Wages of Cinema

After hearing from bookkeepers and auditors, after making certain that other cinema producers would do likewise, Paramount-Famous-Lasky Corp. last week ordered a reduction of at least 10% in wages of employes working at their Hollywood studio. Only men and women getting $50 a week or more were affected immediately. But those receiving pay in the higher brackets were obliged to accept cuts up to 25%. President Adolph Zukor knocked one-fourth off his own pay check, as did his chief officials. This made Paramount-Famous-Lasky's top payroll read for the year, according to reports from their Manhattan office: Adolph Zukor, president, $150,000; Jesse L. Lasky, vice president, $150,000; Sidney R. Kent, general manager, $75,000; Walter Wanger, general production manager, $75,000; E. J. Ludvigh, treasurer, $50,000.

Because wages constitute three-fifths of the cost of producing films, General Manager Richard A. Rowland of First National Pictures Corp. said last week that his company also would reduce wages to a degree as then not determined. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and 13 other companies are expected to follow suit. Altogether, these producers will save very near to $10,000,000 a year on their payrolls.

Present weekly wages of some cinemactors are said to be:

Thomas Meighan $7,500

Clara Bow 6,000

Pola Negri 6,000

Adolphe Menjou $5,000

Richard Dix 5,000

Lon Chaney 3,500

Emil Jannings 3,000

Wallace Beery 2,800

Bebe Daniels 2,500

Florence Vidor 2,500

Chester Conklin 1,000