The Film Daily (1945)

Monday, September 17, 1945 W DAILY Griffith Witnesses Deny Ttireat Tactics (Continued from Page 1) ;tand late Friday afternoon to deny illegations imade by Government witlesses concerning Griffith tactics in icquirlng new properties. Slocum lad been called after a lengthy oral Ifcposition by Lt. Comdr. C. 0. %lgham, formerly a district manIger for Griffith Amusement Co., had )een read by Henry Griffing, chief defense counsel. Fulgham, commander )f a ship in the Pacific fleet gave the leposition here in June because his luties would not permit his attendince at the ti'ial. Fulgham Denies Threat Fulgham stated that the testimony jiven by a former independent of Cnid, Okla., during the first episode if the trial last May was not true, 'ohn Gray had alleged that Fulgham lad threatened to ruin his business nd quoted him as saying: "We are ut to get all of you boys; you are rouble makers." Arlie Crites, formerly manager of he Lindsey Theaters in Lubbock, ex., and manager of the Lincoln Theaters Corp., Lincoln, Neb., earlier ti the day had substantiated testinony given Thursday by C. B. Akers, issistant general manager for Grifith. Crites denied that Akers or he lad at any time made overt threats 0 W. 0. Beardon, an independent opsrator who ran the "Tech" Theater lear the Texas Technological Colege campus in 1938. Leachman Describes Operations Claude Leachman, a Griffith partler at Stillwater, Okla., since 1926, escribed Griffith operations in that ity over the long period of his exlerience. Defense counsel J. B. Dudey, who has conducted most of the lirect examination since the second alf of the trial commenced, drew rom him a conversation held beiWeen him and A. Russ, an independent operator, in 1931. Slocum was being questioned about negotiations leading to purchases of heaters in Mangum, Okla., when udge Edgar S. Vaught recessed ourt last Friday. Slocum had stated arlier that neither he nor H. J. Griffith, one of the individual defen Triple Anniversary Winter Haven, Fla. — The Grand and Ritz Theaters observed a triple birthday celebration, the 34th anniversary of the first movie theater in the area; the 30th year of operation of the Grand and 20th anniversary of the opening of the Ritz, all under the management of Frank E. Williamson, founder of the three. Roy E. Williams is present manager of the Ritz and the Grand, now part of the Florida State Theaters. The Grand was the first specially built movie house in Florida; all others at that time were converted business spots. REVIEUJS Of ncuj HLms "Behind City Lights" with Lynne Roberts, Peter Cookson Republic 68 Mins. DRAMA ABOUT COUNTRY GAL IN BIG CITY IS SO-SO ENTERTAINMENT FOR DUAL BILLS. "Behind City Lights" is an acceptably produced drama that limits its possibilities by virtue of an unusually trite story into the writing of which has gone little imagination. The presentation is far superior to the story, a fact for which much credit goes to Associate producer Joseph Bercholz and Director John English. The Richard Weil screenplay retells the tale of the country gal who realizes her dream to taste life in the big city only to be horribly disillusioned when the city slicker for whom she gives up her farmbred fiance turns out to be a criminal. Lynne Roberts plays the deceived girl sweetly. Peter Cookson is conventional as the jewel thief, fascination for whom draws her to New York. The country sweetheart to whom she returns when her bubble bursts is enacted by William Terry in subdued manner. The best acting is turned in by Jerome Cowan as Cookson's confederate. The photography of William Bradford is one of the nicest things about the picture. CAST: Lynne Roberts, Peter Cookson, Jercms Cowan, Esther Dale, William Terry, Victor Kilian, Moroni Olsen, William Forrest, Emmett Vogan. Joseph J. Greene, Frank Scannell, Tom London, George Carleton, Bud Geary. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Joseph Bercholz; Director, John English; Screenplay, Richard Weil; Adaptation, Gertrude Walker; Cameraman, William Bradford; Musical DTrector, Richard Cherwin; Film Editor, Fred Allen; Sound, Ed Borschell; Art Director, Frank Hotaling; Set Decorator, Charles Thompson; Special Effects, Howard and Theodore Lydecker. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Come Out Fighting" with East Side Kids Monogram 62 Mins. EAST SIDERS WILL PLEASE THEIR ADMIRERS DESPITE THEIR MORE RESTRAINED BEHAVIOR. The East Side Kids once more have their day in "Come Out Fighting." This time they exercise a certain amount of restraint in their clowning and prove themselves a bit less noisy than is their wont, with the result that those who do not list themselves among their admirers will find the lads not so obnoxious as they have been in the past. For this change for the better thanks are due largely to Director William Beaudine. The young hoodlums parade all their usual antics in a tale that has them occupied with the training of a lad whom they have entered in a boxing tournament. They experience a streak of ill luck climaxed by their boy's breaking his mitt. In desperation they select as a substitute a lad for whom they have no use. The lad redeems himself in their eyes when he comes out the winner. Leo Gorcey tops the cast, Huntz Hall, Billy Benedict, Gabriel Dell, June Carlson and Amelita Ward being among his supporting players. CAST: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Billy Benedict, Gabriel Dell, June Carlson, Amelita Ward, Addison Richards, George Meeker, Johnny Duncan, Bud Gorman, Fred Kelsey, Douglas Wood, Milton Kibbee. CREDITS: Producers, Sam Katzman, Jack Dietz; Director, William Beaudine; Screenplay, Earle Snell; Cameraman, Ira Morgan; Art Director, David Milton; Sound, Thomas Lambert; Musical Director, Edward Kay; Film Editor, William Austin. DIRECTION. Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Lombroso Named Zama Aide for "U" in Italy Henry Lombroso, for the past two years a member of the home office staff of Universal International, has been named executive assistant to Emmanuele Zama, company's general manager for Italy, Joseph H. Seidelman, president, revealed yesterday. dants, has made threats to several independent operators with whom they had dealings over an extended period before 1940. Tempo of the hearing before Judge Vaught picked up last week at the conclusion of Government testimony. Griffing estimaltes that it can be concluded within seven court days or less. RKO to Pay $1.50 Div. A dividend of $1.50 per share on RKO's 6 per cent preferred stock was declared yesterday by the board of directors. Dividend is payable Nov. 1 to stockholders of record Oct. 20 and constitutes the regular dividend for the third quarter. Vallee in Industrial Pic California Commercial Film Co. has completed a four-reel 35mm. feature, starring Rudy Vallee, titled, "One for All," for the Parker Pen Co. Distribution will be national. 306 Talks Deadline For Action on New Pact (Continued from Page 1) operators. Since negotiations broke down some time ago, both parties have been trying to settle their differences with Richard F. Walsh, head of the lATSE, acting as arbiter. A spokesman for Local 306 said that there was a possibility "trade union action" would be taken if better progress were not made by Sept. 22 in negotiating new agreements. Chi. Exchange Workers Ask Pay Tilt, 2Year Pact Chicago — Sam Lamansky, business agent for film exchange union B45, states that the union will ask the exchanges for a two-year contract, 20 per cent wage increase retroactive to Dec. 1, 1943. Union claims the WLB did not allow its members needed increases in previous awards. Would Retain War Time Chicago — Chicago theaters will not get relief from wartime daylight saving until Oct. 28 when the city ordinance fixing its duration ends. Mayor Edward Kelly would have war time continued and wants Chicago newspapers to conduct a referendum among readers for its retention. Name Leon Fromkess Goldwyn Vice-Prexy (Continued from Page 1) kess' association with Goldwyn becomes effective immediately. Formerly vice-president in charge of production, Fromkess became president of PRC in 1943, having been associated in the organization of the company for Pathe Laboratories in 1940. Prior to his PRC affiliation, he was for many years an executive of Monogram. ^ Kuhn Heads the Unit Which Will Liquidate OWI Washinaton Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Acting Secretary of State Dean Acheson Friday announced the appointment of Ferdinand Kuhn, Jr., as director of the Interim International Information Service, the temporary unit within the Department which will conduct the overseas information program of the United States until Dec. 31 of this year. This is the unit which is now liquidating the war-time information activities of the Government in Latin America, Europe and Asia. The process of reduction and liquidation will be cai-ried on at an accelerating rate in the coming weeks. Kuhn, a veteran of 13 years with the New York Times, has been for the past two and a half years deputy director of OWI. Appointed to assist him as deiputy directors are Francis A. Jamieson, formerly of the AP, who is continuing as acting director of OIAA, and Charles M. Hulten, former associate professor of joui'nalism at the University of Oregon and Stanford University, who has been assistant director for management of OWL IN NEW POSTS )OHN FAVONE, manager. Monogram branch, New Haven. HERBERT E. FLETCHER, manager, Warners' branch. Port of Spain, Trinidad. JOHN B. MYERS, publicity director, ). Arthur Rank enterprises, London. EDWARD GRADY, relief manager, Indiana and Illinois circuit. South Bend, Ind. LOUIS NYE, manager, Hoosier, Whiting, Ind. EARL FRYE, assistant manager, the Strand, C ncinnati. CLIFFORD GARBUTT, shipper, Metro, Cincinnati. AL LIPPLE, manager, Court, Newark, N. J. D. L. HULL, manager. Star, Arcadia, Fla. WESLEY BROWN, manager, Fox, Atlanta. STEVE McDONOUGH, manager, Rainbo, Detroit. LLOYD A. TUREL, operator, Norwest, Detroit. ROLAND DOUGLAS, operator, Rainbo, Detroit. CHARLES COLLINS, supervisor of Broder Theater circuit and also manager of Seville Theater, Detroit. DICK SUTTON, salesman, Des Moines theater supply company. CECIL HOUSE, RKO salesman, Des Moines. VAL PORTWOOD, manager. Lory, Highland, III. EDGAR SHAFFER, acting manager, Park and Meade, Meadville, fa. WILLIAM E. ELSON, associate operator of four theaters in Cloquet and Detroit Lakes, Minn.