The Film Daily (1945)

Thursday, September 27, 194J DAILY Lesser, Kinzler Head New York Bond Drive (Continued from Page 1) the ultimate results will reflect great credit to our industry." Ace Promotion Personnel Drafted for Loan Drive Some of the industry's top flight promotion personnel is now headquartering in the WAC office to work on the Victory Loan Drive, the final Bond campaign, in an effort to make the effort the industry's largest. Drawn from various parts of the East, staff includes: Irving Blumberg, of Warners in Philadelphia and the campaign book staff, headed by Ed Schreiber, Richard Condon, Inc., vice-president, and including Henry Spiegel, Paul Walker, Harold Danziger and George Ettinger, of Columbia. Janet Sawyer, of 20th-Fox handles magazine publicity; Helen Gwynn, of Warners, is working as a special planter for magazines and newspapers; Edgar Goth, publicity director for Fabian Theaters, Richmond, is on the staff, as well as George Frazer of RKO. Bill Ornstein, M-G-M trade paper contact, will function in the same work for the drive, co-operating with all trades in their plans for special editions and other editorial support. To aid showmen in staging their local drives and co-ordinating their efforts with their fellow exhibitors, a simple and practical campaign _ is being prepared, along with a series of simplified, punchy posters. Latter include a basic one-sheet carrying President Truman's tribute to the industry and its theaters, and a 40 x 60 on the two-reel production, "Hollywood Caravan," plus others on Free Movie Day, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving appeal, etc. In addition to the two-reeler, "Hollywood Caravan," three other films are in work for use on screens during the campaign. Film distribution Lusi Trust Sttii Names Warners Indie Operator Asks Receiver's Appointment (Continued from Page 1) STORK REPORTS tion here and sought appointment of a receiver. Case resulted, according to Lust's attorney, Harold Schilz, from a series of incidents designed to depress Lust's and other indie chains and single theaters. Lust is a veteran of 30 years in Washington exhibition. His action was brought against Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.; Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. which operates the local circuit; Warner Bros. Distributing Corp., the Stanley Company of America, Inc., Cheverly Theaters Co., Inc., allegedly a "straw man" organization created to build competitive houses wherever there are independents; A. Julian Brylawski, local real estate manager for Warners; Garfield I. Kass and the Kass Realty Co.; and John J. Payette, Warners' zone manager. Lust's Allegations Lust alleges that Kass, Brylawski and Payette were partners in the Cheverly company, which has announced plans to build in areas where Lust and others had planned to build prior to the war, and had to hold off pending the war's end. It is stated in the complaint that Lust first announced plans to erect a theater at Defense Highway and Landover Road, Bladensburg, Md., and property acquired and architects engaged. These plans, however, were held in abeyance because of war restrictions. Despite public announcement of the new Lust Theater, the Cheverly Theaters Co., Inc., in 1944 is said to have proceeded to make plans public to construct a theater within a short distance of the proposed Lust Theater. At the same time, the Cheverly corporation announced plans to erect theaters at other strategic sites, it is alleged, that would bar indie operators from building in these areas. In these instances, it is stated, actual construction did not begin until an indie exhibitor had commenced building. The complaint alleges that Brylawski and Payette, as Warner executives, had actively aided and assisted the Kass interests in this expansion of the Warner chain. It is alleged that the defendants have also engaged in activities to block the plaintiff from acquiring theater sites, and the Warner operation in this area has resulted in oppressive and discriminatory practices against the plaintiff and other indie exhibitors here. Charges Decree Violated Major burden of the complaint alleges that these proposed construction plans are in violation of the consent decree entered into by Warner Bros, whereby the Government agreed to withhold its anti-trust suit if the major companies would refrain from entering into a "general program of theater expansion." Lust said yesterday that the present suit was forced upon him, despite overtures on his part to Harry M. Warner, president of Warner Bros., to persuade Payette to drop plans for theater expansion in this territory. Bernhard Resigns WB Pictures Posts (Continued from Page 1) board. No successor was mentionej It is understood that United Stat<iitlay Pictures will distribute through Wa: ners, and an announcement to thi effect is expected in trade circL follow a second WB Board nf ll V, in will be handled by National Screen Service. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Schreiber announce the birth of a daughter, Elizabeth, weighing six and one-half pounds, on Tuesday, at the French Hospital. Ed Schreiber is vice-president of Richard Condon, Inc., public relations. Mrs. Schreiber is the former Irene Lankosky. West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Two members of Warner Bros, studio staff became fathei's the same day. A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. James Allen at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, and a boy arrived at the same venue for Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Rubinger. Allen is a studio executive, and Rubinger is on the publicity staff. Gamble, Shugrue Continue Victory Loan Conferences Cleveland — Ted R. Gamble, national War Finance director, and Ned Shugrue, of the Treasury Dept., held another preliminary meeting on behalf of the Victory Loan with Treasury regional directors and WAC reps, here yesterday. Tour continues today with conclave in Dallas which will be attended by John Q. Adams, of Interstate, representing Bob O'Donnell. Sidney Meyers, of Wometco, will attend a meeting in Miami oa. Saturday, while Harold J. Fitzgerald, Fox Wisconsin head, will meet the Treasury reps, in Milwaukee, Tuesday, and a meeting will be held on Portland, Oct. 4, to be attended by 0. J. Miller and Al Finke. SOEG Assails 20th-Fox Recognition of Union Fabian Will Address N. J. Allied Convention (Continued from Page 1) vention of New Jersey Allied in Passaic on Oct. 9. Others slated to speak include Frank Damis and Harry Lowenstein, co-chairmen of the drive for Northern New Jersey. Sidney Samuelson will report on the Caravan committee and Irving DoUinger, regional vice-president of national Allied will discuss regional activities. Convention sessions will be followed by a victory beefsteak dinner at the Ritz Restaurant. Tickets to the dinner will be mailed out Oct. 1. All branches of the industry are expected to attend. Wheeler Upped to Sales Mgr. Dallas — Clarence J. Wheeler, who joined the RKO exchange here in 1930, has been promoted to sales manager. ing, either today or tomorrow. Yesterday's company announcement made no reference to Bernhard's other Warner post, that of general manager of Warner Bros. Theaters. However, it is understood that that f post eventually will go to Harry M. Kalmine, who for the past several years has been assistant general manager. (The Film Daily on Sept. 21 r< ported the Bernhard-Sperling pn uction venture in which the tv principals are equal partners, ar said in an exclusive Hollywood di patch that WB would be the releaifii? ing medium. Sperling recently w£ discharged from the USMC). Bernhard joined Warners in Jai uary, 1931, and two years later wf appointed by Harry M. Warner i the post of general manager of Wa: ner Theaters. In 1936 he was electa a vice-president and member of tl board of directors. He was the first chairman of tl WAC's Theatre Division, and w; national chairman of the motion pi ture division of the Red Cross Dri-\ last year. He also organized a coi servation bureau for the Navy D( partment's Bureau of Yards an Docks, for which he was awardc the Navy's highest civilian hono Sperling was a producer for 20tl Fox before going into the USMC tw i years ago. He has just been di charged from the service with tl: rank of Captain, and will be vic( president of USP. ate West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Twentieth-Fox's recognition of an office workers "company" union has been branded by Glenn Pratt, SOEG business agent, as an unfair labor practice. Pratt held the move was in contrast to the company's former policy of delaying recognition until after an NLRB election. He claims that the SOEG is the certified bargaining agent for 20th-Fox office workers. Rites for Mrs. Lehman Held Kansas City — Funeral service were conducted here yesterday aftei noon for Mrs. Millie Lehman, 8' mother of Lawrence Lehman, mai ager of the Orpheum Theater. Mr Lehman died on Tuesday, following brief illness. NEW POSTS H. C. DEAN, manager, State, Cocoa, Fla. CURTIS H. MILLER, general manager, Stal Tampa, Fla. CRAIG E. DENNISON, advertising representati' for Filmack Trailer Company, Chicago. HARRY JACOBSON, manager, Davison, Detroit EDDIE KRUL, manager, Park, Detroit. BERNARD COVELESKI, operator, -Park, Detroit ROY LIGHT, operator, Westowrn, Detroit. GEORGE LEDWARD, operator, Palmer Par Highland Park, Mich. ARTHUR D. KEILLOR, manager, Palmer Pa! Highland Park, Mich. JOHN MATIS, RKO publicity representati Seattle.