Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, February 27, 1951 1 Griffith Decree Is Now Final Washington, Feb. 26. — The (leadline for taking an appeal by the Department of Justice from Judge Vaught's Federal Court decision in the Griffith anti-trust case today passed without any notice of appeal, and the decree is now final. Government costs in the 11year lit'gation totaled $30,974 and it has asked the defendants to pay them. N. Y. Grosses (Continued from page 1) Review by holding over "Call Me Mister" and Danny Kaye on stage for an extra day, "which brought in $26,900 last Thursday, reportedly the best Washington's Birthday gross in the history of the house. "U.S.S. Teakettle," bereft of the holiday bonus, looks for a satisfactory first week of $80,000; the Ritz Brothers top the stage bill. Another opener, "Cry Danger," at the Paramount, is racking up $71,000 for its first week, which is eminently satisfactory. ' A second week for "Vengeance Valley" at the Capitol is rather slow but may wind up with more than $30,000. It is being pulled for "Three Guys Named Mike," which will open on Thursday. "Operation Pacific" is ending a four-week run at the Strand with a mild $20,000. Johnny Pineapple and his Hawaiian revue have taken over on stage ; "Storm Warning" will bow in on Friday. Among straight film, policy houses, "Tomahawk" is bringing Loew's State good business with a gross of about $22,000 due for a second week. "Born Yesterday" is holding its place as a consistently steady grosser at the Victoria, with the holiday holding the 10th week's gross even with the ninth, for another $25,000 take. "No Orchids for Miss Blandish" is expected to bring in about $18,000 for a good first week at the Globe, while "Under the Gun" is modest at the Criterion with $12,000 due for its first week. At the Mayfair another pair of re-issues, "Dodge City" and "Virginia City," are expected to draw an excellent $22,000 for an initial week. The Rivoli expects $20,000 for its first week with "The 13th Letter," which is only fair. "Harvey" at the Astor is holding at about $10,000 for a 10th week. It will make way for "14 Hours" today. "Of Men and Music" is doing best at the off-Broadway showcases, with the Park Avenue reporting $11,000 for a second week, said to be 20 per cent better than any gross under the Reade circuit's management. The house is opening an hour early on Saturdays for an extra show. "Cyrano de Bergerac" is slipping slightly in its 16th week of a two-aday run at the Bijou, with an estimated $8,000 gross due. "Trio" is steady at the Sutton, with $6,000 expected for a 21st week. "Raton Pass" (Warner Brothers) BY way of departure from traditional Western pattern, "Raton Pass" portrays a lady as the designer of skullduggery. Actually the picture is the story of a conniving and ambitious lady, set against a conventional outdoor background. Characterizations are developed in greater-than-customary detail, otherwise there is the usual hard riding and blood-and-thunder hostilities. Producer Saul Elkins has gathered a good cast for the proceedings. Patricia Neal is the determined lady of the story. Arriving in Raton in New Mexico, she focuses her attentions on Steve Cochran, a hard-as-nails ranch hand. However, when her eyes fall upon stronger pickings, Dennis Morgan, a wealthy rancher, she shifts her calculating attentions to him. Playing her cards right, Miss Neal marries Morgan and acquires half ownership of his sprawling ranch. The screenplay by Tom W. Blackburn and James R. Webb has fashioned Miss Neal into a lady of insatiable appetite for power. When her husband Morgan, is out of town she makes a play for Scott Forbes, a rich railroad owner. Together they conspire to buy out the entire ranch. Morgan agrees to sell but plans his revenge by taking the ranch crew with him and also by shutting off Raton Pass which separates the ranch from vital grazing land. Miss Neal then hires Cochran as her trigger man, and he forthwith goes gun-crazy as battle after battle ensues. When finally the smoke of the range war has cleared, both Miss Neal and Cochran have been shot and Morgan again comes into possession of the ranch with Dorothy Hart at his side this time as his prospective wife. Basil Ruysdael lends sturdy support as Morgan's iron-willed father. Edwin L. Marin directed. Running time, 84 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, April 7. Mandel Heebstman TV. Y. Variety Crew To Discuss Moving The prospective move of the New York A^ariety tent from the Hotel Astor to new headquarters in the Skouras Building here will be discussed tomorrow' at a meeting of the tent's crew. Immediately before the crew meeting, the membership committee will meet. Other matters coming up before the meeting, to be presided over by Fred J. Schwartz, chief barker, will be a report on the Variety blood bank set up in the French Flospital under the direction of Dr. Henry J. Falk, and reports from other groups under the welfare committee, headed by William German. Holds Ryder Film For TV Build-up Hollywood, Feb. 26. — Stephen Slesinger's release of his forthcoming Red Ryder feature will be withheld until after a similar series of TV films have been telecast. The action was taken in line with Slesinger's belief that release of TV films first will create a box-office buildup for theatres when the regular film is released later. Hal Roach, Jr., is associated with Slesinger as executive producer in the Red Ryder projects. S t il I man , Rubine Here for UA Talks Robert Stillman, head of Robert Stillman Productions, and Irving Rubine, advertising-publicity vicepresident, have arrived here for a series of conferences with Arthur B. Krim, president of United Artists, and Max E. Youngstein, advertising-publicity vice-president, on releasing plans for Stillman's "The Sound of Fury," and "Queen for a Day." "Queen for a Day," just completed, is the second of Stillman's slate of six pictures .for UA release. Youngstein will be host at a trade press meeting for Stillman and Rubine today at the Stork Club. United Artists' "Three Husbands" will have its New York premiere at the Palace Theatre on March 8. 20th-Fox Decree (Continued from page 1) 20th Century-Fox Will Have Four Films on Broadway With the arrival at New York's Astor Theatre next Tuesday of "14 Hours," 20th Century-Fox will have four major productions playing simultaneously in local first-run houses. They are: "U.S.S. Teakettle," at the Roxy ; "The 13th Letter," at the Rivoli ; "Of Men and Music," at the Park Margaret Mayo, 68 Margaret Mayo, 68, playwright, died Sunday in Ossining (N. Y.) Hospital. Besides writing many stage hits, she wrote scenarios for the screen, supplying some of the early scripts for Golclwyn Productions. Walter lluf Services Hollywood', Feb. 26. — Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at St. Cyril's Catholic Church, for Walter Ruf, 48, trade journalist, publicist and public relations consultant, who died Sunday night. Avenue, and "14 Hours," which will be preceded by an invitational world premiere Monday evening. pects of preparing the document and would not mark any serious disagreement. He said that negotiations had been proceeding amicably and that the opposing parties have been seeing eye-to-eye for some time. The decree will be the fourth reached by the government and major film companies in the anti-trust suit initiated in 1938. Paramount and RKO have complied with the divorcement and divestiture requirements of their decrees, while Warner has until April 4 to file its plans, under a decree, to reorganize. Loew's, last of the defendants, is currently negotiating with the Department of Justice for a consent decree. Denh am -Gamble (Continued from page 1) erating partner in Greater Indianapolis Amusement Co. Cockrill is a veteran of this territory, having been branch manager for Universal here years ago and later operated Cockrill Theatrical Enterprises. Also, he formerly was district manager for RKO Theatres at Fort Wayne. Blanc Sets Variety Convention Groups Philadelphia, Feb. 26. — A working organization to handle the campaign for the 15th annual convention of Variety Clubs International, to be held here May 9-12, has been set up by Victor H. Blanc, general chairman of the convention. Blanc has appointed a steering committee consisting of Ted Schlanger, Jack Beresin, James P. Clark, Jay Emanuel, Everett C. Callow, Harold D. Cohen, Edward Emanuel, Michael Felt, Louis J. Goffman, Jack H. Greenburg, David Supowitz and Bennett E. Tousley. Emanuel Liaison Officer Emanuel will act as liaison officer, Goffman will be in charge of legal affairs, and Greenburg is treasurer. Greenburg has appointed Herbert Baylson, Cecil Felt, William Blumberg, and Sidney Samuelson to assist him. The carrying out of the campaign has been broken down into five divisions, as follows : Michael Felt is in charge of operations and has appointed Mo Wax, Clint Weyer, Cecil Felt, Mitchell Panzer, Oscar Neufeld, Ben Biben, Sam Alesker and Louis Molitch as assistants. Schlanger will be responsible for the banquet. Callow is his assistant, with Harry Biben and Harold Seidenberg looking after the entertainment, while those in charge of the technical side of the Ken Murray television show will be Harry Freedman, William A. MacAvoy, Harry Romain, William C. Goodwin, D'avid O. Peterson, Elmer O. Wilschke, Abe Freeman, and Meyer Lewis. The program will be under the direction of Cohen. Assisting him will be George T. Beattie, Cecil Felt, Harry Freedman, Meyer Lewis, Ralph W. Pries, Milton Rogasner, and George Sobel. Emanuel is chairman of the journal committee, and has appointed as his aids Robert Adle, Herbert M. Miller, and Paul Greenhalgh. Publicity is being handled by a committee under the chairmanship of James Ashcraft, who has appointed as his general assistants Mike Weiss and Ed Gallner, Helping them in the details of the work will be Robert Pryor, George Nonamaker, John Scheuer, Leonard Matt, William A. Banks, Irving Blumberg, Milton Young, William Brooker, Ed Rosenbaum, George Fishman, Max Miller, and Richard Mayers. Speaker's Kit (Continued from page 1) livery before an audience. The speeeches are entitled: "The Real Hollywood," "The Production Code," "Exploding A Myth," "Breathing Life Into the Blackboard," "AisleSeat Adventure," "Target for Today" (for delivery by a member of the industry), "Target for Today" (for delivery by a non-member of the industry), "Hollywood, the Unknown," "Hollywood Style" (for delivery by exhibitors), "Hollywood Style" (for delivery by non-members of the industry), and "Powers of Destruction." It is pointed out in a kit foreword that the speeches "can be used as written or adapted in any way deemed advisable by the speaker." Thus far, only leaders of COMPO's 10 charter-member groups have been provided with copies of the kit, but the all-industry agency expects soon to place copies in the hands of all who require them. Big Business in Conn. Hartford, Feb. 26. — Receipts of Connecticut motion picture theatres total more than $19,000,000 a year, according to the Census Bureau.