The Film Daily (1942)

Friday, July 3, 1942 Grand Decision Sets Precedent for Conn. (Continued from Page 1) of the Dreamland, New Haven, over the Grand from 14 to seven days in his decision. ■Setting a precedent for this state, the arbitrator also limited the availability date for the Grand to 49 days after the date of first availability to the Pequot and the Dreamland. The Grand had complained that late buying and booking by both houses sometimes pushed its booking dates to 160 or 180 days after first-run. The effect of the arbitrator's ruling is to entitle the Grand to show pictures not later than 79 days after first-run. The complaint was dismissed as against RKO and 20th-Fox, on the grounds that no existing contracts appeared with the complainant and on examination the complainant stated that he had no quarrel with these companies. The arbitrator urged the houses in the Grand Ave. district to work with the distributors and each other to make the houses more profitable to both exhibitors and distributors, either directly or through the available exhibitor organization. Decision in this matter cleans the New Haven slate, leaving no pending cases. Corrected Award Filed In Konczakowski Case Buffalo— Corrected award, filed by Arbitrator Louis B. Dorr, changes the wording but not the intent of a stipulation by which maximum clearance applied by Loew's, Inc., 20th Century-Fox and RKO in favor of Basil Bros.' Apollo over Gammel Bros.' New Ariel was reduced from seven to three days. The stipulation was made part of the award in the case brought against the three distribs. by M. M. Konczakowski, operating the Regent, in which Basil Bros, and Gammel Bros, were intervenors. Original award also reduced Apollo's clearance over Regent from seven to three days, provided present admission price differentials were not increased by the Regent. Filing of the corrected award came four days after Basil Bros, appealed the Regent award. That award is unchanged, but the language of the paragraph dealing with the New Ariel is altered because, according to Dorr, the "stipulated intent, by the arbitrator's inadvertence, is not correctly reflected and made effective in the award as made." By the correction, Apollo's clear WEDDING BELLS Springfield, Mass. — Ruth C. Fitzgerald of Western Massachusetts Theaters and Harry D. Gaffney were married at St. Michael's Cathedral. Delivery Worries in Detroit Dualling Practice Affected by Restrictions (Continued been a factor* in support of this practice. Revive Downey Proposal Restrictions on numbers of prints available, however, will seriously affect this whole setup, and this problem merges into the new restrictions on film carriers. One solution mooted here sometime ago by Frank J. Downey, Metro manager, — and now revived — was a suggestion that the city area be divided into East and West halves, and that a specific distributor release two features of equal value simultaneously — one to the East side houses of a certain run, the other to the corresponding West side houses, and that the features be exchanged between the two groups of theaters on the second week. This would automatically cut the number of necessary prints for the city area in half. In view of the new restrictions on transportation, it would have a possible merit in cutting down mileage by making possible a centralized haulage on each change of a particular film, though this could easily be offset by city-wide deliveries of other films. Servicing of advertising paper for theaters presents another problem, since most of this is handled through the same film carrier service. Present scheduling does not fit into the new transportation rules at all, and from Page 1 ) representatives of companies involved were busy this week devising some new operating schemes. The same rules apply to advertising trailers. One aspect of the problem noted by some exhibitors has been the low number of prints on Government Victory shorts which houses have been asked to run. In some instances, theaters two or three miles apart have been asked to bicycle the reels, creating timing hazards that might endanger theater operating schedules. Newsreel Deliveries Affected Restrictions on special delivery of films have hit hard already, according to nabe exhibs. in the important matter of newsreels. Typical newsreel releases are received here early Friday evening, and have been rushed right out to neighborhood houses, which have thrown them into their first or second evening shows, according to the time they were available. New regulations will stop this practice entirely — and exhibitors maintain that this will mean holding the newsreel for another change, or as much as a week, since they cannot introduce a new reel, aside from extraordinary flash additions, on the second day of a change, and that the reels will lose their value thereby. "Miniver" Admission Policy Wins Allied Meet's Praise Pottsfield, Pa. — Metro was complimented for its "Mrs. Miniver" admission policy at an Allied area meeting here. Other matters discussed were the current film situation, demands for higher admission prices by distributors, film delivery under the new ODT set-up, showing of Victory shorts, and the expansion of Allied. Another area meeting will be held in Hazleton Aug. 5. —Buy More War Bonds— "Beachcomber" Again July 24 "The Beachcomber" co-starring Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester, a 1938 Paramount top grosser, will be re-issued nationally July 24. ance over New Ariel will at all times be the same as Apollo's clearance over the Regent. Arbitrator Dorr ruled that Paragraph 2 of the original award should be stricken out and following substituted: "That on stipulation of all the parties, the maximum clearance as contingently limited or restricted in favor of the Apollo over the Regent in licenses hereafter entered into by defendant distributors, Loew's, Inc., 20th Century-Fox and RKO Pictures, shall be the maximum clearance in favor of the Apollo Theater over the New Ariel Theater." 622,354 Saw "Miniver" In 4 Weeks at Music Hall (Continued from Page 1) attendance of 622,354, or more than 30,000 greater than the previous record holder, "The Philadelphia Story," Howard Dietz said yesterday. Pic also, of course, gave the Music Hall a new gross record for its 10-year history. Gus Eyssell, theater's managing director, commenting upon the exceptional sustaining quality of "Mrs. Miniver" at the b.o., pointed out that the Hall has been playing to 94 per cent of capacity since the pic opened. In its fourth week, "Mrs. Miniver" played to 150,509 or 31,186 more than "The Philadelphia Story"; attendance in the fourth week was only a few thousand less than in the opening stanza. "Mrs. Miniver" tops "Boom Town" and "Honky Tonk" in its first two out of town openings, attracting more admissions than either picture at the end of the first day's business in St. Louis and New Orleans, Metro reported yesteday. —Buy More War Bonds — Stiffer Portsmouth Dim-out Portsmouth, N. H.— This city, with Army camps and a big navy yard, must go farther in its dim-out for the duration of the war, it has been decided by state civilian defense officials. It is expected that outside lights of business establishments, including theaters, will be prohibited. "Foollighf Serenade" Heads 20lh-Fox List sed on Ap<z. .," AugT / 21; "K S (Continued from Page 1) nors, 20th-Fox distribution chief, before his departure for the Coast. "Footlight Serenade" will lead off the season on Aug. 1. "A-Haunting We Will Go" will be released on 7; "Little Tokyo, U. S. A, "The Pied Piper," Aug. of Edgar Allan Poe," Aug. 28. Connors also announced trade showings for the five films: "AHaunting We Will Go" will be shown Monday morning; "Footlight Serenade," Monday afternoon; "Loves of Edgar Allan Poe," Tuesday morning; "Little Tokyo," and "Pied Piper," Tuesday afternoon. Half of the new season's production schedule already has been accounted for by the company, 21 other films being either in the editing stage or before the cameras. Among the major 1942-1943 productions the editing of which Col. Darryl Zanuck, production boss, is supervising are "Orchestra Wives," "Thunder Birds," "The Black Swan," "Iceland" and "Girl Trouble." Three other films are ready to go before the cameras. They are "China Girl," "Ox-Bow Incident" and "My Friend Flicka." Fifty-four features will have been released by the time the 1941-1942 season officially ends on July 31. — Buy More War Bonds — Fleischer Studios Now Famous; Staff Retained Miami — Under a change in the corporate setup, Fleischer Studios, Inc., hereafter will be known as Famous Studios, operating under the ownership of Isador Sparber, Seymour Kneitel and S. Buchwald. Studio will continue to produce cartoon subjects for Paramount release, concentrating on Popeye and Superman. Same staff of approximately 275 persons is retained. TO THE COLORS! Arthur Aarons, assistant purchasing head for Warner Bros, theaters in the Newark zone, leaves today for Army training at Fort Dix, N. J. He is the brother of Stuart Aarons, of the Warner home office legal department, and has been with the company five years. Ben Cohn, Warner exploitation man on the coast, also reports to the Army today. He goes to Sam Pedro. Scranton, Pa. — Corp. Joseph Novak, formerly of the Capitol Theater staff, is home on furlough from Camp Livingston, La., while awaiting as"signment to a flying field as an aviation cadet. Wilkes-Barre, Pa.— Joseph Flaherty, assistant manager of the Capitol Theater, will leave for Officers' Candidate School next week.