The Film Daily (1945)

Tuesday, August 14, 1945 DAILY: Srierson Departure May Bring NFB Cuts Ottawa — No successor is expected to be announced for John Grierson's ommissionership of the National Film Board until the time approaches for his actual withdrawal from office in November and it is believed Ross McLean, now deputy film cominissioner, will be appointed Acting I Director of the board. I ' No other resignations from the f: Canadian government's film branch bave been announced, but in view of statements in Grierson's formal resignation to the effect he was critinzed because of the increasing inter'lational scope of NFB operations, it s believed contraction of both activi-ies and personnel will take place ander the new government policy. The expressed view in film circles s that the Film Board has served i purpose in war-time but now that lostilities are approaching terminai;ion the chief function of the NFB ;ould be the production of pictures to ittract tourists to the Dominion and ;o advertise natural resources as was ;he policy in pre-war days. The pay:-oll of the board is now believed to -un to more than 400 persons. An immediate meeting of the board proper to accept Grierson's resigna;ion is not considered possible be;ause members are somewhat scat;ered. NFB theatrical pictures have been ■eleased in Canada through Colum)ia and United Artists. It is rumored here that Grierson nay join forces eventually with Film ^laboratories of Canada, Ltd. for producing. Kobbs Slain as Torpedo Sinks Japanese Transport Cleveland, O. — ^Vernon Hobbs, fornerly with the local National Theare Supply office, who was taken ^^ prisoner at the fall of Bataan ^^ in 1942, is now listed as dead. If"°^ He was supposedly killed when I Jap ship transporting prisoners Tom Bataan to the main land, was orpedoed. II Greek Pic Supervised By Shouras in Dehut Chicago — "This Is Greece Today," made in Greece under the personal supervision of Spyros P. Skouras, 20th-Fox head who is national president of the Greek War Relief Association, had its premiere here in the Hotel Morrison on Sunday at the opening session of a three-day conference of more than 1,000 Midwest officers and workers of the association. The picture, showing the war devastation in Greece and the suffering of its civilians, has Lowell Thomas as narrator. Tattling About Twentieth-Fox HOLLYWOOD. • • • WIDEST GRIN seen around these parts in recent years is that worn by Producer William Perlberg. Reason is that the recent sneak of his Technicolor musical, "State Fair," was such a smash success, the preview audience almost tore the roof off the Pasadena theater. . . • Most indefatigable character seen around 20th in many a moon is burly Burl Ives, famous American ballad singer who is playing a top role in Robert Bassler's "Smoky" Ives was signed to a 20th termer after his performance in the hit Broadway show, "Sing Out, Sw^eet Land" Besides singing in the picture, Ives is writing lyrics to several tunes he will sing in "Smoky," and in his spare time is preparing his autobiography on which the studio has an option. . . • Also signed from "Sing Out, Sweet Lcmd" is songstress Alma Kaye Alma's fiance, Justin Gilbert of the New York "Mirror," has resigned his post from the paper and is coming out to the Coast to be near Alma and to try his hand at fiction writing. T T T • • • THERE'S A REAL human interest yarn behind the signing of Dennis O'Keefe to co-star with Vivian Blaine in Bryan Foy's supermusical, "Doll Face" Three years ago, Vivian was an unknown who spent all her time doing camp shows During one such per formance^, a corny comedian remained on-stage during Miss Blaine's number, working desperately to break up her act Another actor with the company, Dennis O'Keefe, told off the comedian and Vivian completed her songs unharrassed So when Bryan Foy asked her opinion of several leading men he could sign for the co-starring role in "Doll Face," Vivian Blaine unhesitatingly selected the man who had befriended her when she was a cinematic unknown T T T • • • CORNEL WILDE, co-starring with Gene Tiemey and Jeanne Crain in "Leave Her to Heaven," lunching at 20th's Cafe de Paris with Warner's new 'find,' John Dall, and talking over old times when Wilde earned money to pay for his acting lessons teaching Dall the art of fencing. . . • Interest running high around 20th as to Just what type story Moss Hart will write as his first under his new contract with the studio Hart will write and direct the picture, and Darryl F. Zanuck will produce. . . • Caesar Romero has received his discharge from the Coast Guard and reports back to 20th after a short vacation. . . • Mai. Ray Dannenbaum, former publicist at 20th, has been awarded the Bronze Star Ditto Marine Sgt. Johnny Campbell of the same department T ' T ▼ • • • DICK JAECKEL (Guadalcanal Diary) is out to sea again for the fourth time since he enlisted in the Merchant Marine Will hcrve two months leave on his return and may work in a 20th picture during that time if necessary arrangements can be made. . . • Richard Greene, out of the British Army now, plans to return to Hollywood after the conclusion of the run of "Desert Rats," currently a smash hit in London. . . • Betty Grable, now touring with her bandleader husband, Harry James, will return to the studio in the Fall to star in "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim," a William Perlberg Technicolor musical ▼ T T • • • LET'S NOT FORGET PEARL HARBOR! K « ^ » » » Cuban Theaters May Close Over Decree (Continued from Page 1) government yesterday and that plans were being made to close the theaters immediately. The number of houses that are taking action was not disclosed. The decree, disclosed in a Havana dispatch to The Film Daily on Aug. 8, was issued as a move to employ Cuban actors and performers, but the theater operators claim that such a policy cannot be maintained. It was believed here yesterday by some authorities that the closing announcement would not be taken too seriously and that it was a strategy to force a modification or abolishment of the decree. 20th-Fox Sales Meeting Opens Here on Thursday (Continued from Page 1) Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. Details of a sales campaign to be known as the Tom J. Connors Drive in honor of the company's distribution chief, will be made known at the meeting. Decision to name the drive after Connors was made at conferences held by General Sales Manager W. J. Kupper with A. W. Smith, Jr., Eastern sales manager; L. J. Schlaifer, Central sales manager, and W. C. Gehring, Western sales manager. The 19-week drive will get the oflScial gun on Sunday and will last until the end of December. Powers Leaving Ascap For Berth with Metro Richard Powers, West Coast supervisor for Ascap, has resigned to accept an important post with M-G-M. IN NEW POSTS ALVIN FELDMAN, assistant manager, studio theater, Chicago. MORRIS KAHt^, assistant manager, Orlentat, Chicago. lERRY E. BLOEDOW, manager, Orpheum, Des Moines. RUSSELL BEACH, manager, Orpheum, Waterloo, la. jAY STERN, Ross Federal branch manager, Indianapolis. MORRIS ALDERMAN, Columbia shipper. New Haven. OU R. BERMAN, Universal salesman, Chicago. DDIE MARTIN, booker, Del-Ray booking office, Detroit. AL DAYTZ, Warner sales manager, Boston. DALE F. BARR, assistant manager, Orpheum, Omaha. GEORGE HOLLANDER, manager. Town, Omaha. DALE RUSSELL, manager, Princess, Sioux City. WILLIAM MILLER, salesman, Columbia, Omaha.