The Film Daily (1944)

Monday, January 24, 19 IN STEP WITH DIMES MARCH HAT PATRICOFF, press agent for Mar' jorie Lawrence, Metropolitan Opera star, who dedicated all-Glass Dime "wishing well" in Times Square, copped one of the 12" hollow glass blocks and has promised to fill it with coins from Met Opera singers. • • rHAS. S. MOS^ KOWITZ of Loew's sending a $25 War Bond to Carl Danson, 4year-old infantile paralysis victim, who acted as a model for the demonstration of the Sister Kenny method for treating Infantile Paralysis, staged at Friday's "Dimes" Appreciation Breakfast at the Hotel Astor. • • DERNARD ZELENKO, manager of the " Valencia, Jamaica, says "Dimes" collections help his theater's small-change problem. . . . no scouting around at night for pennies, dimes, nickels, and quarters. • • ROB WOLFF of RKO arranging to ^ send miniature "wishing wells" to be placed in all departments of major company home offices. Leonard Goldenson of Paramount asking, all home office employes to fill the $2 coin cards among their friends. e • BETS: Oscar Doob, Loew's publicity head has made a $100 bet with Eddie Alperson, RKO chieftain, that Loew's Theaters will, per seat top RKO collections. Loew's generally does so well that this is one bet that Oscar is anxious to lose. • • CEVEN days to make it "More in • • MARTIN ROSENBURGH, manager of the East Side's Commodore Theater, in New York, took collections in three Yiddish playhouses over the week-end. Los Angeles House Asks Reduction of Clearance The third complaint to be filed in any motion picture tribunal since Nov. 30 has just been docketed by G. L. Smith, operating the York Theater, Los Angeles, against the five consenting companies. Smith charges that the 63-day clearance granted to the Los Angeles first-runs over the York and the seven-day clearance granted to the Park and Franklin over the York is unreasonable. He asks that the existing clearance enjoyed by the Park and Franklin be eliminated and that the first-run theaters' clearance be reduced to 49 days when the York charges 30 cents and to 35 days if the York should up its admission to 35 cents. Predicts Dimes Goal Over-lop by Milli (Continued from Page 1) ned" statements but weie personal communications. Edward L. Alperson, chairman of the meeting, accepted a wager of $100 made by Oscar A. Doob, that Loew's would, seat-for-seat, surpass RKO Theaters in the amount of collections in the 1944 drive. Alperson predicted that the industry goal of $3,000,000 in 1944 might be exceeded by a million dollars. He based his prediction on the reports that are now filtering in from about the country, and the pledge of Southern exhibitors to triple last year's collections. Samuel Rinzler, co-chairman of the New York City WAC, doing a "two-act" with Alperson, gave Harry Brandt a double-barrelled, vaudeville-type introduction. Flying Squadron's Success Brandt, in paying tribute to all the exhibitors throughout the country for their fine work in the March of Dimes campaign, reported on the success met by the ''flying squadron," consisting of himself, Oscar Doob, Dr. John Lavan, and E. L. Alperson, on their tour of key centers, where exhibitor meetings were held. He complimented Herman Robbins and Don Velde, and the staff of National Screen Service, generally, for their assistance in the "Dimes" and other patriotic campaigns. Ernest Emerling, of Loew's, publicity chairman, urged the exhibitors to run the trailer and take up collections at every performance, and to make use of the coin cards, wishing wells, and counter-collectors. ''If every theater employe were to fill one of the $2 coin cards," said Emerling, "it would mean an additional $25,000 in New York City alone." Increases 50 to 100% He announced that reports of collections during the first day of the campaign, Thursday, were, in most cases, 50 per cent to 100 per cent gi eater than in 1943. Loew's New York theaters report $18,837 for the first day, against $8,674 last year. Similar encouraging reports were made by RKO and other circuit and independent representatives. Emerling lauded the trade press for the splendid assistance it is rendering the "Dimes" campaign in reaching exhibitors and securing their pledges. A high spot of the breakfastmeeting was an actual demonstration of the Sister Kenny method for treating Infantile Paralysis, staged under the direction of Dr. Phillip Stimson, chief pediatrician of the Willard Parker Hospital. A handsome 4-year-old, Carl Danson, who was stricken by the polio virus last August, and who now is almost completely recovered, served as a model. New York's 40 legit, theaters, all of which have pledged to take up col New York Film Critics' Award Ceremonies on Air Over the nation-wide facilities of NBC, the New York Film Critics aired to listening millions on Friday night at 10:45, via both New York and Hollywood, the group's ceremonies at which formal presentations of their annual awards were made for excellence in motion picture production, acting and direction during 1943. Jack L. Warner, on behalf of Warners, received the award for "Watch on the Rhine," voted by the New York critics as the year's outstanding photoplay, runner-up to which was M-G-M's 'The Human Comedy." Also participating in the program were Paul Lukas, to whom went the citation for best male performance as the result of his work in "Watch on the Rhine," and Ida Lupino, who won the best actress award for her role in Warners' feature, "The Hard Way." Runner-up to the latter star for performing honors was Katina Paxinou for her histronics in Paramount's "For Whom the Bell Tolls." George Stevens received the accolade for his direction of Columbia's "The More the Merrier," with William Wellman in the runner-up slot for megaphoning 20th-Fox's "OxBow Incident." A special award went to the U. S. Signal Corps for its "Why We Fight" war documentaries. Lt. Col. Frank Capra, renowned film director, was on hand with other high officials of that service to accept the honor. An informal reception was held for the recipients who participated in the New York end of the ceremonies. Venue was the Rainbow Lounge in Radio City. In pre-war years the New York Critics held formal receptions in connection with granting of awards, but have held that these are not in keeping with war economy and the spirit of selfsacrifice. Gottlober Again Named Sigmund Gottlober, President of Foreign Language Press Institute, Director of the Foreign Language Film Critics Circle, and publisher of concert program magazines, including City Center and Brooklyn Academy of Music programs, has been named chairman for the second year of the Foreign Language Division of the Committee on Public Information of the Red Cross 1944 War Fund of Greater New York. James M. Cecil, chairman of the committee, announced the appointment Friday. Ed Wynn's Mother Dies Atlantic City — Mrs. Minnie Leopold, 78, mother of Ed Wyn, died at her home here. lections this year, were represented. On the dais were Marjorie Lawrence, Patricia Patricoff, Basil O'Connor, Dr. Phillip Stimson, Eddie Alperson, C. C. Moskowitz, Harry Brandt, Ernest Emerling, Herman Schleier, R. W. Baremore, Sam Rinzler, Walter Vincent, Don Jacocks, Arthur Israel, Max A. Cohen, Don Velde, Bob Wolff, Vincent Jacoby and Rudolph Sanders. Griflis Would Speed War Pix to Screens (Continued from Page 1) close of a campaign and the reles of all but newsreel sequences covi ing that campaign. A case in poi he said, is the Tunisian campaig where the American public is yet see joint British-American "Afric Victory," the Capra-Stewart fii made in Britain and to be distrit uted through the British Inform tion Service. Griffis said he would like to s a film entitled, for instance, "M Road to Rome," shown the Americj public within a couple of weeks a ter the fall of the Italian capital. Griffis, speaking of the volume the effort put forth by the film i dustry, mentioned that it has pa out well over a million dollars ft the War Information shorts produc< for OWI-WAC handling. APS Working to Bring Two-Reel War Pix to U. S. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAIl Washington — The Army Pictori Service is working now to bring : Americans a series of two-reel pi on various phases of the war, plai ning to fly combat footage back fro; the fighting fronts and have the: films ready for showing within tw or three weeks after the conclusic of the fighting included in the film Col. Kirk B. Lawton, head of API told the OWI 16 mm. advisory an policy committee last week that th was his intention, and that thes subjects will be available for noi theatrical distribution on 16 mm. H is not certain, he said, that the will be available for theatrical shofl ing. Catholic Actors Guild Gives Ambulance to Arm' Another link was formed in th chain which leads to victory whe The Catholic Actors Guild of Amei ica presented a field ambulance t the Army in a brief but impressiv ceremony at 3 p.m. on Friday after noon outside the 44th St. entranc of the Hotel Astor. The "Vehicle o Mercy" was officially turned over t the armed forces by Gene Buck president of the Guild, who was pres ent with prominent members of th| clergy, representatives of the the atrical profession, and high officer! of the Second Service Command. Th general public was also present a the function. The ambulance, fully equipped an< ready for duty, was purchased bj funds raised at an entertainmen and dance which the Guild tenderec last November in the Hotel Astor At the ceremony, the vehicle stoo( at the south curbstone, and overhead as a battery of news photographers recorded the event in pictures, then appropriately looked down the big sign of "Winged Victory," the stage production which Moss Hart fash, ioned for the Air Force.