The Film Daily (1943)

Thursday, May 20, 1943 #$ DAILY Operator Shortage in Canadian Maritimes ',"d C <-^fe (Continued from Page 1) cessity of closing some houses unless the Dominion Government changes its attitude toward theaters, considers them essential to pubind service morale. Replacing operators who have been ill or injured has been very difficult, and increasingly so in recent months. There have been cases of provincial censor boards coming to the aid of exhibitors by obtaining special leaves for soldiers, sailors and airmen, from their units, to fill in for theater projectionists who have been forced out of the booths because of illness or injury. Such substitutes are licensed operators who enlisted or were drafted. Film exhibitors fear that operators will be taken from them because of their knowledge of electrical work, and assigned to munitions, airplane and shipbuilding plants. Theatermen complain that the prevailing shortage of booth help has been complicated by the success of the union locals in making the ranks of licensed operators almost a closed corporation. This, by stiffening the examinations so that very, very few can pass the formidable tests, and thus discouraging apprentices. Efforts are being made by exhibitors to secure modification of the exams and also to lift the ban on women and girls being accepted for the booths. With the marked trend toward the war industry centers, theaters in the smaller towns and villages are particularly affected by the scarcity of operators, some of whom have gone into defense industries, on their own account. So few are relief ops that a number of boothmen are doing endurance duty, and even when indisposed have to work or the theater must be closed. Agnew Lists Para/s Next 5 Paramount's next group of five releases were announced yesterday by Neil Agnew, vice-president in charge of production. Titles are: "So Proudly We Hail," "Dixie," "Submarine Alert," "Henry Aldrich Swings It" and "Alaska Highway." James Stewart Mitchell Rawson Leon Schlesinger Johnny Arthur Virginia Sale Harry Goldberg E. B. Derr H. Lee Hugunin Gail Silleg Martin R. Koerner Lookin' At What's Cookin': • • • ONE for the book: When a trade paper scribe called a well-known motion picture law firm to ask the first name of one of the partners, a secretary replied. "Sorry, but we can't give out confidential information". ... • Austin Keough on the sick list. ... • Likewise Jack (RKO Radio) Level. ... • John Hicks back after a grippe siege. • Alfred Hitchcock shooting background scenes for "Lifeboat" at the mouth of the St. Lawrence. ... • Bob O'Donnell expects a good Hooper rating on Texas Interstate's weekly radio show. ... • You can look for a revival of the Kansas City Variety Club next Fall. ... • George Schaefer prolonging his stay on the Coast (he was due back last week). • Trade paper boys and home office press contacts holding a luncheon for Sherry Kane tomorrow. ... • Mary Pickford off for Toronto today. • Travel Note: When Socker Coe and his wife returned from Florida recently, they arrived via a troop train. ... • Glowing example of Virgil's "dux, femina facti": Subscribing to FILM DAILY and its new Year Book, — Mrs. D. M. Shaver. Shaver Theater, Shavertown, Pa. . . • Herbert Crooker joins Metro's h.o. publicity dept. Monday He's recently been associate director of a studio creating commercial photography, and before that director of the Macfadden studios Previously, he was eastern publicity director for Warners. ... • For release Decoration Day, U's "Mister Big," starring young Donald O'Connor, will be prize decoration for pic screens Opus was originally titled "School for Jive" When 'twas screened on the Coast, this O'Connor youngster was so sen sational that he got top billing spot, and Associate Producer Ken Goldsmith put the film back in work for more O'Connor sequences This whole affair is unique in cinema angles, in that instead of the studio thrusting a newcomer on the public, the latter is thrusting the player on themselves T T ▼ • • • FILM GUI TINGS: There was a derided pie biz flavor to the marvelous "1 Am An American Day" up on the Central Park Mall, what with l:vel\n Lee Jones, wife of Republic's Charles Reed Jones, the only meml/ei of the committee not n City employe; and the following firms who did so much to make the ceremonies the grand success they were—Loew's Theaters, National Screen Service, Paramount Theaters Service Corp., and RKO Service Corp. ... « The Michael Daniel, who penned the book "ABC of the USSR," is its publisher, A. P. Waxman The fascinating li'l volume is loaded with good American common sense, presented straight from the shoulder, anent Russia Uncle Joe Stalin is correctly appraised as neither the wearer of halo or horns Get a copy It's a helluva lot of wisdom for two bits. ... • Pie dignitaries on the honorary committee of the Canteen Ball for the benefit of Father Duffy Canteen, Inc., include Spyros Skouras, Dave Selznick, Frank Buck, and Lew Lehr The event is being staged by Pat Powers, a?id takes place on May 29 at the Hotel Astor Harry Brandt is chairman of the arrangements committee Tickets priced at $5.50 each, tax included, are on sale at Canteen Ball Headquarters in the Hotel Astor, and at offices of Father Duffy Canteen, 219 West 44th St. ... • James R. Grainger gets back in town some day next week. ... # Jack (RKO Radio) Lewis is painting his sail boat, while many a pic industry power cruiser owner is painting for sale on his own boat. ... 9 Al Gollas, B if K circuit service contact man out in Chi, is in Michael Reese Hospital there to undergo a serious operation. ... 9 Speaking of Chi, 'Kenny Ryan, son of Warner Theaters exec. Charles Ryan, has been made a member of the Army band at Ft. McClellan, Ala. ▼ ▼ T • • • AVENGE PEARL HARBOR! Industry Pension Measure in Cuba (Continued from Page 1) ployes of theaters, laboratories, distributors, producers, the trade press, equipment and supply companies. Capital would be raised via a series of levies on practically every phase of the industry, headed by a three per cent withholding of wages. Plan calls for retirement benefits at 60 years, provided the person has been in the industry for 15 years or for retirement after 25 years service. Incapacitated workers would be also eligible for benefits. Retired workers would receive a minimum of $60 and a maximum of $150 a month. Taxes contemplated to build up the fund include: the cost of two admission taxes daily for all Cuban theaters; one per cent of each company's total payroll; one per cent of daily film rentals received by distributors; one per cent of all freight charges on films, advertising accessories and theater equipment for use in theaters outside of Havana; total amount of any pay increases on the first payday; one per cent of all trade press and theater advertisingcosts; one per cent of all industry printing; one per cent of rentals on buildings used by the industry; one per cent on all laboratory work; the total amount of all fines for infractions of laws affecting the industry, and the receipts for charitable exhibitions. Subpoena Balaban, Coston Chicago — John Balaban of the B & K circuit and James Coston, Warner zone manager here, have been subpoenaed to appear at the hearing for the removal to New York of the defendants in the Government film racketeering case. The hearing will be held on Monday before Commissioner Edwin Walker. M-G-M's Louis B. Mayer has accepted service for the hearing. Other film execs, were served with summonses yesterday. Quicker on "Triyyer" Than Roy Royers Is! Strategic Herbert J. Yates, Republic's solon, wasn't fooling when he declared recently his intention to build Roy Rogers into a status of preeminence among prairie pic luminaries. Most recent Yates coup is a coast-to-coast 24-sheet campaign on Rogers as a personality, — said to be the first time such exploitation has been carried on in behalf of a star, without even mention of a particular attraction, although a supplementary campaign in newspapers, fan and general mags will flag Rogers' epics, "Heart of the Golden West," "Idaho," "King of the Cowboys," "Song of Texas," and "Silver Spurs." Keys and sub-keys will be posted fully by June 15. Art work for the 24-sheet is by Hap Hadley and is tremendously effective.