Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

uesday, November 9, 1948 Motion Picture Daily 3 • Irant Heads Variety plub in Baltimore I Baltimore, Nov. 8. — The Variety fclub, Baltimore Tent No. 19, has new Seers, as follows : Joseph C. Grant, hief barker ; H. Ted Routson, first : ssistant chief barker ; Fred Schmuff, Ucond assistant chief barker; William i'lyers, dough guy; Chauncey Wolf, pcretary. The new board includes Myer '.endleman, Fred Sapperstein, Al I irogels^p^ Sam Tabor, Robert C. ;mbrevS£?arry Goldman. Delegates h the Variety convention are : O. D. ! Veems, Joseph Grant and William ' fyers. pBS Gets 52 Films For Telecasting American television rights to 52 British films have been acquired by Columbia Broadcasting System, it was j' .nnounced by J. L. Volkenburg, vicepresident and director of television iperations. j Rights cover distribution as well as >roadcasting, and the films will be made available to television stations >n a syndicated basis. All pictures are ■cheduled to be ready for distribution k:o subscribing stations within six tfeeks. . Rear Projection for Video Is Announced " Development of a technique to furnish rear projection for televised shows, in much the same manner as motion pictures employ background scenic and action effects, has been announced here by J. A. Tanney, head of S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp. Equipment needed for the television projection includes the Bodde translucent screen and wide angle lenses, both of which are available, Tanney says. Charities Drive Launched Hollywood, Nov. 8. — With a quota of $1,303,720, Hollywood's fourth annual united appeal was launched today by the Permanent Charities Committee with a noon rally at the Paramount studio. FARES REDUCED on dependable TWA CONSTELLATIONS! Now enjoy the finest in air travel at no extra fare! The only Coast-to-Coast : Constellations TRANS WORLD AIRLINE U.S.A. • EUROPE AFRICA • ASIA Broadway Grosses (Continued from page 1) $90,000 in its first week on the basis of $50,000 culled Friday through Sunday. Leading the holdovers are "The Three Musketeers" at Loew's State, and "June Bride" at the Strand where the stage is occupied by Vaughn Monroe's band. The former is on the way to a big $60,000 for a third week, and "Bride" is due for a husky $66,000 in its second round. "One Touch of Venus" and a stage show topped by singer Jean Sablon, figure to bring in a very slow $37,000 in a second week. In its second week is "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" at the Criterion where a fair $29,000 is indicated. Two others which are performing unimpressively in second stanzas are "Hollow Triumph" at the Globe and "The Plunderers" at the Gotham, each expected to take $11,000; "Triumph" will be succeeded on Thursday by "Blood on the Moon." Thursday will see the opening also of "Joan of Arc" at the Victoria where refurbishing work has been going on for several weeks in preparation for that picture's world premiere. A benefit performance of "Joan" is set for tomorrow night at the Victoria. At the Astor, "A Song Is Born" is due for a relatively mild third week, with approximately $27,500 in view. "Hamlet" at the Park Avenue and "Red Shoes" at the Bijou are continuing at capacity business, sixth week of the former bringing in $16,000-plus and the third week of "Shoes" grossing $17,500. 'Hills of Home' to Music Hall Gus S. Eyssell, managing director of Radio City Music Hall here, has concluded negotiations with William F. Rodgers, M-G-M distribution vicepresident, for the booking of "Hills of Home" at the theatre following the current "You Gotta Stay Happy." Picture is scheduled for general release in December. Censorship Asked for Town in California Mountain View, Cal., Nov. 8. — Censorship of motion pictures was proposed here when religious and civic organizations protested programs at the Mountain View Theatre. City attorney Herman Mager was asked to prepare an ordinance for reading at the next meeting of the City Council. The ordinance wOuld set up a Board of Censors which would preview and pass on all pictures exhibited in the local theatre. The proposal originated as a result of a new policy instituted of midnight shows for adults only, the civic groups complaining that young people attended the shows, which were not suited for family attendance, and that unless display ads and pictures of "Hollywood Revels" type are eliminated the theatre would be boycotted. United International To Produce Features Hollywood. Nov. 8. — United International will produce Edgar Allen Poe's "Goldbug" and Richard Harding Davis' "Gallagher," as first in a series of pictures to be released commencing early in 1949, according to H. W. Irwin, president of the company. United's plans call for the production of 26 new pictures in 1949-50 season. Visitor Jarratt Bids U.K., U. S. Cooperate Hope that the British and American film industries "will get together and work for the mutual benefit of both" was expressed here yesterday by Sir Arthur Jarratt, managing director of British Lion Films. Jarratt, who is here "on a routine visit," arrived at the weekend on the SS Queen Elizabeth. Open U 1 Office (Continued from page 1) limited number of pictures in France "would bring in just about enough to cover costs." In Italy, the situation "was quite the contrary." Seidelman said that all American companies had 725 features in Italy in the past 12 months and added that "all made money." Seidelman attributed this condition largely to the fact that both distributors and exhibitors "went out and worked and exploited the pictures." Seidelman asserted that U-I is getting "normal playing time" in England under the present arrangement with the J. Arthur Rank organization. He said that the 45 per cent quota is still the "biggest obstacle to improvement of business." Discussing Eric Johnston's recent trip abroad, Seidelman said that the Motion Picture Association of America president was both an ambassador of good will and a film salesman and added that "he did a marvelous job for our industry." Seidelman will fly to Buenos Aires shortly to attend the company's Latin American sales convention which will open on Nov. 15. 80 From England (Continued from page 1) rangement he would affiliate with American interests "to make pictures in England that would be of boxoffice value in both countries." Distribution would be split into two zones, the Eastern and Western hemispheres, with the American interests distributing in the latter zone, naturally. Wilcox urged that the AngloAmerican interests "get closer together and not farther apart." He said that there was "so much that we can get of value from Hollywood and so much that they can get from us." Wilcox will return to London next Tuesday to start production on a Technicolor film, "Maytime in Mayfair." Canada Grossed (Continued from page 1) recorded in all provinces except Nova Scotia, where the decline was 10 per cent of receipts. Some $15,819,402 went to federal and provincial governments in taxes last year, leaving receipts of $62,865,279. A net increase over the previous year of 216 theatres was recorded, bringing the number to 1,693 last year, with a seating capacity of 834,360, compared with 752,642 seats reported by 1,477 theatres in the previous year. Hartman Aids Academy Hollywood, Nov. 8. — Don Hartman has been named to handle arrangements for the presentation of the 1948 Academy Awards, by Jean Hersholt, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Date and place of the annual event will be determined later. r ...you'll soon be able fa see * YOU Gotta