Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1942)

6 Motion Picture Daily n Tuesday, January 6, 1942 j Value of Unity Is Stressed By Connors {Continued from page 1) visions and the block-of-five clause. Connors told the exhibitors that 20th Century-Fox would operate fully under the provisions of the Minnesota law until such time as this law shall be proved unconstitutional. It was the consensus at the conference diat distribution costs have been increased for the consenting companies by the Minnesota law because it poses special problems and forces methods of operation different from those which they must practice in neighboring states in keeping with the New York case decree provisions. Present at the meeting were William Gehring, Central division manager, who accompanied Connors from Xew York; M. A. Levy, district manager, and J. M. Podoloff, branch manager. Canada Is Made New U.A. Division (Continued from page 1) under Bert M. Stearn. Exchanges in Jack Goldhar's district have been realigned to include Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh and are under Eastern division supervision. The Far Western district under W. E. Callaway also has been realigned and now includes the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Denver exchanges. Leserman left last night for Cleveland where he will meet today with Goldhar and branch managers in that territory and tomorrow will go to Chicago to meet with Bert Stearn, Western division manager ; Charles Stern, Chicago district manager, and the branch managers of that territory. Moe Dudelson, Harris Dudelson, Nat Beier, G. R. Frank and James Hendel will attend the Cleveland meeting, and Ralph Cramblet, J. S. Abrose, Ben J. Robins, D. V. McLucas and William E. Truog, branch managers, will attend the Chicago meeting. BVay Has Smash Weekend; 'Dinner' $40,000 in 4 Days (Continued from page 1) was shattered on Saturday when "Louisiana Purchase" with Gene Krupa's orchestra rang up an estimated $15,000, the biggest Saturday since the theatre adopted its present policy. Sunday's business amounted to an estimated $14,000. The showcompletes its first week tonight with an estimated $92,000 expected. "Remember the Day" with a stage show at the Roxy, after finishing its first week with an estimated $99,800, continued on to bring an estimated $48,300 Thursday through Sunday. And at the Radio City Music Hall, "Babes on Broadway" with the stage presentation drew an estimated $72,-. 500 Thursday through Sunday. This picture's predecessor, "H. M. Pulham, Esq.," took an estimated $104,500 during a six-day run. The week's total was brought to an estimated $127,000 with the first day's gross of "Babes on Broadway," estimated at $23,000. 'Woman,' 'Hellzapoppin,' Strong The new Greta Garbo film, "TwoFaced Woman," gave the Capitol an estimated $42,000 during its first five days ending Sunday night. "Hellzapoppin" at the Rivoli was good for an estimated $11,500 Saturday and Sunday and is expected to complete its second week tomorrow night with an estimated $23,000. Business during the first week was estimated at $32,000. "The Mad Doctor of Market Street" did an estimated $2,400 Saturday and Sunday at the Rialto. At that theatre last week "The Wolf Man" grossed an estimated $6,900. "Unholy Partners" at the Globe garnered an estimated $3,600 Saturday and Sunday. The film, now in its second week, brought an estimated $14,000 during its first. Universal's "Paris Calling" is slated to open at the Globe Jan. 17. Studio Pact Talks Are Started Here Appeal Clearance Decision in St. Louis St. Louis, Jan. 5. — An appeal from the arbitrator's decision dismissing the clearance complaint of the Palm Theatre here against Paramount and 20th Century-Fox has been filed with the national appeals board by Victor Thien, the plaintiff. The arbitrator, J. Wesley McAfee, waived his $30 fee following the hearings and that amount will be deducted from the cost assessed against Thien. Chicago, Jan. 5. — Hayes McKinney, arbitrator, entered an order extending the filing of briefs in the Oriental Theatre case to Jan. 15. Schneider in New Post William Schneider, formerly assistant to Robert Gillham, Paramount advertising and publicity director, is now handling exploitation tieups under Alec Moss. Benchley Moving To See Benchley Austin, Tex., Jan. 5. — There's a town 70 miles from here named Benchley, and it has no theatre. So tomorrow when Paramount holds the initial showing of Robert Benchley's short, "Nothing But Nerves," at the Paramount Theatre here, the "entire population," Paramount announced, will be moved to Austin for the showing. After the show the Benchley residents will be guests of Gov. Coke Stevenson of Texas at a Turkey dinner. (Continued from page 1) or three days may be required to complete negotiations. At the session in addition to Casey were : Nicholas M. Schenck, Barney Balaban, Sidney R. Kent, Joseph Hazen, John J. O'Connor of Universal, Reginald. Armour of RKO, Arthur Schwartz of Schwartz & Frohlich, representing Columbia ; Richard Walsh, IA president ; Lou Krouse, I A secretary ; L. E. Thompson of RKO; Fred Pelton, Fred Meyers, Carroll Saxe, Charles Boren, Dave Garber, Al Speed, Harold Smith and Fred Jackman. The jurisdictional claims of the I A Studio Photographers Local 659 against the American Society of Cinematographers is regarded as -perhaps the most important subject on the meeting's agenda. The ASC has applied for a separate IA charter, contending that if it was forced to join Local 659 it would be outvoted on every issue by cameramen whose problems differ materially from their own. No charter has been granted the ASC yet, however. Benchley, Tex., is so small it doesn't rate a listing in available census records, but Paramount says the population is 115. Shumlin to Produce 'Rhine' for Warners Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Warners today completed a deal under which "Watch on the Rhine," anti-Nazi play by Lillian Hellman, will be brought to the screen under the guidance of Herman Shumlin, who produced the play on Broadway. Shumlin will continue at the studio under a term deal as a director-producer. Coast Talent Unit Now 'Victory' Group Hollywood, Jan. 5. — The Hollywood Coordinating Committee for Stage, Screen and Radio has changed its name to the Hollywood Victory Committee for Stage, Screen and Radio. Meanwhile, Louis J. Halper, general manager of Warner Theatres here, has been named alternate director of the Los Angeles Theatre Defense Bureau by B. V. Sturdivant, director. Exhibitors in the Greater Los Angeles area were notified by the Theatre Defense Bureau today to put radio receivers in perfect condition for the reception of emergency messages and every important broadcast made by President Roosevelt. Other public gathering places were similarly advised. The talent group elected new officers in addition to Fred W. Beetson, chairman, and Jock Lawrence, secretary. They include : Kenneth Thomson, vice-chairman ; Bert Allenberg, treasurer; Howard Strickling, assistant secretary. The finance committee includes Allenberg, E. J. Mannix, Cary Grant and I. B. Kornblum. 1941 British Gross Equal To PreWar Stromberg Submits Resignation to MGM (Continued from page 1) future plans in the event his resignation is accepted. A studio spokesman said the matter will have to be dealt with by the M-G-M board in New York. Stromberg's contract, under which he participates in profits, has until 1944 to run. (Continued from page 1) ous shortages are in raw stock and; paper. The paper shortage has restricted the use of photographs and posters to a large extent. Shoi^ "'>% of manpower for private industry,.'; J is unrelieved, Harley said, with me result that an increasing number of . women are being employed in key positions in the British film industry. Production is continuing in Eng 3 land, but becomes more difficult frommonth to month, Harley said. Last year 20th Century-Fox completed "Kips," "Once a Crook" and "The Young Mr. Pitt." The next production planned is "La Libre Belgique." Military Films Increase Harley reported that the production of military instructional films has attained "very large scale proportions" in Britain and that the work is in charge of Paul Kimberley, former National Screen Service representa-i tive, in London. Ministry of Information subjects are given five minutes on every screen program, he said. Harley, who came here from Lon-' don and Lisbon by way of West Africa and Brazil, plans to remain several months. He was accompanied by Robert T. Kane, in charge of British production for 20th Cen jju tury-Fox. ! \ ; Si Trade Officials Scout Reported British Figures Officials in the trade, in discussing British theatre business figures as reported in the New York Herald Tribune, yesterday expressed the opinion that they were inclined to be skeptical of the report as being somewhat out of line. A copyrighted London dispatch to the newspaper reported a $60,000,000 increase in British theatre grosses and a 5,000,000 weekly increase in attendance in 1941 over the highest peacetime record. The account said the figures were obtained from a report of the Film Exhibitors Association. The 1941 gross, according to the story, was reported at $240,000,000, compared with a peace-time record of *i ,000,000, while weekly attendance l\ led frnm a nre-war nveracrp nf.t jumped from a pre-war average of 18,500,000 to 23,000,000 last year. The year's entertainment tax will exceed $42,000,000, or nearly double the highest previous tax, it was said, and other taxes on the British film industry will exceed $60,000,000. Caddigan a Major Boston, Jan. 5. — Capt. James L. Caddigan, supervisor of the film department at the Paramount exchange here, has been promoted to major on the staff of Brig. Gen. Edgar C. Erickson, Adjutant General of Massachusetts. He will be in charge of public relations. 2 Remodeled Houses Reopened in Frisco San Francisco, Jan. 5. — Two local theatres, closed in the first days after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and the city's resultant air raid alarms, have reopened after remodeling. The Fox-West Coast California Theatre, downtown, has been completely done over, inside and out, and renamed the State. The other house to reopen is the Verdi, 2,000-seat neighborhood house operated in the North Beach district, heavily populated bv Italians.