Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

Women Manage All 9 Houses of Southern Circuit lj A southern circuit has found its nine theatres lest operated by women. Each theatre has a womifcn manager. i The nine theatres maks up the Co-At-Co cirtmt, with headquarters in Atlanta. The vice-presilent and general manager, William Collins, in ^'ew York last week on a vacation visit, said of nis policy that it was not dictated by the war. yV'omen managed his houses before the war. I "They keep my houses in excellent condition," le said. ' "They keep the houses in order, they keep them tlean, they care for the equipment as if it were liome equipment, and they take extra good care pf the children in the theatres." Although all managers are women, the projecaonists are men, and men usually are used as doormen also. Additionally, all booking is done Erom the Atlanta office, by men, he said. The circuit's houses are the Ritz and Star, Toc:oa, Ga. ; the Dixie, Cornelia, Ga. ; Franklin, Latfonia, Ga. ; Rabun, Clayton, Ga. ; Macon, Franklin, N. C. ; Habersham, Clarksville, Ga., and the Buckhead and Garden Hills, Atlanta. 22 Paramount Features Now in Preparation Paramount has 22 feature productions in preparation, five before the cameras and 10 in the editing process, it was announced last week. The picnares in work are "Duffy's Tavern," "The Vir?inian," "The Lost Weekend," and the first of two Hal Wallis productions, "The Love Letters," and 'The Affairs of Susan." Cecil B. DeMille is preparing a Technicolor proSuction, "The Flame." Mark Sandrich has started ,vork with Irving Berlin on "Blue Skies." Others Deing prepared are "To Each His Own," "OlymDia," "Good Intentions," "The Well Groomed Bride," "Prince Charming," an untitled Veronica Lake picture, "Victoria Grandolet," "Our Hearts Were Growing Up," "Eldorado," "Torch Song," 'The Lady and the Landlubber," "The Trouble With Women." Also "California," "Too Good to Be True," '■'Cross My Heart," "Masquerade in Mexico." B. G. DeSylva, who recently started his own production unit at Paramount, has several story properties under consideration. Hal Wallis, in addition to two films now before the cameras, has three in preparation — "Don't Ever Grieve Me." "Whenever j|I Remember" and "The Searching Wind." Lieut. Fecke, Film Man's Son, Is Pacific Air Hero Lt. Alfred J. Fecke, 26, of Duxbury, Mass., son jcf Alfred J. Fecke, of Republic Pictures, Boston, hed an attack by eight Navy pilots which dispersed ta formation of 60 to 75 Japanese fighters and tombers during the early October battle off Formosa. The feat is credited with having saved two crippled U. S. medium warships singled out by the Japs for attack. Lt. Fecke led the pilots of seven other Hellcats, together with planes from a carrier, away from the Jap fighters and into a group of enemy bombers that had emerged from the clouds. After drilling one two-engined plane, Lt. Fecke cut across the tails of six single-engine dive-bombers flying in C formation. In less than 10 seconds three of them had burst into flames. The eight Hellcats got 26 Jap planes. Lt. Fecke is a nephew of Herbert V. Fecke, advertising manager of Motion Picture Daily. Brown Weds Belle Penstock J. C. Brown, manager in Washington, D. C, for News of the Day, was married November 5 at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, to Belle Fen stock, composer and painter of New York City. After a honeymoon in Mexico, Mr. and Mrs. [■ Brown will reside in Washington. WILLIAM COLLINS Rank'Nathanson Deal Seen Closed Details of the agreement whereby J. Arthur Rank, British film leader, will acquire 50 per cent of the Odeon circuit in Canada were expected to be completed this week by Mr. Rank's representative in the deal, John Davis, managing director of Odeon circuit in England, and the Nathanson interests. When Mr. Davis completes his mission to Canada, he will return to New York to complete plans for Air. Rank's acquisition of a Broadway show window. For the past year it has been reported both in London and New York that England's largest producer-distributor-exhibitor either would purchase, lease or, according to the most recent report, build a first run theatre in New York in addition to acquiring first run outlets in other key cities. Western Electric Unit Wins Fourth Production Award Empolyes of the Western Electric Kearny Works and its several manufacturing units in Greater New York, New Jersey and Haverhill, Mass., were informed recently of their fifth winning of the Army-Navy production award "for outstanding services in the production of war equipment." In his letter authorizing display of the fourth white star on the Kearny Works Army-Navy "E" flags. Under Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson wrote : "You have maintained the fine record which brought you distinction more than six months ago and your standard of practical patriotism is one of which you may well be proud. This fourth renewal is a symbol of high achievement over a long period and you may now fly the Army-Navy production award flag, with its four white stars, for a full year before being considered again by the Army and Navy boards for production awards." Army Pictorial Makes Xmas Film for Armed Forces A Christmas film with Marian Anderson, Leopold Stokowski, the Westminster Choir, and an all-service orchestra, has been produced by the Army Pictorial Service for showing to the men and women in uniform. The short subject, "Christmas 1944," was made at the Signal Corps Photographic Center, Long Island City, N. Y. An announcement from Colonel E. L. Munson, Jr., chief of the Army Pictorial Service, indicates that the film will be distributed to military installations all over the world as part of the Army-Navy Screen Magazine. Roosevelt Again Names Schenck Dimes Drive Head President Roosevelt again has named Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew's, Inc., national chairman of the film industry's 1945 March of Dimes drive. This will be Mr. Schenck's fourth term as head of the infantile paralysis campaign. The drive in theatres, it was announced Wednesday, will be held for one week, from January 25 to January 31. Mr. Schenck will name a committee later. In his letter to Mr. Schenck, President Roosevelt said that "this year's incidence of infantile paralysis already exceeds that reported during the entire year of 1943. It is obvious, therefore, that the splendid work you, your committee, the motion picture owners and the entire industry have done for those stricken with this disease assumes an especial significance at this particular time. "I fully realize that this great humanitarian accomplishment was the result of all of you devoting great time and effort to the crusade against a devastating disease. It is a crusade that will not cease until we have won victory — the attainment of which the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis is dedicated. Aided by the generous support of the American people and the continuing interest and cooperation of the motion picture industry, that day of victory draws closer." In the previous motion picture drives, film audiences have contributed, in millions of small donations, over $8,500,000. In the 1944 drive, when $4,667,000 was collected, solicitation was made in more than 11,000 theatres with nearly 9,000,000 seats. They averaged 54 cents per seat. Field in Enterprise with Two Publishing Houses Marshall Field disclosed recently his intention of providing capital to develop a book publishing program under an arrangement previously completed by which Pocket Books, Inc., and Simon and Schuster, Inc., would become part of Field Enterprises, Inc., a corporation organized by Mr. Field. The joint announcement by Mr. Field, Robert F. deGrafT, president of Pocket Books, and Richard D. Simon, M. Lincoln Schuster and Leon Shimkin of Simon and Schuster said that they had joined forces "to expand and activate their post-war book publishing plans." There would be no public stock offering, the announcement indicated. Editorial and executive management and publishing policy of the two companies will remain in the hands of the present executives. Each company will continue to specialized in its own type of publishing. The announucement denied recent reports that Simon and Schuster was planning to publish for less than $1 new cloth-bound books which usually sell for $2 to $3.50. Hollywood Set Designers' Fiqht Studied by AFL The jurisdictional dispute in Hollywood between the Screen Set Decorators Local 1421 and the lATSE Local 44 will be settled without a War Labor Board hearing, in the belief of William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor. Mr. Green said in Washington that AFL members would study the issue. The WLB said the case had been referred to Mr. Green with a request for quick settlement. Crown in New Post Alfred W. Crown, formerly assistant to George A. Hirliman as Film Classics president, has been named vice-president of International Theatrical and Television Corporation, head by Mr. Hirliman. Mr. Crown will handle midwestern and western sales. Anne Exelberth, formerly Film Classics' assistant treasurer, has resigned to become assistant secretary of International. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 1944 29