The Film Daily (1945)

hursday, April 12, 1945 DAILY ^ar Big Raw Slock ut for 3rd Quarter (Continued from Page 1) ,g into 35 mm. rolls might have to > converted to X-i-ay film. A meeting is due shortly between ,e Army and WPB, a Medical Corps ticial disclosed, in which the Army \\ ask approximately twice as ■uch X-ray film as it has been reliving. Result is expected to be most a 25 per cent over-all in■ease in Army film needs. Wholesale G-I X-Rays The vast quantity of X-ray film is squired mainly because it is the in!ntion of the Army to X-ray every irviceman ticketed either for ressignment to another theater of ar on the occasion of V-E Day or cketed for early discharge. After 16 last war there wer-e numerous istances of men coming to the Anny year or two after their discharge ith tuberculosis and other chest ailments and demanding special penons on the grounds that these aillents were acquired while they were uniform. The Army is determined to elimiate this sort of thing, and at the ame time to get such information rem the pictures as is needed to enble it to treat incipient ailments hich might not be noticed until tiey have developed into something erious. No accurate prediction of the efect of this program upon raw stock 'uotas for the industry is possible, Ithough it is believed that Stanley kdams, WPB official handling the aw stock situation, has notified proucers during his current Hollywood tay that a large cut looms for the hird quarter of this year. Studying Army Needs Another "thorough study" of Army ilm requirements is under way now, vith Capt. Peter Nehemkis assigned o the job. Capt. Nehemkis is cur■ently studying film use by the Siglal Corps and Air Forces to deternine how much of an economy can >e effected. In addition, he is studyng the makeup of film requirements o try to see how much of a cut in hese requix-ements can safely be nade before they are submitted withmt leaving the Army with the need 0 come in later for supplemental illocation. TO THE COLORS! BOOK REVIEUJS "MOVIE LOT TO BEACHHEAD: The Motion Picture Goes to War and Frepures for the Future," by the Editors of Look. Preface by Robert St. ]ohn. 300 pages. lUustruted. Doubleday Doraii. S3. 50. "kijOVIE LOT TO BEACHHEAD," wherein is graphically told by picture and text '"' the fascinating story of the motion picture s enlistment tor national war service, its magnificent record of achievement and its preparedness for "an even greater challenge and opportunity with the coming of peace," is verily the industry's "book of the year.' Indeed, with respect both to its potential impact upon the public consciousness and to its admirable forecast of the use to which films will be put when the world once again is at peace, the volume might qualify as not only book of the year, but the book of the decade. As ah instrument for the further cultivation of industry public relations, "Movie Lot to Beachhead " is just about perfect. And for several reasons. First, it has eye appeal. The several hundred pictures employed to chronicle Hollywood's thrilling and glorious story of war service have been chosen with rare editorial judgment. Many in fact are dramatic stories in themselves. And yet they fit perfectly into the mosaic. No less than 68 sources are credited with photographic representation; the industry itself has supplied many, but outside agencies — photo services, publications and government departments, among them— have been equally generous. • • • SECONDLY, the prose, whether captions accompanying the photos or the chapter text which serves to introduce the pictorial sections, reflects the same brilliant editing, it has been written to be read, and it will be read. It is of course not without color, but wisely — oh, so wisely! — the emphasis is upon facts facts FACTS. Not dry-as-dust facts, but absorbing facts, stimulating facts, thrilling facts. Facts about newsreel history, pointing up the outstanding war and prewar record of the newsreel cameraman. facts about training films and why the program has been hailed as "one of the most important developments of the war'' facts about the Hollywood actors who have exchanged screen heroism for the real thing facts about the foxhole circuit and the players who have toured it to bring surcease to millions of Americans in distant war theaters facts about the mirror Hollywood has held up to battle facts about the services' gallant combat photography units, whose personnel in part has been drawn from the industry facts about the OWI-WAC film program with its infinite variety of subject facets facts about the OWI overseas film program which has had full industry co-operation facts about Holly wood, "just another town at war." • • • YET as war correspondent Robert St. John writes in his foreword many will find that the final chapter, "Epilogue to War,' to be the most exciting. And for the reason St. John sets down: "After the shooting stops, after the stars and starlets, the cameramen and the script writers return to the movie lots, Hollywood naturally will go back to the business of making films strictly for profit. But it will also do something else. Now that Hollywood has grown up, it knows that it must play its role in creating the world of tomorrow, just as it helped destroy the kind of world desired by the enemy. "To those with even a little imagination, this volume proves that here is an influence for good which planners of the post-war world will not dream of overlooking." • • • YES, films can "help enormously to make it the One World of which men dream." ■That is why, one suspects, that the editors of Look were moved to write, compile, edit and publish "Movie Lot to Beachhead. ' And that is why those associated with the industry would do well to see that this volume is brought to the attention of leaders of public opinion both at home and abroad, including educators, clerics, editors and publicists. The industry's public relations will be the better for it infinitely better. — BAHN Ansco Color Expert To Address SMPE Meeting * DECORATED * VT AUBREY C. COUCH, formerly manager of the Empire, Montgomery, Ala., received the Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds in Germany. — • — • NAVY • HUEY FOSTER GRANT, former Enzor usher, Troy, Ala. * \VA V is * »UTH E. CUNNIFF. Birmngham, former Alabama Theaters, Inc. cashier. General principles involved in the Ansco color process, \vith special ref I erence to its application to motion picture film, will be presented next ^Wednesday evening at SMPE's Atlantic Coast Section Meeting in the local Hotel Pennsylvania by John L. Forrest, of the research department i of General Aniline and Film Corp.'s j Ansco Division. The meeting will commence at 7:30 p.m. Forrest's paper, titled "The Development of Ansco Color Motion Picture Films," will also describe a 16 mm. color duplicating machine in operation at Ansco's plant in Bing Trade Backs Illinois Fake Advertising Bill Chicago — The film industry in Illinois is backing the bill prohibiting false and misleading advertising. The bill has already passed the State Senate, and Representative Joseph Rategan is sponsoring it in the House. Ask Non-Altendance At Pix During Strike! (Continued from Page \) they would file charges of unfair labor practices with NLRB. James Skelton, business agent of Stundio Carpenters Local 946, denied that any bonafide studio carpenters had joined the newly organized Carpenters Local 787 given a charter by LA.TSE. Documentary Proposal Favored, Says Riskin I Continued from Page 1) posed plan for the industry's adoption and support of a non-theatrical program which would embrace the post-war production and distribution of documentary subjects, with a view toward solidifying economic relationships abroad. With production centered in Hollywood, Riskin claimed that the project could serve to absorb and rehabilitate veterans in the film field and could act as a testing ground for talent. Such a project, estimated at an initial cost of $500,000, could also be allied with the formation of an Office of U. S. Information, as is now being considered by Washington officials, he added. Questioned on the duties of Billy Wilder, Hollywood writer who recently joined OWI, Riskin said that he was being contributed to the PWD manpower for SHAEF in the aligning of all entertainment, outside of radio, in Germany. Although no policies have been set for Germany, OWI has prepared several programs which will be tested to achieve best possible rehabilitation program ideas. Tom Fizdale Agency Names Nathanson Prexy Win Nathanson, executive vicepresident for nine years, has been elected president of Tom Fizdale, Inc., public relations organization, it was announced yesterday following a meeting of the board of directors. Bern Bernard was named vicepresident. hamton, N. Y., and discuss some of the pi'ecautions necessary for obtaining constant results in a continuous film duplicating machine suitable for this process. For the past 17 years, Forrest has been associated with motion picture film manufacture, and more recently has been engaged actively on problems relating to Ansco color film. IN NEW POSTS BERT DYMOND, booker. Universal, Detroit. BENJAMIN RAHN, student manager, RKO-Brandeis Theater, Omaha. HAROLD E. LOMBARD, branch manager. Confidential Reports, Omaha. GEORGE NORTHOUSE, field supervisor. Confidential Reports, Omaha. W. H. HOFFMAN, field supervisor. Confidential Reports, Omaha. L. H. McKIBBON, city manager for Alabama Theaters, Inc. at Auburn. FRED JOYCE, Midwest exploitation rep., Lester Cowan Prod., Chicago. HAROLD EVENS, Midwest publicity rep., UA, Chicago