Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 3, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 59 Asks Record Ban IN NEWSREELS Amusement Unit By Vocalists James C. Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians, last week tightened his grip on record manufacturers by requesting vocalists to forego the making of recordings when not accompanied by instrumentalists. Although the singers are not under the union's jurisdiction, many of them already have signified their intention of cooperating with the AFM by agreeing to the union head's proposal. Among them are Bing Crosby, Connee Boswell, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and others. Arrangers and copyists who are members of AFM are also affected by the move, and it is believed that few will oppose the request. The action was instigated, it was said, after choral groups and vocalists had made records for manufacturers without instrumental accompaniment. The manufacturers, meanwhile, earlier in the week had charged Mr. Petrillo was "ducking" a Department of Labor conciliator assigned to mediate the 10-month old dispute over the manufacture of discs. The union head's answer was to repudiate the accusation by "pooh-poohing" John L. Lewis' attitude. Regarding Mr. Lewis, he said, "When we call a strike, we call a strike. He calls a strike every two weeks and where's he got. He's busy trying to be President, the Secretary of Labor or something." Farrow in New York To Work On "The Hitler Gang" John Farrow, director of "Wake Island," "Commandos Strike at Dawn" and "China," is spending about 10 days in New York to cast the German hierarchy in Paramount's forthcoming release, "The Hitler Gang." The film will be made with the cooperation of the State Department and is a factual story of the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. Extensive showing in occupied countries is expected by means of the underground. Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, writers, will have the collaboration of Herman Rauschning, former president of Danzig Free State and confidant of Hitler. The British Ministry of Information is also assisting with documentary evidence. Television Society Gives Awards to GE, NBC The National Broadcasting Company and the General Electric Company were cited at a meeting of the American Television Society last Wednesday. GE received an award for "the greatest contribution to television program development of the year," and NBC was honored for "the greatest contribution to the use of television as a public service." The society elected the following officers for the year : Norman D. Waters, president ; Charles Kleinman, vice-president; C. Matthew Desner, treasurer; Kay Reynolds, secretary. Lela Swift, C. Elizabeth Ayres and A. B. Cohen were elected to the board of directors. McDonald Blue Advisor James G. McDonald, journalist and radio news analyst, last week was appointed as advisor to the Blue Network by Mark Woods, president. Lieutenant Emerick Missing Lieutenant Russel Emerick, formerly of Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, has been reported missing in action. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 25, No. 8S-Heroic Soviet Army. . . . Allied air power strikes Axis. . . . Film actors join blood bank. . . . WAVES recruiting drive. . . . Civilian defense show in St. Louis. . . . Red Cross trains children. . . . Maori warriors. . . . Movietone forum. ... A lesson in safetv in New York. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 25, No. 86— Heat wave strikes. . . . World awaits invasion. . . . Japs bombed in New Guinea. . . . Eisenhower at sea. . . . War Stamp appeal. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 25, No. 283— The Russian war. . . . Volcano erupts in Mexico. . . . LaGuardia warns on panic. . . . Maori warriors. . . . Seagoing SPARS. . . . Army engineers in Chicago. . . . Film stars join blood bank. . . . Launch new cruiser. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 25, No. 284— Arrest Nazi spy. . . . Blast Jap bases. . . . Yank lifeline to India. . . . Jeep rides for Governors. . . . Invasion pattern. . . . War Bond appeal. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 88.— Russian victories. . . Dogs for combat duty. . . . Chattanooga menagerie. . . . Aviation firemen. '. . . Government fights war rackets. . . . Maori warriors. . . . Anzacs hop Alps. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 89— Chicago glamour guards. . . . White House reporters. . . . Pantelleria films. . . . Coal crisis. . . . Invasion weapons. . . . Army amphibians in tuneup for events to come in Europe. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 14, No. 88— Russian troops advance. . . . Stars join blood bank. . . . Maori warriors. . . . Army builds bridge in Chicago. . . . Planes on patrol in New Zealand. . . . LaGuardia warns on panic. RKO PATHE NEWS— VoL 14; No. 89— British Navy at Pantelleria. . . . Supplies to India. . . . Bond drive for new carrier. . . . U. S. Japs in relocation camp. . . . Tomorrow's kitchen. . . . Navy rehearses fire-fighting. . . . Amphibians in invasion tactics. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEI VoL 16, No. 201— Russian victories. . . . Bomb Italian bases. . . . Stars give blood. . . . Launch U.S.S. Houston. . . . Maoris join up. ... La Guardia warns on panic. . . . Australian 9th division returns home. . . . Bombers on New Zealand patrol. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL— Vol. 16, No. 202— Curtains for Pantelleria. . . . Liberators pelt Lae. . . . War Bond appeal for new cruiser. . . . Sub patrol on convoy. . . . Amphibian operations. . . . Flame throwers demonstrate. . . . Summer cruise for seamen. . . . Indian transport. ALL AMERICA NEWS— Vol. 2, No. 36— Miners of Kentucky await call. . . . Richmond school children on parade. . . . Birmingham Barons beat Cuban nine. . . . Swimming popular in Chicago. . . . Indianapolis youths prepare for war work. . . . Dallas parade. National Decency Legion Classifies Ten Films The National Legion of Decency this week reviewed 10 films, classifying five as unobjectionable for general patronage, four as unobjectionable for adults and one as objectionable in part. The listing follows : Class A-l, Unobjectionable for General Patronage : "Bordertown Gunfighters," "Good Luck, Mr. Yates," "Wolves of the Range," "Leather Burners," "Prairie Chickens." Class A-2, Unobjectionable for Adults : "Dixie," "Isle of Forgotten Sins," "Submarine Alert," "Swing Shift Maisie." Class B, Objectionable in Part: "Stage Door Canteen." Jules Levey Will Produce Five for United Artists Jules Levey, independent producer, will make five pictures for release by United Artists, the distributing company's president, Edward C. Raftery, announced Monday. Mr. Levey will make at least one per year. In signing the contract, Mr. Levey announced his first production would be a screen version of the Eugene O'Neill Broadway stage play, "The Hairy Ape." Theatre Closed for Summer Albert Smith, operator of the Tower theatre in Walnut Beach, Conn., has closed the house for the summer. Adds Committees The National Entertainment Industries Council, wartime unit of the amusement world, has named three new committees and has issued 61 invitations to the member organizations for the first sessions on July 14-15. The Council, which was formed under the sponsorship of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, will attempt to coordinate all activities such as the talent pool, writers' agencies, stagehands' contributions, and the like. The plan, it was said, would not interfere with the separate campaigns which have been undertaken by the individual groups heretofore, and is not designed to control any of their future campaigns. Named to the speakers committee were Leonard Callahan, James Sauter, George J. Schaefer, Bert Lytell and either Myrna Loy or James Cagney. The organization committee includes Philip Loeb, Louise Sillcox, Kermit Blumgarten, Abel Green, George Heller and Frank Wilson. Appointed to the credentials committee were Anita Grannis, Leonard Callahan and James Riley. Harry Brandt, president of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, New York, was named treasurer of the continuation committee. SPG To Submit Wage Fight To Arbitration Board The salary dispute between the Screen Publicists Guild, New York, and five major companies and two circuits is to be referred to a three-man arbitration board for decision, according to Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., president of SPG. The organization is asking an over-all percentage wage increase from RKO Radio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Universal, Paramount, Columbia, RKO Theatres and Loew's. Confer on Warner Film Hal B. Wallis, producer of "This Is the Army" for Warners arrived in New York this week with Irving Berlin and Michael Curtiz, director of the film, for several conferences with home office officials. It's the pickest road to postwar equipment NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY'S