Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

Friday, March 2, 1951 Motion Picture Daily 3 Hallmark Sets 3 for 1951, 4 Next Year Hallmark Productions will make four features next year as compared with three this year and two last year, Kroger Babb, company president, declared here yesterday. Babb has arrived here from his headquarters in Wilmington, Ohio, to attend the Broadway opening of his Cinecolor production, "The Prince of Peace," at the Criterion. The film, which is the story of the Life of Christ, will open on Good Friday, March 23. Under a three-picture deal made with the Criterion, the house will also play "One Too Many" and "Secrets of Beauty." Reporting on the Hollywood scene, Babb said there is now a "better feeling and outlook there than in three years." The opening of "Secrets of Beauty" at the Criterion Aug. 27, has been sold out to the National Hair Dresser and Cosmetologists Association, which will hold a convention here. C o c kr ill Head of Indianapolis Group Indianaoplis, March 1. — B. D. Cockrill, president of Denham Theatres, Denver, has been elected president of Greater Indianapolis Amusement Co. here, succeeding Ted R. Gamble, whose Gamble Enterprises this week sold its half interest in GIA's Indiana, Circle, Lyric and Keith to Denham. The other half interest is owned by Fourth Avenue Amusement Co. of Louisville. Cockrill is president of the Colorado Association of Theatre Owners. He was president of the old Indiana Exhibitors Association from 1926-1936. Alliance to Book for 3 Indiana Houses Indianapolis, March 1. — Film exchanges here have been informed by Fred Dolle, president of the Fourth Avenue Amusement Co., Louisville, that the Alliance Circuit of Chicago will do the buying and booking for Fourth Avenue's three houses at Terre Haute, Ind., effective Thursday. This will give Alliance control of five downtown houses in Terre Haute. It now has the Orpheum and the Grand there, while Fourth Avenue operates the Wabash, Indiana and Liberty. Daylight and Overnight DC-6 Mainliner 300s \\\ HRS. ONESTOP to LOS ANGELES Leaves at noon, arrives 8:30 pm United's overnight flight to Los Angeles leaves at 9 pm; arrives the next morning. UNITED AIR LINES Review Up Front ( U nivcri-al-Intenuttional) THAT YANKEE ABILITY to wring humor out of situations however extreme, is given a grand demonstration in "Up Front." The picture can best be characterized as a war drama with a hilarious sense of humor. Based on Bill Mauldin's cartoon strip characters, Joe and Willie, the picture frequently has the novel quality of an animated cartoon. The antics come off with rousing success. With so little space between wars these days, one might think audiences would be disinclined to laugh at war comedies. But such a contention comes to grief with "Up Front," as it did with "At War with the Army." At a sneak preview at a midtown New York theatre last week audiences responded with continuous hearty laughter. There are no top-notch marquee names in the production but, regardless it looks like U-I has a sure fire money maker in "Up Front." David Wayne and Tom Ewell portray Joe and Willie, respectively, as two battle-wise infantrymen and inseparable buddies. After some humorous preliminary sketches, the screenplay, by Stanley Roberts, has Joe hit by enemy fire. Thinking his buddy dead, Willie is crestfallen. Also, his chances of self-preservation are lessened by the fact that he now has been teamed up with a raw recruit. It is happy news indeed for Willie when he learns that his buddy is alive in a Naples base hospital, and off Willie goes to Naples to bring him back to the front. In Naples the pair get entangled with the Military Police, blackmarkets and an assortment of trdublesome situations. The whirlwind finale has droves of MP's in hot pursuit of the trouble-beset pair who are roaring back to the front in a truck laden with blackmarket supplies. Seeming disaster turns to glory for the boys when it develops that the blackmarket supplies are just what the hard-pressed front-line soldiers need. Also, the pursuing MP's make a welcome augmentation to the fighting men up front. A bare outline of the story misses much of the picture's sentiment, parable, and humor. The grim account of the fighting is neatly interwoven with the comedy, all under Alexander Hall's direction. Others in the cast of Leonard Goldstein's production are Jeffrey Lynn, a combat captain, and Marina Berti, a pretty Italian girl. Running time, 92 minutes. General audience classification. For April release. Mandel Hf.rbstman Kranze Files for $28,450 Back Pay Bernard G. Kranze, formerly Film Classics general sales manager, has filed suit for $28,450 in Federal Court here against Cinecolor, Inc., FC's parent company, claiming unpaid salary in that amount. A defense motion to dismiss the suit has been set for hearings on March 16. Kranze, who became assistant general sales manager for Eagle Lion Classics following the merger of the two companies last summer, became FC general sales manager in 1948 at a salary of $800 per week for the first week, papers in the suit reveal. The pact called for an increase to $1,000 per week in the second and third years. Cinecolor took over FC's payroll and Kranze's claim for allegedly unpaid salary is directed against it. Kranze went to ELC at a weekly salary of $500, the papers state. RKO Pathe Promotes Kleinerman, Adams Isaac Kleinerman, veteran editor of RKO Pathe, has been promoted to assistant studio manager here, by Jay Bonafield, executive vice-president. In addition, Clay Adams has been named manager of the RKO Pathe special service unit, with Dudley Hale to be his principal assistant ; Edward R. Evans has been promoted to the post of television consultant, with Edward Tate as sales consultant. Keegan to Buy for Cooperative Group Cincinnati, March 1. — Jack Keegan, formerly vice-president and general manager of Northio Theatres, Paramount affiliate, has been appointed manager of the Cooperative Theatre Service's local branch. He succeeds William Borack, Northio booker for several years tinder Keegan, before he resigned to go with Cooperative. Bookers Club to Meet The Motion Picture Bookers Club of New York will hold an open meeting here on Monday at the Hotel Taf t, it was announced. Phila. 'Fellowship' Cites Skouras, 20th Philadelphia, March 1.— Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, tonight accepted an award honoring his company and himself for their efforts contributing to human relations and intergroup understanding, and for making such films as "Gentleman's Agreement," 'Pinky" and "No Way Out." The citation was made at a "Salute to the Arts" dinner at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel given by the Philadelphia Fellowship Committee. National Theatres to Aid Civil Defense Hollywood, March 1. — The National Theatres Circuit will make its 450 theatres in 19 states, together with their staff personnel, fully available to civil defense authorities on local, state and national levels, president Charles P. Skouras announced today at the close of the company's annual headquarters conference. The meet was attended by 70 delegates header, by division presidents. A resolution pledging civil defense cooperation reminded that that has been National Theatres' policy throughout the circuit's history. No other details of the closely-gaurded fourday deliberations, which had been scheduled to cover all phases of circuit operation, were disclosed. Delegates tonight attended a dinner here. ^lylmporfentRopfe ARE RMHGABOUT AVery Important Picture ! — i AVery important personality/ THE SEASON A Paramount Picture fc*is a gem that will bend moviegoers into pretzel shapes!" — Erskine Johnson aS Mother of the Groom is a cinch to be nominated for an Academy Award !" — Sheila Graham