Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1941)

<e>day. July 15, 1941 Motion Picture Daily Travels 150 Miles For Trade Showing St. Louis, July 14. — One woman exhibitor whose name was not learned came here 150 miles from Cairo, 111., for the trade show of RKO's •Parachute Battalion" this morning. About 50 exhibitors attended. Raymond Nolan, branch manager, said the tu-nout was satisfactory. W. Sj of the local exhibitors, rn-^xplained, were busy with weekend checkups. About 150 attended M-G-M's showing of "Lady Be Good," 74 of them exhibitors who traveled from as far as Kentucky and central Missouri and Ilinois. Favorable comment was made by exhibitors as to product and the screenings. Conciliation Offer Rejected by Disneif Hollywood, July 14. — Gunther >e-sing, Walt Disney Productions ce-president, today rejected, and riking members of the Screen Carx>nists Guild accepted, an offer, made ver weekend, by Dr. J. R. Steelman, irector of the conciliation service of fit Department of Labor, to arbitrate k strike which today was in the 48th fey Steelman over the weekend in a -ire botli to the studio and the union mposed: all issues not agreed upon ■r§ nmediately be arbitrated by three arsons in Government service, award ,;f the board to be made within a honth and binding on both parties; trikers to return to work immediitcly without discrimination. Lessing, '•laming the NLRB for his refusal d arbitrate, said in part : "The Labor 3<>ard seems to have unjustly huarted our employes in attempts at *lf determination by unjustifiable " tailing, meddling and contacting our tankers apparently for purposes of •ressing us, and other similar procelures which, in my opinion, almost varrant Congressional investigation." Evens and Harris Shifted by Loew's St. Louis. July 14.— Harold W. (Evens, manager of Loew's Theatre nere for the past 11 years, and James E. Harris, publicity director for the oast seven, have been transferred to Cleveland. Evens will be succeeded here bv Rex Williams of Elkhart, Ind. Wally Heim replaces Harris. In Cleveland. Evens will manage Loew's State Theatre, while Harris will have charge of publicity and advertising for five theatres there, working under Charles Raymond, division manager. Lansdowne, Toronto, Becomes FPC Unit Toronto, July 14. — It was anil 'nounced today that the Lansdowne Theatre. Toronto, important house owned by Harry Alexander, president of the Independent Theatres Association of Ontario, will become a unit of Famous Players Canadian Corp. and will be operated as part of the Bloom &■ Fine subsidiary circuit of 16 local theatres. Studios Push To Complete Production CurrentFilms (Continued from page 1) Max Milder, managing director in England for Warners, and learn something of the difficulties of making pictures in a blitzkrieg. Upon Milder's return to England "Flying Fortress" and "The Story of Winston Churchill" will go into production, the Hollywood correspondents were told. He remarked that "The Fighting 69th" was held up a year before release in England through fear that the British would be offended by the theme of the film, which showed Cagney winning the war. • • Billie Burke, currently appearing in the stage play, "The Vinegar Tree" has been signed by Warners for the role of the hostess in "The Man Who Came to Dinner." Lucille Ball has been given a new contract by RKO and her first picture under its terms will be "Passage from Bordeaux," to be produced by Erich Pommer and directed by Robert Stevenson. • • Margaret Lindsay will appear in four more "Ellery Queen" films for Columbia. Edmund Gwenn has been signed to star in the play, "We Fought at Arques", by Edgar Selwyn and to a long term featured player contract by M-G-M. Bert Lahr and Buddy Ebsen will be teamed by RKO in "I'm Dying to Live." Jack Dura nt of the comedy team of Mitchell and Durant will play in "Four Jacks and a Queen" for the same company. Robert Taylor and Lana Turner will be starred in M-G-M's "Johnny Eager." Christy Cabanne is directing his third "Scattergood Baines" picture. "Scattergood Encounters Broadway." Jerry Brandt produces for RKO. Edward Finney has borrowed Mary Ruth, eight-year-old piano player, from M-G-M for "Lil' Louisiana Belle" which Monogram will release. Don Ameche and Joan Bennett will star in "Confirm or Deny" for 20thFox. Pat O'Brien has been selected for "Law and Order, Inc.." by the same company, Robert T. King will produce. On Sept. 1 he is to report for "American Counsel" at Columbia. Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon will play in "Achilles." Ida Lupino will play opposite Tyrone Power in "Benjamin Blake" for 20thFox. H Bruce Humberstone will direct "Hot Spot" for the company w ith Milton Sperling as producer. Joan Leslie will play the younger sister in "The Male Animal" for Warners. Allen Jenkins will appear in "Go West. Young Lady" for Columbia. Gilbert Miller has arrived in Hollywood to supervise production of his recent stage play, "Ladies in Retirement" which will go into production shortly at Columbia. Richard Travis will play the newspaper reporter opposite Bette Davis in "The Man Who Came to Dinner." Warners have signed Ella Raines, a Seattle college student, to a term contract. Paul Henrie will play oppo site Michele Morgan in "Joan of Paris." ... A Darryl F. Zanuck campaign to "build-up" the following players has been announced by 20thFox : Carole Landis, Gene Tierney, Anne Baxter, John Sutton, Dana Andrews. George Montgomery, John Sheppard and Laird Cregar. • • On the lighter side Columbia this week announced that it had made a profit of $2,000 on a herd of 600 Mexican horned steers purchased several months ago for "Texas" and sold for use in rodeos and for steaks. And Warner Brothers reported negotiations with the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the U. S. Department of the Interior "for the importation of a number of Sioux braves to Hollywood from their Dakota reservation." It was asserted that the reason was "an acute shortage of genuine American Indians in Hollywood" . . . which might have something to do with the fact that Warners are filming "They Died With Their Boots On" with Errol Flynn playing General Custer. • • The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the addition of 30 members to the Music Branch and indicated that those professionals would be clamoring for more recognition. To promote interAmerican relations C. B. De Mille is sending a "traveling gallery" of stills from pictures made by him during his career to principal cities in Latin America. Mercury Reaches 100 As Portland Screens Portland Ore., July 14.— With the mercury just over the 100 mark, more than a score of out-of-town exhibitors attended the first screening under the consent decree today and showed enthusiasm for the plan. Exhibitors came from points 125 miles from here to view "Parachute Battalion." Mark Cory, RKO branch manager, reported the turnout was twice the number expected under the extreme heat conditions. Screenings are scheduled all week. Mo. Adjournment Kills Dual Ban Bill St. Louis, July 14. — The Missouri legislature adjourned on Saturday without taking action on the bill designed to eliminate double and triple features, and sponsored by the Better Films Council of Greater St. Louis. The measure making it a felony to throw a stench bomb has been passed by the Senate and has gone to Gov. Forrest C. Donnell for signature. Move Metro Office Cincinnati, July 14 — The local M-G-M branch has moved into its new building, almost directly opposite its former quarters in the Film Exchange Building on Central Parkway. my money is gonna stop. Yo d ^en. -open