Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1942)

Motion Picture Daily Late News Flashes from the Coast Hollywood, Jan. 6 ASCAP today filed a motion to dismiss the suit brought against it by about 125 Pacific Coast exhibitors for recovery of the music seat tax and damages. Arguments on the motion are scheduled for Jan. 19. The suit was brought by individual members of the PCCITO and charges Ascap with being an illegal monopoly and acting in restraint of trade. • • United Artists owner-members and executives today started a series of meetings aimed at reorganizing the management setup under which the recently named board of directors would handle the affairs of the company. The first session, held at Pickfair, the home of Mary Pickford, was addressed by Edward C. Raftery, president ; Laudy Lawrence and George Bagnall, vicepresidents. • • Mercury Productions today started its third picture for RKO, titled "Journey Into Fear," starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Dolores Del Rio. Norman Foster is directing, from a script by Welles and Cotten. • • After four years of broadcasting Wednesdays on CBS from Hollywood, the "Big Town" program, starring Edward G. Robinson, on Jan. 22 switches to Thursdays. The time will be 9 :30 to 10 P. M. EST and rebroadcasts will be eliminated. • • A mass meeting of all studio personnel on Jan. 19 will launch the industry's participation in the Red Cross war emergency campaign. Edward Arnold will be the principal speaker on a broadcast of the rally over KFWB. 2 Personal Mention ALBERT ROBBINS, operator of the Strand, Hamden, Conn., and Claire Miller of New York were married last week and are on a honeymoon in Miami. • William McCraw, former Texas attorney general and Variety Club figure, was a New York visitor yesterday. A. S. Levine, formerly with Warners in New Haven, and brother of Sid Levine, Warner booker there, flew in from Camp Blanding on furlough. E. O. Wilschke, with Altec in Philadelphia, was a New York visitor yesterday. e Phil London, assistant manager of the Felton Theatre, Philadelphia, has entered the service and is now at Camp Lee, Va. Ted Aber, Paramount salesman in Philadelphia, and Zena Coopersmith, of Milford, Del., were married last week. Harold Schwartz, son of George Schwartz, Universal branch manager in Philadelphia, and Mitzi Krasnoff were married last week. • Walter Dykes, projectionist at the Ashley Theatre in Ashley, Pa., has been recalled for service in the Navy. Four Theatres at Mass. Army Post Boston, Jan. 6. — With the Yankee Division back in Camp Edwards at Bourne, Mass., from the Carolina war maneuvers, the camp's four motion picture houses have gone into full-time operation. First Lieut. Howard C. Parker, commanding officer in charge of the theatres, announced the addition of the Connery Ave. theatre which had been erected while the division was on maneuvers. In addition, the camp has three other houses, the North, South and East side theatres. Each theatre has a seating capacity of 1,038, and top price for soldiers is 20 cents. All theatres have facilities for stage shows, for the use of visiting vaudeville shows and other entertainment. Perkins Para. Circuit Head of Construction Evan H. Perkins of the Paramount home office theatre maintenance and construction department, has been named head of the department by Leonard Goldenson, head of theatre operations. Perkins succeeds Charles Burton, whose resignation was effective Jan. 1. Folsom on Defense Unit Rochester, Jan. 6. — Marion B. Folsom, treasurer of Eastman Kodak Co., has been appointed to a national committee for the mobilization of technical personnel for defense. British Formula on Manpower Is Seen London, Jan. 6. — It is expected a formula will be adopted shortly for the stabilization of the manpower situation in English film houses, following conversations between the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association and the British Board of Trade. Minimum wartime staffs are expected to be assured for theatres. The CEA will present a memorandum embodying a formula to the Board of Trade, which, it is expected, will be accepted and put into effect by the Ministry of Labor. The formula is believed to call for theatre staffs of a size necessary to comply with safety regulations. In some quarters it is believed it mav provide for one employe for each 200 to 250 seats, plus a cashier, doorman and projectionists. Such staffs, it is thought, would reduce theatre employes to a difficult but workable minimum. The CEA next week will hear a survey of the situation. The raw stock question is the next problem to be taken up by the CEA and the distributors. A complete realignment of the entire release situation may result from the situation, it is believed. Manta Gets Control Of Four Theatres Chicago, Jan. 6. — Controlling interest in the Simansky & Miller neighborhood circuit of four houses has been purchased by Alex Manta's Indiana-Illinois Theatres. George Miller, manager of the S & M Lido, has been made district manager of the four houses involved in the sale. Clvde Armstrong becomes manager of the Lido, and Walter Smith and Irving Barnett continue as managers of the Forest and Savoy, respectively. Don Johnson has been named manager of the fourth house, the T.il. I A Unit Buys Bonds Piin.ADELPiiiA, Jan. 6. — The local TATSE has voted to buy a $1,000 defense bond each month for the duration of the war, R. I. Managers in Air Raid Meeting Providence, Jan. 6. — Managers of theatres in all parts of Rhode Island met last night at the Strand here for initial discussion of air-raid precautions. Chiefs of the local police and fire departments, and the city's chief air-raid warden, Capt. Leo E. Gorman, addressed the meeting, and plans were made for future sessions. At the later meetings managers will be instructed in the handling of audiences in the event of raids and in precautions against sabotage. It was agreed that audiences would be kept in the theatres and the shows continued during raids. The meeting was. arranged by Edward M. Fay, chairman, and Edward L. Reed, operator of the Strand ; William E. Spragg, M & P district manager, and Martin R. Toohey. Honor Jack Levin At Dinner Today The annual memorial services of the Levin Family Tree, an organization of 250 cousins, of which Jack H. Levin, executive director of the Copyright Protection Bureau, is a former president, will be held today at the Hotel Newton. The service will honor the memory of Sophie Levin, founder of the organization. A testimonial to Jack Levin will follow the services. The flag presented to Sophie Levin by the American Red Cross during the last war for her slogan, "Carry On," will be on display at the services. Cohen Named V.P. of Warner Canada Unit Toronto, Jan. 6. — Wolfe Cohen, Canadian district manager for Warner Bros., has been made vice-president of Vitagraph, Ltd., the Canadian distribution subsidiary. The post has been vacant since the resignation of Carl Leserman from Warners last Fall. Club Installation Set Atlanta, Jan. 6. — New officers of the local Variety Club, headed by Harry G. Ballance, will be installed next Monday. Wednesday, January 7, 19421 Newsreel Parade O HO WN in the new issues is th. *J first A. E. F. convoy of the war The reinforcements are bound for Pa tific fronts. The British advance h Lybia also is1 on view. The reels one their contents follow: MOVIETONE NEWS, No. 35— Reinforce merits for Hawaii. British advance in VT^I! Churchill back in Washington. U. S. £ J\ 'I takes over Nortnandie. Times Squartriii) New Year's Eve. Air cadet applicants i ji New York. Rose, Cotton and Orange Bow games. Winter swimming in Lake Michi j, NEWS OF THE DAY, No. Z33 — A.E.F 1 convoy. Civilians rally in Honolulu ! evacuees arrive in San Francisco. Normandi j drafted by Navy. Hail arrival of 1942 1 Churchill in Washington. British in Liby; !: drive. Rose, Cotton, Sugar and Orang ! Bowl games. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 38— Bears-Al Stars football. Churchill in Ottawa, Mt | Vernon and Washington. International al i liance pact signed in Washington. Wavel ; heads Far East Allied Command. Singa j pore and Hong Kong before Jap attack j U. S. convoy off to Pacific fronts. Hawai i prepares; evacuees reach San Francisco ! Tobruk recaptured. RKO PATHE NEWS, No. 38— A.E.F convoy. Libyan campaign. 1942 hailed Rose, O'range and Sugar Bowl footbal games. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL, No. 47 A.E.F. convoy. Hawaii evacuees in Sai Francisco. British drive in Libya. Churchil in Mt. Vernon and Washington. Nav} takes over Normandie. Air cadet appli cants in New York. Mummers Parade ii.L Philadelphia. Polar Bears Club in Chicago*!H Rose Bowl fooball game. City College to Start Fact Films Course Dr. Harry N. Wright, president ol the City College of New York, yesterday announced the inauguration oi an Institute of Film Technique at the college, starting next month. A series j of 12 workshop and lecture courses will be offered designed for training : in the production and exhibition ol factual films. Supervision will be un j der Irving Jacoby. Among instructors and lecturers listed are : John Grierson, Joris Ivens, Willard Van Dyke. Stuart Legg, John Ferno, Alice V. Keliher and Kurt London. Shifted to Washington Jerry Coan, formerly at the Paramount home office, has been transferred to the Washington exchange as a booker. 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." Mar tin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher I Colvin Brown, Vice-President and Genera Manager; Watterson R. Rothacker, Vice President; Sam Shain, Eidtor; Alfred L Finestone, Managing Editor; Jame6 A Cron, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau 624 South Michigan Avenue, C. B. O'Neill Manager; Hollywood Bureau, Postal Unior Life Building, William R. Weaver, Editor: Leon Friedman, Manager; London Bureau; 4 Golden Square, London Wl, Hope Wil Hams, Manager, cable address "Quigpubco London." All contents copyrighted 1942 b> 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. Subscrip tion rates per year $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies 10c.