The Film Daily (1940)

(J*\ DAILY Wednesday, December 18, 1940 niE newapir J2 Winl^, ; OF HlMDOM^^WldlW"^^/ V^-DAILY Vol. 78, No. 1 19 Wed., Dec. 18, 1940 10 Cents JOHN W. ALICOATE DONALD M. MERSEREAU : Ceneral Manager CHESTER B. BAHN :::::: Editor Published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at 1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y., by Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc. J. W. Alicoate, President and Publisher; Donald M. Mersereau, SecretaryTreasurer. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 8, 1938, at the post-office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Terms (Postage free) United States outside of Greater New York $10.00 one year; 6 months, $5.00; 3 months, $3.00. Foreign, $15.00. Subscriber _ should remit with order. Address all communications to THE FILM DAILY, 1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y. Phone BRyant 9-7117, 9-7118, 9-7119, 9-7120, 9-7121. Cable address: Filmday, New York. Representatives: HOLLYWOOD, Calif.— Ralph Wilk, 6425 Hollywood Blvd., Phone Granite 6607. LONDON— Ernest W. Fredman, The Film Renter, 127-133 Wardour St., W. I. PARIS— P. A. Harle, Le Film, 29 Rue Marsoulan (12). MEXICO CITY— MarcoAurelio Galindo, Depto. 215, Calle del Sindicalismo, 99, Tacubayo, D. F. FINANCIAL (.Tuesday, Dec. 17) NEW YORK STOCK MARKET Net High Low Close Chg. Am. Seat ... Col. Picts. vtc. (2l/2%) Columbia Picts. pfd.. 24 23y2 2V/2 — 2l/2 Con. Fm. Ind Con. Fm. Ind. pfd... 8 8 8 — 'A East. Kodak 134 133i/2 1333A — l/2 do pfd Gen. Th. Eq 11% 11% 11%— Vs Loew's, Inc 343/8 33y4 34l/4 + % do pfd Paramount 10% 10i/2 103,4 + y8 Para. 1st pfd 97 97 97 Para. 2nd pfd 107/8 10l/2 10% + % Pathe Film 10 10 10 — '/a RKO 3'/2 3i/2 3i/2 20th Century-Fox . . 6% 6V8 6l/4 20th Century-Fox pfd. 185/8 18% 185/8 — % Univ. Pict. pfd 117 115 117 —2 Warner Bros 3% 33/8 33/8 — % do pfd 55 55 55 NEW YORK BOND MARKET Keith B. F. ref. 6s46.102y2 102i/2 102l/2 — 3/8 Loew's deb. 3y2s46 Para. B'way 3s55 Para. Picts. 6s55 Para. Picts. cv. 3y4s47 95 95 95 — % Warner Bros.' dbs. 6s48 97 965/8 96% + % NEW YORK CURB MARKET Monogram Picts Sonotone Corp 13,4 1% 13^ Technicolor 9% 83,4 9 — % Trans-Lux 15-16 % 7/8 _ % Universal Corp. vtc... 5% 5'/2 5V2 — V4 Universal Picts 15 15 15 — '/2 N. Y. OVER-THE-COUNTER SECURITIES Bid Asked Met. Playhouse, Inc. 2nd deb. '45.. 66 68 Roxy Thea. Bldg. 4s 1st '57 61 63V2 Empire-Universal Execs. Huddle on Scully Drive Plans for the participation of Universal's Canadian sales forces in the current William Scully anniversary drive were discussed yesterday in Toronto at the regular midseason conferences of Empire-Universal executives. F. J. A. McCarthy, Eastern division sales manager, participated. 225 Attend Schwartz Testimonial Luncheon A testimonial luncheon to Arthur Schwartz, who has resigned as chief booker for the Brandt circuit, was attended yesterday by 225 persons at the Hotel Astor. Joe Lee was toastmaster and speakers included Tom Connors, Milton Kusell, Henny Youngman and Harry Brandt. Schwartz was presented with a Cine-Kodak camera. A large banner in the banquet room announced: "Mr. Schwartz Goes to Messing." Schwartz is joining his father-in-law in the opera tion of the Messing Baking Co. Screen Readers Guild Seeks NLRB Hearing Petition has been filed with the NLRB by the Screen Readers Guild for a formal hearing with legal representatives of Metro, RKO. 20thFox and Universal to establish the Guild's right to represent outside readers and bargain for them. Series of informal hearings were held last week between legal representatives of the companies and the Guild. Companies hold that outside readers are private contractors and not employes. Upholsterers Ask $10,000, Injunction vs. Stagehands Locals 44 and 45 of the Upholsterers International Union of North America, yesterday filed suit in the New York Supreme Court against Local 1, New York staeehands, for an injunction and $10,000 damages. The defendant is charged with seeking to drive the Upholsterers from the field of furnishing theaters with curtains, drapes and wall hangings, and with interfering with contracts obtained by the plaintiff. Cliff Lewis Heads Para.'s Exploitation Department We*t Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Cliff Lewis has been made head of Paramount's exploitation staff under Bob Gillham and will make his headquarters in New York. Steinbeck Mexican Film For Early 1941 Release Pan American Films, Inc., expects to release the John Steinbeck Mexican film, produced by Herb Kline and A. Hackenschmied, early next year. Subject is tentatively titled "Forgotten Village." IA-N. Y. Labor Federation Confer Legislative committee of the IATSE for the 10th district New York State, is now in session at Albany with the N. Y. State Federation of Labor executive and legislative committees working on next year's program. Ritter and Schulte Will Testify in Midwest Suit Detroit — Midwest Theaters' suit against Co-operative Theaters of Michigan resumed yesterday with Raymond E. Moon still testifying. Moon explained general industry practice in selling and booking, then went into extended history of Cooperative Theaters, of which he was formerly manasrer, until, he claimed, formation of cliques forced him out. Further witnesses include James C. Ritter, Co-operative member and former president of Allied States, and William Schulte, independent circuit owner. Plaintiff's counsel has also subpoenaed Carl R. Buermele, Co-operative manager, to produce records in court. Jacob Lourie, Veteran N. E. Exhibitor, Dies Boston — Jacob Loui-ie, 66, a pioneer of the motion picture indusrty and prominent in Boston theatrical circles for many years, died yesterday. Lourie, at the time of his death, was associated with M & P Theaters and was a director of Publix-Netoco of which he was once president. He also was a former president of the New England unit of the MPTOA and was said to have been the first showman to exhibit talking pictures in the U. S. Fun eral services will be held today. COmiRG and GOIDG THOMAS ORCHARD, associate producer of the March of Time, has returned from Pittsburgh where material for a new subject was filmed. GEORGE BLACK, March of Time director, JOHl GEISEL, cameraman, and WILLIAM WIDMAYER, assistant cameraman, have returned from Canada where they were shooting material for a new subject. G. L. CARRINCTON, vice-president and general manager of Altec, and HARRY M. BESSEY, secretary-treasurer, have returned to the home office from business trips. HOWARD DIETZ, ART SCHMIDT and RAY BELL return today from Washington where they attended the "Flight Command" banquet. Canadian Division Manager LEO DEVANEY, captain of the Ned Depinet Drive force, will report at the RKO Radio home office this week. Lieut.-Gov. CHAS. POLETTI and MILTON DIAMOND, Ascap counsel, left yesterday for Washington to confer with D of J anti-trust division officials. Midwestern District Manager WALTER BRANSON of Chicago is at the RKO Radio home office Branch Manager A. N. SCHMITZ of Milwaukee is at the RKO Radio home office. Eastern Division Sales Manager ROBERT MOCHRIE of RKO Radio is on a business trip to the Detroit exchange this week. $7,887,000 Certificates Of PBC Now Outstanding Woshinaton Bureau of THE FILM nAU V Washington — ■ Paramount Broadway Corp. has filed a November report with the SEC dealing with its first mortgage sinking fund loan certificates, due Feb. 15, 1955. The report said $7,887,000 of the certificates are now outstanding:, including $1,022500 held in the treasury, compared with $8,104,000 principal amount outstanding previouslv, including $830,500 held in the treasury. Peninsula Theaters Stock to Dominion Co. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Paramount has reported to the SEC that the remaining 50 per cent of the stock of Peninsula Theaters, Inc., has been acquired by Dominion Theaters, Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount. finletter's RKO Award $8,000 Thomas K. Finletter special coun-l sel to RKO, yesterday was awarded $8,000 in compensation for representing; RKO during allowance hearings in the RKO reorganization. Finletter had asked for $15,000. John B. Hollis Dead Amityville L. I. — John Beresford Hollis, 81, retired screen and stage actor, died here. RKO Publicity Dept. Will Occupy Entire 10th Floor RKO's publicity department will take over the entire 10th floor of the RKO Bldg. next month. Floor is being remodeled into a number of modern offices to house the various units of the publicity, advertising and exploitation departments Ont. Provincial Clearance Board Meets Again Jan. 7 Toronto — Newly organized Ontario Provincial Clearance Board held its second meeting yesterday, but issued no statement except to indicate that a spirit of harmony prevailed. Next session Jan. 7. Day Returns to Rio Rio de Janeiro (By Air Mail) — John L. Day, Para.'s South American manager, has returned from a short visit to B. A. and Santiago de Chile, where he conferred with the company's local managers. Sam Burger, at present in B. A., is expected here for the opening of the two new Metro theaters. ^°y°^ THE FILM DAILY to Rutgers Neilson Arthur Metcalfe Edwin H. Morris George Cooper John Humm