The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1944)

THE EXHIBITOR 25 TELEVISION New York — Jack Goldberg, president, Television Motion Pictures Company, an¬ nounced recently that this company has signed Morris Green, Broadway producer, to make a series of television shorts, which will augment the release of 20 three-minute shorts already completed by Goldberg’s organization. Green is also preparing short scripts of his shows to be distributed to radio stations throughout the country for local broadcasting. Allen B. DuMont, president, Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, recently accepted the American Television Society Award for the year’s outstanding contribution to commercial television on behalf of the company-owned station, WABD. The award was presented by Dan D. Halpin, ATS president, at the opening fall meeting held in the Museum of Modern Art audi¬ torium. In his acceptance speech, Du¬ Mont said, “We’ve tried to do what we could during the war period for television programming in both the commercial and entertainment end.” He also announced that the new WABD studios were ready and also reported on experiments in longrange reception being conducted by his company at Mt. Graylock, near North Adams, not far from the Vermont line. There programs from Philadelphia, Sche¬ nectady, and New York were received. Stations on the lower frequencies were found to carry long distances with the least loss of definition, he said. The experi¬ ments also include a study of the varia¬ tion of signal strength under different weather conditions. Complete findings will be supplied to the FCC for considera¬ tion when it meets to consider frequency allocations. Captain John G. T. Gilmour, former manager, WRGB, Schenectady, told the American Television Society that television productions suffer because present-day thinking is too heavily on technical ex¬ cellence of performance, and shows are too much under the domination of engi¬ neers. The meeting on directing for stage, screen, and television was addressed by Bretaigne Windust, theatrical director; Busby Berkeley, Paul Knight, manager, WPTZ, Philadelphia; Diana Lynn, Para¬ mount, and Captain Gilmour. Berkeley summarized his theories about the rela¬ tion between directing for other media and for television. “Fundamentals and prin¬ ciples of acting will never change. The technique may change, but the fundamen¬ tals and principles, never,” he said. Miss Lynn described her experiences before the cameras at W6XYZ, and said: “Television to the actress combines the better char¬ acteristics of both the motion picture and the stage by giving the roles continuous progressive action, and developing the actress’ poise, consciousness of appearance, and subtlety of acting.” O. B. Hanson, general chairman, First Annual Conference of the Television Broadcasters, which is scheduled to be held at the Hotel Commodore, New York, Dec. 11-12, last week announced the fol¬ lowing committee chairmen for the event: speakers, Allen B. DuMont; displays, James McLean, GE, chairman; T. J. Ber¬ nard, RCA Victor; James Shouse, Crosley; Leonard Cramer, DuMont; James Car¬ mine, Philco, co-chairman; reception: Robert L. Gibson, GE; budget: Douglas Day, Buchanan and Company; program: Ralph Austrian, RKO Television; Worth¬ ington Miner, CBS, and William Morris, Morris agency, co-chairmen; awards: Paul Raibourn, Television Productions, Inc.; Coe Pleads Free Screen MONTREAL, CANADA— Exhibitors of the Province last week heard Charles Francis Coe, MPPDA special counsel, plead the cause of a free screen. In attendance at the banquet were the leading personalities of Quebec’s religious, educational, civic, and women’s organizations. Prominent Government leaders were present. RUGGLES TO PRODUCE GROUP FOR RANK New York — Announcement was made last week by Eagle-Lion Films, Inc., J. Arthur Rank’s American organization, that it has ju^t completed negotiations with Wesley Ruggles for the production of pic¬ tures in England and the United States. In conformance with the contract, Rug¬ gles, who becomes an integral part of Rank’s production plans, will not only direct a group of high-budgeted pictures but will produce a series of important productions. Ruggles intends opening his own offices in London and Hollywood, and will make the necessary arrangements for the exchange of talent. While developments on his first picture for Eagle-Lion have not progressed to the point of announcing its cast or title, Rug¬ gles stated it will be made in London as soon as studio space will be made avail¬ able for him. Quigley Given Plaque New York — Martin Quigley, chairman, War Activities Committee trade press division since its inception, now resigned, received a specially struck plaque last week as a tribute. Presentation of the award was made at the regular weekly WAC staff luncheon by George J. Schaefer, chairman. panel meetings: Dorman D. Israel, Emer¬ son Radio and Phonograph Company; publicity: Will Baltin, TBA. J. R. Poppele is vice-chairman and coordinator of the conference, which will be open to non¬ members as well as members. Warner Brothers Pictures announced last week the purchase of a property on Mulholland Drive, Hollywood, upon which they expect to erect a television station as soon as materials become available. Schine Circuit home office and field executives witnessed a television demon¬ stration last week by GE at Gloversville, N. Y. Columbia Broadcasting System received FCC’s construction permit last week for the erection here of the first television station to operate on frequencies above 400 megacycles. CBS expects to televise programs on a band 16 megacycles wide, between 460 and 476 megacycles. An order for the new high frequency transmitter was placed with the General Electric Com¬ pany a few months ago. CBS has also filed applications with the FCC for permission to build television stations in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis, using the same high frequencies. WCBW, here, is now being operated by CBS on Channel No. 2. PRODUCTION Hollywood — Seven pictures are now shooting simultaneously on the Warner lot: “San Antonio,” “God Is My Co-Pilot,” “Pillar To Post,” “The Corn Is Green,” “Nobody Lives Forever,” “Roughly Speak¬ ing,” and “Of Human Bondage.” . . . Sam Katzman has been signed by Columbia to produce the forthcoming serial, “Brenda Starr, Reporter,” based on the popular comic strip. . . . Mervyn Leroy has formed Arrowhead Productions, Inc. Leroy will act as chairman, and Arnold M. Grant, a New York attorney, will serve as presi¬ dent. Leroy will first complete “The Robe” for RKO before starting work for his own company. Lillian Gish has been signed by Para¬ mount to an optional contract for two pic¬ tures annually during the next five years. . . . Hedy Lamarr’s next picture for MGM will be “Her Highness and the Bellboy.” June Allyson and Robert Walker will also have principal roles. . . . Producer William Cagney has signed Sylvia Sydney to star opposite James Cagney in the forthcoming United Artists release, “Blood On the Sun.” . . . Guest stars to appear in Para¬ mount’s “Duffy’s Tavern” are Bing Crosby and his four sons; Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Ray Milland, Brian Donlevy, Marjorie Reynolds, and Barry Sullivan. . . . Frank Morgan has been given an important role in MGM’s Technicolor production, “Hold High the Torch.” . . . Ray Milland and Sonny Tufts are to be costarred in Paramount’s “The Night Before.” Walter Slez'Vk has been added to the cast of Walter Wanger’s Universal Techni¬ color production, “Salome, Where She Danced.” . . . Samuel Goldwyn’s “Home Again,” for RKO release, will have a cast headed by Teresa Wright, Dana Andrews, Virginia Mayo, Walter Brennan, Constance Dowling, and Farley Granger. . . . Every Latin-American republic will be repre¬ sented in RKO’s “Pan-Americana.” . . . Danny Kaye’s next starring vehicle for Samuel Goldwyn will be “Fancy Free,” for RKO. Peter Cookson has been given the lead¬ ing role opposite Gale Storm in Mono¬ gram’s “G. I. Honeymoon.” . . . Yvonne De Carlo has been selected by Walter Wanger as “the most beautiful girl in the world,” and has been signed to a long term contract by Universal. She will play the starring role in the Technicolor pro¬ duction, “Salome, Where She Danced.” Cass Daley has been spotted by Para¬ mount in “Duffy’s Tavern.” . . . Phil Regan has been signed to a two-year contract by Monogram. His first film will be “From the Land Of the Sky-Blue Water.” . . . Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten have been borrowed by Hal B. Wallis from David O. Selznick to play the stellar roles in “The Love Letters,” which will be Wallis’ first production for Paramount. ... A miniature waterfront scene is being de¬ signed for Republic’s “Tugboat Annie.” It will be one of the largest miniature sets ever to be constructed. Brown In Radio Business Chicago — Clarence Brown, MGM direc¬ tor, has joined forces with a Los Angeles radio executive to become wholesale dis¬ tributors in Los Angeles territory for Zenith Radio Corporation, it was an¬ nounced here by H. C. Bonfig, Zenith vicepresident in charge of household radio, last week. September 27, 1944 quin.