Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

2 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, November 3, 194! Personal Mention GORDON YOUNGMAN, RKO general counsel, and J. Miller Walker, secretary of RKO, will return here today from the Coast. Ned E. Depinet, president, returned on Monday. • James R. Grainger, Republic executive vice-president, left here yesterday for Toronto and Montreal. Edward L. Walton, assistant general sales manager, has returned here from Philadelphia. Walter L. Titus, Jr., division manager, is back here from Atlanta and Charlotte. • Alexander Sherman, film publicist and consultant to the Norwegian Embassy's information division in Washington, is among IS American journalists to be awarded the Norwegian Medal of St. Olav for contributions to Norway's cause during the German occupation. • Jeff Livingston, Universal-International "Hamlet" contact, has returned to New York from a 10-day trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles. • Rube Jackter, assistant general sales manager of Columbia, will leave New York today for New Haven and Boston. • Jules Lapidus, Eastern and Canadian division sales manager of Warner, left here last night for Pittsburgh. Harry Cohn, Columbia president, is expected in New York this week for a visit of several weeks. • Arthur Krim, Eagle-Lion president, has returned to the Coast from New York. • Howard Dietz, M-G-M advertising-publicity vice-president, will return here today from Hollywood. Eugen Sharin of Ambassador Films returns today by plane to this city from the Coast. Paramount Group to Studio Conferences Charles Reagan, Paramount distribution vice-president ; Paul Raibourn, vice-president in charge of planning, and Ben Washer, publicity director, will leave here today for studio conferences on promotional campaigns for next year's product. Stanley Shuford, advertising head, already has gone to ,the Coast for the 10-day meeting, and Rudy Montgelas, president of the Buchanan Agency, which represents Paramount, will leave here tomorrow. Radio Story of 'Years' Hollywood, Nov. 2. — "Hollywood Picture," a one-hour radio dramatization of the story behind the production of Samuel Goldwyn's "The Best Years of Our Lives," will be presented on the CBS network tonight. Rank Asks U.K. to Halt Denham Strike London, Nov. 2. — J. Arthur Rank Organization has referred the "unofficial" strike of 1,700 workers at Denham Studios to the British Ministry of Labor through .the British Film Producers Association. The strike has continued for five successive days and the workers have given no indication that they intend to return to work notwithstanding a plea to that effect by National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employes officers. The walkout took place when the studio handed dismissal notices to 92 allegedly superfluous carpenters and other workers. NATKE executive secretary Tom O'Brien deplored the "wildcat" action and urged the workers not to take the law into their own hands "during the most critical period" in the history of the British film industry. "We don't want to do the job of American movie magnates in crippling British production," O'Brien pleaded. Shortly after the strike got underway,* Pine wood studio workers met to decide whether they too would walk out in sympathy with the 92 discharged workers, but such action was voted down by the meeting. Fred Schwartz Names Drive Co-chairmen Fred Schwartz, chairman of the amusement division of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, announces his executive committee co-chairmen for the industry's drive to raise $400,000, as follows : Barney Balaban, Harry Brandt, Jack Cohn, Si Fabian, Matthew Fox, Leopold Friedman, Arthur Loew, Charles C. Moskowitz, Herman Robbins, Samuel Schneider, Abe Schneider and Albert Warner. The amusement division's publicity campaign will have Harry Mandel as chairman ; serving with him will be Nick John Matsoukas, John A. Cassidy and Ira Morais. Mary Nolan, Star of Stage and Screen Hollywood, Nov. 2. — Mary Nolan, 42, who won fame in films as an actress in the late '20's following an earlier career as a Ziegfeld dancer, died here Sunday. On the stage she was known as Imogene (Bubbles) Wilson. After leaving Broadway she went to Germany and entered film work which led to her Hollywood career. She married Wallace McCreary in 1931, and besides him, is survived by her sister, Mabel Rondeau and a brother, Ray Robertson. Wilcox Coming (Continued from page 1) nied them but was hospitalized with pleurisy just before sailing. Sir Arthur Jarratt, managing director of British Lion, distributors in Britain of the Wilcox pictures, also is aboard the Queen Elisabeth. N. Y. lst-Run Incomes Mild New York first-runs with few exceptions are experiencing a week of ordinary business. The extra holiday revenue yesterday was a help, of course, but for the most part -the overall figure is not too impressive. "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" and "June Bride" are two ambitious newcomers, leading the field. "Kiss" is likely to wind up an initial week at the Criterion with a handsome $50,000. "'Bride," with Vaughn Monroe on stage, probably will give the Strand a big $75,000 in a first week. Other new shows are performing less vigorously. "One Touch of Venus," with Jean Sablon and others in person at the Capitol, looks like a fairish $49,000 in a first week. "Hollow Triumph" is mediocre at the Globe where $16,000 is apparent for a first week. At the Gotham, "The Plunderers" is relatively good with $15,000 seen for its first week. 'Musketeers' Ride High Big one among the holdovers is "The Three Musketeers," at the State, which looks good for a mammoth $78,000 in a second week. "Julia Misbehaves" with a stage presentation at the Music Hall probably will rake in $124,000, which is fair enough for a fourth and final week. "You Gotta Stay Happy" will bow in at the Hall tomorrow. ."Hamlet" is still playing to capacity audiences at the Park where the fifth week's take should exceed $17,000. "The Red Shoes" is similarly prosperous at the Bijou where the second week's revenue is estimated at $18,000. An estimated $33,000 is reported for a second week of "A Song Is Born" at the Astor, showing a nice profit although short of top business for the house. "The Snake Pit" will open at the Rivoli torhorrow succeeding "Gallant Blade" which fell off to a poor $8,500 in a third week. The Paramount kept its audience informed of election returns yesterday with large-screen television coverage provided by WPIX and by the film company's own cameramen. Other houses made announcements during" the day. Election Spurs Business The election, of course, was a business stimulant, particularly for firstruns, here and throughout the country. "Sealed Verdict" had its premiere at the Paramount on Monday night in a benefit performance for the American Veterans Committee. Paramount donated use of the house, the film and the stage show. The theatre's previous tenant, "Night Has a Thousand Eyes," with Vic Damone and others on stage, drew a modest $43,000 in its final five and one-half days of a third week. "Apartment for Peggy" with Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers in person at the Roxy should mean a good $85,000 in a third and final week, and will be replaced on Friday by "Unfaithfully Yours." "Road House" will go into the Mayfair on Saturday following "Mourning Becomes Electra" which is slated for $16,000, not too much, in a third week. Cinema Lodge Is Formed on Coast Hollywood, Nov. 2. — Barney Bala, ban, Nate Blumberg, Henry Ginsberg Samuel Goldwyn, Albert S. Rogel] Joseph M. Schenck and John M. Stah have formed the Hollywood Cinem; Lodge as a new unit of the nationa B'nai B'rith, with Rogell as presiden pro-tem. The Lodge will soon ■launc'^tr° cam paign utilizing all media bH^lpres sion in behalf of a better understand ing and tolerance among all peoples A committee in charge "of chartei memberships is supervised" by Rogell. —RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL -: \ ROCKEFELLER CENTER Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon ; in "JULIA MISBEHAVES"; 1 Peter Elizabeth Cesar i ! LAWFORD TAYLOR ROMERO ', | A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture ' SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION ■ SEALED VERDICT starring RAVMILLAND wuh FLORENCE MARLY A Paramount Picture DANNY KAYE, VIRGINIA * MAYO COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR Broadway at 45th Street ASTOR Cont. from 8:45 AM Midnight Show J. Arthur Rank presents "THE RED SHOES" Color by Technicolor BIJOU THEATER, West of Broadway All Seats Reserved, Mail Orders Twice Daily Extra Matinees Saturday and Sunday Late Show Saturday Evening 1 1 :30 An EAGLE LION FILM Release JE*N JtBLOH, extra ' ' BRUCE Doors Open 10 A.M. CAPITOL B way * 5,st S' FIRST TIME AT REGULAR PRICES! 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