Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1942)

2 Motion Picture daily Thursday, April 30. 1942 Coast Flashes Hollywood, April 29 THE life story of Draja Mihailovich, Jugoslav minister of war and Nazi-fighting guerrilla leader, will be brought to the screen by 20th Century-Fox as "The Seventh Column," the studio announced today. Rights to use the patriot's story have been obtained from a relative in San Francisco, it was stated. Bryan Foy is scheduled to produce the film. • Brian Aherne's first assignment under his Columbia contract will be "Salute to Sahara," based on the diary of a British soldier in the African campaign, it was announced. Glenn Ford will co-star. Charles Vidor will direct for producer Harry Joe Brown. • Samuel Goldwyn today announced a one-year extension of the contract of Collier Young, his story editor here. Personal Mention Committees Named For RKO Tourney Committees have been named for the annual RKO golf tournament, to be held May 14 at the Westchester Country Club at Rye, N. Y. The committees are: Tournament, George J. Schaefer, chairman ; Ned E. Depinet, R. C, Patterson, Malcolm Kingsbcrg, Phil Reisman, J. Henry Walters, Gordon Youngman, Leon Goldberg, L. E. Thompson ; Publicity, S. Barret McCormick, Rutgers Neilson, Harry Mandel, Arthur M. Brilant, Jack Level, Maurice Harris, Al Adams ; Working, John J. Jones, Harry Gittleson, Saul Berman, Al Tuchman, Arthur White, Charlie Fretz, Arthur Herskovitz, James Mulhall ; Prize Award, J. Henry Walters, John Farmer, Richard Gavin, Lou Gaudreau. Manager Thanked By Canadian Army Toronto, April 29. — Manager Jack Nelson of the Capitol Theatre, North Bay, Ont., operated by Famous Players Canadian Corp., has received the formal thanks of the Canadian Army, through the Northern Ontario Command, for his assistance and cooperation with a large nearby garrison. The Capitol has entertained an average of 1,000 soldiers per month at a free show since the opening of the camp 18 months ago and Nelson has sponsored the operation of club rooms for the troops as a community feature. Faichney to Wed Jean Davis Here James B. Faichney, motion picture editor of the pictorial branch of the War Department Bureau of Public Relations, arrived here yesterday from Washington and tomorrow will be married to Jean Davis of Yonkers. He formerly was short subject editor for RKO Pathe News. T OSEPH M. SCHENCK is in *J town from the Coast. e Norman Ayers, Warner Eastern district manager, was in Buffalo and Gloversville this week. • E. J. McKenna of RKO's Oklahoma City exchange, has enlisted in the Army. Leon Netter has left for the South. ED KUYKENDALL is expected in New York from Kansas City this weekend. Loyd Wright will leave for the Coast today. Frank Phelps of Warner Theatres has left for Chicago. Henry Henigson is in town from the Coast. PRC Meet Opens On Coast Tuesday Delay Ampa Election Until Middle of May The annual meeting of the Ampa, at which new officers were to be elected, which was to have been held today, has been postponed until about the middle of May, with the date to be announced shortly, Vincent Trotta, Ampa president, said yesterday. Hollywood, April 29. — Producers Releasing Corp. executives have arrived here for the annual franchise holders convention which opens next Tuesday at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The meeting will end Thursday. Now here framing the program are Leon Fromkess, executive vice-president in charge of production ; Arthur Greenblatt, general sales manager ; Joseph O'Sullivan, director of advertising and publicity; Roberto Socas. export manager; Robert Benjamin and George Bonwick, board members. O. Henry Briggs, president, will open the meeting and Greenblatt will preside. Fromkess will outline production plans, and Sigmund Neufeld, in charge of westerns, will discuss his program. O'Sullivan, Socas and Benjamin also are scheduled to speak. New films will be shown Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning will be devoted to a discussion of company policy, with further screenings in the afternoon, and a ranch party and evening banquet at the studio will be held Thursday. Moonlight for Kliegs As 'Moontide9 Opens Although Army regulations ruled out floodlights, the premiere of the 20th Century-Fox film, "Moontide," at the Rivoli on Broadway last night was an elaborate affair, and with the house virtually filled to capacity, a successful one for the sponsors, the American Theatre Wing War Service, Inc. The Wing, which operates the Stage Door Canteen and other services for uniformed men, netted about $3,000 for its fund, it was stated. Jean Gabin, who co-stars in the film with Ida Lupino, and scores of professionals and executives attended. W.B. Circuit Meets In Ohio Next Week Meetings for Warner circuit managers in Ohio will be held Monday in Columbus and Tuesday in Cleveland, the latter for managers in the northern part of the State. Harry M. Kalmine, assistant general manager of the circuit, will conduct the sessions. Harry Goldberg, director of advertising and publicity, and Nat Wolf, zone manager, will attend. These meetings follow the meeting of circuit buyers and bookers held here this week by Kalmine, Committee of Whole To Set Umpi Budget The budget of the United Motion Picture Industry and financing plans will be left to Umpi's committee of the whole, it was decided yesterday at a meeting of the finance committee, of which H. M. Richey is chairman. Divergence of views on the size of the budget and the need for cooperation from all exhibitor organizations in subscribing finances was felt to require action by the general Umpi group, it was explained. The financing will be taken up at an Umpi meeting to be called by W. F. Rodgers, chairman, within the next two weeks. Biechele Reelected KMT A President Kansas City, April 29. — R. R. Biechele was reelected president of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association at the concluding session of the organization's two-day convention here today. Tom Edwards was elected vice-president and Fred Meyn secretary-treasurer. Directors elected for Kansas are Homer Strowig, J. C Pennington and H. J. Griffith. Missouri directors elected are C. A. Schultz, George W. Harttmann and C. E. Cook. Plans were discussed for a conciliation committee on industry grievances and for checking on drives in the territory. GTE Net $284,568; Firm Changes Name General Theatres Equipment Corp. and subsidiaries, excluding Cinema Building Corp., has reported consolidated net profit for the three months ended March 31, last, of $284,568, after depreciation and estimated Federal income and excess profits taxes. The net compares with $256,886 for the corresponding period of 1941. Stockholders have voted to change the name of the company to General Precision Equipment Corp., in recognition of the change in the character of the business, which now is devoted chiefly to the manufacture of precision equipment for various industries and war purposes. 'Tortilla' to Music Hall M-G-M's "Tortilla Flat" has been booked to play Radio City Music Hall, it was announced yesterday by Gus Eyssell, managing director of the theatre. The film will follow "Saboteur," which goes in after the current run of "We Were Dancing." Quote on 'Moontide' Runs Before Review Showmen last night commented on the appearance of an advertisement on "Moontide" in the first and second editions of the New York Daily News which included a quotation from that paper's review on the picture, before the review itself appeared. The excerpt from the revie headlined the advertiseme with the word " Terrific! Theatremen said that appearance of the quote in such form before the review is printed is unusual. The film opened last night at the Rivoli. Canadian Industry Is Aiding Red Cross Toronto, April 29. — Executives of the film industry in Toronto have formed a special committee to assist the Canadian Red Cross in its drive for funds during May through theatre displays, trailers and newspaper advertising. Use is to be made of 150 prints of the campaign trailer of which 40 will be booked into Ontario theatres. The committee is headed by J. E. Lawson of the Canadian Picture Pioneers and the members include Col. John A. Cooper; Morris Stein, general manager of Famous Players ; Oscar Hanson, president of the Canadian Picture Pioneers; T. J. Bragg of Odeon Theatres of Canada; H. T. Long, general manager, Associated Theatres Limited; J. Frank Meyers. Exhibitors Booking Association; N. L. Nathanson, president, General Theatres Investment Corp., and J. J. Fitzgibbons, president, Famous Players Canadian Corp. Gould to S.A. for Expansion Survey Walter Gould, United Artists foreign manager, will leave for South America by plane tomorrow to study possibilities for theatre expansion by the company in certain Latin American territories, the company announced yesterday. Gould also will visit all U. A. branch offices in South America. He is scheduled to be away until July. 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 PublisherColvm Brown, Vice-President and General Manager; Watterson R. Rothacker VicePresident, Sam Shain, Editor; Alfred L. Fmestone, Managing Editor; James A 9l?n^Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau. 624 South Michigan Avenue, C. B. O'Neill Manager; Hollywood Bureau. Postal Union Life Building, William R. Weaver. Editor; London Bureau; 4 Golden Square, London Wl, Hope Burnup, Manager, cable address Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1942 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.