The Film Daily (1945)

12 "WiJ^ DAILY Wednesday, July 25, Berger lo Wash'lon On Rentals Protest (Continued from Page 1) tion against allegedly "exorbitant and confiscatory" rentals and percentages charged independents by distributors. He will combine his visit with his attendance, Aug. 21, at the national meeting of the Conference of Independent Exhibitors at Pittsburgh, and a trip to New York for informal trade conferences. Realign UA Publicity; Krushen Heads New Dept. (Continued from Page 1) Buchanan, the company's director of advertising and publicity. The new department will be managed by Mori Krushen, who has acquired an extensive knowledge of show business in his 20 years as a member of the editorial staff of Variety. He will report to the company next week. According to Buchanan, the work of the exhibitor service department "embodies exploitation and concentrates on expediting showmanship essentials." Tom Waller, who recently took over as the company's publicity manager, has promoted Herbert S. Berg to be his aide. Berg has been succeeded as trade paper contact by Lou Barasch, former newspaperman and film publicist. Frank Vreeland, writer and publicist, joins the UA publicity staff this week as New York newspaper contact. John Ingram, former metropolitan newspaperman and lately a research worker for the National Association of Manufacturers, has been engaged as a feature writer. Ralph Ober continues as syndicate contact; while Tess Michaels remains to handle magazine outlets. THEATER DEALS The Eagle theater at 1852-1860 Third Ave., was purchased by William O'Donnell from the Manhattan Savings Bank at a reported price of $50,000. The house will be re-opened after extensive alterations. Berk & Krumgold were the brokers. Montreal — Odeon Theaters of Canada, Ltd., has purchased the Odeon and Metro theaters in New Westminster, B. C, formerly operated under lease by the Odeon circuit. Granbury, Texas — The Palace Theater, owned and operated here by Ford Keith has been sold to Paul .Campbell. -Campbell is expected to make his home here and personally manage the theater. Campbell only recently purchased the Palace at Hico, Texas. Alice, Texas — The Tent Theater, operated here by T. J. Jackson has been sold to Mancha, Rodriguez and Vela. Trio will continue to operate the theater here. First of Griffith Etnployes Retires Borger, Tex. — First employe of the Griffith Theaters Circuit to retire at the age of 65 is Joe McPeters, custodian of local Griffith theaters. According to the company's pension plan, McPeters will retire and receive a salary. Together with the salary from the pension and that received from the social security payments, McPeters will receive approximately the same compensation as that while working. Para. Entertains Vet. Exhibitors in Buffalo Buffalo — Edward Balser, who on Aug. 1 will celebrate 25 years of continuous service with Paramount and the oldest employe in service at Paramount's Buffalo exchange, was honored along with Paramount's One Third of a Century exhibitors at a luncheon at the Buffalo Club here on Monday. Also present were Paramount officials and Ray Milland, Paramount star. The luncheon climaxed a meeting of exchange personnel conducted by Allen Usher, Paramount Month co-captain, on behalf of the company's One Third of a Century celebration. Among pioneer exhibitors attending were Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Behling of the Behling Circuit and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dillemuth of the Dillemuth Circuit, Buffalo, who have been exhibiting Paramount pictures since "Queen Elizabeth." Other prominent exhibitors present were Mr. and Mrs. George Gammel, Harry Berinstein, Vincent McFaul of Shea's Buffalo Theaters, Gus Basil of the Basil Circuit and Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Michaels. M. A. Brown, branch manager, was host. Other Paramount officials present were Hugh Owen, home office executive, and A. M. Kane, district manager, of Boston. Ban, Okay "Southerner" But UA Will "Stand Pat" (Continued from Page 1) the United Daughters of the Confederacy in the Atlanta area. In commenting on the action of the Memphis censors, Grad Sears, vicepresident in charge of distribution, said that "any individual or groups of individuals will have to prove that conditions in the South as depicted in 'The Southerner' are completely false before UA even will consider any change in its plan to provide this production with the widest box office market available." O. E. Belles Dies Cleveland — Funeral services were held this week for 0. E. Belles, former president of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Association and retired theater manager. He was the father of Frank E. Belles, RKO salesman. /1/I2> Lipping Flipping Yearbook Pages Taps Stockpile] Of Varied Film Industry Facts, By A. A. DAUGHERTY Naturally, it wouldn't do for it to get out, but a secret of •]] the faithful disciples of this corner think the conductor the;! is so smart lies, in keeping Film Daily Yearbooks within (| reach. This may come as a great surprise to telephone inquil who have thought that was brain cells they could hear rusti while ostensibly "Let-me-think" attention was given to t]| pressing curiosity on who played what in which picture. Just thumb-flipping through the latest edition reveals a lot of pertinent information about the $2,234,000,000 industry (that was the estimated 1944 world-wide gross by American movies). For instance, did you know that Louisville proper has 37 theaters regularly showing movies ? And that doesn't count such establishments beyond the city limits as Vogue, Drive-in and the Martone. Kentucky as of January 1 had 279 theaters operating, and forty-six just marking time. Cloverport, Vine Grove and Wheatcroft (Webster County) are the State's sites of new theaters. And not only is there a Hi Hat, Ky., but the annual reminds that the Floyd County burg also boasts a theater seating 230 customers. La Grange's cinemart, some newcomers may want to know, appropriately is named The Griffith for that town's possibly most famous son. It is pardonable margin for error, the yearbook's notation that Eddyville's theater is closed seems a bit in conflict with news stories of late. A "mechanical sitter" test applies 100,000 sittings, equivalent to those of heavy persons, to spring units in cushions of a leading company's theater chairs, an ad apprises. Whozat said, "That's because lots of folk go to shows mechanically"? Of 1944's 442 features turned out by American producers, 30 were in Technicolor, and the Technicolor company proudly declares 10 of the year's 25 top-rating releases were in its pretty hues. A maximum of 35 Technicolor pictures is foreseen for 1945, a prediction we color fans hope won't be upset by the painters' strike that now is being felt in Hollywood to the extent that last week there were only 39 features in production, whereas at the same time past year 51 were grinding away. Sheilah Graham, whose col appears in The Times, is one oj^ correspondents covering the Hil wood beat for readers and r listeners throughout the w Forty-three of those are foreign respondents. In addition, there' 24 accredited news photographei! Features approved by the Pro* tion Code Authority in 1944 tot 442, the same number produ That sounds like everything goes,! we know, of course, that a lol scissoring preceded release of m among the 442. The cool half-million down p| ment for "Life With Father" the top Hollywood price of 1944 * a produced Broadway play. Metl forking over of $200,000 for A,[ Cronin's "The Green Years" reil sented top lettuce paid for a bf in 1944. Persons employed in the theal cal film industry are estimated! 205,000, with the people like ;j know in the exhibiting end of sM business adding up to the astou| ing total of 160,000. Here's the interesting breakdol of the film production cost dolll Cast, 30 cents; director, 10; dirl tor's assistants, 2; cameramen il crew, 15; lights, 2; make-up, hal dressers and supplies, 0.9; teachcl 0.2; crew and labor, 1.2; story pre]l ration, 7; story cost, 5; costumes al designers, 2; sets and art directol 12.5; still photographs, 0.4; cuttei 1; film negative, 1; tests, 1.2; insil ance, 2; sound engineering ail negatives, 3.1; publicity and otlj miscellaneous expenses, 2; and i direct costs, 15 cents. (Add those and you'll see that infiation is rea.| here ! ) If there's anthing else you wa to know, just whistle. REPRINTED FROM THE LOUISVILLE, KY., TIMES, JUNE 18, 19