Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1943)

36 Open 'Mission9 In 55 Theatres; Budget $500,000 Fifty-five openings of Warner's "Mission to Moscow" have been set, the company announced this week. Meanwhile, following discussions among Warner officials, it was decided that an unprecedented budget of $500,000 would be allocated for advertising and publicity purposes. The decision doubling the originally planned budget of $250,000 was reportedly made after observing the record-breaking first week run of the picture at the Hollywood theatre on Broadway. Detailed plans for the film's advertising campaign were outlined last week by Charles Einfeld, advertising and publicity director, before a contingent of field staff men at the close of a four-day session at the home office. "Mission to Moscow" has already been shown in the Hollywood, Downtown and Wiltern in Los Angeles on Wednesday and at the Mastbaum in Philadelphia on Friday. Other scheduled showings are as follows : May 19: Strand, Hartford; Roger Sherman, New Haven; Warner and Merrit, Bridgeport. May 20: Strand, Albany ; Penn, Pittsburgh. May 21 : Fox, San Francisco ; Warner, Memphis ; Warner, Milwaukee. May 26: Orpheum, Seattle; Capitol, Lancaster; Indiana, Indianapolis; Capitol, Springfield, Mass. May 27: Troy, Troy; Empress, Danbury; Orpheum, Kansas City ; Warner, Wilmington ; Strand, York; Warner, Fresno. May 28: Stanley, Utica; Earle and Ambassador, Washington; Cathaum, State College, Pa. ; Warner, Morgantown ; Strand, Greensburg ; Stanley, Atlantic City ; Criterion or Midwest, Oklahoma City ; Stamford, Stamford; Strand, New Britain; Rio, Appleton; Bay, Green Bay; Sheboygan, Sheboygan; Kenosha, Kenosha ; Capitol, Madison ; Venetian, Racine. May 29 : State, Johnstown ; Warner, Erie. May 31 : Warner, Worcester. June 2: State, Waterbury; Palace, South Norwalk ; Garde, New London ; Palace, Norwich; State, South Manchester; Warner, Torrington ; Capitol, Willimantic. June 3 : Orpheum, New Orleans ; Hippodrome, Cleveland. June 4: Majestic, Providence. June 10 : Warner, Youngstown ; Ohio, Canton. June 12: Ohio, Mansfield. Harmon Speaks for Screen On NBC Radio Series Francis S. Harmon, executive vice-chairman of the War Activities Committee, has been invited to speak July 19th on "Problems of Communications" on the National Broadcasting Company's public service series, titled "For This We Fight." The first broadcast of the newly inaugurated series is scheduled for June 5th when Secretary of State Cordell Hull will be the initial speaker. Broadcasts will be heard every Saturday evening thereafter for a period of 26 weeks. Also appearing with Mr. Harmon will be James Lawrence Fly, chairman of the Federal Communications System, and David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America, will be moderator, The first 13 weeks of the series will be devoted to the international aspects of the postwar world, and the remaining 13 weeks will be occupied by the discussion of the national aspects. James Rowland Angell, NBC public service counsellor, is in charge of the broadcasts which are under the sponsorship of the Inter-American University of the Air. MOTION PICTURE HERALD Plan Widespread Campaign On Merchant Marine Film National Maritime Commission officials and a Warner Brothers' delegation from New York met in the offices of the Commission on Tuesday for a two-day conference concerning the release of "Action in the North Atlantic," the company's film on merchant marines. Mark O'Dea, director of the public relations bureau of the NMC discussed the contemplated program with Charles Einfeld, Mort Blumenstock, Mitchell Rawson, Will Yolen and Irving Yergin, representing Warners. There (will be simultaneous showings of the film on May 21st, the eve of National Maritime Day, coincident with its world premiere at the Strand on Broadway. $200,000 Quota Set for U.J. A. Industry Drive Motion picture industry leaders pledged more than $85,000 towards the industry quota of $200,000, at the fifteenth annual luncheon of the amusement division of the United Jewish Appeal, held in New York Tuesday at the Hotel Astor. Nearly 600 industry executives were present at the meeting which launched the division's 1943 campaign in behalf of the organization. The principal speaker was Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, national chairman of the UJA. B. S. Moss presided as chairman. Barney Balaban, David Bernstein and Major Albert Warner are co-chairmen of the industry drive. Last year the industry raised $162,000. In addition to Dr. Silver, Mr. Moss and the co-chairmen, the following industry leaders were seated on the dais : Joseph Hazen, Jules E. Brulatour, John Golden, Martin Quigley, Harry Brandt, George Skouras, Louis Nizer, Adolph Kaufman and Herman Robbins. A special dramatization illustrating the relief activities of the UJA was presented by Joseph Schildkraut, Sam Jaffee, Alexander Kirkland, Arleen Whelan and Doris Nolan. Delay Kaufman Trial to June 1 Federal Judge Alfred C. Coxe on Monday in the U. S. Federal Court in New York adjourned the trial of Louis Kaufman, business agent of local 244, Motion Picture Operators Union of Newark, until June 1st. He is one of eight under indictment on charges of extortion in the film industry. Adjournment was granted in order that removal proceedings of six defendants in Chicago could be obtained by the Department of Justice, bringing all eight to trial simultaneously. Besides Kaufman, John Roselli is presently being held for trial in New York. Nineteen motion picture executives were subpoenaed, meanwhile, by Federal Judge John P. Barnes in Chicago to appear as witnesses at the removal hearing. The subpoenaes were issued at the request of counsel for Paul DeLucia, Ralph Pierce, Phil D'Andrea, Frank Maritote, Louis Campagna and Charles Gioe, the defendants fighting extradition. Among those subpoenaed were Nicholas Schenck, president of Loew's, Inc. ; Marvin Schenck, his nephew, Charles C. Moscowitz and David Bernstein, Loew's executives ; Louis B. Mayer, vice-president of MGM ; Harry Warner, president of Warner Brothers, and his son, Lieutenant Albert Warner. May 15, 1943 RKO Sets Plans For Premiere of 'Bombardier9 The world premiere of RKO's "Bombardier" to be held Monday, May 17th, in Albuquerque, is the most recent of ten premieres in the past four weeks. Producers Releasing Corporation's "Corregidor" will open May 27th at the Globe theatre in New York. A celebration has been planned for the "Bombardier" opening, and personal appearances by Pat O'Brien, Randolph Scott and Anne Shirley, stars of the film, have been arranged. Also attending will be producer Robert Fellows and such company executives as Ned E. Depinet, Charles Koerner, Robert Mochrie, S. Barret McCormick and Perry Lieber. Following the Albuquerque showing, it is reported that approximately 50 Texas cities will have additional premiere showings from May 19th through May 22nd. The Texas Quality Network has also arranged to broadcast the premiere proceedings. Recent premieres by other companies include Paramount's "Aerial Gunner" at Harlingen, on May 9th. Seats for the premiere at the Arcadia theatre brought $50,000 in War Bond sales. A full military review put on by the soldiers of the Harlingen Army Aerial Gunnery School and personal appearances by Hollywood stars were part of the program. In succession, Republic's "At Dawn We Die" and RKO's "This Land Is Mine" opened on May 7th, the former at the Abbey in New York, the latter at the Albee in Cincinnati ; Warner's "Desperadoes" had its premiere on May 12th at the Criterion on Broadway, and the Stromberg-UA film, "Ladies of Burlesque," bowed in the same day at the Capitol in Hartford ; the premiere of Columbia's "The More the Merrier" followed the next day at Radio City's Music Hall, and Paramount's "China" was an earlier release at the Paramount theatre on Broadway. In the road showings, personal appearances, radio tieups and other exploitation stunts were employed in a widespread campaign to heighten interest in the films. In New York last Friday Republic's "At Dawn We Die," was shown to members of the French National Committee at a special premiere at the Abbey. Also present were a number of French War veterans. The evening was dedicated to the cause of the Fighting French movement. Universal Sets Releases On Five Pictures Universal Pictures has announced that its Victory featurette, "What We Are Fighting For," will be released nationally on May 24th with 442 simultaneous theatre openings. The featured actors are Lon Chaney, Osa Massen and Robert Paige. Other company releases have been set as follows : "Confusion in India," June 21st ; "Russian Revels," June 23rd ; "Canine Commandos" and "The Armless Dentist," June 28th. Brendel Manages Seattle House El Brendel, Jr., son of the stage and film comedian, has been appointed manager of the John Danz Rivoli theatre in Seattle, succeeding Glen Eldridge, who has been transferred to the circuit's booking department. Manages Telenews Theatre William Houck, Seattle theatre manager, has been named manager of the Telenews theatre in that city. He succeeds Charles Shutt, who has been transferred to Denver.