Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1944)

8 Motion Picture Daily Monday, March 27, 1944 Review "Cowboy and the Senorita (Republic) "D EPUBLIC has another Roy Rogers winner in "Cowboy and the Senorita." It's highly pleasant entertainment with Guinn Williams, Mary Lee and Dale Evans in support of Rogers. The story, though not entirely unfamiliar, is easy to take and gives opportunity for both Miss Evans and Miss Lee, as well as the "King of the Cowboys" to disport their vocal talents to good advantage. Miss Lee, remembered for her roles with Gene Autry, gives one of her best performances. Ned Washington and Phil Ohman provide some gay and charming songs, among them "The Enchilada Man," a catchy novelty; "Cowboy and the Senorita" and "What'll I Use for Money." Also, Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer come up with "The Bunk-House Bugle Boy," to which the "Sons of the Pioneers" do justice. This all-around production is augmented by specialty dance numbers by Cappella and Patricia, Jane Beebe and BeneRochelle, and Tito and Corrine Valdez. The story concerns an abandoned mine, owned by young Miss Lee, which John Hubbard, a crooked business man, seeks to buy. Miss Evans, half-sister to Miss Lee, is unsympathetic to the youngster's sentimental attachment to the mine, left her by her father, despite the little girl's belief in a "hidden treasure." Rogers and Williams hire on as ranch-hands, determined to help Miss Lee hold the mine. They suspect Hubbard, but they are fired by Miss Evans for insulting him. As the bill of sale is about to be signed, the boys arrive with gold samples from the mine and proof of Hubbard's intent to defraud the two girls. Joseph Kane directed from a screenplay by Gordon Kahn, adapted from a story by Bradford Ropes. Walter Scharf was musical director. Harry Grey produced. Running time, 78 mins. "G."* Release date, May 5. Helen McNamara Tells How Peskay Acquired Pickwick Coast Flashes Hollywood, March 26 WRAY JOHNSTON, Mono• gram president, has returned from the nationwide tour in connection with his 30th anniversary sales campaign. His last stop, on Friday, was at Dallas, where he was feted by exhibitors. • M-G-M has bought "A Little Bit of Heaven," romantic comedy with music, written by Robert Andrews, Air Corps Captain Luther Davis and Marine Captain John Cleveland, who was killed in action. It concerns Broadway in the 1901 area. Jack Cummings will produce the film, and Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson will star. • PRC's fifth annual sales conference has been scheduled for the first week in May. Assistant general sales manager Leo J. McCarthy will arrive tomorrow to confer on the subject with Leon Fromkess, production vice-president. • Columbia has signed Marc Piatt, dancing star of the Broadway musical, "Oklahoma!" to a term contract. His first will be the Technicolor production, "Tonight and Every Night," which Victor Saville is directing. • Warner Bros, have bought from Doubleday Doran, in advance of publication, the film rights to "The Land I Have Chosen," by Ellen Berlin, wife of Irving Berlin. • Sam Clark, Warner exploiteer, left by plane over the weekend for home office conferences on "The Adventures of Mark Twain." Mellett Will Return To Newspaper Work Washington, March 26. — Lowell Mellett, former head of the U. S. Film Service and until last July chief of the motion picture bureau of the domestic branch of the Office of War Information, will return to newspaper writing next month. His resignation as one of Roosevelt's six administrative assistants, disclosed several weeks ago, was formally announced by the President at the weekend. Mellett is scheduled to write a column, "On the Other Hand," for the Washington Star and other papers. Ansco Gets *E' Binghamton, N. Y., March 26. — Ansco, manufacturer of photographic materials, has been awarded the ArmyNavy "E." Approximately 75 per cent of Ansco's production since Pearl Harbor has been for the government and essential war industries. Formal presentation of the "E" emblem will be made at Ansco here today. To Honor Louis Ingram Memphis, March 26. — M-G-M will hold an introductory luncheon for Louis C. Ingram, formerly at the Atlanta office, recently appointed branch manager here, at the Peabody Hotel on April 17. Charles E. Kessnich, district manager, is in charge of arrangements. Ingram succeeds Frank Willingham, now in St. Louis. *"G" denotes general classification. 'Twain9 Pulled After Week at 200 Spots Warners' "The Adventures of Mark Twain," starring Fredric March and Alexis Smith, will open the week of May 6 in more than 200 cities for runs of one week only at $1.20 top, it was announced at the weekend by Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager. This, the company claims, is the most extensive, national day-anddate advanced price premiere ever held. The film will be withdrawn after one week, except in New York, and will be given general circulation later in the season. The film will open in New York at the Hollywood. RKO Depositions in Griffith Case Taken Seymour Feig, statistical analyst of the RKO home office legal department, gave depositions here Friday in the Government's anti-trust suit against the Griffith Amusement Co. He identified RKO contracts with Griffith theatres and the independents in Oklahoma City and Dallas. Albert Boggess, special assistant to the U. S. Attorney General, took the depositions. Similar evidence has previously been taken from officials of Paramount, 20th-Fox, Warners and United Artists in hearings preceding the trial. Omaha Strike Averted Omaha, March 26. — A threatened strike at the Universal exchange here was averted last week when the local office joined IATSE. Bill Wink, president of Local F 47, stated that "local film row is now 100 percent union." Vaudeville at Palace With 'Boys' Preview For a few hours tonight the Palace here will once again have old-line vaudeville when Sophie Tucker sings and George Raft dances for the midnight preview of Universal's "Follow the Boys." Among those invited were Ted Lewis, Fred Allen, Vera Zorina, Andrews Sisters, Smith and Dale. Belle Baker, Fred Waring, Pat Rooney, Mabel Russell, Milton Berle, Lillian Shaw, Jack Pearl, Fritzi Scheff, Irene Bordoni, Joe Browning, Evelyn Nesbit, Ella Shields, Herman Timberg, Gertrude Hoffman, Joe Howard, Lulu McConnell, Buck and Bubbles, J. C. Nugent, Senator Ford, Harry Hershfield, Dan Healy and many others. Charles K. Feldman, producer of "Follow the Boys," is here from Hollywood for the preview. Joe Laurie, Jr., will act as master of ceremonies. There will be a broadcast over WEAF. After the screening a buffet supper will be served backstage. Mexicans Spurn Nazi Musical Film Mexico City, March 26. — Though Mexican censors passed the German film, "The Great Operetta," because it was shy of apparent propaganda, the Mexican public here has ignored it at the Cine Lindavista here, and it closed after one day. Film was distributed by EMA Films, president of which is Gen. Juan F. Azcarate. EMA is said to have been placed on the American 'black list' for this film. Azcarate has been commissioned by the government to tour Central and South American cities exhibiting Mexican documentaries to foster cultural relations between Mexico and her sister countries. New Haven, March 26. — Details of how Edward J. Peskay acquired the Pickwick Theatre, Greenwich, were contained in part of a deposition from George Skouras read here today in the trial of the Prefect anti-trust suit against the majors. RKO, Loew's, Fabian, and others, according to the statement, all sought the house i^1932 when the Fox Metropolitan cir*m> cuit, which had operated it, went bankrupt ; but Peskay, wishing to get a house of his own, had an opportunity to obtain the Pickwick and was given the "go ahead" by Skouras, his employer, the deposition said. Later, according to the deposition, Peskay acquired two theatres in Stamford and offered them to Skouras about the middle of 1933; and, when the latter was not interested, Peskay left the organization. Says Brothers Split Profits The deposition further explained that the three Skouras brothers — George, Charles and Spyros — originally had a standing arrangement to divide among themselves all earnings from their various enterprises but that this was terminated when Spyros became president of 20th-Fox. It has been the opinion of George Skouras, according to the deposition, that the clearance of White Plains over Porchester was not justified, inasmuch as White Plains was nine miles away and Greenwich only seven and a half. The document added that, at a conference in Skouras' office, Peskay held that Portchester and Greenwich were not in competition. With regard to entering the pools that are the subject of complaint in the suit, Skouras said he had taken this step in 1932 because he was convinced a profit could not be made on the runs then existing, the deposition added. Washington, March 26. — Nine Washington theatre managers have been awarded prizes for the recent Fourth War Loan contest sponsored by the MPTO of the District of Columbia, for selling 27,315 bonds with a maturity value of $2,306,475. Winners were : Jack Foxe, manager, Loew's Columbia, awarded a $100 bond as the best salesman and a $50 bond as the best downtown theatre salesman; the other eight, awarded $50 bonds each for neighborhood sales were : Jack Marcon, Warners' Apollo ; William Ward, Congress ; Sidney Hoffman, Warners' Kennedy; Charles Demma, Apex; George I. Miller, Republic ; James D. Jefferson, Strand ; Harry Bachman, Circle ; and Albert V. Pohl, Laurel. Foxe and Fred Thomas, of Warners' Earle were local winners in the "National Honored Hundred" contest. Columbia Finances Play Columbia Pictures has invested $20,000 in the new musical comedy, "Dream With Music," to be produce'd by Richard Kollmar, starring Vera Zorina, Ronald Grahame and June Knight, it was reported here last week. Jules Brulatour, it is understood, has also acquired an interest in the show, which is expected to open on Broadway in May. 9 Capital Managers Are Bond Winners