The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-23
Schemes For Cooperative Productions
 Hit Both BroadtOay And HolLyOood
By GILBERT SWAN MEA Service Writer

New York-Revoft and change sweep the entertainment world from Hollywood Boulevard to
 while the star rebellion goes on in Hollywood, Involving Jimmy Cagney, Director Won stefnberg, Marlene Dietrich and other screen notables, there are portents in Manhattan of spectacular develop ments. Tn the process of being launched any moment, for instance, is . cooperative film concern to be known as the Screen Guild.
 Headed and organized by Mike Levee, veteran movie executive. the Guild already has the backing of such notables as Mary Pickford, Fitzmaurice, Mervyn Leroy and Benjamin Giazer.
 Under the cooperative plans of . the Guild, stars of directors who believe in their hit-making talents would not have to wrangle over salary contracts, studio politics and such; they would share in the profits of the picture. Levee says there are scores willing and an- xious to take such Q chance. Over head on production would be cut to Q minimum, since the pay would be lessende in consideration of the possible co-op profits of hit picture.
 "Just before I left for New York" related Levee, "I had a little gathering at my Hollywood home. Practically every big di- rector was there. And enthusias- tice. Every director has had some picture he dreafhed of making; every scenartist has had some story he believed in but never could get considered, thanks to the old studio methods.
 "The Guild wilf release through United Artists. We are not out to fight the film concerns; we are merely coming in with a new idea at what seems the propitious mos ment. Two years ago such an idea as this would have been impos- sible. Today 1t fills a cognized sap; p;,v.,,,,. ,vso .,o,,. n. ,,,.. # the ridiculous overhead in al- most every studio. Seemingly this Is unavoidable under former or- ganizations. But it's all simpllfied in Q profit sharing arrangement"
 Broadway, downcast at the flag end of the worBt season In It's his- tory, with theaters dark and pro- ducers fearful of sinking money In stage ventures, sees new hope and promise in experiments now being readied for another year.
 Tho group, guild and coopera- tive ideas pred0minhte.
 Most original of several propo. sltions is the Commonwealth The ater, which will have for the first time a cooperative audience. It isn't as odd as it sotinds, Tho method is this; three sets of audi enoes will be sold memberships. after the fashion of the Theatcr Guild. Members gets seats to four productions. They attend the pre- mieres and act us critics. Having voting power, they determine whether q given play merits pro- duction. If the drama goes on and wins success, the members
 Heading this unique concern arc Deems Taylor, composer, ana crit ice. and Romney Brent, well ss tf1fa
 Then there's tho New York Stage society. It has another twist In that 1t ip merely q try-out thenter. On It's play.reading board are such well known literary folk as Chris. topher Morley, Carl Van Doren, Barrett Clark, John Erslsine and Cieon ,Throckmorton, They will produce plays for members only and the general public must wait to see what happens. If pro- duction appears to have lcommer- cial possibilities, tho Broadway managers will be called in to bid on 1t. If someone decides to put it on, then tho play becomes pub. lic property. Which is, for once, try-out scheme which at least in- sures money back for all concern.