NOW
At 2.30, 4.50,
★ KINGS ★
SHOWING
7.10 & 9.30 p.m.
]. Arthur Rank prosents: VIVIEN LEIGH * CLAUDE RAINS
in Bernard Shaw's
"CAESAR
AND
CLEOPATRA’
It's A Temptation in Technicolor
with
Stewart GRANGER Flora ROBSON Francis L. SULLIVAN Produced and Directed by GABRIEL PASCAL EACLE-LION DISTRIBUTION
咖
Two and A. Half Thrilled-Packed Hours of Spectacle, Romance, Drama, Shavian Wit in the Most Lavish Film Ever Prodacad.
LEE THEATRE
TOWN BOOKING OFFICE →→
W. HAKING & 00. ALEXANDRA BLDG. BR. FL. BETWEEN 11.00 AM. AND 5.00 P.M. DAILY
SHOWING TO-DAY AT 2.30, 5.10, 7.10 & 9.15 P.M.
Romance and Rhythm to Rave and to Cheer About!
DON
JANET
•
JACK
AMECHE BLAIR OAKIE
GREGORY
RATOFF'S
SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT
·
COLUMBIA PICTURE
with William GAXTON Cobina WRIGHT, JR.
and Hazel SCOTT SONGS BY Cole PORTER
Icreen piky by Lou Breslow and Edward Elace Produced and Directed by GREGORY RATOFF
S STAR S
THEATRE
COMBINED SERVICES ENTERTAINMENT
prosents
PEARL BERESFORD'S
"LONDON BY NIGHT"
with
STARS FROM THE WINDMILL AND WHITEHALL THEATRES
NIGHTLY AT 7.30 P.M.
LAST PERFORMANCE SATURDAY, 8TH FEB. 1947.
BOOKING HOURS: 12 p.m.-2_p.m.
Telephone: 58335.
SUNDAY ONLY
4 p.m.-6.30 p.m.
"MUSIC FOR ALL"
CARMELITA LAWLESS LOUISE
with
and
.Pianoforto ..Soprano
The Band of the 2nd Battalion, The WEST YORKSHIRE RECT. (THE PRINCE OF WALES' OWN)
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF, DAN D MASTER. B. D. WHITE A.R.C.M. AT 7.30 P.M.
PROGRAMME INCLUDES:—'
"THE UNFINISHED ``SYMPHONY"
Works By--Chopin, Beethoven, Sibelius
Tchaikowsky, Verdi, Mascaghi
BOOKING HOURS: 12 p.m.-—2 p.m.' 4 p.m.-6.30 p.m.
Telephone: 58335.
CATHAY
IWANCHAI ROAD WANCHAN
Tyrono
POWER
SHOWING TO-DAY —
At 2.30, 5.15, 7.15 & 9.15 p.m.
Maureen
O'HARA in the
"BLACK SWAN"
rithi Thomas MITCHELL- George SANDERS
CA 20th Century-Fox "Picturo-
THE HONGKO
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1947.
The money in books
and who makes it
Margaret Mitchell
Gone With the Wind
Hervey Allan - ·Daphne da Mäurler Anthony Adversa British best-seller.
by William Simpson, D.F.C.
Sholokhov And Quiet Flows the Don
HUNDRED THOUSAND little-known writers would gladly give. their right hand for a place among the few who are accepted by the reading world and whose works become best-sellers,
They yearn for the power to sway men, to amuse and entertain, They yearn for money and the freedom that goes with it; security, and the ability to wander freely where they will.
And they would, therefore, pro- 'bably be surprised to learn that many an author who is well known to thousands is lucky if he earns thousand a year.
1
And that poetry simply does not eurn o living. Why is this so?
First, because he gets only from ten to 20 per cent. of the selling price of his books. And that is sub- ject to tax at 0s. In the pound up to
supertax level.
Secondly, because there is still only small amount of paper available to book publishers.
A
A bad time
WRITER is badly hit by income tax-particularly if he can pro duce only one really good selling book in a lifetime.
And although people will buy al. most any book now offered to them, this does not greatly help the writer whose books are printed in thousands Instead of hundreds of thousands.
This is, in fact, as bad a time for writers in Britain as for anyone else. They pray for the good fortune of aclling film rights of their books-a!
Time, £10,000 a
perhaps though even that is heavily laxed.
But there have been harder times before. Shakespeare never mude more than £200 a year, Milton re- ceived only £15 for Paradise Lost, and Oliver Goldsmith about £60 for The Vicar of Wakefield.
Then Umes improved, oo thousands more people learned 10 read. Sir Walter Scott carned a tidy £200,000, it is sald, from his novels. Trollope
£70,000 and Mark Twain £300,000 all in a Hetime of writing.
Lew Wallace made about £80,000 out of Ben Hur and The Prince of
India, "Sapper" as much from his Buildog Drummond yarns, and Edgar Wallace, it is said, made a round million.
Ample yearly incomes were en- joyed by a handful of writers not so very long ago. For instance, Sir Hall Caine (£60,000) and Str Jumce Barrie (£45,000) In their prime; with Shaw, Arnold Bennett, Wells -and Somerset Maugham working into the same class-eventually to earn more.
i
£2 a word
JONAN, Doyle, would have left a big fortune but for the money he devoted to spiritualiam,
Fourteen years ago, when only 32,
Elizabeth Goudge
Green Dolphin Countru
Terence Rattigan is perhaps the most envied of all. French Without Tears and While the Sun Shines both exceeded 1.000 performances in the West End. He must have carned 10 well over £50.000 in the last years perhaps £10,000,
the
And his skill has enriched Treasury in entertainment and lu come tax to the extent of four or five times that figure, but I doubt if more than £10,000 has gone into his i
Rosemary is rather under a cloud at the moment."
Of bribes and brides
and owls and skunks
By PAUL HOLT
WHAT a bribe?
wn pocket to be a successful Worth to come Sir LAURINDO ANTUNES PEREIRA,
writer in Russia. For Russian writers--like film producers, inven- Noel Coward was earning a stondy tors and other men of ideas-are in
a special class.
£50,000 a year as n dramatist and actor. He may earn as much to-lay -but most of it enriches the Ex- chequer.
More than Stalin
are
s
But consider Uta dilemma of the police. There is only one sentence applicable to witchcraft, and that burning at the stake. I can hear the chief of police in the town square: "No, no! Gonzales. In these days of fuel shortage five faggots is quite enough."
arrested for witchcraft by the Valentine Holmes, KC, is hold-Liabon, police, refused to go along to ing an inquiry at the BBC, try. Jail without his tame owl, But of course. Such a man would feel ing to find out. Of course, undressed without an owl. being a legal gent., he will not agree with this opinion:-
A bribe is a bribe when a bribe And at the same time Journey's ¦ THEY earn incomes atonc far in proffered to induce the other End made a quick and very large
to do something he didn't fortune for B. C. Sherriff, and The
fellow excess of Stalin's-If they Good Companions
Dughter. hod
A bribe is not a bribe when a bribe Inundhood. J. 1. Priestley as one of the most And on top of that they have pri- is a gift or token passed between
acquaintances Buccessful plas-wright novelists of our vileges that money alone cannot buy two
who have
Other times time.
homes in town and country, ser legitimate current or future business vants. Juxury food, comfortable to do together,, Otherwise Christ-
travel.
mas cards would be immoral and THERE is a remarkable book on sale called "King Jesus," by calendars a crime.
Robert Graves. With careful and By 1935 it was said that 10.000,-
If you were to see Sir 000 coples of the works of Maxim Thomas Deecham staggering up the mounting detall he puts forward the thenry that Christ was the lawful Gorki had been published, and be- steps of the BBC on his way to ace son of Antipater, eldest son of tween 1,500,000 and 3.000,000 coples Mr Victor Hely-Hutchinson with Herod." "Christ,"
ho says, of those of Novikov Fribol, Pan-half sock of coal on his back "King of royal blood, or "the
perov and Sholokhov,
you should not be shocked.
apointed one." For it is obvious that Sir Thomas is worthy to be hired to conduct a When I was a young reporter there BBC orchestra, and if he should would have been protests, proces- desire to sweeten his proper bust slons, burnings, rows in Parliament, host gesture of passionate pulpit pieces and neas relationship by a regard, then that is his affair. But of Sunday newspaper excoriations event. Now we take an incompetent conductor got a job over such by humping coal, then it would be it much for granted. shocking and a great shame.
Through the same years to royalties poured into the pockets of Shaw. A. A. Milne, Wolls, Michaci Arlen, Somerest Maugham, P. G. Wodehouse....
The '20s and 30s--those were the days. Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and A. S. M. Hut- chinson's If Winter Comes swept through
Amen.co.
Western Europe and
Since then the number of copies of one book alone And Quiet Flows the Don, by Sholokhov sold in Russia has risen to 10,000,000. -
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, by Blasco Ibanez, and
Russian poets are best-sellers, too Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Aben,--13,500,000 copies of Pushkin were boky sold more than 2,000,000 coples produced to celebrate the hundredth in America.
anniversary of his death in 1937.
Successes
IPLING'S works hind reached world sales of more 'han 6,000,000 by the middle of the '30s.
Charles
But In His Steps, by Monroe Sheldon, had passed 8,000, 000 in the United States none; 3,000,000 copies of Freckles, by Gene Stratton Porter, had appeared; and 80,000 copica of the works of Join Mascheld-a remarkable success for a xving poet.
Edgar Wallace. Phillips Oppen heim P. C. Wien, "Sapper," Glibert Frankau, P. G. Wodehouse, and
uthers were making big dozen money.
Others weTO emerging as best- sellers: Frances Brett Young, Ernest Raymond, Kenneth Roberts, Negley Farson, Howard Spring. Warwick Deeping, A. J. Cronin, Denise Robins, Christie, Agatha Ethel M. Dell, Denis Wheatley, H. V. Morton, Ernest Mitchell, Hemingway, Margaret Daphne du Maurler..
Best-sellers were filmed, and films sold books that would otherwise nover have become best-sellers,
You read the book, then went to the film for the pleasure of criticism; or you saw the film first, then de- elded to read the book--to and out left £250,000, what the real story was all about, Barrie £173,000, Kipling £155,000, perhaps. Dickens £93,000, Hardy £91,000, Galsworthy £88,000, and Arnold Bennett £40,000.
Sir Hall Caine
And it was all good money, too- earned in times of low taxation and relatively cheap prices.
about £2 a word.
pald
And Hollywood has paid anything from £10,000 to £100.000 and more for a book.
Not all profit
Even a poet could live then. An BUT it is not all profit for the Dauthor. Although Gone with the American magazine onco Tennyson £200 for a short poem Wind has now sold well over 3,000,- 000 coples and made more than Mitchell, £300,000 for Margaret taxation took 70 per cent of her first year's carnings-reducing £100,000 to £30,000.
Handsome sums have been offered for the reminiscences of the famous. Lloyd George Is reported to have sold his war memoirs for £90,000. The Ka'ser and Ludendorff were offered £40,500 each.
Other perlodioris have offered Shaw more than 8s. a word for an article, paid Conan Doyle £9,000 for a dozen now adventures of Sherlook And when this year Elizabeth Holmes, and Kipling £6,000 for the Goudge heard that Hollywood had rights of Kim,
awarded her a prize for Green Dol- £30,000 would mean only about £3- phin Country, she found that the tax. 000 for her after American agent's fees and British tax had been taken off. And
It is true that Ernest Hemingway makes £30.000 in one A year of journalism cared year out of an American magazine, £20,000 for Calvin Coolidge-more tax will be 74 per cent, reducing his than his salary, as President of the takings to £7,500.
Incidentally, for But he is not likely to worry much United States,
about that, for he is said to have many years Lloyd George mado à similar annual income
been from
paid £230,000 by. Hollywood for a short film story. And he has Journalism.
eamed Immense royalties from Fare- All these sums have been dwarded well to Arms, For Whom the Bell by offers to Churchill, Eisenhower Tolls and his other works. and. other leaders of the second World War,
'NANCY
But taxation can hit the young Bri- tish dramatist heavily.
Nancy Usos Psychology
OH, DEAR --MY TEACHER TOLD ME TO GIVE THIS NOTE TO [AUNT FRITZI-~
TUM TA♬
· TEE A
TUM
NANCY--- HOW
DARE YOU THROW PAPER ON THE FLOOR ?
or
Thus,
Smell control?
means
The truth is that we all live by bribes in some degree. A reporter put brings back a cigar from a banquet NOT content with taking the taste out of things, now they plan to State throws a cocktail party for his take the smell out of things. There is
heits clients.
And all these writers can away their wealth, invest it in State to his news editor. A business mon Insurance, savings bank, loan-and leave it their. when they die.
They pay very litle in tax, and their royalties are
worked on basis of about six per cent of the selling price.
But there is a catch.
B
mns.
And, of course, there is the in- tangible bribe. You want a new car? Perhaps you know a man who has both a new car and also a pretty niece who wants to get into films. So you offer to introduce her to a
A managing director sends an invention on the market to take. out bonuses to his staff at Christ- the smell out of wet paint. There is. avogue in America for adopting deodorised skunks as pels.
I met that imperious young actress Margaret O'Brien in Hollywood and she informed me that it was har ambition to own a deodorised skunk Without thinking much of what I was saying, I replied: "Poor skunk, if they take his smell away, maybe the other skunks won't like him.”
but I stall."
"Maybe not," said Miss O'Brien,
They wonder
·
THE knighthood given to Ralph
All privileges and attendant riches film director who plays golf at your can stop abruptly If the writer at club. You might even go,so far as tempts to rest too long on his laurels; to lose to the fellow.
harm
rm is done? Very Now, what or if he pokes seemingly innocent little, so long as the car goes and fun at the bureaucracy of the State. the girl can act. If neither, then an Only this year Zoshenko, a brilhonest man would put the girl in lant humoris, did this. He was ex- Hed. First and your honest run.
Richardson smartly divided my pelled from the writers' closed shop Head. First find your honest man.
-the Union of Sovlet Writers,
So coy!
friends into two groups. There were those full of praise for Richardson. went to a wedding the other day. There were others full of reasons After the cake cutting and the why the honour had not gone to his best man's speech, a vast
toast-colleague Laurence Olivier. master read out the telegrams. Idly One reason, they opined, was that I counted. Twenty-four. Out of both Mr and Mrs Olivler have been which four said: "May all your married before, troubles be little ones,”
CROSSWORD
Across Peru Dawn. (ABG), (9)
7. in a cousical santo this giros FOU
the cat rope, 183 6. On the river" Olona in Italy, tôi 11. It's O.R. to do this as long
you are not splitting, (4) 12. The closest resemblance, possible.
(0)
14. They used to amuse the troops,
18. " Very tasty, vary aweat," (0) 18. A'droll sort of coin. (6) 10. Unite (3)
19. Where you may hear many a 20. Laco. (47
11. Daually a drunken rezel (4)
Must the doctor possess to die
this way (51
13. Went for the amphibian. (4)
Down
Put up for election, (9)
2. You' may get a this from plod
mice. (8)
3. Garment that makes the idiot
RAID. (0)
Upper chamber. (8)
Breets of the past. (7)
6. Land cheer of the list of names.
-8, fve demandod for safe retura, jāj 10. He usually collecta with interest,
(d) IS. ABBUR, TOJ 17. Forsaken. (6)
Aniution of posterday's pasalt,-kerejst *Emigrante B, NÚI T. Horse; 10, Decidra; 18, Hand: 149 hot; 15. Aunnɔwi 17. ARE: 1B, 880) 19. Thou; 21, TILE: 22, Timely: the Dolophan. Enlai dab; 3. dezanima
Rainu; B. Dentinel) "b,
10. sle: 00, QUE
PICK IT UP IMMEDIATELY AND THROW IT AWAY,
I
But this, if true, is terrible.” In the Slate never to honour her sons bo- cause they wero опсе unhappily married? Or is this: savage veto Intended only for the arts? If not, there are a good many K.B.E.s going the caka at around nowadays with the quaintest
little skeletons in their cupboards,
Why, oh, why, is it that weddings make opportunity for endless coy salocity? Brides always smile. If were a bride, which heaven has for. bidden, I'd shout "Mind-your-own- business," and throw them.
According To Culbertson
(Copyright, 1947, by Ely Culbertson)
Every thoughtful player knows that, double was equally critically short. he must consider the bidding when in partner's suit. choosing the best line of play. In to- day's deal, South remembered the bidding, but didn't really consider it.
West dealer Neither side vulnerable
NORTA 4.Q 54 VATE
742 w AKDE
WEST A87 2
EAST
* 3 30 3 4 4 8
*K 208 I • 10 40.
SOUTH
• KJO Z
4954
The bidding: West
Narth
Peable Jus
1 KORA J'ass
امية
Mouth
2 hearts 4 no sevis TAKE
West's opening bid was skimpy bul
West opened a low diamond, and South won with the queen. He led a spade to the queen and returned a spade, losing to West's ace. Weat then led another diamond and South took his acO.
Declarer saw that he would need. two heart tricks and remembered that East had bid hearts. Therefore be entered dummy with a club and led a heart toward his queen. Naturally, West took the heart king and the rest of the diamonds, setting the con- tract.
If South had really considered the bidding, he would have realised that West could not have munde his open- ing bid without the king of hearts, but that East didn't really need the heart king for his rescue bid of two hearto
In these circumstan
three
right play was to cash of clubs and the remaining
the
in
sound enough in view of the excellent spades, after which West could be distribution. North's takeout double won in with a spade or a diamond. would be able to take two iricks
to lead was equally skimpy, without the com- but would then have
AWIJ pensation of good distribution. East's from his king of hearts, allowing. ld of two hearts was in the nature declarer to win a trick with the heart. of a rescue, a type of bid aften made queen and another with dummy's by good players, over a takeout
By Ernie Bushmiller
ORDERS IS.
ORDERS
асс.
When You Feel Tired and Restless
take
Elliotts Nerve
Brain Tonic
and
On Solo at All Disponzarias,