The Film Daily (1942)

I mi l miiMHwic M « p . p r? C3 1 i .■' * 1 3 i s T « 2f^ yy UTH ST. N YT 2-L5JI Ft W MILY Thursday, April 23, 1941 Playdate Blockade Recurs in Detroit {Continued from Page 1) cies, as indicated by "off-the-record" interviews with a number of leadingexhibitors. Situation is a reflection of the annual "film blockade" problem of Detroit bookers. For accumulated reasons, Detroit pictures tend to get first-runs later each year, so that pictures available in October are just now getting bookings at subsequent-runs, in some instances. This situation would not be so bad, exhibitors agree, if there were not a further holdup problem at the second-run level. Houses on second-run policy are controlled by United Detroit Circuit, and Co-Operative Theaters of Michigan, and the common desire of local operators is to have particular pictures playing: day and date in all houses as a particular run from second down to around fifth or sixth, thereby avoiding interzone competition on product at least. Block-booking Measure Up Again in Puerto Rico (Continued from Page 1) only woman member of the House has requested the Treasurer of Puerto Rico to furnish her the following information before the bill is called up: Amount of taxes paid by motion picture houses to the Insular Treasury from 1938 to 1941, with names of presarios or exhibitors and amount of taxes paid by each of the film exchanges for the two cents tax on each foot of film shipped into the Island for exhibition during the period. The petition filed by Miss Gomez calls for additional data about gross receipts reported by each motion picture house and film exchange, and the total amount paid by the exhibitors of the 10per cent public amusements tax during 1938-41. A similar block-booking bill was introduced in the Legislature last year but failed to pass. Harold Frost, Former Para. Copenhagen Mgr. Dies Harold Frost, until Nazi occupation of Denmark Paramount's Copenhagen branch manager, died there on Monday, according to a cable received by John W. Hicks yesterday from Carl York, company's general manager in Stockholm. Blue Monday Des Moines, la. — Monday theater business in Des Moines was expected to drop to practically nothing under the new retail store hour regulations. On Monday, retail stores open at noon and remain open until 9 p.m. Theater men expect virtually no business on already Blue Monday. TO THE COLORS! New Haven — Bobbie Branwick, recently resigned Strand, Hartford, assistant, has left for Army service with Victor Wintle as new appointee in the theater. Richard Schaefer, graduating from Holy Cross next month, has joined the U. S. Marines, and will now be second son of Lou Schaefer, manager of the Paramount, New Haven, in uniform. Robert Schaefer recently wrote from Australia. New Haven — Hugh Maguire, booking manager of RKO exchange here for the past five years, has resigned to accept a commission as second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. Cleveland — George Johnson, manager of the Jewel, an Associated Circuit house, was tendered a fare Official Washington Turns Out for "Saboteur" Bow (Continued from Page 1) head the United States' war effort and are quite concerned about anyone throwing a monkey wrench into it. Pearson and Allen, noted columnists, sponsored the showing. Officials like Lt. General Henry H. Arnold, who heads our air force, Attorney General Francis Biddle, Supreme Court Justice Frank Murphy, Postmaster General Frank C. Walker, 80 U. S. Senators and some 350 Representatives sat attentively as the modus operandi of setting fire to an airplane factory was dramatized for them. In the audience as well was Alfred Hitchcock, director of the picture which stars Robert Cummings and Priscilla Lane. Present also was Jack Skirball, associate nroducer. The picture was made by Frank Lloyd Productions for Universal release. Universal executives present included W. A. Scully, J. Cheever Cowdin, John J. O'Connor, Matthew Fox, former Universal vice-president now attached to the War Production Board in Washington; F. J. A. McCarthy, Freddie Meyers, Jules Lapidus. RKO's Malcolm Kingsberg also was present. Albert Davis Funeral Rites Today in Brooklyn Funeral services will be held at 10 o'clock this morning at the Flatbush Memorial Chapel, Brooklyn, for Albert Davis, 80, retired theater sign painter and owner of one of the world's largest collections of theater memorabilia. Davis, who started collecting as a boy in Detroit, died yesterday. His collection filled the top floor of his Brooklyn home, and comprises 100,000 photos, more than 100,000 programs and 50,000 lithographs, etc. Surviving are two sons, Emanuel and Alex. well luncheon at Wille's Restaurant by the Associated family, prior to his departure to report to the Army. Harry E. Sweet succeeds him at the Jewel. Cleveland — George Farrington, student assistant manager and relief cashier at Loew's State Theater, has been inducted into the Army. It's now Maj. Lynn Farnol, Army Air Corps, promotion recently coming through. Farnol is on duty with the First Air Force, Mitchell Field. All PCC Units Okay UMPI's Sales Plan (Continued from Page 1) in clause five of the final propose* selling plan, under point numbe one, clarification in language shal be made so that the number of pictures in each price bracket is clej ly defined and stipulated at the of sale. Stockholm's "10 Best" Pix Include Nine U. S. Films Chicago — Fred Goldman, John McKenna and George Beres, members of the Chicago Operators Union, have enrolled in the Navy officers school. Lincoln, Neb. — Ralph Ayer, manager of the Lincoln Theater Corp., leaves April 25 for the Army Air Corps, with a first looie rating. Until his successor arrives, Ted Butterfield, manager of the Lincoln theater, will take over. Stockholm (By Cable)— Stockholn Students' Film Club, which servejj Swedish film critics as a guide, hal| placed nine American films amonj the 10 best shown in this city las. year. The 10 pictures are, in orde: of preference: "Foreign Correspon* dent," "Pinocchio," "Gone With thWind," "The Thief of Bagdad." "Th<' iLong Voyage Home," "Night Ex,! press," "Philadelphia Story," "Hen Comes Mr. Jordan," "That Night ir Rio," "The Mark of Zorro." "Nigh j Express" is British. T«SV'lt *? A*oUT.< GAB'N! MSB*' aL •" £n Not a tflamour bou h Not a muscle-man . . . ! a caveman! Y I *Jean Gabin is a type all his own! Ue wants no hairbrush— needs no top hat — just asks for action! 20th gives him action — plenty of it! — in "MOONTIDE," first American triumph for the famous "Grand Illusion" star! Co-»tarring Ida Lupmo! With Claude Rains, Thomas Mitchell. Directed by Archie Mayo. Screen Play by Johr O'Hara.