The Film Daily (1945)

Tuesday, September 25, 1945 Re-Hearing Denied In Goldman Action 9 (Continued from Page 1 1 of Federal Judge William H. Kirkpatrick's dismissal of the case. Goldman had charged conspiracy among 'ae major companies which resulted V/ his inability to obtain first-run TJroduct. Judge Kirkpatrick found the defendants not guilty, but on appeal, the Circuit Court reversed the decision and directed the judge to issue an injunction against the defendant companies. Whether the major companies would go further and carry their appeal to the U. S. Supreme Couit remains problematical. Copies of the Circuit Court's denial of the" motion had not been received in New York yesterday. Local 306 Calls Meeting Oct. 1; May Vote on Strike (Confinued from Page 1) should no settlement in th6 dispute between the union and the employers be reached by Thursday. The meeting would be a midnight session held on Oct. 1. Recently there was talk of setting last Saturday as a deadline. The absence of Richard F. Walsh, lATSE head, in Washington, to which he was summoned by William Green, AFL president, for a conference on the studio strike, is believed to have caused the deadline to be pushed back. Capt. Toll Out of Army; Back to Trade Editorship Capt. Lionel J. Toll, who handled newsreels and motion picture activities for the War Department's Bureau of Public Relations, will receive his honorable discharge from the Army this week. His last oflRcial mission was as War Department liaison with WAC on Gen. Eisenhower's film, "The True Glory." He will resume his position as editor of The Independent, trade publication. HOUSE DEALS Chess Leases the Davison Detroit — The Davison Theater, North End colored house, has been leased to Murray Chess by Eddie Jacobson, former operator, who retains the Monroe Theater, downtown house. Chess is a newcomer to show business here. Jacobson is also planning the erection of a new theater at an undisclosed site here. Parrish Sells His Interest Huntsville, Tex. — Sam Parrish has sold his interest in the Life and Avon Theaters to Al Mortensen, head of the Southwestern Theater Equipment Co., of Houston. Houses are operated in affiliation with the Robb & Rowley-United Circuit. HOLLYWOOD SPEAKING By RALPH WILK =^=^^=^= HOLLYWOOD r^ORE SCHARY announced the appoint"^ ment of Edgar Peterson as his assistant. Peterson was formerly civilian associate to Col. Frank Capra on the War Department's "Why We Fight" series, also served on the production staff of "March of Time." • • Metro has signed Frank Sinatra to an exclusive five-year termer. His initial performance under the new pact will be a spectacular sequence in "Till The Clouds Roll By," based on the life of Jerome Kern. Sinatra will sing "Old Man River" against an elaborate and specially staged background. One of the largest and most highly trained voice choirs ever assembled will accompany the star. • e Sam Wood has signed Barbara Cowley Smith, former switchboard operator at RKO-Pathe studios for past four years, for a rcle in 'Heartbeat," Hakim-Wood production starring Ginger Rogers. • • Fritz Lang has signed Arthur Loft, character actor, for role of art gallery owner in "Scarlet Street," before Loft goes to New York to appear in Jess Smith's Broadway play, "Adam Ate The Apple." Deciding that completed plans for "Glamour Girl," warrant a bigger budget. King Bros, have raised their appropriation from $600,000 to $750,000. Incidentally, the shooting schedule of the Belita pic, which Monogram will distribute, has been increased from 32 to 40 days, with actual camerawork to begin Oct. 25, with Frank Tuttle directing. • • Daniel T. O'Shea, president of Vanguard Films, Inc., has signed Mel Dinelli to an exclusive long-term contract following the writer's scripting of "Some Must Watch," Dore Schary's current production for RKO Radio release. • • King Bros, have bought "My Brother Jake," drama with a desert background, for production early in 1946. Story by Eustace Ccckrell appeared in "Collier's Magazine." Part of the picture will be made on location in Arizona. • 9 Hugh Harman yesterday assigned sketch artists Bruce Bushman and William McKee to "Hallowe'en," featured-length "Animaction" film contemplated for 1946 schedule. Bushman has been on "King Arthur" project and McKee on training films. Goldwyn Assails Another Gangster Era in Films West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Will Hollywood once again exploit shoddy and sensational elements of our society in gangster films, corrupting our national conscience and villifying us overseas, or will we give to the world a picture of America in which one can , take an honest pride ? These are j questions Samuel Goldwyn asks in a letter he has written Eric Johnston to lay before the motion pic \ ture industry. "A unanimous support would back you in finding a solution to this great , problem," he said. He added that a ' dozen efi'orts and plans are under way to produce gangster films and in soine cases even to remake gangster pictures of past decades. In face of this challenge Hollywood has two alternatives, said the producer. It can either make capital out of this criminal threat, exploit it, glorify it and help bring about another gangster era and with it reproduce another jazz age, too, or it can fight it and help lead the young men and women of America back to normal standards of decent life. PCC Asks Same Deal as Majors on Double Bills Goldstein Aids Chest Drive Springfield, Mass. — Nathan Goldstein, president of Western Massachusetts Theaters, Inc., has been named head of the special committee of theater men to help with the Community Chest drive here. Don Chambers, West. Mass. Theaters publicity head, is vice-chairman, with Charles Hurley, Andrew Settee, George Freeman and Edward A. Smith also serving. All houses will have special lobby displays. West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— The PCC of ITO has adopted the following resolution on alleged distributor discrimination against indies in the booking of two A bracket pictures on a double bill: "Whereas it is becoming increasingly apparent that a discriminatory sales policy exists whereby affiliated theaters and large independent circuits are able to run two A bracket pictures on the same double bill program; whereas terms demanded from independent exhibitors prohibit them from showing the same identical two feature pictures together on a double bill program, and "Whereas such a practice is injurious and discriminatory to independent theatres because the terms and allocations demanded of them do not allow them to participate in same booking and playing privilege, "Therefore be it resolved that PCCITO demand that all distributors modify their terras and allocations to independent exhibitors on all such feature pictures booked as outlined above so as to enable them to be given an equal opportunity to book and play said pictures on the same basis." Copies of the resolution are being sent to all distributors and exhibitor organizations. Indian Group Buys $500,000 Equipment (Continued from Page 1) and Eastern companies for private studios. Equipment consists of sound recording and re-recording machines, cameras, lights, optical printers and back projection apparatus. Although India has a very large "frozen" surplus dollar fund, permits were granted for the purchases and the group will also ask Government permission to make further purchases before leaving the country. The Indian representatives have asked Disney to dub "Bambi" in Hindustanee and report that "Nissurdin in Bokaharra," a Russian feature, is now being dubbed in Hindustan. Between 150 and 160 features will be made in India in the 1945-46 season and between 175 and 200 in the 1946-47 season. One of the most expensive pictures made to date in India is "Sherin Farhad," a love story produced at a cost of $450,000. "Himmayuman" was filmized at a cost close to 1500,000. Short subjects are also being made, but most are of a propaganda nature. The visitors plan a trip to Chicago and New York before returning to India. Set State's Distribution Loan Committee Today (Continued from Page 1) similar post for the Seventh. Hei'man Gluckman, assistant to Reagan, will also attend the meeting in Connors' office. Major Release Deal for "Cannery Row" in Work (Continued from Page 1) or United Artists have been mentioned as possible outlets. Byrnes purchased the rights for $25,000, plus a percentage of profits, and Steinbeck controls selections of director and screenplay writer. Rites Held for Kaufman Cleveland, O. — Funeral services were held for Bernard Kaufman, 23, husband of Esty and son-in-law of I. J. Schmertz, 20th-Fox branch manager. Given a medical discharge following a year's overseas service in the Army, Kaufman died suddenly as a result of an operation for brain tunror. IN CIVVIES * Honorably Discharged * DeeWICHT BENSEN, from the Army, to manager, Ingersoll, Des Moines. ■ROBERT L. SCHAEFFER, from the Navy, to manager. Bijou, Holyoke, Mass. LEO GRIFFIN, from the Army, to Warner exchange, Boston. -lUSSELL BURKE, from the Army, to Lockwood & Cordon circuit, Boston. TCM DUANE, from the Army, to Paramount exchange, Boston. CHRIS JOYCE, from the Army, to manager, Center, Fall River, Mass. jOERAHILLY, from the Army to M-C-M exchange, Boston.