The Film Daily (1943)

12 M P P P MID ID I ST 2 I ST F L 2 fJW 44TH ST N YC Thursday, December 30, 1943 Headlines Trace Year's History of Industry Wage "Freeze," Attach on OWI, Gov't's Crescent Victory Trade Highlights {Continued from Page 10) local boards, IA executives told. Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, assails releasing policies. 2 — Chase National sells its 20rh-Fcx common stock. Talent deferment must be based upon public acceptance, asserts Selective Service Director Lewis B. Heishey. 5 — No set number of Warner Bros, films for 1943-44. CPA rejects preferred mileage for film salesmen. 6 — Warners victorious in "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" copyright suit, establishing important precedent in copyright field. 7 — RCA disposes of all RKO Corp. stock. Murray Silverstone reported joining 20th-Fox as Laudy Lawrence's successor. 8 — War no bar to U. S. Equity suit move, says Assistant Attorney Ceneral Tom C. Clark. WPB studies theater fire equipment problems with view to priority assistance. 9 — President issues wage freezing order applying "Little Steel formula." Army seeks more playing time on U. S. screens. 12 — Holdovers in 102 per cent increase in year, says Ben Kalmenson of Warners. Murray Silverstone elected vice-president in charge of foreign distribution at 20th-Fox. 13 — Industry unable to recall over-age veterans; managers and salesmen discharged from the Army, must hold essential jobs. 13 — Mexican film business enjoying peak prosperity. 14 — Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter assails misuse of films. Memorial services held for Arthur A. Lee, Lisbon Clipper crash victim. 15 — United Artists owners won't sell, says President Edward Raftery. Hollywood producing flood of horror pictures. 16 — 'Foreign outiook brighter, Will H. Hays finds in annual MPPDA report. Secretary Knox hails industry film gift to Navy. 19 — Rebuilding of burned theaters declines due to material shortage. Famous Players Canadian reports annual net of $1,276,719. 20 — Griffith defendants report en Consent Decree in proposals to Department of justice. J. W. Engel, veteran producer and executive, dies. 21 — Department of Commerce sees post-war "field day" for films abroad. 22 — Loew's to purchase $5,000,000 in War Bonds. Exhibitor leaders want simpler arbitration procedure. 23 — M'TOA to consider operational woes at annual board meeting. 26— War-time population shift under three per cent. Survey shows $2,444,827 admissions jump boosts K-A-0 net. 27 — "Essential work" order hits New Haven industry men. 28— Republic sets record, $16,000,000 budget for 1943-44. RKO signs Charles W. Koerner to new sevenyear contract. 29 — Federal trial jury in Minnesota rules overbuying not an anti-trust law violation. 30— Paramount 1942 net rises $3,919,394 to $13,125,436. —MAY— 3 — Crescent Amustment Co. asks no circuits "break up" in court plea. 4 — 20th-Fox annual net soars 55,687,858, to $10,609,784. Crescent offers own reorganization plan under decree. Universal merger plan goes to court. United Artists withdraws offer for Alexander Korda's stock. 5 — Creat Britain lifts "freezing" order on film remittance. 6 — MPTOA asks for full-season selling plan. Canadian registration order hits theatermen. 7 — National Allied calls for divorcement of theaters; recommends ban on circuit expansion, increase in size of blocks, elimination of Section 15 of New York Consent Decree, and of blind-pricing and strengthening of Section 8. MPTOA sets up "price and product" committee. 10 — Joseph M. Schenck signs new seven-year 20th-Fox contract to head studio. 11 — Col. Darryl F. Zanuck to resume 20th-Fox post at termination of Army service. 15 per cent production drop forecast for 1943-44 season. 12 — MPPDA abandons over-all manpower plan. 3fa jWemoriam— 1943 With the closing of 1943, the amusement industry pauses to pay final tribute to those affiliates in all branches whose deaths were recorded in the 12-month period. In this necrology, the more widely known personalities to pass are given with place of death and date obituary as published in THE FILM DAILY. (Continued from Page 10) JOHN W. CONSIDINE, SR., circuit founder. Los Angeles. FD: 2-15. LILLIAN LANCDON, retired actress. Santa Monica, Calif. FD: 2-15. HENRY RAY LAPHAN, former theater owner. Detroit. FD: 2-18. LYNN OVERMAN, actor. Hollywood. FD: 2-23. AKlHUR A. LEE, head of Caumont British in the U. S. Lisbon. FD: 2-24. WILLIAM V. TAYLOR, pioneer theater manager, Houston. rD: 2-24. ERNEST KOtNIC, Universal foreign department. New York. FD: 2-24. JOSEHH A. CATENA, Famous Players Canadian accountant. Toronto. FD: 2-24. ED MULLEN, veteran theater manager. New Haven. FD: 2-24. HENRY S. BECKWITH, founder of Canadian Kodak Co. Toronto. FD: 2-26. MRS. FREDERIQUE CRESAC, Screen writer, Hollywood. tU: 2-26. HENRY E. DIXEY, veteran stage actor. Atlantic City. FD: 2-26. LEO BROWN, veteran B & K operator, Chicago. FD: 3-1. WINFIELD HADASON, veteran in show business. Chicago. FD:3-4. EDWArfD C. CUYLER, former FILM DAILY correspondent. Albany, N. Y. FD: 3-5. HEX SMITH, former FILM DAILY correspondent. Dallas. FD: 3-5. HORACE M. THOMAS, theater builder. Toronto. FD: 3-8. RAYMOND BLANK, Blank circuit executive. Des Moines. FD: 3-9. MORRIS HOROWITZ, Chicago theater owner. Miami. FD: 3-9. ROBERT D. LIVELY, scenarist. New York. FD: 3-10. TULLY MARSHALL, actor. Hollywood. FD: 3-11. SAMUEL C. CROW, former exhibitor. Bellaire, O. FD: 3-11. JOYE KENNEDY, actress. London. FD: 3-15. L. R. EASTMAN, AAA chairman. New York. FD: 3-16. GEORGE M. WATTERS, author, FWC executive aide. Hollywood. FD: 3-16. ALEXANDER A. AARONS, New York musical comedy producer. Hollywood. FD: 3-16. EDWARD PERCY HOWARD, first editor of Fox Movietone. Lynbrook, L. I. FD: 3-16. DAVID D. CHENEY, former theater operator. Sparta, W,s. FD: 3-16. ALLEN T. RAVEN, pioneer film salesman. Youngstown, O. FD: 3-16. ISRAEL DAVIS, British pioneer exhibitor. London. FD: 3-18. WANDA HOWARD KENNEDY, stage actress. New York. FD: 3-19. ALFRED P. MORELL, author and scenarist. Greenwich, Conn. FD: 3-19. ONOFRE MONER, 20th-Fox sales director in Argentina, Buenos Aires. FD: 3-24. .E C. MILNE, RKO exploiteer. Seattle. FD: 3-24. ERNEST H. TARTER, veteran theater operator. Yakima, Wash. FD: 3-25. JAMES KAPLAN, film delivery executive. New York. FD: 3-26. ELMER F. ROGERS, for 19 years manager of the Palace Theater, New York. FD: 3-25. JACK DILLON, veteran 20th-Fox branch manager. Hollywood. FD: 3-29. RICHARD J. GARDINER, owner American Theater Equipment. Columbus, O. FD: 3-29. FRANK CILLMORE, ex-President Actors Equity, President AAAA. New York. FD: 3-30. AL WEISS, leading exhibitor in western Pennsylvania. McKeesport. FD: 3-30. SAM SHURMAN, veteran M-G-M exchange manager. Milwaukee. FD: 3-30. ( To be continued) 13 wage New peak seen for Summer's boxoffice busi ness. Columbia sets 44 features for next season 16 to be AA's. 14 — ITOA retains James J. Walker to rentals fight. E. T. Gomersall named Universal's assistant general sales manager. 17 — Exhibitors want Consent Decree dropped, checkup shows. Cass L producers want increased raw stock allotment. 18 — Acute shortage of ushers facing film theaters. 19— RKO's net profit for 1942 rises $197,548 to $763,240. PRC to form its own producing company. Hal Home signs new five-year 20th-Fo,. contract. Divestment keynotes Crescent decree as Government wins sweeping victory in court order. Harry M. Warner lashes opposition to war films; attributes propaganda campaign to "appeaser" element. 20 — Canadian Maritimes face operator shortage. Industry pension bill introduced in Cuban senate. 21 — Revival and re-issue wave looming. Clarence C. Margon, Latin American supervisor for Universal, dies. Schine divestiture period ends with six of 16 theaters disposed of. 24 — Detroit exchanges fight 48-hour week. 25 — Exchanges' manpower problem worries; femme bookers said not "tough" enough; shipper shortage major difficulty. California's attorney-general rules anti-blind checking bill unconstitutional. 26 — American distributors rushing Italian versions in preparing for re-opening of market. 27 — Floyd Odium slated for RKO's board chairman. 28 — U. S. surveying foreign film markets; State Dept. handling extensive research, the Film Daily reveals. N. L. Nathanson, Canadian film leader, dies in Toronto. —JUNE— 1 — Crescent attacks findings of fact. Chicago Federal Court dismisses Adelphi Theater anti-trust case. Local 306 settles $3,000,000 suit against Loew's and RKO for $150,000. 2 — Crant "A" gas rating for film carriers. William Koenig, 20th-Fox production manager, dies on coast. Floyd B. Odium as board chairman, to concentrate on RKO financial aspects. 3 — Universal merger receives court approval; action ends minority stockholders' suit. 4 — "You are doing a grand job," declares President in message to the amusement industry. Theater building and equipment boom seen in South America. 7 — Show business set for total war mobilization at New York conference. Studios turn out modest-budget exploitable films. 8 — Abram F. Myers, of National Allied, urges U. S. action on decree limitations. 9 — Soviet government negotiates for U. S. films. Ken Goldsmith, producer, dies in Hollywood. 10 — 6,500 more free film programs slated for troops overseas. Warner Bros, to simplify capitalization. Col. Edward P. "Ted" Curtis promoted to Brigadier General. Find trade shows fail to justify continuation. 11 — Salary ceiling clarification sought by industry. Canada to place restrictions on 35mm film stock. Will Hays confers with the President on industry's post-war role. Drive to eliminate duals in St. Louis collapses. 14 — Nunnally Johnson, Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Stevenson may produce under Selznick sponsorship. 15 — 20th-Fox to vote on full control of National Theaters. New Zealand lifts restrictions on remittances. Minneapolis indies in fighting mood to submit unfair selling practices to Government. 16 — Barney Balaban warns of post-war business drop. Sam Coldwyn-RKO releasing agreement continued. 5,000 new exhibitor accounts in five years for Universal. 17— Warners in $20,000,000 refinancing; will retire six per cent debentures, redeem outstanding preferred, pay existing loans. 18 — Motion picture bureau of the OWI may be eliminated. Universal sets titles of 52 of 55 feature films for 1943-44. PRC plans 40 pictures for 1943-44. Nicholas M. Schenck presents President with a $1,000,000 check, theaters' March of D collections. 21 — Industry backs OWI motion picture burea "Feeling is one of genuine appreciation f service rendered," says Will H. Hays. 22 — Martial law in Detroit closes the city's the aters after race riots. Will H. Hays and Lowell Mellett confer saving OWI motion picture bureau. \.j* 23 — Tom C. Clark, assistant attorney general^ helm in Government Decree moves. Arbitration appeal board in precedent-settin decision, rules delayed bookings may brin penalty. 24 — "Break" in Crescent order disclosed i court's divestiture mandate omits properti of Muscle Shoals, Inc. 25 — 44 features and two specials from Columbi for 1943-44. WAC seeks retention of Lowell Mellett ; chief of OWI's motion picture bureau. 28 — Operating gains for all film companies pre dieted. 29 — Heat wave fails to dent big-city theat< business. Jules Levey to make five features for Unite Artists release. 30 — Senate appropriations committee urges en of OWI film bureau. FTC order hits ad picture firms; exclusive deals with theaters under ban. -JULY 1 — Senate vote kills OWI's film bureau. Loew's to extend contracts of Louis I Mayer, J. Robert Rubin, David Bernstein, an Lawrence Weingarten. Leo Spitz joins Coetz in International Pic tures, Inc. 2 — Allied to establish "buying clinics" in tli East. Warners open door policy to stand sa; Joseph Bernhard. OWI to direct distribution of 40 U. films in liberated lands. 6 — Stage hits and novels feature Warners 194: 44 lineup. Metro starts sales analysis of all account 7 — Theater divorcement bill re-introduced U. S. Senate. OWI to maintain ske'eton film bureau Hollywood. 8— Schine asks relief from theater disposal orde 9 — Lowell Mellett's resignation as OWI fil chief, reported. 12 — Sydney Samson named to 20th-Fox top sp< in Canada. 13 — WPB approves building 100 new projecto to replace machines lost in theater fires. 14 — Films to make world America-conscious dt clares Floyd B. Odium. RKO announces 40 features for 1943-44. More Chicago men facing film extortion ir dictments here. 15 — NEIC elects Ceorge J. Schaefer nation chairman. 16 New England indies ask WPB to investigat film hoarding. 19 Elmer Davis, OWI director, asks more he from show business. Paramount sets 70-30 per cent terms c "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Government appeals to U. S. Supreme Cou from Crescent decision. 20 — Arthur Lucas, 'Paramount partner and Georg circuit operator, dies. 21 — Majors appeal to WMC on 48-hour week. Fox acquires film rights to Wendell L. Wil kie's, "One World." 22 — Local 306 takes Empire's members into tr fold. 23 — MPTOA units to try conciliation plan. Chaplin-Selznick accounting suit asks mi lion dollar damages. Ceorge W. McMurphey named to OC amusement post C. exchanges from 4S dismiss Government ap 26 — WMC exempts D hour week. Crescent moves to peal. 27 — Production costs up 100 per cent in thre years, declares Jack L. Warner. Distribs. willing to study complaints, MPTO advised. Tom C. Clark, assistant attorney genera confers on Coast with exhibs. on Conser Decree revision. 28 — Australia releasing American film money I June 30 next. Oscar A. Doob named War Finance Commii tee assistant national director in charge i advertising. 29— $220,000,000 for 1943-44 oroduction as Ho lywood studios tilting budgets for new se; son despite program slashes. Hurricane closes Galveston, Houston house 30 — Deferred men need not switch to war plan" WMC and Selective Service advise. {To be continued)