-llfy -HoteU * •. .* 6 *. '■*.{I'c Jopan > Camdatand the U. S. j hvan l «)rit.u ^ , more /may follow, thus starting a battle for leading dates between the two impresarios.. Brito Bands to Ireland Dublin, April 21. Jack Anthony for Panto Glasgow, April 21. Tom Arnold, British impresario, Tokyo, April 21. Benjamin Shackleford, director of the license department of the RCA International Division, "here with the company’s special'rep Alexander Straus for huddles with local electronics officials, claims there is a bright future for TV in Japan. “The Japanese go for TV in a big way,” Shackleford told Va- riety. “They are used to thinking via pictures because of the picturo- graphs of their written language with which they become familiar at an early age.” Shackleford’s huddles with the Japanese will be on possible man- ufacturing investments and ex- panded technical aid to local elec- trical industries. At present, Shackleford said, 'most Japanese firms are importing television transmitters and complex electron- ics equipment from the U. S>. TV receivers manufactured in Amer- ica are preferred by the Japanese public at present, he noted, but that further technical aid will soon make locally-manufactured sets “best sellers ” Bulk of RCA technical aid will go to the 17 Japanese firms with which RCA has license agreements, but he added that aid would be ex- tended to other firms who re- quested it. r* ■■ ■■ — " ■ ■■ Ireland Preems New Pix To Bolster Sagging B.O. Dublin, April 28. With biz very dull, exhibitors here' have been trying to boost trade with preems of new pix, four being staged in the past month. Start was with Irish President Sean T. O’Kelly attending “The Miracle of Fatima,” (WB) preem in Europe at the Metropole. Last week the Capital opened “Anna” (Lux Films) with a charity preem attended by Lord Mayor of Dublin. The following night Metro launched “Quo Vadis” with the president of Ireland again guest of honour at the Adelphi. Fourth preem was at Savoy with “Limelight” (UA) as a charity show sponsored by Variety Club Tent 41. A fifth preem on May 22 will be “Because You’re Mine” (M-G) under Actor*’ Church Union spon- sorship. ‘Madam 9 Legiter Out Of West End Ahead of Film London, April 28. Although there • had been thoughts of transferring “Call Me Madam” to another theatre here after it finishes its run at the Coli- seum May 16, this has been aban- doned to avoid a clash with the “Madam” film, which preems in the West End the following week. Musical on May 18 moves to the neighborhood Streatham Hill The- atre for four weeks. Original West End cast, headed by Anton Wal- breok, Billie Worth, Donald Burr and Jeff Warren, will be retained. Presented locally by Jack Hylton, “Madam” first opened at the Coli- seum ‘ih M&rclvl952'. , * * • 1 •’. K . rlr.i ? *’t. Mexico City, April 21 Several top producers have joined with nearly all first-run exhibitors here in formally complaining about a depression in the piertrade. These producers have gone so far as to urge senatorial and congressional film committees to enact an emer- gency law freezing the pay of all unionized film workers at the pres- ent scales. ‘ They want, that freezing to be for at least five years, contending that in that time the pic trade should straighten itself out. Union- ists always demand.and always win a goodly pay hike whenever their collective work contracts are re- vised, a biannual event in Mexico. The new wage scale demands are due in June. Headed by the stu- dios technical and manual work- ers,-the unions are campaigning for a 50% pay tilt. Studios claim conditions would be better if they cculd pare pay by half. Studio operators and producers assert that the way conditions are in the trade, it is impossible to pay even an ad- ditional centavo to their workers. Producers working on the legis- lative committees say film labor- ites are the highest paid unionists in Mexico. This- along with new" high paid stars (top stars such as Maria Felix commands $52,000 per pic) plus the $11.56 daily paid ex- tras, the trade faces collapse unless some life belt is tossed it pronto. The 20-35% admission price cut also means less from exhibition. - Tokyo, April 21. Kay Tajima, one of the 50 hostesses at the Bacchus Club, Tokyo’s top dance hall-nitery for officers and civilians (only), should know the score on the Army. After three years of steady nightly asso- ciation with the breed, she has this to say: “The Colonels and the majors are grandpas; the captain has a wife; the first-lieutenant’s bound- less energy makes a woman cry; tne second-lieutenant’s cute, but too poor.”’ Miss Tajima, who, like her sis- ter dance partners, is a free agent, getting Ho salary from the club but depending on tips from the pa- trons, calls second-looeys “bot- chans,” high school boys, “shy.” “The first-lieutenants and cap- * tains, I like best,” she says. “They treat us like sweethearts. They know how to handle women. The majors are the hardest to handle; they always want to pull their rank. The colonels are settled.” Atkinson Finds British Actors Ahead of Yanks London, April 28. Brooks Atkinson, New York Times drama critic, who leaves London this week after a stay of nearly a month, taking a peek at most of the West End successes, has changed his mind about one aspect of Broadway productions. He is un- qualified in his praise of British actors and British directors. On the whole, he thinks they are way ahead of their opposite numbers in America. He felt, however, that with a few exceptions, the general British standard of designing was cheap and shabby. . In America he had often felt that too much emphasis was placed . on the quality of the settings and too much money was invested in them. After his four weeks in Lon- don, Atkinson avers: “I may have to reverse my opinion when I get back to America.” Prior to his return, the Times columnist spent a few days at Strat- ford-on-Avon, where he saw three of the plays in this year’s reper- toire. IFE Shorts Boss to Rome Ralph Serp'e, director of TV and shorts division of Italian Films Ex- port, leaves for Rome today (Wed.) on . a one-month junket. He -will check progress on TV films now before the cameras in Ital v . While in Italy, Serpe will survey new Italian shorts with a view to