Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1940)

2 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 22, 1940 Personal Mention British Plan Shift in Army Entertainment Londox, Oct. 21.— The British Army Council is contemplating a complete change in the arrangements for the film entertainment of troops, and is seeking the cooperation of distributors and exhibitors. The new plan presumably would transfer the entire operation to a military body instead of the present arrangement. The Navy, Army and Air Force Institute will be presented to the trade tomorrow at a luncheon at the Dorchester Hotel, with the I hike of Gloucester presiding. The Cinematograph Exhibitors Association and the Kinematograph Renters Society (distributors) met today. While no official statement was issued, it is understood the groups will express satisfaction with the present arrangement. The distributor's are willing to aid the armed forces with film supplies, but join the C. E. A. in an unwillingness to do anything to aggravate an already difficult situation for the exhibitors. An agreement already exists between the C. E. A. and the War Office that whenever possible the troops use existing film theatres, and if necessary the Army provide transportation "to the theatres. The trade attitude is generally unfavorable to reopening a problem which was thought finally settled last year. 'N.W. Mounted Police' Premiere in Canada Regina, Saskatchewan, Oct. 21. — Cecil B. DeMille's color feature for Paramount, "North West Mounted Police," had its world premiere at the Rex, Grand and Capitol here tonight, in the city which was once headquarters for the Canadian police organization. A Hollywood delegation included Madeleine Carroll, Robert Preston, Preston Foster and Lynne Overman, all of the cast. Prominent officials of the Province and the North West Mounted Police attended. Tomorrow Miss Carroll, Preston, Foster and Overman will leave Regina for Winnipeg, en route to Chicago, where they will join Cecil B. DeMille and their fellow-players, Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard, for the American premiere of the film Thursday in Chicago. Chaplin Lunch Host To Phila. Critics Philadelphia newspaper film critics were guests of Charlie Chaplin at luncheon at Dinty Moore's yesterday, following which they attended the matinee performance of "The Great Dictator" at the Astor. In the party were Laura Lee. Mrs. Lynton Martin, Harry Murdoch, Dorothy Guinan and Everett Callow. The latter is advertising and publicity director for Warner Theatres in the Philadelphia zone. "The Great Dictator" will open at the Aldine, Philadelphia, tomorrow. Chaplin recalled at the luncheon that his first motion picture offer had been received while he was appearing in "A Night in a Musie Hall" at the old People's Theatre in Philadelphia in 1913. The offer, from a New York agent, was addressed to "Charles Chapliniere." MAURICE SILVER ST ONE, United Artists chief executive, and Charles Schwartz, company counsel, will leave for the Coast Oct. 31. William A. Scully, Universal vicepresident and distribution head, returned from the Coast yesterday. • Reginald Armour, RKO European general manager, has sailed from Lisbon on the ExOchorda, due here Friday. Herman Wobber, general manager of distribution for 20th Century-Fox, will leave for the Coast shortly. • Martin Quigley, Sam Rinzler, Sam Shain, Louis Nizer, Jack Connolly, Ted O'Shea, William Orr, Charles Stern, Owen Davis, Max A. Cohen, Morris Kinzler, Ciias. E. McCarthy having lunch yesterday at Nick's Hunting Room in the Astor. • William Ferguson, William A. Scully, Lou Pollock, Arthur Lee and Jack Mills at the Tavern yesterday. o James Ball, former manager of the Stanley, Camden, N. J., is the father of a daughter, born last week. • Merton Mason, Paramount Philadelphia booker, has been appointed to the Villanova College publicity committee. • Cecil Felt, Affiliated Circuit, executive in Philadelphia, is on a West Indies cruise, accompanied by Charles Graham, RCA engineer. • Don Hicgins, March of Time publicity director, will sail Thursday for a vacation in Puerto Rico. Jack Glenn, March of Time director, has returned from Mexico City. • John Considine, Jr.. M-G-M producer, is in town. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., left for the Coast by train last night. Bela Blau Dead Bela Blau, 44, theatrical producer, died yesterday of a heart attack on entering the office of a physician next to his own office in the Sardi Building. On Broadway 10 years, he was with the Theatre Guild, then associated with Marc Connelly, with whom he produced "Having Wonderful Time." Howard Kalfell Dies Sr. Louis, Oct. 21. — Howard T. Kalfell, 40, exhibitor here and a member of a family long identified with the theatrical industry in St. Louis, died late last week. He and a brother were joint owners of the Pauline and the Robin, neighborhood houses. Kent Leaves Coast Hollywood, Oct. 21. — Sidney R. Kent, president of 20th Century-Fox, left tonight for New York by train. He will make brief stopovers at Denver and Lincoln, Neb. MR. AND MRS. BARNEY BALKAN will leave for Chicago by plane tomorrow. • Howard Dietz, M-G-M advertising and publicity director, is back from Pittsburgh where he was toastmaster at the Variety Club banquet Sunday night. • Postmaster General Frank C. Walker left yesterday on a week's campaign speaking tour for President Roosevelt throughout the Middle West. • John McManus, manager of Loew's Midland, Kansas City, is in Menorah Hospital there with an infected leg. • Morton Tiley of the Kssex Square Theatre, Essex, Conn., is ill at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, New London, Conn. • Citarli-.s M. MacDonald, operator of -the 'Southern, York, Pa., has returned from a honeymoon in Virginia. He was married recently to Betty Noel, cashier at the house. • Ruuekt Perkinson, manager of the Rialtp;:' Allentown, Pa., was married recently to Miriam Knauss. • Stanton Griffis, Arthur Krim, Robert Benjamin, Toby Gruen, Lee S hubert, Robert Weitman, Guy Bolton, Mokt Spring, William Melniker and Dave Blum lunching yesterday at Sardi's. • Irving Berlin, Harry Cohen, Joseph Moskowitz, Martin Moskowitz, J. J. Milstei n , Lou Brandt and Arthur Gottlieb at Lindy's (51st St.") yesterday for lunch. • Emanuel and Arthur Silververstone, Abe Montague, Max Weisfeldt and Max CosmAn having lunch yesterday at Lindy's (next to the Rivoli). • Edgar Hands, owner of the Rex and Stout theatres, Minden, La., will be married to Lucii.e Pugh of Shreveport next month. • Jack Oakie has left for the Coast. Services Held for Switow in Louisville Louisville. Oct. 21. — Funeral services were held here today for Michael A. Switow, 76, president of the M. Switow & Sons circuit of Kentucky and Indiana, who died at midnight Saturday of a cerebral hemorrhage. He suffered a stroke six years ago and had been in ill health since. Switow emigrated from Warsaw when 27 years old. Inspired by a five-cent picture show in Chicago, he purchased supplies from the late Carl Laemmle and then became an exhibitor. Three sons, Harry R., Samuel J. and Fred T. Switow, all associated in the circuit, two daughters and a widow survive. Rothacker En Route Hollywood, Oct. 21. — Watterson R. Rothacker, Hollywood vice-president of Quigley Publications, left tonight by train for New York. Extend RKO Plan of Timing Main Feature Four more RKO theatres here have adopted the policy of showing the main feature of dual programs at 9:30 P.M., following an experiment with the policy at Proctor's 86th St. The plan enables patrons who desire to see only the leading feature to arrive at a convenient hour. The second feature follows about 11 P.M. The policy has been instituted at the Columbia, Strand, Park and Marble Hill. Will Ask Hearing On 'Flames' Pa. Ban A request for a rehearing by the Pennsylvania censor board on its order banning Paramount's "The World in Flames" from exhibition in that state will be asked today by Earle W. Sweigert, Paramount branch manager at Philadelphia. Under the Pennsylvania censor laws, the board is compelled to grant the rehearing. If its original order is sustained, Paramount will appeal to the state courts, home office officials said. Paramount yesterday canceled from eight Mutual network stations in Pennsylvania a sponsored broadcast by Raymond Gram Swing and Wythe Williams scheduled for Thursday on behalf of the film. Tucker, Richman, Lewis to Play State Sophie Tucker, Harry Richman and Joe Lewis will appear in person at Loew's State on Broadway, starting Oct. 31. The trio recently completed an engagement at Ben Marden's Riviera. Louella Parsons and a group of film players start a week at the State on Thursday. Miss Parsons and her company, including Brenda Joyce, Ilona Masse}', Binnie Barnes, Robert Stack, Bill Orr and Mike Frankovitch, arrive from the Coast today and will go to Hartford for a twoday engagement. MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) Published daily except Saturday, Sunday and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York City. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Colvin Brown, Vice-President and General Manager; Watterson R. Rothacker, Vice President; Sam Shain, Editor; Alfred L. Finestone, Managing Editor; James A. Cron, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau. 624 South Michigan Avenue, C. B. O'Neill, manager: Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Building, Boone Mancall, manager, William R. Weaver. Editor; London Bureau, 4 Golden Square, London Wl. Hope Williams, manager, cable address "Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1940 by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc. Other Quigley publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres. International Motion Picture Almanac and Fame. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 23, 1938, at the post office at New York. N.Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies 10c.