Show u St Studio dio Econ Economy n y Drives to Dent toDell Dent J Income of f Talent Peddlers rs j By ny PAUL HOLL HOLLYWOOD WOOD lay ay 23 The 23 The busiest busies and probably rob bly the unhappiest unhappiest people in Hollywood right I now W ard r odd ui the 12 agents agent Whose whose usual business is boosting the he fortunes fortune arid rid Iid act activities i ies of some some players These ese fl peddlers flesh sh pe col collect collect- t. t 10 per cent erit of whatever their ir clients make Today though the agents are attempting attempting at nt- tempting tempting- only to hold the the-Ir own against the e concert concerted d d. bearsh drive of ot all the tu flicker ker companies If It any Important economies are t to to- tobe be effected ef ci in production without the quality bf Sf pictures suffering too much actors and actresses in the higher brackets are going to have to take tako it It- Iton on checks 4 a. Fireworks Follow Stand There have been attempts before this to knock down player salaries but the moves moves always alway ys w were v re broken up by a few sly siy rebels like Sam Goldwyn who'd overbid c competitors and grab a lot of choice talent Today however producers are standing together and many wild scenes are ars being played In ia their offices when ag agents come to talk about new contracts contract Several prominent prominent nent players who last JaSt ast year commanded commanded commanded com com- wages of ot tJ from m to a week now are are known to tobe tobe tobe be working at approximately half halt those figures You can Imagine the plight of ot an agent who has to go to an autocratic autocratic autocratic auto auto- cratic actor and say Im rm sorry old man but I could only get half halt of what youre you're worth You know how things are around town tow town the the the other agents are cutting my Whenever I mentioned real dough tho the studio studios would scream that they could hire hire- good actors like Henry or r Mar Marshall hall McGeorge practically for buttons Cakes and Coffee Besides the th Headaches aches involved these events are te making quite a adent adent adent dent in the incomes of the talent peddlers For e the es astute ute Harry Eddington used used to collect a neat every time M Marlene Dietrich made a picture Then sh she hd was fired by Paramount and when she next works again it will when be for much much less than per film Greta Garbo is another Eddington client whose recent pictures pictures' have nave meant more in studio prestige prestige- than thanin I in black figures on the ledgers I Grace Moore and Gladys are two of his singing whose services ar are likely to be less lessIn lessin lessin in demand by an Industry which has grown very ot musicals I II I Most Mos e tf ot of the per 10 although although- reluctantly agreeing that they are a necessary evil Most Most agents agents on the other hand are able to cite dozens of instances instance in n which they have tripled d and quadrupled clients clients' salaries through elaborate stratagems and ani maneuvers maneu maneu- vers In- In studio politics s v There o are e plenty of ot tars stars with with no flO io business acumen who who still might b be bO playing playing- bit r roles les or nothing at all but jut tot for the skillful handling of their contracts |