Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

2 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, October 13, 1949 Personal Mention STANTON GRIFFIS, chairman of Paramount's executive committee, paid a visit to President Truman Tuesday. He is scheduled to leave on Oct. 20 for his new post as U. S. Ambassador to Argentina. • Al Crown, foreign sales manager for Samuel Goldwyn Productions, has returned to New York from a European trip. • Max Youngstein, Paramount national advertising-publicity director, is due back here from the Coast today or tomorrow. • Nate J. Blumberg, Universal-International president, is due to return here from Hollywood in about 10 days. • Marty Weiser, Warner publicist, arrived in Cincinnati yesterday from San Francisco. Salute Popkins on Silver Anniversary Gradwell L. Sears, president of United Artists, was host to producer Harry M. Popkin and Mrs. Popkin at a cocktail party at the 21 Club here yesterday on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary. Popkin's newest film for UA release is "Champagne for Caesar." Fittingly, champagne was served at the party. However, the arrangements committee was remiss in that it neglected to invite any descendants of Julius Caesar, observers felt. Popkin, Stiefel in Promotion Confabs United Artists' home office advertising-publicity department, headed by Howard LeSieur, has begun a series of promotion meetings with producers Harry M. Popkin and Sam Stiefel and their representatives here. Being discussed are Popkin's "Champagne for Caesar" and "Dead on Arrival" and Stiefel's "The Big Wheel" and "Quicksand." Tent No. 11 to Honor 'Person of the Year' Washington, Oct. 12. — Local Variety Tent No. 11 will make an annual award, starting this year, to the outstanding personality of the year in. the entertainment world. Chief barker Jake Flax said the idea is to recognize the person who has given pleasure and entertainment and at the same time added dignity and prestige to the amusement industry. W anger at Paris Premiere Walter Wanger, producer of "Joan of Arc" and his wife, Joan Bennett, will attend the premiere of RKO Radio release in the Opera House in Paris today. The premiere will be of the English version with proceeds given to help reconstruction of the shrine to the Maid of Orleans in that city, destroyed during the war. British Films Lose Mexican Market Mexico City, Oct. 12.— J. Arthur Rank's "Christopher Columbus," Universal-International distributed, booked for simultaneous exhibition starting today at the Cines Chapultepec and Savoy here, will be the last British picture to be screened in Mexico, for a while, at least. The government has excluded "Columbus" from the boycott it has decreed on British pictures in retaliation for Britain's ban on Mexican films. Several British pictures are already being held in Mexican custom houses because of the impending ban. MPW Seeks to Knit Film-TV Interests Hollywood, Oct. 12. — Motion Picture Industry Council tonight turned its attention to television and its impact on the film industry, exploring "areas of common concern" affecting MPIC's constituent organizations. Ronald Reagan, MPIC chairman and Screen Actors Guild president, who returned last weekend from New York meetings with other actor unions on talent jurisdiction in the television field, presided at the meeting and reported on those sessions. Following Reagan's report, other MPIC groups submitted their experiences, with a view to promoting a closer liaison between all film branches whose interests are affected by video. Depinet to ATO Meet Ned E. Depinet, RKO president, has accepted an invitation to address the annual convention of the Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana, to be held in the Hotel Lincoln, Indianapolis, on Nov. 15. The invitation was extended on behalf of the organization by Trueman Rembusch, president. Bifarella House Opens Buffalo, Oct. 12. — With impressive ceremonies, Peter Bifarella has opened his new $150,000 Joylan Theatre in Springville. More than 2,000 attended the premiere, at which Mayor George Wolff presided, with representatives of the Springville Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and other groups in attendance. Herzog Flies East Hollywood, Oct. 12. — Karl Herzog, Cinecolor vice-president, left here yesterday by plane for New York, reportedly to confer there with Sir Sidney Clift, British exhibitor at present visiting the United States, in regard to the expansion program for Cinecolor's London laboratory. Schreiber to London London, Oct. 12. — Lew Schreiber, executive assistant to 20th CenturyFox's Darryl F. Zanuck, is scheduled to arrive here on Oct. 19 for further discussion with Lyman Munson of 20th-Fox's British production plans. Private Financing Increases: Miller While banks still are insisting on a 100 per cent guarantee of frontmoney loans, private financing of independent production has shown a marked increase as a consequence of the number of successful independent films in recent months, Colin Miller, producer of "A Kiss for Corliss," United Artists release, reported here yesterday. Miller cited Stanley Kramer's "Champion," among others, as having stimulated new and greater activity in independent production financing, disclosing that he, found three available sources of second and completion money when that film scored as hit material upon release, whereas for months before he was encountering numerous difficulties. "Corliss," which co-stars Shirley Temple and David Niven, was financed by the Nasser Brothers and produced by Miller at their General Service Studio, Hollywood, at a negative cost of $575,000, Miller disclosed. The film was brought in 2>l/2 days under schedule and at $100,000 under the original budget. Miller, erstwhile assistant to Charles S. Einfeld when the latter was at the helm of Enterprise Productions, and script writer Hugh Herbert have stock participations in "Corliss," in lieu of salary checks. Court Urges AGVA And AFM to Settle Reserving decision following a hearing on the motion of the American Guild of Variety Artists for an injunction to restrain American Federation of Musicians president James C. Petrillo from forbidding musicians to hold membership in AGVA, New York Supreme Court Justice Samuel Hofsteder has suggested that the disputants attempt to settle their differences out of court. SAG Shelves AFM, 'I A* Possibilities Hollywood, Oct. 12. — Steps toward affiliation by the Screen Actors Guild with the American Federation of Musicians or IATSE were not considered by the meeting here of the SAG board, according to a SAG executive, nor will they be considered unless a Four-A vote on the proposed "Television Authority," now indefinitely postponed, goes against the Guild's wishes. Ritchey in London London, Oct. 12. — Monogram's Norton V. Ritchey is here discussing with ABPC's Robert Clark the final details of the joint Monogram-ABPC production program' at Elstree Studios. Cyril Brown, 62 Funeral services for Cyril Brown, 62, who was with Paramount News for 20 years, were held last Sunday at his home in Oceanside, N. Y. Brown, who went to the newsreel field in 1924 from newspaper work, died on Friday. Newsreel Parade s-iARDINAL SPELLMAN in Rome Cv and the Yanks winning the World Series are current newsreel highlights. Other items include the North Atlantic defense parley, fashions and other sports. Complete contents follow: MOVIETONE NEWS No. 82 — Yankees win series. North Atlantic defense parley. England repels mock air attack. Cardinal Spellman visits Pope Pius. Football. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 213 — Yanks win series. Atlantic Pact defense chiefs confer. "Operation bulldog" tests Europe's air defense. Football. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 15— Yanks and Dodgers in last game of the series. Football. TELENEWS DIGEST, No. 41 -A — Washington: Behind the B-36 battle. New move by Russia in Germany. Austria: Anschluss again? Plane hits volcano. Cardinal Spellman visits Pope Pius. Ballet debut. Football. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL, No. 290— Atlantic Pact chiefs meet in Washington. Football. WARNER PATHE NEWS, No. 17— North Atlantic meeting. Cardinal Spellman n Rome. Arab horsemen perform spectacular feats. Paris: dinner fashions. Football. Baseball. First New Chicago House in 9 Years Chicago, Oct. 12. — This city's third telenews theatre, costing $400,000, and located on the North side, will open on Friday. Under the operation of Telenews Theatres, of which Sylvan Goldfinger is general manager, this is the first entirely new theatre constructed within the city limits in nine years. Opening Oct. 28 will feature a special film, "Salute to Chicago," produced by Telenews Productions. Party for Al Tamarin Howard LeSieur, United Artists advertising-publicity director, will give a private party for Al Tamarin, UA publicity chief, and his home office staff for placing a shot of Dolores Moran, wife of Benedict Bogeaus, on the cover of the New York Sunday Nezvs' forthcoming film industry colorfoto section. G. Wotherspoon, 88 George Wotherspoon, 88, veteran press agent in the entertainment field, drama critic and society columnist, died Saturday at his home in Norwalk, Conn. Among films handled by Wotherspoon were Fox Films' old "Cleopatra," "Four Horseman of the Apocalypse" and "Orphans of the Storm." Geoffrey L. Whalen, 68 Boston, Oct. 12. — Geoffrey L. Whalen, 68, former production manager for the Keith circuit and author-producer of stage and radio plays, died at his heme here Sunday night. Services were held today at St. Cecilia's Church. The widow, two sons and two daughters survive. Mrs. Mary T. Morris Mrs. Mary Thacher Morris, 85, mother of Virginia Nixon of the Paramount home office advertising department, died last Saturday at Sanger's Nursing Home, New York. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Terry Ramsaye, Consulting Editor. Published daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company. Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: yuigpubco, New York." 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