Evening star., 1940-06-09

(at a reduced scale) from all the
studios over years time.
Guild requirements naturally
would override any such roster
reduction project right now but
studios are reported to be bidine
their time. AS fast as six-month
option clauses come up for renewal
an increasingly large number OF
established players are likely to find
themselves forced into already
crowded free-lance pastures. Big
timers of only two and three years
back are today roaming those lone
some paths unable to gather up
more than a few bit-role crumbs
from month to month.
If Hollywood does put through its
35 per cent slash (as it must to
survive) it will nick weekly pay rolls
to the extent of S735 .0OO-this figure
arrived at from industry statistics
compiled last year. However, the
bulk of this amount can ge traced
to executives equipped with rock
ribbed contracts and to star players
with long-term contracts who would
be unlikely to discuss any sizable
cut in their earnings, even in such
an emergency.
Some Are Well Of.
Highest amounts in the brain
power" ranks are dispensed to Louis
B. Mayer, Edward Mannix and a
couple of New York Office execu-
tives of the Metro -Goldwyn Mayer
Studio Daryl F. Zanuck, Joseph
Schenck, Sidney Kent and other
guiding minds of Twentieth Cen
tury-Fox took voluntary" and siz-
able wage reductions at the outset
of the war. but probably none in
either group is yet pinched for any
of the little luxuries of life.
Last of the dollar dazzling con-
tracts signed in Hollywood was a
straight seven-year deal which Clark
Gable won from M-G-M last fall
after he finished his job in Gone
With the Wind" Although no Of
ficial figures were given out, it is
said in reliable quarters that Gable
is now drawing close to $4,000 week
for So weeks year, with "a month
off for hunting The war had been
under way couple of months when
Gable was handed this rich pact.
Spencer Tracy. under a new ar
rangement, following his Boys
Town" success, with its subsequent
academy award, is reported to be
getting $1,000 a week. Other weekly
stipends are comparatively modest.
Mickey Rooney. biggest money
maker of last year, gets $4,000 weekly
and into the same approximate
classification fall such brilliant
lights as Tyrone Power. Bette Davis,
Alice Faye, Enrol Flynn. James
Cagney, Sonia Henie, Bing Crosby
and Deanna Durbin.
Out With the Small Fry.
In the latest Federal tax reports
Claudette Colbert was revealed as
the largest wage-earner among all
actors. Claudette, like Carole Lom-
bard, dropped off regular contract
lists about two years ago and tackled
straight $150,00O-a-picture sign on
her services. The name of neithe.
graces the enviable first 10" list
yet both have been in constant de-
mand at all studios. Never since
their declaration of independence
have they been in need of picture
What attitude the industry will
hereafter take toward $150,O00-a-
picture stars remains to be SEEN
but it isn't difficult to guess.
Meanwhile, about the only con-
crete evidence available that Holly
wood is definitely out to trim its
overhead is the wholesale dismissal
of stenographers, secretaries, mes
senger boys and other small fry.
To date Paramount is the only big
lot in town that has swung the
knife from the top downward
Almost overnight large heaps Of
dead wood among unproducing pro.