Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 10, 1943 NTS Announces New Post -War Purchase Plan National Theatre Supply Company this week announced a plan under which exhibitors, without obligation, may assure quick delivery of equipment needed after the war. Named the "Magic Bridge", it is a special equipment survey, covering a theatre's future equipment requirements. In the announcement, Walter Green, company president, said: "Exhibitors can now tell us what they want in the way of post-war equipment, and we in turn will arrange our manufacturing and delivery schedules to provide all the equipment they need when peace time production is resumed." Mr. Green added : "National does not want any exhibitor's money now for future equipment. This war must first be won. The place for an exhibitor's excess funds is in War Bonds rather than in anything else. Through the continuous purchase of War Bonds, exhibitors can create their own post-war equipment fund." Under the plan, exhibitors ask NTS to enter the survey of their houses as a reservation on the company's post-war delivery schedules. Last week, at the Allied of New Jersey convention at West End, Mr. Green praised the work of Allen G. Smith and Lester B. Isaac, as chief of the amusement section, equipment division, and special industrial consultant, respectively, on the War Production Board. Mr. Green also stressed the aid given by equipment dealers to exhibitors in obtaining and keeping customers by supplying necessary comforts. However, he said, "I am unable to give you a definite statement regarding equipment. The situation applying to supplies and equipment parts is better, and, in my judgment, will continue to improve. I feel sure that this is the way it will be for the duration." The improvements which will come in the post-war world will find NTS engineers ready, Mr. Green asserted. The company's technical staffs are prepared for wide angle projection, third dimension and even television, he said. Nebraska and Iowa Variety Club Planning Jamboree The Variety Club of Nebraska and Iowa has scheduled a theatrical jamboree at Omaha's Peony Park, Monday, July 12th. Proceeds are to be donated to St. Joseph's Hospital to aid construction of a new wing and to the Hattie B. Monroe Home for crippled children. The program will consist of an all-day picnic with swimming, athletic events and dancing. Prizes in the amount of $500 are to be awarded. Under the committee chairman, E. I. Rubin, arrangements also will be handled by Walter Green, Jack Connor, Arthur Randall, Charles Lieb, Harold Johnson, Don McLucas, Sidney Epstein, Glenn Rogers, Howard Jackson, Arthur Kimball and Joseph Kinsky. Sponsors NBC Symphony General Motors has contracted with the National Broadcasting Company to sponsor the NBC Symphony during the winter months. The orchestra is conducted by Arturo Toscanini and had been a sustaining show for the past six years. Dembow Named NSS Director George F. Dembow, vice-president in charge of sales for National Screen Service, has been appointed a director of the company. MOTION PICTURE HERALD IN NEWSREELS MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 25, No. 87— MacArthur opens drive on Japs. . . . RAF Sgt. Sydney Cohen a hero. . . . Nazi spies seized. . . . Record sheep herd in Canada. .. . Sailors harvest potatoes. . . . Mr. America of 1943. . . . New U. S. food chief. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vot. 25, No. SS^Germans launch drive Japs raid Allied bases King George in Africa. .. .Colonel Hobby reviews WAACS. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 25, No. 285— Launch drive on Japs. . . . Spies rounded up. . . . King George in Africa. . . . RAF Sgt. Cohen a hero. . . . Bullet proof vests. . . . Sheep for victory. . . . Mr. America contest. . . . Only dead Japs left on Attu. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 25, No. 286— Yanks fight back after Japs raid base.... King George in Africa ......WAACS change name South Pacific heroes MGM chief aids recruiting. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 90-Pantelleria's liberation. . . . Gay Nineties revue for Chicago service men. . . . North front. . . . Miners returning to work. . . . Nazi spy roundup. . . . MacArthur begins Pacific drive. . . . Bullet proof vests. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 91— Patty Berg victory ... . Mass for 16,000 sailors WAACS change name Tarrytcwn castle King George visits Malta Pacific front — gasoline battle. RKO1 PATHE NEWS— Vol. 14, No. 90— U. S. troops on Attu. . . . FBI's fingerprint file. . . . Marines land on Funafuti. . . . Pantelleria aftermath. . . . Bullet proof suits. . . . England's queen reviews U. S. ambulances. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 14, No. 91— King George in Africa Launch George M. Cohan ship Barage balloons Army gunners trained WAC now in regular Army Christen new destroyed escort vessel Japs raid Allied bases. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL— Vol. 16, No. 203— Spies caught. . . . Flying box cars. . . . Mr. America contest. . . . Liberated Italians. . . . Safety vests. . . . FBI's identification department. . . . Air aces piling up air victories over Japs in New Guinea. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL— Vol. 16, No. 204^-King George visits Africa. . . . Sausages for safety. . . . New Guinea heroes of air receive medals. . . . Oil for Aussies. . . . Patty Berg wins golf tourney. ALL AMERICA NEWS— Vol. 2, No. 37— First Negro ration board does job in Richmond. . . . Crippled children aid scrap drive. . . .WAACS display military precision. . . . Boy artist wins scholarship. . . . Military jive season. Predicts Rapid Rise of FM in Post-War Era Raymond F. Guy, radio facilities engineer for the National Broadcasting Company, told the Institute of Radio Engineers and the Electrical Engineers Institute that Frequency Modulation would be extended rapidly after the war. He spoke at the combined conference of the two groups convening at Cleveland last week. _ Some of the benefits of Frequency Modulation as described by Mr. Guy have been evident in its use by the military, and it is expected that its wide use will be applicable in television in the post-war era. "Dixie" Has Pre-release Openings in 20 Cities Paramount's "Dixie" had approximately 20 pre-release openings, largely in southern cities, over the July 4th weekend. The Kraft Music Flail program, of which Bing Crosby is the star, heralded the openings on the network program last Thursday. He will appear as guest star on various other programs as a further exploitation idea. Spot radio announcements and a national advertising campaign in newspapers and magazines also are being used by Paramount. Returns to Head Branch E. V. Landaiche has returned to his former post as manager of the 20th Century-Fox branch in New Orleans and has been replaced as Dallas manager by Clare Hilgers, moved over from Oklahoma City. Phil Longdon recently was named district manager for 20th Century-Fox with headquarters in Dallas. 39 Fireworks Mark First Hearing in FCC Inquiry The Congressional investigation of the Federal Communications Commission sought by Representative Eugene E. Cox of Georgia opened on the Friday before the Fourth of July with fireworks. At the first of a long series of projected hearings Representative Cox threatened to call police to force Charles Denny, FCC counsel, to be seated when he sought to interrupt commission counsel Eugene L. Garey's recital of more than 50 charges against the Commission and James L. Fly, its chairman. Mr. Denny later explained to newspapermen that he merely wanted to advise the committee that Dr. Robert Leigh, head of the FCC foreign broadcast intelligence service, could not be present this week, when the hearings were to be resumed, because of an official engagement in London. Mr. Garey's list of charges, all of which he said were based on facts "heretofore substantially established through investigation by this committee," ranged from general incompetency to endangering the national security. Many of them were aimed directly at Mr. Fly, who was charged with having interfered with Army and Navy communications plans by insisting that his War Communications Board pass on all proposals to take over stations or frequencies, as well as with having "terrorized" the broadcasting industry. A surprise feature of the presentation was the submission of a recommendation made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the President halt all military or quasi-military radio intelligence activities of the FCC. Other allegations were that Mr. Fly had defeated efforts of the Army and Navy and Hawaiian broadcasting stations before Pearl Harbor to arrange for the elimination of Japanese language broadcasts in Hawaii, that he defeated recommendations of Army and Navy representatives to keep off the technical committees of the Defense Communications Board certain proposed members whom they believed had no place on the committees, that he refused to approve the operation of miniature broadcast stations at isolated combat posts if they were to be operated by soldiers, and that he insisted no commercial company could permit the War or Navy Departments to take over and operate a transmitter without a license from the FCC. Mr. Fly on Tuesday said the investigation was of "serious import" to the President, with whom he had conferred last week. Writing to the committee, he asked answers to 12 questions about the purpose of the investigation, and whether it had an "open mind." He also asked whether the committee would "continue to permit the conclusions of its Wall Street counsel to be broadcast without giving the commission an opportunity for a hearing." As the hearings opened, the FCC was short one member as a result of an unusual and unexplained situation. On June 30th, President Roosevelt sent to the Senate the nomination of Commissioner George Henry Payne for another term on the FCC, and on the following day withdrew the nomination. No explanation was made from the White House and Mr. Payne described himself as mystified. Sign Contracts for Station Contracts have been signed by officials of the Defense Corporation, in Washington, and the Crosley Corporation, in Cincinnati, for construction of the 750,000-watt short wave transmitter at Mason, Ohio, near Cincinnati, at a cost of $450,000, it is reported. The station will be operated for the Government to broadcast propaganda and news to foreign countries.