Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1940)

6 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, May 8, 1940 'Apollo' Draws $18,000, Top Frisco Gross San Francisco, May 7.— "Johnny Apollo" and "Star Dust" drew $18,000 at the Fox, while "The Doctor Takes a Wife" and "Music in My Heart" garnered $11,000 at the Orpheum. "Rebecca" took $7,500 in the sixth week at the United Artists. Estimated takings for the week ending April 30May 3: "Primrose Path" (RKO) GOLDEN GATE — (2,850) (35c-40c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Stage: vaudeville. Gross: $13,500. (Average, $15,000) "The Doctor Takes a Wife" (Col.) "Music in My Heart" (Col.) ORPHEUM — (2,440) (l5c-30c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $11,000. (Average, $8,000) "Johnny Apollo" (ZOth-Fox) "Star Dust" (20th-Fox) FOX— (5,000) (15c-30c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $18,000. (Average, $16,000) "Dark Command" (Rep.) "An Angel from Texas" (W. B.) PARAMOUNT — (2,740) (15c-30c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $11,500) "Rebecca" (U. A.) UNITED ARTISTS— (1.200) (15c-35c-40c55c) 7 days, 6th week. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $8,000) 'Dr. Kildare's Strange Case" (M-G-M) "Two Girls on Broadway" (M-G-M) ST. FRANCIS— (1,400) (15c-30c-35c-40c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $5,000. (Averages $6,000) "Forty Little Mothers" (M-G-M) "Opened by Mistake" (Para.) WARFIELD— (2.680) (15c-30c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $12,000) "Life of Guiseppe Verdi"' (Foreign) CLAY— (400) (15c-35c-40c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $900. (Average, $1,000) "Goose Step" (Foreign) LARKIN— (390) (15c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $600. (Average, $1,000) 'My Son' Garners $13,000, Cincinnati Cincinnati, May 7. — "My Son, My Son" was good for $13,000 at the RKO Palace. "Dr. Kildare's Strange Case" gave Keith's a nice $6,000. The weather was pleasant. Baseball provided competition. "Star Dust" (ZOth-Fox) RKO ALB EE— (3,300) (35c-42c) 7 days. Gross: $10,500. (Average, $12,000) "My Son, My Son" (U. A.) RKO PALACE— (2,700) (35c-42c) 7 days. Gross: $13,000. (Average, $10,000) "Rebecca** (U. A.) RKO SHUBERT— (2,150) (35c-42c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $5,800. (Average, $10,000) "Johnny Apollo" (20th-Fox) RKO CAPITOL — (2,000) (35c-42c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,500. (Average, $6,500) "Shooting High" (ZOth-Fox) "Free, Blonde and Zl" (ZOth-Fox) RKO LYRIC— (1,400) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average. $5,000) "Village Bam Dance" (Repub.) "Tarzan and the Green Goddess" (Prin.) RKO FAMILY— (1,000) (15c-25c) 4 days. Gross: $1,500. (Average, $1,500) "Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me" (Univ.) "Viva Cisco Kid" (20th-Fox) RKO FAMILY— (1,000) (15c -25c) 3 days. Gross: $900 (Average, $900) "Dr. Kildare's Strange Case" (M-G-M) KEITH'S— (1,500) (30c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,000) Theatres, Radio Aid City's Safety Drive Rochester, May 7. — Radio stations and theatres here are cooperating in the traffic safety campaign launched by the Citizens' Traffic Safety Committee. Included on the committee are : William A. Fay, WHAM ; Gunnar Wiig, WHEC; Mortimer A. Nusbaum, WSAY; Lester Pollock, Loew's Rochester; Jay Golden, RKO Palace, and William If. Cadoret, Monroe Amusements, Inc. "For Freedom" ( Gainsborough-General Film) London, April 22 (By Mail) — Two qualities stand out in favor of this as entertainment. It is topical, and it is a direct appeal to the Briton's pride in his Navy. It recreates the Battle of the River Plate in detail and with punch. The men who took part and who are contemporary heroes take part in the film. But the unabashed flag-wagging and the strictly nationalistic note will check many American exhibitors. The film is an odd mixture of newsreel, personal drama and documentary. It opens as an expose of Britain's war case, made out of library material, and with a thin, ultimately discarded story, of a newsreel editor with pacifist ambitions. Then it merges into a reenactment of the River Plate battle, and a swift glance at the Altmark incident. The newsreel sequences are familiar. The naval passages are impressive and instructive and the work of the Exeter, Ajax and Achilles officers and men, memorable. The thrills of the battle are all the more compelling by the quiet demeanor of the men who went through them. A Captain Dove, mercantile skipper who was imprisoned on the Graf Spee, is almost as good as Will Fyffe. Castleton Knight of GB News and Maurice Elvey directed — and Will Fyffe has a part as the newsreel chief. The Admiralty cooperated. Running time, 85 minutes. "G"* Aubrey Flanagan Greenthal to Head U.A. 'Pre-Selling' *"G" denotes general classification. Tax Board Rules On Marshall Claim Washington, May 7. — Layingdown the rule that "if a married person domiciled in a non-community property state performs a contract in California from which he derives income, the income is not to be regarded as community property simply because it was earned in California," the Board of Tax Appeals today held that Herbert Marshall, English actor, was not domiciled in that state in 1933 and therefore could not report his motion picture earnings as community property. The board held that Marshall, appealing from income tax deficiencies of $86,938 levied against him for the years 1933-'35, inclusive, had not shown definitely that when he went to California in 1933 he intended to make that state his home ; it did hold, however, that he was entitled to claim domicile in the state and take advantage of its community property laws for 1934 and 1935 income returns. The decision lifted a penalty of $974. Para. Will Preview 'Days' in Galeshurg Premiere of Paramount's "Those Were the Days" will be held May 21 in Galesburg, 111., following a two-day celebration in conjunction with the event. Scheduled for May 20 are an allday street fair; a military review of the R.O.T.C. and the arrival of film players. On the program for May 21 are baseball games, tennis matches and a street parade ; press banquet at the Hotel Custer ; a broadcast of NBC's "Battle of the Sexes" program ; showing of the picture and the selection of the All-American college queen. Appeal Luncheon May 14 A committee luncheon of the Amusement Division of the United Jewish Appeal will be held May 14 at the Astor with David Bernstein and Major Albert Warner, co-chairman, presiding. Edward M. M. Warburg, chairman of the Appeal's New York campaign, will discuss the European war. Battle Over 'Wind' In Commons Again London, May 7. — "Gone With the Wind" again came before the House of Commons today, as two Members of Parliament asked the Home Secretary to stop profiteering and prohibit the exhibition of the film, as a result of the M-G-M rental terms of 70 per cent on "Gone With the Wind." The Government spokesman answered that he had no power to do so. Reginald Stamp, chairman of the Entertainment Committee of the London County Council, has admitted his body has no power to take action in the matter of "Wind" rentals, but indicated he might seek such powers. He also said he intends to view the film, following the protests of an association of colored people. Meanwhile, the general council of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association tomorrow will consider the results and continuance of the campaign for reduced rentals. Harry P. E. Mears, president, issued a sharp reply to the Kinematograph Renters Society criticism of the campaign, citing the fight against Metro and "Wind," and deprecating the K.R.S. threat to drop plans for talks with C.E.A. Garrison Promoted To District Manager William A. Scully, Universal general sales manager, announced in New York Tuesday the appointment bf Joseph Garrison, former branch manager of the St. Louis exchange, to district manager over Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines and St. Louis territories. Garrison replaces Pete Dana, who is transferred to New York on special assignments out of the home office. Harry Hines, salesman in the St. Louis office, will fill Garrison's former post as St. Louis manager. Warners Sign Thompson Hollywood, May 7. ■ — Harlan Thompson, until recently a Paramount producer, was signed by Warners today as an associate producer to work under Hal Wallis. {Continued from page 1) United Artists producers and their productions. Following an exploitation and advertising program that will center in large part on trade publications, Greenthal's work will call for individual picture campaigns from purchase of the story through release of the completed production. These campaigns will involve J^lje maintenance of uninterrupted con^e> with 15 assistants, to be selectel?ViTi the near future, who are to be stationed in key cities throughout the country and cover all exchange territories. The new bureau will work in cooperation with the home office advertising and publicity department under Lynn Farnol, director. Plans for establishment of the preselling organization were approved by the United Artists board of directors at a meeting here two weeks ago. At that time Silverstone said that David O. Selznick had contributed many valuable suggestions for the work of the bureau, based on the successful methods employed by his organization prior to and during production of "Gone With the Wind." Silverstone discussed may of these suggestions with United Artists producers during his conferences on the Coast last week and obtained their approval. Yesterday Silverstone reiterated his belief that only through exceptional pre-selling efforts can the better pictures be expected to gain the extended runs and higher admissions so essential to producers and distributors as a result of the loss of foreign revenues. Philadelphia Data To Open U.S. Trial {Continued from page 1) part of New Jersey, which will be handled by Special Assistant Attorney General Seymour Krieger, will be presented first because the Government charges only one company, Warners, with monopoly there, it was stated. Additionally, the Government expects considerable support in that territory from Allied States Association. U. S. Attorney William P. Farnsworth will follow Krieger with evidence on New York and part of New Jersey and Connecticut, it was reported. The Government then plans to have Krieger develop the New England situation with Special Assistant Attorney General Robert L. Wright then taking the lead on the Middlewest territory with particular emphasis on Chicago. It was said that Judge Goddard will declare a two-month recess early in August. The Government is expected to complete these phases of its case by the end of January. Columbia Wins Point In Stockholder Suit N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Phillip J. McCook yesterday dismissed two causes of action in the suit of five stockholders against Columbia Pictures and a number of its officers. The court ruled that attempts to recover alleged excess salary and bonus payments were barred by time limitations. Applications by Columbia to dismiss other causes of action were denied by Justice McCook.