The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1944)

THE EXHIBITOR 25 PRODUCTION Hollywood — Robert Benchley has been added to the cast of MGM’s “Weekend At the Waldorf.” . . . Claudette Colbert has been added to the roster of stars compris¬ ing International Pictures. She will have the lead in “Tomorrow Is Forever,” for RKO release. . . . Warners’ “Stolen Life,” forthcoming Bette Davis starrer, will start shooting this month. . . . “Those Endearing Young Charms” the Edward Chodorov Broadway hit, has been purchased by RKO as a vehicle for Laraine Day. The studio bought the property from Samuel Goldwyn Productions. . . . RKO’s “The En¬ chanted Cottage” started shooting last week. . . . George Blake, former commer¬ cial film producer in New York and shorts producer for Columbia, joined Universal last week as an associate producer. His first assignment is “Have A Heart.” “The Daltons Ride Again,” a top budget western, has been assigned to associate producer-director Ford Beebe, as his third production for Universal. “Dracula vs. Wolf Man” will be his first, followed by “The Cat Creeps.” Paramount's Holiday Releases New York — Because of its demonstrated box-office power in the world premiere en¬ gagement at the Rivoli, where it is break¬ ing the theatre’s 27-year gross and attend¬ ance records, “Frenchman’s Creek" has been selected as Paramount’s Christmas holiday picture, with national release set for Dec. 22, Charles M. Reagan, vicepresident in charge of distribution, an¬ nounced. today. Preceding its national re¬ lease, “Frenchman’s Creek” will be given pre-release engagements in a number of selected important key cities. Reagan also announced that “And Now Tomorrow,” which marks Alan Ladd’s re¬ turn to the screen after two years in the U. S. Army Air Forces, will be nationally released Nov. 24 as Paramount’s Thanks¬ giving holiday attraction. Lissim Hears Of Death Of Parents New York — Vladimir Lissim, division manager, RKO Radio’s foreign distribu¬ tion department, received word last week that his father and mother had died some¬ where in France during the last days of the German occupation. No details ac¬ companied the notification, and Lissim is awaiting further word from the American Red Cross, which is investigating the cir¬ cumstances. Newsreel Union Gets Back Pay New York — White collar workers at Paramount Sound News last week re¬ ceived 42 weeks’ back pay representing retroactive wages dating to December, 1943, when an initial contract was signed between the Motion Picture Office Em¬ ployes Local 23196, AFL, and the company. Laufer Leaves UA New York — Phil Laufer, New York newspaper contact for United Artists for the past year, resigned last week. Fol¬ lowing a vacation, he will announce his future plans. Arbitration Activities Are Covered Regularly In This Publication. Goldman-Greenblatt Feted PITTSBURGH — A joint testimonial dinner was held here last week by the local Variety Club for Mark Goldman, recently appointed district manager for PRC; and Herb Greenblatt, pro¬ moted from branch manager, RKO, to mid -western district manager. The affair was held at the William Penn Hotel and was attended by 300 persons. Goldman and Greenblatt were pre¬ sented with brief cases and traveling bags. Studio Walkout Threatened Hollywood — Set dressers, painters and machinists stopped work at MGM last week; but Herbert Sorrell, business repre¬ sentative of the painters’ union and presi¬ dent of the Conference of Studio Unions, said no action pertaining to a general strike would be taken until after a meet¬ ing of the painters’ local. Government labor conciliation representatives have asked Sorrell for a conference, but he contends Government overture is unneces¬ sary and that the union is willing to meet with the producers. Studio representa¬ tives stated that the threatened strike in¬ vokes no employer-labor disagreement, but originates in a jurisdictional dispute between the Conference and IATSE. Later the walkout spread to Columbia, where decorators, painters, and machinists went out. Connors-Edmund Reek To Coast New York — Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of sales, 20th Century-Fox, left last week for the company’s west coast studios. He was accompanied by Edmund Reek, production head of Movietonews. Connors will spend some time with studio officials Joseph M. Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck, together with President Spyros P. Skouras. Hal Horne and Charles Schlaifer, advertising-publicity-exploita¬ tion executives, are already there. New product and forthcoming production plans will be discussed during the next week or two. M. P. Academy Elects Hollywood — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last fortnight f leeted a board of governors consisting of Ronald Colman, Jean Hersholt, George L. Murphy; directors Michael Curtiz, Mark Sandrich, Sam Wood; writers Charles Brackett, James Hilton, Mary McCall, Jr.; sciences, Hector S. Dods, Farciot Edouart, Thomas Moulton; producers Y. Frank Freeman, Edward Mannix, Walter Wanger; music, Nat Finston; short subjects, Gordon Hollingshead, and public relations, Harry Brand. Lieutenant Spinrad Betrothed New York — The engagement of Thelma Zipkin to Lieutenant Leonard Spinrad, Army Overseas Motion Picture Service, was announced last week. The couple ex¬ pects to be married in November of this year. Spinrad is a former member of the War¬ ner Brothers east coast publicity depart¬ ment. TELEVISION New York — The American Television Society recently wired the FCC commend¬ ing experimentation between 400 and 1000 megacycles but urging that, for early de¬ velopment of television, present channels remain undisturbed. The message was proposed to the Board of Directors of ATS by its Policy Committee, headed by past president Norman D. Waters, and passed by a majority of the board. The television committee of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers have adopted a resolution recommending the immediate post-war assignment of 1,200 me in the spectrum for a national theatre television service. Television sets priced at $125 and up will be moving off production lines within six to nine months after manufacturers re¬ ceive government permission to convert to civilian products, according to a survey made recently by the Wall Street Journal. Models will range from simple table tele¬ vision and sound receivers to console com¬ binations of video, standard radio, FM, short wave and record player. The Journal said that some companies have scheduled projection models which will screen a picture 18 by 24 inches. Mervyn LeRoy Receives Citation New York — Mervyn LeRoy, who last week joined producer Frank Ross here to interview several hundred candidates for roles in the picturization of “The Robe,” is the recipient of a scroll from the Bengal Film Journalists Association of Calcutta. The scroll cites him for his direction of “Random Harvest,” and designates him the association’s choice as “Best Director of the Year 1943.” Leroy will direct “The Robe,” which Ross will put into production next year. Gill Leads In PRC Contest New York — George Gill, captain of Team C, in PRC’s “100 Days — 100 Per Cent” contest, is in the lead for the fifth consec¬ utive week it was announced last week. Gill’s team comprises the Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Omaha offices. PRC’s “100 Days— -100 Per Cent” contest, under the supervision of Leo J. McCarthy, general sales manager, started Aug. 21 and terminates Dec. 2, 1944. Captain Lange Honored New York — Captain Leonard D. Lange, former assistant manager, Warners’ Sheri¬ dan Square, Pittsburgh, and now with the AAF, based in Italy, has been awarded the Air Medal and four Oak Leaf Clusters, according to word just received here. CHAIR FAST Securely fastens LOOSE CHAIRS TO FLOOR $2.50 Package JOE H0RNSTEIN, INC. 630 NINTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY Or Your Supply Dealer October 11, 1944