Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1948)

2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, March 3, 1948 News Briefs Personal Mention JOSEPH HUMMEL, Warner gen«J eral manager for Continental Europe, and C. J. Van Neil, Eastman Kodak comptroller, are among passengers slated to sail from New York today for England on the 55" America. George Archibald, managing director of Independent Producers, Ltd., and J. Arthur Rank Organization executive, Mrs. Archibald, and Compton Bennett, director, are among passengers who will arrive in New York today on the Queen Mary from England. • Tracy Barham, vice-president and general manager of Intermountain Theatres, Salt Lake City, has resigned as senior coordinator of Utah's drive in the American Overseas Aid and United Nations Appeal for Children. • John M. Whittaker, RKO vicepresident, and William Fadiman, production aide, will leave the Coast Friday for New York. • Paul Hollister, RKO Radio national director of publicity, has returned to the home office following three weeks in Hollywood. • E. L. McEvoy, Universal-International short subject sales manager, has left New York for Charlotte and Atlanta. • Fred G. Sliter, 20th Century-Fox salesman in Albany, N. Y., is vacationing at Hot Springs National Park, Ark. . o Henry L. Nathanson, president of M-G-M Films of Canada, and Mrs. Nathanson have returned to Toronto from Hollywood. • Robert S. Taplinger, Enterprise advertising-publicity chief, has returned to New York from a vacation in Nassau. • Max Weinberg, M-G-M Eastern short subjects representative, is in Chicago from New York. • Cecil Barker, assistant to David O. Selznick, has arrived in New York from the Coast. • C. J. Latta, Albany, N. Y., zone manager for Warner, is in town for a few days. Bergher to Brazil, Szekler Back to US Michael Bergher, Universal-International Far Eastern supervisor until recently, has been appointed managing director in Brazil, succeeding Al Szekler, who has managed the company's activities in that country since 1932. Szekler will return to the home office here. Paramount Party to Leave on Sunday for Studio Talks A Paramount home office group is scheduled to fly to the Coast from New York on Sunday to take part in studio conferences and view forthcoming product. The group will include Paul Raibourti, Ben Washer, Stanley Shuford, Sid Mesibov and Paul Ackerman. Accompanying them will be Rudy Montgelas of the Buchanan advertising agency. Hollywood Charity Drive Nets $1,312,190 for 193 Organizations Hollywood, March 2. — The Permanent Charities Committee allocated $1,312,190 to 193 charitable agencies as a result of Hollywood's third annual united appeal. Included among the funds were the amounts refused last year by the American Red Cross and National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. Three Per-Cent Admission Tax Passed by Eugene, Oregon Eugene, Ore., March 2. — The City Council here has passed a three per cent admission tax on amusements. Ted Gamble, president of Theatre Owners of America, and an exhibitor, will seek to have the tax nullified by the courts. Objection is based on the claim that it is discrimination against theatres and does not apply to other businesses. Hartford, March 2. — The state sales and use tax will be reduced from three per cent to one per cent, effective April 1. The Legislature has already approved the change. William Shields Named SRO Manager in New Orleans New Orleans, March 2. — William Shields, for a number of years a salesman for RKO Radio, has been appointed local manager for Selznick Releasing Organization. Cresswell Named Manager Norris Cresswell has been named manager of Selected Pictures in Denver, succeeding Tom McCormich, who has retired from distribution to enter exhibition in Illinois, according to R. M. (Bob) Savini, president of Astor Pictures. Selected is one of five Western offices handling Astor product. Joins WB Studio Publicity Staff Hollywood, March 2. — Milt Harker, who resigned last week after 11 years as Los Angeles bureau manager for International News Service, has joined the Warner studio publicity staff. Schoenstadts Join 111. Allied Chicago, March 2. — H. Schoenstadt and Sons, owners of 17 theatres in the Chicago area, have joined Allied Theatres of Illinois, according to Jack Kirsch, president of Illinois Allied. Cinecolor Cuts Price '/ic Per Foot on 35mm. Hollywood, March 2. — In letters to its customers, Cinecolor today announced a one-half cent reduction in the per-foot price of 35mm. release prints. M. P. Associates Plan to Include Women as Members Under a recommended change in the Motion Picture Associates' constitution, women would be invited to join the organization, which has had a membership of industry men exclusively since it was set up here in 1919. The change will go before the associates' board on March 24. The organization has launched a drive to double its present membership of 450. Moe Sanders and Myron Seigel have been named by Arthur Mayer, associates' president, to handle arrangements for the annual dinnerdance to be held at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel on May 21. Coast NLRB Dismisses "Unfair" Practices Charged to TA' Hollywood, March 2. — National Labor Relations Board regional director Howard LeBaron today dismissed 15 charges of unfair labor practices filed by individual workers against the IATSE in connection with the studio jurisdictional dispute. Insufficient evidence was cited by LeBaron in his action. Ziv Acquires 76 Features Television Station Rental _ Ziv Television has acquired television rights to 76 features from various producers. John L. Sinn, president of the new company, said the features are apart from the General Film library, recently purchased by Ziv for a reputed $240,000. The films are available to television stations on a lease basis. Skouras Organizing Drive Unit Spyros P. Skouras yesterday named Harry Brandt chairman of public relations and special events for the New York campaign of the American Overseas Aid and United Nations Appeal for Children. The program provides for a children's parade in this city on April 12, to be followed by a Madison Square Garden show on May, 15 to point up the importance of aid to the world's needy children. $15,000 in "Dimes" Collections Cleveland, March 2. — Cuyahoga County March of Dimes Committee has been presented with $15,000 from independent theatre collections here. The check was presented by Ernest Schwartz as president of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitor Association. Eagle-Lion Adds 2 Reissues Reissues of "Seven Sinners" and "Sutter's Gold" are additions to EagleLion's 1947-1948 release schedule. Newsreel Parade ZJ APPENINGS in Csechoslova■*■ ■*■ kia, Greece and Tokyo occupy newsreel highlights in current issues. Sports, fashions and human interest items round out the reels. Complete contents follow : MOVIETONE NEWS, No. 18— President Truman visits Cuba. U. S. returns bed sheets to Bastogne. Parisian school .children feast on U. S. food. Toky M> .ce raid black market. Navy display S(n w jet-fighter. Premiere of "Call NditiisYde 777." Horse-racing at Hialeah. Boxing, skiing. Barbara Ann Scott in Paris. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 25Z— Japan battles black market. Teachers' strike closes school. Easter preview in Dixie. President Truman ends tour. New jetplane. Paris acclaims Barbara Ann Scott. Turf classic. Muscle-men on parade. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 55— Turf classic. Greek army traps rebels at frontier. Col. John Hanlon remembers promise: bedsheets used in war for camouflage returned to Belgium town. First pictures from Czechoslovakia. UNIVERSAL NEWS, No. 122— Tokyo police raid black market. Mrs. Taft interviewed by Washington press. Easter millinery. Santa Anita handicap. WARNER PATHE NEWS, No. 57 Champs in the news. Czechoslovakian-Red revolution. Motorcyclists in endurance tests. Potatoes exchanged for fur coat. Santa Anita handicap. Senate Passes Bill Easing Child Ban Albany, N. Y., March 2.— The bill extending to "towns" the right to admit unattended children to film houses where a matron is on duty has been passed by the N. Y. State Senate and sent to the Assembly. The measure, sponsored by Senator William S. Hults, Jr., and Genesta M. Strong, member of the Assembly, both Long Island Republicans, will benefit scores of theatres, principally independents, led by the Skouras and Century circuits in the Metropolitan New York territory. At present authority to show pictures to unescorted children when a matron is present, is limited to cities and villages. Children covered by the bill are from eight to 16, and films must be licensed by the State Education Department. Children cannot attend during hours when their school classes are being held or after six P.M. Finston Sees Video Producing Changes Television is 'going to make many changes and bring back "live" entertainment to theatres, Nathaniel Finston, co-producer with Barney Glazer of Allied Artists' "Song of My Heart," predicted here yesterday at a press reception at the Warwick Hotel. He asserted in Hollywood, "they are doing nothing, just waiting to see what happens." Finston's independent producing unit, Symphony Films, now has three pictures in preparation, on the lives of Stephen Foster, Rossini and LiztWagner, in combination. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Martin Quigley, Jr., Associate Editor. Published daily, except Saturday bundajs 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; Red Kann, Vice-President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; r^. Punnn£ham Xews Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; David Harris, Circulation Director; Hollywood Bureau, YuccaVine Building, William R. Weaver, Editor; Chicago Bureau, 120 South La Salle Street, Editorial and Advertising. Urben Farley, Advertising Representative. Washington, J. A. Otten, 814 South Arlington Mill Drive, Arlington, Va. London Bureau, 4 Golden Sq., London Wl. Hope Burnup, Manager, Peter Burnup, Editor; cable address, "Quigpubco, London." Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Se nio Bettcr, Tneatres. published every fourth week as a section of Motion Picture Herald; 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.