The Film Daily (1944)

w DAILY Friday, September 1, 1! Vol. 86. No. 44 Fri., Sept. 1. 1944 10 Cents 20th-Fox Notables Grace "Wilson's" Bow in Frisco JOHN W. ALICOATE Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU : Associate Publisher and General Manager CHESTER B. BAHN Editor Published daily except Saturdays, Sundays -nd Holidavs at 1501 Broadway, New tork 18, N. Y., by Wid's Films and Film Folk. Inc. J. W. Alicoate, President and Publisher; Donald M. Mersereau, SecretaryTreasurer; Al Steen. Associate Editor. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 8, 1938, at the post-office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Terms (Postage free) United States outside of Greater New York $10.00 one year; 6 months, $5.00; 3 months. $3.00. Foreign, $15.00. Subscribers should remit with order. Address all communications to THE FILM DAILY, 1501 Broadway. New York, N. Y. Phone BRyant 9-7117, 9-7118, 9-7119, 9-7120, 9-7121. Cable address: Filmday, New York. Representatives: HOLLYWOOD, 28, Calif. —Ralph Wilk, 6425 Hollywood Blvd., Phone Granite 6607. WASHINGTON— Andrew H Older, 5516 Carolina Place, N. W., Phone Ordway 9221; CHICAGO, 45, 111., Joseph Esler, 6241 N. Oakley Ave., Phone Briargate 7441. LONDON— Ernest W. Fredman, The Film Renter, 127-133 Wardour St., W. I. HAVANA— Mary Louise Blanco, Virtudes 214. HONOLULU— Mrs. Annabel Damon. MEXICO CITY— Marco-Aurelio Galindo, Apartado 8817, Mexico, D. F. SYDNEY—Allan White. SAN JUAN— E. Sanchez Ortiz. MONTREAL — Roy Carmichael San Francisco — Premiere of 20thFox's 'Wilson" at the Warfield, is considered possibly the most brilliant opening in San Francisco show history. Market St. traffic was blocked from six p.m. until midnight and surface cars were stopped as I huge crowds gathered while Holly[ wood stars broadcast in front of the ■ house. Audience was made up of Nob Hill society, leading political figures, top ranking Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard officers, and a group of Hollywood players and executives. In attendance were Spyros P. Skouras, Charles Skouras, Darryl F. Zanuck, Henry King, George Jessel, Gregory Ratoff, Roger Heman, Carmen Miranda, William Bendix, Grade Fields, William Eythe, Joan Blondell, Mary Anderson, Roddy MacDowall, Anne Rooney, Grace McDonald, Reginald Gardiner, Roy Benson and Ina Claire. finnnciRL (Thursday, Aug. 31) Link Villiers' Toronto Visit To Wider Ealing Distrib. NEW YORK STOCK MARKET Am. Seat. Col. Picts. vtc. (2l/2%; Columbia Picts pfd Con. Fm. Ind. pfd . Con. Fm. Ind East. Kodak do pfd. Cen. Prec. Eq Loews, Inc Paramount RKO RKO S6 pfd 20th Century-Fox 20th Century-Fox pfd Warner Bros NEW YORK Monogram Picts. Radio-Keith cvs. Sonotone Corp. . . . Technicolor ... Trans-Lux Universal Pictures Net High Low Close Chg. 171/4 17'/8 171/4 + l/4 Toronto — Developments are said to be stirring in connection with the distribution of British films on the North American continent through the visit here of Sir Edward Villiers, representing Ealing Studios of England. Canadian distribution of Ealing product is now handled by O. R. Hanson's Esquire Films, Ltd., but a wider scope is believed pending. While here, Villiers attended the premiere of ' San Demetrio" at the Eglinton last night before an invited audience. 433g 4338 4338 23 3 8 231/4 231/4 51/4 51/8 51/s 1663,4 1663-4 1663,4 + 217/8 21 l/2 213/4 637-s 631/2 631/2 267/8 265'8 26S/8 8% 87/8 8% 91 38 91 91 2553 253'8 251/2 32 32 32 131 s 13 13 BOND MARKET 4 37/8 37/8 1% 1% 1% 2% 2% 27/8 4 23V8 231/s 23i'8 374 37/g 37/g 211 a 21 211 0 — Vz — "i/4 1 16 — Vs + Vs Alliance Subsidiary to Manage 3 Theaters Chicago — Alliance Theater Corp. announces the organization of a subsidiary company operating the State, 2,000 seats; the Parkway, 800 seats and the Roseland Theater, 1,000 seats, formerly under the Rheinheimer management. These additions make 63 houses in the Alliance Circuit. Metro Pix in State Bow First New York engagement of Metro's "Meet the People" will be at Loew's State where it opens on Sept. 7. "Maisie Goes to Reno" opens at the same house a week OPA Denies Car Checking On Detroit Theater Lots Detroit — Checkup of the parking lot at the local race track by the OPA led to reports here that the cars on theater parking lots were to be checked as well, with a slight flurry of scare stay-at-homitis among prospective patrons. However, statement by the local OPA office indicated that no such checkup was intended here — ' at present," reserving the right to swoop down for a checkup at any time in the future. Alan Cummings to Resume Alan F. Cummings, in charge of M-G-M exchange operations, returns Tuesday to his post after an extended absence due to illness. On his return considerable of the detail in his work will be handled by Arthur Sterling, former field auditor and now assistant to Cummings. Rose Klein was recently named to assist Sterling. Ameche's Co. Sets Offices West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Command Pictures, new production company organized bv Don Ameche, will have temporary offices at 1626 N. Vine St., it has been announced by George Frank, the actor's business manager. Be a Team . . . on the field (Continued from Page 1) human nature changes. One of you may be jealous of the other, or envious, or suspicious. I hope so, for these are qualities without which you would suddenly be Superman, and we would all be manikins in your hands. "But on that diamond, during playing, you are a team. A unit. Do all the squabbling you want in the dressing room, it is probably good for your tempers and helpful in keeping everybody on his toes. But play ball on the field. The public expects that." Period! See Tele Important Biz In Canada After War Montreal — Canadian participation in television development seems assured, according to the Financial Post, quoting CBC officials. Television will be one of the important post-war industries in the Dominion, it was stated, and the development will come sooner, and more rapidly, than most people realize. The big problem for Canada is the development of broadcasting facilities, the cost of equipment and programs for tele being much heavier than for sound broadcasting. While Canada may lag behind the United States in tele development at the start, it is believed in informed quarters that it will develop fairly rapidly. MPOE to Act Tuesday On WB Counter Proposals Counter-proposals said to come close to the proposals originally advanced by the Motion Picture Office Employes, Local 23169, AFL, have been presented to Russell Moss, head of the union, by Warner Bros., which is in the midst of negotiations with the white-collar group for a new contract to replace that which expired on Aug. 10. Approval of the Warner proposals will be sought at an MPOE membership meeting at the Capitol Hotel on Tuesday night. Sable's AAF Gunnery Pic Viewed by WAC Execs. "Aerial Gunnery," AAF pic made in England by Maj. Clark Gable, was screened for WAC executives yesterday. Shot in 16 mm, film now has a running time of a little more than an hour. Whether the subject eventually will reach theaters is uncertain, but there is some talk that a shorter version may be made available. AAF's primary design, however, was for training use. Cliff Ross into Marines H. A. Ross, president of Ross Federal Service, yesterday tendered a luncheon in honor of his son, Clifford, prior to his joining the U. S. Marines. Luncheon was held at the Pierre Hotel and among the guests were George Smith and Neil Agnew. COmiRG and G0IIK SPYROS P. SKOURAS is expected from Coast today. CHARLES FRANCIS COE, MPFDA counsel turned yesterday from Chicago where he addr the NAB war conference. SAM KESTENBAUM, in charge of PRC expl tion, leaves today for St. Louis to handle campaign for the opening at Loew's Orpheu "Delinquent Daughters" and "Minstrel Man.' LEN LYE. British MOT film director, ha: rived from London to supervise a special ! of films for the March of Time. JACK SHEA of the Shea circuit left last i for Boston on a 10-day visit. WILLIAM R. FERCUSON, head of M-C exploitation department, returns tomorrow Chicago and then heads for Ogonquit, Me. ALBERT DEZEL, Film Classics franchise he arrived in Detroit yesterday after closing a in New York for the Cleveland branch. NORMAN B. RYDCE, chairman of the t of British Imperial Films, Ltd., is en rout New York after a visit to Monogram sti in Hollywood. BIF handles Monogram's Austr distribution. SIR EDWARD VILLIERS, Ealing Studios di bution head, arrived in Toronto yesterday to tend premiere of "San Demetrio-London. JULES LAPIDUS, Eastern division sales m ger for Warners, returns today from Boston. TOM CONNORS was in Washington yesterc JOHN DAVIS returns to England at the w end. DON MERSEREAU, associate publisher general manager of FILM DAILY, arrived Washington today. LOU POLLOCK, director of UA's publ and advertising, leaves today for the Coast ANN CARTER, child actress goes to Syra today from New York and leaves from t or Hollywood via a Detroit stop-over. ANNE BAXTER arrived in New York last n for a three-week stay. SAM SHIRLEY, M-C-M district managei Chicago has gone to Los Angeles for a th week vacation. Lee Powell Killed in Action West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DA, Long Beach, Calif.— Sgt. Lee P( ell, USMC, 35, who portrayed ttg^ Lone Ranger in motion j Gg| tures, has been killed in tion, his widow,' Mrs. Nor Powell, reports. Hal Freeman Killed in Action West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAi Hollywood— Harry Rapf of M-G has received word of the death og^ his nephew, Corp. Hal M. Fr. pl| man> son of Al Freeman, w was serving with the U. Army "somewhere in the South 1 cific." SEND BIRTHDAI GREETINGS TO. September 1 Richard Arlen Rex Beach Miriam Seegar Edwin S. Clifford Betty Blythe Renee Haal Maj. Wm. S. Altman Dave Carson September 2 Ernest Hickson David Rollins Larry Weiner September 3 Maj. Wm. A. Halpern Mary Doran Steve Winston September 4 Pete Smith