Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1944)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, tion Picture Industry WOh. 55. NO. 61 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1944 TEN CENTS Fabian Buys Half Interest In W. and V. Will Share Management With Walter Vincent Si Fabian and Walter Vincent, two of the longest-in-service independent circuit operators in the East, have become partners, with Fabian's purchase of the 50 per cent common stock holdings of the Wilmer estate in Wilmer and Vincent Corp. and its 22 theatres in P e n n sylvania and Virginia. Vincent owns the remaining 50 per cent. Fabian will become president of Wilmer and Vincent, with Vincent as (Continued on page 5) Si Fabian Camera and Sound Locals Argue Terms Contract proposals of the IATSE studio cameramen and sound technicians and counter proposals made by the producers' representatives were subjects of the negotiations here yesterday between IATSE and producers' labor officials at the office of Pat Casey, producers' labor contact. The (Continued on page 2) Find Solution for Draft Problem of Raw Stock Workers Washington, March 27. — New procedures adopted by the Selective Service System, under which the War and Navy Departments, War Production Board and other war agencies will be authorized to endorse special requests for deferment of key workers under the age of 26 engaged in war activities, were seen today as satisfactorily solving the problem of rawstock manufacturers. The situation, it was said by Lincoln V. Burrows, chief of the WPB film section, is far less serious than it appeared when the manufacturers had reason to believe that the cancella (Continued on page 5) Lead '43 in First Red Cross Returns First weekend field returns in the 1944 Red Cross drive show theatre collections running substantially ahead of 1943, it was announced here yesterday by the WAC. With 3,000 more theatres participating this year and a large majority extending collections through a second weekend, prospects of reaching the industry's quota were described as bright. Included in the initial reports are theatres in New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Albany, Washington, Charlotte, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Des Moines, Newark, New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville and Buffalo. Hays, Other MPPDA Officers Reelected MPPDA directors reelected the following officers at the annual meeting here yesterday: Will H. Hays, president; Carl E. Milliken, secretary; George Borthwick, treasurer and F. W. DuVall, assistant treasurer. Members attending were: Nate J. Blumberg, Borthwick, Jack Cohn, E. W. Hammons, N. Peter Rathvon, Nicholas Schenck, Harry D. Buckley, Austin Keough, William C. Michel, Milliken, Sidney Schreiber, T. Kennedy Stevenson, Adolph Zukor and Hays. A plan to celebrate the industry's 50th anniversary in April was endorsed and an appropriation made for it. Other matters briefly discussed yesterday will be taken up further at the adjourned meeting, April 14. Rank, Skouras Plan Exchange of Talent London, March 27. — Included in the agreement reached here by Spyros Skouras and J. Arthur Rank is a provision for the lending of Hollywood stars, directors and scenarists to Rank's production interests here for a program of films, half of which will be given worldwide distribution by 20th Century-Fox and half by EagleLion Films, it was learned here today. Rank has suggested also that British stars and directors be given assignments in Hollywood. Describing the negotiations with (Continued on page 2) Hays Stresses Increase in Escapist Films Says Trend Balanced by Realistic War Films Supreme Court Delay On Crescent Appeal Washington, March 27. — No further action will be taken by the U. S. Supreme Court in the appeal of the Crescent Amusement case before next October. The voluminous record which must be printed, it was said, will prevent the court from hearing the case this term. Cross appeals from the decision rendered last May 17 by Federal District Court at Memphis reached the Supreme Court early in February. After consideration of the initial briefs, the Court delayed its decision on the question of jurisdiction until the suit was brought up for argument. Cures for Trade Ills Must Come from Within: Rodgers Selznick's Talent Agency to Continue Beverly Hills, March 27. — It was learned here last night that in accordance with the late Myron Selznick's wishes, the business of Myron Selznick and Co., talent agency of Hollywood, New York and London, will be continued in line with a participation plan he was working on at the time of his death. A group of talent representatives, headed by Bert Allenberg, Frank Vincent and Leland Hayward have volunteered their services to the execu(Continued on page 5) No solution to trade problems is seen by William F. Rodgers in either legislation or Governmental regulation, Loew's vice-president and general sales manager said yesterday at one of his periodic luncheons with trade press representatives at the Hotel Astor. "The consent decree in its original form," he said, -"did not provide the remedy and, according to my observations, neither will the present discussions satisfy anyone but the Government. I continue in the belief that harmony will exist in this business, but not until the interested parties again confer each with the other and (Continued on page 5) Although, due to wartime curtailment, the number of features passed by the Production Code Administration dropped from 546 in 1942 to 417 in 1943, there were increases in both "drama" and "comedies," reflecting a twofold service of the industry in the war effort, it was disclosed here yesterday in the report of president Will H. Hays at the annual meeting of the board of directors of the w,u Hays Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Dramas increased from 80 to ■ 91, with the largest jump, from 48 to 63, noted in the "social (Continued on page 5) General Precision Nets $1,225,907 The 1943 net of General Precision Equipment Corp., controlling also National Theatre Supply, amounted to $1,225,907, compared with $1,265,519 in 1942, according to the company's annual report released here yesterday. This is equivalent to $2.14 per share on 586,087 shares of capital stock out (Continued on page 5) $1,214,001 Universal Profit for 13 Weeks Universal Pictures yesterday reported a consolidated net profit of $1,214,001, after Federal taxes, for the 13 weeks ended Jan. 29, 1944. Before providing for taxes, consolidated profit amounted to $1,946,701. For the same quarter in the preceding year, earnings were $1,225,186 and $2,215,298, respectively.