The Film Daily (1945)

"Ji* DAILY Tuesday, September 25, 1945 Ups and Downs Mark N. Y. Elevator Strike (Continued from Page 1) den spurt in matinee business in the Times Square area was attributed directly to the wallcout. In the "downs" classification: Only home office to be previously affected was Republic Pictures, with offices on the 17th and 18th floors at 1790 Broadway; and may we remind our readers that The Film Daily offices are on the 24th floor of the Paramount building. The Film Center at 630 Ninth Ave., housing most of the exchanges, had its share of troubles but that brings us to the "ingenious" category: The Film Center is only 13 stories high, and guys with ironcased tickers displayed their athletic prowess in securing lunches for the fairer sex. The personnel department at the Loew's State building carry extracurricular capabilities of M-G-M employes on their files, which came to good use in keeping their cars in motion. At Paramount there's a private elevator which runs from the street to the seventh floor. Paramount has space up to the 12th floor — five flights of stairs wasn't considered too bad for this connection. Activity at MPPDA's offices was kept alive with "some" elevator service, it was reported. May we add a touch of "courtesy" department: The union stewards at 1790 Broadway didn't want any "heart attacks" on their conscience, and conceded to take a couple of old ladies to the street level after they had attended a screening in the Republic home office. Soviets' Film Volume Analyzes Chaplin Art Moscow (By Cable) — A new tribute is paid to the American film industry in the book dealing with Charles Chaplin, published by the State cinema publishing house here. The volume is the second in a series on the motion picture in the U. S., an analytical study of the historical background of the film art. The first book was devoted to D. W. Griffith. The book on Chaplin contains articles by leading Soviet film figures, including Eisenstein, and the lists of films in the volume, according to those who have compiled it, are more complete than any to date. Mt. Holyoke^s Theater iVotv Open to Public South Hadley, Mass. — The motion picture theater in Chapin auditorium, Mount Holyoke college, opened yesterday with the Fall term. New policy this year makes pictures at the college house open to the public. Riding Herd on the Hollytvood News Range West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — ^Day's news roundup: RKO has set Boris Karloff to star in "Blackbeard" which will go into production early next year. Val Lewton will produce and Mark Robson, now doing the screen play, will direct. Top character role in "City of Flowers" 20th-Fox musical, goes to Cesar Romero. Walter fidgeon, Greer Garson and Robert Montgomery in Metro's "Beloved Stranger" adapted from "Carl and Anna" a European novel. Columbia will star Jim Bannon in "The Head." Rosalind Russell will have Dean Jagger and Alexander Knox opposite in RKO's "Sister Kenny." 20th-Fox has retitled "Precinct 33" as "Behind the Green Lights." Hal Wallis has borrowed Van Heflin from Metro to play opposite Barbara Stanwyck in "Love Lies Bleeding." Harriet Parsons will produce Myrna Loy's first RKO picture under a new contract. It will be a screen version of Kay Swift's novel, "Who Could Ask for Anything More" and will bear the release title "Come Share My Love." 20th-Fox has assigned Henry Hathaway to direct "The Dark Corner." Threaien Maritime Price War Canadian Indies to Cut if Circuits Expand St. John, N. B. — Owners and lessees of independent circuits and individual theaters through the Maritime Provinces, are threatening to cut prices, if the two major circuits. Famous Players and Odeon go through with plans for new theater construction. The indies claim this is the only means of survival open to them as, with prices the same or practically so, they could not compete with large, new, de luxe theaters. They feel the new theaters would produce a glaring overseating problem during any recession years and point out that a drop has already started with reconversion layoff's and shutdowns prevailing at many industries. Famous Players has arranged for the follo-s^ng new theaters in the Maritimes: one each at St. John, Moncton, Campbellton, in New Brunswick; one each at Halifax, Amherst, Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford, in Nova Scotia, and with possibility of one at New Glasgow, N. S. One is also booked for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Odeon theater projects are: one each at St. John, Amherst, Campbellton, Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford, Charlottetown, and replacement of a fire-wrecked theater at New Glasgow. The seating capacities of the prop'osed new theaters, the sites for which have been purchased and plans drawn, will range from 750 to 1,600. The indie operators claim they can stand up under reduced rates better than the two big circuits, because of much lower ovei'heads. NYU Adds Instructors For Courses in Films Instructors for motion picture courses to be offered by New York University have been announced by Professor Robert Gessner, chairman of the department of motion pictures. Samuel N. Cuff, general manager of WABD will offer a new course in television production. Lewis Morton, 20th-Fox associate story editor, will instruct a study of film scripts as a form of creative writing, while Norman Rosen, former Signal Corps photographer will teach motion picture production, and Irving Hartley will offer evening courses in production, film cutting and editing. Raiboum, Goldsmith to Address Tele Institute Trailers for Exhibitors, Harry Thomas' Innovation Arrangements whereby salesmen will show exhibitors special trailers on PRC's color features, "The Enchanted Forest" and "Song of Old Wyoming," have been made by Harry Thomas, the company's distribution chief. The trailers will be run off for the theatermen either in the presence of an audience or in the morning before the day's show starts. Salesmen also will be equipped to display stills in color, an innovation to be used by PRC for all of its fxill-color features. A Television Institute, sponsored by Televiser will be held at the Hotel Commodore, Oct. 15-16, the trade paper announced at the week-end. Six major panels and eight seminar roundtables will be conducted with speakers including: James L. Fly, Norman Corwin, William J. Haley, Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith, Dr. W. E. Engstrom, Richard Hubbell, Paul Mowrey, Dr. Peter Goldmark, William McGrath, Samuel H. Cuff, Charles J. Durban, Paul Raibourn, Thomas F. Joyce and Irwin A. Shane. Institute is the first of several regional meetings being conducted by Televiser. Other meetings are scheduled for Washington, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce; Cleveland, sponsored by United Broadcasting System; Chicago, sponsored by WBKB, and Cincinnati, sponsored by Crosley. Thomas Burke Dead London (By Cable) — Thomas Burke, 59, British novelist and essayist, whose story, "Limehouse Nights," was filmed in the U. S. under the title of "Broken Blossoms," died here Saturday. No Action Is Seen On Clearance (Continued from Page 1) sistant to the U. S. Attorney General, made the motion prior to the ap pointment of a three-judge statutory court and declared at the time that/'? the appeal board decisions were t. allowed as evidence of violations, he would move for the suspension of all clearance. The Department of Justice, in its brief filed last week, pointed out that the appeal board decisions would be used as evidence in the prima facie case. Judge Goddard has not ruled on Wright's motions. Attorneys Map Out Plans For Anti-Trust Trial Attorneys for the distributor defendants in the Government's anti trust suit yesterday held an all-day meeting at which they further mapped out plans for the trial which opens Oct. 8. It is understood that recommendations were made for meeting charges made in the Government's brief which was submitted last week. 25 Million Audience For Sugar Bowl Film New Orleans — Some 25,000,000 people will have seen a 16 mm. filmi zation of the 1945 Sugar Bowl football classic by the end of the year, officials of the New Orleans Midwinter Sports Assn. estimate. By that time picture will have been shown to more than 8,000,000 ser vicemen and civilians in liberated European countries, in addition to service posts throughout the world Subject, photographed by Frank J Richard and Abe Harrison, Jr., of Harfilms, Inc., is released in sound with color and black and white versions. Plans for shooting in 35 mm as well as in 16 mm. this year are under way. Green Island Home for Canadian Film Board Ottawa — Alphonse Fournier, works minister, announced to Ottawa's Board of Control that the Government plans to clear Green Island in the Rideau River of existing build ings and erect suitable new quarters for the National Film Board. The Board's present building, close to the proposed new site, has been declared a fire trap by Fire Chief G Burnett. A new building has been; under discussion for some time. TO THE COLORS! • PROMOTED * ?VT. HERMAN COHEN formerly manager of the Dexter, Detroit, to corporal at Camp Beale, Cal.