The Film Daily (1943)

DAILY Monday, May 10, 19 Exhib. Bodies' Decree Changes Are Similar (Continued from Page 1) lar in nature and content, it was said. Kuykendall said that the principal difference between the two organization's recommendations was the approach, but he did not amplify his statement beyond that point. He said that the MPTOA's proposals were sent to the Department of Justice with the Department's request that the brief be kept in strict confidence and for that reason he could not make a point by point comparison of the two association's documents. It was indicated in MPTOA circles that the organization was not opposed to divorcement, but the feeling was that the separation of theaters from the distributors would not be the solution to the independent exhibitors' problems. — Did you get your YEAR BOOK?— ITOA Seeks Walker To Ad on Rentals (Continued from Page 1) mer mayor of New York would be sought because the association was aroused over the "continued increasing demand for higher rentals asked by distributors" in the Metropolitan area. The ITOA declared that there had been frequent rumors to the effect that Walker was to return to the motion picture field, adding that "this is the first definite statement to be made along these lines." Before becoming mayor of New York, Walker was counsel for the MPTOA and attorney for the Theater Owners Chamber of Commerce of New York. Whether Walker was considering the ITOA offer could not be learned at the week-end. — Did you get your YEAR BOOK?— George O. Phillip Dead Kitchener, Ont. — George 0. (Pop) Phillip, former owner of a string of Western Ontario cinemas and once closely associated with Ambrose J. Small, died here. WEDDING BELLS Helen La Grande, daughter of Frank La Grande, executive at the Paramount Long Island laboratory, and A. C. John Wilwood Zimmerman, Army Air Forces, were married Saturday. Pvt. William J. Kupper, Jr., of the 109th Infantry, stationed at Camp Blanding, Fla., and son of Tom Connors' executive assistant, wed Jane Orr, of Jackson Heights, at the Little Church Rround the Corner Friday afternoon. Add iSWe-Told-You-So-First" Department From Along the Rialto in THE FILM DAILY of April 15: "With a bow in the general direction of past Warner coincidences, there are those who are willing to bet that release of 'Mission to Moscow' will be the signal for either (1) the announcement that ex-Envoy Davies is returning there or (2) the disclosure that F.D.R., Churchill and Stalin have huddled. . . . P S Charlie Einfeld is now in Washington" From the N. Y. World-Telegram of Friday: "By the United Press. "WASHINGTON, May 7 — President Roosevelt announced officially today that former Ambassador Joseph E. Davies is going to Moscow with a special message from the Chief Executive to Premier Stalin of the Soviet Union." Midnight Pix Shows Click in Baltimore (Continued from Page 1) within the past three weeks, said yesterday they were surprised with the size of the audiences and, better still, delighted at the way they behaved. The trial midnight shows were started primarily because war workers asked for them. Workers who usually leave work around midnight complained they had few places to go for light or innocent amusement. Baltimore operators were slightly skeptical. They recalled that midnight shows had been tried before with little success. Audiences usually were small and, using the words of one manager, "they came full of liquor and noise and whoopee." After a storm of such catcalls they usually subsided into a symphony of snores and snoozes. Disregarding previous experience, several operators decided to venture again into the field of early morning shows. Since April 1, shows have been run on more than a dozen separate nights with four downtown houses participating. The managers agree that so far, experiments have been a success and in most cases capacity crowds have attended. Audiences have been largely made up of war workers. Rodney Collier, manager of Warner Bros. Stanley, said: "Practically all the movie folks who arrive after midnight are war workers and they come in their regular working clothes. Around two o'clock a good many night club entertainers come along." J. Lawrence Schanberger, owner of Keith's said he plans to continue the midnight shows. Ted Routson, manager at the Hippodrome, and William K. Saxton, city manager for Loew's, said their shows have been well attended and that they plan to continue presenting them. — Did you get your YEAR BOOK? — Jack Murray Joins Donahue & Coe Donahue & Coe, Inc., announces the addition of Jack W. Murray to its contact and service staff. Murray was formerly art director and account executive with Robert E. Clarke and Associates, Miami advertising agency; and prior to that was connected with the theater department of Paramount Pictures in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Miami. Agreement Near on Government Shorts (Continued from Page 1) shortly on the number of Government shorts that will be offered to theaters and the manner in which they will be paid for. This was stated by Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, prior to his departure from the board meeting in New York last week. Kuykendall also said that independent members could be assured of equitable action by the newlyformed "price and product committee" which will act as a fair trade practice group. He pointed out that the committee was made up entirely of independent exhibitors, adding that circuit operators were in a position "to act for themselves." — Did you get your YEAR BOOK? — Trade Leaders on Program Of Ohio ITO's Convention Columbus, O. — Discussion of wartime problems and addresses by prominent industry personalities are slated to highlight the convention of the ITO of Ohio which will be held here tomorrow and Wednesday at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel. Among the speakers will be W. F. Rodgers, vice-president and general sales manager of M-G-M; S. H. Fabian, chairman of the theaters division of the WAC; Herman Robbins, president of National Screen Service; H. M. Richey, director of exhibitor relations for M-G-M; Dave Palfreyman of the MPPDA; A. F. Myers, general counsel of Allied, and M. A. Rosenberg, national Allied president. Bob O'Donnell, national chief barker of the Variety Clubs, will discuss the amusement industry's part in the present emergency. Film rentals, admission prices, the manpower situation, post-war planning are among the topics to be brought before the convention. Climaxing tomorrow's activities will be the convention banquet at which Martin G. Smith, unit president, will be toastmaster and Governor Bricker will be the principal speaker. Convention will adjourn Wednesday afternoon with the election of officers and directors. TO THE COLORS * DECORATED * WILLIAM PUCHALSKI, USA, former assi< manager, Calvin Theater, Northampton, M; posthumous award of the Order of Purple Heart. He died on Guadalcan; — • — * COMMISSIONED *_ A/C CHARLES TOMASINO, Air Corps.Ai Michael Tomasino, White Way and'^/' Theaters, New Haven, commissioned second lieutenant. DAVID W. KEEN, USA, manager Phelps, N. commissioned a second lieutenant. PAUL F. WOODS, formerly projectionist, Loe Poli, Worcester, Mass., commissioned j second lieutenant. ADOLPH V. LESAIUS, formerly manager, Head Theater, Scranton, Pa., commissi-. a lieutenant. -• * PROMOTED * LT. JACK SMITH, Air Corps, son of Ed Sm Paramount city manager, Springfield, M; to captain. LOUIS MELLOW, former stage manager, Capi Middletown, Conn., to top sergeant. GEORGE J. MILLER, Air Corps, formerly Ki ston Theater, Kingston, Pa., to serge, i SIDNEY ZIFF, USA, former assistant mana Loew's Poli, Springfield, Mass., to corp< * ARMY * MARVIN BAKER, N. Y. Film Board of Trade. CARL LANUTI, Capitol Theater, Binghamp DANNY GREEN, projectionist, Strand, Plainv Conn. —Did you get your YEAR BOOK? UTl Ticket Hoarding," Canadian Problem (Continued from Page 1) no concerted action was taken, c house has posted notice that ticki must be used immediately. Oth< are expected to follow this examp — Did you get your YEAR BOOK? — SPG and Majors Reopei Wage Discussions Today (Continued from Page 1) companies and the negotiating co mittee of the Screen Publicists Gu of New York. All but two of t companies with which the SPG hoi agreements are involved. They a Paramount, M-G-M, Loew's, R* Radio, RKO Service Corp., Unit Artists, Columbia, Universal a 20th-Fox. The guild petitioned for a co ference recently under a clause its two-year pacts with the comp nies permitting reopening of cc tracts on money issues at the end a year. The year was up on May Pat Scollard of Paramount a Major Leslie Thompson of RKO to represent the employers at the co ference. Jonas Rosenfield is cha man of the SPG negotiating grot STORKS West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAI Hollywood — It's a boy for Ros lind Russell, screen star, and h soldier husband, Capt. Freder:' Brisson, former actors' agent. 1 S DAN H L+?*T M HZ V CI Cl d rN