Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

8 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, February 14, 1940 Research Council Plans Expansion Hollywood, Feb. 13. — Research Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been expanded to include the investigation of problems in laboratory processing, photography, cine technology, sound recording and optics. Darryl F. Zanuck, Council chairman, named chairmen for each of the fields, as follows : John Nickolaus, laboratory ; John Arnold, photography ; Grover Laube, cine-technical ; Loren Ryder, sound, and B. F. Miller, optical. Nathan Levinson, Warners, was reelected vice-chairman of the Council, and the finance committee included : Zanuck, chairman ; Levinson, John Aalberg, RKO ; E. H. Hansen, 20th Century-Fox. Hollywood Review at .ft Patterson Services In Atlanta Saturday (Continued from page 1) agent, publicity man and manager, he became manager of the Criterion and Metropolitan in his home city. Later he was successively division manager for Universal Theatres in Atlanta, division manager for Publix Southeast Theatres, director of public relations for Warner Theatres at the home office and in 1936 became assistant to Joseph Bernhard, head of operations. Freed on Game Charge Indianapolis, Feb. 13. — A Municipal Court jury found Orvin J. Moore, manager, and James Kenny, usher, of the Ohio Theatre, not guilty of conducting a lottery on charges brought by police who raided a "Bank-Roll Night" at the house recently. PROUD WORDS I FLY UNITED Distinguished overnight sleeper and scenic daylight fjights to LOS ANGELES. "The Continental," leave 5:15 pm, and "The Overland Flyer," leave 10:45 pm. Finest meals aloft. Call travel agents, hotels, or UNITED AIR LINES 58 E. 42nd Street Phone MU-2-7300 The Farmer's Daughter (Paramount) Hollywood, Feb. 13. — No, this isn't the one about the traveling salesman. It is a story about a Broadway stage producer who rents a barn for summer presentation of a musical comedy hopefully aimed at Broadway and encounters such adventures as the public has been taught to believe commonly afflict producers who take to the "straw hat circuit." Further, it is a most diverting and solidly amusing story, expertly compounded and skillfully acted, a feather in the hat of Associate Producer William C. Thomas. Producer Thomas' most prolific provider of hearty amusement, in the acting division, is Charlie Ruggles, immensely entertaining as the harassed producer. Ably cooperating to this end is Martha Raye, here given to do those things she knows best how. William Frawley and Jack Norton are similarly effective in lesser footage allowance as press agent and playwright respectively. Richard Denning, Gertrude Michael, Inez Courtney, William Demarest, William Duncan, Ann Shoemaker, Benny Baker and Tom Dugan are among the others in a balanced cast. Frederick Hollander and Frank Loesser supply a "whistleable" song number which Miss Raye sings with her usual wham. Delmar Daves and Lewis R. Foster, responsible for story and screenplay respectively, gave Thomas and his effective director, James Hogan, prime stuff to work with. Their approach to the subject, which is show business itself and as old and always fresh as that same, is new and alert, their treatment of it unfailingly bright. The film is entirely a project in behalf of audience laughter. Running time, 60 minutes. "G."* Roscoe Williams British Exhibitors Seek Modified Taxes London, Feb. 13. — Cinematograph Exhibitors Association decided today to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to receive a deputation which will plead for modification of amusement taxes. A C. E. A. deputation tomorrow again will consult with the Board of Trade on the general film situation, and tomorrow evening thfl .;<ecutive council will complete a TK-aft embodying the exhibitor attitude on the quota problem. Another exhibitor group will join National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employes representatives in a hearing at the Ministry of Labor seeking to have projectionists listed in the reserve occupation class for war service. It is expected at the taxation hearing that the C. E. A. will ask for exemption on seven-pence tickets with adjustments on the high prices. Exhibitors are expected to point out that the amount they would gain is needed to defray rising overhead and to meet the demand for increased wages. *"G" denotes general classification. Roach to Have Six New Season Films Details of Hal Roach's new season production schedule for United Artists release will be worked out on the Coast during the current visit there of Maurice Silverstone, United Artists chief executive. Roach's new season program calls for six productions costing $7,500,000. Harry Gold, United Artists vicepresident and Eastern sales manager, left Florida by plane yesterday for the Coast, where he will confer with Silverstone and Samuel Goldwyn on special sales plans for "The Westerner," Goldwyn's recently completed production with Gary Cooper. 'One Union' Report Delayed by Equity Acceptance of the report of the joint committee which met on the Coast last week to patch up differences between the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio Artists and Actors Equity was delayed yesterday by the Equity council. The report dealt with reorganization of Associated Actors and Artistes of America, the parent body, into "one big union." An Equity committee will pass on the report next Tuesday. Brady Trial March 4 St. Louis, Feb. 13. — State Representative Edward M. Brady, indicted on a charge of extorting $1,000 from motion picture theatre owners in 1937, will go to trial March 4. Smakwitz to Albany Albany, Feb. 13. — Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner Circuit district manager, has returned after conferring in New York on a campaign for "The Magic Bullet." Smakwitz returned with Roy Palmer, first assistant director in the State Tax Department and William O'Reilly, counsel to the Tax Department. O'Reilly was formerly secretary to Lt. Gov. M. William Bray of Utica. EXCLUSIVE Official Motion Pictures of the World's Heavyweight Championship Fight Joe Louis vs. Roosevelt Coming East Hollywood, Feb. 13. — James Roosevelt will contact exhibitors in Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia Feb. 23 and 24 in furtherance of his policy of seeking market information at its source. Cassil Calls Session Kansas City, Feb. 13. — Frank Cassil, president of the Kansas-Missouri Theatres Association, has called directors' meeting the first week in March to discuss the Neely bill. Arturo Codoy booked by RKO WARNER LOEWS SKOURAS SCHINE CENTURY FABIAN RANDFORCE NEW YORK STATE FOR IMMEDIATE BOOKINGS Write — Phone — Wire Monogram Exchange 630 Ninth Ave., New York City Phone: Circle 6-8886