Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1940)

8 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, December 5, 1940 Off the Antenna A FUND in excess of $800,000 for the Motion Picture Relief Fund's proposed home for aged performers was assured yesterday when Gulf Oil renewed the "Screen Guild Theatre" over CBS for the remaining 26 weeks of the season. Screen actors perform without payment on the show and the Fund collects $10,000 weekly from the sponsor. The programs started in 1938 and more than 700 performers, directors and writers either participated directly or pledged their aid when required. Construction of the home is now assured, Jean Hersholt, president of the Fund, declared when he learned of the renewal. • • • Purely Personal: Lester Gottlieb, Mutual publicity director, left for Washington yesterday to supervise details of the broadcast of the professional football championship game there Sunday. On his zvay back he will visit several Mutual stations and will return next Wednesday . . . Arthur Perles of the CBS publicity staff returned to his desk yesterday after a week's illness . . . Reiland Quinn, general manager of KYA, San Francisco, until three months ago, has returned to the station as program manager . . . Pat O'Brien, Warner star, zvill be guest on Bill Stem's "Sports Newsrcel" over NBC-Blue at 9:45 P. M. Sunday . . . Madge Evans zvill be guest of Adelaide Hawley on "Woman's Page of the Air" over WABC at 8:45 A. M. Wednesday. • • • NBC is experimenting with a new type of filter which will make it possible to use the same antenna for both television and FM transmission. In view of the fact that both types of broadcasting require the tallest possible antenna located close to the center of a trading area, the use of one antenna for both may solve a lot of headaches. Attachment of a filter is expected to do the trick. NBC's television and FM transmitters are located atop the Empire State Building. • • • Construction of studios and antenna for a television outlet for KFRC, San Francisco, is scheduled to start soon after the first of the year, according to William Pabst, station manager. The exact starting date will depend on reports of tests now being made at W6XAO, Don Lee station in Los Angeles. . . . WDSU, New Orleans, is scheduled to start operations on 5,000 watts on New Year's Day when Sugar Bowl Day is celebrated. New studios in the Hotel Monteleone are also planned. Theatre Changes FCC Approval Is Sought on 4 FM Stations Washington, Dec. 4.— Applications for construction permits for four additional FM broadcasting stations have been filed with the Federal Communications Commission. The requests were submitted by the Mercer Broadcasting Co., seeking a 44,700-kilocycle station in Ewing Township, N. J., to cover 3,700 square miles with a population of 910,000 ; the New Jersey Broadcasting Corp., for a 47,900-kilocycle station in New York to cover 8,900 square miles with a population of 10,400,000; the Pennsylvania Broadcasting Co., for a 44,700-kilocycle station in Philadelphia to cover 9,585 square miles with a population of 4,474,940, and Cherry & Webb Broadcasting Co., for a 47,500kilocycle station at Providence, to cover 6,207 square miles with a population of 4,230,838. Ask Construction Permits The commission also received applications for construction permits from the Colonial Broadcasting Corp., for a new 1,200-kilocycle, 250watt station at Norfolk, Va., and the Nashville Radio Corp., for a 1,380-kilocycle, 1,000-watt station at Nashville. Changes in facilities were requested by Stations WCLE, Cleveland, asking for a change of frequency from 610 to 640 kilocycles, extension of time from day to limited, and increase of power from 500 to 1,000 watts ; WAKR, Akron, Ohio, for increase of power from 1,000 to 5,000 watts, and KDRO, Sedalia, Mo., for change of frequency from 1,500 to 800 kilocycles, change of time from unlimited to day and increase of power from 250 to 1,000 watts. Many Plays Set for Philadelphia Public Philadelphia, Dec. 4. — Hollywood names head an abundance of legitimate fare here for the next three months, according to announcement of bookings for the Forrest and Locust St. Theatres by general manager Lawrence Shubert Lawrence. The Forrest offers a return engagement of "Dubarry Was A Lady" this week, following on Dec. 11 with "Pal Joey," for 10 days. Dennis King bows as star and producer of a new musical play, as yet untitled, on Dec. 26. January bookings for the Forrest bring "Crazy With the Heat" on Jan. 13, and "The Man Who Came To Dinner" on Jan. 20 for two weeks. "Hellzapoppin" is scheduled to open Feb. 17 for an indefinite run. At the Locust St., following the current run of "Ladies in Retirement," "Off the Record" will open on Dec. 9. Dante follows on Dec. 23 for two weeks with his "Sim Sala Bim" magic show ; "Separate Rooms" is set for Jan. 6, and "The Time of Your Life" opens Jan. 27. Other bookings for either the Forrest or Locust St., although definite dates have not been set as yet, include "The Male Animal," "Kind Lady," revival of "Blind Alley," revival of "Blossom Time" and others. Town to Get First House Newmanstown, Pa., Dec. 4. — This eastern Pennsylvania community will get its first film house before the close of the year when Mark Rubinsky takes over the town firehouse, renovates it and renames it the Lyric. Loew N. Y. House to Open Loew's American, new 2,000-seat theatre in the Parkchester development in the Bronx, will be opened about the end of this month. Reopens Columbus Suburban Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 4. — The suburban Bexley, previously operated by the Lindenberg interests, but closed a few months ago has been reopened by Fred W. Rowlands, who acquired an interest in the house. K. C. Suburban Is Closed Kansas City, Dec. 4.— The St. John, suburban house here, has been closed. E. Rolsky, who operates the National, and who had the St. John for some years, disposed of his interests in the theatre and building recently. Later the lease was taken over by C. A. Schultz of Commonwealth Theatres. Plans Connecticut House Bristol Conn., Dec. 4. — Joseph Faith, exhibitor in Terryville, Unionville, and Collinsville, Conn., plans to convert Red Men's Hall into a 700seat theatre. Takes Pennsylvania House Nurenberg, Pa., Dec. 4. — Peter Magazzu has taken over the Rex, which will be reopened as the Andrea. Shift Hamrick Managers Seattle, Dec. 4. — A number of manager changes have been made by Hamrick-Evergreen Theatres here. William Hamrick, former manager of the Coliseum, has been advanced to an executive post in the circuit offices and is being replaced by Marvin Fox, former assistant at that house. Fox's post is being taken by John Bardue, recently a doorman at the Paramount. Fax Duncan, former manager of the Blue Mouse, and Clyde Strout, former assistant manager at the Paramount, are exchanging posts. Manages Danz Houses Seattle, Dec. 4. — Gene Aldrich has been appointed manager of John Danz' Florence and Circle Theatres here. He formerly was manager of the Unique Theatre in Spokane. Remodel Frisco Theatre San Francisco, Dec. 4. — The lobby of Dan McLean's Embassy Theatre has been remodeled, improvements including installation of a lobby candy counter. Iowa House Nearly Ready Grundy Center, la., Dec. 4. — The Center Theatre, chosen as the name of the theatre that has been under construction here to replace the New Grundy, which was destroyed by fire, will be completed shortly. John Marshall is manager. Reopens Fowler, Ind., House Fowler Ind., Dec. 4. — The Dreamland has been reopened by Mrs. J. P. Griffis, who will operate and manage it. A Problem Solved San Francisco, Dec. 4. — Downtown exhibitors are jubilant at plans of a city-approved corporation to construct a huge underground garage beneath Union Square, opposite the St. Francis Hotel. The city's acute parking problem will be eased with parking space for at least 5,000 cars, with work on the $3,300,000 project to start hyf the Spring. II ♦ _J Prepare New Radio Giveaway Program Another big giveaway radio program is being prepared by Stack-Goble, advertising agency which handles the "Pot o' Gold" show for Turns. Hal Kemp, radio director for Stack-Goble, admitted yesterday that a plan is under consideration to blanket the metropolitan area with the show, which would give away $500 weekly, by using the three major non-network stations, WNEW, WMCA and WHN, simultaneously. The program probably will be heard Wednesday nights. Although Kemp asserted that no contracts had been signed yet, he said that the format would be exactly like that of "Pot o' Gold" and for the same sponsor, except that Tommy Tucker's band would be used instead of Horace Heidt and the giveaway would be smaller. "Pot o' Gold" gives away $1,000 weekly to a telephone subscriber selected by a spinning wheel, provided there is someone home to answer the telephone. The decision to try a local show was based on the heavy concentration of telephones in this area, it was said. Use of three major stations simultaneously would be something of a precedent. Kemp said the show would have a studio audience to watch the ■■elections but denied reports that the program would emanate from a Broadway theatre. Canada Music Fee Appeal Tomorrow Totonto, Dec. 4. — The proposed license fees of the Canadian Performing Rights Society for 1941 will be received by the Copyright Appeal Board of the Dominion Government on Friday, when objections to any fee revisions will be accepted from users of musical work. The new schedule is understood to include increased rates for broadcasters and hotels, but fees for theatres are understood to be unchanged from 19 0. Representatives of independent radio stations and hotels are preparing to protest the new rates. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. stated today that the Government network is not affected by the increased rates of the society. Renews CBS Program Prudential Insurance Co. of America yesterday renewed "When a Girl Marries" over 51 CBS stations. The program is heard Mondays through Fridays at 12:15 P. M.