The Film Daily (1943)

I hursday, April 29, 1943 DAILY iee 322 Situations :or 16 mm. Group (.Continued from Page 1) in prospect for the Association members, who plan to remodel and open 16 mm. theaters in towns without standard houses. Seating •parities of the theaters vary between 150 and 200 with the largest nouses holding 300. At least one major company is said to plan 16 mm. versions of a number of its older pictures for release through these channels. Association was formed in Jacksonville last month. Officers include Amos Kinnicut, operator of the New England Exhibition Circuit, president; Arthur P. Leffinwell, vice-president; Peter Francis Carter, secretary and Grover P. Yuille, treas■ urer. Jacques Kopstein, of Astor Pictures, is general manager and chairman of the procurement committee. Charge Dayton Clearance Over Piqua Unreasonable (.Continued from Page 1) plainant charges that unreasonable clearance is granted to the first-run theaters in Dayton, 30 miles away. Elimination of all clearance is asked. Readjust Clearance in Southgate, CaL, Case Clearance of the Vogue Theater, Southgate, Cal., over the Southgate Theater is unreasonable according to the award of an arbitrator who fixed the following schedule: 70 days after the closing of first-run at the Vogue when the admission is 20 cents plus tax; 42 days after the closing of first-run at the Vogue when the admission is 25 cents plus tax. Eighth N. Y. C. Newsreel House Bows In Today New York's eighth newsreel house will be the City Hall News Theater, 31 Park Row, which opens this morning. Operators plan twice weekly program changes and a 25cent scale. Henry Cinsberg Ralph B. Austrian Harold J. Flavin H. S. Kraft • • • IN Washington yesterday an event of great significance and value to 5he film industry took place. The background for it was the international press preview of the new Warner Bros, picture, "Mission to Moscow," under the auspices of the National Press Club As trained newspaper men, keenly aware of the live issues of the day and the public interest in these issues, the officers of the National Press Club felt that all their members should see this much discussed film version of the Joseph E. Davies book so that they could report to their readers about it So President Felix Cotten and the governors of the club requested Warners to give them a special showing of the picture and Warners not only consented but closed their Earle Theater for the entire day so that all journalists in the capital — and many from out of town could attend the two private showings for their benefit ▼ ▼ ▼ • • • BESIDES the National Press club membership, attendance included the White House correspondents, capitol press gallery, radio commentators, political writers, syndicate bureau heads, international correspondents, Women's Press Club, editors, magazine writers, leading newspaper men from many out of town cities and representatives of the motion picture trade press— in all close to four thousand expert gentlemen and ladies of the press The large and important turnout for the occasion was in every sense a tribute not only to the picture and to Warner Bros., but to the film industry in general, and the main purpose of the National Press Club in inviting their colleagues of the motion picture trade to the affair was so thai they could see and realize the full import of the event for themselves. Which they did ▼ T ▼ • • • THIS business of ours can do mountains of great things in aid of the war effort. It can donate film, services of experts, screen money and other valuable contributions, but these good deeds cannot achieve their full purpose unless the industry works in full co-operation with those other two great agencies of public contact, the press and radio It is the feeling among many leading newspaper men in Washington that both the picture business and the journalistic profession would benefit from more of the "Mission to Moscow" type of preview and more inter-association between the industry and the press of the world T ▼ ▼ • • • NOT since the famous congressional investigation has the capital crowd been so favorably impressed with the motion picture business and what it is doing in a constructive line. As former Arnbassador Davies said, in a brief informal talk at the luncheon given by Felix Cotten to the trade paper group, this is one of those times when lite screen makes history. Ten, twenty and thirty years from now, lie predicted, the negative of "Mission to Moscow" will be taken out of the vault for reference in the light of historic developments, and the same applies to many other pictures that have been made by Warners and other companies T T T • • • ALL in all, the large and distinguished turnout of journalists, the profound impression made on them by the picture, and the general good-will created all around made the occasion an achievement in press and film public relations of sufficient proportion to gratify even that demon of public relation-ists Charlie Einield. T T ▼ • • • AVENGE PEARL HARBOR! 12 Technicolor Films Awaiting Release (Continued from Page 1) on this type of color feature from both the production and exhibition angles is that showmen throughout the country have, during the past few months, sharply stepped-up their accents on Technicolor billing. In many instances, the word "Technicolor," notwithstanding its existing presence on display paper, has been repeated by exhibitors via imprinting, along with the name of the house. In other instances, the word has been sniped on. The 12 completed but unreleased offerings are "Coney Island" (20thFox); "Dixie" (Paramount); "For whom the Bell Tolls" (Paramount) "Lassie Comes Home" (M-G-M) "Salute to the Marines" (M-G-M) "DuBarry Was a Lady" (M-G-M) "Desert Song" (Warners); "Heaven Can Wait" (20th-Fox); "Lady In the Dark" (Paramount); "Riding High" (Paramount); "Best Foot Forward" (M-G-M); and "Phantom of the Opera" (Universal). In production, as of yesterday, are "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (20thFox); "This Is the Army" (Warners); "Girls He Left Behind" (20thFox); "America" (M-G-M); "Victory Through Air Power" (UA-Disney); and "Cobra Woman" (Universal). Further, there are 14 Technicolor features in preparation, and 10 others for which commitments have been made. Jack Arthur Resumes With F-P Next Month Toronto — Jack Arthur, producer of "The Army Show," will resume his duties as Famous Players Canadian Corp. district manager in midMay. Troupe, which is under direct auspices of the Canadian Government for the entertainment of the public and those in service, is touring Ontario, will play Montreal and then play cities in the Canadian West before sailing for the British Isles next autumn. TO THE COLORS! * PROMOTED * SAL POPOLIZIO, 20th-Fox, New Haven, promoted to corporal. — • — * TO OFFICERS SCHOOLS * EDWARD ARTHUR, assisting general manager, F b M-St. Louis Amusement Co., at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. * ARMY * DOUCLAS LICHTNER, manager, 'Davis Theater, Higginsville, Mo. ROBERT iBERBERIAN, Nortown Theater, Chicago. DONAT BLAINE, operator, Jodoin Theater, Baltic, Conn. WALTER J. KESSLER, manager, Loew's, Canton, O.