The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1944)

4a PARAMOUNT PEP CLUB ADDRESSED BY ZUKOR New Officers Elected, Policies Announced New York — Paramount Pictures, through the services of Stanton Griffis, chairman of the executive committee, and Harvey D. Gibson, member of the board, is making an important contribution to the welfare of the world, Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board, told Paramount employes at a meet¬ ing of the Paramount Pep Club last week in the home office recreation room. Zukor, on behalf of the Paramount organization, expressed his pleasure and appreciation that these two men had been selected to direct the activities of the American Red Cross in two vital areas. Griffis will leave shortly for Hawaii where he will make his headquarters as Red Cross Commissioner for the Pacific Islands area. Gibson, for some time, has been stationed in London as Red Cross Commissioner for Europe, a post he also held during the first World War. Griffis addressed the audience, saying his farewell to the Paramount organiza¬ tion for the duration or longer. Griffis also touched briefly on his other work on behalf of the war effort, including his economic mission to Sweden and Fin¬ land for the Government, and his work as Chief of the Motion Picture Bureau of the domestic branch of the Office of War In¬ formation. Another speaker, Carl York, Paramount’s managing director for Sweden and the Scandinavian countries, expressed his pleasure on visiting the United States after a lapse of ten years. Claude Lee introduced the speakers. At a business session, the Pep Club elected new officers for 1944-45, as follows: J. L. Brown, of the comptroller’s office, president; Richard O’Connell, of the for¬ eign department, vice-president; Richard Bennett, of the accounting department, treasurer, and Rose Mirell, secretary. New members of the board of governors are: G. Knox Haddow, outgoing presi¬ dent; George Weltner, David Cassidy, Harriet Miller, and A1 Sicignano. The new slate was nominated by a com¬ mittee including Kenneth Snyder, chair¬ man; Martin Hodge, Frank McGuire, Martha Castellan, and Ted Schreiner. In announcing the Club’s policies for the year. Brown laid stress on the work of the Servicemen’s Committee for former Para¬ mount employes in the armed forces, and said that this activity would be continued with undiminished vigor. For Reliable Reports On What New Pictures Are Doing, Consult “The Tip Off” Regularly In This Publication. Officers Installed By N. J. Allied Camden, N. J. — At last week’s luncheon¬ meeting of the Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, Inc., South Jersey unit, at the Walt Whitman Hotel, Mrs. Helen Hildinger and Si Myers, were installed as co-chair¬ men. A Caravan meeting was also held. Among those attending were Harry H. Lowenstein, president, and E. Thornton Kelley. "NIGHT OF STARS" PROGRAM SET New York — Plans for the Eleventh An¬ nual presentation of “Night of Stars” were formulated by the producing committee of 62 leaders of the amusement industry, under the chairmanship of Robert M. Weitman, at its first meeting last week, in the Board of Directors room of the Para¬ mount Building. The gala show inaugu¬ rates its second decade at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday evening, Nov. 14. “With the entertainment world giving freely of its multiple talent,” Weitman stated, “there can be no doubt that the eleventh annual ‘Night of Stars’ will be an unusually impressive attraction, even greater than its predecessors. Our goal this year is to raise $100,000 for the United Jewish Appeal For Refugees, Overseas Needs and Palestine, which funds are to be used for aid of the victims of Hitlerism.” Sylvan Gotshal is chairman of this year’s “Night of Stars,” which has enlisted the co-operation of prominent business and civic leaders of New York public life. Honorary chairmen are: Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, Nathan Straus, Grover A. Whalen, and Dr. Stephen S. Wise. Cochairmen are: Rudolph G. Sonneborn and Abraham F. Wechsler. G. A. Lowenstein is executive chairman, and Abraham L. Liebovitz is treasurer. Leonard Ginsberg is chairman of the Trades Council. Vice-chairmen of “Night of Stars” in¬ clude: Nathan A. Abramson, Ira J. Coleman, George Farkas, Max L. Friedman, Milton J. Greenebaum, Morris W. Haft, Samuel Hausman, S. Ralph Lazarus, Edward Le¬ vine, Julius H. Levy, Abraham Miller, A. J. Schuel and Fred Zeitz. Samuel Blitz continues as executive director. The United Jewish Appeal, which will be the recipient of the entire proceeds of “Night of Stars,” is the national campaign to raise funds for the Joint Distribution Committee, United Palestine Appeal, and the National Refugees Service. Honorary chairmen of the producing committee for this year’s “Night of Stars” are: Barney Balaban, David Bernstein, Nate J. Blumberg, Jack Cohn, N. Peter Rathvon, Marvin H. Schenck, and Albert Warner. Co-chairmen include Louis K. Sidney and Ed Sullivan. Brandt On V-Day Committee New York — Harry Brandt, head of Brandt Theatres, representing Broadway film houses on a committee called together by Mayor LaGuardia to make plans for handling Times Square on V-Day, met last week with the Mayor and a number of theatre managers, and discussed various proposals in connection with the problem. WEINST0CK NAMES B'NAI B'RITH COMMITTEE Membership Doubling Sought By Lodge New York — David Weinstock, president of Raybond Theatres, who is chairman of the 1944-45 drive of Cinema Lodge, B’nai B’rith, to double its membership, last week selected his committee, which includes representatives from the film companies; local independent theatre circuits; affiliated amusement industries, and theatre serv¬ ice and supply companies. Spearheading Cinema’s intensive mem¬ bership drive in the various units are the following: Irving H. Greenfield, Loew’s, Inc.; Miles H. Alben, Warner Brothers; Edward M. Schnitzer, United Artists; Leo Jaffe, Columbia; Harold L. Danson, Para¬ mount; Adolph Schimel, Universal; Nor¬ man B. Steinberg, 20th Century-Fox; Harry H. Thomas, Republic, Monogram and PRC; Leo Abrams, National Screen Serv¬ ice; Joseph Hornstein, theatre accessories and supplies; Harold Rodner, candy con¬ cessionaires; Martin Levine, Joseph Ingber and J. J. Goldberg, independent the¬ atres; Henry Randel, film exchanges; Julius M. Collins, music publishers; Nat Lefkowitz, artists’ agents; Albert A. Senft, advertising display companies; and Milton Livingston, trade press. Representatives of the Motion Picture Bookers’ Club including Larry Morris, B. S. Moss; George Trilling, Fabian; Irving Lud¬ wig, Rugoff and Becker; Harold Klein, Julius Joelson; Jack Perley, Paramount; Alex Arnswalder, Loew’s; Jack Meltzer, Associated Theatres of New Jersey; Oscar Lager, Charles Moses circuit; and Max Fried, have pledged the support of their organizations to Cinema’s membership drive. Century Employes Name Linden New York — Circuit employes are re¬ sponsible for the new name given Century Circuit’s latest addition, the Linden, in Brooklyn, formerly the Loew’s Century, and the eight winners in the employe con¬ test all received $25 War Bonds, for each submitting the same suggestion. The theatre, which opens Oct. 12, and which day’s proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross, will be under the management of Sidney Nelson, former as¬ sistant manager at the circuit’s Patio, Brooklyn. The bond winners are: Ethel M. Bryan, aide at the Triangle, Brook¬ lyn; Charles Haigney, aide at the Albermarle, Brooklyn; Edward Cline, manager, 43rd Street, Woodside; Lew Hartman, manager, Park, New Hyde Park; George T. Kelly, aide, College, Brooklyn; Leonard B. Freund, district supervisor at the Ava¬ lon, Brooklyn; Irene Berlin, secretary to J. R. Springer, home office executive, and Benjamin Langer, booth operator, Mayfair, Brooklyn. Nizer To Lecture On Copyright New York — Louis Nizer, film attorney, and. Edwin P. Kilroe, 20th Century-Fox copyright lawyer, are among those who will lecture at the Practising Law Insti¬ tute this year, in a new course on “Current Problems in Copyright Law.” October 11, 1944 THE EXHIBITOR N.Y.S.