The Film Daily (1943)

im~t* DAILY Wednesday, December 1, 19 Clarification of Korda's UA Interest Expected at Coast Meeting of Owners (Continued from Page 1) tiations are not restricted to the one-quarter United Artists holdings of Korda, now actively associated with Metro on this side. (Korda is associated with Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin and David 0. Selznick in the ownership of United Artists. Latter's stock is split up into four units, each consisting of 4,000 shares of common. There is no preferred issue). Clarification Expected It is understood here that the status of Korda may be clarified at the annual meeting of the UA owne: s, scheduled to be held in Hollywood within the week. It is believed in some quarters here that Rank may find Selznick a serious rival bidder for Korda's quarter interest. In support of the reports that Rank is seeking to buy into UA, it is pointed out that such a deal would have marked advantages for the B: itish tycoon. It presumably would make immediately available to him a working high-powered distribution organization for the handling of such British pix as might be deemed suitable for the American market. Earlier forecasts of Rank overseas expansion had been predicated upon the setting up of his own exchange system in the United States. Would Assure Distribution Such a move obviously could not be effected under war-time conditions, shortages of necessary physical equipment as well as in manpower looming as major complications. A United Artists part-ownership, it is pointed out, would solve the distribution problem for Rank without delay. The name of Morris Ernst, New York attorney, is mentioned prominently in the Rank-UA reports circulating here. Ernst has been in London for some time. His law firm represents Twin Cities Films, Ltd., If older, Former Metro Booher, Awarded DFC Former M-G-M booker Maxwell R. Haider, now a lieutenant in the USAAF, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "extraordinary achievement while participating in flight missions in the Southwest Pacific." Medal was presented by Lt. Gen. George C. Kennedy, commander of the Fifth Air Force. Lt. Holder came to M-G-M as an assisting shipper in 1938, became a booker in 1940 and was head booker in the Charlotte office when he was appointed an aviation cadet in July, 1942. He is also theater officer of his post. London Hears Rank After Korda's UA Stocl 'Movies Don't Breedl Delinquent Juvenile TO TIME COLO US! * DECORATED * HAROLD A. COLDSTEIN, USA, formerly a backer in the Big U exchange awarded the Silver star. LT. MAXWELL R. HOLDER, USAAF, former M-G-M booker, Charlotte, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. — • — * COMMISSIONED * ART JARRETT, USN, former orchestra leader, commissioned a lieutenant (j.g.l. RUTH HIRSCH, WAC, formerly, Paramount home office contract approval department, commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. — • — * PROMOTED * JAMES ACKRON, USA, formerly, A Nance Theaters, ogansport, Ind., to corporal. * ARMY * WILLIAM GREEN, general manager for William Hicks, Baltimore circuit operator. ARCHIE PALMER, Monogram, Chicago. JAY MILLS, Midwest Poster Exchange, Chicago. JOE KARKOWITZ, M-C-M exchange, Chicago. PETE NICKLES, Thalia Theater, Chicago. VINCENT AVERY, Esquire Theater, Chicago. CHARLES DRAKE, Warner contract player, Hollywood. FELIX JACOVES, Warner dialogue director, Hollywood. *~NAVY * RUSSELL FACINE, vice-president, Music Corporation of America, Chicago. * WAVES * JANE COCKS, daughter of Harvey Cocks, Quimby Circuit, Fort Wayne, Ind. fC-A-O's 39-Week Net Profit Up Nearly a Million (Continued from Page 1) period in 1942, the gross profit rose almost $1,000,000, according to the financial ststement issued by the company yesterday. Net profit after all charges for the first three quarters of 1943 was $1,217,541, compared with $1,074,258 last year. Profit before deducting all charges was $3,156,726 for the 1943 39 weeks. For the same period in 1942, the gross profit was $2,188,472. The company set aside $250,000 for contingencies and post-war adjustments. Income taxes this year amounted to $1,045,000, against $631,168 during the 1942 period. There was an excess profits tax of $170,000 this year compared with none last year. The provision for excess profits taxes, according to the statement, "gives effect to extensive and non-recurring unused excess profits credit adjustments and to the statutory credit against such excess profits taxes resulting from debt retirement." in the United States. Twin Cities produced "In Which We Serve" which UA released on the other side. Should Rank finally emerge as a co-owner of United Ai'tists, it would occasion not too much surprise here. Wardour St. points out that Rank and UA already are jointly interested in Odeon Theaters, one of the major British circuits. (In addition to the Korda situation, two other matters are expected to come in for a going over when the UA partners huddle on the Coast. One is the pending suit by Chaplin against Selznick, 20th-Fox and UA. The second is Miss Pickford's recent threat to sue to effect changes in the corporation's by-laws. As the latter now stands among other things, unanimous approval of all owners would be required in the event of a proposal involving the sale of UA stock by any owner or the sale of treasury stock to a new owner). Six New Writers Sign Contracts With Para. (Continued from Page 1) liam Dozier, heed ofthe Studio story and writing department. Sextet embraces: Vincent McHugh, author of "I Am Thinking of My Darling," and many New Yorker articles; Theodore Strauss, assistant pix critic of the New York Times, who has had a novel and several short stories published; Abraham Polonsky, for seven years one of the writers of the popular Goldbergs radio serial, and who also has novels and magazine serials to his credit; David Horwich and Richard Nussbaum, young playwrights; Dwight Mitchell Wiley, author of •'The Griswold Story," which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, and which Paramount will film. The deals were concluded in New York by Dozier, after he interviewed 15 prospective writers culled from a list of 50 assembled by Paramount's New York office and by his assistant, Meta Reis. Paramount also recently gave a term contract to Frank Waldman, who worked on the screenplay of "Mr. Co-Ed" for Metro. Foresees Tele in Color. Newspaper by Radio Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — T. A. M. Craven, member of the FCC and its former chief engineer, told the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee yesterday that: "I foresee the day when not only will be have color television broadcasting all over the country, but also when every telephone will have its co: responding video attachment. "People living in rural areas will be able not only to hear and see the radio news commentators, but also will have the newspaper itself delivered by radio." (Continued from Page 1) drew a reply from witness Ma McCloskey, on leave as New Yq City Board of Education recreat director to serve here in a simi post with the Office of Commun War Services, that pix are a m ligible factor among the causes current juvenile delinquency. McCloskey made it plain that feels pix can aid in combating problem, but that the industry toe is not contributing heavily to ] causes of the problem. Dame May Whitty, M-G-M star scheduled to testify tomorrow 1 fore the special committee. Katherine Lenroot, chief of I Children's Bureau of the U. S. 1 partment of Labor, called for l establishment of well-rounded co munity recreational programs incl ing "wholesome use of motion r tures," which she considers valua both for education and entertaJ ment. Miss Lenroot has been < of the chief proponents of comnl nity action. Significrntly, Dr. William He] of the Judge Baker Guidance C ter, Boston, stated that thror clinical studies "we can give chaj ter and verse for the effect uj youngsters leading them to en tain notions of the perpetration delinquency, derived from crime tion, radio programs, from cri] movies." His implication, later c firmed by this reporter, is thst recent years the industry has tu ed out far fewer harmful pix tlj during the height of the gangs production craze. Hold Ayers Rites Today Funeral services for Frank Mo rose Ayers, 69, vaudeville old-tin will be held this afternoon in Riv side Memorial Chapel, Manhatt Interment will be in Kensieo Cei tery in Westchester. Ayers died Sunday in Roosevelt Hospital. Selznich's SYWA May \ Require 3 Hours West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — David O. Selznick"Since You Went Away" is ex^ pected to have a running time ol about three hours, as compared with the three hours, 48 minutes, re quired for GWTW. Another month of shooting remains on the pic. Including seven stars in the top roles of SYWA, Selznick already has cast 94 speaking parts, with a number of others still to be set. GWTW including its five stars, had 59 principal parts. :