Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 28, 194] New Kaufman-Ferher Play Opens Tonight "The Land Is Bright," a new play by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, bows in tonight at the Music Box with Martha Sleeper, Phyllis Povah, Diana Barrymore, Leon Ames, Arnold Moss and Hugh Marlowe in the cast. Max Gordon is the producer. Cantor Show Opens At Hollywood Dec. 5 Eddie Cantor will open his stage version of "Banjo Eyes" at the Hollywood Theatre on Dec. 5, it is an nounced by Warners. It will start outof-town bookings Nov. 7 in New Haven, then will go to Boston and Washington before the opening here. At the conclusion of the . stage play run, Cantor will appear in a film version for Warners, according to plans. Rosenfield Is Named To 20th-Fox Ad Post Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., formerly with Donahue & Coe, advertising agency, has been named advertising copy chief for 20th Century-Fox by A. M. Botsford, director of advertising and publicity. Rosenfield replaces Frank Moneyhun, last week promoted to Botsford's executive assistant. NEW YORK THEATRES RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL Rockefeller Center FRED ASTAIRE • RITA HAYWORTH "YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH" A Columbia Picture ON GREAT STAGE: "UP OUR ALLEYS"— a gay, spectacular revue, produced by Leonidoff Symphony Orchestra, direction of Erno Rapee. lit Mezzanine Seats Reserved Circle 6-4600 Paramount „ . u Presents BO" "Ope Paulette Goddard "NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH" IN PERSON THE ANDREWS SISTERS JOHNNY LONG AND BAND PARAMOUNT TYRONE POWER "A YANK in the RAF." with BETTY CRABLE A 20th Century-Fox Picture PLUS A BIG PQXY 7th AVENUE STAGE SHOW 50th STREET B'WAY & 47th St. PALACE JOAN BENNETT— HENRY FONDA "WILD GEESE CALLING" & "WEEKEND FOR 3" DENNIS O'KEEFE — JANE WYATT Personal Mention T AMES MULVEY, vice-president »J of Samuel Goldwyn, Inc., is recuperating at Doctors Hospital after an emergency appendicitis operation performed on Saturday. • F. J. A. McCarthy, Southern and Canadian sales manager for Universal, left last night for Dallas, Oklahoma City and New Orleans. He is due back next week. • David Milgram, head of Affiliated Theatres, independent Philadelphia circuit, has left for a vacation at Hot Springs, Ark. • Haskell Masters, United Artists Western sales manager, is expected back from a Middle Western trip at the end of the week. • Fred Kent and Frank Rogers are in town from Jacksonville, Fla., for Paramount home office conferences. • Leonard Golden son and Sam Dembow have returned from the Coast. • George J. Schaefer is expected in New York Thursday from Hollywood. • N. L. Nathanson is in town. • Sidney Kramer of RKO became a father Friday evening when a son was born to Mrs. Kramer at Beth Israel Hospital. • L. W. Conrow, Altec Service president, is back in town from a field trip. • Jesse L. Lasky is due today from the Coast. • Mitchell Leisen has arrived from the Coast. pHARLES C. PETTIJOHN, MPPDA general counsel, underwent a minor operation at United Hospital, Portchester, N. Y., yesterday. He is expected to be discharged from the hospital in a week. • Dan O'Shea and Ernest Scanlon, officials of Selznick-International Pictures, are here from the Coast. • Lou Jackson of Anglo-American films, who was scheduled to leave for London today, has postponed his departure. • Gertrude Merriam of. the Managers Round Table department of Motion Picture Herald is resting comfortably at Park West Hospital after an appendicitis operation performed on Saturday. • B. B. Kreisler, short subject sales manager of Universal, left yesterday for Norfolk, Va. • C. G. Keeney, manager of the Park Theatre, Reading, Pa., became a grandfather last week when a daughter was born to Mrs. John J. Miller, the former Dorothy Keeney. • Mike Wolfish, RKO booker in Philadelphia, and Charlotte Richbart were married recently in Buffalo. • J. Lalor Joyce, manager of the Hippodrome, Pottsville, Pa., became the father of a son last week. • James C. Rumel, Warner booker in Philadelphia, became, the father of a daughter recently. • Arthur Menken, Paramount News cameraman, has arrived from the Orient. 'Ecstasy' Banned in Pa. Philadelphia, Oct. 27— The Pennsylvania censor board has again refused its seal of approval for "Ecstacy." It marked the eighth time that the picture was submitted for review and was turned down. Rosalind Russell to Col. Hollywood, Oct. 27. — Columbia has signed Rosalind Russell to a fiveyear contract beginning next February, to make two films a year. JACK SHAINDLIN Musical Direction Just Completed "WHAT'S STEWIN* " (Columbia Pictures' Musical) "BOMBER" (Office for Emergency Mgt. Film Unit) Now in Preparation "CAVALCADE OF AVIATION" (Universal Pictures' Special) "WOMEN IN DEFENSE" (Office for Emergency Mgt. Film Unit) Narration by Eleanor Roosevelt 3 "STRANGER THAN FICTION" SUBJECTS (Universal Pictures) 3 "VARIETY VIEWS" SUBJECTS (Universal Pictures) Also a motion picture for INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM CO. (Produced by John Bransby) Victor Schertzinger Rites on Wednesday Hollywood, Oct. 27.— Funeral services for Victor Schertzinger, 52, film director and composer, who died yesterday, will be held Wednesday morning at the Little Church of Flowers at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. At the time of his death he was directing "The Fleet's In" for Paramount. After work Saturday he retired and apparently died in his sleep. He was a pioneer in the development of film-music coordination. Schertzinger won early recognition as a violinist, appearing with the Victor Herbert Symphony Orchestra in Philadelphia, and later with Sousa and others. He prepared the musical score for a Thomas Ince film, "Civilization" and this led to direction. He also was well known as a song writer. He leaves his widow and two daughters, Patricia and Paula. Plan AFRA in Rochester Rochester, Oct. 27.— Organization of a Rochester local of the American Federation of Radio Artists is the goal of Hyman Faine, field representative, who has arrived here. Readers 9 Say-So Editor, Motion Picture Daily : In your issue of Oct. 20, I notia a letter from an exhibitor, regarding \ my original comment on gossip writ ers who take advantage of a few lib erties. However, his remarks were tr\i tirely different, because he speaks o; local critics. Therefore, the mattei should be clarified. In my original letter, I was not2» ferring to directly-paid employesPf newspapers, radio stations or maph zines, who operate under supervision of said owners. I was only referring to a few indi-l viduals who operate on a wide com-l mercial scale, digging up "dirt," and] lease or syndicate their gossip, on J rental basis to all newspapers desirina the service. I thought I would pass this along! so fellow-exhibitors won't take thei wrong attitude toward local critics! who are justified in expressing theiiL personal opinions, pro or con. Thj final judge will always be our box office, so let's have opinions from any one, as long as they are frank an sincere, and do not touch on pert; personal matters and slanderous ac cusations. Ed Harris, Glendale Theatre Glendale, Calif. in : RKO Executives to New Phila. Brancli Ned E. Depinet, distribution head, will lead a delegation from the RKO home office who will attend the opening of the company's new Philadelphia exchange building tomorrow. The party will leave here by train tomorrow morning. Included will be A. W. Smith, Jr., Cresson E. Smith, Robert Mochrie, Harry Michalson, S. Barret McCormick, A. A. Schubart, William Savage, M. G. Poller, Harry Gittleson and W. J. McShea. Pool Toledo Houses Toledo, O., Oct. 27.— Skirball Brothers of Cleveland, and Smith, Beidler & Kumler, local operators, have pooled the local Pantheon and Palace. The two will show first and second _ run films, at 20 and 30 cents admission, including tax. Hold Jacob Seltzer Rites Hollywood, Oct. 27. — Services were held today for Jacob Seltzer, 70, father of Frank, Jules and Walter Seltzer, publicity men, who died Saturday. The widow also survives. 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, VicePresident; 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, William R. Weaver, Editor; Leon Friedman, Manager; London Bureau, 4 Golden Square, London Wl, Hope Williams, Manager, cable address "Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1941 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.