The Film Daily (1942)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought FDAILY The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Four Yean Old .. 82, NO. 93 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12. 1942 TEN CENTS BRITAIN^ EASES QUOTA FOR DISTRIBUTORS Exchange White-Collar Jurisdiction Row Grows IATSE Asks NLRB to Set Aside Elections Sought by SOPEG and SOEG Locals By LOU PELEGRINE FILM DAILY Staff Writer The jurisdictional battle over white-collar workers in exchange centers where the IATSE does not already exercise control over such labor had gained force on Tuesday when it was disclosed that the union had moved to have the NLRB set aside two elections ordered by the board. One of the two elections involved in the controversy is to be held at the Paramount exchange. The board (Continued on Page 6) Michigan Exhibs. in Own Unity Program Grand Rapids, Mich. — An attempt to solidify all exhibitor units in Michigan to meet current trade problems was made here Tuesday when the Michigan Allied convention was attended by representatives of Co-operative Theaters, Michigan Independent Exhibitors Association and local buying units. It appeared to be the consensus of (Continued on Page 4) Eastman Declares Wage Dividend of $2,586,000 Rochester — A wage dividend of $2,586,000 was voted yesterday by the Eastman Kodak Company board of directors for distribution next (Continued on Page 8) Majors May Contrib. To BriU War Relief The major companies may make a donation to British War Relief out of the unblocl ed funds from England, it was reported yesterday. Donation, which may approximate $250,000, was discussed by the company presidents at a meeting with Will H. Hays and Winthrop Aldrich, chairman of the board of the Chase National Bank and head of the British War Relief in the United States. Editorial Scratch-Pad . . . jottings = By CHESTER B. BAHN = THE decidedly healthy gain in theater ' attendance noted generally around the country, and especially in those spots where war plants are working 24 hours a day, impresses this side-lines observer as indicating something more than just the fact that John Q. Public has more coin in his jeans. ... It emphasizes anew that, in times of stress, John Q., the Missus and the kids instinctively turn to the motion picture for that measure of escapist relaxation which is vital to health, both mental and physical. ... As further bearing upon the essentiality of the screen, today as never before, one needs only to cite the armed services' own primary reliance upon the motion picture for the entertainment (as well as the instruction) of those millions now in uniform. YOU have read — and heard — much of various phases of the industry-sparked (Continued on Page 2) 5 (omerford Houses Darkened by War Scranton, Ra. — Five Comerford Circuit houses which have been closed for the Summer have not yet been reopened. The houses are the Lyric in Shenandoah, Irving and Strand in Wilkes-Barre and Riviera and Manhattan here. While no official reason has been (Continued on Page 7) U. S. Companies Reguired to Make Total of Six Pix Annually in U. K.; Remainder of Quota to be Met Thru Purchasing American Rights to Other English Films London (By Cable) — A new Government order requiring American film companies to make only one British picture yearly and meeting the remainder of the quota by purchasing the American rights to other British product was announced here yesterday. This change in the present quota law was formulated during the conferences on the remittances of frozen funds to American distributors. Under the existing arrangement, each of the affected companies has to make or acquire the British rights of one film per 100,000 feet of imports. A minimum length of 7,000 feet is required for each of these (Con 17,568 Pix Theaters Operating, WAC Finds A total of 17,568 theaters were operating commercially in the United States as of Oct. 15, according to a tabulation prepared by Francis S. Harmon, head of the War Activities Committee. THE FILM DAILY YEAR BOOK for 1942 listed the total number of operating theaters as of Jan. 1 at 17,919, or 350 more than the WAC figures. Of the total operating, 16,463, both circuit and independent, have pledged to play all the WAC releases, as well as participate in home front operations to help win the war. The (Continued on Page 7) Clearance Ordered Cut In Los Angeles Suburb The 63-day clearance now granted to the El Monte Theater, Los Angeles, over the Tumbleweed Theater at nearby Five Points is unreasonable in the opinion of the arbitrator in the Tumbleweed's complaint against Warner Bros., 20th Century(Continued on Page 6) Trade in Week's Bond Drive "Avenge Dec. 7— On to Victory", the Slogan Three Frisco First-Runs Advance Prices a Dime San Francisco— Three downtown first-run theaters have announced price increases, the Fox, Paramount and Orpheum upping the top to 65 cents, an increase of 10 cents. Four subsequent-runs in the downtown area recently boosted scales five cents. They were the Embassy, Strand, Regal and Davies. The motion picture industry's next intensive War Bond drive will start Dec. 7 and will run for one week. "Avenge Dec. 7 — On to Victory" expresses the theme of the campaign which has been approved by the Theaters Division of the War Activities Committee, in co-operation with the Treasury War Savings Staff. The campaign is in line with the industry's policy to put on frequent spe (Continued on Page 6) ontinued on Page 8) Allied Board Meets In Col. Nov. 17-18 National Allied's regular Fall meeting of the bo'ard of directors will be held Nov. 17-18 at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel in Columbus, O. Abram F. Myers, general counsel and chairman of the board, announced that the directors would hear a report from the caravan (Continued on Page 4) Warner Execs. Off Today For Chicago Sales Parley Delegation of Warner home office execs, train out on the Twentieth Century this afternoon for Chicago, where Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, will conduct a sales meet (Continued on Page 6) Broadway's Holiday Biz at Usual Stride Broadway theater business yesterday ran true to holiday tradition with capacity attendance prevailing at most houses after 1:30 P. M. Standees were noted at noon in a few theaters and the strong pickup started shortly thereafter, as a majority of the business offices closed for the rest of the day.