Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

6 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 2, 1943 Urge War Loan Sales Reports by Oct 4 With the Third War Loan ready for the mothballs and the industry's participation officially termed a truly remarkable patriotic achievement, L. C. Griffith, campaign's general chairman, this week emphasized the need for "buttoning-up " the job with accurate figures by October 4th. The figures requested were to bs exclusive of sales tallied by the Airmada or the Cavalcade and would include premieres, free movie day, etc. Since the drive ended on Sept. 30, thus leaving 4 days for the tallying and report of results in all territories. Griffith, in a flash bulletin to all state war bond chairmen, declared: "We must have a final report promptly at the close of the campaign, in order that we may let the War Finance Committee know of the excellent work done by each and every one of you. We of the industry, in all modesty, are proud of the fine job that has been done by the members of the WAC. We want to pass on the facts of that fine job to the proper people." Paramount Putting 8 More Into Production; 3 Musicals Paramount will start eight more features during the next five weeks. They are: "Rainbow Island," Technicolor musical, which will star Dorothy Lamour, Eddie Bracken, Gil Lamb, directed by Frank Tuttle, and produced by E. D. Leshin; "The Man in Half Moon Street," with Nils Asther, directed by Ralph Murphy and produced by Walter MacEwen ; "Double Indemnity," starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson, directed by Billy Wilder, and produced by Joseph Sistrom ; a Mark Sandrich production as yet untitled, which will co-star Paulette Goddard and Sonny Tufts. Also "Incendiary Blonde," musical based on the life of Texas Guinan, starring Betty Hutton; "The Hitler Gang," with Robert Watson as Hitler ; "Tomorrow's Harvest," starring Ray Milland, Maureen O'Hara, with Katina Paxinou, directed by Frank Borzage ; and "You Can't Ration Love," collegiate film musical starring Betty Rhodes and Johnnie Johnston. Thirty-two Percent of Monogram 1943-44 Program Now Ready Thirteen of the 40 pictures scheduled for regular release on Monogram's 1943-44 program have been completed or are now in production. Only film in the latter category is "Lady, Let's Dance," musical extravaganza starring Belita, on which the studio has set a $500,000 budget. With the other twelve completed, this makes 32 per cent of next season's releases ready for the market before the release date of the first 1943-44 production. "The Sultan's Daughter," Ann Corio special outside the regular program, has also been finished. Pictures now in the vault include "The Unknown Guest." "Women in Bondage," "Sweethearts of the U.S.A.," "Spotlight Scandals," "Melody Parade," "Charlie Chan in the Secret Service," "The Texas Kid," "Death Valley Rangers," "Westward Bound," "Mr. Muggs Steps Out," "Follow the Leader" and "The Million Dollar Kid." Thirteen New Pictures Reach RKO Radio Studio Cutting Room Thirteen pictures are now in the cutting room at the RKO Radio studios, according to a report made by Douglas Travers, assistant head film editor, this week in New York. In the course of final editing for early shipment to the home office are the recently completed "The Iron Major," "Government Girl," "Ghost Ship," "Around the World," "Gildersleeve on Broadway," and the untitled John Auer production. While these six films are nearing final form, other editors are receiving film from seven now in production. These include "Tender Comrade," "Days of Glory," "Curse of the Cat People," "Higher and Higher," "Dangerous Journey," "The Falcon and the Co-Eds," and "Rookies in Burma." Travers returned to Hollywood during the week with 10,000 feet of Russian background film to be used in "Days of Glory." Robert Weitman Appointed Night of Stars' Chairman The Tenth Annual Night of Stars planned for Madison Square Garden on Tuesday evening, November 16, will lean heavily on the film industry for its officials. Robert Weitman, managing director of the Paramount Theatre, has been appointed chairman of the producing committee, according to an announcement by Nathan Straus, executive chairman, and heading the group of honorary chairmen on the producing committee are Barney Balaban, David Bernstein, Nate J. Blumberg, Jack Cohn, N. Peter Rathvon, Marvin H. Schenck, and Albert W arner. $700 Find Brings Reward Mrs. Margaret Brooks of the staff of the Capitol Theatre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, found a purse with $700 in it while cleaning the theatre and turned it in to the manager, who in turn called the police. The big-hearted lady who lost it gave Mrs. Brooks — who has four children to support — the sum of $10 reward. Warner Trade Shows Oct. 18 National tradeshowing of two new Warner Bros, releases, "Northern Pursuit" and "Find the Blackmailer," on Monday, October 18, was announced this week by Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager. Griffis Starts OWI Liaison Job Monday Granted leave of absence from his post as chairman of the Paramount executive committee, Stanton Griffis takes up his new work Monday as chief of the OWI Motion Picture Bureau in -WIMUJ^^KM Washington. Griffis has ^pp^"*-^^™ agreed to give his full M l^M time to the job of supervising relations between |^^HP»4^ the Government and the ^^K^Jr '/^S^jl^H film industry, t'.ius sue ■•' J^l ceeding Lowell Mellett, -4^H who resigned when activi ^HL ties of the film branch of ^^HllrM 'flHlll OWI were restricted ^^^V^^^^^B through a budget cut. It ^^^^^H^^^^H has been agreed that Grif jj^^^^H^^^^B fis will continue his priV a t e interests to the Stanton Griffis extent of serving as chairman of the Madison Square Garden board and as a partner in Hemphill, Noyes & Co. Palmer Hoyt, director of domestic relations of the OWI, announced Griffis' acceptance in a statement pointing out that the new set-up would prove that production of special OWI films is unnecessary. "Effective cooperation between the Government and the film industry," said Hoyt, "has made obvious a point I made some time ago when I said that there was no more need for the OWI to produce its own films than there was for it to publish its own newspapers." Hoyt said Griffis would act as a coordinator, handling requests from the Government for industry participation in war drives and special programs and in turn serving to expedite requests from the industry for information as to Government policies. Ohio ITO Sends 'Plaint To Columbia Stockholders The Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, Allied affiliated, this week sent an open letter to stockholders of Columbia Pictures quoting the Allied resolution criticizing the company for failure to deliver certain pictures included in the product announcement for the 1942-43 season. The letter describes as "pretty" a booklet announcing the 1943-44 product. Rogers Rides the Broncos As Republic Sets 235 Bookings Two hundred thirty-five theatres in Metropolitan New York and suburbs have booked Republic's Roy Rogers productions for showing during the personal appearance of the King of the Cowboys as guest star of the World's Championship Rodeo, which opens at Madison Square Garden on October 2. Lead-off booking is "Man from Music Mountain," which opened at the Strand, Brooklyn, on September 30. Among other situations, Rogers' pictures have been booked by the Loew metropolitan circuit, Randforce, and Skouras Theatres. Pioneers to Dine Rickenbacker Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker is scheduled to be guest of honor at the annual Harvest Dinner of Picture Pioneers on Thursday evening, November 18. The announcement of Capt. Rickenbacker's participation was contained in a letter from Jack Cohn to all members of the organization. Plan Spot Publicity As a first step in creating a publicity staff to handle material designed for placement outside newspaper film departments in the campaign or, "Fksh and Fantasy," announcement was made tl;is week by Universal that Tom Weatherly had been retained for that assignment.