Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

Alert, to the^to Picture Industry tion MOTION PICTURE DAI 50. NO. 65 NEW YORK, U.S.A.. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 16 Complaints In Arbitration Filed in Sept. Total Number for Eight Months Is 123 No increase in the average monthly number of arbitration complaints was recorded during September, despite the fact that it was the first full month that all abitration provisions of the consent decree were in effect. During the month 16 new complaints were filed, exactly maintaining the monthly average for the previous seven months that the arbitration system has been in operation. The (Continued on pane 2) Ministry to Aid Film Fight for Manpower London, Sept. 30. — Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information, has agreed to help the film industry in its fight to prevent the call to military service of technicians in numbers which, according to trade protests, would seriously affect the industry. Bracken has asked British and American producers to outline by Thursday production plans for the next year. The Association of Cine Technicians has charged the Government with the intention of "wrecking" the industry as a result of the latest call of technicians for service. The organization's statement says only 450 technicians are to be left, and the calling of laboratory technicians will interfere also with the processing of American films. Stress British Need Of Production Plan The need of a planned schedule of British production is stressed in a survey of the industry's situation in the war, in the report of the Cinematograph Films Council for the year ended March 31, last. The report blames the present condition on two chief factors, lack of financing and lack of coordination between Government departments interested in films. The report recommends the Government proceed with plans to preserve an industry nucleus. A record number of 12 distributor defaults on quota and 316 exhibitor defaults were noted for the quota year. Coast Variety Club Officers Inducted; Skouras Is Head Los Angeles. Sept. 30. — Charles P. Skouras, Fox West Coast head and Chief Barker of Tent 25 of the Variety Club, pledged the new club to a program of charity and fraternity in consonance w i t h ^ H t'lc >nH)<Ji'tance of the production community in the affairs of show business, at the induction of officers at the Ambassador Hotel last night. The induction Charles skourus took place in the presence of 200 members and 175 guests, including studio executives, guild officers, production talent and the press, John H. Harris, Jr., of Pittsburgh, Variety Club founder, presented the charter (Continued on page 3) Mohme Quits Mexico Post with 20th-Fox Gustav Mohme, manager in Mexico City for 20th Century-Fox for the past eight years, has resigned, Walter J. Hutchinson, foreign head, announced yesterday. \To successor has been named as yet. The resignation, due to ill health, will take effect in a few weeks. Mohme formerly w ;l-> manager for Columbia in Chile, going to the 20th Century-Fox post in 1933. First in RKO Cancels Fight Film Distribution Films of the Louis-Nova championship bout at the Polo Grounds Monday night will not be released by RKO as planned, it was announced yesterday. It was said that the coverage "did not contain sufficient pictorial ring action to measure up to the high standard of fight films heretofore released." Demands of Studio Unions Presented; Answers Thursday Cameramen and sound technicians' locals presented their demands to producers' labor representatives here yesterday, completing the submission of demands by the I.A.T.S'.E. studio locals. No meeting is scheduled for today because of the Jewish holiday but the negotiations will be resumed tomorrow at the office of Pat Casey, producers' labor representative, at which time the producers' response to the demands of some of the locals will be given. Steve Newman and Carl Cooper, I. A. West Coast representatives, are sitting in on the negotiations in advisory capacities. Their presence, along with that of the business representatives of the locals, does not signify relinquishment of local autonomy by the studio unions nor does it presage in any way the re-entry of the I. A. into the studio basic agreement, it was said. Who Cares About Grosses With 'Dem Bums 9 in Series By EDWARD GREIF "Oh, the outlook wasn't brilliant for the Brooklyn grosses that day. . . ." Are the Brooklyn theatre managers downhearted? No! They're looking forward to being able to listen to broadcasts of the World Series in the peace and quiet of their offices, today and for the rest of the week. The projectionists will have little portable radios in their booths and the electricians and ushers will be gathered in little knots listening to some more of the same. The kids who will pay their way into the theatre will also be carrying their portables and listening to the games while watching the picture just as they have been doing for the past month of the hectic National League race. Circuit operators have passed the word along to managers to take it easy on celebrants if Brooklyn wins. (Voice from the balcony : "Whaddya mean 'if Brooklyn wins?"). Instruc tions are to quiet the celebrants, if possible, and keep them from ripping up the chairs. Scores will be announced in almost every Brooklyn house between fea tures. Of course, if Pete Reiser puts (Continued on page 3) Allied Units Ratify Joint Industry Plan Majority Back Proposal Convention Rejected Washington, Sept. 30. — A majority of Allied regional units have ratified the resolution for a national joint committee designed to promote all-industry relations, national headquarters of Allied States Association announced here today. The resolution was unexpectedly rejected at the exhibitor organization convention in Philadelphia recently, by the delegates present, and the officers resigned as a result. The directorate determined on a referendum of affiliated units, and the officers' resignations were held in abeyance pending the result, which is now announced. The regional associations which ratified the resolution are listed by the national body as follows : Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, MPTO of Maryland, Allied Theatre Owners of Illinois, Allied MPTO of Western (Continued on page 3) St. Louis Bill Would Tax Theatre Gross St. Louis, Sept. 30. — A bill providing for a one per cent tax on gross receipts of nearly 90 theatres in St. Louis, expected to yield about $1,100 a week, has been introduced in the Board of Aldermen. Fred Wehrenberg, head of the MPTO A here, immediately announced a campaign to defeat the measure would be launched, pointing out a similar campaign was successful several years ago when a two per cent tax was proposed. At present all theatres in the city pay a flat $150 fee a year. Morton Now Heads Television at NBC In a shakeup at the NBC television setup, Thomas H. Hutchinson, production manager, has left the station and Alfred H. Morton, vice-president in charge of television, has assumed active supervision of programs with Warren Wade named executive producer. Arthur H. Hungerford, who has been in charge of purchase of motion picture films, has been promoted to business manager.