Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

August 28, 1943 MOTION PICTURE H ERALD 39 Attendance Is Up In Nova Scotia Film theatre attendance in Nova Scotia showed an increase of 2,157,098 in 1942 over the preceding year, with the 1942 attendance figure at 11,595,962, Foreign Commerce Weekly reported recently. Of the 2,100 motion picture films imported by Nova Scotia last year, Hollywood supplied all but 14. There were 13 British and one French, the official publication of the Department of Commerce said. Federal regulations require that 40 per cent of the newsreels shown in Nova Scotia be Canadian or British, but with the exception of these and Canadian Government war propaganda films, practically all pictures exhibited in the province were from the United States in 1942. Of the 21,000 films exhibited, 556 were features ; 522, shorts ; 618 trailers ; 397 newsreels and seven, serials. The publication reported that "films are the favorite form of entertainment in Nova Scotia, and long waiting lines frequently are seen in front of the theatres." Production To Start on Two Peskay Films Soon Edward Peskay, eastern representative for Hal Roach, and who heads a recently-formed producing company, has announced that two films, "Red, Hot and Blue" and "Copocabana" are set for immediate production. The former was written by Russell Crouse and Howard Lindsay with a musical score by Cole Porter while "Copocabana" is to be made in conjunction with Monte Proser. Mr. Peskay . is on the Coast arranging f or studio space and determining other production details with distribution deals understood to be in the process of negotiation. The supervision of the new company, it was said, would not affect Mr. Peskay's present activities for Hal Roach. Demand Protection Against Power Line Failures Theatres and other users of electric power in Lebanon, Tenn., have demanded that the Tennessee Valley Authority provide a more satisfactory electric power service following its failure in two theatres on successive Saturday nights in the middle Tennessee territory. They are asking additional power feeder lines, claiming single feeder lines have proved inadequate unless supplemented by more lines. An important factor which it is believed will force TVA to give careful consideration to the petition, is the huge soldier patronage which towns in that area entertain. Schulman in Executive Post With Lichtman Circuit Charles C. Schulman, well-known Washington business man, has joined the Lichtman circuit as executive assistant to the president, a newly-created post. Although new to the theatrical field, Mr. Schulman has been in close association with members of the industry through his membership in the Washington Variety Club. Announcement of Mr. Schulman's association was made this week by H. Graham Barbee, Jr., general manager of the circuit. C. D. Burton in Charlotte Post C. D. Burton, formerly of Los Angeles and Rocky Mount, N. C, has been appointed sales manager of United Artists' Charlotte branch to succeed Byron Adams, recently named manager of the Dallas office. Mr. Burton came to North Carolina as a film salesman in 1942. Wirthwein Named Milwaukee Manager for Paramount Harold Wirthwein, sales manager of Paramount's Chicago exchange for more than a year, has been promoted to manager of the company's Milwaukee branch, it was announced this week by Neil Agnew, general sales manager. Mr. Wirthwein joined Paramount in 1928 as a shipping clerk in Milwaukee, and came up through the ranks. Start Series for CI A A The Princeton Film Center in Princeton, N. J., has started a series of 35mm pictures for the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. Leroy G. Phelps, until recently with the domestic film production unit of the Office of War Information, will work on the new series. Goldman Sells Philadelphia Theatre to Lewen Pizor Three theatre transactions involving change of ownership were reported from Philadelphia recently. The most important was the sale of William Goldman's 56th Street theatre to Lewen Pizor, his former partner and president of the United Motion Picture Theatre Owners. It gives Mr. Pizor two theatres on simultaneous run, since his Cedar theatre in the same West Philadelphia zone played day-and-date with the 56th Street. The Northwestern Theatres in that city disposed of its building which once housed the Ritz theatre, Pasquale Lazorsa purchasing the property which has been used for commercial purposes for many years. Another deal gave Sam Frank two New Jersey theatres formerly owned by Mrs. Rovner of Philadelphia. Y Buying More W ar Bonds to help win the VICTORY we will then all have something to Crow about. Let's all get behind the Third War Loan Campaign with Real