Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1941)

8 Motion Picture Daily Thursday. March 13, 1941 Second Milwaukee Complaint Is Filed Milwaukee, March 12. — The second demand for arhitration to be filed with the local board here was brought today by Lee Macklin, operator of the Grand, New London, Wis., against all five consenting companies. The complaint charges that the Rio and Appleton in Appleton, Wis., the Grand and Times at Clintonville, and the Waupaca and Palace at Waupaca, receive unreasonable clearance over the Grand, which in some cases amounts to 30 to 50 days, according to the complaint. Macklin asks an arbitration finding that the theatres named are entitled to no clearance over New London. Reception Held for Appeals Board Here A reception for the three members of the national appeals board of the industry arbitration system was given in the Rockefeller Center Lounge of the RCA Building by the American Arbitration Association yesterday, marking the formal opening of the appeals board headquarters in Radio City. Among those present were : Van Vechten Yeeder, Albert W. Putnam, George W. Alger, the appeals board members ; Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard. C. V. Whitney, Joseph M. Proskauer, Martin Quigley, Sr., Professor Willard H. Atkins, Leonard Goldenson, Sam Dembovv, Jr., Leon Netter, Austin C. Keough, Louis Phillips. Tyree Dillard, Joseph Hazen, Leopold Friedman, T. J. Connors, Max Cohen, Sam Shain. Martin Quigley, Jr. ; Bertram Shipman, William Zimmerman. Terry Ramsaye. F. K. O'Shea. Gordon Youngman, Charles Wall, Jack Alicoate, Maurice Kami, Charles E. Lewis, J. Noble Braden, Lawrence Stessin. E. M. Saunders and Leo Brecher. Gambling Ban Helps Grosses in Helena Helena. Mont.. March 12.— As a result of the action of State's Attorney General John W. Bonner in banning all gambling here, grosses at the Marlow. largest theatre in the city, took a sudden upward leap in the 10day period ending yesterday. The expected Lenten slump was largely overcome by the edict, with the house more than doubling average. "Kitty Foyle," playing from Feb. 24 through March 4, coincidentally with the Academy Award to Ginger Rogers, the film's star, grossed $1,706. "Gone With the Wind" followed, playing from March 5 through yesterday, with three shows daily, and grossed $2,504. Regular admission, 40 cents plus tax. was charged for both pictures. The average gross for a five-day run is about $1,000 at the Marlow, which seats 1,265. Fine weather also helped at the box-office. Writer Bankrupt Voluntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed in U. S. District Court by Geza Herczeg, author and script w riter, lifting liabilities of $71,129 and no assets. Among creditors listed are Alexander Korda, $2,000; Winfield R. Sheehan, $2,800 ; Frank Orsatti, $250, and Otto Preminger, $1,000. Lewis Is Elected President of CEA London, March 12. — Sydney K. Lewis, vice-president of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association, has been elected president, succeeding Harry P. E. Mears. Lewis and Mears had engaged in a vigorous contest for the presidency. Lewis, general manager of the Deeming Circuit, has been a member of the Birmingham branch of the C. E. A. for 15 years and of the general council of the national organization for eight years. Schadler Testifies At Schenck's Trial Dolph Schadler, tax division chief of Loew's, who had previously testified at the Government trial of Joseph M. Schenck that he had prepared all Schenck's tax returns, testified yesterday that Government investigators had approved these returns after inspecting the defendant's personal record. Schadler insisted that all Schenck's records for the years of 1935, 1936 and 1937 had been carefully examined by Government agents after each return had been prepared. In answer to questions of Harold H. Corbin, Schenck's attorney, Schadler said that he and the co-defendant, Joseph Moskowitz, segregated deductible expenses from those that were subject to tax after examining all bills paid by the defendant. Schenck at no time took part in this work and relied on their judgment, he said. Schadler declared positively that at no time did he have occasion to suspect that there was any scheme to defraud the U. S. Average 'A' Actor Income Is $14,867 Hollywood, March 12. — Average annual income of 300 Class A members of Screen Actors Guild is $14,867 according to a survey conducted for the Guild by Dr. Leo C. Rosten. who was granted a fellowship by the Rockefeller and Carnegie Foundations for the stud>'. It was pointed out, however, that this high average resulted from inclusion of top salaried performers and that 6.1 per cent earned more than $2,000 weekly. Taking the income of performers numerically at the halfway mark in their careers, the survey found that the annual income was $4,700. The survey covered earnings of 300 Class A members during the years 1937 through 1939. Of these it was found that 42 per cent earned $499 weekly or less ; 36.3 per cent, $500-$999 ; and 14.9 per cent, $1,000-$1,999. 606 Radio Officials Over $10,000 in '39 W ashington, March 12.— The FCC today listed 606 officials in the communications field who earned salaries of $10,000 or more during 1939. No names were given. Salaries listed for RCA were $100,000 for the president (David Sarnoff) ; chairman of the board (Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord), $60,000 ; vice-president and general counsel (Manton Davis), $27,500; a vice-president at $30,000, and another at $25,000. Documentary Theatre Set The National Documentary Theatre Co., Inc., has been formed with Harold McCracken as president, to show documentary and commercially sponsored films only, at the Belmont Theatre, under the name Documentary Theatre. Eastman 1940 Net Profit $20,076,739 Eastman Kodak Co. yesterday reported net profit of $20,076,739 for 194(1. which compares with 1939 profit of $20,818,200. Total sales for the Year amounted to $130,896,780, compared with $123,834.076 for the preceding year. The company transferred $10,000,000 to reserve for contingencies due to the^kcertainties of future market condit^/ leaving earned surplus at the en(T*5i 1940 of $38,697,282 after eliminating $8,429,405 of earned surplus of subsidiaries not included in the consolidated report. The company reported current assets of $100,890,661, of which $30,548,050 is cash and $18,261,911 is marketable securities. Current liabilities amounted $24,368,159. The company's investments in and advances to foreign subsidiaries amounted to $23,460,989. Of foreign operations, the report of F. W. Lovejoy, president, and W. G. Stuber, chairman, says in part : "During the past year and up to the date of this report, no war damage has been sustained by any of the manufacturing plants, nor by other foreign properties of your company with the exception of the loss of a wholesale stock depot, the major portion of which loss was covered by commodity insurance." Senate Expected to Confirm Wakefield Washington, March 12.— Confirmation by the Senate without any difficulty of the nomination of Ray C. Wakefield as a member of the FCC is expected here as the result of the Interstate Commerce Committee's action today ordering a favorable report.