Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

First In (Radio ANi Accural* and Impartial MOTION PICTURE DAILY OL. 57. NO. 1 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, JANUARY 2. 1945 TKN CENTS No Immediate Shift in Raw Stock Quotas Will Continue Final ' 1 Total Temporarily Washington, Jan. 1. — Industry ! consumers of raw stock have been authorized by the War Production Board to use motion picture film at the same rate as during the fourth quarter of 1944, until such time as the determination of specific quotas for the first quarter of 1945 shows whether any changes will be required in allocations. Unable to set the allocations before the beginning of the quarter, Lincoln V. Burrows, chief of the WPB Photographic Section, sent letters of authorization to the individual companies Friday, permitting them to use up to 50 per cent of the amount allocated to them for the fourth 1944 quarter, during the first half of the {Continued on page 6) N. Y. Houses Sell $41,284,464 Bonds Film houses in the New York area sold $41,284,464 in "E" bonds for the Sixth War Loan from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, it was reported at the weekend. This total exceeds by $9,468,837 sales in the same* area in the Fifth War Loan. Malcolm Kingsberg, industry area chairman, expect? the last and final week to swell the amount considerably. Total sales by boroughs and counties through Dec. 24 follow : Brooklyn, $15,396,257; Manhattan, $9,462, {Continued on page 3) WB Completes Bonus Payments to 2,500 Warners on Friday completed distribution of bonuses, in accordance with usual company practice to about 2,500 employes in theatres, branches and the home office. Details of amounts distributed and basis of the payments were, however, unavailable for publication. Bonus plan for the theatre department was instituted in t 935. Final checks went out to the branches last Thursday and Friday ; benefits to theatres and the home office were distributed previously. RKO has applied for Treasury approval of its bonus plan for theatre managers and assistants in the field. N.Y. First-Runs Set New Marks for Seven Day Holiday Period Seven-day holiday business from Christmas Day to New Year's Eve reached record proportions at most of New York's first-run theatres despite adverse weather conditions which included snow, rain and below freezing temperatures. In many instances theatres exceeded their receipts for a similar seven-day period in 1943, thereby establishing new all-time records. The Radio City Music Hall established a new all-time high of almost $141,000 with "National Velvet" and a holiday stage show, opening its doors at 7 :45 a.m. and giving five shows daily. This surpasses a $132,000 figure set with "Madame Curie" during the same seven-dav period in 1943 and the $131,500 figure reached (Continued on page 6) Enroll 5,000,000 Seats for 'Dimes' More than 5,000 theatres have pledged support to the March of Dimes drive, it was disclosed at the weekend by national chairman Nicholas M. Schenck, and nearly 5,000,000 seats have been enrolled to date. The reported figures represent a substantial increase over last year when that number of pledges were not received until some time after Jan. 1. Delaware is the first state to report 100 per cent participation with , 22,632 seats pledged to audience collections, (.Continued on page 3) 44 Legislat Meet in New Forty-four s t a t tures will meet against only nine in will meet in January Florida will meet in May only states which are scheduled to have legislativ sessions are Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia and Kentucky. All meetings are scheduled ones, with no special sessions set as yet. Possible new taxation on film admissions may be -ittempted in some of the met tings. Post-war relief, help to veterans, old age pensions and matters relative, may result in increased taxes. FCC Radio Report Set for Jan. 15 Golden Sees psy Postwar for Films Washington, Jan. 1. — The Federal Communications Commission will issue its proposed report on new allocations of the higher radio frequencies about Jan. 15 and will allow thirty days for the filing of briefs and arguments before finally adopting it, according to a weekend announcement. At a later date, it was said, a second report will be issued, covering the frequencies between 10,000 and 25,000 kilocycles. The reports will embody the conclusions reached by the Commission on the basis of the lengthy hearings held last Fall in response to a request from the State Department for a survey and recommendations on frequency allocations among the various services. Chicago Loop Releases Speeded Up 25 Per Cent Chicago, Jan. 1. — Release schedules of major company product have been improved by some 25 per cent in the Loop in the past three months, a check up reveals. The condition has been brought about by the cooperation of distributors and theatre operators who have consented not to hold over product unless turnaway business actually warrants such a practice, and by LTnited Artists' action in releasing through independent first run houses when its major account, Balaban and Katz, cannot furnish playing time. By agreement, B&K gives up UA pictures to the independent Oriental and others, when the circuit's own houses face crowded schedules. Under this arrangement, the Oriental has cleared "Song of the Open Road." "Three's A Familv" and "Dark Waters." The RKO Palace played "Abroad With Two Yanks." B&K played "Since You Went Away" and will release "Guest in the House" at the Roosevelt the middle of January. The two major films of Paramount's second block are now in the Loop, while three of RKO's first block of five films have already completed their first runs. Warner's "Hollywood Canteen" moved into the Roosevelt Saturday. Metro's specials are getting early showings at the United Artists, with "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" current, followed by "Meet Me in St. Louis." "Can't Help Singing" opened on time at the RKO Palace. Commerce Dep't. Official Predicts Huge Expansion Washington, Jan. 1. — Curtailment of war production and consequent unemployment after the end of the war in Europe will have little or no effect on the motion picture industry, it was predicted today by Nathan D . Golden, chief of the motion picture unit of the Dep a r t m e nt of Commerce. Although many industries foresee a slump, possibly short in duration, as war production closes down and peace-time operations (Continued on page 6) Nathan D. Golden O'Brien Quits SEC; Will Aid Balaban Washington, Jan. 1. — Robert H. O'Brien, whose resignation as a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission was accepted by President Roosevelt Friday, will become special assistant to Barney Balaban, Paramount president. The President paid tribute to O'Brien's work on the Commission, which he declared was an "outstanding example of public service" in ac (Continued on page 3) Navy Chief Praises Industry Service Hollywood, Jan. 1. — Secretary of the Navy Forrestal expressed thanks to the industry at the weekend for its service to the Navy during 1944. In a communication to Y. Frank Freeman, president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, Forrestal said : "I should like to express through you to the studio heads and producers the Navy's appreciation of the four-star performance turned in by the industry during 1944. The Navy is not only thankful for the cooperation it received but also grate(Continued on page 6)