The Film Daily (1947)

^ DuULY Friday, December 27, 1946 \ II Edge" Sets 10 New Highs in 26 Openings Eivalling the record-breaking business at its Roxy Theater opening in New York, 20th-Fox's "The Razor's Edge" opened Christmas Day in 26 key cities throughout the country to smash biz, according to wires received at the home office Friday. Of the 26, 10 reported new holiday or opening records. In Philadelphia, Fox Theater reported a new Christmas Day record. H. E. Jameyson of Fox Midwest Theaters, wired that in Wichita, Kans., picture had hung up a "sensational" gross where Miller and Boulevard Theaters had a day-and-date opening. Baltimore's New Theater reported the pic had topped every 20th-Fox picture ever to pilay the house. In Detroit, the Fox had its greatest gross since opening in 1927, with both a new receipts and attendance record assured for the week. Atlantic City's Apollo experienced its biggest Christmas Day in history. In four houses in the Pacific Northwest, new holiday records were chalked up, with the Fifth Avenue in Seattle; Orpheum and Oriental in Portland, and the State, Spokane, enjoying heavy grosses. Syracuse and Pawtucket Dailies Cut Adv. Space Syracuse — The Herald-Journal has restricted all theater advertising to four inches for each house daily iontil Jan. 2, and is not accepting any advertising from local merchants or of a national nature. Cause given is shortage of newsprint. Pawtucket, R. I.— The Pawtucket Times has announced a 50 per cent cut in advertising space available as of Dec. 23. Rates are based on space used in week of Dec. 1 Unlimited amounts had been used by operators in neighboring Providence, where space had already been cut in local papers. MPA to Honor Epstein Philadelphia — Ely J. Epstein, recently appointed RKO sales manager in Philadelphia, will be honored by the Motion Picture Associates at a luncheon Jan. 20, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. 16mni. Opposition Tahes Dance Form Opp, Ala. — Newest competition to exhibitors in tiiis area is the "movie dance," brought to town by a veteran for use at student dances in high school auditoriums. "Name" bands on 16 mm. film, with extrasized sound amplifiers, are used by the former theaterman to play for a three-hour show and donee at prices slightly in excess of prevailing movie houses. 3Jn jHemoriam— 1946 As 1946 draws to a close, 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 was published in THE FILM DAILY. JOE ABRAMSON, secretary to Jack Kirsch. Chicago. FD: 2-18. MRS. F. B. ALLEN, long-time exhibitor. Farmington, N. M. FD: 7-17. FRANCIS G. ALLEN, sales executive General Aniline and Film Corp. White Plains, N. Y. FD: 2-13. WILLIAM ALLEN, veteran theater man. Toronto. FD: 4-24. BEN ALMOND, theater owner. Columbus. FD: 8-27. CLAUDE M. ALVIENE, founder Academy of Theater and Cultural Arts. New York. FD: 4-26. LOU ANGER, v-p United Artists Theaters. Hollywood. FD: 5-22. LAWRENCE J. ANHALT, theater manager and producer. New York. FD: 4-24. GEORGE ARLISS, famous international stage and screen star. London. FD: 2-6. LOU ARMOUR, Midstates Theater Circuit executive. Chicago. FD: 9-4. SAMUEL ARNOW, veteran talent agent. Hollywood. FD: 11-13. LIONEL ATWILL, stage and screen star. Hollywood. FD: 4-24. FREDERICK GEORGE AUSTIN, former theater operator. Detroit. FD: 12-19. JOHN BAILEY, Bailey Theater Circuit. Chicago. FD: 5-16. TOM W. BAILY, prominent in motion pictures. Hollywood. FD: 8-15. JOHN BAIRD, United Kingdom television pioneer. London. FD: 6-17. PETTUS C. BAKER, veteran projectionist. ' Detroit. FD: 2-15. RAY S. BAKER, official biographer of President Woodrow Wilson, and technical advisor on 20th-Fox's "Wilson." Amherst, Mass. FD: 7-19. PETER M. BARDESSONO, pioneer theater and hotel owner. Timmins, Ont. FD: 3-1. JUSTUS D. BARNES, silent film actor. Weedsport, N. Y. FD: 2-11. FRED BARTOW, former Paramount publicity director in Chicago. Chicago. FD: 2-8. CARL BEARD, theater owner. Lewellyn, Neb. FD: 11-20. TINA BECHT, member Loew's Newark State staff. Newark. FD: 9-11. SAM BENJAMIN, veteran exchange manager. Hollywood. FD: 2-13. BRUCE BENSKIN, well-known to theater trade. Economy Electric Co. owner. Chicago. FD: 12-24. E. J. BERGEN, exhibitor. Wilmington. FD: 6-27. HENRY BERGMAN, veteran actor. Hollywood. FD: 10-24. SOL BERNSTEIN, owner Ritz Theater. Mansfield, 0. FD: 3-19. NOAH BEERY, SR., veteran screen actor. Hollywood. FD: 4-2. FRANK BETTIS, theater manager. El Paso. FD: 10-10. CECIL BEVERIDGE, one-time general manager Fullers Theater, Melbourne. Sydney, FD: 7-17. ELIZABETH MacDONALD BIGELOW, prominent in theatrical enterprises. New York. FD: 5-15. CHARLEY BLAKE, former Chicago Herald-American Amusement editor. Chicago. FD: 11-22. AL BLASKO, veteran WB Theater Circuit manager. Chicago. FD: 8-20. MOSES PHILIP BOBYS, M-G-M salesman. Washington, D. C. FD: 12-24. GEORGE W. BONTE, art director WB and Selznick Pictures Corp. New York. FD: 3-14. ROLLA J. BOOTH, one of the .oldest exhibitors in the Middlewest. Rich Hill, Mo. FD: 11.19. SERGIVS BOUDEAU, plant mgr. Kroehler Mfg. Co. Chicago. FD: 11-20. CHARLES R. BOWES, industry pioneer. Pompton Lakes, N. J. FD: 11-29. MAJOR EDWARD BOWES, former v-p Samuel Goldwyn Pictures Corp., managing director Capitol Theater, Amateur Hour sponsor. Rumson, N. J. FD: 6-14. FRED BOYD, theater manager. Indianapolis. FD: 10-8. CLAUDE BRAGDON, well-known stage designer, author and architect. New York. FD: 9-18. THOMAS J. BRAGG, Canadian Odeon Companies executive. Toronto. FD: 10-1. CARROLL E. BREADON, factory mgr. Zenith Corp. Chicago. FD: 6-27. EGON BRECHER, veteran continental actor. Hollywood. FD: 8-15. J. M. BRENNAN, RKO theater executive. New York. FD: 2-28. GEORGE HAMILTON BRIANT, JR., stunt flyer. San Antonio. FD: 10-29. CARL OTTO BROMEL, theatrical artist. Detroit. FD: 1-8. FRED L. BRONAUGH, former v-p and general sales manager of A. M. Karagheusian, Inc. New York. FD: 12-13. CLYDE 0. BROWN, theater manager. St. Louis. FD: 12-4. VIRGIL BROWN, long associoted with local theater, operator. Decatur. FD: 10-9. OTTO BROWER, veteran director. Hollywood. FD: 1-28. CHARLES BRUCE-WINSTON, British actor, producer and scenic designer. New York FD: 10-1. JULES E. BRULATOUR, president J. E. Brulatour, Inc., distributor Eastman motion picture Films. New York. FD: 10-28. RANDALL R. BRYAN, National Screen Service Atlanta branch mgr. Atlanta. FD: 8-12. HAROLD S. BUCQUET, veteran M-G-M director. Hollywood. FD: 2-15. JOSEPH BURNS, veteran vaude actor. New York. FD: 11-6. MAE BUSCH, stage ond screen actress. Hollywood. FD: 4-24. HENRY BUSSE, well-known musician. Hartford, Conn. FD: 2-13. CHARLES BUTTERWORTH, featured stage and screen comedian. Hollywood. FD: 6-14. ERIC F. CARLSON, Bell 8. Howell Western district manager. Chicago. FD: 12-20. ALEXANDER CARR, veteran stage and screen actor. Hollywood. FD: 9-23. G. W. CARR, theater seating pioneer. Detroit. FD: 7-17. TEM CARR, Monogram's director of production. Hollywood.' FD: 8-19. GERALD CAMPBELL, projectionist. Toronto. FD: 1-23. FRANK CASE, owner Algonquin Hotel and host to industry. New York. FD: 6-11. EARL CHAMPION, projectionist. Minneapolis. FD: 10-18. CHARLES K. CHAMPLIN, former playwright and theatrical producer. Red Bank, N. J. FD: 2-15. ELMO CHAPMAN, theater owner. Starke, Fla. FD: 6-12. ROY CHARTIER, Variety editorial staff. New York. FD: 8-6. ROSE MARY A. CHESTER, secretary to 20th-Fox exchange mgr. St. Louis. FD: 2-11. WILLIAM J. CLARK, short subjects and Movietone 20th-Fox manager. New York. FD: 12-24. DR. HOWARD S. CLEMMER, prominent retired dentist and pioneer Spokane theater operator. Spokane. FD: 1-9. JOSEPH I. CLOUTIER, chief operator for 30 years Palace Theater. Pittsfield, Mass. FD: 3-21. JOSEPH E. COHEN, associated with various theaters and vending machine companies. Philadelphia. FD: 1-31. WILLIAM W. COLE, former mgr. Cole Bros. Circus. Omaha. FD: 5-17. WILLIAM CORCORAN, St. Louis Theater usher. St. Louis. FD: 8-7. MARK E. COREY, RKO Portland branch mgr. Portland. FD: 7-26. GAGES CORGAN, theater architect. Shownee, Okla. FD: 2-26. ARTHUR W. CRAWFORD, general mgr. Tribune News Syndicate. Chicago. FD: 3-14. HARVEY CRAWFORD, mgr. F & M Missouri Theater. St. Louis. FD: 11-25. DANIEL J. CRIGHTON, retired architect for United Amusement Corp. Montreal. FD: 5-10. MARIE A. CROCHETIERE, theater cashier. Holyoke, Mass. FD: 5-31. FRANK CROMER, theatricol decorator, head of Dallas stage hands union. Fort Worth. FD: 10-15. EUGENE CRYSTAL, public relations counsel Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester. FD: 3-19. JOSEPH G. CUDDOHY, former sales mgr. Michigan Seating Co. Jackson, Mich. FD: 5-31. WILLIAM H. CURROTT, veteran exhibitor. Cheybogan, Mich. FD: 8-13. MARIE LOUISE DANA, veteran actress. New York. FD: 12-18. CARL DANIELSON, veteran projectionist. Chicago. FD: 1-1). (Continued on Page 9) RKO Has Six Ready For Spring Release "m RKO announces that six major films are ready for early Spring release and four that are in the final stages of editing will follow. Group of six which are schedi for national release soon are "S\ of the South," "The Locket," Best Years Of Our Lives," "The Farmer's Daughter," "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Trail Street." In the editing stage are the Technicolor "Sinbad the Sailor," the RKO-Rank "So Well Remembered," "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" and "They Won't Believe Me." President N. Peter Rathvon bases the "exceptionally healthy condition" on RKO's sustained program of filming activity, story buying and screen play preparation. Seven other features are now in production, either by RKO or by independent companies for RKO release. Reader's Digest Adopts Goldwyn Title for Series January edition of the Reader's 4 Digest, placed on newsstands yesterday, carried the first of a series of feature articles entitled "The Best Years of Our Lives," inspired by Samuel Goldwyn's new film. The initial story was written by Dr. Hai-ry Emerson Fosdick, New York clergyman. The next five issues of the Digest will carry similarly titled stories by well-known authorities in varied fields. This is said to be the first time in which a periodical has adapted the title of a motion picture as the basis for continuing feature. The Digest, with an estimated circulation of 10,000,000 will provide a total of 60,000,000 readers in the coming six months who will read articles in f" spired by Samuel Goldwyn's new pro ^fi duction, "The Best Years of Our Lives." $75,000 Alexander Bonus Colorado Springs — Holiday payment of bonuses to employes of Alexander Film Co. will total $75,000 making a sum of $125,000 since last June. Swedish Pic to Bow First Swedish screen operetta, "Queen for a Night," will have its American premiere at the Fifth Ave. Playhouse, Saturday. TO THE COLORS! • ARMY • CHRIST DEMOS, manager, Hamilton Theater, Chicago, to the Army. JOHN PETERSON, Fox Theater staff, Detroit, and secretary of Detroit Theater Employes Local B179 (lATSE), has re-enlisted for three years in the Army. * NAVY * ANTHONY KUCINSKIS, assistant manager of the Martha Washington Theater in Hamtramck, Mich., has re-enlisted for six years.