The Exhibitor (Nov 1943-May 1944)

24 the IVeWSIBeIs IN ALL FIVE: Italy: Allies advance. Tarawa: Memorial services held. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE: MOVIETONE NEWS (Vol. 26, No. 43) USA: Tom Harmon tells of adventures. Quincy, Mass., (except Denver, Col.): New carrier launched. Denver only: Governor Vivian unveils bond board. Mare Island, Cal.: Artificial legs given wounded. Egnland: U.S. units arrive. Washington: Parents of the Sullivans receive sons' medals. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. XV, No. 241) England: U.S. units arrive. New York: Methodists crusade for new world order. Argentina: Nation breaks with Axis. Attu: Yanks dig out of drifts. Britain: Flying Fortress explodes. PARAMOUNT NEWS (No. 44) Mare Island, Cal.: Artificial legs given wounded. Washington: Parents of the Sullivans receive sons' medals. USA: Tom Harmon tells of adventures. Britain: Flying Fortress explodes. RKO-PATHE NEWS (Vol. 15, No. 46) Attu; Yanks dig out of drifts. Italy: Pack mules aid allied ad¬ vance. England: U.S. units arrive. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL (Vol. 17, No. 263) Italy: Pack mules aid allied advance. England: U.S. units arrive. Italy: Negro flying squadron stars. Attu: Yanks dig out of drifts. Washington: Parents of the Sullivans receive sons' medals. Mare Island, Cal.: Artificial legs given wounded. Ontario: Beauties in ski meet. Texas: Symphony orchestra provides back¬ ground music to wrestling match. IN ALL FIVE: California: World's largest plane flies to Hawaii. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE: MOVIETONE NEWS (Vol. 26, No. 42) Italy: Can¬ adians capture Ortona. USA: Army's biggest guns demonstrated. USA: Admiral Halsey urges nation to buy bonds. Chile: Mine has record production. USA: Robert E. Hannegan named chairman of Democratic National Committee. Chicago: Torger Tokle stars in ski meet. Australia: Troops compete in rodeo: USA: Lew Lehr and Edgar Kennedy try to solve point rationing. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. XV, No. 240) Italy: General Clark reports on progress of war. USA: Robert E. Hannegan named chairman of Democratic National Committee. USA: Coast Guard an man¬ euvers. USA: Army's biggest guns demonstrated. Hollywood: Metro starlets pose for pin-ups. PARAMOUNT NEWS (No. 43) Chicago; Torger Tokle stars in ski meet. Ossining, N. Y.: Louis Lepke at last behind Sing Sing's bars. USA: Robert E. Hannegan named chairman of Democratic National Committee. Dallas: Four year old Billy Meers, chronic nephritis victim, must have blood plasma or die. III.: Three hundred soldiers and Wacs give enough plasma for another year of life for child nephritis victim. RKO-PATHE NEWS (Vol. 15, No. 45) Italy: Army engineers lay down oil pipe line. Wisconsin: Civil¬ ians claim army released jeeps. New York: Huge diamond successfully cleaved. California: Monterey gets "A" flag for producing food. Italy: Canadians capture Ortona. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL (Vol. 17, No. 262) Italy: Canadions capture Ortona. New York: Huge dia¬ mond successfully cleaved. New York: Chinatown stages colorful Fourth War Loan rally. Italy: Ameri¬ can hero honored by General Clark. Hollywood: Edgar Kennedy shows advantage of tokens over ration coupons. Italy^ Army engineers lay down oil pipe line. Chicago: Torgler Tokle stars in ski meet. Nova Scotia: Canadian naval trainees do calis¬ thenics. O'Brien To Boston New York — John F. O’Brien, assistant manager, theatre equipment section, RCA Victor, returned last week from a visit to Boston and a series of conferences with Kenneth Douglas, general manager, Capi¬ tol Theatre Supply Company, on the avail¬ ability of theatre equipment. Columbia Sales Meeting Opens New York — Columbia opened its three day sales meeting on Feb. 1 at the Hotel Warwick with branch and division man¬ agers from all territories except the west¬ ern division attending, as well as home office executives and personnel. General sales manager A. Montague presided. THE EXHIBITOR National Legion of Decency List-Feb. 3, 1944 UNOBJECTIONABLE FOR GEN¬ ERAL PATRONAGE — “Bullets And Saddles,” (Monogram); “The Fighting Seabees,” (Republic); “The Texas Kid,” (Monogram). UNOBJECTIONABLE FOR AD¬ ULTS — “Phantom Lady,” (U); “Secreto Etemo” (Spanish) (Grovas); “Uncensored,” (20th Century-Fox). OBJECTIONABLE IN PART— “The Uninvited,” (Paramount). SALARY CASE HEARD BY WASHINGTON BUREAU Washington — The industry’s case for more liberal salary allowances for talent working on percentage deals was pre¬ sented by several film officials to officials of the salary stabilization unit of the Bureau of Internal Revenue last week. The matter arose because of a hearing on the case of Fibber McGee and Molly, radio team, whose tentative deal with RKO was rejected by Hugh Ducker, Los Angeles representative of the salary unit. The film officials protested artificial re¬ straints placed on negotiations with per¬ formers, claiming that they cannot make percentage deals without dollar ceilings. Present regulations provide that all per¬ centage deals must include dollar ceilings, and that these ceilings bear the approval of the Bureau. Attending the hearing were Ed Raftery, UA. president; John Whitaker, RKO board; Austin C. Keough, Paramount vice-president and general counsel; Maur¬ ice Benjamin, and Mendel Silberberg, RKO general counsel. Attending as observers were Jack Bales, SAG; Adrian McCallman, Artists Man¬ agers’ Guild, and Mabel Willebrand, Screen Directors Guild. The Service Kit’s the Season’s Hit. Previews For "Seabees" New York — Republic held a reception in New Haven, Conn., last week end in con¬ nection with the opening of “The Fighting Seabees” at the Paramount. Seabee Wil¬ liam Majusky, New Haven representative at Republic’s recent national reception in honor of a group of Seabees representing 26 states, returned from Camp Endicott, R. I., for the program. Republic branch manager Jerome Lewis was host at the reception, attended by Messrs. I. J. and Max Hoffman, Harry Shaw, Jim Darby, manager. Paramount, and newspaper and radio representatives, as well as Naval officers. A similar reception was held in Buffalo, N. Y., in connection with the opening of “The Fighting Seabees” at the 20th Cen¬ tury. Seabees E. A. Giess and Thomas J. Keystynak were honored, and Republic branch manager Jack Bellman, Bob Mur¬ phy, 20th Century, and newspaper and radio representatives, as well as Naval officers, were present. uance Shots Features PASSPORT TO ADVENTURE. RKO. Elsa Lanchester, Gordon Oliver. This is an okay meller for the duallers. PHANTOM LADY. Universal. 86m. Franchot Tone, Ella Raines, Alan Curtis, Aurora, Thomas Gomez. Here is a topnotch murder mystery thriller, well directed and enacted, with suspense sus¬ tained throughout. MEN ON HER MIND. PRC. 67m. Mary Beth Hughes, Edward Norris, Ted North, Alan Edwards. This drama with music is a pleasant inde offering. Shorts VISITING ST. LOUIS. Metro — Fitz¬ patrick Traveltalk. 8m. Good. HOW TO BE A SAILOR. RKO— Disney. 7m. Excellent. WILLOUGHBY’S MAGIC STRENGTH. Columbia — Phantasies. 7m. Fair. DOCTOR FEEL MY PULSE. Columbia — All-Star Comedy. 17y2m. Fair. Reade Buys Property New York — Walter Reade last week purchased from ’Thalia W. Nalcom, The Chase National Bank of the City of New York, and Stephen C. Millett, as trustees under the last will and testament of Rob¬ ert E. Westcott, deceased, the fee of the Mayfair building. The size of the plot is 100x140 feet. Building has been owned and occupied by Reade and his associates for the past 15 years. All offices and store leases in¬ cluding the lease to Loew, Inc., expire on June 1, 1945. Negotiations are now pend¬ ing with Loew, Inc., to continue in pos¬ session of the theatre premises of this building. If this is not concluded it is Reade’s intention to demolish the entire structure, and eliminate the building and existing premises, and to erect a modern commercial business structure. Purchase price for the land alone was $1,180,000 net to the Westcott Estate. ’There were no brokers in this transaction. Terms were all cash. Law firm of Solomon Goodman repre¬ sented Reade. Drafted? Let The Exhibitor Fol¬ low You to Camp. It Has All the News of the Industry — And the News Of Your Own Home Town As Well. J. A. Partington Mourned New York — John Allan Partington, 54, one of the operating heads of the Roxy, and vice-president and general manager, F. and M. and F. and M. Stage Shows, died following a heart attack last week. He had invented lift and other movable devices used in theatres. He originated the presentation policy which was later brought to the east by A. J. Balaban, with whom he had been associated at the Roxy. He was at various times with the Brook¬ lyn and New York Paramount, and came to the Roxy 11 years ago. February 2, 1944