Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1944)

Tuesday, October 17, 1944 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 11 $130,000 for 'Parkington' (Continued from page 1) directed to the Paramount, where personal appearances of Frank Sinatra, appearing oh the stage, with "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" on the screen, caused frequent 'riots' among mulling throngs of 'bobby-sock' brigades, which, on one morning, brought out 433 policemen to control the hysterical youngsters — and Sinatra came up with a big $95,000 for the week. New films at the Roxy, Hollywood and Criterion are also doing outstanding business. "Laura," combined with a stage bill featuring Hazel Scott and Jackie Aliles, at the Roxy, is expected to bring in an outstanding $105,000 on the first week on the basis of $85,000 taken in the first five days. The combined show will get at least three weeks at the Roxy with "Irish Eyes Are Smiling" set to follow. A near record §46,000 is expected for the first week of "To Have and Have Not" at the Hollywood on the basis of a heavy $35,000 taken in on the first five days. "Rhapsody in Blue" is the next film for this house, but its opening seems to be a bit removed. Business is building at the Criterion where "The Merry Monahans" is headed for a lusty $35,000 in its first week based on $28,000 taken in on the first four days. Holdovers Score Holdovers are also scoring impressively. "The Seventh Cross," with a stage bill featuring Horace Heidt and his musical aggregation, are expected to bring the Capitol $65,000 in a third week ; the combination will continue. A neat $44,000 is expected for the seventh and final week of "Arsenic and Old Lace" and a stage bill at the Strand. "The Conspirators," with a stage bill headed by Les Brown and band, will open at the Strand Friday. "Frenchman's Creek," at the Rivoli, and "Kismet," at the Astor are holding up excellently. "Creek" is expected to bring about $53,000 in its fourth week; "Kismet" grossed an estimated $25,000 in an eighth week ending last night. "American Romance" will follow. "Barbary Coast Gent" is expected to complete a third and final week tonight at the Globe with $14,500. "Sweet and Lowdown" will open tomorrow. A good $15,000 is expected on the third week of "Wilson" at the Victoria, following the eight-week run at the Roxy, and the film will continue. "Dangerous Journey" will finish a third and final week at the Gotham Friday with about $8,500 ; "Summer Storm" will take over Saturday. "Music in Manhattan" is expected to bring about §14,500 in a second and final week at the Palace ; "Heavenly Days" will succeed Friday. A quiet $6,000 is expected for the second week of "My Pal, Wolf" at the Republic. The Rialto expects a mild $6,000 in the second week of "Dead Man's Eyes." Distributors Agree on 6th 'Bond Premiere 9 Films Sarnoff Cited Col. David Sarnoff, on military leave from his post as president of RCA and board chairman of NBC. hasUeen awarded the Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service." Col Sarnoff is credited with the "D-Day" communications arrangements. (.Continued from page 1) formance only, known as a "War Bond Premiere," any picture the exhibitor has under contract, but not earlier than 30 days prior to its availability for booking at his theatre ; provided exhibitors having clearance do not object; reissues will be considered the same as new pictures. As a special inducement fur sales of bonds to and by children, the distributors agree to also furnish a piccure for a "Children's Morning Premiere" under the same conditions as outlined above. In order to increase the number of bond premieres in small towns, the distributors agree to furnish a picture tor such purposes to any exhibitor requesting one, even though that exnibitor may not have the picture under contract and regardless of whether the exhibitor is a regular customer of the distributor or not, provided the population of the exhibitor's town is not over 7,500, and the picture booked for the premiere shall have been generallv released prior to May 1, 1944. The distributors have endorsed the plans of the Sixth War Loan campaign committee for a "National Free Movie Day" on Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, and have agreed on free admission on that day to each bond purchaser. The distributors will also provide pictures for repeat showings at "War Bond Premieres." Excluded from the agreement are such features as may be handled at advanced admission prices. Hertz Names 49 Aides Forty-nine state publicists and exploiteers named here yesterday by John Hertz, Sixth War Bond publicity chairman, to coordinate local bond promotions and publicity, follow : Alabama, Bill Wolfson, Montgomery; Arizona, A. G. Pickett, Phoenix ; Arkansas, Sam Kirby, North Little Rock ; California, Seymour Peiser, Los Angeles ; Mort Goodman, Hollywood ; Fay Reeder, San Francisco; Colorado, Margaret Goyette, Denver ; Connecticut, Lou Brown, New Haven ; Delaware, Edgar J. Doob, Wilmington ; Florida, J. L. Cartwright, Tampa ; Georgia, Spence Pierce, Atlanta ; Illinois, Bill Bishop, Chicago : Indiana, Ken Collins. Indianapolis ; Iowa, Dale McFarland, Des Moines; Kansas, Woody Barritt, Wichita. Also : Kentucky, Lew Hensler, Lexington ; Louisiana, Maurice F. Barr, New Orleans ; Maine, C. J. Russell, Sr., Bangor ; Maryland, Louis E. Shecter, Baltimore ; Massachusetts, Harry Browning, Boston ; Michigan, Betty Smith, Detroit; Minnesota, Norman Pyle, Minneapolis ; Mississippi, Burgess Waltmon, Columbus; Missouri, Jerry Zigmond, Kansas City ; Montana, Jack Edwards, Helena; Nebraska, Ted Emerson, Omaha ; Nevada, Harry Hunsaker, Reno ; New Hampshire, Frank K. Eldridge, Concord ; New Jersey, George Kelly, Newark; Eli M. Drowitz, Camden ; New Mexico, George Tucker, Albuquerque ; New York, Charles Smakwitz, Albany ; Charles B. Taylor, Buffalo ; Harry Mandell, New York City ; North Carolina, Roy L. Smart, Charlotte. Also : North Dakota, Ed Krauss, Fargo ; Ohio, J. R. Watson, Cincinnati ; Charles Deardourff , Cleveland ; Oklahoma, Robert Busch, Oklahoma City ; Oregon, Jack Matlack, Portland ; Pennsylvania, James M. Totman, Pittsburgh ; South Carolina ; Sam Suggs, Columbia ; South Dakota, Cliff Knowles, Mitchell, and Ken Peters, Pierre; Tennessee, E. W. Street, Knoxville, and J. R. McEachron, Jackson; Texas, Ray Beall, Dallas ; Utah, Helen Garrity, Salt Lake City ; Vermont, Eugene C. Keenan, Newport ; Virginia, Brock Whitlock, Richmond; Washington, D. C, Frank LaFalce ; Washington, Vic Gauntlett, Seattle ; West Virginia, partial, James M. Totman; Wisconsin, William V. Geehan, Milwaukee ; Wyoming, G. H. Turner, Lusk. 6th Bond Co-chairmen Meet via Telephone To facilitate understanding with his group of nine co-chairmen and in the interest of efficiency due to travel emergencies, Harry Brandt, national chairman for the industry's participation in the Sixth War Loan drive, held a nine-city telephone conference yesterday with his co-chairmen in Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Salt Lake City and Des Moines, to report to each a complete picture of plans now formulated for the campaign. Speaking from New York, in addition to Brandt, were Ned E. Depinet, Jay Emanuel, Max Cohen, Francis Harmon, Ted Lloyd and John Hertz, Jr. Among the co-chairmen tied into the "round-robin" telephone discussions were : Hugh Bruen, Los Angeles ; Henry Reeve, Dallas ; Al Steffes, Minneapolis ; Jack Kirsch, Chicago; Fred Wehrenberg, St. Louis; John Rugar, Salt Lake City ; Leo Wolcott, Des Moines. Nathan Yamins of Boston was enroute to a meeting at Charleston, W. Va. Shanklin Warns of U. S. Tax Threat (Continued from page 1) the meetmg, .at which the principal subjects will be taxation, both state and-Federal, the consent decree, smallblock picture buying and postwar planning. J. C. Shanklin, convention chairman will tell members that since it appears likely that the Treasury will once again try to put through an extra 10 per cent ticket tax, it is up to exhibitors to be prepared to impress the Government tax commission that theatres are alreadv overtaxed. Herbert Hayman Dies Baltimore, Oct. 16. — Herbert Hayman, manager of the Capitol Theatre here, a Rome circuit house, died suddenly last Friday. Hayman was formerly a United Artists representative. His home was in New York. Harry Godfrey, 54, Dies Harry Godfrey, 54, production and copyright manager of Mills Music. Inc., died recently in Queens General Hospital after a long illness. He is survived by his widow, two daughters, his mother and three sisters. Schine Sale Is Confirmed (Continued from page I) and Appalachia in Appalachia, Va., the Viv in Corbin, Ky., and the Liberty in Pikeville, Ky. In approving the sale after a week's delay, Federal Judge John C. Knight told Willard S. McKay, Schine counsel, that the four theatres should have been offered for sale to independent exhibitors generally and reminded him that in sales of the other five houses, offers must first be submitted to the court. Testifying as a Government witness, as trial of the Government's anti-trust suit against the Schine Circuit resumed in Federal court here today, Harry Schwartz, former owner and operator of the Opera House, Lexington, Ky., declared he had first and second runs for his house when he was in competition with the Phoenix Amusement Co., prior to 1936 but that when Schine took over that concern's Lexington theatres he could get no better than fourth run product. Phoenix operated the Kentucky, Strand and State, which were acquired by Schine in November, 1936. He mentioned specifically M-G-M's selling first, second and third runs to Schine after that deal and giving him fourth run for the Opera House, telling of conversations he had with M-G-M's Cincinnati branch manager, E. A. Booth. Involves 20th-Fox When Schwartz told of the Schine houses lowering their admission prices, Robert L. Wright, Assistant U. S. Attorney General, openly placed 20thFox in the category of co-conspirator on grounds it allegedly permitted Schine to lower prices for exhibition of its product. After Schine took over the Opera House, Schwartz testified, admission prices at that house were raised. In cross-examination, Saul E. Rogers sought to show that Schwartz received nothing but "courteous treatment" from Schine. Bernard Oman, Baltimore; Md., manufacturing pharmacist and president of a corporation which operates the Ulman and New Theatres, Salisbury, Md., testified as to attempts made by John May of Schine Circuit in 1941 to acquire the leases on the two houses. Thomas E. Ayres of Seaford, Del., operator of the Palace, Seaford, the Layton and the. Sussex Theatres, Georgetown, Md.. also testified as to offers to buv his theatres by May in 1938-39. Harrison, Industry Veteran, Dies at 56 Saul E. Harrison, 56, specialist in the film department of the Army Signal Corps in Long Island City, died over the weekend at his home in the Bronx. Harrison, associated with the industry since its earliest days, worked with the old Edison companv as an actor and a director. In 1911 he joined Kalem and later directed for Cosmopolitan, Paramount. Fox and others. He became a civilian worker with the Army in 1942. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Belle Harrison and two brothers.