The Film Daily (1940)

DAJIY Friday, January 12, 194( INDIE POSTER MEN TALK MAJOR DEALS Indie poster men have opened negotiations with "most of the major film exchanges looking toward a working arrangement for the distribution and manufacture of advertising accessories," it was said yesterday by Simon Libros, president of the National Poster Service Assocition. Announcement followed a meeting of the association's executive committee held here Wednesday at which time the advent of National Screen's subsidiary, Advertising Accessories, Inc., and its effect on the poster and accessory field was discussed. Libros declared that the poster exchanges "have already laid plans that will enable us to supply exhibitors with advertising on the releases of all exchanges." He asserted that competition was a factor in the maintenance of low prices, and said that the indie exchanges had been pledged support by "hundreds of exhibitors." Dreifuss and Associates Form Aetna Film Corp. Sacramento, Calif. — Incorporation papers have been filed with the Secretary of State by Arthur Dreifuss and associates of Los Angeles, for the Aetna Film Corp., a new motion picture producing concern. Judge Hits Bank Night East Rutherford, N. J. — In dismissing an amusement company's suit against Edward Goldstein, charged with violating a contract to operate Bank Night in his theater, Judge James S. T. S. Ely described Bank Night in theaters as an "inherently bad scheme to attract children and that class which can least afford to gamble." Mrs. Frank Buckmiller Dead Baker, Ore. — Mrs. Frank X. Buckmiller, president of the Baker Theater, Inc., died suddenly at her home here of a heart attack. Mrs. Buckmiller formrely operated theaters in Seattle. T. P. Ronan Recovering Springfield, 111. — Thomas P. Ronan of Danville, district manager of the Great States theaters, is recovering from injuries sustained in an automobile accident, northeast of Decatur. To Get in the Mood Enter, the "mood dinner." It's the Hotel Piccadilly's subtle tribute to CWTW. Dinner tops a typical Southern menu with an Atlanta mint julep and is designed to put diners in the right mood to see the Selznick epic. Hollywood Just a Name; Films Could Be Made Anywhere, Asserts Walter Huston Because approximately 90 per cent of the scenes in present day pictures are made within studio walls, any city could be a center of production, in the opinion of Walter Huston. Commenting on the campaign to bring more production to New York, Huston said yesterday that in his opinion Hollywood was just a name, except for the investment in real estate and homes which the American industry has. Studios, Huston asserted, could function just as well in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cleveland or any American city. Rainbow Division Veterans in "Fighting 69th" Bally The Rainbow Division in which the Fighting Irish served during the World War is rallying behind Warners' "The Fighting 69th" and more than a score of chapters of the Division's veterans will hold get-togethers throughout the country simultaneously with the regiment's dinner and film preview at the WaldorfAstoria on Jan. 24. Local affair is being sponsored by Col. John J. Mangan, the 69th present c.o., and Brig.-Gen. Alexander E. Anderson. Get-togethers scheduled in conjunction include those in Chicago, Washington, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Youngstown, Oklahoma City, Denver, Marysville, Ohio, Orlando, Fla.; San Diego, Calif.; Lancaster, Pa.; Montgomery, Ala.; South Bend, Ind.; Birmingham, Ala.; Mobile, Ala.; and Danville, 111.; and the state chapters of Illinois, Iowa and South Carolina. In Chicago, Mayor E. J. Kelly yesterday proclaimed Jan. 24 as Rainbow Day. "The Fighting 69th" will be screened at the chapter dinner there that night. Charles Einfeld arrives from the Coast today for home office conferences on "The Fighting 69th," "Virginia City" and "The Magic Bullet." Reade Managers Shifted Nick Schermerhorn, manager of Reade's Community Theater at Saratoga Springs, succeeds John McNulty, resigned, at the Community Theater, Morristown, N. J. Joseph Localle, manager of Reade's Kingston Theater, Kingston, moves into Schermerhorn's place at the Spa. Other Reade Theater changes are: John Gutteridge, manager of the Savoy Theater, New York City, transferred to the Kingston Theater; Richard Mooney, formerly at the Lyric Theater, Asbury Park, to assist James Mullin at the Savoy Theater. Metro Quint to Debut Metro's basketball team will play its first game of the season, tomorrow, against the Lafayets of Brooklyn, at the Jacob Riis House. The Lion squad includes Hy Malitsky, former Monroe star; Murray Horowitz who played for Lincoln High; Bob Rigby of Stuyvesant, and Johnny Kraus, ex prep-school ace; Charley Group, Ed Weiland, and Sol Linder. Sid Salitsky is manager of the team, with Arthur Adler, as assistant. Fine Arts to Establish Its Own Exchange System (.Continued from Page 1) National for its studio and studio equipment. Sol Edwards, former sales head of Grand National, who has been named Eastern representative for Warner, has been given tne task of establishing the branch offices and selecting their personnel. Sam Berkowitz, Warner's partner, is here from the Coast to confer with Edwards and be active in the launching of the new enterprise. Warner, himself, is due here next week. Warner will also produce for RKO. It is understood that he had been withholding his plans for the distributing company until the outcome of the GN situation had been determined. Expect Exhibs. to Support Move for Pari-Mutuel Study Albany — Exhibs who were confident last May that the people of New York State would reject parimutuel horse race betting only to wake up to a 2-1 trouncing in November, are now taking the matter seriously with the usual plethora of resolutions due to be considered at meetings. The Film Daily late last May, in commenting on passage of the bill, cited the instance of the competition near Buffalo five years ago when night greyhound racing made deep inroads and mentioned the report that in event of passage tracks would be sought near that city and probably in the neighborhood of Rochester or Syracuse. With Governor Lehman reportedly ready to predict a state "take" of $5,000,000 in submitting his budget next month, opponents are expected to rally behind the proposals of Senators John J. McNaboe, Arthur H. Wicks and Assemblyman Dutton S. Patterson, the latter a minister, for a "legislative study of the parimutuel problem." Realization that a state take of $5,000,000 would mean more than $100,000,000 wagering in the comparatively short racing season has theater operators genuinely concerned. Critic on Air for Tri-States Omaha— Tri-States Theaters are sponsoring Keith Wilson, Omaha World-Herald film critic, on a twicea-week five-minute radio program over World-Herald's station KOWH. Wilson explains and discusses the new pictures but will not review over the air. "CONFIDENTIAL" DATA OF MAJORS PROTEGTEI (Continued from Page 1) ment's concession to the majoi stated "with respect to the ansy -to to the interrogatories that theV.-yf fendants deemed confidential, the shall submit them to the Deparl ment of Justice, rather than file thei with the Court. The Governmer. shall not publish or reveal, prior t trial, the contents of the answers t any one other than the employes c the Federal government engaged i the preparation for, or the trial o: the suit." It was revealed at the local oi fice of the D of J that the major had qualms about revealing infor mation as to their financial struc ture, loans and obligations outstand ing, and terms of contracts with ex hibitors. The Government's actio' was taken to reassure defendant that business secrets would not b disclosed to competitors who migh take advantage of the disclosures All other answers not innately con fidential will be publicly filed. Th Government, it was learned, has similar right as to its answers, bu does not expect to exercise itj privilege. California and Arkansas Theaters Fire-Damagec Colusa, Calif. — Fire starting fron a cigaret left on the loge sectioi caused $22,000 damage to interio: and marquee of the Gem Theater Frank Steele, manager, said tha' the theater will be rebuilt. Star City, Ark.— The Star the ater was destroyed by a $7,500 fire Huntsville, Ark. — Fire here destroyed the Dixie theater with $10 000 damage. N. Y. Publicity-Advertising Meeting Attended by IOC The Screen Publicists and Advertising Ass'n held its first large meeting last night in the Windsor Roorr of the Hotel Piccadilly, more thar 100 publicists and advertising met from film home offices attending. Chief matter up for discussion wai the swift completion of the organi zation. Acquires Upstate Rights World Pictures has acquired upstate New York distribution rights for "Mill on the Floss." Consuls See "Peace" "Peace on Earth," M-C-M short subject, was screened at New York University last night for the Japanese, Chinese, Italian and French consuls. Screening was arranged by Professor Frederick Thrasher of N. Y. U.