Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1944)

1% Wednesday, November 1, 1944 Motion Picture Daily 3 Federation ?s Fund Appeal ( Continued from page 1 ) is serving as co-chairman with Major Albert Warner. Eugene Picker of Loew's was appointed campaign manager of the industry's 1944 Federation drive and "arold Rodner of Warners will be 'sociate campaign manager. Among those appointed to spearhead the drive , for Federation's 116 charitable institutions in the film companies, independent theatres and other groups in the amusement industries were the following : Columbia, Abe Schneider, Max Seligman ; Loew's, Inc., Leopold Friedman, Irving Greenfield ; Paramount, Arthur Israel, Jr. ; RKO, William Zimmerman, Milton Maier ; Republic, Ralph Poucher ; Warner Bros., Samuel Schneider, Max Blackman ; 20th Century-Fox, Joseph M. Moskowitz, Murray Silverstone ; United Artists, Edward M. Schnitzer, Samuel Cohen; Universal, Joseph H. Seidelman, Adolph Schimel ; National Screen Service, Herman Robbins, George Dembow, Jr. ; film exchanges, Charles Boasberg; artists and bandleaders representatives, Nat Lefkowitz, Robert M. Weitman ; indeoendent theatres, Leo Brecher, Edward N. Rugoff ; legitimate theatres, Marcus Heiman, Emil Friedlander. Representatives for other industry groups are being designated. Marchy Schwartz of Federation will act as liaison with the industry. Seated on the dais at yesterday's meeting besides Bernstein and Medalie were Barney Balaban, Major Albert Warner, Harrv Cohn, Herman Robbins and David Weinstock. 600 Theatres Here To Aid NYWF Drive (Continued from page 1 ) Century circuit will head the drive for contributions from individuals in the industry. Details of the campaign are now being worked out and will include a trailer to be shown in the theatres participating in the drive. J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the board of directors of Universal, is heading the motion picture section of the commerce and industry division of the Fund's unified appeal for 31 member agencies. The division's quota of $12,130,000 is a 10 per cent increase over last year in the city-wide campaign to raise $17,200,000. Richard W. Lawrence, president of Bankers Commercial Corp., is chairman of this year's drive. Decision This Week In Studio Dispute (Continued from page 1) pedited was given telephonically today in response to a call from Herbert Sorrell, president of the Conference of Studio Unions, who pointed out that delay might precipitate a second valkout. Under the established procedure the case will be referred back to Hollywood for hearings if Washington is unable to reach a decision. A Set )ecorators' spokesman said a second valkout would be maintained, if undertaken, until the Government settled the dispute by taking over the industry. Walker Dedicates Stamp Photo by Staff Photographer From left to right, above, are: New York Postmaster Albert Goldman; George Schaefer, chairman of the War Activities Committee; Will H. Hays and Postmaster General Frank C. Walker. Anniversary Stamp Is Placed on Sale (Continued from page 1) vision coordinator. A broadcast devoted to the issuance was carried over the Blue Network. Postmistress Briggs, Charles Koerner of RKO, Cecil B. DeMille, Mary Pickford and Dianh Shore participated. In New York, Postmaster General Frank C. Walker made the first-day sale to George J. Schaefer, chairman of the WAC, in the main postoffke. Some 3,000 persons witnessed the ceremony, which was conducted before newsreel cameramen and a list of dignitaries including Albert Goldman, Postmaster of New York; Will H. Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, and Lucy Monroe, who sang the national anthem. War Effort Praised In speeches preceding the presentation of the first stamp, Postmaster Goldman and Postmaster General Walker declared the film industry's war effort had been the greatest single morale builder among our troops and a credit to the democracy. In accepting the presentation, Schaefer traced the course of film history from April 14, 1894, and declared that today the film industry has the greatest single influence on our native life, tastes, conduct and on our youth. "It has overcome the barriers of speech, educated the masses, and instantly transports the spectator to any remote part of the globe," Schaefer stated. Hays said that "No story for the screen has ever been so dramatic as the story of the screen itself," and stated that the new issue was "most pertinent," and he accepted with thanks and pride on behalf of the industry. Clearance Appeal Denied by Board The American Arbitration Association appeal board has denied the request of the Ritz theatre, Watervliet, Mich., in appealing the award of John Lovett, arbitrator in the Detroit tribunal, that it be granted open booking with the Heart, Hartford, and the Loma, Coloma, the AAA reported here yesterday. Sol Winokur, former operator of the Ritz, filed the original clearance complaint against Loew's, RKO, Warners and Paramount. Michael Spadafore, who has since become owner of the Ritz, has agreed to be bound by the board's decision. Complainant also sought prompt deliveries of films without unnecessary delay, which the board agreed should be rectified. The board stated that it has no authority to direct open booking, and also denied relief "against separate clearance in favor of each of two houses which enjoy identical prior runs," as charged by the complainant, because of the element of competition. Sell Maxwell Share Of ABP Circuit (Continued from page 1) expected rebuff to J. Arthur Rank, who must visualize with uneasiness his greatest circuit rival changing hands and becoming a vigorous competitor to his Odeon and Gaumont British circuits, both previously unchallenged in the field. Associated British operates approximately 300 theatres. Film Lack Holds Up 20th-Fox Reissues Twentieth Century-Fox, which reissued four features last season, has not set any reissues for 1944-45 because of the shortage of raw stock for new prints, W. J. Kupper, general sales manager, reports. The four last season aere : "In Old Chicago," "The Rains Came," "Under Two Flags" and "Banjo on My Knee." Kupper said the raw stock situation would generally not affect new product for most companies because most are making fewer pictures. In Kupper's opinion, the excessive running time of features, which has been the subject of complaints by many exhibitors, must be reduced. He pointed out that 20th-Fox, with the exception of "Wilson" and perhaps one or two others, is producing pictures of moderate length. Admitting that there were some 'bottlenecks' as far as product is concerned, Kupper said that extended runs are really caused by the abundance of good product. Although subsequent runs have a problem of securing product, the situation eases itself eventually, Kupper said, pointing out that some pictures never see firstrun houses but go directly to subsequents. Twentieth-Fox is now averaging 14,000 accounts on its pictures, Kupper said. Army Studies Its Studio Holdings Washington, Oct. 31. — Army officials are now studying their motion picture production set-up in Hollywood with a view to determining its future in the various Coast and other studios which it has been using, including the Hal Roach and 20th-Fox Western Ave. plants in Hollywood, but declare they will be unable to announce any final decisions until a more definite determination has been made of the film requirements for the war with Japan. A spokesman for the War Department explains that this is one of a large number of surveys which are being made of the military program in the light of the European situation. Just what disposition will be made of the studios will depend upon the specific needs of the Army for all-out war in a new sector, the Pacific, under conditions entirely different from those encountered in Europe. The controls maintained by the Army over Hollywood production involving Army scenes will be continused, it is said. 'U9 Denied New Trial In Cummings Case Hollywood, Oct. 31. — District Judge Harry Hollzer today denied Universal's motion for new trial in the case of Robert Cummings versus the studio, based on the star's suspension following his refusal to enact a role assigned to him. The case was decided in the actor's favor a month a^o. Universal will appeal to the Circuit Court.