The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-05-01
HOLLYWOOD
LOT
By TED TAYLOR

A share-the-workers plan Is bein,
worked out by motion picture pro
ducers. 1t is based on the theory tina
skilled talent drawn into the armed
forces or war industries cannot BIZ
replaced Less skilled employees mo-
subject to draft are being encouraged
to train for technical specialities.
At the same time revisions of wages
to partially compensate for war prices
are still reluctantly debated in the
cases of several unions and guilds
which have been seeking adjustments
since last fall. And the DOGGY OF
wage-freezing is used to stampede
smaller guilds without labor affilia-
ton into acceptance of what is offered
them.
The case of the Screen Publicists
Guilds (unaffiliated) INVOLVES an in
crease of about $3.50 a week distrib-
uted among eight studios. The chief
studio in opposition, however, has
chopped it's publicity payroll by $3.50
or so in apparent anticipation of
raises.
situation by utilization with the Bro.
of Painters Decorators & Paperhang-
ers (AFL) and resumed negotiations
on a much stronger basis. Total
amount involved probably is around
$500 weekly for the entire industry.
Offer Fabulous Sums for Stories
Naturally, the Hollywood workers
forced into prolonged arguments over
a few hundred dollars are interested
in hearing that M.G.M and goth Cen
tury-Fox offered $250,000 for the
rights to film John Steinbeck's The
Moon is Down. That another
Broadway Show, Junior Miss, is being
offered to Hollywood for 100000. :.
That Columbia has bought film rights
to the musical, Best Foot Forward,
for 100000. And that three orig
inals, stories written directly for mo-
ton pictures, have been purchased for
$4,000, $4,000 and $4,000.
The last buys are interesting from
another viewpoint-the new recogni- |
ton of the war as the great reality, |
They are:
Scorched Earth, about the American
guest conductor of Tchaikowsky fes-
tival in the U.S.S.R. who is caught |
in the nazi invasion (M.G.M. buy).
Knights Without Armor, about guer-
rilla warfare in Yugoslavia in which |
five legendary heroes participate Geo.
lumbia buy).
Sans Patri, by the authors of Mu-
tiny on the Bounty, about escapers
from Devils Island who enlist with
the Free French (Warner Bros. buy).
Titles are valuable properties. Some
smaller producers have been known
to lock their list of titles in the safe
at night as their chief assets Right
now war naturals" are jealously
guarded.
Indian Givers on Movie Title
Monogram wanted to make Tell 1t
to the Marines. The Hays Office,
which keeps track of who's entitled
to what title, told the independent
to think up another. M.G.M.
claims priority, having filmed Tell 1t
To the Marines in 1927 with Lon
CLANCY. }
Monogram is not entirely at a loss,
laving priority on Here Come the
Marines They had entrusted the ;,
title to George Hirliman to make a
picture, but not liking the completed 9
lin they took back the title. Hirli- .
nan has a perfectly good picture now, !.
1 he can get title for it.
Wake Island, for purposes of cine :,
has been set up far from :
ubmarine zones. Scenes showing
apanese planes bombing the Marines :,
or Paramounts' picture are being :,
lined at Salt Lake. The main COM =,
any is filming the dramatic action :,
t Salton Sea, Calif-no great dis =
ance from the Japanese concentra- :
ion at Owens Valley.