Variety (December 1954)

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18 PICTURES Wednesday, December 22, 1954 Exchanges Sign Ann Sothern Continued from page 2 OUGHT TO BE A* CHOICE Shortening: of of ‘Star Is Born* Deprives Subsequent Runs /-iPSr I A ■ 3CI ! grapher William Andrew and ar- ^ * VttI Ala a. UVl rangers Russ Case and Johnny Mandell in addition to special The International Alliance of materia i writers and the firm will Theatrical Stage Employees and also Jlave fashion designers avail- 10 film distribution companies al) , e signed a new two-year pact Mon- ; ‘ ..Q n the bas j s of what j f OU nd day (20) covering white collar and when j went out - Miss Sothern backroom employees of all the ex- dec | ares> ‘ there's a crying need change centers. New contract pro- for what j bave to offc V. .{ have vides for a $5.50 across-the-board expcric nccd it, I know what people wage hike and a reduction of the need And the fact lha t my act work week from 40 to 37 \*i hours j wag success f u l is an' indication starting Jan. 3. It also provides i that mv pe0 ple can do the same for an improvement In the sev- tol . others.” erance pay clause. Vincent Productions will have The salary boost is retroactive absolutely nothing to do with to Dec. 1, 1954, expiration date of j booking. Its function begins after the former pact. New agreement a booking has been arranged and will run from Dec., 1954 to Nov the talent involved, or the agency, 30, 1956 decides a new act should be Unlike the previous contract, created. ^ , current Agreement was ncsotisted ; I he semi*pemiflnent stnlT of ox- by the IA international office for ports will also be able to help all the locals in the country. Last small tv companies which may time each individual union negoti- need a choreographer for a few ated and signed its own agree- steps in one scene and can t afford ments with the film companies, to maintain one on the payroll. This year, after a poll of the locals. I Vincent Productions’ staff will be the majority agreed to let the in- available on a daily basis or even ternational office handle the deal, for a few hours at a time when a IA prexy R chard R Walsh par- Service fhat has been ! ?„ P Inrt g wM haS-' needed for some Ume " the actress v. Th —I,™ ! feels. "Were ready to provide it. Yvonne do Carlo died by general secretary treas urer Harland Holmden, v.p. I.ou'se Wright, and international repre- sentative Joseph D. Basson. Mike Rosen of Loew's Inc. was chairman of the distrib negotiating com- mittee. Distribs on Trial Continued from page 3 Somewhere along the way we'may also be able to help some promis- ing young talent with this service. But that doesn’t mean we’ll take just anybody. They’ve got to show some promise.” Miss Sothern will exercise some supervision over the setup, but she doespjt plan to be too active in that phase of the indie opera- tion. She’ll be concentrating on the tv series, “tho I won’t be in it,” and the theatrical feature which the firm is readying. William Morris Agency will work with her on packaging various aspects of Columbus, Dec. 21. Board of directors of the Inde- pendent Theatre Owners of Ohio, which met last Tuesday (14) for- mally protested Warner Brothers plan to release only a cut version of :‘‘A Star Is Born” to small town and subsequent run theatres. The board in a letter it directed Robert A. Wile, 1TO executive sec- retary, to write Warner’s pointed out that the sole advantage a sub- sequent run house has is the fact that it plays the same motion pic- tures as are played in first-run theatres. The board admitted some members would like to play the cut version, but asked that both versions should be available for the exhibitor to make his choice. Board members asked that an an- swer be sent to each of them. In other actions, the directors re-elected Wile for another year’s term as executive secretary; paid tribute to Lee Hofheimer, former Columbus theatre owner who is moving to Norfolk, Va., to manage a theatre there; and accepted the resignation of Horace Shook as board member and vice-president because Shook had disposed of his Lima theatre holdings. Prosecution Tracing Over 100 Corporate Structures Within Schine Empire Buffalo, Dec. 21. With the trial of J. Meyer Schine, Louis W. Schine and other indi- viduals and Schine corporations on the charge of civil and criminal contempt of court in violation of a 1949 anti-trust decree currently in its third week, the proceedings are being marked by attempts on the pa.t of the Government to show the connection of the Schine fam- ily individu. Is with the arious cor- porations which are cited as de- fendants. Voluminous books and records subpoenaed by the Justice Depart- ment, over the objections of de- fense counsel, have been brought into court to support the Govern- ment s charge that the Schine fam- ily controls the corporations. Trust agreements relating to the Schine children were also put in evidence upon a charge that Hildemart Cor- poration (Mrs. J. Meyrr Schine’s name is Hildegarde) was ‘‘used as an instrumentality of the Schine Theatres, Inc.” under the “com- plete power or control by J. Meyer Schine and Louis W. Schine.” It was established that there we e Liberia Continued from pace 5 Headley Stock Continued from page 2 In each exchange area maintained by a major company. Obviously, Disney and his chief exec in the east. Leo Samuels, think yes. ( , he , ndje ratioo Of major concern, too, is the future of “Leagues” abroad. There’s — some opinion in the trade that theatremen in some foreign nations are adverse to Yank film opera- tions in their respective area.- These same exhibs, it’s felt, might look more favorably upon an American film if it’s peddled through a native distrib, via such deals as now being entered by Dis- ney, instead of the branch offices of a U.S. major company Some independent producers al- ready have had experience along these lines. Goldwyn, for one, found that grosses went sharply up in Japan when distribution was shifted to the local Daiei Motion Picture Co. of Toyko. As for DCA, this outfit intends to draw in 75% of its domestic revenue through its own limited- size organization—sales offices in about six key cities—and is relying upon states rights units for the 25% balance. Since the latter per Co,, with general partner Francis M. Hall slated to become a board member. Headley gets rights to 2,295,000 shares in exchange for exclusive rights, to songs, film, television, radio and other proj- ects, for services in acquiring these properties and for expenses and efforts in planning and setting up the company. Officers of the company, besides Headley, who’s president, include consulting engineer A. J. P. Wilson as v.p.; broadcaster Nancy M. Wheeler as secretary; Rubin Abrams, former assistant comptrol- ler of the Randforce theatre circuit in Brooklyn, as treasurer; Kenyon Hopkins, radio-tv arranger and con- ductor, as a v.p. apd musical director; Ralph C. Ehmke, of G. centage might well mean the dif- Schirmer, the music publishing fercnce between profit and loss on house, as v.p. and publication di- a picture, the wisdom of such a rector; and Oscar Liese, theatrical plan is open to question in major ( agent and producer, as v.p. and company circles. DCA feels though that today’s market economies dictate the pol- icy, that organization of its own ' offices in all key areas to cover the sub-runs would be too expen- sive in light of its limited number of pix. First major production to be handled by DCA is “Long John Silver,” goin&out in February, and the payoff on this doubtless will be a guide to the future for DCA and others. Separate distribution deals will be made abroad, follow- ing the Vista pattern. On the home front, the states rights setup was revealed in N.Y. yesterday (Tues.) by Charles Boas- berg, v.p.-geuera} manager, and Irving Wormser, v.p.-general sales manager. Listed are the key areas and the local distributors repping DCA: Albany, Lewis J. Leiser; Atlanta, Frank White; Buffalo, Leiser; Charlotte. White; Chicago, Max Roth; Cincinnati, Jack Safer; Cleve- land, Bernie Rubin; Dallas, Her- man Beiersdorf; Denver, Hal Ful- ler; Indianapolis, Safer; L.A., Irving H. Levin and Charles Kranz; Memphis, White; Minneapolis, Donald Swartz. Also, New Orleans, Harold F. Cohen; Oklahoma City, Beiersdorf; Philadelphia, Jack Engel; Pitts- burgh. Bert Stearn; Salt Lake City, Fuller; San Francisco, N. P. Jacobs; Washington, Myron Mills; Omaha and Dos Moines, William Feidl; St. Louis. Herman Gorelick; N.Y., Joseph Felder and Jack Bellman, and Boston, A1 Swerdlove. director of artist management. Latter three together with Headley comprise the production planning board, and there's an advisory board consisting of James E. Ko- vach, radio-tv director with NBC in Washington; Monroe J. Lawrence, staff engineer at NBC; Howard P. Abrahams, of the National Retail & Dry Goods Assn.; and Lawrence Conley, onetime music publisher, theatre operator, producer and songwriter. Flick’s Tskt, Tskt Continued from page 4 bloodier and bloodier, for no good reason other than someone thinks the audience will like it better that way.” Flick is by no means the only one to feel that way. Geoffrey Shurlock, the new production code administrator, stated on a recent N. Y. visit that, he, too, was con- cerned over the amount of exces- sive violence in films, and that he intended to do something about it. Asked in N. Y. recently whether he had any thoughts on the prob- lem, Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th-Fox’s production topper, declared that he wasn’t aware of screen vio- lence and brutality exceeding the limits of reason and good taste. "I don't sec where there’s so much of that in our pictures,” he said. Yet it’s that.kind of superaction which creates the basis of much of the censorship U. S. films en- counter in the foreign markets. able by the U. S. and of course any sucht profit wouldn’t come un- der the Librian tax laws since it's income derived by way of a non- Liberian company, i.e., from with- out that country. Should circumstances not allow negotiations to take place outside the U. S.—even though a picture may be lensed in Europe—a U. S., distributing corporation would then have to be formed in the U. S. The 'film would still be sold to a U. S. outfit without this coun- try, but the 10% or so charge for negotiating the deal would come under the U. S. tax laws. As for a producing corporation, formed in Liberia but making films in the U. S., tax savings would accrue to it from the showing of its pix outside the U. S. It would have to pay taxes on revenue from films shown within this country, but as a resident foreign corpora- tion. it wouldn’t be required to file a return on its foreign income. Lower Than U. S. Weiner admits that such foreign receipts would still be subject to taxes in the respective countries abroad, but he points out that these rates in most instances are lower than the corresponding U. S. rates. There are certain other ad- vantages to be derived from in- corporating in LflTeria and doing business in the U. S. as a foreign corporation. One is that, on the foreign income of such a setup, the withholding requirement of the present tax laws doesn’t apply since such a Liberian corporation would be considered as a resident foreign corporation under the law. As Weiner sees it, Liberian in- corporation could lead to substan- tial tax savings, particularly on profits derived from outside the U. S. “Ultimately.” he says, “the earnings of the Liberian company, accumulated taxfree, could be dis- tributed to its stockholders via a corporate liquidation taxable as capital gain, and not ordinary in- come rates.” He adds that com- petent guidance should be gained to stay within the framework of the law at all times. Continued from page 4 ing after that. But she expressed annoyance over the fact that her agent “badly advised me to take a straight salary on ‘Captain’s Para- dise’ instead of a deferment.” Her motive in taking the “Para- dise” role, she said, was to enhance her prestige by appearing in a film with Alec Guinness. The financial consideration was looked upon as secondary for “we thought the pic- ture’s market would be confined to the art houses, hence a defer- ment would be a risk.” (Actually, the film to date has grossed more than $1,000,000 in the U. S.) A ‘Harem’ Alumna An alumna of Universal’s “harem” pictures. Miss De Carlo has been off the home lot for sev- eral years although she’s tied to it on a non-exclusive contract. It calls for her to do one film a year for the studio. “When something comes up that I’d like to ao out- side I go to them (U execs) and say ‘couldn’t I please?’ And they think and say, ‘well all right.” (U’s rea- soning on this apparently takes the course that by assuming Important assignments off the lot the actress would be increasing her vtilue to it.) • In line with her off-lot “im- ovcr a hundred corporations in portant assignments” is the role of which Schine Theatres, Inc., is in- Zephora (Moses* wife) in Para- | terested and the Government at- mount’s “Ten Commandments.” torneys told the court that they Miss De Carlo, who visited Egypt would show “the corporations tied last spring for locations o*n the U P with Schine.” DeMille opus, declared she was ■—— .. ■■ — very much impressed with the vet- eran producer as a stickler for de- tail and accuracy. “He wants me,” she said, “to wear contact lenses to make my blue eyes brown. ‘But Mr. DeMille,’ I complained, ‘there are some Bedouins with blue eyes.’ “ ‘That doesn’t make any differ- ence,’ he said, ’you’re to have j brown eyes’.” Gobel Continued from page 1 High-Priced Legit Continued from page 1 ager, did not permit to go beyond their initial request calls. Gobel, says O’Malley, is all too aware of the danger of over-ex- posure, explaining that the comic went on the “Lights’ Diamond Ju- bilee” since it give him an enviable four-network introduction (“which did more to establish him as a na- tional tv personality than his com- bined appearances on his own show which preceded ‘Jubilee’).” Gobel’s guesting on the Carson show was in return for a similar appearance made by Carson on Gobel’s program, while a third outside guest shot, on the Dinah Shore show, gave Gobel exposure to an early-evening audience, whereas his own stanza isn’t seen until 10 p. m. in the east and on the Coast. the price tag put on “Pajama Game,” coproduced by Hal Prince, Robert Griffith and Frederic Bris- son. He says it, too, is $1,000,000. Also -subject to some criticism in the film field is 20th-Fox be- cause of its purchase of “Can-Can” at the fancy pj;iee of $750,000. Painful to the pic studios is the fact that they need properties, from the stage or anywhere, because of the current dearth of original story material. One factor complements the other. The cost of anything goes up when there’s a shortage. The competition for vehicles on the boards has grown plenty keen. I aging editor of all the Tex & Jinx The operators in legit are aware of programs, in the public relations this and tilting their prices accord- operation. ingly, it’s said. McCrary’s two new public reia- Recent purchases include Colum- tions accounts will be contractor- bias buy of “Solid Gold Cadillac” builders Bill Zeckendorf (Webb & at $260,000 and Hal Wallis’ acquisi-1 Knapp) and Bill Leavitt (Levittown Tex McCrary Continued from page 1 tion of “The Rainmaker” at $350,000. Propaganda Inltrtfaft't Topper Robert J. O'Donnell while he solutes the film industry's merchandising he also sees an all 'round «» Need for Industry - TV Bally * * * a bright byline piece in the forthcoming 49 th Anniversary Dumber of Pftfi/ETY OUT SOON ^ Continued from page 3 commercial motion picture or broadcasting industries) attended. Event was invitational and the tab was picked up by the Edward L. Bernays Foundation. Press was not admitted to the conference, but afterwards Ber- nays held a conference with news- papermen and defined the broad areas of discussion. An official overseas information service was endorsed as a necessity, but care- fully differentiated from a strong military, economic and financial policy. Considerable stress was placed upon the need for employes of the USIA to have the job tenure, pension* and other privileges of American civil service. The Boston press in general gave little attention to the meeting, but the Christian Science Monitor gave it frontpage notice. housing developments) and he’s just inked the United Hospital Fund to a three-year deal. Among the other wheelhorses at Ike’s stag dinner were Vice-Presi- dent Richard M. Nixon. Republican national chairman Leonard W. Hall, Sherman Adams, assistant to the President, Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr., Postmaster- General Arthur E. Summerfield, U. S. Ambassador to the U. N. Henry Cabot Lodge, and Secretary of Commerce Sinclair Weeks. ‘Hiller’ Burstyn Award to ‘Gate’ “Gate of Hell,” the Japanese color film distributed in the U. S. by Ed Harrison, has been picked as the recipient of the Interna- tional Motion Picture Distributors Assn.’s annual Joseph I. Burstyn award for the best foreign language film of the year. Award will be handed to the [ Hon. Jun Tsuchiya, the Japanese I consul general, in N. Y. Dec. 28 by ! Bosley Crowther, film critic of the I N. Y. Times. Continued from page 1 them too young to have experi- enced much of the Hitler regime. “Now to peddle papers,” tlie en- tertainer announced, and strode through the audience selling w.k. unradical German periodicals. ‘No Anti-Semitism Here* The recent N.Y. Times stories on extreme nationalism reasserting it- self in west Berlin got brushoff comment from Variety’s corres- pondents in Berlin, Bonn and Mun- ich. After exploring it they “saw no manifestations of any anti- Semitism here,” and certainly not within the show biz segment (tra- ditionally, of course, a field where "there are no frontiers on talent.” This report from Munich may be something else again—or it may be one of those screwball manifes- tations, a la Yorkville (New York’s German belt) things in the days of the Bundists. However, the Ger- man-American Bund was certainly no Campfire Girls meeting.—Ed.)