Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

2 b LaGuardia Signs 'Boston Fire Law 9 For New York On Monday of this week Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia signed the New York law known as the "Boston Fire Law," recently enacted by the City Council and the Board of Estimate, establishing additional safeguards against fire and panic in places of public assembly. The new law goes into effect immediately. The measure applies to all places of assembly occupied by 75 or more persons, except for such places as churches, school halls and the like, and was introduced a few weeks after the Boston night club fire last November which resulted in the loss of 492 lives, including several members of the motion picture industry. In general, the new law covers all places used for recreation, amusement or public exhibition. It forbids the use of any wall or ceiling decorations with any acetate cellulose or nitrate cellulose content, or of any other material not capable of being thoroughly flameproofed. The flame-proofing materials and the methods of applying them to combustible materials must be approved by the Board of Standards and Appeals, and all flame-proofed materials must be tested under supervision of city authorities. The use of decorative greens containing pitch, such as hemlock, balsam and Spanish moss, is forbidden, and the use of all greens for decorative purposes when attached to any combustible material or base, is outlawed. The law also requires clearly lettered and lighted exit signs, signs noting the maximum capacity of all places of public assembly, and for the elimination of certain types of revolving doors, except where exit doors swinging outward are adjacent to the revolving doors. Wall and ceiling drapes are barred unless thoroughly flame-proofed. The law also states that any new places of public assembly as defined in the measure, must provide aisles three feet wide leading to exit doors, and in the case of cabarets to have no exit further than 75 feet from any part of the room. New places are not allowed to use kitchen or service pantries as means of exit. The law provides that the Department of Housing and Building shall determine the maximum number of persons occupying premises covered by its provisions, and calls for conspicuous posting of signs indicating such a maximum capacity. Boston Club Fire Results In Another Conviction Samuel Rudnick, a contractor, found guilty of conspiracy in connection with the Cocoanut Grove night club fire in Boston last November, last week was sentenced to two years in jail. Mr. Rudnick appealed. At the time of conviction three other Boston men were acquitted of conspiracy to evade the building laws. They were James Welansky, brother of Barnett Welansky, now serving a 12-to-15 year state prison term for manslaughter ; Theodore Eldracher, city building inspector, and Mr. Rudnick's helper, David Gilbert. Lee Speaks at Convention Claude Lee, Paramount public relations director, addressed the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association at its silver anniversary convention in Kansas "City this week. Monogram in Pathe Lab Deal Monogram has signed a two-year contract with Pathe Laboratories in which the latter will develop and print all daily rushes as well as master prints of all Monogram films. MOTION PICTURE HERALD "CANTEEN" LEADER AT ARMY BOX OFFICE "Stage Door Canteen", Sol LesserUnited Artists release, was the most popular film shown during June at the Army post theatres operated by the War Department, according to the Army Motion Picture Service report based on box office receipts. The four films which followed in popularity were: "Coney Island", Twentieth Century-Fox; "Bataan", MetroGoldwyn-Mayer; "Aerial Gunner", Paramount; "Action In The North Atlantic", Warner Brothers. Canada Sets Film Fair Share Plan Canada's Wartime Prices and Trade Board early this week announced the adoption of a fair share policy for distribution of product based on proportions to all outlets during the "calendar or fiscal year 1941." Any variation from that basis will require approval from the board administration, but special provision is made for areas where large population changes have occurred. Film distributors are required to have transaction records in 1941 and current year available for inspection by the administration. The step was taken to guard against short supply to anyone, and possible shortage of product will be shared by all. Also from Canada last week came the announcement that L. E. Messinger had resigned as Coordinator of the Prices Board to return to his private business interests after serving since the war began. He was recently appointed to the board committee supervising arrangement for a new quota and priority schedules for raw film stock to the National Film Board and film laboratories in the Dominion. No action has been taken as yet on raw stock allocations, although film exchanges have taken care to have prints on hand for next season. Canadian distributors who have been examining the available product for the coming season, upon drawing up their lists, have found that no film shortage is apparent for at least a year. The lists are used as a basis for film rental control by the Wartime Prices and Trade Board. The House of Commons at Ottawa has approved a fund of $658,000 for the Wartime Information Board, which includes the National Film Board, both headed by John Grierson. Parliamentary criticism by some members greeted the announcement. Thusgaard, News Cameraman, Reported Missing In Action Carl Thusgaard, Acme news cameraman, last week was reported missing in action in the South Pacific. He was aboard a bomber shot down near New Guinea in a battle with nine Japanese Zero fighter planes. Mr. Thusgaard was 39, and lived in Jamaica, Long Island, where his wife and daughter reside. He had been with Acme News Photos 18 years. I 14 on Fox Plaque The Twentieth Century-Fox home office in New York has a bronze plaque, carrying the office's roll of honor and including the names of 114 employees who have gone into the armed services. July 3 1, I 943 Towns Combat Delinquency By Curfews More municipalities this week added curfews to their many ordinances as "last ditch" measures to prevent growing juvenile delinquency. Theatre men, concerned with widespread vandalism, viewed curfews with mixed opinions, according to territory and effects upon business. In Grand Rapids, Mich., they hailed the curfew, which will begin August 19th, and provides that by 10 P.M., all under 16 must be off streets unless accompanied by guardian or parent. In Olive Hill, Ky., the local curfew is being actively opposed by adults. In Nashville, a curfew law is being prepared. It is even suggested by some City Council members that the curfew apply to all persons, regardless of age. Union City, Tenn., has an ordinance banning persons under 21 from places selling beer. Kingsport,'Tenn., has passed a curfew barring minors from streets unless they have good reasons. Cancelled theatre stubs are among the reasons. Chattanooga is featuring broadcasts by prominent citizens to combat delinquency. In Upper Arlington, near Columbus, Ohio, the council refused to adhere to a Columbus curfew. Mayor Whitney Joseph has instead written parents to watch children more closely. In Cleveland, George Erdmann, secretary of the Cleveland Exhibitors Association, is cooperating with police by segregating children under 16 in theatres. At Kent, Ohio, a curfew is being enforced. The hours are 10 P.M. to 5 A.M., and the age limit is 15. Meanwhile, a National Screen Service trailer warning against vandalism as an aid to the enemy, is available to exhibitors. Milwaukee Theatres Assailed As Delinquency Promoters Milwaukee theatres are "hotbeds" of juvenile delinquency, Mrs. Anna Burton Sine, president of the Spanish American War Veterans Auxiliary, warned at a meeting in that city last week of the mayor's special committee to study delinquency problems. It»was noted that in the first six months of this year, 2,962 boys and 492 girls had been arrested for crimes ranging from burglary to loitering. Mr. Helen Lange, of the Juvenile Court women's probation department, asked that midnight theatre shows be "closed completely." She said they were intended for war workers, but that only children seemed to attend. Disney, Fly and Harmon In Radio Discussion Walt Disney was to join with James Law j rence Fly, chairman of the FCC, and Francis S. Harmon, executive vice-president of the War Activities Committee, in the NBC InterAmerican University of the Air's post-war planning series "For This We Fight," in a broadcast July 31st at 7 P.M. EWT. They were to discuss "The World of Sight and Sound." Paramount Announces Showings I For First Block of Five Paramount will . hold trade showings of its J first block of five pictures in the 1943-44 pro !jj gram in all exchange centers Monday, August 9th, and Tuesday, August 10th. The pictures I are: "Let's Face It," "True to Life," "Hos 1 tages," "The Good Fellows" and "Tornado."