The Film Daily (1945)

1M^« DAILY Tuesday, August 7 ! Deny Mex. Raw Stock Secretly Sent Argentii Charge Published in Mexico City Called False by Commission Spokesman Mexico City (By Air Mail) — Charges that 25,000,000 feet of Mexico's annual allotment of raw stock were secretly shipped to Argentina last year have been officially denied by Jesus Grovas, leading Mexican producer and member of the Motion Picture Affairs Commission, which distributes the film to local producers. The charge had appeared in a capital daily which reported that the authorities were "hot on the trail of contraband virgin film." Sometime ago, according to the printed version, the huge shipment was smuggled out of Mexico and destined for Buenos Aires when it was held up by officials at Panama. The newspaper added that both the Mexican Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs, as well as Francis Alstock, chief of the motion picture division of the Office of InterAmerican Affairs, had investigated the situation in collaboration with Canal Zone authorities. In terming the account "absolutely false," Grovas comented that the report was "malevolent." He emphasized the fact that neither the Mexican Ministry of the Interior nor the Motion Picture Affairs Commission is conducting any probe of raw stock contraband. Educational Pix Parley Opens at the U of Texas Austin, Tex. — sHow to produce motion picture film for educational purposes is being discussed here at a series of meetings which opened yesterday at the University of Texas. The conference is for college, high school and elementary school teachers and administrators. 22nd Hoiise for Amcdgamated New Haven — Amalgamated Theaters booking and buying service adds the 499-seat Alhambra, Waterbury of Ernest Smith as its 22nd theater. The theater was run up to last month by Robert Eliano and Ernest Smith as partners. UlEDDinC BELLS Judge-Ryan Las Vegas, Nev. — Arline Judge and Vincent Morgan Ryan were married at the week-end. Headrick-Thompson Eustis, Fla. — ^Mary Alice Headrick, manager of the State theater, and Pfc. Edgar Eugene Thompson were married in Base Chapel No. 1, Drew Field, Tampa. The groom is a patient at Drew Field. MEMPHIS DAILY ASSAILS CENSORS City Board's Banning of Pictures Smacks of Fascism, Declares the Com^mercial Appeal Memphis, Tenn. — Stirred by the current rampage of the Board of Censors, headed by Lloyd T. Binford, which was climaxed last week by the banning of two re-issues, "Dead End" and "Imitation of Life," the Scripps-Howard Commercial Appeal has editorially assailed the board's actions as savoring of Fascism. The board, which started its antics several month ago with the banning of "Brewster's Millions" and recently banned "The Southerner" because it allegedly gave "a false impression of the South," put the kibosh on the local re-issue of "Dead End" because, in the words of Binford, it is not a "proper picture to show before the youth of today." The week-end crackdown on "Imitation of Life" reportedly was because of the board's view that it "showed the unhappy state of the Negro." Both "Dead End" and "Imitation of Life" were exhibited here when first released. j "Dillinger" also was r^ently banned by the local board. In its editorial blast the Commercial Appeal declares that "one of the most effective ways to combat evil is to dramatize it, show its seamy side, and the inevitable penalties exacted from those who espouse it." The paper points out that under Binford's thesis "the forceful campaigning of Charles Dickens against crime, ignorance and poverty would almost certainly have been banned" and adds that "Jesus Christ Himself on occasion shocked and shamed people to better things." The Scripps-Howard daily, one of the South's most influential, continues: "Many a time The Commercial Appeal has criticized certain policies and products of the feather merchants turned producers in Hollywood, and we have every intention of protesting again whenever the occasion arises. We agree that a curbed bit ought to be kept in Hollywood's mouth and clamped down hard when the plain need arises. Mr. Binford's apparent feeling that the mouths of Memphis moviegoers should pucker just because he tastes vinegar is something else again. It smacks too nearly of Fascism and approaches too closely to violation of Voltaire's great dictum that we should defend to the death the right of man to speak, even though we do not believe in a word he says." Reactions to SF Films Outlined by Allvine International reactions to motion pictures shown at the San Francisco Conference were outlined to a group of 400 school teachers studying audio-visual aids at Pennsylvania State College by Glen Allvine of the MPPDA Public Information Committee. Allvine urged teachers to participate, through educational groups; in the London Educational and Cultural Organization of the United Nations next November. A forum discussion followed the screening of 16 mm. films of the Conference and some Disney shorts released by the Office of InterAmerican Affairs. Canadian Eagle-Lion Names Branch Heads Toronto — ^Managers of five EagleLion Films of Canada, Ltd., offices have been announced from the home office. I. H. Allen is appointed manager of the Toronto branch, while Irving Sourkes takes over at Montreal, Sam Jacobs at St. John, David Briskman at Winnipeg and A. E. Rolston at Vancouver. Trade showings of the first of the new Rank product from England are scheduled to begin shortly, it is revealed. Some product has already reached Canada. Local 702 Signs Pacts With All Eastern Labs (Cont-inued from Page 1) ion, Local 702, lATSE. An application covering the entire laboratory field in the East has been placed before the War Labor board here. The contracts were arrived at in the first instance of collective negotiations in the film-processing industry. Involved are 17 laboratories. "Anchors" Still A-way Ahead "Anchors Aweigh," now in its third week at the Capitol, continues to break all records there. Not only did the first four days of the second week outgross the opening four days business, but the first four days of the third week also beat the opening four days by $3,000. The 18-day figure, an all-time high for the theatre, is $33,000 more than the business done in this period by "A Guy Named Joe," which formerly held the record for M-G-M at the house. N. S. Theater Burns Glace Bay, N. S. — Fire broke out in the 900 seat Russell here 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the afternoon show. The Russell property is owned by Mrs. M. Nolan and leased to Weiner & Green, for independent operation. Rathvon Points Ou Propaganda Dangi (Continued from Page /f^ Depinet, Major Leslie Tr^^v? Robert Mochrie, Harry Micl R. J. Folliard, Frederic Ullma! Phil Reisman, Robert Wolff, C Julian and Nat Levy. Major Thompson listed 1,65 mer RKO employes in the v armed services, 33 of whom given their lives. 175 Shorts Next Season RKO Radio's short subjectii gram will consist of 175 subj( slight increase over the curren up, Harry Michalson, short su sales manager, announced. Tw vious series will be revived. There will be 18 Walt Disne;| jects, 13 "This Is America" re' and six each of the Edgar Kei and Leon Errol two-reel con Four two-reel Ray Whitley mi will be re-issued. There will "Sportscopes," seven "Flicker '. backs" the twice weekly RKO News. Depinet Will Announce New RKO Lineup Today Announcement of RKO E 1945-46 program by Presideni E. Depinet will be the highligj today's session in the three-ds gional sales meeting at the Wii Astoria Hotel. Charles W. Ko vice-president in charge of pi tion, will give the delegates hand information on production ress at the studio. Gary Ci producer star of Internati "Along Came Jones," will be i cial guest. Other speakers today include! colm Kingsberg, Robert Mochr Barret McCormick, Terry Ti Perry Lieber, Harry Mandel, i Bamberger, Ralph Austrian, Schwartz, James Brennan, j Schwalberg, James Mulvey, Dembow and either Dr. Georgej lup or Al Singlinger. STORK REPOR West Coast Bureau of THE FILM D Hollywood — June Vincent, s octress, gave birth to a son, Wi Phayer Sterling, at Presbyt Hospital Sunday. Father is Lt. liam Sterling, USNR. Harrisburg, Pa. — Birth of a Ai ter, Carol Ann, is announce T/Sgt. George E. Shelley, fc Film Daily staff correspondent now in France with the Army Mrs. Shelley, the former Evanovich, dancer.