Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

rarold Hopper rins MGM As tudio Manager nique among motion picture deals of major stance it that which took Harold Hopper the inner circle of MGM's official family as ral manager of the studio, it was learned here week. r Hopper, who recently wound up his work hiet of the motion picture division and photoihic section o'f the Consumers Durable Goods fen of the War Production Board, and was :ed president of the Motion Picture Society the Americas, will perform for MGM the agerial duties which have been discharged by E Mannix for the past several years, be studio's announcement of the Hopper aptment said it would free Louis B. Mayer, Mannix, Benjamin Thau, Sam Katz, Al Licht, Louis K. Sidney, J. J. Cohn, M. J. Siegel, I McGuinness and Harry Rapf to devote more heir time to production. y any reading of the news, the Hopper under3g is a large order. He accepted it on direct iation from Nicholas M. Schenck, in Hollyd last week, Mr. Mayer and Mr. Mannix, he went to work at it Monday morning. The g that makes it unique, despite the fact of his ; association with the three in a business which els on its contracts, is the fact that the matter ;alary, inclusive of the profit-sharing features mon to MGM's deals with top executives, has i left open for discussion and agreement at e future, convenient date. .r. Hopper formerly was vice-president of estic Pictures and was associated with DarI and Warren Doane Productions. He also president of Cinema Mercantile Company and :lity Securities Corporation, a film-financing mization. |r. Hopper said Tuesday in Hollywood he undecided whether or not to relinquish the lidency of the Motion Picture Society for the ericas, but he indicated his new position with M would not conflict with the continued opern of the Cinema Mercantile Corporation, ch he owns. lion Files Appeal from icision Halting Merger ttorneys representing the Empire State Motion ure Projectionists Union, which was merged ■ a year ago with the IATSE New York ectionists' Local 306, have filed an appeal from ;cision rendered by Judge William R. Wilson May in Kings County Supreme Court in favor lentury Circuit of Brooklyn and Queens. Censought to prevent the merger and was upheld ■reventing the dissolution of Empire as a corition for the duration of its contract with the •oration, which has almost seven years to run. jw York Exhibitor Unit dorses MGM Policy !ie Unaffiliated Independent Exhibitors of New k, through James L. Stern, president, have wsed the new subsequent-run policy of MGM, I'ecently enunciated by William F. Rodgers, "ibution vice-president. "iot only have you offered the solution of our t pressing buying problems, covering perages, preferred playing time and product shortbut have once again paved the pay for others ollow," Mr. Stern said in a letter to Mr. ,gers. cision Profit $270,160 ;neral Precision Equipment Corporation and subsidiary companies, report consolidated net it of $270,160 for the three months ended June 1944, after provision for depreciation, Federal me and excess profits taxes, renegotiation and ingencies, subject to year-end adjustments. HAROLD HOPPER Allied Committee to Seek Post-war Solutions Solutions of certain post-war problems will be offered exhibitors by a special Allied States Association committee appointed recently to gather information on such problems. The committee includes Ray Branch, chairman ; Jack Kirsch and William Ainsworth. It will report to the board, which meets September 7 and 8 at Bretton Woods, N. H. Meanwhile, members of Allied have been invited to submit information and suggestions to the committee. The organization, in a July 27 bulletin, warns exhibitors to plan. now for the end of the European war and consequent local celebrations. It protests United Artists' advanced admission policy on "Since You Went Away," and warns that "all percentage contracts fixing admission prices" are price fixing agreements and that the distributors are engaged "in a gigantic price fixing combination." It also suggests a "Jimmy Stewart Week," to honor the actor, now a war hero ; and it says that pension plans proposed by Companies save their executives considerable money. Juvenile Ban Enforced in Paralysis Epidemic The spread of infantile paralysis through western and southern New York State has resulted in warnings of police action against theatre managers in at least one epidemic center unless they bar children. The Hornel, N. Y., police department, was asked by the city's board of health to keep a sharp watch on compliance by theatres with an order banning all children under 16 from public gathering places. No case, however, of theatres not cooperating has been reported. Sharp decline in attendance has been noted in Steuben County, where 68 cases of polio have been reported, and in Chemung County, where 71 have been reported. In Charlotte, N. C, local theatre owners were given the prospect of an early lifting of the ban on children under 15 entering public places. The ban was ordered in June because of the epidemic of infantile paralysis. In Madison, Ind., the ban on children under 16 was lifted due to a decrease in the number of cases. "Atlantic City" Premiere Held In New Jersey Resort The world premiere of Republic's "Atlantic City" starring Constance Moore and Brad Taylor, was broadcast from Hamid's Pier, Atlantic City, N. J. over Station WSPG July 29, as a highlight of the ceremonies in connection with the opening of the film, which was attended by Mayor Joseph Altman, City Commissioner William Casey, Public Safety Director William Cuthbert, and civic and entertainment dignitaries. Extensive billboard and newspaper advertising as well as radio spot announcements heralded the film, which began its regular engagement at the Pier theatre July 30. Biddle Rejects Decree Proposal; Leaves Way Open "Unacceptable" is the verdict of the Department of Justice on the distributors' Consent Decree proposals. Attorney General Francis Biddle is understood to have rejected them, but also to have instructed Assistant Attorney General Tom C. Clark to attempt again an agreement with the film companies. The companies were said to have labeled their proposals "final" ; but the Department of Justice, observers said at Washington this week, merely considered them "preliminary." The proposals are understood to have been given Mr. Biddle last month by Mr. Clark, Wendell Berge, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the anti-trust division, and Robert L. Wright, in charge of that division's film section. Mr. Biddle is said to have made recommendations for revision, in returning the proposals to Mr. Clark. The latter said Tuesday he could not predict further moves, but it was felt the companies would be apprised of the department's stand this week. Mr. Clark said he had not talked with representatives of independent exhibitors, but added he was willing to do so at any time. Ohio Bank Night Suit Seen as Test Case Bank Night again has been projected into the legal limelight, this time at Mansfield, Ohi®, where Mrs. Emily J. Fisher has filed suit in Common Pleas Court against Steven Christ, doing business as New Deal Bank Night Guaranty, seeking to recover $500 which she claims due her under "Bank Night insurance" issued by the defendant. The plaintiff charges that, although she was properly registered at Warner's Ohio, and her name was first called, she was refused the award by the Ohio management when she presented her ticket several days later in accordance with the "insurance" stipulation. The suit is expected to develop into a test case. "I Love a Soldier" Will Open in San Francisco The world premiere of Paramount's "I Love a Soldier," starring Paulette Goddard and Sonny Tufts, produced and directed by Mark Sandrich, will be held August 15 at the Fox theatre in San Francisco, locale of the picture. Paramount will send some of the cast members and other film personalities to San Francisco to attend the premiere and the "People Are Funny" radio show, a national network program, will be broadcast from San Francisco as part of the premiere publicity and exploitation campaign. Famous Players Planning New Home Office and Theatre Indications of a post-war boom in theatre construction were given further weight in Toronto last week with the announcement that Famous Players Canadian Corporation has prepared plans for the building of a downtown theatre and office building, as part of its post-war building program. The plan is to make use of the forthcoming structure as main office of the Canadian circuit with removal from the Royal Bank Building in due time. The theatre in the same building will have 2,500 seats. Warners Buy Theatre The Kent theatre, key house in Philadelphia's Kensington section, with five stores, has been purchased by Warner Brothers Theatres from Mercantile and Theatre Properties, Inc.', for $700,000, it was announced by the realty company of Albert M. Greenfield and Company. The house is operated by the Warner circuit under terms of a lease to the Stanley Company of America, wholly-owned Warner subsidiary. riON PICTURE HERALD, AUGUST 5, 1944 21