Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1946)

Monday, January 14, 1946 Motion Picture Daily 5 Mrs. Rosenberg Hails Theaters' War Work Mrs. Anna Rosenberg, former director of the New York regional office of the War Manpower Commission, paid tribute last week to the magnificent work performed by motion picture theatres during the war in distributing 13,000,000 free tickets to the Armed Forces. She spoke before an Independent Theatre Owners Association of New York meeting held at the Hotel Astor. Milestone Credits British on Color In England necessity has been the mother of considerable improvement in the quality of Technicolor film, in the opinion of Lewis Milestone, whose "A Walk in the Sun," released "by 20th Century-Fox, had its world premiere at the Victoria here on Friday. Whereas, in this country it has been established that seven times normal lighting is essential for photographing in Technicolor, Milestone said in England rationing of electricity forced British producers to use but four or hve times normal lighting, and the result, he maintains, is "wonderful quality" of color. Milestone will be in New York until about Jan. 21. He has scheduled for production in May, John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony," to be filmed in either Technicolor or Monopack. "Strange Loves," Barbara Stanwyck-Hurd Hatfield starrer, which he directed for Hal Wallis, is now being edited. Acetate Film Paramount (Continued from page 1) (Continued from page 1) film continues to be hopeful but improvements are still essential and certainlyno specific date for a possible shift to safety base can be set at this time," the statement released by the company declared. "Numerous tests of safety film, both standard and experimental, have been made by Eastman in recent years in their laboratories and under trade conditions. Such tests will continue," the company explains, but warns that "any attempt to generally replace nitrate film with the present safety film would inevitably result in substantially increased print damage and much higher print costs." Explaining its position in the ligtjt of recent industry discussion about a shift to acetate film, Eastman declared, "Following years of research and development, the quality of motion picture safety film, particularly with respect to its ability to stand up under theatre projection, has constantly improved. It was used in large quantities by all governmental agencies during the war, performing satisfactorily but, generally speaking, the length of run to which these prints were subjected was considerably shorter than that for normal nitrate release prints." Warner Net Balaban said, will receive, under the free plan $2,000 of group lite insurance, payable in the event of death from any cause ; $6 a day for room and board charges during hospital confinement up to /0 days for each period of illness or disability, plus an additional amount for other hospital charges ; and a maximum of $150 for fees for one or more surgical operations during any one disability. Similar provision for hospital charges and surgical tees, also without cost to employes, has been made for their dependents — wives and unmarried children between three months and 18 years of age. Dr. Brown Wins Trial A jury in City Court, New York, on Friday decided in favor of Dr. Henry Brown, head of Lakewood Amusement Co., Lakewood, N. J., and of Liberty Freehold Theatre Corp., defendant in an action brought by Murray Ginsberg, booking agent of Beacon, N. J., charging underpayment for services rendered. Austrian, Raibourn In Video Lectures Ralph B. Austrian, executive vicepresident of RKO Television Corp., Paul Raibourn, president of Television Productions, and Robert E. Shelby, director of technical developments for NBC, will give three of a series of four lectures . on television under the joint auspices of Television Broadcasters Association and the associate membership of the New School For Social Research here starting Jan. 22. Nathan M. Rudich, head of the television and radio department of the New School For Social Research and formerly television consultant to Columbia Pictures, is chairman of the series of lectures, details of the fourth of which will be announced shortly. Jerrold Brandt to West Jerrold T. Brandt, on terminal leave from the N. S. Navy, is en route to the Coast to start production on "Magic in the Air", a film tracing the history of radio. Cullen Heads Loeufs Great Lakes Division Maj. Mike Cullen, Loew district manager, who has received his discharge from the Army, has been assigned by Joseph R. Vogel, to the Loew Great Lakes division, comprising Cleveland, Toledo, Akron and Canton. Cullen will act as division manager during the illness of Charles Raymond. While overseas, Cullen operated theatres for the Army in Naples, Rome, Paris, and Berlin. Before entering the service he was Loew's Midwestern division manager. (Continued from page 1) public approval, as shown by increased revenues both from the United States and from the foreign field." Gross income for the year set a new record at $146,618,000, up $5,435,000 from the year before, and the Warner inventories rose $2,754,000 to a new high of $43,187,000. Of this sum, $25,278,000 represents 19 features and 42 shost subjects that were* completed but not released, the report said. Sharp improvement in the corporate structure during 1945 is reflected in the refunding of practically all old mortgages, debentures and bank loans in the United States, and a new bank loan at considerably lower interest rates is being reduced at a faster rate than required under its terms. With a prepayment of $4,921,000 on Dec. 10, it is now down to $30,229,000, according to the report. Debt reduction during the year totalled $9,366,000. Goodwill Item Out Other developments cited in Warner's letter include the elimination of an $8,796,000 goodwill item that had been carried on the books and the placing of the company's common stock on a dividend basis with a quarterly payment of 50 cents to stockholders of record Dec. 17. The financial statement shows $1,813,000 profit on sale of securities in 1945, compared with $10,000 in 1944; $66,000 losses on sale of fixed assets, compared with $5,193,000; $881,000 premium on retirement of funded debt, compared with $54,000, and $1,250,000 provision for contingencies, whereas there was none in 1944. Of Warner's 15,000 employes, 4,555 served in the Armed Forces during the war and 80 were killed, the company president noted in his letter. Hollywood Ansco Takes Larger Quarters in Chicago Chicago, Jan. 13. — Ansco's branch here has moved to larger quarters in a three-story building purchased by General Aniline and Film Corp., parent company, on East Ontario Street, which accommodates the sales, laboratory, and receiving-shipping departments. The property and equipment in the change of location involves an expenditure of approximately $330,000. By THALIA BELL Hollywood, Jan. 13 ALAN LADD has been selected to star in "O. S. S.," Paramount's projected film dealing with the Office of Strategic Services. Irving Pichel will direct, and Richard Maibum has been assigned to act as producer. . . . Robert Ryan, whose last screen appearance was opposite Ginger Rogers in "Tender Comrade," has been discharged from the Marine Corps, and is back in Hollywood for a role opposite Joan Bennett in "Desirable Woman," soon to start at RKO Radio. • Patricia Marshall, singing star of the Broadzvay musical, "The Day Before Spring," has been signed to a long-term contract by M-G-M. . . . Preston Sturges has acquired screen rights to "La Banquc Nemo" by the French playwright, Louis Verneuil. . . . James Glcason and Edward Everett Horton zvill have top comedy roles in "Down to Earth," Technicolor fantasy in which Rita Hayworth zvill star for Columbia. © William S. Holman, recently appointed general manager for Robert Riskin Productions, has assumed his new duties, and is preparing for early production of "The Magic City," first of three films scheduled by the company for 1946. . . . Mark Stevens has been selected for the lead in "32 Rue Madeleine," factual drama dealing with the Office of Strategic Services, which Louis de Rochement will produce for 20th Century-Fox. • Kent Smith, discharged from the U. S. Army, has been signed by Warners for the male lead opposite Ann Sheridan in "The Sentence." . . . Archie Mayo will direct "Me and Mr. Satan," which Charles R. Rogers zvill make for United Artists release. Atomic Film Released Cleveland, Jan. 13. — "The Atomic Bomb Strikes," 45-minute Army film heretofore shown only to members of Congress and high military officials, was placed on exhibition at Public Hall here at the weekend. $6,500 Theatre Fire Indianola, Miss., Jan. 13. — Fire caused damage estimated at $6,500 to the Regent Theatre here. P. E. Morris, owner and operator, said he is protected by insurance. Baskin Quits 20th Memphis, Jan. 13. — T. I. Baskin has resigned as 20th Century-Fox salesman here' after 15 years to operate his own Photo Finishing Service. It's From U-a !