Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

2 Motion Picture daily Monday, March 5, 1945 Personal Mention SIR ALEXANDER KORDA has left New York for London. • M/Sgt. William M. Levy, film advisor to the Director of Psychological Warfare Branch, Allied Force Headquarters in Italy, has arrived in New York after 30 months overseas. • William Prass, Denver; Austin McGough, Des Moines ; Ernest Van Pelt, Salt Lake City; and Price A. Shoemarker, Jr., Chicago, M-G-M exploiteers, left here Saturday • Pvt. Richard J. Connors, Motion Picture Daily's Albany correspondent prior to entering the Army, is in the Pacific war theatre on active ser J. S. Jossey, producer and distributor, Charles Deckman and Perc E. Esseck, circuit operators, all of Cleveland, are vacationing in Miami. • Joseph Seidelman, president of Universal International, is scheduled to return to New York from a vaca tion in Mexico on Thursday. • Harry Crawford, manager of the St. Louis Missouri Theatre, has filed for the Republican nomination for alderman in that city. • Charles E. Kessnich, M-G-M Southern manager, will leave today from Atlanta for Boca Raton, Florida, for a vacation. • Phil Chakeres, Springfield, Ohio circuit operator, and George Settos, Indianapolis circuit operator, are va cationing in Miami. • Dave Bader, trade press home office staff representative of 20th Century Fox, observed his 54th birthday over the weekend. • Harry Link of Leo Feist, Inc., M-G-M music subsidiary, will return this week from a Miami vacation. • John M. Whitaker, assistant to RKO president N. Peter Rathvon, has left Washington for the Coast. • Maurice N. Wolff, New England manager for M-G-M, has returned to Boston from New York. • Harold Zeltner, M-G-M Buffalo salesman, has married Denora Dolin of that city. • Jack Sheehan of Walt Disney Productions is in New York from the Coast. • Leon Fromkess, PRC president, returned to the Coast over the weekend. Largo to Paris-Peart Ray Largo has resigned from RKO Radio's home office, advertising-publicity department, to become production manager for the Paris-Peart Advertising Agency, here. Tradewise By SHERWIN KANE TOURING the week of March 15 to 21 the industry once again will make its organized appeal to the public on behalf of the American Red Cross. At this writing, and 10 days prior to the theatres' collection week, approximately the same number of theatres have been enrolled as participated in last year's drive, in round numbers about 13,500, as compared with the more than 16,000 theatres pledged to exhibit films sponsored by the War Activities Committee. What's wrong with those missing 3,000 theatres? By what line of reasoning did they arrive at the conclusion that they are not needed in an industry Red Cross drive or that such a drive is not deserving of their support ? In this drive, more than in any other, the Red Cross needs all the help that can be given it. First, the end of the war in Europe is widely anticipated by this Spring or early Summer. Some who gave liberally before will give less because of that, and some who gave a little, now may not give at all, mistakenly assuming that the need will not be as great in the coming year. Secondly, the Red Cross has set for itself the difficult goal of $200,000,000. Lastly, the theatres' collection week opens on the final day for payment of Federal income taxes, the unforgiven portion of 1943 taxes and balance of '44 and '45 after withholding taxes. It is a date not perfectly suited to a public expression of generosity in contributions to even so worthy an agency as the Red Cross. • The need for funds with which to carry on the Red Cross work for American service men throughout the world will not be lessened by the end of the war in Europe. Entirely apart from the continuation of Red Cross work in the Pacific, the end of the European war may well increase the organization's financial requirements. Millions of American soldiers will be detained in Europe for months after victory has been won simply because there will not be enough ships on which to evacuate them as rapidly as might be desired. Their need for all the facilities the Red Cross provides will be increased during their weeks and months of idle waiting. Time will hang heavily, as it does not during combat periods and at other times on active service. Then thousands of men who, perhaps, never before had need of the Red Cross, will look to it for comforts and diversion during the periods of their enforced idleness. In addition, after the end of the war in Europe it is reasonable to assume that there will be large movements of men from Eastern war theatres to the West. At ports of embarkation and in transit they will have need of the Red Cros, as will the men remaining in hospitals and convalescent centers and civilians returning to devastated homes and towns. To those 3,000 theatres which have not yet signed up to do their share in the industry effort for the Red Cross, these considerations are addressed. A week of collections at 3,000 theatres is an item not to be ignored in a cause such as this. It is not only that their participation may mean the difference between attaining or not attaining a given financial goal, nor whether or not some numbers of American service men, who may need them most, are deprived of Red Cross ministrations. It is, rather, a question of each doing his share, not leaving the task to the other fellow. And it is also a question of interest to the industry, whose war record can be marred by the defections of the indifferent few. Permit us to propose a War Activities Committee citation, struck from brass especially for all theatres missing from the roles of this Red Cross drive's participants, bearing the slogan, "We let the other fellow do it." Crystal ball department: Sam E. Morris of Warners will transfer to the Coast soon on a permanent assignment. . . . Lou Pollock, former United Artists advertising publicity director, will head a new motion picture advertising department to be established in Hollywood by a large New York agency already among the tops in the radio field. . . . Confidential Reports, Inc., new industry checking service designed to begin operations April 2, is looking for a "big name" to head the organization when it is completely established. A prominent Federal judge, a high FBI official are examples of the type sought. M-G-M to Distribute For All in Greece All companies, with the possible exception of 20th Century-Fox, have agreed to have Films Hellas, Ltd., M-G-M subsidiary in Greece, distribute their product in that country, it was learned here at the weekend. Office of War Information overseas film bureau and Psychologica Warfare Branch nominally distribute overseas in war z^nes, but, possibly nanpower scarcity considerations 1 and the fact that there are no American troops in Greece, have impelled the OWI to suggest that one company distribute for all. Twentieth-Fox may not be included in the agreement because it has Skouras Films Corp. in Greece. Chicago Loses One Run, Gets Another Chicago, March 4.— While the firstrun Downtown Theatre has closed to turn, soon, into a stage theatre, the Loop's total of 11 first-runs may remain unchanged with the acquisition of the Monroe by James Jovan, tomorrow. He says that he will announce the policy after moving in, but will temporarily continue with secondrun double features, current house policy. But he has booked "Behind Enemy Lines," exploitation film distributed by Globe Film, owned by Jovan, for a first-run date starting mid-March. The Downtown was an outlet for Universal's 'B' product and some PRC pictures. Due to its limited seating capacity, the combination stage-screen bills proved a losing policy despite heavy business. N. S. Barger will continue as operator. Extras Name Choices Ahead of Academy Hollywood, March 4. — The Screen Players Union's extra-players, excluded from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting this year, name "Going My Way" as the best picture of the year; "San Fernando" as the best Western ; "Bombalera," best short subject; Bing Crosby, best actor, and Barry Fitzgerald, best supporting actor, both for "Going My Way" ; Aline MacMahon as best supporting actress, for "Drag*on Seed" ; Leo McCarey, best director ; Oscar Rudolph, best assistant director. Warner Brothers Studio was cited as "the most cooperative toward extra and bit players." Hollywood Council Elects M.C.McCall Hollywood, March 4. — The Hollywood Council of Guilds and Unions has elected Mary C. McCall, Jr., chairman; Paul Harvey, vice-chairman ; Ted Ellsworth, secretary treasurer. Also appointed was a committee to draft plans for assuring re-employment of ex-servicemen. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, President and Editor-in-Chief; Colvin Brown, Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Executive Editor, Published daily except Saturday, Sunday, and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center. New York, 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address, "Quigpubco, New York. Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Theo Sullivan, Secretary; Sherwin Kane, Executive Editor; James P. Cunningham, Newt Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Ave.. Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Bldg., William R. Weaver, Editor; London Bureau, 4 Golden Sq., London Wl, Hope Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; cable address, "Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1945 by Quigley Publishing Co., Inc. Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres, International Motion Picture Almanac, Fame. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 23, 1938, at the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign; single copies, 10c.