Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1944)

Monday, December 4. 1944 Motion Picture Daily 7 Grosses Spurt to $18,494, 4th Highest Week in '44 (Continued from pane 1 t to $15,7ol, after which it climbed to $10,477 and finally to last week's, high of the month. , "Since You Went Away" led the field for the second straight month, with "Laura" in the runner-up position. Tied for third were "Irish Eyes Are Smiling," "Marriage Is a Private Affair" and "Mrs. Parkington." Close on the heels of these leaders came "The Princess and the Pirate," "I Love a Soldier" and "The Conspirators." while almost as strong were "Mr. Skeffington," "The Master Race," "An American Romance," "Rainbow Island," "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Casanova Brown," "Tall in the Saddle," "Together Again,'' "And Now Tomorrow" and "Frenchman's Creek." Composite key first-run boxoffice reports, compared with the corresponding weeks last year, follow : Roosevelt, Hays in RCA 25th Tribute (Continued from page 1) tions. and Col. David Sarnoff, president of RCA. Dr. James Rowland Angell, public service councellor of the NBC, served as toastmaster, and Lowell Thomas was master of ceremonies. Among guests was Will Havs, = MPPDA president. Y' President Roosevelt's message, said : "I wish you and all members of the RCA family continued success in pioneering. With television as a new postwar industry of great promise in the fields of employment, entertainment and education, I know that under your guidance and vision RCA will continue to contribute to the economic and cultural values created by radio." Col. Sarnoff disclosed that a few hours earlier the board of directors had approved an RCA pension-retirement plan for service prior to Dec. 1, 1944 and life annuities for RCA employes based on equal contributions from the employes and the companyafter that date. The plan became effective Dec. 1 subject to approval by stockholders and the U. S. Treasury. RCA's board of directors also voted dividends of 87^4 cents per share for the period from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 on first preferred stock, payable Jan. 2 to stockholders of record Dec. 11, and a 20 cents per share dividend payable Jan. 30 to holders . of record Dec. 15. "\JIM..S» -> ;»< ;>••.' Ed Schreiber Feted At WAC Luncheon The War Activities Committee on Friday honored Ed Schreiber at a luncheon at the Hotel Astor upon his resignation from the WAC, as of Dec. 1, to become vice-president in charge of films at Richard Condon, Inc. Schreiber headed the WAC publicity department since its inception two years ago. Speakers included: Francis S. FJarmon, WAC coordinator; Si H. Fabian, WAC theatres division head ; Harry Brandt, Sixth War Loan industry chairman ; Jay Emanuel, Sixth War Loan coordinator, and Condon. Walter T. Brown, who succeeds Schreiber, was toastmaster. Blue Invites Industry Video Cooperation (Continued from page 1) by telecasting trailers to homes having television receivers in the postwar. Film companies are also offered facilities of the Blue to promote new films through IS minute-television shows in the nostwar. The Blue expects to open a television department and to begin producing in about two weeks. Goldberg Starts New Post Lou Goldberg has taken over as geneial manager of the Staten Island Fabian circuit of seven theatres, succeeding Irving Liner, who died last week. Goldberg was formerly New York zone manager for RKO. Lt. Fitzgerald Killed Milwaukee, Dec. 3.— Lt. Richard H. Fitzgerald, U.S.A., was killed in action Oct. 26 at Leyte. He was the sun of Harold J. Fitzgerald, head of Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corp, 1944 Average Week No. of Total Per Ending Theatres Gross Theatre Dec. 31-Jan. 1.... 135 $2,213,500 S16.396 Jan. 7-8 117 2,417,7M> 20,664 Jan. 14-15 134 2,040,700 15,229 Jan. 21-22 149 2,311,400 15,513 Ian. 28-29 147 2,365.200 16,090 Feb. 4-5 153 2,512,2a 16,419 Feb. 11-12 137 2,220,000 16,211 Feb. 18-19 155 2,459,8CO 15.870 Feb. 25-26 161 2,760,100 17,144 March 3-4 147 2,397,100 16.307 March 10-11 147 2,463,400 16.758 March 17-18 153 2.661,100 18.761 March 24-25 150 2,487,700 16,585 Mar. 31-Apr. 1... 152 3,025.000 13,329 April 7-8 153 2,340,600 15,298 April 14-15 143 2,506,800 17,530 April 21-22 148 2,564,200 17,326 April 28-29 130 2,090,900 16,084 Mav 5-6 143 2,238,700 15.655 May 12-13 146 2,338,700 16,018 Mav 19-20 162 2,417,000 14,926 Mav 26-27 155 2,349,400 15,157 June 2-3 143 2,242,500 15,683 Tune 9-10 141 1,938,000 13.752 Tune 16-17 135 1,934,400 14,322 Tune 23-24 136 2.002.8CC 14,726 Tune 30-July 1.... 126 2,178,300 17,288 Yulv 7-8 145 2,490.900 17.178 July 14-15 144 2,228.500 15,478 Tulv 21-22 148 2,321,400 15,685 July 28-29 135 2,245,400 16.632 Aug. 4-5 141 2,324,500 15,777 Aug. 11-12 148 2.355,200 15.913 Aug. 18-19 153 2,514,100 16,433 Aug. 25-26 141 2,516.800 17.850 Sept. 1-2 127 2.313,600 18,217 Sept. 8-9 144 2,703,600 18,775 cept. 15-16 158 2,638,200 16.697 Sept. 22-23 146 2,505,900 17.164 Sept. 29-30 156 2,640,700 16.927 Oct. 6-7 136 2,411.500 17,732 Oct. 13-14 152 2,457.200 16.165 Oct. 20-21 157 2,641,300 16.824 Oct. 27-28 145 2,450,900 16,902 Nov. 3-4 139 2,322,400 16,708 Nov. 10-11 140 2.246,900 16.049 Nov. 17-18 145 2,285.300 15.761 Nov. 24-25 150 2.471.600 16,477 Dec. 1-2 132 2,441,200 18,494 Overseas Stars on 6th War Loan Air Show Hollywood. Dec. 3. — 'Hollywood stars who have been overseas will be featured on a one-hour, Coast-toCoast, Sixth War Loan radio show-, "The Show Goes On," on Dec. 6, via NBC, the Hollywood Victory Committee of the War Activities Committee announced at the weekend. Among those who will appear are : Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Paulette Goddard, Ann Sheridan, Edgar Bergen, Al Jolson, Frances Langford. Jerry Colonna, Fred Astaire, Ingrid Bergman and Jack Benny who will be picked up entertaining servicemen in a hospital. The industry's Sixth W ar Loan Committee is sponsoring the broadcast. Dillon, Scenarist, Dies Word reached here at the weekend of the death in Los Angeles of Robert A. Dillon 55. scenarist and former serial editor for Universal. He is survived by two brothers, Maurice and Edward, a staff member of the New York Daily Xcivs. 1943 Average Week No. of Total Per Ending Theatres Gross Theatre Jan. 1-2 151 $2,813,506 $18,632 Jan. 8-9 154 2,424,300 15,742 Tan. 15-16 .'. 149 1,830,500 12,285 Jan. 21-22 127 1,448,600 12,981 Jan. 29-30 127 1,789,500 14,091 Feb. 5-6 126 1,743,000 13,040 Feb. 12-13 132 1,919,000 14,588 Feb. 19-20 139 1,885,900 13,568 Feb. 26-27 149 2,005,200 13.458 March 5-6 142 1,933,400 13,615 March 12-13 151 1,944,600 12,878 March 19-20 143 1,968,300 13,764 March 26-27 147 1,938,200 13,185 April 2-3 123 1,785,800 14,519 April 9-10 147 2,029,100 13,803 April 16-17 147 1,868,500 12,711 April 23-24 158 2,006,200 12,634 Apr. 30-May 1.... 154 2,284,200 14,184 May 7-8 161 2,168,400 13,468 May 14-15 161 2,053,700 18,967 May 21-22 158 2,096,200 13,267 May 28-29 155 2.036,600 13.139 June 4-5 169 2,289,700 13,548 June 11-12 166 1,865,873 11,240 Tune 18-19 163 1,961,600 12,034 June 25-26 168 2,125,300 12,650 July 2-3 164 2,133,800 13,010 July 9-10 153 2,433,700 15,906 July 16-17 151 2,109,400 13.970 Julv 23-24 155 2,185,100 14,097 July 30-31 164 2,347,900 14,316 Aug. 6-7 138 2,032,400 14,727 Aug. 13-14 166 2.302,200 13,869 Aug. 20-21 153 2.341.600 15.304 Aug. 27-28 175 2.681.500 15,322 Sept. 3-4 163 2.559,900 15,705 Sept. 10-11 168 2.926.000 17.417 Sept. 17-18 165 2.4^6.300 14.887 Sept. 24-25 175 2.588.200 14.790 Oct. 1-2 166 2.473,800 14.902 Oct. 8-9 173 2,595,800 15.005 Oct. 15-16 167 2,544,600 15,237 Oct. 22-23 163 2,479,000 15,209 Oct. 29-30 179 2,608,800 14,574 Nov. 5-6 170 2.393.200 14,078 Nov. 12-13 166 2,467,100 14,862 Nov. 19-20 132 2,134,500 16,163 Nov. 26-27 145 2,259,600 15.583 Dec. 3-4 138 2,333,900 16.912 Strike Halts Para. St. Louis Delivery (Continued from page 1) a film to the Osage theatre in Kirkwood and the Ozark theatre in Webster Groves. Later, the Kirkwood Amusement Corp., operator of the Kirkwood theater, filed an injunction suit in Federal Court to force film deliveries, alleging the distributors breached their contract by failure to deliver. Defendants are Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution Corp., Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. ; 20th Century-Fox Film Corp., and Monogram Pictures. All three theaters employ non-union operators. The Ozark has been picketed for four years. Lt. Steinberg Dies Hartford, Dec. 3. — Edith Hoffman Steinberg, daughter of I. J. Hoffman, Warner zone "manager for "New England, was notified at the .veekend of the death in action of her husband, Lt. Gerald Steinberg, whu was serving with Gen. Patton's 3rd Army. Warner Resignation From MPPDA Long A-Brewing (Continued from page li MPPDA officials. Under the association's by-laws, a resignation does not become effective until six months after notice of intention to resign has been given. Accordingly, Warners will remain a member of the MPPDA at least until May 30, 1945. In 1937, a similar situation prevailed Warners than discontinued payment of membership dues to the MPPDA but did not resign. After an interval of several months, payments were resumed. The company also has served notice of its intention of withdrawing from the Association of M. P. Producers. Hollywood, but will continue to submit its pictures to the Production Code Administration for code seals and its advertising matter and stills to the Advertising Code Administration for clearance. Both units are adjuncts of MPPDA. The services of the PCA are available to non-members at a "nominal" fee based on production costs of individual pictures submitted to it. General Reasons Laking official confirmation, it was reported that the Warner letter to MPPDA attributed the company's action to general, rather than specific, reasons ; making references to disagreements on policies of the association and also to differences between itself and member companies of the association, and contending that the association had not resolved either source of dissatisfaction. Warners reportedly concluded the letter with the statement that the company would continue to cooperate individually with other companies in matters pertaining to public welfare. In the East, among issues reportedly causing recent dissatisfaction in the Warner camp were newly proposed raw stock allocations which the company regarded as unduly penalizing it, and developments pertaining to the Federal consent decree, particularly with reference to affiliated theatre | divorcement moves of the Department of Justice. In the West, dissatisfaction was reported to have been engendered by difficulties the company is said to have experienced with the Screen Actors Guild in talent arrangements for "Hollywood Canteen," as well as by more individualistic differences with other production companies. Little credence was given in New York to the reports emanating from the Coast that dissatisfaction with labor policies and negotiations under the studio basic agreement with the international unions played an important part in the Warner action. Rites for Mrs. Goldsmith Albany, N. Y., Dec. 3. — Funeral services were held last week at the Sons of Abraham Synagogue for Mrs. Emma Goldsmith, 73, mother of Arthur Goldsmith, special representative for RKO in Cleveland. Mrs. Goldsmith, who died at Albany Hospital, was prominent in Jewish groups and philanthropic organizations. {Copyright, 1944 Quigley Publishing Co.)