Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1942)

2 Motion Picture Daily Monday, January 12, 1942 See Referendum on Equity's 'Red' Ban Although Equity members on Friday adopted a constitutional amendment to bar subversive groups, the vote of 122 to 101 was less than the required two-thirds majority and a referendum on the question is therefore held likely. The amendment would prevent Nazis, Communists and Fascists and their sympathizers from holding office or being paid employes in the organization. A referendum is also indicated in the fact that amendments must be voted on by 750 members. Personal Mention S.M.P.E. Convention In Holly wood May 4 The Society of Motion Picture Engineers will hold its annual Spring convention in Hollywood May 4-8, inclusive, according to William C. Kunzmann, convention vice-president. He noted that the society reserves the right to cancel the convention program up to 30 days before the opening date if such action is deemed advisable in the national interest. Emery Huse, SMPE president, will preside at the opening luncheon to be held May 4 at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel, convention headquarters. Nine technical sessions are scheduled. The 51st semi-annual banquet will be held Wednesday evening, May 6. Orders Majors Quiz In Jersey Trust Suit Hillside Amusement Co., operator of the Mayfair, Hillside, N. J., and plaintiff in an anti-trust suit againt five majors, on Friday was awarded by Federal Judge John Bright the right to examine the defendants before trial. Hillside claimed in the suit that the majors conspired to grant clearance preference to the Warner theatres in the vicinity of the Mayfair and asked treble damages of $900,000. Korda Due Today; To England Soon Alexander Korda and Merle Oberon, his wife, are due here today from the Coast. Korda will remain here for a few days before flying to England, while Miss Oberon will leave for New Orleans to participate in a Red Cross rally. She then will report for a civilian defense post. Oswald Stoll Dies London, Jan. 11. — Sir Oswald Stoll, 76, theatrical manager and producer and interested in a number ni West End theatres, died Friday. BROADWAY PLAYS "A GREAT SHOW." — Herald Tribune 50C, $1 & $1.50 NPoLUHS|GTHAEXR 2ND YEAR — 2ND EDITION of the Sensational Musical Icetravagan/.a It happens on ice at America's Only Ice Theatre Center Theatre. Rockefeller Center. CO. 5-5474 Evet. except Men. Mat*. Wed.. Sat. & 8un. 501 8eat< for Every Pcrf. 50c. EVG8. AT 8:40 HJ. YATES is expected on the • Coast next week. Gradwell L. Sears has been confined to his home by illness. • Frank P. Rosenberg, exploitation director for Columbia, and Thelma Dorfman of New York are engaged. They will be married in March. • Carl Shalit, Columbia Central division manager, was here from Chicago for a visit late last week. • William Elder, manager of Loew's, Indianapolis, is the father of a son, born at St. Vincent's Hospital, Indianapolis, last week. N.Y. Critics Present Annual Film Awards The New York Film Critics presented their annual awards at a dinner at Leone's restaurant Saturday night. The presentations were made on a 15-minute NBC broadcast. George J. Schaefer, RKO president, accepted on behalf of "Citizen Kane" and Joan Fontaine ; Mort B lumenstock of Warners on behalf of Gary Cooper, and John Ford accepted his award for direction. Orson W elles and Joan Fontaine were then heard from Hollywood. Leo Mishkin, president of the critics' group, presided. Palace in Chicago Increases Prices Chicago, Jan. 11. — The Palace Theatre has raised admissions from 30 cents to 40 cents to 1 P. M., 40 cents to 50 cents to 6 :30 P. M. and 60 cents to 68 cents to closing plus tax. The increase started with the engagement of "Ball of Fire" and "The Gay Falcon." It is not definite yet, said Tom Gorman, RKO district manager, whether the increases will be continued. Mainstreet Theatre In Kansas City Shut Kansas City, Jan. 11. — The Mainstreet Theatre, which was reopened Nov. 6, has closed. Albert Schoenberg, one of the owners of the house, said the closing was caused by "circumstances beyond our control." Schoenberg said that the theatre would reopen soon under different management. The theatre, seating 3,500, is the largest in Kansas City. Join U. S. Armed Forces Five employes of Loew's home office joined the U. S. armed forces over the weekend, it was stated in a company announcement. The new defenders are Arthur Ehrlich, Sid Salitsky and Bennett Goldstein of the contract department ; Albert Cohen, mailing room, and Eddie Gelfand, purchasing department. Set Mayfair Roles Hollywood, Jan. 11. — Virginia Bruce, Broderick Crawford and Dick Foran have been set for roles in Mayfair Productions' "Butch Minds the Baby," for Universal release. Crawford will replace Wallace Beery in the lead. ROBERT GILLHAM spent the weekend in Kansas City en route East from Hollywood. • Carl Burmele of Cooperative Theatres, Detroit, was a New York visitor at the weekeend. • George Weber, M-G-M office manager in New Haven, has returned from a motor trip to Miami Beach with his wife and daughter. • Lieut. Comm. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., is expected here from Washington this week. • Sidney C. Davidson has left for the Universal studio. Boston Theatrical Post Sets Dinner Boston, Jan. 11. — The annual Past Commander's Dinner of the Lt. A. Vernon Macauley Post of the American Legion here will be held Feb. 16. This post, known as the theatrical post, includes many prominent showmen. Harry Browning is chairman of the dinner committee, which includes : Harry Germaine, Marcel Mekelberg, Edwin Dobkin, Major Patrick Healey, Edward Kanter, Kenneth Forkey, William McLaughlin, Harry Smith and Harry Rosenblatt. Kalmine Holds W.B. Meeting in Cleveland Harry Kalmine, head of the Warner Theatre circuit, left over the weekend for Cleveland to meet with Nat Wolf, Cleveland zone manager, and other circuit executives in that area. Accompanying Kalmine were Leonard Schlesinger, Harry Goldberg and Rudy Weiss, theatre department executives. 'Dimes' Auditorium Collection by 2,000 Nearly 2,000 theatres enrolled in the 1942 theatres March of Dimes drive will make collections in the auditoriums of the houses, as well as in the lobbies, it was announced Friday. More than 10,000 theatres are expected to enroll in the drive, according to Harry Brandt, co-chairman. NLRB Certifies W.B. Union at Home Office Washington, Jan. 11.— The NLRB yesterday certified Warner Bros. Associated Office Employees as the collective bargaining agency for the office, clerical, secretarial and accounting employees in the company's New York offices. W.B. Studio Bond Plan Hollywood, Jan. 11. — Warners has instituted a payroll allotment plan for the purchase of defense bonds by studio employees, who may volunteer a weekly salary deduction. Rep. Plans Spy Serial Hollywood, Jan. 11. — Republic announced that it plans a serial titled "G-Men Versus the Black Dragon," based on the expose of the Japanese espionage society. Ifs Barrows Again Boston, Mass., Jan. 11. — Thad C. Barrows has been reelected president of operators' Local 182 here for the 25th consecutive year. For years he has been national president of the Projection Advisory Council and active in the Society of Motion Picture Engineers. James F. Burke was reelected business representative. 2nd Metro Forum at [Memphis Tomorrow M-G-M will hold its second and third exhibitor forums in Memphis tomorrow at the Gayoso Hotel and in St. Louis on Thursday at the Coronado. The meetings will be devoted entirely to a discussion of methods of increasing theatre patronage. H. W. Richey, assistant to William F. Rodgers, M-G-M general sales manager, will preside at both sessions. Among the speakers will be Joseph X. Gooris, Western manager of the Bureau of Advertising of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, and Besa Short, short subjects head for the Interstate Circuit. William R. Ferguson, Metro exploitation manager, will address both meetings, as will Edward Salzberg, West Virginia exhibitor. The Memphis session will be sponsored by Metro, R. X. Williams, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee MPTO, and M. A. Lightman, head of Malco Theatres. Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, may attend. Burtus Bishop, Jr., will attend the Memphis session, with J. Frank Willingham, Memphis branch manager, in charge of arrangements. Brandt to Carolina Meet Harry Brandt, president of the New York ITOA, will address the convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina in Charlotte, N. C, Jan. 19, on national defense. Silver stein on USO Adolph Silverstein has left the Paramount advertising and publicity department to do USO-Camp Shows publicity for the Hal Home organization. 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 Wil' liams. Manager, cable address "Quigpubco. London." All contents copyrighted 1942 b> Quigley Publishing Company, Inc. 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